Nozbat

Lawrence beat me to it but I would recommend using Ships and Shieldwalls. I used it a lot for my Anglo-Saxon game. There was a lot of fun making impressive speechs to your own troops, insulting the opposition and trying to get your men to charge. There was also the option of single combat between champions The skills are a bit different so it requires to be thought about from the beginning if the players are going to be the leaders but you could use passions to augment the skill along with heroic speeches Players could be injured, die heroically by fighting on white wounded, catch the eye by doing something spectacular or come through unscathed

Yes.. Chaosium website was fine .. but forums was down from yesterday

I often have to remind myself what happens in a combat round. No matter what D100 rule system you use, a melee round is a series of feints, parries, dodges, probes and one opportunity to attack to do damage and parry to stop damage. As gamers, we tend to just view it as the chance to hit and incapacitate the enemy and forget about all the rest. That said, animals do the same. Watch the way a dog approaches something dangerous. They probe, jump back, circle etc until they see an opportunity to close and bite. Most animals are the same. They are not suicidal and don't attack unceasingly (unless defending their young). Even well trained warhorses with lots of armour won't charge a phalanx of spears. I have often been annoyed how players 'game' the system by parrying a natural weapon attack and thus have 'two' attacks. This is not what would happen in real life. Animals use cunning in stalking prey no matter how intelligent or otherwise they are. For example, one will engage from the front while its mate looks for an opportunity to attack from behind. They close on the victim who often finds their longer sword, spear invalidated as they can't bring it to bear for an attack. I have taken to using a more common sense approach. Animals have at least two actions, one of which is an evade (parry) even those with high levels of armour and justify it by reminding players what a melee round is. Otherwise, animal or monster attacks become negligible and insignificant. Wolves did not gain their reputation as dangerous by conveniently jumping onto a sword or impaling themselves on spears. I suspect others will have different views but as I tend to do rules lite, I find that even a mundane pack of creatures creates terror and creates narrative. -"Remember that time we were stalked by the pack of hungry wolves?. -Oh yeah, we climbed up the cliff and hid in the cave with a fire at the entrance to scare them off. -Yeah, and the fire told the bounty hunters where we were - But we're here still, aren't we? And where are the Bounty hunters? - Food for the wolves -So, feed the angry hungry, dogs and get away"

The Middle Sea Empire booklet seems to be the best source of info along with the Well of Daliath https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/50032/stafford-library-middle-sea-empire

Interesting connection back to Pavis.. and the Puzzle canal

I like the layout you did .. it seems organic rather than forced to fit with the known facts (which aren't that many). The decay of Feroda, despite the external forces such as Giants, Pavis etc was definitely the change in the flow of the Zola Fell estuary. I am minded to think about the decline of Brügge (Bruges for you English speakers) which after the silting up of the Zwin or Golden Inlet, cutting off Brügge from the sea and as a central trading hub for Western and Northern Europe. I wonder if the Zola Fel was changed by magic? It may have been due to some ritual by Pavis or the Zola Fel inhabitants or even the EWF? (I must admit I had the idea from thinking of writing a Campaign from Brügge and thinking of sorcerous manipulation of the Zwin or a remnant of a fading Faerie world as causing the silting). I think it might be an interesting storyline of either aiding or trying to stop the ritual to change the Zola Fel?? I had read some stuff on Jrusteli 'worship' but would be misquoting if I did it from memory. I'll state what I remember and stand corrected when others tell me otherwise. I have a feeling it was that society was very stratified but in general the God Learner approach to other cults was generally good and they approached them with a spirit of co-operation. Likely it was a way to learn the Cult secrets and to formalise and characterise their mythology, knowledge and power, so it always had an agenda. The three collaborating Cults are always quoted as Lhankor Mhy, Issaries and Chalana Arroy who had the closest ties with the God Learners and incidentally also with the EWF before the edict of 889 banning all worship other than the Inner Ring of the Third Council. There is also this bit from the Well of Daliath Instead, in 718 ST the Free Men of the Sea pitted their little fleet against the ocean itself. They faced nearly all fifty of the Waertagi dragonships. The God Learners then summoned a sea god that had never been seen in this world. They called it as if it were just another elemental, and then made that god call its father. They then commanded the father to summon a different child – the god of Sky Water, Tanian. The result is known to all, and established Jrusteli domination of the seas for the next two centuries. https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/a-short-history-of-jrustela/ It might be that those that had connections to the sea worshipped the new god (name not mentioned) or they just used the gods powers to defeat the Waertagi and discarded the god? I'm not sure if that's helpful and I have no doubt others will add to it

