TLDR:
Myself and a whole bunch of Onyx Path folks just got back from the 2017 MidWinter convention. Why you should care: We had a great time there, which helps us get recharged to tackle the many projects were working on) and had some business meetings that may pay off this year, as well as demoing upcoming games, and meeting and answering questions with a lot of attendees (both current fans and those who we hope will be).
Also among those we chatted with were possible freelance creators who will help us continue to create these great projects and might even help us drive a few projects forward faster.
And Now, On With the Show:
Thursday most of us flew in, got settled at the hotel, and before we could blink it was time for the annual Onyx Path dinner at Mader’s. This medieval decorated German restaurant was White Wolf‘s special place to eat back in the day, so I love introducing our Onyx Path crew to its bounty of boots of beer, salty bread, and genuine German cuisine.
We were also joined by freelance writer and developer Danielle Harper and friends, and writer (and the man who keeps our booth running) Bill Bodden was just to my left at our table, so was unfortunately cut from these pics. Neall left early and heroically to run a Scion 2e demo game. I should also note that The Legend Dave Martin and the Wrecking Crew were already running a variety of Onyx Path games (although I forgot to take any pics when I visited them.)
Thursday night was mostly carousing in the hotel at the Monarch Lounge as attendees showed up and were loudly greeted. There’s a very welcoming feeling as old friends are met again, and you wind up meeting new folks that somehow you missed the last few years.
Friday, we got the booth together, had great sales, and then it was time for Mighty Matt McElroy’s Pentex Retreat LARP.
This was a one-shot using very simple rules that relied on playing your role. I was there as Black Dog Game Factory CEO, Ron Thompson, and I survived the entire thing by doing an exaggerated version of myself and one-time WW CEO Mike Tinney. There have been a lot of calls from players for Matt to run it again next year, which we’re taking as a good sign that great fun was had.
Friday night, after a lovely dinner at the steak house in the hotel, Eddy Webb ran a “friends&family” playtest for Monarchies of Mau, the cat focused follow-up and connected game to Pugmire. This went very well, although we were all rolling abysmally, and ultimately my Wanderer(Monk) cat, Halo von Siberian, did succeed in a Disadvantaged leap to kick one of the White Rats off of a roof in the adventure’s climax.
At the same time Rose Bailey was running a Cavaliers of Mars demo that I hear was filled with swashbuckling fun.
We all met up again in the Monarch to share our stories and fire Neall.
Saturday was our busiest day for activities, starting with an interview alongside Eddy that I hope to have a link to sometime soon, and a very productive if fast lunch with Rose and Matt as we discussed potential new projects and further ways to improve how we work with developers and writers. We would have done this by Skype anyway, but there were a few things that needed saying in person.
Then we began our day in the Oak Boardroom, a cool meeting room we were able to use for the rest of Saturday. First was the first-ever playtest of a secret card game project for Pugmire that Eddy has been working on. Even I had never seen the components and how it actually played. Here are a few uncredited, because it is secret, pics of the play with the prototypes:
Next was our Onyx Path Q&A, which was packed. We provided some “refreshments” and the more intimate room setting was really much more enjoyable, for me at least, than the classic front table and audience format at lot of panels use. Would do again.
Thanks to everybody who sat in and threw your great questions at us.
Finally, I sat in on the first half of the official Monarchies of Mau playtest, and these folks really got into their Cat characters. A really great sign. I also heard that the Halo in this session also kicked a Rat off the roof. Hmm, must be something about that character.
Finally on Saturday, a rare selfie by me of Neall, Danielle, Maria Cambone, one of our friends from By Night Studios who helped edit their very beautiful and big new Werewolf: the Apocalypse for Live Action play, and yours truly, after Maria managed to get the attention of the bartenders and got us drinks. She’s a lifesaver.
Thought I had gotten back to my room at a reasonable hour, but then folks started dropping by, so we talked about life, the universe, and everything for a couple more hours.
