FIGHT AN ALIEN INVASION WITH STARFINDER ALIEN ARCHIVE 2
Over 100 science-fantasy species for both Players and Game Masters
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (October 17, 2018): Paizo Inc. released the Starfinder Alien Archive 2 today, new for the award-winning Starfinder Roleplaying Game. The 160-page hardcover rulebook presents over 100 bizarre life-forms, both classic and new, and has rules options for both Players and Game Masters. It is available for purchase at paizo.com and retailers worldwide at an MSRP $39.99 for hardcover and $9.99 for PDF.
Robert G. McCreary, Creative Director for the Starfinder RPG spoke of the book’s broad appeal. “With a whole galaxy to explore, there’s always a need for more aliens to inhabit the distant worlds the player characters will visit. Alien Archive 2 showcases a variety of exotic new creatures, from sapient extraterrestrial civilizations to giant spaceborne life forms. But Alien Archive 2 is more than just another bestiary for Game Masters. Players will find a wealth of new rules inside just for them—whether it’s a new alien species to play, like the canine vlaka, or new armor, weapons, magic items, and technology, like the fungal computer. Every science fantasy cantina needs a bunch of weird aliens to fill its booths and bar stools, and Alien Archive 2 has you covered!”
The creatures in this codex will challenge adventurers no matter where in the galaxy they may travel. What’s more, player rules for over a dozen species let players not just fight aliens, but be them. Gamers can play everything from an uplifted bear to a sentient slug!
The book also includes new alien technology to help give characters an edge, including armor, weapons, magic items, and spells. It adds new Starfinder rules, including magical polymorphing and environmental template grafts that empower players to modify creatures to fit them to any world!
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonlance. The world of Kyrnn. The continent of Ansalon. The Companions. Camaron. Raistlin. Takhisis. Paladine. Kitiara. Lord Soth. Chronicles. Legends. Margaret Weis. Tracy Hickman. The Legend of Huma. Kaz the Minotaur. Richard A. Knaak.
Those settings, characters, books, and authors summarize of my love for D&D’s Dragonlance. The setting was popular in AD&D, 2e, 3e, 3.5e, and the SAGA system (the last module, for 3.5e, was published in 2008 by Sovereign Press, one of Margaret Weis’ companies and the official licensor of Dragonlance at that time). Beyond the RPG books and sets there were tie-in novels published from 1984 until early 2010 (fellow Tessera Guilder, John McGuire, wrote about those early Dragonlance novels recently), comic books, video games, and a 2008 animated movie. While there was a tip of the hat in a 5e Unearthed Arcana to Krynn’s minotaurs (here), Wizards of the Coast has not published any new Dragonlance game material for a decade, and no new novels in nearing that time span.
While the full list of every author that touched Dragonlance over those two decades is extensive, the list of authors that most defined Dragonlance novels throughout their existence is four: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Douglas Niles, and Richard A. Knaak. Their prose gave the world its voice and structure, gifting it with flavor while crafting a complex history. Everyone involved did an excellent job of building the world of Krynn into one of D&D’s premier settings. Knaak built up the world’s history while cementing the sailor minotaurs and Knights of Solamnia and other critical facets of the world. He curved out a section of Krynn that might be dubbed “his” part of Ansalon. However, the downside of working on corporate properties is when the publisher stops producing them, your contract ends, and the sun on your part of the world sets, sometimes forever.
Knaak worked on other properties (World of Warcraft, Conan, Diablo, and several of his own series including Dragonrealm), yet the stories of Dragonlance must have continued to percolate in his mind. In 2017, he delivered the first book in a new fantasy series, Rex Draconis. The first novella, Rex Draconis: Under the Dragon Moon, lays out the opening shots of the series. I didn’t read Rex Draconis: Under the Dragon Moon, instead I did the Audible as read by Julie-Ann Amos. For those not versed in audiobooks, an Audible is the same as reading, only it’s not. Julie-Ann Amos elevated the work through her voice acting. Her characters had a life and presence that you do not hear in every audiobook and are not always present in your head as you read.
The superficial bits of the novella marked the series as the spiritual successor to Dragonlance. But, it’s not a cloned-Krynn, it’s a skillful homage to Knaak’s corner of Ansalon. A love letter so compelling that it’s inspired Knaak to work with Phil Beckwith of P.B. Publishing and Micah Watt of Pyromaniac Press to convert this prose into a tabletop RPG setting for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 1e (the Kickstarter for is live here until Sun, October 21 2018 10:02 PM EDT). I covered the Kickstarterhere, and interviewed Knaak and the rest of the creative team on the Open Gaming Network.
What is Dragonlance about this series? Sailor minotaurs. Kwillum, a kender-like species that make more sense than kender. Two species of dragonfolk that have a light resemblance to draconians. Three-ish moons of differing hues. There’s more that, once you see those parts, make the other pieces fit a jigsaw puzzle of a Larry Elmore Dragonlance painting, but on examination it feels more like forcing the pieces to fit. The semi-befuddled mage, Knights of the Shield/Knights of the Grey Hand, the prominence of the gods as components of the sky, the tinker dwarf. Those pieces could be viewed as being taken from Ansalon, yet powerful mages, knightly orders, gods, and steampunk humanoids are common fantasy tropes. It is only when the other pieces are invoked that they form the tapestry of Krynn.
Despite the elevator pitch that this is Dragonlance revisited, and some similarities, Rex Draconis is not Dragonlance. Taken as a whole, it is its own world. The minotaur empire is pushing against the human’s world, the “orcs” of this world are the wheyr, a race of jackelpeople who have massive numbers and, thanks to some captured and copied minotaur ships, are a threat at sea, dragonfolk aren’t rooting for an evil goddess or defending mankind, instead, everyone are their pawns, the third moon is visible and shattered into the shape of a dragon, the kwillum are looking for something. There are layers to this world and this first novella offers a taste of each.
Who is Rex Draconis: Under the Dragon Moon for? Sword and sorcery fans. Fans of Richard A. Knaak. Fans missing their Dragonlance fix that are ok with a reimagined version of the world. D&D fans that want the feel of those worlds back in print. But mostly fans looking for a fantasy world that is fully realized, with interesting takes on the battle between good and evil, one where the series is ongoing and being transferred across medias to work with D&D 5e and Pathfinder 1e on Kickstarter (here).
CLAIM YOUR HERITAGE, LEVEL-UP, AND JOIN THE CRUSADE IN PART 5 OF DOOMSDAY DAWN, “THE HEROES OF UNDARIN”
The Pathfinder Playtest continues to evolve with an ancestry rules update!
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (October 9, 2018): Paizo Inc. turned its attention today to “The Heroes of Undarin,” the fifth of seven scenarios in the Doomsday Dawn adventure in the worldwide, free Pathfinder Playtest. In this chapter, players create new hardy 12th-level characters who are accustomed to facing terrible foes in the Worldwound, a land ruined by demonic powers.
“A group of agents is sent deep into the Worldwound to uncover the secrets of the White Axiom. You are sent to protect them,” said Jason Bulmahn, Director of Game Design at Paizo, setting the scene.
Throughout the playtest the Paizo design team has listened to players and made changes to the game, including modifications to core systems like proficiencies, difficulty classes, death, dying, skills, classes, and multiclassing archtypes. Today marks the release of Update 1.4, which delivers an overhaul of the ancestries. Starting with this update, when players make a character, they select not only an ancestry but also a heritage from within that ancestry. The heritage gives them additional physical characteristics based on their lineage, and choice of heritage is in addition to the ancestry feat that they gain at 1st level.
Bulmahn added, “The one thing we’ve heard mentioned over and over is that many of you felt like the ancestries weren’t quite giving enough at 1st level. We also saw a number of responses saying that taking a feat to be a half-elf or half-orc was too steep a price to pay. This update makes changes to the way that ancestries work, while also giving you some additional high-level ancestry feats to use in your game!”
In addition to surveys on Chapters 1 through 5 of Doomsday Dawn, there are now surveys up for Ancestries, Classes, Monsters, Hazards and the Rules as a whole. The playtest bundle, updates, and surveys are all free to download at PathfinderPlaytest.com.
Players can learn more, participate in forums, read blog posts and sign up for email updates on paizo.com. The Paizo Twitch channel (twitch.tv/officialpaizo) hosts live play every Thursday from 2-5 PM Pacific and discussions with the design team every Friday at 4 PM Pacific.
Pathfinder Playtest Schedule:
The Heroes of Undarin, October 9 – October 21
Red Flags, October 22 – November 4
When the Stars Go Dark, November 5 – November 18
About Paizo
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
EDITOR’S NOTES: I reviewed this Kickstarter on the Open Gaming Networkhere.
Details about the addition of PDFs to Kobold Press’ Tales of the Old Margreve Kickstarter campaign can be read here.
News from the Warrens
This Forest is Filled with Fabulous Treasure!
Did you hear? We recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a new 5e adventure book: Tales of the Old Margreve! It comes with a Player’s Guide containing new player options that will help you explore the dark, primeval forest. The adventures are set in the Old Margreve forest of Midgard—and it’s easily transferable to any ancient, mystical forest in your own campaign setting! You can now pledge towards getting it in print, PDF, or your virtual tabletop of choice!
We talked a lot about the Tales of the Old Margreve Kickstarter campaign in the last edition of the Kobold Courier; but we’ve burst through several huge stretch goals since then, so there’s plenty more to talk about in this issue! Let’s check out the secret treasures of the ancient woodland. Read on, fellow kobolds!
5th Edition roleplaying adventures in the deep and menacing forest, for PCs level 1 to 10
Forests in fantasy roleplaying games are dark places, full of secrets. With this project, we bring the Old Margreve to the 5th Edition of the world’s most popular RPG. The Margreve is an ancient, enchanted forest that defends itself from those who come to cut its timber, poach its creatures, or steal its magic. Within its borders the Old Ways are strong, the word of the druids carries great weight, and griffons, dragons, and stranger creatures nest and hunt, undisturbed by humans, dwarves, or other lordlings.
Until your adventuring party shows up. Then things get really interesting.
new adventures, encounters, monsters, and everything you need to make a memorable 5th Edition campaign. Whether your campaign is set entirely in the forest, or simply takes a brief detour there, this book will help make your wilderness adventures thrive!
The Adventures! The Tales of the Old Margreve adventure campaign hardcover for the GM.
A Player Resource. The Margreve Player’s Guide softcover gives the players of this campaign knowledge and resources that will help them navigate the lightless boughs of this ancient forest.
Miniatures (Unlockable Only!) If we unlock this stretch goal, the campaign will also set of thick cardboard standups, the Margreve Pawns, similar to those created for Tome of Beasts and the Creature Codex.
But that’s not all! More than a dozen stretch goals unlock new adventures, monsters, maps,a dn more. Some will increase the size of the campaign book , making it an even better deal, and some expand the Player’s Guide!
In the end, some experiments are interesting but not successful. For this Kickstarter we’d planned to focus on print and VTT; but the backer support for PDF is too huge to ignore. So Tales of the Old Margreve also includes PDF options!
Our goals are primarily about improving the hardcover book by adding new material to the adventures, expanding the lore of the deep forest, and providing more player options.
That said, we also have several big goals to unlock: a poster map of the forest village that appears in several adventures, the set of custom pawnsmentioned above, and more will certainly become available as the campaign goes on!
Over the past week, we’ve unlocked 7 incredible stretch goals, adding additional content to the Tales of the Old Margreve adventure book and theMargreve Player’s Guide. Every stretch goal makes these books thicker!
Here are the goals we’ve already achieved, thanks to our backers:
And More?
Those seven unlocked stretch goals are amazing… but we’re not done yet. The Old Margreve forest contains dangers and treasures beyond imagining. Take a look at just a tiny sample of the stretch goals you can help us unlock.
The secrets of the Old Margreve are deep and dark, and the hidden depths of the Tales of the Old Margreve Kickstarter campaign are far from fully revealed. Keep an eye out on the Kickstarter page (and on our social media and future Kobold Couriers) for more as we navigate to this forest’s heart.
One Final, Incredible Prize
Decades ago, when the game of D&D was young, a man named Dennis Sustare created a class that lives on to this day: the Druid. Indeed, Gary Gygax was not the creator of the druid class, but we have good news. Dennis Sustare has agreed to join us in creating brand-new spells, items, and even a new subclass for the 5th edition druid. New druid material by the guy who created the class for D&D? Only the mystical forest can hold such wonders.
We want to make this happen, but we can only do it with your support. Help us break through to this mind-bogglingly cool stretch goal!
And the same for the brand-new book of monsters, the Creature Codex. Get 300 full-color pawns for the new monsters in the greatest monster manual since the Tome of Beasts!
Other Recent Kobold Press Titles
The Old Margreve Kickstarter is exciting, but there are other incredible new books from Kobold Press for you to check out!
Journey into nine different creature lairs that highlight Kobold Press’s newest monsters in Creature Codex Lairs.
Plan cunning schemes as you delve into secret lore about the realm of the faeries in Warlock 7: Fey Courts.
These monsters are bit darker than most. Our most horrific designers get to flex their muscles in the Warlock Bestiary.
The Tome of Beasts is a 400+ page book—what if it were a bit lighter?
Behold, from the deepest pits of the earth crawls forth the Deck of Beasts! This deck of cards includes the full stats of monsters from the Tome of Beasts, giving you all the power of the best manual of monsters for 5th Edition in the palm of your hand.
The Deck of Beasts: Challenging Creatures includes over 80 creatures from the innovative Tome of Beasts in a portable format that is easy to clip to a GM Screen or tuck into your module notes! Featuring most creatures with challenge ratings from 6 to 9, the deck includes the Chronalmental, Shadow Fey Elves, Oozasis, Tophet, Vine Lord and many more.
Start from the beginning of
THE WORLD TREE BURNS
Watch the First Official Midgard Livestream on YouTube
or
Listen to it on the go as a podcast!
Using 5th Edition rules, Game Master Dan Dillon and his five players have woven a story of dark magic, sorrow, and true heroism in the dark fantasy world of Midgard.
In The World Tree Burns, five unlikely heroes gather in Zobeck and discover a terrible secret about the world—one that threatens to tear Midgard apart at the seams. Acclaimed game designer and Kobold Press regular Dan Dillon joins the regular cast of Encounter Roleplay to bring you an adventure of epic proportions.
Welcome back to the Loop. Nothing will ever be the same again. This time you can die.
Things from the Flood are coming. With one day left of the Kickstarter, Free League Publishing’s sequel to the multiple award-winning Tales from the Loop RPG, based on the wondrous worlds of Simon Stålenhag, has raised over 3,600,000 SEK – the equivalent of $400,000 – from thousands of backers across the world.
The crowdfunding campaign for Things from the Flood, the sequel to the Tales from the Loop RPG, ends on Tuesday, October 9 2018 9:00 PM CEST.
The time has come to return to the Loop. Things from the Flood thrusts the Tales universe into a grim and bleak alternate 1990s. You will step into the shoes of a teenager growing up in a decade of change – and disaster. Gone are the childlike tales of wonder and discovery, in their place are dark threats to the Teens and their surroundings. Create new Teens or let your Kids from Tales from the Loop grow older.
Everything is changing, everything is falling apart. Still, your lives go on as before. You go to school, fall miserably in love, try to do everything possible to fend of boredom. When you hear about teens going missing, and even turning up dead, you realize its time to gather the group again. One way or another you’ll find out what these Things from the Flood really are. Balance day to day life with solving mysteries with your friends. But remember – this time you can die.
Things from the Flood presents a darker, more mature version of Stålenhag’s hallmark retro sci-fi art with mysteries by acclaimed writer Nils Hintze, lead writer on Tales from the Loop, and game design by Free League.
So far, 22 stretch goals have been unlocked in the Kickstarter campaign, including new dice set, GM screen, printed mystery book, a mystery generator and several additional mysteries by esteemed game writers such as Nils Hintze and Rickard Antroia.
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Our first game, the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules 2015. The sci-fi adventure Coriolis – The Third Horizon, was awarded a Judge’s Spotlight Award at Gencon. And we are proud to say that our latest roleplaying game Tales from the Loop RPG based on Simon Stålenhags iconic artbooks made a grand slam at the ENnie Awards 2017, winning five Gold ENnies – among them Best Game.
Our upcoming fantasy RPG is Forbidden Lands, with art by critically acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag and iconic Swedish fantasy artist Nils Gulliksson, lore by fantasy author Erik Granström and game design by the team that created Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Tales from the Loop RPG. Forbidden Lands was the third most successful RPG Kickstarter in the world 2017 and was recently named one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2018 by EN World.
We have also released the critically acclaimed art books Things from the Flood and Tales from the Loopby artist Simon Stålenhag. His third book The Electric State has been released by Free League Publishing exclusively to the backers of the kickstarter campaign.
Free League Publishing and Team Järnringen, two of Sweden’s leading publishers of tabletop roleplaying games on the international market, will become one. The merger of these publishers of acclaimed RPGs such as Tales from the Loop, Symbaroum and Mutant: Year Zero, is underway. The combined company, to be named Free League Publishing, is planning several major game launches in the year to come.
“We’re very happy that the merger is finally happening,” says Free League co-founder Tomas Härenstam. “We have a long history with Järnringen, great respect for their work, and we share similar philosophies on game design. Together we will be stronger, better, and have a greater international reach. And we’ll have even more fun at work.”
The two teams are already working together, with former Järnringen members involved in current Free League projects, and vice versa. To the combined company, Järnringen brings the acclaimed fantasy RPG Symbaroum, which will now become part of Free League’s line-up of award-winning games such as Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis – The Third Horizon, and Tales from the Loop, as well as the upcoming RPG Forbidden Lands and Crusader Kings – The Board Game.
Free League was initially created ten years ago, as a group of freelancers writing supplements for earlier (Swedish) versions of Mutant and Coriolis, published by a previous incarnation of Järnringen. The fact that these two game franchises are still part of the Free League RPG lineup today is appreciated by the members of Team Järnringen.
“There are many benefits of this merger,” say’s Järnringen co-founder Mattias Johnsson Haake. “But of course, the idea of working on Mutant and Coriolis again is especially appealing. Coriolis was created by us, and is in a way like a child we never got to see grow up. Mutant also has a special place in our hearts.”
The joint company will be named Free League Publishing, a decision made in full agreement between both companies. Free League Publishing has had a longer presence on the international market and a bigger reach among both gamers and sales partners. In addition, the name Free League is taken from a faction in the Coriolis RPG.
Fans and gamers of Free League and Järnringen games should not experience any immediate impact from this merger. All existing game lines will continue as planned. In addition, a number of new game projects are being planned for 2019. More information on these will be revealed at a later date.
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Our first game, the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules 2015. The sci-fi adventure Coriolis – The Third Horizon, was awarded a Judge’s Spotlight Award at Gencon. And we are proud to say that our latest roleplaying game Tales from the Loop RPG based onSimon Stålenhags iconic artbooks made a grand slam at the ENnie Awards 2017, winning five Gold ENnies – among them Best Game.
