Cleombrotus
Mongoose
Has anyone come across any decent ideas about what this actually is/does? Are Mongoose developing it?
The Battle Banner of the EWF
- Thread starter Cleombrotus
- Start date
Loz
Mongoose
It would most likely incorporate the EWF rune and, perhaps, a dragon swallowing its own tail (the Orobouros). Or a dragon rising from the landscape. Or something else, deeply mystical and utterly draconic.
Perhaps you should post this question over on the World of Glorantha email list. I bet it would spark a lively debate (or not...)
Perhaps you should post this question over on the World of Glorantha email list. I bet it would spark a lively debate (or not...)
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
I will eventually, but i'm interested in a runequest answer rather than the esoteric stuff that usually comes in the replies over there, and since Mongoose have the second age, then I thought that it belonged here. Thus far Greg has confirmed that it is a physical artefact rather than an allegory, and that it is as you describe in physical terms.
It was lost to history when the True Golden Horde burned the capital of the EWF, which is why it is such a cool possibility for adventure, since no-one knows what happened to it between its "loss" and "Argrath's" unfurling of it. Effects that I have found are breathing fire on an army a mile away (I always thought of it as a 'lost ark' kind of thing, even down to the idea of "The army that carries the ark is invincible" which has been said about the Banner), and the summoning of a Ghost Army (presumably dead EWF warriors, the so called undefeated "Second Army").
It was lost to history when the True Golden Horde burned the capital of the EWF, which is why it is such a cool possibility for adventure, since no-one knows what happened to it between its "loss" and "Argrath's" unfurling of it. Effects that I have found are breathing fire on an army a mile away (I always thought of it as a 'lost ark' kind of thing, even down to the idea of "The army that carries the ark is invincible" which has been said about the Banner), and the summoning of a Ghost Army (presumably dead EWF warriors, the so called undefeated "Second Army").
Loz
Mongoose
The members of the Eternal Dragon Ring - Isgangdrang, Lord Great Burin and others - exhibit these kinds of power, so perhaps the banner acts as a focus for either drawing together the EDR or channels EDR powers through to the champions of the EWF armies. Either way, an awesome artefact.
I don't think there is a purely RQ answer. This kind of question involves the sort of answer that, inevitably, involves some sort of esoteric response
. Greg's very involved with with things such as the Second Age and the EWF/EDR and will have some defined thoughts on what you're posing - as will others like Jeff Richard, who've done a lot of work on this part of Glorantha. Greg doesn't drop by these boards, although Jeff does from time to time, but Greg is active over on WoG, so if you're looking for a definitive answer, that's the best place to ask the question.Any RQ answer on this would most likely be sourced through Greg, Jeff and others anyway. That's certainly how I'd approach it if I was, say, writing the 'Glorantha: the Second Age - Secrets of the EWF' book (which I'm not, but would like to...
)For the look of the EWF banner have a look at:
http://www.glorantha.com/products/images/cover4500.jpg
Delete all the script and put the EWF rune in the place where "King of Sartar" has been. Voila!
For the powers... Maybe the banner gives command over all draconic things in sight? Or something like that.
http://www.glorantha.com/products/images/cover4500.jpg
Delete all the script and put the EWF rune in the place where "King of Sartar" has been. Voila!
For the powers... Maybe the banner gives command over all draconic things in sight? Or something like that.
Loz
Mongoose
Mage said:
The Eternal Dragon Ring. The uber- head honchos of the EWF. Members of the EDR are on the verge of transformation into draconic form and some have achieved it (Lorenkarten the Mile, Isgangdrang and Lord Great Burin) whilst one, Obduran the Flyer, has actively achieved full transcendence. Those that have a draconic form are not true dragons because, essentially, they still have a human aspect and are mortal.
There's more on the EDR to be found in 'Dara Happa Stirs' and in the Stafford Library, such as 'History of the Heortling Peoples'. The Golden Dragon Sun of Dara Happa is an EDR mystic who has ascended to the Golden Dragon status, but he's still a mortal being.
To be honest, in the last few years Greg and I have spent a lot more time in the Second Age than in the Third. We might well end up doing a special book on the EWF - expanding on what we wrote in History of the Heortling Peoples. The Battle Banner has a role to play not only with the EWF, but later with Argrath.
This would be a great question to ask Greg and I about at the Tentacles panel.
Loz said:Any RQ answer on this would most likely be sourced through Greg, Jeff and others anyway. That's certainly how I'd approach it if I was, say, writing the 'Glorantha: the Second Age - Secrets of the EWF' book (which I'm not, but would like to...
BTW, Greg and I would be very happy to work with Loz on such a project!
Jeff
The EWF Battle Banner is quite important if you have battles with the EWF.
I am surprised it hasn't been mentioned before.
It must be knocking about somewhere, unl;ess it hasn't been unfurled yet.
We should have some RQ treatment of it. I can't believe that it transcends game rules and can only be described in non-RQ terms. After all, we have RQ descriptions of Draconic Mysticism, something that HeroQuest has never managed.
So, come on, give us the EWF and give us stats.
I am surprised it hasn't been mentioned before.
It must be knocking about somewhere, unl;ess it hasn't been unfurled yet.
We should have some RQ treatment of it. I can't believe that it transcends game rules and can only be described in non-RQ terms. After all, we have RQ descriptions of Draconic Mysticism, something that HeroQuest has never managed.
So, come on, give us the EWF and give us stats.
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
The EWF's reluctance or inability to use it (until an army had been defeated three times) would tie in nicely with it using a significant chunk of accumulated draconic power, as well as its army destroying power, which in turn seems to fit in nicely with the Mongoose vision of the EWF.
Cleombrotus
Mongoose
All well and good for those that can go, but perhaps someone can ask it for me and post the transcript here, or else I'm out of the loop
