From: "John & Christine Thompson" To: Subject: Chaosium Digest v35.01 Date: Saturday, November 10, 2001 11:01 PM Chaosium Digest Volume 35, Number 02 Date: Saturday, November 10, 2001 Number: 1 of 2 Contents * Review: A Resection of Time (Call of Cthulhu) by Oliver Schmidt Editor's Note: Review of Garden of Earthly Delights (Strange Aeons, Chaosium) by Oliver Schmidt from issue 34.04 has been chosen as the winner of the 3rd quarter Chaosium Contest. Check out issue v34.09 in the Chaosium Digest Archive (http://pages.prodigy.net/gobackstage) for guidelines on entering the contest with your own submissions. Enjoy! ANNOUNCEMENTS * From Issaries, Inc. TALES FROM THE GLORANTHA TRADING ASSOCIATION Sun in Shadow (October, 2001) Greetings to Observers of the Glorantha Trading Association. We sorrow with the world over harms wrought to the innocent just a few weeks ago. In stillness, Hail Issaries and Chalana Arroy. Hearken to the word on Glorantha, Issaries Inc., its partner publishers, and GTA activity. Below you'll find tales and details about: A New Look for Hero Wars Recently Spotted at Issaries Hero Wars Release Schedule Revised Hero Wars In Its Second Edition On the Horizon Here a Band, There a Band, Everywhere a Hero Band Unspoken Words Gloranthan Short Takes Foreign Editions Orlanth Still Wants You! Glorantha Con is On! Another Drawing Parting Shot A NEW LOOK FOR HERO WARS Hero Wars is getting a new look! Beginning in October, all Hero Wars supplements and core books will be in the "standard game format" of 8.5"x11" instead of the line's previous trade paperback format. Most supplements will be 64 or 72 page books. The first two books in the new format will be Barbarian Adventures and Orlanth is Dead!, previously announced as a single title, Sartar Rising. These and other forthcoming books like Hero Wars Second Edition are described below. "This format gives us more flexibility with the line," says Issaries, Inc. president Greg Stafford, "and allows us to improve the appearance of our books, both inside and out. Additionally, we get better display opportunities in retail placement if Hero Wars is the standard size." The Hero Wars Fiction line, whose first offering (The Complete Griselda) was released in September, will remain in the trade paperback format. RECENTLY SPOTTED AT ISSARIES The Complete Griselda has shipped, as Issaries web watchers know. Fans have complained for years that The Collected Griselda from Reaching Moon Megacorp is out of print. Like that prior version, with new stories and features this edition will go quickly. Have you got yours yet? The Complete Griselda Short fiction by Oliver Dickinson ISS 4502, ISBN 1-929052-11-1, 224 pages (trade paperback format), $17.95 For years we've enjoyed Oliver's stories about Griselda, an adventurer in the city of Pavis whose exploits are the subject of wonder, admiration and fear. Now, all of his published stories plus several new ones, are collected into a single book: 28 stories about life in the Big Rubble with humor, irony, and an intimate knowledge of life in the ancient ruins. Witness the loyalty of Wolfhead the bandit and the cleverness of Hurbie the con man. See Griselda's decisive action when confronting swords, and more clumsy ripostes at love. Marvel at her invincibility as she defies death and all challengers in Pavis, deadliest city in the Praxian wastes. HERO WARS RELEASE SCHEDULE REVISED Issaries, Inc. recently revised their release schedule for the next six months. All pages at have been revised to match the details presented below. The first book (The Complete Griselda) is available now, and all four of the books slated for release afterwards are in various stages of editing (Barbarian Adventures is being laid out as you read this). The core components of the next few books are in place, and several additional manuscripts are in hand as well. October: Barbarian Adventures (Sartar Rising, volume 1) By Greg Stafford, Robin D. Laws, and friends ISS 1401, ISBN 1-929052-05-7, 72 pages (standard format), $14.95 Everyday, danger and opportunity confront the Orlanthi barbarians of Sartar. Heroes who step out in front of their communities face such challenges and take the first step on the long, hazardous road that is the Hero Wars. Everyday activities such as cattle raids, blood feuds, and riding patrol teach players what it means to be a Heortling. Introductory adventures familiarize players with the everyday risks of life in the hills. But are your heroes brave enough to defy the Imperial oppressors? Will they venture further