Announcing Assassin’s Amulet …and a contest!

I’m as proud as punch to announce the forthcoming release of Assassin’s Amulet by Michael Tumey, Johnn Four, and myself. Currently weighing in at well over 200 pages (we’re still doing layout so there’s no final page count yet), this game supplement will give you everything you need to integrate assassins into an existing campaign. There’s so much content that I hardly know where to begin!
Chapter 1 contains an Assassin’s Lair that can be hidden in any urban area, maps of some locations in which assassination attempts can take place, and a number of game aids and props – some specific to AA and some that can be used generically to spice up your campaign.
Chapter 2 contains the key to the Assassin’s Lair, with advice on how to customize it each time you use it – so that the Battlemap can be reused time and time again.
Chapter 3 holds 16 articles of GM advice concerning Assassins in general, including over 100 adventure seeds, combat strategies for Assassins, and how to set a fair price for an assassination contract. In coming weeks, we’ll be excerpting some of these to preview the game supplement without giving away plot twists and other surprises.
Chapter 4 contains no less than 5 different Assassin subclasses – one core class and four prestige classes – plus a new character class suitable for use as the Arch-enemy of a band of assassins. All of these are suitable for use by PCs, regardless of party alignment. It also contains multiple NPCs, including Cyrene, the deity who stands behind the Assassins, and the pantheon to which she belongs. There is specific advice on Assassin personalities and details of the broader nation- or even continent-spanning organization that is an Assassin’s Guild. And a whole lot more, including one NPC presented at six different character levels so that he can be employed in a campaign at any point within his personal history.
Chapter 5 offers new equipment for use by Assassins, a number of new magic items, and a new category of magic item. Named Legacy Items, these are the glue that will bind AA to a number of planned sequels. There are full game mechanics for the construction of balanced Legacy Items that will grow and acquire new abilities as characters develop and gain additional character levels. This subsystem permits the generation of anything from the One Ring to the Orb Of Aldur to lesser items. Bridging the gap between Relics / Artifacts and existing Wondrous / Magic Items, these can be introduced into any campaign.
Chapter 6 is campaign oriented – how to mix and match the content provided, leaving out the parts that don’t fit an existing campaign and how to reconfigure any part of the material provided to suit your needs. This looks at the bigger picture behind the Assassins of Cyrene.
And all this is fully Pathfinder and 3.x compatible, and cover-to-cover will be Open Game Content!
Robert W Thomson of Four Winds Fantasy Gaming has graciously accepted an invitation to write a foreword for us, in the process helping us out of a scheduling jam – special thanks, Robert!
A Contest
Hopefully, all this has everyone salivating to get their teeth into Assassin’s Amulet, but there’s a problem. We have too many covers to choose from!
We want to make AA the biggest success story it can possibly be, and the cover is a vital tool in that quest. It has to stand out, arouse interest in the product, communicate something about the overall contents, and yet not give away anything that should be kept secret from players. That last factor is what scuppered our original plans!
Pick The Cover
At the end of this article, all six covers are presented for your consideration. Each has been given both a number and a name for identification. All you have to do is tell us in a comment which one you choose as the best cover for this particular product. The most popular will be the winning cover, and the second most popular will be used on the back cover. The other illustrations will be used as internal artwork, so nothing will go to waste.
The Reward
All the names who enter – whether you vote for the choice that is ultimately the most popular or not – will be placed on a list, and the winner will receive a free copy of AA when it is published – our way of saying thanks for taking the time to contribute.
Closing Date
We need to finalize the cover design next week – so the contest will close, and the winner be announced, at Midnight (Mountain Daylight Time, -0600 UTC) on Thursday Sept 22nd. That’s right, you have just 11 days to get your entry in!
The Contenders
There are six designs to choose from. Each is shown as a thumbnail below, with its name and number. These are followed by larger images showing the contender in detail.
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#1: Orb

#2: Blue

#3: Dagger

#4: Curtains

#5: Skulls

#6: Streets







September 12th, 2011 at 12:02 am
I prefer #6. It seems to invoke an atmosphere which fits the content of the book.
