I assume many of you got the news from Mr Jeremy Chambers himself: There's is definitely NO upcoming official Taladas sourcebook.
For most of you, who are used to play on Ansalon and in general, the southern part of Krynn only, this might not be of importance.
For players like me who favour the Taladas setting, this practically ends our campaigning with the aftermaths of WoS and the return of the gods
UNLESS
we begin to create the setting as we want!
Now I ask you all, what do you think, how will Taladas transform after the return of the Krynnish Deities?
Will the Dragonlords remain or have they yet been beaten?
Will old Aurim recover from being a zombie nation?
Will the old evil lying under the ruins of Selasia reveal itself?
Anxious to hear your theories!My main problem with an official Taladas book would be: What will it be about?
The 4th and 5th Age are marvellously covered by Mr O'Rance's works.
What the gaming community would need would be a minor update for that stuff, detailling about 5 to 20 years ahead of where Time of the Dragonlords left.
I don't think the upcoming books will be a success - Taladas is a good setting for adventures, but I doubt that any non-world-shaking event in the novels would gain the respect of the fans.
Remember *Murder in Tarsis*? A mediocre novel from a very talented author, and the communty hates it until this very day because the events there is spoken of are not just uninteresting; for gaming and the development of the world Krynn, they are insignificant.
(John Maddox Roberts is a great novelist, however!)
I assume many of you got the news from Mr Jeremy Chambers himself: There's is definitely NO upcoming official Taladas sourcebook.
Any relation to Jamie Chambers? ;)
Perhaps we should start an unofficial Taladas 5th Age club, with fan submissions. :D I really lost track of Taladas, but I would like to see it revived. Hopefully the new series coming out will breathe some life into it again, and rekindle our hopes for an official sourcebook.
I would imagine a sourcebook would come out after the Taladas Chronicles.
Also, the Nexus is open for any Taladas fan submissions, so feel free to send those our way.
I welcome any idea concerning an unofficial Taladas netbook - or something alike.
My main problem with an official Taladas book would be: What will it be about? The 4th and 5th Age are marvellously covered by Mr O'Rance's works.
What the gaming community would need would be a minor update for that stuff, detailling about 5 to 20 years ahead of where Time of the Dragonlords left.
James O'Rance's materials are a fantastic unofficial update to Taladas. I would think that if someone were to build upon this, it should be updated for the War of Souls. I would seek James' permission before adding on to his materials, though.
Or, you could take another route and do your own thing.
I don't think the upcoming books will be a success - Taladas is a good setting for adventures, but I doubt that any non-world-shaking event in the novels would gain the respect of the fans.
Let's see what happens before we make any judgments.
Any relation to Jamie Chambers? ;)
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I would imagine a sourcebook would come out after the Taladas Chronicles.
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Also, the Nexus is open for any Taladas fan submissions, so feel free to send those our way.
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James O'Rance's materials are a fantastic unofficial update to Taladas. I would think that if someone were to build upon this, it should be updated for the War of Souls. I would seek James' permission before adding on to his materials, though.
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Or, you could take another route and do your own thing.
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Let's see what happens before we make any judgments.
Thank you, Dragonhelm!
The member calling itself *jechambers* (which is accepted as the real Jamie Chambers
) posted on an earlier thread called *Taladas* some days ago that there were no plans right now to publish spurce material for Taladas. (Sadly, I don't know how to link on it
)As I got the impression that I am the only *true* Taladas - DM ;) on these boards, who aside from some introductory material NEVER ran a game on Ansalon, I thought of making some fan stuff, even to contact Mr O'Rance and ask him if he'd want me to contribute.
On the other hand, I think Taladas is best left under his custody; it's mainly his creation and his little DL baby, and I think noone should touch his work.
If I ever was to make up something for Taladas, then it would be to detail my current campaign, which is set at the endof the 4th Age and send it to the Nexus as PDF. - It's about a group of Dark Knights from Ansalon who are the spearhead of Ariakan's attempt to invade the southern continent and go for a mighty artifact of Zeboim that once was lost on the shores of Armach...
BTW, for sure I will read the Taladas Chronicles whenever they are out!
On the other hand, I think Taladas is best left under his (O'Rance)custody; it's mainly his creation and his little DL baby, and I think noone should touch his work.
Um, Mr. O'Rance did not create Taladas. David "Zeb" Cook created Taladas. Mr. O'Rance's Taladas material is entirely unofficial (though quite good), Mr. Cook's Taladas is the official one. So if we're talking about babies and leaving things untouched, it'd be the other way around. ;)
Mr. Chambers said there weren't any plans for a Taladas sourcebook now since chances are it'll be some 2 or 3 years before the Taladas trilogy of novels is complete. Any sourcebook isn't likely to come out before the trilogy is complete, as much of the info.
Um, Mr. O'Rance did not create Taladas. David "Zeb" Cook created Taladas. Mr. O'Rance's Taladas material is entirely unofficial (though quite good), Mr. Cook's Taladas is the official one. So if we're talking about babies and leaving things untouched, it'd be the other way around. ;)
Yeah, respect to Mr Cook!
However, does anyone have a good theory how Taladas could develop after the Return of the Gods?
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Mr O'Rance's work being unofficial, does that mean that the novels won't use it as background?!! *That be bad*
However, does anyone have a good theory how Taladas could develop after the Return of the Gods?
I have one.
I think Thenol would have been severely effected by the disappearance of the Gods. Their government was heavily based on the worship of the god Hith (Hiddukel). Their army consisted of huge amounts of undead. Without priests their empire must have suffered greatly during the 5th Age.
Perhaps with the appearance of "The One God" Thenol may have converted to worshipping her (lots of undead would have suited her purposes at the time). She may have enlisted a Taladas version of Mina (Count Malarcus? One of my favorite Taladas badies) I'm sure after Big T was offed Thenol would be weary of worshipping another god. Being "abandoned" twice by two gods would make them extremely apprehensive. Hith would have his work cut out for himself in order to win over Thenolites once again. Chemosh may also compete with Hith to have influence over Thenol as well, due to their ties to the undead in the past.
Thats just a theory as how I would have seen things going anyway. :P
I always did find it a bit strange that worshipers of Hith (Hiddukel, the god of lies) would have a huge army of undead, and not worship Chemosh. I would say that Chemosh would work hard to get this nation to worship him instead.
Agreed. It would make for an interesting development in Thenol with both Hith and Chemosh vying for power.
The Cult of the Shark worshipping Takhisis? Hiddukel commanding a huge army of the undead?
Personally, I think it makes sense only in regards to the fact that Taladans have a different conception of dieties than Ansalon does. The same 21 gods are still in the heavens, but they have been mixed and merged. It says outright that Majere is considered to be the female anima of Paladine for example.'
So what if Hiteh is in fact Hiddukel-Chemosh? What if the cult of the Shark is Takhisis-Zeboim? I also noticed that Taladan religion is a lot more Henotheistic than Ansalon, with people devoting themselves to a single religion worshipping one or two gods, than having devotion to a pantheon of "good, evil, or neutrality" as they do on Ansalon.
It would give the Taladan religion its own unique flavour, but allow for it to be consistent with the Ansalonian understanding of the pantheon of gods. Of course, if there is an insistence to make Taladas match Ansalon's exactly, there is nothing much I can do to change anyone's mind.
Like my idea that we don't need a 3 robed "Order of High Sorcery" but rather a system of peers and masters which are required through tradition to keep their friends and pupils under control.
So what if Hiteh is in fact Hiddukel-Chemosh? What if the cult of the Shark is Takhisis-Zeboim? I also noticed that Taladan religion is a lot more Henotheistic than Ansalon, with people devoting themselves to a single religion worshipping one or two gods, than having devotion to a pantheon of "good, evil, or neutrality" as they do on Ansalon.
I was thinking something similar to this, but I do like the idea of Hith and Chemosh duking it out over Thenol. Perhaps it worked that way prior to Big T stealing the world. Now that the gods are back again and scrambling for worshipers it could be that H&C no longer want to share Thenol.
However, does anyone have a good theory how Taladas could develop after the Return of the Gods?
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Mr O'Rance's work being unofficial, does that mean that the novels won't use it as background?!! *That be bad*
The trilogy of Taladas novels is (eventually) supposed to cover all of Taladas history, from pre-1st Cataclysm, post-1st Cataclysm, to post-War of Souls. So chances are good we'll get to see how Taladas developed after the Return of the Gods.
As for Mr. O'Rance's work, I do believe someone credible said that Chris Pierson (who is writing the Taladas novels) was looking through O'Rance's work and perhaps incorporating some of his ideas into the novels. So you never know, the official version of Taladas may be very much like O'Rance's take on Taladas.
(for what its worth, everything we know about this trilogy came from me, so i don't know how credible you want to think i am =)
Chris told me his trilogy only took place in the Present time, but he's really good at creating a world for his story to live in, so i'm sure we'll learn all about it.
(for what its worth, everything we know about this trilogy came from me, so i don't know how credible you want to think i am =)
2nd hand knowledge is credible enough for me.
2nd hand info is good enough for me as well.
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I think, the change of Taladas would start with a defeat of the Aurim Empire of Savanaech (as long as the upcoming books don't state the contrary, I will use Mr O'Rance's scenario as if it was cannon.)
Then, the Sea of Fire would receive a visit of big T's forces. Such a war, in my opinion, could take dozens of years, so that Taladas might remain almost equal for some more time than Ansalon. For my upcoming campaigns, I will consider the defeat of Savanaech and Kalypstol(?) the Mad as possible goals.
I think, after T's death, the dark knights on the shore could switch to Zeboim,as they are still so close to Lord Ariakan, who was, if I am not mistaken, her son.
An attack to Storm Keep to avenge him would be a possible consequence...
They were a famous group of Gnomish Soldiers who attacked Hiteh's Fire Minions in a citadel in the middle of the Sea of Fire. It was a suicide mission and very few Gnomes came back.
After the famous assault, the Legion of Dead. Each Gnome that would join the Legion would be given a symbolic funeral by their family. They would wear skull face paint and were fearless fighters that would complain at a lack of action. They were portrayed as elite fighters and crack troops and had quite a fearsome reputation (I mean they take on Hiteh's minions on a sea of lava for Reorx's sake!!!)
I wonder how the Gnomes would fare in the Age of Mortals? (To get back to the topic).
Really!!! I missed that one. I don't get to read as many Dragon Magazines as I used to...(career and kids, etc...blah..blah..). Indeed that would be a cool prestige class. I'll have to see if I can get ahold of that issue. Gives Gnomes a new dimension other than the typical tinker.
I wonder how the Gnomes would fare in the Age of Mortals? (To get back to the topic).
If Taladas was controlled by Overlords at the time perhaps one of those dragons conquered the gnomes and made the Legion of Dead its elite guard.
It wouldn't matter if they had a chance to win either.
If any group had a crazed chance of killing an overlord on Taladas, it would be the Legion of Dead. They would suffer 99% casualties and win or lose, they wouldn't be bothered.
Heck, they would recruit and train more, and go right back at the Overlord....until he got rid of them..or they him.
More disturbing would be the Gnomi and Minoi inventions that would be invented to fight the overlord.....