March Monarchies of Mau Update (just a whisker early)!
about 6 years ago
– Wed, Feb 28, 2018 at 03:21:28 PM
EDDY:
OFF TO EDITING!
Thank you all for your comments during the open development process. I always appreciate everyone's comments, even if I didn't incorporate all of them. The changes were pretty light, so I was able to wrap up the manuscript and shoot it off to editing. We're hoping to have it back into my hands by the end of February, where I give it one last review before I send it to layout. Right now, we're on track to deliver the PDF on time!
In the meantime, we've started looking for an editor for the Monarchies of Mau anthology, tentatively titled "Tales of Excellent Cats." Once I get the final edits back, I'll also kick off some of the other stretch goal projects, and build some talented teams to help me out with those.
CANIS MINOR (COMMUNITY CONTENT)
Canis Minor has launched! If you want to hurry over there, check it out at this link!
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/cc/17/Canis-Minor
Even though the project has just launched, we already have SEVEN titles available for purchase. They're all reasonably priced, and a couple are "pay what you want," if you just want to check a few things out. I've also heard a few people are getting their adventures polished and ready for release, so hopefully we'll see even more in the coming months.
And since a few people have asked: I do plan to open Canis Minor up to Monarchies of Mau submissions. I want to hold off until the book is done and finalized before I take that step. It also allows me to see how Canis Minor does, in case I need to tweak or adjust the program over the coming months. So don't worry -- the cats will have their time.
Meanwhile in a totally different setting far, far away:
Only 24 hours left for the Trinity Continuum Kickstarter!
Our latest Kickstarter campaign for the reboot of the Trinity Continuum featuring the Core Rulebook (and modern era setting) and the Trinity Continuum: Aeon setting book is down to its last 24 hours (less actually as I write this)!
We're at well over 300% funded, and have blown through 23 Stretch Goals that add all sorts of extra material for everyone's enjoyment (although not to the books as their texts are pretty much finished, and we want to roll on them quickly).
C'mon and check it out: we've released the full text for the Trinity Continuum Core book and have released all but the final chapter of Trinity Continuum: Aeon, and that final chapter get released tomorrow!) for backers to read through!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/trinity-continuum-aeon-rpg
February Mau Update!
about 6 years ago
– Wed, Feb 07, 2018 at 02:45:15 PM
EDDY:
A short post this month, to get our monthly updates back on schedule!
OPEN DEVELOPMENT ENDING SOON
I've gotten a few comments on the Mau open development documents -- thank you! I'm going to close development on February 16th, so you have 9 days left to leave your comments.
As a reminder, there are a few rules:
* These are Google docs. All comments need to go here. Don't comment on this post, don't tag me on Facebook, don't leave them on the forum. I need all the comments in one place, and I'll forget anything that isn't on these documents.
* These are pre-editing. Don't worry about typos or commas unless the rule is unclear as a result. Comments that are just about copy-edits will be deleted or ignored.
* When possible, test. "This rule looks funky" is a valid comment, but sometimes what looks weird on the page has a very specific impact on play that I want. So actually using the rules in a session is far, far more valuable to me than armchair design opinions.
Here are the chapters!
Ch 2 (Character Creation) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B1sa8Z_o9z0N8R-tZe76jXyT8l2f18XYmLTcA2334oE/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 3 (Rules) https://docs.google.com/document/d/10kQu68hyAawRGQnUqgx-HRpw0zne3RTstkb3iZPz3ro/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 4 (Magic) https://docs.google.com/document/d/19R_zkpin-NbZ-aCt6YPEPxskcFyzdijSlg14eaRgs70/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 7 (Magic Items) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sWr90qDw6u4Dur0qW_9Jl1-AgKvi2xQ_dSgVv3QdPxs/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 8 (Enemies) https://docs.google.com/document/d/11yrAgda3fkpl626wcmOuQqT5byEBSn0PGlIA9juanSQ/edit?usp=sharing
CANIS MINOR (COMMUNITY CONTENT)
We're just a couple of weeks away from the launch of Canis Minor! For those of you who missed the past few updates, Canis Minor is our community content program for the Pugmire RPG. It's a chance for folks like you to release (and sell!) adventures for the Pugmire game through a digital marketplace, using official Pugmire assets and resources. The project guidelines and FAQ are up on the Pugmire forum, if you want to get an advance look at the program:
http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/cavaliers-of-mars-and-pugmire/1165525-canis-minor-faq-pugmire-community-content
TRINITY KICKSTARTER
We all know that Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau are a lot of fantasy with a dash of sci-fi. However, if you like a lot more sci-fi in your gaming, check out the Trinity Continuum: Aeon Kickstarter going on right now! With the Trinity Continuum Core rulebook and the Trinity Continuum: Aeon book, you can play either modern-day action thrillers or high-powered space opera. We're already funded, so go check it out and see what new stretch goals we can unlock!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/trinity-continuum-aeon-rpg
January update
over 6 years ago
– Tue, Jan 23, 2018 at 08:44:55 PM
EDDY:
Things have been hectic since the holidays, so I appreciate your patience. On to the updates!
OPEN DEVELOPMENT!
All of the drafts are in! Before I sling them over to editing, however, I'd love your feedback on the rules. We've made some moderate changes to the rules from what we launched in Early Access, and we'd like you to give them a whirl at your table. Here are the relevant rules chapters (we're not releasing chapters that aren't related to rules -- you'll have to wait for the final book for those!)
Before I give you the links, a few rules:
These are Google docs. All comments need to go here. Don't comment on this post, don't tag me on Facebook, don't leave them on the forum. I need all the comments in one place, and I'll forget anything that isn't on these documents.
Be polite and civil. I look forward to debate and discussion, but I'll delete comments that are abusive or insulting.
These are pre-editing. Don't worry about typos or commas unless the rule is unclear as a result. Comments that are just about copy-edits will be deleted or ignored.
When possible, test. "This rule looks funky" is a valid comment, but sometimes what looks weird on the page has a very specific impact on play that I want. So actually using the rules in a session is far, far more valuable to me than armchair design opinions.
*
Here are the chapters!
Ch 2 (Character Creation) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1B1sa8Z_o9z0N8R-tZe76jXyT8l2f18XYmLTcA2334oE/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 3 (Rules) https://docs.google.com/document/d/10kQu68hyAawRGQnUqgx-HRpw0zne3RTstkb3iZPz3ro/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 4 (Magic) https://docs.google.com/document/d/19R_zkpin-NbZ-aCt6YPEPxskcFyzdijSlg14eaRgs70/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 7 (Magic Items) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sWr90qDw6u4Dur0qW_9Jl1-AgKvi2xQ_dSgVv3QdPxs/edit?usp=sharing
Ch 8 (Enemies) https://docs.google.com/document/d/11yrAgda3fkpl626wcmOuQqT5byEBSn0PGlIA9juanSQ/edit?usp=sharing
MIDWINTER WENT TO THE DOGS
(And not just because Millie the concierge dog was there!)
Midwinter has always been a special convention for Pugmire and Mau. I ran my first-ever Pugmire adventure there, and every year since I've showcased something. I had lots of great conversations about Mau, and ran a successful sneak peek at the adventure we'll be including in the final book. All in all, an excellent show, and I came away with lots of ideas for the next year.
FETCH QUEST
The prototype decks arrived at Midwinter, and they look wonderful. They have placeholder art (and, in one case, a placeholder photo of Murray), but all of the players were blown away. In the five games I ran at the show, I learned a ton about areas where the game isn't quite working the way I wanted it to. The guts of the game (what designers sometimes call the "core design loop") work very well, so a lot of the revisions are getting the overall experience of the game where I need it to be. Rich and I also had some great chats about how we can amp up the aesthetics of the game as well.
Fetch Quest games are generally taking an hour, which feels good, and my estimate of 3-6 players has proven correct as well. The game should be extensible in a variety of directions, which means it should easily allow me to add new quest decks and introduce material from Monarchies of Mau with relative ease.
So now all that remains for the short term is to tweak the existing playtest deck for our print-and-play version, and prep for the Kickstarter. We don't have an ETA on when that will launch -- we're still planning -- but odds are it'll be later this year.
CANIS MINOR (COMMUNITY CONTENT)
With one exception, all of our assets and text are now in the hands of our representative at DriveThruRPG, so we're about a month away from launch (fingers crossed)! I've also reached out to some talented writers and fans of Pugmire to create some initial projects for the program, so there will be things to snap up as soon as we go live!
