Official Answers by Chaosium
This covers the first section of Chapter 3, pages 23-83:
- RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha Quickstart – Q&A
- RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Q&A by Chapter
- RuneQuest Gamemaster Screen Pack – Q&A
- RuneQuest Glorantha Bestiary – Q&A
- The Red Book of Magic – Q&A
- The Smoking Ruin & Other Stories – Q&A
- Pegasus Plateau & Other Stories – Q&A
- RuneQuest Starter Set – Q&A by Book
- Weapons & Equipment – Q&A
- The Prosopaedia – Q&A
- The Lightbringers – Q&A
- Earth Goddesses – Q&A
- Mythology – Q&A
- The Lunar Way – Q&A
- The Glorantha Sourcebook – Q&A
Introduction (page 23)
In the intro text, last paragraph, it refers to the GM Screen Pack having a quick adventurer generation system. I don’t think that’s the case, is it? Perhaps the GM book?
Yes, but the final name has not been announced.
Step 1: Homeland (page 24)
Playing Inexperienced Adventurers (page 25)
Aren’t adventurers initiated at the age of 16, and thus have been around for 5 years already at start of play?
Yes, that’s what the Family History section generates. If you want to start at 16, playing inexperienced characters is covered on page 25. If you want to alter the adventurer creation system for your games by doing Step 2 last and adding in cult advancement, please do.
And if this was right, it would strongly encourage new Humakti adventurers to not select Bladesharp at all at start of play, since they would be getting it later for free… Surely this is not intended?
There’s no right or wrong with this. Not selecting Bladesharp at the start of play would allow richer roleplaying opportunities later (finding a temple and teacher, etc). See Humakt in Chapter 12 for further clarification.
Prax (page 25)
Correction
Many tribes ride and herd the beast for which it is named: bison, bolo lizard, high llama, impala, rhinoceros, sable antelope, and even the horse-riding Pol-Joni.
Note: Five of the tribes are described separately below.
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Old Tarsh (page 26)
Correction
Cultural skills for Old Tarshite adventurers are provided on page 63, and the full writeup of Old Tarsh, including local modifiers, is on page 130.
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Step 2: Family History (page 27)
Grandparents & parents from different Homelands
Is the default Homeland I apply when gaining Passions etc through events the Homeland of my Adventurer, even if the grandparent/parent who took part in the event itself was from a different Homeland? I think it is always the homeland of the adventurer.
The rules don’t really address grandparents and parents of different Homelands (but doesn’t prevent them) so I’d let the player pick. This could mean that the (grand)parent tells the adventurer about the old country and how awesome it was, or they could enthusiastically instil in the adventurer a love for the new adopted homeland.
How to Use This Section (page 27)
Corrections
Page 28, 1st Column
Determine the occupation of your grandparent. Roll on the Occupation table, or pick a result.
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Page 28, 2nd Column
Determine the occupations of your grandparent and parent. Use the Occupation table to choose or randomly determine your grandparent’s and parent’s occupations
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3. Determine events (pages 28-29)
If the event indicates that your adventurer gains a Passion (Love, Hate, Loyalty, Fear, Devotion, Honor, etc.) that Passion starts at 60%, unless indicated otherwise. If your adventurer already has the Passion, increase it by +10%, unless indicated otherwise.
page 29
Using the above information, if you get a Passion award that raises your Loyalty by 30%, and you didn’t have that specific Passion earlier, what will your Loyalty be now? 90% (60+30%) or 80%? (the first +10% goes to get the Passion to 60%, and the rest gets added to it).
The advice on page 29 is part of creating your adventurer. The rules on page 236, Gaining a Passion should be used once the game has begun.
Variations Box (page 31)
Correction
For example, if the adventurer is to enter the game aged 30 in the year 1625, then the adventurer was born in 1595 and their parents were born in 1573 to be able to participate in events from 1599 and beyond.
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Older Adventures date table
Use table this to determine the date changes to family history events for older adventurers:
Age in 1625 | Grandparent Born | Parent Born | Adventurer Born | Grandparent Retires, Parent History Begins | Parent Retires | Adventurer Career Begins |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 | 1561 | 1582 | 1604 | 1608 | 1621 | 1622 |
22 | 1560 | 1581 | 1603 | 1607 | 1620 | 1621 |
23 | 1559 | 1580 | 1602 | 1606 | 1619 | 1620 |
24 | 1558 | 1579 | 1601 | 1605 | 1618 | 1619 |
25 | 1557 | 1578 | 1600 | 1604 | 1617 | 1618 |
26 | 1556 | 1577 | 1599 | 1603 | 1616 | 1617 |
27 | 1555 | 1576 | 1598 | 1602 | 1615 | 1616 |
28 | 1554 | 1575 | 1597 | 1601 | 1614 | 1615 |
29 | 1553 | 1574 | 1596 | 1600 | 1613 | 1614 |
30 | 1552 | 1573 | 1595 | 1599 | 1612 | 1613 |
Year 1608 (page 33)
First Invasion of Prax (page 33)
Corrections
9-11 | Died skirmishing in the plains. If Lunar Tarshite, gain Hate (Praxians). If Praxian, gain Hate (Lunar Empire). |
16–18 | Witnessed the Lunar submission to the Paps Priestesses. If Praxian, gain Loyalty (your tribe). If other, gain Devotion (deity). |
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Is the First Invasion of Prax really intended to be so deadly to nomad parents? If you roll on that chart with +10, that means almost half of all parents will die there, in their first year. If it’s really a nomad victory, it seems to be a very pyrrhic one.
