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Wood Elf Ranger
Senior Scribe
USA
627 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Aug 2004 : 04:35:00
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I just got this tome in the mail today and read it from cover to cover in one sitting  and wanted to post my thoughts on it.
First let me say the reason there was so much more fluff than crunch in this tome is because most all the races/monsters were already detailed in other sourcebooks. So they just told you which book and page to find the stats thus leaving the majority of pages free for fluff.
Which is an excellent thing I especially loved the 'in the Realms' monster sections giving up-to-date info on what the outlandish monsters are currently up to.
Only thing I didn't like was it got a bit redundant explaining each races purpose and creation/relation to the creator races.
My favorite things: the nifty Racial Traits table in the back, very handy; the artwork, just awesome; and the Serpent Slayer PrC, great idea!
So for anyone who is a fan of slithering scaly things, great artwork, and most importantly Realms fluff, this tome is well worth the money  |
~Lee N.
"Breaktime yes?!.. Yes?.. Maybe?.. Noo, baaack to work.." -Grovel the Goblin from NWN: HotU |
Edited by - Wood Elf Ranger on 10 Aug 2004 04:38:12 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2004 : 14:33:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
They don't do anything for me, but I'm sure that other people will like them.
Here's something I noticed. For Wallpaper #1, the elf has scratches on her leg. Understandable given the situation she finds herself in. However, the cover on my SK tome has no such scratches. I guess they didn't want any elf-lovers to get upset that an Etrielle had been mistreated.
I see the bound human also has some additional damage to his clothing and body. Too graphic of a picture for the actual cover? I wonder why the change. |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2004 : 04:02:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
This book, on the other hand, does appear to have been well edited. Thus far, I've only found one mistake, and it wasn't major enough to really pay attention to -- I recognized it as a mistake, and kept right on reading.
Well, I've had a chance to go through my copy properly and have to 'fess up to a few errors and typos that slipped past me at least, in the proof-reading stage.
In the Appendix - Historical Eras of Faerun section there are the following typos:
Illythir: should be Ilythiir
Syopiir: should be Syorpiir (can't do the accent, sorry)
Miyiertar: should be Miyeritar (although spelling of this place has been variable ...)
Ghaurraghaur: should be Gharraghaur
Also, in the section on Najara (pgs.104-107) we have in the Marsh of Chelimber write-up the description of the Principality of the Snarling Boar lasting from 457 DR to 692 DR. In the Boareskyr Bridge section we are told the Grand Prince Boareskyr, "the Snarling Boar", was a noted adventurer and FOUNDER of the realm who then went on to defeat an orc horde at this site in the Year of the Bloody Tusk (661 DR). Ummm, this means that Boareskyr lived a long, long time if he founded the place in 457 DR and then fought a battle against orcs in 661 DR. This is sort of fixable by saying that the Boareskyr who defeated the orcs was a descendant of the original Boareskyr and was likely Boareskyr III or something like that.
Also, in the section on Najara's regional history (p.112), our problems with Boareskyr aren't over, for this section states that the Principality was destroyed in 993 DR (not 692 DR as mentioned above).
Maybe Eric can help us out here ....
-- George Krashos (the sheepish one)
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2004 : 02:24:08
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| WOTC now has errata available for this product. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2004 : 03:45:14
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
WOTC now has errata available for this product.
I was just coming over here to comment on that fact...
Only five things to correct. See, I said it was well-edited. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2004 : 04:09:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Only five things to correct. See, I said it was well-edited.
That is quite good. Is that a record?  |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2004 : 04:53:41
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quote:
Originally posted by SiriusBlack
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Only five things to correct. See, I said it was well-edited.
That is quite good. Is that a record?
It's the best they've done since Ukta of last year.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2004 : 05:26:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It's the best they've done since Ukta of last year.
ROFL. :) Stop that! I fell out of my chair. |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
Edited by - Kuje on 01 Dec 2004 05:29:53 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2004 : 11:15:33
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quote:
Originally posted by kuje31
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
It's the best they've done since Ukta of last year.
ROFL. :) Stop that! I fell out of my chair.
*bows* It was the best reply I could come up with.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2006 : 10:53:15
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In reply to RodOdom's question (from another thread): no, I have not had the chance to use this tome in actual play. I've read most of it, but must defer to less 'complicated' monsters in my current campaign.
Including elements from this book in game play would necessitate a lot of DM work (both their social/roleplaying and game/combat interactions are extremely hard to master)
If you use this book, you should base your whole campaign on it... there's a LOT of evil masterminding going on within these pages!!! |
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jul 2006 : 12:04:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Purple Dragon Knight
If you use this book, you should base your whole campaign on it... there's a LOT of evil masterminding going on within these pages!!!
And you should also remember to perfect your lisps (sure, you could go with just one kind of lisp, but using more than one is more effectful).
Seriously speaking though, since I've no group to DM, and since I can't say I particularly felt like playing a Scaled One when I made my character for Kuje's PbEM-game, I've not had any use for this book in actual game-play yet. But in terms of getting my mind ticking and whirring with ideas...oh yes.
My copy of the book gets plucked off the shelf at least once every two weeks. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Na-Gang
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
348 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2006 : 14:07:19
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Well I use it. In fact my whole campaign hinges on it, being that it's set in Lapliiya and The Chultan Peninsula 'n all.
The Yuan-Ti are great foes. Individually powerful but with enough subraces, slaves, and lesser races of 'scaled ones' to provide opposition to any level of party. My group started at 1st level, are now on the cusp of 4th level and have only just met their first Yuan-Ti (even though she's not an opponent she's facilitated their work against a rival Yuan-Ti House).
Yuan-Ti satisfy my DM's need for thick, multi-layered plots, betrayal, and behind-the-scenes manipulation. Plus the fact that the Mulhorandi deity Set is masquerading as the Yuan-Ti deity Sseth, lets me indulge my Old Empires obsession as well.
It's a good book, but I do bemoan the absence of maps. Even if one was made available on the WotC site. I would've gladly paid a bit more for a great map or two included with the product. |
Edited by - Na-Gang on 14 Jul 2006 14:08:09 |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2006 : 01:39:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Na-Gang
It's a good book, but I do bemoan the absence of maps.
"Classic Serpent Kingdoms opinion #4" |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Na-Gang
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
348 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2006 : 09:41:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Reefy
quote:
Originally posted by Na-Gang
It's a good book, but I do bemoan the absence of maps.
"Classic Serpent Kingdoms opinion #4"
Heh. Yeah Yeah. OK. |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2006 : 05:47:25
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| For those who have used the SK book in actual play: could you give us a point-form outline of your adventures/campaign? Cheers! |
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Na-Gang
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
348 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2006 : 10:48:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Purple Dragon Knight
For those who have used the SK book in actual play: could you give us a point-form outline of your adventures/campaign? Cheers!
Well... I'm not sure I understand what a "point-form outline" is but guessing that it involves bullet points, here goes:
- Beginning in Lapaliiya, moving around the lands of the Shining Sea
- Starting with the House of the Circle adventure from Dungeon magazine (sorry, can't remember which issue)
- Characters - a Tashalan Wizard, soon to be Celebrant of Sharess, who is related to Danino Soth the ruler of Abreon, an ex-slave Wild Dwarf Ranger/Druid, an Ex-paladin, soon to be Divine Champion of Sune, a Tiefling Rogue from the streets of Sheirtalar, a Chessentan Cleric of Lathander
- Whilst investigating Lord Soth's business acquaintances the group discover an abandoned 'facility' where, historically, Yuan-Ti and Illithids had pooled their knowledge to create aberrations, new grafts and slave races
- In Abreon they encounter a seemingly unrelated death cult but find a letter from someone called 'Imin' somehow linking Soth to it, he subsequenly is 'kidnapped' and a note left telling the PCs that someone in Mierskar has answers
- On the way to Mierskar they encounter shapeshifting snake people who worship Set and claim they are not Yuan-Ti
- In Mierskar they encounter Savis, an agent of one of the House Eselemas satraps of Lushpool who informs them that the Yuan-Ti House Se'Sehen had been conducting experiments with the Illithids, Soth was a former slaver and supplied slaves to the Yuan-Ti/Illithid alliance, and that their House (Eselemas) had moved him into hiding to prevent House Se'Sehen from turning him into a Tainted One
- Imin, a former acquaintance of Lord Soth, from his days as a slaver has been discovered to somehow be involved with House Se'Sehen and a cult of young men who tattoo themselves with scales and actively work to keep people out of the ruins of the School of Wizardry in Mierskar
- Seeine House Eselemas as the lesser of two evils, the PCs agree to delve into the ruins, where they encounter Yuan-Ti, cultists and Imin, who escapes with the help of a mysterious and powerful woman called Thoosa, but the PCs do find a note which seems to suggest that Imin has planned to be somewhere at a certain date, if only they could work out where...
- Whilst in the ruins the PCs learn that Set is masquerading as Sseth but that most of Sseth's worshippers do not realise, even House Se'Sehen do not know.
Upon meeting again with Savis she tells them that Imin will have returned to his ship, moored in a hidden cove, which was granted him by one of the other Satraps of Lushpool who may or may not be an ally of House Se'Sehen. Savis suggests the PCs infiltrate the hidden cove and learn what Imin plans
Obiviously a lot of that is non-Canon. Danino Soth is not the Canon ruler of Abreon, I even geographically moved the town from the South of Lapaliiya to the North. |
Edited by - Na-Gang on 20 Jul 2006 11:02:09 |
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Lonecry
Acolyte
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2006 : 20:42:40
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| There is a trilogy in dungeon (69,70,71?) that are about the yuan-ti creating a super-human race that is docile. It was meant for the serpent hills but with a little bit of work I moved it to the dalelands, specifically mistledale. |
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Serpent Kingdoms (SK)
