@danrenwick.bsky.social
Alternative lore-history is such an interesting subject. Imagine having a Battle of the Queens where you save Kallyr from death, but she's in a coma. You have a potential civil war between Kallyr's loyalists, the forces of Argrath, and Leika's powerful Colymar clan. The possibilities are endless.
December 6, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Alternative lore-history is such an interesting subject. Imagine having a Battle of the Queens where you save Kallyr from death, but she's in a coma. You have a potential civil war between Kallyr's loyalists, the forces of Argrath, and Leika's powerful Colymar clan. The possibilities are endless.
Yeah, I remember Sandy Peterson saying, "Greg, I and everyone else made crazy stuff up on the fly in Glorantha. To make it fun and to enjoy yourself, you should be doing that too."
Lore should be an inspiration. Not a straightjacket.
Lore should be an inspiration. Not a straightjacket.
December 6, 2025 at 4:35 AM
Yeah, I remember Sandy Peterson saying, "Greg, I and everyone else made crazy stuff up on the fly in Glorantha. To make it fun and to enjoy yourself, you should be doing that too."
Lore should be an inspiration. Not a straightjacket.
Lore should be an inspiration. Not a straightjacket.
... it is way outside the typical Tolkien/Northern European mythology that people are used to, and see repeatedly in Tolkien, D&D, WoW, etc. Glorantha takes inspiration from mythology from all over the world, and maybe that's disorienting. You never know what to expect in Glorantha.
December 6, 2025 at 1:59 AM
... it is way outside the typical Tolkien/Northern European mythology that people are used to, and see repeatedly in Tolkien, D&D, WoW, etc. Glorantha takes inspiration from mythology from all over the world, and maybe that's disorienting. You never know what to expect in Glorantha.
Yeah, even now I'll come across a Discord channel roleplaying deep Dara Happan lore and I'll think "I don't understand any of their references. I'll have to read The Glorious Reascent of Yelm to even understand what they're talking about."
But one thing that's different about Glorantha is that ...
But one thing that's different about Glorantha is that ...
December 6, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Yeah, even now I'll come across a Discord channel roleplaying deep Dara Happan lore and I'll think "I don't understand any of their references. I'll have to read The Glorious Reascent of Yelm to even understand what they're talking about."
But one thing that's different about Glorantha is that ...
But one thing that's different about Glorantha is that ...
Completely agree that people shouldn't be intimidated by Gloranthan lore, but plenty are. I've only made 28 posts on this app, and three of them are in response to people intimidated or overwhelmed by Gloranthan lore!
bsky.app/profile/danr...
bsky.app/profile/danr...
bsky.app/profile/danr...
bsky.app/profile/danr...
At least in regard to the lore, I disagree. You really can just buy Starter Set, tell your players that "Sartar is a bit like Conan's barbarian tribes," and start playing.
You don't need a deep knowledge of the lore any more than you need a deep understanding of the 30s to play Cthulhu.
You don't need a deep knowledge of the lore any more than you need a deep understanding of the 30s to play Cthulhu.
December 6, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Completely agree that people shouldn't be intimidated by Gloranthan lore, but plenty are. I've only made 28 posts on this app, and three of them are in response to people intimidated or overwhelmed by Gloranthan lore!
bsky.app/profile/danr...
bsky.app/profile/danr...
bsky.app/profile/danr...
bsky.app/profile/danr...
Peter Town is a favourite of mine from that era.
December 5, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Peter Town is a favourite of mine from that era.
...connection to their traditional country. A link that seems deeper and more profound than in other cultures. And of course, non-Glorantha fans are probably wondering what the dwarf 'production line' is.
Sorry for taking over your thread, Susan!
Sorry for taking over your thread, Susan!
November 28, 2025 at 12:57 AM
...connection to their traditional country. A link that seems deeper and more profound than in other cultures. And of course, non-Glorantha fans are probably wondering what the dwarf 'production line' is.
Sorry for taking over your thread, Susan!
Sorry for taking over your thread, Susan!
Completely agree; there are exceptions. But the way you described elves and dwarves is a good example of their uniqueness. Elves have a unique spiritual link not just to any forest, but to their *home* forest. It's an evocative and beautiful idea that reminds me of Indigenous Australian spiritual...
