Palladium Books® Weekly Update – March 29, 2012

By Kevin Siembieda

I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to just jump into everything.

UPDATE: Rifts® World Book 32: Lemuria – ships next week – April 6

Yep, the softcover editions will ship next week Friday! The special Megaverse® Insider hardcover editions will ship 2-4 weeks after (we haven’t gotten a ship day from our printer yet on the hardcovers). Chuck Walton saw the photocopy of the finished Rifts® Lemuria yesterday and like everyone who has seen it so far, was blown away. Chuck had this to say: “Kevin, you and the guys outdid yourselves on this book. I had no idea it had so much other stuff in it. I’m telling you, Lemuria is going to turn heads and sell like crazy. You said you wanted to take things to the next level and Lemuria does that, wow. And I love the layout.”

Carmen Bellaire was at the office at the same time and kept smiling and shaking his head in agreement. Another person made the comment: “Lemuria reminds me of why I love Rifts® so much. I’ll be getting it and a few other books as soon as it’s available.” Glad to hear it. All I can say to the rest of you guys and gals is, order yours today or get your copy at your favorite store in a couple weeks. FYI: All pre-orders ship the day Rifts® Lemuria arrives at the Palladium warehouse.

Bring your copy of Rifts® Lemuria to the Palladium Open House to be signed by ALL the contributors

Greg Diaczyk, Matthew Clements, me, Chuck Walton, Allen and Brian Manning, Mike Mumah, Amy L. Ashbaugh, Kent Burles and the Palladium crew. Shoot, all except John Zeleznik (he can’t make it). Don’t stop with Rifts® Lemuria, bring a bunch of books for us to sign. That’s one of the cool things about the Open House, it’s one of the biggest gatherings of Palladium creators anywhere, ever.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #58 – goes to the printer next week

Wayne, Alex and I are working feverishly on this issue of The Rifter® even as you read this Update. It goes to the printer next week and should ship around April 23. Artwork has been assigned and articles are being edited. It is shaping up to be another great issue with 20 pages of additional “official” material for Rifts® Lemuria, plus material for Palladium Fantasy®, Nightbane® and Rifts®. See the complete description elsewhere in this Weekly Update.

UPDATE: Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

When I’m not working on business or The Rifter® #58, I’m working away on the Endless Dead™ sourcebook every chance I get. It should go to the printer in a couple of weeks and is expected to ship end of April, just before the Palldium Open House.

UPDATE: Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook

As soon as I’m done with Endless Dead™, I dive into the completion of this book. I’m still hoping to have advance copies of it in time for the Palladium Open House (May 4-6), but no promises.

UPDATE: Online sales

Weekend sales had picked up and looked promising, however, the rest of the week was even uglier than last week. Aaagh. This is traditionally the slowest time of year, but it’s been a little scary. Thankfully, when gamers see product rolling out from Palladium (3-4 books in April alone), sales should bounce back quickly. Hopefully, we’ll see a bump this weekend already.

UPDATE: Palladium Fantasy RPG® Game Master Kit – NOW AVAILABLE on DriveThruRPG.com

The Palladium Fantasy® Game Master Kit is 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. Don’t forget, DriveThruRPG.com also offers the FREE Sneak Previews of Rifts® Lemuria, Thundercloud Galaxy™, and soon, Endless Dead™, as well as 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: Rifts® Black Market

The cover is finished, though I think we may keep it under wraps for a few weeks. The book is written by Matthew Clements and Taylor White and should be a quick edit.

UPDATE: Rifts® Northern Gun One

Chuck Walton dropped in to get approvals on his concept drawings. Wow. Carmen Bellaire was here at the same time and said, “Wow, I didn’t realize there was going to be so many new power armor and robot designs. Now I can really can’t wait for this book to come out.” As noted in the last Update the majority (as in 90-95%) is done and artists are working on artwork for it right now. The two Northern Gun books are going to be two more books that will blow your socks off.

UPDATE: Rifts® Northern Gun Two.

Ditto. What doesn’t go into NG Book One goes into NG Book Two. And it will also rock.

Get your hotel room before it’s TOO Late!

Our block of rooms for the Palladium Open House (May 3-6, 2012) is only reserved till April 10. To get the superior price of $69 a night (with two double beds) AND to guarantee you have a room, you need to reserve your room by April 10. But PLEASE do so sooner. a) We don’t want anyone to miss out. b) Your reserving your room NOW helps Palladium Books. c) Your card will not be charged till the day of the event. Call 734-455-8100, Comfort Inn Plymouth Clock Tower Hotel.

