Shiningbrow

That's sort of how I had always imagined them.... (well, after I knew of Dune... which goes back a few decades)

Perhaps I haven't played enough, but I don't recall any time where that's made any significant difference... but, I suppose it would when facing trollkin and the like.

Excellent point!!! What if you're not wearing any?

No, Protection and Shield are not actual armour. They are not individual pieces that can be moved around, put on, taken off, etc. They are magic, and for want of better terms that put it in less Earthly terms, they are bits of energy that surround a person, and acts in a way similar to actual pieces of metal (or cloth, leather, shell, etc). It's Runequest.. not Elder Scrolls where you do actually summon those pieces of armour for each body part.

Doesn't have to be sentient to want to kill you 😛 (ps. you forgot to mention the drop bears!!! And crocs....) Glad to hear you're ok! And you remembered your swimming lessons! (you were swimming between the flags, weren't you???)

Oh, I'm not questioning the phrasing. I'm questioning the logic. I really hate arbitrary rules that don't actually make any sense... This seems to be an arbitrary rule that doesn't make sense... Other than "Because the rules say so", can you give me an in-game reasonable theory as to why this would be so? After all, the rules are supposed to be some sort of simulation of, and in some way (although, not in all) represent, the world.

Honestly, I think it comes down to how you see a weapon's critical actually working mechanically. I personally find it odd that a better blow from the attacker somehow becomes immune to the all around magic that protects people. For normal armour, I can see the logic - you hit a place where the armour wasn't. (for the Special version, you get the timing and momentum just right for the extra damage) But, I can't see that logic working with magical protections - that is, there aren't any gaps in that magical aura of protection! To add to the above discussion directly, especially about WAW - the dwarfs have a spell that enchants Iron so that it protects against criticals as well - thus, there's a precedent already in place for magic being able to do this (which is even less logical than excluding WAW or Shield/Protection from doing so).

Oh, I was just thinking that the concept of 'innocence' is somewhat of a human idea (unless referring to it's meaning of 'inexperienced in some aspect'). Most humans are 'innocent' to the idea of dying (themselves, not watching others die)... whereas that's something that dragonewts would be very familiar with.

Fetches aren't in animals - but are only visualised as animals...

That would imply an understanding of 'innocence', and that it would apply to a CA healer for some reason...

Then clearly YGV. Lightning certainly can hit someone it wasn't supposed to if they get in the way. And, if the player rolled a Fumble on the Rune, I'd suggest they both would hit the wrong target (as an option other than merely it fizzles, taking the RPs). I'm not trying to suggest that Lightning is AoL (hence the separation by the comma). Lightning specifically states "A blast of crackling energy projects from the caster." So, yes, "has a direct line" seems appropriate. "would the god need to be that careful?" Yes. I'm sure there would be a few occasions in myth where the god has hit the wrong target. They're not omniscient, you know.

I would say... most spells that are obviously one target specific (Disruption, Demoralize, Sever Spirit, Madness, Mindblast) won't have any problems as long as you can reasonably be able to see them during the MR. However, not only AoE spells like Sunspear, but also Thunderbolt and Lightning can have friendly fire if they're in the way. Sunspear is obvious, because it has a radius. Lightning because it'll go directly from the finger/speartip to the target - and stuff anyone in the way. So, you'd need see more than just the head or the occasional limb sticking out every so often.

Sounds about right! Remember tht Orlanth has other roles (such as being Bards and the occasional Lawspeaker). Cool, controlled Stormbull sounds good! As long as they fight the Chaos when it comes. (besides, what would a child raised in a Stormbull cult be like? Would they rebel against their parents' ideals/fanatacism??) Most don't. They prefer to stay safe and warm in their temples. reading through manuscripts, and writing out the occasional missive for someone else (and get paid for it). The LM adventurers are the rare (and annoying) ones. If a child "got the calling", but didn't really want to follow that path, then it makes sense! That's actually a fairly normal thing, even in the 'real world', and it can take decades for someoene to finally come around (and sometimes - perhaps often) never! Then of course, there are those whose parents needed to pay for a service, and do so by 'donating' their child to become an assistant (again, against the will of the child).

I wasn't thinking from a cult pespective per se, but from a traditional Orlanthi (the peoples) perspective.

I'd probably go simple - a Chalana Arroy personage points out a Malia temple in the area that needs destroying. Disease spirits everywhere, and thus, lots of POW to be gained by defeating them!

