The final day is here, and we're on a roll!
over 2 years ago – Fri, Jul 15, 2022 at 03:32:27 PM

Good morning, all--and what a morning it is! As I write this update, we've passed $20k and the 200 backer threshold, which means a lot of great stuff is on the way!

NEW CHARACTER CLASS!

Thanks to reaching the 200 backer stretch goal, we've now unlocked a bonus character class for the 5E RPG! Backers will get the chance to vote on which of three classes they would like to see fleshed out and included alongside the current classes of Acolyte, Informant, Investigator, Merchant, and Noble. We'll announce shortly how the voting is going to work, but here are the three classes from which you'll be choosing:

--Chaplain: a religious leader of a small denomination, whose knowledge of faith and their flock give them advantages in dealing with the citizens of Cohrelle.

--Innkeeper: Owner of an inn in Cohrelle, a hybrid class which combines the merchant's cunning knowledge of trade with the informant's knack of getting information.

--Wanderer: A mysterious person from outside Cohrelle, whose knowledge of the world beyond its walls makes them adaptable and, potentially, dangerous.

I'm excited for any of these, and can't wait to see what all of you choose! Next up is our $27k stretch goal of The Honest Thief. This iconic tavern is a major source of information, entertainment, and danger in the city of Cohrelle, and when we reach this stretch goal, we'll flesh it out complete with an interior map, NPCs, and even a couple of adventure hooks to help you integrate it into your own campaign!

GRAYSHADE FINALE MARATHON TTRPG EXTRAVAGANZA!

As you might be able to tell, we've been mildly hyped about this project--in fact, absolutely over the top pumped up about it--for quite a while. And as we're on a big roll, we're determined to finish strong. So at 12 p.m. EDT on my Twitch channel, we're going to have one of the craziest and ambitious TTRPG events ever broadcast. Four players from the group of Tren Sparks, Flaose and Piranjade from GOGCom's Twitch channel, John Helfers, Michael R. Underwood, Brandon O'Brien, Valerie Valdes, Iori Kusano, Carlos Hernandez, and Zac Clay will play in a D&D 5E standard one-shot adventure. For every $500 the Kickstarter gets, we will switch RPG systems, but keep the characters as close to their archetypes as possible. So a D&D paladin might, in being brought into The Warren, play a Bigwig-style fighting rabbit. We have over twenty TTRPGS ready to go in some fashion, and only our Kickstarter supporters know how many of those we'll get to see! We did something like this to wrap up the Icarus Kickstarter a few years ago, and it was hugely successful. But nothing of this scale and type has, to my knowledge, ever been attempted on Twitch before. Please join us for this event, and please spread the word to anyone and everyone you can!

WE'RE ALMOST THERE, AND YOU'RE THE REASON WHY!

It has truly been inspiring to see how people have lent their support to this project, and how our tale of light from darkness and hope from despair (to go along with a badass assassin story in a rich city!), plus the game you will be able to play within that world, has really resonated. At over 80% funded we're nearly there now, and with your pledges and willingness to spread the word, we'll get the rest of the way and beyond, to just keep making Grayshade even better. I'll be back with an update later--but for now, thank you so much, and let's bring this home over the next thirteen hours!

     Talk soon, and see you on stream,

     Greg

The home stretch has begun--and here's why it matters, right now!
over 2 years ago – Thu, Jul 14, 2022 at 04:23:10 PM

As we've entered the final days of the Grayshade Kickstarter, as I write this over 70% funded and surging, I've been thinking a lot about the impact of this campaign and project. I'll talk a bit more about that down below, but first, one bit of critical information: that 70% milestone is a critical one, and it puts us well within reach of our goal, but we only have 33 hours to go--which means now is the time we all need to pull together. You've all done so much simply through your enthusiastic support and pledges already, which is why we hope you'll be able to:

--Check your pledges and see if there's anything else from the campaign--like Tren Sparks' audiobook, which is now part of our core funding goal and only requires a $10 add-on, or hardcover books, or even getting the chance to add a minor or major NPC to the world--which you might be interested in getting , supplementing your pledge.

--Spread the word to any communities you're a part of which might not know about this project yet--gaming groups, book clubs, fantasy/science fiction forums, etc.--using the link to the campaign and explaining why what we're doing here really matters.

--Join us for a major live event tomorrow, Friday, July 15th at 12 p.m. EDT, when we'll have the Grayshade Kickstarter Finale Marathon TTRPG Extravaganza! During this livestream, four players will create characters for a D&D one-shot campaign. For every $500 we gain in the Kickstarter, we'll switch RPG systems, from D&D to The Warren to Epyllion to Blades in the Dark, Tales from the Loop, and many more. But during each switch, we'll keep the characters as close to their archetypes as possible--so a paladin in D&D would become a Bigwig-style fighting rabbit, and so on. We will run for TWELVE CONSECUTIVE HOURS for this event, with eleven different players and four different GMs; nothing on this scale has ever been attempted on Twitch in terms of TTRPG play, and I am super excited to see it play out! But again, we need your help to make this happen, so please stop by yourself and spread the word--the more money pledged, the more systems we'll get to see!

