Any news? The status updates list it on hold and I read at one point that the reason for that was that the monster template rules were in flux. (Although that seems like a weird reason since we have Terrors of the Dead Lands out.) I have been eagerly awaiting SotDL for a long time and I am afraid that it won’t get released because of the 3e/3.5e->4e transition. Could the original 2e version get posted as a “sneak peek” until the converted version is finished?

I have talked about a “Settings Material” Release of things that would work without rules. Something that would give the details and the background but leave out levels and stats and whatnot.
That way, it would be good for any edition, and would give people what they want.

The last 12 months have seen a record number of product releases and updates. The monster template rules have had very little impact on any decisions regarding SotDL. It is a matter of completing projects rather than having x number of incomplete ones. The next logical big project after R7 is SotDL. It is a vast editing job, as we have a lot of material for it.

A ‘flavour only’ interim release could be interesting. I think there are some issues to deal with in SoTDL i.e how is it that D’thul has the Psionic Enchantment dome of invulnerability? How did Harkor get defiling regeneration and recruitment? what about Rhokhan’s wall of ash psionic enchantment?
I think there may need to be an advanced being made specifically for the rulers of the Dead Lands, which would complete the set (almost) in that you would have Dragons, Avangions, Elementals, Spirits of the land, Shadow shifters, Advanced undead, only thing then missing would be the elemental clerics that don’t transform etc

I have toyed with the idea of an advanced being undead, and am leaning towards rituals that allow the undead to advance and gain interesting abilities and powers.
At this point, psionic enchantements of 2ed are just Epic spells, and anyone who can cast them can cast them. As far as how it work, the Deadlands, for all intents and purposes, is an entirely different gaming world than Athas. Things are totally different there, and have been for the last 2000+ years. It has gone a totally different way than the tablelands.
The problem with an advance being for undead is that they are already changed into a different type. Something that worked like the vampire PrC from book of vile darkness might work for a class for them all, something that relies on them furthering their undead abilities. The options for the other aspect is what I have in mind for rituals, which would really be just the undead using the metamorphisis seed to make themselves different. Technically, you could do it now on your own. (I have with a few things myself)