Now that health is coming back to me, and the damn infections that took root in my sinus and nose is finally going away, I have been able to return to my desk and write. I am playing a lot of catch up right now, in addition still worn out from the plague, but I am slowly getting my writing legs back under me.

I got a lot on my plate, writing wise, and I will be busy writing various manuscripts for not only Shadow, Sword & Spell, but Colonial Gothic and something else which will remain a mystery for a time. I am not complaining about this, I love to write and design, so this is all fun for me.

Today I want to share with you one of the projects filling my time. That project is SS&S: Expert. The book is about 75% done. I am really excited about this book, and I like what we have here. Here is the outline, and it will show you where Expert is going.

I. Chapter One: Skills and Scheming
a. New Options for Skill Buying
b. Schemes and Scheming

II. Chapter Two: New Gear
a. Buildings
b. Services
c. Hirelings

III. Chapter Three: Followers and Domains
a. Hirelings & Henchmen
i. Obtaining
ii. Retaining
iii. Resolve
iv. Types
b.  Domains
i. Designing
ii. Costs
iii. Building
iv. Obtaining
v. Maintaining
vi. Income & Expenses
vii. Resolve
viii. Insurrections/Rebellions
ix. Events
x. Natural Disasters

IV. Chapter Four: Magic
a. New Common Spells
b. Arcane Spells
c. New Alchemy Arts

V. Chapter Five: Relics
a. Why Relics?
b. Possibilities of relics in adventures
c. When can you have too many?
d. What is the difference between Relics and items characters create?
e. Should characters be able to create relics?
f. Sample Relics
i. Claw of Crowtan
ii. Eyeglasses
iii. Roland’s Finger
iv. Dagger
v. Boots
vi. Quill
vii. Key
viii. Staff
ix. Sword
x. Ring
VI. Chapter Six: Ancient Tomes & Books

VII. Chapter Seven: Mass Combat

VIII. Chapter Eight: Other Worlds & Dimensions

IX. Chapter Nine: Setting
a. Creating your own Setting
b. Setting – The World
c. Gods

X. Chapter Ten: Creatures Great & Small
a. Monster Creation
b. New Creatures

The key to Expert is pretty simple, keep it simple and show the possibilities. Though the book deals with the “endgame” if you will, what James and I really want to do is give you more options and ideas that you can use in your games, even if you do not want to play the “endgame.” Examples of this is with the new gear in Chapter Two and the magic in Chapter Four. For us, SS&S is about options and possibilities, and this is what this book will be.

Tags: Game Design, Shadow, Sword & Spell, thoughts