Pavis County & Beyond: Secrets of the Borderlands (RuneQuest)

Publisher: Chaosium

PAVIS & BIG RUBBLE COMPANION (D.C.): VOL. 03: WELCOME TO PAVIS COUNTY – 1620 S.T.

[The ‘Pavis Grand Plan’ campaign, developed with the assistance of Greg Stafford]

** with full-color illustrations by Dario Corallo **

‘Secrets of the Borderlands’ is the third volume in a hugely expanded re-release of the original Companion series.

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!

Vol. 03 includes:

– A large piece on life in Pavis County, and details of one of its clans

– Homeland Adventurer-creation details for the Pavis County Dorasings;

– Dorasing Cults of Barntar, Ernalda, Argan Argar, Vinga, Minlister & Bolgarga the Smuggler;

– Pavic Cult of Teloth the Bandit;

– The Pavis County Donandari Entertainers’ Guild;

– A large article on the Zebra Tribe & its gods & spirits, plus full Homeland Adventurer-creation details;

– New scenarios in the Grantlands working for Duke Raus;

– A large 2-part scenario tracking a mysterious Lunar mystic across Sun County to a deadly EWF ruin;

– New color maps & gazetteers for Old Fort, Indagos, Garhound, Sun Dome Town, Corflu & others;

– RQG Stats for various good folk and antagonists alike;

– Bonus appendix of expansion notes for the classic ‘Borderlands’ campaign. (You will need to own ‘Borderlands’ for this section to be of any use to you.)

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.

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.

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.

VOL. 04 – THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE ROWDY

With a working title of ‘The Return of the Grey Company’, this next book includes details on various inhabitants of the Old City, including the Yelornans, Elves, and Mani’s Clan. The scenarios will focus almost exclusively on the Big Rubble, and incorporate detailed locations such as the Old Mint, Zebra Fort, and Kakstan’s Art Museum. Various other interesting groups will be detailed too, such as the Black Fang, the Rowdy Gang and of course the famous Grey Company itself! (Estimated release date: Nov/Dec. 2023.)

Price: $18.00