Stephen L

To me, this is the correct answer and what I have done for years... Quite so. It's what ever works for the style of the GM and players. We all have our tricks for how we build suspense, and how we involve the players. And we are best employing those tricks without any worry of how we *should* be doing it.

That depends entirely on your group. Are they method actors, who have to be completely immersed? Or can they have fun imagining themselves as their character, and are fine pretending that their character is surprised, even if they're not? Knowing your character is going to be surprised is quite suspenseful. Knowing their feet are sticking out when they've failed their hide roll and the big bad monster is slathering away just they other side, is quite fun. Especially for a GM who likes to over egg such moments... Some people are fine, if you just ask them not to act on information they've got, because they know if the roll has succeeded or not. In which case, I'll always have the player roll.

I have played in campaigns where the GM has all important plots, which has left me feeling divorced from any sense of agency as a player. I therefore *hate* situations that *must* go one way or another. I therefore try to ensure that *all* rolls are made, by players. If it's an important roll for the story plot, I will always try to think if what happens if they fail, and have an alternative plot line. It might only be a small diversion, before getting back to the main line. Or I might have two scenario's planned, and a roll determines which one we go with. This all sounds like a lot of work for the GM. It can be, but after you've had a few ideas of what happens on a fails, it becomes easier. And if I've no ideas, I just cheat, and they stumble on a random encounter unprepared, and then return to the plot line later, when they might make the rolls. But that's just cheating by the GM, so the players have the illusion they have agency! Also, get the players to describe why they failed. It's quite fun for everyone when, for example, the two players who failed the listen roll decide their characters are arguing over whose turn it is to set up camp that night! If you're lucky you'll get a little vignette to play through, and can defer the main action for a bit. And buy yourself some thinking time, especially if you can stoke the players up, rune and passion rolls for honourable or lazy conclusions as to whose turn it actually is). Once I had a near barroom brawl between two players, when one decided that one of the other player characters stole something from them... Ultimately, the more the players are deciding what happens, the less work it is for me as a GM. And just asking them what they think might happen can work.

I realise that Jeff's timeline starting from Alexander the Great is more relevant, as it traces events through ancient world timescales. But as entertainment, doing the same exercise from this year (funnily enough I found the more recent ones more difficult to populate): Present 2022 11 years ago: Arab Spring Protests 25 years ago: Death of Princess Diana 50 years ago: start of the Watergate Scandal 100 years ago: Formation of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 300 years ago: End of Great Northern War, Russia eclipses Sweden as regional power. 500 years ago: Vittoria, surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition, completes circumnavigation of the world 1000 years ago: Canute the Great codifies the laws of England 1500 years ago: Theodoric the Great substantially rules the remnants of the Western Roman Empire 2000 years ago: Christianity was born as a Jewish sect in Jerusalem (27 AD) 2500 years ago: Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis (480 BC) 3000 years ago: Death of King David, ascension of King Solomon 5000 years ago: Aegean Bronze Age 10,000 years ago: Neolithic culture and technology becomes established throughout much of the Fertile Crescent I'm not sure it shows anything useful, as modern pace of chance is hardly equivalent to ancient world...

Apologies, I missed this completely (probably distracted by Fireblade threads). But no problems, I shall zip up the code base and send in a message.

Thanks Scotty, That not only clarifies the rules for me, but also gives a couple of play examples of how they can be applied in a game, which is great.

Our game is a small numbers game, so big things happen when someone spends their rune points, I’m happy it being a game changer. Also, they don’t have Magic points on tap. Less than half have any magic storage, and the two that do, they’re less than 10 points. And even a good average CHA of 12 means they have to be very selective about the spells that they have (and I don’t think anyone has filled their quota). So actually 1 runepoint 4 MP is a big thing for my players.

