Akhôrahil

I think this is the best answer. Spirit Magic is very generalized, and designed to focus on a rules-based effect rather than on how exactly it comes about. For instance, Bladesharp can’t just make the blade sharper - apart from all the other questions that arise about sharpness, you wouldn’t receive a bonus to hit from having a really sharp weapon. A sloth spirit might make you lazy with your action, a time spirit might contract time for you, a spider spirit might hinder your movements using webbing, an earth elemental might grab at your feet. This seems really productive, too - it means the GM gets to describe what happens in each case, and that can only be a good thing!

Kalasmas the Settler who settled Dorastor in 114 and formed the Dorastans (D:LoD pp5-6), and presumably many of the other settlers, were Stravuli, and hence traced decent to the Vingkotlings. Vyrope, who discovered Dorasta's Cleft and formed the line of priestesses there, was his grand-daughter. Her consort found Ironbreaker. It seems likely to assume that the farmers of Dorasta's shrine are the descendants of this people. Already in 180, the Second Council moved to Dorastor, so at that point we probably get a huge big mix of peoples, united more by shared culture than descent. It was a real powerhouse long before Nysalor. And the Poisonthorn Elves were there since the Dawn.

If you’re quick, you could kill whoever is trying to Lightbringer Summon you before they’re done recitating. Then it doesn’t count, right? Right?

I believe the standard take on mysticism has moved from its own fourth type of magic (as in HW), to something that can be practiced within each of the big three. At least, this is what Robin Laws tells me. So the things you mention would not be ”improper” mysticism, merely more outwards. This can still be true under the above scheme. We know that the Kralori higher-ups are unimpressed with The Path of Immanent Mastery, believing (correctly, I would say) that it produces stunted excuses for dragons (they only keep them around because they’re practical). I would imagine that they would also be less than impressed with the way the Lunars churn out quickly mass-produced Illuminates with a lean towards madness. It seems like self-discipline and decades of meditation would produce a better class of Illuminates than hitting people with Riddles.

This also seems like the natural MGF decision.

Ralzakark-with-the-Scorpion-Arm is the original Ralzakark. He heroquested to achieve Broo perfection, which kinda worked... it just turned out that the Unicorn Emperor it produced wasn't him, and he was still himself. Now they're locked into opposition. D'oh! (This actually would explain a few things, such as Scorpionarm’s claim and Unicorn Emperor’s dismissive attitude, and their issues with each other.)

Ralzakark is presented as a Broo by word-of-god (i.e. Sandy) in sources. "Ralzakark, King of the Broos. The Regal Broo is head of the most sophisticated culture in Dorastor." (and no, this is "generic" Ralzakark, not just the Unicorn Emperor, who gets a sub-header). Also, three of four listed forms are Broo (assuming Vostasador the Replicator wouldn't be a non-Broo leader of a Broo tribe), while the fourth seems to be just some magical construct.

What was the Talastari kingship like? Was it a one-off affair with the Lunars attempting to sponsor Opand of Voraneel before that went down in flames, or did it have a precedent in history? Opand is referred to as "first King of Talastar", so that seems to indicate that there were no Talastari kings before him (also supported with Talastar being designated as a Tribal area), and it's also referred to as "the short-lived kingdom" in the Guide. When Bolthor is referred to (Guide) as "Bolthor Brighteyes, the king of the Talastari" (vol. 1) as well as "King Bolthor of Talastar" (vol 2), does this imply that he claims (successfully?) the kingship of Talastar, or merely that as king of the Bilini he's by far the most important of the Talastari tribal kings? (Also, is there a difference between the Bilini tribe and the Bilinings, or is it just a word change over time?)

One of the cool things about Ravana is how honorable he is, even as an enemy. I feel a giant discussion could be had about whether Ralzakark is (not here, though).

