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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore

1847 Posts

Posted - 10 May 2016 : 07:29:52

Hmm, is there any way to copy/paste from your magazine? Or can someone suggest a good 3rd-party app that will open it into a Word-type document?

I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 10 May 2016 : 07:32:42

I have all the issues in word as well i believe so ill send them over to you (assuming you still have thr same email address).

Do you just want a specific issue or shall i just send them all?

The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore

1847 Posts

Posted - 10 May 2016 : 07:52:18

Oh wow what a quick response. I really only need the first 3 issues dealing with the Bloodstone Lands (I don't think any of the others have articles on that region).

And thanks!

I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 10 May 2016 : 08:57:48

Okay ill send anything bloodstone related your way tonight when i get home.

If its of interest im working on a bloodstone lands sourcebook rewrite that is in the preliminary stages but includes lots of intrigue, a weak central monarchy, a country split between damaran, nar (suren) and nar (ancient) peoples, a much greater emphasis on history, and more.

Ive just come up with the story for st morgan of impiltur, the naming for palischuk, and one reason why the glacier exists.

Its in the preliminary stages and ive got 300 years of history to write but in a few years i should be done.

Wrigley
Senior Scribe

Czech Republic
605 Posts

Posted - 16 May 2016 : 15:17:11

I have just found this vein of gold and I can't wait to read it. Once I do I can post some thoughts on it here if you are still interested. I have also found interesting that you have had almost the same viewpoint on gods as me but you had a change of mind about a year back.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 16 May 2016 : 15:42:10

Im always willing to discuss my work, the project hasnt ended, just evolved with the advent of dms guild.

Ask any question you like and i'll endeavour to answer as best i can. I should still be able to find and provide justifications for what i wrote because it is all based (however loosely) on existing lore.

As for the gods im not entirely sure what you mean because for me it was a gradually evolving process, but i definitely went through a period of hating what has been written about the gods of FR (and how some use obvious myth and legend as gospel truth). However ive since mellowed because in order to make my work more useful it needs to cater to all tastes.
So now i separate myth and legend and connect it to 'real life' but i dont ignore the fantastical stuff like i once did.

Anyway, as i said before ask away. Im practically addicted to the realms so im here most days

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 22 May 2016 : 21:27:08

Not technically another issue of Alternate Dimensions but its what I've been working on for the past year or more and will be up on the DM's Guild at some point (if I can ever figure out how to format it properly and do all the stuff with pdfs that they want).

This is the rough draft before any rules (and it's not entirely finished, I just want to get a feel for what people think is missing).

When it's finished it will be a pay what you want (I think you have to put a price in to get an idea of how many downloads or so I've heard)

So here it is

Netheril: The First Age

I'd like it to work as a campaign guide on its own but I'm unsure what people might want?
Is it worth putting in 5e rules the subraces (such as Rengarth and Netherese)?
Should I detail any of the spells available at this time (which would really violate canon but I really don't like the Netheril sourcebook).
Should I put in a mini adventure (OGB style) for Patrician's Peak and The Daggers?
Should I detail any monsters or magic items?
Is a map important?
Do people want more details on the Rengarth tribes or the goblin bands or the Netherese nobles?
Are there any 5e specific options that I should Nethereseise (class pathways and feats etc).

Any input anyone has would be most appreciated (even if you only want to slag it off, I'm a big boy I can take it).

Adhriva
Learned Scribe

USA
147 Posts

Posted - 22 May 2016 : 22:36:07

I'm always up to talk shop and you already have my email. I'll dig through this and see what changed from the draft you gave me previously and answer some of the questions you have here. Seeing as my own project is largely nonpunishable, I'd be happy to help you with art, maps, and game/adventure design.

Professional illustrator and comic book artist.
Portfolio

Adhriva
Learned Scribe

USA
147 Posts

Posted - 23 May 2016 : 01:01:58

Is it worth putting in 5e rules the subraces (such as Rengarth and Netherese)?
I believe so. I would even expand this to neighboring subraces (such as elves and halflings) of the region for the era.

