Much like the Miskatonic Repository for Call of Cthulhu, Seventh Edition, the Jonstown Compendium is a curated platform for user-made content, but for material set in Greg Stafford's mythic universe of Glorantha. It enables creators to sell their own original content for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha and HeroQuest Glorantha (Questworlds). This can include original scenarios, background material, cults, mythology, details of NPCs and monsters, and so on, but none of this content should be considered to be ‘canon’, but rather fall under ‘Your Glorantha Will Vary’. This means that there is still scope for the authors to create interesting and useful content that others can bring to their Glorantha-set campaigns.
Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha is a short supplement for for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha. It is by the same author of GLORANTHA: Trinkets from Dragon Pass.
It is a five page, full colour, 1.23 MB PDF.
Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha is reasonably presented, but it could have been better organised. It needs a slight edit.
Where is it set?
Dragon Pass.
Who do you play?
Adventurers of all types who could come across these rare items.
What do you need?
RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha. It can also be run using the RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha – QuickStart Rules and Adventure.
What do you get?
Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha is a description of seven talismans, or rather pendants which might be found in the world of Glorantha. However, it begins by noting that such talismans are rare in Glorantha, but it contradicts itself because in a couple of examples, the items are obviously much more common than being simply rare. For example, Farmer’s Help is given by Barntar’s God-talkers to farmers to help them defend their farms against bandits, wolves, and monsters, whilst the Pelorian Firmament is described as a traditional Pelorian amulet.
All seven talismans in this supplement come with publicly sourced image and two short paragraphs, one giving its description and the other its effects when worn. The entries vary in their effects, the best being quite low key. For example, the aforementioned Farmer’s Help has the very straightforward effect of increasing the distance that the wearer can throw rocks and stones. Whereas the very alien Alien Fear, come from another world where Chaos has won, grants the wearer who is wielding a spear or a sword and strikes a target to inflict a point of extra damage from acid and temporarily lower the Power attribute of the target. Any creature or person with the Chaos rune affinity is immune, which makes sense. What does not make sense is the wearer suffers no drawback for wearing a magical device linked to Chaos and if the wearer does have an affinity for Chaos, surely there should be an extra effect?
The talismans detailed in Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha vary in quality and usefulness, as well as development. More description of their histories and their legends would have been welcome, especially since they are meant to be rare. At least one is too powerful, and another, The Lady, which grants the ability to use and train others in the Courtesan skill as if wearer was a member of Uleria’s cult, begs the question, what does the cult of Uleria think of it?
Is it worth your time?
Yes—Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha is an inexpensive way of adding more magic to give Player Characters or NPCs minor powers that will enhance their legends.
No—Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha is simply too expensive for what you get and the entries too underdeveloped in terms of the setting. Plus, the Game Master could create her own with a little bit of research which are just as good.
Maybe—Runequest: Talismans of Glorantha is expensive for what you get, but the Game Master might want to add a little variety to the treasure found or perhaps take inspiration from the rings presented here and either develop more of their legend or create new ones of her own.
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