It drives me crazy that we have only some vague ideas (from LoT, p. 11) what happens after this. Oddi kills Ralzakark, and then years later kills him again (”final death”, which is difficult to reconcile with Ralzakark later running the Monster Empire). After this, Talastar seems to disappear from history, and I don’t think we have any idea when, where or even why Ralzakark with the Scorpion Arm fights Argrath and Harrek (where in the chronology would this fit?). Also, the Oddi conversation has one important element that might be missed - you can be Illuminated without realising it (at least for a while).

First, not all of them dedicate their entire existence to it. Second, while I’m sure they would like to see the LE destroyed, their real priority is their freedom from it (I don’t imagine Kallyr’s goal was to bring it down, for instance). Very few would think destroying the world to bring the Lunars down with it would be a great idea.

So when you’re on Mobility, it’s the opposite and you talk really fast and high-pitched? I can buy that (no, not really).

Yes, you’re right (realised this a while back). It’s really bad writing to make this explicit on almost all, but not quite all, spells, because that becomes actively misleading (I and several players made this mistake) if you don’t happen to read the general rule.

It's clearly not all of it - no-one gets converted to post-modernism through cheap koans, for instance. That aspect is pure Zen. It's also one of the more confusing aspects of how Illumination has been depicted in published sources. In RQ, it's all about getting your Illumination score up through Riddles. It also seems to be an effect of experiencing enough cultures to become a relativist (this is how Argrath Illuminates, isn't it?). And it's also about extended mental discipline and meditation. And ascetically denying the world. And becoming one with the universe. And also dragons. These don't exactly seem to be the same kinds of things.

I’m inclined to believe Scorpion Arm when he says he’s the original. I wonder what happened there. Wouldn’t be surprised to learn it was experimental heroquesting.

I wonder if anyone had an actual plan or explanation for the many versions of Ralzakark, or whether it was just done for shit and giggles. For instance, in the Genertela cover above, why are Harrek and Argrath fighting Ralzakark-with-the-Scorpion-Arm? He’s small fry compared to the Unicorn Emperor.

I keep saying Illumination looks like a mix of post-modernism and existentialism in its effects. But surely there’s far more to it than that, or most every half-baked arts student would count as Illuminated? It is, after all, a fundamental mystical experience, not just a choice of methodology.

In a way, it’s surprising that the big-time Illuminated NPCs don’t change more than they do. Ralzakark is still just a broo, albeit with enormous ambitions. Argrath decides to stick with his all-consuming insane quest for vengeance for a teen trauma (see, back to topic!). Beat-Pot Aelwrin murders a woman again in a second after the moment he’s Illuminated. Oddi is mostly the same Oddi, just unhappy now. I don’t see anyone in canon going “oh, now I realise I wasted my whole life - I need to change”. Which is the kind of revelation I would expect in at least some cases.

I think this makes sense. If anything is going to make you abandon long-held beliefs and practices, Illumination is it. It’s what will reveal that what you used to value was really just an arbitrary subjective preference all along, and one that you’re free to abandon now. Or stick to, if you prefer that - either way is fine. It’s completely a free choice now.

Related: can you use the Death rune for any combat activity (or at least offensive ones)? The Man rune for any social situation? On the one hand, it makes sense. On the other, these are super wide areas.

They were extraodinarily powerful and had access to cheat mode spells - Ward Against Agents of Reprisal doesn’t strike me as outside their range.

Sure, that will do too.

This is a significant deal. I'm of the opinion that every cult should have some selling point, something that it can do better than anyone else (one of my problem with the old style of Grain Godesses cults, which were just bad compared to Ernalda). It doesn't have to be something big, but it should be something.

Yes, I mean basically follow the pattern of the existing cults, doling out the average amount of skill points. Rune Magic selection is probably the most important part. The kinds of normally lesser cults that don’t get covered yet probably shouldn’t get a wide selection. I’m planning to introduce some subcults (Hedkoranth ftw!), but I’m waiting to see how the Cults book handles them.

You start out with a lot less skill percentages than others, though, and you're missing critical skills like Peaceful Cut. Some players at my table noted that Herders make for better hunters than Hunters do.