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Upgrading Rainbow Mounds


Tywyll

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So I was thinking of adding the Rainbow Mounds to my Griffin Island game. Has anyone done anything to update it to the new, higher skill level, characters and builds? If no, any advice on changes I should consider?

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23 hours ago, PhilHibbs said:

Some parts of the Rainbow Mounds are quite dangerous enough as they are!

I don't know... versus a group of characters that can toss rune magic around and have 80-100% in some combat stats?

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Hiya,

I'm running Rainbow Mounds now for my FLGS game group as a post-Dragonrise version (after-Whiteye), modified to fit my IMG campaign requirements.

I first converted RQ2 stat blocks from the original scenario to RQG, incorporating changes from the RQG Bestiary, added Runes and Passions where appropriate, and tuned ability scores to bring them in line with the RQG Bestiary. I like a little randomness, so I classified creatures/NPCs as inexperienced (1d3-1) or experienced (1d6-1) and rolled for those abilities I felt may have gained from experience. To keep things simple, I multiplied the result by 5% (but you could easily make that 3% or roll 1d6% -- I simply didn't want to go overboard with converting things).

Once that was done, I revisited key areas in the Mounds and updated found items, treasure, traps, and added a few new areas.

In terms of scaling to meet RQG character levels? I had that in mind, but for this exercise (in lieu of guidelines on power level and adventures from the forthcoming GM book), I am using this adventure (and the conversion format) as a means of tuning encounters for my player group. If they cakewalk, then I can add +5 or 10% and measure again from there; if the other way, I can subtract -5 or -10%.

While all experienced gamers, none of my players have played RuneQuest in the past (they seem to be loving it, which is good), so I have the advantage of them not having prior knowledge PLUS they are still learning game mechanics, so a lower in-game threat level is not a bad thing. Reworking the Mounds to a later date gave me the chance to change some things, but for the most part I've retained the original adventure format for ease of book-keeping and reference.

I hope this was at least passingly helpful!

Kind regards, James 

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Interesting. Well, I'm definitely going to make Whiteeye an Initiate, probably without around 6 rune points. If they make it to the great lizard, I'm going to give her around 10 rune points of earth related magic. 

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1 hour ago, Tywyll said:

Interesting. Well, I'm definitely going to make Whiteeye an Initiate

Given the Troll info in the RQG Bestiary and the info in the scenario, Whiteye is a troll Bandit and a Zorak Zoran initiate.

1 hour ago, Tywyll said:

If they make it to the great lizard, I'm going to give her around 10 rune points of earth related magic. 

I'm interested in what Lizard Earth magic looks like.

I'd also recommend searching this forum as this isn't the first time using the Rainbow Mounds has come up:

https://basicroleplaying.org/search/?q="Rainbow Mounds"

 

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14 hours ago, David Scott said:

Given the Troll info in the RQG Bestiary and the info in the scenario, Whiteye is a troll Bandit and a Zorak Zoran initiate.

Yeah, that was my plan basically.

14 hours ago, David Scott said:

I'm interested in what Lizard Earth magic looks like.

I'd also recommend searching this forum as this isn't the first time using the Rainbow Mounds has come up:

https://basicroleplaying.org/search/?q="Rainbow Mounds"

 

Earth Magic wise I figured I'd have some summon/command Gnome, Crack, and whatever Maran Gor has. Might dig through GoG and see if there are other earth gods I could crib from. 

That or maybe I could give her Dragon Magic. There is the whole Dragonewt thing that isn't really explored in the module. 

Also I dug out my Avalon Hill version (totally forgot I even had it) and in there the monsters and things have slightly/majorly increased skill percentages so I will probably use those for the goons.

Last night my party got jumped by the rock lizards thanks to one of them fumbling a move quietly roll. He nearly lost his arm in the first round (bad for someone in a cult based on Yelmalio!!!). But they rallied and took the lizards down. 

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18 hours ago, Anunnaki said:

I like a little randomness, so I classified creatures/NPCs as inexperienced (1d3-1) or experienced (1d6-1) and rolled for those abilities I felt may have gained from experience. To keep things simple, I multiplied the result by 5%

Just to be sure I understand your process, you took the percentage already present in the old adventure, then added either (1D3-1)x5 or (1D6-1)x5 to the existing percentage? Ex, Reek, a trollkin, had Poky Stick 20% in an old adventure. Rolled a 3 on D3, so gained 10% to have Poky Stick 30% in your RQG conversion?

