[MEG/OWP] Mystic Eye Grows and with a twist- new imprint, Open World Press

Wow! Thanks for all the nice messages! The retailer response at the GAMA Trade Show in March was also very enthusiastic, so I'm very excited about the product.

Here is a link to some samples of the fantastic artwork and cartography included inside:

http://www.openworldpress.com/1a.html

I have to say that the cartographer ("Scorpio") did an excellent job with the map, so please be sure to click on the "Kingdom of Calas" map to view the larger image!

Of course, the cover art by Storn Cook and interior art by Lee Smith is absolutely fantastic, too. They both put a lot of effort and skill into their work.

The table of contents is listed here:

http://www.openworldpress.com/table.html

1A The Hamlet of Thumble is part of a "world-building through adventures" series. Each part details a part of the WORLD OF WHITETHORN campaign setting and includes a hamlet, village, town, or city and an adventure as well as many side encounters.

Since this product is designed for 1st-2nd level PCs, it also includes a section on tips for new DMs and helpful information for more experienced DMs. Some have described it as a great "starter kit" for first-time DMs and DMs starting a new campaign.

It also includes information on how to use Reputation Points as another incentive for PCs, how to incorporate Dreams into your game, and how to implement Morale Checks for 3rd edition rules.

There are three new core classes (Cavalier, Shaman, and Witch) a la PHB-style described as well as dozens of new spells, a few new feats, and new ways to use skills.

The adventure itself is only six pages long while the setting is about 20 pages long, so it would be inaccurate to describe it as anything other than an "adventure setting starter kit".

It's designed for either a party of good PCs who help the halflings defend themselves against the evil humanoids or a band of evil humanoid PCs who attack the halflings. Alternatively, you can pit a group of good PCs against a group of evil PCs.

I will be at GenCon 2003, July 24-27 (http://www.gencon.com) at the Mystic Eye Games booth and run two games using this product. I hope to see you all there!

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions here! Thanks again.

trancejeremy said:

What, no halfling cookbook for evil PCs?


Seriously, this looks like the sort of module I really like - one based around a village, with the village detailed fairly heavily. I'm not crazy about halflings, but...they can be changed into really really annoying humans.

Click to expand...

LOL! If you have a good recipe, send an e-mail to feedback@openworldpress.com! We may be able to include it.

Glad to hear that this is something that could be useful in your game! We plan to continue with this theme of including a highly-detailed hamlet, village, town, or city along with a short adventure, some interesting side encounters, a supplemental rules section, and some DM tips.

For example, our next product 1B The Village of Oester (Fall 2003) will include a discussion on how to deal with undead in a game.

The web site has been slightly updated: http://www.openworldpress.com

Frilf said:

I find your lack of gnomes highly disturbing, commander...

Looks cool, though. Very retro! And, yes, I thought the Village of Hommlet thing, too! I'll pick this one up.

Cheers!
Ian

Click to expand...

Thanks! I've always thought this kind of layout works well.

Anyhow, we plan to have a gnome city at some point in the near future.

Personally, I'm tired of the first edition nostalgia covers. It was cute the first time a d20 company did it, but three years later it's a little tired. Like we haven't seen a Necromancer book or Goodman's Dungeon Crawl covers before? Not to mention Hackmaster.

baseballfury said:

Personally, I'm tired of the first edition nostalgia covers. It was cute the first time a d20 company did it, but three years later it's a little tired. Like we haven't seen a Necromancer book or Goodman's Dungeon Crawl covers before? Not to mention Hackmaster.

Click to expand...

It was new to us and that was important to Ed so we decided to give it a 1st edition layout with 3rd edition art...and we are not saying we are first, just take a look at it and see if the inside is something you may like.

David,

The cover is designed so that the product is easily recognizable as something for D&D and specifically one that contains an adventure.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised, however, when you find out that it is so much more. Not only does it contain a fully-detailed halfling hamlet (with over 40 statted NPCs) and a short adventure, but also three new core classes (Cavalier, Shaman, and Witch), rules on Reputation Points, incorporating Dreams into your game, how to use Morale Checks, Mundane Weapons such as broomsticks and kitchen knives, and a DM Tips section.

It is truly a great value as it incorporates so much useful information into one product that I can't avoid calling it anything other than a "1st-level D&D starter kit". A great introduction for those moving from the basic set to 3rd edition or someone who is just starting out as a DM or an experienced DM beginning a new campaign.

Anyhow, the cover design is not intended to be a gimmick, but it does conjure up nostalgia for some people. It has an updated look, however, as it is digitally-colored using the latest technology.

I hope you give "1A The Hamlet of Thumble" a chance and take a look at it when it hits stores in July!

Ed

Anyhow, we plan to have a gnome city at some point in the near future.

Click to expand...

Good on ya! Gnomes deserve more respect!

If you have any interesting gnome characters or plotlines, send us an e-mail!

I still haven't gotten that halfling stew recipe yet though...

Oh yeah, be sure to look out for the cover of our next product "1B: The Village of Oester"! It should be ready at the end of this month. Lots of sickly undead, creepy crawlies, a scary dark night, and a pervy swamp demon-goddess.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR:
“1B: THE VILLAGE OF OESTER”
Refugees from the village of Oester have been flooding the city, fleeing from some unspeakable terror that has ravaged the northern settlement. Their faces still show the horror that they have endured, but their tongues do not speak from fear. Could it be a plague? A terrible monster? It is up to the adventurers to find out what has caused this panic.

Little do they know that a shadowy evil has risen up from the dead to possess the abandoned tower on the hill overlooking the village. Most have forgotten about this sinister force, but the King knows his family’s past has come to haunt him and threaten his line’s succession. Do the adventurers choose to help hide his family’s past and preserve the monarchy or reveal the truth?

An adventure for character levels 3-4.

Looking forward to release

Hey everyone
I'm glad to see so much excitement about Open World Press' first release. As a playtester for Open World Press, I've gotten a peek at what's to come and all I can say is- Wow! Lots of innovative things being done with this first module. If you wanna get just an inkling go check out it out at their site. Bump!

Is that you, Pete? Thanks for stopping to say hello and I'm glad you're enjoying the playtest materials we sent you.

Don't forget, people, 1A The Hamlet of Thumble will also include the CAVALIER CLASS! All of the playtesters have been commenting about how it's the most balanced cavalier class they've seen. It should be fun to play for anyone who wants to play a paladin-type, but not deal with all of the moral issues.

Here's an illustration: