Talislanta

[Necron 99]

Sounds pretty cool thus far! Looking forward to a demo session :wink:

If I can digest enough of the system and setting to feel comfortable, I may just end up working up a scenario and running a session at NTRPG, but we'll see.

[Necron 99]

I was able to get a hard copy of the 4th Edition book, along with the map and screen. The book is huge at 500 pages, but it literally has everything you need to really play. There are some supplements and such like the Codex Magicus but they aren't needed, just nice to have for expanding the game/setting. The screen and map were in shrink (opened now), which is nice; the map is really cool.

[Ancalagon]

Where did you find a hard copy of the 4e core book?

[Necron 99]

eBay, but it was the only copy of the 4e book that I found, or have seen on there since. From what I can tell, it's hard to come by.

However, because it seems to be hard to find, and I wanted to have another printed copy, I actually set up my first print project on the Lulu printing service, using the 4E PDF. I created a full cover, using the cover page and back page of the PDF, then used Photoshop to create the spine, because the PDF didn't have one. I found a suitable font, added in the little axe icon, and the 4e text at the bottom. I submitted the cover and the PDF in Lulu, chose to have cream colored pages, print in black and white (just like the hardcover) but selected softcover, with a matte finish for the cover (instead of glossy).

According to Lulu, the book is "In Production", estimated shipping date is Feb 22-24th, arrival date Mar 1-3. Hopefully in a little over a week I'll have the finished book and will be able to gage the quality. If it looks good and makes for a nice table/play copy, I'll probably order another one since the cost is only $37. If the quality isn't that great, then no really harm, at least I still have a usable copy to carry to conventions or where ever, instead of the hardcover.

Oh and for reference, this is what the original hardcover spine looks like:

[Ancalagon]

That's pretty cool, man!

[Necron 99]

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, the Magic system in Talislanta is really cool. Not only does it facilitate player creativity, but actively promotes spell creation by players for caster-based characters. While the game already has a fairly good amount of spells ready for use, the Codex Magicus goes into more detail about players and creating unique spells for use by that player's character.

Magic, in particular spellcasting, is one of the cornerstones of the Talislanta setting. The great masters of the past wove enchantments so potent that modern magicians can but marvel at their achievements. Even so, latter day magicians are still capable of producing wondrous magics, though these are but a pale shadow of the past.

With magic being of such importance to the game, it is worth making it that bit more exotic, and enriching the roleplaying experience in the process. The Talislanta magic system actively permits and encourages players and GMs to create their own, unique, imaginative spells, and presents fantastic opportunities for the creative individual.

The ability to be truly individual when creating new spells means that it is quite possible for all of a magician’s spells to bear some kind of personal trademark or signature, if desired, that makes all their spellcastings instantly recognizable as their work, for better or worse. For example, the spells of Moncarr the Mauve might always feature a particular red hue in some way, irrespective of the spell’s appearance or effect.

In addition to creating one's own spells, the Codex continues on, with sections describing characters (and players) keeping records of spells known, researched, and created in a Grimoire.

As any experienced roleplayer knows, keeping notes can be vital to the success of a game, and scraps of paper, torn notes, and other hastily scribbled messages can be easily lost. When keeping a record of a character’s spells, relying on scraps of paper to record the character’s them can waste a lot of time if such pieces are misplaced.

It is worthwhile investing in an attractive notebook to act as the character’s spellbook; one with an unusual cover, such as a mottled or marbled effect, or a fake leather binding, is especially appropriate. Such a notebook can even be used as a physical prop, embellished as desired with gold pen, transfers, or stickers, and need not be expensive. Treat the notebook as if it is the character’s traveling spellbook, and record any prepared spell descriptions in it; use pencil when scribbling down spontaneous creations, or descriptions that lack spell mechanics, as these can easily be written in properly with ink later, and the pencil erased. Try and use the same color ink throughout the notebook to give the spellbook a more uniform look. Using a fountain pen or quill, while extremely authentic, is not necessary. Don’t worry about ink blotches or errors either, as magician’s spellbooks are stereotypically replete with such marks.

If possible, try and write as the character would, because doing so is a good roleplaying experience, and can provide the character with more depth.

Spellcasting characters also have a bit of an easier time, as compared to say, (A)D&D magic-using classes. Whereas new characters in (A)D&D get a roughly 3-4 starting spells and only one, maybe two, spells per day to cast, new spellcasters in Talislanta potentially start off with many more.

Magician characters begin the game with a number of spells for each Mode equal to that Mode’s rating. e.g. Coryx, a Stryx necromancer, has 3 modes at +2 each. He takes Attack, Heal, and Summon. He can choose six spells for his starting spellbook, two attack spells, two healing spells, and two summoning spells. Astrimar, a Cymrilian Magician, has 6 modes in Wizardry at +3 each, and 5 modes in Pyromancy at +1 each. His starting spellbook contains 23 spells, consisting of 18 wizardry spells (3 per mode) and 5 Pyromancy spells (1 per mode).

The starting spells may be chosen from the examples provided later in this chapter, or (at the GM’s discretion) original spells may be created by the player.

[Necron 99]

My Lulu printed copy of the 4th Edition book arrived today. For $37 (including shipping), I'm pretty damn impressed, it took a little under 3 weeks from the time the order was placed to delivery. Not a bad deal at all.

The cream-colored pages look fantastic compared to the standard white pages of the original book. The text and imagery is clear and legible, the cover and spine look good with the matte finish. I think the glossy cover would probably look pretty good too, now that I'm seeing the finished product. The back is good with only a slight bit of blurring with some of the text. The pictures look a bit blurred because the lighting this afternoon wasn't great in my office. All in all, this is a fantastic copy for me to utilize and carry around instead of the hardback, and if anything ever happens to it, I know I can just order up another one and be good to go.

[grodog]

IIRC isn't Talislanta the same game/setting from the old Bard Games 3rd-party generic D&D publishing, that included The Complete (Spellcaster, Alchemist, Adventurer) series and the setting books for The Acrcanum, The Lexicon, and The Bestiary?

I may be mixing up Talislanta with something else, perhaps, though.

Allan.

[Necron 99]

IIRC isn't Talislanta the same game/setting from the old Bard Games 3rd-party generic D&D publishing, that included The Complete (Spellcaster, Alchemist, Adventurer) series and the setting books for The Acrcanum, The Lexicon, and The Bestiary?

I may be mixing up Talislanta with something else, perhaps, though.

Allan.

Allan, yes. The first edition of Tal was put out by Bard Games. Arcanum and Atlantis were the precursors to the Talislanta setting/system.

[Ancalagon]

My Lulu printed copy of the 4th Edition book arrived today. For $37 (including shipping), I'm pretty damn impressed, it took a little under 3 weeks from the time the order was placed to delivery. Not a bad deal at all.

The cream-colored pages look fantastic compared to the standard white pages of the original book. The text and imagery is clear and legible, the cover and spine look good with the matte finish. I think the glossy cover would probably look pretty good too, now that I'm seeing the finished product. The back is good with only a slight bit of blurring with some of the text. The pictures look a bit blurred because the lighting this afternoon wasn't great in my office. All in all, this is a fantastic copy for me to utilize and carry around instead of the hardback, and if anything ever happens to it, I know I can just order up another one and be good to go.

Soooo... how you diggin' the game?