We'll use this thread for riffing ideas about the Game in general: The Clan, it's members, adventure ideas, heroquests and myths.

I'd like everyone to be part of the process, especially when it comes to the Clan and the myths of your people.

I run games full of spirits and heroquests, which take place both in the real world and also the Hero plane. When adventuring your characters can 'remember' an appropriate myth that is relevant to what you are doing and invoke it. This will garner you possible benefits and boons to help you over come your obstacles.

But beware for enemies can do the same.

The start of the game will take place not long after Sacred time when you each became adults.

Everyone will be playing Tribal braves, just out of Sacred Time and their initiation as Adults.

No one will be shaman's apprentices....yet. Those of you who wish to follow this path mention it here and you will have been marked by the Shaman's for further study. I'm planning on running a series of short adventures and then a year or more will pass, enabling training as Shamans, warriors, healers or whatever to take place. Then we can have some more fun and lead into our cult initiations where relevant.

I'll post a list of various spirits that as Shamans you can follow, though the Three Feathered Rivals will be important.

There will be Spirit societies which you can all join.

I like the idea of the rivals all joining forces to save the clan/Tribe/country.... eventually.

Mark me down as a Shaman wannabe.

Greeshar is no shaman!

So Beast riders.

I'm thinking that before the Battle of Moonbroth 1610 your Clan lived happily on the Bison Plains, between Tada's High Tumulus and Shadows Dance. A place of plenty and perfectly situated to raid Sartar.

You traded at Adari a wild frontier town where both Aldryami (elves) and Uz (trolls) frequented. Founded in the First age, it has been sacked and rebuilt many times. Pavis himself is said to have come from here.

The Pairing Stone was the source of your Orlanthi/Dark Eater worship. They take their name  from two large stones which it outside the oasis. 7m tall, one plae blue and the other pale brown. Both Praxians and Orlanthi say that an important wedding took place here in the Golden Age.

But after the defeat at Moonbroth your people were forced East in to the Wastes.

I'm thinking that your travels have taken you to the South following the grazing over the last year and a half, thus putting you close to the Southern part of the Zola Fel river. Over the next few years there will be lots of activity there with an influx of settlers, the building of Corflu and other such stuff.

You could then have happy times raiding all of those folk if you so wished.

Thoughts?

Name suggestions for your Clan?

In reply to GM (msg # 2):

I'd like to go for shaman, but as a Daka Fal, that's if I'm remembering correctly and they do have shamans :)
and  go for Raven as Spirt

Ah good man I was worrying that no one would go for Raven :)

Daka Fal it is.

You'll be approached by a Shaman sometime early on during the game.

In reply to GM (msg # 5):

sounds good, though going to have to train up swim to raid Corflu :)

So once you've all got your characters finished we can come up with who's who in our Clan, who our rival clans are, both Bison and others, and anything else you can think off that might enrich our little community.

A clan ancestor or two would be good and perhaps some nature spirits that we find it easy to contact.

Since your initiation, you have been banded together in one group under an Initiate of Waha  who overlooks your training and sends you off to do the crappy jobs about camp, tells you stories and myths, gets you drunk and probably volunteers you for dangerous missions when you are suffering a hangover....

You eat at the Bachelor fire, which there are a few of, each home to a small band such as yours. Eventually you'll form your own war band, get yourself a name, a powerful shaman or two, and go out and make a name for yourselves.

Sound okay?

In reply to GM (msg # 10):

maybe a clan ancestor that was with Jaldon goldentooth when he stormed Pavis.
nature spirit wise, as we have lost our lands would we still be able to contact them as they are location based? so maybe we need to hunt for some new ones when we move into a new area

I like this. You will have raided Sartar regularly too, having lived next door, unless you want to be one of the few Clans that had allies there.

Name the ancestor.

As for nature spirits, that's true if they are tied to one particular place, but there can be spirit's of a type of plant or certain animal that can be contacted anywhere.

Yarbu, Grandfather Jerboa (enemy of Sun Hawk and Manul) who can teach the listen skill and the spell the spell Jumping.

Manul, the Praxian cat, often contacted by Orlanthi as he's considered to be a child of Yinkin.

Tobakeh, the Tobacco Man, one of the 48 old ones, teaching Orate and Mindspeech.

Tripanandar Leaping Bear Man,When traveling through the Wastes, Eirithans sometimes leave sacrifices to Tripanandar to encourage him to leave the herds alone.

Checheh, the Melon Boy, is a friendly, inquisitive spirit, worshipped as one of the 48 Old Ones.

Ehawee, the Skullbush Woman, is one of the friendliest of all Praxian spirits, and one of the 48 Old Ones.

Askuwhetu, the Tamarisk Man, is a wise old spirit, who knows many secrets to surviving in difficult conditions.

I'll make a page once we have some more.

In reply to GM (msg # 12):

I like this one too

Askari, the Cowpecker spirit, is considered a friend of Eiritha. In the Green Age, she gave Cowpecker permission to ride on her because he promised to keep Tick and Louse away.

In reply to GM (msg # 12):

How about Kertak the sable thrower as the ancestor?
So called because in a fight against a sable tribe, that had ambushed them, when he was being charged by 2 mounted sable riders he grabbed a riderless sable and in a heroic act chucked the sable at the 2 riders unmouting them and allowing him to kill them both, which was the turning point of the fight and ensured victor for the tribe
This message was last edited by the player at 11:15, Tue 20 Aug 2013.

In reply to GM (msg # 13):

another ancestor; Doris the white, a healer who helped defeat Malia when she was stalking the tribe, taking clans folk and beast indiscriminately
Vetash boar bane, a storm bull who was known for killing tusk riders and their pigs and was last seen alive heading for Snake Pipe Hollow on an anti chaos quest
This message was last edited by the player at 17:20, Tue 20 Aug 2013.

In reply to GM (msg # 12):

I can see Askuwhetu playing a major role in our survival in strange and hostile lands, and Askari when we get near the marshes of the Zola Fel

So Both the Prairie Thunder Clan and the Sky Watchers have a Clan Spirit or Wyter that protects their Herds in times of danger, such as disease or plagues.

What are their names?

The Sky Watcher's one is very weak at the moment but will increase in power with increases in the Herd and clan's men

I'm bad at names, but for the Prairie Thunder clan wyter, but some suggestions:

Vantul Bellow Shakes The Steppes
Notar the Stampede
Eldara Wallows in the Dust

These are great, let's choose one. Those not picked I'll use for other spirits.

My vote is Vantul Bellow Shakes The Steppes. Suggested power: When the Herd is in danger all members of the Clan can hear his Bellow. Also Bisons of the Clan have extra loud bellows that intimidate foes when charging.

In reply to GM (msg # 19):
Vantul gets my vote as well

And, mine.

I think Vantul Bellow Shakes the Steppes is a very colorful, descriptive name! Go with it!

Just a fe wminutes to post tonight...I agree go with Vantu!

MMMOOOOOOOOOOO

So what's the name of the Prairie Thunder Chieftain and priest of Waha?

Any ideas?

In reply to GM (msg # 25):

how about Nausyas the Bull, of massive size and almost as hairy as a bison. when still just a brave he lead a raid against a moricanth tribe to rescue members of the our tribe who had be caught. He not only achieved this but they also managed to bring back 3 sables, 2 bison and 4 llamas to add to the tribes own herd

I like that.

So the Clan has Morokanth enemies, or have had in the past.

Let's see what else people have got.

My suggestion for priest of Waha: Tarabula Lightfoot.  A soft-spoken man, but when he speaks, all listen.  It is said that he is descended from Kertak the Sable Thrower.  He made the pilgrimage to the Marsh to kill chaos not once, but twice.  The left of his face is disfigured - the scars of fighting a nest of gorp in the Marsh during the second pilgrimage.

In reply to Kobal (msg # 28):

I like kobal's better than mine :)

Actually, I like Nausyas the Bull.  I thought he was chieftain  :)

In reply to Kobal (msg # 30):

I guess its up to everyone else to choose then :)

Oh sorry, I thought Prairie Thunder chieftain and priest of Waha were two separate characters to be created  :P

Dvadsat Dvadsat, the one sees that which has come

Although I do like Tarabula

I like them both.

Nausyas can be the chieftain and priest.

And Tarabula can be the retired chieftain and a priest too. A clan advisor and grandfather figure, perhaps a voice of reason in times of stress....

sound good?

Sounds good to me.  Also explains how Tarabula, if he'd been chieftain, would've found the time to leave his clan/duties to undertake the pilgrimage a second time.

In reply to GM (msg # 34):

Thats a good way of doing it, gets my vote :)

In reply to Kobal (msg # 35):

He's your Grandfather, your family is rich enough for this and you suggested his name.



Your family is poor, but the Chieftain has indicated that he is interested in taking one of your sisters/sister for a wife. The Dowry will increase your herd and your family's standing.

In reply to GM (msg # 37):

Ok, she's called Juhoon an eiritha initate, 21 years old

Added them all.

The dead trader's papers.

They will contain a bit of GM fluff and hooks, detailing his travels from Sartar to New Pavis when it was first built and why perhaps he was where he was when he died.

Everyone can send in one piece of info that they'd like included, an adventure hook, or something they'd like to hear about or see. Surprise me.

PM me so we can keep them secret.

The Wandering Rangers.

I'm thinking once you guys get a bit more experienced, you can and will start to attract younger followers to your banner. Thus becoming a war band.

Being members of the Rivals means you could of course have warriors of many different Nations join.

The Summer Fury Clan

What do we know about them?

They don't use bows. I like a mystery.

They have a lot of Storm Bull worshippers.

Are they Allies of the Sky Watchers Clan?

In reply to GM (msg # 42):

The bow could be from an outsider that married in to clan

They are longstanding rivals for familiar grazing territories, and subject to raids!

Can anyone really be allies of a clan that has a large proportion of Storm Bull fanatics? They're notorious for being....unreliable in dealings. All it takes is for one of them to pretend to smell chaos and any deals are over.

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 45):

You smell like... Chaos!

They'll all be around the Block I should imagine or North of where you are now around the Krjalki Bog.

In reply to Greeshar Longhorn (msg # 46):

You smell like...fetid impala dung and your breath smells of broo so strongly that even Orlanth himself cannot blow it away from you and your hair is so messy that you could hide your rhino and enough food for three weeks in it.

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 48):

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Spat my coffee out laughing.

So…
Tak Eeela

A cactus spirit, based on the Agave cactus. I thought we could riff some stuff up for him

He teaches the skill brew Pulque and something else? A spell?

What's his story?

I was thinking that Jackrabbit (Trickster) discovered his benefits first, stumbling on Tak Eeela as the spirit made his drunken Zig Zag way across the new desert.

Tak was a friend of the Serpents (Rivers), leading them across the land, straight whilst sober but curving this way and that when drunk.

How about he can teach Demoralize or Fanaticism, but not both?