Our upcoming fantasy RPG is Forbidden Lands, with art by critically acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag and iconic Swedish fantasy artist Nils Gulliksson, lore by fantasy author Erik Granström and game design by the team that created Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Tales from the Loop RPG. Forbidden Lands was the third most successful RPG Kickstarter in the world 2017 and was recently named one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2018 by EN World.
We have also released the critically acclaimed art books Things from the Flood and Tales from the Loopby artist Simon Stålenhag. His third book The Electric State has been released by Free League Publishing exclusively to the backers of the kickstarter campaign.
Following the launch of the 5th Edition of the Vampire: The Masquerade tabletop role-playing game, creator and publisher White Wolf has launched a new sale of classic Vampire-themed tabletop supplements via Humble Bundle.
Visit Humble Bundle’s special Vampire sale now, and name your price for the base collection, which includes Vampire: The Masquerade Revised Edition ruleset, Alien Hunger — a quickstart introduction to the rules and a starting scenario, along with five additional supplements and two extras. Pay higher than the current average and get six more supplements and scenario books, and finally, pay $15 or more to gain access to seven additional books and a digital copy of the Vampire film, Judas Goat.
Buyers of the Vampire bundle have the option of donating a portion or all of their payment to the United States Association for UNHCR charity, which helps rebuild the lives of millions of refugees around the world.
Also, don’t forget about Geek and Sundry’s newest live show, L.A. by Night, a live-streamed tabletop RPG series featuring the newly released 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade. The eight-episode series streams every Friday night until November 2, 2018, on twitch.tv/geekandsundry and projectalpha.com.
In Small Town USA, a Dragon is asking the cute Orc Jock to prom. The nerdy Undead has been practicing their magic all month in preparation for the big show, and an Elf has just finished tuning up their hot rod, in time for the big race.
And somewhere in this town, their best friend was just murdered.
Americana is a new TTRPG by Sandy Pug Games set in a radically inclusive, magical 1950s. Players build their own incredible town, populate it with gangs and hangouts, then investigate the murder of their best friend in a collaborative, collective storytelling system designed to place narrative and relationships front and center.
Caught your interest? Head on over to Kickstarter and learn more about the incredible world of Americana, and check out some of our stretch goals which include an audio drama, a super-sentai tribute setting, and a cold-war spy drama twist!
This week’s theme, tabletop RPG adaptations, let’s me share Simon Stålenhag’s artbook, Richard A. Knaak’s newest fantasy series, and the famous judge created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra (who just passed away). All of these projects are live on Kickstarter. If you want to play as a teenager in the technopast 1990s using the Mutant: Year Zero system, or as a fantasy minotaur using either the D&D 5th edition or Pathfinder 1e rules, or as the law using What’s OLD is NEW (WOIN) game system, there are games waiting for you.
“Return to Simon Stålenhag’s world of the Loop in this new RPG. It’s the ’90s now, and things are different. This time, you can die.
It started on Christmas Day in 1994. Dark water suddenly rose from the land, invading our homes and lives. They say it came from the depths inside the Loop. Whatever it was the Flood changed everything. Nothing would ever be the same again.
Welcome back to the Loop. Things are different now.
In 2017, we released Tales from the Loop the tabletop roleplaying game based on Stålenhag’s first art book. That game was an instant hit, selling out its two initial print runs and winning no less than five ENnies (including Best Game and Product of the Year) as well as three Golden Geek Awards (including Best RPG).
Now, it’s time to return to the Loop and continue the story. In Things from the Flood you play Teens in the 1990s – a decade of change and disaster. You’re still balancing day to day life with solving exciting mysteries with your friends. But this is a darker time, and the stakes are higher.
We are the Free League, creators and publishers of roleplaying games such as Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis – The Third Horizon, Tales from the Loop and Forbidden Lands. As well as the original publishers of Simon Stålenhag’s art books. The lead writer of this book is the seasoned Swedish game writer Nils Hintze, backed up by the entire Free League team who handle project management, editing, and graphic design.
The vast majority of the art in the game is done by Simon Stålenhag himself. Most of the art will be drawn from the pages of the Things from the Flood artbook – many scenarios in the game are based directly on illustrations in the artbook – but the RPG will contain some new original art as well, including the cover image.
The book will have approximately 200 pages, in the US Letter format.
Tales from the Loop Backer? If you backed the original Tales from the Loop RPG back in late 2016, you will get a PDF of the Things from the Flood core book, including the digital stretch goals in this Kickstarter, at no extra cost. You can still join this Kickstarter to get the printed book.
Things are different now.
The world does not seem so innocent anymore.
Its the ‘90s and the once mighty Loop has been shut down, the experiment abandonded and the land bought by Krafta, a powerful corporation. You are no Kids anymore, but Teens trying to find your way in a decade of change – both within and around you.
The Flood has transformed the once pastoral islands into a dark marshland. Some say that the dark water pouring out of the ground comes from within the Loop itself. Machines are afflicted by a strange virus turning them unreliable and dangerous.
Still, your lives go on as before. You go to school, fall miserably in love, try to do everything possible to fend off boredom. When you hear about other teens going missing, and even turning up dead, you realize its time to gather the group again.
One way or another you fill find out what these Things from the Flood really are.
You play Teens growing up in the 1990s, trying to balance everyday life while at the same time solving dark mysteries together with your friends.
The core of the game is the same as in Tales from the Loop, but the themes are different. Gone are the childlike tales of wonder and discovery, in their place are dark threats to the Teens and their world. Everything is changing, everything is falling apart. Figuring out how to deal with this is a big part of the game.
You are no kid anymore, the world is both more exciting and more dangerous. Teenagers can get hurt – and even die. The stakes are higher than ever.
Both! Things from the Flood expands the scope of Tales from the Loop to the 1990s. You can continue your campaign with the Kids from the original game or create brand new player characters. We call it a “standalone expansion” because everything that is needed to play the game is included in the book. That’s right, no previous experience is needed at all, just get the book and start playing right away.
If you’ve read and played the Tales from the Loop RPG, you will find yourself right at home, this book expands the setting and introduces new exciting mysteries and threats to explore.
The game engine of Things from the Flood is the same as the one for Tales from the LoopRPG and is based on our previous game Mutant: Year Zero, that was awarded with a Silver ENnie for Best Rules at Gencon 2015.
The core mechanic is the same: To make a skill roll, you simply grab a number of dice for your attribute score, skill level and gear, and roll them all together. You need at least one six to succeed, and extra sixes can give you stunts and other bonus effects.
The acclaimed artist, concept designer and author of the art books Tales from the Loop (2015), Things from the Flood (2016) and The Electric State (2017). Simon Stålenhag is best known for his highly imaginative images and stories portraying illusive sci-fi phenomena in mundane, hyper-realistic Scandinavian landscapes (expanded into America in his latest book The Electric State). Tales from the Loop was ranked by The Guardian as one of the “10 Best Dystopias,” in the company of works such as Franz Kafka’s The Trial and Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca.
Not only have Stålenhag’s unique and cinematic images earned him a worldwide fan base, but have also made him a go-to storyteller, concept artist and illustrator for both the film and computer gaming industry. This year it was announced that The Electric State will be turned into a major motion picture and Amazon Prime ordered a full season of a TV show based on Tales from the Loop.
During his twelve years as a game writer, Nils Hintze has written a great number of scenarios, articles and reviews, as well as being the main author of critically praised and award winning Tales from the Loop roleplaying game. Previously he has written plays for theatre groups.
Nils is known for his ability to create scenarios which allow the players to explore their characters and their relationships while facing dangers and solving mysteries. The conflicts in his games are often built on personal dilemmas, where thrill and mystery is not seldom mixed with humor.
Nils is educated in creative writing, but he normally works as a psychologist. Nils is also one of the three creators of the Swedish role-playing podcast Podcon.
Free League Publishing is the international name of Swedish game and book publisher Fria Ligan AB. Since 2011 we have produced a range of pen and paper RPG’s, and have won several awards in the process.
Our first international game, Mutant: Year Zero, co-published with Modiphius Entertainment, was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules at Gencon 2015. Last year Tales from the Loopwon five Gold ENnies (including Best Game and Product of the Year) as well as three Golden Geek awards. We have also created and published Coriolis – The Third Horizon (2017) and Forbidden Lands (2018).
Our Kickstarter fulfillment and shipping is handled by GamesQuest in the UK, and we have a partnership with Modiphius Entertainment for international retail distribution.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Tales from the Loop won five 2017 ENnie Awards (Best Game, Best Setting, Best Writing, Best Internal Art and Product of the Year) plus several Golden Geek Awards (Game of the Year, Runner-up Best Artwork & Presentation). Fellow Guilder, John McGuire, did two articles on Tales from the Loop, the prequel to Things from the Flood. The first is his thoughts about the game from playing it at Gen Con, the second is a traditional review. It can be said that “roleplaying in the ’80s that never was” is a winner. The sequel pushes the clock forward from being kids in the 80s to being “teens in the 1990s – a decade of change and disaster.” The world is darker, the stakes are higher, the first bits of the internet are forming, and you are old enough to drive in a world that is turning into a dark horror. This standalone expansion (you don’t need TftL to play this) is waiting for you here.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“The first adventure in a trilogy based on NY Times Bestselling author Richard A. Knaak’s: Rex Draconis fantasy setting.
Welcome to the Rex Draconis RPG
Set in the world of Tiberos, the Rex Draconis RPG setting allows you to experience the epic fantasy of Richard A Knaak’s new world, dubbed by many as ‘the spiritual successor to Dragonlance’.
Against the backdrop of war, play as honourable Minotaur, chivalrous knights, mischievous Kwillum or powerful wizards, as you thwart the warmongering of the savage Wheyr and the machinations of the mysterious draconic Fafni and Afafni.
The Rex Draconis RPG is written for the D&D 5th edition and Pathfinder rules sets, and feature setting material that can be easily imported to any RPG system of your choice.
The Rex Draconis RPG is being produced in conjunction with an active novel line. While the novels are not required to use and enjoy the RPG, this structure allows you to interact with and fight alongside your favourite characters in a living, growing setting that evolves as Richard envisions. It is also important to note that the RPG storyline is a separate and unique story, that interestingly crosses paths with the novel line.
Map of Tiberos
What is Rex Draconis?
Rex Draconis is the latest offering from Richard A Knaak, renowned fantasy author, and creator of some of the most iconic elements of the Dragonlance world. Richard is credited with the strong development of the Minotaur culture and the Solamnic Knights, as well as many other elements that made Dragonlance such a unique setting.
After many years, Richard has chosen to breathe new life into these embers, in an all-new high fantasy setting that combines favourite elements with an exciting new world, characters, monsters and storylines.
The first novella – Under the Dragon Moon (Hydra Publications) – has been released, and the second – Lords of the Dragon Moon – is due for release shortly. Work has already begun on the next installment.
Why Kickstart?
With the success of the new novels, Richard would like to see the setting become a playable world for Table Top Roleplaying, much like its predecessor, the Dragonlance setting. Rex Draconis is wholely Richard’s creation, over which he has, and would like to retain, full creative control.
Bringing on Phil and Micah adds significant indie RPG experience, with numerous successful products and projects and a proven track record. However without the funding of a large game company, alternative funding needs to be sourced for professional art, editing and layout, as well as production of both PDF & physical products.
Considerable time, effort and expense has already been invested in the project, but to do it justice and create a standard we – and you – are satisfied with, further funding is required.
Rewards
While a full RPG world setting is in development, this first kickstarter will focus on launching the line with the following three main products, digital art and map pack, and a smaller, exclusive mini-adventure;
The Rex Draconis Player’s Guide – This book is primarily an adaptation guide, offering rules changes to the chosen official rulesets to ensure compatability with Tiberos – the world of Rex Draconis. This book will include new races, classes, archetypes, rules and more, as well as advice on adapting the material from your favourite RPG systems to create a more personalised Rex Draconis experience for your tastes.
Rising Tides – Adventure 1 – The first adventure in a series, Rising Tides allows players to foreshadow the action of the novels, playing roles that interact with the story in meaningful and lasting ways. In Tiberos, there is more than one story being told in this war. Rising Tides acts as a prequel to the official novel storyline and takes thre characters on a journey of discovery across this fantastic new world.
Amble’s Guide to Avondale – This book is the first of the setting content, a complete guide to Avondale, the capital city of Dracoma, home of the Knights of Dracoma. This guide provides all you need to launch your own adventures in Tiberos.
Digital Art & Map Pack – All art and maps produced for the project will be offered to eligible backers as a digital pack for personal use.
Misunderstandings – A mini adventure to whet your appetite for the unique qualities of the setting. This adventure is a Kickstarter EXCLUSIVE, and will not be reporoduced anywhere else.
We know that everyone is different, and will desire different rewards. PDF or physical copy, pathfinder or 5th edition rulesets, or both. We have arranged the rewards in a number of Backer Tiers that allow you to choose the rewards you want. We also have a special early adopter reward tier for the digital products.
Who Are We?
Phil Beckwith
IT Project Manager by day, owner of P.B. Publishing by night, known mostly for many bestselling and successful titles on the DMs Guild, including the highly rated horror adventure – The Haunt, the 200 page hardcover tome Adventure Anthology, and a co-creator for the best-selling Monsters of the Guild.
Micah Watt
Owner of Pyromaniac Press, Micah is a successful Pathfinder and D&D 5e designer, known widely for his adventure path ‘What Lies Beyond Reason’, and the epic D&D 5e hardcover deity supplement; Faiths of the Forgotten Realms. Having run successful Kickstarters previously, Micah comes on board as our Pathfinder and Kickstarter expert.
The creative genius behind Rex Draconis. Richard builds the world of Tiberos in his brand new novel series; Rex Draconis. He is known worldwide as a New York Times Bestselling author of novels in the Dragonlance, Diablo, World of Warcraft, Pathfinder, and Dragonrealm series. Richard provides creative consultancy and canon authority for the Rex Draconis RPG team.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
In my youth, Richard A. Knaak’s Dragonlance novels, The Legend of Huma and Kaz the Minotaur, were huge influences on me and, after Weis and Hickman’s Dragonlance trilogies, solidified my love of Krynn. If you’d like to read more about how influential those novels were, you can read fellow Tessera Guilder, John McGuire, give his thoughts on them here. Add to them the Dragonrealm series, and I have been a lifelong Knaak fan. His new series, Rex Draconis, introduces a world that is a love letter to Dragonlance. It’s less Weis/Hickman’s version and closer to the focus of Knaak’s corner of the world, yet manages to be greater than its inspiration.
Knaak’s strengths and knowledge of Ansalon let him touch all of the right moments from that world without the work ever descending into being a pale shadow of the better known property like Go-Bots to the Transformers. Rex Draconis remains its own world and story. While the focus of the series are the minotaurs and the not-Knights of Solamnia, they are handled in an earnest manner. There’s more to compare between the series. The kender (the group of annoying Hobbits that would have been wiped out just to end their unrepentant kleptomania) are replaced with the kwillum, a race that look like 10-year-old children who are also porcupine quicklings that are hunting something (in every pouch and coin purse that they pass). They are fast and have quills making them difficult to kill and, while they steal, they don’t do it aimlessly (they’re looking for something). The dragons are not flying mounts for the characters to ride into battle; instead, they’re D&D master monsters. The dragons, starkly good and evil in D&D, are neither in regards to humans in Rex Draconis, they see all bipeds as pawns in their wars so it changes the traditional pulp relationship between the powers that be. This series analog of the black moon of Dragonlance was shattered 400 years ago, which makes it visible as pieces that, I’m guessing, are leaning into the atmosphere a bit much. Every piece has a touch of the old with a nice twist that makes it new.
Continuing its homage of Dragonlance, Knaak wants to build the world into a D&D setting and, to do that, he’s working with Phil Beckwith and Micah Watt to make it happen. I’ve backed this and recommend checking out the setting as well as the first novella in the Rex Draconis series.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Explore Mega-City One and beyond with the official tabletop roleplaying game for the galaxy’s greatest comic!
Judge. Jury. Executioner. Play as a Judge of Mega-City One and bust perps, Sov spies, and mutant raiders in this action-packed standalone tabletop roleplaying game, bringing to life the iconic characters and worlds found in the legendary British comic 2000 AD. This book is your introduction to Mega-City One, and your gateway to a line of supplements based on 2000 AD’s many characters and settings.
These books are brought to you by Darren Pearce (Doctor Who; Lone Wolf), Robert Schwalb (Dungeons & Dragons; Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay), Andrew Peregrine (Doctor Who; Firefly; Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Russ Morrissey (What’s OLD is NEW), and Nick Robinson.
Limited & Standard Edition Rulebooks, GM Screen, Counter Set, and The Robot Wars
Full colour 270-page hardcover Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD core rulebook!
The Robot Wars, 100-pages, the first in a series of softcover sourcebooks and adventures!
Sturdy two-sided cardboard 4-panel GM screen full of handy reference charts and tables!
Beautiful cardstock tokens to represent your characters and their foes!
Also, we are offering a limited edition version of the core rulebook with a special cover exclusive to this Kickstarter!
GM Screen (Front) – note that we include player useful info, such as typical crime sentences, on the player facing side of the GM screen
GM Screen (Back)
Nearly 100 full-colour cardstock tokens to represent your characters and their foes!
We are producing a full-colour hardcover core rulebook for the all-new Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD tabletop roleplaying game. This book contains all the rules and setting information you need to play any character in Mega-City One, and is the core rulebook for the entire line of 2000 AD settings and worlds.
Play a Judge, Civilian, or Perp!
Choose from Humans, Clones, Robots, Mutants, Chimps, Gorillas, and Orangutans!
Wield the iconic Lawgiver sidearm and ride the mighty Lawmaster motorcycle!
Read about Mega-City One, as well as other worlds of 2000 AD!
Core rulebook contains everything you need to play in Mega-City One, and provides the core rules upon which the many worlds of 2000 AD are based!
Limited & Standard Edition Core Rulebooks
Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD is a standalone roleplaying game. You do not need any other books in order to play. This 250+ page book introduces you to Mega-City One, and allows you to play Judges, Perps, or Civilians in that futuristic metropolis. This is also the core rulebook for future setting books which will detail many of your favourite 2000 ADproperties, such as Rogue Trooper, Sláine, Strontium Dog, ABC Warriors, and many more!
Check out these previews of the game!
2000 AD is a multi-award winning weekly British cult-sci-fi comic anthology that has been running since 1977. Having featured dozens of writers and artists over the years, including Pat Mills, Alan Grant, Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, John Wagner and Alan Moore, 2000 ADbrings you an explosive cocktail of sci-fi and fantasy, infused with a mean streak of irony and wry black humour.
