Shiningbrow

I would think the great Ernalda temple in Nochet would have all the husband-protectors, and their associated spells. I'm not so sure that the Ernaldan cult would worry too much about you having Create Shadow, but the Yelmalions around you might (if they could ever discover that you have that spell).

Good catch!!

yeah, I know... I'm curious about that. Why have both? (other than the rare instance of the land being blasted or something) (also, Ernalda doesn't actually get Fertilize, although one would presume she's got access to it - or it's accidentally been left out of the book). It's as cheap (but less useful) as Bless Crops (unless there is that rare instance).

Given the earth/crop magic, why would you need much fallow land to be left?? I'd presume they'd try to use up as much of the land as possible (cos those grain goddesses aren't wild plant goddesses). Even if the land was all used up (i.e., needing to be left fallow on this non-magical ball), that Bless Crops would basically replace all the nutrients.

Then don't make POW a dump stat!!!

I think we have a different definition of the word 'unfair'. If a player has decided to go with a low POW purely because it's the easy stat to increase, then they can suffer the consequences! AND make the increases more meaningful. Like @g33k above, added time spent focussed on the casting should increase the % to cast. Not a flat 50%. (and the RAW isn't enough of an increase for spirit magic, since spirit magic is supposed to be easy to cast!)

Thanks! Slipped my mind...

Summon Snake Daughter is 4 points. So, I'd figure a Thunder Brother should be the same - although, there are more Snake Daughters than Thunder Brothers, and the TBs tend to be stronger/more powerful.

Well, in my Glorantha, they're also the trousers and shoes! And occasionally, even a hat!!!

While I do generally agree with this idea, this 'real world' (What, you're saying Glorantha isn't real??? take your tinfoil hat off, looney!!!) doesn't have gods that regularly show themselves. the "diametrically opposed religions" here are largely because they take it all on 'faith'. You can agree to disagree - until you cop a Lightning bolt to the face, or Sunspear to the guts! (well, ok, all hit locations).

Extremely popular name, AFAIAC... 😛

Would totally suck for them half the time!!! (actually, probably more than half the time, unless buildings have LOTS of windows or candles/lanterns) Nah! Why worry about it? Especially if it takes concentration. And, perhaps even better if it doesn't (way too much intrusion into their life). There are so few rare occasions when it's actually useful the way the PCs would want. PC: "I focus on my Detect Weapons/armour spell" GM: "Sure... you sense.... LOTS of them around you! Everyone is glowing... and rather concerned about it and looking for the reason why (i.e. - you!)" Assassins, criminals, enemies... (well, enemies is already in the list of standard Spirit magic spells)... criminals would need to be specified - cos most people have done something against a law... in the middle of Clearwater or Pavis, I'd expect almost everyone to light up, cos they've all done something against the Lunars at some point - including theft, tax evasion, plotting against them, etc. Assassins would be useful - but only on occasions. Sure, useful if you want to root out a Blackfang Brotherhood somewhere, and so Humakti would love you for it - but that's about it. So, personally, I wouldn't have a problem with it. In fact, not having or allowing such spells would be against the MGF rule - this is Glorantha, a very magic rich world, and so such spells make sense (I know you haven't suggested they shouldn't be there! I'm just going further with your point). You have suggested they should be very MP intensive - well, any useful version already is! You want a decent range, and unless the PC is intending to cast it regularly (and take that time to cast), then it'll need a good Duration. Anything half useful is going to need a good 8MPs or more... (IF they have the right Runes).

Of course it was answered.... YGMV!

Yeah, I figured that was largely the point to augments, and I presume that using Runes to augment basic skills sort of got tacked on later.

Is there a god of roleplaying games?

Well, that does bring up the question of how well do the character creation rules reflect the average Gloranthan?? Do most people have the bonuses that PCs have?

Ummm, I think I'm a little confused, but also agree. "Calling your god until your target then nothing more" seems odd to me. I can't see what you mean by this... perhaps an example? Because, the only thing I can see that working with might be a Rune increase (and that can be taught anyway), and if you're getting that Rune increase, it's purely so you can cast your Rune spells more effectively. I am having trouble imagining someone doing it and then never using that Rune again... I do agree with you about people playing against their character's passions - that's not playing the character!!! If you didn't want them to act that way, then they shouldn't have the passion! If you just want the benefits, then you're not really playing in the heart of the game/world. I would imagine that most temples and the priests/Rune Lords/GodTalkers would be more than happy to help aspiring initiates to advance in the cultic ways - especially if you were closing in on a Rune Lord position.

I wouldn't call it an "unfamiliar" heroquest - but one of the central ones to her mythology. So, how would you handle someone calling upon a BG for assistance in hunting down an oathbreaker - if that BG hasn't studied the arts of war, and has a low Death rating? Is she given a free pass to go find someone else to do it for her? Personally, I think that would be dishonouring her Goddess.