It’s actually 60% if you roll on the table, you don’t have to roll.
D20 | Result | Chance |
---|---|---|
9-11 | Died skirmishing in the plains. If Lunar Tarshite, gain Hate (Praxians). If Praxian, gain Hate (Lunar Empire). | 5% |
12–15 | Survived. | 20% |
16–18 | Witnessed the Lunar submission to the Paps Priestesses. If Praxian, gain Loyalty (your tribe). If other, gain Devotion (deity). | 5% |
19 | Killed in battle. | 5% |
20 | Died with great glory. Gain Honor Passion and +1D3% Reputation. | 55% |
The Family history section is designed to create Adventures with a rich background that strongly influences their drives and Passions:
Gamemasters should keep in mind that this section is intended for creating player character adventurers. This is not intended to create the background for a typical resident of Dragon Pass!
How to Use This Section, page 28
You may choose the event or roll a D20 to get a random result.
Determine events, page 29
The gamemaster and player should improvise, modify, discard, or otherwise manipulate the results of the Family History in the interest of creating a more interesting or relevant background for the adventurer.
Determine your adventurer’s past, page 29
The table is designed to give your adventurer’s family history lots of plot hooks and stuff to use in adventuring.
You could also replace the 12–15 Survived. with your own results, eg 12– 20 Survived.
Year 1620 (page 38)
Heortland Campaign (page 38)
Correction
19-20 | Devoured by the Crimson Bat after King Broyan repels it. Your parent’s soul no longer exists. Gain Hate (Chaos) or Hate (Lunar Empire) Passion starting at 70% or add +20% to one if you already have both Passions. |
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Year 1621 (page 38)
Year 1621 Events (page 38)
Correction
3-20 |
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Random Boons (page 40)
Corrections
13–14 | Your clan came strongly to your aid in a dispute with outsiders. Gain |
15-16 | Your clan assigns you a hide of land (see page 404) for your services. Gain |
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Year 1624 Events (page 42)
Jaldon Goldentooth Summoned
Result 16-18 specifies that you swear loyalty to both Argrath and Jaldon, yet the Passions you gain are Devotion (White Bull) and Loyalty (White Bull). Is this intentionally so?
Agrath is the White Bull. Jaldon is only there temporarily as a summoned ancestor. We had to pick where the Devotion and Loyalty went, and it made more sense for Argrath as being still in the world.
Players can add Passions at any time they want at 60% so if someone wanted to add one for Jaldon, they could do so once play begins.
Year 1625 Events (page 44)
Year 1625 Events
Vasana’s Saga (page 46)
Since Vasana seems to have been present at the summoning of Jaldon Goldentooth, it’s not consistent with the table on p.42 that she has no Loyalty/Devotion to White Bull.
You’ll notice from Vasana’s Saga on page 46, that she was part of Jaldon Goldentooth Summoned, the Liberation of Pavis and the Liberation of Sartar.
So yes, she would have received Loyalty (White Bull) from any result of Jaldon Goldentooth Summoned. She goes on to the liberation of Pavis and where she Acclaimed Argrath as King of Pavis an gained Loyalty (Argrath). Then she somehow goes on to the Liberation of Sartar which you can’t actually do in the Family History, to do this, she doesn’t get the reputation for acclaiming Argrath, but does get another event. Finally the player choses Loyalty (Argrath) over Loyalty (White Bull) as she’s a Sartarite. This is part of:
The gamemaster and player should improvise, modify, discard, or otherwise manipulate the results of the Family History in the interest of creating a more interesting or relevant background for the adventurer.
Step 3: Rune Affinities (page 45)
Runes and Cults (page 45)
Correction
The Runes of the gods described in this book are listed below, and cult descriptions are provided on pages 288–310
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Runes & Cults table (page 47)
Elemental Runes / Water (page 48)
Sense: Taste
what do you roll for it? is it a perception skill?
Use perception and modify depending on situation and taster.
Step 4: Characteristics (page 51)
Strength (STR) (page 51)
Correction
but only up to the species maximum (21 for humans).
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Constitution (CON) (page 51)
Correction
but only up to the species maximum (21 for humans).
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Dexterity (DEX) (page 52)
Correction
or the species maximum (21 for humans).
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Power (POW) (page 52)
Correction
Though it may vary over time, POW cannot normally rise above the total of the maximum possible rolled POW plus the minimum possible rolled POW species maximum (21 for humans).
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Charisma (CHA) (page 52)
Correction
but for humans, only up to the species maximum (21 for humans).
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Species Maximum Characteristics Box (page 52)
Example
A minotaur with STR (3D6+12), maximum (18+12) = 30, plus number of dice (3 + bonus) = 4. Minotaur maximum STR = 34.