2000 AD is future lawmen in vast megacities. It is post apocalyptic wastelands filled with mutants. It is celtic barbarians and druids fighting evil drunelords. It is robot warriors taming a lawless Mars. It is ancient accords between the British Crown and Hell. It is intergalactic cargo trucks adventuring through space. It is extra-dimensional agencies who repair anomalies across the alternate realities. It is Houdini, Lovecraft, and Doyle as paranormal investigators in the 1920s. It is alien freedom fighters seeking to end the tyranny of humans on a far future Earth. It is genetically engineered soldiers bred for war. And it is much, much more.
The worlds of 2000 AD are diverse indeed. And you can play in them all!
Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD uses the What’s OLD is NEW (WOIN) game system. Here are some of the features of that system:
d6 dice pools.Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD uses d6 dice pools to resolve actions. You form a dice pool by adding dice from an attribute, a skill, and equipment. For example, a burglar trying to pick a lock might have 3d6 from her AGILITY attribute, 2d6 from her thievery skill, and 1d6 from her high quality thieves tools, meaning she gets to roll 6d6. The dice are added together and compared to a target number. Detailed rules for simple tasks, extended tasks, and competitive tasks using the same core mechanic allow for a flexible variety of challenges.
Life-path careers system.Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000 AD uses a “life-path” system for character creation. You create a character by selecting a number of sequential careers which represent periods of your character’s life since childhood. Each career adds to your character’s age, and increases various attributes and skills, as well as granting a special ability while adding to your character’s history and backstory.”
Judge Dredd, while known in the US, has never taken root as it did in its native country, the UK. The best illustration of the difference in markets is the 2012 movie, Dredd. For that movie, the US and Canada (population north of 350,000,000) spent $13,414,714 on the entire run of that film while the UK (64,000,000) spent $6,929,744 on seeing the film. [Numbers from BoxOfficeMojo here.] A population that is less than a 5th the size of the US/Canada bought about half as many tickets as the larger group. That speaks to how much larger the fanbase is in the UK than North America. Add to that, in this Kickstarter, as of this writing, the number of American and Canadian backers combined (477) just edges out the UK (441).
Should you back this Kickstarter? Does national origin make any difference? I’d say you should, because what makes the difference in audience participation is, in my opinion, The Law tends to display a certain amount of English wit that does not always connect in the US. Yet, in my experience, that wit lives at the gaming table. Judge Dredd has the range to feel pulpy, humorous, and dark all in a single story. Using the WOIN system combined with the player’s natural tendency to take all situations to the extreme, this will be an excellent RPG and I can’t wait to test it out.
While this is a hype piece (call a spade), I’m compelled to note that the world of art is poorer today for the passing of Carlos Ezquerra, the character designer of Judge Dredd. His artwork will be missed, and my thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
Storytelling Gets Stylish with Stunning Vampire: The Masquerade Official Gaming Gear
Ever finished a Vampire: The Masquerade tabletop session and thought how great it would be to have a unique, and super stylish, way to store your gaming gear? Perhaps it’s time for you to upgrade that printed cardboard Storyteller’s screen to something a little more thematic (and magnificent).
If a physical upgrade to your game nights is in order, gaming accessory craft-houses Elderwood Academy and Dog Might have just what you’re looking for with their new Vampire: The Masquerade-themed accessories, which feature both elements of the game itself, and the newly launched Geek and Sundry L.A. by Night livestream campaign.
Accessory crafter Dog Might has created a line of authentic hardwood accessories, featuring gorgeous Storyteller screens showcasing two designs — Rust and Death — that are both full of personality and practicality. The storyteller screens have three African Wenge hardwood panels and a catalyzed lacquer finish.
Elderwood Academy has something special for those especially diehard Vampire: The Masquerade fans: the Tome — a spellbook-styled game box with plenty of room for dice, pencils, notes, and cards. These one-of-a-kind spellbooks are carved out of dark walnut, bound in onyx leather, and adorned with your clan’s sigil.
Each of these elegant items can be seen on Geek and Sundry’s newest live show, L.A. by Night, a live-streamed tabletop RPG series featuring the newly released 5th edition of Vampire: The Masquerade. The eight-episode series streams every Friday night until November 2, 2018, on twitch.tv/geekandsundry and projectalpha.com.
Vampire: The Masquerade Official Gaming Gear – Dog Might Games
Friends and acquaintances ask me to look at their Kickstarters, and so I did. In this roundup, there’s an audiobook based on an RPG, and products for 5e, including one I did an interview about on the Open Gaming Network (here). Normally, I give my thoughts on these but time is short (this is the second roundup of the week after looking at some RPG-related comic books). For this article, I’m looking at:
“Leo Cosh voices an audio book of short stories in the world of Gaia, where Infection runs rampant and humanity is a dying race.
At Shades of Vengeance, we don’t just create games, we create worlds!
We love building huge, expansive environments and bringing them to life through different types of media.
We also like to allow everyone in our team to express their creativity. A chance for Leo Cosh, a professional voice actor in his own time, to bring one of our games to life was too good an opportunity to miss!
And so, we have detailed the world of Gaia, a post-apocalyptic world where zombies and mutants roam, threatening Humanity and often causing them to turn on each other!
This audio book is our first attempt at a major audio product, bringing over 4 hours of material to you.
A hundred years ago, there was a cataclysm. Maybe a biological weapon was set off, or a parasite evolved… honestly, no-one really cares any more.
What matters is that the parasite was airborne, infectious and could live in any warm-blooded creature. Those affected are driven insane and mutate, becoming a threat to those around them. This doesn’t even end with death: corpses of those Infected are reanimated and will wander the world, seeking nourishment.
Humanity is a dying race now. In another hundred years, there won’t be any of us left. A bite or scratch, or a breath in the wrong place spells doom.
We have made some progress, however. The development of a drug, known as Injection, means that humans can encounter the Parasites and live to tell the tale.
People have adapted to this situation in different ways – some choose to fight it, preserving as many lives as possible, or searching for a cure to the Infection. Others, lost in the hopelessness, turn to stealing from any who cross their path. With the loss of communications, Runners have begun carrying messages as the only form of long-distance communication. Still others try to burn everything that stands in their way, cleansing it, or hide underground in concealed bunkers, waiting for the Infection to burn out.
In this world, surviving is a matter of wits and cunning…
The stories in this anthology explore the different factions of this detailed world, and the experiences of various people as they try to survive.
Want to hear what the stories sound like? We’ll be adding more throughout the Kickstarter!
The Runner (Story 2)
Nihilist (Story 3)
The High-Rise Slums (Story 5)
It’s an Audio Book!
The total length will be around 4 hours.
It’s an anthology: each story takes place from a different perspective.
Each story varies in length, but most are around 6 minutes.
It will be delivered in .mp3 format.
It has been voiced by a professional voice actor, using different voices for each character.
Leo Cosh is the voice actor who has brought the world of Gaia to life. With a wide range of experience on different types of projects, he was the perfect choice to give voice to the people of Gaia!
Ed Jowett is the creator of the world of Gaia, director of the audio book and writer of many of the stories. Primarily creating roleplaying games, he has published over 50 books through Shades of Vengeance.
Jennifer Martin has worked with Ed Jowett to bring the characters of Gaia into sharp focus. Having worked with Ed for over five years, her chilling style sucks the listener into the world!
Mikhail Greuli is the artist who supplied the various images used in this Kickstarter. His incredible talent for bringing the mysteries and creatures of Gaia to life have been invaluable in creating this project!
Martin Popovski has brought the world of Gaia to life through the title video! We’re very grateful to him for his work on this project!”
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A 5e setting book and hexcrawl in a forest filled with witches, fey, and things that go bump in the night.
Beyond the kingdom of Aruanda, there is an untamed land. It is a place where witches walk, where goblins cavort, where the borders between the realms of mortal and fey grow thin. For some, it is a place of unspeakable wonder; for others, only madness and death lie within its trackless depths.
It is the Runewild, and it is both beautiful and cruel.
The Runewild Campaign Setting is a dark fairy-tale hex-crawl for use with the 5th Edition of the world’s most popular roleplaying game. Designed for character levels 1 through 10, it provides locations, encounters, and NPCs to support a campaign lasting months or years, or to be adapted into other campaigns. The full-color book will be at least 160 pages long and includes:
A history of the Runewild and its surrounding settlements.
100 detailed encounter areas for player characters to explore.
New optional rules for exploring and resting.
Advice for running a hex-crawl campaign.
A new feat: Fey-Touched.
8 new Runewild-specific backgrounds (including hag-owned, Runewild folklorist, time-lost knight, and polymorphed animal).
13 unique magic items (like witch embers and the staff of clarity and confusion).
32 new monsters (including clockwork dwarves, fey lions, giant forest sloths, and the terrifyingly beautiful Golden Bodach).
Detailed descriptions of the histories, motivations, and weaknesses of the witches of the Runewild, including the Whitebone Sisters; Missus Switch, the swine hag; Korthsuva, the Witch of Hours; and the hag-queen Griselda, Mother of Ogres.
Dozens of random tables designed to help GMs make the Runewild campaign their own.
Forest of a Thousand Stories
The Runewild Campaign Setting is a hex-crawl first and foremost, but as the player characters explore the Runewild, they’re sure to find themselves caught up in the many conflicts that threaten the ancient forest. Here are just a few of the larger story arcs that might become a part of your Runewild campaign:
Ianto the Red: A powerful bandit lord named Ianto the Red controls a network of murderers and thieves who plague the roads between settlements. Rumor has it Ianto traded his soul to a coven of witches in exchange for eternal life.
The Thistlewhip Children: Cort and Cora Thistlewhip’s seven children are missing. Unbeknownst to their parents, the children undertook a quest for King Wobbly-Odd, a Runish lord who fell prey to a fey curse centuries ago. Unless someone recovers the children, the Thistlewhips may become lost in the Runewild forever.
The Broken King: In the heart of the Runewild, a mysterious figure known as the Broken King assembles an army of goblins. No one knows what the Broken King wants, but the trail of petrified victims his goblins leave behind may provide a clue.
The Witch Queen Griselda: Humans and elves united to defeat Griselda’s forces during the Witch Wars, but the hag herself survived and fled into the Cronemarsh. Now she plots revenge and rebuilds her network of allies. Griselda rarely leaves her home, but an ancient curse demands she visit the dreams of anyone who slays a witch within the Runewild’s borders.
To learn more about the Runewild, you can check out our free previews:
Preview 1 – Missus Switch, Swine Witch: The history and statistics of Missus Switch, the Swine Witch, as well as a detailed description of the school house where she teaches her porcine pupils.
Preview 2 – Highvale Blade and Twisted Tome: The Runewild is a place steeped in powerful fey magic. These magic items show how some harness it safely, while others let it get out of control.
Preview 3: Beasts that Lurk in the Runewild: This preview features four new beasts that live in the Runewild: the helpful fey lion, the thought-stealing fiddlehead, the enigmatic Seven-Tail, and the terrifyingly beautiful Golden Bodach.
If you want to see even more, you can back the project and access the current draft of the book by going to this backer-only post. We’ve written the entire book and gone through several rounds of revision, but we plan to do at least one more revision using your feedback.
Finally, we have two products already for sale that tie in to the Runewild.
The Goblin Market: A magical marketplace full of strange treasures and goblin vendors eager to part the heroes from their coin. (Note: we will incorporate most of the material from The Goblin Market into the final book.
The Marriage at Midsummer: Two star-crossed lovers have gone missing from Caerfell’s Midsummer Festival. Their families are at each other’s throats. Deep in the Runewild, a mysterious figure called the Bishop promises to unite the couple. But the Bishop actually has other plans. This is the first in the Seasons of the Runewild series of adventures.
We love the ways crowdfunding can involve our backers. Everybody who backs at any level can read the current draft of the book and provide feedback. For those who want to play an even bigger role, we offer two backer reward options:
Denizen of the Runewild
The Runewild Campaign Setting will contain a table featuring one hundred random fey denizens of the Runewild. We want to give you a chance to be part of that chart. If you select either the PDF and Runewild Denizen or the Print and Runewild Denizen reward level, you can create one entry on the chart that includes your fey creature’s name, the type of fey, a brief description, and the creature’s goals. (All descriptions may be modified for length, tone, and established setting cannon.)
Part of the Art
If you want to be even more involved with the creation, you can pledge at the Part of the Art level. At this level, we will also include an illustration based on either a photo or description you provide. We will add the NPC to the book, and you can provide as much or as little guidance as you would like. (By pledging at Part of the Art, you grant permission for us to use your likeness in the Runewild Campaign Setting and promotion for it, but not in other products.)
The focus of this Kickstarter Campaign is the Runewild Campaign Setting, but we also want to create adventures you can use to introduce players to the Runewild, either as a one-shot or part of a larger campaign. Each adventure centers around a different seasonal celebration in a different settlement around the Runewild.
The Marriage at Midsummer: Two star-crossed lovers have gone missing from Caerfell’s Midsummer Festival. Their families are at each other’s throats. Deep in the Runewild, a mysterious figure called the Bishop promises to unite the couple. But the Bishop actually has other plans. This is the first in the Seasons of the Runewild series of adventures. (Already released and available as an add-on.)
Bonedigger: The townsfolk of Ill Hollow practice a strange tradition: each Harvestide, they bury an animal’s bones in a false grave to prevent Bonedigger, a witch’s ghostly hound, from finding his mistress’s true remains. This year, however, something has gone wrong. Not only has someone dug up the real witch’s grave, but a local youth who hoped to spot Bonedigger has gone missing. (Everyone who pledges $3 or more will get a PDF copy of Bonedigger when we release it, just after the Kickstarter campaign ends.)
All Through the Long, Dark Night: Every year the village of Widderspire gathers around Widderspire Pond to celebrate the winter solstice. This year, frost imps attack the celebration, leaving the villagers entombed in ice. To save Widderspire, the heroes must brave the depths of Widderspire Pond, pass through a magical portal into the fey realm, and rescue a powerful fey named Ember John. ($6,000 stretch goal)
Springtime Comes to Kidwelly: Before spring can begin, the halflings of Kidwelly must lure a fey creature called the Monax out of its burrow, but this year the Monax is nowhere to be found. Unless the heroes locate those responsible for the Monax’s disappearance, Kidwelly may be locked in winter’s grip forever. ($8,000 stretch goal)
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“All Original Necromancy Content New arcane tradition, spells, rituals, poisons, magic items & alchemicals. 5E 5th Edition DnD RPG
What this project creates:
This campaign funds the art and backer reward fulfillment costs of Whispers of Persephone,a necromantic source book for use in your role playing game. This book is written for specialist necromancer wizards, and describes a new arcane tradition, Stygian Necromancy. Created as a book of 120+ pages, containing entirely original art in full color by Christian Martinez and all original game content by W.S. “Sam” Quinton. Whispers of Persephone is a wonderful role-playing aid.
*Written for mature role-playing audiences, this book is NOT appropriate for children.
Art for Whispers of Persephone by Christian Martinez
This is a source book for those who like their dark arts, to be DARK!
How far along is the book now?
Writing: The writing of the game play material is complete! This book is presently in its final play testing stage, and will likely see some revisions as this campaigns draws to its end. All that remains, is to complete the material for those tiers pledged that add the names of backers at The Necromancer, Acolyte of Death, and Fallen Heroes tiers, and to complete those character descriptions (stat blocks, and some narrative biographical text), as well as completing the example of play/use. That material is expected to take a couple of days to complete and another day or two for proof reading and final formatting. Character material will be completed as backers pledge at those tiers, so look for messages from me if you are pledging as The Necromancer, an Acolyte of Death, or as a Fallen Hero.
Art: The covers are complete. The interior art that has been completed thus far is displayed on this page. By reaching funding goal, the remaining art that is essential to this book can be completed. Stretch goals are structured to allow for additional art to be commissioned and added to the book. Page background art is being revised for better legibility.
Two different covers available:
Screen capture of the “Black Cover”
Spinal cover
Things you’ll find in the book:
Introduction from play test version 3.0
Whispers of Persephone contains descriptions of spells ranging from cantrips up to level nine, as well as rituals of the foulest sorts of levels one through eight. Materials on poisons, potions, and alchemicals are included; as are rules for the necromantic practices of the sacrifice of sentient beings. Comments attributed to the Necromancer, Acolytes of Death and Fallen Heroes are found throughout the book.
The Stygian Necromancer arcane tradition: The path to power is soaked with the blood of your victims, and adorned with the cries of their suffering. The brave fear you and the wise flee from you. Whispers of Persephone details a new arcane tradition for wizard characters, Stygian Necromancy. This tradition is designed to lend a new style to the play of practitioners of the darkest magical arts of blood, death, and souls.
2 New Monsters ~ Darkling Horror and Stygian Mummy
The Stygian Mummy by Christian Martinez
5 New Feats ~ Dark Prodigy or Hematomancer, which to choose?
9 New magic items ~ Enchanted Skull cup, Canopic Jars and more.
10 New alchemicals, potions, and poisons ~ Would you care for tea?
12 New Rituals ~ Blood sacrifice is the just the beginning!
15 New Spells ~ Clean Hands, Ild’s Eye Rot, and the Curse of Spite among others! Bring the pain and suffering to your enemies with these and more searing spells.
Information about the Necromancer and the 13 Acolytes of death: Such as the heinous acts of Kroalish, the first acolyte of the Necromancer. His vile acts are matters of horrific legends! This section also details the dark prodigy known as ‘Ild’ a young woman possessed of a dark heart and gifted in the arts of murder.
Ild, apprentice of Kroalish and necromantic prodigy.
All original art created by Christian Martinez specifically for this book!
Why you want this Book:
Whispers of Persephone is a great player aid. Players can use it as a quick reference book for spells and can work the book into their character backgrounds. Whispers of Persephone is also suitable for use as an in-game prop. Game masters can use it as a treasure item recovered in their campaigns. This book can also bring new adversaries into play as the player characters are confronted by followers of the Necromancer seeking to retrieve this valuable resource.
This is a darkly beautiful book, filled with fantastic art created by Christian Martinez. It looks great in your collection, and menacing on your gaming table.
Drinking from the skull of your enemy is back!
Whether used by player characters or used against player characters, Whispers of Persephone is a great resource for your games.”
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Secrets of Starfall: a 5th-10th level adventure for 5th Edition
A 5th-10th level adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game!
Following the events that took place in “Whispers of Starfall”, this adventure can also be used as a filler adventure for any campaign.
Rado, the Gnome wizard, has vanished, leaving the crossroads town of Hyran to grieve their losses. The Elenhodel has given a clue to his possible misguided actions but it is up to you to determine how best to proceed. Expanding on the custom world of Ambaran, players will travel across the new world, over a blistering desert, an angry sea or a treacherous mountain. Filled with options, characters are encouraged to go where they wish and stop the evil that is Rado from destroying Ambaran as they know it.
