KhorasForum

You know... how to say... American and English people don't have a very good reputation, specially concerning their tongue.
It is said they are confident in their tongue superiority in the world, and barely know that other languages exists.
It's certainly partially false, knowing the importance of spanish in the US, and the former importance of French also. But you know... the reputation...

So, if an american come and show, even by a single word, that he respects and consider the other, well it's a very positive attitude. I think it's not a matter of number of words you can say in French, but just showing you know that French exists.

I also think I would react exactly like them.

Hi
After our discussion on the second demon war timeline, I was thinking about the Draxorith banishement.
It is a major event I think, and I'm not confortable with the fact to remove it from the lineline.
I understand your arugment (to let GM decide when this event occurs), but this very argument is also applicable on a lot of other events.

What is disturbing is that as this event is not related, we have no information about that. Info can only be found in your campaign notes.
And I would love to see it described somewhere.

Moreover, I think it has a great role on Duthelm.
We already have this discussion a long time ago, but I think the Draxorith semi-banishement is something very special, which has an impact on the Draxorith religion. How could this religion be as strong as before if they have lost their god? For 150 years, no cleric was able to "contact" Draxorith, and strictly speaking to obtain "powers" from him.

If anyone is interested in, how I "play" it is :
- after the first Demon War, Duthelm was in chaos, and as Draxorith was banished, it was understandable that he didn't want to answer. He was sort of sulking (is it correct?)
- after several years, answer began to come
- it tooks tens of years for Draxorith high priests to realize it was not him, but probably a sort of former lieutenant who usurped his throne
- they decided to keep this secret ("Hey guy, finally it's not Draxorith anymore, it's Characxul !") and explain to other that Draxorith was angry about Duthelmian people (that is probably true )
- the new "lord" didn't match the Draxorith's power, and especially his ability to send this power on Khoras priests ; that's why the priests and knight abilities were greatly reduced.
It was very difficult for those who have known the previous war time, to get used to these new conditions... So it was difficult times for the Draxorith Church.
- Draxorith high priest, helped by Black Sorcerers, began to unveiled the banishement events, look for the avisarr and so on... (I don't remember exactly these events)
- after the banishement completion, Draxorith will have to recover his throne, to re-establish his authority... he will be quite busy but will support Duthelmian priests again.

Yes I think, but that's not a spell.
For me a spell is a sort of magical construct. An "exercise demon" is not IMO a spell that any mage could cast.
It's more something like a miracle that is granted by a deity.

Religion is on the March spotlight!

Concerning the "magic" power of priest, I have never been confortable with the fact that priest could be transformed into mage by their god.
A mage is someone who can master magic, and understood it. A priest not.
That's why I use two opposite ways to treat that. In one word, priest may ask the deity for miracles, and/or be granted with some sort of specific "natural powers". But they cannot cast spells.

David, you can tell us your feelings we won't repeat it

Good news!
It won't be as beautiful as your trip in France, but I'm sure you'll find nicer people

Have a nice trip!

Glad to see you back on this forum Laurent.

Like you I don't like the all the "magic points" system (mana, magicka, etc...) and in my system also it costs normal "health point".
But it's the fatigue to manage the magical energy, not to fuel the spell. The is not usable for me.

Anyway, I like your idea a lot!

I have a last comment on the surge disruptor in the timeline.

You speak about wagon, so I imagine them a little bit big and heavy, perhaps something like 1 cubic meter and few hundreds of kilograms.
You say that a group managed to "steal" one of this device and bring it to the Rukemian army. And find it strange, either they are quite strong, or I'm wrong about the device dimensions.
The other point is the time it took for the Rukemian mages to analyse, find a solution, and explain this solution to all the other mages. A little bit short IMO.

If I remember correctly, in your campaign they stole the BOOK of the magician in charge of the device, and this book contained all usefull informations.
Both point could be solve by speaking about a book instead of the whole device. Is there a reason to change that?

It seems to me that it was at the begining of the Jaidor talisman campaign (yes I've red nearly all your campaign )

Wahouuuuu a new version of the map will be VERY appreciated!
But you know, if you promise me to do whatever I ask for, I can flood you under waves of demands 

I'm use also quite the same technique as you concerning campaign and timeline, apart I'm not the author of the Khoras world.
I try to fit into holes  (players won't alone win a war which would have been lost without them), and define some kind of "second layer" official canon.
That's why I try to keep the first layer as you wrote it, and don't like to change a lot of things just to fit my liking.

Sometime, the same players, with another character but in the same period of time, recognizes some events and remember what his other character was doing at this time. Quite funny!

Concerning Rukemia, I suspected this reason but I think it would be better to add a word or two in the timeline to insist on the fact that Rukemia was only helping Kitar from the tip of their fingers.

And eventually, fonts are now fine!

Excellent!
I love the civilization or superstition generator!
I'm not sure to use it, but that's great! Thank's for sharing it.

Am I wrong if I say you merge two war into a single one?
It seems to me that the "surge disruptor" war was after the second demon war, but I'm probably confused.

These details are very useful, and I have several questions/remarks :

• I would have though that Stormy Port would be one of the first big place to fall. You didn't notice that, because it was not on the Duthelmian path?
• The different location cannot be located on a map. Like for previous point in fact it's difficult to have an idea of their path. No I have no solution but drawing a detailled map of the area
• previously you mentioned the Draxorith "escape" and subsequent re-banishement. I think it would be important to add it.
• I find the Rukemia a little bit "weak" in their reinforcement. If it was their intention to send only a "small" army, perhaps it can be noticed.
• the font I see on my browser (firefox 27.0 on XP) are completely crazy in that new part, alternating from large to small font. But last time you told me you hadn't found anything wrong...

Ok let's try to do a clear answer.

Interest:
yes I'm interested since for me religion is not just an add-on somewhere on a character sheet. It's a part of life for a lot of people, and it should be well taken into account (in my system, it's one of the 8 specs like FIGHT / MAGIC / COMMUNICATION / PERCEPTION...).

Greater gods / lesser gods: I'm not sure you wanted to keep this distinction. Personnaly I like it. I like to imagine some gods, "too high in the sky" to be involved in the day-to-day life of Khoras, while other, less strong, are more concerned (because they gain influence by struggling via mortal humans, because it matters for them, because they hate mortals...).
I also like to imagine that not all gods are omniscient (it's a very monotheist point of view I think). Perhaps lesser gods only focus where they are prayed and don't watch everybody's life permanently...
Wasn't there a poll on this forum about that? I'm not sure...

Simplification:
I agree with you that it's difficult to keep track of so many number of gods, especially IMO because each of them is individual. It's hard to imagine (and to keep record of) that one guys believe in god A,C and G, while his neighboor believe in A, E and F, especially of we don't know how to link A,C,E,F and G. I think it's possible to simplify the system not by merging gods but by gathering them into pantheon.

Pantheon:
I think there is various way to describe a pantheon, from "there are pleinty of gods" (not enough detail) to a complete description of each of these gods (too much work). The idea would be to re-use the material to avoid having to write an entire Khoras section from scratch.

First I think you should avoid the destruction of information (what was created must remain). So for instance, let's gather some gods form human gods under a single pantheon ("eastern pantheon"). Perhaps some of human gods don't meant to be incorporated in it, such as Barrinor (too on the west side), or Karrym (abstract)... Perhaps you could decide what religion could be monotheistic (Ynthar? Karenia?) and remove them from the list. Then let's organize the remaining gods into a pantheon:

• What type of pantheon is it? (a family like in ancient greek? or a group based on power or seniority?)
• What are the interaction between them? Is there a chief? As there are several major gods, how is it managed?
• How to explain the presence of negative gods AND positive gods in the same pantheon? ancient greeks also had a god for death and such things...
  

I think it would be much much clearer (without loosing information). It won't be anymore a "mess" like today 
In so doing, you could have 20 religions, with a lot more gods in them.
Of course it's possible to mix between races. Like you I don't like this strict racial subdivision.

If you want I could work a bit on this idea. But I would do that only if it is a supported idea, because I don't want to impose my point of view just since I was quicker to write something.

It's very clear!
In fact we have about the same use of it, since I was very unconfortable with the use of orichalcum as full spell storer.

One of my player play a sorcerer (a mentalist : emotion reading, influence, mental illusion, desire implantation...) and also use orichalcum. A big piece for large spell and an smaller one when on the move.
In my system of sorcery, the use of orichalcum is much more complex but it helps to construct a spell, espacially "powerful" spell (large power, long time, multiple effects...).

But you catch my attention with the stationnary shielding effect of the charged orichalcum. I love the "rubble" technique!
I wil try to use that in my game.

I know you lack motivation on this part of the world.
That's why I stimulate/encourage/support you to do that! 

Hi
As you are now here, let's look at other questions.

In the orichalcum page, you mention that orichalcum can be used to "put magic in it", like defensive spell and such.
Do you imply that no other material can store spells.

I mean, if I want a magical sword (to take a very basic instinct), the sword would have to inculde an orichalcum stone in the pommel?
Does all magical item needs orichalcum?
If not, what is the need of using "orichalcum with a defensive spell", why not another material?

In my game, I've defined A LOT of different materials (from stone to gold, from diamond to fire agate...) each of them having their own capability (amount of magical energy, destructive interaction with the spell...). In fact a sorcerer can use the material he wants, but only few of them are good for that.

OK
I understand much better your point of view.

What I presented to my players, and then what has become the "official" history, was the Karthus unification, alliance with Duthelm and subsequent raid toward Kitar border.
This part is now fixed for me. But the remaining can still be adapted and I will be glad to read more detail about this part of history.