How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

[War Cry]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Hmmmm.....Turakian Age sounds interesting. I've been trying to create my own world but it's time I faced the cold hard truth - I just don't have the time to do it. So, that leaves me with three questions about TA.

 

1 Is the setting usable if the underground civilizations are sent packin'? With the obvious exception of Dwarves, I absolutely detest underground kingdoms.

 

2 What about Vikings? Every review I've seen makes no mention of Vikings.

I have to have freakin' Vikings! If there are no Vikings, can they be easily inserted into the setting without a lot of rework on existing material?

 

3 From what I have read, it seems that there is quite a bit of detail. Is there still room to modify and adjust things to suite my particular GM tastes?

 

Sorry to threadjack.

 

Who am I kidding - I'm not really sorry.

[Hermit]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Others can answer this better than I but here goes

 

1 Is the setting usable if the underground civilizations are sent packin'? With the obvious exception of Dwarves, I absolutely detest underground kingdoms.

While Dark Elves and Dark Dwarves get a mention, they don't seem to be crucial at all. Just ignore the mentions of them and you're good to go.

2 What about Vikings? Every review I've seen makes no mention of Vikings.

I have to have freakin' Vikings! If there are no Vikings, can they be easily inserted into the setting without a lot of rework on existing material?

I am still glancing over this rather extensive book. I didn't seen any obvious viking connections. I thought maybe the land of Skeld conquered by Vestria would do, and it might with some tinkering, but the referencing it as Highlands has me thinking more Scottish than Scandinavian...maybe a mix of the two.

 

You could always add a large island to the north of the western side of the Westerlands somewhere in the Sea and put some Viking like culture there. I've actually thought about plopping a land myself

3 From what I have read, it seems that there is quite a bit of detail. Is there still room to modify and adjust things to suite my particular GM tastes?

Lots... truthfully the book tries to cover so much, that while it still gives lots of good plot hooks and (imo) good feels for each country, they're just begging for further development.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Hmm. While we have Hermit's attention for a Q&A ... assuming it wouldn't violate any board rules, would a possible quick rundown of the available PC races be possible? I may have asked this before, but I'm curious as to what my options are beyond the 'traditional' Human, Elf, Dwarf, (Half-)Orc, Halfling, Gnome set.

 

Shallow it may be, but this will be a major determining factor in whether or not I pick up the book.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

So' date=' anybody else got any TA anecdotes to help Hermit?[/quote']

 

I'm not sure how much help it would be to Hermit, but James Gillen's Turakian Age campaign log stories do demonstrate effective use of the setting, and also make a darn fun read. Even though the board software upgrade seems to have bizarrely scrambled every quotation mark and apostrophe used in older posts.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Also, CC, the three reviews that LL posted actually go into the racial package list - dog folk, cat folk, drakine, trolls (like giants, not d20 trolls), and a few others dotted here & there, although those stand out in my memory. And, remember, it's HERO, so you can do Aelf Variants with your eyes shut almost and have them make sense.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Also' date=' CC, the three reviews that LL posted actually go into the racial package list - dog folk, cat folk, drakine, trolls (like giants, not d20 trolls), and a few others dotted here & there, although those stand out in my memory. And, remember, it's HERO, so you can do Aelf Variants with your eyes shut almost and have them make sense.[/quote']

 

What's an Aelf?

[Haerandir]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

A more-pretentious-than-usual Elf.

[Hermit]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Hmm. While we have Hermit's attention for a Q&A ... assuming it wouldn't violate any board rules, would a possible quick rundown of the available PC races be possible? I may have asked this before, but I'm curious as to what my options are beyond the 'traditional' Human, Elf, Dwarf, (Half-)Orc, Halfling, Gnome set.

 

Shallow it may be, but this will be a major determining factor in whether or not I pick up the book.

 

Let me give you a more detailed run down without (hopefully) giving too much.

 

First of all, one Human 'race' bears mentioning, the Ulronai are , imo, a great concept idea if you enjoy having a segment of humanity spat on and reviled by the rest of humanity (and other races too, come to think of it) like Gypsies or Jews might have been some areas of medievel Europe... and in a way that, for a supernatural world, makes sense. The Ulronai were cursed to be despised as a people and have the Distinctive Feature and Social Limitations to reflect this. There are ways around this for them as individuals, but as a group, they can never be accepted. If a player enjoys being an underdog, this might be the way to go for him/her. Of course, these underdogs have their own warrior enhancing magics so I dare say they hold their own.

 

Now on to the non humans

Drakine are just what you might think by the name, dragon like humanoids. Humans may think they're cruel, vicious, and evil, but the truth of it is they simply share some of humanity's traits, like ambition. They have made empires in the past, and though now most of those empires are broken and in decline, they still are rivals to men for domination of the lands. There are a few 'subtypes' of Drakine, but chiefly for 'color' (pun intended). For those GMs that want a campaign where humanity isn't the ONLY race that is both civilized and has an expanist mindset (compared to the races that stay only in their own terrains anyway) , this maybe a good race for both PCs and NPCs.

 

We get mention of the Dwarves, the Elves (They of the long names), Orcs (Who do actually have on civilized country of their own), Gnomes (Who are actually halfling/dwarf crossbreeds that can breed true IIRC), and Halflings. I won't go into those since you're not interested and probably wouldn't be surprised.

 

The rest of the ones I'm going to mention are 'lesser races' who aren't as populous, scattered, and/or powerful as mankind.

 

The Dog headed Erqigdlit may have once been men. I won't go into details but long ago they ticked off the gods, and were punished. Their society strikes me as a cross between packs (wolf or dog) and American Indian in a way (due to the story of their creation mostly). These guys in fur ain't pretty, but can easily fill the slot of noble warriors with almost dog like loyality, or carnivorous brutes. Take your pick.

 

Goblins Ah ha! You forgot to forbid the telling of goblins so ... err.. nevermind, they are pretty much what you'd expect.

Actually, Gnomes and Halflings also fit into 'Lesser' races clear proof that Steve Long has a hatred of short people who do not carry axes.

 

Okay, maybe not.

 

Leomachi are like Wemics in old AD&D body build wise, you know, Lion parts instead of horse parts. Their society seems a cross between Lion Prides (except the men actually do most of the hunting) and cowherds. I thought they looked pretty boss, but then I'm strange.

 

Pakasa, or as I like to call em, 'the other cat meat', are humanoid felines who stand up on two legs and have a bit more variety than the Leomachi in subraces. There are the the lionfolk, and the cheetahfolk, which means in the Turakian Age, if you play the character well, even a Cheetah can prosper....

 

Err.. sorry about that, either version btw, society wise is very communal.

 

The Seshurma are more like traditional Lizardmen, prefering swamps, jungles, marshes etc. They fight frequently among themselves so warriors are common, but their societies are, as a norm, matriarchal. Drakine, by the way, seem especially disdainful of this more primative reptiloid race.

 

The last one, and one of the most intriuging to me, are the Trolls. I have not been mentioning stuff in the racial packages because I think folks should buy the book for that, but I'll tell you that the Trolls STR goes over the Characteristic Maxima so get ready to pay through the nose for STR if your GM allows you to play one. Hopefully GMs won't let that might scare them away because trolls are just begging to be developed. Besides the obvious Wariror potential, mention of strange wizardry and 'trollish craftsmanship' have me intrigued. They aren't mindless regnerating hack and kill machines like D&D, they remind me more of smaller versions of Giants from Cornish myth ,some hospitalbe, canny, or wise, and others dimwitted brutes who, yes, would ambush you from under a bridge or on the internet...

sorry, couldn't help it again.

Their society seems sort of individualistic to me, trolls are, being so tough, pretty self sufficient, but they do have their own country.

 

And yes, for GMs that think Trolls are not appropriate for PCs there are still half trolls.

 

So there you've had it, if I've said too much, I hope someone will let me know and I'll edit.

