Palladium Books® Weekly Update – July 7, 2011

By Kevin Siembieda

I hope Palladium’s USA gamers had a wonderful and long Independence Day holiday weekend. Mine was to die for – that’s a Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms reference, as I spent 30 hours writing away Saturday through Monday.

Right now, it feels like organized chaos at Palladium Books. We are all hopping busy and stressed to the max as we try to get new books to the printer, get ready for Gen Con Indy and take care of Alex and business. The trick is to do it and try to remain sane and positive at the same time. Yikes.

Why just yesterday:

Today, Thursday, July 7:

UPDATE: Alex. There has been no change in his condition yet, though his face is not looking as flushed as it had. Alex is taking his meds, seeing doctors and trying to do everything he can to beat this disease. I took him to his latest blood treatment just this afternoon. For those of you who missed the last Weekly Update, Alex has a blood disease called Polychromasia. His blood is too thick and that creates a danger of blood clots and causes exhaustion, heightened anxiety, and other problems. It has been a rough week for Alex, but his attitude and outlook are both positive. Heck, I think he’s handling his illness better than I am.

UPDATE: Alex’s house. I checked on the ol’ homestead on Tuesday and it looks marvelous. You’d never know there was a fire. I think the interior painting is being finished today. Carpeting should be installed tomorrow or over the weekend. There has been a delay with the final electrical work (installation of outlets, switches, covers and a couple ceiling fans), but that should be finished on Monday. Then, it’s a matter of getting the Certificate of Occupancy. If getting the permit goes without a hitch, Alex and family should be able to start moving back home by next weekend. I sure hope so. It has been a long haul and Alex could use the break.

UPDATE: New titles coming soon! Books should start coming one, two, three this month. The Rifter® #55 goes to the printer tomorrow (Friday), the “New and Improved” Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ (that’s what I’m calling it now) goes next, and Rifts® Lemuria immediately after it. We anticipate having copies of all three at Gen Con.

UPDATE: Robotech® New Generation Sourcebook. I approved Apollo Okamura’s color sketch for the cover and he should be working away on it. This is the NEXT new book to go to the printer in August. The Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™ and Megaverse® in Flames follow it.

UPDATE: Online Sales. Sales remain up and down. As predicted, Fourth of July weekend sales were lousy, but they have picked up the last couple of days. New books are coming. Get those pre-orders in for The Rifter® #55, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ and Rifts® Lemuria!

UPDATE: Back in Print: We are planning to bring several titles back into print, including Mutant Underground™ for Heroes Unlimited™, Xiticix Invasion™ for Rifts® and the out of print titles in the Coalition Wars® series over the next month or two. Maybe even in time for Gen Con.

The following titles are also recently back in print and ready to ship:

UPDATE: Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms– New and Improved. I have added so much new material, rewritten and improved upon the original material so much, that I’m calling it “New and Improved” instead of Expanded and Updated. The latter is still the official title, but this book is virtually new and certainly improved. I think you are going to love it. I’ve talked about it enough so I’m going to leave it at YOU WANT this book. Place your pre-orders now!

UPDATE: The Rifter® #55. Editing is done and Wayne is laying out the book to send to the printer tomorrow morning. It’s another fun issue you will not want to miss. Includes some extra material for Thundercloud Galaxy, and other good stuff. As always, we are looking for new contributors to future issues of The Rifter®. Next issue is the October “Horror Issue.” Send in your submissions now and you could be in that issue. The Rifter® is designed to publish “fan” created source material, so what are you waiting for? Send us your 8-25 page articles.

UPDATE: Rifts® World Book 32: Lemuria. The finished artwork is starting to come in and is looking outstanding. I dive into this book the second I’m done with Vampires Kingdoms.

UPDATE: Robotech® New Generation. This is the book that will follow Rifts® Lemuria. We’re starting to put things in place for its production and release right now. I approved the color cover sketch this week and Apollo Okamura is working on it. Not only that, but we hope to release one additional Robotech® title by the end of 2011, and the Robotech® Marines book is not dead.

UPDATE: DriveThruRPG.com Christmas in July Sale is Coming: It’s a couple weeks away, but I was afraid I would forget if I didn’t mention it now. Palladium Books PDF titles and other publishers will be at a discount price from Monday July 25th to Monday, August 1st (ending 10am EST).

Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms Sneak Preview should be available as a FREE download by the end of next week. Don’t forget, The Rifter® Number Zero and Hades Map Pack were recently made available on DriveThruRPG.com. DriveThruRPG offers more than 90 out of print titles (and a few that are not) as PDF downloads. It is a good resource for getting The Rifter® #1-48 and to fill in your RPG library with first edition copies of Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Unlimited™, and other game lines, as well as books such as Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™ and both versions of the The Mechanoids® RPG (1985) and The Collected Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy (1981-1983).

Gen Con Indy August 4-7

Palladium Books is Booth 1125

We’ll be there, how about YOU?

If you or a friend is going to Gen Con Indy, please stop by to say hello, get books autographed, and to buy the latest releases, back stock titles, some out of print books (like Ninja Turtles® RPG titles, Rifts® Ultimate Gold and others), collectibles, original artwork, T-Shirts and other goodies. The guys and I are happy to sign books and chit chat for a little while with everyone who swings by the booth, so come on over and join the fun. Give us a helping hand by spreading the word that Palladium Books will be at Gen Con Indy.

Palladium Books is Booth 1125 at Gen Con Indy.

Palladium people you’ll get to meet include:

FYI: I don’t think there are any “official” Palladium gaming events on the schedule but there are always a bunch of “unofficial” games.

UPDATE: Facebook Page. Sorry, I haven’t been on Facebook much lately (or Murmurs from the Megaverse). My plate has been very full with writing vampires and Lemurians, as well as helping Alex and getting ready for Gen Con. I’ll try to drop by Facebook and do a Murmur or two today and over the weekend.

UPDATE: Palladium’s website. Things continue to be going smooth for a while now, but you may see some hiccups as Thom and Rex have a couple of updates in development over the next week or two.

QueenofGhouls.com – One of Kathy Simmons’ customers loves her Halloween “ghouls” so much, she has two of them set up in her house, sitting at the dining room table, year round. I kid you not. Apparently, visitors adore them. Kathy continues to whip up new creations with more life size Halloween props going up this weekend. The Queen of Ghouls has plans for more zombies, skeleton pirates, wizards, werewolves and monsters in the weeks to come. Halloween is creeping up fast.

Behind the Scenes Report: I’ve revealed everything that’s been going on this week. Right now were in convention mode and trying to get those darn next 3-4 books into your hands!

Another Cool Convention: Palladium expects to attend the Detroit Fanfare, September 24 & 25 at Cobo Hall, downtown Detroit. One of the guests is Kevin Eastman – co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®. So this fun comic book and media convention will be a great chance to get your Ninja Turtle® game books (and comics) signed by one of the creators. It’s the first time Kevin has been to my home town of Detroit, so I’m afraid I’ll be a fan boy lugging a pile of TMNT RPG books for him to sign. We’ll be selling some TMNT books there too. Maybe I can get Kevin to swing by the Palladium offices while he’s in town. That’d be fun. Other guests include fan boy favorite actor, Bruce Campbell, and dozens and dozens of comic book guests. Palladium fans may be interested to know Dave Dorman (Palladium cover artist), Tim Bradstreet, and pal, Defiler and Palladium contributor of old, William Messner Loebs will also be attending, among any others guests. I’ll keep you posted as we firm up the details.

Click here for more information about Detroit Fanfare.

Keep those imaginations burning bright and visit us at Gen Con Indy in August, and Detroit Fanfare in September, right here in Michigan.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher

Rifts World Book 1 Vampire Kingdoms Expanded and Updated

NEW! Rifts® World Book One:

Vampire Kingdoms™, Expanded & Updated – ships July

Kevin Siembieda is completely rewriting, reorganizing, and expanding one of the most popular Rifts® World Books ever published: Vampire Kingdoms™. Updated to 109 P.A., there is so much new material that it is practically a new book, yet it also preserves most of the original characters, concepts and information. The new material is built upon the original text, only rewritten, clarified and expanded. Vampire Kingdoms™ will be updated and expanded in a more dramatic fashion than Kevin’s work in Rifts® Sourcebook One a few years ago. Best of all, it will be quickly followed by the Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™.

