Re: Re: Improvise or Die

From: Andrew Dawson <asmpd_at_...>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 13:40:17 -0500

At 11:24 AM 11/29/2002 +0000, Wulf Corbett wrote:
>Glorantha IS complex to start with though, even to create a character
>you have to wade through a selection of cults, and understand their
>function and relationship to one another, learn what sort of culture
>you are in (definitely different to most 'fantasy' games), and get
>usd to the magic 'how' and 'why'. Then there's the political
>situation with the Lunars and neighbouring clans. Of, course, the
>referee could always just tell you "You're a XXX cultist", and not
>explain it...

I just ran a Hero Wars game at a con last weekend with non-Gloranthaphiles and I've been running a HW game with non-Gloranthaphiles for years. My approach to running HW for newbies is too set the culture (Heortlings so far), then have them select an "adventuring" profession, then give them a one-sentence summary of the various deities, and then let them figure out high abilities (5w, 2 x 1w) and a list of 10 new abilities during play. My approach to explaining Glorantha to newbies who are gamers--all I've had so far--is to emphasize that magic is not separate from mundane (plowing is worshipping and partaking of the nature of the plow god, etc.). All of the political situations and the interaction of worshippers of various types is given out in asides during play on an as-needed--or, rarely, as requested--basis. In my long-term game, the players can (and some have) change characters later.

Thanks,
Andy