Hearts in Glorantha Issue 1
28 Aug 2008 • Category: Reviews • Tags: fanzine, Glorantha, HeroQuest, Runequest
A licensed fanzine for Glorantha, which covers both the 2nd Age and 3rd Age of Glorantha.Both d100 (RQ2/RQ3, MRQ, BRP) and HeroQuest systems supported.
Aims to produce a diverse set of articles in each issue, written by fans old and new of the setting. The emphasis being on material that is useful in game.
Two issues every year, Summer and Winter.
Now available via our Lulu.com store (stores.lulu.com/d101games)
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Dave McAlister is a dedicated geek, combining his enjoyment of roleplaying games with website design and runs Modus Operandi and UK Role Players. Dave has been roleplaying for over 25 years now, having played and/or run most mainstream systems. His current favourite though is Savage Worlds. Dave also likes talking about himself in the third person!
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A fanzine produced by our very own Newt Newport
Way back when (early 1980′s) Glorantha was the first world i adventured in, I remember getting Runequest for my birthday (the shop had sold out of D&D red box which i desperatly wanted and the shopkeeper told my dad that this box ‘was the same thing’) and spent many of my teenage years kicking ass in Prax, Dragon Pass and such, anyway it was a much loved place that i left many moons ago.
When i saw this ‘zine’ advertised i thought to myself ‘lets have a trip down memory lane’ so i duly purchased a copy from Lulu
Gripe Number One – I understand that many a small publisher has to use print on demand services such as these but the cost of standard postage is almost the cost of the book!!!!!!
Praise Number One – This is a very nice book to look at, its cover (by none other than Darren Sims) is nice and has a pleasing look very much in keeping with the Mongoose RQ books. Its a clean book with easy read text and formatting
Gripe Number Two – At the top and foot of each page are lines of runes these are maybe done for effect but IMO make the pages scruffy and lead the eye away, i’d like to see them thinned out or even removed, they dont add anything
The editorial is a nice intro from a bloke that seems to really care.
Ill now move on to the contents of the issue
God Fall – I have never been a fan of ‘location drops’ a pre-written location or encounter that can be dropped into a current campaign by hard pressed GM’s, however after reading this my view has changed. This ‘drop’ contains some interesting locations and a well written piece about the shamanastic tribes in Prax you could infact use this to kick off a campaign in the region a rather nice map is also provided. If i had one wish is that the author could maybe have suggested a few adventure seeds regarding the people of the location such as the pilgrims. Great start to the zine
Prologue Method for Character Generation – This is advice of background generation for the HeroQuest system, something i dislike but looks useful to those who’s boat it does float
Flora of Glorantha – A nice little piece which i hope is a regular, this section describes some of the flora found in various parts of Glorantha a description plus in game benifits for using the various forms of the plant, useful
Homeland – Yes. Just what is needed from a zine like this, a section taking one area of Glorantha (in this issues case Kralori and Kaira) and filling in the gaps, origins, religeons, notable NPC’s and such all good meat for a GM to use the work done by Newt on Kaira is excellent to say the least and i can see myself using some of this myself, very very good
this is followed by some nice fiction and campaign ideas for the various ages, once again good
The Tale Theft – Another nice piece for HeroQuest (that could be used elsewhere) about the random creation of myths on the spot during play
Location Mythlets – A reversal of the above (although yet again for HQ) a ‘how to’ on turning the two line myths from the Dragon Pass gazeteer into quests and scenarios, once again a great useful item
Lookout Hill – A lovely piece of fiction
The next few segments deal with those that we love to hate the Durulz (ducks) these are nice section full of history and flavour, however having used ‘The Questors guide to Ducks’ by Sceaptune Games i already have the best resourse for using them as a race ‘non Gloranthian of course’, but very useful none the less i particularly liked the chariot and stats and will be using that myself
Newt Talks to Jeff Richard – A nice interview, which brings me to
Gripe Number Three – The whole zine takes the you know why your here stance and thats not bad, but if a person strolling past a stand picked it up and thought lets see what this Glorantha is all about they wouldnt have a clue, maybe some form of chapter introducing new people to Glorantha bit by bit (referencing other material)
Fixing the Wrong – An interesting looking scenario once again for HeroQuest
Using a Charm – Short fiction by Greg stafford
Praise Number Two – Artwork its fantastic throughout with some especially nice stuff from Jonny Grey, this ‘zine’ has better production values than some professional RPG’s that are out there. Its an extremly well thought out and useful book alot of HQ in issue one but im sure we will get more RQ submissions, make it more accessable to newer players to Glorantha and your on to a winner, Roll on issue two
OVERALL SCORE 8.5 / 10