Minion1stClass

We've had a pdf proof last weekend from our layout artist. Dixie IS an artist. And I've done a final proof of it. We're waiting now for news from her on the corrections and the final version. So close. I promise as soon as we have a finished product, we will be getting it into everyone's hands! Well, not everyone, but anyone who wants.

Looking forward to reading a recap on this one!

We may have something similar to this on our list of projects to do at some point. The list is long and the order shifts near weekly. Hey, keeping @Shawn Carpenter on one thing can be hard some days! But, the fae are high on my list of things to touch on.

Keywords and abilities are something our group has struggled with as well. Eventually it clicks. Most of the time. I still get them mixed up sometimes. LOL The not needing to roll all the time is a big adjustment from other games. I like it, but we've played with people who did not. It's such a personal preference thing I suppose. As someone who wants to do badass and awesome stuff, I like being able to try and not know I'll fail cause I have a low str and there's no way I can accomplish this feat cause I am at disadvantage and etc. Gentle reminders are the way. @Shawn Carpenter has been reminding players before rolling starts to remember to think about what they are trying to accomplish and be able to explain it all before he decides if a roll is needed.

Hey, y'all! Quick update! Dixie is rounding in on the finish line. Yay! It should definitely be worth the wait. Once we have the final layout from her we'll do a last proof of it. Our intent (barring weirdness) is to release the pdf after the pod proof is accepted and we are just waiting for the proof of the pod to arrive for us to thumbs up. Which means about a 3 week lag (approximately) from pdf to pod release. We hope this makes it easier for those wanting pod to wait and get the pdf and pod together. We are going to shoot for releasing both at the same time for the remainder of the Saga, but make no promises.

As was said above, mention what rules are used and when. And why. Like, "My group was trying to cross the flooded plain and I let them discuss what their goal was and how they might accomplish it. In the end, they said they were going to try to push across by doing X, Y, and Z. So, I made it a group simple contest and decided it should be a costly automatic victory. Because if they don't get across the plain they can't further the plot by being framed for stealing x, y, and z." And it may just be me, but I love reading about a really great success or failure and when players surprise the gm. And any good lines! My Humakti, when talking about the Lunar witch the Half Death remarked, "I look forward to finishing the job." Ok, I think it is a good line!

My Humakti certainly hopes so considering her path.

Death and Life are not likely to mix long term. To become one, they get divorced (severing from their old life), but they can after becoming initiates go through the Resheathing ceremony to remain within society which could include marriage. (Storm Tribe is where this is described) There's also the fun bit about are children from a Humakti, because they embody death, undead? I can't remember where that is from. But they do mention no find undead ever lock onto the kids. I would imagine if a follower of Humakt wants to marry it's on their own without a match maker. After all, they have no family status for someone to marry into. They are more likely to just enjoy the company of favored partners, imo then to marry. If they retain any desires of such things at all.

She has stylized air runes on her ankles and a movement rune on her knee. Her runes are Spirit, Mastery, and Air. Her hero belonged to a spirit society with Fire and Horse and she'll follow in his footsteps as much as possible. The spirit tradition has Fire and Spirit. Darn Elmalians and their fire. At some point when she meets another shaman she'll join another spirit society and add some Darkness and Truth. Well, the clan tattoo has Truth, but that's on her back. Tattoos. Drella compensates her size and scars by getting lots of tattoos. Hard to tell in the drawing, but she runs small and is often mistaken for a child by some. Mostly by those who want to piss her off or mess with her.

Show it off if you have it! I'd love to see art from other people's games. Actual drawings or inspirations for characters. Here's my shaman to be Drella. She's my playtest character from Valley of Plenty. She has scars from the two times she almost died, but only internal ones from the time she died. That and the air elemental tastefully blowing smoke. This is her ceremonial dress. It lacks her amazing hat she bought off an Issaries who thought he'd never sell it! Because it is TOO AWESOME!

I can't speak for anyone else, but I love actual play post mortems! Especially in my favorite game system.