September 12th, 2011 at 12:06 am
#6 streets… it activates my roleplaying imagination, in a way none of the other ones do.
September 12th, 2011 at 12:36 am
#6 for sure.
September 12th, 2011 at 4:56 am
#6 Certainly rocks for my vote as well – that’s 4/4 so far…
September 12th, 2011 at 6:19 am
#6. This one is great!
September 12th, 2011 at 6:33 am
#6 for me as well… I seem to see a trend going here…
September 12th, 2011 at 7:29 am
I’d definitely say blue is my preference. Curtains is my second preference, though of course the two don’t really go too well as front/back, because they are too similar.
Streets is also nice, and I think I’d go with blue front and streets back if it were my choice.
September 12th, 2011 at 7:42 am
#6 is definitely my favorite, as well. #5 is the best of the rest.
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September 12th, 2011 at 8:36 am
Cover #3, dagger. It’s the most evocative to draw the eye in. #6 is nice, but as a “cover” to draw people to the product, it’s too low-contrast and overlook-able.
September 12th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Heh, well I’m gonna have to buck the system and say I really like #5, skulls, but I’m a graphic designer by temperment. To be fair, #6 is a really close second :)
September 12th, 2011 at 9:33 am
I’m going to be the first one to say #1 is my favorite, but #6 is cool looking like DP said on a shelf it would be overlook-able though.
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September 12th, 2011 at 9:56 am
I prefer Streets (#6) of them, though it would make a great back cover as well.
September 12th, 2011 at 10:24 am
I prefer #6 Streets. It seems less symetrical than the others.
September 12th, 2011 at 11:09 am
#5 is my vote, simple and effective!
September 12th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
#6: Streets is the best. This looks to be a great product and resource for GMs. I’ve been very interested in assassins since playing the Assassin’s Creed series.
September 12th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
No question here – #6 is by far the best cover. Looking forward to the book and how to best incorporate assassins into my homebrew campaign!
September 12th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
#6, then 5.
September 12th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
I really like #5: Skulls. It is vague and mysterious without being too vague.
September 12th, 2011 at 10:45 pm
My vote goes for #5 Skulls. Great design! #1 Orbs and #6 Streets are neck and neck for 2nd.
September 13th, 2011 at 12:34 am
#6: Streets is the most atmospheric and in my opinion the best cover.
September 13th, 2011 at 12:38 am
I’m going to go against the stream here and vote for #5
September 13th, 2011 at 2:39 am
#5 It draws the eye better than 6 does.
September 13th, 2011 at 6:37 am
My favorate is #5: Skulls, followed by #3: Dagger. #6 is great, but I think that it would work better inside the book.
September 13th, 2011 at 10:36 am
#6 by far the best of the bunch
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September 13th, 2011 at 11:14 am
I’m voting for #5: Skulls, although #6: Streets is a close second for me.
September 13th, 2011 at 11:26 am
I find #5 the most evocative, and suggest that one.
September 13th, 2011 at 11:52 am
Number Five: Skulls.
Number Six: Streets is a close second.
satyre recently posted..myrk
September 13th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
I like #5: Skulls. I’d use the art from #6 on the interior. Nice work!
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September 13th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
@Carl – Thanks! Skulls is collaborative effort, as are all the others bar #6. But I’m proud of all of them.
Mike recently posted..Announcing Assassin’s Amulet …and a contest!
September 14th, 2011 at 4:07 am
Definnatively #1 orb
September 14th, 2011 at 4:42 am
Number #1 Orb for the front page, and #6 Street for the backpage. The first one seems to fit better with the title of the book, and the second one is perfect for the book’s sumary because is a lot suggestive.
September 14th, 2011 at 10:13 am
Actually, I really like #5!
#6 is awesome, but if you look at it from afar, it kind of falls back versus the others.
I didn’t look at the big pictures, but at the six small ones, and #5 immediately stuck out. #6 almost got lost there…
September 14th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
I’d have to say #6: Streets with #5: Skulls a close second.
September 16th, 2011 at 5:04 am
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September 19th, 2011 at 1:14 am
#5 all the way!
I like the symetry which I thinks makes it look more sinister.
September 19th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
It might just be because it’s up front, but I like #1 most.
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September 20th, 2011 at 7:31 am
#6, I think.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:36 am
#6 Streets, hands-down. Love the spooky-looking assassin coalescing out of the shadows. Much better than the more abstract options, IMO.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:39 am
#1 looks best to me, with #6 a close second.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:39 am
I like #6 the best.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:57 am
I vote #5. The red makes it pop. The skulls are definitely assassin-esque. It brings the the eyes to the center of the book. Do I win? LOL.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:59 am
#5, skulls is my pick. I liked #6 in the thumbnails, but after viewing each of the full size images, #5 best evokes “Assassin book” when you’re looking to grab one off the table.
#6 looks like internal artwork.
September 20th, 2011 at 8:05 am
#3 seems the most relevant to me, skulls can indeed make you think about evil clerics, necromancers & the like whereas dagger & blood are very obvious to me
September 20th, 2011 at 8:11 am
I’d go for #6 and #5, although I’m undecided as to which I’d want to go on which side. Probably streets on the front and the other on the back.
September 20th, 2011 at 8:14 am
#5; the radial symmetry and more subtle use of the skull immediately jumped out at me.
September 20th, 2011 at 8:23 am
It looks like #6 is going to win, but I kind of prefer the look of #1 in many ways. I think #6 is a little too ‘old-school’ and maybe a tad ‘camp’ for the book, but it looks like I am going against public opinion.
To be fair, they all work…
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September 20th, 2011 at 8:26 am
Number #6. The other covers are cool, graphically speaking, but #6 actually captures the essense I think. If you wanted to incorporate an amulet around the neck, especially if it is glowing red, offset by the gray/black and white of the rest of the color…that would be a real win.
September 20th, 2011 at 8:30 am
@AnthonyHJ: Thanks! You’re right, the choice wasn’t cut and dried – and this was after we culled the original cover idea for fear of it giving away some of the plot twists built into the book! As for whether or not #6 wins, voting had more or less stalled until the mention in today’s Roleplaying Tips and then a bucketload of new votes came in. It’s by no means all over yet! In fact, another vote has come in while I was writing this reply….
September 20th, 2011 at 8:31 am
Not a bad idea, Joshua, if I can find time I’ll bear it in mind…
September 20th, 2011 at 8:37 am
#6, I think it conveys the message you want, the best.
September 20th, 2011 at 8:51 am
I vote for number 6 (six), that was the one that stood out for me. :)
September 20th, 2011 at 9:07 am
Number 6 is my vote. I envisioned a cloaked figure holding a blade so that sort of fits.
September 20th, 2011 at 9:10 am
#5 is alive :) With color & imagery that is. It pops, it draws the eye, it gets attention. Not just with the color but also with the more realistic & macabre looking skulls. And putting them in a geometric shape also helps. Rather than just blandly sitting there like the other skull covers. Makes it look like a Assassin’s Guild symbol.
Also really like #6. But think it would make a better back cover. With some evocative flavor text.
September 20th, 2011 at 9:14 am
I prefer number 6: Streets. It evokes much more action that just shiny items. Skulls are too common for book covers in my opinion, but a figure in the shadows, now that just screams “Danger”. :-)
September 20th, 2011 at 9:50 am
#6 is the best. It lacks a little of the colour of the other five but assassination being such a shady business I understand the thinking behind that. Perhaps some dark blues and a little red blood would make it even better but 6 is definitely the best even with that small concern
September 20th, 2011 at 10:21 am
definitely #6!!
September 20th, 2011 at 10:29 am
#6 is my choice.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:37 am
#5. I like hte coloring and design.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:41 am
I prefer the #5 as it’s very attractive to the eye, give the reader a good impression of what he might find in the book.
I don’t know what the amulet exactly does or if it’s just the name of the book, but death (skulls) all around it in the image is a straightforward way to put it the assasin’s work at large.
