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Author Topic: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?  (Read 2266 times)

LiferGamer

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Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« on: October 13, 2021, 05:57:45 PM »
I recently broke down and got the Goodman games hard copy of Isle of dread. I have the original blue cover version floating around in my collection somewhere.

I'm giving it a re-read thinking of doing a BECMI game on roll20, my players may push for 5th edition so this is a good purchase either way.

I know this predates the Gazetteers, but I assume that the Islanders are going to be Irendi, i.e. fantasy Polynesians.

Then I hit page 7 and find out that the four Clans in each village are Elk Hawk Tiger and sea turtle.

So are they misplaced... fantasy Native Americans?

Add to that the got a voodoo Vibe with a zombie master in each Village, and I am scratching my head.

For those who don't know, there are seven villages and each of them has these four Clans represented complete with a totem pole.

On what is basically Skull Island.

It's pretty Gonzo and I could play it straight that way,.

Curious if anyone has run it semi recently and how they did it.
Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

LiferGamer

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2021, 06:11:15 PM »
To be fair a giant elk and saber-tooth tigers appear on the wandering monster tables.
Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

Mistwell

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2021, 06:17:02 PM »
When I ran the Savage Tides adventure (which was a more recent version that included Isle of Dread and some adventuring in a fantasy Venice before you arrive at the isle) I did plan to play it like King Kong's Skull Island. My players never arrived at the island (which was fine - they took off for a dungeon so I pivoted).

Svenhelgrim

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2021, 07:10:07 PM »
The original humans on the isle could be Irendi, who showed up on the island and then were enslaved by the Kopru.  The wall could have been built by them (the Irendi) in a futile attempt to resist the Kopru.

The Kopru civilization could have underwent a rise and fall possibly some great plague wiped out most of them, and the few that survived went into some sort of hibernation. 

The Fall of the Kopru Empire (which spanned several island) allowed their human slaves to win their freedom.  They rebuilt the wall and lived on the southern peninsula. 

The island is later conquered by a different tribe from Atruaghin, they absorb the conquered Irendi into their society and the lore of the Kopru is forgotten.  The wall stays maintained to protect the villages from the dangerous inhabitants on the greater part of the island (neanderthals, lizard folk, etc). 

Meanwhile, a group of Irendi who escaped the conquest, made their way to the central plateau, hoping to throw themselves on the mercy of their former Kopru overlords.  They settle on the lake shore with the central island and it’s Kopru-wrought structures in sight, but no Kopru come to dominate them.  There they eke out a tenuous existence fishing and hunting. Being led by their Chief, and “talking chief” for countless generations.

Recently a bunch of Kopru have awake ed from their stasis and have been mentally summoning the lake villagers to resume their status as slaves.  Their psionic powers are much diminished from the old days of their glorious empire and the best they can muster is the Charm Person ability (noted in their stats). 


LiferGamer

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2021, 07:26:14 PM »
Good stuff.

Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

David Johansen

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2021, 07:41:29 PM »
I think Dr Evil should be using the volcano as a base.  He can be the end boss.
Fantasy Adventure Comic, games, and more http://www.uncouthsavage.com

LiferGamer

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2021, 12:21:45 AM »
One thing that I find striking/amusing in the sections on Wandering Monsters:

BECMI - hope the party doesn't trigger something too big.  Sucks to be them.
5e - several pages of algebra/entreaties to 'balance' a wandering encounter.
Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

Omega

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2021, 02:01:44 AM »
In the original they were just natives of some unknown type with a mix of various lost world movie types tossed in. You could make of them whatever.

The BECMI version may try to shoehorn them into some ethnic grouping. But really just keep them as their own thing and roll with it.

I thought one of the Gazeteers mentioned the Isle, but a quick glance did not show anything.

GriswaldTerrastone
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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2021, 02:12:21 PM »
Phanaton.
I'm 55. My profile won't record this. It's only right younger members know how old I am.

DM_Curt

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2021, 03:31:49 PM »
One thing that I find striking/amusing in the sections on Wandering Monsters:

BECMI - hope the party doesn't trigger something too big.  Sucks to be them.
5e - several pages of algebra/entreaties to 'balance' a wandering encounter.
As long as the PCs know that not every encounter requires combat (using stealth to get past a T-Rex might be the best choice for a L3 party,  for example), an encounter above their pay grade is fine.

HappyDaze

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2021, 03:38:36 PM »
One thing that I find striking/amusing in the sections on Wandering Monsters:

BECMI - hope the party doesn't trigger something too big.  Sucks to be them.
5e - several pages of algebra/entreaties to 'balance' a wandering encounter.
As long as the PCs know that not every encounter requires combat (using stealth to get past a T-Rex might be the best choice for a L3 party,  for example), an encounter above their pay grade is fine.
There's almost always one or two characters in a typical party that are terrible at stealth, so it only becomes an option if the party is designed for it from the beginning...or if they are willing to accept the loss of the heavily armored clankers.

LiferGamer

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2021, 03:43:37 PM »
I've always had the old school mentality both the monsters are the monsters and they live where they live, why worlds are not zoned for your leveling convenience and safety.

I'm merciful enough that if the low-level party wanders into the vampire territory he's recently fed or just not interested, instead dispatching his wolves to chase them off, that sort of thing.
Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.

TheGlen

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2021, 03:48:37 PM »
There are two tribes of Tanaroans.  Southern tribe is the friendlier willing to trade and help the party.  Think pre-contact Polynesians though with more or an African bent.  Northern tribes does not play well with others, hostile to all other factions and raiding outsiders.  You also have several intelligent non humans with the rakasta, phanaton and pre shape-shifting aranea.

palaeomerus

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2021, 07:02:24 PM »
Come and find out, perps!



Oh wait, that's the isle of Dredd. My bad. (3 years in an Isocube!)
Emery

LiferGamer

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Re: Who exactly lives on the Isle of dread?
« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2021, 10:08:30 PM »
lol Thanks palaeomerus.

I've warmed to Mystara quite a bit after binging Mr. Welch's [TheGlen in these parts] 'Welcome to Mystara' videos, and as a Greyhawker for many, many years I prefer to either completely gut and file off the serial numbers, or use the module in its original home rather than the
Misbegotten Realms Borg-like assimilation.

I've always been fond of the Module, as it has a GREAT pulp adventure feel.

I figure I'll roll with the odd Mystaran melting pot and have these guys live there:

Your Forgotten Realms was my first The Last Jedi.

If the party is gonna die, they want to be riding and blasting/hacking away at a separate one of Tiamat's heads as she plummets towards earth with broken wings while Solars and Planars sing.