Furry Fella

Actually it doesn't really matter. Shifting bulk food like grain other than by water just doesn't work short of railways. The Urban populations and thus the Garrisons will suffer much the worst of it. There is really quite a lot of study looking at famines and irrespective of the initiating cause that's what this event reflects as. Some locations will be catestrophically effected, the great bulk will suffer real hardship but much less than the suggestion in the tables and a substatial number will suffer or move or both but it will be hard not disasterous. The closer a population is to navigable water the easier and better it will be. The really big hit will be to clan wealth. If the situation was followed by another year then yes dramatic real population loss and widespread to starts to be outcome. Famine or significant crop loss reduction is such a really common event that populations (except in the worst of times) are generally well prepared. The big killers are sudden multiple year failures after sustained reliable growth - those create collapse events. Real wealth in these societies is in cattle or livestock etc. Those things largely cannot be drastically affected by occupiers unless the sudden appearance of a people less wilderness is their immediate intent. This rather stuffs occupying the place. Looking at the Gloranthan guide Volume 1 (both parts) gives Sartar less than 150K pop for more than 25,000 square miles. The southern part is close to water and so resupply and relocation is fairly straight forward. The whole eastern part has the relief of the mitigating climate of the Prax - plus a food source (for metal) plus limited relocation. This is an area where I will be tweaking things depending on tribe. In an odd way the harsh winter conditions favour the locals retaining their suplies and previous surpluses. As adapted to this environment things favour them. A 45% chance of the whole family loosing someone yes. Please do remember that with the inherent disadvantages of terrestrial history even the Black Death didn't get 50% of the population of Europe and much modern scholarship indicates much close to 30% is the likely result. Human populations are actually really hard to kill in large areas. As a comparison Serbia in WWI suffered an occupation the seized more than 75% of the food produced, deported forced larbour, plundered and looted and worse at any excuse and suffered multi year epidemics of typhus, cholera and a couple of other diseases with only local herbalism to teat it (the medicines were generally seized by the Bulgarians and Hungarians) the loss as devastating as it was is generally put at 12% (10% to 15% being the credible limits of population studies) short of organised massed executions of thousands this was genocide that lasted for 3 years.

No this looks really rather must have for many of us. Please do talk to the Chaosium guys on this. This sort of stuff adds both colour and structure to the world. Put me down as a buyer and a backer. The terrestrial late bronze age and early iron is a geek heaven for me so happy to act as proof reader, comments person, suggestions for things to read or raid and so very happy to have you provide the same to me. Keith Branigan's work on the metalergy of the Agean and middle east being the piece that still makes me glow. AS I'm relatively new to this list how best to make contact?

The senario pack is called Apple Lane. The reference is to a small hamelt on an important road. Notable features include a "one of a kind" establishment known as "Gringle's Pawn shop. Said Gringle being a seriously old and capable Issaries Rune Lord & Priest (and Hero Quester). There are 2 senarios "Gringle's Pawnshop" where the PC's are hired as guards for the night / short period as Gringle is bussy and Rainbow Mounds a find and remove the troll outlaw at said location that comes with a second twist - beyween local Nwetlings and an ancient infestation of Rock Lizards - the bit being discussed. For practical purposes this twist generally turns into its own short session. Apple Lane is surprise surprise in an area well known for its extensive and intensive apple orchards. The small hamlet is on the Royal road that runs Jonstown, Red Bird Fort, Rune Gate Fort. so has a "Day Inn" - a day away from the Inn either side (this is the "Tin Inn" another wise very oversized establishment for the local. Due to timing etc this location is the start for almost all of us old fogy or even new / young fogy Rune Quest geeks. With a good gamesmaster this set of senarios was such an eye opener with the intergrated and cohesive nature of RQ as to sell us totally on the new experience. I guess a great many of us experienced our opening years in Glorantha and Runequest both as characters and players in these parts. My 1st RQ character was one on only 2 PC's to survive the whole pack (in part as part of the group got the pip over newbies playing and doing better in the new environment that they tossed their toys). Oldly enough that character still survives and does pop ins when that GM's groups need buffing or leadership -been some really clever (if annoying to the player) was of haling him in to.

Adapting to a new balance does have a significant initial impact as all your "muscle memory" instincts are off. It can sort its self out some times quite quickly but not instantly. I can attest to this from "actual re-enactor experience". Amongst the worst harm I did was accidently reshaping someone's mouth using a "safer lighter" substitute for the warhammer I normally used - swung as I was used to and buggered the timing missed the choreographed strike and hit him in the mouth. It might not have been metal but it was hard wood and moving as it had much less inertia. We needed a couple more hours with the substitute weapons.

