Amazon has let it be known that its forthcoming Tolkien series will be a prequel to JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. While looking for information about this prequel, reporters at the Tessera Guild unearthed a treasure trove of information when they contacted the Tolkien estate, who directed us to a prequel novelization.
While we cannot be assured of the name of the Amazon series, the novel is titled, The Hobbit. Based on the book, some of the characters in the story will be familiar to fans of The Lord of the Rings as it features a younger version of Gandalf who recruits one of the minor characters from LotRs, Bilbo Baggins (Frodo Baggins’ uncle), to thieve. There are dwarves. A mountain described as “lonely”. A dragon, which sounds like they’re already desperate to capture the Game of Thronesaudience. After reading the novel, it is quite an unexpected journey.
The only thing that would be more unexpected is a clickbait article purporting to know anything about a series that has yet to be screenplayed. Yet, I’ve seen a variety that do just that.
Writer’s Note: “Screenplayed” is not a word. Which is ok, because this is not an article full of affiliate links to Amazon… er… well, it is that. Speculative clickbait articles that use the term “know” in the title imply factual knowledge instead of the specious fanboy wish fulfillment that they always turn out to be. As a site, if you’re desperate to write an article about something new and Tolkien, might I recommend interviewing publisher Cubicle 7 about their tabletop roleplaying game, Adventures in Middle-earth RPGfor Dungeons & Dragons 5e. It’s new and Tolkien and excellent!
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliated links to Amazon’s affiliate program.
Jeremy has run into an another roadblock and is requesting additional assistance. He’s asking for $250 by Saturday (2019-02-02) via Paypal (jeremytangman46 [at] gmail [dot] com). As with the Facebook fundraiser, he’s offering products in exchange for the assistance.
Jeremy talks about his latest challenge here:
“After using the current fundraiser amount to get over the hump, the other income source I rely on got delayed by 3 to 4 weeks. It put me in a spot. It is what I would use to pay my cell and car payment for the only car we have left. So now it puts me in a spot. If the cell phones get shut off, my fiancee loses her job because she does uber and Lyft with her car. That creates a larger problem because that is now our sole income. I am applying for other help, but that takes time as well and everything seems immediate. I also have the 5-year-old’s birthday on Feb. 8th. My health falling apart has hurt us. My car has been repossessed and the food is very skimpy in the house. Things were looking up with the fundraiser, and then that stopped, and now there’s an immediate need. It’s like starting over again. I, unfortunately, am going to have to increase the amount needed, but I am also trying to write modules to compensate until I get approved to go back to work. Thanks for anything you do in advance and thanks for all if the wonderful folks that have donated work and countless hours. Each of you are unbelievable.”
***
Gamer, writer, and publisher, Jeremy Tangman, is experiencing some medical challenges and working to cover the additional expenses. To make up the difference, Jeremy has setup a donation page on Facebook (here). To help him out, several tabletop RPG companies have come together to offer a few small perks to motivate fans and publishers to assist Jeremy in his time of need.
“33 years ago I started gaming. I like RPGs, board games, card games and video games. My favorite game to play is Call of Cthulhu. I have always had a vast interest in fantasy and science fiction. Reading many authors such as Tolkien and Robert Jordan helped me find a gateway into this hobby.
Then I stumbled upon a game called Dungeons and Dragons by a company called TSR, then I was hooked, that segued into a variety of RPG and board games.
The thing I like the most is the camaraderie amongst fellow players, and the excitement of gameplay, of completing a task. So whether it’s Monopoly or Magic: The Gathering or Vampire: The Masquerade, I just love to have a fun time gaming.
I co-wrote and published Avenadia, a steampunk RPG in which the world has fought back against its inhabitants by contaminating everything on the planet.”
To help Jeremy out, Modiphius Entertainment, Lee Garvin, Jason Brick, Dark Naga Adventures (an imprint of Fat Goblin Games), Higher Grounds Publishing, Thunderegg Productions, Reign Dragon Press, Ley Lines Publishing, and myself are offering some options to fans and gaming publishers to incentive them to support Jeremy in his time of need.
“Before the Great War, Avenadia was a thriving world. Lush fields and forests grew in the countryside and bustling cities spread throughout many lands. Food was plentiful as was technology. The waters were clean and life was good. But that was then…
Today, 20 years after the last battle of the 100 year war, the Great War, Avenadia is a very different place. Much of the land has been swallowed by contaminated water. The water that surrounds the Avenadian mainland is a treacherous thing. The contamination in the seas has made the few beasts that are able to survive quite ferocious. Some say even the sea itself is alive and angry.
Come explore new lands, create new gadgets, develop your powers, and bask in the glory of nature gone awry.”
Interested in more details about Avenadia? Check out Dan Davenport’s 2019-01-10 #RandomWorlds Q&A with Jeremy Tangman here.
From Dark Naga Adventures (Kevin Watson). Read my interview with Kevin here.
The first three parts of the Haunting of Hastur series (all in PDF):
The small town of Boldon, and its surrounding villages are afraid. Dozens of people are missing, some speculate lost to some nefarious purpose. A broken drunkard tells fantastic tales of an evil temple and the horrible things within. The rare few who know the legends and history of the region are beginning to think the dark times have returned; not seen since the fall of the first age of man. People are beginning to feel the icy fingers of fear closing in. The party becomes aware of these events and is inspired to investigate. This leads them to a broken man who tells them a story of a lost temple. Has it been rediscovered by men seduced by its forgotten evil? The drunkard’s tale leads to others who might help the party discover more before they face The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil.”
The clay mining operation at Caford has discovered a large step pyramid or zikurat. This imposing structure was buried completely in the clay sheet they have been mining for decades to make brick and other ceramic products. The local miners see what they think is an obvious entrance, but cannot get past the slab of stone. A call for aid is sent to the capital city of Meawold, and the party is sent to investigate.
Could this be one of the Nexuses that traded goods from the subterranean Land of Night to the surface world?
Places where treasures of the subterranean kingdoms, like mithril weapons, were traded for surface goods. Bastions of trade that were lost during the fall of the First Age of Man. Why has it been dormant for almost two millennia? What lies within? Is it a threat to Caford, or the Kingdom of Meawold as a whole? If they can get inside, the party will have to navigate millennia-old magic locks and security sentinels to find answers to these questions and more within The Buried Zikurat.
Featuring clever tricks and traps, and exciting new magic, all wrapped up in an elven mystery of the ages. The Buried Zikurat is sure to bring hours of enjoyment to your gaming table!
Talos, a city of legend, focus of tales dating back to the First Age of Man—exotic and forbidden. Buried deep in the Formene, this lone gem of the subterranean realms has legends as tall as the mountains under which it lies. Scholars and sages know more: it is the capital of the Elven race of the subterranean realms, sealed off from the surface world, supported by smaller towns, trading nexuses, and the wealth of knowledge accumulated by the Formene Elves who ward it.
In this Land of Night, dozens of nations, formed from the Formene races, join the elves in a powerful confederation of trade, protection, and mining of the most valued metal—mithril.
Recently, a trading nexus was uncovered and explored. The leaders of Meawold want to restore contact with the Formene Elves and access mithril, other rare Formene metals, and minerals for the first time in two millennia.
The explorers of that trading nexus found letters and journals suggesting a vast, untapped wealth of gems, metal, and minerals, as well as forgotten cities full of treasure, some with magical wealth.
What waits in the Formene? Both the city of Talos and the Formene wilds offer incredible opportunities for adventure and wealth.
And also, incredible dangers.
From Thunderegg Productions (Jacob DC Ross) [UPDATED 2019-01-11 at 1:15 AM EST]:
The Exodus System – The Exodus System takes classic OSR games and adds modern innovations. This book is suitable for playing sci-fi, fantasy, and all sorts of other genres. It takes inspiration from such other systems as Savage Worlds and the Cypher System.
Kaigaku Premium Edition – Kaigaku brings dramatic samurai action back to your tabletop! It’s based on the innovative Black Hack rules set originally created by David Black. This game is easy to learn and you can get a party of characters created and a game started in just minutes. This samurai RPG allows you to become a mighty bushi, a devious courtier, a stealthy ninja or a powerful ascetic martial artist and defend the realm of Kaigaku from threats of monsters, foreign invasion and internal strife. This book presents you with a fully fleshed-out game setting that’s detailed enough to jumpstart your imagination but light enough so you can make the stories that you want to tell. Customize your characters with their own skills and samurai school abilities to help them stand apart from the rest and to have the power they need to defeat their enemies.
The Ruined Kingdom – When an enormous kaiju pursues a foreign army into Kaigaku, the Empire heeds the call for aid from their oldest allies. This campaign takes the PCs far from home to exotic vistas. Can you save the world from an onslaught of mutated beasts? This sandbox campaign features dozens of new creatures, 2 new classes, 9 new ryu and much more. Combine the dungeon generator in this book with the NPC generator in the Premium Edition of Kaigaku to keep the adventure going forever.
From Reign Dragon Press (SM Hillman) [UPDATED 2019-01-18 at 11:30 AM EST]:
Two-page Fantasy Dungeon
Two-page Sci-fi Dungeon
SM Hillman is a freelancer who does RPG journalist at EN World. When you donate to Jeremy’s fundraiser and submit a game (PDF or print, your choice), SM Hillman will review the game, and shop it around to several review sites of his choosing.
NOTE: Due to scheduling, SM Hillman can only commit to two reviews.
Higher Grounds Publishing (Ray Machuga): Ray is the game designer and publisher of the Modern RPG, Warsong 2e(Read my review here), and the Slasher the RPG, among others. If you donate to Jeremy’s fundraiser and submit a game (PDF or print, your choice), Ray will review the game. This review will be published on the Tessera Guild.
NOTE: Due to scheduling, Ray can only commit to one review.
Tessera Guild (Egg Embry): Egg freelances for EN World, theOpen Gaming Network, Knights of the Dinner Table, and the Tessera Guild. Much like Ray, if you donate to Jeremy’s fundraiser and submit a game (PDF or print, your choice), Egg will happily do a review of the game. Most likely he’ll publish the review on the Tessera Guild, but first he’ll shop it around to EN World, the Open Gaming Network, and/or Knights of the Dinner Table to give you maximum exposure.
NOTE: Due to scheduling, Egg can only commit to three reviews.
2019-01-30 UPDATE: All of Egg’s reviews are booked. At this point, there are still options for Ray Machuga and Sean Hillman to do reviews.
[UPDATED 2019-01-24 at 9:30 PM EST]:
From Modiphius Entertainment – The home of tabletop storytelling:
Achtung! Cthulhu – FATE Guide to the Secret War – Discover the secret history of World War Two: stories of amazing heroism, in which stalwart men and women struggled to overthrow a nightmare alliance of science and the occult; of frightening inhuman conspiracies from the depths of time; of the unbelievable war machines which were the product of Nazi scientific genius – and how close we all came to a slithering end! The Secret War has begun!This edition presents new rules for Fate Core suited to playing in a Cthulhu Mythos setting and in a World War Two setting, including sanity and Mythos magic rules, ways to construct and use Mythos creatures, handling conflicts in a warzone, broadening intellectual skills and using all of them in investigation, and more! Achtung! Cthulhu merges these great flavours together, but the Game Creation chapter in the Keeper’s Guide tells you how to tweak those individual dials for your Fate campaign.
NOTE: Modiphius Entertainment is providing one PDF copy of this product. It is available on a first come, first serve basis.
[UPDATED 2019-01-30 at 02:30 PM EST]
From Lee Garvin:
Tales from the Floating Vagabond – So much adventure, it’s just stupid!
Tales From The Floating Vagabond is the classic comedy role-playing game that answers the question: What do adventurers do when they’re not adventuring?
Well, it turns out they drink. A lot. At a bar at the center of the universe, connected to everywhere in the multiverse. For time-traveling, galaxy-spanning, world-hopping fun, The Floating Vagabond is the place.
TftFB: Bar Wars
TftFB: Bar Wars GM Screen
TftFB: Build-a-Brawl sets 1 to 8, Sampler Pack
From Jason Brick:
Random Encounters: Volume 1: 20 Epic Ideas to Try in Your Role-playing Game – The best part of any gaming book is the little ideas. Great NPCs. Intriguing locations. Small, elegant rules. Campaign or adventure ideas. It doesn’t matter which game or genre it’s originally for, we can throw those ideas into any game we want. Random Encounters is a series of gaming books consisting of just the ideas. 20 short essays about cool stuff to try in your games. Character stuff. Monster stuff. Campaign arcs. Adventure ideas. Encounters. Play at table. House rules. All kinds of little ideas for you to read, take, use and alter to make your game all it can be.
More about Jeremy Tangman’s medical situation:
“Over the years I have had some medical issues. Some of them have brought on emergencies in which friends have helped. Now I have hit the big one. What I thought was just a pinched nerve appears to be more serious this time. There are several major spinal issues I have been stricken with. However, I have an appointment to go see the specialist. In the past, I have been able to overcome and get back to work. So, we do have income, but we also require my monthly to survive. I have insurance for the medical responsibility, but find myself short on the rest, because I have been put off work, until I see the specialist. I was hoping some of you might help me bridge the gap needed to see me through this. I hate asking, but it is what I have to do.”
Modiphius Entertainment (in PDF) [UPDATED 2019-01-24 at 9:30 PM EST]:
Achtung! Cthulhu – FATE Guide to the Secret War (limit one. First come, first serve)
Lee Garvin (in PDF) [UPDATED 2019-01-30 at 02:30 PM EST]
Tales from the Floating Vagabond
TftFB: Bar Wars
TftFB: Bar Wars GM Screen
TftFB: Build-a-Brawl sets 1 to 8, Sampler Pack
Jason Brick (in PDF) [UPDATED 2019-01-30 at 02:30 PM EST]
Random Encounters: Volume 1: 20 Epic Ideas to Try in Your Role-playing Game
For publishers:
A game review from Higher Grounds Publishing’s Ray Machuga (limit one. First come, first serve)
A game review from Reign Dragon Press’ Sean Hillman (limit two. First come, first serve)
A game review from Tessera Guilder, Egg Embry (limit three. First come, first serve)
2019-01-30 UPDATE: All of Egg’s reviews are booked. At this point, there are still options for Ray Machuga and Sean Hillman to do reviews.
Pledge tiers [UPDATED 2019-01-08 AT 10:30 AM EST]:
$5 to $19 includes Jeremy’s thanks and entitles you to 1 of the above PDFs or a review of your game
$20 to $39 includes Jeremy’s thanks and entitles you to 3 of the above PDFs or 2 PDF and a review of your game
$40 to $59 includes Jeremy’s thanks and entitles you to 5 of the above PDFs or 4 PDFs and a review of your game
$60 to $79 includes Jeremy’s thanks and entitles you to all of the above PDFs or 6 PDFs and a review of your game
Greater than $80 includes Jeremy’s thanks and entitles you to all of the above PDFs and a review of your game
There are a limited number of game reviews available and they will be passed out on a first come, first serve basis.
After you donate, email Jeremy at jeremy.tangman@hotmail.com, or message Jeremy on Facebook, and Jeremy will work with you to get you these rewards.
[UPDATED 2019-01-24 at 9:30 PM EST]
About Modiphius Entertainment – The home of tabletop storytelling. A UK- based tabletop games publisher, Modiphius Entertainment launched in 2013 with the World War Two horror themed Achtung! Cthulhu universe and went on to create licensed tabletop roleplaying, miniatures, and boardgames for Mutant Chronicles, Thunderbirds, Conan, John Carter of Mars, Infinity, Star Trek Adventures and Fallout: Wasteland Warfare. Modiphius is providing one copy of Achtung! Cthulhu – FATE Guide to the Secret War to help Jeremy out.
About Dark Naga Adventures (an imprint of Fat Goblin Gamesavailable at theOpen Gaming Store) and Kevin Watson. Publisher of the five-part Haunting of Hastur series for Dungeons & Dragons5e, Pathfinder 1e, and OSR (“An RPG series of adventures that finds the party members interfering with Hastur and his attempts to establish a presence in their world”).
“Dark Naga Adventures exists to create and publish adventures that are a combination of the classic sandbox adventures of the early days of the hobby combined with modern features. I have probably written 30 adventures and designed about a dozen fantasy worlds in my life as a Game Master. As a one-person shop, the buck stops with me. Art, cartography, and editing are all being done by top-notch freelancers.”
About Higher Grounds Publishingand Ray Machuga. Publisher of the Modern RPG(“The foremost in Urban Fantasy gaming running on the Pathfinder system with some unique twists.”), Warsong 2e (“Soldiers of destiny battle an ageless void to determine the fate of an entire world. A Fate RPG.”), and Slasher the RPG (“Slaughter your friends in this asymmetrical horror RPG based on classic slasher films! A Fate RPG.”)
“Higher Grounds produces tabletop RPGs and RPG supplements. Our ultimate goal is to bring new flavors of games to the tables of gamers, everywhere. I want to take tabletop RPGs to the next level!
I do all of this because I firmly believe that tabletop RPGs are the best games there are! The limits are only in your imagination. To that end, I believe that tabletop games really enrich the lives of others by giving people a creative outlet and providing people with an epic story that they can take part in.”
[UPDATED 2019-01-11 at 1:15 AM EST]
About Thunderegg Productions and Jacob DC Ross. Publisher of The Exodus System (“Suitable for playing sci-fi, fantasy, and all sorts of other genres, this system takes classic OSR games and adds modern innovations.”), Kaigaku Premium Edition (“Based on the innovative Black Hack rules set originally created by David Black, this game brings dramatic samurai action back to your tabletop!”), and The Ruined Kingdom (“This sandbox campaign features dozens of new creatures, 2 new classes, 9 new ryu and much more.”).
“Jacob DC Ross is a lifelong gamer and a writer/game designer with years of experience. Born and raised in Oregon, and currently living in Washington, Jacob writes and designs games as his day job. His past credits include writing for L5R, Traveller, Mecha, and more. The company he heads, Thunderegg Productions, is dedicated to making fun tabletop RPGs.”
About Lee Garvin. Lee Garvin is a 29-year veteran of the RPG trade, having written Tales From The Floating Vagabond when he was barely 21 years old. Since that time, he has written and designed for Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Deadlands, and 7th Sea as well as creating Control: The Game of Absolute Corruption, and Dravakor, the heavy metal fantasy setting for Pathfinder. He has also designed the card game Badass Zombie Killers, and is currently working feverishly on the second edition on Tales From The Floating Vagabond.
[UPDATED 2019-01-30 at 02:30 PM EST]
About Jason Brick. Jason has gamed since 1980 and written professionally since 2007. He lives in Oregon with his wife, son, cats, spinster aunt, and squire.
[Updates and clarifications from Jeremy Tangman. Updated at 2019-01-08 AT 10:30 AM EST.]
[Updated to add Thunderegg Productions and their contributions. Updated at 2019-01-11 at 1:15 AM EST]
[Updated to add Reign Dragon Press and their contributions. Updated at 2019-01-18 at 11:30 AM EST]
[Updated to add a link to my article on the Open Gaming Network spotlighting Kevin and Ray’s Kickstarters (here). Updated at 2019-01-21 at 03:40 PM EST]
[Updated to add Modiphius Entertainment’s contribution. Updated at 2019-01-24 at 9:30 PM EST]
[Updated to add Jeremy Tangman’s latest update as well as Lee Garvin and Jason Brick’s offers. Updated 2019-01-30 at 02:30 PM EST]
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliated links to DriveThruRPG’s affiliate program and/or Humble Bundle’s Humble Partner program.
We are excited to announce our two awesome charity partners for Gen Con 2019, Special Olympics Indiana and Game to Grow! We love the dedication and passion each of these organizations put into their work in local and larger communities. As in years past, we will have several opportunities to raise funds at the show—morning dice rolls, the auction, Cardhalla destruction, and more! Read about each of the charities below, and check out gencon.com for further information.
Special Olympics Indiana is a non-profit organization that is a part of the global Special Olympics movement, using sport, health, education, and leadership programs every day around the world to end discrimination against and empower people with intellectual disabilities. Founded in 1969 and celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, Special Olympics Indiana has grown to more than 14,000 athletes and unified partners in virtually every county throughout the state. With the support of nearly 10,000 coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics Indiana provides year-round sports training and competition in more than 20 Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, at no cost to the participants. Learn more by visiting www.soindiana.org.
Game to Grow is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2017 on the belief that games of all kinds have the power to improve people’s lives. Game to Grow’s weekly therapeutic social skills groups help young people become more confident, creative, and socially capable using tabletop games, most notably Dungeons and Dragons. The founders and lead facilitators Adam Davis and Adam Johns use their years of experience in couple and family therapy, drama therapy, and education to promote social growth among youth in a fun, safe environment. For more information, head over to gametogrow.org.
The holidays are approaching and we have a few gift ideas for you. This 2018 Holiday Catalog will help you find the perfect gift for your friends, family and even yourself. Upper Deck is known for thematic licensed games as well as original titles. Marvel fans will also love Upper Deck’s Gallery Prints and Trading Cards.
Get free shipping on orders over $35 during the holidays!
Wish you could experience Gen Con for more than four days a year?
Catch everything that you missed on Gen Con’s new premium video channel on The Fantasy Network, featuring dozens of videos from Gen Con 2018—including live gaming with Matt Mercer, interviews with Jordan Weisman, speeches from Peter Adkison and Shanna Germain, and loads of new product demos!
Come for the year-round Gen Con experience, streaming free on iOS, Android, Roku, and Amazon apps or directly in your browser, then stick around for loads of original fantasy series and movies from the Dead Gentlemen, Arrowstorm Entertainment, Zombie Orpheus, The Forge, and many more of your favorite filmmakers.
This week, I wrote, posted, or inspired (using that term as loosely as possible) several gaming articles as well as a stack of press releases across the RPG news world. Did I publish a ton this week? Not as much as some weeks, but I still was involved in games as a writer, as a reader, and, on Saturday, as a gamer. I wanted to chronicle that, yet what I’ve written is less a clever review of my week and more of my log of my RPG life events this week. One day I’ll reread this post and see how much and how little I did. Go, Team Egg’s Diary!
NEW ARTICLES:
For EN World, I contributed the “RPG Crowdfunding News 125” in which I looked at the Kickstarters for Torg Eternity – The Nile Empire, The Adventurer’s Prayer, Vindeon, Tegel Manor Returns!, Lost Hall of Tyr, The Vagabond’s Cyclopedia, and more. In the article, I dropped the first mention of the Kickstarter Zine Quest article that Sean Hillman (EN World) and I are planning to do. Since taking over this column from Angus Abranson four weeks ago, my editor, Mike Tresca, and I have searched for a format that makes these articles an easier read while distinguishing the work from my “RPG Kickstarters You Should Back” column on the Open Gaming Network. Thanks to feedback in the comments section of this week’s article, and a note from Morrus, EN World’s owner, it appears that next week’s article will be the finalized format we’re going to run with. I’m excited about that.
Add to that, this column is used as fuel for Morrus and Peter Coffey’s podcast, Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk. They used last week’s article, “RPG Crowdfunding News 124,” to play their “Favourite Game in the World” (starting at 25:17) wherein Morrus gives a Kickstarter’s name and Peter Coffey guesses what the game is about. The results are determined by points but only failures Peter may cause the world to explode. It’s nice to see my work put to good use… or worldwide devastation.
Beyond my regular piece for the OGN, I posted (but did not write) another article. Let’s start this story at Origins Game Fair 2018. There, I ran into Cubicle 7’s Andy Peregrine (Doctor Who RPG) and we talked about what games he’d discovered at the show. He shared Nomnivore Games’ Emberwind: The Skies of Axia, which is an epic looking game based in original mechanics. That was June, fast forward to December and Nomnivore Games is running a Kickstarter for EMBERWIND: a new breed of tabletop RPG. Andy, because he loves gaming and is happy to support the industry, did a review of Emberwind: The Skies of Axia to boost the current Kickstarter. It was an excellent gesture by him proving he is a gentleman as well as an RPG professional. However, writing is only part of the battle, so Andy asked if I could help on the publishing side. Being asked to help is an honor and I wanted to do the best I could by Andy, thus I was able to work with my editor on the Open Gaming Network, Kim Frandsen, and get his article published as “OGN Guest Reviews – Andrew Peregrine Reviews Emberwind: The Skies of Axia”. Not mine, but I’m still proud to have helped out and hope you give it a read.
Here on the Tessera Guild, it’s mostly publishing other company’s press releases [see below]. That said, last Friday I shared a piece I was proud to put together discussing, at the highest level, how EN World, the Open Gaming Network, and RPGnet fund their RPG articles (read it here). “Funding RPG News” looks at their ads, stores, Patreons, and crowdfundings to help illustrate how the articles we read are paid for and how you can be involved in bringing them to life.
Speaking of funding and Patreons, Morrus (EN World) started a new one that offers EN5ider adventures as One Page Adventure For DnD! I thought this was an interesting idea and when Morrus’ Patreon newsletter arrived, I decided I could lift it and make something of an announcement using it. With minimal edits, I turned the letter into a press release and put it up here. It’s gained some interest and, I hope, led to more fans joining Morrus’ latest Patreon.
I contributed some interview questions to Ed Jowett (Shades of Vengeance) to appear in an upcoming project. Despite this being our 6th interview (four at the Tessera Guild and one on the Open Gaming Network), he had exceedingly pleasant things to say about the questions. As ever, it’s uplifting to be told your work is good.
I talked with Doug Cole about his Kickstarter, the Lost Hall of Tyr (2nd Edition): Maps and Print Run. I wrote about his project on EN World and, as I do, messaged him to point out the article. From that, we talked and he shared a lot of his work and plans for the project, his 5e variant, Dragon Heresy, and his custom, full-sized Viking shields (available via the Kickstarter). There’s a lot to this project and it’s worth lending it an eye (Odin One Eye would appreciate it).
From Amazon, I picked up Kobold Press’ Creature Codex. (As of this writing, it’s $30.03 PRIME then you can take off another $5 then another 10% off. Original price is $49.99. Final price as of this writing is $22.03!)
To further fill my monster appetite, I’m reading Power Up Games’L’gat’s Tome of Amazing Creatures Volume 2. PUGs’ collection of 26 monsters for 5e touches on most every CR with original ideas for your table. What makes this project stand out is each creature’s depth and the creator’s quest to make this product accessible for disabled players. “[Y]ou will find a table listing all of the Named Locations from within the various descriptions throughout the book. Within this table, as well as the name and description, you will find sections relating to the different senses. This is an attempt to allow you as GM a way to make the world both more immersive and accessible to disabled players.” If you’re interested, try it out here.
As an added treat, under the Special Thanks, they mention the Tessera Guild (and myself). It made me feel special.
GAMING:
That leaves gaming this Saturday. Indy RPGing in the early afternoon, Adventures in Middle-Earth in the evening. Wish me good dice rolls!
When humanity falls, when nations and authorities collapse, only the most basic human bond remains – family. While the world burns, the powerful dynasties form a covenant called Elysium. Deep down in the bedrock, they build the enclave named Elysium I, designed to weather the long atomic winter. Decades later, Elysium I is a gilded prison, a lonely outpost in a sea of quiet destruction where fear and suspicion grow unchecked…
Prepare for the end of the world as you know it. Today marks the launch of the kickstarter of MUTANT: ELYSIUM. It is the third and final major expansion set in the universe of the award-winning postapocalyptic tabletop roleplaying game MUTANT: YEAR ZERO RPG created by Free League Publishing.
MUTANT: ELYSIUM is fully playable as a standalone game and tells the origin story of the enclave humans, the last torchbearers of human civilization. In the huge underground enclave Elysium I, powerful Houses struggle for supremacy, oblivious to the looming threat that could bring humanity’s last bastion on Earth to its final downfall.
Get ready for the final fall of humanity!
ABOUT MUTANT: ELYSIUM
MUTANT: ELYSIUM, with art by acclaimed artists Simon Stålenhag and Reine Rosenberg and created by Free League, completes the Mutant: Year Zero quadrilogy of roleplaying games telling the full story of the postapocalyptic MUTANT universe. The stand-alone expansion, which also introduces non-mutant humans as a playable class in Mutant: Year Zero, includes:
ENCLAVE HUMANS – New rules for creating and playing enclave humans, including their web of contacts with rich and powerful allies.!
ELYSIUM I – A detailed description of Elysium I, the mother of all Elysium enclaves, including a full-color map.
GUARDIANS OF THE FALL – The complete campaign Guardians of the Fall, that will settle the final fate of the enclave.
ADAPTING TO LIFE IN THE ZONE – An overview of how the enclave humans can adapt to life in the Zone, and join the mutants, animals and robots of Mutant: Year Zero, Mutant: Genlab Alpha andMutant: Mechatron!
ABOUT MUTANT: ELYSIUM – THE STORY
In Elysium I, the Houses turn on each other and enclave workers begin to question their masters. After a violent confrontation, the ruling Houses create a force of judicators, with the authority to strike hard against anything that threatens order in the enclave.
You are one of these judicators. It is your duty to investigate crimes and impose the appropriate sentences. But never forget that your strongest loyalty is towards your family. You are the true heir of doom. When humanity sets foot on the surface again, it will be your House that leads the way into the new dawn. Your lineage. Your family.
ABOUT MUTANT: YEAR ZERO – ROLEPLAYING AT THE END OF DAYS
Mutant: Year Zero is the latest version of the classic Swedish tabletop roleplaying game Mutant, first published in 1984. The postapocalyptic game Mutant: Year Zero was named Best RPG at UK Games Expo 2015 and awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules at Gencon 2015.
The first major expansion was Mutant: Genlab Alpha, telling the story of the mutant animals. The second expansion was Mutant: Mechatron, launched earlier this year, introducing the robots into the Mutant universe.
“Mutant: Year Zero blew me away on a personal level. I did not know of its existence, and suddenly I realise that I am holding a masterpiece, probably the best post-apocalyptic game on the market.”-RPG.Net Playtest Review
“The book and supporting products are high quality and it uses unique, quirky mechanics that really bring its themes of desperate survival to the forefront.”-The British Fantasy Society
“If you are into post-apocalypse RPGs you definitely should give Mutant a chance!”-Stargazer’s World
“Mutant: Year Zero is an exceptional roleplaying game, and if you’re the least interested in this kind of entertainment you should buy it immediately.” -The Piruett sf and fantasy blog
“This RPG is f***ing great and I recommend it to new gamers and veterans alike. Giving this game anything but the highest grade would be insane.” -The Kryokinesi gaming blog
“The rules support and create campaign play. Intrigues start, threats arise, opportunities and challenges appear, without the GM having to make it all up.” – The Fenix gaming magazine
[ If you want review copies or have interview requests, please e-mail: boel@frialigan.se ]
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
The post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules 2015. The sci-fi adventure Coriolis – The Third Horizon, was awarded a Judge’s Spotlight Award at Gencon.The dark fantasy roleplaying game Symbaroum has earned several nominations and awards, including a Best Game nomination at the Origins Awards 2016. And we are proud to say that our latest roleplaying gameTales from the Loop RPG based on Simon Stålenhags iconic artbooks made a grand slam at the ENnie Awards 2017, winning five Gold ENnies – among them Best Game.
Our upcoming fantasy RPG is Forbidden Lands, with art by critically acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag and iconic Swedish fantasy artist Nils Gulliksson, lore by fantasy author Erik Granström and game design by the team that created Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Tales from the Loop RPG. Forbidden Lands was the third most successful RPG Kickstarter in the world 2017 and was recently named one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2018 by EN World.
We have also released the critically acclaimed art books Things from the Flood and Tales from the Loopby artist Simon Stålenhag. His third book The Electric State has been released by Free League Publishing exclusively to the backers of the kickstarter campaign.
I met Craig Campbell of Nerdburger Games at the Atlanta Science Fiction and Fantasy Expo. He was at a table with pre-ENnie Award winner, Derek Kamal (of Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse fame). We chatted for a minute and he pitched me on two of his projects, CAPERS RPG and Die Laughing. I bought the CAPERS Quickstart and, later on, did an interview with Craig about CAPERS (here). At AndoCon, I ran into Craig again and he invited me to try out Die Laughing. That was an excellent time! Let me quote the quick pitch for Die Laughing:
“The zero-prep, horror-comedy RPG that puts the laughter in slaughter. […] Everyone’s going to die. It’s just a matter of when and how funny you can make it. Even after your character is gone, there are multiple ways for you to remain involved and influence the story right up until the bloody end.”
With the Kickstarter is running until November 21st, I wanted to talk with Craig about CAPERS, Die Laughing, and highlight the fact that the game is just $10 so price is kept low so it’s not a barrier!
EGG EMBRY (EGG): Craig, thanks for talking RPGs with me. Let’s start with your Kickstarter for Die Laughing. I played the preview version of Die Laughing at AndoCon. I don’t know whether I did good or bad, but I survived the game, so I never got to play as a producer. How does the producer role impact player engagement compared to an RPG where your character dies and you spend the rest of the night rolling up a new one?
CC: In Die Laughing, when your character dies, and most of them do, you take on the role of producer for the rest of the game (in addition to a few other things). You have producer points that you can spend once per scene to do something to affect the scene, such as lowering the effects budget or introducing positive test scores for a character, forcing them into the scene because the test audience likes them.
While you don’t necessarily spend a point every scene, I’ve had players remark that they remain very engaged with the story, plotting for the perfect time to mess with the story. Producers play a little mind game by themselves (and sometimes with other producers), seeking out a chance to really impact what’s going on in the movie you’re all creating at the table.
EGG: This game is mostly done, correct? How quickly do you hope to deliver the finished product to backers?
CC: Everything is written and playtested. I’ve added a few things that will need an editing pass. Much of the artwork is done, with a few illustrations left to go. The basic layout template is complete and much of it is laid out.
I MIGHT release a “first cut” of the game with whatever’s done, just as a PDF, right after the Kickstarter ends. This will be a playable game but won’t have all the alternate rules and additional monsters/characters that still need illustration and layout. We’ll finish all of that up and release a “final cut” of the game, hopefully within 2-3 months. But that will depend on how fast we can get a print proof turned around. November and December are notoriously slow months for ordering physical books from DriveThruRPG.com. Darn those holidays and all that wonderful gift-giving!
EGG: Despite being largely in the can, this game has some options to be expanded. In your wildest dreams [nightmares], what are you aiming for with this project?
CC: The hope is 24 characters, 24 monsters, a bunch of alternate rules and play aids, along with the core rules. I think it’ll come in around 100 or so pages. That would be the “Director’s Cut” of the game, so to speak. The biggest and best version of the game.
EGG: The number of backer rewards is ballooning quickly! 😛 This started with one option – Die Laughing for $10. What else have you decided to offer?
CC: That’s the “Victim” level. There are three “Survivor” levels that also get you the PDF for one or both of my previous RPGs (Murders & Acquisitions and CAPERS). Essentially, each adds an additional $10 to your pledge (while the PDFs are normally a $15 value). The Survivor levels have proven to be pretty popular.
EGG: You recently fulfilled your last Kickstarter, CAPERS RPG. What is CAPERS about? How has the reaction been?
CC: CAPERS is a super-powered game of gangsters in the Roaring Twenties. Players portray criminals using their powers to create their empire OR members of law enforcement using their powers to bring those criminals to justice. The Kickstarter for CAPERS went very well and well over 500 people are enjoying their Kickstarter rewards (which included not just the game book but also all sorts of PDF support materials and play aids).
The reaction has been incredibly positive. I’ve started to see a nice little community growing on the NerdBurger Games Discord. People are talking about hacking/houseruling the game. Questions are asked and answered. People are being friendly and talking about other geeky stuff. Every time a new person starts talking on the Discord or sends me a photo of their just-received CAPERS book on social media, I get a little more joy and feel a little more proud of CAPERS.
EGG: You run Nerdburger Games and do a podcast. Creator, publisher, advertiser, and local game organizer [NOTE: Craig and I are building an Atlanta-based indy RPG group. In Atlanta and want to game? Ping one of us]. Why wear all the hats instead of letting another company publish your work or the like?
CC: It all sort of happened by accident. I created Murders & Acquisitions and decided to Kickstart it myself. That went well and while I was wrapping it up, I started on CAPERS. Once I had M&A in the bag, it only seemed natural to just forge ahead as NerdBurger Games and continue self-publishing my games.
Doing it all myself has downsides. It’s a LOT of work, but I don’t mind it. Creating RPG stuff is something I would do anyway. I’m able to create these little, niche games that I love and that I can make exactly how I want them to be. That affords me the ability to NOT have to answer to others in what the games should be. It’s incredibly liberating to share my creative vision on my own terms.
And that’s a BIG upside that far outweighs the downsides of having to do all the work myself. Though, truth be told, I don’t do it all myself. I have enlisted a wide variety of very capable and talented freelancers to do the things I can’t and have found a nice little cadre of fans who love playtesting my games. It’s a group effort, for sure.
EGG: What is your podcast? What do you cover on it?
CC: I’ve been doing the NerdBurger Podcast for well over five years now with my good friend Mike (who has also contributed his art and layout talents to my games). The podcast is a weekly, hour-long potpourri of nerdy/geeky discussion on all manner of topics, all slathered over with a healthy dose of humor and camaraderie.
We have a rotating panel of regular guests and bring in special guests as well. We keep things very conversational. Over five years of a new episode every single Wednesday.
EGG: What else are you working on right now?
CC: As CAPERS finishes out its fulfillment and Die Laughing wraps up, the next big thing is CAPERS Noir. This supplement to the CAPERS game progresses the game from the 1920s to the 1940s. Gone is Prohibition era gangster action. CAPERS Noir is a crime noir game. You need the CAPERS core game to play it, but CAPERS Noir will be filled with 50 or so pages of new character options, new rules (including investigation rules), new powers, an L.A. backdrop, and some other surprises. It just went into playtesting.
If CAPERS Noir is well-received, I have plans for two more supplements. CAPERS Covert will take things to the 1960s in Las Vegas and be a crime/law story pastiche built around old-school, James Bond style agents and villains. CAPERS Offworld will tie all three eras together and bring CAPERS to outer space with Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon style interstellar crime fun in an old-school ray-gun and alien style.