Determining Characteristics
Rune Modifiers to Characteristics (page 53)
Correction
Duplicate text
These Rune Modifiers can result in a characteristic above 18. If the primary or secondary Elemental Rune affinity changes, so does the characteristic affected by the bonus. Rune Modifiers to characteristics are only applied during the adventurer creation process: changes to Rune ratings after play begins do not affect characteristics.
*
changes to Rune ratings after play begins do not affect characteristics.
Rune Modifiers to Characteristics, page 53
I have not understood, does this means that subsequent rune affinity modifications change the characteristics or not?
Not. Once you have created your adventurer, your rune ratings do not change your characteristics.
Rune & Homeland Modifiers (page 53)
Correction
Pol-Joni | None |
X
Can your primary or secondary Rune Affinities, or your Homeland characteristic modifiers raise your characteristics over the species maximum? Eg. is the maximum SIZ of a Bison Rider 18, 20, or 22?
No. Your species max is your species max, unless boosted by some way through some other (likely divine) means.
That said, some non-player characters may have transcended these maximums through such avenues.
Vasana’s Saga (page 54)
Correction
As the total of Vasana’s characteristics is below 92, she has 3 points to distribute among her characteristics, so she decides to add +1 to STR, CON, and POW.
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Attributes (page 54)
Luck
Is there a luck roll in RQG?
Yes. It was used in the Quickstart, but wasn’t addressed in the core rules. It has been replaced (almost) everywhere as a POWx5 roll. You can use the definition from the RuneQuest Starter Set if needed:
Luck Check (POW×5): Determining if the adventurer catches a lucky break or has a stroke of good fortune when the odds could go either way.
RuneQuest Starter Set, Book 2 Rules, page 5
MOV speed when running (page 54)
What are the rules for MOV speed when running? As I recall, in previous editions, bipedal runners moved MOVx2, quadrupeds moved MOVx4 and flyers could move as fast as their fly MOVx5. Are there running rules in RQG? I only found rules for chases, which doesn’t address the actual amount someone moves during a round.
(8 meters walking or 24 meters running).
Page 54, Attributes
MOV Rate (page 54)
So, does it really mean that the MOV rate is the speed while running, and the speed while walking is 1/3 that?
1 MOV unit equals 1 meter when walking, and 3 when running. Generally players aren’t concerned with their walking speed while in tactical situations, so 3 meters is the value given.
Hit Points (page 54)
General Hit Points and Total hit points (page 54)
Correction
General Hit Points with Total hit points in the entire book
*
Corrections
• Total hit points are lost when your adventurer takes non-location specific damage, like burns covering large areas, poison, or other injuries.
• Hit points per body location are lost when injuries are inflicted upon specific parts of your adventurer’s body, such as a head, chest, abdomen, or a limb. They are also simultaneously subtracted from total hit points.
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An adventurer’s total hit points are equal to their CON, modified by SIZ and POW.
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The amount of damage each hit location can sustain is determined in the Hit Locations table below.
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Whenever your adventurer takes damage to a specific hit location, you must cross that amount off their total hit points as well as to the hit location’s hit points.
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However, when your adventurer has taken sufficient damage to equal their total hit points, they will die at the end of the combat round unless healed to a positive hit point total when the round ends.
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Negative Hit Points (page 55)
What is the maximum (if any) that limbs can go negative, when do they become maimed?
A hit location can “absorb” three times its normal hit points in damage, so technically a hit location can go into negative up to twice its hit points.
See page 148 in the section titled Damage Equals or Exceeds Triple the Location’s Hit Points.
Spirit Combat Damage (page 56)
If a creature does not have CHA (e.g. animals), do they only use their POW to calculate their spirit combat damage when attacked?
Yes. Although a GM may choose what level of damage is appropriate from the Spirit Combat Damage table on page 56 depending on the needs of the story. It’s either a D3 or D6.
Strike Rank (page 57)
Correction
Later in adventurer generation, when you know what weapons your adventurer uses, write down the strike ranks for those weapons and add either the DEX and SIZ or DEX strike ranks for the final strike rank value.
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The sample characters’ animal sidekicks (Vasana’s Bison etc.) all have a Base Strike Rank, and all creatures in the Bestiary are also listed with a Base Strike Rank. However, I was unable to find any explanation anywhere (either here or in the Bestiary), about what a Basic Strike Rank actually is or what purpose it serves. My understanding is that it is merely the combined SIZ+DEX strike rank for the creature and that Vasana’s Bison for instance has a 0+3 Strike Rank (so Base SR 3) and that this is as usual added to the stat of the “weapon” (in case of the Horn apparently 5) to create the Strike Rank for the Horn attack (8). And I assume that if the Bison were to do something other than attacking, they would be doing it in their base strike rank?
Base Strike Rank = DEX SR + SIZ SR. Most natural/unintelligent animals use this as their default physical action SR, whether attacking or doing something else (if in combat).
We break SR into DEX SR and SIZ SR when dealing with missile weapons or magic, which don’t take into account SIZ.
