Official Answers from Chaosium
- RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha Quickstart – Q&A
- RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Q&A by Chapter
- RuneQuest Gamemaster Screen Pack – Q&A
- RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary – Q&A
- The Red Book of Magic – Q&A
- The Smoking Ruin & Other Stories – Q&A
- Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories – Q&A
- RuneQuest Starter Set – Q&A by Book
- Weapons & Equipment – Q&A
- The Prosopaedia – Q&A
- The Lightbringers – Q&A
- Earth Goddesses – Q&A
- Mythology – Q&A
- The Lunar Way – Q&A
- The Glorantha Sourcebook – Q&A
- Dragon Pass – Q&A
Lunar Cyclical Magic
Don’t confuse the effects of casting a spell on a particular phase with the effect of the spell
If a Lunar initiate casts a stackable Rune spell with 3 Rune points on a Full Moon day with enough Extension on top, will the spell wane down to 2-points on Half-Moon day or will it keep being a 3-point spell for the whole duration?
Don’t confuse the effects of casting a spell on a particular day with the effect of the spell. Once cast the spell effect is per the spell not per the phase of the moon (unless the spell effect is linked to the moon’s phases like Cyclic (Characteristic)).
If Hwarin Dalthippa initiate casts three points of Create Bridge on a Full Moon with extension five for eight Rune points, the bridge remains 30m long for the duration of the spell, which is two years.
Stealing Lunar Magic
For this purpose Lunar Magic is defined as :
- Any magic tied to the cycles of the Moon
- Red Goddess Lunar magic
Presumably, this is a “trivial” thing for Thanatari to do:
No. Thanatar magic is trivial, eg. Create head and Consume Mind are 3pt Rune spells that each take a week.
they steal the Lunar secrets just as they steal the various Special Rune Magics from various Cults.
Thanatar initiates steal magic in three ways depending on subcult:
• Create Head (RBM 35) Than & Thanatar
• Consume Mind (RBM 32), Devour Book (RBM 42) Atyar
- Create Head would allow all cyclic Lunar magic and sorcery to be used. In the case of the head creator using the magic skills of the head, Red Goddess magic is usable. In theory the head creator should be illuminated, but it’s chaos magic, using the magic of a chaos cult (the Red Goddess is a chaos cult). The head will have a chaos taint (part of Red Goddess initiation), so if the head creator has got this far, then why not.
- Consume Mind would allow all cyclic Lunar magic and sorcery to be used (within the limitations of the spell). Red Goddess magic requires the user to be illuminated. As Red Goddess magics are magical skills, they can be learned within the limitations of the spell.
- Devour Book would allow inscribed Lunar sorcery spells to be devoured, providing no restrictions that would apply to the devourer were part of the enchantment. eg. Unuseable by chaos cultists (an illuminated cultist could use their illumination skill to try and overcome this).
In the Lunar Way it does state that Lunar magic can only be used by Red Goddess initiates (LW 124). But as Thanatar isn’t an adventurer cult, you can really do want you want when making a NPC Thanatar cultist, and choose to ignore this if you wish – this is Chaos.
What about a Shaman? In principle, it looks likely to me that there are Lunar spirits who could teach the secret Lunar skills of Spirit-Magic spell-manipulation…
No. They are magical skills taught by illuminated Red Goddess initiates. Note that Summon Ancestor, Specific Ancestor and Spirit Teacher do not allow skill teaching. But Incarnate Ancestor does, as long as one of your ancestors was a Red Goddess illuminate, it would work. I can imagine that this is a technique used by Jakaleel Red Goddess initiates to teach the Lunar magic skills.
Again, in the Lunar Way it does state that Lunar magic can only be used by Red Goddess initiates (LW 124).
or who could be spiritually-mugged to get such skills.
No.
The Shaman may need to be Illuminated in order to understand… and/or exposure to these skills may grant (inflict?) an immediate roll to become Illuminated.
The path for a shaman to gain Lunar magical skills is to join the cult of Jakaleel and become a Red Goddess initiate.
Hon-eel
Associate cults and Rune Pools
Initiates of Hon-eel are automatically initiates of the local Grain Goddess (usually Pelora/Oria).
Subservient Cults, Grain Goddesses, page 20.
