Okay, folks-
I got the thumbs-up from Bill to start talking up my second book. However, we haven't finalized the title (as far as I know) or the release date (other than 'next year sometime'), so you'll have to wait on those juicy tidbits.
But I can still share a little bit about the book, what it is, what its about and what its intended for.
What it is BIG. Damn big. The first draft topped out around 230,000 words, making it roughly the size of the DMG. Rather than risk such a ponderous product, Bill and I trimmed it down to fit neatly into the maximum size hardcover binding. Even after the cut, its big, any way you look at it. 30 illustrations, 27 maps, 5 appendices and a partiridge in a pear tree.
One of the issues with such a large adventure is the difficulty of continuity. I designed the plot so that it can be broken up into segments by region, and played with a variable amount of time between them. The DM can intersperse pieces of this module with other ongoing story elements or smaller adventures. An ambitious DM could run multiple parties through the different chapters, and bring them together for the conclusion.
I'd like to think that I can back up quantity with quality. In writing this book, I really tried to embrace and expand on the things people liked about Citadel. I put a lot of time and effort (though not nearly so much time and effort as my co-author, Jack Barger) into the NPCs. There are over 100 named NPCs in this book, many of whom have full stat blocks and complete descriptions and backstories. The NPC Appendix itself exceeds the length of many of Necromancer's early ventures in the D20 market!
I also tried to plug in as many little adventure hooks and side adventures as possible, but when the time came to cut 30,000 words, that's where I went first. The good news is that almost everything from the cutting room floor will make it in some form into the web enhancements, either from Necromancer or on Dark Loch. However, there are customised random encounter tables by region to provide something to keep busy with if the whole group can't get together.
People really seeming to like the politics of Citadel, as well as the investigatory nature of the story. I went after both in this book, and the result is a complex (a I hope not overly so) storyline fraught with intrigue, betrayal, vendetta and ambition.
I also got a good response from the sourcebook/ campaign setting nature of Citadel, so I took care to stock this book with plenty of room for future development. Dozens of shops, dozens of characters, and plenty of rumors and connections to draw them together in a realistic web. The book is set in Eamonvale, the same campaign setting as The Grey Citadel. However, you don't need one to play the other (although together they represent a complete campaign setting for Eamonvale, especially when supplmented with the online enhancements). The second book describes everything downriver from Dun Eamon all the way to the mouth of the valley, some 130 miles away. Along the way, it describes two major communities and a number of wilderness areas. Here's the blub from the back cover, sans title:
[Begin]
XXXX
Adventures in the Valley of the River Eamon
Hard times have fallen on the frontier realm of Eamonvale. Economic hardship, inexplicable kidnappings, strange politics, raids by feral elves and rising brigand activity on the Trade Road combine to spell trouble for the people of the valley. Can the heroes sort fact from fiction and unearth the connections before uncertainty gives way to fear and panic?
Far worse things than dragons draw their shadow over Eamonvale
XXXX is a mini-campaign of urban investigation and wilderness exploration designed for 4 or more characters of at least 7th level. Finding the connections between recent disturbances takes the heroes from the bustling market town of Broadwater to the sleepy rural village of Fagans Hollow, from the boggy wasteland of the Bleak to the shaded depths of the Elfwood, and into the hearts and minds of the people whose whole world is Eamonvale. Expanding on the setting of the authors first book The Grey Citadel (but fully useable without it), XXXX features challenging parallel plot threads, a richly developed setting, vibrant NPCs and numerous secondary plot hooks to foster ongoing adventures in Eamonvale.
[End]
There are a few other things that I think will set this book apart from the rest of the field. First, I don't think its overly weighed down with new crunchy bits. I included a few creature templates that support the plot, a handful of new items with which to reward the players, a few spells and a clerical domain. However, I avoided doing any more than that as I knew some DMs would want to alter the setting drastically, and too much specialty stuff would impair the flexibility.
I also worked on focusing the opposition on the mundane. There's plenty of fantastic creatures, to be sure, but a good portion of the opposition comes from the teeming masses of mankind, with all their diversity, guile and a few thoughtfully applied prestige classes from the DMG. That's where the dozens of named NPCs come in... there's a strong chance that players who survive this adventure will have a grudge or two to bear.
Another departure from the norm is the Chase Resolution Appendix, in which I present a new rules mechanic for resolving high-speed chases in a realistic and efficient manner. As you might suspect, there are many opportunities for such chases built into the adventure: over rooftops, down country lanes and through crowded city markets. I do love the classic cinematic chase scene a la Hollywood, so I designed the mechanics around enabling the PCs to perform all of the traditional cliche maneuvers without creating a headache for the DM.
Well, I'm sure I could go on ad infinitum, but this is long enough already... if you've got questions, I'll do my best to answer them, and at some point, maybe Bill will let me taunt you further with a little excerpt...
