Rob Helm

In general, I looked at playing an Assistant Shaman, but changed my mind because I couldn't see how it would work in typical adventures. Does anyone have any notes from actually playing Vishi Dunn or another such character in Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha?

I am interested. I'm familiar with the game and the setting. Rob Helm

I'll admit, I have always appreciated the tables "Modifiers to Magic", "Inherently Difficult Magic", and "Ritual Modifiers" on pages 100-102 of HeroQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (the Steve Jackson Games publication). I know it's sacrilege to suggest using specific numeric benchmarks in HeroQuest anymore, but the list of factors and where the break points are (100 yards, 5 miles, etc.) are at least interesting. Rob

I was interested to see the following on page 245 of the RQG core rules: Ritual Practices An adventurer can increase their chance to successfully cast any spell (including ritual spells), use a Rune, or perform a Magic skill (such as Worship) through a ritual practice. It seems like these practices may _not_ be used to augment a resistance roll. In a lot of situations, it's the resistance roll that's the hardest to make. This seems a bit different from magic as depicted in HeroQuest. There ritual bonuses like community support, sacrifices, auspicious day, etc. could have a big impact on how effective a spell could be. Page 316 lists a bunch of similar factors that offer bonuses to the Worship skill, but not for other situations. Rob

I'm curious how Lunar player characters get rune magic in RQG Sartar. For example, Vostor, the pre-generated Lunar Tarshite character I've been playing occasionally. Heroquest: Roleplaying in Glorantha seems to be set about the same time as RQG, and it implies that the Seven Mothers cult has been wiped out in Sartar after Dragonrise. (See the box at the bottom of page 192.) With no temples in Sartar, how can someone like Vostor renew rune points, etc., in an RQG game? Are there still some tribes or confederations that tolerate Lunar worship? Rob

So, the basic idea: the GM will assign lingering benefits several times a session, based on the outcomes of important scenes. A player can choose to cement such benefits while they are still in force. So, for example, Oddi's party defeats the Greydog raiders and receives a +3 lingering benefit to combat abilities. Oddi's player can choose to cement the benefit and raise his combat ability by +3 at a cost of one Hero Point. But if a season passes and the GM says the lingering benefit has worn off, the opportunity is lost. I like it. I've never been crazy about having to choose between bumping rolls and improving characters with Hero Points, but that's a separate issue. Rob

For what it's worth: The characters in David's Umathela campaign called their storm god and king of the gods Tyloque. At one point, the characters were stuck in southern Pamaltela and wanted to summon a wind to fly home. So they asked the locals to find a place that they avoided because Baraku the bad wind was powerful there.

About the notes from David Dunham's game (all non-canonical): Halamalao played a role similar to Elmal or Yelmalio. His was one of several cults influenced by the Aldryami, who were ruling or had ruled in the Orlanthi areas of Umathela. Morlotes the boar was an important god with no equivalent in Genertela. I think the Umathelans in our game relied heavily on pigs and had ancestry tracing back to pig people (hsunchen?) in Slontos.

Thanks, all. I guess the answer is probably "all of the above". Small groups probably go via Asborn's Stead as described in the Sartar Companion, if they have good relations with the steadholder and the Black Spear Clan. The king might do formal trips to visit the Runegate clans via the Colymar Wilds, with the support of the Black Spear Clan. Other small groups go via the Thunder Hills. But it seems like heavily laden traders would probably have an arrangement with Lismelder to travel on the trade road that starts at Quackford. Rob

I just noticed something odd about the town of Runegate of the Colymar Tribe: There doesn't seem to be any path to travel between it and Clearwine through Colymar territory. Is that right? For what it's worth: on page 56 of the _Sartar Companion_: Runegate is the conjunction of three trade paths. The Jonstown Path leads east towards Apple Lane and beyond, the Northern Path leads to the Two Sisters ferry and from there into the Dragonewt Wildlands. The Good Ale Path leads south into Lismelder territory, eventually ending up at Quackford. So if the Colymar king wants to visit Runegate or vice-versa, does he go all the way around through Boldhome and Jonstown? Or through the lands of the Lismelder Tribe? Curious, Rob

The Glorantha Sourcebook has some really nice, specific descriptions of Sartar's physical geography. I'd like to run down some photos of real-world locations that resemble it. I know the topic has come up before, but search failed me. Any suggestions where on Earth I should look for such photos? Rob

44: "He is one of the Companions of Argrath" is redundant in a sidebar titled "Companions of Argrath". 44: "climb primeval Spike" should be "climb the primeval Spike" (?) 25 (two instances), 32, 46: "featherd" should be "feathered"

@Steve Thanks @jajagappa So, it does sound like something with total party kill potential. I'll have to think about how to work around that. It might have to involve escorting some very capable non-player emissary, rather than the players themselves trying to deal with the Tarsh Exiles.

