In this fifth episode of Wind Words, we come back to Sartar to look at every Heortling’s favourite past time: cattle raiding. Why do they like cattle so much around here that they need to go and steal them from their neighbours on a regular basis?
But first, we look at this month’s Gloranthan news.
Herald’s Podium
(located at 41 seconds)
Gen Con Online
(located at 1:o8 minutes)
Bill has registered for Gen Con Online: https://www.gencon.com Look for him and his mic at the con. His user name will be Bill of the Wind Words Tribe!
The grandpappy of them all. Gen Con falls to the rampaging Covid-19 virus but, like the phoenix consumed in the flame—emerges alive! This time online! Events will be announced on July 6 and registration begins on the 13th.
Errata: In our recording we gave incorrect information. Events will be announced on July 6 and registration begins on the 13th as is noted above. Mea Culpa!
Jeff Richard AMA
(located at 1:44 minutes)
The boys look at a Jeff Richard’s interview that happened when a bunch of German fans took over a Schloss as “socially distancing individuals” instead of a conventioneers and in lieu of the non-existing con’s usual “Ask-Me-Anything” panel by Jeff, they recorded this. Many highlights, rumours and easter eggs are discussed.
Tminits & Trolls, Gianni Vacca’s long running Glorantha blog has a great summary of this panel @ https://2ndage.blogspot.com/2020/06/eternal-con-2020-jeffs-panel.html
Jonstown Compendium News
(located at 11:38 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?filters=45683&src=by_the_fans
An update to the ranks Jonstown Compendium products hold in the DriveThru’s “community content” top ten area:
Spoiler
As always, our community is kicking butt!
Valley of Plenty
(located at 12:49 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/316797/Valley-of-Plenty
We discuss this HeroQuest/QuestWorld book that starts players off as children of the Dundaelos tribe. The book is from Shawn and Peggy Carpenter, a.k.a. Troupe Games.
More information is available on Troupe Game’s blog:
- Extended description of the book: https://dscarpenter.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/whats-in-the-valley/
- Playtest notes:
Red Deer Saga Part 3
(located at 20:49 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/317944/A-Sword-Turned-Inward–Part-3-of-Red-Deer-Saga
This is the final instalment of the three part series which finshes up at the Battle of Queens. We find ourselves astounded by Paul Baker, the author, and his rapidity in publishing—as we are with our next item’s author…
Heortlings of Sartar
(located at 21:44 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/315742/Heortlings-of-Sartar
Austin’s at it again with MotM #6! Ludo introduces this months monster as the most dangerous of them all!. From the BRP forums to you… at the speed of sound!
Treasures of Glorantha
(located at 23:18 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/317421/Treasures-of-Glorantha-V1–Dragon-Pass
…also by Austin Conrad who is joined by Shawn Carpenter, Gil Cruz, Simon Phipp, and Jerry Thorpe (and Ludo!). This work starts a new series filled with storyful items to tempt—with an eye to the old RuneQuest Classic “Plunder” as inspiration!
Vinga’s Ford
(located at 25:13 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/315517/Vingas-Ford
by Beer With Teeth.
It contains a vampire, a Vingan, and a duck, which are the essentials according to Joerg. There are also ghost trolls, spirit combat, and zombies.
Blue Moon, White Moon
(located at 25:40 minutes)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/317878/Blue-Moon-White-Moon
By John Wick (yay!)
The adventurers encounter a Blue Moon Assassin from the Lunar Empire. What is she doing out here in Dragon Pass? And what is she running from? Will prejudices and superstitions overcome empathy and curiosity? It’s up to your players (and their moral compass) to decide.
Miscellaneous
JamesCORPTV
(located at 28:01 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/user/Jamescuk/playlists
James Chambers, aka “JamesCORPTV” is a video streamer who does RPG-related videos and, mostly, actual plays. He has recently organized games of RuneQuest Glorantha (“The Broken Tower”) and 13th Age Glorantha (“The Beard of Lankhor Mhy”), which we rejoice about as we don’t see enough of that game around.
The live plays feature a few RPG personalities like Paul Mitchener, Bud, Pookie, and Seth Skorkowsky, but most importantly, Bill isn’t bored!
Main Topic
(located at 30:18 minutes)
The twin topics of Clan and Cattle in Sartar
(This is located at 30:18 minutes)
Clan
(This is located at 31:18 minutes)
- What is a Sartarite Clan?
- What binds them?
- What separates them?
Cattle and clans
(This is located at 36:35 minutes)
- What cattle do for one’s resources and self sufficiency.
- Hillbillies? Cultured folk?
- Cows provide that certain “je ne sais quoi”, a little Gloranthan Bronze Age flavour…
- Cattle and myth
The Raid
(This is located at 43:25 minutes)
- Cows and how to find them.
- Cows and how to get them.
Beginning/Preparation of the Raid
(This is located at 47:12 minutes)
- When does a raid actually begin?
- Getting permission for a raid
- Who does one raid? The answer might surprise.
- Ramifications that later impact our raiders or defenders may be foreshadowed here.
- Recon/Scouting (spiritual and mundane)
- Tactics Leadership (politics again)
- Charging over the hill (crazy but…)
- Diversions
- Politics, negotiations, borders, hospitality (boon or bane).
- Military preparations: mundane and spiritual, arming, praying and sacrifices.
- The realities of limited resources is introduced, as is the wyter.
- The role (or necessity) of a hired expert.
Use all these some or all of these ideas to have several excellent challenging and fun games before combat even begins (so that’s what all those other skills are for)!
Splat Note
Jörg mentions a name I was unfamiliar with in conjunction with charging over the hill, Read the entry about the character and his actions that created the meme in honour of Leroy Jenkins @
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeroy_Jenkins
Execution of the Raid
(This is located at 1:06:37 hours)
- The moment ya blood thirsty barbarians have been waiting for…
- Raiders: Overt? Covert? Distractions, magical or mundane?
- Defenders: Observing invaders magically or mundane
- Hospitality rears its ugly head again.
- How much magic should be used in defence and attack? Resources vs needs vs wants.
- When to use this magic (and what does filibustering have to do with magic?).
- To use aggressive/lethal magic or not?
More complications
(This is located at 1:14:48 hours)
No plan survives contact with the enemy
…and yet, more story seeds are provided!
Aftermath
(This is located at 1:19:08 hours)
- Division of spoils {See the beginning of the raid for decisions already made that were said to have possible ramifications).
- No spoils—things go south, now what?
- Is this bad or can it be negotiated? (more game nights that leave the need for combat behind).
- So are we now at the end of this raid or the beginning of the next raid
- What to do with the cattle (why don’t the villains win once in a while and get the cattle home?) (“It’s what Orlanth did…”)
Cue the poets and skalds to tell the heroic tales…
Conclusions
(this is located at 1:28:43)
You want more notes, nah. You got the time listed above. Anymore would be telling. Go and give it a listen for our final thoughts on the matter.
(Psst… although I could sell you a copy of Cole’s Notes to this episode in a sealed mylar package with the sealed and signed copy of our podcast to boot… Mint condition, perfect for collecting!)
A joke
(this is located at 1:37:02)
A teaser and special announcement not to be missed. This special announcement is located about 2 and a half minutes after the joke begins (for those with enquiring minds)…
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