325

A simple number but with much meaning to me (and hopefully you) as that is the total number of creatures to be found in the Tome of Terrors & Treasures!

So what will you find inside?

Click here for the alphabetical list and get a sneak peek at what's to come.

Treasure chart

Below is a look at the treasure chart. It works by:

1) find the creatures Treasure Rating
2) go across for each category with a number and roll 3d6
3) If you roll equal or under the number, that type of treasure is found
4) If you roll higher, no such treasure is found

The multiple by the TR rating tells you how many times to roll for each numbered category.  So a 2x means roll twice under coins, etc.

Note for many categories (like Items or Magic Items) there is a sub chart to determine what is found. For example if a Magic Item is found you roll on a chart to see it it is a weapon, potion, artifact, armor, ring, or wand.

Any feed back is appreciated.

Treasure Rating TR	ITEMS	D6 COINS	D6 X 100 COINS	D6 X10,000 COINS	GEMS, ART, JEWEL	SCROLL & SPELL BOOK	MAGIC ITEMS
1 (1x)	12	8	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
2 (1x)	14	10	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
3 (1x)	14	12	4	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
4 (1x)	10	14	6	N/A	4	N/A	4
5 (1x)	8	16	8	N/A	6	4	6
6 (2x)	N/A	16	10	N/A	8	6	8
7 (2x)	N/A	16	12	4	10	8	10
8 (3x)	N/A	16	14	8	12	10	12
9 (4x)	N/A	16	16	12	14	12	14
10 (5x)	N/A	16	16	16	16	14	16

Treasures!

First, thanks very much for all the feedback on the Tome of Terrors and Treasure.  I appreciate the alternative ideas and everyone's thoughtful opinions.  My decision is: I am going to sort of do both. 

There will be one unified/complete book at launch. That is what I'd want as a player and what I have been working towards. So one book to rule them all fans, take heart. I am still trying to get it done in OCTOBER but it may honestly be November.  Good thing is you don't pay anything until it is done and ready to send to you.  (Assuming you'd even want to purchase a copy of course.)

As to the installment plan and then unify proposal, this does not work for me for two reasons:

1) I can only devote time to one project at a time. So In order to drop creatures into the Cauldron, means I need to do nothing but write new Cauldron issues to drop creatures into. That means at best, bi-monthly Cauldron releases and most likely about 18 months to get it all done and out.  Then a unified copy after that.

2) Even IF everyone said "AW YEAH! I will wait another 18 months to see it all", that also means no other HOW projects get worked on or done: no Blades & Black Magic, no Grim Venture, no revised rulebook--nothing else.  Frankly I am not okay with that as there is some good stuff coming and I'd hate to wait nearly 2 more years to get it rolling.

Now all that being said, I will include some Monster sections in Cauldron issues so those who choose not to buy the unified book will still get access to beasties through Cauldron issues, I just cannot at this point say what the time line for those releases are beyond a Cauldron will come out before the end of this year and will have some critters in it.  So thanks for the feedback and opinions--they do matter!

Okay now lets talk the treasures portion of the ToTaT. There will be a Treasure Rating scale of 1 (low) to 10 (Lair: think Dragon horde)

Across all ranks will be sections for things like items, coins, gems, arcane items, etc.

Under each treasure type is a number. You roll 3d6 and find that item if you roll under it.

So as a rough idea sketch it looks something like this:

TR          Items        Coins        Jewels      Scrolls     Arcane
 1               11              8                5              3             NA

Then within each category (like Items) you will roll to determine what kind of sub item category (such as food, pocket, pouch) you find treasure in. Then roll you will roll d66 on that chart (say pocket) to see what the specific item was found (2 candles). 

My goal is to provide variables and charts whenever possible to try and limit repeat items found and to create a broad range of potential items to find.  Second my hope is for the Referee it can help create some interesting gaming opportunities such as if the players find a pouch of "blue powder." Who knows what kind of interesting stuff the Players may think it is and as the Referee that could be interesting opportunity to expand your game in a new direction on the fly!

So that's a peek at what's happening behind the scenes in my Other World. Thanks for your continued support and patience!

Monsters in bite sized pieces

ewookie brought up the following idea in a response to a post...

" i've thought that it would be easier and perhaps more lucrative if you published like 10-20 critters and their treasures per Cauldron and put out a Cauldron per month until you felt the list was complete. this would drive Cauldron readership, break the task into smaller, manageable chunks, and allow for reader feedback and editing corrections before being collected into one final, polished volume."

Here is your chance to sound off as I grind away on the book, what do you think?