:D

Depending what drunken mood he is in....

love it.

He should be a hoarder, no? As a cactus?

What does he hoard?

Whatever he's got of use. Moisture, edible bits, whatever you use to make his special products.

But as to why, that should be the interesting part. Maybe he's the youngest child, and his siblings already take everything. They're bigger and stronger and quicker than he is. He resents it. His personality is as prickly as his thorny outside.

Is he a nice spirit?...

So prickly on the outside, but once won over he's a big softy?

Probably likes to get spoiled with some sort of gift. Kumiss?

I don't know if he's nice or not. There's a connection to intoxicants? Then he should have a chance of being a nice drunk, or a nasty drunk.

As for gifts, I guess he'd like intoxicants, or maybe whatever you use/need to make intoxicants. Maybe something he can't normally get? I guess kumiss fits, but it would be cool to make it something different.

I'd say a grain or sugar or beets (for beet sugar) or something like that, that's part of the fermentation process, but I guess the wastelands are a bad place to dump characters and then expect them to come up with one of those.

Hopefully you folks have more ideas.

In reply to Greeshar Longhorn (msg # 58):

I've based it on the Agave cactus which gives us Pulque, Mezcal and Tequila. So I think it has all the ingredients it needs. But perhaps it's a hungry plant and needs feeding?

Kumiss poured on it's roots as a sacrifice and dead creatures left to rot and fetilize it.

Nice( Maudlin) drunk or nasty drunk is good and is what gives us either the demoralise or fanaticism spell

Fire season sound like the best time to be brewing potent cactus juice don't you think?

I see an upcoming heroquest to steal the Mostali secrets of Still making….Somewhere deep in the Rubble.

In reply to GM (msg # 60):

I would so be up for that!

It would be awesome except Mostali have guns

There ain't no-one takin this ere moonshine!

It is the Mostali way to siphon the power of the red moon and restore it to the world machine. Tis why most of the product the produce is coloured. It's only clear when they miss and hit the white moon.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Wed 22 Jan 2014.

I'll expand on Tak Eeela then.

You can turn Kobal's fabled copper armour into a still.

In reply to GM (msg # 60):

Fire season would be when its at its most potent as it would have the least water, so sea season's would be a more melow brew

As Tak Eeela like kumiss when hes sober, if he gets nasty drunk maybe giving him the tribes version of coffee would be a way of changing what spell he teaches

So the ceremony to call the great Rhino.

Let's hear any ideas.

Whispers will try and gain some spirit allies with Long Grass' help.

It will be obvious where the best place to hold the ceremony ;)

On my phone tonight so apologies.

Crazy drumming.

Rhino-leaping.

Head-butting.

Sacrifice is gored – perhaps this is the secondary use of a rhino prod.

Dancing in a stomping, shuffling line. The chanting is slow and sonorous.

Something is thrown into the fire (which is burning a special wood or dried herb), to make clouds of smoke. The ancestors and Great Rhino appear above, in the smoke.

As Greeshar says
but less head butting for me.
perhaps the sacrifice is killed by lance...a symbolic goring.
also some food rhino appreciate?

perhaps wiping our lances on the ground to emulate rhino territorial behaviour?

All great ideas.

You need to keep an eye out for the Horn mushroom. It pokes up through the sand and will be found near to the Rocklands (tomorrow) with a special survival roll. The Rhino riders can explain to the others what it looks like...

They are burnt in the fire.

I will set the scene and you folk can go for it.

Greeshar and Amara what were your parents' names?

Greeshar choose your mother and Amara your father.

Maybe your rhino has to kill the sacrifice, to impress the great Rhino

That is a top idea.

HEHEWUTI: Native American Hopi name meaning "warrior mother spirit."

Yennan Windsong shall be our Dad.

For rhinos, I'd think of:
- head butting
- noises, roars, etc.

Some rhinos have a symbiotic relationship with a species of bird that eats the ticks off the rhino's body.  So maybe there are birds near the rhino lands, and some ceremony involving the birds.

Cowpeckers

Cowpeckers are small brownish-black birds with red or yellow beaks. They subsist by eating the ticks, lice, and other small insects that live on Eiritha beasts. Anywhere a few Eiritha beasts are found, there will be a couple of Cowpeckers sitting on them. They are well-favored by Eirithans, both because they help maintain the health of the herds and because they chirp loudly when they sense predators. Cowpeckers are considered lucky, and it is bad luck to kill one.

Askari, the Cowpecker spirit, is considered a friend of Eiritha.

I also like the idea of the Rhinos' having their own bird. It would make an interesting familiar for bound spirits or even allied spirits. The small size of the bird in stark contrast to the Rhino.

In reply to GM (msg # 76):

Could teach detect enemies, but instead of something that points it churps at you, like the motion sensors in Alien :)

Vivid cartoon images of mismatched pairs flash through my mind...

I'm a victim of my upbringing.

I want to say Rocky and Bullwinkle, but somehow Rok-ii doesn't work for me.

Bathing

I don't think it is something you lot would do for pleasure. Swimming is seen as a bizarre pastime, and certainly looked on as odd.

I do think that occasional discreet washing might take place at Oasis and for certain holy days…maybe.

Thoughts?

It depends on what culture you envision the Animal Nomads as being based on.

With the bison and feathers and buckskins from the old illustrations, we here in the US usually think of Native Americans.

And they at least had the sweat lodge thing, so they weren't too filthy.

But in a desert land, you don't get much bathing in, no.

It might be looked on as a rare treat though.

You folk can decide on how clean you are and how you go about it.

My only requirement is that you aren't natural swimmers who dive in rivers.

I think it would be seen as a treat, but I'd hate to be the last one in after a big tribe finds a big enough water supply :)

Lol

Kobal went into the water, but really because his body was feeling a bit dry after a few days with less water than normal.  He probably went in with his clothes on anyway  :)

Okay i'm running with Barrack being the new Chieftain of the Sky Watchers (pretty sure that was what i'd originally thought, but had just forgotten :) )

So what was the name of the one who died at Moonbroth?

This is what happens when you don't keep notes….

Sommar IronHand (so called because he had an iron gauntlet)

which he took off a Yanafil Tarnils Rune Lord....obviously.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:14, Mon 10 Feb 2014.

So possible lines of questioning would be

Why did the Spring Bucks ally with the Red Thorn Shaman?

Why was he outlawed?

Why does he hate your Clan so much?

Why is he interested in the Holes?

Why and where is chaos involved?

Who was walking with the Hyenas?

And why am I not in bed?

You lot can answer these if you'd like. I like it when everyone gets involved in the whys and where's.

In reply to GM (msg # 88):

I think I know the answer to the hyena one, but its a cult secret :)

Sorry, been really busy IC. Here's some quick thoughts.

Why did the Spring Bucks ally with the Red Thorn Shaman?
Common interest (I don't know enough about them to say why).

Why was he outlawed?
Pacts with Chaos powers.

Why does he hate your Clan so much?
Er, which clan? He hates the Prairie Thunder. They were instrumental in outing him on the Chaos thing.

Why is he interested in the Holes?
Power source. Has a connection to a power there. Also recruits allies from beings there.

Why and where is chaos involved?
Why not?

Who was walking with the Hyenas?
Spring Bucks.

Why was he outlawed?
He started collecting. Not spirits, but the souls of those he killed. Each one has knowledge which he wants. He keeps them bound to himself so he can keep the knowledge. When his clan found out about this they outlawed him.

This is  almost Thanatari which links in with my ideas.

plus your title for the 2 shamans post and the fact that Emesh-Ga was killed by the actions of Tien

Unfortunately on my phone tonight.

Any links with chaos would likely be after being outlawed, otherwise he would have been killed by his Clan.

None of your elders seem to have heard of a renegade Red Thorn Shaman when you lot told them about your suspicions.

Maybe a trip to see the Red Thorn clan is in order? That might be fun. I can stick them somewhere where they shouldn't be in the near future.

Re the Manul cat. I hadnt thought where or how LG was contained/trapped, but when Amara and Kobal entered the cave i rolled on a found object list that i had knocked up. It came up with 3 Manul cats. I couldn't resist the leaping cat...

Tis grand I need a host for my allied spirit...eventually.


And wasn't Long grass clever hiding his spirit in a Manul cat?

Especially when Red Thorn shaman fella was looking for him.

More likely that he was bound in that by the Red Thorn Shaman. Bound spirits are freed when the animal they reside in is killed. I think self preservation and the binding spell stops them committing suicide. But Long Grass needed rescuing from the fire where he was trapped…. Jump at the nearest human and hope that they catch you (skewer you).

It was 50-50 that you'd kill or catch him. I was hoping you'd kill it….as was LG.

Manul cats are often used by Thunderbird/Orlanthi to bind spirits in.

So….

Emesh-Ga

This is your chance to gain a Wyter for your war band or group: The Wandering Rangers.

The spirit of an Earth Knight.

He will be associated with the Earth Rune and will either provide a spell, or skill or possibly be incarnated by one of you in times of need.

We can discuss this as it happens and riff some ideas about how he may aid you.

Possible feats:

Axe fighting

Defensive magic

Earth magic

Ideas? Sound cool?

In reply to GM (msg # 97):

So the Wyter thing isn't really something I use. Happy to particpate in the process though.

Greeshar's not a candidate for Earth rune, it's not for Storm Bull or Waha. Guess I don't know about Thunderbird. (Which by the way is the name of an iconic dirt-cheap liqour used by homeless alcoholic guys in countless stories.) However, if he somehow becomes associated with it via the band, that's fine.

If he's going to incarnate, that should be Kobal, I would expect. Maybe don't stress that too much in case Kobal's player isn't around...much?

Axe fighting is traditional for rhino riders. But I got this metal sword, and learned sword as part of the combat style taught by these wild-an'-crazy bison riders (who make great kumiss)!

Doing stuff related to Tada, Earth, Wandering Rangers, Copper Men, etc would be cool.

a spell that changes your sword skill to axe for its duration
skill training in axe
a shield leap skill, where you leap on to your enemies shield, knock them over and get an unblock hit

much as I'd like to suggest it, I know he wont be a master red smith :)

Think of it as a guardian spirit. Wyter is probably the wrong word.


It is Just the same as the Dark Star from our Rainbow Mounds game.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:43, Fri 28 Mar 2014.

I wouldn't worry about the Earth Rune as it is the guardian's rune and determines what sort of powers he can use.

Hopefully he will give some extra legitimacy to your cause or just be a bit of fun.

I used to follow Eiritha before my path became clear.

I'm not enthused at having an Earth rune associated with me.
Next thing you know someone will paint a fertility rune on me and I'll be all "oooo watch the crops grow more quickly" and "Thou shalt have 2 sons, and 4 daughters"

Vinga's personal rune is an adapted Earth Rune. Really I should have given you Earth instead of Storm during Char Gen.


This message was last edited by the GM at 06:00, Sat 29 Mar 2014.

