Our RuneQuest Gloranthan Campaign - The River Voices, Legend of the Arganauts, has come to an end

[soltakss]

Well, our current RuneQuest Gloranthan campaign has finally come to an end, after 13 glorious years.

 

Previously on The River Voices, Legend of the Arganauts: The River Voices had bumped heads with the Lunar Empire on and off for years. They raised the Sky Ship, brought back Tada, Tarkalor,  Sartar and Genert, drove the Lunars out of Prax, the Holy Country and Dragon Pass, raised a Dragon at the Dragonrise, purged the Crimson Bat of Chaos, dropped Harrek and a fleet of Wolf Pirates at the mouth of the Oslir and gated an iceberg to the Crater to block it. They had awakened their Inner Dragons, entered the Dragonewt Dream, visited the Dragonkill, rescued an Inhuman King and tied it to the Dragonship. They took a True Dragon to Dorastor, where they ambushed Ralzakark, awakened a Two-Headed Chaotic True Dragon by accident, and some transformed into True Dragons to fight it, purging it of Chaos and chopping one of its heads off, then they entered into the Dragon Dance, where they saw that the Draconic Powers of Peloria had been energised and were building in strength. They took Ralzakark’s Crown and Flargle incarnated Arkat by opening the pathways to Arkathome and breaking the God Learner Seals that held it. A Pentian Army ravaged the North of the Empire, Flarkat’s Army invaded from the South and Harrek’s Wolf Pirates attacked the centre. The Lunars had lost Prax, the Holy Country and Dragon Pass. The River Voices had converted Rist towards the White Moon and had founded a Yelmalian Temple there, directly opposing the Red Emperor. Something had to be done.

 

The River Voices saw that the Draconic influences had been gaining power and energy and divined that it was reaching a peak in an old abandoned Second Age temple. They looked there using Shan Agar’s Magical Eye and saw a number of Priests dressed in Second Age robes, carrying Draconic regalia. A number of Dragonewts assisted in the ceremony.  The Red Emperor appeared, dressed in Draconic Robes, dressed as the Dragon Emperor, and began a ceremony.

Mello Yello could not let him do this, as he thought the Red Emperor was an impure Emperor, so the River Voices jumped in their Golden Barge to the Ceremony. There, the Red Emperor recounted all the problems the Lunar Empire had faced and all the sins it had done. In response, Mello Yello transformed into a Golden True Dragon and recounted all the good things the River Voices had done. The Red Emperor finished the Ceremony and the river Voices could see that he was about to commit Utuma, as the Golden Dragon Emperor, which would purge the Lunar Empire of the sins and allow the Red Emperor to be reborn anew. Horrified, the River Voices attempted a bold and dangerous move. Flargle transferred the Utuma Wound to Mell Yello, forcing the Utuma Ritual to affect Mello Yello instead. Well, that was the plan, but Flargle rolled 00, a Fumble, spent a Hero Point and rerolled to a 10, then spent another Hero Point to flip to an 01, a Special Critical. Mello Yello then used powers of Harmony to die without pain and to follow the Utuma without Disorder, this time a Critical. Mello Yello then used the power of Dragonewt Rebirth to be reborn, another Critical. Finally, Shan Agar used a combination of her Magic Eye, Dreaming Powers, Draconic Powers, Mother of Dragons Power and a load of other stuff, to move Mello Yello’s Rebirth to an egg inside her, as she had transformed into the Chromatic True Dragon, you guessed it, another Critical.

So, the Red Emperor performed the Utuma Ritual and did not die, Mello Yello’s body spontaneously self-combusted, burning instantly without any ash, as the greatest Dara Happan Emperors had done, then was reborn from a golden egg that appeared in front of him. Mello had usurped all the Empire’s Draconic Powers and was reborn as Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor.  He was now Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins. The Red Emperor, weakened by the Iceberg blocking the Crater and the subsequent removal of the Red Moon’s powers, had gambled everything on the Utuma Ritual and failed, so he died on the spot. Presumably, he would return later, as he always had, but for the moment he was gone.

