Hero Wars
Issaries, Inc. |
Observations from the Glorantha Trading AssociationLongest Day (June, 2001)Hail to Thee from the Glorantha Trading Association. Issaries, Inc. has finally gotten the Observers list compiled and sorted. We're happy to finally be able to include you. If you've been wondering if you were forgotten altogether, the answer is no, things are just embarassingly slow in getting fully organized. Sorry for that. From now on, you'll get a copy of Tales from the GTA each quarter, when it goes out to the GTA's Heroes, Runemasters, and Initiates. In addition, you will receive announcements from Issaries about books and news. You've hopefully noticed that Hero Wars is not only out, but that there are great supplements coming out more and more regularly. You'll really like Thunder Rebels (the Orlanthi source book) and brand new is Storm Tribe (the Orlanthi cult compendium. Both contain lots of brand new information, even for people who actually own a copy of Cults of Prax! Anaxial's Roster is the major bestiary that adds a lot to the Deluxe Hero Wars core rules. And more is on the way. Below you'll find tales about:
Best of Glorantha 2000 - Well Done
BEST OF GLORANTHA 2000 - WELL DONEThe GTA has voted, and the Best of Glorantha 2000 have been named. Congratulations, may the Tribe remain ascendant. The winners are:
King of Dragon Pass, Best of the Best To my mild surprise, the majority of these champions are not North Americans, despite the GTA center of gravity. Will the Old World dominate next year too? By the way, Graham's House Rules have moved, and been expanded. With the improvements I see so far, the Best of Glorantha 2001 will be a tough contest, too. So get your stuff ready. LUNAR LANDS MAPPED!I managed to get one of the gorgeous maps of the Lunar Lands, recently revealed by Mark Galeotti. The map by Wesley Quadros and Martin Laurie is much bigger and more precise than their web version.
This one is printed in color, 59+ x 70 cm on glossy paper. A real value at £17
or $27, says this map lover. Sterling checks payable to 'M.Galeotti & S.Bray'
sent with a note of your address, to PO Box 278, Crewe CW3 9YY England. Or, you
can use Paypal, transferring $27 to
And in the middle distance, I see ...
"A Promise of Thunder," Robin D. Laws' full novel of Tarkalor as a young man. A
complete novel from a major Gloranthan game designer, the book reveals
Tarkalor's early reluctance and the burden of royal blood and divine descent
during Sartar's War with the Lunar Empire, before he becomes the greatest king
of Sartar. Self contained, there are no hanging endings in this brand new
tale.
Robin is known for his fiction such as Pierced Heart and The Rough & the Smooth,
as well as roleplaying games like Feng Shui and Hero Wars. Laws comments, "I've
always wanted to write fiction set in Glorantha. My Tarkalor novel deals with
the nature of heroism, the clash of ideologies, and passionate family
conflict; all perfect for good fiction."
Wizard's Attic will represent us by selling
product. If you need to get an item, please go to them and buy it. GTA members and people
wishing to play Hero Wars can also use the Wizard's Attic booth as a meeting place.
Normally, we attend these conventions because it is a chance to spend some time
face to face with fans, to promote the game in person, and to make business
contacts. This year, the value of those activities is outweighed by the expense
of going and also by a unique opportunity that Greg has to perform service to
extraordinary people. Put another way, "Would I rather go to the 25th
convention in a row, or take the time to help out the teacher who saved my
life?" No question for me.
For purchase information, ask Fabian Kuechler.
(1) post a thoughtful online review of each Hero Wars publication, see
here or
here.
Note that the rpg.net database index is quite poor ... at last count I note at
least 5 reviews of Hero Wars books that are not shown in the archive, and
(when they do show) three publishers appear "Issary", "Issaries,Inc" and "Issaries
Inc"! And www.gamingoutpost.com has no
Hero Wars reviews at all.
Be sure to drop a note when you post, as we hope to have
a Reviews page up on the web site soon.
(2) If you like to web surf or follow rpg related news groups, how about
periodically checking for new Hero Wars postings, and correcting omissions or
adding your own point of view?
(3) If you're going to Origins or GenCon, let's get together. Wouldn't it be
great if there was 1 or 2 pickup Hero Wars sessions? Are you game enough to be
part of it? Who knows, if there's enough interest, we could have a GTA members
only game! Since Issaries won't be able to attend, maybe the Wizards Attic
booth is the place to leave me a note on how to reach you and what times would
be good.
