All articles copyright by their respective Authors, used by permission.

Article Header Artwork Copyright Roderick Robertson, November, 2009

Rule One Magazine published by Roderick Robertson.

Rule One Magazine Issue 2, Nov, 2009

 John Harding
When the Uz lived during the time of end- burned yellow the color of the foul burner’s
less eating in Wonderhome, Gorakiki was a light. The bees and wasps were remained
servant of the first mother. Gorakiki was wise yellow and black ever after and to this day
and good, serving her mistress well. She some Uz call the stripes on Bees and Wasps
had a natural affinity for the all the animals of “Gorakiki’s fingers”.
Wonderhome but her favorites were the black
bees. Notes by Warncliffe of Jonstown
Most Uz regarded these as useless pets for The trolls “darksee” or darksense is odd to
children, but many still liked how the bees felt us humans but it gives as much aesthetic
to their darksee. When they swarmed in the pleasure to the trolls as our own hearing and
fungal forests the beating of their wings and sight. I once asked a troll of Dagori Inkarth
their chitinous bodies made many Uz drunk why trolls got drunk on the swarm of bees
with darksee pleasure. in this story. He told me that the bees were
much bigger than the “komor” kind and he at-
Then came the time of great pain when the
tempted to describe why everyone got drunk.
Burning Death came to Wonderhome. The
Foul Burner killed many Uz, but some knew Unfortunately either I failed to really under-
how to escape and one of them was Gorakiki. stand him or he lacks the wit to express him-
self properly. What I did glean from the con-
The bees came to Gorakiki and cried, “Save
versation was that both “the insides and the
us from the burner, two legged mother!”
outsides” of bees were aesthetically pleasing
So she took the black bees in her right
to trolls. What this means I could not fathom
hand. The black wasps came to her and
but then who can truly understand the ways
cried, “Though we are not your favorites, two
of the dark men
legged mother, we are cousins to the bees.
Will you not save us as well?”
Gorakiki took the black wasps in her left
hand and the rest of her many legged friends
had no choice but to run behind her. She ran
and jumped and escaped to the hurtplace
but many of her animals burned as she fled.
Not even the bees and wasps escaped. The
foul burner had scorched them through her
fingers. Where the space between her fin-
gers had let the death light through they were


 David Millians
Godtime Man explodes, surrounding their enemies and
burning them to ashes. Later came the Er-
Emperor Urvairinus the Conqueror of
landings, children of the storm gods of thun-
Dara Happa defeated the Ram People of the
der and lightning, Erlandus and Ovadorudus.
south at the Field of Hurdurus in his second
No one emerged completely victorious in this
campaign, and this may be reference to the
clash of storm and fire.
ancestors of the later hill peoples of southern
Peloria. They wore curly horns and wooly
First Age
fleeces instead of clothing and may have
been sheep hsunchen. They worshipped a In 98 ST, World Council explorers dis-
huge, iron ram towed on wheels. The Dara covered humans in Aggar. They were known
Happans knew them to be the descendants as the Skanthi and had their own indigenous
of Uldoviham, the first to leave the safety of customs. They seem to have evolved into
Anaxial’s ship after the Great Flood. Uldovi- the Aggar and the Talastari, and much later
ham was said to have mated with beasts to the name Skanthi came to designate only
produce these barbarian peoples. the easternmost branch of the latter. The
Skanthi had only a peripheral involvement
Horse tribes, possibly the ancestors
in the Dorastan Council. Their neighbors in
of the Hyalorings, fled southward during the
Vanch were known as the Sankenites and
Darkness.
worshipped Antirius. King Aram was a great
Sylilan legends tell of Suvar, son of hero of this time, beloved of Kero Fin and the
Perakosus, a deity with some similarities to holder of her sacred Diamond Necklace.
Lodril. Suvar was a hunter, and he and his
The Vingkotling tribes of Aggar were
brothers worshipped the capricious goddess
the Vestantes of Vestanteland (southern Ag-
Ku Kwatta. Distressed by the angry barz-
gar), a Summer Tribe, and the Penentelli of
karto, creatures of two bodies bound together,
north Aggar (a Winter Tribe).
of the forests, he traveled deep into the earth
to gain ErNear’s wisdom. After meeting her, Later in the age, the inhabitants of this
he is able to chip obsidian heads for axes and region were known collectively as the Penen-
uses these to separate the barzkarto into two telli. They were of Heort’s People, and their
pieces, for which they are grateful and remain leaders served the Overking Haradangian of
friendly, helpful spirits to this day for those the Stravuli, who dwelt in Vanch and Tarsh.
who know their ways.
Rastazar of Aggar gained the Necklace
The Suvarians are also said to have of Kero Fin after negotiating a peace between
fought the Ram People. The Suvarians’ Old King Haradangian and King Arlastor of the


Berenneth Orlanthi. Rastazar joined the 897 was known as the Year of No
Dorastan Council in 352 as the Speaker for Summer, for spring failed to come.
Storm.
The EWF system led to resentment
King Valarastans of Aggar’s fourth son and rebellion. Cities in Aggar and Saird were
was known as Swenith. His son Jothitorang razed as contrary to Orlanth’s way. With its
Gnawbone bore Ingkathir the Wealthy, who armies needed elsewhere, the EWF sent in
married Eralasinna, daughter of Borthjord the dragons to quell the hillmen. They were op-
Poet. His eldest of three sons was Lokamay- posed by Javin the Westerner and his follow-
adon. Lokamayadon sought peace with elves ers.
and married a Brolian princess, Erilindia.
Alakoring Dragonbreaker, another
He was master of the Three Lightnings and
enemy of the EWF, was from Ralios but later
founded the Brotherhood of the Storm. His
dwelt in Aggar, where he settled and raised a
ways are now known as evil and he is said to
family, always fighting the empire. He is most
have replaced the worship of Orlanth with that
famous for killing Drang, the Diamond Storm
of Ragnaglar.
Dragon. He later seized lands in Dragon
Eringulf Vanak Spear was a hero of Pass and developed more fully the Orlanthi
the late First Age. He gained his namesake system of kingship.
spear in contests at the Hill of Gold in Vanch.
Many of the Javini and others marched
Aggari warriors fought the foreign in- off to Dragon Pass in the late eleventh centu-
vaders and their changeling leader at the end ry. They joined Emperor Kurnardros of Dara
of the age. Many died with Orlankor Silves- Happa and many allies in this massive inva-
word in the lowlands in a battle with Beast sion. They were annihilated in the Dragonkill
King Vorwah. Side columns of Arkat’s army War.
sacked all of the accessible hill forts. The
western hills above the Erinflarth retained the Third Age
scars of Arkat’s passage and were to do so
until at least the end of the Third Age. Early in this era, Chaos began to
emerge from Dorastor in various destructive
Second Age forms. Most of these fell forces made their
way down the Erinflarth River or into Talastar
Contact with the surrounding country
and were never a coherent menace to Aggar.
recommenced through trade to the west with
With the Dara Happan defeat of a chaos army
the cities of Lakrene: Voranel, Urnandle, and
at Oxbow in 1107, though, the sun worship-
Endeel.
pers influence along the margins of Aggar
The Empire of the Wyrm Friends increased markedly.
gained nominal overlordship of Aggar in the
During the early part of the Third Age,
ninth century. A hierarchy of obligations was
Halikiv trolls raided the humans of the Aggar
established in which lowlanders collected
region so continually that it was nearly aban-
taxes from those in the hills, who in turn lev-
doned by them.
ied the wealth of those living still further into
the hinterland. The rise of the Red Moon, who the Ag-
gari know as Shepelkirt, in 1248, also known


