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Welcome to the inaugural ’5D Pop Culture Website RPG Pick Of The Week’ – and while it my not be a) The most prestigious award in the TTRPG community, or b) A snappy, concise award title – well, it will be something we take rather seriously at 5DHQ as we fastidiously wade through the plethora of weekly releases. And while there may be no prize, there is the knowledge that the winner has our undying love and adoration…..though not in a creepy way, obviously.
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PAVIS & BIG RUBBLE COMPANION (D.C.): VOL. 02: WELCOME TO OLD PAVIS – 1619 S.T.
‘The City that Time Forgot‘ is the second volume in a hugely expanded re-release of the original Companion series — 240 pages of Gloranthan goodness, compared to the 200 of Vol. 01.
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An ‘old school’ campaign, updated to the new rules system (RQG), yet in the classic style of RQ2 gameplay. Independent mercenaries seeking adventure and glory, who slowly but surely become more connected with the Cult of Pavis, until they end up as Champions of the Old City!
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Vol. 02 includes:
– Big expansions on the classic cults of Pavis, Flintnail and others;
– Oodles of information about the Manside Clans, the dwarfs of Old Pavis (inc. their bizarre weaponry), and the Priests of Pavis;
– Highly detailed guides and maps of the Real City and the New Flintnail Temple;
– A full Old Pavic Homeland background & character-generation section;
– A new multi-part scenario set in New Pavis and the Big Rubble; and
– The epic-length Part 02 of the scenario: Ghost in the Darkness that began in Vol. 01.
“I was one of the Players in the Australian run-through of Ian’s campaign, and I had a huge amount of fun. His ideas are a wonderful YGWV take on Old Pavis and the whole ‘Grand Plan’ idea.”
Andrew ‘Sergeant Barayl’ Bean(Chaosium Convention Coordinator in ANZ/APAC)
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PAVIS EXPERT
For about 18 months around the year 2000, Ian had detailed correspondence with Greg Stafford (creator of Glorantha and head of Issaries Inc. at that time) about the secrets of Old Pavis and the long-rumored ‘Pavis Grand Plan’.
An official Pavis Grand Plan adventure arc was formally discussed. Agreements were made on what could be in the fanzines, and what would be held back for professional publication.
In two consecutive years Ian was official Issaries Inc, ‘Pavis Expert’; in 2002 he won the Issaries Inc. award for best Gloranthan short story; and he was one of the writers for Storm Tribe: The Cults of Sartar.
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THE DIRECTOR’S CUT
At the same time as all of that, Ian was collaborating with Fabian of Tentacles Press, to publish his extensive 5-year (real-time) Pavis & Big Rubble campaign.
This resulted in eight books:
– An intro section in an issue of Ye Booke of Tentacles (YboT),
– Five stand-alone volumes, and
– Two Tradetalk special editions.
(Much of which has been out of print for quite some time.)
Since the official arc never came to fruition, this time round there will be no restraints on the unfolding ‘Grand Plan Reveals’ — eventually culminating in the Old City rising again! Already a few hints about it are included here in Vol. 02.
Until we have put all the pieces together (months more work still to go) we won’t know exactly how many volumes it will be, but a series of 8-10 is realistic.
As with the original series, the Director’s Cut is designed as an extension on the primary official Pavis & Big Rubble sourcebooks. You will need a version of each of those as the backdrop to this campaign, as well as ideally the RQG rulebook and Bestiary.
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THIS SERIES IS A COLLABORATION
The amount of work required to get this series revised, expanded and back out there has proved staggeringly beyond what I originally imagined.
HUGE gratitude to the volunteers assisting with proofing, stats, practical advice, formatting, and other helpful bits and pieces. Plus of course, those who collaborated originally who have given me permission to use their articles and art once again.
I absolutely couldn’t have produced this book without you wonderful people!
(All appropriately credited in the books themselves.)
Plus of course thanks to the Players in both versions of the campaign. Without their enthusiasm and immersion, very little of this would have emerged in the first place.
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VOL. 03 – THE RETURN OF THE GREY COMPANY
The next volume continues directly on from this book. More major Rubble locations, several New Pavis & Big Rubble scenarios, and a chapter of details on the Adventurers setting up as an independent mercenary band. (Estimated release date: July 2023.)
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Old Pavis: The City that Time Forgot (RuneQuest) can be accessed at the here for DriveThruRPG
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