RuneQuest Mythic Iceland

[Charlie D.]

I read about RuneQuest Mythic Iceland in Chaosium's RPG submissions. I am really looking forward to the revised Mythic Iceland. Along with Mythic Iceland will be RuneQuest Fantasy Earth which sounds exciting to me as well especially the possibility of revisiting the Heian period of Japan which was covered in MG RuneQuest Land of the Samurai.

I wonder if Mythic Iceland will be out by the time the new Thor movie hits theaters. While Thor may be more Guardians of the Galaxy and less Viking I still think the movie may rekindle introduce in the Norse gods.

[Raleel]

As I understand it, Runequest is specifically Glorantha (though glorantha is not specifically Runequest, as there are other systems that use that world). As I am almost certain I have read, there is no "generic Runequest". Mythic Iceland is a BRP product, and while similar to Runequest, not exactly the same 

if you want something like that, I would suggest checking out Mythras, which is a direct descendant of Mongoose Legend and Runequest II, and also written by the authors of Land of the Samurai and Runequest Vikings. I have the latter and Mythic Iceland and they are quite compatible (though with the normal BRP family tweaks) with Mythras. 

[Richard S.]

8 minutes ago, Raleel said:

As I understand it, Runequest is specifically Glorantha (though glorantha is not specifically Runequest, as there are other systems that use that world). As I am almost certain I have read, there is no "generic Runequest". Mythic Iceland is a BRP product, and while similar to Runequest, not exactly the same 

if you want something like that, I would suggest checking out Mythras, which is a direct descendant of Mongoose Legend and Runequest II, and also written by the authors of Land of the Samurai and Runequest Vikings. I have the latter and Mythic Iceland and they are quite compatible (though with the normal BRP family tweaks) with Mythras. 

Chaosium has said that they will be adapting the runequest rules (which I take to mean removing runes and gloranthan styled magic) to Mythic Iceland.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Richard S.

[Mankcam]

Chaosium can certainly use the base BRP engine that is being developed for RQG, or they could just as easily adapt CoC 7E's version of the BRP Engine. 

In fact, most of the groundwork has been done for the later. Mythic Iceland is ALREADY one of the alternate settings for CoC 7E, as shown in the publication of Cthulhu Thru The Ages.

Either version of BRP will work fine.

My only suggestion if they intend to use the CoC 7E engine is that they present the optional Hit Locations rules as default, considering the visceral emphasis on hand to hand combat in the Mythic Iceland setting.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by Mankcam

[MOB]

39 minutes ago, Mankcam said:

Chaosium can certainly use the base BRP engine that is being developed for RQG, or they could just as easily adapt CoC 7E's version of the BRP Engine. 

From the Submissions Guidelines:

RuneQuest Fantasy Earth

We are also looking for supplements set in RuneQuest Fantasy Earth. These use the rules template presented in the new RuneQuest Mythic Iceland. These might be additional adventures set in the North Sea of the 9th or 10th centuries AD, using Icelandic Adventurers along the lines of Egil’s Saga or the Viking Romances. 

We are also looking for new settings for RuneQuest Fantasy Earth, such as Anglo-Saxon England, Constantinople under the Macedonian Dynasty, the Holy Roman Empire during the Ottonians, Abbasid Baghdad, Heian period Japan, the China of Di Renjie, etc. All RuneQuest Fantasy Earth settings should be set in a specific historical period and culture. Don't try to present everything - focus on a specific city or region. Be historically accurate without being pedantic.

A new setting book will need to include a short self-contained rules section that includes creating characters in that setting, the RQ game mechanics and combat system, magic for that setting (which should not be based on Rune spells or sorcery - the Gloranthan Runes are not present in fantasy Earth!).

[Mankcam]

Ok I guess that confirms it is the RQ engine and not the CoC 7E engine, I had not seen the actual submission guidelines.

Its a bit weird that Mythic Iceland is already a CoC setting in the Thru The Ages book, yet the stand alone product is going to have a different BRP engine.

No issues though, both versions of BRP are likely to be equally good in my books.

For me, the name 'RuneQuest' is closely associated with Glorantha. However I think the Fantasy Earth concept will also work well, although it would be a shame if the settings are in direct competition with settings that Design Mechanism is doing with Mythras, in some ways it may stretch the consumer base.

However from my point of view, I prefer to have a core base engine and hang different setting mechanics off that. It's less mental effort as a GM if the core system is known at a 'DNA level', and also much less issues for players as well.

Edited May 6, 2017 by Mankcam

[10baseT]

I really like Mythic Iceland and hope more comes out. I also suggest you pick up Mythras/RQ6 Mythic Britain and their new supplement Mythic Britain: Logres which has detail on the Saxons... both are superb! (I also like Alephtar Games Crusaders of the Amber Coast). I just like this setting and i'm looking to pick up what comes out.

[SDLeary]

2 hours ago, Mankcam said:

Ok I guess that confirms it is the RQ engine and not the CoC 7E engine, I had not seen the actual submission guidelines.

Don't feel so bad. AFAICT, it wasn't announced here. The web site and G+ only apparently.

SDLeary

[Mankcam]

I have the Chaosium G+ Feed, but I have been not keeping up to date recently, prefering to visit here instead. 

[Raleel]

Sorry if i caused any confusion! I was going off of memory of http://www.chaosium.com/blog/designing-the-new-runequest-part-9/ where it says 

We're also disinclined to call the new rules RuneQuest: Glorantha, since for us RuneQuest=Glorantha. Other settings we publish will get their own tailored rules. 

and obviously that has changed, as the submission page refers to Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha! (Close to Runequest: Glorantha) and Runequest Fantasy Earth (not equal to Glorantha).  My apologies.

[MOB]

4 hours ago, SDLeary said:

Don't feel so bad. AFAICT, it wasn't announced here. The web site and G+ only apparently.

Apologies, I meant post the New Submissions Guidelines announcement here on BRP Central too, have done so now.

[Steve]

4 hours ago, Raleel said:

Sorry if i caused any confusion! I was going off of memory of http://www.chaosium.com/blog/designing-the-new-runequest-part-9/ where it says 

...

and obviously that has changed, as the submission page refers to Runequest: Roleplaying in Glorantha! (Close to Runequest: Glorantha) and Runequest Fantasy Earth (not equal to Glorantha).  My apologies.

That did change, yes. See http://www.chaosium.com/blog/rqgnew-runequest-edition-to-be-known-as-runequest-roleplaying-in-glorantha/

 

[styopa]

I'd love to formalize and provide some of the campaign stuff I'd used in my medieval (fantasized) Europe campaign ages ago...but considering it involved the "gamification" of touchy IRL-relevant stuff such as Christianity and Islam....yeah i wouldn't want to touch that with the proverbial ten foot pole today....not publicly.

It was some surprise to me when the yazidis suddenly came to regrettable prominence in recent years, for example, as I'd used "the cult of the peacock angel" as a malignant underground organization.

Yeah, translating stuff from real world history into a game is fraught with risks, 1000 years ago isn't nearly enough time for hard feelings to subside.

[g33k]

4 hours ago, styopa said:

I'd love to formalize and provide some of the campaign stuff I'd used in my medieval (fantasized) Europe campaign ages ago...but considering it involved the "gamification" of touchy IRL-relevant stuff such as Christianity and Islam....yeah i wouldn't want to touch that with the proverbial ten foot pole today....not publicly.

It was some surprise to me when the yazidis suddenly came to regrettable prominence in recent years, for example, as I'd used "the cult of the peacock angel" as a malignant underground organization.

Yeah, translating stuff from real world history into a game is fraught with risks, 1000 years ago isn't nearly enough time for hard feelings to subside.

Yeah.

I think it's a big part of why no reasonably-historical "pre-Colombian New World" games have gotten out...  So many tribes to possibly-offend, including (most-likely) at least a few to whom *ANY* sort of game-ification would be seen as an insult.

[soltakss]

9 hours ago, styopa said:

I'd love to formalize and provide some of the campaign stuff I'd used in my medieval (fantasized) Europe campaign ages ago...but considering it involved the "gamification" of touchy IRL-relevant stuff such as Christianity and Islam....yeah i wouldn't want to touch that with the proverbial ten foot pole today....not publicly.

I did it with Merrie England, in fact all 3 versions describe Judaism, Christianity and Islam, albeit with caveats saying these are rules for a RPG, not a reflection on real religions.

[Mankcam]

Simon I must say that you did exceptionally well with all that, and you should be awarded for your services to BRP. Those Merrie England books are books that just keep on giving mate, I was very impressed by both versions that I have (the one for MRQ, and the one for BRP BGB). What's this talk of a third volume?

Edited May 6, 2017 by Mankcam

[Guest Vile Traveller]

Simon's Merrie England was what finally tipped me into backing the Revolution D100 Kickstarter. Well, okay, I didn't need much tipping - but the new iteration of ME is my most-anticipated RPG book this year so far.

[Mankcam]

Ah yes, that's right, I forgot it was an add-on for RD100 - an add-on that I seemed to have forgotten about, yet I remember pledging for it. That and Robyn Holde. Cool, thanks for the reminder, more to look forward to 

 

(PS: Apologies for digressing off-topic)

Edited May 7, 2017 by Mankcam

[g33k]

3 hours ago, soltakss said:

I did it with Merrie England, in fact all 3 versions describe Judaism, Christianity and Islam, albeit with caveats saying these are rules for a RPG, not a reflection on real religions.

Ars Magica also did this a couple of times (plus a Kabbalah book, a Levant book, and others).

But doing the game-ified version of major-Abrahamic-religions (which are so dominant) -- and the presumption that an author is an "insider" writing about their own culture/faith tradition -- makes the "People of the Book" an easier subject than, FrEx, a Westerner writing about Yazidis, or a European-American writing about a Native-American...

 

[soltakss]

15 hours ago, Mankcam said:

Ah yes, that's right, I forgot it was an add-on for RD100 - an add-on that I seemed to have forgotten about, yet I remember pledging for it. That and Robyn Holde. Cool, thanks for the reminder, more to look forward to 

 

(PS: Apologies for digressing off-topic)

No problem. Feel free to mention any of Alephtar's supplements in all threads, especially when praising me! 

[soltakss]

13 hours ago, g33k said:

But doing the game-ified version of major-Abrahamic-religions (which are so dominant) -- and the presumption that an author is an "insider" writing about their own culture/faith tradition -- makes the "People of the Book" an easier subject than, FrEx, a Westerner writing about Yazidis, or a European-American writing about a Native-American...

In a way, I suppose. However, some of us have had years of exposure to Gloranthan cults that are all written as outsiders and are pretty easy to knock up.

The hardest part about writing about real world religions is to treat them sympathetically. Anyone who reads about their religion in a RPG supplement could well be offended. In fact, treating a relifion as something that provides Blessings/Miracles/Spells/Whatever might automatically be offensive, so it is worth explaining at the start what the author is trying to achieve in the context of the game.

[styopa]

2 hours ago, soltakss said:

In a way, I suppose. However, some of us have had years of exposure to Gloranthan cults that are all written as outsiders and are pretty easy to knock up.

The hardest part about writing about real world religions is to treat them sympathetically. Anyone who reads about their religion in a RPG supplement could well be offended. In fact, treating a relifion as something that provides Blessings/Miracles/Spells/Whatever might automatically be offensive, so it is worth explaining at the start what the author is trying to achieve in the context of the game.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I doubt any amount of explanation is going to salve people who today - quite frankly - are looking for a reason to be offended.