Hello, apologies for the lack of updates, had a very weird July where I allowed myself to get distracted by this incredibly attractive, young blonde nurse. I’ll try not to let it happen again. 😉
Anyway, where were we. I mentioned it over at ENWorld a few weeks ago, but its worth reiterating here. I have divided the Vampire Bestiary into three books as follows:
- Vampire Bestiary: Mountain of the Cannibal God…so as you would expect this book features cannibals and a few relevant animals as well as the sort of vampires (and a few wights) you would expect to find in the jungle. The book also includes some traps and hazards as well as a mini-adventure (the titular mountain).
- Vampire Bestiary: Temple of Death…an in-depth look at the Thuggee Cult and priesthood of Kali as well as a large number of vampires related to Hindu myth and legend. Again expect more traps, hazards and features as well as a mini-adventure.
- Vampire Bestiary: Dracula’s Castle…all the classic vampire stereotypes as well as a few more obscure European vampire monsters. Also includes sections on vampire coffins, vampire familiars, vampire hunters and vampire intelligences, plus a few more wights. This part also contains an overview of vampire religions, society and takes a look at the vampire’s place in the universe. As well as sporting the now familiar mini-adventure, traps and hazards.
Each book will be approximately 56 pages and I’m pencilling in a price of about $7.50. I think each includes roughly 32 stat blocks (give or take) with vampires usually representing 50% of the book (or slightly more in the case of the third pdf.) Once I have all three pdfs on sale I will combine all three (into the proper Vampire Bestiary) into one book (probably a $15 pdf).
Here is the current cover for the first pdf. Not happy about using a monochrome image for the cover but I don’t think I can afford three full colour cover commissions…so it is what it is. I do really like the Wendigo illustration from Peter Szmer though (and its a bit obscured on the cover, I had to crop bits to get it to fit but suffice to say you will see the whole thing uncluttered as one of the interior illustrations for the wendigo). Obviously the full colour Kali illustration will be used for the main book (and likely the Temple of Death pdf).
So the good news is that the first pdf needs about 2 weeks of work for completion. However, that was true at the start of July as well (see my opening paragraph of this update for what happened). The bad news is that I am going on holiday in a few days time and there is no way I’ll be able to put in 2 weeks worth of work until September. So I’ll stick my neck out and say it will definately be released before the end of September.
With no further distractions I should be able to finish part 2 (in October) and 3 (in November).
Eternity Publishing 
S'mon
August 10, 2011
“had a very weird July where I allowed myself to get distracted by this incredibly attractive, young blonde nurse. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
That’s ok, we forgive you! 🙂
Upper_Krust
August 10, 2011
Well in fairness that was only half the problem, I also stopped taking my USN Creatine X4 supplements (because I was putting on too much weight) at the start of July and for the following few weeks experienced a massive energy drain to my system. So it was a combination of physical fatigue and emotional distraction hitting me at the same time.
S'mon
August 10, 2011
Cover’s looking good!
Upper_Krust
August 10, 2011
Thats the Giant Thunder Wendigo battling Thrin (on his back), Darra (being grabbed), Fangor (running towards the viewer) and a dwarf cleric (swinging the hammer) whose name currently eludes me but who was on the cover of Ascension.
Those iconic heroes show up in all the big Full Page illustration battles I commissioned (you can see them in the Idol of Kali illustration too).
S'mon
August 16, 2011
Thrin/Darra/Fangor – cool use of iconics from my old campaign, eh. 🙂 AIR Fangor was an NPC half-orc quasi-deity or demigod who never had much interaction with the PCs (Thrin, Darra etc), did he?
Rhuarc
August 10, 2011
And all the monsters in those three books are only going up to level 15?
Upper_Krust
August 10, 2011
Yes. But I should just point out that my level 15 is a helluva lot tougher than the Monster Manuals Level 15…I mean you already saw the Idol of Kali preview and thats just Level 10.
If I follow through on a fourth (Varcolacs & Feywild Vampires) and fifth (Nosferatu & Shadowfell Vampires) and sixth (Strigoi & Abyssal/Elemental Chaos Vampires) installments of the Vampire Bestiary then they will go up to Level 30.
The fourth pdf would be subtitled “The Forest of Intestines”…still working out the names for the other two.
Since this was all initially meant to be one book I am very far along on the other sections (the Nosferatu for instance are basically done). Say about a month’s work for each on my part (although the illustrations may take a while longer).
That said, of course if the first three Vampire Bestiary pdfs are unsuccessful I won’t spend time completing the others or commissioning the art. Though I may also fold the various higher level Vampire Bestiary’s into 4E Epic Bestiaries with one based around each plane.
Upper_Krust
August 23, 2011
Weird question, is anyone getting adverts at the bottom of my articles? I just visited without signing in and couldn’t see any comments only some screen ad for Sims Medieval or some nonsense like that! 😮
Dave
August 24, 2011
I’ve seen no adds, just the normal comments
FieryDragonLord
August 24, 2011
I see no ads.
Upper_Krust
August 24, 2011
Thanks guys, totally weird then. As soon as I signed in the ads were gone, but I wondered what other people are seeing, especially those that haven’t subscribed. Anyway, I work tonight and then back to business on the Vampire Bestiary from Thursday onwards – on the home stretch. 🙂
Alzrius
August 24, 2011
Keep the pressure on, U_K, and let’s see the book come out by the end of the year!
Upper_Krust
August 25, 2011
Thanks Alzrius mate although I am hoping for September not the end of the year. 😉
League of Legends tricks guide
July 14, 2014
Aw, this was an incredibly good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to create a really
good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and
don’t seem to get anything done.