as the first year of the First Wane, heralded In 1561 the Errio Clan came to power
new changes for Aggar. in Sylila. They used a combination of diplo-
macy, bribery, subversion, and conquest to
Hwarin Dalthippa established the
dominate the region, including Aggar. Though
Sylilan Sultanate in the Second Wane. The
Orlanthi in ancestry, this powerful clan be-
Orlanthi to the south and allies among the
came thoroughly Lunarized.
river folk, followers of a water deity known as
Bold Vareleus, formed the Cynnelfin Alli- King Phargentes of Tarsh killed King
ance to oppose the Conquering Daughter’s Larnstal of Aggar.
rise to power in the region. One of the lead-
The Red Emperor wore the Mask of
ers of this movement was Gwythar Longhair.
Celestinus until 1574 (7/3) and died in his
Around 1330, Imperial forces intercepted him
bed surrounded by his sacred choir. Militaris
as he helped transport river people across
was his next Mask and came from Kedevi in
Aggar, and the Orlanthi were victorious.
Kostaddi. He was the victor at the Battle of
Gwythar opposed Hwarin Dalthippa at Mirin’s
Grizzly Peak and ruled until 1586 (7/15).
Cross during her first Road Campaign and
was defeated and bound as a guardian of her A Provincial Governor independent of
famous bridge there. the Lunar kings of Tarsh was established in
1579 (7/8).
Hwarin Dalthippa had subjugated the
Aggari by 1348 (2/47), making them tributary The Mask of the Red Emperor was
kings of the Red Emperor. known as Reclusus from 1586 (7/15). He is
known for buying Talastar as described below.
In 1375 Bina Bang, famous Blue Moon
He also organized the Kalikos Expeditions.
heroquester, visited the trolls of Aggar.
In 1590 Talastar was wholly converted to the
During the wars with Sheng Sheleris
Lunar Way in one stroke on White Shirt Day.
(1375 - 1460), Aggari raiders penetrated into
The Bilini refused to join, and in 1595, Hrodar
Holay and Sylila, though the latter remained
Grizzlebeak became their king with the old,
strong throughout most of this period.
traditional regalia of Talastar.
The Mad Sultan and his followers ram-
The Seventh Wane began in 1571
paged through the lowlands and occasionally
(7/1). Lunar missionaries are busy in Aggar,
troubling Aggar before they were tricked into
especially in the lowlands and at the court of
Dorastor. Their madness demonstrated the
the High King. Some Orlanth temples, mostly
evil of the Lunar Way to many hill Orlanthi.
small shrines, have been sealed or destroyed
In 1520, the Uroxi of Talastar and after local rebellions, but the Lunars primar-
Aggar drove into Dorastor to throw back the ily continue their policy of replacing Orlanth’s
chaos dwelling and strangely organizing cult with that of Molanni.
there.
Reclusus Moonson ascended in
The Lunar Empire established the Pro- flames in 1599 (7/28) after his own fiery spec-
vincial Government for the southern tributary tacle and meeting out of justice in Glamour.
kingdoms, including Aggar, in 1545 (6/28) to Ignifer arose as the next Mask and ruled until
organize the conquest of Tarsh. 1607 (7/36), when Argenteus came to power.


 Rascius is the grasping, covetous,
one-eyed king of Aggar in 1621. He responds
only to generous gifts.
The magician Akgarbash of Laurmal
lives in Aggar. He is known to turn bandits
and sometimes visitors into giant frogs to feed
his giant storks.


 Richard Crawley
What’s HOTT in the Land of Minia- plex, expensive, slow playing rules that then
tures? dominated ancient wargaming. Armies were
reduced to just twelve stands of perhaps
There’s a fairly active group of Gloranthan three or four figures each. Games were
miniatures gamers in Europe ( Mostly in playable in an hour and armies and match-
Britain but Gregory Privat flies the GloryGeek ing terrain could be constructed quickly and
standard with honour in France) who go by relatively cheaply.
the name of the GloryGeeks. For most of
them the rules of choice are a set of generic HOTT took the basic mechanisms and said,
fantasy wargames rules called Hordes of “We can use these rules to reconstruct the
the Things. So what is HOTT (as its friends battles of fantasy fiction”. In the fantasy ver-
know it) and can it say anything of interest to sion, Heroes are hugely powerful and can
other Glorantha fans? always find a mount when they need one,
Paladins are unworldly and resist magic,
HOTT has its origins in a set of ancient archers are steady and resemble machine-
wargames rules (that’s rules for playing guns in their firepower, Dragons are aloof
wargames with the troop types of antiquity and ultimately cowardly, and giants (called
– not a really old set of rules) called De Bel- Behemoths in the rules) are all too likely to
lis Antiquitatis (“Of Ancient War” I believe.). crush their own troops if they recoil from an
DBA set out to be an alternative to the com- enemy. And so on for many other tropes of
the fantasy genre. In
some ways HOTT is
to wargames what
HeroQuest is to con-
ventional RPGs.
HOTT’s unambigu-
ous (some would
say legalistic) style
of writing particularly
suits tournament play
– though there’s little
in the way of win-
at-all-costs attitude
on display. It was at

Kallyr vrs Lunars


the largest of the tournaments (at Berkeley game’s very finely balanced set-up. So we
in Goucestershire) that the idea of the Glo- try instead to find a solution within the rules
ryGeeks was born. A small group of Gloran- that achieves the result we want. My solution
thaphiles who had migrated to wargaming is to make Harrek an “ordinary” Hero and give
rather than RPGs realised they could recreate the role of Paladin to Gunda the Guilty. To-
battles in Glorantha using HOTT rules. gether they then make a powerful, fast-mov-
ing striking force. There’s no rules reason to
In fact, there was little difficulty in merging
keep the two elements together but tactically
the two. Sartarite tribesmen are clearly HOTT
it’s a smart thing to do and so we end up with
Warbands, Lunar hoplites are Spears and if
a scary force that can achieve great things
Kallyr Starbrow isn’t a Hero my name’s not
(especially if Argrath has come along for the
Jane Williams… erm, well, you know what I
ride).
mean. One of the central principles by which
most HOTT players work, however, does This shoe-horning of Gloranthan troops into
have something interesting to tell us here. HOTT categories can be fun and can produce
new insights. Lurkers and Water Lurkers
As a rule we try not to introduce “house
represent those small threats that appear so
rules”. Anyone can say “Harrek is a Hero
often on fantasy fiction as the hero crosses
but he also acts as a Paladin and gains that
difficult terrain. They rarely determine the
class’s anti-magic ability”. You can certainly
course of the whole story but can steer the
do that and because Superhero counters in
good guys to a particular course of action.
Dragon Pass protect other units you’d have
Shelob is a classic example from Tolkien.
a case. However, you risk disturbing the

Lunars vrs. Praxians


 My Sartarites are allied to the Durulz and I miniatures, I’d recommend the GloryGeeks
thought a Water Lurker would be a nice addi- Yahoogroup:
tion. It made an nice joke to make my Water
Games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glo-
Lurker a team of Duck skirmishers riding into
ryGeeks
battle on the back of a giant Triceratops. The
only clue to a casual observer that this isn’t and Gregory Privat’s excellent website:
(as it appears to be) a powerful, army crush-
gloarmy.free.fr
ing Behemoth is the fact that it stands knee-
deep in marshy water.
I think Glorantha is a
brighter place if travel-
lers on the edge of the
Upland Marsh can be
ambushed by Ducks on
dinosaurs!
There are many other
examples of this creative
use of a restricted palate
of troop types and many
other tales we could tell.
With our editor’s permis-
sion I’m sure my fellow
GloryGeeks will do so.
Look out for the Crimson
Bat as a Dragon, Trollkin
as Bad Going and many
more previously unsus-
pected aspects of the
military history of our
favourite cuboidal world.
If you’d like to know
more about recreating
Gloranthan battles with

A big battle inside and outside the walls of Pavis


 Richard Crawley

Hordes of the Things armies are built up of Artillery includes any machines throwing
“elements” each with a small number of fig- rocks, big arrows or cannonballs at the en-
ures on a single base of fixed frontage (60mm emy. Good for seeing off heroes who wan-
for 25mm scale figures, 40mm for 15mm or der into its line of fire but vulnerable to being
smaller scales). Actually the base size and overrun in close combat. The Dwarf of Dwarf
the number of figures on each base aren’t Run’s Cannon Cult is an obvious Gloranthan
crucial as long as all have the same frontage. Artillery element.
The rules include witty descriptions of what
each troop type represents and the strengths
and weaknesses of each. Rather than repro-
duce them here, I’ll try and provide a more
Gloranthan context.
Airboats represent slow-moving aerial ves-
sels with some capability against ground
troops. Good for blocking some enemy
troops’ advance or retreat. Armed Lunar
moonboats would certainly be classed as
Airboats.

Canon Cult by Gregory Privat

Beasts fast moving troops that are equally

at home in good or bad going. They can
be useful on the flanks of an army but they
tend to die in droves if caught in the open by
mounted troops. I tend to classify scorpion-
men as Beasts and I think I’d also use the
same classification for Telmori (whether two-
or four-footed).

Lunar Moonboat by Gregory Privat

10
 Telmori by Simon Miller

Behemoths includes any oversized ele- Blades represent heavy foot troops, typically
ments that rely on their sheer bulk to over- with armour and powerful hand-weapons and
whelm the enemy. Giants, Jolanti, and often skilled fighters. They are slow moving
Quakebeasts are typical Gloranthan behe- but will stand firm against most foot troops al-
moths (but a really big Giant might be clas- though they are less useful against mounted
sified as a God). They tend to flee in panic troops. My Sartarite army includes a Humakti
from magicians and can be very dangerous Duck standard guard classified as Blades.
to (friendly or enemy) troops behind them if
forced back in combat.

Lunar Behemoth by Simon Miller Humakti Duck standard by Richard Crawley

11
 Clerics in HOTT are usually identified with Flyers, like all aerial elements in HOTT are
“organised monotheistic religion” but form hard to co-ordinate with the rest of your army
follows function in HOTT and they can equally but with their high speed and ability to arrive
well be shamans or theist priests in Gloran- behind the enemy line at inconvenient times,
tha. Their magic is defensive in nature and they can be a battle winner. Jane Williams
although they fight reasonably well, their main uses Sylphs and Vanganthi as Flyers to con-
function is to protect troops from enemy magi- siderable effect in her Sartarite force.
cians.

Lunar College of Magic by Simon Miller

Dragons are aloof and ultimately cowardly.

Although powerful in combat, they flee the
battlefield if things aren’t going their way. A
True Dragon is beyond the scope of most
games but Dream Dragons would fit in here,
as does Simon Miller’s wonderful, massive Orlanthi Flyers by Simon Miller
Crimson Bat model.

