lawrence.whitaker

Our Indiegogo campaign for the RQ6 hardcover edition is live! Please visit our campaign page and consider making a pledge. We only receive money if we make our funding goal, and we'd love to have your support! There'll be more updates, videos and supporting content as the campaign progresses. Thank you!

George R R Martin should steal this for his 'Song of Ice and Fire' saga.

Leisure Games carry stocks, so they're your best bet.

If you're still umming and aahing about whether or not to pre-order Monster Island (or invest in the PDF on its own), Realms of Chirak has a very helpful Monster Island Overview underway at his blog: Realms of Chirak: Runequest: Monster Island - an Overview Take a look and see if this helps you make up your mind.

Monster Island is now available for pre-orders from the Design Mechanism store (The Design Mechanism) and DrivethruRPG. Priced at $30, this is 296 pages of pure, Pete Nash, fiendish goodness. A complete setting with years of gaming potential, the book comes complete with an A2, full colour map by Colin Driver, and illustrations by Jon Hodgson and Russ Nicholson. If you pre-order, your copy will ship from our printer at the end of July/beginning of August. You'll also receive the PDF version, free of charge, to download immediately. We also have the Monster Island Companion available. At $4.99 this 17 page PDF includes a layered, interactive version of the A2 map. You can control what is displayed, turning on and off different layers to create unique combinations for different playing purposes. The Companion also includes additional NPC statistics and a range of Encounter charts for handy reference. Monster Island... RuneQuest just became a lot more interesting...

Choose Location as a Special Effect becomes a bit pointless, and you'll need to restructure the wound thresholds, descriptions and effects. In reality, you'd need to do a lot more work than first appears.

A sneak peak into the pages of Monster Island... Design Mechanism News And click on the PDF link. More information on the book's release will be posted very soon, including pre-order details.

Yes, it would. In fact, two words: 'Monster Island'. For RQ6, due out in about 6 weeks. Its pure Harryhausen... We've even dedicated the book to his memory.

And without that column, the third column makes NO sense whatsoever, which explains things. The names are historically accurate. The Tokugawa, Minamoto and Tiara clans were the 'Big 3' of the Heian period. The other clan names are mentioned in texts from the time, and the various formal poems that commemorate the political struggles and wars of the age. Family names are drawn from different lists spanning several hundred years, but Japanese formal naming structures didn't change drastically, so all the names are historical. None are made up. Similarly, the timeline, where it is concerned with those elements that are clearly not fantasy, describes events that actually happened. What was interesting during the research I did for this book, was finding that even some of the fantastic elements noted in the timeline were also noted in historical documents. And there really was an edict outlawing sorcerers on pain of death...

I would've posted here first, but I was working behind a firewall yesterday that blocked access to BRP Central, but not Mongoose. Weird... Happy to help.

I haven't seen the Legend version of 'Samurai', but the lists are meant to work thus... First column lists the major clans of Japan. These are groups of families that form influential blocs. Second column lists families that allied with a clan - ie, part of one. The third column then lists the clan that family belongs to. Fourth column lists families that have no clan affiliation whatsoever (and can therefore pick and choose allegiances as they see fit). Fifth column lists 'aspiring' families - those that want to become clans through extending their power and influence. They will be looking to forge alliances with Unallied families and perhaps turn allied families. As to which family character belong to - its up to the GM and players to establish this as part of the campaign. Ideally, all characters will come from the same clan and even more ideally, the same family. Players can choose their caste, but doing so will dictate the professions open to them. If all the players want to be samurai or imperial court officials, then ryomin is going to be the default caste, and there's nothing wrong with that - its certainly not unacceptable. Senmin exists to offer an alternative to the 'higher' professions and grades. This assumes that every player wants to play a samurai or influential individual. I don't think they do. Plenty of players enjoy the challenge of playing someone who exists outside the loftier circles. Hence the provision of choice within the character creation rules.

RQ6 has a free Firearms supplement and a hell of a lot of guidance on creating cults, brotherhoods and sects in its core rules. Was this its first stab at RQ, or Mongoose RuneQuest II? The answer to this depends on your answer to the previous question. RQ6 is a further development of MRQII, but is a different beast to MRQ1. If you hated MRQII, then you may not like RQ6 - although it will depend, really, on what you hated and why. 'Better' is always a matter of personal opinion. What's better for you may not be better for me, and vice-versa. In terms of difference, there are many similarities between RQ3 and RQ6, but mechanical differences in skills, combat, and magic.