There will also be 2 new races, the Lydran and the Xrystis! Both of these races are not only NPC’s to interact with, but also able to be played as characters if you choose! The images are still being worked on but we will, which will be included right here once the art has been completed. If we hit a few stretch goals, we will even be able to offer a miniature of both of these races. We have a rough draft of the Lydran race while the miniature prototype is still being processed.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker Releases Today! The Wait Is Over – The Time For Adventure Is At Hand!
Planegg, September 25, 2018: Owlcat Games and Deep Silver proudly announce that the critically acclaimed and highly anticipated cRPG Pathfinder: Kingmaker releases today for both PC and Mac. Players can download digital versions at Steam and GOG. It’s also available in select retail outlets.
Players will be able to adventure through the Stolen Lands, exploring the vast world of the Pathfinder® Roleplaying Game universe. From humble beginnings, characters will face fearsome beasts, meet lifelong companions, and build their own kingdoms as a deep and engaging story unfolds around them.
“Making Pathfinder: Kingmaker has been the most incredible journey. As a team we have lived this game, poured our passion, energy and personalities into it. The time has now come to allow fans to experience all that the Stolen Lands has to offer! We hope you enjoy it!” said Oleg Shpilchevsky, Head Of Owlcat Games
“We’re thrilled to see Pathfinder’s world of Golarion so vividly realized by the team at Owlcat,” says Paizo Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Erik Mona. “Pathfinder: Kingmaker brings one of Pathfinder’s most exciting epic adventures to computers everywhere, leaping from the tabletop to the computer and bringing the exciting environments and canny creatures of Kingmaker to life on the computer screen!”
Pathfinder: Kingmaker takes players on a tour through the infamous Stolen Lands, the dangerous and turbulent territories well known within Pathfinder fandom. The computer RPG revisits familiar characters and well-known locations of the series’ lore as well as treat players to brand new adventures, deadly foes, and unforeseen twists and turns. Fans of the fantasy pen-and-paper RPG will experience its epic, heroic universe in new ways while computer RPG gamers will discover their favorite genre in a more contemporary light, in stunning 3D graphics that bring the universe to life.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker will challenge players as both adventurers and rulers as they claim explored lands and carve their own kingdom from the wilderness. Kingdom founding goes beyond simple stronghold-building to become a true reflection of the hero’s character and choices made throughout the game. Each kingdom is a living thing shaped by alignment, choices, allies, and the hero’s ability to lead his or her people.
PRODUCT DETAILS
Title: Pathfinder: Kingmaker Platforms: PC, Mac
Genre: CRPG
Players: Single Player Developer: Owlcat Games Publisher: DeepSilver Age Rating: PEGI 16
Release Date: OUT NOW!
Price:
Explorer Edition $39.99/ €39.99/£34.99
Noble Edition $54.99/ €54.99/£49.99
Royal Edition $69.99/ €69.99/£59.99 Imperial Edition $84.99/ €84.99/£74.99
About Owlcat Games
Owlcat Games was founded in 2016 as part of a pilot initiative of My.com. The team is led by veteran game designers behind titles like Heroes of Might and Magic V, Silent Storm, Etherlords, Evil Islands: Curse of the Lost Soul and other games. Team members also took part in the development of popular MMO titles, Allods Online and Skyforge. The first project unveiled by Owlcat Games is Pathfinder: Kingmaker, an isometric computer RPG based on the highly popular Pathfinder pen-and-paper roleplaying game by Paizo Inc.
About Paizo
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favourite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
Koch Media is a leading producer and distributor of digital entertainment products (software, games and films). The company’s own publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe and the USA. The Koch Media group has more than 20 years of experience in the digital media business, and has risen to become the number one distributor in Europe. It has also formed strategic alliances with numerous games and software publishers: Bethesda, Capcom, Kaspersky Labs, NC SOFT, Sega, Square Enix and Tecmo-Koei, etc. in various European countries. With Headquarters in Planegg near Munich/Germany, Koch Media owns branches in Germany, England, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Nordic regions, Benelux and the United States.
All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective owners. All rights reserved.
Do you roleplay? Are you looking for something to read between sessions? How about comic books from game creators? From Pathfinder 1e to original systems, there are comics on Kickstarter for tabletop gamers!
“Erathune is a tale of Buxton, Niobe, and Skarlok in a war with their greatest foe, the Orc warlord Morka Moa!
NIOBE She is Death #1 cover by Hyoung
“With a world divided who do you turn to?”
A shadow had fallen across the vast and volatile world of Asunda, as nations crumbled and oceans swelled in blood. Some say the devil walked again and no man could stand against him. But not all men are heroes and not all heroes are men.
“We all have Niobe inside ourselves, and it’s time to let her roar.”
– VIOLA DAVIS (from her foreword in the NIOBE: She is Life hardcover)
Welcome to our campaign set in the fantasy world of Asunda that revolves around our Half-Elven hero, Niobe. If you missed any previous Kickstarters, through REWARDS or ADD-ONSbelow you will be able to fill your collection. And finally our awesome Niobe Pathfinder has sample pages below! Onwards 🙂
NIOBE: SHE IS DEATH #2
There is nothing more dangerous and beautiful than a wild woman.
Niobe: She is Death is a tale of revelations for a young woman who is tired of running. Niobe has lost her faith – in humanity and the world around her. In the sequel to the acclaimed Niobe: She is Life, we witness Niobe’s journey from heartbroken teenager to warrior woman, when Niobe becomes a badass bounty hunter, hunting down sex traffickers and slave traders. The very ones set out by her father to track her down.
The story continues! Get the 36 page second issue (and first) in several limited cover variants. Available signed and sketched in some levels.
NIOBE She is Death #2 by Jae Lee
ERATHUNE Hardcover
His eyes told you everything. For they were the color of winter’s wrath.
Soul Sunder, the cursed axe of the Death Goddess, has led Buxton back to the town where he was raised. She has promised the old warrior two more souls to collect and he can be rid of the weapon for good. One is Morka Moa, a monster who seeks war upon his people; the other is Buxton’s brother, the king, who cast him out upon pain of death a thousand years ago. Buxton must choose between saving a city that spurned him, and being free of the axe that has enslaved him.
The oversized hardcover collects 4 issues with lots of bonus material. The Kickstarter Edition will have a reversible dust jacket and foil inlay on the cover and spine. Available signed and sketched in some levels.
Erathune #1 Cover
ESSESSA: The Fallen #1
I know the taste of your Sin.
In her quest to save the soul of the man she loves, Niobe is offered help from an unlikely source… Essessa. But can she trust the Devil’s general? It may be that theyhave more in common than Niobe ever knew, and that Essessa has her own reasons for rebelling against The Untamed.
ESSESSA is our new KS release and Niobe’s immortal enemy! The 36 page series debut is the first issue with Niobe, Dusu, and Morka Moa on the same team! It is the follow up to ERATHUNE! Sneak peek below!
NIOBE Pathfinder Official module – We are finally able to show sample pages created by the amazing team at Paizo, and Hyoung’s new cover!
The final cover!
Official Niobe Paizo Pathfinder Sample 1
Official Niobe Paizo Pathfinder Sample 2
It’s Official!
Egg’s Thoughts:
I don’t know if there’s a more professional-looking comic that has an RPG tie-in/ties into an RPG than the floppies and graphic novels coming from Stranger Comics. That’s not to say IDW’s D&D comics aren’t awesome (the issue Jim Zub did with my childhood friend, Steven Cummings, is a personal favorite). or that Dynamite Comics’Pathfinder books with Starfinder backups by Paizo Chief Creative Officer Erik Mona are anything other than fun reads. And that’s certainly not to take anything away from the longest-running RPG comic ever, Kenzer & Co’s Knights of the Dinner Table, who I just started writing articles for. (While we’re on the subject, let me point out IDW and Oni Press’ crossover of Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons as a major meeting of media and RPG.) All of those books, and more, are great additions to the worlds of RPGs and comics. But when looking for a character-driven story with triple-A art, Niobe, Erathune, and Stranger Comics other books are not playing around. Painted covers worthy of the best RPGs combined with Hollywood celebrity creators, a shared universe, and an official Pathfinder 1e supplement (developed by Paizo) combine to showcase a universe that is its own plane. As an added bonus, “[f]or those that back Erathune we will have bonus Pathfinder gaming material in the back”. (Read more details here.) I reached out to Stranger Comics Sebastian A. Jones to see just how close Pathfinder will be to these books. “Def will have some fun OGL Pathfinder material in back of Erathune! We have some in back of Trades of Erathune, Untamed Killing, and Untamed Sinners Prayer. Also gonna add some to new Untamed Sinners Prayer hardcover
Plus we will have bookmarks with rune translations for our items from books!”
These books offer an engaging world, deep characters, and beautiful images combined with enough RPG to transform the title into, Niobe: She is Pathfinder!
“Celebrating 10 years of the hit webcomic Looking For Group! Pre-Order for Looking For Group Vol.10 and grab lots of other goodies!
Yes, Looking For Group has already left itself a pretty hefty legacy. The antics of Richard, Cale, Benny, Pella, Sooba (What’s with all the double-letter names?) have entertained millions for over 10 years now, which includes nine years worth of books. “Wait” you say, “did they mean to type “Ten” years worth of books? Could there be a TYPO ON THE INTERNET?!?!?”
Now, before you strap on your typo cape and hit the twitters, yes, we did say NINE. Because Looking For Group Volume 10 is almost ready to go!
“Huzzah!” You cheer “let us rejoice and tell tales of— Wait, what do you mean almost?”
By “Almost” we mean almost, in that it’s almost ready. So now is traditionally when we would offer something called a “Pre-Order.”
Now, normally when we do a pre-order, we offer it through our store, and are able to offer the folks that pre-order the book the chance to get it signed by the creators, Sohmer and Lar. For the 10th book in the series though, we thought why not go bigger? Better? Bloodier?
Once the lawyers nixed the last one, we settled on Bigger & Better and that’s why we find ourselves here!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Watch the Kickstarter video, it’s animated and awesome! LFG falls into the realm of tabletop gaming, they’re at Gen Con consistently, and that animated Kickstarter video is awesome, so I’m eager to see this book come out! Fantasy humor and gaming, what’s not to love? And you can try before you buy because it’s online – LFG.coGive it a read and see if this is the group you’re looking for.
“A graphic novel about an African American girl who discovers her magical powers on an amazing journey to a hidden African kingdom.
THE GRAPHIC NOVEL
GRAPHIC NOVEL
The idea for Amber and the Hidden City came from my readers. Whenever I did a book signing, parents would always ask what I had for younger readers. The answer was always, ‘I’m working on it.’ It wasn’t until my wife, a former third grade teacher turned ESOL teacher told me, ‘you should really write something for younger readers. The reality is that while many children of African descent enjoy books such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, they and their parents desire such books that display them as main characters as well. Which is why I wrote Amber and the Hidden City.
Amber’s story is a delightful tale that also incorporated aspects of African Diaspora and African culture and the relationships between them. Since releasing the novel in 2011, it has become my best selling book. The purpose of the Amber and the Hidden City graphic novel Kickstarter is to raise funds to produce and print the graphic novel based on the popular middle grade novel and expose it to an audience that prefers illustrated adventures. We’re partnering with Peter Daniel and Pedastudio in Lagos, Nigeria to make sure Amber’s story reaches a wide and diverse audience. With out combined international network which includes the State of Black Science Fiction group (16,000+ members), we feel confident we can raise the funds to make this wonderful project a reality.
THE NOVEL
Amber and the hidden city novel.
Egg’s Thoughts:
Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade, the creators of Ki Khanga: The RPG, along with artist, Peter Daniel, are transforming Milton’s YA book, Amber and the Hidden City, into a graphic novel. To be clear, Ki Khanga and Amber and the Hidden City are separate properties with Ki Khangabeing an RPG and a prose anthology, while the other is a YA book (Milton Davis’ bestselling work) and, soon, a graphic novel. But, because Amber and the Hidden City is jumping medias, it feels right to promote it in the hopes it will lead to another jump, this time to be an all-ages RPG. Or, this project will inspire a Ki Khanga graphic novel. Either path is a win!
Your imagination will come to life at Origins 2019! Epic adventures, daring quests, legendary tales and more await you in Columbus, OH, June 12-16, 2019!
Hotel Blocks Open October 15
Looking for a room during your trip to Origins 2019? Hotel blocks with our partner hotels open October 15! Hotel blocks offer Origins attendees cheaper rates with hotels near the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Find your hotel October 15.
For the past three years, the Origins Film Festival has showcased unique independent films related to gaming, fantasy, and sci-fi. Your film could be showcased next! The submission portal opens November 1! Visit the Origins Film Festival site to see previous film festival selections.
We have the greatest volunteers from diverse backgrounds and gaming is what unites us as one group of awesome people.
We’re working on bringing legendary heroes to Origins! Help bring the epic story to life and sign up to become a volunteer! Early signup means a better chance of getting the location and hours you want. You will receive an email confirmation once your information has been processed.
STAGE A JAILHOUSE BREAK-OUT IN STARFINDER’S
“ESCAPE FROM THE PRISON MOON”
Paizo publishes the daring second volume of the Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path.
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (September 19, 2018): Paizo released “Escape from the Prison Moon,” a Starfinder science-fantasy adventure for 3rd-level characters, by Eleanor Ferron today. It is the second volume of the Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path for the award-winning tabletop roleplaying game. It is available for $22.99 at paizo.com and local game stores on planet Earth.
Deputized by the interstellar police force known as the Stewards after freeing a colony from Azlanti occupation, the heroes journey to the Azlanti Star Empire to rescue their friend who is being held captive on a well-guarded prison moon. After visiting an outlaw space station nearby, the heroes stage a daring breakout under the nose of the penal colony’s warden. But the experimental starship drive is still out there, and the heroes must track it down to prevent the Azlanti from making it operational!
This volume also includes:
A detailed look at the culture, history, and territories of the expansionist Azlanti Star Empire, as well as a trove of Azlanti gear both magical and technological, by Robert G. McCreary, with Jason Keeley and Lyz Liddell.
An examination of many of the species conquered by the Azlanti Star Empire, by Saif Ansari.
An archive of new creatures, from radioactive dragons to plants that produce areas of zero gravity, by Eleanor Ferron, Joe Pasini, David N. Ross, and Owen K.C. Stephens.
Statistics and deck plans for an Azlanti prison-guard vessel, plus a glimpse of a space station on the fringes of Azlanti Star Empire space, by Eleanor Ferron.
“A lot of great science fiction focuses on exploring the unknown, and I enjoyed writing an adventure where the PCs were forced to explore a dangerous universe that they knew very little about. I loved playing up the tension of what it felt like to be strangers in a strange land, where anyone could be a friend or a foe, and where the very buildings and machines that the PCs relied on weren’t necessarily built with the PCs in mind. I also like encounters that allow for multiple approaches, so I liked the open-ended infiltration aspect of this adventure—the PCs can choose how they want to interact with the people and challenges they encounter on their journey, but their choices may have wildly different consequences.” – Eleanor Ferron
The Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path began last month with “The Reach of Empire” and will continue in October with “The Rune Drive Gambit.” Watch the Against the Aeon Throne launch video at https://youtu.be/Etlk7qIT0fM. Find out more at paizo.com.
About Paizo
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
Welcome back to the Loop. Things are different now. Things from the Flood are coming. The long-awaited standalone sequel to the multiple award-winning Tales from the Loop RPG created by Free League Publishing and based on the wondrous worlds of artist Simon Stålenhag, has hit Kickstarter today, September 18.
“It started on Christmas Day in 1994. Black water suddenly rose from the land, invading our homes and lives. They say it came from the depths inside the Loop. Whatever it was the Flood changed everything. Nothing would ever be the same again.”
The Tales from the Loop RPG was released in 2017 and won no less than five Gold ENnies (including Best Game and Product of the Year) as well as three Golden Geek Awards (including Best RPG) last year. Now, the time has come to return to the Loop and continue the story.
Things from the Flood RPG expands the scope of the Tales of the Loop universe into a grim and bleak alternate 1990s. You will step into the shoes of teenagers growing up in a decade of change – and disaster. Balance day to day life with solving exciting mysteries with your friends. But this is a darker time, more dangerous.
The core of Things from the Flood RPG is the same as in Tales from the Loop RPG. The themes however, are different. Gone are the childlike tales of wonder and discovery, in their place are dark threats to the Teens and their surroundings. Things from the Flood offers a darker, more mature version of Stålenhag’s hallmark retro science fiction, based on his second art book.
Things from the Flood is a standalone expansion which is fully playable as a complete game. You can choose to create brand new player characters or continue your campaign and let your Kids from Tales from the Loop grow older. But keep in mind – this time they can die…
LIFE AFTER THE FLOOD
Everything is changing, everything is falling apart.The world does not seem so innocent anymore. It’s the ‘90s and the once mighty Loop has been shut down, the experiment abandoned, and the land bought by a powerful corporation. You are not Kids anymore, but Teens trying to find your way in a decade of change – both within and around you.
The Flood has transformed the once pastoral islands into a dark marshland. Some say that the black water pouring out of the ground comes from within the Loop itself. Machines are afflicted by a strange virus turning them unreliable and dangerous.
Still, your lives go on as before. You go to school, fall miserably in love, try to do everything possible to fend of boredom. When you hear about teens going missing, and even turning up dead, you realize it’s time to gather the group again. One way or another you’ll find out what these Things from the Flood really are.
THE ART
All the art in the Things from the Flood RPG is created by acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag. Most is drawn from the pages of the artbook and many scenarios are based directly on illustrations in the artbook. But the RPG will contain new original art as well, including the cover image.
THE GAME ENGINE
The game engine of Things from the Flood RPG is the same as the one for the Tales from the Loop RPG, based on Free League Publishings Mutant: Year Zero RPG, that was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules at Gencon 2015.
IMPORTANT FOR BACKERS OF TALES OF THE LOOP
If you backed the Tales from the Loop kickstarter in 2016, you will receive a complete PDF of this game at no added cost, since it was one of the stretchgoals in the Kickstarter-campaign. This new kickstarter is for the printed version of the game.
ABOUT SIMON STÅLENHAG
The acclaimed artist, concept designer and author of the art books Tales from the Loop (2015), Things from the Flood (2016) and The Electric State (2017). Simon Stålenhag is best known for his highly imaginative images and stories portraying illusive sci-fi phenomena in mundane, hyper-realistic landscapes (expanded into America in his latest book The Electric State). Tales from the Loop was ranked by The Guardian as one of the “10 Best Dystopias,” in the company of works such as Franz Kafka’s The Trial and Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca.
Not only have Stålenhag’s unique and cinematic images earned him a worldwide fan base but have also made him a go-to storyteller, concept artist and illustrator for both the film and computer gaming industry. This year it was announced that The Electric State will be turned into a major motion picture and Amazon Prime ordered a full season of a TV show based on Tales from the Loop.
