How much do you have to know about Glorantha, and how much do you need to know about other games/books... etc set in it, in order to enjoy King of Dragon Pass?

Is it like Forgotten Realms to Baldur's Gate where knowing the setting might be beneficial but not required, or is it like Star Wards to KOTOR, where if you don't know the setting you'll miss out on a lot of the references?

Everything you need to know is contained in the game. You don't need any outside knowledge at all - although you need to pay attention to the in-game text. Everything is pretty much explained to you - coming in with outside knowledge does help a little though.

Well, pretty much every game is like that ;)

I'm sure everything you need to play, understand and finish the game is in the game itself. I'm more concerned about your enjoyment of the subtleties of setting/story being affected by having no knowledge of the world . You said "outside knowledge does help a little". In what way?

You might know some things about the game that would otherwise require trial and error. For example - don't fuck with the ducks!

I played it for a bit (not too long, but long enough to get a feel for the game) and quite enjoyed it, and I never even realised it was set in some kind of wider universe...

So I'd say you should be fine, I don't think I ever felt like I was missing out on anything.

Thanks, both.

All that fertile land though ...

Don't. Fuck. With. The. Ducks.

OK, now I'm really curious. I think I know the first thing I'll do when I play King of Dragon Pass...

Reorganize your council ring, obviously. ;)

Sorry for the bump. I'm just finishing my first Short Game, and now that I played it, can you elaborate a bit on the "don't fuck with the ducks" part?

I raided them, then decided to be friendly (since my ancestors didn't fight with beastmen) and opened a trade route and sent a gift or two. One or two events involved them where I just chose the friendliest option since I was close to making a tribe. In one event I killed a bunch of adventurers (really felt bad about it later - as myself; not in-game) that included a duck. And that's practially it.

Is there more to ducks?They seemed just like another clan to me.

if i remember rightly, different choices with them can have them at your throat and it doesnt work out well for you.