500 Pages Long!
almost 2 years ago
– Thu, Mar 16, 2023 at 11:20:48 AM
Hello!
You will find in the Dropbox here all the chapters for When the Wolf Comes. It now includes the starter adventure, short story, alternate history timeline and a boat-load of Norse nicknames.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yk942a7g3g1m1rk/AACMhhubKWCnztwUsiNETkZea?dl=0
It also includes play test revisions, spell checks, seiðr checks, format fixes etc. It's effectively the finished book, waiting to be compiled.
We had a blast with the starter adventure before Christmas. It's designed to get your group thinking Norse and the connected short story sets the scene for intrigues to come. As well as offering a clear warning not to tangle with the local wildlife.
Frankly, it constantly surprises me the sheer level of "knock on effects" in the game and how to write clear rules for it. For example, do orcneas eat their own? When the players round our table got hold of a Howling Dog and used it to mow down a horde of orcneas, it became clear the orcneas advance would crumble due to cannibalism. That didn't happen in Beowulf!
I've also been scratching my head about ranges, because short, medium and long don't do justice to modern firearms. We don't want to overcomplicate proceedings, so it it a balancing act. And what is a good word to describe a range between medium and long? After a day of staring at the problem, I opted for intermediate on the basis of ballistic missile categories.
So, that's the positive side about the wait. More time for me to sweat the details!
So, what's next? Well, 500 pages is a lot, so we are going to adjust the formatting. We are not losing any content, just packaging it a little better. The Outland team are at Planet Comicon this weekend, but work starts on that when they return next week.
Artwork and maps have also begun for the 11 adventure Thought and Memory saga that is written. And in between rewriting the rules on ranges a dozen times, I've penned a whole bunch of future content, from stjörnufrœði (star knowledge) to geimvíkingar (space vikings).
Feel free to ping me! Feedback is always a gift.
Best,
ISS
Tíu!
almost 2 years ago
– Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 09:30:38 AM
Hello!
Chapters 9 & 10 are now loaded into the Dropbox. As usual, these are sneak peaks. Work continues on edits and fixes!
That said, we are now down to the last few items on the checklist. We've an appendix of Norse names and an alternate history timeline. We're adding in the starter adventure and short story to the book also. And then, we'll tie it all together and start work on the physical stuff.
Hittask muno vér í Valhǫll!
IS
The Níu Heimar!
about 2 years ago
– Wed, Feb 08, 2023 at 10:02:32 PM
And now with Chapter 8!
This chapter provides some of the background to the Vikingverse, including religions, language, technology - along with a tour of the Nine Homeworlds.
The drop box contains all the updated files as well. I think we are down to four little fixes on the chapters so far.
Have a read and feel free to fire over questions!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yk942a7g3g1m1rk/AACMhhubKWCnztwUsiNETkZea?dl=0
Spirits, Spellcraft and Equipment!
about 2 years ago
– Sun, Feb 05, 2023 at 05:33:09 PM
Hello!
As the most recent chapters get laid out, Jeremy at Outland and I decided it would be a good idea for you to get a sneak peak.
None of the material here is final - with each pass we make a few more fixes and tweaks. For instance, this weekend, I spent so much time checking and double-checking the range of firearms, I am expecting the FBI to knock on my door. This in turn, threw up some mechanics changes around Húskarl talents. I also had lots of fun hunting down Old Norse letters like ǫ, which don't always translate into modern fonts, and instead become strange spirals (there is at least one I know about in the Equipment section).
Which is all just to say, work is continuing apace! Have a read, and I'll get back to the editing!
Chapters 1-6
Chapter 7
Til árs ok friðar
about 2 years ago
– Tue, Jan 24, 2023 at 09:18:06 PM
Hello!
I hope everyone had a splendid Jól. You might be familiar with the toast in the title – "for a good year and peace". Let’s hope 2023 is a good one, and the sense of impending Ragnarök recedes.
Now, where are we?
It’s all layout, layout, layout right now, getting all the fiddly bits done.
-
Here are the first 5 chapters, including the Mythic Paths that are (almost) complete. Jeremy at Outland is beavering away with the rest, and I send back little edits and fixes on a routine basis.
- We have a whole campaign written and play tested. Below the big image, you’ll see an adventure flowchart. The first adventure will be printed in the book. The next few sagas go out to Kickstarter backers, and then the rest we’ll aim to release ASAP.
- We also have a whole new set of rules around Ship Combat, Thought and Memory Drive and of course, more paths. Those are all written and raring to go – I sent them over to the inestimable Mr. Schwalb just today for him to cast an expert eye over.
- All told, that’s about 55,000 words that should help set the scene for sagas to come.
Rest assured, I sacrifice daily to the PDF Gods. More as I get it!
Best,
ISS
CHAPTER 1: NOBODY DIES IN HJALPMAKAAR
For 0-level characters The characters escort a dying man on his last journey only to find themselves drawn into a bitter blood feud.
CHAPTER 2: THE BOOK OF DANIEL
For 1st level characters The characters are cursed by a jötunn headman and must earn his forgiveness.
CHAPTER 3: THE GHOST SIGNAL
For 2nd-level characters The characters are asked to investigate a mysterious aurora.
CHAPTER 4: FINNBOGI’S WAKE
For 3rd-level characters The characters must clear their names of murder and bring the real culprit to justice.
CHAPTER 5: THE HORROR OF FANGSTONE MINE
For 4th-level characters The characters travel to a deserted mining town to uncover its secrets.
CHAPTER 6: BLOOD BATH AT ROÐREKR’S DRIFT
For 5th-level characters The characters must defend an archive from an orcneas incursion.
CHAPTER 7: SHIP OF THE DEAD
For 6th-level characters The characters track down a derelict ship, marooned on the ice.
CHAPTER 8: THE SCAR ON THE SKY
For 7th-level characters The characters stage a daring rescue and evade an enemy fleet.
CHAPTER 9: THE WELL OF MEMORY
For 8th-level characters The characters uncover the dark truths behind the Swordfall.
CHAPTER 10: MOTHER’S NIGHT
For 9th-level characters The characters battle a fracture, sent to repair the timelines.
CHAPTER 11: THE RAVEN ROADS
For 10th-level characters The characters seek to return Thought and Memory to their rightful owner and thwart the Sons of Ivaldi.
