Bill the barbarian

8 hours ago, The God Learner said:

11 hours ago, StanTheMan said:

What I mean is, at least, if I don’t run things in a way that there are “large bits of time passing that include activities that must be done” then I’ve found players will micromanage every second, ludicrously having, say, no leisure time or time wasted or anything. Having a one adventure per season implied structure solves that neatly.

It might depend on the group but I've had the same experience. Unfortunately, though also somewhat amusingly, my players revolted when I tried running a Pendragon-style campaign. They really wanted their micromanagement. I didn't force the issue, and, in their defense, skipping substantial portions of time does lead to a somewhat different type of story. (E.g., with micromanaged time your character will never age during play and you can hang on to the same highly developed character more or less forever.)

My first thought was dislike when I discovered the limitations of the RQ G between adventures chapter.  Either; a POW roll a season*, an important skill roll (any normal skill?) a season or a point of characteristics every two seasons (no roll?) in lieu of all other extracurricular activities in addition to 4 points of occupation skills a season and an adventure if one is wished and available. (Do I have this right, this is all from memory?). At least 5 skill rolls a season or 4 skill rolls and a point of characteristics of half a point of POW* all obligations met and an adventure, hmmm. I have mentioned elsewhere that if one wishes to be a student simply take the occupational 4 skill rolls and make them scholarly skill rolls instead.

That's when I thought, holy crap that's a lot of experience in a year, and really easy to work out as well. Where's the downside. If players want more and can explain it, give it to them (a post I once read by MOB?) talks of being generous to the players and really how much extra could it be? Or better, create a challenge for the players to overcome or invoke a logical penalty according to areas that they have taxed and overworked to their next adventures skills/passions that create friction and promote MGF. Negotiate with the players (remember them :) for less if this happens to be too much for everyone's taste. Perhaps RQ 3 training and practice rules could be used here.
In conclusion perhaps (most certainly imho) family and other obligations will suffer (weekly Trollball... gone.) from all of the above except occupation, and we know how much a 40 work week can muddle up even these. Play these problems if simple and part of a story line or accept that the rules have weaknesses but if could be a lot harder. I loved RQ 3, I loved the grittiness but i have a feeling I am in a small minority and as I have gotten older I have discover simplicity, so thanks for taking away a shovel full of work Chaosium. I didn't need the extra labour after all.

* I assume that this is in lieu of all other activities but occupation and note that I consider cult obligations to be under the heading of occupation obligations. Adventures

6 hours ago, M Helsdon said:

If you want to go really Bronze Age... 8-)



Mycenaean	Saxon
Wanax	King
Lawagetas	Thane
Heqetai	Housecarl
Quasileus	Sheriff
Doeros, doera	Cottars/serfs

Nice! Style and substance [gr.].

Ooo, ahhhh,  tables...

On 2/16/2019 at 5:33 AM, jeffjerwin said:

The Torkani probably settled in Dragon Pass originally with the full support of their Kitori relations, unlike the 'pure' Heortlings. I think the Torkani would also have old grudges against the tribes that drove them from Caroman Pass.

When you say the  Caroman Pass, do you have any more details on this area's history as relates to The Torkani (or was it just Torkan—assuming Torkan was the founder's name—at this point and his family/clan/followers)?

Cheers

1 hour ago, Jeff said:

A few notes on the Torkani:

Argan Argar is the tribal patron god. He is worshiped as a consort of Ernalda, as is Orlanth. Humakt is the most important war god, although Storm Bull is also popular. All the Lightbringers are worshiped. 

Their Rex cult is unique - as the tribal leaders need to worship Argan Argar in conjunction with Orlanth Rex.

Intriguingly different. Orlanthi but with a dark twist.

Throw in werewolves, trolls that can either be hard to win allies or deadly foes depending on ones actions (according to S KoH, despite other tribes prejudices, being Torkani does not assure troll friendship), Undead Woods. Yes indeed, good neighbours, all! On the political front the Torkani areas host a devastated city confederacy (in the troubled years one tribe ceased to exist, one left the confederacy to join the rival Alda-chur Confederacy, and the remaining tribes all suffered trauma of one form or another—the Culbrea are half the size they were in 1602). Occupying former Maboder and Torkani lands are potentially hostile (seriously surrounded) Lunars. Across the Lizardwoods and over the River are definitely hostile Dinacoli sun worshippers. And that's only a fraction of the story as far as I can see,

Hmm. It has potential. Yeah, I think we can have fun with this.

