From: RuneQuest-Request@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RQ Digest Maintainer) To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (Daily automated RQ-Digest) Reply-To: RuneQuest@Glorantha.Holland.Sun.COM (RuneQuest Daily) Subject: RuneQuest Daily, Thu, 20 Oct 1994, part 3 Sender: Henk.Langeveld@Holland.Sun.COM Content-Return: Prohibited Precedence: junk --------------------- From: loren@hops.wharton.upenn.edu (Loren Miller) Subject: Rules: GOONQUEST 1 Message-ID: <9410200429.AA20741@Sun.COM> Date: 19 Oct 94 20:28:22 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6668 GOONQUEST 1: An Almost Fully-Compatible RuneQuest Variant of Ultra-Lite Rules RuneQuest is a trademark of Avalon Hill Glorantha is a trademark of Chaosium Copyright 1994 by Loren J. Miller All Rights Reserved GOAL I wanted GoonQuest 1 to be a rules-lite system of sleazy shortcuts and time-saving guidelines that I as GM can use for NPCs and Monsters et al (Goons) while players continue to play their detailed PCs. Goons under this system should be 85% identical (the Orlanthi "all") to fully detailed RuneQuest characters in combat situations, which are the game situations most closely covered by game rules. They approximate RQ characters somewhat more closely in most non-combat situations, where RQ characters are not described in such excruciating detail. Magic is a problem, but I've attempted to find a workable solution. If I haven't hit close to my goals with these rules, let me know how they can be improved. EQUIPMENT You will need a pencil, some dice (10 sided, 6 sided, and others to taste), and a bunch of blank or lined index cards. I use 3" by 5" cards which I can get in any stationery or drug store in the USA. You could also use a pad of paper, or loose sheets of paper, but they aren't as easy to index as cards are. The whole goal of GoonQuest 1 is to make things easy for the referee, and I've found over 17 years of GMing that a small file box with index cards arranged alphabetically is the ideal place to keep NPCs ready for quick reference. So I recommend that you get a small filebox and a bunch of index cards, and start going crazy with your pencil! Just don't put out any eyes with it... CHARACTER DESCRIPTION STUFF First off let's get the terminology straight. In GoonQuest 1 we don't call sentient gameworld entities "characters," as most roleplaying games do. That's because GoonQuest 1 isn't a complete roleplaying game. It's a method of describing non-player characters succinctly while allowing them to be used in a game of RuneQuest (RQ). So instead of calling them GoonQuest characters, we will call them Goons. Got that? Now it's time to move on. Every character has a defining ability. Some games call it a character class. In RuneQuest the defining ability actually turns out to be whichever skill or characteristic the character's player rolls against most often. For most RuneQuest characters the defining ability turns out to be a weapon skill or a professional skill of some sort, though a shaman might be defined by Fetch POW, a wizard by his sorcery skills, and a priest by her ceremony or cult lore skills. In GoonQuest terminology the defining ability will be called the goon's GoonPower (GP). Choose the name for your Goon's GoonPower. If the Goon is a fighter, then "Fighter" would make a dandy name for the character's GoonPower. If the Goon is a thief, then "Thief" would make a dandy GP name (funny how familiar that sounds). If the Goon is a religious fanatic, then "Priest" would make a dandy GP name (we're still playing RuneQuest, after all). Note that the main GP is supposed to be very broad. It's a succinct description of what the Goon does. It should not be narrow like a RQ skill. It should be broad like a character class from The Other Game (TOG). Now write it down on something. An index card (the kind you would keep in a small file-box) is a good place to write it. Everything you need for a Goon should fit easily on a single index card (a 3x5 card in american lingo). Choose a percentile score for the GP. I'd suggest somewhere around 60% as a solid score for average folks in society, 90% for expert opposition, and 100% and up for really scary opponents. You probably know how to gauge this pretty well already, being experienced RQ referees yourself. Here is a table that I try to stick to with my own NPCs. I find that if I don't then skill masters are always popping out of the woodwork, yet nobody has ever heard their names... a ludicrous situation you will admit (I hope). GP% How Good Are You? 45% Talented Beginner, Apprentice 60% Journeyman, Normal unmotivated folks 