What I think we need

From: Paul2.Harmaty <Paul2.Harmaty_at_aig.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 14:46:43 -0500


Greetings !
Chiming in on what I'd like to see published (are you listening Bob?). . . I want to see packages like Borderlands produced for different areas of Glorantha. These sets would include the details needed to begin a campaign in a location and scenarios to integrate the characters into the culture there. Supplements modeled on Borderlands could include Sartar (the Lysmelder clan lands), Tarsh (a city campaign in Furthest) or the Lunar Empire (a civilized campaign with political intrigue). Anybody interested?

Most importantly, the Borderlands set was a great way to get NEW PEOPLE involved in a campaign and exposed to some of the depth of Glorantha WITHOUT overwhelming them with minutia. Scenarios where diplomacy and exploration are emphasized (not just combat) bring the this package to life.

A reasonable model from recent (ha, ha) publications would be something akin to the campaign portion of Dorastor. Here the players meet and interact with their (fairly well personified) clan leaders and build a stead of their own. I'd have loved this supplement to death if it had been placed in Sartar with either the Upland Marsh or Wolf Woods providing the primary forbidden place and bad guys. Playtesting this package we (the players) all warned Ken that our primary goal was to eventually leave Dorastor, not settle there. Had we been establishing a new stead at the edge of our clan territory in Sartar we'd have been more concerned with earning a good reputation with the clan.

Another good idea would be several connected scenarios that expand on known areas of the world. Wouldn't a set of scenarios that took players to the Paps or the Monkey Ruins be great? It would expand the scope of a campaign through play, not through research.

Start-up campaign setting that offer three to five linked scenarios that could be played over five or seven game sessions. That's what we really need to attract new players. If we excite some new GMs with this "campaign in a box" type of product, we'll begin to get new players.

What I'm getting at is that primarily new products MUST present opportunities to new GMs and role-players. Pandering to the already converted should be a worthy secondary goal. For example, any product that helps flesh out the neighboring clans or tribe is usable, even in an established campaign. Don't want to start a Tarsh campaign? What about background material should your players want to conduct trade with some inns in Furthest? What if your Sartar rebels are sold into slavery in Tarsh? There should be plenty of use for novice and adept alike.

From what I read here (several months ago on the digest) Gloranthan material has a pretty solid chance of selling just well enough to warrant publication. That aint good enough! If the sale of Gloranthan related materials remain on a flat line there's no strong incentive to publish more material. To fuel a real renaissance, we and Chaosium need to become evangelists and invite people to get involved. If we can't convert a new generation, we are doomed to extinction.

Paul Harmaty
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Dragons live forever, not so little boys - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


End of Glorantha Digest V4 #173


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