Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone (TLG PR)

[Troll Lord]

TROLL LORD GAMES PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Stephen Chenault
Troll Lord Games
Phone: (501) 661-0449
Fax: (509) 272-3375
Email: troll@trolllord.com
Website: www.trolllord.com

Final Cover for "Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone"

LITTLE ROCK, AR -- June 23, 2003 -- Troll Lord Games announced today that the cover for the upcoming source and setting book, "Halls of
Wood, Halls of Stone" is finished. It can be viewed at their website at www.trolllord.com.

"Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone" is the fourth d20 source book in the Companion book series. Written and compiled by Jeff Ibach (AEG's Toolbox) this 80 page book comes complete with 10 separate play-as-you-go generic adventure settings.

"Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone" is 80 pages, complete with a 16" x 22"double sided flip map. It retails for $16.95.

About Troll Lord Games
Troll Lord Games debuted at Gencon 2000. Alongside it's hallmark d20 line and The Codex of Erde, TLG publishes the Gygaxian Fantasy World Series, Gary Gygax adventure modules and Necromancer Games.
For more information, visit our web site www.trolllord.com.

Copyright 2001, Troll Lord Games. "d20 System" and the d20 System logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission.

 

[JoeGKushner]

"Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone" is the fourth d20 source book in the Companion book series. Written and compiled by Jeff Ibach (AEG's Toolbox) this 80 page book comes complete with 10 separate play-as-you-go generic adventure settings.

What parts are compiled? I understand this is a village accessory of some type? What's the main meat of a product like this? Pregenerated villages or constructing your own? Encounter tables? Different levels of law? Wardens? Peacekeepers?

 

[DM_Jeff]

Halls of Wood & Stone

Here's text from the intro of the book itself, it helps explain a great deal, I do hope!

Welcome to Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone, a collection of fascinating, living communities you can drop right into your home campaign world with a minimum of work. Each community is a Thorp, Hamlet, Village or Small Town complete with stat blocks conforming to the rules presented in the DMG and a full history and background with notes on customs, laws, religion, and more. Each presents a different interesting culture, NPCs bristling with interactive possibilities, plots and adventure hooks if your PCs are so inclined. Each also offers new d20 crunchy bits to add to your game as well, from prestige classes to poisons, from new spells to new monsters. The beauty and ease of use are in their presentation. A DM could use a town as a stop on a longer journey to introduce some roleplaying with lifelike NPCs, or weave in the various plot elements of the community to create a danger or complication the PCs must overcome, becoming a full adventure. Some adventurers will pass through heedless of a danger that may lurk just below the surface. They’re also useable multiple times; PCs might not discover the danger at first visit, but may later when they return!

It will be compliant with D&D 3.5

-DM Jeff

P.S. Thanks for asking!

 

[trancejeremy]

How come it's not "Jeff Ibach's Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone"?


Anyway, sounds great. I really liked the somewhat similar 7 Cities from Atlas.

 

[JoeGKushner]

How would you say this differs from Seven Cities which starts off with the smallest of villages and works its way into a city? Sounds like it has more crunch for one. Anything else? What level of detail are we talking with the NPCs? Whose doing the internal maps?

And on the compilation part, where is the compiled material coming from?

 

[snak]

Because Jeff is not the sole author. He is the Jack-of-all-trades leader on this project.

How come it's not "Jeff Ibach's Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone"?

Anyway, sounds great. I really liked the somewhat similar 7 Cities from Atlas.

I feel compelled to don my pimp hat. I must admit a bias for the Halls because I wrote two of the locations. Seeker's Rest and Phaelin's Cove coalesced while listening to a looped mix of the Beatles Abbey Road album and the Twin Peaks soundtrack.

Apparently one side effect of this creative process is that when read backwards Seeker's Rest and Phaelin's Cove asks the following questions:

Do you like Giants?
Do you like Kung Fu?
Does the idea of a Giant practicing kung fu get your jubblets glistening?
Does your adventuring party need a mountain respite from the elements?
Does your "just kick in the door!" fighter type need to be taken down a notch?
Does the smell of salt air and the cooing sound of gently lapping waves freak you out because you can't see what's beneath the water?

If you answer yes to more than one of these questions then Halls could be a great addition to your D&D game.

It should be noted here that this project started before 7 cities was announced and is quite different in scope. I'm not bashing 7 Cities, I'm just saying it's not more of the same dang thing.

Now as a DM do you need hardcore demographics to entice your players?

Pc's-"And now we must venture to Booridin, tell us great sage what you know of this city."

DM as sage-"It is 32% halfling with a definite chaotic good leaning."

Yawn.

The halls are geared towards giving a DM quick descriptions, imagery, and sensations of a locations inhabitants, history, and the possible conflict of motivations that may exist.

PC-"Now we must travel to the city of Booradin. Oh great sage how shall we proceed."

Dm as sage-"By ship is fastest, but be warned the sea is vast and waters deep. Many a sailor has lost their way in the uncharted waters of the north."

PC to party-"Not to worry mates we will skirt the shoreline. I heard some bard telling a tale of a Cove where we could put in for fresh supplies."

More attentive PC-"didn't that same bard describe the waters about those parts as 'troubled and rife with a lingering odor of death?"

PC-"yada, yada, yada. He lost me after his fifth lute solo..."

And thus a perilous journey is spawned.

On a mushy side note.

I've had the pleasure of playing at his D&D table for several years now and can attest to the man's passion for the game and keen eye for game mechanics. Writer, editor, game-mechanic minion of Gozer he does it all.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Thanks for the further details.

Anyone have any mention of where the compiled parts are coming from? Are they mechanics being put into this book or ?

 

[Troll Lord]

Joe,

By compiled I meant only that Jeff compiled the various settings into one book. He wrote several of the settings and compiled them with the others to create the Halls of Wood, Halls of Stone. Sorry about the confusion.

There is a second volume by the by slated winter time frame.

Steve
:hat

 

[JoeGKushner]

Thanks for the clarification on that.

Sounds like a winner all around.

Between this and the Necromancer Games material, it looks like the goods have been kicked up a notch. I may have to start looking at Troll Lord Products more in the future.

 

[Troll Lord]

yes to 3.5

This product is being brought up to 3.5 standards right now by the heavy hitting Jeff Ibach (or Iback as I keep mis-spelling his name). And I must say, this might be my favorite cover we've put out. There is something about the color of the forest the orcs are moving through. Really catches my imagination.

Thanks for the comments Joe.

Steve