jajagappa

The odds of the second-worst result for the loser being "Hurt" is very low, particularly as the number of foes/results increase. I'm not sure the table is the best for determining overall Climactic results, though. In a combat, you really want a better sense across the groups. Perhaps it would be good to factor out all like results, and then determine differences between the remainder? I do feel that a climax could result in a Pyrrhic Victory.

One question is whether doing so will trigger the traps and magics laid down in the Second Age when the Clanking City and Zistor were destroyed. I'd be inclined to say yes and that this has been an ongoing check on their desires for expansion. Of course, this is the Hero Wars, so old powers are invoked again, etc.

That reference is carried over into the Book of Heortling Mythology p.182 as well: "The race of minotaurs are descended from Urox through his son Minotauros. Members of this subcult gain no magic, but are seen as a friend by most minotaurs. Some heroes of this subcult even have minotaur followers. One heroquest path of Minotauros is the Horn Quest – human follower may quest to have a pair of magical bull’s horns grow out of their temples." The quest is not noted in Arcane Lore, but there are some bits there that may be of use: p.59: "the Raging Death (the Storm Bull Mustering Ground)" - sounds like a good starting point. p.59: "To Storm Bull Mountain" - probably the same as Stormwalk Mountain p.100-102: "The Berserkergang Path" - this is Storm Bull's quest to gain the Berserk powers and could be a model to use. The steps include: Departure via a Whirlwind (which must be summoned) Humakt's Threshold - either quester or Humakt must die to cross over the Bridge of Passage - On the other side of the pillar, a long rope-and-plank bridgeextends into the mists. When crossing the bridge of passage, each member must check to see how he fares. The bridge creaks audibly under the weight of any character with a high Death Fame. Other characters cross the bridge silently. Guardian of the Gate - only warriors may pass - must bear weapons and have made the bridge creak Court of Kargan Tor - many people fighting or feasting Lord of the Table - At the head of the table squats a colossal drunken warrior, the son of Urox and Lord of the Table. He is horned, wears sword and axe, and his shoulders are at least 4 yards above the straw-strewn floor. Each quester must gain the Lord's attention by reciting past deeds of boldness loudly and repeatedly. If the quester fails his attempt, a mass of berserks converges and throws him out, humiliating him. If he gets the Lord's attention, then he has to drink with the Lord. Any hero who manages to down his mug awakes and invokes Urox from within - the Berserkergang. If a hero fails to down his mug, he collapses unconscious under the table and awakens intact back at the mundane starting point. All those who succeed also gain Death and Disorder Fame. Urox' Secret Ale - Instead of the magic mead (or in addition to it), a hero can ask the Lord of the Table for one of the Bull's secret ales - Ambrosia (yellow), Ironground (green), Stormbeck (brown), or Deepmain (blue). The hero will find the ale even more difficult to stomach than the mead. If he succeeds, he gains some of the attributes of the Storm Bull. The green brew provides the constitution of a bull; the orange, the strength; the yellow, the size; and the blue, the speed. This attribute increase is effective whenever the quester is engaged in combat, and is thus an additional berserker-type ability. Failure to down the mug has identical results to failing to down the magic mead. - Note: this might be the place to drink of the Ale of MInotaurus. The Bull of Terror - through the Back Door of Kargan Tor's court is a grassy meadow. The Bull of Terror is here and will charge with its fear-inducing power. Any quester returning through the back door without defeating the Bull is disgraced. If the quester defeats the Bull of Terror, he should immediately skin it. Soon thereafter a burly horned warrior comes, puts on the Bull's skin, and congratulates the quester. This is Urox himself, who scoops up a double handful of the Bull of Terror's blood and offers it to the quester to drink. The Parts of the Bull - Storm Bull then cooks the bull and offers the quester one of the parts. As the slayer, the hero may take as his share any one organ of the Bull he desires. The organ is received in the form of a small, stone amulet in the form of the named organ. Each organ of the Bull of Terror provides its devourer with a slave spirit who knows a single ability. The spirit uses its powers on command, even while the master is berserk. Humakt's Testing - Anyone that has drunk the magic mead of the Lord of the Table, wears a horned helmet, and carries a weapon can leave Urox's Gate and go before Humakt, demanding the right to the secret Battle Rage. Humakt's Herald stands forth, and commands the hero to prove himself by withstanding five mighty blows without flinching. If he takes each blow without flinching, he is immune to exhaustion and disease while berserk. If the hero is not knocked unconscious, incapacitated, or killed during the test, he can ignore most wounds whenever he is berserk, as well. Departure - he may go back via the Bridge of Passage. Somewhere on his return he will be attacked by a foe.

