This News Archive holds all news and other information posted to the News page for the period October 2002 to December 2010. All news regarding the Chronicles of Arborell for the period January 2011 to date can be found at the Chronicles News page. Any questions to the author regarding these postings can be made by clicking here, or by joining our Facebook (search Chronicles of Arborell) or Yahoo group.



December 2010

• Work continues on the next instalment of A Murder of Crows. Some delays have meant that this gamebook has been slow in delivery, however the new year looks very promising indeed.
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 530,000
• Total pageviews for 2010 - 214,134

• The Song of the Dromannion has been upgraded to a new pdf edition. This edition incorporates all the content of the current html version included within a set of full colour covers. If you have never read the journal of the voyage of Emmers Nahr this will serve as a portable and easily accessed edition, one that will take you from the violence and destruction of the Old World into the uncharted dangers of the Grey Sea. It is there that the Four Nations find their true destiny and a world beyond the reach of their Enemy.
  
  
• Arborell.com is pleased to announce that the winner of the 2010 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction is Stuart Lloyd for his quirky pirate adventure, Sharkbait's Revenge. Merit awards have also been won by Zachary Carango for his Sci-Fi adventure, Red World, and Ashton Saylor for his modern fantasy, The Gates of Heaven and Hell. This year's competition has been particularly successful with more than 1240 downloads of competition entries and more than double the number of votes forwarded compared with last year. Congratulations must go to all entrants as the quality of their submissions has been excellent, the range of themes and writing styles impressive considering the restrictions imposed by the competition rules. Well done to everyone. The full entry list and all info regarding this year's prize can be found here including entry and voting rules, comp timetable and prize details.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 522,130
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 195,963

• As of the 30th of October all voting in the 2010 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction has closed. It has been a great competition so far and now all that remains is the checking and counting of votes. As per the competition timetable all winners will be notified on the 7th of November. Until this date it is still possible to forward feedback to the competition entrants. This can be done through feedback@arborell.com.
  
  
• The Chronicles of Arborell now has its own yahoo group called by a strange twist of circumstance the chroniclesofarborell. Formed both to facilitate discussion on this series it also is a meeting point for people interested in everything new in gamebooks and especially the possibilities opening up in digital fiction. If you are interested in joining the group can be found here.
  
  
• A new lexicon is now available for download. Within the pages of the Lexicon of Arborell can be found a glossary of terms, places and character names that are unique to the books and supplementary documents of the Chronicles of Arborell. At this stage the glossary is a comprehensive listing of over 400 words gathered from four titles in this series, including The Windhammer Gamebook, Blood and Iron, the Song of the Drommanion and the introductory section of A Murder of Crows. Not all titles currently available have been included at this stage, however as time progresses the lexicon will be enlarged to accommodate all terms and placenames that are a part of the growing world of Arborell.
  
  
• A new PDF version of the popular Shards of Moonlight gamebook is now available. In this edition can be found all the content of the online version wrapped within full colour covers and available free to download and print. A copy of this gamebook can be obtained here, or at the Jotun of the West webpage.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 514,800
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 177,645

• I am pleased to announce the release of the Mythology of the Oera'dim, a compilation edition of all myths and stories that relate to the Oera'dim of Arborell. It encapsulates all the tales available within the Chronicles of Arborell, including the Book of Scars, and is presented in a pdf format with full colour covers and introduction. In addition to this release I have also put together a new edition of the First Book of Haer'al. This new ebook has no changes to the haer'al wordlists but does include new colour covers.
  
  
• The voting phase of this year's competition has now begun with five entries available for download and consideration up to the 30th of October. Entries for 2010 include:
  
  Red World by Zachary Carango,
  Sharkbait's Revenge by Stuart Lloyd,
  The Word Fell Silent by Kieran Coghlan,
  The Tower of Ardanor by Travis Casey, and
  The Gates of Heaven and Hell by Ashton Saylor.
  
  Details regarding the remaining timetable deadlines, voting procedures and all other information on the Windhammer Prize can be found at the competition webpage. The full entry list with download links can be found at this page also.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 507,260
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 159,105

• A small revision to the Windhammer core gamebook has just been uploaded to the chronicles download page. This update makes no alterations to the story, only a number of cosmetic changes and an easier process for printing the character and combat sheets. Readers who would like the new download file can obtain it by clicking here.
• Entries are now being accepted for the 2010 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. As outlined in the competition timetable all prospective entrants must submit their 2010 entries during the period 1 August to 7 September inclusive. All information regarding this year's prize can be found at the contest webpage including entry and voting guidelines, competition timetable and prize details.
  
  I would like to remind all entrants that the entry guidelines for the 2010 competition have been modified and should be reviewed prior to submission. Please note that it is still a requirement that winners have a valid PayPal account if they wish to receive the cash prizes. Please note also that arborell.com requires no Paypal details until an entrant wins one of the three awards and becomes eligible for prize money.
  
  The Windhammer Prize is now in its third year, its objectives to foster new gamebook talent and to expand the scope of the genre. If you are an author of gamebook fiction and have a desire to showcase your work then this will be the competition for you. Any questions regarding the Windhammer Prize can be asked using the email address provided at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 499,160
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 142,603

• The second instalment of the A Murder of Crows gamebook is now available and continues the adventures of Tansen'Delving as he uncovers a great conspiracy within the borders of his domain. To continue your adventure click here. Please note that I have made a few changes to the introductory rules to clarify the use of rations and Nahla cake.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 491,400
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 125,110

• Due to unexpected delays the anticipated release of the second instalment of A Murder of Crows cannot yet be uploaded. At this time it will not be until the beginning of July that the next part of this gamebook adventure will be released. Apologies to all.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 483,600
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 103,110

• I am pleased to announce the release of the first instalment of the A Murder of Crows gamebook. This gamebook is to be released as a series of instalments that will culminate in the completed adventure being compiled into a download file. If you wish to commence this adventure you can start here. More information on the series can be found at the Jotun of the West webpage.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 475,500
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 85,435

