Topic: How would you describe the "flavour" of Shadow World?

[egdcltd]

What makes an adventure "fit" Shadow World? How would you say that fit differs from other settings and systems?

[RandalThor]

What makes an adventure "fit" Shadow World? How would you say that fit differs from other settings and systems?

Interesting question. Kulthea, to me, is a high-fantasy setting. There are flying ships, dragon-lords, nigh-world spanning organizations, and some very extreme/unusual locations, as well as a seriously high-level meta-plot.

But, even through all that, there are those "normal" places: Villages, cities, towns, plains, forests, mountains, etc.. The combination of all these factors make it so that just about every type of adventure can be had. One week you can be tromping through a dismal marsh looking for the lost temple, and the next be caught up in a murder mystery in a large city.

To make an adventure "fit" Shadow World (or any setting, for that matter), just incorporate Kulthean locations, peoples, names, etc. (Of course, to make an adventure fit The Forgotten Realms, you don't use Kulthean information.... )

Plus, the old AD&D adventure, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks fits here much better than in The World of Greyhawk - the world is connected to the original (best  ) Spacemaster setting.

[Vince]

Maybe it's a medieval enviroment or background, like so many worlds that fit in the Sword&Magic setting. But it has special features like having in this medieval settings hints of the ancient and high techonological cultures that lived in the past. Jinteni, Worim and of course Althan. You can find items like guns, lasers, robots, cyborgs, vehicles...all that combined with some individuals that still lives from the age that this tech was usual.

There is also a huge amount of groups that have their own objectives. Each nation is well detailed with unique characteristics, that most of the other settings doesn't have in my opinion. Each group has people that don't share how to obtain their objectives, although they share the final objectives.

I usually don't have in our games high fantasy, you can play games with low magic, and i feel is the normal thing in most places.

Good setting really, the best i use.

[Ynglaur]

Plus, the old AD&D adventure, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks fits here much better than in The World of Greyhawk - the world is connected to the original (best  ) Spacemaster setting.

Is Kulthea the same as the Devonian planet mentioned in that Vegapol adventure (the one with the kidnapped woman)?  I think that was in the House Devon Campaign Module.

[markc]

 I think there is other threads like this one in the archives you might want to do a search there also.
MDC

[Cormac Doyle]

Plus, the old AD&D adventure, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks fits here much better than in The World of Greyhawk - the world is connected to the original (best  ) Spacemaster setting.

Is Kulthea the same as the Devonian planet mentioned in that Vegapol adventure (the one with the kidnapped woman)?  I think that was in the House Devon Campaign Module.

There IS overlap between the old SM and SW settings.

I haven't read "House Devon" in over 10 years, so I cannot remember if the specific adventure you are referencing is one of the overlaps, but it probably is.

[egdcltd]

The Starmistress of Ceril VII from House Devon was set on Kulthea.

Here's a thread:

http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php?topic=10927

In Time Riders, there's a timeline that integrates most ICE settings from the Game Which Must Not Be Named to Spacemaster.

[Ynglaur]

Thanks!  I don't have any Shadow World books, but I've always wondered about that...

On a semi-related note...are the Shadow World adventure and campaign modules relatively easy to convert to another world, or is their "flavor" heavy enough that it's hard to bring them over without losing a lot of content?

[RandalThor]

Many of them should be able to be converted to another world pretty-easily*, a few may take a little work because they are tied to the setting a bit more. (Cloudlords of Tanara, Demons of the Burning Night, etc..)

*Most Notably:
Tales of the Loremaster (both I & II) - Each has a few adventures, most of which are fine for transport to another setting.
Sky Giants of the Brass Stair - Abandoned Gold Mine, Dragon Guardian, etc..
Quellbourne, Land of the Silver Mist - More of a setting, but it does have a few adventures in there, though not complete ones. Still can be a good location.
Ogrillion Horror - A Lovecraftian horror-style adventure, so it can pretty-much anywhere - heck, with a little work it could be used for a modern/1920's Call of Cthulhu adventure.

[Vince]

Well, really Orgillion Horror doesn't fit Shadow World "flavour" at all, so it is strange to talk about converting it to another setting...

[RandalThor]

Well, really Orgillion Horror doesn't fit Shadow World "flavour" at all, so it is strange to talk about converting it to another setting...

What do you mean?!? It has "Shadow World" printed on its cover and everything.

[Ynglaur]

Thanks Randal.

[kmanktelow]

Well, really Orgillion Horror doesn't fit Shadow World "flavour" at all, so it is strange to talk about converting it to another setting...

What do you mean?!? It has "Shadow World" printed on its cover and everything.

Hi, All,

I've heard that the 'Orgillion Horror' was originally written for something like 'Call of Cthulhu'. And, it's interesting to note that the Destroyers of Nof-Keh haven't appeared in either the time-line or the 'Bestiaries' of the Third and Fourth Edition Atlases. Interestingly, neither are the Mind-Eaters.

They are however mentioned in the timeline etc, of the Emer Master Atlas (Boxed Set) and various other modules released around that time.

I assume that they are no longer considered canon- although they are found amongst the Agothu Servants: Destroyers section of 'Creatures & Monsters'.

So, I suppose it's up to the individual GM as to whether he want's to use them (personally, I loved my player panicking when attacked by my a group of Mind-Eaters- almost as much fun as running them into Shards!)

All the Best,

Kevin.

[egdcltd]

There's a demon called a Vlech (Mind-Eater) in SWMA 3 and 4.

[kmanktelow]

There's a demon called a Vlech (Mind-Eater) in SWMA 3 and 4.

Hi, egdcltd,

I didn't spot that in the creature descriptions! (Only looked at the stat lists- for Mind-Eater. )

I assume that theNoh-Kef came from the Orgillion Horror as there's no mention of either in the First Edition Master Atlas- which was published the same year. As they only appear to be located in souther Emer is that why they are not actually in the Master Atlas- but might appear again in one of the future Emer books?

All the Best,

Kevin.

[egdcltd]

I found the mind-eaters by searching my Works database, then going to the mentioned page. Which is where I found the name vlech.

The Noh-Kef don't appear to be mentioned in any of the canon, or near-canon books, so they may not appear again. Haven't properly read the Orgillion Horror, so don't know how interesting a monster they are. Could be worth a small article.

[Vince]

It is only my personal opinion, but as kmanktelow said this book is really a "Call of Cthulhu" adventure. If someone plays this , his opinion about what is the flavour of Shadow World would be very away from other canon books.

Just my opinion though.

[Marc R]

There's a list posted of which SW published material is Canon, and what is not, and I think that one is not. (I could be mistaken).

[egdcltd]

Here's the most recent list of canon books I think. The Player's Guide isn't listed, but it wasn't out. Orgillion is one of the definitely non-canon books, but it really is only a tiny area.

[pastaav]

Are not Schrek pretty much something ripped right out of the Cthulhu mythos? The name is the only thing that possible could be argued not be Cthulhu like.

I think plenty of elements in Shadow World are Cthulhu inspired. The reason for why Ogrillion Horror is not canon is probably more about difficulties with explaining why the groups this book does not spread than any difference in style between the settings.