Starting My First Game

[jajagappa]

7 hours ago, Anlúan said:

Also as a quick follow-up here, I wasn't 100% certain what the rules were on advertising / linking out to other artists. If there's no rules against it, I'll message them and see if they've got a prefered contact method.

Many of us who develop content utilize the Jonstown Compendium Creator's Circle group on FB. People can let others know if they are available for art commissions, proofreading, etc.

[Anlúan]

That is something I myself would like to do in the future! As a writer, though.

 

As for sharing UlvarArt's details, I asked them and they said:

Quote

https://bsky.app/profile/ulvarart.bsky.social Or they can add me to Discord on UlvarArt

I don't think they'd join the FB group themselves, as my peice was the first time they'd heard of RQ xD

 

Also to add a question to my big is from a few posts back... names... oh goodness me are there any good resources for Gloranthan names?

Edited Sunday at 11:07 PM by Anlúan
Added question rather than double-post

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, Anlúan said:

Also to add a question to my big is from a few posts back... names... oh goodness me are there any good resources for Gloranthan names?

Names for individuals? 

There's the various lists in the RQG core book by region. 

You can find a name generator in my Nochet: Adventurer's Guide (while geared towards Esrolia, the names should work for Sartar too).

There's also a short list of names for my Imther setting in Edge of Empire. Most of those would work for the Lunar provinces. 

There's probably some other name lists around.

[Techpriest]

On 10/19/2024 at 7:19 PM, Anlúan said:

Hi there! It's been a while. Just finalised the characters for my game today. So here's a new message to underline the next steps.

The setting is Alda-Chur, which in my Glorantha is an independent city-state alongside Alone, torn between Sartar and the Lunar Empre (primarily Tarsh). Most of the characters are tied Sondr, an Odaylan nobleman of the Alda-Churi Tribe Tovtaros. Sondr has been tasked by Prince Kallyr Starbrow to use his position as an Odaylan and the liminal position that grants him between Lightbringer and Lunar cults to keep the peace (Kallyr does not want 4000 Lunars marching into Sartar).

Sondr's goal is to keep Alda-Chur from becoming a Lunar territory, and hopes to unify the city into a neutral trading hub. To this end, he has brought allies:
- Alb, A veldang boatswain who follows the Cult of Lorion and acts as Sondr's scout and messenger. He'll also be the party's travel-aid later in the game as he can boat them up- and downstream.
- His son, Sarinok (cult yet undefined. Maybe Yinkin? Someone mentioned they can lean to CHA-style characters?) who just came of age.
- A yet-unnamed bard of Molamin (Donandar's Half Brother of Courtly Music and Dance), who acts as Sondr's other scout for less wilderness-based affairs.

The other main NPCs I'm going to make, in brief, are:
- the ring of Alda-Chur, made of 2 people of each Tribe (Sondr being one of the Tovtaros).
- The local Asrelian High Priestess who runs the Earth Temple Complex
- The local Yelmalion High Priest.
- The local Lhankor Mhy Sage.

Player characters are (in no particular order):

1. A Humakti from Old Tarsh, was saved by Sondr during the rebellion and is now honourbound to serve him. He is tasked with protecting the next character, much to his annoyance. However, he tries to separate himself from such hatreds, as he is Humakti now, and has cut himself off from family ties and old hatreds. Right? (Occupation: Heavy Infantry)
2. A Seven Mothers Initiate who served General Wideread but became the target of an assassination during the retreat. Sondr and the Humakti happened upon her and saved her life, and she has made an oath (non-magically) that she will not consort with chaos nor any forms of madness, and will aid Sondr in his political endevours, in exchange for protection from further assassination attempts. She may now be surrounded by 4000 Lunars + the Dinacoli Tribe, but she does not know who in Alda-Chur wants her dead. (Occupation: Philosopher)
3. A Valind Initiate from Sartar who has been tasked by Kallyr's court to go and help Sondr, but also to keep him in check. There are some who have concerns about Sondr's loyalty to Sartar and think he may go the same way as Ingakotum, and become an Odaylan that submits to the Lunar Way. As Valind despises the Lunars more than most, she's a fair bet to pick to keep an eye on things. (Occupation: Noble)
4. A Lhankor Mhy Initiate from Esrolia. He fought in the same battle as the Valind Cultist (Pennel Ford) and continued with her into the City of Wonders alongside the Wolf Pirates. He's terrified of Dragons thanks to the Dragonrise, and so studies all about them, fuelled by that very fear. The Valind Cultist is bringing him along, and he's happy to go as Alda-Chur is close to the Dragonewt Wilds and has a library-temple of its own, which is a perfect opportunity to learn! (Occupation: Scribe)
5. An Ernalda Initiate from Esrolia (Husband-Protector: Yelmalio + Grain Goddess: Esrola). He also fought in the Battle of Pennel Ford but then went home. The player told me their happy not to have as strong a lead into it; their character went to Alda-Chur because people needed help, and that's honest work that needs doing! (Occupation: Farmer)

So, as for the next set of questions:

1. Are there any other figures in Alda-Chur you'd advise me to flesh out? Mainly just if I'm missing any key roles as it's my first writeup of a city in Glorantha. Are there any Cults / social roles I have overlooked?
2. What cults could make sense for Sarinok? And why can Yinkin Initiates lean into diplomacy when the cult seems very hunter/survival focused?
3. I'm making handouts of useful Gods to know for the group. The Lightbringer, Earth Goddesses and Lunar Way books are a great help, but what Gods who are yet to get a R:RiG book would be useful to list? So far I've thought up:
   1. Solar: Yelm, Dayzatar, Yelmalio, Lodril, Gorgorma, Dendara, Yelorna
   2. Sea: Engizi, Lorion (and Heler who I've already explained to them)
   3. Darkness: Argan Argar, Annilla (and Artmal)
   4. Spirit: The Green Bow Cult (from LoR: Dragon Pass)
   5. Chaos: Mallia (and the Crimson Bat which I've already explained to them, if that counts)
   6. I haven't bothered to explain the Invisible God or anything like Aeolianism as I don't really understand it.
4. I've read about Dragonewts (from the Gloranthan Beastiary) over and over in preparation for the Dragon-focused Lhankor Mhy character, but I just can't wrap my head around how they think. Perhaps that is fitting! Could anyone explain them to me in simple terms?
5. Any suggestions on how to get the Ernalda Initiate more involved? I don't want them to feel left out if they have less ties to the plot, even though they do say they're happy to just be some guy, I'd like to at least plan something to tie them in more in case it doesn't play out as they'd hoped. I can always not use the idea if they end up happy being just there to help.
6. What Lunar Cults beyond the Seven Mothers and Etyries would be outside of the Lunar lands? I'm mainly asking in regards to Hwarin Dalthippa... because honestly, I simply find her very, very cool.
7. Alda-Chur has temples for 4/5 of the players (Humakt has an open-air temple to the south-east). What do I do for the Valind Cultist? Can characters maintain their Rune Points / do they suffer if they lack access to a shrine or temple to their god?

*Annilla/Artmal are mostly listed as Alb would refer to them.

Lastly, what do you think about this jumping-off point?

Art: Alb, Cultist of Lorion, by UlvarArt

(I removed the art to save some space.)

1. Here's a few suggestions: Lunar Military/Civilian Liaisons. If this is an 'independent' city state, there's going to be an ambassador or just someone there to hire mercenaries for guarding caravans to and from the city both ways. Excellent for the Hwarin Dalthippa cultist, as she's associated with Yelmalio. This also sort of answers Question 6. Other people to flesh out - who heads the major temples the PC's might visit? Those are going to be excellent sources for plothooks and for getting your PC's off on an adventure! Otherwise, fluff out a few places that they may stop in. The local brewer, the horseseller, the Chalana Arroy initiate, the disgruntled scholar or scribe, all that. Even a few sentences can help a lot. Guild leaders are also important in any city - Alda-Chur likely has a Weavers, Potters, Brewers, Tanners, and Carpenters guild for sure, probably also a Mason's guild which may or may not have contact with the Mostali. 

