Characters

This chapter describes how players create their adventurer, also known as “player character” (PC). The gamemaster doesn’t create one, since she plays everybody else in the game’s world, also known as “gamemaster characters” (GMC). The term “character” applies to both PCs and GMCs.

Creation Procedure

Creating an adventurer follows this procedure:

• Step 1: Character Concept. Define the adventurer’s core concept.
• Step 2: Homeland and Culture. Choose where the adventurer comes from.
• Step 3: Cult. Choose a deity that the adventurer worships
• Step 4: Occupation. Pick a profession for the adventurer.
• Step 5: Background. Determine or find out a few notable facts about the adventurer and their family.
• Step 6: Characteristics and Attributes: Roll or allocate the adventurer’s characteristics, and calculate their attributes.
• Step 7: Skills. Allocate points to the adventurer’s skills.
• Step 8: Runes. Determine the adventurer’s affinities to Glorantha’s Runes.
• Step 8: Magic. Choose the adventurer’s starting magic spells.
• Step 9: Equipment. Choose the adventurer’s equipment and other possessions.

Step 1: Character Concept

The first step is to come up with the character concept. This is a sentence that describes the core of your adventurer, and can help drive the your choices through the creation process and later through play. It’s suggested that this sentence be in the form of “an <adjective> <noun> who <verb> <words>”. For instance: “a young soldier who seeks promotion up the ranks of the Imperial Army”, “a stern matriarch who gets her hands dirty for her community’s betterment”, or “a cunning merchant who wants to travel the world and get rich doing it”.

Step 2: Homeland and Culture

People of Glorantha view their homeland as an important part of their identity, to the point that most of them use their village’s, city’s, or region’s name as their own (as in “Tarakes of Alkoth”). This is represented by two things: homeland and culture.

The difference between homeland and culture is that the former indicates where the character lives (or lived until recently), while the latter indicates their ethnicity. For instance, a character may be from the dominant culture of a homeland, or from one of its minorities. These concepts are vague on purpose, allowing better roleplay.

The Torang Engine is focused by default on the Lunar Empire, where two basic types of homelands exist:

• Heartlands: These are former independent kingdoms, or parts of larger ones, that were conquered by the Lunar Empire between two and three centuries ago, at the beginning of Lunar expansion. Their cultures are deeply Lunarized, although the former Solar cultures and hyper-local spirit cults still play a strong role. The Lunar Heartlands have mostly known peace for the past few generations. They are divided into “satrapies” where ultra-wealthy noble families conspire against each other for political, magical, and economic superiority.

• Provinces: The Provinces are relatively recent additions to the Empire, conquered within less than a century. While Lunarization progresses fast, these regions suffer from egular rebellions and poor rural cultural assimilation, making them more unstable than the Heartlands and still under a different administrative status.

Invent a satrapy or a province, or choose one from the canonical Gloranthan sources. Then invent or pick a culture from that homeland. For reference, the main canonical homelands and cultures of the Lunar Empire are listed below:

• Heartlands: First Blessed, Darjiin, Doblian, Karasal, Kostaddi, Oraya, Oronin, Silver Shadow, and Sylila.

• Provinces: Aggar, Holay, Imther, Tarsh, Vanch.

• Cultures: Lunar (all), Dara-Happan (Heartlands), Lodrilli (Heartlands), Orlanthi (Provinces).

• Languages: New Pelorian (all), Dara-Happan (Dara-Happan culture), Tarshite (Tarsh province and Orlanthi culture), Tradetalk (merchants, all at basic levels).

Refer to the Lunar Empire chapter for more information.

Homelands and cultures allow allocating points to the skills listed below, later in step 7. Someone from one culture living in a different homeland may gain a second Customs skill. The Speak (Tradetalk) skill is common to all homelands and cultures, but few outside of professional merchants know it much beyond a very basic level.

Skills: Area Knowledge (homeland), Customs (own culture), Speak (own language), Speak (Tradetalk).

Step 3: Cult

Another important part of a Gloranthan person’s identity is which deities they worship. Glorantha is a polytheist world, so everybody largely acknowledges the existence of many gods and goddesses, even if they may disagree as to which ones are the most important, strongest, or worthy of worship.

A large part of the population only worships the dominant pantheon in their area. Others dedicate their lives to a deity, or particular set of deities.

An adventurer’s cult defines the skills they’ve been trained in, the magic they have access to, and some of the Passions and Runes they have.

Invent a deity, or choose one from the canonical Gloranthan sources. For reference, here are some of the main canonical cults of the Lunar Empire. Refer to the Cults chapter for more information.

Lunar Cults

Etyries

The Lunar goddess of traders, messengers, and travelers.

• Runes: Harmony, Moon, Movement

• Passions: Loyalty (Lunar Empire), Loyalty (temple)

• Skills: Administration, Area Knowledge (area), Cult Rituals (Etyries), Insight (race), Persuation (Negotiation), Speak (Tradetalk)

• Spirit Magic: Countermagic (var.), Extinguish (var.), Glue (var.), Ignite (var.), Speed (var.), Repair (var.)

• Rune Magic: Convince, Dismiss Magic, Divination, Find Spirit, Path Watch, Sanctify Place, Spirit Block, Summon Cult Spirit, Warding

The Seven Mothers

The pantheon of the immortals who brought the Red Goddess into Time.

• Runes: Death, Life, Moon

• Passions: Loyalty (Lunar Empire or Red Emperor), Loyalty (temple), Vow (Spread Lunar Way)

• Skills: Cult Rituals (Seven Mothers), Customs (Lunar Empire), Meditate, Persuasion (two from Charm, Fast-Talk, and Negotiate)

• Spirit Magic: Confuse (2 pts.), Glamour (var.)

• Rune Magic: Create Gifts, Heal Wound, Madness, Mindblast, Reflection, Regrow Limb, Shield, Summon Spirit (small elemental of any type except Air) (2 pts.)

Orlanthi Cults

Babeester Gor

The protector of grain goddesses and Earth temples.

• Runes: Death, Earth

• Passions: Devotion (Babeester Gor), Loyalty (temple), Hate (enemies of the Earth goddesses).

• Skills: Cult Rituals (Babeester Gor), Insight (race), Investigate, Melee Weapon (Axe), Persuasion (Intimidate).

• Spirit Magic: Enhance Weapon (Axe), Magic Blast, Heal, Stamina, Strength.

• Rune Magic: TODO

Barntar

Orlanth and Ernalda’s son, god of the farmstead.

• Runes: Air, Earth, Movement

• Passions: Loyalty (clan or tribe)

• Skills: Cult Rituals (Barntar), Customs (Orlanthi), Devise, Occupation (Farming), Melee Weapon (Spear or Sword)

• Spirit Magic: Detect (Humanoids or Life), Enhance Melee Weapon, Heal, Repair, Speed, Strength

• Rune Magic: Command Bull.

Chalana Arroy

The goddess of healing and assistance.

Runes: Life, Harmony

Passions: Love (Life), Vow (Help Those In Need)

Skills: Cult Rituals (Chalana Arroy), Dodge, Healing, Lore (plants, potions, etc.), Meditate

Spirit Magic: Blur, Confuse, Heal, Impair Melee Weapon (type), Preserve Herbs, Sleep

Rune Magic: Cure Disease, Cure Poison, Heal Body, Heal Wound, Regrow Limb, Resurrect, Summon Healing Spirit.

Orlanth Rebellious

The storm god, whose worship is outlawed in the Lunar Empire, but still performed in secret.

Runes: Air, Movement

Passions: Loyalty (clan or tribe), Seek (Freedom).

Skills: Awareness, Cult Rituals (Orlanth), Customs (Orlanthi), Melee Weapon (Spear or Sword), Stealth

Spirit Magic: Enhance Weapon, Heal, Protection, Speed, Strength.

Rune Magic: Dark Walk, Divination, Heal Wound, Raise Wind, Summon Air Elemental (any size), Shield, Thunderbolt

Yinkin

Orlanth’s and Barntar’s trusted companion feline (or alynx) who hunts for the tribe and herds their livestock.

