Here are some thoughts all my opinion only
Hero Wars
It seems to have stalled at the moment but it give syou an idea of what you need to consider.
Hero Wars is designed to facilitate shared authorship. That means that the mechanics emphasize the players creating during play as well as the narrator in everything from deciding what that feat can do, to how to describe the results of bids, AP losses, and transfers. Runequest focuses on simulating living in Glorantha; Hero Wars focuses on 'literary' stories in which the players are the protagonists. As such the game focuses on relationships and conflict resolution and skimps on equipment, movement rates, survival rules, and spell lists. Paint in broad, dramatic strokes.
Use myth as your guide more than fantasy. It was Greg's source for Glorantha and, for me, has the best fit. I have got more out of Beowulf, English Legends, Saxo Gramaticus and The Mabinogion for running an Orlanthi game than Donaldson or Brooks.
Glorantha
First and foremost, remember that your Glorantha is *yours* and can and should vary from everyone elses. Canon is useful only in as far as sticking within it *increases* the chances of your campaign being able to absorb other published material - don't get to hung up on it go with works for *your* game. Don't be put off by people on this list telling yout that in Glorantha X is so and not Y. Bear the canon in mind but don't be a slave to it.
Start your game within one of the cultures of Dragon Pass. The Orlanthi are the easiest, because you can go to Thunder Rebels and Storm Tribe for info on the culture and Barbarian Adventures for beginning in-clan scenarios and narrator aids (Ethical moment: I had a hand in the last one).
For beginners needing an inroduction to Glorantha these two articles on the wesbite make great handouts for new players:
http://www.glorantha.com/library/dad/orlanthi.html http://www.glorantha.com/library/priests/orlanth.html
Morden Defends the Camp is great for giving the players a feel of magic, combat, and ritual.
In addition King Of Dragon Pass is ideal for giving you a feel of Glorantha and clan life. I know a number of people who use it to give people a feel of Olranthi culture before begining a game: http://www.a-sharp.com/kodp/
You could try one of the other cultures: Grazers, Black Horse Troop, or Lunars as well. You can find analogs useful. Beware taking them to explicitly, use them as shorthand for you and your players:
Orlanthi: Celts and Germans (including Norse and Saxons) Grazers: Plains Inidans and Huns or Magyars Black Horse Troop: Normans under William the Bastard Lunars: Rome meets Sassanid Persia
The web site is your friend. There is a wealth of information there
to further your explanation of Glorantha. There are other great
sites to go to as well. For an Olranthi game, for example try John
Hughes's excellent questlines site:
http://home.iprimus.com.au/pipnjim/questlines/questlines.html
I could add a lot more, but don't have time now. Consider this Part 1. Please feel free to mail me any particular or private problems.
Next batter up...
Ian Cooper
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