Physical Copies of Lost Hall 2e . . .
about 5 years ago – Tue, Jan 29, 2019 at 02:32:31 PM

So, this was my fault, but I forgot to close the pre-order store for this Kickstarter, and so it was possible to do more than just download a fresh edition PDF . . . one could order stuff. 

So that was my mistake. I think I managed to stop it by closing the pre-order store. More of an administrative thing.

But if your interest is piqued by the new PDF, and you'd like to order a physical copy or any of the Gaming Ballistic products that are on sale since Lost Hall 1st edition was published, please head over to the Lost Hall 2e Pre-Order page.

That has the right pricing, shipping fees, etc. 

Sorry about the correction; I thought I'd closed down future pre-orders well over a year ago!

Lost Hall of Tyr 2nd Edition Pre-Final PDF Distribution
about 5 years ago – Mon, Jan 28, 2019 at 08:42:07 PM

It's Happening

The pre-final PDF for the 2nd Edition of Lost Hall of Tyr has just been distributed to everyone who ordered Lost Hall in all of my Kickstarters. Please take a look! Check it out, read it, see if you can find any typos (I left at least one as a test . . . can you find it?)I'm going to give a week or so to get error reports in the file so that the version that goes to print is as perfect as we can make it.

What can you do?

There are several things I need you to do if you get the new version:

• Check your name in the Kickstarter backer list. I tried to keep the surveys blazingly short this time, so I used other information to credit you as a backer. See if I got it right. Email me at [email protected] if I didn't.
• Check for typos. Please. My eyes blur over with too much staring at the screen.
• Look for "oops, you forgot to convert that." The 2nd edition of Lost Hall owes a lot to Hall of Judgment, which is Powered by GURPS. I think I got all of that converted back to Dragon Heresy . . . but since I'm so familiar with both systems, I might have missed a few.
• Read it, comment on it, and review it. Ideally in public. We're really not that far away from the big offset print run, and if you like the new version, please say so loudly and frequently.
• Play it!! I can't emphasize this enough, but the more it gets played, the better I'll know what works (and I should repeat in the future), and what doesn't. 
• Check for WTF moments in DCs. I'm pretty sure I got 'em right, but if there's a TPK hidden in there or the thing's a cakewalk . . . I kinda want to fix it.
• Finally: Play it in 5e or Swords and Wizardry! It should be straight-forward, but if there's a bit more conversion work that needs to be done, well, I've got a blank page at the end and I can do something, whether it's a quick afterword or a more detailed conversion note.
• Show it to your Favorite Local Game Store owners and buyers. A few retail purchases will get us to an even higher quality printing.

The Beginning of the End

The distribution of the pre-final PDF marks the beginning of the end of this campaign. I think we made a great book, and I'm thrilled how well Juan and Glynn delivered on their part of the tasks. Once we settle the PDF, I'll send it to print. I expect a six to eight week turn-around if we go digital (as I expect), but if a few folks throw in for retail levels, or we get one or two shields . . . we're there. That would push print receipt to the 12-16 week delivery zone, but we'll ALL be happier with the result.Thank you so much for helping make this happen! Oh . . . you don't have it, but you want to?

It's not too late to pre-order

Lost Hall 2nd Edition - New Cover, Backerkit phase ending
about 5 years ago – Sat, Jan 26, 2019 at 05:02:01 PM

Hey, guys!

This is a quick reminder of several things:

Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition) is a revised and expanded version of the project that you already backed. It will be 112 pages, and has a notably different feel and tone than 1st Edition.

It's much more sandboxy, with no set pathway to do the adventure. There's a ton more information about the town of Isfjall, from shopping notes to festivals and holy days that can add flavor to the adventure. Plus several new adventuring locations, complete with maps.

The maps were all done by Glynn Seal, winner of the Gold ENnie award for cartography last year.

And it's got a great new cover.

The kickstarter funded on day 2, but we're still a little short of the next stretch goal: another $500 in orders and we pass the point where I can get a full offset print run. 

What's that? It means I go make a whole bunch of copies, on really thick paper. The binding will be sewn, so pages won't fall out, and lay-flat, so it, well . . . lays flat when you play. If somehow we get an additional $1,000 in orders past that, it'll be upgraded to hardcover.

If you got Lost Hall 1st Edition, you will receive the PDF upgrade to 2nd Edition at no charge.

But if you want to get the print copy, whether it's a digital print run (still on 85#/128gsm silk-coated paper; it's a very nice book) or any of the upgraded books if we can hit those goals, it's not too late.

