On the Density of Content

I'm not sure where I have and haven't shared this, but the question often arises regarding the scale of the Northern Tier. 

Why are they 1 mile hexes? Isn't that too densely packed? 

Or something similar. And my answer is, "Well, maybe." 

But have you ever hiked in the deep wilderness in Western Pennsylvania (the Allegheny National Forest). When you are off trail, a mile is a lot of territory to cover and as I've wandered the rugged terrain up here, I've imagined that I'm looking for the entrance to the MacGuffin cave that is hidden in this one square mile of terrain... and it could take hours to find. Sure, I can probably hike through the terrain at about 2 miles an hour... but that's a relatively straight shot across two hexes - not looking for something. 

So it occurs to me that there ought to be something interesting in each 1 mile hex. Not necessarily something magical or, heck, even useful, but something to find, something to experience. Plus, the Northern Tier is Faerie Wood, so there ought to be some more densely packed weird and magical... stuff. 

So I like the idea of one mile hexes and having something in each hex, even if it's only a bear's den or an area coming back from a fire. 

As I've worked on expanding and updating the Northern Tier, I bounce back and forth between keying every one mile hex (I believe it's about 400!!) and keying important hexes and creating random tables to generate interesting content for the unkeyed hexes (not unlike the old Wilderlands but on a micro scale). Regardless, the new Northern Tier will still be at 1 mile hexes and the intent is that there will still be something (at LEAST one thing) interesting in each hex.

The Sheer Weight of What Is Not Yet

I have a thousand pages of unformatted, unfinished adventure material. I have projects on the brink of being finished... but they have languished so long now that I'm not sure I remember what I had intended for the unfinished parts... 

Momentum is an amazing thing when it is working for you. 2018 was a banner year for my productivity - 2019 was decent and then... I've been writing, but it's unfocused and incomplete.

The sheer weight of what is not yet is overwhelming. 

How do you get that flywheel turning again? I know that it's about discipline. About writing every day. Just like I know about eating right and exercising. Knowing isn't doing... 

Updates and Legacy Products

 For reasons that I can't fathom** I am unable to comment on my own posts... Captain Nolan asked in the comments on the previous post if the current crop of products will still be available after things are updated. The short answer is that they will be available as long as DTRPG exists. One of the things I'm hoping to do with the "virtual boxed set" is to provide a few extras (printable poster map being one) that will add value to the project. People who already own the previous (legacy) products will find the virtual boxed see discounted even further, as is the norm for DTRPG and bundles.

** I can kind of fathom the fact that I'm technologically inept - so it's almost certainly user error...

Updates on the Way

 I've been learning Adobe InDesign for layout word as Word has absolutely hated the huge, graphics intensive files that I've been creating...

So I'm doing an update of the Northern Tier (details below) in preparation for a couple of packages:

First, we'll do a Virtual Boxed Set of the Northern Tier on DriveThru - basically a bundle of all of the Northern Tier materials updated with new art and new layout (and new material). This is more than a year away, probably, though as I get used to InDesign the process is getting smoother (and faster!). 

When the Virtual Box Set goes live, I'll put together some limited Physical Boxed Sets of the Norther Tier, hand assembled by yours truly. I can't imagine there is a market for more than a dozen of these (especially considering the likely price point) but I want one on my shelf so I might as well order a few extras... If, somehow, there is greater interest in the physical product, I'll think about doing a bigger run... 

Next, we'll do a Virtual Boxed Set of the Northern Tier, Legacy Edition on DriveThru - basically a permanent bundle of the original Northern Tier products (nothing new or updated) with a print your own box wrap file and instructions on how/where to maybe get this done. In light of that, some of the legacy items will have to be made available for POD, so that's on the near future radar.

Finally, we're considering doing a 5E Compatible version of all the Highlands works and put them up on DriveThru as well. But that's likely to be off in the distance (and 5.5E or whatever it's going to be called).

UPDATE DETAILS:

The Legacy Northern Tier book is 144 pages plus map and covers. It includes: 10 NPC Encounters, 48 Dangerous Encounter, 28 Special Encounters and 62 Keyed Encounters located in 42 Hexes. In addition, the Legacy Tier had 8 "Highlands Locations" that were to be separate products (the Silver Queen supplement never got written). 

The Updated Northern Tier will probably be two books comprising: at least 6 pages of rules and procedures for Hex Crawling, 20 NPC Encounters, 20 Dangerous (now called Monster and Menace) Encounters (the two tables were combined and streamlined), and 80 Special Encounters. The keyed Hex Encounters currently sits at more than 130 - the scope of the Tier has been expanded (nearly a full 24 mile hex). At 130 keyed hexes, about 1 in 4 hexes will have a keyed encounter - assuming more don't get written as the project continues. The eight "Highlands Locations" adventures will be updated - including finally finishing the writing on the Summer Palace of the Silver Queen (which will probably get a "Legacy" version to make things complete). Among the many new hex key locations are no fewer than fifteen potential "Highlands Locations" that need to be written up and published. The Chantry of the Deepflame will be reorganized and expanded to make it easier to run as well as getting the new layout and trade dress that all of the Northern Tier Boxed Set will receive. 

The reason the Updated Northern Tier base book is likely to be split into two books is that the introduction, Hex Crawl procedures and the many random encounter tables and descriptions are already projected to be least 130 pages, probably more like 150. The Hex Key encounters are likely to fill close to 200 pages, possibly 240. While a 330-390 page book is doable, and that MAY be the route we take, it feels a little unwieldy in my mind (the Chantry of the Deepflame is 240+ pages and it's kind of hard to navigate). 

In addition to expanding the encounters and the key, we're planning poster sized regional maps and a number of supplemental booklets - including a generic "running a hex crawl" with the general procedures and the addition of a ton of random tables like the granddaddy of hex crawls - Judges Guild's Wilderlands - only, hopefully, better organized :) 

First Edition Spells Link

 https://web.archive.org/web/20230123105339/http://pandaria.rpgworlds.info/cant/rules/adnd_spells.htm

Three Images

 

#Dugneon23?

 Nah. I'm not going to participate. The "megadungeon" to be constructed feels a good bit too small to me and the idea is too rigid for the way I create, frankly. I think it's  great idea in theory and I'll be eagerly watching those who participate and rooting for them to see it through. 

Rather, I'll commit to simply WORK ON A PROJECT EVERY DAY without excuse. Even if it's five minutes of writing out an empty room or creating a random encounter table or naming the blasted NPCs... I have easily 20 projects in the works, most are little more than outlines (1-3 pages each, maybe with lots of shorthand and bulleted lists) but a half dozen or so could be punched out in a few months of daily work (maybe!!). 

I've been distracted lately gathering art (purchased stock art and public domain art) and making maps for the sheer joy of making maps. But none of that is working on a project. It IS, in fact, how I AVOID working on projects.

So, every day beginning Jan 1 - at least a few minutes on a project. That's, hmmmm, #Finishaproject23? 

2022 and 2023 - Hopes and Good Intentions

 2022 was not a productive year on the "new material" front. I have, literally, 20 projects in various states of incompleteness, with two somewhat close to being PDF ready (print will take a bit longer, I think). 

Some of the Source Files for the Highlands...

We DID add a "Friends of the Highlands" subcategory - some folks have begun creating material based on the material published for the Rosewood Highlands (maps and a one sheet overview of the Highlands thus far, but maybe more). It's cool to interact with people who are enjoying the setting and the adventures and hear how they are adapting things for their own campaigns. Check out the PWYW items in the Friends section and maybe drop a little cash - all the profits (what Drivethru doesn't take) goes to the Friends - so you'll be doing them a favor and encouraging them to maybe keep creating things.

As the year closes, I'm truly evaluating the projects that are on the cusp, to see if we can start 2023 strongly.

The Swords and Wizards in the Highlands (SAWITH) player's book is in playtest now - layout is about 80% complete - needing to place some more artwork and proofread the rules about ten more times. Once we are out of playtest (and I might put a Beta up on DTRPG) I'd like to hyperlink the PDF...that takes a ton of time - but it's so much more important I think in a rule book than it is in an adventure or sourcebook. Also, it'll probably get renamed as the house rules stray a good bit from the core of what S&W really is... 

Speaking of adventures and sourcebooks. Newtown, the capital of Clan Gallien, the last bastion of civilization before embarking on the long trek through the Great Barrier Crossing and braving the Untamed North, is another project about 80% complete. Art and layout are nearly finished, but a number of loose ends need tidying up before we ship it. 

Newtown was detailed because of a new series of adventures/campaign (yes, ANOTHER series - not the Unto the Face of the Deep Campaign, but another) that we are, tentatively, calling "A Song of Chaos and Eternal Night" (from Milton "I sung of chaos and eternal night" - Paradise Lost) which takes PCs into the Untamed North. As such, Clan Gallien Region free sourcebook is going to get a bit of a rewrite and some new maps.

Upon the Face of the Deep campaign adventures are either outlined or mostly written (two are at least half written). The scope of the campaign has changed a bit and some of the existing material might need some minor rewriting... which I HATE doing. Still, there should be some new adventures coming out the door in the first quarter. That's the target, at any rate.

Speaking of doing what I hate doing - the Rosewood Highlands regional gazetteer which has been in the works for decades is about half out of date now - so a complete overhaul and rewrite are necessary... I have thousands of pages from the past 40 years that I want to sort through to draw out the bits that can be refined... but it's tedious work. Still, it's on the horizon (hopefully the 2023 horizon). 

I'd hesitate to call anything for the future of Rosethrone Publishing "set in stone" - more hopes and good intentions than plans and solid work flow. But it's my hobby. Even the drudgery has it's satisfying moments, so there's that.

2023 - the year of Hopes and Good Intentions... 
 

On Making Up The Canon...

 I was contacted the other day by someone trying to reconcile all the lore in the Rosewood Highlands. I'm honored (and a little bit intimidated, to be honest) that someone is enjoying things I've written so much that they are studying the connections. 

My problem is that I'm a "pantser." That is, I write "by the seat of my pants." While I do outline everything I write, I rarely "fact check" it against anything else I've written - never mind some of the many throw away details. What are all the various saints patrons of? What are the southern lands and western lands called? Well... ideas evolve over the years. The broad strokes of the Rosewood Highlands go all the way back to 1983 or 1984. Almost 40 years... Dang.  I have a whole filing cabinet filled with dungeons, adventure notes, maps (oh so many maps - I mean, they're terrible, of course, but I have maps by the folder full...). The general shape of the continent of Daen-Ral (the Midlands, at least) has been relatively unchanged since the late 80s, though the nations and peoples have evolved. 

Around 2010 I started codifying things and writing my first adventures - The Shrine of the Fallen Angels and the Hall of the Gnome King and the barest seeds of what became the Chantry of the Deepflame were those first adventures. Then I set those aside for some time to put together the Northern Tier as an experiment in a regional setting. Looking at the Tier now, it's pretty crude and incomplete, but it was a giant leap forward for me in adventure writing. Slowly, I populated the Tier with various adventure settings (Blackfalls Hall and the Sepulcher of the Burning King and the others) and added a few unexpected adventures (The Keep of the Broken Saint came in a flurry of writing over about three weeks, Goblin House in just a few days and The Ghost Downs, while it took some time to complete, began as a generic, ten page "quick adventure" location that might be dropped in anywhere). 

So that's how the Highlands have come to be - or at least some of the highlights. I've had a couple people aske me specific questions about details of the Highlands and I've done my best to answer those questions consistently. But I think now is the time.

I need to set other things aside and put together the "Setting Bible" so that as I write, I have an accurate frame of reference for the adventures and various other setting products I write. Or, at least I can try to devote the time and energy to the endeavor. 

So - Thanks Eloy! You've given me a ton to think about and lots of great notes on the inconsistencies in the Highlands. 

I'll try to keep things updated!!

 

More Maps

 Been working at too many projects... I don't seem to get any of them done. I'm pretty stoked about what I'm working on now, though

Song of Chaos and Eternal Night 

A Campaign/Hexcrawl in the Untamed North/Endless Mountains. 

Just finished sketching out the Guildhall in Newtown (based on St. Mary's Guildhall in England)

Finally Back At Work!!

 I have a dozen (or more!!!) partially finished projects... but I felt the need to jumpstart my creative process with a simple dungeon...

And then it grew. And it grew. And I added the upper ruins. And there will yet be a small regional map...

But I'm writing again. Hopefully this WILL jumpstart the creative process again and I can get some more of the Rosewood Highlands out the door.

The Rosewood Highlands

 So here's a map of the Highlands - mostly unlabeled - at 24 miles per hex. It's a big area, but not too unwieldy (I hope!).

The Untamed North is, of course, the northern half of the region...

Here's a draft of the continent which contains the Rosewood Highlands...

