Minor nit to pick on the Primer

In the section on Travel, it talks about galleys with “three to five sets of oars”. More than three doesn’t work, physically - it’s almost impossible to coordinate, and the oars quickly become too heavy to manage. Even with only three rowers, the separation between the oars was 9 inches maximum (assuming everyone was perfectly synchronized). Adding a fourth rower would drop it to 6 inches maximum, and a fifth to 5 inches max. With a couple hundred beings pulling as hard as they can, those smaller tolerances wouldn’t be enough to prevent clashing of the blades. It would be more in line with historical shipbuilding to say “three to five rowers per bank of oars”.

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll make an update. Cheers.

I love maps… so my general thoughts are in no way an indication that it is bad. My concern lies along the lines of how SSoS fits into the greater campaign.

North of Kemesh lies dusky Somirea (“Land of the Darkening Sky”) ?? Is this on the map?

Pillars of Dawn separate north Argolle from the wooded hills of Southern Argolle? What are the pillars of dawn? I see ocean. Is that the area of the ocean’s name?

North Angolle looks like a forest and Southern Angolle looks like plains. What is the significance of the Northern Angolle being forested with tree icons while nothing else is on the map? When South Angolle is supposed to be forested hills.

What are the major river names? Can they be labeled on the map? I think I saw mentioned the sea name in the text. Could that be placed on the map?

I note that the different regions are different shades of brown, but is it possible more clarity on the location where the Stone is housed. I have a vague idea of the location of the borderlands, but it seems like an important indication when we regard how the Campaign relates to the SSoS module. It would be nice to see what is surrounding the area on a larger scale in relation to the empire.

Where is the Mirmen (“black rock”) mountains that correlates the Campaign Map to the SSoS map in some fashion?

Could we get a clear designation of the empire borders as of the start of the campaign setting? If not in this 10 page (which is more than we made a deal for I realize) then in the Auran Campaign Setting module.

Really like the description of people groups. In the campaign setting it would be nice to see a model sketch of the male/female of each group.

Now I am just enthusiastically waiting for the Auran Empire Campaign Setting…

Also I may just be a lone voice on the 10 pages of sneek peak Auran Empire Settings, but I like detail just like you Alex.

Thanks for the feedback! The map is not the final map. Your comments are helpful in letting me know what else to add.

North of Kemesh lies dusky Somirea (“Land of the Darkening Sky”) ?? Is this on the map?

APM: Somirea is the long, California-shaped strip of land between Kemesh and Celdorea.

Pillars of Dawn separate north Argolle from the wooded hills of Southern Argolle? What are the pillars of dawn? I see ocean. Is that the area of the ocean’s name?

APM: The Pillars of the Dawn is the name for the strait between the inner sea and the outer ocean.

North Angolle looks like a forest and Southern Angolle looks like plains. What is the significance of the Northern Angolle being forested with tree icons while nothing else is on the map? When South Angolle is supposed to be forested hills.

APM: No significance! Just not a finished map.

What are the major river names? Can they be labeled on the map? I think I saw mentioned the sea name in the text. Could that be placed on the map?

APM: Major rivers are the Rorn River, the Kem River, a few others. Sure.

I note that the different regions are different shades of brown, but is it possible more clarity on the location where the Stone is housed. I have a vague idea of the location of the borderlands, but it seems like an important indication when we regard how the Campaign relates to the SSoS module. It would be nice to see what is surrounding the area on a larger scale in relation to the empire.

APM: Good suggestion.

Where is the Mirmen (“black rock”) mountains that correlates the Campaign Map to the SSoS map in some fashion?

APM: I think you mean the Meniri Mountains. The Mirmen is a river. Anyway! The mountains run west across on the southern (lower) half of the map. The Borderlands are the area between Southern Argolle, Krysea, and Old Zahar.

Could we get a clear designation of the empire borders as of the start of the campaign setting? If not in this 10 page (which is more than we made a deal for I realize) then in the Auran Campaign Setting module.

APM: Yes, good suggestion!

Really like the description of people groups. In the campaign setting it would be nice to see a model sketch of the male/female of each group.

APM: Agreed. Still wrestling with what sort of art to put in the primer.

Now I am just enthusiastically waiting for the Auran Empire Campaign Setting…

APM: Thanks again for the feedback.

“Along the border between the Empire and the Waste, two rivers – the Krysivor (“Arrow River”) and the Mirmen (“Black Rock”) – run northeast from the Meniri Mountains down to the Tëhonaurë.” Ah, I see the Mirmen is a river not mountains, I just thought mountains when I read “Black Rock”. Reading comprehension 101 fail: RTFM. Thanks for the clarity on my questions.

As an aside, seeing the map and the descriptions has been helpful in influencing which cultures are going to get what kind of ship. I’m still trying to figure out what Argollean ships would be like, but I’ve got ideas for Auran, Celdorean, Kemeshi, Jutlandic, and Rornish ships, maybe with Meniri as well.

Question regarding the EP and PP for the Zaharan coins. What do the Auran call those? I noticed in SSoS that ep was used in some of the treasures and probably a pp might show up in the treasures sometime to.

I’d be very interested in hearing what you’ve come up with. It’s not an area into which I have delved too deeply at present.

I had just assumed they call them “pieces”, as they were foreign currency and couldn’t be bothered to identify them. But you’re not the first person to ask this… People seem to like coin names!