Shiningbrow

You need to purchase that as a shamanic ability... and yes, as you highlighted, your fetch then becomes vulnerable to being destroyed... I'd allow it to stack (or, at least, there's a different ability that would stack with it that you'd need to pay for). I'd expect most shamans would leave their personal POW at around 16-19 (unless they have a higher Max POW). It's sort of amusing that Assistant Shamans get an automatic +1POW per year, but the full shaman doesn't.

Ummm... why? Logically (and RAW), there's no good reason not. (OP you say? Well, RQ has never been about balance...)

Except.. the Fetch can't target in the mundane world... unless it manifests/materialises.

how do Humakti feel about this?

Luck rolls.

Is spell casting ability also an exception? ie, does the shaman add their Fetch's POW to determine the % of spirit magic casting ability? (and, by extension, would the Fetch add the shaman's POW to their casting %? Given that in RQG, spirit magic is a bit of the spirit attached to the being, I don't think these should be combined (especially since we need to define what spells are where). And, therefore to respond to @PhilHibbs, that could be another reason to have a high POW.

I wouldn't worry too much about whether your Darkness sorcery matches what comes out in the future. According to the official publications so far, there's at least 3 very different versions of a thing that is categorised into one thing called 'sorcery' - but they operated under very different mechanics. There's 'standard' (ie, Western) sorcery, which Lhankor Mhy has a variant (after it's been through the Alien Recombination Machine) - so I expect those two to be pretty much in sync. Then there's Mostali Sorcery, which operates similarly to Western, but has very clear and obvious differences (ie, different Techniques are used, and you can expend POW). And finally, Lunar sorcery, which is unlike the other 2 completely, which manipulates spirit magic. (Of course, perhaps there's going to be two versions of "Lunar sorcery", one which is basically Western/Carmanian, and the other which affects spirit magic). I would presume that over the millenia, "sorcery" has twisted and turned in vastly different ways since it was first brought into the world. And when the "complete" sorcery rules, again, they will only be a facet of what's actually available, and won't be the be all and end all, as there will always be exceptions to the rules. There's always someone somewhere who has figured out a different way to do things. Meaning that you can come up with your own version of Darkness sorcery, and while it will be a housrerule, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that! I seriously doubt there's going to ever be any official publication of what "Darkness sorcery" is like... ever! Figure out what you want it to do, then determine ways (techniques) for how it can be done... simple!

I disagree with this last statement. I'm sure sales for both are high, but I'd be interested to know if PDFs led to the purchase of the dead elf versions. PDFs are cheaper, and easier to move about (and order and get delivered), and so for those who are curious about this 'new' gaming system, PDF makes perfect sense. Especially (as much as the publishers would hate this fact), there is so much pirated material around, and it's very common that players first experience of a game is going to be via a pirated PDF. It's from that first exposure that a lot of new players will start spending the big bikkies on the hardcopies (or just stick to PDF). I would never recommend to someone to go out and spend a significant amount of money on a product they've never seen or heard of before - no mater how much I rave about it! The free stuff that has been produced is an excellent way to introduce new players, and I'm recommending the free online soloquest to people - certainly as a re-play after having done the one I bought and GM (cos I'm a native English speaker, and I've been running it for 2nd language users... and, I know the world much better). Will the (pirated) PDF readers then go on to buy the full boxed Starter Set? Or would they more likely go straight for the Core book and supplements? (Obviously, just my opinion)

With respect to this, two of my most favouritest JC books fall very much into this gap - Book of Doom and Secrets of Heroquesting. I'd absolutely love to be in a game where I could show up with them, and know that they are automatically accepted by the GM as virtually canon - because they have Chaosium's seal of total and complete approval. Instead, I know that most GMs are going to glance sideways and grimace. (The HQ stuff might get used, as the general ideas have been around for a while) Obviously, YGMV, but having a spell from Book of Doom get rejected is vastly different to having a Chaosium publication spell rejected (even if the spells and skills in BoD make perfect sense, and logically would have appeared at some point in Glorantha's history). (oddly, compare that to Arms & Armies of DP.... which is treated as virtually canon by Chaosium)

As others have said - it depends! Q: Who is the Orlanthi deity of monogamous marriage? (or even marriage, monogamous or not?) Which of the Orlanthi gods even has Stasis as a rune? Obviously Lhankor Mhy. who prohibits marriages outside the cult (so, just make someone a Lay Member!) If the people follow the ways of the gods (and in Glorantha, that makes perfect sense!), then the gods were very promiscuous. Is there any deity that doesn't have stories involving dalliances? Now, compare them to the Yelmites, who are very stringent (prudish) about sex. And then, to the western, Malkioni cultures. And perhaps even to Kralorela. The Orlanthi are the centre of this game setting. If you want to suggest that monogamous marriages are an important thing, then logically, you should also point out a culture in which this is different (or do you assume that all marriages everywhere should be monogamous?) Orlanthi are about freedom - "No-one can make you do anything". So, is it surprising that they don't follow general monogamous marriage ideas? But, I'll also say this - I think the majority of marriages will be monogamous - as the majority of the people are simple farmers, herders and fishers, along with a few townsfolk who have their own business. For pragmatic reasons, they will generally be monogamous. And, it should also be pointed out that while many may be able to have sex outside their marriages, and it would be accepted, that in no way means there won't be jealousy or repercussions. Another question - how many marriages are arranged, or at least done for the sake of clan/tribe benefit, rather than for "love"?

