Runequest 3 in Melbourne

[Roy Taylor]

I’ve just started running a Runequest 3 game in Melbourne.
Meeting weekly in the CBD.
Players welcome.

[Andrew A]

What style of game do you run and what world is it based in?

[Roy Taylor]

I’m sorry I don’t really know the best words to describe the style of the game I am running, but I am running Runequest 3 in Glorantha.
Although I heard my approach this week as “Playing Pendragon, with Runequest 3 Rules, in Glorantha”. (Note I am not using “Pendragon Pass” rules, I have never read these.)

Here’s a summary:

All characters started as 15 years old Pol-Joni Praxian braves. We are playing one encounter per season, and at the end of the year, during sacred time, the characters have to compete with each other for tribal prestige in a series of contests (fighting, brawling, poetry, riding, archery).

Essentially the players are role-playing what is normally character-generation. After 6 weeks, we are now 3 years in, and the party have become 18 years old.

During this time they have:
-Fought off dogs from attacking the tribe’s goats
-Battled a raiding Bison rider
-Run away from Whirlwishes
-Uncovered a caravan trading hazia to their (and neighbouring) tribes
-Found a wounded Lunar warrior, and chosen to spare his life
-Helped the lunar back to his regiment at Moonbroth
-Travelled in a fobideen valley, clibed down into a sinkhole, and recovered some crystals
-Hunted and failed to find Broo
-Asked the priestesses of Chalarna Arroy in Moonbroth, what they look for in a man
-Got in a bar room brawl in Moonbroth, pummeled a pygmy
-Got in a bar room brawl in Moonbroth, got pummeled an agimori
-Let a passing Wyrm eat 4 cows
-Helped an old pol-jponi back from Moonbroth, and were told of hidden treasure that needs to be taken to a man called Gringle in a town called Apple Lane
-Protected cows from wolves
-Fought & captured a zebra rider
-Done a prisoner exchange with the zebra riders

Characters earn tribal prestige and can trade this in for things like a bronze spear head, extra skill training, the chance to learn a spell, or become an initiate of a tribal cult.

As the game progresses I am going to give adventure seeds to all the published adventures I have, and then just let the party do what they want.

Although I will aim to do one adventure per season, with experience calculated each season.

I have gone for this approach as none of my players know anything about Glorantha, and few have played BRP rules. I wanted them all the same race and culture. I chose Pol-Joni because:
-This way their home is halfway between Sartar (Apple Lane, Snakepipe Hollow & the new HQ books) and River of Cradles (lots of material)
-Pol-Joni seem to be a real mix of Praxian & Orlanthi cultures (although I may be wrong here), so they have the chance to experience elements and religions from both cultures
-It’s a relatively simple culture for new people to learn (native americans herding cattle).

Note: I may be wrong on so many Gloranthan points, I’m not a Gloranthan expert, and just trying to make a fun game.

[Author]

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