Now, at this point, we stopped for a breath, as the enormity of what had just happened slowly sank in. Then we started to discuss where to go from there, but the consensus of opinion was that the River Voices had achieved everything they had ever set out to do. Mello Yello was Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins, he was also worshipped by those Beast Men who wanted to join the cult of Yelmalio. Shan Agar was Wife to Tada, had replaced the Pharaoh, united the Elements, proven that all the Waters of the World were one, had restored lost parts of the Agar Clan and become the Mother of Dragons. Flargle had destroyed several Chaos Nests, become Arkat, purged much of Dorastor of Chaos, led an Arkati army against the Lunar Empire and helped kill the Red Emperor. Karim Temris had found Yamsur’s Regalia and brought Yamsur back, ridden Yamsur’s chariot to the Dragonkill and back, restored Caarith and proved that she was a daughter of Genert, restored Genert, thus honouring the debt of the Desert Trackers, deposed the Count of Sun County and put his father in his place, founded a new Praxian Tribe, the Lopers, and set them up in God Remembered.

So, what was there to do? Where to go to from there? Conquer the West? Embrace the Kralorelan Dragons? Hunt down the Red Emperor and the remaining Lunar Powers? None of them appealed to the players. Retire the River Voices and start again in the new world? Doing what? Playing Lunars opposed to the River Voices? Nobody wanted that. Playing starting characters in the middle of the Hero Wars? Nobody wanted that. Then someone suggested bringing the campaign to a close and everyone agreed.

Sad times, in a way, but they went out on a high. I cannot say the words “Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins” often enough.

All we need to do now is to decide what campaign to run. Nothing Gloranthan this time, as we have done Glorantha, although we might return once the new scenario packs start appearing. Suggestions were Dark Ages, Robin Hood or Sci Fi, but we need to talk about that a bit.

Edited July 13, 2018 by soltakss

[jajagappa]

33 minutes ago, soltakss said:

“Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins”

Cool!  And can't say that's one to readily top. Seems appropriate to end on that note.

[EricW]

On 7/14/2018 at 6:58 AM, soltakss said:

All we need to do now is to decide what campaign to run. Nothing Gloranthan this time, as we have done Glorantha, although we might return once the new scenario packs start appearing. Suggestions were Dark Ages, Robin Hood or Sci Fi, but we need to talk about that a bit.

Cthulhu of course. The stars are right, diabolical plans are afoot, your players are humanity's final chance to step into the breach before Earth descends into a screaming nightmare from which there is no escape, where even death is no guarantee of liberation from the hellish rule of the Great Old Ones.

Edited July 15, 2018 by EricW

[soltakss]

4 hours ago, EricW said:

Cthulhu of course. 

We have a list of games that various players or the GM don't want to play, they currently include:

• Cthulhu
• Supers
• D&D
• Jane Austen

I am sure the list will grow.

Edited July 15, 2018 by soltakss

[Yelm's Light]

I wouldn't mind a good Supers game, and Austen would never have entered my mind.

[g33k]

1 hour ago, soltakss said:

We have a list of games that various players or the GM don't want to play, they currently include:

• Cthulhu
• Supers
• D&D
• Jane Austen

I am sure the list will grow.

Have you pitched a "Jane Austen Supers" game, ultimately facing the Mythos' Great Old Ones?  Run it with the Epic-level rules from D&D...  😃

[David Scott]

1 hour ago, soltakss said:

Jane Austen

And a Steve Austin mashup would be good especially if she replaces Jaime Sommers, 

[g33k]

I think we're onto something here, David!

Soltakss' next campaign is shaping up nicely...

 

[soltakss]

So, a WWF mash-up with Steve Austin and Jane Austen taking on Cthulhu, Pride & Prejudice and Bionic Wrestlers, hmmm, not sure if even I could make that fly ...

[David Scott]

I just realised that was the list of things that you group didn’t want to play.

Are you set on an RQ/BRP game? If not I can recommend an 1930s Black & White style Flash Gordon style (captain proton style voyager as well) SciFi game using HeroQuest. Better still, original Future World to run traveller adventures. I ran Death Station and Chamax Plague (GDW double adventures) using future world.

[Revilo Divad Of Dyoll]

All hail Mello Yello!

[soltakss]

21 hours ago, David Scott said:

I just realised that was the list of things that you group didn’t want to play.

Are you set on an RQ/BRP game? If not I can recommend an 1930s Black & White style Flash Gordon style (captain proton style voyager as well) SciFi game using HeroQuest. Better still, original Future World to run traveller adventures. I ran Death Station and Chamax Plague (GDW double adventures) using future world.

RuneQuestey or HeroQuest, probably, I'm too old to learn a game which wouldn't live up to my expectations.

[jajagappa]

On ‎7‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 4:58 PM, soltakss said:

Suggestions were Dark Ages, Robin Hood

Why not Pendragon?

[soltakss]

On 7/17/2018 at 1:41 AM, jajagappa said:

Why not Pendragon?

Not keen on the rules and not keen on the "Chivalric Medieval Knights in the Dark Ages" vibe. I know that people rave about it, but I can't see myself running it.

[Mankcam]

Contemporary Heist/Action Episodes!

Inspiration: A-Team, Mission Impossible, Oceans Eleven, McGywver, Magnum PI, Snatch, Burn Notice, Die Hard, The Equalizer, Justified, Hawaii 5-O, Sherlock, The Italian Job, The Fast & Furious, CSI, The Score, The Transporter, etc

I reckon watch a whole heap of cheesy action shows and movies, then run brief one-to-two shot episodes in a fast, pulpy flavour.

I did this using Fate Core and its alot of fun. However I think that HeroQuest would also be perfect for this!

Heaps of over the top action scenes, flimsy plot links, lots of good times, and low GM committment. Perfect for a short period while thinking about which long term serious campaign game the GM may wish to embark on next.

Lots of fun! 😎

Edited July 18, 2018 by Mankcam

[Mankcam]

Otherwise go with Dark Ages Robin Hood, using RD100 Merrie England 😁

[Sean_RDP]

If I had the setting material for Runed Worlds ready I would just slide it over to you to see if you liked it. But the idea is a Star Patrol / Lensmen / Heavy Metal mashup full of aliens and two ancient opposing forces lording over things that are more Vorlons and Shadows than they are different aspects of say, the Force. 

So I suppose my suggestion is a pulp Space Rock-Opera with differing dials for sex and violence. HQ might be perfect but RQ could work if you want something more granular

[EricW]

Perhaps the solution is to create an entirely new game - Brainstorm to see what people want out of a game, see what happens. Who knows, your group could be the mythical god time progenitors of a brand new world, or even a series of worlds - perhaps even a Chronicles of Amber like shadow campaign of players striving to dominate the omniverse with their vision of cosmic order. 

Of course, once creation was sufficiently advanced, some of the more powerful creations might not be entirely happy to remain the helpless playthings of powerful player character demigods - especially if some of those demigods choose to procreate with their mortal minions.

Edited July 19, 2018 by EricW

[g33k]

Necro'ing this to suggest (if y'all haven't already settled on something):  Odd Soot from our own Clarence Redd.

[Tywyll]

On 7/13/2018 at 9:58 PM, soltakss said:

Well, our current RuneQuest Gloranthan campaign has finally come to an end, after 13 glorious years.

 

Previously on The River Voices, Legend of the Arganauts: The River Voices had bumped heads with the Lunar Empire on and off for years. They raised the Sky Ship, brought back Tada, Tarkalor,  Sartar and Genert, drove the Lunars out of Prax, the Holy Country and Dragon Pass, raised a Dragon at the Dragonrise, purged the Crimson Bat of Chaos, dropped Harrek and a fleet of Wolf Pirates at the mouth of the Oslir and gated an iceberg to the Crater to block it. They had awakened their Inner Dragons, entered the Dragonewt Dream, visited the Dragonkill, rescued an Inhuman King and tied it to the Dragonship. They took a True Dragon to Dorastor, where they ambushed Ralzakark, awakened a Two-Headed Chaotic True Dragon by accident, and some transformed into True Dragons to fight it, purging it of Chaos and chopping one of its heads off, then they entered into the Dragon Dance, where they saw that the Draconic Powers of Peloria had been energised and were building in strength. They took Ralzakark’s Crown and Flargle incarnated Arkat by opening the pathways to Arkathome and breaking the God Learner Seals that held it. A Pentian Army ravaged the North of the Empire, Flarkat’s Army invaded from the South and Harrek’s Wolf Pirates attacked the centre. The Lunars had lost Prax, the Holy Country and Dragon Pass. The River Voices had converted Rist towards the White Moon and had founded a Yelmalian Temple there, directly opposing the Red Emperor. Something had to be done.

 

The River Voices saw that the Draconic influences had been gaining power and energy and divined that it was reaching a peak in an old abandoned Second Age temple. They looked there using Shan Agar’s Magical Eye and saw a number of Priests dressed in Second Age robes, carrying Draconic regalia. A number of Dragonewts assisted in the ceremony.  The Red Emperor appeared, dressed in Draconic Robes, dressed as the Dragon Emperor, and began a ceremony.

Mello Yello could not let him do this, as he thought the Red Emperor was an impure Emperor, so the River Voices jumped in their Golden Barge to the Ceremony. There, the Red Emperor recounted all the problems the Lunar Empire had faced and all the sins it had done. In response, Mello Yello transformed into a Golden True Dragon and recounted all the good things the River Voices had done. The Red Emperor finished the Ceremony and the river Voices could see that he was about to commit Utuma, as the Golden Dragon Emperor, which would purge the Lunar Empire of the sins and allow the Red Emperor to be reborn anew. Horrified, the River Voices attempted a bold and dangerous move. Flargle transferred the Utuma Wound to Mell Yello, forcing the Utuma Ritual to affect Mello Yello instead. Well, that was the plan, but Flargle rolled 00, a Fumble, spent a Hero Point and rerolled to a 10, then spent another Hero Point to flip to an 01, a Special Critical. Mello Yello then used powers of Harmony to die without pain and to follow the Utuma without Disorder, this time a Critical. Mello Yello then used the power of Dragonewt Rebirth to be reborn, another Critical. Finally, Shan Agar used a combination of her Magic Eye, Dreaming Powers, Draconic Powers, Mother of Dragons Power and a load of other stuff, to move Mello Yello’s Rebirth to an egg inside her, as she had transformed into the Chromatic True Dragon, you guessed it, another Critical.

So, the Red Emperor performed the Utuma Ritual and did not die, Mello Yello’s body spontaneously self-combusted, burning instantly without any ash, as the greatest Dara Happan Emperors had done, then was reborn from a golden egg that appeared in front of him. Mello had usurped all the Empire’s Draconic Powers and was reborn as Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor.  He was now Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins. The Red Emperor, weakened by the Iceberg blocking the Crater and the subsequent removal of the Red Moon’s powers, had gambled everything on the Utuma Ritual and failed, so he died on the spot. Presumably, he would return later, as he always had, but for the moment he was gone.

Now, at this point, we stopped for a breath, as the enormity of what had just happened slowly sank in. Then we started to discuss where to go from there, but the consensus of opinion was that the River Voices had achieved everything they had ever set out to do. Mello Yello was Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins, he was also worshipped by those Beast Men who wanted to join the cult of Yelmalio. Shan Agar was Wife to Tada, had replaced the Pharaoh, united the Elements, proven that all the Waters of the World were one, had restored lost parts of the Agar Clan and become the Mother of Dragons. Flargle had destroyed several Chaos Nests, become Arkat, purged much of Dorastor of Chaos, led an Arkati army against the Lunar Empire and helped kill the Red Emperor. Karim Temris had found Yamsur’s Regalia and brought Yamsur back, ridden Yamsur’s chariot to the Dragonkill and back, restored Caarith and proved that she was a daughter of Genert, restored Genert, thus honouring the debt of the Desert Trackers, deposed the Count of Sun County and put his father in his place, founded a new Praxian Tribe, the Lopers, and set them up in God Remembered.

So, what was there to do? Where to go to from there? Conquer the West? Embrace the Kralorelan Dragons? Hunt down the Red Emperor and the remaining Lunar Powers? None of them appealed to the players. Retire the River Voices and start again in the new world? Doing what? Playing Lunars opposed to the River Voices? Nobody wanted that. Playing starting characters in the middle of the Hero Wars? Nobody wanted that. Then someone suggested bringing the campaign to a close and everyone agreed.

Sad times, in a way, but they went out on a high. I cannot say the words “Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins” often enough.

All we need to do now is to decide what campaign to run. Nothing Gloranthan this time, as we have done Glorantha, although we might return once the new scenario packs start appearing. Suggestions were Dark Ages, Robin Hood or Sci Fi, but we need to talk about that a bit.

So out of curiosity, what flavor of RQ where you playing? How did you handle such high powered characters?

[Bohemond]

On 7/13/2018 at 3:58 PM, soltakss said:

Well, our current RuneQuest Gloranthan campaign has finally come to an end, after 13 glorious years.

 

Previously on The River Voices, Legend of the Arganauts: The River Voices had bumped heads with the Lunar Empire on and off for years. They raised the Sky Ship, brought back Tada, Tarkalor,  Sartar and Genert, drove the Lunars out of Prax, the Holy Country and Dragon Pass, raised a Dragon at the Dragonrise, purged the Crimson Bat of Chaos, dropped Harrek and a fleet of Wolf Pirates at the mouth of the Oslir and gated an iceberg to the Crater to block it. They had awakened their Inner Dragons, entered the Dragonewt Dream, visited the Dragonkill, rescued an Inhuman King and tied it to the Dragonship. They took a True Dragon to Dorastor, where they ambushed Ralzakark, awakened a Two-Headed Chaotic True Dragon by accident, and some transformed into True Dragons to fight it, purging it of Chaos and chopping one of its heads off, then they entered into the Dragon Dance, where they saw that the Draconic Powers of Peloria had been energised and were building in strength. They took Ralzakark’s Crown and Flargle incarnated Arkat by opening the pathways to Arkathome and breaking the God Learner Seals that held it. A Pentian Army ravaged the North of the Empire, Flarkat’s Army invaded from the South and Harrek’s Wolf Pirates attacked the centre. The Lunars had lost Prax, the Holy Country and Dragon Pass. The River Voices had converted Rist towards the White Moon and had founded a Yelmalian Temple there, directly opposing the Red Emperor. Something had to be done.

 

The River Voices saw that the Draconic influences had been gaining power and energy and divined that it was reaching a peak in an old abandoned Second Age temple. They looked there using Shan Agar’s Magical Eye and saw a number of Priests dressed in Second Age robes, carrying Draconic regalia. A number of Dragonewts assisted in the ceremony.  The Red Emperor appeared, dressed in Draconic Robes, dressed as the Dragon Emperor, and began a ceremony.

Mello Yello could not let him do this, as he thought the Red Emperor was an impure Emperor, so the River Voices jumped in their Golden Barge to the Ceremony. There, the Red Emperor recounted all the problems the Lunar Empire had faced and all the sins it had done. In response, Mello Yello transformed into a Golden True Dragon and recounted all the good things the River Voices had done. The Red Emperor finished the Ceremony and the river Voices could see that he was about to commit Utuma, as the Golden Dragon Emperor, which would purge the Lunar Empire of the sins and allow the Red Emperor to be reborn anew. Horrified, the River Voices attempted a bold and dangerous move. Flargle transferred the Utuma Wound to Mell Yello, forcing the Utuma Ritual to affect Mello Yello instead. Well, that was the plan, but Flargle rolled 00, a Fumble, spent a Hero Point and rerolled to a 10, then spent another Hero Point to flip to an 01, a Special Critical. Mello Yello then used powers of Harmony to die without pain and to follow the Utuma without Disorder, this time a Critical. Mello Yello then used the power of Dragonewt Rebirth to be reborn, another Critical. Finally, Shan Agar used a combination of her Magic Eye, Dreaming Powers, Draconic Powers, Mother of Dragons Power and a load of other stuff, to move Mello Yello’s Rebirth to an egg inside her, as she had transformed into the Chromatic True Dragon, you guessed it, another Critical.

