“Fie, Fi, Fo, Fum! I smell the blood of a Thyatian!” bellowed the giant. Alexandra tried to hide behind a column, but to no avail. The giant spotted his quarry and covered the distance in three bounds, flinging his coat aside. Alexandra trembled as the giant lowered his massive head to her level. She knew what would happen next.
“Milady, may I have this dance.”
This is the fifth entry in a series of unofficial Gazetteer gaming aids for enthusiasts of the world of Mystara. This work covers the Western Alliance, a collection of sparsly populated kingdoms far to the west of Norwold where Thyatian ambition failed to take hold.
“The Western Alliance” provides descriptions of the history, nations, races, and personalities of a land where the simple tricks of the street magician delight the children, and great giants fill their dreams. But not every fairy tale has a happy ending, some monsters do lurk beneath the bed, and sometimes the king goes mad.
This product also provides guidelines for playing hill giants and a new performer class, the magician.
Here is the pdf - it is large (2.5MB) [Note to Shawn: a fast load to the Vaults would be appreciated]. Western Alliance Gazetteer
I hope everyone enjoys :D - OldDawg
I would like to extend particular thanks to Rafael and Renata for their artwork. It really made the gazetteer something special. Of course, thanks to everyone who made a comment, suggestion, or "beh" sound :P this whole year, and to previous vault-posters who gave food for thought.
Also, for the first time, the gazetteer is sent as a pdf. I noticed that my linux machine does something funky with the watermark (a reverse contrast), but PC platforms should have no problem. I still don't have a workable castle border, but the layout improves with each small step.
The baby came in at about 45,000 words.
Discounting perhaps 2000 in tables, that is still a major bit of literature (and poetry 
). I didn't get to do the November Novel Writing Month, but this was a valid surrogate.Multi-national region gazetteers are an order of magnitude crazier, and I am so very appreciative of what Aaron Allston and Tim Beach had to deal with.
Sea of Dread is going to be like that, too, so I'm looking forward to editing other people's work for the near-term. Hmm. I just noticed the outer bound box on the map is not quite square
must have been a Illustrator imp grabbing an edge. A bogle no doubt (you'll understand soon enough).Those of you who have contacted me of late about other stuff, or people to whom I owe some migration maps - I will be getting in touch later this week.
Happy Holidays,
OldDawg
Here is the pdf - it is large (2.5MB) [Note to Shawn: a fast load to the Vaults would be appreciated].
I'll try and get it up this week, although I am going back to Australia for holiday leave on Saturday until the new year and there will most likely be no update during that period. I would like to get the Tome up with this update too, but of course that would require me getting the remaining files from Tome 2 ...
I cannot seem to get the link to the .pdf file to work properly...
Ok I got it. It did not work with my work pc but did just fine at home....I look forward to reading it
I'm really looking forward to reading through it!
This is the fifth entry in a series of unofficial Gazetteer gaming aids for enthusiasts of the world of Mystara. This work covers the Western Alliance, a collection of sparsly populated kingdoms far to the west of Norwold where Thyatian ambition failed to take hold.
Nice gaz, as usual.
GP
Quick note: Page 2's title is The Hidden Treasure of Ghyr.
Of all the errors and typos that could creep in - the title page ?!?! :embarrass :embarrass
A "corrected" copy is now available for download with the proper title.
What else did I miss?
-OldDawg
First impression says this is the best Fan Gazetteer so far! I was really starting to enjoy your covers OldDawg, but this one is truly excellent. The interior art is also lovely. Did you give the artist detailed information about the appearance of the characters or was she quite free to illustrate them? In any case they look great. I especially like the illo of Princess Sylvia.
The themes in this gazetteer is very close to how I am running many of my own campaigns, so I think it would be a perfect area for me to set up a game. I also like how in this gaz, you identified your sources of inspiration.
I like the general arc that has been going on in these Idrisian Gazetteers. The idea of the Thyatian expansion and past greatness, and at the same time the idea of a lost Golden Age.
The PC options section is a long standing favorite in the gazetteers, and again you fail to disappoint. I have been wanting a Hill Giant class since I first saw the Sea Giant class years ago in PC2. The magician is interesting too. It evokes the memory of the old illusionist class. any reason why you didn't go with that name?
Oh, isn't Foreword spelled wrong?
Havard
Of all the errors and typos that could creep in - the title page ?!?! :embarrass :embarrass
A "corrected" copy is now available for download with the proper title.
What else did I miss?
-OldDawg
I suppose this might be a bad time to mention that "Foreword" and "Forward" are not interchangeable...
As always, thanks for taking the time to do this work.
