18DELTA
Anything more? No.
There are more pressing matters at this point.
-Tune in to the Kara-Tur Re-Dux for all of your Kara-Tur needs, however. It's written by us, for us. It's good stuff.
Monks unite!! Burma unite!
To hell with Brooklyn!!!
M'kay?
...
That sucks.
Wait...so you guys are gonna do ALL that? In the index? On the first page?
GODS BLESS YOU if you guys manage to pull it off, I'd LOVE to see a 4e Kara-Tur.
p.s. Sorry, but I don't like AEG monopolizing the pseudo-Asian RPG market, anymore than I like Apple monopolizing the MP3 player market.
After all, there was mention of the dragonwall being destroyed...
As to Kara-Tur, be careful what you ask for...
If Hasbro or WotC got sick of Dungeons & Dragon maybe an Asian game company can buy it, with interest to replace Eberron with Kara-Tur.
As if there were not enough asian/oriental cra... uhm, stuff floating around. :P
If Hasbro or WotC got sick of Dungeons & Dragon maybe an Asian game company can buy it, with interest to replace Eberron with Kara-Tur.
p.s. Sorry, but I don't like AEG monopolizing the pseudo-Asian RPG market, anymore than I like Apple monopolizing the MP3 player market.
-Check this out. Markus posted the link at Candlekeep.
18DELTA
Wait...so you guys are gonna do ALL that? In the index? On the first page?
-In theory. It's hard, though, when there's like, two people doing most of everything...(hint, hint)
Hmmmm. I love history and politics. I don't see why I can't lend a hand. I probably will only be able to do, well, exactly what I said above, anything history and politics on Kara-Tur. I don't have access to any Kara-Tur sourcebooks however, so you guys are gonna have to point me in the right direction so I can get all the info I need on Kara-Tur.
That and I'm a Eberron fanatic. I just got into Forgotten Realms a year ago:D
That means - aside from a few Dragon articles penned by the man himself - the Kara-Tur region was the VERY FIRST part of the Realms that was ever officially detailed.
Hows that for a kick in the head?
Technically, Kara-Tur didn't get shoe-horned into Ed's Realms... Ed's Realms got shoe-horned into Kara-Tur. ;)
Almost finished wihth tha two-part Map - I was busy for the last four days and wasn't able to work on it, though.
And like Stigger said - be careful what you wish for. I put a lot of time and effort into getting the 3e version of K-T cohesive with ALL previous lore, something I don't think they would bother with, and I have even extrapolated the timeline into 4e (and thus nuking some of my own ideas in the process - which was kinda fun, in a weird sort of way).
That means - aside from a few Dragon articles penned by the man himself, the Kara-Tur region was the VERY FIRST part of the Realms that was ever officially detailed.
-By TSR, anyway.
Technically, Kara-Tur didn't get shoe-horned into Ed's Realms... Ed's Realms got shoe-horned into Kara-Tur. ;)
-Something's odd about this, then. Isn't Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms the original 1e OA book?
-Something's odd about this, then. Isn't Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms the original 1e OA book?
That boxed set (1988) wasn't the first intro to Kara-Tur. Rather it was the 1985 Oriental Adventures book for 1E, which was one of the last things Gygax did as he was leaving the company.
That said, although it predates the 1E published Realms, I'm not certain that Ed's deal was "after" it or before. Remember that H1, the "battle system" version of the Bloodstone Lands (which met with mixed reviews for the combat system), like the Kara-Tur in Oriental Adventures, also predated the publication of the 1E FR boxed set. But both Kara-Tur and Bloodstone lands are considered primary FR (although technically, Oriental Adventures is a general product and not specifically labeled FR).
One important clue is that Ed Greenwood is not listed either in the design credits or the playtest credits, and does not have an acknowledgement in the "Special Thanks" section of Oriental Adventures. Jeff Grubb and Dave Cook do appear there, though... ;)
It is a little confusing.
Technically, Kara-Tur didn't get shoe-horned into Ed's Realms... Ed's Realms got shoe-horned into Kara-Tur. ;)
Something like that...I guess.
