Tell me about your Glorantha campaigns?

[Djday45]

I am very curious to know about long term gms that use Glorantha as a setting, what their campaign was/is like? 

What system did you/ currently use?

where is it set?

what time period?

how long have you ran it?

how did you change the setting? Or did you keep to canon?

loads of questions are swirling in my mind as I prepare to take the plunge myself!

[RHW]

1 hour ago, Djday45 said:

What system did you/ currently use?

I've run several campaigns using RQ2, RQ3 and a home brew RQ/HQ hybrid. If I run another campaign, I'll probably use the homebrew again.

1 hour ago, Djday45 said:

where is it set?

what time period?

Let's see... I've run or co-run...

- A Pavis/Big Rubble campaign that morphed into a boat based campaign along the southern Genertelan coast. 1620-ish. Included the Cradle. (RQ2) Ran 3 years

- The Dragonnewt March, which turned into a Dorastor based campaign. PCs settled in Skanthiland and carved out a small realm for themselves, settled by refugees from both Dragon Pass and the Empire. 1618-1624 or so. (RQ3) Ran 10 years!

- A short-lived Lunar Campaign centered on a young noblewoman who's the only survivor of a Dart War trying to reestablish her house. 1620s (RQ3) Only about 4 sessions.

- A Sartar Rising campaign. Characters were from a geographically isolated clan of the Balmyr Tribe, the Treefell Clan. The Treefell Clan is known for the annual Trickster Festival in their village Prattsted at the foot of scenic Pratt's Falls. Their tula was located in the Quinvin Mountains between Highwyrm and Kjarten's Pool. Started in 1620, ended with the Dragonrise and the crowning of Queen Kallyr. (Homebrew) Ran 4 years.

- A Lunar Campaign that started with a group of survivors fleeing the Dragonrise. Characters became fixers for a noble house in Glamour. 1625 - 1627 (Homebrew) Ran about 2 years.

My group games about 10 times a year. We've been gaming together for... umm... shit... 35 years?

[RHW]

Here's the final write-up of the Sartar Campaign:

KEENER’S SAGA

Most times I hear it told that it were Kallyr the Argrath what saved Sartar from the Red Moon.  Out in Prax and in the ruins of Pavis, there are them what say it was that flea-bitten ass-fucker Garrath Sharpsword.  But up here on the mountain, close to the Storm where the windchildren play and the dragonnewts dance, we know the truth of it.

It was Keener and his lot that did the trick.  Argrath Varmondsson was his birthname.  But “Keener” is what we all called him.  ‘Cause when it come to killing Lunars, no one was keener than Keener.  When it come to fighting, fucking, hunting, talking, and painting himself blue, Keener was keener.  Lightning flickered from his blade, the EWF crown sat proud on his head, dragons bowed to him, giants smiled when he walked by, women swooned, and when his voice boomed war, even the cows charged to fight.  Crucified he was, and beheaded, and tortured and cut, and frozen and burned.  Battles he fought, against the Sun, the Moon and the Stars, against the Dark and the Predark, against the Men of Wood and the Soldiers of Stone.  Prizes he won and a good woman he married and children he sired and a country he freed.  He did it because it was his destiny.  He did it because it were fate.  He did it because it needed doing and when it came to doing what needed doing, no one was keener than Keener.  And in the end, when the Devil came again, Keener said, “Let’s get it done.”  Because he was keener.  So you can say someone else was Argrath.  But you’d better not say it around here.

And allies he had.  Names that the lowlanders may not know, but up here where Orlanth’s breath blows pure, we know them.

We know Jak  Byrtyn and his furious fists.  Some even called him Argrath and when the votes were counted, he got his share.  “It’s all in the reflexes,” said he as he woke the New Dragon and killed the proudest of the Moon.  “Let the Cow fight for us,” he laughed and made the Sun General burn himself with his own anger.  “I never fly faster than I can see,” said he as he dropped from the sky and put the Dragon to sleep.  Jak carried the Six-Demon Bag and talked to whoever out there would listen.  And when Jak killed Willandring and crowned himself Balmyr King, they asked “Have you paid your dues, Jak?” And Jak said “Yessir.” 

We know Yves Quickfoot, who could run across the world before breakfast.  Yves wasn’t Argrath, couldn’t fight, couldn’t drink, and couldn’t wrestle.  But he could run away like nobody’s business.  Here is a list of things Yves ran from, around, out of, to, for or against:  The Lunar Army.  Some Yelmalio mercenaries.  A hotfoot spell.  Winter.  A giant.  An evil tree.  A duck assassin.  Harrek the Berserk.  Bean-Pot.  The Bat.  Eurmal’s ass.  Mastakos himself.  Castle Blue.  The Spike.  Hell itself, more than once.  And Death.  And he was faster than them all, right up until the end when Death found him lying in his bed, an old, old man, rich, and with many children and grandchildren.  And Yves said, “Hold on.  Let me put on my shoes.”  And Death killed him right then and there.  Because Death knew if Yves got his shoes on, he’d still be running today.