It is appreciated.--Ray.
Faboulous work. Really. Very well done, and thank you.
There seems to be something wrong with the link or my browser, I can't download the pdf....
I had the same problem....I was using IE at work and it would not work but it worked at home using Firefox.
As you know by now Forward on page 2 should be Foreward.
Page 4, 1st column, 2nd to last paragraph, 2nd line - receeding should be receding.
Page 5, 2nd column, 4th paragraph, 1st line - solidiers should be soldiers.
Page 6, 3rd column, 1st paragraph, 5th line - Rerprials should be Reprisals.
Page 6, 3rd column, 4th paragraph, 8th line - ceasation should be cessation.
Page 7, 1st column, 3rd paragraph, 5th line - cooporated should be cooperated.
Page 10, 2nd column, 3rd paragraph, 5th line - repeated word 'the the'
Page 10, 2nd column, 7th paragraph, 3rd line - Farenheit possibly Fahrenheit.
Page 11, 1st column, 2nd paragraph, 9th line - futher should be further.
Page 11, 1st column, 3rd paragraph, 6th line - trbes should be tribes.
Page 11, 1st column, 5th paragraph, 1st line - simiplicity should be simplicity.
Page 11, 3rd column, 1st paragraph, 4th line - francise should be franchise.
Page 11, 3rd column, 3rd paragraph, 4th line - repeated word 'territory territory'.
Page 12, 3rd column, 2nd paragraph, 3rd line - subordinants should be subordinates.
Page 13, 1st column, 5th column, 1st line - Monestaries should be Monasteries.
Page 13, 2nd column, last paragraph, 10th line - inforced should be enforced.
Page 14, 1st column, Econonomics and Governance title should be Economics and Governance.
Page 15, 1st column, last paragraph, 5th line - Garrions should be Garrisons.
Page 17, 1st column, 4th paragraph, 3rd line - Theives should be Thieves.
Page 17, 1st column, 5th paragraph, 7th line - cloack should be cloak.
Page 17, 3rd column, 3rd paragraph, 1st line - garned should be garnered.
Page 17, 3rd column, 5th paragraph, 2nd line - persuers should be pursuers.
Page 19, 2nd column, 2nd paragraph, 7th line - Theives should be Thieves.
Page 20, 2nd column, 2nd paragraph, last line - repeated word 'other other'.
Page 21, 3rd column, 3rd paragraph, 2nd line - ficture should be fixture.
Page 22, 1st column, 4th paragraph, 5th line - futher should be further.
Page 22, 1st column, 6th paragraph, 8th line - precedings should be proceedings.
Page 23, 1st column, 4th paragraph, 1st line - Permament should be Permanent.
Page 23, 1st column, last paragraph, 2nd line - Arctice should be Arctic.
Page 23, 2nd column, 2nd paragraph, last line, inacted should be enacted.
Page 24, 3rd column, last paragraph, 1st line - refers to page XX should be page 22.
Page 25, 1st column, 4th paragraph, 2nd line - repeated word 'the the'.
Page 25, The Faltings Company boxed text - comma missing between archers and 30 hill giants.
Page 26, The Brothers Jack boxed text - soliders should be soldiers.
Page 26, The Sarke Mercenaries boxed text - laquered should be lacquered.
Page 27, 3rd column, 5th paragraph, 3rd line - Theives should be Thieves.
Page 28, 2nd column, 5th paragraph, 2nd line - repeated word 'of of'.
Page 28, 3rd column, 5th paragraph, 8th line - viscious should be vicious.
Page 29, 2nd column, 1st paragraph, 3rd/4th line - repeated word 'the the'.
Page 29, 2nd column, 3rd paragraph, 4th line - ursupation should be usurpation.
Page 31, 2nd column, 3rd paragraph, 9th line - Monestary should be Monastery.
Page 31, 2nd column, 4th paragraph, 3rd/4th line - repeated word 'be be'.
Page 32, 1st column, 7th paragraph, last line - cruelity should be cruelty.
Page 35, 1st column, 1st paragraph, 6th line - repeated word 'the the'.
Page 35, 2nd column, 1st paragraph, 3rd line - repeated word 'the the'.
Page 35, 2nd column, 4th paragraph, 14th line - Icreach should be Icereach.
Page 37, 1st column, 2nd paragraph, 2nd line - chararcters should be characters.
Page 40, 2nd column, 5th paragraph, 3rd line - preceeding should be preceding.
Page 40, 3rd column, 1st paragraph, 3rd line - preceeded should be preceded.
Page 41, 2nd column, 2nd paragraph, 1st line - slieght should be sleight.