I realise I am out voted by this, but I am somewhat bemused, as it seems quite clear to me… Fire blade: (p144 red book of magic) So Bob when casts fire blade on his 1D8+1 sword, that damage is now not 1D8+1 it is changed to 3D6. If he specials: (page 203, RuneQuest in Glorantha). We’ve already had a clarification that fire blade can special https://wellofdaliath.chaosium.com/home/catalogue/publishers/chaosium/cha4034-the-red-book-of-magic/cha4032-the-red-book-of-magic-qa/cha4032-red-book-of-magic-chapter-03-spirit-magic-spells-qa/#Fireblade I think it’s quite clear that the normal damage is now 3D6, so a special is 6D6. Now if you want to, for balance, say its 3D6 + 1D8 + 1, that’s fine, but that’s seems (to me) to playing word games. True Sword: (p100 red book of magic) So why, can a Fire Blade double normal damage for a special, but not for True Sword? Fortunately (for him), the Lunar Bob’s up against, has seen this all before, casts a disruption on Bob, whose concentration slips and the fire blade goes out. Bob swears, as he's not got many magic points left for healing (or indeed many spell options, as, even with a Cha of 12, the fire-blade takes a big chunk of his spirit magic quota).

That was my initial thought, but the very careful wording of the description of specials (for example: (page 203, RuneQuest in Glorantha). leads me to a special with a truesword being 3 times, rather than 4 times damage.

I have to admire your argument! However, following it to conclusions would mean a fire bladed true sword on a broadsword is 3d6 + 1d8+1. Which is both messy, and seeming against the intent of the wording for fireblade that it "replaces the normal damage done by the weapon". After-all, if the intent was to make the two spells incompatible, just saying so would be clearer. Though my game will vary, I can see your argument is solid..

Many apologies, I shall edit my original post, as I didn't want it to appear I was suggesting that the combination of Fire Blade and True sword was ridiculous. Merely to check I had the rules right. I can live with those damage levels as a referee, and the work around is not to disallow it. Disrupt forcing concentration roles is one of many counter measures. However, your suggestions, if I had wanted to restrict their combined use, are sound.

The rules support this explicitly. Turn undead spell, P101, red book of magic: or p123 Bestiary,

A quick question on combining True Sword and Fire Blade, to check I’ve not missed something: True Sword: (p100 red book of magic) Fire Blade: (p144 red book of magic) It seems to me that casting True Sword and then Fire Blade gives 6D6 Damage. And a special, would be 9D6 and a critical would be 54 points through armour. Ouch. And if you allow Fire Blade damage against spirits (red book of magic refers to Fire Blade as “Magical Fire”)... I suppose Humakt is the god of death, so would grant fearsome magic against spirits. Both spells are awesome and powerful in their own right, so I'm not suggesting that these damages are unbalanced when you combine them, rather checking if I have the rules right. Thank goodness Fire Blade is an active spell.

The rules in the Starter Set does not have any hint that excess damage is applied to the shield arm, rather than a rolled location, so Nick is absolutely correct in his correction. However… It is interesting (though a trifle irrelevant for a discussion of the rules in the Starter Set) to note that the full rules in RuneQuest in Glorantha, is contradictory on what location is damaged when a blow is parried by a shield. “A successful parry” on P.198 of RQG states whilst “Notes on Shield Use” on P..218 states I only mention it because I quite like damage going to shield arm, not through any argument that it might interpose rather than deflect, but rather it makes you more survivable if you use a shield: that critical, which would have chopped your head off, has now chopped off your left arm. Happy days.

well, there's an preview of the tribes map that looks as though it's in the Sartar boxed set (which looks as though it will be awesome): https://godlearners.com/journal-of-runic-studies-10/ (section 4.2) Then if you want the clans across the whole of Sartar, there on a sketch here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RuneQuest/permalink/2079906742185314/ Hope that helps...

I've just updated to 1.6 for Elite Lunar infantry and magicians, and also wolves and sakkars (sabre toothed tigers), with natural and chaotic version of the last two. The need for tusk riders has receded in my campaign, so not yet included. I'm thinking of starting to knock off everything in the bestiary pages on the Wikki... Anyway a link: https://basicroleplaying.org/files/file/851-npc-squads-txtzip-npc-squadspdf/

