Erol of Backford

Mr. Scott that is great! Just what the Dr. ordered. Thank you Sir.

If any of the other maps are in printed material I may have it. That is, if it has been published? What City you you kind Sirs say that the Sanctuary Boxed Set was good to be used as? Was it Refuge?

I am curious have any of the Heortland Cities been mapped? I have Whitewall but on the plateau south of there. I have RQ Adventures 4 and some a map of Whitewall from these pages but are there other city maps out there? I have the Sanctuary box from years ago and was thinking some people were using that as Refuge? If there are maps for any Heortland cities, or suggested maps to us please advise and thank you all. After digging through old boxes I have found I have a stack of about 6' in books, fanzines and boxed sets for Rune Quest. Add this post with its nearly 90 tabs its taking me months to actually catch up. Its like rereading the Wheel of Time books over from years ago to make sure they are true to the plot in the new series!?

Also is there a Crimson Bat timeline somewhere? I thought I read it was defeated at either Alone or Runegate but I thought it ate those towns? I know it was defeated at Whitewall...

So the year is 1592, a 15 year old Basmoli female has been taken aboard a ship from somewhere along the southern coast of Prax as a slave. What would have been a good location? Possibly a few miles up the Zola Fel basin? How is she captured? Ideas? How does she end up in say Leskos or Sklar, shipwrecked or sold again as she is a real troublemaker? Ideas? She has been on ships for about 8 years before being deposited along the Heortland Coast. Is Corflu flourishing as of yet? I thought it was founded later but not sure. Where was Rurik Runesear born, just curious? When do the Wolf Pirates pass by Corflu and first land in the Holy Country, I see a base being set up by them in 1605 at the Three Step Islands but when did they first stop/arrive in the Holy COuntry, scouting mission possibly a bit earlier? I see the 1605 date in the Well of Daliath time line. Sorry for all the questions and thank you in advance for input/ideas!

Undoubtedly. When I think on that a bit more it'd have to be a heroic ability... dodge for the win.

Other than dodging arrows or other missile weapons is there a parry or block of sorts, cutting them in the air with a sword, as an example? Has this ever been a skill? A Vingan with a 2H sword feels at a great disadvantage to the other PC's with say hoplite shields when it comes to protection. (My antagonist NPC's like to use missile fire at heavily armored PC's before closing to soften them up of course.) Just curious on parring missile fire as a skill? If not I'll have to advise them to stand behind the Agimori...

I had to add this, radio controlled owl bear?

Alex, check out the link below. I worked for Kurokawa for 2 years back in the 90's, a good bit after he did the capsule tower, I think it was taken down a year or two ago. Not many buildings that are not really historic remain after a 30~40 year lifespan in Japan or so I am familiar. The Yoyogi Nat. Stadium would likely have received the same fate had it not been renovated for last year's Olympics. The capsule tower could be some sort of dwarven compound albeit an Openhandist heresy one? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolism_(architecture)

The more I think on it, this is a magical world. Anything is possible. The Master Builders have Form Set Stone and are wizard-priests (zzaburi) or have their assistance correct? The Dwarves (Alex's idea above) have possibly much more along these lines (bad pun for architecture) for construction and design, working with stone. They could have had Metabolist or Fractal influences long before the 20th Century?! I am thinking the temple at Jelenkev could be something like the image below and from Jeff's map, there is a point of interest about 7.5 miles west of Mt. Passant but Jelenkev is shown at a point more like 14~15 miles than 12km west of Mt. Passant when I scale it? Either way Its near a river so even water features with fountains could be integrated, even without magic... The Lhankor Mhy temple at Jelenkev, Jaja noted, could be below grade in the shape of "Y", possible for protection or some other reason, with the vertex culminating in this grand dome structure with a lot of scrollwork detailing on it... How large is Jelenkev? Is it just a fortified town of 500 or so inhabitants, mostly associated with the University/LM temple? This could also be the Temple of the Invisible God somewhere up on the hill above Mt. Passant, less the river and so it'd not likely have water features? Oh, sorry to ask here but what is the "Sea Wall" west of Fellen? Was is magically raised similar to the Building Wall? Was it made to stop some sort of aquatic invasion?

