g33k

Our PC's were too junior in the Cult for me to know whether there was anything 'hoodish going on; most of our spoils went to the "guildmaster" and we never saw it (or him(?)) again. We were definitely Chaos-foes, though! The GM was a clever lad, and not above shenanigans like putting "Robin" in the name so we'd feel all warm&fuzzy about being good guys... until our bosses decided to reveal we were REALLY in training to join the Black Fang, or other messed-up stuff (to be clear: that never happened, it stayed warm&fuzzy). The campaign was decidedly urban-centric, but I'm pretty certain it was Dragon Pass (not Pavis or Prax)... The few times we ventured out of town it was mostly hills & forests & such, and I'm pretty sure we had one adventure to the Dwarf Mine on the River (not that I knew such things at the time). BTW... TYVM to everyone loaning a neuron or a memory to my query!

Maybe someone mistakenly conflating -- or intentionally cross-pollinating between -- Delecti & Vivamort?

Yeah... for at-the-table continuity, I'm inclined to Nerf anything important that got too big a power-up, and to power-up anything important that got nerf'ed too hard. Because the Glorantha that the players at your table are having fun with? That is the REAL Glorantha!

I'm of the opinion that the game-rules never really exactly simulate the game-world; they approximate it, at best. So different rule-sets simply approximate (or fail-to-simulate) in different ways. If the rules end up badly nerf'ing -- or ubermensch'ing -- a character / archetype / etc (either a PC, or anything else that sees substantial and/or meaningful play) in an ongoing game you're converting, then I think it merits some work to power-up the nerf'ed elements, or to nerf-back-down the ubermenschen. But starting a new campaign? For me, that's mostly a shrug-and-move-on. Except vegetarian Morokanth. I just can't move on from that... that abomination!

You know your group best, so what follows may be totally off-base... In general, I (personally) would not ask MOST players to read a multi-page document. I realize you don't need the lessons below (being a teacher yourself); but in large part I am answering YOUR query with suggestions & ideas for OTHER new GM's who may be more daunted. As stated, I wouldn't try to get buy-in for a multiple page document. I'd likely have multiple 1-page documents (each prominently titled)... A page on game mechanics (possibly an extra page for mechanics of magic) A page on Sartar & on the Colymar Tribe. It can be copypasta from the rulebooks (or skipped if the players are happy to read from the books!) A page reviewing the main enemies -- Colymar Tribes' Sartarite rivals & foes; the Lunars; the Telmori, etc A page of Cults, the "everybody knows this" about all the PCs' cults and any significant NPCs' cults. A page per Cult for each PC's cult, for that player to keep with their PC A page each for any (if any) RQG background outside the Colymar if someone's playing one: Praxian, Esrolian, Old Tarsh, etc etc etc. It can be copypasta from the core rulebook (or skipped if the player is happy to read from the book!) (This is like #2 above, but for a singular, un-shared background). Maps/pix - Glorantha (the whole universe) Genertela, DragonPass & surrounds, Sartar, Colymar lands, the immediate Tribal lands/holdings (i.e. their "home turf" that they know well), Clearwine; images of Sartarites (and images from other cultures, if being played). Making it several 1-pager's creates more "bite-sized" infodumping (the risk of TL;DR'ing new players out is a real risk, or always has been IME). I'd have 2-3 copies each of #2/#3/#4, and 1 of each image in 7, to share 'round the table, refer back to as needed. I'd have #'s 1 & 5 (& 6, if any) per player, that they keep with their PC.

So how do you pronounce "wyter", "tarshite", and "sartarite"? - The Brown Dragon

But ... But DAMMITALL ... . . . No, Bill. This time you've gone too far! No Ulerian shaman! 😉

Anything that lets the Sacred Wind blow freely...

... . . . <sigh> Now you're just getting kinky.

Asked.

I think the real strength of RPG's is the ability to blend different stances, to wander within the space, sometimes hewing close to an Actor-stance (or any other), sometimes straying further... Author stance, Director, GNS, what-have-you. I think the biggest weakness of that whole RPG-analysis movement from RGFM & TheForge &c was the tendency to try to "solve" or "answer" the "problem." Particularly the effort to come up with "the" answer, or "a best" answer, or even "a better" answer in any general sense. Play the game(s). Have fun. Done. (if someone at the table ISN'T having fun, then sure... whip out the ol' analysis tools, and the pop-psych101, and the interpersonal skills, and whatever; figure out what's going/gone wrong, change it... 'til everyone's having fun again! Done.)