Gods can be lots of fun. The ultimate high

reward, high risk element, they arrive if you
roll a six at the start of your turn and do noth-
ing else but bring them on. They will then flit
around the battlefield causing mayhem and
being invulnerable to most enemy troops.
The problem comes if you then roll a one at
the start of your turn. The God gets bored
and wanders off, counting as destroyed! This
can lose you the battle. I have Oakfed in my
Praxian force as a God. If refighting Moon-
broth, Oakfed would be in both sides’ orders
Crimson Bat by Simon Miller

12
of battle with the first to summon him getting This takes them off the board but leaves the
to control him. possibility of their escaping and reappearing
behind the enemy’s army to kill the General
or capture the Stronghold. In my Troll army
(representing the Loricek Clan of Pavis) the
Zorak Zoran Death Lord is a Hero. Aerial
Heroes fight like Heroes but move like Flyers.
They cost an arm and a leg but a couple of
these (the maximum you can have) can scare
the man rune out of your opponent. Count
Julan on a Wyvern might make a very nice
Aerial Hero.
Hordes are another fun element type. They
represent those troops whose effectiveness
is solely due to their being present in huge
numbers. A HOTT Horde has a pitiful combat
Maran Gor by Simon Miller factor but is dirt cheap to recruit. Behemoths
treat them like speed bumps. Hordes die in
Heroes are the classic one-man-with-the- vast numbers but, for a minor cost in the Gen-
strength-of-an-army. They always count eral’s attention, can be brought back again on
as mounted, even if portrayed as on foot, the army’s baseline. Trollkin are the Horde
because heroes in fiction “can always find par excellence (though there is a school of
a mount when they need one”. Hero-Hero thought that says they should be classified
or Hero-Paladin fights tend to be short and instead as Bad Going).
bloody with one or the other dying heroically.
Heroes can be ensorcelled by Magicians.

Harrek the Berserk and Jar-eel the Razoress by Simon Miller

13
 Zombie Horde by Simon Miller
Knights is the category for any mounted Jack o’ Bear Lurker by Richard Crawley
troops who rely on impact rather than ma-
Magicians in HOTT are powerful but not
noeuvre. They can often plough through
overwhelmingly so. They can “bespell” ele-
foot troops but if they don’t overcome missile
ments at a distance a bit like precisely-target-
troops in the first turn they can come to grief
ed artillery. The details of the spells they use
in the second. My emerging Tarsh-Lunar
are not explicit – something that helps HOTT
army has Yarandros’s Chargers as Knights
to function generically. It’s down to the player
but Beast Valley Centaurs or Rhino Riders
to decide what the spell is actually doing to
may also use this description.
its target. I treat Muriah, Witch Queen of the
Broos, as a Magician.
At first sight the Paladin with its explicit link
to the holy warrior of medieval romance may
seem an element with no home in Gloran-
tha. However, because the Standard of Sun

Lunar Knights by Gregory Privat

Lurkers start the game off-board. They can

only be deployed on the turn after an enemy
element has entered Bad Going and only
in combat contact with that element. They
represent those lurking creatures that pop
up when the author needs to introduce some
peril. My Chaos army includes a couple of
Jack-o-Bear Lurkers.
Lunar Magicians by Simon Miller

14
County (like a Paladin) never retreats, I have
chosen to represent Vega Goldbreath as a
Paladin. Paladins, powerful but fragile, share
with Clerics the ability to interfere with magic
and are often found paired with Heroes to
make a scary, fast-moving attack force.

Sartarite Riders by Gregory Privat

throwing axes are ignored – we treat them
part as part of their elements’ close combat
factor. Shooters in HOTT can attack units in
Vega Goldbreath by Richard Crawley
front of them at a distance. They are gener-
ally good for breaking up the enemy’s forma-
Riders are the key unit type for Praxian
tion but will occasionally kill an enemy ele-
armies. Faster than Knights and Beasts but
ment by shooting too. Good troops to have in
likely to be beaten by the former in combat,
bad going, they can be vulnerable if caught in
they include any troops who skirmish mount-
the open by Riders. My Dwarf army includes
ed. A useful troop type if the table isn’t domi-
crossbow and musket armed Shooters.
nated by Bad Going, Riders can keep up with
Heroes and are often found
protecting their flanks. Brian
Pierpoint’s Dragonewt army
includes swarms of demi-
bird-riding ’Newts classed as
Riders.
Shooters turn the sky dark
with their missiles. Many
troops have missile weap-
ons but not all are Shooters.
Trollkin slings and Esrolian
Sun Dome Temple Archers by Gregory Privat

15
 Sneakers are that fantasy fiction staple, the pily take on Heroes on equal terms) but can
small group of seemingly harmless types who be carried away by charging knights or war-
gain access to the enemy’s stronghold or take bands. Gregory Privat’s Sun Dome Templars
out the enemy general at the crucial moment. are classic Gloranthan Spears.
They move fairly quickly and are reasonably
A Stronghold is present in every HOTT
hard to kill but they are only useful against
game. The defender’s advantage in choos-
the enemy’s Stronghold or his General. My
ing the terrain for the game is balanced by
Sneakers include a pair of Blue Moon Troll
the attacker’s (limited) choice of his direction
assassins, depicted trailing a Moon Moth
of attack and his ability to win the game by
towards their target.
capturing the defender’s Stronghold. Players
tend to put a fair amount of effort into design-
ing nice Stronghold models. Jane Williams’s
motorised Old Wind Temple was a particularly
good example.

Ninja Penguin Keets by Jane Williams

Spears are quite common in Gloranthan

HOTT armies. They form a good, solid centre Orlanthi Stronghold by Simon Miller
to an army and are quite strong (especially
if deployed “two deep” when they will hap-
Warband are tribal foot troops relying on
a wild, barbarian charge. Fast moving (a
widely adopted rules amendment trialled at
the first Glory Day speeds up Warbands and
slows Shooters) and happy in Bad Going,
Warbands can often overwhelm slower mov-
ing foot – just don’t let them get caught in the
open by Knights or Behemoths. The majority
of any Sartarite army will be Warband.

Sun Dome Templars by Richard Crawley

16
 Finally, every army has a General. These
can be of most element types (not Dragons,
Gods, Sneakers or either type of Lurker) and
get bonuses in combat. Losing your General
is often fatal, though, but don’t hide them be-
hind a hill either; they need to be able to see
what’s going on or your control of the army
will break down when things get tough.

Orlanthi Warband by Gregory Privat

Water Lurkers are among the rarer troops

types. The act like “conventional” Lurkers
(see above) but can only be deployed in riv-
ers or marshes. Although they cost little to
include in your army, you will never get to
use one if there’s no water on the battlefield!
Apart from the Duck Marsh Patrol mentioned
elsewhere in this issue, typical Water Lurk-
ers could include water elementals, sneaky
Newtlings or even Mostali submersibles! Sun Dome Command by Richard Crawley

Duck Marsh Patrol by Richard Crawley

17
 Greg Stafford
Here is what the shaman tells you to get ready for the journey.

How Our World Was Made pent went outside the shell, and again went
over it and under it. Finally, it horizontally took
The Golden Embryo was first. I could show
its tail in its teeth, itself feeding upon itself,
you the egg that both Samburan and Nature
and encircled the crack in the shell where it
came out of if you wish. No spirits or powers
still lives.
can be gotten there. If you have not prepared
yourself fully, you will have your mind burned In the center of those lies Nature, the natural
and your toes and fingers and nose fall off. world with its powers and divisions. This was
the First World, and within it were the First
In the Golden Embryo the world incubated
Beings.
until it was ready. The egg shell cracked
around its center and split open. It hatched. Samburan is in the center. Samburan is that
I could show you that hatching. No spirit or part of Nature that wishes to be united with
powers can be gotten there. If you have not its other parts. Samburan was born with a
prepared yourself fully, then your eyes will great desire, and it departed from the center
break, your thighs shatter, and your liver exit and began its movements through the rest
through your anus. of the world. Samburan went upon the Great
Journey. Wherever Samburan expressed
Inside of the two parts of the shell was first
his desire then there arose out of that area a
Nature, simple and complete.
spirit. He visited the Six Inner Worlds wherein
Then came movement of a spot to another he met the First Beings.
spot. The spot was the snake’s head and
Vethen the Infant was the
the movement was its body, and it
first, who was the Starting
continued to move.
Place. Then Yom Sunspot
The serpent moved
was the second, who
first inside the shell,
was the moving power
around the upward
and the sun, and Tara
curve to the peak,
the Noon World was
where the sun stands
third, the Overhead
at noon, and then the lower. He
Keeper of the Sky
kept going to the lowest point, then re-
Spirits. Inidros was
turned to his starting place. This movement
the Den of Dens and the next First Being,
separated the Skyworld and the Underworld,
where our ancestors were later born, and
with the natural world between. Then the ser-
then Inikos, the Pit of Pits, was the First Being

