Rules Overview
Taking Damage
During the Battle of Dangerford, Vasana will undoubtedly be injured and will undoubtedly injure other people. In RuneQuest, whenever damage is dealt to a creature, it strikes a specific “hit location” such as an arm, head, or wing. The damage is reduced by the armor of the hit location, unless otherwise specified, and it is then applied to both the hit location’s hit points, and to the total hit points of the affected creature.
Damage in RuneQuest can be incredibly dangerous. It can lead to scars, missing limbs, unconsciousness, and even instant death. For this scenario, the mechanics have been simplified to a few key conditions, while still keeping the deadly heart of RuneQuest combat intact.
Unconscious: When Vasana’s total hit points are reduced to 1 or 2, she falls unconscious. While unconscious, she is vulnerable to enemy attacks. Unless someone comes to her aid, she will be swiftly captured or killed.
Compromised: If any of Vasana’s limbs are reduced to 0 hit points, they are considered compromised. An arm so compromised cannot wield an item, and anything it carried is dropped. If a leg or abdomen are compromised, Vasana drops prone. She cannot do anything else that round, attacks she makes are at half their normal success chance, and attacks against her increase their success chance by +40%. If Vasana’s head or chest hit locations are compromised, she immediately falls unconscious.
Dead: If Vasana’s total hit points are ever reduced to 0, she dies.
Healthy: As long as none of the previous criteria are met, Vasana is able to continue fighting and is considered healthy, even if she has bandaged wounds, bruises, aches, etc.
Experience Checks
In RuneQuest, successful use of abilities merits the chance for experience and improvement. Throughout this adventure, you will make many rolls for Vasana’s skills, Passions, and other abilities. On a successful roll, check the experience box next to the ability, if one exists. If there is no box, the ability cannot be increased through experience. If the ability is already checked, do not check it again.
See Experience on page 17 in Book 1: Rules of the RuneQuest Starter Set for more information.
Battle Result Total
For this scenario, Vasana’s impact on the Battle of Dangerford is measured using a tally. Rather than dealing damage to one of the hundreds of warriors on the Lunar side, and tracking the individual blows, wounds, and other minutiae, the Battle Result Total (BRT) is a general guide for Vasana’s effect on the enormous conflict. A tracker for BRT is included in the tools below. At the end of the scenario, Vasana’s BRT will determine the battle’s outcome, and she will be rewarded accordingly. Some actions, while strategically efficient, will break the traditional rules of engagement.
You must balance your ability to keep tradition, preserve Vasana’s all-important “Honor” value, and manage the practical aspects of the combat ahead. Take a brief look at Vasana’s adventurer sheet and examine the dice roller tool below. When you are ready, begin.