To me, "evil" requires awareness & intention. A lion killing and eating me isn't "evil" because the lion hasn't enough awareness to realize that "I" exist (except as a not-yet-caught meal, for which a fresh bit of roadkill is an adequate (less fun, but much easier) substitute). It has no intention to "hurt" me, because "I" -- as an entity commensurate with the lion itself, capable of pain -- do not exist. The lion may be dangerous, may be terrifying, etc. It isn't "evil." That doesn't mean I won't fight it if it comes for me, even pre-emptively kill it if I think it will try to take me. A person intending to kill me, for whatever reason, is much closet to "evil." In fact (unless they're insane and (like the lion) unable to grasp that "I" exist as another entity) I will place them entirely over into the "evil" category. "Chaos" isn't itself capable AFAIK of that kind of awareness or intention, so it isn't "evil" in the same way. HOWEVER, a great many of the AGENTS of Chaos (Gbaji, Wakbaoth, etc) are indeed "evil," possessing the necessary awareness and intention. But -- even though it isn't "evil" -- that doesn't mean I won't fight Chaos however it comes for me, even pre-emptively strike to neutralize it, if I think it will try to take me.

+1 No, +however many +'es I'm allowed! Still not enough. But + anyhow!

No. It just helps you squeeze in, when you've feasted too much.

Do remember, though, to caution the adventurers not to negotiate for healing potions in Pavis on clayday, if they're wearing a tutu. Because Iskallor.

Not cash; but not necessarily services either (although that does lead to adventures, so...) . Loot can as easily come in the form of jewelry, collectors' items, other magic, etc etc etc. If you have just brought back from the Rubble a golden lantern with cut-crystal panes & an on-command "Light" spell instead of wick-and-oil, I bet LOTS of healer-cults will give you full cash credit for that, toward healing potions; and given its gold-and-light theme, a Yelm(alio) temple may even go over "market" rates...

You are right! I totally missed that! Apologies to the OP.

Honestly, I'd be reluctant to tread too readily on the Shamanic toes; I'd avoid Discorporation, and similarly Shaman-centric things. If you want to be a Rune-Lord-Shaman, do it the hard way!

I think you have these 2 reversed. Borderlands is where the exiled Lunar Duke Raus of Ronefort hires the PC's as troubleshooters / etc, mercenaries to do missions. They have room to grow into accepted parts of the Rone stead, or keep their independence and move on. 8 missions, IIRC. Griffin Mountain is a wilderness sandbox with a very few urban/fort sites; those sites CAN become focal points, but the bulk of the content is the wilderness & the tribes etc thereof... Snakepipe Hollow is a standalone (and very deadly) dungeon... ish... thing-y (with wilderness, yes). Entirely separate from Ronefort/Raus.

Yes, and MP's regenerate fully each day... at 1/24 per hour, and/or whatever fraction best approximates that.

I think most fantasy RPG's have the idea of limited-resource magic and common / frequent-use magic. Like... potions and scrolls, in D&D. You know your PC can get more, but not this adventure... what they have in this dungeon is what they have... when they're out, they're out. OTOH, some classes have Cantrips that they can spam at-will (ranged-combat Warlocks with Eldritch Blast, I'm looking at you). Not limited to magic, either; maybe in CP2020 your weapons-dealer could only get you 3 LAW rockets, and when you've fired them they're gone; sure, you con probably get some more, eventually... but not this mission. Etc. I don't think this is a hard concept for most gamers. I don't quite understand the advice you were given.

Not if I I mean my Trollkin Ninja squad I mean somebody steals it first! More seriously... Damn, I didn't think Chaosium could make me regret missing GenCon any more (than they already had). I really gotta stop underestimating those people.

Honestly, I build the campaign -- at least, the advanced parts -- based upon the characters. If you've envisioned a Sartar/Lunar conflict campaign, but get PC's who are Yelornan & Esrolian... your campaign can still fit, but it's a bit forced for those PC's. I understand you want to sell the game, get player buy-in, before asking them to do the long character-generation process... so you won't have PC's available to build a campaign from, to tell the players what the campaign will be like, so they will build PC's... Catch-22...? Tell them that their PC's will be part of their communities, part of their Cults. In some places, they might be going on cattle-raids (or defending against, pursuing the rustlers). In other places, they might be caravan-guards... or caravan-raiders. They are likely to gain the notice of clan-chiefs and priests fairly quickly, get chosen for important missions for Clan or Cult. Before long, they may be being asked what THEY think are the important missions for Clan & Cult... and then asked to fulfill them.

Oooooo ... Shiiiiny ! (is this a proof/review copy, or just one of a large shipment that are mere moments away from being generally available for sale?)

Yeah. Postpone Sorcery, but DO feature Spirit magic & Rune magic; they aren't hard, and bring lots of color!