• April has been spent in the continuing development of the first instalment of the new A Murder of Crows gamebook. This new adventure is on track for release on the 7th of May and will continue the adventures of Tansen'Delving and the Jotun of the West.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 467,500
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 67,261

• As heralded in last month's posting I can now announce the release of an updated version of Shards of Moonlight. This new version of this popular gamebook adventure is a complete update and revision of the original and includes:
  • new cover design,
  • new presentation format,
  • 135 new or updated sections,
  • new character sheet in both pdf and rtf formats,
  • 10 new talent options to customise character creation,
  • new critical hit rules in combat,
  • new ending scenario,
  • and new creature encounters.
• This new version of Shards of Moonlight can be downloaded or can be played online.
• With Shards of moonlight now complete I can look to the release of A Murder of Crows. Due to the size of this gamebook I have decided to release it in instalments. The first instalment will be available on the 7th of May with further instalments being released on the 1st of each month following.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 460,500
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 52,335

• In preparation for the release of the second interactive adventure in the Jotun of the West series, A Murder of Crows, I have spent time updating and rewriting the first book, Shards of Moonlight. Apart from changes in presentation and a number of additions to the storyline, I have also included a text character sheet for visually impaired players and a new ending to tie this book seamlessly to the second. It will be ready towards the end of March so watch this space for release details.
• Hamulkuk and the Moon Dragons is now complete. It can be found at the link here and at the new Mythology of Arborell webpage along with a number of other mythologies and fairytales from the history of Arborell. I find I particularly like writing these stories and will include a number of them in the following gamebook releases.
• On a related note I would like to point out a new gamebook release. An Assassin in Orlandes is the first ipod and iphone gamebook for an Australian indie game developer called Tin Man Games. The quality of their work is brilliant and I would recommend this first release to anyone who holds the appropriate device. It is to be the first of many new titles and I look forward to their ongoing success.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 452,200
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 31,046

• Work continues on the Murder of Crows gamebook and in particular the completion of the supplementary appendices.
• To provide an easy reference to the growing number of mythological stories being generated by the Jotun of the West gamebooks I have begun work on a Mythology of Arborell webpage. This page will be available from the second week of February and will provide download links to all mythologies from the different titles in the series.
• Hamulkuk and the Moon Dragons is now almost complete. This story of the First Hresh shall be included as a part of the Murder of Crows gamebook but shall be made available as a separate download in the second week of February as well.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 444,600
• Total pageviews for 2010 so far - 17,738

• 2009 has now come to its conclusion and it has been another outstanding year for the Chronicles of Arborell. First major project completed was the Text Edition of the Torchlight Adventure Game allowing readers to play a randomly generated gamebook adventure without the need to print up cards or most of the other materials necessary for the original game. In both its online form and as a download it has proven very popular. Next came The Sorrows of Gedhru and Aume, the first of a series of mythologies that has since expanded into a new area of development for the Chronicles. In this creation myth's wake has come further tales of the Oera'dim including The Hammer and the Darkness, the soon to be released Hamulkuk and the Moon Dragons and Enkara, the Oera'dim Song of Regret. All these myths are to be included as a part of the Book of Moot almanac and also have their place as appendices within the upcoming A Murder of Crows gamebook.
• In conjunction with these developments came the successful running of the 2009 Windhammer Prize. Bigger and better than its predecessor it saw a wide range of gamebook submissions and led to the creation of the gamebook archive, a permanent repository of all prize entries. May Glory and Renown follow all who entered.
• The website itself has seen a continuing redevelopment and expansion. Apart from the addition of an Online Portal for all titles available to play online I have also put in place the Gamebook Archive, a Series Synopsis of all current and planned titles, and a soon to be released Mythologies resource as well. Many more of the 1500 pages that currently make up the Chronicles have been reviewed and revised and a number of cosmetic changes made including a new website header banner, and the inclusion for the first time of advertising for other fantasy websites that I have organised banner exchanges with. All in all a busy year.
• A look forward to 2010 will see the release of A Murder of Crows and the release of the first instalment of the next core gamebook - Earth and Stone. At this stage the completed book will comprise more than 2000 sections and more than a dozen appendices and related resources. As probably the largest single gamebook project ever attempted I have decided to break it down into three volumes, each to be released in sequence with each successive Jotun of the West gamebook. More information willl be given on these upcoming releases as the year progresses. Having said this there will also be a number of other smaller projects as well. The Book of Moot almanac is almost complete and will be an ongoing resource of information regarding the world of Arborell. Further mythologies will also be released and of course the 2010 Windhammer prize shall be held in the second half of the year. Another busy year looms ahead.

• Development continues on the second Jotun of the West gamebook, A Murder of Crows and is progressing very well. A second mythology attached to this gamebook is also under development. Entitled Hamulkuk and the Moon Dragons it is the story of the first Hresh created in the world and his journey into the mountains of Ul'ashma to destroy the Moon Dragons of the Ancient World. For the Oera'dim it is a powerful story of bravery, vengeance and magic. Should be a lot of fun and will be available before the end of this month.
• I should also like to announce that a further supplement is also to be included with A Murder of Crows. Hand and Knife is the guide to the Jotun Art of Vengeance and outlines why and how a blood feud must be prosecuted. Important in the context of this gamebook and a great way to make friends and influence people.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 434,500
• Total pageviews for 2009 - 188,735

• Arborell.com is proud to announce the winner of the 2009 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction is Per Jorner, for his outstanding western-style adventure, The Bone Dogs. Merit Awards have also been won by Kieran Coghlan for his entry, Waiting for the Light, and Alec Worley for his gamebook, Garden of Bones. Congratulations go to all contestants this year as the standard of all entries was very high, and has ensured the continuation of the Prize in 2010. Well done to everyone for making the 2009 competition so successful. Full details on this year's competition can be found here, with a full listing of all gamebook entries found here.
• Work continues on A Murder of Crows with the supplement to this gamebook, The Hammer and the Darkness now available for download as a pdf file.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 426,000
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 174,258

