Shiningbrow

31 minutes ago, lordabdul said:

It is scary because these people are weird (they have strange behaviour imposed by their geases), ruthless, and detached from the human experience

I'm agreeing I with you.

I doubt many players would play that way. Certainly not all the time.

That last bit is really the main point!

6 minutes ago, Jeff said:

That god is Yelm. The god of the fiery hot sun that first rose with the Dawn. Even the Orlanthi call it that. Killing Yelm and then undertaking the Lightbringers Quest (the name provides a hint) to resurrect Yelm are two of the defining myths of the Orlanthi religion. 

I'm fully aware of the LBQ. And I had thought Orlanthi called that big thing in the sky Yelm.

What I don't get is why that big thing in the sky that provides heat, warmth, crops, livelihood, enjoyment, etc is not worshipped by the Orlanthi, who so clearly rely on it's powers for survival. Apparently, not even in a propitiary way.

Orlanth as King of the Gods and Yelm somewhere down the line - sure. Not at all - baffling! (This is true for all agricultural societies)

I get the mythic reasons. Not the pragmatic. And I'm clearly not the only person with this issue.

12 hours ago, lordabdul said:

with a guarantee that their choice won't be used against them (so that they don't need to worry about losing access to a spell because they lost the object on which the focus was.... MGF over simulationism and all that).

I like that you do that, but losing a focus doesn't mean losing the spell. It just takes longer to cast. And foci can be re-inscribed...

7 hours ago, Tindalos said:

The guide and sourcebook say Elmal and that's good enough for me.

I understand what you are saying.

But I'm after the god that has the Light and Fire/Heat powers that the sun actually has - not merely a name.

A god of the air and wind with no wind powers would be ridiculous. A god of the earth with no earth powers would be ridiculous. So, why isn't a sun god with no fire/heat powers ridiculous?

The "there's a myth that explains how they were lost" doesn't help when the big ball in the sky still has them... 

2 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

too many people, especially new players I've encountered, just look at the cults as lists of spells, skills, and requirements

WAAAYYYYY too true!!!!

5 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

You ever tried wrapping a Lightwall around someone's head?

You can't. (Unless it's an extremely loose "wrap").

(And it coats 4 MP - so that had better be an important enemy, or you've got lots on MPs to space.

But, yeah, normal usage is good!

5 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

Or centering a Light on their nose?

And this (as well as the above attempt) require a Resistance Roll.

Besides which, just because a cult doesn't offer up a certain spell doesn't mean you can't buy them elsewhere... Yelmalio doesn't list Heal or Bladesharp or Protection - but bet your boots cultists will have them!

17 minutes ago, lordabdul said:

Humakt has no associated cults, yes, but I think it only means that you won't find Humakti shrines or other worship sites at any other cult temple, and no cult teaches secrets (like special magic) to Humakti initiates. But as far as being a lay member or initiate of multiple cults, RQG only says the cults must be "compatible". I haven't found out if that means "at least neutral" or "at least friendly", but that opens up opportunities for Humakti to belong to a couple other cults at least, if not many other cults. They would have separate Rune point pools though.

Yeah. I know. Just slightly harder. Especially if the cutting of all other ties is actually taken seriously!

Humakt shouldn't really be seen as the "warrior" cult, but more as the "scary, death" cult. (Runic associations should really be a roleplay thing, and people with a high Death Rune should feel really unnerving to be around).

8 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

The implications here are staggering - if it was just random chance that Grandfather Mortal went west instead of east to descend into the Underworld, and if Yelm simply followed the trail blazed by GM, then it's pure chance that the sun doesn't rise in the west and set in the east. Or even more weirdly - does north and south have stairways to hell in the same way? In that case, only pure chance stopped us from having a sun that rises in the south and sets in the north! 

You're thinking too deep.

The sun does rise in the north and set in the south, or NW - SE, or any other pairings.

The cardinal points are based on this rising and setting pattern, not the other way around. 

It would follow that the mythology inserted itself into this - that is, if the sun sets in the West, then obviously that's where the door must be!

I know, I'm breaking Glorantha by being a heretic... But, if humans (and other races) can change the real world by Heroquesting, then it would make sense that this happened for the doorways too... 

(I'm reminded of 1984 - Doublespeak and the sudden change of meanings of words, and of history, and the acceptance of the new now was how it always was...)

43 minutes ago, Qizilbashwoman said:

no, that's all curing

except conversing with the dead, which is mediumship and isn't technically shamanism, although it is often bundled together with shamanising in many cultures

lots of cultures have people who converse with the dead and/or totemic spirits without shamanising

It sounds like you are defining "shamanism" (of its many and varied types) as well as only being about curing (and succing).

9 hours ago, Qizilbashwoman said:

shamans in real life are suspicious because they have the tools to cure and inflict disease, so people are always concerned they could easily turn to (what we'd call) Chaos. one of the reasons they are isolated in real life is because of their power: people fear to offend them in case they go bad so they don't want to get too close. they're kept at arm's length.

No. Shamans are kept at arm's length because muggles don't understand what they do. Talking to "things that aren't there" freaks people out. 

Yeah sure, there is some fear. But there's also awe, confusion, respect, reverence...

Many who walk that path prefer the relative isolation - so it's not merely the society pushing them away. After all, when you're trying to focus on a task (meditate, talk to an entity, do a ritual, etc), you really don't want the muggles hanging around, getting in the way, asking questions, etc.

