RQ2 Dragonewt Rune

[Richard S.]

DRAGONEWT - as exotic as the race it represents, it is found only in the Dragon Pass area. Unlike most of the other Form Runes, it cannot be used with an Elemental Rune, though there are several Dragonewt Power cults, all modified by the Dragonewt Rune.

Does anyone have any insight into or ideas about what these "Dragonewt Power cults" were? I doubt that they exist in the current Gloranthan canon, but I wonder how they fit into the RQ2 era. Were they remnants of EWF cults? Dragonewt racial cults? Kralori or other mystical groups? I know that, most likely, nothing was written about these besides the one throwaway sentence in the Rune's description, but this question's been bothering me for a while so I figured I might as well ask.

[Joerg]

13 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

DRAGONEWT - as exotic as the race it represents, it is found only in the Dragon Pass area. Unlike most of the other Form Runes, it cannot be used with an Elemental Rune, though there are several Dragonewt Power cults, all modified by the Dragonewt Rune.

Does anyone have any insight into or ideas about what these "Dragonewt Power cults" were? I doubt that they exist in the current Gloranthan canon, but I wonder how they fit into the RQ2 era. Were they remnants of EWF cults? Dragonewt racial cults? Kralori or other mystical groups? I know that, most likely, nothing was written about these besides the one throwaway sentence in the Rune's description, but this question's been bothering me for a while so I figured I might as well ask.

I think that they were meant to be the Warrior magic, Tailed Priest magic and Winged Priest magic. When the 'newts finally were published, their magic was no longer following the rules for rune magic.

[Atgxtg]

They might also have represented some of  the human cults that wanted to "evolve" into Dragons. Apparently there was some way for powerful members of the cults to turn into dragons via apotheosis, and I suspect it was somewhat inspired/related to the Dragonewt practices. Of course we're going into RQ3 Glorlantha here, but I think the underlying ideas were probably the same as for RQ2, even if the game mechanics were somewhat different.

[Richard S.]

2 hours ago, Atgxtg said:

They might also have represented some of  the human cults that wanted to "evolve" into Dragons. Apparently there was some way for powerful members of the cults to turn into dragons via apotheosis, and I suspect it was somewhat inspired/related to the Dragonewt practices. Of course we're going into RQ3 Glorlantha here, but I think the underlying ideas were probably the same as for RQ2, even if the game mechanics were somewhat different.

That sounds like the EWF schools which supposedly taught how to become a dragon. iirc Obduran was there only one who truly succeeded, but it was the goal of many of the leaders. The Cult of Immanent Mastery is also an example of humans wanting to turn into dragons, and though they can perform physical, hsunchen-like transformation there have been none who have apotheosized through it. The Kralorean emperor and some of his peers have technically become dragons through mysticism, but they remain in human form and do not display their powers.

[metcalph]

4 hours ago, Richard S. said:

DRAGONEWT - as exotic as the race it represents, it is found only in the Dragon Pass area. Unlike most of the other Form Runes, it cannot be used with an Elemental Rune, though there are several Dragonewt Power cults, all modified by the Dragonewt Rune.

Does anyone have any insight into or ideas about what these "Dragonewt Power cults" were? I doubt that they exist in the current Gloranthan canon, but I wonder how they fit into the RQ2 era. Were they remnants of EWF cults? Dragonewt racial cults? Kralori or other mystical groups? I know that, most likely, nothing was written about these besides the one throwaway sentence in the Rune's description, but this question's been bothering me for a while so I figured I might as well ask.

The only known Dragonewt Power cult known so far is Tanian (Eleven Lights).  There is another is Lankst worshipped by the Hargovans who are able to breath fire as a result (one of them later becomes a Dragon in the Hero Wars).  

[Atgxtg]

1 hour ago, Richard S. said:

That sounds like the EWF schools which supposedly taught how to become a dragon. iirc Obduran was there only one who truly succeeded, but it was the goal of many of the leaders. The Cult of Immanent Mastery is also an example of humans wanting to turn into dragons, and though they can perform physical, hsunchen-like transformation there have been none who have apotheosized through it. The Kralorean emperor and some of his peers have technically become dragons through mysticism, but they remain in human form and do not display their powers.

