The Principalities of Glantri
Encyclopedia
The Principalities of Glantri (product code GAZ3) is an accessory for the Basic Set
edition for the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
. The book was written by Bruce Heard
and published in 1987. The accessory's cover art is by Clyde Caldwell
, with interior illustrations by Stephen Fabian
.
The Gazetteer describes the cultural and geographic background, and adventures for Glantri, as well as its special features which include a fantasy city and variant magic systems. The nation's economy is explicitly developed in accordance with the dominion rules from the D&D Companion Set
, and the nation's armed forces are also described in War Machine terms (the D&D Companion Set’s mass-combat system). The origins, objectives, and main personalities of each aristocratic house and clan struggling for control of Glantri's Council of Princes are described, along with the number of votes it controls in the council. The book presents the city's assortment of guilds and brotherhoods, for example the Beggar’s Court, the Elven Liberation Front, the Free Fundamentalist Farmers, the Monster Handler's Syndicate, and the Thousand Fists of Khan, each with conflicting interests and political machinations. This Gazetteer offers an elaborated view of the magic-user's career, from enrollment in the Glantrian School of Magic, which permits a magic-user character to learn new skills, like quick spell-casting and spell combination. This Gazetteer also provides PC spell-casting specialties: The Seven Secret Orders of the Great School of Magic are Alchemists, Dracologists, Elementalists, Illusionists, Necromancers, Cryptomancers (runemasters), and Witches. Also provided are 20 suggested scenario ideas tied to distinctive features of the Glantrian campaign, including a 4-page "graduation test" — a complete dungeon adventure designed to test magic-users hoping to graduate from the Great School of Magic. The 22” x 34” map is printed in color on both sides; one side is a political/terrain hex map of Glantri, with insets of two villages and an army camp, while the reverse is a map of Glantri City and its waterways, and the map keys and building labels are in the text, so the map can be shared with the players.
This 96-page booklet describes the realm of Glantri
within the D&D world. The Gazetteer describes the history, geography, economy, the Grand Army, and the politics and rivalries of Glantri, and also has chapters on its marauders, mages, and masters, its guilds and brotherhoods, Glantri City by night, and living in Glantri City. Also detailed is the Great School of Magic, creating new spells and magical items
, the seven secret crafts of Glantri, and the secret of the Radiance. There is also a chapter on running adventures in Glantri.
, with a cover by Clyde Caldwell
and interior illustrations by Stephen Fabian
, and was published by TSR in 1987 as a 96-page booklet with a large color map and an outer folder.
Editing was by Karen Martin and Aaron Allston
, and the graphic design and cartography was by Dave Sutherland
, Dennis Kauth, and Ron Kauth.
The Principalities of Glantri was the third in a series of Gazetteer books, each of which treats one nation or empire of the D&D game's Known World; it was preceded by the first Gazetteer The Grand Duchy of Karameikos
and the second Gazetteer The Emirates of Ylaruam
.
reviewed The Principalities of Glantri for Dragon
magazine #129 (January 1988). Rolston called Glantri
"Quite an unusual D&D game setting", as it is a nation run by an aristocracy of magic-users, numbered among them disguised lycanthropes
, vampires
, necromancers, liches
, and Immortals; and "a nation where religion is prohibited, and where being a cleric is a capital offense". Rolston commented that "Glantri City is the best-developed AD&D or D&D game city" he had seen, with the exception of Lankhmar
as presented in TSR's Lankhmar: City of Adventure
, noting that his favorite part is the similarity to Venice
: "Glantri City has canals rather than streets, and travel is by bridge, gondola, or private boat". He also felt that the setting was visually "one of the nicest things from TSR in a long time", with its color map and the interior illustrations by Stephen Fabian
, "strikingly ornamented and full of character". He concluded that "The Principalities of Glantri is well-written, nicely presented, and full of nifty and original suggestions for running a campaign in a land ruled by magic-users. There are plenty of ideas, tones, and themes to choose from, with a refreshingly flexible and spontaneous attitude toward introducing new rules and offbeat ideas." Rolston felt that the source of its greatest strengths was the focus on magic-users, although he ceded that DMs may hesitate to run a campaign in a setting where clerics
are illegal but can be played covertly. He also felt that most of the ideas, characters, and settings could be used for the AD&D game, and that "no AD&D game supplement offers such a rich development of the role of the magic-user".
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The original Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set boxed set was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1977, and comprised a separate edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, distinct from the first edition of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, which was initially published in the same...
edition for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. The book was written by Bruce Heard
Bruce Heard
Bruce Heard is a game designer, and an author of several products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early life:...
and published in 1987. The accessory's cover art is by Clyde Caldwell
Clyde Caldwell
Clyde Caldwell is an American artist. Self described as a fantasy illustrator, he is best known for his portrayals of strong, sexy female characters.-Early life:...
, with interior illustrations by Stephen Fabian
Stephen Fabian
-Career:Fabian specializes in science fiction and fantasy illustration and cover art for books and magazines. Fabian also produced artwork for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game from 1986 to 1995, particularly on the Ravenloft line. He was self-taught, two of his primary influences being Virgil Finlay...
.
Contents
This book describes the land of Glantri, a country ruled by and for magicians. The book covers the history, geography, and economy of Glantri, with a special focus on the ruling families, their personalities, and intrigues. The Principalities of Glantri describes Glantri City in detail, and includes many new spells.The Gazetteer describes the cultural and geographic background, and adventures for Glantri, as well as its special features which include a fantasy city and variant magic systems. The nation's economy is explicitly developed in accordance with the dominion rules from the D&D Companion Set
Dungeons & Dragons Companion Set
The Companion Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1984 as an expansion to the Basic Set.-Publication history:...
, and the nation's armed forces are also described in War Machine terms (the D&D Companion Set’s mass-combat system). The origins, objectives, and main personalities of each aristocratic house and clan struggling for control of Glantri's Council of Princes are described, along with the number of votes it controls in the council. The book presents the city's assortment of guilds and brotherhoods, for example the Beggar’s Court, the Elven Liberation Front, the Free Fundamentalist Farmers, the Monster Handler's Syndicate, and the Thousand Fists of Khan, each with conflicting interests and political machinations. This Gazetteer offers an elaborated view of the magic-user's career, from enrollment in the Glantrian School of Magic, which permits a magic-user character to learn new skills, like quick spell-casting and spell combination. This Gazetteer also provides PC spell-casting specialties: The Seven Secret Orders of the Great School of Magic are Alchemists, Dracologists, Elementalists, Illusionists, Necromancers, Cryptomancers (runemasters), and Witches. Also provided are 20 suggested scenario ideas tied to distinctive features of the Glantrian campaign, including a 4-page "graduation test" — a complete dungeon adventure designed to test magic-users hoping to graduate from the Great School of Magic. The 22” x 34” map is printed in color on both sides; one side is a political/terrain hex map of Glantri, with insets of two villages and an army camp, while the reverse is a map of Glantri City and its waterways, and the map keys and building labels are in the text, so the map can be shared with the players.
This 96-page booklet describes the realm of Glantri
Glantri
The Principalities of Glantri is a fictional nation located within the Mystara campaign setting, in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game....
within the D&D world. The Gazetteer describes the history, geography, economy, the Grand Army, and the politics and rivalries of Glantri, and also has chapters on its marauders, mages, and masters, its guilds and brotherhoods, Glantri City by night, and living in Glantri City. Also detailed is the Great School of Magic, creating new spells and magical items
Magic item (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, a magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the character in whose hands they fall into. Magic items have been prevalent in the game in every edition and setting, from the...
, the seven secret crafts of Glantri, and the secret of the Radiance. There is also a chapter on running adventures in Glantri.
Publication history
GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri was written by Bruce HeardBruce Heard
Bruce Heard is a game designer, and an author of several products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from TSR.-Early life:...
, with a cover by Clyde Caldwell
Clyde Caldwell
Clyde Caldwell is an American artist. Self described as a fantasy illustrator, he is best known for his portrayals of strong, sexy female characters.-Early life:...
and interior illustrations by Stephen Fabian
Stephen Fabian
-Career:Fabian specializes in science fiction and fantasy illustration and cover art for books and magazines. Fabian also produced artwork for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game from 1986 to 1995, particularly on the Ravenloft line. He was self-taught, two of his primary influences being Virgil Finlay...
