FINAL WEEK DISCUSSION: BE AN AMASSADOR
about 6 years ago – Tue, Apr 24, 2018 at 09:33:57 AM

Hello Dragon-Backers!

We're officially in the FINAL WEEK of the kickstarter campaign. I've still got the final manuscript preview post to put up next Tuesday, as well as another "Saturday Realm" preview update, but I'll also be sharing a bunch of book-keeping-type posts about Reward Tiers and Add-Ons, and Stretch Goals, and What Comes Next, and this one, which is all about recruiting new backers during this final phase of the campaign.

First, let me say - we're getting close to hitting our next Stretch Goal Achievement, adding the Quick Character write-ups for many favorites to the Dragon-Blooded Companion book. That's like our 26th Stretch Goal (including the ones that were just countdowns to adding Reward Tiers). That's remarkable. I'm excited to keep adding rewards to this project, and hope to add even more! The final week usually picks up speed as we go along, and there's a ton of potential to add another 2, 5, 8 or even more rewards! But to get there, we've got to increase the number of backers pledging to this campaign. Thus, the topic for today's update:

BE AN AMBASSADOR

I know, this is something I've already said many times (and seem to say during every project!), but for this final week, you are officially a duly-deputized ambassador for this Kickstarter project. I know I end every update post with "Keep spreading the word! Invite others to join in!" - but what does that mean, and how do you do it?

Easy answer - don't stop talking about the Dragon-Blooded kickstarter until 12:01 PM next Thursday EST (when the campaign has ended). Yes, family and friends are tired of me talking about it (believe me!), but everything will go back to "normal" in just one week, and they've learned to tolerate me during a kickstarter campaign (for now). But here's the thing - there are others around who haven't heard or don't know about the campaign.

I've told you about my FOLOMO (Fear of Letting Others Miss Out), and with this one, that drive is dialed up to 11. For many of the recent Onyx Path campaigns that I've participated in, the goal was to get the standard edition of the book into distribution and sold at game stores. So, even if friends missed a successful campaign, there was a chance they'd eventually discover the book out in the "wild." But, with this campaign, the goal is to do a limited edition deluxe version of What Fire Has Wrought. There may be a handful of overprinted copies for sale in the future through our friends at IPR, but really, the best way to get the deluxe hardcover is right here, right now. So, my goal is to  spread the info as best possible in the real world, and ironically, that's where we take to the online arena.  

What Excites You?

Thumbs up to everyone who's shared a link to the kickstarter in an online forum, or posted an "I just backed this project" message to their social media - you've done all of the first steps that are critical during the first weeks of the campaign. Now, it's time to let others know why you are backing this project (and, therefore, why they should consider it as well).

That's the thing - for this final week, you don't have to tell people the kickstarter exists. Instead, tell them what's got you excited about the game. What are you planning for your Exalted camapign? What kind of Charms and Martial Arts have got you thinking?What sources of inspiration are you running with? At this point, people have seen the "Kickstarter now live!" posts. But the ones that always pull me in are things like:

• Here are some Outcaste groups I'm thinking of for my campaign...
• I'm thinking of creating this heirloom artifact, what do you think...?
• What if a group of loyalists controlled this territory...?

This is the stuff that I love to read online, and the stuff that inspires me in my game. I am delighted when I read about an idea or campaign that I'd never thought of or considered. When I see someone talking about how they'd run a civil war scenario (or using Captain America and Iron Man to outline how the Houses align themselves) - those are the moments that dial me in.

When I start seeing conversations like that, I get intrigued about the game. And that's when I click on the link. So, share your ideas! What parts of the manuscript have stirred your imagination? What pop culture touchstones do you want to adapt for your game?

I mean, check out THIS THREAD on rpg.net that hasn't left the front page since this campaign launched. Or, on the Exalted Forums at Onyx Path!

There are tons of websites related to rpgs or epic fantasy or gaming in general. Now, all of those may not have forums for you to post on, or be an appropriate venue to share your ideas. But, if you are a member of any of those and feel like sharing your ideas about a new Dragon-Blooded game, these final days are the time to do so!

Share the Links!

1) Don't forget to share a link to the kickstarter in your post (where appropriate).

2) Don't forget to tell us about your post! Come to the comments section and let us know so we can all go and contribute! I know I keep saying it, but really - these last  days are key. Keep the enthusiasm high (hitting stretch goals certainly makes that easier!) and keep on inviting others to join in, either directly ("Come see...") or just by setting an example of your enthusiasm and interest.

We've achieved so much already - Check out how much we've added to Heirs to the Shogunate already! - but on these final days, we can take it to the next level!

So, celebrate! Share the love! Share your enthusiasm! And be an ambassador for this final week... and then we'll all be exhausted and get a rest! And, if you're like me, re-read the entire Charms chapter of the manuscript again!

#EX3DB

- James

The Caul // Realm Preview Saturday
about 6 years ago – Mon, Apr 23, 2018 at 03:21:14 PM

Hello Dragon-Backers,

As you know, every Tuesday we backers have received a gift from the elemental dragons - a piece of the manuscript for our version of the Immaculate Texts - the Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought book for Exalted 3rd Edition. 

I've also had the good fortunate of being able to share portions of the next book to be released in the Exalted 3rd Edition line - The Realm. The Realm is an in-depth guide to the Realm's history, culture, and politics. It details the institutions of the Scarlet Empress' control: the ministries of the Thousand Scales, the Immaculate Order, the mighty Imperial legions, and more. It also explores the many lands the Realm holds, from the prefectures of the Blessed Isle, to the conquered satrapies of the Threshold, to the weird continent of the Caul.

And that final item is the subject of this Realm Preview Saturday - The Caul.

Myth No Longer

The Caul slipped away long ago, one of many casualties of Creation’s slow decline in the wake of the Usurpation, the Shogunate, and the Contagion. It drifted out of memory until only savants and those few ancient Exalted who’d been there could dimly remember its existence. And then, suddenly, the Caul returned, discovered by a ship bearing the ascendant Realm’s flag. The news spread like wildfire; popular imagination was seized by this strange unmade-and-made continent, mythic home of the Elemental Dragons and claimed birthplace of the Dragon-Blooded themselves. Pilgrims flocked to the newly risen continent. But they weren’t alone.

The Lunar Anathema felt the Caul’s return, a siren call from a sacred realm where Gaia and Luna once walked as one. Here, they thought, was a chance to reclaim miracles and nightmares thought lost to the ages, and a seat that, if conquered, could be their staging ground for final war against the Realm. That Sha’a Oka, the Black Lion lost and mourned long ago, returned with the Caul only lent fuel to the fire. The war commenced immediately, and has raged ever since, the Empress declaring a grand crusade to protect the birthplace of the Exalted and to keep forever open the way to Feng-Yi, the otherworldly Last City at the end of the pilgrim’s path.

In this endless struggle, each side’s fortunes have waxed and waned over the centuries. At times, the way to Feng-Yi was open — at others, the Lunars claimed two, even three of the sacred shrine cities, barring the way to Feng-Yi and allowing Luna’s strange Essence to pervade the land. But as the Deliberative withdrew the Realm’s legions from the Caul, dividing them up amongst the Great Houses in preparation for the coming civil war, the Lunar host struck decisively, taking four of the five shrine cities in a rout and leaving the Realm’s forces pinned behind the walls of Faxai-on-the-Caul, the Realm’s primary port of entry to the sacred continent. The faithful clamor for a counterattack, and in Faxai crusaders sharpen their blades and await reinforcements.

In truth, the crusade to retake the Caul isn’t as popular as pilgrims and warriors in Faxai would hope. The Great Houses have been sending daughters and sons to spill their blood on the Caul’s strange soil, and for what? To ensure that more Dragon-Blooded will be born by sacrificing those who already live? Though some see the Caul’s conquest as a spiritual imperative that will preserve the Dragon-Blooded forever, many in the Deliberative see the struggle as a waste, like casting talents of jade into the ocean’s depths.

