Hello All,
You guys aren't bashful, so let's get down to business, shall we?
Q0. Are the rules Powered by MasterCraft?
A0. Absolutely. We have an exclusive license to produce
Fantasy Craft products with the official logos. As such,
Iron Dynasty is fully compatible with the latest iteration of Fantasy Craft and you could certainly introduce whatever elements you want from the core system with little issue, though some races would be rather odd, since it's a human dominated society. However, I think it's cool when people take a setting and make it their own. I always have and would expect nothing less from the creative folks on these boards.
Q1. How much big a setting are we talking about? 100 pages, 200, more?
A1. 200-300 pages (digest size, 6 x 9, softbound). (Probably closer to the latter than the former.)
Q2. What will the book actually contain? The setting itself and only, or some dedicated rules, or even one or two scenarios?
A2. Konoyo (the world) is comprised of nine provinces. There is an overview map and maps showing major settlements and the like. Details are given on the various provinces with their cultural variations, and there are details on all the settlements and what-not. There are seven campaign frameworks, adventure generators, monsters, lots of NPCs, creature generators, the whole-shebang. While we don't give specific scenarios, we give you all the tools you need to craft them. Existing FC classes are holistically integrated into the setting, there are some brand new ones, such as the ganso (inventor), and there are some nifty new expert classes we've introduced.
Q3. Will it be available in print? In PDF? Both?
A3. Both. We traditionally offer PRINT+PDF Pre-Order Bundles.
Q4. Oriental steampunk is indeed a daring choice. What kind of relations are there between technology and "more traditional" magic? Do they oppose, as in Arcanum, or do they mingle well together, as in the Iron Kingdoms? Basically same question regarding religions ... is there some sort of clash between ancient beliefs and modern culture/science?
A4. Thanks. I just want you all to know we're not jumping on the latest steampunk craze. I have loved it for a long time (since first seeing it on
The Wild Wild West as a kid) and our first setting was
RunePunk which is dark steampunk fantasy. In the
Iron Dynasty, there is a push-pull relationship with technology and magic as it has recently come to the fore. Many people are coming to grips with the strange technology which is mainly in the hands of the provincial army with such things as kikai (giant metal war machines) and firearms restricted to military and nobility. At present, though makoto may beseech kami for aid with prayer, many believe the gods have left man to their own devices. Some people follow the old paths, some follow the new, but there is a fundamental breakdown of the caste system, allowing players to focus on the fun and adventure offered up by oriental fantasy while those who want to bring it to the fore may do so. The aim was mass appeal without compromising detail.
Q5. Is the "oriental" part Chinese-based, Japanese-based, or is it some sort of mix as in Rokugan?
A5. Our setting is based on Japanese history infused with myth and my own warped sensibilities. If you were going to historically place it, it would roughly be in the Sengoku period (when you add in steampunk and magic, things get a bit skewed, however.) It's been in development for a number of years, and when
Fantasy Craft was launched, I had a chat with Pat and Alex at Gen Con in '09 and we thought it would be a great fit for the system. My Blurry crew knew it would take awhile to get up to speed on the system and work through the process, which is one of the reasons we launched the
Old School Fantasy line, so we could get our hands dirty, get to know you, and provide some great traditional fantasy while we sorted out the details on
Iron Dynasty.
Q6. Who did the art?
A6. A number of folks you'll recognize, but I'll name just one I know you guys know: Ben McSweeney, we commissioned him to do the weapons and armor and they are fantastic. Yes, ALL those strange, oriental weapons are illustrated!
Q7.Do you plan to release some kind of short preview?
A7. Certainly. We're starting to bang the drums about the setting and we'll be releasing some appetizers as we build up to the release.
I'll add a couple of liner notes for you here at the end:
The setting came out originally for Savage Worlds earlier this year and has been in development since '06, though I originally conceptualized it in '04. We already have a full line of support products written and slated for release, so there will be no shortage of guidebooks and adventures for those wanting to grab something and go. One of the really great things I absolutely love about Fantasy Craft is the sliding DC, so every adventure is suitable for everybody.
Best,
Sean
P.S. Thanks for the thoughtful questions. I look forward to fielding more!
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