Earthdawn Companion?

Discussion on the Earthdawn game line, errata, and feedback not related to playing or GMing.
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Mataxes
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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Mataxes » Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:53 am

Geekabilly wrote:
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:41 pm
I'm curious as to why an Arancia book?
Put simply?

Somebody* sent in a proposal that looked interesting. And it's not just "Talea redux."

* That somebody being Julien Pirou, who's GM for the Earthdawn Acual Play "Roleplay" on NoLife (a French gaming channel), and has been a big supporter of ED4 in his native France. Since Arancia is the equivalent of France in Earthdawn geography, he has an interest in seeing it fleshed out.
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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Geekabilly » Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:39 pm

Mataxes wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:53 am
Geekabilly wrote:
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:41 pm
I'm curious as to why an Arancia book?
Put simply?

Somebody* sent in a proposal that looked interesting. And it's not just "Talea redux."

* That somebody being Julien Pirou, who's GM for the Earthdawn Acual Play "Roleplay" on NoLife (a French gaming channel), and has been a big supporter of ED4 in his native France. Since Arancia is the equivalent of France in Earthdawn geography, he has an interest in seeing it fleshed out.
Well that sounds promising. I'm glad that it's going to be its own thing; I just find it difficult to get behind Talea, with its quasi-European renaissance setting, I don't feel it fits with the other ancient world styled provinces.

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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Bonhumm » Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:41 am

Geekabilly wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:39 pm
Well that sounds promising. I'm glad that it's going to be its own thing; I just find it difficult to get behind Talea, with its quasi-European renaissance setting, I don't feel it fits with the other ancient world styled provinces.
As you say, the quasi-renaissance look of those area don't fit with the era but then again Cathay is described as very Ming-ish and Indrissa (India) looks awfully Mughal.

We are also playing in a setting where iron (let alone steel) should not be available for a few more thousand years and neither should writing. Considering that the 4th age end in 3113 BC with the destruction of Thera/Atlantis and that we should be a long while away from that time yet, Barsaive is quite a lot more advanced than it should be, even taking into account magic-aided technology (steamship, cannons) and therefore other region could also have developed different 'out-of-time' advances, in their cases societal technology like feudalism.

They could drastically change how Arancia is anyway; after all the 'like Talea' description was given second hand to the Throal delegation. I would not be surprised if they'd make it more celtic/gaul-like, maybe with a invincible village somewhere that resist ever and again against the Theran invaders :D

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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Marzhin » Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:10 am

Mataxes wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:53 am
Geekabilly wrote:
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:41 pm
I'm curious as to why an Arancia book?
Put simply?

Somebody* sent in a proposal that looked interesting. And it's not just "Talea redux."

* That somebody being Julien Pirou, who's GM for the Earthdawn Acual Play "Roleplay" on NoLife (a French gaming channel), and has been a big supporter of ED4 in his native France. Since Arancia is the equivalent of France in Earthdawn geography, he has an interest in seeing it fleshed out.
That's me, by the way :)
In any case at this stage it's only a proposal I made, nothing is signed or anything yet. That being said, it's super cool that it's at least being considered ^^
Geekabilly wrote:
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:41 pm
I'm curious as to why an Arancia book? Of all the provinces outside of Barsaive it has to be one of the least interesting. The Theran Empire book didn't even bother detailing it outside of saying; 'basically the same as Talea'. With high-adventure provinces like Marac and Vasgothia just begging to be expanded upon and played in I don't see the appeal or interest in Arancia.
One of the things that I would find interesting is to work with the tidbit included in the Theran Empire book, not contradicting it but building around it to propose an interesting setting that is not "medieval France in Earthdawn" but is not just "French Barsaive" either. I believe there's room to make it unique and true to the spirit of Earthdawn, with mystery, weirdness and, of course, plenty of scary stuff.
Bonhumm wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:41 am
They could drastically change how Arancia is anyway; after all the 'like Talea' description was given second hand to the Throal delegation. I would not be surprised if they'd make it more celtic/gaul-like
Sir, you read my mind :p Prehistoric Gaul would definitely be a huge inspiration (but of course the goal is not to copy-paste an existing culture).
Bonhumm wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:41 am
maybe with a invincible village somewhere that resist ever and again against the Theran invaders :D
Haha :D Maybe as a sidebar comment... Although Earthdawn was never big on pop culture jokes, as far as I can tell.
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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Geekabilly » Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:47 pm

Marzhin wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 10:10 am
Mataxes wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:53 am
Geekabilly wrote:
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:41 pm
I'm curious as to why an Arancia book?
Put simply?

Somebody* sent in a proposal that looked interesting. And it's not just "Talea redux."

* That somebody being Julien Pirou, who's GM for the Earthdawn Acual Play "Roleplay" on NoLife (a French gaming channel), and has been a big supporter of ED4 in his native France. Since Arancia is the equivalent of France in Earthdawn geography, he has an interest in seeing it fleshed out.
That's me, by the way :)
In any case at this stage it's only a proposal I made, nothing is signed or anything yet. That being said, it's super cool that it's at least being considered ^^
Geekabilly wrote:
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:41 pm
I'm curious as to why an Arancia book? Of all the provinces outside of Barsaive it has to be one of the least interesting. The Theran Empire book didn't even bother detailing it outside of saying; 'basically the same as Talea'. With high-adventure provinces like Marac and Vasgothia just begging to be expanded upon and played in I don't see the appeal or interest in Arancia.
One of the things that I would find interesting is to work with the tidbit included in the Theran Empire book, not contradicting it but building around it to propose an interesting setting that is not "medieval France in Earthdawn" but is not just "French Barsaive" either. I believe there's room to make it unique and true to the spirit of Earthdawn, with mystery, weirdness and, of course, plenty of scary stuff.
Bonhumm wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:41 am
They could drastically change how Arancia is anyway; after all the 'like Talea' description was given second hand to the Throal delegation. I would not be surprised if they'd make it more celtic/gaul-like
Sir, you read my mind :p Prehistoric Gaul would definitely be a huge inspiration (but of course the goal is not to copy-paste an existing culture).
Bonhumm wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:41 am
maybe with a invincible village somewhere that resist ever and again against the Theran invaders :D
Haha :D Maybe as a sidebar comment... Although Earthdawn was never big on pop culture jokes, as far as I can tell.
Isn't Vasgothia already heavily inspired by Celts / Gauls? I mean I know its suppose to be more Germanic, but I feel that it pretty much fulfils that inspiration.

