A Bucket of Beckett [Monday Meeting Notes]

 

This week, our meetings were a large part about Gen Con items and their status in terms of getting done, who would be demoing at the booth, and what materials would be needed for their demos. Our work from here until Gen Con will be focused a lot on those things as well.

But, I also brought up that it is time to pull together the Deluxe Beckett’s Jyhad Diary Kickstarter campaign. So we talked about that for quite some time.

Not because we never have before, but because now it is real. Now we make the what-ifs into reality.

In fact, because we’ve talked about the Deluxe Beckett JD Kickstarter before, I wrote my post last week about every project being different. If you missed it, and seriously, how could you? sob, please take a look before you continue this post as it sets the stage for this one.

The rest of us will take the time to peruse this freaky piece of art from Secrets of the Covenants:

 

 

Beckett’s Jyhad Diary is an unusual book. Not completely a game book, not completely fiction.

Even when Fast Eddy Webb and I first conceptualized the project, we really went around on the idea for a while. What I was looking for was a book that revitalized the mysterious nature of classic WoD by going into detail about mysteries, yet would also be the narrative bridge that got us over the books leading up to and including Gehenna. So, a simple request, really.

It was Eddy who suggested the “unreliable narrator” be our old friend Beckett, which was a masterstroke because Beckett himself epitomizes the kind of book I was looking for. A Noddist scholar who may or may not believe the lore he is discovering, beast-marked Gangrel who tries not to kill mortals, cynical loner who still got sucked into the machinations of the Jyhad. What would he write about in his personal journal, and how much can you believe?

Plus, the contents of the book aren’t just his notes from all the years; there are passages of fiction, and sections where authors Neall Raemonn Price, Joshua Alan Doetsch, Matthew McFarland, Myranda Sarro, Steffie de Vann, Malcolm Sheppard, Alan Alexander, Renee Knipe, and Matthew Dawkins provide ideas for all that and how to include Beckett’s notes in your own Chronicles.

Plus, plus, once we sent the text over to the new White Wolf Publishing for approvals, they had some excellent tweaks and changes that were very flavorful.

 

 

Which brings us to the upcoming Deluxe Beckett’s Jyhad Diary Kickstarter and the fact that we really want to focus on making the sexiest Deluxe book we’ve created yet.

First of all, we know that our concept is to create a cover treatment that feels like this could actually be Beckett’s diary. Something that he has carried for years, that has survived his most dangerous encounters. Battered, leathery, but cool.

Around 7″ x 10″, which is a Deluxe size we haven’t played with before, and specced at over 200 pages to start.

So that’s our baseline, and we are going to try and design this KS to keep the focus on this book being made more awesome specifically because of going through a Kickstarter, like I said before. Really, this was why we started using crowd-funding to begin with: to be able to do things with the projects we normally couldn’t. We’re not trying to build the releases for the game line like we often do with our KS’d projects.

 

 

But we’re not heartless, we still want to have a little wacky fun, so we’re looking into adding new V20 dice to this Kickstarter. 10-sided, of course, but what else would folks like in such a set?

We could go with higher end, carved dice from our friends at Q-Workshop who are doing our Changeling 20th dice. I’m not seeing them with anything that looks like marble, but green on black looks very Vampire, and some sort of thorns design around the numbers with an ankh for the 0 might be sweet.

Give me a yell here and let us know what sort of V20 dice you’d like to see us include as part of this KS!

Thanks!

Oh, yes, keep an eye out next week for when the KS will go live- might be next Tuesday even-

 

 

BLURBS!

ON SALE!

DriveThruRPG.com is having an Urban Fantasy sale on PDFs starting on Thursday and running over the weekend! Look for sales on both Mage lines, both Changeling lines, and Scion!

 

FOR ONE MORE WEEK, the Bundle of Holding features Exalted 1st Edition PDFs! Check the offers out here:

Exalted 1E Glorious Core Bundle [essential books]
http://bundleofholding.com/presents/Exalted1ECore

Exalted 1E Irresistible Setting Bundle [more supplements]
http://bundleofholding.com/presents/Exalted1ESetting

These Bundles are running until the 20th, so check out these great deals and help contribute to a worthy charity at the same time!

 

 

Looking for Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: https://theonyxpath.com/press-release-onyx-path-limited-editions-now-available-through-indie-press-revolution/

 

 

Those howls you hear? The pack is on your trail! The Pack for Werewolf: the Forsaken 2nd, that is! The final PDF and PoD versions will be on sale this Wednesday at DTRPG.com!