November 28, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Completely agree; there are exceptions. But the way you described elves and dwarves is a good example of their uniqueness. Elves have a unique spiritual link not just to any forest, but to their *home* forest. It's an evocative and beautiful idea that reminds me of Indigenous Australian spiritual...
It's a unique setting that broke a lot of the rules of fantasy RPGs even before they were created. I know you can pretty much only be human or troll, but the setting absolutely drips with culture. You just can't be elves or dwarves because they're too weird and alien and they hate everyone else.
November 27, 2025 at 2:08 AM
It's a unique setting that broke a lot of the rules of fantasy RPGs even before they were created. I know you can pretty much only be human or troll, but the setting absolutely drips with culture. You just can't be elves or dwarves because they're too weird and alien and they hate everyone else.
Ducks should always be ominous, mysterious, and sinister.
November 25, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Ducks should always be ominous, mysterious, and sinister.
Not only that, but if you put tariffs together with big income tax cuts, you get a massive wealth transfer from average people to the rich.
November 19, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Not only that, but if you put tariffs together with big income tax cuts, you get a massive wealth transfer from average people to the rich.
A cute way to introduce Glorantha to people is to say, "We'll be setting the adventure in Sartar, home to Conan-like hill barbarians who are violently conservative and traditionalist. Their traditional law also recognises six genders."
November 12, 2025 at 2:06 AM
A cute way to introduce Glorantha to people is to say, "We'll be setting the adventure in Sartar, home to Conan-like hill barbarians who are violently conservative and traditionalist. Their traditional law also recognises six genders."
..which adds a whole political and diplomatic dimension, such as inter-clan warfare and politics. And that's just one little rule. The long list of skills seems to encourage people to try different approaches to solving problems other than combat, which again adds a whole other dimension to RQ.
October 22, 2025 at 12:22 AM
..which adds a whole political and diplomatic dimension, such as inter-clan warfare and politics. And that's just one little rule. The long list of skills seems to encourage people to try different approaches to solving problems other than combat, which again adds a whole other dimension to RQ.
I've played a lot of both Runequest and 13th Age Glorantha, and I think Ron Edwards was right: the system radically changes how people play. As I mentioned in another post, the ransom system means that the fastest way to advance your character in RQ is to ransom captives rather than crawl dungeons..
October 22, 2025 at 12:17 AM
I've played a lot of both Runequest and 13th Age Glorantha, and I think Ron Edwards was right: the system radically changes how people play. As I mentioned in another post, the ransom system means that the fastest way to advance your character in RQ is to ransom captives rather than crawl dungeons..
I believe in complete player/GM supremacy. Once you start playing a certain setting, that setting belongs to you and your players, not to Wizards of the Coast, Chaosium, Paizo, or whoever.
October 19, 2025 at 7:16 AM
I believe in complete player/GM supremacy. Once you start playing a certain setting, that setting belongs to you and your players, not to Wizards of the Coast, Chaosium, Paizo, or whoever.
It's fun having elves view humans as vermin polluting the earth, and dwarves viewing all living things as vermin polluting the earth.
October 6, 2025 at 4:04 AM
It's fun having elves view humans as vermin polluting the earth, and dwarves viewing all living things as vermin polluting the earth.
The first time your players interact with Lunars could be an unexpected surprise for them. Rather than typical Lunars, they might be Doblian Dogeaters, who worship Sakkar, the Sabretoothed God of Fear, not the Seven Mothers. Or on the opposite end of the scale, Danfive Xaron worshippers are fun.
October 6, 2025 at 3:16 AM
The first time your players interact with Lunars could be an unexpected surprise for them. Rather than typical Lunars, they might be Doblian Dogeaters, who worship Sakkar, the Sabretoothed God of Fear, not the Seven Mothers. Or on the opposite end of the scale, Danfive Xaron worshippers are fun.
Oh, and also, if the RQ system is too complicated and you want a gentle introduction to the lore, the Questworlds campaign the Valley of Plenty starts you off as kids who know little about the world. It's like Goonies in Glorantha and it's fantastic.
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...
Valley of Plenty - Chaosium | Jonstown Compendium | DriveThruRPG
Due to popular demand, we are re-releasing Valley of Plenty!
The new file is now available. Enjoy the updated adventures and new cults for your Horse Orlanthi!
Valley of Plenty is a campaign source ...
www.drivethrurpg.com
October 1, 2025 at 4:58 AM
Oh, and also, if the RQ system is too complicated and you want a gentle introduction to the lore, the Questworlds campaign the Valley of Plenty starts you off as kids who know little about the world. It's like Goonies in Glorantha and it's fantastic.
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...
www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/3...
At least in regard to the lore, I disagree. You really can just buy Starter Set, tell your players that "Sartar is a bit like Conan's barbarian tribes," and start playing.
You don't need a deep knowledge of the lore any more than you need a deep understanding of the 30s to play Cthulhu.
You don't need a deep knowledge of the lore any more than you need a deep understanding of the 30s to play Cthulhu.
October 1, 2025 at 4:29 AM
At least in regard to the lore, I disagree. You really can just buy Starter Set, tell your players that "Sartar is a bit like Conan's barbarian tribes," and start playing.
You don't need a deep knowledge of the lore any more than you need a deep understanding of the 30s to play Cthulhu.
You don't need a deep knowledge of the lore any more than you need a deep understanding of the 30s to play Cthulhu.
Diceless resolution is pretty normal in text roleplay, where it tends to turn into a jointly-written story. Once you're in the frame of mind of "writing a story together" then some outcomes for the story become more logical or interesting, while the dice might pick the less interesting options.
September 4, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Diceless resolution is pretty normal in text roleplay, where it tends to turn into a jointly-written story. Once you're in the frame of mind of "writing a story together" then some outcomes for the story become more logical or interesting, while the dice might pick the less interesting options.
There's a good Thanatari bad guy in one of the better-known JC scenarios. He lured one of my players into a dark room, crept behind him, and I was shocked at how dangerous garotte is. If one of my players ever gets bored with their characters and wants a change, that would be a dramatic way to go.
September 2, 2025 at 5:51 AM
There's a good Thanatari bad guy in one of the better-known JC scenarios. He lured one of my players into a dark room, crept behind him, and I was shocked at how dangerous garotte is. If one of my players ever gets bored with their characters and wants a change, that would be a dramatic way to go.
Speaking of bland, I probably shouldn't have linked to IGN, who just listed all the big dragons and wyverns. This is a better example of the sort of weirdness I mean.
bogleech.com/halloween/ha...
bogleech.com/halloween/ha...
BOO-GLEECH
bogleech.com
September 2, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Speaking of bland, I probably shouldn't have linked to IGN, who just listed all the big dragons and wyverns. This is a better example of the sort of weirdness I mean.
bogleech.com/halloween/ha...
bogleech.com/halloween/ha...
So in true Glorantha style, you'd dial up the weirdness. So.. I don't know.. maybe the head of the Jack-O-Bear is shaped like a pumpkin, but is huge, glowing orange and slowly throbbing like a heart-beat. Anything to weird the players out.
September 2, 2025 at 2:32 AM
So in true Glorantha style, you'd dial up the weirdness. So.. I don't know.. maybe the head of the Jack-O-Bear is shaped like a pumpkin, but is huge, glowing orange and slowly throbbing like a heart-beat. Anything to weird the players out.
A lot of ideas from the 70s haven't really dated well. For example, I don't mind dinosaurs in Glorantha, except that the idea is a bit bland. I'd rather see more fantastical creatures that are called dinosaurs, but are like the weird creations you see in Monster Hunter.
www.ign.com/articles/bes...
www.ign.com/articles/bes...
The 25 Best Monster Hunter Monsters - IGN
www.ign.com
September 2, 2025 at 2:29 AM
A lot of ideas from the 70s haven't really dated well. For example, I don't mind dinosaurs in Glorantha, except that the idea is a bit bland. I'd rather see more fantastical creatures that are called dinosaurs, but are like the weird creations you see in Monster Hunter.
www.ign.com/articles/bes...
www.ign.com/articles/bes...
Another thing I love about RQ: Glorantha is that ransoming prisoners is the quickest way to advance your character. Instead of raiding dungeons, you instead have an incentive to raid the annoying neighbouring clan, the Lunar Empire, etc. It adds hugely to politics, culture, diplomacy, etc
August 17, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Another thing I love about RQ: Glorantha is that ransoming prisoners is the quickest way to advance your character. Instead of raiding dungeons, you instead have an incentive to raid the annoying neighbouring clan, the Lunar Empire, etc. It adds hugely to politics, culture, diplomacy, etc