FRONTLINES

By the time you read this, Southern Gondor: The Land should be arriving at your local game store. As I write this I have not yet seen the module, but Jessica has confirmed for me that the two 17" x 22" color maps accompanying the text have edges that finally match, giving a panoramic view of southern Gondor from Andrast to Ithilien (and there was MUCH rejoicing...).

Next in store for us is the second edition of the massive Arnor realm module (now divided into Land and People volumes, just like SG). The new edition will feature better maps, better artwork, and a grammatically perfect text. The People is scheduled for release this September; The Land will follow in October. An Athelas & Other Herbs sourcebook may be ready by December.

The tentative schedule for 1997 begins with Wes Frank's Near Harad realm module and (we hope) that full-color Harondor map we are eagerly awaiting. With luck, Mike Campbell's Rhûn realm module should be out in April. Newcoming MERP author Randy Maxwell has now completed a first draft for an ambitious Forodwaith realm module, due out in June. Meanwhile I have been assembling a team of authors to write THE most Gothic citadel module ever: The Paths of the Dead, which we hope to have published by August. Finally, Luke Potter (author of the "Balchoth" article from last issue) has been recruited to write a Dorwinion realm module for a November release date. Still further on the horizon (1998) we hope to see Jesse Dallin's Khand realm module as well as the companion Northern Gondor land and people books.

This list is incomplete, and reflects only those projects for which publication deadlines have been firmly set. As for others, Jason Beresford has decided to treat Umbar in an extended people/land format, and hopes to have his first draft ready early next year. There is a Mithlond citadel manuscript awaiting editorial evaluation at ICE, and Jason Vester has begun work on his Ringwraiths people book (six month ETA for first draft), and research and development work continues to go into Pete Fenlon's own Rohirrim & Other Northmen people book. Among other things, we hope to include an appendix on how to use Gothic, Old Norse, and Old English as "translation" languages for the speech of the Northmen at different historical periods.

Last (though anything but least) is a sourcebook on the invented languages of Tolkien's world (Sindarin, Quenya, Khuzdul, Adûnaic, etc.), a project that will be undertaken by "the dream team" of Middle-earth linguistics: Chris Gilson, Pat Wynne, Carl Hostetter, and Arden Smith (the same folks that Christopher Tolkien has entrusted with his father's linguistic legacy, most recently manifested in their publication of Tolkien's Goldogrin Dictionary). When this language guide is published (hopefully sometime next year) you can all throw away your copy of Ruth Noel's Languages of Middle-earth�this will surpass it and everything else that has been published on the subject.

Lots to look forward to.

Reporter: Chris Seeman