Palladium Books® – Weekly Update – January 13, 2022

One game system – every genre – countless worlds – endless adventure

By Kevin Siembieda

 

Final days to get a Palladium Surprise Package

This is the last weekend to get a fabled Christmas Surprise Package. After this offer ends on Monday, you will have to wait until next Christmas season to get this truly unique and special offer – all books signed by me and available staff should you want them signed.

People love these fun game packages. They are a great way to start the New Year, treat yourself with new RPGs or sourcebooks, try new settings, find ideas for new campaigns, replace lost or worn out books, fill holes in your collection, or use these Grab Bags as a cool gift for the gamer in your life. $95-$100+ worth of books for only $55 plus shipping and a small handling fee. Ideal for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and any gift-giving occasion. And please spread the word so other gamers can get one before this epic deal is over. Speaking of gamers, there is a new batch of fan comments from Surprise Packages right after my Closing Thoughts. See more Surprise Package details below or click on the link to order right now. Enjoy.

 

And now for some news and updates …

Shipping the end of January?! Splicers® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover (with 50 pages of extra material gathered from The Rifter®) and “Original” Palladium Fantasy “Bonus” Commemorative Hardcover (1st Edition Rules and includes Tombs of Gersidi and the first Fantasy sourcebook: The Arms of Nargash-Tor). I make this announcement with a bit of trepidation as our hardcover printer has been notoriously unreliable even when they have assured us of ship dates in the past. That said, they tell us that the Splicers® and Palladium Fantasy Bonus Edition Hardcovers will be delivered by the end of January and seem rather definite and cheerful about it. Fingers crossed. Our thanks to those of you who have ordered and been patiently waiting for them to ship. See details below.

 

UPDATE: Printing. I wish the good news about the hardcovers meant the printing crisis is coming to an end, but no such luck. We are still experiencing delays and much longer than normal turnaround times for offset printing than we have ever seen in our 40 year history, but we are working around these challenges the best we can. We are even experiencing shortages and substitutions with the shipping boxes we purchase. Shortages and paper substitutions for books often mean higher prices and we are trying to hold the line on the cost of our books for you while maintaining our high quality. Palladium has four printers we are using depending on our needs and their availability, and we are investigating a few additional printers. We are finding ourselves sending books in for reprint weeks and months in advance to make sure we keep titles in stock. That messes with our cash flow, but we want our books available to you whenever you want them. In fact, I have quote requests and inquiries at our current and a few new printers right now.

 

UPDATE: Cleaning House. We have been “cleaning house” on a few levels as we gear up for a productive year. That includes physical cleaning and reorganizing the warehouse and offices. This is in part preparation for the Palladium Open House in April, and to get ourselves physically and mentally prepared for the beginning of a new era at Palladium Books. A lot of “stuff” has piled up in every nook and cranny over the years and it is time to get organized and back into a lean, mean, game producing machine. We have been sorting through and throwing out bag after bag of trash, and categorizing and filing away the rest. No box or pile of papers has been spared. No small undertaking but definitely necessary. What is cool about it is this cleaning purge is a visual accomplishment that makes everyone feel productive, positive, and raring to get into the work of creating. For those of you attending the POH, there is good news in that we have unearthed some rare treasures to put into the Live Auction.

Among the fun surprises I will not be selling (sorry) are a bunch of my ancient notes and maps from my original Defilers Fantasy campaign (1979-1983), including the Land of Damned and the Citadel, Erick Wujcik’s notes on Dragonwright, his first draft of Tombs of Gersidi, and even some of my old Palladium Fantasy RPG® and Mechanoid Invasion® original artwork! I also found two dozen of my colored pages from Noble Comics’ Justice Machine and Cobalt Blue #5. I was the colorist/painter, a pinch-hit inker, and concept guy for the comic books.

My dear friend and publisher at the time, Michael Gustovich, was a big fan of The Mechanoid Invasion Trilogy®, prompting him to license and include them (out of scale but there in all their glory) as the big bad guys in Cobalt Blue #5. So for you crazy collectors, the first comic book appearance of The Mechanoids® was in the pages of Cobalt Blue/Justice Machine #5 (we’ll have some at the Open House). The episode was even entitled “Invasion of the Mechanoids!” The art is by guys who would go on to become comic book legends like Bill Reinhold (penciler) and Bob Layton (inker, who would, years later, revitalize Iron Man for Marvel), as well as Jeff Dee (inker) and Mike Gustovich (writer and inker). Painted by me. The full color process for the comics was not what we had hoped for and the art printed in muted, dull colors compared to the crisp, original painted colored pages. Crystal (Palladium’s warehouse person) and Alex were blown away by the vibrant colors and hand-painted detail of my painted pages. That was nice for me because she and Alex were quite impressed to the point that I think I actually blushed. I had forgotten how good I was at painting with Doctor Martin dyes and watercolor paint way back when. I might have to dabble in painting again sometime.

The discovery of these pages brought back fond memories of hanging out at the Noble Comics bullpen with guys like Bill Willingham (creator of The Elementals and DC’s Fables), Jeff Dee (the creator of one of the first superhero RPGs, Villains & Vigilantes), Bill Reinhold, Mike and others in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A shame Noble Comics (1982 and 1983) didn’t get off the ground. Sadly, it was a few years ahead of the independent comic book boom that would catch fire in the mid/late 1980s and early 1990s with Ninja Turtles, Image Comics, Dark Horse, and others.

 

UPDATE: Rifts® CS Manhunters. I am taking care of some business matters and clearing my plate so I can write my heart out. As soon as I am finished with this title, I will happily move on to the next, and the next. It is time to become that writing machine again.