UPDATE: Guests are lining up for the Palladium Open House

I’ve had the following Palladium creators confirm they will be at the Open House (May 3-6, 2012): Amy L. Ashbaugh, Nick Bradshaw, Brandon Aten, Carmen Bellaire, Steve Dawes, Greg Diaczyk, Mark Dudley, Matthew Clements, Irvin Jackson, “Madman” Mike Leonard, Allen Manning, Brian Manning, Mike Mumah, Chuck Walton, and Taylor White, among others. Many are running gaming events, too. And will be involved in panel talks and other good stuff. Speaking of which – game descriptions are still coming in. Get them to WAYNE SMITH as soon as possible, guys! We need to get the schedule online for people’s review.

UPDATE: Gaming at the Westland Library – March 31, 2012 – Saturday from 1-4 PM

I’ll see a bunch of you on Saturday. I’m running Palladium Fantasy, Julius is running Rifts® and Bill Korsak is running Beyond the Supernatural. I expect to see all of you at the Palladium Open House (May 4-6) as well. We can handle up to 25 gamers. Sign up by calling the library at (734) 326-6123 or online at http://www.westlandlibrary.org/node/3089. The gaming is from 1-4 PM, Saturday, March 31, 2012.

UPDATE: Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store

Alex and I have been adding all kinds of new toys and action figures to my online store. More Palladium collectibles will be added every few days and may include the corrected manuscript pages and proofreader copy of Rifts® Lemuria. We’ll try to add more new items a couple times a week, every week. Right now, they include Palladium gold editions, some artwork, art prints, The Rifter® #20, and various out of print books – most of them signed. We’ll keep them coming if you keep buying them. http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

UPDATE: Murmurs from the Megaverse® and Facebook

I have been posting on a regular basis at both locations. I hope you enjoy my news briefs, updates and musings.

UPDATE: Rifts® Miniatures

I want to have the first batch of re-released Rifts® miniatures – the Glitter Boy™, CS Soldiers™, Rifts® Cyborgs, Atlantis Overlord™, etc. – as individual figures at new prices starting this weekend, but they may have to wait till the following weekend as we are consumed with finishing new books. The delay has been unavoidable as there are only five of us, and there has been sooooo much to do.

UPDATE: Robotech® Miniatures

No movement on this front yet. Been swamped trying to get new books to the printer. But we are very excited about the possibilities.

UPDATE: Robotech®: The Genesis Pits Sourcebook

The manuscript from Irvin Jackson arrived earlier this week, but I’ve been so busy, I have not had a chance to look it over yet. We’re probably looking at a June release.

That’s it for now. Yesterday and today have been whirlwinds of non-stop activity for me and the guys, but we’re pumped up. FYI: Just because we haven’t specifically mentioned a title, doesn’t mean it’s not in the works. I was just talking to Carmen Bellaire and Steve Dawes about getting Beyond the Supernatural™ sourcebooks out by the end of the year, along with new books for Palladium Fantasy®, Splicers®, Nightbane®, and Heroes Unlimited™, plus comic books based on Palladium I.P.s. and other good stuff. Keep the faith. I think things are shaping up to be a banner year for Palladium.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer and Game Designer

Rifts World Book: Lemuria Rifts World Book: Lemuria

Rifts® World Book 32: Lemuria

– ships April 6

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® Lemuria “Sneak Preview” on DriveThruRPG.com – is available right now! You can see the cover, contents page and enticing snippets from several different sections of the book as a FREE PDF download. Including one of the Bio-Armors, one War Steed, a few new Biomancy spells, and other good stuff. Don’t forget, there are 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 one. ALL available as PDF downloads at reasonable prices on DriveThruRPG.com. And there is MORE coming. The Palladium Fantasy Game Master Kit, The Rifter #0.1 and #0.2, maybe some PDF only sourcebooks, an Endless Dead™ Sneak Preview and other sneak previews and fun stuff are all coming your way.

Rifts® Lemuria “First Look” Video Review. Carmen Bellaire and William Johnson have were given the unfinished manuscript page files and a small selection of artwork – in advance – so they could do a First Look Video Review of Rifts® Lemuria. There is so much good stuff to talk about that the guys had to split their review of Rifts® Lemuria into two episodes to cover it all. They have reviews of other Palladium products, too. It is all on YouTube for your viewing enjoyment right now. The views expressed are those of Carmen and William, not Palladium Books.

