Spirit Magic and Sorcery During Chargen

[Lordabdul]

3 hours ago, Shawn Carpenter said:

I strongly agree that a set "spell list" is not the way to go with HQ or QW, but I think a solid list of cult specific examples are very helpful, especially for new players and GMs.

Yep agreed, a set spell list goes against what HQ/QW is all about. It will be nice to have another list of recommendations in Valley of Plenty to complement the ones from HQG and S:KoH though.

[Joerg]

On 5/21/2020 at 8:47 PM, Richard S. said:

Why would something like "Run Over Treetops" be an outlandish or weird ability? Sounds like a perfect breakout from Movement to me.

Well, it happened to make me wonder about its implications and applicability when I was faced with it.

It was listed as a feat in HQ1, which means you had to be a devotee to use it actively. So, how do you use this ability passively as an augment? To what ability - the rune itself? Do you need an ability like Fast Runner?

 

Does the Vingan need to be in a position where the treetops are just a step away (e.g. up high in the branches of a tree), does she need a running start across more conventional territory, or can she leap up the trees from the stand (which is a feat that made Hofstaring gain his name Treeleaper, so probably not).

How can she stop running while still in the treetops? Will the canopy offer her a foothold independent of individual branches, or do we get Kung-fu style occasional footholds on suitable branches that happen to be where needed?

Is this a contest against the trees involved (can tree spirits oppose it?) or does this obligate the collective entity of the trees to provide those footholds?

How can you nearly succeed in this without breaking your neck or a couple of limbs? (mainly your own, but also the tree's where you fail)

[Richard S.]

53 minutes ago, Joerg said:

It was listed as a feat in HQ1, which means you had to be a devotee to use it actively. So, how do you use this ability passively as an augment? To what ability - the rune itself? Do you need an ability like Fast Runner?

Two small corrections to that: one, it was technically a Hero Wars writeup but that's a minor point; two, "An initiate can improvise any named feat in the affinity (see page 120) as an active ability with a –10 penalty (–5 if he has concentrated his magic use), but can never cement such use, and cannot learn these feats as abilities unless he becomes a devotee." (HQ:RiG, pg. 118). Initiates could use feats directly, they just suffered a penalty. They also weren't limited to just the listed feats, they could improvise - the named feats were just suggestions.

I understand your point I think, though I also think you may be overthinking it 😛

[Joerg]

14 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

I understand your point I think, though I also think you may be overthinking it 😛

If you regard the outcome of the game as a narration, over-generous or too strict handling of these abilities will create plot holes and precendences that you are going to be saddled with in your next scene already as the narrator. Alongside with the narrative techniques of the pass-fail cycle, there is also something like a spotlight cycle to keep in mind. Which is harder to maintain if the plot hook that creates the scene or scenario is anchored in a specific player character.

But then, this has strayed from the original topic of this thread, and might find a better home in a different thread.

[soltakss]

32 minutes ago, Joerg said:

51 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

I understand your point I think, though I also think you may be overthinking it 😛

If you regard the outcome of the game as a narration, over-generous or too strict handling of these abilities will create plot holes and precendences that you are going to be saddled with in your next scene already as the narrator. Alongside with the narrative techniques of the pass-fail cycle, there is also something like a spotlight cycle to keep in mind. Which is harder to maintain if the plot hook that creates the scene or scenario is anchored in a specific player character.

Personally, I think that HeroQuest works best if you forget about myriads of rules and just concentrate on the basics. For me, the Pass-Fail Cycle is meant to be a tool that enables the story to continue while keeping track of consequences, it is not meant to be minimaxed or broken down into detail.

[Tindalos]

9 hours ago, Shawn Carpenter said:

I strongly agree that a set "spell list" is not the way to go with HQ or QW, but I think a solid list of cult specific examples are very helpful, especially for new players and GMs.

Agreed to both.

But of course, with cult specific examples, there's the nice benefit of the mythology involved.

As examples, you could mention "what [my god] did."

To use Orlanth as an example, you could sum up some of his myths for various effects: Orlanth brings rain to his people, Orlanth confronts dragons, Orlanth unites many different peoples, Orlanth claims treasures from his enemies, Orlanth rides upon his own breath, Orlanth speaks wih foreigners, Orlanth mediates between his kin, Orlanth romances the Earth, etc.

Assign them to runes, and while it does become a bit of a "spell list," it also is helpful in remembering why you can do such things, could help springboard players to discover new things about Glorantha ("In my clan, we know Orlanth was able to cross water in a single breath, so I can leap this river like he would be able to!") and could just be fun.

[Nevermet]

9 hours ago, Tindalos said:

Agreed to both.

But of course, with cult specific examples, there's the nice benefit of the mythology involved.

As examples, you could mention "what [my god] did."

Yup.  And through that, the same Rune could be very different depending on the god.

Lhankor Mhy and Yelmalio both have the truth rune, Mastakos and Issaries both have the movement rune, but what I'd let an initiate of LM or Mastakos have as a breakout ability would be a qualitatively different list than what I'd let an initiate of Yelmalio or Issaries do.