Tobril #6 - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Tobril #6

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Dragonhelm
Dec 05, 2003 11:31:49 FYI, Tobril issue #6 is up. You can find it here. (PDF Download)

Articles include the following:

Kender Corner: A Visit to Kendermore, by Sean "Kipper" Macdonald.

The Scaled Society: Caustic Minions, by Terry "Ferratus" Doetzel.

Dragonlance Unearthed: Racial Levels for the Dragonlance Campaign, by yours truly.

Mortuary Practices of the People of Krynn. Part One: The Ancient Dead, by John Grubber.

I hope you guys enjoy the latest issue of the Tobril!
#2
zombiegleemax
Dec 05, 2003 12:16:54 Sweet! They used some of my pictures and made the Burned One look awesome!
#3
bohica
Dec 05, 2003 12:37:10 Excellent!
But where can I report a typo?

Edit:
I'll just address it here then.

Please revise the section detailing the types of weapons and armor that the Gnome can use in the Racial Level Section. It only gives the reader information about what weapons and armors the Kagonesti can use. It appears to be a cut and paste error.

Thank you.
Bohica
#4
ferratus
Dec 05, 2003 13:41:53 Well, Sean MacDonald clearly has the best article in this issue. The undead ravaged kendermore is a very spooky place, and given that kender have pretty much collected every type of artifact you could possibly imagine you have every possible reason to go there.

John Grubber's burial rites were very interesting and I enjoyed them all, though I have a little quibble about the Silvanesti burial tradition of putting the mummified bodies on the boats to sail down the river. The Silvanesti had thought the Kagonesti sailing down the Thon-Sarpon to be barbaric, so they couldn't have done it themselves.

Anyway, I let others tell me what they think about the Scaled Society. I'm a little disappointed in it because I didn't get finished the sample location "The Balshem Estate", which is a key part of giving the feel for a group or organization. I'm getting an early jump on "Street Gangs of Flotsam" for next month, and I should have some good maps and locations to go with the nefarious characters.

I encourage everyone to comment on the articles. Writers prefer negative criticism to no comments at all.
#5
cam_banks
Dec 05, 2003 13:47:11 Tobril #6 is a good issue. I was fortunate to have access to it early for review and enjoyed the articles. One of the things which this magazine manages to do is present playable resources for Dragonlance from interested fans who want to share their work, regardless of what's canon or not. I would encourage anybody who wants to present their own take on a Dragonlance location, group, personality, culture, or event to write it up and submit it.

Even if you don't agree with or fully make use of the articles, there's plenty to borrow and drop into your campaigns. Kudos to all contributors!

Cheers,
Cam
#6
themind
Dec 05, 2003 14:06:08 These seem awesome. I especially like the tables for age, height, and weight for the races. Which Im surprised they didnt have in the DLCS. I cant wait for more to come up
#7
zombiegleemax
Dec 05, 2003 14:11:03 I believe it's in the War of Souls where Alhana Starbreeze and her crew are hiding out in Silvanesti burial mounds. That would suggest to be a tradition of burying the dead, rather than sending them down the river.

But I've always liked the 'down the river' concept. So I dunno. Quite tempting. I don't remember the Silvanesti reaction in Chronicles, though...

Still need to read this Tobril, and the earlier ones... Sorry for a rambly post, folks.
#8
baron_the_curse
Dec 05, 2003 15:39:06 Recent post have reveal my dislike for fan base rules. But judging from Tobril issues number 1-5 I have to admit most of that stuff is really good. It'll be great if the Tobril ever evolves into an actual publish magazine like Dragon.
#9
ferratus
Dec 06, 2003 3:10:44 Yep, but to bring everyone better fan material, we have to know what you liked or didn't like. So if someone writes some good monsters, locations, rules, items, npc's etc. etc. They need to know it. If they write bad ones, they need to know what to do to do it better.

Apathy is the biggest killer of enthusiasm.
#10
zombiegleemax
Dec 06, 2003 14:38:04 Don't say that Terry, I'm a big fan of apathy and I don't want to feel guilty. :D

Bohica, thanks for the heads-up. It seems something always slips through our comb.
#11
Illithidbix
Dec 11, 2003 21:22:30 Wow, that issue has got some of the best D&D articles I’ve read for a long time:

Terry Doetzel’s Scaled Society is a very cool idea, it adds more menace and depth to the Dragon Overlords, in fact I'm a bit surprised something similar wasn't introduced back in the 5th age, Khellendros always struck me as the manipulating type, yet I don’t recall he actually used any human spies (apart from what the Nerakans used, but then they worked for all the overlords)
Since the return of the deities the role of the Dragon Overlords has kind of being confused as the big three where flatlined and now the returned Evil Deities are the big bad, they are obviously still there but they can’t rampage about because there are things that can squash them about now. I think a more covert approach could keep them from just fading into the background (somewhat ironically).

