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'''Talislanta''' is an [[RPG]] and setting created by Stephan Michael Sechi. The setting is inspired more by the works of [[Jack Vance]] and [[Lovecraft]], rather than [[Tolkien]], as evidenced by the tagline. In 2010, Sechi put all of the English-language products under the Creative Commons license, so anyone could download them from the Talislanta webpage.
'''Talislanta''' is an [[RPG]] and setting created by Stephan Michael Sechi. The setting is inspired more by the works of [[Jack Vance]] and [[Lovecraft]], rather than [[Tolkien]], as evidenced by the tagline. In 2010, Sechi put all of the English-language products under the Creative Commons license, so anyone could download them from the Talislanta webpage.


==Setting==
=Setting=
The world of Talislanta is a flat disk with a single continent surrounded by an ocean on it. The world orbits two suns and has seven moons, which are used to keep track of time.
The world of Talislanta is a flat disk with a single continent surrounded by an ocean on it. The world orbits two suns and has seven moons, which are used to keep track of time.


Line 22: Line 22:
Northwest of the continent is the Midnight Sea; this blends into the Aethereal Sea. This features sea-dragons and Khazad ghost-ships. Northeast is the Sea of Madness. Azure Ocean is west.
Northwest of the continent is the Midnight Sea; this blends into the Aethereal Sea. This features sea-dragons and Khazad ghost-ships. Northeast is the Sea of Madness. Azure Ocean is west.


==The Unknown Lands==
=The Unknown Lands=
Other continents / planets / planes are associated with this mainland.
Other continents / planets / planes are associated with this mainland.



Revision as of 04:33, 3 June 2020

Talislanta
RPG published by
Bard Games, Wizards of the Coast, Pharos Press, Shooting Iron, Morrigan Press
Rule System Omni System
Authors Stephan Michael Sechi
First Publication 1987 (1st Edition)
1988 (2nd Edition)
1992 (3rd Edition)
2001 (4th Edition)
2005 (d20 Edition)
2007 (5th Edition)
2016 (Savage Lands)
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"No Elves"

– The tagline for the gameline

Talislanta is an RPG and setting created by Stephan Michael Sechi. The setting is inspired more by the works of Jack Vance and Lovecraft, rather than Tolkien, as evidenced by the tagline. In 2010, Sechi put all of the English-language products under the Creative Commons license, so anyone could download them from the Talislanta webpage.

Setting

The world of Talislanta is a flat disk with a single continent surrounded by an ocean on it. The world orbits two suns and has seven moons, which are used to keep track of time.

In the distant past, The Great Disaster, brought on by the falling of the flying cities of the now-dead Archaen, transformed much of the worlds surface. Once verdant lands turned to desolate wastelands and a colossal magical hurricane settled around the continent, occasionally bringing in things like acid rain and arcane energy storms. From this came the Age of Confusion, during which Talislanta: The Savage Land takes place, when people abandoned the cities of old and much knowledge of magic and the world was lost.

The main gameline takes place in the sixth century of the New Age, as pockets of civilization have risen from the ashes, surrounded by ruins of ancient cities with riches and knowledge to be found, wild beasts, breath-taking sights, savage tribes, and rumors of a coming second Great Disaster.

Northwest of the continent is the Midnight Sea; this blends into the Aethereal Sea. This features sea-dragons and Khazad ghost-ships. Northeast is the Sea of Madness. Azure Ocean is west.

The Unknown Lands

Other continents / planets / planes are associated with this mainland.

Alhambra

Another continent lies past the Azure Ocean, mentioned in old Talislantian legendry. Accounts vary too much to say anything for certain.

Temesia

Beyond the Sea of Madness, or in it, is the "large island" Temesia. On it is a brass mountain with liquid mercury rivers. Probably why that sea drives people nuts. Panic demons live here.

Simbar is another island likely past Temesia, so isn't often visited. This has, or had, a rich civilisation.

The Darkness

Across the Midnight Sea, is the Darkness alias the Midnight Realm. This is by far the best-documented external realm. Morrigan Press, who had the Talislanta licence in 2005, published a whole thing on that. Which also has much to report on the Lower Planes en passant.

The Darkness is a hellish demiplane, and yes Morrigan was not above floating the word "grim" in this context. Its land is in two masses, a larger northeastern one and a smaller southwestern one, connected by a narrow isthmus.

The big sub-island used to be the civilisation of Thanatus. Now it is the Fallen Lands - so called because there's a massive rift to the AbyssDemonrealms there, which wasn't plugged in time. This place has gone full Iuz, even Worldwound. Rivers of molten iron, that sort of thing.

To the extent the Darkness has civilisation, that would be in the southwestern sub-island. Here are the Nine Princedoms. This is run by Tarterans, Talislantese for "tieflings". Tarterans have a caste society, as Lawful Evils do, so it's not exactly rainbows and puppies here either.

The Lower Planes

These are largely the D&D planes under another name, sometimes even the SAME name. Asmodeus rules "Oblivion" which is the Lawful hell, the Demonrealms are chaotic, and the two sides meet in the Riven Lands which totally isn't the Blood War.

One difference is that the Demonrealms have a hell of their own: the Void. What crumbles into the Void falls ultimately to the Dark. And that's the end.

There's also The Underworld, which is your classical Sheol, not necessarily evil.

External Links