(Atlas/Penumbra) Dynasties & Demagogues

[Eosin the Red]

This sounds a little Birthright-ish (a good thing in my eyes). I know you have not read it, but a few quick questions:

1. Does it have rules for building and expanding kingdoms?

2. Does it address warfare?

2a. If it does not, is it planned to dovetail in to products like "Cry Havok?"


Always like to see Atlas trying something new.

Thanks.

 

[TBoarder]

Very cool! I'll definitely be on the lookout for this.

By the way, is the Bestiary still due for release this month? I'm still looking for the Last Dance, Beyond the Veil, and the Ebon Mirror to show up in my area... anywhere. I figure, if the Bestiary is released this month, I may finally see it somewhere around here by May or June.

 

[Katerek]

Hmmm....

Kick ass!

This is an excellent idea! Thanks for this book, I know I will buy a copy.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'm glad to hear that it does tie into the Peace book. They seem like natural fits in many ways.

I guess this is part of the problem with D20 in that there is so much great stuff. I think that all of Atlas' hardcovers for example, should be mandatory on the bookshelf. Touched by the Gods and Occult Lore especially, followed quickly by Backdrops, Seven Cities and Seven Strongholds. This should be another example of doing it right.

 

[JohnNephew]

By the way, is the Bestiary still due for release this month? I'm still looking for the Last Dance, Beyond the Veil, and the Ebon Mirror to show up in my area... anywhere. I figure, if the Bestiary is released this month, I may finally see it somewhere around here by May or June.

The Bestiary is running late. Scott is busy in the other room working on the layout, this very moment. It looks like we're having to add another signature (bringing it up to 368 pages) to fit it all in, even with the tiny typeface we're using. To be honest, it might not be on store shelves until February, given the production time involved.

Sorry to hear you're having trouble getting hold of those books. If your FLGS isn't being helpful, you might check online sources. (The Ebon Mirror is already out of print and available as a PDF, though there are still paper copies out in the distribution channels for those who prefer the old fashioned format.)

 

[CaptainCalico]

Perfect

I really depend on Penumbra to supply original products like this - you actually focus on what DMs might NEED, rather than pitching the latest "cool concept". Thanks.

 

[spacecrime.com]

First, I must put on my evil retailer hat.

I'm still looking for the Last Dance, Beyond the Veil, and the Ebon Mirror to show up in my area...

For what it's worth, I can hook you up with all three of these -- we have them in stock and ready to roll. I can even get you an autographed copy of The Last Dance, but I have to warn you that the guy who wrote that adventure is a real prat.

I also send books to Japan on a pretty regular basis, Mindcrime, so if you're interested hit the website or email me and we'll talk.

Okay. Evil retailer hat off, evil writer hat on.

I'm really psyched to see this positive reaction from folks. This is definitely helping me get over the last hump of revision that I need to do this week before Michelle and Scott begin working book-making magic on it. I really appreciate that, so thanks!

The best way I can summarize the book is this -- about a month after I started writing it, Ryan Dancey said something along the lines of "D&D can't handle challenges of personal interaction in the detail that it handles combat and tactical challenges." (That's a paraphrase, not an accurate quote. I don't have the words quite right, unfortunately.)

My response to that was, "Oh yeah? We'll just have to see about THAT." That's what this book is about -- making the cut and thrust of political conflict just as interesting as battles with swords and magic. Think 24, think Jean Anouilh's Becket, think Henry V and you'll have a pretty good idea of what I'm trying to do.

There's definitely some connections with David Chart's A Splintered Peace, but they're two very different books. I think the best way to characterize the difference is that my book is an aid for those of us who want to create campaigns like Splintered Peace, but aren't geniuses like David is.

I'm very pleased with how the book is turning out. I think it's got something for hack-n-slashers, for deep roleplayers who want to do The West Wing with swords, and for a lot of people in between. I think it's going to make a bunch of gamers happy, and I hope it's going to piss a few of them off. Oh, and it's going to have great art and design, because John and Michelle and Scott rule.

So, what questions can I tease you all with vague half-answers to?

cheers,

 

[JoeGKushner]

It sounds really promising so far. How much material is going to provide advice on GMs running this type of campaign in an exisiting campaign? In many ways, it's just as difficult to change gears mid-campaign as it is to introduce new prcs, monsters and other goodies. Perhaps harder as the PCs may expect there to be goods out there that they are unaware of.

Will it be using any OGC from other products? You mention the bodyguard and I think I've seen like three or four PrCs that cover that function pretty well. Same thing with the Demagogue.

 

[spacecrime.com]

How much material is going to provide advice on GMs running this type of campaign in an exisiting campaign?

Some. (Haven't done a page count.) The best way to put it is that once the characters hit level 5-6, some very interesting options start opening up for them, even if all they've been doing is hacking dungeons.

Will it be using any OGC from other products?

Yes... and no.

To be slightly less gnomic, I was sorely tempted to use Mike Mearls' excellent ardent defender PrC from the Monster's Handbook. The bodyguard I've developed does some different things that I like, though, so we're sticking with it.

But we'll stick with gnomic answer on some of the other stuff.

cheers,

 

[JoeGKushner]

Ah, here's another question. Will there be a section on how to use this with same Nyambe? An example chapter on a published setting by the same company, to go along with the notes on the Peace book, would make for some good tie ins.