ABOUT NILS HINTZE
The lead writer of Things from the Flood is the seasoned Swedish game writer Nils Hintze, who wrote the critically praised Tales from the Loop RPG (2017). During his twelve years as a game writer, Nils Hintze has written a great number of scenarios, articles and reviews, as well as plays for theatre groups. Hintze is known for his ability to create scenarios which allow the players to explore their characters and their relationships, while facing dangers and solving mysteries. The conflicts in his games are often built on personal dilemmas, where thrill and mystery are not seldom mixed with humor. Nils Hintze is educated in creative writing, but he normally works as a psychologist. Hintze is also one of the three creators of the Swedish role-playing podcast Podcon.
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Our first game, the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules 2015. The sci-fi adventure Coriolis – The Third Horizon, was awarded a Judge’s Spotlight Award at Gencon. And we are proud to say that our latest roleplaying game Tales from the Loop RPG based on Simon Stålenhags iconic artbooks made a grand slam at the ENnie Awards 2017, winning five Gold ENnies – among them Best Game.
Our upcoming fantasy RPG is Forbidden Lands, with art by critically acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag and iconic Swedish fantasy artist Nils Gulliksson, lore by fantasy author Erik Granström and game design by the team that created Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Tales from the Loop RPG. Forbidden Lands was the third most successful RPG Kickstarter in the world 2017 and was recently named one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2018 by EN World.
We have also released the critically acclaimed art books Things from the Flood and Tales from the Loopby artist Simon Stålenhag. His third book The Electric State has been released by Free League Publishing exclusively to the backers of the kickstarter campaign.
For this week’s RPG Kickstarter roundup, I’m looking at games that deal in Lovecraftian horror, surrealism, and relationships. These games look both forward into the relationships of today and the future while others expose the dark soul of the past. All are worth backing.
Prism by Whitney M. Delaglio
Ends on Fri, September 28 2018 10:00 PM EDT.
“A diceless roleplaying game about relationships and conflict resolution in an aquatic world.
“Once upon a time, there was a barren planet without life, an ocean, or vegetation. Six gods in coalition made the world habitable. Five of the six gods each took an island for their own and molded it into the home they wanted to leave behind, for the life they had created and for the generations to come. The Blue Realm was created beneath the waves, built atop sand where merfolk could thrive. They lived there as mortals until their deaths, returning to their godly forms to observe from afar.”
Prism is a roleplaying game about relationships (both platonic and romantic) and conflict resolution set in an aquatic world. There are six realms in the game with their own culture, code of ethics, and deity. The setting of the game promotes a sex positive environment and a safe space to explore intimate character interactions.
Prism is also a world of elemental magic, but the mechanics are light and conversational. The rest of the rules rely less on crunch, and more on negotiations between players and the GM. There are three core mechanics in the game. The first is each character starts out with at least one relationship with another character in the game. Depending how they feel about the other person, they’ll receive a unique bonus. The second is instead of using dice, characters rely on predetermined levels of expertise in skills such as swimming, dancing, and following protocol to solve narrative conflicts, and interact with the world around them. The third mechanic is each character is loyal to a realm, and depending on their behavior, they can be punished or rewarded by the god that watches over the realm they are loyal to.
“Prism offers players a chance to think about their characters emotional lives in a way that is really fresh. I love the way in Prism what your character feels, and how they relate to the world – and the world, to them – actually matters.” – Jason Morningstar
“This is a delightful work. I am reminded again at how calm it makes me feel to read it. That is also a testament to her choices of words and phrasing.” – Cam Banks
“Character creation was a delight. Character creation is my least favorite thing about RPGs, so this is the highest compliment to pay.” – Elizabeth Stong
Since the core of the game is relationships between player and non-player characters, it’s intended for a maximum of four players. For a really intimate experience, Prism can even be played one-on-one with the GM!
“I love Prism’s attention to the dynamic nature of our relationships, and there is no better way to explore that theme than in a game where it’s just you and the GM. Experiencing love and loss through such a highly-focused lens was powerful and inspiring. I have never felt so affected by a single session of any game.” – Andrea Gaulke
“Prism was rich with opportunities, fun to explore, and intimate without being overwhelming. I felt like my character could stand alone during the adventure, but I also had the sense that if the game expanded to include more players, it could be just as fun.” – Kimberley Lam
All the writing, and most of the art was done by yours truly. The rulebook has over 50 full color illustrations. I collaborated with one of my best friends, Maria Smith, to complete the artwork for the Almanac.
The physical copy of the book is 6×9 softcover, full color, and 48 pages in length. The great thing about this campaign is the digital version has already been finalized. Which means once it has ended, printing and fulfillment can begin soon after.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Let’s do the list of why this is an idea that’s worth checking out:
Diceless? Check
Aquatic? Check
“[P]romotes a sex positive environment and a safe space to explore intimate character interactions”? Check
Normally a game tries one “new”, or rarely used, concept. Prism is a grab bag of ideas that, after reading the campaign, feel like they belong together. This RPG is opening new doors and stepping through, and I cannot wait to see how it plays!
“The Jack Hack is a rpg of trying to beat the odds in the depravity of late Victorian London. It was inspired by the Black Hack OSR rpg
The Goal of this Kickstarter.
To create an updated version of the Jack Hack rpg including a limited printed box set.
The Jack Hack is a Role-Playing Game of Victorian Villains. It was originally inspired by The Black Hack rpg by David Black & my love of Victorian Adventuring. The release will contain a full rules set based on the Black Hack, modified to fit the setting.
“You were once quite worthy fellows. Something terrible happened and you hit rock bottom. Were it not for a mysterious benefactor you would have died. Maybe you would have been better off that way. Your life is one long fight to survive in the twisting, dank alleyways of the Whitechapel area of London. And now rumour has it there is a serial killer on the loose“.
The main thrust of the The Jack Hack as a game is trying to beat the odds in the depravity of late Victorian London. It has a particular focus on the Whitechapel area just before, and around the time of the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. The PCs aren’t heroes, but aren’t meant to be down-right cruel either. They are trying to get by- but situations, events and adventures keep coming their way.
Clearly the Whitechapel Murders were a terrible event but the mystery and legend about them is perfect for game creativity.
The Jack Hack Complete (Or The Jack Hack-The Complete Rip-Off, if you forgive the terrible pun) is produced as a set of five A5 sized books each about 60 pages in length. Parts of it have previously been released on ‘DriveThruRPG.com’ where it is a Silver Seller. This release will contain much more material, a good edit throughout, and more art and images. As well as a set of new cover art.
The following details the five books
The Jack Hack Basic Book. This includes the rules.
Ripper Fhtagn. A game book of Mythos, Mesmerism and Monsters.
Dead London. A game book of Martian Invasion and Steampunk.
Carved In Flesh. 5 scenarios based around the Whitechapel Murders.
The Great Game. A game book of Anarchists, Political Intrique and Spies.
The Jack Hack Basic Book
The Jack Hack. This contains all the rules needed to play and stacks of random tables and adventure seeds.
The game features 5 classes:
The Broken. Former military tough or pit-fighter, now a shallow shell of a man.
The Night-Flower. A singer, actress; now working girl unable to rise out of the squalor.
The Cokum. A street swindler, hypnotist, false nobility or fake folk hero. ·
The Disgraced. A former doctor, scientist, lawyer, politician; abandoned by friends and family. ·
The Fine-Wire. Once a master criminal, now mocked by both police and thieves.
One born every minute….
It also features two usage dice:
The White. This usage dice represents your ‘outer’ influence, infamy, contacts and place in the Whitechapel area. You can use it to quickly gather information, find a safe house, find a short cut, or anything your group deems relevant.
The Black. This usage dice represents the ‘inner’ torment you suffer. You can call on it to complete a task, but the GM can force its use when she (or you) thinks a recent setback may cause you to go into a downward spiral and you need to face your demons.
Most classes start with a d6 to a d10 in a usage dice. When they are called on, the relevant dice is rolled to ensure you just get through that situation. If a 1-2 is rolled the dice is degraded one step (d10 to d8, d6 to d4) to represent you using up any influence and resources you may have; also your will, sanity, and/or self discipline being worn away.
The Rest of the book is ‘Welcome to Whitechapel’ and contains lots of random stuff to see, do and suffer! Images and Maps. There are many random tables such as:
20 things found floating in the Thames.
20 things a street vendor may sell you.
20 places to wake up the morning after.
20 petty criminals.
20 words a gentleman wouldn’t call his wife.
Sample d20 things
There are about two dozen of these in total. There are also many lists of places to visit, and numerous adventure seeds to start your Jack Hack.
Fear Itself
Who would have believed…….
There will be blood
The Games Afoot
Egg’s Thoughts:
I’m a John R Davis fan! In the days when I backed projects to write for them (and build my resume), I did some NPCs and location creation for his book, The Cruellest Mistress of All. I’ve interviewed him over on the Open Gaming Network (here). Through it all, I’ve found John to be an easy to get along with creator. Now he’s combining his version of the OSR, The Black Hack, with Victorian England. With the artwork above, I’m sold!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A series of adventures where evil and the Cthulhu mythos is not what it seems.
Occam’s Razor is a collection of modern scenarios by horror author and Call of Cthulhu stalwart Brian M. Sammons for Chaosium Inc’s 7th edition Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. It has a dark tone, like most Stygian Fox titles, more akin to True Detective and American Horror Story and is written for Mature Gamers Only. The scenarios look into the dark heart of humanity and the mythos… but this book has a twist.
One of the problems long term Keepers can face when running Call of Cthulhu is their players becoming too jaded or blasé regarding the Cthulhu mythos.
“Oh, Deep Ones? Yeah, we’ve killed these before. Open fire.”
Rather than; “Oh my God! They’re real! Run!”
It’s difficult to maintain that suspension of belief when you have been facing the same creatures year after year. This is where Occam’s Razor comes in, being a collection of scenarios where initially they seem to be linked to the mythos but they have mundane causes and outcomes.
I have run these type of scenarios for twenty years and every time they sucker players in and help them see how paranoid their characters have become and, more importantly, when it comes time to face the actual mythos again, many players believe the adventure will have a mundane cause. When interspersed with mythos adventures this leads to some serious panic when the players realise that this is real. Used sparingly, these adventures lull players into a false sense of security and make the next real mythos encounter all the more vivid.
One of my players had his character just stand and watch as a colleague was eaten by a dark shadow in a toy store because the player refused to believe it was a mythos entity. This was a ten year veteran of the game.
Of course, a separate sidebar is provided for each adventure if you wish to have actual mythos elements in your game.
Call of Cthulhu is the Registered Trademark of Chaosium Inc., and is used with their permission. www.chaosium.com
Brian M. Sammons has created 6 scenarios which tease at mythos causes but will ultimately lead to a mundane resolution. A murder is just a murder, a cult site is just kids with spray paints, etc. Here is a summary of the scenarios contained within the book.
Deep and Dark – the investigators find a snuff film on the dark web, but one of a pretty girl getting mauled by a Fishman monster. Did the deep ones mess up and accidentally get filmed in this modern world where everyone has a camera phone or is it something else?
Eye of the Beholder – an art student goes missing while doing late night research in a museum with ties to the local university. Maybe it’s a coincidence that the museum just got in a huge statue from South America of a little-known death god called Thul’Cathul. Yep, total coincidence.
The Watchers – a woman living alone in an apartment in the big city notices that people are watching her. Following her. They even broke into her home. But why? What do they want and how far will they go?
A Whole Pack of Trouble – a group of film school students go to an isolated, abandoned, and reportedly haunted asylum to make a found-footage horror movie and make a fortune? Whatever could go wrong with that? Well, when the filmmakers go missing the investigators will have to find out.
A Cleansing Flame – People are dying by fire. No one knows why and no one knows how. When the latest victim is a friend to one of the investigators and an astronomer who reportedly made a recent discovery of note, it’s up to the investigators to put out these flames.
Visions From Beyond – Tommy is a friend who makes some new friends. That’s nice. Unfortunately those friends have a strange reputation, they get up to some bizarre practices, and then one night Tommy calls one of the investigators in terror, begging for help, then the line goes dead. What’s a friend and an investigator of the Mythos to do?
The book will be in PDF, ePub, Softcover, and hardcover formats and will be full colour.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Modern horror adventures for Chaosium Inc’s Call of Cthulhu’s 7e written for mature audiences. Stygian Fox Publishing purchased four titles from Miskatonic River Press and is bringing them back (read some of the details here). Judging by those titles, Stygian has an eye for quality horror and I expect these scenarios will be excellent.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Uncanny surrealist roleplaying, inspired by TWIN PEAKS, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, and the other dark works of DAVID LYNCH.
Something Is Wrong Here is a Roleplaying Game of uncanny surrealism designed by Kira Magrann. In this game you’ll play troubled humans who struggle with their dark pasts and inner demons in order to make meaningful, potentially healing connections with each other. At some small town diner with a neon sign, in a broken down car on the highway, in someone’s wallpapered living room, at the old roadhouse down the way, unsettling scenes of Americana unfold as the game heads down it’s inevitable nightmarish path.
This game can be played in one night, in the intimacy of your living room or a private convention room. The line between player and character is intentionally drawn thin, causing feelings to bleed from one to the other. This game is atmospheric, emotional, and personal. Don’t worry though players, there’s safety mechanics to guide you through these dreamy paths of the subconscious mind.
The game’s themes and characters are inspired by the horrific surrealism of David Lynch’s work, specifically the quirky and supernatural characters from Twin Peaks, the nightmarish identity confusion from Mulholland Drive, and the lurid truths that lie beneath mundane Americana in Blue Velvet.
all art by Elissa Leach
Dark and Dreamy
With the Return of Twin Peaks last year I became re-obsessed with the spooky dreamlike worlds of David Lynch’s work. This game is an homage to those worlds, and is meant to evoke the same types of unsettling, horrific, and identity/reality questioning feelings. The characters struggle with their darker selves, the setting is surreal and Americana, and there aren’t any satisfying answers at the end of the story.
Much like a David Lynch film, this game has postmodern references to breaking the fourth wall. It encourages overlap between real life feelings and a character’s feelings. What this means is that it’s likely players will feel a little vulnerable playing this game. There are safety guidelines included about how to play with intention, and how to debrief with aftercare for any troubling feelings that might arise while playing this game. This allows players to experiment with these feelings, and explore them in play, with a safety net built into the game.
What Play is Like
Everything needed to play Something Is Wrong Here is on a deck of cards. The only props needed are a mirror and a box. Character costuming is optional, but generic enough for thrifted or piecemeal wardrobe elements to work. A few songs are integral to mood making but can be played on any device.
Something Is Wrong Here can be played in a living room or any private room where you can control the atmosphere. While embodying your character in a series of scenes, you’re encouraged to use the space either sitting or standing, since there’s no dice involved. Cards are where the characters, roleplaying prompts, and instructions for play exist. Play is a series of scenes that the Facilitator of the game will guide players through, just like a TV show or movie.
I’ve designed this game to be as accessible as possible to new players, so I’m hoping that other David Lynch fans who have never played a game like this before can easily play, or gamers who’ve never seen a David Lynch gig don’t have to worry about matching genre conventions.
The Facilitator is in charge of knowing the entire game, spoilers and all. Their job is to tell players of characters what scenes they’re in, keep time for the game, and explain the basic rules of what the players need to do throughout the game.
Players will act the part of troubled characters in a surreal America. Each character has a personality, goals, and relationships with the other characters. There are six characters to choose from, each with their own specific issues to work through and personality quirks.
There are Two Acts in the game.
Act One establishes the characters in the surreal Americana settings. Their goal during play is to try and evoke a certain emotion in each scene together. They have a list of emotions to portray collaboratively in this series of scenes, and after each scene a corresponding card is drawn. This card gives them some narrative power over the next scene they’re in, stealing this power from the auteur Facilitator.
Emotions are things like:
The feeling of something new on the horizon
A genuine closeness
Narrative Control cards are things like:
In the next scene you’re in, you can’t quite hear what the other people are saying. Ask them to repeat things.
In the next scene you’re in, take over any part of the facilitator’s role that you like.
Mixed in-between these scenes are surreal interludes called Mirror Scenes. They allow characters to monologue about where they are internally, how they’re feeling, while looking into the mirror. Disturbing music plays.
Act Two takes a plot twist and contains a major spoiler, but it is reality changing for the characters. Scenes are then acted out with new sets of nightmarish cue cards that apply specifically to each character’s psyche, with haunting music. This is where characters, and players, decide the fate of their relationships with themselves and the other characters. It’s an internal emotional exploration, told on a supernatural stage reminiscent of red curtained stages and black striped floors.
The stats for this game are below.
Players: 5-6 + Facilitator
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 18+
Materials: Character Nametags, Game Cards, Music, Box, Mirror (floor length if possible), Drinks & Costumes (optional)
Kira Magrann has tapped a vain: David Lynch, the card-based RPG. There’s one card you can read with only a light tilt of the head [enlarged below] and, taken with the David Lynch muse, it tells you what you’re getting. What are you getting? The tea leaves say it’ll be a unique experience. That’s the genius of this game, it is more than a linear RPG, this is an atmospheric experience that you will think about as often as you ponder a David Lynch production. It is worth trying out.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
Bloat Games is excited to announce Tales From Vigilante City!
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an updated press release (see the original here). The updated items include:
Reduced minimum word count.
Submissions deadline announced.
Tales From Vigilante City Vol. II announced.
Some details about the post-submissions process.
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Tales From Vigilante City is an all new street level super hero short fiction anthology which is to be a companion piece to Bloat Games recent successful Kickstarter SURVIVE THIS!! Vigilante City which is an RPG heavily influenced by the 90s cartoons Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men, Spider-man and TMNT.
Tales From Vigilante City will be compiled and edited by Eric Bloat (from Bloat Games, Creator of the SURVIVE THIS!! Game Series &Vigilante City) and by ENnie and Origin Award winning author James M. Spahn (from Barrel Rider Games, Creator of The Hero’s Journey & White Star RPGs).
Bloat Games is currently accepting super hero short fiction in the genres of Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Horror, Sci-Fi & Young Adult. We are chiefly interested in stories that feature “normal” human vigilantes but also are accepting stories about Anthropomorphs (think TMNT), Mutants (think X-Men), or low power level metahumans, mystics, psions, etc.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
• Accepting 1K-16K word count.
• Pay is $0.01 per word
• Payment made via Paypal only.
• Payment grants Bloat Games Non-exclusive rights to publish the story. Writer retains all other rights and Intellectual IP and can resell the story to other publishers.
• All submissions and inquiries should be sent via email to ericbloat@yahoo.com with the subject line: TFVC Submissions.
• Submission cutoff date is Nov 1st, 2018. Any submissions received after that date may be held and considered for Tales From Vigilante City Vol. II.
• Bloat Games will begin reviewing submissions then and you will be contacted if your submission was selected to be included or not.
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Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links.
PAIZO PARTNERS WITH THE ARCHIVES OF NETHYS ON PATHFINDER AND STARFINDER SYSTEM REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Find what you’re looking for at PFRD.Info and SFRD.Info.