Managing the Untamed North

The region of the Rosewood Highlands that has the most traditional adventure opportunities is the Untamed North, fey and undead haunted woods where monsters roam freely, where brave souls stand and fall amid the chaos of wild borderlands, where civilization ends at a village's palisade wall or at a castle gate. Ruins abound, Goblin-kin raid, bandits hide out and strange and previously unseen creatures call the Untamed North home. 

We will be updating the blog a little more regularly (I hope!!) as we work through some of the details of the Untamed North and the Upon the Face of the Deep Campaign, with an eye toward making the Rosewood Highlands come more alive as a campaign setting.

As we did with the Northern Tier several years ago, material may appear on the blog that will be used in the final product(s), but it is likely to be incomplete and inaccurate (according to the "official" final versions that we publish). Additional material that doesn't make the cut for publication may also appear here, as well as some other special tidbits. 

As 2020 Ends - THANK YOU!!

As 2020 comes to a close, the Everything 2020 Bundle at Drivethrurpg will disappear in about 3 days.

There's been a little buzz on Dragonsfoot and Bryce Lynch's reviews at https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/ have been generally positive and supportive (we have several "the best" entries - which is awesome!)

So there's been a bit of uptick in bundle sales.  I'm so appreciative of every single order. I've rolled a fair amount of the money made back into stock art for future products as well as purchases to support other small press folk on Drivethru.

THANK YOU to everyone who has supported Rosethrone Publishing in any way. We can't do it without you.

Some Titles In Print

 This has been a long and frustrating journey, but I think I'm figuring out the ins and outs of print on demand at Drivthrurpg.

Finally got my proofs for the four most recent adventures. The larger books - the sandbox adventures that clock in at about 100 pages each - work much better as perfect bound books than the shorter - 32-36 page - adventures. I'm exploring how to do the saddle stitched option - it means that the book is "premium color" which I guess just means they can charge more? I'm okay with that as long as the end result looks and feels good. 

So here's the four proof copies. I'm only comfortable releasing the larger ones into the world at large - and I might wait until after the holiday anyway - releasing a larger group (maybe the whole collection?) and/or some omnibus editions...

Coming Soon

 We're putting the finishing touches on a re-write of a very old adventure that we've had kicking around for years... decades, actually... 

Hope Cross Village is central to the whole Upon the Face of the Deep Campaign, at least at this point! Jabob's Well and Hope Cross Village are at the the geographical center of the Highlands, in a Freehold (so politically at the center of the Highlands) and in the middle of the very real fight between the Church of the Holy Saints and the New Cult of the Old Gods, both religious movements are hampered by corruption at the highest levels while the faithful live out their day to day lives.

So, here's the cover. We HOPE to have this out on DTRPG by the beginning of December so that we can cap off the Everything 2020 Bundle with this and the Storm's Impending Rage.

Some So-Called Art

Here's a couple things I drew for The Storm's Impending Rage. I'm no artist, and if I could pay a real artist to do drawings for these works, I'd give them these and say, "Here, make something like this, only good." But I do these to help visualize some of the things that I think are hard to "see" with only a description.

Mule's Corner

Two of the Eight Faces of Creation

Wall of Vines

Verdant Portal

Upon the Face of the Deep Campaign New Offering

 While not the first adventure in the Upon the Face of the Deep Campaign, we just published the 100 page sandbox adventure that is intended to be the kickoff of the Campaign:

The Storm's Impending Rage

The title, by the way, is a line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem Dura Novis

The PDF is available at Drivethrurpg and the print version is in pre-media, waiting for approval and then a proof will be ordered. The last proof I ordered (Bonepicker's Tower) just shipped but the warning is that media mail could take over a month to get here... sigh

Three New Offerings at Rosethrone Publishing!

Last week we published two adventures and a little sourcebook introduction to one of the Clans of the Rosewood Highlands.

The Sandbox Adventure: A Shadow Over the Greatwood for levels 5-7 - 100 pages! (Ironically, the working title of this was "Quick Adventure")

A quick drop-in adventure for levels 3-5 - 16 pages.

The Clan Gallien Region Sourcebook

An Affiliate Link to Rosethrone Publishing Page on Drivethru

New Adventure

The Mud King of Stoney Creek is now available at Drivethru

An Affiliate Link to Rosethrone Publishing Page on Drivethru