Cheers

2 hours ago, Leingod said:

You don't need any kind of further delineation, because the socio-economic breakdown is good enough. Carls and cottars are the common soldiers with varying degrees of equipment quality based on what they can afford, and thralls aren't usually allowed to have weapons or fight for obvious reasons. There isn't a "draft" or any kind of impressment/press-ganging, because being a part of a clan or tribe as a free adult man means being willing to fight its battles if the need arises.

Kinda tomato, tahmato, but I suppose I could have saved having to defend myself by saying:

"in other worlds than Glorantha one could" call it (an) officer, non-commisioned officer and the enlisted and the drafted;press-ganged*. Noble, Yeoman, Serf, rabble..?

* (thrall, trollkin, Tusk-Rider Merc)

In any case, apologies for the lack of clarity. My bad.

Cheers

Yep, these sound good to me, I would call it officer, non-commisioned officer and the enlisted and the drafted;press-ganged. Noble, Yeoman, Serf, rabble..?

Thanks guys,

Sartar Companion's Argan Argar HQ cult write-up cleared up the masks and rituals of the Troll Woods/Kitori nicely. Now I just have to decide how much came north with the Torkani. Good pic jeffjerwin, a little terrifying, no? Now two items I cannot find are; The Zin Letters, I have a post on another thread asking if it still lives. Does anyone have a current address for contacting the management there?

The next query is about the Vanak Spear HeroQuest? Is there a public domain telling of this myth. Buying a copy of HQG to include this in my game might be a bit extravagant, but a bit of knowledge that could open up the Lizardwoods to adventure would be nice. Hmm

Cheers

On 3/2/2017 at 7:02 AM, Steve said:

Send an email to editor@tradetalk.de

Sorry to create a zombie thread (they thought it was dead but It came from the grave...bwahahahah—the thread that would not die).

On that silly note, does anyone know if this email is still valid. I sent a request last week for info on those mags so it may well be something that is not often checked and I simply need to wait patiently...

Yes to all the above jeffjerwin,.

Though I am operating on most of the assumptions you mention I have until now overlooked the Lizardwood Asrelia aspect... good call. Might be some fun there,. So, on that note where might I find mention of the Vanak Spear HeroQuest?

The Coming Storm has been invaluable, as a resource for a fellow member tribe and clan of the Jonstown Confederacy, the Cinsina and the RedCow as well as their neighbors. Of course John Hugh's work on the Far Point fills in many details on the northeast borders of the Torkani. The Zin letters you say, I will have to have a look see. The Haunted Lands and Into the Troll Realms from RQ 3 or Troll Pack from RQ 2 seems to have a fair amount of material that could help fill in details in the Battle Valley and Stagland areas as well as provide the caravan you mention.

Now,  you also mention something that I have not come across. The masked cult and the Shadowlords. Both Kitori or OOO affiliations from the old country?

Cheers

Well I have my Core Rules now, all my RQ 2 and 3 modules and tons of notes, got a player (one is a start). Now with the player I have has the good fortune/curse of being interesting". Said player has decided to play an Issaries Merchant and as I am running him as a solo I asked him to create a second character as well. Hmm God of Surface Darkness says he, well his brother will be an Argan Argar cultist and they willl both be Torkani.

Well, the tons of notes combined with some great reference materiel alleviated some of the panic I felt of having very few notes on the good Torkani folk. A month later, between all the materials out there (old and new) and what I have as well, I now have a bit of a Torkani sandbox to play in. Next step is to populate it and then place adventures.

That is the point of this missive, does anyone have suggestions of modules of any flavour (Questworld, Judges Guild, WD, DW, any variety of RQ or HW or HQ) that are Torkani centered of that could be adopted to that very misunderstood of Sartar Tribes, The Torkani. I have decided to start him with Greenbrass from RQ3's GM book. Not a very sophisticated adventure but one that gives a great variety of encounters including one that

{Small Spoiler Alert!!!}

... should be avoided at all costs—demonstrating a key fact of RQ gaming. There are no levels or warnings that this part of the dungeon is the deep end that is the shallow. Game balance is just not as important in this game as in others.

