I think we should start a campaign for Monte to revamp the AE setting for 4th Edition. Let’s all send him a d4. Maybe if we get a thousand to him, he’ll think about. Or, you know, he could just let me do it.
38. What do you think the future is for AE?
Hey, I consider Monte a friend—but not that good a friend. It’s times like this I was I was a mind flayer. I could just burrow into Monte’s brain and answer all my questions. My gut tells me that Monte doesn’t have any interest in revisiting AE. In that case, I suspect there will be a small but deeply dedicated group of fans that will continue to play that version of the game for many years to come.
39. Is there anything else the world should know about you?
I’m not actually a devil. You’d be surprised how many people make that mistake—not the least of which because I am a lawyer. I guess the big news is that I landed the license to do an rpg based on the bestselling John Rain novels by Barry Eisler (www.johnraingame.com). I’m pretty excited about that. And I’m a great cook—like gourmet great. My Oscar parties are legendary.
40. Is there anything else the world should know about AE?
It’s a great setting! Seriously, you can buy it just for the setting, port it over to your favorite system, and get your money’s worth.
41. How did you feel when you saw the final layout for the finished product? What were you impressions of Sergio Isaza, and his work that appeared in The Fall Of All Things? (I really enjoyed the peace conference piece).
Well, I did the layout myself. I’m self-taught in layout, and I think it shows. I’ve improved a lot since Poisoncraft, but I still have a lot to learn. Sergio was a great find. I’d love to work with him again. He’s got a neat style that’s just perfect for certain kinds of pieces. (My favorite was the portrait of Kraalis.)
42. I was a little disappointed the hypnolox, the antithesis of the akashic, did not make an appearance, was that just personal preference. (Though I was happy to see the akashic seekers).
I wish I could give you a cute little story—Bill Collins has an abnormal fear of hypnoloxes!—but it was probably just an oversight. In retrospect, you’re right of course.
43. The introduction of the akashic nodes, who wrote the majority of that, and was there any one section other than yours that really stood out?
Michael Trice wrote the bulk of it. I did some spotting on the mechanics side. The Serpent’s Heart Guildhall by Phillippe Daigneault is trippy. I still don’t know how Ed did a map of that thing.
44. What are your recommendations for making akashic nodes more relevant in an AE campaign?
That’s what I tried to do with the adventure: show people ways that an akashic node could become a fresh way to serve a traditional role in a D&D adventure.
45. How do akashic nodes affect the culture of a quasi-medieval fantasy setting like the diamond throne?
I’ve always seen it as a more benign version of undeath. Books can turn to dust; people die; but memory lives forever.
46. Could you talk about your favorite new monster from Akashic Nodes?
I think the node leeches are ripe with possibilities. I just wish WotC had come out with the swarm rules when we did that. They should definitely be a swarm.
47. What is your favorite akashic node adventure seed?
I like the adventure seed for the Hostility node (on p. 8): “A beloved trader’s caravan inadvertently traveled through the epicenter of a hostile node. They were beset by bandits, and he succumbed to a blinding bloodlust. The bandits were defeated, but the trader slew his apprentice as well. He now stands trial for the crime.” Maybe it’s just because I’m a lawyer.
1 comment:
His answer to question 38 could really be read in a bad light.
Monte is not a good friend (i.e. he is a bad friend who comes over unannounced and eats all your chips), therefore he wants to eat Monte's brain.
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