Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for The Lore of the Aos Sí

Hail Bards - Announcing the Lore of the Aos Sí Reader Giveaway Details

Please feel free to contact me with questions!

Blessed Be, 

Christopher Lee

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    Thomas J. Arnold sent an update for Exile, Magus

    Frost giant Friday!

    The giants in my world are for the most part a reclusive lot with relatively low population numbers.  Like dragons, they have an elemental nature which causes them to gravitate towards environments where the elements in their makeup are strongest.  For frost giants that means the Frozen North, where elemental air and water are seen in combination making up the cold, snow, and ice that dominates the landscape.

    Their elemental nature does not express itself as strongly as that of dragons, but it still plays a role in their ability to survive in their harsh habitat.  This elemental nature is strongest in female giants, so that they tend to be taller and stronger and as they near maturity they become able to harness this to perform very primal, elemental magic.  This ability grows as they age, but always remains primal like that of dragons and unable to perform feats outside the scope of their elemental nature.

    Frost giant society tends to extend of an extended clan of no more than a dozen or so families.  Each family lives in large manors carved out of the rock of mountain faces no closer than 1 day and no further than 1 week’s foot travel from the other memebers of the clan.  There tends to be a gathering of family heads once every month or two in which they discuss clan matters, though this most often results in little more than arguing and drunken revelry/ritual combat.

    As to the origins of the giant races, no one really knows for sure.  One of the most dominant theories looks to both the giants’ elemental natures and their remarkable resemblance to humans.  This theory states that far back in the days of the Progenitors’ War, the humans weak status - without strong magical abilities or a Progenitor to aid them - had turned to elemental and nature spirits for aid.  These theories posit that some of the humans made deals to join with elemental spirits, giving the spirits a chance to finally experience true life and giving the humans in question power they could have never otherwise achieve.  There is no evidence to support a theory that gives an origin so far into the past, but there is also nothing to disprove it or even support any other theory.

    Frost giants pop up in Part 11 - Ansvari of Exile, Magus, which is much further into the book than the content currently posted stretches.  I do hope that we can reach funding so that I can get that into your hands, so be sure to order and recommend to others so I can share the full story with you all.

    That’s all I’ve got for today, though once again to any D&D players/DMs there will be a stat block at the bottom, so be sure to check that out if you’re interested.  To everyone else, thanks for your time and support.  Keep reading and enjoying!


    Frost Giant Matriarch
    Huge Giant,  Neutral Evil
    Armor Class 16 (patchwork armor)
    HP 175 (14d12+84)
    Speed 40’
    Str 24 (+7),  Dex 10, Con 22 (+6), Int 10, Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1)
    Saving Throws  Con +9,  Wis +4,  Cha +4
    Skills  Athletics +10,  Perception +4,  Survival +4
    Damage Immunity  Cold
    Senses  passive Perception 14
    Language  Giant
    Challenge  9 (5,000 XP)
    Innate Spellcasting (Charimsa based, DC 12, Spell Attack Bonus +4, can cast without need for material components)
      At Will - Ray of Frost (2d8),  Fog Cloud
      3/day each - Gust of Wind,  Sleet Storm
      1/day each - Cone of Cold,  Ice Storm
    Actions
    Multiattack  2 Greataxe or Unarmed attacks
    Greataxe  melee weapon attack.  10’ reach.  Hit: +10.  Damage:  3d12+7 slashing ;.
    Rock  ranged weapon attack.  Range 60’ / 240’.  Hit:  +10.  Damage:  4d10+7 bludgeoning ;.
    Unarmed  melee weapon attack.  Hit: +10.  Damage:  3d4+7 ;.
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      Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for Tantalus Depths

       

      Good lord...I don’t even have words...

      We did it. We finally did it.

      After campaigning day and night since March...after losing literally hundreds of orders in the credit abuse scandall....after extending the campaign a whole two extra months...We’ve done it. We’ve reached the full publishing goal of 750 copies.

      Tantalus Depths is a book now. It’s an honest to God book with a full publication deal. It’s happening.

      It took 461 people and six syndicates to make this happen. Of particular note is the Idosyncraticate Syndicate, which swooped in out of absolutely nowhere and pushed us over the final line. Thank you all, from the depths of my heart. I love you all for this.

      I’ll have more words soon, when I can process them. For now, I can only say: thank you.

      My life changed forever today. I owe that to you.


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        Happy Wednesday everybody!  I hope it finds you well.

        I had originally intended to talk a bit about the Frost Giants of my world today, but over the past week I went on a bit of a map converting spree.  As a result I have two maps to share with you all, one today and the other this time next week.  My talk on Frost Giants will thus be postponed until Friday.  Now to the map!

        I know, not a lot of land on this one.  Unfortunately the large southwestern peninsula stabbing so far into the ocean forced that to be the case.  That peninsula is known as the Blade for what I feel are fairly obvious reasons.  The large port town indicated on the tip of the Blade is called Lyceria, and it is where Llargas takes  Pentaz and Buscidia to during the Cruise section of the book (read it here for more insight on that), and they travel inland through the jungle from there where they eventually settle in with a tribe of Wilder Elves so that Pentaz can further his magical training along with a small cast of other Magi under the tribe’s shamaness, Laohna (you can read a bit about that in the Academy section of the book which starts here).

        The jungle is home to a number of different sylvan races and tribes, no one group holding so much sway as to form a true nation.  The centaurs, satyrs, nymphs, dryads, wilder elves, gnomes, and other assorted fey/sylvan peoples prefer it that way, valuing their freedom above all else.  The closest thing to a true nation are those human tribes who have formed alliances with one another, most prominent among these being the Taehls.

