Messageboard Golem
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Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana
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Messageboard Golem
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Termana, a land of mysteries, intrigue and wilderness. In the world of the Scarred Lands, few places have much mystery as this vast continent many leagues away. For the average Scarred land initiate, this place is more myth than legend. Of course don't tell the forsaken elves that. They come from here. So do the Charduni, evil dwarves in the service of Chardun the slaver. Now it's finally here, the book to help guide you and your players through this unforgiving land.
The book has a nice fold out map much like the cover does. Geographically speaking, the continent is more of a large atoll in some ways than an actual continent, but that's part of the fun.
The interior art is varied, in terms of some really neat pictures, such as the Ghoul Lord and his Servant, to medioce, for the Jack of Tears, to some not so good ones like on page 33 with a guy fighting a lizard like man with a rapier (I guess that's supposed to be a Gator man...) But over all not too shabby. I also liked the Heraldry in this book.
The book is layed out into three chapters, an introduction and preface.
The preface by Joseph Carriker is pretty nice, and also I think sets the tone for the book. One of the better quotes that I think should be mentioned is from the this preface. "We also set out to break some of the assumptions about the Scarred Lands. The gods aren't omnipresent in Termana- in fact it's only among the northern folk that the gods are even acknowledged. The conflict isn't between godspawn and and titanspawn; two of the greatest evils on the continent owe fealty to neither." This I think is so true. Certainly this isn't the land shaped by the hands of the gods or even by the titans. This is a rugged land where evil holds a grip and cares little for who runs the outer planes. Fear is the coinage of this realm. Survival, it's own reward.
The introduction narrative is actually quite good, using Nablia Silverheart (the sorcereress half-elven woman from Mithril whose here both for personal and political reasons) and one Diago Sanhe, a rakish fellow on the run and who comes out of this thinking some places are best not exploring. This is probably the shortest part of the book, but also one of the more entertaining parts.
Chapter One is a history of Termana. It's an illuminating look at a continent that's still not very well explored or understood. Also in this section is a listing of new languages as well as a few old ones. If you have the SLCS, you might recognize a few. Fans of undead, rejoice, you have yourself a Ghoul King and he might still be around! That plus the histories of both the Charduni empire (and the Charduni themselves) and the Forsaken elves empire are expounded on.
Chapter Two is a look at the various countries and political boundaries. One of the best entries has to be the one for the Blood Bayou. If you though the Mormus was caprious and evil, you only just scratched the surface until you read this part.
Other entries also include the Silver Isle, home to the Sisters of the Sun, an order of female paladins of Madriel and watchers of the Isle of the Dead. Another is the Charduni empire and the fractured lands of the Forsaken elves. Oh and you do get to meet the gnomes and new race, the Terali, a race of leopard-like humaniods that roam the vast jungles in Termana.
Chapter three discusses many of the prominent geographical features, from the Titanforged Mountains (supposed home to Golthagga's forge) to the dangerous Iron Sands Desert. These and other dangers along with strange man made formations like the Infinite Stair, that connects the jungles in Termana to the mainland/outlands. You also get to see the Centuar plains, home to a variety of creatures, including the xenophobic centaurs.
The Appendix has a listing of all the major/prominent races. Among them, Gnomes, Gnoll and the new one, the Terali. These are all playable races, and have their listings there.
As far as for anyone else looking for something to add to their world, there is PLENTY here to use. The portability shouldn't be that big of a factor, considering the fact most of these monsters and races are basically in the Players Handbook and the Monster Manual. I would say, be warned about the Blood Sea...but I'm sure you can figure out what to do about that yourself.
Overall I really like this book as it's set a tone more about a land in thriving chaos as well as dealing with ideas beyond titan and gods. Here races, like gnomes, practice spirit and ancestor worship along side the barbaric human races. The jungles are lush and deadly, the lands harsh and unyielding. If you though the people in Ghelspad had it tough, think again. Termana folks, is where it's at. My only real complaint is that it's short. But hey, short, long at least we get a to see this place. So I'm all for it.
The book has a nice fold out map much like the cover does. Geographically speaking, the continent is more of a large atoll in some ways than an actual continent, but that's part of the fun.
The interior art is varied, in terms of some really neat pictures, such as the Ghoul Lord and his Servant, to medioce, for the Jack of Tears, to some not so good ones like on page 33 with a guy fighting a lizard like man with a rapier (I guess that's supposed to be a Gator man...) But over all not too shabby. I also liked the Heraldry in this book.
