DB-Style RQG Chargen

not Bronze Age

Let us try and set up a character generation system for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha inspired by Dragonbane's character creation chapter (Chapter Two of the DB rules). [As a reference, Dragonbane has 1- Kin, 2- Profession, 3- Age, 4- Name, 5- Attributes, 6- Derived Ratings, 7- Skills, 8- Heroic Abilities, 9- Gear, 10- Appearance, whereas RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha has 1- Homeland, 2- Family History, 3- Rune Affinities, 4- Characteristics, 5- Occupation, 6- Cult, 7- Personal Skill Bonuses, 8- Other Information. In terms of attributes/characteristics, DB has 4D6 drop the worst die—which is quite generous—, whereas RQG keeps the Old School 3D6 albeit with some slight modifiers.]

Please follow these steps:

1. Choose or roll your Homeland

2. Choose or roll your Rune Affinities

3. Choose or roll your Occupation

4. Choose or roll your Cult

5. Choose or roll your Age

6. Choose or roll your Name

7. Roll your Characteristics

8. Calculate your Secondary Attributes

9. Choose your trained skills

10. Other Information

1. Homeland

2D6 ~ Homeland

2 ~ Old Tarsh

3 ~ Lunar Tarsh

4 ~ Prax

5-6 ~ Esrolia

7-8 ~ Sartar

9 ~ Pavis

10 ~ Big Rubble

11 ~ Dagori Inkarth

12 ~ Grazelands

Old Tarsh

The adventurer is human (use the standard rules to determine their Characteristics).

Use Table 3.1 at step 3. Use Table 4.1 at step 4.

Lunar Tarsh

The adventurer is human (use the standard rules to determine their Characteristics).

Use Table 3.2 at step 3. Use Table 4.2 at step 4.

Prax

Roll 2D6

2 ~ Baboon (see Bestiary p28 for the characteristics, use Table 3.3 at step 3, choose Daka Fal at step 4)

3 ~ Pol-Joni (human, use Table 3.2 at step 3, use Table 4.4 at step 4)

4 ~ Sun Domer (human, use Table 3.5 at step 3, use Table 4.5 at step 4)

5 ~ Morokanth (see Bestiary p52 for the characteristics, use Table 3.3 at step 3, use Table 4.3 at step 4)

6 ~ High Llama (human, use Table 3.3 at step 3, use Table 4.3 at step 4)

7 ~ Bison (human, use Table 3.3 at step 3, use Table 4.3 at step 4)

8 ~ Impala (human, use Table 3.3 at step 3, use Table 4.3 at step 4)

9 ~ Sable (human, use Table 3.3 at step 3, use Table 4.3 at step 4)

10 ~ Zebra (human, use Table 3.1 at step 3, use Table 4.4 at step 4)

11 ~ Rhino (human, use Table 3.3 at step 3, use Table 4.3 at step 4)

12 ~ Unicorn (human, female only, choose Warrior at step 3, choose Yelorna at step 4)

Esrolia

Roll 2D6

2 ~ Dark Troll (see Bestiary p75 for the characteristics, choose Merchant at step 3, choose Argan Argar at step 4)

3-12 ~ Human (use Table 3.4 at step 3, use Table 4.6 at step 4)

Sartar

Roll 2D6

2 ~ Durulz (see Bestiary p32 for the characteristics)

3-12 ~ Human

Use Table 3.5 at step 3. Use Table 4.7 at step 4.

Pavis

Roll 2D6

2 ~ Dwarf (see Bestiary p57 for the characteristics, choose Crafter at step 3, choose Flintnail at step 4)

3 ~ Riverfolk (human, choose Boatman at step 3, choose Zola Fel at step 4)

4-8 ~ Pavisite of Sartarite descent (human, use Table 3.5 at step 3, use Table 4.7 at step 4)

9-10 ~ Pavisite of Old Pavisite descent (human, use Table 3.2 at step 3, choose Pavis at step 4)

11 ~ Yelmalion (human, use Table 3.5 at step 3, use Table 4.5 at step 4)

12 ~ Lunar settler (human, use Table 3.2 at step 3, use Table 4.2 at step 4)

Big Rubble

Roll 2D6

2 ~ Baboon (see Bestiary p28 for the characteristics, use Table 3.3 at step 3, choose Daka Fal at step 4)

3 ~ Elf (see Bestiary p19 for the characteristics, use Table 3.6 at step 3, choose Aldrya at step 4)

4-7 ~ Dark Troll (see Bestiary p75 for the characteristics, use Table 3.7 at step 3, use Table 4.8 at step 4)

8-10 ~ Pavisite of Old Pavisite descent (human, use Table 3.2 at step 3, choose Pavis at step 4)

11 ~ Zebra (human, use Table 3.1 at step 3, use Table 4.4 at step 4)

12 ~ Yelmalion (human, use Table 3.5 at step 3, use Table 4.5 at step 4)

Dagori Inkarth

The adventurer is a Dark Troll (see Bestiary p75 for their Characteristics).

Use Table 3.7 at step 3. Use Table 4.8 at step 4.

Grazelands

The adventurer is human (use the standard rules to determine their Characteristics).

Use Table 3.8 at step 3. Use Table 4.9 at step 4.

2. Rune Affinities

2.1 Elemental Runes

Roll three times 1D6 for the primary (60%), secondary (40%), and tertiary (20%) Elemental Runes:

1 ~ Darkness

2 ~ Water

3 ~ Earth

4 ~ Fire/Sky

5 ~ Air

6 ~ Moon

If the result of the second roll is the same as the result of the first roll, re-roll. Ditto for the third roll re: the first and the second rolls.

Finally, roll 1D6 again and add +10% to the rolled Elemental Rune.

2.2 Power/Form Runes

Roll twice 1D10 to determine which Power/Form Runes start at 75%:

1 ~ Fertility

2 ~ Death

3 ~ Harmony

4 ~ Disorder

5 ~ Truth

6 ~ Illusion

7 ~ Stasis

8 ~ Movement

9 ~ Man

10 ~ Beast

If the first roll was 1, the second cannot be 2, as they are opposing Runes; re-roll the die. Same with 3, 4 – 5, 6 – 7, 8 – 9, 10.

3. Occupation

Table 3.1

Roll 1D4

1 ~ Bandit

2 ~ Herder

3 ~ Hunter

4 ~ Warrior

Table 3.2

Roll 2D4

2 ~ Priest

3-4 ~ Noble

5-7 ~ Warrior

8 ~ Scribe

Table 3.3

Roll 2D4

2 ~ Assistant shaman

3-5 ~ Herder

6-8 ~ Warrior

Table 3.4

Roll 2D4

2 ~ Priest

3-4 ~ Healer

5 ~ Merchant

6-7 ~ Thief

8 ~ Scribe

Table 3.5

Roll 2D4

2 ~ Priest

3-5 ~ Farmer

6-7 ~ Warrior

8 ~ Noble

Table 3.6

Roll 2D4

2 ~ Crafter

3-4 ~ Healer

5 ~ Plant tender

6-7 ~ Warrior

8 ~ Noble

Table 3.7

Roll 1D10

1 ~ Chanter

2 ~ Crafter

3 ~ Healer

4-5 ~ Hunter

6 ~ Insect herder

7 ~ Merchant

8 ~ Noble

9-10 ~ Warrior

Table 3.8

Roll 1D6

1-3 ~ Herder

4 ~ Noble

5-6 ~ Warrior

Assistant shaman

Key attribute: POW

Skills: Animal Lore, First aid, Meditate, Plant lore, Speak Spiritspeech, Spirit combat, Spirit lore, Spirit travel

Gear: Herbs and powders, loincloth, weapon.

Bandit

Key attribute: STR

Skills: First aid, Hide, Intimidate, Primary weapon, Secondary weapon, Shield, Survival, Track

Gear: Leather armour, weapons.

Boatman

Key attribute: DEX

Skills: Boat, First aid, River lore, Scan, Shield, Short spear, Swim, Throw net

Gear: Small boat, nets, weapons.

Chanter

Key attribute: POW

Skills: Dance, Heavy mace, Play instrument (percussion), Read/write Darktongue, Sing, Speak Darktongue, Troll lore, Worship (deity)

Gear: Cuirboilli armour, drums, heavy mace.

Crafter

Key attribute: DEX

Skills: Bargain, Conceal, Craft, Devise, Evaluate, Insight, Lore (relevant), Read/write (own language)

Gear: Crafted goods, leather armour, tools.

Farmer

Key attribute: CON

Skills: Customs (local), Farm, First aid, Herd, Homeland lore, Manage household, Scan, Weapon

Gear: Animals, helm, weapon.

Healer

Key attribute: POW

Skills: Alchemy, First aid, Devise, Insight, Orate, Plant lore, Treat disease, Treat poison

Gear: Healerʼs kit.

Herder/Insect herder

Key attribute: DEX

Skills: Climb, Herd, Jump, Missile weapon, Peaceful Cut/Craft (insect care), Ride, Search, Weapon

Gear: Animals, herding animal/trollkin, weapon.

Hunter

Key attribute: DEX

Skills: Hide, Homeland lore, Missile weapon, Move quietly, Scan, Search, Track, Weapon

Gear: Hunting animal, weapons.

Merchant

Key attribute: INT

Skills: Bargain, Customs, Evaluate, Insight, Manage household, Speak other language, Speak Tradetalk, Read/write (any)

Gear: Goods, leather armour, writing equipment.

Noble

Key attribute: CHA

Skills: Customs (own), Intrigue, Manage household, Orate, Read/write (own language), Ride, Shield, Weapon

Gear: Bronze armour, fine clothes, riding animal, weapons.

Plant tender

Key attribute: DEX

Skills: Animal lore, First aid, Hide, Homeland lore, Missile weapon, Plant lore, Scan, Search

Gear: Seeds, weapon.

Priest

Key attribute: POW

Skills: Dance, Lore (cult), Manage household, Meditate, Orate, Read/write (own language), Sing, Worship

Gear: Fine clothes, heavy scale armour, riding animal, weapons.

Scribe

Key attribute: INT

Skills: Bureaucracy, Customs, Evaluate, Library use, Lore (any), Read/write (other language), Read/write (own language), Speak other language

Gear: Blank parchments, dagger, writing equipment.

Thief

Key attribute: DEX

Skills: Climb, Devise, Disguise, Fast talk, Hide, Move quietly, Sleight, Weapon

Gear: Dagger, hooded lantern, lock picks, rope (hemp).

Warrior

Key attribute: STR

Skills: Battle, First aid, Move quietly, Ride, Shield, Survival, Primary weapon, Secondary weapon

Gear: Cuirboilli armour, helm, weapons.

to be continued...