 

UPDATE: The Rifter® #85 Annual. This is Sean’s baby, and will be a dynamic and diverse, 224 page issue.

 

UPDATE: What’s next: The BTS sourcebook Creature Feature, Rifts® Titan Robotics, Rifts® Bestiary Volume 2, and Rifts® Antarctica, not necessarily in that order, but probably. We also have several Palladium Fantasy titles and a bunch of other books in the pipeline and in development.

 

I have never felt sharper and more focused. Why now? There are several reasons. One is you and the positive feedback we have gotten from you over the past several months about the Surprise Packages, hardcovers, and upcoming releases, as well as excitement about Sean Roberson joining the team. Another is that I am highly motivated to help you stay positive and occupied during these troubling times by putting new games and sourcebooks into your hands. Product that will excite and enthrall you, and bring you a little escape and enjoyment. Otherwise, I think my head and heart are just in a good place. All manner of things are falling into place and finally coming together behind the scenes. All of the above has renewed my creative energy and excitement about the future. The presence of Sean Roberson and his unbridled enthusiasm helps too. As does the input and hard work of Wayne, Alex, Crystal, and the entire Palladium crew. All of it motivates me. We feel inspired and positive despite the rise of Covid everywhere, supply chain issues, and other garbage in the world. We hope our positivity and excitement is contagious and infects you with fun and inspires you to game and stretch your own imaginations, especially as new product begins to hit the shelves. Good stuff, too.

Our new policy of not announcing new products and tentative release dates prohibits me from going into details at this time. But you know what, I think that is also helping to motivate me to get these books finished and into your hands! I am dying to share them with you as soon as possible.

Please read on for details about the Surprise Package sale ending soon and descriptions of upcoming product.

 

LAST WEEKEND to order the Palladium Surprise Package
Offer ENDS after midnight Monday, January 17, 2022 – Last chance

There is no better way to start the New Year than with a Palladium Surprise Package. But it ends Monday, after midnight, and will not be back until next Christmas season, so do not delay.

A Surprise Package is a nice way to start the New Year, and is a great gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, and any gift-giving occasion. Or start the New Year with a stack of RPGs or sourcebooks you have been meaning to try, or books you need to fill holes in your collection, or to replace battered well-loved books. FYI: Now that it is back in stock you can put the beloved “Original” Rifts® RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover on your Wish List and be considered to receive one. The book is truly fun and special and completely compatible with all Rifts® titles. HOWEVER, for the Surprise Package offer it carries a $60 dollar value. Remember, this special edition of original Rifts® includes a bonus 32 page color section containing the history of Rifts®, a gallery of all Rifts® covers to date (160+), concept drawings and more. (Note: Can also be purchased separately – 288 pages – $49.99 – Cat. No. 800HC30.)

We extend the offer for those of you who have been so busy spending your time and money on your family and friends, that you have not had the opportunity or funds to treat yourself to a well-deserved Christmas Surprise Package.

We also extend it for those of you who cannot get enough of Palladium’s games and want to start the New Year off with a setting or source material to launch a new campaign. And for those of you who can use a Surprise Package as the perfect gift for a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion coming up in January or February. (Valentine’s Day?)

And we extend the Surprise Packages for you Johnny Come-Latelies who were meaning to get one, but how time flies during the holidays even during a pandemic. And because so many states are hot spots and with the new Omicron variant spreading, I have made the extended period longer than usual. (I could have sworn “Omicron” was a Transformer.) It just feels like it is more important than ever to spread the joy of gaming into the New Year. So please, spread the word about the extended Surprise Package sale period, and travel the Megaverse® from the safety of your home.

What is a Christmas Surprise Package?

A smile and a hug that comes in a box filled with signed game books from available Palladium staff and freelancers. And God knows this year continues to be so crazy, we need something fun like the Christmas Surprise Package to ring in the New Year and provide a little joy and laughter. With so many people suffering from the fallout of the pandemic, depression, frustration, and in some cases, money issues, they need to escape into realms of role-playing adventures and this is a fun way to do so. Not to mention the huge savings and autographs available via a Palladium Christmas Surprise Package.

A Surprise Package is your way to get physical books (and autographs if you want them) for PDF prices! $95-$100+ worth of Palladium products for only $55 (plus shipping and handling)! That can nab you four or more items when these days one core rule book can cost you that alone.

These Surprise Packages are our way of saying thank you for your support and showing you our love and appreciation. It’s a surprise because you never know exactly what you’re going to get or who will sign your books, because we pick from your Wish List and may surprise you with stuff you are not expecting. Extra items may include other RPGs, sourcebooks, issues of the Rifter®, novels, miniatures, prints, art books, greeting cards, T-shirts, negatives, and other items. Some books may be slightly damaged (scuffs, scratches, dings, a crunched corner, etc.) so we can send you more.

Truly the best deal in gaming, Palladium’s 24th Annual Christmas Surprise Package gets you $95-$105, sometimes MORE, worth of product for ONLY $55 (plus shipping and handling), as gifts for others or for yourself. That’s like getting physical books at PDF prices. And if you want them signed we will sign each and every one of them.

The Surprise Packages can be that special gift for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or any special occasion coming in the weeks ahead. It is also a great way to fill the winter months ahead with a pile of games on the cheap. And you can get a bunch of autographs (if you want ‘em). Or as a means to treat yourself (you deserve it), fill holes in your collection, replace worn out books, or try new settings. And who doesn’t like getting a “surprise” anytime of the year?