Why are we doing all of this? Because, as I was reminded again last night, this project really matters, not only to me, but to many others. I encourage you to check out this thread from our own Brandon O'Brien, who posted a really moving update a few weeks ago. Some of it will be familiar to you as it was to me, but some of it, like this, was new:

"Grayshade...is a radicalized zealot with a blade as long as a taller man's arm. But he's also, like a lot of us--like my teenage self--someone wanting sorely to believe in something, to belong, and struggling with whether he does. I wish I had the first book in this trilogy when I was a teenager. It would have probably helped me put a lot into emotional perspective a lot sooner than I had. Is that a lot for a fantasy novel? But it would've. In particular, I adore that this book ultimately says that, through and beyond that utter lonely feeling of losing faith, there is something more. A self-discovery, a reclamation, a redemption of the self that can be greater than what has been lost by hurt in the process. 

In particular, I adore that this book ultimately says that, through and beyond that utter lonely feeling of losing faith, there is something more. A self-discovery, a reclamation, a redemption of the self that can be greater than what has been lost by hurt in the process. That even when people tell you a life of being on the other side of faith means you lack hope or purpose, even when a part of you bitterly believes it, you can learn to find it--through others, through truly wrestling with yourself, & through working for what is right in the end. 

But the book? Oh, man, this book. I really do adore GRAYSHADE if only because it has given just me something I didn't even know I could get or want from a novel, and I really do hope that we can make the rest of this story real and give it to someone else who may need it."

And then there was this thread, from our own Emily Bell, about faith, church, friendship, and love, all of which is worth reading--but I want to highlight this specifically about Grayshade:

 "This is a book about LOVE. And chosen family. And someone of deep personal ethics realizing they were so indoctrinated into a system that addressing it now requires fighting deep, deep, regret and pain and exposure."

I read those words from both of these friends, and felt...stunned. More than stunned: leveled, actually. Hit in the gut. Because what these words, and those from many of you who have reached out to me, show is that not only do these people care deeply about me (and the feeling is mutual!), but my work actually touched them, moved them to write so beautifully about their own lives and experiences. 

In the end, Grayshade the novel, and The Gray Assassin Trilogy as a whole, has reached a much deeper and more meaningful place than I ever expected, with friends, reviewers, readers, and me. This book is, in a way, a kind of emotional confession, an acknowledgement of the need to find light within darkness and hope within despair...and it does those things. The sequels bring that journey to even deeper and more powerful places--while still being entertaining stories!--while the RPG allows players to immerse themselves personally into that world, exploring their own selves as much as the city of Cohrelle.

I've been told that this campaign is right for the time we're living in, and after hearing from all of you, and from Brandon and Emily, I've come to agree. I want us to go further, and to do more--but we can only do it together. So thank you for your support, thank you for your trust, thank you for your care, and thank you for helping bring this campaign over the finish line. I'm so grateful to all of you, and I promise you that your trust will not be misplaced. Together, we're making something wonderful happen, even in a dark time. I can't wait to get started.

     Talk soon,

     Greg  

P.S. Remember, we're only ten backers away from our 200 backer stretch goal, where we'll give all backers a choice of three bonus character classes and give you a chance to vote on the one you want to see fleshed out and added to the Grayshade 5E RPG!

From Carlos Hernandez and C.S.E. Cooney: only two and a half days remaining--let's get this done!
over 2 years ago – Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 05:30:26 PM

We're officially in the home stretch, and have made huge progress over the last few days; if we can keep pushing forward, we're confident we'll get to where we need to be. I'll have further updates tomorrow and Friday, and if you haven't seen it yet, make sure to check out my Twitch channel on Friday at noon EDT; we'll be running a Grayshade Kickstarter Finale Marathon TTRPG Extravaganza, featuring eleven players, four GMs, and sixteen or more TTRPG systems! We'll start with D&D 5E, but for every $500 the Kickstarter gets, we'll change systems but keep the characters (to the extent possible). From The Warren to Tales from the Loop to Brindlewood Bay and beyond, nothing like this (at least at this scale) has ever been attempted on Twitch before, and we think it will be an incredible amount of fun as we close the Kickstarter strong. 

If you haven't already done so, please let everyone you can know about this campaign and how they can be a part of it, and if there's anything else you think you might want to add to your own support, please feel free to do so! :D As of midnight tonight, we'll only have 48 hours left, and if we all pull together, pledge what we can, and spread the word, we'll have an amazing project of hope and heart (and of course, story and fun) in the end.

For the rest of today's update, I'm going to hand things over to the incredible Carlos Hernandez and C.S.E. Cooney, who have a message for everyone for the final few days of this Kickstarter. Thank you so much for all of your support, and talk soon!

     --Greg

Rule adaptation - melding form with function
over 2 years ago – Wed, Jul 13, 2022 at 11:42:50 AM

There is always a balance when designing a TTRPG. It needs to translate the feel of the setting/genre to the player, but it also needs a clear and understandable function. Adapting an existing rules system, like 5e, benefits the players with familiarity and quick start, but also poses a challenge in making the story and theme come first.

With Esper Genesis, we wanted it to be as compatible with 5e as possible, but we weren't going for a game of space D&D. It was its high-adventure sci-fi with its own distinct base of tropes and conceits. To mesh those two realities we decided to embrace the game engine, not fight against it.

Many games of the past adapted other systems to a new genre, and when a new challenge or task presented itself, there was a new rules environment to manage it. "Normal" adventuring followed the same rules as the base system, but mass combat was a different game, starship combat was a different game, chases were are different game - games within games if you will.

When Esper Genesis tackled starship combat, it stuck with 5e. Any overlay was a process, or a new ability, but the game functioned the same. Esper Powers were managed in ways similar to spells. This allowed immediate and instinctual understanding on how to play your character and manage the game while still feeling like a high-adventure space drama.

With Grayshade, the goal is the same. Rather than a new social interaction system, characters will navigate webs of intrigue with processes for the GM to apply 5e rules. Magic may focus on distraction, misdirection, and investigation, but it will fall inside familiar territory for the casting of spells. A system for covert missions or capers will be an overlay to manage existing 5e skills, powers, and functions. The GMs role needs to remain rewarding, not overly difficult.

Using these methods, playing Grayshade will feel different from any other D&D game while the mechanics remain very familiar. This allows the rules to fade into the background while immersing your character in a world of shifting loyalties, competing faiths, and sudden, brutal, violence.

From Tren Sparks: The Key to Performing a Story
over 2 years ago – Mon, Jul 11, 2022 at 06:32:22 PM

Today's update is from Tren Sparks, who will be narrating the audiobook for Grayshade when we reach our minimum funding. Tren live-streamed a really wonderful three-part show this weekend that you could watch in full or skip through - even watching for a few minutes is really fascinating! In three segments, you'll find Tren: 1) Listening to audio of an older recording and discussing his process 2) Live-recording and live-editing from Grayshade (!) 3) A Q&A on narration and voice acting. (And if you'd be so kind, don't forget to click Subscribe on the You Tube channel - this helps the team a lot.) Now, from Tren:

- - -

I could tell you the mechanics of how I use the software to record and edit the stories I narrate. Or I could tell you which hardware I use. But a lot of that can be very subjective. Some microphones work better for certain voice types than others. Some people don't need overly complex or expensive software. So I think, instead, I will tell you something I feel everyone who wants to narrate stories needs to know.

How to do it well.

We’ve all seen or heard bad performances. Scenes, or even entire productions, where someone just wasn't doing well. Either they were “phoning it in” or just didn’t grasp what they were required to do. Narration, and voice acting in general, is just like being on stage or in a film. It is every bit as much a performance art, it’s just that...your audience can't see you. You still have to give a good performance. Hopefully, a great one.

To do so, you must not only know a character and their motivations, but also their part in the story. You have to know them all. You have to know the story and its intricacies. Where and how it starts, where it ends up, and how it gets there. You need to know it just about as well as the author. Only then will you understand the plot, the characters, and how they move through each other. Only then will you really be able to perform it well.

We've seen actors talking about researching a role they’re going to play. Narration is, in my opinion, no different. Before you record a single word, read the story all the way through. Learn who the characters are when you first meet them and how they change by the last page. As I often say, “If you know the main character dies at the end, it changes the way you say ‘Once upon a time’ at the beginning.” Knowing their journeys through the story will help you to convey it to the listener in subtle and powerful ways. For those who prefer audiobooks, you are that story’s voice. Be a great one. Otherwise, they might as well use a text-to-speech engine.

With Grayshade, there are a multitude of different characters to portray, each with their own personality, voice, motivation and growth throughout the arc of the story. Some have larger parts than others, but they are each an important piece in moving the story forward in a meaningful way. Whether a wealthy merchant, his socialite wife, a new apprentice, a trusted friend, an informant, or....well....you'll find out.

It took me almost 40 years to learn that voice acting and narration was something I was good at. There is nothing I would rather do as a career. I absolutely love it.

You must always choose love.