Another year, another game world

[Bismark]

With the current academic year (and RPGing season) coming to a close (3 weeks left before our players all have exams), my Valdorian Age campaign is drawing to a close.

Having come to the conclusion that the campaign was OK, but not really 'me' (it appears that I enjoy reading S&S much more than running it), I told the 2 players I am expecting to still be here next academic year that next year I would be reverting to 'home territory' (i.e. a High Fantasy-type campaign) and asked them what campaign world they fancied adventuring in. I gave them the choice of:

1. Turakian Age
2. Forgotten Realms
3. Greyhawk
4. Shadow World

I really should not have asked - they plumped for the one that involves the most work for yours truly, namely Shadow World.

Now I have the job of setting up this campaign and keeping the flavour of Shadow World. The 'interesting' bit will be the magic system - I want to keep the 3 types of RoleMaster magic without slavishly copying the RM spell list system (which would be mucho work).

Oh well, here we go…

[Nolgroth]

Good luck. I don't know much about either Role Master or Shadow World, so I can't offer anything other than moral support.

[Lord Liaden]

How much of the old SW stuff dual-statted with 4E HERO do you have access to? That should help some, especially if you base your campaign in Emer or Jaiman; the sourcebooks for those regions have the best HERO stats.

[Bismark]

I have a copy of Nomads of the Nine Nations (which I have borrowed from a friend) and I have a copy of the only 'canon' SW novel 'Stormriders', which details which supplements have FH stats in them and which do not.

Unfortunately, only some of the supplements have been reissued as PDFs…
but they do include the Emer and Jaiman supplements .

Of course, converting from RM will be made easier by the fact that the friend I borrowed stuff off knows more about RM than I do about HERO, so will be a valuable resource.

[Lord Liaden]

I would also consider Norek, describing a city-state in Jaiman. It's a pretty well detailed city setting that would make a fine starting point for a campaign, and its FH stats are among the most thorough in the SW series.

Since Jaiman is relatively near Emer, you should have enough setting material among those for a sustained campaign.

If you're thinking of converting elements from Rolemaster, you might benefit from this PDF with detailed character stat conversions, plus conversion guidelines for magic weapons and armor:
http://www.hierax.com/hero/shadow/cha.pdf

[Bismark]

If you're thinking of converting elements from Rolemaster, you might benefit from this PDF with detailed character stat conversions, plus conversion guidelines for magic weapons and armor:
http://www.hierax.com/hero/shadow/cha.pdf

Cheers for the link… but thanks to your thread about HERO Conversions/Adaptations ( ) I found that link a while ago, and it is what gave me the idea of possibly using Shadow World as my campaign location.

I got my old RM stuff back off a friend the other day and it was only then I realised which edition it was - the 1988-89 edition (i.e. 1st edition after they changed it to book rather than boxed set format). Ahh, the memories…

Later this month my objective is to start codifying the magic rules for the new campaign, as well as finish my Hero Designer write-up of the Janak (Hue-Eater/Life-Eater) - a very nasty NPC intelligent race.

[NuSoardGraphite]

This is something that I've been contemplating myself lately, as I've been getting in the mood for a more straightforward Epic Fantasy game.

I don't have time to post my theories right now (I have ideas on how to simulate the three realms of power) but I'll post them later.

[tkdguy]

I'd second Norek because it makes a nice home base for the PCs. There's a fair bit of adventure for them there, and they can travel to other parts of Jaiman if they desire.

[Lord Liaden]

Didn't Fantasy HERO for Fourth Edition include some notes for dealing with the magic of Kulthea/Shadow World? I'm pretty sure Essence Flows were discussed, at least.

[Bismark]

Didn't Fantasy HERO for Fourth Edition include some notes for dealing with the magic of Kulthea/Shadow World? I'm pretty sure Essence Flows were discussed, at least.

I'll have to visit the guy I got my Rolemaster books off then, as he has my 4th edition FH book (I gave it him when I bought the 5th edition version ).

I came up with a wacky idea at about 5am this morning (I was just going to bed - must stop working odd hours just because I am self-employed), so leapt out of bed [] and wrote it down before I forgot it.

That is, treat each RoleMaster spell list as a separate Multipower (which will each have all the appropriate Limitations for the particular mode of magic involved). Each starting spell on the spell list is bought as a Variable slot in that MP.

As the character goes up in 'Level' (i.e. gains experience), he/she can add points to the MP pool and slots to gain the more powerful version of the original spells.

How workable this is I don't know until I have tried building characters with it, but it is worth a try…

[tkdguy]

LL, I sent you a PM.

[Lord Liaden]

LL, I sent you a PM.

Got it, and thanks; but Bismark's the one who's really interested and would benefit.

[Bismark]

Thanks for the info guys (thanks for the PM, LL).

Now to design a Mentalism spell enhancer that just happens to look and act like a helmet () - one of the oldest Rolemaster min-max fiddles known…

[tkdguy]

My mistake, Bismark! Thanks for forwarding the info, LL.

If you have some of the Lords of Middle-earth series, you'll find some of the people wear circlets that allowed the use of Mentalism spells (and enhanced them) while acting as helmets. Yes, ICE tended to break its own rules when writing up some of the more powerful beings in Middle-earth. Of course, since they had levels ranging from 36 (Aragorn II, aka Strider) to 150 (Luthien Tinuviel), they weren't meant to be used as PCs.

[Nevenall]

My own (in a constant state of development) magic system is inspired by RM.

There are three realms each of which represent very different ways for a magic user to derive his powers.

Hermetic Magic (essence)
Uses various gestures, incantations and objects external to the character to cast spells. This is the most flexible realm, but it can be dangerous if the caster fails to cast a spell correctly.

Intrinsic Magic (mentalism)
Magical effects created through sheer willpower. This realm is limited in scope and takes intensive training to develop, but once developed comes easily and without serious side effects.

Numanistic Magic (channeling)
By devoting himself to a greater power the character's very spirt has been changed in ways that allow him to wield magical powers.


Each of the realms is a variable power pool in an attempt to balance magic and non magic a bit.

Magic is only powered by END from a special reserve called Mana. Everyone has a bit of MANA, but it can be increased.

Magic.doc