Immortals Handbook: Ascension 3.5E Print version...do you want one?

[Upper_Krust]

I mean, honestly the entries from Gods and Monsters ending up somewhere on print would be amazing. Pipe dream probably, but still.

Well looking over Gods & Monsters I am totally shocked I actually have 10 of the Deity Manifestation entries finished (or 99% finished in the case of one or two).

Half of them also have Avatar/Aspect entries finished. A few have the Worship info finished. Although not sure if adding some Avatars and not all is a good idea. Same with the Worship info.

So those manifestations can easily be added inside 30 minutes, I'll stick them in an Appendix at the back of the book. I can add the art as well although 10 x 45 minutes of repainting per image on average), approx. 8 hours or so. So 1-2 days extra to get everything done.

Probably looking at +24 pages, on top of the +30 ish I was already adding. So Ascension 2023 will be somewhere in the region of 216 pages.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Meant to wish everyone here a Merry Christmas (and a Happy New Year)!

I know I am one of the most frustratingly, procrastinating writers on the planet, but hopefully I can finally figure out how to stop adding pages and finish some books in 2023. Thanks for sticking with me, greatly appreciated...although I do think you are all a bit mad...just like me.

 

[Beefermatic]

Hey Beefy buddy. Listen if any of you guys want me to post you one of those higher quality Mixam printed Ascension 2023 books, signed, shiny pages with ribbon bookmark. Just let me know. We can call it $60, I end up making $4, everybody's happy.

I'm 200% on board man

 

[Upper_Krust]

Okay I have converted Gods & Monsters to jpgs. I can easily add the finished pages into Ascension 2023.

Horus is missing two Artifacts but I 'think' they should be easy fills.
Hecate is missing four Artifacts and I can't for the life of me remember what the heck I was planning for them:

Knife of Hekate - ?
Key to the Underworld - ?
Rope of Regression - I think was a level drain item
Torch of Enlightenment - ?

Any ideas - my 3.5E head is blanking on stuff and I keep thinking in terms of 5E-'isms.

I have art for all the deities (including Hecate and Horus) and that is already finished and just needs put into the Ascension 2023 document.

For the 'big guys': Surtur, Algol (ie. Azathoth), Metatron, Abraxas, Dabbat & Tetragrammaton. I am planning double page spreads for the art - in fact I even did some early mock-ups. Even though the final four will not have finished manifestations in the book I thought it would be cool to still add the artwork in some capacity.

However, I am getting a new printer-scanner today and I want to try a new technique I just learned about that will hopefully give me better results.

So my 'to-do' list is: Repaint about 10 illustrations (about 6-7 hours work), Concept and Repaint the art for the 'Big Guys' mentioned above (about another 6-7 hours work), Finish the cover and spine (3-4 hours work) - I may make a stab at redoing the cover art. So about three 'free' days work and I should have it all sorted. I do have a semi-busy schedule over the next week however, but should have it all wrapped up by sometime next week.

 

[Upper_Krust]

In true Krust fashion I spent a bit more time on the new Ascension 2023 cover than I originally intended. But pretty happy with the end result. Took about 25-30 hours. Let me know what you think.

 

[Alzrius]

Ha! Love the new version of the old "epic party takes on Surtur" pic! Is that Thrin in the foreground?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Ha! Love the new version of the old "epic party takes on Surtur" pic!

Cheers Alzrius amigo! I'm happy how it turned out.

Is that Thrin in the foreground?

Sort of. I didn't get the swords the way I wanted (split razor blade* - swords of sharpness) simply for quality purposes. Technically also Thrin has blond hair - which is a little tricky to do when the light sources are all behind the character.

I also had the eyebeams in place but it sort of unbalanced the picture and I couldn't get the epic dwarf done to a satisfactory level.

*Although I doubt it was noticeable in the original anyway.

The Tarrasque is the epic Druid shapechanged - made up character.
The Dragon Riding Sorceress should be Darra - an old PC played by a friend of mine who now lives in Australia. Couldn't get the figure exact but its so small on the image hopefully you won't notice.
The hidden character is the Assassin-Fighter Mirv Sheelan - played by a now Firefighter former school friend of mine.

The original Epic Dwarf Cleric in the gold armour with the anvil-hammer is a made up character (I just wanted a character with a hammer).
Other images also include a half-orc Barbarian Fangor (as you'll see in the new 5E books) - which is a PC played by another friend in Scotland.

In the original Ascension art: Thrin fights Orcus, Darra fights Druaga, Fangor fights Bwimb, The Dwarf Cleric Fights Anthraxus, a made up epic monk fights Ygorl and a made up epic female ranger fights Primus. I was probably planning to do an illustration of Mirv Sheelan at some point.

I think the other characters made it to Demigod rank (only S'mon would remember for sure), whereas Thrin made it to Lesser God after personally defeating Druaga (a MUCH tougher version of Druaga than the one in Deities & Demigods I should point out) and permanently slaying him.

