RuneQuest Rules Q&A

[Scotty]

If want to report mistakes or ask questions about our RuneQuest Glorantha products, this is the thread. Question and Answers where appropriate will end up here as official corrections. Although centred around RuneQuest, corrections and questions about the Guide to Glorantha (GtG) and the Glorantha Sourcebook (GS) are welcome too. The current product line is:

• Roleplaying in Glorantha Quickstart (RQQS) 
• Roleplaying in Glorantha (RQG)
• Glorantha Bestiary (RQB)
• Gamesmaster Screen Pack (GMSP) 
• The Red Book of Magic (RBM) and Rune Spell Reference (RSR)
• The Smoking Ruin & Other Stories (TSR)
• The Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories (TPP)
• Starter Set (RQSS)
• Weapons & Equipment (W&E)
• The Prosopaedia
• Lightbringers (LB)
• Earth Goddesses (EG)
• Mythology (CoR-M)

First and foremost, it cannot be stressed enough that the rules are guidelines for the gamemaster and must occasionally need to be interpreted when a question arises. No set of rules can accommodate every permutation and interaction between the various sub-systems, nor should they.

When there’s an potential conflict or unclear area, it is the gamemaster’s job to adjudicate, revising later if necessary. When in doubt, make a decision and move on.

The play is the thing, not getting it “right”.

Please post your entries in the form of a single simple, direct question, with book and page references.

Please take any arguments, complaints or discussion to another thread. 

Before you post, please make sure that you have:

• the most up-to-date version of the book and/or PDF.
• checked the book and rules fully.
• Checked the RuneQuest Glorantha Corrections and Q&A
• Please be aware that, Sorcery is presented to allow Lhankor Mhy adventurers to be created. Future supplements will detail sorcerers from other cultures and provide more details of the sorcery system.

New answers in this thread are moved to the Q&A when a full page is reached.

When in doubt, make a decision and move on.

See Jason Durall talking about when it's important to lean into or away from TTRPG system rules (YouTube)  

Edited March 12 by Scotty
updated 12 March 2024

[Psullie]

Can we please have a clear statement, with examples, on how boosting spells with MP's is intended to work. 

[Scotty]

4 hours ago, RandomNumber said:

A map error has been ported across into the updated Map Pack for the GM Screen.

That's for spotting this. I'll fix it asap.

[Scotty]

16 hours ago, Dragon said:

Not positive if this is the correct place to note an error, as it is not the Red Book of Magic itself, but the Rune Spell Reference additional download.

Yes this is the place, I've added the Rune Spell Reference to the initial post.

16 hours ago, Dragon said:

In the Rune Spell Reference, the spell Arrow Trance is listed in Fire/Sky spells correctly. It is erroneously missing from Plant Spells, and is erroneously included in Truth Spells.

I mentioned it in another thread, and the author agreed. He stated that I would have to notify you as he had turned over the source materials to Chaosium control. I just wasn't sure where.

I find the Reference quite handy, and appreciate the work that went into it. Thank you.

Thanks for spotting this. We will correct it asap.

[Scotty]

38 minutes ago, Steve said:

Do the general rules for boosting magic cover a Rune spell boosted with magic points vs defensive magic though?

They will. There is a question in the queue (see page 1) about clarifying boosting.

[Scotty]

On 3/26/2022 at 3:54 PM, Steve said:

Core Rulebook p.23

In the intro text, last paragraph, it refers to the GM Screen Pack having a quick adventurer generation system. I don't think that's the case, is it? Perhaps the GM book?

Yes, but the final name has not been announced.

[PhilHibbs]

Starter Set, Blank Folio

Craft has a tick box, but the two lines underneath for filling in two different Craft skills do not. Remove tick box, and place two on the lines underneath it.

Same with Speak Other Language, a single check box doesn't work for two separate skills.

Also, Cult Lore should not have a tick box. Customs (Local) should.

Edited August 28, 2022 by PhilHibbs

[Cassius]

Are the updated and corrected versions of the Starter Set books available anywhere ? When I re-downloaded the Book 2 yesterday at Chaosium website, where I bought the Starter set, it contained no corrections.

[Scotty]

12 hours ago, The Lonely Khan said:

Is there cannon that The Spike and The Block is adamant or truestone? Adamant makes no sense, as the Storm Bull followers protect and gather the fallen pieces of The Block after it bounced over The Plains to strike and pin Wakboth. And those pieces are truestone. 

The words are used interchangeably (see Mythology (PDF), pages 23, 44, 47, 49). Only the Dwarfs or a sage can likely tell the difference. 

[Scornado]

Runequest Starter Set in books 2 and 4 and Jonstown Map) - Jonstown has a "Merchant's Quarter" - should that be more than one merchant, as in "Merchants'"?    Similarly, for "Crafter's" and "Scholar's".

Edited November 29, 2023 by Scornado

[Brian Duguid]

On page 314 of the RQG core rulebook:

Quote

"Rune magic spells always take effect at strike rank 1"

But on page 194:

Quote

"If more than 1 magic point is used to boost a Rune magic spell, or otherwise increase its effects, 1 strike rank is added for each additional magical point after the first."

I believe page 194 is correct, so it may be worth adding a clarification to page 314 to the effect that:

"Rune magic spells always take effect at strike rank 1, unless more than 1 magic point is used to boost the spell; see page 194 for further details".

[Scotty]

On 4/20/2024 at 2:52 PM, Gamesmeister said:

Pg 144 Augmenting Abilities says that an ability, whether a rune, passion or skill, may be used to augment another ability. In the results section it states that a failed augmentation results in a -20% penalty to the ability being augmented.

Pg 236 Using Passions repeats the rule that a passion can be used to augment a skill, but this time it gives the penalty for failure as a -10% rather than a -20%

Which is correct?

Here is the correct table - note that it does not contain the duration (see the appropriate section)

[Scotty]

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

I play that gaining rune magic from a god is facilitated by a priest (or Lord) with instruction and a "hand-wave" ritual. Mechanically the instruction would be the talking through the (fractional) Cult Lore of the magic and the ritual would entail Worship (deity) if I were to roll it I suppose.

Note that within the rules, initiates have a direct link to their god upon initiation (which needs a Rune level). To get Rune magic, a temple (minimum a shrine) or a sanctified area (per the Sanctify Rune spell) is needed, plus a sacrifice of (usually) 100L is needed (so five cows etc). It can be done without a Rune level, but is likely to be easier than doing it on your own.

Personally I combine this with a worship ceremony as it makes sense (I use the Worship roll outcome to reflect the Rune magic received. eg, fail or succeed).

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

Thinking about the mechanics of it came to me in considering how to gain rune magic from cults or sub-cults (particularly folk-hero cults) that have no priests or lords. Orgorvale Summer from the Gamemasters Adventures book for example, or the forgotten hero sub cult I have created in one of my own adventures.  With no spiritual leader to guide the way this feels like it ought to be a bit trickier and not necessarily a "hand-wave". I'm curious to hear what other people do around this.

Joining a sub or hero cult requires the spending of POW to gain the link per RQG, Joining a Subcult, 282 (You get a Rune point and a Rune spell in return for the POW). As the adventurer is already an initiate, you don't need a Rune level, however if the sub or hero cult has one it makes sense to seek them out for assistance. The adventurer needs to attend  an appropriate shrine, temple or sanctified place to do this.

In the case of Orgorvale Summer GMSP 115:

Spoiler

Due to her ancestry, she can be a subcult of Orlanth and Ernalda. Members of those cults can effectively join as above immediately by sacrificing POW. It would make sense to involve local Rune levels in this too (obviously after the adventurers have joined her). Basic information on her is likely well known by most Orlanth initiates as Vinglot is a well know hero (See LB 33) along his wives including Orgorvale's mother, Summer wife. For specific information on her descendants, I'd probably ask for Cult Lore rolls.

Note that The Smoking Ruin & Other Stories, page 40, tells us that Clearwine was:

Founded in 1325, this fortified town is the oldest human settlement in Sartar. Legends hold that Orgorvale, daughter of the demigod Vingkot, built its cyclopean walls in the Lesser Darkness to house her treasures. 

So the Earth temple ar Clearwine is a good place to start her cult.

There's a bit more info here

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

A simple cult lore and/or a worship roll?

