Here's the mostly-done first page of the Instrumentality of Aom spread in the Strange Stars setting book. Lester B. Portly continues to do awesome work! The setting book is still on schedule for a fall release.
4 hours ago
Monday, September 22, 2014
Strange Stars Update
Here's the mostly-done first page of the Instrumentality of Aom spread in the Strange Stars setting book. Lester B. Portly continues to do awesome work! The setting book is still on schedule for a fall release.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Demihuman Height Reference
The 5e Player's Handbook gives us the following height ranges for demihumans: Dwarf, 4-5 ft.; Elf, under 5-over 6 ft.; Halfling: 3 ft.; Gnome: 3-4 ft. Here's a few images illustrating what those heights actual mean.
In the halfling and gnome range is homo florensis. The skeleton discovered was a bit over 3.5 ft.
In the dwarf and short elf height range are the Pygmy peoples of Central Africa. Height for males is under 4'11". I imagine dwarves are built less like pygmies and more like Neanderthals, though.
In the halfling and gnome range is homo florensis. The skeleton discovered was a bit over 3.5 ft.
In the dwarf and short elf height range are the Pygmy peoples of Central Africa. Height for males is under 4'11". I imagine dwarves are built less like pygmies and more like Neanderthals, though.
Friday, September 19, 2014
A Little More About Elves
With my first session of my face-to-face 5e game in the Land of Azurth coming up this weekend, I've had a few more thoughts about the elves in Yanth (which is timely, given than one on more of my players will probably play one).
High Elves (as they are called in the PHB) reflect reflect the most civlized elvish group. They tend to live apart from humans and the little folk (halflings, dwarves, some gnomes) that are associated with them. They tend to live in small settlements, maybe centered around fanciful, fairytale sort of castles (something like the Vadhagh in Moorcock's Swords Trilogy). They dress in pseudo-"High Medieval" sort of dress (a couple of centuries behind other folk) and talk in the sort of cod-Shakespearean way that Thor used to in Marvel Comics.
Wood Elves are more primitive than their high elf cousins. They're half The Hobbit's wood elves and half Elfquest. Part "indigenous people in harmony with nature", part "fairy forest trickster." The Elfquest elves, the Rankin-Bass wood elves, and Moebius's concept art for Willow are all good visual inspiration. They probably have a similar speech pattern to the high elves, but maybe with a little more Robin Hood banter.
As the pictures might indicate, elves won't be universally physically attractive--but they all have the fae glamour about them.
High Elves (as they are called in the PHB) reflect reflect the most civlized elvish group. They tend to live apart from humans and the little folk (halflings, dwarves, some gnomes) that are associated with them. They tend to live in small settlements, maybe centered around fanciful, fairytale sort of castles (something like the Vadhagh in Moorcock's Swords Trilogy). They dress in pseudo-"High Medieval" sort of dress (a couple of centuries behind other folk) and talk in the sort of cod-Shakespearean way that Thor used to in Marvel Comics.
Wood Elves are more primitive than their high elf cousins. They're half The Hobbit's wood elves and half Elfquest. Part "indigenous people in harmony with nature", part "fairy forest trickster." The Elfquest elves, the Rankin-Bass wood elves, and Moebius's concept art for Willow are all good visual inspiration. They probably have a similar speech pattern to the high elves, but maybe with a little more Robin Hood banter.
As the pictures might indicate, elves won't be universally physically attractive--but they all have the fae glamour about them.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Places of Note in Yanth
Apiaria: The Hive City of the Bee Folk and center of the domain of their Queen, Melitta XLI. Relations between the humans of Yanth and the bee folk have been pleasant but formal for some time. Wealthy Rivertown folk imbue an antiaging tonic made from bee folk royal jelly.
Castle Machina: Just outside of Rivertown, an old castle is the workshop-palace of the Clockwork Princess Viola I of Yanth. The barracks, sheds, and small laboratories around it are known as "Mechanicstown" and house the tinker gnomes and others that assist the Princess.
The Enchanted Wood: An ancient and dense forest north of Rivertown where the plant and animal life encountered is very often capable of speech. It is said to be the domain of an old and eccentric druid.
The Great Standing Stone Sages: A circle of eight monolithic stone heads in which reside the intellects of great sages of a past age. Their names and their scholarly specialties are: Whindbog the Historian, Blathrur the Astronomer, Pomphus the Philologist, Laangvynd the Geographer, Eggedd the Scientist, Baombast the Physician, Drohninon the Mathematician, and Nowhitaul the Theologian. These learned minds may be consulted by touching their respective stone, allowing telepathic communication as long as the contact is maintained. They will answer questions put to them, though they tend to do so with a degree of irritation and condescension.
Horologopolis: A subkingdom in the Country of Yanth where many aspects of the lives of its citizenry are predetermined at birth by extensive application of the astrological and numerologic sciences. Horoscopes are prepared and zealously tracked and rechecked through a citizen’s lifetime by the great tabulating engines controlled by the Master Time Keeper, a giant, many-armed construct with a head like a clock face. Those who stray from their appointed role or seek to alter their fate in significant ways are corrected by his agents, the more humanoid, but likewise clockfaced, Watchmen.
