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Shadow World AI project – Iruaric

As part of my ongoing expansion of Shadow World material using AI, I probably need to spend more time on Iruaric, the language of the Ka’ta’viir. Arguably this is the proto language of Kulthea, (although I created a lesser version called “Alta” to differentiate high and low speak and the eventually evolution into power and magical languages).

Also to keep in mind is that in the Shadow World and Spacemaster, the Althans and/or Ka’ta’viir with “Harbingers” throughout the galaxy–a light inference to “seeding life” theory of sentience. There is a lot to unpack, but Iruaric should not be overlooked despite it being a dead language. Hey, there are quite a few Ka’ta’viir running around (relatively, it’s been 110,000 Years).

So I’ve been running prompt evolutions through the AI machine. To start we have this as a next stage baseline for further development. Some of this feels to derivative of the Kugor language, but in certain theories, Kugor is a sublanguage of Iruaric. I’m not a fan of some of these results, some of it seems over simplistic–pig latin at best by adding a suffix tag, but I’ve done additional iterations, adding in a flavor of science and math to steer results. That makes sense given the advanced nature of the Althans.

Nature and Elements

  • Fire – Fyrag
  • Water – Caelum
  • Earth – Græn
  • Wind – Vexil
  • Storm – Kyrag
  • Mountain – Torgun
  • River – Silyn
  • Forest – Wuldor
  • Star – Astyr

Emotions and States

  • Joy – Jylar
  • Sadness – Sorgum
  • Anger – Kravex
  • Peace – Silen
  • Chaos – Xyran
  • Love – Amorin
  • Hate – Hatyr

Actions and Properties

  • To Run – Ryven
  • To Hide – Cylk
  • To Seek – Søgen
  • To Destroy – Destrak
  • To Protect – Wærd
  • To Fly – Fliyr
  • To Swim – Nævum

Objects and Constructs

  • Sword – Sverd
  • Shield – Skild
  • Book – Bokar
  • Gate – Gæten
  • Charm – Charmyn
  • Potion – Poten
  • Gem – Jemar

Society and Culture

  • King – Kæng
  • Queen – Qwyn
  • Warrior – Krygær
  • Mage – Magyr
  • Priest – Prester
  • Thief – Thyf
  • Merchant – Mercat

New Vocabulary Expansion

Concepts and Abstract Ideas

  • Wisdom – Xuviir
  • Destiny – Fatean
  • Dream – Lirnæ
  • Memory – Naemir
  • Promise – Jairth
  • Honor – Korthal
  • Freedom – Farolæn

Nature and Geography

  • Desert – Rakan
  • Valley – Mûnlan
  • Sky – Hírvir
  • Rain – Shulurus
  • Ice – Rakshú
  • Snow – Rakkul
  • Grove – Serefol

Actions and States

  • To Love – Amorul
  • To Fight – Krygarul
  • To Forgive – Jaiarul
  • To Remember – Naemurul
  • To Dream – Lirnul
  • To Believe – Viirnæ
  • To Discover – Ahrenul

People and Beings

  • Hero – K’lav
  • Sage – Xuviiræ
  • Explorer – Phoenar
  • Healer – Emerlav
  • Scholar – Gaalekar
  • Trader – Mercatal
  • Outcast – Laakhnur

Objects and Tools

  • Key – Diræ
  • Boat – Nuularus
  • Cloak – Kulman
  • Lantern – Hírlight
  • Pendant – Viirgem
  • Tome – BokarPn
  • Herb – Serephoen
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Shadow World AI Project: Astronomy

This orrery captures the grandeur of the Kulthean solar system with a central sun made of golden topaz and planets represented by various precious stones, all adorned with gold accents and set upon a base that blends classical and futuristic elements.

We are covering a lot of ground with our Shadow World AI project and with these blog posts I’m just summarizing some of our work or showing our initial results from the last few weeks and months. My hope is to inspire other SW users to generate their own content, provide useful feedback on the work that I’m doing and moving the Overton Window on the discussions around community content. The hard reality is that AI generative material will quickly outpace human creators in both scope and speed and will be able to emulate creative’s style and work product. As much as I try to keep my material “in the lane” with Canon, AI will be able to iterate new material using Terry’s baseline work–which is substantial.