EGG: For fans interested in your Kickstarter, where can they find it and you?
CC: The Die Laughing Kickstarter ends on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. As an indie creator, I strive to be as accessible and transparent as possible. My fans mean the world to me.
If you dig my games, swing on by the NerdBurger Games website. I blog fairly regularly and love sharing what I’m working on at the moment.
And I’m on a bunch of social media where I love chatting with folks.
Let’s round up some news bites: Richard A. Knaak’s Rex Draconis, my latest Storytellers Vault review, Origins hotels, where’d the “RPG Kickstarters You Should Back” column go?, some press releases, and a deal! Let’s dive into this news roundup.
NEWS BITES
Going to Origins Game Fair from June 12th to 16th, 2019? While early bird badge registration starts November 15th, the downtown hotels are already available at a discounted rate. Some are sold out, but there are still options. If you’re thinking of going, here’s the links to the discounted downtown Columbus hotels for the show. Click it to see what (if any) options remain.
My column, “RPG Kickstarters You Should Back,” moved to the Open Gaming Network. I enjoyed hosting it on the Tessera Guild and look forward to continuing the column at its new home. At OGN, I’m delving deeper into Kickstarter reviews looking at the history that inspired them as much as how they’ve gained from using the Open Gaming License.
Speaking of Kobold Press’ Tales of the Old Margreve: 5th Edition Forest Adventures, this campaign was only intended to fund completing this adventure book, a print run of it, and VTT files for Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds. The plan was not to create PDFs during this campaign. However, after a groundswell of support for PDFs, Kobold has added them to the campaign. If you wanted to back this but only if it included PDFs, now’s the time. For more details, read their campaign update here.
On ENWorld, I look at the [now ended] Vampire: The Masquerade Humble Bundle as well as David MacDowell Blue’s Savannah by Night COMPLETEfor the “Storytellers Vault Roundup.” Why did I pick Savannah by Night COMPLETE to review? Because the city lies on the coast of my state (Georgia) and I’ve frequented it a number of times. It’s interesting to see what David created by adding vampires to this colonial metropolis.
Several months ago, I shared a press release about Wet Ink Games upcoming Kickstarter, War World Occult RPG. Based on Charles Ferguson-Avery’s art, this “is a gritty horror setting where an eldritch hellscape flows over the battlefields in a fantasy World War”. The game will use the Compass System. We now have a date that the campaign will launch to Kickstarter, October 30th.
I’ve made no secret of my childhood love of Richard A. Knaak’s Dragonlance: The Legend of Huma, Kaz the Minotaur, and more. How much have I enjoyed his work? Enough to write several articles and roundup some more reasons to back the Kickstarter to develop this setting for D&D 5e and Pathfinder.
On the Open Gaming Network, I interviewed Richard A. Knaak, Phil Beckwith, and Micah Watt about their D&D 5e/Pathfinder 1e conversion of Richard A. Knaak’s latest fantasy series, Rex Draconis, into an RPG setting. Read it here.
To add to this, John McGuire shared his thoughts on Knaak’s early Dragonlance books here.
I looked at the Kickstarter for Rex Draconis RPG – Rising Tideshere. The product is funded, unlocked its first stretch goal, and ends Sunday, October 21 2018 10:02 PM EDT.
And there’s a Rex Draconis RPG newsletter with even more preview content and thoughts from Richard A. Knaak as well as the game creators. You can sign up for it here.
What are you doing this weekend? On Saturday, October 20th, I’ll be at the GAMA Retailer Award-winning Giga-Bites Cafe with Craig Campbell of NerdBurger Games and more (local RPG creators and gamers) playing some RPGs from 2PM to 6PM or 7PM. I’m excited about it and hope your weekend is equally gametastic!
[UPDATE on October 19th, 2018 at 10:10AM] On Paizo’s blog, Niobe: She is Life creator, Sebastian A. Jones, talks about Niobe, Stranger Comics,their latest Niobe Kickstarter, and Niobe: She is Pathfinder [not the actual title] that will let you play in the Niobe-verse using Pathfinder rules! Read it here.
To see the Kickstarter, click the image.
DEALS
The Open Gaming Store (the store that funds the articles on the Open Gaming Network, including mine) has a warehouse sale this month. 30% off a variety of tabletop RPG items. Check it out here.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonlance. The world of Kyrnn. The continent of Ansalon. The Companions. Camaron. Raistlin. Takhisis. Paladine. Kitiara. Lord Soth. Chronicles. Legends. Margaret Weis. Tracy Hickman. The Legend of Huma. Kaz the Minotaur. Richard A. Knaak.
Those settings, characters, books, and authors summarize of my love for D&D’s Dragonlance. The setting was popular in AD&D, 2e, 3e, 3.5e, and the SAGA system (the last module, for 3.5e, was published in 2008 by Sovereign Press, one of Margaret Weis’ companies and the official licensor of Dragonlance at that time). Beyond the RPG books and sets there were tie-in novels published from 1984 until early 2010 (fellow Tessera Guilder, John McGuire, wrote about those early Dragonlance novels recently), comic books, video games, and a 2008 animated movie. While there was a tip of the hat in a 5e Unearthed Arcana to Krynn’s minotaurs (here), Wizards of the Coast has not published any new Dragonlance game material for a decade, and no new novels in nearing that time span.
While the full list of every author that touched Dragonlance over those two decades is extensive, the list of authors that most defined Dragonlance novels throughout their existence is four: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Douglas Niles, and Richard A. Knaak. Their prose gave the world its voice and structure, gifting it with flavor while crafting a complex history. Everyone involved did an excellent job of building the world of Krynn into one of D&D’s premier settings. Knaak built up the world’s history while cementing the sailor minotaurs and Knights of Solamnia and other critical facets of the world. He curved out a section of Krynn that might be dubbed “his” part of Ansalon. However, the downside of working on corporate properties is when the publisher stops producing them, your contract ends, and the sun on your part of the world sets, sometimes forever.
Knaak worked on other properties (World of Warcraft, Conan, Diablo, and several of his own series including Dragonrealm), yet the stories of Dragonlance must have continued to percolate in his mind. In 2017, he delivered the first book in a new fantasy series, Rex Draconis. The first novella, Rex Draconis: Under the Dragon Moon, lays out the opening shots of the series. I didn’t read Rex Draconis: Under the Dragon Moon, instead I did the Audible as read by Julie-Ann Amos. For those not versed in audiobooks, an Audible is the same as reading, only it’s not. Julie-Ann Amos elevated the work through her voice acting. Her characters had a life and presence that you do not hear in every audiobook and are not always present in your head as you read.
The superficial bits of the novella marked the series as the spiritual successor to Dragonlance. But, it’s not a cloned-Krynn, it’s a skillful homage to Knaak’s corner of Ansalon. A love letter so compelling that it’s inspired Knaak to work with Phil Beckwith of P.B. Publishing and Micah Watt of Pyromaniac Press to convert this prose into a tabletop RPG setting for D&D 5e and Pathfinder 1e (the Kickstarter for is live here until Sun, October 21 2018 10:02 PM EDT). I covered the Kickstarterhere, and interviewed Knaak and the rest of the creative team on the Open Gaming Network.
What is Dragonlance about this series? Sailor minotaurs. Kwillum, a kender-like species that make more sense than kender. Two species of dragonfolk that have a light resemblance to draconians. Three-ish moons of differing hues. There’s more that, once you see those parts, make the other pieces fit a jigsaw puzzle of a Larry Elmore Dragonlance painting, but on examination it feels more like forcing the pieces to fit. The semi-befuddled mage, Knights of the Shield/Knights of the Grey Hand, the prominence of the gods as components of the sky, the tinker dwarf. Those pieces could be viewed as being taken from Ansalon, yet powerful mages, knightly orders, gods, and steampunk humanoids are common fantasy tropes. It is only when the other pieces are invoked that they form the tapestry of Krynn.
Despite the elevator pitch that this is Dragonlance revisited, and some similarities, Rex Draconis is not Dragonlance. Taken as a whole, it is its own world. The minotaur empire is pushing against the human’s world, the “orcs” of this world are the wheyr, a race of jackelpeople who have massive numbers and, thanks to some captured and copied minotaur ships, are a threat at sea, dragonfolk aren’t rooting for an evil goddess or defending mankind, instead, everyone are their pawns, the third moon is visible and shattered into the shape of a dragon, the kwillum are looking for something. There are layers to this world and this first novella offers a taste of each.
Who is Rex Draconis: Under the Dragon Moon for? Sword and sorcery fans. Fans of Richard A. Knaak. Fans missing their Dragonlance fix that are ok with a reimagined version of the world. D&D fans that want the feel of those worlds back in print. But mostly fans looking for a fantasy world that is fully realized, with interesting takes on the battle between good and evil, one where the series is ongoing and being transferred across medias to work with D&D 5e and Pathfinder 1e on Kickstarter (here).
Free League Publishing and Team Järnringen, two of Sweden’s leading publishers of tabletop roleplaying games on the international market, will become one. The merger of these publishers of acclaimed RPGs such as Tales from the Loop, Symbaroum and Mutant: Year Zero, is underway. The combined company, to be named Free League Publishing, is planning several major game launches in the year to come.
“We’re very happy that the merger is finally happening,” says Free League co-founder Tomas Härenstam. “We have a long history with Järnringen, great respect for their work, and we share similar philosophies on game design. Together we will be stronger, better, and have a greater international reach. And we’ll have even more fun at work.”
The two teams are already working together, with former Järnringen members involved in current Free League projects, and vice versa. To the combined company, Järnringen brings the acclaimed fantasy RPG Symbaroum, which will now become part of Free League’s line-up of award-winning games such as Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis – The Third Horizon, and Tales from the Loop, as well as the upcoming RPG Forbidden Lands and Crusader Kings – The Board Game.
Free League was initially created ten years ago, as a group of freelancers writing supplements for earlier (Swedish) versions of Mutant and Coriolis, published by a previous incarnation of Järnringen. The fact that these two game franchises are still part of the Free League RPG lineup today is appreciated by the members of Team Järnringen.
“There are many benefits of this merger,” say’s Järnringen co-founder Mattias Johnsson Haake. “But of course, the idea of working on Mutant and Coriolis again is especially appealing. Coriolis was created by us, and is in a way like a child we never got to see grow up. Mutant also has a special place in our hearts.”
The joint company will be named Free League Publishing, a decision made in full agreement between both companies. Free League Publishing has had a longer presence on the international market and a bigger reach among both gamers and sales partners. In addition, the name Free League is taken from a faction in the Coriolis RPG.
Fans and gamers of Free League and Järnringen games should not experience any immediate impact from this merger. All existing game lines will continue as planned. In addition, a number of new game projects are being planned for 2019. More information on these will be revealed at a later date.
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Our first game, the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules 2015. The sci-fi adventure Coriolis – The Third Horizon, was awarded a Judge’s Spotlight Award at Gencon. And we are proud to say that our latest roleplaying game Tales from the Loop RPG based onSimon Stålenhags iconic artbooks made a grand slam at the ENnie Awards 2017, winning five Gold ENnies – among them Best Game.
Our upcoming fantasy RPG is Forbidden Lands, with art by critically acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag and iconic Swedish fantasy artist Nils Gulliksson, lore by fantasy author Erik Granström and game design by the team that created Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Tales from the Loop RPG. Forbidden Lands was the third most successful RPG Kickstarter in the world 2017 and was recently named one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2018 by EN World.
We have also released the critically acclaimed art books Things from the Flood and Tales from the Loopby artist Simon Stålenhag. His third book The Electric State has been released by Free League Publishing exclusively to the backers of the kickstarter campaign.
Friends and acquaintances ask me to look at their Kickstarters, and so I did. In this roundup, there’s an audiobook based on an RPG, and products for 5e, including one I did an interview about on the Open Gaming Network (here). Normally, I give my thoughts on these but time is short (this is the second roundup of the week after looking at some RPG-related comic books). For this article, I’m looking at:
“Leo Cosh voices an audio book of short stories in the world of Gaia, where Infection runs rampant and humanity is a dying race.
At Shades of Vengeance, we don’t just create games, we create worlds!
We love building huge, expansive environments and bringing them to life through different types of media.
We also like to allow everyone in our team to express their creativity. A chance for Leo Cosh, a professional voice actor in his own time, to bring one of our games to life was too good an opportunity to miss!
And so, we have detailed the world of Gaia, a post-apocalyptic world where zombies and mutants roam, threatening Humanity and often causing them to turn on each other!
This audio book is our first attempt at a major audio product, bringing over 4 hours of material to you.
A hundred years ago, there was a cataclysm. Maybe a biological weapon was set off, or a parasite evolved… honestly, no-one really cares any more.
What matters is that the parasite was airborne, infectious and could live in any warm-blooded creature. Those affected are driven insane and mutate, becoming a threat to those around them. This doesn’t even end with death: corpses of those Infected are reanimated and will wander the world, seeking nourishment.
Humanity is a dying race now. In another hundred years, there won’t be any of us left. A bite or scratch, or a breath in the wrong place spells doom.
We have made some progress, however. The development of a drug, known as Injection, means that humans can encounter the Parasites and live to tell the tale.
People have adapted to this situation in different ways – some choose to fight it, preserving as many lives as possible, or searching for a cure to the Infection. Others, lost in the hopelessness, turn to stealing from any who cross their path. With the loss of communications, Runners have begun carrying messages as the only form of long-distance communication. Still others try to burn everything that stands in their way, cleansing it, or hide underground in concealed bunkers, waiting for the Infection to burn out.
In this world, surviving is a matter of wits and cunning…
The stories in this anthology explore the different factions of this detailed world, and the experiences of various people as they try to survive.
Want to hear what the stories sound like? We’ll be adding more throughout the Kickstarter!
The Runner (Story 2)
Nihilist (Story 3)
The High-Rise Slums (Story 5)
It’s an Audio Book!
The total length will be around 4 hours.
It’s an anthology: each story takes place from a different perspective.
Each story varies in length, but most are around 6 minutes.
It will be delivered in .mp3 format.
It has been voiced by a professional voice actor, using different voices for each character.
Leo Cosh is the voice actor who has brought the world of Gaia to life. With a wide range of experience on different types of projects, he was the perfect choice to give voice to the people of Gaia!
Ed Jowett is the creator of the world of Gaia, director of the audio book and writer of many of the stories. Primarily creating roleplaying games, he has published over 50 books through Shades of Vengeance.
Jennifer Martin has worked with Ed Jowett to bring the characters of Gaia into sharp focus. Having worked with Ed for over five years, her chilling style sucks the listener into the world!
Mikhail Greuli is the artist who supplied the various images used in this Kickstarter. His incredible talent for bringing the mysteries and creatures of Gaia to life have been invaluable in creating this project!
Martin Popovski has brought the world of Gaia to life through the title video! We’re very grateful to him for his work on this project!”
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A 5e setting book and hexcrawl in a forest filled with witches, fey, and things that go bump in the night.
Beyond the kingdom of Aruanda, there is an untamed land. It is a place where witches walk, where goblins cavort, where the borders between the realms of mortal and fey grow thin. For some, it is a place of unspeakable wonder; for others, only madness and death lie within its trackless depths.
It is the Runewild, and it is both beautiful and cruel.
The Runewild Campaign Setting is a dark fairy-tale hex-crawl for use with the 5th Edition of the world’s most popular roleplaying game. Designed for character levels 1 through 10, it provides locations, encounters, and NPCs to support a campaign lasting months or years, or to be adapted into other campaigns. The full-color book will be at least 160 pages long and includes:
A history of the Runewild and its surrounding settlements.
100 detailed encounter areas for player characters to explore.
New optional rules for exploring and resting.
Advice for running a hex-crawl campaign.
A new feat: Fey-Touched.
8 new Runewild-specific backgrounds (including hag-owned, Runewild folklorist, time-lost knight, and polymorphed animal).
13 unique magic items (like witch embers and the staff of clarity and confusion).
32 new monsters (including clockwork dwarves, fey lions, giant forest sloths, and the terrifyingly beautiful Golden Bodach).
Detailed descriptions of the histories, motivations, and weaknesses of the witches of the Runewild, including the Whitebone Sisters; Missus Switch, the swine hag; Korthsuva, the Witch of Hours; and the hag-queen Griselda, Mother of Ogres.
Dozens of random tables designed to help GMs make the Runewild campaign their own.
Forest of a Thousand Stories
The Runewild Campaign Setting is a hex-crawl first and foremost, but as the player characters explore the Runewild, they’re sure to find themselves caught up in the many conflicts that threaten the ancient forest. Here are just a few of the larger story arcs that might become a part of your Runewild campaign:
Ianto the Red: A powerful bandit lord named Ianto the Red controls a network of murderers and thieves who plague the roads between settlements. Rumor has it Ianto traded his soul to a coven of witches in exchange for eternal life.
The Thistlewhip Children: Cort and Cora Thistlewhip’s seven children are missing. Unbeknownst to their parents, the children undertook a quest for King Wobbly-Odd, a Runish lord who fell prey to a fey curse centuries ago. Unless someone recovers the children, the Thistlewhips may become lost in the Runewild forever.
The Broken King: In the heart of the Runewild, a mysterious figure known as the Broken King assembles an army of goblins. No one knows what the Broken King wants, but the trail of petrified victims his goblins leave behind may provide a clue.
The Witch Queen Griselda: Humans and elves united to defeat Griselda’s forces during the Witch Wars, but the hag herself survived and fled into the Cronemarsh. Now she plots revenge and rebuilds her network of allies. Griselda rarely leaves her home, but an ancient curse demands she visit the dreams of anyone who slays a witch within the Runewild’s borders.
To learn more about the Runewild, you can check out our free previews:
Preview 1 – Missus Switch, Swine Witch: The history and statistics of Missus Switch, the Swine Witch, as well as a detailed description of the school house where she teaches her porcine pupils.
Preview 2 – Highvale Blade and Twisted Tome: The Runewild is a place steeped in powerful fey magic. These magic items show how some harness it safely, while others let it get out of control.
Preview 3: Beasts that Lurk in the Runewild: This preview features four new beasts that live in the Runewild: the helpful fey lion, the thought-stealing fiddlehead, the enigmatic Seven-Tail, and the terrifyingly beautiful Golden Bodach.
If you want to see even more, you can back the project and access the current draft of the book by going to this backer-only post. We’ve written the entire book and gone through several rounds of revision, but we plan to do at least one more revision using your feedback.
Finally, we have two products already for sale that tie in to the Runewild.
The Goblin Market: A magical marketplace full of strange treasures and goblin vendors eager to part the heroes from their coin. (Note: we will incorporate most of the material from The Goblin Market into the final book.
The Marriage at Midsummer: Two star-crossed lovers have gone missing from Caerfell’s Midsummer Festival. Their families are at each other’s throats. Deep in the Runewild, a mysterious figure called the Bishop promises to unite the couple. But the Bishop actually has other plans. This is the first in the Seasons of the Runewild series of adventures.
We love the ways crowdfunding can involve our backers. Everybody who backs at any level can read the current draft of the book and provide feedback. For those who want to play an even bigger role, we offer two backer reward options:
Denizen of the Runewild
The Runewild Campaign Setting will contain a table featuring one hundred random fey denizens of the Runewild. We want to give you a chance to be part of that chart. If you select either the PDF and Runewild Denizen or the Print and Runewild Denizen reward level, you can create one entry on the chart that includes your fey creature’s name, the type of fey, a brief description, and the creature’s goals. (All descriptions may be modified for length, tone, and established setting cannon.)
Part of the Art
If you want to be even more involved with the creation, you can pledge at the Part of the Art level. At this level, we will also include an illustration based on either a photo or description you provide. We will add the NPC to the book, and you can provide as much or as little guidance as you would like. (By pledging at Part of the Art, you grant permission for us to use your likeness in the Runewild Campaign Setting and promotion for it, but not in other products.)
The focus of this Kickstarter Campaign is the Runewild Campaign Setting, but we also want to create adventures you can use to introduce players to the Runewild, either as a one-shot or part of a larger campaign. Each adventure centers around a different seasonal celebration in a different settlement around the Runewild.
The Marriage at Midsummer: Two star-crossed lovers have gone missing from Caerfell’s Midsummer Festival. Their families are at each other’s throats. Deep in the Runewild, a mysterious figure called the Bishop promises to unite the couple. But the Bishop actually has other plans. This is the first in the Seasons of the Runewild series of adventures. (Already released and available as an add-on.)
Bonedigger: The townsfolk of Ill Hollow practice a strange tradition: each Harvestide, they bury an animal’s bones in a false grave to prevent Bonedigger, a witch’s ghostly hound, from finding his mistress’s true remains. This year, however, something has gone wrong. Not only has someone dug up the real witch’s grave, but a local youth who hoped to spot Bonedigger has gone missing. (Everyone who pledges $3 or more will get a PDF copy of Bonedigger when we release it, just after the Kickstarter campaign ends.)
All Through the Long, Dark Night: Every year the village of Widderspire gathers around Widderspire Pond to celebrate the winter solstice. This year, frost imps attack the celebration, leaving the villagers entombed in ice. To save Widderspire, the heroes must brave the depths of Widderspire Pond, pass through a magical portal into the fey realm, and rescue a powerful fey named Ember John. ($6,000 stretch goal)
Springtime Comes to Kidwelly: Before spring can begin, the halflings of Kidwelly must lure a fey creature called the Monax out of its burrow, but this year the Monax is nowhere to be found. Unless the heroes locate those responsible for the Monax’s disappearance, Kidwelly may be locked in winter’s grip forever. ($8,000 stretch goal)
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“All Original Necromancy Content New arcane tradition, spells, rituals, poisons, magic items & alchemicals. 5E 5th Edition DnD RPG
What this project creates:
This campaign funds the art and backer reward fulfillment costs of Whispers of Persephone,a necromantic source book for use in your role playing game. This book is written for specialist necromancer wizards, and describes a new arcane tradition, Stygian Necromancy. Created as a book of 120+ pages, containing entirely original art in full color by Christian Martinez and all original game content by W.S. “Sam” Quinton. Whispers of Persephone is a wonderful role-playing aid.
*Written for mature role-playing audiences, this book is NOT appropriate for children.
Art for Whispers of Persephone by Christian Martinez
This is a source book for those who like their dark arts, to be DARK!
How far along is the book now?
Writing: The writing of the game play material is complete! This book is presently in its final play testing stage, and will likely see some revisions as this campaigns draws to its end. All that remains, is to complete the material for those tiers pledged that add the names of backers at The Necromancer, Acolyte of Death, and Fallen Heroes tiers, and to complete those character descriptions (stat blocks, and some narrative biographical text), as well as completing the example of play/use. That material is expected to take a couple of days to complete and another day or two for proof reading and final formatting. Character material will be completed as backers pledge at those tiers, so look for messages from me if you are pledging as The Necromancer, an Acolyte of Death, or as a Fallen Hero.
Art: The covers are complete. The interior art that has been completed thus far is displayed on this page. By reaching funding goal, the remaining art that is essential to this book can be completed. Stretch goals are structured to allow for additional art to be commissioned and added to the book. Page background art is being revised for better legibility.
Two different covers available:
Screen capture of the “Black Cover”
Spinal cover
Things you’ll find in the book:
Introduction from play test version 3.0
Whispers of Persephone contains descriptions of spells ranging from cantrips up to level nine, as well as rituals of the foulest sorts of levels one through eight. Materials on poisons, potions, and alchemicals are included; as are rules for the necromantic practices of the sacrifice of sentient beings. Comments attributed to the Necromancer, Acolytes of Death and Fallen Heroes are found throughout the book.
The Stygian Necromancer arcane tradition: The path to power is soaked with the blood of your victims, and adorned with the cries of their suffering. The brave fear you and the wise flee from you. Whispers of Persephone details a new arcane tradition for wizard characters, Stygian Necromancy. This tradition is designed to lend a new style to the play of practitioners of the darkest magical arts of blood, death, and souls.
2 New Monsters ~ Darkling Horror and Stygian Mummy
The Stygian Mummy by Christian Martinez
5 New Feats ~ Dark Prodigy or Hematomancer, which to choose?
9 New magic items ~ Enchanted Skull cup, Canopic Jars and more.
10 New alchemicals, potions, and poisons ~ Would you care for tea?
12 New Rituals ~ Blood sacrifice is the just the beginning!
15 New Spells ~ Clean Hands, Ild’s Eye Rot, and the Curse of Spite among others! Bring the pain and suffering to your enemies with these and more searing spells.
Information about the Necromancer and the 13 Acolytes of death: Such as the heinous acts of Kroalish, the first acolyte of the Necromancer. His vile acts are matters of horrific legends! This section also details the dark prodigy known as ‘Ild’ a young woman possessed of a dark heart and gifted in the arts of murder.
Ild, apprentice of Kroalish and necromantic prodigy.
All original art created by Christian Martinez specifically for this book!
Why you want this Book:
Whispers of Persephone is a great player aid. Players can use it as a quick reference book for spells and can work the book into their character backgrounds. Whispers of Persephone is also suitable for use as an in-game prop. Game masters can use it as a treasure item recovered in their campaigns. This book can also bring new adversaries into play as the player characters are confronted by followers of the Necromancer seeking to retrieve this valuable resource.
This is a darkly beautiful book, filled with fantastic art created by Christian Martinez. It looks great in your collection, and menacing on your gaming table.
Drinking from the skull of your enemy is back!
Whether used by player characters or used against player characters, Whispers of Persephone is a great resource for your games.”
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Secrets of Starfall: a 5th-10th level adventure for 5th Edition
A 5th-10th level adventure for the world’s greatest roleplaying game!
Following the events that took place in “Whispers of Starfall”, this adventure can also be used as a filler adventure for any campaign.
Rado, the Gnome wizard, has vanished, leaving the crossroads town of Hyran to grieve their losses. The Elenhodel has given a clue to his possible misguided actions but it is up to you to determine how best to proceed. Expanding on the custom world of Ambaran, players will travel across the new world, over a blistering desert, an angry sea or a treacherous mountain. Filled with options, characters are encouraged to go where they wish and stop the evil that is Rado from destroying Ambaran as they know it.
There will also be 2 new races, the Lydran and the Xrystis! Both of these races are not only NPC’s to interact with, but also able to be played as characters if you choose! The images are still being worked on but we will, which will be included right here once the art has been completed. If we hit a few stretch goals, we will even be able to offer a miniature of both of these races. We have a rough draft of the Lydran race while the miniature prototype is still being processed.
This is part of a series of posts where I look back at the process of running a Kickstarter. The steps we took, the mistakes we made, and a bunch of other things I wish I had known.
The preparation was the most important thing. The more you have planned out, the more you can anticipate, then the more you can adjust when things go sideways (like they already had before).
When I launched the Gilded Age Kickstarter, I had my master list from having helped out on the Route 3 campaign. What no one will tell you, or maybe what no one really understands is that assisting on a Kickstarter and running your own is like… is like doing something Hard and then doing something impossible! They say that running your own Kickstarter is very much like having a second job, and while that is close to what it is like, I’d compare it more to an extra part-time job. Because, for all the preparing you’d done prior to pushing the button to launch your campaign, there is a whole other aspect to the campaign which begins to reveal itself.
But I’ve jumped ahead. Here was my list of things (from another email) to do prior to the actual launch (about 3 weeks out):
I’d started a Steampunk Fridays blog on this site in order to get some eyeballs on their work and get my own name out there a little bit. This meant either finding Kickstarters which fit the theme or getting interviews with the creators. At that point, I’d reached out to 4 or 5 Steampunk Creators about interviews and then send on questions to those that had responded.
Since I was waiting, I needed to figure out my Steampunk Friday post for the week.
Needed to do my weekly blog post.
Needed to finish the first draft of the Kickstarter Page. I’d done a bunch of the basic stuff, but was still figuring out exactly what images to upload, how to arrange things, etc. Then I needed to send out the link to some trusted people to get feedback on the page. This was honestly the single biggest thing I had to do as each section had various images and each image had to be manipulated in order to fit correctly on the Kickstarter page.
Needed to create a handful of Kickstarter images for promotional purposes.
I was still debating the Rewards (both with the other Terminus guys and in my head).
There was an online Kickstarter hour video I needed to watch (which I’m pretty sure was from Tyler over at ComixLaunch – which if you haven’t had a chance to check out his podcast and you are thinking about doing a Kickstarter… well, you are missing out on a ton of great information).
Copies available now! Click the image to order the book!
Contact the artists on the project and get them to send in their Bios. If you’ve dealt with creative types you know this will end up being akin to herding cats.
At this point, the last couple of pages were being lettered, and that meant getting those pages to him (his computer was acting up, so this required traveling into the city).
Of course, I also was trying to identify places online where I might be able to spread the word. Whether it was blogs, websites, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and any other places I could think of. A master list was beginning to take shape at this point.
***
All of that, and I hadn’t even launched yet. And I still had regular life commitments like work and family.
For this week’s RPG Kickstarter roundup, I’m looking at games that deal in Lovecraftian horror, surrealism, and relationships. These games look both forward into the relationships of today and the future while others expose the dark soul of the past. All are worth backing.
Prism by Whitney M. Delaglio
Ends on Fri, September 28 2018 10:00 PM EDT.
“A diceless roleplaying game about relationships and conflict resolution in an aquatic world.
“Once upon a time, there was a barren planet without life, an ocean, or vegetation. Six gods in coalition made the world habitable. Five of the six gods each took an island for their own and molded it into the home they wanted to leave behind, for the life they had created and for the generations to come. The Blue Realm was created beneath the waves, built atop sand where merfolk could thrive. They lived there as mortals until their deaths, returning to their godly forms to observe from afar.”
Prism is a roleplaying game about relationships (both platonic and romantic) and conflict resolution set in an aquatic world. There are six realms in the game with their own culture, code of ethics, and deity. The setting of the game promotes a sex positive environment and a safe space to explore intimate character interactions.
Prism is also a world of elemental magic, but the mechanics are light and conversational. The rest of the rules rely less on crunch, and more on negotiations between players and the GM. There are three core mechanics in the game. The first is each character starts out with at least one relationship with another character in the game. Depending how they feel about the other person, they’ll receive a unique bonus. The second is instead of using dice, characters rely on predetermined levels of expertise in skills such as swimming, dancing, and following protocol to solve narrative conflicts, and interact with the world around them. The third mechanic is each character is loyal to a realm, and depending on their behavior, they can be punished or rewarded by the god that watches over the realm they are loyal to.
“Prism offers players a chance to think about their characters emotional lives in a way that is really fresh. I love the way in Prism what your character feels, and how they relate to the world – and the world, to them – actually matters.” – Jason Morningstar
“This is a delightful work. I am reminded again at how calm it makes me feel to read it. That is also a testament to her choices of words and phrasing.” – Cam Banks
“Character creation was a delight. Character creation is my least favorite thing about RPGs, so this is the highest compliment to pay.” – Elizabeth Stong
Since the core of the game is relationships between player and non-player characters, it’s intended for a maximum of four players. For a really intimate experience, Prism can even be played one-on-one with the GM!
“I love Prism’s attention to the dynamic nature of our relationships, and there is no better way to explore that theme than in a game where it’s just you and the GM. Experiencing love and loss through such a highly-focused lens was powerful and inspiring. I have never felt so affected by a single session of any game.” – Andrea Gaulke
“Prism was rich with opportunities, fun to explore, and intimate without being overwhelming. I felt like my character could stand alone during the adventure, but I also had the sense that if the game expanded to include more players, it could be just as fun.” – Kimberley Lam
All the writing, and most of the art was done by yours truly. The rulebook has over 50 full color illustrations. I collaborated with one of my best friends, Maria Smith, to complete the artwork for the Almanac.
The physical copy of the book is 6×9 softcover, full color, and 48 pages in length. The great thing about this campaign is the digital version has already been finalized. Which means once it has ended, printing and fulfillment can begin soon after.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Let’s do the list of why this is an idea that’s worth checking out:
Diceless? Check
Aquatic? Check
“[P]romotes a sex positive environment and a safe space to explore intimate character interactions”? Check
Normally a game tries one “new”, or rarely used, concept. Prism is a grab bag of ideas that, after reading the campaign, feel like they belong together. This RPG is opening new doors and stepping through, and I cannot wait to see how it plays!
“The Jack Hack is a rpg of trying to beat the odds in the depravity of late Victorian London. It was inspired by the Black Hack OSR rpg
The Goal of this Kickstarter.
To create an updated version of the Jack Hack rpg including a limited printed box set.
The Jack Hack is a Role-Playing Game of Victorian Villains. It was originally inspired by The Black Hack rpg by David Black & my love of Victorian Adventuring. The release will contain a full rules set based on the Black Hack, modified to fit the setting.
“You were once quite worthy fellows. Something terrible happened and you hit rock bottom. Were it not for a mysterious benefactor you would have died. Maybe you would have been better off that way. Your life is one long fight to survive in the twisting, dank alleyways of the Whitechapel area of London. And now rumour has it there is a serial killer on the loose“.
The main thrust of the The Jack Hack as a game is trying to beat the odds in the depravity of late Victorian London. It has a particular focus on the Whitechapel area just before, and around the time of the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. The PCs aren’t heroes, but aren’t meant to be down-right cruel either. They are trying to get by- but situations, events and adventures keep coming their way.
Clearly the Whitechapel Murders were a terrible event but the mystery and legend about them is perfect for game creativity.
The Jack Hack Complete (Or The Jack Hack-The Complete Rip-Off, if you forgive the terrible pun) is produced as a set of five A5 sized books each about 60 pages in length. Parts of it have previously been released on ‘DriveThruRPG.com’ where it is a Silver Seller. This release will contain much more material, a good edit throughout, and more art and images. As well as a set of new cover art.
The following details the five books
The Jack Hack Basic Book. This includes the rules.
Ripper Fhtagn. A game book of Mythos, Mesmerism and Monsters.
Dead London. A game book of Martian Invasion and Steampunk.
Carved In Flesh. 5 scenarios based around the Whitechapel Murders.
The Great Game. A game book of Anarchists, Political Intrique and Spies.
The Jack Hack Basic Book
The Jack Hack. This contains all the rules needed to play and stacks of random tables and adventure seeds.
The game features 5 classes:
The Broken. Former military tough or pit-fighter, now a shallow shell of a man.
The Night-Flower. A singer, actress; now working girl unable to rise out of the squalor.
The Cokum. A street swindler, hypnotist, false nobility or fake folk hero. ·
The Disgraced. A former doctor, scientist, lawyer, politician; abandoned by friends and family. ·
The Fine-Wire. Once a master criminal, now mocked by both police and thieves.
One born every minute….
It also features two usage dice:
The White. This usage dice represents your ‘outer’ influence, infamy, contacts and place in the Whitechapel area. You can use it to quickly gather information, find a safe house, find a short cut, or anything your group deems relevant.
The Black. This usage dice represents the ‘inner’ torment you suffer. You can call on it to complete a task, but the GM can force its use when she (or you) thinks a recent setback may cause you to go into a downward spiral and you need to face your demons.
Most classes start with a d6 to a d10 in a usage dice. When they are called on, the relevant dice is rolled to ensure you just get through that situation. If a 1-2 is rolled the dice is degraded one step (d10 to d8, d6 to d4) to represent you using up any influence and resources you may have; also your will, sanity, and/or self discipline being worn away.
The Rest of the book is ‘Welcome to Whitechapel’ and contains lots of random stuff to see, do and suffer! Images and Maps. There are many random tables such as:
20 things found floating in the Thames.
20 things a street vendor may sell you.
20 places to wake up the morning after.
20 petty criminals.
20 words a gentleman wouldn’t call his wife.
Sample d20 things
There are about two dozen of these in total. There are also many lists of places to visit, and numerous adventure seeds to start your Jack Hack.
Fear Itself
Who would have believed…….
There will be blood
The Games Afoot
Egg’s Thoughts:
I’m a John R Davis fan! In the days when I backed projects to write for them (and build my resume), I did some NPCs and location creation for his book, The Cruellest Mistress of All. I’ve interviewed him over on the Open Gaming Network (here). Through it all, I’ve found John to be an easy to get along with creator. Now he’s combining his version of the OSR, The Black Hack, with Victorian England. With the artwork above, I’m sold!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A series of adventures where evil and the Cthulhu mythos is not what it seems.
Occam’s Razor is a collection of modern scenarios by horror author and Call of Cthulhu stalwart Brian M. Sammons for Chaosium Inc’s 7th edition Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. It has a dark tone, like most Stygian Fox titles, more akin to True Detective and American Horror Story and is written for Mature Gamers Only. The scenarios look into the dark heart of humanity and the mythos… but this book has a twist.
One of the problems long term Keepers can face when running Call of Cthulhu is their players becoming too jaded or blasé regarding the Cthulhu mythos.
“Oh, Deep Ones? Yeah, we’ve killed these before. Open fire.”
Rather than; “Oh my God! They’re real! Run!”
It’s difficult to maintain that suspension of belief when you have been facing the same creatures year after year. This is where Occam’s Razor comes in, being a collection of scenarios where initially they seem to be linked to the mythos but they have mundane causes and outcomes.
I have run these type of scenarios for twenty years and every time they sucker players in and help them see how paranoid their characters have become and, more importantly, when it comes time to face the actual mythos again, many players believe the adventure will have a mundane cause. When interspersed with mythos adventures this leads to some serious panic when the players realise that this is real. Used sparingly, these adventures lull players into a false sense of security and make the next real mythos encounter all the more vivid.
One of my players had his character just stand and watch as a colleague was eaten by a dark shadow in a toy store because the player refused to believe it was a mythos entity. This was a ten year veteran of the game.
Of course, a separate sidebar is provided for each adventure if you wish to have actual mythos elements in your game.
Call of Cthulhu is the Registered Trademark of Chaosium Inc., and is used with their permission. www.chaosium.com
Brian M. Sammons has created 6 scenarios which tease at mythos causes but will ultimately lead to a mundane resolution. A murder is just a murder, a cult site is just kids with spray paints, etc. Here is a summary of the scenarios contained within the book.
Deep and Dark – the investigators find a snuff film on the dark web, but one of a pretty girl getting mauled by a Fishman monster. Did the deep ones mess up and accidentally get filmed in this modern world where everyone has a camera phone or is it something else?
