Topic: Green Gryphon Inn - opinions

[NicholasHMCaldwell]

The hottest seller formula includes price of product, number of sales and a time weighting (so the contribution of older sales decrease over time). I don't know the specifics.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

[ellemeno]

I've only read through GGI once so far.  I haven't had a chance to play it yet.

Conceptually I am having some difficulty with a lot of this module.  This bridge has been here 50,000 years?  The terrain hasn't changed?  There's been no severe flood?  (The statistical expectation for 50,000 years is for one hell of a flood.)  These talismans have all just been sitting around here for 50,000 years - they don't get lost or carried off by people who migrate or something?

The spellcasters all have huge numbers of spell lists.  Lem Draykin is a 2nd level Cleric and has 9 lists.  Reif Maglean is a 3rd level Ranger and has 8 lists.  Malica and Kester both have more than 20.  How is this possible?

I also think this river is much bigger than the module says it is.  On the Rhakhaan map it looks huge.  I think it's the size of the Potomac at least.  "Largest river Rhakhaan" and "major highway" don't sound like 30 feet wide.  I have the Key Bridge (at Rosslyn) in mind when I think about this - it's approximately 1500 ft.

It's also not clear what happens when Malica completes the ritual.  Not that the PCs should let her.  But they might.  (I would play it so that it happens on a particular date and the PCs might potentially ignore it.  This would have consequences.)  Are these 10 levels permanent?  Can the PCs take the stones away and perform the ritual themselves?  Is this a common happening in Kulthea - evil NPCs perform rituals to gain experience levels?  This doesn't sound like it was well thought out.

I want to read it again.  I think maybe I don't like this one very much.  (Which is ok.  I don't have to like everything.)

[Terry K. Amthor]

I've only read through GGI once so far.  I haven't had a chance to play it yet.

Conceptually I am having some difficulty with a lot of this module.  This bridge has been here 50,000 years?  The terrain hasn't changed?  There's been no severe flood?  (The statistical expectation for 50,000 years is for one hell of a flood.)  These talismans have all just been sitting around here for 50,000 years - they don't get lost or carried off by people who migrate or something?

The spellcasters all have huge numbers of spell lists.  Lem Draykin is a 2nd level Cleric and has 9 lists.  Reif Maglean is a 3rd level Ranger and has 8 lists.  Malica and Kester both have more than 20.  How is this possible?

I also think this river is much bigger than the module says it is.  On the Rhakhaan map it looks huge.  I think it's the size of the Potomac at least.  "Largest river Rhakhaan" and "major highway" don't sound like 30 feet wide.  I have the Key Bridge (at Rosslyn) in mind when I think about this - it's approximately 1500 ft.

It's also not clear what happens when Malica completes the ritual.  Not that the PCs should let her.  But they might.  (I would play it so that it happens on a particular date and the PCs might potentially ignore it.  This would have consequences.)  Are these 10 levels permanent?  Can the PCs take the stones away and perform the ritual themselves?  Is this a common happening in Kulthea - evil NPCs perform rituals to gain experience levels?  This doesn't sound like it was well thought out.

I want to read it again.  I think maybe I don't like this one very much.  (Which is ok.  I don't have to like everything.)

Hi,

Thanks for your input; I'll be looking into the spell lists. But as far as comparing the river to the Potomac, your logic is deeply flawed. I happen to live near DC and can see the Key Bridge. If you look at a map of the Potomac, it only becomes very large near the mouth, and it is emptying into a major estuary. The Blue is emptying onto a lake and that is 100 miles past Gryphonburgh. I note that it is much wider there. I also note that there are magical forces involved that control the river near the town.

[Arc]

Late to the party... (I only check in like once every other month or so), but happy I still got this at a deal [emoji7]

I like this format a lot, more detailed than a regional sourcebook, and yet enough background and context to make the gaming experience rich and varied. I also like that it's not too scripted, giving GM's and PC's the freedom to express themselves.

I like the new "GM Narration Text" segments, not that I would ever read them out directly to the PC's (I find GM narration artificial). However, I think it adds a lot of flavor and helps me as a GM to better explain the setting to the PC's.

If I did not own basically everything ever published on Shadow World, I would likely miss the context of some things in this module. What kind of a realm is Rhakhaan, who are the priests Arnak, the white Mage, the Loremasters etc. There is enough there to start the players off, but I know as a GM, I would like to know more.

So highly recommended for those that are familiar with Shadow World. And for those that aren't, I would recommend to buy the Master Atlas and the Powers of Light and Dark modules. A shame that Haalkitaine isn't available (as this would provide further context). Net, more content like this will be appreciated by us Shadow World fans. Thanks Terry! [emoji3][emoji3][emoji3]


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[ellemeno]

Terry,

I've met you a long time ago, probably 25 years, at various gaming functions.  I actually saw you in the Arlington library a few months back but you had stepped through a portal (or something) before I realized who you were and was able to say hello.  (You had a Larry Niven book on hold.)

I walked across the Key Bridge yesterday.  Wikipedia reveals that it's 1700 ft.  Of course, that includes the highway access on land at both ends.  The actual river is about 900 ft. wide at that point.  The river narrows to about 100 ft. at Little Falls (at Chain Bridge) and then widens out again above that.  Above that it's a few hundred feet wide at some points.  Down at the mouth, where it empties into the Potomac, it's over 5 miles.

Looking at the Haalkitaine book, the river appears to be wider than 30 ft. at Haalkitaine.  There's no way this is still a 30 ft. river at Gryphonburgh.  In fact, look at the scale on the palace map on p.96 on the Haalkitaine book.  Then compare the palace to the river on the color Haalkitaine map.  The river has to be roughly 100 ft. at Haalkitaine.

You just blew it on this one.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Terry,

I've met you a long time ago, probably 25 years, at various gaming functions.  I actually saw you in the Arlington library a few months back but you had stepped through a portal (or something) before I realized who you were and was able to say hello.  (You had a Larry Niven book on hold.)

I walked across the Key Bridge yesterday.  Wikipedia reveals that it's 1700 ft.  Of course, that includes the highway access on land at both ends.  The actual river is about 900 ft. wide at that point.  The river narrows to about 100 ft. at Little Falls (at Chain Bridge) and then widens out again above that.  Above that it's a few hundred feet wide at some points.  Down at the mouth, where it empties into the Potomac, it's over 5 miles.

Looking at the Haalkitaine book, the river appears to be wider than 30 ft. at Haalkitaine.  There's no way this is still a 30 ft. river at Gryphonburgh.  In fact, look at the scale on the palace map on p.96 on the Haalkitaine book.  Then compare the palace to the river on the color Haalkitaine map.  The river has to be roughly 100 ft. at Haalkitaine.

You just blew it on this one.

Okay, you are creeping me out a little bit. How could you know who I am unless you work at the Arlington Library? And if you do, it must be against the rules for you to be posting personal information about me.

[egdcltd]

I think - I may be wrong - that the Potomac may still be tidal at that point. Going by a river near me, that makes a huge difference - it goes from something like 700' wide at around the tidal point, to less than 25' much less than a mile further inland (measuring Google Maps).

[Tommi]

The river in stone channel in Gryphonburg. In narrow stone channel speed of flow increases, we can expect that also the level rises (and thus it keeps the volume flow rate same (Bernouli law)). It would also add difficulty to cross the river by swimming etc. in town area thus increasing the importance of the bridge.

What is the maximum barge size in Blue River? Are those able to face in GB channel? 

[kustenjaeger]

I'm enjoying reading this and it looks good.

I did wonder where the inhabitants were keeping their chickens, goats etc given the lack of space apart from buildings?  I assume there are a lot of nearby farms (and/or quite a lot of farmland the inhabitants work) outside the palisade and off the map?