We know Um.  As much as anyone ever could.  And maybe he was Argarth too.  But if he was, no one can remember.  And that’s how he liked it.

And Keener and Jak they had two cats.

And Six-Hits and Kat were their names.

And they fucked the Moon and they fucked-up the Bat

And they put them all to shame.

Sharp were their claws, swift were their darts,

Spirits and werewolves felt their quick cuts,

And preening and smiling were also their arts,

‘Cause every good party needs a couple of good sluts

We know Mhorhys the Explainer, who could’ve explained all this much better than me, but not in such a way as you’d understand a damn word of it.  Mhorry knew a powerful lot of things.  He knew the ways of the World, though he couldn’t recognize his own wife when she wore a beard.   He knew how to swing a sword almost as sharp as his tongue, but he didn’t know how to stop himself from bleeding.  He knew how to lecture on almost anything, but he never knew when to shut up.  Mhorhys drank from the Well of Wisdom, and argued Law before the Gods at Castle Blue, and invented the Lightning War, and held the Sword of Truth.  But the best thing he learned was this:  When the Devil took the Throne of the North and the young men came to Mhorhys in his old age and said “Be our general,” Mhorhys refused.  Because he’d finally learned to quit while he was ahead.

When the children of the Treefell skip rope, this is what they sing: 

Yurok was a Basmol.  Then Yurok was not.

Yurok was a Daka Fal.  Then Yurok was not.

Yurok was almost a troll.  But that’s another story.

Yurok had a big axe and he made it plenty gory.

Yurok knew he could take ‘em and he liked big strife.

Yurok feared nothing except his wife.

Harrek once hit Yurok and he got back up.

Yurok once hit Beanpot, but he got back up.

Yurok was Life then Yurok was Death.

Yurok ate a lotta meat and had bad breath.

Yurok said he was Argrath and everybody frowned.

Then he hit ‘em with his big axe and they all fell down!

Two Humakti we knew.  Or was it two Uroxi?  It’s hard to remember and it was a long time ago.  Oxe was one, Scar was another.  Rath was one.  And so was Orm.  What they had in common was this.  Their real names were mostly Argrath.  They killed things.  They hit hard.  They were variously drunks and Nandan-lovers and liars and splittongues.  But they were loyal and brave and fought well and were hard men in a pinch.  They did the dirty work and bashed in the necessary heads and no one would have been Argrath without them.  Some could sing, some could play drums, some could drink you under the table, some couldn’t drink at all.  But the most important part is this… their lives were brutal and short.  Except for the one who lived.  Whichever one that was.

And we know the others too.  They came and went, but they did their part.  For every man who is great in memory, there are hundreds who helped him be great or who did the real work or who made it all possible.  And maybe they were greater than the Great Man and maybe they should get more credit and maybe if things had gone a little differently, this would be their saga, not his, but sometimes life isn’t fair.  Here in Treefell, we do our best to remember them too.  So we give them their stanza.  And this is it:

Scorcha was a Vestkarthan and blew it up good. 

Haus was a cranky healer who did what he could.

Gryffon was an Elmal and he held the fort.

The Loud Slinger slung loudly and did stuff of that sort.

The Huntress stayed home and made sure people stayed fed.

The Issaries made a profit and enjoyed his feather bed.

Njyl wrote the songs that the whole world sings

The Tricksters farted and threw their poo at things.

The Sneaky Duck stole the gold but kept his feathers clean.

And the Silver Dwarf said it was all for a Functional World Machine!

These are the things we know about Keener and have written down.  But there are too many tales for the words to hold proper.  So more was done than was known.  And some things that are known were probably never truly done.  Still, maybe there’s one last thing worth knowing.  In these parts, when Sacred Time ends and the White Orbiter wanders across the sky and the first flowers bloom and the Sun rises and the cows start to calf and Pratt Creek tumbles down its Falls in the joke that never gets old, we take in the miracles what are the World, and we say this…

“If not for Keener and them.”

Mhorhys would say that’s an idiom.  Because we’re saying a thing that represents another thing.  So what we mean is “Life is Good.  Don't take it for granted.”  Idiomatically.  But what we’re saying is:  “If not for Keener and his friends, none of this would exist.”

And that’s worth knowing.

[RHW]

Another write-up of events in the Treefell Sage:

To:  King Jak, Chief Keener

CC:  War Council

From:  General Mhorhys

Following is a copy of a document written by the Silver Dwarf known as Hobe, obtained by REDACTED by means of REDACTED and subsequently REDACTED.  I will read it in its entirety, however I warn you that its full of words and thus difficult for those of lesser intelligence to comprehend.  I will provide annotation when necessary.