Eye of the Beholder – an art student goes missing while doing late night research in a museum with ties to the local university. Maybe it’s a coincidence that the museum just got in a huge statue from South America of a little-known death god called Thul’Cathul. Yep, total coincidence.
The Watchers – a woman living alone in an apartment in the big city notices that people are watching her. Following her. They even broke into her home. But why? What do they want and how far will they go?
A Whole Pack of Trouble – a group of film school students go to an isolated, abandoned, and reportedly haunted asylum to make a found-footage horror movie and make a fortune? Whatever could go wrong with that? Well, when the filmmakers go missing the investigators will have to find out.
A Cleansing Flame – People are dying by fire. No one knows why and no one knows how. When the latest victim is a friend to one of the investigators and an astronomer who reportedly made a recent discovery of note, it’s up to the investigators to put out these flames.
Visions From Beyond – Tommy is a friend who makes some new friends. That’s nice. Unfortunately those friends have a strange reputation, they get up to some bizarre practices, and then one night Tommy calls one of the investigators in terror, begging for help, then the line goes dead. What’s a friend and an investigator of the Mythos to do?
The book will be in PDF, ePub, Softcover, and hardcover formats and will be full colour.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Modern horror adventures for Chaosium Inc’s Call of Cthulhu’s 7e written for mature audiences. Stygian Fox Publishing purchased four titles from Miskatonic River Press and is bringing them back (read some of the details here). Judging by those titles, Stygian has an eye for quality horror and I expect these scenarios will be excellent.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Uncanny surrealist roleplaying, inspired by TWIN PEAKS, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, and the other dark works of DAVID LYNCH.
Something Is Wrong Here is a Roleplaying Game of uncanny surrealism designed by Kira Magrann. In this game you’ll play troubled humans who struggle with their dark pasts and inner demons in order to make meaningful, potentially healing connections with each other. At some small town diner with a neon sign, in a broken down car on the highway, in someone’s wallpapered living room, at the old roadhouse down the way, unsettling scenes of Americana unfold as the game heads down it’s inevitable nightmarish path.
This game can be played in one night, in the intimacy of your living room or a private convention room. The line between player and character is intentionally drawn thin, causing feelings to bleed from one to the other. This game is atmospheric, emotional, and personal. Don’t worry though players, there’s safety mechanics to guide you through these dreamy paths of the subconscious mind.
The game’s themes and characters are inspired by the horrific surrealism of David Lynch’s work, specifically the quirky and supernatural characters from Twin Peaks, the nightmarish identity confusion from Mulholland Drive, and the lurid truths that lie beneath mundane Americana in Blue Velvet.
all art by Elissa Leach
Dark and Dreamy
With the Return of Twin Peaks last year I became re-obsessed with the spooky dreamlike worlds of David Lynch’s work. This game is an homage to those worlds, and is meant to evoke the same types of unsettling, horrific, and identity/reality questioning feelings. The characters struggle with their darker selves, the setting is surreal and Americana, and there aren’t any satisfying answers at the end of the story.
Much like a David Lynch film, this game has postmodern references to breaking the fourth wall. It encourages overlap between real life feelings and a character’s feelings. What this means is that it’s likely players will feel a little vulnerable playing this game. There are safety guidelines included about how to play with intention, and how to debrief with aftercare for any troubling feelings that might arise while playing this game. This allows players to experiment with these feelings, and explore them in play, with a safety net built into the game.
What Play is Like
Everything needed to play Something Is Wrong Here is on a deck of cards. The only props needed are a mirror and a box. Character costuming is optional, but generic enough for thrifted or piecemeal wardrobe elements to work. A few songs are integral to mood making but can be played on any device.
Something Is Wrong Here can be played in a living room or any private room where you can control the atmosphere. While embodying your character in a series of scenes, you’re encouraged to use the space either sitting or standing, since there’s no dice involved. Cards are where the characters, roleplaying prompts, and instructions for play exist. Play is a series of scenes that the Facilitator of the game will guide players through, just like a TV show or movie.
I’ve designed this game to be as accessible as possible to new players, so I’m hoping that other David Lynch fans who have never played a game like this before can easily play, or gamers who’ve never seen a David Lynch gig don’t have to worry about matching genre conventions.
The Facilitator is in charge of knowing the entire game, spoilers and all. Their job is to tell players of characters what scenes they’re in, keep time for the game, and explain the basic rules of what the players need to do throughout the game.
Players will act the part of troubled characters in a surreal America. Each character has a personality, goals, and relationships with the other characters. There are six characters to choose from, each with their own specific issues to work through and personality quirks.
There are Two Acts in the game.
Act One establishes the characters in the surreal Americana settings. Their goal during play is to try and evoke a certain emotion in each scene together. They have a list of emotions to portray collaboratively in this series of scenes, and after each scene a corresponding card is drawn. This card gives them some narrative power over the next scene they’re in, stealing this power from the auteur Facilitator.
Emotions are things like:
The feeling of something new on the horizon
A genuine closeness
Narrative Control cards are things like:
In the next scene you’re in, you can’t quite hear what the other people are saying. Ask them to repeat things.
In the next scene you’re in, take over any part of the facilitator’s role that you like.
Mixed in-between these scenes are surreal interludes called Mirror Scenes. They allow characters to monologue about where they are internally, how they’re feeling, while looking into the mirror. Disturbing music plays.
Act Two takes a plot twist and contains a major spoiler, but it is reality changing for the characters. Scenes are then acted out with new sets of nightmarish cue cards that apply specifically to each character’s psyche, with haunting music. This is where characters, and players, decide the fate of their relationships with themselves and the other characters. It’s an internal emotional exploration, told on a supernatural stage reminiscent of red curtained stages and black striped floors.
The stats for this game are below.
Players: 5-6 + Facilitator
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 18+
Materials: Character Nametags, Game Cards, Music, Box, Mirror (floor length if possible), Drinks & Costumes (optional)
Kira Magrann has tapped a vain: David Lynch, the card-based RPG. There’s one card you can read with only a light tilt of the head [enlarged below] and, taken with the David Lynch muse, it tells you what you’re getting. What are you getting? The tea leaves say it’ll be a unique experience. That’s the genius of this game, it is more than a linear RPG, this is an atmospheric experience that you will think about as often as you ponder a David Lynch production. It is worth trying out.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
For this review, you may wonder why I’m looking at RPG Kickstarters from Italy and Turkey of all country combinations? Normally, when I do a list of Kickstarters by location, the location is my state, Georgia. But for this post, the answer to why Italy would be weight of numbers. There are five from Italy that are currently running (making that nation an RPG Kickstarter rival for Canada [4 KSs as of this writing] and the UK [6 KSs as of this writing]). As well, the individuals behind Svilland (from Turkey) have been exceptionally nice and I wanted to ensure a space for their Kickstarter, so Italy and Turkey it is.
* * *
[UPDATE 2018-09-13 10:38AM EDT] As long as I’m talking about Italy, let me give a quick shout out to a game I covered before in this column, Blackwind. This RPG is by a team in Italy, Elisa Mignemi and Allan Kelley, and it is available on DriveThruRPG as of this morning. Kickstarted from June 10 to July 10 of this year, the book was delivered on-time (expected delivery date was this month) and meeting that commitment deserves praise since so few RPG Kickstarters do. Blackwind rule set covers a variety of genres and is designed to have a cinematic feel. Over and above the core rulebook, the team also has a space opera adventure available, Blackwind – Game Module – Space Blood: Arena, as a PWYW on DriveThruRPG to use with the core rules. Check them out:
“Face Unknown Horrors in the World of Urth with this Official Licensed Product for Shadow of the Demon Lord RPG
Face Unknown Horrors!
You stand on the brink of the Apocalypse. The Demon Lord, an entity of incalculable power blights the lands with cursed evil, madness and slaughter. The dreadful beings let loose by the Demon Lord reflects this being’s nightmarish essence, the touch of its shadow and its insatiable hunger for all things.
Although the Demon Lord remains outside the mortal view, every new horror connected to him arises from the dirt and bring destruction and new death, also weakening little by little his planar prison, unchaining the constraints that are preventing him to escape the Void and bring catastrophic destruction to the world.
Robert Schwalb create a world facing the total annihilation, its lands torn asunder by war, plague, and ancient horrors. Urth, the world of Shadow of the Demon Lord, is one of many imperiled by the shadowy menace lurking without and in this game you can play through its final days as embattled survivors fighting against what to many seems to be an inevitable end.
A complete role playing game in one book, Shadow of the Demon Lord contains everything you need to create characters to confront the hordes of demons spilling in from the Void and to create and play through exciting stories steeped in horror and violence. To make this happen, the game system is easy to learn, plays fast, and requires little preparation to play. All these ensure both novice and veteran players can enjoy the game together. The benefit of short campaigns lets you tell more stories, create more characters, and experience more of the game’s options than other game before. As a player, you are encouraged to play several heroes, trying the potential of the path’s engine to create incredible flexible characters. And, as a Game Master, you can run a complete campaign in lesser time than usual, introducing new ideas, places and horrors every time.
The horror is perfect when is narrated in short stories, full of madness and fear. These are the only stories that thrive you at night and remain in your memories for long time.
BlackStar is a whole new game line based on Shadow of the Demon Lord RPG, originally designed and created by Robert Schwalb. Death & Decay, our first release, will depict and introduce new monsters and develop exciting new ways to add fun and terror to the creatures you already know. It will be an immersive, dark fantasy supplement, that gives players and GMs alike new resources for their gaming sessions.
You will find plenty of undead out there ready to drain your last breath, coming from the Underworld itself or from the haunting darker places scattered through Urth.
The Creature Codex will be a 128 pages book that describes monsters of undeath, creatures of decay and lurking horrors. It presents many classical monsters revisited with new game options that can bring new excitement to your sessions, as well as plenty of new undead monsters of all types.
Following are some of the unique features introduced in Death & Decay:
• Presences: Infested dolls, whispers in the night, echoes of battles, doomed crypts and ghost ships! All of these entities can be found all around Urth. Infestations, apparitions, geists and malevolentes, all can be suppressed or banished forever. The task can be easy or hard, but presences might damn you for life. They can come back with renewed strength to drag you to the grave, corrupt your soul or lure you to the edge of insanity. Destroying them or survive can be the goal of an entire campaign. Death can be the minor evil.
• Spirits: Spirits or incorporeal undead are a simple form of monsters that cannot follow the cycle of life and death on Urth. They nurture the evil in others and feed on the anguish they create in their victims, the sorrow they cause, the evil they plant, all to feed the Demon Lord and unchain him. Spectral beings and ghosts, shadows in the mists or wraiths can appear everywhere, in lost cairns or abandoned tombs, in attics or cellars, in ancient forests or in the crypt of an important church to carry victims with them and bring, as well, survivors to death in a slow agony for the madness they caused. Spirits alter the land they haunt, so be aware that banish a tortured soul from the living world can be the most terrific experience you may have in your entire life.
• Corpses: Animated corpses, zombies, bone constructs, risen and others corporeal beings are the flesh of the hate that the demon lord feel toward the worlds of the livings. This contaminated corpses are risen by his foul cultists to generate waves of destruction, or they rise up by themselves to claim vengeance upon the mortals. Whatever the case, they are unstoppable, and their force can grow more than you can imagine in hordes capable of spread death and burning evil behind them.
• Nightmares: Not sure if they are undead or dead at all, nightmares are the immortal visions of thousand mad minds and foul dreamers. A nightmare created lives in a limbo of nonexistence. However, their corruption and insanity can open the gates, and they will haunt dreams during the night; pervade the mind of anyone corrupted or mad so to overwhelm him by supernatural horrors. That said, be aware that your corrupted soul can strive you more than you have imagined until now.
And if you want more, be sure to support Death & Decay campaign. With your help, more creepy things will rise from the Void in Death & Decay, new forms of undead never seen before. We will investigate through the nature of Urth to find plants, malefic fungi and vermins that can cause decay to the living, or supernatural horrors from the Underworld and the Void. And of course, new players and GMs supplements, villains and adventures, and so on.
Blackstar Games: BlackStar Games is the new international label from WMS Publishing, licensee of Robert Schwalb’ Shadow of the Demon Lord RPG line. We apply our passion and creativity to bring you whole new levels of imagination. We believe RPGs are a way to forge together creativity, art and design to create a new form of communication. You can visit our facebook Page: BlackStar Games and our site pages on www.hbdragongames.
Schwalb Entertainment: Schwalb Entertainment, LLC was founded in 2014 by Robert J. Schwalb (veteran RPG game designer and developer, and author) to offer a rich, immersive game-play experience in worlds of dark fantasy and science fiction, most notably, the horror fantasy roleplaying game, Shadow of the Demon Lord. Before Schwalb Entertainment, Robert was a member of the 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons design team, worked as a developer for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition, and was lead designer on A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying. He has contributed design to a slew of D&D sourcebooks, supplements for the d20 system, the Cypher System, and many other roleplaying games. Schwalb Entertainment, LLC is headquartered in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Questions? Contact Schwalb Entertainment at info@schwalbentertainment.com”
Egg Thoughts:
Blackstar: Death & Decay Creature Codex expands on the Shadow of the Demon LordRPG with third party support. New monsters are always welcome in any fantasy game and Blackstar: Death & Decay Creature Codex provides that with its new line for Shadow of the Demon Lord. This is the second article I’ve done today featuring a SotDL product, the first being Mike Myler’s Eastern Fantasy Adventures (read my interview with Mike on ENWorldhere). When I talk to friends, I hear more and more about SotDL so it’s time to bring that to the gaming table.
“Rockopolis RPG – The first f*cking Rock’n Play game
There’s a staircase facing the party. A few steps ahead, a mighty roar that would frighten even the bravest.
Is it dread what you feel? No, it’s adrenaline. You’re ready to take on whatever awaits you.
You climb the stairs and you’re on stage. Your instruments are ready, the crowd is growling.
What do you do?
Rockopolis RPG (Rock Playing Gods) is an awesome role playing game where the stage will be your dungeon.
You will face rival bands instead of goblins and trolls. Your instruments, voice and stage appearance will be your weapons. Your spells? Your ROCK songs!
Every artist has their inspiring Muse. But what if the Muse acted like a Demon, forcing you towards an abyss of behaviors that go far over the “antisocial” definition?
Your Muse will be the surge of your music, your inspiration, your art, your ROCK!
But will be the origin of each of all your troubles, too.
Rockopolis RPG is set in the real world, in the socio-cultural underground of emerging Rock bands.
During the ascent to fame, characters will meet some of the most (in)famous bands of the Rock underground (and they will probably clash!). Will they succeed in achieving international fame or will they fall into the Abyss of anonymity?
Rockopolis RPG uses a special D6 system, specifically devised to be fast and fun, characteristics that blend well with the Rock spirit of the setting. Moreover, ad hoc rules have been created in order to make the best experience of “playing live on stage” and the management of the “inspiring Muse”.
In Rockopolis RPG, the purpose will be to balance the inner demons called Muse with the goal of becoming the greatest Legends of the Stage.
Its UNIQUE On Stage rules will allow you the fantastic experience of playing on a stage like a real Band, joining your forces to get the Applauses you deserve. Be careful: Boos are always a chance, if you don’t plan well your gig. What other RPG system allow you all this?
Book preview
Rockopolis will be available in English and Italian. The English version will be available in the first quarter of 2019 to have time to properly translate it.
The Rockopolis book (220+ full color pages, A4 format, hardback) includes: – An introduction to the setting
– Character creation
– Muses
– On Stage special rules
– 3 adventures
– Everything that you will need to move and live awesome adventures where only Rock legends dare to fly
Another UNIQUE feature of Rockopolis are its Muses.
What’s the source from which your Character gets the Inspiration they need for all their awesome performance?
What’s the biggest problem of your Character, the reason of their living on the edge?
The answer is always the Muse.
Here they are: beautiful and dangerous like only the greatest passions can be.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Music is a universal language, right? Well, here it’s a game available in English and Italian in which you are rock stars playing on quite the stage. Honestly, I want to see how they handle the music at the gaming table. That alone is interesting and worth reading this one.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
NOTE: The original article is in Italian. This review is based on a Google translation.
“A Game of Ucronic Role of Men and Empires beyond the Stars.
Rome did not fall as history teaches.
In the year 2769 aUc the Empire controls not only the entire planet Earth, but also numerous other worlds, both inside and outside our solar system.
War cruisers travel for millions of kilometers using the Limes Orbitalis artificially curving space-time from the orbit of distant planets.
The new syncretistic philosophy of the Logos has extinguished the religious wars.
A council of Caesars from all over the world composes the Imperial Senate, presided over by only one Augustus chosen by the previous emperor for adoption.
Most of the inhabitants of the Empire live a utopia of social justice, progress and peace.
… what could ever go wrong …?
Milites , armed! Get under the banner! Tecnolorica worn, Systemata activated … ready for the impact of bridgeheads! In the cold sidereal expanses lurks something sinister, terrifying, alien to this same Universe … but we will defend the Empire from its fearsome enemies, or we will die in the attempt!
Livia Comnena Akiko Augusta drives away a Dark Throne in the upper orbit of Persephone, Sylde’s star system
In Augusta Universalis you will be super cybernetic , armored Praetorians with exceptional reinforced armor, able to transform themselves by changing Assectums according to need!
You will face fighting overtime and Missiones exploration of distant planets and unknown. Investigate the mysteries of alien civilizations vanished from eons, and face the menace of terrifying Dark Thrones , nightmarish creatures that bring death and destruction to the Cosmos.
You will defend the Empire and your Caesar both from political threats that tear it from within and from enemies who would destroy it from the outside.
Ready to travel beyond the known stars … for the greater glory of the Empire ?!
Augusta Universalis will be a Roleplay comprehensive , containing a rich and evocative setting ucronica sci-fi, and a quick Regulation and focused on the interpretation of the character and on the ‘ identification of the player .
If the project is successful , we will be able to create a book of 240 pages and more, as well as an extra volume full of exclusives only for you who will help us with this fundraising campaign. For the players …
Five different Empires: to which Guard and Imperator will you have sworn loyalty?
Five different Orders: to which training have you been subjected to enter your Legion?
Infinite ways to customize your Tecnolorica, the incredible cybernetic armor of the Praetorians!
For the narrator …
Clear and easy to understand game procedures .
The Syncrogram , the very useful tool of the Demiurge for the management of the Missiones.
Three complete adventures to start playing right away!
For everyone…!
A new science-fiction setting , a suggestive and in-depth buzz.
A single necessary manual , which includes setting and complete game system.
A narrative corpus of the first order , with many fascinating and suggestive stories, to help you immerse yourself in the world of Augusta Universalis !
A solid regulation , based on Destino Oscuro 2 , the same engine as the already knownNibiru Nights .
Awarded with many rave reviews, Destino Oscuro 2 has already proven to involve players like never before: perfect for novices as well as for more experienced storytellers and players, with Augusta Universalis you will experience hours of adventurous entertainment!
Augusta Universalis uses the system of Dark Destiny 2 , the same engine of Le Notti di Nibiru!
A system designed to help the Narrator (here called Demiurgo) in his task to manage and live wonderful adventures together with other players, who can identify themselves with ease in their respective characters.
The Augusta Universalis engine is a rapid system that focuses on describing actions and stage situations outside and inside combat. Players will have real mechanical advantages from their descriptions and will be encouraged to make the game more enjoyable and immersive for themselves and for everyone else.
You will have at your disposal a one-sided sheet for your character plus the Tabula Systemis, another sheet in A4 format on which you will manage the Systemata , the components ofTecnolorica , totally customizable and printable on Poker format cards (which function like small fillable cards ).
Tabula Praetorianis and Tabula Systemis of Thulile, one of the pregenerated PGs you will find in Agusta Universalis
Everything works with tests based on three key questions: what you do (the Player chooses Skill), how you do it (the Demourgo chooses an appropriate Feature based on the Player’s description), because you do it (the Player can take advantage of a series of Character resources, both emotional and training and background, to get bonuses of various kinds).
Just a few eight-sided dice, the cards of the PCs, rubber and pencil and a lot of imagination!During a fight, the Symbols , typical of Destino Oscuro, will help you to immediately transform any scenic effect into mechanics into your mind!
Face the inner conflicts of your character, discover the real reasons that drive him to act!Turn your Tecnolorica (the cybernetic armor of the Praetorians), change Assectum and unleash the power of your Systemata (the character’s equipment) to get into action and experience amazing adventures!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
I spoke to Luca De Marini about this project. Luca graciously answered all of my questions. While Augusta Universalis GDR is launching in Italian there are plans to do a full, professional translation to English and kickstarting it. Here’s a quote about their direction:
“English is our priority, no current plans for other languages. […] In any case, the question is only whether we’ll launch Nibiru’s Nights or Augusta Universalis first! Nibiru’s Nights is the first RPG using the Dark Destiny System and it was a huge success in Italy. Auguni uses the same system although it was deeply customized, of course, to be a perfect fit for this setting in particular.”
If the art and the Google translation speak to you, this game is coming sooner than later for English speakers.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Get a digital and/or paperback copy of EVENT, a new tabletop Role-Playing Game system with innovative mechanics and a modular ruleset.
Hello everyone! My name is Valerio De Sanctis and I was born, live and work in Italy, together with my wife and my 2 sons.
I’m the main author of the Myst Role-Playing Game (not to be confused with the Cyan Inc. videogame with the same name) and the sole author of EVENT, which is the game I’d like you to support.
The EVENT is a narrative premise that will motivate the players to act as a group, providing their characters a common goal.
Introduction
I started playing Role-Playing Games since I was nine years old, and never stopped since: now that I’m 40 I’m still playing at least once a week with a wonderful group of experienced players, mostly being the gamemaster. We started playing together in 1997 using our very own tabletop RPG system which we spent years in developing, designing and playtesting (actually, we’re still doing all that). In 2001 we released it as Myst under GNU license (you can get it from www.myst.it), which got a lot of praises within our country, with more than 50.000 views & downloads and thousands of unique website visitors each day.
What does this have to do with EVENT? Well, the answer is simple: Myst is a wonderful system, yet it comes with two major flaws:
despite being a story-driven RPG, it’s built upon a simulationist ruleset which makes it a rather complex game;
it is extremely language-dependent… And it’s written in Italian, hence no one outside our contry would likely be able to enjoy it. Translating it is also out of the question, at least for the time being – considering the insane amount of content we wrote within the past 20 years, it would require a dedicated fundraising.
Though still enjoying Myst an awful lot, as time went by I started to think about how to fix the aforementioned flaws. Slowly but surely, I began focusing on what I really wanted:
Something simple, which – for example – I would be able to play with my kids, who couldn’t withstand complex systems (yet!).
Something smart, which could be easily translated in any language.
Something swift, which could be played on a single evening.
The character creation phase takes few minutes and is conducted through a pure storytelling standpoint.
Introducing EVENT
I wrote EVENT having these three goals in mind, which I called The Three S (or 3S). Being an avid reader of the indie-rpgs.com forums during the 1999-2005 era and a huge fan of story-driven games, I wanted to give birth to something good from the ashes left by the flames of The Forge and the GNS Theory: something brilliant, just like The Pool by James V. West, yet also simple, such as Zak Arntson’s Shadows…
Well, I surely hope I’ve managed to do that. You can read the overall result from the following link:
The above link points to the 30-pages EVENT manual – i.e. the full game – in ENGLISH and ITALIAN languages: you are free to view, download and play it as much as you like, as it’s licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 – which basically means that you can use it for any non-commercial purpose.
The successes and failures mechanics will grant the player the chance to become the gamemaster and narrate how his (or her) character will pull off a full success.
Egg’s Thoughts:
Dan Davenport of #RandomWorlds hosted a Q&A with Richard that you can read here. It does an excellent job of sharing what this project is about.
“A campaign setting for 5E that is inspired by the true Norse mythology, with all its rigor, valor, darkness and mysticism.
“Bear up, my warriors! Bear up! Arise from the mountains and sea! Arise from forests and flat lands! Charge and kill for the king! Maybe the sun is shining one last time for us, maybe we won’t rise our axes to air again! Believe, my warriors! Believe! We will meet in Valhalla! We will drink to glory! Charge! Run and die for the king! For the king!”
– Bear King (Last march to Eastern Horn)
Svilland is a Norse Mythology inspired D&D 5E campaign setting; it is designed to bring the valour, brutality and drama from Norse tales to your roleplaying games. The game is compatible with 5E, but its theme and dynamics are very different than your usual high fantasy game. Sure, there is magic in this realm, a plenty of it even. Yet, it is given in a way that reflects omens, spirits, runes and Norse deities with their true forms in the mythology. In Svilland you will learn the true meaning of blood, magic, raids, and wrath of the gods.
Before the last three ages of northern folks, Svilland was unknown. However, that three ages have changed the whole world and its people. They were forced to settle in a new land that is surrounded by seas, mountains and Vanir lands.
It all began with the freezing of northern shores and poor harvest from farms during the first era, earlier omens of the incoming Black Winter, and Ragnarok. Then, an ice giant (jotunn) named Odd appeared, he became a cruel tyrant of northern folks. Yet, was impaled by his own half-giant brother, who was gifted with a spear from the god Balder, forged by dvergrs.
Deep within the North Mountains, Odd was imprisoned with powerful runes and large chains. However, fate was cruel and when Balder fell into Helheim by the deeds of Odin’s brother Loki, the spear started to lose its power.
The Tower
In the beginning of second era, The High Council of seidr was assembled to prevent the Black Winter from gaining more power. In order to do that, Sami seidrs were settled down to the towers of the Ymir’s Lash. And there were two kingdoms who ruled over the mainland: Lands of the Bear King and Kingdom of Eastern Horn. Samis, however, had neither a kingdom nor an established rulership during this era, since they preferred to live in their traditional ways, following the footsteps of their ancestors.
Because of its power weakening, Balder’s spear could no longer contain the might of Odd. The jotunn finally woke up, and power of the Black Winter became even greater and it kept getting stronger and stronger. The High Council of seidr could not manage to contain influence of both Odd and the Black Winter at bay, away from the south.
The Bear King started to think that they could stop the Black Winter only if they sacrifice The High Council of seidr to the gods. In this belief, he marched with his soldiers one night, and sacrificed all of the High Seidr. So began the great conflict; with the seeds of hostility and discord sewn between the Bear King and Eastern Horn.
The third age, which is the age the campaign setting takes place, was started with a war between Eastern Horn and the Bear King. This war divided the land – which was already politically unstable – into three parts: Green Lights of the East, the Nionaem, and the Alsvartr.
The Book Cover
Yes, even now you can directly play and test Svilland! We released a demo booklet containing a small portion of the content we are creating. You can check that out and see the quality of our work before you back us. We value feedback from our backers and supporters a lot while developing the game further. You can download the booklet from here.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Dream Realm Storytellers sent a sneak peek (here) and a press release (here) featuring their product, Svilland Saga. They’ve been exceedingly nice and have a clear vision for their Norse saga. It gives 5e a decidedly vikings feel and I can’t wait to test it out. They have a free demo book that I highly recommend!
Coriolis RPG by Free League (translation through Wyrd Edizioni)
Ends on Fri, October 5 2018 5:00 AM EDT.
NOTE: The original article is in Italian. This review is based on a Google translation.
“Take command of a spaceship and set off to discover the ancient mysteries of the Third Horizon in this beautiful sci-fi GDR!
Zenith announced the dawn of a new era … and the Horizon returned to bloom. Three dozen star systems, united by Fate and the will of the Icons, advanced together towards a more radiant future. But when the Emissaries came, the happy days came to an end, and slowly the Darkness among the Stars resumed its creeping advance.
Coriolis is a science fiction role-playing game set in a remote cluster of star systems called the Third Horizon. It is a place devastated by conflict and war, but also a homeland of proud, old and new civilizations. Here, the settlers of the first wave follow the dictates of the Old Cult and venerate the Icons, while the new arrivals, the Zenithians, pursue a program of imperialist annexations through trade and military power.
In this game, you will be the crew of a spaceship and travel the Horizon with it. You can explore the ancient ruins of the Builders of Portals, undertake missions for the powerful factions of the Third Horizon and participate in the game of political intrigue on the Coriolis station – the center of power in the Third Horizon. You might even come across the strange presences that dwell in the darkness of space.
From the Monolith in the jungles of Kua to the floating temples of Mira, the Horizon is yours: explore it. You can be merchants, explorers, mercenaries, pilgrims or agents. Whatever your vocation, together you will build your destiny. And perhaps you will also be able to discover the truth about the mysterious Emissaries and the threat of Darkness among the Stars.
The Third Horizon is a series of interconnected star systems far from al-Ardha, or our Earth.Each system has portals that give access to the other systems of the Horizon. During the recent Wars of the Portals, all the portals that date back to the First and Second Horizons have been destroyed, throwing the Third Horizon into isolation and decreeing decades of decadence. Years later, the arsenal ship Zenith, which had long since been lost, came from the First Horizon. The settlers dismantled their own ship, rebuilt it as the great Coriolis space station and declared that they would begin a new era in the Third Horizon, stating that the time had come for trade, awakening and peace. Then they invited the older factions of the Third Horizon to join in a Council to begin working together to resolve the issues afflicting the people of the Horizon.
Everything would have been fine if it had not been for the faceless Emissaries, who emerged from the depths of the gas giant Xene. But what were those entities ever?Specters from another world, Icons or portal builders? They claimed to be creatures with divine powers, just like the Icons, and again the Third Horizon was divided between the newcomers and the powerful old ones.
Now, it is time for you and your friends to leave your mark on the Third Horizon. Your ship is your home and every spaceport is a chance to find work and adventure. You do not know it yet, but you will soon be captured by the vortex that is about to be formed. Will you decide the fate of the Third Horizon?
Are you curious and want to know more about the history of the Coriolis universe? On the section of our website Wyrd Edzioni you will find many informative articles about it.
The Coriolis game engine – The Third Horizon is based on the Mutant: Year Zero system , created by Fria Ligan and awarded the Silver ENnie for Best Rules at Gencon 2015.
To make a skill roll, simply take as many dice as those given by the skill level of the character in the appropriate skill plus his corresponding attribute, add those given by the equipment … and pull them all together! You need at least a 6 to be successful, and the 6 additional obtained can generate critical and other bonus effects.
What gives a twist to this simple procedure is something that is directly linked to the Coriolis theme: prayer at the Icons. Icons and their cult are central to the setting of the game. Praying an Icon will give you the opportunity to withdraw, but not without a price.Whenever you choose to use this possibility, the GM will get a Dark Point, which you can use for a series of negative effects in the session. Sooner or later, the icons claim what is theirs to restore the balance in the Darkness among the stars.
Another main feature is the ship’s development system. The spaceship of the characters is the focal point of their adventures, it is their home that must be defended, repaired and developed. The game offers a complete and innovative system for spaceship combat. Each character has an important role to play and teamwork is truly rewarded.
Here are some spectacular images of the Coriolis science-fiction universe.
Coriolis, Game Guide, about 400 color pages with everything you need from players and Game Masters to create your own heroes, face the dangers of space and experience the unique experience of an incredibly realistic SF setting.
Emissary Lost, Game Campaign, about 300 pages in color. The first part of an Epic Campaign in which the characters will be involved and will face a vast conspiracy that threatens the stability of Coriolis and, ultimately, that of the entire Third Horizon. Emissary Lost is composed of two scenarios. The first, The Awakening of the Martyr, takes place in the huge space station of Coriolis, while the second, The Kuan Connection, will land the characters on the surface of the planet Kua, between the deep jungles and violent policies of the Zenithian colonies in search of answers to the shadow of the Monolith.
Wyrd Edizioni, one of the first publishers in Italy for role-playing games, has dozens of titles and lines in active, which you can see at the official website www.wyrdedizioni.com under ‘Our Games’. Among the most important for the international scene, Numenera, The Strange, 13th Age, Mouse Guard and Shadow of the Demon Lord. He already has three highly successful and popular Kickstarter, such as Shadow of the Demon Lord, Trudvang Chronicles in the New Universes of the Cypher System.
Egg’s Thoughts:
This campaign will fund a translation/localization of Sweden’s Coriolis, which uses the Mutant: Year Zero system (as does Tales from the Loop). Distribution is limited to Italy (I’m assuming they’re only able to license certain territories). Coriolis has already been translated into English (here) so this is not the precursor to an English edition. Ultimately, this fits this week’s theme but if you’re outside of Italy, this game is available in other languages/forms (and it’s worth checking out).
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Contributing authors James Ward, Lenard Lakofka and more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure”
Looking for advice on how to create your tabletop RPG along with stock art to get you going? Learn from ” industry greats and legends James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, as well as exceptional talents such as Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.” I’m excited to be a part of this project and offer my insights into the world of crowdfunding!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
DarkCoast Unveils All this September with the White Wolf’s ‘WORLD OF DARKNESS’ Documentary
It Could Barely be Predicted that the White Wolf Founders, Mark Rein-Hagen and Stewart Wieck, who Started Working Out of their Garage Would Change RPGs Forever.
LOS ANGELES, CA (SEPTEMBER 10, 2018) – DarkCoast and White Wolf Entertainment presents WORLD OF DARKNESS: the Documentary – coming to the USA this September.
Directed by award-winning Giles Alderson (The Dare, The Heart of the Forest), WORLD OF DARKNESS is a documentary that unites millions of worldwide fans through the evolution of one of the most prolific and genre-defining role-playing franchises capturing audiences worldwide since its inception in 1991 while exploring the most legendary role-play universes since Dungeon & Dragons. Deemed “the most extensively developed vampire mythology ever with the RPG game Vampire: The Masquerade,” by Imagine Film Festival, WORLD OF DARKNESS explores the continuing legacy that still remains popular today.
“It is an excellent story, which has never been told before and can introduce the world to old and new fans alike,” divulged the Huffington Post.
Written and produced by Kevin Lee (Gaming the Real World) from Luckyday, White Wolf’s WORLD OF DARKNESS charts the rise and fall of one of gaming’s most significant role-playing games and the development of modern vampire culture, as we know. As an in-depth look into the universe of WORLD OF DARKNESS, the documentary exemplifies its primary influence from its first book, Vampire: The Masquerade, and innovative gameplay that focuses on its extended universe and making relationships within this universe rather than the traditional tabletop questing. The talking-head interviews, archived footage and video from LARP (live-action role-playing) events are used to showcase the World of Darkness’ influence over the years. From influencing club culture, fashion, literature, film, television, entertainment platforms and publications, the World of Darkness has become an unstoppable cultural force. “The most important point Alderson makes is why Vampire: The Masquerade was so important to the culture at large and how it changed not only the world of gaming but how it helped to shape pop culture altogether,” wrote Quiet Earth.
WORLD OF DARKNESS showcases the large cultural impact that White Wolf continues to capture in its worldwide audiences. It could barely be predicted that its founders, Mark Rein-Hagen and Stewart Wieck, who started working out of their garage, would change RPGs, as we know them entirely. Entertaining and enlightening WORLD OF DARKNESS “celebrates the crazy loyalists to these games who made it a part of their lifestyles and mode of dress,” wrote WonderWeek. The gaming industry is three times larger than film industry; Alderson’s game doc qualifies for equal mainstream media, as WORLD OF DARKNESS “is a detailed, in-depth documentary that explains the social phenomenon on the one hand, and the behind-the-scenes business machinations on the other. A must-see for all avid gamers.”
The game doc’s evolution and worldwide popularity is told through notable celebrities including White Wolf founders, Mark Rein-Hagen and Stewart Wieck, alongside Vampire: The Masquerade artists, Andrew Greenburg, Justin Achilli and Tim Bradstreet. Supporting interviews come from worldwide fans and their fan clubs that also assisted in the evolvement of the franchise into the true phenomenon it is today.
DarkCoast will bring White Wolf’s WORLD OF DARKNESS to the USA on September 18th, 2018 for its online digital release streaming on various VOD platforms (Amazon, InDemand, iTunes, Fandango, Dish, FlixFling, Vimeo on Demand, Google Play, Sling). For more information, please visit: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6177752.
WORLD OF DARKNESS (2018, 89 min.) Directed by Giles Anderson. Written and produced by: Kevin Lee. Executive producer: Henrik Johannson. Edited by: Rodney Guest. Sweden, English. Figi Productions, Luckyday, White Wolf, TriCoast Worldwide, DarkCoast.
About Luckyday:
Luckyday is a Creative Film Producer based in Stockholm, Malmö and London. For more information on Luckyday, please visit http://www.luckyday.se
DarkCoast is a division of TriCoast Entertainment: A new home for story-driven American films, TriCoast Entertainment is a full service media company that creates, produces, manages and distributes unique and unusual entertainment. Bringing together filmmakers, distributors, financiers, and technologists, TriCoast Entertainment embraces change by redefining the production and distribution model for indie filmmakers. Founded by: Strathford Hamilton and Marcy Levitas Hamilton.
About White Wolf Entertainment
White Wolf is a licensing company focused on creating the best participatory brands in the world. Since its original entry into the roleplaying game market in 1991, White Wolf’s World of Darkness has grown to be one of the most recognized and successful brands in the hobby game space with collective book sales in excess of 10 million copies during this time. White Wolf’s World of Darkness brands, which include Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Wraith: The Oblivion, and Orpheus, has been licensed for television series, console and computer video games, interactive media events, and a myriad of merchandise and other entertainment products.
White Wolf team: Tobias Sjögren, Dhaunae De Vir, Karim Muammar, Tomas Arfert, Martin Ericsson, Jason Carl.
This week, the common theme for these three RPG Kickstarters is I’ve interviewed the creators about these projects. Matthew A. Bogdan on RPG Stock Art. Ed Jowett right here at the Tessera Guild. Brian Colin on the Open Gaming Network. Each shared their thoughts with me and I appreciated that. In turn, I wanted to round up their campaigns for everyone to see.
“James Ward, Lenard Lakofka, Johnn Four and many more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure!
