Palladium Books® Weekly Update – May 10, 2012

By Kevin Siembieda

The 2012 Palladium Open House was a smash success. An estimated 240 gamers joined us for the weekend (including Palladium freelancers) and a great time was had by all. We had our share of minor problems to deal with, but overall, the event ran very smoothly and everyone I spoke with (which were quite a number) reported having a great time. In fact, we were petitioned by dozens of gamers in attendance to host another Open House in 2014. While we have no plans to host another Open House, we’ll consider it. However, it would not be till 2014, if at all.

My thanks to everyone who attended the Open House for being your usual kind and generous selves. It’s also fun to have an opportunity to game with so many gifted and experienced players. I had an absolutely great time with the 70-75 players who cycled through my Lord DeSilca Aftermath games (more on that later).

Rifts® Lemuria and Dead Reign™ Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead™ were the two big, new book releases that everyone seemed excited about, but we sold a little bit of everything from prints and artwork to books and T-shirts. The new Palladium Fantasy coffee mug, new T-shirts and Rifts® miniatures were also popular items, but I think the surprise hit of the new items was the “DO NOT REMOVE. Property of the Chi-Town Library” pencil. I got a lot of positive feedback on the pencil all weekend. Personally, I was surprised to see so many sets of bookmarks sell (both Set One and Set Two). The weekend was a whirlwind of fun and excitement. I felt the most prepared of any Open House and enjoyed myself immensely.

There is so much to talk about regarding the Palladium Open House that I’m going to write a separate Open House Report that will be found right here, tomorrow, along with photos.

I want to thank EVERYONE who lent a hand at the event, helping to haul out garbage, set up and tear down tables and chairs, help at the door, run games, and all kinds of things. I especially want to thank: Joseph Bergmans, Lisa Hall, Shawn Hall, Christopher Guertin, Nick Bradshaw, Bill Korsak, Doug Lamberson, UK Matthew, Paul Deckert, Will Hunter, Dan Deluca, all our artists and writers, Kathy and the Palladium crew. I also want to thank the awesome super-friends and freelancers who lent us a hand and came to the Open House on their own dime to make the event special. You guys and gals are the best! And, of course, all of you who helped make the 2012 Open House a success.

Palladium video interviews online

Carmen Bellaire and “Big Will” Johnson shot a lot of video interviews during the Palladium Open House with artists, writers, staff and personalities. It’s my understanding that Carmen will start posting them this weekend, and add a new handful every couple of days. Carmen did three with me, one about the Open House in general, and two about my epic six-part game. I hope he and I don’t look or sound too squirrelly because I couldn’t participate until the Open House was over. That means we did the trio of interviews Sunday night and we were both worn out. So if Carmen or I look like zombies, you know the reason why. Still, they should be fun. Check them out by going to: http://youtube.com/user/Maloquinn

Lemuria Benefactors are not forgotten

With all the preparations for the Open House and getting out new product the past month or two, I was unable to call Ultimate Insiders and Benefactors as quickly as I had hoped. In part, because I hate cutting the conversations too short. I will now continue to make calls, though with Sunday being Mother’s Day, I may not call on Sunday, but you WILL hear from me. Likewise, if I have called you and you missed my call, I WILL call you back.

UPDATE: Online Sales.

The past week’s sales online have been so-so, but the Open House was awesome and distributor sales are up! Many new products that made their debut at the Open House are available in the online store as of today, including miniatures and T-shirts. Enjoy.

UPDATE: New Product.

There is a ton of new product and back in print items described in this Weekly Update. We held off making them available to you before the Open House because we knew we could not ship them before now. Heck, three days since Monday and all of us are still dragging a bit and trying to catch up with business issues, orders and work. Enjoy the new stuff.

UPDATE: Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead – Shipped last Thursday. Available now!

There was a delay at the printer, so the Endless Dead™ sourcebook (our number one selling item at the Open House) shipped last Thursday instead of Wednesday. I made the crazy decision to ship Endless Dead™ the afternoon of VIP Thursday even though it threw us a bit off our schedule for the Open House. We knew many of you were waiting to receive the book, and I didn’t want to make you or our distributors wait till Monday or Tuesday for it to ship. Crazy? Maybe. But we had extra people to help, so we got it done and VIP night was a blast.

Endless Dead™ includes zombies that are truly unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and the sourcebook is packed with world information and data that will help you expand your campaign and devise new adventures. Everyone who has seen the book loves these new zombies, the wealth of info on the military and the five new O.C.C.s, the Wheelman, Zombie Hunter, Survivalist, Zombie Researcher and Sentinel (a type of scout). Order yours today. Note: Check out the new Dead Reign™ T-shirt described elsewhere in this Update.

UPDATE: An Endless Dead sneak preview and Palladium Fantasy RPG® Game Master Kit are both available now on DriveThruRPG.com

The FREE Endless Dead™ Sneak Preview is available on DriveThruRPG.com, enabling you to see what’s in the book before you order. Enjoy. In addition to FREE sneak previews of Rifts® Lemuria, Thundercloud Galaxy™, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ and Endless Dead™, there are special products like the Palladium Fantasy® Game Master Kit – now available on DriveThruRPG.com for only $5. Gamers who loved the Rifts® G.M. Kit will love this one too. Like its predecessor, the Fantasy G.M. Kit is written by Carl Gleba and comes with maps, combat matrix, character sheets, spell list, and 20 pre-rolled characters created by Julius Rosenstein (and used by Julius and me for years and years in games at conventions). And it is available at the same low price of $5 for a wealth of material and helpful Game Master resources.

90+ back stock titles. Don’t forget, DriveThruRPG.com also offers 90+ back stock titles, including back issues of The Rifter®, and first edition rule books for Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited™, The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy, and lots of other good things, of which the Rifts® Game Master Kit is just one. ALL available as PDF downloads at reasonable prices. And there is MORE to come.

UPDATE: Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store

Alex and I continue to toss up a few new collectible items, including a couple hardcover editions of Rifts® Lemuria, a Gold Edition BTS and more action figures at least once or twice a week. As always, there are all kinds of new toys and action figures in my online store. All items are from my personal collection. More Palladium collectibles will be added every few days. We’ll keep them coming if you keep buying them.

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

A bit of rest for the Palladium crew

The past month or two have been a wild ride culminating with the Open House. We hammered out a lot of new products and have many more in the pipeline, but we are tuckered out and need a brief respite. To that end, we’ll be closing the Palladium offices early tomorrow. I’m taking the entire Palladium crew out to see a matinee showing of The Avengers. Afterward, we’ll be heading to Kathy’s house to celebrate Wayne Smith’s birthday (it was May 1st) and enjoy a relaxing evening. I’m giving the guys the entire weekend off (we often work though them lately), and Saturday, Kathy and I will put in just a few hours of work, before heading out to a family party and I’m planning to take Sunday off. After that, its back to work full speed ahead. We have too many great books in development to rest on our laurels.

There is just so much new that I’m going to end things here and dive into the descriptions for new products and re-released titles. Have a wonderful weekend and game on.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer and Game Master

Chi-Town Library Pencil

New! Rifts® Pencil – available now

It’s silly, but fun. A standard No. 2 Pencil that reads: DO NOT REMOVE. PROPERTY OF THE CHI-TOWN LIBRARY. Obviously a relic and collector’s item from before the famous library burned down. Erin Tarn has a whole desk drawer of these pencils. What about you?

Palladium Fantasy Coffee Mug

New! Palladium Fantasy RPG® Coffee Mug – available now

This mug is gorgeous. It is the same style as previous coffee mugs and captures the classic Palladium Fantasy cover image in red on a black mug.

Dead Reign Survive or Die Trying T-Shirt

New! Dead Reign: “Survive or Die Trying” T-Shirt – available now

A black T-shirt featuring a zombie hunter on horseback riding through the gore of a recent zombie battle in hometown America. The Dead Reign™ logo and words, “Survive or die trying,” are below the art; white printing on a black T-shirt.

Designed by Kevin Siembieda and Wayne Smith.

Art by Nick Bradshaw.

Available Sizes and Price:

Cat. No. 2556. Make sure to indicate the size you want.

Wilk's Logo T-Shirt

New! Rifts® Wilk’s Laser Technologies Logo T-Shirt – available now

Continuing the T-shirt series featuring the names and logos of notable manufacturers of Rifts Earth, this item features the red Wilk’s logo printed on a black T-Shirt.

Designed by Wayne Smith and Kevin Siembieda.

Available Sizes and Price:

Cat. No. 2557. Make sure to indicate the size you want.

Imagination Unleashed T-Shirt

New! Imagination Unleashed T-Shirt – available now

A red T-shirt featuring the black image of Chuck Walton’s Panther Shark from Rifts® Lemuria, the words “Imagination Unleashed” and the Palladium Books® logo; black printing on a red T-shirt.

Designed by Kevin Siembieda and Wayne Smith.

Art by Charles Walton.

Available Sizes and Price:

Cat. No. 2558. Make sure to indicate the size you want.

Northern Gun T-Shirt

New! Rifts® Northern Gun Logo T-Shirt – Available now

Continuing the T-shirt series featuring the names and logos of notable manufacturers of Rifts Earth, this item features the white Northern Gun logo printed on a black T-Shirt.