Information on these individuals maybe common knowledge, but Cult Lore, Lhankor Mhy sages, Divination are all useful ways for finding out more.

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

Do you make them do a minor heroquest to anchor the spell? Handwave some personal instruction from the divine being over a period of a week perhaps?

Only if it adds to the story. 

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

Given Priests and Lords have POW and CHA of at least 18 respectively then some sort of abstract characteristic roll?

If adventurers want to become Rune levels in these specific cases, follow the guidelines in the Universal Cult Format (Mythology 135, RQG 269)

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

Assuming this is possible what are the implications for cults where priests and lords do exist and characters started learning stuff on their own..? 

Great story hooks for furthering your game. So it depends on whether the adventures have high Loyalty to their temple or Rune levels. Is there a power struggle going on, etc.

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

The second question coming from that is perhaps how much of the cult hierarchy is middle world driven - the work of the cult hierarchy - as opposed to deity driven?

All of it is Middle World driven - that's where the adventurers are. See the Nature of the Cult and Organization sections of the Cults of RuneQuest series.

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

Does Orlanth care if an initiate sacrifices POW and learns his magic without the aid of a priest or lord?

No.

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

The hierarchy might care - the political leaders of cults could very well feel undermined by independent spell learners!

As above - if you want that kind of story in your games

1 hour ago, glarkhag said:

Also is there an official response on this?

Yes.

[Scotty]

17 hours ago, Gamesmeister said:

Can an allied spirit or fetch cast a spell that is stored in a spell matrix, assuming the character is in physical contact with the matrix?

No for an allied spirit, per RQG 277 & 280: They can use each other’s magical abilities. A matrix is external and not part of the Rune priest or lord. However if they are in a creature with hands (or equivalent), or wearing the item, they can use the item independently (using their own Magic points for a Spirit Magic Matrix and the integral Rune points for a Rune Magic Matrix).

No for a fetch in the Spirit World, Yes for a fetch inhabiting their shaman's body when they are discorporate. A matrix is external and not part of the shaman, but when they are in the shaman's body they can use it as the shaman could.

Edited May 9 by Scotty
page 65

[Scotty]

On 5/9/2024 at 2:39 AM, g33k said:

Stealing "Lunar Magic"

I'm defining this as

• any magic tied to the cycles of the Moon
• Red Goddess Lunar magic

On 5/9/2024 at 2:39 AM, g33k said:

Presumably, this is a "trivial" thing for Thanatari to do:

No Thanatar magic is trivial, eg. Create head and Consume Mind are 3pt Rune spells that each take a week.

On 5/9/2024 at 2:39 AM, g33k said:

they steal the Lunar secrets just as they steal the various Special Rune Magics from various Cults.

Thanatar initiates steal magic in three ways depending on subcult:

•  Create Head (RBM 35) Than & Thanatar
•  Consume Mind (RBM 32), Devour Book (RBM 42) Atyar

Create head would allow all cyclic Lunar magic and sorcery to be used. In the case of the head creator using the magic skills of the head, Red Goddess magic is usable. In theory the head creator should be illuminated, but it's chaos magic, using the magic of a chaos cult (the Red Goddess is a chaos cult). The head will have a chaos taint (part of Red Goddess initiation), so if the head creator has got this far, then why not.

Consume Mind would allow all cyclic Lunar magic and sorcery to be used (within the limitations of the spell). Red Goddess magic requires the user to be illuminated. As Red Goddess magics are magical skills, they can be learned within the limitations of the spell.

Devour Book would allow inscribed Lunar sorcery spells to be devoured, providing no restrictions that would apply to the devourer were part of the enchantment. eg. Unuseable by chaos cultists (an illuminated cultist could use their illumination skill to try and overcome this).

In the Lunar Way it does state that Lunar magic can only be used by Red Goddess initiates (LW 124). But as Thanatar isn't an adventurer cult, you can really do want you want when making a NPC Thanatar cultist, and choose to ignore this if you wish - this is Chaos.

On 5/9/2024 at 2:39 AM, g33k said:

What about a Shaman?

In principle, it looks likely to me that there are Lunar spirits who could teach the secret Lunar skills of Spirit-Magic spell-manipulation...

