Secrets of Dorastor (Jonstown Compendium)

[soltakss]

Secrets of Dorastor is out and can be found at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318512/Secrets-of-Dorastor?affiliate_id=66807.

 

A snip at $25.00 for 259 pages, it comes out as a Bargain on the Brooke Scale.

 

There is a Table of Contents at http://www.soltakss.com/JC/StormSpearia-SecretsOfDorastor-TOC.pdf.

 

From Nick's Scenarios: "Complexity: medium to high – a massive collection of material compiled from many years spent running RuneQuest games in Dorastor, including many self-consciously gross old-school elements – tips sadistic gamemasters can use to upset munchkin players, rules for “hyper-critical” hits, and a boyish enthusiasm for violated orifices, succubi and acid damage. The author writes with oblivious relish about this disturbing material."

 

Secrets of Dorastor is a campaign pack set in the fabled land of Dorastor, in Greg Stafford's Glorantha.

 

Inside you will find:

• A gazetteer of over one hundred places, with a map of Dorastor and nearby areas and maps of key places in Dorastor
• Descriptions of forty personalities, both of Dorastor and the surrounding Borderlands
• 25 types of Monster, of animal, vegetable and mineral types
• Write-ups of 9 Organizations
• RuneQuest write-ups of 8 Cults, including adapting the cult of Humakt to Dorastor
• New abilities for Illuminates and a description of Illumination and its various Schools
• 15 Magic Items
• Encounter Tables of all the important areas of Dorastor
• Sample Campaign and Scenario Hooks
• Extended RuneQuest rules for High Level Adventurers
• Tips for playing High Level Adventurers and NPCs

 

Based on the write-up of our Dorastor Campaign, with a great deal of extra material, this covers the land and people of Dorastor and its Borderlands.

 

WARNING: Dorastor is the most horrible part of Glorantha, a cursed land full of terrors. Secrets of Dorastor deals with extreme horror, with topics including violence, cannibalism, seduction, forced matings, ritual sacrifice and the liberal use of acid. Please do not purchase this if these themes might cause offense.

[soltakss]

Of course, it isn't all about violated orifices, succubi and acid damage. It has poison as well.

I deliberately did not include the Sisters of Pain, an order of Krarsht courtesan assassins, who use a combination of courtesan techniques and sweat acid to slay their targets.

[Snugz]

I'm already excited for the scenarios & campaigns followups, esp. Tower of Lead!

("Tower of Night" from LoT finally sees the light of day?)

[g33k]

For those of us not blessedcursed enough to already own DLoD, how significant is that material to this product?

How much effort should one put into getting the older content?

 

[Akhôrahil]

3 hours ago, g33k said:

For those of us not blessedcursed enough to already own DLoD, how significant is that material to this product?

How much effort should one put into getting the older content?

You really want D:LoD and Cults (or even better, Lords) of Terror.

[Frp]

Love the sidebars with 'authors comments'.

[soltakss]

On 6/26/2020 at 4:08 PM, Snugz said:

I'm already excited for the scenarios & campaigns followups, esp. Tower of Lead!

("Tower of Night" from LoT finally sees the light of day?)

Yes, it will be my own version, as I designed it, only for the Players to decide that it looked far too dangerous and went somewhere else.

(I am not sure if it will be this year, I have to find the scenario in my mouldy old stack of paper documents, first.

22 hours ago, g33k said:

For those of us not blessedcursed enough to already own DLoD, how significant is that material to this product?

You don't need Dorastor Land of Doom or Cults of Terror, as Secrets of Dorastor has all you need for a Dorastor or Riskland Campaign.

Where I described something that is included in either supplement, I have referred to the Page Number and have not repeated the description. There are a few of those.

So, if you want to see how Dorastor Land of Doom described those areas or people, then it is useful.

Also, I have listed the personalities from both supplements, as they are useful NPCs, but not described them. I suppose I could have included them as RQG Conversions, but that wouldn't have been right, in my opinion.

18 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

22 hours ago, g33k said:

How much effort should one put into getting the older content?

You really want D:LoD and Cults (or even better, Lords) of Terror.

If you can get hold of them, then they are all great.

Dorastor Land of Doom has more on the Renekotling Clan, a mini campaign and has descriptions of some areas.

Lords of Terror has some good chaos Cults, including small writeups not in Cults of Terror.

Both have very powerful NPCs that can be used to further terrorise Adventurers.

Cults of Terror was a masterpiece when it came out and still has really good stuff. It is also available in the RQ Classic range. Alternatively, the Cults Compendium should contain them.

So, for extra material they are really useful.

In fact, I would go so far to say that you should get them as additional material to supplement Secrets of Dorastor!

 

19 minutes ago, Frp said:

Love the sidebars with 'authors comments'.

Thanks.

I cut a lot of them out, for space reasons. However, I am planning a freebie with all the Author's Comments that I cut out of Secrets of Dorastor.

 

[soltakss]

Well, I have had my first review for Secrets of Dorastor.

Five Stars: If you have any interest at all in Dorastor, then BUY THIS BOOK! Yes, book. This monstrosity is over 250 pages, chock full from beginning to end. Quality stuff. And the secrets! But I cannot share those, so let me mention just a few of the great things about Secrets of Dorastor. Scenario Hooks: There are text boxes sprinkled throughout with ways to entangle adventurers into the creatures and features of Dorastor. Imagine if a Master Gamemaster laid out his or her brain for all to see and learn from. Okay, maybe don’t imagine that, but imagine if he or she shared knowledge with you. All the tips and tricks for running a campaign in Dorastor are here. New, New, New: Crazy number of new creatures, spells, and items. It says 15 magic items on the back, but the author must have left a zero off the end. For example, there is a Treasures section near the end, with all sorts of new magic items, besides all the Things and items scattered throughout. Most have the taint of chaos you would expect of anything found in Dorastor, but there are some truly great things that can be found anywhere in Glorantha as well. Artwork: I am a fan of artwork and Secrets has plenty, old and new. It was nice to see some of the old pieces of art in here. Anyways, if none of that has you interested in purchasing Secrets of Dorastor, then I don’t know what will. I am very happy to have bought this product and I look forward to future purchases from him.

[soltakss]

If anyone spots any typos and mistakes, then please let me know here.

There is no need for a different thread, posting here will do.

I am planning on maybe weekly updates, depending on the number of issues found. Hopefully there won't be many.

[Frp]

Finished the book and greatly enjoyed it!

I spotted a few typos here and there, but nothing that obscured the meaning of the text. 

(I totally would have signed up with the Shadowmages, too.)

[soltakss]

14 hours ago, Frp said:

Finished the book and greatly enjoyed it!

Thanks.

14 hours ago, Frp said:

I spotted a few typos here and there, but nothing that obscured the meaning of the text. 

If you can point them out then I can fix them. I've got some from various people, here and there.

14 hours ago, Frp said:

(I totally would have signed up with the Shadowmages, too.)

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the PCs totally abused it.

[soltakss]

Another 5* Review for Secrets of Dorastor (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/318512/Secrets-of-Dorastor?affiliate_id=66807). Horrible, Heroic and Dreadful, what more could I ask for? The review is below:

 

Horrible... Dreadfall... Heroic...

Everything you wanted your Dorastor to be and much that you never new you needed. For my personal use it'll likely be more of a source book than a campaing setting, but Secrets of Dorastor is a great asset in both cases.

[soltakss]

Another 5* Review for Secrets of Dorastor, bringing it to thirteen 5* Reviews:
Bought this a while back and have been digesting it. Full disclosure, I was one of the authors early victims in RQ, but if I didn't love the product I wouldn't rate it, just politely ignore it. The book is not ready to play, and that is a strength. instead the author provides information on creatures, personalities and items, together with scenario hooks that any decent gm would be able to see possibilities in. i knew a few things here already, as I had used them in my campaigns having seen how interesting they were (the spirit warriors are a boon to the time strapped gm). Open the book at random to any page (well amost , i just did it and got a full page picture) and you will have interesting details on something, together with clever scenario ideas, many of which are laugh out loud funny in the deviousness. Dorastor is an awful place. Enjoy.

[jongjom]

Will there be a Secrets of Dorastor POD option soon? Cheers

[soltakss]

2 hours ago, jongjom said:

Will there be a Secrets of Dorastor POD option soon?

Yes there will.

Soon is relative, though.

I could use the excellent Classic Layout provided by Master Gollum, but that means that I cannot make amendments to it. If I used the Word-converted version of the Classic Layout, I need to reformat it and work through the off way that me PDF to Word converter has done the conversion. It will take a month to do, I think. But, layout is difficult and boring, at least for me.

I have something I need to finish off first, then I will start working on the POD for Secrets of Dorastor.

[Shiningbrow]

I just purchased it!

I'll give it 5 stars as well...

But, yeah, there's a LOT of typos - almost averaging 1/page I'd be inclined to go through and fix them all for you if you want (it's part of my profession).

Quick question - on p242 in the RP replenishing table - what's the before/after slash numbers for most of the columns? It makes sense where you've divided up the ST/HHD, but not for the others. And, what's with the Holy Site?? Is that giving different points back than Holy Days? (is it a separate mechanic??)

BE well!

[soltakss]

On 1/3/2021 at 4:27 PM, Shiningbrow said:

I just purchased it!

I'll give it 5 stars as well...

Thanks!

On 1/3/2021 at 4:27 PM, Shiningbrow said:

But, yeah, there's a LOT of typos - almost averaging 1/page I'd be inclined to go through and fix them all for you if you want (it's part of my profession).

A lot of typos? I'd be interested to see what you think are typos. Have you downloaded the latest version?

On 1/3/2021 at 4:27 PM, Shiningbrow said:

Quick question - on p242 in the RP replenishing table - what's the before/after slash numbers for most of the columns? It makes sense where you've divided up the ST/HHD, but not for the others. And, what's with the Holy Site?? Is that giving different points back than Holy Days? (is it a separate mechanic??)

That Table is simply a shorthand of all the various rules about holy places on p315 in the RQG Rules. If you succeed in your Worship you get the first set, if you fail you get the second result.

[Shiningbrow]

14 hours ago, soltakss said:

A lot of typos? I'd be interested to see what you think are typos. Have you downloaded the latest version?

I downloaded from DriveThru just the other day, so I presume it's the latest (V2).

The typos are minor mistakes in spelling/word formation, or punctuation.

I'm an ESL teacher at a better quality university in China, and I was an IELTS* examiner.

(*internationally recognised English language test used for university entrance).

As I said, I'd be happy to correct for you (cos I'm anal like that :p)

 

On a different topic - I've just come across your new spell list... would you be inclined to format and upload as a JC? I love a lot of the new ones, and honestly think they'd be considered basic... of the top of my head, simple spells for duplicating scrolls/books should be a standard Lhankhor Mhy/Irripi Ontor spells. (I do questoin the usefulness of a spirit magic spell - 2 mins - for increasing crafting skills... but I do remember that earlier RQ's Extension worked on spirit magic as well as rune/divine... there's another spell that should be added to the latest incarnation!!!)

 

Back to the original topic - I have a question about Heroic Casting. Does the spell need to be known in mind to cast it? Or is it more like an ability (and thus, don't need to take up a point of INT/CHA)? Heroic Casting of Sorcery would be uber-powerful, especially if one doesn't need to keep it in mind. As for Rune spells, is there a limit to the stackability of the MPs? CHA or RPs? How long do they take to cast? (for both Rune and spirit/sorcery)?

[Akhôrahil]

2 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

The typos are minor mistakes in spelling/word formation, or punctuation.

I agree with this. It doesn't really affect understanding, but it's a constant cosmetic issue that should ideally get fixed.

[soltakss]

On 1/5/2021 at 10:36 AM, Shiningbrow said:

I downloaded from DriveThru just the other day, so I presume it's the latest (V2).

The typos are minor mistakes in spelling/word formation, or punctuation.

I'm an ESL teacher at a better quality university in China, and I was an IELTS* examiner.

(*internationally recognised English language test used for university entrance).

As I said, I'd be happy to correct for you (cos I'm anal like that :p)

If you could send me an email to soltakss@yahoo.com letting me know what you have found, then I can make the corrections, if I agree with them.

On 1/5/2021 at 10:36 AM, Shiningbrow said:

Back to the original topic - I have a question about Heroic Casting. Does the spell need to be known in mind to cast it? Or is it more like an ability (and thus, don't need to take up a point of INT/CHA)? Heroic Casting of Sorcery would be uber-powerful, especially if one doesn't need to keep it in mind. As for Rune spells, is there a limit to the stackability of the MPs? CHA or RPs? How long do they take to cast? (for both Rune and spirit/sorcery)?

Heroic Casting means that you can use your personal Magic Points to cast certain Rune Spells. Basically, your POW becomes a new Rune Pool for casting those spells.

It is effectively an ability.

You have to know the spell in order to cast it Heroically.

The Rune spells are just normal Rune spells, so you cast them and use them in the same way as normal. So, casting shield 8 Heroically costs 8 Magic Points and goes off at SR1, the same way as casting Shield 8 from your Rune Pool. In my games you can use points from your Rune Pool and Magic Points together, also from two different Rune Pools.

Heroic Casting of Spirit Magic costs 1 MP no matter what the spell is, so if you have Heroic Casting of Fireblade it costs 1 MP to cast, Heroic Casting of Bladesharp 8 costs 1 MP to cast.

Heroic Casting of Sorcery would cost 1 MP to cast, no matter what the strength of the spell. It takes as long as the normal sorcery spell takes to cast.

 

Heroic Knowledge means you know the spell but it doesn't count against CHA, for Spirit Magic spells. It also means that you can cast a spell without knowing it. On a HeroQuest, you might get Heroic Knowledge of a spell, while on the HeroQuest, so you can use powers that were used on the HeroQuest without knowing them.

 

On 1/5/2021 at 10:36 AM, Shiningbrow said:

On a different topic - I've just come across your new spell list... would you be inclined to format and upload as a JC? I love a lot of the new ones, and honestly think they'd be considered basic... of the top of my head, simple spells for duplicating scrolls/books should be a standard Lhankhor Mhy/Irripi Ontor spells. (I do questoin the usefulness of a spirit magic spell - 2 mins - for increasing crafting skills... but I do remember that earlier RQ's Extension worked on spirit magic as well as rune/divine... there's another spell that should be added to the latest incarnation!!!)

I have reformatted a lot of these for the Book of Doom, reworking many of them to fit in with RQG better. At some point I'll take them off my website and link to the Book of Doom instead.

The Craft spells increase your skill for an activity now, so more useful.

[Shiningbrow]

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

If you could send me an email to soltakss@yahoo.com letting me know what you have found, then I can make the corrections, if I agree with them.

I shall email you. You should agree with them, as I'm referring to basic English typos that have been missed. Eg, I notice that in the New Spells list, different is often spelt with only 1 f. Or there are spaces missing after commas... (I'm not touching RQ names, except where really obvious - eg, Orlanth (not that I've noticed any typos on that name)).

 

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

Basically, your POW becomes a new Rune Pool for casting those spells.

It is effectively an ability.

And, thus, the maximum amount of points that can be stacked is - CHA? Or MPs available? Or even, the original Rune Point Pool?

 

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

Heroic Casting of Sorcery would cost 1 MP to cast, no matter what the strength of the spell. It takes as long as the normal sorcery spell takes to cast.

What about Free INT? Is that still factored, or can one now manipulate up to full INT?

 

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

I have reformatted a lot of these for the Book of Doom, reworking many of them to fit in with RQG better. At some point I'll take them off my website and link to the Book of Doom instead.

Coolness! Can't wait!

Is the BoD already around somewhere?

 

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

The Craft spells increase your skill for an activity now, so more useful.

That works! Although, I can see a new version of Extension working only for spirit magic as well...

[Nick Brooke]

I'd hate to derail any useful discussions, but while wearing my full diplomatic regalia can I ever-so-politely suggest that instead of writing posts to public forums saying e.g.

• "This Jonstown Compendium book contains a LOT of typos," or
• "The author should hire an RPG editor like myself to help out," or
• "The lack of PDF bookmarks is quite frankly outrageous," 

any concerned well-wishers should contact Jonstown Compendium creators directly to pass on their helpful, actionable suggestions and advice?

Otherwise it looks a bit like shit-stirring, although I'm quite certain this is never the intention.

Thank you in advance.

[soltakss]

19 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

I shall email you. You should agree with them, as I'm referring to basic English typos that have been missed. Eg, I notice that in the New Spells list, different is often spelt with only 1 f. Or there are spaces missing after commas... (I'm not touching RQ names, except where really obvious - eg, Orlanth (not that I've noticed any typos on that name)).

Odd, my master Word Document of secrets of Dorastor and Secrets of Dorastor - Spells have no words spelled "diferent". Similarly, I have checked the PDF for Secrets of Dorastor, Secrets of Dorastor Classic Version and Secrets of Dorastor Spells and none have that spelling.

19 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

And, thus, the maximum amount of points that can be stacked is - CHA? Or MPs available? Or even, the original Rune Point Pool?

POW for that Rune Pool, as it is your personal magic Points, not those stored in devices or held in spirits or crystals.

19 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

What about Free INT? Is that still factored, or can one now manipulate up to full INT?

You cast your spell as normal, so you use Free INT etc. to create the spell, but when cast Heroically it just costs 1 Magic Point.

19 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Is the BoD already around somewhere?

Yes, on my hard drive. Should be coming out this month (January).

15 hours ago, Nick Brooke said:

I'd hate to derail any useful discussions, but while wearing my full diplomatic regalia can I ever-so-politely suggest that instead of writing posts to public forums saying e.g.

• "This Jonstown Compendium book contains a LOT of typos," or
• "The author should hire an RPG editor like myself to help out," or
• "The lack of PDF bookmarks is quite frankly outrageous," 

any concerned well-wishers should contact Jonstown Compendium creators directly to pass on their helpful, actionable suggestions and advice?

I would much prefer people to PM me or email me with corrections, as I generally make them fairly quickly, if they need changing.

The problem with posting in public forums is that some people read down a thread, see a post saying this supplement has typos on every page and then don't buy it, without necessarily reading any posts that correct any misassumptions or say that the mistakes reported have been corrected.

For example, the one spelling error reported above is not in my Word Document, so is not a typo, but people reading part of the thread won't realise that.

[jajagappa]

5 hours ago, soltakss said:

Odd, my master Word Document of secrets of Dorastor and Secrets of Dorastor - Spells have no words spelled "diferent". Similarly, I have checked the PDF for Secrets of Dorastor, Secrets of Dorastor Classic Version and Secrets of Dorastor Spells and none have that spelling.

I checked in my version, and I do not see that either.  Perhaps the issue is with the pdf reader being used?

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by jajagappa

[Joerg]

1 hour ago, jajagappa said:

I checked in my version, and I do not see that either.  Perhaps the issue is with the pdf reader being used?

 

Sounds  like an issue with double f being replaced by a single kerned ff version to me. This may irritate search functions, too.