Press Release: Creature Curation™ new campaign setting and bestiary World of Revilo for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Coming to Kickstarter

Creature Curation™ new campaign setting and bestiary World of Revilo for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Full campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons 5e launches June 18 exploring a new world and new player races

Carrollton, GA – May 18, 2019. Today, Creature Curation announced World of Revilo: Campaign Setting and Revilo Bestiary: Boheum’s Guide to Beasts.

Revilo is a high fantasy campaign setting where an entire continent is filled with unique races and monsters. The world Revilo had its first inhabitant in 2009 when its creator, Brian Colin sculpted a large taxidermy-style monster. After finishing the sculpture he knew the creature needed a backstory. Colin gave birth to the world Revilo, naming it after his unborn son’s middle name Oliver. He wanted this world to be something they could work on together. 10 years later, his son has created multiple species, helped with adventure modules, and aided in developing the pantheon of gods.

While continuing to add new fantastical beasts to his world, Colin recruited additional creators to fill out the setting. Revilo’s first foray into the roleplaying game market was through adventure modules that paired with Cardography: Dungeon Adventures in a Deck. Five distinct modules were written for different regions of Revilo. RPGs have always been a passion of Colin, and with this announcement, the Kickstarter for the Campaign Setting that is compatible with Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition will launch on June 18, 2019.

About the Setting

In the past 30 years humans, elves, and dwarves have crashed onto the coast of Revilo, discovering the land. One human has built an army and hired the vile, marauding Greyskrulls to aid him on his conquests. Will the rest of Revilo be able to form an alliance before this army conquers them? Will the gods wake from hibernation to keep their people safe?

While the outlanders try to find their way in this new land, a revered sect of 18, known as the Keepers of Secrets, are slowly being hunted down by a new cult. Inside each of the Keepers of Secrets is a fragment of the evil god Ghyrma. The Keepers of Secrets fear that this new cult is collecting these pieces to try and resurrect the long-forsaken god.

The Kickstarter will launch with 6 new player races, 3 sub-classes, 2 backgrounds, and 70 monsters.

About Creature Curation

Creature Curations’ ability to design and create unique content, creatures and quests lead to the success of Cardography where they partnered with industry veterans Norse Foundry. The Creature Curation team also created multiple 5E adventures set in Revilo to be distributed by RPG Crate.

What RPG Kickstarters Excite Creators? Empire of the Ghouls, Good Society, Ultramodern5, Trilemma Adventure, and more

Every week I ask RPG creators what Kickstarter they’re following and they are kind enough to share their insights. This week, among their lists are several games that appear more than once, like GeneFunk 2090 (twice this article and three times to-date), Fungi of the Far Realms (twice this article) and Hearts of Wulin (twice, as well). Check out the suggestions from the creators of:

Empire of the Ghouls: A 5th Edition Campaign vs. the Undead by Kobold Press

END DATE: Fri, May 31 2019 4:00 PM EDT.

“An alliance of cultists, ghouls, and vampires. A scheme of the dark gods against humanity. New maps, dark realms, monstrous societies!”

Wolfgang Baur (Kobold Press) recommends:

Monsters of the Underworld for 5th Edition. So I’m all about the dungeons and the underdark, and Cawood Publishing did well by their prior volume so… Very intrigued by their Underworld Monsters volume, which seems like it will be useful for any mega-dungeon or the like. Art style leans toward comics rather than realism, which doesn’t bother me but fair warning.

Sea King’s Malice. Relative newcomer Alex Kammer is also the mastermind who runs the amazing GameHole Con in Madison every year, and this nautical adventure looks like it would fit neatly next to Ghosts of Saltmarsh. If you have an urge to set sail for adventure, the Sea King’s Malice seems like a great way to challenge your players with encounters and storylines from a rising talent.

Odyssey of the Dragonlords. Ok, with 6,000 backers and just two days left*, this doesn’t need a lot of help but… Greek myths have been fused to D&D since the beginning, and this looks like a visually lush take by a talented team. Worth checking out just to see how they bend and twist familiar tropes!

*EDITOR’S NOTE: I miscommunicated when this article would be published. This Kickstarter has ended but they do have a late pledge option.”

Trilemma Adventures Compendium by Michael Prescott

END DATE: Thu, May 30 2019 10:00 PM EDT.

“A compendium of 48 adventure locations, settlements, and regions for fantasy role-playing games.”

Michael Prescott (Trilemma Adventures) recommends:

Hearts of Wulin. One of the amazing things about good PbtA (Powered by the Apocalypse) games is how deftly they transport you into an unfamiliar genre with so few rules. Not in the sense of an avalanche of content for the GM to trot out, but in that subtle alchemy of how the players contribute to the tone and make the genre really vivid even for newcomers.

I’m a newcomer to the Wuxia genre, but hearing about this game on the Gauntlet got me longing to try it out. This gives me vibes of high production wirework films like Crouching Tiger, the fateful mismatched duels of Amber, all suffused with poignant melodrama.

Lowell Francis is a voracious gamer with incredibly broad system experience, and the playtest materials that he and Angela Chen have put out together look really tight.

Five Torches Deep. This project is like catnip for me. A simplification of 5e so it’s compatible with the lingua franca of fantasy adventure, but with an OSR attitude. A chunky resource focus that makes being underground really feel like you’re a long way from home. Simple rules that have teeth.

Ben Dutter (Vagabonds of Dyfed) has a history of hybridizing the various schools of gaming, and with Ben Milton (Questing Beast, Knave, Maze Rats) looking over his shoulder, this is definitely a project not to miss.

And holy snot, I love a good title and this one makes me jealous I didn’t think of it!”

Good Society: An Expanded Acquaintance by Storybrewers Roleplaying

END DATE: Sun, June 9 2019 9:59 AM EDT.

“Tell regency tales of magic, masked outlaws, servants & ambition with four expansions for Good Society: A Jane Austen RPG in one book.”

Vee Hendro (Storybrewers Roleplaying) recommends:

Big Bad Con 2019. Based as we are in Australia, we had to think carefully when deciding which RPG convention in the States to attend. Time and time again, we were recommended Big Bad Con as the convention to be at, and it is easy to see why. With over 400 events, 40 private gaming rooms and hundreds of different games, it is a brilliant weekend of gaming, whether you are looking for story games, LARPs or board or card games. But beyond that, what makes it truly special is its strong commitment to diversity and community-building. This year marks the first year of the Babble On Equity Project, a collaboration between the convention and community leader DC, to bring more people of colour to Big Bad Con. This project is one of the reasons why we are able to even make it there this year! So if you’re looking for an unforgettable weekend, come along this year to BBC with us!

Fungi of the Far Realms – a fictional fungal field guide. Billed as an RPG game supplement / illustrated encyclopaedia of fictional mushrooms, I love seeing these more unusual kinds of projects being crowdfunded. As a physical artefact blending art and fiction, these types of books stretch our imagination, and reminds me that simply reading can be big part of play.”

Hayley Gordon (Storybrewers Roleplaying) recommends:

Hearts of Wulin. I’ve always been a massive fan of Wuxia movies, so I am more than ready for this RPG. I’ve had a chance to playtest this game, and there’s a lot about it I love. The choice of playbooks is pretty stellar, it gives your characters a reason to be and throws you straight into the narrative. But my absolute favourite part is the entanglements, which create messy webs of relationships between the characters. So if you find yourself engaged to be married to your brother’s sworn enemy while also secretly infiltrating their clan in disguise, that’s just an average session!”

Ultramodern5, a 5E universal sci-fi sourcebook by Dias Ex Machina Games

END DATE: Thu, June 13 2019 11:59 AM EDT.

“Second Edition. Second Printing. New Rules. Full Color. One of the most popular books for 5th Edition is back!”

Chris Dias (Dias Ex Machina) recommends:

“I have backed 49 projects in the past year and a half. I admit, I think I have a problem. By a majority, the campaigns I back involve tabletop board games with role-playing elements because I love the hybridization of board gaming with pen & paper role-playing.

But with specific role-playing, a friend of mine is the creator of Endless Realms, and she has a new supplement on KS now called Tome of Spirits. The artwork is fantastic and the setting is original. Her campaign only has a few days left.  It uses an original rule system which I really appreciate. I hope this is the start of something amazing.

And as an odd addition to that, I am looking forward to seeing Fantasy Grounds Unity get funded. Obviously, I am biased as SmiteWorks were the first virtual tabletop software to support Ultramodern5, which is itself is on Kickstarter now, so I would obviously want to return to the favor. I love the idea of virtual tabletop and wish I had something like that ten years ago.”

Monsters of the Underworld for 5th Edition by Cawood Publishing

END DATE: Wed, May 29 2019 10:58 AM EDT.

“Only the bravest walk into the dark… Into the Underworld! Discover 100 new 5E monsters. A full-color 5th Edition book.”

Andrew Cawood (Cawood Publishing) recommends:

Genefunk 2090 by CRISPR Monkey Studios. In this biopunk/cyberpunk RPG,players take on the roles of mercenary characters. I like that this Sci-Fi game uses the very accessible 5E system and seems quite detailed. Corporations rule the world and the wealthy have discovered immortality. 

The ADVANCED: Pandemonium bBeirdo GamesThis dystopian RPG game lets players create in a very open-ended fashion. I’d recommend any game with this type of customization. Players can alter their characters in unique ways and add many types of skills and weapons. It’s a very fluid d10 system that still has depth.”

Vintage Space: Disco-Era Sci-Fi RPG by Thunderegg Productions

END DATE: Wed, June 12 2019 9:11 AM EDT.

“A tabletop RPG of optimistic optimistic space opera featuring retro-inspired rules and aesthetics.”

Jacob DC Ross (Thunderegg Productions) recommends:

“I’m hugely interested in S3RPG, which is a simple and easy system designed for newbs and veteran players. Looks fun and cute.

I also really want to see GeneFunk 2090, because there just isn’t enough biopunk these days.”

 

The Beast of Thornbriar Hills (For D&D 5E and Pathfinder) by Ramen Sandwich Press

END DATE: Tue, June 11 2019 7:45 PM EDT.

“An RPG location module about sheep, the people who keep them and something that’s killing them. For D&D 5E and Pathfinder RPG.”

Douglas Sun (Ramen Sandwich Press) recommends:

The Silence of Hollowind: Pin-Up Adventures. I like the mash-up goodness of combining two apparently different genres, film-noir and high fantasy. It’s something I tried myself, but with much less success than this fellow.

Fungi of the Far Realms – a fictional fungal field guide. It’s not an RPG as such, but RPG-related. And it looks whimsical and humorous, so I’ve have actually backed it. Whimsy and humor are qualities that I like to inject into my own work because I think that it’s worth reminding ourselves that it’s possible to take fantasy RPGs too seriously.”

PRESS RELEASE: Monster Fight Club Announces Licensing Partnership with R.Talsorian Games

Monster Fight Club Announces Licensing Partnership with R.Talsorian Games

Exciting new miniatures for the Cyberpunk and The Witcher franchises coming soon!

Charlottesville, VA – May 16, 2019 – Monster Fight Club, a close-knit team of hobby industry veterans intent on evolving the tabletop hobby through fun and unique boardgame experiences; innovative accessories, terrain and models for tabletop role-playing games and wargaming, today announced their licensing partnership with legendary worldsmith Michael Pondsmith and his publishing company R. Talsorian Games, to create a range of tabletop miniatures for Cyberpunk and The Witcher.

“We’re very excited to explore the Cyberpunk and the Witcher worlds with Mike and R. Talsorian Games,” said John Kovaleski, CEO of Monster Fight Club. “We’re excited to be offering a range of high-quality miniatures for two of the most beloved sci-fi and fantasy franchises.” Expect the First Look of these exciting new miniatures this year at Gen Con 2019, the Best Four days in Gaming ™.

“I’m absolutely stoked to have the talented team at Monster Fight Club onboard to produce minis for R.Talsorian’s flagship lines. ” adds R.Talsorian Head Honcho Mike Pondsmith. “These minis are so good, I would steal them for myself if I didn’t already have a deal with John. Cyberpunk and Witcher fans–you will NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

For more information on Monster Fight Club and the upcoming Cyberpunk and The Witcher miniatures lines, visit: www.MonsterFightClub.com.

To learn more about R. Talsorian Games, visit: www.rtalsoriangames.com.

About Monster Fight Club

Monster Flight Club – A new premier game, hobby and toy development company formed by +20 year gaming veterans, founder and the former creative team of Gale Force Nine that created such acclaimed boardgames as Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery, Firefly: The Game, Sons of Anarchy: Men of Mayhem, Star Trek: Ascendancy, Vault of Dragons – a Dungeons & Dragons™ Boardgame and many, many others. MFC focuses on making great games, useful hobby products and fantastically fun toys while focusing on creatively, originality and attention to detail.

About R.Talsorian Games

Founded in 1985, R. Talsorian Games is respected worldwide for its intriguing settings, innovative gameplay, and strong graphic design. They began with Mekton, the first giant robot RPG to be published in the United States and followed with the highly acclaimed Teenagers from Outer Space and the Origins award winning game of High Adventure in the Steam Age, Castle Falkenstein. Their latest role-playing game is the Witcher Role-Playing Game, based on the bestselling video game series.

R. Talsorian Games’ most famous product, Cyberpunk, redefined the science fiction genre for role-playing games in 1987 and has continued to break new ground ever since. A new edition, Cyberpunk Red, is planned for later this year and the world, characters, and rules defined in the pages of this classic tabletop game series form the basis of Cyberpunk 2077, a highly anticipated video game in development by award winning studio, CD Projekt Red.

PRESS RELEASE: City of Mist RPG

GEEK & SUNDRY: “Pitch-perfect blend of ‘superhero’ and noir tabletop RPG… The mechanics are simple yet INCREDIBLY robust.”

ONE SHOT PODCAST: “Combines everything that’s great about Apocalypse World with everything that’s great about FATE”

ENNIE AWARD FOR BEST INTERIOR ART (GOLD) 2018

ENNIE AWARD FOR BEST FREE GAME (STARTER SET) (SILVER) 2017

In City of Mist, you play as legendary figures of myth reborn into ordinary people who gain the powers of their legendary alter-egos. Play as a hard-boiled detective with the powers of the Monkey King or a fashion tycoon who is the incarnation of Aphrodite and hit the streets looking for answers about who you truly are and about the insidious powers ruling the City from behind the veil of the Mist. Balance your normal life with that of your magical alter-ego as you engage in tense investigation and cinematic conflict throughout the City.

City of Mist is inspired by the world of super-powered noir graphic novels and TV shows, such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Through its innovative ‘tag’ system it allows you to flesh out a character entirely unique to your imagination via purely descriptive tags. This enables a vast array of different characters to be created and for new players to easily be able to be introduced to the game. Your choices within the narrative of the story and world are influenced through eight core ‘moves’ which provide different dramatic outcomes based on your character and what you roll on the dice. This allows for fast, fluid play full of danger, consequence, and narrative.

WHAT IS CITY OF MIST RPG ABOUT?

Here’s the lowdown: City of Mist is a modern city where legends are real people. Heroes, tricksters, and monsters are reborn inside ordinary people, regular Joes and Janes, who gain supernatural powers connected to their legendary alter-egos.

The mystical veil of the Mist hides these miraculous powers from the other, sleepwalking residents of the City. It makes armor look like a flak vest and fire breathing like a cheap party trick or a gas leak explosion, so no-one ever knows about the legendary. Modern-day legends exploit this to run secret lives and insidious organizations behind the veil of the Mist.

This is your City: gritty, corrupt, and rife with magic and mystery.

PLAY AS “RIFTS”, ORDINARY PEOPLE WITH LEGENDARY POWERS

Player characters in City of Mist are ordinary people in whom a legend has awakened. You play a unique combination of a real-life persona and a legendary Mythos, from a street-cleaner with the powers of the Monkey King to a fashion tycoon who is the incarnation of Aphrodite. Your life is a game of balance between magic and normality.

Together with your ragtag crew of Rifts, you will hit the dark streets to uncover the insidious forces at play in your City, confront ancient legends in modern-day guise, and discover what you truly are…

DIVE INTO THE INVESTIGATION AND UNCOVER THE CITY’S UNSPEAKABLE TRUTHS…

Someone is running the show in this City, and it’s up to you to find out who. You need to talk to the right people, ask the right questions, and sometimes take answers by force. Are you doing it out of the kindness of your heart or because you have a stake in the matter? Either way, the truth must be revealed.