In the new 5E material there are multiple images of the party fighting. Usually Thrin, Fangor, Darra and the Dwarf.

 

[Beefermatic]

In true Krust fashion I spent a bit more time on the new Ascension 2023 cover than I originally intended. But pretty happy with the end result. Took about 25-30 hours. Let me know what you think.

View attachment 271281

Oh this is bad ass man! I love it!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey Beefermatic buddy!

Oh this is bad ass man! I love it!

I noticed some mistakes, so made a few minor changes to the cover. I also finished the back cover, which is orange like the 1e AD&D Manual of the Planes back cover (seemed fitting given the fiery Muspelheim front cover to continue the orange on the back).

Still have to fix some interior illustrations - hopefully get those done today. Then I can put it all together tomorrow (albeit I am working tomorrow, so I might not have a ton of time to wrap everything up).

 

[Beefermatic]

Hey Beefermatic buddy!



I noticed some mistakes, so made a few minor changes to the cover. I also finished the back cover, which is orange like the 1e AD&D Manual of the Planes back cover (seemed fitting given the fiery Muspelheim front cover to continue the orange on the back).

Still have to fix some interior illustrations - hopefully get those done today. Then I can put it all together tomorrow (albeit I am working tomorrow, so I might not have a ton of time to wrap everything up).

That's awesome! I can't wait to see it first hand

 

[Upper_Krust]

That's awesome! I can't wait to see it first hand

Well hopefully these OGL shenanigans don't throw a spanner in the works. On the face of it, it looks like WotC are fighting an untenable position, but we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Alzrius]

Well hopefully these OGL shenanigans don't throw a spanner in the works. On the face of it, it looks like WotC are fighting an untenable position, but we'll have to wait and see.

So help me, if WotC's putting the screws to the OGL is the reason we don't get a print copy of Ascension, my wrath shall be akin to that of the Infinitaur himself!

 

[Upper_Krust]

So help me, if WotC's putting the screws to the OGL is the reason we don't get a print copy of Ascension, my wrath shall be akin to that of the Infinitaur himself!

I don't plan to sign up to 1.1, its far too draconian. I'll print out my personal copies via Mixam when I get the files sorted. By that point I am hoping this nonsense will have all blown over and I can upload to Drivethru. So I don't foresee a problem with Ascension 2023.

I am about 5% concerned what might happen to the Immortals Handbook 5e IF major publishers (cut their noses off) and sign up to 1.1. Obviously I wasn't planing on using any One D&D Content because I don't need to, I'm not even mentioning any 5E content beyond the base d20 game mechanics underlying it all. All the immortal stuff just adds on over the top. But it is still annoying - I think WotC has messed up BIG TIME here and even if they rescind this new license their bad faith acting has already soured many people.

Worst case scenario I can probably tweak the 5E Immortals Handbook just enough to make it universally compatible with all RPGs.

 

[Impeesa]

Meant to wish everyone here a Merry Christmas (and a Happy New Year)!

I know I am one of the most frustratingly, procrastinating writers on the planet, but hopefully I can finally figure out how to stop adding pages and finish some books in 2023. Thanks for sticking with me, greatly appreciated...although I do think you are all a bit mad...just like me.

The trick, I think, is to not check in for a while, so it seems like more content when you catch up. I empathize more these days, it took me several years and a second "last chance maybe ever" deadline to finish one submission for The Rifter (naturally, by the time it was done, it was over length), and I've been sitting on a half-finished Storyteller's Vault piece for at least as long. Anyway, I have to say, I got the itch to round out my 3.X physical collection recently, and for what some of those are worth on eBay now there isn't much you could fairly charge that would shock me by comparison (not to mention, I've occasionally had to pay comparable shipping just across the border from the US to Canada). If you make it available for general PoD purchase, I'd likely pick one up with some other stuff I've been meaning to get anyway.

Worst case scenario I can probably tweak the 5E Immortals Handbook just enough to make it universally compatible with all RPGs.

This reminds me, it actually occurred to me to ask at some point whether you'd ever considered doing something like this. A general system-neutral framework for basically all the worship points system and corresponding cosmology, plus a solid treatise on structuring epic and divine level play in general, could be a useful supplement for many editions of D&D and probably a lot of its derivatives.

Actually, it's been a while, but if I'm remembering correctly let me ask another thing. I seem to recall the unfinished IH Grimoire was going to have stuff about the general properties of artifacts, spending quintessence, and other related rules (I don't recall all the details now) that sort of seemed necessary to make full and proper use of Ascension. There may have been similar generally-useful stuff slated for the other unfinished supplements too. I think that's why I meant to ask the above question, in the hopes that it could cover all that and then be adapted to fill gaps in the existing 3E material (well, that and having something to point people at every time I carry the torch for the idea of epic/divine-level play elsewhere). Does the 5E version cover all that stuff? Or did you ever transcribe and share any of those notes just here on the forums or something?

PS. Hi! Cheers and happy post-holidays.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy Impeesa mate!

Hope you have been keeping well?

The trick, I think, is to not check in for a while, so it seems like more content when you catch up. I empathize more these days, it took me several years and a second "last chance maybe ever" deadline to finish one submission for The Rifter (naturally, by the time it was done, it was over length), and I've been sitting on a half-finished Storyteller's Vault piece for at least as long. Anyway,

Everything seems to take forever, coupled with me having the worst job for being able to manage time - even though I am only part time at it. Days seem to evaporate.

I have to say, I got the itch to round out my 3.X physical collection recently, and for what some of those are worth on eBay now there isn't much you could fairly charge that would shock me by comparison (not to mention, I've occasionally had to pay comparable shipping just across the border from the US to Canada). If you make it available for general PoD purchase, I'd likely pick one up with some other stuff I've been meaning to get anyway.

Cheers buddy. I'll add you to the list.

This reminds me, it actually occurred to me to ask at some point whether you'd ever considered doing something like this. A general system-neutral framework for basically all the worship points system and corresponding cosmology, plus a solid treatise on structuring epic and divine level play in general, could be a useful supplement for many editions of D&D and probably a lot of its derivatives.

The rules system itself works standalone (with a few tweaks). I think the MUCH bigger problem is detailing the monsters in a system neutral format.

Actually, it's been a while, but if I'm remembering correctly let me ask another thing. I seem to recall the unfinished IH Grimoire was going to have stuff about the general properties of artifacts, spending quintessence, and other related rules (I don't recall all the details now) that sort of seemed necessary to make full and proper use of Ascension. There may have been similar generally-useful stuff slated for the other unfinished supplements too. I think that's why I meant to ask the above question, in the hopes that it could cover all that and then be adapted to fill gaps in the existing 3E material (well, that and having something to point people at every time I carry the torch for the idea of epic/divine-level play elsewhere). Does the 5E version cover all that stuff? Or did you ever transcribe and share any of those notes just here on the forums or something?

All that stuff is in Chapter 2 of the 5E material: Creating artifacts, new artifacts, spell templates, all the new magic systems to allow epic spellcasting. I don't have the nous to put it into Ascension 2023, even though it would probably work with 3.5E as written.

Book 1: Immortals Handbook: Gods
Chapter 1 = Divinity (sub-divided into 'Rules', Templates, Portfolios - with sample deities, Abilities)
Chapter 2 = Magic (artifacts and then spells and spell systems)
Chapter 3 = Epic Campaigns (with all sorts of advice, ideas and a handful of sample monsters that didn't fit into the Bestiary)
Chapter 4 = Kosmos (detailing 8 different dimensions as best I can in around 6 pages each or so)

Book 2: Immortals Handbook: Monsters
Chapter 5* = Monstrous (new rules for really massive monsters and a few other ideas)
Chapter 6* = Bestiary (with about 80 monsters divided into 6 subsections)

*I know, technically chapters 1 & 2. If the books go on sale at the same time I may keep them as chapters 5 & 6.

PS. Hi! Cheers and happy post-holidays.

You too amigo!

 

[Geminisaga777]

wow my dream to have this new update in 3.5

 

[elpp]

Is it still possible to purchase one of these?

 

[Upper_Krust]

Is it still possible to purchase one of these?

Howdy elpp!

My plan right now is to get Ascension 2023 on Drivethru RPG for this Thursday 12th January. So you will be able to buy both the pdf and the print version (Print on Demand) from Drivethru hopefully then.

I am also going to get Mixam to print me out a few personal copies. These will be a bit higher quality than the Drivethru Print on Demand stuff. A few people have said they would like one of these. It will have silk pages and bookmark 'ribbon' and I will sign it. Basically I just want to test the quality for the Kickstarter later in the year. The problem here is that the postage to the USA (from where I am) is $29 and 'change'. Which means I would be breaking even in around the $56 mark. I said I'm happy with $60 and a few people said they still want one.

For comparison the Drivethru Print on Demand will be $35* + $4.95 postage I think. So $20 cheaper.

*Including the Gods & Monsters deity stats pages added about an extra 40 pages (on top of the other 20 pages I had already been adding), so I have put the price up $5.

Now, of course if something happens this week with regards the OGL, things might get a bit problematic. As far as I can tell though, WotC have not 'officially' released 1.1 as yet. The original date for it to kick off was Friday 13th (ominously enough). So the game is still afoot as regards Ascension 2023. Hopefully I can get it all done for (late) Thursday - I don't have too much to still do (fix a few illustrations and do the spine). But there are always technical problems and I have never done a POD file with Drivethru yet so hopefully it is all straightforward.

 

[elpp]

If possible could I get one of the Mixam ones if not I'll get the drivethru one, just to say in case location changes the price I'm in the uk.

 

[elpp]

Hopefully things go great with the OGL