CJC Quote: It's haunting, isn't it? That disembodied beat. It keeps perfect time, you know. Lub Dub-a-dub lub. I will not lie. I was weak. I feared death, and craved power. ...both appetites are thoroughly satiated now. Joining this club is like going to a party with lemmings. Don't get me wrong, it's the experience of a lifetime. But when the night is over, everybody jumps. We used to be a blazing inferno. We used to be so powerful. At least, that's what everybody says. There's no stoking the embers. There's no fuel left. This is our final hour. Let's go out with a bang. The Play-test is over, and Dragon the Embers' core content is officially out of second-stage production. [UPDATE: 10/13/13] Due to various polluting flaws in the document, only one version of the Second Stage development will be made available. The template is currently in a state of flux while we discuss flaws and fixes. Dragon the Embers All Text Book Block [6-5-13] Updated with Yue's Bookmarks (Click the link to go to the Google Drive, hover to the right of the size until a pull-down arrow appears, click it, and select Download) Here's a link straight to the PDF, in case you're having trouble with the ZIP. There's a download option in one of the pull- down menus. It has been updated with Yue's bookmarks as of 06-05-2013. The All Text Book Block contains no images. It is 200+ pages of walls of text and rules, rules, rules. It won't be fun to read, but it was the easiest version to assemble and thus the first to be available. Dragon the Embers Illustrated Book Block (For Third-Stage Development) For those hobbyists who know how to bind their own books, this version contains the fully formatted and illustrated version of the fan template. The width of the spine for the cover image has been calculated with the assumption the book will be printed on 60# copy paper. This version is not yet available. Currently, the project has only one illustrator (myself), so any version with images will be a long time waiting. Dragon the Embers Illustrated PDF (For Third-Stage Development) For those that simply want an illustrated PDF that includes the front and back cover, this version has the cover images appended on the front and end. This version is not yet available. EDIT (10-20-2013) wrote: For those of you joining us just now, I have cloistered most of the development of the Third Stage version of the document in order to implement a series of recommendations made in this very thread. At the moment two discussions are currently open to outside input: Changing Ethics The Morality system of the splat has always been lacking, and though we discussed an alternative setup called Mandate it did not help to resolve certain issues, mainly the mechanical encouragement of thematic behavior. As such, I drafted a new morality mechanic called Honor that is intimately tied to the means through which the template replenishes its energy (Breath). You may read this system and the community responses to it starting here, on Page 6 of this thread. Emotional Weather To bring dragons more in line with their portrayal as weather spirits (so as to round them out culturally), I have proposed a storyteller mechanic wherein emotional states trigger weather phenomenon. Gravitas Man noted that he liked the system if it would be a little less specific. That discussion is still underway, starting here, on Page 6 of this thread. Frequently Asked Questions: Q: Dragons have no place in Gothic Horror! A: That's not a question. But if it had been phrased as a question, here is the answer: paranoia. Our dragons live separate from their hearts, and their membership as fire-breathing lizards is dependent on the integrity of that blood pump. If it is eaten by another, then the gourmet replaces the previous dragon (and if you're that dragon, tough luck for you! Your life comes to an abrupt and unexpected end). If it is destroyed, POP! Dead and gone forever. In addition, our dragons are drawn to positions of power, and like to manipulate the 'mortals' into making their environment more pleasing. Think about it... what if your boss was secretly a fire-breathing monster, using you as a puppet in her elaborate supernatural games? Q: Why can't my Dragon breathe lightning, cold, or poison? A: Gepetto and Shock, the concept creators of this project, wanted to distance the dragon image from their "Dungeons and Dragons" depictions. Because of the Furnace, it was decided that the best depiction to use was the Fire-Breathing variety to keep the imagery consistent. Q: What's to stop my Dragon from just binge-eating to get a ton of Breath? A: Well, aside from the social stigma of being a pig in public, it draws a lot of attention and eats up quite a lot of time. It's also not financially sound to chunk out like that. A glass of gasoline is much more efficient, and quite a bit cheaper. EDIT 10/13/13: Breath is currently under reconstruction. Q: Why would I want to play this game? A: Because it's awesome! Actually, most people harvest Dragon for mechanics and mystery villains, but the game has some nice depth if you give it a chance. We've been rebuked before for weak themes, but I think this new version brings a good balance of mechanics and intrigue. EDIT 10/13/13: The thematic elements of the game are also under reconstruction. Q: Can I take parts of this and make my own Dragon template? A: Of course. Since Dragon the Embers is built from the Storytelling Engine (an Onyx Path intellectual property), it is not the proprietary property of anyone. There is nothing stopping you from building on our core idea or even building a completely different Dragon template. We simply ask that you give credit to Shock and Gepetto if you use our material, and that you give your off-shoot a different subtitle to avoid confusion with our stuff. Anticipated Questions: Q: Why is it that the Dragon is always referred to with the female pronoun? A: To avoid confusion when using pronouns, I've written every passage such that the player "the Dragon" is referred to in the female tense, and the target is referred to in the male tense. If you see 'she', it is referring to the dragon using the power or ability. If you see 'he', it's referring to the target of the ability, or somebody acting against the dragon. Q: Is Dragon the Embers compatible with the God Machine Chronicle? A: No! No no no no no no no. It takes a really long time to assemble a new edition like this, and this version has been in the works since before Mummy was announced. Since Dragon the Embers is tied around the Storytelling system much more tightly than other templates, a compatibility conversion would be quite an undertaking. It is not something I will pursue, but anyone excited about this project may spearhead a conversion if they so choose. EDIT 10/13/13: Third-Phase development changes will make it easier to convert Dragon to GMC mechanics, but a 'chronicles' book is still planned. Q: Wait, so Dragons have Ablutions AND Edicts? Don't splats usually only get one special power? A: Yeah, well Dragons have two. So HAH! Q: That's not an answer! A: Fine. Ablutions represent physical characteristics of the Dragon, while Edicts represent their power of authority. The prior is their built-in supernatural prowess, like a Werewolf's forms or a Vampire's undead flesh. It is different solely because it is more flexible, and can be advanced with experience. Q: Why is the Mirrors appendix so random? A: It was written with the assumption that you would have the Mirrors book on-hand. Only the sections that require rules adjustment are referenced (by header only), and only the things that need to be altered are mentioned. EDIT 10/13/13: Come the third-phase version, the Mirrors appendix will be removed. Setting shards will be incorporated into the Storytelling chapter. Q: Why is Degree of Divinity so overpowered? A: Read the section about Willpower adjustment for mortals. And the part about needing to pay to fend off hunger multiple times per day. And keep in mind that when you look like a monster, people come after you with torches and pitchforks. Q: I've seen that mechanic before... You stole it from Leviathan! A: Yes I did. TheKingsRaven and I traded several mechanics and applied our own spins to them, since the two are very closely related (and Dragon began its life as an off-shot of Leviathan, anyway). Q: Isn't the Dreamtide essentially the Skein from Changeling? A: Actually, I wrote the Dreamtide content solely based on the blip about the Astral Realm from Mage the Awakening's core manual, before I read Changling the Lost. The similarity and overlap is actually quite amusing, but the idea is too far ingrained into the idea of the template to shake off. EDIT 10/13/13: Come the third-phase version, the Dreamtide appendix will be removed and replaced with another system and setting. What setting? That's... a secret. Q: Wait, so getting insulted turns their flesh to stone? A: It's a little more complicated than that, but essentially yes.