Thank you. :)

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2 hours ago, Crel said:

Just to be sure I understand your process, you took the percentage already present in the old adventure, then added either (1D3-1)x5 or (1D6-1)x5 to the existing percentage? Ex, Reek, a trollkin, had Poky Stick 20% in an old adventure. Rolled a 3 on D3, so gained 10% to have Poky Stick 30% in your RQG conversion?

Thank you. :)

That's it. If a creature was using the base RQ2 stat line and the RQG Bestiary stat line was different, I adjusted those first (the Bestiary, in the example of trollkin, has Runes and Passions and more Skills). Then modified for ability category modifiers. Then I applied some randomness. To be fair, I could have just added +10 all round, or another arbitrary value, but I like to roll a few dice as well. Not saying it's a "perfect system" ... just relatively quick and adequate for my needs. I converted everything in the adventure in just a few hours.

If this is useful for people, would you like me to drop a before and after example up? :)

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1 hour ago, Anunnaki said:

If this is useful for people, would you like me to drop a before and after example up? :)

Yes please. I'm more likely to add a flat +10-15% myself, but I'm always interested in seeing other's ideas. 

 

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Hope this makes sense and formatting doesn't mangle too badly.

Assumption is that you have the RQ2 Core Rulebook, RQ2 Apple Lane, RQG Rulebook, and RQG Bestiary.

I've taken a rock lizard and a trollkin from the Rainbow Mounds scenario as examples.

 

RQ2: Rock Lizard One

STR 14     CON 10    SIZ 7         Right Hind Leg        01-02       3/2
POW 11   DEX 11                       Left Hind Leg           03-04       3/2
                                                      Hindquarters           05-07       3/4
Mov 4                                          Forequarters            08-10       3/4
Hit Points 9                                Right Fore Leg        11-13       3/2
Defense 00%                             Left Fore Leg           14-16       3/2
                                                      Head                          17-20       3/3

Armor: 3 point skin.

Claw                           35%          1D6+1D4                  SR 9
Bite                             30%          1D10+1D4               SR 9

Notes: Base RQ2 is Claw+Bite 25%; No Attack bonus; Claw +10%, Bite +5% from base profile. Errata: This lizard shouldn’t have a damage bonus…

 

RQG: Rock Lizard One

STR 14     CON 10    SIZ 7         Tail                              01-03       3/2
POW 11   DEX 11                       Right Hind Leg        04-05       3/2
                                                      Left Hind Leg           06-07       3/2
Hit Points 9                                Hindquarters           08-11       3/4
Magic Points 6                          Forequarters            12-15       3/4
Move 4                                        Right Fore Leg        16             3/2
Base SR 4                                    Left Fore Leg           17             3/2
                                                      Head                          18-20       3/3

Armor: 3-point skin.
Skills: Hide 60%, Smell Prey 55%

Notes: Perception +0%, Stealth +5%; Use RQG Bestiary base skill scores. Apply category mods. Added d3-1 x5% for variability, in order (+5%, +5%).

Claw                           45%          1D6                            SR 8
Bite                             35%          1D10                          SR 8

Notes: Use base profiles from RQG (25% each, same as RQ2). Apply Claw +10%, Bite +5% from RQ2 scenario profile; Added d3-1 x5% to each for variability (+10%, +5%). No damage modifier for STR+SIZ.

