Shadow world

[Nihthawk]

I am new to the Shadow World RPG system and would like to ask what are the best books I should read too learn more about this system.

[Greylorn]

Shadow World is a campaign setting for the Rolemaster gaming system. Rolemaster has gone through several revisions, but I believe the system used in this setting is Rolemaster classing. You can go to sites like RPG Now and get pdf's of the rule books for a reasonable price. Character Law is the guide for character creation, Arm's Law is the combat book, and there a bunch of other supplements to expand on the base rules.

[Chorpa]

Shadow World is a campaign setting for the Rolemaster gaming system. Rolemaster has gone through several revisions, but I believe the system used in this setting is Rolemaster classing. You can go to sites like RPG Now and get pdf's of the rule books for a reasonable price. Character Law is the guide for character creation, Arm's Law is the combat book, and there a bunch of other supplements to expand on the base rules.

Actually it is for both Rolemaster Classic and Rolemaster FRP these days. The last edition of Shadow World Master Atlas and modules after that have support for all the existing editions of Rolemaster. I think that will change when the new Rolemaster edition is released but that they are taking their time with it (which necessarily isn't a bad thing) but everyone can get the playtest files and join in on the play testing of the new Rolemaster Unified.

You can read up on Rolemaster and Shadow World on the ICE homepage (https://ironcrown.com/shadowworld/).

[Ardem]

Only thing I do not like about Shadowworld it is far from complete, the world could of used some more books

[Andraax]

Just wait a while, Terry is still writing them... :-)

In the meantime, here is his website (https://www.eidolonstudio.com/Shadow_World/Home.html).

[JohnD]

Product is still being produced... s..l..o..w..l..y...

[Nihthawk]

Thanks guys for all the info, I will start with the Rolemaster Classic books and take it from there.

[Ardem]

Andraax, I do know but if you played Rolemaster as long as I have, which I am sure you have. I been waiting for a decent offical rolemaster world since the 90's, I am sure it was the 80's for ofthers.

[Whatever@#]

I bought a Shadow world box set off of Ebay a while back as I was hoping to get one of my RM GM's to try running a Shadow World campaign. Don't get me wrong they ran great worlds. Sadly they never even looked at the material.
However, I was impressed with everything it came with. It had several books, explaining the world setting. Maps and was a very nice boxed set, especially compared to any other adventure modules or sets I ever got for RM.

It certainly seemed unique. I mean you had a mix of stone age peoples with space age technology peoples. Which seemed great to me, as RM has the flexibility to run any type of campaign. The Shadow World set seemed to give you a world setting that really would allow a group to showcase the RM flexibility. And the whole "magic wind" (forgetting the name), that those ships flew on was very interesting. Also I think one of the race creation books for RMSS with the winged men race was taken from Shadow world. I was even shocked that the Shadow World seemed to have a people called Sarnaks, which seemed to make it into the Everquest MMO, but apparently were in the Shadow World way before EQ was a thing. It seemed to me that Shadow World in the hands of a creative GM could be amazing. Even though I'm generally only interested in medieval campaigns.


If you can pick that boxed set up, I would order it. I got it when the Lord of the rings movie trilogy came out.
For the RM system it seemed top notched. Although everyone that seemed to be selling them came from the UK, and they asked fair prices. Though getting their mail to deliver to the U.S. adds a bit to the price.

I also got an ICE version of Moria at that time. Since I love Dwarves it was fantastic, even though the source book had water damage. Some of the older ICE game sources are incredibly well done. I got a Viking source book, space age one and even an Egyptian source book. I am a RMSS fan, but some of the older source books from I.C.E. are very well done. IMO much better than most of the adventure "ideas" that the later I.C.E. adventure modules seem to push.

[Majyk]

Agreed.
After picking up the RM2 red box set, my high school pay cheques ended up going to TKAmthor and I bought up every book from Shadow World as it came out, hot off the presses back then.
It, too, captured my imagination and I would flip the book over to look for the Kulthean atlas map elipses that would show one where exactly that particular adventure/setting module took place. It was in direct competition with the Forgotten Realms but was just for us RM - not Personal Computer! - “Master Race” folks.

My favourite locale was anything on Jaiman due to the sweeping artifact saga adventures that were detailed on that continent, but so much of what drew me in was the massive history a la ICE’s MERP line. However, magic was way more prevalent than campfire lighting spells! Of all the areas detailed in SW, the Western half of the continent was the place to be and I made sure, Norek/Jaiman/Silver Mist and other books were all used to create a massive campaign that took my players from 1st thru 16th level.
No other campaign got close to the staying power that my SW campaign took my players through.

