Souragne Gazetteer review

[Willowhugger]

I love it guys and I've only just started it.

However, I'm surprised with such professional quality work you didn't hold back on it and hope there was some chance you could do it professionally.

[Undead Cabbage]

I doubt WOTC would ever go for it. If anything, you'd get 'Drizzit's Guide to the Souragnian swamps of the Underdark..."

...*shudder*...

Plus, the Frat Mod's may be evil, but they certainly aren't selfish.

What surprised me is how much has been kept. Looking through it, I can see that they must have been banging their heads upon the table to try and fit in as much submitted stuff as possible.

[ScS of the Fraternity]

First, I don't know about the rest, but I do write professionally. Of course, its technical writing, but the skills are pretty much identical.

Second, Joel and Dave did the lions share of the work. I merely butchured their creation in order to fit it into the book, much like ramming a square peg through a round hole, to the mutual destruction of both.

Third, given Wotc's current follies, it would be Ebberon's guide to Souragne.

[Willowhugger]

Well I wasn't accusing you of not being capable my friend.

Merely giving you a compliment.



And now now, everyone knows EBERRON IS ALLLLLllll

*drool*

I obey! I obey! Must buy new books....

[Lord Cyclohexane]

Scary thought: if WotC does bring back Ravenloft, how long do you think it'll be before they force introduction of an Eberron-based domain?

Of course, it would be kind of cool to see lightning-trains that keep crashing due to the captured spirits revolting from within the spheres that make the basis for the tracks... Population control being the excuse used to provide the necessary souls to create the Eberron-ish technology and a fascist government cracking down so that the populace never learns what's going on... All lightning-train riders of more than 5 miles suffering madness checks as the screaming souls bound in the tracks afflict the riders... There's possibility, though it may suck.

[Lord Cyclohexane]

And thanks for the Gazetteer! I've been reading it all day (I am on page 62 right now) and my only complaint is that it could have used one last lookover on editing to catch the remaining spell-checker-avoided errors (a typo becoming a different word altogether and thus bypassing the spell-checker).

And I love the History, referring to Aurelians, which looks like it'd be pronounced just like "Orleans" (pronounced "oar-lee-ohn"). And the stuff with the Ezran church in Souragne, absolutely beautiful. In fact, everything in there that I've read so far is absolutely beautiful. Feel free to pat yourself on the back, as I'd do it for you if it were possible electronically.

[Edited to correct my own ironic spelling errors]

[Jester of the FoS]

Joel did much of the first part (geography) while I did the second half. Refer credit on religion elsewhere.
Review away! We demand feedback! PRAISE US!!

[Undead Cabbage]

One thing I really liked was how NPCs are done in suggested terms. That way rules lawyers don't do any flaming, and liberal GMs (such as myself) which are prone to tweaking with NPCs have room to play around.

Scary thought: if WotC does bring back Ravenloft, how long do you think it'll be before they force introduction of an Eberron-based domain?

Of course, it would be kind of cool to see lightning-trains that keep crashing due to the captured spirits revolting from within the spheres that make the basis for the tracks... Population control being the excuse used to provide the necessary souls to create the Eberron-ish technology and a fascist government cracking down so that the populace never learns what's going on... All lightning-train riders of more than 5 miles suffering madness checks as the screaming souls bound in the tracks afflict the riders... There's possibility, though it may suck.

3 words: Oil In Water

When reading over the Gaz, the spelling mistakes can sometimes seem like they are more grammatical errors caused from some sort of translation. In some cases (however weird this may sound), it almost added to it.

Or maybe I'm just saying that because I've been keen for this gaz for quite some time.

[Lucius]

WOOOW!!! Fantastic job!!!!

Congratlation guys, the work is at professional level!

[Joël of the FoS]

Man, that prank was awesome. The thing eating the kitten was a nice touch.

I have a couple of questions about it though. It's more about the actual writing process than anything else.

First, how many hours a day did you guys spend writing this? Because frankly, I'd argue it's quality rivals the official 'S' gazetteers.

I don’t know for the others, but at least 100 hours from me, if not much more (didn’t really count).

As David said, I was on the first line, i.e. the receiving of fan made and FoS made stuff, and first editing of these. My goal then was to make sure what we added didn’t contradict canon, and didn’t contradict what was already in the netbook.

As editor, I did also coach some good ideas that needed (or not) to be beefed up to make them better.

A fun part was asking (begging) for art and coordinating these.

My part of writing included part one (geography), the framing fiction, the appendix on dangers of the swamp and Souragnien zombies, and in the who’s who: Anton, Larissa and Mensonge. But in this many other member of the FoS suggested ideas to improve other’s texts.

David wrote part 2 (society) and Dion the part on voodan in part three. Llana wrote the Ezra part (in chapter III). Stephen wrote the LoB Misroi part. The rest (and many dread possibilities) were written by fans.