• Voting has begun for the 2009 Windhammer Prize. All entries can be found here. Have your say in this year's competition and vote for the best of 2009.
• Work continues on A Murder of Crows and the supplement to this gamebook, The Hammer and the Darkness.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 418,000
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 158,964

• Submissions have now begun for the 2009 Windhammer Prize. All prospective entrants should read the competition guidelines prior to forwarding an entry. Goodluck to everyone who takes part.
• Work continues on "A Murder of Crows" and "The Hammer and the Darkness". This work is ongoing and shall continue through the voting period for the 2009 Windhammer Prize.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 409,000
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 141,382

• Development continues for A Murder of Crows. As a supplement to this gamebook a new mythology is also under development titled "The Hammer and The Darkness". This is the story of the Great Insurrection and the breaking of the Word of Command by Qirion'Delving, as told by the Living Book at Shalamai. For those who have wondered how the destruction of the Trell'sara came to pass all your questions will be answered here.
• All authors interested in taking part in this year's Windhammer Prize should take note that the submission period begins from the 1st of September. If you are interested please read through the submission guidelines and contact myself if you have any questions.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 401,400
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 123,180

• Work has recommenced on the Murder of Crows gamebook, the second in the Jotun of the West gamebook series. This is a continuation of the story of Tansen'Delving and his journey from leadership of the Jotun of the West to his alliance with Halokim Vesh and the Men of the South. Drafted to be 330 sections this instalment is a dramatic story of treachery and murder, that finds the young warrior enmeshed in a right of vengeance that cannot end until the honour of the dead has been served. On the cold Moss Plains of northern Arborell Tansen shall uncover his true destiny, and in doing so find that everything has its price.
• Two further updates have been made to the Chronicles in the past weeks. As mentioned previously the Atlas of Arborell has been given a facelift, and an easier printing solution provided if you wish to have any of the maps in hard-copy. In addition to this I have created an online portal for all the books in the Chronicles that are available to play online, and to make clearer the connection between the different books have put together a synopsis of every title in the series, both current, under development and still to come.
• There have been other smaller additions also to the website, including changes to the "finding your way" flowchart and the updating of a number of pages regarding the core gamebooks and the Jotun of the West series.
• The Atlas of Arborell has now been updated to include distance scales and a newer, easier printing process for the different maps. New download files for both the Atlas and Mapset 1 can be found at the Chronicles download page.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 394,787
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 103,130

• As well as the commencement of the Windhammer Prize for 2009 I can now also announce the release of the Torchlight Text Edition of Quest for the Orncryst. Adapted from the card-based gamebook of the same name, this text edition is a randomly generating fantasy adventure set in the deep ruins of Arborell. Quest for the Orncryst includes printable character, combat and mapping sheets and features a randomized dungeon mapping system, multiple playing modes and a wide range of creature interactions, search and trap evasion scenarios and room environment modifiers.
  
  Quest for the Orncryst is available both to play online, and as a free download file. This text edition has been optimised for players who must use screen readers and will soon be complemented with an audio tutorial for visually impaired readers who wish to get the most from their adventure.
  
  
• Arborell.com is proud to announce the commencement of the 2009 Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. Entry details, competition timetable and content guidelines are now available at the Windhammer Prize webpage.
  
  This contest continues in its second year of competition as a means to promote the gamebook genre, and to provide exposure within a competitive environment for aspiring gamebook authors. In particular this prize values creative and original works of gamebook fiction. The challenge given to those who wish to participate is to develop a full gamebook experience whilst meeting the contest requirements regarding length and original content.
  
  Sponsored by the Chronicles of Arborell gamebook series this competition is for authors of gamebook solitaire adventures, and provides a cash prize, framed winners certificates and complimentary hosting of the winning entries at arborell.com.
  
  For anyone interested in taking part please note that there are no entry fees or other associated costs with this competition.
  
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 387,640
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 87,511

• A number of additional projects have been completed so far this month. I have taken the time to develop a new banner for the website which can be viewed at the top of this page, and on all the major pages of the Chronicles. Its a little bit more interesting than the last so I hope it is an improvement.
• In addition I have also spent some time updating the Glossary of Arborell with a further 120 new definitions applied to its growing list. At this stage the glossary is a full compilation of all unique words, placenames and character names used within the Complete Blood and Iron series, the Song of the Dromannion saga and the sample text from the Murder of Crows gamebook. As time permits all of the books and documents in the Chronicles series will be included.
• A further complement to the ongoing development of the Chronicles is a new title - The Sorrows of Gedhru and Aume. This creation myth was written as a part of an upcoming almanac of Arborell to be titled The Book of Moot, and recounts the beginnings of the world within which this series is set. Available as a pdf file it can be downloaded here or at the Chronicle's download page.
• Development of the Torchlight Text Edition continues and will be concluded shortly.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 382,528
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 72,406

• Development of the Torchlight Text Edition continues. A few tweaks still to go but it is shaping up very well.
• I have decided to spend some time looking at the overall presentation of the Chronicles website. Some changes will be forthcoming.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 378,100
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 60,010

• Another month passes and the Torchlight Text Edition is still the focus of my labours. As it stands it is almost complete, I need only do the final conversion of the Map Cards over to a set of Map Section References. As a part of the adaptation I have increased the number of Map References by a further twenty unique chambers and expanded the capacity for players using the Free Play Mode to delve deeper into the ruins of Traebor. In all I have enlarged the game in its text version by a further fifty sections and have streamlined a number of the rules to account for the game mechanism used to randomise the dungeons generated. If all goes well the Torchlight Text Edition will be finished in April and released once it has been properly playtested soon thereafter.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 373,214
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 47,380

