Rat's Nest 1/ratsnest1.iso/incoming/rqkamaa.arj/SUP02

Text File | 1994-03-07 | 11KB | 253 lines

Supplement #2

First Distribution:  July 18,  1989

This supplement:
    A Campaign Mythology            (Richard Nuttall)

---

From: Richard Nuttall <[e-mail]>

Subject: A Campaign Mythology (part 1)

This is part 1 of a multi-part explanation of the mythology that I use in my
campaign.  Before I can do this, I will need to give some idea of how the
rest of the campaign world operates.

I use essentially Runequest III, with several modifications. The magic system
used is only Spirit magic, since I use Stormbringer magic for the higher level
magic system. This developed from the realisation the RQII got fairly gross at
high levels, while Stormbringer was boring until you started gettting hold of
demon weapons, etc.

RQ and Stormbringer fit together very well. In my system, RQ cults provide the
lesser gods, Stormbringer provides the Greater gods of Law and Chaos and
there is the balance overseeing all.

There are very few 'MONSTERS' in my game since I consider that "The nastiest
monsters are humans". There are correspondingly few 'MONSTER' cults.

I have actually developed another magic system, based on the Many-Coloured
Land books by Julian May. Unfortunately, the system does not work very well
as a mainstay magic system, so only a very few powerful NPCs can use or even
know of this type of magic.

The Lesser Gods are based on the Norse mythology. This was a polytheistic
system, so I have kept that part in my game.

Unfortunately, I don't have the book I used for source material any more, so
I can't give the actual mythological background to the gods. This does not
matter much, since I run each of the cults as separate.

I view the Lesser gods and their magic as intrinsic, that is generated within
the self. Thus, if you learn a bladesharp spell, what you are learning is a
concentration technique, which, when activated improves the caster's skill
with the weapon. This reasoning works quite well for most spells, but does
breakdown in some cases. The phrase that sums it up is 'Mind Over Matter'.

The above reasoning means that it does not matter whether the gods exist or
not, since it is the belief of the people in the god which is important. This
belief can affect the God (e.g. Thor) and the way it is perceived. The power
of the God depends on the number, power and belief of the believers.

Note: This is not true of Stormbringer Gods, which can be thought of as having
a separate existance, they ARE, and their followers do not so much believe in
the God as follow the God.

Runes mentioned below are identical to RQ runes, except where noted at the
bottom. Rune names in brackets are secondary runic associations.


SUMMARY of the Gods and their associations.

NAME        Title                    Associated Runes

ODIN        Father of Gods and Men            SPIRIT  (MAN)
FRIGGA        Queen of the Gods            HARMONY (LIFE)
THOR        The Thunderer                THUNDER (DEATH)
TYR        God of War                WARRIOR
BRAGI        God of poetry                CONSTRAINT
IDUN        Goddess of youth and Immortality    YOUTH   (INFINITY)
NIORD          God of the Winds            AIR
FREY        God of the Elves            PLANT
FREYA        Goddess of love                FERTILITY
ULLER        God of water                WATER   (FISH)
FORSETI        God of Justice and Truth        TRUTH
HEIMDALL    Watchman of the Gods            EYE
HERMOD        God of Speed and Mobility        MOBILITY
VIDAR        The silent God                EARTH
VALI        God of Eternal light and the Sun    FIRE
HEL        Goddess of Death            DEATH
AEGIR        God of the Sea                SEA
BALDER        God of Light and Beauty            LIGHT
LOKI        God of Evil and Deceit            ILLUSION
WYRD        Goddess of Fate                FATE
HOLDUR        God of Darkness                DARKNESS
FENRIS        Wolf                    WOLF

Rune descriptions :
THUNDER        a 'T'.                   /|\
WARRIOR        an upwards pointing arrow |.
CONSTRAINT     vertical bar with a bar from northwest to southeast through it.
YOUTH        an 'X'.
FERTILITY    \/
                <>
                /\
FISH               ><> (stylised fish. should have rounded corners).
EYE        diamond with dot in centre.      /.\
                                                \ /
SEA        \|/   (trident)
                 |
LIGHT                      /_    (lightning symbol)
                            /
WOLF            \ V /  'W' made from two 'V's, centre parts overlap.
                 V V



*******************************************************************************************

ODIN, Father of Gods and Men, The Allfather.        Rune : SPIRIT (MAN)

Odin is the default God. All people who don't actively subscribe to a
particular cult will tend to belong to Odin's temple. Most city admin.
is done by the local Odin temple.

In my main city, YX, Odin's temple does all the day to day admin of the whole
city. Odin's temple recognised the need for different cults and beliefs, and
thus, in YX, the main temple has subsections for the main other aspects, CHAOS
and LAW, LIFE and DEATH, TRUTH and ILLUSION, LIGHT and DARKNESS.

Odin is NOT the god for a player character to chose. Although the main priests
of the temple are powerful, they have taken 20 years of training to get there
and they are totelly dedicated to the cult and their particular city, never
leaving it.

