Jump to content

Tricksters in Orlanthi society; How to make them playable. lol


skulldixon

Recommended Posts

So I get that Tricksters are frowned upon in Orlanthi society, and for good reason and that for the most part they are killed unless they are bound to an Orlanth Rune Master - who takes on the responsibility for the Trickster's actions. I get all of that. In my current game we have one Trickster whose main trickster trait isn't stealing but is a con man whose long term goal is to be the man behind the curtain who is pulling the strings. He has some loft goals, in my mind. Currently, no one knows that he is a trickster - so until he is discovered the orlanth binding hasn't happened yet.

But there is a lot of aspects to a none exposed trickster or even a bonded trickster living in Orlanthi society that I am trying to warp my head around still.

For instance, There is a Eurmal Shrine in every Lightbringer temple. I assume that these still follow the same rules of any other shrine and require at least one Rune Priest to maintain the shrine. If this is the case, if this was runegate, would the popluation of Runegate know who the person Eurmal Rune Priest was? I guess what i'm trying to get at is how open is the worship Eurmal. Is it like a known secret, for instance?

Granted, I assume some people will offer worship Eurmal, lay member, in order to dissuade disorder or trickery taking root in their day to day lives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People don't necessarily know where the Eurmal shrine is, and it could move around - so for example, the shrine could be in the toilet this week. "I need to take a p*ss". Trickster regains his magic by wetting himself. That kind of thing.

In addition there are lots of Trickster shrines in unexpected places, not just in organised temples.

I think a trickster who is power crazy is likely in for a rough ride. Accumulating power sounds very organised for a trickster, not really Eurmal's disorderly thing - Eurmal always seems to me like someone with the emotional maturity of a 3 yr old, grabbing pretty baubles because they look sparkly, telling outrageous lies to get what he wants, messing up his own plots because he can't remember the plan, trying to get cuddly with the beautiful axe maiden temple guard glaring at the suspicious MAN lurking behind a bush (she's giving me attention!). So Eurmal would likely play nasty pranks on a follower who takes life too seriously.

Of course, another way to play it, a power crazy trickster would want to go on lots of heroquests to gain access to new powers. But trickster heroquests cause complications.

Consider the most powerful trickster heroquest, the stealing of death.

Ever wonder why Trickster agreed to be bonded to Orlanth, and go on the lightbringer quest? Because he didn't have a choice. Everyone, literally everyone in the world, wanted to kill trickster. Thanks to all the carnage Trickster had caused, stealing death, then giving it to random people to mess up the world a bit more, then stealing it back and giving it to someone else, the entire world was hunting Trickster. Trickster agreed to go on the LBQ because he was hiding behind Orlanth, hoping that nobody would see him, and he didn't know what he would do to survive if Orlanth abandoned him. Even Orlanth probably wanted to kill trickster. But Orlanth foresaw that just maybe trickster could redeem himself, by helping to fix all the catastrophic damage he had caused.  

In a game world, if a trickster tried to follow this path to gain access to strange heroic abilities, he would need every scrap of those new magics to survive the consequences of his quests. Every time the trickster character steals death and gives it to someone else, I suggest it would be a penalty on the trickster's daily encounter rolls. The world for a trickster following the path of their god just gets scarier and scarier - there would be this growing parade of increasingly terrifying hero opponents and chaos monsters who wanted blood. The trickster hero would increasingly be the focus of enemy god divinations advising their most dangerous followers "get that person, and you shall receive a magical reward". And of course, while Trickster was running around with stolen death, every Humakt, Zorak Zoran, or Thanatar death cultist rune lord sense assassin or other magical ability would register trickster as the top of their most wanted list, someone who was interfering with their ability to receive magic from their god, one of the premier enemies of their temple, someone who had to be killed immediately on sight to set the world right. Every Yelm worshipper, Yelmalio warrior, elf warrior, would register trickster as an enemy. Even Lunars might sense the Trickster as a premier enemy - Yanafal Tarnils would register Trickster as an enemy of death cults. 

Imagine having people like that on your trail!

I think you can have a lot of fun teaching your power hungry trickster humility. Trickster magic is powerful, so much potential, but the path of trickster is not the path to conquering empires or ruling behind the scenes, trickster is the path to personal humiliation. If a trickster tries to be power hungry, it always goes spectacularly wrong is some bizarre and humiliating way. 

