Crime & Punishment?

[JoeGKushner]

How's this book coming along? I've finally had some time to devote to Dynasties and it's looking great so far. I can see where a book like Crime & Punishment will fit in though and am anxious to see how that one comes along. Is that 3.5 or still 3.0?

In addition, will we see more books in this vein? It almost reminds me of the old Primal Order books in that they were covering stuff no one else really was. One book that they were going to come out with, the Merchant Order, would make for another fantastic hardcover from Atlas with rules of merchants, guilds, and other important bits. Heck, some of the Krondor novels even went this route during the Serpent War.

 

[JohnNephew]

Hi, Joe!

How's this book coming along? I've finally had some time to devote to Dynasties and it's looking great so far. I can see where a book like Crime & Punishment will fit in though and am anxious to see how that one comes along. Is that 3.5 or still 3.0?

It's moving along great and on schedule. Michelle told me she finished editing it this last week, and she and author Keith Baker were putting a lot of effort into 3.5 compliance. (Keith, happily, was one of the folks plugged into the 3.5 revisions, since he's been working on that setting for WotC.)

In addition, will we see more books in this vein? It almost reminds me of the old Primal Order books in that they were covering stuff no one else really was. One book that they were going to come out with, the Merchant Order, would make for another fantastic hardcover from Atlas with rules of merchants, guilds, and other important bits. Heck, some of the Krondor novels even went this route during the Serpent War.

Yes, the line continues beyond Dyn&Dem and C&P. We do actually have plans for Dynasties author Mr. Aylott to write the merchants book (appropriate, since he's a game merchant), entitled "Commerce & Caravans." We hope it will be released sometime next year. And there are even more secret goodies in progress in this Penumbra sub-series...

 

[JoeGKushner]

"Yes, the line continues beyond Dyn&Dem and C&P. We do actually have plans for Dynasties author Mr. Aylott to write the merchants book (appropriate, since he's a game merchant), entitled "Commerce & Caravans." We hope it will be released sometime next year. And there are even more secret goodies in progress in this Penumbra sub-series..."

This is fantastic. I'm glad to hear it.

Will there be more integration of other products like Uncommon Character started with Eden's Tavern book? I guess I'm saying with Commerce, I'd love it if this book tied into some of the sea material out there for the ships and sailing goods.

 

[spacecrime.com]

John wrote:
We do actually have plans for Dynasties author Mr. Aylott to write the merchants book (appropriate, since he's a game merchant), entitled "Commerce & Caravans."

Uh oh, the cat's out of the bag!

Joe wrote:
ill there be more integration of other products like Uncommon Character started with Eden's Tavern book? I guess I'm saying with Commerce, I'd love it if this book tied into some of the sea material out there for the ships and sailing goods. [/B]

Well, as you can see from Dynasties, I'm absolutely shameless about taking stuff I like from other books. I may rewrite to fit my needs, but I don't like reinventing the wheel. So in general, yes -- I will be plugging in game rules that solve my design problems for me.

That said, I'm in my last couple of weeks of research mode and I haven't touched a game book yet. I've been reading history books and novels (David Liss rules) and kid's picture books and anything else I can get my hands on. My notes are kind of frightening -- they're a hodgepodge of random facts and rule ideas, and somehow it's all got to turn into an outline in about 10 days.

It's coming along well, though. There's a lot of unusual gaming possibilities in what I've uncovered, and the basic mechanics seem to be suggesting themselves. I'm quite happy so far.

As far as sea trade goes, it's going to be a major topic in the book. I've already run into all sorts of entertaining ventures and complications and scams, and writing it all up is going to put the Phoenician in fun.

Now, let me troll for some input. What other things do people want to see in Commerce & Caravans?

cheers,

 

[JoeGKushner]

Dyn & Demo glossed over some aspects of coinage. Commerce I hope goes into a lot of detail on these matters.

One thing would be something similiar to the large bills that the US printed for trading purposes between banks. If two kingdoms are exchanging something like magical goods, would they be hauling billions of gold pieces around or would they have something else?

Trade routes? Blazing new trails and utilizing old ones.

From Wagon To Water, examples of how something gets from point A to point B over land and sea.

The planes. It's based in fantasy right? I haven't finished Dyn & Demo but it doesn't seem to move beyond the medievial with magic section a lot, which isn't a bad thing, but with so many settings coming out.

A Nyambe tie in. Perhaps using Nyambe as an exmaple of trade rotues, trade goods, barter system, and how it's got the Middle East and Far East merchants/nobility/traders already in it, would make it a perfect setting.

Trade in times of war, plague, seasons.

Fluxuating prices due to too much gold, silver, etc...

General theories of economics and how they worked in the real world's history and how they might work in a fantasy one.

 

[philreed]

I've been reading history books and novels (David Liss rules)

YEAH! I absolutely loved A Conspiracy of Paper. That's a book that any DM interested in running games that don't focus on combat should read.

It's been a few years so I should read that one again.

 

[JohnNephew]

Uh oh, the cat's out of the bag!

Heh. Yeah, I would normally hold this closer to the vest, but with the idea for the book floating here in public I figure it wouldn't hurt to tip our hand, since this book has been in progress since our meeting about it at the GAMA Trade Show...

At least I can keep the other one that Keith Baker's working on secret for now!

 

[tanilen]

What would be cool to have in a merchants book?

Echoing Joe's comment about Feist's Serpent War book, information on the speculation and investment of traded goods, such as went on in Barrett's (sp) Coffee House would be interesting.

Also, a full treatment on gray and black markets would also be valuable to me. Smuggling as well. My characters and campaigns tend to walk that thin line between order and anarchy, and I'm sure any use of merchant and trading rules would end up being used to generate gold pieces quickly and not so honestly.

But I am really looking forward to Crime and Punishment. Dyn &Dem really got me excited for more books that explore the neglected side of role playing. Combat is fun, mind you, but there is so much out there.

 

[CaptainCalico]

I would just like to say (yet again) that the Penumbra line is a godsend to someone who wants to craft an internally consistent world without getting 15PhD's. Dynasties is currently being passed around my group to aid in character creation for the new campaign, and I'm waiting eagerly for C&P (and now Caravans - will it include banking??)

Could I possibly hope that there are plans for book on universities and education in general? I'm very interested in the late medieval period and the rise of learning institutions as power centers, patrons of explorers, guardians of ancient knowledge etc.

 

[spacecrime.com]

Dynasties is currently being passed around my group to aid in character creation for the new campaign,

{fist pump} WOO HOO!

That's really good to know, and I'd actually love to hear more from you at some point about what they found most/least useful. Here's fine, or you can drop me an email.

(Right now I'm well-nigh obsessed with learning more about how people actually use books like this.)

and I'm waiting eagerly for C&P (and now Caravans - will it include banking??)

Yes, though possibly in a different way than you expect. I've learned some rather interesting things about the subject in the last few weeks...

Could I possibly hope that there are plans for book on universities and education in general?

Holy crap, that's an awesome topic!

Knowing John, he's probably already thought of it and has somebody brilliant on it already. But if he hasn't then I'm going to be beggin'.

cheers,