Advertise on podcast: Earthdawn Survival Guide

* Mailbag (the Sequel)! * Josh is neck deep in final week of rehearsals and didn't have time to do full show notes! Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Mailbag! * Email from Matt: Anything we feel the narrators of the books got completely wrong? * Josh can't think of anything offhand * Talking about in-character vs out-of-character information * Email from Bernard * Sidebar about Josh listening speed * Table tales from Bernard * Josh talks about Names and Naming * NPCs getting a life of their own * Looking at the world through an Earthdawn lens * Context for difficulty for learning Key Knolwedge * Question about what happens when Horrors are defeated? * TL;DR: It depends on the Horror! * What is up with the weight of windlings? * How did citadels work? * Archers and fire cannons? * Finer points of the Icy Surface spell? * Astral space in relation to our world and magic level. * Pop culture references for adepts * Closing Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Vivane Adventures: Shadows * Written by Teeuwyn Woodruff * Upper Novice Tier (3rd & 4th Circle) * Jailbreak in Vrontok * Helping Aberdeen; recommended to introduce him before the adventure * His son Thillik was arrested and made a slave in Vrontok * But also... Thillik doesn't recognize his father. * Primary purpose: Free Thillik * Secondary purpose: Learn about the amnesia * Mervyn and his goons: Lackeys of the Mayor * Shakedown highlights the corruption in Vrontok's society * Not a real physical threat, but group is trying to lay low * The Wingsticker Tavern; information gathering from NPCs * Complication: Mervyn and his goons drink at the tavern * Caravath's Laboratory and rescuing Thillik * Soul Spiders: Make their victims submissive and pliable * Likely outcomes and complications * Straightforward adventure with a dark secret * Potential follow-up stories * Final commentary and discussion Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Vivane: The Theran Quarter * The Mailbox is empty! * Catching up with life stuff * GenCon and upcoming product delivery * Theran Quarter: aka The Old City or the Walled City * Walled off from the rest of the city. * Overgovernor's Palace * Least damaged by the Scourge and most rebuilt since then * The Grand Walk * North and South Barracks * Walls along the Flamewalk River * Contrast with Barsaivian Vivane * Wealth, class, exoticism of influences from other cultures * Aquaducts providing water from the river, also used for riot control. * Presentation and design; white, clean, imposing. * Inspired by 19th and early 20th Century impressions of ancient Rome and Greece * The Hanging Ziggurats * More exoticism; display of magical might * The Wedge: Middle class homes and businesses * Artisan District * Theran Quarter Slave Market * Presenting things to the player characters; experiences and sensations * Play up the differences and cosmopolitan influence of the Empire * What's in store for the future? Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Vivane/Sky Point Adventures: A Message to Vivane * A quick update on where we are. * Which came first for Josh--theater or gaming? * Shakespeare! * Josh has run this one. * Espionage and combat * Part One: The Commission * Hired to deliver information to the Vivane Resistance * How Josh tweaked the intro for his group. * What is the information being delivered? * Part Two: So This is Vivane * Arriving in the city and meeting the contact, Kron * Introduction to Theran corruption and get a taste of the exotic * Part Three: Delivery * Meet contacts and get raided by the Red Squad * It's just a coincidence! The Therans don't know about the group. * Chase scene! * Part Four: At the Manor House * Safety after the chase... for a moment. * Another Theran Raid * Another escape * Part Five: The Secret Room * Into the Undercity (reference to previous adventure in this collection) * Learn the scroll was sold to a crime boss. * Decide what to do; help recover the information, or escape the city. * Reasons why groups might take either option. * Part Six: Marikis's Gang * Attacking the crime boss * Opportunity to get out some frustrations through combat. * Adjustable difficulty of the combat and the dozen or so gang members * Aftermath: Slipping out of the city and meeting Kron later in the campaign. * Espionage in the way James Bond or Jason Bourne is espionage * Linear in the way Josh likes linear to be; it plays fair * Relatively simple task, just dealing with complications and problems * Vary "Shadowrun", spy thriller * "A bunch of stuff is happening, we just need to deal with it." * Lessons on making a situation, not a plot Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Mailbag! * Some discussion of why we've been away for so long * Email from Felix: Non-adepts humans and Versatility? * Email from Kevin (Jacklifear): Kudos and stuff going on. * Email from Aaron: Update on his home game * Coming at some point... the FASA Games Wiki * Upcoming Kickstarter and products? * Josh talks about Urupa book * Suggestions for Horror minions and theming * Another email from Felix: Garlen's ideals taken to extremes * Josh sidebars about "Survival of the Fittest" * Josh plugs summer Shakespeare! Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Vivane Adventures: Chasing the Snakeskin Boots * Lower Circle Characters * Written By Carl Sargent * Lots of background action * Feels "Shadowrunny" * Act 1: Group hired to recover stolen property * Original owner (Daragast), current owner (Shand), Barsaivian thief * High pay for what seems to be a simple job, but urgent * Best for a group that doesn't have a problem working for Therans * Act 2: Track the thief through the Broken Quarter * Different avenues of investigation * Low risk; no real danger of violence * Act 3: Into the undercity * Multiple possible encounters that don't relate to the group's goal * Resistance meeting, triplicant ambush * Find the (dead) thief, all but one coin taken * Act 4: Recover the coins * Beastmaster who killed the thief * Complications: Agents of the original owner, Resistance members * Possible consequences and fallout that can establish relationships and low-grade enemies * Not especially heavy on "plot" * GM needs to be flexible and willing to roll with character choices * Strong feeling in the climax of "What *now*?" * Final verdict and summary Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Vivane: The Broken Quarter * Largest region of the city * Bisected by the Longwater River * Much damage from past Theran bombardment * Only about one third of the buildings are undamaged * Part of Barsaivian Vivane, no interest from Therans to fix it * Few clear cobblestone streets, mostly mud and overgrowth * Neighborhoods of the Quarter * The Warrens, The Arrow, High Gate, Ratside * Historical inspiration: Lower class areas of Elizabethan London * Patrols and militia * Old City Graveyard and the Deeptombs * Burial laws in Vivane * Not criminal or corrupt, but its own "flavor of wretched" * Bottom of the class pyramid in Vivane * Residents squabble among themselves, but unite against outsiders * Conflict between Green Squad militia and Broken Quarter locals * Hotbed of anti-Theran resistance * Strong place to highlight the cost of Theran Imperialism * Brief aside about novel "Shroud of Madness" Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Exploring Vrontok * This is our second go at this topic * Located in the shadow of Sky Point * Desperate, lawless, crowded town built on the slave trade * Not a vacation spot! * Like Bartertown... but darker * Combination of town, slave market, and military base. * Stealing slaves is the most serious crime. * Only punishments for crime are enslavement or death. * Fortified by a high wall and dry moat with sharpened stakes. * Three gates: Empire Gate (SE), Vivane Gate (NE), Outlaw Gate (NW) * Theran citizens are not subject to laws in Vrontok * Mayor T'rask, former slaver with large force of thugs. * Taxes: House Tax, Guest Tax, Exit Tax * T'rask focused on keeping the Therans from getting upset. * Lots of business that serve the slave merchants: taverns, gambling halls, brothels. * Result of imperialism; empires thrive on exploited labor. * Reflections on Thera and Vrontok in light of present-day economic and political systems. * "Keep politics out of rpgs!" is a crock. * Contrast of Sky Point's wealth and power to Vrontok's "wretched hive" * Fourth Edition changes and updates Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Mailbag! * Email from Eli: More about the winged t'skrang? * Do t'skrang and windlings derive from human stock? * What about their falling birthrates? * Email from Matthew: NPC based on Dan to introduce legends? * Email from Chris: Thanks for the show! * Blades: Handling different PC approaches to the curse. * Email from Nicholas: Question about Extended Pattern Spike knack * Email from Frank: Clarification of Bleed talent knack * Email from Bernhard: More thanks for the show from a new listener * Wrap up musing about long-term future of the show Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Blades: Pure Liquids * Interlude: Last Words * Rank 8 Key Knowledge and Deed * Very open framing; PCs just need to get the info in some way * Prophetic vision by the last surviving member of the Seven Spokes * Deed: Visit site of the last battle against Betrayer by the Seven Spokes * Adventure by Robin Laws * Destination: Pale Ones dome below the Tylon Mountains * Escorted by the Vodanicus family * True Water miners, strongly disliked * Opportunity for dark comedy; poor, hillbilly-style * Overland trek with large rafts * Dangerous journey; ork scorchers, underground rivers, rapids, waterfalls * Betrayer pits the Vodanicus against each other just before encountering the Pale Ones * Meet with the Shivalahala; she had a dream about the group's arrival * PCs must learn a blood ritual to summon Betrayer out of the Blades * During the week the group spends with the t'skrang, Betrayer continues to work * Uprising against the Shivalahala led by Vodanicus * Complete the Deed and may weave the last thread. * Escorted by adolescent t'skrang to the ritual site * Face the ghosts of the Seven Spokes, now under the Horror's influence * Ghosts can only be harmed by the Blades * Breakdown and analysis of Betrayer's game stats and combat tactics * Play Betrayer intelligently; make it a difficult fight * Climax of the story arc, could be a strong campaign ending * Discussion of Karma Tap * Closing thoughts about adventure difficulty * Final thoughts about the overall Blades campaign Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Blades in Depth: With an Axe in Hand * Interlude: With a Tale to Tell * Liferock corrupted by a Horror that resembles the way the Horror operates * Objective: Find a Troubadour who can provide information about the liferock * Campaign context and purpose of the interlude * Open format -- can easily substitute with an existing NPC or change location * Adventure written by Nicole Lindroos * Josh talks about his acquaintance with Nicole * Josh talks about the weirdness of being a "peer" in the RPG industry * Reminding Dan he has also contributed to Earthdawn * Act 1: Journey through the Tylon Foothills * Encounters with villages on route to the liferock * Purpose of this stage of the adventure * Darkest adventure of the campaign * Narrative importance of the curse and its consequences * "The only way out is through" * Summarize the three encounters in Act 1 * Act 2: The Corrupted Liferock * Asmersious, the lone survivor * Message from the Seven Spokes * Wait for Asmersious to wake up from hibernation * Attack by obsidiman Horror constructs * Objective other than simply killing the PCs * Act 3: Return Journey * Consequences of the curse * Reason for the tragedies and character motivation * Pacing of the later adventures * Take care with the dark themes, but Josh advises not overly downplaying them * Lots of material in a relatively small space Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Fortress of Sky Point * Josh avoids gushing about Expedition 33 * 800 feet tall * Founding of Sky Point before the Scourge * Comparisons of Sky Point to existing buildings and structures * Context for impressive architectural presence * Basic structure; five pillars around the outside and one central pillar * Constructed over 50 years * Deserted during the Scourge * Base of operations for incursions after the Scourge * Conceptually similar to a military base outside a city * Main platform is 2000 feet across * Pillars are 300 feet in diameter * Alternate between solid stone and hollow structure * Comparing Sky Point's "footprint" to real world scale * Impressive magically reinforced engineering * Demonstration of Theran military might * Northern pillar is airship hanger and repair * Southwest tower is slave pens * Southeast tower is Overgovernor's palace * Wall around entire platform except northeast edge for airship launching * Elemental elevators only non-airship access from the ground * Secure fortress; very hard to sneak in or infiltrate * Elevators are guarded, vedette and kila patrols * Fourth edition timeline and destruction of Sky Point * The ruins and comparison to Ground Zero of World Trade Center * Engineering discussion of the collapse; forces out of balance * Sky Point and Parlainth; military vs cultural might * Quick overview of stationed Theran fleet Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Mailbag! We asked, you delivered! * Email from Elie: Alternative mechanics to play in Barsaive? * Cortex -- https://www.cortexrpg.com/ * Earthdawn: Age of Legend -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/176986/earthdawn-the-age-of-legend-english * Earthdawn: Savage Worlds -- https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/100174/earthdawn-player-s-guide-savage-worlds-edition * Also discussed: Cypher, Genesys * Problems with Horror marks as a concept (from player perspective) * Other active Earthdawn podcasts? * Email from Maggie: Changes to the Mad Passions' temples or shrines when they went mad? * Symbols and iconography of the Mad Passions from before the Scourge? * Email from Scott: Follow up to Mailbag 268 about Beast Spirits * Another Email from Maggie: T'skrang and Obsidimen as trans metaphors * Email from Simon: Many questions about the Gate Hound magic drain power * Range of chakta birds' Mental Assault power? * Range of the crakbill's paralyzing breath? * Is there a maximum Circle (0-thread) spell that a manticore can learn? * Constrict and Grab & Bite maneuvers for the porcupine snake and troll snake? * Engulf power from an air elemental? * Descriptions of true element kernels? * Awareness vs Perception (and limits of Awareness)? * Spending Karma on secret tests (especially Awareness)? Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW

* Blades in Depth: A Traitor's Fate * Interlude: Lighting the Way * Visit Questor of Mynbruje * Darkness and paranoia start to intrude on the campaign * Questor communes with the Passion to find location * Provides a magical "compass" to point to the traitor's tomb * Main adventure written by Teeuwynn Woodruff * Travel to Liaj Jungle * Encounter with Lightning Lizards * Encounter Tamers * Background on the Tamers * Tamers don't want the group in the jungle * The curse affects the Tamers * Potential tweaks to the Tamers' motivations * Handling the curse appropriately; escalation * Arriving at the crypt * Kragen Overtall: The Dark Fetch * Dealing with Overtall and learning the Name * Loose ends and follow-ups * Linear, self-contained adventure Find and Follow: Email: [email protected] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EDSGPodcast Find and follow Josh: https://linktr.ee/LoreMerchant Get product information, developer blogs, and more at www.fasagames.com FASA Games on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fasagamesinc Official Earthdawn Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/officialearthdawn FASA Games Discord Channel: https://discord.gg/uuVwS9u Earthdawn West Marches: https://discord.gg/hhHDtXW