Café de Nuit

www.ravenloft.com.br has some interesting and polished Ravenloft netbooks available, though they are writen in protoguese. Among the authors I recognize Lucifer Abaddon and Azalin Rex.

Is anyone from the authors registered here? Has anyone read these books? Can someone explain to me the note in the Webanhancement VII about John Mangrum ?

Yahoo Babelfish translations are a hoot! This is how they read it:

"With the loss of the rights on Ravenloft of the White-Wolf, we inform with great pleasure that John W. Mangrum brought public part of the material that had been cut of the Gazetteers. Thus being, and using to advantage the days Incomparably Trevosos that they are come close, we will launch in the site the translated version of the set free material for Mangrum. Beyond constant updates that if they will follow during this week in ploughs “Inquisition”, disclosing to mysteries and doubts on the scene. We do not know if Mangrum will go (or it will be able) to liberate material more (that before it belonged to the White-Wolf, due to license that had on the scene, and that at the beginning of the month it left to have), but we guarantee that everything that will be set free it will be translated and set free the site in the next days, or in agreement it will be disclosed."

Please, Portuguese, not Protoguese nor Portoguese.
As for the blurb from babelfish, I can give you a better translation (I'm staking my reputation in beating a machine translator!):

"Since White-Wolf no longer holds the rights to Ravenloft, it is with great pleasure that we inform John W. Mangrum has made public part of the material that had been left out of the Gazetteers. Therefore, we profit the Incomparably Dark days that are coming to publish in our site a translation of the material released by Mangrum.
We will also make frequent updates during this week in the area 'Inquisition', revealing mysteries and doubts about the setting.
We do not know if Mangrum will be able to, or allowed to, release more material (previously belonging to White-Wolf, under the license it held over the setting and which was voided at the beginning of the month), but we guarantee that everything that comes to be released will be translated and published in our site over the next days, or as however comes to be announced."

Google also translates but seems to mess-up the background on the starting page:
clicky

So, the Portuguese rendering of "Time of Unparalleled Darkness" is "Incomparably Dark Days"?

Something about that turn of phrase makes me think of Lemony Snicket.

Not that that's bad, mind you.

Nathan of the FoS wrote:So, the Portuguese rendering of "Time of Unparalleled Darkness" is "Incomparably Dark Days"?

I hadn't made that connection, Nathan. Just translated back from 'Incomparavelmente Trevosos'. I would have preferred something along the lines of 'Times of darkness without parallel', before translating to Portuguese and back.

Nathan of the FoS wrote:So, the Portuguese rendering of "Time of Unparalleled Darkness" is "Incomparably Dark Days"?

Aha! That's the one i missed. So it it the module that they translated. Ok, othing new then.

Anyone take a look at their netbooks? They are quite polished and cover some areas that the FoS also covered or is just tackling...

The Giamarga wrote:

Nathan of the FoS wrote:So, the Portuguese rendering of "Time of Unparalleled Darkness" is "Incomparably Dark Days"?

Aha! That's the one i missed. So it it the module that they translated. Ok, othing new then.

Anyone take a look at their netbooks? They are quite polished and cover some areas that the FoS also covered or is just tackling...

Well, I hadn't before you asked. Anyway, I took a look at Atlas da Perdição VIII. That's a gazetteer on Souragne, written in the same format as the official gazs and embedding within the same plot, apparently. In the preface, there's comments by S on the nature of the 13 children of the Gentleman Caller and such, but I didn't make a detailed read, just skimmed through. The art seems to be all new to me, at least. I don't know to which extent the general content is new or not, though.

Number VI has Blaustein and Ghastria and more. Havn't looked at the others yet...

I'm checking a few of the others. One of them is the plan of the Gentleman Caller. It is credited as a translation of ideas of Steve Miller, and at least the introduction suggests that it is the complete plan revealed. This one I'll want to read later!

Also, part of the other books: the gazetteer on Souragne has a sister gazetteer on Saragoss, with the same number. Number IX deal with Har'akir.

Then there are two books, both starting by "Compêndia d..." which are similar in spirit to the "Book of S..." series, but seem to focus mainly on characters.

All in all, they seem interesting.

Ail wrote:I'm checking a few of the others. One of them is the plan of the Gentleman Caller. It is credited as a translation of ideas of Steve Miller, and at least the introduction suggests that it is the complete plan revealed. This one I'll want to read later!

Odd, since I'm pretty sure Steve Miller said he never had a complete plan for the GC but wanted to leave it in the hands of DMs. Maybe a mis-translation in one direction or the other? Maybe its their ideas on the GC, and they are just crediting Steve Miller for creating him?

Gonzoron of the FoS wrote:

Ail wrote:I'm checking a few of the others. One of them is the plan of the Gentleman Caller. It is credited as a translation of ideas of Steve Miller, and at least the introduction suggests that it is the complete plan revealed. This one I'll want to read later!

Odd, since I'm pretty sure Steve Miller said he never had a complete plan for the GC but wanted to leave it in the hands of DMs. Maybe a mis-translation in one direction or the other? Maybe its their ideas on the GC, and they are just crediting Steve Miller for creating him?

That's also the impression I had. What they say, basically, is this:

- Gentleman Caller was created in 94 by Steve Kurtis for The Evil Eye. It was Steve's idea to enliven him and use him in several other products
- After using him several times, the idea surfaced (among the fans?) that there was a hidden plan.
- Steve commented the character had a plan that might be revealed later
- Steve later said that he developed a goal for the character around 97 when he wrote Bleak House. But reinforced the idea that the GC was a plot hook for the DM mostly. He also affirmed that the plan would never be totally revealed to let each DM do whatever it pleased hir (OOTS anyone?)
- By the end of 2nd Ed, Steve proposed an adventure that would take the PCs to the future and to witness some events of the ToUD, returning home in the end while knowing the purpose of the GC. The adventure was rejected and in turn SM wrote "Die Vecna, Die".
- Come 3E, the idea was to release the whole plan through the Gazs, but apparently the Kargatane had different opinions from Steve. Among these were the idea that the GC had several children half-vistani.
- Then, they write this (translation): "However, the setting was cancelled once more and the plan was never revealed. Until now" (emphasis mine, this is was what motivated my previous remark).
- And then they follow with:

"With the end of the line, Steve Miller has gently (?) agreed to share with us some of the possibilities about the plan of the Gentleman Caller. A possibility of our own was also included.

This document holds possibilities and comments by Steve Miller on the GC, so that Ravenloft DMs may have ideas referring to the character in their campaigns. After next page, comments by Steve Miller are written in black, and our own in red for a better understanding of the material."

Wow!

Is there any way to confirm this? I mean I guess it could be true, but as I was not the one to hear Steve Miller on the subject I can only hope that it is.

It would be great to have such possibilities on the GC at ones fingertips.

If it is true then good job www.ravenloft.com.br and thank you Steve Miller for some of the disclosure! Also if true I at least nominate that we see if we can link this site to the Boat House!

Anyone got the time and or connections to confirm this?

A G Thing wrote: Also if true I at least nominate that we see if we can link this site to the Boat House!

It's already there. The Cemetary links made me nostaligic and I clicked every link in the Boathouse to see what else was out there. I was impressed with the ammount of content on this site, but as my Portuguese is non-existant I let it lie.

Netbooks are one thing and a good translation would be helpful. As far as an exclusive interview with Steve Miller on their site only...seems odd. I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

Though this could become a great collaboration. Call the consulate!