Broo's and disease.

[Rurik]

After reading the introductory scenario in S&P I have a few comments.

The scenario itself is a fine introduction, other than a couple of editorial problems, namely that the stats for adversaries reflect pre-release rules and NOT the final rules, and also there is also a lot of mention of moonlight for a scenario that claims to be intended to be set in Glorantha. There is no visible moon in 2A Glorantha, and this is not just the ravings of a Gloranthaphile (ok, maybe this is...) but that fact is highlighted in the Glorantha previews already released.

Minor quibbles aside there is no mention of being wounded by a Broo having any chance of infecting the players with some terrible disease. That was always what made the chaos scum so feared by players. Sure you can describe them as vile and smeared in feces and other vile things that it is probably better we never know... but it was the very real fear of contracting some terrible affliction that made them such frightening foes in practice.

 

[andakitty]

I was wondering about that too. The ones in the scenario felt more like generic Warhammer beastmen than the really depraved, filthy broos of RQ2 fame. Not that there is much difference, now that I think about it. :?

 

[Urox]

I was under the impression that while disease was common, not all Broos are carriers.

Given one of the later RQ3 books (LoT?), I think became more of an issue of a Broo hosting a disease spirit than being just infectious.

That said, one of the worst tasks an adventurer would have is cleaning Broo-loot of any disease taint. At one point, I remember a GM having players bury items for at least a year to cleanse them.

 

[Rurik]

I always remember the 50% chance of contracting a random disease each hit, though quite honestly that might have just been kept as a house rule in the RQ3 days.

Makes them much more frightening.

 

[Urox]

I always remember the 50% chance of contracting a random disease each hit, though quite honestly that might have just been kept as a house rule in the RQ3 days.

Makes them much more frightening.

I looked up Broos in RQ2 -- they do have a 50% chance of having a disease. Depending on how an encounter is designed, this could vary well be a just a couple of the broos that share the same disease. Of course, there are probably some terifying Malia-worshiping Broo bands where every member carries a different disease.

So, I suspect that while a Broo might have a random disease, you would only get the specific disease it carries if exposed.

The rules are kind of nebulous as what an exposure is -- I guess it could be anything from once per enocunter to every combat round (or possibly every hit). Even when exposed, you still had a couple of chances to resist (or get a mild vs. lethal case).

It was a sad day when I had to have a character put down his bison with the Shakes...

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

I always remember the 50% chance of contracting a random disease each hit, though quite honestly that might have just been kept as a house rule in the RQ3 days.

Makes them much more frightening.

I looked up Broos in RQ2 -- they do have a 50% chance of having a disease. Depending on how an encounter is designed, this could vary well be a just a couple of the broos that share the same disease. Of course, there are probably some terifying Malia-worshiping Broo bands where every member carries a different disease.

So, I suspect that while a Broo might have a random disease, you would only get the specific disease it carries if exposed..

If we ever get a Big Black Book of Broo Beastmen, I think a section on the diseases and their various effects would be a worthwhile use of several pages. I mean, these things must be absolutely raw and filthy - various diseases potentially transferred various ways would be awesome if the detail was cool.

From some you'd catch it when their blood touched your skin, others might have it on their breath or saliva, or transferred through skin contact. Others would have it spread through the horseflies and mosquitos that buzz around their skin and then bite other people. When my players eventually meet some Broo, I plan to play up the disease aspect some.

 

[Urox]

When my players eventually meet some Broo, I plan to play up the disease aspect some.

The magical diseases were definitely to be feared, and something very cutting edge in RQ over AD&D.

On an odd note, there was a legendary Broo healer of the Rockwoods, who is the antithesis to Broo disease, but I don't think he was around until the Third Age (although I could be wrong).

Curing a RQ disease was non-trivial in the Dragon Pass area -- you either needed find a Shaman or a Chalana Arroy Rune Priest.

I suspect one of the suppliments (probably Magic of Glorantha) will cover curing the magical diseases (I am assuming they still exist in MQ).

 

[atgxtg]

If we ever get a Big Black Book of Broo Beastmen, I think a section on the diseases and their various effects would be a worthwhile use of several pages. I mean, these things must be absolutely raw and filthy - various diseases potentially transferred various ways would be awesome if the detail was cool.

I can sort of picture a percentile chart like the old Chaotic Feature chart where the "Exposed" roll and see what wonderful disease they have just been exposed too.

From some you'd catch it when their blood touched your skin, others might have it on their breath or saliva, or transferred through skin contact.

THat sounds good for descriptive purposes, but it would make running an encounter with a large band of Broo "sickening" in more ways than one. Working out who touched/smelt/were spat on/breathed on/bled on etc. after a climatic fight might be more challenging that running the encounter.

 

[andakitty]

You could probably get lots of inspiration from Warhammer, you know, Nurgle stuff. :twisted:

 

[Rurik]

You could probably get lots of inspiration from Warhammer, you know, Nurgle stuff. :twisted:

I tried WFRP a little bit long time ago. As I recall the magic was pretty cool.