So my early thoughts on southern Spain may be OK, see tab 01 of this thread? I'd love to use examples of architecture where I have visited. I have the Guide and will reference the populations. Curious though, would anywhere in 1600 Glorantha have architecture like in 1250 ~ 1400 France? Maybe Central Fronela? The gates of Sog on p.214 look quite advanced architecturally to me, definitely late Medieval, easily on par with Romanesque if not early Baroque? Thoughts and thank you again Sirs.

Its massive!? So much more than I had thought... but less medieval and more classical than I had hoped. You did say smaller version...

Jaja, related to what you posted back in April on trade goods, I just reread after some 20 years, the p.13 entry in Tradetalk 12 on Captain Ortossno/Saronil Whiteteeth, salt, salted fish, oil, wine, hardwood and even bronze are trade good passing across Mirrorsea Bay... this all falls in line with what you outlined. Thanks again!

I realize the ToTRM 13 article on orphanages is not canonical but I like the idea that the Aeolians of Sothern Heortland would also have orphanages established more as a state school of sorts for not only those showing promise but also those who are disadvantaged or of course orphaned. They may even be one more recently established in Backford? I am looking at associating the Cathedral of St. Aeol at Mt. Passant with an orphanage as well as a school for higher learning. If anyone has done any "city planning" on Mt. Passant or has an example/sample of what they might have used for the city could you suggest and or share it? Would it be like Carcassonne (say 1250 AD) which seems a bit small for a city the size of Mt. Passant but the look of the cityscape is aesthetically pleasing...

Wasn't the Wild Healer of the Rockwoods "cleansed" of their chaos taint and so they could easily travel with and even receive the protection of Ankubi Broostalker or the High Khan of the Block, wouldn't you agree? On the other hand shouldn't we keep in mind that although Broos are certainly people and all people are equal but some are more equal than others. Along the same thought wouldn't the Gloranthinian antiegalitarianist view have them less equal but still people but you could still tap them because it wouldn't be going against Malkion's 3rd Law: Do not ruin that which you love. Being that Aeolians do not love Broo or chaos "people" in general, the tapping of Broos as a lessor people would be tolerated if minor penance was conducted following the act. Wasn't it ordained via the 4th Ecclesiastical Council of Malkion that a verbal recital of an Aeolian Act of Contrition following the tapping of Broo be enough to absolve one of their wrongdoing? Why would any right minded Rokai Wizard not reap the full potential of tapping a lessor person across all characteristics in lieu of just settling for something like Drain Soul which leaves so much to be desired on the MP/POW gain that its almost so wasteful to be considered by some Rokai to be a Mortal Sin?

Thanks for the map and further info Jeff! Jaja and Joerg have given some great feedback on trade early on in this thread. A lot of that has generated many unique adventure plot hooks. Thank you all yet again!

Based on the extensive wonderful input/insight above, the 1600 ~ 1625 campaign background ~ outline has all it needs and more. Insert events, encounters, scenarios and plenty of travel in between not to mention all the political mishmash, there is easily several years of quality real world RuneQuest Gloranthian gaming ahead. I am not sure what will happen to the denizens of Backford when its overrun but hopefully the PCs make it back in time to help the evacuation as I very much dislike the idea that they all become lunch? Thank you all!

Wait, am I totally wrong in thinking the Esvulari are all Aeolians?! Again the stuff in Tradetalk 12 by Mark and Greg may have been changed but they are calleded the children of St. Aeol!?

This is great stuff and one of the reasons I love Glorantha. Its like its an alive/living, changing world which archeology sometimes modifies the known/perceived history. The idea that all Aeolians fight is perfect for the campaign as the Aeolian PC's not only have but also, need to be the role models, setting the example for the overall population. It pushes the PC's to be exceptional, as what is expected. Along the same lines the caste system being open for those who work hard and progress, explains, adds flavor to the PC's backgrounds, working their way up from being farmers, herders, fishermen, etc. and so I will run with that as the PC's mostly come from the lot 60,000 rural peasants in Malkonwal, it simple to picture. I just have the PC's congregating in Backford, as my Glorantha varies... but Backford does, to me seem to be part of Malkonwal or at the northern border of it come 1617... From Jeff's earlier posts there are about 100k Aeolians south of the Syphon (I think I have this right with some 1500 in Nochet) with that there would be about 1000 higher level rune level/wizard types? Scott, that's me guessing the number from Jeff's earlier posts... link below. Depending on the city/town (The most important settlements of the Esvularings are Mount Passant and Refuge. Durengard, Vizel, and Leskos are also significant urban centers for the Esvularings.) Again Backford is important (to me) maybe as an outpost type border town for Malkonwal? So at most 5% of the higher level NPS would be there or the neighboring towns and villages. There would be several in Bullpen, some down on the coast, so really about 25 or so directly in Backford? That's sizable, again this is if the 1 to 100 is roughly correct of the 100k Aeolians... 30% in Passant, 20% Durengard, with another 40% spread amongst Leskos, Vizel, Duchamp and Refuge. The remainder "are scattered in the County of the Isles, in God Forgot, the Left Arm Islands, Hendrikiland, and in Nochet." Jeff's earlier post: So the Esvulari are centered at Mt. Passant: Mount Passant (large city): The largest settlement of the Esvularing people was built with the aid of Belintar after the old capital, Bensval, was razed. It has the largest Aeolian temple in the Holy Country. (If I have any patron saints, Tales 13, in the campaign they'd have shrines in the cathedral there...) The Kitori were ousted but may I assume the Oshanti, Vandarland and Gardufar get absorbed into Malkonwal? There is the time gap from 1571 ~ 1616 that has me perplexed. If there is another post on this, on the TBT, time before "Tigger" but after 1571 please send me there! Thank you all once again for the great input!

Totally wasn't intending to be unkind! I will take anything I can get, recall I am a RQ Junkie. I even have the old Judges Guild RQ stuff, Broken Tree Inn, Hell Pits, Duck Pond... Its all good to me. Just being selfish for my own desires. Keep it coming Sirs and thank you for the RQ Renaissance.

LOL, I have followed RQ since the 80's. I have some of the first prints of the fanzines and the old softcover books. I would always ask when and wait in anticipation. When? When I was in high school, when I was at University, when I lived in Tokyo, then I'd have anything I could get sent to me there, it was like I was waiting for my next drug fix. I recall being asked once, what it was I was reading on a limited express train to central Tokyo (Tales of the Reaching Moon, Issue 15 with a nice looking broo on the cover) that was back in the mid to late 90's... I have not changed I will still want and need more material. Am I a bad person to wish for new material before the rework of the old stuff? I'd rather see material on Esrolian, Grazelands, the Dragon's Eye but mostly Heortland or say a Sartar homeland book released before a New Elder Races or a GM's book? Sun County in Sartar would be really nice... but I'd be less thrilled to see another cults book? Over the years I have been exasperated waiting for the end of the Wheel of Time to come along or say the Doors of Stone but I will keep asking when, its in my blood! Thank you to those who keep plugging away at it! I'll take what I can get.

Per Jeff: "We got rid of the Sun County serfs. Greg and I were playing around with how Sun County might work in WF 15 but we weren't looking at things holistically. There is a whole Sun County book coming out which is far more useful." Does anyone know when the Sun County book may come out?

It seems very unlikely that with all the infighting of the Sartarites, that there weren't also some Sartarite Lunar collaborators, assisting and so, making at least a few of the assassinations partly inside jobs?

Along the same lines what is form/set lightning from an earlier post? "Do the Aeolian Cataphracts still ride around with form/set lightning lances?"

Still reading up on the Aeolians and while looking at the old Wyrm's Hold scenario (Tales of the Reaching Moon issue #13) the chance for mounted combat via jousting is likely. If a character hits another while mounted who is also mounted and coming towards them wouldn't the damage modifier be increased? It just seems the closing speed would increase the damage done by say at least an additional half the opponents active damage bonus?