A definite vote on getting your hands on every book one can, if available, just for the history and ever updated timelines.
That said, new content vs remaking old books 4 different times is my only gripe on lost time with SW as ICE went through so many revisions of their ruleset(not really, but enough to force book reprints).

Cheers and good luck with FG AND RM(with SW!).

[Whatever@#]

Agreed.
After picking up the RM2 red box set, my high school pay cheques ended up going to TKAmthor and I bought up every book from Shadow World as it came out, hot off the presses back then.
It, too, captured my imagination and I would flip the book over to look for the Kulthean atlas map elipses that would show one where exactly that particular adventure/setting module took place. It was in direct competition with the Forgotten Realms but was just for us RM - not Personal Computer! - “Master Race” folks.

My favourite locale was anything on Jaiman due to the sweeping artifact saga adventures that were detailed on that continent, but so much of what drew me in was the massive history a la ICE’s MERP line. However, magic was way more prevalent than campfire lighting spells! Of all the areas detailed in SW, the Western half of the continent was the place to be and I made sure, Norek/Jaiman/Silver Mist and other books were all used to create a massive campaign that took my players from 1st thru 16th level.
No other campaign got close to the staying power that my SW campaign took my players through.

A definite vote on getting your hands on every book one can, if available, just for the history and ever updated timelines.
That said, new content vs remaking old books 4 different times is my only gripe on lost time with SW as ICE went through so many revisions of their ruleset(not really, but enough to force book reprints).

Cheers and good luck with FG AND RM(with SW!).

Thanks for your experience it that game world. It sounds like the game world was as rich as I imagined it would be when I was reading the source material. Lankmar for D&D seems to be another of those settings that no one tries, but is so amazingly well designed and rich in material that it almost seems a gaming sin that more people aren't trying it. My favorite source book, though not a campaign for RMSS was the "underground races". I loved the way that book detailed the underground races. I still remember breaking out an "undrowned Dwarf" character background from that source book in a D&D (think 3.5) group. The GM and the whole group thought I was such a great role player, until I told them where I got it from. Then there was my thief in that same group , different adventure that couldn't open any locks or traps as the difficulty was too hard. So I bought a 10' pole and broke all of the GM's traps. Then I used the pole and some rope to capture someone so we could safely carry them to turn them in. You know, one warrior holding one end of the pole, and the prisoner tied to the pole. So the GM got tired of my 10' pole (which he actually mocked me for buying). He started breaking my poles on every encounter. So the group would buy me some. It became standard gear for everyone in the group. When they asked me where I got the idea from. I told them, I used to buy my stuff in RM from a book that literally was called ….And a 10' pole. :)

My RMSS GM's alternated campaigns. So we were extremely lucky as most campaigns went to about level 18-20. As the GM's seemed to be thinking of new ideas and itching to run a new game in their campaign, as they played ours. Which gave us alternating campaigns. One was very gritty and you barely earned enough to survive. The other was much more high powered and between the two it kept the group happily playing for many years.

[JohnD]

Man I'd love to play RM again.

[Majyk]

Man I'd love to play RM again.

It’s an early Monday morning session, but PM Ardem as we’re looking to add a player for his RMFRP/Echoes of Heaven campaign(currently using a Pathfinder Hell’s Rebels adventure path).

[GavinRuneblade]

Thanks for your experience it that game world. It sounds like the game world was as rich as I imagined it would be when I was reading the source material. Lankmar for D&D seems to be another of those settings that no one tries, but is so amazingly well designed and rich in material that it almost seems a gaming sin that more people aren't trying it.

The Lankmar novels are older and many new players have simply never heard of them. Which is a shame, they are good books and the setting has influenced a great deal of fantasy that came after. Notably, if you weren't aware, the diskworld books are famously inspired by Lankmar.



After picking up the RM2 red box set, my high school pay cheques ended up going to TKAmthor and I bought up every book from Shadow World as it came out, hot off the presses back then. To this day TK Amthor is my favorite game developer/worldbuilder. I sometimes joke that I am the TKA fan club (because RM is such a small community so most people have no idea who he is).


My favourite locale was anything on Jaiman due to the sweeping artifact saga adventures that were detailed on that continent, but so much of what drew me in was the massive history a la ICE’s MERP line.Uronthis Kalthul (https://www.eru.fi/arda/rpg/orakto/ja%27miil%20targ%20-%20outside.png) "The Claw of the Dragon": Best. Fortress. Ever.

[skippern]

I would like to see Shadow World modules available in FG, I use some races in my home-brew world

[Dakadin]

Shadow World: Tales of the Green Gryphon Inn(https://www.fantasygrounds.com/store/product.php?id=GCPSW1006FG2) was converted to FG but that is an adventure module and won't contain the races.