I think next time I'm going to keep my mouth shut.

Maybe not.

Mumbles don't hold your breath.

I've always had a problem with the Rune that Vinga has. She's a Storm God and either Orlanth's sister/daughter or in fact Orlanth himself, so why an Earth Rune.

And it suspiciously looks like the Learner plates you have to put on the back of your car when learning to drive (In many countries but not all perhaps). Was this some attempt at humour, saying that Vingans are learner warriors or am I just naturally suspicious?

Tis because she is on a perpetual hen night, drinking herself to oblivion and cavorting with men.


I have no answers really. Most female gods in Glorantha have ties to the Earth. Perhaps at one point she was an Earth goddess that decided she was going to be a storm one instead. Orlanth married Ernalda, she's an Earth goddess, perhaps when Vinga was born she was born taking after her mother.....

Of course, some of us rebel against the places that men dictate we should belong.

Trouble is Ernalda isn't her mother or at least I've never heard as much. Vinga is from what I understand a Storm God. Certainly a lot of the Goddesses of Dragon Pass have ties to the Earth, though there are lots that don't, further afield.

 I like the vagueness of her origins, but lean myself towards Vinga being Orlanth.

Exactly. If women can't understand women, whay chance do we have? Men understand men, but we are of course simple animals. ;)

But anyway, I'd say she's more likely Orlanth's daughter, and an Earth Rune makes no sense at all. She could be Orlanth's sister, but in that case she'd likely have more popularity? Daughter would fit as a result of the Orlanth-Eiritha coupling.

I thought Orlanth uh was kinda sketchy and took an unnatural interest in her at one point.
it's bad if Vinga is his sister or daughter, but speaks of the worst form of narcissism if it's him himself.

That's Orlanth for you, he always marches to his own beat, and usually without morals of any description.

Must we have all this talk about Vinga?

I mean, really.

Can I tell you about Storm Bull?

Pfft, with storm bull all we need to know is one thing

Chaos? Storm Bull SMASH!!!

See?

Now wasn't that so much more pleasant than all this chatter about Vinga?

One line, and we're done.

Now we have all this extra time for drinking!

So…A guardian for your little band.

Emesh-GA will inhabit an object carried by someone and shall talk through that. He will provide certain skills and magic to the group as a whole.

Depending on whether or not you wish to become the all new Wandering Rangers there should probably be some sort of oath that binds you all and some membership requirements.

Suggestions?

Promise to protect the Earth and strive to return Tada/Genert/The Garden to it's former Glory?

To rid Prax of it's enemies?

Your call really, though there should be some connection to the Green Age Mob.


Form: Helmet?
Membership requirements:
Awareness Function: Earth Feeling skill*,  Speak Earth Tongue.
Defence Function: Form a square! A bonus to defence when a square is formed or to shield parry?
Blessing Function: Earth Power: Combat bonus? an armour bonus? A battle magic spell?

*This skill allows the user to read the earth beneath his feet. The user must be in physical skin-contact with the earth, normally laying on the earth. Successful use of the skill allows the user to know whether the earth is injured or healthy. A special success may allow the user to hear people moving on the earth nearby or to determine what the earth needs.

In reply to GM (msg # 115):

oath wise I think the protect the earth one is a good one.
I think a weapon of some sort instead of a helmet would be better, that way he can be passed around easier. are any of the weapons in his tomb useable?
nomads aren't known for formation fighting, so maybe just the bonus to shield parry? but the other hand it would make us stand out more

Emesh-Ga doesn't have any weapons to use, his axe having been nicked by the looks of it. It needs to be something of his for him to speak through, so it's either the Shield or his Helmet. I'll get to the weapons IC when you examine them.

Any benefits affect the group as a whole so nothing needs to be passed around if thats what you mean by that. But you can of course share it if you wish.

He's in a way an extra member of the party. A protective spirit, who will accompany you and possibly offer the occasional sage advice/nonsense whilst giving a bit of magical help.

Kobal would be the natural person to be the carrier of Emesh Ga (Helmet or shield), though he's not around at the moment. Up to you folk. The Earth Knight visions were aimed at his character as he comes from Khan stock.

Kobal could wear the Helmet for example and be the mouth piece for Emesh Ga and someone else could use the shield in combat if they wanted. Or any of you for that matter. Volunteer IC.

Emesh-Ga isn't a nomad so his magic wouldn't have anything to do with nomad's fighting, hence the magic suggested is a bit odd for you lot.  Like you mention it would make you stand out. To get a bonus though I will require that something special must be done, such as the suggested square otherwise you are just becoming overly powerful.

By becoming Wandering rangers you are perhaps subtly changing yourselves?

The blessing could be a protection spell that is cast on all of you at the start of a battle using his POW. The Shield being the focus and also a matrix. Or the parry spell that Humakt has but just for shields.

Oath-wise, I like "protect the earth" too: kind of what we're about here.

Membership: no chaos, no-one that worships a god that did not exist before the Great Compromise (so Founchild's OK but Gbaji/Sedenya/Seven Mothers aren't. I'm keen to rule out the lunars. Can't think why). After all, Emesh-Ga's a Green Age chap.

I like "form a square" - ratter like an earth rune really; and it's good to have a boost when one's back's to the wall; the square being primarily a "we're outnumbered!" kind of thing.

Blessing: either of GM's ideas would work for me. Can't think of anything better. Wonder if it only works when we're standing on the earth/ground/rock/floor of a building built on one of these...? Not thinking must be barefoot, more it would be hard for an Earth thing to work if one's mid-Sylph-flight or on a true ocean. Bit like trying to summon a Gnome mid-air would be a non-starter.

In reply to GM (msg # 117):

In that case, I think his shield and the square defense with a parry bonus gets my vote

I'd go with the helmet and it belonging to Kobal.

I like the idea of defensive tactics eg the square...it's very non nomadic.

I'm guessing the armour is magical and will change size to fit its new owner, other wise Kobal's just got a helmet that covers half his body :)

Emesh-Ga the Earth Defender

Form: Helmet
Membership requirements: Protect the Earth, Anti Chaos and no post Compromise Gods. Square Shields. Must be touching Earth to work. Benefits foot soldier not cavalry. Hate Thanatar.
Awareness Function: Earth Feeling skill*,  Speak Earth Tongue via helmet.
Defence Function: Form a Square! A bonus to Shield Parry when a defensive square is formed.
Blessing Function: Earth Push: Gains a knock back bonus. Fight Chaos: Damage bonus when fighting as a war band.

Yes magic size changing helm/shield coming up…..

The Shield is copper and has a Strength 2 matrix.

The Helmet gives the wearer the ability to speak Earth tongue and all the war band the ability to understand it. Emesh-Ga will speak through it.

The Axe?

The Armour?

Not sure of the time line, but could it have become Balastors axe?

or is it something more we need to hunt for?

Gm clicks his tongue, points at Melock and winks...



See above….

And it all becomes clear….

Balastor's Copper Armour turned up in a published adventure too. It's out there….

Nice work folks.

Just been reading up about the various Tribes of Prax and I see that the Rhino people's Rune is that of Earth.

So it fits nicely that you have an Earth Guardian!

As a reminder that when initiating combat you can invoke Emesh-Ga's blessings, such as his special knock back.

To get his defence bonus someone should shout out "Form a square!" :)

Something that I never took into account was that Praxian Tribes are ruled by their queens in peace.

Something that we haven't addressed.

So how about Nausyas doesn't have a wife at the moment, which ties in nicely with the fact that he has his eyes on a certain sister of someone…

and that puts Angelika as the Sky Watcher's queen.

Sound good?

I'm also having a rethink about what's going to happen over the next few seasons.

From what I've been reading it seems that young Bachelors typically roam in groups, shadowing their own clan, whilst raiding and stealing herd beasts to give to the young women they woo (women that are from other clans usually).

So this really frees you up to go exploring, whilst using your clan as a source of training and spiritual guidance.

So once back at the Grasslands we can do our training and then head off on a few escapades, coming back to trade loot and accept occasional clan quests/cult obligations. This is pretty much what was planned before, I had just presumed that you'd be tied to the Clan a bit more than you actually are.

So no one is going to go "No you can't leave because you have to herd the beasts/wash the yurts/mind great uncle Broo Basher…."

In reply to GM (msg # 131):

I also read that until a woman has had a child, she cant own herd beasts. which implies that Melock wont be able to give individual animals to Wild Pastures, instead he'll have to save them up for her dowry

What?

*visions of wealth evaporate*

Nuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

I think we probably want to spend a bit more time with our clan than most bachelors in any case, our clans are still smarting, they need the help that others might not.

Collecting her dowry is a biiiig mission then ;). You braves will be collecting herd beasts for yourself too, as a sign of wealth (for prospective wives) and for eating.

Amara is technically a fellah when it comes to all of this, being a Vingan.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:32, Fri 25 Apr 2014.

yeah because I am so going to have to pay to get a wife or two.

I'm not convinced that would make sense given death rates in clans.
Technically Thunderfoot would have been Amaras mount before she became Vingan.
Which means according to this rule Thunderfoot belonged to Greeshar then.
While Amara is Vingan, she's only a lay member...I'm not sure that would make her officially one of the boys yet.

You inherited your Mother's Rhino. No one's going to argue with you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:12, Fri 25 Apr 2014.

How about positing that a wandering brave could maybe gift beasts to his beloved's parents to be held in trust and as a token of worthiness? Kind of an earnest of engagement and Honourable Intent maybe. That would save us from needing to be carting extra mounts around to be ambushed/starved/nicked by a vengeful Krakka/taxed off us by Lunars/raped by passing Broos etc.

It would take quite a lot of wood to make a "bottom drawer" big enough to fit a Rhino in, but it's much the same principle. ;-)

I edited your post instead of quoting you. Doh. Last line is mine....

I'd also kick Greeshar's butt if he wanted to take thunderfoot from me.

He has a spare rhino in any case, doesn't he? From Krakka?

OK, quick post.

I don't know if Greeshar still has a spare rhino; Harry and the Boyz may have taken it.

Greeshar wouldn't try to take Amara's mount, and in any case would've supported her bid to become a warrior. If that meant giving her a mount, he would've without hesitation.

As to what has been written about Praxians, my usual vote is to use what works, and ignore what is inconvenient. Happy to go along.

I would suggest that perhaps a khan directs the attack and defense resources of the tribe, that the queen directs the domestic resources, but that it is more of a joint effort than "we're at war, go sit in the tent." I don't think the tribes are often "at war," and it sounds a little, I don't know, overbearing? to say, "I rule now."

In any case as I said, I'm OK with however it goes.

Even if Greeshar has no mount remaining, Amara is trading with Melock for his, she'd pass it to Greeshar.

In reply to Amara Brightsky (msg # 140):

If its going to Greeshar, then no charge :) as its still a group beast until we get back to camp and share out the spoils, and replenishing our own group comes before personal gain :)

You lot have four spare Rhinos. I can't see why anyone would mind Greeshar taking one.

You all own the Rhinos collectively or how ever you want to split them.


Edit: Ninja'd by Melock. That'll teach me to take ages to reply :)
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:16, Fri 25 Apr 2014.

I was just reading about making Kumiss and one of the stories about how it used to be made is that the bag of fermenting milk would be left in the doorway (of the yurt/house) to hang and people entering would knock it in passing and thus stir the mix. Though I saw one account where people would punch the bag…

The Bison way!

Other ways was hanging the fermenting back on your mount whilst you rode or on the roof of your yurt, turning it occasionally.

I do like a game where folk discuss what they're cooking.

What we need is a myth that involves cleaning polluted water/unclogging a spring/something relevant to our situation. Then you folk can emulate the myth and cleanse the main pool.

Perhaps their was an ancient water source for the Earth Complex that is now blocked.

Waha overcame a river when he dug the canal to the block. Perhaps there is an old hero who has done something similar

So the Myth of the Homecoming and Tada's Welcome has morphed into that of How Raven Stole Tada's Horn.

Any benefits from the completing the first myth have been overshadowed by Raven's antics.

Back in the real world you could heroquest at some stage to find the real Horn of Tada in either the Mundane world or the Hero plane.

Mundane world I'm thinking stealing the drinking horn of any Khan would work. Or try and find out where the real one is and go after that.

In the Hero plane it would involve going to Emesh-Ga's or Tada's home and stealing it.

How about stealing a Khan's mount and taking one of the horns to convert to a drinking horn before returning the lopsided mount! I love the idea of a khan with a lopsided mount. Could even invite him around for a drink...

"This is a fine looking drinking horn... it seems familiar?"

Typically Raven. i like it. His mount would be awakened so it would be nicely difficult.

OK folks, as per the earlier request in this thread here is a water cleansing myth. Any issues shout and I'll tweak.


Gather round children and I shall tell you the tale of the outcast Jolantar and how without his sacrifices none of us would be here. It is a tale that most choose to forget but our tribe will always keep the memory alive.

Many ages ago after the Great Darkness, after Waha left this world and his people to live by his teachings and went to the god place, his work finished here there was relative peace. But with the passing generations tribes grew apart, split by annoyances become quarrels, quarrels become fights, fights become feuds. As children learn from their elders so the clans learnt from their tribes and even within tribes clan turned against clan.

It is much the same now, but now Waha’s people have learnt to look outside the tent for trouble as well as inside, back then they concentrated their gaze inwards and this left them unseeing of what was going one about them.

The clans noticed a particular chaos was spoiling their water holes, but they could find no way to clean it so they moved onto another and sent word to their Khan of the encroaching enemy. Their Khans tried to clean the waters but they could find no way and so they moved their tribes to others. And when there were no holes left on their lands they tried to take those of their neighbours.

The clans did not speak to each other and the tribes did not speak to each other for if they had they would have realised sooner the danger, realised that there was no use warring against each other because they had let all the waters become corrupted.

Finally the great khans realised their folly and they called a gathering of all of the tribes to discover a way to combat this threat. Of course all knew of the story of how Waha dug a channel to cleanse the block, but none could find a hero amongst their people who could claim to be able to emulate the great Waha in this. Even when they suggested it they could not agree on which watering hole should be cleaned first, for that tribe and those clans on the course of such a canal would prosper at the cost of the others.

Now the tribes were meeting along the Zola Fel for by now the only safe source of water was this river. A young brave by the name of Jolantar of the Rhino Tribe asked a simple question ”Why not ask the great river spirit for his help?” and the khans all laughed and ignored him and went back to their arguing.

At the moot hours turned to days at the moot, days to weeks and the season and still there was no progress until the khan of the Sable tribe make the same suggestion claiming it as his own. This time there was not the laughter for no other idea could be had so they went, the great khans and the great hero of all the tribes to petition the Zola Fel but none could get even a negative response, all were ignored.

Jolantar, with nothing better to do rode Sharphorn along the banks of the river in search of food for times were hard. Then he came to a strange sight, a great spider was stuck its rear end held firmly in the mouth of a massive catfish. The spider was like Grandmother Spiders’ children that he had seen before, but the size of Sharphorn and by the looks of it had been hoping to catch dinner at the water’s edge but been caught instead.

There were scratches in the sand and a broken branch of a nearby tree discarded below the spider, likely it had managed to drag the catfish away from the water using that but with the branch broken it knew it could go no further and the catfish knew that if it released the spider it would surely be eaten!

”Help me boy! I am one of Waha’s people like you. This water thing, this fish is not one of us. It will make good eating for all of us. Help me and I will share!” He was about to strike the blow with his axe to end the fish when he saw great intelligence in its eyes and in his mind he heard a voice in his head pleading for mercy and offering ”Your people seek a cure for the corruption of their water, I can help.” and he could not strike in case the thing was truthful.

He could not risk going to his people for they were hungry and would likely just see food. His mount Sharphorn was a great beast with the strength to push the fish back into the water but Sharphorn would surely spike him as he did so and would surely sink in the mud as he tried. If he could walk on water Sharphorn could pull it back in but Jolantar had never even heard of such magics and he had no net to wrap around her.

A net! he thought and smiled then said to the spider ”I will not kill her and I would kill you, for Waha’s people kill each other all the time and you would kill me if you were hungry.” The spider trembled as he raised his axe to strike it’s head and pleaded ”Please do not kill me, I promise not to harm you!” and Jolantar stayed his hand but left the axe raised and ready as he said ”If you promise to spin me a net great enough to snare this fish then I will let you leave in peace”

The spider agreed and the fish released it and as it span the net put his blade to work cutting reeds and soaking them to cover the fish from the Bright Treasure’s sight. Then the spider left and Jolantar told the fish he would return before riding Sharphorn along the bank of the Zola Fel not knowing what he was looking for.

They soon came across an old man and an old woman arguing like an old married couple for that is what they were. Jolantar could not help but ask ”What are you arguing about?” The old man replied ”We sacks of grain to get to the other side of the river and cannot agree on the best way to do it.” and the old woman added ”I can command the earth with its great strength to throw the sacks over the river” “Yes, yes, yes” interrupted the man, but your earth cannot throw us over for we will die when we hit the other side! I can command the powerful water to hold us up and carry us across with the grain” “Yes, yes, yes”</blue> interrupted the woman this time ”but your water will not hold us out of it and will soak the grain and then we cannot sell it” and they went on arguing as they were before.

Thinking hard for a moment Jolantar suggested ”Can you not work together?” and to the woman he says ”If your earth is so powerful can it carry both of you and the grain?” and to the man ”And your water, can it carry the earth whilst it holds you both and the grain?”

The two looked at each other and whispered and then smiled and replied to Jolantar ”Thank you boy! What can we give you for helping us?” to which ”Let me borrow your water and your earth to help a friend.”

The couple nodded and the old man cut a reed and spat in the end of the hollow plant ”Tip this out and you will have my element plenty large enough to use.” and the woman picked up a pebble ”Cast this onto the ground and the earth shall obey you.”

Riding swiftly back Jolantar uncovered the fish and cast the net of silk about it before securing the end to Sharphorn’s saddle and then emptied the reed into the water’s edge commanding ”Carry the earth that will hold Sharphorn and me.” and he threw the pebble on the ground commanding ”Make a platform on the water there to carry <b>Sharphorn and me.”</blue> then he rode onto the platform and commanded the water to move out into the river carrying them and so Jolantar rescued the fish.

”Fish, all of the great khans, shamen and heroes amongst Waha’s people seek guidance from Zola Fel but none will he answer, not even to say no. Do you know why this would be so.”

The fish made a sound like a sigh ”Because they are Waha’s people, and Waha forced Zola Fel to wash the Block. He has not forgotten that and will not forget. Now let me go.”

“Not so fast fish, that is not help enough.” and the fish struggled but the net was too strong and Sharphorn too strong also. ”You said you would help so now tell me how to clean the waters.”

The fish sighed and then said “Kinope, Zola Fel’s daughter has the power and to gain it one must win her hand but her father will never allow one of Waha’s own to wed her.” to which Jolantar replied ”I am of the Rhino tribe, I am an initiate of Orlanth and whilst I follow Waha’s teachings I am not initiated into his cult yet. If must sacrifice that to save his people I will forswear that path.”

The fish nodded and said ”It is said that any who pass two tests can win her hand. First carry a drop of water from the source of the Zola Fel to the sea within a week. There may be many ways to do this but I suggest you contact Frog Woman.”

“Secondly you must survive the testing by her sister Glubaw who will try to drown you and wash you away. I can grant you a spell to allow you to breathe in the water but do nothing to stop her washing you from the place.”

Jolantar answered ”Give me your magic then fish and I shall free you as I promised.” Then after releasing the fish he went to the moot and told the khans of what had happened and that he wanted just the ability to control the earth one more time. They did not believe him but told the earth priestesses to grant him the power once.

 Then he went to the river and pleaded with Frog Woman to help and she took pity on him and after promises were made she granted him her ability to leap so long as he spread her children through the land.

Using her gift Jolantar leapt in great bounds to the source of the river where he gathered up a drop of water and then leapt all the way to the sea. Next he called on the earth to hold his feet tight and then made his petition to Glubaw and cast the fish’s magic and try as she might she couldn’t drown him and she couldn’t dislodge him. Finally then he called to Zola Fel for Kinope’s hand and promised never again to worship Waha for the sake of his children. The trials had been bested and the river god could not say no so Jolantar took Kinope as his wife.

Kinope gave Jolantar catfish on their wedding day telling him to take a pair to each waterhole that was corrupted and the fish would eat the corruption, but he must return to her at the Zola Fel every Sea Season on Waterday.  He took the fish and using Frog Woman’s magic again leapt from water to water cleaning the pools and as he promised he took frogs to each one he visited and this is why there are frogs at most every water in Prax and often catfish too, though they are too often fished away by those without the knowledge.

When he went to tell the khans to tell them of his success and his sacrifice they were both thankful that he cleaned the pools and angry that he had turned from Waha even though he stuck by Waha's ways. So you see, this is why the other tribes will choose to forget Jolantar The Outcast, because he did what the khans could not and only by making a great sacrifice.

"Nice story but you'll find that Jolantar was an Impala brave"

"Bollocks, he was a Bison rider. My grandfather told me the story."

I'd change the grain to Skullbush seed. It's a great story.

The River Horse spirit cult could also help as they can carry you to the Headwaters of the Zola Fel. Her cult offers the spell ride River Horse and summon River Horse.

Frog woman can give the spell Leap which means you can leap 40km.

Both would work though the River Horse would be easier and less costly. She gets a write up in the Borderlands book.

I was thinking that Kinope would give you lot an undine to clean the pools with so this would be in the shape of catfish.