into the maelstrom of the Hero Wars? You'll find more on the History, Tribes of Sartar with a map, and Travel Customs, the advice of the Clan Lawspeaker or the aid of powerful specialists, Heortling Neighbors, Imperial Enemies, Wanderers, and Oddballs to enliven any campaign. Seasonal Clan Events, Triggered Episodes, and Everyday Challenges, Fight Chaos monstrosities as you uncover an evil buried deep within your clan, Become embroiled in a deadly feud caused by a horse and Escort a group of unusually friendly healers around the countryside. Barbarian Adventures is the first volume of the Sartar Rising series. For both players and narrators, who need Hero Wars to use it fully. November: Orlanth is Dead! (Sartar Rising, volume 2) By Greg Stafford and friends ISS 1402, ISBN 1-929052-15-4, 72 pages (standard format), $14.95 Winds stop. Air thins. Magic fails. Winter begins, out of season. You expect to hear the news any time now, but you already know the truth: Whitewall has fallen. The old world is over. "Where will you be when the Hero Wars begin?" Orlanth is Dead! begins the Sartar Campaign and the Hero Wars with an epic conflict against the Lunar Empire. As winter deepens and spring fails to come, the rebellion begins in southern Sartar at the supernatural struggle later known as the Battle of Iceland. This end of the world is not just for great heroes and famous leaders. It embraces everyone with its cold, terminal doom. During this final battle even ordinary Orlanthi tribesmen have a chance to begin their own epic careers if they survive! Orlanth is Dead! is the second volume of the Sartar Rising series. It includes Notes for running a game as part of the Sartar Campaign, A Hero Wars Timeline for that Campaign, Details on Kallyr Starbrow, Solving the Mystery of Argrath, A Clan Questionnaire to discover the mythic history of your ancestors, Statistics for eight great leaders of the rebellion, including Kallyr Starbrow, Minaryth Purple, and King Broyan, Statistics for Lunar foes, including Buthur Dognose & Vatheria Scorchsword, and a schedule of events from the fall of Whitewall to the Battle of Iceland The Battle of Iceland -- the epic battle against the Lunars that will break the Endless Winter or seal the fate of the Orlanthi. For both players and narrators, who need Hero Wars to use it fully. December: Hero's Book By Mark Galeotti and Greg Stafford, based on Hero Wars by Robin D. Laws ISS 1002, ISBN 1-929052-13-8, 64 pages (standard format), $12.95 Hero's Book has everything a player needs to know to play Hero Wars: all of the game's key rules and many tips for creating effective heroes, using the rules to advantage and role-playing in the world of Glorantha unintimidated by its vast scope and history. It sets the stage for the new year by being fully compatible with the second edition rules, but is also of immediate interest and use to players of the first edition. Twelve beginning characters examples could be any player's first hero. January 2002: A Promise of Thunder By Robin D. Laws ISS 4503, ISBN 1-929052-14-6, 224 pages (trade paperback format), $17.95 Issaries, Inc. proudly offers a new novel by well-known author and game designer Robin D. Laws. A Promise of Thunder is a full-length novel about young Tarkalor, the forgotten son of the royal family of the Kingdom of Sartar. The young prince struggles with the burden of royal blood and divine descent during Sartar's war against the Lunar Empire. Robin comments, "I've always wanted to write fiction set in Glorantha. My Tarkalor novel deals with the nature of heroism, the clash of ideologies, and passionate family conflict; all perfect for good fiction. Not just good gaming fiction, but good fiction, period." HERO WARS IN ITS SECOND EDITION By Robin D. Laws, Greg Stafford, and friends ISS 1001, ISBN 1-929052-12-X, 256 pages (standard format), price TBA. Come February, this new edition of the Hero Wars role-playing game will combine both former rule books, revised & reedited in a friendly, new format. It contains the complete rules for Hero Wars, including beginner-friendly Character Creation, new rules for Hero Bands, simplified Contest resolution, and streamlined Magic systems. New scenarios, a new heroquest, and over a dozen hero bands will breathe new life into the rules for players and narrators alike. All previous Hero Wars supplements are compatible with the revised rules with minor adjustments. "We have spent almost two years giving Hero Wars an entirely new look. Those first edition problems are fixed in this edition. Everything is new or updated." said Greg Stafford, president of Issaries, Inc. The new edition will be in the "standard game format" size of 8.5 by 11 inches. Interior text will be in two columns, with lavish use of runes and other visual appeal. Some of Hero Wars' remarkable interior art reappears joined by new Glorantha images, and a stunning new Lee Moyer cover: the clash of demigods portrayed in its next stage. See the new cover now at The second edition will consolidate both Hero Wars (ISS 1101) and the former Narrator's Book (ISS 1104) into one 256-page book. Complete text and copy editing make the second edition an easy read. No more typos or erroneous Greek symbols. Rules, examples, and other elements have been rewritten to ensure comprehension and interest. A clear and logical organization presents rules, game suggestions, character opportunities, and background in a clear and balanced manner. New adventures, hero bands, and sample heroquest provide examples of the Hero Wars in action. From beginning to end, the rules have been revised to provide a systematic structure. Repeats and contradictions are gone. Secti Samples of artwork and text and a detailed description of the changes will be available soon at Issaries . A tentative table of contents and the cover artwork are available NOW at . ON THE HORIZON The schedule of releases after Hero Wars 2nd edition is tentative, but Issaries expects to release all of the following products in the first half of 2002. Orlanthi Narrator's Kit ISS 1501, ISBN 1-929052-16-2, price TBA This gaming screen contains all important tables from the revised Hero Wars rules on the narrator's side, and bears a stunning piece of artwork on the reverse made up of the covers of Thunder Rebels, Storm Tribe, Barbarian Adventures , and Orlanth is Dead! Scheduled contents include a large full-color map of Sartar, a Heortling wall calendar, Orlanthi-specific character sheets and a Clan Record Sheet. Adventures in Dragon Pass (Sartar Rising, volume 3) By Greg Stafford & friends ISS 1403, ISBN 1-929052-17-0, standard format, price TBA This third book of the Sartar Campaign provides new scenarios for heroes. Travel to the Grazelands to free your kinsmen from their horse-spawn masters. Heroquest to gain great powers with which to fight the Lunars. Explore the wondrous land of Dragon Pass, from Sartar to the Shaker Temple, from Beast Valley to the shadows of the troll land of Dagori Inkarth. Imperial Lunar Handbook, volume 1 By Martin Laurie, Wesley Quadros, and Mark Galeotti ISS 1302, ISBN 1-929052-04-9, standard format, price TBA The Imperial Lunar Handbook provides an insider's look at the vast Lunar Empire. It gives players a look past the facade of evil and decadence and into the brilliance and liberty of the great Empire, and instructs heroes on how to live in it. The Empire is a fusion of many disparate regions, each with its own customs and magic. Over all the Red Moon shines down, and the Son of the Goddess rules. This volume details the Lunar Empire and the religion of the Red Goddess that holds it together. Future volumes will concentrate on the important regions within the Empire such as Dara Happa, Rinliddi, and Carmania. For more information on all of these books, go to . HERE A BAND, THERE A BAND, EVERYWHERE A HERO BAND Issaries, Inc. is pleased to announce the winner of the recent Hero Band Contest. After deliberation, the judges selected the Heartdrummers by Brian Thexton as the winner. His winning hero band will be published in Second Edition Hero Wars, which Brian will receive as his prize when it is released. "We received several submissions," says Stephen Martin, Issaries' administrator, "and we look forward to using many of them in the future. But the Heartdrummers stood out, and was first on the list of all four judges." Stephen noted that Issaries expected more submissions than arrived -- because of the announcement sent directly to every GTA member and observer -- leading to a vow never again to compete with the Harvest! Brian lives in Ottawa. He has been playing RPGs since the 70's and RuneQuest since the early 80's, and wishes that there was a Hero Wars group near him. He helped with the Best of Glorantha-winning scenario "Sheepless Nights," and was one of the winners of the Elmal contest held last year by Issaries. Well done, Brian! UNSPOKEN WORD(S) Finally got my copy of Unspoken Word, and it is a gem. Get one or you'll spend more time than you'd like trying to get one later. Well done, I'm hungry for more. Less well done was an oversight