To: Isidilian Mk I – Mod 0  [PRESUMABLY ISIDILIAN THE WISE, THE DWARF OF DWARF RUN.  WE MET HIM AT BOLDHOME AT THE LUNARS' SACRED TIME PARTY.  HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND REMARKABLY COMPREHENSIBLE.]

From: Mostali SI – 29 – AG – Sub – Mod I – Mk II – Gen V – VR I, Carbunkle, Hobe

Re:  Status Report – 001A

Have made contact and have seconded Mostali SI – 29 – AG – Sub – Mod I – Mk II – Gen V – VR I (hereinafter (purely for the sake of efficiency and not because of individualist predilections) referred to as “me,” “I”, “myself”, et cetera) to ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) [ISIDILIAN AND BY EXTENSION HOBE SEEM TO HAVE IDENTIFIED KEENER AS A POTENTIAL ARGRATH.  IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF THIS IS A GOOD THING.] and ARGPROJVARASSOC, hereafter accorded discreet identifiers as follows:

ARGPROJVAR8745V (human, Mhorhys)

ARGPROJVAR9237G (human, Rath)

ARGPROJVAR665DZ (human, Jak)

ARGPROJVAR2095A (human, Urok)

ARGPROJVAR5674J (human, Skorcha)

ARGPROJVAR3175X (human, Kat)

ARGPROJVAR3001S (human, Yves)

Initial contact disappointing.  Being as they are human and easily impressed by small, shiny objects, I executed a hyperbolic spiral approach (standard r=aθ), having previously maximized the index of reflectivity of my Silver Crunchy Shell™.   Despite this, ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) et al. assumed a cautionary posture, probably because this sub-collective of bipedal biomasses excreted by Grandfather Mortal would not know their own nitrogenous waste emitter apertures from an evacuated cavity in the general indigenous soil surface.  [PATENTLY UNTRUE.  I AM REASONABLY CERTAIN AT LEAST SOME OF YOU CAN TELL YOUR ASS FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND… SOMETIMES… WITH A LITTLE GUIDANCE.]

With patient deliberation, I explained the non-classified aspects of my mission, but the dX/dT of their vertical intake of information is uniformly unpositive.  Believing that the dynamic expenditure of kinetic energy along goal-oriented lines would produce results more figuratively sonorous than a surfeit of verbiage, I assumed command (in an advisory & support capacity) [N.B. HOBE APPEARS TO SUFFER FROM CLASSIC “SMART LITTLE MAN SYNDROME” IN WHICH A MAN OF SMALL STATURE BUT SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE ASSUMES THAT HE CAN CONTROL HIS LARGER, MORE BRUTISH COMPATRIOTS BY SHEER INTELLIGENCE, THUS MANIPULATING THEM INTO DOING WHAT IS IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS.  SADLY, FROM FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE, I CAN TESTIFY THAT THIS APPROACH IS RARELY AS EFFICATIOUS AS ONE MIGHT HOPE.]  in order to assure the attainment of their immediate short-term objectives.  These included, but were not limited to, some sort of protracted negotiations with the collective referred to as “Lunars”.  At one point, formalized singular combat operations were entered into, with ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) et al. electing as their representative an untrained bovine.  Said cow was explosively eviscerated with a spectacular volumetric hemoglobular atomization of 15.5ppm, yet for some reason this outcome was regarded by ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) et al. as positive.

Following this, the sub-collective retired to their community and engaged in some sort of confused deliberation over the index of regality ARGPROJVAR665DZ (human, Jak) vs. ARGPROJVARFOE 1356498-A708 (human, Willandring).  (Note: the extended enumeration of that last entry reflects the large number of individuals enthusiastically hostile to the existence of ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) et al.)   Lacking satisfactory outcome, the decision was reached by priestesses of the “spark” Ernalda to accept bribes (tribute) in return for their acknowledgement of ARGPROJVAR665DZ (human, Jak) as king over ARGPROJVARFOE 1356498-A708 (human, Willandring).  At least, I believe this to have been the situation.  In truth, the affairs of these lesser beings seem to change at the abrupt gravitational attraction of a modular braincase cover. 

An excursion was undertaken to the non-chronolinear dimension known as the “Hero Plane” to procure said nonpareil tribute.  After a brief combat encounter, ARGPROJVAR665DZ (human, Jak) proceeded to exchange bodily fluids with some sort of cattle deity, and in the process engendered the existence of the half-human, half-bovine aberrations known as “Minotaurs.”  We should withhold judgment for the time being, however, as this may be an improvement on the so-called “human condition.” 

Following this, the sub-collective escorted the offspring of the spark Ernalda to that spark’s nuptial activities.  During this, contact was made with a sentient bovine named “Blue”, who claimed to be the re-booted and upgraded bovine combatant formerly known as “Mooooo-SQUIRCH!”  A human/bovine relationship seems to have developed between Blue and ARGPROJVAR9237G (human, Rath), who claims to have initiated Blue into the priesthood of spark Stormbull.  These humans seem to have an unnatural attachment to their herd animals.

