Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Discussing all roleplaying games
User avatar
Ken of Ghastria
Champion of the Maiden
Champion of the Maiden
Posts: 1508
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:17 am
Location: In the marshes of New Jersey
Contact:

Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Ken of Ghastria »

I'm happy to announce and, ah, shamelessly promote my first article for Dragon magazine, "Faith and Heresy," co-written with Jeff LaSala. It explores the darker side of faith and what happens when a cleric, paladin, etc. takes actions that contradict the established faith.

It's about 90% fluff, 10% crunch, so the information may come in handy regardless of what system you use, and it's downloadable to anyone with a DDI membership.

Best of all... my "demiplane of dread" reference to Ravenloft survived! Huzzah. :)
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
--W. Somerset Maugham
User avatar
Catman Jim
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 844
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:58 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Catman Jim »

Nice work, Ken, Congratulations!

Out of curiousity, from reading the bio, what DCC items did you work on? I have seen your name as the Editor in some of the modules I own from that series.
I only wish I had retired sooner!
User avatar
Ken of Ghastria
Champion of the Maiden
Champion of the Maiden
Posts: 1508
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:17 am
Location: In the marshes of New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Ken of Ghastria »

Hey, thanks! Okay, I'm 95% sure the following is accurate:

DCCs that I edited: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 30, 35 (the glorious DCC Red Box - love those maps - and my first collaboration with "Faith and Heresy" co-writer Jeff), 44, 46, 51 (the mammoth, superb Castle Whiterock -- a balrog to edit, but SO worth it. <MIND CONTROL>Get it!</MIND CONTROL>), and 51.5, and of the 4E adventures, 58. There's a big gap between 13 and 30, mostly due to lots of work on GG's DragonMech and Etherscope settings.

DCCs on which I wrote: 48 ("Madness at the Mutilated Oak," which contained its own share of Ravenloftian hat-tips), 52 (some rooms for the tournament module Chronicle of the Fiend).

Fun experiences all.
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
--W. Somerset Maugham
User avatar
Catman Jim
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 844
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:58 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Catman Jim »

Ken of Ghastria wrote:Hey, thanks!

DCCs that I edited:
DCCs on which I wrote: .
Ok, I have all the lower numbered ones, I'll be looking now for that #48. 8)
I only wish I had retired sooner!
User avatar
alhoon
Invisible Menace
Invisible Menace
Posts: 8804
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 6:46 pm
Location: Chania or Athens // Greece

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by alhoon »

I wish I had DDI. :(
"You truly see what a person is made of, when you begin to slice into them" - Semirhage
"I am not mad, no matter what you're implying." - Litalia
My DMGuild work!
User avatar
Gonzoron of the FoS
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 7555
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:02 pm
Gender: Male
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Gonzoron of the FoS »

Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but looking forward to it. Congrats, Ken!
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
User avatar
Catman Jim
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 844
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:58 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Catman Jim »

Ken of Ghastria wrote:DCCs on which I wrote: 48 ("Madness at the Mutilated Oak," which contained its own share of Ravenloftian hat-tips), [/i].
I managed to get a copy of DCC 48 with BIN on Ebay: You're a sick puppy, Ken. :shock:

... the weasels' chew toy... :lol:
I only wish I had retired sooner!
User avatar
Ken of Ghastria
Champion of the Maiden
Champion of the Maiden
Posts: 1508
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:17 am
Location: In the marshes of New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Ken of Ghastria »

Thank you, thank you... :wink:

I have to admit that I was a little surprised that a) that bit of nastiness survived to the final edit, and b) it was incorporated into the illustration!

Back to "Faith and Heresy," the next issue of Dragon has another article from me on a similar topic, "Unearthed Arcana: Strange Gods." It's scheduled to go online later this month.
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
--W. Somerset Maugham
User avatar
Gonzoron of the FoS
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 7555
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:02 pm
Gender: Male
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Gonzoron of the FoS »

Very nice stuff! I particularly like the "Drink poison, get info from the dead, get raised" quest idea. might have to use that somehow. Also, of course the demiplane of dread reference. Northern NJ, eh? Howdy, neighbor!
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
User avatar
Catman Jim
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 844
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:58 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Catman Jim »

Ken of Ghastria wrote:the next issue of Dragon has another article from me on a similar topic, "Unearthed Arcana: Strange Gods." It's scheduled to go online later this month.
It's up now, and even has a sidebar mentioning clerical powers in Ravenloft. Nicely done, Ken!
I only wish I had retired sooner!
User avatar
Ken of Ghastria
Champion of the Maiden
Champion of the Maiden
Posts: 1508
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:17 am
Location: In the marshes of New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Ken of Ghastria »

Thanks very much! Yep, here it is:

http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx ... trangegods

It was a fun article to write. Not only did the Ravenloft reference stay (to my pleasant surprise), but so did my references to the Fantastic Four and Melrose Place. When have those names ever appeared together in Dragon Magazine? :wink:
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
--W. Somerset Maugham
User avatar
Gonzoron of the FoS
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 7555
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:02 pm
Gender: Male
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Gonzoron of the FoS »

Another nice article, Ken. Keep Ravenloft alive!
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
User avatar
Ken of Ghastria
Champion of the Maiden
Champion of the Maiden
Posts: 1508
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:17 am
Location: In the marshes of New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Ken of Ghastria »

Thanks!

The fact that my Ravenloft sidebar survived to see publication in an 4E-related publication gave me renewed hope that WotC is serious about wanting to see a 4E Ravenloft campaign setting done properly and not rushed out in a slipshod way.
"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
--W. Somerset Maugham
User avatar
Catman Jim
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 844
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:58 pm
Gender: Male
Location: Sunny Florida

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Catman Jim »

Ken, congrats on today's article on Vecna & Kas: http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx ... 108history

While Ravenloft was never mentioned by name, we all can see the references to Vecna's time in the dark domains that you included in the article. Nice!
I only wish I had retired sooner!
User avatar
Gonzoron of the FoS
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
Posts: 7555
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:02 pm
Gender: Male
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Dragon article, "Faith and Heresy"

Post by Gonzoron of the FoS »

Yes, very nice! I especially like the vistani framing device. Menadora and friends are now in Mistipedia as well. :)
"We're realistic heroes. We're not here to save the world, just nudge the world into a better place."
Post Reply