TEXT:     UNEQUEST
  g
  y
  Quickstart Rules AND Adventure
  BY Jeff Richard AND Jason Durall
  UNEQUEST
  4027
  
  1
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  T
  his quickstart adventure introduces the RuneQuest 
  system and the world of Glorantha. It is intended to be 
  played with a group of 3–6 players and one gamemaster. 
  To play this adventure, you, the gamemaster, should hand out 
  the pregenerated adventurers (pages 42–47), assigning them as 
  desired. Familiarize yourself with the rules until you’re comfortable 
  with them. You should have at least one set of dice as described 
  under the Materials section nearby, and something to write with. 
  The map on page 27 is also useful as a handout, but not essential.
  INTRODUCING GLORANTHA
  If the players are unfamiliar with Glorantha, you should read or 
  paraphrase the following to them, providing a brief overview of 
  Glorantha and this particular part of the world. 
  Welcome to Glorantha, a heroic, mythic place of heroes and gods, 
  where people hold allegiance to tribe, city, and cult, not to abstract 
  alignments or ideologies. Although humanity is the dominant species, 
  their dominance is due only to the quarrelling of the Elder Races, who 
  still rule large parts of the world.
  In Glorantha, the gods and goddesses are real, and through their 
  cults they play an important role in most major events. Would-be 
  heroes of the age are known as adventurers, and each is tied to several 
  of the Runes, cosmic powers that define Glorantha and are likewise 
  manifested by the gods. Powerful deities are associated with the Sun, 
  Earth, Air, Water, Darkness, and the Moon, as well as with Death, 
  Life, Change, Stasis, Illusion, Truth, Disorder, and Harmony, and 
  each has its Rune. Adventurers join the cults of their gods, from which 
  they get magic and aid. 
  Adventurers are participating and active members of society, whether 
  clan, tribe, city, or other community. They have duties, loyalties, 
  and conflicts beyond being mere freebooters, with ties to the world of 
  Glorantha and the Runes as deep as they are profound. As adventurers 
  advance within their cults, they strengthen their connection to the 
  Runes, gaining power and questing towards becoming true Heroes. 
  One of the most important places in all of Glorantha is Dragon 
  Pass, located in the heart of the great continent of Genertela. It is 
  a land beset by conflict and blessed with opportunity, an extremely 
  magical place, center of many of the world’s great myths, and Dragon 
  Pass is prophesied to be the site of the great, apocalyptic series of events 
  called the Hero Wars. A recent revolution against the occupying Lunar 
  Empire has left many of the cities of Dragon Pass in ruins. Nobles, 
  cults, and clans vie for power and authority in their wake, and its 
  liberators struggle to rebuild and reclaim that which was lost. 
  MATERIALS
  To play this adventure you will need an assortment of dice, 
  particularly the 10 (D10) or 20-sided dice (D20), the 8-sided 
  dice (D8), the 6-sided dice (D6), and the 4-sided dice (D4). Dice 
  designations may be preceded by a number. For instance, 2D6 
  requires that two 6-sided dice be rolled. 
  Whenever a result of more than one die is called for, add the 
  results together to form a single total.
  Sometimes additions are made to specified die rolls. Add the 
  number following the plus sign to the result of the roll, so that 
  1D6+1 means rolling a D6 and adding 1, and for 1D4–2 you roll 
  the D4 and subtract 2 from the total. Occasionally specified die 
  rolls require that different dice be rolled at one time. If a weapon 
  does 1D6+2D4 damage, for instance, the actual damage is found 
  by rolling the three requested dice and adding their results. Always 
  round up when it benefits the players, and round down when it 
  is detrimental to them. If the result is less than 0, consider the 
  final result as 0. 
  The most important dice for RuneQuest is the D100, or 
  percentile dice. To generate a D100 result, roll a D10 twice. 
  The first roll is the “tens” roll, and 
  the second is the “ones.” Thus if 
  you roll a 5 the first time, and an 
  8 the second time, you’ve rolled 
  58. A dice roll of “00” equals 100. 
  Some D10 dice are numbered as 
  tens (10, 20, 30, etc.). Such dice 
  should be used as the “tens” roll, 
  and a normal D10 then can be used 
  for the “ones.” In such cases, a roll 
  of “00” (tens) and “0” (ones) means 
  a result of 100. 
  Less common are the D3 or 
  D2, created by rolling a D6 and 
  dividing by two (for D3) or 
  by three (for a D2). 
  WELCOME TO 
  RUNEQUEST
  Yanioth, Vareena’s Daughter
  
  2
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  THE GAME SYSTEM 
  CHARACTERISTICS 
  At the heart of RuneQuest are characters, either adventurers (those 
  controlled by players) or non-player characters (other humans and 
  creatures controlled by the gamemaster). All characters—whether 
  adventurers, non-player characters, monsters, spirits, or anything 
  else—are defined by some or all of the same seven characteristics. 
  The higher the characteristic, the better.
  • Strength (STR): Raw strength, determining damage bonus, 
  how much can be carried, what weapons can be wielded, etc. 
  • Constitution (CON): Health and stamina, determining 
  hit points and healing rate (see page 18), ability to stay 
  conscious when badly wounded, and to resist disease and 
  poison.
  • Size (SIZ): Physical mass (height and/or weight), 
  determining hit points, damage bonus, and strike rank in 
  combat. 
  • Dexterity (DEX): Speed and physical reflexes, influencing 
  physical activities such as fighting, dodging, and strike rank 
  in combat. 
  • Intelligence (INT): Reasoning, memory, problem-solving, 
  inspiration, knowledge, also useful for some kinds of magic. 
  • Power (POW): Spiritual presence, willpower, and luck, 
  indicating favor from the universe and the gods. Determines 
  magic points, used when casting spells. 
  • Charisma (CHA): Leadership and force of personality, 
  determining how willing others are to be influenced, 
  whether through charm or menace. Influences the amount 
  of Rune magic available and how many spirit magic spells 
  can be possessed. 
  ABILITY USE
  Most important actions require the use of a particular ability, defined 
  as a skill, Rune, or passion. Abilities are functions that anyone can 
  perform. For actions anyone can accomplish without difficulty 
  (getting up, getting dressed, eating, etc.), an adventurer is assumed 
  to automatically succeed, meaning no ability roll is required. 
  In most cases, determining the chance of success for any given 
  action is very easy in RuneQuest. Most adventurer abilities, 
  including skills, are expressed as a percentile chance of success 
  on a D100 (abilities with a rating of “00” have zero chance of 
  success). The adventurer sheet shows the chances of success for 
  most actions.
  For any ability performed in a dramatic circumstance, an ability 
  roll is required. It is usually obvious when an ability roll should 
  be made, but if in doubt, the gamemaster should consider the 
  consequences of failure. If the chance of failure heightens tension, 
  makes things exciting, and if failure will add fun to the game, the 
  gamemaster should have the player make an ability roll.
  AUGMENTING ABILITIES 
  Where appropriate, abilities—whether Runes, skills, or passions—
  may be combined to augment one another, using one ability in 
  support of another. The abilities to be combined must be clearly 
  relevant to the task at hand, and are subject to the gamemaster’s 
  approval. For example, a Love (Family) passion might augment a 
  Search roll when looking for a clue to the whereabouts of a missing 
  brother. Only one ability can augment another for any given roll. 
  To augment one ability with another, first roll for the ability 
  being used in support of the other. 
  • Critical Success: Add +50% to the desired ability.
  • Special Success: Add +30% to the desired ability.
  • Success: Add +20% to the desired ability.
  • Failure: Subtract –20% from the desired ability.
  • Fumble: Subtract –50% from the desired ability.
  This modifier is applied to the chance of success for the primary 
  roll, before the primary roll is attempted. An adventurer can even 
  augment the casting chance of a spell through ritual practices or 
  abilities such as Dance, Sing, Meditation, etc. 
  Abilities may also be used to augment rolls on the resistance 
  table (see page 6), again at the gamemaster’s discretion. Adventurers 
  can help each other in the same fashion, using skills in support 
  of other adventurer’s skill roll, with the gamemaster’s approval. 
  ABILITIES ABOVE 100%
  In some instances, such as when augmenting, an ability might 
  increase beyond 100%, though the adventurer still has no better 
  than a 95% of succeeding.
  • If the opponent is trying to parry, block, dodge, or otherwise 
  oppose the character’s use of the ability, then 100%+ ability 
  gives a greater chance of overcoming the opposition. If the 
  highest rated participant in an opposed resolution has an 
  ability rating in excess of 100%, the difference between 
  100 and their ability rating is subtracted from the ability of 
  everyone in the contest (including themselves).
  • While actual chance of success remains no better than 95%, 
  the chance of a special or critical success continues to increase. 
  REATTEMPTING ABILITY ROLLS
  An adventurer failing an ability roll may still be in a situation 
  where they could potentially try again or where there has been 
  some significant change in circumstances. The gamemaster may 
  permit a follow-up attempt, but at a –25% penalty. If this second 
  attempt fails, the adventurer cannot make any further reattempts 
  without the passage of time or change in circumstances. This does 
  not apply to combat rolls. 
  CHARACTERISTIC ROLLS
  When an action attempted is not an ability, the gamemaster 
  can use a characteristic roll. Usually these equal the value of the 
  characteristic ×5. This can be increased or decreased for different 
  circumstances, from simple (×10) to almost impossible (×1). 
  Following are some examples: 
  
  3
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  • Strength Check (STR×5): Intense 
  muscular efforts like bashing a door 
  open, carrying someone, etc.
  • Constitution Check (CON×5): 
  Resisting illnesses, poisons, etc., or 
  during intense or prolonged effort 
  (long run, etc.).
  • Intelligence Check (INT×5): Testing 
  memory or logic, deduction, recalling 
  somebody’s face or name, etc.
  • Dexterity Check (DEX×5): 
  Resolving actions requiring good 
  coordination, physical or manual skill, 
  speed or balance (catching a thrown 
  object, walking on a roof, etc.).
  • Luck Check (POW×5): 
  Determining if the adventurer 
  catches a lucky break, or has a 
  stroke of good fortune when the 
  odds could go either way. 
  • Charisma Check (CHA×5): 
  Resolving verbal or non-verbal 
  social contests where skills (such 
  as Bargain, Charm, Fast Talk, 
  Intimidate, Intrigue, or Orate) do 
  not apply.
  RESULTS
  Whenever resolving some form of contest 
  using an ability, try to roll equal to or 
  under the ability’s rating (the chance of 
  success) with a D100, consulting the 
  Ability Results table (nearby) for the 
  exact result. Always use the best result 
  indicated by the dice roll. Possible results 
  are as follows, ranging from best to worst: 
  • Critical Success: A task performed 
  exceptionally well gains extra benefits. 
  A critical success is an ability roll of 
  5% (1/20) or less of the modified 
  chance of success. A roll of 01 is 
  always a critical success. The benefit 
  of any critical success depends on the 
  ability being used: weapons ignore 
  armor, climbers gain extra distance, 
  crafters make extra valuable goods, 
  etc. In an opposed resolution, a 
  critical success is always better than a normal or special success. 
  • Special Success: In some cases, an ability roll result that is 
  better than usual, but not a critical success, can have additional 
  benefits. A special success is an ability roll of 20% (1/5) or less 
  of the modified chance of success. As with the critical success, 
  the special success is based on the modified chance of success, 
  not on the user’s raw ability rating. In an opposed resolution, a 
  special success is always better than a normal success.
  • Success: A result of equal to or less than the ability’s rating 
  indicates that the task succeeded. A roll of 01–05 on D100 
  is always a success, even if the ability rating is lower.
  • Failure: A result of greater than the ability’s rating (with any 
  modifiers factored in) indicates failure. A roll of 96–00 is 
  always a failure, even if the ability rating is higher.
  • Fumble: A spectacularly bad attempt is a fumble, equal 
  to 5% of the chance of failure. The chance for a fumble 
  depends on the modified percentage roll for the situation, 
  Ability
  Critical
  Special
  Success
  Fail
  Fumble
  01–05
  01
  01
  01–05
  06–00
  96–00
  06–07
  01
  01
  Per ability
  Per ability
  96–00
  08–10
  01
  01–02
  Per ability
  Per ability
  96–00
  11–12
  01
  01–02
  Per ability
  Per ability
  97–00
  13–17
  01
  01–03
  Per ability
  Per ability
  97–00
  18–22
  01
  01–04
  Per ability
  Per ability
  97–00
  23–27
  01
  01–05
  Per ability
  Per ability
  97–00
  28–29
  01
  01–06
  Per ability
  Per ability
  97–00
  30
  01–02
  01–06
  Per ability
  Per ability
  97–00
  31–32
  01–02
  01–06
  Per ability
  Per ability
  98–00
  33–37
  01–02
  01–07
  Per ability
  Per ability
  98–00
  38–42
  01–02
  01–08
  Per ability
  Per ability
  98–00
  43–47
  01–02
  01–09
  Per ability
  Per ability
  98–00
  48–49
  01–02
  01–10
  Per ability
  Per ability
  98–00
  50
  01–03
  01–10
  Per ability
  Per ability
  98–00
  51–52
  01–03
  01–10
  Per ability
  Per ability
  99–00
  53–57
  01–03
  01–11
  Per ability
  Per ability
  99–00
  58–62
  01–03
  01–12
  Per ability
  Per ability
  99–00
  63–67
  01–03
  01–13
  Per ability
  Per ability
  99–00
  68–69
  01–03
  01–14
  Per ability
  Per ability
  99–00
  70
  01–04
  01–14
  Per ability
  Per ability
  99–00
  71–72
  01–04
  01–14
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  73–77
  01–04
  01–15
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  78–82
  01–04
  01–16
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  83–87
  01–04
  01–17
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  88–89
  01–04
  01–18
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  90–92
  01–05
  01–18
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  93–95
  01–05
  01–19
  Per ability
  Per ability
  00
  96–97
  01–05
  01–19
  01–95
  96–00
  00
  98–100
  01–05
  01–20
  01–95
  96–00
  00
  (higher)
  5% ability
  20% ability
  01–95
  96–00
  00
  ABILITY RESULTS
  
  ADVENTURER 
  OVERVIEW  
  Take a look at the pregenerated character sheets at the back of this 
  quickstart, you will see that they are made up of many different parts. 
  1. BACKGROUND
  The adventurer’s background and personal history. 
  2. CHARACTERISTICS
  Adventurers are defined by seven characteristics, described on 
  pages 2-3. 
  3. MAGIC POINTS AND SPIRIT MAGIC
  How many magic points the adventurer can use to cast spirit magic 
  with, and (in the second column) what spells they can cast. Spirit 
  Magic is described on pages 18.
  4. HIT LOCATIONS
  The adventurer’s hit locations. When the adventurer is struck 
  successfully by an attack, roll a D20 to determine where it hits. 
  Each hit location’s armor and hit points are presented like so: 
  (Armor)/(Hit Points). See page 17 for more information on hit 
  points and damage.
  5. WEAPONS
  The weapons or shield carried by the adventurer, described by 
  name, skill percentage, damage dice, strike rank, and the weapon’s 
  hit points. Ranged weapons have Range presented also. See page 13 
  for more information about weapons and page 7 for a description 
  of how strike ranks work.  
  6. RUNES
  The Runes the adventurer is most aligned with. Runes are described 
  on page 8.  
  7. PASSIONS
  Things the adventurer feels strongly about, such as loyalties, family, 
  kin, honor, etc. Passions are described on page 10. 
  8. MOVE
  Most humans move at the same rate, defined as MOV units. 
  Movement is described on page 8.
  9. DAMAGE BONUS
  Add this bonus to all hand-to-hand attacks, and add half this 
  bonus (roll and divide) into thrown weapons. It has already been 
  added into the adventurer weapon descriptions. 
  10. SPIRIT COMBAT DAMAGE
  This determines how much damage your adventurer can do 
  when in combat with spirits. See page 19 for more information 
  on spirit combat. 
  11. STRIKE RANKS
  Attack speeds are ordered by Strike Ranks, based on Dexterity 
  (DEX) and SIZ (SIZ). Strike Ranks are described on page 7. 
  12. HIT POINTS
  How many hit points the adventurer has, in total. Mark these 
  off when the adventurer takes damage. See page 17 for more 
  information on hit points and damage.
  13. ARMOR 
  The armor protecting the adventurer, per location. Armor is 
  subtracted from damage done to that hit location. See page 17 
  for more information on armor.
  14. SKILLS AND LANGUAGES
  The adventurer’s skills and their ratings. The bonuses to these are 
  skill category modifiers, and are already calculated into the skill 
  totals. Skills are described on pages 11.
  15. RUNE POINTS AND RUNE SPELLS
  How many Rune Points the adventurer has in their cult, and the 
  Rune spells the adventurer can cast with those points. Rune Points 
  and Rune spells are described on pages 20-24. 
  16. TREASURES AND MAGIC ITEMS
  Any small items of worth the adventurer has, along with their 
  values in Lunars (L). and any magic items and their properties, if 
  any. The primary unit of money is the Lunar (L) a silver coin. A 
  free family can live for a year on 60 L or so.
  4
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  REPUTATION AND RANSOM
  These two values play an important part in many RuneQuest 
  campaigns, but are not hugely relevant to The Broken 
  Tower. Reputation measures how well-known the 
  adventurer is, rated as the chance someone will have 
  heard of them. The higher, the more famous. Ransom is 
  the amount in Lunars (L) that the adventurer’s family and 
  clan will pay if the adventurer is captured.
  MOUNT/ALLY/CREATURE
  Some adventurers have mounts, allies, or creatures they 
  can summon. These are controlled by the adventurers, 
  though successful skill rolls (Ride, etc.) may be required to 
  control them in combat or other stressful situations. See 
  separate write-ups on pages 47-48 for more information 
  on each adventurer’s mount or elemental.
  
  1
  2
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  3
  5
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  1
  4
  8
  9
  10
  11
  13
  14
  15
  16
  3
  2
  5
  6
  g y s t
  STR 16
  CON 12
  SIZ 10
  INT 15
  DEX 11
  CHA 19
  POW 14
  Magic Points: 14
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  5/4
  Left Leg
  05–09
  5/4
  Abdomen
  09–11
  3/4
  Chest
  12
  5/5
  Right Arm
  13–15
  5/3
  Left Arm
  16–18
  5/3
  Head
  19-20
  5/4
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Broadsword
  90
  1D8+1+1D4
  1D8+1+1D4
  7
  12
  Lance
  70
  1D10+1+3D6
  1D10+1+3D6
  6
  10
  Battle Axe
  55
  1D8+2+1D4
  1D8+2+1D4
  7
  10
  Medium Shield
  65
  1D6+1D4
  1D6+1D4
  7
  12
  Composite Bow
  45
  1D8+1
  1D8+1
  3
  7
  Runes: Air 90% (g), Moon 40% (
  ), Moon 40% (
  ), Moon 40% (
  6
  ), Moon 40% (
  6
  4), Earth 20% (e), 
  Death 75% (
  Death 75% (
  Death 75% (t), Truth 70% (
  ), Truth 70% (
  ), Truth 70% (y), Movement 75% (
  ), Movement 75% (
  ), Movement 75% (
  ), Movement 75% (s).
  Passions: Hate (Lunar Empire) 90%, Honor 90%, Devotion 
  Hate (Lunar Empire) 90%, Honor 90%, Devotion 
  (Orlanth) 80%, Loyalty (Sartar) 80%, Loyalty (Argrath) 
  (Orlanth) 80%, Loyalty (Sartar) 80%, Loyalty (Argrath) 
  7
  (Orlanth) 80%, Loyalty (Sartar) 80%, Loyalty (Argrath) 
  7
  70%, Loyalty (Colymar Tribe) 70%.
  Reputation: 20%
  Ransom: 500 L.
  Move: 8
  Damage Bonus: 
  Damage Bonus: 
  8
  Damage Bonus: 
  8
  +1D4
  Spirit Combat Damage: 
  Spirit Combat Damage: 
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3
  1D6+3
  91D6+3
  9
  Strike Ranks: DEX 3, SIZ 2
  DEX 3, SIZ 2
  Hit Points: 12
  Armor: Bronze disk plate cuirass (5 pts.), bronze greaves 
  Bronze disk plate cuirass (5 pts.), bronze greaves 
  Bronze disk plate cuirass (5 pts.), bronze greaves 
  12
  Bronze disk plate cuirass (5 pts.), bronze greaves 
  12
  Bronze disk plate cuirass (5 pts.), bronze greaves 
  and vambraces (5 pts.), studded leather skirt (3 pts.), 
  and vambraces (5 pts.), studded leather skirt (3 pts.), 
  and vambraces (5 pts.), studded leather skirt (3 pts.), 
  13
  and vambraces (5 pts.), studded leather skirt (3 pts.), 
  13
  closed helm (5 pts.).
  Skills: Agility: Dodge 22%, Ride (Bison) 70%. 
  Agility: Dodge 22%, Ride (Bison) 70%. 
  Agility:
  Communication:
  Dance 25%, Orate 45%, Sing 50%. Knowledge: Battle 
  Knowledge: Battle 
  Knowledge:
  65%, Cult Lore (Orlanth) 25%, Customs (Heortling) 35%, 
  Farm 30%, First Aid 25%, Herd 20%. Manipulation +5% 
  (includes all weapon skills). 
  (includes all weapon skills). 
  14
  (includes all weapon skills). 
  14 Magic: Meditate 25%, Spirit 
  Combat 55%, Worship (Orlanth) 35%. 
  Combat 55%, Worship (Orlanth) 35%. 
  14
  Combat 55%, Worship (Orlanth) 35%. 
  14
  Perception: Listen 
  Perception: Listen 
  Perception:
  40%, Scan 50%, Search 30%, Track 10%. Stealth +5%: Hide 
  15%, Move Quietly 15%. 
  Languages: Speak Heortling 60%, Speak Stormspeech 34%, 
  Speak Tradetalk 20%, Read/Write Theyalan 30%, Read/
  Write New Pelorian 15%.
  Rune Points: 3 (Orlanth Adventurous)
  Rune Spells: Command Cult Spirit (2), Dark Walk (1), Dismiss 
  Magic (Var.), Dismiss Air Elemental (as per elemental size), 
  Divination (1), Earth Shield (3), Extension 1, Find Enemy 
  1, Flight (var.), Heal Wound (1), Leap (1), Lightning (var.), 
  1, Flight (var.), Heal Wound (1), Leap (1), Lightning (var.), 
  15
  1, Flight (var.), Heal Wound (1), Leap (1), Lightning (var.), 
  15
  Mist Cloud (1), Multispell (1), Shield (var.), Spirit Block 
  Mist Cloud (1), Multispell (1), Shield (var.), Spirit Block 
  15
  Mist Cloud (1), Multispell (1), Shield (var.), Spirit Block 
  15
  (var.), Summon Air Elemental (as per elemental size, 
  see separate write-up), Teleportation (3), Wind Words (1). 
  Spirit Magic: Mobility (1 pt.), Demoralize (2 pts.), Healing 2.
  Magic Items: 10-point magic point storage crystal, piece 
  of raw Truestone. 
  Treasures: Carries 20 L in coin, armor and helmet, medium 
  shield, broadsword, lance, battle axe, composite bow 
  shield, broadsword, lance, battle axe, composite bow 
  with 20 arrows, riding bison (see separate write-up).
  with 20 arrows, riding bison (see separate write-up).
  16
  with 20 arrows, riding bison (see separate write-up).
  16
  Veteran heavy cavalrywoman of the Ernaldori clan of the Colymar Tribe. 
  Female, age 21. Initiate of Orlanth Adventurous.
  Introduction: I am Vasana, the daughter of Farnan, a hero of Starbrow’s Rebellion, slain 
  and devoured by the Crimson Bat. In my war of revenge against the Lunar Empire, I 
  gained the attention of Argrath at the Battle of Pennel Ford. I was sorely wounded at the 
  Second Battle of Moonbroth, granting me this terrible scar across on the left half of my 
  face. I returned to my mother’s farm to recover, and now I am ready for adventure. My 
  friends know me for a fearsome bison rider, a skilled hand with a sword, and a devout 
  worshipper of Orlanth Adventurous. My honor is my greatest strength.  
  worshipper of Orlanth Adventurous. My honor is my greatest strength.  
  Vasana is a small but athletic woman with red-hair and a vicious scar across her left face. 
  Vasana is a small but athletic woman with red-hair and a vicious scar across her left face. 
  Vasana is a small but athletic woman with red-hair and a vicious scar across her left face. 
  Despite her small size, she rides a bison and is more than capable of commanding warriors 
  Despite her small size, she rides a bison and is more than capable of commanding warriors 
  and priests more senior than herself.
  Vasana’s grandmother was a scribe in the service of the Princes of Sartar, and died 
  Vasana’s grandmother was a scribe in the service of the Princes of Sartar, and died 
  with great glory in the Battle of Boldhome. Vasana’s father was Farnan, a temple orphan 
  with great glory in the Battle of Boldhome. Vasana’s father was Farnan, a temple orphan 
  who married Vareena, a priestess of Ernalda from the Ernaldori clan. Farnan joined 
  who married Vareena, a priestess of Ernalda from the Ernaldori clan. Farnan joined 
  Starbrow’s Rebellion and later personally aided Kallyr Starbrow in her escape from 
  Starbrow’s Rebellion and later personally aided Kallyr Starbrow in her escape from 
  Sartar. He died defending Whitewall in 1620, devoured by the Crimson Bat. Farnan’s 
  Sartar. He died defending Whitewall in 1620, devoured by the Crimson Bat. Farnan’s 
  soul was annihilated and Vasana, then a teenager, swore revenge.
  soul was annihilated and Vasana, then a teenager, swore revenge.
  As soon as she was initiated as an adult, Vasana left her mother’s farm to avenge her 
  As soon as she was initiated as an adult, Vasana left her mother’s farm to avenge her 
  father against the Lunar Empire. In 1623, she followed King Broyan to the metropolis of 
  father against the Lunar Empire. In 1623, she followed King Broyan to the metropolis of 
  Nochet, accompanied by her half-sister Yanioth. At the Battle of Pennel Ford, she fought 
  Nochet, accompanied by her half-sister Yanioth. At the Battle of Pennel Ford, she fought 
  with great glory, and gained the attention of Argrath. Vasana followed Argrath into Prax 
  with great glory, and gained the attention of Argrath. Vasana followed Argrath into Prax 
  and joined the army of the White Bull in the liberation of Pavis. Pursuing honor again, 
  and joined the army of the White Bull in the liberation of Pavis. Pursuing honor again, 
  she fought with great glory at the Second Battle of Moonbroth, and was nearly killed 
  she fought with great glory at the Second Battle of Moonbroth, and was nearly killed 
  (receiving a nasty scar across her left eye) in the process of killing a Lunar priestess. After 
  (receiving a nasty scar across her left eye) in the process of killing a Lunar priestess. After 
  the Dragonrise, she returned to her mother’s farm to recover. 
  the Dragonrise, she returned to her mother’s farm to recover. 
  VASANA, DAUGHTER OF FARNAN
  and devoured by the Crimson Bat. In my war of revenge against the Lunar Empire, I 
  gained the attention of Argrath at the Battle of Pennel Ford. I was sorely wounded at the 
  Second Battle of Moonbroth, granting me this terrible scar across on the left half of my 
  face. I returned to my mother’s farm to recover, and now I am ready for adventure. My 
  friends know me for a fearsome bison rider, a skilled hand with a sword, and a devout 
  Vasana is a small but athletic woman with red-hair and a vicious scar across her left face. 
  Despite her small size, she rides a bison and is more than capable of commanding warriors 
  Vasana’s grandmother was a scribe in the service of the Princes of Sartar, and died 
  with great glory in the Battle of Boldhome. Vasana’s father was Farnan, a temple orphan 
  who married Vareena, a priestess of Ernalda from the Ernaldori clan. Farnan joined 
  Starbrow’s Rebellion and later personally aided Kallyr Starbrow in her escape from 
  Sartar. He died defending Whitewall in 1620, devoured by the Crimson Bat. Farnan’s 
  As soon as she was initiated as an adult, Vasana left her mother’s farm to avenge her 
  father against the Lunar Empire. In 1623, she followed King Broyan to the metropolis of 
  Nochet, accompanied by her half-sister Yanioth. At the Battle of Pennel Ford, she fought 
  with great glory, and gained the attention of Argrath. Vasana followed Argrath into Prax 
  and joined the army of the White Bull in the liberation of Pavis. Pursuing honor again, 
  she fought with great glory at the Second Battle of Moonbroth, and was nearly killed 
  
