Settings

[Arthor du fer]

Hi there,

I'm knew on Legend, and I have to say that I'm a little bit confused about the settings in this game.

I saw that there are some books in legend that provide some settings (e.g. viking of legend, (I am not sure about this) cities of legend, and pirates of legend). However, I also saw other books that seem to be settings for Legend (e.g. Elric of Melnibone). I don't understand the difference between those types of settings. In fact, when I went on the webpage of Mongoose Publishing, the settings like viking of legend are presented in the ''Core Rulesbooks & Accessories'', while Elric of Melnibone, for example, is presented in a different section ...

Furthermore, when I looked about Elric of Melnibone, I read that the corebook (and other) have been made for RuneQuest II. Since they seem to have other books (in pre-order if I looked correctly) about Elric of Melnibone, I suppose that the corebook of Elric of Melnibone (and other) are compatible with Legend. Am I right with that?

So, I don't know if somebody can help me with that!

I just want to add that English isn't my first language ... I hope it remains clear!

Thank

 

[Dan True]

Hello, and welcome to Legend!

There are indeed a number of settings. And yes, everything developed for Mongoose RuneQuest II (MRQII) is 100% compatible with Legend. It it merely the older name for the same system.

The "core" bokos and accessories (i.e. all those with "Of Legend" in the title):

Vikings of Legend
Pirates of Legend
Cities of Legend (not a setting, but a supplment).
(soon) Samurai of Legend

These are completely open-content. You can take any content and use in your own publications etc.

Other settings include:

Historia Rodentia (not sure why it's been placed in the core section):
Steampunk rodents - wind in the willows gone bad.

Age of Treason:
Intrigue-filled ancient-like world I think, developed specifically for Legend/MRQII.

Deus Vult:
A setting specifically for Legend. Dark, medieval intrigue in the shadows of a supernatural version of our world.

Elric:
This setting is developed for a book series. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elric).

Wraith Recon:
Originally a d20 setting by Mongoose, which was converted to MRQII/Legend.

These settings are not Open Content, so they are protected by more copyrights etc. As a player, the difference is neglible.

The main difference between the two types of settings, from a player perspective, is that the "of legend" titles provide rules and flair to move Legend from a ancient/medieval period to other periods - for instance to Iron Age vikings, or Age of Discovery pirates. They don't provide for instance a campaign, or the name of the British King etc. (as that is merely history, and available many other places). They merely tell you about the period, the weapons, magic and additional rules for such a period.

The other settings on the other hand, a fully described settings. They give you maps, the name of the Emperor, overarching plot lines etc. etc.

Hope that helps.

- Dan

 

[Hopeless]

Hello, and welcome to Legend!

There are indeed a number of settings. And yes, everything developed for Mongoose RuneQuest II (MRQII) is 100% compatible with Legend. It it merely the older name for the same system.

Other settings include:

Historia Rodentia (not sure why it's been placed in the core section):
Steampunk rodents - wind in the willows gone bad.
Hope that helps.
- Dan

I prefer to call that the future from the Secret of Nimh but the Redwall series was the first inspiration I got when I learned about this particular new release and then of course a certain pair of Meercats and their tv adverts...

 

[Cyporiean]

Historia Rodentia (not sure why it's been placed in the core section):
Steampunk rodents - wind in the willows gone bad.
Hope that helps.
- Dan

I prefer to call that the future from the Secret of Nimh but the Redwall series was the first inspiration I got when I learned about this particular new release and then of course a certain pair of Meercats and their tv adverts...

We had no knowledge of those commercials until Mongoose Matthew told us about them late last year, they never made it across the pond.

But I did read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH as a child and Lamb Matthew read Redwall, both series definitely influenced our writing and development of Brushfire.

 

[Hopeless]

We had no knowledge of those commercials until Mongoose Matthew told us about them late last year, they never made it across the pond.

But I did read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH as a child and Lamb Matthew read Redwall, both series definitely influenced our writing and development of Brushfire.

The funny part is that I had planned on them being gerbils but when the moment came I couldn't resist keeping them as meercats and I still mixed them up!

The adverts had Aleksandr as the impulsive one and Sergei his long suffering assistant, completely forgetting that part Sergei became the reckless pilot and Aleksandr his considerably more cautious aide.

Looking forward to the next supplement(s) especially Zabar!

 

[Arthor du fer]

Thank you for all your anwsers!!

I have another question about the settings, but it's more about RuneQuest6. I don't have the book, but I looked a little bit at some pictures that are available.

Is it me, or the pictures seem more bronze, antique and sandal oriented than Legend?

The reason why I ask that is because I don’t have bought the Legend books yet (I used the books of a friend). So, I hesitated between Legend and Rune Quest 6.