I am publishing 2 books and an optional Fantasy RPG resource bundle worth several times the price I have foolishly attached to it! ; ) As of this writing, I have several interviews ready to begin or complete. I am currently focusing on the following RPG creators listed below. I will provide a table of contents very soon, but I must gauge how things go, and not bite off more than I can chew or get presumptuous.
The current team I have been incredibly pleased with being graced with includes James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.
I am quite pleased to have several thousand words of quality content from interviews that I have conducted with some of these very high quality creators with great track records.Recently, I have also received some great tips from Egg Embry and Kevin Watson, as well as a complete article from Lucus Palosaari and some really cool step-by-step content from Lenard Lakofka. In short, I am truly and genuinely excited about this project! Directories will be added with any participating freelancers as well.
We will be providing a source that is primarily geared for beginner self-publishers. This resource is being designed to provide a small, future adventure design or game company the tools they need to create their first fantasy roleplaying game adventure. BUT, it can most definitely be for ANYONE wishing to improved their craft of adventure building for fun or potential commercial publishing.
This product includes options that currently include digital PDF books, with the possibility of providing printed softcover and hardcover versions.
Overnight success is NOT at all guaranteed in this field, and almost always takes time and patience, networking, making the right decisions and sticking to a strict or tight starting budget. That said, I believe that this resource will provide a solid source for you to get started and get published, along with gaining all of the proven resources that you will need in order to give you a very solid chance. At the very least, I am quite sure you will get several useful tips on adventure creation!
Below is a work in progress table of contents that will grow almost daily. Currently, these topics will include, but will not be limited to:
• Step-by-Step from A-Z Adventure and Self-Pub Template
• Creating Better – CHARACTERS
• Creating Better – MONSTERS
• Creating Better – ENCOUNTERS
• Creating Better – MAGIC ITEMS
• Creating Better – RIDDLES & PUZZLES
• Creating Better – ADVENTURES
• Different Ways To Publish
• A Special Section on KICKSTARTER Crowdfunding
• A Very Special Section on Dealing With TROLLS, and much, MUCH more.
This is a 2-book project with an optional, 65-piece Fantasy RPG stock MEGABUNDLE for only an additional $25.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Disclaimer: I am a creator on this book.
On RPG Stock Art, I spoke with Matthew A. Bogdan (my employer on that project). He gets in-depth about the creators, the package that we’re delivering, the stock art that comes with it, and why this is perfect for publishers to pick-up. Check it out here.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“Legions of creatures are invading. Only you, the Chosen, can enter the Lost Lands to fight back, and face the horror of the Anonassi…
At Shades of Vengeance, we believe that Tabletop Roleplaying Games can offer an experience that other types of games can’t. We love creating games and have been working with our team for 2 years to bring you something really special…
With the help of experts on the system and the writers you’ll recognise from our other games, plus the legendary talents of some industry greats, we’ve created a brand new game which you will love!
This is not only a detailed and immersive world, but includes mechanics which support the genre of the game, drawing the players into the chilling reality of the Lost Lands and the fight against the Anonassi.
Our world is not safe. It is besieged by creatures from another dimension…
We all know the feeling.
It’s the crawling sensation on the back of the neck, the insistent, niggling feeling that we’re being followed. It’s the feeling that there are eyes in the dark, watching. Waiting. In that moment, you know – just know – that there is a clawed hand reaching toward the back of your head.
Sometimes we stay still and try to ignore the feeling. Sometimes we whirl around, but there’s nothing there. Then we laugh, pass it off as imagination, and go on with our lives.
But… what if… what if there really was something there, but you just weren’t able to see it?
Or, worse… perhaps you’re one of the people who can see…
Our dimension of Aether, the bridge formed by the Lost Lands and the dying, dark dimension of Erebus.
In this game, you will take the role of one of the Chosen, the small number of individuals who can see the Anonassi and the paths into the “Lost Lands” where they amass their forces.
The Anonassi are terrifying in form. Emerging from their home dimension of pure darkness, they cross the bridge of the Lost Lands to enter our world…
The game’s timeline spans over 100 years, from the first recorded encounter with the Anonassi and the start of the war to drive them back into their dimension, through the industrial revolution and the development of new technologies and on to the modern era, where the war heats up once again…
Different weapons and tactics are used by each side over the course of the war, giving a unique experience in each era.”
“Our dungeon building card deck modules are perfect for your favorite roleplaying games. New monsters & magic items for each deck!
Whether you’ve been role-playing for years or you’re just now learning about this amazing hobby, Cardography is certain to enhance your adventures.
We have created 3 new unique Cardography dungeon decks, along with our first two initial decks, set in the original world of Revilo. Contained in each of the themed decks are 52 dungeon cards that can be configured in countless ways.
Each deck has downloadable pdfs of full adventure modules for both 5e and Fate with new, never before seen monsters, magic items, and NPCs to help add more flavor to your game.
Best of all, each of the pdfs is converted for these major RPG systems: Fate and D&D 5th Edition.
The modules can be played in their entirety or as a choose-your-own-adventure style dungeon crawl.
We have already successfully created and produced the first two decks Enter the Fiery Pitsand Break Through the Icy Divide. We know what it takes to make them awesome and we are doing the same to the three new decks.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
On the Open Gaming Network, I have an interview with Brian Colin about this Kickstarter. Brian does an excellent job of explaining why his dungeon-building deck of cards is right for your gaming table. Read it here.
And, hey, I have a press release from them here! ;-P
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
That said, Ed will challenge you (in a good way) at, and away from, the gaming table. When I sent him the questions for this interview, I had a note that said I’d write the introduction to the article later. I get the answers back and Ed’s one-upped me by telling the world I explained the game in an “excellent introduction.” Now I have to figure out what Era: The Chosen is?! The horror!!! 😛 So…
Era: The Chosen is a horror tabletop RPG that pits humanity against an inhuman enemy that has the upper hand in every situation. For the Chosen that can perceive these monsters, the stakes are all or nothing. It’s not about survival, it’s win or our dimension is doomed.
[So, how’d I do, Ed?]
EGG EMBRY – Ed, over the years we’ve talked a good deal and always about your Era d10 games. Before we get into the latest one, let’s catch everyone up. What are the Era games, and how are they related, and not related?
ED JOWETT – Firstly, for anyone who hasn’t seen one of these interviews before, welcome! It is always a pleasure to talk about the games I create and I hope you find this interesting!
The Era games fall into two distinct categories: ones with “Era” in the title and ones “Powered by Era d10“. The latter sort (such as Battlecruiser Alamo!) are not settings created by me, but games made in other universes which other people created and then worked with me to bring to life through the Era d10Rule Set. As a result, they are not linked to any of the other games in terms of story – the Triplanetary Confederation Universe (Battlecruiser Alamo RPG), for example, is linked to a series of novels by Richard Tongue. I took the feel of his universe and created mechanics which supported that style of gameplay to make this game, and worked with him to write the setting material.
The settings which have “Era” in the name (there are 8 so far – Era: The Consortium, Era: Lyres, Era: The Empowered, Era: Survival, Era: Silence, Era: Hitman, Era: Balam and now Era: The Chosen) are a slightly different story. These settings were created by me and have a common thread which connects them, if you look relatively carefully. I have not publicly revealed yet what it is, but I am certain some people have picked up on it from various hints I have dropped over the years in Kickstarter updates, panels and interviews. Era: The Chosen, actually, builds on this quite heavily, and is the biggest clue I have given to how these settings link up since Era: Survival.
Ignoring the links, each game explores a genre thoroughly: Era: The Consortium offers the chance to play any sub-genre of Sci-Fi you can think of with its 500 years of playable history – you just jump into the time period which suits the style of your game and then, when that story is complete, you choose the next one and have the chance to play ancestors or descendents of previous characters as well as brand new ones! Era: Lyres offers players the chance to tell literally any story they want in the low-fantasy setting it offers. The GM plays as an audience who will assess their story while they attempt to earn the gold and glory due to adventurers. But, as they don’t really have experiences, they have to be careful of inconsistencies! This game lets the players really express their creativity and provides endless opportunity for stories (as well as giving the GM a rest!) Era: The Empowered, similar to Era: The Consortium, offers every sub-genre of superhero story within its timeline. Choose whether you want to be a newly-emerging individual, finding your powers for the first time, or work as part of a large, world-spanning team, or stand against invasions by the Old Gods or Atlantis, or joining the “Empowered Department” in their attempts to police supervillains in a co-ordinated, government-led way. Era: Survival offers a post-apocalyptic setting – a hundred years after the cataclysm – where the last days of Humanity are approaching fast. Unsure how to survive, the people of Gaia have splintered into 14 different factions… and each has their own alliances and enemies. I am sure you can imagine that this provides a difficult world to step into. Will You Survive? Era: Silence is based on an island which is a High Fantasy testing ground. Entering a portal to the mythical Isle of Silence, you will have to earn your name if you expect to escape… by completing challenges and working together. The catch here is that no person is able to speak on the Isle of Silence and, being barbarians, you cannot read or write very well. So, how do you work together when you cannot communicate so easily? Era: Hitman is based in modern times, and allows you to step into the role of a team of assassins. The twist here is that many of the assassins in this world have superpowers! These are fast-burning and reduce in effectiveness as you use them, so you will have to be extremely careful about when you activate them. And, of course, your target might have powers as well! You never quite know what is around the next corner in this game, so you have to plan carefully! Era: Balam asks you to step into the role of a fighter pilot. No pilot is truly complete without their craft and this game is based around that duality: without your fighter (which is highly customisable), you are not a complete character and could be easily killed by the alien hordes which roam HX-7371. As a small squadron, you will have to adapt your fighters and work as a team if you hope to save Humanity from this threat and protect Earth…
And Era: The Chosen you already know something about, thanks to Egg’s excellent introduction above… and I will be talking more about it below.
The link between the settings of these games is perhaps more evident than another important aspect: the rules are module and can be combined. I am going to talk more about that in a later question, so read on to know more!
EGG – Era: The Chosen is a move into straight-up tabletop horror roleplaying. You did Era: Survival before, which had horrific elements. What made you decide to go full horror?
ED JOWETT – Era: Survival has a different focus to Era: The Chosen. Era: Survival is about a zombie apocalypse and a divided humanity, which doesn’t know or believe in itself or each other any more – to a high degree, no-one trusts the people they meet on Gaia. Humanity is, in reality, its own worst enemy and the truth is that they could probably survive if they worked together. Era: The Chosen is quite different. It is a game about the horrors of war when fighting against enemies you cannot understand. Humanity is united against this threat – those that perceive it, anyway!
But that doesn’t make it less terrifying. The Anonassi are biologically superior, intelligent and tactical… and know more about Humanity than you would like them to… especially when it comes to the fact that they enjoy eating us.
This game is about fighting a descent into madness and loss of control as you fight the Anonassi to protect our dimension. The horror aspect is much more psychological than in Era: Survival, making it a very different kind of fear to “when will I run out of ammo”, or “is a zombie waiting for me around the corner?”.
What made me do this was really a long love of two franchises: Dr Who – specifically the brand of horror where the primary reason you are scared is that you don’t understand – and the Turok games on the N64! I have long felt that the two would combine into an excellent setting (with numerous tweaks, obviously!).
Finally, it is something I haven’t done before! I am sure you can imagine that there are a lot more things I want to create and I am working through them. This brand of horror is something I can now tick off my list from a “setting” sense, and focus on expanding that universe!
EGG – How compatible are the different games?
ED JOWETT – They are very compatible – the aspects of the rules which are unique to each game (for example, Specialities, Karma, Implants and Party Confidence) are modular and can be carried across between games.
For example, if you want to play Sci-Fi Survival Horror, you can combine Era: The Consortium and Era: Survival’s rules to make a “Dead Space” type of game (we actually did this in a published book, Era: The Consortium – Revival!). If you wanted to tell stories of your exploits to con people out of cash in Era: Hitman, you could integrate the Era: Lyres rules… and if you were feeling very ambitious, you could combine all of them to make a “super game”!
The power of games running on the same rule sets is obvious – you don’t need to learn a new rule set each time. But when you can combine aspects of the rules and the system supports it? I think that makes something quite special, though I admit I may be biased!
EGG – Some of the settings for your games have expansive timelines. Tell us about the timeline for the game, and what makes that span appealing in Era: The Chosen?
ED JOWETT – Era: The Chosen offers 3 time periods to play in, and the attraction here is that the experience varies quite a bit depending on which you choose.
Perhaps you like the idea of fighting huge, terrifying monsters with pikes and flintlocks. If that is the case, then the “First Era” is for you! In this time, people aren’t sure what the Anonassi are, mostly assuming they are demons of some sort or, in some cases, fallen angels (a name which sticks as a descriptor!). If you like supernatural horror settings where not everything can be explained, this is allowed for here, along with the slightly more light-hearted, “swashbuckly” feel where you have to rescue the princess and save the day, but overcome your fear to do so.
Or maybe you like the sort of horror which you get from Victorian era literature – Frankenstein, for example. In the “Second Era”, you have technology advancing faster than humans learn how to control it. What if you could bring people back to life, just by integrating a technological device which you found lying around in the Lost Lands? Would you find it morally acceptable? Would everyone else? This period also brings in some of the more monstrous Anonassi for the first time; as they are driven back by superior weapons, they begin to deploy larger and more terrifying creatures.
In the Third Era, weapons are at modern levels and the war is being won. At this point, the Anonassi begin to deploy new, more sinister, tactics – swarms of insects which can devour flesh to the bones of either Anonassi or Human in seconds, and Ethereals who can possess Humans and even pass into our dimension safely for long periods of time. How do you fight when you don’t know that all who stand beside you are still the people you trained with? Who do you trust?
I think that the timeline setting was the only way for me to offer all of these types of play in the same game and playtested have very much encouraged this variety!
And, of course, when you consider that different things are horrifying to different generations, there is even more scope for differences in experience…
EGG – For some of your games, there’s been a standout mechanic or setup (Balam’s fighter craft and Battlecruiser Alamo’s duel characters). Will there be any new mechanics for the system?
ED JOWETT – Yes, there are!
Terror is the result of your experiences in the fight. Perhaps you got eaten by an Anonassi and had to blast your way out… if you were to be threatened with being eaten again, you could understandably have a severe psychological reaction to that.
This is covered by the Terror system in Era: The Chosen. As you begin to experience the Lost Lands, you will build Triggers (such as “being eaten”!). When they occur, you will have the opportunity to roll a check… but if you fail, you gain Terror. Each Terror brings with it more Triggers, so the result is a decline in your ability to cope with the Lost Lands. If your Terror bar fills, you will collapse and have to be returned home for treatment… and will probably never set foot in the Lost Lands again.
Trophies are almost the opposite. When you overcome a particularly difficult challenge – floor a giant, brutish Anonassi in the middle of it charging you, for example – you may gain a Trophy. In this example, you might gain a Trophy in the form of the Anonassi tooth. It would remind you that you can take down an Anonassi when it is charging you, so you might no longer be able to be Triggered by that event!
There are also numerous special rules for the Clans, particularly the Chike, who can transform into half-Anonassi forms. If you want to know.more about that, I recommend checking out our actual play session on Kickstarter: https://youtu.be/2j7TRgXlg6U
EGG – The $5 reward on this Kickstarter is for the digital Player’s Guide. That’s an incredible price! What will the Player’s Guide include?
ED JOWETT – I feel it is a good price, yes! The Player’s Guide includes the complete Rules (word for word the same as the Core Rulebook so there is no confusion!), an introduction to the setting for each era, full character creation and the vast majority of equipment (some stuff is so rare that it can be excluded to keep the page count a little lower and be communicated by the GM if it is used!).
What it doesn’t include is the full story of the setting or, more importantly, the Bestiary of Anonassi you might meet…!
EGG – For someone that has never played an Era d10 game, what would you say is the secret sauce that makes this a standout system that they should jump into?
ED JOWETT – It is easy and quick, it is representative without being painful and, if you are a brawler, the grapple rules are 2 pages and/or a flow chart which explains the same content!
It also gives huge flexibility for the GM to counter things like min-maxing (or not, if you prefer!), as well as the opportunity to leap into any of these genres while learning only a few extra rules.
The games are well-supported as well, through our Patreon and period campaign module releases, so if you are someone who likes grenade modules, we have you covered there too!
EGG – For those that want to check out the Kickstarter, where can they find it at?
“Contributing authors James Ward, Lenard Lakofka and more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure”
Looking for advice on how to create your tabletop RPG along with stock art to get you going? Learn from ” industry greats and legends James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, as well as exceptional talents such as Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.” I’m excited to be a part of this project and offer my insights into the world of crowdfunding!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
All of the RPG news fit to peruse. Or at least some of it. In bite form, we’ll touch on Savage Worlds’ new edition and upcoming Kickstarter, who (RPG-wise) will be at Dragon*Con 2018, what Starfinder is looking for, another stock art site, ICv2’s recent GAMA coverage, and all the press releases fit to be released.
NEWS BITES
The new edition of Savage World. Pinnacle Entertainment will launch their “brand new edition” of Savage Worlds on Tuesday, October 16th. The revised version of Savage Worlds will contain aspects seen in the Savage Worlds: Flash Gordon RPG that John McGuire and I played at Gen Con (read John’s review of it here). You can read the announcement here.
Status: Monitoring
Attending Dragon*Con in Atlanta this Labor Day Weekend? Have you read John McGuire’s Dragon*Con Hacks? You’ll want to so you can be ready for the gaming heavy hitters hosting a variety of panels that will be there this year.
Monte Cook of Monte Cook Games (Cypher System, Numenera, No Thank You, Evil!)
Shanna Germain of Monte Cook Games (No Thank You, Evil!; Predation; As Kinky As You Wanna Be, The Poison Eater, and Numenera)
Jodi Black (Chief Operations Officer and Managing Editor for Pinnacle Entertainment Group)
Clint Black (Savage Worlds Core Rules Brand Manager)
Jodi and Clint Black will be with Carolina Game Tables on the third floor of the AmericasMart, booths 3312 and 3314
“While they’re attending primarily to promote their tables, they’re both more than happy to chat about Savage Worlds (including the upcoming new edition of the game) and all the other goings-on with Pinnacle Entertainment Group.”
Kenneth Hite who has worked on Star Trek Roleplaying Game, Mage: The Sorcerers’ Crusade, Call of Cthulhu d20, The Dresden Files RPG, Qelong, The Day After Ragnarok, and the Deadlands Noir Companion
Keith Baker of the Eberron Campaign Setting for Dungeons & Dragons, as well as Gloom and Cthulu Fluxx
Brom was the artist on D&D’s Dark Sun as well as so many other projects and is the Guest of the Honor for the Dragon*Con Art Show
Jason Bulmahn is the Director of Game Design at Paizo Inc (Pathfinder and Starfinder), leading the team responsible for rules and game balance
Christopher Tang of DriveThruRPG and the Code Miners’ LARP will be in the open gaming area representing their LARP. Event descriptions here.
Eloy Lasanta of Third Eye Games and New Agenda Publishing
Richard Ankney production manager at Game Trade Media
Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel of D&D fame
Jamie Chambers of Signal Fire Studios (Metamorphosis Alpha)
Bill Fawcett of Role Aides fame (among others)
Chris Miller of the Ankur RPG
Amanda Makepeace, who’s artwork has graced Pelgrane Press (check out a sampling of them here) and one of the founding Tessera Guilders, will be displaying at the art show
Ray Nothnagel will be demoing his Afterverse RPG. You can check out the games here before backing the Kickstarterhere
Brian Colin, Bree and Drew Foulke from the Norse Foundry (Floor 1 – Exhibitor) will be slinging metal dice and talking about their current Kickstarter for Atmar’s Cardography: Full RPG Modules & Random Dungeon Decks (I picked up a copy and it’s a solid idea – mix and match cards with interconnected dungeons printed on them)
Look for Derek Kamal of silver ENnie Award winning Heavy Metal Thunder Mouse
If you search, you can find Matthew A. Bogdan of Dark by Dezign. He’s running a Kickstarter that I’m a part of called CREATE YOUR OWN FANTASY RPG ADVENTURE – RPG RESOURCES BOOKS that I (bias-ly) think is worth checking out (since I’m a part of the creative team)
Interested in playing in Dragon*Con’s non-campaign RPGs? Click here. Want play in campaign RPGs? Click here.
Status: Wish I were going
Aaron Shanks, Paizo’s PR Manager, is looking for celebrities that play Starfinder. At a guess, they’re hoping for some of the same celebrity love that D&D has seen lately.
Status: Stargazing
Looking for another place to purchase RPG stock art? Looking for an option to sale your stock art? RPG stock artist, JE Shields, opened a new stock art website – JEStockArt.com. With two RPG-focused stock art sites that I’m aware of, this is the start of an interesting trend within the past month (the other being RPGStockArt which I covered here). The driving force behind this move appears to be the desire to reduce the commissions charged by other sites by 10% to 15% (bringing the amount the creator receives to 80%).
Status: Stock Art marketplaces of the world!
Exalted coming soon to the Storytellers Vault!
Status: Looking forward to new content
GAMA (Game Manufacturer’s Association), the group that runs the GAMA Trade Show and Origins Game Fair, is the subject of a series of articles on ICv2.comabout the recent goings on within the organization.
Shifting away from ICv2’s coverage, GAMA board member, Jeff Tidball, Member-at-Large, shares his thoughts on the board’s decision regarding John Ward and the future of GAMA – It Is Wise for GAMA to Seek a New Executive Director
Status: Monitoring coverage
Speaking of GAMA, my discussion of my three most important moments at Origins Game Fair 2018 is available to read on ENWorld here. I’m excited to go again in 2019.
As always, there are some great RPG Kickstarters worth checking out. Go here to check out my reviews of Nights of Payne Town, Haunting of Hastur, Afterverse, MAIN GAUCHE, Domina Magica, and Entromancy
“Contributing authors James Ward, Lenard Lakofka and more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure”
Looking for advice on how to create your tabletop RPG along with stock art to get you going? Learn from ” industry greats and legends James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, as well as exceptional talents such as Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.” I’m excited to be a part of this project and offer my insights into the world of crowdfunding!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“Hit the streets of a neon-noir city as detectives and vigilantes with legendary powers! A new story arc, rulebooks, expansion, and more
City of Mist is a cinematic, neo-noir tabletop RPG set in a modern-day city where legends and stories incarnate in ordinary people, granting them mythical powers. Due to the mystical veil of the Mist, most City residents are oblivious to the legendary forces in the City, leaving modern-day legends, or RIFTS, to operate in a hidden underworld of fairy-tales and crime.
Play as detectives, vigilantes, crooks, or just ordinary Janes and Joes with legendary powers, in a setting that combines the super-powered detective mood of Jessica Jones, Daredevil, or Luke Cage with themes from myth and legend, like in Fables (The Wolf Among Us) or American Gods. You and your crew investigate strange cases and face off with other modern-day legends, and at the same time struggle to balance your everyday life with the Mythos inside you. It’s time to hit the streets…
City of Mist was successfully funded in 2016 and published in 2017. It already has a great community of backers and fans and has sold thousands of copies. The next evolutionary step for the game is a guided set of adventures in the world of City of Mist – a story arc – that MCs (or GMs/DMs) can easily run for their groups. Nights of Payne Town is the first story arc book we will publish, with ten (10) individual cases connected into a single overarching plot.
READ MORE ABOUT THE GAME BELOW!
AWARDS & REVIEWS
City of Mist RPG won two ENnie awards: Silver forBest Free Game 2017 (Starter Set) and Gold for Best Interior Art 2018 (Core Book, which will be split into the Player Guide and the MC Toolkit books available on this campaign).
GEEK & SUNDRY: “Pitch-perfect blend of superhero and noir tabletop RPG… The mechanics are simple yet INCREDIBLY robust.”
ONE SHOT PODCAST: “[City of Mist] combines everything that’s great about Apocalypse World with everything that’s great about FATE… look at the art, and see why I want this beautiful game on my shelf.”
AMAZON 5-STAR REVIEWS:
★ “Detective Noir Knockout.” ★ “Great System, Great Book, Great Company” ★ “One of the best RPG books I’ve read.” ★ “New favorite TTRPG.” ★ “Fantastic cinematic experience” ★ “I’ve got a lot of rpg books, this one rules them all” ★ “One of the Best Gaming Products I’ve Encountered in nearly 30 years of gaming.” ★ “A beautiful, cinematic superhero noir tabletop RPG for veterans and new players alike” ★ “Amit Moshe and Son of Oak Game Studio have established one of the hottest RPG franchises” ★ “Come for the incredibly high production value of the book. Stay for the brilliant design of the game.”
What makes City of Mist special is its unique premise and its bleak, yet mysterious, noir atmosphere. Your character, whether jaded or naive, lives in a corrupt metropolis where hidden forces steer the lives of millions. The situation is miserable, but you are awakening, beginning to become aware of the legend deep inside you. Together with your crew, you are trying to find answers in a city forever blinded by the veil of the Mist. You want to discover what is real, whether you are human or a legend, and who is running the show from the shadows. You are trying to discover the truth, and you’re up against heavy opposition.
Think mobsters with the power of Greek gods, a corrupt politician enchanting citizens with his magical pipe music, and a biker gang called the Winged Monkeys working for an unsavory smuggler, a modern-day Wicked Witch of the West.
Check out Detective’ Enkidu’s thoughts about the state of affairs in the city, in this animated version of the Core Book’s opening comic:
If the GIF isn’t playing, click the image.
Nights of Payne Town will present the first playable story arc that you can just pick up and play with your friends. It will contain of ten (10) cases that can be played individually, or as an ongoing campaign, each with its own backstory, locations, clues, NPCs, Dangers, and maps.
The story arc covers a time of turmoil in the City. The police are helpless against a new wave of crime, powered by forces they neither see nor understand. Ancient legends that were scheming in the shadows for decades are now finally enacting their insidious plans, raining chaos and suffering on the streets. The only ones who can stop this mayhem are nameless individuals, anti-heroes like your crew, caught in this mess unwillingly or all too willingly…
Nights of Payne Town cases break down into three “veins”, or sub-plots:
The Criminal Vein, cases involving the rise of an unstoppable crime baron, a violent self-proclaimed monarch, and the struggle for power over the City streets.
The Mystical Vein, cases following a magical arms race, where a mystery collector will stop at nothing to gather every form of magical object and being in the City;
and The Personal Vein, cases trailing the personal tragedy of the victims of a scheme to slowly and painfully destroy the very fabric of society in the City.
At the culmination of the story arc, these three veins combine into a single super-plotrevealing a sordid truth and a malignant power that has been feeding on the misery of the City since its early days. But, even there, in the heart of darkness, there is hope… even if is hidden from mortal eyes.
Can your crew solve these cases, face these evils, and save the City?
Among the modern-day legends featured are Hansel & Gretel, the Wendigo, Goldilocks, the Snow Queen, a slew of characters from Arthurian legend, the Philosopher’s Stone, King David, Paul Bunyan, spirits of Haitian Voodoo, and many more.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
City of Mist is one of the most well-considered superhero RPGs out there. It feels and looks like the best of modern superhero comics and the Marvel Netflix-verse. It has the room to be gritty and hopeful while working as a detective, all in a single game. Nights of Payne Town takes the game to another level by offering a ranging adventure path. 10 cases that standalone or form a wider story, it’s your choice.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“All five parts of the Haunting of Hastur series in print for the OSR.
The Project
The Haunting of Hastur series has been very successful for Dark Naga Adventures. However, they were never successful enough to unlock the OSR print run stretch goal. Several OSR fans have lamented this shortfall. This is my wish fulfillment project for the OSR community, particularly those fans who have waited for their version in the classic print format.
This Kickstarter project has just one reward, all five modules in the old school print format: wrap around, detached covers, maps on the inner cover, saddle stitched (stapled) booklet. Simple. No stretch goals, just a low target small print run to give the backers who have wanted this version in this print format to have their wish granted.
There is a little bit of editing to be done. See below on changes to DNH1 – The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil. Beyond that, as soon as the project funds, I will order the proofs, and as soon as they are verified, the print copies will be ordered. This will be a fast cycle project. So fast, that there won’t be any add-ons available via Backerkit. I expect to place the print order a few days after the funds post to my account.
Special Note: This might not be the project for you. This one will run the month of August. I am working on colorizing all of the art for a full color, hardback compilation version for 5e and OSR (separate books). I’m announcing both so that OSR fans don’t feel like they are being toyed with. One of my concerns is having a backer who would prefer the hardback decide to back this project because they had no idea the other one was in the works and regret their decision. That’s not cool. It’s not how I would want to be treated. Thus, I working to make sure that backers know their options, so they can make better-informed decisions.
Links to each of the five adventures:
DNH1 – The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil – KS – DTRPG
DNH5 – Carcosa – KS – (Not yet available on DTRPG)
The editing work to be done.
The first of the adventures was an experiment in dual stats for 5e and OSR. That was one of the weakest elements. Some found it confusing. This was my failure as a writer to see beyond my own experience. I convert between 5e and OSR on the fly when running my 5e game, or a BECMI/RC game (my Old School ruleset of choice, yes, I know maybe not technically OSR by all definitions, but in the most inclusive sense, OSR). I failed to recognize that part of my audience has no experience with both systems and they could be confused by unfamiliar terms.
The only significant work to be done on this project is to sever the two versions into dedicated works. I’m estimating it as twenty hours end to end, including editing. That project will start within a few days of putting the 5e and OSR text of the last adventure in the series to rest, DNH5 – Carcosa.
While I expect to have all of the editing work done, edited and ready for release before September 1. That allows the proofs to be ordered between the end of the project and when funds are released. Ideally, I’d like to place the order within a few days of the funds being release (Mid-September), and start fulfilling in early October. The estimate is a bit conservative to allow for things to go wrong without missing a delivery estimate.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Dark Naga Adventures is Kevin Watson who I’ve interviewed about a part of Haunting of Hastur at the Open Gaming Network (here). Haunting of Hastur is a reprint of five D&D 5e and OSR adventures that Kevin has kickstarted one by one. Now you can get the full adventure in one location.
As well as this Kickstarter, Kevin is a member of the creative team behind CREATE YOUR OWN FANTASY RPG ADVENTURE – RPG RESOURCES BOOKS, a project I’m a part of as well (more below or see the Kickstarter here). Between the interview and being in a project with him, it’s easy to say that I think highly of Kevin. At the moment, we all win as there are two Kickstarters with Kevin in them, we live in rare times! 🙂
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“Afterverse is a scifi tabletop RPG featuring an expansive and versatile world and the D6 Bank game system.
Welcome to the universe. Here’s what comes next.
The universe is a rough place, and now you’re in the thick of it. Whether you’re fighting the Bactaran occupation that begins almost as soon as first contact is established, exploring the new frontier of space after humanity throws off its chains, or working towards the unification of all the species of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy, Afterverse puts the universe in front of you and sets you against it.
The d6-based game system is versatile and powerful. The usage of hit banks minimizes dice rolls and keeps gameplay flowing smoothly, while letting players control their risk factors. Characters earn XP through the innovative Motivation system, bridging the gap between powergamers and roleplayers.
Set your campaign at any time across hundreds of years of future history. Every time period has its own events, conflicts, cultures, and technologies. Encounter enemies and allies of all shapes and sizes. Join the revolution, become space pirates, or command military might in space in epic wars across the galaxy.
The Afterverse book features nearly 300 pages of game rules, settings, and adventures. Over 150 pieces of artwork created over the last five years illustrate the living universe, bringing your games to life. The book will be in full color as a softcover (or hardcover if the stretch goal is unlocked). The book contains all the information players and GMs need to run an Afterverse campaign, including character creation, base rules, the setting’s history, and more.
If you’d like a sneak peek of what the sourcebook will look like, as well as an overview of the most important rules, check out the Quickstart Rules for Players!
Quickstart Guide
Afterverse’s Action Cards help you track your character’s hit banks. Each card features beautiful character art, a place to store your hit counters, and a summary of the relevant rules. These cards help player keep track of not only their hit banks, but also the actions their character has available to them.
The Afterverse game system is based on pools of 6-sided dice. For most skill tests, you’ll add the relevant attribute, such as Agility, to the relevant skill, such as Melee; this determines the size of your dice pool. If the test involves a Specialization and you have that specialization, you’ll add two more dice. Situational modifiers may alter this pool further.
After rolling, any dice that come up as a 5 or 6 count as a hit; if you get enough hits, you’ve succeeded the test. Sometimes, instead, hits will be banked to be spent over time.
The initiative system in combat is based on this bank system. You’ll roll your character’s Reaction plus Perception, and bank your hits into your IP bank. Turn order starts with the highest IP bank and proceeds in order to the lowest; as each character acts, they will spend one or more hits from this bank. If the character has enough hits in the bank, they may perform additional actions by doubling the IP cost of the second action.
But it may be wise to conserve your IP, because this same IP bank is used for dodging. When you are being attacked, you may spend one or more points to set the threshold which the attacker will need for their attack to succeed. This greatly impacts the strategic decisions of the game. Covering fire is invaluable, as you can force the enemy to spend their IP bank dodging your shots instead of shooting back.
Finally, space combat is built on this same rule set. The Body Class system allows entities which are an order of magnitude larger than others to operate within the same combat at the same time; smaller entities receive a multiplier on their initiative rolls, while larger entities receive a multiplier on damage dealt, allowing a tiny vessel or even an individual person to act in the same combat as a battleship without skipping a beat.
Often, when in space combat, several characters will all be performing important and unique roles in the fight. The ship’s captain makes decisions and controls the deployment of the ship’s countermeasures. The pilot may position the ship in different ways in preparation to attack, defend, or evade. The engineer is in charge of repairing systems as they get damaged, managing the ship’s waste heat, and supercharging systems which will be required soon. The ship’s tactical officers will control the firing of weapons. The ship’s crew, each with their own complimentary set of skills, must work together under the leadership of their captain in order to position their ship for attack, supercharge the coilguns, and finally, deal the critical blow against the enemy, drawing upon the banks from every crew position to maximize the damage against their target.
My name is Ray Nothnagel. For my entire life, I’ve been a fan of tabletop games, science fiction, and real-world space travel. I’ve been working on the Afterverse rule set for the last five years and playtesting it for the last three. I’ve been designing the Afterverse setting since I was in junior high school – this universe has been kicking around in one form or another for twenty years, and I have the bad spaceship doodles from high school study halls to prove it. This campaign is just one more step in what has been my personal passion project for decades, and whether it succeeds or fails, will undoubtedly continue to be my unhealthy obsession for the rest of my life. The publication of this sourcebook is just one part of the grand scheme for Afterverse. The game system has come a long way since it started as little more than a homebrew variation of Shadowrun. Since that time, it has evolved into a unique game with innovative concepts and lots of refinements. The time spent on the game system has resulted in a robust and fun roleplaying experience where the rules enhance the setting, and don’t get in the way of the storytelling.
This campaign aims to finance the final push for publication – the graphic design, final editing, and the print run. Immediately upon the successful funding of the campaign, we’ll begin our final art pass and the layout work for the book. Following up on this, within a month or two, we’ll send the final sourcebook to be printed. The bookbinding printer will do their thing, and all told, we expect to have the final version of the book printed and shipped out to you no later than the end of October if all goes well, or sometime in November in case there are unforeseen delays. Some of the higher tiers will take longer to produce, but our goal is to have all rewards completed and delivered no later than December 2018.
I hope we’ve piqued your interest. There will be more posts and videos posted over the next month. If you’re going to be at DragonCon, check out our game sessions there for a taste of Afterverse. If you have any questions about the game or this campaign, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Afterverse is a post-alien-invasion-space-opera. You use a mix of cards and handfuls of d6s to determine actions. John McGuire, myself, and our friends played Afterverse with Ray Nothnagel, the creator, at Gen Con 2018 (read John’s review here). When I talked to Ray, he shared that space combat is a highlight of the game because it gave each player a task within the system to perform (unfortunately, the session I chose did not involve space combat). Ray’ll be at Dragon*Con August 30th to September 3rd, 2018, in Atlanta demoing the game (and, hopefully, working on a space battle), so if you’re going it’s worth checking out. You can see Ray’s Afterverse events here.
“MAIN GAUCHE is a chaos expansion for ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG – a gritty, dark fantasy tabletop role-playing game.
Hi, my name is Daniel – some of you know me as the creator of ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG, and face of Grim & Perilous Studios. I am a level 41 husband/father/raconteur, and have worked in digital advertising for 14 years. Were you to compare me to a character on the show Mad Men, basically I’m Ken Cosgrove: biz-dev guy on the streets/author in the sheets. Much like Cosgrove, I am a writer when I’m off the clock.
Writing a RPG? Easy. Run the business? See illustration.
I spent five years writing the brobdingnagian (read: mammoth) 688-page book you know as ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG. I set up a Kickstarter, nearly two years ago to the day, to make it a reality.
ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG also took home two golds in the ENnie Awards for Best Game and Product of the Year at GenCon 2018.
2018 ENnie Awards at GenCon
Turns out, there’s a market for world-agnostic, gritty D100 tabletop RPGs that doesn’t rhyme with “Goonquest” or “Warslammer”.
And after a stroke of inspiration, I began writing another book. Say hello to MAIN GAUCHE.
Front cover by Ken Duquet
A 60-second overview
CHAOS IS NOT A PIT – IT IS A LADDER.
MAIN GAUCHE is a supplement for ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG – a gritty, dark fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Using this book, you will be able to:
Add 68 brand-new Professions to your grim & perilous game
Build fantastic machines, like the Arkwright Cauldron & Rumblebutler
Easily integrate cinematic, vehicle-based combat into encounters
Use alchemy & Wytch-science to gain deadly abilities
Devote yourself as an occultist to elder Daemons
Learn damning Covenant Magick & wield their horrific manifestations
Make soul-altering pacts for Daemonic Gifts of unfettered power
Build your own unique creatures & NPCs on the fly
Plugging into the core D100 ZWEIHÄNDER experience, this book expands your gaming options into the realms of chaos and beyond. MAIN GAUCHE can also be used in your homebrewed campaign world, whether inspired by the works of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, Glen Cook’s Black Company, Myke Cole’s The Armored Saint, Robert E. Howard’s Solomon Kane, Scott Lynch’s Gentlemen Bastards or other ‘grimdark’-inspired media.
