Jakallan Underworld

[Falconer]

Just wondering if there are any updates on this. Thanks!

[Baron]

Also wondering! Very, very interested in purchasing this... ka-ching!

[soundchaser]

BUMP

[spacemonkeydm]

la bumo?

[Falconer]

*chirp*

[kesher]

I've actually recently gotten involved with the Foundation (one of the benefits to living in Minneapolis!) I know it's being worked on, but there's no set date.

[Falconer]

Thanks! Even bare bones communication is appreciated!

[kesher]

...and, a bit more than a week ago, I actually got to play in this Underworld, with GMing done by our very own Victor Raymond! Awesome. When our mission looking for evidence of malfeasance by Prince Dich'une (I'm sure I spelled that incorrectly) in a secret shrine to Lord Sarku went terribly south, my Pe Choi priestess made a hasty deal and gated us into a demon plane. Sadly, it was a demon plane loyal to Lord Sarku, and she ended up agreeing to let herself be eaten in return for the safe return of the rest of the party to the gates of Jakalla.

Unfortunately, she'd forgotten to stipulate that they should be sent back to the same time, so they ended up in front of the gates of Jakalla when it was the capital of the Bednalljan Empire.

At least they got to meet Queen Nayari...

[greentongue]

Sounds like more of a "spring board" than an underworld.
Still...
=

[kesher]

Fair enough--we started right in the thick of it since it was a con game. In retrospect, the adventure was less about the Jakallan Underworld as such and more about the overall "feel" of Tekumel as a place to adventure.

We actually played using Prof. Barker's Thursday Night Game rules, which consist of a character with some stats from EPT; if necessary, some spells from Swords & Glory; and then rolling percentile dice at crucial moments---lower/better, higher/worse.

[Baron]

May 9, 2013 9:35:50 GMT -6 kesher said:

We actually played using Prof. Barker's Thursday Night Game rules, which consist of a character with some stats from EPT; if necessary, some spells from Swords & Glory; and then rolling percentile dice at crucial moments---lower/better, higher/worse.

See? Now that's the kind of 'rules system' I like! C'mon Victor, post your house rules as a PDF somewhere so we can get as many people interested as possible in Tekumel!

[Falconer]

You guys, srsly, Barker’s megadungeon.

[grodog]

I didn't get to see Victor much at GaryCon this year, and he didn't attend NTX, so I haven't heard any more updates on publishing planning for the Jakallan Underworld.

Victor?

[bexley]

Can anybody tell me a bit more about the minimal keying? It sounds like I've stumbled upon running dungeons like Prof. Barker, peace be upon him, and I like to find out how different we do things. His way is probably better and I'm always looking for ways to improve.

I currently key using architectural short-hand (ie. late gothic decorated w/grotesques), I don't use set monster lists or treasure and tend to wing it but I do key in challenges (hard mob, hard solo, easy mob etc).

Is this similar?

[aldarron]

Jul 27, 2013 8:10:19 GMT -6 bexley said:

Can anybody tell me a bit more about the minimal keying? It sounds like I've stumbled upon running dungeons like Prof. Barker, peace be upon him, and I like to find out how different we do things. His way is probably better and I'm always looking for ways to improve.

I currently key using architectural short-hand (ie. late gothic decorated w/grotesques), I don't use set monster lists or treasure and tend to wing it but I do key in challenges (hard mob, hard solo, easy mob etc).

Is this similar?

I can't speak to precisely what Prof. Barker did, but usually "minimal keying" isn't quite as systematic as what you describe. Each DM will have preferences for exactly what they want to have. Examples can be found in Jaquays dungeons published in the Dungeoneer or the key for Blackmoor dungeon in the First Fantasy Campaign. Basically it is often just a line of info about what monster and/or treasure might be present. Empty rooms usually have no entry at all.

[bexley]

Jul 28, 2013 7:33:03 GMT -6 aldarron said:

Jul 27, 2013 8:10:19 GMT -6 bexley said:

Can anybody tell me a bit more about the minimal keying? It sounds like I've stumbled upon running dungeons like Prof. Barker, peace be upon him, and I like to find out how different we do things. His way is probably better and I'm always looking for ways to improve.

I currently key using architectural short-hand (ie. late gothic decorated w/grotesques), I don't use set monster lists or treasure and tend to wing it but I do key in challenges (hard mob, hard solo, easy mob etc).

Is this similar?

I can't speak to precisely what Prof. Barker did, but usually "minimal keying" isn't quite as systematic as what you describe. Each DM will have preferences for exactly what they want to have. Examples can be found in Jaquays dungeons published in the Dungeoneer or the key for Blackmoor dungeon in the First Fantasy Campaign. Basically it is often just a line of info about what monster and/or treasure might be present. Empty rooms usually have no entry at all.

Thanks. I'll have to look into that to get a better idea of what people mean by minimal keying.

[terje]

This is one of the rpg projects that I feel most excited about! I assume that most (or perhaps all) work is done without pay and in peoples spare time so I understand it will take as long time as it takes. But I'd like to express some friendly interest with a quople of questions, if anyone has insight in these matters.

What kind of release is planned? Pdf, print or both? Illustrations? Color or black and white?
What kind of material will it contain? Maps? Locations? New monsters? Factions and politics?
Will there be stats for any specific rules system(s)?
Do you have any idea of when it could be available? 2014? 15?

[kesher]

I'll ping Victor and see if I can get him to expound a bit over here. However, he's a professor, and school just started, so it might not be an immediate thing...

[grodog]

Hey Victor, any news?

[badger2305]

Sept 4, 2013 6:35:22 GMT -6 terje said:

This is one of the rpg projects that I feel most excited about! I assume that most (or perhaps all) work is done without pay and in peoples spare time so I understand it will take as long time as it takes. But I'd like to express some friendly interest with a quople of questions, if anyone has insight in these matters.

What kind of release is planned? Pdf, print or both? Illustrations? Color or black and white?
What kind of material will it contain? Maps? Locations? New monsters? Factions and politics?
Will there be stats for any specific rules system(s)?
Do you have any idea of when it could be available? 2014? 15?

Let me see. Here is how the Foundation plans to release the Jakallan Underworld:

• A PDF version, similar to the "Mimeo EPT" - facsimile on the left page, text reproduction on the right
• A POD version, which will include the facsimile text and some supplementary material, based on Prof. Barker's notes and player recollections
• A PDF release of the maps, including the 17 x 22 1st level and the 8.5 x 11 2nd and 3rd levels. We hope to have a reproduction of the original maps themselves, along with a full-color more modern version
• A POD version of the maps, as per the PDF version - we're still investigating the best and most cost-effective way to release them

There will be maps (obviously), along with Prof. Barker's key. There are certainly new miscellaneous magical items, as well as various factions connected to different locations. Since this is a facsimile edition, all stats will be for Empire of the Petal Throne.

We're transcribing the key right now, and assessing the best way to capture the original maps. I've been asked for release dates in the past, and have been reluctant to promise anything. What I can say is that it is moving along, now that we've figured out how to deal with the slowly-deteriorating computer disks the Professor had many, many of (that was our summer project).

[kent]

Oct 27, 2013 22:07:10 GMT -6 badger2305 said:

A PDF release of the maps, including the 17 x 22 1st level and the 8.5 x 11 2nd and 3rd levels. We hope to have a reproduction of the original maps themselves, along with a full-color more modern version

I thought Barker's Dungeon was 6ft x 6ft altogether or thereabouts.

[Deleted]

Oct 28, 2013 0:45:21 GMT -6 kent said:

Oct 27, 2013 22:07:10 GMT -6 badger2305 said:

A PDF release of the maps, including the 17 x 22 1st level and the 8.5 x 11 2nd and 3rd levels. We hope to have a reproduction of the original maps themselves, along with a full-color more modern version

I thought Barker's Dungeon was 6ft x 6ft altogether or thereabouts.

