Hey guys, as previously stated, this year brings a whole new set of adventures to Mor Aldenn. Yes, it is an adventure path – twelve adventures taking the characters from 1st to (most likely) 13th level. It is called Viridian Legacy and the reason for that… will remain a secret a little while longer.
So, how far in the actual process are we?
Well, Ron (Lundeen) has turned in a fantastic overview of the whole adventure path, along with some incredible background material about… and…! The 12 chapters all have assigned authors and most of these have even turned in amazing chapter outlines… yes, I am truly excited about all this! One of the authors is even close to finishing his chapter! As soon as the first chapter is (nearly) finished, I will announce all the authors and what chapters they are going write. You’ll see familiar faces and new faces!
I actually wanted publish the first chapter in september 2011, but the setting guide took a bit longer than anticipated. Well, now the setting guide is done and I can devote a lot of time to Viridian Legacy!
Since we are this early in the project, nothing is set in stone…yet. So before we get to the year’s first sale business, I have a couple of questions to ask you…
What makes a good adventure path?
Is there something that you would like to see, that other adventure paths have been missing?
Which types of adventures do you like?
Is there some type of adventure that you’ve been dying to play, that just isn’t available on the market?
As a player, what type of material would you like to see in a Player’s Guide?
And now to the year’s first sale business. In the spirit of last year, I am having a sale that you can influence. For everyone who drops a reply here (reply as many times as you wish, but you only count as one), I will raise the sale by 1%, if we should reach 100 visitors I can’t promise that I will make everything available for free, though, but I will think about it! This chance ends in two days, on wednesday. I will make the sale available from both RPGNow and Paizo.
So… drop a reply! It can be an answer to one of my questions or just a simple hey! I am just glad to see you here!
Headless Hydra Games 
Jan 02, 2012 @ 23:27:42
Very cool thing to do.
Jan 03, 2012 @ 00:21:32
What makes a good adventure path?
I like a strong story. Some sandboxy elements are great, but give me a strong story to tie things together.
Is there something that you would like to see, that other adventure paths have been missing?
Go for a full 1-20.
Is there some type of adventure that you’ve been dying to play, that just isn’t available on the market?
It exists, but I’d love to see another all-urban AP. There is a level of world-building for GM and characters in that environment that is great to pull off in an AP in that environment.
As a player, what type of material would you like to see in a Player’s Guide?
Campaign traits are a must-have. Give me an idea of unique prestige classes I may be able to work toward in the context of the AP.
Jan 03, 2012 @ 02:07:21
What makes a good adventure path?
-one that involves the characters/players emotionally in their quest.
Is there something that you would like to see, that other adventure paths have been missing?
-a stronger sense of tragedy (it’s hard in the d20 games, with resurrection, et al.) and multiple branches based on player decisions.
Which types of adventures do you like?
-mysteries, time travel, tesseracts…
Is there some type of adventure that you’ve been dying to play, that just isn’t available on the market?
-as above, a almost choose your own adventure style consequences based on player actions storyline
As a player, what type of material would you like to see in a Player’s Guide?
-Ideas that inspire a new character I would not have normally designed. Integration into the plot for the PCs rather than being random strangers.
Hope this helps.
Jan 03, 2012 @ 12:29:23
@Jeff Erwin
Now that’s an AP I’d love to write! I doubt much of that will appear in Viridian Legacy (you kind of need to build the AP around such concepts from the beginning), but juxtapositions of time travel are great fun.
As for plot integration: I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Jan 03, 2012 @ 05:23:45
Cool. I’m up for some (more) Mor Aldenn stuff. 🙂
Jan 03, 2012 @ 05:29:58
Agreed, a cool thing to do. But what if you only get three visitors before the sale is over?
Jan 03, 2012 @ 07:55:38
Thanks guys, for participating! A 5% sale doesn’t sound like much, so if no one else drops by, I might round up to 10%, but lets see what happens.
Also thanks for answering the questions. This is very useful!
– Axel
Jan 04, 2012 @ 18:15:27
Good to see Mor Aldeen prospering!
Jan 04, 2012 @ 18:59:57
Thanks! And thanks for dropping by.
– Axel
Jan 04, 2012 @ 23:19:52
You know what I’d like to see that has never (that I’ve found; and I’ve read a LOT of third-party d20/3.X/Pathfinder material), ever been done?
A book dedicated to letting PCs play as animated objects.
The closest that’s been done is a d20 “minigame” where the PCs are living toys, and that uses special rules. I’d love to see a supplement where the PCs can play animated objects, a la Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
Jan 04, 2012 @ 23:44:22
Excited to be working on this, and working to up the sale!
-Ron
Jan 05, 2012 @ 18:43:33
Well, I have to officially end the sales contest, but even though I didn’t get as many people to reply as I would have wanted, I am going to raise the sale to 25%!
– Axel
Jan 05, 2012 @ 23:14:23
A very generous gesture, thanks! – Although the only thing I haven`t yet is the new setting guide 🙂
Jan 06, 2012 @ 17:23:56
Well, its been a while since we last had a big sale and over the last few months, we have published a lot of great products – we want people to read these!
Alzrius, since you were officially the last person (besides Ron, who has all HHG products!) to reply, you can have a free HHG product of your choice! Drop me a mail at storyguide.axel@gmail.com, if you already has all our products, this offer will be passed on to the next in line.
– Axel
Jan 06, 2012 @ 17:30:02
There are 3 purely urban APs out there, CoCT, CoT, 0onegames Road To Revolution and then there are Streets of Zobeck, Tales of Zobeck, The Sinking…
I’d go for something different. I believe that the strengths of Mor Aldenn as a setting (currently preparing my review, btw.) are the following:
-An old-world fairy tale-like flair that can be somewhat compared to Tales of the Old Margreve. Magic in Mor Aldenn seems to be less predictable. Expand upon it. Magic pollution (Magic Trouts, spindleflow etc.) also is a neat element.
-The city is a magocracy – conflict between commoners and mages, social order etc. – there’s a lot of potential there. Also, the city lies at the frontier – urban and wilderness can easily be entwined. (Perhaps one or two Kingmaker-style explorations/Hex-crawls?)
-Ley Lines are a COOL concept that makes magic feel different in Mor Aldenn and you already have a beautiful map of them – if the PCs can change/manipulate Ley Lines during the course of the Arc, new complications could arise.
Story-wise, I would love to see
-MAGICAL Ideas (Btw.: @Alzrius – There was a 2nd edition Ravenloft adventure that put the PCs in marionette-bodies and has them fight to get their bodies back – very creepy if done right…and I agree: Ideas like that rock.)
-Involving characters and a story driven by PCs. The Road To Revolution did this rather well, offering a plethora of different outcomes. And a villain that is not only showing up in the last installment, but can be felt (or even fought) before.
-You have a lot iconic villains in the setting. Use them! If possible, have a metaplot that is reflected in the setting.
-Symbolism. Evoke a sense of magic by using e.g. numbers, motives etc. that lend to more interpretations than one.
That’s what I can think of at the top of my hat, gotta get back to work!
Cheers,
EZG