I’ve been working on a simulation of orbital mechanics to understand the interplay of Kulthea, Orhan and Charon (which matters most to gameplay). My first step was to feed the planetary info into the system and model it. Part of that process was to also generate an ornate orrery that is used in the Temples of Phaon. You can see the picture above. Future work will be to create a animated simulation of the solar system but I want to start with a small simulation of Kulthea and it’s moons.

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Shadow World AI project – Kugor

One of the areas that AI like Chatgpt can excel is generating fantasy languages. Not just word emulation, but grammar rules. I’ve been playing around with expanding the vocabularies that have floated around Shadow World books since the original Iron Wind, with a focus on Iruaric and Kugor (the language of Dragonlords). I start with uploading the current available words from the Master Atlas to create a baseline for the AI to work from. Kugor was interesting since it seemed to relate to, or draw, from Norse or Scandanavian influences. I’d be curious if that was intentional on Terry’s part.

The following is a basic first run with a sampling of results:

Kugor

Kugor appears to have a rich tapestry of words, with distinct sounds and themes focused on power, nature, elements, and societal structures. We’ll create new words that reflect and extend these themes, ensuring they’re phonetically aligned with what you’ve shared.

Given the established vocabulary’s emphasis on strong consonant sounds (like “g,” “k,” “r,” and “b”), use of double vowels for emphasis, and thematic focus on elements, creatures, and societal roles, the new words will follow suit.

Nature and Environment

  • Storm – Raathuon
  • Volcano – Shaangarn
  • Iceberg – Raathkarn
  • River – Biarkael
  • Valley – Karnbrod
  • Meadow – Prykachaw
  • Sun – Utumkodur

Creatures and Beings

  • Wolf – Drayn
  • Eagle – Kodry
  • Serpent – Ssovalg
  • Giant – Hoerkarn
  • Witch – Womuulga
  • Wizard – Womawga

Societal and Conceptual

  • King – Folmgaak
  • Queen – Folmgaakur
  • Hero – Breyaalc
  • Villain – Gartgaath
  • Treasure – Utumwomul
  • Curse – Gaarkchaur

Objects and Artifacts

  • Sword – Daagutum
  • Shield – Aalkaed
  • Book – Cuivagak
  • Potion – Rúansig
  • Crown – Aedfolm
  • Jewel – Eanwomul

Actions and Properties

  • To Conquer – Druskarn
  • To Betray – Gartkraaw
  • To Celebrate – Brechaw
  • To Enchant – Womuulchort
  • To Discover – Uscurackarn
  • To Heal – Prykawomul

Additional Vocabulary Expansion

Natural World and Geography

  • Thunder – Raathlyyg
  • Lightning – Piriig
  • Forest Glade – Chawlocha
  • Ocean – Aactoskuur
  • Mountain Pass – Karnny
  • Volcanic Ash – Shaangdes

Creatures and Beings

  • Sea Monster – Aactosdrak
  • Mountain Spirit – Karnorg
  • Forest Guardian – Horlyalc
  • Sky Serpent – Awduussoi
  • Ancestral Ghost – Androskhomul

Societal Roles and Constructs

  • Chieftain – AWkanga
  • Sage – Fawshrydrul
  • Craftsman – Arxduleer
  • Emissary – Druulkaag
  • Rebel – Ordir

Concepts and Abstract Ideas

  • Oath – Kodulryt
  • Exile – Iirmord
  • Alliance – Chaaggagur
  • Ritual – Yhomechooth
  • Prophecy – Koduldrul

Objects and Artifacts

  • Rune Stone – Orguscurac
  • Heirloom Sword – Daagutumleer
  • Enchanted Cloak – Womuulain
  • Druidic Staff – Uscuractarmen
  • Ship’s Figurehead – Progaorg

Actions and States

  • To Envision – Piriidrul
  • To Enchant – Uscuracchort
  • To Forsake – Gartord
  • To Illuminate – Piriolias
  • To Reign – Kangaoran

I think this is an encouraging first step! AI tools will actually build rules around verb and adverb usage, conjugation, gender use and perspective. My own usage is around building a word toolkit that is phonetically related to the baseline and generating compound words and short phrasing. However, someone with a deeper understanding of language building could really run with this.

