RUINQUESTRUINQUEST The Fantasy Role-Playing Game BY STEPHEN J WELLS adapted from RuneQuest devised by STEVE PERRIN RAY TURNEY STEVE HENDERSON WARREN JAMES with editing and special sections by John Sapienza and Greg Stafford illustrations by LUISE PERRIN Sartar and Prax maps by WILLIAM CHURCH based on the universe created by GREG STAFFORD 1 This book is dedicated to Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax who first opened Pandora's box, to Ken St. Andre who found it could be opened again and to Steve Perrin, Ray Turney & Friends who gave us hope to dream of better. With thanks to the following playtesters and critics - Saturday Gang: Peter Wells, Mike Crewe, Gary, James and Alex Watson, Peter, Alex and Duncan Taylor; and Mega- Bashers: Mike Whelan, Paul Winser, Mark Williams, Phil Thomas, Quentin Earle, Rob Bird, Tony Habergham; plus extra mentions to Steve Brooks for introduction/imperative, and Paul Stradling for ancient lore and encouragement. Version History 1.0 20SEP2012 First version declared 'done' – enough! SJW's RuinQuest rules in RuneQuest 2 style/template. Featuring: Many simplifications, Imperial units, Heroic Defence, Traits, Weapons Expertise, etc. 1.1 22SEP2012 Version history table p2; timeline mod p7; heal bleeding p18; acid reword p44; poison updates p44,79,82,84,89,116; power runes together p53; line & toads p75; elf TF p79; manticores don't fly p82; snake details p84,85; money changing costs & coin weight p115; index updates p118. 1.2 03OCT2012 Defence for all (Animals DEXx3), p73-89; Increase skills on adventures and practice later, p42; Appendix H - Herb finding/tables, p105-109; Treasure Factors & Gem table modified, p74-92. 1.3 10OCT2012 Non-initiate Divine Intervention, p54; Crystal/spirit & Spell ranges, p32-39,56-71passim,94,95; Appendix O - Other Magic Systems Summary (mage/cleric) [for details see Other Realms], p114. 1.4 21OCT2012 More fun Rune Spells, p59-62; Appendix G (started), p104. 1.5 04APR2013 Summary Sheets done, p126+; Appendices completed – Herbs, Gems & Goods, minor tweaks. 1.6 18JUL2013 HeroQuests description added, p56. I INTRODUCTION 3 special combat rules 24 VII RUNE MAGIC 52 background 4 shields & missiles 25 mastering the Runes 52 map of Glorantha 6 weapon expertise 26 Rune cults 53 timeline of the Lunar Empire 7 armour & helmets 28 becoming an initiate 54 sample suits of armour 28 becoming a Rune lord 54 II HOW TO CREATE AN becoming a Rune priest 57 ADVENTURER 8 V BASIC MAGIC 29 Rune magic 58 characteristics 8 battle magic spells list 30 Rune magic spell descriptions 59 abilities & basic skills 9 increasing power 31 elementals 62 character background 11 battle magic spell descriptions 32 summary of cults 66 character details & traits 12 spirit contacts & shamans 37 Orlanth 66 the character sheet 13 diseases 41 Kyger Litor 69 Black Fang brotherhood 71 III MECHANICS AND MELEE 14 VI SKILLS 42 skills, experience, rolls etc 14 introduction & summary 42 VIII MONSTERS 72 time, movement, encumbrance 15 alchemists' guild 44 creatures of Glorantha 72 combat overview 16 the free sages 46 non-human races 72 natural damages & conditions 17 thieves' associations 47 monster descriptions 73 hit locations, wounds & injuries 18 players and minstrels 48 chaotic features table 89 maritime brotherhood 49 non-humanoid hit locations 90 IV COMBAT 19 foresters 49 combat resolution details 19 armourers 49 IX TREASURE HOARDS 91 fumbles & impales 20 horsemasters 49 treasure factors 91 the fight at Gimpy's Tavern 21 the mercenary bands 50 special & extra-special items 92 weapon types & categories 22 mercantylers & other guilds 51 melee weapons 23 increasing characteristics 51 X APPENDICES 97 XI INDEXES 116 plus SUMMARY SHEETS 118 May Arachne Solara bless and protect this book. Many contents copyright © 1978, 1979, 1980 by Chaosium, Inc., P.O. Box 6302, Albany, CA 94706, U.S.A. Original version published in the U.K. by Games Workshop Ltd., London, under licence; Printed in Great Britain. NOT FOR PUBLICATION 2 I INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION FEATURES RuinQuest is similar to other role-playing games, but simpler and WHAT IS A FANTASY ROLE-PLAYING GAME? yet more realistic. RuneQuest strike ranks, skill categories, damage A role-playing game is a game of imaginative adventures, magic bonus dice, separate attack/parry skills, movement and encumbrance storytelling, and character development simulating the process of are replaced with more straightforward, easier systems. D&D armour personal development commonly called “life”. The players act roles classes, restrictive character classes, extensive arbitrary rules, over- in a fantasy world, just as they might act in a play. It is performed powered magic, anti-heroic sacks of hit points and bully-boy attitude with the players' imagination, pencil and paper, dice and often with are avoided in favour of more consistent and realistic mechanisms. miniature figures on a tabletop. However it is played, the primary purpose is to have fun. EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO PLAY Besides these rules, RuinQuest players will need the following: WHAT IS RUINQUEST ? RuinQuest is an RPG built on Chaosium's RuneQuest and BRP. DICE These rules are a streamlined and improved version, extended for Dice of various shapes and sides are needed for this game. They classic fantasy settings such as this author's own World of Pandaria. are available at many specialist game stores or online. The basic mix RuinQuest is not limited to one world, however: the systems for needed for play is as follows: skills, experience, combat, magic, training etc can be adapted to any setting without difficulty. I hope you will find this system exciting, Type Abbreviation realistic and easy to play, wherever your adventures take you. percentile dice (usually two 10- or 20-sided dice) D100 one 20-sided die marked from 1 to 20 D20 HOW TO USE THESE RULES one 12-sided die D12 Get together with friends and play. Roll up characters and see how one 8-sided die D8 the rules apply. Invent some simple scenarios with no surprises for three 6-sided dice D6 anyone and play them through until you know how the rules work. one 4-sided die D4 Then your imagination is the only limit. In these rules, dice are referred to using the above abbreviations. These rules provide a reasonably detailed game system, but don't Thus, if it is necessary to roll two 12-sided dice, it will be written as have all the answers. Additional publications will expand on how the 2D12. If it is necessary to roll a 3-sided die, D3, simply roll a D6 and game works in Pandaria and how it extends to other worlds. divide by two, always rounding up. Thus, 1-2=1, 3-4=2, 5-6=3. PURPOSE OF THE GAME Other Playing Aids The title of the game, RuinQuest, describes it's major activity. RuinQuest does not need a playing board. Players' imaginations Players are often exploring ruins on quests to defeat monsters and provide the stage on which the characters act. As assistance in this win treasures, using magic, combat skills and their wits. For this they drama, you'll find the following helpful: create characters, known as adventurers, and act as them in various scenarios designed by the Referee or Game Master (GM). PENS AND PENCILS Surviving adventurers gain experience in skills and maybe cash to advance further. Successful adventurers gain status within their PAPER – Blank, lined and/or graph paper for maps. guilds, religious cults and/or ruling hierarchy, becoming a Wizard, High Priest or Lord of their world. Perhaps they will even step up FLOOR-PLANS or PLEXIGLASS SHEET & GREASE PENCIL – into the ranks of the immortals, by becoming a Hero! Optional but handy devices for showing the dimensions of rooms, While having amazing adventures, the characters can develop corridors, houses, streets, ships, landscapes and, of course, ruins. personalities - and the players have fun. MINIATURE FIGURES – Also optional but give the game focus and help clarify who/what is where. 25mm scale is the most suitable. TIME – From a couple of hours for a quick scenario to many years of epic adventures and heroism and for a long-running campaign. IMAGINATION 3 GLORANTHA – THE BACKGROUND After several hundred years the empire was replaced by a ruling body of men and gods called the Third Council. Legends relate that there was no telling the men from the gods in the council chambers. But the magic of the council could not counter the miseries of its worshippers, or control the swords of the rebels who did not sacrifice to them. Foreign gods gained power and prestige as the provinces of the Third Council Revolted or were overrun by invaders. At last the council turned its energies to defending its worshippers. Epic battles raged across the land. Finally, the dragonewts, dormant for centuries, rose against the council and slew them all. Some 78 years later the human allies aiding the destruction of the empire turned against the dragonewts. With few allies, they seemed helpless before the destroying might of the hordes. Nests were scoured with wildfire, planted with seeds laid by Chaotic parasites, sealed by diseases unnameable, and cursed by fear and loathing for any that would mourn them. Heartless and relentless, the humans crushed and plundered, but when they closed in upon Dragon Pass the assembled human armies HISTORY met those who would mourn the loss of dragonewts. The dragons Glorantha was created by its deities from the Primal Void of Chaos. from all across Time and Space assembled in their ancestral home to At first, there was no history, for the initial creation formed the preserve the purity of their birthplace. The Dragonkill War got its period of magic and timeless simultaneity called Godtime.