II

Tale s of The

sun CounTy MiliTiaSANDHEART VOLUME ONEA SCENARIO FOR RUNEQUEST: ROLEPLAYING IN GLORANTHA

Sample

file

III

Tale s of The

sun CounTy MiliTiaSANDHEART VOLUME ONE

Author: Jonathan Webb

with Nick Brooke, Darren Page-Mitchell & Shaun Rimmer

Cover Artist: Jacob Webb

Interior Artists: Mark Baldwin, Ludovic Chabant & Kris Herbert

Cartographers: Jonathan Webb, Madaleine Girvan, Ollie Larwood, Ludovic Chabant & Nick Brooke

Design & Layout: Nick Brooke

Playtesters: Graham Brown, Joshua Hill, Shaun Rimmer, James Stanley, Jacob Webb & Harrison Webb

RuneQuest is a Trademark of Moon Design Publications and is used with their permission via the OBS Community Content program. For more information please visit Chaosium’s website: www.chaosium.com

The Chaosium and RuneQuest Logos are used under license.Sun County Militia v2.00

24 August 2020

Sample

file

IV

CREDITS, COPYRIGHTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

AUTHORSSandheart Volume 1: Tales of the Sun County Militia is copyright © 2020 by Jonathan Webb.• The Pole Star & Ronance Spirit Cult writeups on page 12 are adapted from Tales of the Reaching Moon

#14 & #15 (1996) and are copyright © 2020 by Moon Design Publications, used with permission.• New Sandheart Militia Stats on pages 36-43 are copyright © 2020 by Darren Page-Mitchell.• Tedious Tasks on page 44-47 are copyright © 2020 by Jonathan Webb and Shaun Rimmer.• Sun County Backgrounds on page 78-96 are copyright © 2020 by Nick Brooke.

ARTISTSCover artwork (Sun County Militia, Sandheart) is copyright © 2020 by Jacob Webb.Interior artwork is copyright © 2020 by Mark Baldwin, other than the following pieces:• The Five Plinths (page 9) and the four Praxian Stand-off illustrations (pages page 60-page 63) are

copyright © 2020 by Ludovic Chabant.• View of Sandheart (page 11) and View of Farborough (page 67) are copyright © 2020 by Kris Herbert

of the Beer With Teeth collective.

CARTOGRAPHERSCartography is copyright © 2020 by Jonathan Webb, other than the following maps:• Sun County (pages 3 & 49) is copyright © 2020 by Moon Design Publications, used with permission.• Sandheart Hamlet (page 10) is copyright © 2020 by Madaleine Girvan.• Farborough (page 66) is copyright © 2020 by Ollie Larwood.• The River Settlements & Fishlaunch (pages 72-74) are copyright © 2020 by Ludovic Chabant.• Sandheart District (page 75) was reworked in Wonderdraft by Nick Brooke and is copyright © 2020

by Jonathan Webb. Buildings are from the “Arabia” pack drawn by Chan (/u/quachyourback) and included in Wonderdraft.

SPECIAL THANKS TO• Nick Brooke and Mark Baldwin, my ‘virtual shield-brothers’ in this endeavour.• Michael O’Brien for support and enthusiasm.• The Jonstown Compendium Creators Circle for all the support, hints and tips.• Diana Probst, Austin Conrad and Shaun Rimmer for their valuable comments.• Steven Watson and Beverley Webb for proof-reading.• Chaosium for kind permission to reproduce a map from Sun County and the Pole Star & Ronance

Spirit Cult write-ups.• Alyson Shorthouse and Haydn Pearson for their contributions to the first edition of Sandheart Volume

One: Tales of the Sun County Militia.Sample

file

V

TABLE OF CONTENTSWelcome to Sandheart ...........................................................................................................................1

Your Glorantha Will Vary ............................................................................................................................... 1History of Sandheart ....................................................................................................................................... 2Settlements and Farming in Sandheart District .......................................................................................... 4The Hamlet of Sandheart ................................................................................................................................ 8The Magic of the Plinths ................................................................................................................................. 9

Map and View of Sandheart ................................................................................................................10People of Interest in Sandheart ....................................................................................................................14The Sandheart Militia ....................................................................................................................................20Sandheart Militia Stats ..................................................................................................................................24Tedious Tasks ..................................................................................................................................................44

No Country for Cold Men ....................................................................................................................48The Dolphins’ Drug Racket in Sun County ................................................................................................48Militia Introduction: Praxian Stand-off ......................................................................................................50Farborough .....................................................................................................................................................53Stablefort .........................................................................................................................................................54The River Settlements ....................................................................................................................................55Conclusion: A Small Victory in a Greater War ..........................................................................................58No Country for Cold Men Stats .....................................................................................................60

Map and View of Farborough ..............................................................................................................70Maps of the River Settlements & Fishlaunch.......................................................................................72

Map of Sandheart District ................................................................................................................ 75Handout: The Sandheart Gazetteer .....................................................................................................76

Sun County Backgrounds ....................................................................................................................78Your Grandparent’s History ............................................................................................................................79Your Parent’s History........................................................................................................................................91Initiation ............................................................................................................................................................92Red Moon in Prax ............................................................................................................................................94Solanthos’ Coup ................................................................................................................................................95Sam

ple file

VI

FOREWORD

Michael O’BrienVice-President of Chaosium, Inc.

Back in 1990 when I sent my unsolicited Sun County manuscript to Avalon Hill, it was out of a sense of frustration. After the truly brilliant releases for RuneQuest’s second edition – Pavis, Big Rubble, Borderlands, TrollPak, Griffin Mountain et al. – the third edition had proven to be something of a disappointment for Glorantha fans. Sure, there had been lots of reprints, but precious little all-new material specific to Glorantha. In particular there had been literally no new Glorantha-based scenarios in the first eight years of the RQ3 line.

Sun County, and Avalon Hill’s new line editor, Ken “the Rune Czar” Rolston, changed all that in a brief but brilliant period that became fondly remembered as the “RuneQuest Renaissance.” Sun County was followed by such notable releases as River of Cradles, Shadows on the Borderlands, Strangers in Prax, and Dorastor: Land of Doom.

But independent creation of Gloranthan material back then had its challenges. Remember, this was before the Internet. What Glorantha fans had then, in the early 1990s, was fanzines, and I was fortunate enough to be involved with the best of them all: David Hall’s Tales of the Reaching Moon. Back then, before email took off, me and my fellow Reaching Moon Megacorp collaborators – including Nick Brooke and Mark Baldwin, whose names you see on the cover of this and other excellent Jonstown Compendium titles, and Rick Meints, now President of Chaosium – communicated using old-fashioned letters. You know, the ones you actually had to stick a stamp on and put in a post box. Plus the odd rare and very expensive international phone call. We loved the fan products we produced, and were very proud of them, but we then had the challenge of getting our finished product out into distribution.

Now, 30 years on (with much water under the bridge) we’re in an all-new RuneQuest Renaissance. Chaosium is back with a brilliant new edition, RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha, and an equally brilliant line of new adventures, starting with The Smoking Ruin and The Pegasus Plateau. Even better, RQG is ably supported by a flourishing community of officially sanctioned creators. DriveThruRPG’s Jonstown Compendium gives independent Gloranthan creators access to a worldwide audience in ways we didn’t even dream about back those early days. And I am delighted to see that Sun County is once again at the forefront of this new RuneQuest Renaissance, with Jon Webb’s wonderful Sandheart series of scenarios.

Jon contacted me out of the blue at the beginning of last year. With the Jonstown Compendium coming soon, he told me he was working on a set of adventures set in Sun County. And he just happened to be visiting my home town of Melbourne, Australia. So we took the opportunity to meet, and I was blown away by what he was putting together. Jon sought my blessing for what he was doing. Not that this is needed – YGWV is a deeply enshrined principle of the Jonstown Compendium – but I cheerfully and readily gave it nonetheless. I was pleased to see Sandheart Volume One become one of the inaugural releases for the Jonstown Compendium.

Like the original Sun County, the Sandheart series contains adventures that beginners to Glorantha can take their first steps into, yet nevertheless explore the richness and depth of the setting. It’s a great pleasure for me to see that almost thirty years since Sun County was published, there is still much to be written about, discovered, argued over, and gamed in, in this small and distant, yet special, part of Glorantha.Sam

ple file

1

characters. The secret is to make these conflicts fun and part and parcel of your game.

