Chronopia - Drakar och Demoner

Two books were devoted to the darker side of an already dark setting. This one being about the organization of de Hängivnas, which share enough commonality with their wargame equivalent, the Devout, despite some theological differences, that I have maintained the name.

The second of the Dark books is about the dark side of magic, which isn't simply about the Devout's magic, but also brings in general demonology and the not-voodoo of the Cannibals.

The Blackbloods were the last faction to get their own sourcebook. The orcs are quite reminiscent of GW 40k's Orks, and the goblins are a lot like Snotlings rather than Gretchen. The Ogres are brought back after being MIA since the main rule book and maybe one other brief mention. Their position among the Blackblood was clearly influenced by how the Blackblood Empire is organized in the wargame, but given that they are just as dandified as the Elves, it's clear that the writers didn't talk with the Scottish team.

Väsen can mean people or creatures, from what I can tell. This final book focused squarely on the City-State of Chronopia does flesh out the other human ethnicities, as well as recombine all the various groups of a certain type found within the city. So you'll find a text on all the assassin types, the city bureaucrats, etc.

And here's the final book, Return to Altor, a clear attempt at trying to win back the old fans that might have been repelled by Chronopia's setting (although the description of the Grey Halls, a series of inter-dimensional passages, in the main rulebook would have clued them in that they could still use the old fluff books, since those same halls were brought up in 4th edition books).

I must admit that Return to Altor, People in Chronopia and Blackbloods are not up to the same standard as the other books. I've been at it for two years, which means around two months working on each book, from transcribing, translating and revising the text.

I will work on the three scenario books, although Circus Kad isn't really one that connects to the city.

Anyways, I do plan on doing more indepth work, going through the conception of both the RPG and the wargame. This has both roots in Sweden and Britain, and there's a story to be found.

Might as well post some artwork to showcase the look of the setting. As with Warzone/Mutant Chronicles, Chronopia sets out to out-shoulderplate Warhammer, even in the early days (this is from the Hired Swords Handbook).

As well as Adrian Smith, other well-known artists were hired, including Larry Elmore (doing some of his least Larry Elmore-ish paintings) and Paolo Parente on the covers.

And while the 80s-90s heavy metal Sword and Sorcery look is present, it also mixes with a variety of more modern looks, such as the previously-mentioned Elves and Ogres dressed as Dandies, Wongos dressed up as little Mandarins and the Goblins who try to wear trenchcoats and false beards.

You can kind of see how some of the style evolves till you get to the wargame, with the Dwarf Clans becoming more animalistic, the Blackblood become a secular Arab empire, the Elves gain spikey metal armour and the humans become the much more Conan-esque Firstborn Empire and their barbaric cousins, the Sons of Kronos.