75% Professional, Business Owner, a Specialist 90% Master, Locally Known 105% Master, Regionally Known 120% Grand Master, Nationally Known, a local hero If one GP isn't enough to define the character then write some more down. Call them GP2, and set them at about 30% below GP1 (GP1 == Goon's highest GP). There should be no more than two GP2 entries. If you need yet more then call them GP3s, and set them at about 30% below the GP2s. Finally, you may want to give each Goon a flaw, or something distinctive that helps players (and you) to remember it. One might be bald, another might have a high-pitched laugh at inappropriate times, another might have a nasty scar across its cheek, or smell like cheese. We will call it a GoonFlaw (GF). GoonFlaws might have game effects, or they might not, it's up to the GoonMaster (GM) to decide. So that's why I haven't assigned percentile values to them. I suggest that if the PCs are getting demolished and you figure they need a break then the GoonFlaw makes itself obnoxious and gives them the break they need. Or if they're having too easy a time of it the GoonFlaw doesn't have any game effect at all. Here's an example Goon. Note that I've tried to make Koraloon more than just an enemy warrior. He has a personality of some sort. It is actually possible to roleplay him as is. And when the Index Card is filled out with all the stuff you need to know (look in MORE CHARACTER DESCRIPTION STUFF) he'll be pretty darn easy to use in a RQ session. Koraloon the Goon Tough Customer of Kolating Descent GP: Mercenary Fighter 60% GP2: Drinker 30% GP2: Ancestor Worshipper 30% GF: Stutters Here's another example Goon, based at 90% instead of 60%. Quite a different type of Goon, wouldn't you say? Note that this Goon has a specialty in his main GP. See below for how to give a specialty to a character. Vangker the Tanner Expert Tanner in Nochet GP: Tanner and Leatherworker 82% (Huckster 98%) GP2: Streetwise 60% GP2: Initiate of Artisan God 60% GP3: Poet 30% GP3: Erotic Arts 30% GF: Smells like blood, stained with dyes And here's another, even weirder. Brainbusterandeater the Broo Feral Broo in the woods around Apple Lane GP: Feral Broo 57% (Head Butt 63%) GP2: Nauseating Body Odor 30% GP2: Write Disturbing Runes on Object 30% GF: Forgetful MORE CHARACTER DESCRIPTION STUFF You may want to elaborate the character description a little. Or you may not... until it's too late. Following are some sneaky shortcuts to derive practically everything you could ever want to know from a Goon's GPs. Luckily, if you discover a burning need to elaborate the Goon's index card at the last minute (for instance in the middle of a game session) you can. Just hurriedly follow these guidelines and put on your best Mona Lisa face. The players will think something horrible is going on as you roll dice and smile enigmatically. GOALS AND STRATEGIES: Generally you will want to add a sentence or so that describes what the Goon's goal will be in the scenario, and what strategy it is likely to use to achieve its goal. SPECIALTIES: Many Goons are specialists in some particular part of their GPs. A Mercenary Fighter might specialize with her sword. To make a specialty roll 1d10 and add it to the GP for the specialty skill, and subtract it from the GP for other related skills. For example, say Koraloon is a Swordsman. I roll 1d10 and get a 6. Now his GP looks like this: "Mercenary Fighter 54% (Sword 66%)." Alternately, if you don't want to roll dice, you can choose a number between 1 and 10 and modify the GP according to the same rules. COMBAT STATS: If the Goon has a tough-guy or combat-related GP then divide that by 5 to get its HP. Compute location HP as usual, or if you need a shortcut just divide HP by three and add or subtract one for bigger or smaller locations. Double HP and consult the Damage Bonus table for Damage Bonus. All combat skills are at the appropiate GP, and if there are no appropiate GPs written down, then add one at GP3 level (GP1 minus 60%, with a minimum of 10%). Unless you want to work out SRs assume that all Goons have a DEX SR of 3 and a Base SR of 5. CHARACTERISTICS AND STUFF: If it becomes necessary in some game situation to get the Goon's actual characteristics, roll 1d3 or 1d6 (your choice) and add or subtract from HP for SIZ. Do the opposite for CON. Roll 2d4-5 and add to HP for STR, or 2d6-7 would work too. Base Dexterity off the most physically adept of the Goon's GPs, if there are any. Divide the GP by 5 to get DEX. Compute SR as usual. Base INT off any intellectual GPs, POW off any magical GPs (with a minimum of 10), and APP off any communication GPs (minimum 10, unless the