Subsequent to this, ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) proved himself a capable target for two (2) Aldrayami.  Further contact with the Aldrayami was aborted after direct Mostali intervention, causing the two (2) Aldrayami to abandon their mission objectives.  From there, the sub-collective further proved its unerring ability to attract a fecal-matter tempest when it came across a free-floating exothermic emitter otherwise known as a “Salamander.”  Fortunately, one of the humans was able to initiate the decontainment of a slightly inferior yet otherwise efficacious hydro-sufficient entity referred to as an “undine.”  Thermodynamic status quo was efficiently reestablished.

Afterwards, the sub-collective made on-going contact with a spark commonly identified as “Eurmal" who randomly assumed the guise of several individuals, including a gray bi-pedal rabbit in impractical formal attire, though without leggings of any kind, so as to afford all viewers an unimpeded view of its vastly over-sized pestle.  The sub-collective thought this droll; it’s the kind of humor generally associated with congenitally .49 witted individuals.   A far better source of joy is this:

Silver Mostali (as one seeking ingress through a portal): “Knock, knock.”

Lead Mostali (opening said portal after consulting the appropriate portal-opening checklist): “Who is it that is there?”

Silver Mostali: FUNCTIONING WORLD MACHINE!

Now that is funny.  And inevitable.  It’s funny because it’s inevitable.

In any event, not only was Eurmal able to appear as a phallically enhanced leporidae, but was also assumed the form of an Iron Mostali!   Worse, this “Mostali” mocked the inevitable restoration of the World Machine!  Before I could terminate this heretic, referred to as “Digby” (temp. nomenclature: ARGPROJRNDM10211-A (Mostali, Iron, Digby), he disappeared.  Fortunately, I was able to procure a container of nitrogenous waste.  I was sorely tempted to engage in immediate field analysis of said prankster poo, but I have instead included it for analysis by our Quicksilver Mostali.

Once at the nuptial ceremony, ARGPROJVAR3175X (human, Kat) demonstrated a predilection for copulation with the spark known as Niskis the Lover.  In a cultural experiment, I collected samples of various liquid and solid comestibles and have included them for analysis.  I was also introduced, by ARGPROJVAR8745V (human, Mhorhys) to REDACTED.  In the interest of furthering a FUNCTIONING WORLD MACHINE! we discussed REDACTED.  ARGPROJVAR8745V (human, Mhorhys), REDACTED sentient, has agreed to forward any correspondence.

After retrieving a bundled flora sample called a “bouquet,” the sub-collective began evac operations, but were intercepted by ARGPROJVARFOE 1356498-A708 (human, Willandring), who was quickly terminated, largely through Mostali intervention, though some assistance was provided by members of the sub-collective.  Afterwards, I was obligated to enter a Schroedinger State while the sub-collective returned to their domiciles and presented their bribes to the relevant authorities.    An account of events is contained in the after-action debriefing of ARGPROJVAR665DZ (human, Jak):

“In terms of what happened, we returned home with a bouqet [sic] of flowers and Willandring's head, both of which we presented to the Ernalda priestess and the assembled tribe/armies.  Jak was named King and attuned the crown Willandring dropped.  The Lunars (minus Laertes) insisted that Jak honor the treaty between the Lunar Empire and the Balmyr.  Jak invited them to suck his fat one.

Violence ensued, involving armies.  Some of their units switched sides, others (the Katori) abandoned the field of battle altogether.  The Lunars and their mercenaries were utterly destroyed.  Stone Ring fighters who surrendered and converted were forgiven and welcomed to the tribe. The rest were killed and their corpses hung on the city walls.”

At present, I am unsure as to what ARGPROJVAR665DZ (human, Jak) was referring when he invited the Lunars to “suck his fat one,” as all his appendages, on public display during his exchange of bodily fluids with the cow deity, seemed otherwise unremarkable.  He does own a number of well-fed cattle; perhaps he was referring to one of these.  [CAN’T ARGUE WITH THAT LOGIC.]

Finally, both ARGPROJPOT102A (human, Keener) and ARGPROJVAR8745V (human, Mhorhys) have requested instruction in the Mostali language/alphabet. 

In the sure and certain future of a FUNCTIONAL WORLD MACHINE, this concludes my report

 

Those are his conclusions.  Here are mine…

CONCLUSION: From this document we can infer:

1. Isidilian seems to have identified Keener as a potential liberator (Argrath) of Sartar.  The appearance of Argrath seems to be desirable to the Mostali as part of restoring a Functional World Machine.  Thus, our goals and that of the Mostali seem to be at least temporarily aligned. 

2. Though Hobe lacks cultural understanding, he is quite perceptive.  Additionally, he believes he can manipulate us into advancing his personal goals.

3. Jak does not have a large penis and mates with cows.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Classify this document.

2. Allow Hobe to believe he is in control of the situation to further exploit his abilities to advance our cause.  Curry favor by pretending a Functional World Machine is an interesting and desirable thing.

