After a brief short story demonstrating how a diverse group of different backgrounds might come together and meet foes known to at least one of them, this work dives straight in to present some new magical traditions. These traditions incorporate the underlying philosophy that a magic user might study, different ways of thinking about magic, and suggest the sorts of ritual practices suitable for a student of that tradition.

The first one is the Egyptian tradition. Magic users raised in this tradition base their beliefs on those of Ancient Egypt, using imagery and items from that period, scribing hieroglyphs and visualising their powers as emanating from an appropriate deity of the Ancient Egyptian pantheon.

Walk on the Wild Side
In the decaying urban wilds, war-torn cityscapes, and cancerous megabarrens of these Feral Cities only one thing is certain – they all harbor singular opportunities for those brave and foolhardy enough to explore their dangerous domains, factions and secrets.
* Sprawls where the usual rules and constants of [...]

Announced at the Wizkids website today:

The Topps Company announced today that WizKids will immediately cease operations and discontinue its product lines.

Upon notifying our partners, Topps will immediately pursue strategic alternatives so that viable brands and properties, including HeroClix, can continue without noticeable disruption. To that end, WizKids will continue supporting Buy it By the Brick redemptions for Arkham Asylum, and the December Organized Play events for HeroClix.

A Bad Beat Rocks the Street

The shadows are abuzz about the new drug in the sprawl: tempo. It takes the user on a unique trip, better than anything experienced before. Druggies can’t get enough of the stuff, and even beetleheads are giving it a shot. Tempo’s popularity shifts the balance of power between the syndicates and soon the blood and bullets are flowing.

Ghost Cartels is available at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop.

Three new Shadowrun titles are now available at RPGNow!

Unwired

HACK THE PLANET!

Unwired is the advanced Matrix rulebook for Shadowrun, Fourth Edition. For everyday users, it explains how the Matrix works in easy-to-understand terms, and provides new software, qualities, and gear. For hackers and technomancers, it introduces new hacking tricks, malware, echoes, and sprites. It also covers system security and new Matrix phenomenon, from AIs to the resonance realms.Unwired contains everything players and gamemasters need for exploring the Matrix in Shadowrun.

When asked about the difference between writing and editing within the industry in this interview, Michelle Lyons stated:

Editing for a game is… nitpicky. When you’re writing, you have to get ideas down and make sure the core creative push behind the work is solid. You want to get the mechanical end right as well, but you have to make sure the creative foundation is solid. As an editor, you have to make sure the rest of the construction is to code, basically. You have to make sure rules are stated clearly (and mesh with the rest of the system), you have to make sure that presentation is consistent, you have to make sure all the numbers add up, and on top of that, you have to make sure that the text is solid in style and execution, accessible to the reader, and preferably not something the author won’t recognize or wince at when he or she looks at the final book.

From learning about Michelle’s first experiences in the gaming industry, to reading about her thoughts on where the industry is headed, read this in-depth interview for writer, editor, and game designer Michelle Lyons.

Popular artist Fred Hooper tells us about his work on Shadowrun, Obsidian: the Age of Judgement and other games in this interview.