If I was using miniatures, I'd certainly use the Gods War figures (or the Cthulhu Wars or Planet Apocalypse figures).

For question 1, you need more options like 'sometimes' or 'depends on game mode' (e.g. I would for face-to-face but not PbP). 🙂 I used miniatures when I ran RQ3 face-to-face years ago (think they were mostly 25mm at the time). IIRC, I had either blank sheets with a grid or some erasable marker sheet that I used to mark up for the layout. Also used miniatures (28mm) when running Star Wars RPG with my son. For those I had various battle mats, usually squares. For PbP, there are no miniatures, but I'll design maps (without any grids) to indicate generally positioning and terrain.

As are the dogs and hounds of Jajagappa whose wild pack can run down the powerful dead and whose net can bind and drag them to hell.

As I noted, I do usually map out larger combats so I have a rough idea of movement and distance (example from a recent battle with scorpionmen below). If I was running face-to-face, I'd probably use miniatures (as I did so in the past). This allows the players to remember who is engaged, who isn't, where you might double up an attack (and forcing the opponent to make diminishing parry rolls), and whether a missile shot from an unengaged character is reasonable. I do follow SR's. I don't worry about facing of characters.

Only if you're at 100%+ Yes, it just follows the normal reduction in parry %. There's no specific rule/requirement to do so. RQG is not a miniatures/skirmish game, so no. If you want to make it so for your game, you can do so, but it just adds another level of complication. While I will draw out rough maps for battles in my RQG game, the only situations where I would use the +40% unaware rule are: 1) missile fire targeted against an engaged figure; 2) the first rear attack by a melee fighter against an engaged figure where it seems unlikely the target would be aware of their approach; 3) the first attack in an ambush where targets fail Scan/Listen rolls.

No resource that lists all of that. You might find it interesting to read what Greg has said about the origins of Glorantha here: http://www.staffordcodex.com/overview/ For those of us who have gathered Glorantha material over the years, the initial concepts we were aware of were either provided in WB&RM or in RuneQuest. Dragon Pass, Sartar and the Lunar Empire, immense dragons, the Hero Wars with Harrek and Jar-eel, Argrath and the Red Emperor, Cragspider and Sir Ethilrist, … were all part of the initial 'concepts'. Orlanth and Kyger Litor appear in RQ. Prax and the beast riders, Pavis and the Big Rubble appear in Nomad Gods, then Cults of Prax. Chaos and the chaotic monsters such as the Crimson Bat, broo and Cwim appeared in WB&RM, Nomad Gods, a bit in RQ, but then in more detail in Snakepipe Hollow, and particularly Cults of Terror. Cults of Terror revealed the struggle between Arkat and Nysalor/Gbaji, and the Uz Lore book in Trollpack brought the first detailed history. The pantheons of the gods were detailed in the later Wyrms Footnotes, as was the History of the Lunar Empire. The deep nature of the dragons and the dragonewts was in Wyrms Footnotes 14. Dwarves and the World Machine were detailed in an article in Different Worlds magazine called "Why I Hate the Mostali". RQ had the first world map, but we didn't have many details on many areas until the Genertela book. King of Sartar was the first full writing on Argrath in the Hero Wars, the fall of the Lunar Empire/Red Moon, and more details on Orlanthi culture. From Greg's efforts at trying to define the background of the Lunar Empire sprang the books about the Dara Happans (Glorious ReAscent of Yelm and Fortunate Succession) and then the Pelandan myths (Entekosiad), and then some other unpublished Lunar material. Revealed Mythologies provides the deeper insights into Western, Eastern, and Pamaltelan myths.