Hope this helps you guys come up with the right image.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:47 am
#6 certainly seems to be getting the most votes (and it is my second choice) but I like #2 best because it is the “least busy-looking” and thus the cover pops rather nicely.
Thank you for your attention.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:55 am
I like the skulls in #5, with #6 a close second.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:57 am
I would go for #6.
However, in the current designs the page margins look a bit clumsy.
September 20th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
@Jocewyn: I think they look fine in isolation, but because #6 is on a slightly different alignment to the rest, it produces some visual confusion. The final design will be very carefully polished, i assure you!
September 20th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
My vote is for #6
September 20th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
I like #5, although #6 is a close second if it could be polished a little.
September 20th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
@Carl, yeah #5 as cover and #6 as interior cover is the best way to go.
September 20th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
I was going to choose the curtains, simply because you can never be sure if anything is lurking behind them. However, I choose the skulls amulet as this better reflects a sign of the guild and title of the work.
#5 is the best choice by presentation and meaning
September 20th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Man, I believe that number 1 is prettiest; it looks like the cover of a n old fantasy RPG computer game and invokes the feel of mystery and excitement you’d expect from an assassin supplement. I like number 6, too, although… hmmm, it seems a little bit…. I duno, cliche. “Mysterious man in street corner looking mysterious” may scream “Assassin!”, but it’s screamed “Assassin!” for, well… ever. The first one is much more subtle but still has a beautiful art style and invokes mystery without invoking cliche.
September 20th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
At first glance my favorite was #5 skulls, but with a better look, I like #4 curtains for the cover – and I agree with many others, #6 as interior cover would be great.
September 20th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
I prefer number 3 the dagger which is an assassin’s tool and it shows the Amulet as well.
September 20th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
I like the Blue, #2, most of these.
September 20th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
I have to say, number 6 is probably the best one for the product itself, though I actually prefer number 3 from a graphical design standpoint.
September 20th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
I would say definitely #6.
September 20th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
#1 is visually best.
If the dark figure in #6 might have been improved that could have beeen the best…
September 20th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
I’m going for number 6 … Although you know what would improve it? A colour version of the amulet around the assassin’s neck. The bold red would juxtapose very nicely with the grey-scales and it would emphasise yes, an assassin and an amulet.
(What? You think I know something about art or somethin’?)
September 20th, 2011 at 5:49 pm
#1 the orb, looks the best and the most professional.
September 20th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
I vote to 6 (Streets)
September 20th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
Technically, the second [#2] is ahead of the others because it conveys only two ideas – amulet and assassin. Blue is the strongest ground for that unifying message of an assassin and an amulet. The balance of the cover space for the bottom row of graphics and the title is clearer and in stronger relief than the other cover ideas. Two [BLUE] would reproduce better in black and white than the other covers and it would also reproduce best at different sizes for promotional and advertising uses and not lose impact -as all the other covers would. The most popular [6] would block up at different sizes and it tells only a single story and its impact would therefore reduce over time. Blue [2] is bold, enduring and timeless and is technically the best.
September 20th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Oh, if pushed, my second and very close second choice would be #5 for the same reasons I set out for #2 as my first choice – technically the best and the most enduring – the others do not cut it on those grounds.
September 20th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
My vote is for #6. As others have mentioned, to me it feels more dynamic than the others and really evokes that ‘rogue-like’ feeling. My second choice is #3.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
I perfer #6 Streets, my second choice is #1 Orb
September 20th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
I perfer #6 Streets, my second choice is #1 Orb
I am looking forward to reading it =)
September 20th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
#1 The Orb is definitely more evocative and moody, I’d go for that one.
September 20th, 2011 at 7:50 pm
I like #5: skulls. It looks good as a thumbnail and the hint of extra detail draw the eye in and made me want to get a better look.
September 20th, 2011 at 10:48 pm
#6 is the best one IMO, they are all good, but that one realy gives the assassin feeling.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:29 am
Number 6
September 21st, 2011 at 1:52 am
I think #1 fits the title better.
