Bear in mind while reading this review, that it is
being filtered through the eyes of a hardcore
_simulationist_ GM, with players somewhat on the
hack 'n slash side. I started in wargames, then
moved to RPG's, and have been GM'ing RQ since
1982. Most of the obscure points of the
mythological/anthropological discussions here go
way over my head, which is why I have not posted
(or even subscribed) for a few years. I would be
interested in the responses of the more
"storytelling" type of GM.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is taken from my notes, made in Robin Law's HeroWars seminar, plus a few taken from the demo and Greg's talk.
Hero Wars is currently in progress, scheduled for a 1999 debut, Spring to Gencon being the tenative/planned release 'window'. The rules are in first draft, about 120,000 words, and target is
for about 150,000. Currently, the rules are not much of a traditional style of RPG, but they are working towards one.
The 'Grand Plan' is designed to deal with the issue of reprints and introducing players to the world. There will be a core rules book, and an introduction to Glorantha book, which will always be in print. Other background/sourcebooks may remain in print, including a 'critters' book (others similar to KOS, Glorious Re-Ascent?). Whether trade paperback format is to be used or not is unresolved; one audience member claimed he had heard it would, with boxed sets also offered.
The basic Heroquest rules will be included, but won't be expanded upon until later. The four systems of magic will be disucssed. In order of decreasing materialism these are: Sorcery, Shamanism, Theism, and Mysticism. Yes, mysticism is new, and involves "removing" oneself from the world and its entanglements in order to gain great power. Theists will still have gifts/geases in the religions that have them now, and will involve ritual magic rather than "oh, it's holy day--I think I'll take another gift" <rolls dice>.
After the core and intro books will come
"clusters" of about 5 books at a time. Each will
be on a region/culture of the world. The Orlanthi
cluster is first: Heortland/Sartar/Tarsh, etc. An
Eldar Races cluster is also planned. I was not
clear on the number of books per cluster, but I
think it will be 3 background books plus a players
handbook. It might be 3 background, one players,
and one myth book. One of the background books
describes geography, one does facts and myths, I
think one is on the major gods and the pantheon
(their powers and affinities), and I am not
certain about the others. Specialized magic rules
for the culture/area appears somewhere in the
cluster, as do important NPCs. There will also be
information on how to make up new "traditions"
(read: keywords) within the system. There will
be about 4 adventures per pack (Robin favors
fewer) and stories/art, etc. (Robin favors more
of this.) There probably will not be any
"building by building" city descriptions (ala'
Thieves World), unless it's for the most major
ones. (I didn't get an opportunity to lobby for
more vivid city/architecture descriptions--I hate
the generic
"it's a medium city".) About the same time, a new
discussion group will be started, geared more
towards play issues than the esoteric (and
vituperative) discussions on the Digest.
Robin is responsible for the player's handbook, the rules, and the Orlanthi information for the gamemaster. As an aside, Robin noted here that the major need is to make Glorantha accessible to new players. It is a concern that any possible new players have only encountered the Digest or the Daily, then run screaming from the room due to the heated exchanges or the sheer "depth" and complexity of the issues discussed there. I jokingly referred to my favorite argument I'd seen: the magical and agricultural debate on the use of bronze vs. iron plowshares in the clay soils of northeren Sartar! I had previously noted (and Robin pointed out again) that the room contained NO teenagers.
There will be several methods of making new
characters up, but Robin's favorite (and the only
one he mentioned) involves making up a 100 word
description of the character, then sitting down
with the GM to turn those descriptions into
abilities (NOT stats and skill %). There are none
in the traditional sense.) The description
should contain certain "character keywords" that
themselves invoke lengthy additional descriptions
of status, ability, and culture. For instance,
"Orlanthi Storm Voice", "Sartarite", and
"stickpicker" would all be terms defined in the
Players Handbook, and save about three thousand
words on ancestry, social position, religion, and
powers. The keywords are common to all the
generation systems.
The GM and player will agree on certain
"packages" that the character has, such as the
"Uroxi Storm Bull" package. A package is your
deity, his pantheon, powers, and associated
deities, powers, and cultural position--again a
very complicated description summarized in a few
words. In fact, there will be rules for making up
your own clans/families/nomad bands/whatever for
your character to come from!
The point of all this seems to be to get away from specific spell/skill definitions and stats/lists. Instead, if you want to do something that sounds like your god once did or could do, you just describe the effect and roll the die. Currently, the packages and the "spell effects" are still under construction, and obviously, there are limits. BIG spells require rituals that take time. In the demo most spell casting was handled in a very rudimentary fashion or ignored altogether.
The game is designed for "high-level" play, not beginning characters who are desperately trying to
survive and scrounge for armor, money, weapons, etc. (Robin noted that players could do a RQ III campaign to build their characters up and then switch to HW at priest/lord level. This was also noted, if not favored by those who felt it would give the characters more background and "fit" into
the world.)
There are NO stats, armor, or skill percentages.
Everything is based on abilities.
Anything the player could use to alter the world
around him/her is considered an ability. This
could be magic, swordplay, oration, etc. In
combination with the keywords, this now means the
rules and the world are effectively the same
thing. (NOTE: the terms Rune Lord, Rune Priest,
and Acolyte disappear from the game. It seems the
rules will be much less "God-Learner-ish" in their
presentation.) There will be a number of optional
rules which GM's may use or ignore at their whim
or preference. Thus the game will be adaptable to
both the hard-core simulationists and the
story-tellers. The story-teller will simply
account for armor by describing an unsucessful
attack as "bouncing off the battered chain-mail
you worked so hard to repair yesterday" etc.,
while the lithe, unarmored character "twisted
aside just in the nick of time." Simulationists
will apparently be able to use some manner of
optional rules to handle the differences.
A major goal is to make the NON-combat issues have
as much emphasis in play as the combat
resolutions. Currently, a simple skirmish of
little importance might take the entire game
session, while the critical oration to bring the
tribe into the rebellion is resolved in a single
die roll ("Ok, I made my Orate roll." "Fine, the
tribe arms itself and follows you.") The new
system is designed to make such events as
"edge-of-your-seat tense" as the battles. Expect
paradigm shifts from previous systems--this is
unlike almost any other you've seen.
End, part 1
Charlie Domino
End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #643
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