Nonetheless, as a concession to militarists and Immaculate zealots, the Deliberative voted to order the immediate liberation of the Caul’s shrine cities. But to provide legions would be tantamount to admitting that they never should have left the Caul in the first place, and would meet stiff resistance from the Great Houses that had claimed the legions for their own purposes. Instead, they encouraged the Realm’s outcastes to join martial orders in the Caul and fight to restore what was rightfully theirs by their birthright as Dragon-Blooded.

Click HERE to download the full preview of THE CAUL from THE REALM, the next supplement for Exalted 3rd Edition.

The Realm as a Reward

While the focus and primary reward of this Kickstarter Campaign is the deluxe edition of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, there are several Reward Tiers that include The Realm as one of the rewards for your support.

I'll be reviewing Reward Tiers and the various Rewards in an update that I'll post tomorrow (Sunday). 

If you've selected a different Reward Tier and still want to ensure you get a copy of The Realm PDF, it is available to Add On to any Reward Tier:

Simply increase your total pledge by +$15 to add a copy of The Realm PDF to your rewards list. I'll be reviewing all of the Add On options and how they work in an update that I'll post on Monday.

So, remember to spread the word! Share your enthusiasm! And let's make sure that everyone knows about this campaign during this final week!

#EX3DB

- James

Dev Diary: Charms
about 6 years ago – Mon, Apr 23, 2018 at 05:17:48 AM

From Robert Vance:

Now that the Dragon-Blooded Charm set is out in full, I thought I’d talk some about the design philosophy behind them, and a bit of my process in creating them.

Dragon-Blooded Charms are Ability-based, like Solar Charms, but they also integrate the themes of the five elements—I think of them as being Element Charms as much as they are Ability Charms. This is really the biggest difference in the design of the two Charm sets, moreso than just the differing power levels. The elemental themes push Dragon-Blooded Charms into more overtly supernatural displays of power than the pure Solar Ability Charms have, and each element has a personality to it that’s expressed through the mechanics associated with its Charms. For instance, Air is lofty and idealistic, so many of its Charms care about a character’s Principles, but not their Ties; Fire has a monopoly on effects that provide “exploding dice,” in theme with its volatility; Water has a lot of sneaky and deceptive stuff in Abilities where you wouldn’t normally expect to find that.

 
The five elements provide the main thematic backbone for the Charm set, but there are some secondary themes. The Dragon-Blooded are born warriors, and their strong martial nature is conveyed by giving them combat-related Charms in Abilities that have nothing to do with combat, like Lore, Investigation, and Performance. Teamwork is another Dragon-Blooded theme, and it shows up both in them having a larger-than-usual share of Charms that care about distract gambits and defend other actions; Charms with extra rewards for being in a Sworn Kinship, like Dragon Vortex Attack; and Charms that care about family ties and the ties between the Dragon-Blooded Host, like Ten-Thousand Dragons Fight As One.

The unique Dragon-Blooded keywords, Aura and Signature, were one of the last elements of the Charm set to click in to place. Before that, they had a mechanic called the Overflow Cycle: if you only used Charms of a single element on your turn, you were rewarded with overflow motes, which you could use on your next turn to pay for either Charms of the same elements, or Charms of the next element in a wu xing-like cycle (for the record, the cycle went earth -> wood -> fire -> air -> water). The Overflow Cycle proved too complex for its own good, both in terms of the extra bookkeeping it required and the cognitive load of remembering the order of elements, but the basic structure of rewarding players for using Charms of only one element was carried over into the Aura keyword.

 The Aura and Signature keywords are two different ways of approaching the same problem: how to give the Dragon-Blooded access to more powerful effects without disrupting their place as the least powerful Exalted. The Aura keyword lets the Dragon-Blooded Charm set include some effects that would normally be overpowered, but balances them out by preventing you from using them all at the same time. Going into Water Aura turns Graceful Flowing Defense into a potent defensive option, but enabling that means you can’t unleash the raw offensive power of Crimson Fang Bite on your turn. Signature Charms are a similar idea, but from a different angle. Each one is much more powerful than other Dragon-Blooded Charms, but you only get one Signature per Ability, so it’s not a choice to be made lightly.

This won’t be the last word on Dragon-Blooded Charms. Thanks to y’all’s incredible efforts, Heirs to the Shogunate is going to include additional Dragon-Blooded Charms. We also still have some custom backer Dragon-Blooded Charm rewards available at the “Sorcerer of the White Register” level. Pledge at that level, and you’ll get to work with me to develop your concept into a fully-fledged Dragon-Blooded Charm that’s to your satisfaction. If you have a favorite Charm from the preview that you want to upgrade, or if there’s something that the main Charm set didn’t hit, you can make sure it appears in Heirs to the Shogunate with this reward level. 

 ***

Final Week! Over the next 7 days, I will be posting special campaign updates, just going over all of the checklist details that we need to cover before this Kickstarter project ends. Stuff like: Reward Tiers, Add Ons, Stretch Goals, ... the usual bits and pieces.

So, keep spreading the word, keep sharing your enthusiasm, let's keep growing this project!

#EX3DB

- James

Backers Only - Manuscript Preview Part 4
about 6 years ago – Tue, Apr 17, 2018 at 04:08:23 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

The Blessed Isle // Realm Preview Saturday
about 6 years ago – Sat, Apr 14, 2018 at 10:58:40 AM

The Blessed Isle map has changed somewhat from earlier editions. Previously, the Isle was portrayed as a lush place of fertile farmland encircling the central mountains. This made sense for the Realm, but it didn’t help with the problem that the Isle often felt bland and samey for a place larger than China, with little to distinguish one part of it from another.

Now, dragon lines conveying the elemental Essence of the four Directions converge on the Blessed Isle, infusing its boundaries. The Isle’s northern shores are wintry, its southern shores sultry, the eastern Isle particularly fecund, and the western Isle marshy and storm-tossed. Island chains trail from the Isle’s western edge, like the West in miniature. This offers greater climatic and geographical variety for games set on the Isle.

We’ve also added a whole bunch of new canonical locations to the Blessed Isle, both in Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought and in The Realm. Many of these — though by no means all! — appear on the map. We also added a few evocatively named cities to fill in blank spots on the map; these don’t currently appear in the text, and can be used as you please.

The following excerpt depicts one of the new Blessed Isle locales to be found in The Realm:

Tarpan Wastes

This was once among the Blessed Isle’s lushest regions. Orchards speckled fertile farmland along the Tarpan River’s course and across the shores of Iris Lake. But the land’s verdancy was the fruit of Solar magic, and early in the Empress’ reign that magic began to wither. Now the Tarpan Wastes are largely desert. Soil blows away to reveal plains of bare rock. Thornbushes cling to life among stands of dead trees. The retreating lakeshore has left behind acres of salt flats and bone-dry reeds, and what remains of the lake is too brackish to drink.

A few cities, such as Ashara and Kissed-With-Jade, still linger. Some, at Tarpan’s borders, subsist on rivers whose waters are quickly drunk by the desert. Others cling to life at dwindling oases, or around water and wood manses. Most buildings are empty shells, housing only foxes, feral cats, and the wind. Residents dwell in tight knots around water sources. There they blow glass, carve intaglios and musical instruments, and trade lakebed salt to passing merchants for foodstuffs, textiles, and hard goods. Unwomanly is their reputation: prone to laughter and merriment, and weak in battle. Gossip is as common as straightforward speech, and patricians and peasants alike indulge in vain sartorial displays that press the limits of propriety.

The Salt Road runs through Tarpan’s three prefectures — Ashara, Seven Stars, and Willow’s Edge — from Lord’s Crossing to the southern coast. Travelers who’d avoid the high tariffs of Arjuf Dominion traverse the desert along ancient highways reinforced by Mnemon labor. These pass through husks of long-deserted towns, dry and dead but for caravanserais watered by sorcerous springs that fade far too swiftly.

Gods of lost towns, dried-up rivers, and withered fields roam the region, their purviews gone, leaving them purposeless and without place in the celestial order. Many sought new homes elsewhere on the Isle; while some escaped the gauntlet into the Isle’s wilds, others were driven back into the desert by Immaculates lest they disrupt the proper activities of gods and mortals. Of those who remain, some watch over dead places and report to weak old gods of forest and lake, or to the desert’s cruel new goddess, Tharasht Tears-of-Dust. Others aimlessly wander the desert, or find menial roles in the nascent spirit court of the newly fledged fire dragon Splendid Cinder, whose arrival has left the spirit hierarchy in disarray. The Immaculates quietly observe Splendid Cinder’s activities. Wary of her power, they’re unwilling to let a cocksure spirit-prince take advantage of the Realm’s superstitious awe of dragons to establish a cult among the desert cities.

Ghosts linger in ruined temples of lifeless towns, breathlessly venerating the Dragons in vain hope of release. Others offer guidance to desert-lost treasures in exchange for prayer. Few accept, fearing to be set back on the wheel of rebirth — or slain in the desert by the restless dead. But the dead are themselves wary, fearing the attentions of the Immaculate monks of Trigram Monastery, built here as much to restrain the desert’s chaotic spirits as for isolation from worldly matters. Some desert ghosts have sworn themselves to Splendid Cinder’s service, which the Immaculates will oppose when they learn of it. But many monks have left for Mnemon lands, leaving spirit-chastising tasks to a handful of stylites dwelling atop rocky pillars to commune with the desert’s austere Essence.

That Essence has twisted and changed with the centuries. Dragon lines of wood and water have faded, supplanted by fire and air. Old manses have crumbled, melted, burst into flame. Others, reshaped and reinforced by Mnemon and her daughters, endure. The primeval Well of Holy Fire once burned on an island in Iris Lake, but the lake’s evaporation has stranded it amid salt flats. Its sacred maples have withered; the guardian serpents have shed their skins. Once the Empress warded it jealously as a place of sorcerous power. Now its flame burns low and dark, and glassy inhuman footprints, melted into the salt flats, trail away into the desert.

Two Odd Monks

Trigram Monastery is home to monks shuffled out of the hierarchy for various reasons — poor discipline, undesirable politics, borderline heterodoxy, or simple eccentricity. Among them are two of the Order’s odder Dragon-Blooded. Hualli, the Feathered Monk, was born to parrotfolk at Creation’s edge. He Exalted as Fair Folk slaughtered his people, then spent years journeying through Eastern forests to find kin in the Realm. Fragile, unwarlike, and blatantly abhuman, he and the legions wanted no part of one another. Generous by nature, he spent years ministering across the Isle as an itinerant, but the celebrity his plumage brought wearied him until he retired to the cloister.

His closest companion is the towering, mute Grip. Bred for the inhuman-seeming Legion of Silence, she Exalted while guarding Sdoia’s governor from a Lunar assassin, then broke her halberd over her knee and walked hundreds of miles to the Palace Sublime to present herself as a postulant in the Order. Though she cannot speak, her gestures convey volumes, and she spends her days turning her huge, clumsy-looking hands to producing astonishingly delicate calligraphy.

CLOTH MAP ADD ONS

Available to any Reward Tier that already includes a deluxe hardcover edition of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought.

Increase your total pledge by +$80 to add a 2' x 3' heavy canvas material printed with the amazing fully-painted, full-color new map of the Blessed Isle.

 Increase your total pledge by +$80 to add a 2' x 3' heavy canvas material printed with the amazing fully-painted, full-color map of Creation.

 Increase your total pledge by +$150 to add both the Blessed Isle map and the Creation map.