So, the Red Emperor performed the Utuma Ritual and did not die, Mello Yello’s body spontaneously self-combusted, burning instantly without any ash, as the greatest Dara Happan Emperors had done, then was reborn from a golden egg that appeared in front of him. Mello had usurped all the Empire’s Draconic Powers and was reborn as Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor.  He was now Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins. The Red Emperor, weakened by the Iceberg blocking the Crater and the subsequent removal of the Red Moon’s powers, had gambled everything on the Utuma Ritual and failed, so he died on the spot. Presumably, he would return later, as he always had, but for the moment he was gone.

Now, at this point, we stopped for a breath, as the enormity of what had just happened slowly sank in. Then we started to discuss where to go from there, but the consensus of opinion was that the River Voices had achieved everything they had ever set out to do. Mello Yello was Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins, he was also worshipped by those Beast Men who wanted to join the cult of Yelmalio. Shan Agar was Wife to Tada, had replaced the Pharaoh, united the Elements, proven that all the Waters of the World were one, had restored lost parts of the Agar Clan and become the Mother of Dragons. Flargle had destroyed several Chaos Nests, become Arkat, purged much of Dorastor of Chaos, led an Arkati army against the Lunar Empire and helped kill the Red Emperor. Karim Temris had found Yamsur’s Regalia and brought Yamsur back, ridden Yamsur’s chariot to the Dragonkill and back, restored Caarith and proved that she was a daughter of Genert, restored Genert, thus honouring the debt of the Desert Trackers, deposed the Count of Sun County and put his father in his place, founded a new Praxian Tribe, the Lopers, and set them up in God Remembered.

So, what was there to do? Where to go to from there? Conquer the West? Embrace the Kralorelan Dragons? Hunt down the Red Emperor and the remaining Lunar Powers? None of them appealed to the players. Retire the River Voices and start again in the new world? Doing what? Playing Lunars opposed to the River Voices? Nobody wanted that. Playing starting characters in the middle of the Hero Wars? Nobody wanted that. Then someone suggested bringing the campaign to a close and everyone agreed.

Sad times, in a way, but they went out on a high. I cannot say the words “Mello Yello, Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, Son of Yelm, King of Dragon Pass and Ambassador to Monkey Ruins” often enough.

All we need to do now is to decide what campaign to run. Nothing Gloranthan this time, as we have done Glorantha, although we might return once the new scenario packs start appearing. Suggestions were Dark Ages, Robin Hood or Sci Fi, but we need to talk about that a bit.

That's...not where I had expected Genertela to wind up.

[Sir_Godspeed]

16 minutes ago, Bohemond said:

That's...not where I had expected Genertela to wind up.

As far as Hero Wars possibilities go, this one is pretty positive!

[soltakss]

On 12/4/2018 at 4:06 PM, g33k said:

Necro'ing this to suggest (if y'all haven't already settled on something):  Odd Soot from our own Clarence Redd.

I've seen that, thanks, but not sure if our players want to try out SciFi just yet.

[soltakss]

On 12/4/2018 at 5:22 PM, Tywyll said:

So out of curiosity, what flavor of RQ where you playing? How did you handle such high powered characters?

RQ3ish, so RQ3 with a lot borrowed from other systems and a lot of houserules.

To be honest, these weren't that high-powered, their highest skill was around 120%. However, the magical adds for Runes meant they got high skills.

How did I handle them? Like HeroQuest does, so their main powers came from HeroQuest abilities, skills and spells were, to a large extent, irrelevant. If they had a spell, then I used it more like an ability, or modifier to a power. It was free-flowing, fast and exciting, allowing the players to do a lot more with their PCs than the "Sunbright only covers 15m" restrictions on spells.

 

[g33k]

9 hours ago, soltakss said:

I've seen that, thanks, but not sure if our players want to try out SciFi just yet.

Fair 'nuf!  But note it seems (from what I've seen) more of a "weird science / alt-science" setting than genuine "SciFi."