Since this is not a PC cult, I have not filled it in in detail. If you use the
cult in a city, just create some NPC priests, who have a lot of defensive RQ,
but who otherwise are fairly tame. They should be well respected by everyone,
even their enemies.

******************************************************************************

FRIGGA, Queen of the Gods, Goddess of Harmony.   Rune : HARMONY (LIFE, BEAST)

Frigga was originally followed by those who wanted someone to look to. The cult
developed, however, into a cult devoted to animals. This developed further into
the idea of animals as familiars, and from there into the possibility of a
shape change from human to and from animal form.

The cult likes all peaceful cults and hate any that would harm animals. They
particularly dislike Fenris' cult.

Temples are very rare, and usually worshippers must go to visit one of the
priests, usually a hermit.

LAY MEMBERS
Anyone is accepted, so long as they swear to protect animals. (this vow is not
enforced by retribution, but members harming animals will be expelled from the
cult).

Lay members are taught The Peaceful Cut. (Members are allowed to eat meat, but
must have repect for the animals they kill and only kill to eat).

First Aid skills can be used on animals at full value, or an Animal Lore skill
can be used as if it were a First aid roll for animals.

The Animal Lore skill is moved to 20% + Know. bonus. This takes 2 weeks of
training and teaching at normal rates.

Half the Animal Lore skill can be added to the track skill when tracking
animals.

Animal Lore and Track can be learned at half price.

INITIATE MEMBERSHIP

The new member must chose a particular animal as familiar. They will specialise
in this animal and further gains in Animal Lore skill will relate only to this
particular animal.

After initiation, which requires no special ceremony, the human and the animal
must share their lives as much as possible.

As the Animal Lore of the human goes up, he gains spells directly as a result
of the gain in Lore, (not needing special training).

A. Lore skill    Spell                Who on        Power reqd.

20%        Xenoheal            own animal        1
30%        Speak to animal            own animal        1
30%        Xenoheal            any animal        1
40%        Speak to animal            any animal        1
40%        Mindspeech            own animal        1
50%        Mindspeech            any animal        1
50%        Mindspeech + sound        own animal        2
60%        Mindspeech + sound        any animal        2
60%        Mindspeech + sound + vision    own animal        3
70%        Mindspeech + sound + vision    any animal        3
80%        SYMBIOSIS
90%        SHAPE CHANGE

Xenoheal is as Healing, but works on the animal.

Speak to animal is a vocalisation which the animal can understand. Level of
comprehension will depend on the intelligence of the animal and the complexity
of the message. The animal can reply in a simlilar fashion (assuming it can
make a noise).

Mindspeech is as per RQ spell, with comprehension as above.

Mindspeech with sound will allow the human to hear the sounds that the animal
can hear. The level of sound is  dependent on the animals ability to hear.

Mindspeech with vision will allow the human to see through the eyes of the
animal. What is seen depends on the animal's vision.

SYMBIOSIS is a major ceremony, which must take place when the human's Animal
Lore skill is >= 80%. The pair must find a quiet place where there will
not be disturbed for a whole week. Taking up the entire last day of the week,
is the symbiosis spell. During the ritual, which involves much meditation and
mindspeech, the human and the animal must share blood. At the end of the spell,
both the human and animal cast all but 1 POW into the spell. A percentile dice
roll must be made, under ((Animal Lore skill - 80%)*3 + POW cast*3 + hours
spent in ritual). Failure means that both the human and the animal die. (The
player should be made aware that a roll will be made, but not exactly what the
calculation is. Perhaps say something like "high Animal Lore and a long ritual
will help".)

Although this is a dangerous ritual, the benefits are large.
After Symbiosis, both human and animal are considered priests of the cult. Each
may use the hit points and POW of the other. If the animal dies, the human
loses 1 CON + D20/D10 SAN (I use Call of Cthulhu SAN in my game, you might
like to make it 2 CON instead if you don't use SAN).
The human may now cast the mindspeech spells  at -1 POW. (i.e. mindspeech to
the human's own animal is free).
The animal may now cast the mindspeech spells at the same cost as the human,
and also Protection, Heal, Ironclaw if known by the human.

SHAPE CHANGE allows the human to change shape to that of the animal. The human
retains his own INT and POW and takes the other characteristics from his
familiar. Damage and lost POW sustained while changed are kept on return, to
heal and recover as normal. The power cost of the spell in (100 -Animal Lore
skill), or 0 if the Animal Lore skill is 100+.


******************************************************************************

Wait for the next installment of this multi-part series.
I would be very interested in any feedback, whether constructive criticism or
questions.

******************************************************************************
Copyright Richard Nuttall 1989.
PERMISSON GRANTED TO COPY THIS WORK FOR PRIVATE USE. THIS WORK MUST NOT BE SOLD
IN ANY FORM WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR.
******************************************************************************

Richard Nuttall               |    ukc!stc!datlog!torch!richard
Torch Technology Ltd.         |    [e-mail]
Cambridge England             |    0223 841000 X 308