I've added the open license text to the Orphans of Merlin setting, and have set up a Patreon for this (Orphans of Merlin is free/public - no subscription required) and for future stuff here: https://patreon.com/Yosano
Further updates on that patreon will be:
November: Herry to Arran (the Isle of Arran as a setting) – subscribers
December: Unwelcome Rescue (an adventure introducing characters to the Isle of Arran) – subscribers
January: I Shall Share All That I Find (perspectives on Bonisagus) – public/free
January: I Shall Share All That I Find – Story Seeds (adventures and incidents based on Bonisagus researches) - subscribers
February: The Bandit Mage (an adventure / set of story hooks based on the Herry to Arran and Orphans of Merlin settings, but adaptable to almost any Tribunal) – subscribers
(There may be more public/free material, depending on interest, between December and February. Further content from March onwards To Be Confirmed.)
So I've been slowly adding a little summary remix.
A few years ago, mainly for use within my Aegen campaign, I summarized most of the core books' rules, tables, and general information. I have not summarized the setting, background or scenario material.
These are now being published (under open license) as 14-15 mini-topic books on DriveThruRPG over the next month or so, for a $1. Please note they do contain house rules.
I've put together an Ars Magica hack for a rules-light home game. We've had a lot of chaotic fun and I really enjoy prepping, so I thought I would share it here as well.
I have submitted to DrivethruRPG my first product "Secrets of the Order", wherein you can find new content for each of the 12 Houses. Most get a new Virtue, one gets a new Virtue and a new Spell Mastery, and one only gets a new Spell Mastery. It should be available in a few days. It is under the publisher Games from the Holy Land.
The Order doens't stand in place, and new breakthroughs can bring a new life to the Order as a whole, or to an individual House. In this rpoduct I am showcasing new breakthroughs for each of the Houses, for most it's just a new Virtue, but there's also a couple of new Spell Masteries as well.
Hopefully, this will inspire players to decide on their own course of actions, inspire them to new character concepts, or be used by STs to show that their Houses don't stay stagnant.
You have 11 new Virtues, and 2 new Spell Masteries that I hope you all will enjoy.
Sorry to nag, but if you have the submission guidelines from the core 40 books, I'd like to steal parts for the submission guidelines for the new fanzine. That section about how you capitalize this term and not that term, and the list of words to add to your spellchecker an so on.
I would like to announce the launch of a project that's been brewing - a 5th edition Levant Tribunal called "Wisdom of the Desert" I'm launching together with @Lothindil. Please see the project vision and the patreon website, and it will be funded through patreon. A separate thread has been made to discuss the project with the Community.
I am building an OpenAPI API with implementation with NextJS, but guidelines how to create implementation for other languages from the API specification.
The goal is to create a repository for both authors, and players with public campaigns to store game related content with game mechanics taken into account. The main benefit for authors is automatic checking for inconsistencies and in-game date based journaling of entries allowing retrieving data on specific date on details. The API will test for inconsistencies, and list all conflicts caused by an edit.
For players and troupes, the API allows creation of private API implementations storing private details, but allowing access to the public API content. The system will contain ability to create plans for seasons, and implementing the API content on the run, and maintaining details of the Sagas, Covenants, Tribunals, Spells, Feats, Abilities, Arts, and so forth. As game mechanics are journaled too, allows altering game mechanics on specific in-game date.
After a break from writing, I returned to work on Down the Monsoon Road. If you scroll higher, you'll find my initial announcement.
The project should be ready before mid-year. The assumptions have not changed. It is still quite a hardcore proposition for Ars Magica fans who like to deep dive in historical realities.
It will consist of three parts:
A campaign describing the adventures of the traveling covenant on the Indian Ocean. During the months of sailing, players take on the roles of companions: merchants, captains, shady characters, and men-at-arms. The rest of the year belongs to the mages. Over the years, both participate in an intrigue that has a political and magical dimension. Both groups solve the mystery from a different perspective.
Transporting goods and trading are as important in this campaign as laboratory research or writing magic books.
A book describing the lands and most important ports: the Red Sea, the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, East Africa, the Malabar Coast in India, and Sri Lanka.
A book describing the most important trade goods of the Indian Ocean in 1220. Their production, places of sale, method of transport.
Why three separate books? How to say it... I slightly overscoped the project and created too much content. I will publish the last two books first and the campaign a little later and will let you know. All books will be available for free.
Good news everyone, my first scenario is up on DriveThruRPG.
It is the finalised and cleaned up version of my Narva scenario, having incorporated elements from having been run 4 times over the years.
With my thanks to @Timothy_Ferguson for proof reading and @Red-Shadow-Claws for the layout.
A new fanzine for the Ars Magica role-playing game. Come see great articles from emerging authors in the fandom, ready to make your saga easier to run.
Acca of Tremere: an archmagus ready to challenge your player characters, or act as a patron.
The Crossroads: a haunted site suitable for a spring covenant.
Darkening Light: A secret society of villains to plague your players.
The Distinguished Fighters Guild: A secret society for companions.
The Land of Saint Martin: A folktale and its plot hooks.
Leighton Prescott: an Itinerant Chirurgeon: A vividly-detailed companion for your saga.
Personal Vis Sources: better ways to use the second-most popular virtue.
The Raugraf and Frau Kiefer: a Rhineland adventure.
The War Against The Martians: A saga seed. We tip HG Wells upside down and shake the monsters out of his pockets.
Just bought it on Itch.io. Have to say it looks very professionally laid out and the content is top notch. I particularly liked Acca of Tremere and the Darkening Light mystery cult.
I would recommend this wholeheartedly and think people would find plenty that they could slot into their saga.
