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"RuneQuest2 Reviews" Copyright (c) 1997 Simon E. Phipp
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RuneQuest 2 Reviews

Cults of Prax

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 20
Availability | 5
Usability | 15
Originality | 15 (Kyger Litor Cult gives this a 3 point penalty, I'm afraid)
General | 18
Score | 73
Recommended For: | Beginners

A groundbreaking product, Cults of Prax covers the main gods worshipped in the land of Prax. Throughout the book is the narrative of Bituran Varosh, an Issaries Trader, who encounters the members of each cult. These narratives bring life to the cults in a very unusual way.

The cults themselves follow the Standard Format, with sections on Mythology, Structure, Cult membership, Spells and Skills and Associate Cults. The cults are grouped in Barbarian, Invader, Lightbringer and Inhuman Gods and include a Kyger Litor write-up!

The Appendix contains such gems as a Cult Compatibility Chart, Nomad Weapons by Tribe and a Cult Membership by Tribe Table. Holy Days are given and Truestone and Slave Bracelets are described. Finally, a Chronology is given which includes areas outside of Prax.

All in all, Cults of Prax is an excellent book, although all the cults, with the exception of the Seven Mothers, have since found their way into print for RQ3. Still it's worth a buy if you ever get the chance.

Cults of Terror

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 20
Availability | 5
Usability | 15
Originality | 18
General | 20
Score | 78
Recommended For: | Experienced GMs

The Chaos Cults. Similar to Cults of Prax, this has a narrative running throughout detailing the exploits of Paulis Longvale, a Lunar related to one of the noble houses of Bilini.

The book begins with the most detailed Cosmaology/Monomyth you will ever find, ranging from the Creation through the Darkness to the Lightbringers' Quest. The Arkat/Gbaji Wars are also detailed. This is excellent and is a must for anyone hoping to understand Gloranthan Mythology and History.

The cults themselves follow the Standard Format and are very nasty indeed. The cults of Thanatar and Vivamort are especially good. Illumination is also explained - and what a jolly good thing it is, too.

The Appendices include a Cult Compatibility Table, Healing Spirits, New Runes and Rules for Nets.

Overall, an excellent pack, although many of the cults have now been reprinted for RQ3. However, it is worth buying for the Monomyth/History alone.

Trollpak

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 20
Availability | 5
Usability | 18
Originality | 17 (The Kyger Litor cult gives a 3 point penalty)
General | 20
Score | 80
Recommended For: | Beginners

This contains three books and a two-section scenario.

Uz Lore - The History of Trolls, this contains their Mythology, including a very detailed account of GodTime, History, Eating Habits, Physical Features and Culture. It is very, very good. If you run trolls or are interested in the GodTime you have to read this. Finally, the Sazdorf Clan is detailed with its clan structure and personalities.

Book of Uz - Troll Character Generation (including the fabulous Mistress Race Trolls), Troll Culture, write-ups of the major Troll Cults (including a Kyger Litor write-up) and a bestiary of trolls and insects. Finally, it contains a Glossary which is fascinating, even though it is only a list of names - it is a very interesting list of names.

Into Uzdom - a scenario pack with scenarios involving trading with trolls, killing trolls, fishing on Skyfall Lake and stats for the Sazdorf Clan, a troll clan living between Prax and Sartar. These scenarios are classics indeed.

The Munchrooms - a scenario concerning a rebel tribe of trollkin. This is interesting because it allows the scenario to be played from both sides - either as allies of the trollkin or their enemies. The Munchrooms themselves are a set of troll caverns containing magic mushrooms and an entrance to Hell itself. This is a very good and fun scenario.

Finally, the rules on Trollball are given. A good game to play if you have a few hours to kill. (Although I know this originally appeared in Wyrms Footnotes, I am not counting it as a reprint as it is only a small section).

The map is to the same scale as those in the Dragon pass board games and can be linked to them with a bit of work.

Trollpak is the granddaddy of all supplements and is one of the benchmarks by which future supplements are measured.

Griffin Mountain

Publisher | Chaosium
Score
Gloranthan Content | 20
Availability | 5
Usability | 20
Originality | 20
General | 20
Score | 85
Recommended For: | Beginners

What can I say - the best RuneQuest product, unsurpassed by any other - if it were in print I would have given it 100. Every time I read it I find something new which connects with other things I had never connected before.

It contains a history of Balazar, the geography of the region and surrounding states, a description of the culture and a cult write-up of Cacodemon and Hunter. The three citadels are covered in some detail together with the personalites and their stats. The hunters are described as well as Blueface the Shaman.

There is a rumours section with much information which can spark off scenrio ideas all by themselves. Information can be bought from different people, with varying degrees of accuracy. There is a bestiary and three scenario sections. The first is a list of random encounters with people, the second a list of found locations and the third a group of scenrios includiong killing Chaos, helping Dryads, trading with Giants, freeing a trapped goddess and climbing mountains.

There is a full pullout hex map which is the same scale as the maps from White Bear & Red Moon/Dragon Pass, Nomad Gods and Trollpak and can be used to make a mega-map of the region.

Although some parts are not as detailed as I would have liked (Griffin Island fills the Hunters out a bit and gives more believable stats for the NPCs) I would heartily recommend buying Griffin Mountain if it ever came up for Auction.