Vasana’s Saga (page 57)
Correction
If she uses a dagger (weapon strike rank 4), she attacks on strike rank 9.
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Skills Category Modifiers (page 57)
Correction
Skills category modifiers also affect experience rolls, simulating the benefits of natural abilities when trying to improve a skill. This is explained in the Between Adventures chapter.
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Second printing corrections
A skill never has a minus value; if a modifier would make a skill start below 00%, write in 00%.
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Negative Category Modifiers and 0% skills
if an adventurer has a -5% skills category modifier for a base 00% skill, and then gains 5% through character creation or experience, do they end up with 00% or 5% in that skill?
The last two paragraphs say to write 00% for that skill at first (not -5%), but they also say that skill category modifiers apply once the skill has had some points applied to it. (Also applies to p.60, Skill Base Chance, third paragraph)
There are effectively two types of 0% skill. First there’s the kind that starts off with a skill of 0% – Alchemy (00), Insight (others) (00), Speak Other Language (00), to name a few. With these, you need 1% of experience / training / research in order to even apply the adventurers bonus. With these skills, you have no chance at all to roll them, regardless of your category bonus.
The next is a skill not initially at 0%, but subsequently reduced to zero or less by a negative modifier. Eg. with a -5% Communication bonus, it’s conceivable that Act (05), Art (05) Bargain (05), Disguise (05), Fast Talk (05), Intrigue (05) could be at 00%. The difference here is that there that the player may roll for the skill where appropriate as 01-05 is always a success.
So in the first type, if an adventurers learns 5% in Speak Other Language (00), but they have a -5% Communication bonus their skill is effectively 0%, but as they now have some experience, the skills falls into the second type, and they are now permitted to roll the skill when appropriate as 01-05 is always a success.
The standard character sheets don’t allow you to easily track it (Roll20 does). In my games I don’t let players write in a skill value of 00 unless it’s of the second type, showing they can roll when appropriate.
Knowledge & Perception Skill Category modifier (pages 58 & 59)
Any plans to change the calculation that Knowledge and Perception have the same Skill Category modifier?
No.
Knowledge Skills Category Modifier (page 58)
Correction
These mental skills require both formal knowledge and individual judgment: all Lore skills, Alchemy, Battle, Bureaucracy, Customs, Evaluate,
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Magic Skills Category Modifier (page 58)
Correction
The following magic techniques are used in sorcery (see page 381) and are not commonly known to all adventurers: Combine, Separate, Dispel, Command, Summon, and Tap.
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Skill Base Chance (page 60)
Corrections
Add the base chance to the appropriate skills category modifiers and to any cultural skill bonuses (see next section). Then add any occupation and cult skills bonus (explained in Steps 5 and 6), plus any personal skill bonuses (explained in Step 7). The result is the adventurer’s current percentage in that skill.
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The adventurer’s skills category modifier does not apply to a skill with a base 00% chance until they have gained the ability at 01% or higher through cultural, occupation, or cult bonuses, allocating skill points to it or through training.
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Skills listed on page 61 in bold and shown on the adventurer sheet with a 🔲 can be improved during play through experience, training, or research. Other skills can only be improved through training or research, or by extraordinary means.
Skill Base Chance, page 60
Is it possible to improve non “experience-able” skill with “between adventures” experience ?
No, only by training and research. Doing your normal job doesn’t usually count as training or research unless the GM says under a particular circumstance it does. It would be rare for a scribe to be able to increase their Read/write through training or research as part of their normal job.
For example can scribes gain some % in read/write every season because they are scribes (occupation are always “checkable”), or should they train specifically this skill (no check is no check).
Read/write cannot increase by experience. See Corrections and Q&A Adventurer Sheet page
Base Skill Values table (page 61)
Correction
Knowledge
Martial Arts (00)
*
Melee Weapons
Dagger (15) or Sickle (05)
2H Hammer (05) or Maul (10)
Pole Lasso (05)
Rapier (10)
1H Spear, (Lance) or Javelin (10)
*
Missile Weapons
Pole Lasso (05)
Short Spear (15) or Javelin (10)
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Vasana’s Saga – cultural skills (page 62)
Correction
• Knowledge (+5%): Battle 40%, Customs (Heortling) 25%, Farm 30%, Herd 15%.
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Step 5: Occupation (page 63)
Modifying Occupations is part of the rules
If you disagree with the rules on the skill makeup an occupation is made up of, change them:
The gamemaster and players are encouraged to modify these occupations to fit their purposes.
Occupation, page 64
This could include swapping out some skills for others, or spreading the bonuses thinner over a wider range of skills, or both.
Changes to Occupations in the French edition of RuneQuest
The occupational skill modifiers for Fisher Healer and Hunter in the French edition of the Core rules (translated and reproduced below), are different from the English edition (Core rules book, p66 and 69). The French version is more generous than the rather lean (in my opinion) English version.
I believe that in addition to Fisher, Healer and Hunter, the following occupations have changes to skill bonuses in the French edition:
Assistant Shaman, Bandit, Chariot Driver, Crafter, Entertainer, Farmer, Herder, Merchant, Noble Philosopher, Priest, Scribe, Thief, Heavy Infantry, Warrior Light Infantry.
Are the French values recommended?
They are edition specific. If you are using the French rules for your game, they are rolled in. If you are using the English rules, it’s up to you if you want to use them. They are not part of the Chaosium edition core rules.
As it clearly says:
The gamemaster and players are encouraged to modify these occupations to fit their purposes.
RQG, Occupations, page 64
You are free to change the bonuses, skills and occupation descriptions, and even add new occupations in your games.
What age do adventurers begin their Occupation?
One of my adventurers, a shaman, started as an apprentice shaman as their background profession. What age did they become an apprentice shaman? The rules do not seem to say when a character starts with the background profession.
See Your History, RQG 29. Your adventurer comes of age at 18 and that’s when their story begins.
In the rules it say that an apprentice shaman gains one POW every year (and also when he becomes a shaman). So when he starts adventuring after character’s creation, has he gained this additional POW (that in this case needs to be added to his starting POW)? For example, if he was an apprentice shaman at 15, and he starts adventuring at 21, does this mean that he gains the additional POW for six years to be added to his already starting POW? This seems very overpowered, but I cannot find and alternative…
No. You only receive these increases after play begins at age 21. Everything else before is considered what makes your adventurer what they are when they start play (skills, magic, characteristics)
Equipment
Number of Javelins
Does the javelin weapon as an item consist of a single javelin or multiple? I.e. if an adventurer has a javelin as their cultural missile weapon, then in their starting equipment do they have a single javelin or a few? A single javelin doesn’t seem super useful as a main missile weapon, and the cost of another one (35L) is pretty high. But at the same time there isn’t anything in the book that suggests otherwise.
Usually under occupation it says “weapons”, plural. Players should think about what their adventurer would have and be able to carry. First think about their occupation, it might be easy for a warrior to have multiple weapons. For example, if mounted, five javelins would not seem unreasonable for a mount to carry. Whereas those on foot may struggle with three, given a javelin has an ENC of 1. However a craftsperson may want to carry just one along with their tools.
Quivers & arrows
If starting with a bow it makes sense to start with a quiver, but this also isn’t stated anywhere. Do the players get to choose any of the three sizes and just start with the amount of arrows it would carry? (12, 24, 40)
As with javelins (above), think about what the adventurer would have. Quivers have an ENC of 0.5 ENC for small; ENC 1 for medium; ENC 2 for large. It might be appropriate for a mounted skirmisher to have a large quiver, but a hunter might only want a small one.
Don’t forget that Each point of ENC reduces Dodge by -1% per ENC, up to maximum ENC, then -5%.
Starting equipment is sparse
Starting equipment in general seems sparse, and many of the pre-gen adventurers have lots of equipment not listed in starting (for example, the pre-gen hunter on page 96 is listed as starting with armor, but the hunter profession does not get armor). Is there something I am missing with it?
In family history, it’s pretty easy to get loot and plunder to buy stuff later. Don’t forget with family history – you can choose your results so you don’t need to roll.
Nathem has Leather hunting garb (1 pt.), leather hood (1 pt.) , cuirboilli hunter’s vambrace (3 pts., left arm only). That’s likely:
- Leather hunting garb (1 pt.), Legs 15L, Abdomen & Chest 20L, arm 5L
- Leather hood (1 pt.) 3L
- cuirboilli hunter’s vambrace (3 pts., left arm only) 15L
so 48L. Easily paid for by loot, etc or the player could argue that it’s made from skins made by the hunter. Or the GM could say make an Occupational, Track or Animal Lore roll. Choose whatever is appropriate for your game.
All of the adventurers in my current game got money from family history and bought stuff. Also note that those that are non-combatants don’t wear armour (in the pregens or my game).
Assistant Shaman (page 64)
Typo
Note: An assistant shaman begins with the Second Sight spirit magic spell and another 2 points of spirit magic spells (in addition to any spirit magic learned from their cult, see pages 73).
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Bandit (page 65)
The equipment lists “cuirbouilli cuirass” and “hide or quilted skirt”. However, there is no “cuirbouilli cuirass on the armor table and a quilted skirt offers only 1 pt of protection, not 2.
The current PDF (second printing) has:
Equipment: Cultural weapons, leather skirt (1 pt. protection), heavy leather cuirass (2 pts. protection), sleeping roll, booty worth 1D100 L.
Please note that there is a second printing PDF available from either, your Chaosium account, DrivethruRPG account or Bits and Mortar with your code.
Entertainer (page 66)
Correction
Occupational Skills: Dance +30%, Customs (any) +10%, Orate +10%, Insight (Human) +10%, Sing +30%, Lore (any) +10%, Speak Own Language +30%, Cultural Weapon (pick type) +15%, Play (instrument) +30%.
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Hunter (page 69)
Modifying the Hunter occupation
Please remember:
The gamemaster and players are encouraged to modify these occupations to fit their purposes.
Occupation, page 64
This could include swapping out some skills for others, or spreading the bonuses thinner over a wider range of skills, or both.
Why no Survival skill?
