Ian Thomson Pavis series

[Jose]

8 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

Thanks Nick. Yes that is looking like the most likely option, and I don't think there are any key parts that I am not sole or main author of. And we have the main illustrator interested too. Other images and the few incidental pieces can be replaced or just left out if we can't get in contact with people.

Yes please, it would be a great campaign. 

[brionl]

As a potential customer, I agree. If I ever actually get an RQ campaign off the ground it will likely be Pavis based. It's been one of my favorite places ever since the original boxed set.

 

[Ian A. Thomson]

As always, the road to publication has many challenges, but Fabian, Dario & I look to be forming an unholy triumvirate intent on redesigning and re-releasing the Pavis & Big Rubble Companion series in the way it ideally would have been in the first place

Bit more tightening of editing, filling in some gaps, and putting all the pieces in a logical order for running a campaign

It's going to take many hours of work, but feels manageable over the next few months

If anyone is super-proficient at RQ6 or QW stats this is the one skill-set none of us have. I can learn it for sure, but with the massive number of days of editing ahead the help would be appreciated. I remember back in the day creating stats in the systems I knew was as easy as eating a piece of toast :)

If someone was able to do a lot of stats for us then definitely a free book could be offered at the end of it all

[Ian A. Thomson]

On 2/6/2022 at 4:39 AM, brionl said:

As a potential customer, I agree. If I ever actually get an RQ campaign off the ground it will likely be Pavis based. It's been one of my favorite places ever since the original boxed set.

 

Yes, me too. Those original creators were genius's. I remember when I was in my early teens a friend had both boxed sets and reading through them I was just like: "Wow!"

[g33k]

38 minutes ago, Ian Thomson said:

... RQ6 or QW stats ...

n.b. "RQ6" is, conventionally, the TDM version (rebranded now as "Mythras" (and going gangbusters!)) since Chaosium took the RQ material back in-house.

There is no license for TDM / RQ6 content on the Jonstown Compendium; that is another company's IP.  D&D5e mechanics, and Tekumel, and etc, are all similarly excluded, for the same legal reasons.

The current edition of RQ is usually written as "RQG" (sometimes RQ:G or RQ:RiG; occasionaly even RQ7).

I *believe* however -- if you were so inclined -- it's now OK to include 13G content (stats) in the JC; I for one think it'd be very cool to do so!

[Ian A. Thomson]

4 hours ago, g33k said:

n.b. "RQ6" is, conventionally, the TDM version (rebranded now as "Mythras" (and going gangbusters!)) since Chaosium took the RQ material back in-house.

There is no license for TDM / RQ6 content on the Jonstown Compendium; that is another company's IP.  D&D5e mechanics, and Tekumel, and etc, are all similarly excluded, for the same legal reasons.

The current edition of RQ is usually written as "RQG" (sometimes RQ:G or RQ:RiG; occasionaly even RQ7).

I *believe* however -- if you were so inclined -- it's now OK to include 13G content (stats) in the JC; I for one think it'd be very cool to do so!

Can u define 13G please. Sorry to be so out of the loop.

Even more specifically, can you tell me what popular rules mechanics for Gloranthan gaming ARE ok to include in Jonstown releases

Thanks very much

[Richard S.]

3 minutes ago, Ian Thomson said:

Can u define 13G please. Sorry to be so out of the loop.

Even more specifically, can you tell me what popular rules mechanics for Gloranthan gaming ARE ok to include in Jonstown releases

Thanks very much

The Jonstown Compendium allows only Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, Runequest: Classic and Questworlds: Glorantha material at the moment. 13G, or 13th Age in Glorantha, is an adaptation of 13th Age's Archmage engine to Glorantha, but due to I believe licensing stuff it's not allowed on the JC.

Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-hardcover/) is pretty much the Gloranthan rpg at the moment, as no Glorantha content has been released for Questworlds yet and 13th Age in Glorantha hadn't seen any support since its release. If you know how to do RQ2 stats at least you should be fairly comfortable with RQG, as long as you can figure out Runes and Passions. And to be fair, even if there was Questworlds: Glorantha material out now there's no real need to make stats or anything, it's effectively a statless/make-your-own-stats system.

