jonstown compendium New Jonstown Compendium title - Holiday Dorastor: Temple of Heads

[soltakss]

Holiday Dorastor: Temple of Heads is now live on the Jonstown Compendium. Written by Leon Kirshtein, Simon Phipp, Nikk Effingham and Tal Meta, with artwork by Alexandre Gauthier, Dario Corallo, Martin Helsdon, Elizabeth Kirshtein and Elizabeth Browning. 

The Temple of Heads is the first instalment of Holiday Dorastor, a look at interesting places in Dorastor.

This RuneQuest Glorantha supplement is a companion piece to Secrets of Dorastor and contains writeups of the Temple itself, 14 new Monsters, 8 new Spirit magic spells, 9 new

Runemagic spells, 6 new Sorcery Spells, 8 new Magic Items, 4 Scenarios, 1 HeroQuest and many Scenario Hooks scattered around.

So, come stay at the Horned Skull Inn and marvel at the Temple of Heads.

You might end up with less than you had when you arrived!

[Rodney Dangerduck]

"It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear
Brace yourself, my dear

It's a holiday in Dorastora
It's tough, kid, but it's life"

With apologies to the Dead Kennedys...

[Shiningbrow]

So, my favourite JC author is back at it again!

This looks interesting (as does the series it's starting).

But, I have questions...

Are the new spells etc completely new, or are they also in the Book of Doom?

 

Also, what's the beer like in the Temple of Heads?

[Nick Brooke]

6 minutes ago, Shiningbrow said:

Are the new spells etc completely new, or are they also in the Book of Doom?

New Spirit Spells: Break Item, Interrupt, Mighty Blow, Seek, Speak with Dead, Shadowstrike, Windwall, Witch Claw

New Runespells: Create Sack With Abundant Gifts, Freedom, See In (Light)

New Sorcery Spells: Demonic Weapon, Man-Beast, Resist Demon, Set Phase, Sever Tether, Tag

6 minutes ago, Shiningbrow said:

Also, what's the beer like in the Temple of Heads?

You'd think it'd have a good head (ba-dum-tish!), but it's described as a weak form of ale.

[Nick Brooke]

While I'm here, Holiday Glorantha: The Temple of Heads rose to be the #10 best-selling title on the whole of DriveThruRPG on launch day. Congratulations, Leon & Simon!

[Shiningbrow]

3 hours ago, Nick Brooke said:

You'd think it'd have a good head (ba-dum-tish!),

Foaming at the mouth?

(if it wasn't obvious, I did set that one up for someone...)

[Godlearner]

6 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Also, what's the beer like in the Temple of Heads?

I am sure there is a Minlister head in there somewhere.

[soltakss]

8 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

So, my favourite JC author is back at it again!

Leon will like the praise! 😃

But, thank you, much appreciated.

8 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Are the new spells etc completely new, or are they also in the Book of Doom?

As Nick helpfully says, many new spells.

The Book of Doom clearly was not enough, as we have added spells in both Denarius the Minter and Temple of Heads.

8 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Also, what's the beer like in the Temple of Heads?

The beer in the Horned Skull Inn is a weak ale, because they are the only inn for many miles and the safest haven on the Ash Flat and Ghostdirt Plain, so they can serve rubbish ale and get away with it.

The Temple of Heads just uses the beer from the Horned Skull Inn, as would you trust other Thanatari to brew your beer? Thanatari certainly don't.

1 hour ago, Godlearner said:

I am sure there is a Minlister head in there somewhere.

There probably is, but Thanatari don't trust anyone, especially not each other. Although, Damask is the cook and they all eat his food, so he is probably the exception.

[soltakss]

The first review, from a certain Ambassador, 5* from Nick B:

 

Holiday Glorantha: The Temple of Heads is an exquisitely-detailed Thanatari temple complex in Dorastor, Land of Doom, taking adventurers from the relative safety of the Horned Skull Inn to the Tunnels of Doom far below. As you'd expect, there are dungeon complexes, Rune-level leaders and their henchlings, new monsters, magic items, spells, cults, sorcery... plus four short scenarios and innumerable adventure hooks. There are traditionally grotesque writeups for four Thanatar Rune Masters – head-hunting book-nerds engaged in institutional rivalries that make Oxbridge look tame – plus more than a dozen colourful locals. This is the first in a projected Holiday Dorastor series, expanding on the iconic locations of Glorantha's nastiest Chaos Nest. If you liked RQ3's Dorastor: Land of Doom and Simon Phipp's Secrets of Dorastor, this will be right up your alley.

