Andrew

Gaming: Exalted

informs me that my book for Exalted arrived in Australia today. Houses of the Bull God reached him in Australia yesterday, which means I should receive it sometime today, in all likelihood. It’s possible it arrived yesterday, in fact, but since the school is my FedEx address, the school secretaries may not have bothered to tell me that a package came in for me.

has some words of praise for me for getting it done, and I have similar words of praise for him. It’s always nice to see your words in print, and it’s a collective sigh of relief when they do see print.

If anyone happens to see reviews of Houses of the Bull God, please let me know. I want to read the reviews.

Unlike , though, I have another 20,000+ words floating out there in netherland, waiting for publication. I’m pretty sure they’ll see the light of day, but I don’t even know what the publication schedule for them is going to be. Alas.

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24 comments

  1. If it hasn’t arrived today, give Raindog a call/email. He was going to chase mine up for me if they hadn’t arrived.

    Hope you get it soon!

    Reply

  2. Honestly, I think that we can both be proud of the work we put in, and more people are going to like it than hate it.

    Me, too. It’s a rockin’ good book!

    I’m looking forward to reading the whole thing cover to cover, and seeing the art. Maybe it arrived yesterday after I left school…

    Reply

  3. Honestly, I think that we can both be proud of the work we put in, and more people are going to like it than hate it.

    Good luck with the day too!

    Reply

  5. but there’s no pleasing everybody

    After having come through the Gamma World experience, I can say that a truer word has ne’er been spoken 🙂

    But, in comparison, I give you this summary from the White Wolf forums:

    The book begins with a functional introduction, which has a huge vocab page and a sidebar which refers to two out of print books.Following that introduction, we get 4 main chapters.

    The first covers Harborhead itself. We get a detailed examination of the five peoples (tribes) and a sample character from each without stats. Then, the four regions of Harborhead geographically, the three big cities, the two castes (warrior and slave) and the one shame (conquest by the realm). Following this is some history, then a look at the government, the religious center, the royal guard, all with some NPCs. Finally, a look at tribal life and foreign influences. All through we get some little boxes with adventure seeds, done just like in Blood and Salt. Good chapter.

    Next is the Imperial Garrison, and again we get a lot of geography all through the chapter and several Terrestrial Exalted NPCs, several of whom are stated. Mixed in with the geography too is an exhaustive breakdown of how the Realm government works, as well as what areas are corrupt and which ones are not, and why. Finally, you get a general overview of life in the garrison. This chapter really covers all the angles, giving pretty much everything you need for how the realm is set up in Harborhead. Live above, we get adventure seeds all through. Good chapter.

    By this time, you see the powder keg that is.

    Chapter 3 is Gods, Monsters, and Manses. It begins with the history of Ahlat…Ahlat himself takes up 6 1/2 pages, with stats, covering his time from an observer of walrus battles to his patronage by the Unconquered Sun to his rise in the South. We also get how he conducts his business and why, his plans and goals, how he conducts himself socially, and his feelings on Solars and Sidereals. We get a breakdown of his servants, allies, and enemies. His enemies are variable, from his bosses to a peace goddess to a Sidereal to a spurned lover. Next, we get a write up on the Lion Folk, a new type of fey commoner, and a description of some of the manses and demesnes of Harborhead. Some of the Demesnes, especially, are very interesting. This chapter is interesting, a very different flavor then the previous two with the sudden emphasis on deities and Celestial Exalts over humans and Terrestrial Exalts. Like chapter one and unlike two, few personalities are stated…Ahlat is, and a couple people get stat notes.

    The Appendix covers the other subject of this book, The Court of Orderly Flame. You get an excellent history of both the Court and Swan Dragon. The Courts goals, allies, and enemies are well laid out, and could be a chronicle in and of itself. You also get foreign views of the Court of Orderly Flame, from the Realm who wants to stamp it out to allies in the East to the Southern Censor who wants it brought to heel and Swan Dragon slain. This section is a huge adventure seed in and of itself. it is actually 25 pages long with stated NPCs (including a Sidereal and the Censor who is also on Ahlat’s case) and 3 new types of Fire Elementals (Flame ducks, Llamma-Yu, and Amabosar). This section was really interesting.

    This was a good book. little crunch, but full of flavor. Harborhead has a very African flavor, and the Gods are suitably alien. I approve.

    Overall, that’s a pretty positive set of comments, so I’m happy 🙂 (It’s kicks the shit out of some of the stuff said about my work over the past 12 months or so 🙂

    Reply

  6. Glad you like it. I haven’t seen it yet, since my author’s copies haven’t arrived yet. But yes, I did some revision work on Chapter 1, and I wrote the chapter on Ahlat, for better or worse.

    Reply

  7. Thanks. Apparently some didn’t like it, but there’s no pleasing everybody.

    And yes, I wrote the Ahlat section, and did some revision work on what (I guess) is chapter one. I haven’t received my copies yet. 🙁

    Reply

  8. Seconded on the Ahlat section. It rocks on toast.

    As for the colonial feel, it was my understanding that that was Raindog was aiming for. I hope it worked out OK (the Zulu Wars of 1879 have fascinated me for years and were a big influence on this piece…)

    Reply

  9. From my moderately in-depth skimming, the entire book looks to be excellent. I particularly liked what did with Ahlat, and Chapter 2 definitely gives an interestingly colonial feel to the Realm’s presence in the Southeast.

    Reply

  10. IIRC, wrote Chapter 3 and picked up extra work on chapter 1 after the first draft stage.

    I wrote chapter 2.

    But thanks for the kind words. I appreciate them and I’m sure Andrew will too.

    Reply

    • IIRC, wrote Chapter 3 and picked up extra work on chapter 1 after the first draft stage.

      I wrote chapter 2.

      But thanks for the kind words. I appreciate them and I’m sure Andrew will too.

    • From my moderately in-depth skimming, the entire book looks to be excellent. I particularly liked what did with Ahlat, and Chapter 2 definitely gives an interestingly colonial feel to the Realm’s presence in the Southeast.

    • Seconded on the Ahlat section. It rocks on toast.

      As for the colonial feel, it was my understanding that that was Raindog was aiming for. I hope it worked out OK (the Zulu Wars of 1879 have fascinated me for years and were a big influence on this piece…)

    • Thanks. Apparently some didn’t like it, but there’s no pleasing everybody.

      And yes, I wrote the Ahlat section, and did some revision work on what (I guess) is chapter one. I haven’t received my copies yet. 🙁

    • but there’s no pleasing everybody

      After having come through the Gamma World experience, I can say that a truer word has ne’er been spoken 🙂

      But, in comparison, I give you this summary from the White Wolf forums:

      The book begins with a functional introduction, which has a huge vocab page and a sidebar which refers to two out of print books.Following that introduction, we get 4 main chapters.

      The first covers Harborhead itself. We get a detailed examination of the five peoples (tribes) and a sample character from each without stats. Then, the four regions of Harborhead geographically, the three big cities, the two castes (warrior and slave) and the one shame (conquest by the realm). Following this is some history, then a look at the government, the religious center, the royal guard, all with some NPCs. Finally, a look at tribal life and foreign influences. All through we get some little boxes with adventure seeds, done just like in Blood and Salt. Good chapter.

      Next is the Imperial Garrison, and again we get a lot of geography all through the chapter and several Terrestrial Exalted NPCs, several of whom are stated. Mixed in with the geography too is an exhaustive breakdown of how the Realm government works, as well as what areas are corrupt and which ones are not, and why. Finally, you get a general overview of life in the garrison. This chapter really covers all the angles, giving pretty much everything you need for how the realm is set up in Harborhead. Live above, we get adventure seeds all through. Good chapter.

      By this time, you see the powder keg that is.

      Chapter 3 is Gods, Monsters, and Manses. It begins with the history of Ahlat…Ahlat himself takes up 6 1/2 pages, with stats, covering his time from an observer of walrus battles to his patronage by the Unconquered Sun to his rise in the South. We also get how he conducts his business and why, his plans and goals, how he conducts himself socially, and his feelings on Solars and Sidereals. We get a breakdown of his servants, allies, and enemies. His enemies are variable, from his bosses to a peace goddess to a Sidereal to a spurned lover. Next, we get a write up on the Lion Folk, a new type of fey commoner, and a description of some of the manses and demesnes of Harborhead. Some of the Demesnes, especially, are very interesting. This chapter is interesting, a very different flavor then the previous two with the sudden emphasis on deities and Celestial Exalts over humans and Terrestrial Exalts. Like chapter one and unlike two, few personalities are stated…Ahlat is, and a couple people get stat notes.

      The Appendix covers the other subject of this book, The Court of Orderly Flame. You get an excellent history of both the Court and Swan Dragon. The Courts goals, allies, and enemies are well laid out, and could be a chronicle in and of itself. You also get foreign views of the Court of Orderly Flame, from the Realm who wants to stamp it out to allies in the East to the Southern Censor who wants it brought to heel and Swan Dragon slain. This section is a huge adventure seed in and of itself. it is actually 25 pages long with stated NPCs (including a Sidereal and the Censor who is also on Ahlat’s case) and 3 new types of Fire Elementals (Flame ducks, Llamma-Yu, and Amabosar). This section was really interesting.

      This was a good book. little crunch, but full of flavor. Harborhead has a very African flavor, and the Gods are suitably alien. I approve.

      Overall, that’s a pretty positive set of comments, so I’m happy 🙂 (It’s kicks the shit out of some of the stuff said about my work over the past 12 months or so 🙂

    • Honestly, I think that we can both be proud of the work we put in, and more people are going to like it than hate it.

      Good luck with the day too!

    • Honestly, I think that we can both be proud of the work we put in, and more people are going to like it than hate it.

      Me, too. It’s a rockin’ good book!

      I’m looking forward to reading the whole thing cover to cover, and seeing the art. Maybe it arrived yesterday after I left school…

    • If it hasn’t arrived today, give Raindog a call/email. He was going to chase mine up for me if they hadn’t arrived.

      Hope you get it soon!

    • Glad you like it. I haven’t seen it yet, since my author’s copies haven’t arrived yet. But yes, I did some revision work on Chapter 1, and I wrote the chapter on Ahlat, for better or worse.

  13. I still say you deserve more kudos than I, because you picked up the extra burden that someone else dropped, and on a very tight deadline too. Me, I just made shit up and wrote it down 🙂

    Considering I didn’t even like the DragonBlooded before I wrote that chapter, I’m pretty happy with my work though 🙂

    As for comments, there’s this thread on RPGnet, but it doesn’t say a whole lot 🙁

    Reply

  14. I still say you deserve more kudos than I, because you picked up the extra burden that someone else dropped, and on a very tight deadline too. Me, I just made shit up and wrote it down 🙂

    Considering I didn’t even like the DragonBlooded before I wrote that chapter, I’m pretty happy with my work though 🙂

    As for comments, there’s this thread on RPGnet, but it doesn’t say a whole lot 🙁

    Reply

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