What's Coming?

Hey, right now, I'm mostly waiting on Otherverse America's last pieces of art to trickle in. The black and white sketch is an image of a genetically modified supersoldier from Amanda. I'll be using him as the cover piece on the Sexually Transmitted Future sourcebook, which will focus on genetic engineering. I'll also use the guy as a spot illo in the Otherverse America core rulebook. My theory on artwork is: I've bought it, use it.

This last week I've been watching the 4th season of NCIS on DVD and between episodes writing some new fiction for the Game Master's Guide. I've been working on a bunch of shorter projects for Psi-Watch- mostly different gearbooks, as well as a new advanced class for Galaxy Command and an optional player race for Otherverse America.

That last one will be entitled "The Wiccae" and it's basically a pulpy, sci-fi version of Gerald Gardner and Margret Murray's theory that a hidden witch-cult has existed in Europe since pre-Christian times and still survives today... well today being the time (decades ago) when they were writing.



The Wiccae came together on a whim. I call it an optional race because it's alot less realistic than the rest of Otherverse America, and I don't consider it 'really' in canon. However, hidden races of mankind with cool tech has a long provenance in sci-fi, especially in comics. These guys are a fun, cool, done in one PDF that puts a slightly different spin on Otherverse America and the central conflict between Pagan and Christian. I have a feeling the Wiccae will have more impact on home campaigns than on the setting's metaplot, but that's okay.

The art is again by Amanda Webb. The illustration was originally commissioned for the core book, to illustrate the Cord Witch object philosophy. But looking at it, I realized it worked perfectly for this hidden witch-cult concept. Anyway, look for all this soon, and the core rulebook before the summer is over.

On another note, I got a bunch of art from Louis yesterday, and I know where we stand in terms of art resources with Pirates of Bronze Sky. I've got most of the setting's unique races illo-ed already, and there's alot of steampunk, piratey stock art available to fill in gaps. I'll be using alot of Sade's CGI artwork for Pirates of Bronze Sky- she's even got a neat set of airship stock illos.

In addition, I'll definitely be having Amanda do some commissioned pieces- she really wants to draw sky pirates! In terms of the text, doing it as a solo release means it will look different than it did as a work for hire project for Louis. It will remain a human centric setting, but I might add another non-human race or two, and since I'm not under any word count restrictions, I plan to pump everything up a nudge: add more feats, more equipment, more skyships, cooler guns, neater spells, more history and culture.