With over 186 Professions and 300+ spells across ZWEIHÄNDER & MAIN GAUCHE, you now have countless ways to create your own vision of grim characters ready to embark upon perilous adventures.
Embrace the left-handed path of MAIN GAUCHE, where chaos awaits!
Daniel after writing Main Gauche, without ‘muh anachronism glasses/hair’ (thx /tg/)
Like Zweihander with 666 dollops of chaos.
We estimate that MAIN GAUCHE will come in between 300 to 400 pages after we finalize layout, in full, old school black & white glory. Like its predecessor ZWEIHÄNDER, it will be illustrated cover-to-cover by Dejan Mandic.
Rated M For Mature.
Here is an overview of MAIN GAUCHE‘s chapters, and a little bit about each. We will dive deeper into what each of these chapters entail in our updates over the Kickstarter campaign, including preview chapters for download:
Table of Contents – overview of chapters & various topics
Introduction Story – as told by Danziger Eckhardt in our video
Designer’s Note – Daniel’s POV on the book
Chapter I: Liber Mortalis – 18 regular Professions, 44 Expert Professions & revised progress tables for all Professions across both books
Chapter II: Liber Arma – new materials, weapons, armor, war machines & shields
Chapter VII: Liber Malus – bespoke monsters & NPC creation
Chapter VIII: Liber Conspiratio – rules for conspiracies & investigations
Chapter IX: There’s Something About Marie – an investigative adventure
Appendix – a useable postscript to find what you need
Written in blood
Layout mocks by Ken Duquet
Hexer
Howling Marauder
Occult Magician
Occult Magician spread
Egg’s Thoughts:
If you have not gotten a PDF of ENnie Awards winningZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG, you have not been paying attention. I got a free copy for attending Dan Davenport’s Q&A with Daniel Fox, another at Gen Con 2018 as they were giving away free copies via a redeemable code, and when I emailed Daniel about covering his $1 reward on MAIN GAUCHE because of the Stat Hat it included, he offered me a PDF of the rules and you know what I said? I said yes, Daniel Fox’s mom, because your son done good with this game! The core rulebook is 688 pages of great art and dark, yet fun ideas that resulted in it taking Best Game and Product of the Year at the ENnies. This follow-up expansion, MAIN GAUCHE, looks no less ambitious and worth checking out!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Welcome to Domina Magica, the RPG about becoming a Magical Girl and fighting the forces of evil!
Domina Magica is a tabletop role-playing game designed to emulate an episode of a Magical Girl Anime. You will create and role-play a School Girl in either Elementary, Middle or High and run through the typical scenario of everyday school life. You will make friends, you might make enemies, and hopefully make your next class on time. When you and your friends encounter strange happenings around the school, it is revealed that you are the next generation of Magical Girls!!!! You have been selected to help fight the forces of evil, and only the power of love and friendship that you posses will send these dark beings back to wherever it is they came from…….and all before dinner time.
You are walking down the aisles of your local game shop, running your fingers over the corners of board games and the spines of RPG books. Your hand stops on a small but brightly colored pink book with a design of a heart and wings on the cover. You pull it off the shelf and notice it has chains running across the front page. Curious you open it…. and then a strange iridescent light fills the room as a feminine voice booms into your ears “I have been waiting for you! Are you ready to make a contract to become a Magical Girl?”
We designed this game as a fun, light-hearted way to engage with all the iconic tropes of the Magical Girl Genre. Magical Girls is a sub-genre of the Japanese fantasy manga and anime, featuring girls with magical abilities, or who use magic to transform. This sub-genre dates back to the 1950’s and has become increasingly popular due to the magical renaissance featuring shows such as Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura! When you open Domina Magica this book will guide you through the transformation from school girl to Magical Girl. Through this beautiful illustrated book you and your friends will play through a day in the life of a school girl turned Heroine.
Domina Magica is designed to play in one session, with each game generating a different experience. One person will play as the Narrator who will help facilitate the game and control the various forces of evil. The other players will each form a team of magical girls who will discover their true identities and overcome both mystical and mundane challenges. This game has a custom made rules system, designed by Emily and Jim, that will encourage players to express their inner Magical Girls.
If this Kickstarter successfully funds, the game book will be a Digest size, hardcover, embossed and foil stamped, premium addition to your game shelf. If we meet some of our stretch goals we will have the ability to improve the book with things like full color interior printing and additional art. With your help we would love to make this a true mythical tome to be passed down from one magical girl to the next.
Now about these Slap Bracelets…
You might have seen these things spread all over social media, and if you have, great! That’s what we are going for! In an effort to raise awareness about this project, and women designers in general, we are giving every single backer a “Fight Like a Magical Girl” slap bracelet. Nothing says Magical Girl, or the 90’s, like a good slap bracelet.
As part of this promotion we are going to be sending these out to backers RIGHT AWAY. Not during fulfillment, not once the kickstarter is over, but as soon as you back, you are getting a Fight Like a Magical Girl Slap Bracelet sent out to you. In return we are only asking one thing… you have to post a picture of yourself wearing it in your best Magical Girl Pose. We want to spread the word and the only way to do that is with your help. No Magical Girl can win the fight against evil without the other scouts!!!
Unfortunately… there are some exceptions
The realities of shipping, and the tight budgets of a kickstarter, means there are certain limitations that we unfortunately have to apply. All US backers at any level will get a slap bracelet sent to them right away as described above. For our international backers, it is just too cost prohibitive to send the slap bracelets as their own shipment. Instead, international backers who back at a physical reward level, will have the slap bracelet included with their book at fulfillment. We really wish we could send everyone the slap bracelets right away, but it just is not achievable.
Our game has many unique aspects that you wont find in a typical RPG. The magical girl experience is not a typical play style for tabletop role-playing games and we wanted to make sure the game delivered on that approach. We have spent countless hours designing, play-testing and incorporating the feedback of these mechanics into this game.
Here are just some of the many unique mechanics of Domina Magica
Dual Sided Character Sheets
In Domina Magica your character sheet has 2 sides, one for your School Girl and one for the Magical Girl Persona. As you play the game, the actions and decisions you make as a School Girl (the first side) will directly affect your Magical Girl (the second side). Playing your school girl will actually build your Magical Girl! When it comes time for your special transformation you will physically flip the sheet from one side to the other and play with the character you have built.
Early Character Sheets (Still in Progress)
The Cootie Catcher
In the beginning of the game you and your friends will build a “cootie catcher” or “fortune teller,” that will help determine the events of the game as it progresses. At the start of the game players will work together to establish details about their unique episode. These aspects are used to fill in the cootie catcher’s various sections, and players will write in the theme, season, names, and more. Once the players have built the world their game will take place in, each player will add a secret trial on the hidden parts of the paper. At various points in the game, the cootie catcher will be triggered which will randomly activate one of the hidden trials the players created.
Dark Energy Circle
The Dark Energy Circle (or DEC) is used to track the growth of negative energy in the world. Throughout the course of the game, player actions will determine where the evil energy first appears and how it spreads. The players will be able to see this growth on the DEC, and watch as the forces of evil get stronger. When it’s time to confront the Big Evil, players will use this as their battle map during the final showdown. The DEC is one of a kind because it will organically develop the ending boss fight of each play session.”
Battle Map (Still in progress)
Egg’s Thoughts:
Want to play a Magical Girl ala Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura? This game will take you there! It has the look, style, and feel of what you want in that genre. The creator has made the game with veteran players in mind, but set it up so new players with a love of Magical Girl animes will find it appealing! Need to know more? I interviewed Emily Reinhart of Third Act Publishing and the creator of Domina Magica over at the Open Gaming Network (here) about the game and she shares a lot of thoughts about why it’s a good one to own.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Dive into a cyberpunk urban fantasy world filled with magic, espionage, hacking, and gunslinging action!
Entromancy is a tabletop roleplaying game set in San Francisco in the late 21st century. In our world, a quarter of the earth’s power now runs on ceridium, a newly discovered element that has had the unintended consequence of spawning a new race of people, and several forms of magic that were once thought to have been forgotten.
In Entromancy, you’ll take the role of a character in a futuristic, technology-driven, magic-rich world complete with espionage, spellcasting, hacking, and engaging action sequences.
The core system of Entromancy is based on the world’s most popular roleplaying game, and will allow you to choose from five diverse races and five unique classes to create your character and begin your story. You’ll progress your character by taking on challenging missions and eventually embracing one of the game’s five brutally powerful destinies, which are like prestige classes.
Want to stealth hack your way into enemy territory as a Vanguard, enhancing your faction standing with the underrace nation of Aurichome? You can do that. Interested in putting together a crew of NIGHT Agents to clean out San Francisco’s Presidio of zombie-like ragers? We’ve got you covered. Striving to climb the ranks of the Unaligned so that you can unlock the ferociously powerful, chaos-based magic of the Entromancer? No one’s stopping you…other than the other two power hungry factions standing in your way.
Cyberpunk Fantasy Roleplaying. Enter a futuristic, magic-rich world where technology is ever-present and several forms of forgotten magics have resurfaced — for better and worse.
Unique Characters. Choose from five diverse races and five unique classes — from the dual-pistol wielding Revolutionary to the magic-savvy Technomancer — to create your character and begin your story. Progress your character by taking on challenging missions and eventually embracing one of five brutally powerful destinies.
d20 Mechanics. Experience a streamlined gameplay system based on the Fifth Edition of the world’s most popular roleplaying game, simultaneously allowing for exciting action and storytelling while providing for a great deal of depth.
Action Gameplay. Get into the game quickly with easy onboarding for new players and engage in action-packed gameplay with spellcasting, hacking, cybernetics, and much more.
Faction-Based Espionage. Increase your standing with Entromancy’s three competing factions of NIGHT, Aurichome, and the Unaligned, while attempting to make your mark on a world that has become fractured after years of population explosion, socio-economic tension, and magic-based warfare.
In Entromancy, you’ll create a character by selecting from five diverse races and five unique classes, customizing them by selecting feats and talents and/or spells. The five starter classes include:
NIGHT Agent. NIGHT Agents are special agents of the highest order, members of a paramilitary force that is called upon to enforce peace among aurics and humans — sometimes using extreme measures. As a Night Agent, you’re skilled in espionage and magical combat, and will have to decide between the paths of dark and light for your archetype.
Revolutionary. Revolutionaries are allied to the underrace nation of Aurichome, sacrificing the comforts of the status quo for the promise of equality for all underraces. As a Revolutionary, you’re trained in all manner of ranged combat, and are unparalleled in your understanding of modern vehicles.
Technomancer. Technomancers are gifted to the extreme in hacking, robotics, and manipulating any type of machinery. As a Technomancer, your training allows you to get closer to the metal with feats and spells than any other class.
Terramancer. Terramancers have dedicated their lives towards communing with nature, drawing their inspiration from the flora and fauna around them. As a Terramancer, your proficiency with healing magic is unmatched, as is your ability to throw projectiles with deadly effect.
Vanguard. Vanguards thrive in the shadows, specializing in the arts of stealth, assassination, and subterfuge. As a Vanguard, your skills in remaining unseen and getting the drop on your opponents is unparalleled.
Once you’ve completed five or more missions, you’ll unlock one of five powerful destinies, provided that you have the appropriate faction standing to do so. These include:
Aurikar Elite. Guns and spells have their places, but you prefer to get your hands dirty. You’ve mastered the art of hand-to-hand combat through training with King Thog’run’s special forces, and have sworn fealty to the crown as one of Aurichome’s elite defenders.
Entromancer. You’ve spent time, energy, and no small amount of personal sacrifice chipping away at the mysteries of the universe. Ever so slowly, entropy begins to respond to your will.
Infiltrator. When a job requires subtlety, they call for an assassin. When it requires a ghost, they call you.
Inquisitor. You’ve entered the elite ranks of NIGHT leadership, empowered with some of the most devastating –- and manipulative — spells known to humankind.
Weapon Master. Some heroes are born; others are forged through discipline and forbearance. You have become a master of arms, dedicating your life to the study of weaponry.
For a design sample of what the interior layout of the Entromancy RPG will look like, please click here.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
This is bright, shiny cypherpunk! Set in San Francisco, you’re in a time of good power sources and magic, and yet, there are still bad folk aplenty to contend with. Also, it’s based around D&D 5e so the ruleset in a modification, not a brand-new design. If you want near-future, magic-meets-science yet the world did not fall to darkness using a system you know the root of, Entromancy has a place at the table for you. Add to that, Craig Campbell of Nerdburger Games acted as a mentor to the creator on this project and I think highly of Craig so it’s just extra winning.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruFictionhere.
“Contributing authors James Ward, Lenard Lakofka and more share some of their pro tips on how to create your first fantasy RPG adventure”
Looking for advice on how to create your tabletop RPG along with stock art to get you going? Learn from ” industry greats and legends James M. Ward, Lenard Lakofka, as well as exceptional talents such as Johnn Four, Rick Hershey, Lucus Palosaari, Kevin Watson, Bobby Nash and Egg Embry.” I’m excited to be a part of this project and offer my insights into the world of crowdfunding!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
ITS THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT AND YOU’LL BE FINE.
Do you plan to survive the end of the world? Of course you do. Mutant: Year Zero Week kicks off with new releases, brand new posters and a massive sale launched to make life enjoyable in the postapocalyptic zone.
To celebrate the coming apocalypse of Fall when darkness falls upon us, the landscape turns grey and brown, and you hide inside your comfortable bunker, Free League Publishing today launched two brand new Zone Compendia for the award-winning Mutant: Year Zero RPG: Eternal War and Hotel Imperator. Each Zone Compendium contains four thrilling Special Zone Sectors that can be placed anywhere in your Zone.
But that’s not all. Today, Free League has also launched three awesome posters with Mutant: Year Zero art by acclaimed artists Simon Stålenhag and Ola Larsson – so you can decorate your bunker or ark in style while awaiting the apocalypse.
Head out into the postapocalyptic Zone and check out all the new releases in the Free League web shop. Mutant: Year Zero products are up to 40% off for the coming week!
Two brand new Zone Compendia were released today for the award-winning postapocalyptic tabletop RPG MUTANT: YEAR ZERO by Free League Publishing and distributed by Modiphius: THE ETERNAL WAR and HOTEL IMPERATOR.
MUTANT YEAR ZERO – ZONE COMPENDIUM 4: THE ETERNAL WAR
Slowly, the robot boots up again. It feels its circuits wake up, system after system coming online. Recharging and repairs are complete. The robot runs a quick diagnostic scan of its key functions. 73% capacity. It will have to do. The order must be completed. The robot draws its laser rifle and assumes a firing stance, bracing the rifle on a rusty metal beam, scarred by enemy fire. The robot scans the darkness. Large drone cranes hang from the ceiling high above like huge claws. Rusty old submarines rest silently in the black waters below.
“Unit KAN-738 reports. Day 7,298. The operations continues. The enemy must be destroyed.”
About THE ETERNAL WAR
The Zone Compendium THE ETERNAL WAR for Mutant: Year Zero and Mutant: Mechatron includes four exciting Special Zone Sectors:
THE ETERNAL WAR – Robot fights robot in an underground duel without end.
FORT ROBOT – An abandoned Wild West-themed amusement park from the Old Age has new, artificial, inhabitants.
NORTHBAY NANDEEP 23 – The warning message from the ancient farming facility contains only two words: “WARNING! Nano contamination.”
THE ROBOT FACTORY – Thick smoke rises from the smokestacks of the old dilapidated factory in the Zone. Who has moved in?
MUTANT YEAR ZERO – ZONE COMPENDIUM 5: HOTEL IMPERATOR
In the dimly lit room, serious-looking men and women sit around a long table. At the short end, a man with long silvery hair and wearing a black suit presides over the meeting. His left eye lacks both iris and pupil, the white of it tinged by an unnatural icy blue. An old machine on the table projects a photo of a scrap village on the wall. The door to the room opens. Two people enter, cloaked in shadows.
“Number 2 and Number 3, report,” the white-haired man demands.
“Thank you, Number 1,” one of the newcomers responds. “We have much to do.”
ABOUT HOTEL IMPERATOR:
The Zone Compendium HOTEL IMPERATOR for Mutant: Year Zero includes four exciting Special Zone Sectors:
HOTEL IMPERATOR – The mysterious Brain Ring has established its headquarters in an ancient hotel. What are the psionics’ nefarious plans?
THE LONG ROAD – A nomadic tribe of mutants travel through the Zone. What can the player characters learn from them?
THE ZONE FAIR – A robot has reopened an ancient amusement park in the Zone. What dirty secrets do its visitors bring with them?
THE GREAT ZONE WALKER – A colossal machine is rumbling through the Zone. Who controls it, and where is it going?
MUTANT: YEAR ZERO – ROLEPLAYING AT THE END OF DAYS
[Awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules]
Of course, the world ends. It was always just a question of time. When it’s all over, nature invades the ruined cities and winds sweep through empty streets. Yet life remains. In the Ark, a small settlement on the edge of a dead town, the People live. You are the spawn of humanity, but not human anymore. You are twisted, mutated freaks. Your bodies and minds have incredible powers, but you are unstable. None of the People are over 30 years old. Except the Elder. Your leader, one of the Old People. He has always warned you: Stay in the Ark, or the Rot will get you. So far, you have obeyed him. But now the safe days are over. Food is running scarce, and the fight for what’s left is turning violent. And the Elder is dying.
It’s time to explore the Zone. To seek out others and create a new civilization on the ruins of the old. Seek your origin. Maybe you will find Eden, where salvation awaits according to the legends. Maybe it’s all bullshit. It doesn’t matter. You have no choice. This is the beginning. This is Year Zero.
THE MUTANT SALE INCLUDES:
Mutant Poster – Rainbow by Simon Stålenhag.
Mutant Poster – Genlab Alpha by Ola Larsson
Mutant Poster – Mechatron by Simon Stålenhag.
Mutant: Year Zero – Roleplaying at the End of Days tabletop RPG
Mechatron expansion
Genlab Alpha expansion
Die, Meat-eater, Die!, Dead Blue Sea, Lair of the Saurians Zone Compendiums
PRAISE FOR MUTANT: YEAR ZERO RPG:
“Mutant: Year Zero is an exceptional roleplaying game, and if you’re the least interested in this kind of entertainment you should buy it immediately.” -The Piruett sf and fantasy blog
“A better and more stylish balancing act between nostalgia and innovation the Swedish RPG scene hasn’t seen in a very long time.” -The Boningen gaming blog
“This RPG is f***ing great and I recommend it to new gamers and veterans alike. Giving this game anything but the highest grade would be insane.” -The Kryokinesi gaming blog
“The rules support and create campaign play. Intrigues start, threats arise, opportunities and challenges appear, without the GM having to make it all up.” – The Fenix gaming magazine
[If you are interested in review copies of our tabletop role-playing games or art books and/or want to interview the game creators, illustrators and writers, at Free League Publishing, please e-mail Boel:boel@frialigan.se].
Free League Publishing is a Swedish publisher dedicated to speculative fiction. We have published several award-winning tabletop role-playing games and critically acclaimed art books set in strange and wondrous worlds.
Our first game, the post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero was awarded a Silver ENnie for Best Rules 2015. The sci-fi adventure Coriolis – The Third Horizon, was awarded a Judge’s Spotlight Award at Gencon. And we are proud to say that our latest roleplaying game Tales from the Loop RPG based onSimon Stålenhags iconic artbooks made a grand slam at the ENnie Awards 2017, winning five Gold ENnies – among them Best Game.
Our upcoming fantasy RPG is Forbidden Lands, with art by critically acclaimed artist Simon Stålenhag and iconic Swedish fantasy artist Nils Gulliksson, lore by fantasy author Erik Granström and game design by the team that created Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis: The Third Horizon and Tales from the Loop RPG. Forbidden Lands was the third most successful RPG Kickstarter in the world 2017 and was recently named one of the most anticipated RPGs of 2018 by EN World.
We have also released the critically acclaimed art books Things from the Flood and Tales from the Loopby artist Simon Stålenhag. His third book The Electric State has been released by Free League Publishing exclusively to the backers of the kickstarter campaign.
I’m back from Gen Con 2018 [you can read Part One of John McGuire’s review of our trip here] and ready to focus on some amazing RPGs available via Kickstarter. These are projects that I have connection to (I’m friends with the creators or they are an all-ages game) and that look amazing! Let’s dive in!
“Tiny Supers – Minimalist, four-color tabletop superhero roleplaying based on the TinyD6 system!
Gallant Knight Games is happy to present the latest genre-book for our TinyD6 minimalist roleplaying system: Tiny Supers!
Using the rules in this book, you’ll be able to play superheroes of all types, from paragons and exemplars, to super-science heroes of the future or past, to cosmic guardians defending the far-reaches of the galactic civilizations from untold threats!
Alan was on Victory Condition Gaming talking about Tiny Supers! While the video is 40 minutes long, the first 5 to 10 minutes are hyper focused on the game and the contents of the campaign (but you can listen to the whole thing if you want!)
The Iconic Hero and paragon of the GallantVerse, Gallant! Art by Nicolas Giacondino
Character creation is simple, fast, and exciting. You pick your character archetype based on the exciting stories your Game Master is going to tell, you pick a few Traits or Powers that each grant a single benefit, and you’re done!
For the first time ever, a TinyD6 game will have it’s own detailed setting, as we bring the GallantVerse to you!
You can read more about the GallantVerse below!
Ryker Swift, aka Velocity! One of our Iconic GallantVerse Heroes. Art by Nicolás Giacondino
Sometimes as the GM, you don’t have time to plot lengthy, detailed worlds, but you want that experience. Well, we’ve got your back, and that support comes in the form of micro-verses and our signature setting, The GallantVerse!
Micro-verses are short settings filled with adventure hooks, and designed to put your adventures and campaigns into high action-adventure.
Our goal is to fund a softcover edition, a limited number of hardcover collector’s editions, and the Tiny Supers dice. We’ve planned several stretch goals which will increase page count, add more art, add more special rules but all of our goals will provide you with more fun and engaging superhero tabletop content!
You might notice that our funding goal is much higher than previous TinyD6 Kickstarters. One of our goals with this project is to fund a full-color book, replete with gorgeous art from the very talented Nicolás Giacondino, with posters and covers by a variety of talented artists.
Additionally, the writing on the GallantVerse is being handled by top industry talent. We’re set on paying all our contributors well, and our goal reflects our commitment to an ethical pay rate for our writers, artists, and team members.
Pulsewave, one of our GallantVerse Iconics! Art by Nicolás Giacondino
TinySupers uses a simple, fast, and dynamic ruleset to handle actions. The game uses up to three six-sided dice as part of action resolution.
If you roll a “5” or “6” on a die, your check succeeds. Most checks are made with two dice. However, if you are deemed to have “advantage” on a roll, you gain a third die to roll. If you have disadvantage, you lose a dice (rolling only a single die).
Characters are made quickly and easily. You will select a superheroic archetype (such as Paragon, Gadgeteer, Defender, Mastermind or more), three traits or powers, and write down some basic information and you are ready to play!
Bastion, one of our GallantVerse Iconics! Art by Nicolás Giacondino
If you’re familiar with the TinyD6 ruleset, you’re probably wondering how Power Traits are different than Traits?
Well, Power Traits are new traits that gain better versions of themselves as you take them again and again. Let’s use an example, like Super–Speed (Alan’s favorite power.) Super–Speed has 3 Tiers. The first time a Trait choice is spent to select Super–Speed.
TierOne: Any turn in which you move, you also count as having taken the Evade action.
If a Hero were to select the Super-Speed Power Trait again with a Trait Choice, they’d gain the Tier Two Power:
TierTwo: You can take a move action once per turn, without using up one of your two actions for the turn.
If they repeated it a third time, they’d gain the third and final power:
TierThree: When you take a move action, you can move three times.
All the PowerTraits in Tiny Supers function on a level similar to this. There is a wide swath of powers, making almost any super imaginable!
Darklight, one of our Iconic GallantVerse Villains! Art by Nicolás Giacondino
The GallantVerse is the standard superheroic setting for Tiny Supers! Conceived by Alan Bahr, the GallantVerse is a near-future setting, where superheroes have recently come into being!
The GallantVerse is a setting focused on heroic and exciting heroes, with a slight science fiction bent and a focus on hope and optimistic heroism! All your favorite comic book angles are here, from mystical occultists, to mutants, to paragons of science and technology, and massive cosmic threats! We’re hitting all the notes!
Our core of the setting is the coastal city of Sentry City! A technological hotspot, Sentry City is the birthplace of superheroes and the central piece of the GallantVerse.
As the first cohesive core campaign setting for the TinyD6 line, GallantVerse is being overseen by Alan, with writing by an excellent troupe of freelancers!
The Eagle! One of our GallantVerse Iconics. Art by Nicolás Giacondino
Micro-settings are unique, small universes that exist in alternate dimensions adjacent to theGallantVerse!
They are specifically designed to be used as a tool, resource, or spring-board for your own campaigns.
All of the micro-verses come with some story and some fluff that is designed to be unique to that particular micro-verse.
The core book comes with some very different micro-verses, all of them written by those we selected from our Tiny Supers Open Call!
Further down the page (and revealed as they’re unlocked) are the micro-verses that are included in Tiny Supers! All of them were unlocked by stretch goals, and we’ve compiled them below!
Asher Solomon, the Immortal Magus and GallantVerse Iconic! Art by Nicolás Giacondino
Gallant Knight Games is a indie game company ran by Alan and Erin Bahr. This is our 10th GKG Kickstarter!
Our previous TinyD6 Kickstarters (Tiny Frontiers and Tiny Frontiers: Mecha & Monsters) delivered early to backers (4 months in the case of Tiny Frontiers), and Tiny Dungeon 2e was on time!
Our micro-settings are written by some of the most talented freelancers in the RPG business!
Tiny Supers has been in development since late 2016 and been in play-testing for 12 months! The art is all in, and paid for (with the exception of any stetch goals). The goal of this Kickstarter is to pay for the print run and unlock our stretch goals, making this a truly gorgeous book.
Montebank, an Iconic Occult Villain! Art by Nicolas Giacondino
As we continue along, we’ll be previewing bios of our fantastic freelancers and writers here!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
This year I met Alan (Gallant Knight Games) Bahr at Gen Con (it’s nice to put a face with a name). During another campaign, I interviewed Alan Bahr about Tiny Dungeon 2nd Editionhere (Tiny Supers uses the same core mechanic). The system is simple enough that it can be viewed as an all-ages option (which I love), but not so simple there’s no joy in playing it. TinyD6 is a popular system and it spans a variety of genres.
Of the Tiny-verse, only the campaign for Tiny Dungeon: Second Edition has more backers and pledges. Add to this, Fat Goblin Games will be creating “roleplaying game supplements based on the popular TinyD6 Engine” [read the press release here], this is a good time to try TinyD6!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A Terran Trade Authority Handbook. Full color reprint of the original books by Stewart Cowley.
No one would have believed, in the closing years of the 1970’s, that science fiction was to experience a boom that would last through to the present day. The summer blockbuster had only just been invented. There was only one Star Wars movie. The voyage of the Battlestar Galactica had only just begun, and Buck Rogers had yet to conquer television. But between the pages of the Terran Trade Authority handbooks, enthralled readers were discovering a beautiful and brightly-coloured vision of the future, where wondrous spacecraft explored strange planets, navigated shimmering nebulae and fought desperate battles among the stars. Illustrated by some of the world’s greatest science fiction artists and written by Stewart Cowley, the handbooks told the tale of mankind’s expansion into the unknown and the trials and wonders they encountered. Conceived of as a “Jane’s Guide” for the future, the books made use of the stunning artwork produced for the paperback science fiction market at the time, reproducing them in lush colour and on glossy paper. Beginning with Spacecraft 2000-2100 AD in 1978, the Terran Trade Authority series went on to become a cult phenomenon, loved and fondly remembered by all who came across them. The Terran Trade Authority presented a bright vision of the future, optimistic about man’s place in the universe, and featuring a strong undercurrent of mystery, wonder and adventure. In recent years the volumes have become collectors’ items – expensive and rarely found, but never forgotten – and have gone on to influence creators around the globe. The setting has spawned two role-playing games and has been cited as a clear inspiration for the best-selling computer game No Man’s Sky. Within the pages of the books are a veritable who’s who of science fiction art, including such names as Jim Burns, Alan Daniels, Peter Elson, Fred Gambino, Colin Hay, Robin Hiddon, Bob Layzell, Angus McKie, Chris Foss, Chris Moore, Tony Roberts, and Trevor Webb. Now, with your help, we are proud to present a special 40th Anniversary Edition of the first of the TTA handbooks; Spacecraft 2000-2100 AD. It’s time to return to the future!
ACM 113, Fatboy
About Spacecraft 2000 to 2100 AD
The Terran Trade Authority is an original science-fiction setting first presented in four large-format full-colour illustrated books, published between 1978 and 1980. Each book is presented as an “in-universe” document, detailing the history of the Terran Trade Authority and their spectacular spacecraft. This book covers the events immediately before and after the Proximan War Era, and is presented in the same manner as an aircraft recognition guide, made up entirely of spacecraft descriptions and art accompanied by details of their role and performance in the war, and occasionally their history afterwards.
Nomad Industrial Complex
Foreword to Spacecraft 2000 to 2100 AD: 40th Anniversary Edition
During the heady days of the Russian-American space race and the globally televised Apollo missions, the world watched enthralled as humans took the first faltering steps beyond gravity’s grip. But as time passed public enthusiasm waned. The value and relevance of space research and its huge costs were questioned In the face of global social, political and economic pressures. But eventually, popular interest in space exploration re-emerged. A major imperative was the growing awareness of Planet Earth’s fragility in the face of the demands we made on it. However successful we were in conserving our world’s resources and developing new forms of energy, the fact remained that we were simply outgrowing our homeworld. The search for Earth-like planets and the technology to travel there became of paramount importance. The post-Apollo drop in popular enthusiasm for space research did not mean that the scientific community relaxed their search for answers. On the contrary, a growing number of major players brought fresh resources to the table. In addition to NASA and Roscosmos, the Russian Federal Space Agency, China, Japan, India, the European Space Agency and even private enterprise grew our knowledge base. Not just in how we would travel in space but where we might go. A major contributor was NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope. Launched in 2009 to seek out exoplanets – planets beyond our own solar system – Kepler soon identified over 1000 of them. Only a dozen or so were Earth-like, as to qualify, planets could not be much larger than twice Earth’s size and therefore rocky, in order to increases the probability of surface water. Such planets also had to orbit the ‘habitable zone’ of its sun where the average temperature allowed water to exist in liquid form. Identifying the ‘Where’ brought us to the ‘How’, the greatest challenge of all. Entirely new aspects of astrophysics had to explored and manipulated for interstellar travel to become a reality. The strongest contenders were forms of Warp Drive where the space-time continuum, the actual fabric of space, is distorted. Work by NASA’s Dr. Harold ‘Sonny’ White made significant advances in Warp Drive technology using advanced Quantum Optics to create a space-time bubble around a craft that would enable it to move independently from the rest of space. By compressing space-time in front of the vessel and expanding it behind, faster-than-light speeds became possible. The key point in making interstellar travel a reality came about in 2012 with the founding of the 100 YSS (100 Year Star Ship Project) funded initially by NASA and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). The formation of Icarus Interstellar in 2011 and its Starship Congress of 2013 combined with the introduction of Brane Cosmology took faster-than-light (FTL) research to a new level. The creation of the Terran Trade Authority harnessed global research and made Warp Drive systems and our journey to the stars a reality.
~ CMDR Stewart Cowley Terran Trade Authority
Colonial III, Angus McKie
Add-Ons
RPG Add-on
Terran Trade Authority: The Proxima War. This is the setting book written for the Savage Worlds game system. For an additional $15 you will be able to purchase a PDF of the book, for an additional $25 you will be able to purchase a softcover copy of the book. Shipping to be figured after the end of this kickstarter.
Promotional Opportunity
We know that as midshipmen, it can take forever to qualify for that promotion in the Terran Navy, so why not do what good midshipmen have done for ages, bribe your way up the chain of command. You can just add an amount for which ever rank you request promotion, you will be listed in the back of the book with a dedication to you at that rank. It’s the easiest way to be promoted. Ship assignments, where necessary, will be posted on the order sheet detailed in the back of the book.
+$10 Ensign. While its not a high rank, it does put you in the officers core.
+$15 Lieutenant. It’s a little higher on the chain of command, Captains are still above you, but you get to command Ensigns and midshipmen. You get to look forward to your own ship command one of these days.
+$20 Captain. Here you are, you immediately will be assigned to your own starship, at the assignment of the Admiralty when needed. The Admiralty will randomly assign you a ship (type and name) for your command.
+$25 Rear Admiral. You are in command of a squadron, imagine being in command of a fleet of ships. Its not easy baring that responsibility, but you are pretty sure you have the chops for it. The admiralty will give you a random assignment for your fleet, something like Terran Defense Command or Terran Training Command.
Book Specs
Author and Artist: Stewart Cowley and company (this book will contain all the original artwork)
Size: the print book will be a 8.5 x 11 book, either in softcover or hardcover, depending on your choice.
Layout: New layout will be done by J Gray.
40th Anniversary logo is by Ian Stead
Stretch Goals
$13000 – Terran Trade Authority RPG material for the Starfinder Role Playing Game published by Paizo Publishing in PDF. A POD version will be made available for purchase should we reach this stretch goal.
$15000 – Terran Trade Authority RPG sourcebook for the Cepheus Engine (A current Mongoose Traveller 1e clone) in PDF. A POD version will be made available for purchase should we reach this stretch goal.
SHIPPING THE REWARDS
Shipping is not included in the pledge levels. That’s because for this Kickstarter campaign, we’re going to send out surveys and collect shipping fees through BackerKit once we’re ready to ship out all physical rewards. This not only means all funds raised in the Kickstarter are going towards covering the costs of production (creating an electronic edition from a print is not cheap. The cost of production include licensing fees, layout, and printing) but it gives us plenty of time to source the best and least expensive international shipping options through fulfilment agents in Europe and Asia. Thanks for being understanding! We know that for some it’s much easier just to take care of the total costs all at once upon pledging, but we hope you’ll see that this approach is not only better for the project but affords you the lowest shipping costs when the time comes.
Cyclops, Colin Hay
Spacecraft 2000 to 2100 AD is (c) 1978 Stewart Cowley. All art is (c) 1978 to the respective artist. All work used herein is used with permission and under license.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
This is a campaign to reprint the first in a series of books, it has a stretch goal to make it the setting for two RPG systems (Starfinder [a new stretch goal] and the Cepheus Engine), and it will be beautiful. Everyone involved in this has a great deal of love for this series. On the Open Gaming Network, I interviewed Jonathan Thompson about this campaign (here), and it covers so much ground. If you’re on the fence, I recommend that interview.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“Art of War (relaunch): The Martial Arts Setting in a Fantasy Anime World. Powered by Savage Worlds. Be a Hero. Be a Legend.
Art of Waris an anime inspired setting of over-the-top action. Art of War combines the exciting influences of Heroes of the East mixed with Samurai Champloo. A high-flying martial arts campaign where Players and Game Masters can tell epic stories of Outlaws of the Marshand Forty-Seven Ronin using Savage Worlds.
Welcome to the San Empire…
It is the rise of a new dynasty for the people of the San Empire. After an invasion of an Oni horde, the Three Clans attempt to rebuild a nation with the help of a new Emperor. The proud Kitsune Clan slowly relinquishes territory to the Imperial Court. Members of the Tiger Clan work to restore the peoples faith in the land with the guidance of the Jade Stratagem. The leaders of the Serpent Clan remain silent keeping their plans secret.
Mock up only. Cover arrangement may change.
Art of War introduces new features for Savage Worlds® fans and RPG enthusiasts. It offers unique & updated setting rules inspired by the tropes of Anime, Samurai Sagas, and Wuxia Epics. These include:
Tropes: Adapted from the Iconic Framework character creation rules of Savage Rifts® and the standard archetypes, Tropes offer a chance for a player to choose a starting package and jumping off point of skills and abilities that reflect their role in the story. This is a simple “plug-in” to the core Savage Worlds® character creation process.
Chi System: A streamlined rule set based of the Power system of the core rules allowing for a combination of cinematic game play and martial arts flavor. Designed for ease of use, it syncs with the core philosophy of the Fast, Furious, Fun role-playing you have come except out of a Savage Worlds® game.
Glory & Honor System: For those that want to introduce a more social system, we have created an optional rule designed just for you. The Glory & Honor System is designed to track a Wild Card’s fame, honor, reputation and even notoriety throughout the course of a game in the world of Art of War.
New Races: While humans are the default race across the Empire, we pull from anime and have created the Kemonomimi and Terracotta. Animal spirits that grew by the side of mankind are the Kemonomimi. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but only seven species are prominent. The Terracotta are clay vessels that hold the spirit of those that have passed and have been given a second chance at life.
New Edges: New Combat, Racial, Social, and Weird Edges are introduced to add character background and story hooks for Game Masters.
New Hindrances: The epic folklore and inspiring tales of the past, humanize mythic heroes and make them relatable. It is the same for the stories that we tell in our home games. While not everyone’s favorite part, we introduce new hindrances to add both serious (like the Mute Hindrance) and comedic value (such as Nosebleed) to play.
New Skills: Two new skills are introduced, Acrobatics and Meditation.
Tropes & Races
Declaration of Red Pass ends the war between the Tiger and Kitsune Clans.
A horde of Oni invade from the southern wastelands, slaughtering everything in their path as they move up the coastline to the East.
Tiger and Kitsune launch a combined two year campaign expelling the Oni from the San Empire. Southern Wall is erected to keep the Oni at bay. Once completed, the ruling Emperor, Liu Shan, passes away leaving an empty throne and no heirs.
From the Northern Mountains the Serpent Clan emerges from hiding with a decedent from the First Emperor.
The Serpent Clan, Tiger Clan and the majority of the Kitsune Clan accept Wu Zhang as the new Emperor.
Not the final map.
While welfare and prosperity is on the rise, the San Empire is not entirely stable. Along the eastern coast lies the loose alliance of feudal lands of former clan members who refuse to recognize Emperor Wu Zhang.
Rebellions of the poor and destitute cry for help. Hauntings from the wrongfully dead plague the lands after the sun goes down. Patches of Oni have been sighted north of the Wall. Each clan has internal power struggles as they clamor for favor with the new Emperor.
Players take up the mantle of Heroes in a land of need. Will they fall to the clan politics and internal struggle. Or will they rise to become Legends and carve their names into the scroll of history?
Art Montage 1
Imperial Scribe – Wojciech “Drejk” Gruchala (Contributing Writer): Drejk was born in the country historically marking the border between the West and the East, during the times when communist regime faded to democracy, in a city sporting an actual dragon cave. He was fan of SF and Fantasy since he can remember, having learned to read on a fairy tale book. He also discovered games when he was but a wee hatchling, starting with early computer games and board games, followed by more complex wargames, and then role playing games. Assembling worlds and creating snippets of fictional cosmology, history, culture, and science is his favorite part of role playing games. You can find his work on his blog: Shaper of Worlds
Ukiyo-e – Sasha Turk (Artist and sole Illustrator): Sasha Turk is a freelance concept artist. For three years, she has been published in several Amora Game products. Her most notable character designs appear in Kemonomimi: Moe Races and Xeno Files Issue 5. Sasha lives in Lake Forest, California. You can find her online portfolio here, and see sneak peaks of work for Art of War.
Humble Peasant – Greg LaRose (Creator & Publisher): Greg is the owner and operator of Amora Game, LLC. Art of War has been a labor of love and is happy to see it come to production. You can find Amora Game published works here.
This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.
Art Montage 2
Egg’s Thoughts:
This is a relaunch of this campaign with new additions and a better goal (which it’s already met). For the first iteration, I interviewed Greg here and much of that still applies. I thought this looked strong on the first try and looks strong again here. But, don’t take my word for it, try some samples:
“Power Outage is a kid-friendly, kid-focused Superhero roleplaying game, that focuses on accessibility, learning, teamwork, and fun!
Power Outage is a kid-friendly, kid-focused Supers roleplaying game where it’s all about being the hero, taking down villains, and being accessible to the widest audience as possible.
It started out originally as a personal project to introduce my own children into the world of tabletop gaming. But Power Outage has grown and is now ready to bring a new generation into the world of tabletop role-playing.
A UNIQUE CHARACTER CREATION SYSTEM
Power Outage does not have classes or races. If your kids want to make a Human, a Robot, an Alien, a Ghost, or an 8-foot tall anthropomorphic zebra girl they can. Powers come from a library of effects that kids get to apply their own characteristics.
STREAMLINED CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-ADVENTURES
Power Outage makes use of a CAPE (Combat, Alternative, Puzzle, Exploration) component technique that allows you to easily build your own adventures, or allows you to choose your own path through pre-made modules.
FOCUS ON ACCESSIBILITY
Power Outage offers guidance for gaming with kids of various ages and abilities. Through Differentiation and Accessibility guidance, GMs can make the table fun for everyone.
A COMPLETE PACKAGE
Power Outage contains player instructions, GM guidance, a compendium of villains, and a complete adventure to play with! You supply dice and an imagination, and we will take care of the rest!
Mrs. Robotto
EASY ON RULES, BIG ON COOL
Power Outage focuses on the concept of guidance rather than hard set rules. You take from the book what you need, and build the game as you go. But there is enough guidance built in that you don’t need to question how to play. Free resources are also available for characters, powers, and adventures. The mechanics are easy enough to pick up in a half hour, but not boring or overly simplified. You’ll constantly find yourself rolling and strategizing.
THE POWER TO LEARN
Power Outage is built not only as a game but a potential educational tool. The game slots in perfectly with a gamified classroom, but also works tremendously in counseling as well. Villains also have weaknesses based off of Meta actions that allow your players actions outside of the game to impact the world of Outage.
PLAY THE GAME YOU WANT
5 distinct regions allow you to customize a game you want in this safe and wonderous sandbox world. Do you want to create a fantasy adventure? Try The Overgrowth or The Sink! Looking for your classic Super Hero Beatum Up? Turn to the soaring futuristic heights of Shorai City! Looking for a gritty detective story. Try delving into the murky alleyways of the Atomic Punk ever-night Atomnyy Zavod. The entire mythos is built into this single book.
WHY SO SERIOUS
Well, it’s not. Power Outage is filled with fun adventures, puns, and references that even adults will enjoy. In fact, Power Outage is just as often played by groups of adults as it is by groups of kids. With villains like Break Fast, InstaGator, The Bulshefist, and heroes like SuburbanKnight, Rockin Troll, and Pocket Protector, the adventures are off the wall fun.
Product Information
Power Outage is currently sitting at roughly 160 pages in its rough draft form. That number might change during the edit and design process, which is this Kickstarter is funding. Currently, the plan is to have this printed in Hardcover format at 8.5×11, with options for digital copies in PDF at its outset. As mentioned the game is intended to be GMed by adults, but kids are welcome to try their hand at it. The game can be played with as few as one player and one gm. The core rulebook offers differentiation and accessibility guidance that allows you to play the game with varying abilities.
Power Outage 1.4 Cover
The core rulebook includes the following sections:
Quick Play Instructions – A 4-page primer that gets you playing or demoing a game in only a few minutes
What Is Power Outage – An introductory to Power Outage, Tabletop RPGs, and external resources
Mechanics – Gameplay mechanics for Players or GMs
Heroes – Creating Heroes including Powers, Guidance, and Crafting Unique Experiences, as well a Character Sheet
The World – Information on the history and current standing of Outage, Its five primary regions, adventure hooks, travel information, notable villains and heroes, and region-specific roll tables that add complexities to your adventures
Villain Files – Information, stats and weaknesses for 120 villains, sorted by Region and leading Villain
Gaming with Kids – Guidance for playing with kids at different age ranges (from as early as 4 years old), abilities, and how to manage differentiated game tables where kids have varying degrees of capabilities
Accessibility Accommodations – Guidance for playing with kids that have disabilities, including Pre-Session communication, general guidance, and information pertaining to five accessibility domains (Physical, Communicative/Receptive, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Emotional)
Free Play Guide – A full guide on how to create your own adventures using the resources within the book
Trading Spaces – A level 1 to 4 adventure set in Shorai City against the villain Mrs. Roboto.
RoboTrouper
A majority of the Kickstarter funding is going toward art, design, editing, and some other miscellaneous production costs.
Here is an example of the quality of change that can be achieved. While my design was serviceable, Rosanna Spucces will take the design to the next level. To something that is professional.
Power Outage Character Sheet Redesign
My Designer and Editor will be Rosanna Spucces of https://www.rsdesignsnyc.com/
My Artist is Abhishek Ghimire”
Egg’s Thoughts:
This is the second superhero game on here and the second all-ages RPG system. The system, just from a small sampling, looks more rules-heavy than most all-ages games. It’s a bold choice and I’m curious to get the rules details. The art looks great and I’m eager to see how it plays.
I’m headed to Gen Con 2018, excited to play games, see friends, and talk to publishers! As I’m headed up the road to Indianapolis, there are a few news items and deals worth mentioning.
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At EN World, Angus Abranson shares Strange Machine Games announcement that they’re launching a new Robotech RPG. In the 1980s, Harmony Gold licensed three Japanese anime series and bolted them together to create Robotech. This series spawned, among other things, The Robotech Role-Playing Game by Palladium Books (1986 to 1998, and 2008 to 2018). With the lapse of Palladium’s license, Strange Machine Games is picking it up and creating a new game. Which is a win for gamers! However, as Chris Helton (Dorkland Blog) pointed out, Harmony Gold’s Frankenstein-ime… er, license expires on March 14, 2021. [Here’s Karen Ressler’s article about that end here on Anime News Network.] They are hitting the ground running (From their Facebook page: “Hello Robotech Fans! If you want to see a hard copy preview of the Robotech RPG game, visit our booth at GenCon: 2963. We will have 1 or 2 on hand!”) That said, they have two-and-a-half years before the parent company’s license ends and that implies SMG’sRobotech RPG will have a limited run. Which begs the question, how much of the franchise will they be able to cover?
I contacted Strange Machine Games, however, Gen Con prep prevented us for connecting in detail but they are “happy to discuss the project”. Expect an interview/discussion post-con.
Are you a member of an underrepresented group in TTRPGs (Person of Color, Woman, Non-binary, Trans, Queer)?
Among the applicants was DC Comics writer, Route 3 creator, BlackSci-Fi.com EiC, and Tessera Guild member, Robert Jeffrey (Facebook). NAP selected Robert to freelance on their “Post Apotheosis Space Opera RPG”, Orun. As Robert shares below (screenshot from his Facebook page), I, too, am geeked as f&^% about this, NAP made a great choice and Robert is going to bring a lot of good to RPG.
STATUS: Congratulating.
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At Gen Con, on DriveThruRPG, and on Kickstarter there are DEALS to be had!
Ray Machuga of Higher Grounds Publishing is going to be wandering Gen Con. If you find him, take a picture, post it, and he’ll give you a copy of his game. Check out the details here.
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Gary Gygax Day – Zweihänder Grim and Perilous RPG
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Not going to Gen Con but you still want something free from Zweihänder? Introduced on Gary Gygax Day, Grim & Perilous Studios are offering a free Zweihänder Grim and Perilous RPG preview/supplement showcasing “our Henchman profession from the upcoming supplement Main Gauche. We’re also including the Dungeoneer, an expert profession from Zweihänder Grim & Perious RPG.” You can get the Gary Gygax Day – Zweihänder Grim and Perilous RPG as a Pay What You Want (“Suggested Price $0.00”) on DriveThruRPG here.
It’s Gen Con week, and I’m looking at four inclusive games. Since Gen Con is the largest tabletop gaming convention in the world, it feels like it’s the perfect time to look at some games that encompass all groups.
“A complete rpg plus a shared-universe story/poetry anthology about psychic people of color saving the Earth from invisible monsters
The forthcoming book John Silence from Ginger Goat Press is an original RPG and shared universe collection of short stories and poems. Your John Silence game is about people of color who are psychic detectives committed to saving Earth from planar creatures invisible to most humans.
The story is set in the United States between the years 1938 and 1998. This universe is an updated version of the one in Algernon Blackwood’s 1908 novel, John Silence, Physician Extraordinary.
This game is inspired by the mechanics of D&D and various OSR games. However, attacks and combat have been replaced with rhetoric and conversation. You are not rolling to kill the monster. You’re rolling to convince them to do what you tell them. Unlike in most RPGs, violence is not the best way to achieve your goal.
Core concept
The John Silence universe is about black, indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC) psychic detectives. It is set in the United States at some time between 1938 and 1998. TV shows like The Dead Zone and Heartless fit the tone of this game, but we want a more diverse cast of characters.
Genre
John Silence is Weird Fiction or noir, but reinvented to be non-racist, non-sexist, and mostly non-violent. During a game, players are forbidden to use hate speech or slurs. Stories must not contain non-consensual sex or glamorized violence.
Stories might, for example, feature radios, cars, angels, witches, aliens or poltergeists. However, they will not feature smartphones, tablets, giants, or dragons.
GMs and players might want to explore these themes during a John Silence adventure.
Psychic powers are interdimensional. They involve other planes. Psychic monsters are attracted to human psychic activity.
Friendship, kindness, and forethought are heroic virtues.
Humans with psychic powers feel obligated to defend humans without.
The Book
The John Silence book is a complete roleplaying game (no other books needed) designed by Josh T. Jordan and his team. The book is also an anthology of several poems and short stories by writers of color. It will be full-color, 6×9 inches, and an estimated 160 pages long. We plan to make a pdf version, a softcover, and a Kickstarter-Exclusive hardcover version with a unique cover. This hardcover version will only be available to Kickstarter backers.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Looking for a game with an option to talk through situations instead of planning ambushes? Looking for a yesteryear (1938 to 1998) setting where “black, indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC) [are] psychic detectives”? All while using modified D&D and OSR rules? John Silence is trying new mechanics that benefits game design while creating a setting that offers original thoughts.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A game zine re-envisioning masculinity through the eyes of non-cisgender masculine creators.
Behind the Masc is a game zine using historical and cultural archetypes to re-envision masculinity through the eyes of non-cisgender masculine creators. The creators include experienced game designers and illustrators as well as newer people to the game industry. The project hopes to draw attention to indie creators in tabletop games who are still marginalized people, but can fall into the ether when it comes to representation and people campaigning for their work to be seen.
This game zine is a collection of game materials for a variety of systems. It will be available digitally and in print as a short-run booklet with half-letter (US) size pages.
What’s inside, and who is doing it?
Behind the Masc will include a variety of game materials, including a new Monsterhearts skin, a Twine narrative game, and some great illustrations! Illustrations will be half-page (so one page in the zine), black and white, with a brief on the concept. Game materials will fill up to three zine pages and have a brief discussing how their design expresses their concept of masculinity.
For culturally related topics, we’ll have a sensitivity reader review the content before publication. The editor is Brie Sheldon, who is also the curator of the project and a contributor.”
Our logo!
Eli Eaton is a trans-masculine person residing in Ontario Canada. He currently just runs and plays games, but has been dabbling with game design here and there for the past year or so. This is his first publication. His contribution to Behind the Masc will be a character skin for a PbtA game (to be determined) modeled after benign trickster characters from mythology and folk heroes. He does not have an official website, but he does most of his gaming talk on G+ and Facebook.
Patrick Lickman is a writer and designer from Sheffield, UK. They work at a board games cafe, where they run various roleplaying projects in a variety of systems, aimed to be accessible to newcomers to the hobby. They are a Forever GM, only playing their first RPG three years after running one. They will contribute The Demi, a godlike skin for Monsterhearts 2.
Raiden Otto is eager to be working on Behind the Masc. He is a nonbinary masc that uses he/him/his pronouns. While he is new to the video game design scene, for years he has been making art available on Instagram, Tumblr, ArtStation, and his portfolio sites. For this project, he will be creating a character concept sheet for an FtM man based in the Ming Dynasty of China with the use of Paint Tool SAI.
Adrian Heise is a writer and generalist/narrative game designer from British Columbia, Canada. He has contributed in the past to games such as Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2, The Long Dark, and the cancelled Visceral Star Wars project. For Behind the Masc, he is producing a short interactive Twine narrative exploring the role of the “protector” as it applies to masculine-identifying queer people.
Lemmo’s contribution is the Harlequin, presented in illustration. Here’s an ink draft of the work!
Lemmo Pew (him/he, pan/fluid/non-binary) is an artist, illustrator and game designer from Minneapolis, MN. Lem’s art spans the indie gamut from self-publishing comic books and anthologies, to illustrations for independently published games and gaming websites, stretching from ’99 to the present. His most current web presence is the online streaming channel, HotSoup.TV, and can be found on Twitter at @Lemmo.
Alex McConnaughey (@variant_games) likes to design games that make your heart race, that make you laugh or shout or cry. They think games can be a great tool for learning and growth, but they mostly just try to engage the players around the table in an experience as quickly and deeply as possible. They have designed games for contests, including their first game, As We Know It, a Golden Cobra honorable mention, but last year they broke into formal (paid) design with The Imposters anthology. They’re designing a Minotaur Skin for Monsterhearts, for the obvious maze metaphor of understanding their gender and trying to navigate masculinity, as well as the role of existing solely as a challenge for someone else to conquer.
Lawrence Gullo (He/Him) is an Illustrator, comic writer, and playwright currently developing an exorcism dating sim. He enjoys larps that generate empathy and doing D&D homebrew. He’s spoken on trans and queer topics at cons for years, including Gen Con and Flame Con. He explores the spectrum of masculine experience in the sect of male Bacchae he’s designing for Behind the Masc, serving as a spiritual origin or location in an RPG setting. Find him @hismajesty on Twitter and bashback on Tumblr.
Brie Sheldon is a queer game designer, journalist, and editor and is a genderfluid nonbinary-masculine person. They are the creator of Script Change, Let Me Take a Selfie, and a number of other small products, and have worked on larger professional projects like Firefly Smuggler’s Guide to the Rim and Bubblegumshoe. They have managed the Thoughty Blogfor over 5 years and do interviews, create free games released through their Patreon, and also created Leading with Class, a leadership show teaching through games. Their passions are asking questions, selfies, and exploring exciting ideas in games. For this project, Brie is creating question pages, curating materials, doing layout and design, and filling in spaces where needed.
Tracy Barnett is a genderqueer (they/them) game designer (School Daze, Iron Edda Accelerated) and podcast producer (TheOtherCast). By working with other publishers and producing their own content, they hope to make game design and podcasting their full-time work. For Behind the Masc, Tracy will be exploring masculine physical presentation and non-traditional masculine behaviors through a D&D 5e Sorcerer you can use in your home games.
Egg’s Thoughts:
Let’s list this project’s positives:
It’s a zine (I love them)
It has an interesting theme that may prove eye-opening (“re-envision masculinity through the eyes of non-cisgender masculine creators”… Being dead-level-honest here, I don’t know what that means, but I’m interested to read about it as it relates to gaming because I feel I’ll gain a great deal from it)
What inspires me the most, though, is it lets some of the most innovative creators out there create the content that they’re passionate about. For as little as $5 (the “Behind the Masc PDF” pledge level), we’ll get content from Eli Eaton, Patrick Lickman, Raiden Otto, Adrian Heise, Lemmo Pew, Alex McConnaughey, Lawrence Gullo, Brie Sheldon, and Tracy Barnett for D&D 5e, Powered by the Apocalypse, Monsterhearts 2, and more.
It’s a lot of good creators doing their thing with a low cost of entry and I’m eager to see it happen!
“A variety of layered Pride themed polyhedral dice sets for board games & RPG games.
Hello, we’re HeartBeat Dice and with your help we’d like to help bring your Pride to the gaming table with these 6 Pride Sets!
After the overwhelming success of HD’s Rainbow Dice Set we decided to expand our range of colors so that everyone could have a set to call their own but with a unique twist. In lieu of the 20 on the d20 we’ve made it a heart, because love always crits!
This first Kickstarter project will be very simple and straightforward. Below are the 6 sets we’ll be offering for this campaign and yes, Lesbian Dice are going to be included in this roster. The final design will be shared once our prototypes are in-hand.
Rainbow Pride Set
11pc set
Transgender Pride Dice
11pc set
Pansexual Pride Set
11pc set
Asexual Pride Set
11pc set (As an additonal note the purple will be darker in the final design)
Bisexual Pride Set
11pc set
Lesbian Pride Set
11pc set
With your help and support we can continue to expand our line of dice to include more Pride Flags and other themed sets in the future.
UPDATE** As a thank you to everyone who has backed our project we’d like to also announce every order of dice will include a free HeartBeat Dice Bag!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
These dice look perfect for any game, and they’re inspiring. I appreciate the set including 4d6. For gaming, that’s what I want to see in every dice set! I am glad to see this project receiving so much attention (it’ll exceed $100,000 easily).
“A PbtA Tabletop RPG about traveling to other worlds, the bonds we have with other people, and how we’re stronger for them.
Interstitial: Our Hearts Intertwined is a tabletop RPG about our connections with other people, the power we draw from those connections, and traveling to different worlds.
For those that don’t know, a Powered by the Apocalypse Engine game is a roleplaying game that utilizes playbooks for characters, rolls using 2d6 plus your stat, and is generally a more narrative then crunchy roleplaying game. See Monster of the Week, Monsterhearts, or The Sprawl for other examples.
In Interstitial, you will travel through the barriers between Worlds with your party. You’ll meet new friends, enemies, teachers and learn about yourself. You will also be able to visit and partake in events in your favorite intellectual properties or your own worlds ala Kingdom Hearts. In short; Take two worlds that don’t fit each other, smash them together, wipe away the dust and find out how they do.
Think of this game as a vehicle for you to play out Fanfiction. You control the story, either with your self-insert or another canon character from a different property just smashed into this other one.
The stories this game tells are invoking the tone and emotions of Kingdom Hearts, Super Smash Bros Brawl’s Subspace Emmisary, and Comic Crossovers/Events.
The Link System is the load-bearing mechanic of this game. It is used to represent the connections we have with others, and it boils them down into four different categories: Light, Dark, Mastery, and Heart.
A Light link is all about positive relationships we have with others. They’re our friendships, our loves, some of our families, and anyone who helps lift you up in times of need. An example of this would be Luke and Leia.
Dark links are representative of rivals, enemies, and relationships that are overall negative. People who approach you in an antagonistic way, bullies, some of our families. They try to drag you down to their level. An example of this would be Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.
Mastery links paint the picture of teacher-student relationships. Anyone trying to teach or learn has Mastery Links. Students, journeymen, cruel witches, and henchmen are all examples of those in a mastery link relationship. Mr. Miyagi and Daniel would have a Mastery Link.
Finally, Heart links are the most complicated of all. They are how we view ourselves and things we decide about our own being by watching other people. If you looked at someone’s failure and said “I won’t make that same mistake.”, that’s a Heart link. If someone came to you in a time when you were faltering and watching them made you make the right decision, then that’s a Heart Link. Bucky has a Heart link with Captain America.
Art by Shannon Manor for The Mystic, Minit.
You gain links in play by rolling the Make a Link move, and adding the stat that you want to classify the link as. So if you met an NPC and after a first impression the two of you are bickering, you’d roll a Dark link.
These links don’t need to be the same in both directions, relationships are complicated things, and not everyone sees them in the same way. They can change over time, sometimes grow stronger and sometimes fade away entirely. But while we have a link with another person, we can draw power from it.
In game, you can spend Links to activate moves, gain advantage on rolls, and all in all mimic how you and other players know each other and react to each other. Each individual playbook also has a Link Move, so every time you successfully make a Link, your Link Move goes off, and effects the game in some way.
The game comes with 9 Playbooks to start. Each playbook will have playbook specific moves and their Link move.
This is a WIP shot of the Playtest materials. It does NOT SHOW THE FINISHED PRODUCT
The Playbooks are all dramatically different yet can work together in any combination you put them in. Interstitial comes with the following nine unique playbooks:
The Chosen: The class that is your base form “protagonist”. The mechanics of this book help you assist your friends in big set pieces and fights.
The Connected: This represents the allies you’d gain from world to world, and allows you to change your character in each new world, should you choose to.
The Dark: Every party needs a dark force looming over them, and sometimes you want to play that force. If manipulation is your game, or if maybe you are a three-stage boss fight, this is the book for you.
The Discarded: If there’s a chosen, there’s someone who feels like they were looked over for the role. They take that disappointment, that resentment, and channel it into their combat.
The Displaced: As worlds sink into the darkness, people get taken and removed from their homes. These people end up somewhere different, and are trying to get their wits about them.
The Friend: Just like every story needs a hero and a villain, it needs a friend. Someone to be there and help strengthen the party in times of stress and help them overcome their fears.
The Light: The Light is all about creating Heart links with others and leveraging those. They anchor people down and help them find their way home in the darkness.
The Mystic: You know what’s best for everyone, even if they don’t quite know it themselves. The Mystic is all about keeping secrets, saving people, and sometimes making the hard choices no one else wants to make.
The Other: You aren’t the original one, you aren’t the first. People discount you and don’t believe in you and push you to the sidelines. This playbook comes with a feature that gives you a Counterpart that is the real you.”
Character Art for the Dark by Shannon Manor, Auxiliary Concern.
Egg’s Thoughts:
This game is open to everyone, it’s fueled by interpersonal relationships using the Powered by the Apocalypse system. There’s a lot of potential to create unique worlds and situations without the stress of ensuring your characters are high enough level to dish out the violence. This is adventures over brawls. As with the other products on this list, this game allows everyone to play and have a good time.
“[E]xample of [an] adorable doggie” from Animal Adventures Tales of Dungeons and Doggies.
On July 31st, just before the start of Gen Con 2018, a stack of RPG Kickstarters end. I’m looking at some of the bigger ones while, due to space, omitting some of the other winners. That said, I at least want to include links to the ones I can’t cover so you can see just how many gaming Kickstarters end on that day – The Superverse, Towns & Dungeons RPG Decks, Occult Secrets of the Underworld, or Deck of Magical Mystery: Tier 3, 5e Compatible. Now, let’s look at four campaigns that are attracting a great deal of backer-love.
“Contribute to help create a Prestige Edition of Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition and get the book into stores!
Death is not the end.
You learned that firsthand when you died, and in the darkness you made a deal that brought you back — but not alone. Now, bound inextricably to a geist — a shade, a monster, a tragic, broken soul — you stand between the world of the living and the world of the dead. You stand between the dead and the hungry dark that would devour them. You give a voice to the voiceless and tear down cosmic systems of oppression. You will make a better world, and if you die trying… well, you came back once, and you can do it again.
In Geist: The Sin-Eaters, you play a person who died with a powerful burden on their soul — something they didn’t accomplish in life, or something they never found. On the other side of the veil, they made a bargain with a powerful being called a geist, which returned them to the world of the living and to their own body, at the cost of a permanent bond between them and the geist. Now your character stands as a medium, with one foot in the world of the living and one in the world of the dead. Will you bend your efforts toward the cosmic injustice of the Underworld, that consumes all who become trapped in its inky depths? Will you turn your wrath on the necromancers, the ghost-eaters, the two-bit frauds who exploit dead and living alike for their own enrichment? Will you reach out to the strange shade bound to you, to try to find the person beneath the inchoate fury and bring them peace? Will you bring a new faith to the masses and teach the living to welcome the dead into their lives? Or will you use all your newfound supernatural might to accomplish what you could not in life?
Originally released in 2009, Geist: The Sin-Eaters was a sleeper hit for the Chronicles of Darkness, finally bringing “life” to the realm of ghosts and death. And now this game of second chances gets a second edition, with Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition, offering a revised and updated rules system and an expanded setting.
This Geist: The Sin-Eaters2nd Edition Kickstarter is designed to enable us to create a prestige hardcover edition designed to match the look and feel of our other Chronicles of Darkness core rulebooks such as Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken, or Mage: The Awakening…
We want to create an 8.5″ x 11″ hardcover with a beautifully designed, symbolic cover image printed on a metallic under layer, and featuring an emboss/deboss of the logo. We estimate the book to be more than 280+ pages, with a two-color interior and endpapers on high quality paper stock.
Geist: The Sin-Eaters2nd Edition includes all the rules you need to play as one of the Bound: Five Burdens reflecting the cause that pulled you back from the grave, five krewe Archetypes for building your own mystery religion, and the Haunts, Keys, and Ceremonies that provide the Bound with their macabre powers.
It also includes the Chronicle of the Dead, featuring the Sin-Eaters’ struggle against the all-consuming Underworld and a variety of terrifying threats. In addition, for the first time in the Chronicles of Darkness line, ghosts are presented as playable characters.
Chapters include:
The Quick and the Dead: the five Burdens (the reason a Sin-Eater comes back from the dead and what draws a particular geist to them) and krewe Archetypes (the common cause that draws a krewe of Sin-Eaters together).
The Road Back: On death and coming back, and why Bound make the Bargain, including possible consequences.
One Foot in the Grave: Character creation, with sections on both geist and krewe creation, Anchors, Merits, Synergy, Plasm, Abilities, Haunts, Keys, Ceremonies, and Mementos.
Old Laws: the core Chronicles of Darkness rules, with special rules for playing Sin-Eaters, as well as information on subsystems for krewes, ghosts, and the Underworld, including Avernian Gates.
Antagonists: villains for your Geist chronicle, including Reapers, Eaters of the Dead, necromancers, enemy Bound, and Kerberoi.
The Quiet Places: Setting information and story hooks for playing your Geist chronicle in specific times and places in history., from 16th-century Brazil to modern-day Edinburgh, Scotland to Mobile, Alabama in 1910, as well as information on Dominions.
Ghost Stories: Storyteller advice and information for running a Geist chronicle, including designing Remembrances, how to set theme and mood, story seeds, and various ways to play out the end of a game.
Appendix: The Absent: This Appendix details the Absent, playable ghosts, including Memories, new Merits, and a collection of possible ghost characters to expand on and use in your chronicle.
Appendix: Conditions and Tilts: Geist-specific Conditions and Tilts, including ephemeral Influence Conditions and Manifestation Conditions for ghosts, as well as Haunt Conditions and Tilts.
Throughout this Kickstarter campaign, we will be posting complete previews of the Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition manuscript as backer-only updates.
The primary goal of this Kickstarter campaign is to create the best version of Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition that is possible. Your support allows us to fund the best production, use the most appropriate components, and possibly even contract more art for the core book. We hope to not only deliver a beautiful hardcover book to all of our backers, but also fund at least one print run to be sold through distribution and into book and hobby stores that are so vital to our community.
Beyond that primary goal, we hope to gain additional funding to explore more of the world of Geist, expanding into rules companions and other Storyteller and player tools and accessories. The greater our funding for this project, the more resources we are able to explore this (Under)world.
Thirdly, we want to celebrate the quiet legacy of Geist: The Sin-Eaters by offering an affordable bundle of first edition PDF titles. The Underworld Reflections bundle is a quick-and-easy way to dive into the world of Geist and revisit those ideas and concepts as we move forward with our new edition.
Beyond all of those campaign-specific goals, we hope to do what our games have always done — open a path to a new world; a setting for our community to build new stories and entwine imaginations. Every person who participates in this campaign is joining with the goal of giving this game physical form — and like our protagonists, we all become Bound with common purpose. When you back this project, you join our krewe and we journey into the new edition together.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
I’ve been on a Storyteller buying spree lately. I backed Geist. I’m signed up to play one of the Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition sessions at Gen Con. And I covered this Kickstarter in my first deals article highlighting their $10 for [now-12] PDFs of Geist: The Sin-Eaters 1e (plus the Chronicles of Darkness core rulebook PDF for $5 more). I’m in and eager to see this series return to life.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A range of highly detailed dogs compatible with role-playing systems.
Animal Adventures brings intelligent animal characters to your favourite fantasy roleplaying game! Dungeons and Doggies is the first in a planned series of Animal Adventures releases! It is a set of highly detailed miniatures combining some favourite dog breeds with the different classes of the fifth edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game!
Tedric, Cornelius and Montague prepare for a new adventure.
This set features not only the miniatures in preassembled ready-to-play or paint PVC, but also a bespoke set of fifth edition compatible rules for using your Animal Adventure miniatures and playing as dogs in ANY campaign setting.
You will be able to mix canine characters with your regular adventuring party or create an entire doggy team of heroes to save the world! The miniatures also make perfect companions and familiars for your existing characters in any fantasy setting or game!
Cornelius the Golden Retriever Wizard
Our range of canine characters are true dogs, four legged companions true of heart and pure of soul! We have chosen to develop a range of ‘non-humanoid’ minis to offer as much of a unique play experience as we possibly could.
Each dog has been lovingly designed and sculpted, by some serious dog fans, to be bursting with personality and detail. From the panpipes of Monty, the bard, to the magical spell bones of Cornelius, the Wizard, care has been taken to add flavour and fun to every model.
Nightingale the Pomeranian Monk
Tedric the Chihuahua Rogue
Montague the Cocker Spaniel Bard
The Fetch! Pledge $35/£27
Because this is Painting and Polygons’ first independent Kickstarter project (despite our experience on other projects), we have chosen to keep things as simple as possible to make it easy for us to support, while ensuring smooth delivery.
The Fetch! Pledge brings you 13 doggy miniatures along with the Rules and Adventure Companion PDFs, as well as art prints from our artist, April Prime.
Rather than include stretch goals that would complicate the process, in an attempt to encourage more participation, we are keeping things really easy with only one pledge level, that gets you everything we can cram into this campaign!
We have many more ideas for the future too, including more doggies (and maybe even kitties) so don’t panic if your favourite breed isn’t here! The world of Animal Adventurers is just opening up, and with your support, we hope to be able to make this our first step on our journey into it!
The dogs are designed on 25mm and 20mm bases and scaled to fit in with existing RPG miniatures ranges. And, although we are providing full rules to create your own doggy adventurers, each miniature comes with its own pre-generated character, complete with character sheet and short story! Whether you fancy being Hartley, a gruff and stoic fighter or Freya, a noble guardian druid, there’s a dog for every player.
We are proud to be able to support the excellent online comic Dungeons and Doggos! As part of our collaboration with them, every backer will receive as part of their pledge, a Kickstarter exclusive cross-over miniature; Tonka, the Mastiff Bard.
You can read all about Tonka, and the rest of our fearless canine friends, by joining in with the adventure, as depicted by V Lee Illustrations, every Friday at dndoggos.com.
Alongside our range of miniatures, we are proud to present and include in our campaign a full set of digital rules and a unique adventure that provides a perfect setting for a great one-shot RPG experience, for absolutely free!
Our rules set contains OGL fifth edition racial rules for creating an intelligent dog, unique canine feats and class options, notes on a canine deity for divine doggies and magic items specially tuned for dog use (which of course, are chew proof as well!).
The accompanying adventure, titled “Who’ll let the Dogs Out?”, is designed to be played either with the characters included in the rules or with any party of equivalent level and tells the fateful tale of sinister magics, dark druids and a chance for some brave dogs to save themselves, their canine cousins and the local village from a terrible fate!
Both the adventure and the rules pack feature stunning artwork from professional illustrator and dog lover April Prime, who’s previous work includes the excellent Baby Bestiary for Metal Weave Games.
Alongside the free rules PDFs, we are excited to be able to offer some of April’s illustrations as art prints, included as part of the campaign for free for every backer!
Do you need magical dog miniatures for your campaign? Do you play Pugmire (a 3PP D&D variant where dogs and cats rule the world) and want to have your characters be quadrupeds? Just need a miniature of a dog in a hat and some 5e adventures? This project is likely for you then.
“Delta Green co-creator John Scott Tynes presents a sourcebook of threats, allies, and mysteries to deepen the terrors of your campaign.
Delta Green: The Labyrinth takes Delta Green agents beyond the beltway and deep into the fissures of America in the new millennium. From Silicon Valley startups to industrialist Super-PACs, from Oregon anarchist collectives to alt-right activists, from the depths of Reddit to this morning’s livestreams, American life has entered a labyrinth of twisty passages all alike. And while there are many ways in, there is no way out.
Written by Delta Green co-creator John Scott Tynes, this all-new collection of organizations presents ready-made sources of allies, enemies, mysteries, and surprises for your Delta Green campaign. Each group has its own story arc, progressing through three stages as it encounters Delta Green agents and the evils they fight. Some groups corrode, wither, and die. Others gain hideous strength and uncover profound new horrors. Each has connections to other groups, ensuring that players find fresh hells at every turn. But all are destined to change — and the journey each one takes holds up a mirror to the agents themselves.
Because things fall apart. The center cannot hold. And once you enter the Labyrinth, you will never escape.
Delta Green: The Labyrinth will be a sourcebook for Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game, about 192 pages long, hardback, in full color. Written by John Scott Tynes, illustrated by Dennis Detwiller, designed by Simeon Cogswell, edited by Shane Ivey, and published by Arc Dream Publishing, The Labyrinth will join the ever-growing line of beautiful and terrifying sourcebooks for Delta Green.
The Labyrinth will contain brand-new factions for players to encounter. Some will be sources of friendlies, allies, and aid. When their exposure deepens due to contact with Delta Green agents, however, those people’s lives and realities will corrode. A group that begins as an ally may end as a foe. Others will be enemy cults and monstrous exploiters of reality. Even those that start small may metastasize under investigation, gaining power and influence.
While this is a faction book, the combinations of story arcs for each faction, and the connections between factions, mean that it can also serve as a de facto campaign. For groups with more self-directed players who like to chase down their own clues, The Labyrinth will be a narrative sandbox they can explore in multiple directions at once.
Throughout, the point remains the same: the mosaic of American life is schisming before us and when exposed to the unnatural, and to the best intentions of Delta Green, it weakens and shatters. The Labyrinth portrays America’s march towards the End Times in microcosm.
“Deception is a right. Truth is a privilege. Innocence is a luxury. Born of the U.S. government’s 1928 raid on the degenerate coastal town of Innsmouth, Massachusetts, the covert agency known as Delta Green opposes the forces of darkness with honor, but without glory. Delta Green agents slip through the system, manipulating the federal bureaucracy while pushing the darkness back for another day — but often at a shattering personal cost.”
In Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game, the cosmic horror of the Cthulhu Mythos meets modern-day technothriller conspiracy. Delta Green postulates a secret group of men and women dedicated to investigating and neutralizing inhuman and supernatural horrors, misappropriating the resources of the U.S. government to wage a war that they must at all costs keep hidden. Delta Green has explored this world of secret horrors in dozens of game books, novels, and anthologies for over 25 years, winning awards and acclaim all along the way. Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game and the sourcebook A Night at the Opera were nominated for seven ENnie Awards in July 2018.
John Scott Tynes founded Pagan Publishing and the magazine The Unspeakable Oath in 1990. He first wrote about Delta Green in “Convergence,” a groundbreaking scenario that appeared in The Unspeakable Oath issue 7 in 1992. The idea of Delta Green immediately seized the imaginations of gamers around the world. Tynes expanded it with co-creators Dennis Detwiller and Adam Scott Glancy in the sourcebooks Delta Green (1997) and Delta Green: Countdown (1999), both of which won Origins Awards. Tynes’ novel Delta Green: The Rules of Engagement also won an Origins Award in 1999.
In an encrypted message left in an unlisted voicemail drop, John told us: “After completing the new edition of Puppetland for Arc Dream last year and contributing to the new edition of Unknown Armies for Atlas Games, I found myself haunted by strange dreams of an America plagued by discord, ruled by monsters, and slouching towards one of several moral or literal apocalypses. Fortunately, none of that is happening in the real world, so this seemed like the perfect time to explore these completely fictional ideas in the world of Delta Green.”
We’re very excited to have John back in the world he was so fundamental in shaping.
In late 2015, Arc Dream Publishing ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to launch Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game. For the first time, Delta Green is its own game system, fully customized for the uniquely suspenseful and fearful experience that Delta Green scenarios offer. That campaign funded a long line of sourcebooks and adventures, many of which have now been published. We have produced over a thousand pages of new material for Delta Green since that Kickstarter project ended.
The final shape of Delta Green: The Role-Playing Game inspired John Scott Tynes to write The Labyrinth, his first new game material for Delta Green in many years. At the same time, illustrator Dennis Detwiller’s most substantial work from that Kickstarter, writing the King in Yellow campaign Impossible Landscapes, will be done by the time John has finished The Labyrinth. The timing lines up perfectly. Other books—Deep State, PISCES, Falling Towers—and scenarios are in development by other writing teams.
Funding for Delta Green: The Labyrinth will pay for its writing, editing, illustration, and design, and for printing it as a full-color, hardback book with the same high quality as the Agent’s Handbook, the Handler’s Guide, and other books in the Delta Green RPG line.
We love working on Delta Green. We want every new book or scenario to be even better than the ones that came before. This campaign gives us a chance to do just that.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Delta Green started life as a setting for Call of Cthulhu. It grew from a 3PP setting of one game to be a game onto itself while the new material remains backwards compatible with CoC. “Delta Green’s percentile-based rules are compatible with 20 years’ worth of Delta Green scenarios and sourcebooks.” As the pitch above states, if you’re looking for “allies, enemies, mysteries, and surprises for your Delta Green campaign”, this book is for you.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A trio of books for the Neoclassical Geek Revival Roleplaying Game
What is Neoclassical Geek Revival?
Neoclassical Geek Revival
Neoclassical Geek Revival (NGR) is a fantasy roleplaying game. Many reviews of it have been completed over the years, but the core purpose that differentiates it from things like retroclones (beyond that it is not an OGL game) is that it is focused on player driven shenanigans. It has different mechanics for class, conflict, stealth, magic, and experience which create a wildly different play experience while maintaining the old school adventure vibe.
“This is possibly the best FRP I’ve read in decades, as much for what it simplifies as for what it enhances.” – Kyrinn S. Eis, Alternate Reality Games
“When playing the game quite a few things stand out to me as brilliant” – The Magician’s Manse
“My opinion? Neoclassic Geek Revival is WIN! Buy a copy!” – Paolo Greco, The Lost Pages
“Overall rating: 9½ out of 10 stars.” – Anthony Hunter, Sleeping Griffon Productions
“I would definitely recommend NGR.” – Murky Pool Roleplaying Advice and Fiction
“It was this introduction that made me fall in love with NGR and Kowolski’s distinctive writing style.” – James Maliszewski, the Black Gate
There are also special versions which features art by a number of different artists. Scrap Princess, Dyson Logos, Alex Mayo, and Chris Huth all have or will have their own versions. Luka Rejec is the next artist to unlock via our stretch goals.
From the Scrap Princess Version
From the Dyson Logos Version
What is the Adventure Omnibus?
Zzarchov’s Adventure Omnibus Vol 1
Getting a hard copy of one of Zzarchov’s adventures has usually been reserved for those published by another company or getting lucky with one of his rare small print runs. Zzarchov has created a compendium of all his dual stat NGR/OSR adventures in one large volume that is nearly 300 pages in size. This includes “The Roots of Bitterness” which is not available for sale and Down in Yon Forest which is only available seasonally. Included in the Omnibus are the following adventures:
A Thousand Dead Babies
“It is efficient, engagingly written, mechanically solid, and there’s a sense of…anticipatory and ominous giggling?” – Playing D&D with Porn Stars
“This would also be a good module to use to introduce your non-D&D friends to D&D” – Goblin Punch
“The highest compliment I can give to any product is that I intend to use it in my own campaign…and I intend to find a cool little spot on a map for Corroc and wait for the day they players wander to that neck of the woods.” – Gothridge Manor
“I can’t wait to run it myself.” – Dyson Logos
” I love this thing. Simple. Short. Sticky.” – Bryce Lynch of TenFootPole.org
“this is probably one of the darkest modules I know.” – Endzeitgeist
The Gnomes of Levnec
“The Gnomes Of Levnec is a dank twisted little affair which I imagine will leave adventures some how feeling dirty no matter how they handle it. Well done sir, well done.” – Scrap Princess
“Good adventures about gnomes are rare, but this one by Zzarchov Kowolski checks both boxes. It’s short, peculiar, and perfect for an old school D&D game; I’d happily drop it into a campaign with an evil smile on my face.” – Gnome Stew
“First impressions…this is a adventure is disturbing and hilarious. I got a lot of entertainment reading it.” – Gothridge Manor
“you will begin to fathom the warped genius of the module’s writer.” – Hero Press
“There were a few times I caught myself laughing during the read through, and immediately knew I’d slot this adventure into any upcoming low level campaign.” – Dreams of the Lich House
“I smiled, I cringed, smiled some more and nearly did a dry heave (well, maybe not that far, but certainly more than a cringe).” – Tenkar’s Tavern
“a fantastic “so you are lost in the woods” table. Based on the map, and the awesomeness of the table, I would make sure that I roll on that table the first time they head into the woods. And at least one more time.” – Take On Rules
“The Gnomes of Levnec is a great little adventure that is worth getting to read, get a new table idea, or possibly screw with your players some. I think it is totally worth it, even at almost $6….which is saying a lot for me.” – Frugal GM
“I’m a fan of this though. I will sometimes say a product is pretty close to my cutoff line, either pro or con. Not this one.” – Bryce Lynch of Tenfootpole.org
“The Gnomes of Levnec is an amazing 1st-level module (or 0-level funnel for DCC) that manages more in its couple of pages than many modules with twice that page-count” – Endzeitgeist
Scourge of the Tikbalang
“No one writes adventures like this.” – The Cuticle Chewer’s & Well-Pisser’s Fantasy Report
Under the Waterless Sea
“There is very little art in the scenario, but somehow there are two pictures of the penis tower in addition to a vertical map of it.” – Fictive Fantasies
“All in all this is interesting, well made and value for money with a good amount of sandbox and possibly replay value.” – Thomas W.
Trail of Stone and Sorrow
“Personally, I believe it warrants your support with a donation.” – Paul Baldowski
“Zzarchov Kowolski provides an interesting, fun sidetrek here, one that has a truly intriguing fallout potential” – Endzeitgeist
The Gem Prison of Zardax
“after trying to think of different ways to make dungeons with interesting metapuzzles for year, the Gem Prison of Zardax created a set of tools that made it really easy to think up fun variants. So, yeah, recommended.” – Playing D&D with Porn Stars
“So basically a great quick adventure that you can use for probably a single night with the recommended party level. ” – Quiet in the Dungeon
The Price of Evil
“This generator is very well done and its got tons going for it. I’m a fan of generators of this type in general and this is an especially well done style of product. ” – Swords and Stitchery
“anyone and everyone running a horror game should buy this product.” – Stefan B
The Temple of Lies
” It’s a nice little urban adventure”. – Bryce Lynch of TenFootPole.org
The Roots of Bitterness
This one had a very limited release so there aren’t many reviews about.
Down in Yon Forest
” Now, I really enjoyed this module, due to completely different reasons than most Christmas modules; because it is kind of anti, but without resorting to a full-blown inversion or spitefulness; it is a tale of the holidays in a world, where the meaning behind such a celebration may well spell the difference between life and death.” – Endzeitgeist
What is City of Tears?
City of Tears
The City of Tears is a desert themed dungeon adventure clocking in at 64 pages. It is set in the burned out basement of the Sultan’s palace after a plague killed the entire population of a the titular City of Tears. Now bandits and scavengers camp outside the gates and the haunted lower levels of the Sultan’s palace are the last source of valuables. This adventure also features enough details of the surrounding area that it would be a great start to a new campaign. It features art by the talented Jez Gordon, maps by Dyson Logos, and layout by Jensen Toperzer.
Who are we?
Zzarchov Kowolski is an award winning game designer from Ottawa, Canada. He has a number of roleplaying game adventures published by Lamentations of the Flame Princess, ZERO/Barrier, DIYRPG, and by his own private label. He also developed the Pioneers of Mars board game. Zzarchov is the author of all the works in this project. Joshua Rottman is a project manager from Ottawa, Canada. He has managed the previously successful Pioneers of Mars kickstarter and runs Neoclassical Games. Joshua will be handling the business and logistics aspect of this project.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
I don’t have much to add to this one that is not covered in the AMAZING number of reviews quoted above. If the volume of praise does not move you, how about this – I recently covered this Kickstarter’s best deals – CA $1 for an art-less PDF version of this or CA $5 for the PDF with the art.
I receive, or uncover, a number of tabletop RPG news bites, sneak peaks, and deals (and rumors) through social media, message boards, IMs, and my in-box that are worth reporting on. What follows is a collection of these rumors (take them all with a grain of salt) as well as short hype pieces (sneak peek it and I’ll leak it). From time-to-time I’ll run these notes as a column.
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Stock Art from Fat Goblin Games
Rick Hershey of Fat Goblin Games (DriveThruRPG link / Open Gaming Store link) provides tabletop gaming companies with a boatload of the stock art that’s used in their publications. On Facebook, he discussed his desire for OneBookShelf (DriveThruRPG/RPGNow, etc) to create a stock art specific website. Based on his comments, prior to his FB post, Rick “sent the suggestion several times over the last few years. Not sure if it received anyone’s attention or not [at OBS].” As well, Rick noted “the percentages OBS takes on stock art is too high – just saying.”
During the discussion, John Reyst of the Open Gaming Store, a competitor of OBS, expressed interest in discussing this with Rick as did Chris Perrin who is developing a stock art and photography sales site. Alan Bahr of Tiny d6 offered the publisher perspective – “A different site would add extra steps for me and make me less likely to use it.”
Meredith Gerber – “DriveThruRPG Pub Relations” – posted that “I am reaching out to [Rick] right now about it, actually :)” Will Rick’s posting lead to a change for the tabletop stock art industry?
Bryce Whitacre of Baker Street fame is actively developing a new game, Gnomes and Gnazis. He sent me an early draft of it and he announced it publicly on his Facebook (reprinted below).
STATUS: Developing.
Egg’s Note: This goes without saying, but I unabashedly condemn the original Nazi movement and it’s Neo-Nazi rebirth.
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This week, I had several RPG articles go live across the interwebs on:
Open Gaming Network: An interview with Grimtooth of Trapsylvania about his trap… er, Kickstarter, Grimtooth’s Trapsylvania. This is easily one of my favorite interviews and can be read here.
EN World: A review of the 7th Sea RPG Explorer’s Society PDF, Thomas G. Harrison’s Bloody Misadventures: Dramatic Battles on the High Seas, a 27-page manual detailing ship-related action sequences. Read it here.
Tessera Guild: A look at the OSR Kickstarters for Secrets of the Nethercity, Grimtooth’s Trapsylvania (second article this week), City of Brass, and SURVIVE THIS!! Vigilante City. Read it here.
Tessera Guild: Our second sneak peek for Wrath & Glory, Warhammer 40,000 RoleplayCore Rules. See the art here.
THE GHOUL WELL-PDF
15 page Pathfinder adventure for beginning characters. Specially created for 1st level players. Not too easy, not too hard. It is made as a low-risk, short adventure that is designed to get new players hooked onto the Pathfinder RPG system. (this adventure is a complete, standalone adventure with no attachments to the core 7 adventure product)
Neoclassical Geek Revival – Back it for a CA $1 (the NPC backer level) to get an art free PDF of the game, or back it for CA $5 (the Starting adventurer backer level) to get the PDF of the game with art.
Once Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition Kickstarter reaches $87k, the $10 level (the Lemure backer’s level) will nab you 10 Geist: The Sin-Eaters 1st Edition PDFs. For $5 more, you can add the Chronicles of Darkness core rulebook PDF. $15 gets 11 PDFs!
Geist: The Sin-Eaters 1st Edition PDF
Ready-Made Characters 1E PDF
Quickstart – Return of Mr. Monster1E PDF
Through the Ebon Gate 1E PDF
World of Darkness: Book of the Dead PDF
Nightmare on Hill Manor 1E PDF
Dem Bones 1E PDF
House Always Wins 1E PDF
“At $87,000 in funding – Underworld Reflections Historic Addition – Dark Eras: God’s Own Country PDF (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 1E set in post-WWII New Zealand) and Dark Eras: Three Kingdoms of Darkness PDF (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 1E set in China following the collapse of the Han dynasty) will be added to the Underworld Reflections 1E PDF Bundle.”
OSRs [Old School Revival/Renaissance], they’re fun and, sometimes, controversial. Playing SURVIVE THIS!! Zombies! at Origins, and my last OSR article, put me in a mood to visit some new OSR Kickstarters. What follows is old school madness.
“An immersive dungeon sandbox designed for the Adventurer Conqueror King System and other D20 OSR RPGs.
For three thousand years, the secrets of the Nethercity have been hidden. Now the delving of man has breached the ruins, and the lore and treasures of the ancients wait in the darkness below for those bold enough to seize them. But an inhuman evil slumbers in that darkness, and the time of the Awakening is at hand….
We’re excited to announce Autarch’s eighth Kickstarter project: The Secrets of the Nethercity™, an immersive dungeon for the Adventurer Conqueror King System™ and other D20 fantasy role-playing games.
With Secrets of the Nethercity you get:
An epic “kilodungeon” with 240 location entries spread across 20 different dungeon sub-regions that can be explored in a nonlinear fashion over the course of your campaign
12 new monsters, including the chryselephantine statue, faewyrd, hydropian, and terror of death
30 new magic items, including the bag of faerie seeds, the funerary barge of the cults, horn of the eagles, scepter of sacred power, and shadowcowl robe
4 new character classes, including the elven cultist, hierophant, and warlord
A special appendix providing step-by-step worksheets to adapt the Nethercity to your favorite campaign setting
A home base (the city of Cyfaraun) for use by your adventurers in between dungeon delves. The city is presented in summary format in the adventure itself, and the city and the sewers below it are presented in more detail in a supplement called Capital of the Borderlands (available at $20 and above pledge level). With every bonus goal, we’ll expand the city and sewer levels!
The Nethercity, the city, and the sewer level in between are all beautifully mapped by the incredible cartography of Dyson Logos and Simon Forster. You get maps of the city, sewers, and Nethercity, as well as zoomed-in sectional maps of each major area. With every bonus goal we hit, we’ll add more maps.
We’ve tapped artist Michael Syrigos to create rich, gorgeous full-color art for the adventure. Not every image will be full color at the base level, but all of the backer-supported art will be.
The entrance to the nethercity lies hidden in the sewers of Cyfaraun
Full color, you ask? Yes! This will also be our first product developed for and printed in full-color. We’re working with layout artist Todd Crapper to update our house style for full-color presentation. Below is a sample full-color layout he prepared as a demo for Heroic Fantasy Handbook. (The final layout for Nethercity is, of course, still being developed – partly through this Kickstarter!)
A Sample Layout of a Full-Color Page
What do you mean by kilodungeon?
The Nethercity is bigger than an ordinary dungeon (like Sinister Stone of Sakkara) but not as big as a megadungeon (like Dwimmmermount). Get it? Kilo instead of mega… Let’s just read on.
What levels is the adventure for?
Secrets of the Nethercity is designed for a party of experienced mid-level adventurers and is stocked with sufficient monsters and treasure to advance them by four to six levels. As such it serves as a mid-level environment in which the adventurers can acquire the wealth and power they need to advance into high-level play.
Where is the adventure set?
The adventure takes place in the Auran Empire campaign setting, the default setting for ACKS. The eponymous Nethercity lies below the city of Cyfaraun, just fifty miles northwest of Türos Tem, making it a perfect sequel to our introductory adventure The Sinister Stone of Sakkara. But if you don’t play in the Auran Empire, don’t worry – a special appendix in the book offers advice on how to adapt the adventure for use with our Kanahu setting or with your own favorite campaign world. The Nethercity can be placed under any long-inhabited urban settlement that’s changed hands between law and chaos over the centuries.
How much detail is offered on the city of Cyfaraun?
In the tradition of classic TSR adventure scenarios such as The Keep on the Borderlands and The Village of Hommlet, Secrets of the Nethercity gives you the information you need to use Cyfaraun as a home base for adventurers in your campaign. The level of detail in the city itself will be similar to that provided for the city of Harat in our Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu supplement. But as we unlock Bonus Goals, Cyfaraun will get even more detailed, with the sewer level below the city transformed into a whole additional play area.
Cyfaraun: The Capital of the Borderlands
What are the Bonus Goals?
If we raise more than our target, we’ll expand the amount of information we provide on the city of Cyfaraun and flesh out the extensive sewers and ruins directly beneath it.
The Cyfaraun Sewer Level
Egg’s Thoughts:
Are regular dungeons too small? Are megadungeons too big? Is your party looking for a size that’s just right? Well, Goldi, welcome to the kilodungeon of Nethercity! The map of the sewer level above, that’s a nice map, and its detail makes me want to try these old school challenges!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“The legendary locations of Grimtooth’s Traps revealed! A DCC supplement that lets you confront Grimtooth himself in his own lair!
Listen up, puny humans! Grimtooth the Troll here. You sorry souls have been dying from my traps for decades. And in all that time, not one of you miniscule mortals has attacked me in my lair! Well, I’ve decided to take pity on you. For the first time ever, I’m going to show you my realm. You’ll finally get to see – Trapsylvania!
Updated June 24: We just cleared our first stretch goal! Trapsylvania will include fancy custom-printed endsheets!
This Kickstarter supports the publication of Grimtooth’s Trapsylvania, a 144-page campaign setting and sourcebook! It will be available in print (softcover or hardcover) and electronic (PDF) format. It is fully illustrated, with color cover and B/W interior art. The publisher is Goodman Games, under license from Flying Buffalo. The book is written in a systems-neutral style like all Grimtooth books, with DCC RPG stats compiled in an appendix at the back.
Grimtooth’s Lair
This Kickstarter also offers a rare collectible treasure: the “lost 8th Grimtooth book.” Flying Buffalo published a total of 7 Grimtooth books. At the Origins Game Convention in 1983, an independent publisher released their own unauthorized bootleg adventure called Grimtooth’s Lair. Today, only a single copy of this adventure is known to exist. Thanks to collector Bill Meinhardt, we have been able to scan the adventure for publication. It is being offered as an add-on for this Kickstarter (see below).
The only known copy of Grimtooth’s Lair – now available as a reprint exclusively through this Kickstarter!
At last – the legendary locations of Grimtooth’s Traps revealed!
For over 30 years, Grimtooth’s numerous Traps books have horrified players and inspired game masters with hundreds of dangerous devices, deadly deathtraps and hilarious hijinx! Now Grimtooth (with a little help from kid sister Grimtina) will take you on a personally guided tour of his realm and the central hub of his vast Traps empire.
Run your own Grimtooth campaign, or pick and choose locations you can use in your own adventures. Explore Grimtooth’s caverns, visit his Inner Sanctum, escape the Deathmaze Testing Center, attend Warthog’s School for Trolls, take a ride on Grimtooth’s Airship, tour Grimtina’s Petting Zoo or get lost in many more gigantic places of doom, like the Infinite Corridor of Hallways. Each of these infamous locations includes maps, descriptions, non-player character details, scenarios, and lots of art. Plus there are more traps (of course) and plenty of things with which to endanger your characters.
Like all Grimtooth books, Grimtooth’s Trapsylvania is written in a systems-neutral format, and published in a way that it is fully compatible with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game (DCC RPG). A series of appendices at the back provide quick and easy stats for DCC RPG games, covering all the creatures, characters and items described in the book. It’s very easy to fill a graveyard with the corpses of your DCC player characters! (Because once you enter Trapsylvania – you won’t leave! Suckers.)
Trapsylvania is written and illustrated by S. S. Crompton, the legendary “voice of Grimtooth” who has been working on Grimtooth products for Flying Buffalo for more than 30 years. We’ve rounded up the entire roster of historical Grimtooth contributors to illustrate the book, so you’ll find art not just by S. S. Crompton, but also by Liz Danforth, Micheal Von Glahn, Scott Jackson Phil Longmeier, and Jeff Dee – all the artists who have contributed to Grimtooth products over the years! The new traps are written by Grimtooth alumni S. S. Crompton, Ken St. Andre, Bear Peters, Rick Loomis, Paul O’Connor and Debora Kerr. The DCC stats are provided by Terry Olson, with editing by Jen Brinkman.
Trapsylvania is chock full of useful gaming material! How much is there? Well, here’s the exact count!
1 whole country! (Grimtooth’s, that is!)
15 large locations, all described and mapped
48 scenario ideas
60 traps or trapped items
86 creatures (with DCC stats in the Appendix)
26 NPCs (with DCC stats in the Appendix)
23 items (with DCC stats in the Appendix)
And loads of laughs!
What is Grimtooth’s Traps?
Originally published by Flying Buffalo, Grimtooth’s Traps is one of the most popular RPG accessories ever produced, with more than 250,000 copies in print since 1981. Flying Buffalo published seven Grimtooth’s books, all of them usable with any RPG. In 2015, Goodman Games compiled all of these into a massive hardcover compilation, and also published two additional DCC-compatible Grimtooth adventures. Grimtooth remains an eternally relevant character and his popularity has only grown since then.
The hallmarks of Grimtooth-style traps are wacky humor combined with deadly danger, plus, of course, extremely useful material that can be integrated into any dungeon-crawling RPG!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
I interviewed the trapmeister himself, Grimtooth, over at the Open Gaming Network. It was one of the most fun interviews I’ve ever done. Don’t waste your time here, go read it here!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“SURVIVE THIS!! Vigilante City is an RPG heavily influenced by the 90s cartoons Batman: The Animated Series, X-Men, Spider-man and TMNT!
Editor’s note: These guys are far more talented than they let on in their Bios. Their talent greatly exceeds my own and I’m very lucky to have them as part of my creative team! – Eric B.
Egg’s Thoughts:
At Origins Game Fair 2018, I played SURVIVE THIS!! Zombies! with Eric Bloat. After the game, Eric shared a preview of this Kickstarter and talked about what he hopes to accomplish with it – a street level superhero game using a system that you already know. He has plans to cover every type of grim and gritty comic book superhero archetype and I can’t wait to try it out. Add to that, one of the contributors is Alan Bahr of Tiny d6 fame (among others) who I got to interview some time back, and this is a lock!
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“City of Brass: A Legendary Adventure for 5e and Swords and Wizardry! Based on the 2006 Necromancer Games classic!
From his gleaming palace, the Sultan of Efreet turns his cruel gaze upon the Lost Lands …
The Sultan bids you welcome…
Good folk have vanished. Those who were once disparaged and forgotten now wield power unlike anything seen before. Rulers and sages turn a blind eye to the disturbing events unfolding around them. In every corner of the Lost Lands, the Cult of the Veiled One spreads unchecked.
Prophesizing a cleansing jihad of flames and the coming of the Burning One, the cult has erected its brazen spires in every land. What follows depends on the wit and courage of mighty heroes who must rise to the occasion and take the fight to the enemy in its very stronghold. Will they succeed, or will they succumb to the temptations of the Veiled One’s court and join in the conquest of their home world? A fabled city of wishes on the edge of an eternal flame. The City of Brass is a rich combination of sand-box style role playing adventure, planar exploration, and twisted dungeons designed to test even the most seasoned adventurers.
Beginning with low-level challenges in the familiar confines of the Lost Lands, the adventure leads characters on a thrilling journey through multiple planes of existence culminating in the exploration of the City of Brass itself. The gleaming towers and floating platforms of the city hold terrors and wonders such as the Great Repository and the Minaret of Screams. Characters may choose to take a turn in the Circus of Pain, raid the floating Pyramid of Set, or join the resistance to the Sultan’s oppressive rule and lead an assault on the palace itself! A phoenix rises fully formed from the ashes of the past. The City of Brass is re-imagined for the new renaissance of fantasy role playing games, brought to you in the epic style of old school fantasy campaigns of yesteryear.
From the design team that brought you Bard’s Gate and Sword of Air, the City of Brass is an adventure unlike any other. With full color art and maps, new content and new organization, the City of Brass returns bigger and better than ever! An Adventure Sourcebook for characters level 1-20. New versions for Swords & Wizardry and the Fifth Edition of the world’s most popular role-playing game.
Example of one of the over 100 maps in the City of Brass.
City of Brass 2018
One of the original books from the City of Brass by Necromancer Games
So what’s new in this release compared to the original Necromancer Games Boxed Set?
This new release of The City of Brass includes all new color maps by Alyssa Faden and Robert Altbauer. Plus amazing new color art by Colin Chan, Adrian Landeros, Terry Pavlet, Michael Syrigos, C. J. Allan Marsh, and Artem Shukaev.
The original City of Brass was divided into 3 books and has been revised and reorganized throughout with 150,000 new words of adventures and material.
Section1: Cult of the Burning One – Now includes the following adventures:
Lornedain the Secret Flame: An introductory adventure for characters Levels 1-3.
Freegate: the Brazen Spire (For Levels 4-6), giving new details to the Lost Lands city of Freegate as the characters investigate the arrival of a new cult and its magical tower.
The Sea of Baal: (For levels 5-8). Adventures in the Titian Isles, the Elemental Plane of Air and Beyond as they travel across the Sea of Baal to the continent of Lybinos!
Numeda a Caliphate in Flames: (For levels 6-9). Arriving in Lybinos the characters discover that the city of Cirtius in the Caliphate of Numeda is over-run by the forces of the Sultan of Efreet. Help free the survivors or join the Sultan in his conquest of the Lost Lands!
The Path of the Prophet: (For Levels 8-10). Rewritten from the original with new content.
Section 2: The City of Brass is now newly organized with details on factions, new locations in the Plane of Molten Skies.
Section 3: Tales of Brass
New Adventure Locations including:
Ard’s Sanctuary: An adventure location for 11-14th level characters.
Freeman’s Tower: An ultra-dimensional apartment complex and home base located in the lower city. Conquer the tower and live rent free under the Sultan’s nose! For 11th-14th level characters.
The Apartment of Ra Po Jejh!: An old enemy makes a surprise return. Find his phylactery and finish him off once and for all! For 16th-18th level characters!
Cathedral of the Lightbringer: The cathedral of the Lord of Infurnace’s minions serving as his consulate in the City of Brass. Steal the Sword of the Lightbringer if you Dare!”
That said, let’s look at the game. The book itself will be of a spin-busting size (hence it’ll be put together using “library binding“) with tons of amazing art and interesting ideas. The fact that you can get it for 5e or FGG’s OSR, Swords and Wizardry, makes this a versatile project that offers some options for your gaming table. The book will be nice without a doubt.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or the Open Gaming Storehere.
Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress
Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!
* * * * * *
Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by a variety of companies:
Greg LaRose, owner of Amora Game, and TentacleGreg on Open Gaming Network (where I write some articles), is roaming the halls of Origins Game Fair 2018 looking for games to consume. I did an interview with Greg during his Art of War Kickstarter. Check out previews of AoW for 5ehere and for Savage Worldshere as this Kickstarter will be relaunching with some nice improvements in the near-future. And, if you’re at the con, find Greg and talk to him about AoW and his other games.
Have You Seen This Man? Greg LaRose is armed with a dice bag and the Art of War!
Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress
Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!
* * * * * *
Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by a variety of companies:
Ankur: Kingdom of the Gods – Kingdom of the gods is a sci-fi tabletop role-playing game based largely on ancient Sumerian mythology. The game takes place on Earth just after the great flood, some 25,000 years in the past. A species of Alien beings from the planet Nibir, in the farthest reaches of our own solar system, come to Earth to mine gold for the production of Mana. Through genetic manipulation, they create a variety of humanoid slaves to mine gold.
A series of cataclysms and power struggles set in motion events that will entwine the destinies of these species forever! Since the great flood many forgotten ruins and ancient alien technologies lay buried, awaiting re-discovery and exploration. Strange monsters roam the land, remnants of a pre-historic past, all but swept away by the hands of fate. Politics and treachery are around every corner as alien and humankind alike struggle to claim their place in this world. It is up to the players to decide the fate of Earth. Prepare to enter a world of pre-historic monsters, flying saucers, swords and sorcery. Adventure awaits you in…
Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress
Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!
* * * * * *
Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by a variety of companies:
I’m on the road to Origins 2018. In other news, there are six 5e Kickstarters worth looking at. I don’t say much (on the road), but these games are worth a look. 😉
“Return to high adventure with this upper level (10+) module that features a living dungeon, adversarial NPC companies, and much more!
Join the adventure as Art of the Genre revisits the various curses of Roslof Keep! This first part of a six part mega-campaign is based around experienced characters levels 10+, and I’ve specially designed the dungeon to breath life into those adventuring levels without relying on old standards like giants, dragons, and constructs.
The Curse of Roslof Keep revolves around an adventuring company moving to the city of Tiefon, capital of the great eastern power of Thalonia, where they will match wits against other great adventuring companies as well as the intelligent dungeon known as The Infernal Machine.
Folio #20 will introduce characters to the setting, the mysterious and ancient Kasbah of Tiefon, as well as the other companies hired by the great houses to clear the magical dungeon that has suddenly appeared beneath their streets. Dungeon details include 2D standard ‘blue’ hex maps as well as fully 3D renderings of Level 1. A gazetteer will give background on the Infernal Machine and the city, as well as the stakes that weigh on the characters, and includes a new monster designed specifically for this campaign. It also features a fully removable stand-alone cover, and two booklets (gazetteer & adventure).
The adventures of Folio #20 await!
As with all previous Folio adventures, this is written in classic AD&D mechanics, while also having D&D 5E stat blocks and adaptations as well.
What is Roslof Keep? Roslof Keep is a six part mega-dungeon produced in 2015, and comprises Folios #1-#6. It is based around an intelligent dungeon known as ‘The Infernal Machine’ that has now spread to other cities with greater threats, thus bringing about the events of The Curse of Roslof Keep adventure series.
Folios 1-6 in the original Roslof Keep Campaign
What do Folio dungeons look like? Below you will see a internal Folio removable cover dungeon, rendered in full 3D for easy use by the DM, and well as defined in hex style 2D for mappers. Rooms are well described, and stats are provided for both AD&D and 5th Edition D&D formats.
Sample of 3D maps on the removable interior module cover!
Sample 3D mapping from the original Roslof Keep Campaign!
What is The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign Hardcover? Produced in 2016, this 128 page compilation book includes all six Folios in the Roslof Keep Campaign as well as 6 bonus mini-adventures that tie in with the set and a Nameless Realms Races gazetteer, as well as the stats for the 7 Iconic characters seen in the series. It has an original cover by Jeff Easley, and a classic ‘orange spine’ to go along with the TSR AD&D hardcovers of the 1980s.
The Complete Roslof Keep hardcover edition
What are ‘Bridge’ Mini-Adventures? These three ‘throwback’ style mini-adventures bridge the timeline between the close of The Roslof Keep Campaign, and the events of The Curse of Roslof Keep, allowing players to build on the adventure before it has even truly begun.”
‘Bridge’ mini-adventures included in the ‘Full’ backer levels
Egg’s Thoughts:
Love the art as always with The Folio.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A 5e sandbox campaign. In the Runewild, witches walk, goblins cavort, and the borders between the realms of mortal and fey grow thin.
Beyond the kingdom of Aruanda, there is an untamed land. It is a place where witches walk, where goblins cavort, where the borders between the realms of mortal and fey grow thin. For some, it is a place of unspeakable wonder; for others, only madness and death lie within its trackless depths.
It is the Runewild, and it is both beautiful and cruel.
The Runewild is a dark fairy-tale sandbox setting for use with the 5th Edition of the world’s most popular roleplaying game. Designed for character levels 1 through 10, it provides locations, encounters, and NPCs to support a campaign lasting months or years, or to be adapted into other campaigns. The 160+ page book includes:
A history of the Runewild and its surrounding settlements.
100 detailed encounter areas for player characters to explore.
New optional rules for exploring and resting
Advice for running a sandbox campaign
A new feat: Fey-Touched
13 unique magic items (like witch embers and the staff of clarity and confusion)
32 new monsters (including clockwork dwarves, fey lions, giant forest sloths, and the terrifyingly beautiful Golden Bodach).
Detailed descriptions of the histories, motivations, and weaknesses of the witches of the Runewild, including the Whitebone Sisters; Missus Switch, the swine hag; Korthsuva, the Witch of Hours; and the hag-queen Griselda, Mother of Ogres.
Dozens of random tables designed to help GMs make the Runewild campaign their own.
To learn more about the Runewild, you can check out our free previews:
Preview 1: Missus Switch, Swine Witch – The history and statistics of the Swine Witch and a detailed description of the school house where she teaches her porcine pupils.
Preview 2: Highvale Blade and Twisted Tome – The Runewild is a place steeped in powerful fey magic, and these items show how some harness it safely, while others let it get out of control.
Preview 3: Beasts that Lurk in the Runewild – This preview features four new beasts that live in the Runwood: the helpful fey lion, the thought-stealing fiddlehead, the enigmatic Seven-Tails, and the terrifyingly beautiful Golden Bodach.
COMING SOON! Preview 4: The Goblin Market – A magical, moving marketplace that sells everything from a baby’s wail to a portable mouse hole to the secret you’ve searched for your whole life.
If you want to see even more, you can back the project and see the current draft of the complete book by going to this backer-only post. We’ve written the whole book and gone through several rounds of revision, but we plan to do at least one more revision using your feedback.
We love the ways crowdfunding can involve our backers. Everybody who backs at any level can read the current draft of the book and provide feedback. For those who want to play an even bigger roll, we offer two backer reward options:
Denizen of the Runewild
The final book will contain a table featuring one hundred random fey denizens of the Runewild. We want to give you a chance to be part of that chart. If you select either the PDF and Runewild Denizen, or Print and Runewild Denizen reward level, you can create one entry on the chart that includes your fey creature’s name, the type of fey, a brief description, and the creature’s goals. (All descriptions may be modified for length, tone, and established setting cannon.)
Part of the Art
If you want to be even more involved with the creation, you can pledge at the Part of the Art level. At this level, we will also include an illustration based on either a photo or description you provide. We will add the NPC to the book, and you can provide as much or as little guidance as you would like.”
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“Role playing game source book ~ 50 exotic weapons and 50 Enchanted Weapons in one beautiful book for 5th Edition D&D RPG DnD Fantasy
50 Exotic and 50 Enchanted weapons, in one beautiful book!
That’s what this campaign is about. Your support will fund art, production, and print costs for backer rewards. This book is being produced and released for the fifth edition game mechanic.
Each weapon is fully illustrated in the style of sketchbook in keeping with the narrative throughout the journey. Yes, this means there are 100 pages of illustrated weapons in the book!
Image capture from first draft formatting of the book
Narrative text is in 12 point font for ease of reading and to best simulate natural handwriting while maintaining legibility.
Our introduction begins the narrative found throughout the book
The Steel Road
The Steel Road, is created to resemble the sketch book of a traveling weapons merchant. This book details exotic weapons from Africa, East Asia, Eastern Europe, India, China, Japan, and the lands of the Pacific.
Each weapon is illustrated, making this book a fantastic resource for game masters and players alike.
Each weapon is described from the point of view of the narrator (our fictional weapons merchant) and the descriptions include statistics for game play use.
An enchanted example of each weapon is also described within as the legendary version.
Each legendary weapon is of Unique rarity. There is only one!
Game mechanic data for these enchanted weapons is provided for easy use.
The book is printed in 8.5 by 11 inch size, in dtrpg.com’s premium color option. The print copy of the book is released in soft cover but check out the stretch goals below!
Experience the world on the edge of a blade, travelling The Steel Road.
Featuring Weapons from ~
Africa
Art Layer: Each weapon has a mundane version and a legendary version
Eastern Europe
Art Layer: The Dacian Falx
India
All of the weapon stats are original content
China
Exotic weapons from China and the surrounding areas of Asia
Japan
Great attention to detail is seen in the sketches of these exotic weapons
Lands of the Pacific
Cultural elements were honored within page space capabilities
Egg’s Thoughts:
Sam Quinton of Sinopa Publishing LLC is working hard to make some unique 5e offerings. This is another example.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“The ultimate guide to creating amazing trading posts, villages, towns, cities, and capitals populated with versatile & detailed NPCs!
Spectacular Settlements, the latest addition to the Game Master’s Toolbox, is the ultimate guide to creating compelling locations for your adventures and campaigns.
Contained inside are chapters devoted to various settlement types, from the smallest trading posts, to massive capital cities. Within these chapters are all the steps needed to craft a settlement with both depth and originality.
Creation takes just a few easy steps, each of which has multiple options to detail your settlement. These options are presented as tables from which you can select the outcome yourself, or roll for a random result.
Step one covers basic information, such as its age, size, environment and recent history. Step two details aspects of the community, such as resident and visitor populations, disposition, politics and crime. Step three establishes points of interest, including shops and services that can then be populated with proprietors and patrons taken from the ‘Interesting NPCs’ chapter.
The resulting settlement is both dynamic and detailed. The book has great utility, designed to also be an engine of inspiration for storytellers and world builders, sparking creativity and prompting GMs to delve deep into what their settlement is, how it came to be, and how aspects that might be at odds with one another may just give clues about its most compelling elements.
The book is available in full-color PDF and hardcover formats for 5th Edition. We have multiple pledge levels to best suit your gaming budget, so please check out the project, share it with your friends, and help us hit our goal.
1. Creating Great Settlements. An overview on settlements, when to use them, how to use them, and how to keep things both dynamic and interesting.
2. Trading Posts. One of the most important settlement types, trading posts are often hot spots for information, quests, intrigue, and excitement!
3. Villages. Often the home of simple folk with simple lives, villages dot the landscape. They can however, be the jumping-off point of many a fun adventure!
4. Towns. The beginnings of urban development, towns can be lawless communities ripe for powerful influence, or the birthplace of the next world superpower.
5. Cities. More people, more problems. Cities are teeming with all manner of folk. Some good, some bad, some just trying to mind their own business. No visit to a city is ever without potential dangers, or potential rewards.
6. Capitals. Seats of concentrated power, home to mighty bastions and the focal point of both politics and war alike.
7. Keeps. Keeps are single large fortified buildings such as towers. The nature of these structures dictates that villages and towns usually spring up around them, due to the protection they offer. They are modest when compared to full castles, but are much more attainable for smaller communities in terms of costs and resources.
8. Castles. A large, imposing group of buildings, castles are fortified against attack with thick walls, battlements, and towers. They typically have a town or even city surrounding them, with homes and shops perhaps directly outside its walls.
9. Strongholds. Like a castle, but larger still, strongholds have greater fortifications. Built to be as impenetrable as possible, these bastions are the pinnacle of what one could expect from a physical structure.
10. Shops & Proprietors. What is a settlement without shops? In this chapter you’ll find all the shops you’ll ever need, as well the folk who operate them.
11. Interesting NPCs. Over 100 pages of NPCs who can be dropped right into a shop, service establishment, or encountered on the streets of your settlement.”
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A non-linear adventure in the classic Sandbox style where the party (Level 11-12) fights to escape the lair of an Old One–Hastur
About This Project
Carcosa is an adventure for three to seven characters about level twelve. It is designed for use with the Fifth Edition version of Gary and Dave’s RPG. It can be adapted to any fantasy RPG.
Special Note
The Physical Catchup Naga reward description at the right is missing some critical text. The description below is accurate; however, the one at the right reads “DNH4-Carcosa” when it should read DNH4-Confronting Hastur, and DNH5-Carcosa” The “Includes” list is correct. I apologize for any confusion this typographical error might have caused. Thx to a backer for catching it early in the campaign. Sadly, I cannot edit that section for KS integrity reasons.
The Premise
Immediately following the events of Confronting Hastur, the characters wake up in Carcosa and are greeted by a broken man who tells them they only have a day to escape the plane before becoming permanent residents. The way home appears to require them to confront a demon lady and the three demon brothers who constantly vie for her attention and their domains within Carcosa. A land teeming with minor demons, humans, and three powerful Abrar, dreadful demon lords. Pressed for time, the party members find themselves pawns in the petty games of the brothers as they claw their way to worship before the lovely Grushka, the Abrar who runs Carcosa while Hastur slumbers. Their search for a way home reveals rumors of a way to trap Hastur in a longer, deeper slumber, giving their world peace from his attempts to invade for hundreds of millennia to come. Will they work to go home, or will they chance eternal damnation to save their world?
Who We Are
Cover for DNH5 – Carcosa (with thanks to Randy Price’s keen eye for typos)
I am Kevin Watson, and Dark Naga Adventures is my company. It exists to create and publish adventures that are a combination of the classic sandbox adventures of the early days of the hobby combined with modern features. I have probably written 30 adventures and designed about a dozen fantasy worlds in my life as a Game Master.
This project is the fifth adventure for commercial release and my fifth Kickstarter Project. This concludes the Haunting of Hastur series. As a young company, I am motivated to produce quality products and intend to leverage the experience gained from several Kickstarter campaigns to mitigate potential complications in production.
As a one-person shop, the buck stops with me. Art, cartography, and editing are all being done by top-notch freelancers. Expect regular updates and as much transparency as we all can handle.
“Following our successful Legacy’s Wake Kickstarter, we are bringing our style to a book of monsters for 5E designed by our backers!
Final Cover
When it comes to your table top game, there is always room for another monster, but so often you find yourself throwing the same tried and true creatures at your players. Orcs, Goblins, Dragons; the classics are classics for a reason but sometimes you really want something fresh and new. That’s just what the Bespoke Bestiary aims to provide.
Think back to your earliest experiences with the game, before you knew what resistances that ooze had or what spell to NOT EVER cast at that golem. Remember those breathless sessions, not knowing if your party would determine the right tactics and techniques to bring down the terrifying new beast your game master threw at you?
We want to bring that back! We present to you, the Bespoke Bestiary, a monster tome done up in true Mithrilpunk style. Inside you will find dozens of new creatures complete with all the background you need to run them and the mechanics needed to scare your players with fresh terrors unlike any they have seen before.
Final Art to be in Color
TL;DR: At least 24 new monsters (probably a TON more than that), a new take on existing classic monsters, and awesome new player options, all with the MithrilPunk look and feel!
All art will be in full color, though we’ve intentionally kept all art in greyscale at this stage in order to allow our backers to have influence even on the art direction!
Final Art to be in Color
At the base level, our goal for this bestiary is to start with at least 100 pages and go from there. Based on stretch goals and sponsored monsters, that count will only go up! We are going to start with 24 custom monsters with new art, 6 of our favorite Skyfall monsters updated and improved, and then we’ll go into some classic monsters and put a great new spin on them! Every single new monster, including sponsored monsters, will be at least two pages each (with “Legendary” monster spreads covering four full pages).
Each monster will have either a 2-page or 4-page spread. That means every standard monster entry will increase the length of the book by 2 pages for every backer, while legendary monster entries will increase the page length by 4 pages! Note that when we say legendary, it doesn’t mean the monster has to have legendary actions or anything, just that it’s got enough content to take up four pages (through multiple variants, multiple player options, bigger monster stat blocks, lairs, etc). Then, we’ll also have a more free form section where we will take classic monsters (orcs, kobolds, ogres, etc.) and give them a fresh coat of paint in the coolest ways we can come up with! You’ll have an opportunity to influence many of the core and classic monsters, though some will be finished prior to the kickstarter to give you all an idea of what we’ll be making, like the Sidereal Stalker below!
Sample Spread – Final Version may change
Every single new monster entry will include a player option as well, themed around that monster. You’ll find new spells, magic items, feats, and more. You could even see a new playable race entry or a new subclass, if it fits the theme of the monster! Again, all our backers will have a say in tons of these new player options. with the player options increasing in complexity based on what makes the most sense for the monster. You won’t see a random item or spell slapped onto the page. Instead, you’ll find spells that use parts of the monster as components, feats based around how the monster lives or fights, and items tied to the monster’s history or physiology.
At its core, your ideas, votes, and pledges will define this book as much as possible! Our goal with this bestiary is to create a tome full of your favorite monsters, pulled directly from your imagination and the imaginations of the backers who pledged with you, and we see three main ways to do that: getting your ideas, letting the community vote on those ideas, and having special add-on levels to sponsor a monster to ensure that your creation makes it to the pages of the bestiary. We will engage with our backers through regular feedback and communication, as well as surveys allowing you to help flesh out everything that goes into the book, and backers who purchase the sponsored monster options described in the Addons section will have a more direct impact on the book!
You supply the ideas, the group votes, and we put in the work!
As we commission art from our artists, we’re going to give our backers an opportunity to submit high level concepts for those monsters. Once we have a handful of ideas, we’ll create polls and allow all of our backers to vote on the concepts they like best! The more input we get, the more we will let the voting drive the process. That way, if a monster’s art really sparks an interest, our backers will have the most say in that monster. In the same way, if the art doesn’t get that spark from the backers, we can and will guide the monster’s design and flavor to make sure that every monster in the book meets our standards.
I want to make my own monster!
Great! We will give you that option, by allowing you to “sponsor” a monster. You can check out the Add-ons section for more info, but at the base level, your add-on will go toward commissioning a custom art piece for your monster in full color, and then adding that monster to every single print copy of The Bespoke Bestiary. That way, every monster that you sponsor will make the book bigger and better for every other backer, and every monster sponsored by other backers will make the book bigger and better for you! When you sponsor a monster, we will work directly with you to create every aspect of the monster, including the flavor, the monster design, the art direction, and the player option that will go with your monstrosity. You can be as involved or not as you want, we’ll always pick up the slack to make sure every sponsored monster is as awesome as possible!
I don’t know anything about making monsters for 5th Edition!
That’s okay too! We’ve got a ton of experience making interesting monsters and compelling player options. No matter how much input you want to give, we’re ready to step up and make sure the writing is great, the monster is well-designed, the player option is balanced, and anything else we need to do. Of course we’ll always work with the artists, handle the layout, and take care of any of the “business” parts of the process. If you’ve got a cool idea, we will help you bring it to life, and we’ll do all the work needed to make sure it’s something really awesome when we’re done!
“Don’t listen to these guys! They wouldn’t know the difference between a carsnuffler and a kilgorean ragebeast if the ‘snuffler sat on their heads! I don’t know how these two idiots got top billing on this kick-whatever, but forget their monster book. It’ll be full of prissy little monsters that wouldn’t scare a burp from a baby goblin. And player options? Who cares? My monster book is 1000 times better than theirs. Some TRULY terrifying wonders, with INCREDIBLE LIFELIKE depictions, and instead of player options, I’ll give you my BEST AWARD-WINNING* recipes using ingredients directly from that monster! Oh you want to vote on stuff? Uh, sure, you guys can send me recipes and I’ll think about putting those in there I guess…”
Well, when you’re making a monster book, you end up with a TON of extra art from various sources. Sometimes the monster you thought would look awesome ended up being a little too silly. Sometimes the art’s style just didn’t fit with the rest of the book. Regardless of the reason, we decided to put all that extra art to use! Sleg is a “popular” goblin wizard-chef in our Skyfall setting, known for his extravagant cooking spells (most of which end up finding better use in pitched combat than in the kitchen; Sleg is subtle like a sledgehammer). Since we have this great NPC, and a bunch of extra art, we thought “Why not make a bestiary that’s also a cook book?”
In addition to the Bespoke Bestiary, you can also pick up Sleg’s Scrumptious Safari Spectacular in PDF or print! This 6″x9″ black and white softcover will contain at least 24 monsters in two-page spreads, and every single monster will include recipes submitted by our friends, family, and backers! Of course, Sleg’s recipes will call for rare ingredients from the monsters on his pages, but we’ll make sure you know what to substitute if you can’t find ground carsnuffler. Check out the example spread below for an idea of just what we have in mind:
Sample Spread – Final version subject to change
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress
Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt or wall clock or ice tea glass!
* * * * * *
Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by a variety of companies:
“Welcome to Yarnia, where a grand knitting adventure awaits!
Yarnia needs you!
Grab your knitting needles and join your fellow Yarn Questers in the quest to save Yarnia!
What is Yarn Quest?
Yarn Quest is one part knitting pattern, one part Role-Playing Game, and one part Choose Your Own Adventure. Each quest is a knitting pattern, and as the player leads their character through the quest they come across enemies to battle, choices to make, and items that all influence the patterns knitted on the project.
That’s what makes Yarn Quest so special – almost every project is unique.
Welcome to Yarnia is an introduction to Yarn Questing for those who have never played an RPG, and provides new patterns and play styles for those who have partaken in previous campaigns. The book will be a full color hardcover including tutorials, lore, patterns, and lots of artwork. There will be tutorials for how to play, along with tutorials for how to use the double knitting technique.
Don’t like double knitting? Can’t knit, but like to crochet? There are plenty of methods to join in the fun! Questers have done previous projects in colorwork knitting and Tunisian crochet. There’s no limit to what you can do!
What are the patterns?
The most important part (beside the adventure) is the projects you’ll be knitting! There are 3 patterns included in the book to start off the campaign and more that will be added depending on what stretch goals we hit. Pattern One is a Hat/Cowl combo, Pattern Two is an extra-large Cowl, and Pattern Three is a Scarf. Currently they all use worsted weight yarns, but there may be some variance in later patterns.
Want to see what we’re knitting? Here’s a preview piece of the cowl from the first quest!”
What can I share about this that the creator did not already convey? It’s a a combination of RPG and knitting. It’s such an interesting combination that I’m curious to see the result. I don’t know how to knit so I would love to see if character leveling includes teaching the skills to knit… it’s an interesting idea, role-play to learn a real life skill.
“Find adventures, intrigue, and horror in this Slavic and Mediterranean inspired dark fantasy roleplaying game.
Welcome to the Kickstarter Page for a brand new Awaken book!
The Blood Of Salvora!
After the original Awaken: Core Rulebook we are very proud to show you the next step in the world of Awaken: The Blood Of Salvora. The purpose of this Kickstarter project is to print and release the book which will expand and deepen the game setting of Awaken.
The world of Awaken is full of constant strife and discord. It’s a world where the Great Cities fight for supremacy and leadership over the Alliance; a loose political association holding the territories of Salvora united. A world where ancient powers have resurfaced, in the form of Vasalli; humans that have undergone a physical change that has blessed and cursed them with mythical gifts, powers that were not meant for humans to have.
And with the world of Awaken still trying to recuperate from the fight with the Vargans, an ancient nemesis of all humankind; it is obvious that something in the world of Awaken is determined to test the survival instinct of all humankind.
But Awaken is not just a world filled with endless battles but a world that is filled with exploration and several places that are just waiting to be discovered by the player.
You don’t need the Blood of Salvora to enjoy Awaken, but having it will give you an expanded take on the world of Awaken as it describes settings and locations in much greater detail and further enriches your play in every way possible.
The Core Rulebook version that is available through this campaign will differ slightly from the original one. We have made some revisions in the wording, structure and even some of the rules that can be found within its pages.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
This is the next book for Awaken after the original core rulebook. There are books coming and a reorganization of the core rulebook, but it will not be a new edition. There are other expansions to the setting (which is dark fantasy). The art looks good and I’m interested to see what’s redone from the original printing.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“A new edition of Part-Time Gods that expands and enhances the core experience while adding tons of new material.
Part-Time Gods Second Edition (PTG2E) is the latest iteration of a tabletop roleplaying game about the balancing act between influential gods and the people, groups, and places in their lives that keep them tied to their humanity. This game gives players the tools to create their own gods and go on to tell dramatic, exciting, and engaging stories — the kind only PTG2Ecan deliver!
Here is the latest Q&A from Eloy Lasanta, creator of Part-Time Gods Second Edition.
Part-Time GodsSecond Edition is a roleplaying game about modern gods who must balance the mortal and divine natures of their new life. The game has many inspirations, from American Gods, The Almighty Johnsons, Thor comics, and the Percy Jackson novel series to name just a few. It can be used to tell a number of different stories:
Personal Struggles: Some stories explore more of the mortal side, how keeping a job is hard with monsters on your tail, and deal with exploring who the character truly is and what it means to be human.
Divine Conflicts: Many times, a god’s biggest enemy will be another god who wants what they have, whether it be their territory, relics, or even their mortal happiness. These stories erupt as god faces off against god in a back-and-forth that makes them thankful they have a pantheon to lean on.
Defending Territory: Other stories involve an onslaught of monsters, called Outsiders, as they come to the god’s territory to wage war or even just to live their own lives. Some Outsiders include hefty minotaurs, the unstoppable god-killers, or the blood-thirsty manananggal.
Quests: Some may want to dive headfirst into quests for mythological artifacts and hidden portals to lost worlds with untold dangers.
In Part-Time Gods Second Edition, you’ll explore what it’s like to gain awesome divine power, battle world-threatening Outsiders, and develop relationships with fellow members of your pantheon. Of course, being a god doesn’t pay the rent and it doesn’t excuse you from missing your sister’s wedding. You’ll need to make tough decisions to make it as a divine being in modern society—do you have time to help your fellow deities fend off impending doom before your sister walks down the aisle?
This game has a wealth of potential to explore stories about budding romances, the interactions of a pantheon making friends with enemies, and unlocking strange mysteries the universe would have preferred to stay secret. Every god has their good sides and their bad, each one creating a new window into who they are as people, but, when used correctly, opens the game to a host of story potential.
Long ago, an entity known as the Source visited humanity and gifted certain people with divine power. For a time, the world existed in a state of balance between order and chaos, between life and death, between divinity and mortality. That is until the gods waged war against the Source and eventually against each other to the point of near extinction.
The gods of today are shadows of what the old gods possessed. Their power has been heavily diminished and many choose to live a regular, mortal life, revealing themselves as gods only when absolutely necessary. Most have a job (or career if they’re lucky), friends, family, and everything that comes with being human, and work hard to protect these from harm. On the other side of the coin, they also possess a Dominion to command and oversee, a divine Territory to defend from intruders, secret societies they owe allegiances to (called Theologies), and other gods in their pantheon to try to get along with. This becomes their life, the balancing of the mundane and the strange. The gods belong to neither world completely, and each of them knows that delving too deeply into one means losing pieces of the other.
Part-Time Gods Second Edition delivers fully on it’s premise, with players playing less “all-powerful gods” and more “regular people who just so happen to be gods as well.” The character is as balanced as the themes, as players can draw from either side of their concept to solve problems. After a while, they’ll learn that being a god isn’t all roses and fun. There are real responsibilities involved, and they still have to hold down a day job to make ends meet. Using the Chakra System (from Ninja Crusade 2nd Edition), players roll pools of ten-sided dice (d10s) to determine success, with lots of ways to gain bonuses (more dice) and lots of in-story causes for penalties (less dice). It is truly a system designed to be engaged with, and one that enhances the story when players do so.
There are also several components to help the gods oversee their divine duties and protect their territory:
Choosing Your Dominion: A core piece of a character’s concept is… “What are you the god of?” Part-Time Gods Second Edition doesn’t limit players to a prewritten list of power. Instead, they can be the god of just about anything they can think of, from traditional concepts like the god of war or goddess of fire to unique Dominions like the goddess of whispers or the god of mourning.
Free Time/Wealth: A unique mechanic for Part-Time Gods Second Edition is the addition of Free Time, used for wise gods to attend to their responsibilities, and Wealth, the thing that makes the world go round. The two resources play together in a symphony of storytelling, leading to dramatic scenes and hard choices.
Territory Grid: The players are assumed to be a pantheon of gods assembled for a variety of reasons (i.e. friendships, mutual survival, sharing responsibilities, etc.) and in charge of their city, represented by the new Territory Grid. This map lets your group know who is where in the city, and allows for a new way to uncover secrets in your area.
Eloy Lasanta did me the honor of quoting me from my EN World review of the Part-Time Gods 2e quickstart for his current KS. For my part, I’m a fan of his work, to quote myself as to how much of a mark I am, “I reviewed Eloy Lasanta of Third Eye Games’Pip System Corebook on EN World, interviewed him about his AMP Year Four Kickstarter, and talked about my brief run-in with him at AndoCon.”
What do you do in Part-Time Gods Second Edition — Tabletop RPG? You’re a god, generally doing good, and you’re also a person, generally living your mundane life. The game has mechanics to make you work through every part of that character. It’s novel and well worth checking out.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
Hi, and welcome to the Agents of Concordia Kickstarter! It is thrilling to be online, and we look forward to creating this game together with you! This project is a long time coming, and we hope you will find the perfect place on your bookshelves, as well as in your game rooms, for Strangewood Studios’ favorite game: Agents of Concordia.
The game is a Pen & Paper RPG, set in a multiverse, where hundreds of magical fantasy worlds exist in parallel dimensions. On Earth, it’s the 1960’s, and residents there are kept in the dark regarding other worlds and races. The reason for this omission is linked to the flow of magic and the alignment of the multiverse (more on this further below). A large part of the multiverse is working together under a government called the UVA Concordia.
Each player takes the part of a special agent, working within the Concordia Central Intelligence (the C.C.I.). As a team, players will investigate different occurrences, try to thwart schemes, and stop threats against the Concord. They will be aided by magical equipment, their sharp wits, and honed skills.
The rules for the game are easy to learn (especially if you’ve played one or two RPGs in the past) and support a lot of stunts, high-octane action, and dynamic character progression.
Multiple worlds: With a large number of different worlds in the Concord, there are no limits to the variation of missions and adversaries. Here you’ll find everything from magic to hi-tech and from jungle ruins to never-ending floating cities.
Science Fantasy: Play as a 9′ Ogre Investigator or a 3′ Marmoseti Weaponsmith; use mysticism and rituals, as well as guns and lab-equipment; and travel by gate or aether-fueled rocket car. Here, mystic fantasy meets 1960’s tech.
Story driven rules: Created to be streamlined and fast-paced, the game system is easy to use and we’ve kept the fancy rule mechanics to the downtime of the game. Lots of character progress and management between session (if you want) but no need for page-flipping when you’re in the middle of the action.
Veterancy system: Tired of prancing through the adventure only to botch EVERY SINGLE ROLL against the final boss? The veterancy system allows you to prioritize a few rolls or stunts so that you can have a greater chance of success with each adventure.
Modular setting: This game offers you the ultimate freedom. There is a section in the book for creating your own worlds, creatures and playable classes, and enough room in the multiverse to include them. If you want restrictions, feel free to use the parameters already in place. If you want creative freedom, start making all the worlds and creatures you want for your campaign!
Words matter: All rolls in the game can be subject to Support and Cripple effects. These are standardized bonuses you get from items, abilities or conditions. This means that every time you wonder “Should my wings give me a bonus on jumping?” or “Should the bullet in my shoulder give me a penalty in swimming?” The only thing the GM has to wonder about is “YES” or “NO”.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
What if the 1960s were magical? And you were part of the government conspiracy to keep magic in-check? This game could be interesting because you are playing a character of dubious nature. It’s an interesting idea for a RPG.
Wanna-lancer™ Checklist T-shirt available at Cafepress
Interested in being a wanna-lancer? Start with the official Wanna-lancer Checklist t-shirt orwall clock or ice tea glass!
* * * * * *
Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by:
This week let’s look at two Savage Worlds, one Call of Cthulhu, one 5e,and one 13th Age RPG Kickstarters. In each of these, there is a moment of continuity where these campaigns build on prior work from continuing Lankhmar to giving Elmore and Miskatonic Valley new homes to continuing the learning curve of a new creator to the finished version of an adventure, or just another great product from a company I covered toward the beginning of this column’s life. These continuations are worth checking out.
“Fritz Leiber’s best-selling tales of Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser come alive in Pinnacle’s Savage Worlds Lankhmar: City of Thieves setting!
A Kickstarter Booster for Lankhmar: City of Thieves!
In the City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokes, danger lurks down every dark alley. Sinister sorcerers summon terrible forces in their crumbling towers. Treacherous rogues of the Thieves’ Guild prowl the Plaza of Dark Delights. Assassins from the Slayers’ Brotherhood work the Tenderloin District. And hunched figures skitter beneath the streets, waiting for their chance to rise.
Now your party of warriors and scoundrels can expand their adventures beyond Lankhmar to the high seas of Nehwon. They might venture to the Sea of Stars to confront priests of the ancient and terrible Mokrath, or book passage to Rime Isle and fall prey to “The Thing From Below.”
The Savage Seas of Nehwon contains everything a Game Master needs to create incredible tales of high sea-based adventures for Lankhmar or ANY fantasy Savage Setting, including:
The Seas of Nehwon: Overviews of the Inner Sea, Outer Sea, Frozen Sea, Sea of Stars, Sea of the East, and Lankhmar’s docks and harbors.
Characters: New Edges, Hindrances, powers, and Setting Rules dealing with ships and the sea.
Ships: Statistics for the various ocean-going vessels of Nehwon, Setting Rules, naval maneuvers, and rules for savage storms!
Adventure Generator: A complete adventure generator for creating your own fantastic Savage Tales!
Savage Tales: Sea-based adventures in Fritz Leiber’s incredible style, such as “Jewel of the Deep,” “Queen of the Sunken Realm,” “Bride of the Golden Isle,” and more!
Denizens of the Deep: New beasts to drag your heroes from the decks of their ships to the briny depths!
We want to support our settings after the core releases and have been trying to figure out how for a while. So we’re trying a “Booster” as an experiment. You might think it’s easy for an established company like Pinnacle to just put new product into the retail chain, but it’s not (See “Why Kickstarter?” below).
Right now, Kickstarter is still the best place for many of our customers who don’t have a local game store, or whose game store doesn’t carry Savage Worlds, to find out about and pick up our games. We’ll still do our big, full-on Kickstarters just like we’ve done before for our new settings and other big projects. But creating all the Stretch Goals and extra products we need to support those doesn’t make sense for a follow-on book, so we’re doing something a little different…the Booster.
If it works out, you’ll see more of these. (We’ve got books for The Last Parsec and Savage Rifts® already in the works.)
So what does all that mean for you? Pledge for Savage Seas and we’ll give you the Booster Rewards listed below (including a REALLY cool adventure written by Shane Hensley that follows on with the work he did on the original 1992 TSR boxed set for Dungeons & Dragons!)”
The 1996 TSR boxed set for Dungeons & Dragons, written by Shane Hensley!
Egg’s Thoughts:
My first introduction to Savage Worlds was the free Savage Worlds: Test Drive 2015 quickstart set in Lankhmar. The price point combined with the familiar setting let me sample, and enjoy, Savage Worlds. I’m excited about this Kickstarter boost (and the concept of “boosts”. I hope to see more of them). In this age of kickstart-and-forget products, where a project may obtain amazing levels of crowdfunding, produce the book, but never delve into a follow-up book, I salute Pinnacle Entertainment Groupfor expanding their Lankhmar setting/license. Demonstrating their investment in the setting keeps me interested in it (knowing there’s more material to work with) so I can’t wait to see the Savage Seas of Nehwon.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
THE BOOK OF DARK SECRETS project is composed of 2 books that are to be in digital pdf and high-quality printed softcover or hardcover formats. Both books will be 200+ pages long. Each of the 2 books is D&D 5e and Pathfinder-compatible and for PCs between levels 1-20. NOTE – There is more to each book than just adventures. Please read to find out more. Here are a few more characteristics for each book:
THE LOST TOMES – Volume 1 + DEMON BOX of RAYNETH
THE LOST TOMES – Volume 1 – 16 adventures based on a secret society known as THE LOST TOME SOCIETY. This society is made up of 16 of the very best NPCs the players might ever come across. Experts in their chosen fields, and all of them have some form of a tarnished history and back story. The 16 founding members of The Lost Tome Society are making amends for their misdeeds by hunting down the greatest and most powerful relics, artifacts, magic items and pieces of lost lore while destroying evil along the way. PCs are tasked to on adventures of 16
very diverse types, genres, as well as a different look, tone and feel
kind of variety.
The 16 LOST TOME SOCIETY founding members.
Each of the 16 adventures is based around a founding member’s special skill set and the missions that correspond to said skill set. There is a FREE, 45-page PREVIEW BOOK that can be downloaded from Dropbox, but in a nutshell, these 16 adventures are based around the following: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/428501801/1639442857?ref=8r6u5b&token=bbf144db
• 16 Bios on each of the 16 founders of THE LOST TOME SOCIETY
• 16 short adventures based on the 16 founders’ skill sets
• Multiple pieces of ART, MAPS, DIAGRAMS and PLAYER HANDOUTS
• Map of The Lost Tome Society and where the members and scholars eat, sleep and play
• Compatibility charts that show how each of the 16 founders thinks of each other
THE BOOK OF DARK SECRETS – Volume 1 – The 20 Sigils of Power
THE BOOK OF DARK SECRETS – Volume 1 – 20-26 short, fill-in adventures between 5-12+ pages each. Perfect for when the DM/GM runs out of adventure content, the session ends too early, or the campaign needs a bit of a fresh boost. 20-26 D&D 5e and Pathfinder-compatible adventures for PCs between levels 1-20.
A collection of 5 + 1 FREE PDF samples can be found below. Please note that these 5 + 1 FREE PDF samples are from previously published DBD titles and are NOT actual content that will be in either of these 2 books. ENJOY!
• The 20 SECRET powers of THE AMULET OF POWER
(pictured above)
• 20-26 short adventures that are all 100% BRAND NEW, UNIQUE and diverse
• Multiple pieces of ART, MAPS, DIAGRAMS and PLAYER HANDOUTS”
Egg’s Thoughts:
Matthew A. Bogdan of Dark by Dezign is all-energy. I reached out to him for an interview on the Open Gaming Network (here) and he opened up and shared facts, hard numbers, and what he was looking for from this project. Each book offers interesting adventures for 5e and Pathfinder that have a unique feel. I believe that he is going to deliver on his campaign and, likely, over-deliver. I can’t swear they’ll be thicker books that roll out for Halloween, but I suspect it heavily. But, don’t take my word for it, read the interview I did with him or his interview on Dan Davenport’s site.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere or at the OpenGamingStorehere.
“A curse. A cave. A crawl. 1st level scenario for the world’s most popular roleplaying game!
I’m returning to my personal and professional gaming roots with a 32-page adventure for 5th edition of the original fantasy roleplaying game—a cavern crawl built to please hack-and-slash groups and storytellers alike!
I started playing fantasy roleplaying games in 1982 at seven years old. (Yes, THAT fantasy RPG.) As an adult I accidentally stumbled into a career publishing supplements and adventures for THAT game along with designing RPG systems of my own. Check out my Goodreads page or visit my website for more info.
Last year I was in Texas for a regional game convention, and while in my booth I scribbled out two pages worth of adventure notes for 5th Edition of the world’s oldest and most popular roleplaying game (yes, THAT one) and ran a few players through it before we packed up and drove back to Atlanta.
Then I sat down and typed about ten thousand words. Very quickly this became a real thing. The adventure premiered at the Origins Game Fair in 2017 with an Early Access edition.
Interest and sales of the Early Access version surprised me, and we’ve gotten great response to from groups that have run through it.
We want to offer a high-quality product and keep the price low for tabletop game retailers and the folks who shop at them. Our initial goal will let us pay everyone who’s helped with this product a fair wage, print enough to sell through distribution channels, and keep our business going. If we blow past the initial amount we will offer stretch goals that enhance and upgrade the product for everyone!
The Early Access version is complete, which means every backer at the $5 level or higher will receive a fully-playable PDF once the backer surveys are complete. These files will be automatically upgraded to the final version once the adventure has gone to press!
The “dungeon crawl” in the cave takes up most of the Early Access edition. The final version will expand the town of Shadowhaven where the story begins, providing adventure hooks to get the heroes involved in the mystery that threatens the community—as well as a potentially dangerous journey to the tomb of the town’s founder, whose bones rest in a cavern under a hill. The encounters and ending will be rewritten slightly and adjusted based on playtest feedback.
“Coblynau” by Lindsay Archer — a new fey creature!
The black-and-white map of the main dungeon is complete, as well as a few interior illustrations. These will be supplemented by additional artwork and a full-color poster version of the map by artist Ben Mund (Serenity Atlas of the ‘Verse) that can be printed at 36″ x 48″ that will provide an attractive set-piece for gamers who enjoy a visual and tactical experience.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
I followed the early edition of this game and its IndieGoGo campaign here and here. I enjoyed the DIY version of the crawl; now, I’m looking forward to the finished product.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“‘New Tales from Miskatonic Valley’ 2nd Edition produced under license for the Call of Cthulhu RPG by Chaosium Inc.
New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley returns!
Lauded as authentically Lovecraftian and much loved for of its mood and style, New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley returns with a full-colour second edition. With its new art, varied formats (PDF, Kindle, softcover, and hardback), and an extra scenario, this Kickstarter will make its rightful return to print, uplifted to Call of Cthulhu, 7th Edition.
Call of Cthulhu is the Registered Trademark of Chaosium Inc., and is used with their permission. www.chaosium.com
Miskatonic River Press released New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley to great acclaim and it quickly became a favourite among Call of Cthulhu Keepers. Its faithful adherence to Lovecraftian themes and its location along the dark river it takes its name from, meant a return to an authentic home for many players who cut their anti-mythos teeth on earlier adventures set in the valley.
Started by Keith ‘Doc’ Herber and Tom Lynch, it quickly marked MRP as a company to watch. Tragically, Doc passed away while working on a subsequent title (Our Ladies of Sorrow with Kevin Ross) but Tom kept his dream alive and grew upon it with further books. Sadly, MRP closed its doors a couple of years ago and the titles have been out of print as Tom Lynch focused on writing fiction and his family.
Last year, Stygian Fox purchased four titles from Tom Lynch/MRP in order to bring them back to players of the world’s greatest horror game and in turn, we aim to release new and updated versions of New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley, More Adventures in Arkham Country, Our Ladies of Sorrow, and Tales of the Sleepless City.
In New Tales of the Miskatonic Valley, there are currently six scenarios and we aim to add a seventh set in the valley or Innsmouth (although Innsmouth isn’t in the Miskatonic Valley it is such an integral part of Lovecraft Country as to be hard to ignore). The original is black and white and 130 pages. We aim to increase that to 160 pages and to make it full colour with all new art.”
Egg’s Thoughts:
This product represents a rebirth. On EN World, I touched on some of the issues that Miskatonic River Press experienced with another CoC Kickstarter – including the end of MRP. What Stygian Fox Publishing did by purchasing MRP’s contents and creating this Kickstarter represents the restoration of one of the better licensed 3PP Call of Cthulhu products. By going this route, Stygian is letting gamers enjoy books that might have faded away, and I salute them for doing this.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“The Overworld and Beyond, planar adventures for the 13th Age Roleplaying Game by the legendary Ash Law.
Journey to the Planes with Ash Law!
The Overworld and Beyond presents planar-hopping adventures for the 13th Age roleplaying game. It includes a backwater setting that includes towns, wilderness, and gates to other worlds, all ready for you to incorporate into your gameworld.
Adventure for All Tiers of Play
The Carrow Hills a perfect sandbox for adventure-tier play. Hooks, rumors, and NPCs are all interwoven to create a setting where the locals think being close to other planes is just the way thing are.
Attack of the Koblins a champion-tier adventure. What are these strange creatures warped by transdimensional energies, and why are they striking out at innocent people?
Further Adventures in the Carrow Hills give the GM a collection of champion-tier adventure hooks that tie into what’s happened before, and foreshadow the epic-tier challenges ahead.
Into the Overworld presents the party with an epic-tier problem that won’t be solved without traveling to many planes
There’s a 5th-6th level adventure that has PCs up against forces from another world.
There’s a 9th-10th level adventure that has the PCs traveling to myriad other planes: the City at the Edge of Dawn, the Elemental Realms, the Fleshscape, the Green, the Lightless Realm, and the Middenlands.
The project includes pages of adventure hooks, a bestiary, 13 Weird Worlds, 13 Peculiar People, and more!”
Egg’s Thoughts:
A new planar option for 13th Age is a win, but why I think this’ll be a great product is because of their prior work, TheGods Have Spoken. I covered Dread Unicorn GamesThe Gods Have Spoken for 5ehere (13th Age edition available here). That game is alive with quirky detail and fun art. If The Overworld and Beyond approaches that level of good, it’ll be well worth adding to your library.
You can see examples of their work at DriveThruRPGhere.
“This project brings Larry Elmore’s Sovereign Stone to the Savage Worlds game system.
Loerem is a world of beauty and enchantment created by renowned fantasy artist Larry Elmore, with development from New York Times best-selling authors Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Through Elmore’s vivid visual renditions of unique personalities, clashing nations, fantastical creatures, and enchanting landscapes alongside a saga weaved by Weis & Hickman, the culmination chronicled the mortals’ struggle to master the unfathomable power of the Sovereign Stone given them from the gods — an artifact forged for peace among races but which ignited war between brothers.
Applied Vectors LTD are pleased to be bringing this wonderful world into the Savage Worlds fold. This Kickstarter is to fund the development of the game and cover writing and layout costs. This will be built from the ground up specifically for Savage Worlds (this is no mere conversion).
This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. Savage Worlds and all associated logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Used with permission. Pinnacle makes no representation or warranty as to the quality, viability, or suitability for purpose of this product.
The game requires a copy of Savage Worlds that can be purchased from the Pinnacle Entertainment Group store.
The Sovereign Stone
The Sovereign Stone is a lustrous crystal pyramid of four triangles that form a quadrangle at the base and come together in a point at the apex. Approximately sixteen inches tall, the artifact is carved of a single piece of crystal. It was given to King Tamaros of the Vinnengalean Empire, and in order to broker peace, he separated it into four equal pieces. One quarter went to the humans, one to the elves, one to the orks, and the last to the dwarves.
Here is where the story grows murky, clouded over with rumors and tales, few of which can be believed. One thing that is known for certain is that an army led by one of the King’s sons marched on the city, and consequently the human portion of the stone was lost in a cataclysmic explosion which obliterated Old Vinnengael and left very few survivors, little accurate accounts are told of those last, terrible days. Much of what people know about King Tamaros and the Sovereign Stone is rumor and myth that has been building for the past two hundred years.
Since that day men have quested for the lost part of the Sovereign Stone to no avail. Old Vinnengael is now a cursed and abhorrent landmark. Few who venture there ever return alive, but still there are those brave or foolish enough to attempt it, drawn by the magic that pervades the city ruins and the riches said to be buried in the rubble.
There are accounts of a dark army marching across Loerem from the west, but few trust the tales. Still, some learned scholars have renewed their efforts to find the lost portion of the Sovereign Stone and reunite its parts in order to combat this or any other threat to the people of Loerem.
Do you dare trespass into Old Vinnengael or are you brave enough to face the threat from the west?”
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Egg Embry wrote comic book short stories, edited comic book series, wrote and drew a webcomic, and contributed to comic book journalism across the 2000s. Now, he buys the opportunity to write for a variety of tabletop role-playing games in the tradition of vanity press. His purchases have been published by:
Amazon has let it be known that its forthcoming Tolkien series will be a prequel to JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. While looking for information about this prequel, reporters at the Tessera Guild unearthed a treasure trove of information when they contacted the Tolkien estate, who directed us to a prequel novelization.
[UPDATED 2019-01-30 at 02:30 PM EST]
From Dark Naga Adventures (Kevin Watson). Read my interview with Kevin 
From Thunderegg Productions (Jacob DC Ross) [UPDATED 2019-01-11 at 1:15 AM EST]:
From Reign Dragon Press (SM Hillman) [UPDATED 2019-01-18 at 11:30 AM EST]:
Higher Grounds Publishing (Ray Machuga): Ray is the game designer and publisher of the 
From Modiphius Entertainment – The home of tabletop storytelling:
From Lee Garvin:
From Jason Brick:
About Modiphius Entertainment – The home of tabletop storytelling. A UK- based tabletop games publisher, Modiphius Entertainment launched in 2013 with the World War Two horror themed Achtung! Cthulhu universe and went on to create licensed tabletop roleplaying, miniatures, and boardgames for Mutant Chronicles, Thunderbirds, Conan, John Carter of Mars, Infinity, Star Trek Adventures and Fallout: Wasteland Warfare. Modiphius is providing one copy of Achtung! Cthulhu – FATE Guide to the Secret War to help Jeremy out.
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As mentioned above, for the 
Beyond what I wrote, I also bought a few items. From the 
