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When it comes to picking #Italian books for improving my skill with the language, obviously I had to include a #ttrpg book in the list.
Especially since I have already read the English translation. And I really appreciate the folkloristic aspects of this setting, although I am less enarmored of using #DnD for the system.
Reading dodgy conspiracy theories for #ttrpg inspiration was rather popular, 10-20 years ago.
Of course, back then most of us weren't as aware of the racism underlying many of these fantasies (I certainly wasn't). And now that conspiracy fantasies have become mainstream thanks to the resurgence of #fascism , this approach has lost a lot of its shine.
This book by @hellcowkeith@dice.camp is not a book that focuses on a specific topic and covers that topic in detail, like the assorted 3.5 books for Eberron did. It is best to see it as a collection of essays on a variety of niche topics - some of which are very niche, such two minor gnome subcultures.
Some of the chapters are broader in scope, and personally I found the chapter on the Overlords, The Dark Six, and the lore and folk-lore about undead the most useful. As an amateur folklorist, I especially appreciated the last one - to run good adventures about monsters, you should not only contemplate their stats, but also what the people within the world know about them, and what kinds of stories they tell.
Fans of Keith Baker's previous work will find plenty to like here, but I see this work to be more for …
This book by @hellcowkeith@dice.camp is not a book that focuses on a specific topic and covers that topic in detail, like the assorted 3.5 books for Eberron did. It is best to see it as a collection of essays on a variety of niche topics - some of which are very niche, such two minor gnome subcultures.
Some of the chapters are broader in scope, and personally I found the chapter on the Overlords, The Dark Six, and the lore and folk-lore about undead the most useful. As an amateur folklorist, I especially appreciated the last one - to run good adventures about monsters, you should not only contemplate their stats, but also what the people within the world know about them, and what kinds of stories they tell.
Fans of Keith Baker's previous work will find plenty to like here, but I see this work to be more for completists rather than a "must have" for Eberron fans.
Still, I suspect that Keith Baker's next work - "Frontiers of Eberron: Quickstone" will be more to my liking, since it is a more focused work on a specific topic and region. And as it happened, it is out right now - so excuse me while I download it. 😉
The people know a strange legend of the Sibyl. Sybylla or the Sibylle is known to them as a great prophetess who is doing penance in an old tower for her sins. The most abominable monsters are in this tower, for example snakes, lizards, newts, turtles, and all kinds of vermin. The people - at least those who have not received an education on this matter, imagine turtles as flying monsters.
[...]
Then, finally, a turtle flew after [the duke of Lichtenstein] in order to tear him apart. However, it had no power over the fleeing man, as he had already passed the boundary [of the Sibyl's realm].
— Schlesische Sagen 1 - Spuk- und Gespenstersagen by Richard Kühnau
One evening, a man from Deutsch-Petersdorf went home from Wichstadtel on the so-called "Scheibenweg" road. Suddenly, he saw a barrel with fiery eyes in front of him. He turned around and wanted to go back to Wichstadtel, and then he saw the monster before him once more...
— Schlesische Sagen 1 - Spuk- und Gespenstersagen by Richard Kühnau
In Aztec Philosophy, James Maffie shows the Aztecs advanced a highly sophisticated and internally …
It was probably a bit ambitious to read "Aztec Philosophy" as my very first book on philosophy, and thus it took me a long time to finish it. But it was very much worth it, since it allowed me to examine my own Eurocentric perceptions and assumptions on philosophy, metaphysics, cosmology, and so forth. And thus I recommend this book to anyone else who wants to gain a wider perspective on these matters.
Consciously or not (and mostly the latter), most people with an Eurocentric background (including those descended from European settlers) have internalized narratives about the world that are heavily based on both Greek philosophy and Christian theology - and this remains true even for those who have decided to reject Christianity. Aztecs - and other indigenous American people - have long lived in isolation from Europe, and have thus built up their own philosophies and metaphysics which has …
It was probably a bit ambitious to read "Aztec Philosophy" as my very first book on philosophy, and thus it took me a long time to finish it. But it was very much worth it, since it allowed me to examine my own Eurocentric perceptions and assumptions on philosophy, metaphysics, cosmology, and so forth. And thus I recommend this book to anyone else who wants to gain a wider perspective on these matters.
Consciously or not (and mostly the latter), most people with an Eurocentric background (including those descended from European settlers) have internalized narratives about the world that are heavily based on both Greek philosophy and Christian theology - and this remains true even for those who have decided to reject Christianity. Aztecs - and other indigenous American people - have long lived in isolation from Europe, and have thus built up their own philosophies and metaphysics which has shaped their understanding of the world in an entirely different way.
Central to Aztec metaphysics is the concept of "teotl" - a divine force (and not energy) that constantly recreates itself in new forms. Everything that was, is, and will be - from rocks and animals, humans, and to the very gods themselves - are merely temporary manifestations of teotl which will eventually decay and dissolve, and then their teotl will manifest in new forms. The goal for humans is then to maintain a good, stable, moderate life on this Earth for long as it will last - for nothing will last forever.
This is the merest gist of the complexities involved, but it is already a huge contrast to the Christian notions of an "eternal, unchanging divine" and the "temporary base matter" of earthly existence - to the Aztecs, there is no fundamental difference between the teotl within a mortal and the teotl within the gods. And while Christian cosmology has a clear beginning and end to Creation, Aztec philosophy does not - existence will always go on, although its form is constantly changing.
Even if you are not a student of philosophy, I recommend this book to #ttrpg players and GMs. For instance, I found that the concept of teotl as described in this work could work surprisingly well for the philosophical underpinnings of "The Force" in #StarWars - it would add some real nuance to the conflicts between the "Dark Side" and the "Light Side". And the concepts within this book could add a lot of nuance and ideas to other settings with complex metaphysics!
You can find a shorter overview article about the concepts explained in this book here:
Shadow World is probably one of the more obscure #ttrpg settings out there. I never really got into #Rolemaster , but this setting had a fascinating vibe, with its science fiction elements, deep history, energy streams, many small continents and island chains, and isolated cultures.
You could probably run some very interesting campaigns set in this world. Has anyone here done anything with it?
The irrlichts (will-o'-wisps) were often seen in the Alt-Seidenberg area, and frequently led the carters astray. There was also a larger irrlicht, which was called "The Great Shining One". It frequently approached from the direction of the Röhrborn near Alt-Seidenberg, and made a curve around the village until it reached the Küppen Forest. While the common irrlichts swayed up and down and were significantly smaller, the Great Shining One moved in a steady course.
— Schlesische Sagen 1 - Spuk- und Gespenstersagen by Richard Kühnau
A boss monster will-o'-wisp!
Or worse, a manifestation of Cthugha...
Some deities sanctify their clerics and similarly devoted followers. This gives the follower the holy or unholy trait. The holy trait (page 456) indicates a powerful devotion to altruism, helping others, and battling against unholy forces like fiends and undead. The unholy trait (page 462), in turn, shows devotion to victimizing others, inflicting harm, and battling celestial powers. Deities that list “must choose” mandate gaining the trait and those that list “can choose” give the devotee the option to choose the trait or not. You can have the holy trait, unholy trait, or neither, but can never have both the holy and unholy traits.
— Pathfinder Player Core by Jason Bulmahn, Logan Bonner, Mark Seifter, and 1 other
As the #Pathfinder 2E #ttrpg no longer uses alignments, the "holy" and "unholy" traits are the closest substitute (since blasting demons with "holy power" is just too much fun).
But I wonder about the social and religious context for religions where the clerics can choose to have these traits. Is a cleric of Sarenrae who doesn't become sanctified as "holy" seen as insufficient committed to the cause? And what about priests of Abadar? They can choose to be "holy", "unholy", or neither. Does this correspond to different factions in the temple hierarchy, and if so how do they view each other?
I'm not criticizing here - I am genuinely curious how this works out from an in-setting perspective. #worldbuilding
Erik: You descend into a 30-foot-wide mining tunnel, with wooden beams reinforcing the walls and ceilings. You don’t see any traps, but a reptilian face with large eyes peeks out from behind a mine cart. At a closer look, it’s a kobold in a leather miner jacket.
Valeros (Luis): I’ll follow Merisiel down the ladder.
Kyra (Jessica): Me too.
Erik: As the sound of your footsteps on the iron ladder echoes through the mine, the kobold jumps out in panic! She takes a few steps further into the mine, then stops, as if she’s more frightened of whatever is deeper in than of you.
Kyra (Jessica): Oh no! Poor kobold!
Merisiel (Shay): Can someone calm her down? I’m terrible with people!
Valeros (Luis): I have a +3 Diplomacy. I’ll call out to her.
Erik: What do you say?
Valeros (Luis): “Hello friend! Don’t be scared, we’re here to help!” I rolled a 15 on my Diplomacy check.
Erik: Okay! The kobold seems startled, but then runs to you for safety. “Oh! Thank Torag you’re here!”
— Pathfinder Player Core by Jason Bulmahn, Logan Bonner, Mark Seifter, and 1 other
I realize hardly any veteran #ttrpg player reads "Examples of Play" anymore, but I am impressed here. The authors nicely set a tone of: "People who look different are people, too!" - even people who would have been designated cannon fodder in earlier editions of #DnD and #Pathfinder .
Well done, Paizo. Well done. The "evil races" whom it was okay to kill on sight was always highly problematic, and I am glad that this game is moving away from it.
Now that I am slowly getting back into #ttrpg #worldbuilding , I should probably read the latest edition of the game the world will be designed around.
From the author of 1491 -- the best-selling study of the pre-Columbian Americas -- a …
This is the book where I learned that there were exiled Japanese samurai guarding silver shipments in 17th century New Spain (modern-day #Mexico ).
And ever since, I've wondered why there isn't an #anime or #manga series featuring this. At the very least, it would make for a heck of a #ttrpg campaign!
Rise Up Against the Gods Themselves!
Welcome to an epic struggle of heroic mortals pitting …
Another #ttrpg in the category: "Backed the Kickstarter, no idea when I will actually get around to reading it."
Still, I love #CallOfCthulhu , and I am always up for more interesting historical setting. Plus, the "default region" is ancient Germania, so I might actually use some of my German #folklore research for this...
Whilst the chaos of the Turmoil subsides, an invigorated Empire seeks to leave civil strife …
"On the 25th of Sigmarzeit, Salzenmund celebrates Silberfest. The whole city comes out to watch colourful litters borne through the streets, each carrying a child dressed to represent a particular guild. The final litter is the ‘Silver King’, patronised by the Nordland Silversmiths’ Guild. At the end of the parade the ‘Silver King’ meets the prince of Salzenmund as an equal. The litters are carried to the waterfront, where the children take to boats and sail onto the Ormsdeep carrying lanterns to light their way. Finally, the Silver King reaches the centre of the lake and jumps into the water. In modern times someone fishes him out."
— Salzenmund - City of Salt and Silver by Simon Wileman, Dave Allen, Samuel Poots, and 1 other
You are the child of a God, born to the magic of yesterday and the …
Scion is a fun #ttrpg with a great setting hampered by very badly explained rules.
I do hope we get a revised edition using the #Storypath Ultra rules a few years down the road...