Sunday, briefly, was standing in line for twenty minutes at Starbucks because also in the hotel were several HS girl’s volleyball teams and every single one of them needed whatever drink had the most tooth rotting combination of syrups, and then getting my Chai Latte in time to meet with Matt and several other folks from other companies as strategic alliances were proposed. We shall see if anything happens this year with those things, and then it was check-out and airport and buh-bye.
I also finally got to chat a bit with another long-timer, John Wick, after more than a decade of not seeing the guy. We had promised to say hi at last year’s GenCon and that never worked out because at the bigger cons we’re all just so freaking busy. Which is another great thing about MidWinter.
Overall, this was a very successful MidWinter con for us, with tons of input from playtesters to go over, game and other proposals to review, and many friendships renewed.
BLURBS!
KICKSTARTER!
We’re exploring card game Kickstarters, packaging, and components, for Prince’s Gambit. Justin, Eddy, a crack team of players, and our talented videographers have finished shooting the KS videos in Atlanta and are assembling edits even as you read this. Things look good, and we are all for starting the KS in late January so long as the process of pulling the KS together cooperates. If so, then Monarchies of Mau KS would be next, after Gambit.
ON SALE!
Looking for our 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/
The cards are alive! Conditionally. This Weds. the Advance PDF version of the Promethean 2nd Edition Condition Cards goes on sale at DTRPG!
It is now the preordained time for Dawn of Heresies, the Mummy: the Curse novel written by internationally renowned author Brian Hodge to arise! Both PDF/electronic and physical book PoD versions are now available on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/198720/Dawn-of-Heresies
Open the V20 Dark Ages: Tome of Secrets now on DTRPG! Both PDF and physical book PoD versions are now available! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/197358/V20-Dark-Ages-Tome-of-Secrets
The Tome of Secrets is a treatment of numerous topics about Cainites and stranger things in the Dark Medieval World. It’s about peeling back the curtain, and digging a little deeper. Inside, you’ll find:
• Expanded treatment of Assamite Sorcery, Koldunic Sorcery, Necromancy, and Setite Sorcery
• A look at Cainite knightly orders, faith movements, and even human witchcraft
• Letters and diaries from all over the Dark Medieval World
Travel with us all the way to the Red Planet for the Cavaliers of Mars Jumpstart: A Festival of Blades, available in PDF and PoD on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/191678/A-Festival-of-Blades-A-Cavaliers-of-Mars-Jumpstart
Live, fight, and love on Mars, a world of red death and strange mystery, a world of savagery and romance.
Includes:
- A complete adventure set in one of dying Mars’ greatest remaining cities.
- The innovative DEIMOS rules, for high-flying, swashbuckling adventure.
- Four pre-generated player characters, ready to get into the heart of the action.
The Advance PDF for Reap the Whirlwind, the Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition Jumpstart swirls into being on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/201127/Reap-the-Whirlwind-Revised-VtR-2e
You are a vampire, a junkie. Every night, you beg and you borrow and you steal just a little more life, just a few more sweet moments. But there’s a guy at the top. The Prince. He’s got everything. The money, the secrets, the blood.
Tonight, you’re going to take it from him. Tomorrow, there’ll be hell to pay.
This updated edition of Reap the Whirlwind features revisions to match the core rulebook for Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition. Text edits and rules clarifications have also been updated.
Reap the Whirlwind Revised includes:
- Rules for creating and playing vampires in the Chronicles of Darkness
- The first two levels of every clan Discipline, the dark powers of the dead
- A complete adventure by noted horror author Chuck Wendig
This new revised Reap the Whirlwind Revised includes an updated booklet, 7 condition cards, and the interactive Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition character sheet.
The Locker is open; the Chronicles of Darkness: Hurt Locker, that is! The Advance PDF is now available on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/199275/Chronicles-of-Darkness-Hurt-Locker
Hurt Locker features:
- Treatment of violence in the Chronicles of Darkness. Lasting trauma, scene framing, and other tools for making your stories hurt.
- Many new player options, including Merits, supernatural knacks, and even new character types like psychic vampires and sleeper cell soldiers.
- Expanded equipment and equipment rules.
Hurt Locker requires the Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook or any other standalone Chronicles of Darkness rulebook such as Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken, or Beast: The Primordial to use.
Discover the long-awaited Secrets of the Covenants for Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition as we unearth the Advance PDF now on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/199280/Secrets-of-the-Covenants
- A variety of stories from each of the covenants, all told in their own words.
- Never-before revealed secrets, like the fate of the Prince of New Orleans.
- New blood sorcery, oaths, and other hidden powers of the covenants.
We have now added a B&W PoD version of the Endless Ages Vampire Anthology to the existing full color PDF and PoD choices! Celebrating 25 years of personal horror, the eighteen stories in Endless Ages range in style and aesthetics from the very first edition of Vampire released in 1991, all the way to the latest books put out for the 20th Anniversary Edition. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/193199/V20-The-Endless-Ages-Anthology
Seek the Cainite Conspiracies, the fiction anthology for V20 Dark Ages, in PDF and PoD physical book formats! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/195704/V20-The-Cainite-Conspiracies-Anthology
This collection of short stories features tales by Vampire developers such as Justin Achilli, Eddy Webb, David A. Hill, Jr., and Neall Raemonn Price along with award-winning horror authors including Maurice Broaddus, Catherine Lundoff, and Richard Dansky.
Promethean: the Created 2nd Edition comes to life in both PDF and PoD physical book versions NOW on DTRPG! http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/189395/Promethean-the-Created-2nd-Edition
You are a pilgrim now, one of the Created. You rose to life from dead flesh or inert matter, under the ministrations of one of your own, or a mad scientist, or perhaps just the power of the Divine Fire. You wander the world, sometimes alone, sometimes in the blessed company of your own kind, driven by memories of events and facts you never knew, all in the service of one Great Work…
…to be human.
Humans don’t make it easy, though. The Divine Fire that animates you burns too bright, blinds people, and scorches the land if you linger too long. It masks your disfigurements and makes you appear human, but that mask slips and people see your hideous, true form. The Pilgrimage is a long, difficult road, but it is yours, and you know, somehow, that the salvation of the New Dawn waits at the end.
This book contains:
- The complete guide to playing a Promethean in the Chronicles of Darkness
- Reimagined Lineages and Refinements, and a redesigned system for Transmutations
- A more detailed approached to the Pilgrimage that presents players with more control over their characters’ path
- New challenges on the road to humanity, including deranged, greedy alchemists
CONVENTIONS!
Discussing GenCon plans. Every chance the booth will actually be 20′ x 30′ this year.
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)
- Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
- Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)
- M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- V20 Dark Ages Jumpstart (Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition)
- M20 Cookbook (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)
- WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)
- CtD C20 Jumpstart (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)
- Pugmire Pan’s Guide for New Pioneers (Pugmire)
- Monarchies of Mau Early Access (Pugmire)
Redlines
- Scion: Origins (Scion 2nd Edition)
- Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)
- Kithbook Boggans (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
- GtS Geist 2e core (Geist: the Sin-Eaters Second Edition)
- VtR Half-Damned (Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition)
Second Draft
- The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Wraith: the Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition
- BtP Beast Player’s Guide (Beast: the Primordial)
- Book of Freeholds (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
Development
- W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)
- SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
- Ring of Spiragos (5e – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
- SL Dagger of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
- Dagger of Spiragos (5e– Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)
- Arms of the Chosen (Exalted 3rd Edition)
- Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
- W20 Song of Unmaking novel (Bridges) (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)
- BtP Building a Legend (Beast: the Primordial)
- CtD C20 Anthology (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)
Editing:
- Cavaliers of Mars
- VtR A Thousand Years of Night (Vampire: the Requiem 2nd Edition)
- V20 Beckett’s Jyhad Diary (Stretch Goal Content)
Post-Editing Development:
- CtL fiction anthology (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)
Indexing:
ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:
In Art Direction
- Dark Eras Companion
- Beckett’s Jyhad Diary
- C20
- M20 Book of Secrets – AD’d
- W20 Pentex Employee Indoctrination Handbook
- V20 Dark Ages Companion
- Mortal Remains – Beast – AD’d
- EX3 Tomb of Dreams Jumpstart – Continuing to get sketches and seeing first color comps.
- Dagger of Spiragos – Putting together the art buy.
- Banner and Slider Updates – Working on new stuff for Hurt Locker, Secrets of the Covenants, and Scarred Lands.
In Layout
- Necropolis Rio
- Promethean 2 Condition Cards
- V20 Lore of the Bloodlines
- Prince’s Gambit – Kickstarter Prep.
- Pugmire
- Wise and the Wicked 5e – Starting on it sometime this week.
Proofing
At Press
- Ex 3 Screen – Finished at the Printer.
- Ex 3 core book – From RichT: manufacturing continues. Gilding finished at last, now on to binding.
- Beast Condition Cards – Getting physical cards uploaded.
- CofD Hurt Locker – Waiting for errata to make PoD.
- Secrets of the Covenants – Waiting for errata to make PoD.
- Revised Reap The Whirlwind Jumpstart – PoD proof ordered.
- Beckett Screen – At Printer.
- W20 Shattered Dreams – Deluxe Edition at press.
- Shattered Dreams Screen – At Printer.
- Dark Eras: Ends of Empire – PoD proof ordered.
- Dark Eras: The Sundered World – PoD proof ordered.
- Promethean 2nd Condition Cards – Advance PDF going on sale this this Wednesday.
- Beast Conquering Heroes – Advance PDF now on sale at DTRPG, gathering errata.
TODAY’S REASON TO DRINK: Pelt of the werewolf that bit ya.
Awesome. Nice to hear everyone had fun and networking is a good thing (I’d guess, at least, not having had to do it).
Also really cool to see products progress along. As eager as I am to see a new fiction anthology, I have to root for Thousand Years of Night. Vampire’s one of my faves.
I’ve really been enjoying the Conquering Heroes book. I was worried, as Beast isn’t my favorite game, but it’s a solid book, I’ve already got ideas to use some of them in the game I’m running (basically I wanted the antagonist to sort of reach beyond his means and “hire” a number of baddies to waylay the PCs while he goes about his evil plans without distraction).
Glad to hear that Conquering Heroes is working for you like the Night Horrors books are designed to do; not just for the line itself but for any CofD Chronicle. It’s the main reason we brought NH books back. Thanks!
Just took a look at the book description in DTRPG. “Insatiables” sound deliciously fun to bring into a Chronicle.
It was very good to see Rich, Eddy, and the Onyx Path crews at the con!
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I had a great time playing Monarchies of Mau at the playtest. I’d done a quick playtest of the game at Gen Con 2015, I think, so the rules were pretty new to me (though I’ve been keeping up some on the setting and such.) I really do like the direction it’s headed, the divergence from Pugmire (to make it more cat-like and give it its own flavor), and traditional style of D&D that keeps it familiar enough for new and old players.
It was fun to play and I greatly look forward to the KickStarter!
I really wish that the Pentex game hadn’t run during the MES Werewolf LARP, as I’d already promised to be at the MES game. (Also, the Onyx Path and BNS panels were during the 7th Sea LARP too–just bad timing.) Hopefully any secrets told there will make it out into the public forum soon. 🙂
I think it is inevitable that things will overlap at a con, there’s just so many fun things to do. That is one reason we went with the smaller events you needed to sign up for, because we knew we’d have folks interested but with conflicting schedules. As it was, I think all the Onyx Path events were fully booked by the time we sat down for them, and Pentex seemed pretty full to me.
Glad you enjoyed Mau. Giving the game the right cat flavor (not sure that’s a good phrase) is really important to Eddy and myself, and I think he has been nailing a lot of that. “Always Trust Your Instincts” is a really on-point motto, I think, and you’ll be seeing more of that and the characters during the KS.
Glad you guys had so much fun! Jealous of those awesome steins and getting to go somewhere that awesome.
Also enjoying the newest books you’ve put out. Hurt Locker is still one of my favorites for the new ‘templates’. I hope we get to see more of these in the future.
Something I was curious about was when backers of Scion 2e might get their backer surveys to do with addons and the like? I remember there being a mention of backerkit back in December, but haven’t heard much since.
Hope 2017 continues being awesome for all of you at Onyx Path! ^_^
Thanks! I’m still working on the Scion BK page and survey but I’m over the most work intensive parts.
So did they finish their boots?
That’s what I wanted to know! Who won?
Mike did. Neall said he had to “run a Scion game” and “hadn’t eaten,” so he stopped halfway through.
And then Thor fired Neall for being such a crushing disappointment.
I have trouble seeing Thor running a game. Playing in one and insisting on going first and arguing with the calls – that I could see.
Yes, Mike won the race (I might has gulped a bit of Mike’s when Neall went to the bathroom) but Neall won the Call of Duty Award by leaving early to run his Scion 2e demo game.
Awesome to put faces to names and to see how much fun the Onyx Path crew has together 🙂 Really excited to see Geist 2E move up to Redlines! Hope we’ll see some dev blogs soon :).
Thanks- blogs are up to the Devs, but I think Travis might have some things to show soon.
That seemed liked a blast! I really should go to one of these one day. Would have loved to try Monarch, I am very much convinced that Pugmire and its extended setting will blow my mind. I see it as a sort of Light Werewolf (we get play as animals) blending in some classic AD&D dungeon crawling with a twist of modern tech for a zest of originality. Can’t wait.
On a different topic, RichT, would it be okay if I emailed you? I have questions for a project of mine about the proper use of the Werewolf 20th Brand. I have only the utmost respect for Onyx Path and the last thing I want is to run afoul of you and your legal department. Or White Wolf’s.
I await your response. For real this time.
Of course, email me at richt@theonyxpath.com.
And sent! Thanks.
How far ahead do you start scouting artists? Finding folks who can produce beautiful yet terrible pieces for deviant may be a bit of a balancing act. Do you have folks in mind already or do you wait to let the text inform the choice?
How far ahead depends on the project. Three years ago Mirthful Mike and I were trading portfolio submissions and selecting possible artists for Scion 2e. For something new like Deviant, we already have the general pitch for the project, so we know the kind of range that the art should fall into, and then, yes, we absolutely wait for finished text to really nail down the look we want. Don’t want another Hunter the Reckoning 1e where the final text had moved quite a bit from the original concepts.
Come on Dark Eras Companion and Dark Eras 2…
I take it that a Handful of Dust sold well enough to justify selling more solo eras?
It has done OK. My expectation is that they will be more interesting for purchasers once a selection are out there.
May want to update the On Sale blurbs to include Conquering Heroes. I’m sure you don’t want it to fly under any radars.
Looking at DTRPG today it was #1, so I think it is over the radar right now. But, I’ll fix it next week.
And Book of Freeholds emerges fully formed from the Dreaming in the second draft stage! ;D
Love the new C20 illustration! Brian LeBlanc’s stuff is rarely pretty to look at, but it’s always intense.
I know! I am super stoked about that. There’s only one text from the C20 Kickstarter that’s not on the timeline and the main book isn’t even out yet. I can’t wait to see where this all ends up going.
Yeah, crazy, huh?
Crazy in the best ways.
im glad to see The BoS and C20 is finally inching close to the finish line finally.
Did you guys check out the safe house?
Also do you think it’s possible that lore of the bloodlines will be out by Valentine’s Day? Not that I’m going to buy it for my girlfriend or anything….
I did not find the time to trot over there, but a bunch of other Onyx folks did and enjoyed it. Next year, maybe. As always, I’m not going to guess on dates here, even for such a romantic purpose!