Erol of Backford

Thank you both! As my campaign is set to start at 1600 and PC's will likely be interacting with the Temple of the Wooden Sword my quest is for all things Londra. I really really wanted to be at the Con but if I didn't take my family for spring break I'd have been sleeping in the car or worse. Does the book have info on the following Temple of the Wooden Sword events (down below) and or is anyone able to direct me to other sources? One of the PC's will probably be a relative or childhood friend of Sora Goodseller (from Jansholm) as Backford is close I will have a connection to her to the PC's somehow when she is not yet a teenager, her parent(s) come to Backford or something for some reason, I have to figure this out somehow... (I will transfer this to the Backford Aeolian Campaign in case anyone has good ideas on this.) Skirmish at Wind Temple – seems they went to Sazdorf the day after this and were welcomed The Wooden Sword in Dorastor Snakepipe Hollow Quest to the Wounding of Arroin

That looks like some fun reading. How do I pre-order!

Mr. Meints, did this ever get to the PDF version for purchase? Either way, thank you Sir.

So Londra was 17 when she lead the Temple of the Wooden Sword against the Zorak Zoran at Sazdorf, impressive. Does anyone have dates or an order of events for the following? Skirmish at Wind Temple – seems they went to Sazdorf the day after and were welcomed so it would be after the Great Raid? The Wooden Sword in Dorastor Snakepipe Hollow Quest to the Wounding of Arroin I have all the old Wyrms Footnotes but not the Dragon's Past items...

I have spent a good bit of “trolling” everything Wooden Sword and have come up with the following list. Does anyone have further info as to dates or might be able to correct them? 1613 - the campaign in question was noted to begin Naimless fights Humakti duel with Taksag (near Sazdorf I assume) Taksag convinces Sigron that Humakt should be the troll war god at Sazdorf Humakt's Hall of Shame - the Huakkti shame themselves and feel Sazdorf Taksag becomes a Humakti initiate at Jonstown This same band of warriors was shortly afterwards haunted by bad dreams and clear visions Taksag noted an old man with the wooden sword which was given to Tamara Three-chop to carry, with instructions to drive it into the heart of the enemy The Founding of the Wooden Sword with Londra, Naimless, Taksag and others The clearing of the Zorak Zorani from Sazdorf The Great Raid on the Temple of the Wooden Sword - nine years after the fall of Boldhome Skirmish at Wind Temple – seems they went to Sazdorf the day after and were welcomed The Wooden Sword in Dorastor Snakepipe Hollow Quest to the Wounding of Arroin 1615 - Isle of the Dead, where the Wooden Sword suffers its first defeat 1615 - the sword was reclaimed by the elf Eltang Swiftfoot and now resides in the depths of Arstola Forest 1617 - Londra of Londros is at Old Wind Temple after the dissolution of the Temple of the Wooden Sword, from what I have read she is 19 at this time and would have been 17 when she lead the Humakti against the Zorak Zoran of Sazdorf, there was a note she was born in maybe 1598 but not many agree to this so I’d add 8 years so she was born 1590? Naimless would have been about 24 when the Sadorf Temple was founded?

Related to this campaign but might be each its own topic? 01. Are scorpionmen immune to their own poison and if not would they be resistive and say take half damage? Also no one answered or shared thoughts as to scorpionmen being able to swim when I asked in an earlier post, still looking as to other's thoughts on this? 02. If the PC's wanted to all pitch in a point of power for an enchantment would it be possible in RQ3 under the ritual magic rules? Nothing states that the power for an enchantment needs to come from the same entity that I could see. 03. Additionally could a strengthening enchantment be placed on a piece of jewelry rather than in tattoo? I realize I could allow it in the campaign but am curious if others have done so? I always feel combat could damage a tattoo and don't want to worry about that every time there is combat? I realize it being damaged could be ignored if I felt that way as GM... Maybe a shark tooth or bear claw necklace with a strengthening enchantment would be an interesting magical item rather than a tattoo? Any thoughts are appreciated.

Ivy on goat feet, I love it!