Pre-Orders for the hardcopy are open in Backerkit up until the day I place the print order, which will be about two or three weeks from now (call it mid-February). This is also a great time to pick up Dragon Heresy, the 5e-based ruleset that is home to the setting that Lost Hall sits within, containing rules tweaks and a whole lot more, from social standing to viking rap battles.

Yes, really: flyting.

In any case, check out what the new cover and new maps and new layout will look like. If that appeals and you love print:

Pre-Order Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition)

Lost Hall 2e Campaign ends in 60 minutes
over 5 years ago – Sun, Dec 23, 2018 at 06:29:05 PM

The campaign to bring a high-quality print run to Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition) - the first (but not the last) direct support for the Dragon Heresy RPG - is coming to an end in 60 minutes, at 9:30pm Central time.

The campaign met its funding goal of $1,300 and went on to hit 300% funding. The books that will be printed will be nice, too: 93# silk-coated matte paper, with a glossy cover.

You guys are going to all get the PDF for free - you made the first edition possible. And the short-run printing will be great. But it still could be better. 

Next Goal: $6,000 for Offset Print

It’s true, it’s a bit of a reach. We need $2000 more . . . and yet that is only 77 more people going print-only, or only 28 people getting Dragon Heresy and Lost Hall in print.

It’s a challenge, but it’s not crazy. Sure, there’s a bit of irrational exuberance in my projections, but we still have 134 following the campaign who haven’t jumped in. Plus there are 200 folks that have Dragon Heresy but nothing to play it with.

So the potential is there.

That version will be amazing. 105# paper will bulk up the spine a bit. Heavy softcover with a lay-flat binding. 

And the book will be able to go into distribution and sit on retail shelves next to the core book.

That last one is probably more important for me than for you. But there it is: it’s the sort of thing that makes the game more accessible, more popular, and allows me to keep developing content in advance of any crowdfunding.

So: please share our victory with your social network, and invite them on board. It really does help! And if you can make it, please pledge.

But is this really the end?

Not quite. After a few weeks to let the Kickstarter funds settle, we'll enter the Backerkit phase, which will allow pre-orders and Add-Ons to still be obtained. Including even better versions of the viking shields that I made for the Dragon Heresy kickstarter!

The Kickstarter portion should finish Jan 4, and Backerkit will probably run through the 20th of January. After that, we'll look for some preliminary PDF distribution for error checking, and then we'll hit the printer sometime in February.

The Backerkit Revenue absolutely counts for how good the final print run will be. If we hit the stretch goal of $6,000 or more during the Backerkit phase, I write the check for the offset print run. So if we pass over the line after tonight . . . we still all win and get an even better book.

Please support the Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition) campaign in its final hour

If you can support it later, that'll be fine too! Just throw in a dollar so you're on the list for the Backerkit phase and you'll get carried with me through the rest of the ride! 

Lost Hall of Tyr: Second Edition now LIVE on Kickstarter
over 5 years ago – Fri, Dec 07, 2018 at 08:44:37 AM

When I first published Lost Hall of Tyr, it wasn't what I wanted it to be. Not enough art, the maps weren't anything special, and the convention-style romp (2-4 hour one-shot) didn't explore the awesome viking-inspired setting that I had set the adventure within.

Thanks to the publication of the Dragon Heresy Introductory Set and the expansion of the 1st edition supplement into the much larger Hall of Judgment version for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG, I had the art, the contacts, and the content to make Lost Hall of Tyr what it should have been all along.

Lost Hall 2e: Now On Kickstarter

Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition) is a mini-setting and adventure for the Dragon Heresy Roleplaying game. Dragon Heresy is a self-contained complete game in one volume, and the Introductory Set covers Level 1-5.

Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition) contains 

• A non-linear adventure for 4-7 characters of Level 1-5 
• A detailed workup of the Viking-inspired town of Isfjall, suitable as either a home port for an extended campaign or a jumping off point for the adventure 
• Rules for overland journeys in the wild north, several adventuring locations, and of course the quest to rediscover the Lost Hall itself 
• A bestiary containing all the key creatures from the adventure, including the Dragon Heresy unique stats pre-calculated (Threat DC, Hit DC, wound and control thresholds, wounds, and vigor)

Lost Hall of Tyr is 112 pages long, in full color. The Kickstarter is to enhance the quality of the original combat/location maps, and fund a high-quality print run. 

Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition) on Kickstarter