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Due to an oversight, we missed an important clue from the Esoterror Factbook competition. I've extended the deadline to the end of August. Here it is:
Original BriefingThis briefing was conveyed to Agents Roark and Losada by their Mr. Verity on assignment to Operation Marble Shanty, Phase One: You are tasked with an investigation into the deaths of self-styled guerrilla artist SELMA POOLE. POOLE was murdered in a courthouse confrontation by pool cleaner ZEKE KULA, in an apparently unmotivated incident. POOLE had been arrested for a disturbance created through an unauthorized art installation project held at the FAIRBORN GALLERY MALL in FAIRBORN, CT. Although we have no concrete confirmation of supernatural or Esoterror involvement, our media team analysis has flagged the case for the following reasons: * Psychologically destabilizing nature of POOLE’s art installation * Potential example of heightening anxiety surrounding a news event already generating considerable anxiety and cognitive dissonance * Use of Esoterror keywords in POOLE’s press statements * Shocking public nature of POOLE’s death * Puzzling lack of motivation on part of KULA, opening possibility of arcane influence You will be provided with identification & clearance as FBI agents following up details of case on a supporting basis. Like any case assigned as MTA work product, may prove entirely innocuous. Potential for Schrödinger backlash is high; observe requisite protocols and exercise extreme caution. Deflect and dampen case’s inherent drama, laying preliminary groundwork for veil-out throughout investigative phase. Do not allow your investigation to contribute to conspiracy theories or other psychologically troubling rumors. Avoid media attention!!
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We've extended the deadline for the Esoterrorists competition, as we missed out the original briefing document. We'll update the competition website next week.
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As a follow-up to our successful Mutant City Blues competition, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) robin_d_laws has created an Esoterrorists competition to celebrate the release of The Esoterror Fact Book. Solve the mystery, and devise a suitable mundane cover-up of esoterrorist activities to win.
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I spotted this old-ish review of Esoterrorists by R B Bergstrom.
"The rules are incredible - I honestly think this is the best investigation-based RPG ever printed."
Mr Bergstrom also has extensive actual play posting and discussion of of Trail of Cthulhu, too.
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Excerpt 2 from the Ordo Veritatis Operations Manual. Expect this post to be removed by the pluggers at any time. Disseminate this information while you can.
On that date a National Guard unit appeared on the scene under orders to secure the facility. They were ambushed by the surviving Circle members.Video footage taken by the guard unit shows one of the women—most likely Joanne Waller—rising phoenix-like from the structure. If the tape is to be accepted as real, she then reduces the guardsmen to ash with a sweep of her arms.
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Latest Esoterror Factbook cover from Jerome. Do let us know what you think.
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Role Playing Public Radio presents actual play of the Esoterrorists adventure Profane Miracles, and a home brew follow up using Fear Itself.
Ogre Cave presents a detailed and well crafted review of the Trail of Cthulhu adventure Stunning Eldritch Tales.
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The Esoterrorists are at work. Or, judging by the plausibilty of the content, the OV.
The National Archive has released a bunch of UFO-related documents. Here is a sample. Click the image to read to the end of this exciting but terrifying event.
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Janus Design will be releasing the Italian version of the Esoterrorists - Esoterroristi, joining Esoterroristes and Los Esoterroristas in our growing stable of foreign language editions. 
The Esoterrorists adapt to their new enviroment, but the Ordo Veritatis is always the OV.
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Here is a review of Four Shadows, James Semple's music for Trail of Cthulhu.
James has been working on four pieces for The Esoterorrists, which should be out next month.
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Excerpt 1 from the Ordo Veritatis Operations Manual. Expect this post to be removed by the pluggers at any time. Copy and paste, my friends.
Issued by the ECSC.
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Here is some detailed Esoterrorists actual play, demonstrating the strengths of the clue-giving system (and, to be fair, of this particular GM).
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I've just received my copies of Profane Miracles, an Esoterrorists adventure by Spirit of the Century co-author Leonard Balsera. It's our first saddle-stitched book. It's available from the Pelgrane Press Store and Indie Press Revolution, and in your FLGS in the next couple of days.
I'm happy with the print quality and it's pretty sturdy.
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Here is a review for Trail of Cthulhu.
"If you are intrigued with the genre, pick it up. If it doesn't give you new ideas and new enthusiasm, read it again." And another here for Esoterrorists. I'm sure Robin must be blushing at the quote. "The best Mystery/Investigative RPG ever" Also, The Game's the Thing podcast covers Esterrorists in their latest issue. It can be found here. The Eso bit starts at about 26.50, and describes actual play. "They hit it.""It felt very natural"
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As I am now listed on IPR, I thought it might be nice to get all share-y with the data, as my fellow IPR publishers often do.
