Spirit and Rune Magic Description Sources

[harmaa.alue]

Hi y'all

I'm in the process of getting my playgroup's first character builds off the ground after running pregens

At some point while reading the starter set, Glorantha sourcebook, rules, or quickstart I remember reading a description of how spirit magic might look in your Glorantha vs. rune magic. The only detail I can recall was Bludgeon being described as mist surrounding the head of a mace.

Unfortunately in buying multiple books since I have lost where I found the descriptions and can't find it.

Does anyone think they know what source I'm remembering? And if not, do you have any good points of inspiration for describing magic in a way that makes the systems feel distinct in-game?

[Nick Brooke]

Red Book of Magic, page 8: “How does Rune Magic Appear, Sound and Feel?” & page 105: “How does Spirit Magic Appear, Sound and Feel?”

[Rodney Dangerduck]

For Rune magic, we throw in sights and sounds of the gods.  Thunder, galloping bulls, cackling laughter, hissing snakes, etc.

[soltakss]

On 12/11/2024 at 2:27 AM, harmaa.alue said:

At some point while reading the starter set, Glorantha sourcebook, rules, or quickstart I remember reading a description of how spirit magic might look in your Glorantha vs. rune magic. The only detail I can recall was Bludgeon being described as mist surrounding the head of a mace.

I just play that the spells make you look "more". So, Bladesharp makes the sword look sharper, protection makes your armour or skin look stronger, bludgeon makes your mace look heftier, parry makes your shield look more like a shield, and so on. Crackle-zap magic looks like its effect, so Lightning looks like a lightning bolt, crack looks like an axe, sword, or whatever, hitting an object, madness and mind blast are just painful red bolts of light, and so on.

Edited December 15, 2024 by soltakss

[Joerg]

20 minutes ago, soltakss said:

I just play that the spells make you look "more". 

That female sword-fighter used as sample image in the upcoming videogame must have a Bladesharp 20 going, then...

[mfbrandi]

• Using a Rune spell literally channels part of the power of a god to affect the Mundane World; it is not an invisible act! The caster always exhibits some form of manifestation of the magical powers at their disposal.
  — RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (PDF p. 315)

I am not a fan of this — clearly perfectly canonical! — interpretation of magic, and Lanbril doesn’t think much of it either. (Perhaps a dumb theory is called for.)

Edited December 24, 2024 by mfbrandi
added link

[Zebraman1]

8 hours ago, mfbrandi said:

• Using a Rune spell literally channels part of the power of a god to affect the Mundane World; it is not an invisible act! The caster always exhibits some form of manifestation of the magical powers at their disposal.
  — RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (PDF p. 315)

I am not a fan of this — clearly perfectly canonical! — interpretation of magic, and Lanbril doesn’t think much of it either. (Perhaps a dumb theory is called for.)

In fairness there is a wide gap between invisible and obvious, or seen by everyone.

Even Rune Magic by Initiates of Lanbril may have signs obvious only to fellow worshippers, or perhaps more general but unobtrusive. 

------------

Haruf, committed the words the Lunar merchant had written on the scroll manifest to memory. The warehouse would be full on Clayday next week, ripe for the plucking. Haruf was prepared to return the scroll to its place on the shelf amongst the others but then paused. 

"Details, Haruf, details," the thief said to himself.

He'd disturbed the arrangement of the scrolls when he'd removed this one and the merchant's steward Barterim was both annoyingly suspicious and had eyes like a shadowcat.

Haruf cast his hand over the scroll, making a mental connection with the Rune of Illusion and muttering the secret words his priest had taught him at his initiation. His prayer was an entreaty to his diety Lanbril with a promise of full propitiation at next Sacred Time. 

He felt the thrill of the touch of the divine as his god heard him and silently manifested.

For a moment the words on the scroll seemed to blur and run into a tangled mess of gibberish as the Divination Block surrounded the object. Then a second later the scroll's words returned to order. Assured the Rune Magic had been successful and the scroll was out of sight of god or mortal Haruf smiled and returned the scroll to the shelf. 

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2024 by Zebraman1