Today, the Chaosium team has a great video on Runequest. Although it is over a year old, it is still a powerful and helpful video for getting started in the game. One of the best points made is to make the Glorantha setting "your setting" and not be afraid to make the world your version of the world. We did this in 3rd Edition when we had cute 3-foot-tall cat people (like out of Hallmark cards) in our world, and they were primarily tinkerers.
The rules of RuneQuest are intricately intertwined with the unique Glorantha setting. This deliberate connection is a testament to the fact that the setting is not just a backdrop, but a crucial element that enhances the gaming experience. Much like the allure of Traveller and the Imperium setting, or the immersive worlds of Shadowrun and Cyberpunk, the appeal of Runequest lies in the experience of 'being there'.
Some have felt that "everyone having magic" is a negative in the setting. The "spirit magic" is a fascinating power system. It is replicated in most "magic using" D&D classes where they use magic for class abilities, like bards and inspiration, or clerics' minor healing and turning dead. Magic is already in almost every D&D class, so why does this problem exist?
In Runequest, professions are not just job titles but paths that lead to the mastery of 'the spirits.' These professions learn to harness the power of the spirits to enhance their abilities, adding a unique and intriguing dimension to the game.
Most people in the setting? One spell costs the amount of money an average family earns in a year, so magic is not that commonplace. Most devotees give permanent POWs to their church and never have spells. Those NPCs who do may know one spell learned over a lifetime or passed down from elders.
Avoid the "spooky Merlin" and "pointed hat" D&D archetypes in this world when thinking about magic. This is more like a carpenter who can "pray to the spirits" to heal a minor wound gained during work, repair a tool, or increase the force of a hammer blow, and this is how magic is seen and used. If you want the "Western Merlin and Harry Potter magic" tropes, go with BRP. A dancer could use the spirits to make their performance more seductive or flashy. Sorcerous practitioners go much further into this world with Rune Magic.
It is a good video that creates a strong foundation for understanding and enjoying the setting and game.
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