Well by that logic, now that Gary Gygax is dead, Forgotten Realms shouldn't exist. That means the DND should fall back in line with the rest of boring, underdated board games.
That hasn't happened?
That boxed set (1988) wasn't the first intro to Kara-Tur. Rather it was the 1985 Oriental Adventures book for 1E, which was one of the last things Gygax did as he was leaving the company.
-Ah, I was unaware of said product. Thank you.
-Ah, I was unaware of said product. Thank you.
No prob, it was in that funky transition time when TSR was having problems.
Intriguingly, Ed Greenwood is not listed in the credits of the 1988 boxed set either.
Wasn't Gary Gygax involved with the original Oriental Adventures book that introduced Kara-Tur? Is that an issue why its never really been updated?
Nah. The OA line continued well after Gygax quit TSR. From that little chapter in the original OA, David "Zeb" Cook (also mentioned in the book) expanded and ported KT to the Forgotten Realms setting.
Intriguingly, Ed Greenwood is not listed in the credits of the 1988 boxed set either.
I doubt Ed Greenwood did anything with regards to KT.
(I honestly don't know if he is willing to try either. Can Ed do pseudo-Asian game design? Should he?)
Remember that Ed sold the setting to TSR, who can pretty much do what they like, including adding more lands to explore.
Nah. The OA line continued well after Gygax quit TSR. From that little chapter in the original OA, David "Zeb" Cook (also mentioned in the book) expanded and ported KT to the Forgotten Realms setting.
That's basically the same thing I said, btw. :P It wasn't just Cook, though.
My personal vote is for Once Upon a Time in China, possibly the single best Kung Fu Movie ever made. Jet Li stars as Wong Fey Hung, and Rosamund Kwan, at the height of her beauty, stars as Aunt Yee. It's fantastic. And the cinematography has held up even though the movie is 16 years old
Watch it if you like Westerns, there's a lot of nods to old westerns from the fifties and sixties.
Of course, part of the problem is, do you run it like Ran, or do you run it like Once Upon a Time in China?
When I run the Shou Lung campaign, I use Wuxia elements.
When I run the Kozakura campaign, I use Chanbara + Ninja-Wuxia elements (nope, you're not going to see samurai walking on treetops but can leaps, like a power ranger).
-Something's odd about this, then. Isn't Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms the original 1e OA book?
Thank you for fielding this, Therise.
This is the cover of said product.
From which I created the cover of the Netbook (if it is ever realized).
Its interesting to note that the only official eastern region I don't see mentioned in that tome is Tabot, making that the one political entity created expressly for the kara-Tur boxed set and FR.
When I run the Shou Lung campaign, I use Wuxia elements.
When I run the Kozakura campaign, I use Chanbara + Ninja-Wuxia elements (nope, you're not going to see samurai walking on treetops but can leap, like a power ranger).
Sounds a lot like what I'm going for. The four main nations were way too much alike culturally, and by drawing on different periods of history, mythology, and genres, we can re-flavor each just a little too make them look more individual.
I had an idea for the Eastern Shaman and Witchdoctors - both will use summoning magic, much like Druids, but in the post-3e world they've had to develop new ways to do this to summon their creatures.
The Shaman in the north use special 'Spirit Balls' that house the essence of their creatures until they are ready to be called for, and the Kio Ton Mu (Witchdoctors) of the southern jungles use a mystic placards (cards) that call forth these beings.
Or is that a little too anime' for ya? :P
Or is that a little too anime' for ya? :P
That depends. Are the "standard" katana ridiculously ginormous? :P
But the Witchdoctor that created the Placards had a stuttering problem -
"Its time to D-D-Duel!!!" :D
Don't worry, I'm not creating a Feat for the Spirit-Ball users, that enables them to double their next attack simply by turning their hat around. :P
Don't worry, I'm not creating a Feat for the Spirit-Ball users, that enables them to double their next attack simply by turning their hat around. :P
I've heard of tipping the hat, but tapping it? :P
I wonder if there is such a magic system in place that involves writing a spell-charm on paper strip.
