Salamonis Book?

[Mr Nibbs]

AVE!!!

Great idea, we're waiting eagerly for Salamonis Compendium. Apart from city itself try to describe area around - it could give many hooks for scenarios.

Thank you everyone for those ideas. A 25 x 25 mile draft map is in progress. The faubourgs are roughly mapped already, with the major buildings, walls, roads, gates and land use. They extend about 10 miles from the outer walls and show a more detailed river system and a network of canals. At A3 size, there is enough space to show geographic features, inhabited areas, land use, roads, patrol routes, border watch-towers and a few goblin villages.

[Pożeracz zwłok]

and a few goblin villages.

So one have to call on them with a piece of steel

[Mr Nibbs]

and a few goblin villages.

So one have to call on them with a piece of steel

The borders are patrolled regularly, so I imagine most of the goblins around Salamonis are usually peaceable, except when drunk. They probably hire out as local guides and porters and will barter almost anything.

[Pożeracz zwłok]

I've grasped the suggestion that there will be a kind of Black Market there

[torus]

Sounds great.

I'm slightly surprised that there might be Goblin villages within 25 miles of the city however. I know that the different races mingle more freely in Allansia than in most settings, but given that the Craggen Heights goblins seem to be mostly hostile, and Salamonis is more a haven of good, 25 miles would seem to be close.

This got me thinking about distances in this part of Allansia. Looking at the map at http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5XHQSz4q1g/U ... lansia.png (which I think we should take as our best reference), I estimated the following distances:

• Salamonis to Shazaar: 130 miles
  Salamonis to Silverton: 130 miles
  Salamonis to Warpstone: 200 miles
  Salamonis to Blacksand: 350 miles

Then looking at the various maps at http://www.fightingfantasy.org.uk/Booko ... INDEX.html , it is clear first of all that Allansian cartography has not always been consistent! However treating them as rough approximations to the same thing and comparing to the distances above, one gets the following ranges:

• Salamonis to Forest of Yore: 0-20 miles
  Salamonis to Vale of Willow: 0-20 miles
  Salamonis to Black Tower/Craggen Rock: 70-100 miles
  Salamonis to Chalice: 120-140 miles

All maps agree that Salamonis is sited at the northwestern edge of the Craggen Heights, and just south of the Trolltooth Pass. The latter is usually depicted as a fairly wide gap, i.e. 10-20 miles, with the Forest of Spiders immediately to the north in or at the edge of the southern Moonstone Hills.

Obviously since the maps differ one is free to disagree with them all. Although I see Salamonis as threatened and embattled, I think in prosperous times it should have a reasonable hinterland, with the nearest goblin settlements more than a couple of days' march away. But perhaps the terrain is exceedingly rugged and these are small independent goblin villages, not affiliated with the larger tribes to the south.

[Mr Nibbs]

I've grasped the suggestion that there will be a kind of Black Market there

I'm not writing any of the adventures, but that seems plausible with the larger villages.
A small goblin village probably wouldn't be as organised as that, but a chat with the chief should do.
Hand tools, hunting weapons and decent alcohol would probably have a high value.
A goblin gang with a smart leader might provide game and pest-control to border guards in return for an easier life.

[Mr Nibbs]

Hi Torus, The distances you note are fine, as we are reading from the same map.
It is also the case that the new maps are yet to be finalised, so details can change.

A distinction between organised, hostile goblins and organised, mercenary goblins might be useful.
A goblin unit might stay in one place for just a few months or take a tour of duty between hostilities.
Some workable relationship is likely to develop with the border patrols, I suggest.

[torus]

A distinction between organised, hostile goblins and organised, mercenary goblins might be useful.
A goblin unit might stay in one place for just a few months or take a tour of duty between hostilities.
Some workable relationship is likely to develop with the border patrols, I suggest.

Yes I like that idea - rater than constant hostility, it actually is much more interesting to have a more complex relationship between Salamonis and some of the nearer goblin settlements.. Potential for intrigue, politics and adventure.

