Go back to the Intro Page! 

A nobleman and spy on a secret mission - that is how his superiors view Cornell. His own view is somewhat different, since he is afflicted by troublesome companions who make his journeys far more trying and adventurous than he cares for...

Get started with the first Cornell story: #1 "Call of the Dragon, Part One"
Read the series: #2 "Call of the Dragon, Part Two", #3 "Shield Maiden", #4 "Warrior Eternal", #5 "The Pledge"
Then settle down for the sixth and currently final episode, "The Miracle of Solstice Day" (Chapter One of a 17-part serial)!

Find out about the creatures of Gushémal, the strange monsters and wondrous beings.

NEW Emperor Dragon (01/24/03)

Read about Elves and Dwarves, Alreus and various other creatures, like the Sandcreatures of the Elfadil, the Unicorns, or the Gargoyles!

The gods of Gushémal are explained here, as well as the priests serving them.  

 (08/22/03) Middage, Goddess of Corruption and Disease (Part One)

Read about Alyssa, Goddess of Love; Darawk, God of Knowledge; Dicerius, the Chief God of Death and Justice and Nash'Geo, God of Travel and Exploration, as well as the Mythology of the Sandmen of the Elfadil Desert!

Exploring the world of Gushémal, brave heroes and dastardly villains clash (or have a drink at that fancy inn yonder). From the grim to the humorous, the tales in this volume will try to cover it all.

  (09/03/03) "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith": Chapter Eighteen and Epilogue

A novel-length tale about the beginning of the world of Gushémal, about the gods who made it -- and about betrayal and conspiracy. Read "A Tale of the Gods" starting with Part I: "The Arrival", or look at the Index Page!
Read the origin stories of Flink and Gabe, respectively: "The Rock of Discontent" and "Childhood of a Fighter"!
And give this peach of a story a try: "Ruins and Hopes", starring the indefatigable Koyson and the ever-hungry Vobul!
Make sure to read the recent "Life's Values" and "Tangled Elves"! 

What is the nature of magic? How do spells, blessings and curses work? It's detailed here!

Read about the spells from the story "Call of the Dragon", about appliances such as the Bracers of Light, the Mirrorgate, the Crimsonlance, and the Gauntlet of Resurrection!

Biographies of the lead characters (thus far) introduced in the stories.

Newly available: Gabe of the Ryelneyd
and also: Flink from Tieferbau!
Recently we introduced: Cornell & Barandas

Learn about the lay of the land, what characterizes the countries, the cities. 

NEW It's time to check in on Ibrollene, the land of revolutions -- right here! (Pt. 2, 06/20/03)

Read about: 
The Arrufat Peninsula & The Wild Coast, 
Robhovard & Cayaboré, 
The Tonomai Empire & Rek'atrednu - The Land of the Undead, Modayre,
as well as the Calendar of Gushémal and The Deadcrossing

The basic Rulebook, it contains the information you need to start a campaign in the world of Gushémal. Includes the rules for combat, statistics of the races, and magical spells and blessings.

This version is preliminary only; it's playable, but we'll continue working on it for a while...

The Character Sheet is online in our Download section. 

An extended rulebook that provides advanced information to the gamemasters and gives tips on handling the players.
Intended for game masters only

To play your own campaigns, these modules contain ready-made adventures. (Their level of details varies, but in general we try to leave the gamemaster a good deal of freedom.)
Intended for game masters only

Send your comments to 
marc@gushemal.com!

We love to read what you think of our site!

If you have suggestions on what to improve, or what you'd like to see, tell us!

Coming in 2003:

STORIES

"The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith"
Underneath Deersrun Hill is a secret. There also happen to be wild dwarves loose, and a group of determined men set out to remove the pest from underneath their home --- and they will find out more about the secret than they ever wanted to know. A tour de force is waiting for them, about to challenge their spirits, not to mention their fighting skills. 
Currently: the final Chapter Eighteen plus the Epilogue (09/03/03)
Read the whole story from Chapter One!

Legends and myths aplenty wait for you! Tales of Decalleigh, God of Healing; of Maidoyú, Goddess of Youth; of Mannannan, God of the Sea; of Olmawi, God of Winter.
Read stories about the deities of Gushémal in the serial:
"A Tale of the Gods" (Pt I)
or look at the Table of Contents/Index Page.