Immanent Mastery was what I was thinking of.  Now just how successful any of the cults are is open to debate.  They were all probably able to unlock some abilities via the dragonnewt rune , but anymore than that? Who knows? I suspect it proba bly possible  for a human to somehow cut themselves into the dragonnewt/dragon life cycle,  but it  isn't easy. 

[Tindalos]

4 hours ago, Richard S. said:

Does anyone have any insight into or ideas about what these "Dragonewt Power cults" were? I doubt that they exist in the current Gloranthan canon, but I wonder how they fit into the RQ2 era.

For what it's worth, they are mentioned in the Glorantha Sourcebook (page 193)

[Richard S.]

9 hours ago, Tindalos said:

For what it's worth, they are mentioned in the Glorantha Sourcebook (page 193)

Fair enough, though those pages are basically a reprint of the RQ2 Rune descriptions.

[Richard S.]

10 hours ago, metcalph said:

The only known Dragonewt Power cult known so far is Tanian (Eleven Lights).  There is another is Lankst worshipped by the Hargovans who are able to breath fire as a result (one of them later becomes a Dragon in the Hero Wars).  

Can you elaborate on these? AFAIK, Tanian is the god of burning water who conquered the sky dome, and while water is often associated with dragons I don't see any connection beyond that. Unless he is/is related to the dragon constellation Sh'hakarzeel/the mover of heaven. I also don't have Eleven Lights and am running a tad low on cash so I can't get a copy to look myself. As for Lankst, I've never heard of it. Where is i mentioned, and what exactly is Lankst?

[metcalph]

2 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

Can you elaborate on these? AFAIK, Tanian is the god of burning water who conquered the sky dome, and while water is often associated with dragons I don't see any connection beyond that. 

There isn't much more that's said about Tanian (and what you have said is the most of what is known).  The _Eleven Lights_ gives Tanian the Dragonewt Rune when his cult is re-established in Dragon Pass.  This suggests (to me at least) that the information about Tanian is lies put out by the God Learners to conceal their secret.  An early sign that the God Learner account might not be factual is the Puzzle Canal which has a shrine to him that was built by a Demigod from the EWF.  

2 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

As for Lankst, I've never heard of it. Where is i mentioned, and what exactly is Lankst?

Lankst is an Orlanthi Country in Ralios (a region to the west of Dragon Pass)

[Joerg]

13 hours ago, Richard S. said:

That sounds like the EWF schools which supposedly taught how to become a dragon.

Apart from that crazy dragon outline that was supposed to become the new dragon (one of the oldest "secrets" we learned about the EWF), becoming a dragon as individuals or groups appears to be the main goal of the EWF.

Obduran is the only Orlanth-worshiper who managed to become a dragon and then to ascend even further. Ingolf had been pretty far on the way when he stumbled and used his draconic powers in an entangling way.

Most of the leaders on the Third Council were "short cut" practitioners like Isgangdrang, whose method was a variation on the Immanent Mastery path. The Dragon Sun emperor of Dara Happa may have been a more conservative mystic, and Lorenkargatan/Labrygon and his goals remain a mystery. Great Lord Burin apparently was mainly interested in becoming a force of war, similar to Drang the Diamond Storm Dragon, the Great Dragon shape of Isgangdrang.

Great Dragons were similar in shape and magical power to the True Dragons, but unlike those they weren't transcendental beings.

It isn't quite clear to me whether the EWF ever fielded True Dragons or just Great Dragons (physically transformed mystics, or possibly entire mystical schools). Their enemies probably didn't care either way, in victory or defeat.

King of Sartar mentions schools that advocated a communal ascension to Dragonhood, and if there were dragons born from the EWF who participated in the Dragonkill, then I will assume that these communal approaches must have been successful as they weren't exterminated in 1042. (Or alternatively, they were forcibly ascended in the mass utuma of 1042.)

 

13 hours ago, Richard S. said:

The Kralorean emperor and some of his peers have technically become dragons through mysticism, but they remain in human form and do not display their powers.

Or they were dragons born into a human shape whose limits they overcame by meditation etc.

Godunya did teach in and meddle with the EWF before returning to Kralorela to deal with Shang-Hsa MHNBC.