Loïc

Agree. I'm from Bordeaux, where Alienor is a heroin (whereas the rest of France considers her like a traitress and a garce), and Bordeaux' coat of arms is still english (from below to above: the Gironde river with a crescent of moon (Bordeaux' nickname is "harbor of the moon"), the city's walls and a golden leopard on a red background - a blue ribbon with fleurs-de-lis was added later at the top). Much agree. I would add that I don't think a totally "closed" society does exist. Even the remote / protected islander tribes now isolated (and access to their isles is forbidden) certainly weren't in the past. So their actual language has certainly several sources / corruptions (on a linguistic meaning, not pejorative). I'm sorry I provoked this digression out of the initial topic. In the heat of a good conversation, you know... 😉

Didn't know this one was in Sartar Companion (don't own it, unfortunately...). This illustration is also in Eleven Lights, where it figures... Babeester Gor herself!!! Welcome in a romantic heroquest....

Thanks all! Really... Didn't realize the importance of the Norman Conquest in this matter.

I'm 43 years-old, don't know if it's related to this... Of course, it wasn't the same degree as in the US. But I do remember several cases, maybe more "sectarian panic" and not exclusively "satanic", in the first half of the 1990s. At this time, there was a sect paranoia (satanist or not), and RPG looked at worst like a sect recruit-cover, at best like a homicidal danger for emotionnally fragile teenagers. I remember a suicide (Béziers or Cahors?) that was attributed to D&D. There was also the famous Carpentras jewish cemetary profanation in 1990. Several teenagers were involved, and they were also involved in a murder and a rape. These teenagers were playing RPG, sometimes in the cemetary, so RPG looked like the perfect responsible (they also made orgies, so the sect archetype fitted well...). In the end, the police discovered that these teenagers did played sometimes in the cemetary but never violated any tomb or corpse; they made orgies, but there was no rape; and the murder case could never been related to them. In reality, the profanation had been committed by a neo-nazi groupuscule... But there was anyway a TV fiction based upon the RPG theory (don't remember the title, and don't want to... 😁)!!! In the meanwhile, several TV programs made the buzz around this: Zone Interdite (M6), Bas les masques (Antenne 2), Témoin numéro 1 (TF1)... You should easily find them on YouTube, I think. Then, as I said, due to media coverage, in the eyes of the parents, tabletop RPG looked at best like a stupid hobby that decerebrated teenagers, at worst like se serious mental illness ("my son plays RPG! That's why he has bad grades at school! And he could become a psycho! Do you know a good shrink?"). All depended on how your parents trusted TV. Fortunately, mines didn't care... 😊 It lasted just a few years, from 1990 I think, to 1995 or so. Then online RPG took the baton...

😁... sorry, french humor: here "PM" stands for Police Militaire (your MP), so this sentence... As I said, just french humor. I didn't say it was good... 😉

... french question: is it "cuirboilli", "cuir builli" or "courbouillie"' (the three are written above)? As a French, I'm discovering this word, and I'm quite amazed. In french it is "cuir bouilli", meaning "boiled leather". Why don't you just say "boiled leather"? It is not a criticism, juste a question. I know there were no Antiquity and Middle Age in the US, but I think the translation is easier here. So why? Are Antiquity/Middle Age specialists keeping the french word? (Here in archaeology we are keeping a few german words for the Neolithic period).

In HQG The Coming Storm, it is specified that Griselda Grey-Tresses tattooes everyone with the clan tattoo (the auroch head) in the Red Cow clan. She is no priestress, but the leader of the Women's Circle and a godi of Ernalda. She's especially the elder grandmother of the Red Cow clan, and assists every birth in the clan. It is unclear if she only tattooes the clan's mark, or also the runes after the initiation. In my campaign, the runes linked to a god appear juste like birth marks, but a little blurry and discreet (that's why the clan has to track down any Cacodemon mark...). They have to be covered and accentuate through tattooing. I decided that Griselda was also tattooing these, because is seemed to me quite natural.

As many Syroz games (Zone, Aliénoïds, Bitume, Bloodlust), it was much more audacious/irreverent than its translation. Whether your were playing a demon or an angel, there were no limits/no filters. I do understand it can't fit everyone, and myself didn't like much INS/MV (for other reasons). But the translation wasn't faithful at all, probably to content the greatest number and make more profit... As I said, I didn't like INS/MV, but not for these reasons. Then I still do respect the original work, not its bowdlerized translation...