[AndrewTBP]

No, 13th Age Glorantha has been allowed on the Jonstown Compendium for some time now. It was announced here: 

 

[Ian A. Thomson]

2 hours ago, AndrewTBP said:

No, 13th Age Glorantha has been allowed on the Jonstown Compendium for some time now. It was announced here: 

 

Awesome to know

I created myself from scratch, and used, a D20 system for the last several real time years of the Old Pavis Campaign that the books are based on

So it feels like we are going even further back into our authentic roots!!! :)

I might even have a whole bunch of my D20 stats somewhere still

Wonder if they will match the RQ13 system

[Ian A. Thomson]

3 hours ago, Richard S. said:

The Jonstown Compendium allows only Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, Runequest: Classic and Questworlds: Glorantha material at the moment. 13G, or 13th Age in Glorantha, is an adaptation of 13th Age's Archmage engine to Glorantha, but due to I believe licensing stuff it's not allowed on the JC.

Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha-hardcover/) is pretty much the Gloranthan rpg at the moment, as no Glorantha content has been released for Questworlds yet and 13th Age in Glorantha hadn't seen any support since its release. If you know how to do RQ2 stats at least you should be fairly comfortable with RQG, as long as you can figure out Runes and Passions. And to be fair, even if there was Questworlds: Glorantha material out now there's no real need to make stats or anything, it's effectively a statless/make-your-own-stats system.

Ah hah

OK

I am on a steep learning curve here

So it looks as if then we should provide regular RQ stats as per your link above

With the option to also include RQ13 D20 stats too, which would mean more work for me, but I am drawn to it because of my history of running this campaign with a D20 system (since as noted below this is now allowed on the Compendium)

[Brian Duguid]

Possibly worth an offline discussion with JC community ambassador @Nick Brooke to see what would and would not be permitted in terms of stats for upgraded Pavis books. Completely re-statting them sounds like a ton of work! 

[Nick Brooke]

We can do this online. The only game systems supported on the Jonstown Compendium are RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha (the current Chaosium edition), RuneQuest Classic (i.e. Chaosium RuneQuest 2nd edition), QuestWorlds (the new name for the HeroQuest 2nd edition system used in HeroQuest: Glorantha) and 13th Age Glorantha.

We won't allow submissions for other game systems, including but not limited to Chaosium RuneQuest 1st edition ("how quaint!"), Avalon Hill RuneQuest 3, unpublished Avalon Hill drafts (RQ4:AiG & RQ Slayers), Hero Wars (the small paperbacks), HeroQuest 1st edition (the big red book), Mongoose RuneQuest (either version, now renamed Legend), Design Mechanism RuneQuest 6 (now renamed Mythras), other BRP systems, other D20 systems, or other rule systems altogether.

I think Ian misspoke when he mentioned "RQ6" -- that's an easy mistake to make, if you've been out of circulation for a bit. It's not a Chaosium game system, it's not set in Glorantha, and we can't allow it on the Jonstown Compendium.

Note that you don't have to provide complete stats for everything in your JC submissions. (I mean, you can if you want to, but it's probably a bit OTT). If a NPC is only interesting because of their Bargain skill, don't bother telling us their birthday and shoe size (kinda thing). Although the GM Screen Pack Adventure Book provides multiple statblocks for uninteresting non-combatants, IMO that's highly misleading and is not something you should feel you have to emulate. See Six Seasons in Sartar and Citizens of the Lunar Empire for alternative approaches (pausing only to notice how many Sun Dome Templar statblocks I provided for that big battle scene in Black Spear).

Edited February 10, 2022 by Nick Brooke
Chronological order!

[g33k]

7 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

Can u define 13G please. Sorry to be so out of the loop.

Even more specifically, can you tell me what popular rules mechanics for Gloranthan gaming ARE ok to include in Jonstown releases

Thanks very much

"13G" is the main acronym used for "13th Age in Glorantha," which is the the "13th Age" RPG recast in a Glorantha setting.

"13th Age" in turn is the RPG written by a couple of the main designers for D&D3e & D&D4e, described as "the game they'd have liked to write, if they weren't designing to WotC design-specs."   It turns out the two of them are huge Gloranthaphiles, and worked out licensing with Chaosium to Kickstart their 13G vision (that same KS also produced the fantastic  Glorantha Sourcebook ).