The reference should be "mock pork". Bluntly cold and scurvy should be the primary issues. While wealth will plum new depths the cultures fixation with pastoralism should significantly stave things off. As described the loss of a years crops while major should not on historical models (which would have much less safety built in) is not devastating. The disruption and migrating out (even if only shortish distances) when combined with popular hostility is what would largely bite the Lunars. In a pre modern world water is the only possible way of moving bulk food. So generally seeking "shelter" / assistance to the south even if basically in Brownian motion - Boldhome to Karse is what 100 miles. All study of even quite widespread medieval famine (because we have written records - church registers) shows that a good 50% of the loss is people who move out and then move back.

As an alternative might I suggest something from both my own (rather limited) and other re-enactors experience and quite a bit of reading. For practical purposes throwing an ancient Javelin or Dart has almost no differences in technique, nor does throwing a spear from a javelin. Judging the range does for each of them as weight and flight characteristics and certainly range are really quite different. Other than practically point blank ranges (8 to 12 meters) this judgement, flight differences etc end up mattering. At these ranges flight is effectively flat for all. A properly weighted throwing dart (e.g. a plumbata) can be thrown accurately and effectively quite a lot further than a Javelin (both assuming not modern elongated run up. Frankly without a hell of a lot of training and practice throwing a spear suitable for sustained combat even as far as 15 meters is bloody difficult at best. Observed effect on Human analogue targets does vary quite a bit to (yes I have both observed and thrown such a suitable carcasses etc. I just wish I had more than reading to judge the practical effect of Atlatl. Historically true skirmishers did fight with their javelins and indeed accounts from the 16th century in Central America also strongly indicate they did so with their darts - shorten grip and stab. Observed and written evidence promotes the thrown spear as the impact weapon from hand hurled weapons. Javelin & dart users should have skill with them as shortened stabbing weapons but really rather different from spears. This is one area where I have every intention of exercising "Everyone’s Glorantha will vary, and should vary to match every individual group’s play style." Thus this area will get quite a bit of re-ordering etc.

There is something wrong with the spears table as the 1 handed long spear referred else where is missing. A 3m or 10 foot spear wielded in 1 hand is bronze age. Two handed methods get lower SR as the two hands means more of the length is effective - the issue is balance and control. The determining issue with experimental archaeologists or re-enactors over "lance" does appear to be can it be projected sufficiently far forward of the horses head to be effectively useable. This tends to require either certain lengths or techniques or both.

For the charge bit use isn't particularly different. The 2 hander kontos (translates as barge pole) tends to give more reach as it can be held further back as 2 hands don't make balance so difficult. Charging with a lance requires a high cantle or similar braceable saddle. Couching a lance under one arm does benefit dramatically from stirrups but to couch the form of the lance tends to change - the big buts on medieval lances are to improve the grip and the balance but this makes them unuseable as a spear on foot or horse back. The big change is two handed Kontos also cuts and stabs - often historically shown with both hands raised and stabbing or slicing downwards.

Play the consequences and the characters will take it down. Buffed with shield 6 for a year - problem a spell is spell to shield so suddenly 14 magic points to heal any injury - bugger!! Put on Charisma for a year have the Wife, girlfriend get insanely jealous, Or somebody else's partner get insanely jealous cause their squeeze is now not paying attention. Put up Dark walk for a year and become the forgotten person and go hungry as the servers never see you at night in the ill lit hall / tavern etc.

I can't see any need for fixing, plenty of other ways to deal with this issue. Turn up to Town / Fort /Clan holding gate all glow with piles of magic (remember the disturbing bit about sorcery is it's not visible) get promptly told "your not coming in here until that lot's taken down" cause your not behaving friendly like! Have people be wary and passively hostile because this is a display of hostility or veiled threat. Would you as a shop keeper deal with someone who insisted on carrying a rocket launcher all the time (even if it was legal)? How is the Clan Ring or Thegn etc going to react? Characters are part of society so do have to deal with social pressure. Alternatively exclude them from the local society because of how the behave - see how long they like or survive that.

Spirit magic can be got from Cults and Shaman. Indeed to relevant chapter is clear a Rune level can teach any spell they know. The listed spells are those "favoured / promoted" by the cult. The ones that characters can get as there Free points per x time of Spirit Magic. That initiates are likely to get at a discount etc. Page 335 says Multispell 1 Point Self, Temporal, Stackable This spell allows the caster to combine two spirit magic spells and cast them at once. These are resolved as separate attacks. The only exception to this is the Disruption spell, which can be combined with itself and resolved as one attack doing 2D3 damage to one hit location However the point still being missed is range and time. Range is about half that of sling or bow. Time taken is such that a reasonably quick character may well be able to trot up to you and hit you with h-hander before you finish casting. Remember while casting you have serious limitations. The other missing point is power storage crystals have to be filled, PC's magic points don't regenerate all the fast, A good fight and then days or more hiding to rebuild the stored magic points

Thanks, that makes sense though I suspect there are other ways. Experience tells me players forget things and generally overdo stuff on the "nothing succeeds like excess". One of the greatest pieces of fun I've ever had as a GM was running a game with Magic inspired by Russian folk lore - "magic was the expressed desires of magically capable people" but was only closed if the desire expressed had a close point in it. Making the PC's write down their expressed hopes and holding them to implement when it suited by sense of humour. PC's got very precise and careful very quickly. I suspect controlling the pace of action and the rate of opportunity to replenish Rune points should do as well but each to their own.

Small problem just spent quiet a bit of time going over the Rune Magic chapter. The key bits appear to be on page 314 "If the roll succeeds, then the spell takes effect, the Rune points are spent," the further down that column "Once spent, Rune points must be replenished before they can be used again." The the Following on page 315 "Rune points may only be replenished through worship of the deity on a holy day and participation in cult rites. Rune points can be replenished up to the total the adventurer has with their deity by participating in worship of the deity at a temple, sanctified area, or other holy place to the deity on a holy day and succeeding with a Worship skill roll and an expenditure of at least 2 magic points." No where can I find any reference to the spells cast having to have become expired before the Rune points can be recovered.

As always it will be the appropriateness and cleverness of spell use that carries PC's through. Predictable bludgeon approaches are wasteful and readily soaked off before the key events. Remember use of Rune points in mass is readily stymied by controlling the pace at which they can be recovered. To me a bigger worry would be well timed use of bulk extension - e.g. in Sacred Time putting up Shield IV with Extension V. This lasts a year. The way around it is not being able to be healed by others. Who in a hard fight has Healing VI plus at least 4 more MP's to get over the Shield to fix your maimed limb (as being in shock likely the PC can't). How many PC's put counter magic on their mounts? String a warding in front of the position. Need to close use a familar to drop Light or Dark wall in front of shooters. These are more likely to catch people out and thus be more effective. Why is Harmonise now a Rune Spell - because inventive use of it could and often was so devastating.

Unless later prints changed her protection is only 5 (except the head at 8). In the tactics for her she only attacks the 1st 3 people attacks with her tongue which is just 45%. As a natural weapon this is a sitter for a weapon parry. After those 3 attacks it is bite. When I 1st played it we forced a change by standing outside and shooting. The first group I ran it for were well prepared having bailed after the trouble the ghosts gave them. Avoiding the tail or being swallowed are the principle issues.

There are some other utilitarian issues here. Mounted and you can't dodge. To use a spell often a focus is needed. Shields have rims which have much room for foci. While lots of room for 2 handed weapons is a myth they do need rather more room than 1 handed weapons. While not directly in RQG situational modifiers are implicit in the advantage / disadvantage elements that are. How does one defend with a two handed weapon and use / find a focus for a spell. With a shield and a 1 handed weapon a failure of one allows for defensive options while the "spare / alternate" is accessed. There are many more places that it is acceptable to carry a 1 handed weapon than a two handed weapon. Concealing a short sword is possible (if not easy) while concealing a great sword is not. From a in game perspective rare or unusual weapons should be much harder to train, acquire etc.

Odd you mention the Rock Lizard Mother. Just 2 moderate characters can take her - the Quirk is good shimmer spell. More characters makes her more dangerous as more attacks. Actually the 3 Ghosts are the likely killer as they are POW 20, 16 and 14. The bit I think people are missing is the Rune Spell Sanctify as a common spell. Worship cam be conducted in a sanctified area. Equally the Rock Lizard Mother is in a sacred place following the general tenor she should be or have some priestly power(s).

