Taliskarn Notes: A Guide to Malkona

Work in Progress
Templates for two guides: a general one for all of Malcone, and a regional one – I plan to release these for each of the major regions of the continent. Right now they are posted as a WIP structure so that they remain in the git

Purpose: Provide core information about Taliskarn and Malkona, clearly convey what and how to play, and depict the essence of the world.

Publication: Wiki pages on the website (version 1) + consolidated PDF. PDF will be periodically updated for major versions. The website is the place for regular ongoing updates.

Distribution: Strictly free.

Content Type: Lore, basic world information, recommendations for choosing and creating adventures in Taliskarn. Contains all essentials needed to play, excluding detailed regional specifics, battle maps, stat blocks, and similar detailed materials. Mainly lore, narrative, and reference.

Key Goals:

• Set the mood, convey the vibe, flavor, and core idea.
• Avoid overwhelming readers with excessive detail.

Margin Scribble
Eventually, an even shorter "starter" version may be necessary: a very brief introduction to the world, a fragment of one region, pre-generated characters, and a short one-shot adventure. This, however, will be considered after completing the "Guide to Malkona" and "Region 1 Guide".

Contents

1. Introduction – A brief introduction to the guide and the world. (5 pages)
   • From the Author
   • What is Taliskarn?
   • What types of adventures and stories was this world created for? (Brief here; detailed in the GM section in Chapter 9)
   • Book Overview (what to expect)
2. Taliskarn World Overview (5 pages)
   • Creation Myth (short version, 1-2 pages; full version moved to appendix)
   • Cosmology
   • Moons, climate, time
   • Continents and Oceans
3. Malkona Overview. "Bird’s-eye view": geography, world scale, climatic zones. 10-15 pages; 70% reference, 30% artistic inserts and author’s notes.
   • General map
   • Intro to biomes
   • Intro to peoples
   • Daily Life and Development:
     1. Currency
     2. Languages
     3. Materials
     4. Culture and Technology
4. History: Brief timeline of major events (2-3 pages).
5. Miracles (~15 pages)
   • General concept of miracles in Taliskarn: attitudes, prevalence, types, and sources.
   • Notes on adapting classic D&D magic to the setting.
   • Pantheon: gods, cults, beliefs, and effects.
6. Peoples and Cultures of Malkona (~30-35 pages; 4-5 per race, 1-2 general pages for humans, 3-4 pages per culture).
   • Introductory overview
   • Political map of Malkona
   • Material culture summary (clothing, tools, architecture)
   • Summary table of peoples?
   • For each race:
     1. Biology
     2. Culture and lifestyle
     3. Material culture (clothing, tools, architecture)
     4. Settlement areas (including states and major cities)
     5. Languages and dialects
     6. Relations with other peoples
     7. Sub-races
7. Regions (Introductory overview followed by detailed sections; 8-10 pages per region):
   1. Intro (set the tone)
   2. General features (briefly describing the region and adventures possible here)
   3. Geography and climate (terrain, weather, resources, location)
   4. Miracles (supernatural characteristics, if present)
   5. Peoples and cultures
   6. States and cities (factions)
   7. Major conflicts and notable characteristics
   8. Points of interest
   9. Bestiary
   10. Magical items, artifacts, and treasures
   11. "Region Theme": conclude by revisiting initial ideas; provide 5-7 adventure hooks.
8. Adventures in Taliskarn (Primarily GM-oriented section)
   • Expectations from the world and various regions
   • Vibe
   • References
   • Using different RPG systems
   • Adapting various content for Taliskarn
9. Adventure Example: A short adventure demonstrating key ideas.

10. Conclusion: Final remarks and guidance.

11. Appendix A: Complete version of the Creation Myth.
12. Appendix B: Detailed history, timeline, and tables.
13. Appendix C: Pre-generated characters for the adventure in Chapter 9.
14. Tables and Charts (distances, currencies, month names, etc.)
15. Glossary

Approximate length: 250-280 pages.

Margin Scribble

• Uniform structure for each region, moving from general to specific.
• 70-80% text is reference-oriented and easy-to-navigate for gameplay. The remainder includes introductions, inserts, and author’s comments (ideally highlighted separately).
• Cross-references throughout.
• It is unclear exactly where and how to insert the myth. Given its size, placing it at the very beginning may deter readers. Logically, it belongs there, but perhaps a shorter version upfront and the full myth in the appendix would be best.”