Akhôrahil

Couldn't this line of argument be levied against lots of powers that demonstrably can be stolen? A Yelmite wouldn't argue that the divine magic is just a particular skillset - he would argue that it's only something you can use because you maintain the correct purity and so on. An Orlanthi wouldn't think has the skill to summon the thunder - it's a result of his personal relationship with and emulation of his god. A mystic wouldn't think the magical powers are mere learned tricks, but the results of mystical awareness or something. They would certainly say their powers include more than just a purely intellectual part. Either such notions are mistaken, or the method of theft inherently includes ways to bypass any such seeming restrictions. (In some ways, it's a bit odd how RQ treats divine powers as mere commodities, not just here but also with Issaries Spell Trading.)

Surely it's the Shiprise and not the Cradle that breaks the Closing for good? And "getting sucked down the Maelstrom" doesn't strike me as necessarily a successful trip. 🙂 (Well, it is for the cradle because that's the point, but even so...)

The idea that everyday knives would somehow be ritually impure among Yelmalians for elemental reasons seems... kinda silly, to be honest. It also seems like reverse causality - since knives are so exceptionally useful, they are certain to be used, and if anyone wonders how this goes with Sun worship, a myth that allows them will quickly be presented (and invented, if necessary)! (If swords in particular are a problem, that could easily be dodged by saying "no, this isn't a sword, it's a long-knife, sheesh!".) Similarly, I feel confident that Orlanthi use spears where it makes sense and that they don't, for instance, go boar-hunting with swords.

I imagine the existence of Thanatar makes head-taking a little more suspect as an activity, but only in the same way as Ragnaglar makes goat-herding a little dubious. Some people are likely to do it anyway. ("We are doing it the right way.")

Swedish RuneQuest translation.

This is why Barntar is still an Air god and not an Earth god. He's a plowing god, cutting the earth and exposing it to the air through movement, not a fertility god. The reason Earth is primarily associated with goddesses these days is because Genert went and got himself killed.

Prince of Sartar heavily implies Jar-Eel.

"Ill met by moonlight" if it's a full moon night.

That's because RQ was always far more medieval/"Default Fantasy" than actually representing the bronze age world it was supposed to reflect. Its "broad sword" (please, let that term go except for the couple of sword types actually called broad swords, and not the Victorian nonsense) was always an arming sword more than anything bronze age.

Vadrudi usually feel like "Orlanthi without the good parts", but I imagine there must somehow be more to it than that. At the very least, they can't think of themselves that way! (Maybe there would also be some way to make the 'Imperial Gazellet' myth to make sense, because that one is just plain weird.) There's surely something about them apart from violence, rape, and pillage (even if that may be how outsiders see them)? Vadrus sometimes seems a bit like Ares, or Set - that asshat warrior you bring in when nothing else will do, even though it will suck afterwards. That myth with how only Vadrus could defeat the woolly rhinos (?) from a HW publication seems to support that kind reading.

Famously, Aristotle thought that banditry was a more honourable profession than being a merchant. No-one likes merchants.

I think this is an important point. We're so used to the Theyalan perspective that we can easily forget that Chaos-as-a-thing is much less of an issue in many other places, like how Dara Happans seem much more concerned with what is Just or not, and how Westerners bunch chaos monsters in with other (that we would call non-Chaotic) creatures they mislike as "Krjalki". It's just not the big distinguishing line we're used to from Heortlings and Praxians.

It's more of an indirect connection via the Darkness rune, I would imagine?

Since we're singing Ian Cooper's praise here, does anyone know if the upcoming Fonrit book (which sounds like a fantastic idea) will be just a setting book (like The Coming Storm) or also either have campaign/adventuring material (like The Eleven Lights) either included or as a separate book? Fonrit has a great Hero Wars plotline, after all.

One of the things about HQ is that it's all but statless for NPCs and opposition. So while you don't get any RQ stats, at least it's not wasting any space with stats you won't be using either.

This is quite correct. Easily one of the top ten published RPG campaigns of all times. My one gripe is that I want it extended a few years into the future - it leaves plot threads like the fate of the Telmori and the return of the Aurochs dangling. That said, I'm sure a third book could be published...

"Things need not have happened to be true." —Neil Gaiman, Dream Country

I like the idea that Durev has a whole bunch of (very minor deity) sons, each of them the patron of a specific craft.

For a more specialized case, I'm assuming that Lhankor Mhy handles parchment-making.

Weaving is part of Orane's portfolio because it's a form of housework, something that most women do. Leatherworking and (especially!) tanning are specialized (and in the case of tanning, unpleasant) jobs. It's true that Orlanthi religion isn't all that good at covering crafts. I imagine most craftspeople are just regular Orlanth or Ernalda worshipers.

This sounds excellent - Red Cow was fantastic, and Fonrit has an great HeroWars storyline. I really hope it focuses on having a HeroWars playable campaign (the way Red Cow did) rather than just being setting material. I will take a campaign over a setting book any day of the week.

Also likely inspired by Greek and Roman slave-based mining, which was basically the worst job anyone could get anywhere and had a life expectancy of a few years.

This does not seem to fit well with "there is always another way". I mean, don't get me wrong, for Babeester Gor, there sure as heck isn't another way, but for Ernalda, it would seem particularly ill-fitting to have violence as the only option.

With now a full three Gloranthan RPGs out, I really wish one of them would take the time to focus on anything but Dragon Pass and the Argrath part of the HeroWars (with a splash of Prax)! I mean no offence, and I realize they're running a business, and products like Red Cow were excellent, but the Dragon Pass focus is really pretty extreme! There are modules I would like more than yet another Dragon Pass or Prax book.

Would seabirds be considered more watery than other birds? Penguins in particular (assuming they exist)?