So again I am asking for adventure suggestions, published or otherwise. And I suppose I should ask if anyone knows of prominent Torkani I should note,

Cheers all.

On 2/12/2019 at 6:13 AM, Sumath said:

Will the rulebook be self-assembly?

Just don't lose that little tool or you will never get it to hold together...

Oh, and more to the point, welcome Sweden. Ignore the horrible pun, we love your furniture.

.

On 9/13/2016 at 10:01 AM, styopa said:

Glorantha: World of Relativism!  

I'd submit that should be a foundational rune for the world, but that would really depend on how you look at it.

Good one!

a side note, perhaps if your trade is being a full time student (trainee) maybe those 4 seasonal experience checks could be in skills you have been training. 'Course no income and money going out each season...

Cheers

37 minutes ago, Marc said:

Right now, not sure what I would do for a house rule to change this.  I've got ideas, but they have a bunch of holes in them.  Would love to hear what ideas, if any, others have on this.

Personally I like the simplicity of RQ G

A little odd for a RQ enthusiast to state, but... When one considers at the end of a year they can have easily pursued their trade for four experience checks, and adventured for 4 or more experience checks each season. That adds up to at least 8 skill checks per season or at least 40 a year That's not too bad. Now, I believe you can add one skill check a season or one Pow roll check or one stat check every 2 months. Works for me

Cheers

On 12/26/2018 at 11:07 AM, PhilHibbs said:

Like the blue guy on the rulebook cover.

kinda/sorta [gr]...

I followed many versions of spells manifesting arguments over the years and I must say I am a fan of how the effects are now incorporated into the rules but exactly how is left to the imagination of the GM and the players and I suppose the theory of MGF as well.

jps, thank you for getting this off your chest so simply. Now I can get this off my chest. 

I have written (and tossed) three very long letters to express my feeling in regards to the great work Chaosium has done, continued to do under new names, companies and games, and now this incredible (though with sad undertones with the last goodbye from Greg) bringing together of the old band, some young turks and all those names I remember during the dark days that were only illuminated by the digest, great web pages and zines (Issaries, TotRM, all those fan pages... may I just say, WOW!). With my RQ 2 and 3 library, some classic Hero Wars/Quest resources and what little has now come out for RQ G, I believe I have the best game system known to man.

Sigh, I suppose I should just have expected greatness and left it at that!.

Cheers

On 12/29/2018 at 10:23 AM, womble said:

In earlier versions, Initiates only got one casting of a Rune Spell per sacrifice for it, so it wasn't uncommon to come across Initiates with no Rune Spells, or only one or two, in case of emergencies. Now every Initiate under RQG rules will have at least one Rune Point and access to the Common Spells and one of the Special spells available to their Cult. There's the chance they might already have some unreplenished Points, naturally, but having all your antagonists 'running on empty' will ring a bit false after a while...

It ain't necessarily so. Though I mostly disagree with the direction that RQ RiG seems to be taking in making characters so much more powerful that their daily counterparts are (D&D anyone?), I have seen many comments from people high up in the Chaosium organism who have said that the players are extraordinary and that the average initiate does not have at least 3 RPs minimum and 3 Rune spells as well as all the spirit magics, etc that come with the office. That is kept for the extraordinary PCs.

On top of that, your game may vary so...

And thank you both! I read Pentallion's review and immediately bought the pdf. Have not had a chance to read a lot of it but I really enjoyed Red Cow despite never having played HQ (played RQ since '85). Knowing how much fun I had with RQ 2 and 3 I know I will enjoy RQ RiG just as much, and it is nice to know that the game that kept Glorantha alive throughout the dark days after RQ 3 collapsed still has much to give even to those who do not play it.

How does one get just the upgrade and not order a new copy?

cheers

Greetings from north of Valind's glacier. Anybody know if we will be getting down loads of player's aids or should we make our own?