Gold medal day!

I had no idea when I began the Magi Carta what an incredible amount of work it would entail. It was so work intensive I have spent nearly every free moment I could dedicate to HOW projects, dedicated to doing the Magi Carta only.

Now 4 months later it is fraking done....well the text version is at least.

Next weekend I will do the art layout and then I can order a print test done.

The following weekend, if all goes well the Magi Carta will go up for sale in print and PDF!(May 11/12)

I can't wait to have Magi Carta released, then it's soldiering on to Cauldron #1 so I can finish it up and make it a June release!  The work continues...

Sand Crawler

The Savage Swords adventure idea for HOW is really turning into more of a "Sand Crawler."  Not sure that's a wholly originally term for the type of adventure as I conceive it. Hell it may not even be the most accurate term, but it strikes me as accurate and appropriate.

Okay so how does it work?  Originally my idea with Savage Swords was to mimic the Man to Man adventure Orcslayer.  Orcslayer is a series of  combat scenarios linked with role playing Interludes between each battle.  Love the idea, but it is definitely a railroad experience and I wanted to "improve" on it. So I was thinking about how I could tweak it and make it a bit more interesting to play and referee.  That's when the "Sand Crawler" came into being.  Here is how it works:

There are lettered combat encounters, but the path and order they are explored is up to the players.  There are "exits" listed at the end of each combat scene.  Then as the players progres to the next scene there is an "encounter table" for each hex they move through.  Depending on time of day the chance and type of encounter changes.  Eventually the players make it to the final "win" combat scenario and the adventure is over.  Below is a quickie map to illustrate the idea.

map source

So there is the Heroes & Other Worlds "Sand Crawler" adventure idea that is going to be the guts of the Savage Sword adventures for HOW.

Side note, my wife is almost done editing Magi Carta and I have used her edits to get IQ8-IQ11 tightened up.  I am going to push this weekend to finish the edit and appreciate your patience as it all comes together!

Could be...

Scribbling away

Image source

While I have wrapped the writing of Magi Carta, my wife has spent the week editing it...and has only made it halfway through.  I wish I could say it was due to being overwhelmed by the awesome inside, but that would not be true.  So there is quite an editing task ahead and I am taking the first half of her corrections and working away on it.

In the back of my mind is an idea to create a "Savage Sword" adventure series each which consists of nothing more than linked combat scenarios.  I always liked the Orcslayer concept from Man to Man...

Sneak Peek

Here is a preview of the back cover, over the weekend I added spell gems, cartomancy and Dermal magic.  I am now NOT adding anything else and am pulling it all together in a nice little book.  It's about 130 pages with no art and not including the spell index.   The PDF will not have any art, but will be $10, the physical book with cover and art will be $20.  I am going to get a print test done on the physical book before it all goes up for sale...but the Magi Carta is coming soon!

Please note the Heroes & Other Worlds rule book (print edition) is back up on Lulu!

Questions?

Hey you have got some questions and I have answers!

Q) Where is the physical print book on Lulu?
A) Lulu had a printing problem and they took it down temporarily until they can figure out the issue. Should be back up in a few days.

Q) How many pages is the Magi Carta?
A) before la out its about 120, and there are some bits left to add in so without art, I am goign to say around 130pgs. With art? around 140-145 I think. It should be ready to roll at the end of this month

Q) When is Cauldron #1 coming out?
A) At this point I have to say June.

Q) Anymore Hexcrawls coming?
A) Absolutely! I have a hexcrawl Barrowlands project in the plotting stages and am happy to say AJ Stone of Stonewerks fame is handling the Barrow Cartography!

Q) What else is coming?
A) REDWALD! A Dark Ages setting by Lee Reynoldson which he has graciously allowed me to convert into a HOW "Otherworld" book!  This is going to be a great and gritty setting perfect for the HOW system!

Q) is that it?
A)NOPE-I still have plans for Blades & Black Magic which will have hexcrawl/outdoor adventure rules as well as some other neat bits...AND Grim Venture is an adventure homage to the old Death Test adventures!

LOTS of plans and lots of work to do, its just finding "free time" to get them all done and out to you!  I very much appreciate your interest, patience, and support for HOW!

image source

Worth your time

I am picky.  Very picky when it comes to books, TV, movie, comics...I can't really enjoy something unless I am over the moon for it.  To that end, I don't recommend too much unless I think it is really worth your time to check out.  To that end I will share some of the books and comics that have a strong influence on my gaming and adventuring.

Let me start with Hercules.  Nope not the Marvel one, not the Disney one, and not the TV one.  I am talking about this one, Hercules from Radical entertainment's comic series. 

This Hercules is a bad hombre, not to be trifled with and not someone who epitomizes the classical hero.  He is grim, bloody, world weary and has no illusions about the world.  I hesitate to call it bronze age Conan because its more nuanced than that.  Yes there is blood, treachery combat, and everything else you want from a grim sword and sandal comic, but there is more because the characterization is outstanding as well.  

There are two Hercules series, the first is the Thracian Wars set in...well Thrace. This series will be made into a film with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson playing Hercules.  The second series "The Knives of Kush" is set in Egypt immediately after the events of The Thracian wars.

The effort that went into insuring the equipment used by forces in the books as well as the architecture is accurate historically is very impressive.  Add on a grim story line, lots of tension and combat as well as twisting the notion of a classic greek hero, well its a fantastic way to spend an afternoon engrossed in a great story. 

Curious?

Here is a download of the nearly complete master spell list for the Magi Carta!

 I have some double checking to do, but it is very nearly complete.

Sorry so slow

Everything is still happening but a nasty cold still lingers and business trips have taken much of my recent time.

Magi Carta is still coming fitst followed by Cauldron #1.  Unfortunately there will be no swashbuckler article in this issue.  I have written two, hated both, and deep sixed them.  So there will be good stuff, just not a swashbuckler article.  I don't want to put something out I don't like or can't stand behind just to say "I did it"

 Also on the forge after Cauldron #1 is the continued conversion of Lee Reynoldson;s Redwald to HOW.  I have some art commissioned by Luigi "artkid" which will go into it!

The AJ stone of Stonewerks fame is working on some Barrow mound geomorphs for an outdoor exploration adventure I have on the drawing board for HOW.

LOTS of plans and projects, just wish I had more free time!

Thanks very much for your patience and support, hope you are getting some good gaming in!