We’ve already been working on a central repository for non-commercial Shadow World artwork, it would also be helpful to create a wiki dictionary with expanded lexicon of the more prominent languages. I’m simultaneously working on Iruaric which I’ll post up next, but the Elven languages might be very interesting given Terry’s initial work in the Tolkien setting.

Again, as a disclaimer, I understand the concern and issues around AI generative material, but I also see powerful tools able to expand on Terry’s work without a disruption of canon.

Your thoughts?

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AI Shadow World Fan Art

We’ve started a sub-thread over on the Discord server to upload AI generated Shadow World art. You can find it HERE. If you have any illustrations, maps or art for Shadow World, please post it up for everyone!

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Using AI for Shadow World: Demons of the Pales

I’ve been going through my various projects and generating and inserting quick artwork to capture the flavor and essence of persons, places and things. I’m a novice at AI generated art, and I completely understand the issues around using AI in commercial projects. This isn’t that. One of my major roadblocks for content creation is my limited art and floor plan skills–abilities that Terry had in spades (given his architectural/design background) and really drove the Shadow World aesthetic and narrative. I was tinkering with my “Book of the Pales”. I had excluded the descriptions of the main Demon types for copyright and IP issues, but I wanted to create include more accurate artwork. I’ve literally put 30 minutes of effort into these generations, but I think they work great!

A Pale I Demon with pale grey skin and the clump of wiry hair atop its large skull, wielding a club.

A Second Pale Demon in traditional line drawing. Needs some more work and the hands and feet need webbing!

The Demon of the Third Pale, capturing its towering, lithe form with dark grey coloring and huge, bat-like wings extending from its long arms.

A Fourth Pale Demon. I really like this–a very catlike and serpentine feel. One of my modules takes place on Charon and I utilize these Demons there in the tunnels…

Fifth Pale Demon. I like this–especially the technology touches with hints of the fusion of flesh and metal.

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Using AI for Shadow World: Krylites

This illustration is showcasing its unique features like the giant grasshopper stance, powerful rear legs, blue-grey exoskeleton, and the distinctive head with insectile mandibles. The Krylite features the creature holding a lightning gun, further enhancing its alien warrior appearance.

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Using AI for Shadow World. Shards.

Per ChatGTP. Here’s the illustration of the Shard, an artificial creature with enchanted organic features. This drawing captures its unique characteristics, including the greenish hide covering its body, the wart-like protrusions on its feet, and the semitransparent layer that obscures its facial features, giving it a haunting appearance.

I’m going to be writing a lot about our AI Shadow World project in the coming months, but thought I would showcase a quick image generation of a Shard. Here is another version with a small iteration on the prompt:

Obviously they can be fine tuned, but for about 2 minutes of work that’s exceptional. For me, there is not just an opportunity to create art work for unique creatures found in Shadow World, but the ability to create new creatures with basic descriptions. Stat blocks are easy to create from an illustration, and having the artwork really enhances the gameplay and immersion.

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Rolemaster, Rolemasterblog and the Future!

I was reading James recent blog over at Grognardia, and it made me think about the current state of this blog and what topics to write about in the future. While James has written more posts (orders of magnitude more), I’m currently sitting at 426 posts over the last 10 years. That’s not bad considering I’ve had lots of downtime and gaps in my output.

Also like James, it’s harder for me to find new material to discuss and/or I realize I’ve already written on the topic years ago. I always thought it was odd when someone would tell me they couldn’t remember how old they were (it tracks now that I’m in my 50’s), and it can also be difficult to remember what I blogged about five, eight or even ten years ago! I think I’ve mined some interesting angles with Rolemaster and Shadow World, but I’m not sure where else I can go with this. Inspiration will occur, but I suspect at a much slower rate.