I like Inuyasha, BTW, depite his Ginormous sword. :D
On another note, Rurouni Kenshin is how I'm picturing Kozakuro these days.
Are you referring to those 'prayers' that Monk in Inuyasha always uses?
Didn't watch Inuyasha. Did watched Jackie Chan's Animated Adventures. In that show, Uncle employs spell-scripts.
On another note, Rurouni Kenshin is how I'm picturing Kozakuro these days.
Actually, I picture Yoshi-tsune Taiga Drama.
Didn't watch Inuyasha. Did watched Jackie Chan's Animated Adventures. In that show, Uncle employs spell-scripts.
-AAAiiii, Jackiiieee! That was a great show. It's still on, actually...I think it's Toon Disney, circa 12 or 1 AM, on weeknights.
Not familiar with Yoshi-tsune Taiga Drama - I'll have to look into that - thanx. The only 'Yoshi' I know hangs out with Mario. :P
@Dookie - You think he's compensating for something? :D
IIRC correctly, they work the same way - you write the spell (prayer in Inuyasha) on a small 'scroll', and then by burning it you release the spell (I think).
Sometimes you burn it, sometimes you stick it on the possessed human to paralyzed him because of the evil spirit inside.
-I'll have to go back and check, but I believe that I gave the Kio Ton Mu something like this, as a magical item to create.
They are used in a variety of ways depending on their intent and target. They can be burned, 'pinned' on someone (actually it's just hitting them with it and the power activated by them causes them to 'stick' to the person until the prayer takes affect), hung about an entryway or by string around a rock or tree or similar.
It's not just in Anime but also in live-action movies and is based on actual Asian cultural practices mostly in Japan as I recall.
As for how they'd work it's really just a 'refluff' of existing powers in 4e since the powers really only deal with the mechanical results and leave it open to a degree on the actual delivery. That would also explain why some are called spell strips and others prayer scrolls since it'd be a difference between arcane and divine casters.
Hmmmm... the western (D&D) version of Monks is really just a Martial Artist, with some Ki (spirit) powers thrown in for flavor. He's basically a compromise. I think true Martial Artists and Priestly (Eastern) Monks should be seperated, or perhaps have seperate paths (replacment levels) for them to follow?
The existing 3e Monk Class works better as a 'Mystic', or an 'Ascetic' from the southern (Malatra) Kingdoms. It seems to have a bunch of physical abilites coupled with ones that almost seem like psionics.
Edit: Nevermind - I think the western priest works just fine for the Eastern Monk (fighter + spells), and all I'll have to do is retool his martial stuff a bit (maybe fighter BAB, but can't wear armor).
Maztica?
I think thats gone for good (at least, as in 'published lore').
I was just talking about Mystara in another thread, and I personally think a new version of that setting is long overdue and it should have been THE 4e setting - its pretty-much damn near perfect for it.
Unfortunately, with the new designers rather obvious reluctance to give the 'old gaurd' ANY credit what-so-ever, I doubt we'll see any of Gygax's worlds see print again.
Note that his name was removed from the 4e version of the OGL - the GSL. He no longer even gets the credit for creating the rules.
Good point.
If I could pick my own team (which would NEVER happen), I'd head-it-up with George Krashos and Brian James. I think they could do something 'official' with the place that we would like. Also get Mark Sehestedt (the author) at least in advisory-capacity for the Hordelands.
I wouldn't say Ed - OA isn't his 'thing'. I'd probably go with RB on that project for the in-house guy; I think he'd keep some of that 'Realms Feel' we all love so much.
If we could see something along those lines, then I would absolutely LOVE a K-T product, but if BC heads it up we'd probably wind-up with a continent ruled by Krakentoa.
It didn't suffer... much.
18DELTA (Chosen of Cyric) ;)
-Same thing with Halflings.
-I'd rather have WotC not do anything with Kara-Tur than they do something with Kara-Tur.
so true.
It was one of the variant-races described in that tome.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#aquaticGnomes
Wavecrest Gnomes appear in Stormwrack. They're about the same as regular Gnomes, but change their attack bonus to sahaugin and others, and have some different SLAs.
-I might use them in something.