Finally, after 14 years

[Bill Webb]

Hey all…here it comes, and soon. In about two weeks, Frog God Games will begin its new Kickstarter on the next installment of the temple of elemental….I mean the Lost Lands.
Yours truly has made arrangements to take some time off of my day job to….you won’t believe it…finish Sword of Air. After 14 years of waiting, this multi-phase adventure and sourcebook of the Necromancer Games (meaning me) home game world will come to light. This adventure and setting have been referenced in every book I have ever written, all the way back to Crucible of Freya.
I have resurrected all my old notebooks and (literally) typewritten manuscripts. Found all my old drawings and maps, playtested several sections of the adventure at the last few conventions, and am ready to finally bang this thing out. This adventure series links strongly to Rappan Athuk, Slumbering Tsar, Stoneheart Valley and many other old Necromancer Games books as well. Those links will be expanded here as well.
The underlying quest is to recover the lost fragments of a mythical artifact known as the Sword of Air, an icon of Law and Good, and perhaps the only thing that can stop the foul minions of Tsathogga from overrunning the earth. This adventure itself is geared for 1st-20th level players (truly a sandbox), with the main storyline being set for levels 5-15 (really 3-12 for Swords and Wizardry). The book will be produced in both Pathfinder and Swords and Wizardry formats.
SIGNIFICANT deluxe editions will be available for you collectors. Two premium editions are planned; one leather embossed, and one, well, you will have to wait and see, but my printer is referring to it as the “nuclear” edition. I am estimating page count at 500 (may vary), and all versions will contain a large fold out map of the region as a stretch goal. Premium editions may have a few extra features related to the map itself. Additional stretch goals will include full color printing, additional material (for all!), and possibly an exclusive, Kickstarter only, module.
Currently, this book consists of several parts.
1. The Hel’s Temple Dungeon—kind of like Tomb of Horrors on crack. This six level trap and puzzle infested dungeon formed the basis of my game through my high school and college years. Clark Peterson’s very own Bannor the Paladin spent several real life months in the place, and sadly, finished the objective. This is where the fragments of the fabled Sword of Air can be found…perhaps.
2. The wilderness area to the west of Rappan Athuk and extending into the goblin filled Cragnook Mountains, providing detail about the Wizards Wall (created like the Great Wall of China to keep the goblins at bay by the great wizards Margon and Alickthron (actual player characters from the early 1980’s). Over 70 unique encounter areas are detailed, each one an mini-adventure in itself.
3. The Ruined City of Tsen. Sister City to Tsar, and destroyed at nearly the same time by what many believe was a falling meteor. This place forms and aboveground dungeon area the size of a city, with over 100 detailed encounter areas. It’s a very dark place…even at noon.
4. The Wizard’s Feud—This campaign style adventure pits the players in a long-running series of intrigues and battles between two archmages. Which side will they take? Their actions all play into the overall quest, and could well determine which side wins. Law and Chaos are not always what they seem, and if the wrong decisions are made, the entire ordeal could fail. Remember, one of the wizards WANTS Tsathogga to win.
5. New Gods and Demons of the world, new spells, and new rules for various aspects of play.

That’s it for now. I’ll update this prior to the Kickstarter initiating.
Bill

[Steve Sanfasin]

Really looking forward to this! Looks like its going to be a truly epic adventure.

[Bill Webb]

2 epics--the rest is sandbox :)

WF is just downright hard (and fairly low level). Tell players to engage their brains. Most of the dungeons cannot just be slugfests.

[Kthulhu]

*throws money at Bill*

[Interjection Games]

And another feat of engineering from the guy who brought you the Sears Tower of sourcebooks! I'm going to have to start setting aside money in the budget, aren't I?

[Marc Radle]

Very cool Bill. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out! :)

[Bill Webb]

The nuke books will be truly special. They ain't cheap though. My goal is to make the nicest RPG book ever made.

[Jeremy Smith]

Dang, Bill. My shelf has been filling up with Frog God stuff... latest the coloring books Skeeter showed me at GenCon... and now this?

That poor shelf is going to collapse.

[Bill Webb]

Thats the goal, Jeremy, thats the goal

[John Benbo]

I bought a new bookshelf in December and already the shelves bow in the middle where my Frog God Game books sit (should not have put ToH and ST next to each other). Definitely going to have to get a Pathfinder and S&W copy of this, though. Also, Bill, thanks for signing Stoneheart Valley for me at Gen Con!

[messy]

Bill Webb wrote:

The Hel’s Temple Dungeon—kind of like Tomb of Horrors on crack.

sold.

[Bill Webb]

Any time John

[Elorebaen]

Kthulhu wrote:

*throws money at Bill*

+1

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

Bill your description of this mega-adventure/campaign really sounds amazing. You can absolutely count me in. Hopefully you can squeeze in some higher level stuff to round out the journey through the ever-troublesome 16-20 range.

DJF

[golem101]

You had me at feud between wizards. Do want.

[DM Papa.DRB]

Dang. And here goes another birthday present. At this rate I'll have to live to be 100 to start getting non dnd presents. Maybe I can convince one of my kids or grandkids to sign up and give it to me... heheheh

-- david

[Dark_Mistress]

Sounds very cool, hopefully I can get in the kick start. Assuming money allows.

[Orthos]

shiiiiiiiiiiiny

[Evil Midnight Lurker]

...is there any part of this campaign world that does not involve a killer megadungeon complex? o.O;

[Feros]

Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:

...is there any part of this campaign world that does not involve a killer megadungeon complex? o.O;

YEP! And it's written by that very nice and gentle adventure crafter, Nicolas Logue!

;)

[Mesonoxian]

Well I will just let SoA slide and prepare to spend my money the Lost Lands KS, or at least that was my intention until I read Bill's post, it just sounds to cool to pass up.

Curse you FGG for making it so hard to hold onto my money, but take them then just take them, I shall eat steaks eventually, hopefully after the Lost Lands somewhere down the road :-)

[Carter Lockhart]

NO! NO! I don't have the money for this. My combo of numbered copies of Epic Frog God books will come to an end! *weeps furiously and prays for long delays for the kickstarter posting so that funds may be found*

In serious, hope this is another fantastic kickstarter, I look forward to picking it up when I can, and congrats to the lucky dogs that have the money to jump into it from the start.

[Itchy]

Sounds interesting! I will take a long hard look at this and my wallet when it posts.

[Endzeitgeist]

FGG has declared a war of annihilation on my finances. Damn. Gotta find some way to earn more money... ;)

[Jeffrey Palmer]

Ahhh well, there goes my, "I've just spent too much on Kickstarter" speech I gave to my wife. At least I know it'll look good beside Rappan Athuk, Slumbering Tsar and the Razor Coast books on my shelves. Thanks Bill and Frog God Games for making such great stuff. Off to work on my D20 Pro Rappan Athuk campaign!

[Bill Webb]

We are going to shoot for only 1-2 expensive books per year I think. Plus a bunch more like tome 4 and stoneheart. That way we won't totally break anyones bank. We do have to do epic hardcovers though. Its just what we are best at.

[Jeffrey Palmer]

Bill,
While I may b~$&~ about the expense, big arsed epic hardbacks are why I have nice bookshelves... A whole bunch of skinny Pathfinder Player Guides looks kinda crappy all bunched together, no flash, no panache, but my FFG/Big Arse Epic bookshelf is seriously shiny. Keep 'em coming man!

[Broken]

Dots are free, but lead to the spending of money. So, I dot.

[Stereofm]

Is it here yet ? is it here yet ?

[Bill Webb]

Gotta actually fund, then take time off, then get it done, them make sure Skeet and the boys make my poor-pathfinder fu accurate guys. Likely delivery next PaizoCon--thereabouts.

I wanted to ensure we delivered the last one (we are now 3/3 on Kickstarters) before I considered it. I also don't want to be late again (hence not a ton of miniatures, dice and all that jazz this time--they make you late).

[Itchy]

Jazz makes you late?

Does Swing make you early? What about Hip Hop or Heavy Metal? How do those effect your schedule?

:D

Knowing how much I may be spending on this makes me cringe...

[John Benbo]

Bill Webb wrote:

I wanted to ensure we delivered the last one (we are now 3/3 on Kickstarters) before I considered it. I also don't want to be late again (hence not a ton of miniatures, dice and all that jazz this time--they make you late).

I'm definitely more interested in the books than the "jazz" for sure. I'm not opposed to that stuff as add-ons if people want them, but you're right, including dice and stuff as stretch goals just potentially slows down the project getting out on time. Me, I am easy, I want a PF and S&W Sword of Air. Stretch goals can go to ordering more art (or color), paying the writers more, anything to make the actual book better. If I can avoid dice and minis, I will (though I do use my S&W dice quite a bit as my travel dice).

[Carter Lockhart]

If we're giving notes on what makes us pledge for Kickstarter, exclusive modules for me. I think that alone made me pledge as outrageously high as I did for the Razor Coast kickstarter, to get the exclusive print module. And getting things like Heart of the Razor in hardcover too was nice...

[DitheringFool]

This is the best news I've heard since The Stoneheart Valley release!

[Steve Geddes]

Can't wait for this, bill. My first nuclear book ever! :)

In the spirit of "what I want" - i always find fold out maps awkward to use. Will you factor in a map separate from the book as well?

[DaveMage]

Looking forward to it, Bill!

[Dr. Johnny Fever]

I would tack 5$ easy onto my planned Kickstarter pledge if you included a pledge level that had a 3 hole-punched UNBOUND version of the hard copy. Sweet Baba Yaga in a Bikini it makes life SO much easier to be able to lay an adventure down flat in a 3 ring binder as opposed to destroying a bound copy by trying to push it flat.

...even though I run adventures purely online using d20Pro it still is a huge help to have a paper copy laid flat in front of me while I'm running the game through d20Pro and Ventrilo/Mumble.

Just to head this one off: yes I could print and hole-punch the pdf myself. I'd rather offer up additional dinero and have someone else's printer cartridge scream in agony, after which they get to slave over a hot 3 hole punch.

DJF

[brvheart]

I have no money, but I wants it!!! Too many precious Frog God books too soon!

[Curmudgeonly]

oooo interesting. I'll keep an eye out for this...

I agree with more exclusive adventures / side quest stuff.

I'm about to start a Slumbering Tsar campaign soon too :D

[Bill Webb]

You guys pretty much nailed it. Yes Steve, a map will be a strech goal. A very fancy map on the nuke book. I am getting quotes to see if I can do it on vellum. Exclusive modules are my trademark. Cant pay writers extra in this case. There is only one writer (me).

[Kthulhu]

Grrr...right as I'm transitioning from the military to the "real world" and money will end up being tight, at least for a (hopefully short) time.

[Redapple6]

Vellum or parchment type paper would be very cool.More art is always a great stretch goal. Any more hints on the nuclear option? I need know if i should return the tractor we just bought.

[ruemere]

Choo-choo. Train's coming. Get on while you still can :)

Regsards,
Ruemere

[Readerbreeder]

Sweet Mother of Mercy, I want this.

I hope the buy-in for a hard copy is less than $100; I have a hard time convincing my Other Half that springing more than the average $40 or so for Paizo rulebooks is a good idea.

[Umarian]

Readerbreeder wrote:

Sweet Mother of Mercy, I want this.

I hope the buy-in for a hard copy is less than $100; I have a hard time convincing my Other Half that springing more than the average $40 or so for Paizo rulebooks is a good idea.

I completely agree with this!

[macabre dragon]

Aaaahhh! Noooo! -my wallet.

Awesome! -me.

[Steve Geddes]

Bill Webb wrote:

Cant pay writers extra in this case. There is only one writer (me).

You know you are allowed to do this for money, right? ;)

[brvheart]

Passing around the tin cup in the gaming group for this one!

[Thanael]

Shiny. Any preview stuff? As for minis and dice scratch them. But how about some supplemental RGP material like say an adventure anthology, or a players guide? Or maybe a Guide to Sandbox and Hexcrawl Campaigning?

[Bill Webb]

The SOA book will detail a HUGE portion of the Lost Lands. Should have a cover in 2-3 weeks