 

Pages: prologue (1), history (1), locations (28), inhabitants (40), cults & magic (9), magic items (4), bestiary (9), encounters (5); scenarios (44), covers (2), credits/ToC (1), adverts (3), full contents (4)

 

Characters: RQG adventurers approaching or at Rune level.

 

Setting: the Temple of Heads, in Dorastor.

 

Complexity: medium: the four scenarios are in-and-out missions (Escort Duty, Rescue for Ransom, Vaults of the Library and Hallan the Bright), which can be expanded with many scenario hooks.

 

Quote: “They will, of course, be attacked by the Feces Monster, if only because it is gross and funny.”

 

[ffilz]

Picked this up, haven't had much time to read it yet, maybe tonight. I look forward to pulling from this for my player's quest to find and take out a Thanatar rune priest who is basically a floating skull. They chased him out of the Big Rubble several sessions ago and are looking for him. I'll probably use something from Shadows on the Borderland for the actual adventure, but I'm sure this will have content to use.

I probably should pick up Secrets of Dorastor also... 🙂

 

[soltakss]

9 hours ago, ffilz said:

Picked this up, haven't had much time to read it yet, maybe tonight. I look forward to pulling from this for my player's quest to find and take out a Thanatar rune priest who is basically a floating skull. They chased him out of the Big Rubble several sessions ago and are looking for him. I'll probably use something from Shadows on the Borderland for the actual adventure, but I'm sure this will have content to use.

Although set in Dorastor, the Temple of Heads could be used for a Thanatar Temple anywhere, if you ignore the above ground section.

9 hours ago, ffilz said:

I probably should pick up Secrets of Dorastor also... 🙂

Yes, you probably should!

[Godlearner]

Quote

Although set in Dorastor, the Temple of Heads could be used for a Thanatar Temple anywhere, if you ignore the above ground section.

That inn is pretty useful for over places.

[svensson]

On 5/7/2021 at 2:46 PM, soltakss said:

Holiday Dorastor: Temple of Heads is now live on the Jonstown Compendium. Written by Leon Kirshtein, Simon Phipp, Nikk Effingham and Tal Meta, with artwork by Alexandre Gauthier, Dario Corallo, Martin Helsdon, Elizabeth Kirshtein and Elizabeth Browning. 

The Temple of Heads is the first instalment of Holiday Dorastor, a look at interesting places in Dorastor.

First, this looks like a very interesting supplement. Back when I had a steady RQ3 group we played 'Dyskund Caverns' and my PC's were terrified of Thanatari from that day forward. [insert Evil GM Chuckle here]

Second: Everybody who saw the title of this thing and their brain immediately went 'Dead Kennedys' raise your hand... 😂😁🤣😁😂🙌

Edited May 11, 2021 by svensson

[svensson]

1 hour ago, Godlearner said:

That inn is pretty useful for over places.

Inns would the perfect hide-in-plain-sight for Ogres and Thanatari....

[Godlearner]

5 hours ago, svensson said:

Inns would the perfect hide-in-plain-sight for Ogres and Thanatari....

Of course no need to hide in Dorastor.

[svensson]

1 hour ago, Godlearner said:

Of course no need to hide in Dorastor.

Well, Ogres and Thanatari are 'ambush predators' by nature and training. They may not have to hide avoid retribution in Dorastor, but hiding for the sake of setting an ambush is still likely.

[Godlearner]

8 minutes ago, svensson said:

Well, Ogres and Thanatari are 'ambush predators' by nature and training. They may not have to hide avoid retribution in Dorastor, but hiding for the sake of setting an ambush is still likely.

Not in Dorastor. Ogre centric supplement (Holiday Dorastor: The Seven Hills) coming after we finish Holiday Dorastor: Sider Woods

[Shiningbrow]

6 hours ago, svensson said:

Inns would the perfect hide-in-plain-sight for Ogres and Thanatari....

But then the GMs have a problem. In theory, it should be "drug drinks, get dragged down below, off with their heads/ritually eaten".

 

Chances of survival - extremely slim. 

[Joerg]

"for a safe journey, bring our lunch."

Could an ogre colony subsist on feral broos?

Are there still grayskins in Dorastor, and if so, would those be acceptable ogre fodder? Herd men are out.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Joerg

[soltakss]

7 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

But then the GMs have a problem.

Technically, the Adventurers have the problem.

7 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

In theory, it should be "drug drinks, get dragged down below, off with their heads/ritually eaten".

Of course, even chaotic innkeepers wouldn't kill all their clientele. Just some of them, probably the ones who piss them off or are lousy tippers, or who looked at the barmaid funny.

7 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Chances of survival - extremely slim. 

You see, I just don't like that attitude in Players or GMs.

Anyone can set up a situation that results in a TPK or similar, so an adventurer gets drugged in a bar, wakes up a prisoner and then gets ritually sacrificed. Great, that took ten minutes and now I have to roll up a new Adventurer. What is the point of that? Where is the fun in that?

I much prefer setting up a situation where the Adventurers are in danger, in peril, could die, may well die, but can always get out of it. I don't always know how they could get out of it, but that isn't my job as a GM, working out how to get out of things is the Players' job, all I have to do is to facilitate it or rule whether it succeeds or fails.

4 hours ago, Joerg said:

Could an ogre colony subsist on feral broos?

Yes, but they prefer other food.

4 hours ago, Joerg said:

Are there still grayskins in Dorastor

Yes. They didn't figure much in Secrets of Dorastor as they had been covered extensively in Dorastor Land of Doom, but they are there and breeding like rabbits.

4 hours ago, Joerg said:

would those be acceptable ogre fodder?

Sure, why not? Grayskins are still people, after all.

The Ogres of Dorastor also eat Aldryami and various other humanoids. Sure, they prefer proper humans, but Aldryami have the Man Rune so sort-of count.

 

[Nick Brooke]

2 minutes ago, soltakss said:

The Ogres of Dorastor also eat Aldryami and various other humanoids. Sure, they prefer proper humans, but Aldryami have the Man Rune so sort-of count.

It's important to have a balanced diet. Think portion sizes. 

[soltakss]

2 minutes ago, Nick Brooke said:

It's important to have a balanced diet.

Exactly, greens are as important as meat.

2 minutes ago, Nick Brooke said:

Think portion sizes. 

That's why Shannasse invented pixies!

[Nick Brooke]

6 minutes ago, soltakss said:

Quote

Chances of survival - extremely slim. 

You see, I just don't like that attitude in Players or GMs.

In the Land of Doom, it seems appropriate for wussy players to rush around waving their arms and saying "We're doomed." Just read Shiningbrow's posts in Threepio's voice, then get on with your heroic business (busting into impregnable fortresses in implausible disguises, rescuing princesses, stealing grimoires, destroying the hordes of Chaos and generally saving the day and being Big Damn Heroes).

[soltakss]

Another 5* Review for Holiday Dorastor: The Temple of Heads, making five 5* Ratings so far, thanks John B.

Very good indeed. I'm going to find it difficult to add anything to Nick Brooke's review but this supplement seems to have everything: Enemy characters and their supporting cast, monsters, spells, magic items, scenarios, quests, plot hooks, you name it. I liked the encounter tables and the In & Out nature of the scenarios fit well with my intention of having my players raid this place over and over until they burn it out and sprinkle holy water on the trampled ashes.

I really liked the idea of the cult of Vivamort in Dorastor being entangled in an adversarial relationship with the Thanatari; that means that just about any interaction with the Temple of Heads has the potential of having three or more corners and open conflict would mean that all hell could break loose. Quite literally.

Highly recommended. I can't wait to see the next vacation spot in Holiday Dorastor!

[Godlearner]

Quote

my intention of having my players raid this place over and over until they burn it out and sprinkle holy water on the trampled ashes.

Wish them luck

hehehehe