Cults of RuneQuest: The Lunar Way - Hardcover

In a way I've been looking forward to this entry in the Cults of Runequest series the most. The Lightbringers and Earth Goddesses cover most of the cults a PC might be likely to initiate to, but I've always been a little tempted by the 'other' side. This volume presents 15 Lunar cults, a history of the Lunar Empire, as introduction to Lunar sorcery and some material on Nysalorian Illumination. The book is probably essential for any GM intending to explore Imperial entanglements in a game and definitely for any game with Lunar PCs. And, as always, the art and production values are top notch.

This is the first Cults book that really gives a view into a world outside Dragon Pass. Really excellent.

Fantastic. This is exatly what I need from my new campaign.

A hole new light upon glorantha, so so so many fantastic info

At the time of writing this review the physical book has not yet arrived in the UK warehouse, so I bought the pdf and within a day received a voucher discounting the price off the physical product: an excellent Chaosium offer if you buy direct. If you buy the physical book you will receive the pdf immediately as always. For some reason physical books and pdf versions are on different pages of the Chaosium webpage so keep looking if you can't see it. Obviously if you play RuneQuest and don't have this book you will want it, probably after Lightbringers and the Earth Goddesses. Those books are foundational to understanding the culture of Sartar; this book really explains the mindset of their enemies, the Lunar Empire. So is it really essential? No but it is very, very interesting and you will want it. If you have Lunar PCs I'd say yes it's essential. Have we seen it before? I believe i have pretty much every Chaosium RQ release that was not a convention book or auction or high kickstarter level and have been playing since the eighties. Much is familiar and yet there was plenty to surprise and delight me so even long time glorantha fans should find enough to justify purchase. So what has changed? Well within the Glowline Lunar magic functions as if it was Half Moon Day not Full Moon Day. That's a change from White Bear Red Moon and Dragon Pass the boardgames but it makes more sense in the history of an oft invaded Empire. YGMV. What's not in the book? The White Moon movement is sparsely covered: this is something I'd love to see more on, but i guess it might not meet the Cult format? Also there are no Blue Moon cults (well apart from Jalakeel maybe?) that presumably will appear in the Darkness book. I was hoping for something on She Who Waits but she remains as mysterious as ever. Maybe the Darkness book will contain hints? Also a number of minor Lunar cults and religions from the Heroquest Imperial Lunar Handbook number 2 along with the radiances and so forth have been scrapped. There is a clear Canon and it has repudiated those. What is covered? Everything you might want or need to know about the Lunar Faith for the vast majority of campaigns. The Moon, the Red Emperor, the Red Goddess, as well as the Seven Mothers, Honeel (far more interesting and sympathetic than earlier depictions), Hwarin Dalthipa, the Crimson Bat, Yana Aranis etc etc. I've read it cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it, and it has opened up new possibilities for me in terms of running a Lunar based campaign perhaps set in Furthest. I found no typos or obvious errors apart from two or three instances of missing spaces. Editing was very well done. Artwork is consistently of high quality with a very 1950 to 1985 tone in terms of overall design and colour palette. I did not test the pdf for accessibility. Overall 10/10. I'm glad i bought the pdf and will certainly buy the book, and gamer or Gloranthaphile there is plenty for you; if I have one criticism it is Lunar Sorcery deserves far more treatment (in the Sorcery book i expect) and that sadly Lunar magic is weak compared with the other pantheons. CJ, May 2024