Have you wondered about settings like Palladium Fantasy®, Heroes Unlimited, Dead Reign®, Chaos Earth®, Nightbane®, Systems Failure, Mechanoid Invasion®, Rifts®, After the Bomb®, etc. – ask for it in your Wish List and maybe you’ll get it.

Your “Wish List” is vital – the Palladium Surprise Packages are designed to simulate the joy and surprise of the Christmas Season of Giving. To do this, you submit a list of 12-15 Palladium products (or more) FOR EACH Surprise Package you order. This list of 12-15 items for EACH Grab Bag is critical, because you will not know which items we will select to send you. That makes it just like a Christmas gift because it really is a surprise. Surrogate Santa Kevin personally hand-picks every item for every Grab Bag, and may toss in something extra like a limited edition print, or a negative, or similar collector’s item, or an issue of The Rifter®, or something else he thinks you’ll enjoy.

Autographed books. For those of you who want them (which are most people), Kevin and available members of the Palladium staff, and any freelancers we can lasso at the time, are happy to autograph each and every book in your Surprise Package. This is the only way many fans across the country and overseas can ever get signed books.

Send us your brief comments. There is a special form and format to fill out for Christmas Surprise Packages. It includes a place where you can offer your brief comments, suggestions, greetings and salutations.

First-timers are always nervous until they see the great value in their first Surprise Package. A typical Grab Bag has $95-$105 worth of product, sometimes more! Yes, sometimes more, for only $55 plus shipping and handling. Many people order 2-3. Some order 4-6, and some maniacs order even more! It makes sense, because it is a great way to fill holes in your own collection, treat yourself, get autographs, try new games and settings, rebuild your collection, replace worn out books, and get your gaming pals gifts you know they will love. PLEASE spread the word about this great offer.

To those of you outside the USA, the X-Mas Surprise Package is a way to get books and circumvent the damn high cost of shipping from the United States, since you are getting $95-$105 (often more) worth of product and only paying $55 plus a small handling charge. Shipping via Priority Mail International (required for packages weighing 4 or more pounds) to most locations in Europe, Canada, Australia, and many other countries is around $50-$60 US dollars. HOWEVER, because the cost of the product is so low, that’s the equivalent of paying retail for the products and only $0-$30 for shipping. A very good deal. Plus you get autographs if you want them! X-Mas Surprise Packages are the way to go for those of you outside the USA. Please take advantage of it to get all those products you’ve wished you could get except the shipping was too prohibitive. We feel your pain. Game on!

Please spread the word. The Christmas Surprise Package is only publicized by word of mouth, on Palladium’s website, and social media, so please tell everyone you know. Buy one for every gamer you know. They make astonishing gifts for every occasion. This sale ENDS SOON – January 17, 2022.

 

NEW and Coming Soon! “Original” Palladium Fantasy RPG^® “Bonus” Edition Commemorative Hardcover, 1st Edition Rules – ships end of January

This deluxe, foil stamped edition presents the original, First Edition rules, expanded with the inclusion of the Arms of Nargash-Tor adventure sourcebook. The Original Fantasy Edition includes Erick Wujcik’s popular Tombs of Gersidi adventure left out of the 2nd Edition rule book, and all the original illustrations. The cover is a recreation of the original, famous red and black cover of the original RPG. We sold more than 120,000 copies of the first edition rule book back in the day, so we know a lot of people have fond memories of it. Hence, the request for Palladium to offer it again in some form. We hope you enjoy the deluxe First Edition Fantasy hardcover. It sure brought back memories for many of us.

• The complete, original RPG – the game that started Palladium Books.
• First Edition rules are easily adaptable to current Fantasy titles.
• Includes The Tombs of Gersidi adventure and setting (ancient vampires and dark magic) written by Erick Wujcik. Maps by Erick Wujcik. Easily adapted to current rules.
• Depictions of Eastern, Western, Northern, and Old Kingdom coins.
• Fan favorite artwork by Kevin Siembieda and Michael Kucharski.
• The Arms of Nargash-Tor adventure sourcebook included as “bonus” material back in print form for the first time in 35 years.
• Deluxe hardcover edition. Probably limited to fewer than 1,000 copies.
• Recreation of the original cover with red foil stamping into a black faux leatherette hardcover. It should look beautiful.
• 320 pages total with “bonus” material – $55 retail – Cat. No. 449HC – at the printer. We are told it will be available by the end of January.

 

NEW & COMING SOON! Splicers^® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – ships end of January

The Splicers® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover includes 50 pages of Splicers® material from The Rifter® #30, #32, and #51 offering War Mounts, The Wasteland, and Living Weapons like the Swarm Lord, Hive insects, etc., written by Chris Kluge.

Splicers® is a unique science fiction RPG unlike anything else on the market. It might be thought of as The Terminator meets Guyver. Human beings (on a far future Earth or is it a distant space colony?) are forced to hide and turn to bio-engineered, living weapons, armor and war steeds in their ongoing struggles against “The Machine.” A Super-Artificial Intelligence originally designed to help and protect human beings, but now hunts and destroys or enslaves them for their own welfare. It is a battle for survival that varies for each House of Splicers and the different regions controlled by the different personalities of the insane AI.

• The complete Splicers RPG written and created by Carmen Bellaire.
• 50 bonus pages of source material written by Chris Kluge.
• 280 pages – $44.99 retail – Cat. No. 200HC – at the printer. We are told by the printer it will be available by the end of January.

 

NEW and Coming Soon: The Rifter^® #85 Annual

The Rifter® – your favorite portal to the Palladium Books® Megaverse® – is back! And oh boy, do we have a treat for you – 224 pages of the best content from an entire year’s worth of submissions. This first annual issue has content for use with almost all our game lines including Rifts®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Dead Reign®, Nightbane®, Heroes Unlimited™, and more.

