Winter is Com- Oh Hey, It’s Already Here! [Monday Meeting Notes]

Monday Meeting

Yes indeed, as I write this the snow continues to waft down here in the Northeastern US. We’ve got us a winter wonderland. The winter wolf in our pic this week is a cool bronze patina wall sculpture my daughter sent me for my birthday knowing my fondness for the Starks of Winterfell. Yep, I have survived another year.

Most of our conversation today was looking forward into this new year, with Gen Con plans and various ways to license properties and schedules being our big topics. Also we hope to get the Prestige Edition NWoD Dark Eras Kickstarter started this week (Thursday or Friday). But, since this is still January, and traditionally that’s when I spill the rest of our year’s releases that we didn’t talk about at Gen Con, I guess I’ll do just that:

SUMMER 2015 (as per our Gen Con Brochure, we are grouping releases by season):

Beast: The Primordial – Within every one of us lies the potential of the Beast. Unleash savage powers, answer the call to your Lair, and become the thing that Heroes fear.

– Within every one of us lies the potential of the Beast. Unleash savage powers, answer the call to your Lair, and become the thing that Heroes fear. W20- Changing Ways – This book serves to show what it’s like to be one of our Garou on a deep, primal level — the psychology of an archetypal hunter and religious fanatic, the mindset of a character that wasn’t born among humans, and the strange and sometimes disturbing powers that our protagonists derive from the spirit world. The first chapter covers what it’s like to be Garou — a creature that can change forms freely, that gains power from anger at a level that humans can’t manage, that heals at an incredible rate from even the most grievous wounds, and that is not limited to the mere physical world. Chapter two covers Lupus from their own perspective. The third chapter delves into the pack structure among Garou, how it differs from that among wolves, and why that is. Chapter the fourth covers spirit magic — Gifts and Rites.

– This book serves to show what it’s like to be one of our Garou on a deep, primal level — the psychology of an archetypal hunter and religious fanatic, the mindset of a character that wasn’t born among humans, and the strange and sometimes disturbing powers that our protagonists derive from the spirit world. The first chapter covers what it’s like to be Garou — a creature that can change forms freely, that gains power from anger at a level that humans can’t manage, that heals at an incredible rate from even the most grievous wounds, and that is not limited to the mere physical world. Chapter two covers Lupus from their own perspective. The third chapter delves into the pack structure among Garou, how it differs from that among wolves, and why that is. Chapter the fourth covers spirit magic — Gifts and Rites. New World of Darkness 2nd Edition featuring the God-Machine Chronicle – as promised, the revised and reworked core book for the New World of Darkness containing the new rules and God-Machine Chronicle default setting material, as well as the feel and usability of the first edition core book.

– as promised, the revised and reworked core book for the containing the new rules and default setting material, as well as the feel and usability of the first edition core book. We are planning on various options for many of our other settings such as the Trinity Continuum, Scarred Lands, Scion, and Pugmire at Gen Con, depending on how far along their projects have come by then.

FALL 2015:

VtR2: A Thousand Years of Night – Elders are vital and dangerous, canny monsters who have survived the rise and fall of countless lesser vampires. This book explores

vampires who transcend history, who see the rise and fall of leaders and even nations. Elders are strange and mysterious enough to be conspiracies in and of themselves… or they’re dangerous outsiders who know where all the bodies are buried. An Elder might have endured frenzy in the burning of Atlanta, or have strangled Jack the Ripper with his own two hands. This book provides guidance on playing Requiem in a whole new way, with new powers and hooks into mortal society out of reach for ordinary characters.

– Elders are vital and dangerous, canny monsters who have survived the rise and fall of countless lesser vampires. This book explores vampires who transcend history, who see the rise and fall of leaders and even nations. Elders are strange and mysterious enough to be conspiracies in and of themselves… or they’re dangerous outsiders who know where all the bodies are buried. An Elder might have endured frenzy in the burning of Atlanta, or have strangled Jack the Ripper with his own two hands. This book provides guidance on playing Requiem in a whole new way, with new powers and hooks into mortal society out of reach for ordinary characters. Changeling The Dreaming 20 th Anniversary Edition – A letter of love to our Dreaming fans. In style and philosophy a matching volume to V20 .