Erm, who said Mythic Briton is delayed/shelved? I didn't, and it isn't. Mythic Greece is pushed back, but Mythic Briton is not affected. Or a Pyrrhic victory? Or terrible personal loss? You'll have to wait for the campaign...

Oh, it will. MRQII was the dry-run. RQ6 is the production model.

Okay, a shopping list off the top of my head. Skill allocation for characters is more freeform. New skills introduced. Tweaks to how certain skills work. Passions introduced. Combat Styles redefined and Combat Style Traits added to make them more diverse and unique Combat Special Effects have been altered. New ones added. Folk Magic (Common Magic in Legend) works much differently Mysticism is entirely new Animism has some tweaks and clarifications Divine and Sorcery spells have been tweaked and adjusted Cults have changed a fair amount from Legend/MRQII Far more monsters. Extensive notes on creating your own creatures and using creatures in combat. Several PC races Several pages of GM advice Although the core mechanics are about 95% the same, there are many, many, subtle improvements on Legend/MRQII. RQ6 is the game we wanted MRQII to have been.

I'm still waiting for payment for the Hawkmoon monograph... In truth, I wrote it off a long time ago, and have taken payment in merchandise over the years, so its ceased to be something I pursue. But technically, I'm still owed $500 or so.

RuneQuest Archives: Important Announcement Since January 2012, The Design Mechanism has made available fifteen PDF titles (RQ Archives), originally published by Mongoose Publishing, on DrivethruRPG and its affiliated sites. Most of these titles concern Glorantha; all of them have been made available at just $1.00 apiece. From 1st May the RQ Archives will be significantly reduced. A number of titles will no longer be available, although several books will continue to be supported: these are listed below. Dara Happa Stirs Dragonewts Mostali Pavis Rises RuneQuest Empires RuneQuest Vikings RuneQuest Land of the Samurai Price of Honour These titles will still be for sale at the great price of just $1.00. The reason for trimming the archive is simply one of Gloranthan canon. As many of you may be aware, Moon Design Publications will shortly be publishing ‘The Guide to Glorantha’. This huge tome will be the definitive work on Gloranthan history, geography, myth, culture and adventure. It was felt that, with the Guide’s release, existing material still available should be reviewed. The RQ Archive titles we are ceasing are those that deviate most from the canon, or have been rendered obsolete by new information available in the Guide. Rather than continue to have contradictory titles on sale, Design Mechanism has agreed to cease support for certain works, but continue to keep available the titles listed above. So, you have a few days to take advantage of the full RQ Archives range, including the Glorantha Bundle, before some of these titles disappear. We’d like to thank everyone who has bought PDFs from the RQ Archives and hope you’ve enjoyed them. The Design Mechanism will be continuing support for Glorantha with RuneQuest 6, and 2014 will see our plans for the RQ: Adventures in Glorantha line take solid shape and realization. Thank you once again.

Book of Quests - the first Design Mechanism supplement for RuneQuest 6th Edition - is now available for pre-order. We estimate that print copies will be shipped from our warehouse at the end of March, although the PDF version of the book is available for immediate download. If you buy Book of Quests directly from us, you will be offered the PDF free of charge. Book of Quests Print (+ free PDF) = $19.00 (+$9 shipping): 224 pages Book of Quests PDF only = $8.00 (immediate download): 224 page (fully indexed and bookmarked) This adventure supplement contains seven very different scenarios that can be played as a complete campaign, or as one-off adventures that should fit with most fantasy settings. Each scenario is complete with maps, diagrams, handouts and full RQ6 statistics for all the NPCs and creatures encountered. Book of Quests offers months of play. Can the characters thwart Jedakiah's schemes? Can King Myur be saved from himself? What evil lurks in the heart of Aylesford? What secret does the mournful Contessa keep? Find all these answers - and more, in the pages of Book of Quests.

