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RuneQuest: Glorantha Bestiary
The RuneQuest: Glorantha Bestiary contains almost 200 creatures native to the world of Glorantha or in the spirit worlds adjacent to it. These creatures range from weak to apocalyptically powerful, allowing a RuneQuest gamemaster to choose the right creature to suit any encounter or need. Entries are divided into Elder Races, creatures of Chaos, monsters, natural animals, dinosaurs, giant or unusual insects, spirit entities, summoned magical beings, and noteworthy plant types. Another chapter, Terrors, describes the most horrific and powerful entities walking the world of Glorantha, such as the enormous Crimson Bat, the three-bodied Chaos horror Cwim, the Chaos gaggle, and the Fiend of Cacodemon.
Each entry is presented in the same format as player adventurers, including attributes, hit locations and armor, weapons and special attacks, skills, languages, magic, and more. Sections in each entry include Myths and History, Subtypes, Description, Culture, Government, Religion, Region o
Each entry is presented in the same format as player adventurers, including attributes, hit locations and armor, weapons and special attacks, skills, languages, magic, and more. Sections in each entry include Myths and History, Subtypes, Description, Culture, Government, Religion, Region o
206 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 29, 2020
I'd expected a Monster Manual for Glorantha, but this book is so much more.
Oh, there are monstrous listings, including chaos monstrosities, giant arthropods (an Uz favorite!), animals and spirits. The breadth is rather stunning and will support a lot of different sorts of adventuring in Glorantha. They're all well-written and many are attractively illustrated; they have good details on the critters. They'll be a wonder to torment adventurers in any RuneQuest game.
However, the real surprise in this book was the section on the Elder Races, which took up about a third of the book. Want details on Aldryami (elves), Mostali (dwarves), and Uz (trolls)? It's all in here, in very nice depth, and alongside that is material on many of the lesser Elder Races, from Beast Men to Maidstone Archers. There's also a bit on the Terrors of Glorantha, which is another nice section that's pretty unusual for a Monster Manual.
Old fans of the game may be familiar with some of this material from the Gloranthan Bestiary and Elder Secrets of Glorantha, but this is the best compilation ever of the material, with so much new stuff (and of course compatibility with RQ:G) that I think any fan would want it.
Oh, there are monstrous listings, including chaos monstrosities, giant arthropods (an Uz favorite!), animals and spirits. The breadth is rather stunning and will support a lot of different sorts of adventuring in Glorantha. They're all well-written and many are attractively illustrated; they have good details on the critters. They'll be a wonder to torment adventurers in any RuneQuest game.
However, the real surprise in this book was the section on the Elder Races, which took up about a third of the book. Want details on Aldryami (elves), Mostali (dwarves), and Uz (trolls)? It's all in here, in very nice depth, and alongside that is material on many of the lesser Elder Races, from Beast Men to Maidstone Archers. There's also a bit on the Terrors of Glorantha, which is another nice section that's pretty unusual for a Monster Manual.
Old fans of the game may be familiar with some of this material from the Gloranthan Bestiary and Elder Secrets of Glorantha, but this is the best compilation ever of the material, with so much new stuff (and of course compatibility with RQ:G) that I think any fan would want it.
August 1, 2024
This is the monster manual for the RuneQuest RPG system. It includes lots of creatures and monsters, and it even provides the option for players to play non-human characters.
There are two things that I like about this book. First, it takes common fantasy creatures, such as elves, dwarves, and trolls, and presents them with widely different backgrounds and lore than is typical in fantasy settings. That can make RuneQuest games feel quite different from other fantasy settings. In fact, some well-known creatures are completely different. For example, elves are plant-based creatures in RuneQuest.
Second, I like that this book emphasizes that most sentient species can dealt with by talking to them or through other forms of communication. In other words, adventurers can deal with them as NPCs rather than as just obstacles in combat encounters. Also, it stresses that non-sentient creatures are not suicidal and will flee the battlefield if they feel the encounter is not in their favor. This makes encounters feel more natural rather than gamey.
Overall, this is a great supplement for the system, and if you are playing RuneQuest, it is a book that you should pick up.
There are two things that I like about this book. First, it takes common fantasy creatures, such as elves, dwarves, and trolls, and presents them with widely different backgrounds and lore than is typical in fantasy settings. That can make RuneQuest games feel quite different from other fantasy settings. In fact, some well-known creatures are completely different. For example, elves are plant-based creatures in RuneQuest.
Second, I like that this book emphasizes that most sentient species can dealt with by talking to them or through other forms of communication. In other words, adventurers can deal with them as NPCs rather than as just obstacles in combat encounters. Also, it stresses that non-sentient creatures are not suicidal and will flee the battlefield if they feel the encounter is not in their favor. This makes encounters feel more natural rather than gamey.
Overall, this is a great supplement for the system, and if you are playing RuneQuest, it is a book that you should pick up.
May 12, 2019
An excellent resource for Runequest foes and allies. A lot of detail is given to the Eldar races, the Gloranthan equivalent of elves, dwarfs, and the like. A lot of work is done to make these races alien, rather than humans with odd traits.
Also, there's a good section on everyday animals you might find, which can be useful, especially for lower powered adventurers. Dinosaurs get a nice nod, with information based on our more recent understanding of how they looked and acted, as well as a nice tie-in to the fantastical world of Glorantha.
In short, every species given has a story, and the intelligent races present are given cultures and motivations. You really don't need more than this book to have endless encounters with foes all across Dragon Pass
Also, there's a good section on everyday animals you might find, which can be useful, especially for lower powered adventurers. Dinosaurs get a nice nod, with information based on our more recent understanding of how they looked and acted, as well as a nice tie-in to the fantastical world of Glorantha.
In short, every species given has a story, and the intelligent races present are given cultures and motivations. You really don't need more than this book to have endless encounters with foes all across Dragon Pass
July 19, 2024
An essential addition to the new (and arguably definitive) version of Runequest.
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June 29, 2024How? Another book in my Glorantha reading project.
What? The book has several sections, including the traditional non-evil but dangerous beasts (dinosaurs, giant insects, beasts of all sorts), the evil (chaos beasts), and the nonhuman sentients (trolls, dwarves, elves). But this book, also being a Glorantha book, is full of mythology and cults and magic and weirdness.
Yeah, so? Weird and silly-- I mean, I had heard about the duck people and the people with octopi for heads, but this really does feel like an argument that Stafford was both incredibly serious about creating a mythic bronze age, and also having a bit of fun. I'm still trying to find my way into this world, but as strange and mystifying as it is, it's still a fun journey to get there.
What? The book has several sections, including the traditional non-evil but dangerous beasts (dinosaurs, giant insects, beasts of all sorts), the evil (chaos beasts), and the nonhuman sentients (trolls, dwarves, elves). But this book, also being a Glorantha book, is full of mythology and cults and magic and weirdness.
Yeah, so? Weird and silly-- I mean, I had heard about the duck people and the people with octopi for heads, but this really does feel like an argument that Stafford was both incredibly serious about creating a mythic bronze age, and also having a bit of fun. I'm still trying to find my way into this world, but as strange and mystifying as it is, it's still a fun journey to get there.
December 23, 2022
Both a monster collection and a guide to playing some varieties of nonhuman characters in the current edition of RuneQuest. RQ's insistence on treating monsters as people was one of its first major points of distinction, and that carries over here. Full review: https://refereeingandreflection.wordp...
December 17, 2020
Rating because the designer, Jeff Richard, is antagonistic to any criticism.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews