Topic: Random Updates from Terry Amthor

[Terry K. Amthor]

Thanks for the map Terry!.
So... it seems the run along the major mountain ranges... I have never before seen a connection between mountains and essaence. Is it because of the great volumes of earth and rock? The caves that run underneath?

Flows follow energy, and there is a lot of volcanic activity under the Black Mountains in particular. They also do tend to follow mountains; I should redo the Jaiman one, as it reflects more the power from the Crown Vault and does not include the border forces around the remaining kingdoms. But Flows do shift, sometimes just temporarily, sometimes permanently. At night sometimes Flow Barriers can be seen as faint auroras undulating in the sky.

[metallion]

OK, let's talk about Andraax a bit, and this notion that he goes off the rails.  I don't buy it.

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Andrax's Job #1 is keeping the Eyes of Utha and the World Barrier up and running.  He's on record that destroying the planet is preferable to allowing the Eyes to close.  Wiping out a mere civilization is a small price to pay to avoid that.  A piddly little killing spree is just a way of keeping in practice for the big stuff.  Of course, history doesn't read like "Andraax trashed the Taranians.  Then Andraax trashed the Worim. Then Andraax wiped our the Jinteni.  Oh, yeh, Zor?  Andraax." because the Loremasters are there to revise the record, confuse the issue, and poo-poo what can't be denied with "Oh, well, he was having a bad spot, went off the rails a bit there."

Why does Andraax keep engineering these catastrophies?  Because it's preferable, in his calculus, to destroying the world.  All the great catastrophies of the Long Night, the fall of Zor, the downfalls we've never heard of all happen when those societies either develop to the point where they can start putting craft in orbit and contend with the barrier; or when the Unlife takes over to the point where they can make a move on the Eyes.

He's at it now, trying to orchestrate a confrontation between a Shadowstone wielder and a Sunsword wielder.  Remember what happened the last time that confrontation took place?  Oh, yeah, end of the First Age.

"All history is a lie" -- dude wasn't being philosophical.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Plugging along on Wuliris, lots of interesting locations, including at least one Arnak tower, some info on the Zor Wastes, and Krelij's swordmaking forge. Oh and the rather nasty Frost-elves.

I don't anticipate doing a giant quest for this book like I did for Xa-ar; more likely a bunch of separate adventures.

[Arc]

Interesting take on Andraax there Metallion. Not quite what I play with, but intriguing none the less. Outlook wise my Andraax is similar, a sentient life or an entire civilization for that matter is a small price to pay for the continuity of the cosmos.


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[Arc]

Looking forward to reading Wuliris Terry. As I have already developed my own Wuliris (15-20 years ago based on the GotBS module) incl. Krelij's forge, it will be interesting to see what I can and can't incorporate of your material. Keep up the good work!


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[Guillaume]

Interesting take on Andraax there Metallion. Not quite what I play with, but intriguing none the less. Outlook wise my Andraax is similar, a sentient life or an entire civilization for that matter is a small price to pay for the continuity of the cosmos.


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I don't think Andraax is guilty of all the things Metallion made him guilty of... But....

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It's clear that he will do anything, up to and including blowing up Kulthea if there's a chance of a mass escape from the K'Ta'Viiri contained in the East. Now I don't think he was guilty of blowing up Taranians, Wôrim and Jinteni... He might have had a hand in blowing up Zor... but unless Terry speak up, we can only speculate... I'm sure that with enough prodding a B41 American Thermonuclear bomb will explode, despite all the failsafe built into it providing with the same results as the Zor Wastes ( on a smaller scale.... )

[Terry K. Amthor]

I'll just say that, historically at least, Andraax is a creator, not a destroyer. He helped start the Loremasters; he helped design the crowns, that were intended to prevent war. So far he has limited his personal killing sprees to demonic creatures.

That's not to say that he hasn't learned a few lessons, like that conflict sometimes leads to greater strength and advancement...