– A letter of love to our Dreaming fans. In style and philosophy a matching volume to . nWoD2- Hurt Locker – The natural progression of the Armory and Armory: Reloaded books, bringing a lot of that content to compliance with The God-Machine Chronicle, adding a glut of new content, and helping to showcase the “less combat, more violence” focus of the GMC combat rules and fighting Merits.

– The natural progression of the Armory and Armory: Reloaded books, bringing a lot of that content to compliance with The God-Machine Chronicle, adding a glut of new content, and helping to showcase the “less combat, more violence” focus of the GMC combat rules and fighting Merits. CtL2- The Huntsmen Chronicle Fiction Anthology – As with the other nWoD Anthologies, this one will also be released to the web in order to tease the new Changeling 2nd Edition and provide a richer look at the perils of the Hedge and the terror of returning to a home you no longer know.

– As with the other nWoD Anthologies, this one will also be released to the web in order to tease the new Changeling 2nd Edition and provide a richer look at the perils of the Hedge and the terror of returning to a home you no longer know. Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition featuring The Huntsmen Chronicle – While Lost doesn’t require enormous changes in mood, or rules, we want to give wider meanings to the PC’s time in captivity so that not every version is some sort of abuse (although that remains the compelling core metaphor) and to mesh the rules changes from GMC into Lost.

– While Lost doesn’t require enormous changes in mood, or rules, we want to give wider meanings to the PC’s time in captivity so that not every version is some sort of abuse (although that remains the compelling core metaphor) and to mesh the rules changes from GMC into Lost. VtR2- Half Damned- There are creatures tainted by Kindred blood, yet not quite among the Damned. There are the ghouls, blood-junkies with incredible powers. Revenants, the self-aware yet ever-hungry by-blows of reckless feeding. And the dhampir, the impossible children of vampires with mortals. Half-Damned explores each of these as playable characters, with their own unique abilities and place in the World of Darkness.

There are creatures tainted by Kindred blood, yet not quite among the Damned. There are the ghouls, blood-junkies with incredible powers. Revenants, the self-aware yet ever-hungry by-blows of reckless feeding. And the dhampir, the impossible children of vampires with mortals. Half-Damned explores each of these as playable characters, with their own unique abilities and place in the World of Darkness. EX3- Arms of the Chosen – The definitive tome of artifact weapons and armor for the Exalted.

WINTER 2015:

MtC- Dreams of Avarice – This book represents an actual relic from the game setting—a text penned by the only mummy to ever achieve Apotheosis. This book can be used as both in-game and out-of-game accessory, as both a prop for live-action play (or just heavy-RP tabletop play) and a resource for players and Storytellers. In the pages of this book, the author has entombed a number of secrets, tips, and guidelines on the Arisen condition, not merely as reference or curio, but also as a means of helping others reach Apotheosis.

– This book represents an actual relic from the game setting—a text penned by the only mummy to ever achieve Apotheosis. This book can be used as both in-game and out-of-game accessory, as both a prop for live-action play (or just heavy-RP tabletop play) and a resource for players and Storytellers. In the pages of this book, the author has entombed a number of secrets, tips, and guidelines on the Arisen condition, not merely as reference or curio, but also as a means of helping others reach Apotheosis. VtM- The Prince’s Gambit – An entry level, simplified version of VtM play created and written by Justin Achilli. This book contains everything players will need for an evening of casual gaming set in a vampiric Prince’s Council as they try and determine who is a Sabbat infiltrator and traitor.

