g33k

If I were going to guess at RW/historical inspirations, I'd be guessing at the Andalusian.

I wouldn't worry about it, Bill. Haven't we already annexed you guys? If we haven't annexed the Northern Territories yet, we prob'ly will after the next election cycle... your boy Trudeau isn't very good at brown-nosing Herr Drumpf.

There's some possible matches in Devonshire... Red Devon, North Devon, South Devon (not clear to me how differentiated these are; I am not an expert!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Devon_cattle#/media/File:Red_Devon_bull.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Devon_cattle#/media/File:South_Devon_cattle.JPG

The thing about "religion" in fantasy RPG's is that it's entirely reasonable and rational to be religious. In the modern real-world, "rationalist" and "skeptic" POV's are like, "yeah you can't prove it rationally, I don't believe <your holy book> any more than I believe Bulfinch's Mythology." In many FRPG worlds, that POV would be literally insane -- denying objectively-provable reality... Particularly in a myth-heavy world like Glorantha, where events like Initiation, casting Rune-Magic, and Heroquesting, all enable you to experience the deities directly & personally! The Orlanthi (and others) aren't so much "mired" in their religiousity as they are informed and empowered by it.

Have you seen "Selkana's Saga"? https://www.chaosium.com/blogselkanas-saga-1-telling-diverse-stories-with-runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha/ https://www.chaosium.com/blogselkanas-saga-2-how-setting-drives-the-story-and-a-crash-course-on-esrolia/ (the map at the bottom of #2 shows the Grazelands in the upper left quadrant) But also, Selkana's Saga is worth reading for the overall Awesome it contains! Links to all 11 are here:

There's several "rider" cultures, and the FHQ isn't Praxian! AFAIK, the best Prax content right now is spread across several books. The old RQ2 "Cults of Prax" has a lot of foundational stuff, and Borderlands has some interesting details, though not much broad material. Some in P&BR. But you're going to the old sources for this stuff! Edit -- totally forgot about the HQ stuff! Yeah, grab Pavis:GTA Possibly the oldest of all (unless you get access to Greg's notes from the early/mid 70's) is the old wargame Nomad Gods: https://www.chaosium.com/nomad-gods-rule-booklet-pdf/ === The "Beast Riders" of Prax, following Waha's Survival Covenant, don't ride horses (horses are taboo to them) except for the upstart Pol-Joni tribe out of Sartar. Eiritha is their main female deity, and the Most Revered Elder Priestess resides at the Paps; she is the central magical/religious figure for them. The Khans of all the Tribes are largely independent... but seldom make really major decisions without consulting the MRE (or at least trying to figure out what she'd want). There is Pent, disparate tribes but overwhelmingly Solar-worshiping. They raid frequently into Prax. This is the home of Sheng Seleris' "Celestial Empire." Last (for now) are the Grazelands, ruled by horse-riding Hyalorings of largely Dara Happan X Pentan ancestry (I think) with a sedentary semi-slave "vendref" people of Orlanthi descent. This is the home of the FHQ, and her role is similar in some ways to the MRE in Prax. The Grazelands are due south of Tarsh, on the western edge of Dragon Pass.

Somehow, despite their allegedly sensitive noses, I have observed dogs to be willing -- nay, eager! -- to snuffle their noses into the most amazingly disgusting places ... Your Dog May Vary

<takes clacks, sniffling> "th-th-thanks, mister! kin I have a hug, too?" <walks away with full moneypouch, tossing clacks back over shoulder> "Here, mister! After the hug, I don't need the clacks!" <starts running as soon as finished speaking>

Thank you, this works very well! Princeps it henceforth is, IMG. 😁 Given how very gendered the terms Prince and Princess are in English (and particularly the implications of the -ess, which upthread was rhetorically queried as "can you imagine Princess Kallyr?"), I wish this usage (or something like) had been done officially, in the published matter... It's not like we don't have Khan's and Satraps and such-like titles, giving ample precedent to use of Princeps. Princeps solves the Prince/ss problem, I think? I mean, historically I think they were always XY persons, never XX, but AFAIK the term carries no inherent linguistic gender (which Latin often does, so ... win!) .

I envision this resulting circle of "likefarming" where people just do a bunch or "+1"s so all the 'farmers can Like it... <shudder> But perhaps I'm just a cynic. Or maybe my idea belongs over in the E. Munchkin thread (though honestly that vision feels more E. coli) .

<sigh>

Say Bill... I, uh... I notice your moral compass has some ... Interesting features. It, uh... it seems to be pointing at the corner bar.

IANAL, and do not pretend to give legal advice, but admit I'd be a little surprised if my "amendments" stayed within (c) restrictions. The modern sphere keeps tossing up methods that make the old laws go "WFT!?! srsly? I can't even... dude, where did u GET this crazy notion??!" All I meant to offer was a very modest moral-compass measure trying to sustain the spirit of the thing, a fair reward to the creatives and the (c) & license holders.

In all cases where the RAW is unclear I /always/ consider MGF as a primary source of resolution... Which way seems more fun to you, for your game?