I think if you 'spread out' the multiple levels given on the top of the three maps - the 17 x 22 color map - you'd be able to expand it to about 36" x 36" 'on the table'. The way Phil played it, we'd have to go through some longish 'transition' corridors to get from section to section; the large map covers the top levels, which are all about on the same 'level' but at slightly different depth. The lower two black and white 8.5 x 11 maps are 1) on an intermediate level below the main levels, and then 2) the next-to-lowest level which is the Garden of the Weeping Snows. The absolute lowest level is simply a tube-way car station, and very little else.

One of the problems with the maps is that the large color map has faded into a sort of sepia wash, and is largely unsuitable for publication. I have a good digital copy of the map as it was in 1985 in my archives, set up for publication with the individual section levels all marked. Phil had originally color coded the maps to the guide, and my lovely wife spent a lot of time going through and correlating maps to the guide; I use my digital version in our game group, as I have the maps and guide loaded on one of the dedicated game room computers for display on the 36" repeater monitor that the players see. It's still a lot of fun for us to explore even now, as my new players discover all of the perils that Phil came up with back in 1974.

yours, chirine

[geoffrey]

Wow. This will be a fascinating publication.

[kent]

Oct 28, 2013 7:13:35 GMT -6 chirinebakal said:

Oct 28, 2013 0:45:21 GMT -6 kent said:

I thought Barker's Dungeon was 6ft x 6ft altogether or thereabouts.

The way Phil played it, we'd have to go through some longish 'transition' corridors to get from section to section;

Ah I see.

I have the maps and guide loaded on one of the dedicated game room computers for display on the 36" repeater monitor that the players see.

Nice.

[terje]

Oct 27, 2013 22:07:10 GMT -6 badger2305 said:

Let me see. Here is how the Foundation plans to release the Jakallan Underworld:

• A PDF version, similar to the "Mimeo EPT" - facsimile on the left page, text reproduction on the right
• A POD version, which will include the facsimile text and some supplementary material, based on Prof. Barker's notes and player recollections
• A PDF release of the maps, including the 17 x 22 1st level and the 8.5 x 11 2nd and 3rd levels. We hope to have a reproduction of the original maps themselves, along with a full-color more modern version
• A POD version of the maps, as per the PDF version - we're still investigating the best and most cost-effective way to release them

There will be maps (obviously), along with Prof. Barker's key. There are certainly new miscellaneous magical items, as well as various factions connected to different locations. Since this is a facsimile edition, all stats will be for Empire of the Petal Throne.

We're transcribing the key right now, and assessing the best way to capture the original maps. I've been asked for release dates in the past, and have been reluctant to promise anything. What I can say is that it is moving along, now that we've figured out how to deal with the slowly-deteriorating computer disks the Professor had many, many of (that was our summer project).

Wow, this sounds perfect! EPT is my prefered rules system for tekumelani adventuring so. Really looking forward to this!

[Deleted]

Also, Phil used 10 square to the inch graph paper, so that 17 x 22 level is FREAKING HUGE!

[grodog]

Very true that! Was the scale 1 square = 10', or larger, by chance?

[grodog]

Oct 27, 2013 22:07:10 GMT -6 badger2305 said:

There will be maps (obviously), along with Prof. Barker's key. There are certainly new miscellaneous magical items, as well as various factions connected to different locations. Since this is a facsimile edition, all stats will be for Empire of the Petal Throne.

We're transcribing the key right now, and assessing the best way to capture the original maps. I've been asked for release dates in the past, and have been reluctant to promise anything. What I can say is that it is moving along, now that we've figured out how to deal with the slowly-deteriorating computer disks the Professor had many, many of (that was our summer project).

This sounds excellent, as you know, Victor: do you have any updates on the likelihood of this appear in 2014, say?

[kesher]

I'm not sure Victor checks these boards all that often; I'll ping him...

[machpants]

This looks rather cool, I shall watch with interest