Hi. Sorry for the delay in my updates. I haven’t had a chance to get to the FB stuff, either — I swear, some days real life gets in the way something fierce.

On the other hand, I haven’t exactly been lazy. After the shift to “setting book” and “adventure book”, I started adding a bunch of little stuff to the intro material that is slowly fleshing things out more brilliantly.

I also designed a table set up for all of the Ethnicities — and I have to admit that Realms is now a better term for them, since the population things got int he way. Introduced two new settlement types — Hamlets and Steadings. The most fascinating thing is that it is helping a lot as I essentially rewrite them all. I changed a few names, added a couple more, and then broke the nomadic groups up a bit more. The new World map is coming along well — I have a much stronger Idea of the locations and there was some shifting, which means the way I had originally planned the alliances and such needed adjustment It happens to work out much better for the overall “traveling” part and gives me a chance to definitely use the pricey Airships and Locomotive.

I am paused at Lemuria. As I dislike the Pirate Ream (better known as the Slaver’s realm), I needed a break. But the new forms simplify the Realm info down to something that is manageable — one went from nine pages down to the four that they all will be, as an example. Plus, once I finalize the world map, there will be small maps of the area in each description — and the names of a few settlements and people. It really does look great — but the format leaves a lot to be desired here. I may have to resort to PDF files for everything in bits and pieces.

In fact, screw it: have a look at Eldorado. I will do a regular post on it later.

I also did a table set up for the races. All of them. I then caved and decided I could in fact allow Tieflings — just not as Tieflings. So I am introducing Cambions (who are tieflings) and Elohim, who are the angelic counterparts. it has required some minor adaptations, but I think it will be enjoyable.

So gnomes are half dwarves, which works, and I renamed half elves to Fay (as in Morgan Le) blah blah — minor little shit but it adds up to create a sense of the different that works with the overall structure.

My table kick continued — I redid the table for the deities (more renaming), expanding their Domains so that it should produce a bit more excitement and give a bit more variety. This also included sacred colors, which have an impact when it comes to some of the setting details.

I do have to go into more depth on the way that the Artificier works here — mekaniks they are called.

The race stuff has the same effect as the Ethnicity changes — it makes them more streamlined and forces me to focus on just the important stuff.

I have been looking at Character sheets and such off and on for a while, and getting annoyed — there were very few that had the optional stuff that I am using, like Honor and Sanity, so I just finished doing a character sheet for the campaign that is specific to it. Not very graphical — I built it in word, in part so I can add in the character image from a google search or similar digital file.

I ran it off of the various designs I did find, including the one I like the most that probably needs an update since it was done early in the 5e era — I am an old school sort, and remember the expensive permanent Character records. There is a version of that for free out there. Love it.

So there are nine bright realms now: Aztlan, Durango, Eldorado, Lemuria, Liones (Lyonesse), Matsaki, Paradis, Qivira, and Sibola. That is 3 of th seven cities, by the way. Paradis may become Acadia — just a matter of seeing how it feels.

This means that I can work in a full arabian knights bit as well as one that is more influenced by the far east. Which will give me a strong selection of influences that all still work together while setting up a potential for after the campaign shifts — the next Age is either Empire or Despair, after all.

This also gives me 9 races, and the thing that saves it is the five different nomadic groups — much more flexible, but they have a cost in terms of starting funds.

I took out Antelle as the direct player interlocuter — sh’s still there, in the form of Arabesque, her Avatar. She’s cute. She also gives me a way to show stuff as player’s go through things, and make connections to the our world for comparisons.

She has a backstory, too.

I added some home brew stuff from D&D Beyond here and there — backgrounds, odds and ends, and sharpened up on my Artifacts and Relics. I did indeed opt to include +5 weapons. As Artifacts, and I expect the players will each have one by the time the final campaign happens.

Setting up Arabesque on D&D Beyond made me recalculate my xp awards — I was still operating under 1st and 2nd edition thinking — it will be much easier to do the adventures now.

Speaking of those, I have the needed parts from some of the older ones I am converting. Once I finalize the Map, and complete the smaller Realm maps, then I will begin in earnest on them — and by then the wyrlde book will be finished.

It looks like mid-July for it to be called “done”. 17 items on my to do list, though some of those items have multiple parts still. Once it is finished, I will do the uploading here in PDF form of the bits and pieces.

August is when I will start allowing for possible players. that way they can start on their characters, and get to know the world. I will be sending them all a digital copy of the whole, including a character sheet. Those who will be playing in person will get special binders. Really. I am going all out, lol.

Overall the changes have improved everything in the sense that as a player, the information is more useful and requires less reading. And I still keep my sly references and in-jokes and off-kilter sense of humor (like the head of the Ford Syndicate in Durango, who is behind their self propelled carriages used in the drive by crossbow attacks).

There is a bit of it in the Eldorado upload above, so take a look.

I am still debating on including the core SRD in the book. Likely won’t (size issue), but the idea is there.

The bad guys expanded. There are Imps and Bogles (bugbears) now. the wicked Stitch on steroids is now called a gremlin, and omg I had so much fun with the random critters, diseases, and such. Added in some dangerous drugs, that may have a role in the campaign if the players decide to indulge.

Languages keep changing in number — the new form will help with that after I finish as it will be easy to flip through and pick them all out. Lemuria is my problem child. They are the bad guys of the good guys. And a major location in the campaign. So it matters.

On my list is also reviewing the mahishojin — minor changes are going t be needed with the larger changes to the setting.

So that’s where I am right now — work and a messed up sleep schedule has kept me from doing what I wanted initially, but I am muddling through.