  6
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  not on the normal chance with the ability. A fumble 
  is the worst possible failure and usually has disastrous 
  consequences. In an opposed resolution, a fumble is always 
  worse than a failure.
  OPPOSED RESOLUTION
  Opposed rolls are made when one character’s ability is pitched against 
  an opponent’s ability. A simple success may not be enough to overcome 
  the opponent. Opposed rolls are not used to resolve melee combat.
  To make an opposed roll, both participants roll their respective 
  abilities. If both participants succeed, the winner is whoever rolled 
  higher. If one participant got a special success and the other a 
  normal success, the special success is the winner. If one participant 
  got a critical success and the other a normal or special success, the 
  critical success is the winner.
  An opposed resolution may thus result in a winner and a loser, 
  a tie, or two losers. 
  • Winner and a Loser: The winner succeeds and the loser fails.
  • Tie: A tie (where both participants succeed but roll the same 
  number) means the situation is temporarily unresolved. If 
  both participants rolled a critical success, the result is a tie.
  • Two Losers: Both participants fail their rolls. Stalemate, 
  no success. 
  THE RESISTANCE TABLE
  Sometimes an action depends on one raw characteristic overcoming 
  an obstacle. Use a resistance roll to resolve these situations. 
  Resistance rolls are not used for skill, Rune, or passion rolls. They 
  are used when pitting one characteristic against another, such as 
  STR against the SIZ of an object to be lifted or the magic points 
  of a spellcaster against the magic points of their target to see if 
  the spell overcame the target’s resistance.
  When using a resistance roll one characteristic is defined as 
  active and the other passive. The active exerts influence on the 
  passive. The formula for overcoming resistance is: % of success = 
  50% plus (active ×5%) minus (passive ×5%). If equal, there is a 
  50% chance of success. As usual, a roll of 01–05 always succeeds, 
  and a roll of 96–00 always fails. As with other rolls, resistance rolls 
  may result in critical successes, special successes, and fumbles.
  The Resistance Table (below) puts the resistance roll formula 
  into an easy-to-use reference. The number indicated is the percentage 
  needed for success. A line indicates there is no chance of success 
  other than on a roll of 01–05. 
  RESISTANCE TABLE
  POW of Attacking Force
   
  01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 
  12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
  01 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  02 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  03 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  04 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  06 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  07 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  08 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  09 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  — 
  10 05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  — 
  11 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 — 
  12 — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95
  13 — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90
  14 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
  15 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
  16 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
  17 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
  18 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
  19 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
  20 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
  21 — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  05 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
  The number indicated is the percentage needed for success.
  POW of Defending Force 
  
  7
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  TIME & MOVEMENT
   Game time is fictitious and has little to do with passage of real 
  time experienced by the players and the gamemaster. RuneQuest 
  uses the following terms to define time: 
  • Real Time: When the players speak in character, or 
  otherwise describe the “here and now” of the game from 
  their adventurer’s perspective.
  • Narrative Time: The quick passage of time that moves the 
  game along, passing at whatever rate the gamemaster says. 
  Generally used when nothing important is happening. 
  • Full Turn: A full turn represents 5 minutes or 25 melee 
  rounds. It describes a period longer than a melee round. Few 
  combats outside of actual battle last a full turn.
  • Melee Round: About 12 seconds long, this is the basic unit 
  of time used in combat. One complete round of attacks, 
  parries, spells, and movements happens during a melee round. 
  • Strike Rank: Each melee round consists of 12 strike ranks 
  (SR), measures of how quickly actions can be attempted. 
  • Skill Time: The use of abilities can also mark the passage 
  of time. Though combat skills can be repeated melee round 
  after melee round, a may take much longer. See the Skill 
  Time sidebar on page 11 for examples. 
  STRIKE RANKS
  In combat, someone will have the edge—the opportunity to 
  strike first and set the pattern for the combat. Strike rank (SR) 
  determines who gets the first chance to make a successful attack, 
  and is based on SIZ, DEX, weapon length, magic points being 
  spent, and can be modified by surprise and movement. A parry 
  does not take any strike ranks.
  Each attack of whatever type is attempted in strike rank order, 
  lowest to highest. The character/monster with the lowest total 
  strike rank always attacks first. Strike ranks determine which 
  attacks are resolved first in the melee round, and do not represent 
  each second of that melee round. They have been worked out for 
  the adventurers and creatures encountered in The Broken Tower. 
  The following strike rank modifiers are applied to the listed 
  strike ranks, when applicable. 
  STRIKE RANK MODIFIERS
  Activity
  SR
  Preparing a new spell or weapon
  5
  Preparing a weapon, spell or missile
  5
  Surprised by foe(s) within 3 meters
  3
  Surprised by foe(s) within 4–9 meters
  1
  Movement: each 3 meters
  +1
  Magic points used: 1 point
  0
  Magic/Rune points used: each +1 point
  +1
  MAGICAL ATTACKS AND 
  STRIKE RANK
  To determine the strike rank for spirit 
  magic spells, add the strike modifier for 
  the magic points used in the spell to the 
  adventurer’s DEX strike rank modifier. 
  Remember that the first magic point used 
  in the spell has no strike rank modifier. Any 
  subsequent spells require 5 strike ranks to 
  prepare, even if the same spell is being used. 
  Most spirit magic spells need at 
  least one hand free. Because of this, 5 
  additional strike ranks must be added 
  to an adventurer’s normal strike rank 
  for a spell if they are switching from 
  a weapon to the use of a spell in that 
  melee round. This requirement does 
  not apply to Rune spells.
  However, casting a spell such as 
  Bladesharp or Fireblade on a weapon 
  held in the hand only involves adding 
  the normal strike rank for casting the 
  spell to the normal strike rank for that 
  weapon for that melee round. 
  Rune magic spells always take effect at strike rank 1. If more 
  than 1 magic point is used to boost a Rune magic spell, or otherwise 
  increase its effects, 1 strike rank is added for each additional magical 
  point after the first.
  Spirit and Rune spells are described on pages 19 and 22-24. 
  STRIKE RANK LIMITS PER MELEE TURN
  No action or combination of actions may be performed in one melee 
  round if the total strike rank necessary adds up to more than 12. If 
  an action requires more than 12 strike ranks (including strike ranks 
  for magic points spent, DEX strike rank, unprepared spell, and any 
  boosting magic points), more than one melee round is needed to cast 
  the spell. A spell requiring 37 strike ranks will take 3 full melee rounds 
  to cast and takes effect on strike rank 1 of the fourth melee round.
  MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF MELEE
  An adventurer not involved in melee can conceivably do many 
  things in one round, always keeping in mind that there are only 
  12 strike ranks to work with. 
  For example, an adventurer with DEX 11 (with a DEX strike rank 
  of 3) could cast a Disruption spell, taking 3 strike ranks. They could 
  then move 9 meters (3 more strike ranks) and take out their bow and 
  arrow (5 strike ranks for readying a weapon). The adventurer is then 
  stuck because firing the arrow would take another 3 strike ranks and 
  there is only 1 strike rank left in the melee round. At the gamemaster’s 
  discretion, the 5 strike ranks it took to ready the bow and arrow could 
  have been combined with the 3 strike ranks of movement. This would 
  give the adventurer the time necessary to loose an arrow. Note that an 
  adventurer with average DEX could loose two arrows in one melee 
  round (strike rank 3 for the first arrow, then 5 to ready a new arrow 
  and then 3 for shooting the new arrow, for a total of 11).
  In short, each strike rank is considered separately when outside 
  of direct melee contact with a foe.
  Sorala, Daughter of Toria
  
  8
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES WITHIN MELEE
  When engaged in melee, the adventurer must spend their time 
  attacking and defending. While an adventurer might throw a spell 
  at an oncoming foe and then engage that foe in combat within the 
  same round, an adventurer cannot, while engaged in combat, 
  attack both physically and magically. An adventurer that starts 
  a round engaged in melee may either attack and defend normally 
  or defend normally and attack magically, but not both. 
  An adventurer’s strike rank indicates when they may initiate an 
  attack. However, the adventurer is considered to be performing that 
  attack for the entire round and can do little else except parry or dodge.
  MOVEMENT
  Movement is rated in flexible units, called Move (MOV). Each 
  point of MOV is usually considered to be 3 meters in combat, 
  much more when not in combat. An unencumbered adventurer 
  not engaged in melee combat may move 8 movement units in a 
  melee round, or 24 meters. For each unit (3 meters) of movement 
  an unengaged adventurer makes during the melee round, add 1 
  to their strike rank if they wish to take any action. An adventurer 
  engaged in melee cannot move until disengaged.
  TRAVEL TIME
  The amount of time it takes to go from one place to another 
  depends on how hard the route traveled is and whether the travelers 
  are mounted, on foot, or with wagon. A group can only go as fast 
  as its slowest member. In The Broken Tower, the most relevant 
  amount travel speed is roughly 2 km/hour when mounted, or 1 
  km/hour on foot, based on the adventurer’s travel speeds and the 
  weather at the time of the adventure. 
  RUNES
  Runes are intrinsic to Glorantha, the cosmic powers that define 
  the world and are manifested by the gods. Known from the earliest 
  prehistory, the Runes suffuse everything in and about the world. 
  They are the building blocks of Glorantha, symbols, archetypes, 
  embodiments, and actual matter or energy of the Middle World. 
  Runes originated with the very creation of Glorantha; they define 
  the cosmos and everything in it. The earliest gods are associated 
  with Runes, and philosophers hold that the gods themselves may 
  merely be personifications of the Runes. 
  Whatever their nature, Runes are symbols with latent power. 
  People mark their possessions and even their own bodies with 
  Runes. They not only characterize reality, but are used to manipulate 
  the world. Merely looking at or writing a Rune isn’t enough: 
  these powers can only be unlocked with extensive training and 
  preparation, such as being a shaman or priest. 
  TYPES OF RUNES
  There are four types of Runes: Elements, Powers, Forms, and 
  Conditions (though the latter are not discussed in this quickstart). 
  Each Rune has different associations, from elements, behaviors, 
  attitudes, skill categories, weapons, sensations, creatures, and even 
  physical phenomena. Runes are rated like other abilities, with a 
  percentage value indicating how strong an affinity the adventurer 
  has with the Rune. The higher the Rune’s rating, the more strongly 
  its influence should guide the adventurer and their actions. 
  Each Power and Form Rune is directly opposed to another 
  Rune. The rating in one Rune is balanced against its opposite, 
  with the two values equaling 100%. If one Rune’s value increases, 
  the other decreases. 
  USING RUNES
  The Runes are used for magic, to augment certain skills with 
  Runic inspiration, and to define personality. 
  RUNE MAGIC
  Each Rune spell is associated with one or more Runes. The chance 
  of casting a cult Rune spell is equal to the caster’s rating in that 
  Rune. If more than one Rune rating applies, the player chooses 
  which Rune to use. See page 20 for more on Rune magic.
  RUNIC INSPIRATION
  Runes may be used as inspiration to augment skills or increase 
  the chance of success on a resistance roll. What can be augmented 
  depends on the specific Rune: an Elemental Rune may be used to 
  augment a single non-combat skill within its skills category, with 
  a sense associated with the Rune, or with an elemental weapon, 
  and a Power or Form Rune may be used by character to augment 
  any skill being used in accordance with that Rune. 
  To be inspired by a Rune, the player must suggest and request 
  an appropriate augment to a skill, with the gamemaster’s approval. 
  If the adventurer has already rolled to be inspired by a Rune or 
  passion during the situation at hand, they cannot try to be inspired 
  by either the same or a different Rune or passion. Additionally, 
  the bonus from inspiration cannot be combined with an augment 
  from another skill. 
  The duration is almost always the duration of a combat or battle, 
  or an appropriate amount of time determined by the gamemaster. 
  The player must roll against the Rune’s percentile rating on 
  a D100: 
  • Critical Success: Add +50% to the chosen ability.
  • Special Success: Add +30% to the chosen ability.
  • Success: Add +20% to the skill being augmented. 
  • Failure: Subtract –10% from all rolls using that Rune until 
  a day is spent meditating on the Rune.
  • Fumble: Immediately lose –1D10% from the Rune and 
  become overcome by psychic turmoil. This turmoil might 
  last for a few minutes or a few days, determined by the 
  gamemaster. During that time, the character cannot use that 
  Rune at all (including Rune magic based on that Rune), 
  and must even avoid acting in accordance with the Rune. A 
  Rune cannot be reduced to less than 0%.
  RUNES AND PERSONALITY
  Runes are universally archetypes, manifest in the cosmos and in 
  the psyche. As a result, they influence feelings and tendencies; 
  an adventurer strongly affiliated with a Rune acts in accordance 
  
  9
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  with that Rune. When the opportunity arises to behave one way 
  or another, an adventurer’s Runes can either be used as casual 
  guidelines or may be used by the gamemaster. 
  • Casual Use of Runes: Players sometimes do not know what 
  their adventurers would do under special circumstances. 
  At these times, the player should roll a D100 to determine 
  behavior and consult a suitable Rune. If the result is less 
  than the Rune, the adventurer will follow that Rune’s 
  guidance. If the number is larger, the adventurer will do the 
  opposite (especially for opposing Runes). 
  • Magical Tests: Sometimes adventurers must pass magical 
  tests, either by simply having a Rune affinity at a certain 
  value or higher, or rolling against that Rune to demonstrate 
  allegiance to it. 
  • Conflicting Runes: When a dramatic situation emerges 
  where the adventurer’s mind is split on a course of action, 
  the gamemaster may call for an opposed roll, using the Rune 
  and its opposite. The winning roll indicates the adventurer’s 
  choice, but does not dictate their action: the player can always 
  choose to disobey the adventurer’s values or inclinations. 
  • Runes and Passions: An adventurer’s Runes may come into 
  conflict with their passions, resolved in the same manner as 
  Conflicting Runes (above).
  Players should be aware of an impending Rune-driven personality 
  test. They can have their adventurers avoid conflict, but not after 
  the gamemaster initiates the challenge.
  Name
  Type
  Symbol
  Associations
  Gods
  Opposes
  Darkness
  Element
  o
  Darkness, Stealth skills, Listen, secrets, cold, 
  hunger, blunt weapons, insects.
  —
  —
  Water
  Element
  w
  Water, Agility skills, Taste, blood, mercurial, nets 
  and whips, fish.
  —
  —
  Earth
  Element
  e
  Earth, Communication skills, Search, worldly, 
  pragmatism, sensual, axes, reptiles.
  Ernalda
  —
  Fire/Sky
  Element
  .
  Fire, sky, sun, Perception skills, Scan, purity, 
  chastity, idealism, spears and bows, birds.
  —
  —
  Air
  Element
  g
  Air, storm, Manipulation skills, Smell, violence, 
  pride, unpredictability, swords, mammals.
  Orlanth
  —
  Moon
  Element
  /
  Moon, spiritual liberation, Magic skills, balance, 
  time, curved weapons.
  Seven 
  Mothers
  —
  Harmony
  Power
  l
  Harmony, compromise, generosity, peace, 
  compassion, community.
  Ernalda, 
  Issaries
  Disorder
  Disorder
  Power
  j
  Disorder, egocentric, greed, strife, thoughtless, self.
  —
  Harmony
  Stasis
  Power
  c
  Stasis, unchanging, resolute, determination, 
  obstinate, inert.
  —
  Movement
  Movement
  Power
  s
  Movement, change, impulsive, rebellious, 
  reckless, energetic.
  Orlanth, 
  Issaries
  Stasis
  Truth
  Power
  y
  Truth, knowledge, objectivity, the written text.
  Lhankor 
  Mhy
  Illusion
  Illusion
  Power
  i
  Illusion, imagination, subjectivity, poetry, art.
  —
  Truth
  Fertility
  Power
  x
  Fertility, life, sex, birth, giving, pleasure.
  Ernalda
  Death
  Death
  Power
  t
  Death, separation, ascetic, endings, denial, ruthless.
  —
  Fertility
  Man
  Form
  ,
  Mankind, civilization, settled, sociability, ethics.
  Daka Fal
  Beast
  Beast
  Form
  B
  Animal-kind, savage, wild, untamed, instinctive.
  —
  Man
  Chaos
  Form
  ?
  Chaos, evil, annihilation, perversion of the other 
  runes.
  —
  —
  RUNE SUMMARY
  
  10
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  PASSIONS 
  Strong emotions—whether devotion, loyalty, love, hatred, or 
  honor—elevate mere adventures into the stuff of legend. Glorantha 
  myths and history are full of intense emotion, resulting in the 
  heights of heroism and the depths of tragedy. Passionate people 
  may perform with superhuman effort and a greater likelihood of 
  success, and passions provide a means by which this can be done. 
  Passions are rated just like skills or Runes, with a percentage 
  value indicating how intense the passion is: the higher the more 
  intensely the passion should define the adventurer and their actions. 
  BASIC PASSIONS
  These are the most common passions adventurers possess: 
  • Devotion: A personal and emotional dedication to a specific 
  deity. One can be a good cult member and not be very 
  devoted, but devotion gives an advantage.
  • Loyalty: The cornerstone of society, including loyalty to 
  one’s clan or tribe, or to an individual or temple
  • Love: An emotional bonding or attraction felt for another 
  individual or for a small group, such as your immediate family. 
  • Hate: Hatred of a clan, tribe, individual, city, nation, or a species.  
  • Honor: Adherence to the martial code of dignity, integrity, 
  and pride. It encompasses correct behavior in warfare and 
  combat, respect of one’s peers, and demands respect by others.
  USING PASSIONS 
  Passions define an adventurer’s beliefs, inspire them, and can be used 
  to augment abilities. The gamemaster may call for a passion roll, or 
  the player may suggest one. Remember that the gamemaster has the 
  final word on the appropriateness of attempting to use a passion for 
  inspiration. Players are warned that passion rolls can be extremely 
  risky as well as rewarding; a fumbled passion roll results in despair!
  INSPIRATION
  An adventurer may attempt to become inspired by a passion 
  to augment a skill, with the gamemaster’s approval. Only one 
  attempt at inspiration can be made in a situation—such as a 
  combat, battle, meeting, ritual, etc. The inspiration lasts for the 
  time it takes to complete the activity, such as the duration of the 
  combat or battle (with a maximum of one day). The gamemaster 
  determines the actual duration. 
  Once an attempt is made to be inspired by a Rune or passion 
  during the situation at hand, the adventurer cannot try to be 
  inspired again, even by a different Rune or passion. Additionally, 
  augmentation bonuses from inspiration cannot be combined with 
  an augment from another skill (see page 2).
  When attempting to become inspired by a passion, roll against 
  the passion’s rating on a D100:
  • Critical Success: One ability of the player’s choice 
  temporarily receives a +50% bonus.
  • Special Success: One ability of the player’s choice 
  temporarily receives a +30% bonus.
  • Success: One ability of the player’s choice temporarily 
  receives a +20% bonus.
  • Failure: Subtract –10% from all further rolls made for the 
  duration of the situation that brought on the state. 
  • Fumble: The adventurer immediately loses –1D10% from 
  the passion, and is overcome with despair, incapable of 
  doing anything more than running away or hiding. Despair 
  might last for a few minutes or a few days, as determined by 
  the gamemaster. A passion reduced to 0% is removed from 
  the adventurer sheet. A passion cannot go negative in value.
  GAINING A PASSION
  Passions may be gained during play. Plenty of opportunities are 
  be given to gain enemies, lovers, and loyalties. When something 
  significant occurs to an adventurer, the gamemaster or player may 
  suggest that a passion has been generated. Once in agreement, they 
  then determine the starting value, usually at least 60%.
  GLORANTHAN GODS AND CULTS
  The following Gloranthan cults appear in The Broken Tower, 
  a few of many:
  Orlanth, the Storm God (sggW) – Orlanth is the King of the 
  Gods, Master of Storms, Death Wielder, and Bringer of Light. 
  He is one of the Seven Lightbringers, and is the chief of those 
  deities. He is the god of warriors, farmers, and rulers. He has 
  two subcults: Orlanth Adventurous is one of them. 
  Daka Fal, Judge of the Dead (,b,) – The cult of Daka Fal 
  supports the reality of human mortality by worshiping 
  the Judge of the Dead, and by drawing upon the dead for 
  strength to survive in life. 
  Ernalda, Earth Mother and Queen (xeel) – Ernalda is the 
  bountiful mother of life, the source of all sustenance. Plants 
  and animals, both wild and domestic, are her children. She 
  is the goddess of women, sex, community, and all the things 
  that live on and in the Earth.
  Issaries, God of Communication and Trade (sl) – Issaries 
  is the god of communication, roads, and trade, and is one 
  of the Seven Lightbringers. His worshipers are merchants, 
  traders, caravaners, travelers, and heralds. 
  Lhankor Mhy, Lord of Knowledge (ya) – Lhankor Mhy is 
  the Lord of Knowledge. He is one of the Lightbringers, and 
  during that epic quest he inherited, found, fought for, and 
  stole many pieces of the old powers. 
  
  11
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  SKILLS
  A skill is an ability representing innate aptitude, training, and 
  experience. While an adventurer can automatically perform 
  routine actions without needing to roll, the gamemaster will call 
  for skill rolls in stressful situations to see if the adventurer or other 
  character is successful. 
  If the adventurer would always immediately know if they were 
  successful in their skill use, the player should roll. A failed Climb 
  roll to climb a mountain, for example, means the adventurer does 
  not climb the mountain. Likewise, the player should always make 
  combat attacks and parries.
  Sometimes the gamemaster, not the player, should make the 
  roll for the adventurer’s success. If the adventurer wants to make 
  a Listen roll to see if something is lurking around the next corner, 
  the gamemaster should roll the dice. The player should not know 
  whether the adventurer heard nothing because there was nothing 
  there, or because they failed their roll. As a general rule, though, 
  the gamemaster should let players roll the dice as much as possible. 
  The gamemaster may declare that a skill roll for an adventurer 
  must be modified because of a particular situation. Since the success 
  percentage for a skill is that for “normal” stressful situations, the 
  changes are generally subtracted from the percentage ability. 
  SKILLS
  Each skill is arranged by skill category and contains the 
  following information:
  Skill Name: The name of the skill. Some skills have a narrow 
  specialty, such as Craft (Specific Craft), (Elder Race) Lore or 
  (Homeland) Lore. 
  Base Chance: The chance characters have when performing 
  the skill for the first time, regardless of culture. Skill category 
  modifiers have been determined for the adventurers in The Broken 
  Tower and are already figured into their skills. If the skill is not 
  listed on the adventurer sheet, add the skill category bonus to 
  the base chance. 
  Description: Abbreviated versions of what can be accomplished 
  using the skill. If in doubt, the gamemaster should determine 
  the scope of any particular skill. Not all RuneQuest skills are 
  presented here. 
  AGILITY SKILLS
  • Climb (40): Climbing up or down walls, trees, cliffs, or any 
  other surface. 
  • Dodge (DEX×2): Avoiding being hit by an attack. See 
  Dodging on page 14. 
  • Jump (DEX×3): Leaping for height or distance over 
  obstacles, as well as falling (or landing) well. 
  • Ride (type) (05): Riding a horse or other riding animal. See 
  Mounted Combat on page 16 for more information. 
  • Swim (15): Staying afloat and moving in a desired direction 
  while in the water. 
  COMMUNICATION SKILLS
  • Act (05): Portraying a different persona, whether in a staged 
  performance or in a social situation
  • Art (05): The creation of images or objects such as painting 
  and sculpture. 
  MANDATORY RUNE AND PASSION ROLLS
  Runes and passions with a rating of 80% or more place the 
  adventurer at the mercy of the gamemaster. Such extreme 
  passions require mandatory rolls whenever the gamemaster 
  chooses. In general, the gamemaster has two options if the 
  player has the adventurer do something inappropriate for 
  the rating in the Rune or passion.
  Opposed Rolls: Ask the player they would like to make an 
  opposed roll with the Rune or passion against another Rune 
  or passion. If the opposed ability wins the contest with the 
  Rune or passion trait, the adventurer can act in a different 
  manner, as dictated by the ability that won. 
  Reduce the Rune: Immediately reduce the Rune or passion 
  to some level below 80%.
  SKILL TIME
  The typical time required to perform a skill is listed below. 
  A few seconds to one combat round: Weapon attacks, 
  Dodge, First Aid (to stop bleeding), Hide, Jump, Listen, 
  Lore, Spirit Combat, Spirit Dance, Scan.
  1–5 minutes: Act, Bargain, Climb, Customs, Conceal, 
  Dance, Fast Talk, First Aid (to heal damage), Insight, 
  Intimidate, Lore, Listen, Move Quietly, Play Instrument, 
  Read/Write, Sing, Sleight, Speak, Spirit Lore, Swim, Treat 
  Disease, Treat Poison.
  5–30 minutes: Act, Charm, Customs, Dance, Herd, Intrigue, 
  Lore, Oratory, Peaceful Cut, Read/Write, Search, Sing, 
  Speak, Spirit Travel.
  30–60 minutes: Battle, Charm, Customs, Herd, Lore, 
  Oratory, Read/Write, Track.
  1 hour to many days: Battle, Charm, Farm, Herd, Lore, 
  Manage Household, Meditate, Prepare Corpse, Read/
  Write, Survival, Worship.
  
