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jornan
Learned Scribe
Canada
256 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Aug 2014 : 20:02:20
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Does anyone have any news from Gen Con about future FR novels, campaign setting, or the direction of the setting? Novel announcements?
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3806 Posts |
Posted - 17 Aug 2014 : 20:06:35
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Nope, no announcement except that they will keep releasing adventures, novels and nothing else in the near future. A FRCG will eventually come, but much, much later.
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19464 |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2014 : 18:40:54
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| I have to say that this is REALLY disappointing. Considering they just launched a new edition, you'd think they would be like "Hey so check out these cool things we've got coming out". No faith, no hope. :( |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2014 : 15:59:38
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Keep an eye out for Erin Evans' new novel set in Cormyr. It promises to be a great read and a feast of realmslore.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 21 Aug 2014 16:00:42 |
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ErinMEvans
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2014 : 17:28:29
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quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Keep an eye out for Erin Evans' new novel set in Cormyr. It promises to be a great read and a feast of realmslore.
-- George Krashos
Sample chapter! http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/Ch1_FireBlood.pdf
(Novel info: http://dnd.wizards.com/products/fiction/novels/fire-blood)
Ed's book Spellstorm comes out this spring as well, along with Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf. And then there are things in the works for the following year.
I know it's not the flood of titles you were hoping for, Caolin, but in the same way that they're moving carefully with the campaign setting, they're moving carefully with the novels. At this point, they more or less need to rebuild the program from the base up, making sure it can do everything it needs to and put out high-quality books. There are a lot of options to consider on how to do that right. And unfortunately, as slow as publishing is, the business people are usually slower.
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www.slushlush.com |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2014 : 19:21:03
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Keep an eye out for Erin Evans' new novel set in Cormyr. It promises to be a great read and a feast of realmslore.
-- George Krashos
Sample chapter! http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/Ch1_FireBlood.pdf
(Novel info: http://dnd.wizards.com/products/fiction/novels/fire-blood)
Ed's book Spellstorm comes out this spring as well, along with Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf. And then there are things in the works for the following year.
I know it's not the flood of titles you were hoping for, Caolin, but in the same way that they're moving carefully with the campaign setting, they're moving carefully with the novels. At this point, they more or less need to rebuild the program from the base up, making sure it can do everything it needs to and put out high-quality books. There are a lot of options to consider on how to do that right. And unfortunately, as slow as publishing is, the business people are usually slower.
Erin, I love ya. Your novels are great and you are one of us. But I'm not buying (at least part of) WoTC's plan. The game side, I think it's a great idea. I mean they drew me back into playing the game again (after a good 15 years) with the Adventurers League....I just played my first Encounters session last night! But I don't see any reason for the slow drip of fiction. It's not like You, Bob, and Ed are writing novels that are heavily intertwined and more authors would muck up the story. The Realms is a big big world with tons of stories to tell and I have a big wad of cash that I"m just begging WoTC to take from me. But then again, I only have a computer science degree, not an MBA. So what do I know?
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ErinMEvans
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2014 : 19:55:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Caolin
Erin, I love ya. Your novels are great and you are one of us. But I'm not buying (at least part of) WoTC's plan. The game side, I think it's a great idea. I mean they drew me back into playing the game again (after a good 15 years) with the Adventurers League....I just played my first Encounters session last night! But I don't see any reason for the slow drip of fiction. It's not like You, Bob, and Ed are writing novels that are heavily intertwined and more authors would muck up the story. The Realms is a big big world with tons of stories to tell and I have a big wad of cash that I"m just begging WoTC to take from me. But then again, I only have a computer science degree, not an MBA. So what do I know?
Heh, well, I think you're missing a lot of information about this process, actually. And I'm going to try to fill it in without breaking any NDAs or guessing at things I don't know for sure. (Also, it's going to be a word dump, so apologies in advance. I can't be brief about things I care about apparently.  )
Right now, there is no novels department. The development is folded into RPG and the editorial staff is all freelancers, who have other jobs and who don't have access to the in-house resources. So does WotC re-form the department? Do they train RPG editors to edit novels (because it's not the same thing) and hire more to fill in the gaps? (Keep in mind also, the 10-12 titles a year was handled by three editors who often worked nights and weekends to get those books out the door, and were often raked over the coals for the mistakes that inevitably slipped through. So how many do they ideally need, and what's the cost?) Do they license out to a third party publisher? Do they then create a position of story coordinator or put the onus on the third party? Do they build a more robust group of freelancers and hire an editor-in-chief to keep everyone in line? These are all options with strengths and weaknesses and, yeah, the MBAs need to hear them, consider them, and have meetings where the creative values are presented, etc., because they make the calls on money.