2. Yinkin, Odalya, and Orlanth. Yinkin leans into diplomacy more because he has the Charisma runespell (because Yinkin is a charmer and cats are adorable), which is a potent thing to have. He's also a cult that has some potential as neutral to most foreigners. Yinkin also can attach to ancestor cults easier than many other cults, which is an advantage. If his father is a follower of Odalya, his kid is likely to be a follower as well, though that can depend. Yinkin is a solid cult for NPC's because he allows you to play into a lot of more subtle differences in Orlanthi culture compared to their neighbors - the dislike of dogs, the Shadowcats as herders, and worship of cats as things that keep grain free of pests. 

3. Feel free to come up with a local one. Alda-Chur's Wyter is a shield. Maybe it has a small cult that can grant Shield to people who worship it? Otherwise that list looks fine.

4. There's better answers already I can't contribute much to

5. The local earth temple. If they're a man/vingan, and initiated into Ernalda (and only Ernalda) that's going to be interesting to the local earth temple. Information about how the Esrolian temple is run will be of interest to them, and they might assume that they're more informed than they really are, which could lead to them asking that PC for help on a matter involving say, a marriage contest or an outlying village which really needs someone to stand in on short notice for a local rite involving Ernalda as Nandan. Don't forget, Barntar exists and is a pretty decent cult that is popular among men - encourage the player to dip into another Earth cult like Barntar if they're feeling like they aren't getting many options, or come up with local earth spirit cults that they could be part of - which easily leads to more plot hooks. 

6. Sort of answered inside 1. The Seven Mothers cult is the most common cult of the Lunar Way and is the one that does missionary and conversion work, but don't forget that within the seven mothers is another six cults, all of which may have initiates travelling outside the empire for other reasons. 

7. Also already answered. Valind will need a temple of Orlanth, or a rent-a-shrine. 

[John Biles]

8 hours ago, Anlúan said:

Also to add a question to my big is from a few posts back... names... oh goodness me are there any good resources for Gloranthan names?

The Core Book has sample names in the Homelands Chapter.

 

[radmonger]

9 hours ago, jajagappa said:

There's probably some other name lists around.

For example:

 

https://www.backtobalazar.com/glorantha-name-generator/

[Anlúan]

Righto, I'll go section-by-section

1 - Key Roles in Alda-Chur & 6 - Lunar Cults

On 10/20/2024 at 2:33 AM, John Biles said:

I suggesting 1 or all 3 of the high priestesses to the Ring so it has an odd number of people and can't deadlock.

Thank you for the idea! I've shuffled things around so I have:

• Tovtaros Tribe:
  • Sondr Breadbreaker of the Odayla Cult
  • Urox Cultist
• Princeros:
  • Orlanth Rex Cultist
  • Yelmalio Cultist
• Dinacoli:
  • Seven Mothers (Yanafal Tarnils) Cultist
  • Etyries Cultist
• Vantaros:
  • Yelmalion High Priest
  • Barntar Cultist
• Nuetral: These may have tribe allegiances, but they're expected to be the neutral voices. Vantaros do not have one, but in turn have a High Priest among the main 8, and only vote when there are tie-breaks.
  • Asrelia Priestess (Tovtaros)
  • Chalana Arroy High Healer (Princeros)
  • Irrippi Ontor Brown Sage (Dinacoli)

I've tried to make each tribe have a moderate (Sondr, the Yelmalion Princeross, the Etyries follower who wants peace because it's good for business, the Barntar cultist who wants both sides to meet in the middle and help the common Alda-Churi), and a more hardline member (Urox / Orlanth Rex want the Lunars out, Yelmalion High Priest / Yanafal Tarnils cultist want to return to being Lunar-alligned).