For those of you who missed the past few updates, Canis Minor is our community content program for the Pugmire RPG (with Mau support to come later). It's a chance for folks like you to release (and sell!) adventures for the Pugmire game through a digital marketplace, using official Pugmire assets and resources. The project guidelines and FAQ are up on the Pugmire forum, if you want to get an advance look at the program:
http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/cavaliers-of-mars-and-pugmire/1165525-canis-minor-faq-pugmire-community-content
December update!
over 6 years ago
– Tue, Dec 05, 2017 at 07:57:27 PM
Hi, Rose here, with an update from Eddy!
---
EDDY:
Happy holidays, excellent cats! Time for some end-of-the-year cheer, along with updates!
MONARCHIES OF MAU
As I mentioned last month, I sent out "redlines" (i.e., my comments and notes on the first drafts), and the writers another couple of weeks to get their revisions back to me. In fact, I've already got a couple chapters turned around! I haven't looked at them yet -- I prefer to wait until everything's together -- but if the quality of the first drafts are anything to go by, I'm sure they'll be wonderful. Here's another peek at what's coming up -- the devilish monstrosity known as a breathtaker.
Breathtaker (CR 4)
Cats keep watch during the night for creatures like the breathtaker. What looks like a normal cat, a lone traveler in the woods, is actually something far more sinister. The cat steals the breath of the living. It does its best to catch a victim that's asleep or by using its dark magic to freeze the target in place with a powerful cloud of icy breath. Once the victim is immobilized, the breathtaker pounces on their chest and pulls the breath out of the living to sustain itself.
Defense: 14
Stamina Points: 44
Speed: 30 feet
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Abilities: Strength +3 (16), Dexterity +0 (10), Constitution +3 (16), Intelligence +0 (10), Wisdom -2 (6), Charisma +0 (10)
*Attack: Ice claws (+6 melee, 2d4+3 piercing) and ice blast (+3 ranged, 1d10 frost)
Secrets: Resistance to all damage except radiant, weak to heat damage, Darkvision
-
Dehydration: After an ice blast, the target makes a difficulty 15 Constitution saving throw. Failure indicates the target is Immobile until the end of her next turn. A botch on the saving throw means the target is Petrified into ice. The character makes new saving throws every turn. The condition ends when she can make the saving throw or the combat ends.
-
Battle Frenzy: The Breathtaker makes a claw and lash attack with the same attack action.
FETCH QUEST
I've been working with "Mirthful" Mike Chaney for the layout of the playtest deck. And it looks amazing! Mike has a ton of experience working on card games, and he came up with some great ideas that really help the look and feel of the game. I'm planning on running some playtests at Midwinter Gaming Convention in January, but there will also be a print-and-play version available for our next Pugmire-themed Kickstarter! I've also starting thinking about cat-themed stretch goals, so it'll end up being purr-fect.
MIDWINTER
As mentioned above, I'll be at the Midwinter Gaming Convention in Milwaukee from January 11th-14th. There we'll have not only some playtests of Fetch Quest, but I'll run a demo of the current state of Monarchies of Mau. Further, there will be some Pugmire adventures run by the ever-talented Wrecking Crew. If you're in the area, come by and say hi!
Backer Exclusive Mau T-Shirt Going Up on RedBubble!
over 6 years ago
– Thu, Nov 30, 2017 at 11:26:31 PM
Hello, excellent cats!
Here is the link for your exclusive discounted Monarchies of Mau KS T-shirt:
https://www.redbubble.com/people/theonyxpath/works/28977926-monarchies-of-mau-backer-shirt?asc=u&p=t-shirt
The way we have to do this is to let the shirt sit on the RedBubble site for one week at the discount price so you can order it if you want to. After the week is up, we'll pull down this shirt and put up another similar one at full price.
We do this because this is a print-on-demand t-shirt company, so we have to follow their rules and have limited ability to do actual sales and special exclusive products. For example, we have talked to them about larger shirt sizes up into the multiple Xs, but we can't offer those until the site does.
Thanks for your support and we hope you enjoy your discounted Monarchies of Mau KS backer shirt!
Meanwhile:
Our current Kickstarter for Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition is mid-way through and rolling through Stretch Goals. You can check it out here if you're interested, thanks!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/changeling-the-lost-2nd-edition
