It discusses the genre in depth - with all its subgenres and inspirations (myth, novels, movies, etc.) - letting you design just the kind of fantasy setting that you want.GURPS Fantasy gives detailed, concrete advice - from the basics of the landscape itself, through its inhabitants and cultures, to the details of believable histories and politics. It also examines the nature of supernatural forces, and discusses the impact of wizards, monsters, and gods. And, of course, it looks at the many different ways that magic and users of magic can work in a fantasy world. And, perhaps most importantly, it advises GMs and players alike on the kinds of characters appropriate to fantasy - including ordinary folks, people with fantastic powers, and nonhumans.Whether your model is Tolkien, Jordan, or Leiber, this book will let create a town, a country, or an entire world. Like all Fourth Edition books

    And it was a nice, comfortable job most of the time. But then an informant showed up dead on his doorstep, a photograph didn't show someone who'd been in the viewfinder when the picture was taken, and Jason's world is suddenly turned upside-down.  Against things that violate the very reality he thought he understood, Jason has only three weapons: his best friend Sylvie, his talent for seeing patterns… and his ability to think beyond the pattern and see a solution that no one else imagined. Against the darkness of the unknown, the greatest weapon is the light of reason.  A vastly expanded and revised edition of Digital Knight, Ryk E. Spoor's first published novel, Paradigms Lost adds two brand new adventures for Jason and includes many chapters of additional material within the originals.About Ryk E. Spoor's Spheres of Influence:“Fast and entertaining action and a world that has the feel of Asimov’s Foundation series.”—Sarah A. Hoyt, author of the Darkship sagaAbout Ryk E. Spoor’s Grand Central Arena:“…an imaginative piece of space opera that’s set on a near-future Earth where artificial intelligence is taken for granted.”—Shiny Reviews“Grand Central Arena’ is space opera in the grand old tradition . . . but with modern sensibilities and awareness of current speculations in cutting edge physics.”—Fantasy Book Critic About the Threshold Series by Ryk E. Spoor and Eric Flint“. . . fast-paced sci-fi. . . light in tone and hard on science . . .” —Publishers Weekly“. . . [the series is filled with] linguistics, biology, physics, and evolution further the story, as well as wacky humor, academic rivalries, and even some sweet romances.” —School Library Journal About Ryk E. Spoor's Phoenix Rising:“A winner! Great characters, and thrilling adventure. I want more!”—Ed Greenwood, best-selling author of the Forgotten Realms series“[E]xciting adventure, scary monsters, strange gods, and wondrous magic.”—Lawrence Watt-Evans

    Butler established themes of identity and transformation that echo throughout her distinguished career. Now collected for the first time in one volume, these four novels take readers on a wondrous odyssey from a mythic, prim/ordial past to a fantastic far future.In ancient Africa, a female demigod of nurture and fertility mates with a powerful, destructive male entity. Together they birth a race of madmen, visionaries, and psychics who cling to civilization's margins and back alleys for millenia, coming together in a telepathic Pattern just as Earth is consumed by a cosmic invasion. Now these new beings--no longer mearly human--will battle to rule the transfigured world.

    Although not a game supplement, it serves as a handy reference guide for players and Dungeon Masters seeking information on specific historical events. In addition, the book features an exclusive Forgotten Realms short story by best-selling author R.A. Salvatore and new revelations for Realmslore aficionados.

    From the first page readers will be swept up in the story of Mai and Captain Anji, as they become unwitting players in a conflict that began many years earlier, and which will shake the foundations of their land.For hundreds of years the Guardians have ruled the world of the Hundred, but these powerful gods no longer exert their will on the world. Only the reeves, who patrol on enormous eagles, still represent the Guardians' power. And the reeves are losing their authority; for there is a dark shadow across the land that not even the reeves can stop.A group of fanatics has risen to devour villages, towns, and cities in their drive to annihilate all who oppose them. No one knows who leads them; they seem inhumanly cruel and powerful. Mai and Anji, riding with a company of dedicated warriors and a single reeve who may hold a key to stopping the deadly advance of the devouring horde, must try, or the world will be lost to the carnage. But a young woman sworn to the Goddess may prove more important than them all . . . if they are not too late.A haunting tale of people swept up by the chaos of war, this is superlative fantasy adventure, rich in texture, filled with color and excitement, masterfully crafted by a brilliantly gifted storyteller.

    These early chapters show the secret workings of the 'world machine.'• Combat Skills - contains information on use, cost, training, and problems with weaponry. It provides a unique combat system free of ambiguities.• Battle Magic - everyday spells available to all characters. You can enhance weapons or armor, detect items, or combat spirits• Other Skills - available in a wide variety are such useful personal skills as Riding, Tracking, and Picking Pockets.• Rune Magic - provides spells which deliver the power of the the gods to their devoted followers; also discusses the cults which channel such powers and the deadly tribal shamans.• Monsters — from Aldryami to zombies, this extensive chapter gives stat' guidelines for a menagerie of beast (dumb and smart) which can menace players and make life difficult.• Treasure - there are complete guidelines for compiling treasure which is commensurate with the comparative 'toughness' of the monsters to be dealt with.• Referee Notes - useful guidelines for the novice or professional referee, including optional rules.• Charts and Tables - included are play-aids for running a campaign in the Dragon Pass area; among others are encounter, reaction, and experience tables.• Convenient Pull-outs - the center sheets of the book make up a digest of the most important charts, tables, rules, and procedures, which can be lifted from the book for easy access.