Regards

Edward

[ellemeno]

Okay, you are creeping me out a little bit. How could you know who I am unless you work at the Arlington Library? And if you do, it must be against the rules for you to be posting personal information about me.
[/quote]

Sorry!  Didn't mean to do that.  Your space on the reserve shelf is alphabetically next to my wife's.  I sometimes see stuff for you when I pick hers up.

And, like I said, I've seen you at least once in the library, but my brain didn't reach "Oh, that was Terry" in time to come say hello.

Really, I'm not scary.  I probably am autistic.  Sometimes I do things that seem strange to people but seem normal to me.  Once again, I'm sorry.

[ellemeno]

I think - I may be wrong - that the Potomac may still be tidal at that point. Going by a river near me, that makes a huge difference - it goes from something like 700' wide at around the tidal point, to less than 25' much less than a mile further inland (measuring Google Maps).

Yes, it's tidal below little falls.  The narrowest spots are through the falls.  It widens back out above the falls.  The Potomac is much wider than 30 ft. at Cumberland, MD, which is 300+ miles to the West.

On p. 10 of the Haalkitaine book, it says "The Blue River is thick with barges and boats, most powered by a combination of poling and small sails.  Large keeled ships cannot venture far up the river as it is treacherous wiht rocks and currents -- and at the city, no tall masted ship can pass under the bridges to get to Haalkitaine's docks."

So this seems to imply that "tall masted ships" could get from L'Kyran to the bridges before Haalkitaine.   Which isn't going to happen if there's a small 60,000 year old bridge in the way.

You also need a more substantial waterway if there are going to be barges doing up and down the river.  You need room for them to pass.  Canal barges are historically something like 12-15 ft. wide with a 4-5 ft. draft.  (The C+O canal is 50-80 ft. wide and 6 ft. deep. for the full width.)

At the narrowest part of the river, at Chain Bridge, you can compare it to the canal.  The canal is 60 ft. wide at that point and the river is clearly substantially wider.  I'm not sure where you get 25'.

I'm just trying to reconcile the description in the Haalkitaine book with the description in GGI.  This is obviously an important Earthwarden site and it would seem to make more sense to have this bridge here if it's a big river.

[ellemeno]

One more thing I think is odd is the timing of the ritual in "The Eight Eyes".  The text says "The ritual is to be performed the next day at noon".  I would have thought having it on a "Night of the Third Moon" would be more in line with the flavor of the setting.

[egdcltd]

The 25' was from a river near me - not the Potomac.

[ellemeno]

The 25' was from a river near me - not the Potomac.

I misunderstood.  Ok.

[Terry K. Amthor]

The hardcopy for Tales from the Green Gryphon is now available! (Note that only the perfect-bound version is available; the 84 page-count is not high enough for hardback/casebound.) Green Gryphon Inn

[Destyar]

The hardcopy for Tales from the Green Gryphon is now available! (Note that only the perfect-bound version is available; the 84 page-count is not high enough for hardback/casebound.) Green Gryphon Inn

Just out of curiosity, what is the minimum page-count for a hardback/casebound?

Thanks,
--Desty

[Destyar]

Reason I ask is that most of us really, really like the hardbacks and if it's just a matter of inserting a few blank pages in the back of the book to do that, why not?

Just a thought...

Thanks,
--Desty

[Destyar]

Reason I ask is that most of us really, really like the hardbacks and if it's just a matter of inserting a few blank pages in the back of the book to do that, why not?

Just a thought...

Thanks,
--Desty

Bueller.....?  Bueller.....?

[jdale]

They can print hardbacks with as few as 18 pages, but below a certain size, it looks kind of dumb. The cutoff for that limit is a judgment call.

I suspect the minimum used to be higher, but the documentation on DriveThruRPG specifies 18 currently.

[egdcltd]

Although as the minimum size for a perfect bound softcover is substantially greater than 18 pages, I'm unsure as to how well an 18 page hardcover would work.