, and was published by TSR in 1987 as a 96-page booklet with a large color map and an outer folder.
Editing was by Karen Martin and Aaron Allston
Aaron Allston
Aaron Allston is an American game designer and novelist of many science fiction books, notably Star Wars novels. His works as a game designer include game supplements for several role-playing games, several of which served to establish the basis for products and subsequent development of TSR's...
, and the graphic design and cartography was by Dave Sutherland
David C. Sutherland III
David C. Sutherland III was an early Dungeons & Dragons artist. Sutherland was a prolific artist and his work heavily influenced the early development of Dungeons & Dragons.-Early life and inspiration:...
, Dennis Kauth, and Ron Kauth.
The Principalities of Glantri was the third in a series of Gazetteer books, each of which treats one nation or empire of the D&D game's Known World; it was preceded by the first Gazetteer The Grand Duchy of Karameikos
The Grand Duchy of Karameikos
The Grand Duchy of Karameikos is an accessory for the Basic Set edition for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The book was written by Aaron Allston, and was published in 1987...
and the second Gazetteer The Emirates of Ylaruam
The Emirates of Ylaruam
The Emirates of Ylaruam is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:This book describes the desert nation of Ylaruam, a land similar to the medieval Islamic empire at its height...
.
Reception
Ken RolstonKen Rolston
Ken Rolston is an American computer game and board game designer best known for his work with West End Games and the hit computer game series The Elder Scrolls...
reviewed The Principalities of Glantri for Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine #129 (January 1988). Rolston called Glantri
Glantri
The Principalities of Glantri is a fictional nation located within the Mystara campaign setting, in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game....
"Quite an unusual D&D game setting", as it is a nation run by an aristocracy of magic-users, numbered among them disguised lycanthropes
Lycanthrope (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lycanthrope is a humanoid shapeshifter based on various legends of lycanthropy.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, vampires
Vampire (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the vampire is an undead creature. A humanoid or monstrous humanoid can become a vampire, and looks as it did in life, with pale skin, haunting red eyes, and a feral cast to its features...
, necromancers, liches
Lich (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lich is an undead creature; a spellcaster who seeks to defy death by magical means.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, and Immortals; and "a nation where religion is prohibited, and where being a cleric is a capital offense". Rolston commented that "Glantri City is the best-developed AD&D or D&D game city" he had seen, with the exception of Lankhmar
Lankhmar
Lankhmar is a fictional city in the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber. It is situated on the world of Nehwon, just west of the Great Salt Marsh and east of the River Hlal, and serves as the home of Leiber's two anti-heroes....
as presented in TSR's Lankhmar: City of Adventure
Lankhmar – City of Adventure
Lankhmar – City of Adventure is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, first published by TSR in 1985.-Publication history:...
, noting that his favorite part is the similarity to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
: "Glantri City has canals rather than streets, and travel is by bridge, gondola, or private boat". He also felt that the setting was visually "one of the nicest things from TSR in a long time", with its color map and the interior illustrations by Stephen Fabian
Stephen Fabian
-Career:Fabian specializes in science fiction and fantasy illustration and cover art for books and magazines. Fabian also produced artwork for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game from 1986 to 1995, particularly on the Ravenloft line. He was self-taught, two of his primary influences being Virgil Finlay...
, "strikingly ornamented and full of character". He concluded that "The Principalities of Glantri is well-written, nicely presented, and full of nifty and original suggestions for running a campaign in a land ruled by magic-users. There are plenty of ideas, tones, and themes to choose from, with a refreshingly flexible and spontaneous attitude toward introducing new rules and offbeat ideas." Rolston felt that the source of its greatest strengths was the focus on magic-users, although he ceded that DMs may hesitate to run a campaign in a setting where clerics
Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)
The cleric is one of the standard playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the game, clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative...
are illegal but can be played covertly. He also felt that most of the ideas, characters, and settings could be used for the AD&D game, and that "no AD&D game supplement offers such a rich development of the role of the magic-user".