    Even if you’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, you probably know someone who has: The game has had a profound influence on our culture. Released in 1974—decades before the Internet and social media—Dungeons & Dragons is one of the original ultimate nerd subcultures, and is still revered by more than thirty million fans. Now, the authoritative history and magic of the game is revealed by an award-winning journalist and life-long dungeon master.From its origins on the battlefields of ancient Europe, through the hysteria that linked it to satanic rituals and teen suicides, and to its apotheosis as father of the modern video game industry, Of Dice and Men recounts the development of a game played by some of the most fascinating people in the world. Chronicling the surprising history of D&D’s origins (one largely unknown even to hardcore players) while examining the game’s profound impact, Ewalt weaves laser-sharp subculture analysis with his own present-day gaming experiences. An enticing blend of history, journalism, narrative, and memoir, Of Dice and Men sheds light on America’s most popular (and widely misunderstood) form of collaborative entertainment.

     Waking up decades after the superpowered apocalypse would be bad enough if he still had a body. What can Solomon possibly do when he’s nothing more than a brain in a dusty old jar? Explore and upgrade the Facility, abandoned long ago by mysterious scientists, now run by a bored AI. Harness the power of mutated post-apocalyptic fauna for his own gain. Turn it all against the Survivors out there who want what he has. What he earned. Gain allies. Defeat foes. And then maybe rule this ravaged world … whatever he can salvage of it. All from inside the fortress of his monster-guarded, trap-ridden dungeon. Maybe he’ll need to create some soldiers to serve him. Only, all the other male brains have been destroyed, and the Facility can’t create full human bodies yet. Would it really be so bad to create powerful animal-human hybrids for his female brains? Does it help if they’re sexy as they are lethal? Well … it doesn’t hurt. *** BOOK TWO IS OUT NOW!

     Fate Core is that engine. Fate Core is the latest evolution of the award-winning Fate roleplaying game system from Evil Hat Productions. We’ve streamlined and clarified the rules while maintaining the system’s trademark flexibility. Name your game; Fate Core can make it happen. Inside, you’ll discover: Easy-to-follow rules for character and world creation. Rock-solid storytelling advice for players and GMs to produce the best play experience. Clearly-defined systems to guide players both new and old. New and improved approaches to character actions, aspects, compels... and more! TELL YOUR TALE. ROLL THE DICE. EMBRACE YOUR FATE!

    Trade Paperback. Book Condition: Good. The cover does show some normal wear. Fraying on lamenation along edges of front and back cover.

    The psionicist is a completely new character class for AD&D games, both for player characters and NPCs. Explore inner space! Now you can really put mind over matter with The Complete Psionics Handbook.

    In his time, Earth is a toxic, abandoned world and humans have fled into the outer solar system to survive, eking out a fragile, doomed existence among the other planets and their moons. Those responsible for delaying humanity’s demise believe time travel holds the key, and they have identified James, troubled though he is, as one of a select and expendable few ideally suited for the most dangerous job in history. James is a chronman, undertaking missions into Earth's past to recover resources and treasure without altering the timeline. The laws governing use of time travel are absolute; break any one of them and, one way or another, your life is over. Most chronmen never reach old age; the stress of each jump through time, compounded by the risk to themselves and to the future, means that many chronmen rapidly reach their breaking point, and James Griffin-Mars is nearing his.On a final mission that is to secure his retirement, James meets Elise Kim, an intriguing scientist from a previous century, who is fated to die during the destruction of an oceanic rig. Against his training and his common sense, and in violation of the chronmen’s highest law, James brings Elise back to the future with him, saving her life, but turning them both into fugitives. Remaining free means losing themselves in the wild and poisonous wastes of Earth, somehow finding allies, and perhaps discovering what hope may yet remain for humanity's home world.

    Remember those great Saturday morning cartoons? Now they're back – and you're the star!Toon lets you be a rabbit, duck, mouse, moose, woodpecker, wombat, crocodile, caveman . . . whatever you want.In Toon, anything can happen, and nobody ever gets killed. Been punched? Blown up? Steamrollered? Don't worry – you'll bounce back in the next scene, ready for more!This book includes quick, simple rules, plenty of silly charts and tables, and lots of cartoon adventures – a joker's dozen! This edition of Toon includes all the material from the original version, plus everything from Toon Silly Stuff, Son of Toon, and Toon Strikes Again – and lots of brand-new material, including two new Feature Films!Ready to get silly? Get in Toon!

    Forever in the line of fire, they have sacrificed their own comfort for the good of all Kindred. Or is this all an empty ruse that excuses their excess and greed? the proud history and black secrets of the clan reveal the truth.Clanbook: Ventrue includes:* The history and practice of the Kindred's most august clan* Hints and tips for making each Ventrue a unique and influential member of vampiric society* New Discipline powers, scandals and luminaries of the Clan of Leadership

    From a vast survey of primary sources ranging from eighteenth-century strategists to modern hobbyists, Playing at the World distills the story of how gamers first decided fictional battles with boards and dice, and how they moved from simulating wars to simulating people. The invention of role-playing games serves as a touchstone for exploring the ways that the literary concept of character, the lure of fantastic adventure and the principles of gaming combined into the signature cultural innovation of the late twentieth century.