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RuneQuest Starter Set Design Diary #16: cover artist Ossi Hiekkala's reaction to the RQ Starter Set

Posted by Michael O'Brien on 2nd Nov 2021

By Jason Durall, RuneQuest creative director

The Starter Set for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha is coming! Between now and its release later this year, RuneQuest creative director Jason Durall's Design Diary will share insights about the development of this exciting new boxed set which will introduce the RuneQuest RPG and Greg Stafford's mythic world of Glorantha to all-new audiences.

Guest post by Ossi Hiekkala, cover artist.

I must admit I got bit emotional when I opened the package and finally saw this. Who would have thought the 12-13 year old scrawny nerdy kid from Kuopio, Finland, of all the places, who bought the RuneQuest 3 boxed set sometime around 1987-88 as his first RPG, would illustrate the RQ Starter Set that will be out this month 2021? I certainly wouldn’t.

The set is ridiculously cheap (USD$29.99), especially when you consider the production value and all the stuff there is inside it. It is very heavy, and the cardboard is thick and sturdy. Everything screams ”quality”. 

Inside is only one another illustration from me, a smallish portrait.

If some awkward teenager sees the cover and gets interested, and decides to buy the game, starting a new lifelong hobby, I can say in earnest I have done something good in this life. Happy gaming!

Order from Chaosium or support your local store by asking them to order the set*.

*Release date is November 10. If you would like to be informed the moment the RuneQuest Starter Set is released on November 10th, please sign up to our email list and we'll message you when it's available to order!