For gamemasters, both new and experienced, City of Mist makes writing investigative adventures easy, using the Iceberg Model. Check out the MC Toolkit for a complete case-writing guide.

A CINEMATIC GAME SYSTEM

Inspired by super-powered noir graphic novels and TV shows, such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Fables, the City of Mist game system encourages you to get creative and experience cinematic moments with every action you take.

  • Characters made entirely of tags:

    • Create rich and diverse characters with any ability or walk of life imaginable *without ever writing a single number down*.

    • Easily flesh out and customize the tiny details of your powers and modern persona and have every detail impact the game – even your character’s catchphrases!

    • Get creative with new combinations of tags.

    • Easily introduce the game to new players, no matter their background.

  • Story-propelling action resolution system:

    • A simple rule converts your descriptive tags into roll modifiers, turning your narrative into crunch.

    • Eight core moves deliver different dramatic outcomes with every roll, driving the story forward and fueling suspense (no silent failure).

    • No hit points! Descriptive conditions (physical, social, magical, emotional, etc.) gradually wear down on your ability to take action, and then escalate to permanent effects and death.

  • Dramatic character evolution rules:

    • Simulate the ups-and-downs of your hero’s life with a built-in clash between your characters mythical and mundane themes.

    • Make hard choices and sacrifices to determine which themes to develop and which to abandon, instigating dramatic changes in your character, such as loss of powers or the death of a loved one.

    • No levels! Evolve by constantly making cinematic choices and replacing themes to unlock greater Moments of Evolution.

The City of Mist Players Guide, MC Toolkit, MC Screen and Starter set are now all available to purchase.
  • The Player’s Guide contains an introduction to the setting of the City of Mist and everything you will need to know to create, play and evolve your characters, packed with graphic novel art by Marcin Sobon.
  • The MC Toolkit is a set of guides and resources for MCs who create and run their own cases and series, including narration guidelines, a case-writing guide, a bestiary of crooks and villains, four villain story arcs, and a ready-to-play case, Gambling With Death.
  • The MC Screen has the signature City of Mist art with all the rules, tips, and suggestions an MC needs handy inside. It includes a new city district PDF, Tourist Trap, by D&D Dragon Heist co-designer James Introcaso.
  • The Starter Set contains everything you need to start playing including an 86 page rulebook, 7 pre-generated character playboooks, two starter adventures, player move sheets, MC moves and tracking sheet, crew themes sheet and a Status Spectrum Card Sheet.
A slew of PDF and digital supplements:
  • New case: Gambling With Death, a case of untimely death and shady dealings at the casino, great for those who also love สัมผัสประสบการณ์กับ UFABET
  • New District: La Colonia De Sombras, by Mark Diaz Truman (Magpie Games), a shadowy district of heroic immigrants and meso-american horrors.
  • New District: Tourist Trap, by D&D Dragon Heist co-designer James Introcaso.
  • New Villain: Stone-Cold Beauty (Medusa), a vindictive small-time villain of petrifying glamour.
  • New Villain: Puppet Show (Geppetto), a calculating small-time villain driven to kill by fatherly love.
  • New Soundtrack: five original music tracks to add mood to your investigation Email

Press release: Announcing Æther Void, a psychological retro tabletop RPG in a cross genre universe

Tribal orcs, high tech agents and steampunk scientists clash in the new tabletop RPG, Æther Void Announcing Æther Void, a psychological retro tabletop RPG in a cross genre universe.

As a corrupt technologically advanced society tries to abduct samples from a neighbouring Steampunk and Fantasy World, they are thwarted by undercover agents in their midst. In the ensuing struggle they crashland on Far Haven where Orcs witness their prophesied ancients falling from the skies.

Æther Void is a cross genre tabletop Roleplaying game, with a wink to retro RPGs like the much renowned Dungeons and Dragons. It features the custom designed Æquilibirum™ Game system that is based on science, as much as possible, featuring known effects from both the physical and the psychological sciences.

The lore of Æther Void is a unique setting where the Fantasy world of Far Haven, the Steampunk world Victoria, and the SciFi / Cyberpunk world Sleeping Dragon are present in the same physical universe, allowing players to play characters on one world, that may eventually discover how to travel to the other worlds.

Each world is based on several existing Earth cultures. Sleeping Dragon has a, mostly Chinese, cultural background, where Victoria features the culture and zeitgeist of Industrial Revolution Renaissance Europe. Far Haven features Viking culture, ancient Slavic cultures, some obscure Chinese myths, tribal culture, and Shinto-buddhist influences.

Æther Void currently has a closed Beta Program up and running to test the very first early prototype of the game, for which interested RPG players can sign up on the website aethervoid.com. Æther Void is scheduled to go live on Kickstarter late summer or early fall 2019, after which a widespread open Beta test will follow, leading up to the actual release of the game (hopefully in time for Christmas).

Æther Void is being developed by MBIT Entertainment B.V., a Dutch Indie Tabletop Developer, based in Groningen, Startup-heaven and jewel of the North of the Netherlands. MBIT was founded by Mendel Bouman, and Ite Teune. Mendel is an indie Game Developer, Publisher, and founder of Indietopia. He worked on indie games such as Convoy, helps regional Indies to make it, and has been an avid Tabletop RPG player since the age of 8 (back in 1987). Ite is an educator with a passion for anything scientific (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, etc), teaching high school kids values and knowledge on a daily basis, and is using his passion as a veteran RPG player to educate the world.

Press Release: $340,000 raised for the Odyssey of the Dragonlords Kickstarter with just 2 more days left to go

Odyssey of the Dragon Title Image
$340,000 raised for the Odyssey of the Dragonlords Kickstarter with just 2 more days left to go.
Hey Egg,
I’m writing to you today about the exciting culmination of the Kickstarter for Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the epic, 5e adventure book inspired by Greek myth and written by ex-bioware designers James Ohlen, Jesse Sky and Drew Karpyshyn. The project has been massively successful, raising $340,000 from an initial target of $50,000, multiple stretch goals have been unlocked and there’s still 2 days left to go to support the project.
There’s also a great interview you may be interested in with Odyssey of the Dragonlords designer Jesse Sky by Dael Kingsmill who runs the popular RPG YouTube channel Monarch’s factory and Jesse where they discuss some of the finer details Odyssey of the Dragonlords. You can find that here.
You can find a full press release below.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact to contact me by e-mail at panny@modiphius.com or by phone +44 207 736 7020 // +44 753 265 6855.
Kind Regards,
-Panny
London, England, 14-05-2019
For Immediate Release
Odyssey of Dragonlords has smashed it’s initial $50k Kickstarter target raising $340,000 and with just two days left to go there’s still time for you to support the project.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords is an epic, 330 page adventure book for 5e, inspired by Greek myth and created by ex-bioware lead designers James Ohlen and Jesse Sky (Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age: Origins, Baldurs Gate I & II, Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: The Old Republic)and Drew Karpyshyn, BioWare senior writer on Mass Effect I & II and Knights of the Old Republic.
Thanks to the huge amount of support Odyssey of the Dragonlords has received from over 6,000 backers a wide array of stretch goals have been unlocked. You can now look forward to two brand new Adventure Guides, The Sunken Kingdom and The City of Aresia packed full of new content for Games Master’s and players to explore. The Sunken Kingdom includes maps, encounters and adventure hooks for players exploring an ancient sunken city within the realm of Thylea with more than a hint of Atlantis to the themes. The City of Aresia lets players discover the land of the warrior monks, situated in the south east of Thylea within the Aresian Penisula. This adventure guide contains maps, regional lore and adventure hooks for adventures within the City of Aresia and surrounding lands.
A set of gorgeous deluxe maps have been unlocked, including a world map of Thylea, a map of the settlements of Mytros, Estoria and Aresia and a Trireme boat map. A beautiful Odyssey GM Screen has been unlocked packed with tables, useful reminders and Thylean names and lore information.
In addition 12 new monsters, 4 new playable character races including the Medusa, Siren, Nymph and Minotaur, new class archetypes for the Cleric, Wizard, Warlock, Ranger and Paladin, Roll20 support, a new Epic Path for heroes have all been unlocked thanks to the massive support Odyssey of the Dragonlords has received.
Dael Kingsmill who runs the popular RPG YouTube channel Monarch’s factory recently caught up with Jesse Sky in this interview where they discuss some of the finer details Odyssey of the Dragonlords including how the Greek source material was adapted, the art direction and how Jesse’s experience with video game design helped him craft the book. You can view it here.
Translation partners have signed up for the project with with Italian and Spanish editions of the game planned.
This project would not have been possible without the huge fan support and with just two more days left there’s still time for you to support this epic project here.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords contains everything you need to run campaigns in the epic, Greek myth inspired world of Thylea including an overview of the world, magic items, monsters and a diverse cast of Greek myth inspired allies and villains inspired by legend.
  • The World of Thylea: Includes an overview of the history, factions, kingdoms, and laws of the forgotten continent. Learn about the gods, the titans, and the legendary Dragonlords.
  • New Monsters: Includes a bestiary of over 15 new monsters inspired by Greek mythology, with lore, statistics, and full page illustrations.
  • New Magic Items: Includes over 20 new magic items inspired by Greek mythology. Find them scattered throughout the adventure or craft them using the legendary Mithral Forge!
  • Colorful Characters. In the tradition of our favorite RPG video games, we’ve got a colorful cast of villains and companion characters that players will encounter on their adventure.
  • Colorful Characters: In the tradition of our favorite RPG video games, we’ve got a colorful cast of villains and companion characters that players will encounter on their adventure.
You can download a free copy of the now revised Odyssey of the Dragonlords players guide here. The booklet contains everything you need to get started as a hero within the world including a brief overview of the world of Thylea, new character backstories, rules for the new Centaur and Satyr races and epic paths for your heroes. This revised edition includes two more martial archetypes as well as updated rules based on your feedback for the Satyr and Centaur races available within the booklet. This is now available from Modiphius.net and DriveThruRPG.
For a taste of what the world is like, check out this short story, Dragonlord’s Wager, from Drew Karpyshyn. This story takes place 500 years prior to the adventure, during the events of the First War between the mortals and the Titans.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords Kickstarter
Summary
“Pen and paper roleplaying games will never die. The combination of open-ended exploration, cooperative storytelling, and tactical combat is addictive and timeless. The 5th edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game proves this. Like all of the editions before it, the game owes a debt to the classic fantasy stories of Tolkien, Lieber, Howard and the rest. It gives players the opportunity to be the hero of their own epic tale. And a world inspired by Greek myth is the perfect place to set a fantasy story where the players are the stars. It’s also worth noting that the selfish, conflicted heroes from Greek myths have a lot more in common with my usual play group than the chummy fellowships of modern fantasy…” – James Ohlen, Writer & Designer on Odyssey of the DragonLords and lead designer of Baldur’s Gate.
There’s a wide range of ways you can support the Kickstarter including bronze, silver and gold tiers.
BRONZE MEDALIST – Pledge US $25 or more.
This tier includes the PDF campaign book and digital versions of all stretch goals.
INCLUDES:
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
SILVER MEDALIST – Pledge US $60 or more.
This tier includes the hardcover version of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the softcover player’s guide, and digital versions of all stretch goals.
INCLUDES:
  • Hardcover adventure book
  • Softcover player’s guide
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
GOLD MEDALIST – Pledge US $80 or more.
This tier includes the hardcover version of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the softcover player’s guide, three fold-out poster maps, the Odyssey GM screen, and all digital stretch goals.
INCLUDES:
  • Hardcover adventure book
  • Softcover player’s guide
  • Deluxe poster map pack
  • Odyssey GM screen
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
Join part of epic history and sign up to the Kickstarter here.
About Modiphius Entertainment
Modiphius Entertainment is a London, England-based entertainment publisher of tabletop games and related hobby merchandise. The company launched its first game, the Achtung! Cthulhu Roleplaying Game, in 2013, followed by the Mutant Chronicles RPG, DUST Adventures RPG based on Paolo Parente’s DUST universe, Infinity The Roleplaying Game based on the best-selling miniatures game, Conan, Adventures in Age Undreamed of, the official Roleplaying game of Robert E Howard’s barbaric universe, Matt Leacock’s Thunderbirds, a cooperative board game based on the classic 60’s show and the official Kung Fu Panda Boardgame.
Modiphius Entertainment seeks to inspire with its tales of heroism, adventure and courage. Modiphius also works to combat global child trafficking through raising awareness of and funds for Vision Rescue. For more information, please visit modiphius.com.
TM & © 2019 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Press Release: Legacy: Life Among the Ruins RPG launches trio of exciting new books on the back of successful Kickstarter

Legacy: Life Among the Ruins RPG launches trio of exciting new books on the back of successful Kickstarter

“The World Before is fallen, torn apart by an apocalypse so extreme that reality itself was shredded and warped in its wake.“

Three exciting new releases are lined up for the Legacy: Life Among the Ruins RPG, Legacy: End Game, Legacy: The Engine of Life and Free from Yoke.  Each is a hardcover, approximately 120 pages long, Royal-sized volume (156mm x 234mm).  These books are currently fresh at the printers and Kickstarter fulfillment is to begin within a month. Here’s what you can find in them:

  • Legacy: End Game: This Legacy supplement focuses on the themes of death, decay and entropy. Your heroes will face greater existential threats and characters that can channel dark and terrifying powers. Will you seal away the evil that awaits you or flee from it all the way to the stars?

  • Legacy: The Engine of Life: This Legacy supplement is a mirror to Legacy: End Game and focuses on the themes of rebirth and cooperation. Your characters can celebrate in festivals commemorating ages past and engage characters and families devoted to the ideas of cooperation, art and exploration. Will you build a wonder that ushers in a green revolution or create a home for an impossible, godlike nature deity?

  • Free From the Yoke: This Legacy hack adapts Legacy: Among the Ruins to a gritty, medieval fantasy world inspired by slavic mythology with a focus on politics, intrigue and noble houses. Your kingdom was occupied by the Empire for generations, but now it’s free. What sort of nation will you build together?

Legacy: Life Among the Ruins Core Overview

Your ancestors survived thanks to luck, preparation or pure grit. Now it’s time to leave their shelters and start rebuilding the world. But the wasteland has other inhabitants: families with different philosophies and abilities, secretive factions with their own agendas, and bizarre monsters stalking the ruins. As generations pass and your family evolves to suit this new world, what stories will you tell?In this role-playing game you’ll build your own unique post-apocalytic landscape, home to scattered families of survivors. Take control of a family, play the brave heroes that define them, and guide them through the grand sweep of history.

Legacy: Life Among the Ruins – Key Features

From grand strategy to desperate struggle. Shift freely between commanding the movements of spies and armies and fighting monsters in a ruined wasteland, using the fast and dramatic rules of the Powered by the Apocalypse engine.

  • A Game of Histories: Write the saga of your family over generations and draw on your ancestor’s powers, even as you face the unexpected consequences of their actions.
  • Endless variety: 11 family types and 13 character types create hundreds of possibilities, each with its own meaning for the story you’re telling.
  • Hit the ground running: Start playing today with the included quick-start, complete with five pairs of families and characters, story prompts and a sunless world filled with hungry spectres.
  • Build your own post-apocalyptic world: Simple procedures help your group sketch out the wonders of the world before, the horrors of the fall, and the new communities built by survivors – resulting in a world that’s unique to your group and deeply integrated with your characters.
  • From grand strategy to desperate struggle: Each player controls a family of survivors, and will use that faction to rebuild the world. You tell this multi-generation story in snapshots called ages – each age you’ll define the current crisis and create a hero from your family to deal with it, able to draw on the powers of their ancestors.
  • Grand Scope: Shift between playing characters who explore the dangerous wastelands and then shift back to the Family level, rebuilding settlements and waging wars with rivals. If the narrative needs to focus on a particular heroes story, build supporting characters in minutes to act with them.