REDMOND, WA (September 12, 2018): Paizo is pleased to announce that they have partnered with Blake Davis and the Archives of Nethys to serve as the official home of the Pathfinder and Starfinder System Reference Documents! The URLs published in Paizo products will now redirect to the Archives of Nethys, as will navigation on paizo.com. Save these URLs for rules reference going forward:
“Over six years ago I started the Archives of Nethys, with the goal of supporting my friends and fellow gamers who played Pathfinder and loved participating in the Pathfinder Society. Now, thanks in large part to many helpers among the Paizo community, the Archives has grown to support more content than ever before and even encompass a second game system, the Starfinder RPG (with a third site not far off!) I can’t express how proud my team and I are to become the official representatives of this content. I plan to work closely with Paizo to ensure a constantly up-to-date and useful rules resource for all of the Pathfinder and Starfinder communities.” – Blake Davis
As an official licensed partner, the Archives of Nethys will be able to incorporate Paizo’s product identity for Pathfinder and Starfinder, allowing gamers to find all of the Golarion- and Pact Worlds-specific rules they’re looking for efficiently. As Paizo moves toward the launch of Pathfinder Second Edition, the Archives of Nethys will also serve as the home for those rules.
The Archives of Nethys remains a free rules resource to players, but they can join its Patreon and support its future growth by visiting its Support page at http://aonprd.com/Support.aspx.
About Paizo
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
The Vampire: The Masquerade – L.A. By Night live play series will consist of eight weekly episodes, streamed Fridays at 8:00 PM PDT, culminating in a final episode on November 2. Jason Carl, White Wolf’s Head of Community — whose work previously included designing adventures and supplements for Dungeons and Dragons, Vampire: The Masquerade – Mind’s Eye Theatre, and other RPG titles — will guide play sessions as the storyteller (Vampire’s “Dungeon Master”). Geek & Sundry viewers will be transported into a nocturnal world rich with danger, intrigue, and political machinations, as the creatures of the night battle (or bargain) for supremacy in modern Los Angeles.
Carl has set the stage for Geek & Sundry’s V5 play sessions in contemporary Los Angeles — a city that’s become the center of fashion, art, and entertainment. It’s also home to the Anarch Movement. Once ruled by the Elders, the Anarch vampires claimed the city for themselves to make a mark in Kindred history. The city was a model of freedom and equality to Kindred across the world, but many territorial-minded local leaders carved the land into bite-sized communities controlled by “Barons,” where the rules and local culture differ greatly.
The Vampire: The Masquerade – L.A. By Night chronicle follows after the events of the Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines video game, in which the Camarilla clan failed to install a new Prince of Los Angeles. Since then, they never stopped their attempts to reclaim the city as their own. Another player in the power struggle is clan Ventrue, led by Vannevar Thomas, who has declared himself Los Angeles’ new Prince. Blood, politics, and betrayal sit at the foundation of the City of Angels.
In the livestream sessions, the Geek & Sundry cast will portray young, impressionable vampires surviving amidst this political turmoil as they do their Baron’s bidding and protect their territory.
The cast of Geek & Sundry’s Vampire: The Masquerade – L.A. By Night live show includes Erika Ishii (as Annabelle), Cynthia Marie (as Nelli G), B. Dave Walters (as Victor Temple), and Alexander Ward (as Jasper Heartwood). Each player will represent a different character from a different clan — each with their own motives and moral drivers. Carl and the players have already created a backstory for each character in the game, each with their own beliefs, ambitions, and secrets. The story also includes vital NPCs to help enrich the game world, drawn from the rich lore of the World of Darkness.
The Vampire: The Masquerade – L.A. By Night live show will be available on Alpha, Legendary Digital Networks’ streaming service. New Alpha members can sign up with the special promo code “BITTEN” for a 60-day free trial at www.projectalpha.com.
For this review, you may wonder why I’m looking at RPG Kickstarters from Italy and Turkey of all country combinations? Normally, when I do a list of Kickstarters by location, the location is my state, Georgia. But for this post, the answer to why Italy would be weight of numbers. There are five from Italy that are currently running (making that nation an RPG Kickstarter rival for Canada [4 KSs as of this writing] and the UK [6 KSs as of this writing]). As well, the individuals behind Svilland (from Turkey) have been exceptionally nice and I wanted to ensure a space for their Kickstarter, so Italy and Turkey it is.
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[UPDATE 2018-09-13 10:38AM EDT] As long as I’m talking about Italy, let me give a quick shout out to a game I covered before in this column, Blackwind. This RPG is by a team in Italy, Elisa Mignemi and Allan Kelley, and it is available on DriveThruRPG as of this morning. Kickstarted from June 10 to July 10 of this year, the book was delivered on-time (expected delivery date was this month) and meeting that commitment deserves praise since so few RPG Kickstarters do. Blackwind rule set covers a variety of genres and is designed to have a cinematic feel. Over and above the core rulebook, the team also has a space opera adventure available, Blackwind – Game Module – Space Blood: Arena, as a PWYW on DriveThruRPG to use with the core rules. Check them out:
“Face Unknown Horrors in the World of Urth with this Official Licensed Product for Shadow of the Demon Lord RPG
Face Unknown Horrors!
You stand on the brink of the Apocalypse. The Demon Lord, an entity of incalculable power blights the lands with cursed evil, madness and slaughter. The dreadful beings let loose by the Demon Lord reflects this being’s nightmarish essence, the touch of its shadow and its insatiable hunger for all things.
Although the Demon Lord remains outside the mortal view, every new horror connected to him arises from the dirt and bring destruction and new death, also weakening little by little his planar prison, unchaining the constraints that are preventing him to escape the Void and bring catastrophic destruction to the world.
Robert Schwalb create a world facing the total annihilation, its lands torn asunder by war, plague, and ancient horrors. Urth, the world of Shadow of the Demon Lord, is one of many imperiled by the shadowy menace lurking without and in this game you can play through its final days as embattled survivors fighting against what to many seems to be an inevitable end.
A complete role playing game in one book, Shadow of the Demon Lord contains everything you need to create characters to confront the hordes of demons spilling in from the Void and to create and play through exciting stories steeped in horror and violence. To make this happen, the game system is easy to learn, plays fast, and requires little preparation to play. All these ensure both novice and veteran players can enjoy the game together. The benefit of short campaigns lets you tell more stories, create more characters, and experience more of the game’s options than other game before. As a player, you are encouraged to play several heroes, trying the potential of the path’s engine to create incredible flexible characters. And, as a Game Master, you can run a complete campaign in lesser time than usual, introducing new ideas, places and horrors every time.
The horror is perfect when is narrated in short stories, full of madness and fear. These are the only stories that thrive you at night and remain in your memories for long time.
BlackStar is a whole new game line based on Shadow of the Demon Lord RPG, originally designed and created by Robert Schwalb. Death & Decay, our first release, will depict and introduce new monsters and develop exciting new ways to add fun and terror to the creatures you already know. It will be an immersive, dark fantasy supplement, that gives players and GMs alike new resources for their gaming sessions.
You will find plenty of undead out there ready to drain your last breath, coming from the Underworld itself or from the haunting darker places scattered through Urth.
The Creature Codex will be a 128 pages book that describes monsters of undeath, creatures of decay and lurking horrors. It presents many classical monsters revisited with new game options that can bring new excitement to your sessions, as well as plenty of new undead monsters of all types.
Following are some of the unique features introduced in Death & Decay:
• Presences: Infested dolls, whispers in the night, echoes of battles, doomed crypts and ghost ships! All of these entities can be found all around Urth. Infestations, apparitions, geists and malevolentes, all can be suppressed or banished forever. The task can be easy or hard, but presences might damn you for life. They can come back with renewed strength to drag you to the grave, corrupt your soul or lure you to the edge of insanity. Destroying them or survive can be the goal of an entire campaign. Death can be the minor evil.
• Spirits: Spirits or incorporeal undead are a simple form of monsters that cannot follow the cycle of life and death on Urth. They nurture the evil in others and feed on the anguish they create in their victims, the sorrow they cause, the evil they plant, all to feed the Demon Lord and unchain him. Spectral beings and ghosts, shadows in the mists or wraiths can appear everywhere, in lost cairns or abandoned tombs, in attics or cellars, in ancient forests or in the crypt of an important church to carry victims with them and bring, as well, survivors to death in a slow agony for the madness they caused. Spirits alter the land they haunt, so be aware that banish a tortured soul from the living world can be the most terrific experience you may have in your entire life.
• Corpses: Animated corpses, zombies, bone constructs, risen and others corporeal beings are the flesh of the hate that the demon lord feel toward the worlds of the livings. This contaminated corpses are risen by his foul cultists to generate waves of destruction, or they rise up by themselves to claim vengeance upon the mortals. Whatever the case, they are unstoppable, and their force can grow more than you can imagine in hordes capable of spread death and burning evil behind them.
• Nightmares: Not sure if they are undead or dead at all, nightmares are the immortal visions of thousand mad minds and foul dreamers. A nightmare created lives in a limbo of nonexistence. However, their corruption and insanity can open the gates, and they will haunt dreams during the night; pervade the mind of anyone corrupted or mad so to overwhelm him by supernatural horrors. That said, be aware that your corrupted soul can strive you more than you have imagined until now.
And if you want more, be sure to support Death & Decay campaign. With your help, more creepy things will rise from the Void in Death & Decay, new forms of undead never seen before. We will investigate through the nature of Urth to find plants, malefic fungi and vermins that can cause decay to the living, or supernatural horrors from the Underworld and the Void. And of course, new players and GMs supplements, villains and adventures, and so on.
Blackstar Games: BlackStar Games is the new international label from WMS Publishing, licensee of Robert Schwalb’ Shadow of the Demon Lord RPG line. We apply our passion and creativity to bring you whole new levels of imagination. We believe RPGs are a way to forge together creativity, art and design to create a new form of communication. You can visit our facebook Page: BlackStar Games and our site pages on www.hbdragongames.
Schwalb Entertainment: Schwalb Entertainment, LLC was founded in 2014 by Robert J. Schwalb (veteran RPG game designer and developer, and author) to offer a rich, immersive game-play experience in worlds of dark fantasy and science fiction, most notably, the horror fantasy roleplaying game, Shadow of the Demon Lord. Before Schwalb Entertainment, Robert was a member of the 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons design team, worked as a developer for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition, and was lead designer on A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying. He has contributed design to a slew of D&D sourcebooks, supplements for the d20 system, the Cypher System, and many other roleplaying games. Schwalb Entertainment, LLC is headquartered in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Questions? Contact Schwalb Entertainment at info@schwalbentertainment.com”
Egg Thoughts:
Blackstar: Death & Decay Creature Codex expands on the Shadow of the Demon LordRPG with third party support. New monsters are always welcome in any fantasy game and Blackstar: Death & Decay Creature Codex provides that with its new line for Shadow of the Demon Lord. This is the second article I’ve done today featuring a SotDL product, the first being Mike Myler’s Eastern Fantasy Adventures (read my interview with Mike on ENWorldhere). When I talk to friends, I hear more and more about SotDL so it’s time to bring that to the gaming table.
“Rockopolis RPG – The first f*cking Rock’n Play game
There’s a staircase facing the party. A few steps ahead, a mighty roar that would frighten even the bravest.
Is it dread what you feel? No, it’s adrenaline. You’re ready to take on whatever awaits you.
You climb the stairs and you’re on stage. Your instruments are ready, the crowd is growling.
What do you do?
Rockopolis RPG (Rock Playing Gods) is an awesome role playing game where the stage will be your dungeon.
You will face rival bands instead of goblins and trolls. Your instruments, voice and stage appearance will be your weapons. Your spells? Your ROCK songs!
Every artist has their inspiring Muse. But what if the Muse acted like a Demon, forcing you towards an abyss of behaviors that go far over the “antisocial” definition?
Your Muse will be the surge of your music, your inspiration, your art, your ROCK!
But will be the origin of each of all your troubles, too.
Rockopolis RPG is set in the real world, in the socio-cultural underground of emerging Rock bands.
During the ascent to fame, characters will meet some of the most (in)famous bands of the Rock underground (and they will probably clash!). Will they succeed in achieving international fame or will they fall into the Abyss of anonymity?
Rockopolis RPG uses a special D6 system, specifically devised to be fast and fun, characteristics that blend well with the Rock spirit of the setting. Moreover, ad hoc rules have been created in order to make the best experience of “playing live on stage” and the management of the “inspiring Muse”.
In Rockopolis RPG, the purpose will be to balance the inner demons called Muse with the goal of becoming the greatest Legends of the Stage.
Its UNIQUE On Stage rules will allow you the fantastic experience of playing on a stage like a real Band, joining your forces to get the Applauses you deserve. Be careful: Boos are always a chance, if you don’t plan well your gig. What other RPG system allow you all this?
Book preview
Rockopolis will be available in English and Italian. The English version will be available in the first quarter of 2019 to have time to properly translate it.
The Rockopolis book (220+ full color pages, A4 format, hardback) includes: – An introduction to the setting
– Character creation
– Muses
– On Stage special rules
– 3 adventures
– Everything that you will need to move and live awesome adventures where only Rock legends dare to fly
Another UNIQUE feature of Rockopolis are its Muses.
What’s the source from which your Character gets the Inspiration they need for all their awesome performance?
What’s the biggest problem of your Character, the reason of their living on the edge?
The answer is always the Muse.
Here they are: beautiful and dangerous like only the greatest passions can be.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Music is a universal language, right? Well, here it’s a game available in English and Italian in which you are rock stars playing on quite the stage. Honestly, I want to see how they handle the music at the gaming table. That alone is interesting and worth reading this one.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
NOTE: The original article is in Italian. This review is based on a Google translation.
“A Game of Ucronic Role of Men and Empires beyond the Stars.
Rome did not fall as history teaches.
In the year 2769 aUc the Empire controls not only the entire planet Earth, but also numerous other worlds, both inside and outside our solar system.
War cruisers travel for millions of kilometers using the Limes Orbitalis artificially curving space-time from the orbit of distant planets.
The new syncretistic philosophy of the Logos has extinguished the religious wars.
A council of Caesars from all over the world composes the Imperial Senate, presided over by only one Augustus chosen by the previous emperor for adoption.
Most of the inhabitants of the Empire live a utopia of social justice, progress and peace.
… what could ever go wrong …?
Milites , armed! Get under the banner! Tecnolorica worn, Systemata activated … ready for the impact of bridgeheads! In the cold sidereal expanses lurks something sinister, terrifying, alien to this same Universe … but we will defend the Empire from its fearsome enemies, or we will die in the attempt!
Livia Comnena Akiko Augusta drives away a Dark Throne in the upper orbit of Persephone, Sylde’s star system
In Augusta Universalis you will be super cybernetic , armored Praetorians with exceptional reinforced armor, able to transform themselves by changing Assectums according to need!
You will face fighting overtime and Missiones exploration of distant planets and unknown. Investigate the mysteries of alien civilizations vanished from eons, and face the menace of terrifying Dark Thrones , nightmarish creatures that bring death and destruction to the Cosmos.
You will defend the Empire and your Caesar both from political threats that tear it from within and from enemies who would destroy it from the outside.
Ready to travel beyond the known stars … for the greater glory of the Empire ?!
Augusta Universalis will be a Roleplay comprehensive , containing a rich and evocative setting ucronica sci-fi, and a quick Regulation and focused on the interpretation of the character and on the ‘ identification of the player .
If the project is successful , we will be able to create a book of 240 pages and more, as well as an extra volume full of exclusives only for you who will help us with this fundraising campaign. For the players …
Five different Empires: to which Guard and Imperator will you have sworn loyalty?
Five different Orders: to which training have you been subjected to enter your Legion?
Infinite ways to customize your Tecnolorica, the incredible cybernetic armor of the Praetorians!
For the narrator …
Clear and easy to understand game procedures .
The Syncrogram , the very useful tool of the Demiurge for the management of the Missiones.
Three complete adventures to start playing right away!
For everyone…!
A new science-fiction setting , a suggestive and in-depth buzz.
A single necessary manual , which includes setting and complete game system.
A narrative corpus of the first order , with many fascinating and suggestive stories, to help you immerse yourself in the world of Augusta Universalis !
A solid regulation , based on Destino Oscuro 2 , the same engine as the already knownNibiru Nights .
Awarded with many rave reviews, Destino Oscuro 2 has already proven to involve players like never before: perfect for novices as well as for more experienced storytellers and players, with Augusta Universalis you will experience hours of adventurous entertainment!
Augusta Universalis uses the system of Dark Destiny 2 , the same engine of Le Notti di Nibiru!
A system designed to help the Narrator (here called Demiurgo) in his task to manage and live wonderful adventures together with other players, who can identify themselves with ease in their respective characters.
The Augusta Universalis engine is a rapid system that focuses on describing actions and stage situations outside and inside combat. Players will have real mechanical advantages from their descriptions and will be encouraged to make the game more enjoyable and immersive for themselves and for everyone else.
You will have at your disposal a one-sided sheet for your character plus the Tabula Systemis, another sheet in A4 format on which you will manage the Systemata , the components ofTecnolorica , totally customizable and printable on Poker format cards (which function like small fillable cards ).
Tabula Praetorianis and Tabula Systemis of Thulile, one of the pregenerated PGs you will find in Agusta Universalis
Everything works with tests based on three key questions: what you do (the Player chooses Skill), how you do it (the Demourgo chooses an appropriate Feature based on the Player’s description), because you do it (the Player can take advantage of a series of Character resources, both emotional and training and background, to get bonuses of various kinds).
Just a few eight-sided dice, the cards of the PCs, rubber and pencil and a lot of imagination!During a fight, the Symbols , typical of Destino Oscuro, will help you to immediately transform any scenic effect into mechanics into your mind!
Face the inner conflicts of your character, discover the real reasons that drive him to act!Turn your Tecnolorica (the cybernetic armor of the Praetorians), change Assectum and unleash the power of your Systemata (the character’s equipment) to get into action and experience amazing adventures!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
I spoke to Luca De Marini about this project. Luca graciously answered all of my questions. While Augusta Universalis GDR is launching in Italian there are plans to do a full, professional translation to English and kickstarting it. Here’s a quote about their direction:
“English is our priority, no current plans for other languages. […] In any case, the question is only whether we’ll launch Nibiru’s Nights or Augusta Universalis first! Nibiru’s Nights is the first RPG using the Dark Destiny System and it was a huge success in Italy. Auguni uses the same system although it was deeply customized, of course, to be a perfect fit for this setting in particular.”
If the art and the Google translation speak to you, this game is coming sooner than later for English speakers.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Get a digital and/or paperback copy of EVENT, a new tabletop Role-Playing Game system with innovative mechanics and a modular ruleset.
Hello everyone! My name is Valerio De Sanctis and I was born, live and work in Italy, together with my wife and my 2 sons.
I’m the main author of the Myst Role-Playing Game (not to be confused with the Cyan Inc. videogame with the same name) and the sole author of EVENT, which is the game I’d like you to support.
The EVENT is a narrative premise that will motivate the players to act as a group, providing their characters a common goal.
Introduction
I started playing Role-Playing Games since I was nine years old, and never stopped since: now that I’m 40 I’m still playing at least once a week with a wonderful group of experienced players, mostly being the gamemaster. We started playing together in 1997 using our very own tabletop RPG system which we spent years in developing, designing and playtesting (actually, we’re still doing all that). In 2001 we released it as Myst under GNU license (you can get it from www.myst.it), which got a lot of praises within our country, with more than 50.000 views & downloads and thousands of unique website visitors each day.
What does this have to do with EVENT? Well, the answer is simple: Myst is a wonderful system, yet it comes with two major flaws:
despite being a story-driven RPG, it’s built upon a simulationist ruleset which makes it a rather complex game;
it is extremely language-dependent… And it’s written in Italian, hence no one outside our contry would likely be able to enjoy it. Translating it is also out of the question, at least for the time being – considering the insane amount of content we wrote within the past 20 years, it would require a dedicated fundraising.
Though still enjoying Myst an awful lot, as time went by I started to think about how to fix the aforementioned flaws. Slowly but surely, I began focusing on what I really wanted:
Something simple, which – for example – I would be able to play with my kids, who couldn’t withstand complex systems (yet!).
Something smart, which could be easily translated in any language.
Something swift, which could be played on a single evening.
The character creation phase takes few minutes and is conducted through a pure storytelling standpoint.
Introducing EVENT
I wrote EVENT having these three goals in mind, which I called The Three S (or 3S). Being an avid reader of the indie-rpgs.com forums during the 1999-2005 era and a huge fan of story-driven games, I wanted to give birth to something good from the ashes left by the flames of The Forge and the GNS Theory: something brilliant, just like The Pool by James V. West, yet also simple, such as Zak Arntson’s Shadows…
Well, I surely hope I’ve managed to do that. You can read the overall result from the following link:
The above link points to the 30-pages EVENT manual – i.e. the full game – in ENGLISH and ITALIAN languages: you are free to view, download and play it as much as you like, as it’s licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 – which basically means that you can use it for any non-commercial purpose.
The successes and failures mechanics will grant the player the chance to become the gamemaster and narrate how his (or her) character will pull off a full success.
Egg’s Thoughts:
Dan Davenport of #RandomWorlds hosted a Q&A with Richard that you can read here. It does an excellent job of sharing what this project is about.
“A campaign setting for 5E that is inspired by the true Norse mythology, with all its rigor, valor, darkness and mysticism.
“Bear up, my warriors! Bear up! Arise from the mountains and sea! Arise from forests and flat lands! Charge and kill for the king! Maybe the sun is shining one last time for us, maybe we won’t rise our axes to air again! Believe, my warriors! Believe! We will meet in Valhalla! We will drink to glory! Charge! Run and die for the king! For the king!”
– Bear King (Last march to Eastern Horn)
Svilland is a Norse Mythology inspired D&D 5E campaign setting; it is designed to bring the valour, brutality and drama from Norse tales to your roleplaying games. The game is compatible with 5E, but its theme and dynamics are very different than your usual high fantasy game. Sure, there is magic in this realm, a plenty of it even. Yet, it is given in a way that reflects omens, spirits, runes and Norse deities with their true forms in the mythology. In Svilland you will learn the true meaning of blood, magic, raids, and wrath of the gods.
Before the last three ages of northern folks, Svilland was unknown. However, that three ages have changed the whole world and its people. They were forced to settle in a new land that is surrounded by seas, mountains and Vanir lands.
It all began with the freezing of northern shores and poor harvest from farms during the first era, earlier omens of the incoming Black Winter, and Ragnarok. Then, an ice giant (jotunn) named Odd appeared, he became a cruel tyrant of northern folks. Yet, was impaled by his own half-giant brother, who was gifted with a spear from the god Balder, forged by dvergrs.
Deep within the North Mountains, Odd was imprisoned with powerful runes and large chains. However, fate was cruel and when Balder fell into Helheim by the deeds of Odin’s brother Loki, the spear started to lose its power.
The Tower
In the beginning of second era, The High Council of seidr was assembled to prevent the Black Winter from gaining more power. In order to do that, Sami seidrs were settled down to the towers of the Ymir’s Lash. And there were two kingdoms who ruled over the mainland: Lands of the Bear King and Kingdom of Eastern Horn. Samis, however, had neither a kingdom nor an established rulership during this era, since they preferred to live in their traditional ways, following the footsteps of their ancestors.
Because of its power weakening, Balder’s spear could no longer contain the might of Odd. The jotunn finally woke up, and power of the Black Winter became even greater and it kept getting stronger and stronger. The High Council of seidr could not manage to contain influence of both Odd and the Black Winter at bay, away from the south.
The Bear King started to think that they could stop the Black Winter only if they sacrifice The High Council of seidr to the gods. In this belief, he marched with his soldiers one night, and sacrificed all of the High Seidr. So began the great conflict; with the seeds of hostility and discord sewn between the Bear King and Eastern Horn.
The third age, which is the age the campaign setting takes place, was started with a war between Eastern Horn and the Bear King. This war divided the land – which was already politically unstable – into three parts: Green Lights of the East, the Nionaem, and the Alsvartr.
The Book Cover
Yes, even now you can directly play and test Svilland! We released a demo booklet containing a small portion of the content we are creating. You can check that out and see the quality of our work before you back us. We value feedback from our backers and supporters a lot while developing the game further. You can download the booklet from here.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Dream Realm Storytellers sent a sneak peek (here) and a press release (here) featuring their product, Svilland Saga. They’ve been exceedingly nice and have a clear vision for their Norse saga. It gives 5e a decidedly vikings feel and I can’t wait to test it out. They have a free demo book that I highly recommend!
Coriolis RPG by Free League (translation through Wyrd Edizioni)
Ends on Fri, October 5 2018 5:00 AM EDT.
NOTE: The original article is in Italian. This review is based on a Google translation.
“Take command of a spaceship and set off to discover the ancient mysteries of the Third Horizon in this beautiful sci-fi GDR!
Zenith announced the dawn of a new era … and the Horizon returned to bloom. Three dozen star systems, united by Fate and the will of the Icons, advanced together towards a more radiant future. But when the Emissaries came, the happy days came to an end, and slowly the Darkness among the Stars resumed its creeping advance.
Coriolis is a science fiction role-playing game set in a remote cluster of star systems called the Third Horizon. It is a place devastated by conflict and war, but also a homeland of proud, old and new civilizations. Here, the settlers of the first wave follow the dictates of the Old Cult and venerate the Icons, while the new arrivals, the Zenithians, pursue a program of imperialist annexations through trade and military power.
In this game, you will be the crew of a spaceship and travel the Horizon with it. You can explore the ancient ruins of the Builders of Portals, undertake missions for the powerful factions of the Third Horizon and participate in the game of political intrigue on the Coriolis station – the center of power in the Third Horizon. You might even come across the strange presences that dwell in the darkness of space.
From the Monolith in the jungles of Kua to the floating temples of Mira, the Horizon is yours: explore it. You can be merchants, explorers, mercenaries, pilgrims or agents. Whatever your vocation, together you will build your destiny. And perhaps you will also be able to discover the truth about the mysterious Emissaries and the threat of Darkness among the Stars.
The Third Horizon is a series of interconnected star systems far from al-Ardha, or our Earth.Each system has portals that give access to the other systems of the Horizon. During the recent Wars of the Portals, all the portals that date back to the First and Second Horizons have been destroyed, throwing the Third Horizon into isolation and decreeing decades of decadence. Years later, the arsenal ship Zenith, which had long since been lost, came from the First Horizon. The settlers dismantled their own ship, rebuilt it as the great Coriolis space station and declared that they would begin a new era in the Third Horizon, stating that the time had come for trade, awakening and peace. Then they invited the older factions of the Third Horizon to join in a Council to begin working together to resolve the issues afflicting the people of the Horizon.
Everything would have been fine if it had not been for the faceless Emissaries, who emerged from the depths of the gas giant Xene. But what were those entities ever?Specters from another world, Icons or portal builders? They claimed to be creatures with divine powers, just like the Icons, and again the Third Horizon was divided between the newcomers and the powerful old ones.
Now, it is time for you and your friends to leave your mark on the Third Horizon. Your ship is your home and every spaceport is a chance to find work and adventure. You do not know it yet, but you will soon be captured by the vortex that is about to be formed. Will you decide the fate of the Third Horizon?
Are you curious and want to know more about the history of the Coriolis universe? On the section of our website Wyrd Edzioni you will find many informative articles about it.
The Coriolis game engine – The Third Horizon is based on the Mutant: Year Zero system , created by Fria Ligan and awarded the Silver ENnie for Best Rules at Gencon 2015.
To make a skill roll, simply take as many dice as those given by the skill level of the character in the appropriate skill plus his corresponding attribute, add those given by the equipment … and pull them all together! You need at least a 6 to be successful, and the 6 additional obtained can generate critical and other bonus effects.
What gives a twist to this simple procedure is something that is directly linked to the Coriolis theme: prayer at the Icons. Icons and their cult are central to the setting of the game. Praying an Icon will give you the opportunity to withdraw, but not without a price.Whenever you choose to use this possibility, the GM will get a Dark Point, which you can use for a series of negative effects in the session. Sooner or later, the icons claim what is theirs to restore the balance in the Darkness among the stars.
Another main feature is the ship’s development system. The spaceship of the characters is the focal point of their adventures, it is their home that must be defended, repaired and developed. The game offers a complete and innovative system for spaceship combat. Each character has an important role to play and teamwork is truly rewarded.
Here are some spectacular images of the Coriolis science-fiction universe.
Coriolis, Game Guide, about 400 color pages with everything you need from players and Game Masters to create your own heroes, face the dangers of space and experience the unique experience of an incredibly realistic SF setting.
Emissary Lost, Game Campaign, about 300 pages in color. The first part of an Epic Campaign in which the characters will be involved and will face a vast conspiracy that threatens the stability of Coriolis and, ultimately, that of the entire Third Horizon. Emissary Lost is composed of two scenarios. The first, The Awakening of the Martyr, takes place in the huge space station of Coriolis, while the second, The Kuan Connection, will land the characters on the surface of the planet Kua, between the deep jungles and violent policies of the Zenithian colonies in search of answers to the shadow of the Monolith.
Wyrd Edizioni, one of the first publishers in Italy for role-playing games, has dozens of titles and lines in active, which you can see at the official website www.wyrdedizioni.com under ‘Our Games’. Among the most important for the international scene, Numenera, The Strange, 13th Age, Mouse Guard and Shadow of the Demon Lord. He already has three highly successful and popular Kickstarter, such as Shadow of the Demon Lord, Trudvang Chronicles in the New Universes of the Cypher System.
Egg’s Thoughts:
This campaign will fund a translation/localization of Sweden’s Coriolis, which uses the Mutant: Year Zero system (as does Tales from the Loop). Distribution is limited to Italy (I’m assuming they’re only able to license certain territories). Coriolis has already been translated into English (here) so this is not the precursor to an English edition. Ultimately, this fits this week’s theme but if you’re outside of Italy, this game is available in other languages/forms (and it’s worth checking out).
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Contributing authors James Ward, Lenard Lakofka and more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure”
Looking for advice on how to create your tabletop RPG along with stock art to get you going? Learn from ” industry greats and legends James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, as well as exceptional talents such as Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.” I’m excited to be a part of this project and offer my insights into the world of crowdfunding!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
FIGHT TO SURVIVE THE NIGHT IN PATHFINDER PLAYTEST PART 3,
“AFFAIR AT SOMBREFELL HALL”
Paizo challenges players to confront the horrors of Doomsday Dawn and then give feedback at PathfinderPlaytest.com.
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (September 10, 2018): Today, “Affair at Sombrefell Hall” the third of seven scenarios in the Doomsday Dawn adventure officially began at Paizo Inc. The relentless adventure for four 7th-level characters was written by acclaimed Paizo Developer, Amanda Hamon Kunz. It runs on real and virtual tabletops through September 23 as part of the worldwide, free playtest of the Pathfinder Second Edition.
Jason Bulmahn, Director of Game Design at Paizo, introduced the new scenario saying, “A group of agents of the Palantine Eye are sent to secure the aid of an occult scholar who is on sabbatical at his family estate, which just happens to be in haunted Ustalav.”
Theplaytest is available as a free PDF bundle. Changes to the playtest have already been made! Rules Update 1.2 and a new character sheet have just been added. Player, Game Master, and Open Surveys unlock as each new part begins. They will remain open throughout the playtest period. The PDFs and surveys are all available at PathfinderPlaytest.com.
The Paizo Twitch channel (twitch.tv/officialpaizo) hosts live play every Thursday from 2-5 PM Pacific and discussions with the design team every Friday at 4 PM Pacific.
Paizo also discusses the surveys and resulting game changes on its blogs. Players and Game Masters can participate in the Pathfinder Playtest Forums and sign up for email updates on paizo.com.
Pathfinder Playtest Schedule:
Affair at Sombrefell Hall, September 10 – September 23
The Mirrored Moon, September 24 – October 8
The Heroes of Undarin, October 9 – October 21
Red Flags, October 22 – November 4
When the Stars Go Dark, November 5 – November 18
About Paizo
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
DarkCoast Unveils All this September with the White Wolf’s ‘WORLD OF DARKNESS’ Documentary
It Could Barely be Predicted that the White Wolf Founders, Mark Rein-Hagen and Stewart Wieck, who Started Working Out of their Garage Would Change RPGs Forever.
LOS ANGELES, CA (SEPTEMBER 10, 2018) – DarkCoast and White Wolf Entertainment presents WORLD OF DARKNESS: the Documentary – coming to the USA this September.
Directed by award-winning Giles Alderson (The Dare, The Heart of the Forest), WORLD OF DARKNESS is a documentary that unites millions of worldwide fans through the evolution of one of the most prolific and genre-defining role-playing franchises capturing audiences worldwide since its inception in 1991 while exploring the most legendary role-play universes since Dungeon & Dragons. Deemed “the most extensively developed vampire mythology ever with the RPG game Vampire: The Masquerade,” by Imagine Film Festival, WORLD OF DARKNESS explores the continuing legacy that still remains popular today.
“It is an excellent story, which has never been told before and can introduce the world to old and new fans alike,” divulged the Huffington Post.
Written and produced by Kevin Lee (Gaming the Real World) from Luckyday, White Wolf’s WORLD OF DARKNESS charts the rise and fall of one of gaming’s most significant role-playing games and the development of modern vampire culture, as we know. As an in-depth look into the universe of WORLD OF DARKNESS, the documentary exemplifies its primary influence from its first book, Vampire: The Masquerade, and innovative gameplay that focuses on its extended universe and making relationships within this universe rather than the traditional tabletop questing. The talking-head interviews, archived footage and video from LARP (live-action role-playing) events are used to showcase the World of Darkness’ influence over the years. From influencing club culture, fashion, literature, film, television, entertainment platforms and publications, the World of Darkness has become an unstoppable cultural force. “The most important point Alderson makes is why Vampire: The Masquerade was so important to the culture at large and how it changed not only the world of gaming but how it helped to shape pop culture altogether,” wrote Quiet Earth.
WORLD OF DARKNESS showcases the large cultural impact that White Wolf continues to capture in its worldwide audiences. It could barely be predicted that its founders, Mark Rein-Hagen and Stewart Wieck, who started working out of their garage, would change RPGs, as we know them entirely. Entertaining and enlightening WORLD OF DARKNESS “celebrates the crazy loyalists to these games who made it a part of their lifestyles and mode of dress,” wrote WonderWeek. The gaming industry is three times larger than film industry; Alderson’s game doc qualifies for equal mainstream media, as WORLD OF DARKNESS “is a detailed, in-depth documentary that explains the social phenomenon on the one hand, and the behind-the-scenes business machinations on the other. A must-see for all avid gamers.”
The game doc’s evolution and worldwide popularity is told through notable celebrities including White Wolf founders, Mark Rein-Hagen and Stewart Wieck, alongside Vampire: The Masquerade artists, Andrew Greenburg, Justin Achilli and Tim Bradstreet. Supporting interviews come from worldwide fans and their fan clubs that also assisted in the evolvement of the franchise into the true phenomenon it is today.
DarkCoast will bring White Wolf’s WORLD OF DARKNESS to the USA on September 18th, 2018 for its online digital release streaming on various VOD platforms (Amazon, InDemand, iTunes, Fandango, Dish, FlixFling, Vimeo on Demand, Google Play, Sling). For more information, please visit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6177752.
WORLD OF DARKNESS (2018, 89 min.) Directed by Giles Anderson. Written and produced by: Kevin Lee. Executive producer: Henrik Johannson. Edited by: Rodney Guest. Sweden, English. Figi Productions, Luckyday, White Wolf, TriCoast Worldwide, DarkCoast.
About Luckyday:
Luckyday is a Creative Film Producer based in Stockholm, Malmö and London. For more information on Luckyday, please visit http://www.luckyday.se
DarkCoast is a division of TriCoast Entertainment: A new home for story-driven American films, TriCoast Entertainment is a full service media company that creates, produces, manages and distributes unique and unusual entertainment. Bringing together filmmakers, distributors, financiers, and technologists, TriCoast Entertainment embraces change by redefining the production and distribution model for indie filmmakers. Founded by: Strathford Hamilton and Marcy Levitas Hamilton.
About White Wolf Entertainment
White Wolf is a licensing company focused on creating the best participatory brands in the world. Since its original entry into the roleplaying game market in 1991, White Wolf’s World of Darkness has grown to be one of the most recognized and successful brands in the hobby game space with collective book sales in excess of 10 million copies during this time. White Wolf’s World of Darkness brands, which include Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Wraith: The Oblivion, and Orpheus, has been licensed for television series, console and computer video games, interactive media events, and a myriad of merchandise and other entertainment products.
White Wolf team: Tobias Sjögren, Dhaunae De Vir, Karim Muammar, Tomas Arfert, Martin Ericsson, Jason Carl.
We’ve got a cool little project in the works. We’ve got a group of fantasy roleplaying adventure creators and writers to write about one of their favorite things. Adventure design and building. This group of writers and creators has a tremendous amount of collective experience and talent. James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, Johnn Fourr, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Egg Embry and Bobby Nash are all contributing to this 256-page book. Check out some cool rewards here!
A second book is also kind of cool. It features a 9th level Tiefling Thiefling named FILGAR CROOKE. And you wanna know something? He IS a crook! This obnoxious, Tiefling rogue has a Wisdom score of 5, and this becomes quite apparent in no time at all. After reading some of his preposterous comments, you will be rooting for monsters and deadly traps of all kinds take him out of commission!