Amongst the other things people have already said, there's a couple of other things not brought to the table from within the game (i.e, not relating to @g33k's post). The first is - you state he's a "Yelmalio" initiate, but is this the Sun Dome new type, or is it an Elmali holdover/traditionalist one? If there's a good Elmal connection, then you can make it work easier! Secondly, LM doesn't really care that much about most other cults - but they do care about who they take in at an individual level. This may go against g33k, but you don't automatically get to initiate into a cult just because you have the skills! As per the Lightbringers book, they'd expect a healthy dose of time as a Lay Member before even considering initiation. There are two Lay options - pay and go (worshipper), and Apprentice. The first is simple - hand over some money, and you get to pay for some training. The second is a dedication to the god through time spent being a student... like, all of your time! Then, to Initiate to the higher levels, there's a couple of paths - if one was only a pay and go, then you need to convince the hierarchy - average of Best 'Sage' skill (e.g. Lore, Cartography, etc) and (INT x 5). If they were an Apprentice, then it's automatic... then, to remain an Initiate, you've got to stay at the temple and read/write for the rest of your life!! (well, not really, but still..... 90% of your time has just vanished). So, logically, there's not really a good reason to join LM except to get free training in one area. Not becoming an initiate still allows you access to the same skills - it's just more expensive. I completely agree with @French Desperate WindChild - he *needs* to ask the Yelmalio officials if they'll let him join at anything over Pay & Go worshipper. The time committment is too great otherwise. What might make sense is for the Yelmalio hierarchy to decide they need a scribe, and thus will pay for his training in R/W, and maybe some other Lore or similar. But, this is really only going to work on the 1 adventure per season model. The rest is spent cloistered away. Sorcery is not happening... certainly not in any short term. Due to the amount of time and effort required to use it, it clashes with the far more important aims of the cult of getting Initiates able to bring in money and knowledge (i.e, learning to R/W as well as the Sage skill). And, in a small city, there won't be many who even know any. And will have a limited selection of spells (and, as mentioned previously, Yelmalio doesn't allow it - although, I personally see a difference between meldek godless sorcery, and Lhankoring magic)

Because not everyone min-maxxes.... They don't spend huge chunks of their skills on the sort of stuff that adventurers do. Only warrior types do that. We're OT.......

p31. Last paragraph "and which he kept for himself and his personal favorites." - I suspect this should instead read "kept for himself as his personal favorites." (especially given the preceding paragraph's last line - " instead retained as the god’s personal favorite." (otherwise, who are these 'personal favorites'??)

I'd say.... it's exaggerated for the PCs - but otherwise still works. After all, you should expect someone working at the same job to be 'master' level of it after 40 years.

I'm not sure how you're getting this bit of math to work. Even by RAW for PCs, that's not going to happen. Besides which, if NPCs aren't gaining regular POW, then their community is going to suffer - badly! The Wyter won't get paid, nor will people be able to advance to the priesthood.

I disagree! It's not 'punitive', it's world-building. And, for me, it would annoy me the same way it annoys me about that other big TTRPG which has character classes with very little effort to build a world around them - it's all just "I want to do X, so I do....". That means, for a good game, the GM and players should come up with an appropriate scenario (and campaign hooks) that make it feasible for the 90% time commitment to make sense. (and for it to be pulled back on track when it goes astray!) In a way that's not too different to using Passions... and worship ceremonies. I presume you've read a LOT more of the published scenarios and campaigns than I have, but I'll ask anyway - which NPCs are you referring to that aren't following such restrictions?

Well, yes, I agree... Perhaps it might be better to say one gains 1 nett POW gain every few years - but 10 years would be terribly low, and Priests and God-Talkers would be extremely rare. Ummm, yes??? What's your point?/ 🙃

And this doesn't include the effects from rituals in which there are more participants - which should be a fairly standard effect (which, basically, is the whole point of ritualised magic).

That rate seems extremely low.. I'd go for minimum of 1 every 2-3 years, and even that's pretty slow (but, for Mostali, might make more sense).

I'd say.... the Fetch is indeed that part of the shaman that has been awakened on the spirit plane. But, like any other part of a person, it can be put out of action. Since it's intrinsic to existence (unlike your arm, leg, eyes), it can't be removed per se. But, maybe, like your eyes, it can be 'disabled'... or paralysed, like a limb. Can a god do this? Certainly! (however, there's the Compromise thing, but that's basically a different argument). If you're a believer of such things, in RL spiritual matters, yes, you can have your psi senses shut off (and people also burn out - including shamans!!)