I still can’t decide if it bugs me or not that alignment takes up something like 1/5th of the chapter on character creation (simply due to the bulk of information being conveyed). It was originally meant to be relegated to a sidebar, but it actually proved too large for that and ended up getting all of page 11 to itself.
Of course, that’s partly because the information on alignment needs to be entirely contained in Chapter 1, whereas the rest of Chapter 1 references players out to the more detailed descriptions of ability scores, classes, races, and the like found elsewhere in the rulebook.
A couple of other options I entertained:
(1) Removing alignment entirely. I would have left “good” and “evil” descriptors in for spells and extraplanar creatures, but the basic concept of PCs having an “alignment” would have been gone. Ultimately, I decided this was too radical a departure.
(2) Just describing the two axes of alignment — good vs. evil; law vs. chaos — in general terms and not discussing each combination in detail. (This might have included an old school, x-y axis chart of alignments.) A remnant of this remains in the sidebar on page 11, but what I discovered was that new players weren’t grokking the system. They were asking a lot of clarifying questions, and that’s usually an indication that the rulebook isn’t doing its job.
Check out this page purporting to be a list of Words That Don’t Exist in the English Language. It’s been making the rounds for awhile, so you may have seen it. And at least portions of it have possibly been debunked. But here are a couple of examples:
Waldeinsamkeit (German): The feeling of being alone in the woods.
Forelsket (Norwegian): The euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love.
Gheegle (Filipino): The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.
What concepts would be so unique to a fantasy world that they might give rise to words which are, more-or-less, untranslatable to English?
Here’s a few thoughts:
The feeling of slight nausea and dizziness that happens when you teleport somewhere.
A color that can only be created by magic.
The soul-searing, howling noise created by adamantine when it’s shattered.
The sick giddiness left in the wake of a charm or domination effect.
What would be some good words for that? What other concepts would be evocative?
TheLegends & Labyrinths 8-Bit Funding project has come to an end! And it’s been a huge success! To celebrate, my primary gaming group baked me a cake:
What happens next?
Sometime in the next 24-48 hours, I should be receiving a spreadsheet from 8-Bit Funding. Once I have that in hand, I’ll be able to organize it and start contacting funders to make the arrangements necessary for their perks. So, at some point in the next week, everyone should be receiving their copies of the Black Book Beta (ideally sooner rather than later).
If you’re a funder, keep an eye on the Updates page at 8-Bit Funding. That’s where I’ll be posting any kind of “house management” stuff regarding perk fulfillment (rather than cluttering up the Alexandrian).
Once that’s done, I’ll be able to continue the process of commissioning art, proofreading, and continued playtesting that will eventually culminate in the release of the final rulebook. My goal is for this to happen as quickly as possible, with the time table being largely dictated by when the artists can complete their work.
Here at the Alexandrian I’ll be continuing to post Black Book Beta Responses. Now that people have copies of the rulebooks in their hands, I’ll probably also be rolling out some Home Testing Kits. (Let me know in the comments if little test scenarios and endurance testing sounds interesting to you.) There will also, of course, be non-L&L content coming down the pike.
The adventure is just beginning!
THANK YOU!
P.S. We didn’t hit $4,000. But I’ve decided to go ahead and unlock the $4,000 landmark bonuses anyway. You guys have been great!
There’s less than an hour left for the Legends & Labyrinths 8-Bit Funding project. As I write this, we’re sitting at $3,796. That may be where we end up, but with us getting so close to the $4,000 landmark I thought I’d make one final push (with a cheesy music video) to put us over the top.
Here’s what gets unlocked at the $4,000 landmark:
Beta Warriors ($12+) will receive Mini-Adventure 1: Complex of Zombies.
Labyrinth Prowlers ($30+) will receive both mini-adventures.
Labyrinth Exemplars ($50+) will receive both mini-adventures and a City Supplement of their choice.
Lords of the Labyrinth ($150+) will receive both mini-adventures and all three City Supplements (Dweredell, Aerie, and Anyoc).
CLIMB INTO YOUR LABYRINTH AND FORGE YOUR LEGEND TODAY!
Once this 8-Bit Funding project comes to a close, I currently have no way of offering the Black Book Beta for sale again. (If I can figure something out, of course, we’ll go for it.) So this may be your last chance to gain access to Legends & Labyrinths for several months: Don’t miss out!
It may also be your last chance to lock in these prices for the final PDF and print versions of the game.
And this is absolutely your last chance for many of the perks being offered here! (And to gain access to the exclusive Tomb of the Crypt Spiders adventure!) If you want artwork featuring your characters or a game session run by the designer or an exclusive, fancy-lookin’ t-shirt or your character’s name in the rulebook… This is it!
We’re also very close to our $3500 landmark, which will unlock extra bonus perks for contributors. So spread the word!
CLIMB INTO YOUR LABYRINTH AND FORGE YOUR LEGEND TODAY!
Less than 24 hours remain!
