The dance of the main characters of the Hero Wars – Argrath, Harrek, Feathered Horse, Jar-eel, and the Red Emperor – is the engine that drives the setting during this period. Your characters can participate in this dance, that’s one of the big advantages of setting the game in 1625. It is entirely possible that an RQG adventurer from any of the starting Homelands could interact with everyone one of these characters directly in the years between 1625 and 1628. Or not with any of them, depending on the direction your campaign takes.There’s lots of other heroes active in Dragon Pass at this time. Gunda the Guilty, Jaldon Goldentooth, Beat-Pot Aelwrin, Kallyr Starbrow, Sir Ethilrist, the Inhuman King, Ironhoof, the Dwarf, Keener Than, Lestus Creeping Ivy, Cragspider, Delecti, and many more. Any or even all of these heroes can be woven into your game as rivals, allies, enemies, or mentors.To me that is the biggest development of RQG – that we finally get to play in the setting that started this all.
I find starting in 1625 much easier than 1621. That way you skip stuff like the Windstop, the war in the Holy Country, and the Dragonrise. You start with a newly liberated Sartar and then build on it.
From Dragonrise to the Battle of the Queens you mainly are dealing with one Second Tier Hero (Kallyr), the First Tier Heroes are present at the side of the board, although you might get a guest appearance from a First Tier Hero (Jar-eel). You get to see how the Principality functions, and then get to watch as it nearly falls apart. Basically you get a full year before the First Tier Heroes all start showing up.
All five of our major figures are complex heroes, with a variety of backgrounds, cults, and experiences. They also range quite a bit in age, so in 1625:
- Feathered Horse Queen is 20(!) years old
- Argrath is 29.
- Jar-eel is 37 (but looks 22).
- Harrek is subjectively 45, but really 140.
- Red Emperor is who knows how old. The current Mask has ruled for 18 years. But there has been a Red Emperor for 375 years.
Androgeus shows up later (circa 1633). Once in Dragon Pass, she causes trouble for both Argrath and the Red Empire. Androgeus is a complex figure. He is both the cause of much suffering and the eternal servant of suffering people.
Don’t think of Lord of the Rings – think Rome. Julius Caesar, Pompey Magnus, Crassus, Cleopatra, Marc Antony, and Octavian are all on the stage. They are doing stuff, but there is plenty of opportunities for our characters to make their mark!Your characters can join this roster of heroes in the Hero Wars. There’s plenty of space for new characters – and you can easily replace most any second tier hero without too much work.
Dragon Pass is very much the vortex of Glorantha. All things are converging there.