The book is layed out into three chapters, an introduction and preface.
The preface by Joseph Carriker is pretty nice, and also I think sets the tone for the book. One of the better quotes that I think should be mentioned is from the this preface. "We also set out to break some of the assumptions about the Scarred Lands. The gods aren't omnipresent in Termana- in fact it's only among the northern folk that the gods are even acknowledged. The conflict isn't between godspawn and and titanspawn; two of the greatest evils on the continent owe fealty to neither." This I think is so true. Certainly this isn't the land shaped by the hands of the gods or even by the titans. This is a rugged land where evil holds a grip and cares little for who runs the outer planes. Fear is the coinage of this realm. Survival, it's own reward.
The introduction narrative is actually quite good, using Nablia Silverheart (the sorcereress half-elven woman from Mithril whose here both for personal and political reasons) and one Diago Sanhe, a rakish fellow on the run and who comes out of this thinking some places are best not exploring. This is probably the shortest part of the book, but also one of the more entertaining parts.
Chapter One is a history of Termana. It's an illuminating look at a continent that's still not very well explored or understood. Also in this section is a listing of new languages as well as a few old ones. If you have the SLCS, you might recognize a few. Fans of undead, rejoice, you have yourself a Ghoul King and he might still be around! That plus the histories of both the Charduni empire (and the Charduni themselves) and the Forsaken elves empire are expounded on.
Chapter Two is a look at the various countries and political boundaries. One of the best entries has to be the one for the Blood Bayou. If you though the Mormus was caprious and evil, you only just scratched the surface until you read this part.
Other entries also include the Silver Isle, home to the Sisters of the Sun, an order of female paladins of Madriel and watchers of the Isle of the Dead. Another is the Charduni empire and the fractured lands of the Forsaken elves. Oh and you do get to meet the gnomes and new race, the Terali, a race of leopard-like humaniods that roam the vast jungles in Termana.
Chapter three discusses many of the prominent geographical features, from the Titanforged Mountains (supposed home to Golthagga's forge) to the dangerous Iron Sands Desert. These and other dangers along with strange man made formations like the Infinite Stair, that connects the jungles in Termana to the mainland/outlands. You also get to see the Centuar plains, home to a variety of creatures, including the xenophobic centaurs.
The Appendix has a listing of all the major/prominent races. Among them, Gnomes, Gnoll and the new one, the Terali. These are all playable races, and have their listings there.
As far as for anyone else looking for something to add to their world, there is PLENTY here to use. The portability shouldn't be that big of a factor, considering the fact most of these monsters and races are basically in the Players Handbook and the Monster Manual. I would say, be warned about the Blood Sea...but I'm sure you can figure out what to do about that yourself.
Overall I really like this book as it's set a tone more about a land in thriving chaos as well as dealing with ideas beyond titan and gods. Here races, like gnomes, practice spirit and ancestor worship along side the barbaric human races. The jungles are lush and deadly, the lands harsh and unyielding. If you though the people in Ghelspad had it tough, think again. Termana folks, is where it's at. My only real complaint is that it's short. But hey, short, long at least we get a to see this place. So I'm all for it.
Psion
Adventurer
Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana
The Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana is a rough overview of the continent of Termana, an additional continent you can use as a homeland or stomping ground for your Scarred Lands campaign. Unlike the first Scarred Land Gazetteer for Ghelspad, the Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana is actually a d20 branded product with some rules material in it.
A First Look
Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana is a 48 page saddle-stitched softcover book priced at $10.95. The interior text is fairly dense, making this book a good value.
The front cover of the book has a miniaturized version of the map of Termana; the book also includes a poster size fold-out map of the same. The cartography is by Rich Thomas, and the map is very similar in style to the ever-popular Ghelspad poster map.
The interior art is by Tim Truman. The art is less abstract than some of the grainy looking pieces that appear in earlier Scarred Lands titles, and is generally better than the art that appeared in the Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Ghelspad.
A Deeper Look
The Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana describes the history of Termana, as well as summarizing the major nations of Termana and the topographical features and other peoples.
The book is written from the viewpoints of two explorers who experienced various section of Termana: the half-elf sorceress Nabila and Diaglo, an amorous rogue with the hots for his forsaken elf guide (and for that matter, just about any other female in the setting he runs across). The book's writing style is both entertaining and informative, delivering an entertaining and inspiring story along with some salient details about the various locales of the setting.
