Provinces of the Great Kingdom

[Havard]

I guess we'll overlap anyway, as I cannot produce this kind of stuff endlessly.
The Great Bay will likely be completed this week, or the next, but after that, I guess I'll take a longer break.
- Also, because "Home of the Ancients" will need a few more writeups.

I'm trying to stay out of your projects, but its hard because you keep dancing all over the place

Beyond that, I will be basing the Province of the Western Marshes on various tidbits from the FFC and the DA modules. There is a lot to go on if you only find a way to connect the many pieces of the puzzle. Of course, this also means there could be many interpretations and mine will only be one of them.

Speaking about that, what about Rhun? Province, or separate country?

Rhun is a duchy to the far east. I'm keeping it out of Thonia. Probably Rhunians are related to the Skandaharians.

Certainly. It is derived from the description of the Gin of Salik from the FFC. Both the title Gin (Djinn?) and the fact that he travels on a Flying Carpet made me think of an Arabian Adventures style realm. I have recently come across some more hints to where this Gin character may have originated from, but I will need to investigate that further before I can make any more specific claims.

I am going full Thieves World on that one; the Gin is the shadow chancellor of the city he resides in, an ageless wizard who is trapped on this material plane for some unknown reason.

Not really familiar with Thieves World.

Yeah, I think the basic premise is to make Blackmoor playable. Whatever happens in the other provinces is just a backdrop,
at least for now. - I mean, Ruins so far is a mini-game, really. If we ever see Palmyra in-game, it will be around... 2025?

Sorry, I said I would use Palmyra, but I think this is one of your creations? I had it confused with something else. It is not on my list afterall (just checked).

Atmosphere-wise the region may also be a bit different, but that would be due to the different time periods we are dealing with. I will be describing the Thonian Empire during the reign of Iyx I, a period where Thonia is basically controlled by evil rulers, even if many of its inhabitants are good people.

I look forward to your description; my own description of the Empire during Uther's age, I always set as needed,
and that was a blessing for the campaign. In the future, I'd like to have that more codified, though, because of the things that
are meant to come... :twisted:

[/quote]

Would you be pissed off if I produce an actual PDF of Thonia? I actually have more material completed than I realized... :oops:

Don't want to step on your toes though...

-Havard

[Rafael]

Would you be pissed off if I produce an actual PDF of Thonia? I actually have more material completed than I realized... :oops:

Don't want to step on your toes though...

Oh lordy. Are we competing? Is there something to gain in this? Fame? Money (that would be nice, actually)? SHOULD I be pissed, for some reason?

Actually, I am pretty happy that you are giving people material to expand the sandbox.
I mean, by now it's pretty apparent that the LFC is set within its own universe. Where could we possibly conflict?!

I mean, do you, like, plan to run another game on Christmas, called, say, the "Ultimate Fantasy Campaign", and invite all my regular players? :twisted:

Because, that, yeah, THAT might be a problem.





Also, be thankful that I am all Napoleonic in my day job, lately:

Bolgerie is a quarter in Florence where the Bulgarian mercenaries during the time of the Napoleonic Wars lived.
The Sniders, in general, seem have to liked Italy, quite a lot.
For you as the designed BM historian, this might connect some dots as to a certain Taha Markovic. IMC, I am not sure if I will keep with this Eastern European theme.

[Rafael]

So, I am done writing the Gaz for the first installment of the series. More than enough potential for the players to make some cool characters, I'd say, in all modesty.

As you can see, I am modelling the Great Bay a bit around Greyhawk's Theocracy of the Pale.
In early 2014, if the game is a success, I'll follow up with writeups for Synobia, Ravilla, Palmyra, and probably more,
as Palmyra is really the gate to the southern Reunited Kingdom.

But between that, and now, still a lot of dice to roll, really. Also, I prefer not to rush things, because I really want to see what the players make of the setting, first.

[Havard]

Oh lordy. Are we competing? Is there something to gain in this? Fame? Money (that would be nice, actually)? SHOULD I be pissed, for some reason?

Definitely not.
I am just making sure that I am not stepping on your toes. Perhaps I am overly careful, but I figured that would not hurt.