Cornell has another troublesome adventure with Barandas. Fine, fine, he's surely used to the wizard by now -- but did there have to be these elves? They're getting really kinda deadly in the "Tangled Elves"!

Back to continuity with Cornell, on his solitary trip in "The Journey of the Sea Cave". 

THE WORLD OF GUSHÉMAL IN 2003:

Gods aplenty! Learn more about the following deities of the pantheon of Cotechi:
Grenage, Goddess of Joy (02/14, 03/07 and 03/28)
Middage, Goddess of Corruption and Disease (08/22 and 09/05)
Deswellyn, God of Craft and Invention (10/24 and 11/14)

Creatures, anyone? Well, we've got some rather large ones -- and dare we mention that they're a tad fiery? Anyway, there's gonna be 
Emperor Dragons on (01/24).
Should you care more for smaller and for the more intelligent, there we have something else on offer for you --- try the
Chaymera on (10/03)!

Worry not should you wonder about any new places of travel! There are many suggestions for your next trip in 
The Lands Beyond Our Ken on 04/18 and 05/09, but for the darker trips, do try 
The Blackbog on 12/05!
Beyond that, you might want to travel to one of the central nations --- as they say in the brochures, "Ibrollene is always worth a journey!" But, lest we be accused of sending you into the unknown, read about Ibrollene first, in our two-part tale, published on
(05/30) and (06/20).

Last, but surely not least, we also have some mythology ready to dish up. The Furrag, last seen in "Ruins and Hopes" have their own peculiar ideas of the world, and we shall learn about them here and now -- want the adventure or not!
Myths of the Furrag are coming up on 07/11 and 08/01! 

Creators' Diary

September 3rd: Folks, I'm sorry to say this is likely to be the last message for a while. I'm having a family crisis at home which is consuming way too much of my time and energy.
So, for that reason, I'm shutting this site down for the time being. Hopefully we will be back before long, and everything will be back to normal. 
All right, I couldn't leave you all without the conclusion to our serial. "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith" is now completely on the site, with Chapter Eighteen and the Epilogue. I've also uploaded the PDF versions into our Downloads section.
Thank you for staying around so long, and we hope you're enjoying our stories.
And no, that is not a good-bye forever. But I do have to deal with some way too serious issues at this time. So, all you readers out there, take care. Have fun! 
And be sure to check back in with us! At some point, my old pompous self will reassert itself and demand your attention for all the great new stories of ours.
See you then!

August 22nd: And it's back to THE WORLD today for a look at one of the many goddesses we've ignored so far. (Ignored? -- Why - nay, we've just not gotten round to, eh, writing down their specialties! -- You mean, you haven't come up with anything yet. -- Oh, shut up! Pesky conscience...)
Today and in two weeks we're taking a close look at Middage, the Goddess of Corruption and Disease! Get set for a gruesome ride! It's not all fun and games here, y'know?
That's it this time. Really. No big announcements. Nothing like we're going to shut down the website in two days. 
("You're doing WHAT?!" -- Nothing! For crying out loud, I did write it was 'nothing like' that! Why don't you ever read what I write? -- "Yeah, like anybody ever does..." -- Shut yer yap, Chris!)
All right, see ya next week -- without any annoying interlopers around... Have a great week and enjoy our site!

August 18th: Eh, yes, we're late as not so unusual. This time it's due to acute Blaster/LoveSan on my computer. (Yeeeeeees, I've heard ALL the usual comments, okay?!)
Plus, my dad is back in hospital, and I have to drive over to my mother's place to shuttle her over to the hospital. Sometimes it isn't all that much fun living in the countryside, y'know?
What the latter means is that our schedule is likely to get more erratic than it's been anyway. There will still be an update per week, but despite the announced dates, I can't guarantee it'll be on the proper friday. Just check in occasionally, and you'll find the new installment.
All in all, I'm really tired now. I've spent the past weekend (plus Thursday and Friday) either driving or working non-stop. So, sorry if I don't chat for a while. Gotta rest now and ... well, yes, see about figuring out how to fill the website with anything but this blathering, right?
Anyway, folks, enjoy Chapter Seventeen of "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith", take care, and I'll see you all again! 