  12
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  • Bargain (05): Negotiation and compromise, haggling: used 
  when buying and selling.
  • Charm (15): Physical attraction, seduction, flattery, or simply 
  warmth of personality, used to compel a desired reaction.
  • Dance (10): Performing a social, ceremonial, erotic, martial, 
  or sacred dance. 
  • Disguise (05): Creating a convincing disguise using 
  appropriate materials (costumes, cosmetics, wigs, or hairpieces).
  • Fast Talk (05): Convincing one or more people to agree 
  with whatever the fast talker is saying, deceiving them into 
  thinking that the user is logically correct
  • Intimidate (15): Frightening or compelling a person to act 
  in a certain way. 
  • Intrigue (05): Knowing what is going on at a court, great 
  temple, warlord’s camp, bureaucracy, or similar institution. 
  • Orate (10): Speech used to make groups of reluctant 
  listeners take action or grant a request, driven by emotion. 
  • Sing (10): Knowledge of poetry as well as singing or 
  reciting poetry, used in religious rituals as well as a way of 
  remembering oral history, genealogy, and law.
  • Speak Own Language (50): Speaking one’s native language. No 
  roll required when speaking to other natives, generally only used 
  when eavesdropping, translating, or in difficult circumstances. 
  • Speak Other Language (00): Speaking another language. 
  Languages mentioned in The Broken Tower are Esrolian, 
  Heortling, Tarshite, New Pelorian, Praxian, Theyalan, and 
  Tradetalk (a common tongue). Magical languages include Auld 
  Wyrmish (spoken by dragons and their kind), Earthtongue 
  (earth elementals and associated beings), Spiritspeech (spirits), 
  and Stormspeech (creatures of air and storm). 
  KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
  • Battle (10): Leading warriors and surviving in massed combat. 
  • Customs (type) (own 25 | other 00): Knowing the 
  behavior, etiquette, law, traditions, and community 
  standards of a group. 
  • Evaluate (05): Estimating the worth of artifacts and goods 
  and valuable natural materials. 
  • Farm (05): Plowing, planting, growing, and harvesting 
  crops, and caring for common domestic animals. 
  • First Aid (10): Treating injuries or victims in shock. See 
  page 18 for more on First Aid and injury. 
  • Herd (type) (05): Keeping individual animals together in a herd, 
  maintain the herd, and moving the herd from place to place. 
  • Lore (type) (variable): Each lore is a specialized body of 
  knowledge, such as Animal Lore (05), Celestial Lore (05), 
  (Cult) Lore (05), Draconic Lore (00), (Elder Race) Lore 
  (05), (Homeland) Lore (own 30 | others 00), Mineral Lore 
  (05), and Plant Lore (05). 
  • Manage Household (10): Handling the property and 
  resources (property, followers, agents, and slaves) of a farm, 
  herd, market, workshop, temple, or palace. 
  • Read/Write (type) (00): Reading and writing in a script. 
  The Broken Tower mentions the following written languages: 
  Theyalan, New Pelorian, and Auld Wyrmish. 
  • Survival (15): Surviving in a rural or wilderness environment, 
  including foraging, building a fire, and finding shelter.
  MAGIC SKILLS
  Skills relating to the Spirit World are discussed in The Spirit 
  World (page 19). 
  • Meditate (00): Entering a trance-like state to achieve 
  inner calm and to restore serenity and focus. Meditate can 
  augment spells and skills, and meditating can help restore 
  spent magic points (see page 20).  
  • Prepare Corpse (10): Properly laying out a corpse, 
  preparing it for the final rites and knowing traditional death 
  rituals or spells.
  • Spirit Combat (20): Battling a hostile spirit (see page 19).
  • Worship (deity) (05): Linked to a specific god, this takes a 
  full day to perform and must be held on sacred ground. 
  MANIPULATION SKILLS
  • Conceal (05): Concealed an object so that it may be found 
  only with a Search skill roll. 
  • Craft (type) (10): Making items out of metal, wood, stone, 
  hides, wool, cotton, clay, etc. Specialties include: Brewing, 
  Carpentry, Jewelry, Leatherworking, Masonry, Pottery, 
  Redsmithing, Vinification, and Weaving. 
  • Melee Weapon (type) (variable): Using a specific melee 
  weapon, described in Combat (page 13).  
  • Missile Weapon (type) (variable): Using a specific missile 
  weapon, described in Combat (page 14). 
  • Shield (type) (15): Using a specific type of shield, described 
  in Combat (page 14).  
  • Sleight (05): Using speed or misdirection to manipulate a 
  small object while being watched by others. 
  PERCEPTION SKILLS
  • Insight (species) (own 20 | other 00): Evaluating someone’s 
  character, emotional state, trustworthiness, and motives based 
  on body language, speech patterns, and other factors. 
  • Listen (25): Listening intently for sound where one would 
  not normally hear it and picking up incidental sounds. 
  • Scan (25):  Observing an area for any signs of movement. 
  • Search (25): Scrutinizing an area to find a concealed or lost 
  object or person.
  • Track (05): Following the trail left by a living being through 
  wilderness and rural areas. 
  STEALTH SKILLS
  • Hide (10): Using available cover, including shadows, misty 
  areas, etc., to hide from others. 
  • Move Quietly (10): Moving in silence, without alerting a foe. 
  COMBAT
  Many conflicts descend—or elevate, depending on one’s point of 
  view—into combat. Glorantha provides plenty of opportunities for 
  combat, whether formal challenges between groups or individuals, 
  skirmishes between small groups, or full-scale battles between tens, 
  hundreds, and even thousands of combatants. 
  
  13
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Combat can be brutal and confusing, increasingly so the more 
  parties are involved. Combatants press together and withdraw, 
  sidestep and maneuver for positions from which to strike or avoid 
  harm. Attackers and defenders move back and forth on uncertain 
  footing, made more perilous by the bodies of the fallen. Visibility 
  might be limited by helmets, and armor often causes loss of mobility 
  and grace. Every moment brings desperate recalculations based 
  on the flow of combat, each loss and victory causing an instant 
  reassessment about whether—or how—to act. Some hesitate, 
  while others act decisively. 
  The main kinds of weapons used are melee and missile. These 
  weapons differ in concept: melee weapons can be used to parry 
  as well as attack, while missile weapons are normally used only 
  beyond weapon-length range and are unsuitable for parrying. 
  As a note, these quickstart rules present a streamlined, simpler 
  version of the RuneQuest combat rules. 
  THE MELEE ROUND
  As discussed on page 7, the melee round is the primary unit of 
  time for individual and small group combat. A melee round is an 
  intensely chaotic, organic, and highly situational affair, but to keep 
  things organized, all melees are divided into four phases: Statement 
  of Intent; Movement of Unengaged Characters; Resolution of 
  Melee, Missiles, and Spells; and Bookkeeping. Although these 
  phases are taken in turn, the action is usually simultaneous.
  • Statement of Intent: All participants in the melee round 
  declare their actions. These intentions do not need to be 
  precise, but should be clear. Consult the strike ranks to see 
  who goes first, if there’s any question. 
  • Movement of Unengaged Characters: Everyone not engaged 
  in melee may move up to their total movement allowance. 
  Those moving up to half of their usual movement allowance 
  may also participate in melee, cast a spell, etc. Every 3 meters 
  of movement adds 1 to their strike rank. 
  • Resolution of Melee, Missiles, and Spells: Each attack is 
  resolved in strike rank order, lowest first. The defender may 
  try to parry or dodge the attack. The effects of damage from 
  missiles, spells, or melee weapons take place immediately, 
  unless otherwise indicated. If one opponent disables another 
  before the other can attack, the victim gets no attack at all, 
  whether with missile, spell, or melee weapon. If both have 
  the same strike rank, their DEX characteristics are compared 
  and the fastest combatant strikes first. If DEXs are the same, 
  then the strikes are simultaneous, and damage is not taken 
  until both attacks have been rolled and all damage assessed.
  • Bookkeeping: After all attacks are resolved, record all 
  changes in status such as magic points spent, damage taken, 
  Healing done, etc. 
  Once a melee round has been resolved and all phases are 
  complete, play continues with the next melee round, until the 
  combat is resolved one way or another. 
  ATTACKING
  A melee (hand-to-hand) weapon or missile (ranged) weapon skill 
  determines the chance of success with an attack. If the player rolls 
  equal to or less than the skill chance on D100, the adventurer has 
  succeeded and managed to hit their opponent. The defender may 
  still manage to avoid damage by parrying or dodging the blow, 
  trusting their armor, or through magic. 
  Each weapon has a damage rating described as a dice roll. A 
  broadsword, for example, does 1D8+1 damage, which means 
  the user rolls a 1D8 and adds 1 to the result to determine the 
  damage points done. The adventurer may add or subtract a 
  damage modifier, if applicable. Armor and special magic can add 
  or subtract the damage. It is possible that a successful weapon hit 
  does no damage at all, because of the target’s armor or some other 
  form of protection, such as magic.
  QUICK RESOLUTION OF MELEE
  The attacker rolls D100 to see if they succeeded in attacking 
  and then a D20 for hit location. If the defender attempts 
  to parry, they roll D100 to see if they succeeded. 
  One of the following four conditions occurs: 
  1. If the attacker succeeds and the defender does 
  not, the defender takes damage in the hit 
  location rolled on D20 as above.
  2. If the attacker and defender both succeed, the 
  weapon or shield of the defender is affected.
  3. If the attacker fails, but the defender successfully 
  parries with a weapon or shield, the attacker’s 
  weapon takes damage. 
  4. If neither succeeds, nothing is damaged.
  COMBAT TERMS
  Armor Points: Armor and some magic spells can reduce 
  damage. Armor absorbs an amount of damage equal to 
  the armor points present.
  Damage Done: Once armor points and the effects of any 
  parry has been subtracted from points of damage, the 
  remaining damage, if any, is the damage done to the target. 
  Damage Points: When dice are rolled to determine damage, 
  their total, plus any additions for weapon type or magic, 
  are the damage points.
  Strike Rank Modifiers: Individual modifiers based on an 
  adventurer’s DEX, SIZ, and weapon length are totaled to 
  determine the strike rank in which a melee weapon can 
  be used. Missile and thrown weapon strike ranks depend 
  only on the adventurer’s DEX. Spell strike ranks normally 
  depend on the DEX of the adventurer and the number of 
  magic points powering the spell.
  
  14
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  • Critical Success: An attack that is not parried or dodged 
  does the weapon’s full rollable damage and bypasses any 
  armor the target possesses, even if the armor is natural. If 
  a critical attack is parried, the parrying shield or weapon 
  takes the critical’s damage (maximum possible), with any 
  remaining damage going to the defender. 
  • Special Success: An attack that is not parried or dodged 
  allows the attacker to roll damage twice as normal and 
  add the results together. The target’s armor reduces the 
  amount of damage, as normal. If a special success is parried 
  successfully, the special success damage (rolled twice and 
  added together) goes to the shield or weapon, with any 
  excess damage going to the defender. 
  • Success: The attack does the normal rolled damage, reduced 
  by the target’s armor, as normal. 
  • Failure: A miss. 
  • Fumble: The attacker botched the attack, accidentally 
  throwing their weapon 1D3 meters away. 
  THE PARRY
  A defender armed with a weapon or shield may parry an attack with 
  a relevant weapon or shield skill. If successful, the parry partially or 
  completely blocks the attack. The parry should be rolled whether 
  the attack succeeded or not, for some successful parries can affect 
  a weapon used in an unsuccessful attack. Generally, only a shield 
  can parry ranged attacks, such as arrows or thrown javelins. 
  With one weapon or shield, an adventurer can attempt to 
  parry one specific attack on any strike rank of the melee round 
  in which the parrying weapon is prepared. An adventurer may 
  attempt to parry additional attacks on subsequent strike ranks at 
  a cumulative –20% penalty for each additional parry. 
  A parrying weapon can only block damage equal to the parrying 
  weapon’s current hit points. If more points of damage get through, 
  those points go on to do damage to a hit location of the defender.
   
  • Critical Success: The parrying weapon (and the defender) take 
  no damage. If a critical parry is made against a critical hit, each 
  is treated as a normal successful parry versus a normal successful 
  attack. A critical parry versus a special success is treated as a 
  special parry versus a normal successful attack. 
  • Special Success: The attack is parried and the parrying shield 
  or weapon takes no damage, nor does the defender. If the 
  attack was a critical hit, it is treated as a special success. If the 
  attack was a special success, it is treated as a normal success. 
  • Success: The attack is parried, but the parrying shield 
  or weapon loses 1 hit point. If the attack is a failure, the 
  parrying weapon or shield does its full damage against the 
  attacking weapon, breaking it if damage exceeds its weapon’s 
  current hit points. 
  • Failure: The parry fails and the attack either succeeds or 
  fails, based on the attacker’s roll. 
  • Fumble: The defender has accidentally thrown their weapon 
  or shield 1D3 meters away. 
  SHIELDS
  Shields can be used to parry or attack. A shield may not be ready 
  for use when the character is using a two-handed weapon or any 
  projectile weapon other than the sling. 
  When a shield successfully parries a successful attack, the 
  shield loses 1 hit point and the damage of the attack is absorbed 
  entirely. If the attack is a special success and the parry is successful, 
  the shield takes the damage of the special success (rolled twice 
  and added together). If the shield is reduced to 0 hit points, it is 
  entirely broken apart and useless, beyond repair. If the damage 
  of an attack exceeds the shield’s hit points, the rest is passed onto 
  the defender (usually their shield arm). 
  When used against missile weapons, a small shield protects only 
  the shield arm, a medium shield protects the shield arm and one 
  other hit location (player’s choice), and a large shield protects the 
  shield arm and two other hit locations contiguous with each other. 
  When attacking with a shield, the attacker gives up all chance 
  of parrying that round with the shield. The chance to attack is 
  identical to that for parrying. 
  DODGING
  The Dodge skill may be used to avoid a melee attack instead of 
  a parry. Dodge may be used against all attacks from one source, 
  but must be rolled separately against each attack. A successful 
  Dodge against a normal successful melee attack means that the 
  attack missed. However, a special Dodge roll is necessary against a 
  special success and a critical Dodge is necessary to avoid a critical 
  success. If the Dodge roll is fumbled, then the attacker scores an 
  automatic normal hit, unless their rolled attack is better.
  DISENGAGING FROM MELEE
  Sometimes, an adventurer may wish to disengage from melee 
  while their opponent wishes to continue. To disengage, there are 
  three options: retreat (spending one melee round to disengage, 
  doing nothing but parrying and Dodging), knockback (see page 
  15), and fleeing (turning and running, in which the attacker gets 
  one attack against the fleeing character which cannot be parried 
  or Dodged).
  RANGE
  A melee weapon is meant for close combat, 
  with the combatants no more than a 
  weapon-length apart. On the other hand, 
  missile weapons have different ranges, with 
  medium range is about half again as many 
  meters as the effective range. An adventurer 
  shooting in this range has 1/2 the 
  normal chance of hitting. 
  Long range is between the 
  limit of medium range and 
  twice effective range. An 
  adventurer shooting at long 
  range has 1/4 the normal chance 
  of hitting. Thrown weapons have 
  no effective value beyond 20 meters.
  Harmast, Son of Baranthos
  
  15
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  SPOT RULES
  The following spot rules cover combat and other situations: 
  • Aimed Blows: An attacker can pick a specific hit location to 
  strike by delaying an attack and waiting for an opening. After 
  announcing the desired hit location, the attack is delayed 
  until strike rank 12. The attack skill is halved, plus any other 
  modifiers. If successful, the blow hits where desired. This 
  applies only to melee and missile combat, not with spells.
  • Defenseless or Unaware Opponents: Add +40% to attacks 
  made against an unaware or immobilized opponent.  
  • Falling: A character takes 1D6 damage for every three meters 
  fallen, applied to a rolled hit location. A successful DEX×5 
  roll lets the faller specify the hit location they land on. Unlike 
  in combat, any damage in excess of a hit location’s hit points 
  are still applied to the falling character. Armor may offer some 
  protection, and Protection and Shield spells will always protect 
  the falling adventurer. The gamemaster may adjust damage 
  based on the relative softness of the surface fallen onto. 
  • Fighting while Prone: An attacker on the ground has half 
  their normal chance performing of successful attack, but 
  parry chance is unmodified. Ignore damage bonuses unless 
  attacking with a natural weapon (fist, kick, claws, etc.). 
  Attacks against a prone character are at +20% to hit. 
  • Fighting in the Dark: Subtract –75% from the skill rating of 
  any skills using visual perception, including attacks, made while 
  in pitch darkness. If the result is negative, the chance of success 
  is 01–05%. A torch or lamp cannot be held in one’s shield 
  hand while fighting unless the shield is not used for parrying. 
  The gamemaster may adjust this penalty for partial light. 
  • Fire: A torch is treated as a light club (15%, 1D6, HP 4, 
  SR 5) if used as a weapon. If held to a foe, target takes 1D4 
  fire damage directly to the specific hit location at the end of 
  the first melee round fire damage. If attempting to ward off 
  the flame (instead of attacking or parrying) the target has 
  a chance of its current POW×5. Protection or Shield spells 
  automatically protect against the flame. If flammable, the 
  target may continue to burn, doing 1D6 damage at the end 
  of each melee round in the affected hit location, with the 
  gamemaster determining the chance of it spreading to another 
  hit location. To douse or smothering a fire, roll the fire damage 
  for each hit location, then 1D6 for the attempt against each 
  hit location affected. The higher roll succeeds. A successful 
  extinguish roll is required for each burning hit location.
  • Grappling: A successful grapple means the rolled hit 
  location is grabbed. A parry with a weapon means the 
  weapon arm was caught instead, a parry with shield means 
  the shield has been grasped. Defense can be applied against 
  the initial attack with this skill, and a parry with fist or 
  grapple means that the hold was blocked. After a successful 
  attack, the grappler may attempt to immobilize the limb 
  grasped, or throw the foe in the next melee round. To do so 
  they must make another successful grapple attack. Failure 
  means the hold has been broken. To immobilize a limb, 
  the attacker must also succeed in a STR versus STR roll. If 
  this roll is not made, they still have hold of the limb, but 
  it is not immobilized. To throw a foe, an adventurer must 
  make a roll on the resistance table of STR+DEX versus the 
  SIZ+DEX of the foe. Again, failure of this roll means the 
  character did not manage to throw their foe, although the 
  character still maintains a grip. If thrown, an adventurer 
  must make a DEX×5 roll on D100 or suffer 1D6 damage in 
  a random hit location. Armor protects against this damage. 
  If two characters are attempting to wrestle each other, two 
  successful attacks mean they have grasped each other. Two 
  successful immobilizations (one for each) may either mean 
  nothing was accomplished (if they are contradictory) or 
  that both succeeded. Two throws cancel each other. An 
  adventurer’s attempt to immobilize should always be rolled 
  before their opponent’s attempt to throw. After the initial 
  attack (if it is successful), strike rank should be based on 
  DEX alone, without consideration of SIZ or weapon length. 
  • Helpless Opponent: A totally helpless opponent can be killed 
  with any weapon unless the attacker rolls a 96–00, which is 
  either a failure or a fumble, based on the attacker’s skill rating. 
  • Knockback: To knock an opponent down or force them 
  back the attacker must stated this intent the start of a melee 
  round, then make a successful attack with the weapon, 
  shield, or body part intending to knock the target down 
  with. The attacker’s STR+SIZ are compared with the 
  defender’s SIZ+DEX as a resistance roll (see page 6). If 
  successful, the target is knocked back 1D3 meters. A special 
  success knocks the target down (see Fighting While Prone, see 
  page 15). A critical result knocks the target down as well as 
  disarming them. The target does not take any damage from 
  the knockback itself. If the knockback is not successful, the 
  attacker must roll DEX×5 or fall. If successful, the attacker 
  is knocked back lD3 meters instead. A fumbled attempt at a 
  knockback has the normal fumble penalties. An attempt at a 
  Knockback always happens on strike rank 12. The attacker 
  may not attack in any other way, but may defend and parry 
  normally during this round.
  • Shooting at Protected Targets: The chance of hitting a foe 
  behind some form of protection, such as an arrow slit in a wall, 
  is the same as normal. However, if the hit location rolled is not 
  visible to the archer, the arrow or other missile hit the protection, 
  not the target. A critical hit hits in any case. Reroll the hit 
  location until it matches an exposed area. The above applies also 
  to melee combat over barriers, fences, castle walls, etc.
  • Shooting at Moving Targets: Movement of a target directly 
  toward or away from the archer (a general term meaning any 
  user of a missile weapon) has no effect on the probability of 
  hitting it. A target moving at an angle from the archer reduces 
  the archer’s chance by half. An evading target reduces the 
  archer’s probability by half. An evading character may only 
  move half their normal movement and may do nothing else 
  but move and evade. These effects are cumulative. 
  • Shooting into Melee: An attacker shooting into a crowded 
  melee may hit an ally. In these cases, divide the attacker’s 
  skill rating by the number of combatants in the melee. If 
  the reduced chance is a success, the attack hits the intended 
  target. If the roll is higher than the reduced roll but lower or 
  equal to than the normal skill rating, the attack hits another 
  combatant (the gamemaster should determine randomly). 
  
  16
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  • Shooting While Moving: An adventurer cannot shoot 
  while moving or dodging. The only exception to this is 
  mounted archery (see Mounted Combat, page 16). 
  • Thrown or Dropped Objects: A palm-sized object 
  balanced for throwing may be thrown 1 meter for every 
  STR point the adventurer has that exceeds its SIZ. If the 
  thrown object is unbalanced or awkward, the distance it 
  can be thrown falls off to 1 meter for every extra 3 STR 
  powering the throw. Roll DEX×5 to hit a target with a 
  casual object, doing 1D3 damage, plus half the thrower’s 
  damage bonus. For throws over 10 meters, subtract –3% for 
  every meter in excess of 10 meters. For every 3 kilograms 
  an object weighs, add 1D8 to the damage it does (round 
  down). An object can be effectively thrown by an adventurer 
  if it weighs no more kilograms than the character has STR 
  points.  Use the Falling rules (above). The damage from 
  the falling object is the same, with any necessary alteration 
  depending on the size of the object dropped. A large object 
  hits 1D6 locations at once, doing the same damage to each, 
  causing more total damage. If the object is flung downward, 
  the half damage bonus is added. The weight of the object 
  has little to do with the damage in this case.
  • Two Weapon Use: Should a character wish to wield a weapon 
  in each hand, they can be used for two attacks, two parries, 
  or one attack and one parry. Unless trained specifically, use of 
  the weapon in the “off” hand is at 1/2 the normal skill rating. 
  The second attack is made at a strike rank equal to the strike 
  rank of the first attack added to the usual strike rank for the 
  second weapon. If both strike ranks add up to more than 12, 
  then both cannot attack in one round. 
  MOUNTED COMBAT
  An adventurer can fight with weapons or use magic, while mounted 
  on a riding animal, though all skill rankings are equal to the lower 
  of the ability or the Ride skill. It is not possible to use a two-handed 
  swinging weapon while mounted. 
  The two most useful tactics in mounted combat are: the charge 
  (usually with a lance), which requires at least 20 meters of space, 
  and uses the damage bonus of the mount instead of the rider; 
  and mounted archery, which has no penalty, but is limited to 
  simple missile weapons. 
  Unless a riding animal is a trained for combat, it will not fight 
  in a battle. When riding an untrained mount, the rider must make 
  a Ride skill roll every melee round and any time the animal is 
  damaged. If the roll is unsuccessful, the character must spend the 
  next melee round calming the mount using another Ride roll, to 
  the exclusion of all else. If the roll fails or the rider does not try, 
  the animal will bolt away from the excitement.
  A trained mount will fight for itself and the rider need only sit 
  on the animal. Ride rolls are not necessary and active spells can 
  be cast. A mounted combatant striking downward with a one-
  handed weapon effectively hits only the top half of the target. Roll 
  D10+10 for hit location instead of a D20. For combatants on foot 
  striking up with a one-handed weapon at a mounted target, roll 
  for the hit location but any hit on the opposite side of the rider 
  strikes the mount instead. 
  SURVIVING COMBAT
  RuneQuest combat is deadly and presents risk to every 
  participant. Adventurers can be killed easily, and combat 
  should never be lightly entered. Here are some useful tips: 
  Always prepare before a melee. Cast defensive and 
  weapon-enhancing spells before combat if possible.
  Missile weapons are deadly. Missile weapons are useful 
  against foes, as they cannot be parried; only blocked by 
  a shield (if the target was prepared for the attack). This 
  goes both ways! 
  Armor saves lives. Even light armor can greatly increase 
  the chance of survival. Defensive magic is equally useful. 
  Casting 3 points of the Shield spell is the equivalent of 
  wearing bronze plate!
  Magic—especially Rune magic—is a game changer in 
  combat. Whether used offensively or defensively, magic 
  spells can change battlefield conditions and take foes 
  out of combat, and greatly boost one’s own capabilities. 
  Always be willing to run away. If the combat goes poorly, 
  always be willing to sound the retreat and run away! 
  Almost everyone wants to live. Not every fight need be 
  to the death. Most wild animals flee when wounded, and 
  intelligent foes might surrender. Ransoming a captured 
  foe is inevitably more lucrative than looting a corpse. 
  ENCUMBRANCE AND MOVEMENT PENALTIES
  No adventurer can carry everything. RuneQuest handles 
  Encumbrance—the effect of carrying weight as one moves—
  through a basic system measuring the weight and bulk of 
  items in “things.” For the purpose of these quickstart rules, 
  Encumbrance rules are not used, though the gamemaster 
  may wish to add a suitable penalty (–10% or higher) to 
  all skills relating to movement and physical activity for 
  adventurers that are clearly carrying too much. 
  
  17
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  DAMAGE
  Adventurers can suffer many kinds of injury: cuts and concussions 
  from weapons, burns from fires, falls, etc. This is called damage, and 
  points of damage are subtracted from hit points. Armor protects its 
  wearer by subtracting its value from the amount of damage. The rest 
  of the damage gets through, to be subtracted from the hit points of 
  the hit location struck, as well as the adventurer’s overall hit points. 
  Hit points can be restored over time, with magic, or with the First 
  Aid skill, but when a hit locations’ hit points are exceeded, or the 
  adventurer is out of hit points, bad things can happen. 
  It is important to record all damage taken by an adventurer 
  and to keep track of each separate injury!
  ARMOR
  Armor is the last barrier between an adventurer and an incoming 
  weapon, fang, or claw, absorbing damage and, keeping the wearer 
  intact. Different hit locations may bear different forms of armor. 
  Unlike weapons and shields, the armor points for armor never 
  change, even if a blow exceeds the armor points covering the hit 
  location struck. Its armor points are never reduced through damage.
  HIT LOCATIONS
  Bodies are organized into areas called hit locations. Humans have 
  seven hit locations, all listed on the adventurer sheet. Physical 
  damage usually occurs in a specific hit location; points of damage 
  are subtracted from the hit location as well as from the character’s 
  total hit points. To determine hit location, roll D20 and consult 
  the character’s hit location table (either on the adventurer sheet 
  or in their writeup). 
  RESULTS OF DAMAGE
  Anyone that has taken enough damage to reduce their total hit 
  points to 0 or less dies at the end of the combat round unless 
  Healed or otherwise brought to positive hit points. The sum of 
  hit points in all hit locations add up to more than the total hit 
  points; meaning that someone can be disabled or killed by many 
  small wounds. A character (adventurer or other) falls unconscious 
  if only 1 or 2 total hit points remain, and dies at the end of the 
  melee round if the total hit points are equal to or less than 0.
  An individual hit location can take damage beyond the actual 
  hit points in the location. The severity of the damage has different 
  effects, depending on the hit location: 
  • Damage Equals or Exceeds the Hit Location’s Hit Points: 
  Limbs become useless. Anything held in the arm is dropped. 
  If a leg or abdomen, the character calls to the ground. 
  See Fighting While Prone on page 15. If the abdomen, a 
  character can continue to fight, but if not healed or treated 
  with First Aid within ten minutes they will bleed to death. 
  If the chest, the character cannot fight and bleeding must 
  be stopped by First Aid, or they will die in 10 minutes. If in 
  the head, the character is unconscious and must be healed or 
  treated with First Aid within five minutes or die.
  • Damage Equals or 
  Exceeds Double 
  Location Hit Points: A 
  character cannot take more 
  than twice the possible 
  points of damage in an arm 
  or leg from a single blow: 
  the rest have no effect. 
  Further blows to that 
  limb affect the hit 
  points of the character. 
  The character is 
  incapacitated, in 
  shock, and can no 
  longer fight until 
  healed. They may try 
  to heal themselves. 
  If the head, chest, or 
  abdomen receive more than twice as much damage as they 
  have hit points in that location, the adventurer becomes both 
  unconscious and begins to lose 1 hit point per melee round 
  unless healed or treated with First Aid. Successful CON rolls 
  do not stop such hit point loss. 
  • Location Equals or Receives Triple Location Hit Points: 
  A limb hit for three times more points than it can take in 
  a single blow is severed or irrevocably maimed, and the 
  character is also functionally incapacitated. A head, chest, or 
  abdomen hit for three times as much damage as the character 
  has hit points in that location results in instant death.
  SEVERED AND MAIMED LIMBS
  Only a 6-point Healing spell (or its equivalent, such as Heal Wound 
  stacked with 6 magic points) applied within ten minutes can restore 
  a severed limb, assuming all parts are available. Otherwise, healing 
  magic specifically described as capable of regrowing limbs (such 
  as the Regrow Limb Rune spell) may be used to restore a severed 
  limb. However, any healing magic which restores hit points can 
  cure a maimed limb, if all the hit points are restored within ten 
  minutes. If that time limit is passed, the limb is useless, even though 
  the hit points can be restored. To get the use of the limb back, 
  the adventurer must receive magic capable of regrowing limbs.
  DEATH 
  An adventurer reaching the end of a melee round with 0 hit points is 
  dead. Upon death, the soul separates from the body, to travel through 
  the Underworld to the Court of Silence, the gateway to the afterlife. 
  Once there, the Judge of the Dead determines the soul’s fate, and 
  it departs for whatever afterlife it is assigned. Prior to judgment, it 
  is possible to resurrect an adventurer with powerful magic. After 
  judgment, only a heroquest can bring the dead back to life.
  Vasana, Daughter of Farnan
  
