Maybe this is a somewhat naive suggestion, so I ask your indulgence...but is there perhaps the option of rousing a small group yourself? If you have some friends, maybe you could convince them of the glories of Hero Wars (via King of Dragon Pass if necessary) and you could stumble through learning the game together. I have spent quite a bit of time in your area (have been living in or near Amish country for the last 7 years) and grew up in rural Maine, so I know what it's like to lament a lack of good gaming stores and large masses of gaming type folk. But that doesn't need to be a reason to give up on live games. You might just need to take more initiative than you'd like. I like singing acapella, for example, and have started my own group when I couldn't find existing ones, twisting arms if necessary. ;-) But then I've always had more enthusiasm than good sense. Ask anyone.
If you have absolutely no friends at all...well, that's different. But I think most people like to have fun and everyone I have introduced to role-playing (from fellow grad students to MBNA geeks) has found it an unusual and diverting hobby. I've even explained the concept of role-playing to my church organist (a somewhat conservative older woman) and had her suggest it might be of interest to her granddaughter. I guess I'm just saying that we folks who don't livein big cities have to work a bit harder to find fellow conspirators, but in the end it can be very satisfying. Spreading the word about Glorantha (and gaming in general) should after all be a goal in there somewhere as it helps us all in the end.
By the way, Wesley's comment about civil-war reinactors reminded me..they're not a bad resource actually. One of my friends used to work summers at a living history fort and she only gamed with us in winter since she said she got too much "role-playing" at work otherwise. But her job made her a great player because she was great at characterization. She also *really* understood farming. :)
And now I'll stop because I'm getting dangerously off-topic. In the meantime, good luck, and try not to step in any cow-pies.
Best,
Melanie
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