flaw affects the Goon's appeal). If you don't like any of these options for a particular Goon, you should either pick a number or roll the dice. It's your choice, GoonMaster. MAGIC AND STUFF: Magic is the most problematic thing you have to deal with because fully detailed RQ characters are supposed to have so many spells. And since GoonQuest is designed for GMs who make up Goons on the run, in the middle of a session, the GM doesn't have much time to decide on spells. Also, spell- users aren't rare in RuneQuest like they are in the world of Glorantha. So... what can you do? I don't have any answer for which spells to pick. You'll have to consult your ethnic and social campaign resources for that. But I can tell you how much magic the Goons get. If the Goon uses spirit magic from a shaman or a divine temple, choose one of the Goon's GPs, whichever is the magical one, and divide by 5 to get the points of spells the Goon has. If the Goon's main GP is "Shaman" or a synonym, then it also has a fetch of GP/5 POW. If the character is a divine magic user, then the magical GP better be its main GP. If it is, then it gets GP/5 points of divine magic. If it isn't primarily a divine magic user, then each point of divine magic counts as two points of spirit magic. If the character uses sorcery, then it knows GP/5 sorcerous skills and spells. Sorcery-using characters often have enchanted items. Each two points of enchantments counts as one sorcerous skill or spell. If a Goon is a sorceror/wizard/whatever with its main GP being sorceror, then it also gets a familiar of POW GP/5. Henotheists and other users of mixed magical systems combine all these systems. You're the GoonMaster, you figure it out. USING GOONQUEST IN COMBAT Take the Combat Stats you derived above and use them in your standard RQ combat. Goons lose Hit Points and inflict damage just like RQ characters do. Use the Goon's combat-related GP for its attack, parry or dodge, and maneuver skills, modifying appropriately for specialties. USING GOONQUEST IN SIMPLE SKILL USE SITUATIONS Pick the appropriate GP, modify according to task difficulty, and roll against it on percentile dice, just as if it were a RQ skill. Contests of skills work just like they do in RQ. So do special and critical successes and fumbles. Here's a simple table of modifiers that I use. Modifier Task Difficulty +50 Ludicrously simple +25 Simple +5 to +10 Minor advantage -5 to -10 Minor disadvantage -25 Hard -50 Very Hard -75 Ludicrously Hard -100 Impossible (I wouldna believed it if I hadna seen it with my own eyes!) USING GOONQUEST IN STAT VS STAT SITUATIONS Divide the appropriate GP by 5 and use that in place of the necessary stat. If the resulting stat is very low, you might want to bring it up to 9 or 10. Or you may not. Or you could roll 3d6 or some other appropriate number of dice for the stat. It's GM's choice. You will need this for POW more often than any other stat, because of RQ's magic rules, so you may want to routinely record Goons' POW when you first write them down. USING GOONQUEST FOR CHARACTERISTIC ROLLS Pick the appropriate GP, modify according to task difficulty, and roll against it on percentile dice. USING GOONQUEST 1 AS A STANDALONE GAME It can't be done. That would have to wait for GoonQuest 2 (GQ2). I have some ideas on how to go about it, but the result wouldn't be compatible with RQ anymore. RQ characters used in GQ2 would have to be completely reworked, not a difficult task, but they would lose quite a bit of detail. The resulting game (GoonQuest 2) would still be relatively freeform, but the rules would be somewhat stricter since they'd have to handle PCs as well as NPC Goons. If you really want to see GQ2 let me know and I'll try to coalesce my ideas and write them down. Or you can consult Over the Edge, a superb roleplaying game written by Jonathan Tweet and published by Atlas Games, to get a hint at the way I would develop GPs and the rest of the Goon description system into a complete resolution system. -- Loren MillerI can tell by your shoes that you are a lover of liberty --------------------- From: ddunham@radiomail.net (David Dunham) Subject: Tales of Ralios Message-ID: <199410200626.AA25718@radiomail.net> Date: 20 Oct 94 06:26:37 GMT X-RQ-ID: 6669 The following is a writeup of recent events in my campaign (after every session I write these so we can all remember the next time we get together). It illustrates a few things recently discussed, as well as being an example of how I run things, and an Orlanthi scenario. This might be a bit of a lengthy way to make a point, let me know what you think. Year 19 of Ekel Field-Destroyer When