The "arming" of Orlanth

[PhilHibbs]

So Orlanth is usually depicted as having four arms nowadays, yet there's no game mechanical means of replicating this. How would a devoted Orlanthi do this? Is it not something that there's a well defined means of achieving in Glorantha, only available to heroes who have found a way through questing?

[Jeff]

2 minutes ago, PhilHibbs said:

So Orlanth is usually depicted as having four arms nowadays, yet there's no game mechanical means of replicating this. How would a devoted Orlanthi do this? Is it not something that there's a well defined means of achieving in Glorantha, only available to heroes who have found a way through questing?

Orlanth's breadth of power is beyond the scope of any mortal - that's why four or five arms are usually given to him. 

[JRE]

In our game when we have a human heroquesting as Orlanth he has two arms most of the time, but he manifests arms as needed, so if armed with spear and shield, and suddenly wants to use lightning, he just manifests an arm with lightning. No need to drop anything. They still fight as humans, not as a multiarmed giant, as it is the human actually doing it.

[dvdmacateer]

15 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

So Orlanth is usually depicted as having four arms nowadays, yet there's no game mechanical means of replicating this. How would a devoted Orlanthi do this? Is it not something that there's a well defined means of achieving in Glorantha, only available to heroes who have found a way through questing?

Don't they just represent his four magic weapons so wouldn't having the rune spells Lightning Spear, Sandals of Darkness, Scarf of Mist and  Shield of Arran fulfill this.  https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/why-does-orlanth-have-multiple-arms/

Edited June 30, 2023 by dvdmacateer

[French Desperate WindChild]

17 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

 How would a devoted Orlanthi do this?

differents options

- as @dvdmacateer, that's for the devotee a metaphor : spells are arms/weapons

- in mundane world, just a costume with two (or more) artificials (wood) arms, and mask, and lightning, and any attribute

- in heroquest, each additional arm may be a companion (after all Humakt may be the sword)

- after heroquest, it could be a physical transformation (you gain more real arms)

- Eurmal's lie is powerful enough to convince you you have 4 arms but only two are visible

[jajagappa]

6 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

- after heroquest, it could be a physical transformation (you gain more real arms)

One thing I always look at is what the deity represents. What is Orlanth? The wind, storms, clouds.

Ever watch clouds change shape? That's Orlanth, sometimes bringing forth a new arm, sometimes withdrawing it. It's why I like the Orlanth picture from the Gods War game - really gives you a feeling of Orlanth towering up out of a cloud and manifesting however many arms are needed and relevant.

All you've got to do is to quest to manifest yourself as a cloud or a wind and you can gain a similar ability. Want Fist of Wind? Or the Thunder Flint? Etc. All perfectly feasible IMO.

[French Desperate WindChild]

1 hour ago, jajagappa said:

All you've got to do is to quest to manifest yourself as a cloud or a wind and you can gain a similar ability. Want Fist of Wind? Or the Thunder Flint? Etc. All perfectly feasible IMO.

I agree

however the question is why are there so few such "monsters" (etymological sense) would a lot of heroquesters prefer to "stay"  with ther body shape (even if they gain the power) or does their rune resist  ? or maybe this shape change occurs temporary, only when the hero uses the power ?

[jajagappa]

5 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

or maybe this shape change occurs temporary, only when the hero uses the power ?

I think this - they will be like Rune spells, heroic abilities that only last for a short time (perhaps because, as you suggest, the Man Rune resists).