Highlights include:

• Soul in Flames: A Rifts® adventure by Barry Wright that captured our imagination so much we put it on the cover!
• The Colony of Gonarn: Sweeping location and adventure material for the Palladium Fantasy RPG® by Glen Evans.
• Vehicle Encounter Tables: An awesome resource by Lloyd Blair for Dead Reign®, but also eminently useful for Systems Failure®, Chaos Earth®, Beyond the Supernatural™, and even Rifts®.
• Beyond Midnight: Inspired by Boxed Nightmares, this combination of story, creature feature, and plot hooks by Dan Frederick includes adventure seeds for nine Palladium settings.
• The Redeemer: What does evil-turned-good look like? This O.C.C. by Kyle Osterberg for Nightbane® covers just that.
• Magical Collectibles: An array of unique arcane items by Christian Bonawandt for use with any Palladium setting.
• The Glitter Boy Revisited: Two articles by Will Erwin that will have Game Masters and players alike taking a fresh new look at everyone’s favorite chrome power suit.
• Relics of Empire: New setting, history, and source material for Palladium Fantasy RPG® by Ian Herbert.
• Plus: Short stories, news, coming attractions, product descriptions, and more.
• 224 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 185 – Coming soon.
• Coming this autumn 2022 – The Rifter #86. So work on your next Rifter® Submission in advance, as the deadline is likely to be June or July first. Note: If you were not accepted into this Annual, you may be on the short list for the next. FYI: We get many submissions for Rifts®, and are sitting on some for the 2022 Annual now, so you will have a greater chance of getting published in the next Rifter Annual if you send material for Nightbane®, Dead Reign®, Chaos Earth®, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, After the Bomb®, Palladium Fantasy® and others, though we get a fair number of submissions for Fantasy too.

 

UPDATE: Coming – Rifts^® CS Manhunters

The Rifts® CS Manhunters Sourcebook will top out at 192-224 pages. This epic sourcebook is part Coalition States adventure sourcebook and part psionics sourcebook, with the psychic elements and characters in the limelight in a similar way to how the Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook highlighted bionics. In this case, however, the emphasis is on how the Coalition States use psychics. This includes a re-visitation of CS psychics, Dog Boys, Kill Hounds, Psi-Stalkers, and some of the classic psionic abilities (expanded and clarified). That’s in addition to 50+ new psionic powers that are fun and intuitive, and the Manhunter O.C.C.s. Only a handful of the psionics are limited to the Manhunters. The new psionics are available to most psychic characters.

The CS Manhunters are destined to become new villains you will love to hate. With deep insight into these psychic hunters of people, how they think, and how they operate. The secret Psi-Ops Division (the thought police of Emperor Prosek) and the deadly super-patriots that are the enigmatic CS Manhunters are revealed for the first time.

This sourcebook also delves into aspects of CS society, the psychology of its people, a few D-Bees, and the meaning behind the enigmatic Seven Dangers Prophecy (first introduced in Rifts® Sourcebook 2: The Mechanoids®) and speculation on the last few Dangers to be identified. Not to mention some gadgets, implants, and surprises.

• New Coalition Psychic O.C.C.s.
• 50+ new psionic abilities and revisits of some favorites.
• CS Manhunter Diviner and Precog.
• CS Manhunter Psi-Interrogator and Psi-Enforcer.
• CS Manhunter Bursters and Zappers.
• CS Manhunter Psi-Healers and CS Slayers.
• CS Manhunter Kill Hound and Dog Boy O.C.C.s.
• CS Manhunter Mind Melters, the deadliest of them all.
• CS Manhunter squads and special operations.
• Secrets of Psi-Ops Division and insight about Coalition psychics.
• Deciphering the Seven Dangers Prophecy.
• The impact of the demon plagues unleashed by the Minion War.
• Player Characters, background info, adventure ideas, and more.
• 192-224 pages – $26.99 retail – Cat. No. 894 – In final production.

 

NEW! Art Print – Rifts^® Ley Line Scene – Available now

The classic, fan favorite illustration of adventurers heading toward a ley line in the distance. Art by Kevin Long.

• Artist Kevin Long. Originally appeared in the Rifts® RPG.
• 17 inches wide/long by 11 inches tall – 16 x 10 image area.
• $15.00 – Cat. No. PR830 – mailed rolled in a tube – available now only from Palladium Books.

 

NEW! Art Print – Rifts^® Antarctica Cover – available now

The dynamic and evocative cover to the upcoming Rifts® Antarctica World Book. This art inspired Kevin Siembieda to add a place of power, alien creatures, monsters, and mysteries that will shock and delight gamers. One of those mysteries is, what could be there that scares the Splugorth? You’ll find out soon enough, but can get the print now.

• Artist John Zeleznik. The cover to the upcoming Rifts® Antarctica World Book.
• 8½ inches wide by 11 inches tall – 7½ x 10 image area.
• $10.00 retail – Cat. No. PR831 – mailed flat – available now.

 

NEW! Art Print – Phase World^® Sourcebook Cover – available now

A favorite of Kevin Siembieda, Sean Owen Roberson, and countless gamers, it depicts a CCW fleet and a power armored escort. Art by Kevin Long.

• Artist Kevin Long. The cover to the Rifts® Phase World® Sourcebook.
• 8½ inches wide by 11 inches tall – 7½ x 10 image area.
• $10.00 retail – Cat. No. PR832 – mailed flat – available now.

