Announcing Castrobancla, the City of Aliens

[alex_greene]

Announcing the arrival of Castrobancla, the City of Aliens on DriveThruRPG!

A lonely city sits on the edge of a hot desert, in a solar system perched on the edge of a stellar desert.

This city of aliens is ancient. It is a home for secrets. A den of gamblers, thieves, hustlers and spies.

Welcome to Castrobancla. Have your papers ready for inspection, and make sure you've had all your shots.

Castrobancla is a sprawling city setting for use with Mongoose Traveller, Second Edition. It features a secondary world, Amarja, the city Castrobancla and a host of landmarks from the moon Candra to the Great Western Ocean and the Great Amarjan Desert through to buildings such as the Great Spinward Hotel, locations such as the Life Markets, the Search and Rescue Garrison of Menilak Ward, T'Pol International Spaceport, Voitila Ward - also called "Paradise" - and regions ranging from sublime opulence to crushing poverty.

The Travellers can discover Castrobancla's quirky public transport system, learn the terrifying secrets of Watertown and the Settlers, and encounter several all-new alien races including at least one with a secret that reaches across the stars.

Sixty six pages of fun and adventure await the Travellers in Castrobancla, the city where a thousand faces greet them on arrival, practically none of them human.

Here's the link, people.

 

[Sigtrygg]

The preview certainly looks interesting - I want to find out more so it looks like you'll be getting some money off me

Good work Alex.

 

[-Daniel-]

Just finished reading this. Very nice work Alex. I liked the feel of the place. I can just see us getting into trouble there and having a great time doing so.

I really liked the idea of the host. Plan to have them show up in other places as well. Should be fun. :mrgreen:

I also want to say I am sorry to see the average payment is under $2. This is well worth much more than that. I would encourage anyone who is going to pick it up, pay an honest value for what you get, please. Alex deserves a fair payment for his efforts. :|

 

[alex_greene]

Okay, now I had to update the files. Those of you who have bought the product already should have just received an email. Please let me know if the version you got is the updated one. The introduction should now begin "A lonely city sits on the edge of a hot desert" instead of the earlier blurb.

If the first line is still about a city of aliens, let me know and I will try and update this thing again. Drivethru's updating system is crazy.

I'm also pleased that you're enjoying the book. Let me know if you like any of the other alien species.

 

[-Daniel-]

I went to pick up the update. I can see two copies of the book for some reason. See attached shot.

 

[alex_greene]

The uploading management system is crazier than I thought. I am so sorry. I can't even check the file that I have online right now.

 

[-Daniel-]

The uploading management system is crazier than I thought. I am so sorry. I can't even check the file that I have online right now.

I downloaded both and both started with "A lonely city sits on the edge of a hot desert..." so I am unsure why it is showing two copies. But based on the opening line they both seem to be the "updated" version.

 

[alex_greene]

The very last update, I hope, should have one tiny little update. On page 48, I changed one instance of the word "largest" in the description of the Prem slum district to "poorest."

That's the one you should keep. I thought I'd deleted all earlier instances.

 

[-Daniel-]

The very last update, I hope, should have one tiny little update. On page 48, I changed one instance of the word "largest" in the description of the Prem slum district to "poorest."

That's the one you should keep. I thought I'd deleted all earlier instances.

Managing a document can become quite fun.

 

[alex_greene]

I have a question.

I am planning on introducing other aliens every now and then to future Traveller books. Would you welcome the occasional appearance of a Bandaluk, Kubotaur, Pelacur alien as an NPC, or even as an Ally, Rival etc for the Travellers?

I won't be flooding the airwaves with my homegrown aliens, but it would be nice to have them pop up here and there in future books.

 

[-Daniel-]

I have a question.

I am planning on introducing other aliens every now and then to future Traveller books. Would you welcome the occasional appearance of a Bandaluk, Kubotaur, Pelacur alien as an NPC, or even as an Ally, Rival etc for the Travellers?

I won't be flooding the airwaves with my homegrown aliens, but it would be nice to have them pop up here and there in future books.

This is pure opinion on my part.

If the future projects are set in the same area of space then I would expect the same local minor aliens to show up once in a while. It would make sense. Sort of like the idea that in the Spinward Marches I would expect to see more Vargr than Hivers. Locality would increase the odds. But as you say, don't flood the stories, but use them as one would use any spice. Small amounts to add flavor. One other thing, if you do include them a very brief description might be valuable so that one does not assume ownership of other products, but in the brief description refer to the original source product.

I would also strongly that you get illustrations done for each race. Pictures really do add to the introduction of an Alien race IMO. Given the illustration it would help solidify the alien in the minds of both the players and the GM. I remember the first time someone described the Bwaps to me I was thinking more lizard. Then I saw the illustration illustration in the JTAS and I laughed. The article title said it all. Newts.

Just my opinions of course. :mrgreen:

 

[alex_greene]

The cover image on the site may not have changed yet, but the book's cover has.

Castrobancla, City of Aliens

The new cover is by Stephanie McAlea. It now looks like this.

 

[-Daniel-]

Well that is a great looking cover. :mrgreen:

 

[alex_greene]

Occasionally, I stumble across pictures like this.

And nowadays, I find myself thinking of Castrobancla, and the sands coming in from the Great Amarjan.

 

[-Daniel-]

That is a great shot. It does have a feel of an exotic locale.

 

[wbnc]

Great art, it gives a very strong visual impression.