Worlds & Monsters -- I has it, too!

[Reaper Steve]

Score, my 'get it the Saturday before release Tuesday' source has provided once again! (Too bad I'll be somewhere hot and sandy, drawing imminent danger pay in June... no early 4E for me.)

I know there's another scoop thread going, but I've only scanned it, and not recently, so I'll add my observations and answer questions here.

First... I love everything about 4E that I've seen. But I'm not 'just' a fanboy. I have a critical eye, as well as some published games development under my belt. It's just that 4E is finally bringing D&D to where I've wanted it to be.

I love James Wyatt's work (ever since Speaker in Dreams) and the 4E story team. I really appreciate the effort to have the world make sense, and give everything a place and purpose. I think the combination of World, Feywild, Shadowfell, Elemental Chaos and Abyss, Astra Sea and Dominions, and the Far Realm both greatly simplifies things while at the same time greatly opens up the gaming possibilities.

I LOVE that we will see the ToEE!!!!!

I never really noticed the Shadr-Kai before (and was not impressed withe the mini)... but man, I like that they've done with them! If you hate drow, the new shadar-kai may be a great substitute for you. Likewise, there's room for both.

It appears the City of Brass is the new Sigil... it is the 'nexus for planar travels.'

Aberrations coming from the Far Realm is a great concept.

The quickling pencil drawing is absolutely frightening! It is not a shorter, faster elf.

The hydra concept has no limbs... four heads join into a body that tapers to a tail. No arms, legs, flippers, wings, etc.

OK, then. I've only power-skimmed most of it. Further digestion will have to wait until after I help my wife get the kids in bed. In the meantime, any burning questions?

 

[mach1.9pants]

Score, my 'get it the Saturday before release Tuesday' source has provided once again! (Too bad I'll be somewhere hot and sandy, drawing imminent danger pay in June... no early 4E for me.)

Well at least you guys GET danger pay, unlike some of your allies out there

Anyway what I would like to hear is your take on the Shadar Kai...I dunno much about them. What made you sit up and say, yep these are good/cool/bad guys? I have never really used drow as my bad guys, don't really like 'em. I like an enemy to wither be totally different (monsters) or totally the same (NPC traitor types)...

Good luck out there and keep safe
M1.9P

 

[M.L. Martin]

OK, then. I've only power-skimmed most of it. Further digestion will have to wait until after I help my wife get the kids in bed. In the meantime, any burning questions?

What do they say about vampires? I hope the level-eating slap-fighter approach is gone for good.

On a related note, any mention of Castle Ravenloft as an iconic site?

 

[Reaper Steve]

What do they say about vampires? I hope the level-eating slap-fighter approach is gone for good.

On a related note, any mention of Castle Ravenloft as an iconic site?

Other than seeing the word vampire a few times, I haven't seen anything specific yet. I also haven't seen Ravenloft mentioned.

 

[Reaper Steve]

Shadar-Kai...

Humans who made a pact with the Raven Queen and live in the Shadowfell as her servants. They are granted a form of agelessness and are infused with shadow.
Pale gray skin.
Murkiness follows them, shadows reach for them.
They keep themselves in continuous pain to anchor them to reality. Bracers perforate their skin, piercing, brandings...
Seek dark perfection in everything.
Hedonism, plotting...
meritocracy (versus rank or heredity)
Awesome picture... evokes memories of cenobites (from Hellraiser.)

I'm reluctant to draw parallels with Warhammer, but I think the Shadar-Kai are closer to Warhammer's Dark Elves and Dark Eldar than the drow are. But I like the Shadar-Kai better than Warhammer's elves... at least from this page and a half.

So, drow are fey, a matriarchal society than worships a demon. Shadar-Kai are not fey and have classless society that isn't entirely evil. Different aims, motivations, executions, and in-game schticks.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Well at least you guys GET danger pay, unlike some of your allies out there

Hey Reaper Steve,
I just reread my post in your thread and it could come across wrong- The danger pay thing wasn't dig at you guys for getting it- all power to you- but a dig at the sh*t deal those of us in the Brit forces get when we are on Ops- no danger pay, no tax free..however we do get free food and accom- when I was there provided by good old Uncle Sam at PSAB!
As I said keep safe
Sorry for the thread hijack I couldn't send a PM
M1.9P
Edit: And thanks for the answer sounds like they are an interesting bunch for bad guys, I'll ruminate on it a bit

 

[Reaper Steve]

Hey Reaper Steve,
I just reread my post in your thread and it could come across wrong- The danger pay thing wasn't dig at you guys for getting it- all power to you- but a dig at the sh*t deal those of us in the Brit forces get when we are on Ops- no danger pay, no tax free..however we do get free food and accom- when I was there provided by good old Uncle Sam at PSAB!
As I said keep safe
Sorry for the thread hijack I couldn't send a PM
M1.9P

[OT]
No prob...I didn't take it wrong. This won't be my first trip to the sandbox; I'd previously heard about allied troops not getting the same bennies as us... that's unfortunate to say the least. Now I almost feel like I was gloating!
If we meet over there, I'll buy the beer!

[BACK TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TOPIC]

 

[Traycor]

1. I'm interested to hear how the City of Brass fits into things. I used it extensively in 3E, but I had to do a lot of finageling to make it playable for characters.

2. The ToEE was cool, but it's just one dungeon. Are they dropping it into all worlds? Or has it been expanded in some way? I've heard it mentioned a couple of times but I've not heard how it now factors into things.

 

[mach1.9pants]

[OT]
No prob...I didn't take it wrong. This won't be my first trip to the sandbox; I'd previously heard about allied troops not getting the same bennies as us... that's unfortunate to say the least. Now I almost feel like I was gloating!
If we meet over there, I'll buy the beer!

[BACK TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TOPIC]

The only beer where I was based was alcohol free I am out now and enjoying life in New Zealand no more get shot at over Iraq for me...
Back On Topic:
I think I particularly like the darkness/shadows following them, a much better schtick than liking spiders and being light blind! I don't quite get the 'hedonism' at the same time as 'in continuous pain to anchor them to reality'. doesn't quite gel IMO either you do whatever you want to feed your desires or you hurt yourself to give yourself discipline- unless of course, their idea of fun is pain
Do you mean keep anchored in the prime plane by pain or just like the Roman (when a general rode on a chariot into Rome after being awarding a Triumph a slave was behind him contunually saying "remember you are only human") having pain to remind them of their limits as non-immortals?

 

[bgaesop]

They keep themselves in continuous pain to anchor them to reality. Bracers perforate their skin, piercing, brandings...

Penance?