My Personal thoughts on Mysteries of Magic™
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2009 7:47 pm
My Personal thoughts about Mysteries of Magic™ is that it is going to surprise a lot of people, the original writer, Mark Hall, included. I’ve added a great deal to his original concepts and I think, he, you, and everyone will like what we are doing and where we are going with it. In fact, as good as the first book is, it is only the tip of the iceberg. Future books will use what the first book begins and take things even farther. This series is going to be awesome.
Having worked on the book for a few weeks now, it seems to me that the original idea of Mark was to fill in what he saw as some of the blanks in the history, and holes in the logic and data that already existed in the Palladium RPG and sourcebooks. Then he layered that with his own ideas and house rules. I’m kinda doing the same thing, but layering my ideas, rules and plans for the Palladium Fantasy setting over his material.
Early on, I looked at the manuscript and thought, “Not bad. There are some very good ideas here, and the beginnings of some cool material, but what if we took it even further? What if this solitary book could be so much more?” That was the moment Mysteries of Magic™ became a series of books in my mind.
I’ve since taken Mark's manuscript and ideas as my starting point and run with them while layering on my own ideas and elaborating on his. Some are things I’ve always known about Wizards and Men of Magic or the Palladium World, but had yet to publish. Others are logical extrapolations on what came before and/or what Mark toyed with. Others are entirely new realms of possibility for players and G.M.s to play and enjoy. All of it should make the Palladium Fantasy setting that much richer, and offer new insight, fresh looks and different perspectives on old characters/O.C.C.s as well as present a number of new ones.
I’ve kept the material that fit and I’ve changed the supposition that I thought went off base, but all of it made me really think about the Palladium world again. Even where I disagreed with the manuscript, I went on to answer the questions and musings it raised. The end result is a book that has meat, information, answers, and details on aspects you may have wondered about yourself, and areas you might never have thought about, until now.
As a series of books, Mysteries of Magic™ will indeed explore the “mysteries” surrounding the magic of the Palladium World. We’ll start by answering questions about magic, how it works, why things are the way they are, the nuances of magic, how it impacts the lives of Men of Magic, as well as new types of magic, new spells, new magical O.C.C.s and new ideas about magic and magic users. Not only that, but these books will show the role of magic within human and non-human society, its ramifications on technology and politics (good and bad), how it has shaped the Palladium World, and how it may impact that world’s future. Ironically, these books about magic will also reveal more about the Palladium World, its people, society, politics, religions and way of life. Each book in the series providing you with a deeper understanding of the fantasy world setting and, hopefully inspiring you with ideas for a multitude of new adventures.
For me, Mysteries of Magic™ is the beginning. One example of the direction I want to take the next generation of Palladium role-playing games and its players. Games and sourcebooks that push the envelope, carries you in new and unexpected directions, and ignites your imagination. To shakes things up and make you question what you thought you already knew.
And I plan to do that for every one of Palladium’s game lines. Epic role-playing is coming your way.
Progress Report
Wayne is laying out the books as fast as I turn in the rewrites. The first 42 pages are completely done and we are working on the rest. Regrettably, I’m still writing slower than I’d like, but the material is all good stuff that players and G.M.s are going to love.
We hope to send the book to the printer by Friday and see it ship around September 20. However, I continue to be distracted by other business and personal matters.
My Dad had his surgery today to remove a cancerous tumor from his bladder. The operation went well, he’s in considerable pain but resting, and should be feeling much better in a couple of days. I’ll see him at the hospital tomorrow morning and then head to the office in the afternoon to write some more.
Other books are in various stages of development
Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook is back and available online as a special printing. It is ready to ship as of right now. [b]Triax™, Black Vault™, and Rifts Bionics Sourcebook™ have all become available in Palladium’s online store these past couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, work progresses on Warpath™ Urban Jungle™, Dimensional Outbreak™, Robotech® UEEF Marines™, Heroes of the Megaverse®, The Rifter® #48 and Dead Reign™ sourcebook – all slated for Fall release and in various stages of final development.
It’s back to writing for me. Got a book to finish.
Keep those imaginations burning bright and think positive.
Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer & Game Designer
Palladium Books®, Inc. – 28 years of RPG Publishing
© Copyright September 1, 2009 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited™, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Warpath, Shemarrian Nation, Fleets of the Three Galaxies, Mysteries of Magic, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.
Having worked on the book for a few weeks now, it seems to me that the original idea of Mark was to fill in what he saw as some of the blanks in the history, and holes in the logic and data that already existed in the Palladium RPG and sourcebooks. Then he layered that with his own ideas and house rules. I’m kinda doing the same thing, but layering my ideas, rules and plans for the Palladium Fantasy setting over his material.
Early on, I looked at the manuscript and thought, “Not bad. There are some very good ideas here, and the beginnings of some cool material, but what if we took it even further? What if this solitary book could be so much more?” That was the moment Mysteries of Magic™ became a series of books in my mind.
I’ve since taken Mark's manuscript and ideas as my starting point and run with them while layering on my own ideas and elaborating on his. Some are things I’ve always known about Wizards and Men of Magic or the Palladium World, but had yet to publish. Others are logical extrapolations on what came before and/or what Mark toyed with. Others are entirely new realms of possibility for players and G.M.s to play and enjoy. All of it should make the Palladium Fantasy setting that much richer, and offer new insight, fresh looks and different perspectives on old characters/O.C.C.s as well as present a number of new ones.
I’ve kept the material that fit and I’ve changed the supposition that I thought went off base, but all of it made me really think about the Palladium world again. Even where I disagreed with the manuscript, I went on to answer the questions and musings it raised. The end result is a book that has meat, information, answers, and details on aspects you may have wondered about yourself, and areas you might never have thought about, until now.
As a series of books, Mysteries of Magic™ will indeed explore the “mysteries” surrounding the magic of the Palladium World. We’ll start by answering questions about magic, how it works, why things are the way they are, the nuances of magic, how it impacts the lives of Men of Magic, as well as new types of magic, new spells, new magical O.C.C.s and new ideas about magic and magic users. Not only that, but these books will show the role of magic within human and non-human society, its ramifications on technology and politics (good and bad), how it has shaped the Palladium World, and how it may impact that world’s future. Ironically, these books about magic will also reveal more about the Palladium World, its people, society, politics, religions and way of life. Each book in the series providing you with a deeper understanding of the fantasy world setting and, hopefully inspiring you with ideas for a multitude of new adventures.
For me, Mysteries of Magic™ is the beginning. One example of the direction I want to take the next generation of Palladium role-playing games and its players. Games and sourcebooks that push the envelope, carries you in new and unexpected directions, and ignites your imagination. To shakes things up and make you question what you thought you already knew.
And I plan to do that for every one of Palladium’s game lines. Epic role-playing is coming your way.
Progress Report
Wayne is laying out the books as fast as I turn in the rewrites. The first 42 pages are completely done and we are working on the rest. Regrettably, I’m still writing slower than I’d like, but the material is all good stuff that players and G.M.s are going to love.
We hope to send the book to the printer by Friday and see it ship around September 20. However, I continue to be distracted by other business and personal matters.
My Dad had his surgery today to remove a cancerous tumor from his bladder. The operation went well, he’s in considerable pain but resting, and should be feeling much better in a couple of days. I’ll see him at the hospital tomorrow morning and then head to the office in the afternoon to write some more.
Other books are in various stages of development
Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook is back and available online as a special printing. It is ready to ship as of right now. [b]Triax™, Black Vault™, and Rifts Bionics Sourcebook™ have all become available in Palladium’s online store these past couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, work progresses on Warpath™ Urban Jungle™, Dimensional Outbreak™, Robotech® UEEF Marines™, Heroes of the Megaverse®, The Rifter® #48 and Dead Reign™ sourcebook – all slated for Fall release and in various stages of final development.
It’s back to writing for me. Got a book to finish.
Keep those imaginations burning bright and think positive.Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer & Game Designer
Palladium Books®, Inc. – 28 years of RPG Publishing
© Copyright September 1, 2009 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited™, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Warpath, Shemarrian Nation, Fleets of the Three Galaxies, Mysteries of Magic, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.
Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.