A humble suggestion: for a single copy for personal use, you can send the print order to your printer of choice ... then DIY a direct donation to the author, too. And Chaosium, as well (e.g. buy a PDF from them for a product you've already bought). Be Ernaldan about these things -- there is always another way!

Just gonna throw a concept out there, "the Dark Mother," dark Earth. Understanding the whole cycle of life; death giving rise to life leading inevitably to death giving rise... The cycle eternal. The Dark Mother says, "I love your life, I love your death. They are both my children, and I do not play favorites!"

I'm going to disagree, here. That "historical skew of male gamers focusing on predominately male cults" hasn't just created a "perception" it has created a reality, the canon. Yes, Esrolia/Hendrikiland are (much MORE) polarized. But Sartar has a LOT of patriarchal stuff in play; SOME more balanced; I've seen only a little that's genuinely "matriarchal" or feminine-centric (though recent efforts are better, there's a LOT of that older POV embedded into "the canon"). I'd assert that there's a bunch of systemic/institutional issues which people can squint-and-pretend aren't there, but REALLY are there (not unlike most real-world RPG'ing cultures such as USA, UK, etc...). It's "Orlanthi" culture to begin with. The defining cultural god, and the defining & controlling ethos, is the male. The Kingdom of Sartar was male at the founding, and most of the main actions defining the history are male actions, or -- even if performed by a woman -- are "masculine" actions: warfare & raids, etc; violence-centric, strength-centric, etc. I mean... "Prince" Kallyr Starbrow... really? But, as mentioned: recent material is MUCH better, and we are only limited by the past if we choose to accept those limitations. Tangent to the "masduline POV" argument ... I still wish more of the major events from family/background (personal history of the PCs' families) involved major magical rituals, curses, &c. The dominance of "battle" as history-defining material is definitely a masculine POV, and frankly not a very sophisticated or mature one (Esrolian-style "soft power" is at least as influential in RL!), and more myth & magic -- without any armies in the field ! -- would feel much more "Gloranthan" to me (notwithstanding WBRM &c ... ) .

Last I heard, they had transhipped that product into the hull of a CoG. They still need to load some art aboard, and then the layout people will need to stow all the cargo appropriately, but the Good Ship Cults of Glorantha will soon be setting sail for a "three hour cruise." Now we just need to figure out who @Chaosium is Gilligan...

I would suggest that very many shopkeepers / retailers are Initiates, but that the "primary producers" -- farmers who sell crops, smiths selling metalwares, weavers selling cloth, etc -- are at least Lay Members of Issaries or Etyries. They sell, bargain, etc; and do it rather a lot.

Yeah, but Yinkin let the cat out of THAT bag...

Wonderful topic! Looking forward to an item on Jonstown Compendium, or a file here in BRPC d/l section... Or just a really really interesting thread! It's worth noting that cows have horns, FWIW. A "Vinga's Cow" myth, with the cow taking the bull's defend-the-herd & territorial roles, seems an obvious element to pursue. Taking the idea of a "Horned Doe" you may be leaning in a "genderfluid" direction; not so much women "horning in" on the male space in a genderbinary way, as "anyone can do/be anything" with lots of Nandan / Helering / &c in the clan. Looking forward to seeing more in this vein!

<Yoda Voice, sad and resigned>: And THAT is why you have difficulty with broads ...

I'm about to add HR's on skill checks, myself... Gain 2d4% on a successful check. Avg is 5%, usually within 4-6, occasionally lower or higher. On a fumble, gain a special check worth 3d4% On a Critical, gain 3d4% as a flat gain (no need to check, but only gained when otherwise making checks, i.e. you have time to consider the learning, practice and reinforce it), taking rolls of 3% or 4% as if they were 5% I don't expect this to break anything. I note that Crit's get a bit more common at higher skill levels, and may revert Crits to 2d4% as a rolled check, for skills over 100... Or I may not, I'm actually rather interested in seeing the upper tiers of play, skills over 100% ... over 200% ...

I wouldn't do this. It's REALLY hard to close range with a skilled fighter without taking at least one hit. If weapons could be negated so easily, they'd be MUCH less popular! By the same token, animals seldom even know to that a "weapon" is something to avoid. If they get a genuine surprise-attack, sure... But not when facing a ready foe!

Dara Happa is an ancient empire worshipping a Solar(ish) pantheon (Yelm is at the top, at least), with the Emperor being the Empire, and Yelm's proxy (the Emperor himself is directly worshipped!). Dara Happans claim a recorded history back to before the beginning of Time. Yelm is the God of rightful rulership, the god of the Noble classes. Merchants, crafters, etc... Not so much, if at all (the nobility AND the Yelm priests would likely see that as making a claim to be "legitimate rulers," aka to be rebels). When the Lunar powers gained ascendency, they didn't replace the existing Solar nobility, or demand they abandon their ways. Sedenya's son proved himself Emperor of Dara Happa, Moonson and Red Emperor, and united the Solar & Lunar loyalties in his person. The Lunar Empire extends beyond Dara Happa these days, but most of the core Lunar region is Dara-Happa-of-old, and virtually all of the Lunar nobility are still Yelm-worshipping Solar cultists.