Category Archives: Runequest Glorantha

Runequest Glorantha – Cult Skills

Runequest Glorantha

Cult Skills

A slightly extended list of cult skills for Runequest Glorantha, they have been amended slightly to allow for more similar numbers and usefulness of skills for each cult

Picture ©copyright Chaosium 2018

Argan Argar
1H Spear, Bargain, Cult Lore (Argan Argar),Customs (other), Evaluate, Insight (Human or Troll), Meditate, Read/Write (Darktongue), Speak (Darktongue), Worship (Argan Argar),

Babeester Gor
1H Axe, 2H Axe, Battle, Cult Lore (Babeester Gor), Intimidate, Listen, Meditate, Search, Medium Shield Parry, Large Shield Parry, Track, Worship (Babeester Gor).

Chalana Arroy
Alchemy, Charm, Cult Lore (Chalana Arroy), First Aid, Insight (human), Meditation, Plant Lore, Treat Disease, Treat Poison, Worship (Chalana Arroy).

Daka Fal
Customs (Home),Cult Lore (Daka Fal), Speak (Spiritspeech), Meditate, Orate, Sing, Prepare Corpse, Play Instrument, Spirit Combat, Spirit Lore, Spirit Dance, Spirit Travel, Worship (Ancestors).

Continue reading Runequest Glorantha – Cult Skills →

Trollkin Names for Runequest & Glorantha

Runequest Glorantha

Trollkin names can vary greatly dependent on

  • Who named the trollkin
  • The trollkins status
  • A troll mothers view on her offspring

The most loved and highest status trollkin may even have full troll names, many will have shortened or abbreviated troll names, whilst others nick names, insults names, jokes, sounds and some may still not have there own a name.

Most trollkin just have a forename, but small numbers maybe given a title which is usually something to distinguish the trollkin as a trollkin and not a full troll, so tends not to be complementary.

Continue reading Trollkin Names for Runequest & Glorantha →

Sun Dome Character Creation for Runequest Glorantha

Runequest Glorantha

Below are my version of the rules RQG for character creation for Sun Dome characters.

With cults and professions the common ones can be chosen at any time. For the rarer ones I would suggest consulting the GM before hand as they are rare and may have a bearing on the game.

Summary:

The culture surrounding most of the Sun  Dome temples is a Heortling sub culture, which aspires to emulate Dara Happa Culture but also reflects many of the aspects of its surrounding culture as well.

Continue reading Sun Dome Character Creation for Runequest Glorantha →

Mundane & Background Spirit Magic for RuneQuest

Runequest Glorantha

Though not everyone agrees I have never considered the spirit magic list within any version of Runequest to be exhaustive, they are just list of Spirit Magics which are most applicable to game play.

Magic is not extraordinary  in Glorantha and is something most people practice as a day to day principle. The concept that magic is a rare thing for adventures and powerful characters only  is something which in my opinion is alien to the world of Glorantha and belongs in other (lesser) fantasy universes.

Continue reading Mundane & Background Spirit Magic for RuneQuest →

Expanded Character Heirlooms for RuneQuest Glorantha

Background, Runequest Glorantha

One of the nice features of RQG has been the family heirloom table on RQG pg . However due to size available in the book we have a limited table with 20 options, which means that quickly many characters will have exactly same items. I found this out testing 3 or 4 characters and checking through the pregens.

Thus to enhance the variations and options we have extended that list out to work on a  d100 roll and have subsection for matrixes. The aims to give a much higher degree of variation in what can be found and to save refs having to come up with variations on the fly.

Continue reading Expanded Character Heirlooms for RuneQuest Glorantha →

Balazaring Character Creation for Runequest Glorantha

Runequest Glorantha

Below are my version of the rules RQG for character creation for Balazaring characters.

With cults and professions the common ones can be chosen at any time. For the rarer ones I would suggest consulting the GM before hand as they are rare and will create a close proximity to significant location, events and NPC’s which may have a bearing on the game.

Summary:

The Balazarings are a hunter gathering people found only in the land of Balazar to north of Dragonpass. The vast majority of Balazarings are clan based people, who are semi nomadic within their clans traditional hunting grounds.