10 hours ago, Qizilbashwoman said:

it's true that Malia for me is a thing, because shamans have like one job in the real world, and it's 1. curing and 2. sending diseases

Isn't that two jobs?

@Akhôrahil why limit your PCs to just 1 cult? Sure, for starting characters you might, but if you're looking for a longer campaign, I'd mention that they can join associated cults. 

Looking from that perspective, Yelmalio gets Yelm, Elmal gets Orlanth (+). Humakt perhaps gets nobody!

One of the examples I use with my students* is from the song "Nobody" by the Wonder Girls...

I want nobody nobody bah choo...

(But you)

Pronunciation features!! Awesome

(* ESL & IELTS teacher)

1 minute ago, Akhôrahil said:

R yes, W no. Writing is a very different skill-set. I'm sure you know people who can talk and read perfectly fine but can't write decently to save their lives.

I don't know of any languages that are that completely phonetic... 

10 minutes ago, Akhôrahil said:

So at least according to HeroQuest Voices, that bright thing you see in the sky is Elmal (if you're a Heortling).

If so, then Elmal clearly hasn't lost fire/heat... (Unless it's colder in the day than at night).

3 minutes ago, Qizilbashwoman said:

I still think Elmal should be a variant of the Sun-as-Horse. The Riders brought Elmal south and His worship was assimilated. The Thane of Orlanth isn't the great lord Yelm, but He still keeps the stead warm and safe.

I don't know about spells, but I'd focus on his role as supporter. Maybe he should have the fiery bow spell? YGWV

Well, Elmal is most strongly worshipped by Hyalorings, so yeah, that makes sense.

But, as I've said, I still don't know who "the sun" is.... 

I have a feeling that if it was done all properly and correctly, there'd be a mix of skills, depending on whether the written form was phonetic or not. Some could therefore be restricted by Speak (x), while for others that could be irrelevant.

Also, if it's deemed a written language is completely phonetic, then once you've learned the basic script, then your R/W should be about the same as Speak.

3 hours ago, Tindalos said:

The answer given in Cults of Prax (which I'm pretty sure was before Lightfore had been revealed to most folk) was that to mountain dwelling people like the Orlanthi, the sun was a source of light but not heat; and Yelmalio was only not associated with the sun in lowland places (like Peloria) where the sky itself was seen as the source of light.

To make it worse, Lightfore is sometimes the son of Pole Star (as seen in the Gloranthan Sourcebook), so you know, even more fun there.

Perhaps my version of Glorantha is different, but I thought most people would think that "the sun" was comparable to our sun - giving off both light and heat.

I confess it's possible that it only gives off light. Or perhaps the Orlanthi live in a region where the sun, even at it's hottest, is barely lukewarm. (Which then makes the myth of Elmal & Heler vying for the hand of Esrola worse, because Elmal couldn't heat up an ice cube).

If, however, the sun in Sartar does actually give off heat, and does help the crops grow, Orlanthi would be stupid not to acknowledge that in their pantheon... Stupid, because the relevant God would take away said warmth as punishment.

I think... Most people new to the game and actually thought about the role of cults and community etc (as RQ is supposed to be about, largely) would be a bit baffled as to why that big hot ball in the sky that's great to be out in during the summer, and is so important to an agricultural society like the Orlanthi.for making the crops grow, don't worship it for the life-giving powers it's so obviously has. 

I believe it was Greg who pondered this extremely obvious question, and I'm now asking it again... Who is the Orlanthi god of the bright, hot, firey thing in the sky, that any sensible person should be giving thanks to? (Not just the slightly bright cold thing at night )

The Orlanthi have numerous gods for agriculture, so it really is odd and out of place. Barntar is important. Ernalda is important. Heler is important... Not the actual sun. 

If that is supposed to be Elmal, how do the adequately explain his lack of fire powers given that the sun gives off heat (still).

If it's not Elmal, then at the very least, I'd expect some form of Yelm worship.

9 hours ago, davecake said:

In my personal game, Elmal is also permitted access to Firearrow and Fireblade

Why not just remove the prohibition? While the cult doesn't teach the spell, it would still allow them to get it from other sources.

13 hours ago, jajagappa said:

I think the more obvious question is: do you want more RuneQuest products or do you want a comic?

Well, I already know my products will be a ways off anyway... So I'd choose the comic, which would be available in the here and now.... Not the book which *might* be 6 months, or might be 2 years.

It really depends on the offset. How much in resources are taken away from one to do the other. What's the final impact? 

The obvious question would then be - how much money would be required to see it happen again, regularly?

Obviously they use Patreon, but I don't think that indicates the actual value needed.

I just saw a couple of reviews. Looks awesome.

Makes me wonder about Heroquesting now... How it affects the mind, how much is "real", etc... 

@soltakss apparently the controls are really easy... Basic, even. And only 7 hours of actual storytelling!!

3 hours ago, Zit said:

if you want to escape a hopeless spirit combat, can't you just kill yourself and hope for a resurection, since killing sends your spirit to the Hell, far away from the attacking spirit or ghost ?

I'm not seeing any egregious munchkinnerry here...

I'm curious as to what cut the authors get... Which I'm sure is public knowledge, but I can't be stuffed searching for it.

16 hours ago, David Scott said:

RuneQuest is informed by real world shamanism and Glorantha always has been.

I am aware. Just that at some point, the "comparison" will fail... Such as here. That's why I don't want to go too deeply into real world views.