Just a question but has there ever been any consideration for doing something like an OGL for the Pendragon System? Allowing the player community to create adventures, suppliments, setting variants, etc?

It seems that many of the more successful RPGs these days have used this concept to thrive and I was wondering about your thoughts?

Nobody is stopping you from writing adventures and sharing them with other people... as long as you don't sell them. If you want to sell them, I think you'll need to talk to Greg. I am sure he would be more than happy to discuss a possibility of a new book; there are already plenty in the works, some of them spearheaded by people other than Greg with his permission, that will be published under the auspices of the Nocturnal Publishing. These include also variant settings like Charlemagne, Trojan War and a Japanese setting.

I can't say I really blame Greg for wanting to keep control of his work. If I understand OGL right, it pretty much allows anyone to publish and profit from 'Pendragon-compliant' publications, without any say from Greg or royalties to him.

Understandable for sure. It's too bad they don't seem to have come up with a version of the OGL that stipulates that a percentage of any profits be returned to the original publisher.

I didn't know other settings, adventures where being published anymore. I'll have to search the forums more to take a look. Most of the new material I've seen talked about was more reference stuff like books on armies, editions, estates, etc and I've always wanted more adventures, campaigns, settings etc.

Variant settings:
http://nocturnal-media.com/forum/index.php?topic=1300.0

I am not aware of any adventure books in the works at the moment, either. But that might be more because there is no one offering to write them. Of course, Greg would be the right guy to ask about that. I -think- there was some discussion about adventure supplements at some point, but I forget the details.

Variant settings:
http://nocturnal-media.com/forum/index.php?topic=1300.0

I am not aware of any adventure books in the works at the moment, either. But that might be more because there is no one offering to write them. Of course, Greg would be the right guy to ask about that. I -think- there was some discussion about adventure supplements at some point, but I forget the details.


Yeah, I think the biggest problem right now is that no one seems to be seriously interested in writing professional level products for Pendragon under Nocturnal. Greg has been talking about it for a long time (proposals for new setting books, adventures, etc) but not much has come out of it. There's a few things in production right now, but it has been taking a long time. The Japanese setting, the Trojan War setting, etc, I remember hearing about that in 2007 or thereabouts at the previous KAP forums when KAP became Pendragon's publisher.

You may contact me directly at info@noturnal-media.com if you'd like to discuss use of the Pendragon Game System. We are not making it OGL, but we're pretty easy to work with!

Yes, we do have a number of books with alternate settings, etc. in the works (including two completed manuscripts that Greg has approved). I'll announce specifics in the not too distant future. We're first putting together an extensive schedule of KAP books that I believe has something on it for every KAP fan.

Stewart Wieck
Publisher

Thanks Stewart I will for sure.
Just a question for the community though. Is there also a demand for adventure and scenario ideas set in Arthurian Britain?

Essentially a friend and I have decided that after 31 years of playing and game-mastering it's time we start looking at publishing our ideas.

Thanks Stewart I will for sure.
Just a question for the community though. Is there also a demand for adventure and scenario ideas set in Arthurian Britain?

Essentially a friend and I have decided that after 31 years of playing and game-mastering it's time we start looking at publishing our ideas.


From my end as a consumer and part of the community, yes. Pendragon had some brilliant scenarios published in the past, like Tournament of Dreams, The Grey Knight, Savage Mountains, Blood&Lust, Perilous Forest and The Spectre King (exceptions to this were Tales of Magic&Miracles and Tales of Chivalry&Romance, which were somewhat weak imho). Since then not a single scenario was published except for the stuff in GPC.

For a new GM I guess there's a ton of stuff; together with the GPC there's more than enough to play the whole thing more than once (specially with the multitude of Short Adventures in all those supplements, as well as free stuff online). But I think it would be nice to see some full-blown Long Adventures published again.

As for the format and focus, it depends. Here's something that may be worth considering:

1) I personally would not be interested in lots of Short Adventures because there are plenty of those bare-bones adventures already, both published and free. I think what most people want are the full-blown Long-Format Adventures. Those are the only ones people actually remember for the most part. Plus, they are more helpful for new GMs because most of the hard-work is done.

2) Would the supplements be themed or just a bunch of random scenarios put together? For example, one supplement could be filled up with a full-blown mini-campaign covering the 3 years of the Grail Quest. Alternatively, it could have no theme in particular, or just be tied by Romance, Fairy, etc.

3) Would they focus on the Arthurian period, more Quest-oriented like in the past, or perhaps instead focus on the earlier phase? Maybe they could flesh out some of the earlier stuff? Say, more oriented to warfare, or political intrigue, more grim and gritty, etc. Or maybe focusing on the downfall of Arthur's kingdom, right up to his death.

Any way it goes, I think it would be interesting to see scenarios, although I'd prefer right now to see the rest of the planned stuff, like Book of the Baron, Book of the Warlord, Book of Arthur, Book of Uther, Book of Castles&Sieges, Book of the Family. These have priority and need to be put out there ASAP so that the system and setting gets total coverage.

Another thing I'd really like to see for Pendragon is New Alternate settings. We are going to get Charlemagne and the Trojan War (hopefully soon). I hope it doesn't stop there and that we get Feudal Japan and others. I wish more people would make more proposals in this direction. The Crusades and the Spanish Reconquista springs to mind, as does Alexander the Great&The Successor Kindoms.

My two cents.

My main focus is world building and campaign-style adventure writing. I've very dedicated to fully fleshing out an area and having lengthy adventures set in it that link into a campaign. Our campaigns are usually drawn out with the most recent lasting almost six years and comprising several story arcs.

Our campaign world draws influences from many of our favourite games, stories and movies -and our play style and my writing-gamemastering style is cinematic -at least thats how my players describe it.

Here is the opening teaser I sent to my players about a week before we made characters for the campaign nearly six years ago:

Twenty years ago the Gods fell and with them so too did the High Kingdom of Araethor. Gone was the Peace of the High King, which promised safe passage upon the roads. Gone were the bright tournaments, tales of romance and valour and the hope of an entire age...

Now the days grow longer as the Eye of Skade looms ever closer in the sky. The forests and wilderness grow ever more untamed while bandits and outlaw knights prey upon the weak. While the great lords and petty nobles of this Broken Kingdom squabble for the power that once rested with the High King, the earth groans in its death throes for the Heartstone has been sundered and with it the rightful line of Kings.

Where once the shining city of Caladorn stood, sheltering the Spire of Dagorad and the Heartstone there is just an empty and haunted shell. A place of sorrows and madness where the lands grow withered and die. Where echoes of treachery and the Black Song it spawned linger still.

Gather round the fire and hold tight your kin for the Eye is closing and the light of Tir is fading. Mother’s clutch your children, Fathers your spears for the dogs of war are howling at the gate and the world shudders under the tread of the Fallen.