COC Complete Dreamlands?

[Voadam]

Can anybody tell me about the original version of CoC Complete Dreamlands books? I believe the first is a 196 page 4th edition one and the second is 5th ed over 200 pages with adventures thrown in.

I own 4th (plus a set of Cthullhu stats from deities and demigods) but not 5th or d20 CoC.

I'm interested in a good read on the dreamlands, its creatures, gods etc, but I dont really need an adventure or set of adventures. I'm hoping the original is sort of like an encyclopedia of the dreamlands or a gazetteer.

If I get the older one is it the same as the new one without the adventures and classes? Anything else I would be missing?

I've read the little blurbs on amazon about them but was hoping for some info from people who have actually read them or are familiar with them.

Thanks

 

[Hand of Evil]

I have the 5th Edition book which is very much a campaign setting, it details areas, locations, NPCs and monsters. While I have not used it, it is a wonderful read and can be used for resourses.

Here is a detailed review:
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10405.phtml

 

[Krieg]

If you own the 4th Ed Dreamlands then there is little reason to pick up the 5th Ed.

The only difference between the two are a couple of adventures from older editions of The Dreamlands & 5th is hardback. Pretty much everything else is word for word the same as 4th Ed.

 

[Voadam]

If you own the 4th Ed Dreamlands then there is little reason to pick up the 5th Ed.

The only difference between the two are a couple of adventures from older editions of The Dreamlands & 5th is hardback. Pretty much everything else is word for word the same as 4th Ed.

Thanks, I was thinking about picking up the 4th one which is cheaper and wondering if there is anything I would be missing besides the adventures.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I thought I'd be able to help when I saw this thread, but I have the original boxed version of the Dreamlands.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Hmm, after searching through the Chaosium product database I could not find the Dreamlands book. Is it Out Of Print? If not can someone please post a link? Thanks.

 

[Krieg]

http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=41&products_id=458

 

[ptolemy18]

http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=41&products_id=458

Unfortunately, I don't remember which edition is which, but.... the main difference between editions of DREAMLANDS is when, either in the 3rd or 4th edition (I forget... ), they added the places & monsters from Brian Lumley's Dreamlands books. I'm not sure, but I think the Lumley material first shows up in the book titled THE COMPLETE DREAMLANDS (rather than just H.P. LOVECRAFT'S DREAMLANDS).

Apart from this change, two old adventures from earlier editions of the DREAMLANDS are removed -- one called "Perchance to Dream" which, if I remember correctly, is only about two pages long and one really good one called "Land of Lost Dreams" by Mark Morrison, which, sadly, was removed because it clashes with Brian Lumley's version of the land of Xura/Zura. In addition to Lumley's places & monsters being added, they modified some of the old Dreamlands places to fit Lumley's versions: the main ones being Xura/Zura and Thalarion.

Basically, the only reason to get the older editions of DREAMLANDS is for the adventure "Land of Lost Dreams" and to see the original versions of Xura/Zura and Thalarion (though you may as well just crib Lovecraft's place-descriptions in THE WHITE SHIP). IMHO Lumley's versions of are pretty lame (he's fond of "scantily clad witch-queen"-type characters). Some of the new monsters in the later editions are neat, though.

Jason