cyclopean imp

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 30' (10')
      Fly 120' (40')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 2d8
Attacks: 1 (sting)
Damage: 1d4, evil eye
Save: M2
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: None (VIII)

This 2' tall fiend is a bat-winged humanoid with mottled, leathery hide and barbed tail. It is usually summoned as a guardian of ancient lore.  It's bulbous head with tiny horns and mouth is dominated by a huge, lead-coloured eye.  While a cyclopean imp attacks by stinging with it's barbed tail, it's evil eye is feared.  Each round, the imp can forfeit all attacks and causing it's eye to glow with a hellish radiance.  This performs one of the following effects:

• Blindness (save vs. spells or be blinded until dispel magic is cast)
• Doom (as reverse bless spell, -1 to AC, hit and damage in 20' square)
• Hold person (one person only; save vs. spells at -2, hold lasts for 4 rounds).
  

Cyclopean imps enjoy tormenting those affected by their evil eye, singling out blinded foes for attacks, holding held victims hostage.  They have a twisted intellect that works with others but will betray them if there is an apparent advantage in doing so.  This treacherous tendency is known to certain elves and magic-users who use it to trick cyclopean imps into abandoning the object they are guarding.

the noble experiment

Adamant announced the end of their $1.99 (was $1) PDF publishing experiment on Monday.  Gareth offers some analysis to explain the decision.  Ultimately the experiment became unsustainable.  The experiment evolved over three months with the following factors playing a part:

• An initial shift in pricing from $1 to $1.99 after the first day.
• The March GM Day sale where Adamant dropped prices by 25% further for the duration of the sale.
• An increased release schedule meant more things to buy which drove up sales and outlay.

Responses from interested bystanders range from condolences through rants at customers.  With prices at $2 or less each, it's hardly credible to cite stinginess.  Adamant has over 200 items in stock at DriveThruRPG so it's hardly lack of choice.  So what gives?  Having previously mentioned certain events, let's look a little closer.

First impressions count, the jump in price after day one was an inauspicious start.  While it's evident the initial pricing hiccup was due to a miscalculation on small purchase handling, some suspected a gimmick or publicity stunt.  While motives vary, Gareth's opinions and those of his alter-ego GMS have antagonised RPG fans before and it's certainly possible those making such remarks were unfriendly competition.

It's notable Gareth and Adamant has a history of largesse when it comes to sales, launching a $1 sale in December 2010 and contributing to many charity bundles.  The March GM Day sale price drop gave those who missed the December sale a second bite.  Fred Hicks posted a note from DriveThruRPG on January 6th at his Tumblr and it contains a possible explanation for what happened here.

If all publishers trended prices down to $1 for an RPG, then customers will re-anchor their price expectations at that level and $1 RPGs would no longer ignite large sales volumes for any single publisher. Instead $15 RPGs will seem expensive, much like any app over $1.99 is “expensive”.

By normalising prices so that the discount wasn't as large as usual, customers saw it as less of a bargain which may explain why takeup wasn't as dramatic as in previous years.  Adamant now faces a period of readjustment, fortunately given the strength of products like ICONS it may be able to weather the consequences of this.

The increased release schedule was the killer.  Given the work needed to put out any publication it is not surprising that increasing your release schedule means increasing outlay.  During March 2011 but after the GM Day sale three titles were released with only a 35% increase in income compared to the previous year.  That's effectively one per week!  Before the sale, there was greater correlation between increased releases and profit.  After, it suggests that a plateau had been reached.

What interests me (and others) is how this compares with epublishing (arguably niche, maybe less so than RPGs).  There are success stories like J.A. Konrath.  Tobias Bucknell has a year of ebook data with variable pricing and argues for diversification.  Looking further outwards at apps themselves, it's suggested individual users tend to purchase 10 - 12 per month.  That's a lot and given the depth of some RPGs needs a significant learning curve.  Matching that level of takeup is ambitious and saturation appears to be a risk. Perhaps the solution is to produce add-ons to a core product?