3. Stop having sex with livestock.

4. Do our best to further advance relations with Isidilian. The Dwarf for Dwarf Run has several very effective combat units, including the famed Cannon Cult.  Which my research suggests is every bit as badass as it sounds.

MM, LhM, SSHev, MJL, Gen. EfBH, FC/CIO FSF

[jajagappa]

7 hours ago, Djday45 said:

I am very curious to know about long term gms that use Glorantha as a setting, what their campaign was/is like? 

What system did you/ currently use?

where is it set?

what time period?

how long have you ran it?

how did you change the setting? Or did you keep to canon?

loads of questions are swirling in my mind as I prepare to take the plunge myself!

Running various Glorantha games on and off over the past 30 years.  These are the main 3:

1) Imther Campaign - ran 10 years (was an in-person game with sessions typically once per month; used RQ3)

Set in:  … Imther! Primarily but also included Sylila/Jillaro, Balazar, and a trek to Gonn Orta's castle.  Aside from the excursions into Balazar/Elder Wilds, it was largely my creation and was the material that appeared in my short-lived fanzine, New Lolon Gospel. 

Time period: 1616-1619, if I recall correctly.

Setting/canon: it built off of roughly two sentences in the old Griffin Mountain book: "Imther is another client state. It fell to the Conquering Daughter in 1347. Its barbarian population is mixed herders and farmers; the state controls the Imther Mountain mines."  That was all the "canon" I had, though Yelmalio was one of the primary gods (and evolved from Cults of Prax) and the Conquering Daughter writeup was based on the text of the Lunar Second Wane from Wyrms Footnotes #12.  A number of pieces from my campaign have subsequently become canon.

Note: as I commented on in Jason's Summoning Runequest GM's thread "Don't be afraid to create or add to Glorantha.  If you want or need a new myth, a new spell, a new cult, a new clan or city, add it.  It's your game - your personal touches will add to and enrich it for your players."

2) Orlmarth Campaign - running 4.5+ years now (a play-by-post game on RPGGeek using HQG)

Set in: Sartar.  Based on SKoH and HQG, plus material from a variety of other sources (including the Harvest Festival from old RQ3 Sun County) and whatever else I come up with.

Time period: 1617-1618 (so far)

Setting/canon: largely canonical, but I also create a fair bit (e.g. heroquest settings).

3) Into the Hero Wars Campaign - running 1.5+ years now (a play-by-post game on RPGGeek using the new RQG)

Set in: Sartar. Based on RQG, the Quickstart scenario, and RQG Bestiary/Adventures, plus older HQG material.

Time period: 1626 (so far)

Setting/canon: largely canonical, but as with my other Sartar campaign I tend to develop my own scenarios and expand on existing settings.

Other: also had a more short-lived Nochet Campaign using HQG. Drew on a lot of the Nochet-related material and maps I've put together (and which you can find searching in these forums). 

[ChalkLine]

I've been running them since '81, but in pre-internet Australia so many times I had to make do with limited knowledge. 

The Prax/Pavis game started with Borderlands and went from there as we scratched up information*. Over time the game focused on daily life as a mercenary treasure seeker in an ancient city and slowly morphed into a city living game. Characters came and went. The initial theme of resisting the imperials became more an investigation of what we thought the dynamics of the multi-layered city were. The concept of chaos subverting social structures and the various cultural methods of resisting that took off.

The sea-faring game was based on my long standing interest in ancient navigation. Nuances of The Closing really didn't feature in the game bit instead it was what life was like as as a merchant sailor in a world full of dangers and adventure. We never really dealt with the underseas peoples but rather the various exotic shores. A really under-utilised game I think that had so much possibility.

The sorcerers campaign was set in Western Ralios and was a quirky, Jack Vance style game that often focused on individual characters and their personalities more than anything else. This was where most 3rd part basic medieval fantasy was blended into the game and give Gloranthan flavour. Still a game that players reminisce over.

(*this constant struggle to get information is why retcons annoy me so much I think)

[Djday45]

I am trying to decide what type

of campaign to run and where? I must admit to feeling overwhelmed in the dragon pass region, mainly getting straight in my head all the differing tribes and clans of the Orlanthi. As a gm I usually like complexity and deep background but I am very afraid of getting the whole region wrong in some fundemental way. Perhaps these fears are unfounded and I know everyone says it’s my Glorantha to

do what I want with, but if I do run in Dragon Pass I want to get it somewhat right.

I have been instead toying with using Either Prax or The griffin mountain campaign as a start until I wrap my head around Dragon Pass.

I am using the new Runequest rules and my group apart from one player many years ago has no experience in Glorantha so that helps somewhat.

 

any advice?

Dean

 

 

[Sumath]

@Djday45 below is some advice I posted in a previous thread.

I'd say Borderlands is your best bet, as it's a structured seven-scenario campaign. The PDF on the Chaosium website is a steal, and it can also be used as an introduction to the Griffin Mountain campaign if you so choose...