Click these links to see Part One and Part Two.

The Rifter #58

NEW! The Rifter® #58

– Ships April 23

The Rifter® is an idea factory that helps players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and keep their games fresh, and provides useful, ready to go, source material gamers can just drop into their ongoing games.

The Rifter® is a doorway to unlimited imagination 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 #58 includes:

Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

NEW! Dead Reign Sourcebook 3: Endless Dead

Ships April 27

Endless Dead says it all. The zombie hordes grow in number and strangeness. Can humankind survive? Where is the military? What’s next for the survivors of the zombie apocalypse?

This book contains horrifying new zombies to haunt your player characters along with new O.C.C.s and tons of tables for detailing Survivor Hideouts, Safe Haven Communities, Death Cults and more. Survival is not enough. Now is the time for the war against the Endless Dead™. This book is epic.

Palladium Books 2012 Product Release Schedule

Earlier 2012 Releases

April 2012 Releases

May 2012 Releases

June 2012 Releases

July 2012 Releases

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

The following are in development.

Palladium Bookmarks, Set Two

NEW! Palladium Bookmarks, Set Two

– Available now

They look great. A set of four, 2 x 6 inch bookmarks, printed on both sides, each depicting a different Palladium game line: Chaos Earth™, Phase World®, Nightbane® and Beyond the Supernatural™. They are attractive, useful and make a fun collectible. The first set has been so popular, we had to do a second.

Palladium Bookmarks, Set One

Available now! Palladium Bookmarks, Set One

“I love the Palladium bookmarks and use three of the first set all the time.” – Kevin Siembieda

A set of four, 2 x 6 inch bookmarks, each depicting a different Palladium game line: Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Unlimited™ and Dead Reign™. They are attractive, useful and make a fun collectible.

Rifts Dimension Book 5, Anvil Galaxy

Rifts® Dimension Book 5: Anvil Galaxy

– Available now – Back in print

This popular, fan-favorite Phase World® sourcebook presents a dynamic overview of the Anvil Galaxy™ and its many alien races, technologies, conflicts and secrets. A great resource for any Phase World® fan and valuable addition for campaigns involving the Minion War™.

Rifts Sourcebook 3, Mindwerks

Rifts® Sourcebook Three: Mindwerks

– Available now – Back in print

Rifts® Mindwerks™ is a companion to Triax & The NGR™ and Triax™ 2. It details the techno-horrors of the Mindwerks Corporation and its insane mastermind, the Angel of Death, as well as providing more information on the NGR, the Gargoyle and Brodkil Empires, robots and equipment, plus the Gene-Splicers, a dozen D-Bee races, an evil Millennium Tree, mind-altering cybernetic implants and a few notable kingdoms.

The Rifter #57

The Rifter® #57

– Available now

The Rifter® #57 is an extravaganza of monsters and mayhem to surprise your players and spice up your games.

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 Book: Northern Gun™ One

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™.

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:

The Palladium Open House

Palladium Open House

– May 4, 5 & 6, 2012 (May 3 is VIP Night)

The Palladium Open House (POH) is, plain and simply, a blast for everyone.

Think family reunion with people you like from around the world that involves laughs, fun and three days of role-playing games. (Four for those who attend VIP Thursday.) We invite you into our home – the Palladium warehouse and office – where we make the games you love and treat you like family and welcomed guests.

40+ Palladium creators are there for you. The Palladium staff and as many of the freelance writers, artists, Game Masters and Megaversal Ambassadors as possible (typically 30-45) are present the entire event. Many run games you can play in. All are there to sign autographs and talk with you.

Unlike game conventions, at the Palladium Open House you have unprecedented access to Kevin Siembieda and other Palladium creators, because they are there, on the floor with you all day long. They are happy to talk about Palladium Books, artwork, writing, movies, comic books and exchange stories about their own gaming experiences as well as listen to yours. Some artists are willing to do sketches of your characters, others bring prints and original artwork to sell. All are friendly and goofy gamers just like you. It seems like we laugh and have fun all weekend long, stopping only to catch a little sleep.

Gaming events are run all day and into the night. Many are run by the very people who create the games, like Kevin Siembieda, Julius Rosenstein, Carmen Bellaire, Carl Gleba, Brandon Aten, Mark Oberle, Irvin Jackson and many others. There is also an open gaming area for pick up games. When gaming ends for the day at Palladium, there are two meeting rooms at the hotel where you can continue to play games, chat and have fun into the wee hours of the night.

Panel talks (every day). I and others host several panel talks and question and answer sessions that reveal secrets, offer G.M. tips, player tips and lots of laughs.

Costume contest (Saturday). YOU should make a costume based on one of Palladium’s RPG settings and enter the costume contest. It is always a ton of fun and winners who take 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place all get Palladium gift certificates and a plaque worthy of hanging on the wall. Best of show gets a $100 gift certificate (actually, it’s Palladium Bucks redeemable wherever you find Palladium, at the POH, conventions, or via mail order). Costume contest categories are: Rifts/Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror/Modern/Superhero, and Best of Show.

Live auction (Saturday). Get rare, out of print books, proofreader copies, artwork, prints, posters, collectibles, and strange things put up for rapid-fire auctioning by Kevin Siembieda.

Meet fans from around the world. This year we already have gamers coming from Japan, Australia, Germany, England, Canada and across the country. Note: Our capacity is limited to about 350 people, so if there is a bigger than usual turnout, you may not be able to attend. Order your admissions tickets and reserve your hotel room now. The hotel will not be charged to your credit card till the day before the event.

The POH is inexpensive compared to most game and comic conventions. You get more bang for your buck, total access to Palladium creators and enjoy everything for the price of admission.

The cost of admission covers everything. The games, the panel talks, the auction, entry in the costume contest . . . EVERYTHING.

The hotel is only $69.95 a night for a room with two double beds or one king-size bed. Suites are under $140. Free hot breakfasts. Note: you MUST tell them you want a room in the Block Reserved for Palladium Books to get the special rate. Your credit card is not charged until a day before the event, so reserve early. Call 734-455-8100, Comfort Inn Plymouth Clock Tower Hotel.

Food and stores all around. There are fast food places and inexpensive restaurants to eat all around Palladium Books. A Bennigans is across from the hotel. Denny’s, Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s are down the street one direction, Burger King, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Lee’s Chicken, Baskin & Robbins, and more are down the other way. Westland Mall is a half mile away, so is Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, Kohls, Macy’s, Sears, JC Penny, Lowes, Meijer, Sam’s Club, Ikea and Dollar Tree, among many others. A large movie theater is around the block, almost walking distance, and another is near Westland Mall. We’ve got it all. ;)

Price of Admission

Palladium Open House – May 4, 5 & 6, 2012

$40 for the Three Day Weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) when ordered in advance per each individual. $50 at the door and after March 31, 2012, if space is available. Cost of emission covers all events. Note: VIP Night, May 3, 2012, is an additional cost.

$20 for Friday 9:00 AM till Closing.
$20 for Saturday 9:00 AM till Closing.
$10 for Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
$75 per person for VIP Night – Thursday – May 3, 2012. VIP night is a catered event limited to around 70-80 gamers plus Palladium creators. It is an additional cost, so if you plan to attend the entire weekend you must get a weekend ticket as well. NOTE: VIP Thursday is sold out. VIP Thursday, May 3, 2012: 3:00 P.M. till 11:00 P.M.

Placing Your Order: Please include your FULL address and apartment number. Also include the complete NAME of EACH person you are ordering a ticket for, as well as your telephone number in case there is a problem and we need to contact you.

Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard and most credit cards are accepted. All Credit Card orders must include: Credit Card No. – Name on the card – Address of the Credit Cardholder – Expiration Date – Telephone Number of the cardholder. If you are buying tickets for several people, please make sure we have the full NAME of each person.

By Telephone: Call (734) 721-2903 – have your credit card information ready. You may place your reservation online in a similar way as placing a book order or you may use Palladium’s order line (734) 721-2903.

Check or Money Order by Mail: Sent via the USPS or other delivery service. Send check or money order to:

Palladium Books
Dept. POH
39074 Webb Court
Westland, MI 48185-7606

Please include your FULL address and apartment number. Also include the complete NAME of EACH person you are ordering a ticket for, as well as your telephone number in case there is a problem and we need to contact you.

All tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis, so get your reservations in as soon as possible! Due to space and parking limitations and safety concerns, attendance will be limited to approximately 350 admission tickets.

Click here for more details and to reserve your tickets.

© 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.