18
of the Underworld. Somabaton was the First Bukaran went once again upon the Great
Being who kept sounds, including all music Journey. At each place that he stopped he
and singing, and taught how to fast. Dreselos taught the being there a part of the Cross
was the First Being of dancing, both in a Dance. Then Bukaran cut off a piece of him-
circle and in lines. self and left it there. Sometimes he burned
it, sometimes he buried it, sometimes he left
After Samburan had completed his journey
it out to become desiccated or rotten, and
he knew everything, and in that way he was
sometimes it was devoured in holy commu-
able to learn even more and to see, then visit
nion. After a while, Bukaran had cut himself
the Spirit Plane. It was a beautiful and empty
entirely to pieces and nothing was left. He
place. After this, he was no longer Samburan,
was absent from the world.
but was Bukaran.
The First Folk were thus made, each in
Bukaran naturally told of this place to the
their own region. The Folk were parts of the
other Beings. At first everyone was happy and
First Beings who could find the Spirit World.
excited, but then the First Beings learned that
The First Folk and the First Beings regularly
they could never see this most miraculous
danced and played together. This allowed the
place, because they could not move about
First Beings to learn of the Spirit World, too,
like Samburan had. This made them unhappy.
so that they were happy.
Bat and Sakkar spread dissent among the
First Beings, and the waters were sad and the
rocks lamented their loss. The First Folk
First among the First Folk was Inisunings,
Bukaran wished to give them their wish, and
Rathor, born in the west. His father was
so he went upon the Great Mountain to sit
Rathor’s Liver [intelligence], his uncle was
and speak to the other spirits until he had an
Inidros, and his mother was Frona, covered
answer. After the Great Period, he knew the
with mixed forests and hills.
answer.

19
 Keith Nellist

Peloria is a variant of Lewis Pulsipher’s There must be four players for the History
boardgame Britannia, currently available of Peloria to work properly, each taking con-
from Fantasy Flight Games. trol of four Nations. These are not actually
nations, but a combination of ethnic, cultural,
Although the board, pieces, scoring and
religious, military and racial groups. These
some of the rules are different, the deriva-
Nations are not allied and, even though
tion is obvious. The sweep of history and the
they are controlled by the same player,they
rise and fall of various ethnic, cultural and
may even fight each other sometimes. They
military groups, along with the timescale of
cannot, for example, move freely through
approximately 100 years per turn, and the
each others’ territory.
use of victory points to drive the simulation,
come from Britannia. I would recommend The game starts at the Dawn, and we find
playing the original game to understand this Peloria relatively sparsely populated by the
version. I would also freely admit that Britan- shivering, cold and hungry survivors of Pre-
nia is probably a better balanced game than history. In the Oslir valley Horse nomads are
Peloria. powerful, while to the south the Theyalans
bring the Light and Orlanthi religion to the
My prototype consisted of a painted map
benighted peoples they find huddled in dark-
of Peloria on a board and used 1:72 scale
ness. In Pelanda, to the west, another cul-
plastic soldiers. Counters might be less fid-
ture survives. In Alkoth, the fierce “Killmen”
dly and just as effective, and I believe that
spread terror to surrounding regions.
a reasonable paper board could be printed
from the map files provided here. Each turn gives the Nations opportunities to
increase in population, conquer territory, and
The rules of Britannia are relatively simple,
fight their enemies. New forces will appear
but there are some significant changes to
throughout the game; some new barbarian
them in this version. There is no submis-
hordes from the South, Aldryami spreading
sion in this game, no raiding, no forts or
their seeds with a plan to reforest the whole
burhs (although Aldryami forest has a similar
world, troll caravans, exiled Fronelan merce-
effect). There are additional terrain types
naries carving out a new empire. We will see
- mountains and elf forest, as well as some
the myterious Empire of Wyrms Friends, the
special pieces - dragons, the Bat, and other
Gbaji Wars, the heroic Call to Heroes and
unique features. The seas of Peloria (Sweet,
the appearance of the Red Moon Goddess.
Elf, White) are not as important to the game
Finally, we reach the start of the Hero Wars
as the seas surrounding the British Isles.
in turn 16.

20
 The best options for a player are not always ers have their best scoring chances at differ-
obvious. He must balance his opportunities ent times in the game. With this in mind, we
to score points with preventing other players present a stategy guide.
from scoring. Current Victory Point scores are
not secret so everyone should know who is in
the lead. This may not be a reliable guide to
who will win as the different Nations and play-

Part 1: Rules Variations

Turn Order Nation Turn

Player 1: Hirenmador
1) Population Increase phase
Player 2: Hyalorings • Count occupied areas (2 x normal
Player 3: Veshtargos areas + rough terrain areas + population
points)
Player 4: Alkoth • Each count of 6 adds one unit. Left
Player 4: Pelanda over points on the population track.
• If no more units are available, popula-
Player 1: Pelorians
tion track set to 5. Nation maximums are
Player 3: Theyalans listed in the Nation section.
• Place new armies in areas occupied by
Player 1: Praxians Appear in Round 3
the nation’s armies. Some Nations have
Player 2: Aldryami Appear in Round 4 additional limitations about where they
can place units.
Player 1: Telmori Appear in Round 5
• If there is nowhere to legally place a
Player 4: Digijelm Appear in Round 5 unit, the unit is lost and the Population
Player 4: Soldiers Appear in Round 5 Track is set to 5.
• Stacking limits apply when placing new
Player 2: Barbarians Appear in Round 6 units (but remember the single overstack
Player 3: Carmanians Appear in Round 9 rule).
• New Units listed in each Round also
Player 3: Balazarings Appear in Round 9 appear in this phase. New Units usually
Player 2: YOUF Appear in Round 10 appear in certain locations, but they are
not restricted by the rules for Population
increase - for example, Soldiers appear
in Esvulthil even if other enemy units are
already there.

21
 Overstacking
2) Movement phase
• Each nation is allowed one single over-
• Move any all or none of a nation’s units.
stack.
• Normal units move 2
• Unlimited amount of armies in open
• Cavalry move 3 terrain.
• Units must end move when entering • 4 armies in rough terrain.
rough terrain. [Except during invasion
turns]
• No movement in sea areas. [except:
Pelandans, who cannot stop there]
• No movement in permanent forest ar-
eas [except Aldryami]
• No movement in Mountain areas [ex-
cept Digijelm and Telmori – treat as rough]
• Stacking limits apply at the end of nor-
mal movement phase. [Except - no stack-
ing limit in Invasion turns]

Overruns 3) Battles phase

• units must stop when moving into an When two nations occupy the same land
area containing an opposing nation’s area after the movement phase, battle oc-
units. [Exceptions – Digijjelm, Dragons] curs. One die for each unit is rolled. Battle
• If moving units outnumber the oppo- continues until all units of one or both na-
nents units, the excess units may move tions are eliminated or retreats. Some units
though the area. [Exceptions - Cavalry receive more dice per unit. [Alkoth 2, Drag-
units only need to equal the defenders to ons 4, the Bat 6].
overrun. Forests can never be overrun]
Rolls are made simultaneously for each
Stacking round of battle, and units removed. For
combined armies (cavalry and infantry) the
Terrain Limit attacker decides which dice result to allocate
ROUGH 2 units to which unit. This gives an advantage to
OPEN 3 units mixed armies.
OPEN WITH RIVER 4 units • A normal unit eliminates another on 5+
OPEN IN TRIPOLIS (Henjarl, Vonlath, 5 units • Rough terrain gives -1 to attackers die
Esvuthil)
rolls in the first round.
Stacking limits are effective at the end of • Attacking cavalry has +2 on die rolls for
every nations movement phase and when the first round of battle.
retreating. • Defending cavalry in open terrain is
Only one Forest counter is allowed in any only eliminated on 6+ to eliminate in the
area. No forest counters can be located in first round of battle.
Mountains, Forest, Hungry Plateau or Sea • Only 5 units may attack in any one
areas. area.

22
Retreat Scoring
• After the first round of battle a nation
may retreat some or all of its units. (de- Nation Scoring
fender first, then attacker)
Each nation has specific vic-
• Defender moves to any adjacent solely
tory conditions which are used
occupied areas, or adjacent vacant areas
during “Nation Scoring” turns.
that it could normally legally move to.
• Attackers retreat to the area they Jenarong Emperors
moved from to reach the battle area. Emperors Through Force of Arms
• Stacking limits apply to retreats.
• If no legal retreat area is available, the Each Round with Jenarong Emperor scor-
units must remain in battle. Telmori can ing gives each nation has a chance to claim
retreat to any empty Mountain area even Emperorship and make that nation the Impe-
if they are not adjacent to it. rial Nation
To be the Imperial Nation it must possess
4)Overpopulation phase one piece of Regalia more than previous
successful claimant. If the Nation of the
Count land areas occupied. Remove num-
current Emperor is destroyed then reset to
ber of armies in excess of (3*land areas).
Regalia needed to zero.
Removal cannot empty an area.
There are 10 pieces of Regalia that a True
Special Turns and Complete Emperor must possess.
Invasion During an invasion turn the in- These start either in the possession of a
vader has two movement and battle phases Nation, or in a specified area. An Emperor
(i.e. phases are 1,2,3,2,3,4). Movement is may move the Regalia (except for the Crown
not stopped by rough terrain. of Rule) within areas that his Nation holds.
Once a particular piece of Regalia is joined
with the rest, it cannot be split up. Once they
are part of the Imperial Regalia they remain
as part of the Regalia.

Regalia Piece Initial Location Notes

Low Crown of Rule Vonlath cannot be moved at all
Sandals of Protection Hyalorings
Vestments of Disclosure Darsen
Girdle of Command Henjarl
Bow of Domination Veshtargos
Roost of Tholm Kestinlands
Sceptre of Order Esvuthil appears in Round 2, Pelorian Turn
Orb of Authority Vanch appears in Round 3, Pelorian Turn.
Feathered Cap of Mernita Birin appears start of Round 4. It can only be possessed by nation pos-
sessing the Bow of Domination
Mantle of Sovereignty Darjiin appears in Round 4, Start of Turn

23
 Victory Points awarded to the Imperial Na- plunder their treasures. This was called the
tion equal to the number of Regalia pos- True Golden Horde. They marched to Drag-
sessed. on Pass and were all eaten by Dragons.
The YOUF fought against the Golden
Rites of Khordavu Horde, going to Dragon Pass to defend their
The Ten Princes assembled the Regalia so squamous inhuman allies. They, too, were
that there could be a True Emperor. eaten by the dragons.
In Rounds 4 and 5 the Regalia can be At the end of Turn 13 conduct a secret bid.
moved to Vonlath by the Imperial Nation. Each Player writes down how many units he
is going to remove from the board from each
Each Nation, in their Nation Turn, can claim
of his Nations.
to be Emperor as with the Jenarong Emper-
ors. Appropriate Nations are: Theyalans, Bar-
barians, Carmanians, Soldiers, Pelorians,
The Bow of Domination does not count for Pelandans, Praxians, Alkoth, Balazar-
Khordavu Emperors. ings, Hirenmador, Hyalorings, Veshtargos,
If all the Regalia are assembled, the Em- Youf19. (Units from Ralios and Karia, who
peror gains 10VP. cannot cross Kartolin or the mountains, can-
not be removed).
Complete Emperor Youf removed from the board count as Exit
The Imperial Nation can still be claimed by via Dragon Pass for Youf VP.
any Nation, but since the Regalia are likely The quantities are then revealed and the
to be in Vonlath, possession of this area units removed.
should normally usually determines who is
Emperor. The Complete Emperor gains 1VP Whichever Player (not Nation) removed
per area controlled by their Nation that is the most wins VP equal to the total number
connected to Vonlath. removed.
The player who removed the 2nd most
Call to Heroes receives 20VP.
Turn 13 The Player who removed the 3rd most re-
During the Call to Heroes all the Nations ceives 2VP
of Peloria were at peace with each other so The Player who removed the Least receives
that a great army could be assembled to de- zero VP.
stroy the dragons and dragonewt nests and
In the case of ties, reduce by one level.
If two players tie for first place, they both re-
ceive 20VP. If two players tie for 2nd place,
they both receive 2VP, as does the player
who came third. If all players tied, they all
get zero. If three tie and the remaining one
is greater, the three receive 2VP each, the

24
winner receives VP per unit. If two sets of rection in the same movement phase (thus,
two tie then the winning pair receive 20 each a Nation in Dorastor cannot be attacked
and the losing pair receive zero. from Karia unless it is also being attacked
from another direction).
Shah of Carmania
Hungry Plateau
Turns 14, 15, and 16
This area does not provide population
Any single Nation with twice as many areas
points to anyone except Praxians, who treat
as any other single nation in areas north
it as open terrain. It can only be entered
west of the Barbarian belt( i.e. not including
from Kostaddi by normal units. Units that
Charg, Baloris, Brolia, Broken Pot, Ana-
can enter mountains (Digijelm, Telmori)
dikki, Talastar, Lakrene, Skanthi, Aggar, Dog
can enter it from other areas. Aldryami may
Plains, Dragon Pass, Ivory Plinth, Imther,
never enter here.
Tork, Votankiland, Karia, Ralios) can claim
the title of Shah of Carmania.
Deathline
The Shah of Carmania gains 10VP.
After turn 13 (The Dragonkill, also known
as The Disaster. This was followed by the
Special Terrain Inhuman Occupation when trolls, tusk riders,
beastmen and Aldryami ruled Dragon Pass),
Kartolin Pass the Deathline prevents any units other than
Located between Karia and Dorastor. This Digijelm, Dragons or Aldryami entering or
difficult pass is easy to defend so units may leaving (or leaving the board via) Dragon
not be moved from Karia to Dorastor if en- Pass. This may leave units stuck in the Ivory
emy units are on their own in Dorastor. They Plinth and Dragon Pass.
may cross if another unit of the same nation
can be moved into Dorastor from another di-

Part 2: Turns

Set up
Hirenmador: 4 Cavalry in Naveria
Hyalorings: 3 Cavalry in Saird, 2 Cavalry in
Sylila
Veshtargos: 6 Cavalry spread over Pent,
Ezarkos, Althil, Velthil, Jarasan, Birin
Alkoth: 3 Killmen in Henjarl
Pelanda: 1 Infantry in each area: Karasal,
Pelanda, Red City, Oronin, Bindle, Old Dark-
lands, Eol, Vanstal, Worion, Jhor, Suvaria
(total 11)

25
 Pelorians: 1 Infantry in each area: Lenshi, Turn 3 Monster Army
Dog Plains, Imther, Kostaddi, Dikoria, Dars- ”General revolts broke out to try to overthrow
en, Rinliddi, Kestinlands, Dara Ni, Lakrene, the nomad overlords. A great horde of Monsters
Darjiin, Sanken, Vanch, Dara Ni. (total 14) came called the Monster Army.”

Theyalans: 4 Infantry in Dragon Pass, 2 Theyalans: Invasion turn

Infantry in Ivory Plinth Praxians: Invasion turn; 10 new units in
Dragon Pass
Accoutrements:
Accoutrements: The Orb of Authority ap-
Low Crown of Rule: Vonlath - Cannot be pears in Vanch at the start of the Pelorian
moved Nation turn.
Sandals of Protection: Any Hyaloring Area Victory Points: Nation scoring, Jenarong
Vestments of Disclosure: Darsen Emperor
Girdle of Command: Henjarl
Turn 4 Argentium Thri’ile
Bow of Domination: Any Veshtargos Area ”The March of Khordavu tells the epic of the
Ten Princes who restored the Empire and put an
Roost of Tholm: Kestinlands Emperor with the Mantle of Sovereignty on the
throne. The horse nomads were driven to the
Turn 1 Warlords empty plains to the east.”
”The warlords drove their chariots over the shat-
tered earth and brought back life. These were
Hirenmador: Invasion turn
still miserable times and the evil Warlords who Hyalorings: Invasion turn
ruled would not be considered Emperors today.”
Veshtargos: Invasion turn
Theyalans: Invasion turn
Praxians: Invasion turn
Victory Points: Jenarong Emperor
Aldryami: 3 new units; one each in Rist,
Turn 2 World Council Erigia, Elder Wilds.
”There were barbarians and ruins to the east Accoutrements:
and west but no wonders. A tribe of cannibals
lived in the north whose magicians summoned The Feathered Cap of Mernita appears in
huge herds of beasts.” Birin at the start of the Round. The Cap can
only be possessed by the nation who pos-
Theyalans: Invasion Turn; 7 new units
sesses the Bow of Domination.
Accoutrements: The Sceptre of Order ap-
The Mantle of Sovereignty appears in Dar-
pears in Esvuthil at the start of the Pelorian
jiin at the start of the Pelorian Nation turn.
Nation turn
Victory Points: Rites of Khordavu
Victory Points: Jenarong Emperor

26
Turn 5 Imperial Army Turn 7 Reforestation
”The Empire became more powerful and be- ”A great army of woodmen came out of the
came aggressive against foreigners. A General woods burning down human habitations and
from the Army usurped the footstool and, in killing domestic beasts. Many thousands of
Vanch and Rinliddi the army was used for Injus- square miles were reclaimed by the people of
tice.” the woods.”
Soldiers: Invasion Turn; 10 new units in Aldryami: Invasion turn
Esvuthil.
Victory Points: Complete Emperor
Digijelm: 6 units in Troll Mountains (Blue
Moon Plateau, Yolp, Eastern Rockwoods). Turn 8 Empire of Gloom
”The nations of Pelanda united under their ty-
Telmori: 2 units in Mountains of Ralios.
rant and marched against Dara Happa. A Spo-
Victory Points: Rites of Khordavu lite became Emperor and the gods turned their
backs on him. He was a heretic and evil, his
body was fed to black dogs.”
Turn 6 Arkat’s Crusade
“The first Complete Emperor incorporated the Pelandans: Invasion turn
High Council of Genertela and together they cre-
ated a new God, Nysalor. The Hero Arkat led an Victory Points: Complete Emperor, Nation
army of barbarians and monsters in a crusade scoring
from the West and then from the South to de-
stroy the new god, which he called Chaos.” Turn 9 Syranthir
Barbarians: Invasion turn; 24 units. Must ”The New Light of Denesiod founded a new dy-
nasty. In the west, foreigners from Fronela led by
start placing armies in Ralios until overrun,
a man called Syranthir established themselves
then Karia, then in Dragon Pass. and helped overthrow the Spolites.”
Victory Points: Complete Emperor Carmanians: 6 Cavalry appear in Charg.
Balazarings: 3 Units appears in Votanki-
land.
Victory Points: Complete Emperor