 

Enjoy all of Palladium’s prints

There is a growing selection of color and black and white art prints available in the Palladium Online store. Adorn your gaming area and home with these quality art prints. Also take a look at other visually stunning products such as the poker decks, bookmarks, greeting cards, and art books.

 

BACK IN PRINT – “Original” Rifts^® RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover – available now

Still only $50 despite rising paper and printing costs – Cat. No. 800HC30 – and it looks absolutely gorgeous. This popular title sold out in only four months and has been out of print since early September. Well, it is back in stock and it is gorgeous. This collector’s item sports the original Keith Parkinson cover and offers the original 1990s RPG plus an additional 32 page color section, the history of Rifts®, unpublished concept art, a gallery of all Rifts® covers through 2021, and more. Can be used with ALL existing Rifts® supplements. 288 pages – a steal at $49.99 – Cat. No. 800HC30 – Available now! Note: The limited edition is already a coveted collector’s item. May be requested for the Surprise Package.

 

BACK IN PRINT – Rifts^® Black Market™ (softcover) – available now

Five Black Market factions including Bandito Arms – 10 Black Market O.C.C.s, new weapons, armor, vehicles, robots, robot animals, the Shadow Boy and TW Ironmage Glitter Boy variants, and more. I am so glad people are discovering this sourcebook because it is truly epic and jam-packed with useful and fun material for players and G.M.s alike. 192 pages – $26.99 – Cat. No. 886 – available now.

 

BACK IN PRINT – Rifts^® Sourcebook One (softcover) – available now

The first appearance of Archie Three, Triax Robots, a full Archie adventure, the first appearance of the Republicans (NEMA survivors who survived in stasis), robot creation rules and other fun, groundbreaking material. The perfect companion to go with the “Original” Rifts RPG Commemorative Hardcover, Shemarrian Nation™, and the upcoming Titan Robotics™. 160 pages – $22.99 – Cat. No. 801 – Available now.

 

UPDATED List of RPG Hardcovers Available Now

• “Original” Rifts® RPG 30th Anniversary Commemorative Hardcover – available now! This collector’s item sports the original Parkinson cover, additional 32 page color section, history of Rifts®, unpublished concept art, gallery of all Rifts® covers through 2020, and more. Can be used with ALL Rifts® supplements – 288 pages – $49.99 – Cat. No. 800HC30 – Available now.
• Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG “Bonus” Hardcover – available now – BACK in stock – 224 pages – $36.99 – Cat. No. 525HC – includes bonus material – available now.
• After the Bomb® RPG “Bonus” Hardcover – available now – BACK in stock – 296 pages – $39.99 – Cat. No. 503HC – includes bonus material – available now.
• Rifts® Book of Magic Hardcover – available now – BACK in stock – 352 pages – $39.99 – Cat. No. 848HC – available now.
• Nightbane® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – available now – 304 pages – $39.99 – Cat. No. 730HC – 60 extra pages of bonus material – available now.
• Dead Reign® RPG (Zombie Apocalypse) Hardcover – available now – BACK in stock – 224 pages – $36.99 – Cat. No. 230HC – available now.
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, 2nd Edition Hardcover – 224 pages – $36.99 – Cat. No. 700HC.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, 2nd Edition Hardcover – 336 pages – $39.99 – Cat. No. 450HC – Our second best selling new hardcover after the Rifts® 30th Anniversary edition.
• Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, 2nd Edition Hardcover – 352 pages – $39.99 – Cat. No. 500HC.
• Chaos Earth® RPG “Bonus” Edition Hardcover – 192 pages – $36.99 – Cat. No. 660HC – 30 extra pages of bonus material – available now.
• Rifts® Ultimate Edition RPG Hardcover – 376 pages – $44.99 – Cat. No. 800HC – epic.
• Rifts® Ultimate Edition “Softcover” is a new format. RUE has only ever been available as a hardcover, and it still is, but it is now also available as a softcover – 376 pages – $34.99 – Cat. No. 800SE.
• Rifts® Game Master Guide Hardcover – 352 pages – $39.99 – Cat. No. 845HC.
• Rifts® Adventure Guide Hardcover – 192 pages – $36.99 – Cat. No. 849HC.

 

DriveThruRPG.com – Discover the Palladium Megaverse^® at PDF prices – 300+ titles

– Rifts® titles. Rifts® is the ultimate setting in which you can combine any number of genres and play any style of gaming you may desire: science fiction, fantasy, supernatural horror, heroic adventure, dimensional travel, modern knights, cyborgs, giant robots, dinosaur taming, sleuthing, magic, monsters, heroes and legends. Or combine them all. There has never been a game quite like Rifts®.

– Rifts® Chaos Earth® titles. Live through the Great Cataclysm and the Coming of the Rifts. Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG, Creatures of Chaos™, Rise of Magic™, and Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ are all available.

– The Rifter® #1-84. Each issue is a wealth of source material and ideas for Rifts® and 3-5 other Palladium game settings. Most are easily adapted to ANY Palladium game setting. Each issue is a gem. 8,500 pages of source material and ideas for heroes, villains, monsters, magic, gear, and adventure. Many issues are sold out and only available in digital form.

– Palladium Fantasy RPG® titles. This is a rich, original setting in which you can play humans or any number of nonhuman species of people in a world of magic, heroes and wonder. A world with 100,000 years of history. Some of it quite dark. All of it epic.

– Dead Reign® RPG and sourcebooks. The Zombie Apocalypse unleashed. Play ordinary people or post-apocalyptic O.C.C.s or Masked Lunatic heroes. A great introductory RPG that is surprisingly uplifting, fun, fast, and easy to learn.