(4) The official Glorantha web site is updated regularly with new material. Go
to
The Glorantha Trading Association is still open to new members! If you want to
become an Initiate, Rune Master, or Hero and gain all of their fabulouus
benefits (including free books and excluusive access to Gloranthan information
on-line), go to here or email
us for information! We would love to see you rise in the tribe!
After a time of great brilliance, darkness descended upon the realm. Panic,
depression and despair marched forward, armed like gladiators and as hungry as
emptiness. Darkness descended over all. Glorantha was doomed.
A spark endured. Among men a fire burned. The light reached from the ruins and
glowed from afar. Unquenchable, its beautiful spark kept the tribe of
Glorantha alive.
Oh, let us see too that it flickers, troubled by cold winds, misunderstood
communiqués, and bad magics sent from the gods far away in the Underworld.
Truly, it seems alone in the world. It burns, and by its light, we look at all
these pretty pictures, facts and insights.
I cannot ever forget the day I met David in person. My wife and I were wearing
our motorcycle jackets and were ending our travels that day as guests at
Conjunction, toting our luggage and pretty tired after cruising those English
"roads" all day to get to Cambridge. Mr. Hall was not host that day, just
another guest and frankly, I was a bit nervous to meet him. He had already
published a bunch of great magazines during a time when I had been unable to do
much myself for Glorantha. I was aware of the flame borne by him, and frankly
had not yet figured the way to communicate my appreciation. At first we were
each, -- um, shocked? Or just shy shall we say? Me in leathers, David in his
most casual dress-down for the convention, which to me still looked like formal
accounting fashion. Nonetheless, barriers broke when we spoke, and the common
ground of Glorantha opened before us.
Although I have sometimes stumbled in my dialogue, the Tales of the Reaching
Moon have not. For years David has guided Tales to provide information through
a drought in my own output.
Thanks in part to David the spark is a fire again and with the new Hero Wars
game it is as if the very cosmos around Glorantha has changed. The fire is
different, and although I look upon the movement of David and Tales to a
different place, it is for happy personal reasons and in a good way.
I am happy to have this opportunity in the last issue of Tales to personally
thank you David, for the loyalty, creativity and good work you have done for
Glorantha, Issaries and me. In recognition of this service, which truly cannot
be measured, Issaries is honored to grant to you the most esteemed status in
our GTA tribe. We are proud to announce this here, for all of the best to
see.
David Hall is a Demi-God of the Glorantha Tribe
With all honors and privileges granted therefore.
UW #1 includes the official Cult of Maran, including Greg's narrative of a
pilgrim's progress to the temple. UW1 also has Greg's unpublished notes on
Tarsh history, with Shaun Appleby's maps showing its evolution from its
scouring during the Dragonkill to the late fifteenth century, plus a full-color
map by Wesley Quadros (Arim's Footsteps to the Warnstone, with an illustrated
gazetteer). He also promises detail on Furthest (complete with street map),
Talfort and Copper Town. Simon Bray's illustrations accompany Tarshite NPC
summaries. Peter Metcalfe and David Dunham contribute too. Martin Laurie
describes the Army of Tarsh, Shieldwall Regiments to the Kingslayers.
Single issues cost £7 (cheque)or $11 through the PayPal service, one-year
subscription (3 issues) costs £20/$30. For orders to the rest of the world,
the rates are £8/$11 and £22/$33, respectively. Prices include P&P (airmail
printed rate for overseas orders). Mark says you can send cheques in UK sterling at
the sterling rates above, payable to 'M Galeotti & S Bray' to
Alternatively, transfers sent to Mark@Galeotti.fsbusiness.co.uk, through the
Paypal system.
Hardcover UK £40 (US $60), Softcover UK £25 (US $40), prices include
international shipping. It can be advance ordered, for expected shipping on
June 24 (just after midsummer). You can pay in UK pounds by check or postal
money order, in US dollars by money orders or
Paypal to RJMeints@cs.com.
Orders and attaboys go to:
Issaries will also offer GM through Wizards Attic in mid July, which might
save US buyers some postage.
Future reprints are planned, including Cults of Prax, Cults of Terror,
Borderlands, and Plunder!
As originally promised, Issaries has held its first general GTA drawing! On
July 2nd, Issaries selected two non-paid GTA members at random to receive a
gift copy of Storm Tribe autographed by Greg Stafford!
The lucky winners were Ralph Plowman and German Cantabrana Gonzalez.
HawkBear aka Mark Leymaster
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