Don't worry so much.
HW is AMAZINGLY configurable. You can play almost any way you want to. It easily scales from trollkin to superhero. If you want PC's to drop like flies, just move the -40 SP death threshold to -10. If you want lower "level" chars just give them 12/8 primary abilities and 14/6 secondary. You can play "Jeff Richard Farmer Quest (tm)" or Harrek the Berserk vs Mothra. And they BOTH work. I ran "Barran the Monster Killer" from strangers in prax for my seven year old neice, and she LOVED it. The mechanics get out of your way and allow you to experience the action in a way that RQ's Bookkeeping mania never did. (and I LIKE RuneQuest). Really, It's good.
but anyways, I just HAVE to deconstruct Lord Quackenbush... and show how I would translate his abilities if I were his GM...
Quackenbush, /Duck Lord of Death/ is <feared by all> for his [flaming
breath], [glance of death], [vorpal razor flipper move] and [instant multi
teleport] abilities. The fact that he is [wealthier than Bill Gates] makes
him [welcome in anyplace] and liable to be elected [lord Duck of everything]by \everyone he meets\. He can [cast any spell known] and is adept at [succeeding at impossible tasks]. He is [immortal] and [omniscient]- he [knows the Godlearner secret]- and intends to
(challenge
Orlanth for the Middle Air).
Would translate into the following skills:
Delusions of Grandeur 6/14
Eurmal Magic Package 8/12
Obviously Insane 8/12
Confident 8/12
Dangerous to Self and Others 8/12
Fearless 8/12
Which isn't really all that unreasonable a charecter to play.
Now, if the poor player INSISTED on being a fighter, and I were feeling nice, he might get the following:
Humakt magic package 6/14
Fearsome 6/14
Flaming Breath 8/12
Kill with a Glance 8/12
Unarmed Combat Feat 8/12 (vorpal razor flipper move)
Delusional 8/12 (who IS this billgates -- some duck hero? how could you
succeed at the impossible? "instant multi teleport"-- whats that?)
Which is roughly equivalant to the Humakti Huskarl keyword, with a couple of
extra combat feats, and all social skills traded for Delusional. Remember,
that despite the name, "Kill with a Glance" won't be any more effective
Game-Mechanically than "Close Combat" -- you still have to get them to -40.
(and they just MIGHT have a mirror ;-)
See? You can make FUN and PLAYABLE chars out of the most outrageous descriptions. And, best of all, while the game is well suited for Grognardly Gloranthaphiles, the Munchkins can BE Munchkins if they wanna be. (and note, even with "Kill Harrek the Berserk" as a primary starting skill (6/14), you are going to find it difficult to deal with the multiple masteries in "close combat" which he will use to defend)
danm
Powered by hypermail