Glorantha

>house rules
It's the DM job to define difficulties and how to resolve a contest. If he decides something always in the same manner and writes a house rule about it, then it's okay.

There were no more masteries and everything was on a smaller scale. No more relative difficulties everything was static (from what I understand Hero Wars and maybe even first edition of Hero Quest was like that, but one thing I like about HQ2 is relative difficulties).

I had a file somewhere with all of the house rules. Not going to say they were bad, just weren't for me. I was still willing to give them a shot but the game never got past character creation.

>glorantha

I always wonder how people manage to crawl over a hundred better settings to arrive at this one.

By playing that cool video game.

Blame Dragon Pass, it's a decent vidya (also available for mobile now) advertising the setting.

>Hundred better settings.
Name a few, I can find plenty of funnier to play on but as well researched and with the wealth of history of glorantha ? Tolkien nad Perhaps Tekumel.

Nice trolling!

That being said, don't know if it's better or not since I don't know much about it but I want to give Tekumel another shot.Last time I played I was just an NPC for one session that got killed by a giant beetle.

But that game is terrible. It's like it was made by people with zero experience, and it once you figure out how the game works it becomes as dull as the setting.

Bronze age plus the most boring magic and duck people. What a sell.

It's a good game.

>Bronze age plus the most boring magic and duck people. What a sell.
Oh, so you're just an idiot, not a troll? Got it.

People actually hate on the Ducks.

>bronze age
Early iron age
>boring magic
Which one? RQ2 is different from RQ3 is different from HW is different from HQ.
>duck people
Durulz, you monkey ass.

Is there a source that concentrates on the different gods and their cults?

For the whole setting or for a region? I've never read it but Cults of Prax goes over the cults of Prax.

There are also non-game books.
The Book of Heortling Mythology
Esrolia: The Land of Ten Thousand Goddesses (alsot a region book in general)
Arcane Lore (book on Heroquesting)
The Glorious Reascent of Yelm
Revealed Mythologies (Malkioni, Vithelans, and Doraddi)

The Guide to Glorantha has some religion stuff in it, but I wouldn't call that concentrated.

At the moment, you'll probably be wanting either Gods of Glorantha or the Cult Compendium. Both are kind of out of date, but they're what we have at the moment.
mediafire.com/folder/32gagythv5xj8/Runequest#767b839tol92t
mega.nz/#F!6clxgJzA!obfBdwsL0AYDCdxaTxFaLw

Sweet.

Can someone tell me why Ducks are terrible but Dwarves and halflings are OK?

>why Ducks are terrible but Dwarves and halflings are OK?
Only those poor souls trapped in the meme hell that is D&D think this way.

Start here, user:
chaosium.com/blog/designing-the-new-runequest-part-1/

Don't you have better things to do than shit up every Glorantha thread on tg?

>pic related

Still don't get why Ducks are hated. They're a fun part of the setting.

I don't think it's DnD's fault, they have dragon-people, and living robots. Hell 4e even came out with crystal golems or something.

I don't really get it either, but I'm pretty sure it's because it makes people think of Donald Duck.

I've never really had an issue with them: they're a small and insignificant part of the setting, and with all the other weird stuff in Glorantha I don't think they're particularly noteworthy other than the fuss always raised about them.

You should note that you can really break Runequest if you have a character with a strong concept going in.

>and with all the other weird stuff in Glorantha I don't think they're particularly noteworthy other than the fuss always raised about them
Yep. I find Jack o' Bears and Walktopi much weirder.

Have you embraced Sedenya? We Are All Us.

Care to elaborate?

They're less hated, and more just
ridiculed. They instantly dissolve any respect the setting might have.

It's like what an old man would throw into a story after someone told him it was stuffy and boring. Because duck people are wacky and fun.

So it's because people dislike fun things in their settings?

I'm still coming to the realization that some people are too autistic to do anything other than what exactly is in a book word for word.