It may not look like we're intertwined, but in reality the smallest misstep at the wrong point can throw off a whole book. I had to rethink big chunks of Fire in the Blood because of the way Troy ultimately portrayed the army of Shade in The Sentinel. I know Ed had to revise parts of Spellstorm because he had a different understanding of the end of Fire in the Blood than what I eventually wrote. The next year of stories do have a stronger through-line, which means everything from dates to characters to sensory input has to line up. If I say that--RANDOM EXAMPLE NOT RELATED TO STORY ARC--Nessus smells like burning hair and overripe plums, and then Bob's like "it smells like blood and roses" then you're thrown out of that continuous experience. If you pick up a supplement set in Nessus and the DM says it smells like rotten meat and patchouli, BAM, you're thrown.
And I won't even know those contradictions exist as an author unless I sit down and read everything and take notes, which while I'm cranking out a book (and already reading the backlog of material from material that's already out), I don't have time for--and I read really, really fast. Now imagine an over-booked game designer who might have forgotten the novels schedule entirely. That's where the editor comes in, someone who can read those drafts alongside your own and make the call on what needs fixing and where, send you the scenes that you need and the lines that might muck you up. There is no doing this job right without an editor who can give you that level of focus.
(Which doesn't even touch on marketing, sales, contracting, or building out a novels schedule that represents a good range of stories. I'm suddenly reminded of how crazy that job was...)
So, true, they could put out a lot more books from a lot more authors than this, but they're not going to be as solid without more editorial resources, and they're not going to provide the experience WotC is shooting for. What's going on right now is temporary. Maybe you're still fed up, but honestly, they're aware this is a problem and they're looking for not just an answer, but the best answer. |
www.slushlush.com |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2014 : 21:25:31
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I wouldn't say I'm fed up. I'm frustrated because I love....LOVE reading Realms novels. I'm like a junky put into rehab at the moment.
So with that said, I appreciate the information you're passing along. It at least let's me know what to expect and when you know what to expect then you can at least manage your expectations. WoTC is in "prove it" mode ATM.
But if I'm reading you correctly, then it seems like the age old argument we have had here on how closely novels and game material should be tied together has been decided. It appears that the fiction is now intimately tied into the game material, more so than in previous editions. And this is the effect that always worried me about such an outcome. The novels are now supporting the overall seasonal storyline which means tight control on the stories that can be told. Is this assumption correct? Just nod if you can't speak.
As for the quality of novels the previous era, well I never felt cheated on quality. Especially from a specific Waterdeep novel that I really enjoyed. ;) Will we ever hear form Tennora again?
I don't want this to come across as saying the novels from you, Bob, and Ed aren't good enough for us. I think they are in very good hands. I would just like more cause ya know.....daddy needs his fix.
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ErinMEvans
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 21 Aug 2014 : 22:59:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Caolin
But if I'm reading you correctly, then it seems like the age old argument we have had here on how closely novels and game material should be tied together has been decided. It appears that the fiction is now intimately tied into the game material, more so than in previous editions. And this is the effect that always worried me about such an outcome. The novels are now supporting the overall seasonal storyline which means tight control on the stories that can be told. Is this assumption correct? Just nod if you can't speak.
Not exactly. I would say they're meant to support each other, and that everyone's aware that flexibility is in order. For example, I've told them that my 2016 book really can't accommodate a story suggestion outside of what it's been set up to handle ("Here is a list of story elements and concepts...")--they've got that in mind going in.
They might also say, "Okay, this year, you're outside the story arc, Erin. You do you." If there's no way the video games can do it, no way Salvatore can do it, that might be what happens. But right now, no one's going to force us to write something that's not a good fit.
quote:
As for the quality of novels the previous era, well I never felt cheated on quality.
