From: owner-runequest-rules@lists.ient.com (RuneQuest Rules Digest) To: runequest-rules-digest@lists.ient.com Subject: RuneQuest Rules Digest V4 #86 Reply-To: runequest-rules@lists.ient.com Sender: owner-runequest-rules@lists.ient.com Errors-To: owner-runequest-rules@lists.ient.com Precedence: bulk RuneQuest Rules Digest Monday, July 9 2001 Volume 04 : Number 086 RuneQuest is a trademark of Hasbro/Avalon Hill Games. All Rights Reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha - The perfect setting Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha - The perfect setting Re: [RQ-RULES] "Roman" battle magic [RQ-RULES] Wintery stuff [RQ-RULES] Roman setting Re: [RQ-RULES] Canon Cultists etc [RQ-RULES] Shields n' other thoughts Re: [RQ-RULES] Wintery stuff 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: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 01:02:34 +0100 (BST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Ian=20Gordon?= Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha - The perfect setting --- MurfNMurf@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 7/7/01 3:46:02 AM Central > Daylight Time, Ian contemplates a campaign with limited magic: I am uncomfortable with the idea of prevalent magic in such a game. I am tending more towards a Cthulhu like magic system, where knowledge of one spell makes a person one in a thousand. Well, seeing as how you'd previously run a Middle Earth/RQ game, I don't see where limited magic would really be much of a problem in your new Roman game, as Middle Earth always seemed to _me_ to be both highly magical, and at the same time extremely limited in the magic that's available to non-Wizardy-types (actual characters). Limiting character access to magic pretty much takes them out of the loop, mechanics-wise, and goes a long way in making it more atmospheric and _much_ more magical. Of course, how you go about imposing these limits is the _real_ question. What happens when you start trimming spells from the list? A spell that got the axe _right off_ when I was working on my Celtic campaign was Multimissile. It had always struck me as just plain _obscene_, so it was snipped. What if you end up monkeying with, say, everyone's favorite, _Heal 6_ ; making it generally no longer available? I did this in my in Celtic campaign; having decided to leave something specifically within the realm of the Healer/Physician. That minor change wound up driving up both the maiming and death rate, but oh well, that's what having several characters is for :) Or you could let them have access to the same bunch of spells as always, but just _double_ the MP cost? That might work too:) Thanks Murf, for your suggestions... Well, I'm hoping that maiming will be dealt with in the winter period or during harvest time, when PCs have the time to heal up. If a character was greviously wounded, well there's always the foray into the unknown for the whole party. Heal 6 would be a heroquest and yes doubling the MP cost sounds like a good idea. :) - -Ken- ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 22:30:33 -0500 From: "J and/or Ellen" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha Young Kingdoms. I've concentrated Glorantha material into Oin & Yu, giving the poor natives a fighting chance with spirit magic. - ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 11:57 AM Subject: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha What types of worlds have you created out there for use with RuneQuest when not using Glorantha? Where they medieval or ancient style setting? Examples? I ask because I want to design a setting of my own. Dan F. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 07 Jul 2001 18:48:10 -0600 From: Stephen Posey Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha - The perfect setting Ian Gordon wrote: > Disease is germ based yes. I was gravitating more > towards an ancient herbal wisdom. Truly wondrous > healing is only available at locations, rather than > in-the-field. Germ based "in reality" maybe, but what do the people think? What ideas and theories do they have about how the body works, healing occurs, etc? The time frame you quote would include the Hipporcatic "Humors" theory, which was good enough to produce some reasonably competent physicians and effective medicines. All that was mostly lost in Europe during the Dark Ages, but was preserved in the Near East. > There was a film called "she" I believe > with Ursula Andress as an immortal queen in the desert > that had miraculous effects tied to locations. One of several re-makes of the H. Rider Haggard story, possibly the archetypal "Lost World" tale. > I am gravitating towards the idea that magic would be > held in items, rather than cast intrinsically. That > magic cast intrinsically is extremely rare and never > has a visible effect. Kind of available in the > mountains from the man rumoured to be a hundred and > fifty years old kind of thing. Or from the queen in > the lost city in the desert. I was thinking more of > vision magic, healing magic and forging magic, with > much less battle magic... > > I'm still figuring out how I want to do it. I can see > an arguement for really toned down shamans, with > spirits being much less prevalent, kind of like Merlin > saying our time is departing and magic is leaving.. > > What do you think? If genuine magic is rare and subtle, there's likely to be a lot of charlatans out there who may have some very ingenious ways to make it LOOK like they're doing magic. If the players come to expect that all so called magicians/wizards/witches etc. are showmen and fakers, how much more