Well, first the Great Mother is going to have an UzUz (i.e. Mistress Race) baby. And the baby is going to be very hungry too. From the Guide p.748, part of the Black Dragon Mountain pictoglyphs, some of the most relevant ones are: 11. In the Castle of Lead are Uzuz children. Dehori and other shadows roll out of the Castle of Lead. Men, Plant Men, and Stone Men tremble in fear. 12. The Men of the Red Moon fight against the Men of Storm. A White Bear fights against the Red Moon. Uzko fight on both sides but always against Men. 27. Uz come out of their mountains and eat Men, Plant Men, Stone Men, and Water Men.

Unlikely to have taken Elkoi before the Dragonrise - it's a nice little slave entrepot and perhaps Appius Luxius finds it convenient to get young nobles who are too ambitious placed there. With the Dragonrise, the majority of the Lunar Provincial Admin is wiped out. Almost all the major figures were there in Sartar. Even before then, Imther and Aggar were in the midst of rebellions. Glorantha Sourcebook p.189 notes, "With the Provincial Overseer devoured by the True Dragon, and the Provincial Government in shatters, the hill tribes in Aggar, Talastar, Vanch, Imther, and even Holay rose in rebellion. The rebels in Aggar defeated the remaining Lunar friends in that province and acclaimed one of their own king of Aggar. By end of 8/1 (1626), much of the Lunar Provinces were lost to the Empire, except for such strongholds as Tarsh, Mirin’s Cross, and Vanch. In Imther, an imperial appointee ruled little more than Hilltown." Elkoi becomes fair game for whoever can claim it.

Glorantha Sourcebook p.185 has the map of the invasion in 1624-25. It advances through Oraya and along the Arcos towards Torang in Rinliddi. It's detailed on p.189 and concludes with "In 8/1 (1626), Dranz Goloi suffered his first reversal when the Lunar Army, led by Jar-eel, riding atop the Crimson Bat, routed him outside the walls of Blessed Torang, and revealed herself to be the incarnation of the Red Goddess in the Third Battle of Chaos. Dranz Goloi and the survivors of the nomad army withdrew to the Redlands to regroup and recruit."

Yes, some bits are quite narrow. Tip of the tail in my mind. It spreads as you walk along. Or could just be how the earth resettled after a dragonrise, or perhaps after it buried itself again. But definitely the only RW landscape I've seen where I had the feeling that 'this could be a dragonrise'. Could be a good example for a dream dragon rise too.

Given what they previously did to the Yelmalio cult (Esrolia p.43-44), I think the Yelmalions will be very careful of what they do and don't do in Nochet. "Orenda then fulfilled her promise to her lover, and wed him and made him King of Esrolia. His officers married priestesses, and his men married ladies. That night in their wedding beds these men were fed to Imarja. They were all murdered and set afire, or else burst into flame first and died that way." Of course, the reason they were there was that they proved useful mercenaries in the fight to drive out the EWF. Why invite the Yelmalions into Nochet again? They serve as a useful check against the hordes of Sartarite/Heortling refugees (~20k of overall 100k+) particularly in the Sarli district where there cluster. The Yelmalions can be used to challenge clan chiefs who get out of line, the mercenaries can be used in the wars with the western barbarians, etc. And there are other husband deities who can help keep the Yelmalions and their patriarchal instincts in check. And of course, the Ernalda priestesses are likely to know more stories of the days when Yelmalio was Ernalda's Husband-Protector which they can ritually invoke. Exactly. 🙂

The uplifted side of the rift runs about 11km, the lower side is about 7km, and there are a range of parallel fractures as well including some water filled. Glorantha Sourcebook p. 40 notes the Brown Dragon left "a crack in the earth which stretched for 16 kilometers", so yes a bit shorter, but still reasonable for a true dragon. 🙂

When I read through your text initially, I was not picking up the fact that if you've used it, you've lost it. Reading back through, I think you're correct, and that we're on the same page. True. I was thinking more in the munchkin gaming line.