Termana is a somewhat horseshoe shaped continent, with a major bay extending from the north edge into the heart of the continent. Generally speaking, the northwestern edge of the continent is inhabited by human nations, the northeast primarily by forsaken elves. South of the forsaken elf nations in the east is the Charduni Empire. The southern edge of the continent is less civilized, with jungles and deserts inhabited by primitive tribes, gnomes, and leopard people.
The back of the book and introduction promises a different experience with Termana than you got with Ghelspad. This concerned me at first, because Ghelpad is the Scarred Lands to me, and I didn't want something totally new. Alas, Termana is very much a part of the Scarred Lands, and it expounds on some details of the history of the Scarred Lands. For example, the Blood Bayou is here, and the book amplifies on the history of the Carnival of Shadows, and the history and details of the Forsaken Elves are well expounded upon, including the fate of the demised deity of the elves.
To wit, during the divine war, the elven deity was betrayed and slain by his Herald, who had been corrupted by Chern. The elves, however, had mighty magic at their command and bested the titan without their lord. However, most of the elves were cursed to become the forsaken elves, mere shadows of what they once were, unable to breed true. As such, they were relegated to capturing humans to breed with, by a number of means, none of them too nice.
Some high elves did survive, however. The high elves of the Citadel of the Rose trapped a number of demonic servants of the titans on the island called the Eternal Isle, on which their citadel lies. The Eternal Isle is warded against any entry or exit. The book states that the creatures trapped on the Eternal Isle are very horrific indeed, and woe betide Scarn should they ever be freed. It is said that within the wards that protect the isle, the demons and the elves of the Citadel of the Rose still war.
There is a short section at the end with d20 system rules material. It provides statistics for the races of Termana. This includes statistics for human racial modifiers for those humans who give up their starting bonus feat, in the same fashion as the Scarred Lands GM screen. It also introduces racial statistics for the Jungle Gnomes of Termana, as well as gnolls and Terlai (leopard people).
Conclusion
Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana was a very good read and sounds like an interesting place to set some adventures. Termana doesn't seem like quite the potpourri of exotic places that Ghelspad is, but it seems as if the nations and locales described for Termana fit together better, and would be a good location for more intrigue-based games.
The idea of the Carnival of Shadows and Forsaken Elves didn't catch on with me when I was first introduced to them. However, the story of the Blood Bayou and the interesting variety of Forsaken Elf nations were interesting and informative enough that I am actually warming up to the concepts as having real potential in a game.
-Alan D. Kohler
The Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana is a rough overview of the continent of Termana, an additional continent you can use as a homeland or stomping ground for your Scarred Lands campaign. Unlike the first Scarred Land Gazetteer for Ghelspad, the Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana is actually a d20 branded product with some rules material in it.
A First Look
Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana is a 48 page saddle-stitched softcover book priced at $10.95. The interior text is fairly dense, making this book a good value.
The front cover of the book has a miniaturized version of the map of Termana; the book also includes a poster size fold-out map of the same. The cartography is by Rich Thomas, and the map is very similar in style to the ever-popular Ghelspad poster map.
The interior art is by Tim Truman. The art is less abstract than some of the grainy looking pieces that appear in earlier Scarred Lands titles, and is generally better than the art that appeared in the Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Ghelspad.
A Deeper Look
The Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana describes the history of Termana, as well as summarizing the major nations of Termana and the topographical features and other peoples.
The book is written from the viewpoints of two explorers who experienced various section of Termana: the half-elf sorceress Nabila and Diaglo, an amorous rogue with the hots for his forsaken elf guide (and for that matter, just about any other female in the setting he runs across). The book's writing style is both entertaining and informative, delivering an entertaining and inspiring story along with some salient details about the various locales of the setting.
Termana is a somewhat horseshoe shaped continent, with a major bay extending from the north edge into the heart of the continent. Generally speaking, the northwestern edge of the continent is inhabited by human nations, the northeast primarily by forsaken elves. South of the forsaken elf nations in the east is the Charduni Empire. The southern edge of the continent is less civilized, with jungles and deserts inhabited by primitive tribes, gnomes, and leopard people.
The back of the book and introduction promises a different experience with Termana than you got with Ghelspad. This concerned me at first, because Ghelpad is the Scarred Lands to me, and I didn't want something totally new. Alas, Termana is very much a part of the Scarred Lands, and it expounds on some details of the history of the Scarred Lands. For example, the Blood Bayou is here, and the book amplifies on the history of the Carnival of Shadows, and the history and details of the Forsaken Elves are well expounded upon, including the fate of the demised deity of the elves.