[Terry K. Amthor]

Some questions that enter my coffee-fevered brain late at night here in Arlington, VA, US...

What would you MOST like to get from the NE Jaiman Wuliris module? Taranian outposts, Zorian ruins, current strange cities in Wuliris, Evil Frost Elves...?

How much new material would you want before new editions of Emer I, Emer II, Jaiman and Eidolon were worth it for you (they would all be available as PDF and hardcover/softcover Pod)...

How important is new artwork vs. content?

[yammahoper]

Content over art, perhaps with the exception of maps.

No more elves.  In the name of Cay, no more elves.  Besides, Evil Elves is redundant.

A  nice city/trading post with ruins in the country side would be excellent. 

[egdcltd]

A  nice city/trading post with ruins in the country side would be excellent. 

Like the one from Quellbourne for example? That would be a nice supplement to make a new edition for.

[Vurkanan]

What would you MOST like to get from the NE Jaiman Wuliris module? Taranian outposts, Zorian ruins, current strange cities in Wuliris, Evil Frost Elves...?

In order of MOSTness: 1. current strange cities, 2. Taranian outposts, 3. Evil Frost Elves, 4. Zorian ruins

How much new material would you want before new editions of Emer I, Emer II, Jaiman and Eidolon were worth it for you

That's a bit hard to say, it depends on what kind of new material we're talking about. But from what you've posted so far, my feeling is that the new editions will be worth the purchase.

How important is new artwork vs. content?

I like craggles' artwork and would love to see some of his work in future SW books. That said, if I had to choose one over the other, it would be new content.

[egdcltd]

Just noticed an error in the index of Emer III that I don't know how I missed. The Index is listed as Part XIV, but it should actually be Part XII.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Working some on Loremaster Legacy today, reading through it again. Finding a few errors, like missing quotes. Unfortunately, spell checker doesn't find that sort of thing...

Back to Wuliris in a bit.

[Terry K. Amthor]

I do love Cirque, and I could imagine the Prince of Sel-kai gathering acrobats from Nuyan and other lands, and putting on huge dramatic spectacles in some great domed hall in Eidolon for the gathered merchant nobility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnXnGzEht8g

[RandalThor]

I do love Cirque, and I could imagine the Prince of Sel-kai gathering acrobats from Nuyan and other lands, and putting on huge dramatic spectacles in some great domed hall in Eidolon for the gathered merchant nobility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnXnGzEht8g

Totally. I have yet to go to one of their shows, but I want to.

[Terry K. Amthor]

I do love Cirque, and I could imagine the Prince of Sel-kai gathering acrobats from Nuyan and other lands, and putting on huge dramatic spectacles in some great domed hall in Eidolon for the gathered merchant nobility.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnXnGzEht8g

Totally. I have yet to go to one of their shows, but I want to.

I've been to that one and Varekai (where they had twin guys as supposedly 'gods' doing the aerial straps together). It's not everyone's thing of course; I was not so into the clown parts, but the acrobatics are amazing.

[RandalThor]

I am with you 100%, for me (a high-school gymnast) it is all about the acrobatics.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Since NE Jaiman has not only severe cold but desert environments, I am including a little section on dealing with the elements while traveling (hypothermia, tromping through deep snow or sand, storms...) I'm listening toe March Slave... maybe need some Lawrence of Arabia...

[Mordred]

Is not Zor wastes a cold desert, Terry?

How would you describe that place? I usually associate 'Jaiman' with 'Cold', but maybe I'm wrong.

Thank you in advance.

[RandalThor]

Is not Zor wastes a cold desert, Terry?

How would you describe that place? I usually associate 'Jaiman' with 'Cold', but maybe I'm wrong.

I tend to as well, but with the Zor wastes I like to imagine a magical effect of the destruction warms it up compared to the surrounding lands, on the average of 10-15 degrees (F). Still not super hot (like Arizona summer hot), but warm enough to throw visitors off.