Books

Before I commence with the topic of this post, I should point out that the script shown in my last post entitled "Busy busy busy!" isn't shown as intended. There appears to be an error in the blog publishing software that removes certain characters. To view the script as intended, please refer to the comments left after the article, where Lance Botelle has been kind enough to show the script in its entirety.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, books. Books can add much to the atmosphere of a module and are often overlooked by builders. As Relbonia has a unique background and mythology, the importance of books is even higher than normal, requiring me to remove any reference to the default books and replace them with tomes of my own creation.

Books can fall into a variety of categories, sometimes requiring a different style in how they are written. For example, a book that simply covers a subject would just contain the actual content, possibly with a by line containing the name of the author to help add flavour, while a book significant to the plot might have a paragraph prior to actual content describing something else of importance.

The problem with books that just give a little background on your setting is that they can quickly become boring to the player, who may eventually decide that they simply aren't worth reading (a crime I myself committed in the original game), but how can one go about sprucing them up a little? A technique I try to employ is to give them something that not only adds flavour to your setting, but is also interesting to read, with the inclusion of information that may prove useful to the player elsewhere in your game.

As well as placing books within my module that discuss the mythology of Relbonia (which can also be read in this very blog), I shall also be including tomes that throw further light on the mythology in an indirect fashion. I've decided to post a few examples here to illustrate my ideas, and give you all a further taste of the world in which "The Relbonian Chronicles" are set:


THE FAVOURED OF MOYBALLACK

Other than the Ancients themselves, the Lith are regarded as the oldest race in all Relbonia. Indeed, some scholars openly debate that they are the race from which all other races derived, hence they are sometimes referred to as "The Old Ones".
Thought to have been created by Moyballack, it should come as no surprise that they originated from the sea and only later moved to the swamplands that they now favour.

They tend to keep to themselves, particularly as most other races regard them with low esteem due to their smell and repugnant nature. Over the years they have had a particularly hard time, gradually being shunned by those who fear them in their ignorance. While it is true to say that their slimy scaled skin and large soulless eyes give them a rather hostile appearance, most Lith are in fact reclusive in nature and quite prepared to leave the world to its' own devices. The only exceptions to this are usually the result of those who have been set upon, as they are very proud of the fact that they can be considered as original stock, and can be easily riled by what in their eyes are little more than egotistical inferior races.

Many Lith are known to follow the path of Mouys.


THE RELBONIAN CHRONICLES

The Relbonian Chronicles have been an important part of Relbonian society for many years, keeping citizens informed of news and events throughout the land, while helping to spread both faith and education to the far corners of the continent. Indeed, were it not for the Chronicle, many Relbonians would probably still lack the ability to read.

Laboriously penned by Druids in their great halls, they are sold as a means of funding for the Druid Temples.

News is spread via a network of both writers and runners, or in some cases even carrier pidgeons, although runners are considered more reliable, particularly as they tend to consist of apprentice Druids eager to impress their masters. When a runner reaches their destination, news is quickly copied so that the scribes there have a master to work from, then a fresh runner proceeds to the next destination. In favourable conditions, news has been known to span the continent in under a week.

It is now seen as a valuable commodity to the realm, allowing businesses to thrive by advertising their services in their own regional versions of the Chronicle. It is also highly favoured by the Faith Council which see it as a useful tool to maintain law and order throughout the realm.


THE EYES OF DARROK

"The Eyes of Darrok" are crystalised earth, thought to have been formed in the hands of Darrok himself.

The God of Rathna is said to have once materialised at Mad Mount to reward a Dwarf by the name of Tabanash Koovarn. As a show of gratitude for the kindness Tabanash had shown the earth, Darrok scooped some soil into his rock like hands and lifted it to his face, cupping his hands in the process. As he blew into the soil, he crushed it within his grasp, capturing the magical essence of his breath. When he unclasped his hands, a glowing gem was revealed which he then gave to Tabanash.

It should be said that while the story sounds authentic, Tabanash is generally regarded as quite mad, claiming himself to be a mighty Sorceror. Having said that, it may of course be the gem itself that grants him the power to make this claim.

There are many varieties of these gems that vary in size and function. Their most common form provides light, with the largest often used by lighthouses along the more treacherous coastlines of Relbonia. It is said that a stone such as this was broken into the smaller stones sometimes found in jewelry.


That's it for now. Watch this space for the next update installment, where I hope to go into more detail for the intended player characters.