We will be releasing several side products along with Kaidan, Curse of the Golden Spear, the Gift: Part 1, including Class books for Yakuza, Samurai and Shinobi, as well as Race books for Kappa, Henge, and Tengu.
Since I have a pencil illustration of a kappa done by Mark Hyzer, Steve Russell at Rite Publishing suggested doing a B/W cover design - as that best shows B/W art. So I just created a cover design for that product (which will be released before the first adventure.)
I wanted to give it a distinctly Japanese look. Plus this is the first time I get to use my logo design (albeight in B/W only.)
Here's my cover design, what do you think?
GP
(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/company-of-kappa-cover-thumb.jpg)
I really like it, can't wait to see the colored version!
I like all the Asian inspirations of the setting, I used to play Guild Wars and they made use of Kappas, Tengus and whatnot. I really liked the Tengu.
Great job!
P.S: The logo looks pretty cool too, even though I already said that In its thread.
Quote from: Magnus PymI really like it, can't wait to see the colored version!
I like all the Asian inspirations of the setting, I used to play Guild Wars and they made use of Kappas, Tengus and whatnot. I really liked the Tengu.
Great job!
P.S: The logo looks pretty cool too, even though I already said that In its thread.
Though I've never wiki'd it here, I have dozens of threads on Kaidan on this board. Probably the oldest is called something like "Critique a feudal Japanese Horror..." something. (Almost 2 years old is my guess).
Anyway, I'm half Japanese, been to Japan several times, I have relatives there. I've been playing D&D all my life, well for the last 30+ years. In all that time, I've always enjoyed oriental settings, however, IMO, most designers don't get it right. In my exposure to Japan, horror is intrinsic to how the Japanese view the supernatural, most published settings don't capture that. So with Kaidan, this is what I intend to do. Since Pathfinder RPG is OGL, and pretty much the D&D I'm familiar with, as well as having a huge fanbase, I thought that becoming a 3pp for that and creating the first authentic Japan-inspired horror game - lots of Japan gaming fans might appreciate a published setting like that.
I've always loved kaidan (Japanese ghost stories), and Tengu have always been my favorite yokai - Japanese monster, though I am familiar with many.
I've researched Japan all my life, but seem to have done a ton more recently than I ever had before.
Since I'm also a pro cartographer for game maps, Kaidan is a vehicle to let me showcase my maps, as unlike most adventures (maps are expensive freelance work), I can pump up my adventures with tons of maps. My first adventure features 14 maps in all. Plus I've spent some money commissioning pro artists to create cover designs, interior work, and oodles of monster art. However, I can only afford so much, so I've been supplementing the adventure with my own art - like the yojimbo illustration (but that won't be in this adventure - I'm saving it up for the samurai caste classes PDF I will release next month.)
Anyway, I've poured my soul and time for the last 2+ years working on Kaidan. I actually published it once, but had a contract dispute with a different co-publisher, that wanted to own it and relegate me to author (!), I bought his 'half' ownership and got control of it once again. Finally through connections from freelance mapping, I hooked up with Steve Russell at Rite Publishing because he has access to professional writers, designers, editors - he works closely with Open Design Project and Kobold Quarterly. This time, I'm doing it professional, and the whole adventure will even be available as a hardback full color book sometime in late summer being done by Cubicle 7, another partner of Rite Publishing. Except this time I own it completely, just splitting profits with Steve, any additional costs are shared (web hosting, etc.) But he has a much wider exposure and a solid reputation - Kaidan has a far better chance to succeed that me alone.
Anyway, long story short (I don't know how to do that), Kaidan's first adventure will be released toward the end of the month, along with the Kappa book posted above.
I'm excited!
GP
I'd be excited if I were you too.
It's insane the amount of tiem one can put into soemthing he loves, eh? I just started this hobby and since I discovered you guys (The CBG) I'm on it practically 20 hours a day. Of course inspiration come and go, we all knwo that, we all experienced that... I'm taking advantage of the constant flow and hoping to get something solid done soon. (I'm not talking about completing anything here, jus a solid base at least).
You can't make long stories short... that's the point of it being a long story :P
Man, I should REALLY read the mechanics of this Pathfinder thing, I keep hearing good things about it. Maybe it'd be better than Elegant10. Although that one I've already been convinced.
And yeah, totally agreed about the horror japan supernatural thing there. I'm not half, not entirely japan, don't have relatives and haven't been there. But they're popular enough for me to know! :P
The kappa of Japan have some unusual aspects to them. For one they look like a cross between a human, a frog and a turtle, having a backside only turtle shell on their back (as the illustration depicts.) They also have a hollow spot on the top of their heads that hold sacred water that maintains their strength - as they are known to be very strong for their 3 foot size. Kappa are said to be skilled in wrestling and breaking bones. The trick to making them an available PC race for Kaidan was a challenge. We didn't want it to be over powered, nor overly weak.