Page 41, 3rd column, 2nd paragraph, 4th line - unattatched should be unattached.
Page 42, 2nd column, Crush spell - verson should be version.
Page 43 1st column, Disquise spell should be Disguise.
Page 43, 2nd column, Polymorph Any spell - presitidigitator should be prestidigiator.
Page 44, 2nd paragraph, 9th line - trainining should be training.
Page 44, 3rd paragraph, 8th line - space missing between diplomat and entertainer, but that might be so it fits on one line.
Page 45, 2nd column, 3rd paragraph, 3rd line - abilites should be abilities.
Page 45, 2nd column, 3rd paragraph, 6th line - capabilitites should be capabilities.
Page 45, 2nd column, 4th paragraph, 6th line - interwine should be intertwine.
Page 46, 1st column, 7th paragraph, last line - repeated word 'the the'.
Page 46, 3rd column, 5th paragraph, 3rd line - reveseres should be reverses.
Page 47, 1st column, 2nd paragraph, 11th line - Knigthts should be Knights.
Page 47, 3rd column, 4th paragraph, 3rd line - Theives should be Thieves.
Page 47, 3rd column, last paragraph, 3rd line - imperialed should be imperilled.
Page 48, 1st column, 2nd paragraph, 3rd line - repeated word 'the the'.
Page 48, 1st column, 5th paragraph, 6th line -desription should be description.
Page 48, 3rd column, 2nd line - Kindgoms should be Kingdoms.
Page 50, 1st column, 3rd paragraph, 7th line - ursupation should be usurpation.
That's it for the Gazetteer now for the Grimoire.
Page 51, 2nd column, last paragraph, 1st line - abreviated should be abbreviated.
Page 51, 3rd column, 2nd paragraph, 1st line - preceeded should be preceded.
Page 52, 2nd column, 1st paragraph, last line - dominanted should be dominated.
Page 53, 3rd column, 2nd paragraph, 9th line - mut should be must.
Page 55, 3rd column, last paragraph, 6th line - germaine should be germane.
Back Cover, 2nd paragraph, 4th line - sparsly should be sparsely.
That's pretty much all I found (or rather the spell checker did) other than proper nouns.
There looks a lot but most if not all can be corrected with a few 'find and replace's.
All in all though a really good supplement making me want to start another campaign in the north.
Regards
Gary
I've had chance to look through it now and spotted a few typos.
As you know by now Forward on page 2 should be Foreward.
Foreword, actually.
Most of the rest would have been caught by a spell-checker, but that one jumped out as something that wouldn't be, because Forward is a legitimate word; it's just the wrong legitimate word, in that context.
Foreword, actually.
:embarrass
Yeah, that's what I meant - don't know what happened
Regards
Gary
I'm still digesting this impressive tome, but I would like to congratulate OldDawg on inserting that Men Without Hats in-joke (groan-inducing as it was) :D
Geoff
I have been wanting a Hill Giant class since I first saw the Sea Giant class years ago in PC2.
Yes, the poor Hill Giant. Did anyone else realize that hill giants are nowhere to be found in the Known World proper? Check out the monster listings, they don't exist. Frost giants, even fire and cloud giants, but no hill giants. The best shot is the Northern Reaches, and then its really only in the history. They don't even merit their own adventure in AC10 Bestiary of Dragons and Giants
The PC system is akward for large HD creatures. Their advancement is too slow to be any fun to play for more than a one-off, yet there is always that initial edge over the standard guys. I went against using the explicit Gaz10/PC computation, and reconfigured what a 8HD monster was all about. The hp is 8-64, mean 36, with +8 to hit over a normal man. I opened up the attribute limits to 20 or 21 in strength and constitution (+4, etc). your average hill giant should have 18 (+3) in both. Against peers, this is +4 to hit, about half the standard monster. At 3 HD at NM level, the hp range is expected to be 12-33, 23 mean. An exceptional NM hill giant (21, or +6), has +7 to hit over a normal man, and 21-42 hp (mean 32). This system puts NM characters in the inner 25-60% of the monster range, which seems reasonable.
With combat deficiencies against small folks, lack of serious armor improvement, and the giant's own set of special combat, I figured he equaled about a dwarf on the progression chart (starting from the teenager catagory).
Someone might want to take this idea and see what kind of new 2+HD monsters (ogres, trolls, etc) look like if the Attack and HD are partially accounted for in strength and constitution scores.
The magician is interesting too. It evokes the memory of the old illusionist class. any reason why you didn't go with that name?
The original game plan was for this to be the OD&D illusionist, in part because of the prominence of Rusak in the Western Alliance. As I settled more into what the culture was all about, I couldn't help but think there was an entertainer niche that wasn't being met. So, I could include an illusionist that was sufficiently different from the GSoM mastery and a non-magical bard, or combine the two. So in addition to true illusion magic, this rubric could cover sleight of hand, exposure stunts (think David Blane) and comedic people like Penn and Teller (low end) to the Amazing Johnathan (high end) as well as fortune tellers, snake-oil salesmen, and carnies.
Some styles get some kick-A$$ power at the end (Supernova is literally the bomb), but the magician really is a flavor for the roleplayer over the munchkin. But the munchkin gets to be a hill giant, so it all works out
I had plans for a non-magical ranger and elemental druids for the Great Olde Woode, but the gaz was already ballooning, and they fell by the wayside.
I like the general arc that has been going on in these Idrisian Gazetteers. The idea of the Thyatian expansion and past greatness, and at the same time the idea of a lost Golden Age.
Again, thanks for the kind words, but the Thyatian presence is Frank Mentzer's legacy from the Master's map and Stephen Bourne's Wendar-Thyatis "alliance". Actually, the ultimate side arc of the Thyatian presence wouldn't have been properly realized without Bruce's "Wrong, Wrong Wrong!" declaration oh so many years ago.
Perhaps in the future, I'll put out an an adventure path that spans the entire region in an attempt to stop the Dark Lady Botha from becoming Immortal. Alternatively, an adventure path for Renia and her quest to discover her destiny.
I was really starting to enjoy your covers OldDawg, but this one is truly excellent.
The artwork was exceptional. I do intend to do the cover for Heldann (I laid it out about the same time as the Northern Wildlands), but I'm happy to continue featuring Raphael's and Renata's work for as long as they are willing to do so.
The interior art is also lovely. Did you give the artist detailed information about the appearance of the characters or was she quite free to illustrate them?
I gave a list of possible ideas for the artist, Rafael, to pick from, but it was otherwise his own conception. Incidentally, Rafael is a "he" not a "she" ;); however, Renata - the cover painter - is indeed a lady. The jousting knight (200 Knights) was mine, and was originally intended for the Ghyr gaz but had been omitted for space.
I suppose this might be a bad time to mention that "Foreword" and "Forward" are not interchangeable...
Wanna know what makes this even worse? "Forward" has appeared in every single one of the gazetteers to date :embarrass Not once did anybody catch it in four previous releases.
Thanks for the list of corrections. I should have run the spell-checker one last time.
Oh, and to clarify... North of Wendar, West of Norwold?
Yes, basically the other side of the Icereach mountains. Neighboring Ghyr is about level with Leeha, while the northern limits of the K. of Lowland Roags is about even (maybe a scoshe north) with the northernmost mountains at the mouth of the Great Bay. Longitudinally, the Borean Tier is between the middle and eastern third of the Adri Varma Plateau.
but I would like to congratulate OldDawg on inserting that Men Without Hats in-joke (groan-inducing as it was)
I was rather proud of that one, myself :D I'm not sure about the chicken or the egg aspect, but this joke was well conceived a while ago. I was also going to have a slow-witted giant named Leonard who had a penchant for squeezing his friends to death, but alas poor Leonard, we hardly knew you.
Let's see, there is also a "Murder, She Wrote" joke and a double bad pun with a potential villaness. Might be one or two others, but nothing I can think of off top of my head.
Other notable spirits: In addition to Lear and bad King Richard, Old King Cole (originally Coel Hen) appears in the guise of Cador Hen. According to some histories, OldKing Cole was a transitional duke to king during the Roman withdrawal of Britain.
On a more serious note, the 6th of "June" Battle at Bethfield was two parts Shakespearean tragedy/valor stand and one part "8th of November" by Big and Rich. (For those not into contemporary modern country music, the "8th of November" retells the true story of a US company during the Vietnam War that was devastated by an ambush while on patrol. Only 1-3 guys survived the engagement). This was a late development on the project, but it nicely seemed into a lot of areas and gave a great context to the inter-community dynamics north of the Kaganus.
7,000 dead might be a minor figure in, say, the liberation of Thyatis City, but its impact is far greater in the under-populated north. Could you imagine losing 2% of the entire regional population on a single day? In the years that followed, friends, orphans, widows, and parents would trek year-round to find their loved-ones grave site among countless others ("too many have I seen today/ on the shores of Taralon"). I enjoyed writing all of the childhood poetry section, but "Where are You, Brother Jack?" was special and really captured the melancholoy loss of that day.
-OldDawg