Turn 10 Empire of Wyrms Friends

”Dragon worshippers from the south send mis-
sionaries, warriors, and eventually dragons, to
conquer Dara Happa”
YOUF: Invasion turn; 20 infantry Dragon
Pass. In the overpopulation phase 3 YOUF
infantry of the player’s choice are changed
into Dragons.
Carmanians: 10 new infantry appear in any
area they control.
Victory Points: Complete Emperor

27
Turn 11 Dara Happa Stirs Turn 15 First Battle of Chaos
”The Dragon Sun was an impossible emperor, ”The Zero Wane, Battle of Seven Horses, First
but passed all the tests.” Battle of Chaos, Battle of the Four Arrows of
Light, Battle of Castle Blue, the Red Moon rises”
Pelorians: Invasion turn
Hirenmador (The Warlords, who had been
Theyalans: Invasion turn forced from Peloria had built up strength
Soldiers: Invasion turn in Pent and returned to both fight for and
against the New Moon as both mercenaries
Digijelm: Invasion turn
and loyal converts. They called themselves
Barbarians: Invasion turn the Char-Un.): 2 new units in Pent
YOUF: Invasion turn Hyalorings: 2 new units in Pent
Victory Points: Complete Emperor Veshtargos: 2 new units in Pent
Pelorians: Invasion turn. The Bat appears
Turn 12 Generations of War in Eastern-most Carmanian occupied area.
”The Youf were driven back from Dara Happan Any units killed in this area changed to a
territory”
Mad Horde which are treated as if they are
Balazarings: Invasion turn part of the Telmori nation.
YOUF: Invasion turn Victory Points: Complete Emperor, Shah
Victory Points: Complete Emperor, Nation
scoring Turn 16: Empire of the Red Moon
”The Era of Rule and the Era of War. Jannisor’s
Rebellion”
Turn 13 Call to Heroes
”The Emperor accepted peace so that everyone Hirenmador: Invasion
could join him against the common enemy, the
Hyalorings: Invasion turn
dragons. The True Golden Horde marched south
and was eaten by the Dragons.” Veshtargos: Invasion turn
Victory Points: Call to Heroes Alkoth: Invasion turn
Pelorians: Invasion turn
Turn 14 Carmanian March
”The Dara Happans fell victim to an ancient
magic. Now it is known as the Carmanian
March.”
There were outbreaks of Broo trouble from
Dorastor.”
Carmanians: Invasion turn
Telmori: Invasion turn
Victory Points: Complete Emperor, Shah

28
Theyalans: Invasion turn Barbarians: Invasion turn
Praxians: Invasion turn Carmanians: Invasion turn
Soldiers: Invasion turn Victory Points: Complete Emperor, Shah,
Nation scoring
Aldryami: Invasion turn
All quotes from the Fortunate Succession.
Telmori: Invasion turn

Part 3: Nations
Player 1 Units killed by the Bat in Turn 15 are con-
verted into Telmori (they are actually the Mad
Hirenmador Horde, not wolf men, but they act in this game
as if they are Telmori) and placed in the area
Start the game with 4 Cavalry in Naveria where they were killed in the Pelorian
Unit Limit: 8 Cavalry Overpopulation phase.

Nation Scoring: 1VP per area Nation Scoring: 1VP per unit

Exit: 2VP per unit exiting via Pent Kill: Aldryami, Carmanians
2VP
Kill:
Aldryami, Carmanians 2VP Telmori
Warlords 1VP (Includes other Chaos
Monsters).
Pelorians Appear in Round 5 with
Start the game with 1 2 Infantry in Mountains of
Infantry in each area: Ralios
Lenshi, Dog Plains, Unit Limit: 5 infantry
Imther, Kostaddi, Diko-
ria, Darsen, Rinliddi, Special rules:
Kestinlands, Dara Ni, Cannot be killed.
Lakrene, Darjiin, San-
ken, Vanch, Dara Ni. (total 14) Treat Mountains as rough terrain.

Unit Limit: 24 Infantry +1 Bat Ignore the Curse of Dorastor.

Special Rule: -1 to die rolls in battle. (includ- Must retreat after the first round of battle,
ing for the bat) unless all the opposition killed or retreated. If
there is no legal retreat they are moved to an
Special Unit: The Crimson Bat appears in empty Mountain or Cursed Dorastor.
turn 15 in Eastern-most Carmanian area. Acts
as Cavalry with 6 attack die. Nation Scoring: None

29
 Capture once: Dara Ni, Vanstal, Vonlath, Aldryami
Tork: 4VP
Appear in turn Round 4 with one infantry unit
Kill: anyone 1VP in each of Rist, Erigia, Elder Wilds.
Unit Limit: 10 Infantry, 10 Forests
Praxians
Appear in Round 3 with 10 Cavalry in Dragon
Pass
Unit Limit: 10 Cavalry
Special rules:
Population increase for Hungry Plateau.
New units on Hungry Plateau only.
Nation Scoring: Hungry Plateau 6VP
Capture once:
Special Units
Vonlath 5VP
Forest is created in any area that Aldry-
Saird 2VP ami gain possession at the end of the battle
phase - move zero
Kill:
Nation Scoring: Each forest counter on
Warlords 5VP
board 4VP.
Aldryami 2VP
Barbarians
Player 2 Appear in Round 6 with 24 Infantry. Must
start placing armies in Ralios until overrun,
Hyalorings then Karia, then in Dragon Pass.
Start the game with 3 Cavalry in Saird, 2 Unit Limit: 24 Infantry
Cavalry in Sylila
Nation Scoring:
Unit Limit: 8 Cavalry
10VP if Dorastor cursed.
Nation Scoring: 3VP per open area
1VP per area.
Capture once:
Special ability:
Darjiin 4VP
Curse Dorastor. If Barbarians hold Dorastor
Naveria, Dara Ni 2VP they may curse it making it uninhabitable
Exit: 3VP per unit exiting via Pent. to any but Telmori. This is done after the
overpopulation phase. Units in Dorastor are
Kill: Warlords 2VP moved to any adjacent area (without other
nations in it) - i.e. Karia, Talastar, Skanthi,

30
Anadikki. Place the Curse Counter in the Theyalans
area.
Start the game with 4 Infantry in Dragon
Kill: The Bat 4VP Pass, 2 Infantry in Ivory Plinth
Unit Limit: 30 Infantry
YOUF
Nation Scoring: 1VP per area
Appear in Round 10 with 20 infantry Dragon
Pass. In the overpopulation phase, 3 YOUF Capture once:
infantry of the player’s choice are changed
Dorastor 10VP
into Dragons.
Karia 4VP
Unit Limit: 20 Infantry, 3 Dragons
Die fighting: Anyone 1VP
Special Units
Kill:
Dragons act as Cavalry with 4 attack die,
Ignore other nations when moving and can The Bat 4VP
move in mountains as if Rough Terrain.
Aldryami, Alkothi 1VP
Nation Scoring: none
Capture once: Any area 1VP
Carmanians
Appear in Round 9 with 6 Cavalry in Charg
Exit: 1VP per unit exiting via Dragon Pass
Unit Limit: 8 Cavalry, 20 Infantry
Kill: anyone 2VP
Nation Scoring: 1VP per area
Player 3 Turn 12: 1VP per unit in Charg

Veshtargos Capture once:

Start the game with 6 Cavalry spread over Vonlath, Rinliddi, Saird 4VP
Pent, Ezarkos, Althil, Velthil, Jarasan, Birin Sanken, Kostaddi, Althil 2VP
Unit Limit: 8 Cavalry Kill:
Nation Scoring: None Alkothi, Dragons 4VP
Capture once: Anyone else 2VP
Spol 4VP
Bindle, Oronin 3VP
Old Darklands, Pelanda, 2VP
Esvuthil, Korer, Dikoria, Lenshi, 1VP
Exit: 1VP per unit exiting via Pent .
Kill: Anyone 2VP

31
Balazarings where there are no Alkothi units alive, a new
unit appear in Henjarl. It will need to fight any
Appear in Round 9 with 3 Units in Votanki-
enemies currently in possession of Henjarl.
land
Nation Scoring: 1VP per area
Unit Limit: 5 Infantry
Kill:
Nation Scoring: 1VP per unit
Any units in Darjiin 5VP
Capture once: Dog Plains, Dragon Pass,
Ivory Plinth, Saird 2VP Any other units 2VP.
Kill: Anyone 1VP
Pelandans
Player 4 Start the game with 1 Infantry in each area:
Karasal, Pelanda, Red City, Oronin, Bindle,
Alkoth Old Darklands, Eol, Vanstal, Worion, Jhor,
Suvaria (total 11)
Start the game with 3 Killmen in Henjarl
Unit Limit: 24 Infantry
Unit Limit: 12 Killmen
New units can only come from original areas.
New units in Henjarl only.
No population growth for rough terrain.
Each Alkoth unit has 2 attack die when at-
tacking. Special Rule: If not connected via controlled
areas to an original area then units are con-
If units are not connected to Henjarl via verted into Pelorians in the overpopulation
Alkoth or Soldier controlled or empty ar- phase.
eas they are removed in the overpopulation
phase. Nation Scoring: 1VP per unit

