Shiningbrow

Interesting - I did some calculations with the following stat block: The STR, CON and SIZ were just thrown in as "dump stats", with obviously the priorities as mentioned above (CHA is necessary at 18). I'd even imagine, with Bless Pregnancy turned up to 11, that the STR and DEX would go up a little (enough to get extra % in a few important skills). If super-tuned, the INT could be 21 (if allowed) and that really makes it easy! (+5% to most categories) With those stats, Humakti Warriors (especially Grazelander cavalry) are easily getting the basic skills needed to hit RL level (with a few +25% left over!) Sword, Lance, Dagger, Ride, and Battle (especially since the Character Background tables are likely to throw a few points every couple of years). And, since Humakt demands at least 1 gift be taken... RL at CharGen. I looked at other combinations too.... A Sartarite Noble Orlanthi would have 2-3 skills at 90% or higher, and a couple of others at 80-85% (Sword, Orate, Sing, 2nd Weapon (I'd presume Shield is included in that) Oh, and as I type this, I just realised that Honour is a Passion, and there's multiple opportunities to pick that up during Background History... Going with Humakt as your first cult, and then cross initiating into Orlanth makes it even easier! Those are just the two I was looking for (Orlanth and Humakt)... so, it's possible if you want it.

Nope to the universities... basketball, ping pong, badminton, and K-pop dancing. I don't think I've even seen a D6! (although, if you go to the bars, there's a drinking game with lots of them) FLGS? I think there's one in Shanghai,b ut again, they tend to be board games rather than RPG. I mean, even M:tG is more popular here! A few expat groups around... but as per previous

(I cast Charisma ) (Oh, and, and a quick Lie too...) Yeah, RQG is the best game ever!!! (oh, damn.... doesn't quite work second hand...)

So, you are suggesting that the LM Sage who gets fed up with the stupid grunts who want to control everything and decides to Dominate Human(oid) to get the vote to go his (far more intelligent and thought out) way is not a problem? The Kolati Shaman who possesses the Orlanthi King is well within their rights to do so, as long as it's helpful (or if it's not!) at the request of his mate on the Council Ring, just to swing the majority? Anything goes, huh? The difference with your example is that the politicians will keep doing those things here as long as they don't get caught! The thread started on whether magic is clearly obvious (some yes, some no, some...??) and then extended into how people might react to those which are obvious/visible. Politician X doesn't order the killing of a political rival on TV (nor, usually, in the middle of their cabinet room)... and neither should the Ernaldan Priestess drop in a Charisma in the middle of the discussion (for sort of similar reasons).

Sunspear - p234 "Only the target’s thinnest armor protects against this damage; spells are ineffective." And I have never understood why it is so!

Getting really upset/jealous of people who can play regularly... The boardgame groups I'm in tend not to do RPGs in general, and when they do it appears no-one's even heard of Runequest! I'm in Hangzhou, if anyone puts a hand up here...

Not enough Ducks. Or Trolls... And I don't recall even a single Dwarf.... Don't mind me - I think it's a great comic, and am avidly awaiting the return. Lots of HeroQuest-y stuff as well as a good story (but, you'll need to read the comments to understand a lot of what you're looking at.. lots of grognards 😛 ) However, it's based purely around the Dragon Pass area (plus some Prax), and involves only the people's from that area. So, it's less "Glorantha since the Gods Time", and more "Dragon Pass over the last 20 years". Granted, that was the bread and butter Glorantha for a while (and, once again, is). I don't even recall any sorcery being used.

Gods damn it!!! I'll never be able to read that now!!!!!!!

I'm not even remotely suggesting that that should be the case. I'm saying that people would use the magic they've got and the contacts with the deities that they have for mutual benefit and for the forwarding of the deity's goals. Using a spell like Charisma to win over a meeting just because it suits your personal goals is vastly different to casting a DI to figure out where the latest source of attacks is coming from. Mind altering affect spells should be banned within such types of meetings - and that's basically what the Charisma spell does. That's vastly different to what I was suggesting... and the whole thread is about "visual components on spells". So, who cares if everyone can see that you're talking to that ghost? Not overly relevant (unless, of course, that form of necromancy is considered evil in that part of the world). No-one's going to complain about a scrying spell (although, if people have no idea what you're trying to scry, maybe they'll get a bit antsy... but that's merely about the target, not the use). The closest analogy I can immediately think of to your example above to what I'm referring to would be the Orlanthi decides to wave his sword about and threaten to kill people if they don't agree... or the Daka Fal Shaman possesses one of the other council members.... if people think using Charisma is ok, then what would be the problem with doing that??

