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SpeedRune is a rules-lite ancient world fantasy game.

  • Make a character in moments. Everything you need is on a single sheet of paper. Roll a d100 under your skills and use powerful rune magic.
  • GM assistance inspired by OSR and PbtA principles; the GM never rolls, freeing them up to move the story forward and create exciting consequences to player action.
  • A seasonal campaign structure with prompts and GM resources. Start small in spring, then watch consequences ripple until a climax in Storm Season.
  • Venture into myth itself! Go on transcendent heroquests to remake the world and cement your views into reality.
  • With amazing art by A. Degen.
  • Inspired by Sledgehammer and Cybermetal 2012.

Want more SpeedRune? There are three full campaigns, each with optional rules and extra character options:

  • The Ironheart Wars. Iron-eating werewolf heretics, drinking with ducks, and all-out war in the heart of a god.
  • The Night Queen's Nuptials. Rampaging elf-trees, a parade of demons, and a wedding in the Underworld.
  • Unidentified Mineral Scriptures. When stones bearing unknown inscriptions start appearing from nowhere, heroes will have to descend to the depths of time to find a solution.

And if you need lore or myths, check out the digital SpeedRune encyclopedia, On Grazing & Shepherding. Always growing, always changing.

Read a review of SpeedRune here (and one in French here).

On the print file: Print it two-sided on some cheap paper (flip on the short edge). Keep each booklet separate, and use the cover as a little folder. Write on it! Scribble things out.


StatusReleased
CategoryPhysical game
Rating
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
(48 total ratings)
AuthorAaron King
Tagsglorantha, OSR, rules-light, runequest, sledgehammer

Download

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Click download now to get access to the following files:

speedrune-digital.pdf 13 MB
speedrune-print.pdf 9.5 MB

Development log

Comments

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Hey! Woulda emailed you this but I don't see an email contact. Can I pay you for this some other way than Paypal? I want to give you money for it but can't use Paypal. Thanks!

Right now, itch.io is the only way I can accept money for this. But since PayPal doesn't work for you, don't worry about it! Download it for free, print it out, give it away, whatever you want!

Bummer. I'm new to itch, didn't realize Paypal was the only way. Thanks for your work!

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Is there a file with the same cover page as in the picture above (the real sword)? Found that one more stylish, but in my (free) copy it's different.

And huge thanks for this, sir. As a fan of Glorantha who always struggled with it's historically complex rules, and a fan of Pbta and OSR to boot, this is superb.

That was the cover of the first edition. I think i still have the file on my computer; I'll upload it tomorrow! And thank you for the kind words. There are a whole bunch of supplements to the game in the SpeedRune Jam! https://itch.io/jam/speedrune-jam

Thanks, Aaron. I'll try redownloading it later then. And I'll take a look at the jam too. 

I'm considering getting all the supplements as soon as my (short, atm) budget permits. Which one would you say is the most helpful for adapting/supporting a typical RQ game in Dragon Pass? (besides the awesome material already contained in the basic game, that is).

Here's a link to the version with the old cover: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10N1r5rjWMCUHc6oW7sfGim9MFxdwt_6C/view?usp=shari...

The supplements are each year-long campaigns. A few have new rules/procedures (like running extended large battles), but none of that is vital, and a lot of it is a conscious step away from RuneQuest lore, being inspired by other books and games.

If you want to run Dragon Pass stuff, I honestly think your best bet is to get the Chaosium supplements for the region and do some quick conversions.

This game is super cool. Currently playing in a PbP game and having a great time.

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Ryne forever! If I could, I would give you a free re-roll in the game.

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I LOVE this! Your design choices are superb.
I was always intimidated by RuneQuest, but with this I will have something that might itch the scratch and provide a much more accessible AND more interesting system for me.
I feel immediately at home with this, truly inspirational.
Thank you!

Thank you so much! And don't give up on RuneQuest; lots of the adventures and worldbuilding stuff are great for use in SpeedRune. And if you ever get it to the table and/or write some extra content, please let me know!

This game is incredible. The world feels real in a way that doesn't quite make sense considering all the magic and the 6 seasons. It kind of makes me think it's the world that our ancestors probably thought their world was like. 

Thanks for the kind words!

Tremendous new interior art

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Yes, it's so good! I've loved Degen's comics for years, so it was a real dream to get to work with him on this.

Very interesting reading, I wrote a review in french.

https://uzzgame.wordpress.com/2023/01/19/jouer-dans-glorantha-avec-speedrune/

This is a very insightful review! I left a more detailed comment there. Thank you so much.

Good stuff got better. I love the new art :) BTW is there a way to contact you outside Twitter ? You can send me a message through my website.

Esto es muy bueno!!

no veo las horas de armar una mesa con mis amigues!


Gracias!