I admire Gareth for his vision and having the chutzpah to do this.  Failing to applaud pioneers means nobody visits terra incognita.  I can recommend ICONS as a cracking rules-lite superhero game with plenty of support - if you haven't bought it yet, please do so.  There are other publishers who are following the app pricing experiment including Nevermet Press who priced their PDFs at $2.99.  It appears that the noble experiment continues...

zombie, hiveheart

No. Enc.: 1d6+1 (2d8)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 3d8
Attacks: 1 (by weapon)
Damage: 1d8 or weapon
Save: F1
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: None

Hiveheart zombies are created by chaotic magic-users and clerics using a human corpse, a black gem, a wasp nest and sinister magic.  These zombies are riddled with wasps that form a hostile cloud around the zombie up to 10' radius.  Those living creatures stood within the radius take 1 point of damage per round (doubled if the victim is wearing no armour) and will do so until they leave the radius for three rounds as the wasps cling to them, stinging. This is reduced to one round if a character submerges themselves in water.  Fire, cold or smoke will drive off the wasps but waving a weapon around or using a sleep spell is ineffective.  Hiveheart zombies attack last in the round due to their rotting flesh and are susceptible to normal weapons, like other undead sleep or charm spells are ineffective.  Unlike normal zombies, hiveheart zombies are able to understand complicated instructions, it is believed the hive at their heart gives them some degree of intelligence above that of normal zombies.

inns & taverns: zora's cove

A pirate queen's former hideaway over an inland bay.  Zora's Cove serves a syndicate of spice plantations with their chartered trader and native allies.  Those visiting Zora's Cove seek fortune or wish to spend one earned from sale of spice.  Zora The Raven is believed dead.  Her crew rot in gibbets, jails or cheap taverns.  The Cove lost it's pirate trappings yet fortunes still change hands and blood clouds night seas.  Even without  pirates, the Cove can still be deadly.  

A row of thatched parasols hide the exterior.  These shelter the path and entrance from strong sea winds and noon sun.  Long shadows paint blue-stained shutters black.  Clusters of natives and minor agents linger, awaiting opportunity.  Inside the cave, tables hug the corners and edges.  The air is thick with tallow smoke and spices.  About half the tables are occupied.  A circular bar in the centre of the cave dominates the room.  A pulley and chain hangs over the bar providing a dumb waiter from the cavern below where food is prepared and drinks are stored.

The usual drink is a cup of dark rum though a spiced rum infused with nutmeg is also popular.  Cold nights see a buttered rum with cinnamon and nutmeg served to wealthy agents.  A fortified root beer finds favour with new visitors and the stubborn who must drink from tankards.  A spice tea is offered for delicate palates or those wishing to stay sober. Food ranges from salt fish broth and sourdough bread through roasted chicken to ogre crab claw - a crab claw as long as a shortsword.  The last is a delicacy, ogre crabs are territorial and aggressive, especially under a full moon.  Prices are double that on the mainland.

The landlord Gewhayn, is an affable psychopath.  An ex-pirate and slaver, the syndicate and traders pay him handsomely to maintain the status quo.  His eleven daughters tend bar, exotic beauties skilled in deception, reading people like books and occasional assassination.  Gewhayn keeps slaves in the caverns beneath Zora's Cove.  Though immoral, there is no denying his wealth or apparent influence. Gewhayn has stated "The only people who kill in here are family."  Most patrons know the odds favour the house.

Accommodation is available with well-appointed rooms carved from the rock.  Guests risk enslavement if they don't work for the syndicate or traders. Gewhayn and his daughters almost always know who is and who isn't.  Baths, massage and valet services are available for additional coin.  These services are provided by slaves supervised by a single daughter.  Misunderstandings are settled by coin or swift dumping of a weighted canvas overboard.  There are few permanent guests though every solstice, agents of the syndicate stay here with preferential treatment.
 
Adventure is a canoe-ride from Zora's Cove with ogre crab hunts, tracking escaped slaves or following maps to pirate treasure.  Getting involved with the spice or slave trade is more dangerous.  The trading houses have exploitable rivalries.  These are used by the syndicate and Gewhayn's family to their advantage.  The return of pirates to the Cove would cause chaos and if the rumours of Zora's death are just rumours, the market and the Cove not survive that.