Ian A. Thomson

This might be the place to ask. I have a vague awareness that some fonts can't be used commercially and some can. I'm going to have a look online now to see if I can sort out some options (just for the headers and title really) for the Rough Guide to Pavis City Directors' Cut. Anyway, wondering if anyone has already put together a list of interesting looking fonts that can be used in the fan-produced Gloranthan publications?

3 minutes ago, Richard S. said:

I'm not familiar with your old Pavis material, but the new book Chaosium is doing will be set after Argrath takes the city so I think as long as your stuff is set during the Lunar occupation like in P&BR it'll probably fit in well enough.

There is absolutely the bonus of the different time-period. However, they will no doubt include a section of recent history, and also a structure of how the Pavis Priesthood and Government works, and stuff like that.

My Grey Company campaign gets heavily involved in politics, and the last Companion I am planning to write covers their pivotal role in the Wedding of Pavis, the Liberation of Pavis and the final manifestation of Pavis' grand plan.

Yes my campaign actually ran up to and beyond Argrath taking Pavis (I telescoped the timeline a bit) and so there is actually some overlap especially in the last (and perhaps penultimate) volume

It is possible that I might write that last volume as totally non-canon. As an alternate history to Argrath. That I would be fine with

However because of the socio-political nature of the last stages of my campaign I would love to spend an extra few hours making it match the upcoming material as closely as possible for being non-contradictory

You are absolutely right in that much of the earlier material won't matter at all because it is all stuff like adventuring in the Rubble (although the socio-political elements do start to creep in quite early in small ways)

Thanks for the response :)

On 2/21/2022 at 9:53 AM, Rick Meints said:

Those aren't going to be finished (ready for purchase) this year.

Since the timing is relatively synchronous, I would be very happy to adjust the whole of the P&BR Companion re-release series to match the information in these official publications as closely as possible.

1) Basically I have always spent extra effort making sure (and potentially I may have failed sometimes, but not through lack of hard work) that my material contradicts nothing official, and as little well-accepted unofficial material as possible. Takes extra hours of work sometimes but feels respectful. Like that aspect of Improv' - Always try to accept an idea rather than contradict it, because that enhances creativity and collaborative magic

2) Plus it would feel really dumb to go through this massive re-release process only for a few months later for an official publication to appear that was utterly incompatible with the Companion series

3) A big aim of the Companion series was from the very beginning to be 'extra support material' for these locations. It was NEVER intended to be alternate, stand-alone or supersceding. Since that ethos is a primary driver, again it would feel really counter to the whole point of this re-release if the series emerges and then weeks or months later is made utterly incompatible with official ideas

I am probably faced with a choice. Delay the Companion series release (although not the creation, which won't be all compete for a few months anyway) and then buy the new official stuff and re-edit to match, or ask if I can have any access to the developing new material for the sole purpose not of using any of it, but simply of rewriting any contradictions in my work in advance. (I imagine this is not likely to be allowed, but thought I'd ponder. I mean, I was Pavis Expert for a year or two, and had a lot of conversations with Greg, so a whole bunch of background stuff in the P&BR series was actually verified by or originated from Greg. Mani's Clan for instance.)

**Ideas Sought on EWF Sorcery**

Basically I am considering these options for the expanded Rough Guide to Pavis City section on running adventures there

To add a line to many NPCs after Spirit Magic, called 'EWF Cantraps', and to have some simple little titles there like 'Sparkfingers', 'Heal Graze', 'Tough Skin', 'See in Darkness', 'High Jump'. Mostly daily/vocationally useful stuff and just a few per person

Then for a few more powerful personalities also have a line 'EWF Sorcery' with more potent titles in, such as: Scale Skin, ForcePush, , but falling short of things like Dragonwings and Firebreath except for maybe some epic NPC major foes

Many years ago I was part of an official HW Playtest that was set in the time of the EWF, and my Sartarite character generation option had a choice of profession that included a few simple draconic sorcery options. All pretty simple like Spirit Magic, except I remember that I had a Rune Magic equivalent (Ie something I couldn't use often, but was great for emergencies) which was 'Breathe Fire'. The sense of the character was that they were IIRC a follower of Orlanth Dragonfriend and progressing well through the cult

And I have some questions.

1) I read somewhere ages ago that in the EWF a lot of people had access to minor draconic magics and thought nothing of it. Used as an alternative to Spirit Magic. Is that potentially a true concept or was it only rare and specialised people who had any?

2) What are these minor draconic magics? Were they all directly to do with draconic powers or more just mystical abilities in general of a wider range?

3) Did people have both EWF Sorcery and Spirit/Rune Magic (as I seem to remember reading), or only one of them?

4) If the consensus is that many people did have minor EWF Sorcery skills I would love some ideas for cantrap names and titles of more major sorcery effects

5) If anyone has a simple sense of running such things in the game I would definitely consider including a half-page description of how to run such things in game. Otherwise I'll leave the mechanics up to each GM

Thanks very much

4 hours ago, soltakss said:

To be honest, I use an amended version of the Word Document for all my Jonstown Compendium supplements. It is easy to use, has a good look and feel, and can be exported to a PDF.

I was delighted by how good it looks :)

4 hours ago, soltakss said:

>>For POD, it is best to speak to someone who knows what they are doing. Fortunately, I know two such people, which is really useful.<<

So much work to do at the moment that this is in the 'way down the track basket, But yes it would be wonderful if the work takes off to the extent where hardcopies are desired. In which case I will be seeking wisdom. A good few weeks of intense slog to go yet before the series is done to even basic formatting, and then likely a good few weeks more to get it all done. The final volume I have in mind needs a fair bit of research, new text and rewriting too

I am currently writing a new full scenario to go into the back of the Rough Guide and to expand the piece of ideas on how to turn the Guide into a Campaign

The Rough Guide to Old Pavis (Directors' Cut) has reached an advanced stage

Basic layout is complete of the main book. Only the scenario ideas and stats sections need to be completed (more writing and then the layout finalisation, the rest is done

I am using the Jonstown Compendium Word document as the layout template and it looks really good. I realise this won't be compatible with 'order a hard copy' options, but I can get it all into a different layout package later if the demand is there

Layout at the end will need the attention of an experienced designer ideally, although I can do that as well if necessary, but it won't look nearly as good as if a professional gives it some more spit and polish. Anyway it looks like we might have someone standing by to do that :)

We do still need a couple of permissions for contents, but have a contact address for the main one of those, so fingers crossed. [Edit - All gotten now! :) ]

At this rate it is possible that the Rough Guide Directors Cut will be finished (or very very nearly so) within a week! :)

No worries. We are somehow discussing something I have no plans to do, and never had plans to do, so all good

Sorry if I somehow gave a mistaken impression

I am looking at that old material just to see if I can make tiny adaptations of my own so as not to directly contradict big stuff they say

NOT to take any information from them

And I have no idea if they consulted Greg or not. I was mentioning Greg only in reference to my own work

1 hour ago, soltakss said:

I could do that. My take on QW and HQ is a very lite, no-nonsense version, though, but that might suit the P&BRC.

Well that would be fantastic. Just to have basic notes about adapting to QW running through the books. In the case of the first one (the Rough Guide) this would probably be as a separate appendix in the back, since it's mostly a guide with extra notes and stats at the end for turning it into a campaign source

8 hours ago, jajagappa said:

>>I'd suggest avoiding reading/using/referencing the Mongoose publications altogether.  Those are not licensed for use in the JC publications. <<

I will be looking at them, but not using/referencing or quoting. My philosophy is that if I can with minimal effort avoid contradicting their material, why not. I won't be going out of my way to rewrite my version to make it fit theirs

>>As for inclusion of Greg's name, it was a Glorantha license so I expect his writings had to be credited,<<

I was in extensive email consultation with Greg while developing the P&BR Companion, so he was intrinsically involved

>>but that does not mean you need to try to incorporate them (or that you can include them). <<

Really not sure what you mean by 'them' in 'incorporate them'. I am writing about Pavis and the Big Rubble, spinning off of ideas by Greg Stafford and Steve Perrin. Many of my articles Greg generously gave me advice on and ideas for, so his thoughts were involved too

8 hours ago, g33k said:

It's very useful... for TDM's Mythras.

For Chaosium's Runequest -- especially for publication -- it's not useful (and in fact could arguable render a product ineligible for the Jonstown Compendium, as Mythras license is held by TDM and they do NOT license to the JC) .

We are only doing RQG stats. It's too much work to do anything else. I might have considered leaving the already created HW and HQ stats in, but they are not allowed on JComp, plus I never really liked those systems

The only possible other thing is if some volunteer QW stats genius wanted to go through everything and add notes for converting it to QW. Nobody has offered that yet though

On 2/9/2022 at 10:42 AM, Bill the barbarian said:

The hive mind expert in these parts for RQ6/Mythras would be @hkokko. Check this site out, you will not be disappointed. https://notesfrompavis.blog/2012/01/11/return-to-glorantha/

This does have some useful generators on there. Thanks for the heads-up

I have some excellent volunteers now doing some stat work, but it's a big job, especially when creating personalities, and I could do with some more help if anyone out there is already super quick and confident in whipping up RQG stats :)

On 2/16/2022 at 4:05 PM, Graeme P said:

The reference to Labrygon being invited by King Jhanas Kyree (Yanas Kyrem) is on page 11 of Pavis Rises (Mongoose, 2010) and page 34 of Pavis:GtA (2012).  So it is some years after you did your original work.  I note Greg is thanked in the credits to Pavis Rises, read into that what you will.

I canot assist in illuminating why the change occurred though.

That contradiction has been relatively easy to solve :)

On 2/17/2022 at 6:15 AM, soltakss said:

I would leave it vague.

P&BR has Joras Kyrem setting up as King and his sons being Kings, but does not link him with the Puzzle Canal.

 

Yes, vague is one possibility

But the info I have it at currently contradicts what is in the Mongoose publications

What I aim to do is read the Mongoose publications and see if there are only minimal contradictions (which is what I have always taken effort to do, and wish those authors had done for my material) :)

If the contradictions are minimal then I will adjust my material to make it vague, or to match theirs

On 2/12/2022 at 9:43 PM, soltakss said:

Page numbers are a beast, unfortunately. I'd just stick with sections, that way you don't have to go through and recheck the page references every time you add a page.

Yeh, when I was writing DERPG stuff for Pelgrane Press I actually worked this out for myself :)

Why labour over every-changing page numbers when sections stay the same!

46 minutes ago, Brian Duguid said:

I've left messages with all of the above via Facebook. If I get replies I'll pass them along, otherwise I've directed them towards this thread.

You rock, Sir! :)

34 minutes ago, Farandar said:

Erik Nolander here, and I'm more than happy for my humble contribution to be published and used - thanks to Brian for notifying me and kudos to Ian for taking this on!

Thanks Erik. Huge appreciation :)

I'm doing layout at present for the republication of the Rough Guide to Pavis City which will be the first off the rank. There's still editing to do, and cover image to be confirmed we can reuse, or replaced, but it's steaming along. Could be ready in 8-10 days :)

1 hour ago, BenS said:

Given that he's on the list I dropped John Hughes an IM to let him know. Not sure if he's on here as well as FB (or if you're now in touch with him on this).

Also just to add my thanks to others' for your being up for this - the Companions have been on the top of my personal want list for a fair while now.

Thanks for that :) All help with contacting people is very welcome, and I will update the list above whenever I get in contact with someone

You are very welcome about putting it together. Basically I was a part-time student of Writing & Editing at the time I put it all together originally, had loads of detailed notes on my desktop from years of running Pavis stuff, and was in the middle of writing and running an expansion of the long ongoing Pavis Campaign I had run before at University. So everything coalesced.

And timing coalesces now as I am moving house in a couple of months I very temporarily have a lot of free time. So a project that would normally be both practically and financially utterly untenable, becomes possible! Actually it's still financially totally not worth it, but as a creative person I feel the art of the project is the driving force :)

Fantastic, thanks so much

Which Simon (full name please), and which images (Yelornan?). Just to be super clear. 

Excellent about Darren. Tell him thanks heaps

2 hours ago, metcalph said:

Personally I would stick with what you originally decided as the Jonstown Compendium products are allowed to deviate from canon.  Perhaps there's a reason why the official history as according to the Cult of Pavis is denying Labrygon's earlier presence?

Love it. Thanks :) Have to think about that. Or potentially he arrived early then left then was invited back :)

Hi there

I am just reading online things like according to Pavis: Gateway to Adventure Joraz Kyrem died in 885ST and had named sons, and they were Kings, and one of them invited Labrygon to build the Puzzle Canal in Pavis City in 920

Was this information also in the original Pavis pack or was it invented for the new Moon Designs release?

I will revise definitely my version of Pavis as I go if this information was in the original material,

But since it seems (and maybe I am mistaken about this) to actually contradict some things I discussed with Greg (such as Labrygon being present in Pavis much earlier).

So I'd be glad if someone could let me know, and then I can make decisions on what I will change in my version and what I won't

A lot of stuff will be easy to change and other stuff not so much

My only main major issue is that I was certain Greg agreed that the Puzzle Canal was present in 894ST, but it's been so long since we had our conversations that I could be mistaken

If it turns out I somehow missed out on a lot of history that was already established I may revise extensively

I may even end up changing everything except having Labrygon be there much earlier in my version

But I spent a LOT of extra time making sure that my material didn't contradict previous official info and also didn't contradict any well-developed fan info, so I am surprised that I somehow missed this stuff

Maybe now will be my chance to make up for that :)

7 hours ago, soltakss said:

Permission granted and I have some cool images that I can share with you, if I can get permission for you to use them.

Ooh, awesome

Let me know about the permission

I am almost ready to start laying out the first volume to be released, which will the the Rough Guide to Pavis City (slightly expanded on the previous version)

I also need some permissions first, and also the stats are still being worked on, but we are getting close

STATUS UPDATE

I believe I now have all the material

- original text from the Rough Guide to Old Pavis, the Companions & Associated Tradetalks

- all the bonus articles that didn't fit or were never quite finished

- the unfinished notes for the grand finale of the campaign (that was played and completed)

- permission (thanks Dario) to use his original images (plus access to more via his pdfs on the Compendium, which I will surely buy)

So where I am at now, is:

* Continuing to reformat to basic sense and accessibility all the text salvaged from pdfs. This is an enormous job that has taken days so far, but likely only requires another day or two to complete

* Working with a few 'Champions of Pavis' volunteers who are doing some of the back-breaking behind the scenes labour so I can focus on the formatting and the new writings to be placed into the Directors Cut of the series. (Yes there will be new material of course!)

* Trying to get in touch with collaborators on the original material for permission to use their work

* Starting to get as many of the original images into a useable form as possible, and collect other images too

* Starting to consider learning a Layout program I can use to present this material in ways that it can be both pdf and hardcopy

* Looking for someone already comfortable with layout to design a cover. My sense is that as a series it can have a cool, simple esoteric looking cover with some kind of Pavic symbol/s on, and just use that for every publication in the series. Obviously with changed title and vol number

Here's a little scenario outline I thought of earlier:

FLINTNAIL & I

It is the Year 829. The Age of Flowers is coming to an end in the EWF. Two unemployed actors are living in a squat in Adari and begrudgingly looking for work, whilst drinking way too much fermented zebra-milk, and smoking far too much voralans fungus. One, a half-elf, decides that they need to get out of town for a bit in order to clear their heads. The other, a dwarf, can barely drag himself away from the finest wines known to civilisation at that time. Eventually they gather together some friends and head off into the East. It is the biggest mistake of their lives.

Notable Quotes:

"We are indeed drifting into the arena of the unwell. Making an enemy of our future. What we need is harmony."

"We've come to Prax by mistake."

"Stop saying that Flintnail; of course it's a f*kng llama!"

"I feel like a broo shat in my head."

"If I spike you, you'll know you've been spoken to!"

"This place is uninhabitable. We'll be found dead here next Season."

"A coward you are, Flintnail; an expert on bison you are not!"

Just now, Harry the Dirty Dog said:

Not to distract from the original topic, but Argrath totally strikes me as the sort of person who ended up getting credit for a whole lot of other people's hard work.

Exactly! :) 

That's it, few more words necessary....

Totally my sense of things! :)

6 hours ago, Snugz said:

Permission granted for bringing back the drunk dwarfs

Guess we should probably formalise this at least a bit :) Can you please message me here with some small details about yourself and an email address so I can add it to the Permissions document. Much appreciated :)

5 hours ago, Brian Duguid said:

There's a contact form on Eric's website: https://www.ericvanel.com/

Contact details on his website: http://www.maranci.net/rq.htm (scroll to very bottom)

Paging @Julian Lord.

Paging @soltakss.

Paging @Christoph Kohring.

OMG I'm actually already talking to Simon here. Doh!!! :)

Thanks for the other info. Huge appreciation, and on it now