Jul 21, 2015
Narosia: Sea of Tears is ready for release at Gen Con. After years of hard work and many bumps in the road we are ready. It is still going to be tight, but the book is finished. PDF will be available by GenCon and we should have books on site assuming nothing goes wrong with shipping (it is tight).
I have to especially thank Craig Judd, without whom this last push could not have been possible. Craig took over the layout and design of the project in the 11th hour and worked like a madman to make it happen with a skill and professionalism I look forward to engaging again in the future. Additionally, Matt Sturm stepped forged us some fantastic logos, imprints, and icons (for our iOS app).
These past weeks have been a real push, and I am happy to finally be here. My family, with their love and support is also happy I am here. However, I can’t ignore the journey and the many individuals that helped make this possible.
First, the backers. As an avid Kickstarter supporter, I know how it feels when projects are delayed. There is never enough communication, and doubt creeps in. Throughout this process however I just remembered how I had faced so many trials before, and like that hike up a hill that never ends you get to the top in only one way — one foot in front of the other. Thank you, backers, for making this a reality and enabling us to lay the foundation for good things to come.
Second, the team. Darren Watts took on the impossible task of wrangling this book out of my mind. He acted as guide, mentor, and editor — roles for which I am grateful. On the artistic side of things we had Universe-M providing the lion’s share of the art, the cover, and the cards. We originally envisioned their art as the single source for the book, but our schedule made that ultimately impossible. Matthew Minor especially was key to the success of this project, working on the preview materials before and during the Kickstarter, and continuing to work with me even after Universe-M had moved on to other projects, finalizing the cards, and doing what needed to be done. Their style set the tone for the book which was then complemented by additional fantastic contributions by Victor P. Corbella Art, Storn A. Cook, Danilo Moretti, Rossana Castellino Illustration, and Craig Brasco.
Third, all my playtesters. The list would be extremely long here, going back decades, and I thank them whenever I can. However, three individuals stepped up and helped contribute directly to development, editing, and finalization of the project: Alan Boberg, Shawn Dry, and Ryan O’Grady. Ryan has also joined me in running Legendsmiths so that we can continue to produce great products.
Fourth, my cartographers. The genesis of the world map happened over many years, ultimately formalized by Marc Tassin in a Campaign Cartographer map. That map evolved over the years, especially as the world grew, and was made into an old-school hex map by me (and available on our site). That hex map went to Keith Curtis to become the formal map of the world that is used and the book and on the site. Additionally, as a fan of old-school maps that I am, I worked with Matt Jackson (msjx.com) on the adventure map for the introductory adventure in the book.
Finally, this project would never have happened without Marc Tassin. Our collaboration on this project made the world live in a way that no other fantasy world has, at least for me. When we started crafting the world we had some key goals in mind, and I am happy to say this product achieves them all. The world is supposed to be both new and familiar at the same time and that the metaplot fits neatly in the GM and player’s heads, especially the world history. This is especially important when players are expected to adopt the role of the gods and improvise a narrative that lines up with the current story and the history of the world. A 300 page “history book” doesn’t get that done, and for all the discussions, arguments, debates, and hard work that went into it I hope we have achieved that goal. Marc’s professionalism and writer’s craft form the foundation of this book, and I am so thrilled to bring his creativity to light in this book. Thank you, Marc.
See you all at GenCon.