RQII MRQ magic

Hay maybe Rune Lords have special abilities in regards to Rune Magic now. Like maybe they don't need runes or can leave thm back at the temple. and still use them.

Then they could ransom back the Rune LOrd in exchange for the runes of the dead folowers that they already ate.
 
mthomason said:
<GM> The Rune Lord thanks you for your help, and turns to leave.

<Player 1> Okay, I'm leav.. wait, you said Rune Lord?

<GM> Erm. Yes?

(players disappear into a huddle for about ten seconds)

<Player 2> Right, I'm shoving my dagger through his ribs.
<Player 3> I'm smacking him in the head with the first heavy object I can lay my hands on.
<Player 1> I'm giving him a swift kick between the legs.
<Player 4> Assuming all of that distracts him, I'll throttle him.

That's not entirely fair. Runelords have always been a great source for loot.

EDIT: Ahh, I see. You could use their loot without killing them before. So much for ransoms. Adios you rune touched bastard.
 
Rurik said:
That's not entirely fair. Runelords have always been a great source for loot.

EDIT: Ahh, I see. You could use their loot without killing them before. So much for ransoms. Adios you rune touched bastard.

I see. Will you be paying that ransom in cash or with Mastery-Card?

(Except from how credit cards were introduced to Glorantha, Chapter 3, When the old Battle Magic became the new Rune Magic, but not quite. Thanatar publishing, 1632. "You can't loose your head with a credit card if you stick with Thanatar!")
 
As far as how common the blood of Gods is in Glorantha. Ithinking of 2 things.
First is I dont know how many of you are familiar with the game NOMAD GODS a board game based on the tribes of Prax, but in that games Minor Gods are summoned and blown away often. So if the Impala tribes gets to knock off Thunderbird I wonder do they quickly go out and swab up all of Thunderbird's blood?. Or when the Lunar Empire kill Oaked( according to some accounts more then a few times) at Moonbroth did they get to keep his blood. That is if in Glorantha they use the same rune system.
A second thing I was wondering if the Gods might prick their fing( or what ever) and maybe donate a drop of blood to some worthy folks. Or Maybe after Orlanth and the Stormbull have one of their weekly barroom brawls, do they have the servants clean up the blood and donate it to their worshippers.
 
Exubae said:
It smacks a little of XP for killing mosters... if you know what I mean.
The reward for killing (starting sound like an aging hippy) niggles me, it feels contrived and an excuse for churning out poor and unintelligent adventure plots. :(
Paul

Well this is not fair. If the GM plays the game realistically such a situation will not occur. In the moment the players dont behave according to their roles and slay other because of rune booty, they dont roleplay. Thats it.

But of course if their roles is that of criminal slayers then the situation you fear could and should arise. But its up the GM to allow evil characters in his group. Its not a rule system thing.
 
Exubae said:
The biggest negative I can see from integration is 'Rune bagging' , or characters targeting rune touched NPCs...

If spells are still common Runelords can relax... just kill the barmaids and farmers. It will work for a while... then I guess you will have to change to some other minor NPC type... someone who works with water maybe... yeah... I need a Water Rune!

My only real problem with the Runes is that they are attached to the wrong magic type. They make a lot more sense being attached to Rune Magic (aka Devine Magic) and major quests being a part of gathering them. The Hero Quest ideas of the last 2 decades support this magic idea very well... but there in lies the issue I suppose. The ideas are not a part of Stafford’s work so he can’t license them.

It is a good idea and a reasonably good system (tweek! There, that’s better...), it’s just not as intuitive as the rest of the rules seems to be.

I guess, in the end, this is the real sticking point for me... it is my “Gack... RQ II!” issue. :lol: But, like I said, I will fix it... if I need to. :)
 
Lorgryt said:
If spells are still common Runelords can relax... just kill the barmaids and farmers. It will work for a while... then I guess you will have to change to some other minor NPC type... someone who works with water maybe... yeah... I need a Water Rune!

The blurb from "Magic of Glorantha" would appear to support that.
 
TRose is right, Glorantha is pretty much soaked int he blood of the gods. During the gods war most of the gods were destroyed, what we have now are in fact a remnant. Most of the bronze in Glorantha (at a guess at least 80%) is mined from the bones of dead storm gods.

As a side note, don't gte hung up too much about runes being the blood of the gods. God's tears would probably be anothe rpossible source, and for Malkioni what about the blood of Malkion, or the Saints? Stuff like unicorn horns and griffin teeth might also be rune-touched.

I do agree that heroquesting should be a good source of runes. If you go to the ruins of the Spike and don't coma across at least a few runes, you're just not looking. There must be some heroplane locations with piles of them lying around.

Simon Hibbs
 
mthomason said:
Lorgryt said:
If spells are still common Runelords can relax... just kill the barmaids and farmers. It will work for a while... then I guess you will have to change to some other minor NPC type... someone who works with water maybe... yeah... I need a Water Rune!

The blurb from "Magic of Glorantha" would appear to support that.