Actually, I am pretty happy that you are giving people material to expand the sandbox.
I mean, by now it's pretty apparent that the LFC is set within its own universe. Where could we possibly conflict?!

Yep, I think this was an important step towards where we are progressing. Ideas can be borrowed between the continuities, but we are developing two separate (or three even) continuities allowing other DMs to borrow and use whatever ideas they want for their own home campaigns.

I mean, do you, like, plan to run another game on Christmas, called, say, the "Ultimate Fantasy Campaign", and invite all my regular players? :twisted:

Because, that, yeah, THAT might be a problem.

*lol*
No worries there

Also, be thankful that I am all Napoleonic in my day job, lately:

Bolgerie is a quarter in Florence where the Bulgarian mercenaries during the time of the Napoleonic Wars lived.
The Sniders, in general, seem have to liked Italy, quite a lot.
For you as the designed BM historian, this might connect some dots as to a certain Taha Markovic. IMC, I am not sure if I will keep with this Eastern European theme.

Interesting. I did visit Florence once, but I am not sure if I ever picked up that name there in my subconciousness?
The name Bolgerie is actually derived from "Bolgers", a term given to dark skinned humans of Thonia, according to DA1.

I was not aware of the Sniders/Italy connection. I will see how much I will be able to make use of this in my work, if at all.

I too, do not know how East European I will make this whole thing, but "Habsburg" could be one way to involve both East European and old imperial multicultural flavours.

BTW, where did the name Palmyra first appear?

-Havard

[Rafael]

I am just making sure that I am not stepping on your toes. Perhaps I am overly careful, but I figured that would not hurt.

Nah, thanks, man. I appreciate your kindness with this, also because the approach to the setting was always a source of argument between me and you. - But no worries, the important thing is that we keep the dice rolling.

My only goal with the new game is to always have a continuing Blackmoor game going, and one that needs less management,
and is more open than a PBP. I think the LFC can accomplish that, because of the approach that we - together - took earlier.
But that approach was for a distinct purpose that is now sort of achieved. So, yay, renovation!

Sorry for being that cryptic; spent most of these days writing. Kind of out of fuel right now.

Yep, I think this was an important step towards where we are progressing. Ideas can be borrowed between the continuities, but we are developing two separate (or three even) continuities allowing other DMs to borrow and use whatever ideas they want for their own home campaigns.

Sure, we have a very good thing going on. - Like, to be quite frank, the work I am putting into this seems more than it actually is;
I am just happy to create something that keeps our old group of people connected. The extra buzz is really just a nice bonus.
I don't plan to write any novelesque tomes of fandom any more either: If the game warrants a longer continuation, I'll be putting out one lore piece for BM,
like, every four to six months, but not more. Game sessions, I might do more often, though - always provided that people are interested. - Already rolled out your character, hmmmm?

I too, do not know how East European I will make this whole thing, but "Habsburg" could be one way to involve both East European and old imperial multicultural flavours.

The "Byzantine Empire" appears to be remotely canonical; I think I will largely ignore that side, as well, simply because the linguistic union of the setting is more important:
We have proto-Persians, and proto-Saxons/-vikings in the same setting already; let's not overload it.

BTW, where did the name Palmyra first appear?

Palmyra is a term I used when I did the Irilian campaign and was not sure how the handling of the BM license would go:
Had somebody piqued up the license, then, instead of returning with an "official" sequel to the LFC, we would have gone there, on an independent server.
- Not because of you, or whatever, but because I am not willing to work for free on something that helps others to sell their books. At least not like we did.

(FTR, me reactivating the LFC has to do a lot with the Blackmoor license not being anywhere near of being revived.)

The term itself is biblical, IIRC. Palmyra is a city in the biblical land of Zenobia. So, just a tongue-in-cheek, really.

[Havard]

Nah, thanks, man. I appreciate your kindness with this, also because the approach to the setting was always a source of argument between me and you. - But no worries, the important thing is that we keep the dice rolling.