I love this idea! I'm working on a spirit charm (my shaman to be took the hand from her corpse...kinda long story and bent the fingers in a rude gesture before preserving it) that can hold multiple small spirits, one per digit. But, if the time is right she can release them all and make a big spirit. Like Voltron for death spirits or ghosts... Just trying to tweak to the GM's desire so he okays it. I mean, I am sure he will...his back doesn't like sleeping on the couch.

It is a lot for a point. They are also a great flaw to use against the player. Not saying that's happened to me! They are not going to be useful in all situations and most likely simply be used as augments most of the time. You can also start them out with lower point options or fewer points available to bump their keywords and abilities up. Mostly though, in all our games I've never seen them act as something that unbalances game play.

Pissed off family is the BEST! My XU troll killed a ZZ Deathlord and I'm just waiting for his pals to show up. It'll be interesting since she wears his ghost in a necklace around her neck.

Sounds like a very fun game. Ending with a dead ogre is always a good thing.

This is not the final cover, a few more tweaks to make, but here's the near complete cover for Valley of Plenty. Edits are complete. We've sent the book off to our layout guru and when she is done it gets a final round of edits and will be ready to go into your hands. If the cover isn't enough, here's a nice splash page peek as well. The "poor kid" in our playtest game has had quite the adventure. He's nearly started a feud by some PCs not thinking when daring him to do something. Typical kid stuff!

THIS is such a dangerous teaching for trolls. Which is why I love it. Which is why my troll is never going to feel comfortable in "normal" troll society. The subversive idea that just because a thing SHOULD be done this way, doesn't mean you HAVE to is a wake up call for those who spend their whole life in the same traditional way. Suddenly, oh, look, the "human trollkin" I am friends with has been given these chances and now he is NOT a human trollkin, but a full on human. How can I do this for my fav little guy Big Boss Big Nose? Well, likely not at home, but outside I am going to find a way.

Nice. My Xu has been somewhat impressed with the Ernaldans, but she isn't convinced of them yet. Not enough to share the prophecy that sent her away from home. But she got most of the clan to accept her Trollkin and when she left, she even got them hired as guards for Apple Lane. Changing hearts and minds! Easier with humans though. If they don't change enough, you can always consume hearts and minds.

Sounds like a fun time for all. Except the poor ogre who didn't do nothing to nobody. Well, SOME bodies. But not that one in particular.

Or everyone's thinking is wrong and the cure isn't to fix things, but understand and accept things as they are and work to improve the trollkin's lot and not get rid of them. Even after everything, the mother of trolls makes sure there ARE trolls even if not the ones desired. How shameful are trolls as children of such a great mother to dismiss and spit on the very best that can be done sometimes. And, who trusts those mistress race trolls anyway? They look down on dark trolls as much as dark trolls look down on trollkin. They've failed. They are hiding and wishing for better days. Ahem. My dark troll Xiola Umbar has many heretical thoughts and was exposed to humans and now has...ideas. Ones she will not be sharing, thank you very much. She's heretical, sure, but not STUPID. But when she gets her own temple set up... things will be different! Although she still listens to all music hoping to find the missing song to act as a cure. Because one shouldn't toss all babies out with the bath water.

In smaller news, my character was saved! Although a god in a turnip did take a brief interest in her so I am not sure how that will go... In bigger news, and more exciting, we've sent the draft of Valley of Plenty off to our proofreader. Once it is back from him it goes to our layout artist. We're hoping for a 2-3 week turnaround total, but it may be longer. The cover was delivered to us last week and it is amazing. So close, folks!

One of our players is out next week so we'll have to wait another week to see how it goes. But here's hoping a new character isn't required. Although, I have ideas...I always have ideas. Should be good. It's not like said character winds up doing things without thinking or worrying about consequences and...yea. Gonna go work on that character idea!

A bit of a spoiler. Adult initiation can be deadly. Just ask my character who is trapped in the underworld and with any luck will be rescued by the other Wildlings.

Glad it sounds interesting! We're aiming for a release later this month. So far our playtesters (our normal HQG group we drafted to help) has been having a lot of fun so we're hopeful. We've got some surprises in store for the rest of the saga where we've drifted from canon we hope people like as well! Barring MORE crazy times we are hoping we can get book two out toward the end of the year to keep the ball rolling.

I always heard it was Tinder.