What's missing from this example is the concept of framing the contest and narrating how the healer comes to prevail over the bandit. What we see above is the mechanical resolution, not the context or the imagination used to arrive at the outcome. If this crucial element is lacking in an HQ encounter, then it does come down a quite mundane and gamist resolution. The idea of using any ability in a contest is to provoke a narration of how that ability is being used. In Simon's example, the healer might start to run coyly around the convenient oasis on tippy-toes until the armour-burdened barbarian falls over from exhaustion. Or she might sit flickering her eyelashes until the bandit falls madly in love/lust with her. Or something else entirely. RQ can simulate the same outcome - the players and GM just have to embrace that it is possible to do so. In RQ, the GM might give the Chalan Arroy healer the chance to pitch her Influence (or Insight, or Seduction, or 'Love Everyone' passion) against the bandit's Willpower before he strikes with his sword. She succeeds - perhaps critically - leaving the bandit helpless with adoration. If you want to enter into some more specific game mechanics, the healer might successfully defend herself with her Love Everyone passion and generate a Special Effect; she chooses 'Compel Surrender', and so the bandit is forced to drop his weapon and declare eternal devotion. Both systems can be used to achieve the effects Simon describes. Its simply a matter of being creative with the way the rules are applied. As a GM, I'd do a Happy Dance if a player told me he wanted his character to enter a combat using a social skill, a Passion, or something else that would negate the need for a combat and create a really satisfying and interesting outcome. I fully agree with Simon that overall, HQ isn't better than RQ and vice versa. It is a matter of taste and scale. There are some genres where HQ is a better fit; some where you need the grittiness of RQ.

Seems to be okay now. As you were, everyone.

Clicking on the link just takes me to a D-Link page. Trying the URL www.d101games.com gives me the same return. Problem?

You wish. I've told everyone to cancel their flights, too...

Some random Pete reminiscences... The Galley Slave incident (which we will NOT speak of). Taking our lovingly crafted Elric! characters and ageing the lot of us into dotage. Making said OAP adventurers undertake the bloody hardest assassination, like, ever. Fooling us into thinking that our Indian Mutiny historical game was an Indian Mutiny game. It started out that way, but ended up something else. Sending us off in a spaceship to board another spaceship that was rotating on a contra-wise axis - and making us work out the sodding physics to get aboard. Doing such horrible stuff to my character following the above that he crouched in a corner of his stateroom clutching an assault rifle, gibbering, and afraid of corners Allowing my character to survive the above and reach Earth only to find... God, it hurts to even remember this stuff. Taking my Sergeant Major from the earlier Indian Mutiny game and turning him into a raving nutbar multiple personality that fucked-up the Charge of the Light Brigade (this was the infamous home-made movie incident where I was segregated from everyone else and had to digest a 15 minute film that made SAW look like a PG-rated film) Letting us play Culture Rapid Offensive Units. Then throwing a kemplar bottle world at us with infinite enemies. This was swiftly followed by the 'here's-how-to-simulate-radiation-poisoning-in-a-sauna incident'... There are others, but I'm aware that I'm making him cackle and that he's running a game for me this week. To my credit, things I've done to Pete's characters... Infected him with a Living Spell Tortured him for several years with tantalizing hints about how to get rid of it Made him the Eternal Champion (more of a curse than a blessing) Cut his hand off (when he'd prided himself on playing the harp) Made Arthur-ap-Uther, Mordred's protector, both his best pal and perfect enemy. The screaming matches between the two of them have been real highlights of my roleplaying career. Especially when Arthur realised Guinevere had betrayed him for Lancelot, and Pete's character had to comfort him. I realise this is all incredibly self indulgent, but it does show that.. a) its not all one-way Pete IS the Iain M Banks of GMing... :-)

Pete is the Iain Banks of GMs. He's not necessarily a bastard... he just manages to extract the maximum unpleasantness from a situation, both for the characters and the players. There are no sacred cows in a Pete Game; do something stupid, and shit happens. Hell, shit's going to happen anyway, its merely a degree of the shittyness. The vindictiveness inflicted on the players - like making us roleplay in a sauna to simulate the effects of radiation poisoning - is something else entirely. Pete would call it 'character-forming': in reality its sadism. In fact, why the hell am I coming out to Sweden this week? Sod this - I'm cancelling my flight!

We won't discuss the Galley Slave incident, either. We'd love to get something like this put together, but it is a question of time for us. Who knows - we might record one of the 'Winter King' sessions I'll be running this week, so you can see how a nice, kind GM nurtures and cherishes his players, rather than subjecting them to the the roleplaying equivalent of waterboarding...