You can view an actual play of Legacy Life Among the Ruins here in this 5 session campaign. ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s91efEMH79U&t )

You can purchase Legacy Life Among the Ruins here.  ( https://www.modiphius.net/collections/legacy-life-among-the-ruins  )

What Kickstarters Excite Creators – Fate of Cthulhu, The Fantasy Trip Decks of Destiny, Old-School Essentials, Sinopa Omnibus, and Monster Menagerie

This week, the CEO of Steve Jackson Games, the Design Lead for Starfinder, the company behind Fate, the creator of one of the hottest OSRs in years, and my buddy, William Quinton, share what RPG crowdfunding projects they’re following. This column gets a great response because no matter the creator’s level, they have crowdfunding projects they’re backing and want to spread the word about. To that end, let’s hear from the creators and companies behind:

Also, I want to give a quick shout out to Kim Frandsen and the interview we did about his upcoming project, The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy 

Fate of Cthulhu by Evil Hat Productions

END DATE: Tue, May 21 2019 3:30 PM EDT.

“It’s 2038. The Elder Gods have risen. You are our last hope. You’ve traveled back in time to 2020 to save humanity. Fate of Cthulhu: it’s Mythos meets Terminator.”

Tom Lommel (Evil Hat Productions) recommends:

Trilemma Compendium. I’m a fan of low-prep options for play and Trilemma Adventures caters to that impulse in three ways. First, the maps are gorgeous. The isometric perspective is expertly captured, the line art is clean yet still detailed, and the locations themselves are evocative. I really appreciate how easy to reference these maps are. Second, the format is limited to a two-page spread. No flipping back and forth, no trying to decide what encounters are absolutely necessary and which ones to cut. It’s all right there, easily-digestible. Finally, because the format is so condensed, the descriptions of each area get straight to the point. There’s no box text to weigh against GM text, or excessive stat blocks or peripheral details. As an experienced GM, I can fill in those elements myself. It also makes the adventures system-agnostic. Whatever your personal flavor of fantasy RPG, this collection of adventure locales will inspire you. It’s especially well-suited for pulling off the shelf to run a one-shot for your friends or coworkers.

Big Bad Con 2019. The deeper I get into the hobby, the more I want to try new and different RPGs. Kickstarter has really launched a terrific wave of innovation in that respect. But sometimes it’s hard to get my friends to spend their limited social time trying out a game they haven’t learned or played already. Big Bad Con helps me solve this problem. It has an emphasis on a whole range of games, from open-ended story games like Fall of Magic to detailed, gritty RPGs like Torchbearer. The con has an arrangement with its hosting venue in Oakland to take over two whole floors of the hotel, dedicated just to gaming. They clear the rooms of beds and set up tables in each one. So while there’s some “open hall” gaming, there’s also a good chance you will play in a private gaming room. I’ve attended a lot of gaming conventions and it’s a real luxury to sit in a session where your GM is not fighting to shout over the din of everyone else. Big Bad Con also makes a deliberate, dedicated effort to being inclusive and welcoming. If you live on the west coast and want to expand your gaming experience, Big Bad Con is a top candidate for your time and money.”

The Fantasy Trip: Decks of Destiny by Warehouse 23

END DATE: Mon, June 3 2019 6:05 PM EDT.

“Many, many new cards and accessories for use with Steve Jackson’s The Fantasy Trip roleplaying game!”

Phil Reed (Steve Jackson Games/Warehouse 23) recommends:

Tunnels & Trolls Cartoon Adventure. Tunnels & Trolls is a classic, first released in 1975, and this Kickstarter campaign instantly caught my attention with its fun artwork and the idea of a T&T comic book combined with new solo adventures. These days, with work and life taking up so much time, as well as many flights each year, classic solitaire adventures are very, very welcome. I’m hoping that this one succeeds. I backed as soon as I saw it!

The Cthulhu Alphabet. Goodman Games’ earlier alphabet books — The Dungeon Alphabet and The Monster Alphabet — are amazing works of art. Inspirational GM resources loaded with ideas; back when I was regularly writing D20 PDFs, I often wrote bite-sized collections of stuff, and these alphabet books remind me of those older projects wherein every letter brings new ideas. The addition of so many fun tables makes the books better than my earlier works; there was no way that I wasn’t backing The Cthulhu Alphabet the day the project launched. I trust Goodman’s team and know that this will be another spectacular addition to my gaming library.”

Old-School Essentials by Necrotic Gnome

END DATE: Sun, May 12 2019 2:00 PM EDT.

“A modular adventure game in the tradition of the beloved 1980s role-playing rules. 100% old-school rules, 100% modern design.”

Gavin Norman (Necrotic Gnome) recommends:

Far Away Land Old School Role-Playing Game. I’ve been privy to a sneak peek at the PDF for this game, and the combination of the delightfully gonzo setting, the fantastic layout, and Dirk’s wild and colourful artwork really add up to something special. I’d read a bit about Far Away Land some years back, but as an old-school D&D purist (aka grognard) I was put off by the custom rules system. Now that Far Away Land is manifesting in an OSR form (based on Swords & Wizardry), I’m excited to venture inside!

The Cthulhu Alphabet. I’ll be honest here: I didn’t even read the description of this Kickstarter! It was an insta-back for me. I have Goodman Games’Dungeon Alphabet and Monster Alphabet books already, and they’re utterly captivating reads. These books ooze fantastic charm and creepy wonder, and I have no doubt that the Cthulhu Alphabet will deliver the same. Plus: Erol Otus cover art! Not to be missed.”

Sinopa Omnibus, Volume One: 5E NPC’s, stories and more by Sinopa Publishing LLC

END DATE: Fri, May 17 2019 11:59 PM EDT.

“A collection of NPC’s for your Dnd5e fantasy game Original art and content created for my subscribers, in one book RPG D&D TTRPG”

William Quinton (Sinopa Publishing) recommends:

Arcane Invitation: Educating Magical Prodigies in DnD 5e. “A toolkit for running modern and fantasy D&D 5e campaigns set at magical boarding schools. Learn magic. Make friends. Save the world.”

I’m very fond of Harry Potter and this just screams ‘Hogwarts’ to me. As someone who has run a few campaigns myself, I appreciate the simplicity of the campaign, its clearly defined rewards and its affordability. If you ever wanted to play through getting your letter, pick this one up!

Empire of the Ghouls: A 5th Edition Campaign vs. the Undead. “An alliance of cultists, ghouls, and vampires. A scheme of the dark gods against humanity. New maps, dark realms, monstrous societies!”

Fighting against legions of the undead is task which is well suited to heroic campaigns. Couple that with the books being produced by Kobold Press and you’ve got a recipe for fantastic adventures. Don’t miss this campaign folks.”

Monster Menagerie: Gruesome Foes by Rogue Genius Games

END DATE: Fri, May 31 2019 3:00 AM EDT.

“A creepy collection of Pathfinder-compatible templates to help you customize your gruesome foes.”

Want a free preview of the Monster Menagerie? Check out Monster Menagerie: Gruesome Foes Preview here.

Owen KC Stephens (Rogue Genius Games) recommends:

“I am extremely interested in The Maze, by Alastor Guzman. The marketing hook grabbed me immediately: “A system agnostic Kick-the-door supplement.” I’m a big fan of flexible, fungible adventure material, and this looks like it’ll be chock full of ideas I can use, adapt, or be inspired by when running games.

I’m also keeping an eye on GeneFunk 2090, which describes itself as a “biopunk/cyberpunk RPG and setting made using the D&D 5E Open Gaming License. Players take on the role of elite mercenaries that specialize in investigation and violence. No magic or fantasy, but tons of cybernetics, genetic enhancements, nanobots, drones, hacking, androids, high tech guns and armor, and other amazing tech! ” I’m a fan of a lot of old school post-apocalypse games, from Gamma World to Marrow Project, and while this looks to have more of an updated-Cyberpunk-with-a-twist look to it, the idea of having some 5e-compatible high tech rules gets my mash-up ideas flowing!

Obviously as an employee of Paizo [NOTE: Owen KC Stephens is the Design Lead for Starfinder], I am biased in favor of the KINGMAKER 10TH ANNIVERSARY crowdfunding campaign on GameOnTabletop. [NOTE: GameOnTabletop is a tabletop gaming-focused crowdfunding site.] Even so, there are some things I think make it stand out.

First, it’s more than just an update of a popular Adventure Path to 2nd Edition Pathfinder. The Owlcat Games’ Kingmaker is also a huge hit, and has created a lot of its own content. This campaign will adapt much of that content back into a tabletop format, making this a tabletop game based on a video game based on a tabletop game (which was itself based on another tabletop game…)

Secondly, in addition to the hardback adventure, the campaign is offering Bestiaries that convert the monsters in the adventure to 5e or 1st Edition Pathfinder, allowing this one adventure to be run in three systems.

While I know I have rose-colored glasses on, I still recommend anyone interested in any of those game systems check this out!”

Talking Classy Barbarians with Kim Frandsen

The Open Gaming Network’s newsletter had an offer to write for them. That’s how I met Kim Frandsen, my editor at the Open Gaming Network. As with every editor I’ve had, he helped me to hone my craft, introduced me to a number of people in the industry, and is someone I count as a friend. So, when Kim shared one of his projects with me, I knew I wanted to repay his kindness and talk to him about The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy

[UPDATE: The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy is live. Find it here.]

EGG EMBRY (EGG): Thanks for talking with me. Currently, you’re finishing up a project (really several). Can you share some The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy details? 

KIM FRANDSEN (KF)Sure thing, Egg. So, this is basically an experiment, and something that was born out of my own annoyance. I have a liking, as a player, for having multiple options in a single book. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but it just seems right to me. But a lot of the time, when I see a new subclass or something of that sort revealed, it seems to be just that single subclass included in the book. And to me, that seems wrong, as I like choice – I like a LOT of choice. So, I set about the book as an experiment of trying out the DMsGuild for the first time and providing the kind of book I like. I took a good look at all the tropes, stereotypes and references to the barbarian that I could think of, and then I tried to turn them into something that players can use in their games. 

That originally started as just an idea of 10 new paths for the Barbarian, but by the end of it, there was 14 of paths, a new race, 5 backgrounds and a bunch of equipment. It got a bit bigger than I’d originally intended, but that’s how many of these projects run😊 

 

EGG: This project is all you, correct? Every word from your keyboard?  

KF: Everything in the book is mine. EXCEPT the path called Path of the Slayer. That came from the mind of a good friend of mine called Rodney Sloan, who does 5e and Pathfinder as well, and who worked as my copy editor on the OGN. We saw an opportunity as one of his paths fit perfectly into my book, and one of my paths (the Path of the Northman) has made an appearance in his book as well, and was released just a few days ago in the Undersea Sourcebook: Race and Class Guide. 

EGG: Who’s providing the art?  

KF: The cover and some of the larger pieces of internal art is Dean Spencer. I have a real love for his work, so I wanted to showcase some of it. Incidentally, he came out with a piece of art, just as I was writing the new race for the book (redscale lizardfolk), and I just HAD to include that one in the book. The other pieces of internal art are all in the public domain, and was sorted by Bob Greyvenstein, who also did the general layout (and who did a fantastic job, I think). 

 

EGG: Where will it be available? When (roughly) will The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy drop? 

KF: It’s only going to be available on the DMsGuild. I’m hoping this weekend. But it might be delayed (on purpose) till next Thursday/Friday. It really depends on when the layout is finished. 

[UPDATE: The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy is live. Find it here.]

EGG: Why the DMsGuild as opposed to a “standard” release?  

KF: Well, that’s part of the experiment that I mentioned earlier. I’ve had a number of books released on DriveThruRPG, and there are certain advantages to releasing there, such as easier access to putting your book out as Print-on-Demand. However, I think the 5e audience mainly uses the DMsGuild, at least for their D&D purchases, and I want the book to be available to as many people as possible. And it’ll be interesting to see if I’m right. 😉 

 

EGG: Can you share the details of a few classes from the book?  

KFCertainly. I already mentioned the redscale lizardfolk earlier, so I’ll start with them. They’re a new player character race, created from normal lizardfolk stock, by a red dragon looking to make slave creatures. They’re strong and wise, good swimmers and have a bite attack and the ability to deal fire damage with their weapons by coating them in blood. 

I’ll cover just 2 of the paths as well. First is the “Path of the Immortal” – which is inspired by the stories of Achilles. This gives you a bit of the legendary abilities of his, like an improved armor class, extra damage against creatures that wound you, and decreased damage from non-magical weapons, beyond the normal resistance.  

The other one is the Path of the Skinchanger, and it’s inspired by He-Man. I wanted a Barbarian that transformed when he raged, so I have a class that’s thematically tied to his gear, transforming and gaining abilities as long as you have your weapon/armor/shield (your choice) on you, gaining superhuman strength eventually. After writing it, I realized that a quick re-skin would allow you to do Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde and the Hulk as well, which is an added bonus😊 

EGG: You’ve done a small meme campaign to get the word out about this. How has the reaction been? 

KFA lot of laughs. Hopefully not just mine😊 – No, the reception has been good from what I can see, but it’s definitely an acquired taste, and not for everyone. I just wanted something a little different to posting my stuff in every single group imaginable. I know that’s probably imposter syndrome talking, since we all see it, but I really dislike doing it. So, I’d rather have something fun. And yes, I do have one more planned for when the book releases. – One that I think incapsulates every author ever when a new book comes out. 😛 

EGGThe Barbarian: Keeping it Classy is not your only project. What else can you share?  

KF: I always have multiple projects on the go (at any given time, there’s at least 5 on the backburner with a few more active), but the 3 that are currently going on are 2 Starfinder ones (That I cannot talk about due to NDAs), and another 5e one that I CAN talk about. 😊 We’re doing a follow-up to two books that I did together with Ishmael Alvarez called Aurora’s Whole Realms Summer Catalogue and Aurora’s Whole Realms Autumn Catalogue. Spiritual successors to the old Aurora’s Whole Realms Catalogue, based in the Forgotten Realms, and full of new equipment. 😊 

 

EGG: For those not familiar with you, what other projects have you participated in?  

KFThat is WAY too long a list to put it all in here. But my work has probably been seen by most people in Paizo’s Pathfinder Player CompanionWilderness Origins – But I have more than 40 books behind me as an author or co-author and another 20 as editor, plus some 100+ blog posts. Anyone interested can find the full list here: https://paizo.com/people/Curtisin 

EGG: On to some sadder news (for me), you’re no longer my editor at the Open Gaming Network as you’re moving on to greener pastures. Can you share a few highlights from your years there? 

KFWell obviously working with a bunch of talented authors has been interesting to say the least. I’ve learned a lot, hopefully taught even more and often thought to myself “herding cats is easier”😊 – In all seriousness though, I’m grateful to have worked with so many talented people, and singling anyone out would do them a disservice. I will say though, that the most INTERESTING thing we did was to host the DesignFinder Contest. While I wasn’t among the judges, I was the person that the winner had to work with afterwards, and I was the only one, apart from the judges, who saw all the entries. And there are some talented people out there, who simply need to polish their skills, and they could REALLY make an impact. 

 

EGG: For fans interested in learning more about your and The Barbarian: Keeping it Classy, where can they find out more?  

KFI’m relatively active on social media – though I’m new to Twitter. People can follow me here:
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kim.frandsen.12 

Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/TGbloke

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/frandsen3442/

UPDATED – The Elder Scrolls, D&D, and Accusations of Plagiarism

The Elder ScrollsBethesda’s masterful fantasy video game franchise, released a free, short tabletop adventure for Dungeons & Dragons 5e via Facebook. The 12-page adventure included six pre-generated third-level characters and seemed like an excellent combination of two great properties. Meant to advertise for The Elder Scrolls Online Elsweyr, this freebie instead generated controversy.  

UPDATEBethesda shares their next steps (Twitter link with the details at the end of this article).

Up just over a day, this project was met with charges of plagiarism, specifically that the entire adventure was taken directly from Paige Leitman and Ben Heisler’s Adventure League adventure, DDAL05-02 The Black Road (5e). Paige shared a point-by-point comparison between her adventure and theirs showing where they intersect.  

 

 

As well as the plagiarism charge, the adventure from Bethesda Softworks LLC does not include the OGL, a requirement for D&D 5e products from third parties.  

As a result of these “concerns”, Bethesda opted to remove the link to the game as they “investigate the source”. The thread, including Paige’s comparison, has been deleted from “The Elder Scrolls Online” Facebook page. I’ve reached out to Bethesda to discuss their findings, but they did not reply by the time this went to press. I will continue to monitor this situation.  

 

WRITER’S NOTE: I downloaded the adventure from Bethesda. However, after the accusations, I decided to purchase Paige Leitman and Ben Heisler’s Adventure League adventure, DDAL05-02 The Black Road (5e) both for comparison and because I want to support game designers. 