Alone you die. Together you will feast on the blood of your prey.

This book contains:

• The pack from within and without, including a number of sample packs.
• Other organizations of werewolves, including protectorates and Lodges.
• New systems for pack creation, hunting nature, and pack tactics..
• Three new hunting grounds that show different sides to the pack.

 

 

V20 Black Hand: Guide to the Tal’ Mahe’ Ra is now on the attack at DTRPG in PDF and physical hardcover PoD forms! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/179023/V20-The-Black-Hand-A-Guide-to-the-TalMaheRa

The Tal’Mahe’Ra, the Black Hand, plays the long game. They’re fighting a war of millennia, and the stakes could never be higher than they are tonight. They know truths about the Ancients, terrifying truths, dangerous truths, and they know the fight will be long and tireless.

The Black Hand — A Guide to the Tal’Mahe’Ra includes:

• An updated look at the Tal’Mahe’Ra, which brings the ancient conspiracy into the twenty-first century.
• Tricks of the Black Hand’s trade, including new Disciplines, Backgrounds, Merits, and eldritch sorceries.
• Insight into some of the Hand’s sects, including those who hunt the infernal, and the worshipers of Lilith.

 

Servants of the Damned: the Advance PDF for V20 Ghouls & Revenants is now available at DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/184039/V20-Ghouls–Revenants

Ghouls & Revenants includes:

• Expanded and revised character creation for ghoul and revenant player-characters
• Clan and Sect write-ups for ghouls who serve them
• New revenant families including the Rossellini, Kairouan Brotherhood, and more.
• New rules for ghouls and revenants including new Merits & Flaws, Backgrounds, Discipline Packages, etc.
• A Storyteller chapter for advice on running ghoul-or-revenant focused chronicles.
• …and more!

NOTE: This is the Advance PDF version. A final PDF version and PoD versions will be available at a later date. If you have purchased this Advance PDF, you will be automatically updated to the final PDF and receive a link to enable you to purchase the PoD at a discount designed so that your total price matches our usual PDF and Print combo offer.

 

There has always been…Darkness. Coming at you through time itself, the Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras PDF and physical book PoD versions are now available at DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/178583/Chronicles-of-Darkness-Dark-Eras

Chronicles of Darkness: Dark Eras reveals the world throughout its long and storied past. Through sixteen eras, you’ll learn the secret history of the world, from the flame-lit tales of the Neolithic to the drug-fueled rebellion of the 1970s. Delve into the past, and learn that the Chronicles of Darkness began long before the modern nights.

Dark Eras includes historical settings for Chronicles of Darkness game lines:

• Vampire: the Requiem
• Werewolf: the Forsaken
• Mage: the Awakening
• Promethean: the Created
• Changeling: the Lost
• Hunter: the Vigil
• Geist: the Sin-Eaters
• Mummy: the Curse
• Demon: the Descent

 

Mage: the Awakening 2nd Edition Advance PDF NOW available at DTRPG.com! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/181754/Mage-the-Awakening-2nd-Edition

You are a mage, one of the Wise. You see, know, and explore what others can’t imagine, from the depths of the human soul to the hidden corners of reality. Armed with your spells, driven by an addiction to Mysteries, you delve into the secrets of the world. Knowledge has a price, and the dangers are many.

This book contains:

• The complete guide to playing a mage in the Chronicles of Darkness.
• Reimagined Paths, Orders, and powers to create your Awakened characters and their allies, including an updated version of the most comprehensive free-form magic system in gaming.
• Five example settings across the world, from Los Angeles to Salamanca, each with a central Mystery.
• A brand-new look at all the strange places of the Fallen World, from the Lower Depths to the Emanation Realms, and what mages might find within.

NOTE: This is the Advance PDF version. A final PDF version and PoD versions will be available at a later date. If you have purchased this Advance PDF, you will be automatically updated to the final PDF and receive a link to enable you to purchase the PoD at a discount designed so that your total price matches our usual PDF and Print combo offer.

You must have your DTRPG account set to accept messages from Onyx Path Publishing before the link messages are sent out, though, so please adjust your settings if you want that discount.

 

 

Children of the Unconquered Sun arise!

Exalted 3rd Edition in both PDF and PoD versions is now on sale at DriveThruRPG.com: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/162759/Exalted-3rd-Edition

This is your tale. This is Exalted. What legends will they tell of your deeds?

Exalted 3rd Edition depicts both a revitalized and expanded Creation, and the triumphant return of the Solar Exalted—but whether their rebirth will herald the salvation or destruction of the world, none can say. The system redesign takes the best parts of the previous editions and streamlines the mechanics for maximum playability.

Exalted 3rd Edition includes:

• New Fiction – Read a new tale by original Exalted developer and author Geoff Grabowski.
• New Artwork – See the Realm in a new light with stunning artwork by both new and classic Exalted artists working under the direction of Maria Cabardo.
• Expanded Locales – Expand your campaigns with a detailed overview of the sprawling and decadent Second Age of Man. In addition to classic locales such as Chiaroscuro and Nexus, find many new locations not detailed in previous editions, from the treacherous intrigues of Port Calin to the proud warriors of the frigid plains and forests of Medo, held in check only by the iron hand of the Realm.
• Intrigue and Mystery – Discover a revitalized Realm, still standing at the brink of civil war, but more dangerous than ever before; and the Lunar dominions which harry its borders, seeking redress for ancient crimes while pursuing modern ambitions.
• Expanded Character Creation – Create and play Solar Exalted characters and compelling mortal heroes with more information and fleshed out details.
• Combat System – Fight with a new cinematic combat engine, primed to deliver dynamic, exciting, and easily resolved battles between heroes, gods, and armies.
• Charms – Explore a vibrant new Charm set encompassing both classic Solar powers from previous editions and all-new powers to shift the course of Creation.
• …and much, much more!

 

 

CONVENTIONS!

Gen Con 2016 Onyx Path events registration has now been posted on the Gen Con site! A LOT of our events have sold out already, so please jump in ASAP if you’d like to attend: https://www.gencon.com/event_finder/Host/Onyx%20Path%20Publishing

These don’t include the demos and playtests we’ll be having at the booth.

Might Matt McElroy will be at ComicPalooza Con in Houston June 17th-19th! http://www.comicpalooza.com/

 

---

And now, the new project status updates!

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

• M20 Book of Secrets (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
• Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)
• CtL fiction anthology (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
• Ring of Spiragos (Scarred Lands)
• VtM Endless Ages fiction anthology (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
• BtP Building a Legend (Beast: the Primordial)
• Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
• Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
• M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
• Scion: Origins (Scion 2nd Edition)
• Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)
• BtP Mortal Remains (Beast: the Primordial)
• BtP Player’s Guide
• Pugmire Core Book
• Ring of Spiragos (5e)
• Dagger of Spiragos (5e)

Redlines

Second Draft

Development

• W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
• Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
• Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)
• SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
• SL The Wise and the Wicked (5e – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
• SL The Wise and the Wicked (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
• SL Dagger of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
• V20 Dark Ages Companion (Vampire 20th Dark Ages)
• Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition

Post-Editing Development:

• The Prince’s Gambit (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
• V20 Lore of the Bloodlines (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
• CofD Hurt Locker (Chronicles of Darkness)

 

Indexing:

 

ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

• W20 Shattered Dreams 
• Dark Eras Companion
• Necropolis Rio
• Beckett’s Jyhad Diary
• CofD Hurt Locker
• Mummy Novel
• V20 DA Tome of Secrets
• V20 Lore of the Bloodlines
• Beast RMCs
• SL Wise and Wicked Update
• Prince’s Gambit 

 

In Layout

• Promethean: the Created Second 
  
• Secrets of the Covenants
• Ex 3 core book – From RichT: Sending files for both Deluxes to printer this week now that they delivered specs.
• Dark Eras Screen
• Gen Con 2016 Brochure
• Storypath Brochure
• Gen Con Materials
• Kinfolk 

 

Proofing

• Mage: the Awakening 2nd – Waiting for errata from DaveB.
• Scarred Lands PG

 

At Press

• Beast Screen – At shipper.
• Beast Prestige Edition – printing.
• Dark Eras – PDF and PoD versions on sale at DTRPG. Prepping Prestige Edition files for printer.
• V20 Ghouls & Revenants – Advance PDF available and errata getting compiled.
• V20 RMC – Out to LotC Backers, awaiting errata.
• Ex 3 Backer Charm Book – Out to Backers, fixing errata.
• Ex 3 Screen – At the Printer.
• The Pack – final PDF and physical book PoDs on sale on Weds.
• Scarred Lands: Death in the Walled Warren Fiction – Nocturnal Media is handling getting this to KS backers.
• Curse of the Blue Nile – PoD proof ordered.

 

Special- projects on hold in the art and production area until an external factor is resolved

• Wraith 20 – Art direction and layout can’t go further until art notes come in, still being developed by Rich Dansky.