A concept for the Shadowlands Gazetteer

[Le Noir Faineant]

Hi all,

Okay, I'll do it.

I have no idea how long this will take, how much work will be needed,
or IF I can do this at all.
2009 will be the year with the biggest challenges in my university career,
and I feel that I will drop out of the writing business for quite some time - other than writing my exam paper.

So, I won't be able to helm the project myself, to edit it, or whatever,
but maybe the ideas we gather here will be of service to somebody else to do it.

Here are some nice ideas for campaigns in the Shadowlands already:

http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/TheV ... wlands.htm


Only based on that, I think one could already fill a Gaz with life.



Now, my ideas, in no particular order:

- The Gaz will be exclusively tailored to 4e. I think the Shadowlands are sufficiently away from the main RL setting, and their history is different enough to justify a different rule system.

- Don't make it longer than 120 pages. 25 pages for each domain, and the rest for rules and story.

- The domain described here would fit in pretty well into the Shadowlands, so why not put it in:




- It wouldn't be told from the perspective of a Frat member, but from a (possible female?) squire to the Knights of the Circle. Maybe a woman that poses as a boy?

- The action would be set ten years into the future of the current timeline, to make it possible to deviate from canon as much as we want.


So, what do you think of this? I repeat, I can't be the mastermind behind it, but I'd like to help in smaller ways, if I can.

Yours,

Rafe

[Le Noir Faineant]

At Gryphon Hill, there's a nice map of Nidala:

[Pamela]

It would probably be wiser to keep it part of the FoS metaplot since the FoS will still be involved in producing it. It also avoids problems of deciding who would invent the character used in narration. It certainly made the job easier in the Zherisian survey that way.

[Le Noir Faineant]

It would probably be wiser to keep it part of the FoS metaplot since the FoS will still be involved in producing it. It also avoids problems of deciding who would invent the character used in narration. It certainly made the job easier in the Zherisian survey that way.

My idea:

Sharon, a girl who, out of a reason that doesn't need to be disclosed, wants to be a knight and travels as a squire (of someone who is later revealed to be a Knight of the Circle) through the domain's most important locations.

She accompanies her master knight to the Faithhold, where he is slain by Ellena, and then, maybe after being hunted by the darklord, finally decides to enter the Mists...

My concern with using the Frat characters again is that, like S. in the Gazs
they might suffer by the over-use.
In the first two Gazs, I had a hard time following their journey, and to understand every detail of their story. With the third Gaz, the action gets more complicated, and with a fourth (or a fifth) installment, I think it might get even more.

I would rather use the Frat as a easter egg - maybe they are met on the journey. Somber guests in a tavern, or a drunk phantasizes about a man discussing with a talking sock...

One character I personally would love to have in the Gaz would be Megan Llewelyn. No reason in particular, but I have grown fond of her after NPCing her for my players when running "Nine".

- However, it wouldn't have to be "Sharon" who told the tale. I am just looking for something completely fresh - maybe even the Frat could provide a new idea.

[Desertrising]

I am willing to pitch in on this project. I am trying to get one of my own off the ground, but at the same time I really want to add my help any way I can.

I can't head the product up, but I can write like a demon if someone will give me a bit of direction or maybe a list of things to write about I could choose from.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

My concern with using the Frat characters again is that, like S. in the Gazs
they might suffer by the over-use.
In the first two Gazs, I had a hard time following their journey, and to understand every detail of their story. With the third Gaz, the action gets more complicated, and with a fourth (or a fifth) installment, I think it might get even more.

Well, while I can't spill the details, I will say that the in-game Fraternity's hunt for Van Rijn won't be going on forever. Sooner or later, they'll either find the guy and duke it out with him, or find reliable proof that he's passed beyond their reach (i.e. genuinely dead, become a darklord, escaped from Ravenloft, become a demilich, etc).

But there's no need to involve the metaplot, if you don't care to. It'd be nice to see the book continue with the epistolary style of the VRGs and Arthaus Gazzes, though. If this "Sharon" (my real name BTW ) is the narrator, you should find a reason for her to be recording her discoveries and experiences in the Shadowlands.

[Jester of the FoS]

As much as I'd like to keep the Gazetteers in-house, I don't see any reason not to do a fan one.
I'd actually shy away from 4e as no everyone will have a D&DInsider subscription or wish to switch. It should just have game rules for both (although the Frat will likely keep the Sea of Sorrows 3e as a swan song).

[ewancummins]

Cool idea! I like the conept of using a squire as the narrator.

Never read that particular Endless Quest book, but I like the elf on the cover. He looks vaguely... HAIR METAL!

As far as rules go, why not publish stats for 2E, 3E, and 4E? With a team of collaborators, and a book not super-heavy with stats in the first place, I don't think generating the sat blocks would be too much work. It might attract even more fans, because we'd have already done the conversion work for the many fans of older editions of the game.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Presenting two versions of character stats is one of the options we'd been considering, for FoS netbooks to come after the Sea of Sorrows Survey. For a community project, that might work even better, as you could have teams of authors -- one writer for each edition -- work on each NPC.

I'm not sure including 2E stats would be necessary, if you want to keep it short and rules-light. But if there seems to be enough interest, you could present 2E information for Shadowlands characters in a QtR article or web enhancement.

[ewancummins]

Presenting two versions of character stats is one of the options we'd been considering, for FoS netbooks to come after the Sea of Sorrows Survey. For a community project, that might work even better, as you could have teams of authors -- one writer for each edition -- work on each NPC.

I'm not sure including 2E stats would be necessary, if you want to keep it short and rules-light. But if there seems to be enough interest, you could present 2E information for Shadowlands characters in a QtR article or web enhancement.

Makes sense to me.

[Bluebomber4evr]

To be honest, I'd rather see a gazetteer for "classic Ravenloft" Shadowlands than one that reinvents the wheel, so to speak.

[Jester of the FoS]

I'd also like to use some of the good ideas Mangrum had regarding the cluster.

[Jester of the FoS]

http://www.fraternityofshadows.com/TheV ... wlands.htm

[Le Noir Faineant]

Well, while I can't spill the details, I will say that the in-game Fraternity's hunt for Van Rijn won't be going on forever. Sooner or later, they'll either find the guy and duke it out with him, or find reliable proof that he's passed beyond their reach (i.e. genuinely dead, become a darklord, escaped from Ravenloft, become a demilich, etc).

That was exactly my point. I, completely unaware of the Frat's plans for the plot, would not like to touch a scenario/character that is already that developed, and then possibly screw something up, or have to cut things that I like because they do not match with your earlier concept. - I can picture, however, an initial scene where Sharon's diary is handed to a Frat member. Maybe in there, there's a reference to a figure that resembles Viktor...

If this "Sharon" (my real name BTW ) is the narrator, you should find a reason for her to be recording her discoveries and experiences in the Shadowlands.

Yeah, I know. Point is, in all my recent Ravenloft campaigns, I payed hommage to the Frat by naming NPCs after them or some of our forum members... (Hope Drinnik and Gonzoron don't read this and start asking questions...)

You where the last one I hadn't immortalized that way, so it was your turn...

I'd also like to use some of the good ideas Mangrum had regarding the cluster.

The way he treats the Phantasmal Forest is another sign of his roleplayer genius, IMO.

What I would change is not too include too many extraordinary characters.
- The unicorn, Morgoroth, in my version Davion and the Headless Horseman, Ellena, Alexi, and so on and on...

I'd cut that down to only a few.
For example, I'd replace Ellena with alhoon's Statue as the darklord, and make Nidala a prospering realm, but haunted by the Altrian. I don't see why Morgoroth needs to be alive either, with Ebonbane being more than enough for a BBEG.

Also, I wonder why Alexi Shadowborn (that woman in the crystal sarcophagus) couldn't be a darklord as well - in the sense that many of the horrors that plague the land are manifestations of her horrific dreams.

I am willing to pitch in on this project. I am trying to get one of my own off the ground, but at the same time I really want to add my help any way I can.

I can't head the product up, but I can write like a demon if someone will give me a bit of direction or maybe a list of things to write about I could choose from.

You're welcome!


And finally, as to the rules, 4e is an idea, but if we really get this done, I'll be happy with anything.

[The Giamarga]

- The domain described here would fit in pretty well into the Shadowlands, so why not put it in:

I'm not sure if the domain that is described in Castle of the Undead fits very well into the Shadowlands. A land of darkness ruled by vampires? (It is the land hinted at in the Bloodknife's history in VRA btw, I wonder who did include it and what they thought how it could be developed). Imo it should probably be left as a flating pocket domain lost to the mists.

What where your ideas Rafael?