Corum

[Chaot]

Who's got it? Who's used it? What do you think?

I've stolen bits and pieces from the expanded world for a kitchen sink Fantasy game that I used to run. I've also lifted the various magic systems from the book.

Both of my children are asleep and I don't have to get ready for work yet, so here's a story. I'd been missing my Corum book for about ten months. I had figured that it was either lost forever or that someone had walked off with it.

I think the big Chaosium 30% off sale was announced on a Wednesday. I was still missing my book, but I put off looking at Chaosium's site. That Saturday I was sick as a dog. I think it was food poisoning. Being largely confined to the bedroom, I decided I needed something to read. I was in the mood for Moorcock. So, I picked up my hard copy of Fabulous Harbours and, lo and behold, there was my copy of Corum. It was slightly bent and very dusty, but it was welcomed like a long lost friend.

About five hours after I had found the book I signed into Chaosium's website for the sale. That's when I saw that they still had Corum books available. Had I not just found my Corum book, I would now be in the position of having two of them.

Anyway, I find that a lot of my players enjoy Elemental Tattoos. As a GM, I've used Fetishes a lot, but my players seem to shy away from them. I've only had one player to use Chaotic Melds, and it was in a short lived game unfortunately. I haven't really played with Contrivances yet. When I get my Lods of Law campaign off the ground for an extended period I'm going to integrate them.

I've stolen the pact rules for YKers and Pan Tangians. Melniboneans get to run with the Demon Summoning rules from Elric!/SB5. For everybody else, it's a bit scarier.

[Solinor]

I have never heard of this book but it sounds interesting. I shall have to get a copy.

Elemental tattoos? Can you explain what this is exactly? Tattoos that are binding enchantments for elementals?

We have used that kind of stuff in Runequest. Very cool.

[vagabond]

I've used it, and stolen quite a bit of it for my Ultimate Stormbringer stuff -

the demon summoning, charioteering, contrivances, pacts, etc.

Great stuff ...

-V

[p_clapham]

Agreed, one of the more enjoyable supplements / settings I've read. The random Demon Description table still makes me chuckle.

[Chaot]

Elemental tattoos? Can you explain what this is exactly? Tattoos that are binding enchantments for elementals?

Gah! My book is gone again. I'm starting to thing that it slips between the veils of the six spheres at the will of the Balance. Maybe I should have bought that second copy...

I wanted to look at the book so as to answer you correctly. Instead, I'll have to go from memory. This is probably partially wrong because it's how I used them in a game, not necessarily how they're written. I'm sure someone can come along and correct my errors.

They're actually not binding enchantments. They're more like spells inscribed on your skin. They allow a non spell caster to have access to spells. A Sailor would be smart to get Breath of Life inscribed on his wrist.

Here's how I used them. Any spell can be inscribed as a tattoo. To activate it, it costs MP and requires a Luck roll. Tattoos are reusable and don't count against your INT limit for spells.

I've also allowed tattoos that boost a PC's skill level up to 20% at 5% a MP. Getting a tattoo in my game gives you Chaos points equal to the full potential value of the spell or skill. So, if the tattoo is something like Rat's Vision, it's going to give you 1 Chaos point. If it's Hell's Sharp Razor, it'll gain you four Chaos points. If it's a skill tattoo it will gain you four Chaos points.

Again, that's how I ran it. Not necessarily how it's written.