Runes: Beast, Darkness, Movement

Passions: Loyalty (clan or tribe)

Skills: Awareness, Athletics, Cult Rituals (Yinkin), Stealth, Track

Rune Magic: Claws, Divination, Heal Wound, Identify Scent

Step 4: Occupation

The third step is to choose the work that the adventurer does, or the role they fill in their community.

Common occupations for Glorantha are available here. Many people might be part of their community’s militia. This is the non-professional army that a local ruler may raise for raiding enemies or defending against them. If applicable, also take the Militia occupation.

Occupations specify the adventurer’s starting equipment and wealth. Write that down now. Wealth is usually given in both sellable goods and “cash”. The former generally requires finding a buyer, or someone to barter with, in order to make use of. The latter isn’t necessarily “cash” in the sense of loose coins (it may be partially made of common bartering goods), but it may be spent without delays for the purpose of the game. See Wealth and Equipment for more information.

Occupations also specify the skills that may receive points in Step 7.

List of Occupations

Artist

This occupation encompasses poets, actors, musicians, sculptors, and more.

Skills: Art (specialty), Art or Craft (secondary specialty), Customs (own culture), Persuasion (Charm), Speak (language). Also take Militia skills if appropriate.

Equipment: specialty materials (parchments or clay tablets with writing implements, costume, musical instrument, bundle of sculpting tools, etc.), marketing pamphlet or letter of recommendation, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in unsold creations, 1D10 L in cash.

Assistant Shaman

Shamans are the spiritual guides of their community, helping people talk to their ancestors, keeping bad spirits at bay, or appeasing nearby genius loci.

Skills: Customs (culture), Insight, Meditate, Speak (Spiritspeech), Spirit Combat.

Equipment: various spirit talismans, drums or other musical instruments, ceremonial costume or accessories, 1D6 points worth of inert spirit magic.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in spirit magic items, 1D10 L in cash.

Brigand

A character who lives from stealing valuables from others. These include warbands who ambush merchants and travellers on the road, pickpockets and organized thieves hiding in a city’s dark quarters.

Brigands generally cannot also be Militia members.

Skills: Brawl, Melee Weapon (specialty), Persuasion (Intimidation), Ranged Weapon, Stealth.

Equipment: one melee or ranged weapon, leather or linen armor, camping gear.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in stolen loot, 1D6 L in cash.

Courtesan

A professional companion that may offer everything from intelligent discussions or a friendly ear, to comfort or sex. Courtesans are often educated in a broad range of topics and domains in order to fulfill their clients’ desires.

Skills: Art (specialty), Customs (culture), Insight (own race), Lore (specialty), Persuation (Charm).

Equipment: extra clothes, perfume and incense, grooming materials, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in gifts, 1D10 L in cash.

Crafter

Any member of the trades such as carpenters, jewelers, masons, potters, smiths, and more.

Skills: Craft (specialty), Customs (own culture), Lore (associated domain), Devise, Persuation (Negotation). Also take Militia skills if appropriate.

Equipment: specialty crafting tools (hammers, cutting tools, pliers, leather apron, etc.), work samples and unsold inventory, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in unsold inventory, 1D20 L in cash.

Farmer

The majority of people are simple farmers by day, tending to their fields, animals, and tools. In most ancient societies, this occupation represented more than three-quarters of the total population.

Skills: Area Knowledge (homeland), Awareness, Devise, Occupation (Farming), Occupation (Herding). Also take Militia skills if appropriate.

Equipment: farming equipment (hammer, sickle, etc.), livestock (oxen, sheep, goats, etc.), foodstuff inventory, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in foodstuff and animal produce, 1D10 L in cash.

Fisher

People who catch fish from a boat using spears, nets, or other contraptions. Fishing may involve boating on both rivers, lakes, coastal sea or open sea.

Skills: Boating, Area Knowledge (homeland), Awareness, Occupation (Fishing), Stealth. Also take Militia skills if appropriate.

Equipment: fishing equipment (rope, fishlines, fishnet, small boat, etc.), salted of dried fish inventory, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in foodstuff and animal produce, 1D10 L in cash.

Hunter

A character who sets traps for small game, or tracks and shoots bigger animals. Hunters also occasionally offer tracking or guide services to others.

Skills: Devise, Ranged Weapon (specialty), Stealth, Survival (homeland environment), Track. Also take Militia skills if appropriate.

Equipment: hunting equipment (snares, lures, etc.), one ranged weapon, animal produce inventory (salted or dried meats, fur, bones, etc.), utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in foodstuff and animal produce, 1D10 L in cash.

Merchant

People who do business on behalf of other people, generally moving merchandise from producers to consumers (or other marchants along a trade route). Merchants often drive a mule caravan financed by nobles or priests, with scribes tracking business activity and soldiers serving as security.

Skills: Area Knowledge (area of business), Customs (culture of business), Insight (race of business), Intrigue (area of business), Persuasion (Negotiation).

Equipment: travelling gear (spare clothing or footwear, sun-hat, etc.), writing equipment (parchments or clay tablets), unsold inventory (food, drinks, ore, furs, spices, jewelry, weapons, etc.), utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 4 L in current inventory, 1D20 L in cash.

Militia

A member of the local city’s militia. The militia may be called in times of trouble to defend the state, or be sent on campaigns for a season (generally summer) or even a whole year. Most militia members only have a minimal knowledge of warfare.

Skills: Awareness, Battlefield, Melee Weapon (specialty), Melee Weapon (Shield), Ranged Weapon (specialty).

Equipment: one melee or ranged weapon, one shield, helmet.

Wealth: 1D20 L in raid loot, 1D10 L in cash.

Politician

Characters that engage in local or foreign politics, and are trained to manage wealth and possessions. Adventurers usually start as attendants, messengers, and apprentices.

Skills: Administration, Customs (own culture), Insight (own race), Intrigue (home area), Speak (language). Also take Militia skills if appropriate.

Equipment: higher quality clothing, personal luxury goods, important documents (parchments or clay tablets), one ceremonial weapon, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 4 L in gifts, 1D20 L in cash.

Philosopher

This occupation includes writing pamphlets and scrolls about the truths of life and the universe, researching mathematics or physics or other theoretical or practical sciences, compiling histories, and engaging in debates with rival philosophers. Adventurer philosophers often require going out “in the field” for their research.

Skills: Customs (culture), Lore (domain), Persuasion (Negotiation), Read/Write (language), Speak (language).

Equipment: writing materials (parchments or clay tablets), specialty accessories (calendar, sky charts, etc.), unpublished notes, sample works and publications, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 L in science materials, 1D10 L in cash.

Priest

Aperson who officiates religious ceremonies, cares for temples, and provides services to cult members. Cults usually have a hierarchy, with aspiring priests starting with temple chores or shadowing a ranking priest. In some settings, nobility and priesthood are one thing.

Skills: Administration, Cult Rituals (cult), Customs (culture), Persuasion (Charm), Speak (language).

Equipment: ceremonial attire, religious regalia, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 4 L in religious regalia, 1D20 L in cash.

Scribe

People who offer services for reading, writing, compiling, or sorting records of various types. Merchants, nobles, and priests often make use of scribes for their business.

Skills: Administration, Customs (own culture), Lore (domain), Read/Write (language), Speak (language).

Equipment: writing materials (parchments or clay tablets), specialty accessories (calendar, abaccus, etc.), sample works, letter of recommendation, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in records and reports, 1D10 L in cash.

Soldier

This is the occupation for professional warriors who belong to or lead armies, or make up the personal retinue of emperors and kings. Soldiers also work as protection for nobles, merchants, priests, courtesans, or anybody else with enough cash to pay a soldier’s wage. The Militia occupation cannot be combined with the Soldier occupation.

Skills: Battlefield, Martial Command, Melee Weapon (specialty), Melee Weapon (Shield), Ranged Weapon (specialty).

Equipment: full leather, linen, or bronze armor (breastplate or cuirass, greaves, vambraces), bronze helmet, one melee weapon, one ranged weapon, shield, camping gear, utility knife.