From its release to the end of 2007, The Esoterrorists has sold just over 1000 copies. I'm really pleased with this - it's our best selling game (just) since The Dying Earth RPG. Nearly 20% of the sales are PDFs, and thirty-five in GUMSHOE bundles. 70% of print sales are through traditional distribution to retail channels via Impressions Advertising. 66% of the PDF sales are through One Book Shelf, that is DTRPG and rpgnow.com.
I make about three times as much on a print mail order sale as a retail sale, and there is a good chance I'd make more money if I didn't sell this book through distribution at all. So why do I do it? First, I could be wrong; I might not sell enough to make up for the shortfall. I also want to do my little bit to help retailers, which I do think helps the industry. But, it's mainly because I'd rather risk making a little less money and have more people playing the game. This is partly non-commercial, but also, the more people playing GUMSHOE games, the more they are likely to buy new ones. For example, through GUMSHOE brand recognition, it might help Trail of Cthulhu sell the much greater volume it needs to pay for my first offset litho print run for five years. Trail has had good pre-order levels in the main thanks to IPR, and these has really helped make the print run possible. I'm printing 2000 off, which I hope I can sell through in a year, although with 4e round the corner, who knows what will happen?
It's interesting that some indie designers I've spoken to (Paul Czege for example) would rather maximize their return per book, and not sell so many copies. Some (not sure about Paul) think the whole three/four tier structure is broken altogether, or there is even a whiff that it is somehow morally dubious. To be honest, unless you are selling thousands of copies and using offset litho, the economics of selling through distribution are marginal, but it's only through distribution that you can sell huge numbers. Perhaps I'm just nostalgically hoping for an enormous 5000-book hit with ToC.
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Albion's Ransom: Little Girl Lost, is now available from the Pelgrane Press Store. This Esoterrorists campaign, written by Ian Sturrock was inspired by William Blake's eponymous work. It's set in Britain, but slanted towards a team of American investigators, with an appendix for American GMs unfamiliar with the UK and Manchester in particular. One of our (US-based) playtesters described it as "I'm British, Spank Me"!
We've also released Fields of Silver, Lynne Hardy's campaign and sourcebook for Turjan-level characters. In the Dying Earth RPG, there are three styles of play, reflecting the three collections of tales Jack Vance wrote. The least powerful of the protagonists (in game terms) was the picaresque Cugel upon who, most DERPG PCs are based, and the most powerful Rhialto, who nonetheless suffer similar ignominious irritations. In the middle in power terms, but very different in terms of challenges, are driven warrior magicians based on Vance's early work - Turjan of Miir. It is these characters who will explore the campaign setting Lynne has provided. The background is more sombre and bizarre, with elements of the horror of Clark Ashton Smith. Mention of Smith brings me on to Lovecraft: Fields of Silver has some of the flavour of Chaosium's world-spanning Cthulhu adventures.
In the Dying Earth RPG Robin Laws mentions the following lists of elements for Cugel-style adventures:
Odd Customs, Crafty Swindles, Heated Protests and Presumptuous Claims, Casual Cruelty, Weird Magic, Strange Vistas, Ruined Wonders, Exotic Food, and Foppish Apparel
An adjusted list (written by David Thomas) in Turjan's Tome goes as follows:
Essential Elements - Opportunity for bloodshed
- Horror
- Ruined Wonders
- Lost Knowledge
Important Elements- Casual Cruelty
- Weird Magic
- Strange Vistas
- Odd Customs
Inessential Elements- Crafty Swindles
- Heated Protests and Presumptuous Claims
- Exotic Food
- Foppish Apparel
Lynne has hit all of the essential and important elements been unable to avoid the odd crafty swindle, exotic food and elements of dark humour. All in all, this book is more suited to traditional roleplayers than the Cugel- and Rhialto- style high jinx, and includes episodes of genuine horror.
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I now have Albion's Ransom (an adventure by Ian Sturrock) and Fields of Silver (Lynne Hardy's long awaited Turjan-level Dying Earth supplement). I'll get them up for sale tomorrow, and they should be in stores soon.
Those spatulate fingers are Sasha's pond823. We are in the office talking about... stuff.
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robin_d_laws is working on the Esoterror Fact Book - a bumper setting supplement for The Esoterrorists. It will include a chapter on special force OV sweeper teams, who go in with heavy weaponry after the OV investigators have left. This means more combat crunch, and Robin would like to know what you want to see. Post your answers here.
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