So I managed to sneak out of the office and spend Halloween in Prague. It was an awesome, awe-inspiring trip on a host of levels. The locals were amazing, I was surrounded by good friends, the beer was inexpensive, and the food outstanding. Of course, the architecture and history of the place made it all the more potent, as well. As the former seat of the Holy Roman Empire and the one-time center of Europe, the city was a literal feast for the eyes. I could have gotten lost there. It was that amazing. Coming back to the desert after all of that? Sort of a 'let down.' Worse, I got hit hard with the flu a day after returning. This led into a few weeks of playing additional 'catch up.' And before I knew it, it was Thanksgiving. So, believe me, it's been a rough few months in the trenches for our latest projects. Thankfully, I have an awesome team of mega-creative and dedicated collaborators who want to see this project succeed, so we still managed to move forward without too much guidance from my end. Man, it's awesome to work with true professionals!
While we've been away, Mr. Stephen Wark has updated (and we've reloaded) both Automata: Guide to the Awakened and Of Stone, Stave, and Heart: A Guide to the Runes for GMs. Both of these books are vastly improved, the former with new content from Mr. Will Cooper (RPG Superstar, Top 16, 2012). The latter had a few, minor graphic changes but otherwise remains solid (and hopefully engaging).
So, we're in the final stages of layout on Children of the Hammer. Right this very minute, in the snowy lands of Canada, Mr. Stephen Wark is chained to his desk, the flames of need inspiring every mouse click, possibly threatening his very sanity (doesn't this sound promising), finishing up the new document. Once we see that (cracks whip), we're going into secondary edits and fixing any last minute text changes (and there always are). Then, we're out the door! We hope to have this glorious little PDF out to reviewers by January first and in your hands by the 10th.
Then, Stephen is moving on to the first of Storm Bunny Presents. We're looking at releasing this later in January.
Finally, we're hoping to have Children of the Wode ready for release by early March. We know it's not a lot of time, (especially given the holiday season and our slow march), but we've got to have goals! Then, once that releases, we're hitting the road running for summer shenanigans.
And then ("No 'and, then!!!')
I've got some ambitious goals for 2013. In a nutshell, I want to get some creative, Rhune-inspired fiction out, update and release a free players primer (the old one is rather dated), and possibly launch a Kickstarter for World Guide. I had originally wanted to do a planar guide, but I'm more inclined to add it to the World Guide. Of course, this guide will include a host of the new material we've been play testing, a lengthy discussion on story-telling in Rhune: Dawn of Twilight, and a whole host of stunning cartography and art from the likes of Jon Roberts, Rob Lopatto (I really need to make this gentleman a page), and Terry Maranda.
In closing, things are going to be a hectic sort of fun this year...
I'm perfectly okay with that, though. Better busy than boring I always say.
Oh, and let me leave you with this little bit from Children of the Hammer.
Harvest Blessing
School necromancy; Level cleric 1, druid 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a bit of salt crystal, wrapped in fresh linen, placed with the food)
Range touch
Target food touched
Duration 2 day/level
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
You preserve food so that it does not decay. When you cast this spell, you select a quantity of fresh food (up to 2 lbs. per caster level) and wrap a bit of nature’s own life force around it, extending its wholesomeness and staving off decay. While under the effect of this spell, food remains fresh, retains its original flavor, and provides nourishment or magical effects as if it were as new as when you harvested or prepared it.
Well, that's it for now. I truly hope your holidays shine this season!
Cheers,
Jaye