Should I detail any of the spells available at this time (which would really violate canon but I really don't like the Netheril sourcebook).
No, I would leave the spells as they are with the base 5e spells.

Should I put in a mini adventure (OGB style) for Patrician's Peak and The Daggers?
I like the sound of that. If it's possible to fit into the production schedule you're aiming for, then yes.

Should I detail any monsters or magic items?
Yes, even if you're just repeating what's already established and simply altering the weapons or descriptions of tactics used because that will help give the encounters a different feel in terms of gameplay. As for magic items, I would alter the emphasis of items (what mechanic they boost), or do something like allowing a common dagger to also serve as an arcane focus if a 1 hour ritual was performed before hand. Something to make it slightly more distinctive given how far back in the past it is.

Is a map important?
In a setting like this where most people would not be familiar with past names of cities or their location, I would consider it very important to include in some way.

Do people want more details on the Rengarth tribes or the goblin bands or the Netherese nobles?
Depends on the campaign people will want to run, as such, I would give small slices of details and leave the rest up to a GM. Overall, I would expand on the nobles because these present not only campaign possibilities, but broad inspiration and history for many possible player characters in the form of families, rivals, and quests givers.

Are there any 5e specific options that I should Nethereseise (class pathways and feats etc).
Not at this point. Down the line and in later eras, yes. But in this case, they really should feel like the characters created are forging the specialties that will follow in the future instead of them already being distinctive at this point in time.

Professional illustrator and comic book artist.
Portfolio

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 23 May 2016 : 07:22:09

Very helpful, thankyou for the advice.

I didnt really want to include spells because they are the precursors to modern generic spells so the only difference netherese spells could have would be aesthetics or that they would be weaker.

Ill include one class pathway which is the finder but thats purely for historical reasons. Then i just need to link the name to lore somehow.

Again thanks for the advice ill be sure to follow it (and ill almost certainly takr you up on your offer for art and design advice)

Wrigley
Senior Scribe

Czech Republic
605 Posts

Posted - 24 May 2016 : 22:57:30

Thank you for sharing this. It is very well written and I hope there will be more like it. I think you should definitely put more detail to finish it as a product (spells, items, monsters and MAP) as many people like it. Adventures are another thing which I believe have no place in setting book (but still will be liked by most).
Personaly I would go for less information about Arthindol as it should be enigmatic persona that nobody in Netheril know much about. In later books everybody suddenly knew but I think it much better to leave it for now a mystery (there are other sources for more informations about him) as you are focusing on knowledge of that era even in geography.

I do really like idea about Shadow Mountain as it is later domain of Lord Shadow giving him more background and possibly a source of his knowledges.

Wrigley
Senior Scribe

Czech Republic
605 Posts

Posted - 24 May 2016 : 23:06:11

I have also read most issues of magazine (as I do not like Maztica and do not use Moonshae islands). Your explanation of Tiamat is great and I completely agree with trimming the rules. I would love to read more if you will make it :-)
If I will be able to make presentable version of my alternative realms someday I would gladly give it as articles into this magazine.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2016 : 08:42:03

Well shadow mountain is actually the sit of shadowtop borough in the netheril empire of magic boxed set.
I have no intention of putting in any direct connection with it and telemont tanthul (whose history is a real mess by the way so ive done something different with him.
I can confirm however that shadow mountain is linked to one of the characters mentioned in the document so far and will have a strong connection to a famous netherese artifact and a minor item. The repeated mentions of a type of gem are deliberate as i am trying to hide details and links but leave a trail for the perceptive reader.

Glad you liked the magazine although its a shame you dont like the moonshaes as i think it was my best work and i really tried my hardest to completely reinvent them and make them more usable and interesting.

Im afraid i havent the time to devote to the magazine as i once did, so i cant do enough articles to fill it anymore. But if i were to get more articles from others id be happy to continue it. The original idea was always to get more articles from others to show off other peoples versions of the realms.

As for rulesword, that morphed into an entirely new ruleset that im still working on but will possibly be finished this year. It allows complete customisation of classes, monster, races, and magic items. It should also be more streamlined as i cut out a lot of the random stuff people rarely used (like arcane spell failure).

Thanks again for reading, im glad you found it enjoyable, useful. If you have any questions then ask away.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2016 : 09:14:13

Ive still got a few ideas regarding tiamat and bahamut that build off the myths in the draconomicon (i got most of the ideas for the dragon mythology and history). When i rewrite the rage of dragons i might actually finish that stuff off (those crystals in the star mounts seem quite important to me, and yet another link to the king killer star).

So any explanation required on my position with the deities. The First Age will follow the path i have chosen which is to have mortals perform the actions attributed to gods and have real events account for many of the myths and legends surrounding the gods. That doesnt mean the gods cannot have been involved in the events and manipulating mortals and it doesnt prevent me including the myths, it just provides and alternative. That way both the god haters and the god lovers can use the material however they wish.

Wrigley
Senior Scribe

Czech Republic
605 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2016 : 15:03:47

I haven't said I do not like Moonshae issues I haven't read them as they have little interest for my game (too far) but I will try to get to it based on your recommendation.

I have dealt with Telemont myself but I haven't found his history much of a problem. Can you be more specific? I am only missing more info about his time in Shadow plane and personaly do not like his position as one of the oldest living beings in realms but I have found he is now in quite interesting position. Shadow mountain could just explain why he choose it as his domain (connection to Shadow plane/Shaar).

Regarding rules - if you go much further isn't it actualy better to start from scratch? D&D is not the best base for rpg rules (more like hack&slash rules :-)

Regarding gods - I am happy that you stepped into the middle ground as I felt sad seeing you tear down all godly influence from your realms. I agree that lot of written involvement of gods was unnecesary and overused. Gods shouldn't be directly present except major events and even then it should be risky for them. Sending their servants with task? great! but cleaning butts of heroes and paving their way by direct involvement used in adventures and novels?

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2016 : 15:40:57

I misread you thats all. I assumed you didnt use the moonshaes in your campaign (something i was guilty of because after the novels there was nothing of interest left in the region).

My rulesword has turned into a totally new d20 rules system. There is little similar with 3.5 apart from the language and the dice despite it being the basis. Everything is split into scenes rather than split into combat and non combat. That way spells, skills, and combat all operate under the same rules (and resource tracking is easier).

I only have 3 classes (warrior, expert, and magic user) but you can make whatever you want with them using options. Races also have options and you can have a half dwarf half elf crossbreed you can have anything crossbred with anything else. In fact no two characters need ever be even remotely similar (except for similar tastes).

Im creating futuristic and post apocalyptic content to see if the combat system in particular can handle the mix of genres and so far it operates realistically. Just need some more playtesting and someone to translate my horrible written english then im done.

With regards to lord shadow im operating from memory here but the confusion revolves around the time of his birth and the creatiom of the enclave of thultanthar and a few othet eventsm

Im a bit shory on specifics but ill see if i can find it tonight.

In the end i had telemonts dad creating the enclave and doing a lot of the research into the demiplane of shadow because of the archaeological dig in holloway (finding ruins from thaeravel). He then dies and telemont stays with karsus before returning to claim the enclave and continue his dads research.

I hadnt really considered a link to shadow mountain mostly because the shadow part is just a name and a bridging gap to the shadowtop trees which end with shadowtop boroughs name. Telemont is just a minor part in netherils history whereas shadow mountain keeps cropping up again and again. I just hope the secrets are discoverable by the time i get to Netheril: The Mythallar Age.