I confirm! Like anywhere, we have our best (Nephilim, Bitume, Bloodlust...) and our worst (take a look at Cops!)... And we also have, of course, nice universes with less than perfect systems (Te deum pour un massacre, Aliénoïds, Zone...). The only thing I really regret is when foreign translations do not respect the spirit of the original (In Nomine Satanis/Magna Veritas). But this is a two-way problem, anyway... 😁

I discovered RPG when I was about 8 years-old... by mistake! In France, the same editor (Gallimard) was publishing both Ian Livingstone/Steve Jackson's Roleplaying gamebooks (and many others!), and The Dark Eye: same covers. I did like these gamebooks, and finally bought the Dark Eye box, thinking it was just another gamebook, just in a box... Beginning of the end... 😊 When I was 11 or 12, I discovered AD&D, and next CoC and RQ. Here in France we had the "Satanic panic", with famous TV reports that did hurt strongly RPG. I remember several cases on TV with suicides, cemetary breakings... Some games, like Kult, were more blamed than others. It lasted a few years, and then, here too, video games became the great Satan... My parents didn't mind I was playing RPG, even if they thought it was stupid, mainly because I was a good student, dating with girls, eventually getting myself into a mess, so after all I just was another teenage like others. Now RPG is a hobby like another. Some like it, some don't. Just like board games. In addition, I think that french conception of "geek" or "nerd" is quite different from the US. Reading comics is not a criterion. Playing board games is very common. Tabletop RPG gathers many sorts of people (and it is one of its richnesses), and it's not a geek monopoly. Here the word "geek" is mainly saved for video hard-gamers and social network addicts, who sacrifice any social life to their hobbies. Maybe I'm wrong, but it always seemed to me that in the US, "geek" has a broader sense (comics and SF readers, RPG gamers, scientists, good students...)? Please, correct me if I'm wrong!! Satanic panic now in France? I can imagine sometimes you could find someone who still believes RPG is some kind of satanic ritual, but no media is talking about it, this particular witch-hunt is over. Here the "satanic" accusation is now saved for abortion, euthanasia, ART (especially ART these days...)... Same inquisitors, new witches... 😁

Oups! Made a mistake on Zola Fel's bool title (now edited!), sorry. I precise that Les héritiers de Zola Fel is a french HW campaign (edited by Multisim), freely inspired from In Troubled Waters, the campaign of RQ River of Cradles. I can't wait to run this campaign again (and This World heroquest). Next session planned in two weeks! And for the Babeester Gor, she was probably puppeteered by the Red Cow priestress of Ernalda, Darna Longcoat, on some blackmail debt recovery or another... 😵

1st session last night, much fun!!! All players were present, except for the Babeester Gor. We played of course The Missing, and of course nothing went as the scenario planned! 😁

My Babeester Gori-player (and remember it's not RQ but HQ) chose the occupational keyword Godi, because he didn't want to play a "full-fighter" character (but didn't want to craft/farm/breed/... anything either!). I must point out that he chose the text-writing creation way, and he was indeed very creative and it fits perfectly with his concept. Godi is a quiet good occupation for his own Bab. I must also point out that it's a Coming Storm campaign character, so after her initiation, the Babeester Gor went back to Red Cow Fort as bodyguard of the local ernaldan priestesses/devotees/initiates. Of course, when the campaign is starting (tomorrow!!!), she's a rookie on her job, totally under the orders of the priestress of Ernalda and eventually the Women Ring. The character will probably have to face one of these days contradictory orders... 😁

That's what I mean... Yes, I did. And I saw some playing Babs and Eurmali at my table (I was a player then). But if lots of people don't like that, it doesn't necessarly mean the others aren't "well-adjusted". That's all.

I'm probably not a "well-adjusted" person, and I would better see a shrink, but sorry, I totally disagree. What is "healthy"? Being born from the entrails of her own dying mother? Becoming a goddess of vengeance and terror? Drinking the blood beer from her ennemies? Well, very healthy, indeed... Especially in a world infested by broos... Or maybe Glorantha is an "unhealthy" universe for (and by????) non "well-adjusted" people? 😁 Of course, it's up to each GM, as I said, to adapt whatever he wants in the way he decides. But I'm sorry, I wouldn't say HW Babeester Gor cult's requirements are "unhealthy", and I would never suspect of "unhealthyness" any player who would play such a character. It's just a character, a catharsis tool and an entertainment support. And a piece of sheet, of course. I have a player who chose a Babeester Gor initiate, and I gave him my Storm Tribe book so he could make up his mind. He read and confirmed his choice. He's not just a member of my gaming club, he's also a friend of mine, and I know him personnally. He seems to be "healthy" and "well-adjusted", but I'm certainly wrong... Maybe I should judge my players on accurate criteria? "Adjusted" sounds very strong like "alignment", and maybe my Bab is an evil-chaotic person??? Well, I'm running HQ the day after tomorrow. I'll hide some holy water behind my screen. You never know... 😁

I got it, but I'm hesitating to translate/explain this one! 😁 Wouldn't like to see a Bab knocking at my door covered with ritual paintings... 😨

Of course, it's up to each GM to get to grips with any universe, including Glorantha. Then Storm Tribe remains a good inspirational ressource for many things, but in no way (as any book) it may be constraining. Just quoted this as "optional" information. ☺️ Sorry, I won't follow you there... In RPG as in many (every?) things, nothing should be considered canon. Canon is restrictive. Canon kills liberty, imagination and critical mind. There is always another way...😉 OK, maybe it's because I'm french: here "canon" also means "cannon". I prefer axes and javelins... 😁

In Storm Tribe, p 203 : OK, Storm Tribe is a HeroWars book, but then it's still Glorantha and one of Greg Stafford's essential books (IMHO). And Rykemasters' link is an extract from Storm Tribe. ☺️

Is a soft/hardcover version planned? (Yeah, my shelves didn't collapse yet) 😁

Just an advice if you want to run any HQ campaign: try to purchase some of the old HeroWars books, like Storm Tribe, Thunder Rebels (both for Orlanthi characters), Anaxial's Rooster (the bestiary), or the wonderful King of Sartar (great timeline and inspirational ressource for a worldwide campaign as much as for a Sartar campaign!!!). You should find them for decent prices on the web. Or buy just PDF versions on Chaosium's website (and then just print what is useful for your own campaign...). Hope you'll give us some details about your own campaign! 😉

Hello you! Here is my homebrew sheet for HW/HQ. There are two files (female/male characters), 2 pages each. In detail: I must say I'm not the author of the sheet itself: it's an old HW (= HQ1) french sheet I just customized for my purposes. I would love to credit the original author, but don't know his ID (if someone knows, by the way...). I always loved the font style and the runes lines... I assembled it with an extract of HQ3 sheet (the character's portrait, for my players to customized their tattoos, hair, runes and so forth - they love it) Problems: it's in french (sorry...)!!!! it's suitable for what I personnaly make: a mix of HW/HQ3 rules the titles aren't a font style but drawn objects!!!!!!!!! it's quite "old school"... some don't like it... I hope you'll find it at least inspirational... If needed, I have an AI version of this files, with predrawn Red Cow clan tattoos for my campaign. For portraits, I usually search on Google Images with cultural keywords + "Glorantha", but some other GM/players here certainly have something more detailed... 😉 Good luck and welcome in HQG!!!! (and hurry ordering the last books available on Chaosium website, their prices are really really friendly!!!!) HW-HQ sheet F french.pdf HW-HQ sheet M french.pdf

OK, my party is finalized: Virkoan the Lost is an Humakti and a smith. He's been found on the banks of the Creek at 8 years-old, multilated (tortured) and without any memory of his previous childhood. He's been adopted by Orkarl Iron-Beard... Knut the Navigator is an Issaries and a boatman, and he's also an initiate of Wandle; Ardias Yversson is a horse breeder and an initiate of Orlanth Adventurous. He's the nephew of Enerin, head of the Bolthoring bloodline; Ragnar the Quiet is a Yinkin hunter, son of Voranga Many-Sorrows and Frekor Deep-Woods. He's the best friend of Olaf (see below); Olaf Numbskull is a stickpicker and an initiate of Valind. He's also some kind of the clan's idiot. He doesn't quiet understand what's the problem with Valind... He is protected by Byrgga Told-You-So (a midwife from The Book of the Red Cow, I made an old Korne of her) and in love with an Ernalda's young healer (yes, Olaf is a very strong and handsome boy...); Janeera Wolf-Head is an initiate of Babeester Gor. Both her parents were killed by telmori. She's been adopted by Griselda Grey-Tresses; and last, we have an Eurmali girl (sorry, the player is still looking for a suitable name...), both Informer/Spy and Godi. She's bonded to Broddi of course and has been "initiated" by Janara the Black (Queen Ivartha's bonded trickster). And she's Broddi's own daughter... Of course, the players invented far more details (three pages for Olaf!!!). I wanted to make it short, but also to share these guys. Maybe you'll find them useful as NPC in your own Red Cow campaign (or any other...)???

Wow!!!! Just received today my DriveThru order, including Valley of Plenty (the only missing book is A Rough Guide to Glamour... coming soon I hope) !!! UPS was carrying a movement rune... ...and I know what I'm going to read tonight... 😊

Forgot that post! Thanks! This said, it remains to be seen if the two Ian Cooper's HQG books (Dragonrise and Fonrit) are still topical or will fall in oblivion, buried together with the rest of HQ... 😢

There will be a third Red Cow book??? When HQG edition is coming to an end? This is great news, but is there any clue about a publication delay?