For all those who are suggesting that using Charisma to get your own way (NB - not the goddesses way!), would you all be quite happy to have that priestess (or even an initiate!) cast Charisma (and, what the hell, the Trickster cast "Lie") to get their own way in a tribal council meeting? Or, would you expect such a council meeting to have a standard "no spells" policy?

For the most part, I would agree. But, I'd think that Chaos and Red Moon might be an exception... especially the latter as it came about after the Great Compromise, and allowed Chaos back into the world. "Killing" off Orlanth certainly didn't help their cause either!

Were-goldfish...??????

But, can you imagine what a Bludgeon 4 or higher would do to his shell game??

If you're going to go there..... Is there a sub-Rune of the Water Rune? So that I could Tap Drip? (And I don't even have to faucet )

Fixed it for you

Yeah, I get it now.... Are they supposed to take the fastest and most direct route? Or, can they scout around, check for terrain, advantage, etc? Apologies - what I meant was "profit/loss ratio". Sometimes, using this spell will do exactly what you want and all it all good and well (profit). Sometimes you draw in something horrific you haven't planned for, and get a total wipe! (huge loss)

Ummm.... I'm a God Learner (Hence this long thread I started...)

And, that' was basically the angle I was coming from... If the players can do it, so too can the NPCs. And, I'd be quite certain that the players would most certainly try to question the (ab)use of magic to influence people (in a way that may be considered "cheating"). Especially if they're told "nope - you totally accept her argument". Especially, again, when that quiet little wallflower they've known and loved for ages suddenly turns into something awesomely powerful and amazing. (ok, exaggerating... but a 9 to 18 would be pretty obvious) Q: If someone has a Detect Magic spell on at the time, and see (and maybe know exactly the spell) would they be less likely to accept the outcome powered by a Charisma or Clever Tongue - or not? (again, I'm not denying the power of the gods. What I'm saying is that most people know that individuals will use that power to their own ends, and not always to better the goals of the deities they serve)

And that's why Tapping is considered evil... especially without consent.

Yeah, I was simplifying... effectively trading 1 POW for 1 (other stat). There's a round-about way of how it works, but that's what it equals in the end...

Yes, you can choose other cults. Remember that cults usually affiliate at the clan level.... so, in Sartar, most people will be part of the Orlanth cult - regardless of their occupation. Although, obviously, many will be part of other cults (as well or instead...). And, the deities have very different aspects that can make it appropriate for very disparate people to worship them. RE: farmer adventurers... wasn't that Conan??? There are lots of reasons a farmer would be an 'adventurer' (which isn't an occupation!) And, as a real basic, clans often raided each other for their livestock... and, if your tula is attacked, you are expected to help pitch in and defend it. If they take off with something of yours, you might be expected to go and get it back... or seek revenge!

But the use of Rune magic isn't always in the best interests of those deities... We'd like to think that Ernalda wouldn't like her priestesses abusing the powers given to them... but, they're only human (usually) after all, and have human foibles. And, again, it's not "go(ing) against your deities", it's going against the individual who manifested the power of the deity (ie, cast the spell). And, even then, it's not really "going against" - it's merely noticing the use it was put to...

I was thinking DI... can't be used against worshippers of the same deity... and, thus, thought the same might apply here.

Ok, that works for me.... Although, it's a bit specific for a Rune Spell... (and, would Orlanth let you do that? Varmandis are Orlanthi too - yes? Or am I confusing them with a different tribe???)

The bonus is for the duration of the ceremony only. And, it will summon a random representative of the enemy (if it's generic). So, while I can appreciate it for an individual, anything other than that is really asking for trouble (unless, I suppose, you happen to know there's a small band of X in the vicinity you want/need to pull out of hiding or something). The "at a time of your choosing" is great - if you're ready for almost anything. As said in the description and by @soltakss above, if there's a Heroquester in the region (or a large raiding party you didn't know about), you could be in for a world of pain. The benefit of the +50% Worship roll.... ummm, how about just throw another 5 MPs into the ritual? So, other than trying to take out a particular individual, I still don't see a great benefit... (as I sit here on blue planet, and not on green lozenge)