-Mac
I got the thumbs-up from Bill to start talking up my second book. However, we haven't finalized the title (as far as I know) or the release date (other than 'next year sometime'), so you'll have to wait on those juicy tidbits.
But I can still share a little bit about the book, what it is, what its about and what its intended for.
What it is BIG. Damn big. The first draft topped out around 230,000 words, making it roughly the size of the DMG. Rather than risk such a ponderous product, Bill and I trimmed it down to fit neatly into the maximum size hardcover binding. Even after the cut, its big, any way you look at it. 30 illustrations, 27 maps, 5 appendices and a partiridge in a pear tree.
One of the issues with such a large adventure is the difficulty of continuity. I designed the plot so that it can be broken up into segments by region, and played with a variable amount of time between them. The DM can intersperse pieces of this module with other ongoing story elements or smaller adventures. An ambitious DM could run multiple parties through the different chapters, and bring them together for the conclusion.
I'd like to think that I can back up quantity with quality. In writing this book, I really tried to embrace and expand on the things people liked about Citadel. I put a lot of time and effort (though not nearly so much time and effort as my co-author, Jack Barger) into the NPCs. There are over 100 named NPCs in this book, many of whom have full stat blocks and complete descriptions and backstories. The NPC Appendix itself exceeds the length of many of Necromancer's early ventures in the D20 market!
I also tried to plug in as many little adventure hooks and side adventures as possible, but when the time came to cut 30,000 words, that's where I went first. The good news is that almost everything from the cutting room floor will make it in some form into the web enhancements, either from Necromancer or on Dark Loch. However, there are customised random encounter tables by region to provide something to keep busy with if the whole group can't get together.
People really seeming to like the politics of Citadel, as well as the investigatory nature of the story. I went after both in this book, and the result is a complex (a I hope not overly so) storyline fraught with intrigue, betrayal, vendetta and ambition.
I also got a good response from the sourcebook/ campaign setting nature of Citadel, so I took care to stock this book with plenty of room for future development. Dozens of shops, dozens of characters, and plenty of rumors and connections to draw them together in a realistic web. The book is set in Eamonvale, the same campaign setting as The Grey Citadel. However, you don't need one to play the other (although together they represent a complete campaign setting for Eamonvale, especially when supplmented with the online enhancements). The second book describes everything downriver from Dun Eamon all the way to the mouth of the valley, some 130 miles away. Along the way, it describes two major communities and a number of wilderness areas. Here's the blub from the back cover, sans title:
[Begin]
XXXX
Adventures in the Valley of the River Eamon
Hard times have fallen on the frontier realm of Eamonvale. Economic hardship, inexplicable kidnappings, strange politics, raids by feral elves and rising brigand activity on the Trade Road combine to spell trouble for the people of the valley. Can the heroes sort fact from fiction and unearth the connections before uncertainty gives way to fear and panic?
Far worse things than dragons draw their shadow over Eamonvale
XXXX is a mini-campaign of urban investigation and wilderness exploration designed for 4 or more characters of at least 7th level. Finding the connections between recent disturbances takes the heroes from the bustling market town of Broadwater to the sleepy rural village of Fagans Hollow, from the boggy wasteland of the Bleak to the shaded depths of the Elfwood, and into the hearts and minds of the people whose whole world is Eamonvale. Expanding on the setting of the authors first book The Grey Citadel (but fully useable without it), XXXX features challenging parallel plot threads, a richly developed setting, vibrant NPCs and numerous secondary plot hooks to foster ongoing adventures in Eamonvale.
[End]
There are a few other things that I think will set this book apart from the rest of the field. First, I don't think its overly weighed down with new crunchy bits. I included a few creature templates that support the plot, a handful of new items with which to reward the players, a few spells and a clerical domain. However, I avoided doing any more than that as I knew some DMs would want to alter the setting drastically, and too much specialty stuff would impair the flexibility.
I also worked on focusing the opposition on the mundane. There's plenty of fantastic creatures, to be sure, but a good portion of the opposition comes from the teeming masses of mankind, with all their diversity, guile and a few thoughtfully applied prestige classes from the DMG. That's where the dozens of named NPCs come in... there's a strong chance that players who survive this adventure will have a grudge or two to bear.
Another departure from the norm is the Chase Resolution Appendix, in which I present a new rules mechanic for resolving high-speed chases in a realistic and efficient manner. As you might suspect, there are many opportunities for such chases built into the adventure: over rooftops, down country lanes and through crowded city markets. I do love the classic cinematic chase scene a la Hollywood, so I designed the mechanics around enabling the PCs to perform all of the traditional cliche maneuvers without creating a headache for the DM.
Well, I'm sure I could go on ad infinitum, but this is long enough already... if you've got questions, I'll do my best to answer them, and at some point, maybe Bill will let me taunt you further with a little excerpt...
-Mac
MacPhail