So where does that leave us? RMU is finally out (mostly), Terry has passed leaving Shadow World indeterminate, TTRPG’s are as popular as they have ever been, and there are numerous channels to explore gaming topics. What conclusions can we draw from these basic observations:

  1. The environment is right to promote Rolemaster/RMU. The system is still one of the few “complex” systems for gamers looking for more verisimilitude. Just like in the early 80’s, players converted to Rolemaster for greater realism or grittiness. Those conditions still exist today–most games embrace simplicity and “rule lite’ structures; there will always be a need for complexity for maturing gamers. It’s a cycle. We need a blogger to cover RMU rules and issues.
  2. Shadow World is still a viable setting for Rolemaster and with a bit of tweeking, RMU. I’ll continue to focus on SW as my main blogging topic, and continue to produce material for that setting. I’m currently focusing on using AI tools to leverage that effort.
  3. In general we need more writers with other viewpoints, ideas and material to contribute to this blog. If you prefer long form over short tweets or discord give blogging a try. There isn’t much RM blogging out there, so it might be better to consolidate output into the Rolemasterblog?
  4. Overall we need to keep the Rolemaster flame lit. RMU has drawn new users and brought old users back. When they search the web they need to find a home, content or a community to engage. Basically there are 3 choices: Rolemaster Forums, Rolemasterblog and RM discord servers.

Sometimes it’s hard to gauge engagement when there is a lack of comments–so let me ask directly. What do you like to read about? Is there material or topics that we haven’t touched upon? Is there something we should focus on more? What material would you find more engaging or comfortable commenting or participating in?

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Happy Easter from the Rolemasterblog!

From all of us here at the Rolemasterblog, happy holiday. And don’t forget that Rolemaster already has a holiday appropriate foe for your unsuspecting group to encounter: The Killer Rabbit.

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Minor Enchanting in Shadow World

I recently finished my first pass through on the new RMU Treasure Law and was pleased to see the inclusion and continued concept of “Charms” in the book (Charm Creation p.182). I’ve written a bit about “Single Use” magic items, and I think they are a underappreciated and perhaps under developed type of magic in Rolemaster. I’m not sure if “Minor Enchantments” is the best name for this category of magic items because it implies these are relatively minor or weak spell effects. But on the contrary, powerful magics can be imbued into “minor” objects (thus the name): a feather, a semi-precious stone, a talon or something similar. There are a number of lists I would categorize as Minor Enchantments: Charms, Weapon or Armor Runes, etc, but they can be defined as the following:

  1. Easy embedding or creation process. These items don’t require multiple day/week/month investiture to create.
  2. 1 use. While you could have multiple charges in some, generally these charms are consumables–the item is destroyed when activated, or the effect is dispelled from the object.
  3. They are either “pro-active” or “re-active” items. Pro-active items could be candles that once lit activate whatever store magical potential exists. Re-active items are triggered when a certain condition is met: a certain spell is cast upon a wearer of a charm, a crit result during combat with a weapon rune etc.

I purposefully try to stay within Terry’s wheelhouse when creating spells or magic items for Shadow World, and Terry was guided by the original Spell Law. Early edition Rolemaster didn’t have weapon runes, simple imbedding or charm creation spell lists so they don’t exist in SW canon. (However, Terry never really used potions either). But I feel that Minor Enchanting is a great addition to Shadow World:

  1. It provides temporary magic items at low level that don’t unbalance the game.
  2. It fills the gap between a setting that needs a lot of Alchemists to create many items, to a setting where Minor Enchantments are more common and permanent magic items are rare and more valuable.
  3. Minor Enchantments are flexible and can be created specifically for a challenge, rather than a permanent ability in a magic item that isn’t needed or less appropriate for the moment.
  4. Protective Charms can mitigate some of the deadlier aspects of Rolemaster combat and crits without an arbitrary “reroll token” or similar.

In conclusion, Minor Enchantments can be a much more usable and functional magic than some of the cool but cumbersome spells that players will never really use. How many of you regular use this type of magic in your game?

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