Topic: Ask Andraax

[espardenyer]

-Dear Andraax: "A Portal opens on the plains of Miir in Haestra and
three beings from another time and place emerge. They
are the Dreamlords. They depart for the East"
-During your travels you have been able to know them?
-What are their motivations and plans for the present and future?

   

[Terry K. Amthor]

-Dear Andraax: "A Portal opens on the plains of Miir in Haestra and
three beings from another time and place emerge. They
are the Dreamlords. They depart for the East"
-During your travels you have been able to know them?
-What are their motivations and plans for the present and future?

Indeed, seeker Espardenyer, I have met the dreamlords. They currently reside on a small island in the heart of Thuul, after some journeys through the world. I am not certain of their intentions, except that they are not hostile to Kulthea, and are refugees. As for their origins, they come from another world; a planet if you will. They are immortal, but not of the Elven-kind of this world. Beyond that, I cannot say.

[Guillaume]

Dear Mr. Andraax,
All I want for........

Seriously, what edition(s) of the Shadow World Master Atlas had that beautiful (but frail) 3'x4' poster map?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Hah hah, no I am not Santa (though readers of Loremaster Legacy last saw me at the South Pole, close? I suppose not). At any rate, if memory serves, the 3x4' map in one sheet was only released with the original 1st edition Atlas boxed set. And, it was pretty sturdy; heavy paper with a UV coating. I think that the map was also included in the second edition book, but printed in two halves. In the Third Edition, the map is in many parts, bound-in. The 4th Edition states that it includes a color map, but my comp copy did not have one, so I have no information on that.

--Andraax.

As a proud owner of all of them I can confirm. Single Sturdy sheet for First Edition, Two sheets ( not sturdy ) for Second. Tiny Bits for Third and a Single much reduced ( between A3 and A2 sheet size, 4 pages in size more or less ) for Fourth Edition.

The First Edition poster Map while being on sturdy paper doesn't cope well with being unfolded and folded again, shears appears at the folds.


Dear Andraax, Are you V'Gliin that appears in the Adventure called the Heart of K'Ta'Viir ?
and while we are talking of the Heart, is it the Shadowstone ? and is the complex around the Heart the place where you hid it far away from Kulthea

( sorry, I had to ask it  )

[Terry K. Amthor]

Dear Mr. Andraax,
All I want for........

Seriously, what edition(s) of the Shadow World Master Atlas had that beautiful (but frail) 3'x4' poster map?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Hah hah, no I am not Santa (though readers of Loremaster Legacy last saw me at the South Pole, close? I suppose not). At any rate, if memory serves, the 3x4' map in one sheet was only released with the original 1st edition Atlas boxed set. And, it was pretty sturdy; heavy paper with a UV coating. I think that the map was also included in the second edition book, but printed in two halves. In the Third Edition, the map is in many parts, bound-in. The 4th Edition states that it includes a color map, but my comp copy did not have one, so I have no information on that.

--Andraax.

As a proud owner of all of them I can confirm. Single Sturdy sheet for First Edition, Two sheets ( not sturdy ) for Second. Tiny Bits for Third and a Single much reduced ( between A3 and A2 sheet size, 4 pages in size more or less ) for Fourth Edition.

The First Edition poster Map while being on sturdy paper doesn't cope well with being unfolded and folded again, shears appears at the folds.


Dear Andraax, Are you V'Gliin that appears in the Adventure called the Heart of K'Ta'Viir ?
and while we are talking of the Heart, is it the Shadowstone ? and is the complex around the Heart the place where you hid it far away from Kulthea

( sorry, I had to ask it  )

Hmm, where is this Heart of K'ta'viir adventure published? My memory is not what it was.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Dear Mr. Andraax,
All I want for........

Seriously, what edition(s) of the Shadow World Master Atlas had that beautiful (but frail) 3'x4' poster map?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Hah hah, no I am not Santa (though readers of Loremaster Legacy last saw me at the South Pole, close? I suppose not). At any rate, if memory serves, the 3x4' map in one sheet was only released with the original 1st edition Atlas boxed set. And, it was pretty sturdy; heavy paper with a UV coating. I think that the map was also included in the second edition book, but printed in two halves. In the Third Edition, the map is in many parts, bound-in. The 4th Edition states that it includes a color map, but my comp copy did not have one, so I have no information on that.

--Andraax.

As a proud owner of all of them I can confirm. Single Sturdy sheet for First Edition, Two sheets ( not sturdy ) for Second. Tiny Bits for Third and a Single much reduced ( between A3 and A2 sheet size, 4 pages in size more or less ) for Fourth Edition.

The First Edition poster Map while being on sturdy paper doesn't cope well with being unfolded and folded again, shears appears at the folds.


Dear Andraax, Are you V'Gliin that appears in the Adventure called the Heart of K'Ta'Viir ?
and while we are talking of the Heart, is it the Shadowstone ? and is the complex around the Heart the place where you hid it far away from Kulthea

( sorry, I had to ask it  )

re the maps, yes I was lucky enough to have a few copies of the big map, and I had one dry-mounted on a thick black gatorboard with matte lamination back when I worked at a print place. The creases aren't too bad.   It's hanging above my desk with maps of Jaiman and Emer, for reference.

[egdcltd]

Hmm, where is this Heart of K'ta'viir adventure published? My memory is not what it was.