he discovered that Una was pregnant, Nath Brawl [1] had a divination cast. He was upset when the seer's answer was, "Life begins at night." [2] However, Ekel Field-Destroyer also had a divination cast for his grandchild, and got, "Dark rage's sister sings, a child is born. The waters cover all." The consensus was that the prophecies mentioned Xiola Umbar, the troll goddess of healing. The obvious place to find her was in the troll lands in eastern Corolaland, but Methe the Traveller said that the Mokevogi clan's women worshipped Xiola Umbar to ease their childbirth [3]. They decided to head east; they would at least go as far as the Ajim tribe, and possibly on to Corolaland. They took some trade goods that trolls might want, and Nath figured they could go on a cattle raid just before they met the trolls. Jornast wanted to talk to the Kolating shaman at the Orlanth complex in Kilwin, so they headed for the city [4]. They decided to camp outside, though they had trouble finding a spot, and ended up giving gifts to a local farmer. [5] Una was examined at the Chalana Arroy temple. They predicted she'd have a girl, and recommended against Xiola Umbar as being coarse and violent. Korun visited the Lawspeaking Lodge, and learned a little about trolls from Engorn the Head-Full, such as a drum beat to beware of. Una spotted a man wearing a tall, red and white striped, cylindrical hat, being followed by a man dressed similarly but with a beret. The latter said he worked for Eleskorth of Noloswal, on the coast, and that his master, a busy man, knew about trolls. He agreed to receive them at the Seventeen-Point Moose Inn that evening after Una promised that Konall would play his bagpipes Una also talked to a newtling, who didn't much like trolls but had traded fish with one for some gems. The newtling said that Kilwin was named after the newtling hero who built it, and that the blue-green dome currently underwater was their temple to Doskior and Pastoma, and would be exposed in Fire Season when the river was lower. At the inn, Eleskorth's lackey didn't extend any hospitality. Nath entered a drinking contest and lost, possibly due to trickery. When the lackey was again rude, pointedly refusing to offer food or an apology, they decided not to see Eleskorth after all -- either he knew nothing of hospitality, or didn't respect them, and in either case, they wanted nothing of him. They returned to their camp in the dark with some difficulty. After several days, Jornast learned a Multimissile spell, and they continued east. They stayed again with Denall Talvingi, who hadn't had any trouble with trollkin since they'd last visited. [6] As they entered Ajim lands, they were met by two chariots and five men on foot who asked, "Are you friends or foes of the Kolorain clan?" Although Korun tried to stay neutral, eventually insults were exchanged, and they attacked. Several of the Olkoring warriors threw javelins great distances [7]. One knocked Harmast off his horse, but he got up and continued the charge on foot. Jornast used Multimissile on a javelin and killed a horse, then Befuddled the driver of the other chariot. Una and Konall took out its warrior, and Konall chased after the driver, who managed to knock him off his horse. Nath fought from the chariot yoke until he had taken several wounds. Finally, only one of the Olkoring warriors was still standing. Korun asked him to surrender. He hesitated, then agreed. Korun then took off on his charger, caught up to the charioteer, and dispelled the Befuddle spell on him. He then persuaded him to join his kinsmen in surrender. They took the arms and armor, as well as the three surviving horses, one chariot, and the wheels from the other one. The Olkoring explained their feud with the Kolorain, who were also of the Ajim tribe, and denied that any Ajimi worshipped a troll god. They ran across several standing stones arranged in a straight line, each covered with strange runes. They arrived at the Mokevogi tula, and explained their mission to the thane, Dorn Hundred Hogs. He gave Una a cloak, and had them escorted to the Soothing Touch Grove. On the way, their guide pointed out Narent's Oak, sacred to Narent Mudman who blessed their pigs, and told about Bowbreaker, another local spirit. [8] The circle of trees contained a crudely carved but obviously female statue. Dailenn Curly Hair was the grove's tender. She denied any connection between the local spirit Soothing Touch and the troll goddess Xiola Umbar, although trolls sometimes visited the grove. She was unwilling to let outsiders participate in a Mokevogi ritual - it was bad enough that an outsider, Madur