Mechanically, it's rather different from RQ, being more like a D&D variant; but the core book is still a great resource for any Gloranthan GM to mine for ideas.

===

It's RQ (RQG) that's undoubtedly carrying the Glorantha banner these days!

Still, 13G and QW are viable Gloranthan RPGs too, and while they are "less supported" (have fewer titles), that's rather circular logic -- if people produce more content, the systems will be more-supported.

[Brian Duguid]

3 hours ago, Nick Brooke said:

QuestWorlds (the new name for the HeroQuest 2nd edition system used in HeroQuest: Glorantha)

I don't remember which version of HW/HQ Ian's Pavis books were written for, but I'd think that making them tie in with HQ:G would be the quickest option.

Conversion notes here:

https://www.chaosium.com/content/FreePDFs/HeroQuest/ISS2007-CONV - HeroQuest Conversion Guidelines.pdf

[metcalph]

2 hours ago, Brian Duguid said:

I don't remember which version of HW/HQ Ian's Pavis books were written for, but I'd think that making them tie in with HQ:G would be the quickest option.

I really don't think so.  Ian's adventures are far more suited to RQ than than HQ:G or Questworlds.  

[Ian A. Thomson]

Thanks for the input folks

Very helpful :)

>>Ian's adventures are far more suited to RQ than than HQ:G or Questworlds.<<

Yes, the style/feel is absolutely classic RQ, although I used originally a rules system based on Stormbringer (stripped down version of RQ rules), then graduated to a D20 system that I designed myself, that was even a bit more streamlined and quicker to use.

>>I think Ian misspoke when he mentioned "RQ6" -- that's an easy mistake to make, if you've been out of circulation for a bit.<<

Yes, I really have little idea, though starting to get it now :)

>>It's RQ (RQG) that's undoubtedly carrying the Glorantha banner these days!<<

OK great, so now I know what is most popular: RQG will be the core system we will present the books in

>>you don't have to provide complete stats for everything in your JC submissions. (I mean, you can if you want to, but it's probably a bit OTT). If a NPC is only interesting because of their Bargain skill, don't bother telling us their birthday and shoe size (kinda thing). <<

Preaching to the choir, sir. This idea I am already behind :)

Anything a GM can make up in a split second and doesn't matter in the grander scheme of things will not be included! :) That was always going to be the way

I will get the sourcebook for RQG and see if there are any Bestiaries or whatever. So in this same time-saving vein, expect to see a lot of "Refer to pXX in 'RQG book' for examples of this. For background/stock characters and situations. Since GMs of the system will mostly own those books anyway

I would like to include other systems too, most particularly QW cos it seems to be popular. However, time required already might preclude doing that. This problem could potentially be solved if some QW user is willing to volunteer their time (in return for book copies if they do a lot of work) to convert whatever I write up for RQG into QW. (Again only the main stats/contest notes required.)

I would also like to include 13AG because I like D20 systems (altho the one I created was super-streamlined), but once again the sheer amount of work already to do the rerelease likely precludes this. Cos I would have to learn and test the system. Once more if someone who already uses this system was happy to go through and convert my RQG notes into 13AG I would be only too happy and could offer free copies of books in return.

I don't plan on retaining HW or HQ rules ideas/ stats for a combined reason: (i) We don't already have either system in place throughout. If we did I would leave it there, but we don't - so consistency would require a LOT of time spent writing more of these stats to fill the gaps, (ii) My sense is that neither system is popular anyway anymore (please correct me if I am wrong, in which case again I'd be looking for a volunteer); and finally (iii) I <looks for diplomatic/polite words> 'strongly disliked' both of these systems and would personally not want to be involved with them again. Just personal preference - others likely loved them

 

[AndrewTBP]

I convert RQ:G adventures to 13G adventures frequently for my campaign "Heroes of Dragon Pass", advertised on these forums. I'm running Ernalda's Temple from the Korolstead and with 6 players it has condensed down to 1 Montage, 1 Skill Challenge, and 1 Fight per session. The fight with the vough, brollachans, and water elementals was last session, the fight with the vampires is next session. 

Note vampires. To balance the fight, I had to promote the Earth priestess from long dead corpse to Vampire Spawn, because otherwise my 6 @ 5th level PCs will defeat a 10th level Vampire in a walkover.  😆

In short, converting a RQ:G adventure to 13G takes a little mucking about with the scenes, and the monsters, and the story. I've posted a conversion of "The Hollow" on these forums for 1st level PCs and you can see that some of the fights in the RQ:G adventure become Skill Challenges in 13G. 

[Ian A. Thomson]

7 hours ago, AndrewTBP said:

I convert RQ:G adventures to 13G adventures frequently for my campaign "Heroes of Dragon Pass", advertised on these forums. I'm running Ernalda's Temple from the Korolstead and with 6 players it has condensed down to 1 Montage, 1 Skill Challenge, and 1 Fight per session. The fight with the vough, brollachans, and water elementals was last session, the fight with the vampires is next session. 

Note vampires. To balance the fight, I had to promote the Earth priestess from long dead corpse to Vampire Spawn, because otherwise my 6 @ 5th level PCs will defeat a 10th level Vampire in a walkover.  😆

In short, converting a RQ:G adventure to 13G takes a little mucking about with the scenes, and the monsters, and the story. I've posted a conversion of "The Hollow" on these forums for 1st level PCs and you can see that some of the fights in the RQ:G adventure become Skill Challenges in 13G. 

Thank you

Good to know

[Ian A. Thomson]

Just confirming then before I start work on stats:

This is the character sheet for RQG, the % system that is most popular currently?

https://www.chaosium.com/content/FreePDFs/RuneQuest/Character Sheets/RuneQuest Glorantha - Character Sheet.pdf

[Brian Duguid]

33 minutes ago, Ian Thomson said:

This is the character sheet for RQG, the % system that is most popular currently?

Yes.

Although there is also now an alternative format available here, with the same key information:

https://www.chaosium.com/content/FreePDFs/RuneQuest/CHA4035 - RQ Starter Set/CHA4035 RQ Starter Set Blank Folio.pdf

[Nick Brooke]

FYI, QuestWorlds has no stats (for NPCs). None. Don’t be ripped off!

[Nick Brooke]

Quote

I don't plan on retaining HW or HQ rules ideas/ stats for a combined reason: (i) We don't already have either system in place throughout. If we did I would leave it there, but we don't - so consistency would require a LOT of time spent writing more of these stats to fill the gaps, (ii) My sense is that neither system is popular anyway anymore (please correct me if I am wrong, in which case again I'd be looking for a volunteer); and finally (iii) I <looks for diplomatic/polite words> 'strongly disliked' both of these systems and would personally not want to be involved with them again. Just personal preference - others likely loved them

Also relevant - those systems aren’t permitted on the Jonstown Compendium. If you did include Hero Wars or HeroQuest 1e stats, we’d ask you to remove them.

[brionl]

20 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

I will get the sourcebook for RQG and see if there are any Bestiaries or whatever. So in this same time-saving vein, expect to see a lot of "Refer to pXX in 'RQG book' for examples of this. For background/stock characters and situations. Since GMs of the system will mostly own those books anyway

 

 

Yes, there is definitely a RQG Bestiary, lots of good stuff in that one. You might want to take a gander at the Red Book of Magic too. It has a bazillion spirit magic and rune magic spells. Including a lot of the rune spells from the cults in the RQ Classic Pavis & Big Rubble and Cult Compendium books that aren't in the RQG main book.

[Ian A. Thomson]

5 hours ago, Nick Brooke said:

FYI, QuestWorlds has no stats (for NPCs). None. Don’t be ripped off!

I guess I have to look at this system myself :)

[Ian A. Thomson]

3 hours ago, brionl said:

 

Yes, there is definitely a RQG Bestiary, lots of good stuff in that one. You might want to take a gander at the Red Book of Magic too. It has a bazillion spirit magic and rune magic spells. Including a lot of the rune spells from the cults in the RQ Classic Pavis & Big Rubble and Cult Compendium books that aren't in the RQG main book.

Fantastic. Thanks

Yes if they are available as pdfs I may well just buy them for that well-needed option of inserting as many page references and quick adaptation notes as possible into the work under revision

Rather than spending valuable time on inventing stats. Time that could be spent proofing and editing the actual content (and the extra content that needs to be written to fill the gaps)