A thought about Khitai, Mongoose, and the Secret Argument

[Supplement Four]

We all know that there was some blow up between Mongoose and the license holder (Conan Properties, right?) that caused Mongoose to cease writing Conan material a year before their contract was up.

I wonder...

I don't think Khitai was a popular sourcebook--from just looking around and seeing what people talk about. There's little talk about Khitai.

I wonder if CP insisted that Mongoose focus on Khitai for a bit, given the MMO was releasing (has released) the Rise of the Godslayer expansion, set in Khitai.

I'm just thinking outloud here, talking out of the side of my mouth. I don't know squat in terms of the TRUTH.

But, I wonder...did CP try to force Mongoose to publish stuff Mongoose knew wouldn't be profitable?

I wonder at Mongoose's choice to put out the Khitai book, when, it seems, something like Turan and/or the Great Desert is screaming for a sourcebook. I think the latter would have been that much more received, especially since there are few Conan tales set in Khitai and many set in Turan or the Great Desert.

Plus, there were many other areas that one would think would be published before Khitai: Ophir and Corinthia. Nemedia. The Border Kingdom. Brythunia. Hyrkania.

C'mon! Publish Khitai before Hyrkania? Or Turan? Or the Great Desert?

Just curious about that choice. It makes sense, though, if CP is putting pressure on Mongoose to publish stuff that supports the MMO.

Just wondering...

 

[Hervé]

The Kithai book is not so bad, it's just that it doesn't seem to fit in the Hyborian world. It seems to me that the book was written as the average Chinese flavoured standard D20 book and then roughly adapted to Conan.

No matter who's responsible, it is indeed a shame that some of the major countries of Conan's world were completely overlooked. Turan is the biggest nation of the world along with Aquilonia. Turanians play a major role in many Conan stories and yet they never got their own book. There must be some reason...

I guess we'll have to stick to Road of Kings and the S&P Aghrapur article for ever...

 

[VincentDarlage]

I did write a Hyrkania sourcebook for my own personal use in the format that I wrote the other published sourcebooks. I started a Turan book, but never finished it. If you want it, you can get it here, but it's hardly official or anything.

 

[Phobos]

Mr Darlage, excuse me:

If you write that, for me and my players it is more than official, believe me.

 

[Kev]

Vincent, I fired off an email to you a short while ago. I'd be very happy to accept any material on Hyrkania and Turan you graciously wanna throw my way. Thank you very much for the kind offer.

Um...that is, assuming it was meant for any and all takers....

 

[VincentDarlage]

Of course it is for any and all takers, otherwise I would have sent them a private message.

 

[Kev]

I figured as much but I thought it best not to assume that that was the case. :roll:

Thanks again!

 

[djd]

Thanks Vincent! It's great stuff. The maps are good and the gazeteers really useful.

 

[Kev]

The maps are good

Maps? What maps? :shock: I'm pretty sure I didn't get any maps in the .zip file.

Are they the same ones found on Thulsa's site under Regional and Site Maps (http://hyboria.xoth.net/maps/index.htm)?

I'd very much appreciate a little clarification. Thanks.

By the by, thanks again, Vincent, for more well-researched and -written Conan goodness.

 

[VincentDarlage]

There should be maps in the zip file. Most of them are the same as on Xoth's site, but I think I included a couple of hand-drawn city maps.

 

[djd]

You did - and they're very cool

 

[Phobos]

Awesome Work Vincent!!! Just what I need for my Vilayet sea campaign

 

[Kev]

'Kay, thanks for letting me know.

I'll check my files again when I get home from work.

Don't know how I missed 'em when I was goin' through everything last night. :?

 

[Saeros]

Mr. Darlage,

I would love to have anything you would like to share.

Thank you,
Saeros

 

[VincentDarlage]

I'll need your email address, or you can directly download Hyrkania & Turan.

 

[Kev]

So, I...uh...found those maps y'all mentioned.

If I'd only scrolled down a little in the document folder with the text files I'd've seen 'em.

I just got so wrapped up in reading the different "chapters"....

 

[Trodax]

Wow.
Saw this generous offer last night, and this morning I had it in my inbox.
Many, many thanks.

 

[Supplement Four]

Vincent's generous offer to all of us is a real boon. I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't know what stage of readiness these two books were in.

But, let me tell you, that they're both DAMN GOOD.

What else would you expect from Vincent.

Truly, much of the Conan RPG's success is due to Vincent's involvement.

Kudos, bro. Kudos.

 

[Saeros]

Great stuff! Thank you!

 

[LucaCherstich]

Vincent, you are great!
Just a question: was this sourcebook ("Jewels of the Vilayet") intended as one of the infamous "atlas" series?
I find it very like other geographical products by you (e.g. Zingara&Argos, etc..).... I wonder: if this product was published as a normal geographical product (a rpg sourcebook) without mention of any "atlas", maybe we still would have a Conan line....