• February has mostly been committed to the continuing development of the Torchlight Text Edition. As expected it is a complex and sometimes laborious process to adapt a game from one form to another, but I have found a number of opportunities to both improve the quality of the game and expand its functionality as well. I believe that if you have not had the ability to take advantage of the card-based game then this text edition will allow the same experience, and in some aspects expand upon it. Once this text edition is done my next project will be the completion of the A Murder of Crows gamebook. This is a project that is almost completelty drafted at this time, I just have to sit done and finish it off. Estimated release date for A Murder of Crows should be June.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 367,900
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 33,701

• January has seen the commencement of development of a text edition of the Torchlight Tabletop adventure game. This text edition is being created to allow players who may not be able to print or use the card-based system to enjoy the complete Quest for the Orncryst adventure. It is estimated that this edition should be finished by the end of February and will be available for free download alongside the original card-based adventure.
• With the release of the Torchlight Text Edition I will then turn my attention to a number of other titles that are upcoming. It is planned that four further releases will be made this year, those being the second Jotun of the West adventure - A Murder of Crows; the third in that same series, The Horns of Gorgoroth; Honour Amongst Thieves, the second Windhammer Companion novella; and the Book of Moot, an almanac to the world of Arborell.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 362,800
• Total pageviews for 2009 to date - 18,323

• 2008 has now passed and it has been another good year for the Chronicles of Arborell. Although a persistent eye injury has restricted some aspects of the continuing development of the series it has still been possible to complete a number of important projects. Not the least of these has been the completion of the Windhammer upgrade and the conclusion of the Blood and Iron web serial. Added to this has been the updating and revision of the Inquisitor's Lament novella and the First Book of Haer'al primer. The production of a rich text file version of this book for visually impaired readers was also an important addition to the series. On top of all this has been the successful running of the inaugural Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. All in all it has been a successful year.
• 2009 will see the continuation of the growth of the Chronicles with a number of major projects to be completed. First will be an access edition of the Torchlight gamebook for visually impaired readers, followed closely by the completion of the second Jotun of the West gamebook - A Murder of Crows. It is my intention to focus on the completion of these gamebooks in preparation for the release of the second core gamebook - Earth and Stone.

• Episode 16 of the Blood and Iron web serial is now available. This concludes the epic journey of Mallen and Tomas Cael. For a complete ebook version of the entire story please visit the download page to obtain a free copy.
• The 2008 Windhammer Prize has now concluded, congratulations going to all entrants for the great gamebooks forwarded this year. I am pleased to announce that the winner of this year's competition is Al Sander for his gamebook "Raid on Chateau Fekenstein". Merit Awards also go to "An Orc's Day" by Travis S. Casey, and "Behind the Throne" by Keiran Coghlan. This inaugural competition has proven a great success and I look forward to 2009. For more information on the winning entries and the 2009 competition please click here.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 357,000
• Total pageviews for 2008 - 177,021

• The entry phase of the Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction has now ended. If you are interested in viewing these entries all can be found here. Voting has now begun and will finish on the 7th of December. All information regarding how to vote can be found at the Windhammer Prize page.
• Episode 15 of the Blood and Iron web serial is now available. If you have been waiting for this next instalment it can be found here. If you have not begun this epic journey yet, you can read the entire story at the Blood and Iron access page.
• Episode 16 of the Blood and iron web serial is now being completed. The completion of this episode will be the last part to be wrought in the tale of Mallen and Tomas Cael. At the time of uploading this last episode there will also be available a complete ebook version for download. Both the episode and ebook will be made available in early December.
• Currently under development is an adaptation of the Torchlight gamebook for visually impaired readers and the next gamebook in the Jotun of the West series - A Murder of Crows.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 351,234
• Total pageviews for 2008 to date - 159,286

• The official forum for the Chronicles of Arborell is now active. The Arborellium forums are now available to discuss the books in this series and gamebooks in general. The Arborellium can be found at arborellium.freeforums.org and I invite anyone interested in gamebooks to join. Apart from general discussion these forums will also be a source of additional news and information regarding the Chronicles and at this time specifically the 2008 Windhammer Prize.
• Arborell.com is pleased to announce the commencement of the inaugural Windhammer Prize for Short Gamebook Fiction. The prize has been initiated as a means to promote aspiring gamebook authors and requires no entry fees or other costs. This competition is open to all gamebook authors and offers a cash prize, a framed winner's certificate and two years hosting of the winning entry at arborell.com. Further information can be found at the competition homepage.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 344,584
• Total pageviews for 2008 to date - 137,515

• After almost a year, and the effects of a persistent eye injury the Chronicles are finally back and growing. This month sees the release of new Windhammer edition and it is bigger, and better, than previously advertised. At more than 600 sections this new update includes new character generation and combat resolution rules, dozens of new encounters and story paths to explore, character customisation with 22 attribute, skill and talent choices now available, and new alternate endings. Altogether this new edition is a huge advance and remains free for download. More information on this new gamebook can be found at the gamebooks page on this website.
• In addition to this new upgrade the Windhammer download file has been bundled with new editions of the First Book of Haer'al and The Inquisitor's Lament companion novella. These have been provided as pdf files and can also be downloaded individually at the Chronicles download page.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 338,000
• Total pageviews for 2008 to date - 116,519

• The past months have been mostly devoted to the Windhammer upgrade. The need to review all the sections of the book and update each has proven an elongated process, but one that I hope will be concluded shortly. Even though some considerable time has been expended on this upgrade I believe it will be an essential improvement to the quality of the Chronicles of Arborell series.
• A new guest book facility has been added to the Chronicles homepage. If you would like to make comment on the series please feel free to take advantage of this new facility.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 285,000
• Total pageviews for 2007 - 196,581

• As with the past month September has been preoccupied with the ongoing development of the new Windhammer upgrade. At this stage I am still working towards an October release.
• Total visits and downloads for the Chronicles now exceed 271,000
• Total pageviews for 2007 to date - 159,803

• August has been spent in the continuing development of the Windhammer upgrade. The new character generation system and gamebook rule set has been successfully incorporated into the storyline, and with the release of the First Book of Haer'al now allows for a major expansion of the Ather'Lorell as a tool for obtaining information and clues. I will also be including the Primer for the Elder Tongue and the first Windhammer companion novella as additions to the Windhammer download file. This upgrade is almost complete and should be available by the middle of October.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 264,000
• Total pageviews for 2007 to date - 147,702

• This month has been devoted to the completion of the First Book of Haer'al and the upgrading of the Chronicles website to accommodate this new addition. The First Book of Haer'al is now available and is a complete primer to the Elder Tongue of Arborell. As a guide to this ancient language it includes full grammar, punctuation and pronunciation conventions, 2 x 2750 item wordlists, a history of the Elder Tongue, number list and a sample text. All information regarding how this book can be used within the wider scope of the Chronicles can be found by clicking here.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 253,200
• Total pageviews for 2007 to date - 130,048

• Work continues on the Windhammer upgrade.
• Work continues on the First Book of Haer'al. As an essential part of the upgrade to the Windhammer gamebook it will be available towards the end of July.
• Changes have been made to the access1 file associated with the introductory text graphic on the Chronicles homepage. For visually impaired readers this file now includes a list of text links, and links to all the available text versions of maps and other graphic information.
• Total visits and downloads now exceed 240, 250
• Total pageviews for 2007 to date - 107,627

• An upgrade to this website has been completed. The upgrade includes new homepage graphics and content, and well as enhancements to most of the main pages. A note has also been added regarding access to the site for the visually impaired. Any comments regarding this will be welcome.
• Development of the Windhammer upgrade continues.
• Development of the First Book of Haer'al is almost complete.
• Total download and visit numbers now exceed 226, 800
• Total pageviews for 2007 to date - 84,852

• Development of the upgrade to Windhammer continues. A supplementary volume to this major upgrade is also being completed. Titled "The First Book of Haer'al" it is a fully functioning fantasy language that can be used as a part of the expanded Ather'Lorell component of the Windhammer gamebook. When complete it will include a 2000+ word list, grammar and pronunciation guides, meta-history and sample translated texts.
• Episode 14 of the Blood and Iron web serial is now available. Entitled "Adamant" it can be viewed here.
• An upgrade to the original Blood and Iron ebook compilation is also available. The new download can be obtained by visiting the downloads page, or by clicking here.
• Total download and visit numbers now exceed 217,593
• Pageviews for 2007 now stand at 67,529

• Development of the upgrade to the Windhammer gamebook continues. As mentioned previously this is a major upgrade of the book required to give consistent features to all the titles in the series. There is still a bit to go however.
• Total download and visit numbers now exceed 208,300.
• Pageviews for 2007 stand at 49,684.

• With the successful release of the Torchlight adventure game my focus for February has been on revising the Windhammer gamebook to include the new game and character generation system. This has proven to be a bigger task than I had expected and will take a few months to complete. The new Windhammer version 5 will have 500 sections, and include all the new character generation and combat features that are to become standard for all gamebooks in the Chronicles.
• Next project on the boards is a version of the Torchlight game for the visually impaired. This version will use a different system for mapping than the cards used in the original game, and will be completely self-contained in a html format. Although this version will be put together for players who use text readers, it will also be available as an option for anyone who might not wish to make up the cards required for the original game.
• Total download and visit numbers now exceed 199,600.
• Pageviews for 2007 stand at 31,916.

• Most of my efforts during January have been focused on the release of the Torchlight adventure game. I have also found it necessary to review the Windhammer gamebook to include the new character generation and combat resolution rules that have been refined with Quest for the Orncryst. This review is currently in process. I am hoping to have the changes done for a late February release.
• Development work has begun also on a adaptation of the Torchlight game for use by readers with visual impairment.
• The new Torchlight game - Quest for the Orncryst - uploaded and now available. All information on this new addition to the Chronicles can be found here.
• Download and visit numbers now total 191,000.
• Pageviews for 2007 stand at 16,300.

• Work on the new Torchlight game is complete. Testing has been finalised and all that remains is the uploading of the download files in early January 2007. This first game using the new Torchlight system is titled, "Quest for the Orncryst", and is the first ever card-based gamebook adventure. More information on this exciting new gamebook format can be found here.
• Amongst all the final work for Torchlight I have been able to continue with the development of the Windhammer upgrade. This will be the next major release within the next few months.
• Once these two titles have been released I will be returning to the completion of the Blood and Iron web serial. It is drafted now to encompass 20 episodes and should be completed by mid-year, episodes being released regularly up to that time.
• Total download and visit numbers stands at 181, 787.
• Pageviews for December exceed 17, 900.

• Work on the Windhammer upgrade continues.
• Development of the Torchlight Adventure Game continues. This game is almost complete and is currently being beta-tested. Final release date will be before Christmas.
• The Song of the Dromannion blogsite is currently available to any readers who might like to access this story in a different format. The entire journal can be found here.
• In an effort to improve the accessibility of the Chronicles text versions of the character sheet and combat record sheet for the Windhammer Special Edition are now available. A text based description of the Map of Northern Kalborea has also been included. These are currently only available on the website edition but will be included in the new download version as well when it is released. All current and new titles released through the Chronicles will have all graphical components ie, maps, character sheets, etc. provided in a text format as well.
• Visit and download totals to November 2006 now exceed 171,500.
• Pageviews for arborell.com for November - 12,700.

• Development of the Torchlight adventure game continues. I am very happy with the progress of this title. Given what remains to be done it will released in mid-December and should become an important part of the Chronicles.
• I am pleased to announce the creation of a new website dedicated to the Song of the Dromannion journal. If you would like to have a look at a new way to enjoy this epic journey it can be found here.
• The Chronicles website has been updated to include two new files. If you are accessing the Chronicles using a screen reader then text versions are now available for both the Timeline chart and the Finding Your Way flowchart. Both text versions can be accessed at the normal pages.
• Work on the Ultimate Windhammer continues. Currently 920 of the 1200 sections have been finalised and I looking forward to this books completion. Its companion primer, the First Book of Haer'al is essentially finished and will be released at the same time as the Ultimate Windhammer.
• Also this month I have begun work on Episode 14 of Blood and Iron. It will take a short while to complete but it is in the works.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now stands at 165,000.
• Total pageviews for October exceeded 10,600.

