Long neglected, but not forgotten!
Pencil Pusher’s is alive and well. As usual, I am moving slower than a snail. What have I been doing you ask?
Conceptualization:
One of the important aspects of a successful product line is a distinct look and feel. So, here is what I am doing about it. We have commissioned a study of melee weapons used in the west – some 30 plus weapons that are unique to the various cultures. Next up is an armor study that will do much the same. Most of the clothing has already been worked out but it might also require some attention. These things seem silly for a small time outfit but IMO these are the very things that will allow us to go beyond small time. The documents are intended for in-house use but have required a bit of time.
Religions:
Working though various aspects of religion and all of its implications. Many of the prime movers in TLD are religious or quasi religious groups, we need to get them right so that they have a good feel to them.
Construction:
I am hip deep in the construction of Tharad – The City of Fountains & the Second City of Middea. A great deal of work and research has already gone into the layout and design of the city which uses a historical model as its basis. On top of designing the city, I also needed to situate the region – since the city sits on top of a limestone shelf providing above ground and subterranean features.
Limestone Wikipedia Entry
Villainy:
Evil draws men together.
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC), Rhetoric
The thrill of Role-playing is very often defined by the villains that we face. Even great settings can tank if the villains aren’t great, so I have been looking into what makes villains shine. This will be released as a 3P freebie, like “It Is Your Destiny.” Speaking of which – nobody has commented on the article?
That Stuff:
First, Steve's stuff is cooking along fine and
"Here There Be Monsters" is shaping up well. His first
"13 Re-envisioned Monsters" is basically done. With each of these projects - I have to work on layout, PDF, some conceptulization, and keeping up with all the recent changes in distrubution chains.
On the more personal side – I suffered the loss of old faithful, my computer and needed to replace it with a newer quirky model. I am still not all the way settled into the new machine. I and Steve have both had job changes – I got tired of riding a desk and returned to work in a busy ER. I enjoy it a world more than being a desk jockey but it does cut deeply into my writing time.
I guess the watch words would be –
“steady at the helm.” I started with piss & vinegar but have mellowed into a nice steady pace that ensures that we do the job right.