16 hours ago, Techpriest said:

1. Here's a few suggestions: Lunar Military/Civilian Liaisons. If this is an 'independent' city state, there's going to be an ambassador or just someone there to hire mercenaries for guarding caravans to and from the city both ways. Excellent for the Hwarin Dalthippa cultist, as she's associated with Yelmalio. This also sort of answers Question 6. Other people to flesh out - who heads the major temples the PC's might visit? Those are going to be excellent sources for plothooks and for getting your PC's off on an adventure! Otherwise, fluff out a few places that they may stop in. The local brewer, the horseseller, the Chalana Arroy initiate, the disgruntled scholar or scribe, all that. Even a few sentences can help a lot. Guild leaders are also important in any city - Alda-Chur likely has a Weavers, Potters, Brewers, Tanners, and Carpenters guild for sure, probably also a Mason's guild which may or may not have contact with the Mostali. 

I do like the idea of the Lunar Military/Civilian Liaisons. Perhaps there is a mercenary guild that is getting a lot of Lunar volunteers as the 4000 Lunar soldiers want something to do. Also, the Etyries on the ring would want caravan guards to. Gives me a place to add a Hwarin Dalthippa cultist, as suggested! And I can also add some plot there with the Valind player having to make sure Sondr doesn't get to friendly with them.

In regards to other temples, I've made a list for each of:

• Knowledge Temple
• Earth Temple Complex
• Thunderer's Temple
• Sun Dome Temple
• Seven Mothers Great Temple
• Yanafal Tarnils Temple (in the Lunar Baracks)
• Humakti Temple

Most are just "There's a priest of this type" there, but for Earth there's a greater mix: Maran Gor, Babeester Gor, etc.

Then guilds really got me interested. Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind mentions a god of red-dye insects, Nocheli. I might take that and make it a small Gorakiki Subcult in the Weavers Guild. A Brewers Guild could be adjacent to the Earth Temple and have a Minlister Cult. Or near the Sun Dome Temple, I suppose, as they're the son of Elmal and Esrola sometimes (Prosopaedia pg. 85). I might go with that route as it makes Alda-Chur feel more unique to have Minlister not just under Ernalda.

What would contact be like with the Mosali? From my understanding, if they lean to Openhandedness they lose their immortality? Why would they do that?

On 10/20/2024 at 11:45 AM, soltakss said:

Maybe the occasional Red Goddess cultist, as leaders or advisors.

I feel very anxious to add a Red Goddess cultist, at least as I'm starting out. Maybe I'd have one arrive with an entourage later on in the story. Would they travel out to a great temple to the Seven Mothers, or would they all stay within the Lunar Empire?

 

2 - Sarinok the Yinkini

If the title of this section doesn't make it clear, I'm going to go with Yinkin! It's helped me flesh out the family too. I decided Sondr is polyamorous because I want to try and get my players thinking (and honestly, myself!) about how culture in Glorantha differs from our own. I'd already fleshed out the idea that his wife (and Sarinok's mother) follows an Earth or Lightbringer Cult, and that Sondr has relationships with one other woman who follows the Seven Mothers, and a man who I hadn't picked a cult for.

On 10/20/2024 at 11:45 AM, soltakss said:

Sarinok could follow his father and become an Odayalan.

16 hours ago, Techpriest said:

If his father is a follower of Odalya, his kid is likely to be a follower as well

This made me think, Sarinok could follow Yinkin after his 'step-father' (not sure if that's the right term, but you get what I mean). I also think it'll help introduce the party to a diverse set of cults off the bat.

 

3 - Other Gods

On 10/20/2024 at 11:45 AM, soltakss said:

Being from around Alda Chur, they would also know of the Darkness cults of Kyger Litor (Mother of Trolls) and Zorak Zoran (Berserking Nutter), They might even have heard of Cragspider, as her mountain is not that far, relatively speaking, from Alda Chur.

For Chaos cults, they might know about Thed (Mother of Broos) and maybe Bagog (Mother of Scorpionfolk) but only by reputation.

Thank you Soltakss! I wouldn't have thought of Darkness/Chaos ones to really cover. Where exactly is Cragspider, anyway? Also I am very, very arachnopobic so from the description in the Prosopaedia, she sounds absolutely horrific!

16 hours ago, Techpriest said:

Feel free to come up with a local one. Alda-Chur's Wyter is a shield. Maybe it has a small cult that can grant Shield to people who worship it? Otherwise that list looks fine.

How do Wyters function? I read over the segment in the core rulebook but I don't exactly follow. Are they like spirit cults, similar to the ones in Lands of RuneQuest: Dragon Pass? If so, could there be a Wyter of a red insect or something, to follow on from my Weaver-Guild idea?

 

4 - Dragonewts

On 10/20/2024 at 3:31 AM, jajagappa said:

I generally play them as follows: determine what type of dragonewt is in charge or present. In the Bestiary, note the set of Passions for that type. Then make a random roll to see which Passion is activated. That's what they're thinking and how they behave.

For example, your PC's meet a beaked dragonewt. Their passions are: curiosity and apathy, leader and follower, impulsive and cautious, nervous and calm, and suspicious and trusting.

A great way to explain it in simple terms. Thank you!

 

5 - The Ernalda Player

I really appreciated the ideas on this one. From knowing what the player has played in my past D&D games, the idea of them helping out very low-to-the-ground, with the common folk would work and add contrast to the nobles/warriors in the party. And the idea to offer spirit cults or offering the Barntar Cult to them is a great back-up idea. Is Barntar friendly to Yelmalio? I've gotten it into my head that they fit well together now I'm looking into the Barntar section in the Lightbringer book, I can't find anything on it!

 

7 - The Valind Player

I completely forgot that Valind gets to use Orlanth temples, honestly... oops!

 

Just to cap this off, and so it's not buried, I wanted to re-itterate UlvarArt's details.

21 hours ago, Anlúan said:

As for sharing UlvarArt's details, I asked them and they said:

Quote

https://bsky.app/profile/ulvarart.bsky.social Or they can add me to Discord on UlvarArt

 

[radmonger]

36 minutes ago, Anlúan said:

How do Wyters function? I read over the segment in the core rulebook but I don't exactly follow. Are they like spirit cults, similar to the ones in Lands of RuneQuest: Dragon Pass?

Wyters are a normal part of Rune Cults, something between the local manifestation of a god and the spirit of the community that worhsips it. 

I don't think this is explcitly stated anywherer, but IMG it is wyters who actually enforce the cult's behavioral rules. Different temples will have different but similar wyters, and so may have slightly varying cult rules. See my house rules here.

 

[jajagappa]

32 minutes ago, Anlúan said:

Where exactly is Cragspider, anyway? Also I am very, very arachnopobic so from the description in the Prosopaedia, she sounds absolutely horrific!

She lives in the caves within Black Dragon Mountain and her spiders are around nearby the Spider Woods, all just north of Skyfall Lake.

34 minutes ago, Anlúan said:

How do Wyters function? I read over the segment in the core rulebook but I don't exactly follow. Are they like spirit cults, similar to the ones in Lands of RuneQuest: Dragon Pass?

No, they are a single spirit entity that has a relationship to the clan or temple, usually aiding the community leader. They will have some sort of abilities that can provide awareness, blessings, and/or defensive magic. In that regard they are highly diverse (hence more difficult to explicitly codify). 

So, for instance, the wyter of a temple lives within the temple and has a relationship with the High Priest (i.e. it functions something like an allied spirit). Similar for a clan wyter.

In some of the Sartar material from the HQG era, one example was the Red-headed Woodpecker which was the wyter for the Orlmarthing clan of the Colymar. It had a general awareness of dangers within the clan's sacred grounds and could send a flock of red-headed woodpeckers off to drum on trees and alert the clan to danger. 

You'll find a couple examples in the RuneQuest Bestiary in the spirits chapter p.173-176. Kogui for instance is a village wyter that can manifest as a giant elk, can sense intruders into the village, and also at the headman's direction might cast specific Rune magic.

43 minutes ago, Anlúan said:

A great way to explain it in simple terms. Thank you!

You can pretty much justify any weird behavior for dragonewts: standing still in a field; balancing a wasp nest on their nose; pursuing some invisible foe; dancing a waltz or minuet; attacking a rock; etc.

 

[Anlúan]

16 minutes ago, radmonger said:

Wyters are a normal part of Rune Cults

Ah, so Wyters are explicitly connected to Rune Cults?

If I'm reading this right, those red insects that I thought of could be a Gorakiki-Nocheli Wyter? And, say, the other Cults would each have their own?

Do all Rune Cults have a Wyter?

[Techpriest]

10 minutes ago, Anlúan said:

Ah, so Wyters are explicitly connected to Rune Cults?

If I'm reading this right, those red insects that I thought of could be a Gorakiki-Nocheli Wyter? And, say, the other Cults would each have their own?

Do all Rune Cults have a Wyter?

Wyters are connected to any community, not just a rune cult, but every temple of a rune cult is going to have a wyter. Alda-Chur has a wyter, the Colymar tribe has a wyter, a clan has a wyter, a large enough guild will have a wyter. Military regiments have wyters too. The larger the community, the stronger the wyter is, as a general rule. 

[radmonger]

1 hour ago, Anlúan said:

Do all Rune Cults have a Wyter?

I don't know about literally all, but close to. Different cults will vary in how much personality and uniqiueness their wyters have. Some you can hold a conversation with, others are more like a feeling of awe and the occasional smiting of trespassers.

Note that a wyter is the spirit of a specific community, not the cult as a whole. So each Orlanthi clan has its own wyter.

Some spriti cults could perhaps be considered as the result of worshipping a wyter directly, rather than as a representative of a higher Power.

[Squaredeal Sten]

On 10/20/2024 at 6:05 PM, Anlúan said:

 

Also to add a question to my big is from a few posts back... names... oh goodness me are there any good resources for Gloranthan names?

There is a good Orlanthi name generator in Company of the Dragon, pages 55 and 59.  That's not the only reason to buy it. by a long shot: There is plenty of master- class GMing advice too.

[jajagappa]

3 hours ago, Anlúan said:

Ah, so Wyters are explicitly connected to Rune Cults?

No. Wyters are connected to a community. That may be a cult temple, it may be a clan, it may be a village, it may be a military regiment. Best to think of it as the collective spirit of a given group.

4 hours ago, Anlúan said:

Do all Rune Cults have a Wyter?

It's not based on cult, but community. A temple, if large enough, will have a wyter to help protect it. 

 

[Squaredeal Sten]

2 hours ago, jajagappa said:

It's not based on cult, but community. A temple, if large enough, will have a wyter to help protect it. 

 

IMG any temple is large enough to have a wyter., and though the procedure for starting a temple is not detailed in the rules, IMG part of it is obtaining a wyter (Summon cult spirit might work for that, doing a small heroquest will work for that.) 

My question is whether a shrine will have a wyter, and I am inclined to say yes myself.    Whoever is tending the shrine, priest or god talker or initiate, will be the priest of the wyter. 

I also like the idea (see Martin Helsdon's Ships & Shores) that every ship will have a wyter. 

In my Caravanserai, an inn can have a wyter, which i argue is not unreasonable when you consider that a large caravanserai can reasonably have a staff of 20+, which is larger than a merchant tub's crew..

Anyhow, it's pretty clear from the RQG rules that to have a community, you have to have or must soon get a wyter.  Lose it and you have no spirit of community, which means you lose loyalty and public spiritedness and personal identification with the community. 

In my opinion, to really break a regiment, you capture and destroy the standard  which its wyter inhabits. 

What's a Gloranthan team building exercise?  Worshiping the wyter!

[Squaredeal Sten]

6 hours ago, Anlúan said:

Ah, so Wyters are explicitly connected to Rune Cults?

If I'm reading this right, those red insects that I thought of could be a Gorakiki-Nocheli Wyter? And, say, the other Cults would each have their own?

Do all Rune Cults have a Wyter?

In my unofficial opinion, that god [you wrote " Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind mentions a god of red -dye insects ,  "]   would be Gorakiki or an associated spirit cult.  I am inclined to say Gorakiki is the god of dealing with all domesticated insects, just as Gustbran is the god of ovens and furnaces and kilns,  and the red dye insects

(? vermilion dye from kermes vermilio?  see this article:  https://archaeology.org/news/2024/07/29/scraps-of-red-fabric-found-in-judean-desert-identified/      ]

are just a Gorakiki initiates' product  product like ham beetles or beetles of burden or honey.