I'm beginning preliminary work on a Kaidan Setting Handbook.
What would you like to see in it?
I'm thinking the start would have an overview of Kaidan, from a perspective that anyone living there would know.
Next would be the players section, which would include races, new classes, archetypes, feats, equipment, spells and traits, as per the structure of the Core Rulebook.
The GM's section would include detailed discussions on running an oriental setting, then a horror setting, then specifics about Kaidan - the deeper knowledge that many locals are not aware of, at least regarding specifics such as politics, economics, religion, government, the social castes, cosmology and the Death and Reincarnation cycle.
Magic items, Ancestral Relics (Kaidan's artifacts), and a Bestiary.
This would be followed by a detailed gazetteer of main islands of Kaidan and their respective provinces, major cities, points of interest and wilderness reaches. Additional maps would be created as well.
Some people might prefer a bestiary section kept out, rather in it's own bestiary as a separate book. Would this be a preference?
What else would you like to see, or what better method of displaying the material would you prefer?
First let me say: HELL YEAH!!!!!!!
I'd prefer:
-Bestiary in a separate book/pdf.
-A player's section that one can give them without spoiling the basics of the setting, but using foreshadowing...
-Legends and Lore galore
-Haunted locales (like in the Gift)
-Fluff. No, seriously. We already have samurai and ninja base-classes and new "races, new classes, archetypes, feats, equipment, spells and traits" are nice when they do something unique and setting-specific, but generally, I'd prefer less crunchy bits in favor of ones that actually are special and/or fluff. Trait-wise, I'd rather see ones à la "101 Pirate & Privateer traits" rather than the lame minor-bonus standard traits.
-I'd love to see extensive pieces of information (also crunch) on honor and reincarnation.
-I thought the Ancestral relics get their own book?
-Something akin to Dark Powers Points to reflect corruption, both of purity (being good) and honor.
-Cursed Items!
Just my 2 cents, of course!
Ancestral Relics will be completed soon and that will indeed be it's own book. I was thinking like the Core Rulebook includes some artifacts, that a listing of a dozen additional ancestral relics might fit.
Truly, while the archetypes, traits, feats and spells from the various In the Company of... and Way of... series will be included, my goal is to include mostly new, unreleased content.
Separate bestiary PDF - noted. Possible separation of player vs. GM content - noted.
I like cursed items too!
I have ideas of additional content that hasn't been directed to a specific release like hazards, curses, cursed locations and more.
Any other ideas or preferences?
I agree with the idea of two or three books. One for players, one for GMs, and possibly the bestiary as separate. Bestiary could be folded into the GM book...
End, I'm curious as to where you'd draw the line for "setting-specific" player options. To a certain extent, everything that's used in the setting would be setting-specific, but it could also able to be used elsewhere with little changes necessary if it's not strongly tied.
Hazards. Curses. Insanities. Drugs.
And I've been waiting forever for a publication that provides a nice set of herbs for herbalism (4WFG, I want that Apothecary's handbook...) and thinking about TCM and its unorthodox methods (slugs, acupuncture etc.) would most certainly be interesting - I can already see the undead accupuncture artist paralyzing PC-body-parts (arms on the fighter, the rogue's legs...) and see PCs running from him in order to have the effects wear off...
Not to discount the possibilities of mulitple books, if that's the best way we should go, I have to say, it was my initial intention of providing the setting handbook as a hardbound b/w book. Which means, probably at least 200-ish pages. With a good chunk dedicated to a gazetteer of the major islands and locations of note in Kaidan, with a highlight on a half dozen specific locations such as a tengu mountain village, a provincial castle, etc.
In such a book, what should I include?
I had ideas of putting player crunch and fluff to start off with, like the Core Rulebook, just with more fluff. Should a player crunch/fluff book be a separate supplement from the setting handbook?
I want to fill 180+ pages of content for a hardbound - wouldn't it be better to include both player and GM content to fill that content?
I probably should have mentioned this to start.
I could see a player hand-out, that is less beefy than the initial intent of the setting handbook, and more on fluff, even perhaps not including the archetypes, beyond listing those available, with some setting hooks to build character ideas from. Include an overview map of the whole of Kaidan, less detailed than those in the gazetteer of the GMs handbook.
That and a #30 Obake Bestiary (Kaidan bestiary), and then a larger setting handbook that includes intended player and GM crunch. Would that better fit preferences, and still give me enough content to fill a hardbound book?
Thoughts?
I'd absolutely love a "Player-Edition" (either separate or as a chapter) of Kaidan to go with the campaign setting! Much of the horror of "wrong" worlds stems from finding out that they are wrong and player-books worked fine for me in Ravenloft...
Very true. It's not much horror if the players know what's up.
YES! That would be the best case scenario, imho. All the crunch (archetypes etc.) in the player book, NPCs/campaign setting stuff, what truly goes on in a DM-book. Preferrably with false information in the player's guide, half-truths etc. - they make for awesome revelations!
-Something akin to Dark Powers Points to reflect corruption, both of purity (being good) and honor.
Doesn't the Karma Points mechanic serve that already? One can acquire either positive or negative karma points based on one's deeds. While currently karma only applies as a modifier to your reincarnation roll on the Wheel of Life, it could be expanded to mean more than that, perhaps.
As an aside, the player guide, if including archetypes and other crunch would include a Kaidan player character sheet to include the extra bits of Honor and Karma scores. It probably should be duplicated in the GMs handbook too as necessary support material.
pardon my ignorance, but what is kaidan? I'm a fan of horror games and this sounds interesting even if I don't know why.
Kaidan is a campaign setting based on a cross between feudal Japan and Asian horror with an emphasis on authenticity based on Japanese ghost story traditions. The word 'kaidan' means 'ghost stories' in Japanese. I am half Japanese, and the setting is based on a lifetime research into my heritage, as well as a love for Japanese horror. Kaidan is an imprint under Rite Publishing having already released a 3 part introductory adventure trilogy called The Curse of the Golden Spear, as well as a free adventure we released last Halloween called Frozen Wind. We have 3 racial supplements, and 1 faction supplement called Way of the Yakuza, and a soon to be released Way of the Samurai.
Look at the Paizo Store entries for all our products
We also have #30 Haunts for Kaidan, but it's currently listed under a different product package: #30 Haunts.
Well try our free adventure, Frozen Wind, it's a PDF download. It's a one-shot designed for a party of up to 5 characters of 5th level, there are pre-gens included of Kaidan classes. It's available from the first link above. It was originally a demo game, our author ran at Origins last year. He is also creating 2 new adventures that he will run at Origins this year, as well as a session of Frozen Wind.
Some good ideas on here. Thanks End.
Anyone else have ideas? I'm particularly interested in seeing what player niches people would like to explore.
Sounds awesome! You could count me in, definitely!
lurking, watching with immense interest...(yes, I'm still around, lol)
|
At this point, we are envisioning:
A GM's Guide with a top-down overview of Kaidan, detailed enough to allow you to script adventures anywhere in Kaidan and make it come alive; flexible enough for you to script adventures anywhere in Kaidan and make it your own.
A Player's Guide with an inside out view of Kaidan, allowing players to create a character from anywhere in Kaidan, characters that are fully a part of the setting, yet at the same time, allowing the characters to explore and discover the horrors of Kaidan afresh for themselves.
A Bestiary detailing Kaidanese horrors all in one place.
Whether we can do all of this at one time will largely depend on finances. Finances will largely depend on how many people are willing to throw money at us to allow us to do the work and how much money they are willing to throw.
How, you might ask, can you throw money at us through your computer screen? I'm glad you asked... Stay tuned for further developments and we'll see if we can't arrange something. :)
Saw that and there shall be funds departing my wallet.
Any word on a bestiary? I'd love to see that too. Or is that possibly going to be just a section in the GM's guide? That said, I think it could easily fill a whole book and would love to see it too.
Already worked Kaidan and the Curse of the Golden Spear (needed a little work but love the result) into my current setting and will happily devour anything else you put out. Keep up the fantastic work!
|
|
Aleron - the plan currently is to publish according to the amount of funding we get. If we reach a basic threshold, we'll put out a GM Campaign Guide. If we reach a higher threshold we will put out the Players Guide and then if we get more than that we will add in a Bestiary.
At this point, the Bestiary is going to be a different book, the only question is whether we get the funding to work on it now or whether it will be a project down the road.
The Kickstarter will have multiple tiers of production, based on how much financing is collected.
Tier 1: 150 page Kaidan GM's Handbook
Tier 2: 200 page Kaidan GM's Handbook
Tier 3: 150 page Kaidan Player's Guide
Tier 4: Bestiary
Any funds collected above the tiers mean more monsters for the Bestiary.
This means if we only collect enough for the GM's Handbook, then that is all we'll create in this Kickstarter. So the more money collected elevates what is produced. The Bestiary is on the last leg of collection, and hopefully we can reach that goal.
We want to create all of them, but only you can guarantee whether it is possible.
Edit: Ninja'd
Sounds great! Can't wait to see them.
Definitely crossing fingers that there is enough for the bestiary, though I definitely wouldn't mind waiting for it either. Just as long as we get it eventually! ;)
I'm already stretched really thin. I'll be watching this one, and I hope it does well. I would like to be able to support this, but I am not sure what will be happening with my finances in the next month. I have about 6 weeks of military schooling to attend. I have not yet calculated if this will be a financial hit or a financial boon.
Rite publishing is definitely one of the top quality 3PP of Pathfinder Material.
-Aaron
|
|
I'm already stretched really thin. I'll be watching this one, and I hope it does well. I would like to be able to support this, but I am not sure what will be happening with my finances in the next month. I have about 6 weeks of military schooling to attend. I have not yet calculated if this will be a financial hit or a financial boon.
Rite publishing is definitely one of the top quality 3PP of Pathfinder Material.
-Aaron
The list of Kickstarter projects I would like to back always exceeds my similarly stretched budget, so I understand exactly where you are coming from. :)
Kickstarter??? Hmmm..looking through the current fundings...I do believe I have room for a Kickstarter in there, will be keeping an eye on this.
There's a Kaidan kickstarter? Point me to it!
As for what I'd like to see, I think those have all been mentioned by others; but the gist is all of that which makes Kaidan a unique fantasy setting and not just a carbon copy of ancient Japan.
There's a Kaidan kickstarter? Point me to it!
As for what I'd like to see, I think those have all been mentioned by others; but the gist is all of that which makes Kaidan a unique fantasy setting and not just a carbon copy of ancient Japan.
We'll point you to it on Saturday when it starts!
As always, Kaidan is heavily influenced by ancient Japanese culture, history, religion, legends and folklore, however, it has never been a 'carbon copy' of Japan, rather only closely emulating Japan - closer than most oriental settings. Yet it always has been it's own unique setting.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I am very enthusiastic about this.
As a Japanophile who loves horror gaming, I am squarely in your niche.
Ganbare!
It's Saturday and I'm pacing the room waiting for this. I've even been holding back from Steam and their accursed Summer Sale. Bring on the Kaidan-y goodness!
Ah, Steve at Rite Publishing moved the Kickstarter to Tuesday, July 17, as a better start date. So we'll all have to wait for a few more days.
Darn. Oh well, thanks for letting us know!
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
So very anxious and looking forward to it!
The party was far squishier than they expected as only one has a ring of sustenance from an earlier adventure when the ghouls burst into the rooms (and thus in his armor). Very challenging for them and was a blast for me to run.
Finally, it's ALIVE - the Kaidan Campaign Setting Kickstarter has begun with 60 days to succeed.
Kaidan Campaign Setting Kickstarter
Perhaps I should start a new thread...?
Hurrah!