I love the idea of the pools filled with both fish and frogs. Clever way to keep Crane man happy too.

Edit Holygrain: which grows wild at only a few Oasis and in a few river valleys. It's cultivated at the paps and is one of the few remnants of the Green Age, associated with Genert and Eiritha. Book of Drastic resolutions Prax p12-
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:03, Tue 19 Aug 2014.

Gather round children and I shall tell you the tale of Jolantar The Outcast and how without his sacrifices none of us would be here. It is a tale that most choose to forget but our tribe will always keep the memory alive.

Many ages ago after the Great Darkness, after Waha left this world and his people to live by his teachings and went to the god place, his work finished here there was relative peace. But with the passing generations tribes grew apart, split by annoyances become quarrels, quarrels become fights, fights become feuds. As children learn from their elders so the clans learnt from their tribes and even within tribes clan turned against clan.

It is much the same now, but now Waha’s people have learnt to look outside the tent for trouble as well as inside, back then they concentrated their gaze inwards and this left them unseeing of what was going one about them.

The clans noticed a particular chaos was spoiling their water holes, but they could find no way to clean it so they moved onto another and sent word to their Khan of the encroaching enemy. Their Khans tried to clean the waters but they could find no way and so they moved their tribes to others. And when there were no holes left on their lands they tried to take those of their neighbours.

The clans did not speak to each other and the tribes did not speak to each other for if they had they would have realised sooner the danger, realised that there was no use warring against each other because they had let all the waters become corrupted.

Finally the great khans realised their folly and they called a gathering of all of the tribes to discover a way to combat this threat. Of course all knew of the story of how Waha dug a channel to cleanse the block, but none could find a hero amongst their people who could claim to be able to emulate the great Waha in this. Even when they suggested it they could not agree on which watering hole should be cleaned first, for that tribe and those clans on the course of such a canal would prosper at the cost of the others.

Now the tribes were meeting along the Zola Fel for by now the only safe source of water was this river. A young brave by the name of Jolantar of the Rhino Tribe asked a simple question ”Why not ask the great river spirit for his help?” and the khans all laughed and ignored him and went back to their arguing.

At the moot hours turned to days at the moot, days to weeks and the season and still there was no progress until the khan of the Sable tribe make the same suggestion claiming it as his own. This time there was not the laughter for no other idea could be had so they went, the great khans and the great hero of all the tribes to petition the Zola Fel but none could get even a negative response, all were ignored.

Jolantar, with nothing better to do rode Sharphorn along the banks of the river in search of food for times were hard. Then he came to a strange sight, a great spider was stuck its rear end held firmly in the mouth of a massive catfish. The spider was like Grandmother Spiders’ children that he had seen before, but the size of Sharphorn and by the looks of it had been hoping to catch dinner at the water’s edge but been caught instead.

There were scratches in the sand and a broken branch of a nearby tree discarded below the spider, likely it had managed to drag the catfish away from the water using that but with the branch broken it knew it could go no further and the catfish knew that if it released the spider it would surely be eaten!

”Help me boy! I am one of Waha’s people like you. This water thing, this fish is not one of us. It will make good eating for all of us. Help me and I will share!” He was about to strike the blow with his axe to end the fish when he saw great intelligence in its eyes and in his mind he heard a voice in his head pleading for mercy and offering ”Your people seek a cure for the corruption of their water, I can help.” and he could not strike in case the thing was truthful.

He could not risk going to his people for they were hungry and would likely just see food. His mount Sharphorn was a great beast with the strength to push the fish back into the water but Sharphorn would surely spike him as he did so and would surely sink in the mud as he tried. If he could walk on water Sharphorn could pull it back in but Jolantar had never even heard of such magics and he had no net to wrap around her.

A net! he thought and smiled then said to the spider ”I will not kill her and I would kill you, for Waha’s people kill each other all the time and you would kill me if you were hungry.” The spider trembled as he raised his axe to strike it’s head and pleaded ”Please do not kill me, I promise not to harm you!” and Jolantar stayed his hand but left the axe raised and ready as he said ”If you promise to spin me a net great enough to snare this fish then I will let you leave in peace”

The spider agreed and the fish released it and as it span the net put his blade to work cutting reeds and soaking them to cover the fish from the Bright Treasure’s sight. Then the spider left and Jolantar told the fish he would return before riding Sharphorn along the bank of the Zola Fel not knowing what he was looking for.

They soon came across an old man and an old woman arguing like an old married couple for that is what they were. Jolantar could not help but ask ”What are you arguing about?” The old man replied ”We sacks of Holygrain to get to the other side of the river and cannot agree on the best way to do it.” and the old woman added ”I can command the earth with its great strength to throw the sacks over the river” “Yes, yes, yes” interrupted the man, but your earth cannot throw us over for we will die when we hit the other side! I can command the powerful water to hold us up and carry us across with the Holygrain” “Yes, yes, yes” interrupted the woman this time ”but your water will not hold us out of it and will soak the Holygrain and then it will spoil.” and they went on arguing as they were before.

Thinking hard for a moment Jolantar suggested ”Can you not work together?” and to the woman he says ”If your earth is so powerful can it carry both of you and the Holygrain?” and to the man ”And your water is strong, can it carry the earth whilst it holds you both and the Holygrain?”

The two looked at each other and whispered and then smiled and replied to Jolantar ”Thank you boy! What can we give you for helping us?” to which ”Let me borrow your water and your earth to help a friend.”

The couple nodded and the old man cut a reed and spat in the end of the hollow plant ”Tip this out and you will have my element plenty large enough to use.” and the woman picked up a pebble ”Cast this onto the ground and the earth shall obey you.” and then she held out a small pouch of the Holygrain and he said ”Take this too lad with our thanks.”

Riding swiftly back Jolantar uncovered the fish and cast the net of silk about it before securing the end to Sharphorn’s saddle and then emptied the reed into the water’s edge commanding ”Carry the earth that will hold Sharphorn and me.” and he threw the pebble on the ground commanding ”Make a platform on the water there to carry <b>Sharphorn and me.”</blue> then he rode onto the platform and commanded the water to move out into the river carrying them and so Jolantar rescued the fish.

”Fish, all of the great khans, shamen and heroes amongst Waha’s people seek guidance from Zola Fel but none will he answer, not even to say no. Do you know why this would be so.”

The fish made a sound like a sigh ”Because they are Waha’s people, and Waha forced Zola Fel to wash the Block. He has not forgotten that and will not forgive. Now let me go.”

“Not so fast fish, that is not help enough.” and the fish struggled but the net was too strong and Sharphorn too strong also. ”You said you would help so now tell me how to clean the waters.”

The fish sighed and then said “Kinope, Zola Fel’s daughter has the power and to gain it one must win her hand but her father will never allow one of Waha’s own to wed her.” to which Jolantar replied ”I am of the Rhino tribe, I am an initiate of Orlanth and whilst I follow Waha’s teachings I am not initiated into his cult yet. If I must make such a sacrifice to save his people I will forswear that path.”

The fish nodded and said ”It is said that any who pass two tests can win her hand. First carry a drop of water from the source of the Zola Fel, Leaping Place Lake to the sea within a week. There may be many ways to do this but I suggest you talk to River Horse.”

“Secondly you must survive the testing by her sister Glubaw who will try to drown you and wash you away. I can grant you a spell to allow you to breathe in the water but do nothing to stop her washing you from the place.” Jolantar answered ”Give me your magic then fish and I shall free you as I promised.”

Now he went to the moot and told the khans of what had happened and that he wanted just the ability to control the earth one more time. They did not believe him but told the earth priestesses to grant him the power once.

Returning to the river Jolantar called out to River Horse and gave the beast the Holygrain and in exchange River Horse carried him. He leapt onto River Horse and rode swiftly to the head of the river where he gathered up a drop of water and then to the sea where he dropped it.

Then coming back he called on the earth to hold his feet tight and then made his petition to Glubaw and cast the fish’s magic. Try as she might she couldn’t drown him and she couldn’t dislodge him. Finally then he called to Zola Fel for Kinope’s hand and promised never again to worship Waha for the sake of his children. The trials had been bested and the river god could not say no so Jolantar took Kinope as his wife.

Kinope gave Jolantar catfish on their wedding day telling him ”Take a pair to each waterhole that was corrupted and the fish would eat the corruption.” and he looked at the fish which waited for him to take them up. ”But how will I get them to the water holes, there are many and they are scattered. The fish will not survive such a journey?”

With a smile Kinope replied ”The total distance may be great, but the distance from pool to pool is not so great surely, otherwise your beasts could not survive. Speak with Frog Woman she can teach you how to leap from pool to pool and you can visit them in no time at all and rush back to me.” thus Jolantar must return to her at the Zola Fel every Sea Season on Waterday to be with his wife.

He took the fish in a great leather bucket and went to plead with Frog Woman to help and she took pity on him and after promises were made she granted him her ability to leap so long as he spread her children through the land. So he took a second great bucket filled with her children and using Frog Woman’s magic leapt from water to water cleaning the pools and as he promised he took frogs to each one he visited. This is why there are frogs at most every water in Prax and often catfish too, though they are too often fished away by those without the knowledge.

When he went to tell the khans to tell them of his success and his sacrifice they were both thankful that he cleaned the pools and angry that he had turned from Waha even though he stuck by Waha's ways. So you see, this is why the other tribes will choose to forget Jolantar The Outcast, because he did what the khans could not and only by making a great sacrifice.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:09, Tue 19 Aug 2014.

In reply to GM (msg # 151):

horse? even a river one, is that permitted by Waha?

It has nothing to do with Waha as he has no dominion over water. How I see it anyway.

Top story. Ohanzee.

Even if it is taboo, all the more reason that Jolantar is outcast

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 155):

sorry Ohanzee, I wasn't picking holes, I did mean for us to do, but as you point out its another reason why he is an outcast.

It's not taboo, River Horse is a contactable spirit by Shamans especially High Llama.

Wicked story, I shall have o go look up the other river marriage Heroquest that the Sun County mob do and see if it can overlap and cause mayhem....

Don't worry, I asked for feedback and wouldn't take offence in getting it :)

So, ideas on HeroQuesting to boost DEX... and in keeping with a Praxian. Somewhere to start first so I’m thinking something based around an animal (or animal spirit actually) that is very dextrous. I initially thought snake, because they can strike very fast, but then I thought mongoose. So maybe do something for a powerful mongoose spirit, sound like a good starting place?

Something along the lines of how Raven stole Mongoose's mojo. Or how Waha bested Snake. What animal might have once been dextrous but perhaps lost it's power to Raven/Waha or whomever?

You will need to have some travel...Several obstacles....And the theft of the power and defeat of the spirit.

On the mundane plane you might get manipulation bonuses or at the most dex+1. On the spirit/hero plane dex+1 or more and perhaps this would manifest as a special mongoose fetish which either unleashes it's power when needed or is permanent.

