The latest bit of news making the rounds is that Bill Webb of Necromancer Games has formed a new company, called Frog God Games, that will be publishing the The Slumbering Tsar Saga (now for Paizo's Pathfinder RPG) in its entirety as a series of 14 monthly electronic releases. Once all 14 installments are produced, they'll be bundled together as a hardcover book of nearly 600 pages. The first chapter will be available on May 15 for the introductory price of $2.99, but subsequent chapters will cost $9.99 each. You can prepay for the entire series (including the book) for $120.00, which is a small savings over buying each chapter separately. Non-subscribers will be able to buy the book at its release for $150.00.
I have fond memories of Necromancer Games, who produced some of the best products of the D20 era, including the awesome Wilderlands of High Fantasy boxed set and City State of the Invincible Overlord hardcover. And while I ceased playing D&D III years ago, I was sad when Necromancer more or less shut down operations amidst the chaos surrounding the latest edition's release. So, it's good to see a successor to Necromancer arise from the ashes to pick up where it left off. But there's no way I'd ever consider picking up The Slumbering Tsar Saga. The buy-in is way more than I could ever justify, even if I were playing Pathfinder, which I'm not, and, at nearly 600 pages, that's way more adventure than I would ever need. Having run a seat-of-the-pants old school campaign for a year and a half now, I can't imagine ever again seeing any value in monstrously large adventure tomes, even very well done ones, which I'm sure this one will be.
Still, I wish Frog God every success in this and future endeavors. Necromancer Games did some great work and I'm sure Frog God will follow in its footsteps.
I agree with you...the fly by the seat of your pants campaign does work better than the mega Dungeon but they also help inspire us... when we have to fly. So, let Frog God Games inspire a whole new generation.
ReplyDeleteThat people like me were inspired by...Against the Giants (which took us to the Abyss and beyond), Temple of Elemental Evil, Slavers. These were much better than the Return to... megamodules that followed.
I'm glad someone from NG is doing some more work for Pathfinder. They are an amazing group of people and I expect great things from this venture.
ReplyDeleteSadly $120 is not in my price range, I'll wait to see how it goes and go from there. 600 page tome? INTRIGUING. Let's see what Amazon prices it at though.
I'm happy to see them up and running - if ever there was a "gateway drug" for the OSR from 3.5 players, Necromancer was it!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of Necromancer Products as well. No plans on running them, but I echo the Referee above the G D Q series being no diffrent from this, orginaly sold as seperates and then compiled.
ReplyDeleteI was rereading parts of the Lost City of Barakus (for 1st-3rd level) the other day and it has cave in the wilderness that was a 6th level encounter and a side bar entitled "why is this encounter so hard" with the obvious answer "because it is" with the follow up about how players need to learn how to run away.
I'll always like Necromancer Games because of the original 3 volume "Rappan Athuk..." which was the ultimate "there is a big whole in the ground with lots of monsters in it" adventure for 3e.
ReplyDelete"I can't imagine ever again seeing any value in monstrously large adventure tomes, even very well done ones"
ReplyDelete+1, as the DF mooks would say!
Agreed.
ReplyDeleteWord verification: frogra
For a moment I thought this was about the resurrection of Crunchy Frog Enterprises* (now Team Frog) - but, really, they never died.
ReplyDelete*Paul Arden Lidberg's online handle since - well, forever - is froggod@(mailserver) - for a long time it was froggod@aol.com, now he's on gmail.
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ReplyDeleteChello!
ReplyDeleteNot sure I can justify the buy-in, either although I'll probably end up buying the h/c. lol
I own Rappan Athuk, but have never been brave enough to run it for my group. I almost managed a TPK with Tomb of Abysthor, however. :)
It is good to know that some of that goodness lives on.
Hey guys; Bill here. Don't think of this as a 600 page tome, its really a tome of 14 45 page modules. They are all written, all edited, and the only delay will be art. Sure its a stichk to sell a hardcover at the end...but heck, its just like G-1 through G-3, except is 1-14.
ReplyDeletewebsite is up; http//talesofthefroggod.com
Give the intro a try for $2, if you hate it, tell me, if you like it, subscribe. I think you will...I am the first "Golden Grognard" (even have the trophy from the ennies) after all...
Join up on team TPK!
Bill
oops; edit on site
ReplyDeletehttp://talesofthefroggod.com