A new Alkothi appears in Henjarl automatical- Capture once:

ly if there are none left. That is, in the popula- Vonlath 6VP
tion increase phase of any Alkoth nation turn
Esvuthil 4VP
Henjarl 2VP
Birin, Darjiin, Darsen, Dikoria, Doblian 1VP

32
Digijelm Soldiers
Appear in Round 5 with 6 units in Troll Moun- Appear in Round 5 with 10 Infantry in Es-
tains (Blue Moon Plateau, Yolp, Eastern vuthil
Rockwoods)
Unit Limit: 10 Infantry
Unit Limit: 12 infantry
New units in Esvuthil, Henjarl and Vonlath
Special Abilities: only
Digijelm can move through any Nation, other Nation Scoring: 1VP per unit
than the holder of Darsen or Aldryami, without
Die fighting: Barbarians 3VP
stopping.
Capture once: Vanch, Rinliddi 10VP
Inhuman Occupation. Digijelm can ignore the
Deathline and enter Dragon Pass and Ivory Kill: Aldryami, Pelandans, Theyalans, Bar-
Plinth. barians Warlords, Carmanians, YOUF 1VP
Can move in Mountains, treating them as
Rough terrain.
Nation Scoring: 1VP per unit.
Capture once: Naveria, Dikoria, Doblian,
Talastar, Votankiland, Jarst, Karia, Ralios,
Arir: 1VP
Kill: Aldryami 2VP

33
 Fabian Küchler
Learning from the Chaos Feature Competition

The Chaos Feature Competition struck me of Glorantha. Ask yourself if your feature is
as yet another great Glorantha Fandom proj- truly chaotic or rather something that looks
ect. Alas, I did not find the time to contribute like the result of very complicated science
myself, but after some serious nagging from experiment gone wrong. Imagine it
Matthew, nothing could keep me from eagerly
scanning the results and vote for the best Creepy is good. Dangerous is better.
ideas! It was hard to make a choice so I was
Another observation was that some features,
skimming through the results again and again
while being really chaotic in nature, were just
to find my favourites. I soon realised I needed
creepy. Creepy is cool for a chaos feature
some criteria to judge the ideas and narrow
but it also should pose a danger at the same
my list down. I became more and more fas-
time otherwise it is mere colour. If you can do
cinated. What lay before me were not only
creepy you should be able to do creepy and
some great, witty, clever or funny Chaos Fea-
dangerous.
tures, but the creative output of a large part of
the Glorantha tribe! Looking at all the ideas I
knew that there was something to be learned.
I began to wonder: Are the contributors all
GM’s or even writers? What game system are
they using? How does their creative process
work? How do they judge their ideas? I was
sure analyzing the results would turn out to
be a fruitful creative lesson. What criteria
does a good Chaos Feature need to fulfil?
How do you design a true Chaos Feature?

Be Chaotic!
A lot of the entries made me wonder: is this
really Chaos? Some features were clever,
sophisticated and much too intelligent for my
taste. Does Chaos really produce these com-
plicated, smart and almost delicate features?
Chaos mutates, twists, deforms and produces
dangerous abnormities that mock the reality

34
Only Funny on Paper? Design for the Story not the Game System
Some entries were fascinating to read, but I Of course some entries were very rules
soon realized they are only funny on paper. orientated. While not a bad thing per se, this
They were creations too special for a simple approach tends to produces result that are,
encounter but also lacking the necessary well – ‘rulesy’. They have the advantage to be
clips to attach their chunky bodies easily to a used and resolved instantly in game play but
story. It would be hard to integrate them into seem to force imagination into a more techni-
a plot without disturbing an existing narra- cal or mechanical direction. Designing for the
tive. Remind yourself that you create for an story instead for the rules looks preferable. A
interactive story not a literary one. The fea- Chaos Feature should add drama beyond the
ture needs to be put into action without cold horror of rules lawyers. It should affect
many words and it needs to do some- your game story. On the other hand a
thing that players can experience chaos feature should surely be useable
and interact with. An additional rule and interact-able within your game
of thumb: if your name for the system.
feature does not already tell
an awful lot about what it Show, not Tell
does and you need a lot of
When you have a Chaos
description it might be just
Feature you should be able
too complex.
to show it. It should be as
vivid an image as possible.
Don’t make the Storm Bulls
What is the use of a Chaos Feature
Laugh!
if you need forever to describe or
Some Chaos Features where explain it? Or the players have a
just pretty darn useless (from a hard time to even recognize it or
Chaos point of view). And I am find out only later after they killed it?
not talking about the ones who Chaos should and make a lasting,
clearly follow the good old tradi- memorable impact and not cause a
tion of Glorantha jokes. While dizzy head or confused looks. To be
I am sure that Chaos also produces a lot of able to show a Chaos Feature means to be
substandard material that does not mean able to tell a story with it. Ideally you should
it should turn up in a game without a good be able to create a lasting scene with it and
dramatic reason. Some features were just so make it the main obstacle for the players to
colossally ineffective that you pity the chaos overcome.
creature or even wonder how it could survive
with it at all. Is it New?
Imagine yourself being Storm Bull and look Why make the effort to think up stuff (espe-
at your feature. What do you think? If you cially for a contest!) if not for producing some-
feel like laughing you might have to redesign. thing innovative by pushing our imagination
Making the Storm Bulls laugh to death might further? The result should be new, inspiring
be an interesting option though… and, if possible, change the way we see or
use a Chaos Feature in a game.

35
In conclusion Not only does this feature not really require a
description it is utterly chaotic, horrible, fas-
I realized that a Chaos Feature could be
cinating and inspiring. It comes with a vivid
more then just a shocking deformation of a
picture and is frankly almost the only Chaos
creature that players disturb in its lair or that
Feature I could remember from the whole
disturbs your players on their Tula. A great
bunch weeks afterwards. Its effect is not
Chaos Feature can not only personalize a
danger or damage - it is sheer terror. I can’t
great antagonist but also drive a scene or
imagine a player who would not filled with ter-
even a whole story.
ror imagining his character could become the
My personal Chaos Feature Competition win- mount of a chaos creature! This feature has
ner is: Merges with Mount. story value! It makes me want to use it in a
game. Jamie, I salute you!
Merges with Mount
Jamie MacLaren.
Any creature that the chaotic can sit on or
ride becomes an extension of the chaotic, if
the ‘mount’ is intelligent then there is a con-
tinual power struggle for dominance between
the two parties requiring concentration and
strength of will.

36
 Roderick Robertson
The Sweet Sisters of the Compassionate dants and helpers who collect the money and
Moon are a missionary society dedicated to hand out leaflets about the ills of the world
bringing the benefits of the Lunar Way to be- outside the Empire and How Your Dona-
nighted lands. To this end, they build and staff tions Help Save Children. The Mission has
Mission-Orphanages in the provinces and a small office in Mirin’s Cross that oversees
conquered lands, where parentless children the missions in the Provinces, and another in
are brought up in the light of the Lunar Way Palbar in Oraya, for those in the Redlands.
and prepared for life in the Empire. Once the The headquarters of the organization is in
children are of age, they are normally enrolled Raibanth.
in the Army, to serve the Goddess in far-away
lands. Public and Private Faces
The society solicits funds inside the Empire On the surface, the Sweet Sisters are a
by holding meetings where the squalid con- benevolent society, selflessly dedicated to
ditions of Sartar, Prax, or the Redlands are making the world a better place for those less
related by Missionaries. These talks are illus- fortunate than themselves. This was goal of
trated by Magic-lantern shows of the filth and the Mission that Idomenia started 100 years
squalor that the natives of these lands live in, ago.
their laughable attempts at “Culture” (includ-
ing bare-breasted women, where such will Moneys raised by the efforts of these Sweet
titillate and shock the audience), and pictures Sisters are funneled through the organization
of starving children. and dispersed to the Mission-Orphanages.
There it is used to build suitable buildings,
The society is not a religious organization, buy food, clothing and other necessities for
though it has close ties with Denomination of the children, and to provide a living for the
Pinugia the Protectoress. They were founded Mission staff.
by, and follow the precepts of, Idomenia the
Childless Mother, a heroine of Pinugia. The Under the surface, though, lurks a slimy
Mission is divided into two parts: Fund Rais- morass of self-interest and personal aggran-
ing and Missionary work. A Fundraising team dizement.
normally consists of several speakers (often a The majority of the Sweet Sisters are in the
“Missionary recently returned from the Sar- Fundraising office of the Mission and are, in-
tar/Pent wilderness”; an “Orphan who has deed, selfless workers that believe the public
made good” – almost always a soldier in the face of the cult. They are used primarily for
army; and one or more Society Women of the fund-raising inside the empire, and are almost
city where the talk is taking place), plus atten-

37
never allowed to leave the security of the Em- sidered one year older at the end of Sacred
pire to visit the orphanages they support. time.
The administrators of the Mission, starting From the time they enter the Orphanage
with Lucendilla RedWine and wending down until their “14th birthday”, the children are
to the actual mission workers, are in it strictly expected to attend Mission class every day, in
for the money. In all, only about 3% of the addition to any chores they may be assigned.
funds raised are actually used for the chil- A Mission-Preceptor is assigned to each Mis-
dren.. The rest is siphoned off at various parts sion, to lead the weekly Holy Services and
of the process. teach the children of the Light of the Moon
and Their Place In The World – which is to do
Administration what they are told.

