August 2012: View from the Pelgrane’s Nest

August is GenCon month, but due to Beth’s foresight we are able to release a just-in-time Page XX. GenCon became a hard target for three new print releases, and when we get back, all these pre-orders will be going out. 13th Age will be the only outstanding pre-order left. These new releases are Night’s Black Agents, The Zalozhniy Quartet and The Dying Earth Revivification Folio. I’ve separated the GenCon section

13th Age

The Escalation Die is up to three pips, and we’ve released an updated version of 13th Age – download it from the pre-order page. The main change is more monsters and monster damage, but there’s more here.

You can also read the exclusive interview on rpg.net which discusses what will and won’t be included in the final 13th Age, and a new Kickstarter-funded book which includes all four 13th Age creators.

Ashen Stars

Our new release this month is Tartarus, an Ashen Stars adventure featuring black goo. It has unactionable similarity to a certain film you may have seen. You are investigating the disappearance of a corporate sponsored expedition to a bad planet infested with Class K entities.  Perhaps you can do better than the useless team you follow?

At GenCon we will discuss future Ashen Stars releases, and you can make your suggestions on this forum thread.

Night’s Black Agents

Today, 9th August, is the last chance you’ll get to pre-order a signed copy of the Night’s Black Agent [REDACTED] edition. The pre-order also includes a beta Android app to improve your gaming experience. Take a peak at the lay out here. Order here.

• This month’s Page XX features two Night’s Black Agents articles, GM Tips and Players and Plots. You can also catch up on my group’s play here
• The Zalozhniy Quartet is laid out, and you can pre-order the print version and get the finished PDF now.
• Kevin Kulp has written a Night’s Black Agents demo called Excess Baggage which will debut at GenCon – we’ll lay it out and have it up on the website for next month.
• Ken and Gareth are in Chicago, conspiring to create the Dracula Dossier, and we’ll all be finalising the contents of Dracula, Unredacted at GenCon.
•  Rob Wieland (author of Tradecraft) and others will be writing an Agent’s Companion, which will include achievements, giant list of guns, more tech and gear, investigative Abilities will get tips and vampire traces, and general abilities will get new cherries.

Trail of Cthulhu

• Christopher Smith Edair is copyediting Eternal Lies, and Will is following up, finalising the text and art directing
• Graham Walmsley has given the go-ahead to release his Purist adventures in a print volume with additional material on the Lake District.
• Gareth and Graham are working on the next chapter of The Apocalypse Machine.
• Robin is continuing to delve into the Dreamlands with his Dreamhounds of Paris, and is also working on a companion volume in the mold of The Occult Guide called the Livre de Fourmis  – Book of Ants.
• The Book of the Smoke: Occult Guide is available on rpgnow.com

GenCon

Steve Dempsey, Kevin Kulp, Matthew Sanderson and Game on Demand will be running  be running GUMSHOE demos and full games – come to the stand and we’ll fix you up. Paula Dempsey, Kenneth Hite, Robin Laws will be there as will 13th Age stalwarts Rob Heinsoo, Jonathan Tweet and other Fire Opalites, as well as Stone Skin Press writers. All the designers will be offering  GM’ing advice. And Beth and I will be there, too of course. Stop by for a chat, and take advantage of our 4 for 3 convention offer, take advantage of GenCon exclusives and new releases.

Character Generator

For reasons beyond my personal control we have not delivered the final version of the Black Book character generator. That said, it is at least in part my responsibilty. The generator works fine for Trail and just about for Esoterrorists and Fear Itself, but doesn’t currently have the extras for Bookhounds and Apocalypse Machine we promised. What’s more than that, the rewards which depended on later installments of Cthulhu Apocalypse are not out because they were delayed. I can only apologise and make the following commitments:

John Clayton has stepped in and will finish the generator by 15th September.

All rewards which involve names, cities and so on in publications will be in playtest by November. If you are unhappy that you have not already been included, please contact me and we will work something out.

So, once again, sorry for this delay, and we’ll keep you informed.