Core Rulesbook - starting with Rune Magic?

[WildHealer]

Hi Mongoose,

Just been reading the blurb for the core rulebook, and it struck me the only magic system included is Rune Magic. What's the deal there - are you going to be dealing with Battle Magic / Spirit Magic in a separate supplement, or is it also in the core rulebook? Just wondering, for obvious reasons!

BTW - I'm obviously presuming that by "Rune Magic" you do mean Rune Magic (the RQ2 / Gloranthan name for what RQ3 generically tried to dub "Divine Magic")!

Regards,

Sarah

 

[andakitty]

This is a question that has occurred to me as well. I HOPE that it is a system wherein the runes are used together to create spells on the fly, sort of like Ars Magicas' system but using the runes for a base. For instance, speaking of flying, the empowered runes man+air+move=flying spell. There is a homebrew rune magic system on Pete Maranci's Runequest page that does this; although it is in pretty rough form it is useable with some work. What I am hoping is that the MRQ 'rune magic' is something similar. In the description they mention that everyone pretty much has some small magic for everyday living. So if the rune system has been expanded (runes broken into 'sub-runes', less powerful forms?) we might be looking at a basic magic system that can be expanded in all sorts of ways...check out the RQ site I mentioned. A simple google search for "Pete Maranci Runequest" will do. If you have not already, of course.

 

[WildHealer]

That's kind of worrying - surely we're not going to be looking at a completely new magic system in the new RQ? An end to those Bladesharps, Countermagics, and Sever Spirits? I hope not!

My stance with the new RQ is along the lines of updating existing RQ campaigns to use the new rules. Whilst I'm aware it's a convention of game rules rather than of Glorantha per se, my campaigns have had the "Battle Magic" & "Rune Magic" nomenclature as pretty much part of the Gloranthan backdrop since the early eighties; it would be quite jarring to say the least to find suddenly that neither of these exist any more!

I guess this is the big question regarding the new rules - is it actually RuneQuest, or a new game calling itself the same? The battle magic / rune magic (spirit magic / divine magic) (plus Sorcery, of course!) distinction is such a part of RQ I'd say it'd be pretty hard to pull it out!

I've been hearing around the web that MRQ is basically the next edition after RQ2 and RQ3, so is a progression from those, so hopefully the "types" of magic systems will remain pretty consistent.

BTW - the Ars Magica & Maranci systems are of course cool in their own way. It's just that they're not RuneQuest for me!

 

[Wulf Corbett]

That's kind of worrying - surely we're not going to be looking at a completely new magic system in the new RQ? An end to those Bladesharps, Countermagics, and Sever Spirits? I hope not!

When I last saw the playtest docs, the old spells were still in the game.

In some manner or another.

Wulf

 

[WildHealer]

Thanks Wulf. Do you know if Steve Perrin's magic rules made it in in any shape or form? I was quite interested to hear about actual questing for runes being included in the rules!

Regards,

Sarah

 

[Wulf Corbett]

Thanks Wulf. Do you know if Steve Perrin's magic rules made it in in any shape or form? I was quite interested to hear about actual questing for runes being included in the rules!

I had to drop out of playtesting (couldn't get enough interest from my gaming group - you need more players to test a RPG than a minis game!) SO I don't know what the final state of the game was, and I won't comment on what I last saw in case it's wrong.

But I liked the magic system you menton a LOT.

Wulf

 

[andakitty]

For me, RQ2 magic yeah, RQ3 not so much. Whatever. I'd like to see the old RQ2 system AND expansions such as the one on Maranci's site. Maybe something like the Crimson Empire magic system...only the punk style art in that kept me away from it. Another intriguing possiblility would be a stripped down RQ3 magic system like the one Petersen did for Tekumel. I am glad to hear that at least some of the RQ2 style magic should make the cut, however. My interest in alternate magic systems largely comes from my interest in using settings other than Glorantha with these rules. :wink:

Although Second Age Glorantha does sound very, very interesting.

 

[zozotroll]

I certainly hope it did not change much. I still call spirit magic battle magic. I just could not get away from the old names. I hope they dont mess it around to much. I am excited to see RQ back in print, but only if it is RQ.

 

[Wulf Corbett]

I certainly hope it did not change much. I still call spirit magic battle magic. I just could not get away from the old names. I hope they dont mess it around to much. I am excited to see RQ back in print, but only if it is RQ.

Hopefully I'll be alright to say, the new magic system is NEW. It's NOT a modified version of Battle/Spirit nor the old Rune/Divine magics, although it can be made to duplicate the effects of the old systems.

That is, of course, last time I saw it.

Wulf

 

[TrippyHippy]

The way Mongoose Matt described it, the Rune magic will have characters knowing certain Runes and these having a set of spells associated with it. It seemed to be reminiscent, in a (probably erronious) way, of Mage: the Ascension.

I note that the RuneQuest Companion has lots of information about Spirits advertised in it's blurb, so we could see an extra system here too. Additionally, there is meant to be a Magic suppliment somewhere in the pipeline which should give lots of different types of magic systems in it.

 

[WildHealer]

I think the main thing for me is to be able to reliably remodel Rune Lords and Rune Priests in the new rules. For example, I have a RQ3 Rune Lord-Priest (Rune Sword) of Humakt with the usual plethora of battle magic plus Rune Magic such as Shield, Truesword, Sever Spirit, etc. My question is, can I convert this character to MRQ with the core rules, if at all, or am I going to have to wait for a subsequent supplement, or even to have to make up some rules myself. I'm hoping obviously this can all be done with the Core Rules - conversions like this are a prerequisite for my campaign even starting to play with the new rules.

 

[Wulf Corbett]

My question is, can I convert this character to MRQ with the core rules, if at all, or am I going to have to wait for a subsequent supplement, or even to have to make up some rules myself.

When last I saw the playtest rules, you COULD convert using just those rules. But it would be a conversion, with changes to fit the new system, and some stuff made up. There will be better fitting rules, hopefully, in the Glorantha book.

Wulf

 

[Harshax]

Speculating purely on page count, I suspect the cult information will be similar (man I hope!) to RQ2 - presenting only Orlanth and Kyger Litor. However, I'm guess that the magic rules will have enough information to either directly map your Humakti's magic or find it's new equivalent.

 

[t-tauri]

Other than for purely nostalgc reasons I'd hate to see Kyger Litor in a book designed for new players. I'd think the cults will be designed to fit with the second age background so you're talking EWF or God Learners or somesuch.

 

[Rurik]

It appears spirit/battle magic will be detailed in the Runequest Companion (July Release) based on the description for that book. There is also a Magic of Glorantha listed on Amazon (US) site.