FASA Games, Inc.

That's a very good point, Aurin, and one I can certainly empathize with. However, the pro-metaplot faction is in majority so I think it is inevitable that we will advance the timeline. Also, one could argue that by resolving old (in some cases 20 years old) plot hooks so that we can create new tensions (and new plot hooks) helps keeping things fresh. As always, the GM is encouraged to change everything to fit his/her scheme of things of course.

We have also been contemplating doing an Epic as a series of stand-alone yet loosely linked drama publications (much like how L5R have been doing their campaigns). Would that be a good solution for Fading Suns, do you think? The advantage of this model is that the project becomes more manageable and doesn’t require the complete attention of the entire team, allowing us to work on several projects simultaneously. The down side of course, is that you do not get a finished epic from the start, and you might be stuck waiting for the next installment to be released. In any event, such stand-alone episodes would have to be structured so that the cadre could go off on other adventures before picking up the threads again with each new installment.
Thoughts?

I'd need to know more about the L5R way they are doing adventures, but I like the idea of the staggered release. It sometimes feels a bit heavy to know that the epic is 190 pages of adventure, and I'd rather get them in serial form (such as once every quarter or half year). I'd not want the project to fall by the wayside however, and leave campaigns stranded.

If you do end up doing 5-10 connected adventures spread out over time, then it's important to have a recap section, as well as a section for running the adventure as a standalone. Another section of potential "side treks" is also helpful.

L5R had series of themed adventures that linked into a overarching epic, typically ending in some climacting event. The individual adventure books were medium-sized I think, and you could play them stand-alone if you liked, or you could (I think) play the adventures out of order without seriously breaking them (although you would often have to invente some new tie-in to get the player characters to go where they needed to be for the adventure).

How about ... A series of mystery adventures in the Istakhr market. Start with something that seems almost, but not quite normal - a murder of a low-life or minor information broker. Expand this to include some tie-in to a newly formed heretical cult or ancient cult reborn - Ur-Ukar mystery cult / Antinomist? Give us the market atmosphere somewhere between Casblanca and Chinatown with some Cthulhu-like texture. Add a level of supernatural flavor - making this variable to suit GM's taste. The players slowly find their investigation is drawing them into something darker than a simple murder. Could it really be a Church heresy, alien conspiracy, a noble feud gone horribly wrong or creatures from beyond time and space come to feed among the stalls of the market?

Sounds like a nice idea.
If you want to "beta test" a couple of adventures, I bet there are people here interested in checking it out. ,


You could make something totally not related to each other, following the many paths or epics there is to be chosen.
Make a contest. Bring in new ideas!

I am forward to see the game I love expand!!!

A horror epic might be cool to do, especially if one focuse on cults and heretics and hypocrism. We're currently working on such things for the upcoming "Darkness" project. Still, to keep things managable, I think we should restrict ourselves to explore only a handful of FS factions/themes/facets and really dig into those rather than spreading ourselves thing by flitting all over the place. At present, it seems that a political thriller story is in favor, and I wouldn't want to take too many detours. On the other hand, a Questing Knight epic might warrant a series of very different dramas.

Playtesting is certainly a posibility, if we can find a way to get it done fast (both the actual play test, the feedback, and than the implementing of feedback) so that the epic project does not linger in production too long. Well, the epic is still a long way off as we have other projects in the pipeline before it, although it is good to let ideas simmer in the back of the head

As an administrator, thinking out of the box is always good.
I think FASA has a plan for FS. Where to go? How to achieve that and this goal.

Enriching the scenario with source-books, more information about the KW, factions and mileau around the universe is a good catch. So then you can place an epic to make sure that may use all the prior books as more material.

As a gamer, more books, the better. xD

While L5R was a great game at launch, the change of writing teams was more than lackluster on several points and the story became incredibly silly. While the original writing team had some weirdness (the whole spirit war was not only underwhelming but lame), the story of Gold Edition took on DC/Marvel comic book proportions of plot twisting and ret-coning in order to make their nonsensical metaplot work. The writing team was too easily influenced by certain elements of the player community (i.e. the card tournament regulars) who had a very significant influence on the plot beyond even the tournament results.

If it comes to metaplot, there are good and bad ways to handle it. On the one hand, the World of Darkness was actually pretty good up until the end where things began to speed up towards the end of times. They somewhat redeemed themselves by writing multiple endings and suggested Storytellers pick which way they wanted to end the world. Each story was different enough for most people to find one which could potentially suit their campaign.

The Known Worlds (and beyond) are significantly vast however so few events could radically shake things up. War with the Vau or the Symbiots breaking through Stigmata could potentially "break" the setting for many. It would be difficult to integrate material from such events into campaigns as it should have a ripple impact throughout the book line. Local changes or those which have little direct influence on most groups of players is likely the best way to go. The Pandemonium setting with the plotline of the rediscovery of Iver could see a resolution through an adventure series. Later products could just have a sidebar to reference that book for details of the events or suggest changes depending on the outcome of the groups' involvement in the vain of the "Emperor's Consort" as suggested previously.

One has to be careful and avoid the NPCs becoming surrogate PCs or "Mary Sues" who dominate the story. Alustro's stories have a good mix of being on a smaller scale where they won't overshadow the actions of PCs. I.e. it's largely the very personal drama of the Li Halan noble and Alustro's Faith. On the other hand, the Emperor has a major role in the Empire, but few actually get to interact with him. Including stories centered around Alexius would leave the PCs in the background and the players likely disengaged.

In the same vein as my suggestion above for Iver would be a resolution to the Patriarch seemingly approaching his end. I am somewhat inspired by the recent seclusion of Kim Jong Un of North Korea where some thought he had been deposed. Perhaps a plot centered aroudn the Patriarch not having been seen in public for some time and the various factions of the Church are readying knives or preparing to try to succeed him. Again, later books would simply refer to "the Patriarch of the Universal Church of the Celestial Sun" without naming him explicitly. Particularly, if the adventure book offers the GM and the players multiple endings to the drama (the current Patriarch recovers, or dies, or is deposed and replaced, or perhaps a schism with competing Patriarchs!)

Very good suggestions, Madmage The thought of doing a metaplot story is rather intimidating to me, but it could be worth it if done right.