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2019 at 12:40 PM, Sumath said:

If you are new to Glorantha I'd give three pieces of advice: 1. Don't try to read everything on these forums - it'll just confuse you. I'm reasonably familiar with Glorantha, but I find some of the discussions on these boards incredibly (and dare I say, pointlessly) esoteric, and these will mire you in doubt and confusion. 2. If you want to run a RQ campaign right now, you're probably better off ignoring the suggested RQG timeline of 1625, and buying a solid RQ2 supplement like Borderlands or Griffin Mountain, and running that with the RQG rules instead. The stats are all pretty much compatible, and those campaigns are tried and tested, and great introductions to Glorantha. The RQG stuff that's been published so far (e.g. the GM screen pack adventures) are fine, but there are only three RQG scenarios (four, if you use The Broken Tower), and there are no release dates for the next publications yet. 3. Get the Glorantha Sourcebook, rather than the Guide to Glorantha - the last thing a newbie should do is try to stick their head in an encyclopedia. It will shackle your imagination, and have you worrying about whether you're 'doing it right'. 

[Quackerjack]

2 yrs into a 1on1 campaign with my 9yr old son. Supplied him with a party: 1 Lhankor Mhy, 1 Issaries trader, a Storm Bull, a Humakti. He later switched the Humakti for a Humakti duck. I'm so proud!

Started using the FATE system and plundering the RQ2 scenarios (Trollpak, Borderlands). Ran River of Cradles/Troubled Waters, which I adore. Although it was awesome for magic (I let characters use runes as skills), It didn't have enough granularity for the combat so I switched to 13AiG when it became available. This is a rollicking combat system! It has that sense of danger and flavor from RQ2, only this time the PCs are truly heroic. Would love to do Snakepipe Hollow with 13AiG but the PCs are too busy beating up Lunars.  !Holy ship! moment when the duck took out the Greater Jackobear at Rabbit Hat Farm in one round. (350 HP) Was necessary, because the Storm Bull had been Harmonized. The Humakti are deadly but brittle, while the Storm Bull has different berserker powers every round and generally gets the most beat up of all the characters, only to shrug it all off at the end of the combat.

We also tested out a trickster, and are trying out a troll Hombobobom devotee. These are loads of fun. My son particularly liked the Fustercluck power (he has no idea) and he really got into the roleplaying by having the trickster run around in a panic for most of the combat. The Trickster class is IMHO a major contribution to Gloranthan roleplaying. Highly recommended. IF you can stand having a trickster in your party....

Trying to remain within the Canon, will probably have to handwave some dates. Avoiding major commitments by starting out with isolated scenarios. Now that I have a better sense of what we can both handle, am ready to integrate more firmly into Canon.

I also struggled with starting out. 7 year olds are not interested in reading a lot of background material and I don't have a lot of time for prep. In this sense, Troubled Waters, combined with Borderlands, is a very good starting point. Minimize the background stuff; say the characters are on the run and perhaps partly amnesiac, and have them get to know the world and the communities as they travel upriver. Now the party is planning to rescue Kallyr from a Lunar Hell (not Canon, obviously) and I plan to use that to shoehorn them into parts of the Colymar campaign from the Sartar Companion etc books. Tie them into a community etc.

[RHW]

5 hours ago, Djday45 said:

I do run in Dragon Pass I want to get it somewhat right.

any advice?

 

 

 

If you want to run Dragon Pass with new players and a relatively new GM, my advice is to put the characters into a clan that's geographically and culturally isolated from the rest of Sartar.

For my own campaign with players unfamiliar with Glorantha, I created a clan called the Treefell who were a little leftover bit of the Balmyr Tribe stuck up in the Quinvin Mountains between the Colymar lands and Highwyrm. Kjarten's Pool, which forms one border of their lands, has an enchantment/curse on it that makes it hard for people to remember it exists.

Additionally, the Treefell Clan has a secret... they survived the Dragonkill by hiding away and sacrificing to Eurmal. They've never left and they have special magic that, when invoked, makes their lands forgettable by outsiders. The Dragons didn't kill them because they forgot they were there.

The Treefell clan was devastated in the Conquest and reacted by invoking this special magic, cutting itself off as much as possible from the outside world. But there's a side effect of the magic... when it's in use, the clan members also tend to forget details about the outside world, the same way the outside world forgets about them. The only exception is on Trickster High Holy Day, when Tricksters from all over Sartar remember Treefell exists and come to Prattsted, their only town, to worship at the Eurmal shrine located behind the nearby Prattsfalls. (A triple shrine dedicated to Eurmal Adventurous (teaches Strike), Eurmal Thunderous (teachs Flatulence) and Eurmal Rex, Secret King of the Gods (Teaches Lie.)) 