 

UPDATE 2019-05-13:

Via Twitter, Bethesda has issued an update as to what occurred and what their current actions are as a result. More in the link.

 

Press Release: RULE THE WORLD WITH THE KINGMAKER 10TH ANNIVERSARY CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

RULE THE WORLD WITH THE KINGMAKER 10TH ANNIVERSARY CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

Make your pledge now for a brand new collected and expanded hardcover compilation of the Kingmaker Adventure PathKingmaker Companion Guide, a Kingmaker Bestiary for Pathfinder First Edition, and a Kingmaker Bestiary for 5E.

The Dead RoadsREDMOND, WASHINGTON (May 7, 2019): Today, Paizo Inc. launched the Kingmaker 10th Anniversary crowdfunding campaign at KingmakerCampaign.com. The campaign is based around four books: the Kingmaker Adventure Path converted to the newest Pathfinder edition, the Kingmaker Companion Guide inspired by the Owlcat Games CRPG, an old-school Kingmaker Bestiary for Pathfinder First Edition, and a Kingmaker Bestiary for 5E. More add-ons and unlocks will be revealed as the campaign progresses over two weeks on Game On Tabletop. The campaign will end on May 21 at midnight.

In 2010, Pathfinder’s Kingmaker Adventure Path raised the bar on what a tabletop fantasy RPG campaign could be. With open-ended sandbox-style adventures, Kingmaker beckoned players to claim their throne and carve a new nation out of the treacherous River Kingdoms, map hex by map hex. Tens of thousands of gamers answered the call, ranking Kingmaker among the best-known and best-loved tabletop campaigns in history.

Last fall, Owlcat Games released a best-selling computer game adaptation of the Kingmaker campaign, adding new adventures, new mysteries, and more than a dozen new companions to accompany the players as they expand their holdings from a single fortress to a burgeoning empire. A new generation of rulers have schemed and sliced their way to the heights of power in the River Kingdoms, and interest in the Kingmaker campaign has never been higher!

Paizo Publisher Erik Mona said, “We are excited to bring 10 years of development and innovative expansions back to the gaming table. The only question is… how ambitious do we get? That’s where you come in. Help us celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Kingmaker Adventure Path and bring this epic campaign to a new generation of gamers—and to your own tabletop!

A stunning 576-page hardcover, the Kingmaker Adventure Path provides GMs everything they need to run this epic campaign. All six chapters published in 2010 will be updated to Pathfinder Second Edition rules, incorporating a decade of player and GM feedback and new characters, conflicts, and plots inspired by the best-selling digital adaptation of the campaign that released last fall—including a new prologue making its tabletop debut in this release! Detailed appendices provide GMs with flavorful gazetteers of the campaign’s myriad locations, from the Stolen Lands at large to the rival city of Pitax. The Kingmaker Adventure Path also features complete rules for hex-map exploration and kingdom building and management to bring the campaign’s most innovative elements to life at the table. Lastly, a bestiary of new and updated monsters that feature prominently in the Adventure Path give GMs of any campaign new tools to torment their player characters with! As the campaign levels up, the size of this book will grow to include new content!

The adventures don’t stop in Kingmaker’s core campaign, though. Inspired by the hit CRPG from Owlcat Games, the Kingmaker Companion Guide is a 32-page softcover compendium designed for Pathfinder Second Edition. Additionally, the book has the potential to increase in pages as the crowdfunding campaign levels up.

Paizo has old-school Pathfinder players covered with the hardcover Kingmaker Bestiary for Pathfinder First Edition, a 160-page monster and NPC resource that converts the new companions, NPCs, and monsters unlocked by this campaign into Pathfinder First Edition. They can play along in the new and updated encounters with this helpful conversion guide featuring back-converted stats for the entire Kingmaker campaign, plus other rules conversions, tips and tricks to run the campaign as smoothly as possible.

Why limit the fun of the Kingmaker Adventure Path to Pathfinder players? With the Kingmaker Bestiary for 5E add-on, GMs and players of the fifth edition of the world’s oldest roleplaying game gain access to more than 140 monsters and key NPCs from the Kingmaker Adventure Path! With 5E conversions by our industry-leading partners at Legendary Games, this 160-page hardcover volume is an add-on from day one. Whether used as a companion volume to help convert the entire Kingmaker campaign or as a handy way to add new challenges and foes to 5E campaigns of all varieties, these time-tested critters and foes are sure to keep players on their toes!

Go to KingmakerCampaign.com to learn more.

XXX

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 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.

PRESS RELEASE: RPG expert joins AMU

Picture1.png

Author and RPG Expert Daniel D. Fox to Join

 Andrews McMeel Universal

Kansas City, MO (May 6, 2019) – Kansas City author and tabletop role-playing game (RPG) designer Daniel D. Fox will join Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU) as Executive Creative Director of Games, announced by President and Publisher Kirsty Melville. In this newly-created position, Fox will work to create and acquire RPGs and related products, as well as work with new and established AMU creators to identify opportunities for extending their brands into the world of games.  He joins AMU May 6 and will report to Melville.

“With our successful track record in both print and digital puzzles and games, the world of RPGs makes sense for us as a publisher,” said Melville. “Daniel’s experience in game development and digital marketing make him a perfect fit for this role.”

“Daniel is a creative thinker with an uncanny ability to identify and develop new talent and game properties,” said AMU CEO Andy Sareyan. “We look forward to great things as he leads our expansion into the RPG category.”

“There are a growing number of RPG designers looking for the right partner to bring their games to life in the broader RPG market,” said Daniel D. Fox. “We intend to be that partner at AMU. Coupled with our publishing reach, growth of the ZWEIHÄNDER RPG catalogue, and a wealth of talented creators and associates beneath the AMU banner, we are poised for success. We intend to be agents for change in the RPG publishing world, using traditional print and digital extensions of our games to reach audiences where they are most active – at the gaming table and online.”

Fox is the creator and author of ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG, one of the best-selling fantasy tabletop role-playing games.  Featured on Forbes.com and having won two ENnie golds for Best Game and Product of the Year at Gen Con 2018, the self-published version has sold over 90,000 copies worldwide. Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP) will publish ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG: Revised Edition in June 2019, followed by MAIN GAUCHE Grim & Perilous Supplement in September.  Prior to joining AMU, Fox was Director of Client Engagement at VMLY&R since 2017, and worked in digital strategy and marketing for much of his career.

ABOUT ANDREWS MCMEEL UNIVERSAL

Founded in 1970, Andrews McMeel Universal is an independent, multi-faceted, global entertainment company. Distinguished by a creator-first approach and the uncanny ability to tap into the zeitgeist of popular culture, Andrews McMeel specializes in comics, illustrated humor and inspirational content distributed across multiple platforms, with a remarkable roster of talent across syndication, book, calendar, and greeting card publishing, digital consumer experiences, and entertainment licensing, including dozens of New York Times bestselling authors and Pulitzer Prize-, Reuben Award-, and Emmy-Award-winning creators.

PRESS RELEASE: WIZCO GAMES, LLC. STARTS NEW ADVENTURES IN THE REALMS OF TABLETOP GAMING

WIZCO GAMES, LLC. STARTS NEW ADVENTURES IN THE REALMS OF TABLETOP GAMING

Entrepreneurs Matt “KC Rift” Everhart, Brian Berg, Jimmy Duffie, and Danny Grimes launched the parent company WizCo Games, LLC. to open the door to new business ventures.  WizCo is the parent company of the Blackwood Society™ – an organized play community for publishing online and convention tabletop role-playing games, and Wizards of the Couch™ – a streaming channel.

The Blackwood Society™ allows players to join online virtual tabletop games through their favorite gaming platforms, while providing a persistent play experience consistent with other organized play groups established by prominent game companies. The Blackwood Society™ difference is the games are presented independently, allowing for a much greater breadth of content, while freeing players to explore beyond one single system or brand. The Blackwood Society’s™ games have been played at popular gaming conventions such as Gary Con, Gamehole Con, Kobold Con, Genghis Con, GENCON and more, and you can simply join a Blackwood Society™ game online, make new friends and try out new games.

Wizards of the Couch™ will feature Everhart, Berg, Duffie, and Grimes along with other personalities and celebrity guests in a fun and energetic open forum discussion panel on tabletop gaming news and topics.  The streaming venue will be live on Monday nights at 9PM CST, biweekly, with other segments forthcoming.

About the owners:

Matt “KC Rift” is the owner of Kobold Con in Colorado Springs, publisher and contributor of several RPG for the Pathfinder RPG, and the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. His current project for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition is a horror series of adventures based in his own campaign setting called Eryphir.

Brian Berg is the co-founder and director of operations for Total Party Kill Games, having published or been credited in over 100 titles in the fantasy gaming sphere over the last ten years.  By day, Brian is the brand manager for a social gaming company and by night, he works nefariously at crafting his own dark fantasy content.

Danny Grimes is a professional GM who has run large-scale games at GENCON (and other cons) since 1986. D&D, Call of Cthulhu and Numenera are his preferred gaming vintages. He currently serves as chief editor and art director for Blackwood Society™ and designer/owner of Delvingwood Collectible Game Terrain. Danny Grimes is a C-level marketing and operations executive in his non-gaming life.

Jimmy Duffie has nurtured his love of fantasy-based stories since he was introduced to D&D back in the summer of 1981. With 30 years of work in IT and Film/Video production, he brings another unique business perspective to WizCo games and looks forward to the creative collaboration with his new partners.

Quote:

“WizCo is going to throw open the doors to gamers of all stripes and experiences, include and connect us all in a way that knocks down the barriers of entry to this much loved hobby.

-Brian Berg

Chief Operating Officer

Follow and find out more about WizCo and their Blackwood Society™ and Wizards of the Couch™ on the following social media channels:

Facebook: Wizards of the Couch on Facebook

Website: http://www.wizcogames.com

 

Contact Information

Matt Everhart, CEO

Brian Berg, COO

Danny Grimes, Chief Creative Officer

Jimmie Duffie, Chief Technical Officer

wizards@wizco.games

What Kickstarters Excite Creators? Lancer, Endless Realms, Afterlife, Far Away Land, GeneFunk, 2090, Relics, First Kings, and Fight!

I put out the call asking RPG Kickstarter creators for the projects that excite them and, this week, I got eight responses. Lots of quality recommendations from the creators of these RPG Kickstarters:

Lancer by Massif Press

END DATE: Sat, May 11 2019 2:59 AM EDT.

Lancer is a mud-and-lasers RPG about mechs and the pilots who crew them. Narrative play, gritty tactical combat and deep customization.”

Miguel Lopez (Massif Press) recommends:

Sundown, A Queerpunk Roleplaying Game. I’ve been keeping an eye on Sundown: A Queerpunk Roleplaying Game which is active on Kickstarter until May 10th. It’s a revolutionary little game that combines accessible rules and roleplaying depth, one I think would be as good a teaching tool as a roleplaying system and setting. Sundown puts a clear focus on an empathetic, radical roleplaying that establishes player safety and player solidarity as much as player character, while equipping players and their characters to explore narratives that interrogate (either implicitly or explicitly) dominant depictions of gender, humanity, and power. From rhetorical changes to specific rules, Sundown centers character in a unique fantasy setting, emphasizes player freedom and safety around the table, and gives primacy to stories that are often suppressed or ignored.”

Endless Realms: Tome of Spirits by Lunar Games

END DATE: Thu, May 23 2019 12:59 PM EDT.

Endless Realms: Tome of Spirits, Our first Tabletop RPG Supplement, and your gateway to the world of the spirits.”

UPDATE from Kirsty Garbe: “I put out a free creature promo set [for Endless Realms] a while ago [on DriveThruRPG here.]”

Kirsty Garbe (Lunar Games) recommends:

Infinity’s Edge by Shawn Carman excites me because I think the whole concept of being inside an MMORPG as a character and interacting with NPCs, is just so fascinating. It also strangely feels more realistic then the current RPG format of slaying a creature and all this gold and items appearing, because its an MMORPG. Utilizing respawning, for strategic Player character deaths, and timing your deaths also is such an interesting concept. It means that even if my character dies ill just respawn, and BAM my game is not ruined because of a character death.”

Afterlife: Wandering Souls by Angry Hamster Publishing

END DATE: Fri, May 31 2019 9:22 AM EDT.

Afterlife: Wandering Souls is a tabletop RPG about recovering lost memories and exploring strange worlds.”

Elizabeth Chaipraditkul (Angry Hamster Publishing) recommends:

One Child’s Heart. I am always on the lookout for unique games, something I haven’t played before, and something that will impact me emotionally – One Child’s Heart is just that. I personally know the creator Camdon and the amount of thought and work he’s put into this amazing game means it can only be good. I love the idea of an RPG that is all about understanding and empathizing, it’s just a fantastic concept.

NOTE: I am a stretch goal for One Child’s Heart (my goal was met a while back), but I really do love the game and it is produced by some of the coolest people.

A Town Called Malice. The setting is what really got me interested in A Town Called Malice. There’s something about the idea of isolation that’s always drawn me in and a roleplay game with that theme is magic. I also think it can be a challenge to create a compelling collaborative game centered around the ideas of isolation so I am excited to see this one come out and tackle that problem.”

Far Away Land Old School Role-Playing Game by Simian Circle Games

END DATE: Wed, May 29 2019 11:45 AM EDT.

“OSR version of the Far Away Land RPG compatible with older versions of the world’s most famous game and its clones.”

Dirk Stanley (Simian Circle Games) recommends:

Bloat Games’ The Blackest of Deaths. I’ve backed all of Bloat’s projects and have loved everything they have released. The Blackest of Deaths presents itself as a brutal world where the chance of survival is nil. I love the idea of no advancement, minimal gear, and an attempt to try and make it as long as possible in a hellhole that wants you dead. Cormac McCarthy said “Even the damned in hell have the community of their suffering.” The Blackest of Deaths seems to be the rpg version of that quote. I’m all about it.

Savage Worlds Rifts. I’ve always loved the setting in Rifts but had issues with the mechanics. We always house-ruled everything as we murder hoboed our way through the desolation of the future. It’s nice to see a facelift on a fantastic setting.”

GeneFunk 2090 by CRISPR Monkey Studios

END DATE: Thu, May 30 2019 10:45 AM EDT.

“A biopunk/cyberpunk tabletop RPG in the 5E system”

James Armstrong (CRISPR Monkey Studios) recommends: 

The Koryo Hall of Adventures 5e Compatible Campaign Setting, on Kickstarter, by Aurelien Laine. This one’s easy, I lived in South Korea for 3 years, and think Korean folklore is a treasure trove of unexplored animistic awesomeness that has a distinct flavor, distinguishing it from the more well known mythologies of their neighbors. We’ve seen the “Korean Wave” with pop music and movies, but there’s so much more. It’s clear the creator has passion for the content, the art is killer, fantastic promo video, and it looks like incredible world building on ancient tried and true tales. Clear effort from top to bottom. Dae han min gook!”

Relics: A Game of Angels by Tin Star Games

END DATE: Fri, May 10 2019 5:59 AM EDT.

“A Roleplaying Game of Mystery, Mythology and Memory”

Steve Dee (Tin Star Games) recommends:

I’m always interested in humour games, and in different takes on things, so I’ve been looking at For the Dungeon! You play dungeon minions trying to protect your dungeon from homicidal murderhobos. Seeing things from “behind the scenes” is a great set up for comedy and for roleplaying, and comedy RPGs that are done well are actually really well – and this looks like it could be just such a beast. The art is excellent, the rules are simple, and it comes with a godsend for all RPGs – a deck of cards that aren’t encounters but inspiration prompts. It’s light but I like light, and the price is very reasonable.

Fellow Aussie designers, Smunchy Games, have come up with Paths: World of Adia. I’m really interested in this one because it is the “hybrid” design space. Just as so many board games are edging into being RPGs – the D&D board games, Gloomhaven, Batman, Conan, Descent, Mansions of Madness – here we have a game going the other direction. It is ostensibly an RPG but is card driven in character design, giving lots of depth like in a board game, and uses MMO ideas like threat and aggro to track encounters. It can even apparently be run without a GM, which is of course the real appeal of things like Gloomhaven. If the writing is good, then this could be the holy grail. Also, it has elephant people and dog people and the art is INSANELY gorgeous. Deserves a lot more attention!

Finally, I just stumbled onto Latchkey. It’s at the other end of the spectrum from Paths in that it is small and humble in its conception, and asking for just a small goal as a result. And it’s a small idea, in that the whole game takes place in a single town in Tennessee, and tells the story of a group of Latchkey kids in the near future fighting to take their town back. RPGs can be big and sprawling and epic but they can also be small and intimate and there’s a lot of power in a tight focus, it helps key into a great story that can really resonate. You can do a lot with a little in this hobby, and Latchkey leaps out as someone taking their first steps to really do some great work.”

FIRST KINGS (RPG in a Dark Fantasy Rome) by Epic Party Games

END DATE: Tue, May 21 2019 5:00 AM EDT.

“Dark-Fantasy RPG, where the descendants of the First King of Rome, Werewolves with divine powers, fight against the Old Dark World!”

Max Castellani (Epic Party Games) recommends:

“So, there are at least two RPGs – currently on Kickstarter – I’d like to talk to you about (as a sort of what-to-buy advice): the first one probably wouldn’t even need to be suggested at this point, I’m talking about the big hit “Lancer”; the second one, another good shot, is “For the Dungeon!” A fresh and funny RPG.

Now, we may sound superficial, but what we personally like the most about LANCER, is the artwork, in fact, we would have supported it even without reading a single page off the over three hundred available for free, on the project page (LOL). The fact is that we’re really hooked by its style, it brings up memories and feelings of the anime we used to love as teenagers (such as Dragonball, for example, which was like.. HUGE where we lived). So, at the end of the day, the gorgeous graphics and the game system, they also look like they’ve been tailor made for the setting. There you go, full package, right? We can’t wait to play a bunch of cool Lancers as soon as the game is delivered!

For the Dungeon! is a comedy role-playing game where you get to play as minions instead of as heroes. and this is something we deeeeeeply love to do!
It remembers us games like “Aye, Dark Overlord!”, and – once again – the artworks look on pitch and absolutely fun. We really think a game like this, could probably represent a nice runaway to get energies back, after a long-serious-dark-and-grim campaign (maybe a First Kings campaign!? LOL) with your party of friends!”

Fight! 2nd Edition by Divine Madness Press

END DATE: Thu, May 16 2019 10:41 AM EDT.

“The revised, expanded, and clarified edition of the TTRPG designed specifically to tell the stories of fighting game characters.”

Christopher Peter (Divine Madness Press) recommends:

Necrotic Gnome’s Old School Essentials has simply beautiful production values. When I play the world’s most popular role-playing game, I prefer the older editions, especially B/X. I’m looking forward to seeing this new presentation of the classic rules set. Based on how well the project is going, I am clearly not alone in that.

I’m also interested in Deep Dungeon Games’ Seven of Seven. I can’t design a fantasy world without extensive attention paid to metaphysics, so complete and consistent pantheons are always appreciated. I especially like the breakdown of the gods into seven distinct spheres, which demonstrates thoughtful consistency. I look forward to seeing the artistic presentation of the final book.

Finally, I’m keeping an eye on Kobold Press’ Empire of the Ghouls. When I run 5th Edition, I prefer to run a full campaign arc, and my favorite enemies are demons and undead. Furthermore, Kobold Press has a great reputation for capturing the best parts of a classic fantasy feel, which appeals to an old guy like me.”

 

The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the individual contributors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of the Tessera Guild.

PRESS RELEASE: Unicorn Motorcycle Games presents One Child’s Heart

Unicorn Motorcycle Games presents One Child’s Heart, a tabletop roleplaying game about empathy, hope, and human connection in the face of childhood crisis.

About the Game

In this game, players take on the roles of child welfare professionals, such as psychiatrists, social workers, and therapists, who enter the memories of traumatized children to help them reframe moments of distress and teach them resiliency. These memories are a chance to forge real human connections and make someone suffering feel less alone.

The game uses a basic stat system that tells players how many d6 they roll when they’re seeing how the child reacts to their attempt to connect with them. If they succeed by hitting the target number, the child trusts the professional more, and forges a connection with them. If they fail, they risk losing trust with the child, traumatizing them, or even violating their professional ethics.

As the professionals move from memory to memory, the game’s difficult can lower as they work as a team to leave the child with the tools they’ll need to face the world. Every time they make a connection with the child, the professionals gain a therapeutic token. If they gain enough throughout the memories, they’ll leave a lasting impact on the child and help the child become more resilient.

The game is about compassion, human connection, and hope. It’s a game that focuses on moments where just asking if someone is okay can help that person feel less alone. It teaches the value of empathy, of listening, and of reaching out even when you don’t know what to say. Most importantly, it shows us that a loving, willing person can give someone suffering the gift of hope.

It is not a game about witnessing horrific abuse. It’s a game about trauma and resiliency. The memories being explored are about those smaller, quieter moments that from the outside might not seem like such a big deal, but because of the life the child has lived leading up to that moment, their perception of the world has changed. The game is about supporting someone in those moments.

About the Designer

One Child’s Heart was designed by Camdon Wright. Camdon Wright (he/him) is a game designer who passionately loves playing pretend, telling stories, and creating spaces for marginalized voices. Besides being known for being a staff writer at the ENnie award winning blog Gnome Stew and the Diversity Coordinator for the Indie Game Developers Network (IGDN). He’s the owner of Unicorn Motorcycle Games, co-host of the Misdirected Mark Podcast, and proud father of two amazing kids. Some of his incredible work includes the 200-word RPG Secret Person of Color and the game Madness and Desire. You can find him hiding behind a typewriter with a brilliant idea, playing pretend at various conventions, or holding loving conversations with those who need a friend.

Testimonials

“A tender, powerful game.

When I played, Camdon introduced us to Kelly, the child we would have the opportunity to try to help. She was strong and in pain. She had lost her mother, and was growing up in the foster care system. Kelly was challenged by life and what it hadn’t given her. Camdon told us this particular girl would only be in this one game. There was no game over for her, no respawning to try again. No one else could be her knight in shining armor that next time. We three and our fumbling attempts to help were going to have a lasting impact. In the way choices each of us makes each day, to try to be there for one another. We leave impacts, leave scars. And we can offer hope. Kelly found a thread to hang onto in our game. She connected with a teacher. Found something with meaning to her, creativity and art. She became a teacher herself, extending the helping hand she’d been given to others. Kelly challenges me to live up to her model. To remember that each moment we can give or be there for another is a moment we can never get back if it is squandered.

Play One Child’s Heart and let it change you. Camdon guides us to learn, witness and open our own hearts for the better. “

– Emily Care Boss

“I loved playing One Child’s Heart. It’s the kind of game that lingers with you long, long after you play it and it’s a genuinely moving experience.”

– Jeff Stormer

“It’s a really real emotional palette that this game works with and it does so in a way that’s really subtle. A way that doesn’t get enough recognition in games.”

– Jabari Weathers

“Camdon Wright’s One Child’s Heart is a game unlike any other I’ve ever played. It’s beautiful. It really strives to make better humans through role-playing.”

– Michael Conn

“After playing One Chld’s Heart by Camdon Wright, I was struck by how completely unique it is among tabletop rpgs. One Child’s Heart demands that you engage with your feelings in sometimes uncomfortable, but powerful ways. It’s intense, hopeful, and despite the fact that it’s primary framing device is fictional, very, very real.”

– Chuck Lauer

Media

The fantastic Jeff Stormer of the Party of One Podcast brought Camdon on to the show to play the game. If you want to check out what the game feels like and how a one on one game would go, check out this really awesome podcast. Thank you, Jeff, for having us on and playing our game! We’re so excited to share this with the world!

Our friends at She’s a Super Geek had Camdon and Kate on to play the game. Kate ran the game for Andi Fox and Jen Adcock, two badass folks in the gaming world. To hear the first part of the game, check out the podcast! We’ll let you know when the second half drops. This actual play lets you hear how a session with three players goes. Thank you to Jenn, Senda, Andi, and the team behind She’s a Super Geek!

Finally, if you want to learn more about Camdon, the ever amazing Alex Roberts had Camdon join the show for Backstory. Hear Camdon talk about intentional and emotional game design, his hopes for the community, and learn more about how he designs games. Thank you to Alex for having Camdon join him and her thoughtful, compassionate interviews.

Have a listen and let us know what you think! You can also hear an actual play on the Kickstarter site with the folks from the Misdirected Mark Podcast. Thank you to all the folks from MMP and their continued and dedicated support of Camdon and One Child’s Heart!

The Lounge by the Misdirected Mark Podcast recently featured an in depth discussion with Camdon Wright about One Child’s heart. Jesse Edmond spends an hour to talk all things about the game, Camdon’s life, and his game design style.

Cover Art by Jabari Weathers

The Kickstarter is currently live and will be running until May 16th!

PRESS RELEASE: FREE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL ALIEN TABLETOP RPG SERIES

Free League Publishing

FREE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL ALIEN TABLETOP RPG SERIES

Free League Publishing – Apr 26, 2019 17:07 BST

Roleplaying where no one can hear you scream

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 26, 2019) – Forty years ago, Alien shocked and inspired the world with a horrific sci-fi universe that forever changed the genre. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, Free League Publishing has announced today that fans can soon explore that iconic universe for themselves with an official line of tabletop role-playing games.

The long-term licensing partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products will kick off in late 2019, launching an ongoing tabletop RPG series drawing upon four decades of world-building within this beloved universe. Free League is renowned for its own world-building in science fiction, with their best-selling sci-fi RPG Tales from the Loop sweeping the 2017 ENnie Awards for Best Setting, Best Writing, Best Art, Best Game, and Product of the Year. Tomas Härenstam, Free League co-founder and game director of their sci-fi RPGs Tales from the Loop and Mutant: Year Zero, will oversee game design, with original artwork from esteemed artists Martin Grip, John Mullaney and Axel Torvenius.

Taking place shortly after the events of Aliens, the first RPG will propel players into the vast possibilities of the Outer Rim Frontier. From the pioneering colonists and scientists to the ever-present Company reps and Colonial Marines, the game promises a diverse range of characters and gameplay experiences far beyond the staple cat-and-mouse suspense and survival horror of the franchise.

“The Alien saga isn’t about superheroes with superior firepower,” says game director Härenstam. “It’s about placing ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, and testing the endurance of the human spirit against inhuman atrocities and impossible odds. Such a harsh yet hopeful universe has captured our imagination for 40 years with good reason, and we’re excited to explore new stories and perspectives as players must face their demons (in a true and metaphoric sense) and brave the horrors of the unknown.”

To best capture the Alien experience, the RPG will provide more than the framework for continuous, open-world campaigns. Beyond the sandbox campaign game mode, Free League is also designing a “Cinematic” mode, with pre-generated scenarios that players must complete within a single session. Emulating the dramatic arc of an Alien film, these survival challenges promise escalating stakes and fast (often brutal) gameplay where most players aren’t expected to last the night. Their first cinematic scenario, Chariot of the Gods written by sci-fi novelist Andrew E.C. Gaska (Death of the Planet of the Apes), is included in the core manual. More cinematic modules and game expansions are already in production, with direct tie-ins to Fox’s future plans for the franchise slated for 2020 and beyond.

The Fox-Free League licensing deal was brokered by Joe LeFavi of Genuine Entertainment, who will manage the license on behalf of Free League and serve as an editor on the game series. Alien is the latest in a slew of high-profile tabletop deals by LeFavi, including the master tabletop gaming license for Dune, the tabletop RPG series for Altered Carbon, and multiple brand extensions of World of Darkness.

For more news and previews on the Alien RPG series, visit alien-rpg.com. Then follow Free League Publishing on Twitter and Facebook, where fans can discover art and gameplay development ahead of the game’s release.

ABOUT 20TH CENTURY FOX CONSUMER PRODUCTS

20th Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of 20th Century Fox Film, 20th Century Fox Television and FX Networks, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with 20th Century Fox Television, the flagship studio leading the industry in supplying award-winning and blockbuster primetime television programming and entertainment content and 20th Century Fox Film, one of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures throughout the world. For more information on all Alien products and activities, go to www.AlienUniverse.com.

ABOUT FREE LEAGUE PUBLISHING

Free League is a critically acclaimed Swedish publisher of speculative fiction, dedicated to publishing award-winning tabletop role-playing games, board games, and art books set in strange and wondrous worlds. Our best-selling RPG Tales from the Loop swept the 2017 ENnie Awards, winning five Gold ENnies for Best Setting, Best Writing, Best Art, Best Game, and Product of the Year. The game is inspired by a series of iconic art books published by Free League – Tales from the Loop, Things from the Flood, and The Electric State – exploring artist Simon Stålenhag’s original sci-fi universe soon to be realized in the upcoming TV series from Amazon Studios. Most recently, our fantasy RPG Forbidden Lands became the 3rd most successful RPG Kickstarter of 2017 and dubbed one of the best RPGs of 2018. Other tabletop work includes the post-apocalyptic RPG Mutant: Year Zero, the sci-fi RPG Coriolis – The Third Horizon, the fantasy RPG Symbaroum, and the Crusader Kings board game. To learn more, visit freeleaguepublishing.com.

ABOUT GENUINE ENTERTAINMENT

Genuine Entertainment is an award-winning producer and paladin in genre entertainment, specializing in strategic licensing for entertainment franchises and fandoms that demand quality and authenticity in equal measure. It’s our mission to build brands by building worlds and fan communities, making meaningful contributions with premium content and consumer products that extend brands into new markets and genuinely connect with fans across multiple categories. Recent collaborations include such genre greats as Alien, Altered Carbon, Avengers: Infinity War, Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Game of Thrones, and World of Darkness. To learn more, visit: www.genuineent.com.

Free League is a critically acclaimed Swedish publisher of speculative fiction, dedicated to publishing award-winning tabletop role-playing games, board games, and art books set in strange and wondrous worlds. Our best-selling RPG Tales from the Loop swept the 2017 ENnie Awards, winning five Gold ENnies for Best Setting, Best Writing, Best Art, Best Game, and Product of the Year. The game is inspired by a series of iconic art books published by Free League – Tales from the Loop, Things from the Flood, and The Electric State – exploring artist Simon Stålenhag’s original sci-fi universe soon to be realized in the upcoming TV series from Amazon Studios. Most recently, our fantasy RPG Forbidden Lands became the 3rd most successful RPG Kickstarter of 2017 and dubbed one of the best RPGs of 2018. Other tabletop work includes the post-apocalyptic RPG Mutant: Year Zero, the sci-fi RPG Coriolis – The Third Horizon, the fantasy RPG Symbaroum, and the Crusader Kings board game. To learn more, visit freeleaguepublishing.com.

Website: freeleaguepublishing.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FriaLigan
Instagram: http://instagram.com/frialigan/
Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/FrialiganSe
Twitter: http://twitter.com/FriaLigan

Share on social media

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin

Read more on Mynewsdesk

FREE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL ALIEN TABLETOP RPG SERIES

Resource links

Alien RPG Website   Free League on Facebook   Direct Link to Alien RPG Trailer

What Kickstarters Excite Creators? Pinnacle Entertainment, The Umerican Road Atlas and Umerica Unnatural, One Child’s Heart, Augusta Universalis, and Gordon’s Bluff

This edition of What Kickstarters Excite Creators? is a special one in several ways. First, Shane Hensley of Pinnacle Entertainment, the company behind Savage Worlds and Deadlands, shares a list of Kickstarters he’s excited about. I’m eager to share projects that Shane wants to put a spotlight on. Second, the creators behind The Umerican Road Atlas and Umerica Unnatural, One Child’s Heart, Gordon’s Bluff, and more share their thoughts on what’s good on Kickstarter. Third, I’ll be at JordanCon (the annual celebration of all things Robert Jordan in Atlanta) this weekend. If you’re there, I hope to see you.

The Umerican Road Atlas and Umerica Unnatural by Shield of Faith Studios, LLC

END DATE: Mon, May 6 2019 10:00 PM EDT.

“Two new sourcebooks for your Umerican DCC Campaign! A combo meal of wasteland wonder and sweet salvage to enhance your apocalypse.”

Reid “Reidzilla” San Filippo (Shield of Faith Studios, LLC) recommends:

I WAS A TEENAGE CREATURE by Ninjacat is a narrative-focused, urban fantasy tabletop roleplaying game that emulates a young adult paranormal TV show (or movie, or book series, etc.!) such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Teen Wolf, or even the Dresden Files. The twist is that the mechanics of the game are not based on what can these supernatural characters do but Why they are doing it and What emotion is currently driving their actions. The author has been a friend of mine for decades and I’m really happy to see this campaign live.