Given the number of "husbands" that Ernalda has as her "protectors", I don't think she's really going to care, and is probably more likely to happily bless such a short-term union. And "pretty slave girls" (and boys) are probably not to be of any consequence in this matter. Ie, casual (and consenting) sex with them will be seen as something fairly normal, and not a breach of the marriage vows... unless a child comes from them (and probably not even then).

Nice. But, what *IS* "mastery"? Just dropping a point of POW? To someone or something?

Without the rather obvious "We don't yet have the rules for that", I'm curious as to what people have interpreted as acquiring "Mastery" of a Rune. (Obviously, this comes from the discussion about the stats for Jar-Eel and other heavy hitters.) How does one do it? What sacrifices (if any) are required? Where do you get them from? Do you give players a menu to choose from, or do they just come up with their own appropriate ideas? Is there an order or a list? Do you have to attain X before any others? How many can you acquire/Master at any one time, and how many abilities at any one time? And, of course, how does that work mechanically??? (I am presuming that much of this has been determined by HQ rules - but I haven't looked into that).

That would make sense ... but not RAW (as far as it reads).

Unfortunately, RAW says otherwise... (part of the reason I thought of the above changes). "An adventurer must be at least an initiate of a cult to learn the secret lore of that cult." - Under Cult Lore.

Being a Novice is a very religious (Christian) term anyway, which seems to suit the idea, and probably at the point I'm thinking - the early part of the training. (although, in our RL terms, it would be full-time occupation)

Like a duck! 😁

There's a suggestion of this only under God-Talkers - "A God-talker who is also a Rune Priest of another cult must give 9/10 of their income to their primary cult, and then 1/2 of whatever is left to their secondary cult." p.278 Does principle that extend to Initiate level? YGMV

Have you seen the series Britannica? Sort of related (and mentioned elsewhere) - Agora. I can sort of imagine the main character based around God Learners 😜

My 2 bolgs worth.... Firstly, I think multi-culting is normal, as few deities exist on their own, but in a full pantheon, and the cultures will be worshipping (to greater and lesser degrees) all members of that pantheon (or propitiating as required). And, so, I think many will be Initiates in a number of those deity's specific cults - or at least have a bit of cult lore from them (which, RAW, isn't possible unless you've initiated). Unless we accept that there's a bit of a mechanical problem - how do we represent one's knowledge of the pantheon and the deeds of the deities within it? There is no single Lore skill for that (obviously, that can either be simply added, or perhaps subsumed under knowledge of Culture - but I don't like that idea). I'd probably introduce a generic (Pantheon) Lore (05/30), because - let's face it - Gloranthans will have some knowledge of other cults and pantheons, as well as their own. So, for most Sartarites, they will be Orlanthi - and have Initiated into Orlanth (with Barntar or Voriof - now apparently going to be sub-Cults of Orlanth), with many also in Ernalda. Crafters will probably be initiates of Orlanth, as well as their appropriate crafting deity. Secondly, I am thinking that perhaps there should be another level of Initiate ... either between Lay Member and Initiate, or between Initiate and God-Talker (I think the former makes more sense, especially as some cults don't have G-Ts). This is the level where Cult Lore is taught - but only to a certain level (perhaps as low as 25%). Access to Rune Magic is severely limited, and possibly only a single defined special Rune Spell is available... Limited access to even Common Rune Spells, and only 1 Rune Point can be sacrificed for - which can't be renewed except at a High Holy day. This is purely to represent the vast number of people in the world who actually belong to a cult, but don't go far with it. They know some secrets, but only the most basic ones to allow them to partake in the Holy day festivities. This allows for Lay Membership to actually represent those who are new-comers and newly engaged with the cult, who know basically nothing, with older (Lower Initiates) to be able to talk to them of their deities without actually going to far into it. It also allows for the vast population to be actual Initiates in the cults, as one would normally expect - but without giving them a lot of "power". Some might argue against the idea of having yet another level, but seriously... this integration is very minor, and yet can have dramatic effects. Another point on the topic in general - there are a few published scenarios where the PCs can (or are expected to) either Initiate or even become priests of cults they've only just met.. and without that, the scenario sort of becomes more difficult. Thus, multi-culting is not only normal, but expected.

Personally, I thought Troy: Fall of a City to be better (although, I'm not finding your 1994 version anywhere...). I confess to having a problem with understanding this thread**... just because something is set in RL history where they use swords, it doesn't mean it's "Glorantha", just that Glorantha/RQ has some of those elements. Although, the Indian movies about their holy books do fit very well... There's a ginormously long Mahabarata movie series which I have yet to sit through... **(well, actually it's the other movie thread, as this is only "recommendations")

I don't think it's been put to rest in RQG. Yes, they've been incorporated a lot more, but Runes aren't really a thing one can quest after still. Not something you can find ir integrate into yourself - like in MRQ's Runetouched (although the idea that Runes just lie about all over the place in the mundane world was a bit silly). As I said before, I hope Runic connections & "Mastery" is addressed in the upcoming book on Heroquesting, as I think those two things go hand in hand.

That is a way cool interpretation!!

Wouldn't a logical mechanism be that spells and influence work anywhere that the city can tax someone? Or has a duty to defend...?

Hey @John E. Boyle. How's the third book going??