It's ALIVE!! It's alive!

Well, folks, we got it out! At long last the Hands of Fate Sci-Fi edition is here!

To celebrate, we're sending out special discount codes for customers who've purchased our products before, and for those who read this blog! Simply click on the hyperlink below to be sent to the store page with the discount applied. Hurry, though, this code expires in a month's time!

Hands of Fate - Exile's End DISCOUNT!

Oz Day Long Weekend

In 2 days, the Australia Day Long Weekend starts and so does a good solid grind to get the final stages of Exile's End proof read. If all goes well, and I'm not too distracted with BBQs, Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown, or other frivolities and festivities, I should have a new product being uploaded onto RPGNow.com and Drivethrustuff.com.

Plans for the future:

• Get back on track with Behind the Throne - it's all written, just not formatted or had artwork added.
• Consult the crew on a direction to take the first supplement for Exile's End; do we expand Psionics? Equipment? Starships? Or do we flesh out an entire Network, perhaps the Known Network, to support more than just sandbox style play?
• Advise and take notes; Colin is doing a Conan port of Hands of Fate, and armed with the revised system from Exile's End this is an opportunity for me to start pooling together ideas for HoF 2nd Ed.
• That's right, Hands of Fate Second Edition! It's in no way started yet, but the more we play, the more we build, the more ideas are coming forth; modelling Sorcery and Benedictions on the easier, yet still fluid Psionics; the Penetration vs. Fortification dynamic; Fatigue system revamped. Lots of positive changes to come. Don't worry if you've already purchased the Print on Demand version of the Core Rules you'll be getting a free update, the Pay What You Want version will be assessed at the appropriate time.
• A Benedictions Supplement, and possibily one or two others focused on either Factions or combat in general.
• Teaching myself 3D artwork using a few really handy programs. Already made a few beauts for Exile's End, and with some of the proceeds of selling Exile's End I'll be getting more resources to play with.

Back to Exile's End; if anyone would like to help out proof reading there's a free copy in it for you (with mistakes) on the condition that you send me back a word or openoffice document with all the typos and incorrect references in it. Just PM me or leave a comment for me to get in touch with you.

Well, thats all for this entry...oh wait...almost forgot ;)

The final short story from Behind the Throne:

The Eye Gazes West

Kalia, although a woman, bore the title of Master of the West. She paced before her subordinates, handpicked men and women from all over the Empire. They knelt before her as she paced, faces toward the ground in supplication. They all knew of her wrath, had tasted it first hand on their own rises to power. Momentarily, Kalia stopped.

“Nifam, you shall travel to this northern city, Skoro, and control this new conglomerate of merchants causing all the stirrings we’ve heard reported. Take whoever you need from New Corah, but for Lokan’s sake, do not let that pig of a Stralhd buffoon screw up the tributes to Anselm Gladius. He must receive the Tributes on time, or else the Emperor’s own agents will come looking for answers. How you ensure this occurs is your job.”

“Yes, Mistress” the young Kallamus Sorcerer struck a fist to his chest, then cupped his eye like a monocle. He rose and left the darkened chamber.

“Vance, you will monitor the retired good General Firebrand, ensure his forces pull out of the cities on schedule, if you can convince him to leave Karth altogether that would be grand, but not necessary; so long as the Magistrates have full authority to police their states I will be happy. Understood?”

A burly soldier, crippled but still strong, rose from the floor, a solemn nod followed by a repetition of the previous salute and the man limped from the room.

“Listian, my sweet spider, you will infiltrate the Great Houses in Karth. Use your body, use your brains, use other peoples bodies. Seduce who you must, but get them fighting with each other like ever before. We must have them more involved with themselves than with noticing who is really pulling the strings.”

“Mmm…seducing young noblemen is my specialty, Mistress,” came the sultry reply from the seductress Listian, as she too rose, a suggestive glance at her Mistress and the two remaining Overseers. Her perfume lingered for minutes after she exited the chamber.

“Langor, you will stir up the barbarian tribes. Cause unrest. Test the defences and security of the cities and find their weaknesses. You will spend the most time in the wilderness, so report what you can about these wild men and Alfari demon worshippers that I keep hearing about. I want to know more. If you can find a way to control them, I want to hear about it.”

A tall, weathered man with a hook instead of a left hand rose, “As you command, my lover.” he said, a knowing smile on his roguish face. Kalia returned the smile, and waited until only one man remained before her.

“You, my beloved, may rise. I have a special task for you.”

The last man stood, brushing off his knees. A wry grin on his dark, handsome face. “He still does not suspect. Poor Langor.”

“Hush, no more talk of this. Before you bed me, my true lover, I must get a pledge from you.”

“Anything, my mistress of the heart.”

“Watch the others, your task is to keep them in line. If one of them falters, or shows signs of slipping and you cannot intervene to recover their endeavour without revealing yourself; kill them.”

“Even your puppy, Langor?”

“Especially him. Our work is too important to let emotion get in the way.” Now she smiled at the unnamed man, “Despite his prowess on the silken battlefield…”

“Prowess, has he?” the man stepped closer to Kalia, drew her scent into him, “what does the boy know of prowess…”

Kalia’s heart thudded in her chest as for a moment she swore she could see his eyes change, a flash of the beast’s power within him. Such power is intoxicating, she thought, and it is mine…all mine…
 

She grabbed the man by the sleeves and pulled him to her.

A New Year, A New Era for HoF

A new year is upon us, fellow gamers. With it we bring news of an exciting new product nearing completion: Hands of Fate - Exile's End! This new edition of the Hands of Fate System bring updated rules, streamlining of several key aspects of the game, and SPACESHIPS! Yes that's right, we go Space Opera!

But fear not, we haven't forgotten our previous promise; another story from the up and coming Behind The Throne enchantments supplement for HoF:

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

King Harlgrif was but the shadow of the man he was two seasons ago. The terrible poison of the foreigners had taken its toll on him and his household, eating away at his body, reducing him to a feeble old man as weak as a milk drinker. His finest warriors, his strongest advisors, they all suffered as he had. How foolish had he been? How could he have let the rat faced merchant trick him so?

The snake had never smoked his own herb, he had realised too late into the addiction. When he tried to stop, he could not. It made him weak of mind as well as body. The last of his cursed stock was dwindling and rationing had been in force for weeks. It had been disastrous when they tried to give up the smoke. His own son had died; two others perished when their hearts gave out, the rest were driven almost to madness before the King ordered them to ration the herb to all that needed it.

And now, when his worst fears were about to become reality – the last of the herb literally up in smoke, the foreigners’ army are at his Hold, demanding access to the mountain pass.

Their spokesman stood before him now, as the King slumped in his chair.

“In addition to the unfettered access to the pass, we require the use of your Clan Hold as a staging point to advance towards the west. We shall build a fort in the middle of the Hold, the walls of the Hold itself acting as an added line of defence.”

Harlgrif did not like this man, reading from a list of demands like he was already defeated. He had yet to lift his axe to the invaders, and already they treat him like a defeated foe! His blood boiled, his rage momentarily giving him energy enough to ignore the terrible affliction plaguing his body. He rose, crashing aside a table beside him for refreshments.

“I am King of this Clan! This Hold! This Pass!” He bellowed, “We are the Karthi! We do not bow to demands from foreign milk drinkers!”

To his credit, the foreigner actually looked impressed at the King’s outburst. “Your majesty, these are not demands, but requests in good faith. We have coin to pay for these valuable services you can offer us.”

“We have no use for Imperial coins! What fool would trade his own currency for worthless metal from another land?”

“The coastal holds accept our coin, as do several other lands we have encountered on our march through these lands. But if it is not coin you desire, we have other…luxuries.”

The King blinked. His energy spent he nearly collapsed into his chair. An aide rushed to attend him but the King waved him off in annoyance. “Go on…” he urged.

“I can’t help but notice a certain affliction, prevalent in your good peoples…”

“You speak of the poison brought to my Hold by one of your peoples. A snake disguised as a merchant.”

“Yes, your grace, a most foul act by an unscrupulous individual. We have methods of weening the addicted off such poisons, advanced herbalism and medical techniques. If you agree to our terms I can arrange for our apothecaries to begin treating and teaching this aid to you immediately.”

“For such aid, I will only grant you access to our mountain pass. I will not side with the Empire in this…invasion.”

“Exploration, your grace,” corrected the spokesman, “we bring the riches and culture of a vast Empire to these lands, no more. Perhaps, though, I can sway you to accept my whole request…”

“The only thing that would convince me to side with you in this war, for that is what it is to be should you pass beyond this mountain, is if you find me the snake that did this to me. His death at my hands would restore my honour. Nothing less shall I agree to.”

“Your Majesty…the knave is indeed known to us, he is our prisoner even now, a criminal of the basest of crimes. Lieutenant Horten, bring forth your charge!”

An armoured soldier in the Empire’s livery advanced from the gathering of foreigners in the hall. The Lieutenant shoved a battered and beaten man before him, who stumbled and fell. The swollen and disfigured face of Finix looked up at the King.

Once more the King was on his feet, ailment forgotten. He looked at Finix with a hatred he had never known before.

“You shall have your fort, Imperial, you shall have access to my pass and men for your war…”

The Imperials withdrew from the Karthi hall. Still the King stared at the broken man before him, seething.

“What say you, dog? How shall you die?”

A small gasping moan was all Finix managed, but his mouth opened long enough for all to see his broken teeth, the blistered stump where a hot knife had cut out his tongue.