The Lost Telepaths, p35.

[Guillaume]

As egdcltd wrote it's hiding in the Spacemaster campaign Lost Telepath.

It dates from long long ago. ( being a SM First Edition campaign )

[Terry K. Amthor]

Dear Andraax, Are you V'Gliin that appears in the Adventure called the Heart of K'Ta'Viir ?
and while we are talking of the Heart, is it the Shadowstone ? and is the complex around the Heart the place where you hid it far away from Kulthea

( sorry, I had to ask it  )

Ah, I know of this V'glin, he was a regional lord of our ancient empire, and for a time he considered challenging Kadaena. He had a powerful Psionic enhancer forged for himself, but it did not compare to the Heart in raw power. Plus, away from Kulthea, such items would only have psionic/telepathy powers.

You may also want to see League of Merchants, featuring two other K'ta'viiri, who were offworld when the Eyes were put in place, and escaped capture, placing themselves in chronagenic sleep.

--Andraax

[munchy]

Terry, how did/do you imagine the Zor Wastes and Zor before it became the wastelands? Architectural like ancient Egypt or Sumeria or like south American cultures, Greek, Roman?
My campaign might soon be heading that direction and I was wondering what the ruins or non-ruined ancient empty town might look like.
Also, are the wastelands like the Sahara, i.e. lots of sand, or is it more rocks and dust?

[Guillaume]

Also, are the wastelands like the Sahara, i.e. lots of sand, or is it more rocks and dust?

I think you have a sample of the Current Zor Wastes here : http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php?action=tpmod;dl=item760
From it's location I'd say that it's more like a nearly desert steppe like some places in central Asia/China. Now Andraax probably knows more about it.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Terry, how did/do you imagine the Zor Wastes and Zor before it became the wastelands? Architectural like ancient Egypt or Sumeria or like south American cultures, Greek, Roman?
My campaign might soon be heading that direction and I was wondering what the ruins or non-ruined ancient empty town might look like.
Also, are the wastelands like the Sahara, i.e. lots of sand, or is it more rocks and dust?

Actually, I am going to cover this in the upcoming Wuliris module (which I am actually working on today), which will include ruins of three cities on the eastern edge of Zor! As for the waste itself, it's still pretty much complete desolation in the area around Verzor (ground zero), but further out is is more like a desert plain environment with some hardy flora/fauna. And scary wild people...

[RandalThor]

Terry, how did/do you imagine the Zor Wastes and Zor before it became the wastelands? Architectural like ancient Egypt or Sumeria or like south American cultures, Greek, Roman?
My campaign might soon be heading that direction and I was wondering what the ruins or non-ruined ancient empty town might look like.
Also, are the wastelands like the Sahara, i.e. lots of sand, or is it more rocks and dust?

As far as the architecture goes, I am hoping it is more high-fantasy than based off of some Earth-culture. Like the Dragon Lord's Citadel, exotic and unearthly are descriptive terms I would love to be able to use when describing them to players. Sort of like some of the city-states in Dark Sun; sure some of them were direct rip-offs of ancient Earth styles (Aztec, Babylonian, Greek, etc...), but others were not quite so much. Of course, there are going to be similarities, everyone involved in creating these things were human - I am assuming.  Just, lets try to not be so obvious and familiar, lets be a bit strange and "out-there."

[markc]

 IMHO Nano Tec Architecture is a good use of the tiny machines and can really leave a big impression of those of lower TL then you.
MDC

[egdcltd]

How many people, approximately, live in Sel-kai, Haalkitaine and, before the disaster, Kaitaine?

[Terry K. Amthor]

How many people, approximately, live in Sel-kai, Haalkitaine and, before the disaster, Kaitaine?

The last number I mentioned for Sel-kai was around TEI 6000, and that was 150,000. I would guess Kaitaine to be about the same. Haalkitaine is less, maybe 50-60,000. Lethys probably has a larger population that Haalkitaine.

[egdcltd]

Regarding the city maps in Emer I (and I suppose Emer II excluding Sel-kai) what sort of scale are they drawn at?

[Terry K. Amthor]

Regarding the city maps in Emer I (and I suppose Emer II excluding Sel-kai) what sort of scale are they drawn at?

Your author was indeed extremely remiss about putting scales on things in the 1st editions; however I have been assured by Amthor that there will be maps on all the layouts and cities in the new editions.

[RandalThor]

Haalkitaine is less, maybe 50-60,000. Lethys probably has a larger population that Haalkitaine.

Looking at the (very cool) full color map of that city gets me to thinking that it cannot hold quite so many people, perhaps only 15-20,000 tops. Unless there are lots of multi-level buildings that I don't know about... or that number includes the inhabitants of several levels of dungeons beneath the city.

[BeggarKing (Thomas)]

Dear Terry,

Where can I buy copies of Jaiman: land of Twilight? Former roommates have lifted my copies from me, and I dearly miss thumbing through them.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Haalkitaine is less, maybe 50-60,000. Lethys probably has a larger population that Haalkitaine.

Looking at the (very cool) full color map of that city gets me to thinking that it cannot hold quite so many people, perhaps only 15-20,000 tops. Unless there are lots of multi-level buildings that I don't know about... or that number includes the inhabitants of several levels of dungeons beneath the city.

I have been pondering the populations as well, and thinking that the numbers might be high for all of those cities.