Now add the long list of Runetouched abilities and you see why granny is still around! LOL
 
Well this is not fair. If the GM plays the game realistically such a situation will not occur. In the moment the players dont behave according to their roles and slay other because of rune booty, they dont roleplay. Thats it.

Ok might have been a bit harsh, but I hate things which feel contrived.

The example of hunting down that broo shaman/priest in the rules with empasis on baging his runes...
Ok, admitedly broo.. whose reproductive and bullying habits don't put them in the best light, he is still a person with fellings and needs:)
He believes he deserves that rune, after all he has lasted this long in a world intent on his destruction, and would believe anyone attempting to take the Rune and kill him as being pretty evil in themselves.

Perhaps, It would be better if the rune integerated at spiritual level and joined permently with the soul of the integerater.


But of course if their roles is that of criminal slayers then the situation you fear could and should arise. But its up the GM to allow evil characters in his group. Its not a rule system thing.

Evil is realtive term, Sartarites aren't going to worry to much about the Lunar scum who have been repressing them for years and freely associate with chaos(sorry 3rd age), and God learners are reknowned in their moral selectiveness, they would have no qualms in rune bagging if they thought the need out weighed the means.

They make a lot more sense being attached to Rune Magic (aka Devine Magic) and major quests being a part of gathering them. The Hero Quest ideas of the last 2 decades support this magic idea very well...
I agree whole heartedly with this, but as the rules stand I was just wondering what work arrounds folk are applying?

As it stands I'm toying with the following as house rules:
1. Having communities hoard runes (Cults and Families/tribes/guilds), who deal out the runes as benefits for services or as needed.
2. Runes once integrated are permently integrated, at the players death they go off with him to the afterlife.
3. Characters need a foci to help them visualise the rune and use its power once integrated. This is a personally crafted item or tattooed image which can be replaced if lost (bad if its a tattoo), but is of no use to any one else.


Cheers
Paul
 
Carrying on from that last post.

Sorry if I sound down on the New rules, theres a lot of stuff I like,
and on the whole I like what has been done.
Its one or two things seem to stop the game gelling into a cohesive whole... perhaps when the full rules are published...

I'm just trying to get a working, unabusable (as much as possible) frame work for my game at the moment.

Another pet niggle is the 'powerups', I like the idea of using hero points to gain extras, but... they're just so disconnected from anything... I'ld prefer some mechanic, like a heroquest to find the ability- then use HPs to cement the ability.
Or even a hero cult which teaches the ability.

I'm probably jumping the gun a bit and it'll end up panning out in this direction... I'll just have to wait and see.

Cheers
Paul
 
Another pet niggle is the 'powerups', I like the idea of using hero points to gain extras, but... they're just so disconnected from anything... I'ld prefer some mechanic, like a heroquest to find the ability- then use HPs to cement the ability.
Or even a hero cult which teaches the ability

And thats more or less exactly how the rule book says these abilities should be acquired, by instruction or questing as well as paying the hero point cost.

You dont become a Runelord just by paying the hero points...[/quote]
 
You dont become a Runelord just by paying the hero points...
You just hit another pet niggle...
Why the Hero points for lord and priest-
Surely this should be based up on an opening at the temple for said Priest/Lord. It is as much a social position as it is a 'power up'.

Oh Hero points sir, that will do nicely:)
or
Sorry sir due to the excessive number of Rune Lords the Hero Point has been devalued... you could always come back next week.

Erm...
I think I've put my finger on my niggle with the system...
It doesn't take into account the characters interaction with society.
Doh...(to self)

Paul
 
Well Paul, in regards to the Hero abilities... you can make it that way real easy. That is a GM thing.

As for the issue of...
Ok, admitedly broo.. whose reproductive and bullying habits don't put them in the best light, he is still a person with fellings and needs:)

Who cares? They are Broos! :wink:

Seriously, though, that again is up to the GM to role play. I wrote a short story some years ago based on an RQ game I GMed. When the players of the game read it they were all bummed out because I gave the dieing thoughts of the Lunar messenger they ambushed. He had a life before the ambush... they NEVER got any of it in the game, but I had it in mind when I played the ambush out. It was his motivation for what he was doing, and made the scene real for me, thus real for them.

As it stands I'm toying with the following as house rules:
1. Having communities hoard runes (Cults and Families/tribes/guilds), who deal out the runes as benefits for services or as needed.
2. Runes once integrated are permently integrated, at the players death they go off with him to the afterlife.
3. Characters need a foci to help them visualise the rune and use its power once integrated. This is a personally crafted item or tattooed image which can be replaced if lost (bad if its a tattoo), but is of no use to any one else.