Perhaps stealing eggs from a particular snake (earth guardian), or regaining an egg stolen from an earth guardian by Mongoose and then returned to the Guardian?

Besting Mongoose in several tests?

When Raven tricked the Giant Praxian Land Sloth into giving him it's speed. That's all Giant Land Sloths are now slow and can't climb trees, because Raven knows that they would try to get revenge against him.

I like this.

The last known giant Praxian land sloth was last seen on the edge of Teshnos or on the edge of Pent up near the Hidden Greens. Of course there were lots in the Green Age.

A heroquest back to the appropriate age would find one easily enough

I like the idea too. I was thinking of the story of Someone? and the Tortoise but work interupted play. The someone would be good as Jackrabbit for obvious reasons. It was along the lines that Tortoise used to be an agile dextrous lizard, fast enough to run across water, climb the impossible with ease, etc.

But he used to boast about it and annoyed the others up until the time of his downfall. He was bested in a series of tests and/or tricked and lost all his abilities until the point he was forced to carry a rock on his back and creep around.

If you fail the test you would then have to carry the rock which would be represented by loss of Dex. I like this.

There must be certain very large tortoises about in the hills. Invoking the myth would mean you possibly called forth the actual nature spirit and one from before it lost it's power.

Oglod could help here.

Lets work this one out and keep for after the scouting trip as I'd like there to be some arduous travel to certain hills where you might find the ancient spirit. Tortoises like Hills and I have some in mind (Not the Tunnelled hills).

Armour of copulating snakes. I just had to stick this here for later perusal and deep thought.

Very dangerous item indeed as it can result in a population boom of snakes. This can be alleviated by wearing a coil :P

Lol that last post.

So Why are the Agimori here, carrying a larges cauldron containing a fire spirit.

Skull Bushes? Did Ehawee help them in the past? She provides food, wood and oil, teaches cooking and how to summon a bat.

Well I have always pictured the Agamori as somewhat like the Maasai, even if there are certain differences. And one thing that the Maasai are legendary for is hunting lions, how about these people have a beef with Basmol/Basmoli?

Maybe they once faced a massive force of Basmoli, a battle that even with their fighting prowess they could not win.

Maybe there were lots of Skullbush about and they called to Ehawee helped them with wood and oil to build and maintain a burning stockade so that the Basmoli could only attack from one direction and never with their full force at once.

Oh and I just remembered, one is only a boy. Maybe this is an initiation ritual for the youths in their clan, to re-enact the battle.

OK folks, first draft of the Raven/Tortoise myth for critique…

How Tortoise Got His Shell

The old shaman drew heavily on his pipe, savoring the taste and effect of the herb, then smoke came from mouth and nose alike as he spoke. Listen to this tale and you might just learn something useful.

Tortoise has not always been as he is now. Back in the time he was a lizard like so many other lizards but, in his mind at least, better than the other lizards. He was faster then, not just faster than he is now, but faster than most all lizards, faster than most all creatures if you believed him.

Tortoise was far more dexterous than he is now, back then he had fine toes paws, very dexterous indeed and tipped with sharp claws, not the stubby paws he gets around on now.

Back then Tortoise had a fine sleek body, no shell and a most impressive set of teeth in a fine strong lizard jaw. If you want to picture him then the best thing to do is imagine the finest pack lizard you have ever seen and then think of that is a gern compared to how tortoise was, he was the Great Khan of lizards, or so he would have had you believe.

Whilst Tortoise was all of these things, all of these things were not all of Tortoise. He was also more prideful than all other lizards and most other creatures, more boastful and more condescending. In his eyes he knew he was the best at everything that mattered to him and because of this he had few friends.

Now one day Tortoise was basking on a rock enjoying the light and warmth of the Bright Treasure whilst playing idly with a particularly sparkling piece of stone and the stone kept catching the light of the Bright Treasure and throwing it back and forth, this way and that.

This reflected light caught the attention of Raven and we all know how Raven is drawn to shiny things so he flew down to take a look at what as flashing so enticingly. Now as Raven swooped in his wing crossed between Tortoise and the Bright Treasure and covered the lizard, albeit briefly with a shadow. This did not sit well with Tortoise who, as he was prone to do, spoke with ire and without thought. "Who dares come between me and the Bright Treasure? Who dares block his view of me when he likes so much to look down on me in admiration?"

Now Raven had landed next to the basking rock knew well the temper of Tortoise and still wanted so much to take a look at the sparkling thing. He knew full well about Tortoise, all knew about Tortoise and most avoided him, but because of the sparkling thing Raven bowed and tried "Please forgive me Great Tortoise. I was blinded on one side by your great beauty and on the other by the light of the Bright Treasure so all that I saw was the sparkling."

Tortoise was not impressed by this attempt to appease him and had a mind to teach Raven a lesson so he held up the sparkling thing up enticingly and he said "This little thing? It's nothing really, you can have it if you want."

To this Raven hopped up and down excitedly "Thank you Tortoise, you are so generous, so so generous" but he was cut off mid praise when Tortoise interrupted "All you have to do is win it from me."

Now Raven stopped hopping about and glared at the lizard and his mood darkened as Tortoise continued "So you might as well just flap off now as we both know you cannot beat me crow."

Raven didn't fly off though, he decided there and then to teach Tortoise a lesson "But Tortoise, everyone knows that you cannot be beaten, not at anything." and Tortoise was caught, Raven could read him so easily "But it is so very shiny."

"Tell me Tortoise, what kind of trials did you have in mind?" the great bird asked to Tortoise waved a paw dismissively "It matters not what as you can't win.” and he sneered at Raven with his lack of forepaws “Combat first you choose the weapon, not that you can hold one and stand at the same time." and Tortoise closed his eyes and smiled as he considered how he had hooked Raven knowing full well that the bird lacked paws to hold weapons no claws that could pierce his hide and no teeth whatsoever.

So Raven fell silent a while as he thought. Tortoise was fast and he was strong, he was many things but he was not wise and he had made a mistake in giving Raven the choice. Then after considering Raven cocked his head to one side and would have smiled had he a mouth rather than a beak.

"I choose beaks then" he responded to which Tortoise opened his eyes wide and glared "You choose a weapon that I have not, I've a mind to rip your beak off and beat you with it!" the lizard said angrily.

At this Raven took to the air and flapped out of reach, but called down to Tortoise "I'll get you a beak, less that is you are backing out of the deal, are afraid of losing?" and he started to fly higher calling loudly "Afraid Tortoise, afraid of losing to Raven?"

Tortoise could not stand this and he called back "Return if you can find a beak but no tricks Raven, get me a real beak and I'll teach you to mind your betters!"

Raven flew to find a friend of his, a bird whose children are now know to the dragon men as a fierce mount, sharp of tooth and claw eater of meat now, but then was a rather stubby beaked eater of seeds who could fly.

He found the bird perched in a tree eating fruit "Hello Unenlagia" he said "Tell me, don't you get bored of eating nothing but seeds and fruit all of the time? I mean, it's all well and good, but don't you ever fancy trying to eat meat, it is rather tasty and fills you so quickly that you don't have to eat so often. That leaves you far more time for the females." and Raven winked.

"I can't even if I wanted to" replied Unenlagia, my stubby rounded beak is good only for breaking nuts and splitting fruit." and he went back to doing just that.

Raven cawed smugly "And what if I were to tell you that I could get Tortoise to swap his fine toothed snout for your beak? With that you could eat meat and the females would be falling over each other for your attentions!"

So Raven returned with Unenlagia father of demi birds and the trade was made, Tortoise was too proud to refuse the challenge and even if he was far less than impressed by the beak he was sure that on him it would be good enough a weapon to defeat Raven.

Unenlagia stayed to watch the combat and though Tortoise was fast, the beak was too clumsy and the Unenlagia didn't need to stay long to witness his defeat. Tortoise was too foolish to check on the terms of the trade and before he could demand his snout back Unenlagia was away to eat and find the ladies.

So that is how Tortoise lost his fine snout and gained his stubby beak and taste for plants. With the loss he got a little clumsier and Raven collected that little lost dexterity as he facilitated the trade. This is not the end of the tale though and if you stop picking your nose I'll tell the rest.

Tortoise was furious, furious and embarrassed and ashamed all rolled up together with confused at how this could have happened. Well, what an opportunity that was and Raven took it. "Tortoise, that is one trial and how lucky I was, but you have four more chance for your natural superiority to shine through... assuming you wish to continue and not give up?"

To this Tortoise raged so much that his skin flushed red all over and after he calmed enough Raven said "My choice then this time. Up there" and he pointed with his beak at the top of a cliff "There's a nest at the top and it just happens that in it at the moment are eggs. First one to get one of the eggs back down unbroken." Raven smiled "You are fast, reckon you can beat me to the top and back then?"

Tortoise protested "You'll just fly, hardly fair when I have to climb!" and it was true So Raven replied "If we start together at the foot of the cliff then it'll be fair, you can climb straight up but I'll have to fly back and forth to make it up there."

This was good enough for Tortoise and he nodded to which Raven added "Want to sweeten the deal with a little side wager, if you dare? I'm sure that I can get your snout back if you dare wager anything for it?"

"Dare?! If I dare?!" Tortoise was outraged, so much so that he didn't even realise he was tapping his claws on the rock but as the tap, tap, tap registered he looked down at his feet and frowned "My claws" he said knowing in his heart that he was fast enough, that he'd win back his snout and with a snort added with derision "If I cannot climb faster than you I don't deserve them!"

"Excellent!" said Raven "I'll go arrange it with Unenlagia." and off he flew to find the bird. It didn't take long before he spotted Unenlagia trying to impress the ladies, but they would just laugh at him.

"You look terrible Unenlagia, have you lost weight?" to which the bird replied in a rather annoyed voice "Raven. A fine beak to attract the females you said. They just laugh and to top it all I'm starving! Sure I can eat meat now and don’t have to eat so often if I do, but I can’t catch any!”

Inside Raven smiled “Ah. Well it just so happens that I’ve come to offer you a nice set of claws to go with that impressive snout. A matching set as they are Tortoise’s fine claws. With those you’ll have absolutely no problem at all catching all that you want to eat. Far more energy to go chasing those ladies.” and Raven winked at Unenlagia who snapped up the offer.

Together Unenlagia and Raven flew back to the base of the cliff where Tortoise waited and then the race started. Tortoise was off in a flash, climbing higher and higher and almost straight up whilst Raven had to circle in his ascent or would end up miles from the nest. Tortoise was easily the first to the nest and grabbed an egg. But then came the descent, far harder for Tortoise who had to carry the egg in his new beak and climb slowly and carefully so as not to drop or crack it.

Tortoise was about half way back down when Raven finally reached the nest and picked up an egg carefully in his claws. Then a flap to the cliff edge and he folded back his wings, plummeting downwards, before spreading them again as he passed Tortoise. A few frantic flaps and he slowed enough to place the egg on the ground seconds before Tortoise arrived.

