Topic: Where to start?

[Jakob]

Question from an SW newbie: where would you start reading to get a general idea of the setting? I'd prefer available material (I actually own a copy of the Master Atlas 2nd edition, but I'm not sure if I want to read something that might be considered terribly out of date).
So where would you start? Player's Guide, probably? And after that - Master Atlas? Which edition - 3rd or 4th are both available on drivethru.

[Witchking20k]

I would start with a locale book like Quellebourne or Norek etc.  Then use the Vault here in the forums to find some updated info.  The Green Gryphon Inn module & Xa'ar are both excellent and come with the most up to date timeline if I recall.  All SW books come with a world synopsis at the beginning of them.

[Hurin]

I think there is a current attempt to resurrect the Nomikos Library (an old website that Terry worked on as a reference). The timeline will probably be too detailed to be recommended for a first-timer, but good as a reference work. It probably won't be up and running for a bit yet, but I thought I would just mention it in case it gets online.

[craggles]

Question from an SW newbie: where would you start reading to get a general idea of the setting? I'd prefer available material (I actually own a copy of the Master Atlas 2nd edition, but I'm not sure if I want to read something that might be considered terribly out of date).
So where would you start? Player's Guide, probably? And after that - Master Atlas? Which edition - 3rd or 4th are both available on drivethru.

Yes, definitely the Players Guide first and then a Master Atlas (either MA3 which is in colour and has Terry's computer generated art or MA4 which is reformatted but in black & white but also has very good stat blocks for both RM2/RMC and RMSS/RMFRP).

After that, you have the choice of either the Jaiman or Emer continent. The new Jaiman book has just been released and the Emer 3 book is quite recent.

Jaiman is one book for the entire continent but Emer is split into quadrants. Emer 1 & 2 are going to be redone and Emer 4 hasn’t been released yet.

Looking at more specific locations in Jaiman, the Xa-ar region is fairly recent as is the Cloudlords of Tanara region.
The more localised Gryphin Inn town setting is also very recent.

In Emer, the only recent book is Eidolon but it is a great place to start.

However, it's not that any of the older books are 'out of date' except perhaps the original Master Atlas and the Emer box set. I'm not sure about the original Loremaster books (Iron Wind, Vog Mur, Shade of the sinking plane, original Cloudlords book)

If you're new to Shadow World, I'd stick to the Cannon books as well.

[Majyk]

Yup, can agree about the locale books with WitchKing.
I bought ‘em all as a kiddo but my(and my group’s) favourites were ones that had adventures that tied in together:
Jaiman was our continent of choice with all of the 6 Kingdoms’ artifacts strewn about the lands!

From there, later, Norek was added to go along with:


As Craggles’ post says, though, the newer books will be easier to get but more importantly will put some coin in I.C.E.’s coffers to continue funding more SW work.

[craggles]

Yup, can agree about the locale books with WitchKing.

I agree, the local books are great but for a ‘general idea of the setting’, the Players Guide is the place to go.

the newer books will be easier to get but more importantly will put some coin in I.C.E.’s coffers to continue funding more SW work.

Absolutely - that’s very important!

[Jakob]

Thanks to everyone!
I'll start with the Player Guide, and if I like it, I'll probably move on either to Master Atlas 4 (I actually tend to prefer b/w to color, so that's fine) or Jaiman (I actually have the old Jaiman book in print, I picked up a use copy years ago - not Quellbourne though, sadly ...).

[Voriig Kye]

For a general idea of the setting, reading a novel might be even better than reading GM books and campaign ideas.

https://www.rpgnow.com//product/117364/The-Loremaster-Legacy
This has scenes, cultures, magic, adventure, items, celebrities...

[Jenkyna]

I started with Atlas V4, but I glossed over a lot because it's a ton of information to take in, and a lot of it was unfamiliar.

I then went on to read the Players Guide, and then all the source-books released by Eidolon Studios / New ICE. This broke a lot of the information in the Atlas down into smaller more focused chunks, which made it a bit easier to take in.

Then I went back and re-read the Atlas, and this time I didn't gloss over anything, and by that point a lot of it was more familiar so it wasn't as overwhelming.

I always read the timeline all the way through. Each book often has specifics for the region in the timeline. Be warned though that the timeline has undergone some changes since the earlier works were published and some of it can seem a bit contradictory, at least on the surface.

I'd suggest if you don't have any of the out of print books like Emer I & Emer II or Haalkitaine, wait until they are re-released. The aftermarket prices on them are silly. Just get the stuff that is still in print, and worry about the others later. There is enough available through RPG Now to last you through several real world years of campaigning.

The big drawback to the old 1990s ICE books is that some of them aren't considered canon by Terry, so those regions have high likelihood of changing as new source-books come out.

I wouldn't spend anything on Curse of Kabis either. I am pretty sure it is not only not canon from Terry's perspective, but actually goes against canon where the second era is concerned.

Totally agree with Voriig that Loremaster Legacy is a great source for getting a feel for the world, and current events.

[Witchking20k]

If you have Jaiman then I'd start with that.  Gryphon College is a great place to have adventurers starting out at IMO.  I have a crossroads town inserted a days ride away from it that I use as a starting locale.  PCs can find jobs and get the lay of the land from a trading company (secretly owned by the College).  They can be task oriented for a few levels; maybe run up a debt to the college for healing and supplies, then be dragged into a larger world by necessity.

[tbigness]

Norek was a great place to start as there is a lot of content and possible adventures to go from. It is a good size city with possible professions and races possible in the area to get the ball rolling.

[Jakob]

Norek was a great place to start as there is a lot of content and possible adventures to go from. It is a good size city with possible professions and races possible in the area to get the ball rolling.

Norek is one of the used books that I bought ... it looks interesting, so I'll take a look at that, too.

[Witchking20k]

Norek is a personal favorite.  A uniquely cosmopolitan city in Jaiman.  I think I've GM'd the Search for Guff scenario a dozen times over the years. LOL

[Majyk]

Yup-yup, and my GMd version of Dehl the Barmaid was linked to a few PCs including a Dwarven Bashkar with a ‘01’ for Appearance!

Man, I need to find my old handwrittem adventure intros and synopses for each session I used to keep.
Great memories of Norek!

[Witchking20k]

The Cranky Fisherman on the Bridge is epic in my campaigns.  Is he actually in the book?  I recall him being an NPC......

[Nightblade42]

The Cranky Fisherman on the Bridge is epic in my campaigns.  Is he actually in the book?  I recall him being an NPC......

I think you mean Zimmons (p.23).

Nightblade ->--