From: owner-runequest-rules@ (RuneQuest Rules Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.MPGN.COM Subject: RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #39 Reply-To: runequest-rules@mpgn.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@ Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@ Precedence: bulk RuneQuest Rules Digest Thursday, February 25 1999 Volume 02 : Number 039 RuneQuest is a trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Re: [RQ-RULES] Campaign styles... [RQ-RULES] RQ for Tolkien [RQ-RULES] Campaign styles [RQ-RULES] Glorantha is NOT Bronze AGE Re: [RQ-RULES] Off topic- Elric [RQ-RULES] Fw: Happy 99 Virus Re: [RQ-RULES] Glorantha is NOT Bronze AGE Re: [RQ-RULES] Off topic- Elric [RQ-RULES] non-time RE: [RQ-RULES] non-time [RQ-RULES] Elric! Re: [RQ-RULES] Elric! Re: [RQ-RULES] non-time RE: [RQ-RULES] Campaign styles... RULES OF THE ROAD 1. Do not include large sections of a message in your reply. Especially not to add "Yeah, I agree" or "No, I disagree." Or be excoriated. If someone writes something good and you want to say "good show" please do. But don't include the whole message you praise. 2. Use an appropriate Subject line. 3. Learn the art of paraphrasing: Don't just quote and comment on a point-by-point basis. 4. No anonymous posting, please. Don't say something unless you're ready to stand by it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 14:20:32 GMT From: simonh@msi-uk.com (Simon Hibbs) Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Campaign styles... In my current game several of the characters are rune level. It's a political game though, so individual power usualy only comes into it in terms of the potential threat they pose. Intimidating opponents and impressing potential allies is as important as what you can actualy do. The part are a Lunar diplomatic and trade mission to Karse in Maniria. They have a list of objectives, and each character has at least one personal objective. Group objectives are : * Identify renegade Sartrarite dissidents. * Sound out potential allied individuals and factions. * Send back seasonal reports to Fazzur Wideread at Boldhome. * Spread the Lunar religion, or at least get people used to it. One character is a Seven Mothers priest. I allow him to get back uses of Divine spells by holding worship ceremonies, so he needs Sanctify and Worship (Seven Mothers). I use home grown rules for this. He uses the ceremonies to gather together Lunar expatriates (traders, craftsmen, etc), gather information and make allies. One of the characters is a trader (actualy and ex quartermaster in the Provincial Army). I run his trading in an abstract way, concentrating on negotiating concessions and obtaining samples rather than the direct trade of goods. Another character is a temple dancer from Glamour. She's on the trail of a dancer from her temple who stole some magical ruby rods and fled to Dragon Pass. The rubies are the prize in a dancing competiton each year between the student acolytes. The winner has the right to wear the Rubies for a year. Carina won the rods and then ran off with them at the end of the year. Arvela (the player character) won the next competiton and so she has the right to wear the rubies, but has to get them off Carina. That plot line is just about to heat up. I tend to be fairly forgiving about the regaining of rune spells. After all there's no point having them if you can't effectively use them. The players are realy hamming up the religious side of things, roleplaying running services, giving sermons and singing Lunar songs. They definitely earn what they get, which is realy no more than regaining a point or two of divine magic a week for the priest. More than he actualy uses so far. All the characters are active in their cult and are on a cult mission, so there's no difficulty about devoting time to their religious duties. It's just part of their job, and they get on with it. I think this can only work because they're all part of the same overall religion and are working together as a team. Simon Hibbs *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 14:35:17 GMT From: simonh@msi-uk.com (Simon Hibbs) Subject: [RQ-RULES] RQ for Tolkien Magic in Middle Earth seems mainly about enchantments, and innate abilities rather than spells. Innate abilities include Beornings shapechange ability, Dragons breathing fire, etc. Enchantments in middle Earth don't seem to work like RQ Enchantments. Rather, the creator seems to put some of their own nature, will or purpose into an item. An enchanter who hates orcs can make a sword that does extra damage to orcs, for example. The sword becomes an extension of the will of it's creator. Perhaps something along the lines of the Amber DRPG conjuring rules would make sense, expending POW instead of character points. The rules would have to be very flexible. I might be able to adapt the Demon rules from Elric for this as well. As for the power level of the game, I don't see why the player's couldn't take the roles of elf Lords and Ladies, or even minor Maia. Perhaps former attendants to Melian. Human characters would be exceptional heroes, like Hurin and Tuor. Simon Hibbs *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 10:13:12 -0500 From: Andrew Barton Subject: [RQ-RULES] Campaign styles My sorceror character was an apprentice when he started, but his duties to his master were to go on a long missions to study magic in foreign lands. This meant that he could effectively spend all his time adventuring, but he didn't have the support of his master or his home guild. Later, he went home and was recognised as worthy of Adept status in the basis of his