• Another busy month has seen considerable progress made in a number of titles currently under development. Most of the technical issues that arose from the demise of my last computer have been addressed, and this has given me the opportunity to focus once again on the books themselves. September has seen no new titles, however the development of the Chronicles continues. The following new titles are now in progress:

• The Ultimate Windhammer 1200 section gamebook adventure,
• The Torchlight tabletop adventure game,
• The First Book of Haer'al fantasy language primer,
• The Book of Moot sourcebook, and
• Episode 14 of the Blood and Iron web serial.

• Visits and downloads now exceed 160,760. Pageviews for September - 11,690.

• Due to computer failure the Chronicles have not been updated since April. Unfortunately this has meant I have been without internet access and have unfortunately lost most of my notification list and player lists for the Shards of Moonlight Pbem. If you have previously been on the Chronicles notification list, or have been a Pbem player, please send me an email so that I might re-establish contact. My apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
• Although my internet access has been limited I have been able to continue development of the Chronicles. The following titles have recently been added:
• Episode 13 of the Blood and Iron web serial is now available.
• A new Glossary of Arborell has been included in the website and currently holds descriptions of terms, places and characters used in the Chronicles. More information can be found here.
• A new sample text is now available entitled "The Making of a Disquiet Mind". Taken from the upcoming A Murder of Crows, it is the introductory section for this second book in the Jotun of the West series.
• Development has continued on both the new Ultimate Windhammer edition and A Murder of Crows.
• Development has also recommenced on the Torchlight solitaire adventure game. Keep an eye out for this one, it is going to be a very original addition to the series.
• Combined visit and download totals now exceed 156,000.
• Pageviews for arborell.com since April - 93,000.

• Episode 12 of Blood and Iron now available.
• Development continues on the Ultimate Windhammer gamebook.

• Episode 12 of Blood and Iron currently in progress.
• Development continues on the Ultimate Windhammer gamebook.
• Episode 11 of Blood and Iron now available.
• Combined visit and download totals now exceed 122,000.
• Total pageviews for arborell.com in March exceed 20,000.

• Development continues on the Ultimate Windhammer gamebook.
• Development continues on Blood and Iron Volume Two. The first episode of this volume has been delayed due to a computer failure which has unfortunately pushed back its release. First week of March should see Episode 11 available.
• Combined visit and download totals now exceed 115,000.
• Total page views for February exceed 12,000.

• January has seen a continuation of development for the Ultimate Windhammer. Inclusion of three new subterranean levels has increased the total size of the adventure to 1200 sections, and this will be the final draft size for the book.
• Writing has also begun on the first new episode in the Blood and Iron web series for some time. Episode 11 will be available in February and will be the commencing episode of Blood and Iron Volume Two. As with Volume One all episodes will be available online until the story is completed in Episode 20. At that time the ten new episodes will be accumulated into a standalone ebook of their own.
• Total online visit and download totals now exceed 110,000.
• Total page views for January exceed 14,500.

• The year comes to its end and I can say that 2005 has been a very good year for the Chronicles of Arborell. In the past twelve months the Chronicles have seen more visitors and downloads than have been recorded for the previous three years combined. Totals of all statistics have doubled, and at this point in the year the visit and download combined totals have exceeded 104,000. It is my hope that this trend continues and that 2006 proves to be as successful. May all who read this post have a happy and prosperous 2006.
  
  
• Achievements for the Chronicles have been many during 2005. Major additions to the Chronicles include:
  
  
  • An ebook edition of the Atlas of Arborell.
  • The new Shards of Moonlight gamebook and its pbem adaptation.
  • The Inquisitor's Lament Version 2 companion novella.
  • The completion of the Song of the Dromannion historical journal.
  • The Book of Scars mythology.
  • Completion of a complete reformatting of the Chronicles website and most of the titles available.
  
  
• For 2006 the following titles are planned for release:
  
  
  • The Ultimate Windhammer. This is a major project that will take some time to complete. Whilst this is in development I will be releasing new episodes of the Blood and Iron web serial. The eleventh episode (the commencement of Blood and Iron Volume Two) should be available in February.
  • The First Book of Haer'al. A complete fantasy language that is to be used throughout the remaining Chronicles titles.
  • Honour Amongst Thieves companion novella.
  • A Murder of Crows gamebook.
  • The Horns of Gorgoroth gamebook.
  • The Torchlight tabletop adventures game.
  
  
• For the month of December the development of the Ultimate Windhammer continues. As described in last month's post it is a huge project that is going to take some time to complete.
• Added the Finding Your Way page to the Chronicles website. This outlines in a flowchart representation the relationships between all the books available or planned for the Chronicles.
• Combined download and visit totals now exceed 104,000
• Page views exceed 13,500 for the month. Hits exceed 36,000.

• November has seen another busy month for the Chronicles of Arborell. Most work has been directed towards the continuing development of the Ultimate Windhammer gamebook and it has seen a few major additions. At this time the new Windhammer gamebook edition will have the following enhancements:
  • A new front and back cover.
  • 3 new beginnings.
  • 1000 sections, arranged into 20 (50 section) chapters.
  • New character generation and combat resolution systems.
  • The inclusion of the new First Book of Haer'al.
  • The inclusion of The Inquisitor's Lament novella.
  • A large appendices section that describes in detail the mythologies, creatures, major historical events and nations that make up the world of Arborell.
  • New Character Sheets.
  • As a part of this upgrade Windhammer shall also be reformatted to accommodate a 1024 x 768 screen resolution.
• Work continues also on A Murder of Crows and the Torchlight tabletop adventure game.
• Page Views for November exceed 12,000.
• Combined visit and download totals now exceed 98,000.

• October has proven to be a very busy month for the Chronicles of Arborell. With a need to upgrade the Chronicles homepage, and all of the currently available titles, I have spent some time completing these revisions. The upgrade to 1024 x 768 resolution compatible web pages has been completed. Only the online version of Windhammer remains in the old 800 x 600 format. It is currently being rewritten to include a new combat and character generation system and will be upgraded once that process is complete.
• Upgrade of all available titles has been completed as well and can be found at the downloads page. Only the Windhammer Special Edition remains in the old format. It will be upgraded as soon as the rewrite is complete. Current titles available in 1024 x 768 format include:
  • Shards of Moonlight adventure gamebook
  • Shards of Moonlight PBeM edition
  • Song of the Dromannion
  • The Inquisitor's Lament
  • The Atlas of Arborell
  • Blood and Iron Volume One
  • The Book of Scars
• October also saw the release of the Shards of Moonlight Play-by-email adaptation. This is for anyone who may like a slightly different way of enjoying the Chronicles.
• Work continues on the Ultimate Windhammer edition.
• Development of A Murder of Crows and the Torchlight tabletop adventure game continues.
• Total pageviews for October 12, 500.
• Combined visit and download total now 92, 260.

• At this time the Chronicles of Arborell website is undergoing a complete redesign, its format being changed to accommodate the 1024x768 resolution. It is my intention to also reformat all the books and documents in this series to the new format, however this will take time. For a while most of the Chronicles series books will remain at 800x600. As these updates are made I will post the changes here.
• The Ultimate Windhammer edition remains in development.
• The First Book of Haer'al has been completed. As per previous post this book will be released at the same time as The Ultimate Windhammer edition. Haer'al is a functional fantasy language that includes complete Haer'al to English and English to Haer'al word-lists, meta-history plus grammar and pronunciation guides. Its usage within the Chronicles will be explained as a part of some very exciting developments that will be released in the new year.
• Development of A Murder of Crows and the Torchlight adventure game continues.
• Total visit and download totals exceed 85,700.
• Total page views for September exceed 9,500.

• Development of The Ultimate Windhammer continues. In conjunction with this project I have begun a supplementary resource entitled the First Book of Haer'al. What it is, and how it will supplement the new version of Windhammer, will be revealed shortly. So far the development of this new version of Windhammer is going very well and it is my hope that it will be completed in the new year.
• Development of A Murder of Crows continues.
• Development of the Torchlight table-top adventure game continues.
• Visit and download totals now exceed 81,400. Page views for August exceed 9,400

• Development restarted on The Ultimate Windhammer. This updated version 5 of Windhammer will include 700 sections, new character generation process, skill attributes and combat resolution, new combat sheets, new cover page and back page, online access to the Atlas of Arborell, four appendices, and The Inquisitor's Lament companion novella thrown in for good measure.
• The Book of Scars now complete and available as both an online resource and as a free download.
• Writing of A Murder of Crows continues.
• Development continues on the Torchlight adventure game.
• Visit and download totals now exceed 77,500. Pageviews for the month exceed 9,000.

• Development begins on the Book of Scars, a supplement to the Jotun of the West adventures.
• Writing of the second Jotun of the West adventure - A Murder of Crows - continues.
• Continued development of the Torchlight tabletop adventure game.
• Total visit and downloads for the Chronicles now exceed 73,000. Pageviews for the month exceed 9,500

• Development continues on the second gamebook in the Jotun of the West series - A Murder of Crows,
• Development continues on tabletop adventure game - Torchlight. This game is being developed as a solitaire table-top adventure set in the world of Arborell and centred around the ruins found in the far reaches of the Durn. It will be a produced in full colour and will be available for free download upon completion. Will come with 150 printable cards, character and reference sheets, and a full Player's Manual.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now exceed 70,000.
• Total pageviews for the month of May exceed 8,900.

• The final volume in the Song of the Dromannion journal is now complete. The entire story can be obtained as a free download, or viewed online.
• Development of A Murder of Crows continues.
• Development of the Torchlight table-top solitaire adventure game begins.
• Windhammer Special Edition converted to a fully automated online gamebook adventure at spielbuch.net. A link to this game can be found here.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now exceed 67,000.
• Total pageviews for the month of April exceed 11,500.

• Development continues on second Jotun of the West gamebook - A Murder of Crows.
• Development continues on last volume of the Song of the Dromannion.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now exceed 62,000
• Pageviews for arborell.com during March exceed 8300.

• Development continues on the final instalment of the Song of the Dromannion journal. The completed book will be available for download in March - April.
• Development begins on second book in the Jotun of the West series - A Murder of Crows.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now exceed 58,900
• Page views for arborell.com during February exceed 9,300, hits exceed 32,200.

• Shards of Moonlight uploaded and now available. This first book in the Jotun of the West interactive series can be obtained either as a download, or viewed online.
• Development begins on the second book in the Jotun of the West series - A Murder of Crows.
• Development continues on third volume of Song of the Dromannion
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now exceed 55,500
• Page views for arborell.com during January exceed 7,500, hits exceed 26,500.

• Development continues on third volume of Song of the Dromannion.
• Development begins on new interactive gamebook - Shards of Moonlight. To be completed in February 2005. More information on this new addition to the Chronicles will be available shortly.
• Visit and download totals now exceed 53,000.
• Page views for arborell.com during December exceed 10,550.

• Development of Song of the Dromannion Volume 3 commenced.
• Song of the Dromannion Volume 2 completed and uploaded.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles exceed 50,434.
• Page views for arborell.com exceed 8,200 for November.

• Development of the Song of the Dromannion continues. I have decided to deliver this journal in three volumes. Second volume now almost finished. Will be uploaded in November.
• New version of The Inquisitor's Lament uploaded. New download can be found here.
• Rewrite of The Inquisitor's Lament continues.
• Visit and download totals for the Chronicles now exceed 48,200.
• Page views for arborell.com total 8,000 for October.