Hopefully people wont mind my rationalisation of the myths and legends of the gods. There are more than a few around that time such as tyches split, the destruction of asram, the dark three. The gods are still involved (if you want) but they didnt turn up in person. Avatars are as far as i would ever go for direct deific involvement and then it would have to be for some epic event (like sammasters destruction).

Anyway. Thanks for reading. Im always monitoring this thread. If there is anything you want to know or dont get or think i got wrong then just say. Also any suggestions are more than welcome, i can always use new ideas for existing or future work.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 26 May 2016 : 21:19:24

Okay.

Found my stuff on Lord Shadow.

1 - The shade enclave is established in -1471 DR on the banks of Heip Lake.

2 - Shadow is a student in Karsus' academy on Eileanur.

3 - Karsus didnt establish Eileanur until -674 DR and spent some time trying to attract people to live there.

4 -

quote:
:
Utilising the archwizard Shadow�s notes, the city of Shade successfully completed an experiment started hundreds of years earlier: partially depositing their city on the Demiplane of Shadow.

5 - According to the Netheril sourcebook Shadow aka Telemont Tanthul disappeared into the plane of shadow in -390 DR with his wife Alashar Crywinds. Yet the Shade enclave disappeared in -339 DR which means he couldn't have been on it given point 4.

So that's why I came up with Telemont's father as the archmage creator of Shade. I figure that half the information around Shade is from Lord Shadow himself which means it could have been nothing more than propaganda.

Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36804 Posts

Posted - 26 May 2016 : 21:49:17

Page 81 of Magic of Faer�n says that it was Telamont himself who moved the city of Shade into Shadow.

So he may have in fact disappeared in -390, but he did return home at some point after that.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2016 : 07:58:30

Cheers wooly, even more muddied and contradictory then.
Thankfully the netheril book is generally poorly regarded so i dont think anyone will object to a reinvention of it.

Wrigley
Senior Scribe

Czech Republic
605 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2016 : 13:17:24

I like the idea that his father actualy created the enclave and he just continued his work after his studies with Karsus. It make more sense than before as it is not only his work but legacy of his father.
Events of -390 are OK for me as problem was with taking the enclave back not barrier between Material and Shadow planes. He could easily move between even before and start there some sort of base camp before he moved it all.
Most strange thing I see with him are his sons who should be nearly as old as he yet they still follow him like puppets. I have created for him a strife with his son Rivalen in current age (1370+) as he is a high priest of Shaar so she started to prefer him and basicaly discarded Talamont who hoped for a chosen status to make him immortal. She has actualy given it to Rivalen mostly to provoke Talamont. He has however not let go of this idea and is now actively searching for Jathiman dagger to steal this divine spark (or another if needed) as he has found about Dark three. Funny thing about this is that he is one of the very few individuals who could actualy succeed in this.

BTW is there any more information about his wife?

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 28 May 2016 : 15:36:25

Information on Telamont his sons or his wife is almost non-existent. Its all in the novels which I don't have so until recently I had no idea the 12 princes were ruling Shade at the end of the Shadowed Age.

Although I might spin that as a council of apprenctices rule Shade in Telamont's absence and they call themselves the 12 princes. When Telamont returns he slays them all for their presumption to rule and guides the enclave into the demiplane of shadow (which is due to start rapidly expanding into the plane of shadow). Then he can have his sons at any point between -339 DR and the present day.

Wrigley
Senior Scribe

Czech Republic
605 Posts

Posted - 30 May 2016 : 00:09:59

Lords of Darkness p.78+

For his wife, there are only few snippets and I think I read somewhere that she died long ago (from present) in Shadow Plane. There is no specific info about how old are his sons but due to their levels I presume they are quite old (like hundred of years, youngest is level 26) so they should be mature enough for humans they are culturaly. As most of them are powerful magicans themselves I really do not see any other reason to stick with their father for so long than their loyality to him (they can travel planes and find truth about almost any lie he could have told them).