Here's the list of Episodes from Season Two of the White Bull Campaign, in case any finds a title for each useful! Also, a link to the you tube play list: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJNnec52PzjOWpiUFsO_8YRRDmwFG1wEK Episode 1: 1626 - Sea Season, at Boldhome, training Episode 2: Sea Season, Visit to Troll Town To Argan Argar temple for guide To Spider Temple – Enkala initiates to Troll Spider goddess Episode 3: Fire Season, To Clearwine Meeting with Ducks Interview with Queen Leika, Leika’s ambitions Episode 4: Fire Season, The Dragon of Thunder Hills – Scenario Spoilers! Episode 5: Fire Season, The Dragon of Thunder Hills – Scenario Spoilers! Episode 6: Fire Season, The Dragon of Thunder Hills – Scenario Spoilers! Episode 7: Fire Season, Raising Sartar The Dragon of Thunder Hills, final windup (Scenario Spoiler) News of Lunar Army on the march Travel through Quivin Mountains – meeting Wind Children Warning Kallyr and mustering Sartar Tribes Episode 8: Fire Season, Battle of Queens, Preparations, worshipping the gods of war Episode 9: Fire Season, Battle of Queens Marching and war-councils Reconnoitre Episode 10: Fire Season, Battle of Queens Introducing battle rules Battle Joined Episode 11: Fire Season, Battle of Queens Battle Resolved Episode 12: Fire Season, Battle of Queens, Aftermath Boldhome, politics of Sartar Tribes post Kallyr Burning of Kallyr Episode 13: Earth Season, return to Pavis Travel across Prax - Caravan Alley Morokanth Camp and Darkness Spirit of Biggle Stone High Holy day at the Paps Return to Pavis and received by Argrath

I can add another resource to this, for anyone planning to run the battle. Jeff does it in the White Bull Campaign, season two: Chaosium RQ House Campaign - the White Bull, Season 2 It's episodes 8-11, with episodes 7 and 13 have preparations for, and actions after, the battle itself. It also is a playtest of the new battle rules, which look really very good indeed, so this is very much recommended as an excellent resource. As an aside, Episodes 5-7 should have a spoiler alert, as this runs the Dragon of Thunder Hills

I guess we can now add the Northern Sartar Map from the Starter Boxed set, and see how that measures up... Alas the scales don't agree with those I'd been using as the reference, the Dragon Pass Map and Darya Dragon Pass Maps from the RQG GM's Screen pack, which are close enough to each other for me. I get Alda-Chur to Boldhome to be 89 km from the Northern Sartar Map, but 140 km from the GM's Screen pack Dragon Pass Map (although that's 88 miles). So if I read km on the Northern Sartar Map, as miles, then I'm happy. (Although I'm beginning to suspect that this might be the wrong way round to do it, as I've a vague recollection that the Pegasus Plateau Locaem map on p29 agrees with the Northern Sartar map...) However, I'm quite possibly getting confused, and getting my measurements wrong. Anyone else noticed it?

Oh, I rather like that. The other house rule I considered was failing a resistance roll against your initial rolled POW. Effectively you can only increase up to 10 POW greater than your initially rolled POW (pegged at species max), and some characters who start with high POW are just more magical than those who don’t. A bit like DEX can only be 1.5 times initial DEX. But I think the fail resistance roll against species average (rounding up) works best for our group. Also, I use the same calculation for the probability for increasing any characteristic (STR, CON, DEX, and CHA) through “research”, not that we’ve done much of that in my game. Otherwise, RAW would give the Duck a big advantage researching DEX/CON. RAW means that an Elf with a DEX of 17 has 50% chance of increase from research! Ducks hit the 50% chance of increase at 16 DEX or CON, and Baboons it’s at 23 DEX or CON! Pegging the 50% chance of increase to species average makes most sense to me in all cases (which equates to a fail resistance roll against species average).

Thanks. For humans, it's equivalent probabilities to RAW (If you take the round the average to be 11). And it's much better for POWs that aren't 3D6, as it scales with the average value.

