Stormwalkers - Four Sacred Breaths

[Erol of Backford]

So in the Sartar Companion p.75 there is a detailed section on the Stormwalkers and the Old Wind Temple. The Four Sacred Breaths are discussed but I'd like to know if anyone converted these to Rune Quest?

Calm Breath - is this like a combination protection spell against magic, spirits and demons?

Storm Breath - is this like a strength, vior and fanaticism spell cast at once?

Healing Breath - similar to a heal wound?

No Breath - would this be like a divination spell

I am guessing these powers are automatic for the Stormwalkers but would cost magic points?

Also would the Larnsting automatically be initiated/welcomed into the Stormwalkers?

Not related but does anyone see similar character traits between Londra and say Muriah?

 

[Richard S.]

The Stormwalkers get an entry on page 39 of Cults of Runequest: the Lightbringers. They're a subcult of Orlanth Thunderous open to Storm Voices or intelligent Air spirits devoted to Orlanth, and they learn the spells of Discorporate, Flood, and Summon Large Air Elemental. Multiple members can also pool their Rune points together to cast Cloud Call, Flood, Rain, or Thunderbolt, allowing them to stack far more than your average priest. I don't remember the companion's descriptions of the breath powers, so it's your own judgement as to whether they match up to their Runequest powers.

[jajagappa]

Also since the Stormwalkers are explicitly noted as Storm Voices/Orlanth Thunderous, that means their standard array of Rune magic is:

Orlanth Thunderous provides access to Cloud Call, Cloud Clear, Dismiss Air Elemental (any size), Increase/ Decrease Wind, Summon Air Elemental (any size), Thunderbolt, and Wind Warp + Bless Thunderstone (Storm Voices only) + the common Orlanth Rune magic of Dismiss Air Elemental (small or medium), Summon Air Elemental (small or medium), and Summons of Evil.

And then on top of that they get the additional subcult spells that @Richard S. noted.

I'd likely say that these equate as:

Calm Breath - Cloud Clear, Dismiss Air Elemental, Decrease Wind

Storm Breath - Cloud Call, Summon Air Elemental, Increase Wind, Wind Warp

Healing Breath - Heal Wound, Rain, possibly Flood

No Breath - Discorporate

1 hour ago, Erol of Backford said:

Also would the Larnsting automatically be initiated/welcomed into the Stormwalkers?

No. Larnstings are Movement. I'd make them explicitly worshipers of Mastakos. Also note that there were supposedly none during the reign of Belintar.

See: The Patchwork God (that little chained figure is the power of Larnste)

 

[Brian McReynolds]

1 hour ago, Richard S. said:

The Stormwalkers get an entry on page 39 of Cults of Runequest: the Lightbringers. They're a subcult of Orlanth Thunderous open to Storm Voices or intelligent Air spirits devoted to Orlanth, and they learn the spells of Discorporate, Flood, and Summon Large Air Elemental. Multiple members can also pool their Rune points together to cast Cloud Call, Flood, Rain, or Thunderbolt, allowing them to stack far more than your average priest. I don't remember the companion's descriptions of the breath powers, so it's your own judgement as to whether they match up to their Runequest powers.

I can see a link between "No Breath" & the Discorporation ability of the Storm walkers. If you don't have a physical body, do you technically need to breathe? 

(I see that Jajagappa just 'pipped me to the line' with a much better list of correlations. 😁) 

Edited October 3, 2023 by Brian McReynolds

[Erol of Backford]

1 hour ago, jajagappa said:

Stormwalkers are explicitly noted as Storm Voices/Orlanth Thunderous

Was reading they are demigods so they'd likely have much more magnitude in magical capabilities than a human or so I am guessing and so is what we'll run with.

1 hour ago, jajagappa said:

Also note that there were supposedly none during the reign of Belintar.

Our PC who ends up being a Larnsting won't self-actualize until after Belintar is gone. Still trying to figure what their powers would be but then again they sort of just "will" something to happen so that is going to take some time to sort out...

1 hour ago, jajagappa said:

See: The Patchwork God (that little chained figure is the power of Larnste)

I had read that comic several times and still am seeing things new. Is there a writeup of footnotes somewhere for it!?

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Was reading they are demigods so they'd likely have much more magnitude in magical capabilities than a human or so I am guessing and so is what we'll run with.

They include dead Storm Voices and intelligent wind spirits along with living Storm Voices so they are a mix. Their main ability in WBRM was being able to call a big thunderstorm with lots of rain that could make the rivers flood, hence the noted spells. 

2 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Is there a writeup of footnotes somewhere for it!?

Any footnotes would be just above or in the Comments section if you scroll down for a given page.

[g33k]

RE the Prince of Sartar webcomic:

On 10/3/2023 at 6:40 PM, jajagappa said:

... 

Any footnotes would be just above or in the Comments section if you scroll down for a given page.

As I recall, pretty much every "episode" (page) got quite a few comments/discussion.
It often (but not always) included extra revelations (sometimes, explicit refusals to "reveal" ahead-of-time) from Kalin and/or Jeff.

[French Desperate WindChild]

there is another thing to keep in mind :

 

yes the cult book says what spells you can learn when you (pc or npc) join the stormwalkers. That is the subcult.

now, if you are a full time stormwalker, not an adventurer who wants/has to travel in the world, but a resident of the temple, studying  the deep mysteries of the winds, acting to keep air safe, to keep the breath of the world pure, then probably, you visit, sometimes, godtime. And probably, as any heroquester, you come back from the godtime with some specific habilities.

 

so I imagine playing a stormwalker is not too efficient (from a power perspective, of course it may interest people like me for the background/roleplay) because the very difference is when you are with other stormwalkers (to stack spells) for a price of a lot of time:

I don't imagine that a character join the subcult, sacrifice POW, then leave the temple to do her business, and when she wants a new spell go back to the temple for a week. Initiates should at least stay for seasons (would say years) of study/worship/devotion before working again on mundane business

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by French Desperate WindChild

[Erol of Backford]

10 hours ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

I don't imagine that a character join the subcult, sacrifice POW, then leave the temple to do her business, and when she wants a new spell go back to the temple for a week. Initiates should at least stay for seasons (would say years) of study/worship/devotion before working again on mundane business

If you are referencing PC's?

I don't understand why a temple would keep followers tucked away in the basement when they bring glory to their patrons by adventuring, doing mundane adventurer things why stay/keep them for weeks/seasons/years at a temple hidden away when you could continue bringing glory out in the world?

I imagine the PC's would be awarded with benefits rather than be punished by being sent to the basement to study especially when they are paying money in tithing already. These things should be more freely given as blessings especially as the tithing increases?

The extended temple stay makes me think of that old soap opera Days of Our Lives... the PC's days are like "sand in an hour glass..."

Also we always thought "there is always another way" isn't about a violent or peaceful resolution its about another type of magic. Why not just find a mangus and have them teach you as most divine spells have replicants in sorcery or you could make it up? The PC would know the spell and would not have to go pray, whatever to use it again...

I suppose all three types of magic are useful and were what drew my friends and I to this game to begin with...

My apologies if I missed the point but MGF is not sitting in a cubical copying scrolls... but then again if you get a read/write ability gain roll at the end well...

[jajagappa]

28 minutes ago, Erol of Backford said:

I don't understand why a temple would keep followers tucked away in the basement when they bring glory to their patrons by adventuring

But that's not the Stormwalkers! They are Storm Voices, not Wind Lords - they are the priests who call the storms, not roaming lusty adventurers. They aren't kept tucked away in the basement, but are focused on maintaining the Storm at its most central and critical point, the Storm Mountains, tucked between the Wastes of Prax and the fertile lands. If they aren't there, then who will call the Storms to keep Gagarth and the Desert Winds at bay? Who will summon Orlanth to bring the rainstorms that keep Heortland and Dragon Pass wet and fertile? They have a tremendous responsibility to "do their duty"!

 

[French Desperate WindChild]

14 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

If you are referencing PC's?

I don't understand why a temple would keep followers tucked away in the basement when they bring glory to their patrons by adventuring, doing mundane adventurer things why stay/keep them for weeks/seasons/years at a temple hidden away when you could continue bringing glory out in the world?

I imagine the PC's would be awarded with benefits rather than be punished by being sent to the basement to study especially when they are paying money in tithing already. These things should be more freely given as blessings especially as the tithing increases?

The extended temple stay makes me think of that old soap opera Days of Our Lives... the PC's days are like "sand in an hour glass..."

Also we always thought "there is always another way" isn't about a violent or peaceful resolution its about another type of magic. Why not just find a mangus and have them teach you as most divine spells have replicants in sorcery or you could make it up? The PC would know the spell and would not have to go pray, whatever to use it again...

I suppose all three types of magic are useful and were what drew my friends and I to this game to begin with...

My apologies if I missed the point but MGF is not sitting in a cubical copying scrolls... but then again if you get a read/write ability gain roll at the end well...

Well of course it is mgf 

jaja explains my thought about stormwalkers better than me so don’t answer anymore about them 🙂 

more generally I see cults, subcults etc as kind of way of life that pcs and npcs want to follow

they are not ( for me ) a source of powers that pcs can pick up what they need to be more powerful for all types of campaign

 

so if (sub)cult focus its activity on one mission, anything else is a waste of time / power. Why me, priest of XXX, should waste time/give powerful stuff to a (n)pc who doesn’t dedicate her effort to my cult’s mission ?

a lot of (sub)cults are playable in a large scope of campaigns (even chaotic in my opinion) but few are … specific (?) and more playable (for me) in dedicated campaign

 

[Erol of Backford]

42 minutes ago, French Desperate WindChild said:

kind of way of life that pcs and npcs want to follow

I suppose that is why sorcerers are not welcomed in most areas where deity worship is prevalent. When we played early RQ cults were much less defined and so seemed less ridgid. As YGWV its simple enough to massage whatever works for your campaign. When we were younger getting power was always the goal. Now it seems the process of obtaining the power is what is most enjoyable and has lasting game memories.

As you mention, if the PC's want to follow the Stormwalker Life (and obtain any related powers) then they need to act accordingly, follow said guidelines... thanks.

[French Desperate WindChild]

21 hours ago, Erol of Backford said:

Now it seems the process of obtaining the power is what is most enjoyable and has lasting game memories.

Of for me yes that’s exactly that but others may want something else  and that’s not an issue (if anyone can enjoy )