Road of Kings - Shem (Vincent?)

[slaughterj]

I was having some frustration when reading the section on Shem in the Road of Kings, and was wondering what was up during the development process. The map on the inside cover has Akhlat deep in Turan, directly south of Zamboula, yet the detailed map of Shem places Akhlat a good 500 miles southwest, to the west of Kuthchemes. Further, in the text, Sark is mentioned as a rival Qjara, mentioning Qjara lies to the north and east, yet Qjara is nearly due east (a bit south actually) of Sark with several towns in between which makes a rivals situation unlikely. Finally, in the description of Nippr, it says that it is on a caravan trail connectig Shumir and Akbitana, yet each of those towns on the detailed map are to the west of Nippr and closer to one another than Nippr, so there is no way Nippr would lie between them on a caravan trail. I haven't read much in other sections, but these oddities are disturbing...

 

[VincentDarlage]

I had next to no input in those maps; without further information I stand by what I wrote, not what the cartographer did (note that the cartographer in RoK is the same guy who plagiarized the map in Shadizar, so his maps are seriously in question by me).

The descriptions come from the stories, so I believe that gives them more credence than the map.

For the most part, Mongoose does not allow me to preview or approve the maps or artwork that accompany my text. They did allow me to correct errors from the original map. The maps in the adventure in Across the Thunder River also do not match the text. Since I am not allowed any form of approval, I guess that means I can legitimately say the map errors are not my fault. I don't get to see the artwork or cartography until the book is already published and printed.

The only exception so far are the maps in Ruins of Hyboria, which are based on sketches I drew (well, except for the maps of Xutchotl - my maps were discarded in favor of simpler forms) - but I still didn't get to see the final ones until I got a copy of the book. Even then errors crept in - the artist for the pool of the Black Ones moved the pool from the location I gave it - which means that one cannot get to the pool using the means Conan used in the story in the final version of that map. Just because I give them a correct map does not mean it will be followed by the artist.

Mongoose did allow me to change the map of Stygia to a more accurate one, though, which I appreciated a lot.

Pretty much I just write the words. I know that doesn't help, but, seriously, Mr. Bunce's maps for RoK are very suspect in my mind.

 

[MadDog]

Mongoose does not allow me to preview or approve the maps or artwork that accompany my text.

Thats pretty screwed up. I cant understand why a professional publishing company would follow such a boneheaded practice. If I tried to pull the same thing at my work, I would be slapped upside the head.

Mad Dog

 

[VincentDarlage]

I have heard that this is a common practice in RPG publishing. I don't know that for a fact, but I have heard it.

 

[FailedSpotCheck]

That stinks!
I don't blame Vincent at all. I too have noticed discrepancies between text and the illos in RoK, but I go by the text and hope the text wasn't changed to fit the (incorrect) maps!
It's a shame they do that.


Shame. Shame. Shame.

*wagging finger furiously at the naughty Mongoose*

 

[kintire]

To be fair, this follows in a long tradition of Hyborian mapmaking, in which entire cities bounce around like footballs!

I'd draw your own.

 

[ricardo440]

if you want to use the maps then there is plenty of scope in saying that the cartographers got it wrong. Mistakes in copying....
After all how many of the scribes that draw up the maps would ahve travelled the 500 miles to check.

Perhaps the original drawer wrote down the location from hear-say because his journey was cut short by a band of nomads with pointy sticks.

 

[Trodax]

if you want to use the maps then there is plenty of scope in saying that the cartographers got it wrong. Mistakes in copying....
After all how many of the scribes that draw up the maps would ahve travelled the 500 miles to check.

Perhaps the original drawer wrote down the location from hear-say because his journey was cut short by a band of nomads with pointy sticks.

Yes, this can always be used as an explanation, but I would still really, really, really want a map that was accurate. A GM-map I mean, not an in-game map. If I read about the layout of a land in a sourcebook I often look to the map to get an overall picture. It's really annoying when the text doesn't match up with locations on the map (or I should say the other way around as I do trust Vincents text more than the maps).

I've also noticed the stuff with Shem in RoK; hopefully we won't have the same problem in the upcoming sourcebook.

 

[slaughterj]

That sucks Vincent, but thanks for the information. Maybe they don't get it, but it defeats the purpose of the maps if they are inaccurate. Would you say the inside cover map for RoK is fairly accurate? E.g., for the location of Akhlat, but also in general? I'd like to use that as an override to the specific maps, if possible.

As for the Pool of the Black One, could you post your sketch so we can have a better location for the pool?