The player characters play the role of the Sandheart Militia and, for the most, will be referred to as the ‘militia’ within the text. Their main duty is to police the district and the adventures focus on this aspect. They are the law. This will, from time to time, put them in conflict with Sun County citizens who are flouting these laws. Difficult decisions will need to be made and the militia should be made to feel responsible and accountable for their actions.

Your Glorantha Will VaryIt is inevitable that people perceive Glorantha in different ways. To me, it is a gaming world first. I have endeavoured to keep the scenarios and settings in keeping with many of the ideas set out in the original Sun County publication, but have made a conscious effort to describe a location that caters for a diverse set of options for player characters based within a more liberal sub-society of the county.

Sandheart does not feature in earlier material and it is my own invention. If you feel the need to move it to another location within the county or supplant it with another settlement then feel free to do so. In fact, feel free to make any changes you see fit – Your Glorantha Will Vary.

I have not stressed any time period for these adventures, partly because the details of other timelines are currently unavailable and partly because the adventures, being parochial in nature and not associated with any world-changing events, can fit in almost any timeline you like. However, I strongly recommend the RuneQuest Classic period of 1615 so you can use Nick’s marvellous Sun County Backgrounds (see page 78).

Welcome to Tales of the Sun County Militia: Sandheart Volume One. This volume includes a description of Sandheart and its surrounds, important characters and an introductory scenario (No Country for Cold Men). Two further volumes detail other scenarios and uncover more about the area: The Corn Dolls: Sandheart Volume Two and Tradition: Sandheart Volume Three are available from the Chaosium’s Jonstown Compendium web store on DriveThruRPG, and further scenarios by the same team are in preparation.

Sandheart is a hamlet within Sun County in Prax. Sun County is briefly described on page 126 of the RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha core rule book. It is further described in a number of earlier RuneQuest publications, notably Sun County, River of Cradles, and Pavis & The Big Rubble. It is recommended that the gamemaster has access to at least one of these publications before initiating play in Sandheart.

Sun County states that it is ‘a small, isolated province of light-worshipping farmer-soldiers, situated in the fertile River of Cradles valley of Eastern Prax, south of the city of Pavis, and surrounded on most sides by hostile nomads and arid upland wastes.’

And furthermore, it is ‘an attempt by a devout, cohesive theocratic Yelmalion culture to achieve some portion of grace and glory of the Exalted Mansions of Yelm and its Halls of Eternal Light.’

It could also be argued that it is a xenophobic, misogynistic, repressive and strict culture. Although this goes against many of the values and virtues of a 21st Century culture, it also presents the player characters plenty of opportunity to both uphold the more noble values of Sun County whilst, at the same time, reeling against such a system. There is plenty of opportunity for role-playing the conflict between the nature of the county and the nonconformist nature of player

WELCOME TO SANDHEART

Sample

file

2

welcome by the local nymph, Parayinthe. The land was also a prime area for growing barley and raising sheep and the settlers promptly built a settlement around the old wall and plinths, incorporating them into their pantheon.

When nomads next arrived to pray there was conflict. After years of trouble, including the hamlet being breached on numerous occasions, the local rulers concluded that it was far easier to allow the nomads access to worship at the plinths. This interaction has continued over the centuries. Although still staunchly Sun County in outlook, the people around Sandheart are not so hard-nosed about nomads and foreigners as many of their brethren. The Goldbreath dynasty turns a blind eye to the comings and goings of the nomads at Sandheart. The benefits they gain from trade and information far outweighs the disadvantages of trying to keep them out of the county altogether.

The Goldbreath dynasty has actively discouraged the building of a Yelmalio temple at Sandheart. This is partially to keep some control, ensuring that locals have to return to Goldbreath to worship, and partially to not draw too much attention to either the nomad visitors or the worship of the local cult hero at Sandheart – this might not sit well with the Sun Dome Temple.

