Shiningbrow

Ditto. TBH, I was a bit worried about this iteration of RQ that possibly the "sacrifice" might be completely lost, and brought down to a "Every 24 hours" type of thing. I'm glad that players will still need to be economical in their use of Rune Points, and not be spamming the big spells... but also glad that the POW sacrificed isn't entirely gone forever (ie, recovery of RPs)

That would make sense - I'm just noting that the Discorporation Spell doesn't even mention the Spirit Travel skill, only the Meditation. And, where it is mentioned, it's quickly followed up by travelling those 5kms from the body, sort of implying that you only need the Meditation to do anything with it.

And, that's why farmers don't go adventuring 😛 (or, perhaps that's exactly why they do!)

Thanks, but I was more wondering about the differences in using Meditation vs Spirit Travel. Is Second Sight actually relevant here?

Fairy Floss.. (Fairy Nuff's twin). I'd take the numbers indicated to be the amount a Wyter currently has at any random time it's needed to calculate, based on both the amount of POW previously sacrificed, minus the amount used by the community for various functions. If there's holy regalia in the temple - such as Humakt's Sword, and 21 is the POW the Wyter is casting at, then it doesn't take a lot of Countermagic or Shield to ignore that Sever Spirit completely (1D6 HP damage is insignificant with the Heals available) and be off with it. (keep a Guided Teleportation to get as far away as possible 😛 )

True - but the current enchantments, RAW, can allow for something similar (not truly unlimited, but practically so by the number of people sacrificing their POW in the area). In theory, I think you could create an enchantment that has huge amounts of Rune Spells (and Spirit too), with tons of MPs powering it, and bind a spirit that could be linked to it all. While we don't have mechanisms fully in place yet for a lot of the huge stuff that went on, and we do have Argrath summoning dragons to eat entire temples - and that's got to be do-able within the RAW somehow... so, the above POW limits are pretty insignificant in comparison. But but but... mere mortals have raised gods! And killed gods, and trapped them in the underworld, and then helped get them out again (So, I'm saying, yes, it is how the world works - and they're momentous occasions) This is true. However, it should also be consistent (making it less arbitrary). The ability to emPOWer a Wyter by worshippers is inconsistent with the idea that such Wyters can be limited, especially when 50 worshippers can contribute up to 30 POW, but 15,000 worshippers can only contribute 70. Other than "we don't want it to be higher (for X-unknown reason)", it doesn't actually make sense (to me). Btw - potential ruling could be - Wyters are typically emPOWered to X POW, based on number of worshippers in the community, who are expected to sacrifice 1 point per 3 years (as an initiate). However, further sacrifices of POW can be made, but to ensure the survival of the community, no individual is permitted to have their POW reduced below (insert appropriate number), otherwise it becomes detrimental, and a greater tax on the Wyter's abilities to protect them. Now, if the Wyter was actually a spirit (as per p286), then this whole argument goes away... And I agree with you. As has been said previously, the whole "people can sacrifice POW to the Wyter" is the contentious point.

I'm not trying to suggest it should be your responsibility And, perhaps I read you more harshly than you intended.

That would depend on how different the pictures are compared to knowledge of Earth real societies. The "they're not like them at all - they just happen to wear the same clothes, live in similar dwellings, and have a similar social structure" isn't convincing. The "they're not vikings" is only valid if they're actually presented as being completely not Viking-like (which, FTR, I don't see Sartarites as being Vikings anyway - they're Celts... although, I have to admit, the line between Celt and Viking isn't all that clear anyway - other than timing). I'm not sure people want to try a game that they can't relate to in some way. I'm going through G2G now, and It would have been good if the various pictures for each culture was done in colour, rather than B&W. I get a much better idea of how Sartarites should look from the Adventure book than either the G2G or the RQG book! (and, yeah, Celts ) Someone needs to go on a Heroquest.... 😛 I understand that maintaining the site can be painful... but, it's a business! And a great marketing tool if done right! Open License SRDs are the way to go in these days of internet "I want it now" mentality. Sucks to hear about your site hack and loss

TBH, I'm be against such an idea. Purely because it makes HQs a lot less worthwhile (unless you're intending to simultaneously increase the rewards from HQs). It's been said above that most starting characters will have at least 1 abiility, and I'd even go so far as to suggest that a few would have 3 or 4 - certainly if you're a Humakti (weapon skills are relatively high from Cultural Background, plus the Warrior occupations, plus the Cult skills... ). A large portion of people in the world are going to be getting these abilities just by dint of being alive and doing their job every day... certainly by age 30, your typical farmer, fisher or herder ought to have a couple.