 

RQ2: Smort, Male Trollkin

STR 13     CON 10    SIZ 7         Right Leg                  01-04       3/3
INT 7        POW 5     DEX 12     Left Leg                     05-08       3/3
CHA 5                                           Abdomen                 09-11       3/3
Mov 5                                          Chest                         12             3/4
Hit Points 9                                Right Arm                 13-15       3/2
Defense 00%                             Left Arm                    16-18       3/2
                                                      Head                          19-20       3/3

Armor: 1 point skin, 2 point leather.
Spells: None
Skills: Spot Hidden Items 35%

Notes: Base RQ2 trollkin profile is 45% Spot Hidden. Smort has a -5% Perception bonus, so the math is borked here. Note there is a marked difference between RQ2 and RQG for base scores (45% vs 20%). I opted to use the RQG scores and ignore the difference (feel free to add 20-25% to RQG scores if you must). RQG trollkin got less good at spotting things.. :) 

2H Long Spear        25%          1D10                          SR 6          10 pts
1H Light Mace         20%          1D6                            SR 8          20 pts
Sling                           25%          1D8                            SR 3
Small Shield             25%          -                                   -                 8 pts

Notes: Attack bonus -5%, Parry bonus 0%; These scores are modified from the trollkin base scores in the core rulebook, so rather than reinvent the wheel for RQG, I used the RQG Bestiary base scores and went from there. Trollkin spear damage s/be 1D10+1 and light mace s/be 1D6+2 (errata-esque).

 

RQG: Smort, Male Trollkin

STR 13     CON 10    SIZ 7         Right Leg                  01-04       3/3
INT 7        POW 5     DEX 12     Left Leg                     05-08       3/3
CHA 5                                           Abdomen                 09-11       3/3
Hit Points 9                                Chest                         12             3/4
Magic Points 5                          Right Arm                 13-15       3/2
Move 6                                        Left Arm                    16-18       3/2
Base SR 5                                    Head                          19-20       3/3

Armor: 1-point skin, 2-point leather.
Passions: Loyalty (Parents) 60%

Notes: In mounds scenario these are Whiteye’s and Slud’s children, so they will likely be loyal to them. Add 1d3-1 x5% for variability (+0%)

Runes: Darkness 45%

Notes: Add 1d3-1 x5% for variability (+5%)

Spells: None
Skills: Darksense Scan 15%, Darksense Search 50%, Dodge 25%, Hide 35%, Listen 30%, Move Quietly 25%, Scan 20%, Search 25%
Languages: Speak Darktongue 45%

Notes: Agility +0%, Communication -5%, Knowledge -5%, Manipulation -5%, Perception -5%, Stealth 0%. Use RQG Bestiary base scores. Apply category modifiers. Add 1d3-1 x5% for variability, each Skill/Language in order (+0%, +5%, +0%, +10%, +0%, +0%, +5%, +5%, +0%)

2H Short Spear        30%          1D8+1                       SR 6          10 pts
1H Light Mace         35%          1D6+2                       SR 8          6 pts
Sling                           25%          1D8                            SR 3          80m
Small Shield             35%          1D3                            SR 8          8 pts

Notes: RQG trollkin usually have a 1H Short Spear, but trollkin in mounds scenario have a 2H Long Spear, so I “split the difference”. Manipulation -5. Use RQG base scores. Apply category mod. Add 1d3-1 x5% for variability, in order (+5%, +10%, +0%, +10%)

 

Note that these scores don't vary much from the bases in the RQG Bestiary. As noted in an earlier post, I'm experimenting to find a "sweet spot" based on my players' general scores. You can certainly adopt an "add additional +X" to these if you think you need them. You know your players best. :)

FYI, I crank these out and format them in a Word document for in-game use, rather than convert on-the-fly.

Hope this helps!

Kind regards, James

 

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Thanks @Kloster! For trollkin and rock lizards, however, the rolled stats are the same for both RQ2 and RQG, so I left the RQ2 stats as is.

But you triggered a thought that I should have added a note though: Compare the rolled stats between the two versions and adjust if necessary. :)

Good call for human NPC conversions!!!!! 

 

Edited by Anunnaki
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27 minutes ago, Kloster said:

According to RQG p 433, INT and SIZ should be upped a little because of 3D6 that becomes 2D6+6: SIZ 7 is now SIZ 10.

For the rest, good work.

None of these are humans. The SIZ dice roll was changed to leave more "room at the bottom" below the human scale, for example the smallest trollkin should be smaller than the smallest human.

Edited by PhilHibbs
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1 hour ago, PhilHibbs said:

None of these are humans. The SIZ dice roll was changed to leave more "room at the bottom" below the human scale, for example the smallest trollkin should be smaller than the smallest human.

