Jump to content

RuneQuest Starter Set Design Diary #13: Writing the Battle of Dangerford SoloQuest


MOB

Recommended Posts

screen-shot-2021-04-14-at-6.02.05-pm-1-.png

By Jason Durall, RuneQuest creative director

The Starter Set for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha is coming! Between now and its release later this year, RuneQuest creative director Jason Durall's Design Diary will share insights about the development of this exciting new boxed set which will introduce the RuneQuest RPG and Greg Stafford's mythic world of Glorantha to all-new audiences.

A guest post from Chaosium's James Coquillat and David Naylor

Last year, the two of us were excited to be given the chance to help write the upcoming RuneQuest Starter Set's solo adventure. As Jason notes in his previous Design Diary, this was to be a one person scenario introducing new players to the setting and mechanics of RuneQuest that would also excite veteran adventurers with a thrilling standalone story they can play through on their own.

In the solo adventure the reader plays as Vasana, a capable warrior and leader, as she experiences the perils of a pivotal battle in the war between rebellious Sartar and the Lunar Empire. 

soloquest-art-5-vasana.png

As relatively new Glorantha fans ourselves (both born over a decade after the third edition was released), we worked closely with the RuneQuest creative team to develop the scenario. Using Twine, the open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories, we designed the story structure and incorporated all the mechanics and mythology that made us fall in love with RuneQuest.

soloquest-art-1.png

As Vasana navigates the conflict, the reader will learn crucial RuneQuest mechanics like drawing inspiration, using rune magic, striking, parrying, and planning manoeuvres. They'll have the opportunity to choose their own route through the conflict and, depending on Vasana's actions and success, the Battle of Dangerford's outcome could be very different.

soloquest-art-3.png

Using the standard solo adventure framework of branching narrative threads, we pinned distinct scenes that would always happen and used these situations to teach fundamental mechanics. We then allowed the branches to splay apart and ripple with the reader's actions so that unique events and mechanics could be introduced. Not every reader will discover the relevance of the Crimson Bat. Not all readers will stand before the Judge of the Dead and enter into Spirit Combat. Some readers will favor stealth and finding secrets. Others will charge headlong into battle and earn honor for their name and tribe. 

Each playthrough will give different results and although set pieces will be revisited, they'll never be quite the same.

soloquest-art-2.png

One way we made sure that each reader's playthrough will differ is by tallying a Battle Result Total (BRT) throughout the adventure. When Vasana's actions give the Sartar rebels the upper hand, the BRT increases. When she fails or costs them valuable resources, the BRT reduces. Depending on the final tally, the battle can have several different outcomes. But we won't mention them here. Some things are best discovered!


The RuneQuest Starter Set is Almost Here!

The RuneQuest Starter Set contains everything you need to play an epic roleplaying game of gods, cults, magic, family, and fantasy and is coming soon!

Starter Set contents

Sign up with the link below and by Issaries, you will receive an email as soon as the RuneQuest Starter Set is available to order!

CLICK THIS LINK TO SUBSCRIBE
  • Like 6
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I just had a very pleasant talk with my FLGS, Warp1, who I recently reported had no interest in stocking RuneQuest. Thought I would give them one more chance and talked with the owner James (have not seen the lad since the late 90’s or early 21st century) and he says he is bringing in a bunch of the Starter sets. Got him to put one on the side for me when they arrive and to give me call and an email (brick and mortar store so he says the PDF should be included). He also agreed to let me run a demo once we end the lockdown again (said he would have leapt at the chance if we weren’t under lockdown)! 

WOOHOO!

 

Edited by Bill the barbarian
  • Like 4
  • Helpful 1
  • Thanks 1

... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

RuneQuest Starter Set Design Diary #14: unboxing while we wait...

screen-shot-2021-04-14-at-6.02.05-pm-1-.png

By Jason Durall, RuneQuest creative director

The Starter Set for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha is coming! Between now and its release later this year, RuneQuest creative director Jason Durall's Design Diary will share insights about the development of this exciting new boxed set which will introduce the RuneQuest RPG and Greg Stafford's mythic world of Glorantha to all-new audiences.

We wish we could say we had a release date. The RuneQuest Starter Set is now in four of our five Chaosium fulfilment warehouses (US, EU, AUS, CAN) but we're still waiting to get it into the last – UK. The shipment to the UK is on the way, but the latest advice is it may take another 5-14 days to arrive, depending on UK customs and truck driver availability at the destination.

In the mean time, we thank you for your patience. As Rick noted in his last Covid-19 Shipping and Fulfilment update, we were very confident we'd have the eagerly-anticipated RuneQuest Starter Set in all our fulfilment warehouses by the end of summer. Unfortunately, due to shipping delays out of our control, that was sadly not to be. If you'd like to get an email the moment the RQ Starter Set is ready to order, sign up here!

RPG Imaginings has made an unboxing video with a comprehensive preview of what to expect when you finally receive your own copy of the RuneQuest Starter Set:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...