– Heroes Unlimited™ RPG Second Edition titles. Create any type of superhuman you can imagine to build your own super-hero universe or those of your favorite comic books. Heroes Unlimited™ RPG first edition rule book and sourcebooks too.

– After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks. Create and play anthropomorphic, intelligent, mutant animals in a comic book world of crime-fighting mutants and super-heroes, or in a crumbling post-apocalyptic Earth where humans teeter on the edge of extinction and mutant animals are becoming the noble survivors to inherit our world.

– Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG and the Mystic China™ sourcebook by Erick Wujcik. Think James Bond meets Enter the Dragon. 41 types of martial arts, ninjas, and super-spies with gadgets, gizmos and advanced weapons.

– Nightbane® RPG and sourcebooks. You are the monsters … and the heroes. Embark on a quest of self-discovery and empowerment while locked in a secret war against the Nightlords and their demonic and human minions. Monsters only you, the Nightbane, can see, but only when you transform into your inhuman Morphus. A supernatural and monstrous alter-ego that can see the invading monsters and possesses the power to destroy them. That’s why the Night Princes have been assigned to hunt down and either turn or destroy every last one of the Nightbane. Trust no one. Even your parents, teachers, or friends might be wicked Dopplegangers in league with the Nightlords.

– Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG and sourcebooks. Your first step into the realm of modern horror. The RPG provides 14 character classes and 42 occupations for “ordinary people,” 100+ psychic abilities, 16 monsters, the Lazlo Agency, world setting and rules.

– The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy RPG is a long time, cult favorite with a fatalistic worldview of humans vs aliens with superior technology.

– Splicers® RPG is like Iron Man meets Game of Thrones with elements of Terminator – except this army of Iron Men are clad in living body armor and wield living, organic weapons and devices. Created in 2004 by writer and game designer Carmen Bellaire, Splicers® was nominated for an Inquest Gamer Magazine Fan Awards Game of the Year, and has since developed a rabid fan base. Science fiction and horror where humans are forced to use genetically engineered, living weapons and organic war machines to battle an insane Artificial Intelligence and her robot legions. Unlike anything you have ever played before!

– Systems Failure RPG. A one-shot post-apocalyptic setting where humans fight and hide from enslaving alien invaders known as “The Bugs.”

– The Palladium Ancient Weapons Series of real world weapons, armor and castles throughout history. Designed for use with ANY game system.

– RECON® Deluxe & Revised – by Erick Wujcik and others. Vietnam era RPG and more.

– Erick Wujcik’s “Lost first RPG” Sector 57. It is Erick Wujcik’s very first RPG (1980, self-published) – a tournament game, actually. I played it way back when with Erick and it was fun. I think you will enjoy it, and it is a fun piece of history. ALL proceeds go directly to the Wujcik estate and probably toward the education of Erick’s beloved grandchild, Tristan. As most of you know, Erick would go on to write the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG, Ninjas & Superspies RPG, Amber Diceless, and contribute to a number of other RPGs and sourcebooks.

– 300+ Palladium titles in all, plus G.M. kits, paper miniatures and more. Palladium Books has settings for every genre: Fantasy RPG, science fiction (Rifts®, Splicers®, and The Mechanoids®), super-heroes (Heroes Unlimited and After the Bomb), superhero horror (Nightbane®), modern horror (Dead Reign® and Beyond the Supernatural), plus The Rifter® sourcebook series (by fans like you), novels, paper minis, and more. And more to come in the weeks ahead.

 

Palladium Collectibles, one-of-a-kind Negatives, original artwork, other collectibles and toys are always available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles eBay Store along with other good things

My eBay store is one of the few places where you can find original artwork by me (Kevin Siembieda), Kevin Long, Charles Walton, and others, as well as one-of-a-kind negatives from classic Rifts® and other Palladium RPG books (they look awesome framed!), rare Palladium collector hardcovers, signed books, one-of-a-kind proofreader copies, other Palladium memorabilia, as well as toys and other collectibles from my personal collection. Yeah, I used to be a crazy toy and art collector. Alex and I will try to post new items on a regular basis, so check in every few weeks to see what’s new.

Other one-of-a-kind original artwork available by me (Kevin Siembieda), Kevin Long, Charles Walton II and other artists, as well as collectible negatives, prints, limited edition hardcovers, proofreader copies, out of print items, Star Wars toys, Marvel toys and many other toys and collectibles from my personal collection. Alex and I will keep adding items as our busy schedules allow, but we have a lot of fun collectibles available now and coming soon. Hundreds of items. Take a look every weekend for new additions.

Available now: One-of-a-kind book negatives. Negatives are always very popular items at the Palladium Open House and Gen Con. Truly unique, attractive, and fun.

Negatives are unique and attractive, one-of-a-kind (on rare occasions two-of-a-kind if a page or section of pages were replaced or a second edition was made) works of art that resemble woodcut art and are very dynamic conversation pieces. Before digital printing, pages of a book were laid out by hand on a board, and each page was photographed. The plastic film negatives were then “ganged” on a massive sheet of Mylar 16 pages per big sheet, and the printing plates were made from the negatives – everything white, printing black.

When our printer, McNaughton and Gunn was going to discard them, Palladium acquired many (not all) of the old negatives. I am only keeping a few books for myself and make majority of the rest available to you. I sign each negative in silver and each comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The negative comes on a white board inside a plastic magazine bag and looks fabulous framed! Fits in an 8×10 inch matt opening in a frame (each neg is roughly 8½ x 11 inches). But don’t miss the other collectibles as well.