[War Cry]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

 

The last one, and one of the most intriuging to me, are the Trolls. I have not been mentioning stuff in the racial packages because I think folks should buy the book for that, but I'll tell you that the Trolls STR goes over the Characteristic Maxima so get ready to pay through the nose for STR if your GM allows you to play one. Hopefully GMs won't let that might scare them away because trolls are just begging to be developed. Besides the obvious Wariror potential, mention of strange wizardry and 'trollish craftsmanship' have me intrigued. They aren't mindless regnerating hack and kill machines like D&D, they remind me more of smaller versions of Giants from Cornish myth ,some hospitalbe, canny, or wise, and others dimwitted brutes who, yes, would ambush you from under a bridge or on the internet...

sorry, couldn't help it again.

Their society seems sort of individualistic to me, trolls are, being so tough, pretty self sufficient, but they do have their own country.

 

And yes, for GMs that think Trolls are not appropriate for PCs there are still half trolls.

 

So there you've had it, if I've said too much, I hope someone will let me know and I'll edit.

 

Okay now, that just perked my interest way up. The wizardry and craftmanship part sounds a wee bit Nordic. IIRC, some of the sagas mention that viking wizards learned their magic from trolls.

 

Now I have a difficult decision to make. Buy the book and give up working on a world, or push on and hope I can finish sometime in the next few years.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Aelf - it's how you spell Aelf if you're me and can't get the thing to connect the AE correctly. I also spell it Faerie, which is where Aelf actually comes from.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Aelf - it's how you spell Aelf if you're me and can't get the thing to connect the AE correctly. I also spell it Faerie' date=' which is where Aelf actually comes from.[/quote']

 

Elf.

 

E. L. F.

 

Spell it with me.

 

E.L.F.

[Hermit]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Okay now, that just perked my interest way up. The wizardry and craftmanship part sounds a wee bit Nordic. IIRC, some of the sagas mention that viking wizards learned their magic from trolls.

 

Now I have a difficult decision to make. Buy the book and give up working on a world, or push on and hope I can finish sometime in the next few years.

 

It could sure be played from that angle, though really there's only one page on the race, and maybe a page and a half that I recall on the country they come from. One nation of humans has been their main trading partner in Trollish Crafts, so I maybe over stressing that part of it. The good news is the details are ready for any GM to fill in within this thin outline.

 

Now, IIRC, Tuala Morn, another setting that's very Celtic, will have more noridic viking stuff than TA. I'm not sure on that though. So there's yet ANOTHER choice for you

[War Cry]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

[quote=Hermit;1120631

 

Now, IIRC, Tuala Morn, another setting that's very Celtic, will have more noridic viking stuff than TA. I'm not sure on that though. So there's yet ANOTHER choice for you

 

You are an evil man, a very, very evil spawn of Joey, the Evil Overlord of Basketweaving and God of All things Neon. When I find my magic spoon that's a +3 Spawn of Joey Slaying, I'll be coming for your head. It should make a good beer mug.

 

Gah, choices. TA isn't going to be released for another few months though and I do have quite a bit of work done on MY vikings. So there. I should know in a couple of weeks what I need/want. I hope. Maybe.

[Markdoc]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

If you want trolls that match (very loosely) the description given, hit the web, starting here:

http://www.wam.umd.edu/~gerakkag/rq.html

 

and read up on Runequest trolls. They are one of the best-detailed original nonhuman races around, IMO, and one of the few which can play the role of bad guys and PCs equally well.

 

cheers, Mark

[Eosin]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Gah' date=' choices. TA isn't going to be released for another few months though and I do have quite a bit of work done on MY vikings. So there. I should know in a couple of weeks what I need/want. I hope. Maybe.[/quote']

 

Undisguised pimpage.

 

You could also have a look at The Last Dominion.

 

• Interesting Trolls/Hags: CHECK
  
• No underground Critters: CHECK
  
• Vikings: CHECK
  
• Ability to Tweek: CHECK
  

 

Feedback has been positive for the setting, though there still isn't a review handy (coming someday soon).

[Eosin]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Non-Pimpage

 

Interestingly, Troll magic in TA is very Nordic with knots and such. Kinda cool.

 

I think Steve Long hitting Aarn has the potential to do some titanic stuff for the setting. In fact, with TA, FHG, FHGII, MMM, NKN, and Aarn this will be an amazingly supported setting.

 

Still, my tastes run more towards Tula Morn type settings.

 

EDIT: Don't ya love abreviations

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

CC: I'd explain, but it'd take too long. Besides, you're the one who always insists that just because one fantasy does it one way, not to forget that it IS fantasy. Me spelling 'elf' 'AElf' and you getting ticked, is not unlike people getting upset because Gorgon, Chimera & Medusae may differ from their "correct" mythological counterparts in a d20 book, thus spreading discord and chaos around the world.

 

I'm just sayin', is all.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

CC: I'd explain, but it'd take too long. Besides, you're the one who always insists that just because one fantasy does it one way, not to forget that it IS fantasy. Me spelling 'elf' 'AElf' and you getting ticked, is not unlike people getting upset because Gorgon, Chimera & Medusae may differ from their "correct" mythological counterparts in a d20 book, thus spreading discord and chaos around the world.

 

I'm just sayin', is all.

 

Actually, I wasn't sure if Aelf meant Elf, because I've never seen Elf spelled with an A.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

I got the original inspiration from Raymond E. Feist - both in Faerie Tale & his Riftwar Saga; I know in TRS that his 'Aelves' had the crazy attached AE thing. I liked the style of it so much I adopted it permanently. That was... oh, 15 years ago?

[Steve Long]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Actually, Gnomes and Halflings also fit into 'Lesser' races clear proof that Steve Long has a hatred of short people who do not carry axes.

 

Hey, I have everyone. I just like axes.

 

[The TA trolls] aren't mindless regnerating hack and kill machines like D&D, they remind me more of smaller versions of Giants from Cornish myth ,some hospitalbe, canny, or wise, and others dimwitted brutes who, yes, would ambush you from under a bridge or on the internet...

sorry, couldn't help it again.

Their society seems sort of individualistic to me, trolls are, being so tough, pretty self sufficient, but they do have their own country.

 

The main inspiration for how I think of trolls tends to be Norse/Scandinavian myth and legend, as filtered through gaming needs and perspectives. Check out D'aulaires' Trolls for an example. (It's a children's book, but like everything I've seen written by the D'aulaires, it's full of fun information and stories and wonderfully illustrated. Their Norse mythology book could be said to be partly responsible for my gaming career. )

[Steve Long]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

TA isn't going to be released for another few months though

 

To be clear -- TA (The Turakian Age) was released like two years ago. It's been out a long time. It's TM (Tuala Morn) that's slated for release later this year.

 

And while there are no specific, direct Viking analogs in TA, there most definitely are (the Vulkrings, and Vulkringland) in TM. They're primarily cast in the role of villains/raiders, though -- they don't live in Tuala Morn itself.

[Lemurion]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

Axes are important. Elven "arrogance" is a thinly disguised attempt on their part to cover up feelings of inferiority due to their lack of understanding of axes.

 

Any race that's not made up of axewielders is at best one of second-place citizens.

[gojira]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

The main inspiration for how I think of trolls tends to be Norse/Scandinavian myth and legend' date=' as filtered through gaming needs and perspectives. Check out [i']D'aulaires' Trolls[/i] for an example. (It's a children's book, but like everything I've seen written by the D'aulaires, it's full of fun information and stories and wonderfully illustrated. Their Norse mythology book could be said to be partly responsible for my gaming career. )

 

This seems suspiciously close to answering a game design decision....

[keithcurtis]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

'Aelves' had the crazy attached AE thing.

 

It's called a ligature, for those who are interested. It was developed during the early days of typesetting to reduce the time spent setting a job and supposedly to increase legibility. Most high end computer fonts have a full set of ligatures.

 

The Æ ligature does have some history as a full letter, though. For the typographically curious, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Æ

 

Keith "The other 99.99% of you can go on with your lives" Curtis

[Nolgroth]

Re: How's the Turakian Age working out for you?

 

To be clear -- TA (The Turakian Age) was released like two years ago. It's been out a long time. It's TM (Tuala Morn) that's slated for release later this year.

 

And while there are no specific, direct Viking analogs in TA, there most definitely are (the Vulkrings, and Vulkringland) in TM. They're primarily cast in the role of villains/raiders, though -- they don't live in Tuala Morn itself.

When do I send the check? I've been waiting with some level of patience since I saw the first blurb on Tuala Morn.