studies. Another player brought in a sorceror character who became my character's apprentice. Since her master was on a quest, her duties were to go with him and help him fulfil the quest. In the Gloranthan campaign I run, there are a few sorceror characters. These are played as alternate characters by players who mostly play other characters. Andrew Barton *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:15:12 -0500 (EST) From: bjm10@cornell.edu Subject: [RQ-RULES] Glorantha is NOT Bronze AGE Glorantha is not bronze age. It doesn't matter if the dominant metal is called "bronze". Anybody with the tiniest amount of historical knowledge will quickly recognize that Glorantha is a set of Iron-Age and Classical-Era cultures with a technology based on a metal called "bronze" but a "bronze" that can be mined, smelted, drawn into wire, and otherwise behaves identically to the way iron behaves in our world (except that it's not magnetic). Third Age Middle Earth is not Iron Age. It's a Dark Age world. The Rohirrim are Saxons. The Dunedain are Normans. Gondor is Byzantium. Mordor is the Turks. Everybody longs for the glory of fallen Rome. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 09:27:54 -0600 From: "Paul Stolar" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Off topic- Elric I'll go ahead and post my Elric questions here. If this upsets anyone, I'll move it offline. I am well versed in RQ2&3, but as an attempt to break away my group from 'the other game,' Elric is a good alternative. Most players are familiar with the world (who has not read the Elric series?). But there are some strange differences. 1. Why was there no map with the Elric rules? I used mine from Stormbringer rules. 2. I see a lot of differences in maps, nations moving around etc. Is there an 'official' map. 3. Do y'all find the d10 experience too much? I decided to pare that back to d6 but slightly more opportunities. - -----Original Message----- From: Tal Meta To: runequest-rules@MPGN.COM Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 12:21 AM Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Off topic- Elric >Paul Stolar wrote: >> >> Is anyone here on the Elric list? >> Is it dead? >> I subscribed, but they do not say where to senf messages in the help file. > >I suspect it's death - I sent messages to it and they bounced. > >Maybe MPGN would like to start one? > >-- >talmeta@bellatlantic.net - Heretic & Dilettante >ICQ - 12594453 >AIM - talmeta1 >Homepage - > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line >'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 10:54:51 -0500 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Fw: Happy 99 Virus > Hi Everybody: > Several people are getting the Happy 99 virus sent to them. The sender does not know they are doing so. If you get email with an attachment called Happy 99.exe don't open it. Delete the email message. If you go to the following web page there is info on this virus. > http://beta.nai.com/public/datafiles/valerts/vinfo/w32ska.ht m > Denise I am sending this to you because I got this virus/worm and have sent it out for a couple of months now. I am pretty sure that it only attaches to new messages, but I am not positive. If you got a cute little program that displays fireworks, then you are infected. Bob Stancliff (stanclif@ufl.edu) http://commnections.com/upgrades *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:22:59 -0500 From: "Bob Stancliff" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Glorantha is NOT Bronze AGE > Glorantha is not bronze age. It doesn't matter if the dominant metal is > called "bronze". Anybody with the tiniest amount of historical knowledge > will quickly recognize that Glorantha is a set of Iron-Age and > Classical-Era cultures with a technology based on a metal called "bronze" > but a "bronze" that can be mined, smelted, drawn into wire, and otherwise > behaves identically to the way iron behaves in our world (except that > it's not magnetic). Wrong point. The nomadic and primitive cultures ARE Bronze Age cultures no matter what metal, if any, they use, while most of the leading cultures are Early Iron Age (think New Testament biblical). It has always been unfortunate or a mistake to describe the Malkioni as Medieval or Renaissance, they should be Persian (or maybe Byzantine). > Third Age Middle Earth is not Iron Age. It's a Dark Age world. The > Rohirrim are Saxons. The Dunedain are Normans. Gondor is Byzantium. > Mordor is the Turks. Everybody longs for the glory of fallen Rome. This is a good set of parallels, but aren't the Dark Ages still Iron Age? Bob Stancliff *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:37:54 -0500 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Off topic- Elric Paul Stolar wrote: > > I'll go ahead and post my Elric questions here. If this upsets anyone, I'll > move it offline. I am well versed in RQ2&3, but as an attempt to break away Not a problem, though a new Elric list is 'in the works'. :) > 1. Why was there no map with the Elric rules? I used mine from Stormbringer > rules. Page 14 has a map, but it's less impressive than the Stormbringer one. > 2. I see a lot of differences in maps, nations moving around etc. Is there > an 'official' map. You did? I thought so too, at first, but a comparison of the two didn't reveal any. > 3. Do y'all find the d10 experience too much? I decided to pare that back to > d6 but slightly more opportunities. Elric! was designed as a faster paced, deadlier game, and I guess that's just reflected in the mechanics. - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - Heretic & Dilettante ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 Homepage - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:04:19 -0600 From: Steve Lieb Subject: [RQ-RULES] non-time >I don't make players suffer the minutiae of running their characters' daily >lives, I ask them to figure out a weekly cost of living, and throw an >occasional disease roll at anyone skimping too much. I don't fret about >equipment too much - if someone says they throw some salt on a dragonsnail, >then I don't check their list for salt - if the character is reasonably >well-off and otherwise well-stocked, then that's okay, but they only have a >small amount. Totally agreed. Although the chaosium city book is pretty fun for this, used in moderation. Makes a good adventure-starter, too. - -Steve Lieb styopa@iname.com steve@necadon.com http://surf.to/styopa *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 17:05:22 -0000 From: "Hibbs, Philip" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] non-time >Totally agreed. Although the chaosium city book is pretty fun for >this, used in moderation. Makes a good adventure-starter, too. Yes, it's pretty good, I used to use it a lot, but cities very rarely feature in my RPGs nowadays. Opinions expressed may not even be my own, let alone those of any organisations, nations, species, or schools of thought to which I may be affiliated. http://www.snark.freeserve.co.uk/ Failure is not an option, it's integral to the o/s. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 18:02:36 -0000 From: "Tom Zunder" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Elric! As owner of the eternal chapion maling list I can say it's not dead on my end. Just noone seems bothered to post or support the game anymore! If anyone would like to join the eternal champion mailing lists then send a mail with the word subscribe eternal-l to majordomo@lists.io.com and you'll be added. Send email for the list to eternal-l@lists.io.com Ok? *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 13:35:09 -0500 From: Tal Meta Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Elric! Tom Zunder wrote: > > As owner of the eternal chapion maling list I can say it's not dead > on my end. Just noone seems bothered to post or support the game anymore! Umm, Tom.... Subject: Returned mail: User unknown Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 12:35:57 -0600 From: Mail Delivery Subsystem To: The original message was received at Thu, 25 Feb 1999 12:35:56 -0600 from smtp-out1.bellatlantic.net [199.45.39.156] ----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors ----- (expanded from: ) ----- Transcript of session follows ----- ... while talking to mx.io.com.: >>> RCPT To: <<< 550 ... User unknown 550 ... User unknown I'm not out to step on any toes here, but.... :( - -- talmeta@bellatlantic.net - Heretic & Dilettante ICQ - 12594453 AIM - talmeta1 Homepage - *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 13:51:53 -0600 From: "Paul Stolar" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] non-time In my new campaign, cities are the focal points. I plan to have a more political styled game. - -----Original Message----- From: Hibbs, Philip To: 'runequest-rules@mpgn.com' Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 11:24 AM Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] non-time >>Totally agreed. Although the chaosium city book is pretty fun for >>this, used in moderation. Makes a good adventure-starter, too. > >Yes, it's pretty good, I used to use it a lot, but cities very rarely >feature in my RPGs nowadays. > >Opinions expressed may not even be my own, let alone >those of any organisations, nations, species, or schools >of thought to which I may be affiliated. >http://www.snark.freeserve.co.uk/ >Failure is not an option, it's integral to the o/s. > >*************************************************************************** >To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line >'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. > *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 15:58:20 -0600 From: "Rich Allen" Subject: RE: [RQ-RULES] Campaign styles... > >An apprentice sorcerer must spend 90% of each year performing > >duties and studying under his master. > > I've never seen anyone play an active apprentice, if someone > wants to play a > sorceror in a low level game, then they have left their master for some > reason before becoming adept. This is the equivalent of "Journeyman" in > Sandy's rules. This is exactly why I was asking. Paul Reilly's rules also added a Journeyman stage to sorcerous progression, and I intend to keep it. The RQ3 rules, however, make it clear that starting characters who select or roll up "sorcerer" for previous experience must be an apprentice, since it's impossible using the char gen rules as published to qualify for Adept. Is anyone (who is not currently using Sandy's rules) playing or GMing a game with sorcerers? If so, how did they become adepts? Was it a fudge of the char gen rules? Did you just add a bunch more years to the starting age? These are the answers I'm looking for. Rich Allen *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ End of RuneQuest Rules Digest V2 #39 ************************************ *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@mpgn.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. RuneQuest is a Trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. With the exception of previously copyrighted material, unless specified otherwise all text in this digest is copyright by the author or authors, with rights granted to copy for personal use, to excerpt in reviews and replies, and to archive unchanged for electronic retrieval.