Rifts Vampires Sourcebook

NEW! Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™

All new source material

Trouble is stirring in the Vampire Kingdoms as ambitious vampire lords, ladies and misanthropes seek to expand their power to dominate more mortal life forms.

Written by Kevin Siembieda and a handpicked selection of other writers, this sourcebook explores the vampires of Mexico and their kingdoms in ways you never imagined. Tons of new data, adventure ideas and revelations.

The Rifter #55

NEW! The Rifter® #55

– Ships July

The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.

The Rifter® #55 includes:


Rifts World Book: Lemuria

NEW! Rifts® World Book: Lemuria™

– Ships July 26

The power, secrets and magic of the underwater realm of Lemuria revealed. Player characters can use symbiotes, magic and technology to breathe underwater and spend time below the waves.

Lemuria is more than an underwater civilization of aquatic beings. They can trace their lineage as far back as the Atlanteans and can survive on dry land as well as underwater. In fact, their greatest secret is that there is no one resting place for the Lemurians, their great cities are always moving. Learn about the people of Lemuria, new Biomancy magic and weapons, Biomancy engineered riding animals, sea herbs, new powers of healing, sea monsters, and more. Epic adventure awaits.

NEW! Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook

This Robotech® sourcebook will be a Summer 2011 release.

NEW! Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames

The Minion War spills across Rifts Earth, where demons and infernals hope to recruit allies and use the Rifts as gateways of destruction. Their influence shakes things up across the planet, especially at locations where demons and Deevils already have a strong presence. More details to follow, but for now, 'nuff said.

NEW! Rifts® Chaos Earth Sourcebook: First Responders

Data about the chaos and madness of the early days of the Great Cataclysm, and the brave men and women who tried to stem the tide of destruction and save lives, the First Responders.

Rifts Free Quebec

Rifts® World Book 22: Free Quebec

– Back in Print – Available Now

If you like Glitter Boys, high technology and/or Canada, you want this book. It is another World Book jammed full of valuable characters, information and adventure ideas.

Rifts Book of Magic

Rifts® Book of Magic

– Back in Print – Available Now

This is the ultimate guide to magic on Rifts Earth. All the magic spells, magic tattoos, Techno-Wizard items, magic weapons, equipment, body armor, restraints, parasites, symbiotes, magic items, Automatons, Iron Juggernauts, and more from Rifts® World Books 1-23, Sourcebooks 1-4, and Siege on Tolkeen 1-6, collected into one big reference. This is a great reference book. Kevin and all of us at Palladium use it and the Rifts® Game Master Guide constantly.

Rifts World Book 8 Japan

Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan

– Back in Print – Available now

This fan-favorite sourcebook is filled with high-tech wonders, magic and monsters. There are 20 O.C.C.s (Occupational Character Classes) that range from the traditional ninja and samurai to power armor, giant robots and cyborgs.

Rifts World Book 13 Lone Star

Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star

– Back in Print – Available now

The Coalition State of Lone Star is a wild and woolly place of contrast and conflict. The Coalition States claims the entire State of Texas as their own, but they only control a small corner of it. It is here, at the Lone Star Complex, that the CS engages in genetic engineering and creates the famous Dog Boys and a host of other mutants. The rest of the state is held by the Pecos Empire – an empire of bandits, outlaws and rebels. The perfect companion to Rifts® New West™, Rifts® Spirit West™ and Rifts® Machinations of Doom™.

DriveThruRPG

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads fromDriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include. 
Splicers® RPG
Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, First Edition Rules. 
Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS, First Edition Rules. 
Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™.
The Mechanoids® RPG and The Mechanoid Invasion® RPG Trilogy.
Palladium Fantasy RPG®, First Edition Rules and select 1st Edition sourcebooks. 
After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks
The Rifter® issues 1-48.
The Best of The Rifter®
Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook.
- And more – go to DriveThruRPG.com and check ‘em out.

2011 Palladium Releases

2011 New Releases & Back in Print

Rifts® Dimension Book™ 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™ – New – Available now!
Armageddon Unlimited™ – New – Available now!
The Rifter® #53 – New – Available now!
The Rifter® #54 – New – Available now!
Aliens Unlimited™ – A Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® World Book 20: Canada – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Dark Conversions™ – Back in print – Available now
Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Game Master Guide – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® World Book 5: Triax & The NGR™ – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® China One – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Megaverse® Builder – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Baseball Cap – Back in stock – Available now
Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™ – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Black Vault™ – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® Mercenaries™ – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan™ – Back in print – Available now
Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star™ – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Book of MagicBack in print – Available now

June 2011 Releases

- Rifts® WB 23: Free Quebec – BACK IN PRINT – Available now

July 2011 Releases

- The Rifter® #55 – New
Rifts® WB One: Vampire Kingdoms™, Expanded & Updated - New
Rifts® World Book™: Lemuria – New
Rifts® Coalition Wars® Book One: Sedition – coming back in print
Rifts® Coalition Wars® Book Two: Coalition Overkill – coming back in print (tentative)

August 2011 Releases

Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook – New (tentative)
- Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames (Minion War™ crossover) – New
- Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook – New (tentative)

New Releases Coming Soon (tentative)

- Rifts® Chaos Earth™ Sourcebook: First Responders (as soon as we can slot it in)
- Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three

In the Pipeline

- Robotech® UEEF Marines and other Robotech® sourcebooks.
- Rifts® sourcebooks
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™ sourcebooks
- Palladium Fantasy®: Mysteries of Magic™ Two & Three
- Palladium Fantasy® other sourcebooks
- Warpath™ Urban Jungle RPG
- And other good stuff. Lots of other good stuff!

Recently Back in Print

HU Aliens Unlimited Rifts Phase World The Three Galaxies Rifts Adventure Sourcebook Three The Black Vault Rifts Mercenaries Rifts Book of Magic Rifts World Book 22 Free Quebec

Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®

Rifts® World Book 20: Rifts® Canada

Rifts® Dark Conversions

Rifts® Game Master Guide

Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook

Rifts® World Book Five: Triax & the NGR

Rifts® World Book 8: Rifts® Japan

Rifts® World Book 13: Lone Star

Rifts® World Book 24: Rifts® China One

Rifts® Dimension Book 7: Megaverse® Builder

Aliens Unlimited – For Heroes Unlimited

Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies

Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Black Vault

Rifts® Mercenaries

Rifts® Book of Magic™

Rifts® World Book 23: Rifts® Free Quebec™

The Queen of Ghouls: Life-Sized Halloween Props

Check out the new creations by Palladium’s very own Kathy Simmons. See her zombie doctor and other new zombies, Jack Skellington and Sally, and more. New creations are on the drawing board, and so is a new website. Each Halloween prop is truly life-sized (most are 6 feet or taller – Jack is almost 8 feet) and seems almost alive.

Each is an all-weather, life-sized Halloween prop that can handle rain and snow, and is a one-of-a-kind work of art (no two are exactly the same). Each looks frighteningly “real.” All come apart and fold down to slightly larger than a king-size pillow for easy storage. Comes with easy instructions, a plastic storage bag, and the lawn stake to stand it up in your front yard. Indoor stand sold separately.

Types of “Ghouls” include: Zombies (all kinds!), killer clowns, wizards, witches, devils, grave ghouls, scarecrows, executioners, mad doctors, deadly nurses, vampires, werewolves, and more. Kathy's also now offering an array of hand-painted Halloween signs, signs with heads and bodies hanging from them, witch's brewing pots, Halloween centerpieces and more. Best of all, her high quality creations are much more affordable and imaginative than most competitors or mass produced items in a store, making them affordable Halloween fun.

If you think the photos online look good, you should see them in person. A typical “ghoul,” as she calls her creations, costs $129-$259. You can see some of her work at her Queen of Ghouls™ Ebay store – queenofghouls.com.

© Copyright 2011 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Chaos Earth, Coalition States, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, Warpath, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.