To wit, during the divine war, the elven deity was betrayed and slain by his Herald, who had been corrupted by Chern. The elves, however, had mighty magic at their command and bested the titan without their lord. However, most of the elves were cursed to become the forsaken elves, mere shadows of what they once were, unable to breed true. As such, they were relegated to capturing humans to breed with, by a number of means, none of them too nice.
Some high elves did survive, however. The high elves of the Citadel of the Rose trapped a number of demonic servants of the titans on the island called the Eternal Isle, on which their citadel lies. The Eternal Isle is warded against any entry or exit. The book states that the creatures trapped on the Eternal Isle are very horrific indeed, and woe betide Scarn should they ever be freed. It is said that within the wards that protect the isle, the demons and the elves of the Citadel of the Rose still war.
There is a short section at the end with d20 system rules material. It provides statistics for the races of Termana. This includes statistics for human racial modifiers for those humans who give up their starting bonus feat, in the same fashion as the Scarred Lands GM screen. It also introduces racial statistics for the Jungle Gnomes of Termana, as well as gnolls and Terlai (leopard people).
Conclusion
Scarred Lands Gazetteer: Termana was a very good read and sounds like an interesting place to set some adventures. Termana doesn't seem like quite the potpourri of exotic places that Ghelspad is, but it seems as if the nations and locales described for Termana fit together better, and would be a good location for more intrigue-based games.
The idea of the Carnival of Shadows and Forsaken Elves didn't catch on with me when I was first introduced to them. However, the story of the Blood Bayou and the interesting variety of Forsaken Elf nations were interesting and informative enough that I am actually warming up to the concepts as having real potential in a game.
-Alan D. Kohler
Messageboard Golem
First Post
Not sure about intrigue based, but I do think there's a larger scale of raw survival in parts. After all the Iron Sands Deserts sounds like it would give the Ukrudan Desert a run for its money. 
But I also think the jungles of the Glamganjus would make a for a nice change for those wanting to run a kind of "missionary" type of deal.
Just curious since you didn't touch on it, but I would interested in your thoughts on the Ghoul king and the Silver Isle? (I found that very interesting.)
But I also think the jungles of the Glamganjus would make a for a nice change for those wanting to run a kind of "missionary" type of deal. Just curious since you didn't touch on it, but I would interested in your thoughts on the Ghoul king and the Silver Isle? (I found that very interesting.)
Paul_Klein
Explorer
No offense meant, of course, bit you rated the product a 4/5, yet I don't see where you state how it failed to get a 5/5. I don't own it, so I'm not saying that’s what it deserves, but I don't believe you've said anything negative at all about it.
Messageboard Golem
First Post
I think the reason Psion rated it only a 4/5 is probably because it's not quite perfect in it's excution of Scarred Lands themes. But that's just a guess. I know I rated it 4/5 cause it was shorter than I liked and there were a few errors in the book.
Psion
Adventurer
"I don't see where you state how it failed to get a 5/5. (...) I don't believe you've said anything negative at all about it."
I don't start from 5 and work down... I start from 3 and work up.
Though Termana was interesting, it didn't really want to make me give up my existing campaign or use it instead of Ghelspad for a SL campaign. The book had some interesting fertile ground for adventure, but that fertile ground looked a little limiting to me, like they relied on playing the same card more than a couple of times.
At any rate, a 4 is a good score from me, but I reserve fives for truly fantastic products that keep me up nights thinking, demand to be used in the game, are a great supply of ideas, and so forth. Termana's just not in that class of material for me, and I frankly think that too many people give out fives too readily.
I don't start from 5 and work down... I start from 3 and work up.
Though Termana was interesting, it didn't really want to make me give up my existing campaign or use it instead of Ghelspad for a SL campaign. The book had some interesting fertile ground for adventure, but that fertile ground looked a little limiting to me, like they relied on playing the same card more than a couple of times.
At any rate, a 4 is a good score from me, but I reserve fives for truly fantastic products that keep me up nights thinking, demand to be used in the game, are a great supply of ideas, and so forth. Termana's just not in that class of material for me, and I frankly think that too many people give out fives too readily.
Messageboard Golem
First Post
Which is what I figured you might say Psion.
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