– An entry level, simplified version of VtM play created and written by Justin Achilli. This book contains everything players will need for an evening of casual gaming set in a vampiric Prince’s Council as they try and determine who is a Sabbat infiltrator and traitor. W20- Kinfolk – A book on Kinfolk presents the Apocalypse War from the point of view of characters who aren’t the Sacred Warriors. They’re just normal folks with a monster lurking in the foliage of the family tree, who may or may not know what’s really going on—the Imperial Guard to the Garou’s Space Marines. The whole field has a lot of really meaty horror to get into, from the paranoid conspiracy angle—Waco from the Branch Davidians’ side—to one family with a shotgun against Banes, fomori, and everything else.

– A book on Kinfolk presents the Apocalypse War from the point of view of characters who aren’t the Sacred Warriors. They’re just normal folks with a monster lurking in the foliage of the family tree, who may or may not know what’s really going on—the Imperial Guard to the Garou’s Space Marines. The whole field has a lot of really meaty horror to get into, from the paranoid conspiracy angle—Waco from the Branch Davidians’ side—to one family with a shotgun against Banes, fomori, and everything else. EX3- Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought – This book introduces the Dragon-Blooded for the first time in Third Edition, including character creation rules and the Dragon-Blooded Charm set. This book will give an iconic view of the Dragon-Blooded, showing their creation as the armies of the Celestial Host and detailing their place in the current era. It will feature some further details of the Realm as well as Lookshy, and may feature other locales where Dragon-Blooded are prominent. Overall, it will focus on the legend of the Dragon-Blooded and the fires they have had to walk through to get to where they are, as Creation’s premiere, dominant Exalted.

– This book introduces the Dragon-Blooded for the first time in Third Edition, including character creation rules and the Dragon-Blooded Charm set. This book will give an iconic view of the Dragon-Blooded, showing their creation as the armies of the Celestial Host and detailing their place in the current era. It will feature some further details of the Realm as well as Lookshy, and may feature other locales where Dragon-Blooded are prominent. Overall, it will focus on the legend of the Dragon-Blooded and the fires they have had to walk through to get to where they are, as Creation’s premiere, dominant Exalted. EX3- The Realm – Covers the Scarlet Empire in the current era. Unlike its predecessors, this book does not end at the shores of the Blessed Isle but also covers Realm satrapies in the Threshold and beyond. It will provide a deep exploration of Dragon-Blooded society and what it means to be a Dynast including the Immaculate Philosophy, the beliefs and histories that guide the morality of the Realm and unite the Dragon-Blooded host against the avarice of the gods and the power of the Anathema. A large part of this book will be devoted to detailing the houses of the Dynasty, updating and enlivening with intention of making the houses as tantalizing as Kindred Clans, in terms of iconicism and player association and appeal.

And here is what is going on now:

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (Projects in bold have changed listings)

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Book of Secrets (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Cursed Necropolis: Rio (Mummy: the Curse)

Secrets of the Covenants (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition) – In Open Development

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Demon Storytellers’ Guide (Demon: the Descent) Extension to writers was given.

Beckett’s Jyhad Diary (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

“Sardonyx” System Rules (Base rules set for Scion and the Trinity Continuum) 3/4s of the first drafts are in.

M20 Anthology (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Demon Translation Guide (Demon: the Fallen and Demon: the Descent)

Redlines

Mummy Fiction Anthology (Mummy: the Curse)

Arms of the Chosen (Exalted 3rd Edition)

W20 Shattered Dreams (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Mage: the Awakening 2nd Edition, featuring the Fallen World Chronicle (Mage: the Awakening) – In Open Development

W20 Novel by Mike Lee (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition

Second Draft

Beast: the Primordial core book (Beast: The Primordial)

V20 Black Hand: Guide to the Tal’Mahe’Ra (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

Development

V20 Red List (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

V20 Ghouls (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

Promethean: the Created 2nd Edition, featuring the Firestorm Chronicle (Promethean: the Created) Being playtested.

M20 How do you DO that? (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Editing

World of Darkness Dark Eras- Vampire chapter (WoD Dark Eras)

Development (post-editing)

V20 Lore of the Clans (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)

Exalted 3rd Fiction Anthology (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Sothis Ascends (Mummy: the Curse)

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE