Creating New Keywords

[Eric J. Boyd]

Hi All,

I've recently picked up Heroquest and I have found this forum a great help in understanding the core rules and just how versatile the system can be.  What I have not quite wrapped my head around is how to go about creating new keywords for occupations, homelands, or races, or how to fill in the other cults and traditions not among the samples.  

Are there any benchmarks that have proven useful in your games (I don't think I am missing anything in the rulebook)?  I find myself torn between wanting firm standards for creating new keywords and embracing the flexibility of extrapolating from the examples provided--probably leftover impulses from d20 gaming.  Any advice?

Thanks in advance,

Eric

[Calithena]

I try to roughly balance the number and power of abilities against what's in the book. The thing I love about HQ is that once you figure out the creative part - 'what is this like, what can it do,' etc. - you're almost done with the mechanical part. This to me is the big draw of the game for non-Glorantha play. If you're an old school fantasy GM with your homebrewed world and binders full of notes (this is one of my own gaming personae) the new games like 3e, GURPS etc. are IMO non-functional as real-time world development tools for busy adult professionals. In OD&D and Fantasy Trip you could get stuff done FAST; it takes an hour or more to design a competently written up monster for 3e. F- that.

Except for Dragon Magic (Magic keywords are decidedly harder) none of the below took me more than twenty minutes:

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Occupation: Bodyguard

Bodyguards are warriors who have specialized in defending single individuals or small groups from harm. They tend to be very potent defensive fighters, but acquire few weapons skills on the job. Being a good bodyguard requires great discipline and focus.

Beginning Hero Suggestions: Generally, those with bodyguard training who are just starting out will either be guarding another PC or will have just been discharged from duty. A third option is for the bodyguard to take a ‘Sidekick’ who is actually their employer: scholars, merchants, and petty nobles are all good choices for this.

Appropriate Homelands: Generally, bodyguards will have an urban or civilized background. If one’s character is from a rural area, it will be necessary to specify a prominent figure in that area (perhaps a wealthy noble or solitary mage) who could have provided the special training and experience bodyguards need for success. Characters from barbarian homelands should not take this occupation.

Abilities: Cudgel Fighting or Dagger Fighting or One-Handed Sword Fighting, Get in Harm’s Way, Imposing Presence or Keep Low Profile, Intercept Assailant, Notice Threat, Protect [Individual], Restrain Enemy, Take a Beating, Unarmed Combat, Warn of Danger

Typical Personality Traits: Aloof, Disciplined, Dutiful, Fearless, Suspicious

Typical Relationships: to Current or Former Employer; to Clan or Guild

Typical Followers: Other than their employers, or other bodyguards working with them, it is rare for bodyguards to have followers.

Standard of Living: Common, decreasing towards Minimal if the character has been out of work a long time, possibly increasing towards Prosperous if the bodyguard’s patron is sufficiently wealthy.

Typical Equipment: Weapon.

Other: Bodyguard characters should be allowed to vary the individual they are capable of protecting without expending Hero Points. However, only one individual at a time may be the beneficiary of this ability, and some will wish to ensure that changes are story-plausible as well (in some contexts demanding that the bodyguard study someone for a day or so before choosing them as their new protected individual seems reasonable).

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Homeland: City of Ilthuria

The majestic capital of the Kingdom of Ilthar is a place of grandeur: the mighty castle of the land’s ancient kings, the great silvery dome of the High Temple of Thalor, the Colosseum, the Giant’s Walk with its thousand criss-crossing thoroughfares, all speak to the grandeur and power of the realm’s mighty kings. West of the Colosseum, however, things grow rather less sublime: the Giant’s Walk makes its way to the upland plains through a vast slum of displaced farmers and forgotten children of the city, the wretched detritus of a powerful kingdom.

From richest to poorest, the people of the capital are keenly aware of the status of their neighbors, and constantly concerned with what might happen next: whether it is the Cat’s latest exploits at the Colosseum, or the mysterious new archmage from Erebinthia who has come to serve the young widower King, or to whom one’s neighbor’s wife gave her extra loaf of bread, the people of the capital seem constantly concerned not to let anyone else’s business slip by them – and are quite willing to make up the facts necessary for a juicy tale when none are forthcoming. Many of the Kingdom’s greatest storytellers come from Ilthuria. It is also a center for the military, the priesthood, and most of the important noble houses, guilds, and bureaucratic arms of the Kingdom maintain offices there.

City of Ilthuria Homeland Keyword:

Native Abilities: Know Latest Gossip, Ilthari Customs, Ilthurian Geography, Ilthurian Politics, Speak Ilthari, Spread Rumor, Urban Survival

Typical Personality Traits: Energetic, Sense of Superiority Over Provincials, Status-Conscious, Worldly

Typical Relationships: to Family, to Noble House, to Kingdom Official, to Military Unit, to Temple, to Guild

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Homeland: Inner Sea Islander

In the southern reaches of the Inner Sea, strings of tiny, metal-rich islands lie like garlands strewn across the deep blue water. Mariners know them by the names of the metals most abundant among them – the Tin Isles, the Silver Skein, the Cyprides. Their people are mixes, the native folk of the archipelagos thoroughly blended with generations of far-flung Adar and Mede sailors and castaways. Traces of Atashoan and Eldirani blood are not unknown in the isles either, deposited perhaps during the orgiastic revels many islanders celebrate during  the warm southern nights. Though some bring their native religions with them, the spirits of the south seas are strong, and within a generation or two all who come to dwell there speak of Old Man Turtle, Mincus the Mongoose, and the Fog Maidens, among many others. The Mede goddess Silene is known there, revered as the queen of the spirits of silver light dancing in moonlit glades.

Politically, the isles of the inner sea are a testing ground for the powerful city-states ringing the ocean. Many have nominally neutral naval ports, host to the navies of a half-dozen cities and to pirate fleets as well, leading to frequent and bloody naval battles. The recent military coup in the Silver Skein, aided by Tarantis and by extension the Empress of Solara, marks the arrival of a new power in the Inner Sea; the Overlord of Invictus and many others watch anxiously to see how the Viridians respond.

In general the isles support themselves with a lazy mining economy, supplemented by weaving of silks and reeds and an abundance of tropical fruits, fish, and small umber swine. The Islanders are a relatively peaceful folk when left to their own devices, but between piracy and political maneuverings they are rarely so left.

Inner Sea Islander Homeland Keyword:

Native Abilities: Avoid Conflict, Islander Myths and Customs, Know Tides and Currents, Speak Malabri, Swim
Men only: add Boating and Fishing
Women only: add Cooking and Weaving

Typical Personality Traits: Accepting of Others, Non-Confrontational, Relaxed

Typical Relationships: to Ancestors; to Family; to Spirits; to Village

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Homeland: Lyr

Lyr, the largest and westermost island known in the Emerald Ocean, is a land of half-ruined cities and gigantic, mysterious colossi. A land ruled by fair-haired, green-eyed sorcerers of significant power, it is (along with the mainland cities of Valyr and Sarmis) the last outpost of the long-fallen Tessian empire of eld. It is not unknown for demons and spirits to show themselves openly amidst Lyr’s haunted forests and jagged, windswept landscape. The ancient bards maintain a college there, and a curious, squat race resembling small wingless gargoyles are often seen moving hither and thither, doing the bidding of the adepts who hold their indentures. It is a land of mystery and danger, and outsiders who visit beyond its trading-ports do well to find a patron as quickly as possible: one can lose more than one’s life if one is caught unawares in the power-struggles of the sorcerous factions.

The people of Lyr tend to be both perceptive and self-absorbed, caught up in the political struggles and arcane mysteries of their homeland. They tend to completely ignore outsiders who have not been caught up in the isle’s mysterious drama, and it is rare indeed for a Lyrite to leave and take up residence elsewhere, though some travel on their own peculiar errands. Religion is rare there, and priests still rarer: the bards are the chief caretakers of the isle’s religious lore.

The island is rich in spices and in a hardy, four-eyed and four-horned goat-like creature which is the isle’s dominant foodstuff. Lyr is not really any longer self-sufficient, but the seemingly endless wealth of the ancient empire and the magical power of its leaders allows Lyr to make up in trade what it lacks on its own account. Adar ships from the south travel there most frequently, though trading vessels from Solara, Erebinthia, and the Inner Sea are regular sights in Lyr’s ports as well. Even the Green Emperor trades with the mages annually, though the nature of his commerce with the isle is obscure.

Lyr Homeland Keyword:

Occupations Available: Adept, Apprentice, Bodyguard, Entertainer, Herder, Merchant, Petty Noble

Native Abilities: Discern Hidden Motive, Know When Being Watched, Lyrite Customs, Lyrite Politics, Occult Lore, Speak High Tessian

Typical Personality Traits: Ambitious, Disdainful of Outsiders, Mysterious, Self-Absorbed

Typical Relationships: to Sorcerer, to Bardic College, to [specified] Cabal, to Demon, to Spirit

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Dragon Magic

Some humans, descended in some way from dragons, can call on the very blood in their veins to create magical effects, most of which involve emulating or transforming themselves part or whole into dragons. The basic Dragon Magic keyword involves taking the ability Dragon-Blooded. This has little effect by itself, other than allowing the character access to passive use of Dragon Feats as part of his or her Common Magic, if he or she wishes.  All Dragon-Blooded characters in Ilthar, regardless of their level of activation, will gain the Flaw: Hunted by Witch Hunters, Justiciars of Scalus, King’s Guard, or the like if their true nature becomes known or is publicly manifested.

There is no contest to become Dragon-Blooded; if one takes it at the start of play one is, and otherwise one is not, save in cases where player and referee agree to make this part of the character’s backstory by fiat. Dragon-Blooded characters come into their true power by undergoing two rituals. The first involves awakening the blood within them:

(Contest: Awaken Blood

Requires: The direct aid of a current Dragon Disciple or Dragon, or an infusion of Dragon’s blood, or extreme, life-threatening exposure to an element associated with the type of Dragon’s blood one has.

Appropriate Ability: Dragon-Blooded (only)

Typical Modifiers and Augments: appropriate Draconic Virtue (Arrogant, Greedy, Lover of Beauty, Proud, Vain, or Voracious); appropriate ability if receiving aid, highest ability of dragon if using infusion method, or rating of elemental exposure if using third method

Resistance: 10w

Any Victory: Pay 3 hero points for your hero to gain Awakened Blood and gain the ability Sense Dragons at his or her current Dragon-Blooded rating. He or she receives one dragon affinity at 13 for free. (Pool for augmenting breath weapon.)

Tie or Marginal, Minor, or Major Defeat: The dragon’s blood does not awaken. The hero must wait at least one month before trying again, and must use a different method in his or her next attempt.

Complete Defeat: The hero’s body cannot take the strain of the transformation to awakened status, and the hero dies, becoming removed from play.)

Concentrating magic at this stage is very valuable. Active use of dragon feats under particular dragon affinities takes a –10 modifier if magic is not concentrated, but only –5 if it is. In addition, all dragon feats learned as common magic may be used actively if magic is concentrated, but not otherwise. Having one’s blood Awakened does not create a resource allocation requirement as religious devotions do.

Those with Awakened Blood who have concentrated their magic as Dragons may take the step of totally devoting themselves to their draconic heritage. Though the nascent Dragon Disciple may not be aware of it, this is the first step on the path towards becoming a dragon. Normally, it takes several months of meditation and active exploration of one’s draconic nature after becoming Awakened to attempt this, but the ritual itself does not require external stimulus: instead, at the end of the meditative process, the hero goes into a ‘shell’ from which he or she emerges transformed, sometimes into something more than before..

(Contest: Become Dragon Disciple

Requires: Awakened Blood, Concentrated Dragon Magic

Appropriate Ability: Dragon-Blooded (only)

Typical Modifiers and Augments: appropriate Draconic Virtue (Arrogant, Greedy, Lover of Beauty, Proud, Vain, or Voracious); highest Dragon Affinity

Resistance: 4w2

Any Victory: Pay 3 hero points for your hero to become a Dragon Disciple. Gain three dragon feats under each dragon affinity she knows for free.

Tie or Marginal, Minor, or Major Defeat: Your hero is not yet ready. She should spend more time becoming attuned to her Awakened Blood and strengthening the Draconic aspects of her personality before trying again.

Complete Defeat: Utter disaster strikes during the time in ‘shell’, and the hero’s blood goes back to sleep. The hero does not become a Dragon Disciple, loses her Awakened status, and drops her Dragon-Blooded ability by five points. Only the Dragon Feats she knew under Common Magic remain to her; knowledge of all affinities is permanently and irrevocably stripped.)

The user of Dragon Magic, like the dragons themselves, sometimes has access to active use of a powerful breath weapon, often fire. At referee’s option, special rules may apply to this effect. The first is that the range should be limited to ‘here’. The second is that no negative modifier need be applied when the breath weapon is used against any spatially contiguous group of uniform shape within that range. Other options include making the breath much more effective than normal (adding up to a full mastery in contests) but limiting daily usage, etc.

Dragon Magic is extremely flexible in application, and since the Dragon-Blooded ability augments all its uses both active and passive uses of Dragon Magic are likely to be very effective. However, this magical path affords almost no special skills, and tends to make one ostracized by humankind, usually with little community support from the dragons to make up for it, so there are decided disadvantages to it from a social point of view. In addition, those who devote themselves fully to their dragon’s blood are effectively turning their back on the gods, so spiritual solace is minimal.

Dragon Magic

Homeland: Any in theory, but most dragon-blooded are found in areas near the Kingdom of Ilthar, which was the ancient breeding ground of the race.

Abilities: Dragon-Blooded, Sense Dragonblood

Virtues: Arrogant, Greedy, Lover of Beauty, Proud, Vain, Voracious

Dragon Affinities and Feats: The precise feats available under each affinity vary somewhat from one dragonblood to another, depending on color. The examples below are written for a character with the blood of a violet-scaled dragon; this list may not be quite complete.

Dragon's Form (Become Large, Grow Teeth and Talons, Impenetrable Scales,  Resist Fire, Resist Lightning, Sinuous Body, Sprout Wings)

Dragon's Essence (Breathe Superheated Ionic Cloud, Dragon's Strength, Fly Fast, Resist Magic, Smell Intruder)

Dragon's Soul (Awe and Terrify, Hypnotic Gaze, See in Darkness, See for Miles, Sense Jewels, Sense Wizardry, Show Dragon Soul)

Secret: Become Dragon. Like Heroforming, this allows the advanced Dragon Disciple to become the dragon they are evolving towards. This is a very powerful version of heroforming, since dragons are so mighty. Once the hero has at least two masteries in each of the three dragon affinities, 3 hero points may be spent to learn the secret at 13.

Great Secret: Incarnate. Eventually, some Dragon Disciples cease to be human at all, and become full-fledged dragons.

Disadvantages: Those with dragon blood are feared and hated by humans. In addition to the possibility of being hunted, human communities which know of dragonbloods will tend to give Support to their foes, or at the very least withdraw Support from those who accompany the pariah.

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Magic is more rulesy, but all of these were created exactly the same way: I thought about what the thing was like; translated its qualities into names for abilities etc.; checked the lists I came up with against the standard ones in the HQ book for rough balance; done.

What's especially cool about this is that the GM (or GM and players, if you're building your Setting collectively) can do the backwork, and instead of limiting players, you're giving players tools to express setting-essential elements in ways that give their characters bonuses to die rolls. How frickin' cool is that?

[Mike Holmes]

Cool stuff. I'm attempting to detail over 100 homelands from the Shadow World setting right now, so I think I can speak with some credibility. Note certain things that pop up in Sean's Homelands. Every Homeland has the following in their Native Ability section:

Language
Survival Skill of some sort
Geography Knowledge
Culture Knowledge

Add to these a couple of Abilities that everyone needs to support the local socio-political mode. For example, in a very agrarian society you get everyine with Farming. In highlands, everyone knows herding. In hunter/gatherer societies, everyone knows how to hunt or gather (men/women, typically). In militant societies one weapon type will be taught to everyone. In trade hubs, everyone knows how to bargain or barter depending on how advanced they are. In places that are power centers, Abilities revoloving around intrugue and politics become known by all.

Fill those blanks in, and you have your Native Abilities covered. This is really very simple.

Personality is just a matter of how you view the people. Are they Stubborn? Hospitable? Warlike? Enterprising? Just jot down four things that describe the stereotypical member of the society (remembering that players don't have to take all of these Abilities).

Relationships depend, again, on what sort of form the society takes, including their religions. Family is almost ubiquitous, though one can imagine a society where family wasn't important (probably tribal or clannish, then). Following that, what other socio-political structures are there? If it's feudal, then you'll have a house that you belong to. If there are guilds you may belong to one of them. Castes? Religious organizations? You can basically look at what exists in other Homelands, and go from there.

That covers Homelands. I haven't looked too closely at Ocupations, but I suspect that they're a tad tougher. OTOH, the ones that exist cover a lot. If an occupation bears any resemblance to one already listed, then just swap out better labeled abilities of the same scope, one for one. Maybe someone else can note any trends there...

Another Keyword type that I had to deal with in spades (to the tune of 80+ Keywords) was Species Keywords. If you're dealing with humans, you can probably ignore this for the most part. But I went into a lot of detail just for kicks. Here's what's important for Shadow World (application to other settings, including Glorantha may be less than optimum):

Size: is the species typically larger or smaller than "baseline" humans. Even by a little? If so, then a Large or Small could be appropriate. I even gave them out at levels 10 and 13 for minor differences of a couple inches in height. I hope that this will make players think about their characters physical dimensions. If they are tall, but not really large (elves, for instance), I give them Tall instead. I also use Stocky, Compact, and other descriptors as they come up in the species descriptions.

