I’m not dead, just busy.
If you’re paying attention to the Monday Meeting notes – and if not, why not? – you’ll be aware of a few things that we’ve got going on. First, we’re giving W20 backers a copy of Rage Across the World.
We first mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, but we’ve hit a slight snag – we didn’t have enough text. Fortunately, the devastatingly handsome David Hill jumped in at the last minute to provide an extra chapter to round out the book; I’m editing that and will get it in to layout as soon as possible. From there, it’s hopefully a short step through CCP approval and the book’s release. I hope.
Speaking of getting things to layout, both the W20 Cookbook and Book of the Wyrm edits are done and approved and with layout. Which is nice. I’ve also got all of the edits and corrections that are going in to Changing Breeds marked up and over to layout; these are the last changes (I hope) before the PDF goes out and the files go to the printers.
I’m lagging behind a little with the White Howlers Tribebook redlines – I’ve been at a long-ass conference, but that’s in my sights. I’ll be throwing bits out for open development to see what people think as I get through them. I’m also spinning up to outline Umbra with our consulting developers, which is going to be interesting – I don’t want the book to repeat what’s in W20 so we’ll be going into more detail and more new information than before!
Actually, there’s a thought. I don’t want to re-use Umbra as a title again – it’s been in the name of two books now. What do you think? What’s a good name? We could go with the literal meaning – Shadow of the Moon – but that sounds like it might be a better Forsaken book. Get your creativity on in the comments below!
Just use the original subtitle as the full title.
W20: The Velvet Shadow
Sounds like a glam-rock album.
I don’t see this as necessarily a bad thing.
How about some sort of play on The Velvet Shadow as a nod to the original Umbra book?
“The Spirit Wilds” would do
Doesn’t encompass all of the Umbra mind.
“The Worlds Beyond the Mirror” or even just “Beyond the Mirror”
I really like the idea of the title expressing that the Garou can move into the umbra easier by looking at a reflective surface.
I second the reuse of Velvet Shadow, that was a sweet title. “Shadow of the moon” is very nice, I don’t see it as more Forsaken-y than Apocalypse, but a play on that might resolve the issue. “Shadow of the World” or “Infinite Shadow” or some such.
Reflection/Mirror could also serve as the corner stone of the title as opposed to shadow.
I’d like “Umbra” but “The Velvet Shadow”, as the original title would be nice, too.
I think, it will be called “W20: Umbra”, in reference to the edition in any case, but as a title “Umbra” would suffice…
The Velvet Shadow, like the old one. Beautiful title.
I gotta vote for Velvet Shadow as well. It’s such a great name.
I totally dig W20: The Velvet Shadow
Alternatives:
A Step Aside
The Mirror Darkly
The Garou-Ratkin Club For Immediate Post Character Creation Fun That No One Else Gets For Free Ha Ha Suck My Taint Bastet Who Is The Coolest Now?
I agree with the above, The Velvet Shadow is a good nod and a good title.
W20: The Velvet Shadow seems nice, a great tribute.
Also,
Side-Stepper’s Guide To The Umbra
The Realm-Traveler’s Wife
An Unexpected Gauntlet
Desolation of Spirits
Beyond the Reach
What Would Fenris Do?
Game of Spirits: Maelstorm is coming
ok serious…
From Shadow Till Dark
Shadows Beyond Mirror
Gaze Upon Mirror
The Velvet Shadow
The Silk Reflections
Dreams&Journeys of Beyond
Seyehatnâme
A Step Beyond
Shades of Body&Soul
The Velvet Shadow
Passage of Creation
For the Umbra book, I like Reflections of Gaia. Though not completely correct, the Aliteration is there.
I really look forward to the White Howlers and to getting my hands on W20. I look forward to reading more about my number 2 setting (sorry, still a Wraith Fanboy).
How about, In the World’s Shadow: A Guide to the Land of Spirits?
In the World’s Shadow: A Guide to the Land of Spirits?
Do you have a list of the changes made to CB20?
Will there be any material relevant to Dreamspeakers and other mages?
Potentially? It’s a Werewolf book, so it focuses on the Garou experience of the Umbra, but some of the information — especially on spirit interactions and the sensations of being in the Umbra might be useful. On the other hand, Mage is its own line, and I’m sure will have its own book on the various Umbrae that mages can travel to.
The ancient war other the Carpathians between the Shadow Lords and the Tzimisce involved the powerful spirit/demon Kupala and may or may not have spawned Koldunic sorcery. Is there anything related to that in this book?
It might receive a mention, but no real details.
We’re focusing more on the experience of the Umbra for Garou and Changing Breeds; metaphysics and historical detail play second-fiddle to information that’s immediately useful for players and Storytellers in a game.
W20: (The) Tellurian Atlas
I know it’s crossing into Mage territory, but it also opens up the idea of the Umbra in a way that I think would satsify your desire to do more with the Umbra than rehash what was said in W20.
How about:
W20: Shadow Mirror;
or maybe,
W20: Dark Reflections?
Loving the alternate book name suggestions!
I had a query, will Umbra be focused on a werewolf/changing breed view of the umbra or will the mage perspective be covered as well? If mage is not, are the plans for a Book of Worlds/Infinite Tapestry update?
It’s a werewolf-focused book; I wouldn’t be happy releasing a W20 book that didn’t have werewolves front and center, though as mentioned above it’s possible that some information would be useful to Mage players.
As for a Mage book, that’d be Phil’s question to answer.
Other idea is “Axis Mundi: Umbral World”, or “Axis Mundi”, or “The House of The Wolf”, or “Wolf’s House”.