I got to play a game of Runequest Glorantha with my spouse (Adrean) last night. We were working through the rules methodically as we learned the game, so there was roughly three or four scenes – I don't have a lot of thoughts yet, but there was this real awesome action scene at the end as Adrean's character, Varanyr, lead their companions to confront some Lunar "Tax Collectors".
What was supposed to be a "who gives you the right" sort of speech from Varanyr went sideways as the Humakti Duck, Darharl, succumbed to their intense (90%) Hatred of Lunars . Darharl leaped onto the cart and begin hacking away. Varanyr immediately charged the Lunars on one side of the cart, while the Lhankor Mhy Sorcerer, Kainan, summoned a Wall of Fire to prevent the Lunars from escaping.
It was such a fun fight with spears being lodged in shields, heads caved in, arms being nearly shorn off. It had the feel of Robert E Howard style fight. We are definitely playing again soon.
5 responses to “Let’s duck up some Lunars”
Why Everyone Hate on the Lunars?
Also, everyone discovers Ducks and what you might think would be a distracting piece of ephemera becomes a style of RQ all its own.
Did you make other rolls against passions? How did that experience compare against other games you have played? Did any magic come into play?
Also, everyone discovers
Right? This campaign is set the the Sea Season (Spring) after The Duck Hunt (the duck's were the scapegoats for Starbrow's Rebellion). I wanted to have the situation with the Duck's re-locating or going back to Sartarite lands and dealing with the clans who decided to join in on the Duck Hunt to avoid paying taxes/tribute to the Lunar Empire to be represented in our Glorantha.
Also there was a moment where the badass grim Humakti Duck was wailing away at one of the "bad guys" who kept PARRYING. So, that image of a very angry duck just wailing on a shield is…a bit funny.
We only had a few Passion, Rune and some "secret" Reputation checks too. I did goof on how the contested Runes worked. I believe, when a character has a Rune above 80% and the GM or Player may call for a test to act in accordance or against the rune. If the first test is failed, then a second test can be made with another peritant Rune or Passion. I called for an opposed test between the runes instead, which led to some oddness. I am going to re-read the rules, and check the eratta before the next session.
There was a point where Bek in the Tin Inn (we're starting in Apple Lane) fumbled a roll to recognize Varanyr. Bek assumed these heavily armed strangers were the bandits that burnt down one of the outlying farms (a big twist on the Rainbow Mounds adventure is incoming). Varanyr decided to confront Bek, and that's when I called for an opposed Rune check of Air (pride, violence) vs Harmony. Both checks succeeded, so I allowed Adrean to pick one Rune to act by and mark it for experience. Varanyr managed to approach in a friendly way, they augmented a Charm roll with their Harmony Rune and managed to smooth things over.
I don't know exactly how different having Runes and Passions is going to make the game. As a GM, it becomes far easier to run NPCS by just rolling for a Passion or Rune to dictate their behavior. I'll have to talk to Adrean about the player perspective.
So far only a single Sorcery and Spirit(Battle) Magic spell have come into play. I think both Adrean and I are used to magic being less common or more dangerous to cast, so we need to loosen up a bit in that regard.
Here’s a hi-test discussion
Here's a hi-test discussion about ducks + Chaosium + culture + Glorantha + role-playing + Stafford: Panel: RuneQuest and Glorantha at Gothcon, and it also ties back to my Comics Madness blog post That duck, 'nuff said, which evidently has blown a mind or two.
It is great to get to
It is great to get to eavesdrop on another RQG duet, JC! I really like what you said over at the Gothcon Panel discussion about how "I feel I can't break the setting and I can't help but feel it's partly because of those counter cultural roots allowing for such a degree of personal, non-conformist, expression." Just wanted to say thank you for sharing, and that I am looking forward to hearing more about this game and you and your spouse's particular blend of pulp fantasy!
No problem, I am excited to
No problem, I am excited to have a regular game going on again (after a few years) and share the experience. Tonight or tomorrow is my game prep night, and I am psyched to see where the game goes – especially heavily remixing and reinterpreting the "canon" into something with less of a meta-plot by treating the King of Sartar as mostly a lie.