Second Glorantha Preview

[MongooseMatt]

Hot on the heels of the first, the second preview of the all new Glorantha sourcebook for RuneQuest, written by Roblin Laws, is now available for download;

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/home/series.php?qsSeries=39

 

[Ravage]

Wicked....

I'm getting more and more excited by this book than the rulebook

keep it up, already theres more mythos on Aldyrami in your preview than theres ever been (in my collection of works) sine RQ started!

Still wish the preview had the last page of history as far as mongoose sees it - i.e. I read somewhere 907ST is the default game year? We're expecting allot of recent history (to this date or the date your picking) to be wrriten so we can use it to flesh Glornatha 2nd age to our players!

Thanks for these previews tho - worth the effort and keeps me checking the site and forums meticulously :0

 

[Archer]

Yikes, the elves looks even worse than I imagined them. :shock:
They do not look remotely like the beautiful supernatural entities by the name of elves.

Other than that, nice introduction to the mythology and culture.

 

[Adept]

Yikes, the elves looks even worse than I imagined them. :shock:
They do not look remotely like the beautiful supernatural entities by the name of elves.

Other than that, nice introduction to the mythology and culture.

It's not a very good picture, overall, but it's pretty good for illustrating how elf-hating humans could see them.

An old elf could very well look like that, though the proportions are somewhat off. The ethymology of the word elf leads (among other things) to something like "forest spirit". That's not a bad look for a such.

If you want elves = pretty humans, I recommend Tolkien.

 

[SteveMND]

They do not look remotely like the beautiful supernatural entities by the name of elves.

That would be why they are called Aldryami, not elves. Only vulgar non-aldryami call them elves.

... seriously, though, which of course takes us right back to one of the very first discussions on the MRQ boards here when the forum was first created. I like that symmetry.

But yeah, that picture is.... well, there's surely no doubting the aldryami's floral heritage, that's for sure. I think if I ran a Glorantha campaign, I might have to 'pretty them up' a little bit just to suit my own aesthetic sensibilities. At least maybe for the females (harkens back to that old Doctor Who pic mentioned in the last thread on the subject of an Aldryami's appearance).

 

[waiwode]

Mark of a one-track mind.

Reading the commerce page I couldn't help but think of a Traveller/Firefly-style "tramp freighter" campaign. Sailing around in a leaky knorr, too poor to join the Mercantilist's League, willing to bend a couple rules for the sake of profit.

Instead of Reavers you have Broo. Instead of the Inner System you have the God Learners Empire. This works on so many levels.

Of course I had to laugh at thetext box on page 4 (67) of the preview:

Ever notice that nearly every adventurer you
meet is an outcast from his people? Why, it’s as
if the profession of killing people and taking their
stuff has fallen into disrepute or something! Who
cares? Renegades have more fun, anyhow!
— Mavlen Madthing, Elf Mercenary of Ralios

Gaming culture reference humour? Two points.

Doug.

 

[Archer]

If you want elves = pretty humans, I recommend Tolkien.

One of the worst things to happen to the Fantasy genre, tolkien. The years when the books became movies was some of the most dreadful, every person I know that had any slight intrest in fantasy was all tolkien-crazy.
I just thought the movies really cheesy, and dull. Basically what I thought about his books, a total ripoff from nordic folklore, with the most basic fantasy story of all trying to tie it together.

What I find just so irritating is the use of the word elves, even if it is the humans that call them that. And using the explanation that the word "elf" are only used in the game due to the fact that the humans call them this, feels rather hollow. Especially if it is more than likely that Gloranthan humans do not have any mythology where the world elf might have originated in the same way, and that they with all likelyhood does not speak english, norweigan, swedish, celtic, etc.
They should have their own unique name for them.

In fantasy today, elves means pretty much the basic standardized picture of an elf. So using the word for a creature that does not look at all like an elf, is just silly (basically just like this discussion). The experience with the LOTR movies, made me realize how strongly rooted the images associated with certain words, themes, and races from the fantasy genre really are in the mind of the public, and why the fantasy RPGs that have gone "crazy" in changing them to a great extent never have managed to smack D&D down from it's pedistal, and in most cases today are extinct or played by only a few (Talislanta comes to mind, one of my favorite settings despite it being rather weird).

