Adventures to last a lifetime! The setting of Rappan Athuk, Stoneheart Valley, Bard's Gate and all of Frog God and Necromancer Games!
Hang in there, this thing is 100000 words longer than the Blight, and Chuck is getting married at the end of the month...I will try to keep folks posted as it progresses
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Next up--layout. Basically as soon as the map checks are completed!
Looks on target for Dec/Jan shipments.
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Currently reading the 952!!! page geography section. Its a half million words. This is just a snippet about Reme, maybe 30% of its description.
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Alignment: NG
Ruler: Lord Mayor Aldus Artaxis
Government: Mayor and Council of Merchant Houses and Guilds (appointed by and subject to the Grand Duke)
Population: 311,295 (Foerdewaith 154,495, human mixed ethnicity (mostly of Loreclannic origin including the original natives of the city) 93,800, halfling 18,500, half elf 12,900, mountain dwarf 10,700, hill dwarf 9,400, gnome 6,200, high elf 5,100, other humanoid 200)
Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Gnomish
Religion: Solanus, Dame Torren, Mithras
Technology Level: Renaissance
The City of Reme is one of the two most important port cities on the Crescent Sea (the other being Castorhage) and is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Reme. At its docks merchant ships arrive from and sail to all of the known ports of Akados and even Libynos. It sits on the western terminus of the great Tradeway, the merchant road that runs east to Bard’s Gate and then to Freegate on the Gulf of Akados. As a result, Reme is one of the great trading cities of the world, where virtually anything can be bought or sold.
The City of Reme is also one of the oldest on Akados, dating back to the era before the founding of the Hyperborean empires. Originally, it was the location for trading posts where Loreclannic tribes would meet. When the Polemarch Oerson and his Legions arrived here on the shores of the Crescent Sea in the early years of their conquests, they united the trading posts and began to lay the foundations of a city they called Remenos.
The elegant walls of the City of Reme and the spires and towers rising from within can be seen for miles out to sea. There are several large market squares within the city, about which can be found merchants, traders, artisans, craftsmen, mapmakers and scholars with few peers anywhere in the world. The city also boasts the Arcanum Collegium, one of the most prominent wizards’ colleges on Akados, and several museums and art galleries. The Reman Theatre is recognized far and wide for its cadre of famous playwrights and arresting performances.
Mark here -- project manager and co-author for the Lost Lands.
Since there's been a request for a more complete update, here it is. All of the manuscripts from the various authors have been received and collated into a single master manuscript, which is now being edited, organized and otherwise whipped into shape by yours truly. It is MASSIVE -- at this point, well over half a million words. Frankly, it's probably too big for the size of book we need this to be, so part of the work is to cut things down a bit. Not to worry, however. Anything not included in the final version of the book will be retained, and will likely find its way to you via anticipated supplements and adventures down the road.
At this point, only some miscellaneous material still needs to be written, and all by me -- the introduction, and some other transition sections.
The plan is for me to turn over most of the manuscript, as edited by me, to a few others at FG to read and review by next week. The entire manuscript is to be pencils down by the end of the month, so it can go to layout.
We still need to get a few more pieces of art commissioned, but most are now in and final.
The bottom line: we're still well on target for a delivery before the end of the year, as promised.
In the meantime, I thought it might be interesting to share another bit of an entry, this time written by Vicki Potter, for a region on the continent of Libynos, far from the places familiar to most fans of the Lost Lands. Enjoy!
The Antioch City-States are a league of trade cities in the plains and hill country between the northern shore of the Sea of Baal and the Scythirian Mountains to the north. The City-States have agreed to various treaties and other arrangements with each other addressing such matters as the import and export of raw materials, the manufacture of finished goods, and the organization of caravans and ocean-going vessels, all in order to coordinate their mercantile activities and to minimize, as much as possible, the influence and control of outside countries or organizations. Internal conflicts are carefully concealed in order to better present a solid front to their trading partners and other outsiders.
For most of the Hyperborean era, these cities were a part of the Empire, subject to its legal regime and trade policies. The Empire’s dominion over Libynos was broken when the undead Imperatrix Trystecce of Tircople was slain by Daan in 2584 I.R. Attempts by the cities at independence thereafter were only briefly successful, as the then-ascendant Ammuyad Caliphate quickly swept in to take advantage of the power vacuum left by the end of Hyperborea. But after 150 years, infighting within the Caliph’s court and organized resistance in the cities led the Ammuyads to withdraw back north. At last, the Antioch City-States were free of outside dominion, and quickly set to arranging terms for an alliance for mutual defense and profit.
For at least the past several hundred years, the City-States have been renowned as leaders in the expansion and innovation of trade, from the sourcing of raw materials to the processes of refinement, manufacture and transportation of finished goods. Most people in the cities learn to figure well as children, and the merchants have developed advanced methods of accounting for expenses and income in trade to be sure they maximize their profits. A large percentage of the population is literate, which fosters better communication over long distances as well as accurate recordation of contractual agreements between parties. The money flowing into the region has also enabled some of the wealthiest merchants to sponsor musicians, artists, and philosophers, so the arts are flourishing in the City-States in parallel with its many crafts and trades.
The territory of the Antioch City-States extends in the northwest to where the Desert Wall meets the Sea of Baal, and in the southeast to the near shore of the Palena River, which defines the border with Baalthaaz. In the north and the east, it reaches into the foothills of the Scythirian Mountains, where the cities of Kinnereth, Mirsin, Shilon and Shiamun hold sway. Somewhere beyond those cities is the border with the dwarven kingdom of Shamash Kush; while the boundary line may be ill-defined amidst the hills, the dwarves will firmly let trespassers know when they have crossed into their lands.
The terrain of the City-States includes the coastal plains along the shore of the Sea of Baal, and hilly areas in the foothills of the Scythirian Mountains. The roads between the city-states are both well-maintained and well-patrolled, to ensure the safe and swift transport of raw materials and finished goods. The ships of the trading league are solidly built and well-armed, with plenty of marines for protection against the privateers of Numeda or the aggressive navy of neighboring Baalthaaz. As a general matter, the merchants of Antioch prefer to trade with other free cities such as Endhome or Bard’s Gate, but are willing to send their ships anywhere safe and profitable.
Most of the City-States are communal republics, wherein the citizens of each city and its respective surroundings have sworn themselves to mutual defense. They also elect leaders or representatives to look after the business of the city-state, though this process takes several different forms throughout the region and sometimes wealthy families hold more power and influence than a strictly democratic system would suggest.
The primary religion of the Antioch City-States is the pantheon of the Hyperborean Empire, though some other deities of Libynos and even Foere also have a place. The desert religion of Mah-Barek, pressed strongly by the Ammuyad Caliphate during the period of its hegemony, continues to attract worshipers in the region. In particular, the low-key, charitable Church of Fatimashan is quite common, with its orphanages and hospitals in every major city and most towns. The more exuberant Church of Marwan is also popular, though it has temples in fewer locations.
I saw some snippets of the final areas...wow--you guys are going to be very happy. Vicki rocks.
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