In Good Company

I was checking something on DriveThruRPG the other day, and I noticed this. Savage Worlds: Adventure Edition and Rangers of Shadow Deep sit right next to one another in the Adamantine Best-Seller List! For those that don’t know, Savage Worlds is the creation of one of my favourite game designers, Shane Lacey Hensley -  who has also written the foreword to Frostgrave: Second Edition!

Now, in truth, this comparison isn’t really accurate. For most of its existence, Rangers of Shadow Deep has mainly been available on DriveThruRPG, whereas Savage Worlds has probably sold just as much, or more, through traditional print. Still, it’s good company to be in, and it made me smile!

Also, for those who might be interested - there is now a Deluxe Edition of Rangers of Shadow Deep that can be ordered in either Print or Ebook. It makes much more sense to by the Deluxe edition than the original, that is shown here.

Frostgrave: Second Edition, Pre-order Time!

North Star has opened their pre-order for Frostgrave: Second Edition, and when you order from them they'll throw in a new apprentice figure sculpted especially for the occasion!

This is also the first chance to order the new plastic Frostgrave Knights plastic set.

Nervous and Exciting Times!

Designers & Dragons by Shannon Appelcline

Although I’m only halfway through reading it, I have been totally blow-away by Designers & Dragons: A History of the Roleplaying Game Industry by Shannon Appelcline. If you have any interest in this industry, or the companies within it, then I heartily recommend checking it out. 

I first came across Designers & Dragons while looking for something else on DriveThruRPG. I had never previously heard of the author or the work. Intrigued, I went ahead and ordered Volume 2. I’ll explain why I started with that volume in a second. In truth, I didn’t expect too much from the book, maybe a few good facts or anecdotes. Instead, what I got was an impressively researched, incredibly comprehensive, and very well-written history of all of the major (and many of the minor) companies that have published role-playing games in the first forty years of the industry.

The work is broken into four volumes, each one covering the companies that began publishing RPGs in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. Each entry tells the complete story of that company from their founding to (in most cases) their folding. Generally, Shannon sticks to the facts, only occasionally offering any personal commentary, which is probably wise considering just how many contentious issues arise in the history.  

I actually started with Volume 2 because it included several of the companies I was most interested in: Steve Jackson Games, FASA, and Iron Crown Enterprises, for example. In each case, I got something different. For Steve Jackson Games, I had just never read a history of the company, despite it being one of my earliest gaming loves. For FASA I got a very straight account of a company that often has a confusing history. For Iron Crown Enterprises, I finally got the answer to a question I had wondered about for thirty-years. (How did the company get into such dire financial straights right around the time they were supposed to pay me and my mother for our work on MERP: The Grey Mountains?)

I enjoyed Volume 2 so much, that even before I was finished with it, I ordered the other 3 (in hardback no less!). I’ve nearly finished Volume 1 now and found it just as good. In fact, I wish I had read this more straight-forward account of the history of TSR before I read Empires of Imagination (though I think that book is worth reading as well).

The roleplaying game industry is just packed with interesting characters and fascinating stories, and this book has them all. For me though, it has been even more than a great read - it’s been an encouragement. Although I mainly write ‘wargames’, they tend to have a heavy RPG influence, and I very much consider myself a part of this tradition. It’s incredible to see how others have done it, and ponder how I can incorporate those lessons into my own life, work, and creativity.

So, yeah. Designers & Dragons – Highly Recommended.

Duellist

This figure is actually one of the latest offerings for Rangers of Shadow Deep line, but I painted him up as a member of my Ghost Archipelago crew. Maybe it’s the feather and the hat or the cloak and the stance, but it just screams ‘swashbuckling duellist’ to me.

Another lovely sculpt. I must admit, the beard actually proved just slightly too much for my eyes and my brush, this time around. Still, it came out well enough, and overall I’m very happy with him.

That leaves my Ghost Archipelago crew just two figures from completion.

Have Bow, Will Travel

Here is my latest recruit into the ranks of the Rangers!

This figure is actually ‘Orla’, one of the auxiliary companions from the Rangers of Shadow Deep: Blood Moon expansion. Interestingly, when this figure was revealed, many commentators compared her to Princess Merida, the main character in the Pixar movie, Brave. I suppose this is aided by me describing Orla as having red hair. I see where they are coming from, but when I got this figure under my paint brush, I saw a completely different character.

Maybe I will use her for Orla, or maybe I will use her for an archer companion, but either way, it’s a lovely figure, and I’m sure it’s going to get some ‘table time’ in my games.

Like pretty much all of the figures in the range, this one was a joy to paint. It’s not overly detailed, but the detail it has is deep. By this, I mean that there is good three-dimensional separation of the detail from the surrounding sculpt, which makes it easier to catch with the brush. It’s one of the things that often separates metal figures from plastic ones. A great example of this is on the bands around the quiver, which were much easier to target than similar detail I’ve faced on other figures.

Anyway, I’m closing in on finishing my ranger warband. I just have one more miniature and maybe some clue/treasure markers to go.

Vapour Snakes / Water Weirds

I’ve done a little more painting for my Ghost Archipelago underwater adventures. These twisty guys are ‘Vapour Snakes’ for use with Frostgrave: Perilous Dark, but I’m also planning to use them as water weirds, basically little water elements. These guys will be especially dangerous underwater where they are functionally invisible.

These were just a quick blue-highlighted-up-to-white paint job, but I think it works perfectly for them.

Frostgrave: Second Edition – The Appendix

Ever since the announcement of Frostgrave: Second Edition, people have been asking if the supplements for the first edition will still be valid. Well, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – Yes!

With the exception of The Grimorie (the spellcards), all seven supplement books and the Ulterior Motives cards are still usable with the new edition.

In fact, I have included an appendix in the Second Edition book specifically to address this question.

Well, today, Osprey Games have decided to make that Appendix freely available. Now you can see for yourself, exactly what affect the new rules have had on those old books. (See the Appendix Here)

Also, there is a really cool piece of aRu-Mor artwork in there – so take a look!