The prophecies tell us that someday the god Balder - Odin's fair-haired and glowing son of innocence and light - will be slain by his half-brother, the cruel and ambitious Loki. Loki now writhes in chains in a secret chamber far below the earth, imprisoned by Odin and Thor in an attempt to stave off this predicted murder; for when Balder dies at Loki's hand, the final battle between giants and gods will commence. The best we can do is forestall this inescapable doom, called Ragnarok, by keeping Loki's forces in check. This we do with axe and sword, felling those who serve him, and those who stand in the way of this goal. Warriors who fight well will win the favor of the gods, gaining superhuman powers that ordinary men can only envy - but there are few gifts which do not come with a price. The world of Rune offers both danger and glory to young Viking warriors. Enormous serpents infest the seas, ready to wrap their tails around longships and drag their crews down to watery graves. Giants stride through mountain passes, their noses hungry for the smell of manflesh. Elves both light and dark dwell in woods too dense for men to survive. Deep in the mountains lie trackless miles of caverns and passageways, infested with all manner of creatures, from lowly but devious goblins to massive wyrms who can devour entire raiding parties without filling their monstrous bellies. In this land of Scandinavian myth, epic adventure awaits the brave at heart. The Rune RPG * a competitive roleplaying approach - characters earn victory points for their exploits, and a winner is declared at the end of every session * a group GM-ing experience - Rune's innovative encounter creation system encourages players to create skirmishes to insert in the larger plot of the adventure * stunning concept art from the Rune video game, courtesy of Human Head Studios