Despite the lack of a full temple, the hamlet is the focus for a Yelmalio hero cult. Over a hundred years ago, under the rein of Dadelin the Shaggy in 1514, a cult hero moved to Sandheart. Her name was Kerani Aethershield and she was somewhat of a maverick, unliked and unwelcomed by the Sun Dome Temple at the time. Sandheart suited her nature and the magic she brought back from heroquesting was quickly taken up by the Sandheart militia. One of her great grandsons still inhabits the hamlet and leads worship to the hero cult.

It is not surprising that the local Sandheart Militia are of a different character than many of the other militias,

Sandheart is located in the northeast of Sun County. It nominally lies in the district of Goldbreath along the Copper Run Brook. The hamlet lies on the very periphery of the territory. Farming is difficult and interaction with the local Praxians are more common-place. Although the Sandheart inhabitants would never admit it, there has been some blending of cultures. The last official census classes Sandheart as a hamlet, but if it were not for the lack of a Yelmalio temple, it would have village status.

The hamlet’s militia has jurisdiction over twenty-one hamlets and clusters of fortified farmsteads up to the edge of cliffs that separate the county from Vulture Country (see the Map of Sandheart District and the Sandheart Gazetteer on pages 75-77). Sandheart’s Ernalda temple services all of these steads and is the main focal point for festivals, marriages, important meetings etc and holds the records of births, deaths and agricultural output. The Goldbreath dynasty recognises Sandheart’s importance and appoints its own headman to oversee the collection of cult tithes, preside over matters of law and generally look out for Goldbreath’s best interests.

Sandheart has a history of nomadic interaction. Many centuries before Sun County was formed, nomads discovered an old wall and associated plinths. Realising their significance as some remnant structure from Genert’s Garden many nomads have worshipped here ever since, camping nearby and praying to the obscure god-spirits local to the area. They called it Sandheart as they said that, in Sacred Time, if you put your ear to the ground, you could hear the land’s heart still beating.

When early Sun County settlers arrived, they sensed the latent power in the plinths that lined the old wall. It is said that the sulphur-crested river fowl, that nest along the banks of the Copper Run Brook, laid golden eggs in that year. The settlers took this as a sign of

HISTORY OF SANDHEART

Sample

file

3

being more tolerant of strangers and alien customs. In historical times of crisis the Sandheart Militia were quick to enrol ‘specials’ – foreigners and non-Yemalions – into their ranks. These were a notable success, so much so that the Goldbreath dynasty decided that Sandheart was the perfect place to instigate the practice of using specials as a norm. Notable successes by the Sandheart Militia has attracted maverick Yelmalio worshippers and other solar cultists into its ranks. Despite only being a local unit, the Goldbreath authorities have come to rely upon it for complex and/or dangerous tasks. They are also rented out as mercenaries from time to time. The Sandheart Militia has jurisdiction over Sandheart District – the steads and hamlets that exist along the water courses in the north east are theirs to police. About half of the Sandheart Militia is made up of ‘specials’ and is protected, to some extent, by the patronage of the Goldbreath dynasty. Other militias also employ ‘specials,’ but it is not common practice in Sun County.

THE LOCATION OF SANDHEART

Sample

file

4

buildings to have a central hearth, square in fashion, where the family collects and eats.

Of note is the occasional round house stead. These were left by earlier settlers, most likely descendants of the Oasis People, and often formed the foundations of new steads, although some remain standing, having been modified for use by Sun County residents.

Common to most settlements are a well, granaries, date and olive trees for both shade and their food crop, lookout posts, animal pens, shrines to Ernalda and Yelmalio (although often inactive for large parts of the year), beacons, prepared with dry wood to alert others in case of emergency, and cemeteries for Ernaldan women that often lie just outside the walled stead (note that Yelmalio worshippers are cremated).

Settlements can be broadly split into two types within the Sandheart District – groups of walled farmsteads and fortified hamlets (see the Map of Sandheart District on page 75 and the Sandheart Gazetteer on pages 76-77). Each walled farmstead normally consists of an extended family, between eight and twelve adults is common. They are built in clusters so that they can call upon each other in times of need. Fortified hamlets are more isolated from their neighbors and tend to comprise of different family groups.

Both are characterised by square-shaped buildings, surrounded by a wall of varying quality. Most dwellings are single story, but the headman’s house of some richer families may have a second storey. It is usual for

SETTLEMENTS & FARMING IN SANDHEART DISTRICT

Sample

file

5

An average walled farmstead (i.e. an extended family) will cultivate two hides of land, roughly one square kilometre. The fortified hamlets are 2-3 times larger than this. This land does not include rough pastureland, where sheep flocks graze, often found around the edges of the barley fields.

In the Sandheart District each hide produces an annual surplus roughly worth 70 L. 10% of this is tithed to the local Ernalda Temple at Goldbreath, and 10% is taken to the Sun Dome Temple. This includes all goods, not just barley. The tithe is collected by tax collectors utilising the Lokarnos cult to take spare produce back to the temples. In an average year, a typical cult wagon can port the tithe of 2-3 farmsteads in a day.

Barley is the staple diet of the people of Sun County, used to make stews, soups and to bake barley bread, and the majority of the land around the steads is cultivated for its production. Fields tend to be square in shape and interspaced with irrigation ditches with blessed white stones at the corners.

Flax, tomatoes, grapes, skullbush and herbs are also grown. It is common for the farmstead to grow dates and olives both inside as well as outside the walls, as they provide shade.

Sheep are the most common livestock but farmers also keep ox for ploughing the fields as well as sable, impala and flocks of geese and chickens.

Sample

file

6

Sandheart Male FarmersInitiate of Yelmalio. Male, age variable.STR 11 CON 12 SIZ 13 INT 13DEX 10 CHA 11 POW 11 Magic Points 11Hit Points: 12 Move: 8DEX SR: 3 SIZ SR: 2Runes: Earth 60%, Fire/Sky 70%, Truth 70%Rune Points: 1 (Yelmalio)Rune Spells: all common spells, plus CatseyeSpirit Magic: Heal 2, Coordination or Vigor (2), Light or Lantern, Repair.

Passions: Loyalty (Family) 80% plus a choice of Loyalty (Sun Dome Temple, Sandheart District or Goldbreath Dynasty) 60%

Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6Armour: none; if given time to equip, light leather (1) on all locations

Skills: Customs (Sun County) 40%, Dodge 30%, Farm 60%, Jump 35%, Listen 35%, Scan 40%,

Languages: Speak New Pavic 60%

Hit LocationsLocation D20 Armour/HP

Right Leg 01–04 1/4

Left Leg 05–08 1/4

Abdomen 09–11 1/4

Chest 12 1/5

Right Arm 13–15 1/3

Left Arm 16–18 1/3

Head 19–20 1/4

Weapon % Damage SR Pts

Self Bow 40 1D6+1 3 7

2H Short Spear 40 1D8+1 6 10

Small Axe 35 1D6+1 8 6

2H Long Spear 40 1D10+1 5 10Sample

file

7

Hit LocationsLocation D20 Armour/HP

Right Leg 01–04 0/4

Left Leg 05–08 0/4

Abdomen 09–11 0/4

Chest 12 0/5

Right Arm 13–15 0/4

Left Arm 16–18 0/3

Head 19–20 0/4

Weapon % Damage SR Pts

Dagger 40 1D4+2 9 6

Small Axe 35 1D6+1 8 6

Sandheart Female FarmersInitiate of Ernalda. Female, age variable. STR 10 CON 12 SIZ 11 INT 13DEX 11 CHA 11 POW 11 Magic Points 11Hit Points: 12 Move: 8DEX SR: 3 SIZ SR: 2Runes: Earth 75%, Life 75%, Harmony 75%, Rune Points: 1 (Ernalda)Rune Spells: all common spells, plus Bless Crops or Bless Animals or Bless Pregnancy or Restore Health

Spirit Magic: Heal 2, Ignite, Strength or Vigor (2).Passions: Loyalty (Family) 80% plus a choice of Loyalty (Sandheart Ernalda Temple or Sandheart District) 60%

Spirit Combat Damage: 1D6Armour: noneSkills: Customs (Sun County) 40%, Dodge 30%, Farm 60%, Insight 35%, Listen 35%, Scan 40%,

Languages: Speak New Pavic 60%

Sample

file