Unenlagia jumped for joy as Raven took Tortoises claws and placed them on the bird saying as he did so “Here you are Unenlagia, try your teeth and your claws on these, celebrate with an egg or two.”

Unenlagia cracked open the eggs and devoured the contents as Tortoise wept at his loss and Raven laughed though at just what was unclear. Then as Unenlagia ate, so engrossed that he was oblivious to everything Raven spoke “Well Tortoise, one last challenge and the chance to win it all back unless you want to call it a day and quit now. Your choice this time of course.”

Tortoise stopped crying and blurted out "Race! I'll beat you in a race, none of your flying mind, just legs to be used for this one." and it was Tortoise’s turn to laugh as Raven's legs were no match for his own and he was sure that he would win this one, get all that was his back.

Raven considered and considered, should it have been he who should have stopped whilst ahead instead of offering Tortoise the last chance to win all back? There was no way he could beat Tortoise in a running race, the lizard was so fast that he could run across water!

Raven was kicking himself but then he spied Grandfather Gazelle and he looked at Unenlagia who by this time looked like the things that the dragon people ride. Imagine the ancestor of all ostriches with the claws of a hawk on its legs and feathered arms, for the wings were turned to arms to take the fore claws. To this add a toothed beak more like a pack lizard’s snout and you’ve got the idea, the father off all demi-birds.

Raven hoped onto Grandfather Gazelle’s horns and gripped tightly, then said to Unenlagia “I hope you are enjoying the eggs, your favorite wife used to be very proud of her clutch.” Unenlagia looked at Raven in shock and then anger and ran after him. Grandfather Gazelle, saw the monstrosity charging him and ran. “First to the <insert place here> Tortoise.” shouted Raven and the poor lizard realized he’d been tricked again, Raven was using legs, just not his own!

Tortoise took off as fast as he could but Raven and Grandfather Gazelle had quite a lead. He ran so fast he caught up, so fast that he was wearing his legs down. Shorter and shorter they got until his belly was dragging on the ground. Grandfather Gazelle was too tired to carry on, but so was Unenlagia who called after them “I’ll eat you and yours when I catch you!”

Raven hopped off and could now walk faster than Tortoise so he won of course and when Tortoise finally crawled up he was weeping. “Raven you have beaten me both fairly and with tricks and I have lost everything. And now Unenlagia will hunt me down and if not him then another. I cannot run, I cannot climb, I cannot fight, I will surely be killed.”

Raven felt sorry for the creature who had lost everything but gained humility and so he fetched clay from the banks of a nearby oasis, mixed it with some acacia sap from Grandmother Thorntree with his feet, rolled it into a ball and then dropped so that the bottom flattened. Then he pecked a hole right through it and said to Tortoise “Here, climb into this when danger comes and you can hide. Bright Treasure will soon bake it solid.”

Tortoise climbed in and the wisdom he had learnt told him to remain within and this is why tortoises now have beak like mouths, short stumpy legs and move so slowly with their shells on their backs.

Ohanzee has a love at first sight experience.... with a foreigner!

You want this to happen?

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 171):

Can it be a unicorn rider :)

Yes, great potential for conflicts, if it amounts to anything then there's the ribbing that a Raven shaman can expect increased many fold and if not there's the heartache, loads of RP potential :)
This message was last edited by the player at 20:12, Mon 20 Oct 2014.

The hard riding has made me think of the Oregon Trail game. I hope we won't have to ford any rivers!

Now you mention it...

Certainly if you wish to see the West bank, but the elders only asked you to scout this side.

If you're going to reach the big settlement, many channels will need fording/swimming or boating across.

How you lot will convince the rivermen to help you is anyones guess, as they rightly fear you as raiders and slavers.

Clearly the wisest course of action would be to enslave a river-man to get him to teach us! (not serious)

Makes me think of a Sound of Music/Paint Your Wagon mash-up.

I guess all I really want to do...is...sing...

*cue music*

Keeping slaves is part of your lifestyle. The group was travelling with one for a while in fact and your clan has scores and scores of them.

And the rivermen probably take nomads as slaves if they have the chance.

I know, just not something I would enjoy doing in the game OOC

Suggested river trickster spirit?

Not Otter.

Raccoon
Rat
Mink
This message was last edited by the player at 15:40, Wed 29 Oct 2014.

Plattipus :)

Not wrong there. Funny :)

The platypus is a trick, not a trickster : P

In reply to Tarnessh Listens-To-Silence (msg # 186):

I was thinking that moments ago :)
It was probably trickster that did it to him

Did you know they're really poisonous too. They have this little spur on their leg. I watched a documentary once where this Australian Vietnam vet was asked which was worse: getting blown up in nam or stung by the Platypus? (He'd had both happen). He said being stung!

In reply to GM (msg # 188):

I didn't know they are that poisonous, I thought something similar to a bee sting. When I was at school they had a stuffed one in the science department, they really do look like someone stuck different animals together.

and to continue the Australian theme a Kookaburra

Good contender, but maybe something other than another bird :?

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 191):

good point.
How about an eel? they are slippery like trickster.
or maybe he appears as a Will-o'-the-wisp to lure people in to quicksand or Mudshark's den. (murder aspect of trickster)

Frog.

In reply to Kobal (msg # 193):

Could be tricky keeping it wet enough on the plains though, maybe a toad.

It's a river trickster so the plains will be of little interest to it anyway. However, maybe too much overlap with Frogwoman.

Yeah, I thought of Frogwoman, but can't remember what she's about.

I think other suggestions like raccoon, eel, rat, mink are good.  Otherwise newt (too close to frog?), beaver, squid (changes colour, squirts ink to deceive), salmon.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:20, Thu 30 Oct 2014.

OK, Genert was the greatest giant to live in the Wastes (as it is now known), the ruler of Genert’s garden.

The Rangers are all about helping his cause and bringing life back to his garden.

And in all my time playing RQ I’ve never played a Cradle scenario (or read the material for that matter).

So I’m going to throw in here - The Rangers are called to help his descendants, to see to it that a giant’s cradle reaches the sea safely.

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 197):

I'm always up for outdoing Argrath

That is in ten years time, but i have ideas simmering to get you involved beforehand...

I always wanted to play Lunar Heroes who stop it.

There's an adventure in one of the Hearts in Glorantha mags with a mostali sub.....

Kingfisher, perchance?
Lovely plumage, everyone loves it, some bad habits, dab hand at stealing fish.

I've never played the Cradle either. Suspect we'd need to be a lot tougher first if we are to have a chance of living through it.

The cradle appears ten years from now, you should be rune levels by then.

Or ghosts :P

I always wanted to play as a member of a broo warband, but maybe that's just my evil side showing >)

Kingfisher it is. Great suggestion.

Okay, suggestions for what the Lunars found in Feroda?

Perhaps part of a giant's cradle, that the God Learners had been investigating in the Second Age.  And the Lunars are now continuing the search for other magical artifacts that might have been retrieved by the God Learners from the cradle.

In reply to GM (msg # 204):

A toe from the statue that becomes the watchdog of Corflu

I'm going to plum for the result of a God Learner experiment experiment. To many it looks to be a just a simple roughly carved humanoid statuette in stone that might not be considered magical and to those people it does not appear to be magical even to their own magics.

To a few though it appears to be a finely carved statuette, carved from an exquisite piece of ivory. It seems to radiate an inner light and there is a strange look of serenity on the ace of the handsome man depicted. And to a few of these few as they look upon the statuette a third eye opens in the centre of 's forehead and it smiles serenely filling them with a sense of calm and wellbeing.

To a few others the statuette appears as what they most wish it to be, a loved one, a long lost friend, themselves wielding some great power. It appears to be carved of what they hold dearest, be that gold, silver, lead or even flesh and it whispers to them secrets that they would wish to know and those that they might not now that they should wish for.

To a few others it instead appears as a mighty warrior carved of blackest obsidian standing with his hands resting on the hilt of a sword covered head to toe in armour , his face coverd by a full helm. And to a few of these few as they look upon the statuette it raises the visor to show a human face that splits into a grin. Then as teeth grow too large and the mouth is pushed into a muzzle and the features of a troll replace those of the human. These people are filled with a rage at the evils that seek to spread into the world and a compulsion to destroy them no matter the cost.

It is of course the result of a God Learner experiment to prove that Nysalor,Gibaji and Arkat were indeed one in the same.

Or how about a plain golden ring that shows darktongue writing only when plunged into fire for a while, remains cold tot he touch even after exposure to such fire and turns the wearer invisible by transporting them to a shadowy realm that overlaps the mundane one ;P

Hmmm a wholly original idea. I like it.... :)

Perhaps there's lots of these rings, but this one rules them all.

Given our players general disgust with Argrath and his legends, it'd be cool to do a HQ where  we can all kick his butt a bit.

Well they've not taken place yet so the best way to do that would be

A) become him yourself

B) thwart him at every chance and steal his thunder.

C)Do stuff far more awesome, uniting the Tribes, Green the wastes, awaken Tada (Become Tada).

E )Ignore him for the insignificant foreigner that he is.

D) Help the Lunars...

Remember that the Argrath that I am talking about is not the one who comes from Dragonpass, but the slave of the Bison Clan The White Bull.

It's a bit like Tada, Argrath could be a composite of many different heroes....Or just the one.....

Or be Arkat...

Pfft, I am going to be Amara and in the future they will go "Argrath...who?" instead of Amara Brightsky also known as The Iron Rain, Mistress of the Ghost Caravan, Lady of the Green, Matriarch of the Eternal Warband, Empress of the Shadow Rhino clan, Watcher of the Weather Witches, Slayer of the Crimson Bat, the Razoress, Bearer of the White Lance, Anointed WarKhan of the United Tribes of Prax, She who is also known as Tada, Gardener and Wandering Ranger.

D is out of order... Amara's Lunar magic trying to get us to choose that course!

The thing that bugs me about that out is that they do say "Oh Argrath could just be a composite of all these different people, totally, don't worry...Okay now all the other 50+ pages of material and background is going to be about this one dude named Argrath." Also why the fuck would the Nomads listen to Argrath? He's a foreigner. They're barely likely to not enslave him, let alone actually take orders from him. He doesn't even know the Peaceful Cut.

In reply to Tarnessh Listens-To-Silence (msg # 45):

From what I understand he is a Praxian slave or at least someone who embraced their way of life, but they listen to him because he fits the prophecy of the White Bull. Folk like prophecies. I would think he knows the peaceful cut especially as he leads the society of the White Bull.

Freed slaves becoming part of the Clan is a thing in Prax, and I think someone who earns the trust of the clan is treated as one of their own. Plus he killed the Anxank
http://glorantha.wikia.com/wiki/Anxank

I don't see anywhere where they listen to the Argrath in Pavis.