Borderlands

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 18
Availability | 5
Usability | 20
Originality | 18
General | 18
Score | 79
Recommended For: | Beginners

Borderlands is a campaign pack set in the lands of Duke Raus of Rone, an exiled Lunar nobleman living on the banks of the southern Zola Fel, or River of Cradles. It is the first of the "Prax Trilogy" of campaign packs. and consists of 2 books and 7 scenarios in individual pamphlets.

The Referee's Handbook contains a history of the region, local geography, maps, personalities and stats together with descriptions of the Agimori, Broos, Ducks, Newtlings, Morokanth and Tusk Riders. A number of Treasures are described, including some from Plunder, and a bestiary of local animals is given. There are rules for Spirit Cults and the cults of River Horse and Frog Woman are written up. Ruels for Underwater Combat and the use of nets find their way in here.

The Referee Encounter Book contains stats for people and creatures encountered, from hyenas to dinosaurs, from broos to bandits, Praxian nomads and even a remnant of GodTime - the Eternal Battle.

The 7 scenarios take the party from being beginning characters to experienced mercenaries. They are based around the idea of being hired by Duke Raus' mercenary force and the activities of that force. Most are combat-orientated, but all are good. There is scope for other scenarios to be included, the Muriah scenario from Shadows on the Borderlands and White Dwarf slots neatly into the timeframe. A good GM could easily turn these 7 scenarios into a dozen or more, simply by acting on any loose ends thrown up within the scenarios themselves. The last scenario gives a nice logical link to the Griffin Mountain pack.

This is well worth buying, as it gives a good overview of some area of Praxian Culture.

Pavis

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 19
Availability | 5
Usability | 15
Originality | 20
General | 18
Score | 77
Recommended For: | Beginners

The most detailed city write-up I hjave ever seen. Pavis is a city in Prax, on the northern stretch of the Zola Fel river, next to the Big Rubble. It is the second in the Praxian Supplements and consists of three books and a map.

Common Knowledge - has a history of the region, description of the people, personality descriptions, a Griselda Story, the Great Chart Caper, (but we can't hold that against it) and the cults of Pavis, Lanbril, Flintnail; and Zola Fel.

The City Guide has a description of the adjoining places of the Zola Fel River, Sun County, Corflu and of Trading in Prax. It has a breakdown of the city, virtually building by building, so that the GM can know who lives in each building or what it is used for. Many bulidings are left blank for the GM to fill in for himself. This is a superb idea and allows the GM to look as though he has really prepared the city. There are sections on Pavis Politics and Personalities, of Random Encounters and of living in Pavis. There is also a handy list of Temples, Inns and such-like. Finally, there is a list of rumours which can act as scenario hooks very easily.

Episodes - This is the scenario section. Scenarios range from Arriving in Pavis, being involved in a trial, stealing a relic from Duke Raus and meeting trolls. The best scenario, by far, is the Crdale Scenario, an epic if ever there was one. The Pcs must guard a Giant Cradle from the evil Lunars as it makes its way down the River of Cradles to the Sea. Split into several sections, this scenario runs over several days and is very, very enjoyable.

Although some of Pavis has been reprinted for RQ3, the reprints do not do it justice. Buy this if you ever get the chance.

Big Rubble

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 18
Availability | 5
Usability | 15
Originality | 20
General | 18
Score | 76
Recommended For: | Experienced GMs

The third, and probably best, of the Praxian Trilogy of campaign supplements, Big Rubble consists of three booklets and a map.

Guide for the GM - This consists of an overview of the Rubble, description of the Garden and its Plants, descriptions of the Areas in the Rubble and Places of Interest, all of which have scenarios just waiting to happen. There are a list of random encounters and stats, including The Losers and The Slop and Slime Gangs of broos.

Common Knowledge - Description of Areas of the Rubble, the Cult of Yelorna the Starbringer and 8 pages of Adventurer's Froms. This is clearly designed to be taken apart, so I have no idea why they put a glossy cover on it.

Episodes - The pack's true strength - 8 very good scenarios. Fight a gang of broos, kill trolls, rescue Balastor's Axe, meet Griselda 9and hopefully kill her), raid a yelorna Temple (and make sure they can never ride another unicorn), explore a Krarsht complex, kill undead, sail the Puzzle Canal and help a fish! Indeed, the scenarios are very good and are enough to make a campaign in their own right. Combined with Pavis and the Borderlands and you can take a group of adventurers from beginning characters to Rune Level and beyond, using only these three packs. Indeed, there may not even be a reason to leave Prax/Pavis/Rubble.

RuneQuest Companion

Publisher | Chaosium
Score |
Gloranthan Content | 17
Availability | 5
Usability | 15
Originality | 20
General | 20
Score | 72
Recommended for: | Beginners.

This has a number of articles about RuneQuest/Glorantha. There is also a Cult Compatibility more complete than any published before or since. Running through the Companion are extracts from the Jonstown Compendium, containing fascinating snippets of information. The geography and history of the Holy Country is fully detailed. There is an article on Unicorns, rules on Illusion Magic (reprinted later in RQ3), A Story - The Smell of a Rat, a SoloQuest and many other articles.

All in all, this was an excellent supplement and ranks alongside the best RuneQuest products. If you ever get the chance, buy it.

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