Lancer by Massif Press is a mud-and-lasers tabletop roleplaying game centered on modular mechs and the pilots who crew them. I grew up playing BattleTech, playing with Shogun Warriors, and watching Robotech so giant robots are a favorite of mine. This new RPG has amazing art and just crunchy enough to do mechs well without going overboard. Plus, the Beta rules have been freely available for over a year as the author tweaked them into perfection.”

One Child’s Heart by Camdon Wright

END DATE: Thu, May 16 2019 10:00 AM EDT.

One Child’s Heart is a tabletop roleplaying game about empathy, hope, and human connection in the face of childhood crisis.”

Camdon Wright recommends: 

The Koryo Hall of Adventures. This is a really cool looking campaign setting based on Korean locations, myths and legends for Dungeons and Dragons 5e. It makes me so happy to see thoughtful content that moves beyond the generic “Asian themed” material that we’ve seen for so many years. If you play D&D and are looking for something new to play please check out The Koryo Hall of Adventures! Please help them reach their funding goal!

Once Upon a Time in JianghuA wuxia-inspired Powered by the Apocalypse game that features some of my favorite writers! Sen-Foong Lim, Banana Chan, Rob Abrazado, and Elizabeth Chaipraditkul are all onboard as stretch goals! I love that it features the quick creation of unique characters in a setting that celebrates the diversity of Asia. As a bonus, Gallant Knight Games has always been great at delivering on the projects I’ve backed.”

UPDATE 2019-05-09. Unfortunately, the Kickstarter for Once Upon a Time in Jianghu has been canceled. It was done for the right reasons as the company investigates accusations made against the creator, but it’s still unfortunate news all the way around. Gallant Knight Games and WunderWerks share a statement about this situation and their next steps. http://www.rpgnews.com/once-upon-a-time-in-jianghu-canceled/

Gordon’s Bluff – A 5E DND and Pathfinder Adventure Module by Zan’s Adventures

END DATE: Sun, April 28 2019 3:12 PM EDT.

“A Lighthouse, evil magic, murderous monstrosities, and an innocent hamlet caught in the middle of it all. A 5E and Pathfinder Module”

Paul Rodenburg (Zan’s Adventures) recommends:

Odyssey of the Dragonlords blows me away. The artwork is amazing, and the production values look outstanding. The people behind it (James Ohlen, Jesse Sky, and Drew Karpyshyn) have a great history when it comes to CRPG’s. It looks exciting and fun. I wish I could design something that looks this good.

Deniable Assets is about being a horrible corporate villain, in the 80’s, working your way up the corporate ladder. I like anything where you can be the bad guy. Bad guys are more fun, and the setting is very intriguing. It’s an awesome concept.”

Rifts® for Savage Worlds: American Armageddon by Pinnacle Entertainment Group

END DATE: Mon, May 6 2019 9:00 PM EDT.

“Three New Worldbooks Exploring the North America of Rifts® for Savage Worlds!”

Shane Hensley (Pinnacle Entertainment) recommends [WRITER’S NOTE: I added the logline descriptions].

Several I’m looking at or have backed recently. Top of the list would be:

WiseGuys – “Wiseguys, a Las Vegas Mafia setting and guide to organized crime for the Savage Worlds Roleplaying Game.”

Movie Empire – “A medium-weight movie production strategy board game for 1-4 players. ‘I love the smell of worker placement in the morning.'”

Milito – “Milito is a card-based, diceless wargame by Martin Wallace, putting you at the head of an Ancient army.”

Girl With No Name Comic – “An orphaned girl raised by her bounty hunter uncle sets out for revenge after he’s murdered by a band of outlaws.”

Augusta Universalis RPG by Acchiappa Sogni

END DATE: Tue, April 30 2019 4:22 PM EDT.

“The Uchronic Role-Playing Game of Humanity and Empires beyond the Stars”

NOTE: Daniele Fusetto, a writer and a friend of Luca De Marini, creator of Augusta Universalis RPG, wrote me to share his friend’s RPG. I thought that was cool and the fact that I do my best to promote the international RPG scene, I decided to ask him to contribute his thoughts to this article (hence the recommendation for Augusta Universalis in the Augusta Universalis’ section).

Daniele Fusetto recommends:

“There are two tabletop RPGs from Italy that I would like to suggest: one is Augusta, of course, the other is Primi Re – First King.

Augusta Universalis is a uchronic RPG set in a world where the Roman Empire doesn’t fall and conquered the stars. You will be a Pretorian, a cyborgs guardian of the Empire used to conquer distant and wild exoplanets and fights against unspeakable cosmic horrors. The game uses the Dark Destiny System, which is capable of pushing a lot a player’s feeling of identification with his Player Character, the description of one’s actions and the narration.

Primi Re – First King is a historical-fantasy RPG with strong dark-horror atmospheres that brings you at the days of the foundation of the Urbe (“City”), telling the “true” story and nature of Romulus and Remus. The gameplay emphasizes the interpretation as the protagonist of the whole game, using an elaborate and very special D12System that unites dice-pool, zodiac, numerology and lunar phases to create a rule set and a characters building, basically unique in their kind.”

PRESS RELEASE: STARFINDER BEGINNER BOX LANDS

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STARFINDER BEGINNER BOX LANDS TODAY

Begin your journey into science-fantasy adventure!

REDMOND, WASHINGTON (April 24, 2019): The Starfinder Beginner Box is ready to launch players into an exciting universe of science-fantasy roleplaying adventure today. With streamlined rules, a complete set of dice, colorful pawns, and more, this deluxe boxed set is the ideal introduction to the Starfinder Roleplaying Game, an imaginative tabletop roleplaying game for 2-7 players. It is available for purchase at paizo.com, your local gaming store, and anywhere else adventure can be found.

“We’ve designed an easy first step to an adventure in the stars. Players can choose pregenerated characters or create and customize their own futuristic hero to play through challenging scenarios and action-packed battles against dangerous foes. It also serves as the perfect tool for experienced players to quickly bring new crew members onboard their game,” said Robert G. McCreary, Creative Director for the Starfinder RPG.

The Heroes’ Handbook gets players started with everything they need to know to create and play a new character, from classes and themes to alien ancestry, general rules, plus a short solo adventure. The Game Master’s Guide presents a wondrous galaxy, full of new worlds and alien adversaries. Game Masters will learn how to run encounters in the Steel Talon’s Lair adventure, and gain insight into how to create a new world and engage players in the story. Also included in the box are: a set of seven polyhedral dice, 80 pawns depicting diverse heroes and aliens, 24 pawn bases, six pregenerated and six blank character sheets, six player aid cards for quick reference, and a double-sided Flip-Mat.

The Starfinder Beginner Box has everything you need to kickstart a lifetime of pulse-pounding adventure among the stars—the only limit is your imagination. Learn more at paizo.com/starfinder/beginnerbox.

Watch the Character Creation video on YouTube:

XXX

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 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.

Press Release: Odyssey of the Dragonlords: Interview with designers ex-Bioware designers James Ohlen and Jesse Sky

Odyssey of the Dragon Title Image
Odyssey of the Dragonlords: Interview with ex-bioware designers Jesse Sky and James Ohlen
London, England, 25-04-2019
For Immediate Release
Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
James Ohlen – I’ve worked in video games for more than two decades and during that time was the lead designer for Baldur’s Gate 1 + 2 and Neverwinter Nights. I’ve also Dungeon Mastered for more than three decades. So I have a great deal of love for Dungeons and Dragons.
Jesse Sky – I worked at BioWare for 8 years, where I was a lead designer and ultimately the creative director of a few Star Wars: The Old Republic expansions, including Knights of the Fallen Empire. I’ve been building tabletop games and video games as a hobby since I was about 10 years old. One day, I hope to be good at it.
When did the muse visit you for Odyssey of the Dragonlords and how did that initial idea form into being?
James Ohlen – The part of working on video games that I love the most is designing the characters, the narrative, the setting and then figuring out how to make it work in an open world. I hadn’t really worked on that aspect of games since Dragon Age: Origins. So, Odyssey was a side project I started up to do what I love, except in a pen and paper setting.
Jesse Sky – A year and a half ago, James told me that he wanted to make a giant, ridiculously ambitious role-playing book. I told him he was crazy, and then we ended up doing it anyway.
Why did you choose a Greek myth inspired setting for 5th edition?
Jesse Sky – I studied Greek mythology in college, and I realized that it’s about a thousand times more interesting than a lot of fantasy fiction. Not just the myths – the comedies, tragedies, and histories, too. European artists and poets referenced this stuff for centuries instead of innovating, because I think they just couldn’t come up with much better.
And then James and I were looking at all the monsters in 5th Edition that are inspired by Greek myth—satyrs, centaurs, minotaurs, medusae—and we realized that there really wasn’t a narrative for any of it. Those elements are just in there because they’re fantasy tropes at this point. We wanted to create a world that connected those elements to their origins, but without just making it ancient Greece.
In what ways do you think Odyssey of the Dragonlords reflects the unique epic mythos of the ancient Greek world?
Jesse Sky – When we started out, we just sat in a coffee shop and brainstormed all the coolest things we could think of from Greek history and mythology. We were reading Edith Hamilton’s Mythology for inspiration. And then we were like, how do we fuse all this together into a functional game world, with a narrative that fits a D&D campaign?
‘Epic paths’ were one of the first answers we came up with. The idea was to put players in the role of epic heroes, so we had to come up with the same kinds of conflicts, challenges, and goals that characters like Odysseus and Achilles struggled with. And then we designed the world and its history around the idea – what sort of crisis demands that such heroes band together, and how will they be tested along the way?
Odyssey of the Dragonlords includes many new playable races including Centaurs & Satyrs, how did you go about translating these into 5th edition?
Jesse Sky – The first place we look is the existing bestiary, because those creatures already have well-developed entries. Obviously, we have to modify them a bit. We try to give each one a unique reason for existing. For example, why would I choose a Satyr instead of a Tiefling? They’re similar in a lot of ways. So we emphasized the Satyr’s musical abilities and fey heritage to set them apart.
Can you tell us the story of your first role-playing game experience?
James Ohlen – I was 10 years old and visiting my mother’s friend. She had a son named Anders Bengtsson. He DM’d Keep on the Borderlands and I was hooked.
Jesse Sky – My first tabletop role-playing game was a homebrew that I played with some friends in high school, because none of us could afford a set of hardcover books. Everyone ended up angry at each other, and then we ordered a pizza and watched The Fifth Element. I didn’t have a successful tabletop role-playing experience until college, where I ran a homebrew Star Wars campaign. I used a chessboard because I couldn’t afford miniatures. Notice the pattern?
What aspects of tabletop role-playing games influenced your video game work at Bioware?
James Ohlen – Spending time as a Dungeon Master is one of the best training grounds for designing narrative and worlds in a video game. A successful DM has to create interesting stories that still give the players agency. You also have to get good at balancing combat with story and role-playing. Some players love the tactics of combat and strategy of character advancement, while others are more into the role-playing and story. A DM needs to run sessions that satisfies these different motivations.
Jesse Sky – I took a lot of ideas from my own campaigns and put them in SW:TOR. The stories you get from playing at the table with real people are usually way more bonkers that what you get when you write stories by yourself. So it’s a great way to generate ideas.
We often hear about video game developers being role-players too – was there a lot of people playing RPG’s at Bioware? Do you think tabletop RPG’s are an important part of the video game development process for major video game like Baldur’s Gate or Mass Effect?
James Ohlen – Yeah, BioWare was full of fans of tabletop RPGs. There were many fans of LARPing as well. In the early days I ran a campaign that had Mark Darrah playing Boddyknock (gnome wizard) and David Gaider playing Evangeline (a half-orc cleric). Ray Muzyka would sometimes play a wizard named Davaeorn.
What lessons have you learned in designing Odyssey of the Dragonlords?
James Ohlen – That at this point in my career I need to do what I love.
Jesse Sky – I’ll second that. Also I’d say this is the first project where James and I really collaborated without a giant studio attached, so it helped us figure out which pieces each of us prefers working on and how to riff off of each other’s ideas.
What brought you back to the 5th Edition of the worlds greatest role-playing game?
James Ohlen – My friend Sean Carriere introduced me to a campaign he was playing in when I was visiting the BioWare office in Edmonton. Another friend, Jeff Veitenheimer was also playing, so I attended several sessions. Fun fact – Sean’s childhood character was named Edwin and Jeff’s was named Sarevok. They were the inspiration for the characters in Baldur’s Gate.
Jesse Sky – My first time playing 5th Edition was in James’ campaign at BioWare Austin. He ran Princes of the Apocalypse with several twists and brought in a lot of my favorite characters from Baldur’s Gate as major NPCs. I buddied up with my friend and former coworker, Michael Backus, and our characters had an awesome time together. Sean was also in that campaign and his cleric was a huge jerk to my slightly-evil tiefling wizard. Hi, Sean!
What other RPG’s, Miniatures or Boardgames have you played and enjoyed?
James Ohlen – I loved Battletech and West End Game’s Star Wars. My experiences with pen and paper Star Wars had a major influence on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Jesse Sky – I absolutely loved Decipher’s Star Wars CCG and Magic: The Gathering. Also there was this weird little card game called Wyvern that I used to buy for $1 per box, because I guess no one else wanted it, but it was full of awesome dragon artwork and I was ten years old! I could get like 300 dragon cards for one week’s allowance!
If we’re talking about the last decade though, my favorite board games are: Lord of the Rings, Blood Rage, and King of Tokyo. I love the Warhammer 40k universe, especially Dan Abnett’s books and Relic Entertainments’s Space Marine, but I’m afraid of collecting miniatures because my cats will eat them.
What are you most excited about in Odyssey of the Dragonlords?
James Ohlen – Finding out how different GMs use the book to do things that we never expected.
Jesse Sky – I’m excited to run the adventure out of an actual, physical book instead of a Microsoft Word document.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Jesse Sky – Just that we appreciate all the support Modiphius has given us throughout this project. James and I are newcomers when it comes to publishing books, but in spite of that, Chris and his team have helped us produce something incredible.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords
SUMMARY
280-page lavish fully-illustrated hardcover adventure book
  • Compatible with the 5th edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game
  • Presents an epic campaign that takes players from level 1 to 11 and beyond
  • Describes the lost continent of Thylea—a forgotten land inspired by Greek mythology that is compatible with other popular campaign settings
Written and designed by:
  • James Ohlen, lead designer of Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age: Origins
  • Jesse Sky, creative director of Knights of the Fallen Empire
  • NYT bestselling author Drew Karpyshyn
Odyssey of the Dragonlords Kickstarter
Summary
“Pen and paper roleplaying games will never die. The combination of open-ended exploration, cooperative storytelling, and tactical combat is addictive and timeless. The 5th edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game proves this. Like all of the editions before it, the game owes a debt to the classic fantasy stories of Tolkien, Lieber, Howard and the rest. It gives players the opportunity to be the hero of their own epic tale. And a world inspired by Greek myth is the perfect place to set a fantasy story where the players are the stars. It’s also worth noting that the selfish, conflicted heroes from Greek myths have a lot more in common with my usual play group than the chummy fellowships of modern fantasy…” – James Ohlen, Writer & Designer on Odyssey of the DragonLords and lead designer of Baldur’s Gate.
There’s a wide range of ways you can support the Kickstarter including bronze, silver and gold tiers.
BRONZE MEDALIST – Pledge US $25 or more.
This tier includes the PDF campaign book and digital versions of all stretch goals.
INCLUDES:
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
SILVER MEDALIST – Pledge US $60 or more.
This tier includes the hardcover version of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the softcover player’s guide, and digital versions of all stretch goals.
INCLUDES:
  • Hardcover adventure book
  • Softcover player’s guide
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
GOLD MEDALIST – Pledge US $80 or more.
This tier includes the hardcover version of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the softcover player’s guide, three fold-out poster maps, the Odyssey GM screen, and all digital stretch goals.
INCLUDES:
  • Hardcover adventure book
  • Softcover player’s guide
  • Deluxe poster map pack
  • Odyssey GM screen
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
Join part of epic history and sign up to the Kickstarter here.
About Modiphius Entertainment
Modiphius Entertainment is a London, England-based entertainment publisher of tabletop games and related hobby merchandise. The company launched its first game, the Achtung! Cthulhu Roleplaying Game, in 2013, followed by the Mutant Chronicles RPG, DUST Adventures RPG based on Paolo Parente’s DUST universe, Infinity The Roleplaying Game based on the best-selling miniatures game, Conan, Adventures in Age Undreamed of, the official Roleplaying game of Robert E Howard’s barbaric universe, Matt Leacock’s Thunderbirds, a cooperative board game based on the classic 60’s show and the official Kung Fu Panda Boardgame.
Modiphius Entertainment seeks to inspire with its tales of heroism, adventure and courage. Modiphius also works to combat global child trafficking through raising awareness of and funds for Vision Rescue. For more information, please visit modiphius.com.
TM & © 2019 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Press Release – STL Game Developer Kickstarter Launch

ST. LOUIS – April 25, 2019 – Local indie game developer HopePunk Press launched a Kickstarter today for their flagship game, Spaceships & Starwyrms. The crowdfunding campaign has a goal of $7000 and will run until May 30th.

Spaceships & Starwyrms is a science fiction tabletop game based on the d20 system rules made popular by Dungeons & Dragons. It introduces rules and options tailored to the sci-fi genre and comes with a fully-realized setting known as the Nacora Galaxy. The Core Sourcebook promises nearly 400 pages of content. “I think this product is a great option for running D&D in space, both thematically and mechanically. It’s well designed, clear, and attractively laid out,” said Mephit James, a St. Louis game reviewer.

 

HopePunk Press founders and St. Louis natives, Benjamin Quiggins and Audrey Stolze, describe their company’s philosophy as one that “seeks to tell stories about light in the darkness”. With an emphasis on inclusivity, accessibility, and “radical optimism”, HopePunk Press strives to create games that appeal to a wide audience.

 

Spaceships & Starwyrms was published digitally in December 2018 on drivethrurpg.com. With their Kickstarter, HopePunk Press is aiming to publish a print version of the game, as well as to release new supplementary content in both digital and physical form. “Tabletop games aren’t a niche hobby anymore. We wanted to share our enthusiasm for tabletop and the sci-fi genre with other folks,” said Stolze.

 

More information about the product and HopePunk Press can be found at https://hopepunkpress.com/.

 

View the Kickstarter here.

PRESS RELEASE: GeneFunk 2090 Kickstarter Coming Soon!

A BIOPUNK WORLD MADE FOR 5E

Imagine a world in the not too distant future, 2090, where technology has entirely shaped the very essence of human nature, and where fiscal interests, the international arms race, and consumerism have entirely shaped that same technology. This is the world of GeneFunk 2090.

Supercomputer in your Bloodstream

The human condition as a whole has become something somewhat different. Somewhere along the way almost every single human has been modified to have a powerful supercomputer coded directly into their DNA and physiology, one that has merged with their consciousness. In this world the internet has become as real as the physical world and hackers have become manipulators of the very stuff of the human psyche, probing and rearranging memory and mind the way a potter molds clay.

Plasticity of Genes, Form, and Human Nature

Large sections of the human population have had their genes chosen before birth to breed success, while others have had foreign DNA included to produce wholly different physical traits that were once thought inhuman. On top of all the innate genetic tweaking, individuals modify themselves through cyberware surgeries and biohacks, to the point where some are considered entirely “posthuman”.

Violent, Shallow, and Unequal

Multinational corporations have gobbled each other up, producing ever larger entities until only nine remain, each of which is a superpower bigger than most of the world’s countries. Corporate executives have the power to shatter entire governments in the name of their company’s share value and their own ambition. Gangs and organized crime saturate every urban environment. This world, bloated from overpopulation and consumer greed, has become one of the most violent eras in human history. The rich segregate themselves from the poor, and the tension caused by this wealth gap is causing the world to burst at the seams.

Virtual Immortality

Recent innovations have allowed the rich to undergo a process that maps their entire nervous system, connectome, endocrine complement, DNA and gene expression, and every other feature relevant to the human mind. This digitization of consciousness allows the world’s wealthy and powerful to essentially live forever, switching from one bioengineered shell to another as they see fit.

Cadre of Professionals

You and your allies are a cadre, a lean start-up corporation that specializes in investigation, intelligence, protection, and violence. To keep their hands clean, the syndicates often outsource this kind of work to smaller outfits, like yours. Your cadre’s skillset is in high demand in this intrigue filled world, being sought after by megacorporations, nation-states, organized crime, or wealthy individuals. As an autonomous entity, your cadre of elite agents take contracts as you see fit, navigating the shadows of corporate espionage and savagery with competence and panache.

A cyberpunk/biopunk TTRPG using 5E rules, due to hit Kickstarter on April 30th, 2019!

 

Promo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H8ntUYDndY

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeneFunk2090/

Twitter: GeneFunk 2090 @GeneFunk2090

Discord: https://discord.gg/ncVeStC

 

FREE Setting Book: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/273002/GeneFunk-2090-Setting-Book

Or: https://crispr-monkey.itch.io/genefunk-2090-setting-book

 

Kickstarter Preview: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crisprmonkey/276683761?ref=810848&token=af145b27

 

Interview with @Garmbreak1, from @Midgardia:

https://youtu.be/Pt1_ye8mTF4

 

Art Credits:

William Liberto, Dean Spencer, Enmanuel Martinez Lema, Dimas Raviandra, Trung Tin Shinji, Brad Maesa, Nate Artuz, Abel Bardalez Arica, Tony ‘MrKrane’ Carter, and Sonnaz

Press Release: WIZKIDS ANNOUNCES ENHANCED LICENSING PARTNERSHIP WITH PAIZO

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WIZKIDS ANNOUNCES ENHANCED LICENSING PARTNERSHIP WITH PAIZO

Pre-Painted Iconic Heroes, Monsters, and Starships from the Starfinder® Universe Coming Soon!

Redmond, WA – April 24, 2019 – WizKids, the industry leader in high-quality pre-painted miniatures, today announced a new branch of their licensing partnership with Paizo, makers of the popular Pathfinder® and Starfinder® Roleplaying Games, with plans to bring the company’s latest offering to life on the tabletop with a brand new line of Starfinder Pre-Painted Miniatures.

Starfinder Battles joins the wildly popular Pathfinder Battles line in offering an amazing collection of high-quality miniatures for fans of the game.

“We’re very excited to explore the Starfinder universe with Paizo,” said Justin Ziran, president of WizKids. “We’re confident that our fans will love the new miniatures this line will have to offer.”

The initial Starfinder offerings will include a Booster Set and Premium Set, and product will be available for sale worldwide. The first release is slated to hit shelves in 2020.

“Pathfinder Battles has been a stalwart of the Pathfinder RPG for years, and we’re excited to see WizKids bringing that same expertise to the Starfinder universe,” said Jim Butler, VP of Marketing and Licensing at Paizo. “With hundreds of aliens and scores of player-character races in the Starfinder RPG, the Starfinder Battles line is sure to expand your gaming tabletop for years to come.”

For more information on WizKids and the upcoming Starfinder pre-painted miniatures line, visit: www.WizKids.com.

To learn more about Paizo, visit: 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 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.

About WizKids

WizKids/NECA, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NECA, is a New Jersey-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating games driven by imagination. WizKids first pioneered the Combat Dial system featured in HeroClix, the leading collectible miniatures game on the market, with over 750 million miniature game figures sold worldwide.

PRESS RELEASE: Last Day to Pledge for Critical Core

Last Day to Pledge for Critical Core

Wow. It’s been over a month since Critical Core launched, and now there are only 24 hours left before the Kickstarter ends. It’s no understatement to say that this couldn’t have been done without your incredible support, sharing of enthusiasm, and pledges.

Together we’ve unlocked some incredible stretch goals, but the most important thing is the vision that we all share: the power of intentional gaming to help children on the spectrum build better realities through the power of fantasy.

Thanks to the amazing support of our backers we have been able to secure donations for over 600 kits to be sent to hospitals, schools, and libraries around the world. So many kids will be able to benefit from Critical Core because of our backers, and there’s still time left!

If you’ve pledged already, please give one last shout-out on social media. And if you haven’t done so yet, please take a moment to check out the Kickstarter page.

Visit Critical Core on Kickstarter
Thank you for making Critical Core a reality,
Virginia, Adam, and Adam, The Critical Core Team

PRESS RELEASE: STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE IN THE TYRANT’S GRASP

Tyrant's Grasp Trailer

STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE IN THE TYRANT’S GRASP

Use all your wits and skills to make allies, challenge invaders, and make your way back to the lands of the living in the first volume, The Dead Roads.

The Dead RoadsREDMOND, WASHINGTON (April 22, 2019): Paizo Inc. has released two of six exciting volumes of the Tyrant’s Grasp Adventure Path for the first edition of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Volume one, The Dead Roads, and the second volume, Eulogy for Roslar’s Coffer, are both available for purchase at paizo.com and retailers worldwide at an MSRP of $24.99 for softcover.

This survival horror campaign takes heroic players through both the afterlife and the mortal realm to stand against one of the most ancient threats ever to loom over the world. The heroes awaken already defeated—slain by a super-weapon unlike anything seen before. They must fight their way back to the land of the living and warn the rest of the land of this new threat.

The Dead Roads contains a first edition Pathfinder adventure for 1st-level characters. Additional material includes tips, tools, and tricks drawn from the Boneyard, an exploration of races inevitably linked to death, an extensive timeline of the events, and a bestiary of monsters drawn from the lands and lore of the dead.

Author of The Dead RoadsRon Lundeen, recalls: “My favorite part of this adventure was building it in multiple parts, like a Netflix miniseries, with the players able to decide what order they tackle the middle pieces in. I wanted to make the middle pieces as different from each other as possible within the ‘horror movie’ theme of the entire adventure, so they range from disturbing whimsy to space-warping nightmares.

The adventures continue with a new volume every month for a total of six months. Volume three, Last Watch, can be preordered today and purchased starting April 24. The Tyrant’s Grasp Poster Map Folio and the fourth volume, Gardens of Gallowspire, can both be preordered today and purchased starting May 29.

The free downloadable Tyrant’s Grasp Player’s Guide is available now is gives players all the spoiler-free background, information, and inspiration they’ll need to create characters ready to hit the ground running. Explore the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Tyrants Grasp Adventure Path at paizo.com/tyrantsgrasp.

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 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.

Eulogy for Roslar's Coffer
Last Watch
Gardens of Gallowspire
Tyrant's Grasp Player's Guide
The Tyrant's Grasp Poster Map Folio

What Kickstarters Excite Creators? Blackest of Deaths, Monsterpunk, Creeping Cold, Brassman’s Adventure Club, and A.R.M.zine

This week five RPG Kickstarter creators (including two from the first article of this column) share what currently funding crowdfunding projects they’re excited about. I talk to the creators of:

 

A.R.M.zine by Reign Dragon Press 

END DATE: Tue, May 14 2019 9:30 AM EDT.

A.R.M.zine is a Fanzine dedicated to teaching kids (of all ages) how to play tabletop Role-Playing Games.”

Sean Hillman (Reign Dragon Press) recommends: 

One Child’s Heart. This seems like an amazing idea. I think this might be one of the KS RPGs we are talking about in two years as a game changer. I know that is a lot of pressure to put on the creator but I feel like it has the juice.

Sundown. Always love an RPG with a great concept behind it. And the way it embraces the characters as different is refreshing. It also does not pull many punches from what I can see. I hope it does well and can gets lots of support.

Coloring Trees. This is not an RPG product per se, but I feel like it is the kind of product I would by to inspire my gaming. It looks beautiful and I am already getting ideas of a game or setting that could feature the trees? I may pitch the idea to the creator at some point.”

 

Brassman’s Adventure Club by Brassman Foundry

END DATE: Mon, April 22 2019 1:00 PM EDT.

“Monthy Subscription Service for DnD RPG Adventures and Accessories”

Matthew Charles (Brassman Foundry) recommends:

“There are three tabletop RPG Kickstarter campaigns that I’m currently following. Oldest to newest they are:

The Party Backstory Generator may be the most interesting conceptually. It’s always a little awkward to get a new party started. In past campaigns that I’ve run I’ve used a simple system where each player randomly draws the name of someone else’s character and chooses how they are related. That often leads to interesting role-play and factionalism within the party that can bring out a more interesting story than the text of an adventure describes. So I’m excited to see a fully-developed system where the players get some agency (and therefore emotional investment) in the world that they’ll probably have to save from… something.

For the Dungeon is a game that turns the tables on the traditional hero vs minion relationship. One of my favorite campaigns that I ran (back in the 90s) was one where the players rolled up several sets of stats, picked the worst one, and made a kobold. It was supposed to be a one-shot while I figured out what was going to happen in the main campaign. Tiamat have mercy, the adventurers are coming! Twenty years later, those sessions are more memorable than whatever the “real” campaign was about. This looks like a lot of fun and the perfect guide for other DMs to do the same.

Odyssey of the Dragonlords just launched this week, and fully funded overnight. This one looks like a great example of excellent production value. I’ll be getting the physical book to see where the bar has been set for our future projects.”

 

Creeping Cold by Silver Bulette

END DATE: Tue, April 30 2019 10:30 PM EDT.

“A 5E adventure that promises chills and excitement!”

Jayson Gardner (Silver Bullette) recommends:

“The first RPG Kickstarter that I would like to highlight is The Grande Temple of Jing for 5E. I own the Pathfinder version, and am excited to see the new book. Megadungeons are my favorite play style, and Jing does everything in the genre well.

The next RPG I want to point out is Ultimate Bestiary: The Dread Accursed. Every game master loves monsters and this book looks to have a unique take on staple undead.

Finally, I would like to mention Old-School Essentials. This project looks to capture the nostalgia from the 1980’s boxed sets. I cut my teeth in RPGs during that era, and am excited to to see this project.

And one more, not quite RPG. Return to Ravingspire looks awesome! Cheesy 1980’s game commercial? Check. Able to play 1 player or 4 players? Check. Packaged in a box disguised as a book? Check. They even have an audible stretch goal! It looks like an RPG disguised as a board game to me.”

 

Monsterpunk by Gegenschein Games

END DATE: Mon, May 6 2019 4:03 PM EDT.

“A post-apocalyptic RPG of humans, monsters and humans becoming monsters.”

Juan Herrera (Gegenschein Games) recommends:

“I don’t go out of my way to look for campaigns these days, but I’m aware of two ongoing RPG kickstarters of which I’ve only heard good things:

The first is Fight! 2nd Edition. It’s a cinematic game with tactical combat about simulating the specific kind of experience of a fighting game as well as its type of storytelling. Fighting games are a very kinetic experience and it’s really hard to translate that into a tabletop format. That Fight!’s 1st edition had a positive reception and is now going for a 2nd edition says a lot to me about the creator’s design chops.

The other is Fellowship 2nd Edition. Fellowship is an adventuring-themed game without a traditional GM, instead there is a player who plays the role of the Overlord who the others must stop. As a result it gives every player a lot of control over not just the narrative but also the worldbuilding, making for an empowering and inclusive experience.”

 

The Blackest of Deaths – A Dire Old School Fantasy RPG by Bloat Games

END DATE: Thu, May 9 2019 9:00 PM EDT.

“The Creator of Dark Places & Demogorgons & Vigilante City brings you a tabletop roleplaying with a bleak chance of survival!”

Eric Bloat (Bloat Games) recommends:

Old-School Essentials by Necrotic Gnome Back when this series of books was called B/X Essentials, I picked all of them up and was blown away. This is not a house-ruled retro clone. This IS the original rules, redesigned for ease of use and re-written for clarity. And now with the Kickstarter, the Necrotic Gnome has once again refined the books and design and added the missing “basic” info, like “What is a roleplaying game?” to be more welcoming to new players. I can’t wait to get this one in my hands!

5×7 Dungeon Card Set by Dan Smith If I a Kickstarter says “by Dan Smith” I back it. Period. Dan is a fantastic artistic and always approaches each project with an artist’s vision in mind.

For The Dungeon by Jordan This one is pretty neat. It’s not your standard run of the mill Dungeon Crawler. In this game, you don’t play as the hero’s, you play as the minions that populate the dungeon. The example art is fantastic, and the tone is light and fun. Perfect for a night where, one of your players can make it but everyone else still wants to game.

From the Ashes by FGFantasy. A twisted OSR project where you start the game as a ghost of a dead character! And you remember your life, you remember how you died. You want revenge! But as you try to fulfill your mission, you might “die” again, and you’ll simply respawn. However, die too many times and it’s off to Hell with your miserable dead self.

Umerican Road Atlas and Unmerican Unnatural By Reid San Filippo Born out of the DCC RPG fanzine, Crawling Under A Broken Moon, Reid and his long list of contributors, continues his commitment to bring you a crazy, over the top, fully fleshed out Post-Apocalyptic setting built on the back of the rules to Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, so you know this one is going to be gonzo and it’s going to rock!”

PRESS RELEASE: New Sensory-Friendly Gaming Room at Origins 2019!

Important Dates

April 28 – True Dungeon tickets live
May 4 – Event Registration live
June 3 – Early Bird pricing ends
June 12-16 – Origins Game Fair!

Origins and Path of Play founding new Sensory-Friendly Gaming Room!

We are excited to announce a partnership with charity organization Path of Play to found the Sensory-Friendly Gaming Room at #Origins2019. This initiative is aimed towards creating an inclusive space for families living with autism and foster awareness for gamers not impacted by special needs.

Attendees will be able to find this room in A115 of the convention center. It will keep the same times as the Exhibit Hall.

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2Iitmsd

Costume Contest on Sunday!

Cosplay is great a way to celebrate your favorite fandom, so each year we host a Costume Contest for our attendees to showcase their creations on stage while competing for prizes

Attendees will be able to register for this event at 1pm on Sunday. The contest will begin at 2pm. Compete on stage or cheer for your favs from the audience!

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2De1Gk3
Music & Dance

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to enjoy musical entertainment provided by Apryl Knight, Rhiannon’s Lark, Dan the Bard, and Tom Smith! Search for these performers in the Event Grid and stop by their many concerts during the show!

Anime Programming

We are so excited to partner once again with Wasabi Anime to showcase these amazing studios in the Anime Area at #Origins2019! The full schedule will be published soon, but in the meantime, get ready to share excitement for your favorite shows with fellow fans!

Early Bird Pricing Ends June 3

Haven’t picked up your badge yet?
Want to save a few bucks?
Register your badge today and get Early Bird Pricing!
IMPORTANT – This special pricing ends June 3, so don’t dilly-dally!
Register your badge today!
See you June 12-16 in Columbus, OH!
Get early bird pricing on your badge!
Copyright © 2019 GAMA, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are interested in learning more about Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH.

Our mailing address is:

GAMA

240 N 5th St Ste 340

ColumbusOH 43215-2611

PRESS RELEASE: ARMzine has launched!

4.16.2019 – Atlanta, GA
Today Reign Dragon Press launched its second Kickstarter following on the success of the DIRGEzine kickstarter in February & March of this year.

Announcing A.R.M.zine !

ARMzine or the Apprentice Role-playing Manual is an rpg/fanzine designed to be a fun way to teach kids (of all ages) how to play AND run role-playing games, without the need for traditional call backs or social barriers to entry. ARMzine is being design with a simple D6 + Skill, fail forward philosophy where success is team building and creativity, not necessarily how many bad guys you bulldozed. Random charts provide the Game Master and their crew (players) with tools to generate completely random adventures, including genre, setting, and the weirdness factors.

ARMzine is setting and genre neutral. This means that one does not need a particular knowledge of either history or RPG traditions to play or run ARMzine inspired games. The cool traditions will be baked in and the unneeded baggage will be left out.  In addition, as many kids will be rounded up to playtest ARMzine as we can find. It won’t be adults talking down to kids; the kids will have a say in how the game is designed.

Become one of the backers for this great idea! Head on over to Kickstarter and put your support behind ARMzine!

Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reigndragon/armzine?ref=31lllh

PRESS RELEASE: Dark Conspiracy is back!

Clockwork Publishing/Uhrwerk Verlag is proud to launch a new edition of Lester Smith’s Dark Conspiracy on Game On Tabletop

DARK CONSPIRACY    JUST LAUNCHED 

In Dark Conspiracy, the players taken on the roles of normal citizens in an era marked by a Greater Depression, drawn into investigating the sinister alien horror, minions of dark and evil alien entities, that have infiltrated human society.

With an arsenal of high-tech weapons and paranormal abilities, these “minion hunters” form cells, relying one one other as they wage a clandestine war against these evil forces that attempt to ruin the world for humankind. 

This new edition updates the original game system and setting to modern sensibilities and heralds a robust line of accompanying sourcebooks and accessories. The team contains a wide and diverse team of talented newcomers and industry veterans, with additional team members to be announced. 

PLEDGE NOW

About Uhrwerk Verlag

Patric Götz founded Uhrwerk Verlag in 2009, using his extensive experience in the field of roleplaying, first as an employee in a games store, then working at a wholesaler, and finally as publishing director at Ulisses Spiele. Uhrwerk’s first publications were the German versions of Hollow Earth Expedition and Deadlands Classic in 2009, as well as the license for the western continent Myranor for The Dark Eye. In the following years, Uhrwerk continued with successful launches with more and more German self-productions likeMalmsturmContact, and Dungeonslayers, and expanded into translations of English games such as Numenera and Achtung! Cthulhu. Since 2013, Uhrwerk Verlag (under the label Clockwork Publishing) has branched into the English-speaking market, financing a new edition of Space: 1889. At the same time, the company focuses mainly on the production of its original German fantasy roleplaying game, Splittermond. Today, about a dozen employees are permanently employed at Uhrwerk Verlag, and on average, they issue three to four roleplaying publications per month. Uhrwerk Verlag has a history of executing several prior several crowdfunding campaigns.

Press Release: Conan Horrors of the Hyborian Age now available in print

Modiphius Entertainment is today announcing the print release of Horrors of the Hyborian Age, a brand new source book for the Conan Adventures in an Age Undreamed of RPG.
Conan: Horrors of the Hyborian Age is available exclusively in print on Modiphius.net joining the PDF versions on Modiphius.net andDriveThruRPG.com and is also part of ourConan Collection, where you can find further source books, accessories, dice and tiles to bring your adventures in the Hyborian Age to life.
Here are the details on this intriguing new source book:
THOSE EYES GREW AND BECAME GIGANTIC, AND IN THEM THE CIMMERIAN GLIMPSED THE REALITY OF ALL THE ABYSMAL AND BLASPHEMOUS HORRORS THAT LURK IN THE OUTER DARKNESS OF FORMLESS VOIDS AND NIGHTED GULFS.
Horrors of the Hyborian Age is the definitive guide to the monstrous creatures inhabiting the dark tombs, ruined cities, forgotten grottos, dense jungles, and sinister forests of Conan’s world. This collection of beasts, monsters, undead, weird races, and mutants are ready to pit their savagery against the swords and bravery of the heroes of the Hyborian Age.
Drawn from the pages of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories, this roster also includes creatures and alien horrors from H.P. Lovecraft ’s Cthulhu Mythos, to which Howard inextricably bound his Hyborian Age. Other entries are original, chosen carefully to refl ect the tone and dangers of Conan’s world.
  • A variety of natural creatures, such as wild animals, dinosaurs, and living plant horrors.
  • Elementals, golems, sapient magic circles, and other beings created with deep sorcery.
  • Classic monsters presented with a Howardian flair, such as the siren, vampire, lamia, and mummy.
  • Lovecraftian menaces such as Old Ones, colors from the Outer Dark, dimensional shamblers, shoggoths, and the abominable Tcho-Tcho.
  • The monstrous off spring of the serpent god Set: giant serpents, the children of Yig, and the serpent-folk.
  • New creature qualities and abilities, rules for creating mutations and chimerical horrors, and guidance for handling monsters and creatures in your Conan games.
  • New Beast and Beast Master archetypes and backgrounds, and expanded rules for the Animal Handling skill.
  • Stunning art produced by new and renowned Conan artists.
  • Developed with leading Conan scholars, the creatures here haunt the recesses of the Hyborian world, a menace to the weak as well as the powerful.
  • This book requires the Robert E. Howard’s Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of corebook to use.
We hope you enjoy this latest release from our Conan collection, it joins other recent releases like Conan the BrigandConan the Pirate and Conan: Nameless Cults. Look out for more great Conan print releases coming next month, including Conan The Monolith Source Book.

Press Release: Odyssey of the Dragonlords: 5th Edition Adventure Book Kickstarter now live

Odyssey of the Dragon Title Image
Odyssey of the Dragonlords: 5th edition adventure book kickstarter now live.
London, England, 16-04-2019
For Immediate Release
“At the dawn of time, a war between the gods and Titans left the world of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived, carried by ship and dragon. The Dragonlords were the champions who overthrew the Titans 500 years ago and forged the Oath of Peace. But the power of the Oath has waned, and now the Titans seek vengeance. You are one of the heroes called by prophecy to end the conflict once and for all. Poets will sing of your deeds for centuries to come… if you survive.”
The Kickstarter for Odyssey of the Dragonlords: 5th Edition Adventure book is now live and ready for your support. Odyssey of the Dragonlords is an epic, 280 page, Greek myth inspired adventure book compatible with the 5th edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game by Arcanum World’s.
Arcanum World’s was founded by ex-BioWare lead designers James Ohlen and Jesse Sky (Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age: Origins, Baldurs Gate I & II, Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: The Old Republic) and Drew Karpyshyn, BioWare senior writer on Mass Effect I & II and Knights of the Old Republic.
Modiphius Entertainment have been announced as co-publishers on Odyssey of the Dragonlords and are lending their considerable marketing, Kickstarter, logistics and production expertise to the Arcanum World’s team.
Between Jesse, James and Drew, they have an incredible list of credits from some of the most legendary adventure games. James Ohlen spent over 20 years as lead designer and creative director at BioWare working on Baldur’s Gate I & II, Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins and Neverwinter Nights. Jesse Sky has 8 years as lead designer and creative director at BioWare working on Star Wars: The Old Republic and it’s expansions Galactic Strongholds, Shadow of Revan and Knights of the Fallen Empire.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords contains everything you need to run campaigns in the epic, Greek myth inspired world of Thylea including an overview of the world, magic items, monsters and a diverse cast of Greek myth inspired allies and villains inspired by legend.
The World of Thylea: Includes an overview of the history, factions, kingdoms, and laws of the forgotten continent. Learn about the gods, the titans, and the legendary Dragonlords.
New Monsters: Includes a bestiary of over 15 new monsters inspired by Greek mythology, with lore, statistics, and full page illustrations.
New Magic Items: Includes over 20 new magic items inspired by Greek mythology. Find them scattered throughout the adventure or craft them using the legendary Mithral Forge!
Colorful Characters. In the tradition of our favorite RPG video games, we’ve got a colorful cast of villains and companion characters that players will encounter on their adventure.
Colorful Characters: In the tradition of our favorite RPG video games, we’ve got a colorful cast of villains and companion characters that players will encounter on their adventure.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords is infused with inspiration from Greek epic. Your characters can make oaths which they must swear by, much like the oaths that were sworn by the Greek lords to the great King Menelaus which resulted in the Trojan War as told in the Iliad by Homer. Should these oaths be broken your characters can suffer a visit from the Eryines, furies who uphold the law of the gods. The concepts of ‘Xenia’ (Guest Friendship) and ‘Kleos’ (Glory) are also important factors for your characters to consider within the epic Greek myth inspired world of Thylea. The word ‘epic’ is being used in its literal and original sense to refer to specific qualities about Odyssey of the Dragonlords.
Epic Scope: This adventure sees your players growing from a band of untested warriors into famous heroes embarking on a sweeping journey across the oceans, inspired by the Odyssey and Jason and the Argonauts.
Epic Storytelling: This adventure combines strong narrative design with an open world. The adventure features a handful of critical story moments where players will meet important characters, confront villains, and make big choices. But for most of the adventure, they will be free to explore, with clear objectives.
Epic Heroes: Players in this adventure will grow into something more than just a party of intrepid adventurers. They will be heroes in the same vein as Odysseus and Achilles, called by Fate because they are destined for greatness.
You can download a free copy of the now revised Odyssey of the Dragonlords players guide here. The booklet contains everything you need to get started as a hero within the world including a brief overview of the world of Thylea, new character backstories, rules for the new Centaur and Satyr races and epic paths for your heroes. This revised edition includes two more martial archetypes as well as updated rules based on your feedback for the Satyr and Centaur races available within the booklet. This is now available now available from Modiphius.net and DriveThruRPG.
For a taste of what the world is like, check out this short story, Dragonlord’s Wager, from Drew Karpyshyn. This story takes place 500 years prior to the adventure, during the events of the First War between the mortals and the Titans.
“Pen and paper roleplaying games will never die. The combination of open-ended exploration, cooperative storytelling, and tactical combat is addictive and timeless. The 5th edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game proves this. Like all of the editions before it, the game owes a debt to the classic fantasy stories of Tolkien, Lieber, Howard and the rest. It gives players the opportunity to be the hero of their own epic tale. And a world inspired by Greek myth is the perfect place to set a fantasy story where the players are the stars. It’s also worth noting that the selfish, conflicted heroes from Greek myths have a lot more in common with my usual play group than the chummy fellowships of modern fantasy…” – James Ohlen, Writer & Designer on Odyssey of the DragonLords and lead designer of Baldur’s Gate.
There’s a wide range of ways you can support the Kickstarter including bronze, silver and gold ‘Heroic’ tiers for early backers which are limited to 1,000 and get you a $3 discount as well as your name in the book.
BRONZE MEDALIST (HEROIC) – Pledge US $22 or more.
This tier includes the PDF campaign book and digital versions of all stretch goals, with a $3 discount for being one of our heroic early backers!
Limited to 1000 backers.
INCLUDES:
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
SILVER MEDALIST (HEROIC) – Pledge US $54 or more
This tier includes the hardcover version of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the softcover player’s guide, and digital versions of all stretch goals, with a $6 discount for being one of our heroic early backers!
Limited to 1000 backers. Shipping price is not included and will be charged in the pledge manager. See Shipping section for estimates.
INCLUDES:
  • Hardcover adventure book
  • Softcover player’s guide
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
GOLD MEDALIST (HEROIC) – Pledge US $71 or more
This tier includes the hardcover version of Odyssey of the Dragonlords, the softcover player’s guide, three fold-out poster maps, the Odyssey GM screen, and all digital stretch goals, with a $9 discount for being one of our heroic early backers!
Limited to 1000 backers. Shipping price is not included and will be charged in the pledge manager. See Shipping section for estimates.
INCLUDES:
  • Hardcover adventure book
  • Softcover player’s guide
  • Deluxe poster map pack
  • Odyssey GM screen
  • Digital player’s guide (PDF)
  • Digital adventure book (PDF)
  • Digital versions of all stretch goals
  • Your name in the book’s credits
Join part of epic history and sign up to the Kickstarter here.
Odyssey of the Dragonlords
SUMMARY
280-page lavish fully-illustrated hardcover adventure book
  • Compatible with the 5th edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game
  • Presents an epic campaign that takes players from level 1 to 11 and beyond
  • Describes the lost continent of Thylea—a forgotten land inspired by Greek mythology that is compatible with other popular campaign settings
Written and designed by:
  • James Ohlen, lead designer of Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age: Origins
  • Jesse Sky, creative director of Knights of the Fallen Empire
  • NYT bestselling author Drew Karpyshyn
About Modiphius Entertainment
Modiphius Entertainment is a London, England-based entertainment publisher of tabletop games and related hobby merchandise. The company launched its first game, the Achtung! Cthulhu Roleplaying Game, in 2013, followed by the Mutant Chronicles RPG, DUST Adventures RPG based on Paolo Parente’s DUST universe, Infinity The Roleplaying Game based on the best-selling miniatures game, Conan, Adventures in Age Undreamed of, the official roleplaying game of Robert E Howard’s barbaric universe, Matt Leacock’s Thunderbirds, a cooperative board game based on the classic 60’s show and the official Kung Fu Panda Boardgame.
Modiphius Entertainment seeks to inspire with its tales of heroism, adventure and courage. Modiphius also works to combat global child trafficking through raising awareness of and funds for Vision Rescue. For more information, please visit modiphius.com.
TM & © 2019 CBS Studios Inc. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.