The result of all that is the Treefell Clan members (when the campaign starts) are total bumpkins that haven't got a clue about the greater world, couldn't tell you the name of any of the major players in Sartar. So they're as confused and wide-eyed as the players when learning about Glorantha. Trouble starts when the spell fades during a particularly disastrous Eurmal Festival...

[Runeblogger]

8 hours ago, Djday45 said:

 I must admit to feeling overwhelmed in the dragon pass region, mainly getting straight in my head all the differing tribes and clans of the Orlanthi. As a gm I usually like complexity and deep background but I am very afraid of getting the whole region wrong in some fundemental way.

Don't worry, there is no right or wrong Glorantha. Seriously!  And remembering all the clans and tribes is by no means necessary. If I were you, I would:

- Start by running any of the published scenarios, like the GM Screen Pack, the RQ Quickstart, Borderlands, etc.

- Play the videogame King of Dragon Pass to get ideas of scenes that happen in the Orlanthi clan life.

Edited February 28, 2019 by Runeblogger

[g33k]

Has anyone made an R-map of the Sartar Clans?

[Joerg]

16 minutes ago, g33k said:

Has anyone made an R-map of the Sartar Clans?

An R-map of the clans is pretty impossible - while we have some canonical coverage for the Colymar and the Cinsina and some of their immediate neighbors, I don't think we ever saw say a canonical list of Sambarri, Aranwyth, Kheldon or Locaem clans.

One simple way to create a map would be to track the clans of origin for the wives (or uxorilocal husbands) of all clans you know.  It would tell you which clans either have good relations so that they would prefer to marry off their sisters there, or which have strained relationships which just might be improved by exchanging marriage partners. Exclusive marriage relationships like the remaining one from the Runegate Triaty do throw something of a spanner into this, but that goes for political relationships with clans other than the marriage partner, too.

Mapping out the relationships between the 24 tribes would be quite a piece of work already. While fairly often the relationship might be "too distant to matter", this alone creates a huge set of possible relationships. Multiplying the number of participants by six (for a median number of clans in the tribe, give or take one or two) would create orders of magnitude more potential relationships.

[soltakss]

On 2/26/2019 at 5:36 PM, Djday45 said:

I am very curious to know about long term gms that use Glorantha as a setting, what their campaign was/is like? 

What system did you/ currently use?

where is it set?

what time period?

how long have you ran it?

how did you change the setting? Or did you keep to canon?

loads of questions are swirling in my mind as I prepare to take the plunge myself!

I've run three long-term Gloranthan Campaigns.

The first was a RQ2 Campaign, as a multi-GM campaign, with each GM setting things in his own area. I used Prax or Dorastor, another used Pavis, another used Sartar and another used The Acid Pits. It was a freewheeling RQ2 campaign that did not have a lot of coherence but was a lot of fun. It was no canon, as we didn't have all the supplements and bought them as we went along. It lasted around 4 years.

The second was a continuation of the first, with fewer players, me as the single GM and used RQ3 rather than RQ2. It was set in Dorastor and Balazae and got grossly powerful. Just as much fun as the first campaign, but was pseudo-canonical, by which I mean that I generally followed canon but had to make a lot of stuff up, as the material just wasn't there. The PCs ended up killing Argrath, as he was a rival to one of the PCs, sending Harrek to a Lunar hell, as they accidentally killed him then realised he was a friend of Argrath, one became a Thanatar Hero, another became a Mistress Race Troll, another became High King of Balazar and was adopted by the Red Emperor. It lasted around 5 years.

The Third used a hybrid of RQ3 and a lot of other stuff and followed member of a Pavic Street Gang, the Firemakers, who did a few things in Pavis, went to the Wastes, had parts of their body turned into copper, became penal mercenaries for the Lunars, became policemen in Sun County, became River Voices, brought back a whole host of deities (The original River Voices, Tada, Pavis, Sartar, Tarkalor and Genert. They brought back Orlanth from the dead, even though they specifically said they didn't want to on many occasions, they purged the Crimson Bat of Chaos, rescued a True Dragon from the Crimson Bat's stomach, put the Boat Planet into the Sky, led a Death Cradle down the River of Cradles, followed by the Cradle from the scenario, made one of the PCs into King Arkat, made another into the Queen of Prax and Tada's wife and made Mello Yello Sun County Ambassador to Monkey Ruins, King of Dragon Pass and Sun Dragon Emperor of Dara Happa, which is when the players decided they couldn't top that and brought the campaign to and end. It was semi-canonical, as I had to take things from King of Sartar and various other places, extend them and invent a lot of stuff to fit around it. It lasted around 13 years.

[Puckohue]

Around 1990 I ran a campaign in Dragon Pass using RQ3. What I remember: the Apple Lane scenarios, escorting a merchant to the Troll lands in the north (Troll Pak?), heading east towards Pavis, making a stop at the Block. Getting everybody killed attacking a far superior enemy.