Wealth: 1D20 × 2 L in raid loot, 1D10 L in cash.

Step 5: Background

Next, roll twice on the Background Type table below. Roll a third time if you intend to take the Random Characteristics option (instead of the Point Buy Characteristics option).

D4	Background Type
1	Family Heirloom
2	Family History
3	Wealth
4	Personal History

For each result, refer to the corresponding section below.

Family Heirloom

The adventurer owns something that has been passed down their family for one or more generations. The player is encouraged to develop a short story about this item, how it came into the family’s possession, and give it a unique feature or even a name.

D3	Heirloom Type	Description
1	Jewelry	An enchanted piece of jewelry
2	Armor	A piece or set of armor
3	Weapon	A melee or ranged weapon

For a piece of jewelry, roll a D10 to determine the type of jewelry (or let the player pick). Then roll a D10 again for the item’s value, and one last D10 for the type of enchantment it contains. Note that the monetary value is for the object itself, without the value of its magical enchantment.

D10	Jewelry	Value	Power/Aspect
1	Ring	1D6 L	Heal (level 1D4) spell
2	Anklet	1D10 L	Mobility (level 1D4) spell
3	Bracelet	1D20 L	Glamour (level 1D4) spell
4	Armband	1D6 × 10 L	Strength (level 1D4) spell
5	Necklace	1D10 × 10 L	Detect Enemies spell
6	Armband	1D20 × 10 L	Detect (substance) spell (player’s choice)
7	Earring	1D6 × 100 L	Magic Strike spell
8	Brooch	1D10 × 100 L	Bound spirit (POW 1D6, CHA 1D6) with one spell (player’s choice)
9	Belt	1D20 × 100 L	Bound spirit (POW 2D6, CHA 2D6) with two spells (player’s choice)
10	Hair Pin	1D6 × 1000 L	Bound spirit (POW 3D6, CHA 3D6) with three spells (player’s choice)

For an armor, roll a D6 on the table below. The stats for the given piece of armor are available in the Wealth and Equipment chapter.

D6	Armor
1	Bronze breastplate
2	Bronze muscle cuirass
3	Small bronze shield
4	Large bronze shield
5	Top bronze helmet
6	Open bronze helmet

For a weapon, roll a D10 on the table below. The stats for the given weapon are available in the Wealth and Equipment chapter.

D8	Weapon
1	Short spear
2	Long spear (doru)
3	Very long spear (sarissa)
4	Axe or epsilon axe
5	Double axe (labrys or boat-shaped)
6	Dagger (acinaces or xiphos)
7	Short sword (xiphos, kopis, gladius)
8	Sword (makhaira, falcata)

Family History

Roll once and take note of the important event in the adventurer’s family history. The player is encouraged to expand on this background, and bring it into play later.

• When the effect grants a Passion, add it to the adventurer’s sheet at 60%. If the Passion is already present, add +20%. Passion ability scores may exceed 100%. The player decides the Passion’s subject.

• When the effect grants Reputation, roll the indicated bonus and add it to the adventurer’s Reputation, which is a percentage that starts at CHA.

• Most entries are an invitation to come up with historical details about the adventurer’s family. Players and gamemasters should work together, and use this as an opportunity to learn the setting and integrate the characters in it.

D10	Family History	Effect
1	An ancestor was a chieftain, king or high priest, or held a similar high office. Specify what.	Gain Loyalty (faction or temple), +1D6% Reputation, and +2 on the Status roll
2	An ancestor was a famous member of a historical figure’s entourage. Specify who, and what the ancestor’s role was.	Gain Loyalty (emperor, king, or other patron), +1D6% Reputation, and +1 on the Status roll
3	An ancestor became famous for one or more battles, conquests, or other military deeds. Specify what these deeds were.	Gain Loyalty (faction or temple) or Honor, and +1D6% Reputation
4	An ancestor was famous (or infamous!) for something their did or didn’t do. Specify what that is.	Gain +1D6% Reputation
5	An ancestor or branch of the family was enslaved. Choose between a Hatred Passion for the people or system that enslaved them, or Loyalty for the people or system who freed them.	Gain Loyalty (patron) or Hatred (patron)
6	Ancestors were harassed or killed by enemies from another tribe, nation, cult, etc.	Gain Hatred (enemy faction or cult)
7	Ancestors were harassed or killed by a certain type of monster.	Gain Fear (monster type)
8	One or more ancestors were known to be devout members of a certain religion.	Gain Devotion (deity)
9	One or more ancestors were known as patriotic members of a certain faction.	Gain Loyalty (faction)
10	Tight-knit family over one or more generations	Gain Love (Family)

Wealth

This table may boost the adventurer’s Status (see Reputation and Status), grant extra land (measured in aruras, see Wealth and Equipment), or provide extra initial possessions.

D4	Wealth	Effect
1	Higher Status	Get +4 on the Status roll, and +3D6 × 10 aruras
2	Higher Status	Get +2 on the Status roll, and +2D6 × 10 aruras
3	Extra land	Gain +2D6 × 10 aruras
4	Extra land	Gain +1D6 × 10 aruras

Personal History

This tables provides a glimpse of the adventurer’s childhood and upbringing. As always, the player is encouraged to expand their character’s background based on the result, and call back to it during play.

These results give bonuses to characteristics or skills. Write those down and add them to the characteristic and skill scores allocated later in character creation.

D12	Personal History	Effect
1	Harsh upbringing	Gain +1 STR or +1 CON
2	Demanding mentor	Gain +1 INT
3	Intense gymnasium routine	Gain +1 DEX
4	Raised for greatness	Gain +1 CHA
5	Street-rat or troubled kid	Gain +20% Brawl
6	Had to hide from someone or something	Gain +20% Stealth
7	Tinkered a lot	Gain +20% Devise
8	Spent time with artists and philosophers	Gain +20% Speak or Read/Write (own language)
9	Travelled or explored a lot	Gain +20% Area Knowledge (homeland)
10	Child of merchant or crook	Gain +20% Persuasion (Negotation or Fast-Talk)
11	Always running around	Gain +20% Athletics
12	Spent time at the temple or with a teacher	Gain +20% in Lore (domain) (player’s choice)

Step 6: Characteristics and Attributes

Living creatures are defined by up to seven characteristics. Humans and most sentient races have all seven characteristics but animals, spirits, and monsters usually only have a subset. These characteristics are scores that determine the innate strengths and weaknesses of characters, their starting skill scores, and the value of attributes. All characteristics may be increased with training during the game, but this tends to be slow.

Characteristics

• Strength (STR): An adventurer’s STR represents their raw muscle power. This defines their ability to lift and carry heavy loads, deal more damage in combat, or break things.

• Constitution (CON): This is the measure of the adventurer’s health and resilience. This defines the amount of damage they can take, their resistance to poison, or how fast they heal.

• Size (SIZ): The SIZ of an adventurer determines their general height, weight, and bulk. When compared to STR it gives an idea of the ratio of body fat to muscle mass.

• Intelligence (INT): An adventurer with a high INT is able to better remember things, reason about complex problems, and multi-task.

• Power (POW): POW represents an adventurer’s soul, and how powerful it is. This defines their ability to manipulate the magic that permeates everything in Glorantha.

• Dexterity (DEX): An adventurer’s DEX measures how fast, precise, and coordinated they are, whether it is with fine motor skills or with their entire body.

• Charisma (CHA): CHA determines the adventurer’s presence. It makes other people, spirits, and even animals willing to listen to the adventurer and follow their lead.

Determine characteristic scores using one of the two methods below. Note the ability score for each characteristic, equal to the rating times five. Don’t forget to add any bonuses obtained in the Character Background step, if any.

Random Characteristics

Creating a character randomly is often more exciting and surprising than the point buy creation outlined below. It is best suited for players who want to be a bit surprised by their adventurer, or simply feel lucky.

• Roll 3D6 seven times in a row.
• Assign the scores freely (in any order) to all characteristics.
• Human INT and SIZ must be 8 or greater. If somehow all rolls were 7 or below, re-roll two of them until INT and SIZ can be assigned acceptable values.
• Roll 1D6 and distribute these points freely across the characteristics. Human characteristics may not exceed 18 at character creation.

Point Buy Characteristics

The point buy approach to character creation is more methodical and intentional than the random method presented above. It is best suited for players who like to optimize their adventurer, or who have a precise idea of who they want to play.

• Spend 80 points among all characteristics. Human INT and SIZ must be 8 or greater. Human characteristics may not exceed 18 at character creation.

Attributes

An adventurer’s attributes are derived from their characteristics. Round fractions down.

Hit Points

Hit Points (HP) describe how much physical damage a character can take before they lose consciousness or die. Maximum HP is the average of SIZ and STR, calculated as (SIZ + STR) / 2.

The Major Wound threshold is equal to Maximum HP divided by 3, rounded down. If current HP goes below this threshold, the character is penalized for physical actions. Also, if an injury equals or exceeds this threshold, the character may be partially disabled or fall unconscious. See Damage and Injury for more information.

Determination Points

Determination Points (DP) represent the mental fortitude of the character. This is the amount of mental or social damage a character can take before they lose all motivation and give up. Maximum DP is the average of CHA and INT, calculated as (CHA + INT) / 2.

The Major Doubt threshold is equal to Maximum DP divided by 3, rounded down. If current DP goes below this threshold, the character is penalized for most actions, or may become stunned. See Damage and Injury for more information.

Magic Points

Magic Points (MP) measure the amount of magical potency a character has. It allows them to manipulate the energy that flows from spirits and gods. When all MPs are exhausted, the character collapses and is in danger of possession from wicked spirits. Maximum MP is equal to POW.

Encumbrance

The ENC attribute specifies how much equipment a character can carry before they suffer from the weight and bulk of it. The value of ENC is the average of STR and CON, calculated as (STR + CON) / 2.

Movement

The MOV attribute specifies how much a character can move during a combat round, in meters. It is equal to the average of SIZ and DEX, calculated as (SIZ + DEX) / 2.

Initiatives

There are three types of initiative, for combat encounters, spirit encounters, and social encounters.

• Combat Initiative: average of DEX and INT, calculated as (DEX + INT) / 2.
• Spirit Initiative: average of POW and CHA, calculated as (POW + CHA) / 2.
• Social Initiative: average of CHA and INT, calculated as (CHA + INT) / 2.

Physical Damage Bonus

Large and strong character deal more damage than small or weak ones. Consult the following table for a physical damage bonus that adds to normal weapon damage.

STR+SIZ	Damage Bonus
0-24	0
25-32	+1D3
33-40	+1D6
41-56	+2D6
Each +16	Extra +1D6

Spirit and Social Damage

Physical damage is usually dealt with weapons, but spirit and social damage almost always comes from the character’s innate spiritual and charismatic power. Consult the following table for the character’s natural damage in spirit and social encounters:

CHA+POW / CHA+INT	Spirit / Social Damage
0-8	1D3
9-24	1D6
25-40	2D6
41-56	3D6
Each +16	Extra +1D6

Reputation and Status

Reputation measures how famous, or infamous, the adventurer is, and how often people may recognize who they are. The starting percentage ability score for Reputation is equal to CHA. The adventurer may have obtained extra points to this while rolling for their background.

Status measures the social class that the character belongs to. This is often tied to reputation and wealth, but not always. Roll on the following table to determine the character’s Status. Some previously acquired Background may offer modifiers to this roll.

D10	Status	Examples	Land	Wealth
1-2	5% (Unfree)	Slaves, war captives	None	1D6 C
3-6	20% (Semi-free)	Tenant farmers	1D10 × 10 + 10 aruras (not owned)	2D10 L
7-9	40% (Citizen)	Free farmers, artisans, traders	3D10 × 10 + 20 aruras	2D10 × 5 L
10	60% or more (Noble)	Landed aristocrats, priests	6D10 × 10 + 100 aruras	2D10 × 50 L

If Noble, roll another D10 on the following table:

D10	Noble Status Bonus
1-4	0
5-7	+5%
8-9	+10%
10	+15%

The player and gamemaster should figure out what sort of family the adventurer comes from, especially if of a noble status.

