MOB

I like the idea that no one has ever seen a Vadeli in the march of the dead, although it is documented that Vadeli have died in the city. And that the reason for this is inscrutable.

I always assumed that because Daryli is the household priest of Duke Raus, therefore he is actually a civilized sort of shaman. Raus and family are ancestor worshippers - while they are culturally Lunar, they are not necessarily formal members of Lunar cults.

1000th backer!: http://basicroleplaying.org/topic/4166-rq-classic-kickstarter-update/?do=findComment&comment=64561

RQ Classic's triumphant return has got off to flying start - 1000 backers so far, and #5 on the Kickstarter Top 100 list!

I love the idea that foreigners also join in the march of the dead, much the shock of their loved-ones (and them)! It somehow reminds me of one of the causes of the Indian Mutiny, where Sepoys were reluctant to serve overseas because by doing so they thought they would lose their caste. Likewise, the Dragon Emperor finds it challenging to recruit officials to serve in Nochet. A dying Kralori in Nochet will do whatever they can to expire away from the city, so their remains can be safely repatriated.

While he doesn't quite make it to King of Dragon Pass (yet!), Melo Yelo is also a prominent character in the "Future History of Sun County 1621-1627" document I prepared to bring the setting up to the new campaign start date.

With the launch of the RuneQuest Classic Kickstarter and to stay rockin' with the Old School Roleplaying vibe, we've rebadged the Chaosium Newsletter as Ab Chaos! The original Ab Chaos was an irregular newsletter brought out by Chaosium from 1990 - 1992, back in the days when if you wanted one you had to send in a SSAE. Interestingly, in the first issue, Greg Stafford proudly noted Chaosium was "currently one of the oldest surviving companies from those which originated the industry". Somewhat miraculously, Chaosium is still around 25 years later! To get Ab Chaos now, simply sign up to the newsletter with your email address, at the bottom of the Chaosium homepage! Note: if you currently already receive the Chaosium newsletter, you don't have to do anything! So, what was Ab Chaos, and what is it now? Although there's been a 23 year hiatus between Ab Chaos #7 and the new issue, we believe what Greg said then still applies: What is Ab Chaos? (...from Ab Chaos #7, May 31 1992) Ab - Latin "from" Chaos - (1) Any condition or place of total disorder (modern vernacular); (2) the disordered state of unformed matter which preceded creation (since Milton, Paradise Lost); (3) the dark, empty space which preceded creation (Greek Mythology); (4) the [formerly] Californian roleplaying game company. Ab Chaos is an informal newsletter for Chaosium fans. Through our history we have tried to serve the players and gamemasters through craft and art as well as (and sometimes at the expense of) marketing and moneymaking. We appreciate your loyalty, and offer this communication to those who are curious about us, beyond the mere "product". It is planned to be informal and irregular. We are, after all, not the Orderium.

BTW, the Last Light heroquest emulates Yelmalio’s grim and tenacious survival in the Greater Darkness, and is only performed at times of the gravest existential peril. Although an entire community can take part, the lead participant must have completed at least the Sacred Time version of the Hill of Gold heroquest, where Yelmalio is disarmed by Orlanth, and then ambushed by Zorak Zoran, who steals his fire powers. In most cases this would be the Count. A leader who has gone on a pilgrimage to the actual Hill of Gold in Vanch itself greatly improves the chances of success and enhances outcomes. The last Light heroquest helped Sun County endure various trials and torments during terrible Solitude of Testing period (1200 – 1575). Before the Great Winter, it was last performed in the reign of Count Skindilli Longlegs (1439-1458), of whom the Light List says, “drove away Daga and made slaves of the Storm Bull men”. Stations of the Last Light Heroquest The Son of the Sun falls and bleeds out his life-giving heat, but his wounds do not deter his struggle in the Darkness as he girds his strength and fortitude. He joins with allies to fight against the relentless approach of chaos. The elves will be one, and there will be others, but one friend is false that only later Truth can reveal. He fights off those who would drag him to hell like his father and becomes the Last Light, the strongest god of light to live in the Darkness. He finds his wife Ernalda*, the earth mother who was lost in the darkness, and stands guard over her while she sleeps. (GM note: could be any other earth goddess who has gone to sleep, e.g. Esrola, Eiritha, Aldrya.) The false friend is revealed and he is wounded again, and bleeds out the last of his firepower into Ernalda and that helps warm her enough to be awakened. He survives the Darkness, and watches over the ruins of the world until he greets the rise of his father, the Sun, at the start of time.

