Topic: Visual aids - Trying to put together the night sky

[ShirraWhitefur]

Greetings!


  As I sit and read through Shadow World's Master Atlas for 3rd Edition, I'm struck with the little things that make it seem to catch the attention and urge to run with it.  One of the things was the night sky, particularly the moons.

  I've been musing about where I could find some good renders of a lush and heavily forested planet from space that's -not- the earth, that I could then resize and composite into one of the various 'night sky with scenery' wallpapers I've got floating around my machine, but I'm unfortunately having very little luck finding such renders.  Any suggestions folks?  If it's already been done before, for that matter.. point me at it, please?

  I've never run shadow world before.. and I'm dragging a group out of a really horribly run D&D game.. all they've ever known of RPGing.  I really want to set the mood right off that it's something different.  What you see when you look into the night sky?  That definitely a part of mood setting, I think. 

  - Shirra

[craggles]

It just so happens there is something already created by Kevin Manktelow (user kmanktelow) - They're going to be used for the upcoming Shadow World Players Guide.

I'm not sure if these images are supposed to be available to the general public yet so I'll have to wait for confirmation on that unless Kevin replies here direct first.

I have been toying with the idea of creating a Shadow World gallery site as a means to spread the word of the wonderful campaign setting and as a resource to GMs so they can show these images to the players as well as describing the scenes.

[craggles]

Okay, I have the link to the Shadow World heaven's -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28576267@N02/

It includes relative sizes of Kulthea's moons as well as detailed images of the night sky from many different locations - lots of stars as well as a scenes of Kulthea from space (including the Eastern Hemisphere)!

There's even some renders of different Shadow World locations too to show the players so go and check it out! Like I said previously, these have been created by Kevin Manktelow (user kmanktelow) so don't forget to show him the love by dropping him a note of appreciation.

These have already been available from an older Shadow World topic with no less than 4 pages - http://www.ironcrown.com/ICEforums/index.php?topic=7028.0

There's a Player's Guide being written now so if there's anything you'd like to see (image or text) regarding Kulthea, say now and if it's relevant, it may make it in.

[GM]

There's a Player's Guide being written now so if there's anything you'd like to see (image or text) regarding Kulthea, say now and if it's relevant, it may make it in.

Uh, I have one..... A picture of a Quaidu. I have a really hard time explaining to myself and my player group what the Quaidu actually look like, a visual aid would be very welcome

 

[craggles]

Interesting. Consulting the Master Atlas 4, it seems they look not too dissimilar to Hurman Munster from the Munsters (the old b/w series).

Tall foreheads, slim noses and lips and very grey.

[GM]

LOL, yikes...



Not exactly what I envisioned, but I see what you mean

[ShirraWhitefur]

Well, if you want suggestions, there's one on my mind that I do for campaign worlds I whip up.

  " 'Everyman' Knowledge "

  In short, it's what a majority of the populace "knows" as truth.  Even if it may not be so.  It typically first serves as a quick summary of differences between game world setup and real world, such as..
  Number of days in the week / month / year, and the names of those involved.
  Number and names of moons, at least via the "majority" common race / language.
  The most prevailing races, nicknames of, and some common (mis)conceptions about them.
  Likewise, the same for some of the monsters.  That's where it gets fun to really throw in myth-bits, such as if people believe trolls will turn to stone on seeing the sun, or such'n'such critter can steal your soul if it kisses you.  That sort of thing.
  Then a few locational bits, like 'The best ale's in the land come from Suddgart', or how nearly everyone has heard of the Silver Gryphon mercenary company, renowned for tackling the worst battles and winning.
  This sort of thing, when trimmed down to two pages or so, and handed out, gives a great foundation for people new to a game, but not wanting to read page after page after page about it and -trying- not to know more than they should.  It also is good to get people more interested in actually reading up on the history and locations, I've found.
  Furthermore, I would think it'd make it easier to delve into the rest of the bookstuff if they already have a quick footing on how days and such are handled, what the moons and -basic- importance of them are.  At a glance info, before the hefty, just seems to let my players absorb information better.

  Now, with shadow worlds diversity, you might need purely locational based 'Everyman knowledge'.. But if your doing notes on major areas so far, that could tie nicely to them.  I -don't- think anyone would want it as a full page, in the middle of the book, starting a chapter (except, perhaps me).  Aesthetically, it'd probably go better as some side-bar setup, or handouts to copy in the back.

  But that's my thought on it.  No stats, no guarantee of truth.  Just something to help get the mood and thoughts set quickly.

  - Shirra Whitefur
 

[markc]

ShirraWhitefur;
 I know that someone is working on a SW players guide that might fit what you are talking about above. But I do not know for sure just what is and is not in the book.
MDC

[craggles]

I love the idea of Everyman Knowledge. It's something that I'm feeding to the players myself from their character backgrounds based on Race, Culture and whatever upcoming campaigns I'm setting up.

But to list it out in the Player Guides would be a great time saver.

Appart from the initial Player Guide focusing on the World (which includes timekeeping (days, months, weeks etc broken down), Celestial Events, Gods, Groups, Brief History - basically, all the general knowledge you'd need to know about the world around you if you were a player), the rest of the series of Player Guides will focus on the different Continents which would include the races and cultures within as well as more specific geography & history.

It'd be great if these truths & misconceptions that different races/cultures believe in were listed there and then the players only need read the entries of their own race/culture.

Did you hear that Vroomforge?

[ShirraWhitefur]

Another thought just bounced through my mind.

  "Naming equivalents".  In short, if there are any real world cultures that names can be pulled from to match a shadow world race or locale flavor, rather than having to 'play it by ear' by the written work.  Lacking that, an example list of 10 male, 10 female, and 10 'family' names, per race, enough that if someone had to try and write a name generator, they'd at least have a decent start on what the average construction of the names might be like, let alone coming up with them off the top of one's head.

  Something in the 'fluff' category, is if anyone had a deep want to do runic or whatnot font's for this or that race-language's alphabet.. but only so long as there's conversion of english (or other real world written language alphabet) to it, ergo A=(funky symbol) and so on.. That way one can use it in visual aids.  Again, that one's more of a pure unnecessary fluff category to me, but something I still enjoy.

 - Shirra

[egdcltd]

You may want to take a look at Name Mage which randomly generate names based on various different societies. Simply select a type, then generate a bunch of names.

[markc]

Another thought just bounced through my mind.

  "Naming equivalents".  In short, if there are any real world cultures that names can be pulled from to match a shadow world race or locale flavor, rather than having to 'play it by ear' by the written work.  Lacking that, an example list of 10 male, 10 female, and 10 'family' names, per race, enough that if someone had to try and write a name generator, they'd at least have a decent start on what the average construction of the names might be like, let alone coming up with them off the top of one's head.

  Something in the 'fluff' category, is if anyone had a deep want to do runic or whatnot font's for this or that race-language's alphabet.. but only so long as there's conversion of english (or other real world written language alphabet) to it, ergo A=(funky symbol) and so on.. That way one can use it in visual aids.  Again, that one's more of a pure unnecessary fluff category to me, but something I still enjoy.

 - Shirra

 There is talk of a Shadow World Players Guide and I think they are talking about having a name section. But I cannot promise that it will be in the book.
MDC 

[ShirraWhitefur]

You may want to take a look at Name Mage which randomly generate names based on various different societies. Simply select a type, then generate a bunch of names.

  Actually, I already use EBoN / Everchanging Book of Names.  Beautiful piece of work that, and the reason I was hoping to find some locational equivalents for name. ^_^  For those that are curious about it.. http://ebon.pyorre.net/