Dan Davenport posted this informative review about the new Talislanta game - which if I remember correctly, involved our very own Tenbones back when the Kickstarter happened.

This is one of the few RPGs from the 80s that somehow never caught my attention. I never remember seeing it played at conventions and I didn't know anyone who owned the books, but since the age of the internet, I've heard only awesomesauce about this game (even with the lack of elves).

Apparently, the game line (pre-Savage Land) is also 100% free to download.
http://talislanta.com/

So Talislanta fans, weave us great tales!

Here's some things I'd like to know. How were you introduced to the game? What's the simple resolution system like in actual play? Why do you think the game and setting didn't become more popular? How does the non-Tolkein fantasy (aka, no "usual" races or cultures) concept play out across campaigns in the setting?

Also, for those who own Savage Land, anything to add to Dan's review?

I'm a long-time fan of the game, going back about 30 years, although have only played it a couple times. I don't remember how I first came across it, although probably via the "Still No Elves" ads in Dragon. Or maybe I saw it on a shelf in the "golden age" of game stores.

My memory of the system is that it is fast and easy - sort of like a stripped-down d20 game - you just have to get used to the "Action Table", which is pretty easy to memorize. In fact, I think you can find the origins of d20 in Tweet's work on Ars Magica and Talislanta. Once 3E rolled around (early 90s, I think), it had elements of Ars Magica with the magic system.

I love the Archetype format, which essentially combines race + class, but with the class part being more specific and there being dozens of races.

It probably didn't become more popular because of its exotic nature. The "no elves" bit is a bit of a fallacy, because there are elf-like races. But it really does feel quite alien, like a science fantasy (without the science) out of the 70s. I always saw it in a group with Tekumel, Jorune, Shadow World, etc. Most fantasy players want D&D/Tolkien, not Jack Vance/Clark Ashton Smith.

I have the PDF of Savage Land, but detest PDFs and hope to pick up a hard copy. I never picked up 5E, although think it doesn't include the archetype system, which is one of the best features of the game. I think a lot of Talislanta fans find the 4E "big blue book" to be the best overall treatment. You can supplement that with the Talislanta Worldbook, which covers the rest of the world and is quite rich in imagination (my favorite Talislanta product).

Here's a tidbit: The creator, Stephen Michael Sechi, was partially inspired through psilocybin experiences.

I liked the free .pdfs and tried to do a deep dive in them... but reading on .pdfs too long gives me eye strain and what I saw was a bit too "high concept" for my younger pool of players. I'd have to find people just a bit older than me who remember (as in were actually there, not hipsters) vans with fantasy airbrushed art and bought Heavy Metal magazine off an actual newstand rack. We tend to be busy with life 'n shit and a bit spread to the four winds, and even then I'd be the youngin' in the group with video game & arcade references and cassette tape generation memes.

I am having trouble getting the younger generation to understand RPG (and Life) basics like: sharing spotlight time, cooperation, speaking up for yourself, making a decision, actions do have consequences, resilience in the face of loss... So Talislanta might have to come a bit after we can survive a bit of Forgotten Realm's more risque regions. So far 'the kids' are doing much better and the RPG lessons they have been learning therein they find are applicable to real life. Yay, hope!

/shakes fist!!

I'm working on the Fantasy Craft/PF/3.x thread (which is already eating into my writing time LOL). I'll spin Talislanta tales once I get through my next post on that thread. I never personally got the feeling that many folks here actually played Talislanta, and I've certainly over-pontificated on it, not just because of my involvement in writing some of the new edition, but because I truly believe that Talisanta is a great unsung game in the pantheon of RPG's.

The system is great, the concept *is* very high, but I think many people that casually read it and not play it might overthink it in some ways. I do agree with you @Opaopajr that younger folks today do have a hard time just "playing" TTRPG's. But I chalk it up to just being part of the GMing gig to win them over.

Dan introduced me to the game, actually. I love the magic system (I'm playing a cartomancer) and the core resolution mechanic is simple and fun. I appreciate that the setting is so different though I think more supplemental art/flavor might've helped, because it is so different I often find it hard to conceptualize the races/societies/locales during play. There's lots written in the rulebook, but I read it ages ago and haven't firmly stuck the abstract descriptions to the visual identities. We're playing 4th edition, which I bought in print (used), and the size/density of the book vs. what is actually a pretty easy system to learn might've been offputting.

Maybe what the system needs/needed is a "Visitor's Guide to Talislanta", that's a short rules summary plus some simple pictures and flavor of the various groups involved. On the other hand, I sent the website to one of my groups and people were immediately intrigued by the system (though we haven't started playing for other reasons), so maybe it just didn't get enough noise to start the positive feedback loop when it was in print.

Also, I came to this game VERY late after it was out of print / free on the website, so I have no idea if all of this was actually offered while it was still live.

I've always wanted to play Talislanta, but never have. The simplicity of the system has tempted me on occasion to attempt using it for something else (which, for my group, usually means something more two-fisted/swashbuckling pulpy) as a means of at least getting time at the table with the mechanics. I've often heard the magic system praised, but don't precisely know why / what makes it special.

Quote from: tenbones;1139467/shakes fist!!

You're Poobah of the D.O.N.G, we know that ain't your fist you're shaking!

If you can dig up your old Talislanta threads, please post links to them too. I think many on the forum would be interested in being introduced to something "fresh and new" from the past.

Well there's a few...

Here's the long one about the Savage Lands announcement.
https://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?29385-Talislanta-The-Savage-Land&highlight=Talislanta

Here's a short one about the system.
https://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?36657-How-do-you-like-the-Talislanta-system&highlight=Talislanta

I'll try to dig up more. And i'm *always* open to any questions about Talislanta Savage Lands or any other edition. Steve and some of the other writers lurk abouts - they might wanna chime in too.

TIL that Talislanta and Atlantis the 2nd Age - a game I've been on the fence on since forever - are nearly the same system. I just bought Atlantis on an absolute whim because of it. That missing bit of info (a connection I never made on my own) was enough to push it over the edge.

I may get this game system to the table after all.

Atlantis 1e, Atlantis 2e, all 5-editions of Talislanta Classic and Talislanta: The Savage Lands all use the same core task resolution system. All of them are about 95% compatible. The areas where they differ most (which is easily replaceable by the system of you choice) - are the magic-systems.

1e, 2e and Savage Lands are all pretty close.

3e's magic is pretty cool - easy to use templated scalar effects.

4e's is very cool but more "effects based".

5e... is a more complicated version of 4e...

Hmm, I wonder if I can crash course a PbP (play by post) here of Talislanta... Seems like I 'wrote checks I best have funds to cash', and Talislanta seems like the perfect sword 'n planet (now with a disco soundtrack!) to test out the RAW. It's an opportunity I say!

So, what major char-gen pitfalls should I watch out for, and how barebones can I run the RAW? And who wants to plummet into bedlam with me? (Yes, yes, yes, we can have some psychedelic metal among the disco tracks... :rolleyes: :cool: )

Quote from: Opaopajr;1139743Hmm, I wonder if I can crash course a PbP (play by post) here of Talislanta... Seems like I 'wrote checks I best have funds to cash', and Talislanta seems like the perfect sword 'n planet (now with a disco soundtrack!) to test out the RAW. It's an opportunity I say!

So, what major char-gen pitfalls should I watch out for, and how barebones can I run the RAW? And who wants to plummet into bedlam with me? (Yes, yes, yes, we can have some psychedelic metal among the disco tracks... :rolleyes: :cool: )

Honestly disco seems like it fits the setting super well. For chargen, 4e has prefabs in the back of the book, pick one and go. Also did I mention that I volunteer as tribute for bedlam? You might also want to give Dan Davenport a ping for his thoughts on running the game, in practice.

Quote from: Opaopajr;1139743Hmm, I wonder if I can crash course a PbP (play by post) here of Talislanta... Seems like I 'wrote checks I best have funds to cash', and Talislanta seems like the perfect sword 'n planet (now with a disco soundtrack!) to test out the RAW. It's an opportunity I say!

If you want to keep it simple - I'd go 2e. If you want to keep it a little more complex (but still quite easy) and cohesive with a little D&D leveling flava - go 3e. If you want Talislanta in full bloom with a very robust and medium-crunch magic system - go 4e. I'd avoid 5e entirely since it has editing issues but there was some definitely interesting directions they were taking it.

Quote from: Opaopajr;1139743So, what major char-gen pitfalls should I watch out for, and how barebones can I run the RAW? And who wants to plummet into bedlam with me? (Yes, yes, yes, we can have some psychedelic metal among the disco tracks... :rolleyes: :cool: )

Honestly - and this is STRICTLY my opinion. 3e is the easiest for Chargen. Pick a template. Re-arrange 2 points for stats. GO. Literally you can pick it up and get rocking with a character in less than minute. You'll spend more time looking at the Archetypes than actually making a character.

2e is pretty easy too. Not too different. But they don't really use a leveling mechanic and it's all skill-based.

If you want a REALLY cool life-path style chargen, it's more involved, but richer - go 4e (Big Blue).

There are no pitfalls except you should understand the regional assumptions and cultural mores of the different races. I highly recommend starting in the Seven Kingdoms for your first go-round since it's close to the "D&D-style" of fantasy. But understand that each of the Seven Kingdoms is *very* distinct in their own right. Just start in Cymril and pretend it's Neutral Good Melnibone (with issues).

I'm confused, Tenbones. I thought 4e had a "pick a template, change a few stats and go" style of character creation too. Am I misrememberingi that? It was 5e I thought had the lifepath style of chargen.

One additional question for those of you who've run this thing. While the core mechanic is dead simple, the book is LOADED with edge cases and special circumstance and specific applications of that core rule. My question would be, how much do you adhere to all the extra rules information as opposed to taking in the "spirit" of how to apply the rules and just wing it in practice? I tend to favor rules that present a simple mechanic (like this does) and then turns me loose to make my own rulings.