Esprit de Corps

Gifts and Geases for Humakt Allied Spirits by Michael O’Brien

Originally published in Tales of the Reaching Moon issue #5, the ‘Humakti Special’ (Spring 1991)

An allied spirit, according to Gods of Glorantha, “automatically qualifies as an initiate of the cult … just like a normal initiate” (P 20) Ergo, it can be reasoned that Humakt allied spirits must take on a Humakt gift & geas, like all other good initiates of the cult. Below is an analog of the normal Humakt gift / geas table, for allied spirits.

A spirit must take one gift and its concomitant geas, and may do so in consultation with the Rune Sword (hereafter called “The master”) whom it is is allied to. The gift the spirit takes may be cumulative with those of its master (for example, both might have gifts which affect the same weapon). Humakti always house their allied spirits in their swords.

	Gift	Geas
1.	Begin a Sense assassin skill at 30%	Never participate in an ambush, even if your master does. In effect, you will not cast spells, lend MP, Heal or even use Divine Intervention for him during the ambush. In fact, the weapon you are bound into cannot even be drawn. If this is attempted the sword will shatter.*
2.	Increase INT by 1 point.	Sacrifice 1 POW to Humakt each year.
3.	Gain ability to Detect Undead by simply concentrating, at no MP cost.	Use no non cult magic spells of any kind, even if your master knows them. You cannot even hold them in memory for him.
4.	Bless the weapon you are bound to do double damage (once armour is penetrated) against a chosen foe species.	Never use or memorize spirit magic Heal spells. Furthermore, when unsheathed this weapon will register on Detect Enemy to all those of the particular species.
5.	Bless the weapon you are bound into to do double damage (once armour is penetrated).	Never use or memorize any healing magic at all.
6.	Bless the weapon you are bound into to do double damage (once armour is penetrated) upon striking specified hit location.	Never allow the weapon you inhabit to be parried with (if this it attempted, the sword will shatter).
7.	Raise the AP of the weapon you are bound into by 4 points.	Never permit poison to be used on the blade (it this happens, the sword will shatter).
8.	Increase the attack % or parry of the sword you inhabit by 20%.	Remain silent one specified day per week (this includes casting spells and communicating with your master).
9.	Recover magic points at double normal speed.	If unsheathed, the weapon you inhabit must never return to the scabbard until it has drawn blood. (If an attempt is made to return the sword dry it will shatter).
10.	Gain the Detect Truth spell reuseably.	Never let the liar go unpunished.
11.	Lower the Strike Rank of the weapon you inhabit by 1 (but the overall SR can never be lower than 1),	Always strike the last blow. (if the sword is returned to the scabbard without striking the last blow, it will shatter).
12.	The sword you are bound into becomes a Death Sword as described in the Swords and Sorcery article in TOTRM 5**	Both you and your master must sacrifice I POW each in a special ritual. the sword so enchanted must always kill if it is unsheathed If an attempt to sheath it before it has tasted death is made it will instantly shatter. When unsheathed, this sword will register or Detect Enemy to the living.

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Page Last updated: 2022-11-10 10:57:16

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