Note the character’s lands and wealth. Remember that this step defines the social class that the character comes from (in many case, that is the social class of their family). The gamemaster and player may of course alter the results as needed. For example, a character may be a destitute outcast of a noble family, or have a rags-to-riches personal history.

The player may trade off land for more wealth if owning land doesn’t suit the character concept (e.g. the character is a wandering priest). Note however that it’s common for owned land to actually be farmed by family members and/or vassals, so the character may not have to spend time on these lands.

Step 7: Skills

Skills represent what a character is good at – things they know and can do. Unlike characteristics which are generally innate, skills are generally learned. Semi-heroic characters are created with the following:

• Homeland and Culture Skills: Allocate 50 points across the adventurer’s homeland and culture skills. These are generally the skills the adventurer was taught during their childhood.

• Cult Skills: Allocate 75 points across your cult’s skills. These are skills the cult teaches members at their temples.

• Professional Skills: Allocate 100 points to the adventurer’s occupation skills. These are the skills the adventurer uses on a daily basis for their occupation.

• Extra Points: Allocate an extra 50 points across any skills.

• Lay Members: Characters with no cult get 25 extra points to allocate to any skills.

Starting characters should not have more than 80% in any given skill.

See the Skills chapter for the default list of skills.

Combat Tricks

If the optional combat tricks rule is used, a player may pick starting tricks now. The number of known tricks is based on the highest skill in each of the trick categories:

• Melee Combat Tricks: any melee weapon skill, Brawl, Shield, or Dodge.
• Ranged Combat Tricks: any ranged weapon skill.
• Social Combat Tricks: any Persuasion or Insight specialty skill.

If the skill is at 40% or above, the character may know one trick in the corresponding category. At 60% or above, they may get two tricks. At 80%, they may get a third trick.

See the Combat Tricks chater for a list of tricks.

Step 8: Runes

Glorantha was born from nothingness as a collection of abstract concepts that define the nature of the cosmos. These concepts have been formalized and captured by the people of Glorantha as “Runes”, of which there are many.

Pick four Runes for the adventurer. These are the Runes they have a particular affinity to. Ideally, two of these Runes are be the Runes of their chosen deity. The other two Runes are personal. With the approval of the gamemaster, a player may invent a new Rune for a well-defined concept.

Gloranthan Runes available at character creation are listed below:

• Power Runes: Life or Death, Movement or Stasis, Truth or Illusion, Harmony or Disorder.
• Elemental Runes: Darkness, Water, Earth, Fire/Sky, Air, and Moon.
• Form Runes: Man, Beast, Spirit.

The Power Runes are opposed in pairs, so a character with both sides of the pair is uncommon, although not impossible. It is also uncommon for a character to have more than one Form Rune.

Spend 240 points across the four chosen Runes. Starting characters should not have more than 80% in any given Rune.

For each Rune, the player should pick one of its “traits” as the one that comes out the most in the character’s personality and actions. See the [Runes][] chapter for more information.

Step 9: Magic

Everybody in Glorantha has access to some form of magic. Adults typically use Spirit Magic on a daily basis. This magic is provided by the spirits that inhabit everything in Glorantha, from the plants and the rivers, to the winds and the darkness. Many people also worship deities regularly, trading prayers and offerings for divine blessings. This is Rune Magic, a more powerful but more expensive form of magic.

• If the character has a cult, they get 4 points of Spirit Magic as personal magic picked among the cult’s favored spells. They also get 2 points of Rune Magic from the cult’s divine magic.

• If the character is of a Lodrili culture with no cult, they get 8 points of Spirit Magic as personal magic, picked among any spells except those reserved by a cult.

Points are spent for power levels. For instance, 4 points of Spirit Magic may buy Heal 4, or Heal 2 and Confuse (which is a power level 2 spell).

See the Magic chapter for full details.

Step 10: Wealth and Equipment

Adventurers get the equipment from their occupation for free. Each occupation also has a dice roll to determine the starting available wealth.

Players may spend some of this starting money to get additional equipment. See the Wealth and Equipment chapter for details.