I just got my Kickstarter pdf, and I'm loving it -- it looks like they nailed the feel of sword & sorcery for mainstream D&D-esque gaming.
My favorite bit -- elves addicted to Black Lotus drugs.
I've always thought elves must be on drugs.
But seriously. I took a look at this KS and liked what I saw but have no interest whatsoever in any of the supported systems so I didn't back it. There's apparently going to be some kind of official conversion document to CoC 7E from Sixtystone Press. I may reconsider once that's available.
So, there's elves in the setting. Any other interesting things you could tell us about it?
I got the Traveller's Guide from backing the KS. It looked all right from what I read.
Quote from: 3rik;778474I've always thought elves must be on drugs.
But seriously. I took a look at this KS and liked what I saw but have no interest whatsoever in any of the supported systems so I didn't back it. There's apparently going to be some kind of official conversion document to CoC 7E from Sixtystone Press. I may reconsider once that's available.
So, there's elves in the setting. Any other interesting things you could tell us about it?
It's designed to be a sword & sorcery setting for Dungeons and Dragons and its offshoots. There are three rulesets catered to right now (4e, Pathfinder, and 13th Age) and a CoC conversion in the works. In addition, a conversion to 5e seems like it would be relatively painless.
The setting itself is a largish island about 1500 miles from end to end at the beginning of an ice age. (The original concept was for Thule to be Greenland in a kind of Hyperborian prehistory, and I don't know if they've stuck with that -- however, Africa still exists in this setting.) Massive mountains separate the coast from the interior, while unimaginably large glaciers move in from the North, forcing populations to move further South and into conflict with one another. At least one of the glaciers is actually a malign force unto itself, something like a Great Old One.
Atlantis collapsed in the last three hundred years, a high point of civilization that is now dim in everyone's memories as the coming ice age spells the doom of mankind. It's a Bronze-age setting, although the dwarves and the Atlanteans have the secret of iron and some limited steel manufacture.
Gods are distant and uncaring, and although small groups of clerics exist, they get their powers from being inducted into mystery rites rather than following a precept of the gods themselves. Alongside the pantheon of gods presented are the Great Old Ones, demons, rakshasha, etc.
Wizards and warlocks and magic in general are rare. Magic is dangerous.
Alongside the normal classes, there are a number of "narrative paths" that can tie into the various classes, ranging from the broad ("free blade," a term for freebooters,) to the specific ("Bearer of the Black Book," which is basically a guy who owns a copy of the Necronomicon.) The narrative paths look like they would work well with backgrounds in 5e D&D, either replacing them or as an adjunct to them. They give bonus feats, spells, and at higher levels, access to followers and property, effectively adding a touch of old-school D&D to the current edition. (For example, the Golden Sea Corsair gains access to a pirate band of raiders who pay him a moderate income at higher levels, and he can summon an army once every three years if need be.)
Overall, I'm really impressed by it. The book includes a rundown of the setting, its history, character types, a city to focus on, a bestiary, a handful of NPCs and magic items, and rules conversions for PF. I plan on running it in 5e this weekend, though, if I can get ahold of the PHB soon enough.
Crap, I missed that one. Oh well. I probably wouldn't have much use for it until they came out with the CoC version, which I could then hack to RQ6 as none of the other systems mean much to me.
I'd prefer OpenQuest, but CoC will do.
Not fond of having dwarves and elves in my S&S. Are they in any way different from the common vanilla fantasy versions?
Quote from: 3rik;778912I'd prefer OpenQuest, but CoC will do.
Not fond of having dwarves and elves in my S&S. Are they in any way different from the common vanilla fantasy versions?
Dwarves are the only race who have mastered the construction of items made from iron and steel other than the Atlantaeans, and the Atlantaeans are gone. Dwarves often assume that those non-dwarves using iron weaponry stole it from a dwarf, and those who do buy iron or steel weapons are often tattooed by the smith, so that they can prove that they hold title fairly. The dwarves isolate themselves and toil in the dark, unless they choose to sell their skills as mercenaries. This being a sword & sorcery setting, there's all sorts of nasty stuff that lurks in the dark.
Elves are an ancient, dying race. They were once the dominant race on the planet, but their days are over. They spend their time either cultivating nature and magic (read: sealing off old cities from mankind so they don't get in over their head and erasing proof of their presence on the planet), or in the case of many, indolently doing drugs and owning slaves as they while away the end of their culture. Think Melnibone and the Eldar, as examples.
*bump*
Kickstarter launched yesterday for 5e version of this setting and, last I looked, it was less than $2,000 from the funding goal. Shouldn't be any major delay in getting out the product once the funding period is up, since they've already done it for PF, 4E and 13th Age.
Looks like a lot of fun, though I'd probably replace halflings with pygmies of some sort.
For those who have purchased one of the other versions, are the sample adventures any good?
I seem to recall the ones in the core rules looked good -- but I haven't run them, and that's always the test.
I really want to come back and run the heck out of PT, but I'm trying to get Great Pendragon Campaign rolling and Dracula Dossier came out, and there's only so much room at the inn, so to speak.
I picked this up the other day; still reading through it. It looks like a good production, although I like how AS&SH handles the S&S rules and races (no demihumans) a bit more.
I think AS&SH and Primeval Thule are definitely mashable, though.
Whelp... less than 7 hours to go for the 5e version kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/809579963/primeval-thule-5e).
Pretty good pdf bargain for $20:
The book: 270+ pages;
The first three 24 page adventures, converted to 5e from the previous KS;
Two new 8-10 page adventures for 5e;
24 page GM companion with new monster write-ups;
24 page Player's companion (new narratives/backgrounds, domains, etc.)
I'm thinking this may go nicely with all the Conan-themed miniatures coming out in the next year from Monolith and Reaper...