special the genuine thing will be when it comes along (assuming they even believe it). Stephen Posey slposey@concentric.net *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 18:27:28 -0700 From: "Steve Perrin" Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] "Roman" battle magic In a world like this one, I would be inclined to make the "battle magic" dependent on lots of props and preparation. Want a Bladesharped sword? spend two days doing rituals and prayers to Mars, use the consecrated temple whetstone, and run the sword through three slaves to "temper" it. Then when it comes time to use it, say the final word of the ritual and roll your ritual magic (the only magical skill you have) to see if it worked. If you are using a variation of my rules, then simple success means 1 point of Bladesharp, two successes means 2 points, etc. Duration is the time of the fight, since the adrenaline rush you are getting is what is really powering the magic. Hmm, I may use this as an example of alternate systems in my rule set... Steve Perrin - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Posey" To: Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2001 5:48 PM Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha - The perfect setting > Ian Gordon wrote: > > > Disease is germ based yes. I was gravitating more > > towards an ancient herbal wisdom. Truly wondrous > > healing is only available at locations, rather than > > in-the-field. > > Germ based "in reality" maybe, but what do the people think? What ideas > and theories do they have about how the body works, healing occurs, > etc? > > The time frame you quote would include the Hipporcatic "Humors" theory, > which was good enough to produce some reasonably competent physicians > and effective medicines. All that was mostly lost in Europe during the > Dark Ages, but was preserved in the Near East. > > > There was a film called "she" I believe > > with Ursula Andress as an immortal queen in the desert > > that had miraculous effects tied to locations. > > One of several re-makes of the H. Rider Haggard story, possibly the > archetypal "Lost World" tale. > > > I am gravitating towards the idea that magic would be > > held in items, rather than cast intrinsically. That > > magic cast intrinsically is extremely rare and never > > has a visible effect. Kind of available in the > > mountains from the man rumoured to be a hundred and > > fifty years old kind of thing. Or from the queen in > > the lost city in the desert. I was thinking more of > > vision magic, healing magic and forging magic, with > > much less battle magic... > > > > I'm still figuring out how I want to do it. I can see > > an arguement for really toned down shamans, with > > spirits being much less prevalent, kind of like Merlin > > saying our time is departing and magic is leaving.. > > > > What do you think? > > If genuine magic is rare and subtle, there's likely to be a lot of > charlatans out there who may have some very ingenious ways to make it > LOOK like they're doing magic. > > If the players come to expect that all so called > magicians/wizards/witches etc. are showmen and fakers, how much more > special the genuine thing will be when it comes along (assuming they > even believe it). > > Stephen Posey > slposey@concentric.net > > *************************************************************************** > To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com > with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 00:07:19 EDT From: MurfNMurf@aol.com Subject: [RQ-RULES] Wintery stuff - --part1_dd.170f6da1.287a87f7_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi gang, In Saturday night's game the whole bunch of characters, as well as the Sorcerer's 3 Familiars, the Awakened Animal, the Trickster God's Allied Spirit inhabiting a donkey, and our heavily loaded sled _all_got caught in first a small rockslide (wherein my character Yevgainni the Satyr only took 1pt of damage-whew!); then, after digging out, a pretty big avalanche a short while later. Everyone ended up taking a pretty serious drubbing, in addition to being buried at all angles in at least several meters of snow (Yevgainni was the least damaged at having an arm, a leg, & his head knocked down by half, and the other leg reduced to zero HP, as well as being buried in only 1m of snow). Anyhow, this situation made me think of a nice little spell that'd be handy for Arctic/Mountianeering types: Orient (for want of a better name) 3MP Touch, Passive, Instant. When cast, the recipient's Spirit either discorporates just long (like a second or two?) enough to get above the snow, _or_ he is just able to magically sense both which general direction is up, and how far it is to the surface. -Ken- - --part1_dd.170f6da1.287a87f7_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit  Hi gang,
  In Saturday night's game the whole bunch of characters, as well as the
Sorcerer's 3 Familiars, the Awakened Animal, the Trickster God's Allied
Spirit inhabiting a donkey, and our heavily loaded sled _all_got caught in
first a small rockslide (wherein my character Yevgainni the Satyr only took
1pt of damage-whew!); then, after digging out, a pretty big avalanche a short
while later.
  Everyone ended up taking a pretty serious drubbing, in addition to being
buried at all angles in at least several meters of snow (Yevgainni was the
least damaged at having an arm, a leg, & his head  knocked down by half, and
the other leg reduced to zero HP, as well as being buried in only 1m of snow).
  Anyhow, this situation made me think of a nice little spell that'd be
handy for Arctic/Mountianeering types:

Orient (for want of a better name)
3MP
Touch, Passive, Instant.
When cast, the recipient's Spirit either discorporates just long (like a
second or two?) enough to get above the snow, _or_ he is just able to
magically sense both which general direction is up, and how far it is to the
surface.

 -Ken-

   - --part1_dd.170f6da1.287a87f7_boundary-- *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 08:53:36 +0100 From: RAMEAU Alain Subject: [RQ-RULES] Roman setting This setting reminds me a RPG issued about the same time as RQ (I can't be more precise), called, as far as I remember, Myth and Magic. The game didn't survived very long, probably because of its poor rule system, and no commercial follow-up. Apart the few small scenarii in the basic game, I think only one other scenario was published. Alain. - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 09:39:15 +0100 (BST) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Ian=20Gordon?= Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] RQ Non-Glorantha - The perfect setting I am researching a game involving the aftermath of Zama, where Hannibal was beaten by overwhelming Legionary numbers and Scipio, Rome's first non-moronic general of the 2nd Punic Wars. [...] Getting to the point - If anyone has GM'd in this period I would like to hear from you as I'm finding research a little difficult and could do with some pointers. Interestingly enough the period is fascinating.. Rome has just acquired an empire with the confiscation of the Carthaginian territories. Rome is about to go to war with Macedon. The scions of the Diadochi (Alexander's successors) scheme endlessly against each other. I am thinking that I'd like the players to be the founders of Nabatea, though the chronology doesn't quite fit. However an impregnable desert fortress should be in every ancient's game don't you think? PS: Anyone who loved Spartacus would like the game that I have in mind. I apologise unreservedly for rambling. Must be my celtic bloodline. Ian Gordon (Itinerant Scot) *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 04:11:35 EDT From: Dalfitch@aol.com Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Canon Cultists etc Is Hero Wars being rewritten? Hope so....I hate the current rules. *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2001 18:35:48 +1000 From: "Jim Lawrie" Subject: [RQ-RULES] Shields n' other thoughts Has anyone come up with a new shield rule? The varying APs seems a little silly, a thick oxhide buckler can stop more than a thin kite shield of lime wood IMHO. I think the necessary rules mechanism is in separating the mass of the shield from the toughness of it's construction, so there may in fact be two rules required, one for the ability to shunt the shield out of the way and another to penetrate it. A random thought on some shields being easier to use than others, a heavy shield is harder to recover if the shield user has been faked out of position, this may go someway to equalising the starting percentages. (Although, I must admit, using a little shield *is* really hard! My aching legs . . . ) Some more ruminations on shields, has anyone further subdivided shields? The big hoplon of the classical Greeks had a dish shaped edge so it could rest on the shoulder, reducing fatigue loss, and the square scutum of the imperial Romans was the shield-wall shield par excellence. I wonder if there's any little rules tickles that could portray these facets? A last thought, has anyone come up with a rule for faking opponents in melee with hidden weapons or techniques? The classic dagger-behind-the-targe of the Scots is a good example, would an opponent require a Search roll to be allowed a parry of the surprise dagger? Jim Lawrie *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe from this list send mail to majordomo@lists.ient.com with the line 'unsubscribe runequest-rules' as the body of the message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 17:24:16 +0800 From: Jeremy Martin Subject: Re: [RQ-RULES] Wintery stuff - --------------10433D0F4CE0DAF90AD23B51 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I did that to a friend a long time ago. He casually pushed and stretched enough to give himself a little room, pulled off his pendant and looked at which way it was hanging. Then he dug the other way. I was impressed... Thus, I wouldn't think that there would be much need, as the people who might need it surely have simpler ways to figure this out. Well, maybe not how deep... Jeremy MurfNMurf@aol.com wrote: > Hi gang, > In Saturday night's game the whole bunch of characters, as well as > the > Sorcerer's 3 Familiars, the Awakened Animal, the Trickster God's > Allied > Spirit inhabiting a donkey, and our heavily loaded sled _all_got > caught in > first a small rockslide (wherein my character Yevgainni the Satyr only > took > 1pt of damage-whew!); then, after digging out, a pretty big avalanche > a short > while later. > Everyone ended up taking a pretty serious drubbing, in addition to > being > buried at all angles in at least several meters of snow (Yevgainni was > the > least damaged at having an arm, a leg, & his head knocked down by > half, and > the other leg reduced to zero HP, as well as being buried in only 1m > of snow). > Anyhow, this situation made me think of a nice little spell that'd > be > handy for Arctic/Mountianeering types: > > Orient (for want of a better name) > 3MP > Touch, Passive, Instant. > When cast, the recipient's Spirit either discorporates just long (like > a > second or two?) enough to get above the snow, _or_ he is just able to > magically sense both which general direction is up, and how far it is > to the > surface. > > -Ken- > > - --------------10433D0F4CE0DAF90AD23B51 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I did that to a friend a long time ago.  He casually pushed and stretched enough to give himself a little room, pulled off his pendant and looked at which way it was hanging.  Then he dug the other way.

I was impressed...

Thus, I wouldn't think that there would be much need, as the people who might need it surely have simpler ways to figure this out.  Well, maybe not how deep...

Jeremy
 

MurfNMurf@aol.com wrote:

  Hi gang,
  In Saturday night's game the whole bunch of characters, as well as the
Sorcerer's 3 Familiars, the Awakened Animal, the Trickster God's Allied
Spirit inhabiting a donkey, and our heavily loaded sled _all_got caught in
first a small rockslide (wherein my character Yevgainni the Satyr only took
1pt of damage-whew!); then, after digging out, a pretty big avalanche a short
while later.
  Everyone ended up taking a pretty serious drubbing, in addition to being
buried at all angles in at least several meters of snow (Yevgainni was the
least damaged at having an arm, a leg, & his head  knocked down by half, and
the other leg reduced to zero HP, as well as being buried in only 1m of snow).
  Anyhow, this situation made me think of a nice little spell that'd be
handy for Arctic/Mountianeering types:

Orient (for want of a better name)
3MP
Touch, Passive, Instant.
When cast, the recipient's Spirit either discorporates just long (like a
second or two?) enough to get above the snow, _or_ he is just able to
magically sense both which general direction is up, and how far it is to the
surface.

 -Ken-

 

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