Dragon

I did receive another email with the voucher and it worked. My leatherette version is on the way.

Thank you. Done. I had sent one to the specific customer service rep from my original order. But, of course, that person may not work there any longer.

Unfortunately, I still cannot find the voucher.

1. RQ:G in the current campaign. That campaign started my own version based on RQ3, and we tried QuestWorlds as well. After I read the RQ:G rules, I decided they were better than my own. 2. This one about 2 years. I have played and GM campaigns for nearly 40 years. I used RQ2, then RQ3, and now RQ:G. 3. Pretty much all of them started in 1618 or 1619. My next one will start in 1626. 4. Dragon Pass for the recent one. Pavis/Prax for at least 3 campaigns. 5. Dragon Pass. Mostly Sartar. 6. RQ2, RQ3, Griffin Mountain, Griffin Island, Snake Pipe Hollow (both versions), River of Cradles, Pavis, The Big Rubble, Cults of Prax, Cults of Terror, Shadows on the Borderlands, Sun County, Troll Pack, Gods of Glorantha, Haunted Ruins, Troll Realms, Pegasus Plateau, Smoking Ruin, Lord Skyppen's Mansion, Rainbow Mounds, Apple Lane (old one), Dorastor Land of Doom, Eldarad the Lost City. Particularly useful: Big Rubble, Griffin Mountain, Snake Pipe Hollow, River of Cradles, Shadows on the Borderlands, Pegasus Plateau, Smoking Ruin. Oddly, I found that loading the Scorpion Hall solo adventure to new players was helpful to learn basic gameplay. Back in the day, it may confuse RQ:G players as it is older rules. 7. A mixture. 8. The overall timeline has been reasonably close. Sometimes PCs became associated with the big events. e.g. the Cradle. 9. That varies wildly. The last and current one was a bunch from the Malani tribe, with a couple oddballs. 10. Newbie GMs need to have a good grasp of the main rules, and a basic understanding of Glorantha. Start with a group of people who have similar interests, e.g. come from the same clan or tribe. Get them used to that before introducing other cultures or races.

Went to order my print version yesterday. Chaosium.com did not auto-recognize my purchase of the PDF. The order is clearly in my history. I searched my mail for the 'voucher' and found all my previous orders. But no email about a voucher. Any hints as to what I should search for. I know I did not delete it.

That seems to be a good balance. I am in favor of players trying their low skills. It makes sense as a person trying something to eventually get better. On the weapon-swapping front, one of the experienced player when I first learned RQ played a quite smart Storm Khan. His primary tactic, in every melee was to stroll in with his two handed spear until it impaled. He almost never tried to pull it out. Just left the victim, usually in shock, and moved on to his broadsword and shield. His allied spirit would then cast Fireblade on it. So any most big battle he would get 4 checks: javelin, spear, broadsword, and shield (and in those days, spear parry). Of course, we would also get non-battle checks like perceptions, devise (set noise traps for sleeping), orate, etc. I would encourage the same set of tactics. Now, if that Storm Khan decided to drop his Fireblade near the end and finish off the last scorpion man with kicks and fists, I would not allow the checks.

My sincere condolences. Way back in college, I fell in love with the system he created. He will live on in the memories of us all.

Don't discount Charisma. It is incredibly powerful in a few contexts. It doubles the champion's CHA. The champion is likely, but not always, a Rune Lord and thus has 18+ CHA. Adding 18 CHA increases their skills in communication and magic by 20-25% depending on breakpoints. This includes Spirit Combat and Meditation (e.g. overcome Befuddle) skills. It likely increases their spirit combat damage 1d6 (with a chance of adding 2d6+1 for e.g. POW 19/CHA 19 1d6+3 to POW 19/CHA 38 3d6+4). Meaning, if spirit combat is even remotely possible, the Ernaldan caster should definitely include Charisma in the spells cast. Champions should end in the 2d6+3 or 3d6+4 area if they are worthy of the title Champion (cough). Of course if Spirit Combat is the main concern, include Spirit Screen and/or Spirit Block on the defensive side as well. In my mind 3d6+4 damage in spirit combat is better than that one RP going for 2 more spiritual armor. Of course, Spirit Screen and/or Spirit Block are incompatible for Champions who may need melee protections where Protection and/or Shield may be more necessary. I am pretty sure everyone knows I mean Spirit Screen/Protection are incompatible and Spirit Block/Shield are incompatible (by RBoM). As stated above, Earth Shield makes mythical sense. As GM, I would definitely allow it. YGMV.

Indeed. The Uz would not be bothered and may even be enticed by fusty, malodorous, or fetid. Uz probably enjoy what a human would call putrid, as it involves decaying organic matter. To Uz, that only improves the flavors of the food. Would Uz enjoy musty? Musty implies water seepage, and that may undermine their caverns. They may actually dislike musty as much as humans. Uz likely care little for the smells of flowers. There could also be a discussion about how mostali or aldryami handle smells. Mostali may even depend on the caste. Some castes simply do not view smells as part of their job. Others would become experts in smells, e.g. quicksilver mostali. It makes sense that expertise in alchemical reactions would improve with better olfactory discrimination. But an iron mostali may ignore it. The perils of battlefields.