I appreciate that! But I also can cite reviews where people called for my head as the editor because unforeseen circumstances meant that typos or continuity errors got through--while I was killing myself to get it done. Nothing's going to be perfect, but the better the system is set up, the better the books will be.
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Especially from a specific Waterdeep novel that I really enjoyed. ;) Will we ever hear form Tennora again?
Did you catch her in The Adversary?
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I don't want this to come across as saying the novels from you, Bob, and Ed aren't good enough for us. I think they are in very good hands. I would just like more cause ya know.....daddy needs his fix.
Heh, no worries, it doesn't sound like that at all. (And don't forget Troy!) |
www.slushlush.com |
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Tanthalas
Senior Scribe
Portugal
508 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 03:01:26
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
Did you catch her in The Adversary?
I didn't 
It's also nice to know that you have books lined up until 2016. |
Sir Markham pointed out, drinking another brandy. "A chap who can point at you and say 'die' has the distinct advantage". |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 04:33:02
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
Not exactly. I would say they're meant to support each other, and that everyone's aware that flexibility is in order. For example, I've told them that my 2016 book really can't accommodate a story suggestion outside of what it's been set up to handle ("Here is a list of story elements and concepts...")--they've got that in mind going in.
They might also say, "Okay, this year, you're outside the story arc, Erin. You do you." If there's no way the video games can do it, no way Salvatore can do it, that might be what happens. But right now, no one's going to force us to write something that's not a good fit.
Hmmmm, putting it like that doesn't sound so bad. I mean it's good to know that there is a rudder but it's also good to know they will let you guys tell your story. But I would still like to see at least 6 novels a year....at least!
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Did you catch her in The Adversary?
Really?! I did not. I just went back to my Kindle and did a search for her name and nothing came up. What chapter does she appear in?
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Heh, no worries, it doesn't sound like that at all. (And don't forget Troy!)
Oh is Troy writing more novels? That would be great! I was mostly speaking to future works though. |
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ErinMEvans
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 05:09:51
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Ahem. Presenting Tennora's cameo in The Adversary (From Chapter Two):
quote:
A petite Tuigan woman with a shock of short black hair and large eyes dropped into the chair across from him. “I have been sitting over there,” she said, “well within sight, for the last three-quarters of a bell, and I know you noticed. So why are you sulking over here?”
Dahl swallowed a sigh. “Well met, Khochen. You had company.” He nodded at the woman sitting at the table, wearing a carefully unremarkable dress, her blonde hair caught up in a scarf. Lady Hedare, the agent who carried messages for the Masked Lords of Waterdeep these days.
“Yes, I know. That’s half the reason you should join us.”
Dahl glanced at the noblewoman, who was very deliberately not looking at Khochen or him, and made a face. “I’m fine here.” “She hasn’t got a brightbird,” Khochen sang.
“One,” he said, “I’m not interested in Lady Hedare, and I don’t know why you’d think I was. Two, she does so have a brightbird. That bodyguard is doing more than guarding her body—you’re the one who told me that.”
“Did I?” Khochen looked back at Lady Hedare and waved her over. “Well you have to assume if it’s secret, it can’t be that serious.” The noblewoman smiled at Khochen, but took one look at Dahl and declined with a polite gesture.
“Three,” Dahl said, “she doesn’t like me.”
Khochen glared at him. “Well, if you’re going to be sour at her.”
Dahl tilted his glass, considering the dregs. “I’ve never been sour at her.”
“Liar. She said something you didn’t like, I’ll wager. What was it?”
Dahl hesitated. “After Lord Nantar died and she came up . . . there was a misunderstanding. She thought I was Tam’s secretary, for Oghma’s sake.” He folded his arms. “I may have snapped at her. Now she acts as though I need to be coddled.”
“You are his secretary.”
“Only because someone has to be. I’m still—” He let the protest fall. It was arguable that he really counted as a Harper any longer, and that wasn’t an argument he felt like having. “Fine,” he said. “I’m his secretary.”
BOOM.
And so you may assume that Tennora Hedare as of 1486 DR is in Waterdeep, works for the Harpers, but also works in some capacity for the Masked Lords--which means she's still working for Nazra, but she's got her alliances in careful enough balance that both Tam and Nazra trust her. Also, she is getting busy with her bodyguard who is someone inappropriate.
And I did write a scene about them, when The Adversary was going to be about Tennora, so I might share that someday.
As for Troy, he is working on a book. I don't know the title and I don't know the release date, but I know it's shifted a little late because he was already committed to another project. But he and I have been coordinating! It's definitely in the works. |
www.slushlush.com |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 06:11:57
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
And I won't even know those contradictions exist as an author unless I sit down and read everything and take notes, which while I'm cranking out a book (and already reading the backlog of material from material that's already out), I don't have time for--and I read really, really fast. Now imagine an over-booked game designer who might have forgotten the novels schedule entirely. That's where the editor comes in, someone who can read those drafts alongside your own and make the call on what needs fixing and where, send you the scenes that you need and the lines that might muck you up. There is no doing this job right without an editor who can give you that level of focus.
[...]
So, true, they could put out a lot more books from a lot more authors than this, but they're not going to be as solid without more editorial resources, and they're not going to provide the experience WotC is shooting for. What's going on right now is temporary. Maybe you're still fed up, but honestly, they're aware this is a problem and they're looking for not just an answer, but the best answer.
I cannot say enough how much you just made my day by writing that, Erin! It is so good to hear that they're approaching this in a systematic, big-picture way. It's not good enough to just stick butts in chairs and tell them to put out fires; or to send yet another stack of docs to somebody's inbox and tell them they're due next Monday.
It's sorta like that mythical notion of "comprehensive immigration reform"...
Please don't let "comprehensive editorial reform" be a myth! Please don't let "comprehensive editorial reform" be a myth!  |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 22 Aug 2014 : 17:52:56
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
Ahem. Presenting Tennora's cameo in The Adversary (From Chapter Two):
quote:
A petite Tuigan woman with a shock of short black hair and large eyes dropped into the chair across from him. “I have been sitting over there,” she said, “well within sight, for the last three-quarters of a bell, and I know you noticed. So why are you sulking over here?”
Dahl swallowed a sigh. “Well met, Khochen. You had company.” He nodded at the woman sitting at the table, wearing a carefully unremarkable dress, her blonde hair caught up in a scarf. Lady Hedare, the agent who carried messages for the Masked Lords of Waterdeep these days.
“Yes, I know. That’s half the reason you should join us.”
Dahl glanced at the noblewoman, who was very deliberately not looking at Khochen or him, and made a face. “I’m fine here.” “She hasn’t got a brightbird,” Khochen sang.
“One,” he said, “I’m not interested in Lady Hedare, and I don’t know why you’d think I was. Two, she does so have a brightbird. That bodyguard is doing more than guarding her body—you’re the one who told me that.”
“Did I?” Khochen looked back at Lady Hedare and waved her over. “Well you have to assume if it’s secret, it can’t be that serious.” The noblewoman smiled at Khochen, but took one look at Dahl and declined with a polite gesture.
“Three,” Dahl said, “she doesn’t like me.”
Khochen glared at him. “Well, if you’re going to be sour at her.”
Dahl tilted his glass, considering the dregs. “I’ve never been sour at her.”
“Liar. She said something you didn’t like, I’ll wager. What was it?”
Dahl hesitated. “After Lord Nantar died and she came up . . . there was a misunderstanding. She thought I was Tam’s secretary, for Oghma’s sake.” He folded his arms. “I may have snapped at her. Now she acts as though I need to be coddled.”
“You are his secretary.”
“Only because someone has to be. I’m still—” He let the protest fall. It was arguable that he really counted as a Harper any longer, and that wasn’t an argument he felt like having. “Fine,” he said. “I’m his secretary.”
BOOM.
And so you may assume that Tennora Hedare as of 1486 DR is in Waterdeep, works for the Harpers, but also works in some capacity for the Masked Lords--which means she's still working for Nazra, but she's got her alliances in careful enough balance that both Tam and Nazra trust her. Also, she is getting busy with her bodyguard who is someone inappropriate.
And I did write a scene about them, when The Adversary was going to be about Tennora, so I might share that someday.
As for Troy, he is working on a book. I don't know the title and I don't know the release date, but I know it's shifted a little late because he was already committed to another project. But he and I have been coordinating! It's definitely in the works.
Haha I need to pay more attention. But now you've made me want to go back and reread The God Catcher, which I sustect was your intentions all along.  |
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jornan
Learned Scribe
Canada
256 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 03:42:19
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Erin, your insight into what is happening with the novel line has eased my frustrations and worries significantly. I'm so glad to hear about the direction that novel line is going.
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Lilianviaten
Senior Scribe
489 Posts |
Posted - 23 Aug 2014 : 15:23:12
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Keep an eye out for Erin Evans' new novel set in Cormyr. It promises to be a great read and a feast of realmslore.
-- George Krashos
Sample chapter! http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/Ch1_FireBlood.pdf
(Novel info: http://dnd.wizards.com/products/fiction/novels/fire-blood)
Ed's book Spellstorm comes out this spring as well, along with Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf. And then there are things in the works for the following year.
I know it's not the flood of titles you were hoping for, Caolin, but in the same way that they're moving carefully with the campaign setting, they're moving carefully with the novels. At this point, they more or less need to rebuild the program from the base up, making sure it can do everything it needs to and put out high-quality books. There are a lot of options to consider on how to do that right. And unfortunately, as slow as publishing is, the business people are usually slower.
Thanks for the sample chapter! I will surely be reading that today. All your Brimstone Angels books are incredible. Thanks also for the info about "Spellstorm". I haven't seen any mention of it yet, though I figured Ed would have a new novel at some point next year.
If I may ask 1 somewhat spoilerish question, do you intend to finish with Asmodeus's story? As in, will you be the one who decides if he keeps or loses his godhood, and what results that will have on the hierarchy of the Hells? Or are those issues decided by game designers? |
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ErinMEvans
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2014 : 00:47:07
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Here's hoping indeed. :)
Caolin, I will take it! For me it was a little homage to the book I did not write. I love Tennora and her cohort, but I also knew it would be hard to have a series about them in the late 1480s that didn't get too stable, too fast.
quote:
Originally posted by Lilianviaten
Thanks for the sample chapter! I will surely be reading that today. All your Brimstone Angels books are incredible. Thanks also for the info about "Spellstorm". I haven't seen any mention of it yet, though I figured Ed would have a new novel at some point next year.
If I may ask 1 somewhat spoilerish question, do you intend to finish with Asmodeus's story? As in, will you be the one who decides if he keeps or loses his godhood, and what results that will have on the hierarchy of the Hells? Or are those issues decided by game designers?
The arc of the these six books ends up being mostly about Farideh and her ties to Asmodeus, yes. The decision making process once the Sundering was announced went something like this:
"What do you guys want me to do with Asmodeus? I kind of need to know going in."
"What do YOU want to do with Asmodeus?"
"Honestly I'm flexible. I can see how the story shapes up in a couple ways. What do you want?"
"Which story do you like best?"
"URGH. I AM GIVING YOU THIS ONE."
"NO. WE ARE GIVING *YOU* THIS ONE."
What can I say? We're Seattleites. But it was decided and, yes, in the next three books (Fire in the Blood, the book I'm writing, and the 2016 novel) it's sorted out. Which is a big part of why I can't make that 2016 book be about just anything.
Obviously, there's RPG material coming out with the core books that will kind of spoil the results, but hopefully you're all still invested in hearing the "how." :) |
www.slushlush.com |
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Lilianviaten
Senior Scribe
489 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2014 : 20:04:50
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Not sure why, but I didn't know that it was meant to be 6 books. That's great though! I think Farideh and Havilar have enough story to tell for 6 (or more!!) books. I read the sample chapter, btw, and I'm curious to see where you take my favorite couple. Is Cormyr ready for a devil-blooded warrior queen?
I'm fine with WOTC calling the shots. I just hope they let you tell your story, and don't weigh you down with trying to do too much in 1 series. I don't like that they have already infringed on your story somewhat by destroying Shade. And as you say, they are going to give away the ending with Asmodeus before you can write it. Of course I'll still be interested in learning the details! I've been outspoken against the idea of Ao handwaving everything back to how it was pre 4e.
I'm just big on not having endings spoiled. And as much as many people hate RSEs, I prefer novels to sourcebooks as the vehicle for introducing sweeping changes to the setting. Events like Asmodeus losing his godhood (which I'm sure will happen), Helm coming back, etc. deserve novel series' for proper buildup, explanations of how the event happened, and coverage of the aftereffects. I'm glad that your novels will be providing this sort of detail for what happens with Asmodeus. |
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ErinMEvans
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 25 Aug 2014 : 18:48:24
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quote:
Originally posted by Lilianviaten
Not sure why, but I didn't know that it was meant to be 6 books. That's great though! I think Farideh and Havilar have enough story to tell for 6 (or more!!) books.
FTR, I've been contracted for six books, with the intent that the series goes as long as they sell or I want to write them. But having been on the inside, I know how quick that call can come, so I always write like the last book I've been paid for is the last I'll write. There will be minor plotlines that don't resolve within these six books, in case they ask for more.
quote:
I'm fine with WOTC calling the shots. I just hope they let you tell your story, and don't weigh you down with trying to do too much in 1 series. I don't like that they have already infringed on your story somewhat by destroying Shade. And as you say, they are going to give away the ending with Asmodeus before you can write it. Of course I'll still be interested in learning the details! I've been outspoken against the idea of Ao handwaving everything back to how it was pre 4e.
I'm just big on not having endings spoiled. And as much as many people hate RSEs, I prefer novels to sourcebooks as the vehicle for introducing sweeping changes to the setting. Events like Asmodeus losing his godhood (which I'm sure will happen), Helm coming back, etc. deserve novel series' for proper buildup, explanations of how the event happened, and coverage of the aftereffects. I'm glad that your novels will be providing this sort of detail for what happens with Asmodeus.
This may not be the best place to drop it in, but I do want to point out that when WotC/Mike Mearls say "The Sundering is over," they're really talking about the marketing push and the adventures' setting. To my knowledge at least, my books, Salvatore's and Denning's are still within the Sundering era. My story gives you an idea of what the Sundering does to Asmodeus (I'M NOT TELLING!). Fire in the Blood takes place during the war in Cormyr. The book I'm currently writing is half set in Tymanther, so you'll see how some of the "Abeiran" lands fare and what happens there. So there's more information coming from the novels. |
www.slushlush.com |
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Gyor
Master of Realmslore
1625 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2014 : 00:35:49
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Sort of maybe spoilers from the PHB and MM:
I know Succubi are no longer devils or demons from other people on the net, so it seems clear Asmodeus no longer has control of them as a race, although some still serve him it appears as freelancers, instead as devils bound to the hells.
2 in the PHB Asmodeus is not mentioned as deity in FR, now not all deities that still exist in FR are in that
list, Sharess, Valkur, Zehir, and others aren't in there, but are likely still in FR, but when it comes to none racial, none Primordials, ever Greater God is listed, except Asmodeus.
And biggest of all in the bone devil preview, not the pdf part, the website part, it mentions Asmodeus as the Supreme Ruler of the hells as the only creature with the powers of a LESSOR GOD, so either Asmodeus gets demoted to Lessor Deity status or Asmodeus demoted to a Cosmic fiend with power equal to a lessor deity, without the actual divinity.
Still really interested in how thing happens. I'm guess a revolt by Malchanet and other more power Succubi and the like lead a succubi revolution against da man Asmodeus, with some remaining loyal to him.
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Edited by - Gyor on 26 Aug 2014 00:37:31 |
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CylverSaber
Seeker
95 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2014 : 20:30:57
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quote:
Originally posted by ErinMEvans
quote:
Originally posted by Caolin
Erin, I love ya. Your novels are great and you are one of us. But I'm not buying (at least part of) WoTC's plan. The game side, I think it's a great idea. I mean they drew me back into playing the game again (after a good 15 years) with the Adventurers League....I just played my first Encounters session last night! But I don't see any reason for the slow drip of fiction. It's not like You, Bob, and Ed are writing novels that are heavily intertwined and more authors would muck up the story. The Realms is a big big world with tons of stories to tell and I have a big wad of cash that I"m just begging WoTC to take from me. But then again, I only have a computer science degree, not an MBA. So what do I know?
Heh, well, I think you're missing a lot of information about this process, actually. And I'm going to try to fill it in without breaking any NDAs or guessing at things I don't know for sure. (Also, it's going to be a word dump, so apologies in advance. I can't be brief about things I care about apparently. )
Right now, there is no novels department. The development is folded into RPG and the editorial staff is all freelancers, who have other jobs and who don't have access to the in-house resources. So does WotC re-form the department? Do they train RPG editors to edit novels (because it's not the same thing) and hire more to fill in the gaps? (Keep in mind also, the 10-12 titles a year was handled by three editors who often worked nights and weekends to get those books out the door, and were often raked over the coals for the mistakes that inevitably slipped through. So how many do they ideally need, and what's the cost?) Do they license out to a third party publisher? Do they then create a position of story coordinator or put the onus on the third party? Do they build a more robust group of freelancers and hire an editor-in-chief to keep everyone in line? These are all options with strengths and weaknesses and, yeah, the MBAs need to hear them, consider them, and have meetings where the creative values are presented, etc., because they make the calls on money.
It may not look like we're intertwined, but in reality the smallest misstep at the wrong point can throw off a whole book. I had to rethink big chunks of Fire in the Blood because of the way Troy ultimately portrayed the army of Shade in The Sentinel. I know Ed had to revise parts of Spellstorm because he had a different understanding of the end of Fire in the Blood than what I eventually wrote. The next year of stories do have a stronger through-line, which means everything from dates to characters to sensory input has to line up. If I say that--RANDOM EXAMPLE NOT RELATED TO STORY ARC--Nessus smells like burning hair and overripe plums, and then Bob's like "it smells like blood and roses" then you're thrown out of that continuous experience. If you pick up a supplement set in Nessus and the DM says it smells like rotten meat and patchouli, BAM, you're thrown.
And I won't even know those contradictions exist as an author unless I sit down and read everything and take notes, which while I'm cranking out a book (and already reading the backlog of material from material that's already out), I don't have time for--and I read really, really fast. Now imagine an over-booked game designer who might have forgotten the novels schedule entirely. That's where the editor comes in, someone who can read those drafts alongside your own and make the call on what needs fixing and where, send you the scenes that you need and the lines that might muck you up. There is no doing this job right without an editor who can give you that level of focus.
(Which doesn't even touch on marketing, sales, contracting, or building out a novels schedule that represents a good range of stories. I'm suddenly reminded of how crazy that job was...)
So, true, they could put out a lot more books from a lot more authors than this, but they're not going to be as solid without more editorial resources, and they're not going to provide the experience WotC is shooting for. What's going on right now is temporary. Maybe you're still fed up, but honestly, they're aware this is a problem and they're looking for not just an answer, but the best answer.
Late to this thread, but I wanted to say how much I appreciate Erin shedding light on what is a frustrating situation for Realms fans (and authors too, I'm sure).
It's hard for me to conceive how the novels division could get to this state. I know that Phil Athans, who presided over a great era for FR fiction, was laid off in 2010, but I gather there were other internal changes leading up to that (and subsequently) that led to this state. Does anyone have an idea of the timeline of what happened and the reasons behind it? It seems tragic for a group of talented people who brought us so much enjoyment to be so completely and systematically dismantled. |
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2014 : 22:03:59
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I add my thanks, Erin. Even when all the answers aren't known, it's great to see encouraging words from someone who is both credible and positive. Ed's apparently cocooned in who-knows-how-many projects right now, but he's been upbeat about what's on the horizon. I'm excited that someone else is excited as well. 
quote:
Originally posted by CylverSaber
It's hard for me to conceive how the novels division could get to this state.
I'm not "in the know" at all about anything, but from what I've heard I would guess that WotC is in purgatory right now due to the lower-than-expected revenue generated from 4e. IMO this guess goes a long way to explaining why they're down to a skeleton crew, outsourcing everything they can, focusing on one game sourcebook at a time, and trying to generate high-quality products. If 5e does well, then Hasbro will probably restore their budget and they'll be able to hire more permanent staff and work their way back up to churning out books at a good clip.
I'm a fan of the new PH and MM... not going to say I can't think of anything to complain about, but the balance is generously tipped in a positive direction. I'm not so enthused about the Tyranny of Dragons, but that was outsourced to at least some extent. So far, it looks like things that are produced in-house are working out well.
If there is a choice between a steady flow of um... rotten meat and patchouli... versus a slow trickle of well-considered and cohesive lore... then I'm all for taking it slow. Here's hoping that the 5e Realms is well-received when it arrives.
And cheers on that contract Erin. If they have any sense, there will be more good things to come. |
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Gen Con news?