August 8th: "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith" is heating up: Now we're way down in the absolute pits of Deersrun Hill, facing the very last threat (really the last, or is there something even worse waiting beyond?).
The numbers of our group have dwindled this far they really don't stand a chance, right?
Right?
Ah, find out in Chapter Sixteen (and the final two chapters)!

Okay, boys and girls, it's confession time about our website's schedule: In four weeks, on September 5th 2003, we'll have run out of stories.
So we are going to change the schedule: Instead of presenting new stories, we'll run all the finished installments of THE WORLD until October 10th 2003. Afterwards we'll be running only stories until the end of the year.
(That does work out to a "summer hiatus" on stories.) 
It's just that there aren't any more finished stories left. The Cornell serial we announced ("The Journey of the Sea Cave") has one entire chapter completed, and that's it.
There's a good variety of reasons behind that: Health problems earlier in the year, compounded by some time-consuming other jobs (yeah, like this strange "office" thing), and now finally the heat wave that's strangling Europe. My brain constantly feels like mush (and no, that is not the usual state anyway), I haven't been able to really think through the story yet. Despite what some people may say (you know who you are, Chris --- oops...), even my stories need thinking.
I don't think the heat wave will last forever. (Or will it? Tune in next week when Dr. Bob says, "Dang, is this hot or what?") So I'm hoping that I'll finally manage to get some more work into the story --- once this torpidity thing is over.
Then Cornell will get under way again! And it ought to be quite a big story, worth waiting for, I promise!
Until then you'll have some fine installments of THE WORLD coming up -- mythology, a new species and a new location. Get set for a big run then!
(And meanwhile we ought to have bought ourselves the time necessary to get the next story done...)

That being said, I bid you an inevitably warm (actually, hot and stifling) farewell --- until next week!
(Best wishes are welcome via e-mail, icebags and more ventilators welcome via snail mail.)

August 1st: The myths of the Furrag are now being completed in the second part. It's the Bull Raid of Ralakûm! Sounds intriguing? Well, take a look - it's straight from mythology to your home (eh, computer). 
Enjoy!

July 25th: Tell me, have you ever had that lazy summer feeling that's only lazy because it's too damn hot to move?
Well, I hope so, 'cause that's what I'm suffering from now. And have for a while... Donations are very welcome, I'll give you my bank account...
In that (wheeze: darn, had to move) spirit, this week we've put the fifteenth chapter of "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith" online. Enjoy it, it's great. And I've added the newest PDF of the serial, it contains Chapters 11 - 15.
There, enough hyping. Now where're the ice cubes...?
(See you next week!)

July 18th: Whoa. Are we on time now? Hey, I'm impressed! (With myself. Contrary to the rumors, I have a very low opinion of myself, not nearly befitting my divine perfection in incredible smarts and smashingly good looks. --- Y'know, I do wonder how those rumors ever got started...)
And we're back with "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith". The end run is just starting, so leap right into Chapter Fourteen and enjoy!
Me, I'll go looking into those very strange rumors. There's got to be a reason for them. Rest assured, my wonderful intellect will indubitably discern said reason!
See y'all next week, folks!

July 14th: grmblemble, 'kay: Happy Fourteenth of July to our French readers! (All right, I remembered this, fine? You know who you are...)
Well, you've probably noticed that this update is a couple of days late. I wish to apologize for the delay, but I've had some personal problems. My father was rushed to the hospital last Wednesday, I had to drive home and plain ol' forgot about the website. (Thank God my dad seems to be doing better now, so I can start feeling sorry about the delay.)
Now that's out of the way, and I can finally tell you what we've got ready for you this week (or actually last week, it's... eh... "temporal mechanics" -- spot the quote, folks!). 
We've met the furrag Vobul in our now classic story "Ruins and Hopes", and quite coincidentally he's going to be back next month -- unfortunately (?) not in these pages, but rather at the PDF magazine Lemurian Dreams from Transfinite Publications. "Running Errant" is a fun story that also features the caidwarf Koyson.
And very fittingly, we publish now the first part of our article on the "Myths of the Furrag". Learn more about these fierce beast-like beings from the chilly south through their way of looking at the world and themselves! Come on, it's fun, the water's icy cold, and the meat hasn't been touched by a flame. (Darn, too much furrag thinking...)
Have fun, folks, and I'll be back this... well, I hope it'll be Friday...