However, Sean’s/Kipper’s article on the ruins of Kendermore… just wow…
I knew he was a great source of original and well thought-out ideas (as shown by the Kencylopedia), however I didn’t know he could write atmospheric fiction as well. The idea of tragic-undead Kender (each of which seems to reflect a racial-trait of the Kender becoming corrupted) stalking through the ruins of a decaying Kendermore is very poignant, esp since it also involves a Afflicted Kender, who are perhaps the living counterparts to the undead. I think the whole flattening of Kendermore and emotional scarring afterwards added a level darkness and depth that Dragonlance can at times lack. (Lord Soth, Raistlin, the Dwarfgate wars and Isar being other examples of successful nastiness in Dragonlance, while in my opinion the Dragon Overlords (and at times the HighLords) were a bit too one-dimentional)

I think the ideas presented show so much more character than most of the more mainstream Wizards Products.

Anyway, enough stupidly rambling praises, Tobril Rocks.

Edited to correct spelling mistakes, thank you Pddisc...
#12
ferratus
Dec 12, 2003 0:55:00
Originally posted by Illithidbix

Terry Doetzel’s Scaled Society is a very cool idea, it adds more menace and depth to the Dragon Overlords,

Thanks! As everyone knows I'm not the biggest fan of the dragon overlords, but I felt that at least one had potential for something bigger. So I put Sable's brain to work and introduced an new element of menace to make Sable's influence spread beyond her swamp to corrupt, rather than simply destroy.

I wanted to make the point that the dragon overlords, despire having villanous personalities, had been cutting off their own adventure hooks by being just one big unstoppable dragon in the middle of an empty wasteland.

So now we have not only Sable and her dragonspawn, but also two new distinct nations that have fallen under her darkness. I've come to realize I was channeling Verminaard when I described the Nomad Shaman Howling Coyote, and Lorac Caladon when I wrote about King Otus of Blodeheim.

However, Sean’s/Kipper’s article on the ruins of Kendermore… just wow…

Yeah, a Whitestone Council member, an active participant in online discussion, runs the most active website in the dragonlance community, and not only hasn't missed a Torbril issue, he also writes innumerable other articles as well.

If he hadn't been seen in the flesh, I would wonder if he was just one man. ;)
#13
zombiegleemax
Dec 12, 2003 1:00:05 I very much enjoyed the illustrations of undead kender. They were quality, and that artist should get a medal.

:D;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Dragonhelm Dec 05, 2003 11:31:49	FYI, Tobril issue #6 is up. You can find it here. (PDF Download) Articles include the following: Kender Corner: A Visit to Kendermore, by Sean "Kipper" Macdonald. The Scaled Society: Caustic Minions, by Terry "Ferratus" Doetzel. Dragonlance Unearthed: Racial Levels for the Dragonlance Campaign, by yours truly. Mortuary Practices of the People of Krynn. Part One: The Ancient Dead, by John Grubber. I hope you guys enjoy the latest issue of the Tobril!
#2 zombiegleemax Dec 05, 2003 12:16:54	Sweet! They used some of my pictures and made the Burned One look awesome!
#3 bohica Dec 05, 2003 12:37:10	Excellent! But where can I report a typo? Edit: I'll just address it here then. Please revise the section detailing the types of weapons and armor that the Gnome can use in the Racial Level Section. It only gives the reader information about what weapons and armors the Kagonesti can use. It appears to be a cut and paste error. Thank you. Bohica
#4 ferratus Dec 05, 2003 13:41:53	Well, Sean MacDonald clearly has the best article in this issue. The undead ravaged kendermore is a very spooky place, and given that kender have pretty much collected every type of artifact you could possibly imagine you have every possible reason to go there. John Grubber's burial rites were very interesting and I enjoyed them all, though I have a little quibble about the Silvanesti burial tradition of putting the mummified bodies on the boats to sail down the river. The Silvanesti had thought the Kagonesti sailing down the Thon-Sarpon to be barbaric, so they couldn't have done it themselves. Anyway, I let others tell me what they think about the Scaled Society. I'm a little disappointed in it because I didn't get finished the sample location "The Balshem Estate", which is a key part of giving the feel for a group or organization. I'm getting an early jump on "Street Gangs of Flotsam" for next month, and I should have some good maps and locations to go with the nefarious characters. I encourage everyone to comment on the articles. Writers prefer negative criticism to no comments at all.
#5 cam_banks Dec 05, 2003 13:47:11	Tobril #6 is a good issue. I was fortunate to have access to it early for review and enjoyed the articles. One of the things which this magazine manages to do is present playable resources for Dragonlance from interested fans who want to share their work, regardless of what's canon or not. I would encourage anybody who wants to present their own take on a Dragonlance location, group, personality, culture, or event to write it up and submit it. Even if you don't agree with or fully make use of the articles, there's plenty to borrow and drop into your campaigns. Kudos to all contributors! Cheers, Cam
#6 themind Dec 05, 2003 14:06:08	These seem awesome. I especially like the tables for age, height, and weight for the races. Which Im surprised they didnt have in the DLCS. I cant wait for more to come up
#7 zombiegleemax Dec 05, 2003 14:11:03	I believe it's in the War of Souls where Alhana Starbreeze and her crew are hiding out in Silvanesti burial mounds. That would suggest to be a tradition of burying the dead, rather than sending them down the river. But I've always liked the 'down the river' concept. So I dunno. Quite tempting. I don't remember the Silvanesti reaction in Chronicles, though... Still need to read this Tobril, and the earlier ones... Sorry for a rambly post, folks.
#8 baron_the_curse Dec 05, 2003 15:39:06	Recent post have reveal my dislike for fan base rules. But judging from Tobril issues number 1-5 I have to admit most of that stuff is really good. It'll be great if the Tobril ever evolves into an actual publish magazine like Dragon.
#9 ferratus Dec 06, 2003 3:10:44	Yep, but to bring everyone better fan material, we have to know what you liked or didn't like. So if someone writes some good monsters, locations, rules, items, npc's etc. etc. They need to know it. If they write bad ones, they need to know what to do to do it better. Apathy is the biggest killer of enthusiasm.
#10 zombiegleemax Dec 06, 2003 14:38:04	Don't say that Terry, I'm a big fan of apathy and I don't want to feel guilty. :D Bohica, thanks for the heads-up. It seems something always slips through our comb.
#11 Illithidbix Dec 11, 2003 21:22:30	Wow, that issue has got some of the best D&D articles I’ve read for a long time: Terry Doetzel’s Scaled Society is a very cool idea, it adds more menace and depth to the Dragon Overlords, in fact I'm a bit surprised something similar wasn't introduced back in the 5th age, Khellendros always struck me as the manipulating type, yet I don’t recall he actually used any human spies (apart from what the Nerakans used, but then they worked for all the overlords) Since the return of the deities the role of the Dragon Overlords has kind of being confused as the big three where flatlined and now the returned Evil Deities are the big bad, they are obviously still there but they can’t rampage about because there are things that can squash them about now. I think a more covert approach could keep them from just fading into the background (somewhat ironically). However, Sean’s/Kipper’s article on the ruins of Kendermore… just wow… I knew he was a great source of original and well thought-out ideas (as shown by the Kencylopedia), however I didn’t know he could write atmospheric fiction as well. The idea of tragic-undead Kender (each of which seems to reflect a racial-trait of the Kender becoming corrupted) stalking through the ruins of a decaying Kendermore is very poignant, esp since it also involves a Afflicted Kender, who are perhaps the living counterparts to the undead. I think the whole flattening of Kendermore and emotional scarring afterwards added a level darkness and depth that Dragonlance can at times lack. (Lord Soth, Raistlin, the Dwarfgate wars and Isar being other examples of successful nastiness in Dragonlance, while in my opinion the Dragon Overlords (and at times the HighLords) were a bit too one-dimentional) I think the ideas presented show so much more character than most of the more mainstream Wizards Products. Anyway, enough stupidly rambling praises, Tobril Rocks. Edited to correct spelling mistakes, thank you Pddisc...
#12 ferratus Dec 12, 2003 0:55:00	Originally posted by Illithidbix Terry Doetzel’s Scaled Society is a very cool idea, it adds more menace and depth to the Dragon Overlords, Thanks! As everyone knows I'm not the biggest fan of the dragon overlords, but I felt that at least one had potential for something bigger. So I put Sable's brain to work and introduced an new element of menace to make Sable's influence spread beyond her swamp to corrupt, rather than simply destroy. I wanted to make the point that the dragon overlords, despire having villanous personalities, had been cutting off their own adventure hooks by being just one big unstoppable dragon in the middle of an empty wasteland. So now we have not only Sable and her dragonspawn, but also two new distinct nations that have fallen under her darkness. I've come to realize I was channeling Verminaard when I described the Nomad Shaman Howling Coyote, and Lorac Caladon when I wrote about King Otus of Blodeheim. However, Sean’s/Kipper’s article on the ruins of Kendermore… just wow… Yeah, a Whitestone Council member, an active participant in online discussion, runs the most active website in the dragonlance community, and not only hasn't missed a Torbril issue, he also writes innumerable other articles as well. If he hadn't been seen in the flesh, I would wonder if he was just one man. ;)
#13 zombiegleemax Dec 12, 2003 1:00:05	I very much enjoyed the illustrations of undead kender. They were quality, and that artist should get a medal. :D;)