I like it. It takes an idea that the PCs think they are familiar with (the Sword of Calsten) and gives it a whole backstory which they discover along the way. Plus, it could conceivably lead to multiple groups all searching for the Sword, but not all aware of its true value.

Any thoughts on who/where the curse originated from? I generally stay away from the curse concept; it seems a little too "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" for me. However, if properly done, it can be useful. Have you fleshed out the idea for this, or is this just off the top of your head?

PaladinSix

Just came up with it - no details beyond what is there. The curse originator could have been anyone, but I happen to like the idea of Clan Curo. To make it an adventure, it obviously needs much more work.

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Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from SCIENCE! -- Agatha Heterodyne

Dear all,

I would really like to see generic map bundles of rural/forest/highway/wilderness areas; I remember a hollow or something detailed in web of the widow...that sort of thing.

Yours randomly, Peter the skald.

I'd second that. Sometimes it's nice to have a location that isn't exactly some former settlement.

Kerry M was going to do map bundles for sale, and lots of people said they would pay for them, but that was age's ago. Its not like he is doing anything with his time, slack really.
I would pay for map bundles.

I have always liked the wilderness maps for the Theives Guild RPG. They had a player map, and a ref's map with description's. Like locations of interest within a small area. They were designed for the players to set up their ambushes.
From memory they detailed; animal dens, herbs etc.

Dear all, just noticed a post entitled Lothrim the foulspawner, and had an image of 30 page supplement with a cool luschek drawing of the evil one pop into my head....

A bit historical maybe but I would lap it up.

Peter the Skald.

In Fan Projects on Lythia.com there is a proposal to do an article on "The Black Tower of Nurisel". Nurisel is in the Melderyn module (Nurisel, page eight). The sponsor, Mikael Hegardt, proposes to discuss the original owner of the tower, Lothraem Halmaenth. Lothraem is an evil gray sorceror, an adviser/regent to the Earl of Nurisel, and by implication none other than Lothrim Fowlspawner. The project is dated April 30, 2003 and there is a brief mention that CGI did not want to make this out as an adventure module. Obviously this might put a wrench into your (Peter the Skald) plans. Since its been nearly four years, the project may of been dropped and you could pick up from where Mikael Hegardt left off.

Just a thought:

The story:

Hrek, a Hru of considerable age, was mated to Hrof and during a daytime sleep-cycle one day, a meteor hit and destroyed his mate and injured him as well. The last piece of Hrof that remained was thrown some hundred yards distant and landed in a river. Over the course of many years, the rough edges of Hrof were worn smooth, and yet retained a slight concave appearance.

Hrek, wise beyond even Hru standards, knew not what had taken his mate away but he knew something had to be done. He mourned the loss of Hrof, and over the waning years of his life, asked many times that she not be forgotten. His prayers, of a sort, were answered.

Some years later -

Perhaps a shift in a teutonic plate during an earthquake led to the uncovering of the piece originally, but Otar - a sculptor by trade - wasn't sure. All he knew was he had spied it while fishing at the local river, and in the years to follow it would serve his family well for generations as a center piece on their mantle.

Then, when a call was issued for the finest craftsman to help build a throne for the new King in Kaldor, Thira Orthon wanted something special to mark the occasion.

His grandfather, Otar, had acquired a fabulous piece of granite some years prior, and over time the stone came into Thira's hands through an inheritance. This rock had a natural smoothness to it, and easily formed the curled front and seat for the throne proper - with little work on Thira's part.

The curse comes from the deep connections of the earth to Hrof and her memory. Her remains were slowly worn away by the river water - and the sword, forged from a small piece of ore from that same meteor, then doused in water drawn from the same river - can reduce the effects of the "curse", given the natural harmony that both share when in close proximity.

I must admit to being extremely tired at this early hour, so hopefully this makes sense..lol

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"Honor is earned through the balance of peace and harmony, yet to the Master all eyes are open to possibilities".

Silverleaf 1981

In a thread one or two years ago (I unfortunately do not remember the name though it might have been "Fan Projects"), I asked Mikael about the status for the Black Tower because I found the subject very interesting. IIRC he said he had abandoned it, so it might be a good thing to ask him if you could continue the project (if you want to, of course).

Cheers,

Roland

I can't remember if it was Kerry who wrote it, but someone did a post providing a very extensive priority list as to current projects about Harn. I thought they broke it down by colour. Basically it was telling potential fanon writers which areas they should or should not focus on. Can anyone direct me to that post? I would like to print it out. Second question, is there some list as to who is working on a Harn project? I know lythia.com has a project list, but I don't think it has been updated and lists, I think, only about 20 or so projects. Thanks.

Hi Merdain,

I posted a message on the "Writing Fanon - Suggestions & Hints" thread directly below this one. It was not so much a priority list as a directory of which projects might be overtaken by canon publications. I don't think that is what you were looking for though.

TTYL

Kerry Mould

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Well, my days of taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle. - Mal, Firefly.

Hi

I think that you're talking about the list Silverleaf was working on http://www.harnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=8129

On 29 march Silverleaf said



So you may need to wait.

Neil

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Uxbridge English Dictionary:
Iconography: Filthy Byzantine pictures

Greetings,

I'm still collecting data-searching for clarification on various regions/areas, and whilst I have spent considerable time cleaning up a large Hârn map for this very purpose, Fastred has offered to help with a map that fits the style available in his Dialects pdf. His maps are crystal clear and will certainly be a huge boon to this project.

Once all the data is collected, it will be a simple matter to apply the proper colors on each layer, and present it for download.

Merdain,

In this thread:

http://www.harnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=7952&highlight=

The projects list was gone over by Neil, with some responses from members whom are responsible for the original ideas.

Cheers,

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"Honor is earned through the balance of peace and harmony, yet to the Master all eyes are open to possibilities".

Silverleaf 1981

This is just a suggestion. Humans are shallow. I know I am. We generally like to be recognized for either the money we donate or the volunteer hours we put in. Now maybe I missed it but I am surprised that there is no "Harn Alumni" list showing who has donated to what fanon either in terms of money or volunteer hours and/or articles produced. Its like that Seinfeld episode where George drops a large sum of money into the tip jar only to have the waitress avert her eyes just before it happens. George loses a large sum of money and gets no recognition for it. The point here is if there was such a site recognizing people for money donated or fanon produced it "might" (note the emphasis) motivate people feeling guilty about their lack of fanon contributions to donate money instead and/or encourage fanon contributors to work on further articles. Now I am inept with computers so I have no idea how difficult it would be to either set up or maintain such a website. Perhaps this matter has already been discussed or such a site exists already, but I have not found it. Comments?

I would just like to second Merdain's idea. I know that a lot of time and effort goes into the production of fanon and that some acknowledgement of these products and of other contributions could only benefit the community.

It is unfortunate, but true, that I often feel incompetent to comment on fanon except in my particular patches of Hârn. I recognize the effort, but unless I am playing in that particular area I am not able to appreciate the elegance, or lack thereof, with which the fanon hooks in with related canon and fanon material.

And when it is on my patch I tend to be hyper-critical and my judgements are undoubtedly colored (or coloured) by my p-Hârn. So, I don't say much.

Doesn't mean I don't appreciate the work or won't use it (to the degree practical), just that I know myself and tend to be self concious about what an insensitive prick I can be when I really get going in critic mode.

Still, more recognition for those who contribute so much to the vitality of this community and Hârn would not be amiss. IMHO.

My 2d.

Wm

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There is a chair and an NPC for visitors on Saturdays. We play most weeks. PM me. "You will always be my friend. You know too much."

"I see you have not contributed recently ... no fanon for you!!!"
"B-but..."
"Out! OUT!!!"