I remember playing an elf in RQiii, and, even without perfect stats, it still did get rather good skill bonuses. Whilst it was quite fun to play (I recall it used a lot of ranged weapons, only closing to finish things off). He was the only character I ever remember where dodge was workable as a primary defence tactic (which was very useful when it came to the giant). However, across the board good skill bonuses meant the experience checks usually went well, and it got rather dull that his skills were so wide ranging and so good. However, relying on dodge was very exciting. Things did either go either spectacularly well or very badly indeed, and he did need to be put back together quite often. Also he had no concept of wealth or property, which got him into trouble on the odd occasion. Ducks have always featured very prominently in campaigns I've run, but I think I only ever played one once in a short lived campaign, but he was great fun. I remember one fight he got befuddled, and got very excited that all the combatants were trampling the pretty flowers. As an aside, Baboons and Elves seem to feature quite prominently in peoples lists. One thing I noted, in a thread discussion POW gain rolls, in the RQ in G rules (p. 418), both baboons and elves have much greater chance of going up. At max rollable (18), the chance is min rollable (8) x 5 or a whopping 40% for 2D6+6. Our house rule is that the POW gain roll is failing against the species average on the resistance table.

Whilst I had in mind first settlement, the exodus from the Spike. However, I imagine the re-settlement post Dragon Kill, would mythically have called on the earlier tradition, and so I'd expect "mythic resonance" between the two. Thanks jajagappa Akhôrahil, the Star/fire demons, the Venebain make good "the first evil", and really make sense. I'm very tempted by that route. However, having slept on it, "The First x" for Dragon Pass, would would always be draconic. Perhaps, beneath the Cinder Pit, is a dark, ancient, unknowable draconic hunger, woken from it's slumbers by the presumption of the Star Warriors and Humans at war. Perhaps it's that insatiable hunger that is the ruin of any compact between Humans/ dragon kind. It's that hunger that leads to greed, draws one away from the contemplation of the unknowable to the entanglement of the world and the desire for the worldly. Not the first evil (it is neither good nor bad), but it could be the First Terror. The third guest, an ancient crone, in black tattered robes, skin patchy and scale like, that comes to curse the event. And it couldn't be better as an evil portent for the rest of the campaign. The Battle of Queens looms, unleashing the dogs of war, awaking that primal hunger (which has already been stirring).

Apologies, that my ideas from an existing thread https://basicroleplaying.org/topic/15065-ideas-for-bonding-ritual-with-hatchling-dinosaurs/ have matured, so my questions are going in a somewhat different direction now... So, the situation in my campaign is this, the adventurers have had interactions with Orgovale Summer, I’m guessing the first human ancestress of the lands. Firstly, liberating her and becoming High priest as the published adventure The Dragon of Thunder Hills. Then, in their first sacred time, flying to the stars to free the star maiden Erena and unite her with her love, Orgovale Summer’s son Illavarn. Now, its sea season, and there’s dinosaurs hatching, which the players will doubtless try bonding with (as the original thread), and thinking about it, it seems plausible that this re-enacts the first pact between the humans and a draconic land. Orgovale will be in attendance (following on from how the first sacred time played out). Which is all excellent stuff (Tarndisi might also show an interest, for various reasons). But if I have the earth spirts/goddesses/ first ancestress attending and blessing the birth, I imagine, to balance it, there should be a first evil, that will try and curse the proceedings. The first evil, in the Colymar lands? hmm The first that comes to my mind is the Cinder Pits, where from memory, Illavarn presumption in building halls that reach to the stars is punished by the Star Lords, when they tear the hall down in flames. The pits themselves a haunted by fire demons, the Venebain. But I wonder if there could be a deeper evil at its roots. It’s too early in mythology perhaps for Chaos? But perhaps it could be the first scorching of Darkness by Fire. A Darkness witch coming to curse the event would work for me, as there quite a preponderance of Fire rune in the party… But does this makes sense? Is there an obvious first evil appropriate for the Colymar Lands? Something that resonates and twists that first Dragon/Human compact that must have happened when humans first came to settle Dragon Pass, perhaps culminating in Yerezum Storn? Thanks for your trouble, if you've any ideas to share.

Thanks for that, it sounds something very much worth digging out (alas not on DVD as I'm in the UK). Gosh that's a very good point - I hadn't really thought of it from the Dragonnewt connections. Definitely worth re-reading my WF14. (Although worth noting for any following the thread who don't have WF14, a lot of the material was polished and used in the Gloranthan Bestiary...) This really could be quite hilarious... I'd quite forgotten the Griffin bonding in Griffin mountain. It's a shame that it doesn't say more.