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 30 May 2016 : 09:46:28

Well if it were just me and i was training 12 powerful but evil sons in my own image, i would make sure that whatever magic turned them into shades and made them immortal only did so while i was alive (kinda like emperor palpatine's control over darth vader).

Brix
Learned Scribe

147 Posts

Posted - 15 Aug 2016 : 22:10:23

Wow! Awesome stuff. Any chance the Bloodstone AP will continue?

George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6666 Posts

Posted - 16 Aug 2016 : 03:02:00

quote:
Originally posted by Wrigley

Lords of Darkness p.78+

For his wife, there are only few snippets and I think I read somewhere that she died long ago (from present) in Shadow Plane. There is no specific info about how old are his sons but due to their levels I presume they are quite old (like hundred of years, youngest is level 26) so they should be mature enough for humans they are culturaly. As most of them are powerful magicans themselves I really do not see any other reason to stick with their father for so long than their loyality to him (they can travel planes and find truth about almost any lie he could have told them).

One of Paul Kemp's short stories ("Continuum" in Realms of War) deals with the death of Telamont's wife.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus

Edited by - George Krashos on 16 Aug 2016 03:05:42

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 16 Aug 2016 : 07:35:41

Morning Brix,

Glad you found something you like. The Bloodstone Lands work was a very early attempt at world building and i like to think i have refined my craft since then.

So in short yes i will be continuing it but not in the fan mag (which unfortunately died because i couldnt get anyone else interested and because i changed jobs and couldnt work on it 8 hours a day. Thabkfully the dms guild succeeded where i could not and got everyone interested in creating their own stuff.

My plan is to do a sourcebook on the bloodstone lands and do a complete rewrite of the region (but still make it fit into existing history). It will have a complete history, lots of intrigue and murder and shifting alliances etc. Then i plonk the witchking on it and seemingly wipe that all away but instead ot just makes the political situation worse.

Of course this is just a plan. Its not even in rough draft (although i have some geography and history done). And when finished it will go up on the dms guild. First of all however i need to finish Netheril: The Nether Age, start Netheril: the Mythallar Age and Netheril: The Silver Age. Then i might consider doing the Bloodstone Lands.

Lots of plans but i will get there (assuming i dont meet with an untimely demise first).

Oh and check out Netheril the First Age on the dms guild (shameless plug i know). Its what the mag has evolved into and the unofficial 10th issue, and its free.

And finally, cheers George. I dont normally read the novels but i suspect i may have to read the few there are about netheril, such as this and the one about negarath. If anyone has names for any novel touching on netheril then id really appreciate it.

George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6666 Posts

Posted - 16 Aug 2016 : 08:43:53

You should read a few of the short stories in "Realms of the Arcane".

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 16 Aug 2016 : 09:40:28

Will do, hopefully i will pick up a few more netherese words to add a bit of depth.

Thanks again George.

Brix
Learned Scribe

147 Posts

Posted - 17 Aug 2016 : 21:34:44

With regards to your AP I had a similar idea:
Start with level 1 PCs and go all the way up to H1, H2, H3, H4.
Of course the pre-H campaign should be Orcus/Zhengy/Red Wizards/Bloodstone/Damara/Vaasa - themed.
But level 1 to H1 is a long way.
So I used a couple of Necromancer Games modules, and everything I could find in Dungeons/Dragons magazines.
But your AP is even better to set the stage for the H-events.

Anyone share your ideas for a pre-H campaign in the spirit of dazzlerdal's AP and earn a bunch of karma points :)

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6361 Posts

Posted - 08 Dec 2016 : 08:48:42

My brief foray into the dms guild is over so i will resurrect my alternate dimensions project.

Im working on a campaign guide to playing in the alternate realms and then regional books probably starting with Damara and Vaada. Might be a good few months before either is finished.

Oh and they come with their own rules system (d20 based) because i really dont like 5e.

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