I started this on Netflix instant last night. Definitely Gloranthan.

@David Scott Sorry about that. I will try to figure out how to edit the post title. Rob

Yup, that was the idea. Who better to send baby back to sleep? I suspect a lot of worship of Maran in Sartar amounts to "O goddess bless and keep your children ... as far from us as possible." I figured that kind of ritual would work better in a power spot like Maranaba. But I don't know enough about Maranaba to say whether it's even remotely possible. They might just automatically round up foreigners and sacrifice them en masse. That's what the old _Dragon Pass: Land of Thunder_ implies in some parts, but it's not entirely clear. Rob

I'd like to run another scenario premise past folks. Suppose your clan is beset by Adrima, the dark earth goddess of the Runequest: Roleplaying Glorantha Quickstart scenario. Would it occur to you to sacrifice to Maran Gor to put Adrima back to sleep? If so, would it be worth risking a trip to Maranaba, the big Shake Land Maran Gor center in Old Tarsh? I thought a trip along those lines could be interesting, but the premise might be just silly. I'm curious what anyone else thinks. Rob

I'm working on adventures that depend on events in Sartar between Dragonrise and the end of 1625. What happened then? This is the period just before the start of the upcoming game Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha. It must have been something between total bloodbath, and Lunars and sympathizers quietly slinking off. But how did it play out? For example: the Colymar Tribe had a pro-Lunar King (Kangharl "Blackmor") that was eaten at Dragonrise. Who had he left in charge? How did the tribe find out he wouldn't be coming back? What happened then? Rob

https://laughingsquid.com/giant-pacific-octopus-carved-with-chainsaw/

I have a vague adventure idea for a Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (RQG). I'd like opinions on whether the premise is viable. Premise: A priestess of the Clearwine Earth Temple sets out for Heruvernalda, the Earth Temple in Tarsh. She hopes to enlist the Tarsh temple to negotiate an armistice between Tarsh and Sartar. She performs the mission as an extended peacemaking ritual, and the adventurers participate as guards in ritual roles. Some questions about this premise: 1. Would an armistice even occur to the Clearwine Earth Temple as a possibility? It seems like the period where RQG is set is vaguely like that toward the end of the Korean War, where both sides are roughly back to the pre-war lines after having both suffered terrible losses. But maybe even a cold-hearted, clear-headed Ernaldan would not see it that way. 2. Would approaching Heruvernalda be considered? It seems like the Tarsh Earth Temple is infected by the Red Goddess. But if the Roman Catholic Pope can visit the Greek Orthodox Patriarch ... 3. Would it even be possible to travel from Sartar to Tarsh on a peaceful mission, by any route, even with the magical backing of the biggest Earth Temple in Sartar? Thanks for any thoughts, Rob

I am considering running another Gloranthan Runequest one-shot scenario for a small group of friends who are mostly new to both Glorantha and Runequest. Some of them have already played the Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha quickstart, so I can't play that. I do have several books around Pavis: The Gloranthan Classics Pavis & Big Rubble, Borderlands & Beyond, and the (HeroQuest) Pavis: Gateway to Adventure. Can anyone recommend low-prep, short scenario out of one of those? I'll do my homework and read over the options, but maybe something immediately leaps to mind for those of you more familiar with Pavis than I am. Rob

How does Red Cow compare to the Colymar campaign in _Sartar: Kingdom of Heroes_? Is there a reason to run one versus the other for a particular group?

Thanks, Harald, this sounds very interesting. It also sounds like Esrolia is very much in flux. Rob

What's the job description of an Esrolian queen? I'm specifically wondering about the queens listed here: http://www.glorantha.com/esrolian-queens-list/ Is there some kind of Esrolia-level queendom? If so, what are her powers, and how is she chosen?? I ask because of something I read: "Cities are ruled by Queens, who are selected from among the traditional resident clans. Thus 'Queen' is the title of the temporary ruler of an Esrolian city" (_ESROLIA:The Land of The Land of Ten Thousand Goddesses_, PDF page 5) In general, this book makes an Esrolian queen sound something like a Doge of Venice -- an important official chosen by the notables of a city. Just curious -- I have some vague ideas for scenarios set in Esrolia. It was interesting to see several Runequest Quickstart characters have background experience there. Rob

We had a great time playing the new Runequest Quickstart at Games & Gizmos yesterday in Kirkland (Washington, USA). Five players with D&D and Pathfinder backgrounds thought the system worked well, particularly the way runes and magic were woven in to the setting. The combat system did prove "sufficiently deadly", maybe a bit complex, but people seemed to think they'd pick it up. Thanks to Chaosium for participating in Free RPG Day, and to Games & Gizmos for their hospitality.