The Hunter occupation seems to lack the Survival skill. Most of the suggested cults would have it, but not Orlanth or Yelm (Grazelands). Is this on purpose, or should all Hunters have it?
It is on purpose. Everyone has the skill at 15% plus knowledge bonus. Your homeland may give you a bonus reflecting the land you are from. It may also be a skill your cult finds useful to your religion (page 275). Orlanth and Yelm do not find it useful. As a new adventurer spends time in their occupation, they may gain experience rolls if the skill was ever needed.
If you want to emphasise your adventurer’s ability with these abilities, this where you use the personal skill bonuses in Step 7 to emphasise your adventurer’s prowess in these areas.
Why no Peaceful Cut and Devise skills?
Given hunters are skilled at operating traps for hunting food, as well as dealing with prey animals (page 69) shouldn’t they start with the Peaceful Cut and Devise skills?
No.
All adventurers start with Peaceful Cut (10%) and Devise (5%).
Note that:
Many abilities are normal functions that anyone can perform. Walking across a room or opening a door can be said to be abilities, but every adventurer is considered competent enough to perform these actions without checking to see if they were successful. The adventurer is assumed to have an automatic success.
Game System, Ability Use, page 141
For any ability performed in a dramatic circumstance, an ability roll is required.
A hunter will have no problem in butchering and setting traps, most use being automatic. Only dramatic circumstance needs a roll.
If you want to emphasise your adventurer’s ability with these abilities, this where you use the personal skill bonuses in Step 7 to emphasise your adventurer’s prowess in these areas.
Note that the occupational skill roll for hunters is either Track or Animal Lore for determining income (pages 422 & 423).
Noble (page 69-70)
Corrections
Chieftains chose their companions to fulfill this martial role from the community instead of among the priests.
Equipment: Segmented Bronze Plate (6 pts. protection), bronze greaves and vambraces (6 pts. protection), closed helmet (5 pts. protection), cultural weapons, two riding animals, noble clothing worth 60 L, 200 L in coin, 450 L worth of jewelry, vessels, and other luxury goods.
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Philosopher (page 70)
Typo
Make bold
Philosophers learn sorcery, and start having mastered the understanding of one Rune and one technique (see the Sorcery chapter).
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Priest (page 70)
Typo
Make bold
Requirements for Acceptance: As per God-talker, Rune Priest, or Rune Lord (see these in the Cults chapter).
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Scribe (page 70)
Why is Alchemy an occupational skill for Scribes?
Base Income – It states that the Base Income for using Alchemy or Customs is 160L, but Alchemy is not listed as an occupational skill for Scribes. Should it be, or should Alchemy be removed from the basic income list?
Alchemy is available to some scribes as a cult skill.
Occupational Skill – Read/Write
As Read/Write can not be raised by experience, that means scribe can not increase it at all.
It can be raised by training and research. An adventurer can spend up to three weeks per season on activities other than their normal occupation:
The Occupation Income roll assumes the adventurer is engaged in their occupation each season, gone no more than three weeks or so (“adventuring time”). RQG, Additional Penalties to the Occupation Income Roll, page 422.
Do you mean that the training (or research) on Read/Write is outside his normal Reading and Writing activities?
Yes, as it’s not increased by experience, but can be raised by training or research. An adventurer can spend up to three weeks per season on activities other than their normal occupation. Scribes of Buserian or the Lhankor Mhy cult get training in any Sage skill or associate cult skill is free to the initiate, but training takes twice the normal time because they must be fit into the Instructors’ schedules at odd available moments. So that would be 16 weeks required. So that would take a year of all your spare to get 1D6–1 or 2%. Alternatively you can research one skill per season and maybe get a few %.
What’s clear is that in a society where literacy is rare, it’s very difficult to become good at it unless you are full time at your temple.
Thief (page 71)
What is a pitchman?
“Pitchman” is listed as a profession for thieves. What does a “pitchman” do?
Someone who makes a “pitch”, a type of con man who sells stolen or fraudulent/fake goods or works on elaborate swindles. He might also be the “face” for a criminal enterprise that needs someone to do all the talking.
Vasana’s Saga – Occupation (page 72)
Corrections
• Knowledge (+5%): Battle 65%, Customs (Heortling) 25%, Farm 30%, First Aid 20%, Herd 15%
• Manipulation (+5%): Dagger 25%, 1H Axe (Battle Axe) 20%, 1H Spear (Lance) 40%, 1H Sword (Broadsword) 50%, Composite Bow 40%, Javelin 20%, Large Shield 25%, Medium Shield 50%.
Her player decides to take Honor as a favored Passion. As Vasana already has 80% in that Passion, she increases it +10% to Honor 90%.
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Warrior – Light Cavalry (page 73)
Typo
Occupational Skills: Ride (any) +35%, Listen +10%, Sing +10%, Scan +10%, Battle +30%, All Unit Weapons (including shield) +25%, First Aid +10%, Other Weapon (pick type) +20%.
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Step 6: Cult (page 73)
Corrections
As adults, nearly all are initiated into the cult of a specific deity. However, more important than being initiated is the deity to which an adventurer is initiated.
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The player should select a cult where the adventurer has at least one Rune with a rating of at least 50% in common with the deity.
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Multiple subcults
Can adventurers join multiple subcults during creation?
Yes. If your GM allows it. However, they may prefer you to do it in-game.
- The adventurer must pay the extra POW cost per subcult (as page 282, Joining a Subcult)
- they will then start an extra rune point per subcult, and
- one special Rune magic spell of the subcult per subcult
- They do not get any additional Cult Starting Skills (page 79), but may spread them across the subcult’s skills where appropriate.
- If available they may choose subcult Spirit Magic as part of their 5 spells (not in addition) (page 79).
Initiated and Initiates (pages 73 & 269)
Nearly every adult is initiated into the cult of a specific deity.
Cult, page 73
Most who belong to a cult are lay members, without any authority or position within the cult
Rune Cults, page 269
Which is it?
You’re confusing being initiated into a cult with being an initiate of that cult. Most everyone in the world is a member of one cult or another, a lay member. Only a small number take the test sacrifice a point of POW and gain a Rune point, and still fewer go on to become Rune Masters or God-talkers within that cult.
For the purposes of player character adventurers, all are considered to be initiates, so the sentence on page 73 applies specifically to them.
Cult Starting Skills (page 73)
Each cult has starting skills taught to its members. Add the listed skill bonuses to these skills. Add an additional +20% to one of these starting skills and+15% to another. In addition, all initiates start with the following skill bonuses: Cult Lore (deity) +15%, Worship (deity) +20%, Meditate +5%.
Cult Starting Skills, page 73
Does that mean, that those additional +20%/+15% can’t be allocated to Cult Lore (deity), Worship (deity) or Meditate?
Perhaps it’s just a misleading wording, because I think that those three skills (Cult Lore, Worship, Meditate) are cult starting skills as well.
If you GM agrees, you can add the bonuses to Cult Lore (deity), Worship (deity) or Meditate.
Suggested Special Rune Magic (page 73)
A starting adventurer has 3 rune points. Sever spirit is a 3 point spell does that take 1 or 3 of his starting rune points. I’d say 3 but the rules seem to indicate 1.
Adventurers get three Rune spells of their choice. Unless the spell has a higher cost than 1, the Rune spell’s level is 1. A starting initiate of Humakt’s three spells could be Sever Spirit (3pts), Morale (2pts), Oath (2pts), even though they only have three Rune points.
Favored Passions (page 74)
Is it correct that the use of “may” here means that taking none of the listed Favored Passions is a valid option?
Yes.
This seems not what I would have expected (e.g. no Devotion to deity or Loyalty to temple for most cults).
Which may or may not cause difficulty later on… Passions can always be taken later (see Gaining a Passion page 236).
For example in my campaign after a major event, an Esrolian adventurer took Loyalty (Clearwine) temple as a new passion.
Note that adventurers may already have a long list of passions from family history and occupation.
Common Rune Magic Box (page 74)
Spells About the Cult
Second printing corrections
Add “Summon Cult Spirit”
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Eiritha (page 75)
Typo
Cult Starting Skills: Understand Herd Beasts +20%, Herd +15%, Sing +10%.
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Engizi (page 75)
Maran Gor (page 76)
Correction
Cult Starting Skills: 1H Axe (pick type) or 1H Mace (pick type) +20%, Dance +20%, Intimidate +10%, Speak Other Language (Earthtongue) +10%.
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Orlanth (page 76)
Corrections
Orlanth Adventurous (Warrior Subcult)
Spirit Magic: Fanaticism (1 pt.), Protection (var.).
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Orlanth Thunderous (Priest Subcult)
Spirit Magic: Extinguish (var.), Second Sight (3 pts.).
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Seven Mothers (page 77)
Spirit Magic
Note that Seven Mothers initiates have access to all Spirit Magic (except cult specials) via Jakaleel the Witch’s shamans. In character creation cost is not important, you still get 5 points.
Update from the Lunar Way
Cult Spirit Magic: Befuddle (2 pts.) and Glamour (2 pts.), plus any other 1 point spell.
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Yelm (page 77)
Correction
Special Rune Magic: Cloud Clear, Command Horse, Dismiss Fire Elemental (small), Fight Disease, Shield, Summon Fire Elemental (small), Sunspear (one-use), and Sureshot.
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Yelmalio (page 77)
Correction
Special Rune Magic: Catseye, Cloud Clear, Command Hawk, Sunbright.
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Vasana’s Saga (page 79)
Corrections
After adding the starting skill bonuses bonuses for being a member of a cult and those bonuses specific to her cult, Vasana’s skills are (note that her skills category modifiers have not yet been added):
• Knowledge (+5%): Battle 65%, Cult Lore (Orlanth) 20%, Customs (Heortling) 25%, Farm 30%, First Aid 20%, Herd 15%.
• Manipulation (+5%): Dagger 25%, 1H Axe (Battle Axe) 20%, 1H Spear (Lance) 40%, 1H Sword (Broadsword) 60%, Composite Bow 40%, Javelin 20%, Large Shield 25%, Medium Shield 50%.
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Step 7: Personal Skill Bonuses (page 79)
Vasana’s Saga (page 80)
Corrections
• Knowledge (+5%): Battle 70%, Cult Lore (Orlanth) 25%, Customs (Heortling) 30%, Farm 35%, First Aid 25%, Herd 20%, Homeland (Sartar) 35, Read/Write New Pelorian 15%, Read/Write Theyalan 30%.
• Manipulation (+5%): Dagger 30%, 1H Axe (Battle Axe) 35%, 1H Spear (Lance) 70%, 1H Sword (Broadsword) 90%, Composite Bow 45%, Javelin 25%, Large Shield 30%, Medium Shield 55%.
Vasana’s best skills are Broadsword 90%, Battle 65%, Ride (Bison) 70%, 1H Spear (Lance) 70%, and 1H Axe (Battle Axe), and Medium Shield (each at 55%).
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Step 8: Other Information (page 80)
Additional Experience box (page 81)
Correction
Add +3 points of POW to your adventurer’s cult Rune points.
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Effects of Ageing (Pages 81 vs. 425)
On Page 81 the costs of additional experience for an adventurer “for each two-year interval or fraction above age 40 subtract –1 point from STR, CON, or DEX”
On Page 425 an adventurer upon reaching 40 rolls on two tables. As a consequence they might lose STR, CON, DEX or SIZ
Should page 81 be consistent with page 425 in this respect? Also should not the rate of loss be the same, for an adventurer (they differ in the rate of loss)?
The rules for adventurer creation are intentionally more forgiving (and more deliberate) than those for aging naturally over the course of a longterm campaign.
The first method is to allow players to create older characters who are not incapacitated out the door by aging rolls.
The second method takes place after the adventurer may have had ample opportunities to increase characteristics, and emphasizes the encroaching mortality that all humans must contend with.
Starting Reputation (page 82)
Correction
The starting Reputation for an adventurer is 0%. Simply by being a member of a clan or other community adds a bonus of +5%. The standard of living associated with their occupation may provide a further bonus; Poor adds none, Free adds +5%, and Noble adds +10%.
An adventurer may also get a Reputation bonus from their family history and/or a Family Heirloom.
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Movement (page 82)
Write this down on the adventurer sheet.
Movement Page, page 82
As there is no specific place to write movement on the current adventurer sheets, use Combat Notes.
Vasana’s Saga – other information (page 82)
Corrections
As a Heavy Cavalrywoman, Vasana starts with excellent armor—a disk plate cuirass (ENC 2) on the chest and a studded leather skirt (ENC 1) for the abdomen, plate greaves (ENC 2) and vambraces (ENC 2) and a closed helmet (ENC 1). She also has a broadsword (ENC 1), battle axe (ENC 2), lance (ENC 3), medium shield (ENC 2), and composite bow (ENC 2) as cultural weapons.
The total ENC for her armor is 8 ENC, that of her weapons is another 10 ENC.
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Vasana starts with a total Reputation of 20%; +10% from her Family History, +5% for being a member of a clan, and +5% from her standard of living for being a warrior.
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Family Heirlooms table (page 83)
Corrections
7. the player chooses which specific substance.
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12. An awakened small animal (SIZ 2 or less, such as a cat, a lizard, a bird, etc.) with 3D6 INT, 3D6 POW and 3D6 CHA.
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19. (Countermagic, Protection, or Spirit Screen; see pages 258, 263 or 265 for more information).
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Part of Second printing corrections
Result 18 reworded to “An ingot of iron or other pure Rune metal weighing 1D3 ENC which can be forged into a weapon, piece of armor, or other object. An unenchanted iron item has half again the number of hit or armor points. Each point of ENC reduces the user’s chance of casting magic spells by -5%, with the same chance that magic spells cast on them will have no effect. Enchanted items act as normal.”
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How does my adventurer get their iron ingot enchanted?
The following cults in RQG have Enchant Iron:
- Babeester Gor – page 289
- Humakt – page 297
- Lhankor Mhy – page 298
- Orlanth – page 302
- Storm Bull – page 305
See the Weapons & Equipment supplement, page 14 for a complete list of Gloranthan Cults with the Enchant (Iron) Spell.
Only Humakt has Craft (Iron)…
Related Pages
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 01 Introduction Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 02 Glorantha Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 03 Pregenerated Adventurers Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 04 Homelands Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 05 Game System Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 06 Skills Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 07 Combat Q&A pages 191-206
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 07 Combat Q&A pages 206-225
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 08 Runes Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 09 Passions & Reputation Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 10 Magic Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 11 Spirit Magic Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 11 Spirit Magic Spells Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 12 Rune Cults Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 12 Rune Cults The Cults Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 13 Rune Magic Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 13 Rune Magic Spells Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 14 Shamans Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 15 Spirits & the Spirit World Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 16 Sorcery Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 16 Sorcery Spells Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 17 Equipment & Wealth Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 18 Between Adventures Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 19 Adventurer Sheets Q&A
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Chapter 20 Conversion Guide
- CHA4028 RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – Index Q&A
Page Last updated: 2024-07-10 11:46:44