I had the Avalon Hill RQ3 books, no more, no less. Tried to understand the stuff that wasn't really explained (like heroquesting) and had a lot of fun. It was as canon as I could.

[Kloster]

On 2/28/2019 at 10:53 PM, g33k said:

Has anyone made an R-map of the Sartar Clans?

Sorry, but what is an R-map?

[g33k]

1 hour ago, Kloster said:

Sorry, but what is an R-map?

Relationship-map, a tool popular with some writers, gamers, etc.  Also usable in other areas where relationships (between individuals & organizations &c) can be very complex & confusing & become wall-of-text-y.

[jajagappa]

2 hours ago, g33k said:

Relationship-map, a tool popular with some writers, gamers, etc.

There are some good examples for the Game of Thrones on the web.

Also The Coming Storm includes a number of relationship maps to highlight different groups and factions.

[Noita]

Current one has been running for 5 years, uses a homebrewed RQ2, is set in Prax with the characters being from a Bison Clan and affiliated Rhino Clan. They kill folk and take their stuff, argue amongst themselves and steal anything not hobbled. Typical Praxian teenagers.

[Bill the barbarian]

On 2/28/2019 at 6:44 AM, Sumath said:

If you are new to Glorantha I'd give three pieces of advice: 1. Don't try to read everything on these forums - it'll just confuse you. I'm reasonably familiar with Glorantha, but I find some of the discussions on these boards incredibly (and dare I say, pointlessly) esoteric, and these will mire you in doubt and confusion. 2. If you want to run a RQ campaign right now, you're probably better off ignoring the suggested RQG timeline of 1625, and buying a solid RQ2 supplement like Borderlands or Griffin Mountain, and running that with the RQG rules instead. The stats are all pretty much compatible, and those campaigns are tried and tested, and great introductions to Glorantha. The RQG stuff that's been published so far (e.g. the GM screen pack adventures) are fine, but there are only three RQG scenarios (four, if you use The Broken Tower), and there are no release dates for the next publications yet. 3. Get the Glorantha Sourcebook, rather than the Guide to Glorantha - the last thing a newbie should do is try to stick their head in an encyclopedia. It will shackle your imagination, and have you worrying about whether you're 'doing it right'. 

All great bits of advice that I feel suit me to a tee as well, Get one of the sandbox PDFs  (the two that Sumath recommends or Pavis/Big Rubble for an Urban/Dungeon sandbox might be a good choice as well)  I think that you will have to tease the NPCs stats up a little to be able to deal with the junior superheroes that RQ G character generation creates or if you run smaller parties like I do leave them as is.

So on to the question of the thread

Ran a 6 year multiplayer campaign starting in RQ2, ending in RQ 3 (I was looking forward to RQ 4 AIG but...) that travelled across 400 km of central Alberta (ItRW) and from Sartar to Pavis, down and around the River of Cradles with a stint with Duke Raus, finishing with a beginning I did not get to run or play for more that a dozen games in Balaza (a deep regret). The games were a combination of modules and what ever problems/brilliant ideas or totally random side trips the PCs came up with. Generally, I find running a game of RQ,  if I'm lucky and paying attention to and catching what the players are really doing and saying, the games usually sidetrack at the PCs whims. Makes the modules last longer (thus being more economical) and be more tailored or personalized to the PCs actions.

Cheers

[PoppySeed45]

Recently started a campaign set in Dragon Pass for Blorantha newbies. We started with a small, isolated Orlanthi clan situated near Clearwine, that hates Lunars but is iffy on the tribes nearby.

I started the game in HQG but found the rule set not crunchy enough and hard to GM; had an internal debate about switching to RQG (which I got recently), but have opted for Mythras instead, which We will play the first time next weekend. My only issue is, how to start: we are picking up where we left off in the campaign, but I mean, do I start with a quick combat scene, or some other scene (just to give them a chance to roll some dice and see how some things work).

[Noita]

On 3/10/2019 at 8:38 AM, StanTheMan said:

Recently started a campaign set in Dragon Pass for Blorantha newbies. We started with a small, isolated Orlanthi clan situated near Clearwine, that hates Lunars but is iffy on the tribes nearby.

I started the game in HQG but found the rule set not crunchy enough and hard to GM; had an internal debate about switching to RQG (which I got recently), but have opted for Mythras instead, which We will play the first time next weekend. My only issue is, how to start: we are picking up where we left off in the campaign, but I mean, do I start with a quick combat scene, or some other scene (just to give them a chance to roll some dice and see how some things work).

Mid combat always works for me. In the middle of a raid either against another clan or defending their home from a raid. Could be Trolls, pesky elves or even your friendly Lunar tax man.

[ChalkLine]

5 hours ago, Iskallor said:

Mid combat always works for me. In the middle of a raid either against another clan or defending their home from a raid. Could be Trolls, pesky elves or even your friendly Lunar tax man.

Always a good idea.
Start with action as it ties the group together, gives them a reason to feel happy with group actions and is thrilling and investing