here, so I apologize to Simon Bray for misunderstanding that Unspoken Word is not just the magazine and that he is an equal partner in the several works published by UW. The Lunar Empire Map, e.g., was produced jointly by Simon and Mark Galeotti as an Unspoken Word project. Simon and Mark are partners, and co-editors of the magazine of the same name. Simon does the art and Mark the text, and both share editing, work, and financing. Sorry if this wasn't clear before. Unspoken Word 2 -- a bandits & outlaws issue -- should be out at the end of October. Keep an eye out also for Sons of Kargzant, a Char-Un regional sourcebook on everyone's favorite Cossack horse-barbarians in time for year end holidays. Written mainly by Wesley Quadros, it will offer background, myth, adventures and keywords plus a color map of Erigia. GTA Initiates or higher who buy UW direct get a special deal: details will be available at soon. Thank guys, this Tribe is good. FOREIGN EDITIONS French Hero Wars The next offering planned from Issaries' French- and German-language licensee, Multisim, is a scenario book loosely based on "Troubled Waters" (the scenario sequence in River of Cradles, one of the great Runequest books produced by Avalon Hill during the RuneQuest Renaissance of the early 90's). In addition to updating the adventure to the Hero Wars rules, Multisim has expanded the focus to make it more mythical and of epic proportions, included new episodes, and in general have us as eager as a krarshtkid to devour this book. Since this book is almost available, Multisim's staff are hard at work translating Thunder Rebels, Storm Tribe, and the first two Sartar Rising books in preparation for their own Heortling books. We do not yet know the exact form these works will take, but we are sure that they will be done as well as the rest of the line. Visit Multisim on-line at . Their Hero Wars site, , should be up and running by mid-November. Japanese Hero Wars November is the month for Hero Wars in Japan! In less than a month and a half, Guild Corporation of Japan will release the licensed Japanese version of Hero Wars. Greg Stafford will be on hand at Japan's largest gaming convention to help send the game out to a new world. Although not the most numerous of the Glorantha Tribe, the Japanese fans are certainly among the most fanatic, and we could not be happier that Hero Wars will finally be able to all of them, not just those who can read English. For those who are interested, our Japanese members have their own site, so head over to to take a look at the GTA Japan shrine. Spanish Hero Wars Issaries has entered final negotiations with a game company to translate Hero Wars into Spanish. The timing could not be better, since they will be able to translate and publish the second edition of the rules. Tentative plans call for the release to occur a few months after we release the second edition in English. Foreign Editions Available Through Wizards Attic As always, limited numbers of all of the French and German Hero Wars books are available from Issaries by calling Wizards Attic at 1-800-213-1493. Once the Japanese and Spanish-language versions are published, the Wizards will have limited copies of those available as well. ORLANTH STILL WANTS YOU! The Glorantha Trading association now boasts a total of 228 members, Including 1 Demi-God, 27 Heroes, 39 Runemasters, and 161 Initiates. We don't know the exact number of Observers, but this newsletter is going out to 917 email addresses! The Glorantha Trading Association is still open to new members! If you want to become an Initiate, Rune Master, or Hero and gain all of their fabulous benefits (including free books and discounts at Wizards Attic), go to or email for information. If want to know what exclusive Gloranthan information members get on-line, take a look at the GTA File Index . A GTA FAQ will be available soon. Don't forget, you can contact Graham Robinson, the Issaries Volunteer Coordinator, to work up _your_ particular commitment to the Hero Wars. Use the signup sheets at and Graham will get back to you. GLORANTHA SHORT TAKES Bob Slaughter is the first editor for the Hero Wars section of the Open Directory Project ; this site contains a link to the Runequest ODP site edited by Jason Coplen. The ODP is an attempt to create a user-built and maintained web directory. Bob will be showcasing the best Hero Wars sites. Please feel free to make suggestions and comments. Thanks Bob. Rick Meints reports Griffin Mountain orders have all shipped, and apologizes to those who waited so