  18
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  HEALING
  Damage can be erased by Healing magic, the First Aid skill, or 
  by natural healing.
  • Healing Magic: A Healing spell can be used any number of 
  times to cure any injury. Thus, if an adventurer has taken a 
  7-point wound, and uses magic to cure 4 points of damage, 
  they then cure the other 3 points in the next melee round. 
  • First Aid: This skill is used to stop bleeding, restore lost hit 
  points, revive unconscious characters, etc. Use First Aid per 
  injury to a specific hit location for any living creature. It takes 
  one melee round to stop bleeding or dying of their wounds. 
  If unsuccessful, the user may try again in the next round. 
  It takes five full melee rounds of First Aid to heal damage. 
  A successful First Aid roll heals 1D3 damage to an injured 
  location. A special success heals 2D3 damage points, and a 
  critical success heals 1D3+3. One can’t heal more points of 
  damage than was taken. A fumbled First Aid causes a further 
  1D3 damage. An injury that immediately kills an adventurer 
  cannot be treated with First Aid. If anything else is done 
  during the five melee rounds in which the user performs 
  this skill, the recipient loses 2 hit points. First Aid can only 
  be used successfully once against an injury to a specific hit 
  location, but it may be tried again and again until successful. 
  • Natural Healing: All living creatures heal naturally with 
  time. The character’s healing rate dictates how many hit 
  points are recovered in each location at the end of each 
  game week. For natural healing, it is the location that 
  matters, not the number of wounds. An adventurer cannot 
  engage in strenuous activity—rest is necessary for healing! 
  As a location recovers lost hit points, the level of injury 
  improves and the speed of healing increases.
  SPIRIT MAGIC
  Spirit magic is the most basic and common magic found in Glorantha. 
  It concerns communication with the spirits that reside in the natural 
  energy currents of the world and is practiced in one form or another 
  by nearly every Gloranthan culture and religion. To cast a spirit 
  magic spell, the caster concentrates their will and alters the spiritual 
  energy currents to create an effect. This done through spending 
  magic points. For this reason, spirit magic spells (sometimes called 
  “battle magic”) while powerful, are of short duration—usually two 
  minutes—and drain many magic points from the user. 
  An adventurer has a POW×5 chance of successfully casting a spirit 
  magic spell. If the roll is unsuccessful, no magic points are expended, 
  and the adventurer may try again in the next melee round. If the 
  caster’s concentration is broken in any way before they have finished 
  with casting a spell (such as taking damage), they cannot cast the spell 
  and must try again. However, no magic points are lost in the attempt.
  All spirit magic spells are either instant or passive. Once cast, 
  the caster need pay no further attention to them and they continue 
  to work, regardless of what the caster does next. 
  THE FOCUS
  Spirit magic spells require a focus, a reminder and token of the 
  spell. Contact with the focus releases the caster’s magical energies 
  and makes the spell work. Foci can be tattoos, ritual scars, carvings, 
  trinkets, jewelry, etc. Casting a spirit magic spell without a focus 
  takes two melee rounds, the first round spent in visualization of 
  the spell’s focus and its intended target. Runes may even be carved 
  into the intended target of the spell, such as weapon. 
  MAGIC POINTS
  Magic points represent the quantity of life energy that an adventurer 
  can use to cast spells. They are expended when casting spells. Every 
  spell costs a certain number of magic points to cast, but some spells can 
  have additional magic pointed added to overcome a Countermagic or 
  Shield spell. Additional points put into a spell do not count for the spell’s 
  effect, but are considered when opposing or overcoming other spells. 
  An adventurer with 0 magic points falls unconscious until 
  their magic points return to a positive value. Magic points are 
  normally regained at the rate of 1⁄4 the character’s total POW 
  every six hours, but can also be regained more rapidly through 
  successful use of the Meditate skill (see below). 
  RESISTANCE ROLL
  All targets, except voluntary ones, resist spells cast at them and 
  need to be overcome (POW against POW) using the resistance 
  table on see page 6. An adventurer may try to augment their 
  chance of success with the resistance roll by using an appropriate 
  spell or through use of the Meditate skill (see, Meditation sidebar).
  I NEED HEALING!
  At some point, an adventurer will need healing during or 
  after taking damage. These are the options:
  A lot of healing fast: Cast Heal Wound (a common 1-point 
  Rune spell) stacked with as many magic points as can be 
  spared. Or cast Heal Body (a 3-point Rune spell).
  A little healing fast: Cast the spirit magic Healing spell. It 
  might not be enough to fix a deadly wound, but it might 
  be enough to restore use of an incapacitated limb. Or 
  drink a healing potion if one is available. 
  A little healing slowly: Use the First Aid skill. It takes 
  5 full melee rounds and only heals a small amount of 
  damage but has no magical cost. Each use can fix one 
  specific injury. 
  You need healing but aren’t in a rush: Get some bed rest 
  and let natural healing take care of it.
  
  19
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Spell
  Cost
  Type
  Description
  Befuddle
  2
  R, D
  Target confused and can only defend until actually attacked.
  Bladesharp
  Var.
  T, D
  Adds +5% to hit and +1 damage per point.
  Countermagic
  Var.
  R, D
  Blocks 1 point of spirit magic for every point of Countermagic or 1 point of Rune 
  magic per every 2 points of Countermagic.
  Demoralize
  2
  R, D
  Target will try to retreat if possible; if not, target attacks at half chance.
  Detect Enemies
  1
  R, I
  Points to the closest entity intending harm.
  Detect Life
  1
  R, I
  Points to the nearest living creature of SIZ 3 or larger.
  Detect Spirit
  1
  R, I
  Points to the nearest disembodied spirit.
  Dispel Magic
  1
  R, I
  Cancels 1 point of cast spirit magic per point of Dispel Magic or 1 point of Rune 
  magic per every 2 points of Dispel Magic.
  Distraction
  1
  R, I
  Forces targeted spirit to attack the caster instead of anyone else.
  Fanaticism
  1
  R, D
  Target increases their chance to hit by half again, but cannot parry. Dodge is 
  halved.
  Farsee
  Var.
  R, D
  Each magic point halves the apparent distance as seen by the caster to the rest 
  of the universe.
  Glamour
  2
  T, D
  Increases CHA by +8. Increases spirit combat damage by one step,  
  increases all communication and magic skills by +10%.
  Heal
  Var.
  T, I
  Each magic point heals 1 hit point in a designated area. Can be used multiple 
  times.
  Mobility
  1
  R, D
  Doubles the Movement speed of the target and reduces their strike rank by 1.
  Protection
  Var.
  R, D
  Each magic point acts as 1 armor point to the whole body.
  Second Sight
  3
  R, D
  Allows the target to view the POW aura of living beings and spirits, and gauge 
  their relative strength.
  Slow
  1
  R, D
  Halves the Movement speed of the target and adds 1 to their strike rank.
  Spirit Screen
  Var.
  R, D
  Each magic point absorbs 1 point of spiritual damage in spirit combat.
  Strength
  2
  T, D
  Increases target’s STR by +8, increasing damage bonus by one step (0 to 1D4, 1D4 
  to 1D6, 1D6 to 2D6) and increasing all Agility and Manipulation skills by +10%.
  Visibility
  2
  S, D
  Forces a spirit to take shape in this world and makes it subject to spells.  
  See Spirit Combat, below. 
  Type: T (Touch), R (Ranged), I (Instant), D (Lasts 5 minutes)
  SPIRIT MAGIC SUMMARY
  SPIRIT COMBAT
  Spirit combat plays a huge part of adventuring in Glorantha, 
  but is too complex to fully describe in these quickstart rules. 
  The optional downloadable assistant shaman adventurer 
  includes lengthier rules about the Spirit World and spirit 
  combat, but an abbreviated version is presented here.  
  Only discorporate beings can initiate spirit combat. 
  Spirit combat is always resolved on strike rank 12 with an 
  opposed Spirit Combat skill roll. 
  Success means the loser suffers the winner’s spirit combat 
  damage, applied to magic points. In a tie, both parties take 
  damage. Special and critical successes are treated the same 
  as with weapons. 
  Spirit combat ends when one party is reduced to 0 magic 
  points, or flees, using the Spirit Dance skill. 
  Attacks against spirits from the physical world are resolved 
  on normal strike ranks. Other than spirit combat, only 
  spells and the magical effects laid on weapons magical 
  weapons can harm them, reducing their magic points in 
  place of hit points. 
  
  20
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  SPELL STRIKE RANK
  To determine the strike rank when a spell can be cast, total the 
  caster’s DEX strike rank plus the magic points of the spell, plus 
  any boosting magic points. The total is the strike rank of the spell. 
  RANGE
  Spirit magic has two ranges: touch (the caster must touch the 
  target) and ranged (50 meters). For touch spells, touching the 
  clothing or armor of the target is usually sufficient unless the spell 
  description declares otherwise.
  DURATION
  The duration is how long the effects of the spell last, from the strike 
  rank the spell was cast. All temporal spells last five minutes (25 
  melee rounds). Instant spells cause effects only on the strike rank 
  on which they were cast. Certain spells have permanent effects. 
  RUNE MAGIC
  An initiate of a cult can cast the Rune spells known 
  to that cult. The caster relies on power supplied by 
  that god to cast the spell. When an adventurer casts 
  Rune magic, the caster acts as the deity. The caster 
  imitates the deeds of the deity and thereby evokes 
  the deity’s power. The caster always exhibits some 
  form of manifestation of the deity while casting 
  the spell: they might appear to grow larger, 
  burn with an inner glow, crackle lightning 
  from the fingertips, or even start to 
  physically resemble the deity. The 
  more Rune magic cast, the more 
  the deity manifests in the world.
  RUNE POINTS
  Characters possess Rune points, earned from making permanent 
  sacrifices of POW to their god, enabling access to their cult’s Rune 
  magic. Once spent, Rune points must be replenished before they 
  can be used again. They may only be replenished through worship 
  of the deity on a holy day and participation in cult rites. 
  CASTING RUNE SPELLS
  To cast a Rune spell, during the Statement of Intent the player must 
  say what spell is being cast and at which target(s). The adventurer 
  must have sufficient Rune points to cast the spell—the cost of 
  each spell is given in the spell descriptions (following). The caster 
  recites the invocation to the god, either aloud or in the mind, 
  after which the spell takes effect. Rune magic spells always take 
  effect at strike rank 1.
  The adventurer must then roll against the Rune affinity of 
  that spell. If the roll succeeds, then the spell takes effect, and the 
  Rune points are spent. If the roll is a critical, the spell costs no 
  Rune points.
  If the casting success roll is greater than the Rune affinity, the 
  spell is not cast and the Rune points are not spent. If the adventurer 
  was boosting the spell with additional magic points, they lose 1 
  magic point. On a fumble, the spell fails and the adventurer loses 
  the Rune points for the spell.
  Casting a Rune magic spell prevents an adventurer from casting 
  any other Rune magic or spirit magic spells that round. The sole 
  exceptions are Extension, which is cast at the same time as the spell 
  it is intended to extend, and Illusion spells. For more information, 
  see the description of these Rune spells.
  RESISTANCE ROLL
  Many spells require the caster overcome the target’s POW using a 
  resistance roll (see page 6). An adventurer may try to augment their 
  chance of success with the resistance roll by using an appropriate spell 
  or through meditation (see Increasing the Casting Chance, nearby).
  BOOSTING A SPELL
  A caster may always use additional magic points to boost a spell, 
  regardless of type. This is typically done to overcome a Countermagic 
  or Shield spell, or other magic defenses. 
  STACKABLE RUNE MAGIC
  All Rune magic spells have an initial Rune point cost 
  that allows one casting of the spell. Rune magic spells 
  can be stacked (combining several castings into one) if 
  the spell is described as stackable. This provides a much 
  more powerful effect when the spell is cast. There may 
  be a ceiling to the maximum allowed to be cast together. 
  All of the Rune points are cast at one target, in a single 
  melee round and take effect at strike rank 1.
  MEDITATION
  An adventurer can successfully Meditate uninterrupted for 
  one full hour, attempting no other skill rolls, making any 
  movement, or communicating in any way. No spellcasting 
  may be attempted, and if the gamemaster determines that a 
  distraction might be enough to disturb the Meditation attempt, 
  the adventurer must perform a successful POW×3 roll to resist 
  being distracted from the Meditation attempt. A successful 
  Meditation skill roll yields the adventurer 1 additional magic 
  point, in addition to any restored through normal rest and 
  recuperation. A special success rewards the adventurer with 
  1D3 and a critical success yields 1D3+1 magic points. If the 
  roll fails, the adventurer recovers no additional magic points, 
  and a fumble causes the loss of 1D3 additional magic points. 
  Vostor, Son of Pyjeem
  
  21
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  CHARACTERISTICS OF RUNE SPELLS
  Unless the spell description says otherwise, all Rune magic spells 
  are passive with a duration of 15 minutes and a range of 160 
  meters. A Rune magic spell is always twice as strong as a spirit 
  magic spell of the point cost. Thus, it takes 2 points of Dispel 
  Magic to dispel a 1-point Rune magic spell.
  INCREASING THE CASTING CHANCE 
  There are various means of increasing the chance of casting a spell, 
  whether Rune or spirit magic. The most important are meditation, 
  ritual practices, and augmenting with skills. 
  • Meditation: sole purpose of this meditation is the casting 
  of the spell, and does not yield additional magic points. 
  While meditating, the adventurer can take no other action. 
  If injured, roll INT×3 or the concentration is broken and 
  the character must start over to get the bonus. If the roll is 
  successful, the adventurer gets the bonus. 
  • Ritual Practices: These take on many forms, but allow the 
  caster’s spiritual energy to be focused, to increase the chance 
  of success. Although the magician can eat and sleep during 
  while performing the ritual practices, they can do little 
  else. If they take time away from their ritual practices to do 
  something else (adventure, get sick, give birth, etc.), that 
  time is deducted from the actual time spent in ritual. The 
  spell casting is rolled at the completion of the ritual. If the 
  roll succeeds, the spell is cast and any magic points or Rune 
  points used in the spell are spent.
  • Augmenting with Skills: Skills such as Dance, Sing, 
  Perform, Speak Magical Language, etc. may be used to 
  help improve casting chances, as with other abilities (see 
  Augmenting Abilities, page 2). If only 1 melee round is 
  spent performing the skill, the chance of success with 
  the augmenting skill is halved. If the character spends 2 
  melee rounds performing the skill, the chance of success is 
  normal. As with Meditation (above), distraction can cause 
  the augment to fail. 
  The following table shows these benefits: 
  INCREASING SPELLCASTING CHANCE
  Bonus
  Meditation
  Ritual
  +5%
  1 melee round
  —
  +10%
  2 melee rounds
  —
  +15%
  5 melee rounds
  —
  +20%
  25 melee rounds
  —
  +25%
  50 melee rounds
  —
  +30%
  —
  30 minutes
  +35%
  —
  1 hour
  +40%
  —
  5 hours
  +45%
  —
  10 hours
  +50%
  —
  1 day
  ABOUT GLORANTHA AND RUNEQUEST
  Glorantha is a mythic heroic fantasy setting created by 
  Greg Stafford beginning in 1966 and first published in 
  the strategy boardgame White Bear, Red Moon in 1975, 
  published by Chaosium. It is a world with a deep and rich 
  setting, drawing influence from the Bronze Age and other 
  ancient world cultures and mythologies.
  To better bring the world to life, Glorantha became the 
  setting for a roleplaying game, RuneQuest, published in 1978, 
  also from Chaosium. In the five decades since its creation, 
  hundreds of works—games, stories, novels, card games, 
  board games, computer games, etc.—have fleshed out 
  and portrayed the world of Glorantha, firmly establishing 
  it as one of the most popular original game settings ever. 
  RuneQuest’s percentile-based rules system has been used 
  to drive many other wildly-successful games, including 
  Stormbringer, ElfQuest, Ringworld, and most notably 
  Call of Cthulhu, itself one of the most popular roleplaying 
  games worldwide. RuneQuest’s simple, intuitive system 
  (also called Basic Roleplaying) has directly inspired other 
  games, including HeroQuest and King Arthur Pendragon, 
  and been influential to dozens, if not hundreds more games 
  and their designs.  
  Over the years, several editions of RuneQuest have 
  appeared (some under other imprints) but this marks a return 
  to Glorantha being inextricably melded with the RuneQuest 
  system. The rules used in this quickstart are a direct evolution 
  from the second and third editions of the rules and should 
  be the most familiar to players of those editions. 
  Chaosium, Inc. is proud to announce that this version of 
  RuneQuest has been designed in close collaboration with 
  the creator of Glorantha and the original RuneQuest writers 
  and designers, bringing this edition full circle. 
  MAXIMUM GAME FUN
  When writing, thinking, and gaming about Glorantha, 
  always ask yourself, “Now, in this situation what is the 
  most fun?” and then go with it. That’s the principle of 
  Maximum Game Fun (MGF). Keep this in mind whenever 
  you apply the rules of RuneQuest to any situation. 
  
  22
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  RUNE SPELL DESCRIPTIONS 
  The following Rune spells are provided for the adventurers and characters in this quickstart. Many more exist. Each spell is described 
  in the following fashion: 
  • Rune: The Rune associated with the spell. To cast the spell, roll this Rune’s affinity. “Special” means that the spell uses different 
  Runes, depending on what cult it was learned from. 
  • Name: The name of the spell. 
  • (God): The god whose cult the spell was learned from. “Any” means that all cults know the spell. 
  • Description: The spell’s effect, potential targets, and other information. 
  • Cost: The number after the spell’s description is the Rune points the spell costs to cast. “Var.” = variable. 
  • Type: T=Touch, R=Range is 160 meters, I=Instant, D=Lasts 15 minutes, A=Active
  Rune
  Spell
  e 
  Absorption (Ernalda) – Each point absorbs 1 point Rune magic or 2 points spirit magic, converting them 
  into magic points. Var., R, D
  y
  Analyze Magic (Lhankor Mhy) – Gives a true statement about at least one function of a single magical 
  item, entity, or substance. 1, T, I
  e 
  Arouse Passion (Ernalda) – Adds +20% to one of the target’s passions, can create a new temporary passion 
  at 20%. Each point stacked adds +20% to the passion. Var. R, D
  x 
  Charisma (Ernalda) – Doubles target’s CHA and adds +20% to all communication and magic skills. 1, R, D
  y 
  Clairvoyance (Lhankor Mhy) – Lets the caster see any location within 5 km as if they were there. The caster 
  must have previously been to the location. 2, R (5 km), D
  Special
  Command Cult Spirit (All) – Enables the caster to command any of their cult’s spirits if they overcome its 
  POW. 2, R, D
  s 
  Dark Walk (Orlanth) – Allows the user to be totally invisible and soundless in darkness and shadow to 
  anyone within range. 1, R, D
  y 
  Detect Truth (Lhankor Mhy) – Allows the caster to tell whether anyone within a five-meter radius of the 
  spell’s target site is lying. 1, R, D
  Any
  Dismiss Magic (All) – Each point cancels 2 points of spirit magic or 1 point of Rune magic. Var., R, I
  Special
  Dismiss Elemental (Ernalda/earth, Orlanth/air, Seven Mothers/all but air, Waha/earth) – Dismisses an 
  elemental of the type listed. With 1 Rune point, the caster can try to dismiss a small elemental. With 2 
  Rune points, the caster can try to dismiss a medium or small elemental. With 3 Rune points, the caster can 
  try to dismiss a large, medium, or small elemental. The caster of the spell must overcome the POW of the 
  elemental for the spell to work. R, I
  Any
  Divination (All) – Allows the caster to ask a simple question of their deity and receive an answer of up to 
  seven words. One hour to cast. 1
  g 
  Earth Shield (Orlanth) – Gives a shield infinite armor points for the duration. 3, T, D
  e 
  Earthpower (Ernalda) – Draw 1 point of POW and 1D8 magic points from the earth. 3, Self, I, D
  Any
  Extension (All) – Affects the duration of another spell. For 1 point, the other spell lasts an hour. For 2 
  points, a day. For 3 points it lasts a week. 1, Spec.
  Any
  Find Enemy (All) – Alerts the caster to anyone within range that intends to harm the caster. 1, R, D
  gs 
  Flight (Orlanth, Issaries) – Transports one object (including caster) weighing up to SIZ 6 through the air for 
  duration of the spell. Each extra point adds +6 to SIZ. Flying objects have Movement 12. Var., R, D
  ex 
  Heal Body (Ernalda) – Heals all a character’s damage, regardless of hit location(s). 3, T, I
  Any
  Heal Wound (All) – Heals hit points equal to the magic points spent. 1, T, I
  
  23
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Rune
  Spell
  ex 
  Inviolable (Ernalda) – Affects any Ernalda or Orlanth cultist within 3 meters of the caster. Cancels 
  Demoralize, Fanaticism, and other emotion-affecting magic on eligible targets. Those affected will become 
  calm and avoid violence if possible. 1, Self, D
  y 
  Knowledge (Lhankor Mhy) – Allows the caster to read the past history of an item. 2, T, D
  s 
  Leap (Orlanth) – Allows the target to jump up to 6 meters high or 6 meters away for the spell’s duration. 
  Each additional point adds +6 meters to the distance. Var., R, D
  g 
  Lightning (Orlanth) – Summons a blast of lightning, doing 1D6 per point cast to a single hit location if the 
  target’s POW is overcome. Armor does not protect against the damage. Var., R, I
  ls 
  Lock (Issaries) – This spell locks a door or other opening with a STR equal to the number of magic points 
  used. Takes an hour to cast, but lasts 8 weeks. 1, Spec.
  /
  Madness (Seven Mothers) – If the target’s POW is overcome by the caster, the target suffers effects 
  based on the success: Critical: Target goes insane for 30 minus POW days. Special Success: Target attacks 
  nearest person as if Fanatic for the next 30–POW minutes. Success: Victim collapses for 30–POW minutes 
  and cannot be awakened. Failure/Fumble: No effect. 2, R, I
  /
  Mindblast (Seven Mothers) – Destroys the INT of the target if the caster overcomes the target’s POW. 
  Effect lasts a number of days equal to 1/2 the caster’s POW (rounded up), and cannot be dispelled. If the 
  caster achieves a special success in overcoming the target’s POW the attack also causes 1D6+2 damage to 
  the target’s head. Armor does not protect against this damage, though magical protection will. 2, R, I
  y 
  Mind Read (Lhankor Mhy) – Lets the caster read the conscious thoughts of the target without their 
  consent, though the target can tell there is an intruder in their mind. The caster must overcome the target’s 
  POW for the spell to operate. 2, R, D
  g 
  Mist Cloud (Orlanth) – Creates a bubble of natural-looking mist 2 meters in diameter for every Rune point 
  expended with the spell. Visibility within or through the mist is limited to 1 meter. Var., R, D
  Any
  Multispell (All) – Allows the user to combine two spirit magic spells and cast them at once. This spell 
  affects all spells cast by the recipient over the duration: thus every melee round, the recipient can cast two 
  spirit magic spells. 1, Self, D
  s 
  Passage (Issaries) – Must be cast with Lock. Each point allows one additional person to pass through or 
  open the enspelled aperture besides the caster. 1, Spec.
  s 
  Path Watch (Issaries) – Must be laid upon a known path or visible road to be traveled on by the caster. 
  Alerts the user to the direction and number (though not type) of all enemies and traps within a 100-meter 
  radius. Lasts as long as the road lasts and as long as the caster stays awake. 2, S, D
  y 
  Reconstruction (Lhankor Mhy) – Causes any 15-minute sequence from the past to replay for the caster’s 
  senses, as long as they are in the immediate area in which it took place. The user must state the time and 
  date of the vision. 3, R, D
  / 
  Reflection (Seven Mothers) –  Reflects spells which fail to overcome the POW of the protected being. The 
  next strike rank, the reflected spells attack their caster. The POW of the reflected attack spell are equal to the 
  caster’s at the time the spell was originally cast. Each point stacked with this spell reflects 2 points of spirit 
  magic, or 1 point of Rune magic. Reflection does not work if the incoming spell is too powerful. Var., R, D
  /x 
  Regrow Limb (Ernalda, Seven Mothers) – Regrows a severed or maimed limb. 2, T, I
  l 
  Safe (Issaries) – Cast upon a container or opening to bar unwanted passage, and must be boosted with 
  magic points. When anyone other than the caster tries to open the secured container or cross a doorway 
  with this spell, they are attacked by the spell’s magic points. If the trespasser’s POW is overcome, they 
  take 1D6 points of hit point damage and are forced back. Lasts 8 weeks. 2, T, Spec.
  gt 
  Shield (Orlanth, Waha) – Every point of Shield gives the wearer 2 points of magical armor and 2 points 
  of Countermagic (equivalent to the spirit magic spell, see page 19). The effects are cumulative with 
  Protection or Countermagic. Var., R, D
  
  24
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Rune
  Spell
  Any
  Soul Sight (All) – Allows the recipient to see both the POW aura of the living and to magically know the 
  actual current magic points of other things and creatures, including the amount devoted to currently 
  in-effect spells. 1, R, D
  l 
  Spell Trading (Issaries) – Allows the caster to trade one use of any Rune magic (except this one!) in 
  exchange for one use of any Rune spell known by another priest of any cult. 2, T, I
  Any
  Spirit Block (All) – Helps protect the recipient from attack by spirits. Each point of this spell acts as spiritual 
  armor and absorbs 2 points of magic point damage in spirit combat. Var., R, D
  Special
  Summon Elemental (Ernalda/earth, Orlanth/air, Seven Mothers/all but air, Waha/earth) – Caster asks 
  the deity to send an elemental of this type. Elementals come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. 
  The elemental’s size depends on how many Rune points are stacked with the spell (and is limited by the 
  maximum size of elemental is available to the cult). Once summoned, the elemental serves the summoning 
  character until it is physically destroyed, or 15 minutes have passed, whichever comes first. Var., R, D
  s 
  Teleportation (Orlanth) – The caster can teleport to any spot that can be seen, either on their own, or 
  through the eyes of an allied spirit. Each additional Rune point enables one extra living thing to be 
  teleported at the same time, provided they are touching the caster. 3+, T, I
  y 
  Translate (Lhankor Mhy) – Translates all words touched by the user’s index finger at normal reading speed, 
  leaving an impression of the meaning afterwards. 1, T, D
  y 
  Truespeak (Lhankor Mhy) – Compels the target to speak nothing but the truth for the duration, answering 
  all questions in a literal manner. The caster must overcome the target’s POW with each question. 2, R,,D
  gs
  Wind Words (Orlanth) – Causes the wind to bring conversations to the caster’s ears, as if standing next to 
  the speaker. 1, R, D
  
  25
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  GETTING STARTED 
  To play this adventure, you, the gamemaster, should 
  hand out the pregenerated character sheets (pages 
  42–47), assigning them as desired. You should have 
  at least one set of dice as described on page 1, and 
  something to write with. Copies of the spell lists on 
  pages 22-24 are also advised. The map on page 27 is 
  also useful as a handout, but not essential. 
  INTRODUCING GLORANTHA
  If the players are unfamiliar with Glorantha, the 
  gamemaster should read or paraphrase the following 
  text aloud to the players, establishing the tone of 
  the adventure and providing a brief overview of 
  Glorantha and the setting. 
  Welcome to Glorantha, a mythic place of heroes and 
  gods, where people hold allegiance to tribe, city, and 
  cult, not to abstract alignments or ideologies. Although 
  humanity is the dominant species, their dominance is 
  due only to the quarrelling of the Elder Races, who still 
  rule large parts of the world.
  In Glorantha, the gods and goddesses are real, and 
  through their cults they play an important role in most 
  major events. Would-be heroes of the age are known as 
  adventurers, and each is tied to several of the Runes, 
  cosmic powers that define Glorantha and are likewise 
  manifested by the gods. Powerful deities are associated 
  with the Sun, Earth, Air, Water, Darkness, and the 
  Moon, as well as with Death, Life, Change, Stasis, 
  Illusion, Truth, Disorder, and Harmony, and each has 
  its Rune. Adventurers join the cults of their gods, from 
  which they get magic and aid. 
  Adventurers are participating and active members 
  of society, whether clan, tribe, city, or other community. 
  They have duties, loyalties, and conflicts beyond being 
  mere freebooters, with ties to the world of Glorantha and 
  the Runes as deep as they are profound. As adventurers 
  advance within their cults, they strengthen their 
  connection to the Runes, gaining power and questing 
  towards becoming true Heroes. 
  One of the most important places in Glorantha 
  is Dragon Pass. Beset by conflict and blessed with 
  opportunity, it is an extremely magical place, the center 
  of many of the world’s great myths. Dragon Pass is 
  prophesied to be the site of the great, apocalyptic series of 
  events called the Hero Wars. A recent revolution against 
  the occupying Lunar Empire has left many of the cities 
  of Dragon Pass in ruins. Nobles, cults, and clans vie for 
  power and authority in their wake, and its liberators 
  struggle to rebuild and reclaim that which was lost. 
  OPENING SCENE
  Read the following text aloud to the players: 
  You’ve been on the road for a couple of days, riding 
  in pursuit of the thieves that stole a large portion of your 
  tribe’s cattle—one of its greatest sources of wealth. In the 
  course of this heinous crime, they slew two of your kin 
  and wounded another: simple herders, not even tribal 
  warriors. Zarah, your clan-chieftain’s wife set you—her 
  boldest and most able-bodied allies—to follow, recover 
  the cattle, and exact retribution for the insult. 
  One of your injured kinsfolk recognized members 
  of the Greydog clan among the raiders, particularly a 
  man named Danakos, an ambitious and bitter Greydog. 
  The raiders’ path led in the direction of Lismelder tribal 
  land, specifically to the Greydog’s home village. 
  At this point, it would be useful for the players to 
  introduce their adventurer, if they have not already 
  done so. Each pre-generated adventurer sheet contains 
  a short introduction encapsulating the core information 
  about the adventurer in their own words, and the 
  players should be encouraged to read or paraphrase 
  these, getting into character as much as desired. 
  Some of the pre-generated adventurer sheets 
  mention prior connections and relationships between 
  the adventurers, and the gamemaster may ask the 
  players to expand on these, letting everyone settle 
  into their roles. Not everyone needs to get along all 
  the time, and friendly rivalries or uncertain loyalties 
  can add roleplaying opportunities galore.
  The adventurers are assumed to have food, drink, 
  and adequate supplies for a few days, and any personal 
  effects needed. 
  THE  
  BROKEN TOWER
  The Broken Tower 
  quickstart adventure 
  introduces the world 
  of Glorantha and the 
  RuneQuest system, 
  and is intended to be 
  played with a group 
  of 3–5 players and 
  one gamemaster. The 
  quickstart is written 
  to enable players and 
  the gamemaster alike 
  to immediately become 
  immersed in Glorantha 
  and the RuneQuest 
  rules system, by 
  introducing game rules 
  when they become 
  necessary, rather than 
  all at once. 
  If desired, an 
  additional pregenerated 
  adventurer—an 
  assistant shaman 
  and the supporting 
  rules—is available at 
  www.chaosium.com/
  runequest. 
  
  26
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  THE BADLANDS OF THE STARFIRE RIDGE
  The area the adventurers are in is known by both Colymar and 
  Lismelder tribes as “the badlands”, located at the southernmost reaches 
  of the Starfire Ridge, a region almost entirely empty of settlements. 
  Rough and rubble-strewn ground and patchy grasses stretch on as 
  far as the eye can see, broken occasionally by low hills, small ragged 
  copses of trees, jagged rocky formations that bear unreadable and 
  mostly-eroded carvings, and small pools of generally stagnant, muddy 
  water. Eventually, the hills blend into the foothills and mountains 
  of the Starfire Range. Half-buried walls and foundations of long-
  vanished civilizations point at an age the land was more habitable. Old 
  burial mounds, cairns, and dolmen (single-chamber tombs made of 
  stone slabs) dot the land, alone and in clusters, mostly broken open 
  long ago. Standing stones abound, menhir and markers broken and 
  re-carved over the years, but mostly ignored. 
  Unlike the rich and verdant lands elsewhere in Dragon Pass, 
  held by the various tribes, the badlands can support little life, 
  thousands of acres of useless land, generally left alone. None of 
  the adventurers have been here before. There are plenty of places 
  in Glorantha called badlands: this is another of them. 
  What the Adventurers Know
  The gamemaster should allow the players to ask any relevant 
  questions they might have, answering any obvious questions 
  about common knowledge (provided in the bullet points below), 
  and asking for skill rolls to provide other information, where 
  applicable. It’s generally a good idea to only provide info if it’s 
  asked for, to avoid overloading the players with detail that might 
  not be important to them. 
  • Your clan chief is Baranthos son of Estavos (father of the 
  adventurer Harmast), and he is away at a trade-time festival 
  at the Sun Dome Temple, along with many other nobles 
  and landowners of your village, along with a protective force 
  of warriors. His wife Zarah is in charge while he is away, 
  and she asked you to do this deed. If Harmast is among the 
  adventurers, as her son he is beholden to obey her. 
  • When the herders did not return with the cattle, Zarah sent a 
  runner. The runner went to the pastures and found the herders 
  lying on the ground in a row, two dead and the last nearly so. 
  • The injured herder is named Berra. She claims that while 
  watching the herd as they grazed a couple of kilometers 
  from the village, they were ambushed. Her fellow herders 
  (Endach and Datha) were killed, and Berra was left for dead. 
  She recognized Danakos son of Egrost as the one who stuck 
  a spear through her belly, and said that the other Greydogs 
  were surprised at Danakos’ actions. 
  • The Greydog clan is a part of the Lismelder Tribe, longtime 
  rivals to the Colymar Tribe (the adventurers’ own tribal 
  affiliation). The Greydogs contest ownership of the Starfire 
  Ridge with the clans of the Colymar Tribe. The Greydogs 
  WHAT’S GOING ON?
  This information is for the gamemaster, and should not be 
  read to the players. 
  The Greydog clan, part of the Lismelder tribe, are bitter 
  rivals to the Colymar tribe (which the adventurers belong or 
  currently have loyalty to). One of the Greydogs is a particularly 
  ambitious warrior named Danakos Son of Egrost, a man 
  with longstanding grievances against the Colymar. When 
  the clan chief and nobles among his tribe went to the Sun 
  Dome Temple for a trader-time festival between many of 
  the clans, Danakos decided that this was his chance to steal 
  from the Colymar any cattle that had not been taken to the 
  market. A dominating bully, Danakos quickly convinced a 
  group of his rogues to accompany him on this raid. 
  The Greydogs crossed the badlands, sneaking into 
  Colymar land, and found the herd and its tenders. His allies 
  had thought they were just there for theft, and became 
  angry when, rather than just tying them up or knocking 
  them out, Danakos murdered the herders. After a brief 
  argument, they took sixty Colymar cattle, as they were 
  already past the point where they could return empty-
  handed. Unbeknownst to them, one of the herders, Berra, 
  survived her wound. 
  Bickering and sullen as they made their way home, 
  on their first night of camping with the stolen herd, the 
  Greydogs encountered a mysterious woman, wandering 
  the plains. Unfortunately for these cattle-thieves, this was 
  no mere woman, but was the spirit projection of Idrima, 
  an old demon goddess from the First Age, long interred 
  beneath an old ruin within the adjacent forest. She was 
  once worshipped in these badlands, and her temple lies 
  in ruins nearby. Dotting the landscape are totem-idols to 
  her, though most have worn away and are unrecognizable, 
  many defaced and pushed over by those who came later. 
  Idrima still slumbered, lost in a torpor that has lasted 
  millennia, but the thunder of the cattle and the promise of 
  so much meat and blood drove her to partial wakefulness. 
  She sent out one of her dream-wefts, a spirit-being spun 
  of ethereal spirit-stuff and housing her consciousness, 
  anchored to her few idols that still dotted the land. She found 
  the Greydog camp and the herd, and enthralled Danakos, 
  binding him to her will. 
  Danakos was enthralled by Idrima, and sought to deliver 
  and sacrifice the stolen cattle to her. One of his loyalists 
  balked, and he killed her, bullying the others into submission. 
  They broke camp and rode into the ruins, stabling the cattle 
  there, and entered the ancient tomb, led by their possessed 
  kinsman. Their fates were grim. 
  Aside from Danakos, only one of the Greydogs is still 
  alive, though insane and hiding from her clan-mate. In the 
  meantime, Danakos is readying a ritual to awaken the old 
  demon-goddess, feeding it offerings in the form of a herd 
  of prized Colymar cattle. 
  
  27
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  likely used the trade-time festival as 
  an opportunity to raid against their 
  distant neighbors, undoubtedly in 
  return for some past offense.
  The above is common knowledge. To 
  emphasize how dastardly these events 
  were, the gamemaster might ask if any 
  of the adventurers if they are friendly or 
  even related to any of the herders. Such 
  an outrage might allow an adventurer 
  to invoke their Loyalty (Colymar Tribe) 
  passion to augment a skill during the 
  events to come. 
  If the adventurers want to know more, 
  the gamemaster should have them roll for 
  suitable skills. 
  • A successful Area Lore (Dragon 
  Pass) roll reveals that the Greydog 
  named Danakos son of Ergost is 
  a troublemaker. A special success 
  reveals that he has hassled members 
  of the Colymar tribe at various 
  festivals, and picked several fights. A 
  critical success causes the adventurer 
  to remember that he had a cousin in 
  the Colymar tribe through marriage, 
  a cousin he killed in a drunken duel. 
  Forced to pay restitution by the 
  Lismelders, his own tribe, Danakos 
  was ruined, and has irrationally 
  hated the Colymar, blaming them 
  for his misfortune. 
  • If an adventurer says that they 
  examined the pasture before heading 
  out, and makes a successful Track 
  roll, they know that a half-dozen 
  Greydogs took the cattle, judging 
  from the tracks. A special success reveals that for some 
  reason, they got into a scuffle near the bodies, then left. 
  A critical success allows the tracker to later identify the 
  murderer’s boot-print. 
  When the players are ready to continue, the gamemaster can 
  read or paraphrase the following: 
  The bandits were easy enough to follow—as it is impossible to 
  disguise the path of three score cattle—but they took a strange detour 
  northward, into these badlands where neither of your clans cares to 
  venture. The grey and sullen sky overhead gives you no comfort in 
  this bleak place, and any hope you had of returning home in fair 
  weather is gone. Occasional drops of rain spatter upon you, and 
  rumbling to the south indicates an oncoming storm. 
  Following the cattle-thieves’ path, you have come across a 
  disquieting sight… 
  The gamemaster should ask the adventurers each to attempt 
  a Scan roll. Success means that the adventurers see a humanoid 
  figure sprawled face-down on the ground several hundreds of 
  meters to the north, lying amidst the vast swath of earth churned 
  by cattle hoof-prints. A special or critical success reveals a small 
  murder of crows pecking at the exposed flesh, indicating that the 
  figure is quite dead. If no one succeeds in the Scan roll, they will 
  stumble across the body as they follow the cattle’s trail.
  ONCE A KIN-SLAYER… 
  Approaching the body and looking closer reveals the body reveals 
  that it is a human female, dark haired with brown eyes. A member 
  of the Greydog clan, she is clad in the blue-edged woolen tunic 
  characteristic to their weavers. Shooing the crows away, the adventurers 
  can examine the body closer. Doing so, they learn that the woman’s 
  throat was cut, and she has nothing of value, the leather cords 
  holding her coin-purse severed, and any weapons she carried have 
  been taken. Only a small eating-knife is sheathed at her belt. Nearby 
  her corpse is a ring of stones with the remnants of a fire. 
  
  28
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  A successful Track roll shows that she was killed, probably sitting 
  at the fire, and was dragged away and abandoned. The tracks of 
  the cattle cross over the path of the drag-marks, indicating that she 
  was killed before the cattle were driven away. A special or critical 
  success reveals that the boot-prints of her murderer were those of 
  Danakos, the slayer of the Colymar herders. 
  A successful Customs roll reveals that this is highly 
  uncharacteristic of the Greydog clan (as well as the Colymar), to 
  kill one of their own and leave them face-down for crows to peck 
  at, without digging a grave or even arranging the body respectfully. 
  The adventurer succeeding in this roll may also recognize that the 
  honorable thing to do would be to bury the Greydog’s body. The 
  ground is too rocky to dig a grave by hand—and the adventurers 
  have few tools at their disposal—but gathering enough stones to 
  cover her corpse is the work of only a quarter of an hour. 
  If she is with the adventurers, Yanioth could put her summoned 
  earth elemental to use at this task. 
  THE TREES HAVE EYES 
  While (or if) the adventurers ponder the circumstances surrounding 
  this murder, the gamemaster should ask for another Scan roll. 
  Any that succeed notices movement off in the distance: someone 
  is watching them, standing near a ragged copse of trees off to the 
  west of the cattle-trail. If the adventurers shout out, beckon, or 
  otherwise give any indication that they are aware of their observer, 
  the figure darts away frantically, trying to make for the cover of 
  some rock-filled gulleys on the other side of the copse of trees. 
  Giving pursuit should be no problem, as it becomes apparent 
  that the figure is an old man in a loincloth and ragged cloak, frayed 
  at the edges and patched crazy-quilt. A special success or critical 
  success from the prior Scan roll reveals this at a distance, as well. 
  The old man moves with the aid of a rough wooden staff, and his 
  hair is matted and wild, and he keeps looking over his shoulders 
  fearfully if the adventurers approach. 
  If the adventurers choose not to investigate or follow the man, 
  the gamemaster should consult the section On the Road to Ruins 
  on page 31. Left alone, the old man hides in a gully until the 
  adventurers are long out of sight. Once the coast is clear, he emerges 
  afterwards to approach the dead Greydog. Then, he attempts to 
  put her spirit to rest, and return to his shack (described in Shelter 
  from the Storm, page 30) where he continues his life as a hermit 
  until his quiet and unceremonious death, years later. 
  Talking to the Old Man
  If the old man is confronted or pursued, the adventurers get a better 
  look at him (as described above). Knowing they’re approaching, 
  the he places his back against a rocky slope and gestures with his 
  staff, warily trying to defend against any attackers. 
  • A successful Intelligence Check makes it clear that he is nearly 
  blind, one eye milky white and the other squinting with effort. 
  He’s listening carefully to the movement of the adventurers on 
  the rocky ground, as a means of tracking them. 
  • A successful Area Lore (Dragon Pass) roll lets an adventurer 
  recognize him as a scavenger named Carthalo, known for 
  scavenging items from the burial mounds and selling them in 
  trading posts. He was long since driven away and has not been 
  to the adventurer’s village for years. A special success reveals that 
  decades ago Carthalo was a reasonably proficient shaman and 
  Daka Fal cultist from the Colymar area. He was driven mad in 
  combat with a spirit, and has never been the same since. 
  • A successful Luck Check might even have an adventurer 
  remember old Carthalo, having seen him several years ago. 
  • A successful use of Fast Talk can calm him down quickly, 
  while Orate can be used if the adventurers have a lot of 
  patience. Alternately, the gamemaster can simply allow 
  the players to roleplay the encounter, and let the outcome 
  determine how quickly Carthalo warms to the adventurers. 
  PLACES
  The following locations are depicted on the map, but are 
  outside the scope of this adventure. 
  • Nymie Vale: A settled area of small farms, vineyards, 
  and pastures for cattle and sheep, claimed by the 
  Colymar Tribe.
  • Clearwine Fort: The main settlement of the Colymar tribe 
  and the village of the Ernaldoring clan. The tribal king 
  resides here. There is a weekly market, temples to the 
  tribal gods, and many vineyards to the north and east.
  • Sacred Lands: The vineyards and fields of the Earth 
  Temple.
  • Earth Temple: The main Earth Temple of this region: its 
  high priestess is as important as any tribal king.
  • Arnoring Village: Home of the Arnoring clan of the 
  Colymar Tribe.
  • Quackford: This market settlement is the main 
  crossing of the Stream thanks to Sartar’s Bridge, a 
  stone bridge built by Prince Sartar. Boats take goods 
  from here all the way to Esrolia.
  • Old Tower: An ancient fortification claimed by both the 
  Colymar and the Lismelder tribes, currently empty.
  • Goodplate Inn: Travelers between the Creek and the 
  Stream can seek lodgings, food, and drink here.
  • Hillhaven: Home of the Hillhaven clan of the 
  Lismelder tribe.
  • Greydog Village: Home of the Greydog clan of the 
  Lismelder tribe, best known for the Greydog Inn, 
  where travelers can seek lodging, food, and drink.
  • Little Starfire Ridges: These steep cliffs are sacred to 
  the Orlanth cult, and are claimed by the Orlmarth clan.
  • Badlands: This region of the Starfire Hills is claimed 
  by both the Colymar and Lismelder tribes. It is 
  unsettled and considered good only for grazing sheep.
  • Broken Tower: An old ruin in the Badlands of the 
  Starfire Hills.
  
  29
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  If one of the adventurers attacks him or tries to disarm him, he 
  quickly drops his staff and calls to the spirits to welcome him. He 
  is no combatant, and killing him brings no honor to the one who 
  performs such an ill deed. Quite the opposite, as he may be able 
  to summon some spirits to aid him or seek revenge for his death. 
  THE HERMIT OF THE BADLANDS
  Once calmed and convinced the adventurers aren’t the ones who 
  came through earlier, or allied with them, he speaks freely. The 
  gamemaster is encouraged to make Carthalo a bit of a challenge 
  to talk with, as he’s absent-minded and doesn’t speak much to 
  humans. Most of his conversation is with spirits, his god Daka 
  Fal, the environment, and his own self, so he has lost some of the 
  social skills such as recognizing conversational or behavioral cues. 
  He’s also hungry and has an eye for bright things, that would make 
  nice offerings to the spirits inhabiting the badlands. 
  Carthalo knows who the Greydogs, the Lismelder, and the 
  Colymar are, as he’s lived his entire life in and between their 
  territories. The gamemaster should make a Reputation for each 
  adventurer from the area: if successful, Carthalo has heard of them. 
  He may even remember the adventurer from their childhood. 
  It does not take much to win Carthalo over, and he shares 
  what information he has. 
  • Carthalo fearfully mentions the “Stone Woman” as someone 
  the adventurers should avoid, occasionally looks around 
  frantically to see if she’s within sight (she is not). “Once in a 
  while She stirs and walks the badlands, and that if you should 
  see her, you should run.”
  • He was foraging for roots when he saw the herd approach, and 
  listened to them from afar as the Greydogs camped. The Stone 
  Woman came to one of the Greydogs, and cast her spell upon him. 
  • That man went back into the camp and announced they were 
  going north instead of back to Talavaldis, their home village. 
  When they protested, he killed one of his own people. The 
  rest then packed up and rode off, in the middle of the night. 
  “All of that happened since midnight, about half a day ago.” 
  • The Greydogs are probably taking the cattle to the Stone 
  Woman’s ruin, an ancient hilltop temple complex deep in 
  the ragged forest and foothills to the north. The old ruin is 
  not hard to find, and the wide swath of hoof-prints leads the 
  adventurers right there. 
  • He doesn’t know exactly what the Stone Woman is, but he 
  avoids her, as she frightens him. He calls her that because 
  she looks like the carved stone idols scattered here and there 
  throughout the area. 
  Greydog Ghost 
  Examining the campsite with a successful Track roll reveals no 
  sign of this Stone Woman. No recent human footprints other 
  than those of the Greydogs and Carthalo are visible. No roll is 
  required to tell where they went. The hoof-prints left a trail so 
  obvious anyone could follow it. 
  As the adventurers talk with Carthalo, it becomes obvious that 
  the weather is taking a turn for the worse. The clouds overhead 
  darken, a light misty rain starts falling—not enough to drench 
  anyone but enough to be uncomfortable. 
  Carthalo says that the spirit of the dead Greydog woman should 
  be put to rest, because he doesn’t want another spirit wandering 
  around lost in the badlands, especially if the Stone Woman might 
  get to her. He tells the adventurers: “The badlands are full of spirits 
  and ghosts of all types. Most are just hungry for something, the same 
  as anything else.” 
  CARTHALO
  Daka Fal Shaman
  Carthalo is a small wiry man, who often talks and mutters 
  to people who aren’t there. He is covered with countless 
  tattoos and rarely wears more than a loincloth and an 
  old patchwork wool cloak.
  Carthalo obsessively fears that he is being watched 
  and spied on by numerous things, including the idols of 
  the Stone Woman, long-dead ghosts who feuded with his 
  ancestors, by owls, and by a talking raccoon. 
  STR 11
  CON 13
  SIZ 11
  INT 15
  DEX 12
  CHA 16
  POW 18
  Magic Points 18
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  0/5
  Left Leg
  05–08
  0/5
  Abdomen
  09–11
  0/5
  Chest
  12
  0/6
  Right Arm
  13–15
  0/4
  Left Arm
  16–18
  0/4
  Head
  19–20
  0/5
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Quarterstaff
  75
  1D8
  5
  8
  Runes: Moon 60%, Man 90%, Death 75%. 
  Rune Points: 6 (Daka Fal)
  Passions: Loyalty (Ancestor Spirits) 80%.
  Move: 8
  Hit Points: 14
  Armor: None.
  Skills: Climb 60%, Jump 50%, First Aid 70%, Spirit Lore, 
  Meditate 65%, Prepare Corpse 85%, Spirit Combat 95%, 
  Search 60%, Listen 50%, Hide 50%, Move Quietly 50%.
  Languages: Heortling 65%, Spiritspeech 70%, Tradetalk 25%. 
  Spirit Magic: Spirit Screen 6, Heal 5, Detect Enemies 1, 
  Distraction 1, Befuddle 2.
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3
  Ransom: 500 L.
  Shamanic Abilities: Carthalo can keep his Spirit Screen 
  6 spell effective indefinitely.
  Taboo: Never wear any armor.
  Magic Items: POW storage crystal holding 11 magic points.
  Fetch: INT 13, POW 16, CHA 14
  Skills: Spirit Combat 80%
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+2
  Spirit Magic: Countermagic 4, Protection 3, Visibility 2, 
  Dispel Magic 4
  
  30
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  If the adventurers want to take part in this, they can participate 
  with Carthalo. He asks any of them to assist with the preparation 
  of the body for the ritual and for burial, requiring a successful 
  Prepare Corpse roll. If the adventurers cannot do it, Carthalo 
  walks them through it (or does it himself). Despite his apparently 
  addled mind, he is still quite sharp when it comes to matters of 
  death and the Spirit World. 
  In short order, the corpse is prepared, and Carthalo asks the 
  adventurers to stand guard with him as he calls to the Greydog’s 
  ghost. To summon her ghost, Carthalo sits on the ground and 
  begins a ritual chant, casting spells to summon her. Any of the 
  adventurers able to help him are encouraged to do what they can, 
  whether it be magical or even just chanting: even a successful roll 
  of Dance or Sing can augment his chance of success. 
  If he is successful, the ghost of the Greydog shows up within 
  an hour. With a special success, she arrives within ten minutes’ 
  time, and if the roll is a critical success, she shows up almost 
  instantly and is immediately favorable to Carthalo and any assisting 
  adventurers. If the summons is a failure, the Greydog’s ghost does 
  not appear. If it is a fumble, she appears in an enraged state, and 
  is soon followed by a manifestation of the Stone Woman (see The 
  Dream of the Stone Woman on page 33).
  When the ghost of the Greydog appears, she is visible to 
  everyone, appearing in her human guise. She has not yet gone 
  into the Spirit World, and is stuck here in the badlands. Talking 
  to spirits can be difficult, and this one is still in shock from the 
  suddenness of her death and the strange and disquieting nature of 
  these badlands, tainted as they are. Despite her rage at her former 
  leader, she is still not overly fond of Colymar, and may require a 
  Customs, Fast Talk, or Oratory to be coaxed into speaking to 
  the adventurers. 
  Lannike Speaks 
  If she can be convinced to speak, she gives her name as Lannike 
  Daughter of Leika of Snorri’s Stead, and she tells the adventurers 
  that she is remorseful for what happened. Though she has always 
  followed Danakos’ lead, she is not a murderer, and did not imagine 
  that he would kill the herders. If it comes up that one of them 
  survived, she immediately feels some measure of relief. 
  If Lannike is asked for an explanation of what happened, 
  she says that with Danakos Son of Ergost, she and four other 
  Greydogs—Mitrolar, Desonil, Theydinna, and Varanik—went along 
  with his scheme, hoping to earn some fame and status within their 
  clan with such a daring raid. They thought they’d simply ambush 
  and tie up the Colymar herders, but Danakos surprised them by 
  killing the captives. They argued, but it was too late. There was 
  little they could do but return home with the cattle. She and the 
  others made a pact that after they were rewarded by their clan 
  chief, they’d return to the Colymar and offer to pay double the 
  life price (ransom) for those that were killed. 
  Just before going to sleep, the other Greydogs confronted 
  Danakos about their plan, and he said he’d watch the cattle and 
  think about it. He woke them several hours later and said that 
  they were to take the herd north, into the woods, a detour from 
  the relatively easy path home. Lannike and the others refused, and 
  the next thing she knew, she was coughing blood, and realized 
  she’d been murdered. 
  The next few moments were a blur, and when she became 
  aware of her surroundings once more, the cattle were gone. She 
  tried to return to her village, but something about the nature 
  of the badlands confused and disoriented her, and she has been 
  looking for her kinsfolk ever since. Lannike begs Carthalo and 
  any adventurers to put her spirit to rest. 
  The adventurers can either ignore her or they can agree to 
  help her by resolving the issue that ties her to this world—revenge 
  upon Danakos, rescue of her allies, and the restoration of the 
  Colymar cattle. Once agreed, Carthalo shows her the way she 
  must go once the matters that tie her to this world are resolved. 
  She says she will wait by the gate, but points at a small rock on 
  the ground, stained with her blood. Lannike tells them to throw 
  it on the ground and she will come. 
  If they agree, Carthalo is favorably inclined to assist the 
  adventurers. If they disagree and somehow do not allow Carthalo 
  to set Lannike on the path to the higher worlds, she lets out a great 
  wail of despair and attacks any who deny her this release. She has 
  POW 12 and does 1D6 points of damage in Spirit Combat (see 
  page 19). Carthalo is horrified by such callousness and refuses to 
  deal with the adventurers any further, muttering that things have 
  certainly changed with the Colymar. 
  The bloodstained rock, about the size of an egg, is otherwise 
  unremarkable. 
  Shelter from the Storm
  Once the spirit ritual is concluded, for better or for ill, Carthalo 
  makes ready to depart, heading back to his home. Regardless of how 
  he’s been treated, he is not particularly interested in walking through 
  the forest towards the Stone Woman’s abode, so he’ll part company 
  with the adventurers. He might be convinced with a successful Fast 
  THE STORY OF THE STONE WOMAN
  Carthalo assures the adventurers that they’ll be safe from 
  the Stone Woman in his shack. The spirits of these badlands 
  respect his desire to be left alone, and he has cleared the 
  region of her menhir (standing stones) and idols. 
  If asked, he says that she is some sort of destructive 
  goddess, associated with the Earth. Very old, born in the 
  time of the Gods War. She is not a creature of Chaos, and 
  in fact helped drive it out of the region. The Theyalans of 
  old—original denizens of the area, whose language survives 
  even still—used to worship her as some sort of earth deity, 
  or—he thinks—as goddess of the herd. 
  Carthalo says that she’s long asleep or dead, the only 
  remnant is a ghost memory. There might be more than one 
  of these Stone Women wandering the badlands… a goddess 
  can have a lot of dreams over the centuries. 
  
  31
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  Talk or Orate roll, but likely changes his mind at the first sign of 
  trouble. A special or critical success convinces Carthalo to stick with 
  the adventurers to the bitter end, whatever that might be. 
  If the adventurers have sufficiently impressed him—or with 
  a successful Fast Talk or Orate roll—Carthalo may offer the 
  adventurers refuge in his domicile from the coming storm. He 
  leads them to his place—a drafty but secure stone-walled shack 
  tucked into the foothills, connected to a relatively shallow cave. 
  On the way, the adventurers may notice a variety of warding runes 
  and old glyphs inscribed and painted onto the ground, rocks, and 
  into the trunks of the few trees in the area, living or dead. Also 
  present are the signs of Daka Fal worship. Small totems have been 
  arranged, and a successful Intelligence Check reveals that these 
  are defensive wards against spirits. 
  Inside his hut is a bewildering clutter of pieces of pottery and 
  cultural detritus, animal skulls and bones, colored stones carved 
  with runes, bundles of dried and drying herbs, and the like. Items 
  hang from the ceiling by twine or leather cords, but despite the 
  chaos, the place is relatively clean. The shack is heated with a 
  large fire-pit. Carthalo asks the adventurers to set the fire while 
  he prepares some food. Once settled in, he’ll feed them, give them 
  some strips of dried lizard meat seasoned with salt and herbs, and 
  bowls of thin and mostly unappetizing gruel made from local roots. 
  He’ll be overjoyed if the adventurers share their tastier provisions. 
  Riding the Storm Out 
  When the gathering storm intensifies and finally begins to unleash 
  on the surrounding area, Carthalo asks them to tell of their past 
  exploits. He does not get company and is unused to it, and asks 
  a lot of questions. 
  When the time comes to sleep, Carthalo does not have anything 
  more than his own bedroll, but offers it if asked. Everyone else can 
  find a spot on the ground to sit—and to sleep—on as the storm 
  rages outside. Any animals are penned in the front of the hovel, 
  as is the custom. They spend a restless night, while rain pelts the 
  surrounding countryside and lightning flashes, thunder cracking 
  immediately overhead. 
  The next morning, Carthalo awakens them with the dawn. The 
  storm has broken for the moment, but the sky is still bleak and 
  spitting with a light rain, and there is a distant rumble 
  throughout the hills and across the badlands, hinting 
  at more of a storm to come. 
  If any of the adventurers have attempted to 
  sway Carthalo, perhaps with successful use of the 
  Fast Talk skill, the old hermit shaman might be 
  convinced to go with them. However, he is terrified 
  of the Stone Woman and if they encounter one 
  of her stone markers and disrespectfully interfere 
  with it, he abandons their company. 
  ON THE ROAD TO RUINS 
  Whether after finding the Greydog Lannike’s corpse 
  or after a night in Carthalo’s shack, the adventurers 
  eventually head northward in pursuit of the cattle, 
  into the rocky foothills of the Starfire Mountain 
  range. If they have chosen to go immediately, 
  they find that the storm intensifies as they go northward and the 
  day darkens, and before long it is raining heavily. The stolen herd’s 
  tracks, nonetheless are easy to follow, and head several hours into the 
  foothills, which grow increasingly thick with trees. If the adventurers 
  wait for the next morning, they find that the trail has been washed 
  away enough by the storm to require a successful Track roll at 
  double the normal chance to find and follow it. 
  If they fail to find the tracks, they can continue to try, each 
  attempting taking an hour. If they fail a second time, the gamemaster 
  should state that they find the trail eventually, after a few hours 
  of muddy searching.
  As they move from the badlands into the rocky foothills, they 
  see that the trail leads eventually to an ancient and long-abandoned 
  road, the paving stones broken, separated over dozens of centuries 
  of neglect, lost to mudslides and other calamities, but nonetheless 
  a sign of onetime habitation. Noticeable are the many broken and 
  defaced menhir (standing stones) along the road. All have been 
  pushed over, broken apart, and the pieces scattered lazily. 
  None are intact enough to identify the subject, but a successful 
  Intelligence Check by an adventurer paying attention reveals that 
  they all depict the same subject, an extremely crude menhir carved 
  to depict a thick-bodied woman, with her faceless head wreathed in 
  bands, once standing as if watching over the road. The tallest were 
  perhaps a meter and a half high, while the rest were roughly a meter 
  tall. Closer examination of these, or a Detect Magic spell, determine 
  that they are not magical, but probably were at some point in the past. 
  Carvings on the obelisks (readable with a special success in Read/
  Write Theyalan or use of the Translate Rune spell) reveals that these 
  are sacred stones, the goddess’ “eyes”, used to watch over the herds. 
  Should the adventurers wish to look for an intact menhir of the 
  Stone Woman, they must make a wide search across the area as well 
  as a successful Search roll. This slows them down considerably, versus 
  the expedient course of following the trail left by the stolen herd. If 
  they find one of these menhirs, it radiates magic for any with the 
  ability to detect magic. If the adventurers attempt to damage or 
  tamper with an intact menhir, the gamemaster should roll POW×1 
  for each adventurer involved. Success means that a Stone Woman 
  dream-weft materializes to investigate on SR 5, 30 meters away. 
  Consult The Dream of the Stone Woman sidebar (page 33) 
  for more information. 
  A BELLOW FOR HELP 
  As the adventurers make their way through the rough 
  woods under an increasingly turbulent cloud cover, the 
  gamemaster should ask any who are riding point or 
  taking care to scout the area to make either a Listen 
  or a Scan roll (letting the players pick between 
  them). Success yields a sign of one of their stolen 
  cattle in the form of a frightened bellow and the 
  clatter of hooves on stony ground (for Listen) or 
  the sight of one of the steers rushing through the 
  trees, pursued by a group of seven grey-skinned 
  lizard creatures that race alongside it, leaping onto 
  its back and biting at its flanks. It becomes visible 
  to everyone when it is roughly 70 meters away.
  A successful Intelligence Check roll identifies 
  the creatures as rock lizards, trying to bring the 
  
  32
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  bull down and having only partial luck so far. Long runnels of 
  blood paint the beeve’s side, testament to their teeth and long 
  claws. It is running out of energy and is lurching and stumbling 
  as it charges, the fight almost gone out of it. 
  Should the adventurers hesitate too long, the rock lizards bring 
  the bull down in two rounds, and do enough damage to kill it in 
  the next two rounds. Should the adventurers interfere with the 
  hunting pack, they have a fight on their hands, as the creatures are 
  desperately hungry and fight until reduced to half hit points—at 
  which point they’ll run away—or until they are frightened away. 
  If this fight is going too easily for the adventurers, the gamemaster 
  may wish to add additional rock lizards—more members of the 
  pack, drawn by the cries—a few rounds later, up to a dozen or more. 
  If the Colymar bull is rescued, the adventurers may attempt to 
  take care of it, using Herd to calm it, or even First Aid skill rolls 
  and Heal spells to restore any lost hit points if it is sorely wounded. 
  The adventurers can now continue upon their way, picking up the 
  trail where they left it, with one of their missing cattle in tow. On 
  the bright side, only 59 cattle remain to be recovered. 
  As they continue, the destination of the Greydog clan becomes 
  obvious, an old ruin standing on a steep hill, jutting upwards from 
  the rocky hills and above the tree tops. A successful Intelligence 
  Check reminds the adventurers that they cannot hear any birds any 
  more, and the woods are strangely quiet, with the patter of light 
  rain and wind blown leaves being the only sounds or movement. 
  If they want to make Scan or Listen rolls, they can, but there 
  is nothing to hear, nothing to see, other than the possible Stone 
  Woman menhir, which are now more prevalent. 
  The trail of the herd and its thieves leads directly up a gently 
  sloping ramp, into the old ruins. 
  THE OLD RUINS 
  At this point the adventurers may wish to do some reconnaissance 
  or try to figure out what they can determine about the ruin. From 
  a distance, they can see that it is a hilltop complex of some sort, 
  walled and surrounded by smaller buildings. Most have crumbled, 
  though a squat, cylindrical tower dominates, sticking up far above 
  the walls, the only building in the whole complex more than a 
  single story in height. Its roof is either collapsed or broken off, 
  leaving it open to the sky. 
  • A successful Scan roll gives a quick sign of someone’s head, 
  peeking up over one of the walls. If the adventurers give 
  any indication that they’ve seen the observer, it will drop 
  back down and will not return. A special or critical success 
  indicates it was a human male wearing an open-faced helm 
  much like the one Lanneke wore, likely one of the Greydogs. 
  • A Listen roll catches the quick patter of footsteps echoing 
  from the fort, likely from a human wearing boots. A special 
  success lets an adventurer hear the lowing of cattle, while a 
  critical success gives the adventurer the impression that the 
  cattle are near the central building. 
  • If any of the adventurers have Area Lore (Dragon Pass), 
  a successful roll reveals that the old ruins and tower are 
  supposedly a temple older than the Second Age, more than 
  fifteen centuries old. The god or goddess worshipped here 
  has long been forgotten, though. 
  • A successful Battle roll informs the adventurer that though 
  the place would be a highly defensible position, the walls 
  are not fortifications, and are not particularly well-suited for 
  defense. 
  • Herd or Animal Lore reveal that the sloping path and 
  ramp into the hilltop complex are well-designed for herding 
  animals effectively. Rather than steps, it is a gentle ramp 
  (though crumbling and weed-choked) and is dirt rather 
  than stones. 
  Looking closer, the adventurers see that the wide, sloping 
  ramp leads into the heart of the hilltop ruin. Should any choose 
  to circle the hill, they see that a landslide wiped out a portion of 
  the ruin, leaving the outer wall a jumbled pile of rubble scattered 
  down the hillside, giving a clear and unblocked view of the squat 
  tower in the center. 
  ROCK LIZARDS
  These ponderous lizards are often found basking in the 
  morning sun in the rocky plains of the badlands. Although 
  carnivorous, they are too slow to catch most prey and feed 
  mostly on carrion. They gather in groups up to a dozen. 
  Rock lizard skin looks like grey rock and is quite tough, 
  and when immobile, they can be mistaken for rocks. 
  STR 13
  CON 13
  SIZ 14
  INT N/A
  DEX 13
  CHA N/A
  POW 10
  Magic Points 10
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Tail
  01–03
  3/4
  Right Hind Leg
  04–05
  3/4
  Left Hind Leg
  06–07
  3/4
  Hindquarters
  08–11
  3/6
  Forequarters
  12–15
  3/6
  Right Front Leg
  16
  3/4
  Left Front Leg
  17
  3/4
  Head
  18–20
  3/5
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Claw (see below)
  25
  1D6+1D4
  8
  Bite (see below)
  25
  1D10+1D4
  8
  Combat: Rock lizards strike with both claws at once (roll 
  twice) until one claw successfully hits, then they hold with 
  that one, strike with the other, and bite on subsequent 
  combat rounds. 
  Move: 4
  Hit Points: 14
  Base SR: 4
  Armor: 3-point skin.
  Skills: Smell Prey 50%, Hide 50%.
  
  33
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  EXPLORING THE OLD RUINS
  If the adventurers decide to search through the old ruins, there is 
  a lot to see. Though the makers of the ruins have been gone for at 
  least a thousand years, throughout its history various tribal groups 
  and even bandit gangs have used it as a base, some appeasing Idrima 
  and some being dragged to her altar and devoured. The ruins are 
  half-exposed to the sky, and rubble chokes every narrow road and 
  wrecked chamber, whole some few rooms or dwellings are intact. 
  Noticeably, the architecture is unlike anything the adventurers 
  are familiar with, the shapes of the walls and organization of streets 
  giving the disquieting sense of being built by something other than 
  human. Dotting the area and spaced evenly along the ramp into the 
  ruin are intact versions of the stone menhirs described on page 31, 
  each depicting a heavy woman with exaggerated curves, bands of 
  jewelry or something else encircling her head entirely. The stonework 
  is relatively crude, well in keeping with the menhirs depicting the 
  Stone Woman: hewn stones fitted tightly together, with little space 
  between them, but no mortar. Other walls are much older, rough 
  earthworks with exposed layers of gravel and stone. 
  Searching for the cattle requires a Track or Listen roll: success 
  reveals that they are adjacent to the tower in the center of the temple 
  complex, a short walk taking only around five minutes to find 
  the way. If the roll is a failure, the adventurers become lost in the 
  maze of ruins and must make a successful Intelligence Check to 
  reorient themselves. A successful Listen roll near the broken tower 
  reveals the sound of chanting (one voice, male) in the Chamber 
  of Offerings (see page 34). Alternately, they can go straight to the 
  cattle, penned in a large ceremonial corral (see page 38).
  The skulls of cattle, bison, horse, rams, antelope, sable deer, 
  and even impala litter the place, laying on the ground or even 
  embedded curiously into earthy walls. A successful Herd roll 
  reveals that some of these animals are not native to this region, 
  while a successful Animal Lore roll identifies some of the more 
  exotic species as musk oxen and aurochs. 
  Etched into the walls at various places in the old ruins are 
  eye-high bands of inscriptions, pictures and runes made in Old 
  Theyalan. These describe the birth of a demon-goddess—named 
  Idrima—rising from the earth yet enfolded within it. The images, 
  scattered throughout the ruined complex, describe Idrima’s role 
  as a protector of these lands against Chaos. The inscriptions show 
  humans (from the Theyalan tribe, most likely) leading long lines of 
  animals to Idrima’s, depicted as described in On the Road to Ruins, 
  page 31. This is likely the reason Carthalo thought she was a herd 
  goddess. However, a successful Intelligence Check suggests that 
  the herds are all led directly to her, versus her watching over them.
  Maneuvering within the narrow, rubble-choked streets is not easy 
  while mounted. Any Ride rolls made during combat situations are at 
  a –20% while in the old ruin. A failed roll indicates the mount was 
  blocked or unable to act as directed, and cannot attack or move in 
  that turn. A fumble means the mount stumbles and the adventurer 
  is thrown, requiring a successful Agility Check to avoid injury. 
  Failing that causes the adventurer to take 1D6 points of damage. 
  Watchers in the Walls 
  Though they have no way of knowing it at the time, they are being 
  watched the moment they enter the vicinity of the old ruins. Idrina 
  uses her dream-wefts to manifest within her menhirs and observe 
  anyone walking by, though she will use this ability sparingly as it 
  is quite costly in terms of magic points. She can only manifest a 
  few of them at any given time, though the ruins are small enough 
  that they can manifest and roam freely within the hilltop confines. 
  More dangerous are the ancient guardians of the old ruin: her 
  earth servitors, animated elemental beings called sprul-pa that can 
  spawn “wearing” the animal skull they were created with. These 
  creatures, long quiescent, are beginning to rise and become aware, 
  watching from where they wait buried in the earth. If roused, they 
  will manifest, seemingly climbing out of the ground under one of 
  the animal skulls, which becomes their head. Interfering with any 
  of the skulls has a 50% chance of summoning the nearest sprul-pa. 
  If any of the adventurers interfere with the menhirs, she will call 
  1D4 sprul-pa to its defense, arriving on their SR the next round. 
  THE DREAM OF THE STONE WOMAN
  If the adventurers are unlucky enough to attract the attention 
  of the Stone Woman, either through the ritual to put the 
  Greydog to rest or through interfering with one of her intact 
  menhirs, Idrima stirs to partial awareness from her resting 
  place in the broken tower, and spins a dream-weft to send 
  forth and manifest in the real world. 
  The dream-wefts appear in her form as the Stone Woman, 
  identical to the statues: a heavy woman clad in a billowing, 
  hooded cloak of tattered grey finery, her face wrapped in 
  loose bands (like bandages) with a single gleaming light 
  emanating from between the bands. Her hands are clasped 
  before her, long loose sleeves concealing even a trace of 
  skin from sight. The cloak moves unnaturally, concealing 
  her disturbing form. 
  She has a low, sultry voice, and has the same skills and 
  languages as in her physical form. Rather than attempting 
  to dominate and destroy those she faces in spirit combat, 
  the Stone Woman simply wishes them to worship—and 
  ultimately, feed—her, coaxing them to her tower. 
  See the writeup of Idrima on page 39 for her attributes and 
  languages. However, her dream-wefts are simpler creatures, 
  little more than ethereal entities with the semblance of 
  form, capable of communication, Spirit Combat, and the 
  use of her Enthrall ability. The dream-wefts have INT and 
  DEX equal to Idrima’s, while their POW is merely 1D6+6, 
  with magic points equal to POW. 
  Dream-wefts will enter spirit combat if threatened. See 
  page 39 for more information. They can be destroyed easily, 
  and are more likely to flee back to the statue they emanated 
  from, rather than sticking around for a prolonged encounter. 
  Idrima uses her dream-wefts as messengers, spies, and 
  lures, rather than as combatants. 
  
  34
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Those within earshot come without any magic points, while she 
  can call more at a cost of 1 magic point per servitor.
  The sprul-pa move through the earth, leaving a slight ripple in 
  their wake as if moving just under the surface of water, and can 
  also move through earthen walls, of which there are plenty. See 
  Servants of the Earth Goddess (following) for more information 
  about the sprul-pra. So far, only a few of the Colymar cattle have 
  been turned into sprul-pa. The gamemaster might indicate that 
  though most are filthy dirt-caked hides and old yellowing bone, 
  these few have “fresh” bloody skulls and hides, perhaps even horns 
  marked with signs that will be obvious to the adventurers. 
  The other potential encounter within the ruin is Varanik, one of 
  Danakos’ followers, the last of the Greydogs mentioned by Lannike. 
  Idrima attempted to enthrall him and drove him crazy, and he is trying 
  to avoid her notice, darting to and fro throughout the buildings, hoping 
  one of his allies will find him and take him to safety. Varanik took part 
  in Danakos’ sacrifice of his friends, and the experience broke him. 
  He’s now covered in dried blood, darting in and out of the ruined 
  buildings, terrified of everything. Every 
  five minutes the characters are in the 
  ruins, the gamemaster should roll against 
  the POW×1 of the adventure with the 
  lowest POW. If this roll is a success, 
  Varanik tries to target that adventurer, 
  either directly attacking them from an 
  attempted ambush, throwing a rock or 
  spear at them, or pushing over some 
  piece of stone wall onto the adventurer. 
  Varanik is described on page 35. 
  Exploring the Ruins 
  If the adventurers announce that they 
  are trying to find anything of value, 
  the gamemaster should allow each 
  adventurer to attempt one Search roll 
  every 5 minutes. Failing this roll means 
  that the adventurer finds nothing; a 
  success merits a d20 roll on the Loot 
  table (see page 41). A special success 
  allows a roll of 1d10 on the table, and 
  the gamemaster should roll 1d6 if the 
  roll is a critical success. Once an item 
  is discovered, the gamemaster should 
  instead use result 20. 
  The Chamber of Offerings
  The central chamber of the broken 
  tower is a round room with sloping 
  walls, deep alcoves set into them. Only 
  one door leads to and from the room: 
  the one the adventurers are at. The 
  tower’s roof collapsed long ago, and 
  piles of rubble were pushed to the sides 
  of the central chamber, or have been 
  shoved outside by the door. Whatever 
  light there is (depending on the time 
  of day) shines directly down on the 
  low stone altar in the center of the room, illuminating a flensed 
  and bloody horned bull skull sitting in its midst, with an array 
  of reddened bones arranged in a strange pattern beneath it and a 
  bloody cow-hide draped over one side. Rain drips down, making 
  all shine with wetness. 
  Behind the altar is three-meter high ochre-stained stone statue 
  of a giant naked woman, her female characteristics exaggerated to a 
  grotesque degree. The altar is already stained with blood and gore, 
  the copper scent of blood permeating everywhere. A closer look at 
  the altar reveals that it is essentially an open ended cylinder, filled 
  to the brim with earth. On the ground next to this altar are ragged 
  chunks of one of the stolen Colymar bulls, crudely butchered. 
  Nearby, sprawled and slumped against one wall are the three 
  Greydogs as-of-yet unaccounted for—Mitrolar, Desonil, and 
  Theydinna (if the adventurers have not yet met Varanik they will 
  notice that a fourth Greydog is missing). The Greydogs’ throats 
  were cut, their chests drenched with blood, and their garments 
  showing signs of a struggle. It is obvious that they were sacrificed 
  
  35
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  SPRUL-PA
  Servants of the Earth Goddess
  Over the centuries, Idrima has made dozens of mindless 
  servitors, conjured out of earth combined with the bones, 
  hide, and heads of animals sacrificed to her. A sprul-pa 
  appears as a roughly human-sized thing, covered in 
  bloody vines, and with the head of a dead cow or bull, 
  held together with vines and sticks. The sprul-pa are not 
  undead, and are more akin to Earth elementals. The name 
  sprul-pa is an ancient one, meaning “conjured thing,” and 
  is not specific to these creatures. 
  These servitors lack CON and thus total hit points. If a 
  limb is broken or smashed, the servitor continues fighting as 
  best it can. If its head is destroyed, the sprul-pa ceases to act.
  STR 15
  CON N/A
  SIZ 11
  INT N/A
  DEX 11
  CHA N/A
  POW 7
  Magic Points 7
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  1/1
  Left Leg
  05–09
  1/1
  Abdomen
  09–11
  1/1
  Chest
  12
  1/1
  Lower Right Arm
  13
  1/1
  Lower Left Arm
  14
  1/1
  Upper Right Arm
  15–16
  1/1
  Upper Left Arm
  17–18
  1/1
  Head
  19–20
  4/4
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Right Claw
  55
  1D6+1+1D4
  9
  —
  Left Claw
  55
  1D6+1+1D4
  9
  —
  Combat Notes: A sprul-pa can claw the same opponent 
  twice in the same melee round. The sprul-pa initially uses 
  its upper arms to attack. If an upper arm is destroyed, 
  it continues to attack with the lower arm.
  Move: 8
  Base SR: 5
  Armor: 1-point hide over limbs and body, 4-point bone 
  and horns on head.
  Skills: Dodge 33% (equal to DEX×3)
  Earth Passage: On SR 5, a sprul-pa can spend 1 magic 
  point and descend into the ground, sinking to the level 
  of its skull, which becomes detached if the sprul-pa 
  moves away or goes deeper than surface level. It can 
  move its normal MOV while buried. It can also do this 
  with soil walls, at which point the skull drops to the 
  ground. Like a hermit crab switching shells, it can only 
  re-emerge from the earth into a skull—its own or another 
  on SR 5 of the next available round. It must spend 1 
  magic point per round to move, but does not need to 
  spend any magic points to remain immobile. Most of 
  the skulls in the old ruin were sprul-pa at one point 
  or another, and at any given time, there will be 1D6–1 
  usable skulls within 10 meters of any given adventurer. 
  VARANIK
  Greydog Cattle Thief
  Varanik is the sole survivor of the cattle-raiding group, 
  save for Danakos, who has become Idrima’s slave. His 
  mind snapped due to a fumble when he tried to resist 
  her Enthrall ability, and now he scurries around the ruins, 
  wild-eyed and muttering to himself, terrified of the Stone 
  Woman. He may have helped Danakos kill his fellow 
  Greydogs: the blood on his weapons and armor certainly 
  suggests that he has been up to something. His lowered 
  INT and CHA are due to his confused, paranoid state.
  Varanik does not need to fight to the death, and in fact 
  would rather prefer to live. He might give up if seriously 
  injured. An Insight (Human) roll reveals that he’s wracked 
  with guilt and temporarily maddened, and a Fast Talk roll 
  could potentially talk him down long enough for some 
  sort of healing to be attempted. 
  STR 14
  CON 14
  SIZ 14
  INT 13 (6)
  DEX 11
  CHA 12 (6)
  POW 12
  Magic Points 12
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  3/5
  Left Leg
  05–08
  3/5
  Abdomen
  09–11
  3/5
  Chest
  12
  3/6
  Right Arm
  13–15
  3/4
  Left Arm
  16–18
  3/4
  Head
  19–20
  4/5
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Battleaxe
  60
  1D8+2+1D4
  8
  8
  Medium Shield
  55
  1D4+1D4
  8
  12
  Javelin
  50
  1D8+1D2
  3
  8
  Runes: Air 75%, Movement 70%.
  Rune Points: 3 (Orlanth Adventurous)
  Passions: Loyalty (Greydog Clan) 60%.
  Move: 8
  Hit Points: 15
  Armor: Quilted linen hauberk (3 pts.), cuirboilli greaves 
  and vambraces (3 pts.), open helm (4 pts.).
  Skills: Ride 25%, Climb 50%, Jump 50%, Battle 30%, First 
  Aid 40%, Herding 65%, Farm 60%, Spirit Combat 50%, 
  Scan 40%, Listen 50%, Hide 45%.
  Languages: Heortling 65%, Tradetalk 25%. 
  Spirit Magic: Bladesharp 2, Strength 2, Heal 3, Protection 2.
  Treasure: Back in Talavaldis, he has 1 hide of land, and 
  wants more.
  Ransom: 500 L.
  
  36
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  here, and any familiarity with sacrifice means that their magic 
  points have likely gone somewhere. 
  A strangely curving array of rivulets leading from the altar are 
  full of blood, draining into holes set in the floor at various places 
  in the room. Arrayed throughout the room at the edges of the floor 
  are stone bowls of all shapes and sizes, high and low. Some of them 
  have shriveled and unidentifiable bits of material in them, others are 
  empty, while others are full of bloody flesh and cow-hide, cut from 
  the skull on the altar. Skulls of animals litter the floor, as well, each 
  a potential spawning point for one of Idrima’s sprul-pa. 
  Behind the altar and the dead bull looms the statue, the true 
  form of the Stone Woman, though without her enfolding cloak 
  and robe. The statue’s arms are folded at its sides and the oversize 
  head is featureless but for the knobbed bands that run entirely 
  around it. The legs end in toes that splay like roots, and the stony 
  surface is entirely stained in ochre. 
  The adventurers are no strangers to animal sacrifice, as it is 
  commonly practiced, but the sort of ritual offerings they have always 
  witnessed and taken part in are generally more ceremonial in nature. 
  There is the sense that this was something more primitive, more 
  primal, and the chamber itself is disquieting beyond their experience. 
  The Traitor at Last 
  The gamemaster should make a roll for Danakos’ Hide skill. 
  He has concealed himself behind a pile of rubble, having heard 
  their approach and battles with the cattle-skulled sprul-pa. The 
  gamemaster should ask each of the adventurers to attempt a 
  Listen or Scan roll (player choice), opposed by the results of 
  Danakos’ Hide roll. If his Hide is successful and the adventurers 
  do not notice him, he attempts an ambush, using Move Quietly 
  to try to get the first strike in to whomever he judges the most 
  dangerous. If they attempt any sign of interfering with his work 
  on the altar—readying the construction of a new sprul-pa for 
  Idrima—he leaps to the attack, and should present a startling 
  figure, spattered in dried blood, dirt, and gore. 
  Danakos is not interested in any parlay with the adventurers. 
  He knows that should they return with him as a captive, his life 
  is forfeit. He has murdered Colymar and Greydogs in cold blood, 
  acts beyond any redemption or life-payment. At best, his destiny is 
  exile from his homeland, but most likely his fate is to be executed 
  for his crimes. As he fights, he urges Idrima to anger, promising her 
  the Colymar cattle, the adventurers themselves, and more besides. 
  ROCK AND RUIN
  If any of the adventurers took the bloodstained stone 
  from the ground where Lannike was slain and remember 
  it at this point, they might remember to throw it to the 
  ground, at which point Lannike’s ghost will materialize 
  on the spot. Her sudden spectral appearance could be 
  utilized to calm Varanik for a moment, appealing to his 
  loyalty to the Greydog clan, or her manifestation can 
  potentially be used as a distraction, confronting Danakos 
  and even spurring him to regret or as a feint to gain an 
  opportunity for a killing blow. 
  The gamemaster is encouraged to improvise these 
  potential interactions, providing suitable emotional weight 
  for the confrontation. 
  Danakos urges his goddess to manifest.
  
  37
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  THE STONE ALSO RISES 
  The presence of outsiders in the chamber has the unfortunate 
  circumstance of awakening Idrima, who immediately begins by 
  spending 6 magic points to awaken the fresh sprul-pa prepared by 
  Danakos. It will appear on strike rank 11. The servitor seemingly 
  climbs up from within the earth into the arrangement of bones, 
  hide, and skull, with vines growing rapidly to encompass it. It is 
  not immediately hostile, however, and watches them, observing 
  the adventurers while other sprul-pa begin to awaken and appear 
  in the immediate vicinity, outside the Chamber of Offerings. 
  The Stone Woman begins to stir, revealing to the adventurers 
  that the great, grotesque altar is not a depiction of the goddess, 
  but Idrima herself. She speaks first in Earthtongue, announcing 
  in a low voice that sounds as if it comes from many mouths at 
  once: “I awaken. I hunger. I have slept for far too long! I thirst for 
  blood and offerings! Will you bring me more?” 
  If they do not understand or reply to her, she will repeat the 
  same message in Old Theyalan, then Heortling. She does not 
  move to attack, and instead behaves as if she expects to be given 
  offerings and shown due respect. The adventurers can avoid a 
  bloody conflict if they choose to parley with her. As a chthonic 
  entity, Idrima is not overly interested in combat, and does not 
  need anything the adventurers have on their persons. Danakos 
  has served her well for the last day or so, but loyal servants are 
  not overly rare when one can Enthrall. 
  If Carthalo is present, he recognizes her power for what it is and 
  urges caution. He’ll admit to fear about having Idrima awake and 
  active, but if she is willing to keep Chaos at bay, he can accommodate 
  her presence into his world. If she asks, he even promises to make 
  sacrifices to her now and again, to keep her pacified. 
  Dealing with the Demon-Goddess 
  How the adventurers deal with Idrima and the situation is entirely 
  up to them, as her goal is solely to be fed, and she is not particularly 
  aggressive or malicious. She is not a creature of Chaos, and despite 
  being a “demon” she is not interested in the pursuit of evil, merely 
  selfishness when it comes to her survival. 
  • Fighting: If they adventurers are bold, they can fight Idrima, 
  leading to a climactic battle as she manifests and throws 
  her considerable power at them, summing sprul-pa and 
  evoking dream-wefts. The demon-goddess is tough, but not 
  undefeatable. As described above, she can merge into the 
  Earth and has dozens of sprul-pa at her disposal. The dream-
  wefts are relatively weak, but can provide distractions. Her 
  combination of physical strength, earthquake abilities, and 
  fearsome gaze make her formidable, but clever tactics, luck, 
  and resourcefulness can turn the tide against her. 
  • Fleeing with the Cattle: The adventurers can attempt to just 
  cut and run, killing Danakos Son of Ergost, killing their way 
  past Idrima’s guardians, and trying to get the remaining cattle 
  out before her creatures can tear them all apart. This resolution 
  is bound to be bloody and chaotic, with Idrima boiling out of 
  the broken tower in a last-ditch effort to stop them. 
  • Fleeing without the Cattle: If the adventurers choose to just 
  flee without attempting to rescue the cattle, they are certainly 
  DANAKOS, SON OF EGROST
  Greydog Cattle Thief
  Danakos Son of Egrost is an ambitious warrior of the 
  Greydog clan, who has earned a name for himself raiding 
  other clans. A skilled warrior, Danakos is also a self-
  interested bully. He has been possessed by Idrima and 
  is under her psychic control, his loyalty to her due to her 
  Enthrall ability. Danakos’ sanity has been shattered by 
  the crimes he has committed under Idrima’s influence. 
  In combat, Danakos first tries to Demoralize a foe 
  and then casts protective magic upon himself before 
  casting Fanaticism. He fights recklessly, without any 
  hope for survival, casting as many offensive spells as he 
  can muster, eschewing any defensive actions other than 
  those that let him fight further. He neither gives quarter 
  nor asks for it. He will not cast any Rune magic, due to 
  Idrina’s influence. 
  STR 15
  CON 14
  SIZ 15
  INT 13
  DEX 12
  CHA 14
  POW 14
  Magic Points 14
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  3/5
  Left Leg
  05–08
  3/5
  Abdomen
  09–11
  3/5
  Chest
  12
  3/6
  Right Arm
  13–15
  3/4
  Left Arm
  16–18
  3/4
  Head
  19–20
  4/5
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Broadsword
  75
  1D8+1+1D4
  8
  12
  Medium Shield
  60
  1D4+1D4
  7
  12
  Javelin
  60
  1D8+1D2
  3
  –
  Runes: Air 85%, Movement 75%, Disorder 85%.
  Rune Points: 4 (Orlanth Adventurous)
  Passions: Loyalty (Idrima) 90%, Loyalty (Greydog Clan) 
  60%, Honor 60%, Hate (Colymar Tribe) 60%.
  Move: 8
  Hit Points: 15
  Armor: Quilted linen hauberk (3 pts.), cuirboilli greaves 
  and vambraces (3 pts.), open helm (4 pts.).
  Skills: Ride 45%, Climb 60%, Jump 60%, Battle 40%, First 
  Aid 50%, Herd 60%, Scan 60%, Listen 50%, Hide 50%, 
  Move Quietly 50%.
  Languages: Heortling 65%, Tradetalk 25%. 
  Spirit Magic: Bladesharp 3, Demoralize 2, Heal 3, Fanaticism 
  1, Protection 2.
  Ransom: Unknown (normally 500 L).
  
  38
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  able to do so. Idrima and her creatures will menace them 
  out of the hilltop ruins, but will not attempt to detain them 
  overmuch. Once they’re gone, Danakos will sacrifice more 
  of the cattle to make fresh sprul-pa for her, and eventually 
  she will let him go, allowing him to return to his home 
  village with a third of the herd to show for his efforts. The 
  adventurers, meanwhile, will meet a cool reception back at 
  home, and may find that they’ve lost a lot of favor. 
  • Bargaining: Lastly, and perhaps most sensibly, the 
  adventurers can bargain with the demon-goddess, negotiating 
  to give her some share of the cattle (she will demand half, but 
  will settle for a third). Perhaps she could be convinced to take 
  someone else’s cattle in return, which might set off another 
  cycle of cattle-theft and reprisal. She is not overly interested 
  in human sacrifice, other than as a source for magic points. 
  Maybe she wants more than that, perhaps something needs to 
  be restored? Ultimately, the adventurers may realize that she 
  is not particularly evil… she’s just hungry and used to getting 
  her way. Perhaps the adventurers need to swear an oath to 
  make sure each tribe stays off Idrima’s territory, or must 
  negotiate through Varanik or Danikos, if either is alive and 
  freed from madness and possession. Yanioth, the priestess of 
  Ernalda might even object to killing Idrima, as her chthonic 
  earth-goddess nature makes her a potential ally to Ernalda. 
  Idrima has no particular affection for her wefts or servitors, 
  and does not begrudge their destruction. 
  There is no single solution to this adventure, no “correct” means 
  of dealing with Idrima. The adventurers can destroy her, earning 
  glory and increasing their Reputation in the process, or they can 
  appease her somehow by offering to live and let live. They can make 
  an alliance with her, giving the Colymar a significantly powerful ally 
  in the Hero Wars to come, and a distinct advantage over the 
  hated Lismelder clan. Each has its benefits and drawbacks, 
  but regardless of which path is followed, the adventurers 
  will have taken part in an epic new change in the 
  power dynamics of the area, and added an interesting 
  note to their own journeys towards hero-dom. 
  THE CEREMONIAL CORRAL
  With Idrima and Danakos dealt with, the adventurers will almost 
  certainly wish to find the missing Colymar cattle. They are penned 
  into a large corral, choked with weeds, and blocked with a stone 
  gate that has survived the millennia intact, balanced on a pivot and 
  sliding back and forth into place. Exactly 54 of the creatures remain 
  in this corral, with one lost and encountered by the adventurers 
  earlier, and five sacrificed to Idrima and turned into sprul-pa (see 
  page 35). 
  A successful Herd roll will be required to get them gathered 
  and moving out of the pen, through the temple complex and down 
  the hill, made difficult if the adventurers are hindered by attacks 
  from the sprul-pa or the demon-goddess herself. 
  REWARDS AND EXPERIENCE 
  Restoring the cattle to the Colymar clan earns a bonus of +3% 
  Reputation, modified by any of the following: 
  • +1% Reputation for killing Idrima. 
  • +2% Reputation for negotiating a pact of alliance with her. 
  • +1% Reputation for capturing Danakos and/or Varanik and 
  ransoming them back to the Greydogs. 
  In addition to the social rewards, the adventurers will also be 
  able to keep any treasures they found in the old ruin, and can keep 
  any money they make from ransoming Danakos and/or Varanik. 
  Zarah, the Colymar clan chieftain’s wife, rewards them each with 
  200 L as thanks, or the equivalent in cattle or other benefits the 
  clan can provide. 
  Idrima the Stone Woman summoning her Earthquake Stomp.
  
  39
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  STR 25
  CON 13
  SIZ 25
  INT 13
  DEX 13
  CHA 19
  POW 25
  Magic Points: 36 (normally 25)
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–03
  6/8
  Left Leg
  04–06
  6/8
  Abdomen
  07–10
  6/9
  Chest
  11–15
  6/10
  Right Arm
  16–17
  6/7
  Left Arm
  18–19
  6/7
  Head
  20
  6/7
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Grab
  80%
  2D3 + 
  (see below)
  7
  12
  Crushing Embrace
  Auto
  2D6/round
  1
  12
  Earthquake Stomp
  Auto
  See below
  3
  –
  Faceless Gaze
  Auto 
  See below
  3
  Enthrall
  POW 
  vs. 
  POW
  See below
  3
  Move: 7
  Hit Points: 23
  Base SR: 3
  Armor: 6-point stone skin.
  Runes: Earth 100%, Disorder 90%. 
  Skills: Spirit Combat 90%, Speak Old Theyalan 90%, 
  Speak Heortling 45%, Speak Earthtongue 100%, Speak 
  Spiritspeech 50%.
  Spirit Combat Damage: 2D6+3
  Combat: Each round Idrima tries either to Grab an adventurer 
  or use her Earthquake Stomp or Faceless Gaze attacks. 
  If she successfully Grabs an adventurer, she may make 
  a Crushing Embrace attack on that adventurer each 
  successive round. If no adventurer is grabbed or within 
  range, she will use her Earthquake Stomp or Faceless Gaze. 
  Grab: Once per round, Idrima can try to grab an adventurer. 
  Once Grabbed, an adventurer must overcome Idrima’s STR 
  to be freed (or somehow incapacitate her right Arm). Idrima 
  can only grab one adventurer at a time. The following round 
  a Grabbed adventurer receives the Crushing Embrace.
  Crushing Embrace: The Crushing Embrace begins the round 
  after an adventurer has been Grabbed by Idrima. Each 
  round, the adventurer receives 2D6 damage to the chest. 
  Armor protects until it is overcome. Idrima keeps crushing 
  an adventurer until either the adventurer overcomes 
  Idrima’s STR, incapacitates Idrima’s arm, convinces Idrima 
  to release the adventurer, or the adventurer is reduced 
  to 2 or fewer hit points.
  Earthquake Stomp: Any round that Idrima does not make a 
  Grab or Faceless Gaze attack, she can stomp the ground 
  with her foot, causing a small earthquake. The Earthquake 
  Stomp affects 9 square meters around Idrima. Everyone 
  within that area must subtract –15% from all Agility and 
  Manipulation skills and DEX rolls for the next full round. 
  Each round, anyone standing up must succeed in a DEX×5 
  roll (at a –15% penalty) or fall prone.
  Faceless Gaze: Any round Idrima does not make a Grab or 
  Earthquake Stomp attack, she can turn her Faceless Gaze 
  upon an adventurer, opening the bands of flesh that wreath 
  her great staring eye. If she overcomes her target’s POW 
  with her own, the victim acts in all ways as if Demoralized 
  for the next 10 minutes. If Idrima gets a special success, 
  the victim collapses for a number of full turns equal to 
  20 minus the victim’s CON. If she gets a critical success, 
  the victim not only collapses as above, but must make 
  a CON×5 roll or die immediately from sheer shock and 
  terror. Her Faceless Gaze is the equivalent of a 1-point 
  Rune spell for purposes of defensive magic.
  Dream-wefts: She may spend 1 magic point to create a dream-
  weft. Each takes a full combat round to create, and they 
  seem to emanate from the altar as grayish, ochre-streaked 
  mist, then coalesce into something resembling Idrima’s 
  cloaked Stone Woman form. The dream-weft then descends 
  into the earth and re-emerges at one of her menhirs. See 
  page 33 for more information on the dream-wefts. 
  Sprul-pa: Idrima can summon a sprul-pa to her at the cost of 
  1 magic point and 5 strike ranks, from anywhere within the 
  old ruin, with the servitor manifesting at one of the skulls. 
  If the creature is already present and manifest (50% chance 
  of one being within earshot), she can simply call to it in 
  Demonic Earth Goddess 
  Idrima is one of the many daughters of Maran Gor the Earthshaker, born to that goddess when blood was first spilled 
  upon the Earth in the Gods War. Idrima fought the enemies of Earth such as Chaos and trolls, and others who angered 
  the Earth goddesses. Idrima can be appeased and calmed with blood—either that of her victims or that offered to her 
  in sacrifice. During the Great Darkness, she helped to keep Chaos away from this area. At the Dawn, the local Theyalans 
  worshiped Idrima as a guardian and protector and offered her sacrifices of animals and humans, but her cult died out as 
  the blessings of the Dawn grew. Neglected, she went to sleep deep in the Earth. She has reawakened, thirsty for blood. 
  Idrima is a cult spirit of the Earth goddesses (and thus could be subject to Yanioth’s Command Cult Spirit spell), and 
  could even be potentially worshiped as a subcult of Maran Gor.
  Idrima appears as a huge female seemingly carved from stone and covered with red ochre. She is obviously female, 
  with exaggerated thighs, hips, belly, and breasts. Her arms are thick, jointed tentacles with smaller branches beneath, 
  serving as fingers, her feet similar, almost resembling roots. Her head is disproportionately small and faceless; instead 
  it is covered in horizontal circular bands, but when she is roused, the bands open and reveal a great staring eye the size 
  of her entire head. When motionless, she can easily be mistaken for a statue.
  Her magic points are higher due to the recent sacrifice of the three Greydogs, and she has spent some of these 
  making new sprul-pa. 
  IDRIMA, THE STONE WOMAN
  
  40
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Earthtongue, without needing to spend any magic 
  points. This takes 5 strike ranks, and 1D4 sprul-pa 
  arrive the next round on their strike rank. 
  Enthrall: When not in combat, Idrima may 
  spend 6 magic points to enthrall a 
  potential target, causing them to serve 
  and protect her. This is resolved as 
  a resistance roll of Idrima’s POW 
  versus the intended target’s POW, 
  though she cannot do this against 
  targets that are actively hostile 
  towards her. If successful, the 
  subject is enthralled, temporarily 
  assigned a temporary passion 
  of Loyalty (Idrina) 90%, serving 
  her for one full day. On a 
  special success, the time 
  extends to 1D3+3 days, and 
  a critical success gives her 
  one full season of service. An 
  enthralled victim asked to do 
  something they would normally 
  be opposed to (such as fighting 
  friends, betraying oaths, etc.) can 
  attempt a roll of POW×3 to break 
  free of the enthrallment. This 
  roll should be augmented with 
  relevant passions (gamemaster’s 
  discretion). If the enthrallment 
  is broken, the Loyalty (Idrina) is 
  removed. The spirit magic spells 
  Countermagic and Dispel Magic 
  will work against Enthrall, as will the rune spells 
  Absorption, Dismiss Magic, or Inviolable can also 
  negate the effects of Enthrall.  
  Magic: At SR 3 of any round, Idrima can merge 
  into the earth and stone surrounding her, 
  whether wall or ground. When so merged, 
  she cannot be attacked physically, nor can 
  she attack except through Spirit Combat 
  or Faceless Gaze. This process causes her 
  to slough off much of her body, leaving 
  an ochre stain and an unpleasant gritty 
  slime in her wake. It takes her a full day 
  and a night to reform her body (even if 
  it has been destroyed). 
  Idrima can Discorporate at SR 3 of 
  any round she has not already acted 
  in, and send her spirit around to attack 
  through Spirit Combat or Faceless 
  Gaze. While Discorporate, her body 
  is vulnerable unless she has merged 
  with her surroundings.
  Furthermore, as a chthonic earth-
  goddess, Idrima is able to absorb 
  magic points from sacrifices made 
  to her, and will not be attacked by 
  creatures of the earth, such as an earth 
  elemental. If she encounters one, she 
  can speak to it in Earthtongue and 
  enter a POW vs. POW resistance roll 
  to take control of it, guiding it as if it 
  were under her command. 
  THE STONE WOMAN (CONTINUED)
  RUNEQUEST VETERAN?
  If the players are familiar with prior editions of RuneQuest, 
  this adventure can be used without much difficulty for 
  adventurers created using prior editions. The rules portion 
  of this adventure contains enough information to explain 
  passions, Runes, and other changes to the system, and 
  the RuneQuest system is flexible enough that characters 
  can be quickly adapted to use these rules, or they can 
  be ignored. A group familiar with HeRoQuest should have 
  even less trouble adapting this adventure to that rules set. 
  All that’s important is that this adventure is suitable 
  for a relatively inexperienced group of initiate-level 
  adventurers—Rune Lords or Rune Priests are probably 
  too powerful—and that the adventurers have some reason 
  for being in the Dragon Pass area. 
  Alternately, the events and locale of this adventure are 
  isolated enough that it can be placed almost anywhere in 
  Genertela, or elsewhere on Glorantha as desired. 
  Menhir depicting  
  Idrima the Stone Woman.
  
  41
  THE BROKEN TOWER
  LOOT TABLE
  Roll
  Result
  1
  A small golden figure of an unknown god. A successful Appraise roll reveals that it is worth at least 
  150 L. No Lore skills, even if successful, can identify the god. Sometimes it is important to accept the 
  unknown. 
  2
  A small metal and crystal phial, still closed, filled with gray powder. This powder can remove any 
  current disease, magic or otherwise, if mixed with wine and imbibed, requiring half a day to take effect. 
  There are 1Dd6 doses of the powder, and a successful Medicine or Alchemy roll will identify these 
  properties, but such analysis will consume one of the doses. 
  3
  A fist-sized idol of the Stone Woman fashioned out of dull grey stone (see page 39 for a description of 
  Idrima). It doubles as a magic point storage crystal, with a capacity of 8 magic points. It is currently empty. 
  4
  A small knife carved from mottled red and green stone, polished brightly, its edge still razor-keen. 
  Mineral Lore identifies it as jasper. Once the hilt was wrapped with something, likely leather cord, but it 
  is desiccated and flakes away when touched. It is worth perhaps 50 L. 
  5
  A bronze cloak-pin with a large square plate of blue jade, its provenance unknown. Wearing this exotic 
  keepsake can increase an adventurer’s Reputation by +1%. 
  6
  Several shards of opalescent milk quartz, carved with strange glyphs. These can be fitted together and 
  deciphered with a successful roll of Read/Write Old Theyalan. Deciphering these glyphs for a full day 
  gives the adventurer a one-time bonus of +1D3% to Old Theyalan. 
  7–8 
  A jawbone filled with teeth that have been replaced entirely with silver pins driven into the bone and 
  set with semi-precious minerals. No apparent use other than as a conversation piece. Value 250 L. 
  9–10
  A rotten leather bag containing almost a dozen small pieces of colored minerals, each about the 
  size of a finger-tip, carved figures of men, women, children, and dragonnewts, with some smaller 
  rounded tokens. A successful Empire of Wyrm’s Friends Lore roll identifies this as a popular children’s 
  boardgame. The board was a piece of cloth, now rotted away. A critical success lets the adventurer 
  remember the rules. The set is worth about 200 L to a collector, maybe 50 L for the value of the stones. 
  11–13
  A ring carved out of black marble. Worth 75 L. 
  14–16
  Once this was a hide and wood quiver, but now it is a long mushy stain with a bunch of arrowheads clustered 
  at one end. The arrowheads are chipped out of obsidian and aren’t worth much, but are still functional. 
  17–19
  A fairly recent small clay pot stoppered with red wax, the inside filled with slick grey material. This was 
  once a healing unguent, but has now gone bad. If smeared on a wound, it will delay the healing process 
  by 1 week, itching fiercely, and cause magical healing to have 1 less point of effectiveness, per wound. 
  20
  Broken shards of pottery with glazes of unusual hues, or a crushed blob of verdigrised bronze, with no 
  obvious purpose. Valueless to any except an archaeologist.
  LOOT
  
  42
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  g y s t
  STR 16
  CON 12
  SIZ 10
  INT 15
  DEX 11
  CHA 19
  POW 14
  Magic Points: 14
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  5/4
  Left Leg
  05–08
  5/4
  Abdomen
  09–11
  3/4
  Chest
  12
  5/5
  Right Arm
  13–15
  5/3
  Left Arm
  16–18
  5/3
  Head
  19-20
  5/4
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Broadsword
  90
  1D8+1+1D4
  7
  12
  Lance
  70
  1D10+1+3D6
  6
  10
  Battle Axe
  55
  1D8+2+1D4
  7
  10
  Medium Shield
  65
  1D6+1D4
  7
  12
  Composite Bow
  45
  1D8+1
  3
  7
  Runes: Air 90% (g), Moon 40% (4), Earth 20% (e),  
  Death 75% (t), Truth 70% (y), Movement 75% (s).
  Passions: Hate (Lunar Empire) 90%, Honor 90%, Devotion 
  (Orlanth) 80%, Loyalty (Sartar) 80%, Loyalty (Argrath) 
  70%, Loyalty (Colymar Tribe) 70%.
  Reputation: 20%
  Ransom: 500 L.
  Move: 8
  Damage Bonus: +1D4
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+3
  Strike Ranks: DEX 3, SIZ 2
  Hit Points: 12
  Armor: Bronze disk plate cuirass (5 pts.), bronze greaves 
  and vambraces (5 pts.), studded leather skirt (3 pts.), 
  closed helm (5 pts.).
  Skills: Agility: Dodge 22%, Ride (Bison) 70%. Communication: 
  Dance 25%, Fast Talk 15%, Orate 45%, Sing 50%. 
  Knowledge: Battle 65%, Cult Lore (Orlanth) 25%, Customs 
  (Heortling) 35%, Farm 30%, First Aid 25%, Herd 20%. 
  Manipulation +5% (includes all weapon skills). Magic: 
  Meditate 25%, Spirit Combat 55%, Worship (Orlanth) 
  35%. Perception: Listen 40%, Scan 50%, Search 30%, 
  Track 10%. Stealth +5%: Hide 15%, Move Quietly 15%. 
  Languages: Speak Heortling 60%, Speak Stormspeech 34%, 
  Speak Tradetalk 20%, Read/Write Theyalan 30%, Read/
  Write New Pelorian 15%.
  Rune Points: 3 (Orlanth Adventurous)
  Rune Spells: Command Cult Spirit (2), Dark Walk (1), Dismiss 
  Magic (Var.), Dismiss Air Elemental (as per elemental size), 
  Divination (1), Earth Shield (3), Extension 1, Find Enemy 
  1, Flight (var.), Heal Wound (1), Leap (1), Lightning (var.), 
  Mist Cloud (1), Multispell (1), Shield (var.), Spirit Block 
  (var.), Summon Air Elemental (as per elemental size, 
  see separate write-up), Teleportation (3), Wind Words (1). 
  Spirit Magic: Mobility (1 pt.), Demoralize (2 pts.), Healing 2.
  Magic Items: 10-point magic point storage crystal, piece 
  of raw Truestone. 
  Treasures: Carries 20 L in coin, armor and helmet, medium 
  shield, broadsword, lance, battle axe, composite bow 
  with 20 arrows, riding bison (see separate write-up).
  Veteran heavy cavalrywoman of the Ernaldori clan of the Colymar Tribe.  
  Female, age 21. Initiate of Orlanth Adventurous.
  Introduction: I am Vasana, the daughter of Farnan, a hero of Starbrow’s Rebellion, slain 
  and devoured by the Crimson Bat. In my war of revenge against the Lunar Empire, I 
  gained the attention of Argrath at the Battle of Pennel Ford. I was sorely wounded at the 
  Second Battle of Moonbroth, granting me this terrible scar across on the left half of my 
  face. I returned to my mother’s farm to recover, and now I am ready for adventure. My 
  friends know me for a fearsome bison rider, a skilled hand with a sword, and a devout 
  worshipper of Orlanth Adventurous. My honor is my greatest strength.  
  Vasana is a small but athletic woman with red-hair and a vicious scar across her left 
  face. Despite her small size, she rides a bison and is more than capable of commanding 
  warriors and priests more senior than herself.
  Vasana’s grandmother was a scribe in the service of the Princes of Sartar, and died 
  with great glory in the Battle of Boldhome. Vasana’s father was Farnan, a temple orphan 
  who married Vareena, a priestess of Ernalda from the Ernaldori clan. Farnan joined 
  Starbrow’s Rebellion and later personally aided Kallyr Starbrow in her escape from 
  Sartar. He died defending Whitewall in 1620, devoured by the Crimson Bat. Farnan’s 
  soul was annihilated and Vasana, then a teenager, swore revenge.
  As soon as she was initiated as an adult, Vasana left her mother’s farm to avenge her 
  father against the Lunar Empire. In 1623, she followed King Broyan to the metropolis of 
  Nochet, accompanied by her half-sister Yanioth. At the Battle of Pennel Ford, she fought 
  with great glory, and gained the attention of Argrath. Vasana followed Argrath into Prax 
  and joined the army of the White Bull in the liberation of Pavis. Pursuing honor again, 
  she fought with great glory at the Second Battle of Moonbroth, and was nearly killed 
  (receiving a nasty scar across her left eye) in the process of killing a Lunar priestess. After 
  the Dragonrise, she returned to her mother’s farm to recover. 
  VASANA, DAUGHTER OF FARNAN
  
  e 1 x B
  43
  PRE-GENERATED ADVENTURERS
  STR 11
  CON 12
  SIZ 15
  INT 16
  DEX 15
  CHA 17
  POW 15
  Magic Points: 15
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  0/5
  Left Leg
  05–08
  0/5
  Abdomen
  09–11
  0/5
  Chest
  12
  0/6
  Right Arm
  13–15
  0/4
  Left Arm
  16–18
  0/4
  Head
  19–20
  0/5
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Dagger
  35
  1D4+2+1D4
  6
  6
  Battle Axe
  55
  1D8+2+1D4
  5
  10
  Medium Shield
  65
  1D6+1D4
  6
  12
  Composite Bow
  45
  1D8+1
  2
  7
  Runes: Earth (e) 90%, Darkness (o) 40%, Air (g) 30%,  
  Fertility (x) 85%, Beast (B) 85%.
  Passions: Devotion (Ernalda) 80%, Loyalty (Colymar Tribe) 
  70%, Loyalty (Ernaldori Clan) 70%, Love (Family) 70%, 
  Loyalty (Argrath) 60%, Loyalty (Feathered Horse Queen) 
  60%, Loyalty (Sartar) 60%, Loyalty (Queen Samastina) 
  60%, Hate (Lunar Empire) 60%.
  Reputation: 26%
  Ransom: 1000 L.
  Move: 8
  Damage Bonus: +1D4
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1
  Strike Ranks: DEX 2, SIZ 1
  Hit Points: 13
  Armor: Priestess robe.
  Skills: Agility: Dodge 35%, Swim 40%. Communication: Dance 
  65%, Fast Talk 15%,Orate 60%, Sing 70%. Knowledge: 
  Area Lore (Dragon Pass) 25%, Battle 35%, Cult Lore 
  (Ernalda) 40%, Customs (Heortling) 30%, Farm 30%, First 
  Aid 50%, Herd 20%, Plant Lore 25%, Manage Household 
  35%. Magic: Meditate 35%, Spirit Combat 70%, Worship 
  (Ernalda) 70%. Perception: Insight (Human) 35%, Listen 
  30%, Scan 30%, Search 30, Track 10%. Stealth: Hide 15%, 
  Move Quietly 15%.
  Languages: Speak Heortling 60%, Speak Earthspeech 30%, 
  Speak Tradetalk 20%, Read/Write Theyalan 10%. 
  Rune Points: 4 (Ernalda)
  Rune Spells: Absorption (var.), Arouse Passion (1), Charisma 
  (1), Command Cult Spirit (2), Dismiss Magic (var.), Dismiss 
  Earth Elemental (as per elemental size), Divination (1), 
  Earthpower (3), Extension (1), Find Enemy (1), Heal Body 
  (3), Heal Wound (1), Inviolable (1), Multispell (1), Regrow 
  Limb (2), Soul Sight (1), Spirit Block (Var.), Summon Earth 
  Elemental (as per elemental size, see separate write-up).
  Spirit Magic: Slow (1 pt.), Heal 3, Befuddle (2 pts.).
  Magic Items: 10-point magic point storage crystal. 
  Treasures: Rich from the favor she received from Queen 
  Samastina in Nochet, Yanioth starts with 640 L in coin, 
  composite bow with 20 arrows, battle axe, dagger, medium 
  shield. At home, she has 1780 L in jewelry, vessels, and 
  luxury goods. 
  Apprentice priestess of the Earth goddess Ernalda, member of the Ernaldori clan of the 
  Colymar Tribe. Female, age 23. 
  Introduction: Call me Yanioth Vareena’s Daughter, and like my mother, you will know me as 
  a priestess of Ernalda. Praised be the Earth and all its secrets!  I know the sacred dances of 
  life and lust as well as the rites of birth and renewal. I speak to spirits of the higher worlds 
  and those of the earth, and I know the ways of knitting flesh and bone to their wholeness. 
  With my half-sister Vasana, I ventured to Nochet, and there I earned the blessing and favor of 
  Queen Samastina. Now I travel with her, following the path that my goddess has set before me. 
  Yanioth is a voluptuous woman with brown hair with braids that twist like snakes. She wears the 
  traditional vestments of an Ernaldan priestess, and has a tone ranging from lofty to occasionally 
  salacious. Despite this, she is helpful and generous to her friends, and ruthless towards her 
  enemies.  
  She is Vasana’s half-sister, sharing the same mother, Vareena, but with a different father. 
  Yanioth’s grandmother died at Grizzly Peak defending the Feathered Horse Queen, and her 
  mother (Vareena, a priestess of Ernalda) stayed completely out of the next twenty years 
  of conflict. 
  It was a great shock to her mother that Yanioth accompanied her half-sister to Nochet, 
  where she gained the blessing and favor of Queen Samastina. Yanioth was present at 
  the Battle of Pennel Ford, accompanied Argrath to summon Jaldon, and helped acclaim 
  Kallyr Starbrow as Prince. 
  YANIOTH, VAREENA’S DAUGHTER
  
