Which Real World Culture Needs a RuneQuest Book Next???

[Lev Lafayette]

I have also run a very long RuneQuest game set in the early 16th century (a most exciting period, for a number of reasons) in the past.

What do you mean by in the past? You were supposed to re-start it! :wink:

Remember, it gets restarted once this (now almost two-year) HeroQuest game finishes...

 

[Astromancer]

Delurking

Hello. If you need an author for a RuneQuest "Indonesia"* I may be the right person.

I lived in the region for over a year and traveled extensively throughout Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and East Timor. I speak one of the local languages (Tetum) with a some skill and can get by with Bahasa, and I know a little Balinese. I have more than a passing familiarity with the history, religion and culture.

I have also run a very long RuneQuest game set in the early 16th century (a most exciting period, for a number of reasons) in the past.

* Indonesia is a relatively recent political entity; "Malay archipelago" is the better term.

It's an exciting and richly interesting part of the world that's not really well know amoung Anglophones. I'd love to see more on the area and it seems (from what I know) like an amazing RPG setting/theme.

 

[Astromancer]

Im for the first civilisations in our history, long live Gilgamesh, may Baal forgive us or strike us down for not placing his culture on this list.

Think of the cool producing/trading/military society that have a theocracy so intermingled with everyday life.

In a way Gilgamesh could be the forefather of Conan the barbarian (perhaps with slightly more thinking power).

So forward proud sumerians!

Perhaps we can mix you with the Babylonians (oh, i think Baal was a Babylonian god, sorry) to spice up a would be fantasy setting.

/Calle

Had I thought about it longer (and had less trouble with the keyboard that day) the Sumerians and Persians would be on the list.

 

[Astromancer]

Hellenistic Greece (the period between Alexander's death and Cleopatra's defeat at Actium) is so much cooler/weirder than ancient and classical Greece. At least for adventuring.

I'm a celtophile. The music, the farce blending with high tragedy, with neither cheapened, the wild passion. I love it.

The Elizabethan period is so wild, complex, and rich in possibility for gaming. You can simply sail off to China, discover unknown lands along the way, engage the ships of Spain as privateers, ect. London was/is nearly a world to itself!


These are still the ones I want most.

 

[GbajiTheDeceiver]

The Elizabethan period is so wild, complex, and rich in possibility for gaming. You can simply sail off to China, discover unknown lands along the way, engage the ships of Spain as privateers, ect. London was/is nearly a world to itself!

Impossible for me to think of that period without Blackadder coming to mind; any game I would set in that period would very quickly turn into a farce. I can already imagine the sailing trip to China... "you have a woman's buttocks, my lord".

An intentional RQ Blackadder would however be a very fine thing indeed.

 

[Astromancer]

Impossible for me to think of that period without Blackadder coming to mind; any game I would set in that period would very quickly turn into a farce. I can already imagine the sailing trip to China... "you have a woman's buttocks, my lord".

An intentional RQ Blackadder would however be a very fine thing indeed.

Yes a Blackadder suppliment, with chapters on each period and details on being a reincarnated twit though the ages would be sweet.

 

[Loz]

Just think of the skills you could have...

Cunning Plan (effectively reverse the effects of success and failure)
Assess Turnip (essential for Serfs)
Wibble (essential for feigning madness)
Impersonate Boy Called Kate (short for 'Bob') (essential for impersonating Boys called Kate who are also called 'Bob'. You'd be surprised how useful this skill is...)

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

And of course, 'Drinking Beer'.

 

[Blackyinkin]

Don't forget, drinking beer while wearing gilded false breasts...

Simon

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

Don't forget, drinking beer while wearing gilded false breasts...

Simon

I was assuming that was a prerequisite....

 

[Astromancer]

Would a few more people take my poll please!

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Im not interested in historical supplements for RQ. They always seem like potboilers. Nothing difficult about doing your own research.

The only historical supplement which was any good was ICEs Mythic Greece. Thats because they got the balance right and leant towards the Mythic as opposed to the Greece.

The new Rome one from Chaosium seems to concentrate upon the city and the republic, which seems odd to me. A bit of a waste of time, though I havent read it. Seems expennsive for something that any competent GM could produce.

Historical supplements are always lacking in scenario seeds too. Any dufus can use a copyright free map, but the difficult bit is always going to be credible scenario material.

Ive got Chaosiums Land of Ninja and Vikings, ICEs Robin Hood and their version of Vikings, and Ive never used any material from any of them.

I could possibly get excited about a Mesoamerican supplement. It would have to have an entirely new magic system and usable campaign attached. I'd be pretty hacked off if it turned out to be composed of a few new skills and a couple of renamed divine spells. This kind of thing seems to pass for historical supplement material often.

 

[zozotroll]

I have used ICEs Pirates 3 times now. And, and a 10 foot pole has to be the best suplement ever.

I also thought Stupor Mundi was a great suplement, and wish Paolo would do more. (did I spell that right? Sorry man if I messed it up)

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

I have used ICEs Pirates 3 times now. And, and a 10 foot pole has to be the best suplement ever.

I also thought Stupor Mundi was a great suplement, and wish Paolo would do more. (did I spell that right? Sorry man if I messed it up)

Ah, missed out on Pirates and 10 foot pole. Their Greece one was good. Lots of info, new rules, except the wasted space for the Hero system stats. I think there was even a campaign. Rolemaster was pretty good too, for the high powered approach. Even so, I'd probably use Shadow World any day.

 

[BenQ]

I'd be interested in one that is not listed - an African sourcebook, a culture that isn't often touched upon (except in CoC from time to time) and a rich one to tap into.

