Runequest Adventures

[Utgardloki]

I have decided that when Runequest/Gorantha is released again, I will get them and run a campaign in the Sartar area.

However, besides a cool setting with cool characters using a cool gaming setting, it is essential to have a cool adventure to run.

Are there any recommendations for what the PCs can do in Glorantha? I have a large number of published adventures, and could buy more if somebody recommends something I don't have. I'm also good at adapting adventures from one game system to another; I've done a number of 1st edition AD&D adventures updated to 3rd edition D&D.

I'm thinking of a starting with a basic rescue scenario. It would be nice if I can then let that lead into a larger adventure. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[sexy_davey]

When setting up a new campaign, the first question is, how much do my players know about Glorantha. This will decide the natuer of the first adventure. If they don't know very much, what we have done in the past is to run a one-off introductary scenario set when the characters are aged about 10 - 15, for their coming of age ritual (this presupposes all characters share the same background, not always the case, but it makes producing future adventures much easier, with no "you're in a pub when..." situations). This can introduce ideas of family, social and magical background, etc. in a believable way. It can also establish relationships between characters, and usually results in the creation of scads of scenario hooks for future adventures. You can then progress to the campaing "proper", set 10 years or so later, knowing your players will have a pretty good idea of their place in the world, and basic Gloranthan concepts.
If your players have a better grasp of Glorantha, you can skip this bit, but the design of any adventures depends largely on the makeup of your party. Initally, you may well have a group consisting of 1 troll, 2 eleves, a dwarf and a human. Loads of fun, very difficult to rationalise. Why isn't the troll eating the dwarf and getting high, etc. If you do have such a party, essentially you can start with RPG staples - resuce, caravan guards, simple treasure hunting, etc.
If your party is more homogenous (we ran a campaign consisting entirely of Yelmalioan templars from Sun County), you have a bity more scope for more "Gloranthan" adventures, e.g. your file is instructed to guard a dignitary in hostile territory, or during a Yelmalian holy day (which all PCs will be attending, of course) a strange event occurs. A uniform group means the PCs will have more closely aligned goals (though this is not always the case), which makes adventures easier to produce.

Of course, feel free to ignore this. Talk to your players, and find out what they want to do. The most important thing of all is for everyone involved to enjoy the game. If your PCs want to play eight foot tall super tortoises, and you're happy to run it - go ahead. It's your Glorantha!

 

[Utgardloki]

I had forgotten about the coming of age scenario. Those were a bash, and something you don't get in most other settings. I think I'll have to go with that.

I think I'll have all the PCs be humans, at least initially. At least one of the players is familiar with Glorantha, perhaps more familiar than I am, but still I think a all-human party will help create a different feeling towards nonhumans than the typical mix-match parties in the other settings do.

Maybe at some point I'd like to have an invasion scenario that forces the humans, trolls, dwarves, elves, and others to all set aside their differences and fight off the invaders. That could be interesting.

 

[sexy_davey]

That sounds like a good plan. As the non-humans in Glorantha have such a rich background, you can really work the "other-ness" of them. Have you decided where you're going to set it?

 

[Utgardloki]

I have a very early Runequest book, that has maps of an area called Sartar. I'd have to look it up, but there are a lot of interesting things there. Near Snakepipe Hollow and Apple Lane, if you have ever seen those supplements (although I think I lost the Snakepipe Hollow one).

 

[sexy_davey]

That's a top place to start. There are lots of printed supplements for that sort of area (for RQII and III), if you can get hold of any - Apple lane, Snakepipe Hollow as you mentioned, plus RQIII stuff for Prax (to the East), such as Sun County, Strangers in Prax (both excellent), or Land of Terror for Dorastor (to the west, if you fancy breaking out the big guns - It's phenomenally dangerous!)

Sounds like you'll be fine - hope you have a great game. I'm actually quite jealous now...

 

[rmeints]

Hello all,

Slightly shameless plug:

What you might want to consider for a starting adventure campaign would be either the Griffin Mountain or Borderlands campaign books. Both are available from Moon Design Publications as part of the four volume Gloranthan Classics reprint series. They cost about $40 each. They are written for RQ2.

Thanks,
Rick
www.glorantha.info

 

[sexy_davey]

Hi Rick,

as a shameless RQ freak, I can recommend the Glorantha classics stuff - even though I already have the original editions. Well, you wouldn't want to get your Sunday best copy dirty, would you...?

 

[The King]

Hello all,

Slightly shameless plug:

What you might want to consider for a starting adventure campaign would be either the Griffin Mountain or Borderlands campaign books. Both are available from Moon Design Publications as part of the four volume Gloranthan Classics reprint series. They cost about $40 each. They are written for RQ2.

Thanks,
Rick
www.glorantha.info

Hi,
I waited for this one for a long time. Do you still intend to release a map set ?

 

[rmeints]

Yes, I want to do a map set, but have no set date for doing it.

 

[The King]

Hope it doesn't last as long as volume IV :wink:
Though as I only knew RQ as it was in its 3rd edition I thank you for allowing me to knwo the best of the 2nd.

 

[The Greek]

To the original question:

I ran a very successful RQ game based in and around Sartar using a mix of materials from RQ, Hero Wars and my own stuff. Also the King of Dragon Pass computer game gave me a bunch of ideas that I was able to use to add colour to the game.

Essentially the whole group was tied to a clan, and as such their rewards for success came with added esteem and training, but not a lot in the way of good old fashioned loot. In the end they were exiled (matter of political expediency - ie: they had done something to upset the Lunars and had to cut all ties with their clan or else it would be bad times for the whole clan).

Early adventures included protecting the sheep (I kid you not), which had all sorts of skill rolls to allow players to get a better feel for the game mechanics since they were all new to the game), a hunt for wild trollkin at the behest of a local Argan Argar merchant (all to do with finding another relation for his brother to eat as part of his cult observances), going to a fete (with the Giant/Undead band) and then progressing to more and more complex scenarios that grew out of earlier ones.

As they got more experienced they were able to take on more and more important missions, but when they managed to assassinate a Lunar noble (in retaliation for him setting them up to be killed and taking their money) that was when they had to flee for pastures new.

Of course being set in the second age means that the world is somewhat different than in earlier editions and games, so you can quite happily go off and run something unique.

 

[Pigking5500]

I ran a runequest adventure using Pigwar's miniature rules-It was a Runequest equivalent of Roman soldier's vs. Celt's (Barbarian's to you newbies out there) Basic Roman unit trying to get the piggy's for tax money and the Celt's defending their Piggie's. the PC's characters were the celts and with the rules chaos ensued with the roman's not getting the pig's for tax money.The Roman general said he would be back with a larger force(me as ref) with seige weapon's and will burn the village to the ground and put everyone to the sword and pilum for defying Roman Law. :shock: