Zarzeena's World

[Conrad]

Does anyone have any more information on this?

RPGnet RPG Game Index: "Zarzeena's World" (Article)

[rust]

According to the Different Worlds Index it probably was just a very short

(two pages) campaign background:

Background, Campaigns:

...

Zarzeena's World, by Steve Perrin #20 pg 8-9

[Nightshade]

I have a complete DW collection; as I recall, that article was just a few pages summarizing a fantasy world of Luise Perrin's, and included a couple of magic items.

[Jason D]

I remember it fondly... but there wasn't much meat to it.

It was a very short article basically focusing on some aspects of someone's campaign setting, presented in a generic manner suitable for almost any setting. No unique creatures or special rules... it didn't feel like Glorantha in the least.

The gist of it was a castle on the coast. There was a royal family, and a famed pirate lord, and some of the connections between them were explored. It had a high medieval/swashbuckly sort of feeling to it... certainly not the crazy magical Bronze Age feeling of RQ.

I suspect that its publication was a favor to the author, as it didn't really have enough substance to be tremendously useful.

[Conrad]

Thanks Rust, Nightshade and Jason for the information:). It doesn't sound too bad as a starting point for a campaign. Can someone please tell me what the magic items were in the article?

[Jason D]

Far more detail than my feeble mind can remember...

[Nightshade]

The item I remember was a thing called the Cloak of Souls that had ghosts bound into it you could draw Power from; it was an artifact quality magic item in that it could hold any number of ghosts, and as I recall, it automatically bound anyone you killed. It used them up as you drew on it, however.

[Conrad]

The item I remember was a thing called the Cloak of Souls that had ghosts bound into it you could draw Power from; it was an artifact quality magic item in that it could hold any number of ghosts, and as I recall, it automatically bound anyone you killed. It used them up as you drew on it, however.

I like the idea of the cloak, it is just the kind of artifact that a budding necromancer might want to acquire. I will have to find a copy of the magazine.

Edited February 12, 2009 by Conrad

[Jason D]

I've just dug the issue out and it's much better than I remembered, as it happens.

Though short, it's a scenario/campaign setup for Magic World wth a swashbuckly sort of setting, with a cast of eight major NPCs described in around 30-50 words apiece.

The "plot" is mostly a series of rumors about what is happening or what might happen. It doesn't really nail down which are true and which are false, but it does provide a lot of gist for creating adventures.

There's a bit called "The Plot Thickens" that essentially provides guidelines for how PCs might become involved, and how things might escalate based on the goals of a few of the major NPCs.

The section on "Conclusion" is somewhat bizarre, as it hints that the PCs might not even interact with the major NPCs.

Ironically, it feels exactly like a 7th Sea campaign description, and very little like the generic fantasy setting described in Magic World. I'm reminded that when I read it, I thought about adapting it to Flashing Blades, as it felt more like that sort of game.

[Conrad]

I've just dug the issue out and it's much better than I remembered, as it happens.

Though short, it's a scenario/campaign setup for Magic World wth a swashbuckly sort of setting, with a cast of eight major NPCs described in around 30-50 words apiece.

The "plot" is mostly a series of rumors about what is happening or what might happen. It doesn't really nail down which are true and which are false, but it does provide a lot of gist for creating adventures.

I would love to get a copy of the article, but the magazine isn't on sale anywhere. It would be good if chaosium sold pdfs of Different Worlds. I will have to wait for one to become available on Amazon.

Thanks for telling me more about it, Jason.

[Agentorange]

I would love to get a copy of the article, but the magazine isn't on sale anywhere. It would be good if chaosium sold pdfs of Different Worlds. I will have to wait for one to become available on Amazon.

Thanks for telling me more about it, Jason.

Besides Amazon you might want to look here:

NOBLE KNIGHT GAMES - Role Playing Games, RPG's, Board Games, Miniatures, Dungeons and Dragons - New & Out-of-Print

and here:

Magic The Gathering Cards & Decks

both do out of print and second hand stuff, I've bought all sorts of stuff from both of them

EDIT; for some reason the link to Troll and Toad is coming up as magic the gathering, ignore what it says and just click on the link....they actually do out of print and first and second hand RPG's as well

Edited February 24, 2009 by Agentorange

[Jason D]

I would love to get a copy of the article, but the magazine isn't on sale anywhere. It would be good if chaosium sold pdfs of Different Worlds.

Sadly, Chaosium isn't the owner of Different Worlds.

Long ago, around issue 40 or so (of 47), the magazine spun off as the cornerstone of its own company, called Different Worlds Publications. They may or may not still be in business... their website doesn't seem to have been updated in a long while (August 2006).

Sadly, that issue is sold out. You might have luck emailing them, though.

[Conrad]

Besides Amazon you might want to look here:

Thank you for those links Agentorange.:thumb:

[Conrad]

Sadly, Chaosium isn't the owner of Different Worlds.

Sadly, that issue is sold out. You might have luck emailing them, though.

Thanks for the link Jason. My chance of buying that issue of Different Worlds doesn't look good, but I will e mail them.