I do admit, it would certainly make the Mushroom more like a Toadstool!

1: You are killed!

2: You are turned into a slimy little Toad for three turns

3: Lose one life

4: Gain one life

5: Gain two lives

6: Replenish lives up to your starting value

After pawing through boxes and files, I have three suggestions for Forge Items:
1. Rune Helm--just like Morak's Hammer, but for use in psychic combat

2. Iron Key--Will open the Portal of Power without a need for rolling, but crumbles to the discard/deck when used.

3. Iron Tankard--may be drunk (discarded) to replenish up to fate value and heal up to life value.

I like the balance this gives the deck--all six are one-time use magic objects. Two are for the Inner Region (well, one for getting there, but still). Two are weapons-one strength, one craft. Then a ring (classic) and a powerful healing (also classic, but with a tankard, because dwarves).

As for artwork, like Morak's Hammer that seem hard to find...could we just recolor art already there. For instance, you mentioned the too-similar Lightening Hammer. What about just colorizing that art goldish in a Photoshop/Gimp/etc. ?

Are we still pondering having alternative endings?

ETA: I meant to say, I really like the Elf Token, Rigmaster!

I do admit, it would certainly make the Mushroom more like a Toadstool!

Yes! a TOADSTOOL hehehe.

I like the Toadstool idea

I'll still keep 3 as no effect keep 3-4 as Heal 1 life though, as a 50/50 roll isn't quite as appealing.

For information, I found an updated version of the Forest Sentinel art, and I've renamed it as the Elder Sentinel.

I added the Rune Shield, but the discard will just be to heal life at any time.

Helmet and Key I'd thought about too, so they are probably going in with effects to be confirmed. I did find a nice bit of crown artwork, but it's a bit fancy to be a forge item.

If anyone has an artistic talent, or is not quite as Deviantart-blind as me (I've looked at thousands of images!) we could use a nice Dwarven Shield, Helmet, a Key, an Iron Talisman, a Hammer and maybe a new Iron Sentinel...

I'll make a full list of cards that are probably going in, with a section of "maybes" too later.

I'm... okay at art (self portrait reference here). If we can't get a better solution, I'd be willing to give the artwork a shot, although I won't be able to work on it until December sorry.

We can always leave the art out until then if you can help out

I'm hoping that have some decent playtesting of the expansion before it is "released".

I'll update the blog in the next day or so, but for the moment here's a list of all of the cards so far, which leaves us with a little sorting to do...

Currently, I have 42 cards listed, and there are only 5 Forge items at the moment, which I am fine with, but 6 might be a better deck.

Of the cards listed, I would say I am wavering on a couple - namely Transformed (as the Elder Village reward is now Destiny) and the two Goats (as they don't really add much and I'd prefer to chuck in a Spirit or two instead).

I'll have a look through the decks for some suitable Spirits, but I would like some more suggestions for the last Forge item. I'm not too worried about it being for Psychic Combat, as Dwarfs favour a good old-fashioned Battle, but it could be Craft related in some way.

Whilst going through the cards and comparing to the decks from the Deep Realms I noticed that they was a lack of nice things to find, so I've added in the Elven Bow from the Woodland and a couple of Gemstones from the Highland as a bonus find. I'm also going to swap out the Puca in the Trail deck for a slightly tougher Fae.

Trail Deck (not final name) -

Okay, I've taken those cards out and replaced the Puca with the S3 Boggart. I've also added in the Wight from The Reaper expansion as it's a good fit (art-wise).

For information, we still need artwork for -

Wayfinder Compass

Iron Talisman

Ring of Denial

Rune Shield

plus any new idea for the Forge Deck.

That's not bad actually, and they might turn up in the mean time.

I like the concept of the Black Iron Key, but I feel it needs a little bit more oomph. Since getting through the Portal of Power without rolling is mostly useful for making an early run with lower stats, it doesn't help with the Mines/Crypt, which the dwarf and gnome do help with. I'm thinking it needs something else to complement the Portal opening ability, but I'm not quite sure what that would be.

There should always be cards that aren't quite as good as the rest. Such is the chance you take with a random draw.

Whatever you gain from the Forge, it will be useful in the right circumstances.

There should always be cards that aren't quite as good as the rest. Such is the chance you take with a random draw.

Whatever you gain from the Forge, it will be useful in the right circumstances.

Fair enough

Here is an idea for a Forge item, an Axe.

Scales Blight

Magic Object-Weapon

Add +1 to Strength in Battle. You may discard Scales Blight to automatically defeat any dragon in combat.

Those dwarves love their axes, and don't much care for dragons either.

...or elves

Of course, on the art side of things, another piece we'll have to source will be the back of the new realm cards.

Of course, on the art side of things, another piece we'll have to source will be the back of the new realm cards.

Could we use part of the box art from Woodlands or Highlands? A detail from one of the cards/board themselves? A silhoutte of part of the board?

I've just posted the latest versions of the cards on the "blog" -

http://www.talismanisland.com/?page_id=6925

As for card backs, I have an idea for the two main decks, though we probably won't need Realm card backs as the board will likely be in one piece. Unless of course people would rather have 5x4 cards instead.

Hmm. I mean, ideally we would have just had boards, for both the deep and lost realms. However, given that the deep realms goes with two 5x4 cards, I personally would prefer the consistency of having the same thing in the lost realms.

Also, just took a look at the blog post and realised we need art for the iron talisman. Now, I won't have serious time free till December, but given that the iron talisman is largely based on pre existing art, I couldn't resist taking a half hour to throw something quick together - what do you guys think of this as artwork for the iron talisman? I kept the colour palette consistent wit Morak's hammer, I think it'd be good to keep them looking fairly consistent since, unlike relics or treasures, these are meant to be the product of one forge

I like it

I hope you don't mind, but I added in a rune, for Strength as it helps with Armour rolls.

Now all we need is a couple more spare half hours

I've just posted the latest versions of the cards on the "blog" -

http://www.talismanisland.com/?page_id=6925

As for card backs, I have an idea for the two main decks, though we probably won't need Realm card backs as the board will likely be in one piece. Unless of course people would rather have 5x4 cards instead.

I like the Peacock Dragon and Marasmus text especially!

Also, just took a look at the blog post and realised we need art for the iron talisman. Now, I won't have serious time free till December, but given that the iron talisman is largely based on pre existing art, I couldn't resist taking a half hour to throw something quick together - what do you guys think of this as artwork for the iron talisman? I kept the colour palette consistent wit Morak's hammer, I think it'd be good to keep them looking fairly consistent since, unlike relics or treasures, these are meant to be the product of one forge

Ohh, I like that a lot!! If we needed backs for the Realm itself, that Talisman with a woodland background would do the trick, in my humble opinion.

Edit:

Pondering the last card...perhaps an object that helps against Mab, or in the Lost City?

Last Forge card...brainstorming questions to help figure it out...what would the Dwarves have considered important? What would they have desperately wanted to make, and keep? What part of the game/board/mechanics/etc. have we not touched on?

I've been thinking of some kind of staff for the last relic (edit: forge item).

???? (maybe Moreen's (Morak's sister) staff) - weapon

Add 1 to your craft during psychic combat. After the combat draw 1 spell. If you won you gain the spell. If you lost or had a stand-off the spell backfires on you.

Great job with the artwork cookierobber. And I like the wording on the Peacock. Thanks for fixing ithe!

Hmm. I mean, ideally we would have just had boards, for both the deep and lost realms. However, given that the deep realms goes with two 5x4 cards, I personally would prefer the consistency of having the same thing in the lost realms.

I also would prefer two 5x4 cards, so when I print them out I can sleeve them and they would match the Deep Realms on the other side of the board.

I've got an idea for the last forge item: The Pastry! (from 3rd edition):

https://boardgamegeek.com/image/149111/talisman-third-edition-city-adventure

I've got an idea for the last forge item: The Pastry! (from 3rd edition)

I've not seen or played 3rd ed. What's the Pastry?

I found a couple of better images for two of the Trails, and added Cookierobber's Iron Talisman to the page.

http://www.talismanisland.com/?page_id=6925

I've been thinking of some kind of staff for the last relic (edit: forge item).

???? (maybe Moreen's (Morak's sister) staff) - weapon

Add 1 to your craft during psychic combat. After the combat draw 1 spell. If you won you gain the spell. If you lost or had a stand-off the spell backfires on you.

For some reason the discard condition didn't show on the last post.

'You may discard the staff to counter any spell cast on you, including this one'.

Perhaps I'm deadwrong with this but I thought it might be an interesting, although a bit complicated mechanic, to try. Perhaps we can leave out the draw a spell card part and just have it as a counterspell when discarded.

'Add 1 to your craft during psychic combat.

You may discard the staff to counter any spell cast on you (including the command spell)'.

Or the discard could be to prevent being transformed to a toad. We might need a Frog's eye after all...

I've been thinking of some kind of staff for the last relic (edit: forge item).

???? (maybe Moreen's (Morak's sister) staff) - weapon

Add 1 to your craft during psychic combat. After the combat draw 1 spell. If you won you gain the spell. If you lost or had a stand-off the spell backfires on you.

For some reason the discard condition didn't show on the last post.

'You may discard the staff to counter any spell cast on you, including this one'.

Perhaps I'm deadwrong with this but I thought it might be an interesting, although a bit complicated mechanic, to try. Perhaps we can leave out the draw a spell card part and just have it as a counterspell when discarded.

'Add 1 to your craft during psychic combat.

You may discard the staff to counter any spell cast on you (including the command spell)'.

Or the discard could be to prevent being transformed to a toad. We might need a Frog's eye after all...

I agree that a counter spell item would be a good idea.