*irony on*
CENCORED DUE TO RANTING, See previous discussion on this forum about elves and dwarves. :wink:
*irony off*

Point; If you are to establish something new in a fantasy setting, make sure it has a whole new name that has no previous meaning or conjures up a specific image in mind. Or just just use what has already been established with only a slight twist.

And with that, I believe we have come full circle

 

[SteveMND]

And with that, I believe we have come full circle

Yah, really. Before any new posters leap into this discussion, let me just let you know that the whole elf/aldryami appearance thing was hashed out to within an inch of it's life some time ago.

If you are a masochist by heart and still feel like reviewing the discussion -- all eighteen pages of it -- scroll back to page 2 or 3 of the RQ forum board and look for the Elves and Dwarves thread...

 

[Mikko Leho]

What I find just so irritating is the use of the word elves, even if it is the humans that call them that. And using the explanation that the word "elf" are only used in the game due to the fact that the humans call them this, feels rather hollow.

This could be used to your advantage: not every human in Glorantha has met an elf or even heard about their true appearance. For all we know the players and their characters should believe that that elves are pointy eared Swedish hairdressers dancing in forests. Nothing will shock them more than finding out the truth.

Also calling elves beautiful is deceptive as beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have discussed with Tolkien fan, who stated that Tolkien's elves shouldn't be necessary depicted as beautiful humans but as beings who first defined beauty. Over the years over sensibility for this peculiarity has perverted to our contemporary view of beauty. If we were to meet an elf we wouldn't be necessary delighted but scared by its looks.

 

[atgxtg]

I'm not big on letting "contemporary perception" define something for me. Usually such a perception is misapplied or just wrong. I prefer to let the setting define things.

When I was running my Celtic RQ campaign, I based the elves on the Tuatha De Danann. This caused a bit of a "culture" shock when some of my players discovered that these "elves" were a lot tougher than what they were used to.

There were also some difficulties with certain players who tried to "disbelieve" Glamour, too.

 

[Mark Mohrfield]

Mark of a one-track mind.

Reading the commerce page I couldn't help but think of a Traveller/Firefly-style "tramp freighter" campaign. Sailing around in a leaky knorr, too poor to join the Mercantilist's League, willing to bend a couple rules for the sake of profit.

Instead of Reavers you have Broo. Instead of the Inner System you have the God Learners Empire. This works on so many levels.

And, at some point, the GLs really will boil the sea, as per the themesong. I forget if they burn the land, though

 

[Lord Twig]

If you want elves = pretty humans, I recommend Tolkien.

Yeah, you know. You can just get over yourself. I personally think that the elf picture is hideous and it IS a change from what Glorantha elves started as.

One of the worst things to happen to the Fantasy genre, tolkien. The years when the books became movies was some of the most dreadful, every person I know that had any slight intrest in fantasy was all tolkien-crazy.
I just thought the movies really cheesy, and dull. Basically what I thought about his books, a total ripoff from nordic folklore, with the most basic fantasy story of all trying to tie it together.

What the heck are you smoking! The Fantasy genre exists because of Tolkien.

Total ripoff of Nordic folklore?! Do you even have any idea of what Tolkien was trying to accomplish? I suppose CS Lewis TOTALLY ripped off the Bible when he wrote the Narnia series.

Grrr... Okay, whatever. I know there are wildly differing opinions on this. But yours are no more valid than anyone elses.

 

[waiwode]

And, at some point, the GLs really will boil the sea, as per the themesong. I forget if they burn the land, though

I still blame the EWF for that!

Doug.

 

[Enpeze]

What the heck are you smoking! The Fantasy genre exists because of Tolkien.

While I dont agree with adepts opinion that Tolkien is totally crap, I strongly disagree with your opinion that Fantasy exists because Tolkien. There have been many other excellent writers for fantasy adventures before Tolkien or at least at the same time, like RE Howard, CA Smith or the great Poul Anderson.

