2013: A Look Back

For nearly a month now, I have actually been planning a 2013 retrospective post for today. I guess we all find ourselves at that same place, given the number of similar posts I've seen over the last few days. Following are some of the highlights of my blogging year 2013.

Just a disclaimer: although below you'll see me talk about some products I released, one thing on which I've learned not to concentrate is sales and downloads. If they happen, I'm happy and gracious they do. And being in a creative field (graphic design by trade), my skin thickened to a natural (descending) AC of 0 some twenty or so years ago, so bad reviews or lack of interest don't phase me... much.

d30 Sandbox Companion
Of all the things I've done in the past year, the thing I'm easily most proud of is the d30 Sandbox Companion. In fact, it may be the thing of which I'm most proud since launching this blog. But I have to give props where props are due. I can 100% most assuredly say that if it weren't for Welbo's assistance, this might not have happened. If you can find a statistics-savvy, obsessive compulsive editor, I highly recommend it. It might mean things take a little longer to get done, but it also means you can feel safe that you've thoroughly thought through the end-user experience and how 30-sided math backs that up, not to mention editing content so that my sometimes semi-Gygaxian prose actually makes sense. I also have to thank all of you for this...



I can disclaim all I want about the numbers not being important to me, but... damn, that makes me feel good (no pun intended about the #2 listing in the image above).

Valley of the Five Fires
I'd like to think that everything I do is a passion project, but Valley of the Five Fires was almost more of an obsession project. I started back in 2012 with a couple of Mongol-inspired monsters for William Dowie's Mongol-themed adventure contest, and before I knew it, I was creating a Mongol-inspired sandbox setting complete with new armor, weapons information, a bunch of new monsters, pre-gen NPCs, background info on the region, and a bunch of smaller, self-contained adventures. This was really one of those things that just got out of hand very quickly and, like a painter and his painting, I just sort of had to see it to its end. I'm also extremely proud of this, even though I realize that anything that steps outside of the Tolkien-esque world of most RPGs is not everyone's cup of tea.

The Ogress of Anubis
I'll be honest. I really don't remember how the hell this thing started. I got back from the North Texas RPG Con revved up from the experience, and was waiting on proof print copies of Valley of the Five Fires, and just sort of banged this out. I ran a quick playtest session, made some tweaks, and released it. Imagine my surprise when I saw a post on the RPG.net forums listing Ogress of Anubis as one of his favorite 3 OSR adventures/modules. I've put some preliminary work together on a continuation adventure tentatively titled Viziers of the Shadow City, but I'm guessing it will be 2015 before it sees print (though I imagine it will see some tableplay late in 2014).

And so on...
This wasn't everything, of course. I published my first zine (albeit digital only), I put out a whole bunch of new monsters, and I continued my goal of featuring artists from the golden age of illustration. Not to mention, at the North Texas RPG Con, I got to play in a test for Michael Curtis's RPG Shiverwhen, and I survived (and got killed) by James Ward.

I've also got a bunch of stuff planned for 2014. But if you want to find out about those, you'll have to wait for tomorrow's post.

The Ogress of Anubis (Introduction)

I'm going to postpone (until tomorrow) the encounter key promised for today in Monday's map post. Today I'm posting the introduction/background and I'll post the encounter key tomorrow.

---

Hearing of the reknown of the PCs, a man named Ako and his brother Azibo seek them out to enlist their aid in ridding the world of a growing evil.

The following may be read directly to the players, or may be re-interpretted by the DM to fit an ongoing campaign:

For years, the high priest Kemosiri ran the Temple of Ptah in the lower plains region. He was a sober and serious man. Many considered his devotion to the gods his greatest asset. He was as understanding as a priest could be, but no more than was absolutely necessary. He sacrificed only those that gave themself willingly, and only when tradition and ceremony dictated it. The wealth accumulated by the temple was modest, as was Kemosiri’s lifestyle. His daughter Azeneth, however, is another story. Azeneth believed the life of the high priest (or priestess) should be as comfortable as that of the kings and the gods. She spoke her contempt for her father’s “weakness” loudly and publicly, almost from the time she learned to talk. As she neared her teens, she made it known her plan was to supplant her father and become high priestess of the temple, sometimes claiming it was her place as the incarnation of the goddess Nekhbet. Many say Azeneth has the power to command serpents, and it was she who sent the asp that killed Kemosiri. Regardless, she siezed her position as high priestess of the temple and set about her accumulation of power and wealth. Recently, children from the villages around the temple have begun to disappear. Rumors abound that Azeneth is sacrificing them and cannibalizing them because she believes this will make her wealthier, more powerful, and more divine. The people of the villages have begun to refer to the temple as the temple of the “ogress of Anubis,”—believing Anubis himself made this woman a monster and commanded her to consume the children she sacrifices. Ako’s children Femi and Tumaini have recently disappeared, as has Azibo’s daughter Mandisa. The men fear it may be too late to save any of them. They both know that Azeneth is too powerful for either of them to face without help. They beg of you to help end this reign of fear and terror, and try to return their children alive... if it is in the will of the gods. They have nothing to offer you as a reward, but know that Azeneth has treasure; surely, the gods will not hold it against you for taking Azeneth’s wealth. They also believe her father’s tomb is below the temple and that it contains considerable wealth. However, they both believe that Kemosiri was a righteous man, and robbing his tomb may bring a curse upon you. Ako and Azibo will join you should you choose to accept their request. If you decline, and the only chance they have to save their children is to go it alone, they will do that... even if it means their own death.