Continue reading Balazaring Character Creation for Runequest Glorantha →

Personal Horror in Glorantha

General Glorantha, Runequest Glorantha

Glorantha is not  primarily a horror setting as such, but many of chaotic and some none chaotic elements of it would fit into a horror game with ease. However my intention  in this article is not  to address traditional horror but rather the slightly different theme of personal horror.

The difference between the two is in classic horror the pc’s are protagonists and the horror comes from an external threat to them and the world.

In personal horror the element of horror comers from what the players character could become and the wrestling of the monster within, or even more horrifically being blind to it and failing to see the evil which you become.

A number of facets of personal horror games are;

  1. Personal horror has a protagonist that stands on an edge between hero & monster
  2. The game is used not to escape from but to take a critical look at ourselves and those around us
  3. We use this as an opportunity to explore the darker side of our nature and that of those around us
  4. A characters struggle to retain humanity, morality or higher self despite internal and external pressures

There can be many facets to this. In white wolfs  World of darkness  games the themes of desire, violence, vengeance,  power and control are all examined. Differently in each game, but if played well the games can give us an often frightening insight into aspects of us that we may not wish to even acknowledge in the real world.  ( Played badly they too often often ended up being super heros with fangs )

Continue reading Personal Horror in Glorantha →

Using WOD:Glorantha Stats in Runequest

General Glorantha, Runequest Glorantha, WOD: Glorantha

WOD:Glorantha is an in house system I have developed for Glorantha based off the white wolf storyteller system I used extensively in the 90’s.

Why I use WOD:Glorantha stats?

Ok why am bothering to publish Glorantha stats in a  bespoke in house system?

  • The stats are primarily for my own gaming so I write in the system I use.
  • The system used helps me define the character
  • I think the system used defines and explains characters very well
  • It‘s a decision based system so there is not a lot of sums or calculation involved so I can define quickly.
  • There currently is an not RQ system published i’m happy to use

Understanding the stats

For a quick understanding of all stats( bar quintessence and willpower) run on a 1 to 5 scale for normal human capacity. With 2 being an average stats for normal human.  However more detail below.

Continue reading Using WOD:Glorantha Stats in Runequest →

Runequest Glorantha – Hopes, Dreams & Fears

Runequest Glorantha

OK RQ Glorantha is coming out soon and we have seen peeks, we have had numerous design & teasing posts, many have played it at conventions, we have had the teaser released and we have debated about it at length on the forums.

I’m really excited about the project, some of new design are awesome, other bits I am worried may end up a missed opportunity. So, I thought I’d do a post on my thoughts on what we think we know so far.

What excites me.

These are things I have seen that I’m sure are going to be great.

  • Runequest without Glorantha is like an acoustic motorhead show, interesting but lacking its prime appeal. Wrapping Runequest and Glorantha together again has been essential, Runequest has always struggled commercially when removed from Glorantha. Top marks for making them intrinsically linked.
  • The new rune magic system. Love it, great games design, simple effective make sense, fits the settings and fixes significant issues in the older systems.
  • The desire for a simpler lighter system than RQ6, I like a few bits of RQ6 but it was starting to feel a little rules heavy for me.
  • More realistic monetary system. RQ2 money was just nowhere near right. In RQ2 the entire world economic system was based round getting treasure from adventures and then spending it on training and spells.
  • The Sartar focus. Sartar was never fully explore in supplements till HQ era, opening up RQG with this amount of dragon pass background is awesome.
  • Greater range of cultural options and deeper looks at Esrolia, & Grazelander culture than in any other edition of RQ.

Continue reading Runequest Glorantha – Hopes, Dreams & Fears →

Spirit Charms in Glorantha & Runequest

General Glorantha, Runequest Glorantha

Shamans and other spirit magicians have ability to bind minor spell spirits ( or shard spirits ) into small delicate items in such a way that when used, broken or otherwise triggered the spirit will then cast an effect onto the being that caused triggered the effect, the spirit is then released afterward the effect, and the item is no longer magical in nature.

Shamans will use these to give limited magical aid to groups from the tribe or clan who need extra magical support in a task, but cannot be accompanied by a shaman, priest or other specialist magic weaver.

Usually this is for positive effects such as buffing spells (bladesharp, mobility, protection, etc) or positive effects (such as healing or dispel magic). However, some shamans will bind more offensive spirits (disruption, befuddle, demoralise) etc into items which an enemy can be tricked or persuaded into triggering.

Continue reading Spirit Charms in Glorantha & Runequest →