[Sean Patrick Fannon]

Originally Posted by MrWilli

Shaintar doesn't sound like anything special, given your review... Is there anything that sets it apart?

Someone (screen name Manifold) asked a similar question on the Pinnacle forums -

OK, so sell me on Shaintar!

Lots of folks are now playing this. Why is it worth the money? Why is it better than buying the tool kits and rolling my own? What makes it special? What makes it better than D&D (besides Savage Worlds, of course)?

What's so great about Shaintar?

I gave the following response.

Have you ever wished to play in or run a fantasy setting that truly makes sense?

Have you ever wanted a world where all the "classic ideas" were presented in ways that fit in, and created a sense of internal consistency?

Have you ever wished to tell tales that were truly epic and cinematic? Where the snatching of loot from a kobold wasn't the point? Where saving a kingdom and standing against impossible odds for a great cause was?

Do you think the overall story arcs of "Babylon 5" would make for a truly incredible heroic fantasy campaign?

Have you ever listened to "fantasy metal" music and wondered "Why can't I actually play that?!?"

My friends and fellow enthusiasts here have done me great honor by their words, and even though they claim I am the greatest advocate, I do not believe I can best their efforts on my behalf.

In my experience, the Historical Timeline of a setting seems to do a rather incredible job of telling the story of a world.

If I have done my job right, you can read that, and peruse the rest of the Shaintar Journal, and you will know from there whether or not Shaintar: Immortal Legends is the land for your stories and your adventures.

One more thing, though.

With Shaintar, you also get the enthusiastic and constant support of the very person who made it all in the first place. You can ask the other Shaintar fans whether that's a good or a bad thing, but so far I think they have been pleased with the experience...

If that doesn't do it for you, then Shaintar probably isn't the kind of setting you will enjoy, no matter how well I might have done my job. It is meant to be a great epic heroic fantasy setting. It can't be all things to all people, though, and I am the first to admit that.

I will say that you can run a perfectly "sword & sorcery"-esque game in the setting, especially if you set your adventures in the Malakar Dominion, the Kal-a-Nar Empire, or the Lands of the Desert Princes...