And we've hit 80K, so now the RuneQuest Companion is unlocked. Next stop - 100K and Cults of Prax! If you haven't backed yet, please consider!

Update on progress in the KS here - whether you're going to play it or read, some classic supplements have already been unlocked as Stretch Goals and there are more to come: http://basicroleplaying.org/topic/4166-rq-classic-kickstarter-update/?do=findComment&comment=64464

48 hours in and the RuneQuest Classic Kickstarter is heading towards 80K - at that point the RuneQuest Companion Stretch Goal gets unlocked! So far, we've already reached the Stretch Goals for the classic supplements Fangs, Apple Lane, Snakepipe Hollow, RuneMasters & Plunder. ...And there are still many more exciting Stretch Goals to come, so if you haven't pledged already, please do! 

Yes, all material will be available except for the Unpublished Scenarios and 2 volume set of Source Material which we are offering as a special reward to our most generous supporters. These will not be available as an add-on, nor will they be released as a PDF.

Note, HIGH PRIESTS and RUNE PRIEST-LORDS also receive all achieved Stretch Goal related PDFs for free.

We'll do our best to address queries here and elsewhere including G+, but the go-to place to get answers is on the RQ Classic Kickstarter page itself. As you would imagine, the KS page is being monitored closely. (Note, you'll have to initially pledge at least one dollar at the "Member of the Tribe" level to be able to post questions, though you can upgrade your pledge level at any time during the KS).

And we're live! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/224590870/runequest-classic-edition

And we're live! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/224590870/runequest-classic-edition

A quick sneak peek at a special item being offered in the RuneQuest Classic Kickstarter, just before it's launched... the Runequest Playtest Manuscript.

A quick sneak peek at a special item being offered in the RuneQuest Classic Kickstarter, just before it's launched... the Runequest Playtest Manuscript. This is a 250+ page hardcover book created from high resolution scans of the original playtest manuscript. This manuscript is the only known set of playtest notes in existence, which have been lovingly kept in a binder for the last 40 years. This playtest material was used to create the first edition of RuneQuest. The Kickstarter reproduction also features newly written introductory essays by Steve Perrin and Greg Stafford. It's going to be available at the Rune Lord-Priest and High Priest backer levels. Here's a couple of pics of the original:

The only backer level with a limit is the top one - high priest. Everyone can be a rune lord, rune priest, etc.

Start time for the RuneQuest Classic Edition Kickstarter is tomorrow (Friday) at 7am EST! 12 Noon GMT

Start time for the RuneQuest Classic Edition Kickstarter is tomorrow (Friday) at 7am EST! 12 Noon GMT

Yes! http://basicroleplaying.org/topic/4150-rq-2-returns/?do=findComment&comment=64201

RQ2 is the second RPG I ever played - strangely enough, me and my junior high gaming buddies got our hands on a little supplement called "Apple Lane" long before we saw the RuneQuest rules, and working out RQ from first principles was pretty tough, particularly as we were teenagers still rooted in the DnD paradigm (just what armour class is Gringle? is Quackjohn chaotic evil? why are there no Gelatinous Cubes in this game?). What also excited us was what we saw of Greg Stafford's game world, Glorantha. There wasn't all that much to go on in Apple Lane, but plenty of tantalising hints and glimpses. Then we got our hands on this wonderful set of rules - RuneQuest 2; luckily for us, right when the golden age of RQ2 had just begun! And now there's a chance to bring pretty much all of this material back into print (wait til you see the stretch goals) - that's pretty exciting!

Also getting the word out there on Twitter!: https://twitter.com/Chaosium_Inc/status/669674694547603456

Pledge levels are "In the tribe", "Lay member", "Initiate", "Rune Lord", "Rune Priest", "Rune Lord-Priest" and "High Priest". As to what is offered at each level, you'll have to wait until Friday...