 

[Mongoose Pete]

The new Rome one from Chaosium seems to concentrate upon the city and the republic, which seems odd to me. A bit of a waste of time, though I havent read it. Seems expennsive for something that any competent GM could produce.

Its a shame you haven't read it. I initially chose Republican Rome because of the HBO Rome series and everyone and their dog had already covered Imperial Rome.

The beauty of the Republic is that PCs can easily reach the highest levels of politics and briefly rule over the city (and its growing empire). You also have mandatory military service for citizens, some of the most famous battles in history and very strange social conventions which seem totally weird to players (but are fun to play). In short, the Republic is very different beast to the later Imperium.

Unfortunately the book is costly. But that is due to it being POD and Lulu is very expensive, not only from basic unit printing costs, but also taking a hefty share of the profit margin for hosting/advertising the book on its web pages. Until Alephtar can afford to invest in large private print runs, and has a economically viable method of distribution to FLGS, we're basically chained to the irritatingly hiked-up costs of POD.

Historical supplements are always lacking in scenario seeds too. Any dufus can use a copyright free map, but the difficult bit is always going to be credible scenario material.

BRP Rome actually has about 120ish scenario seeds throughout the entire book. The first scenario pack for Rome, 'Veni Vidi Vici' has just been released too. Which also puts Alephtar in the unusual position of actually supporting its historical settings.

See if you can beg, borrow or steal a copy from somewhere and peruse it at your leisure. I think you'll find it is a little beyond what "any competent GM could produce"!

 

[RosenMcStern]

Poof! Someone spoke my name, with the correct spelling, and I appear (like Hastur, and Robin Laws).

Nothing difficult about doing your own research.

I hope my new supplement will change your mind. I am translating stuff from Latvian and Lithuanian to include materials that is not exactly generally available.

Seems expennsive for something that any competent GM could produce.

The book is not cheap, but this is due to the price overhead of using Lulu. I hope we can find a cheaper production mechanism with our new supplements. But I have a question, now: is there any supplement, fantasy or historical, that any competent GM could not produce?

Historical supplements are always lacking in scenario seeds too. Any dufus can use a copyright free map, but the difficult bit is always going to be credible scenario material.

If you are talking about scenario seeds, Rome has over one hundred of them. If you are talking about ready to play scenarios, then Stupor Mundi has two of them included, and a whole scenario booklet for Rome has been released yesterday: Veni, Vidi, Vici.

I had to cut the scenarios away from Merrie England, soltakss' new RuneQuest book, but there is a campaign in fact and it will be published at a later time, like we did for Rome. My Baltic supplement will include an 80-page campaign which leads the party through the years 1230-1240, more or less. If you look for them, you will find some scenarios.

I could possibly get excited about a Mesoamerican supplement.

Me too.

Edit: ach, Pete, you beat me with your fast reply! There is nothing to do, a master swordsman's reflexes are impossible to match!

 

[PrinceYyrkoon]

Cheers for the replies! Youre ears must have been burning!

You know, Republican Rome doesnt really appeal to me as a setting. It seems very...unexotic. I understand that it could be made to be something of interest with a little work, but I would probably never have any use for something like that, so I'll pass. No reflection on the quality of the work. As I say, Ive never read it. It does seem mighty expensive though. On top of this, political campaigns hold no interest for me.

Th republic was actually LESS adventuresome than the Empire. There was a very structured class system in place with absolutely no upward mobility. Once a lowly farmer, always a lowly farmer. The wars with Etruscans and later with Samnites are pretty low key, local affairs. And pretty well documented for anyone wanting to do a campaign anyway. There is no hint of any kind of 'magic', its all very mundane. So what you are left with is a campaign utilising a partial version of RQ or BRP. Not very thrilling, to be honest.

Mesoamerica has possibility. It would have to be a fantasy version of it though. Theres just no point in detailing the day to day grind of subsistence. This is the problem, I think, with historical supplements. I dont find any interest in a book that describes a historical situation, there has to be some extrapolation, some integration of the cultures myths into the mechanics.

Just my opinion.

 

[RosenMcStern]

Cheers for the replies! Youre ears must have been burning!

Not at all. We just happened to be both perusing this forum at the same time.

Th republic was actually LESS adventuresome than the Empire. There was a very structured class system in place with absolutely no upward mobility. Once a lowly farmer, always a lowly farmer.

This is absolutely not true, where did you get that idea? Half of the timespan labeled as "Republic" is characterized by social struggles to grant caste mobilities - many of which succeeded. Have you ever heard of the equites class? They were the equivalent of the medieval burghers, not patricians but rich enough to overshadow patricians.

Enough apologies of Pete's book. Now there's a subject of more general interest.

Mesoamerica has possibility. It would have to be a fantasy version of it though. Theres just no point in detailing the day to day grind of subsistence. This is the problem, I think, with historical supplements. I dont find any interest in a book that describes a historical situation, there has to be some extrapolation, some integration of the cultures myths into the mechanics.

I agree wholeheartedly. But there are some that do not. Some people like to have "just historical" supplements, with magic not working. I think it depends on the setting, and how much the myths are embedded in everyday life. I think a mesoamerican supplement would be interesting in itself, but it is certainly more fun if you can actually meet a flying serpent.

Maybe this could be a good subject for another poll: do you prefer "Just history" for your historical supplement, or you want cultural magic thrown in?

 

[RosenMcStern]

Poll is up on rpg.net. I am curious to see the results. BRP Rome, for those who do not know it, corresponds to options 2), while Land of the Samurai or Stupor Mundi are option 3)

http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=475956