Question on sorcery

[smiorgan]

Hi all!

From an old RQ fan newly registered. I haven't the companion yet, so I have a few questions on the Sorcery and Divine Magic, etc.

First, are there rules for creating sorcerer's familiars?

Smiorgan

 

[Vadrus]

Hi all!

From an old RQ fan newly registered. I haven't the companion yet, so I have a few questions on the Sorcery and Divine Magic, etc.

First, are there rules for creating sorcerer's familiars?

Smiorgan

No, there are no rules for familiars, etc in the companion.


Vadrus

 

[smiorgan]

:?

This is a bit disappointing. No summoning, no familiars. It seems we have to wait for Magic of Glorantha for advanced sorcery.

I hope that the Lankhmar book will contain some substantial info on sorcery in the world of Newhon.

Smiorgan

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

:?

This is a bit disappointing. No summoning, no familiars. It seems we have to wait for Magic of Glorantha for advanced sorcery.

I hope that the Lankhmar book will contain some substantial info on sorcery in the world of Newhon.

Smiorgan

Familiars are mostly dealt with in Cults of Glorantha, as I recall.

And the Lankhmar book has rules for Black Magic in the appendix. But they're certainly not designed for PCs. It's dangerous and nasty stuff.

 

[smiorgan]

Familiars are mostly dealt with in Cults of Glorantha, as I recall.

And the Lankhmar book has rules for Black Magic in the appendix. But they're certainly not designed for PCs. It's dangerous and nasty stuff.

Ok, it makes sense: familiars and allied spirits treated together I guess.

Lankhmar: OK, it is coherent with the setting. No one wants to degenerate like Hristomilo the Sorcerer! But, I'd expect a little dabbling in minor magics from the PCs, like the Grey Mouser.

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

Familiars are mostly dealt with in Cults of Glorantha, as I recall.

And the Lankhmar book has rules for Black Magic in the appendix. But they're certainly not designed for PCs. It's dangerous and nasty stuff.

Ok, it makes sense: familiars and allied spirits treated together I guess.

Lankhmar: OK, it is coherent with the setting. No one wants to degenerate like Hristomilo the Sorcerer! But, I'd expect a little dabbling in minor magics from the PCs, like the Grey Mouser.

Yeah, pretty much.

Actually, a note on this while I still remember. There's minor hedge magic, which is basically prophecy and fortune-telling on Lankhmar's street corners.

Then there's Black Magic (Sorcery) as practised by the evildoers out there who need their heads cracked. Characters can learn a little bit of this and not get too crazy, but it's clearly Very Bad Juju. Even the Mouser only does it once, when he's a kid, basically. Every other time he does stuff like this, it's on loan from Sheelba.

However, there are artefacts like wands and one-use scrolls that can be used without the caster degenerating. They still have to be made by accomplished (and therefore probably evil or at least morally grey) black magicians, but if Sheelba or Ningauble hand out a 'rune' like the spell the Grey Mouser used to zap the Quarmallian magicians, the character can read the spell, do the zapping, and not worry about his knuckles going all gross and his hair falling out. They're mainly limited-use deals, though.

These 'foci' are pretty rare. Short of Sheelba and Ningauble (or similar patrons with occasional generosity) the characters are unlikely to come across them that much, unless it's the business (and therefore bad) end of such artefacts.

Beyond that, you can dabble in Sorcery. But it's bad news. Getting the atmosphere of magic right was one of the parts I paid most attention to, despite the fact it was a much smaller subject and chapter than most of the others.

 

[smiorgan]

Getting the atmosphere of magic right was one of the parts I paid most attention to, despite the fact it was a much smaller subject and chapter than most of the others.

And you got it right I guess. What you said really really shows a close reading of the stories!

Having one use runes and wands given by patrons -and accompained by vague and ominous warnings - is also a lot of fun to play: "Should I use it now or save it for the monent things go really bad? Is this the right way to use this strange thing?"

 

[Colonel_Jenkins]

Familiars are mostly dealt with in Cults of Glorantha, as I recall.

And the Lankhmar book has rules for Black Magic in the appendix. But they're certainly not designed for PCs. It's dangerous and nasty stuff.

Ok, it makes sense: familiars and allied spirits treated together I guess.

Lankhmar: OK, it is coherent with the setting. No one wants to degenerate like Hristomilo the Sorcerer! But, I'd expect a little dabbling in minor magics from the PCs, like the Grey Mouser.

Yeah, pretty much.

Actually, a note on this while I still remember. There's minor hedge magic, which is basically prophecy and fortune-telling on Lankhmar's street corners.

Then there's Black Magic (Sorcery) as practised by the evildoers out there who need their heads cracked. Characters can learn a little bit of this and not get too crazy, but it's clearly Very Bad Juju. Even the Mouser only does it once, when he's a kid, basically. Every other time he does stuff like this, it's on loan from Sheelba.

However, there are artefacts like wands and one-use scrolls that can be used without the caster degenerating. They still have to be made by accomplished (and therefore probably evil or at least morally grey) black magicians, but if Sheelba or Ningauble hand out a 'rune' like the spell the Grey Mouser used to zap the Quarmallian magicians, the character can read the spell, do the zapping, and not worry about his knuckles going all gross and his hair falling out. They're mainly limited-use deals, though.

These 'foci' are pretty rare. Short of Sheelba and Ningauble (or similar patrons with occasional generosity) the characters are unlikely to come across them that much, unless it's the business (and therefore bad) end of such artefacts.

Beyond that, you can dabble in Sorcery. But it's bad news. Getting the atmosphere of magic right was one of the parts I paid most attention to, despite the fact it was a much smaller subject and chapter than most of the others.

This sounds excellent. I'll probably pick this up regardless of whether I get into MRQ as a whole.