Effectively unlimited - but, based on number of worshippers and the type of cult it is. If a Wyter's POW comes from the amount sacrificed by the worshippers, then there shouldn't be an in-game limit. There will be practical constraints though. Also, although the community members sacrifice POW and MPs to the Wyter (probably regularly),. I'd also suggest that the Wyter needs to expend POW (and possibly MPs) to keep the community intact, as well as having to use up the POW for rituals, healings, etc etc. I also find the different POW maximums listed on p287 to be somewhat arbitrary and silly - 50 worshippers have a max POW wyter of 30, yet 15000 worshippers only get double that ??? If there's an awesomely wonderful reason why the vast difference, I'd love to hear it. But I suspect it's merely an arbitrary decision (If we were applying a similar formula to the gods themselves, this really wouldn't fit). However, I'l also concede if people notice (and use) the suggestions on p286 as to how Wyters are formed as a better guideline of their POWer, and abilities. The "...include the spirits of dead heroes, genius loci, children of gods, artificial psychic constructs, souls of extinct spirits, intelligent elementals, and many other possibilities" becomes (potentially) its own limit. At the moment, RAW, there's "Wyters are spirits" as well as "they act nothing like a spirit.". My comment was aimed at the idea that there needs to be a game balance...

And, NOT the first time I've seen that sort of aggressive response/post from a Chaosium staff member! As can be seen by the number of reactions to your post (currently 3 likes and a thanks), and the follow-up comments, it appears that other forum members aren't pleased with it either...

A simple link posted long before page 4 of this thread would have been even better.... Preferably as a sticky. Even better, how about a compilation webpage? Or merely updating Glorantha.com with such imagery? Especially true now that there are some significant differences in the envisaging of Glorantha since way back when (and, also, since MRQ is soundly ignored - which new players to RQ aren't likely to know about). The "You newbies ought to show more initiative, and stop bothering us experts on this board" is far more likely to put people off (as has already happened with one member).

If you're trying to sell RGQ, I wouldn't even bother with a "campaign arc". For the simple reason that the way you sell your Glorantha is going to impact their character choice. So, for the first run, either give them pre-gens, or make it clear that whatever they bother designing for their character now may not make it to a longer campaign if they decide they like the game. The reason being - one might like the Orlanthi who has Passion (Hate Lunars) 90%, while another loves the idea of the Lunar College of Magic... and yet another is a godless sorcerer. And, of course, there needs to be the Humakti Duck Like in D&D, the Paladin shouldn't hang around the CE Assassin for more than is absolutely necessary, it's going to be incredibly contrived (and somewhat against the ideas of the game) for the above Orlanthi to make a boon companion out of the Lunar Magician... So, one-shot it, and then discuss what people want to do if it works out. It's also good advice because players may quickly realise that what they thought their character can do, they can't. Or, have quite a different feel about it! so, pitch the game and world - not your campaign ideas.

I'm sorry - you've lost me there.....

Only -5% for wearing sunnies in the dark??? I think you missed the 0 on the end of that number there! Shouldn't your Rose-Coloured glasses have a -50% to Insight? 😛

I'm now curious as to how this Discorporation and Meditation roll are different from the Shamanic power of Discorporation and the use of the Spirit Travel skill....

Yep! Firstly, more skill points, especially from the Cult skills bit. The 4x25 = 5x10 means 150 Freebie spends, which IIRC, was the equivalent of "veteran" in RQ2/3. And getting 25/30% in main skills, IIRC, is a little higher than previous. Secondly, slightly more Spirit Magic spells at CharGen. And, thirdly, 3 free Rune Points... Also, IIRC, slightly better gear (especially with the "Family Heirlooms" bit).