Great Valor of the Jaskori clan, had just last Storm Season stolen the necklace which had hung on the statue. At the feast that night, they learned that Madur Great Valor was a Storm Lord, and was from the Narit tribe, so it was difficult to obtain justice [9]. He'd stolen the necklace because of a geas [10]. The Mokevogi had twice sent warriors to get the necklace back, and failed. Intamorl the Noble's sister Kimne (Konall's aunt) had married into the Mokevogi clan. Her granddaughter Ingkar introduced herself, and wanted to hear all about her distant kin. She offered to intercede with Dailenn Curly Hair, who eventually agreed to perform the childbirth ritual if they returned Soothing Touch's necklace. Jornast swore an oath to do so. Meanwhile, Konall hobnobbed with Akavran the Piper of the Lelvani clan, who was a guest at the stead. The Ozobo clan demanded a toll of one cow to cross their lands. Harmast shamed them by pointing out how greedy this was, and they agreed to let the group pass. Konall then offered a contest. Nath won a chariot race, Korun defeated his opponent in a memory game, and Jornast won a javelin toss. They were met by warriors in finely decorated chariots, who escorted them to Madur Great Valor's stead. Madur was busy giving craisech instruction and other duties of a Rune Lord. [11] At the feast that night. Una asked about the various items on the trophy wall. Madur was glad to explain about the leather hat that had once housed a sorcerer's familiar, the Telmori shaman's drum which still growled every Wildday, and the necklace he'd stolen from a darkness goddess so that he could join the Sandals of Darkness subcult. [12] They slept in the great hall, but decided not to steal the unguarded necklace while they were guests. The next morning, Madur drove off on more cult business, and they debated their options. Many people in Madur's stead seemed to have the sniffles - Madur himself had a persistent cough. Although Harmast and Una tried toplay it up, everybody seemed to think it was just an unusually bad case of seasonal colds, though they had lasted quite a while. Jornast and Nath were both willing to fight Madur, but everyone finally decided to try another approach first. [13] When Madur Great Valor returned, Harmast eloquently explained why they needed the necklace. Madur gave it to them. Comments: [1] Una is the daughter of Ekel Field-Destroyer, thane of the Belovaking clan. She's married to Nath Brawl, Urox initiate and son of Kerval Very Tall, thane of the Karbaring clan of Keanos. [2] Gotta love them Divinations. [3] Methe the Traveller is the Talking God representative on the clan ring; her tales have appeared on the Digest earlier. [4] I'm allowing every character to learn one spell not normally available from the pantheon -- one way around the fact that no Orlanth worshipper can learn Multimissile (despite Odayla being in the pantheon -- Odayla isn't an associated deity). The Kolating shamans who sometimes hang out at the Great Temple in Kilwin are convenient for this. [5] They wanted to camp outside Kilwin because, being good Orlanthi and used to hospitality, they were uncomfortable at the idea of paying for it at an inn. [6] Denall of the Talvingi clan is a farmer they'd stayed with before; the last time, they drove off a trollkin horde, but not before one had chewed off Harmast's ear. [7] The Olkoring clan heroquest ability lets them throw javelins at long range. [8] Every clan worships several local spirits. It certainly appears that the Mokevogi worship Xiola Umbar as one of theirs, though they deny this (perhaps before Arkat betrayed the Orlanthi they would have agreed?). [9] The Mokevogi clan is part of the Ajim tribe; the Jaskori clan is part of the Narit tribe. In a dispute, they'd have to get justice from the King of Delela, which is impractical in most cases. [10] I haven't really decided whether or not Madur Great Valor was geased to steal the necklace; in fact his Honest trait isn't that high, and he might have been lying. It's true that he had to steal _something_ from a darkness goddess [probably a troll priestess would serve], but not likely someone placed a specific geas on him to go bother the Mokevogi spirit. [11] I tried to show how a Rune Lord would have to spend his 90% time requirement. [12] Since Madur Great Valor merely took a necklace from a sacred grove, instead of raiding a Kiger Litor temple, does he really deserve his nickname? [13] This scenario seemed perfect for Orlanthi, since the solutions were all cultural: fight Madur, steal the necklace, or rely on the generosity of someone sworn to Orlanth. ---------------------