No, Vith = Aether. But were his wives Earth Queens? Likely yes (or they are Dendara/Gorgorma, who may or may not be Earth deities). Was there a primordial Earth figure before Vith? Durapdur the Three Measures perhaps, or Majadan (Iste) the Father God together with Erdires (Yothenara) the Mother Goddess, or later among the High Gods there is Yothbedta the Gardener or Herevens the god of mountains and heights.

Maybe or maybe not. That really focuses on myths of Esrolia, not of broader Earth deity relations. Best starting point is the Glorantha Sourcebook as it gives a broad view of the whole pantheon. Given that the land/earth is everywhere (unless you are running a merman campaign), you will almost always have earth goddesses (or remnants thereof in the case of the Wastes). The continuity of the major land masses suggest that certain goddesses (e.g. the land/grain goddesses) are both distinct entities yet part of something greater (e.g. Gata/Asrelia/Ernalda). The Earth goddesses also have their own mythic cycles of maid/mother/crone. Asrelia is both the crone, yet she was once maid and then mother, so in her mother aspect she is also mother of Ernalda the maid and equivalent of Ernalda the mother. (And the same can be said of Gata the primal earth, though she is much less accessible.) This is part of the way of myth. Glorantha Sourcebook p.88 is your basic Earth-centric genealogy and descent. The remnants of the earth culture in the Wastes (at the Paps) is probably the best example with its varied spirits of the Earth or memories of them (e.g. Genert, Tada, Ronance, the Serpent Mothers, etc.). Generally the varied Earth guardians were killed, turned into mountains, fell asleep, etc. Joerg noted the Molandro reference as Yelm's second foe (and there may well have been a Mol..... culture somewhere in Peloria including the traitorous air goddess Molanni). The Esrolia book notes Ernalda as part of the six sisters, two of whom are Del..... goddesses: Delaeo and Delaina. Likely they were part of some other old earth culture that was absorbed. Each region may well have its equivalents centered on some prominent earth feature (e.g. Gerendetho and the Hungry Plateau/Jord Mountains; or Kero Fin). There's not a lot else described that I recall, so it's really a matter of building the myths you want into whatever story you are telling.

No, I was saying don't put all your RP in one cult basket. If you've got 15 CHA, put 10 RP in your Orlanth basket and then join associated cult Issaries (or whoever) and put 5 RP in that basket. Both are then well insulated against CHA loss (and you can work common rune spells from either). My vote is for a variant of #4. If you need to use, you do as one-use. But it's gone at that point if you do. If you don't use and CHA returns then fully reusable once more. Basically your god is saying "I expect you to be my leader. You failed to maintain that, and yet you drew upon my powers anyway. Now you have to sacrifice to me again to prove your dedication."

I have a feeling that the Esrolians act very much in this manner in regards to land and land rights/obligations. The Dividing Familyland myth in the Esrolia book is very suggestive of which ancient families gained "ownership" of the land (and one of the maps highlights the divisions around Nochet between the Evaeo, the Oranaeo, the Deleaos, and the Delainaeo clans). These and other Enfranchised Houses continuously try to assert their rights over others on "their" lands including paying tribute, offering sacrifices to selected deities, demanding labor or goods, or even allowing buildings to be constructed and occupied, etc.

That seems reasonable to me.

Potentially, though with the gaps and cracks and fissures, I was definitely and immediately thinking "a dragon rose here".

I had the impression that it was substantially larger and maybe the brightness of our moon. It's not as large as Shargash (whose round shape is discernable in the Sky per the Guide) though. I suspect the horse tribes would find a blindingly bright yellow horse.

It's one of those undefined situations, and I could certainly go either way. But even without the Charisma spell, CHA can drop. Does the PC immediately lose the extra rune points they've spent good POW on? I'd be inclined to be lenient and go with the "now one-use" effect.

Maybe it longs for its mate! And if they can find it, the bird can again lay magical eggs.