I am done with GW. I invested heavily in Space Marines 2E (as in Epic Scale). When 3E came out they changed the freakin bases for infantry squads, rendering all your existing mini's pretty much useless. That was it for me.

 

[atgxtg]

I am done with GW. I invested heavily in Space Marines 2E (as in Epic Scale). When 3E came out they changed the freakin bases for infantry squads, rendering all your existing mini's pretty much useless. That was it for me.

I take it something about the shape of the bases affects game play? Please illuminate?

 

[Rurik]

I am done with GW. I invested heavily in Space Marines 2E (as in Epic Scale). When 3E came out they changed the freakin bases for infantry squads, rendering all your existing mini's pretty much useless. That was it for me.

I take it something about the shape of the bases affects game play? Please illuminate?

Epic was in 6mm scale with five figures to a base as a squad. In 1e and 2e the base was a square, with the figures situates like this:

X X
X
X X

In 3E the bases became long, in line formation, like:

XXXXX

and the rules were written accordingly. They said you could use your old bases, but it was pretty awkward. And forget about showing up at the local game shop to a game of 3e with your square mounted figures.

 

[Dead Blue Clown]

Curing a RQ disease was non-trivial in the Dragon Pass area -- you either needed find a Shaman or a Chalana Arroy Rune Priest.

I'd venture that it'd be a lot easier for the God Learners and Dragonmasters, who aren't as hard-up for magic as some folks are in future ages. For them at least, it'd be nearly trivial.

On a vaguely related note: when I first played RQ a squillion years ago, my GM was about 10 years older than me and had played RQ more than D&D. I remember when he first described Broo as we met them in game, and I remember being sincerely awed at facing such a creature. I've felt the same way in other games since, but I'm 99% certain that was the first instance a creature made me double-take and think "Damn, that's awesome."

THat sounds good for descriptive purposes, but it would make running an encounter with a large band of Broo "sickening" in more ways than one. Working out who touched/smelt/were spat on/breathed on/bled on etc. after a climatic fight might be more challenging that running the encounter.

There is that, yeah. I once knew a guy who insisted on making every action in a Werewolf: the Apocalypse fight into a different attack. So for Bad Guy #1's attacks he'd headbutt, then stab, then bite, then kick, then punch. Bad Guy #2 would bite, headbutt, kick and stab. And so on through the 8 or more enemies. Each attack required a different number of dice, did different damage, and needed to be dealt with differently. This, he insisted, was in the name of 'spicing up a fight.'

Egads.

 

[Rurik]

We always just worried about wounds (taking at least 1+ damage). Broos smeared their weapons in feces and rotting things and the like specifically to make them so likely to cause some infection.

I imagine Broo feces is some pretty vile stuff (more so than 'normal' poop)

 

[The Terran]

Looking at my old & battered RQ2 it also states that some Broos have chaos features. Based on a average power this is a chance of 30%.

Has this been removed? As someone who regularly used to run a game it was great to see players in fear of what would otherwise be an easy kill due to the disease and the chaos feature (nobody wanted to fight a disease exploding broo!)

 

[Ravage]

The magical diseases were definitely to be feared, and something very cutting edge in RQ over AD&D.

I suspect one of the suppliments (probably Magic of Glorantha) will cover curing the magical diseases (I am assuming they still exist in MQ).

Yeah, theres an example of a Magical disease in the rulebook

Wonder if it would have been too close to RQ2 for them to have kept the shakes, creeping chills, soul waste etc in the system... and of course the infamous blade venom

 

[Rurik]

Looking at my old & battered RQ2 it also states that some Broos have chaos features. Based on a average power this is a chance of 30%.

Has this been removed? As someone who regularly used to run a game it was great to see players in fear of what would otherwise be an easy kill due to the disease and the chaos feature (nobody wanted to fight a disease exploding broo!)

If chaos features are not in MRQ then I will just use them verbatim from the old RQ rules.

I mean, c'mon. no chaos features?

Maybe things like disease and chaos features will be covered in the Glorantha or Monsters books.

 

[burdock]

rurik wrote:

I imagine Broo feces is some pretty vile stuff (more so than 'normal' poop)

I fell neck-deep into the pit of it in Snakepipe Hollow. I think I contracted every contractable disease. Yes, it is vile.

 

[Rurik]

rurik wrote:

I imagine Broo feces is some pretty vile stuff (more so than 'normal' poop)

I fell neck-deep into the pit of it in Snakepipe Hollow. I think I contracted every contractable disease. Yes, it is vile.

I feel for you and you have my condolences. If I ever meet you in person do not be offended if I do not shake your hand.

 

[burdock]

rurik wrote

If I ever meet you in person do not be offended if I do not shake your hand.

That would be impossible anyway....I died very quickly after this event