Edited by EricW
  • Like 3
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think a Trickster needs to be one of two things, and possibly both:

  1. Subtle.  Keeps their head down.  When the gig is over, be prepared to get out of town.
  2. Bonded

In our campaign the Eurmali is bonded.  He is also shockingly well behaved overall.  Frankly, my Vingan with an attitude has been more of a "Trickster" so far.  The Eurmali is not exactly "subtle", but hasn't, as of yet, created too much disorder.  I think he will do so in the future as he warms up into the game (it's a fairly new character).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Rodney Dangerduck said:

I think a Trickster needs to be one of two things, and possibly both:

  1. Subtle.  Keeps their head down.  When the gig is over, be prepared to get out of town.
  2. Bonded

In our campaign the Eurmali is bonded.  He is also shockingly well behaved overall.  Frankly, my Vingan with an attitude has been more of a "Trickster" so far.  The Eurmali is not exactly "subtle", but hasn't, as of yet, created too much disorder.  I think he will do so in the future as he warms up into the game (it's a fairly new character).

Maybe point out that even bonded tricksters are a menace. Trickster did some shockingly treacherous things after he was bonded, both during the Light Bringer Quest, and long after.

For example, Trickster was responsible for the Empire of the Wyrms Friends - the original human dragon speaker learned dragon magic, because Trickster split his mind and tongue, and gave him the ability to teach others how to do the same. The EWF caused colossal metaphysical damage to Orlanth and other gods.

I have a theory, non-canon, that Trickster was also responsible for the God Learners. I mean, just picture the scene - Trickster decides to play a prank on the sorcerers, so he causes the Abiding Book to appear, which destabilises the world by convincing sorcerers to take an interest in manipulating divine magic.

So Orlanth yanks the chain around Trickster neck, says to him "you broke it you idiot. go fix it". Trickster responds by creating the EWF - "See Orlanth, fixed it - now there is a powerful empire to oppose the God Learners. The God Learners are strong, but they will struggle to comprehend the dragon magic of the EWF. You can say thank you if you want".

After the collapse of the God Learners and the EWF, as the Golden Horde marches on Dragon Pass, Orlanth says "How are you going to fix this mess? We cannot allow humans to kill all the dragonewts, otherwise the Dragons might in their anger go on a rampage which destroys all Glorantha".

So Eurmal travels to the place of dragons, yells "dinner time!". The dragons wake in anger, look around:- "its him. get him guys!". Then Trickster flees to Dragon Pass, with a vast horde of dragons chasing him - he only gets away when the dragons become distracted by all the fresh food rampaging around Dragon Pass.

🙂

Edited by EricW
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think your assuming that Eurmal is Loki too much. Thinking that he decided to do something. He just represents disorder, not chaos. Disorder is a natural disaster. Eurmal wondered into the darkness and Found Death and brought it out of the darkness. He was looking for it, he didn't Steal it. He just found it and brought it into the world. Then he just gave it to someone who gave him something in return. It think nothing more that Eurmal is pretty curious in general about stuff. He was on the Lightbringers quest because they needed him. Orlanth gave him something he needed and as such joined them. 

 

Edited by skulldixon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, skulldixon said:

I think your assuming that Eurmal is Loki too much. Thinking that he decided to do something. He just represents disorder, not chaos. Disorder is a natural disaster. Eurmal wondered into the darkness and Found Death and brought it out of the darkness. He was looking for it, he didn't Steal it. He just found it and brought it into the world. Then he just gave it to someone who gave him something in return. It think nothing more that Eurmal is pretty curious in general about stuff. He was on the Lightbringers quest because they needed him. Orlanth gave him something he needed and as such joined them. 

 

Eurmal caused catastrophic damage in God Time, helping to kill Yelm, Grandfather Mortal, Flamal, its a long list - by passing death around for laughs he probably helped kill more gods than most chaos demons. The only reason Eurmal is not one of the lords of ruin is redeemed himself, at the last moment he pledged to help Orlanth fix all the harm he had done.

Even after the dawn he continues to be a major pest - like I said Trickster is responsible for the EWF.

Edited by EricW
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think my default assumption is that there are known tricksters and unknown tricksters. Known tricksters are like Brainy Smurf only exaggerated- they get run out of the tula every so often, nobody likes them much, but they're still a part of the community. They're generally bonded. I think probably they're either bonded to relatives who are willing to take responsibility for keeping them in line, or to a capable and respected Orlanth worshiper, the clan chief or an important person in the tribe. They maintain the Eurmal shrine in the Lightbringer Temple, and if they've made it long enough, they tend the real Eurmal shrine too.

