Citizens of the Lunar Empire
is a sourcebook for RuneQuest. It was written and published by Chris Gidlow in January 2021 under the Jonstown Compendium community content program.
CotLE is notable for its mundane focus. Rather than the great heroes and wars of Glorantha, it describes a single insula—an apartment block housing lower-middle-class inhabitants of the Lunar Empire. Housewives, petty thieves, merchants, and private detectives share the insula's neighbourhood, filling out a peaceful 'home base' for Lunar PCs and providing natives' perspectives on the Lunar Way. CotLE includes adventure hooks as well as worldbuilding—the insula's location in Glamour, capital of the diverse and deluded Lunar Empire, ensures it sees its share of arson and riots.
This book provides examples of:
- Black Market: As well as a Black Market, Glamour has a Blue Market of legally dubious items (resold overstock, monopoly-breaking, fradulent, etc.) caused by the Empire's complex and ever-fluctuating trade laws. Many Lunar authorities know about it, but turn a blind eye either because they profit from it, use it as an economic training ground, or understand that its existence forestalls much worse societal problems.
- Genius Loci: The insula's wyter, a gargoyle-shaped water spirit named Laelaps, magically influences its inhabitants towards harmony and fights against intruding disease spirits.
- Private Eye Monologue: Strello's character blurb consists of two. Naturally, the second includes alcoholism and a gorgeous dame.
- Sewer Gator: Cultists of the river god Oslira regularly patrol Glamour's sewers in search of crocodiles.
- Uptown Girl: The private "informer" (Lunar word for 'detective') Strello has requited affections for Faleria, a senator's eldest daughter. Since he'd need ten thousand imperials just to be considered for her hand, those affections will probably go unconsummated...unless something really dramatic and adventure-worthy happens.
- War Hero: The Janitrix, of all people. After her stint as a Vexillaria in the Mother's Guard, she was honorably discharged and rewarded with a rent-free apartment note to enjoy in perpetuity. However, she enjoys keeping busy and spends most of her time mopping the insula's floors and helping its residents. All of them love her.She has spent a lifetime in the service of Death and it is time now to devote herself to Life.