This is basically the RQ II/RQ III way of Spirit Magic. One of the great things about this system is the “Rune Encrusted” swords and armor that everyone wears. One of my first characters had a Broadsword with the phrase, in Sartarite, “Darkness shall not prevail before the Sharp Light of Health!” I used it as a means of placing Lightwall, Bladesharp, Shimmer, and Healing on the sword so in combat all I had to do was look at the blade and my foci were right there. This, to me, is a powerful image reminiscent of many movies of High Fantasy (Kull, Conan, Deathbringer, etc...). Shame to waste such powerful shared imagery! LOL

Most of the "complaints" or issues (depending on who reads this) are really an issue of the GM presenting the world or tweaking the information to fit his view of the game. You keep saying things that sound like you want Mongoose to modify or codify some system for your needs. What about the others out there that love this system? They just Broos? :wink:

Most of the "complaints" or issues (depending on who reads this) are really an issue of the GM presenting the world or tweaking the information to fit his view of the game. You keep saying things that sound like you want Mongoose to modify or codify some system for your needs. What about the others out there that love this system? They just Broos?

I think you aught to relax a little and play loose with the rules. Have you run a game with these rules to see if they work? Good rules modifying follows a sound testing path: play, check, modify, check, repeat. When you and your players are happy, you’re done. If all you do is mod the rules alone in the dark... well, that is a bit on the perverse side... :oops: :lol:

One of the best rules, and it has been thrown out a lot on the board (even in this thread) is Keep It Stupid Simple. Or, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." If you do choose to fix it, start with what is broke most and get that working... test it... and see what else needs to be fixed. But be careful, players don't really care if the rules are broke, they want to have fun, and constant change is not fun for them so be sure you tell them why you think it is broken and find out what thay want to do about it. E-mail is a blessing with this! (opps... my slip is showing! :oops: Yep, I modifiy every game I get... in search of the Holy Game!)
 
Exubae said:
You dont become a Runelord just by paying the hero points...
You just hit another pet niggle...
Why the Hero points for lord and priest-
Surely this should be based up on an opening at the temple for said Priest/Lord. It is as much a social position as it is a 'power up'.

Oh Hero points sir, that will do nicely:)
or
Sorry sir due to the excessive number of Rune Lords the Hero Point has been devalued... you could always come back next week.

Again, Paul, this is a GM issue. You have the Runepreist backwards... there is an opening, do you have the Hero Points to give the God as proof of worth?
 
Exubae said:
I think I've put my finger on my niggle with the system...
It doesn't take into account the characters interaction with society.

Even if MRQ weren't intended to be fairly generic, and was only intended as a base ssytem for Glorantha, I'd still disagree with this. The many cultures of glorantha are so hugely different that there's no way the basic game can adequately cover the relationship between the characters and their culture.


Simon Hibbs
 
Again, Paul, this is a GM issue. You have the Runepreist backwards... there is an opening, do you have the Hero Points to give the God as proof of worth?

Good point, Been playing RQ2/3 so long, its hard getting over old assumptions. MRQ seem to add a sugar coated layer of abstraction which I'ld failed to recognise. :?
Initally the number of actions/turn horrified me till I found that shields gave you an extra defensive action. :oops:

Still niggled with runes, but I've worked out what I'm going to do with them. so on the whole I'm happy again :D

Cheers
Paul
 
Exubae said:
Still niggled with runes, but I've worked out what I'm going to do with them. so on the whole I'm happy again :D

Once again... what is your solve??? Please, Exubae, share! :lol:
 
I think I've put my finger on my niggle with the system...
It doesn't take into account the characters interaction with society.

But the system does... (sorry, not meaning to have a go at you)

I do not have the rulebook to hand, but paraphrasing, legendary abilities are not just acquired by spending the hero points, the character must quest/find a learned master and persuade him to teach him etc. Thats all very roleplay worthy material.

In RQ2 I actually pumped up the requirements for becoming a runelord by requiring it to come at the end of a quest for the cult, having already qualified.

If you want to complain about the 'abstraction' in MRQ - look at RQ2 cults of prax and players at the mercy of the random acceptance roll. In early RQ2 days Pavis was a very popular cult for players because you had guaranteed acceptance with 5 relevant mastered skills.

I think you are making criticisms without fully & reading taking on board the rules as expressed. As always , if you dont like it, change it.
 
But the system does... (sorry, not meaning to have a go at you)

I think you are making criticisms without fully & reading taking on board the rules as expressed.

Not really trying to pick holes more plug holes that I percieve to be there- which isn't helped by my damn RQ2/3 perspective/preconceptions.

Tending to read stuff and leap to conclusions or pre-conceptions. So I whole heartedly appologise for this...

If you want to complain about the 'abstraction' in MRQ - look at RQ2 cults of prax and players at the mercy of the random acceptance roll. In early RQ2 days Pavis was a very popular cult for players because you had guaranteed acceptance with 5 relevant mastered skills.

Don't forget your donation of a few 1000 Lunar to bribe the examiner.

Ok I take your point, perhaps I expected a little more, a list of moral and cultural biases which could be role played against would have been better, a kind of Hierachy of Sins or expectation the cult would expect...

But then that is the stuff of a dedicated cult book.

Paul :oops:
 
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