Skip to content
The Well of Daliath
Menu
Menu

Hero Wars / Battle of Heroes

Posted on March 28, 2023

We all know that the RQG default setting is the Hero Wars, but it is worth remembering that term is likely anachronistic- I think the first use of the phrase is as an alternative to the Battle of Heroes in 1628. Think how big of a deal it is to have the Red Emperor, Jar-eel, Harrek, Gunda, Beat-Pot, Argrath, Jaldon, and more all contending with each other on the field.

With that begins a quarter-century or so of struggle between Sartar and the Lunar Empire. Armies and heroes fight both physically and spiritually, and fortunes swing back and forth. There are occasional long pauses that deceive people into believing the conflict is over. But it restarts at least three or four times.

During this period the setting changes. What was true in 1625 might be false 20 or 30 years later. New cults will appear. Some old cults will change or even die out. A lot happens and much of this is decided by your individual campaigns.

Now before anyone starts whinging about metaplots or other such complaints, remember that this has been the foundation of the setting since before RQ was even a concept. In fact, RQ was created for this – it is an unfortunate trick of history that it took fifty real years to get there!

Now this is radically different from the seemingly endless and unstoppable Lunar Occupation we saw in RQ2 and RQ3. Time (and the setting itself) just kind of froze into an endless 1621 (pre- the fall of Whitewall) re loop.

Anyone paying attention knows the basic contours of 1625-1628. Soon enough there will be guidelines for the whole Hero Wars period. I can’t wait to see what you all do with it!

One thing I try to do in my games is start introducing these NPCs early. Let the players develop relationships – positive and negative towards them. And then just throw them in! Like using Lancelot in Pendragon or Nyarlahotep in Call of Cthulhu. Don’t keep them offstage – have them walk on stage and say hi.

Jeff Richard

Next
Previous
Battle of Heroes 1628 ST, Hero Wars, Metaplot

Sections

  • Search Tips
  • Current RuneQuest Glorantha Publications
  • RuneQuest Glorantha Corrections and Q&A
  • Catalogue
  • References for Glorantha
    • Gloranthan Canon
  • Gloranthan Documents
  • RPG Systems & Versions
  • Gallery
  • Role-playing in Glorantha
  • About This Site
  • Get involved!

Latest Posts

  • Boldhome Embassies

    In general, Gloranthan kingdoms and empires send representatives to each …
  • Yanioth the Red-Haired Huntress

    Yanioth Two-Sight was born in 1577, the daughter of Arene …
  • The Founding of the Colymar Tribe

    Colymar was the son of a farmer of the Orshanti …
  • Chaos and The Great Compromise

    The Spike held Glorantha together in the Gods Time. The …
  • Notes on The Red Goddess and Chaos

    In 1220 ST, great stirrings in the world centered in …

Links

  • Chaosium
  • Glorantha on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest on BRP Central
  • RuneQuest Glorantha on MeWe
  • Glorantha Wiki on Fandom
  • Prince of Sartar Webcomic
  • Glorantha G+ Archives on Tapatalk
  • Search mailing list archive

Latest from BRP Central

  • Timeline Please
  • Out now in hardcover: The Meints Index to Glorantha, 3rd Edition
  • Hyalor Cult?
  • Active sorcery spells
  • Request for info: The "taming" of the Telmori
  • Why would a Golden Bow shaman be adventuring in Sartar? (Alternate question: How old should a shaman be to have an assistant?)
  • help with heroquest idea?
  • Monster Empire
  • Kallyr was busy
  • Adventures in Nochet, Esrolia

Popular Tags

2007 Avalon Hill Boldhome Chaosium Chaos pantheon Cult demographics Cults of Runequest (preview) Ernalda Esrolia (homeland) FR G+ post Greg Stafford Guide to Glorantha (preview) Humakt Issaries Jar-eel Kralorelan pantheon Lunar Empire Lunar Pantheon Magazine Malkioni pantheon Map Maps Michael O’Brien Mongoose Nochet (metropolis) Nomad Gods Oriflam Orlanth Orlanthi pantheon Photo reference Population demographics Prax (homeland) Praxian pantheon RQ3 RQG Sandy Petersen Sartar (homeland) Spirit Cult Subcult Tales of the Reaching Moon Troll Pantheon Yelm Yelmalio Yelm Pantheon

Recently added or updated

  • Boldhome Embassies

  • Yanioth the Red-Haired Huntress

  • The Founding of the Colymar Tribe

  • Chaos and The Great Compromise

  • CHA4032 RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary – Q&A

  • Protected: CHA4042 – The Prosopaedia (2023)

  • Zaytenera

  • Zotulla

  • Zong the hunter

  • Zzabur

  • Zorak Zoran

  • Zaktirra

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 16 Sorcery Spells Q&A

  • CHA4034 Red Book of Magic – Chapter 02 Rune Magic Spells Q&A (A-M)

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 04 Homelands Q&A

  • CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 07 Combat Q&A pages 206-225

  • London Calling… A wonderful presentation on the Guide to Glorantha project (2013)

  • CHA4035 RQ Starter Set – Book 1 Rules – Q&A

  • CHA4039 The Smoking Ruin and other Stories – Q&A

  • Teelo Norri

©2023 The Well of Daliath | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme