-------------------------------------- ATL@S UPDATE February 9th, 2001 www.atlas-games.com ------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS ~~~~~~~~ 1. Foreword 2. Credits 3. Coming Attractions 4. Wide Screen Release 5. Now Announcing... Penumbra 6. Words from the Warehouse Workers 7. Notes, Disclaimers, and Other Small Print for the Lawyers FOREWORD from Alex Atlas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ June 28th, 2000. That's the last time Atlas has sent out an Atl@s Update newsletter. We apologize for this slight, and hang our heads in shame. Or at least I do. A little. I nod my head in shame. Anyway, over the past six-plus months there's been considerable personnel changes here at Atlas Games (see "Credits" below). With such upheaval and general level of chaos, Atl@s Update seemed to slip through the cracks. Well, slip no more! Atl@s Update is our "irregular electronic newsletter," but now it will be irregular only in content, not schedule. Whenever Atlas has a total of two new product announcements, new releases shipped, important company information, or combination thereof (one new product announcement and one company information release, or something like that - you know what I mean) a brand-spankin' new Update will come out. I'd like to ask that anyone subscribing to this newsletter having questions about our company or any of its product lines to feel free and throw them my way. Make a note that you're a subscriber to this newsletter, and I'll answer the questions (or find someone who can) in the next newsletter for everyone to check out. Any comments, questions, or just plain rants you'd like us to hear? Here's your chance! One other note - for the past few months (and hopefully for a while to come - what, am I getting fired? Did you hear something?) I have been the maintainer of Atlas Games' website. I'm trying humbly to follow in the footsteps of phenomenal former webmaster Jeff Tidball. I'm also in the process of creating a website for our Penumbra line of d20 System products (www.PenumbraD20.com). Is there anything you'd like to see changed or added to atlas-games.com? Are there things I should try to incorporate into PenumbraD20.com? Let me know - I'd like to make our websites as accessible, informational, and plain useful for Atlas' dedicated fans. Given time and budget constraints, and the fact that I'm just one human being, I might not be able to put all of your suggestions into the sites, but I'll be sure to consider them carefully. Well, until next time (which WON'T be another eight months, I swear), thanks for supporting Atlas Games! Alex Knapik alex@atlas-games.com CREDITS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Atlas is proud to (belatedly) announce the hiring of two new members to the Atlas staff. Scott Reeves joined the Atlas Games staff in October 2000 as Art Director. Scott is in charge of luring artists to the Atlas side, graphic design and layout, and (in his words) "making Atlas a more beautiful place." Scott previously worked as a freelance graphic artist in the industry, having projects for Steve Jackson Games, Gold Rush Games, and Atlas Games. He came to Atlas from Gilbert, Arizona, and seems to absolutely hate the snow. Alex Knapik joined the Atlas Games staff in August 2000 as Sales and Marketing Assistant. In addition to doing the mundane stuff at Atlas that no one else has time for, Alex also is currently the web-(master? meister? monster? you decide) for www.atlas-games.com and our upcoming website www.PenumbraD20.com. Alex came to Atlas Games from Maple Grove, Minnesota, though he will always claim to be a Chicagoan. COMING ATTRACTIONS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MARCH 2001 - The Tide of Years A nation falls into ruin when its most treasured artifact - a temporal crystal capable of controlling time itself - is stolen from its sacred altar. Only the guilt-ridden spirit of a dead priest remains to recover the priceless crystal and restore his people to their glory. A group of travelling heroes is his only hope, but they must brave perilous waters to reach the sunken temple where the crystal now lies, radiating a strange energy that has transformed the surrounding forest into a prehistoric landscape. Can they return the crystal to its rightful time, or will they find themselves overwhelmed by The Tide of Years? The Tide of Years is an adventure scenario for the D20 System, published under the Open Gaming License and D20 System Trademark License. It features: * An opening for GMs to introduce time travel into their campaigns, either as a one-time extraordinary experience or an ongoing campaign theme. * Time traps the players must think their way through and dangerous new monsters. * The new clerical Domain of Time, including new spells and a new deity. * Maps designed with Profantasy Software's Campaign Cartographer 2, and available for download from the Atlas Games web site. * 48 pages of text with two-color printing throughout. Author: Michelle Nephew / Penumbra Trade Dress Design: John Tynes /Cover Artist: Helena Wickberg of Phoenix Studios / Interior Design: Scott Reeves / Interior Art: David Interdonato, Chris Seaman, and Helena Wickberg / 48 pages / 8-1/2" x 11" / saddle stitched / 2-color text Product Number: AG3203 / ISBN: 1-887801-98-7 / MSRP: $10.95 (US) Free Preview Download available at www.atlas-games.com MARCH 2001 - Rune RPG The prophecies tell us that someday the god Balder - Odin's fair-haired and glowing son of innocence and light - will be slain by his half-brother, the cruel and ambitious Loki. Loki now writhes in chains in a secret chamber far below the earth, imprisoned by Odin and Thor in an attempt to stave off this predicted murder; for when Balder dies at Loki's hand, the final battle between giants and gods will commence. The best we can do is forestall this inescapable doom, called Ragnarok, by keeping Loki's forces in check. This we do with axe and sword, felling those who serve him, and those who stand in the way of this goal. Warriors who fight well will win the favor of the gods, gaining superhuman powers that ordinary men can only envy - but there are few gifts which do not come with a price. The world of Rune offers both danger and glory to young Viking warriors. Enormous serpents infest the seas, ready to wrap their tails around longships and drag their crews down to watery graves. Giants stride through mountain passes, their noses hungry for the smell of manflesh. Elves both light and dark dwell in woods too dense for men to survive. Deep in the mountains lie trackless miles of caverns and passageways, infested with all manner of creatures, from lowly but devious goblins to massive wyrms who can devour entire raiding parties without filling their monstrous bellies. In this land of Scandinavian myth, epic adventure awaits the brave at heart. The Rune RPG features: * A competitive roleplaying approach - characters earn victory points for their exploits, and a winner is declared at the end of every session * A group GM-ing experience - Rune's innovative encounter creation system encourages players to create skirmishes to insert in the larger plot of the adventure * Stunning concept art from the Rune video game, courtesy of Human Head Studios, and a demo copy of Human Head Studios' Rune video game is included with the hardcover By Robin D. Laws / 256 pages / 8.5" x 11" / Hardcover Product Number: AG3600 / ISBN: 1-887801-92-X / MSRP: $27.95 (US) Free Preview Kit available at www.runegame.com APRIL 2001 - In Your Face Again Who wants some?! A case of mistaken identity. The wrong bag of videotapes. Blood and circuses. An underground fighting circuit. A journey into Darkest Africa. A crotchety old ice cream vendor who happens to be a kung fu master. A fu-based super weapon. A child who can change the course of history at whim. And more. In Your Face Again is a Feng Shui collection featuring a wide variety of scenarios, ranging from introductory adventures for players new to Feng Shui to stories that embroil the characters more deeply in the Secret War than they ever cared to go. The scenarios span the open junctures and the Netherworld, and include adversaries from most of the factions described in Feng Shui to date. Whether youÍre looking for inspiration for an ongoing campaign or simply donÍt have the time to create your own scenarios, In Your Face Again provides everything you need for months of Feng Shui entertainment. Editor: Jeff Tidball / Writers: Anthony Botz, Darrin Bright, Loki Carbis, Jim Crocker, David Eber, Mark Kinney, Alex Knapik, Tom McGrenery, and Mike Mearls / Cover Artist: David White / Interior Illustrations: Toren Atkinson, Andrew Baker, William H. Bronson, Eric Hotz, Thomas Manning, Richard Pace, Jim Pavelec, Steven Sanders, and Grey Thornberry (subject to change) 128 pages / 8-1/2" x 11" / perfect bound softcover Product Number: AG4006 / ISBN: 1-887801-97-9 / MSRP: $19.95 (US) MAY 2001 - Touched by the Gods Even in a world overflowing with magic, the mark of the gods is unmistakable. Some mortals actively curry the gods' favor, serving their high ideals or executing their blasphemous designs. Others are random victims or beneficiaries of divine attention. Those whom the gods have touched may be inspired, blessed, cursed -- the saint and the prophet, the genius and the madman, sometimes one and the same person. Touched by the Gods is a D20 roleplaying supplement that can enhance any fantasy campaign. It is filled with information on religious and secular orders, and the deities lurking behind them. This hardcover book contains the following: * In-depth background on more than a dozen religious cults, secret societies, and strange cabals. Included are initiation rites and adventure seeds designed to let Game Moderators introduce whichever mysteries of the occult they like into their own campaign world. * A litany of new gods and the NPCs who would grasp their power, holy weapons, clerical domains, spells, feats and prestige classes, special attacks and abilities, fearsome monsters, creature templates, magical and cursed items, and the clandestine rituals that grant mere mortals a small taste of godhood. * Words straight from the mouths of the prophets, lending an atmosphere of intrigue and wonder to this latest tome in the ground-breaking Penumbra line of D20 System adventures and sourcebooks! Touched by the Gods is the supplement that players and GMs alike have been praying for! Editor: Michelle Nephew / Penumbra Trade Dress Design: John Tynes / Cover Artist: Helena Wickberg of Phoenix Studios / Interior Design: Scott Reeves / Interior Art: TBA 128 pages / 8-1/2" x 11" / casebound hardcover Product Number: AG3204 / ISBN: 1-887801-99-5 / MSRP: $23.95 (US) Note: This sourcebook is not related to or derived from the fantasy novel Touched by the Gods (Tor, 1997) by Lawrence Watt-Evans. WIDE SCREEN RELEASES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The following are products released by Atlas within the last three quarters: Four Bastards AG4004 8.95$ A Feng Shui Scenario Sourcebook Seal of the Wheel AG4005 19.95$ A Feng Shui Sourcebook of the Ascended Statosphere AG6004 19.95$ An Unknown Armies Sourcebook Hush Hush AG6005 19.95$ An Unknown Armies Sourcebook of the Sleepers The Mysteries AG0265 21.95$ An Ars Magica Sourcebook - the Mind of the Magus The Medieval Bestiary AG0266 19.95$ An Ars Magica Sourcebook - Beasts of Mythic Europe Letterhead AG1230 19.95$ The Dynamic Word-Forming Card Game The Rough and the Smooth AG2701 25.00$ A hardback novel by Robin D. Laws NOW ANNOUNCING ... PENUMBRA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Atlas Games took the lead in publishing independent d20 System materials under the Open Gaming License with the release of Three Days to Kill, the first Penumbra title, in August 2000. The Penumbra line will continue to grow in 2001 with additional adventures and sourcebooks, setting the standard of quality for independent commercial d20 publications. Now available for Penumbra: Three Days to Kill AG3200 8.95$ A Penumbra Adventure for 1st to 3rd level characters Thieves in the Forest AG3201 8.95$ A Penumbra Introductory Adventure for 1st level characters In the Belly of the Beast AG3202 8.95$ A Penumbra Adventure for 2nd to 4th level characters How can I submit freelance work for Penumbra? Check out submission guidelines on our website - take a specific look at the Penumbra section (www.atlas-games.com/pen_index.html), as Penumbra Line Editor Michelle Nephew has specific information for this game line. WORDS FROM THE WAREHOUSE WORKERS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Three quick notes: 1) Thieves in the Forest (AG3201) for our Penumbra line is now out of print. Check your local game retailer for availability. 2) Once Upon a Time (AG1001) is currently out of stock. A reprint will occur, but currently there is no release date. Check your local game retailer for availability. 3) Looking for damaged, out of print, or rare Atlas Games products? Check out the Fire Sale on our website (www.atlas-games.com/mail_order_firesale.html)! NOTES, DISCLAIMERS, AND OTHER FINE PRINT FOR THE LAWYERS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You're reading ATL@S UPDATE, Atlas Games' periodic electronic newsletter. It's published whenever there's newsworthy information from Atlas Games to report, and whenever we let Alex out of the warehouse. To subscribe to this list, send an e-mail to info@atlas-games.com with the subject line "E-Mail Announcement List". To have your name removed from this list, send an e-mail to info@atlas-games.com with the subject line "Remove E-Mail Announcement List". In each case, the body of your message should include only your e-mail address. We will never sell or give out the e-mail addresses on this distribution list. We apologize if this newsletter has reached you in error - it is only sent to individuals who have requested it. Direct all questions about this publication to info@atlas-games.com. 'd20 System' and the d20 System Logo are Trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission. This is a publication of Atlas Games and is copyright 2001 Trident Inc.