If an initiate of Hon-eel sacrificed POW to a Grain Goddess in return for Rune magic, would that add RP to their Ernalda pool or would they start a separate one for that Grain Goddess?
As an associated cult, add them to the Hon-eel Rune point pool per RQG, Casting Associated Cult Rune Magic, page 283 (it’s the same with subcults).
Note this answer has changed from the original one.
Irripi Ontor
Sorcery
In The Lunar Way there are two spells that in the Core book have the Magic rune, but the Irrippi Ontor version uses the Moon rune in its place. Does this mean that:
1. All spells with the Magic rune can have that rune substituted with a different rune; or
No, this has not changed per 2.1 The Magic Rune (page 382) and associated spells.
2. There are multiple versions of the same spell, some with the Magic rune, and some with a different rune in its place
In the case of the following three Irripi Ontor spells:
- Identify Spell, the Magic Rune is replaced by the Moon Rune, and is subject to the Lunar Cycle.
- Logical Clarity, the Truth and Summon technique is replaced by the Illusion Rune and Dispel technique.
- Neutralize Magic, the Magic Rune is replaced by the Moon Rune, and is subject to the Lunar Cycle.
Different sorcery schools may have different Runes and/or techniques for spells of the same name, but this is not always the case.
Note that the Moon Rune has a strong connection to magic per RQG 49, and in the case of Identify Spell and Neutralize Magic are now connected to the Lunar Cycle.
Commune With (Planet) and Discern (Constellation)
Clarification
Commune With (Planet) and Discern (Constellation) use the following phrase:
Each * is associated with one or more Runes. For each point of Strength, the caster gains +5% in all usages of that Rune or Runes for the duration of the spell.
Does this apply to using these runes in Sorcery, or only to actually rolling the relevant rune(s)?
It applies to all uses including sorcery. Re-read the example at the bottom of page 82.
Phoronestes, would also gain +25% when casting Rune Magic containing the Truth Rune such as Analyze Magic, Clairvoyance, Knowledge, Translate, and Truespeak and any Common Rune magic, if they choose to use it with their Truth Rune. Likewise, any Runic inspiration or other runic effects using the Truth Rune. Note that at high levels, the adventurer will act more as an archetype oof that Rune.
Any sensible sorcerer would be sure to extend this spell for long as possible (weeks and seasons at least).
Nysalor
Illumination skill
Can someone who has achieved Illumination still increase their Illumination skill?
Yes, the illumination skill is used for illumination Power (when required). It’s a magical category skill that can be improved by experience, research, training (by those with The Ability to Illuminate Others power), and certain Lunar spells.
Rays of Piercing Truth (page 95)
The spell Rays of Piercing Truth is not described. Can we use as a guideline what is described in ‘Red Moon and Warring Kingdoms’?
It is not one of the Four Arrows of LIght. The easiest way to describe it is as a dangerous way to aid to illumination. Using Moon, Light and Command, each Level of strength adds itself to the chance of illumination, with failure causing permanent damage to the INT of the target.
Benefits of Illumination
6. Power to Ignore Cult Restrictions
Does Illumination protect from breaking the cult restrictions of Lunar cults?
yes – If the illuminate has the illumination ability: Power to Ignore Cult Restrictions (LW 96), otherwise no.
Does an illuminated rune priest (or such) retain her priestly powers and benefits if she neglects to give percentages of her time and income to the cult? (Assuming she will still worship on holy days to regain rune points.)
Your god won’t notice, however, when you are a priest in a Rune cult, you are pretty much the cult. With income, the priest is supported by the temple’s resources, and in many temples, the priests treat the temple’s resources (including land, herds, and coin) as their personal property. With time, if they aren’t doing their duties to the temple or their initiates. This will be noticed by others and if taken to a Chief or HIgh priest, they can cast Ban (RBM 15).
In this case, illumination will not protect you from others seeing your actions.
Note that an illuminated Rune priest who is a Red Goddess initiate will usually be spending 100% of their time on cult business.
7. Immunity to Spirits of Reprisal
Does Illumination protect from spirits of reprisal?
yes – If the illuminate has the illumination ability: Immunity to Spirits of Reprisal (LW 97), otherwise no.
Even Tax Demons?
Illumination will not hide you from what you have wrongly withheld from the Red Emperor. It’s in the paperwork.