A) I don't see any logical reason for the Spell Barrage & Multispell to be a multiple effect, rather than an additive. Ie, both just allow an extra spell to be cast at the same time -ie, they do the same thing. Therefore, at best, Spell Barrage 1 combined with Multispell 1 should allow the Shaman to cast 3 (and only 3) spells for every casting of a spell... not 4. SB/MS 2 adds another spell, not multiplies the lot by 2... b) Although RAW, the Wyter can cast any spell known by its priest, I'd rule that it's only relevant for any priestly spells for the deity worshipped (at the temple). Thus, only that deity's spells, plus those few Associated Cult spells (if they've been Sacrificed for). Significance, obviously, is if the priest controlling the Wyter has initiated (and higher) into multiple cults, you don't get all of those spells! C) Logician is an Active spell... having even one casting operating at a time is quite debilitating. (unless, of course, your sorcerer has invented a spell not too unlike Solace of the Logical Mind, in which they've trained/spelled their mind to be able to concentrate on active spells without that debilitation... 1 point per spell, similar strength/point as Enhance INT). Besides which, there's not usually a point in having Logician cast permanently, rather than just as on demand. (Maybe Battle for those rare occasions you might get ambushed, or suddenly and unexpectedly enter into combat... and that's still with GM approval for it doing anything useful). D) Morale is great - but it's an hour long ritual, and lasts 12 hours. So, if you know you're going into battle - great! If you don't, well, it's not happening. E) As soon as the enemies see those guys charging (especially the decked out Humakti - probably blowing (see the related thread 😛 ), Dispel Magic will be flying!

I don't think we "know" this. We know this for normal mortal beings, but since wyter magic is based purely off the immediate expenditure of POW to cast spells (that the Priest/contact has access to), and the Wyter doesn't have CHA-limited casting, then we can't know anything for sure other than that. In fact, the only reference to CHA at all for the Wyter is it's % to successfully cast (at CHAx5%). We similarly don't know whether a Wyter can use the enchantment spells/rituals... Also, p286 specifically states the Wyter can cast any spell known by its priest (although, I'd houserule that only those spells available from the temple deity are included... those tricksy little PCs would have all the gods' spells available, otherwise!)

Firstly, Wyters of a military regiment should be casting those spells! And, I'd probably have it as part of the High Holy Day ceremony, in which the Wyter casts the spells and then, during the same ceremony, the initiates etc refill the Wyter's POWer. Secondly, it makes absolutely no sense to me for a Wyter to not be able to cast Extension - just because it's OTT/OP. If there's an incredibly awesome reason (or mechanic) that makes sense, I'd be all for it. But, the above 'arguments' don't provide that. We have Crimson Bats, and Harreks, and Jar-Eel, and Argrath... and the Lunar Colleges of Magic, and Argrath's Sartar Magical Unions... using the Wyters in the way described above seems perfectly in line with what's happening in Glorantha these days.

It's a shame you've been turned off from a game largely in part by the (often heated) discussions and arguments on here. I personally haven't seen those for this topic, but it wouldn't surprise me... FTR, there is the 2 Volume Guide to Glorantha which does exactly what you're asking for , an explanation of all the peoples and cultures. The first volume is focussed on the area also focussed on in the RQG book - Genertela, and thus the Dragon Pass area. That first volume is 400 pages (but, certainly no need to go through all of that!!!) It's a fairly easy read.. But, yeah, that's another expense for a game you're still not sure of. Perhaps you could look over a copy at your FLGS??

I know you're just trying to Min-Max, but it would be much smarter to lower the power of the Shield, and raise the number of people who can get it...

I don't understand that... Magic is at the forefront of what makes RQ the game it is. Leaving Sorcery til later - that makes sense! (and, if you're based around Dragon Pass with the current RQG book, it's also in-game logical!) But Spirit Magic and Rune Spells should be right up front.. and they're incredibly easy to deal with.

If you do that, the Wyter is completely vulnerable to Spirit Combat... it's going down! And, of course, the obvious thing to do if you know that's what your enemy has just done, is to get those 40 worshippers to chase after the diversion, while the rest of your assault team race into the temple and destroy it. (also, Shield doesn't defend against Spirit Combat either - you'd only need 3 or 4 out of that 40 to be possessed and turn on their friends to make their life just that wee-bit complicated)

Clearly not.