I view it as one of those things you expect in a civilization that doesn't have a great idea of what's around them. A lot of stories about Alexander the Great's mythical adventures feature weird exotic peoples like dudes with giant faces in their chests and no heads. Duck people are kind of like that, but confirmable.

If a modern setting had half the ridiculous shit that people once very earnestly believed in in their myths and legends, people would complain about the setting being silly and impossible to take seriously. It should be easy to take in stride. If you want a serious drama about the Lunar invasion, you can just ignore them.

This. It's not like the ducks are a critical component of the setting.

But I'm fine with Ducks. They stay in their zombie swamp for the most part. Sometimes come out for festivals and I can just kind of mention them.

If players want to go to the zombie swamp they make good guides who will never over shadow the party with how cowardly they are.

How does using buzzwords make them not lame?

The ducks are awesome though.

I would REALLY love a setting made in the basis of what people tough in the past, using the weird bestiaries of cows shitting flaming poos, and the kind of silly drawings in the borders of monks books, with snail knigths and bunny people stabbing peasants.

Is anyone currently running a campaign set in Glorantha?

Is the "fun is a buzzword" meme still a thing here?

I said autistic as a buzzword, but I really do feel like the people who can't deviate from the exact words in a book are on the spectrum. It isn't like a sport, or even a board game where there are winners and losers, role playing is a collaborative experience for everyone to enjoy. I'm not saying throw out all the rules and just engage in complete power fantasies, I mean if you don't like something as little impacting as the ducks or not seeing a skill called "Survival" in BRP then go ahead and change it.

The ducks act almost like mascots to the setting though.

Have you read any of the books? If anything the walktapus is more of a mascot. Ducks aren't even considered one of the major races in any of the books I've read

Do mascots bat or pitch where you come from?

No but they are prevalent instead of barely mentioned. Or are you calling that cotton candy that someone in the next section bought the mascot?

Thanks bud. It's really good to know that any time there's a Glorantha thread you'll show up to shit all over it.

Maybe you could fuck off. If it bothers you so much, why not hide the thread and leave us alone?

Any recs for Glorantha fiction/novels for someone who doesn't have any experience with the setting?

>can't have fantasy with funny animals

I think I'll storytime some Cerebus later.

There's not a lot. Griselda is probably the most famous, but you probably need to be at least somewhat familiar with the setting in order to get the most out of it. The story I link to below is a novella by John Hughes, which is probably the best introductory fiction to Glorantha, even though it is quite long. I would start there, and then branch out to some of the other stories on his site before dipping into Griselda.

Helden by John Hughes
myth-o-logic.org/glorantha/gloranthan-fiction/helden/

Some free stories of Griselda here:
griselda.org.uk/main.html

And then you can also buy a PDF of the complete set of stories here:
glorantha.com/product/the-complete-griselda/

Thanks a lot, user!

>Griselda
Griselda always makes my eyes roll. He's just so perfect. It makes sense when you realize it was one guy DMing for his own character's solo advantures (well solo and with NPCs).

Yeah. She gets a little wearisome, but there's not a lot of other options if you're looking for fiction set in Glorantha.

So their role in and out of the game is all the same: A race that is deceptively strong and on level of seriousness as any other, yet is mocked and made fun of by people. Clearly the best designed race there is.

But they're giant cowards. There are some Humakti initiates that can be basass but that is the exception, not the norm. Plus, being initiates of Humakti, they aren't even really Ducks anymore.

Don't forget that the 13th Age version should be coming "soon". It's currently in final editing and art direction, and it looks really good. Very different from Runequest and Heroquest, and still a good segue into Glorantha from other d20 settings.

Didn't Stafford write a novel too?

And tell me how the average farmer is not a coward who ducks under the bed as soon as a smelly corpse rears it's head from the swamp or when a continent sized dragon lightly coughs.

Does Prince of Sartar not count because it's a webcomic?

He mentioned novels in particular, so everyone automatically went there. Prince of Sartar is also pretty good, especially with the setting explanation blurbs under each page.

I know that he wrote many stories for Glorantha, and at least one novel about Harmast Barefoot, the First Lightbringer.

