Starter adventures timing

[klecser]

Do all of the Starter adventures take place after the Dragonrise? I'm going to use the opening text from Broken Tower "introducing" Glorantha to my players, even though I will be running Cattle Raid. Is it even worth mentioning the Dragonrise on the first adventure or is that too much information early on?

This is NOT an invitation for you to muse about your favorite nuances of Glorantha lore. I am asking a practical GMing question.   😜 

Edited May 31, 2019 by klecser

[Rojo]

If you are playing in Sartar, and after the Dragonrise, of course you should mention to your player. It´s the biggest history changer after the conquest of the Kingdom (not mentioning the huge amount of people who saw the Dragon in the sky, IIRC).

[soltakss]

Any scenario can start whenever you want, unless it specifically refers to an event that has already happened, an event that happens during the course of the scenario or an event that will happen in the future.

I haven't read the official scenarios, in the vague hope that I'll be able to play in one sometime, so cannot advise on specifics.

 

 

[klecser]

Not quite what I'm asking. I'll clarify. Is the level of detail of mentioning the Dragonrise doing more to risk overwhelming at a starter table than just jumping right into an adventure?

[g33k]

2 choices, really (IMHO)...

• Narrow-focus on the cattle raid and the issues around it (iirc largely non-Lunar?), leaving all the broader setting stuff for another time
• Give an outline of Sartar/Lunar relations, which would have to include the Dragonrise

I think you need to gauge your own table to see what's going to sell.

[Joerg]

2 hours ago, g33k said:

2 choices, really (IMHO)...

• Narrow-focus on the cattle raid and the issues around it (iirc largely non-Lunar?), leaving all the broader setting stuff for another time
• Give an outline of Sartar/Lunar relations, which would have to include the Dragonrise

I think you need to gauge your own table to see what's going to sell.

Before the Dragonrise, you have some representation of the Lunar occupation forces about everywhere. Afterwards, all these representations are soon gone. Basically, before the Dragonrise, Sartar is an occupied kingdom. After the Battle of Dangerford, its liberation is confirmed.

The difference should be momentous, and tangible.

 

[Bill the barbarian]

5 hours ago, klecser said:

Do all of the Starter adventures take place after the Dragonrise? I'm going to use the opening text from Broken Tower "introducing" Glorantha to my players, even though I will be running Cattle Raid. Is it even worth mentioning the Dragonrise on the first adventure or is that too much information early on?

 

Keep in mind that this might be the equivalent of Nagasaki, and Hiroshima combined. Except the raids were launched by Australia with the only nukes they would ever get, and the US is no where in sight . Thankfully they managed to wipe out a majority of the Empire's magic and provincial military force throwing Tarsh into rebellion, ending a generation of occupation and now they have remnants of the empire's very divided (thankfully) attention.

I would mention it without doubt. If not immediately the very first down time after the initial adventure.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Bill the barbarian

[Bill the barbarian]

On top of the tales and visuals of a 5 mile long dragon eating an army and rising up into the air after emerging/exploding from a mountain within the past two years causing mass PTSD and a great many nations to fear dragon kind.

Edited May 31, 2019 by Bill the barbarian

[Austin]

5 hours ago, klecser said:

Is the level of detail of mentioning the Dragonrise doing more to risk overwhelming at a starter table than just jumping right into an adventure?

While there really is too much detail generally with Glorantha to introduce without inducing migraines, I'd start your table with the Dragonrise. Don't get into the politics of it, not really (unless someone asks, of course!). I'd treat it sort of as a video game cutscene--here's the cool, over-the-top hook, the biggest baddest flashiest magic anyone's seen in centuries, and no one's sure how to feel about it. But right now that doesn't matter because those assholes on the other side of the hill are nicking our cows and generally being the slimy little jerks they've been since their trickster took a dump on your great-great-grampy's porch.

The Dragonrise is a really cool, exciting hook, but I think the consequences of it are too much to dig into. Give it like two minutes, say it almost ate the bad god's Red Moon, that the earthquake probably knocked down some homes for a personal touch (IIRC everything within ~30km got shook according to the Glorantha Sourcebook so I think that's most Colymar lands?) then move on.

[Bill the barbarian]

8 minutes ago, Crel said:

But right now that doesn't matter because those assholes on the other side of the hill are nicking our cows and generally being the slimy little jerks they've been since their trickster took a dump on your great-great-grampy's porch.

Dragons or not, a fellows got to have his priorities,  Sheep must be grazed, calves must be birthed, life does carry on. Good call.

[klecser]

Thank you Crel and Bill for giving examples of how to make it come alive!

[jajagappa]

9 hours ago, klecser said:

Do all of the Starter adventures take place after the Dragonrise?

Yes, they are all set after the Dragonrise.