Things that would be nice to have...

A succession crisis checklist tree, where various possible factions pathways are described. The checklist aspect would allow GMs un-familiar with political nuances in medieval times (and or not having a harnic PHD) to be able to logically advance or eliminate potential political factions from the crown race.

A detailed description of how the royal/noble households work for information flow/player character routing. Also for military units and clerical orders. Basically a yes/no flow chart of how a player could contact various agencies or specific people within the established power structure. So when newbie GM takes his D20 group on thier first harn adventure they don't wait for hours as he flips back and forth in harnworld or harn player trying to figure out how they can contact the leader of the local LoP order or get to see the captain of the royal guards. Maybe with a generic add on list for different personalities/situations:
- Corrupt; wants a bribe. Do players pay? Y/N
- Likes clerics/worshipers of X. Are any players active in the church? Y/N Y: offers help or advice about the next step or person in the chain.
- etc

Item creation cost rules.

A price list that includes Warferrets.

A list of ways to recognize or promote your players within a feudal power structure for thier actions/accomplishments. A common sense base line that could be adjusted based on PHarn / GM style.
- So the party tried to take a short cut while pursuing bandits and fell afoul of gargun. While running for thier life for three days they manage to kill a dozen or two.
- The party has solved a murder, helped a patrol kill some barbarians, disrupted a bandit network... what are logical rewards/promotions.

A list of renegade shek pvar, what they did and rumors of where they were last seen.

It would be nice to see more heroic stats occassionally for the named NPCs. Maybe even different stats for named NPCs that would make for easier plug and play with different PHarn power levels. A lot of Named NPCs seem to be built for the harnics who want to grow illegal root crops during thier gaming sessions but seem weaker in the mid-high fantasy PHarns where players want to actually go kill gargun and be ugly adventurers.

A treasure book, giving treasure examples for various encounters or situations. What stuff a bandit camp might have, from cows, pigs, wine casks, to actual coins. What would a group of viking raider have while returning home from a succesful viking. What do various merchents usually carry in thier wagons, so you could plug and play to make a custom caravan.

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Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.

You can tell how dysfunctional a person is by how many bumper stickers they have

Are you back in Colorado?

Yep those things would be good to have for a GM to use if he hasn't prepped anything in advance. Heck I can think of all sorts of scenarios that would make it useful to any GM on various occasions.

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let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker. Lewis

Yo MD,

Long time no hear!

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Plots and schemes are the same thing..

Yeah, I'm back from the big sandbox... again... either retiring or going back in a few months.

Email or PM and let me know how everyone is doing. Girls must be getting big now

Edited to remove double post

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Smile and wave boys, smile and wave.

You can tell how dysfunctional a person is by how many bumper stickers they have

What happened ? who were they?
Well we don't know they were short, Half men i guess you could call them. They staged a diversion on the Royal Treasury and while we were dealing with that they robbed the Salters warehouse, Made off with every piece of salt pork, Sausage and wheel of cheese in the City.

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"No one is trying to kill you Yossarian!"
"Then why do they shoot at me when I'm dropping bombs on them?"

Yep,

I've been off the reservation for a while, but hoping to get back into the swing of things in a minor way here soon. Probably after the Holidays.

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let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker. Lewis

Can we get some updates on the progress of the articles that were spoken of in this thread?

To many to ask about, but it seems slow round here of late. lol

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"Honor is earned through the balance of peace and harmony, yet to the Master all eyes are open to possibilities".

Silverleaf 1981

Tis the holidays my friend and family matters need attending to such as...

...going shopping with the wife while trying not to faint from the impending bankruptcy she is trying to impose on you...

...and keeping the happy face on while doing your job as pack animal (lift, tote, carry)...

...while hoping the annual family Christmas feast doesn't turn into a brawl like last year.

Plus it would be nice to survive it all for another year (more would be nice)

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...and I'm not dead yet...