Transform Self to Bat Divine Spell

[Erol of Backford]

Transform Self to Bat will be gained on a one-use basis. This spell allows the caster to transform (and all of his possessions) into a bat for 15 minutes. (I assume Extension would work on this spell?) Casters will intrinsically be able to use the bat's flight and sonar abilities while retaining their own spell ability. Note that anyone using this spell in public is likely to be thought of as a Vivimort cultist.

OK so say an entire party of 8 PC's had a blank Truestone and they all cast this spell into it, all at the same time and the stone stores them all no issue...

If the GM wants to make the spell reusable (if) how does it become recharged, would the characters need to find a bat shrine and conduct a Ceremony to make it happen? How do they learn what said Ceremony is? Do they need to chant using bat squeaking sounds? Do they need to wear anything in particular (see clip below) to get more in the "bat-mood"?

Again if the GM wants to make it work what would allow it to be recharged if more than a bat shrine and a Ceremony was required?

Are they only able to use the spell at night and if not how would the Sun/daylight possibly impair them? Would they become a giant bat of would they shrink to a normal bat's size?

Thoughts anyone? Sorry but its nearing Halloween...

 Also I assume that Spirit Magic: Disrupt, Control Bat and Divine Magic: Command Bats - would actually be transform to bat?

Spoiler

I always thought that the Command Griffin spell gained in the Old Sun Dome belonged in a Truestone as well which would really help out at Griffin Mountain... (From Runequest Adventures 06.)

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Erol of Backford

[PhilHibbs]

This is RQG mechanics, so maybe this is the wrong forum for this question.

Truestone is recharged by someone casting the spell into it. They cannot then use the Rune Point until that spell is cast from the Truestone. But if the spell was one-use to the cult then they'd lose the RP permanently anyway.

Matrixes are recharged at a worship ceremony to the deity that provided the spell. I think a priest is needed, although I'm not sure that the rules are clear on this, maybe an initiate can do it. So the adventurers would have to be or find a bat cultist. I would assume that if the spell is one-use to the cult, then this cannot be done. It would need POW sacrifice to refill.

Matrixes are far superior to Truestone in this respect, as it does not lock out someone's RP pool on a long term basis. Truestone is a little more flexible in that it can be recharged on the road without a worship ceremony.

(as an aside, I don't run Truestone the way it is written up in The Smoking Ruin. It's more like it used to be, it just stores Rune magic, and it doesn't lock out the RP pool of the caster, so it's more like a matrix in that respect but is recharged by casting not by worship)

Edited October 14, 2022 by PhilHibbs

[PhilHibbs]

So you can't convert a one-use spell into a reusable spell with Truestone. You need someone who has it reusably. Same with a matrix, you need a cult that has it.

With a matrix (I think) it needs to be created by the cult, you can't recharge some other cult's matrix at your ceremony just because you have the same spell. I'm not entirely sure about that last point though. The precise wording is "the user must take the item back to the proper temple to be recharged". RQG P.335.

Edited October 13, 2022 by PhilHibbs

[Erol of Backford]

2 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

it does not lock out someone's RP pool on a long term basis

Good point. The bat shrine was in RQA #6 Stinking Forest and so it should have been titled... (Since 1982 always Glorantha for me.)

[Darius West]

When I turn into a bat there's no real skill to it at all, I just shout "BAT!"

Edited October 16, 2022 by Darius West

[whitelaughter]

Surely Transform Self to Bat is just a specialized form of Transform Self?

Have the entire Bat cult simply be a prank by the local Eurmal, who has spread the word to the other temples. Whenever the party turns up, the local Eurmal temple redecorates itself (Illusions are so useful) as a Beastfolk(Bat) temple, and puts the group through whatever lunacy amuses the local priest.

Go more insane every session, until the PCs twig to what is going on...