Red Goddess
Lunar Magic
Lunar Magic and Spell Extension (shamanic ability)
How does shamanic Spell Extension ability (RQG 262) combine with Lunar Magic, for example with Amplified Spirit Magic spells?
If they are going to manipulate a temporal spell that is cast using Spell Extension, there is no need to prolong the spell. For example, if they have a CHA 18 and successfully cast Glamour with Shamanic Extension and Amplify 8 (for a total of 10 magic points), they would have CHA 34 (18+8+8) and per Spell Extension, the shaman can maintain it indefinitely.
Scarlet Scimitar, page 125
Correction
These special weapons take 30 points of damage and function in all ways as a Rune metal weapon except that it is useable without magical penalty by anyone.
Further Scarlet Scimitar Questions
Does “Holders of the kopis” mean anybody holding the kopis can cast Truesword or does it mean the attuned person?
The attuned person is the holder.
Does the same answer apply to making the kopis glow bright red?
Yes
Does the allied spirit have to be allied to the attuned user?
Yes.
If the sword becomes attuned to somebody else, does the allied spirit get kicked out?
It cannot be re-attuned unless the current holder is dead. If they had an allied spirit, it then leaves.
What rune metal is it actually made from, or is it a special moon rune metal or alloy that isn’t described in the usual set?
Likely silver (maybe with other cool stuff like refined Lunes, etc).
See Plunder, page 44 for the original entry.
Seven Mothers
Acolytes
Seven Mothers Acolytes & the Red Goddess
Since Acolytes are part-time rune priests, are Seven Mothers Acolytes able to initiate into the Red Goddess cult if they are illuminated?
No. They need to be a priest (LW 122, Red Goddess, Initiates: They must also be a priest or lord of a Lunar cult.) Note that they can be a Red Goddess initiate and an acolyte if they have requested and received a demotion after their initiation (per God-talkers, Mythology 145 – an acolyte is another name for a God-talker).
As usual GMs may ignore this requirement in their own games.
Yanafal Tarnils
Gifts and Geases
Choosing a gift
Do you get random gifts or do you get to choose?
Per LW 105: The recipient may choose whatever gift is desired
The text says you choose, but there is a d10 for results in the Gifts table?
Roll when creating NPCs or choose.
Gain a permanent Chaos Gift & geas
If you “Gain a permanent Chaos Gift”, do you roll from the Chaos Features table? Probably, because that is where Chaos Gift makes you roll from, but just to be sure. This probably includes all the Chaos Rune side effects of that spell too?
This is the Chaos Gift Rune spell (RQG 322 / RBM 27). Use the spell description, including the use of Divine intervention, Chaos taint, etc., but ignore the duration.
+10% to attack with chosen Lunar weapon & geas
Gift “+10% to attack with chosen Lunar weapon” with a geas “Never sheath weapon without drawing blood. For each time this geas is taken, increase the number of times blood must be drawn.” How many times can you take this and how does it stack?
It stacks as expected if on a single weapon. There’s no limit, but an adventurer may need to be careful if more than a few times. If it’s taken ten times for +100%, and blood has to be drawn ten times, if you run out of targets, your going to have to draw blood from yourself or friends. Remember bleeding takes Heal 2 to stop and your weapon is sharp.
Increase a raisable Characteristic by +1 point & geas
Gift: “Increase a raisable Characteristic by +1 point” with a geas “Pay double tithing of magic points and offerings each holy day (an adventurer taking this geas twice would pay triple tithing, and so forth each time the geas is received)” How many times can you take this?
As many times as you have the personal magic points to fuel it. So with POW 16, it would be
- 4 magic points (double)
- 6 magic points (triple)
- 8 magic points (quadruple)
- 10 magic points (quintuple)
- 12 magic points (sextuple)
- 14 magic points (septuple)
16 is not possible as the adventurer would fall unconscious in the ceremony.
What does Offerings mean more exactly?
Per Sacrifice RQG 184.
How many MP is the basic amount, 2?
Per Sacrifice RQG 184, and Worship RQG 271 – two magic points.
If you have a Matrix with 25 MP, can you use that to tithe?
No. Although you could offer the matrix for +20% Worship as a large Valuable Object Offerings.
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Page Last updated: 2025-05-04 15:23:29