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Pavis & Big Rubble Companion: The Directors' Cut Relaunch


Ian A. Thomson

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On 2/14/2022 at 1:41 PM, Ian Thomson said:

* Pavis County was a joint creation between myself Jeff Richard, John Hughes and Dave Bell

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.

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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 :)

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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On 2/14/2022 at 1:41 PM, Ian Thomson said:

* Peter Johannson  - main-author of Zebra Fort piece, assisting with design of Opili subcult, and the bulk of the Real Inn article

* Peter Johannson & Sten Ahrman for co-writing 'Trolls of the Rubble' with me, and also co-writing Opili's Fort scenario

* Erik Nolander - co-writing Zebra Folk Of Pavis & Zebra Tribe of Pavis County & Prax

* James Holden - significant assistance with the Morocanth of the River of Cradles article

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.

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8 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.

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!

 

Cheers,

Erik

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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 :)

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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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! :)

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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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!

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Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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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! :)

Edited by Ian Thomson
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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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3 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

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

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.

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.

 

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Simon Phipp - Caldmore Chameleon - Wallowing in my elitism since 1982. Many Systems, One Family. Just a fanboy. 

www.soltakss.com/index.html

Jonstown Compendium author. Find my contributions here

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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

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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**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

Edited by Ian Thomson
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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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3 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

**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

On the subject of EWF sorcery (assuming the Rough Guide is set in the heyday of Pavis). set in RQ terms.

I think people could only cast Dragon magic if they had been draconized first (basically spoekn to a dragon and aquired draconic wisdom etc).  For most humans learning dragon magic would be the same as learning rune spells (even to the extent that they cast the Dragon Magic as a normal rune spell and not at SR 1 as the inscrutable Dragonewts do)  Alternative ways of learning Dragon Magic (ie as a shamanic gifts or through sorcery) are more exotic.

I think there is no essential difference between the EWF cantrips and spirit magic.  The EWF cantrips were created primarily to acquire draconic wisdom (in order to learn the *real* Dragon Magic) *but* people kept using these cantrips for mundane purposes.  For example Scaled Skin would just be the spirit magic protection spell which has the visible effect of covering the skin in faint scales.  The more EWF cantrips you cast, the better your chance of becoming draconically wise but the odds would be on the level of doubling a chance of winning a lottery ticket.

If you think EWF cantrips should be more powerful than spirit magics, then a way to model it might be to stipulate that casting an EWF cantrip in the presense of a dragon (even one that is sleeping) would be amplified by one magic point.

People can use Dragon Magic, Rune Magic and Spirit Magic at the same time.  A good example is Obduran who established the cult of Orlanth Dragonfriend. 

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On 2/14/2022 at 2:41 PM, Ian Thomson said:

Hi Folks

In order to republish the P&BR Companions we need to get permission from some people in order to use pieces that they heavily collaborated on, or in a couple of cases did most of the work on

Otherwise, a few things will simply have to be left out, and others heavily or totally rewritten (which is certainly possible but time-consuming in an already-epic process)

PERMISSIONS STILL SOUGHT: Here are the names, if anyone can put me in touch with any of them that would be so appreciated:

MESSAGE SENT (RESPONSE PENDING):

/.../

* Peter Johannson  - main-author of Zebra Fort piece, assisting with design of Opili subcult, and the bulk of the Real Inn article

* Peter Johannson & Sten Ahrman for co-writing 'Trolls of the Rubble' with me, and also co-writing Opili's Fort scenario

/.../

Hi Ian!

Good to hear from you. Great news about republishing the P&BR Companions! I am happy to give my permission for republishing the pieces I was involved in.

I was just on the phone with Sten Åhrman and he is also happy to give his permission for republishing the pieces he was involved in. Is me relaying this info ok or does he have to contact you himself?

There are also two (?) illustrations for the Real Inn piece another friend of mine did (Morgan Andersson). Do you want to re-use those as well? If so, I can easily check with him if it is ok. I would be surprised if it was not. 🙂

Do you intend to re-publish the works as they are or do you want us to revisit them and possibly revise and/or expand them?

Cheers!

Peter

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8 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

That game is an underrated gem!

Oh it is!!! :) My gaming favourites, and indeed the only games I ever ran campaigns in are (in this order):

Glorantha (Pavis/Prax)

Call of Cthulhu (equally 1920s & Gaslight)

Dying Earth RPG

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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9 hours ago, Peter Johansson said:

I am happy to give my permission for republishing the pieces I was involved in.

You superstar. PMing you now in response to other questions :)

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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5 minutes ago, Aprewett said:

I was wondering what happened to you, I gamed the ink of your Dying Earth material. I especially appreciated the play test notes, as showing great inspiration.

ps, I live in Darwin if you ever come this way.

Oh very cool

I got very busy with other things (as we all do as we get older)

Never stopped being interested in gaming, but most others dropped away around here, and I developed other interests in my spare time

Really glad you liked the DERPG stuff. Such a fun game. Probably the game I've played where me and the players laughed out loud the most often!!

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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On 2/17/2022 at 9:09 AM, 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.

I am surprised not to have heard back from John, though of course he could simply be very busy with life and no time to respond yet. Don't want to bother him, yet also would love to be in touch!

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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Thief Cults in Pavis City?

Really just pondering on who they might be? I want them to be different ones, not just versions of Lanbril (though one can be Lanbril of course). Is Desemborth a cult? I remember I wrote an unofficial smuggler cult once, but that has long-since disappeared in the mists of time. All suggestions/advice welcome. I am looking for three different thief cults, with connections to vice and smuggling. IE not healthy/fun rpg thieves. Although one of them (Desemborth?) can be somewhat less seedy.

Why? Can't say. That would be spoilers for the new scenario I'm writing for Rough Guide to PC :)

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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2 hours ago, Ian Thomson said:

Thief Cults in Pavis City?

One possible option (depending on your needs) might be to simply have a thieves' guild or gang, that maybe has some sideline in worship (shades of Santa Muerte) without being a full-blown big-C cult. Most criminals will likely be regular Orlanth-worshipers.

RQG is pushing guilds a bit in general these days.

Edited by Akhôrahil
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5 minutes ago, Akhôrahil said:

One possible option (depending on your needs) might be to simply have a thieves' guild or gang, that maybe has some sideline in worship (shades of Santa Muerte) without being a full-blown big-C cult. Most criminals will likely be regular Orlanth-worshipers.

Or they might be Argan Argar worshipers - lots of good potential there.

 

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6 hours ago, Akhôrahil said:

One possible option (depending on your needs) might be to simply have a thieves' guild or gang, that maybe has some sideline in worship (shades of Santa Muerte) without being a full-blown big-C cult. Most criminals will likely be regular Orlanth-worshipers.

RQG is pushing guilds a bit in general these days.

This sounds like the Desemborth/Orlanth-The-Thief option.

So I need three gangs for the scenario, and am almost certainly going to use D./O for one of them and Lanbril for another, but I'd like a third. I can make it up if necessary, but thought I'd check and see if there was actually an option already in existence

Good to know about Guilds. These will each be in their own Guild, but also have a loose alliance despite being rivals. Loose alliance against the authorities, since any anti-criminal activities are bad for everyone

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Former Issaries Inc. 'Pavis Expert'

Some of my creations and co-creations: https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?keyword=Ian Thomson 

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