I too have looked at this and I'm not so sure it's that straight forward. The question is who / what gets to count as an initiate - cause that's where the (even limited) rune magic starts to fly. Should the Rock Lizard Mother have Rune Magic - probably. The RQG PCs will likely have more and better skills than RQ2 (even those with previous experience) though Spirit Magic will be well down. What dose reusable Rune Magic mean to Whiteye's defense and tactics? Warding, Sanctify, Multispell, Extension etc are Common Rune Magic's.

Yes they can, without training or a change in the communications modifier Acting is at Zero and cannot be used. Unfortunately I'm not able to access my PDF of the rules so can't immediately give you the reference. This is / has been consistent across all Chaosium editions of RQ.

They have been first rate with RQ2 Classic stuff from Kick Starter. Best experience I've ever had. Generally their customer service and responsiveness have been outstanding

OOH! WOW! bouncing with excitement and anticipation

In looking at Rain I noticed the following "This spell requires visible cloud cover to be effective; clouds could be summoned using the Cloud Call Rune spell (see page 323)." BUT the table above for rain based on cloud cover says Cloud Cover % Cover Description Rainfall 0–10 None 0–10 mm 11–20 Scant clouds 11–20 mm 21–30 Scattered clouds 21–30 mm 31–40 Slightly overcast 31–40 mm 41–50 Moderately overcast 41–50 mm 51–65 Mostly overcast 51–65 mm 66–80 Completely overcast 66–80 mm 81–00 Dense clouds, little light 81–100 mm Further I note that Cloud Call works in 20% increments. AS the above precipitation is "This spell causes rain to fall. If it is not currently raining, the spell creates rainfall as per the range in the Cloud Cover table, as appropriate for the current cloud cover, for the duration of the spell." 10mm in 15 mins as this is a temporal Rune Spell is above torrential down pour levels! I would urgently suggest this be an abnormal duration spell - suggest 2 hours as a minimum. International Meteorological rating scales put 3 to 6mm of rain per hour as Moderate 25mm per hour is Torrential - so for 15 mins of spell duration this would be 6mm of rain

This Age bit has me bothered. There is a point generally missed about low life expectancy - that the great bulk of the dying is done by infants and the very young. The longer you last the longer you are likely to last. Additionally it is the disabled and infirm who die fastest so gradual deterioration is rarely present. If a character gets to 40 in decent condition the odds of any significant loss of condition before 60 (unless there is a major change in life style or other external intervention) are actually very very good. Yes Glorantha is a magical world yet this very magicalness will / should make it much better (bless pregnancy, healing spell prevents wound infection, Alchemy herbalism and healing skills and magic have a real impact). How the cannon will portray the message and influence of healing teaching will significantly affect this. Yet looking through the RQ2 re-release material and the broadening of Health skills and focus to Ernalda etc beyond CA there are underlying key elements of the public and personnal health simple precaustion changes that had such radical effects in our own semi recent past or earlier in imperial / classical times. Archaeology is and has considerably changed our views on life expectancy once clear of the "danger points". Most of these points will actually be less dangerous than our own recorded history. So I would have significant doubts on 40 even in our own past - for the part of society that PCs & most NPCs represent - by the time these "enter play" the great bulk of the winowing has occurred. The nature of their occupations would and do increase probability of non-natural death and deterioration but equally stave off or make much less likely age based decrepitude. As Characters are the "Heroes" of the world and by definition are not in the occupations that will physically wear them into "early death" I shall certainly be pushing 40 to 50 and very probably 60. Runequest is full of those who are spritely and especially long lived and capable even among those who are not the apex heroes etc. Diet and level of calorie intake will be well up - bless crops, bless animals etc add much. Rain and other climate weather spells (even if only local) can affect much - a drought problem - 1 or 2 rune points of Cloud Call and 1 or 2 of Rain - issue staved off - for likely several weeks. By the way a damned good way to put out major fires - look at the precipitation given under rain for given cloud cover.

So for those of us that get confused coming soon or later there is (in no particular order) A GM Pack GM Book Beastiary Cults book By implication with the teaser links etc the Beastiary is likely to be close? The GM Pack / resource fairly close - GenCon is early August? The Cults book ?? The references to a GM's book (that the above helpfully clarifies is a different product) is likely to be when?? Even indicative would be of value. I'm looking at a revival group of us oldsters and may be some new blood / fresh victims??

I'm fairly sure there are two places. Barbarian Town as in the Pol Joni centre needs to be where they are which is North on the march between Sartar & the Good Place in Prax. Exile stead (which does move a bit) has to do with the Herotland exiles ?? So we have one missing me thinks?