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Sands blow across the Western Desert carrying stories of treasures from our fabled past. You, Great Scribe, have been tasked with researching the ancient writings to confirm these stories. Once you are done, Pharaoh shall send those with the strongest arms, wisest minds, and most tireless legs to search for and return these items to our land. Thus will our glory be sung throughout the Ages. Thus will our people live for all Time. All will be good in the eyes of the gods.
Find your way to JonBrazer.com. Submit your findings for review, and Pharaoh may reward you handsomely.
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This sounds really interesting, Marie. Can I submit a magic item even if I don't have any experience writing?
*cheezy smile*
Dotting, as all the cool kids say.
Sorry, Dale. I think there's some unwritten rule that staff are prohibited from submitting...or something. ;)
Cool beans, Drejk and motteditor. :)
Dot
(because I cannae think of a more clever way to say it :)
Interesting...
So I'm noticing 'magic item' is the given phrase here rather than 'wondrous item'; just to be sure, though, would rods, weapons, armor, weapon & armor properties, and anything else I'm immediately overlooking be acceptable submissions?
(Managed to ask a question AND dot. I'm feeling all clever and smug.)
So I'm noticing 'magic item' is the given phrase here rather than 'wondrous item'; just to be sure, though, would rods, weapons, armor, weapon & armor properties, and anything else I'm immediately overlooking be acceptable submissions?
(Managed to ask a question AND dot. I'm feeling all clever and smug.)
superstar & clever :)
Unique weapon and armor, new rods and rings, etc that are Ancient Egyptian-themed are good while potions and wands ... not so much.
Are artifacts acceptable or do you only want items that could be purchased ?
Edit: Is more than one submission allowed?
Are mechas ancient Egypt themed? :)
Are you guys going for "Asirion' flavor a la legendary games or truly just ancient Egypt?
@Cheapy: Dale might say otherwise (and his Word is Law), but I think we'd like to strike a balance between the two goals you mention. If the material works as well for gamers running their own Egyptian-themed campaign in a homebrew setting or historical Earth as it does for the folks playing in "Asirion", then so much the better!
Are artifacts acceptable or do you only want items that could be purchased ?
Edit: Is more than one submission allowed?
Feel free to submit as many as you feel are excellent.
Artifacts, truth be told, I am not sure what Marie and I agreed on. We discussed them. I'll have to ask her.
Are mechas ancient Egypt themed? :)
Are you guys going for "Asirion' flavor a la legendary games or truly just ancient Egypt?
While the mech question is one ultimately answered by Marie, I'm going to take an educated guess and say that that would be more covered under the vehicle rules and not magic items. So not this particular open call.
We are going for a "River Nations" kind of idea, in that we are planning this to work well with an upcoming adventure path that is very Egyptian flavored.
Dale might say otherwise (and his Word is Law)
Actually, Marie's Word is Law on this one. I'm more of an adviser on this one, making sure we don't violate any actual laws or licenses or etc.
Heya, folks. Let me go at this one at a time.
Yes, the use of "magic" (as opposed to "wondrous") items was deliberate. :)
No wands or potions. Of all magic items, they suffer from being SIAC the most. The others can be created such that they carry ancient Egyptian-styled abilities in addition to ancient Egyptian-styled flavor. These...not so much.
No mechas. As Dale said, the focus is on PCs and NPCs; it is not on their vehicles.
No artifacts. The goal I have for this product is to provide items useful across many levels of play. Artifacts are least disruptive in high/mythic level play so I feel they’re most appropriate in a product targeted specifically at that block. Unfortunately, this isn’t that product.
Thanks for your interest, and I hope this answers your questions and concerns. I can’t wait to see what you create. :D
Regarding flowery language: If I'm talking about something slightly obscure, would you prefer the specific term or something more general - for example, canopic jars or burial jars?
I tend to default to the specific myself, but I'm flexible.
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Regarding flowery language: If I'm talking about something slightly obscure, would you prefer the specific term or something more general - for example, canopic jars or burial jars?
I tend to default to the specific myself, but I'm flexible.
My advice is to consider your audience and the usefulness of specific vs more general terminology (canopic jars vs burial jars to use your example) with the audience's and your item's needs in mind.
1. Will the reader have to look up the word you used?
This can be inconvenient for the reader. Sometimes the inconvenience is worth what the reader gets out of it. Sometimes its not.
2. Can you communicate your meaning without archaic language (like "canopic")?
This one's tricky. Sometimes nothing other than the slightly obscure reference works as well for what you're trying to convey. I would say if the specific reference and general reference are essentially interchangeable, use the general reference. On the otherhand, if you mean exactly the specific meaning of the obscure word, use it instead
Basically, HerosBackpack (and anyone else with the same concern), choose your words carefully to convey exactly what you mean to convey.
I'm not choosing items based on accurate adherence to modern Egyptology. ;) I'm simply looking for items that "feel" ancient Egyptian that I also think are balanced, fun to play, and add to the gaming experience.
Perhaps it's just the crowd I run with, but "canopic jar" isn't an obscure term for us. Chances are if an item were named "The Burial Jar of MoeLarryShempsut" we'd likely ask "Why didn't they call it a canopic jar?"
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Perhaps it's just the crowd I run with, but "canopic jar" isn't an obscure term for us. Chances are if an item were named "The Burial Jar of MoeLarryShempsut" we'd likely ask "Why didn't they call it a canopic jar?"
Which is why I say it's essentially a judgement call for the item's author. :)
I've played with folks who appreciated the nuances of language, and they'd ask the same thing as your group, Shadowborn. I've also played with folks who were fine with generalities - in this case they'd consider "burial" to be interchangeable with "canopic", the GM's intentions not-withstanding.
Thank you. I'll keep it in mind.
What is SIAC?
Spell-in-a-can... Spell-in-a-can?! Spell-in-a-can!
Remember, submitting to an open call like this is great practice for the RPG Superstar competition coming up soon.
Happy Halloween Eve, everyone! Just a friendly reminder, there's one month left for JBE's magic item open call.
If you find yourself brainstorming an Ancient Egyptian style item you decide not to submit to RPGSS, polish it up and send it in to us at submissions@jonbrazer.com. :)
Does this include intelligent and cursed items? Thinking of something like Torc of the Transfixed Ka (Cursed torc that transixes the wearers soul to their body, providing immunity to Trap the Soul or similar effects, but trapping the wearer within their own body even after death, turning them into tormented undead with the torc functioning similar to a lich's phylactery,) or Athmenosit the Eternal Scribe (Intelligent papyrus spellbook with limited bardic abilities,). Let me know via PM of these are applicable or if you prefer more 'traditional' items.
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Yay, another JBE open call.
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*grumble-grumble* Technical difficulties... *grumble-grumble* I hope I'll write a thing or two anyway before deadline...
The Silver Prince - Your question has been answered via PM as you requested.
Darkjoy - You're going to submit something(s), right? :)
Drejk - Technical difficulties afflict us all. I find fantasizing about sledgehammers meeting my laptop up close and personal to be therapeutic in those circumstances. ;)
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The Silver Prince - Your question has been answered via PM as you requested.
Darkjoy - You're going to submit something(s), right? :)
Drejk - Technical difficulties afflict us all. I find fantasizing about sledgehammers meeting my laptop up close and personal to be therapeutic in those circumstances. ;)
I miss the times when exchanging hitting my Amiga with fist and gently petting and speaking softly to her made her work again...
What?!
We are really looking forward to your submission. Have you finished it yet?
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We are really looking forward to your submission. Have you finished it yet?
Still working on it. Got this great idea for a new staff that will turn into an Egyptian snake, when you toss it on the ground...
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We are really looking forward to your submission. Have you finished it yet?Still working on it. Got this great idea for a new staff that will turn into an Egyptian snake, when you toss it on the ground...
Dude! That would totally go great with my Rod of Parting Waves and Burning Bush of Divine Communication.
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Anyway, submitted some items.
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Anyway, submitted some items.
Good to hear, Darkjoy.
For those who are wondering, I'm sifting through the submissions as they come through.
No. I'm not telling until after final selections have been made. ;)
No. I'm not telling until after final selections have been made. ;)
Shucks.
;)
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Submission sent. One hopes his humble gift pleases Pharaoh.
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Regarding flowery language: If I'm talking about something slightly obscure, would you prefer the specific term or something more general - for example, canopic jars or burial jars?
I tend to default to the specific myself, but I'm flexible.
On a related note, would using the egyptian god's name be alright or should we focus onto something less specific. Say his mask versus Mask of the Jackel-headed Embalmer."
(back and forth on flowery language)...On a related note, would using the egyptian god's name be alright or should we focus onto something less specific. Say his mask versus Mask of the Jackel-headed Embalmer."
Wow, Curaigh. I'm rather partial to Mask of the Jackal-headed Embalmer. :D That's just cool.
Moving beyond the cool factor, yes, I'd recommend leaving the Egyptian deity's name out of it so it's obvious the item can be inserted anywhere appropriate for any given campaign. As always, that is entirely up to the author and doing so is not a mark against.
Snorter, the Great Lady, Hathor, asked me to remind you time is limited (19 days and counting). ;)
Shadowborn, very good, sir. On behalf of Pharaoh, I shall brave the bright sun to seek your submission(s). ;)
More *grumble-grumble*
Open Office has problems opening on this machine... Couldn't open the template and check if it is indeed identical to formatting used on PRD. Maybe later.
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First item finished. Not sending it yet to bundle it with a (hopefully) few more.
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Good evening, folks. Just a friendly reminder, JBE's open call for Ancient Egyptian-themed magic items ends in 15-ish days (11/30/13). We have received some very spiffy items so far, and I'm looking forward to what the rest of the submission period has to offer.
No. I'm still not telling. ;)
For those of you still working on or considering items, make sure you get your item(s) in. Don't let the internet gremlins, the vagaries of stubborn computers, or Perfection(TM) get between you and the opportunity to be published.
Thank you to everyone who has sent in an item (or several). Thank you to those who have passed the word. Thank you to those who are considering submitting an item.
We couldn't do this without you. :)
Third and fourth item complete, more or less. Second item still half done. I might or might not complete it tomorrow. I still think of up to three more but I don't know if I will actually write them.
I should also write the monster for Wolfgang's submission before the end of the month after all.
Four items send your way. Second item didn't make it but a fifth was added in its place.
I will probably have a throng of Egyptian-themed magic item ideas early December...
Sent in another one, just to beat Drejk ;-)
No mechas. As Dale said, the focus is on PCs and NPCs; it is not on their vehicles.
I am not sure what mechas are, so just to be sure: When you say the focus is not on vehicles, does that mean that e.g. enchanted chariots and reed boats are a no go? :-(
I am not sure what mechas are, so just to be sure: When you say the focus is not on vehicles, does that mean that e.g. enchanted chariots and reed boats are a no go? :-(
That is correct, Jesper.
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:(
Egyptian magic items cry for magical chariot...
:(
Egyptian magic items cry for magical chariot...
Indeed. I had ideas for a nobleman's chariot that was enchanted to provide a stable platform for bow-fire even at high speed over rough terrain.
I was also tinkering with the notion of some kind of reed boat that allowed travel into the Egyptian soul world. Guess I'll have to post them on the blog or something, if I decide to do them :-(
Oh well, still plenty of other ideas for items to enter into the open call.