Open Design Blog

Today is the last day to support Nicolas Logue's Blood of the Gorgon project at the lower rates of $25 or $75. Starting tomorrow (meaning, when I wake up and update the site), patrons will see a higher entry fee.

The discussion and direction of the project have been very impressive so far, complete with cults, blood magic, new monsters drawing on great mythological roots. The adventure work has also led to an expansion of the Zobeck setting, in particular a set of details on one of the city's gentry and the various gangs of the city underworld.

Mostly, though, the adventure has big dollops of Edgar Allen Poe-style horror and Logue-style nastiness. You know how nasty one DM's imagination can be? Well, imagine 50 or 100 seasoned DMs brainstorming the best possible villains, encounters, and plot twists, and having the results crafted by Mr. Logue's expert hands.

Patron discussion around setting the adventure in the Pathfinder or Eberron settings will make this easy to adapt to those settings, and it fits readily into any homebrew with an alchemical tradition as well. It's an adventure that will terrify your players and change their characters — if it doesn't drive them entirely mad.

Why pay more? Sign up today and see what Mr. Logue is up to!

It's been a little over one month since Wizards of the Coast announced that they were offering an Open Gaming License dev kit for the D&D 4th Edition. So far, there's been no further communication from them beyond the notification that they have gone "back to the drawing board".

If even the lawyers can't figure out what's going on for 4th Edition, I have to admit to a certain amount of concern. In any case, this note is just to let people know that there is, as they say, no news on whether Open Design and Kobold Quarterly will be migrating to 4th Edition.

Mind you, when there's actually news, I'll be NDA'ed, so this "no news" is somewhat different from the "no comment" you may hear from me later.

It's been a little over one month since Wizards of the Coast announced that they were offering an Open Gaming License dev kit for the D&D 4th Edition. So far, there's been no further communication from them beyond the notification that they have gone "back to the drawing board".

If even the lawyers can't figure out what's going on for 4th Edition, I have to admit to a certain amount of concern. In any case, this note is just to let people know that there is, as they say, no news on whether Open Design and Kobold Quarterly will be migrating to 4th Edition.

Mind you, when there's actually news, I'll be NDA'ed, so this "no news" is somewhat different from the "no comment" you may hear from me later.

The commission for Blood of the Gorgon has been met, and the project is well and truly launched!

We will now delve into some of the details of the psychotic aristos involved in this plot, together with the various blood hags, the Gorgon Mother, cultists, and others who lurk in the adventure's corners and crevices, seeking to turn events to their own ends. Ringmaster Nicolas Logue is at the helm, and we're underway with creepy villains and LOTS of excellent discussion to date about what works and what doesn't.

New patrons are still welcome until February 29th. After that, we may go quiet for a while as design closes in on a first draft.

Join us, won't you?

It's Superbowl Sunday, so I will naturally have an appearance today at 3:30 at Wordsmith Hall in Second Life. It's essentially a chat forum about writing and game design, and anyone can attend online.

What is Second Life?
Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely created by its residents. One of those residents is Michael A. Stackpole. He hosts writing groups and other events at ThirdLife Books and Wordsmith Hall.

What is ThirdLife Books?
ThirdLifeBooks is the hub of a community of like-minded individual interested increativity and exploring their full potential across a variety of mediaand areas of interest. It's a home for readers of fantastic fiction,for writers both beginning and accomplished, gamers, podcasters and anyone else who enjoys intellectual stimulation, is curious and just enjoys hanging out with a lively group of their peers. ThirdLife offers classes, writers' groups, contests, meet the author events, and other reasons to get together.

How to attend.
If you would like to attend this event, sign up for a free account at Second Life, then download and install the SL software on your computer. Once you have an account, fire up the software and click on this link, and you will be taken to the castle.

Everyone attending this event will have the opportunity to join the Second Life Kobold Army, and receive a special (FREE) t-shirt only available during the event.