This is all good/helpful info! Thank you both. (Herdmen ideas are fading...) I'll assume most if any Gagix/her other "eaten" queen's breading stock from 1600~ is Troll/Trollkin (they'd be cool scorpionmen I think) Broo, or Human with a small chance of Ogre, some other mutations? Lots of scenario hooks in this. Would Troll scorpionmen be able to see in the dark? Either way I can see numerous ongoing skirmishes between the Trolls to the north or Stormbulls to the east of the Footprint and any scorpionmen in the incomplete krarshtkid tunnel complexes bore into the sides of the Footprint. Of course Trolls would lower themselves into the Footprint at night to raid any ongoing excavations into the walls of the Print, not unlike what is depicted as going on under the Devil's Playground. The scene detailed in Tradetalk 12 - Saronil Whiteteeth in Chaoswood "It squirmed and struggled as huge chunks of fluffy white meat were removed from its tail, dipped in the butter and served to the matriarchs." will surely come up in the campaign. Now knowing that Stone Wood ~ Petrified Forest slows movement (a lot) the obvious path, as noted months ago, for scorpionman raiders would be out of Jab Hills rather than the Footprint directly? This notion also moves any Stormbull base-camp closer to or at Bullflood as Richard and Jaja discussed previously. Stormbull's wouldn't want to move in slow motion.. Any "Bullpen" would be closer to Jab Hills on the Bullflood rather than the Syphon? Sources for chaotic plants in the Footprint anyone? Thank you again Mr. West & Jaja.

So what year would the Lunar traders begin communicating with or shipping slaves/food/breading stock to Gagix? How would be other unscrupulous groups doing so? Ogers, the likes of the slimy Gondo Host? Would there be a way for the Orlanthi to ambush said caravans and swap slaves for herdmen in order to hinder the intelect of the breading stock? How could you trick the scorpionmen into thinking they were getting good stock? Would all the tongues being cut out of the heardmen be a possibility so they think they are normal humans? Seems gruesome but this is Medieval fantasy right? Is there an IQ test for scorpionmen's rebirth ritual? Maybe the Lunar caravan is defeated and warriors pose as slaves to spring a trap on the scorpionmen coming to trade with the Lunars? It might be a little to impossible to have a happy ending for the PC's if they were to be captured and sold off to Gagix? That is unless maybe trolls come to the rescue? What would a scorpionman's village be like if there is one in the Print or Jab Hills? Do they have craftsmen or would they be slaves of other races? Likely Broo would interact with them? Has anyone run scenarios like this before? Excited to hear more thoughts on the Foot Print... I am also envisioning lots of krarshtkid tunnels into the sides of Larnste's Footprint? Does anyone have a source for an enlarged map of the area? The lake at the end of the Syphon flows into the underworld? Is there more on this besides it being an exciting way to go rafting and to enter the underworld? Wouldn't Gagix minions want to try and catch/net those trying to enter? What would swim in this lake? Demons from the underworld trying to get back to the surface? Does the water just fall 1000's of feet passing into the underworld where it joins the Styx? As Jaja wrote: "demon" fish that can swim up its great waterfall to emerge at the Toe Hole? Where would this fall onto the map of the Underworld? I recall seeing one somewhere? Just curious would these "demon" fish also be in Skyfall Lake? Thank you all!

Jaja, in looking at P15 of Tradetalk 04, by Jorg, it shows that the Holy Country Scorpionmen population as 15,000!? Likely noncanonical but this is a huge number. In order to combat that number where would there be 30,000 humans that were not fighting each other from say 1619~1625? No wonder Backford fell, it'd be interesting to see a map with major skirmishes fought with scorpionmen in Central Heortland in or abut 1621 per GtG p.731. Will they offer a class at the Michigan Con ~ Gloranthian Studies!?

Looking at Caldvale Manor in Tradetalk 12 by Simon Bray, it notes that it is located on the Minthos River. It notes the "Kings Crossroads on the Boardwalk"? This might be east of Duchamp be seems to fit or be more exciting to have it closer to Jab Hills? If so, I see it (again my guess) as being located roughly where the red arrow is in the attached clip, to the west side of the Silver Stream (added to the clip in indigo) running from north of the Minthus River? About 38~40 miles west of Backford and about 5 miles from Bullflood (which would be under the red arrow or nearly so). Has anyone used this setting in their campaign(s) and is there any advice, I like that the Burnt Wood almost extends to the southern edge of the Jab Hills wooded area which invokes some potential plot links... I see a trade ring here, Backford, Bullflood, Caldvale, Duchamp and Durengrad. Durengrad being the key port for trade across the Mirrorsea Bay. Any thoughts on ice demon stats, again RQ3 rules are being used here. I assume, again all shapes and sizes? Could be spirits, golems made of sow or ice? Maybe someone in Caldvale is named Elsa? No that would be just terrible and wrong? Thank you all once again for any input!

I guess I'll need to get to Michigan!?

Buy it, me pay for postage? I need my Glorantha fix Mr. Meints!

Is there any way to reserve a copy if we cannot attend? Excited to see/hold these books and thanks all either way!

Is there any reference for Broo and or Scorpionman population in the Foulblood Forest and the Jab Hills? Also is there any timeline for when Gagix Twobarb actually consolidated the four tribes of scorpionmen into one? The Guide (p740) says: Tatius gave permission to the Queendom of Jab to erupt out of Larnste’s Footprint. Thousands of scorpion men raided deep into central and southern Heortland, and devoured everything in their way. With each victory, thousands more scorpion men were born to Queen Gagix Twobarb. Just curious and thank you again all.

I was also looking for the Foroda which was to have a good section in the PAVIS: GATEWAY TO ADVENTURE book? I do love this guy Ankubi and I have the "Runequest Adventure" with him in it, The Block issue. My gut was to take the old D&D Module I1 and use it as a basis for Sog's Ruins. Possibly some Slarges somehow came ashore shipwrecked a long time ago and became chaotic (or not), another faction could be Baboons and another third mutated humanoid snakes. Who knows there could be some Thanatari cultists in there as well? Ultor had a similar idea in another post, to place The Caverns of Thracia in Glorantha. The idea is that the Godlearner Thanrax the Fair founded a port near Sog's Ruins called Thanracia, which was cut off by the Closing and then the descendants of the God-Learners turned to Thanatar worship. Add in an undead Dragonewt priest and a pissed-off Minotaur lord and you have something Gloranthan... good on Ultor! I am just speculating that there must be a shire or altar to Thed if the Broo were going there to sacrifice some children and some Thanatars as well... A Minotaur Lord with a snake body, even better. Curious what others have done with Sog's Ruins? I did review the review the links you posted Mr. Scott, thank you!

The Bishop Gwydion of Sklar, "Nobody suspects the Bishop!" I love this guy, he adopted the orphaned Agmori twins and sponsors them from 1600, before he moves up to Backford... in this campaign.

http://www.glorantha.com/forums/topic/sogs-ruins/ This link may have held great info but its gone bad over time... Thanks again all!

Does anyone have a source for the PAVIS: GATEWAY TO ADVENTURE book? Its only on line for like $200~300... A PDF would be great... Looking for Sog's Ruins info... Thanks in advance.

Possibly the heretics were allowed to compete but would be beaten (cheating somehow) to show that heretics couldn't be blessed by the Invisible God? Will start a new thread... thanks Jaja.

When investigating Sog's Ruins I came across the University of Sog City: Conference Guide (Seventh Ecclesiastical Council, 1625) from 1994. non-canonical I assume? Who, if anyone would be sent from Heortland, possibly from Notchet or maybe Mt. Passant, to represent the Malkoioni at the conference? Where would these persons have been in say 1600 or 1610~15 if they were in the Heortland then? If there were any representatives sent may I assume they would have traveled by sea and would the ships have been crewed by green Waertagi seamen? What season would the Conference have occurred in 1625? This would obviously have preceded the rise of the Kingdom of War and its attack on Loskalm? Does Sog City fall after Loskalm is defeted as it did when Harrek did in 1615? Additionally as there is a Grand Tournament what would the minimum stats for entry therein? Lance, shield, sword, mace, flail at 99%? Brave, chivalrous and virtuous would be represented by which actual RQ abilities/runes? Would there not be similar tournaments in Heortland held each year in various locations for entertainment and training? The Garhound Contest but with more "Western" events? What would they be? I'd also assume Praxian beasts would not normally be permitted to compete but possibly there would be an "exotic" category for those with mounts not of the horse stock? When would the "The Dragonewt Expedition" (Guide p73) from Dragon Pass have occurred, possibly in conjunction with the Conference? Sorry for all the questions but every time open a cover from an older publication so may come to mind. Thank you all for thoughts/input here. (Should I begin another thread on the Conference if it is canonical as there are many other questions not related to Heortland...)

Does anyone have some ideas as to what Talar Hold might look like? Assuming the PC's of this campaign go there before the Wolf Pirates appear. What if anything happens to TH after the pirates?

I was reading about the Talar of Talar Hold (p14 Tradetalk 6) and the occupation of Refuge after Richard by Talar Kithis Ikadi. Knowing this might not be canonical but still being interested does anyone have more info on Talar Hold and its occupants? Also is there a Waertagi drydock somewhere near God Forgot and is there an actual location for the famed Waertagi shipwreck?

All the talk of elves and cannibalism in other threads have me wondering what a standard inn's menu would be in Heortland. I have Runquest Cities, the Game master's Guide and most supplements... but I don't see actual menus, not critical but I am curious if anyone had developed a menu of sorts for inns like Geo's but more for Heortland? Are there spices, I would assume so as places like Karse would be the first stop for trade goods going to the Empire? Also being that Nochet isn't far off and so its culinary delights would be available across the bay? What fare if anything would the Heortland be specially known for? Buttered scopionman meat? (Just kidding but that would be on a troll inn's menu in that region I think.)

If a Zorak Zoran Saucier prepared Elf Torso like in the Thunderbreath Menu but with a impala butter mushroom gravy in lieu of the choice of dressing, don't you think they'd eat it?