This TRAPS book has 30 traps dual stat’s for both D& D 5e and Pathfinder. There is also an Adobe Indesign file and PHOTOSHOP Document traps. This allows you to change the traps in any way you want, and reuse these 30 traps FOR YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL ADVENTURES!
Check out the latest update focusing on FILGAR CROOKE’S – TRAPS-1.
The update also touches briefly on the several thousand words that Lenard Lakofka has already written, as well as TWO maps that he has drawn for the core book: CREATE YOUR OWN RPG ADVENTURES.
There’s also a ton of STOCK ART, MAPS, BACKGROUND TEMPLATES, MAKE YOUR OWN MAPS PHOTOSHOP Documents, EPHEMERA and more. All of which can be used (COMMERCIAL LICENSES INCLUDED) to create your own commercial adventures. This 65-piece ASSET set is only $25. This set would easily be worth over $100, but is only $25 and sold as a BIG DESIGN ASSET BUNDLE! Grab it now!
This KICKSTARTER ends this Friday [September 14, 2018] at 2:00pm Eastern time, so if you want a really cool handbook where you can pick the brains of several very talented adventure designers, this is a great chance! Ideally, this core book is geared for someone that may have tried self publishing, and it did not go as well as expected. While focusing on design tips, it also touches on several things you can do to increase your chances of making money with your adventures.
Thanks for your time!
Matt Bogdan
DARK BY DEZIGN
* * *
Disclaimer: Egg Embry of the Tessera Guild is a contributor to this project.
Paizo launches the three-part Adventure Path series for Starfinder with “The Reach of Empire.”
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (September 5, 2018): Today Paizo launched “The Reach of Empire,” a Starfinder Roleplaying Game adventure for four 1st-level characters. The adventure begins the Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path, a 3-part, monthly campaign in which players visit and explore some of the worlds of the sinister Azlanti Star Empire. It also includes a gazetteer of the Pact Worlds colony of Nakondis, a collection of new starships and starship options used by the Imperial Fleet of the Azlanti Star Empire, and a selection of new monsters from alien worlds. It is available for $22.99 at paizo.com and retailers around planet Earth.
“Hired to transport supplies to a new Pact Worlds colony in the Vast, the heroes discover that the Azlanti Star Empire has invaded and occupied the colony with a small military force. The heroes must liberate the colony from its merciless oppressors, only to learn that the Azlanti have taken both an experimental starship drive and one of the colonists―an old friend of the heroes―back to the Star Empire! – “The Reach of Empire”
Each monthly full-color softcover Starfinder Adventure Path volume contains a new installment of a series of interconnected science-fantasy quests that together create a fully developed plot of sweeping scale and epic challenges. Each 64-page volume of the Starfinder Adventure Path also contains in-depth articles that detail and expand the Starfinder campaign setting and provide new rules, a host of exciting new monsters and alien races, a new planet to explore and starship to pilot, and more!
“I loved framing an adventure where the PCs are stealthy rebels. The enemy seems so powerful and overwhelming at first that the heroes must be calculated and careful, hoping to gain allies, perform sabotage, and tip things in their favor. Heroes do their fair share of exploring abandoned locations and confronting traps and monsters, so I liked having an urban-based adventure where the stakes feel high and they’re working among the people that they’re helping.” – Ron Lundeen, Starfinder Developer and lead writer of “The Reach of Empire.”
The Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path will continue in September and November with “Escape from the Prison Moon” and “The Rune Drive Gambit.” Find out more at paizo.com.
About Paizo
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.comis an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
“Attached is the very first piece of finished artwork for Cha’alt. As you can see, it’s an alien desert world (in ruins because of an apocalypse centuries ago); the capstone of a black pyramid can be seen rising out of the sand. Before reaching the pyramid, the three adventurers must face a giant worm.
Yannick Bouchard is the artist, and he’s currently working on a 2nd interior illustration for the book. Cha’alt is expected to be 176 page hardcover over-sized art book, both O5R campaign setting and [Dungeon Crawl Classics]. Kickstarter campaign by Venger Satanis is poised to launch in early November.”
He included another piece:
Cha’alt is an interesting evolution for Kort’thalis Publishing. This is, I believe, their largest book yet and the first one to use both the VSd6 system and DCC. I’m eager to see the results!
EDIT: Over at the Halls of the Nephilim, Justin Ryan Isaac has some additional thoughts and a quote from Venger about what the final form of this book will be. Check it out here.
For more games by Venger Satanis, check out his work here.
CHILL OUT WITH COMICS AND SOCIETY SCENARIOS FOR PATHFINDER AND STARFINDER
Enjoy the last days of summer with Spiral of Bones comics and Organized Play adventures!
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (September 4, 2018): Paizo has partnered with Dynamite Entertainment and the Organized Play Foundation to keep the summer fun going with a new Spiral of Bones comic and five new Society Scenarios for the Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild and Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild.
Pathfinder—Spiral of Bones #4
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-01: Oathbreakers Die
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-02: Bones of Biting Ants
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-03: Death on The Ice
Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-21: Yesteryear’s Sorrow
Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-20: Duskmire Accord 9
These products are available for purchase at game retailers and paizo.com now and many of them can be easily adapted to any fantasy world.
Pathfinder—Spiral of Bones #4
Story by Crystal Frasier Art by Tom Garcia and Diego Galindo Covers by Tom Mandrake, Vincenzo Federici and Marco Santucci Published by Dynamite Entertainment Licensed by Pazio
Trapped in a three-sided struggle between his fellow Pathfinders, an ancient wizard, and the agents of death itself, Valeros struggles to understand what his life has become and retain control of his own living body! The Spire of Bones story continues in this tale written by former Pathfinder developer Crystal Frasier with art by Tom Garcia (Mercy Thompson, Pathfinder: Hollow Mountain). It also contains an ongoing Starfinder bonus story, a Pathfinder RPG rules appendix, and a bonus pull-out poster map!
Bonus: Starfinder story by Paizo Chief Creative Officer Erik Mona! Thousands of years in Pathfinder’s future, the Starfinder Society spreads adventure across the solar system.
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-01: Oathbreakers Die
This Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1-5 was written by Nicholas Wasko.
The city of Daggermark is best known for its poisoners and assassins, who maintain active guilds that enjoy the full respect of local authorities. Local venture-captain Istivil Bosk prefers to keep his head down and stays out of their affairs, but he has recently learned that a Pathfinder agent has been targeted for assassination. Can the PCs enact the venture-captain’s daring plot to save this agent without becoming the assassins’ next victims?
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-02: Bones of Biting Ants
This Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 3-7 was written by Sean McGowan.
The sole survivor of an ill-fated Society expedition into the Mwangi expanse barely managed to return home years ago, bringing little to show but an unpleasant affliction and haunting memories, neither of which they could shake. While the agent had planned to retire from the Society for good, they now seek assistance in finding closure, seeking a cure, and recovering the relics the team had to abandon. What sounds at first like a simple recovery mission becomes far more complicated, for the same threats that spelled disaster for the first mission are as dangerous today.
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-03: Death on the Ice
This Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 5-9 was written by Scott Young.
A message delivered by an unlikely courier sends the PCs to the Crown of the World. After making a dangerous trek across the icy passes and bays of Golarion’s northernmost continent, the PCs must come to the aid of a Pathfinder Society expedition whose archaeological excavations have uncovered far more than they expected to find. Can the PCs unravel the mysteries that lie beneath the gelid glaciers of the Crown of the World in time to save their fellow Pathfinders from a frigid fate?
Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-20: Duskmire Accord 9
This Starfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 1–4 was written by Brian Duckwitz.
A vault opens inside the mysterious false moon of Salvation’s End, and the Starfinder Society sends in a team of agents to investigate. Although it has discerned little about the vault”s interior, the Society has identified a powerful energy signature near the vault’s center. Several factions within the vault clash for control of the area. If the PCs are to succeed at their mission, they’ll need to choose a side.
Content in Duskmire Accord 9 is a continuation of the Starfinder Society special, Starfinder Society #1-00: Claim to Salvation and Starfinder Society #1-09: Live Exploration Extreme!; however, playing those previous scenarios is not required.
Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-21: Yesteryear’s Sorrow
This Starfinder Society Scenario designed for levels 3–6 was written by Jason Keeley.
The Exo-Guardians’ leader, Zigvigix, has been forced by recent events to reevaluate the Society’s arsenal of weapons. They order a new exploration mission to the irradiated nuclear wasteland world of Elytrio, homeworld of the beetle-like ghibrani species. Far from the homes of the surviving ghibranis, the PCs travel into a missile silo that contributed to the death of a world. What deadly weapons can the PCs find and what further concealed truths are there to uncover about the history of the ghibranis?
Content in Yesteryear’s Sorrow is a continuation of the Starfinder Society scenario, Starfinder Society: Yesteryear’s Truth, however, playing this previous scenario is not required.
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
Things from the Flood are coming! The long awaited standalone expansion to the multiple award-winning Tales from the Loop RPG, based on the wondrous worlds of Simon Stålenhag, is coming to Kickstarter on September 18.
Things from the Flood is based on the art book with the same name and thrusts the Tales universe into a grim and bleak alternate 1990s. In this major expansion, fully playable as a complete game, you step into the shoes of teenagers growing up in the midst of a decade of change – and disaster.
Designed by Free League Publishing – the same team that made the Tales from the Loop RPG (winner of five Gold ENnies 2017, winner of three Golden Geek awards 2018), Things from the Flood presents a darker, more mature version of Stålenhag’s hallmark retro sci-fi. Create new Teens or let your Kids from Tales from the Loop grow older. But remember – this time they can die.
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About Free League Publishing
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds. Our first game, the post-apo…
This week, the common theme for these three RPG Kickstarters is I’ve interviewed the creators about these projects. Matthew A. Bogdan on RPG Stock Art. Ed Jowett right here at the Tessera Guild. Brian Colin on the Open Gaming Network. Each shared their thoughts with me and I appreciated that. In turn, I wanted to round up their campaigns for everyone to see.
“James Ward, Lenard Lakofka, Johnn Four and many more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure!
I am publishing 2 books and an optional Fantasy RPG resource bundle worth several times the price I have foolishly attached to it! ; ) As of this writing, I have several interviews ready to begin or complete. I am currently focusing on the following RPG creators listed below. I will provide a table of contents very soon, but I must gauge how things go, and not bite off more than I can chew or get presumptuous.
The current team I have been incredibly pleased with being graced with includes James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.
I am quite pleased to have several thousand words of quality content from interviews that I have conducted with some of these very high quality creators with great track records.Recently, I have also received some great tips from Egg Embry and Kevin Watson, as well as a complete article from Lucus Palosaari and some really cool step-by-step content from Lenard Lakofka. In short, I am truly and genuinely excited about this project! Directories will be added with any participating freelancers as well.
We will be providing a source that is primarily geared for beginner self-publishers. This resource is being designed to provide a small, future adventure design or game company the tools they need to create their first fantasy roleplaying game adventure. BUT, it can most definitely be for ANYONE wishing to improved their craft of adventure building for fun or potential commercial publishing.
This product includes options that currently include digital PDF books, with the possibility of providing printed softcover and hardcover versions.
Overnight success is NOT at all guaranteed in this field, and almost always takes time and patience, networking, making the right decisions and sticking to a strict or tight starting budget. That said, I believe that this resource will provide a solid source for you to get started and get published, along with gaining all of the proven resources that you will need in order to give you a very solid chance. At the very least, I am quite sure you will get several useful tips on adventure creation!
Below is a work in progress table of contents that will grow almost daily. Currently, these topics will include, but will not be limited to:
• Step-by-Step from A-Z Adventure and Self-Pub Template
• Creating Better – CHARACTERS
• Creating Better – MONSTERS
• Creating Better – ENCOUNTERS
• Creating Better – MAGIC ITEMS
• Creating Better – RIDDLES & PUZZLES
• Creating Better – ADVENTURES
• Different Ways To Publish
• A Special Section on KICKSTARTER Crowdfunding
• A Very Special Section on Dealing With TROLLS, and much, MUCH more.
This is a 2-book project with an optional, 65-piece Fantasy RPG stock MEGABUNDLE for only an additional $25.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Disclaimer: I am a creator on this book.
On RPG Stock Art, I spoke with Matthew A. Bogdan (my employer on that project). He gets in-depth about the creators, the package that we’re delivering, the stock art that comes with it, and why this is perfect for publishers to pick-up. Check it out here.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“Legions of creatures are invading. Only you, the Chosen, can enter the Lost Lands to fight back, and face the horror of the Anonassi…
At Shades of Vengeance, we believe that Tabletop Roleplaying Games can offer an experience that other types of games can’t. We love creating games and have been working with our team for 2 years to bring you something really special…
With the help of experts on the system and the writers you’ll recognise from our other games, plus the legendary talents of some industry greats, we’ve created a brand new game which you will love!
This is not only a detailed and immersive world, but includes mechanics which support the genre of the game, drawing the players into the chilling reality of the Lost Lands and the fight against the Anonassi.
Our world is not safe. It is besieged by creatures from another dimension…
We all know the feeling.
It’s the crawling sensation on the back of the neck, the insistent, niggling feeling that we’re being followed. It’s the feeling that there are eyes in the dark, watching. Waiting. In that moment, you know – just know – that there is a clawed hand reaching toward the back of your head.
Sometimes we stay still and try to ignore the feeling. Sometimes we whirl around, but there’s nothing there. Then we laugh, pass it off as imagination, and go on with our lives.
But… what if… what if there really was something there, but you just weren’t able to see it?
Or, worse… perhaps you’re one of the people who can see…
Our dimension of Aether, the bridge formed by the Lost Lands and the dying, dark dimension of Erebus.
In this game, you will take the role of one of the Chosen, the small number of individuals who can see the Anonassi and the paths into the “Lost Lands” where they amass their forces.
The Anonassi are terrifying in form. Emerging from their home dimension of pure darkness, they cross the bridge of the Lost Lands to enter our world…
The game’s timeline spans over 100 years, from the first recorded encounter with the Anonassi and the start of the war to drive them back into their dimension, through the industrial revolution and the development of new technologies and on to the modern era, where the war heats up once again…
Different weapons and tactics are used by each side over the course of the war, giving a unique experience in each era.”
“Our dungeon building card deck modules are perfect for your favorite roleplaying games. New monsters & magic items for each deck!
Whether you’ve been role-playing for years or you’re just now learning about this amazing hobby, Cardography is certain to enhance your adventures.
We have created 3 new unique Cardography dungeon decks, along with our first two initial decks, set in the original world of Revilo. Contained in each of the themed decks are 52 dungeon cards that can be configured in countless ways.
Each deck has downloadable pdfs of full adventure modules for both 5e and Fate with new, never before seen monsters, magic items, and NPCs to help add more flavor to your game.
Best of all, each of the pdfs is converted for these major RPG systems: Fate and D&D 5th Edition.
The modules can be played in their entirety or as a choose-your-own-adventure style dungeon crawl.
We have already successfully created and produced the first two decks Enter the Fiery Pitsand Break Through the Icy Divide. We know what it takes to make them awesome and we are doing the same to the three new decks.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
On the Open Gaming Network, I have an interview with Brian Colin about this Kickstarter. Brian does an excellent job of explaining why his dungeon-building deck of cards is right for your gaming table. Read it here.
And, hey, I have a press release from them here! ;-P
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
Norse Foundry® and Creature Curation™ announces new Atmar’s Cardography – a dungeon crawl in a deck
Full module adventures for Dungeons & Dragons 5e and Fate packed into a deck of playing cards
Carrollton, GA – August 28, 2018. Today, Norse Foundry and Creature Curation announced Atmar’s Cardography, a new way to play your favorite roleplaying games.
Atmar’s Cardography takes the traditional roleplaying dungeon crawl adventure and fits it into your pocket. These dungeon crawl adventure modules contain a map that is built as a deck of playing cards. These cards can then be easily laid out as a full 52 card map, or they can be randomly picked to make a new dungeon of your own build.
There are five adventure decks currently on Kickstarter with a closing date of September 18, 2018. Each one has downloadable pdfs of full adventure modules for both Fate and D&D 5e. The “Atmar” in the product name is based on the specific Cardographer, as he has chronicled the different regions of the fantasy world Revilo. The modules for each of these five decks are filled with unique creatures, magic items, and NPCs that you won’t find anywhere else.
“Each of these decks explore a different region of Revilo, a world I built to help foster my son’s creativity. The ability to use the cards randomly has opened up endless possibilities for dungeon building, and I think that is his favorite part,” said Cardography creator, Brian Colin. “I love that it both inspires veteran roleplayers to spice up their adventures, and also how the modules make it really easy for all the new people who are starting up this wonderful hobby.”
Atmar’s Cardography is a supplement for existing roleplaying games. For Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition the party levels range from 2 – 12 throughout the series of decks. Each deck contains 52 different cards, an 8 page folded booklet containing brief room descriptions, and a link to the pdf game modules.
Cardography is the brainchild of a great relationship that forged between Norse Foundry and Creature Curation. They met over dinner at DragonCon many years ago, and quickly realized that with their combined talents they could create amazing experiences for their friends and for roleplayers everywhere. Cardography is not their first collaboration, and it will definitely not be their last! The partnership utilizes the best aspects of each company’s resources to produce a superior product. They’ve brought together Creature Curations’ ability to design and create unique content, creatures, and quests with Norse Foundry’s many years of industry and manufacturing experience, and a combined art team to develop a unique product and design.
Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.
Throughout the playtest the Paizo design team has listened to players and made changes to the game, including modifications to core systems like proficiencies, difficulty classes, death, dying, skills, classes, and multiclassing archtypes. Today marks the release of Update 1.4, which delivers an overhaul of the ancestries. Starting with this update, when players make a character, they select not only an ancestry but also a heritage from within that ancestry. The heritage gives them additional physical characteristics based on their lineage, and choice of heritage is in addition to the ancestry feat that they gain at 1st level.
REDMOND, WASHINGTON (September 19, 2018): Paizo released “Escape from the Prison Moon,” a Starfinder science-fantasy adventure for 3rd-level characters, by Eleanor Ferron today. It is the second volume of the Against the Aeon Throne Adventure Path for the award-winning tabletop roleplaying game. It is available for $22.99 at 
Tales From Vigilante City is an all new street level super hero short fiction anthology which is to be a companion piece to 
Pathfinder: 
“Hired to transport supplies to a new Pact Worlds colony in the Vast, the heroes discover that the Azlanti Star Empire has invaded and occupied the colony with a small military force. The heroes must liberate the colony from its merciless oppressors, only to learn that the Azlanti have taken both an experimental starship drive and one of the colonists―an old friend of the heroes―back to the Star Empire! – “The Reach of Empire”
Pathfinder—Spiral of Bones #4
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-01: Oathbreakers Die
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-02: Bones of Biting Ants
Pathfinder Society Scenario #10-03: Death on the Ice
Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-20: Duskmire Accord 9
Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Scenario #1-21: Yesteryear’s Sorrow