long on the printers. If you order both softcovers (Pavis & Big Rubble + Griffin Mountain), there's a combo price of 50 pounds sterling or $75 for 572 pages, including surface mail. Next should be the Cult Compendium: 44 official Gloranthan cults, including everything from Cults of Prax & Cults of Terror. After that may be Borderlands & Plunder. Contact Rick for mail order or PayPal at Convulsion 2002 is seeking freeforms and events, according to . It will be held at Digby Hall in Leicester in the UK on 19-22 July, 2002. Tradetalk 9 is out - the second Pavis and Big Rubble special, which maintains the same standards as the first. As usual, Ian Thomson is the stalwart chronicler of Pavis, its peoples, and its environs, but there is also fiction from Jim Chapin, Legends of Genert by Shannon Appel, a heroquest from Simon Phipp and more! Luise Perenne was a frequent illustrator of the early RuneQuest publications, with work appearing in 1st and 2nd edition Runequest, Cults of Prax, and Runemasters, among other works. A GTA member recently learned that she has joined the artists putting their artwork on cups, t-shirts, and other stuff at CafePress.com. Steve Perrin writes, "Let us know what you think. Compare the artwork to what's up on Luise's site, and if you have any requests/suggestions on the order of 'that picture with that mug,' please let us know. There are some items from cafepress that we haven't put a picture on. I think you can see them on other pages. If you have an idea for a good Luise piece to go on boxer shorts or a cap, let us know." Check out and . The stores can also be accessed from Luise's web page, . For those unfamiliar with it, CafePress.com is an on-line store that allows companies to offer merchandise without having to worry about startup costs or inventory. A-Sharp, producer of the award-winning Gloranthan computer game King of Dragon Pass, has had a shop with CafePress.com for many months. If you haven't seen it, go to and see if they have something that you like! Issaries, Inc. is working on opening a CafePress.com store, which will hopefully be available by the end of the year. GLORANTHA CON IS ON! Issaries, Inc. is excited to announce Gloranthacon 8! At long last, Gloranthacon 8 will be held in Toronto, Canada, the weekend of February 14th, 2003 (yes, more than a year away -- better to plan ahead). This will be the first Gloranthacon in almost five years, since early Fire Season 1998, when Gloranthacon 7 was held in Los Angeles. This Gloranthacon, however, will not be bundled with another convention -- it is a stand-alone event, as have been most of the Gloranthacons in the past. Because the convention is still so far away, many plans are tentative. But, for now, the following are planned: Guest of Honor: Greg Stafford. Other guests: Robin D. Laws, John Hughes, and Stephen Martin. Events: Storytelling, Hollri Trollball, Hero Wars and Runequest scenarios (including an Issaries-sponsored Hero Wars tournament), seminars on Glorantha, and a writing workshop. Of course, there will be a big GTA Party and other special events only for GTA members. Jeff Kyer has stepped forward to be the Convention Leader, and he has already begun gathering the members of his hero band to him. He indicates that he is seeking other events for the convention, in particular free-form Gloranthan LARPs. He is also looking for fyrdmen to help put on events and run the convention. If you think you might be able to stand Toronto in Dark Season, step up and do your duty for the clan! More details will be announced as they are available. In the meantime, anyone interested in helping, running events, or who simply wants information should contact . ANOTHER DRAWING The second general GTA Observers drawing will be of the fabulous Lunar Map described in the last newsletter. If you didn't get that newsletter, don't remember the map, or want to gaze longingly upon the prize you might win, go to . On November 5th, Issaries will select two non-paid GTA members at random to receive a gift copy of this map. To be eligible for this drawing, we must receive an email message from you by midnight PST November 4th to . To ensure that we do not overlook your message, ensure that you put GTA LUNAR MAP DRAWING in the subject line of the message. If you have other correspondence for us, please send it in a separate message to help avoid any confusion. PARTING SHOT: GETTING IT TOGETHER. Issaries and I apologize for the confusion about the Hero Wars tourney at Origins 2001. When it became clear that Issaries was not