I am always interested in new provinces for Earthdawn though, so I hope that your proposal gets off the ground and we get to see some fresh setting material :)

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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Geekabilly » Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:51 pm

Bonhumm wrote:
Sun Mar 04, 2018 2:41 am
Geekabilly wrote:
Sat Mar 03, 2018 7:39 pm
Well that sounds promising. I'm glad that it's going to be its own thing; I just find it difficult to get behind Talea, with its quasi-European renaissance setting, I don't feel it fits with the other ancient world styled provinces.
As you say, the quasi-renaissance look of those area don't fit with the era but then again Cathay is described as very Ming-ish and Indrissa (India) looks awfully Mughal.

We are also playing in a setting where iron (let alone steel) should not be available for a few more thousand years and neither should writing. Considering that the 4th age end in 3113 BC with the destruction of Thera/Atlantis and that we should be a long while away from that time yet, Barsaive is quite a lot more advanced than it should be, even taking into account magic-aided technology (steamship, cannons) and therefore other region could also have developed different 'out-of-time' advances, in their cases societal technology like feudalism.

They could drastically change how Arancia is anyway; after all the 'like Talea' description was given second hand to the Throal delegation. I would not be surprised if they'd make it more celtic/gaul-like, maybe with a invincible village somewhere that resist ever and again against the Theran invaders :D
Yeah I understand what you're saying, the whole Earthdawn as ancient Earth doesn't really work when put under scrutiny but as I say, Talea just really stands out as odd when its placed next to the other parts of the world.

Regarding Cathay, I particularly disliked its discussion of the samurai. It basically describes a late sengoku jidai era. I'm currently a 2nd year East Asian/ Japanese Studies major and I would say personally that basing Ji'Poh (Or whatever the hell its called) on prehistoric Japan with influences say, no later than the Kofun, early Asuka periods would fit in with the Earthdawn setting much more.

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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Bonhumm » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:21 pm

It's just not a question of being 'accurate' but also of giving to your customers what they want. People din't want to go to Cathay/Ji'pon to get into another 'crappy' bronze civilization; they wanted to play Legend of the 5 Rings with Earthdawn rules.

So, anyway, am all in for creating 'niche' areas for fans of other 'backgrounds' for after all, we can just stay in Barsaive if we don't like it.

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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Marzhin » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:32 pm

Geekabilly wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:47 pm
Isn't Vasgothia already heavily inspired by Celts / Gauls? I mean I know its suppose to be more Germanic, but I feel that it pretty much fulfils that inspiration.
I always felt Vasgothia was inspired by the Goths (hence the name), but there are definitely similarities. If the Arancia book is greenlit I'll have to be careful to make the differences strong enough.
Geekabilly wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:51 pm
Regarding Cathay, I particularly disliked its discussion of the samurai. It basically describes a late sengoku jidai era. I'm currently a 2nd year East Asian/ Japanese Studies major and I would say personally that basing Ji'Poh (Or whatever the hell its called) on prehistoric Japan with influences say, no later than the Kofun, early Asuka periods would fit in with the Earthdawn setting much more.
The Jōmon period is a great aesthetic inspiration for Ji'poh, in my opinion.
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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Slimcreeper » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:47 pm

Earthdawn once drunkenly groped historical fidelity at a house party and they haven’t really been able to look each other in the eye since.

Geekabilly
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Re: Earthdawn Companion?

Post by Geekabilly » Tue Mar 06, 2018 1:08 pm

Marzhin wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:32 pm
Geekabilly wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:47 pm
Isn't Vasgothia already heavily inspired by Celts / Gauls? I mean I know its suppose to be more Germanic, but I feel that it pretty much fulfils that inspiration.
I always felt Vasgothia was inspired by the Goths (hence the name), but there are definitely similarities. If the Arancia book is greenlit I'll have to be careful to make the differences strong enough.
Geekabilly wrote:
Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:51 pm
Regarding Cathay, I particularly disliked its discussion of the samurai. It basically describes a late sengoku jidai era. I'm currently a 2nd year East Asian/ Japanese Studies major and I would say personally that basing Ji'Poh (Or whatever the hell its called) on prehistoric Japan with influences say, no later than the Kofun, early Asuka periods would fit in with the Earthdawn setting much more.
The Jōmon period is a great aesthetic inspiration for Ji'poh, in my opinion.
I don't think there's enough going on in the Jomon to really draw an awful lot of inspiration from, they were basically just a hunter-gatherer society I don't think they stand out a lot from other prehistoric hunter-gatherers.
Not when there's mythical Yamatai, the Yamato kingdom, Kami myths, the Uji clan structure etc not to mention all that good stuff you could pull out of the Kojiki & Nihongi. Add a big helping of Great Dragons and you've got a good start on an Earthdawn take on Japan. Beats samurai and feuding daimyo in my opinion.

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