David did the final editing (and that part worked well between us, believe me ), and Stephen is to be credited for the wonderful presentation of the netbook.

Second, on a scale between 'it was a lot of work, but it was worth it' to 'this was the biggest mistake of my life', where would you put writing the gaz?

How about both? Seriously, it was a lot of work, but I liked every second of it as I saw in my dream the end result and knew (hoped) it was going to be interesting.

And finally, how on earth did you guys manage to keep so much stuff in it? Somehow, you've created something that not only is respectful to the canon material, but included a lot of fan submitted stuff as well.

Thanks! We loved it and made sure the final result was (we hope) fine quality…

Joël

[Undead Cabbage]

A fun part was asking (begging) for art and coordinating these.

Ya...sorry if I took. In the future I'll try to get any pieces out faster, and perhaps do some more research (i.e. understanding the darklord before I go ahead and draw him...).

[Isabella]

AAAARRGH my ART! My BEAUTIFUL art! Smooshed into tiny pixillated little PDF rectangles!

Er, looks fantastic, otherwise.

[Pamela]

Thank you, Lord Cyclohexane, for the compliment on the Ezra cult- and thank you, FoS for keeping nearly all of it. I gotta admit, I went to reread the official Gaz versions on religions and began to think my section would be chopped into 2-4 pages. Talk about relief!

Stephen, the book is simply beautiful- I'm sorry that it isn't printed after seeing your layout. Joel, David- everyone else who contributed- the entries are fantastic. I'm now trying to figure out a way to get my campaign to get to Souragne so I can use this...

You guys really did an amazing job with this.

[Le Noir Faineant]

I'll print and bind this one next week. Be sure that I'll drop by a review as soon as I am through it.

[Joël of the FoS]

I woke up this morning and realized I should put the full credits list, so everybody knows who did what. Here’s the extended list:

Nicholas Burke (aka Undead Cabbage) and Bluebomber4ever: Monster list double check
Xavier Cattarinich (aka TwiceBorn): Adventure hooks – Night of the Walking Dead aftermath-first hook, demonic bal aftermath and trade help hook; Belenfant and Desjardins plantation; Belief: Souragne’s misty border: risk, profit, and Liberté, and related adventure hook; COTN:W (Sandover) Dread possibility; Dread Possibility – Mordu; Most excerpts from “books” in history (chapter 2); Interview: Les Tristepas
David Cicalese (aka Jasper): Leeches
Mark Graydon (aka Mortavius): COTN:W (Sandover) Dread possibility; Dread Possibility – Bloody Water
Paul Karoubas (aka Moral Machivelli): Dread Possibility – the Oracle
Chris Parsons: Hallie-Bourbonne plantation; various establishments and ideas for Port d’Elhour, Captain Guy Bourbonne and food notes
Leandro Zerbinatti de Oliveira (aka Lucifer Abaddon) – Dread Possibility – the Maiden’s Children
Andrew Pavlides (aka alhoon): New spells
Pamela Rose (aka Gertrude Kingsley, Llana): Ezra worship history text in chapter3, Larouche and Lefebvre plantation
Stephen Sale (aka Brothersale): Belief: Cabrit sans cor'; COTN:W (Sandover) Dread possibility; Dread Possibility – The Red Moon
Vannax: Swamp Shoes
Camiel Vissers: Van Schelm plantation

Joël: framing fiction, chapter 1 (geography main text, with help from Stephen on plants), “government and law" in chapter 2, “petitioning the loa” in chapter 3, Dancing Bones feat, DM’s appendix (swamp hazards and monstrous encounters), “Evil voodan and zombie creation” and the template in New Monsters (recycled and updated from USS), in who’s who: Anton, the Maiden, Larissa and Mensonge
David: chapter 2 main text (sociology, daily life, clothing, customs and beliefs, etc., as well as history – incorporating Xavier’s book excerpts). David also did the second phase editing, with his keen eyes for details.
Dion: chapter 3 loa text
Stephen: appendix 3 – Misroi family à la Legacy of the Blood. As I wrote, Stephen did the wonderful job on formatting.
All at the FoS: we have the “improved criticism” feat. Many ideas were discussed and suggestions added.

Map of Souragne is based on the Mordent Cartographic Society’s work, updated by David
Map of Port d’Elhour: Joël

Anton Misroi on the city walls, Mensonge, Port d’Elhour - Past-the-port and Town – Nicholas Burke (aka Undead Cabbage)
Anton Misroi portrait – David Gibson
Chicken Bone, Larissa Snowmane, The Maiden of the Swamp, Sandover, Anton Misroi on a horse, Man at night in the swamp – Isabella P.
Vévé drawings – Dion Fernandez

The gothic drawing in the “Souragne in the Spirit World” was taken without permission from a great comic art book by Victoria Francés, named Favole (highly recommended).

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Let me know if I missed / messed something in this list!

Joël