attending, I tried to find some way to tell those who signed up that it was in doubt, but I failed. As I couldn't get anyone on the Origins staff to respond or even tell me who had preregistered or where those folks would go on Saturday, you were left to your own devices. Sorry. However, the first official Hero Wars Tournament at GenCon 2001 went better (again, despite the efforts of convention staff), thanks to the last-minute assistance of Michael Schwartz and David Millians, who ran the two games. Roland Volz was the winner: kudos! He was selected by the event narrators from all of the players who participated. Roland receives $100 credit with Wizards Attic for any Gloranthan material, from the forthcoming Gloranthan Encyclopedia or the French-language Nomad Gods (2nd edition) to fanzines like the Unspoken Word or Tradetalk, as well as current and forthcoming Issaries books. HawkBear aka Mark Leymaster Glorantha's Trolls Unleashed for Christmas Oakland, CA November 1, 2001 Glorantha's Trolls unleashed for Christmas: Issaries Inc. licenses The Unspoken Word to produce Uz: the Trolls of Glorantha. The Uz are an ancient and hungry race, laboring under a mighty curse. Yet they have grand plans of their own, ready to be revealed as the Hero Wars erupt across Glorantha. Ever since the original Trollpack was produced for RuneQuest, the Uz have been popular as unusual characters, mysterious encounters, and dangerous enemies. Issaries Inc. is working on a multi-volume series of supplements on the Uz and their lands, myths, and secrets. In the meantime, however, it has licensed this interim work to satisfy the demand for rules, cults, and keywords for the Uz in the new Hero Wars game. The Unspoken Word will be publishing this 68-page full-size book in December. Largely written by James Frusetta, Uz series author for Issaries, it will present all-new information on trolls as player heroes and narrator characters, as well as cults and spirits. It will also include some key elements from previous works on the Uz. Greg Stafford, president of Issaries said "I'm delighted that The Unspoken Word can produce this book with us. This way, we can begin to reveal some of the secrets of the Uz, in preparation for the major releases and revelations Issaries is planning for the future." For further information, visit The Unspoken Word website @ . Glorantha and Hero Wars are trademarks of Issaries Inc. and are used with their permission. For full information on the Hero Wars line, see . Issaries, Inc. Revises Release Schedule November 8, 2001 (Oakland, CA) Issaries, Inc. announced today a revision of its release schedule through Spring 2002. "Production delays are the day to day story of small publishers," says Greg Stafford, Issaries president. "Our layout artist had to have an emergency Cesarean section. She is doing well, and we now have a new artist finishing Barbarian Adventures." Barbarian Adventures (ISS 1401), previously scheduled for release in October, has been delayed until November, 2001, and this in turn will bump all of the other releases back by at least a month. "We've revised our entire schedule as well," says Stafford, "based on projected sales and income. Cash flow will determine release dates. Optimistically, we can release an item per month based on materials in-hand, but we are more certain of the sequence than the dates." Thus, Issaries plans to release Orlanth is Dead! (ISS 1402) next and Hero's Book (ISS 1002) after that. Additionally, A Promise of Thunder (ISS 4503) has been pushed down the line indefinitely. "We hate having to slow down," says Issaries president Greg Stafford, "but we simply have no choice at this time." Issaries still hopes to publish the 2nd edition of Hero Wars in early 2002. "First edition Hero Wars is sold out. The second edition will be an entirely new edition with art, professional editing and everything to present a new game." For more information on these titles, please go to . Stephen Martin Issaries, Inc. 900 Murmansk St., Suite 5; Oakland, CA 94607 Phone: (510) 452 1648 Fax: (510) 302 0385 Publisher of Hero Wars, Roleplaying in Glorantha See our site at: http://www.herowars.com/ (cont.) -- To unsubscribe from the chaos-digest ML, send an "unsubscribe" command to chaos-digest-request@chaosium.com. Chaosium Inc., Call of Cthulhu, and Nephilim are Registered Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Elric! and Pendragon are Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. All articles remain copyright their original authors unless otherwise noted.