In our kappa design, the hollowed spot on their heads can be held tight with muscles around it, so 'bowing' doesn't cause them to spill their water. It takes a grapple and a called Combat Maneuver to try to spill their water (by turning them upsidedown), each attempt if successful causes 1d4 STR damage. Once they reach 6 STR this way, their water is gone and they are no longer affected, but still very weak. Complete immersion in water for one round returns lost STR from this kind of attack.
At higher levels Kappa gain healing bonuses while standing in water, they eventually gain water breathing, and progressively improve their Swim speed, which is much faster than their 20' walk speed.
Kappa have a +1 Natural Armor bonus at 1st level due to their shell, this improves with level progression. Certains optional traits can be traded with some of Kappa class features.
Trying to allow 'bone breaking' and not breaking the game, a kappa has a special attack maneuver that lowers their AC for a round, allowing them to unarmed strike or use kappa nunchaku to do an attack that lowers the hardness of struck objects (bones are consider hardness 4).
At 5th level the kappa gains a 'Leg Breaking' maneuver, as a standard action combining its special attack above, it can cause 1d4 DEX damage, with a 5' loss of speed per DEX point lost, with enough DEX damage the opponent no longer as a speed, and might take days to recover. This sounds effectly like getting your legs broken - with a faster healing, but its D&D so it shouldn't be too harsh (Gr. Restoration fixes this right up, of course.)
At 10th level the kappa gains 'Arm Breaking' or STR damage. At 15th, 'Rib Cracking' or CON damage. Then finally at 20th level as a capstone, on a successul critical hit on 19 or 20, using the maneuver, break your opponent's neck - killing them instantly. This fits well to the 'bone breaking' concept, yet not 'game breaking', I don't think.
The kappa has fighter, monk and sorcerer archetypes.
While one could chuckle the first time you meet a kappa, if he breaks your legs, you won't forget and you probably won't chuckle the next time you see one.
GP
Congrats again, GP. Always very impressive what you've done here.
Was quite surprised to see kappa as playable race.
Wish I could draw that well.
Quote from: NomadicWish I could draw that well.
Me too, in case I forgot to mention that :)
Quote from: PhoenixQuote from: NomadicWish I could draw that well.
Me too, in case I forgot to mention that :)
Still trying to get beejazz to draw the ME races for me. I should really take some art classes it's been so long since I drew with pencil that my skills have faltered horribly.
Quote from: PhoenixCongrats again, GP. Always very impressive what you've done here.
Was quite surprised to see kappa as playable race.
Believe me, in trying to maintain a sense of horror, I prefer a humano-centric world. But I know players who only build halflings for their characters, so an attempt to appease those who prefer exotic races, I felt determined to create several unique Japanese player races: kappa, henge and tengu. At the same time I didn't want to come up with something cute. Kappa being the most challenging of all, because they look quite silly. Henge aren't far from silly either. I know many gamers who hate 'furries' for character races.
Jonathan McAnulty, my lead designer and myself worked hard to create these races that fit with Japanese folklore, maintain their tropes, and still come off as a serious, even threatening race.
I also plan to create a separate Obake Bestiary, 'obake' being monsters of Japan. There will be several yurei ghost templates, jiki-ninki ghoul, bakeneko demon cat, kirin, ryu dragon, oni demons from the traditional 'ogre magi' type to the many female demons - yuki-onna, hebi-onna and many others. My favorite oddball monster is the Same-bito shark shapechanger. I figure 16 to 20 monsters in total. All illustrated by Mark Hyzer, the guy who did the kappa illustration.
The Kaidan class books I'm building will each by a caste or subculture book each featuring multiple classes that fit the culture its designed for. The first book already greenlighted will be the Yakuza. While most would simply say, they're rogues and call it day. I want to emphasize a leader/controller type called a machi-yakko, a typical kyodai rogue type, a fighter guard, and a sorcerer tattoo artist.
L5R, and Oriental Adventures 3.0 had tattoo monks. That doesn't work for me, as tattoos back then and still today are considered taboo, worn by lower class scum. So monks bearing tattoos just didn't fit. Yakuza are known for the their full body tattoos called Horimono or Irezumi. 'Myo' is the Japanese word for magic, so my Yakuza sorcerer is called a Horimyo or Tattoo magician.
The second class book will be the Samurai Caste, which will feature my Yojimbo from my other recent thread, as well as a cavalier type samurai called a Hatamoto (bannerman) which fills the more traditional samurai role. I am also including a courtier bard class called Meika which work for the Imperial Court. Finally the state controlled wizard of the court called the Onmyoji. This guy has an affinity with Shikigami (least oni) demon familiars and use origami paper folding as a major material and somantic spell component (the folding of the origami figure is the somantic part).
The third and final class book will be Shinobi subculture. Shinobi are the more common type of ninja of Kaidan. I will probably create a Ninja prestige class as well, though the other shinobi will be archetypes for bard, monk, ranger, rogue and sorcerer.
GP
Here's another Mark Hyzer illustration for Kaidan - the Same-bito shark shapechanger. This one is an awesome drawing!
(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/kaidan/Same-bito-thumb.jpg)
Holly Molly this drawing is very nice.
QuoteBut I know players who only build halflings for their characters, so an attempt to appease those who prefer exotic races, I felt determined to create several unique Japanese player races: kappa, henge and tengu.
Hey, that's an interesting fact. Shall keep that in mind.
I can't wait to see your works released.
Origami driven magic is so many kinds of awesome I can't fully grasp it. What sorts of ideas do you have for that one?
Quote from: NomadicOrigami driven magic is so many kinds of awesome I can't fully grasp it. What sorts of ideas do you have for that one?
Well Summoning Magic seems the most obvious, but I was thinking of dividing the various kinds of magic under the headings of different animal types, then a corresponding origami folded figurine is the base for each kind of magic. So Crane Magic might include: Fly, Levitate, even water related spells, while Flower Magic might include: Enlarge, Shapechange, Enchantment magic. Other spell components can either be imbedded into the paper itself, or various powders could be poured into the center of a paper square, then folded inside of the figurine shape.
I'm even contemplating creating Origami golem, a paper figurine, enchanted and enlarged that could serve as artificed summoned creatures, ability to enter narrow spaces (its paper afterall), but then is susceptable to fire attacks. Imagine the paper cuts though! :p
It's a weird concept, but does have a cool factor involved as well.
GP
That is awesome... ooo oo I know, pour black powder into one and use it to launch a fireball. Heh.
Sort of in line with Nomadic's other thread, how do you intend to maintain the sense of the supernatural being horror-based in D&D, where classes and game system make magic so pervasive?
Well I thought Ravenloft handled D&D level magic fairly well, I'm following the same concept, I'm just putting the horror in the reincarnation cycle, the absolute dictatorship of the government and their secret police, curse of yurei ghostdom, the agenda of the demonic oni, weakened divine access, some limited spell casting capability.
Edit: more details...
And when you're dead (killed in combat, disease, poison...) you can't be Raised nor Resurrected, you will reincarnate to possibly an adult human in the same or next caste based on your karma score and death roll - you could become a ghost, which means you're either an NPC or now have a yurei ghost template, until you are destroyed and can reincarnate once again. Your PC will multi-class across multiple lifetimes, sometimes with memory loss of previous lives (lost levels).
This cursed reincarnation process means your death spirit cannot go to Heaven/Nirvana, within a 7 day period your spirit will attempt to possess a living being with PC levels and drive its spirit to further reincarnation or ghostdom.
The PCs are subject to death spirit possession attacks on them at any time, as part of the setting's reincarnation mechanic - that's rather horrifying don't you think? Divine protection magic can hinder such attacks from occurring.
Everything else falls inline with a typical fantasy Japan setting. That should be enough to capture the dread of horror.
GP
Just got notified that Cubicle 7 who is Rite Publishing's print partner needs a cover design for all three adventures, at a format of no more than 56 pages per adventure, 3 adventures so 168 pages in all for printing in hardcover in June 2011. We can get a special discount per book if we meet that format and get them the new cover design right away. So that's what I'll working on tonight.
Plus I need to get something of the map I'm doing for Dreamscarred Press's campaign setting tonight, so busy guy I am.
GP
Oh, also got notified that the "In the Company of Kappa" will be released February 22nd - this month. Looking forward to that to!
OK, I didn't care for the floral background and I couldn't find a background texture to meet my satisfaction, so I created one myself. Note the bamboo background.
(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/kappa-cover.jpg)
GP
Seems a bit too bright in comparison to the black and white image. I might suggest a bit of desaturation or darkening (especially of the bamboo). The design itself however is quite sound and I like it.
Better? I changed the image upload in the post above.
Quote from: Gamer PrintshopBetter? I changed the image upload in the post above.
Yes, now my eyes focus on the proper area (the title and the kappa picture) as opposed to being drawn away by the bright colors. Great work :)
I'm doing page layout of The Gift, and I suddenly had needs for a half page illustration in the section of the adventure at a Haunted Ryokan (traveller's inn) section of the adventure. I had a side view illustration of a typical farmhouse, but that didn't seem appropriate (no ghosts) for that section. So I hunted for inspiration, looked at all my available yurei ghost art (which is all in portrait, no landscape), but didn't fill the half page area I needed. So I created a pencil illustration myself of the Yurei Ghost Innkeeper's Wife myself. (I used an image from the Grudge 2 for inspiration.) I think it works.
If she seems disjointed (she is) she's a ghost and not quite all there at the same time.
GP
(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/yurei-thumb.jpg)
Quote from: Gamer PrintshopI'm doing page layout of The Gift, and I suddenly had needs for a half page illustration in the section of the adventure at a Haunted Ryokan (traveller's inn) section of the adventure. I had a side view illustration of a typical farmhouse, but that didn't seem appropriate (no ghosts) for that section. So I hunted for inspiration, looked at all my available yurei ghost art (which is all in portrait, no landscape), but didn't fill the half page area I needed. So I created a pencil illustration myself of the Yurei Ghost Innkeeper's Wife myself. (I used an image from the Grudge 2 for inspiration.) I think it works.
If she seems disjointed (she is) she's a ghost and not quite all there at the same time.
GP
(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/yurei-thumb.jpg)
Looks awesome GP :)
(btw I changed your kappa image to a link since it was breaking the thread)
I reuploaded a smaller version of that file as the same name, so its fixed anyway. Thanks.
Quote from: Gamer PrintshopI reuploaded a smaller version of that file as the same name, so its fixed anyway. Thanks.
Ok :)
Wow, these are all seriously great. I don't have too much to add since most of it has been addressed, but it's really great to see you going so far with this!
And the drawings? Fantastic. My favorite is the ghost.
More like my Yojimbo illustration, I've been struggling for the last few days trying to create a decent looking Yakuza Kyodai for my adventure. I didn't post my other two versions, as they were bad. So I've finally come up with one, I can tolerate. I wanted to show the Kyodai (big brother) with his Irezumi (full body) Tattoo.
(http://www.gamer-printshop.com/gift/kyodai-thumb.jpg)
Very nice work!
I especially like the ghost... and before I read the thread I could see where the inspiration came from... I was so not surprised that you were inspired by the Grudge! haha! Great work GP
In the Company of Kappa made the RPG Countdown Top 10 list of most sold RPG products for the March 12, 2011 episode, at #3!!! Here's a link RPG Countdown 3/12/11 (http://rpgcountdown.com/2011-03-12)
Wow!
GP
Great, congrats!
That is pretty cool and I haven't even gotten around to buying it yet. Maybe it will continue to be a high seller for a while, then. Obviously I know where it spawned from (I do read the patron forums much more often than I post) but I'm not sure or something; Is it officially a Kaidan supplement, or tied to Kaidan? Do you get and cut or credit (outside of cover design) from it?
Either way, thumbsupdoubleplusgood.
It technically falls outside the patronage, though is still tied to Kaidan (at least by logo on the front cover). Its certainly usable outside of Kaidan, as it is a PC monster race and class book for Pathfinder. However, Kappa are an encounter in the first adventure of the Curse of the Golden Spear: Part 1 - The Gift, with duplication of stats from the book for CR appropriate encounter.
Plus as an early release, as will be all the supplementary material for Kaidan will be released before, during and after the release of the Curse of the Golden Spear adventure arc - its a great promotional vehicle for all Kaidan products, keeping it in the forefront of industry exposure.
The 3 race books and the 3 soon-to-be published classes by caste books are all directly tied to Kaidan, yet are still usable outside of Kaidan. So, yes, they are a Kaidan supplement.
And just for clarification, although Kaidan is an imprint under Rite Publishing, I am the sole owner of Kaidan, I just split profits with Rite Publishing - and I get art costs paid, and writer royalties paid from Rite Publishing's half of the profit. I get professional assistance, and get paid in profits from sales. Its a win-win situation for me.
I get 1/3 profits from all Kaidan product sales. Rite Publishing gets a third, and the distributor whether OBS, Cubicle 7, or other platform gets a third.
Michael
I just wasn't sure if it was part of the Kaidan line for you or not. Sounds like they did give you a pretty good deal, then. The stuff will sell better since it says Rite Publishing, too. Apparently they're pretty well respected. I thought the head of the company didn't seem to be the most together sort of guy but I guess he attracts good people to make stuff for him.
I'll be getting the PDF before too long. I'll just have to remember my log in info for one of the sites it's on. I'm usually an e23 man.
Just bought it off of RPGNow. I really like the bit on the back cover that says, "And let us not forget, not only did we
break the first bone, but we afterward showed the man how to set it."
It turns out you CAN gift PDFs on there. I thought so.