  4 g e j i
  44
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  Heavy infantry soldier from Dunstop, in Lunar Tarsh. Male, age 21. Initiate of Seven Mothers.
  Introduction: Hold before you strike, brave adventurers! It is true that I am a Lunar, out of 
  Dunstop in Tarsh, but I have renounced any allegiance to the Lunar Empire, and have chosen 
  to follow a destiny other than that of invader. My name is Vostor. Though I am a deserter, I 
  am no common traitor! I put my kopis-sword and shield to use serving the Red Emperor 
  in Nochet and at the Battle of Pennel Ford, and in his name, I was nearly maimed by the 
  savage called Harek the Berserk. While I recovered, an attempt was made on my life, a 
  purge initiated by the new regime. I had little choice but leave or face assassination or 
  prison, at best. I have found acceptance, even friends, among my former enemies, and 
  now I am my own man, seeking my own path in the world.  
  Vostor, Son of Pyjeem, is from a long line of Lunar Tarshite soldiers from Dunstop. He 
  has a thick mop of black hair, piercing eyes, and a powerful physique, but his most 
  noticeable feature is a ragged row of fearsome scars across the right side of his face 
  and his right arm, healed but still testament to the terrible injury he suffered.  
  Vostor’s grandfather fought and died for the Red Emperor at the Battle 
  of Grizzly Peak. Pyjeem followed General Fazzur Wideread but died with 
  great glory in the Hendriking Campaign. 
  At adulthood, Vostor joined the Dunstop Foot and was shocked when 
  the Red Emperor replaced Fazzur Wideread as the Governor-General 
  of Dragon Pass. Nonetheless, he followed his regiment to Esrolia and 
  fought valiantly in the siege of Nochet. However, the Empire failed to take 
  the city. At the Battle of Pennel Ford Vostor was nearly killed by Harrek the Berserk, gaining the terrible scars across his face 
  and right arm. Vostor returned to Dragon Pass to recover, but during the retreat from Sartar, partisans of King Pharandos tried 
  to assassinate him as part of a purge of those officers who were loyal to Fazzur. Rather than be murdered, Vostor deserted and 
  sought allies amongst his former enemies in Sartar. 
  STR 16
  CON 15
  SIZ  13
  INT 15
  DEX 15
  CHA 10
  POW 15
  Magic Points: 15
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  6/5
  Left Leg
  05–08
  6/5
  Abdomen
  09–11
  5/5
  Chest
  12
  5/6
  Right Arm
  13–15
  6/4
  Left Arm
  16–18
  6/4
  Head
  19–20
  5/5
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Kopis
  80
  1D8+1+1D4
  6
  12
  Short Spear
  45
  1D6+1+1D4
  6
  10
  Dagger
  45
  1D4+2+1D4
  7
  7
  Large Shield
  90
  1D6+1D4
  7
  16
  Javelin
  30
  1D10+1D2
  2
  8
  Composite Bow
  50
  1D8+1
  2
  7
  Medium Shield
  35
  1D6+1D4
  7
  12
  Runes: Moon 90% (4), Air 50% (g), Earth 50% (e), Disorder 
  75% (j), Illusion (i) 75%.
  Passions: Fear (Dragons) 60%, Fear (Harrek the Berserk) 60%, 
  Hate (King Pharandos) 60%, Honor 70%, Love (Family) 
  60%, Loyalty (Dunstop) 60%, Loyalty (Fazzur Wideread) 
  80%, Loyalty (Red Emperor) 60%.
  Reputation: 19%
  Ransom: 500 L.
  Move: 8
  Damage Bonus: +1D4
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1
  Strike Ranks: DEX 2, SIZ 2
  Hit Points: 16
  Armor: Heavy scale hauberk (5 pts.), plate greaves and 
  vambraces (6 pts.), closed helmet (5 pts.).
  Skills: Agility: Dodge 35%. Communication: Dance 15%, 
  Fast Talk 15%, Oratory 20%, Intrigue 15%, Sing 30%. 
  Knowledge: Area Lore (Lunar Tarsh) 25%, Battle 55%, 
  Celestial Lore 15%, Cult Lore (Seven Mothers) 25%, 
  Customs (Lunar Provincial) 40%, Farm 35%, First Aid 
  30%. Magic +5%: Meditate 15%, Spirit Combat 45%, 
  Worship (Seven Mothers) 35%. Perception: Listen 40%, 
  Scan 65%, Search 25%, Track 5%. Stealth: Hide 15%, 
  Move Quietly 15%.
  Languages: Speak New Pelorian 70/20%, Speak Tarshite 
  30%, Speak Tradetalk 20%, Speak Heortling 10%. 
  Rune Points: 3 (Seven Mothers)
  Rune Spells: Command Cult Spirit (2), Dismiss Small 
  Elemental (1), Dismiss Magic (var.), Divination (1), 
  Extension (1), Find Enemy (1), Heal Wound (1), Madness 
  (1), Mindblast (2), Multispell (1), Reflection (var.), Regrow 
  Limb (2), Soul Sight (1), Spirit Block (var.), Summon Small 
  Fire Elemental (1) (see separate write-up).
  Magic Points: 15
  Spirit Magic: Befuddle (2 pts.), Glamour (2 pts.), Heal 1.
  Magic Items: A spell matrix for Heal 2 in the form of a belt 
  buckle depicting a fat, grinning dwarf.
  Treasures: 125 L in coin and booty, armor and helmet, large 
  shield, kopis, short spear, dagger, two javelins, composite 
  bow with 20 arrows.  
  VOSTOR, SON OF PYJEEM
  
  Revolutionary and scribe from Nochet. Female, 21 years old. Initiate of Lhankor Mhy.
  Introduction: Let me be brief here, for I am in the middle of composing a treatise and I do not wish 
  to lose the trail of thought. I am Sorala, a scholar out of the Lhankor Mhy temple in Nochet. My 
  mother taught me in the ways of writing and reading, and instilled in me a great love for the 
  pursuit of knowledge. History, languages, lore, rhetoric, logic, and even the paths of sorcery 
  are among my specialities, and my translations of Second Age Auld Wyrmish brought me great 
  acclaim amidst my peers. But do not think me a mere book-mite or meek copier: I have fought 
  and shed blood for Queen Samastina and King Argrath, and put my sword to work as readily 
  as my stylus! I have joined a small group of adventurers and travel with them now, wishing to 
  explore more of my homeland of Dragon Pass. 
  Sorala is an adventurous and athletic scholar, with long brown hair. Her attire is practical and 
  nondescript, aside from the bejeweled veil she wears as a “beard.” 
  Sorala is the granddaughter of a Lhankor Mhy sage at the Nochet Knowledge Temple. He 
  aided the House of Sartar against Lunar Assassins and died with great glory when Belintar 
  raised the Building Wall. Her mother was Toria, also a sage of Lhankor Mhy. She survived the 
  Lion King’s Feast but died with great glory during Greymane’s Great Raid.
  After a lengthy apprenticeship, Sorala was initiated into the Lhankor Mhy. During the civil 
  war in Esrolia, Sorala supported the usurper Samastina, and fought gloriously to protect her 
  from Red Earth assassins. During the siege of Nochet, she was blessed by the Earth Queen, 
  and fought with distinction at the Battle of Pennel Ford. Sorala accompanied Argrath White 
  Bull to Pavis, and acclaimed him as King of Pavis. In Pavis, she befriended Vasana and Yanioth, 
  and accompanied them back to Dragon Pass.
  Sorala is a noted sage concerning the Second Age, particularly the city of Old Pavis and of 
  Auld Wyrmish writings. 
  STR 13
  CON 11
  SIZ  12
  INT 20
  DEX 17
  CHA 15
  POW 13
  Magic Points: 13
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  3/4
  Left Leg
  05–08
  3/4
  Abdomen
  09–11
  3/4
  Chest
  12
  3/5
  Right Arm
  13–15
  3/3
  Left Arm
  16–18
  3/3
  Head
  19–20
  6/4
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Broadsword
  70
  1D8+1+1D4
  5
  12
  Small Axe
  35
  1D8+2+1D4
  5
  8
  Medium Shield
  50
  1D6+1D4
  6
  12
  Sling
  45
  1D8
  1
  –
  Thrown Small Axe
  65
  1D6+1D3
  1
  8
  Runes: Fire 60% (L), Air 40% (g), Earth 20% (e), Truth 95% (y),  
  Man 75% (,), Harmony 70% (l).
  Passions: Hate (Lunar Empire) 60%, Devotion (Lhankor Mhy) 
  80%, Honor 80%, Loyalty (Queen Samastina) 70%, Loyalty 
  (Argrath) 80%, Loyalty (Family) 60%, Loyalty (Clan) 60%, 
  Loyalty (Nochet) 60%. 
  Reputation: 18%
  Ransom: 1000 L.
  Move: 8
  Damage Bonus: +1D4
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1
  Strike Ranks: DEX 1, SIZ 2
  Hit Points: 11
  Armor: Linothorax hauberk (3 pts.), cuirboilli greaves and 
  vambraces (3 pts.), full helmet (6 pts.).
  Skills: Agility: Dodge 44%. Communication: Bargain 20%, 
  Dance 30%, Fast Talk 15%, Intrigue 20%, Oratory 30%, Sing 
  30%. Knowledge: Area Lore (Dragon Pass) 25%, Area Lore 
  (Old Pavis) 60%, Battle 50%, Bureaucracy 50%, Cult Lore 
  (Lhankor Mhy) 30%, Farm 45%, Troll Lore 30%, Empire of 
  Wyrm’s Friends Lore 35%. Magic: Meditate 35%, Spirit 
  Combat 40%, Worship (Lhankor Mhy) 30%. Perception: 
  Listen 35%, Scan 35%, Search 35%, Track 15%. Stealth: 
  Hide 30%, Move Quietly 30%.
  Languages: Speak Esrolian 60%, Speak Heortling 50%, 
  Speak Tradetalk 30%, Read/Write Theyalan 90%, Read/
  Write Auld Wyrmish 60%, Read/Write New Pelorian 50%.
  Rune Points: 3 (Lhankor Mhy)
  Rune Spells: Analyze Magic (1), Clairvoyance (1), Command 
  Cult Spirit (2), Detect Truth (1), Dismiss Magic (var.), 
  Divination (1), Extension (1), Find Enemy (1), Heal 
  Wound (1), Knowledge (2), Mind Read (1), Multispell 
  (1), Reconstruction (3), Soul Sight (1), Spirit Block (var.), 
  Translate (1), Truespeak (2).
  Spirit Magic: Detect Life, Detect Magic, Detect Spirit, Farsee 2.
  Magic Items: Small stone figurine of a crested dragonewt 
  that points in a desired direction (Find Magic matrix).
  Treasures: 500 L in coin, jewels, and booty, armor and 
  helmet, broadsword, small axe, medium shield, sling 
  and 10 stones, writing implements and materials; tin 
  disk carved with calendar; letter of introduction from the 
  Knowledge Temple in Nochet. 
  SORALA, DAUGHTER OF TORIA
  L g y , l
  45
  PRE-GENERATED ADVENTURERS
  
  g L l s
  Noble farmer-warrior of the Ernaldori clan of the Colymar Tribe. Male, age 21. Initiate of Issaries. 
  Introduction: Harmast is my name, and I am the firstborn son of the great chieftain Baranthos. 
  You have no doubt heard of me. My clan, the Ernaldori, are loyal Sartarites, famed for our 
  prudence and our success. True, my clan defended Colymar tribal lands while others rushed 
  off to war, but when they returned, where were the thanks for our service?  I fought in 
  the Battle at Pennel Ford alongside my kinsfolk, and saw the crowning of the Prince of 
  Sartar. My friends and enemies alike know me for a man of words, an envoy and skilled 
  negotiator, but they also know that this fine sword at my side is not for show. 
  Harmast is from a noble lineage of the Colymar tribe. His father is the chieftain of the Ernaldori 
  clan, and his grandfather and great-uncle were kings of that tribe. His family are famed for their 
  loyalty to Sartar and for their caution: Harmast’s family survived the Lunar Occupation 
  with their lives (and wealth) intact, whereas others of their clan perished. 
  Harmast was initiated into the cult of Issaries, and tried to avoid the growing 
  conflict in Dragon Pass, preferring talk and negotiation to warfare. However, 
  following the Great Winter, Harmast fought a duel with a thane from the 
  Grey Dog clan and killed him; the thane’s kin have sworn vengeance upon 
  Harmast. Harmast fought at the Battle of Pennel Ford, alongside his kinfolk, 
  Vasana and Yanioth. He witnessed the Dragonrise and fought for Starbrow 
  during the Liberation of Sartar, acclaiming her as Prince. 
  Of average size and appearance, Harmast has close-cropped dark hair and 
  surprisingly bright eyes. His garments and gear are well made and boast ornate 
  decorative motifs, a clear display of his family’s wealth. In person he is occasionally a 
  bit arrogant, and quickly defensive when it comes to his choice to remain and defend his 
  family’s farm estate when others of his kin answered King Broyan’s call. 
  Harmast is a dealmaker: when he can’t make a deal he relies upon his fearsome skills as a duelist. 
  Generally, he tries to remain out of conflicts, but does not hesitate to act decisively when drawn into them. 
  STR 13
  CON 9
  SIZ  13
  INT 19
  DEX 18
  CHA 10
  POW 16
  Magic Points: 16
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Leg
  01–04
  6/4
  Left Leg
  05–08
  6/4
  Abdomen
  09–11
  6/4
  Chest
  12
  6/5
  Right Arm
  13–15
  6/3
  Left Arm
  16–18
  6/3
  Head
  19–20
  5/4
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Broadsword
  100
  1D8+1+1D4
  5
  12
  Battle Axe
  40
  1D8+2+1D4
  6
  10
  Dagger
  55
  1D4+2+1D4
  7
  Medium Shield
  80
  1D6+1D4
  6
  12
  Javelin
  45
  1D8+1+1D2
  1
  7
  Runes: Air 90% (g), Fire 45% (L), Darkness 20% (o), Harmony 
  90% (l), Movement 75% (s).
  Passions: Hate (Grey Dog) 60%, Love (Family) 80%, Loyalty 
  (Sartar) 80%, Loyalty (Ernaldori Clan) 60%, Loyalty (Colymar 
  Tribe) 60%, Loyalty (Issaries Temple) 60%.
  Reputation: 15%
  Ransom: 500 L.
  Move: 8
  Damage Bonus: +1D4
  Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6+1
  Strike Ranks: DEX 1, SIZ 2
  Hit Points: 10
  Armor: Plate cuirass (6 pts.), plate greaves and vambraces 
  (6 pts.), closed helmet (5 pts.). 
  Skills: Agility: Dodge 46%, Ride (Horse) 40%. Communication: 
  Bargain 65%, Dance 20%, Fast Talk 15%,Oratory 50%, Sing 
  35%. Knowledge: Area Lore (Dragon Pass) 30%, Battle 30%, 
  Cult Lore (Issaries) 30%, Customs (Heortling) 70%, Farm 35%, 
  Herd 25%, Manage Household 50%. Magic +5%: Meditate 
  10%, Spirit Combat 65%, Worship (Issaries) 55%. Perception: 
  Insight (Human) 60% Listen 35%, Scan 35%, Search 35%, 
  Track 15%. Stealth: Hide 25%, Move Quietly 30%.
  Languages: Speak Heortling 60%, Speak Tradetalk 45%, 
  Read/Write Theyalan 20%. 
  Rune Points: 3 (Issaries)
  Rune Spells: Command Cult Spirit (2), Dismiss Magic (var.), 
  Divination (1), Extension (1), Flight (var.), Find Enemy (1), 
  Heal Wound (1), Multispell (1), Passage (1), Path Watch (2), 
  Safe (2), Soul Sight (1), Spell Trading (2), Spirit Block (var.).
  Spirit Magic: Detect Enemy (1 pt.), Farsee (1 pt.), Glamour 
  (2 pts.), Mobility (1 pt.).
  Magic Items: Three healing potions that heal 1D10 points 
  of damage each.
  Treasures: 150 L in coin, armor and helmet, broadsword, 
  dagger, three javelins, medium shield, two riding zebras.
  HARMAST’S ZEBRAS: Harmast rides a Praxian zebra (and 
  has a second), and must dismount to fight, as neither has 
  been trained to be steady in combat. Each has a Move 
  12. Characteristics are not needed.
  HARMAST, BARANTHOS’ SON
  46
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  
  47
  PRE-GENERATED ADVENTURERS
  VASANA’S BISON
  Vasana rides a trained cavalry bison. When she attacks 
  someone on foot from bison-back, she rolls 1D10+10 to 
  determine hit location. When she uses her lance while 
  charging with her bison, she uses the bison’s damage 
  bonus, and not hers!
  STR 36
  CON 17
  SIZ 34
  INT N/A
  DEX 12
  CHA N/A
  POW 10
  Magic Points: 10
  Location
  D20
  Armor/HP
  Right Hind Leg
  01–02
  3/6
  Left Hind Leg
  03–04
  3/6
  Hindquarters
  05–07
  3/8
  Forequarters
  08–10
  3/8
  Right Front Leg
  11–13
  3/6
  Left Front Leg
  14–16
  3/6
  Head
  17–20
  3/7
  Weapon
  %
  Damage
  SR
  Pts
  Butt
  50
  2D10+3D6
  8
  12
  Trample
  50
  6D6 to 
  downed foe
  8
  12
  Damage Bonus: +3D6
  Move: 12
  Hit Points: 23
  Combat: A bison can butt or trample in the same melee 
  round, not both.
  Armor: 3-point hide.
  AIR ELEMENTAL
  Vasana can spend Rune Points to ask Orlanth to send her 
  any size of air elemental. It will follow her orders and stay 
  in this world for 15 minutes (the duration of the spell) and 
  then dissipate. 
  Characteristics
  Small
  Medium
  Large
  Rune Point cost 
  to summon
  1
  2
  3
  SIZ  
  (cubic meters)
  27  
  (3×3×3)
  54  
  (3×6×3)
  81  
  (3×9×3)
  Hit Points
  10
  19
  29
  STR
  10
  19
  29
  POW
  11
  17
  20
  Movement
  12
  12
  12
  Abilities: An air elemental can carry objects or people with 
  a total SIZ equal to or less than the air elemental’s STR. It 
  can create a breeze or a small whirlwind. An air elemental 
  may blow arrows or other missile weapons off course.
  Attack: An air elemental attacks by taking a character caught 
  within it and throwing them to the top of the elemental, 
  and then dropping them. Damage is 1D6 plus 1D6 per 
  3 meters of fall. Thus, a small air elemental can do a 
  maximum of 2D6 damage, but by making the elemental 6 
  meters high, a medium air elemental can do 3D6 damage, 
  and a large air elemental does 4D6. A character may try 
  to resist by pitting their STR in a resistance roll against 
  the STR of the elemental. If the character resists, they 
  stay on the ground. Characters may choose to attack 
  or cast spells at an air elemental instead of resisting, in 
  hopes that the air elemental will be destroyed in mid-toss, 
  causing only 1/2 damage for the toss. The characters will 
  be tossed, however.
  EARTH ELEMENTAL
  Yanioth can spend Rune Points to ask Ernalda to send her 
  any size of earth elemental. It will follow her orders and 
  stay in this world for 15 minutes (the duration of the spell) 
  and then dissipate.
  Characteristics
  Small
  Medium
  Large
  Rune Point cost 
  to summon
  1
  2
  3
  SIZ  
  (cubic meters)
  27 
  (3×3×3)
  54  
  (3×6×3)
  81  
  (3×9×3)
  Hit Points
  10
  19
  29
  STR
  10
  19
  29
  POW
  11
  17
  20
  Movement
  0
  1D6
  3D6
  Abilities: An earth elemental can open pits in the soil, make 
  tunnels, and find buried objects. It can also be used for 
  holding objects stuck into the dirt, keeping loose tunnel 
  roofs from falling, or forming mounds and ridges in the 
  soil (no larger than the elemental’s volume). An earth 
  elemental can carry a person and “swim” through the soil 
  if it has STR enough to carry that person. There is no air 
  underground, and an individual being carried must make 
  CON rolls or suffocate. The earth elemental can only do 
  this with an unresisting passenger. An earth elemental 
  can carry several people if its STR is sufficient.
  Attack: In combat, the earth elemental uses its volume to 
  engulf its opponents, opening a pit beneath a foe with a 
  maximum volume equal to its own volume. A small earth 
  elemental simply engulfs the victim’s legs. A medium earth 
  elemental can swallow victim up to the neck, covering 
  the chest and abdomen as well as the legs. A large earth 
  elemental can swallow its victim completely, engulfing all 
  hit locations. In this case, the victim also will asphyxiate 
  (as per the suffocation rules) unless they break free. After 
  burying a victim, the earth elemental closes up the pit, doing 
  its damage modifier as damage to all hit locations engulfed. 
  An earth elemental can only attack in this manner in dirt or 
  rocky soils (not in sand or soft loam), and can only attack 
  once in a given spot, because the pulverized dirt is too fine 
  for a second attack. The victim is held by the earth elemental 
  in any case, and must overcome the elemental’s STR with 
  their own to break free and crawl out of its grip. If an earth 
  elemental lacks any damage bonus, or attacks a victim in 
  unsuitable soil, it will swallow the victim as described above, 
  without causing damage. The victim must still resist STR 
  vs. STR to pull free of the earth elemental’s grip.
  MOUNTS & ELEMENTALS
  
  ELEMENTALS (CONTINUED)
  FIRE ELEMENTAL
  Vostor can spend 1 Rune Point to ask the Seven Mothers 
  to send him a small fire elemental. It will follow his orders 
  and stay in this world for 15 minutes (the duration of the 
  spell) and then dissipate.
  Characteristics
  Small
  Rune Point cost to summon
  1
  SIZ (cubic meters)
  27 (3×3×3)
  Hit Points
  10
  STR
  10
  POW
  11
  Movement
  0
  Abilities: A fire elemental will ignite any flammable object 
  it touches. It can heat metal (and eventually melt it), 
  bake stone, set fires, and, of course, burn people. Fire 
  elementals float through the air at the same rate as 
  they move on the ground.
  Attack: In combat, a fire elemental engulfs its victims in 
  flame. It can engulf 10 SIZ points of enemy per cubic 
  meter of volume. At the end of each round that the 
  victim is engulfed, a roll of 3D6 is matched against 
  the CON of the victim. If the attack is successful, the 
  character takes the 3D6 damage directly to their general 
  hit points. If unsuccessful, 1/2 the amount rolled is 
  applied to the victim’s general hit points. Armor will 
  not protect against this damage, but Protection and 
  Shield spells will.
  48
  RUNEQUEST QUICK-START RULES
  CREDITS
  Quickstart Rules and Scenario by 
  Jeff Richard and Jason Durall
  Based on work by 
  Steve Perrin, Greg Stafford, Sandy Petersen,  
  Ken Rolston, Ray Turney, and Chris Klug
  Cover Art 
  Andre Fetisov
  Illustrations 
  Roman Kisyov
  Proofreading 
  Andrew Bean
  Art Direction 
  Jeff Richard
  Graphic Design & Layout 
  Nicholas Nacario, Rick Meints, and Michal E. Cross
  Cartography 
  Simon Bray
  Play Testing 
  Andrew Bean, Eric Borg, Barbara Braun, Mara Braun,  
  Mark Dunleavy, T.F. Druid, Todd Gardiner,  
  Sven Grottke, Kris Alice Hohls, Claudia Loroff,  
  Harry O’Brien, Michael O’Brien, Sue O’Brien,  
  Christine Reich, Neil Robinson, and Jane Saleeba
  As always, a special thank you and credit goes to  
  Greg Stafford, without whom none of us would be reading 
  this or playing games in Glorantha.
  RUNEQUEST
  A Chaosium Game
  First Edition 1978 (Chaosium)
  Second Edition 1979, 1980 (Chaosium)
  Third Edition 1984, 1993 (Avalon Hill, Chaosium)
  Fourth Edition 2017 (Chaosium)
  Copyright ©1978, 1980, 1984, 1993, 2017 by  
  Moon Design Publications, all rights reserved
  RuneQuest, HeroQuest, and Glorantha are trademarks of 
  Moon Design Publications
  Chaosium Inc., 3450 Wooddale Ct, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
  CHAOSIUM INC. 2017
  978-1-56882-450-5     CHA4027
  
  W e t y I o s g l j c , /
  Welcome to Glorantha
  A mythic world of mortals and gods, myths and cults, monsters 
  and heroes. In Glorantha, the Runes permeate everything, and 
  mastery of Runes allows astonishing feats of bravery and magic.
  Glorantha is an ancient world, and has known many ages, but 
  now it is at the brink of the greatest conf ict it has ever known… 
  the Hero Wars. 
  Glorantha is the setting of RuneQuest, one of the oldest and 
  most inf uential roleplaying games ever published.
  T is Quickstart collects all the essential rules for RuneQuest: 
  Roleplaying in Glorantha and presents them in abbreviated form. 
  Use this booklet to start playing immediately, and to discover 
  the improvements to the system. T ese game rules and a new 
  adventure—T e Broken Tower—preview the newest edition of 
  RuneQuest, developed in close consultation with the designers 
  and authors of the original RuneQuest and of Glorantha.
  T e Broken Tower, set in the heart of the Dragon Pass, is 
  suitable for up to 5 adventurers and one gamemaster, 
  complete with all the rules needed to play. 
  CHA4027 $9.95
  For more information about Chaosium and Chaosium publications, 
  please seeour website at www.chaosium.com
  Printed in USA
  4027
  
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