The Red Emperor does not acknowledge the existence of other peers – his sovereignty and lawful authority is everywhere touched by the light of the Red Moon (ie., the entire Surface World)….
Author: Jeff Richard
Creative Director
Heroquest: “What is It?”
One of Greg’s earliest manuscripts on heroquesting hits all the key points, explains what it is, and the key elements involved. I’ve added a few footnotes, but let this digest a little….
Here’s a story every Orlanth initiate knows
It is worth a careful read as there are some interesting details in this (and the story is more complete than in King of Sartar): One day, at the Hill of Victory,…
Harmast’s Heroquests
This excerpt is from Greg Stafford’s unpublished Harmast Saga (1991) Here are the times that Harmast went to the Hero Plane before he returned with Arkat. First, for a glimpse, at his…
Wilmskirk I
I know that people focus on Pavis, Jonstown, and Boldhome in their games – and probably in that order. But Wilmskirk is definitely worth a look. This was Wilms the Artist’s first…
Ranging and Joining
A technique developed by participants in the Tournament of the Masters of Luck and Death, these questers range at the edge of an ongoing quest or ritual and watch for events or…
Caladraland
Of course the Orlanthi know Lodril – he is the great god of Caladraland, a nation of nearly a half million people at the edge of Esrolia. Lodril lives here in a…
Some Strange Holy Country facts
There is a “tame” version of Aldrya worshiped in Esrolia as the Goddess of the Orchards? She’s worshiped through the Ernalda cult, but still present and revered. The strangest livestock in the…
Two worlds lie close in the Holy Country
One is the mundane world of the many races and tribes of Mortals. This is a rich and powerful land, capable of turning aside the mightiest armies and fleets of invasion. The…
Empty-Head’s Tale – Another God Learner text
Another God Learner text for your enjoyment! The following is a folk tale in one form or another among the peoples of the whole continent of Genertela. Its widespread distribution is indicative…
Some Ancient Commentaries on Magic and Chaos
A God Learner text annotated by Greg Stafford, recently rediscovered in a warehouse in Berkeley: The Nature of magic is in the origins of the world, wherein the gods performed the actions…
A Beginners Guide to RuneQuest Gods
– an interview James Coquillat did with me recently.
Arkat as Colonel Kurtz
If I sometimes imagine Argrath as a Bowie-like chameleon, I often imagine Arkat as a Colonel Kurtz figure, particularly in the last stages of the Gbaji Wars. I could imagine him giving…
Dart Wars
Something that is often underappreciated is the Dart Wars of the noble houses of the Lunar Empire. The combatants in these secret wars are spies and mercenaries, analogous to ninja, that are…
Justice in Dara Happa and the Lunar Heartlands
In contrast to the Orlanthi, the Dara Happan (and Lunar Heartland) concept of justice has two parts: 1. Proper social order. That means everyone is in their proper place, with the strong…
Orlanthi Dreaming
The Orlanthi consider dreaming a key part of spiritual existence. Your gods, spirits, and ancestors determine the shape of your dreams, as does the magic you wield and your own personal power….
Orlanthi view of society and justice
A few thoughts on the Orlanthi view of society and justice worth keeping in mind. The Orlanthi encourage independence over centralization. They do not have faith in a single leader for all…
How to Draw Orlanth’s thunderbolt
Here’s something Rich Fleider and I put together years ago on how to draw Orlanth’s thunderbolt. I thought folk might find this interesting.
Argrath-Alexander the Great analogy
This is something I find very useful in thinking about Sartar in the Hero Wars. Think of Classical Greece during the rise of Philip and Alexander. At first things aren’t too different…
Dwarf related dangers
What is your favorite dwarf related danger? Here’s the options: Jolati with buggy pre-programmed commands. Gobbler seeking stolen gunpowder. Angry spirits escaped from a faulty Silver Dwarf energy matrix. Mechanical construct (tiktok)…
The Culbrea Tribe II
Another tribal map I put together for a project. Here is the Culbrea tribe and its clans. See also Bandits. = Freedom fighters, rebels, “herders”, free warriors, etc. All those clans seem…
Erenava Chan
Erenava Chan is the High Priestess of Ernalda at the Clearwine Earth Temple, and more than any person at the very center of the Colymar Tribe. Her father was Kallai Rockbuster the…
Lunar Treasury at Boldhome during the Occupation
Although the new Temple of the Reaching Moon was to be the magical and religious center of the province, Boldhome remained the administrative center for the Lunars. The Provincial Governor of Dragon…
Temple of the Reaching Moon
Each Temple of the Reaching Moon is an architectural monument, a vast complex of temples, shrines, and courts that take up about 10 hectares. They follow a standard layout, that recreates the…
God Time Paradox of the Red Goddess Cult
Some food for thought – Almost all of the Lunar temples outside of the Lunar Heartlands are unusual in that they do not have a ready connection with the history or mythological…