I don't think any of those novels were ever published, however.

One of Moon Design's stated goals is to increase the amount of Glorantha fiction in publication. If I recall correctly, Jeff Richard is currently writing a novel, and I think they are trying to get at least one of Greg's into print.

King of Sartar probably doesn't really count.

I would definitely say it does. It's probably the best starting point, actually, even if it does stray a little into esoteric territory that isn't really suitable for a newbie. It's great for getting the look and feel of Glorantha, though.

princeofsartar.com/new-reader/

The average farmer is still a member of the (I forgot the Sartarite word for militia), he is required to help defend his land and goes on cattle raids to the neighboring tribe/clan.

Instead of fighting in defense Ducks run away. Hell Ducks being cowards is a reason for adventure in the Colymar Campaign in Sartar Kingdom of Heroes.

As far as is concerned it doesn't. The comic isn't written by Greg, it's by Jeff Richard and Kalin Kadiev.

>Sartarite clan militia
Fyrd

Free Army.

And isn't it pretty much mandatory, which makes it so that any and all types of people, regardless of martial prowess and willpower is part of it, thus not making them particularly?

There's also King of Sartar, which is... not really a novel, but an in universe book from a couple of hundred years in the future.

particularly brave*

>thus not making them particularly brave'
I wasn't making it out like they were particularly brave, just not giant cowards.

Keep meaning to read this but I never do. Doesn't it allude that there is no more magic in the 4th age?

The Sartar Free Army is very different from the fyrd, which is a clan-based militia of all free men who fight against rival clans, conduct cattle raids, and patrol the clan tula.

The Free Army is the creation of King Argrath, and is a loose coalition of mystics, mercenaries, adventurers, hedge magicians, clan warbands, nomads, and whatever else he could scrape together into a more or less cohesive whole.

They fight to free Sartar from the yoke of the Lunar Empire and to defend Orlanth from Shepelkirt's attacks.

Argrath kills the gods during the final battle with Chaos, so yes, yes it does.

They fight for it's their obligation. Doesn't mean that if they could that they wouldn't turn tail and run for the nearest hill not infested with trolls.

>The spoiler

Maybe in your and everyone else's Glorantha, but not mine because I don't get it. How are things things then?

There is a difference between being afraid and being a coward. Do you really not know that?

It never states that specifically.

"The shape of the world was changed. The way that nature works was changed. The way that men and women relate to the world was different. The way that the gods and mortals communicated was altered. This is the thing that Argrath did, to serve his people, to shape his god, and to make the world a better place for us."

For all we know, magic turned Vancian.

>Remember, there is no courage without fear.

youtube.com/watch?v=km-POXZCFjc

>For all we know, magic turned Vancian.
Don't even pretend to imagine such blasphemies!

I hear this is superb.

glorantha.com/product/king-of-sartar/

So what did everyone think of today's Prince of Sartar page?

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist posting this

Is this the second week in a row without updates?

As always, YGMV -- but here is the passage.

King of Sartar is excellent. See below for a taste.

Without the facade of the Red Goddess and the Lunar Empire, the true nature of the enemy was revealed when Wakboth, the God of the Ultimate End, came forth to rule humankind.

He ascended to the throne of the North.

The righteous citizens and deities of Peloria rose in opposition to the growing evil. When they assembled they were like the Sun and burned away the polluted lives of the masses of worthless citizenry that dared to oppose them. The Army of the Emperor assembled and they marched to the Fields of Distain to fight. There, they stood as they had stood since before the start of Time, and the nation defied the Devil. Wakboth smeared the people like jelly, and after the Battle of Distain, even the gods were just food.

Then Wakboth took the crown, which was decorated with the living bodies of a thousand high priests and priestesses, each which served a god of some unthinkable vice, corruption, perversion, or mutation. The Unholy Trio were given empires to rule.

Then did Argrath call together all of his council, and ask them what he should do. They told him that of old, it was the Lightbringers which saved them from this. But Argrath had already done that, and so that was not a choice.