No. They are magical skills taught by illuminated Red Goddess initiates. Note that Summon Ancestor, Specific Ancestor and Spirit Teacher do not allow skill teaching. But Incarnate Ancestor does, as long as one of your ancestors was a Red Goddess illuminate, it would work. I can imagine that this is a technique used by Jakaleel Red Goddess initiates to teach the Lunar magic skills.

Again, in the Lunar Way it does state that Lunar magic can only be used by Red Goddess initiates (LW 124).

On 5/9/2024 at 2:39 AM, g33k said:

or who could be spiritually-mugged to get such skills.

No.

On 5/9/2024 at 2:39 AM, g33k said:

The Shaman may need to be Illuminated in order to understand... and/or exposure to these skills may grant (inflict?) an immediate roll to become Illuminated.

The path for a shaman to gain Lunar magical skills is to join the cult of Jakaleel and become a Red Goddess initiate. 

[Scotty]

On 5/11/2024 at 7:44 AM, glarkhag said:

So, I have a player going into pyschic turmoil because their character suffered pyschic turmoil and they lost 10% from their Air Rune affinity dropping from 90 to 80. At one experience tick per season she is looking at quite a few years of game time on average to get that character back to a level necessary to qualify for Rune Master.  Now sure, there are other ways to increase Runic Affinity if you extrapolate and make inferences from the rules. This reassured her a little but it could still be a long haul. It's the third pyschic turmoil we have experienced in 7 seasons of play and beginning to feel it a bit harsh tbh.

However, my question for this forum is : had her character already been a rune master (and I mean that in the sense of holding office as Lord or Priest or God Talker, because technically she was a rune master having mastered the rune) would she lose that office if this was the only relevant rune that the character had mastered? I'm leaning towards that the status would be lost because for me the runic affinity is the bit that ties them close to the god; the gods don't want any old sword-swinger championing them. 

What say the Gods on this? Is this a hard requirement like POW 18 for priests?

Stripping them of status would definitely lead to some great narrative opportunities (riches to rags kind of story) with all sorts of old grievances now surfacing again with their loss of status leaving them somewhat exposed in terms of support. It's almost a crisis of faith analogy too.  And of course, for those other N/PCs who qualify for rune master status but had no office to take there is now a slot open for the power struggle. Unless the chief priest decides to leave it open while the erstwhile master sorts out their shit... exciting times. 

Treat it as RQG 278, an involuntary leave of absence. See the Q&A for more details:

• 5.7 Rune Point, Rune Affinity and Passion loss for Rune priests
• 6.2 Characteristic, Rune Affinity and Passion loss for Rune Lords

I've update the Q&A, adding in Rune Affinity and Passion loss in the relevant sections above.

[Scotty]

14 hours ago, Geoff R Evil said:

Can I just get a general ruling on damage and weapon augments for specials and crits.

I play that bladesharp and bludgeon etc are not multiplied by specials and crits. The same is true for slash and similar damage adds. This is consistent with the rule that a damage bonus is not increased by a slash or crit I believe.

Correct.

14 hours ago, Geoff R Evil said:

But true weapon feels different, and I do allow its weapon damage to be doubled by specials and crits.

Yes, you are correct - see 58.2 Truesword & Special Success Damage in the Q&A

14 hours ago, Geoff R Evil said:

So that leaves the awkward question of magic that alters the nature of the weapon damage like fire blade. Which I believe is treated differently with its original weapon damage being added via crit and specials.

No - use the Fireblade damage at all times, never the weapons. Per RBM 114: this spell changes the weapon’s damage to be 3D6. This replaces the normal damage done by the weapon. 

14 hours ago, Geoff R Evil said:

But what about rune spells that do the same, it feels to me these are different again, as they do more than just add fire to a weapon, they change the nature of the weapon to something runic. It feels that like true blade this damage should be doubled as per crit and special?

See above.

[PhilHibbs]

Is there a "standard" casting time for ritual spells?

For example, Lock and Passage are ritual spells but I can't find how long it takes to perform the ritual.

*Edit* Ah sorry found it in the Rune Magic Q&A on The Well. I had looked under the Magic Q&A.

Quote

Ritual spells generally take one hour to cast per point of the spell. However, the gamemaster may be flexible about this...

 

Edited 20 hours ago by PhilHibbs