Humakt and Undead

[Exubae]

Just wondering how prominent undead are in the 2nd age?

From the Humakt cult desciption he comes over as Van-Helsingy style figure but there do not seem to be the major centres of Undeath that there are in the 3rd Age (Upland Marsh/Vampire Legions of Lunare Empire etc).

This could be due to Humakti being more active... of course.

Humakt seems a little odd, his 'mythic self' seems a bit distorted or lost:
Banish Ghost would have fiited along side Turn undead.
As he seperates the living from the dead, breaks the bonds that ties a ghost to a location.

Been thinking about the 'Sever spirit' - it would perhaps have been better to have (even in the earlier editions) had this a weapon (sword) effecting magic.
From the 'Myths' of Humakt I've viewed in the past he rarely used such an indirect approach, always used his blade (or used him as a blade).

Digressed abit there.. oh well.

 

[TRose]

As far as Vampires In 2nd age. The Vampire in the Elder Wilds mention in Griffin Mountian I think was at large in 2nd age. And in Shadows over the Borderland, there a Vampire nest with Vampires hibernating since the 2nd age.
and I think Carmania has always had plenty of Vampires, like Dorestor.
And is it all that hard to se some God learners becoming Vampires to extend their studies?

 

[Rurik]

As far as Vampires In 2nd age. The Vampire in the Elder Wilds mention in Griffin Mountian I think was at large in 2nd age. And in Shadows over the Borderland, there a Vampire nest with Vampires hibernating since the 2nd age.
and I think Carmania has always had plenty of Vampires, like Dorestor.
And is it all that hard to se some God learners becoming Vampires to extend their studies?

Regarding God Learners and Vampirism: There is certainly NOT vampires present in the Duchy of Tanisor in Seshnela. Duke Langila himself has assured me of this.

See page 88 of GtSA for reference.

 

[homerjsinnott]

Doesn't Sever Spirit exist as the spell Flay Soul, pp38 MoG?


Which is a bit poor in my opinion (not the spell, the messing about).

 

[simonh]

This could be due to Humakti being more active... of course.

That's a very good point. Arkat was a 'son of Humakt' so the Dark Empire probably had them coming out of it's ears. The Carmanians have Humati anti-undead magic at their disposal and they recently kicked the shit out of the Spolite Empire, which are prime candidates for WMD (Weapons of the Massed Dead - couldn't resist). However there are remnants still active and the Carmanians have their eye off the Spolite ball in their struggle against the Wyrmfriends.

There is a band of undead bandits mentioned in GTSA that's based in Fronella.

Humakt seems a little odd, his 'mythic self' seems a bit distorted or lost:
Banish Ghost would have fiited along side Turn undead.
As he seperates the living from the dead, breaks the bonds that ties a ghost to a location.

It's debatable. I certainly can see a case for a specialist subcult, but ghosts aren't really considered undead in Glorantha. They are clearly dead, but you make a good case.

Re. Sever Spirit:

From the 'Myths' of Humakt I've viewed in the past he rarely used such an indirect approach, always used his blade (or used him as a blade).

I think that's the point. In a Sever Spirit the soul of the caster is the sword.

 

[kintire]

Many of the divine spells represent the use of a god's artifact in the real world. Orlanth's Lightning Spear, for example. Sever Spirit is using Humakt's sword (Death), and will appear that way on the Hero Plane, and possibly to someone using some sort of magical vision in the real world.

 

[Exubae]

It's debatable. I certainly can see a case for a specialist subcult, but ghosts aren't really considered undead in Glorantha. They are clearly dead, but you make a good case.

Still old Humakt went about seperating the living from the dead as much as he stop the rise of undead abominations.

2nd ed Bind Ghost was wrong on all levels for Humakt, its bind and spirit into the physical world so its probably good its gone. (mind you, old Blue in the Snake pipe hollow made a frightening opponent).

Perhaps Humakti should be able to invoke psychopomp's - Summoning servant/aspect of Issaries or Ty Kor Tek to whisk off the soul to its appointed afterlife. (in the case of Orlanthi at least)

Big problem with old Humakt in the 2nd Age he lack his god of endings perspective and has become a specialised Undead slayer. Its not that Humakt is bad he just seem to express his mythology very well.

I think that's the point. In a Sever Spirit the soul of the caster is the sword.

Just thinking of ways to make Sever spirit more palitable.
Mind you with Hero points, you get to re-roll a failed roll so really there are enough cushions to catch a PC who's got reasonably bad luck.
So can't see the problem with Sever spirit.

 

[soltakss]

Well, Delecti hasn't gone loopy yet, so he might not have undead, but there again he might be experimenting with the boundary between life and death at the moment.

Zorakarkat would allow zombies and mummies quite happily, so trollish areas of the Dark Empire would have had undead. Arkat Humaktsson wouldn't like them much, though. After Arkat went belly-up, his influence wouldn't have been that great.

Trolls have zombies, skeletons and mummies through Zorak Zoran and Subere, who even has wraiths and ghouls. So trollish undead should be around, but not that common.

Dorastor is still waking up, so Neverdead might be there and might not, but that is a very localised phenomenon.

Earth crypts such as Necropolis might have zombies wandering around, assuming Necropolis predates the Second Age.

Vampires were around very strongly in the First Age, but were associated with Gbaji, for some reason, and were stamped on pretty hard by Arkat and his minions. Some of them went to sleep, some of then went to ground, some of them fled to other areas. So, there's scope for vampires in the Second Age.

The Kralorelans used zombie rowers for their galleys, but I'm not sure if that applies in the Second Age. I can see the Godlearners not seeing a problem with this idea and using it for their own ships.

Since Humakt has anti-Undead magic, very prominently, this implies that undead are still a problem.

 

[TRose]

Another source for undead would be Thanatar. After all Thanatar is a "Gift" the Godlearners made for Glorantha.

 

[homerjsinnott]

Another source for undead would be Thanatar. After all Thanatar is a "Gift" the Godlearners made for Glorantha.

I can't tell you how happy that makes me (no, really it does).


My favourite god.