• arborell.com becomes the new home for the Chronicles of Arborell.
• Development of part six of the Song of the Dromannion continues.
• Update begins for Windhammer Version 5.
• New on-line version of the Windhammer Special Edition now available.
• Work begins for online version of The Inquisitor's Lament.
• Verified visits and downloads for the Chronicles reach 46,295.
• Average page views for arborell.com now over 5000 per month.

• Development of Part Six of the Song of Dromannion continues.

• Development of Part Six of the Song of Dromannion continues.
• Development of Honour Amongst Thieves continues.

• Review completed of Chronicles Website.
• Two new download files available covering maps included in the Atlas of Arborell.
• New Atlas Files Uploaded. Atlas now includes eighteen maps covering most of the setting within which the stories of Arborell take place.
• Development begins for a further six maps for the Atlas of Arborell.
• Development continues of Part Six of the Song of the Dromannion.

• Development continues for Honour amongst Thieves.
• Files uploaded for new Timeline feature.
• Begin development of new Arborellian Timeline.
• Begin development of Part Six of the Song of the Dromannion.
• Part Five of Song of the Dromannion uploaded.

• Part 4 of the Song of the Dromannion is now available.
• Windhammer Special Edition now available from amazonminiatures.com
• Part 5 of the Song of the Dromannion in development.
• Atlas of Arborell updated with three new maps: Jotun of the West, The Jotunheim and the Lands of Perdition.

• The third instalment in the Song of the Dromannion journal is now available.
• The second instalment in the Song of the Dromannion serialised journal is now available.
• A new Atlas of Arborell is now available to readers who might wish to see more of the world of Arborell. All current maps from the series can be found here.
• An ebook compilation of the first ten episodes of the Blood and Iron web serial is now available. Volume One can be found at the Chronicle's download page, or can be obtained by clicking here.

• I am currently taking a short break from the Blood and Iron web serial so that I can finally complete the Honour Amongst Thieves companion novel. Look out for this, it will be available soon.
• Work commenced on Blood and Iron download plus Palm Pilot and Pocket PC versions.
• Blood and Iron Episode Ten - Ghosts - now available.
• First instalment of the new Song of the Dromannion Journal uploaded.
• Blood and Iron Episode Nine - March of Shadows completed

• Episode Eight of Blood and Iron completed.
• Episode Nine - March of Shadows - commenced.
• Inclusion of Blood and Iron as part of the Epiguide.com Directory for web-based entertainment.
• When Episode Ten of Blood and Iron is completed, these first episodes will be compiled into a standalone book to be entitled Blood and Iron Volume One. This new volume will be completed in January 2004 and will be available from the Chronicle's download page, as well as being converted to the PalmPilot OS and other PDA platforms.

• Episode seven completed and uploaded.

• Episode Six of Blood and Iron completed.
• Episode Seven - Mentor - commenced.

• Episode Five of Blood and Iron completed and uploaded.
• Work commenced on Blood and Iron Episode Six - Song of the Hra'gora
• Update completed on Chronicles of Arborell homepage. New files uploaded.

• Revision started of all episodes of Blood and Iron. New episodes 1 to 4 uploaded.
• Minor revision of Windhammer Special Edition completed. New files uploaded.
• New cover for The Inquisitor's Lament. New files uploaded.

• Hello again! The Chronicles are now back on track and work can recommence on the Blood and Iron web serial. Episode Five should be released in August.
• I have no download figures as of yet.
• Work on Honour Amongst Thieves continues. I keep on saying that don't I?
• A new upgraded version of The Inquisitor's Lament is now available. It can be downloaded from the Chronicles download page.

• March was another good month for the Chronicles. Total downloads from all sources recorded at 19,500.
• Work continues on Honour Amongst Thieves.
• Unfortunately a short break must be taken by me from the Chronicles as I deal with a family illness. I should return to the Chronicles in the next two months or so.
• Episode four of Blood and Iron released. Due to this break in development I have decided to not release any further episodes of Blood and Iron until these personal issues have been resolved. I am sorry for any disappointment that may arise from this decision.

• February was a good month for the Chronicles. Total downloads from all sources now exceed 18,000. A very good month indeed.
• FantasyReaders.com takes the Chronicles on board, allowing free download on Windhammer and The Inquisitor's Lament from their new website. A lot more should follow from this affiliation.
• Episodes 2 and 3 of the Blood and Iron web serial released.
• Work continues on "Honour Amongst Thieves".

• Hits and Downloads (from all sources) for the Chronicles reach 14,200.
• Two new maps uploaded for the Blood and Iron web serial - The North Coast of Kalborea and The Lands of Perdition, circa Year of Settlement 517.
• Release of the new Blood and Iron web serial. To be issued in fortnightly instalments it is the story of a young man who must overcome fear and doubt to recover what he treasures most. In his journey he will travel to the heart of the Horde Nations and attempt a crossing of the impassable Lands of Perdition. The first instalment is available now and can be found at the Chronicles home page.
• Development of Earth and Stone continues.
• Next companion novella Honour Amongst Thieves to be released shortly.

• Hits and Downloads (from all sources) for the Chronicles reaches 12,000.
• Work begins on the second Chronicles Companion book, Honour Amongst Thieves.
• Work continues on the second gamebook in this series, Earth and Stone.

• Release of The Inquisitor's Lament. First book in the Chronicles Companion Series.
• Hits and downloads (from all sources) for the Chronicles reach 10,000.
• Work continues on the second book in this series, Earth and Stone. Currently the book has been finalised at 1250 sections and will be available in the near future. If you would like to be notified of its completion click here and write "notify" in the subject line of the email displayed. Its that easy!

• Windhammer Special Edition to be translated into Czech and offered in both online and download versions through Mantikora.com
• Windhammer Special Edition selected by the State Library of New South Wales for inclusion in the National Library of Australia's Pandora Archive. If you would like to find out more about the Pandora archive please have a look. It is a very extensive archive of Australian digital documents.