Many have been wondering what content would be in the boxed set in adittion to the 5000+ detailed adventure areas. Well, here it is:
20 chapters: 18 map chapters (one for each map) plus an Introduction and a "Using the Map Booklets" chapter.
Each Map chapter includes:
Overview
--Judge's overview info for the area
Geographic Features
--item by item descriptions of each geographic feature in alphabetical order with terrain type designations and ELs
Specific Locations
--hex by hex individual listings.
The Introduction includes:
Welcome to the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Campaign Setting Boxed Set!
--intro blurb
The Wilderlands Setting
--Here is a sample bit:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the otherworldly Great Race and the draconic First Men and their dragon allies to the evil and mysterious Markrabs who engulfed the world in the Uttermost War; from the Ancient Kelnorian Empire, the Orichalan Dragon Lords and the very gods themselves who immersed the lands in the War of the Pious and Philosophers to the current struggle between Viridistan and the emerging city states, the Wilderlands is a place of conflict, fallen empires and disparate cultures and races. The feel is one of a world in decline or new rebirth, filled with ruins and ancient mystery. In many places, civilization is just beginning to return. It is the perfect backdrop for high fantasy adventure focused on your player’s characters.
This setting is different from many popular published settings in four key ways.
First, though there are powerful individual NPCs in the Wilderlands, the setting is designed to focus on the actions of the player characters. There are no secret groups of high powered meddlers to control the destiny of the world or save the day as in some published settings. The PCs are not pawns in a greater game, they are the game. No other setting has as much flexibility for the PCs to be heroes, to carve out strongholds, to lead armies, to become kings in their own right, to establish major temples and churches, to become the most powerful of wizards, to unite the barbarian tribes, become a legendary pirate captain or to found their own cities. The possibilities are endless and the materials needed to run such campaigns are all fully detailed here in these books.
Second, unlike many current published settings where everything has been discovered and most of the world is known, the Wilderlands are largely unexplored and overland travel — often an overlooked portion of game play in other settings — is in this setting both crucial and dangerous. Much of the setting is wild and unknown, riddled with the ruins and relics of many past empires. Civilization is but a candle in the dark. In fact, much of the mystery and fun of the setting is the exploration of the wilds.
Third, the setting is designed to be truly high fantasy, encompassing many varied classes, races and settings. From the ice wizards of Valon, secluded in their shimmering silver and gold towers or using weather mastery to propel their ships over the Uther Pentwegern Sea to the red-skinned barbarians of Altanis carving out history with their bloody axes; from the Pirates of Tarantis, in league with the Tarantine Merchants, pillaging the shipping lanes of the Winedark Sea to the fierce Amazon Warriors, wearing little or no armor, accompanied by their saber-toothed tigers, bringing death with their shining swords; from the rangers of Dearthwood, battling the vicious Orcs of the Purple Claw, ever searching for their foe’s stronghold, to the dragons that have retreated to their weirs in the Valley of the Ancients, where lurks races and ruins of even greater age and mystery; the Wilderlands is a place of high adventure.
Fourth, the setting is designed to be inclusive and flexible. Judges Guild products have always encouraged the use and adoption of other products and rules. If you like psionics, include them. If you like rules or monsters from other supplements or publishers, feel free to incorporate them. You never need to fear that some “official” supplement will trump your ideas or design. This setting exists for you, not the other way around. And if you wish to put your favorite fantasy city or dungeon in the Wilderlands, you should feel free to do so.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What This Campaign Setting Boxed Set Contains
--deatiling the booklets
What You Need To Run A Wilderlands Campaign
--Another sample blurb:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to this Boxed Set, two books by Necromancer Games — the Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands and the City State of the Invincible Overlord — are useful in running a Wilderlands Campaign.
The Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands
The Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands is designed to work in conjunction with the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Campaign Setting Boxed Set. Where this Boxed Set describes the Wilderlands in minute detail, dividing the Wilderlands into 18 different maps and detailing each map hex by hex and providing all the information a Judge needs, the Player’s Guide remains crucial to running a campaign in the Wilderlands for both players and Judges. It contains overview material on the history of the Wilderlands and character creation rules for the unique classes, races, and gods of the Wilderlands. It also provides an overview of the important cities and geographic features of the Wilderlands, detailing them in terms that a character in the Wilderlands would know or could easily learn with little investigation. It also contains a “guided tour” of the City State of the Invincible Overlord, a city that is commonly the focus of many campaigns set in the Wilderlands, as well as a number of monsters unique to the Wilderlands setting.