I disagree (of course :p) "I have piano grade 8" actually makes sense to us. It has a real world meaning from which prediction is possible (anyone who is aware of piano exams adn training will know what such a person with grade 8 should be capable of, and have an idea of what they need to do in order to advance to grade 9). Similarly, we operate the same way with education in general. We would be confident that a grade 6 level of education is not capable of doing as well as someone who has Grade 12 (usually). Also, it is also meaningful to say that I know about X% of a language. We also speak in levels and grades for some occupations - Administration Officer level 9. We use descriptors for ranks in the various services. And we could also meaningfully say that a spell increases one's ability to hit by about 5%, 10%, 20% etc. Again, this is something that already happens in the real world. And teachers are constantly giving grades on reports, often in a percentage value. think o We could do that with characteristics. Certainly we use a numerical value for intelligence - IQ. We could do that with strength, based on our lifting or carrying capacity. Size is easy. For all of these things, we already generalise (well below average to well above average). We could do that with HP and AP - and we know this because it has meaning for us when we sit at the table, and there is no confusion. So, I think Gloranthans could speak like that - if it was built into their culture. However, rather than speaking quantitively, I think they'd do what we would, and be qualitative. I can imagine someone saying that they've learnt the first level of Bladesharp, and next week will learn the second and third levels. However, I would be more inclined to think they'd use 'minor', 'lessor', etc For characteristics, we talk about 'very strong' or 'quite weak' - and we could put numerical values on it.... However - I doubt that they actually do use numerical values (although, maybe, just maybe they might for variable spells! Level 1 or 3 etc) Personally (and that's all it is), I have to partly disagree with this. If the character would actually have the ambition to become a Rune Priest or Rune Lord (or even just an initiate of a different cult), then I do think they would actively seek out the relevant (and efficient) ways to improve what needs improving. It would be silly not to. Just like in our real world, if someone needs to get a certain qualification, they take various courses, or attempt to get certain amounts of experience... and quite possibly, never look back on it again! Think of going to university and all the subjects one might have to pass just to graduate...

IMO, I would see dual initiation as being 'common', as you said, but not typical. So, if I had to put a figure on it, I'd say only about 20% of adults will have initiated into more than one cult (while virtually everyone is a Lay Member of at least 2 or more additional cults). Part of the reason for this 20% is the lack of need to do so, as well as the expenditures involved (as you mentioned - time, money, POW). Orlanth & Gustbran? Sure! (actually, Orlanth and many/most others). However, I'm not so sure that many would dual initiate into both Orlanth and Issaries or LM - no real need to. (which is why I think adulthood initiation is different to cult initiation - or the need for a higher level of initiate!) While Ernaldan initiation alone will be fine for most, Ernalda & BG also makes perfect sense (and there's no reason not to have high in both Earth and Death - the core rules make it very easy to have 80% in both at character creation). BG and Yinkin - less so.

I think this is a really important point! Have Gloranthan (at least, Sartarite, Esrolian, Lunar, Praxian) come to this conclusion?? I have been presuming it hasn't. If not, then it would suggest that a sword is worth about 1/10th of it's weight in silver (well, more, because that would just be the value of the metal - how much for the craftmanship and labour, etc??) And if you were paying in bronze, that would be a few ENCs worth. (not that anyone is buying a sword very often). But, having a coin (or something) between a bronze and a gold would make sense. I wouldn't think a die would be that big... of course, I don't really know! I figured it would be much easier just to melt the silver into moulds - significantly cheaper, maybe quicker. Turn all those Lunars you have in your pocket to Guilders within minutes.

Ummm... Eurmali Lie - "The Emperor wants you to come with us and tell us everything about XYZ". Done and dusted!

Hmmm... I'm not so ok with this pick-up/put-down of cults so easily. Not with they way cults are currently depicted. Now, if there was another level between Initiate and Rune Level (as has been suggested elsewhere), perhaps... This next step up (call it 'Devotee') would have access to deeper mysteries and secrets than a basic Initiate. It would also make access to some of the more powerful spells more limited (no longer does "every Orlanthi farmer have a Lightning" type of argument). But this is going too far off-topic ....

I presume, when someone has offended the Earth Temple in such a way, then the laws of hospitality may no longer apply. Although, I can see that the local thane may not be aware of this, and hence the BG should notify said thane when they first get there. Granted, there are a number of presumptions in the above. Personally, I didn't have the same issue that @kara mentions above, just as I didn't with the stereotypical Stormbull. I would even suggest that BG as a cult in general would be happy to promulgate that stereotype in many places, just as I'm sure Humaktis and Stormbullies do. That doesn't mean there wouldn't be exceptions (even possibly the majority - after all, stereotypes are rarely reflective of a majority that's actually been encountered and understood). (Note - if we follow this path, then there must be kind, loving, caring and supporting Maran Gorites who wouldn't harm a fly (metaphorically) as well. )

Weapons & Equipment, p. 5 - different currencies. Prior to the Lunar invasion, Sartar used 'guilder's, and so I would presume that once the Lunars have been removed, then the Lunars were no longer accepted (except in a few rare instances with traders), and the guilder was reinstated.