While the critics seem quite good, I have to say that I do not feel the «background» of Rune Quest 6 (maybe it’s just an impression since a just got piece of picture) … I know that you can always change the setting, but when I looked upon some pictures (like the cover) of Rune Quest 6, I don’t feel playing a Viking or an medieval Knight, while It’s easier for me to figure it out with Legend …

So, I guess I have to questions:

1- Is RuneQuest 6 more antique, bronze, sandal oriented that Legend?
2- Is there some place for other backgrounds? Like I said, I know that you can always change the settings, but I’m talking more about how the book is designed, the pictures, and so on.

Thank

 

[Prime_Evil]

Both RQ 6 and Legend can do everything from bronze age to traditional "high medieval" settings. I suspect that the artwork in the RQ 6 rulebook has been inspired by the ancient world partly to differentiate it from the various generic medieval fantasy settings and partly as a nod to the history of the game - the classic Glorantha setting closely associated with Runequest features a late bronze age setting.

I'd have to say that for my taste, the natural setting for the systems would be a slightly gritty swords and sorcery setting with touches of dark fantasy, but your own preferences may be different.

The two games are quite compatible with each other and there should be few problems mixing and matching the bits that you like. In some ways RQ 6 is a natural evolution of the MRQ II / Legend system, but it does seem to be a little more "crunchy" in places.

 

[RangerDan]

I fully agree with everything Prime_Evil said.

Also, @Arthor, the cover is very much a nod to the original covers of Runequest and RQ2:

 

[Arthor du fer]

So I should go with RQ6 rather than MRQII / Legend ?

 

[Prime_Evil]

So I should go with RQ6 rather than MRQII / Legend ?

It's largely a matter of personal taste. RQ 6 makes some improvements over Legend, but it is a bit more rules-heavy...and considerably more expensive!

If you are trying to introduce the system to a group of gamers for the first time, I'd recommend starting off with the basic Legend rules first to see if they like the system. You can pick up a PDF of the core rulebook on RPGNow for only $1 (compared to $25 for RQ 6). However, RQ 6 includes a bestiary in the core rulebook, whereas you need to buy Monsters of Legend if you want to include non-human beasties in your Legend campaign - this costs an additional $12 in PDF format.

If your group likes Legend, then upgrading to RQ 6 might be a good investment once you have played the game a couple of times and have decided to kick off an ongoing campaign. There is a very high level of compatibility between the two games, so feel free to grab any Legend books that strike your fancy and use them with RQ 6 - or vice versa.

RQ 6 definitely feels more "complete" than Legend, but it also has a slightly more "crunchy" feel to it - I suspect that some people will prefer the additional detail provided by RQ 6 while other people will prefer the less structured approach of Legend. However, don't walk away with the impression that either system is as rules-heavy as current versions of D&D or Pathfinder!

Also, keep in mind that both games were written by the same authors, so there is a LOT of overlap between them.

 

[Loz]

I have another question about the settings, but it's more about RuneQuest6. I don't have the book, but I looked a little bit at some pictures that are available.

Is it me, or the pictures seem more bronze, antique and sandal oriented than Legend?

Prime Evil has given a very nice summary in his earlier post.

To answer the above question, although the look and feel of RQ6 is Bronze Age/Sword and Sandal, this is purely there as a thematic element. The game suits most styles of fantasy, and in the equipment section we've even provided a guide to what sorts of gear can be found in medieval and later fantasy settings.

RQ - and, by default, Legend - began life as a Bronze Age setting, but over its many years it has evolved into something much more. Don't be fooled by the illustrations. The game can very much serve your needs.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

It's totally flexible... as a wild example, if you fancy porting some 'Call of Cthulhu' material over (basically same underlying mechanics, give, or take... although there are some differences), you can run 'Aliens' style SciFi.

There is so much out there that anything is possible.

 

[Prime_Evil]

It's totally flexible... as a wild example, if you fancy porting some 'Call of Cthulhu' material over (basically same underlying mechanics, give, or take... although there are some differences), you can run 'Aliens' style SciFi.

There is so much out there that anything is possible.

That's true. It's worth emphasizing that all of the games in the BRP / D100 family are light enough that you can do most of the conversion in your head during play - it's not like you need to sit down for hours beforehand to convert statblocks from one game to the other. The only thing that you really need to pay attention to are the subtle differences between the power levels of the magic in each of the game systems.

 

[Prime_Evil]

To answer the above question, although the look and feel of RQ6 is Bronze Age/Sword and Sandal, this is purely there as a thematic element. The game suits most styles of fantasy, and in the equipment section we've even provided a guide to what sorts of gear can be found in medieval and later fantasy settings.

RQ - and, by default, Legend - began life as a Bronze Age setting, but over its many years it has evolved into something much more. Don't be fooled by the illustrations. The game can very much serve your needs.

I've got to say that the illustrations in the RQ 6 book are excellent - they establish a strong flavour in a way that few other fantasy RPGs have. And the examples of play contained in Anathaym’s Saga help to reinforce the 'feel' of the game. Even just glancing through the rulebook, you get an instant sense of what the game does best. For one thing, there is a deliberate contrast with the pseudo-Medieval settings contained in many other fantasy systems - for example, this isn't a setting where the women are wearing improbable armour with a high cheesecake factor.

Sure, RQ can do other settings and do them well - just look at Pirates of Legend or Historia Rodentia or Chivalry & Clockwork to see how the basic system can be modified to accommodate other time periods and other genres. But for my own tastes, the presentation of the core rulebook stamps a strong statement of intent on the game that is hard to deny. This is one area where RQ 6 excels - it has a clear and consistent identity of its own that is instantly identifiable. You have to go right back to the pre-Avalon Hill days of RQ 2 to see the last time that this was done so effectively...

If you're looking for a system that does Bronze Age/Sword and Sandal well, you can't really go past RQ 6. And if you're looking for a game that resonates with the aesthetic of old school sword & sorcery literature in the spirit of Robert E. Howard, Fritz Lieber, and Michael Moorcock you could do a lot worse than look at the system.

Legend does cover much of the same ground, but the intended atmosphere of the game isn't communicated as strongly or consistently. However, Legend still has some significant advantages - in addition to a lower price point, the fact that the rules have been released under the OGL is simply awesome!

 

[soltakss]

Is it me, or the pictures seem more bronze, antique and sandal oriented than Legend?

Not really. Like Legend, RuneQuest is a generic Fantasy ruleset. In its current incarnation, it does not have a default setting.

Legend and RuneQuest are both equally suitable to similar settings.

While the critics seem quite good, I have to say that I do not feel the «background» of Rune Quest 6 (maybe it’s just an impression since a just got piece of picture) … I know that you can always change the setting, but when I looked upon some pictures (like the cover) of Rune Quest 6, I don’t feel playing a Viking or an medieval Knight, while It’s easier for me to figure it out with Legend …

It should be as easy to play a Medieval knight or Viking in RuneQuest as it is in Legend. In fact, the author of Vikings of Legend is one of the authors of RuneQuest 6. Whether RuneQuest brings out a medieval setting is another question entirely.

1- Is RuneQuest 6 more antique, bronze, sandal oriented that Legend?

No.

RuneQuest is, hopefully, going to bring out a Heroic Greece supplement and a Dark Ages supplement. However, that does not mean the ruleset is particularly suited to them, just that the authors are bringing out those settings.

2- Is there some place for other backgrounds? Like I said, I know that you can always change the settings, but I’m talking more about how the book is designed, the pictures, and so on.

I don;t have RQ6 yet, so I can't comment on the pictures in the book. RuneQuest is a generic ruleset, so it does not have a fixed background/setting. Those will come in other supplements. This is a good thing. It allows RuneQuest to be tailored to a Gloranthan, Medieval, SciFi or Horror setting without compromising on the basic rules.

So I should go with RQ6 rather than MRQII / Legend ?

They are much the same in many respects.

If you buy Legend then you can self-publish or write new material based on the Legend rules. RuneQuest does not easily allow that, as you have to have a licence. That might not be particularly important to you, but it is important to other people, myself included.

What I would do, and what I would advise anyone interested in the different D100-style rules, would be to purchase Legend, RuneQuest and basic Roleplaying as PDFs and take whatever rules you prefer from each of them.

 

[Prime_Evil]

If you buy Legend then you can self-publish or write new material based on the Legend rules. RuneQuest does not easily allow that, as you have to have a licence. That might not be particularly important to you, but it is important to other people, myself included.

Does that mean that you are considering producing something for Legend?

What I would do, and what I would advise anyone interested in the different D100-style rules, would be to purchase Legend, RuneQuest and basic Roleplaying as PDFs and take whatever rules you prefer from each of them.

This is the best advice that you are likely to get - the three games have a high level of compatibility and you can take material that you like from each of them. If you want a simplified version of the rules, I recommend that you also look at OpenQuest from D101 rules and the Renaissance system from Cakebread & Walton.

You can download the Renaissance System Reference document for free at:

http://www.clockworkandchivalry.co.uk/downloads/

You can also download the developer's kit for OpenQuest here, but if you like it please consider buying a copy of the PDF:

http://d101games.co.uk/downloads/

 

[Vile]

You can also get the D100II SRD here, to give you an idea of where all this began:

http://viletraveller.wordpress.com/downloads/

 

[soltakss]

Does that mean that you are considering producing something for Legend?

Probably. I'm working on a few things at the moment.

 

[Arthor du fer]

Thank you for all these anwsers.

After reading your posts, I think that I'll try Legend first (for the low costs), and, depending on how I appreciate Legend, go to RQ6 or stay with Legend!