Interview Ed Stark Carrie Bebris

Online Chat 1
Here is a transcript of the Birthright Chat from the 2/6/00
However, as those present will know, the server went down about halfway through, so many people didn't get their questions answered. Perhaps WotC will schedule another chat sometime. Anyway on with the transcript:
Question 1: How are occupations ended? Just by not using a declare war action to occupy a province for another action round
Ed Stark: Pretty much. An occupation can be ended voluntarily, or by rebellion, but it has to be maintained to stay in effect.
Question 2: Will there be any additional modules available online in the future, like the adventure trilogy from the 98 catalogue?
Ed Stark: Well, I'm not sure. Carrie, you were working on getting bloodspawn going, weren't you?
Carrie Bebris: From what I understand, bloodspawn will be available some time this month, as for the other two essence of evil adventures, they weren't far enough along in the design process to make available.
Ed Stark: shadow moon never finished editing, and charge of the cold rider never really got stated. You?re right.
Question 3: the human races are based on historical cultures, what culture, if any, were the Adurians based on
Carrie: I believe the Masetians were based on ancient Persia
Ed Stark: we'd actually come up with an evolved history of the Masetian empire, from its rise to its fall. Maybe I can dig out that map of Aduria, if it hasn't disappeared.
Question 4: any chance the Masetian history will ever make an appearance, maybe in an online format
Ed Stark: it's possible, but I don't know when I'd find the time to write it all up. Of course, Carrie's got nothing much to do.
Question 5: Mr. stark, in your last dragon article, and in the KotGB you alluded to the age of monsters. Was this something that Rich had planned, or did you introduce this?
Ed Stark: no, that was me. I basically figured that, at one time, the gods of Aebrynis were much more involved in the world. In fact I postulated something not unlike the early Norse and Greek myths, where the gods of Aebrynis were in constant war with terrible beasts and creatures. The first gods achieved victory and "tamed" the lands making magic less wild and more tied to the world.
Question 6: Norse and Greek myths?
Ed Stark: yeah, both Norse and Greek myths have tales of the ancient gods overcoming great evil monsters to make room for men in the world. It's actually a common theme in many mythologies.
Question 7: how big did you intend the provinces to be? They seem pretty small on the map when you compare the scales, but in the texts like in (the excellent) "falcon and wolf" they seem pretty large and have fairly large population sizes. Give me a feel for them that I can convey to my players.
Ed Stark: well, I wasn't involved in the individual sizing, but if you have a look at havens and tribes, I think you'll get the idea that I intended most provinces in Brechtür and Voslands to be fairly sparsely populated. A few settlements and farming, but only major cities would have high pop density.
Question 8: what can we expect from the new bloodspawn book
Carrie Bebris: about 18 shadow world specific monsters, plus a few adventures to introduce them. we developed some really interesting concepts about the nature of the shadow world. Many revolving around the presence of an illusionary element called the Seeming. a lot of the monsters can manipulate the Seeming to their own benefits others have learned to penetrate it to, also for their benefit
Ed Stark: the Seeming was really cool, I did some research on the myths of faerie and pulled a lot of material out of that sort of thing. it was forced perception - stronger than illusion, but it tied nicely with the fact that most magic in Cerilia was illusion (only blooded wizards could cast "real magic")
Question 9: are Varsks pictured as absolutely unique and alien to Vosgaard as are the Vos
Ed Stark: Varsks aren't alien to Vosgaard, the Vos found them when they arrived.
oh, I never really considered it that much, but I suppose there should be other fuzzy lizards in Vosgaard
Question 10: sorry for "off topicness" but many people have many interpretations of trade routes.. what do you suggest. Also, who if anyone were you intending to get the iron throne
Carrie Bebris: a pc of course
Ed Stark: trade routes represent regular contact between two provinces that results in financial profit for one or both of them. It can take all sorts of forms. And Carrie's right, of course. A PC should eventually achieve the iron throne, and would have.
Carrie Bebris: we did toy with the idea of Anuirean colonies on Aduria, and possibly of an undiluted Roele bloodline down there but such a southern heir would have been a challenge for the pc heir.

Category: Background