Just thought of another way to purify the Giant Finger Holes and that would be to get a lot of Zola Fel Initiates and Priests to come there and purify it in a big ceremony. In Heroquest they can use their Water Rune to purify water. Perhaps a communal heroquest would work.

Awakening the water spirit of the place? encouraging a new one to take up there? Moving the water nymph or causing a serpent to divert there during sea season?

Well Salen has been working toward moving the water nymph ever since he left that ravine. But that all sounds like a plan.

How about a "Waterbringers" quest, along the lines of the Lightbringers but bringing back a dead river or water spirit. Maybe even a quest to birth a new one!

Seven seems to be a magic number for these, the seven Lightbringers, the Seven Mothers... We have too many PC's... no wait, that's some time off I'm sure we'd have lost some by then :P

Sorry missed this.

Well no one has tried to contact the water spirit at the GFH's yet. Perhaps it is dead. Birthing a new one is a nice idea. Though we have spoken of encouraging the water nymph to go there. She'd just need the water cleaned with the help of Kinope.

Thinking about Tada today.

He helped Eiritha hide from Chaos. So he would have magic to help Earth Cultists hide perhaps?

That would leave the pool she was in without one... Maybe Salen could get together with her as it were and... ahem... be the daddy...

Yes, that has been on Salen's agenda for quite some time! Don't think I was terribly active when Kinope was around and there always seemed to be something else going on at the GFH, so the pool still needs cleansed and attempts made at contact with any water spirit there.

But the Nymph would certainly go to the GFH - Salen knows this.

So the earth/water ritual

You lot can come up with ideas on how to run it and what it involves. It will be a heroquest of sorts, one taking place in your world.

Who wishes to be the River and who wishes to be their Earth consort?

Might be interested in playing the River, though if anyone but Amara volenteers to be the Earthly consort then eing a Raven it might be difficult not to at least have one or two jokes in there ;)

Some thoughts on the form of the ritual:

Runes of course, Water flowing through the Earth with Fertility there fr good measure.

Dancing and music... for the music how about there are pots formed of the Earth (enchanted clay like the slabs) which are filled to various levels with water to form different sounds when struck. The priest and priestess had to go do some preparations, maybe forming these was part of this.

Given his links to all things water-related (whether you're aware of them or not!) I think Salen would make a good candidate for the Serpent.

Have an image of rising out of the water like Martin Sheen (Capt Willard) on his way to assassinate Marlon Brando (Colonel Kurtz) toward the end of Apocalypse Now!

Tarosh can probably make a claim to being the Serpent too as he has a Water rune.

Decide IC as I enjoy the arguments.

If the ritual is a success and since the Rangers are the playing the part of the seeds in this fertility rite, then wouldn't it be fun if there were some unexpected effect, they become ultra fertile for a time or something else Fertility, Water or Earth related.

A band of pregnant Rangers... why am I thinking Vivian from The Young Ones?

A very good idea. There will be all sorts of adverse  or favourable outcomes depending on how it all goes. The more input from you lot the higher likely hood of success.

LOL! I really like that. Guess we could produce a whole bunch of twins/triplets, or something like that (we would have to find wives/husbands, obviously)? Or our herd beasts could do the same, or both?

So we need a summoning song and an answering song and then maybe a joining song too.

Anyway,
For a of the gifts that we throw,
Tell me up the hill will this river flow.

Anyway,
For the toads that are dead dead,
Tell me why does the River run red.

Anyway,
For the happy couple unseen
Tell me will the land above turn green.

And anyway,
For a of the gifts that we throw,
Tell me up the hill will this river flow.

:P

Or... Henal becomes the Earth so well that he becomes she :D

Just thought i'd stick this here so we're all on the same page re upcoming initiations.

Initiations

Waha
Dark Season/Death Week/Godsday
Kobal for certain, but this is open to all the males and advisable.

Foundchild
Sacred time
Salen, great hunt. + brother dog .

Vinga
Storm Season/Movement Week/Windsday
Amara at the Pairing stone

Issaries
Wildday of Luck Week during Sacred Time
Hoskar. Sacred Time.


Orlanth
Storm Season/Movement Week/Windsday
?

Shaman apprentices: All next year. So folk must return to their shamans.

Rough Timeline

Finsih Harpies.

Back to GFH

Back to clan

Waha initiations.

Then To Pavis, escorting Angelika.

Then to Pairing Stone for Vingan initiation 8 weeks later.

Sacred Time Issaries Initiation and Great Hunt
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:29, Thu 01 Oct 2015.

This will give you approx 4 weeks in Pavis/Big Rubble and will then have you all up in the Northern parts of Prax proper.

In Pavis I'm tempted to throw in some side references to the other RQ games I've played there just as asides, trying to remember who was in those games on RPG.net.

Particularly thinking back to http://forum.rpg.net/showthrea...dles-IC-RuneQuest-II

I was in that one. It was good.

Back to the present, considering where the river originates (Genert's palace or at least the site of) it makes sense that it must carry some of the magic of the place.

That makes sense, though in practice I'm not sure what the effect is. I do know that if it can be cleansed then it would be a massive boost to the efforts :)

Quest to persuade a contingent of elves get sent from the Garden to tend the hidden valley and the ancient tree.

In reply to Ohanzee Shappa (msg # 239):

I don't think Ohanzee or Melock should be involved with this quest :)

Perhaps you should bring back some proof of what has happened.

We can ask the tree for a piece of it, a living piece like a seed or a leaf, a branch or a flower... gotta keep it living then though, maybe regular gifts of POW to it.

A seed would be best as that doesn't need so much looking after.

That would be easiest, but is easiest best, or something with a little more challenge ;)

The Second Age Trading House? Perhaps that was set up to facilitate a route to Teshnos?

I wonder when the Long Nose Tribe vanished? Perhaps they had something to do with the trade route back in the day.

In reply to GM (msg # 245):

There's an interesting idea or two!

27,000 :)

Yeah I've been thinking about elephants a lot the last few days and were they all went.

They packed their trunks and left :P

Didn't there used to be 3 legged elephants of mammoths in Prax? I have this very vague memory of hearing/reading that somewhere.

Never heard that to be honest.

These are the Long Noses of Prax


And the Nose-Horn, ridden by pygmies, the smaller horns would be closer to the nose.

This message was last edited by the GM at 12:31, Tue 24 Nov 2015.

The Garden in the Big Rubble

Deliver the seed.

Where are the Aldryami Lords or White Elves?

Where is the Copper Rod?

In reply to GM (msg # 250):

Redwood forest, north of the Pairing Stones would be a good refuge for the Aldryami lords as its an ancient forest or if you want us to travel even further there's High Wood, north of the eastern Rockwood mountains :)
Or going the other way, which would link in nicely  to the trading outpost, the Forest of Glass

The Golden Age or God time...

What, where the White Elves are, or perhaps more correctly when?

There might be remnants in a forest in Pent (can't remember the name) but they disappeared in the dark age.

They can be found by heroquesting.

or by going to the Garden...

The cut scene gave me an idea. Impress the Aldryami Lords so much they let us plant an elf bow seed.

Moving the river

Waha and the River sounds more up my street since the change.

So you will need to find a serpent who is willing to move. Or find out what happened to the water spirit in the GFHs: Perhaps it needs to be freed with Eiritha's axe.

Then bring the  catfish and ask the Rhino gorge water spirit to relocate.

On the subject of a serpent who is wiling to move... What might work is finding a seasonal serpent and offering assistance to give them a year round presence so long as it is to the GFH.

Actually I want to investigate the real life (mundane) serpent in the GFH. Is it a real life one or a serpent forced into that form or who has taken that form and remains there as a survival method to persist despite the corruption?

Might be a well spirit or pool spirit.

As a side job, if we happen to find ourselves in the neighbourhood of the Ostrich Grasslands on the west side of Krajalki Bog, or the Paps, I'd like to try to contact the Big Pecker clan wyter (or ask the local spirits / priestesses for news of it). It's not something I'd ask for a detour for, just as and when. Possibly, it makes more sense to wait to pursue this until the character has more power on the spirit plane.

In reply to Temush Blinking-cloud (msg # 261):

We could head there on our way back from Pavis.

The Three Bean Circus visit visit the camp and a fun time is had by all. But as well as coming to spread Harmony generally they have come to seek the aid of the Wandering Rangers.

The Eiritha priestess at Agape was seeking an answer to a problem they are facing there and had a vision in which she saw some of the Wandering Rangers perform a pilgrimage from the source of the Zola Fel to the mouth of the river.

They have someone there under their protection who needs to perform the Cleansed One quest and they want them escorted to the source of the river.

I like that.

Expect some angst from the earthbird-seat if it's a penitent broo that were are invited to safeguard...

And so it has begun...

Ostrich broo?

I had in mind the rhino broo that escaped the trading camp by taking Melock in the fight.

If it's an ostrich broo then it could be as good as kith and kin for Khan Temush if i was born from the union of a sentient ostrich from his clan ambushed in the bolder field to the East of Rhino Gouge.

Perhaps the wyter has taken it over? Or has something to do with it.

How about the wyter has passively possessed it and been talking to it, desperate to keep the clan in existence and therefore maintain it's purpose. It's persuaded it that its heritage is worth striving for.

How big would a Giant Pangolin have to be to eat a scorpionman? Lost tribe?

Big as a Rhino.

Okay Waha initiation quest.

http://basicroleplaying.org/to...nt&comment=79125

This is your thang so what would you like it to include. I think Waha and the Feathered Rivals makes sense.

Is it about working together or what?

Either that or one where you must speak with the spirits of the land, recognise them and get them to help you.

Waha and the spirits of the land.

I want to avoid anything to do with Greening the land as this is about Waha and looking after his people.

I think that if it's Waha and the Feathered Rivals then it wouldn't be about working together as the here and now is the first time they've worked together isn't it? That's not to say that quest wouldn't be good.

Waha and the spirits of the land could be good too. We could work our way though appropriate ones for us each or random.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:31, Tue 25 Oct 2016.

Good point.

I think that Waha and the spirits of the land is the most fitting for us.

Spirits of the land sounds fine to me.
The other possibility I was thinking of was Founding and establishing the customs of the tribes.  My thought was that if the Rangers are to unite the tribes, then knowing how the customs were set up can help in changing those customs.

Is it normal for the Waha initiation to be a group thing? I can understand that a group of braves might initiate at the same time, but in the case of initiation into Waha would they not be individual initiations, testing the brave in one or more aspects of their suitability as an initiate, or emulation of Waha or some aspect of him?

I've been told off site that they'd do it all together. Though I don't see why you can't do it singularly. To be honest I'm not up for doing half a dozen separate threads so will do one together, sorry.

No sure, totally understand that. Well if we do go for spirits of the land then perhaps we should each take an appropriate one. For me that would be a disorderly, dark or aqueous one most likely :)

Also, in the interests of not holding up those not taking part, how about just posting the ceremony and response?

definitely easier to do us all together, but it risks being a bit boring for those not taking part.