Then there are the unknown tricksters. They're drifters, I think. They come through, breaking out into song-and-dance numbers about how the clan's in trouble, and only music can help! Or a monorail. Or they arrive with a mulecart, "Needful Things" painted on the side, and an assortment of junk handy. Perhaps they carry a pack on their back and sell 100% authentic snake oil. Some of them may claim to be long-lost kin and stay a little while on the stead, then depart with something of value in their pockets. Or perhaps they walk into a hard-boiled thief-taker's poky little office high atop a busy Furthest street, asking if he knows how to whistle. They are rarely bonded.

Known tricksters are your basic PC types- they're playable because everyone is aware of who they are and can be presumed to tolerate their antics with no more than a clout around the ear. Their selfish urges are ones that can remain charming or funny.

Unknown tricksters are all NPCs, unless you're running a very bleak gallows-humor kind of game, because their existence is all about deception for their own gain. They're antagonists, at best unhelpful supporting characters, self-absorbed bestial creatures.

Or, to put it another way, a known trickster is Wile E. Coyote. An unknown trickster is Judge Holden, from Blood Meridian.

"Whatever exists, he [the judge] said. Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent."

  • Like 2

Though a Lunar through and through, she is also a human being.

"I just read an article in The Economist by a guy who was riding around with the Sartar rebels, I mean Taliban," -Greg Stafford, January 7th, 2010

Eight Arms and the Mask

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, skulldixon said:

I think you’re assuming that Eurmal is Loki too much.

Drew’s new initiations in “The Company of the Dragon” are beautifully written, and do a great job of presenting “Eurmal as Loki.” Seriously good stuff. Check them out?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, EricW said:

Maybe point out that even bonded tricksters are a menace. Trickster did some shockingly treacherous things after he was bonded, both during the Light Bringer Quest, and long after.

Those were hilarious. Weren't they?

You're not convinced? Let's go and visit the Other Side.

Yeah, that hurt a bit, But still, a good laugh... and look at this shiny magic we got.

 

6 hours ago, EricW said:

For example, Trickster was responsible for the Empire of the Wyrms Friends - the original human dragon speaker learned dragon magic, because Trickster split his mind and tongue, and gave him the ability to teach others how to do the same. The EWF caused colossal metaphysical damage to Orlanth and other gods.

That's a typical case of scapegoating. Yes, it is Trickster's job and duty to be blamed - Hisfault.

Also, there is no change without the Trickster. There is no change without somebody complaining. Voilà, you need the Trickster.

Blaming events within history on Trickster the deity is a bit problematic. Usually these triggering events were done by humans, possibly ones inspired by Trickster, but while you can write mythlets about these, you cannot go to the hero plane and re-enact these unless there is a hero cult establishing and maintaining this on (one of) the Hero Planes.

 

The Trickster is one way to externalize and demonize bad actions. Blaming everything evil on "Chaos" (Orlanthi) or "Krjalki" (Malkioni) is similar.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1

Telling how it is excessive verbis

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, skulldixon said:

So I get that Tricksters are frowned upon in Orlanthi society, and for good reason and that for the most part they are killed unless they are bound to an Orlanth Rune Master - who takes on the responsibility for the Trickster's actions. I get all of that. In my current game we have one Trickster whose main trickster trait isn't stealing but is a con man whose long term goal is to be the man behind the curtain who is pulling the strings. He has some loft goals, in my mind. Currently, no one knows that he is a trickster - so until he is discovered the orlanth binding hasn't happened yet.

Firstly, what god does he pretend is his patron to disguise his trickster initiation?  Some are far better choices than others.  

There are a very limited number of people a trickster can fool in a single area before the community gets wise to their activities and call them to account.  For this reason, mobility as a lifestyle is often a good choice for a cover identity.  Remember also that tricks often run awry, or transform and take on a life of their own that you do not expect.

I would argue that the best fit for a trickster is as an Issaries initiate.  They are supposed to be gabby, interested in money and power, and prone to being a bit shonky, as well as not great in a fight and prone to move around a lot.

Obviously you plan to make good use of the Lie spell, and fair enough, it is a pretty amazing spell.  Remember that Humakti and Lhankor Mhys will be able to detect it if they think to however.  You also need to remember that you cannot con people in a market place without setting off the Issaries based Create Neutral Ground warnings what are likely in place.  Probably most of what you do will need to concern making people believe that they haven't been cheated post fact.  Here is a link to a site that includes some famous grifts, some of which  that you might be able to rework and reimagine for a Gloranthan setting.

17 hours ago, skulldixon said:

But there is a lot of aspects to a non-exposed trickster or even a bonded trickster living in Orlanthi society that I am trying to warp my head around still.

Remember that a hidden trickster is their own master, but also needs to hide their identity and live a double life.  They will likely develop some contacts with any local criminal element.  Tactically to perform their "tricks" with no witnesses makes stealth a good choice, and they need the means of disposing of their newly obtained wealth without being detected.  They will also need access to Lanbril's Divination Block occasionally when things go bad.  It is quite possible that Tricksters will wind up n the company of other inhabitants of the criminal underworld who are chaos worshippers, such as Krarsht or Malia worshippers, as well as hidden lunars.  It is also quite possible that the trickster may be outed as a "Lunar Agent", if there is a clan sweep that catches them.  The more powerful the people you hobnob with, the more likelihood that one of them will get curious and perform a divination about your hidden trickster.  As a result, hidden tricksters are likely to prefer environments where there is more of a herd to hide within, such as cities, the larger the better.  Being an outed clan trickster is much safer, even if you are "wearing a leash".  You might have a leash on, but as any dog walker knows, it is often a moot point as to who is walking whom, and social protection is a very useful thing.

18 hours ago, skulldixon said:

For instance, There is a Eurmal Shrine in every Lightbringer temple. I assume that these still follow the same rules of any other shrine and require at least one Rune Priest to maintain the shrine. If this is the case, if this was runegate, would the popluation of Runegate know who the person Eurmal Rune Priest was? I guess what i'm trying to get at is how open is the worship Eurmal. Is it like a known secret, for instance?

Eurmal shrines and trickster shrines in general are not standard.  They don't involve hundreds of worshippers, and are often hidden places of secret veneration that tricksters pass on the knowledge of by word of mouth, or by careful observation.  Trickster Rune Spells are often unique too, offering a GM the opportunity to provide the player with a non-standard spell.  Some trickster shrines are obvious, like a huge man rune covered in stinking dung, but others involve practical jokes like a silver penny that is glued to the floor, or a drinking fountain that is linked to a latrine reservoir, or even a knothole that looks suspiciously like a body part.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, skulldixon said:

For instance, There is a Eurmal Shrine in every Lightbringer temple. I assume that these still follow the same rules of any other shrine and require at least one Rune Priest to maintain the shrine. If this is the case, if this was runegate, would the popluation of Runegate know who the person Eurmal Rune Priest was? I guess what i'm trying to get at is how open is the worship Eurmal. Is it like a known secret, for instance?

It follows the shrine inside a temple rules and doesn't need a priest as it's maintained as part of the main god. It is possible for the shrine to be adopted a relevant priest. Look at Clearwine in the GM Screen pack and its Lightbringer temple:

Lightbringers Temple

Major temple Orlanth Adventurous (Leika Black Spear) 

Minor temple Orlanth Thunderous (Dunorl Brandgorsson) 

Minor temple Orlanth Rex (Leika Black Spear)

Subcults - Four Weapons 

Associate cult shrine - Ernalda (likely maintained by junior Ernalda temple staff)

Shrines:

Issaries (maintained by Sora Goodseller, main temple in her shop)

Eurmal - none, although Leika may have a bound trickster.

Chalana Arroy (Kerisdana Hollybright)

Lhankor Mhy (Hastur the Lawspeaker, as he's the chief priest, that implies he has a separate minor temple elsewhere) 

 

While Leika appears to have no bound trickster, there's likely a few Eurmal initiates who are performers who use the shrine.

  • Like 1

-----

Search the Glorantha Resource Site: https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com. Search the Glorantha mailing list archives: https://glorantha.steff.in/digests/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The group is closer to Runegate than Clearwine, but I'm using the description of the Lightbringer's Temple from Clearwine as a basis for the one in Runegate, though a rebuilt version since the original one was destroyed when the Crimson bat attacked the town in 1602. Imagine with the one in Clearwine that Orlanth Adventurous is the Major cult within the Runegate temple in comparison to Orlanth Rex and Thunderous in the clearwine one (based on info from the Sartar Companion). I imagine that once the lunars were forced out the Orlanth Adventurous cultist returned to the town. I am also assuming that Kallvale the Sow is still the Chief Priestess in residence. 