Designed by Wayne Smith and Kevin Siembieda.

Available Sizes and Price:

Cat. No. 2559. Make sure to indicate the size you want.

Property of the Coalition States T-Shirt

Property of the Coalition States T-Shirt – Available now

Back in print due to popular demand! The ever popular Property of the Coalition States™ T-shirt. Printed black on grey.

Available Sizes and Price:

Cat. No. 2528. Make sure to indicate the size you want.

Books Back in Print – Available Now

Old Ones

Old Ones – A sourcebook for Palladium Fantasy RPG® – available now

Back in print! This is a massive adventure book with maps and descriptions of more than 50 locations in the Timiro Kingdom. As if that were not enough to make this the ultimate adventure book, there is also information about the Old Ones and a few O.C.C.s.

Wolfen Empire

Wolfen Empire – A sourcebook for Palladium Fantasy RPG® – available now

Back in print! This juicy adventure-sourcebook is authored by Erick Wujcik, Kevin Siembieda and Bill Coffin. It presents a comprehensive background and history of the Wolfen Empire, the Wolfen tribes, their military and their plans for the future. It also includes several adventures, strange animals, random encounter tables and more. Wolfen Empire is a fan favorite, and one of Erick Wujcik’s last published, role-playing works.

Mutant Underground

Mutant Underground – A sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited – available now

Advancements in genetic engineering have created an array of mutants and superhumans. Some are heroes. Some are villains. Others are monsters. Many have gone underground and begun to build a secret mutant society and subculture. A sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited™.

Rifts Mercenaries

Rifts® Mercenaries – A sourcebook for Rifts® – available now

This fan favorite is packed with information about mercenaries, creating mercenary companies, merc O.C.C.s and a vast array of weapons, vehicles, armor and equipment.

Splynn Dimensional Market

Rifts® Splynn Dimensional Market – World Book 21 – available now

This other fan favorite is packed with information about the Splynn Dimensional Market, its merchants, D-Bee slaves and lots and lots of magic items.

Rifts Free Quebec

Rifts® Free Quebec – World Book 22 – available now

Whether you use this book before, after or during the Coalition Wars, this World Book contains a wealth of information about Free Quebec, Glitter Boys and notable people and places.

Rifts Triax 2

Rifts® Triax 2 – World Book 31 – available now

The Gargoyle War rages on. The NGR appears to be winning. When you see the myriad new robots, power armor and vehicles, you’ll know why.

Rifts Black Vault

Rifts® Black Vault – Adventure Sourcebook – available now

There is a wealth of information packed into this 48 page sourcebook that makes it a perennial favorite.

Three Galaxies

Rifts® Dimension Book 6: Three Galaxies – available now

A guide to the Three Galaxies, this book takes a look at dozens of solar systems, notable planets, select alien races, people, civilizations and monsters, as well as space anomalies, spaceships and more. This is another sourcebook that is ideal for campaigns involving the Minion War™, the Thundercloud Galaxy™, Phase World® and adventures in the Three Galaxies.

New Rifts® Miniatures

The following new Rifts® miniatures have never been released by Palladium Books.

MI8021 – Rifts® Shadow Beast – $12.00

MI8022 – Rifts® Mystic Knight – $6.00

MI8023 – Rifts® Lord Magus – $6.00

MI8024 – Rifts® High Magus – $6.00

MI8025 – Rifts® Coalition Psi-Stalker (new-style Dead Boy armor) – $6.00

MI8026 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy in DPM-D1 Armor – $6.00

MI8027 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #2 (with energy rifle) – $6.00

MI8028 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #3 (with rifle and Vibro-Knife) – $6.00

MI8029 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #4 (German Shepherd with rifle and Vibro-Claws) – $6.00

MI8030 – Rifts® Coalition Dog Boy #5 (Bulldog with energy rifle and Vibro-Claws) – $6.00

Classic Rifts® Miniatures – Back in stock

The following favorite Rifts® miniatures are back in stock. Some, like the Glitter Boy, have sold on the collector’s market for as much as $50-$120. They are being re-released for the first time in a decade.

MI8031 – Rifts® Glitter Boy Power Armor – $20.00; this is a large, heavy figure.

MI8032 – Rifts® Glitter Boy Pilot – $6.00

MI8033 – Rifts® Kydian Overlord (Atlantis) – $20.00; this is a large, heavy figure.