My mistake for the size, but superior and elite trollkins have 2D6+6 INT in RQIII (from memory) and RQG.

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12 minutes ago, Kloster said:

My mistake for the size, but superior and elite trollkins have 2D6+6 INT in RQIII (from memory) and RQG.

No mistake with INT. 3D6 INT for Superior Trollkin in RQ2 (which is the edition I've been converting from -- not because I don't have RQ3, just because RQG is primarily based on RQ2 lineage, so I opted for using RQ2 materials where they exist).

Edited by Anunnaki
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3 hours ago, Kloster said:

My mistake for the size, but superior and elite trollkins have 2D6+6 INT in RQIII (from memory) and RQG.

RQ3 superior Trollkin had 3D6 INT, Book of Uz p7. RQG indeed gives them 2D6+6. Smort doesn't look particularly superior to me, though.

image.png.c0aa8c914a1f349c9df172dba52a61b7.png

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5 hours ago, Anunnaki said:

Yeah. "Not so Smort..." :D (Sorry, couldn't resist.) And yes, I assumed the trollkin in the mounds scenario are all normal trollkin, as it predates Trollpak's release.

Surely you jest (waiting patiently... hold rimshot...)

Superior Trollkin do not predate Trollpak. The curse was not canonical until then? Wow, Sandy was a busy boy, and a hell of a product too. But are you sure?

(still waiting...)

Edited by Bill the barbarian

... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast!

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Heh heh. "Smorty-pants." :P Jest another trollkin pun here. :)

I'm not saying the Rainbow Mounds trollkin aren't or can't be superior trollkin, but Apple Lane was published long before Trollpak came out and the stat blocks align with the core rulebook stats, not those in Trollpak. Of course, my mind does wander to the fact that their mother is a cave troll and ponders any implications from that. But at this point, we're getting OT from "upgrading Rainbow Mounds stats to RQG stats" and perhaps that should be a separate topic on "What have you done to make Rainbow Mounds your own adventure In Your Glorantha?"

All good fun though!

Disclaimer: No trollkin were intentionally harmed in the writing of this reply, food trollkin excepted. (Humans, don't eat the meat.)

Edited by Anunnaki
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Another thing I would like to see is what people did with those three weird artifacts in the treasure room. I would like to make them into something usable by the players (even if with difficulty) rather than just weird 'don't touch me' gotchas!

 

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At the end of our game on Thursday, the PCs had just got into the treasure room.

SPOILER ALERT FOR MY PLAYERS JUST IN CASE ARIM & PENRALTAN'S PLAYERS COME HERE 

...

...

...

I've decided to not define the leaf that hurts you when you touch it any further unless one of us has a sudden inspiration later. It's just one of those mysterious things.

I decided not to include the jewelled rod that makes the cave collapse. I felt that three mysterious things (the adamatine pillar, the leaf and the statue) were enough for me.

I wanted to tie some of the other stuff into other happenings and give them some connections:

The statue, though the players and PCs haven't realised it yet, is a statue of Orgorvale. They'll recognise it if they encounter her at the Queen's Tomb, or if they see another depiction somewhere else. Maybe at Ulaninstead if we end up on a side trek there, as one of the PCs is a Pol-Joni.

They haven't touched the adamantine pillar yet. Thanks to the connection to the dragonewt plinth above, which I decided to play up by describing the pillar as inscribed with draconic runes and carvings. Disturbing this will draw the attention of dragonewts. If there is time in the next session, they'll arrive with uncanny speed and be waiting for the PCs when they exit the caves. If not, I'll have them turn up at some inconvenient moment in future. I bet Minaryth Purple would love to get a look at that pillar if he hears about the draconic stuff...

If the PCs take a proper look at it, I must remember to give them an experience check in draconic lore. Whether they want it or not! 😉

I also decided to tie in the missing eye of the newtling ancestor idol to the Boat Planet. If ever we play long enough for the PCs to join the Boat Rise heroquest, when they see the blue planet in the sky they will be able to  reach up and pluck the newtling's eye from the sky.

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7 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said:

Two days a pun opportunity like this sits amidst you and no one says,

I do not jest and quit calling me Shirley!

Just waiting to see how long it took for you to give in before exploding.

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