It is the year 1867, and it is a time of revolution.

The new science has done more than bring incredible technologies into the homes of everyday people. It has brought with it a new way of looking at the world. A way based on observation and logic that threatens the ancient dogma of Aluminat church teachings.

New political ideas are sweeping across Europe. Bismark ‘The Iron Chancellor’ is uniting the might of Prussia and the social order of Europe is threatened by talk of Communism and Bolshevism. The industrial revolution seems unstoppable. New technology appears at terrifying speed. Machines are being crafted that seem capable of impossible feats. Many worry that mankind is becoming enslaved to the vast industrial machines that belch smoke into the streets of London.

Can You Prevent Another Great Fire?

Something disturbs the slumber of a quiet, rural town. Sixty years ago, this monster scarred the town in a terrible inferno. Now nearly rebuilt, the sightings have returned. The monster, known locally as Moth, was considered nothing more than a boogeyman to scare children. But those older folk who lived through his first visit know better. They know that Moth brings trouble.

To the Flame is available at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop.

The Dictionary of Mu, a pulp setting for The Sorceror RPG, was published in 2006 and became and instant hit among the indie games community for its blending of pulp, horror, low-fantasy and science fiction.

I recently contacted author and game designer Judd Karlman about the Dictionary, and he graciously agreed to answer my questions about this unique and imaginative book.

-Interview by Michael Erb

Screenwriter Rick Loverd weaves a tale of superheroes, Norse mythology and bone-crushing action.

Top Cow Productions Inc. announced at San Diego Comic-Con they will partner with Milo Ventimiglia and Russ Cundiff of DiVide Pictures to publish Berserker, a new comic book series created by Rick Loverd.

“Berserker is about people discovering they have superhuman ancient Norse powers as they’re pulled into an underground war that’s been raging for a thousand years,” explained Loverd. But the writer pointed out there are bigger themes. “It’s about people dealing with all the curves the world throws, accepting yourself,” he said. “It’s about not feeling helpless in the face of new challenges and, when someone builds a wall in front of you, smashing right through it with your bare hands. And, of course, it’s about bone-popping bloodlust, spine-crushing action, and saving the world from total destruction!”

So far our horror design essays have featured creators of horror role-playing games talking about the development of new projects and the systems that went into those projects. We have more horror game design essays on the way over the next few weeks as well as other creators.

Today we are going to feature our first horror novel essay. Author A.W. Gryphon tells us about her novel, Blood Moon, as well as the challenges that went into writing that elusive first page.

Exquisite Replicas is the latest game from Abstract Nova, who specialise in surreal off-the-beaten-track games such as Heaven and Earth 3rd edition, Aletheia, and Noumenon. ER shares this surreal quality, but couples it with horror. This is not the gore-laden horror of zombie films (though there are creatures in the game which you wouldn’t want to come across on a dark night), but the horror of losing your mind, or a distinctly unsettling feeling that you know something’s wrong, but can’t explain (even to yourself) why, and you feel powerless to do something about it.

Yes, at Gen Con Indy 08, we’re back!

The Play Collective returns for its second year, a juggernaut of gaming goodness, enthusiasm and energy! And this time, we’ve brought a friend…

This year the Play Collective and the bold adventure that is the Ashcan Front have joined forces to grow our space together. You’ll be able to browse the fine works on display in our half of the booth, then simply stroll a few feet to finger through the assembled ashcans offered by the Front.

The members of the Play Collective are brought together by our passion for independent publishing, creation and design. We want to share our enthusiasm, inspiration and practical advice. If you have a great idea for a game and wonder how to shepherd it through design, presentation, marketing and sales then you need to be right there at our booth, talking to us.

Last week I posted the first in a series of horror design essays. That essay, Degrees of Horror from Preston Dubose, told us about the work on an upcoming project for the Savage Worlds system.

The essay project continues today with Clash Bowley of Flying Mice LLC telling us about the history of the Blood Games RPG. In this essay Clash tells us how the original Blood Games came about and fills us in on some of the design goals, changes and other work that went into the development of the new Blood Games II that was released last year.

Only the brave men and women of The Century Club stand between villainy and humanity, and they’re not going down without a fight.

‘‘Spirit of the Century: A Pulp Pickup Roleplaying Game’’ by Evil Hat Productions is a fast-paced, character-driven RPG that seeks to capture the feel of the old, over-the-top dime-store novels where the pulp genre first flourished.

Characters can range from machine-gun wielding dilettantes to two-fisted mystery men to brilliant (or mad) scientists or spiritual seekers of truth.

Review by Michael Erb

2008 ENnie Awards

The ENnies voting server is up and running, and the virtual booth will be open from July 28th until Wednesday, August 6th.

White Wolf encourages everyone to take a few moments and participate in the awards process. Voters are tracked by IP address, and limited to one vote per individual, tracked by IP. To cast your vote, please click on the Ennies link below.

Dark Matter Studios, producer of the well-received fantasy rpg Epic Role Playing, has released its latest offering, the Quick Start Guide in PDF format. A sleek and maneuverable 100 pages, the QSG is a perfect intro for players wanting to know more about the ENnie Award nominated ruleset.

This PDF guide is a down-and-dirty primer to the Epic Role Playing game system. Easily accessible in electronic format, the Quick Start Guide is ready to introduce interested players to the game. As much information as possible has been compressed into this introductory guide book: core rules, character creation process, skills and experience, arcane magic, treasure, teasers from the full game system and more.

Ennies voting is live!

In order for indie and small/micro press games to have a chance and a voice at the Ennies, we need every single one of you reading this to get on over there and vote. Please participate! Earlier is better, of course, but you have a week. And please don’t try to vote multiple times. We’d rather have your honest support!

Here’s the “indie-focused” ballot, as posted on the Summer Revolution last week. Show your support! Become a hero of the Revolution!

Contested Ground Studios is delighted to announce the release of an upgraded version of their hit Cold City RPG.

Cold City v1.1 takes all the information from the original book and combines it with the Cold City Companion to create one comprehensive source for Cold City games. In addition to all of that, there’s a new, revised system chapter that offers smoother gameplay and more guidances for participants.

There’s internal artwork by Stuart Beel (SLA Industries, Changeling, Werewolf and many other RPGs and CCGs ) and Paul Bourne (3:16, a|state, Hot War, Piledrivers & Powerbombs), offering a great visual experience.

“InSpectres” is a role-playing game of horror and comedy written by Jared Sorenson and published by Memento-Mori Theatrics. Players take on the roles of supernatural investigators who are part of a franchise, ala “Ghostbusters.” The players control not only their characters, but also the business itself, allow it to grow financially, physically and in terms of contacts and clientele. A game master sets up the story and calls for different die rolls at different times, controlling all of the non-player characters in the game.

Review by Michael Erb

Santa’s been drinking too many pina coladas again (as, apparently, have our copywriters), so it’s time once more to get yourselves some really fabulous savings on great game products! For the next couple of days (maybe four, if you’re particularly nice and don’t cry or pout), you can get 25% off selected products all over […]

Publisher to unveil new exclusive comics, special announcements and a host of guests.

Top Cow Productions Inc. announced its schedule today for this week’s San Diego Comic-Con, the nation’s biggest and best comics and pop culture extravaganza to be held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California from July 23 – 27.

Top Cow will set up shop at Booth #2329 and heads into the convention with exclusives, preview books, free goodies and a long list of guests, headlined by Top Cow CEO and founder Marc Silvestri (Witchblade, The Darkness, Cyberforce), artist J.G. Jones (Wanted) and writer Paul Dini (Madame Mirage).

“Donar’s Hammer” is the first of the smaller supplements for “Godlike” RPG, and provides an introductory scenarios as well as optional rules for your “Godlike” game.

Set in Sicily in 1943, players take on the role of a group of Allied Talents that come face to face with a group of Axis Overmen protecting a talent called Mjollnir, the name of the norse god Thor’s mythic hammer. What begins as a simple seek-and-destroy mission instead becomes a fight for survival and the soul of a small town.

Review by Michale Erb

Tachyon Publications is proud to announce the August 2008 release of a new edition of Tim Powers’ classic novel, The Stress of Her Regard.

A novel of secret histories and dark revelations, The Stress of Her Regard is the tale of a terrified young doctor who – after discovering his bride brutally murdered in their wedding bed – allies with the great Romantic poets, Byron, Keats and Shelley in a battle against a malignant apparition seeking her ultimate pleasure in their ravaged bodies and imperiled souls.

This is the second part of the Scion Companion to be released as a PDF, the first having been the Tuatha de Daanan segment and with a couple more to come. It furthers White Wolf’s relatively progressive e-book policy while simultaneously acting almost as a preview for the eventual, finished product and also, probably, cunningly getting people to buy much of the same material twice – can’t really fault them for doing that! This section is all about the powers, the elevated statistics and their consequences, the fields of expertise and the powers within those, additional companions, followers, artifacts, magic and so on.

Review by James ‘Grim’ Desborough

Gaming Extravaganza Brings Crowds to Indy for the Annual Convention

It’s that time of year again when gamers are gearing up for Gen Con Indy, the original, longest running and best-attended gaming show in North America. With an estimated 27,000 unique attendees converging on the Indianapolis Convention Center, visitors to Gen Con will immerse themselves in the 6,000+ gaming events and more than 250 exhibits over the four day extravaganza that has become the world’s premier game convention. Starting Thursday morning and running round-the-clock attendees can play their hearts out with fellow enthusiasts and by joining in card games, board games, video games, table top and live-action role-playing games, seminars, films, workshops and so much more. Activities range from interactive game play and computer gaming to big money hobby-related tournaments sponsored by industry leaders Upper Deck Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. The event will be held August 14-17, 2008 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.