I'm Irish..its the colours of Irish Nationalism.. so that Blue and Green should never be seen.. but I can go with the Women's colours Purple (justice, dignity, loyalty to the cause) and Green (Hope)

I've been mulling this over (in between the floorboard stuff). Thanks for all the comments so far (I like the idea of tinfoil hats and propellor beanies .. @mfbrandi.. I'm off to get one from my local Conspiracy Shop) There appears to me to be two strands in this .. the EWF and the Jrusteli .. I didn't give the context to Jeff's quote, which I'll do now for those that didn't look at the WoD (blue and green) The Third Council was incredibly rich (far richer than the Dara Happan or Carmanian empires), and the outer ring were great patrons of culture and building projects. The cults of Chalana Arroy, Issaries, and Lhankor Mhy received much of this largesse. These cults were also an important conduit with the God Learners. As a result, God Learner knowledge was widely disseminated and the techniques of Mythical Synthesis embraced. Much of what we know of the Monomyth was preserved by EWF sources. Chalana Arroy, Issaries and Lhankor Mhy clearly collaborated with the EWF Third Council even though it was apparent what direction they were heading with the defeat of the Traditionalists in 775. These Traditionalists were their fellow Lightbringers. It would be a further two generations until the Inner Council demanded to be worshiped as gods and suppressed all other worship. The source of the magical power and knowledge was Draconic Mysticism which to my knowledge was not mythical synthesis. I can understand Lhankor Mhy and Issaries motivations for collaborating up to the Third Council edict but I do not understand Chalana Arroy's involvement. The EWF had already been accused of being aloof and lacking compassion, an anathema to any Chalana Arroy cultists surely? The second strand is that the same three cults were implicated as conduits (and collaborators) with the Jrusteli God Learners. By 680 ST, there were some 200,000 colonists on the island of Jrustela, and another 25,000 or more in Umathela. The Jrusteli were proud, self-assertive, and confident – they had already begun the Mythical Synthesis Movement, an attempt to identify and define the gods and spirits of the world so that they could be manipulated and controlled – the start of the God Learners. https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/a-short-history-of-jrustela/ The God Learners were not hiding their motivation and interests. Likely they surprised people with how far they would push mythology and thus brought about their own destruction. Why these three Cults...again? And again I can understand Lhankor Mhy being fascinated with the classification and order implied and imposed by the God Learner mystical synthesis. But they were timid and beyond sorcerous mastery of the Truth Rune did not look at other potential sorcery roots. It was almost as if classification was enough. Issaries is difficult to understand what their possible motivation would be, and again Chalana Arroy's involvement seems to be an antithesis of what the Cult stands for. No matter what I think, all three Cults were involved in different strands of mysticism from two opposed and often warring Empires. For the God Learners, the Cults disseminated knowledge and techniques of mystical synthesis. Where is this reflected in the Cults we know today? They were clearly influenced by both movements and seemingly eagerly collaborated. Lhankor Mhy was clearly the crossover to the EWF. Now in Dragon Pass, some of the key resources of the God Leaners – like the Lhankor Mhy cult – were also perfectly willing to work with the EWF. https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/notes-on-the-empire-of-the-wyrms-friends/ How was the (limited) knowledge of the monomyth, a God Learner construct, preserved in EWF sources? They were enemies and are unlikely to have given up their magical secrets to each other unless Lhankor Mhy betrayed their secrets? Draconic mysticism, or whatever they learnt from the EWF, is also not reflected in any of the Cults, yet they seem to have been intimately involved. There is no clear trajectory of development and magic with all this new knowledge. Was it lost after the Dragonkill War and the Inundations? Were they afraid to use it for fear of recrimination from other Cults who were the victims of the EWF?

Just as a corollary @Ian A. Thomson.. I found this.. which I thought might be useful if you're considering Foreda. Its from 603 ST but an interesting piece.. These settlers founded numerous colonies, each a carefully planned settlement with a central market, a nearby public and temple complex, and straight main streets. A spirit of pragmatic rationalism and materialism animated the culture of the colonies – caste mobility was encouraged, and children were educated for the occupations they were seen as most suited for. Each colony was a republic, with a ruling council chosen from among the “best” by an assembly of the people. In times of necessity, each ruling council could choose from among themselves a leader. https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/a-short-history-of-jrustela/ Its from the founding of Jrustela.. but I think (knowing human nature) if something works .. it tends to be repeated

I was looking at Feroda and like @Joerg was wondering about its function. It is clearly a way point for shipping and possibly a conduit for looted cradle goods. I think the evidence for this is that it was abandoned after the Zola Fell River changed its course. However what does it offer as a waypoint? It doesn't have a hinterland and looks to be situated in the marshes which would mean difficult access to provisioning, fresh water and possible trade goods from Prax. As @Joerg suggested, the River of Cradles would be difficult to use, given the close connection of the Dragonewts with the Cradles. It really doesn't meet any criteria for a settlement in the real world and likely as not Glorantha either, without use of magic to support it. Therefore it seems to me that it would be an expensive settlement to maintain. There must be a trade off and something that made its continued existence worthwhile. The other bit that intrigues me is that given the Middle Sea Empire and the EWF were nearly always at war, and the MSE was nearly always beaten by the EWF, so why was Feroda allowed to continue to exist? It is clearly a threat to the EWF given the sea power of the MSE. If it was as a conduit for the magical powers stolen from the cradles then it definitely was worth destroying. It would be difficult, time-consuming and likely expensive to keep a standing defence force there as its far removed from other ports. There is a suggestion from @metcalph that it might be a base for dissent. Again, I find that difficult to see as possible due to provisioning. It would be too difficult to live there without goods, particularly foodstuffs, from bigger ports. The guide tells us it is a Jrusteli settlement. If it has a magical-political-military function, then dissent is unlikely to be tolerated as it would be too important to allow others to use rebels to gain control over the Cradle loot. However, I really like all the intrigue as laid out by @metcalph.. I just don't see it happening there and at that time. I am clearly missing some vital information in that a settlement on the fringes of the EWF, in a hard to reinforce and hostile hinterland, with poor access to provisions and an expensive operation to run, just does not make much sense to me.

Does anyone know where I can get some information (no matter how small) on the Techniques of Mythical Synthesis? In Well of Deliath Jeff has written.. The cults of Chalana Arroy, Issaries, and Lhankor Mhy received much of this largesse. These cults were also an important conduit with the God Learners. As a result, God Learner knowledge was widely disseminated and the techniques of Mythical Synthesis embraced. Much of what we know of the Monomyth was preserved by EWF sources. https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/notes-on-the-empire-of-the-wyrms-friends/ There is a Rune of the Mythical Synthesis Movement Rune I can't find any more direct information.. so help would be appreciated

I'm pretty sure I have found the Eye of Wakboth underneath the floorboards of my new house.. it had mutated the woodworm into sociopathic gun-totting racing car drivers who smoked woodbine cigarettes and were so out of control that when they went out, they didn't even tell their mummies what time they would be home at.. At least thats my analysis and conclusion of what I found under the floorboards and I did leave out the mummified mouse in the interests of propriety (Other interpretations are equally as valid, mine is quite often the product of a scheming GM)

Only if you're at the Top!!

From the little that has been published about the Jrusteli, I would doubt that they didn't know and were looking for ways to use its power. Giant Cradles and a huge source of power. What's not to like? Maybe some coffee too? Great discussion btw @Erol of Backford.. enjoying it immensely Yes.. power is power and often not questioned before it's too late. even in the real world