[Nuvole!]

I didn't realize that you were planning to cover so much ground!
Is there any chance that you'll cover Trolltooth pass as well? There is plenty of fantastic material on that, from Creature of Havoc and other FF gamebooks and novels...

[Pożeracz zwłok]

other FF gamebooks and novels...

A'propos old books. Is there even least chance to rewrite old FF scenarios? Change sections with linking numbers into normally written adventure. Ehh, I don't now whether I'm clear. There is several dozen adventures - real treasure for all players.

[Mr Nibbs]

I am not involved in any of the writing, so I can't comment on the content.
The area map is a first draft will probably get a few tweaks before it is finished.
It shows the terrain and land use around Salamonis. Details are kept vague to suggest rather than describe.

The layout is based on a 15th century European city and works in a practical way.
Some large areas are flat and boring, unless you like watching cows.
Other parts of the map are very busy, but still leave room for improvisation.

Outlying settlements include a few mining camps, hunter's cabins and watchtowers and patrol routes.
The nearest currently-non-hostile goblin encampment is 14 miles as the pigeon flies from the city centre.
It doesn't sound that far, but some of the geography can get very unfriendly.

[bottg]

I am not involved in any of the writing, so I can't comment on the content.
The area map is a first draft will probably get a few tweaks before it is finished.
It shows the terrain and land use around Salamonis. Details are kept vague to suggest rather than describe.

The layout is based on a 15th century European city and works in a practical way.
Some large areas are flat and boring, unless you like watching cows.
Other parts of the map are very busy, but still leave room for improvisation.

Outlying settlements include a few mining camps, hunter's cabins and watchtowers and patrol routes.
The nearest currently-non-hostile goblin encampment is 14 miles as the pigeon flies from the city centre.
It doesn't sound that far, but some of the geography can get very unfriendly.

One of the reasons i am looking forward to writing this book is that relatively little coherent canon exists for Salamonis. We get hints and scraps, but little more. And so between myself, Steve and Florent (who wrote the french version and the included adventure set in Salamonis) we can use those tatters to build a city!

[Robb 1]

Re the Goblins. With the settlements near Salamonis, I think there's the potential to re use the section of the original AFF adventure A Darkness over Kaad ,which involved becoming the Goblin king/ Chieftain, as Well as having a goblin allie/ PC in Giblet the Goblin scout. I think it may fit well into this part of the world, and would convert well to AFF2, as well as provide a novel, humerous mini adventure especially the formalised challenge procedure for challenging for the king/ cheiftanship and the benefits it offers the brave adventurer who succeeds. O

[spaceLem]

Our AFF campaign (which has been running for something like 5 years now) is set in Salamonis, albeit with time moved on considerably, so Salamonis has grown to a huge city (and surrounded by an equally huge undead army).

While it probably wouldn't make much difference for our campaign, I'd certainly be keen to see a Salamonis source book, especially if it had some good maps and history/list of famous people and places.

[Mr Nibbs]

Our AFF campaign (which has been running for something like 5 years now) is set in Salamonis, albeit with time moved on considerably, so Salamonis has grown to a huge city (and surrounded by an equally huge undead army).

While it probably wouldn't make much difference for our campaign, I'd certainly be keen to see a Salamonis source book, especially if it had some good maps and history/list of famous people and places.

Hi SpaceLem, hopefully the new map will suggest some useful ideas for your campaign.

This draft map shows an area 25 x 25 miles square and positions Salamonis further to the south-east than old canon maps (which are not reliable). It is now sited on the bend in the river, which is a much more favourable location. The old location now shows a substantial border fort.

The walled city of Salamonis covers about 16 square miles on this new map. The faubourgs extend a further 3 miles out and are linked with an extensive canal system. Beyond the outer walls are (or were) the farmsteads and grazing land. The foothills hide deserted mining camps and ruined watchtowers.