        The Taehls originally formed their alliance in defense against a Zaltruscan invasion over 4 centuries ago.  According to the legends, a group of Zaltruscan noblemen had decided to saddle up their dragons and lead their armies to conquer the Blade.  The many jungle nations banded together to resist, with the bulk of the fighting occurring in the northern Blade.  Ultimately the battle was only won by the inhabitants of the Blade thanks to the awakening of their guardian spirit, the massive and magnificent rainbow winged serpent Quzaeltical.

        Normally a non-physical nature spirit, it is said that Quzaeltical takes a physical form once every thousand years in times of great need.  In this instance it slew all of the nobles and their dragons, and all but obliterated the Zaltruscan army before withdrawing into a deep and still, undisturbed slumber in order to heal the grievous wounds it had suffered that day.  Whether this slumber is in its physical form or a return to its physical form the tribesman will not say.

        Some of the tribes left the alliance after the threat was over, but many stayed and the alliance is still the strongest power in the region today.  The tribes have a distinct caste system, with everyone being born into their life roles.  The ruling caste are the spirit guides, those said to be able to commune with all nature spirits, especially Quzaeltical.  Through this bond they have also learned to use magic which enables them to take on the shapes of the various beasts of the jungle, a feat which Quelzhumi Taehls puts to great use during the Graduation section of the book (which you can read starting here).

        Quelzhumi is not just a spirit guide, but next in line as chief spirit guide for the most powerful tribe in the alliance, making him for all intents the heir to the throne, albeit a throne with less direct control over the tribal nation than one finds in the kingdoms of the "civilized" world outside the Blade.  He has come to the Academy to expand his magical knowledge, hoping that his people can learn more than just their shapeshifting magic and become more able to defend themselves should Zaltruscas ever invade again.

        The next notable students are D’naeshira.  A human, she was left abandoned in the jungles by her Lycerian parents when she began to manifest as a Wyrdlim.  Most humans can learn to use magic, but are not especially talented at it.  Occasionally a human will be born with a deeper connection to the world’s energies, such that they can use primal magics in much the same way as dragons and giants can.  Unlike giants and dragons, however, the Wyrdlim find it very hard to control these magics, which has led to chaotic (and occasionally catastrophic) outbursts over the ages.  For this reason most "civilized" human cultures view Wyrdlim with a great deal of superstition, and tend to punish them even to the point of execution for being born.

        The final notable student is Kitden Zutden, a sylvan gnome.  His pack(as they like to be called) wander the jungles constantly, being seen only when they want to and never laying their head down in the same spot as any previous night.  Unlike their "civilized" cousins, they do not feel the need to endlessly invent new machines.  Instead they channel their nervous energy into endless pranks and other shenanigans.

        After the events of the Academy and Graduation sections, Pentaz and Buscidia leave the Blade behind traveling east to the region known as the Badlands, going through the outer reaches of the Restless Bog to reach the small walled community known as Last Stop before following the trail to the closest thing the Badlands has to a capital city, Caasan.

        This update has gone on a bit longer than I intended, so I’ll leave my discussion of the Badlands for the next week when I post the next map.  You can read a bit more about the Badlands(mainly the Restless Bog and Caasan) starting here if you want.

        As always, thanks for your time and support!  Keep reading and enjoying!
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          Guess what?



          Know what’s special about those numbers? Probably not, unless you’re me, but we passed a huge landmark number today.
          As of right now, we have officially passed the point we were at two months ago when we lost all the false pre-orders. Tantalus Depths’s pre-order count is now 674: the highest it’s ever been.
          We are officially exploring unexplored territory now, which, at the heart of things, is what this book is all about.
          I’ve taken off the next three days from work. I’m pushing every single responsibility in my life out of the way and focusing entirely on finding new pre-orders. I will eat, sleep, and breathe this campaign.
          To get 76 orders in four days is 19 a day. It’s almost impossible. Almost. I’m not a fan of the concept of impossibility. I aim to conquer it.

          Meanwhile, enjoy this gallery of past updates: this time focusing on the vehicles and equipment used by the crew on Tantalus 13. Click any picture to be taken to the original update where it was featured.

           




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            We’ve passed into the double digits! As of right now, we’re at 97 orders to go. We’ve almost caught up to where we were before we lost all the orders. Keep sharing and spreading the word. The time for the final push is here!

            Also, I absolutely couldn’t wait to share this: Kaytalin Platt, author of The Living God, has made this amazing Tantalus Depths poster! Feel free to share it anywhere.

             

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              Thomas J. Arnold liked an update for The Lore of the Aos Sí

              The Mermen, The House of the Spilling Seas, hang their banner with the House of Starlight. Commonly called the Mere Folk, Mermen, or Salters. The Mermen hail from The Sea of Mere. Though the seat of their power resides in Formene, the Mermen themselves live in The Castle at the End of the World.They are led by the MerKing Enki who pays tribute to King Dagda Starlight. The MerFolk are an aggressive people, who patrol the open oceans. They are a capricious, wild people whose ferocity far supersedes the other folk. The MerFolk were born of the waves to cleanse the sin of the world. The Sigil of the Spilling Seas is a cascading waterfall.

              The Merefolk are one of shifting races of Tír na nÓg. Although they can take human form, the Merefolk prefer their beast form. They take the form of their beast when in the water and revert only to human form when taking to the land.

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