The City State of the Invincible Overlord
In addition to the Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands, Necromancer Games has published a revised v.3.5 edition version of the classic Judges Guild product City State of the Invincible Overlord. That book also incorporates content from the rare and hard to find Wraith Overlord product from Judges Guild. The City State book contains some new Wilderlands specific rules, including Social Level, as well as several new Wilderlands-specific classes, including the Beggar and the Black Lotus Assassin. Because of the importance of the City State to any Wilderlands campaign, this product is quite useful though not mandatory.
Supplemental Downloads
You can also check www.judgesguild.com for additional resources, including Wilderlands-specific character sheets, downloads of dungeons, downloads of revised material detailing the city of Modron and the fortress of Thunderhold, lesser races of the Wilderlands, blank campaign hexagon maps and a number of official and fan-created adventures. None of this is necessary to run a Wilderlands campaign, but you might find it useful.
Source Material From Old Judges Guild Products
In creating this Boxed Set, we have incorporated information from all of the old and out of print classic Judges Guild products so that no old Judges Guild products are needed to run a Wilderlands campaign. Have no fear. You don’t need to scour ebay for those products to run a Wilderlands campaign. We have included references in the text of the map booklets to refer readers to some of the classic products as an added bonus for those who want to see the classic source material. Unlike some published settings where you feel you have to buy 100 supplements just to understand the world, with the Wilderlands if you have this Boxed Set, the Player’s Guide and, possibly, the City State of the Invincible Overlord, you have everything you need. A bibliography of classic Judges Guild products is provided at the end of this Introduction for the curious fan or collector.
If you do decide to track down any of the old classic Judges Guild products, the two that might provide most useful (and which are the most detailed) are the City State of the World Emperor, which details the city state of Viridistan, and Tarantis, which details that city state.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Campaign Maps
--short info on the maps
Hex Size and Distances
--explains hex size and includes some sample distances
Campaign Hexagon System
--details the campaign hexagon system of breaking down hexes into smaller hexes and their size, provides a blank hex map for your use.
Old Judges Guild Map Numbers
--explains the old JG map numbers and how we handle them.
Overland Travel
--details rules for overland travel and encounters
--includes updated versions of several key tables from teh PH and DMG that are specific to the Wilderlands such as:
--Reprints table 9-3 Movement and Distance
--Revises table 9-5 Terrain and Overland Movement to incorporate all the specific terrain types
--Includes New table 9-5(a) Additional Modifiers to Overland Movement
--includes rules for mounts and boats and when you must lead a mount
--Table 9-6 Mounts and Vehicles
--Revised DMG table "Getting Lost"
Sea Travel
--overview of sea travel and includes standard distances and travel times by boat from certain locations
--Revised Table 9-6(a) Sea and Water Vessels
Types of Ships
--details ships available in the Wilderlands in game terms.
En
--overview of wilderness encounters in the Wilderlands
Creating Encounter Tables
--tells you how to create Wilderlands-specific encounter tables
Things to Remember For Encounters
--includes some good advice for Wilderlands encounter, including:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don’t forget animals: animals and dire animals are a key part of the Wilderlands. An encounter with 3 lions is very difficult. “Encounter” doesn’t have to mean “monster.”
Use Wilderlands-specific monsters: perytons, winged apes, cavemen, dragon-headed ogres, demi-giants, smilodons and other creatures specific to the Wilderlands help add flavor to the setting.
Use monsters from the Tome of Horrors: Judges Guild products are “old school” and the Tome of Horrors contains monsters from First Edition that weren’t officially ported to Third Edition.
Don’t forget humans and non-combat encounters: all too often we think “encounter means monster.” Don’t forget pilgrims, beggars, fighters on patrol, merchants, wild horses, a dragon flying overhead, a solar eclipse, events, weather conditions, obstacles, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Random Ruins and Relics
--a truly massive set of tables for generating random ruins and relics.
Power Centers of the Wilderlands
--gives a new Judge an overview of the key political players, from the city states to the pirate groups to the Marmon Witches and more.
Climate and Weather
--detailed info on climate and tides and currents, temperature, rainfall and weather patterns.
New Substances
--details carbelium and magicum in game terms
Judges History
--provides the real back story for the Wilderlands.
Mixing Science Fiction and Fantasy
--a sidebar talking about the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy and how to change it if you dont like it.
Pre-History
--the true info on Ghenrek IV and its discovery by the Elder Alliance and the finding of First Men and the Uttermost War and the evil Markrabs
Ancient History
--expansive details on the rise and fall of ancient Kelnore as well as the Orichalan Dragon Empire and the War of the Pious and Philosophers. Includes the Chronology of the Dragon Kings from the old City State product.
Imperial History
--a brief look at the founding of Viridistan. The rest of history is deatiled in the Player's Guide.
Bibliogaphy of Judges Guild Products
--provides a list of Judges Guild products that relate to the Wilderlands setting for collectors and interested fans.
There you have it!!! And that is just the Introduction chapter.
20 chapters: 18 map chapters (one for each map) plus an Introduction and a "Using the Map Booklets" chapter.
Each Map chapter includes:
Overview
--Judge's overview info for the area
Geographic Features
--item by item descriptions of each geographic feature in alphabetical order with terrain type designations and ELs
Specific Locations
--hex by hex individual listings.
The Introduction includes:
Welcome to the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Campaign Setting Boxed Set!
--intro blurb
The Wilderlands Setting
--Here is a sample bit:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the otherworldly Great Race and the draconic First Men and their dragon allies to the evil and mysterious Markrabs who engulfed the world in the Uttermost War; from the Ancient Kelnorian Empire, the Orichalan Dragon Lords and the very gods themselves who immersed the lands in the War of the Pious and Philosophers to the current struggle between Viridistan and the emerging city states, the Wilderlands is a place of conflict, fallen empires and disparate cultures and races. The feel is one of a world in decline or new rebirth, filled with ruins and ancient mystery. In many places, civilization is just beginning to return. It is the perfect backdrop for high fantasy adventure focused on your player’s characters.
This setting is different from many popular published settings in four key ways.
First, though there are powerful individual NPCs in the Wilderlands, the setting is designed to focus on the actions of the player characters. There are no secret groups of high powered meddlers to control the destiny of the world or save the day as in some published settings. The PCs are not pawns in a greater game, they are the game. No other setting has as much flexibility for the PCs to be heroes, to carve out strongholds, to lead armies, to become kings in their own right, to establish major temples and churches, to become the most powerful of wizards, to unite the barbarian tribes, become a legendary pirate captain or to found their own cities. The possibilities are endless and the materials needed to run such campaigns are all fully detailed here in these books.
Second, unlike many current published settings where everything has been discovered and most of the world is known, the Wilderlands are largely unexplored and overland travel — often an overlooked portion of game play in other settings — is in this setting both crucial and dangerous. Much of the setting is wild and unknown, riddled with the ruins and relics of many past empires. Civilization is but a candle in the dark. In fact, much of the mystery and fun of the setting is the exploration of the wilds.
Third, the setting is designed to be truly high fantasy, encompassing many varied classes, races and settings. From the ice wizards of Valon, secluded in their shimmering silver and gold towers or using weather mastery to propel their ships over the Uther Pentwegern Sea to the red-skinned barbarians of Altanis carving out history with their bloody axes; from the Pirates of Tarantis, in league with the Tarantine Merchants, pillaging the shipping lanes of the Winedark Sea to the fierce Amazon Warriors, wearing little or no armor, accompanied by their saber-toothed tigers, bringing death with their shining swords; from the rangers of Dearthwood, battling the vicious Orcs of the Purple Claw, ever searching for their foe’s stronghold, to the dragons that have retreated to their weirs in the Valley of the Ancients, where lurks races and ruins of even greater age and mystery; the Wilderlands is a place of high adventure.
Fourth, the setting is designed to be inclusive and flexible. Judges Guild products have always encouraged the use and adoption of other products and rules. If you like psionics, include them. If you like rules or monsters from other supplements or publishers, feel free to incorporate them. You never need to fear that some “official” supplement will trump your ideas or design. This setting exists for you, not the other way around. And if you wish to put your favorite fantasy city or dungeon in the Wilderlands, you should feel free to do so.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What This Campaign Setting Boxed Set Contains
--deatiling the booklets
What You Need To Run A Wilderlands Campaign
--Another sample blurb:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to this Boxed Set, two books by Necromancer Games — the Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands and the City State of the Invincible Overlord — are useful in running a Wilderlands Campaign.
The Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands
The Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands is designed to work in conjunction with the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Campaign Setting Boxed Set. Where this Boxed Set describes the Wilderlands in minute detail, dividing the Wilderlands into 18 different maps and detailing each map hex by hex and providing all the information a Judge needs, the Player’s Guide remains crucial to running a campaign in the Wilderlands for both players and Judges. It contains overview material on the history of the Wilderlands and character creation rules for the unique classes, races, and gods of the Wilderlands. It also provides an overview of the important cities and geographic features of the Wilderlands, detailing them in terms that a character in the Wilderlands would know or could easily learn with little investigation. It also contains a “guided tour” of the City State of the Invincible Overlord, a city that is commonly the focus of many campaigns set in the Wilderlands, as well as a number of monsters unique to the Wilderlands setting.
The City State of the Invincible Overlord
In addition to the Player’s Guide to the Wilderlands, Necromancer Games has published a revised v.3.5 edition version of the classic Judges Guild product City State of the Invincible Overlord. That book also incorporates content from the rare and hard to find Wraith Overlord product from Judges Guild. The City State book contains some new Wilderlands specific rules, including Social Level, as well as several new Wilderlands-specific classes, including the Beggar and the Black Lotus Assassin. Because of the importance of the City State to any Wilderlands campaign, this product is quite useful though not mandatory.
Supplemental Downloads
You can also check www.judgesguild.com for additional resources, including Wilderlands-specific character sheets, downloads of dungeons, downloads of revised material detailing the city of Modron and the fortress of Thunderhold, lesser races of the Wilderlands, blank campaign hexagon maps and a number of official and fan-created adventures. None of this is necessary to run a Wilderlands campaign, but you might find it useful.
Source Material From Old Judges Guild Products
In creating this Boxed Set, we have incorporated information from all of the old and out of print classic Judges Guild products so that no old Judges Guild products are needed to run a Wilderlands campaign. Have no fear. You don’t need to scour ebay for those products to run a Wilderlands campaign. We have included references in the text of the map booklets to refer readers to some of the classic products as an added bonus for those who want to see the classic source material. Unlike some published settings where you feel you have to buy 100 supplements just to understand the world, with the Wilderlands if you have this Boxed Set, the Player’s Guide and, possibly, the City State of the Invincible Overlord, you have everything you need. A bibliography of classic Judges Guild products is provided at the end of this Introduction for the curious fan or collector.
If you do decide to track down any of the old classic Judges Guild products, the two that might provide most useful (and which are the most detailed) are the City State of the World Emperor, which details the city state of Viridistan, and Tarantis, which details that city state.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Campaign Maps
--short info on the maps
Hex Size and Distances
--explains hex size and includes some sample distances
Campaign Hexagon System
--details the campaign hexagon system of breaking down hexes into smaller hexes and their size, provides a blank hex map for your use.
Old Judges Guild Map Numbers
--explains the old JG map numbers and how we handle them.
Overland Travel
--details rules for overland travel and encounters
--includes updated versions of several key tables from teh PH and DMG that are specific to the Wilderlands such as:
--Reprints table 9-3 Movement and Distance
--Revises table 9-5 Terrain and Overland Movement to incorporate all the specific terrain types
--Includes New table 9-5(a) Additional Modifiers to Overland Movement
--includes rules for mounts and boats and when you must lead a mount
--Table 9-6 Mounts and Vehicles
--Revised DMG table "Getting Lost"
Sea Travel
--overview of sea travel and includes standard distances and travel times by boat from certain locations
--Revised Table 9-6(a) Sea and Water Vessels
Types of Ships
--details ships available in the Wilderlands in game terms.
En
--overview of wilderness encounters in the Wilderlands
Creating Encounter Tables
--tells you how to create Wilderlands-specific encounter tables
Things to Remember For Encounters
--includes some good advice for Wilderlands encounter, including:
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don’t forget animals: animals and dire animals are a key part of the Wilderlands. An encounter with 3 lions is very difficult. “Encounter” doesn’t have to mean “monster.”
Use Wilderlands-specific monsters: perytons, winged apes, cavemen, dragon-headed ogres, demi-giants, smilodons and other creatures specific to the Wilderlands help add flavor to the setting.
Use monsters from the Tome of Horrors: Judges Guild products are “old school” and the Tome of Horrors contains monsters from First Edition that weren’t officially ported to Third Edition.
Don’t forget humans and non-combat encounters: all too often we think “encounter means monster.” Don’t forget pilgrims, beggars, fighters on patrol, merchants, wild horses, a dragon flying overhead, a solar eclipse, events, weather conditions, obstacles, etc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Random Ruins and Relics
--a truly massive set of tables for generating random ruins and relics.
Power Centers of the Wilderlands
--gives a new Judge an overview of the key political players, from the city states to the pirate groups to the Marmon Witches and more.
Climate and Weather
--detailed info on climate and tides and currents, temperature, rainfall and weather patterns.
New Substances
--details carbelium and magicum in game terms
Judges History
--provides the real back story for the Wilderlands.
Mixing Science Fiction and Fantasy
--a sidebar talking about the mixture of sci-fi and fantasy and how to change it if you dont like it.
Pre-History
--the true info on Ghenrek IV and its discovery by the Elder Alliance and the finding of First Men and the Uttermost War and the evil Markrabs
Ancient History
--expansive details on the rise and fall of ancient Kelnore as well as the Orichalan Dragon Empire and the War of the Pious and Philosophers. Includes the Chronology of the Dragon Kings from the old City State product.
Imperial History
--a brief look at the founding of Viridistan. The rest of history is deatiled in the Player's Guide.
Bibliogaphy of Judges Guild Products
--provides a list of Judges Guild products that relate to the Wilderlands setting for collectors and interested fans.
There you have it!!! And that is just the Introduction chapter.