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

 

Heroes Unlimited^™ Podcast by Real Play Games

These are the folks who have been bringing you the fun After the Bomb® adventure podcasts that so many have been enjoying. This time they present four episodes from a Heroes Unlimited™ 2nd Edition campaign. These folks are gamers and Palladium fans just like you, following a dream to tell and share their own stories from the Palladium Megaverse®. Cool, right? We thank them for doing this and encourage you to give them a listen.

You can also listen to the After the Bomb®: Purrsuit Season 1. Season Two coming spring 2022 after a venture into the realm of Beyond the Supernatural later this winter.

Learn more and listen to the Heroes Unlimited™ Holiday Special (4 episodes described below) and After the Bomb®: Purrsuit of Knowledge Season One adventures by using the links below. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

• Schedule: Biweekly (episodes released every other Friday).
• Website: http://www.realplaygamespod.com
• Twitter: @realplaypod

 

NEW! Heroes Unlimited™: Hostage for the Holidays: Episode 1 – Superhuman Trafficking!

T’was a day in El Paso fit for a king,
when super-villain Railgun did a questionable thing!
Through Santana’s window, he came with a crash
while downstairs two rival gangs started to clash!
What could possibly happen? Where could they go?
Find out when you hear this podcast, ho-ho!
Release Date: December 3, 2021
Content Warnings: Adult Language, Gore, Violence.

 

NEW! Heroes Unlimited™: Hostage for the Holidays: Episode 2 – A Small Change of Plans

In Ciudad Juarez, our protagonists stop
to take care of themselves and avoid the cops.
While Railgun’s mind dreams of riches to squander
a mysterious force urges Santana to wander.
While out in the desert, some undead embarrassments
subject the duo to uncomfortable harassment.
Hopefully the two can put them to quick ends
with a little woo-woo, and a couple of friends.
Release Date: December 10, 2021
Content Warnings: Adult Language, Gore, Extreme Violence and Vampire Microaggressions.

 

NEW! Heroes Unlimited™: Hostage for the Holidays: Episode 3 – Conservation of Ninjutsu

While en-route to Zurich, our indomitable two
do their best to lay low after terrible news.
But Railgun’s captive Santana is too attractive a target
for the world’s criminal syndicates to just up and forget.
Wakizashis, katanas, and shuriken, oh my!
The Kagemusha Chujiin sure want Railgun to die!
Surviving until Zurich would be really neat,
let’s see if they can do it at 35,000 feet!
Release Date: December 17, 2021
Content Warnings: Adult Language and Violence.

 

NEW! Heroes Unlimited™: Hostage for the Holidays: Episode 4 (Finale) – The Santa-ening

Their adventure’s concluding, destinies unveiled,
in Switzerland, it’s time that our heroes have bailed,
headed up north with a quick-paced flight,
but soon they find themselves a terrible fight.
Pitted against the world’s richest man,
the two hope to save the holiday if they can!
So sit back, relax! It’s a Hell of a fight.
Besides, it’s not like there’s much happening tonight!
The story ends here, folks! We’ve done all the edits!
And if you’d be so kind, please stay through the credits!
Release Date: December 24, 2021
Content Warnings: Adult Language, Gore, and Violence.

 

And coming over the next 12-18 months …

• Beyond the Supernatural 2E – Cozy Caverns Mysteries
• After the Bomb®: Purrsuit Season 2
• Palladium Megaversal system – Baby, I Shrunk these F*$#ing People!
• Nightbane®
• Rifts®
• Still available, After the Bomb®: Pursuit Season 1

Please continue to support and spread the word about Real Play Games and their RPG Podcast: After the Bomb®: Purrsuit of Knowledge™.

 

Closing Thoughts

I’m seeing folks sliding into a dark funk and negativity about Covid, rising costs, and, well, everything. Please don’t despair. Spring and the Palladium Open House are just around the corner. New books are coming and we are trying to hold prices. All reasons to hang tough and stay positive.

While you are at it, snag yourself or a buddy a Surprise Package before the offer ends on Monday. They are pretty awesome and nearly guaranteed to make you smile and feel good. Also enjoy the Surprise Package Comments from fans like you, and hang loose. Reach out to the people who make you smile, get in a little gaming, and do the things that put you in a good place and help you feel safe and happy. That probably involves reaching out to friends and gamers and like-minded individuals you can be yourself with and have some laughs. Be smart about it, but don’t let the winter blues, Covid and all the gloom and doom get you down. We will do the same here, only in our case, we are throwing ourselves into the work we love.

That’s all for now. Stay frosty and game on. And don’t forget, this is the last weekend to get a Palladium Surprise Package offer. I mention it again only so you do not miss out if you were intending to get one and have not done so yet. That seems to happen every year even after we extend it and hype it up for months. Take care.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, writer, friend, and surrogate Santa Claus for only a few more days

 

Surprise Package comments from fans like you

Every year there is a section where our Surprise Package customers can offer comments and suggestions with their order. We do so because we want to know what you think, and what you want, and we appreciate your suggestions and insights. The idea to do hardcover editions of core books came from fan comments in the Grab Bags.

Every year, in acknowledgment of our fans, and because they are fun to read, we offer a sampling of these comments in the Weekly Updates. Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have stuck with Palladium through thick and thin and now these new strange times. Please use our games to find escape from the pandemic and other worries. Use them to bring a little joy, laughter, and adventure to the holiday season.

I want you to know that your comments and support mean the world to all of us. Everyone at Palladium enjoys reading your brief comments and they always brighten our day. Thank you for making us smile and feel useful. As always, I have tried to write a short response [in brackets] to each comment. Happy holidays. – Kevin Siembieda, that Publisher guy.

 

T.H. in Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada, writes: First time ordering and can’t wait to receive it! Only heard good things from people about the Grab Bags. Thanks.