July 4th: Happy Fourth of July to our American readers! (aretheregonnabefireworks, aretheregonnabefireworks, therebetterbecozIgottahavem)
...
Okay, the rest of you have a great Fourth of July, too, folks!
Do I now have to be serious? Uhm, I'm afraid so...
Allrighty, the latest chapter of "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith" is online. Our heroes continue their travails through the underground alien paradise -- while the wild dwarf bard is not about to make it easy on them! Enjoy!

We're also happy to announce that our friends at Transfinite Publications have published their first magazine. Almanac One is a treasure trove for the RPG fan who's looking for new ideas rather than the latest monster/equipment/whatever. The first issue's theme is dungeons. Now, no groaning please, it's about how to revitalize the idea of a dungeon in your campaign, and there are some excellent ideas here to be found. Aside from that, there's an article on how to introduce a space race (think Neil Armstrong) into a fantasy campaign, and how to use real world history as a base for role-playing.
5$ will buy you an easy-to-print PDF edition that's well worth its money. You can get it from Transfinite's website.
(And before we're accused of shilling our own stuff --- we ain't! There's nothing of our stuff in there, and it's still great. Who'da thunk it?)
That's it for today, see you in seven days, folks! Take care!

P.S. One added note to last week's entry. In the meantime I've seen "Hulk". You don't want to know what I thought of that snorefest -- eh, movie, sorry, easy to get confused. (Okay, Chris didn't think it was all that bad, but he has no taste at all. As evidenced by this site, I reckon. -- Eh, yes. All the bad parts are what Chris did, and Marc only does the good stuff. Okay?!)

June 27th: Chapter 12 of "The Pilgrims' Trial and Faith" is now online. Read and enjoy! (Me too busy to write more, me big green Hulk, and Hulk smash puny human! urks. I'd better watch the movie, right? But -- hey, that line isn't even in there, so I'll read some comics instead...)

June 20th: And once more back to THE WORLD. Specifically we finish the article on Ibrollene's history. Last we saw, the situation in the famed nation was destabilizing. Unrest was growing to be commonplace --- until there was a coup d'état which removed the current king.
What other surprises are in store for the writer of these diaries, the simple proprietess of a tavern in the Ibrollenian capital of Sirap?
Find out here in the second part!

June 16th: (It's not Friday the 13th anymore? Thank all the gods! It's ----- not that I was scared or anything, eh, it's... Let's just get to today's info, okay?!)
I've added a new link to our Links page, to Transfinite Publications who are about to launch an interesting range of magazines on fantasy and RPGs. The magazines are high quality PDFs and can be purchased for $5 each.
Take a good look at them: there's an index for the first mag up available, so you can have a decent idea what this is going to be about. 
And you certainly ought to consider shelling out the five bucks for the story magazine Lemurian Dreams in August. Let's just say that your favorite Gushémal writers would be very grateful... And, okay, you might find that there's another glimpse into Gushémal right in that magazine!
It's a new and exclusive Koyson and Vobul (cf. "Ruins and Hopes") story entitled "Running Errant". It's worth it! (And you know how unbiased we at Gushémal are. Right? Right?!)
All the best, folks!

Older entries in this diary can be found in the Creator's Diary Archive

FAQ 
or 
Guide to the Site

What is Gushémal?

Who are these writers anyway?

Recent Reading List (current update: April 2003)

What is T.I.P. Entertainment?

Can I contribute as well?

Credits

for T.I.P. Entertainment

All texts on this site written by Marc H. Wyman & Chris Bogues

Thanks go to our Spanish translator, the inestimable Guillermo Luis Pereyra (who can be hired for translations, contact him by e-mail)
Check out his work in the Spanish version here!

Some characters in the stories previously appeared in other settings, so we wish to take the time to acknowledge the following:

Cornell & Flink: originally created by Chris Bogues

Koyson & Vobul: originally created by Marc H. Wyman

Barandas the Magnificent: originally created by Markus Welter

Gabe, son of Karungal: originally created by Jan Piatkowski

Developed for Gushémal & Final Character Design: Marc H. Wyman