9 hours ago, klecser said:

Is it even worth mentioning the Dragonrise on the first adventure or is that too much information early on?

IMO, yes, as it sets the scene that this is a world where monstrous and fantastic beasts exist, and not just in legend.

But it's also not something you need to extensively elaborate on.

My Broken Tower run started with this: "In the wake of the great event known collectively wherever you've travelled as the Dragonrise, you have returned home to your clan, the Ernaldori. Despite the wars of liberation, they have survived, but as with other clans you've encountered, all struggle to retain and restore wealth lost of the Lunar occupation. There are clans that have suffered far more though."

[jajagappa]

My second scenario was a bit more elaborate (and I had both continuing and new players for that). To open that one, I borrowed the Flashback technique used in SKoH:

Flashback: Earthseason 1625

Since the Great Winter 3+ years ago when mighty Orlanth, King of the Gods and Lord of Storms, and blessed Ernalda, his Queen and Mother of the Earth, were killed by Lunar magicians and imprisoned in Hell, you all have fought in the wars of liberation. Your efforts were rewarded. Ernalda was freed first, and her blessings returned to the lands (at least those who did not succumb to the temptations of the Lunar Empire). At the Battle of Pennel Ford in 1624, Orlanth was fully freed as well and the Lunar Empire suffered a major defeat. But the Lunar Empire is never far away and their forces are legion.

Late last year, the Lunar Empire attempted a great ritual to complete their conquest of the kingdom of Sartar. It is said that their ritual would have completed a great Lunar temple that would bring the light of the Red Moon fully across the land of Dragon Pass and imprison Orlanth and Ernalda once again.

Rumors are many about what happened and who participated, but a band loyal to Kallyr Starbrow, heir to the Kingdom of Sartar, took mythic paths to enter into the Lunar ritual. They summoned a Dragon to the ritual. Not some small dragon that some sages name Dream Dragons, but one of the ones that are called True Dragons.

It is said by many that the dragon was unknown. The mouth was not small. The first bite swallowed the choreographer, most of the Lunar sorcerers, most of a regiment of hoplites, and a large portion of the onlookers. The dragon sank back underground as if the earth were water, and then rose again and swallowed the most powerful Lunar magicians who led the ceremony; another regiment and a half, and a smaller part of the panicked mob. A third bite got the last of the priests and a good part of the new buildings. With a fourth bite, it swallowed the part of the building which had held the sacred Moonstone. Then it turned over once, knocking down everyone for twenty miles around, and left above itself a crack in the earth which stretched for ten miles. In one moment, half the Empire’s military might was destroyed. Many of the Empire’s greatest leaders, including Appius Luxius, Tatius the Bright, and Enerian Scarlet, and even King Kangharl, leader of your Colymar tribe, were lost forever. That's what the rumors said.

What you, and all in Dragon Pass saw, was the dragon rising up into the sky, revealing its impossible size – it was over 10 miles long! It flew up high into the Middle Air towards the Red Moon. You and others saw the great dragon fly north to obscure the Red Moon. It turned aside, though, and then the True Dragon spiraled around Dragon Pass, circled Mount Kero Fin and then returned to the huge crevice it had made where once stood the New Lunar Temple. You, and all those you were with, felt Fear. Fear that the True Dragons were awake again and active in the world. Across Dragon Pass, ancient draconic powers and associations quiescent since the Empire of Wyrms Friends fell centuries ago were awakened.

To the north, with the cream of the Lunar Provincial Administration gone, many of the Lunar provinces have erupted in revolt.

In light of these omens, changes have come to the clans of the Colymar tribe. Most noticeably Leika "Ballista", a hero who helped King Broyan of the Volsaxi to slay the dreaded Crimson Bat, has returned as Queen of the tribe after a 10 year exile. She prepares the tribe for great challenges as the Hero Wars begin.

It is now 1626, not even a year after the Dragonrise, but already things long hidden stir and rise.

[klecser]

Spectacular.

[soltakss]

On 5/31/2019 at 3:07 PM, klecser said:

I'll clarify. Is the level of detail of mentioning the Dragonrise doing more to risk overwhelming at a starter table than just jumping right into an adventure?

It might do and, in my opinion, it should.

To quote Avatar, "And when we destroy it, we will blast a crater in their racial memory so deep, that they won't come within 1,000 klicks of this place ever again." The Dragonrise brings back a True Dragon, this also brings back racial memory of The Dragonkill, an event so awesome that it gives people of the area the Fear Dragons trait/Passion. Seeing a True Dragon rise again brings it all back, racial PTSD.

Now, PCs might be Heroes in the Making, so might not worry about a True Dragon appearing, which is all well and good. However, as other people have mentioned, the political landscape of Dragon Pass changes after the Dragonrise.