The head of the Mission is Lucendilla Red- On “graduation” from the Mission, most boys
Wine. She runs the offices of the Mission with and some girls are inducted into one of the
an iron hand, and skims off the majority of three regiments listed above. A few may have
the funds directly to her own treasury. She is shown aptitude for another path, and will be
married to Debendorthus Scaler, a mid-level sold as a slave to a household in the empire
bureaucrat (Dispenser of Fish) in the city gov- as an administrator, gladiator, or sex toy.
ernment of Raibanth.
Fitting the Mission Into Your
Beneath Lucindella are the heads of the
regional branches: Aggapinugia Oversight Campaign
who runs the Mirin’s Cross offices and leads The Sweet Sisters are part of the Heavenly
the Provincial branch, and Aristis the Eunuch Sister Outreach, which is part of the same
in Palbar. Below these two worthies are the League that sponsors your Campaign Villain
heads of the various missions, who actually (if Non-Lunar) or your heroes (if Lunar).
run the Mission-Orphanages and oversee the
staff and children. It is intended to be both a source of pity (for
the actual orphans), and outrage (the greed
which drives the administration of the Mis-
The Goals of the Mission
sion). A typical orphanage should remind
While the missions are intended to provide players of the early scenes from “Oliver
the teachings of the Goddess to the children, Twist”.
their primary function is to raise soldiers for
the Lunar Army, particularly those regiments
which are sponsored by the League: the
Raibanth Cuirassiers, the Argent Archers, and
the Spear-threes of Raibanth.
Children are accepted into a mission at any
age until age 10. Children older than 10 are
considered to be untrainable. Since many
children, especially the younger ones, don’t
know how old they are, they are assigned an
age by the Mission staff. All children are con-

38
A Typical Mission – The Rune- The Dormitory is simply one large room, with
one small chamber next to the door for Par-
gate Mission-Orphanage dikol. The beds for the children were made
The Mission-Orphanage of Runegate is a long ago, cheaply, and have since treated
three-building compound about a mile from roughly by several generations of orphans.
the Sartarite “city” of Runegate, which was There is a small fire pit at one end of the hall,
visited by the Crimson Bat during the Paci- where the children burn their cow-dung pat-
fication of Sartar in 1602. The Mission-Or- ties for heat. In the winter, it is usual for all the
phanage was founded one year after the Bat. children to sleep in a huddle around the fire,
It took in the children of the warriors of the with all the (thin) blankets over them. Pardikol
surrounding tribes who had been killed at has a brazier in his room, and burns coal for
Runegate. Since then, the supply of orphans warmth.
has been somewhat slow, though during the
The Chapel doubles as the schoolroom,
Great Winter of 1621-22 the rate climbed
where the Light of the Goddess is brought
back up.
into the minds of the children. It is also where
The Mission is surrounded by a tamped-dirt Eloina sleeps, and where the janitorial sup-
wall (not the best choice of building materiel plies are kept.
in Sartar, but it is cheap). The buildings are
The “main House” is where Flower and
made of local stone and timber, built in the
Geltath live, and houses the main kitchen, the
Sairdite style. The roofs are not thatched, but
offices, and (under a floorboard), Geltath’s
covered in rough-hewn planks and covered
hoard of around 50 Lunars.
with dirt and grass.

39
Mission Personnel Flower is sure that Eloina’s cheerfulness is a
cover for something more nefarious. It’s just
Flower-of –the-Moon, Headmistress that she has never been able to catch the
Preceptor in anything other than a cheerful
A graduate of the Mission, She was brought and upbeat mood. Ever.
up in the Filichet Mission in Holay. Flower
runs the orphanage like a Victorian work- Geltath Fernikos
house. Children are forced to perform hard
and demanding tasks, such as unwinding old A former orphan of the Mission (the Vul
rope and re-winding it into new rope to sell, Mission-Orphanage in Tarsh), Geltath is thin
collecting and plucking Red Thistles for their to the point of emaciation, his face that of a
down to be exported and the meat for the death-mask surrounded by matted grey-blond
children to eat, and collecting and shaping hair. His clothes were once sumptuous, but
cow dung for their only fire in the winter. now are so soiled with grease and filth that
even a beggar would turn up his nose at
Pressure Points them.
Flower of the Moon has aspirations of rising Geltath is Flower’s Husband, and is ostensi-
up the Society’s ladder to head of the Provin- bly in charge of procurement for the Mission.
cial office of the Sweet Sisters. To do so, she As such, he is provided with 10 Lunars every
will have to remove Aggapinugia Oversight 2 (Lunar) months by the Society.
from that post. She is collecting evidence
of his crimes and peccadilloes. She has a Pressure Points
journal listing what, in her eyes, are reasons Rather than spend the bi-monthly stipend on
Aggapinugia should be replaced and She put the children, Geltath tends to drink at least
in his place. half of it, and squirrels away as much as he
Flower and Geltath’s marriage is hardly a can before Flower can take it from him.
happy one, and each is seeking to end it. Geltath is planning on using his funds to
Flower is planning on killing her husband. travel – anywhere, as long as it is away from
She is training up a small group of two boys Flower. He has heard that the East Isles are
and a particularly nasty girl to do the deed. a paradise-on-Glorantha for a man of intel-
She will, of course, blame the crime on their ligence and distinction – which he considers
pre-orphanage upbringing. At the current himself to be, against all evidence (and Flow-
time, the fulfillment of her plan is at least half er’s shrill chastising) to the contrary.
a year away.
Geltath detests children, almost as much as
Flower detests children. She is also mean he resents his wife. He casually kicks or slaps
and petty. She works her children hard, hours any child he finds himself with “to maintain
are long, and there is only one meal – of thin, discipline”.
boiled thistle soup – a day. Punishments vary
from a simple ear-twisting or hair-pulling, to
Pardikol One-eye
burial in “the Pit” – a typical Sartarite storage
pit, covered with a wicker lid, over which is Pardikol is yet another graduate of the Mis-
shoveled enough dirt that the child will not be sion (the first “graduate” from the Talfort Mis-
able to dig its way out. sion). He served several years in the Argent

40
Archers before losing his eye in a tavern person, but cannot read the Rufus Scripts,
brawl. He was “retired” from the unit, and and those parts which she has memorized
went back to the only home he knew, the Mis- are sometimes rather strangely scrambled.
sion. He is responsible for the security of the Yet she is a preceptor, able to provide a con-
Orphanage, which usually means keeping the duit between Sedenya and her flock.
kids from escaping, and tracking down and
Due to “budgetary concerns” (and her fortu-
returning those that do.
itous handicap), Eloina is also the maid-of-
Pardikol pities the children in the mission, but all-work at the Mission, and is rather harshly
truly believes that the Mission is better than used by Flower. She is responsible for all
what these children will face in the “outside”. cleaning and cooking in the Staff buildings,
He tries to augment their meager dinner with and organizes the children in cleaning the
hunting, but his handicap means that he is Dormitory.
not nearly as proficient with a bow as he once
was, and what kills he does bring in are more Pressure Points
often served to the Mission Staff rather than
None, really. She is cheerful, obedient and
the children.
totally unable to see the bad in people. What
is there to pressure?
Pressure Points
The way to Pardikol’s heart is through the Using the Sweet Sisters in your
children. He will do (almost) anything for Campaign
them. He wil even give his own dinner to a
particularly pitiful waif. If your heroes are Sartarites, the Orphanage
serves as another example of the Lunar lack
Pardikol trains the children in basic combat of compassion. Even without knowing the
techniques. If the children ever get rebellious, background of the order and how it operates,
they can be a more formidable force than the Orphanage serves to take perfectly good
would outwardly sem. Sartarite children and turn them into soldiers
who will be used to fight their own kind.
Sister Eloina, Preceptor
If your heroes are Lunar, the Mission serves
Sister Eloina is a bright-eyed naïf, who sees an example of the “Bad within the Good”
“potential in these beautiful children” and – the flotsam on the edge where the Lunar
“bright futures for all my darlings”. She literally Ideals meet un-enlightened human greed.
does not see the squalid conditions of the or-
phanage. This condition is caused by a failed The orphanage is a “soft target” – not even
Illumination, which has caused her to see worth rolling dice to see if the heroes elimi-
only the good around her, and never the bad. nate it in combat – they do, period (unless
She always has a big smile and a hug for “her they are a band of starving trollkin, of course).
little ones”, and they love her in return. She is Pardikol isn’t even a worthy combat oppo-
the only bright spot in their otherwise dreary nent for a Sartarite farmer, let alone a band of
lives. hardened warriors.

Eloina’s training was in the streets of Kevr-

inth. She is a self-taught, enthusiastic holy-

41