But Chaos was coming, and so, like his namesake before him Argrath became Chaosbane and called the powers of the world together. All of the folks that he knew summoned their deities, who called forth their fellows, for all the gods had been wakened since Chaos came into the world.

Then there spoke up from among the assembly a small spirit, almost insignificant. It was Spider Spirit. She said to the council, “This is the thing which you did not expect. This is a thing which was not, before. This is something which must be dealt with, in a new way.

“You, Argrath, have not gotten to this place by doing things the old way. But among the old things there is one that still works that I know: Co‑operation is the key to success against Chaos. All of us present must agree on the decision. All of us here can avoid what we do not like. Do you swear to this?"

And the gods did, for they had no choice. Wakboth was coming, and they did not know what to do.

So Spider Spirit wove a great net, which was made of things that no longer existed. And she gave each deity a place to hold it, and a command to be followed when it was time. Then the Devil came there, among them, with its evil eyes, excreting filth from its visage, poisoning existence with its being.

“Enemy of Mine, stop before me!” said Argrath, “you have come again to destroy us, as you have done to our forefathers before us. Every 600 years you have come, and this is the time we have forecast to behold you, again and again each time until you are gone for good.”

And then Argrath told them what to do. The gods were as one, and they wrapped the evil invader with the great net, and each of them held it strong and pulled upon it.

Argrath was never bound to the old ways, but was still subject to them. This was when his Trickster betrayed him. For in that moment that the great council all pulled upon the net, then they were all caught up by it, wrapped together like a bag of squirrels in a string sack.

Wakboth reached for it, and with terrifying bites and gnashings, consumed them all. And while it was doing that, Argrath seized the moment, and with the Lightbringers Sword he pierced the demon, and revealed its emptiness for what it was. He said, “We must accept our portion of Life, and slay all who would murder us.”

And he killed the serpent which had wrapped itself about him and wounded him. And then with the Unbreakable Sword he cut the corpse into pieces, and found only dead things inside. He gave parts of the body away to his allies as gifts.

So Argrath then, and Spider Spirit, and the other few which had survived, blessed the world, and sent the good things which they had found out from their center and as gifts to the world of the living. And since that time, that world has been our world.

And he said “There is only one secret now, and that is what we have done. The world will remain as it is now, without interference from any god or goddess. Now it is a free world, of humankind, for humankind, and ruled by humankind.”

-- "Argrath and the Devil" from King of Sartar, page 198-199

Yeah, I've been thinking about pledging on the Patreon but they've been very spotty lately. I get that they're busy, but this is the second long hiatus in the last couple of months.

Yeah, the artist's also doing the art for a separate project for Chaosium, and they're wanting it done in time for Essen.

Unfortunately, this means they're not sending the artist scripts for new pages, because they want him concentrating on other things.

Thanks for the heads up as to why. I don't necessarily like it, but I understand.

...

It's a glorified CYOA with lots of RNG to make heroquests unsufferable and a tribe management section that becomes pretty much useless when you know how it works. It's unique, and that's all it is.

How could that party even work?

What's wrong with them?

A high llama and an Orlanthi just standing next to a Lunar sorcerer?

There are stranger collections of adventurers.

As far as I remember he's a renegade sorcerer outlawed by the Lunar College.

...

...

It commits the terrible sin of being less fun the more you understand it, as opposed to more fun. It actually takes it to the point where its borderline unplayable once you figure out the underlying mechanics.

...

Shit. Who is this queen Gagix?

She's a Hero, and has forged a Queendom in the chaotic forests and tangle of Larnste's Footprint. During the Hero Wars she invades Heortland and fights Broyan of Whitewall, some say at the behest (or at least tolerance) of the Red Emperor.

This is after the Dragonrise, when most of the Provincial Army, and all of the major Lunar officials, generals, and magicians are swallowed up.

So, what happened in the Hero Wars outside of the main theatre of Dragon Pass? I read King of Sartar, and while it was good it had a very narrow view of the conflict.