Topic: Jaiman vs. Emer

[vroomfogle]

What's your favorite Shadow World continent?    I titled this Jaiman vs Emer as I suspect most will like one or the other, but if not - which of the other continents captures your fansy?

While Jaiman certainly has it's positives I'm an Emer kind of guy.  Emer's got Sel-kai and Eidolon, the Lankani, Nuyani and the Kuluku, and the Chagramai monastery.  Emer may only have 1 D.L. but Voriig's the best (hmm, drul lives in Emer too perhaps?), and it's also home to everyone's favorite secret society. It's also got the great history and ruins of the The Emerian Empire and the Titans. 

Sure Jaiman has those crowns, the Mur Fostisyr, those pesky Arnak Priests, and the Duranaki.      Plus, for those of you who aren't hot on elves, it seems to have fewer elven enclaves then Emer...on the other hand at least one town in Emer (Niev) has made it illegal to be an elf so perhaps Emer wins that one.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Heh, well I credit Niev to good old Pete Fenlon, who in a ME campaign many years ago, let us wander into a town where it was illegal to be an elf. Somehow my character was convicted on at least 2 counts of 'being an elf' (how did that happen?) and was to be beheaded... I don't remember what happened after that!

Jaiman and Emer are very different places in so many ways (and that was intentional) but I hope the upcoming module will reignite some interest in Jaiman. Then I think... Emer 3.
 How many years has it been? Let me count the reasons...

[yammahoper]

Emer.  Heck, I ran a campaign for two years out of Kataine and the Island of Cyros alone.

lynn

[Rasyr-Mjolnir]

Personally, I have always liked Govon, the Star Crown Empire...

[Vince]

It isn't a question you can answer with a short answer, and the better of it, is that you don't have to; you can change. Right now, after our last game ( 3 of a party of five killed and myself blinded by Dansart Forces), i am thinking of giving a bit of ground between me and Dansart; we believe Osaran will like to continue his vengance against us. So, this is what i like of Shadow World and our way of playing. I can decide to change what we are doing, and go to Emer to see another adventures. This feeling that i love that i can really move my way, and not only drive through the GM's encased highway.

Returning to the esence of the question, Emer for represent somehow the Wild West, more games changing totally from town to town, with each country has their particular culture, troubles and laws. Jaiman is more a kind of Europe, too dominated by Rhakhaan and the Crowns, yes sure you can play in Saralis, Urulan or the adventure that is on the Guild Aventurer, but  sometimes this themes will be in the game.

I had played more in Jaiman , but i like both. Right now i will say Emer is best, because is bigger but problably most  because i had played too much in Jaiman lately and i like to change.

[Koraq]

Govon is my favourite as well, since that was where my last SW game took place.

Choosing between Emer and Jaiman I feel Emer is so much more interesting, since it's bigger and leave more room for the players to carve out an empire.

Emer III! Yes, please!

[mathhatt]

I mostly play in Emer. Emer III please !!!

[Witchking20k]

I just handed over my Jaiman material to another GM so he could switch from Emer to Jaiman.  His complaint....not enough material to take the edgoe off planning......

If you're like me and short on time, Jaiman is better......Quellebourn, Norek, Haalkitaine, Orgillion manor, Demons of the Burning night, the Cyclops Vale (i think), and most of the other published material is in Jaiman: making it easier to run over all.  Just enough is fleshed out to provide frame work, and still Saralis and a bunch of other stuff is open for your own stories....plus I like the "intrigue" level in Jaiman wher e there are at least 3 forces (lorgalis, sulthon, and Haalkitaine) sparring....

That being said, i like the actual writing in the Emer material better if that makes sense.

And,for the record, Sulthon N'Shang is the best DL.   

[Der Graumantel]

I like Jaiman better.

Yes it is a bit of old europe and thats great. I like to start my camaingns with a connection from our world and the fantasy world, something they are instinctivly familiar with. Rhakhaan is ideal for that with its english flavour.

Of course, I had to translate that into german flavour for my players .

Ixbridge = Ixbruck
Gryphonburgh = Greifenburg
Novington = N?wingen
Count Trollsbridge = Graf Trollsbr?ck
Jhoernagh = Jh?rnakh
Blackstone = Schwarzenstein

So for me Jaiman is the start point and mostly also the end, for the players tend to feel resonsible for Rhakhaan.

[Quasar]

Definitely Jaiman.

For some reason Emer never was able to hook me at all. Which of course is all rather frustrating given the lack of Jaiman content over the years.

[RandalThor]

I too have tended to prefer Jamain with all its published info and adventures (something that will always swing me towards a particular area/nation - yes I can be a bit of a lazy GM, I'm in it for the fun of playing too  ). Lately I have been looking more to Emer as I have a female player who I believe would love to be from Sarnak. Though I may still base the beginning adventure in Jamain - so there!! 

[RandalThor]

Oh yeah:

                                EMER III please!!?!?!
           (Just thought I would jump on the bandwagon.)

[Chaman]

Orgillion is an Emer module, both of it's settings are in Emer, though you could change the location if you wanted.

I have to admit, the fuedal structure is more in keeping with Jaiman; and using the portal to send them to another continent is a better twist.

[Akrasia]

Jaiman 

[dutch206]

IMHO, it has to be Jaiman.  Where else can you find the ruins of Quellbourne and the Isle of Aranmor? 

[symbolique]

Child of Emer here, initiated with the boxed set, didn't discover Jaiman until far far later.

And with a campaign of 8 years playing wrapping up in Emer soon it will be a long while before I go back to SW.

Best
Jason

[yammahoper]

Emer. 

Love both and have ran many adventures in both, even changing my primary setting from time to time between the two, but usually end back in Emer (Kataine became the primary setting for most of my adventures in the 90's...and MY Kataine would kick the Alliances backside raw ).

lynn

[Wrathchild]

Started with Jaiman I thought I liked it more, then turned to Emer, and as I got into it, I became an Emer man, hands down. I think that Emer feels a little more alien somehow, which suits my fatastic gene(s). Still, Jamian defiantely has it's points, with the Rhakaan/Remiriath/U-Lyshak dymanics.

[mocking bird]

Played a lot in Jaiman but I think the group will be heading to Emer which I think will be a good thing as none of us are really familiar with it.