While Bestiary states dryads don't like satyrs, it also states "and do not force themselves on the unwilling." (Page 35). I would expect using magic to prevent the dryad from escaping (in any manner) would be forcing. The magics they mention are Fanaticism, Demoralize, Sleep, Dance, and Madness. None of them would magically cause consent. While madness causes them to "not react to any outside stimuli", we should all agree any mating attempt would be unwilling. Thus satyrs would avoid even that attempt. Yes, something must be off in that dryads don't like satyrs, satyrs do not force themselves, yet satyrs think dryads are their natural mates. The best way to resolve that is that some odd dryads may actually like a satyr every so often, just not most of them. I do love the idea that the fetus develops in a pod in the tree and that while they manifest in female humanoid form they show as pregnant. It also allows that the pod is vulnerable to certain attacks.

I have been thinking more about the Bestiary saying "An entirely female race that breeds with elves for continuance." For a race that could dematerialize in previous versions. But RQ:G does not mention that they are nymphs. In RQ2 and RQ3 they were a subtype of nymph. Nymphs (Bestiary p171) "At will, a nymph can form (or dissipate) a human-like body from the substance of her home." RQ:G Bestiary has a completely different entry for dryads. Different than naiads or oreads. It does state (p171 again) there are many types of nymphs. And dryads fit with the "various places of nature such as a hill, lake, meadow, or river" if the example had just added "forest". Bestiary clearly states they are in the 'Plant Spirit' category as an Aldryami. They also have very similar powers. And Blackthorn trees have a "malignant, tortured dryad trapped inside, who can manifest to protect her home". So again, it implies normal dryads can dissolve and manifest at will. But the Dryad entry does not have a 'Bodiless' entry that nymphs do. In my Glorantha, dryads can dissolve and manifest at will...like nymphs and those tortured ones in Blackthorn Trees. Unlike other Aldryami. Indeed, p176 says "However, some spirits (such as elementals, dryads, nymphs and other genius loci) can incorporate in the Material World, taking physical substance from their chosen matter." So I think I am on firm RAW footing. But the dryad entry is still missing that 'Bodiless' ability. Or the "Special Note: A nymph may initiate spirit combat when discorporate." So I believe dryads are both a type of nymph and an Aldryami, and has both of those powers. I do wonder why Chaosium did not specify those two powers for dryads. But my real question was going to be what effect that may have on a developing fetus. If a Brown Elf and a Dryad attempt to procreate, does the dryad need to remain manifest for about nine months? Does the attempt always produce a dryad, or if the fetus would be male is it a Brown Elf? Presumably, an attempt to procreate with a Satyr (page 35) produces male satyrs. I doubt it would mention "They are disliked by dryads (who the satyrs consider their natural mates) and most elves will avoid them" if satyr+dryad were completely unable to produce offspring. Hence I suspect brown elf+dryad could produce either a dryad or a male brown elf. Of course, whatever makes the maximum fun in your tale.

Note 'temporary SIZ' was taken from RQ3. It is not mentioned that way, or contradicted, in RQ:G, but I expect the same idea for all nymphs.

In my Glorantha, when you kill a dryad, the temporary SIZ indicates the body dissolves into the spirit world upon death. So you would not be able to consume a dead dryad. A live one could be taken into someone's mouth e.g. a sufficient Swallow spell, the Crimson Bat. Circumstances for that would be rare. In the case of Swallow, the dryad would 'die' and be forced back to the spirit world. In the case of the Crimson Bat, that would utterly destroy the dryad. But you could lick a dryad while it is manifest. I recommend gaining consent in such a case. Licking an apple tree dryad could taste like either licking generic bark or licking the skin of an apple, depending on where you lick the dryad. Since the cacao is not processed, I expect the lick to taste like unsweetened chocolate if you licked the bean part.

Thank you for your efforts.

Oh, I have no problem with using the magic of the spirits. My point was more the general rule that if the most powerful spirit of healing (i.e. god), Chalana Arroy, then no other spirit will be able to do something she cannot. And that is heal poison damage after the 10 minutes are up. Hence, a powerful healing spirit should be able to begin the healing within that 10 minutes. They could even have powers similar to Xiola Umbar and speed the natural healing some. Such a spirit, other than Chalana or Xiola, should not have better healing abilities. Because they don't own the Harmony Rune. Otherwise, next we will see a spirit with death powers better than Humakt, storm powers better than Orlanth, or Sky powers better than Yelm. It ruins the narrative.