Rivertown: Largest city in Yanth, at the confluence of the Yellow and Flint Rivers. It's a center for trade and home of an infamous, waterborne, red-light district called (appropriately) "The Floating World."
Castle Machina: Just outside of Rivertown, an old castle is the workshop-palace of the Clockwork Princess Viola I of Yanth. The barracks, sheds, and small laboratories around it are known as "Mechanicstown" and house the tinker gnomes and others that assist the Princess.
The Enchanted Wood: An ancient and dense forest north of Rivertown where the plant and animal life encountered is very often capable of speech. It is said to be the domain of an old and eccentric druid.
The Great Standing Stone Sages: A circle of eight monolithic stone heads in which reside the intellects of great sages of a past age. Their names and their scholarly specialties are: Whindbog the Historian, Blathrur the Astronomer, Pomphus the Philologist, Laangvynd the Geographer, Eggedd the Scientist, Baombast the Physician, Drohninon the Mathematician, and Nowhitaul the Theologian. These learned minds may be consulted by touching their respective stone, allowing telepathic communication as long as the contact is maintained. They will answer questions put to them, though they tend to do so with a degree of irritation and condescension.
Horologopolis: A subkingdom in the Country of Yanth where many aspects of the lives of its citizenry are predetermined at birth by extensive application of the astrological and numerologic sciences. Horoscopes are prepared and zealously tracked and rechecked through a citizen’s lifetime by the great tabulating engines controlled by the Master Time Keeper, a giant, many-armed construct with a head like a clock face. Those who stray from their appointed role or seek to alter their fate in significant ways are corrected by his agents, the more humanoid, but likewise clockfaced, Watchmen.
Rivertown: Largest city in Yanth, at the confluence of the Yellow and Flint Rivers. It's a center for trade and home of an infamous, waterborne, red-light district called (appropriately) "The Floating World."
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Wednesday Comics: Princess Aura in Her Underwear
...and Flash, Ming, and Thun, too--but they don't make for the click-grabbing headline.
I picked up IDW's Definitive Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Volume 1 last week with a bit of hesitation has I already had Checker's and Titan's first Flash Gordon volumes, but the full Sunday pages size (actually slightly larger) and colors( that are a good compromise between Checker's glossy ones and Titan's too muted ones) are worth it. Though at a little larger than 16 x 12, it isn't exactly portable.
Another interesting thing about these full reprints is that they reproduce the paper dolls that Raymond did along with the strip.
As promised, here's Princess Aura from 1934:
.jpg)
Her papa, Ming:
Lura "Vultan's favorite":
Flash Gordon:
And last, but not least, Prince Thun the Lion Man:
I picked up IDW's Definitive Flash Gordon and Jungle Jim Volume 1 last week with a bit of hesitation has I already had Checker's and Titan's first Flash Gordon volumes, but the full Sunday pages size (actually slightly larger) and colors( that are a good compromise between Checker's glossy ones and Titan's too muted ones) are worth it. Though at a little larger than 16 x 12, it isn't exactly portable.
Another interesting thing about these full reprints is that they reproduce the paper dolls that Raymond did along with the strip.
As promised, here's Princess Aura from 1934:
Her papa, Ming:
Lura "Vultan's favorite":
Flash Gordon:
And last, but not least, Prince Thun the Lion Man:
Monday, September 15, 2014
Planning for 5e: Classes
My group is meeting this next weekend for character creation for inaugural 5e D&D Land of Azurth session. Just like with the races, some of the classes require some explanation and/or tweaking for the setting:
The "fighting man" classes of Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers are all okay. Rogues and Bards work as-is, too.
Clerics: I discussed primary deities and clerical domains in a post last week.
Druids: Probably more common in the Country of Virid, but they would will be present in Yanth where the campaign will begin.
Monks: I haven't figured out where the the Way of the Shadow and Way of the Four Elements orders might fit it.The Monks of the Way of the Open Hand will come from isolated mountain monasteries.
Sorcerers: No draconic bloodlines, but otherwise okay.
Warlocks: No Great Old One patrons for now. The archfey represent the relatives of Azulina in Elphame. Also, the fae lords of the Sun and Moon. Warlocks with fiendish patrons will be the most common. Witch hats and mantled coats will be a commonly seen "uniform" among Warlocks, perhaps inspired by the traditional clothing of the Witches of Ix.
Wizards: Okay as written.
The "fighting man" classes of Barbarians, Fighters, Paladins, and Rangers are all okay. Rogues and Bards work as-is, too.
 |
| Hierophant of the Church of Azulina |
Druids: Probably more common in the Country of Virid, but they would will be present in Yanth where the campaign will begin.
Monks: I haven't figured out where the the Way of the Shadow and Way of the Four Elements orders might fit it.The Monks of the Way of the Open Hand will come from isolated mountain monasteries.
Sorcerers: No draconic bloodlines, but otherwise okay.
 |
| Warlocks like their pointy hats. |
Wizards: Okay as written.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
A Land of Adventure...
...That's California.
Or at least all the places California gets to be in the movies. The above is a 1927 Paramount Films map of potential shooting locations in Southern California. This next one is locations within the Alabama Hills were films were actually shot:
Now, I'm not sure exactly how one might use this information to make a setting from the terrain of Southern California, but I'm sure it's possible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