MI8034 – Rifts® Dragonsaurus (Atlantis) – $10.00

MI8035 – Rifts® Slaver and Slave (Atlantis); 2 figs, no plastic bases – $10.00

MI8036 – Rifts® Crazy – $6.00

MI8037 – Rifts® Juicer #1 (with laser pistol) – $6.00

MI8038 – Rifts® Juicer #2 (with Vibro-Sword) – $6.00

MI8039 – Rifts® Cyborg #1 (with Rail Gun) – $12.00

MI8040 – Rifts® Cyborg #2 (with gun hands) – $12.00

MI8041 – Rifts® Cyborg #3 – $6.00

MI8042 – Rifts® Coalition Officer (old armor) – $6.00

MI8043 – Rifts® Coalition Grunt #1 (old armor) – $6.00

MI8044 – Rifts® Coalition Grunt #2 (old armor) – $6.00

MI8045 – Rifts® Coalition Grunt #3 (old armor) – $6.00

Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

NEW! Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead – Available now

Endless Dead™ shipped May 3, 2012.

The zombie hordes grow in number and strangeness as we reveal Fused Zombies and weird amalgamations of walking dead. Can humankind survive? Where is the military? What’s next for the survivors of the zombie apocalypse?

This epic, 96 page sourcebook contains horrifying new zombies to haunt player characters along with new character classes (O.C.C.s) and tons of tables for detailing Survivor Hideouts, Safe Haven Communities, Death Cults, military units, military bases and more. Survival is not enough. The time for war against the Endless Dead™ has come.

The Rifter #58

NEW! The Rifter® #58

Available now

The Rifter® is an idea factory that helps players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and keep their games fresh. It provides useful, ready to go, source material gamers can just drop into their ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new monsters, villains, characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, adventure and ideas for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least two or three other Palladium game lines.

The Rifter® Number 58 examines people, places and power. There are new, “official” O.C.C.s for Rifts® Lemuria that include the Lemurian Academic, Citizen, Experimenter and Healer, plus more aquatic animals of note. The Free State of Lazlo provides another unique setting on Rifts Earth, and a Nightbane® short story offers a sense of life after Dark Day. The material for Palladium Fantasy® introduces an array of dangerous beings, and the section on the Kezel and their abilities provides a new kind of superhuman that can be used in Heroes Unlimited™, Phase World® or anywhere in the Megaverse®.

The Rifter #58 includes:

Rifts World Book: Lemuria

Rifts® World Book 32: Lemuria

– Available now!

Rifts® Lemuria is packed with new magic, weapons, living power armor, monstrous war steeds, weapons, and gear suitable for landlubbers and aquatic adventurers alike.

The Lemurians are an amphibious people with floating cities and magic-based technology that allows for land and underwater adventures alike. Discover the secrets and people of this lost and forgotten civilization of magic and wonder. Add amphibious capabilities to your Rifts® campaigns and discover new menaces under the sea. Amphibious in nature, Lemurians wage war against the demonic on dry land and under the waves. Their exotic riding animals, weapons, armor and magic are suitable for use on land and underwater.

Rifts Vampires Sourcebook

Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™

Unknown to most humans, deep within Mexico the vampires have established entire kingdoms. There they live like tyrants and gods, dominating an underclass of cattle people used as slaves and food stock. Learn more about the vampires, their rivals, allies and the humans who willingly serve their supernatural masters for a chance to join the undead. A must-have guide for those who wish to travel deeper into the Vampire Kingdoms or play as vampires and their human minions.

Rifts® Black Market™ – A Rifts® Sourcebook

On Rifts® Earth, the Black Market is the most prevalent trader in weapons, contraband and magic items outlawed by the Coalition. Explore the day to day business of the market along with its smuggling routes, practices, policies and nefarious products. Encounter the five major Black Market factions in North America and foreign groups like the Yakuza, Green Scarf Sect and the Underground Railroads of Atlantis and the Vampire Kingdoms.

Rifts® World Books: Northern Gun One & Two

The largest independent manufacturer of weapons, robots and adventure gear in North America is Northern Gun™. Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, they have been the premier outfitter of mercenaries and adventurers for decades, and are a major hub for hiring military contractors. With a whole new product line to offer their customers, the future looks bright for Northern Gun™.

We haven’t yet decided exactly how the source material and background information will be divided between the two books. Both will contain world information, one will probably have power armor, weapons, and gear, the other will probably have giant robots and vehicles. Both will be epic.

Robotech® Genesis Pits™ Sourcebook

An in-depth look at the Invid Genesis Pits, their purpose, function and the creatures they create.

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.

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 from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

What’s next?

Palladium Books 2012 Product Release Schedule

2012 Releases Available Now

May 2012 Releases

June 2012 Releases

July 2012 Releases

August 2012 Releases

All of Palladium’s Core Game Lines to be Supported in 2012

The following are in development.

© Copyright 2012 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.