September 21st, 2011 at 2:14 am
They are all so good that is is extremely difficult to pick just one but if I was to have an assassin’s blade at my throat and ordered to choose or die then I would have to say #5 Skulls for the front cover and #6 Streets for the back. 6 is just not enough of an attention grabber but it is too good to not be on the book. Hopefully that choice will stay the assasin’s blade. And I must say I am looking forward to this like a child before christmas.
September 21st, 2011 at 3:43 am
#3 Dagger
I feel that the Streets is too low-contrast for a cover, but is a superb evocation of an Assassin encounter. The blue dots in the skull remind me too much of Terminator.
September 21st, 2011 at 5:26 am
I go for #1 Orb. It’s the cover with the most impact both as a thumbnail and in larger format. It’s there to sell the book, not be the prettiest or most representative.
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September 21st, 2011 at 6:56 am
I like 6 – Streets, it creates mistery and gives the right idea. All those skulls make me think undead stuff, not assasin.
September 21st, 2011 at 7:33 am
#1 For the front cover and #6 for the back! 6 is great but the cool understated black and white is more suited to the back.
September 21st, 2011 at 7:37 am
I prefer #6 the most, as it is the only cover that feels assassin-like. The other covers could be on any book about necromancy or the dark arts.
September 21st, 2011 at 3:07 pm
Number 5 is my pick, although Number 6 is close.
September 21st, 2011 at 3:21 pm
#6. Runner-up #5.
September 21st, 2011 at 5:37 pm
# 5 skulls looks like an assassin’s amulet.
September 21st, 2011 at 6:32 pm
I like cover #6.
September 21st, 2011 at 6:55 pm
#6 all the way! It looks the part.
September 21st, 2011 at 8:05 pm
#5 skulls are the best. It could be the symbol for a god of assassins. For a good back cover 6.
September 21st, 2011 at 9:14 pm
#6, Streets has my vote! Looks fantastic, and makes me look forward to the new book. Best of luck!
September 21st, 2011 at 9:43 pm
#1 Orb for me.
At first I skipped past it, didn’t seem to make sense, but it kept drawing my eye back to it. #6 doesn’t stand out enough from other 3rd party products (though it makes a great back cover I think). #5 is right behind.
September 22nd, 2011 at 12:07 am
I prefer #2 – it’s the least cluttered. Followed by #6 and #1.
September 22nd, 2011 at 11:52 am
#6 Streets is the one I think is best. The others are awesome but don’t instantly portray the content as quickly.
September 22nd, 2011 at 1:40 pm
#3 is the best as far as I see.
September 22nd, 2011 at 1:49 pm
I vote for #6. It’s the most visually appealing of the images, it will make a great cover.
September 22nd, 2011 at 5:07 pm
I vote #6.
September 22nd, 2011 at 10:31 pm
Number 6 without a doubt. It is the only cover that evokes ‘assassin’ without the text.
September 23rd, 2011 at 12:03 am
The contest is now closed! Thanks to everyone who participated. I’m off to tabulate the results and will announce the winner shortly!
Mike recently posted..Five (Plus One!) Effective Combat Tactics for Assassins
September 24th, 2011 at 12:02 am
[...] give you a taste of Assassin’s Amulet, my upcoming new book for game masters, here is a very brief excerpt from the GM Advice [...]
September 25th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
[...] Mike runs through each of the book’s sections here. Filed Under: Assassin's Amulet [...]
October 21st, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Assassin’s Amulet is now available, and our winner – congatulations again to The Inventor – has claimed his prize. For the rest of you, I’m sorry to say that you’ll have to pay for yours… go to The Legacies Campaign Setting website to purchase, or just to find out more about it.
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October 21st, 2011 at 2:11 pm
My many thanks
October 29th, 2011 at 9:04 am
I like number 1, but instead of the red egg thing i would swap in the nine stone amulet. Have you considered using red as the background color, rather than black?
October 29th, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Thanks for the input, Jared, but the contest is over – a slightly modified version of #6 won, with skulls coming in second.