I think the gist of the conversation is we all know now that Cure Poison is the real 'cure'. Instant, ranged, 1 SR to cast. No chance the victim even needs to roll his CON. Antidotes (Antivenin) help, to the level of their potency. Treat Poison can help with long acting poisons, and does nothing for fast acting poison due to the times involved. Fast acting poisons (gas, wyvern, herbal, sometimes mineral) take 3 rounds to act. The healer with Treat Poison needs 25 rounds per person (1 Full Turn). For the slow acting poison (scorpion, spider, other mineral) a healer can purge some potency on 5 people max before the poison takes effect and Treat Poison is thereafter useless. And that is if the healer can start as soon as the first person is injected. Remember only one roll can ever be made. No letting the worst person with Treat Poison get a shot at an experience check for this skill. Demand the best. And here is the kicker, once the poison does damage, only Antidotes help and only within 10 minutes. Antidotes will reverse some or all of the damage. Nothing else will but time. As in weeks. This is when Xiola Umbar and Healing Trance comes in handy. That 3 recovery rate for 13-18 CON per week goes to 3 GHP per 21 hrs (24x7/8). But neither the victim nor the healer wakes until it is all cured. Now, your GM may throw in special poisons. Poisons that inflict a low amount of damage over a long, long time. For those, Cure Poison will stop future damage, but not restore what is already lost. Or poisons that take characteristics points rather than GHP. Those can be restored by Restore Health. Or, take a drop of Arroin's Blood. That will cure and restore anything. Availability is the only issue. Okay, there may be an issue for an Illuminate who wants to retain that nifty chaotic feature. Hence poison is not to be taken lightly in RQG. If you want to allow shamans to have access to a special type of healing spirit that works on poisons rather than diseases, to be consistent with how nasty poisons are to everyone else, the 'healing poison' spirit better be engaged with the victim within 5 Full Turns (or 3 rounds for fast acting). This is definitely not something the shaman discorporates to find. Unless the shaman discorporates to find a spirit with Healing Trance, and the victim is able to survive the poison damage.

Once you are Illuminated the reflexive need to distrust a dragon eases.

And the really fun part is that I was being a little snarky (internally) because I had the same issue months ago. At the time someone pointed me to p 366. Jason maybe? And I went, 'Well there it is. Why wasn't that in the binding rules.' So, I was pretty much in exactly the same spot as all the heavy hitters in this post.

Bill, is the statement on RQ:RPG page 366 not sufficient? "Spirits may be bound into a magic crystal, or into a specially prepared object or animal as described in the Binding Enchantment section (page 249). The binder of a spirit can use any spirit magic the spirit possesses and the magic points of the spirit to fuel spells." That last sentence is pretty concise. There are no caveats, no prohibitions. Sounds clearly like you can use the magic points of any bound spirit to fuel spells. Now, you may not want to pull MPs from a healing spirit if you think you may need to use its healing powers later in the battle. But pull the MPs off that talosi all you want, but leave 1, that won't affect its ability to smash. Another example is a bound wraith, where if you might need to Control or Command it and send it against an enemy, the person who bound it probably wants it at max MP.

Venom is poison that is generally injected by fangs or stings. The 'generally' means there are rare instances of other means, e.g. a spitting cobra. So a venomous creature can inject poison. In contrast 'poisonous' usually refers to one that has passive poison. You have to eat it or touch it to be poisoned. e.g. poison dart frogs, real world salamanders, puffer fish, monarch butterflies, poison oak, polar bear liver. Poison also includes non-organic toxins. Cure Poison cures them all, because venom is a subset of poison. Maybe Xiola Umbar will have Cure Poison when we finally get a RQ:G write-up. I have no prediction. But she ought to have something more than Healing Trance and Heal Wound for actual Rune Magic healing.

I like that approach.

I note that RQ:G does not state any effects of breaking a taboo. Let's say a shaman had the taboo 'Never eat elk meat.' The shaman is told a stew is made from impala. He consumes a bowl. But the stew is actually a mix, and includes a little elk in it. He unintentionally violated his taboo. What happens? Let's say his rival specifically set up the situation and had added a few pounds of elk meat to the stew unknown to the chef. Does that change anything in the shaman's powers. Obviously, it is an adventure hook. If the shaman has made contact with additional spirit gods, and thus has a relationship with one powerful spirit that cares whether he eats elk meat, and another that doesn't care a bit. Can the shaman get all his powers from the latter and ignore the unintentional violation? Of course, it depends on how the GM wants the story to proceed. But nothing in the rules as written. Speaking of specific taboos, I didn't quite get the wording of 'Never eat any meat of any animal spirit creature'. In the nature of Glorantha, doesn't every extant Beast species with 'meat' have an animal spirit creature'? Even some that are no longer extant. Even fish. So the shaman with that taboo can only eat meat from Man rune creatures, e.g. trollkin, herd beasts. Because those would have 'spirit creatures', but not 'animal spirit creatures'. Or am I interpreting 'animal spirit creature' incorrectly?

But quite correct with the Dullblade 4 potentially reducing 8 points of iron damage to a troll (or elf).

Tanian summoned by the God Learners against the Waertagi? Tanian's Grotto from The Puzzle Canal perhaps?

Maybe...but since Firearrow is Touch, you have to cast it exactly then the Rune Lord's hammer hits you. 🙂 Does that hurt his hand when it returns?