In my last post, I outlined the reasons for this fresh foray into the realms of Glorantha using the classic edition of RuneQuest. The post also began the process of planning my first character.
In this post, I want to update you on the process so far. Most exciting of all, I’ve formulated an outline of the character and put the basic hero into the system. I’ve also begun to develop a few thoughts on how play might begin.
Interviewing the Idea
I’ve certainly not been as thorough as I was with Pyry in the process of interviewing the hero. Actually, I’ve been reading the Griffin Mountain sourcebook and allowing ideas to percolate from my subconscious into the conscious mind. It’s also worth noting that, given the nature of the RuneQuest system, most of his basic abilities are determined by the game… and until I begin play, he’s a little bit basic too.
Balazaring Hunter
Inspired by an image in the book, the basic concept for the hero is:
“A young Balazaring Hunter from the Thunder Lizard clan of the Trilus tribe who is seeking to be accepted by the clan as an adult. Having reached the age of majority, he has sought lay membership of the Brother Dog Cult and looks for an opportunity to prove himself in the hunt.”
Here are some basic replies to questions asked:
Who do you want to be?
I want to be a Hunter, accepted by my clan and tribe. I want to know Brother Dog and learn the ways of the hunting dog my father has given me. In time, I want to become a Great Hunter and prove myself.
What did the Shaman say when you took the dream trial?
Shaman spoke of my great power and my potential as a spirit warrior. This frightened me a little, but as I grow in confidence I can feel the spirits of the hunt around me more each day. Perhaps I am destined to serve the spirits in some way that I can’t quite see.
How will you honour the clan?
The spirits willing, I will grow strong as a Hunter and learn wisdom from the land. I will always seek to live by the ways of our ancestors. I wish to know Brother Dog and live in harmony with the spirits.
Beyond this, I want to allow the details to develop as I put the character into play. The moral dilemmas and difficult situations he faces will help me to establish the hero’s personality through play in a way that, perhaps, is more possible when playing solo.
Putting Together the Sheet
In a moment of weakness, I photocopied (yes, actually photocopied) the official RuneQuest 2e character sheet (Mk4). I used it to record the basics of the character.
Using the Balazaring background and modified basic skills from Griffin Mountain, I was quickly able to put the character idea into the system. You can see the current copy of my scribblings here: Balazaring Character.
A couple of things are worthy of note:
- Yes, I know his Strength is too low to heft a javelin.
- Yes, it’s probably slightly premature to induct him into the Brother Dog Cult.
- No, I’ve not sorted out teaching him any magic yet.
Regarding the javelin… well, he’s a hunter and he’ll be needing a missile weapon to have any credibility. I figure that anyone can throw a javelin (even I can do that), but note that I’ve ruled that his damage will be halved with that javelin until his Strength can be increased. In the long-term, he’ll be hoping to get trained with a self bow. For now, he’s a crappy shot with a javelin.
I really like the idea of the Cult of Brother Dog. He’s in because I want him to be. Deal with it. That said, his Cult affiliation leads to the magic: as part of the game, I’d like to handle the training of his skills and learning magic step-by-step in play. Thus, although I aim for him to seek a “loan” to train with magic, I’m going to handle that down the line.
Real old school decisions, eh? Rulings, not rules.
First Steps…
My plan is to run through some of the scenario suggestions for new players and referees, found on pages 37 and 38 of Griffin Mountain (Second Edition, 2001). These include a kind of “gauntlet” of skill tests, hunting wild beasts, and (eventually) hunting a cave bear. I figure that the steady increase in rules use and the “growing up” nature of the scenarios will combine to make an interesting and fun start to the game.
Now that I have the basics outlined, I’m off to bone up on the RuneQuest rules and to delve deeper into the Griffin Mountain tome.
Oh, and I need to think of a name for this new intrepid hero. Any suggestions?
Rulings not rules! Great stuff.
There are lots of ways to have a cult initiate that is a bit too young for it… Especially in the high mortality world of the hunter gatherer. Maybe his name can be related to his early entrance in some way. His current name might even be essentially a childhood nickname given to him by the cult designed to be replaced by the name he makes, or discovers, for himself.
Often these childhood names are endearments or torments that the adult will have a hard time shaking… Particularly when dealing with village or tribal elders…. Until he accomplishes some task that requires they community to accept the new name.
Hunters may well take the name, or an aspect of the name, of their first kill. As a too young member of the cult he may have been given the name of the first small creature he brought home to the fire pit…. Little Mouse, three paw, pip… Are some examples of that sort of name. He’d likely replace that kind of name with one representing his adult initiation or maybe a totem spirit. Since the cult of Brother Dog seems to have a lock on the sort of totem spirit he might expect I’d probably go with an accomplishment. This doesn’t have to be an animal but as a hunter it might be likely. Fox, Bear, Wolf, combined with a descriptive like Smoking, Fire, Winter, Ice, Flame, Rain, etc… Since magic is in the future for him perhaps a hint of that can beincluded as well.
Nine Rabbit, Smoking Jaguar, Rain Wolf, Magic Rat, Mirror Bear…
Cheers,
The Five Friends of the White Rat
I like the names “Nine Rabbit” and “Magic Rat” – thanks for the suggestions! Using those ideas, I was thinking that his childhood name could be linked to his low Strength and inability to properly heft a javelin or bow. Broken Bow, for example. I am quite keen on the name arising from his first kill, which will be one of the first things he needs to do in play – take part in a hunt independently.
Cheers for the ideas!
I had RQIII for years before I found a copy of 2nd edition, so I didn’t think anything about him being an initiate so early. In 3rd ed. you could automatically become an initiate of your parents’ religion without meeting any prerequisites.
Also, rulings not rules may be old school, but its old school-ness pales in comparison to photocopying the character sheet out of the book.
Anyways, i am looking forward to your Balazaring’s first adventure.
Thanks for the encouraging comment – it means a lot to get comments, you know. And yes, it was a spine-tingling moment of geekiness to photocopy the sheet from the book.
any further updates? I find your musings interesting!
In January 2016, I went on to run RuneQuest 2e at the school club. Since then, I got drawn into what was RuneQuest 6e and is now Mythras… and I’ve been waiting for the new RuneQuest (set in Glorantha) from Chaosium. Honestly, I’ve mentally parked Glorantha because my gaming buddies don’t seem interested…
That said, re-reading this article… I feel the itch. Thanks for reminding me! There might be a return to the Balazarings after all…