[T.H., be prepared to join the throngs of satisfied customers. Enjoy your Surprise Package and game on. For those of you still on the fence about getting one, time is running out. The sale ends after midnight January 17, and will NOT be extended. – Kevin]

 

G.M. in Newport, Nova Scotia, Canada, writes: Have gotten this a few times and love the Grab Bag and getting the autographs.

[Glad to hear it G.M., you’ll enjoy this one as well. Game on. – Kevin]

 

A.S. in Pasadena, Maryland, writes: The X-Mas Surprise Package sale is an awesome way to get a great deal, a real surprise that we will always enjoy, and the perfect gift for the Palladium Books player in your life! Keep up the awesome work, Palladium crew!

[Will do, A.S. We have a ton of great books on the drawing board. Some coming very soon and hopefully all year long. – Kevin]

 

M.M. in Virginia Beach, Virginia, writes (in part): I love all the Palladium games I have collected for years. I am very interested in the Dead Reign® series … Also After the Bomb®. I have the old 1980s copy and want to upgrade for my TMNT game. I love the Christmas Surprise Package deal and get 2-3 every year.

[You are a smart man, M.M., to use the Surprise Package to try new settings and update your collection. Game on. – Kevin]

 

W.N. in Klamath Falls, Oregon, writes: Favorite: Heroes Unlimited, what a great job. Btw, I have shared it with multiple generations in my family. This is my first X-Mas Surprise Package! Thank you so much for the years of amazing content and discovery that you have provided. So happy you’ve been around.

[Aw, thank you W.N. I’m glad to have been around too. And to think creating RPGs was supposed to be just a temporary gig until I broke into the comic book business. Funny how things work out. Today, I can’t imagine doing anything else. – Kevin]

 

J.V.H. in Blue Springs, Missouri, writes: In the last year or so, I had ordered a few items. I was completely surprised by the fact that Kevin was nice enough to sign them all and even personalized my invoice! I have been a fan of Palladium Books for at least 25 years. I am continually amazed at the creativity and craftsmanship that is poured into every offering! Thank you Kevin and crew!

[It is our honor and privilege, J.V.H. We love what we do and the gamers we do them for. That love and creative excitement is what Sean calls Palladium’s “secret sauce.” During these strange times I have tried to do little things to surprise and put smiles on the faces of our many fans. Glad the signatures had the desired effect. Happy New Year. – Kevin]

 

J.F. in Harrisburg, North Carolina, writes: Just wanted to say that I’m really excited to see more stuff coming down, especially for Rifts® Lazlo.

[You will not be disappointed, J.F. We have some fun books coming that build upon existing myth and history and expand upon it in the most menacing and delightful of ways. Lazlo, in particular, is going to be a crowd pleaser and a bit different than what’s in the Raw Edition. – Kevin]

 

J.M. in San Diego, California, writes: This is my brother’s Christmas gift. He got me into Rifts® 15 years ago and we have recently started playing again. Thank you for all your hard work and exhaustive efforts. It is an amazing world to escape to.

[It’s a labor of love for me, J.M. Welcome back to the Rifts® Megaverse®, I have big plans for it. Wait till you see it all unfold over the next several years. – Kevin]

 

L.L. in Salem, Oregon, writes (in part): These books on my Wish List are the only Palladium Books I don’t own … This is a great deal. I have been doing this for what seems like 20 years now. A great way to get ahold of books I might not buy in stores. Can’t wait for some of these “pre-order” books to come out.

[Glad you love these Surprise Packages L.L. As for the “pre-order” books, some are delayed at the printer, others are in final development. Fear not, good things are coming in the months ahead. – Kevin]

 

A.W. in Wurttemberg, Germany, writes: Hello folks at Palladium. Me and my table are highly enjoying the Rifts® RPG I got last year. Now, I am thinking of going back to my roots in fantasy and trying out your Palladium Fantasy RPG. Oh, and maybe you can drop one of those awesome looking Titan Robotics mugs into the package.

[You’ve got it A.W., I just hope the mug survives the journey. Keep that imagination burning bright and happy New Year. – Kevin]

 

J.M. in Grand Forks, North Dakota, writes: Favorites, nearly all of them, but I play a lot of Fantasy more than any of the others. I really want to get a great game of Chaos Earth® for more than a couple of sessions. For years I have been teaching people to play various Palladium games, from Rifts® to Fantasy. There are so many worlds to enjoy with a single rule set. I love teaching players to let loose and let the plasma fly!

[Awesome, J.M., we appreciate you spreading the word and helping people to unleash their imaginations. Keep up the good work. – Kevin]

 

M.H. in Fishers, Indiana, writes: I haven’t played the Rifts® RPG since 1993. I loved the story and world back then and have decided to get back into it. I have no books currently and am really excited about the opportunity to share this game and world with my friends.

[Welcome back to Rifts®, M.H. I hope you and your friends have a great time with it. – Kevin]

 

S.D. in Grovespring, Missouri, writes: Getting this for my fiancé. He’s missed being able to get books the last few years. He’s been an avid fan for 30 years and I can’t wait to see his face when he gets this! I had to look through his 200+ books collection to find what he doesn’t have. He constantly looks at your website and talks about Palladium all the time. Thank you so much, this will be the absolute perfect Christmas gift!

[S.D., I think your fiancé is a lucky man to have someone who cares so much. Very nice of you. And you did a great job on the Wish List. I hope this gift is the delight you expect it to be. Honeymoon at the Palladium Open House? Nah, just kidding. May your marriage be a long and happy one. – Kevin]

 

© 2022 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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