My only goal with the new game is to always have a continuing Blackmoor game going, and one that needs less management,
and is more open than a PBP. I think the LFC can accomplish that, because of the approach that we - together - took earlier.
But that approach was for a distinct purpose that is now sort of achieved. So, yay, renovation!

Sure thing!

Game sessions, I might do more often, though - always provided that people are interested. - Already rolled out your character, hmmmm?

Sorry, no way I can make it during the holliday season, but if you end up making more games I am definitely interested

The "Byzantine Empire" appears to be remotely canonical; I think I will largely ignore that side, as well, simply because the linguistic union of the setting is more important:
We have proto-Persians, and proto-Saxons/-vikings in the same setting already; let's not overload it.

Not sure where you get "Byzantine" from?

The linguistic perspective is something I havent really thought about. Worth pondering on.

For my Thonia though, I am going with a literal interpretation of the Thonian Empire being 10 times the size of the Blackmoor Map. Effectively this means a truly huge and multicultural realm.

BTW, where did the name Palmyra first appear?

Palmyra is a term I used when I did the Irilian campaign and was not sure how the handling of the BM license would go:
Had somebody piqued up the license, then, instead of returning with an "official" sequel to the LFC, we would have gone there, on an independent server.
- Not because of you, or whatever, but because I am not willing to work for free on something that helps others to sell their books. At least not like we did.

(FTR, me reactivating the LFC has to do a lot with the Blackmoor license not being anywhere near of being revived.)

The term itself is biblical, IIRC. Palmyra is a city in the biblical land of Zenobia. So, just a tongue-in-cheek, really.

Okay cool thanks! For some reason I thought I had seen it in the FFC, but then when I couldnt find it in my notes I realized it must have been something else. That is your thing then. Looking forward to seeing what you will be doing with it.



-Havard

[Rafael]

Sorry, no way I can make it during the holliday season, but if you end up making more games I am definitely interested

Sure thing, and no worries: One of the reasons I set this for the holidays is that probably it will limit the number of participants, after month of pretty big promotion from my side.
I can handle five to ten players; but not twenty, or whatever. - I'll run two more games in summer, though, provided that everything works out well. If I can, the next date
will be as early as March, but realistically looking at it, May or June are more likely.

Not sure where you get "Byzantine" from?

I don't remember; I have heard this quite often, though, so it might come from Greyhawk, perhaps.

Okay cool thanks! For some reason I thought I had seen it in the FFC, but then when I couldnt find it in my notes I realized it must have been something else. That is your thing then. Looking forward to seeing what you will be doing with it.

Thanks, man. I'm flattered. Mainly, I'll wrap up what would have happened if we had played out Irilian, and some of the bits I started in "The Ghosts of Summer".

(Ravilla IMC is on the west of Synobia and Palmyra, so there's some overlap in stories.)

[Havard]

Progress update:

• Western Marshes renamed Eastern Marshes to reflect actual position.
  
• Eastern Marshes Map draft completed.

-Havard

[Havard]

Progress update:

• Western Marshes renamed Eastern Marshes to reflect actual position.
  
• Eastern Marshes Map draft completed.

Progress update: 90% complete.

-Havard

[aldarron]

Note, though, that I am basing my geographical approach on the Gygaxian C&C map:

Meaning that the Great Bay is South-EAST of Blackmoor.




I have not really set things in stone, but supposedly Thonia, Geneva, and the core of the old empire are to the south of the Great Bay,
as in, Greyhawk's Great Kingdom.

That might be third entry, with a treatment of the more exotic lands (Imperial Tangoro!) being the fourth.

I have also a piece on the lands up north, but that will likely not be released with the campaign's start.

For the campaign itself, I am really just looking at this second piece on the Great Bay.
Whatever follows afterwards, I guess the players will dictate...

I'm too sleepy and will prolly finish reading this thread tommorow, but just thought I'd mention that if you are using that C&C map you should realize that "the great bay" is much longer. Dave basically squeezed the bay. The two little peninsulas across the bay labelled "barbarians" are the two little peninsulas across from maus and the shallows. It's pretty easy to see when you compare with the hand drawn color map in the FFC.