Other Typical Physical Abilites: Are they graceful, dexterous, tough, strong, have High Endurance, or the opposites of these things? Fast or slow when running? Over what sorts of distances?

Atypical Physical Abilities: Are they naturally armored? Can they Fly? Breathe Water and/or other aquatic adaptations? And environments that these differences make them susceptible to things (fish out of water)?

Appearance: this is, of course, relative, but on a sort of universal scale, how Good Looking or Ugly the race tends to be.

Senses: can they See in Dark? Have other good senses? Poor senses?

Resistances: if the species tends to do well in warm or cold climates, or don't fall prey to diseases, etc. this can be represented with an appropriate Resist X. Susceptibilites as well. I also put aging her to represent short or long lived species. (I hope to use this at some point in long-term play to attack other Abilities that deteriorate with age).

Typically I have human races with very few abilities typically. The "baseline" races have only one or two. Few humans get more than four without being fairly bizarre. OTOH, Elves and Dwarves, etc, have piles of these. For a small difference, I rate the ability at 13, or even as low as 10 (remember that Species Keywords don't have an automatic 17 rating). I make "immunities" 5w2 or so (the species are "masters" at resisting). Most other things are rated at between 13 and 18, with exceptional stuff popping up to around the 5W range.

I had the most fun with giants and trolls, trying to figure out what to put their Large ratings at. I rated them high, because I think this is the Ability that mostly has to be overcome to beat a giant. By contrast their Powerful rating will only add a couple as an augment, representing a modification from a theoretical baseline. IOW, when arm-wrestling a Giant, you don't fight his Strong or Powerful or anything, you fight their Large augmented by those other things.

I'd be interested in whether other's see it as I do on that one.

Anyhow, it's been pretty fun, and I hope to post the results soon.

Mike

[Eric J. Boyd]

Thank you for the examples Calithena.  But when you say that you "roughly try to balance" abilities, what kind of concerns are on your mind?  

In looking over sample homelands, for example, I've seen that the number of abilities varies between 5 and 12, and that the higher numbers usually come with an offsetting disadvantage (like the Bison People's -10 when not on their mounts).  The homelands that provide a fighting ability also often seem to have fewer total abilities, so maybe a fighting ability should count as two of a possible 7-9 abilities?  Any other patterns or advice that others have used when crafting new keywords, particularly magic ones?

Eric

[Mike Holmes]

Any other patterns or advice that others have used when crafting new keywords, particularly magic ones?

I think that you've got it. I'd say that "roughly balanced" is at the point where the player will see each as potentially inviting. That is, sometimes one nifty skill beyond the standard four is good, usually three or so. Often if there are more, then they tend to revolve around something in particular, really being facets of the a larger thing. For example, Grazers have all sorts of horse related skills, IIRC, but it all boils down to "Great Horsemen", essentially. If you have a Homeland that needs a couple more Abilites, then break it down some. Sailing can become Boating, Sail Ship, and  Navigation, for the right culture. For another they'll have Fishing, Boating, and Make Net. Yet another might have Rowing, Lobster Trapping, and Repair boat.

Hunting can break down into Tracking, Stalking, Spear, etc.

Little breakdowns like this can really help detail a culture. The first maratime culture above are ship-builders. The second are fishermen, the third trappers. The hunting culture spear hunts instead of using bows. These little things say a lot about the daily life of the culture's members.

Mike

[Scripty]

I haven't looked too closely at Ocupations, but I suspect that they're a tad tougher. OTOH, the ones that exist cover a lot. If an occupation bears any resemblance to one already listed, then just swap out better labeled abilities of the same scope, one for one. Maybe someone else can note any trends there...

Mike

Occupations, IME, aren't all that tough. They generally contain about 7-9 abilities. Then, just following the same steps that you use to define Personality and Relationships with Homelands, you can flesh out the rest quite easily.

It's also true that the Occupations in HeroQuest already cover a LOT of ground. There's not much need to "reinvent" the wheel, so to speak.

In fact, if you follow the rules for improvising Occupations in CoCd20, you could go a long way to just making Occupations up on the fly.

For instance, the player comes up with 4 abilities from his chosen occupation, the Narrator chooses three. The Player chooses up to 3 personality traits, the Narrator adds one. The Player comes up with no more than 2 relationships (although he can opt for zero), while the Narrator retains the option to add one as well.

Apply this to Homelands (defining 4 abilities that Mike points out and personality/relationships in the same fashion) and you have the barebones of HeroQuest being able to "cooperatively invent" a setting or setting elements on the fly, like Universalis.

Scott