Coming in 2026: Greg Stafford's long-anticipated Gloranthan novel, A Pyre for Gods and Heroes
Posted by Michael O'Brien on 31st Dec 2025
Glorantha, 411 S.T.
A generation ago, the sun stopped in the sky. By the time it began moving again, the world had been changed. A new god had been born. A new empire risen...
In the barren hills between Dragon Pass and Prax, those who reject the new ways live scattered and hunted. Soon, they will be extinct. For the worship of their chief deity, Orlanth, is forbidden, and without him, an entire generation of boys will never become men. Any who attempt the ancient rites of passage die.
Against this stands an outlaw, Vargast Redhand, and a boy who will change the world of Glorantha forever.
That boy’s name is Harmast Barefoot.
Experience Greg Stafford’s legendary world of Glorantha a whole new way! A Pyre for Gods and Heroes, Greg’s long-anticipated novel, takes you back to Glorantha’s First Age, and into the early career of one of the fabled setting’s greatest heroes.
Special Leatherette Limited Edition for Collectors!
A Pyre for Gods and Heroes will initially be released as a special edition for collectors, as part of Chaosium's 50th anniversary celebrations. This leatherette limited edition will be individually numbered. The cover design, depicting the Gloranthan constellation Orlanth's Ring, is by Chaosium’s Monika Godyń. Monika's stunning leatherette design work can be seen on such Chaosium special edition titles as Cthulhu by Gaslight, Call of Cthulhu: Arkham, and the Pendragon Magnum Opus edition.
If you’d like to be informed when the special collector limited edition goes on sale, sign up with your email address here and you’ll be first to know!
A Pyre for Gods and Heroes
- Publisher: Chaosium
- Author: Greg Stafford
- Additional Development: Jeff Richard, Andrew Logan Montgomery
- Foreword: Rick Meints
- Editor: Susan O'Brien
- Leatherette Cover Design: Monika Godyń
- Page Count: 440
- Format: Special Limited Edition Leatherette (indivudally numbered), to be followed by US Trade Paperback, e-book, Kindle, Audible.
- Year of Release: 2026
Greg Stafford's A Pyre for Gods and Heroes will be the first release in a new RuneQuest Fiction line from Chaosium.
Read an Excerpt from Greg’s Novel!
About Greg Stafford
Acclaimed as one of the greatest game designers of all time, Greg Stafford (1948-2018) founded game publisher Chaosium in 1975, and from the outset (to quote his own words) “was never content to imitate, but instead published games that were original in their style of play, content and design”. Under Greg’s leadership, the company quickly became renowned for its originality and creativity, releasing tabletop roleplaying games including RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, and Pendragon that have continued to have enduring popularity, critical acclaim, and widespread appeal for decades. As a friend, mentor, guide, and inspiration to generations of gamers, “the Grand Shaman of Gaming” influenced the universe of tabletop gaming beyond measure. RuneQuest is set in the mythic world of Glorantha, Greg’s own original creation.
A Pyre for Gods and Heroes is Greg Stafford’s first published novel.
About Glorantha
Glorantha is one of the oldest and most influential fantasy role-playing settings: a world made by the gods but shaped by the deeds of mortals, where magic is part of everyday life and mythology is the basis of reality. A magnum opus of legendary designer Greg Stafford, Glorantha is the mythic Bronze Age setting for the RuneQuest tabletop roleplaying game, the video games King of Dragon Pass and RuneQuest: Warlords, and board games including White Bear and Red Moon, Dragon Pass, Khan of Khans, and Glorantha: The Gods War.
Greg Stafford began accumulating Glorantha's myths, legends, and other lore in 1966.