Ya, I don't think Leika has a bond trickster, but other Runemasters in Clearwine probably do.

I haven't read anything that suggests that the lightbringer temple wouldn't have a priest for each shrine, but you could be right that its maintain in a similar manner to how the Temple of all Deities is handled in Apple Lane, where a priest maintains several shrines for gods that are only associated cults. For my game though, I think I might make Starken Var of the Last Chance Inn a Hidden Trickster. He just seems to be the type to me. 

 

8 hours ago, Joerg said:

Those were hilarious. Weren't they?

You're not convinced? Let's go and visit the Other Side.

Yeah, that hurt a bit, But still, a good laugh... and look at this shiny magic we got.

 

That's a typical case of scapegoating. Yes, it is Trickster's job and duty to be blamed - Hisfault.

Also, there is no change without the Trickster. There is no change without somebody complaining. Voilà, you need the Trickster.

Blaming events within history on Trickster the deity is a bit problematic. Usually these triggering events were done by humans, possibly ones inspired by Trickster, but while you can write mythlets about these, you cannot go to the hero plane and re-enact these unless there is a hero cult establishing and maintaining this on (one of) the Hero Planes.

 

The Trickster is one way to externalize and demonize bad actions. Blaming everything evil on "Chaos" (Orlanthi) or "Krjalki" (Malkioni) is similar.

Ya, that was my thought as well. 

I'm sure someone somewhere would take Eurmal picking up a pebble and then tossing it away as evidence that Eurmal purposely causing the landslide to happen after that same pebble tumbled down hill when it landed, instead of just being a side effect of the disorder he represents taking affect in the world.

Edited by skulldixon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, skulldixon said:

I'm sure someone somewhere would take Eurmal picking up a pebble and then tossing it away as evidence that Eurmal purposely causing the landslide to happen after that same pebble tumbled down hill when it landed, instead of just being a side effect of the disorder he represents taking affect in the world.

"I know he caused that!"

"How do you know?"

"He breathes!"

 

Eurmal may be what keeps people from burning cat witches. Especially elderly ones.

Edited by Joerg
  • Haha 1

Telling how it is excessive verbis

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Darius West said:

Firstly, what god does he pretend is his patron to disguise his trickster initiation?  Some are far better choices than others.  

There are a very limited number of people a trickster can fool in a single area before the community gets wise to their activities and call them to account.  For this reason, mobility as a lifestyle is often a good choice for a cover identity.  Remember also that tricks often run awry, or transform and take on a life of their own that you do not expect.

I would argue that the best fit for a trickster is as an Issaries initiate.  They are supposed to be gabby, interested in money and power, and prone to being a bit shonky, as well as not great in a fight and prone to move around a lot.

Obviously you plan to make good use of the Lie spell, and fair enough, it is a pretty amazing spell.  Remember that Humakti and Lhankor Mhys will be able to detect it if they think to however.  You also need to remember that you cannot con people in a market place without setting off the Issaries based Create Neutral Ground warnings what are likely in place.  Probably most of what you do will need to concern making people believe that they haven't been cheated post fact.  Here is a link to a site that includes some famous grifts, some of which  that you might be able to rework and reimagine for a Gloranthan setting.

Remember that a hidden trickster is their own master, but also needs to hide their identity and live a double life.  They will likely develop some contacts with any local criminal element. 

So far, since he just started to play the character, no one knows that he is a t4rickster. He also hasn't openly done anything so far that would warrant anyone in the community to become suspicious of him outside of how any normal stranger would be viewed. As far as pretend initiation, it hasn't come up, but when asked he will say that he is an initiate into a Ancestor worship cult for Enjossi (the clan founder). 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm also curious if any one uses The Trickster Flaw from Heroquest in their RQG game?

Quote

Once per session ideally at an inopportune moment - the Narrator should use the Trickster Flaw against the one of the heroes (affecting potentially all of the heroes). The precise nature of the Trickster Flaw is ever-changing and should be different each time the Narrator invokes it.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

RQG could easily support this through forced rolls against your Devotion (Eurmal) passion, any other passions that fit, or even the Disorder rune.

I was think of either treating it as a failed Luck roll from the other party members or as a successful Disorder roll from the trickster. In both cases just being a hidden GM roll.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, skulldixon said:

I was think of either treating it as a failed Luck roll from the other party members or as a successful Disorder roll from the trickster. In both cases just being a hidden GM roll.

The subject of this thread is "How to make them playable".  Not "how to make them unplayable because they screw up the rest of the party"

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13th Age Glorantha has a Trickster class which is basically set up on the model that the Trickster's actons blow up in his or her face, but then buff some other party member or provide them a benny.

Feckless Strike is where the Trickster attacks with a stuffed doll or a sex toy or a bag of coffee; the attacks do no damage but add to the damage done by the next PC to hit it.

Abject Failure - you roll the dice twice on an action, taking the worst result, but giving the better result to an ally later.

Fortunate Collision lets the Trickster get beat up in place of their ally.

And so on.

 

I did Tricksters in my ongoing series of Glorantha stories as essentially compelled to cause chaos and they either have to do frequent small things to bleed it off, or they can hold it in for a time, but then they do something *really* dumb to make up for it.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In my games, I've gone by the King of Sartar description:

No one likes or trusts Tricksters. They are regularly lynched, partly because no one trusts them, and partly because murderous idiots, who are normally restrained by law, have no law to restrain them from murdering Trickster...most tribes lynch anyone proven to be a trickster...If the Trickster will swear absolute obedience to an Orlanth initiate, then that initiate must protect the Eurmali from unjust harm.

To me this meant that just about all Tricksters were either bonded, hidden, or on the run/dead. If discovered and not bonded, permanent exile and tar/feather was the best case scenario. A hidden one is likely also in a second cult that is their public persona. A local spirit cult, Minlister, Issaries, Daka Fal, even Orlanth can be good covers.

Jeff's posts on Facebook have seemed to portray a softening or even normalization of Eurmal characters, as did their inclusion as a player cult in RQG (though "The initiate must be willing to become an outlaw" is quite open to interpretation). In one post he stated that Boldhome had 150 Eurmal cultists "not only tolerated by the Orlanthi, but actively encouraged by the leadership of the Orlanth cult." Speaking of Eurmal in the archetype of Pueblo sacred clowns: "So pretty much every clan has a half-dozen or so "clowns". They gather for big religious ceremonies of the Lightbringers and cause trouble, mocking the rites, making fun of leaders, etc. But they are PART of the rites and important magic. So their activities are protected strongly by the Orlanth cult." He compared their place in society to shamans and agreed that they were generally stickpickers in poverty. While not exactly a rousing recommendation for joining the cult, that is a far cry from lynched! While it is possible that he is assuming that each of these Eurmal worshippers was bonded to an Orlanthi, it sounded like the concept was more that the local Eurmal shrine and followers were protected by, and possibly even bonded to, the local Orlanth temple and followers in toto.

I will probably stick with the KoS description above in my game. But I can see how this interpretation would be good for the game. I'm looking forward to their full write-up in GoG!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/13/2021 at 7:41 AM, Rodney Dangerduck said:

The subject of this thread is "How to make them playable".  Not "how to make them unplayable because they screw up the rest of the party"

They’re definitely playable, but they do have strange encounters and odd problems, because by worshiping the god of illusion, disorder and mobility, they have let illusion, disorder and the need for a lot of mobility into their lives.

One idea a long time ago I liked is tricksters in the vicinity of a trickster shrine are like Ogres near a Cacodemon shrine - they can’t help acting up, as they approach one of the places where the presence of their god is strong. 

So they can stay boring if they want - by not learning any magic.

Those weird encounters? Remember tricksters have no rules about using the magic on each other. So a trickster who has just learned a fun spell like “lie” could be itching to try it out on someone, like another trickster they encounter on the way to the lie shrine!

And imagine a village which is home to a lie shrine, all the weird problems they would have, with everyone suffering the influence of clever lies they still hadn’t seen through

Edited by EricW
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really depends on Which of those runes they are following for sure. You don't need to follow all of them when you make a character. So I guess it should depend on which of those runes they like to align with the most.

Disorder - for instance would just reflect how unorganized the character was and how even when something was organized for them, how they would easily find that ordering of tasks too complicated and break from it.

Illusion - would probably be best reflected in a character not believing most things they hear that were truthful. But would be more likely to except lies at face value. Qanon for instance. Mu player has this as their highest Rune affinity, but not over 80% yet.

Movement- this would be easy to reflect as a driving need to not be in the same place all the time. A well travelled trickster as it were.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...