BTW: We have to suffer from all these orc, elf and dwarf nonsense in nearly each stinkin fantasy setting because of D&D not of Tolkien. His books have been very good as literature and also as films but I curse the day Gygax includes the Tolkien races in D&D.

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

What the heck are you smoking! The Fantasy genre exists because of Tolkien.

While I dont agree with adepts opinion that Tolkien is totally crap, I strongly disagree with your opinion that Fantasy exists because Tolkien. There have been many other excellent writers for fantasy adventures before Tolkien or at least at the same time, like RE Howard, CA Smith or the great Poul Anderson.

BTW: We have to suffer from all these orc, elf and dwarf nonsense in nearly each stinkin fantasy setting because of D&D not of Tolkien. His books have been very good as literature and also as films but I curse the day Gygax includes the Tolkien races in D&D.

And don't forget Leiber. Modern fantasy starts with Fritz.

 

[homerjsinnott]

I love that picture! its original, scary and looks like an evil silver birch.


Kudos to the artist for making a massive artistic leap.

Boo-urns to all you fuddy duddies.

 

[Lord Twig]

What the heck are you smoking! The Fantasy genre exists because of Tolkien.

While I dont agree with adepts opinion that Tolkien is totally crap, I strongly disagree with your opinion that Fantasy exists because Tolkien. There have been many other excellent writers for fantasy adventures before Tolkien or at least at the same time, like RE Howard, CA Smith or the great Poul Anderson.

BTW: We have to suffer from all these orc, elf and dwarf nonsense in nearly each stinkin fantasy setting because of D&D not of Tolkien. His books have been very good as literature and also as films but I curse the day Gygax includes the Tolkien races in D&D.

Well, okay. I may have gone a little overboard there. I can agree with this.

 

[Enpeze]

What the heck are you smoking! The Fantasy genre exists because of Tolkien.

While I dont agree with adepts opinion that Tolkien is totally crap, I strongly disagree with your opinion that Fantasy exists because Tolkien. There have been many other excellent writers for fantasy adventures before Tolkien or at least at the same time, like RE Howard, CA Smith or the great Poul Anderson.

BTW: We have to suffer from all these orc, elf and dwarf nonsense in nearly each stinkin fantasy setting because of D&D not of Tolkien. His books have been very good as literature and also as films but I curse the day Gygax includes the Tolkien races in D&D.

And don't forget Leiber. Modern fantasy starts with Fritz.

Of course Leiber. I cant believe that I forgot him. Thanks for remembering.

 

[Lord Twig]

Stepping away from the ghastly Aldryami (Elf) (that is how the book lists them). I am not liking a lot of the writing.

I already suspected it, but this just confirms it. The huge array of unrelated and confusing gods are going to be portrayed in the Glorantha book.

Eron, Halamalao, Bebester, Bergara, Vronkal, Trigora, Veratha, etc...

WHO THE HECK ARE THESE PEOPLE! :x

Don't answer that! I don't want to know!

The problem is that they probably correspond in some ways to gods I have heard of. Yelm, Mostal, Zorak Zoran, etc. But I have no way of knowing which is which. Is Bebester Zorak Zoran or Wakboth? Were they fighting Chaos? Trolls? Other races? Falamal seems to be Flamal and Aldrya is still Aldrya at least.

Yuck. Anyway, I will still probably buy the book and pull what I can out of it. I will be throwing away a great deal though.

And I will just pretend that the image of the Tree Creature from the Planet Gregging does not exist.

 

[Ravage]

Eron, Halamalao, Bebester, Bergara, Vronkal, Trigora, Veratha, etc...

WHO THE HECK ARE THESE PEOPLE! :x

Don't answer that! I don't want to know!

Seeing these are all plucked from a section on Aldryami, and until this books comes out - we've only had CoP/Aldrya for a Elf "pantheon" I think you're being totally harsh!

You keep using Zorak Zoran as a refernce... your obviously Uz... And you've been written up over and over again.

As we're becoming labelled as RQ Vets, we should be expecting NEW material, this is a new age to discover and new areas to be fleshed out in Glorantha... If your not going to be able to move on from CoP I can only suggest you by Moon Design's Cult Compendium....