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FGG-The Big AnnouncementThe background of the big announcement goes all the way back to 1978, when I read a small book by Gary Gygax detailing the use of outdoor and wilderness adventures in D&D. This book, along with what has affectionately been termed the “Skull Dungeon” of John Holmes fame, formed the basis of my thinking when I began to write my own vast dungeon that I called Rappan Athuk.
A decade ago, I released the first few levels of Rappan Athuk as a book, which was followed by a series of releases of different parts and pieces (29 levels in the first 3 books, and another 7 or so later in Rappan Athuk Reloaded).
To my surprise, even though I expected it to be a success, Rappan Athuk turned out to be one of the major hits of the Third Edition decade. Even though it’s not the largest dungeon that was ever published (it might be this time!), it quickly picked up a reputation for being one of the deadliest, and if you haven’t heard, “Don’t go down the Well” or “Beware of Purple Worms,” you probably weren’t attending gaming conventions or reading the RPG internet during the Third Edition years.
Rappan Athuk Reloaded, which contained a lot more of the original dungeon, became an immediate collector’s item. With only 1000 copies of Rappan Athuk’s expanded version in existence, many players unfortunately could never get a copy. This was probably fortunate for a lot of player characters, but it means that many people who wanted to see the dungeon’s broader scope never got to see what they were missing.
Well, it’s been almost 10 years since I wrote the last few chapters of Rappan Athuk Reloaded. As you would expect, I haven’t been idle during that time. In fact, over the last few hundred gaming sessions I’ve run, I have continued to write up my notes from levels that were never published, and add new levels as adventurers continued to explore. Many of the mid-level areas have been fleshed out (the ultimate adversaries, of course, remained the same), and several new upper levels have been added as adventurers avoided “The Well” and “The Mausoleum” in attempts to delve deeper into Rappan Athuk’s depths. I have been mulling over what to do to get this monster out to all of you. So here goes…
Weighing in with over 50 dungeon levels and dozens of wilderness areas, Rappan Athuk will be released next summer as a hardbound, library-stitched book in both Pathfinder and Swords and Wizardry formats. The book contains 18 more levels even than Rappan Athuk Reloaded, as well as the outdoor adventures supporting them. I am also working on a leather cover (or faux leather) for the binding.
This thing is truly the granddaddy of all dungeons. It represents years of play testing, years of adventure, and hundreds of player character deaths. Many parts of my campaign that have transpired over the years are included in its pages from the dead remains of fallen heroes, to marks left on walls, to cryptic scribblings left by lost or dying adventurers.
Just like the dungeons of the early 1970s played by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, Rappan Athuk is like a living being, big enough to be used for thousands of hours of play. From the Goblin city of Greznek to the Hall of the Titan Cyclops, from the Well of Zelkor to the Mithril gates, and from the Well of Agamemnon to the Abyssal pocket-plain and to the throne of Orcus himself—this terrifying place will create memorable experiences for all players and Game Masters.This Tome represents the completed manuscript, including the wilderness surrounding the dungeon, three villages nearby, and the dreaded Temple of Tsathogga, where the sinister, evil priests of the frog-demon seek dark secrets and dark powers lost when the army of light destroyed the temple of Orcus at the site.
This book will be available for pre-order in March or April 2012. Retail price and page count are still to be determined (though it will probably be about $125 and 1000 pages or so). The pre-ordered copies will contain bonus material as a pdf enhancement that were cut from the final manuscript and will not be available after the pre-order period ends.So once again, in this new decade of gaming, we will have the chance to say, “Don’t go down the Well.”
Huzzah!
Sounds good. I'm still saving up for some Slumbering Tsar goodness, but at least this way I know to save up for March.
Too much good stuff from Frog God Games. ;)
*drools*
Do I REALLY need this?
*Looks up at Rappan Athuk Reloaded box on the shelf*
No.
Do I really WANT this? HELL YES.
My players are terribly afraid of Rappan Athuk. It traumatized them. I love my boxed set and once every couple of months, we delve back into its depths. Will I want this? HELL YEAH!
Woohoo! Can't wait to spend more money with the Frog God!
Keep on cranking out the awesomeness.
Cheers,
James
My players weren't terribly worried about the well, but the unkillable beast terrified them.
I'll have to put this on my wish list.
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*looks at the 3.0 RA modules*
*looks at Shrinkwrapped copy of RAR in the bookshelf*
*Looks at softcover POD version on his desk*
*rereads announcement*
*drools*
Holy repeat customer batman, am I going to pay for this a 4th time.... most likely.
Yet, I think a boxed set is way cooler (and old school)
Crap. Too much good stuff to buy. Not enough money.
This month I had to make the decision between Tome of Horrors Unlimited and a Kindle Fire. Kindle won out. I desperately need a tablet.
As if I need ANOTHER reason to give you my money...
SOLD.
Awesome. Can't wait for this!
Just when I've decided to run Crucible of Freya, Tomb of Abysthor and Rappan Athuk as a campaign for my latest party! Fantastic news. The very definition of Must Buy, and there I was just a couple of weeks back on some thread adding my voice to the call for a Pathfinderized Rappan Athuk.
Very, very happy about this.
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*looks at the 3.0 RA modules*
*looks at Shrinkwrapped copy of RAR in the bookshelf*
*Looks at softcover POD version on his desk*
*rereads announcement*
*drools*
Holy repeat customer batman, am I going to pay for this a 4th time.... most likely.
Yet, I think a boxed set is way cooler (and old school)
It'll be my 3rd copy. I've opened my RAR, though I've never actually run it.
(Never bought a softcover POD version - I'd rather just use a PDF on my laptop.)
Like several above, I already own many copies of RA. 1 of each original 3 modules, 3 of RA Reloaded, and I have it on PDF, and I will still be in on this pre order. Shouldn't be a problem to put $25 per month into my savings account so that by March, I'll be able to pay in full immediately. Now I just need to buy ToAD.
I would love to get the collectors version! A cool leather cover would be perfect for such a beast of a dungeon.
When can I pre-order?
James
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I would love to get the collectors version! A cool leather cover would be perfect for such a beast of a dungeon.
When can I pre-order?
James
Wow... really?
This book will be available for pre-order in March or April 2012. Retail price and page count are still to be determined (though it will probably be about $125 and 1000 pages or so). The pre-ordered copies will contain bonus material as a pdf enhancement that were cut from the final manuscript and will not be available after the pre-order period ends.
Right there, top of the page. Actually kinda hard to miss.
The book contains 18 more levels even than Rappan Athuk Reloaded...
i just pooped my pants.
You guys dont do anything small do you? I am already impressed with the size and scope of the slumbering tsar adventure I am just diving into. I can only imagine the degree of complexity of an adventure this size.
Will this be a limited run like tome of horrors was originally intended to be or will it be available over an extended time? I ask because those of us diving into slumbering tsar (I am literally just starting the adventure and have ordered the hard cover) will likely still be in the midst of that adventure when the preorder for this comes around.
I'm a relatively new GM and I would love to run this with my players. But I think I'll run an AP first (they're newbies too). And if they're interested I can try this baby. The Tomb of Horrors I think is too much to spring on them yet, and maybe this can get them used to some floor-tapping and round-the-corner death!
(Which I assume Rappan Athuk delivers on, yes?)
You guys dont do anything small do you?
for both dungeons and dragons, size matters.
March huh. . .I have a birth day in March. . . Must be fate.
Will there be a "pdf only" option for those of us who might not be able to afford the hard bound copy?
"pdf only" options are available on our products.
Print purchases include free pdfs if you order direct from us and here at Paizo.com if we set up a print/pdf bundle as was done for Tome of Horrors Complete.
Well now. Tax time is in March, so this may be a tax time payment.
Any chance pre-orders can be handled through Paizo.com? It's a lot easier to manage pdfs in one place rather than separate ones...
+1.
Any chance pre-orders can be handled through Paizo.com? It's a lot easier to manage pdfs in one place rather than separate ones...
That's up to Paizo, although based on the sales-tsunami on Tome of Horrors it's a win-win situation for both companies when Paizo takes pre-orders for Frog God products. If I had to bet, I would expect it to get arranged at some point before the print run. It just makes sense. But I have no inside knowledge on that, it's just that I can't see why either company would decide not to, given the huge success on Tome of Horrors Complete.
Matt
(speaking without knowledge or authority, as per normal)
Fricking awesome!
This is great news. I know I will be getting the Swords and Wizardry version at least, if not both.
Keep in mind pre-orders allow us to print these things at all...absent the trust and goodwill of you guys, we can't do big books (as I write personal checks for the printing bills)
Speaking of which, everyone, just a reminder that the current pre-order book is Tome of Adventure Design, if you need something to read until Rappan Athuk is released. Over at the Frog God Games website at the moment, and it's also fairly light on the wallet. It will get to people before Christmas, probably significantly before. Don't know yet if Paizo's going to carry it, but hope so.
Erg, sorry, off topic.
Back to Rappan Athuk! I've had one PC die there, but it doesn't count because he was still outside. Other body-counts?
When he says in Pathfinder and S&S formats, are those separate books?
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When he says in Pathfinder and S&S formats, are those separate books?
I imagine so, ToH was in both versions but was different books. I think the same will be true of tST as well. I imagine any stat based book will be one for each. Some others with just a bunch of random tables and the like I imagine will be a single book.
1,000 pages?
I say crank it up to 1200 by adding Wizard's Amulet, Crucible of Freya and Tomb of Abysthor to the thing. :)
Keep in mind pre-orders allow us to print these things at all...absent the trust and goodwill of you guys, we can't do big books (as I write personal checks for the printing bills)
Indeed. I know I can get the S&W for sure right now....I will know if I can get the PFRPG version by the time preorders open. This one has me very excited.
When he says in Pathfinder and S&S formats, are those separate books?
Yes, separate books.
S&W stands for Swords and Wizardry and is a 0E retro clone.
LINK to our Swords and Wizardry section at the Paizo store.
Oh, sweet mother of...
*Looks at World's Largest Dungeon on the shelf*
*Looks at Ptolus on the shelf*
*Looks at Castle Whiterock on the shelf*
*Looks at printouts of Dragon's Delve on the shelf*
All right, I'm a sucker for mega-dungeons; I would have bought RA Reloaded if I had had the money and ability at the time. Taxes come back around April (with the sticker on this, I have to wonder if that was on FGG's mind when setting the date for pre-order), I'll definitely be snagging one this time around, maybe along with a copy of Tome of Horrors Complete!