Welcome back to our weekly look at tabletop roleplaying game, and accessories, crowdfunding roundup! Each week we’ll be looking at a few campaigns currently running that have caught our eye as well occasionally speaking to some of the creators about their campaigns, or looking at some of the ‘behind the scenes’ business aspects of putting together, launching, operating and then delivering a crowdfunded project. If you have anything you’d like us to cover, or questions about anything we talk about, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or contact me directly.
[h=3]World of Aetaltis RPG Campaign Setting for Fifth Edition by Marc Tassin[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Tuesday 11th October 2016; 20:30 UTC)
View attachment 76711
Aetaltis is a world of classic heroic fantasy in the vein of settings such as Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Shannara, Kyrnn and Thieves World. The campaign is looking to unlock a wealth of products upon achieving its funding goal – three 112 page hardcovers (Adventurer’s Guide, Player’s Guide, Game Master’s Guide), a Game Master’s Screen, Character Sheet Pad, Inspirational Tokens, Essence Counters, Character Pawns and a 160 page location book called Heroes of Thornwall… and that’s before they start looking at the stretch goals (and they have a few years worth of game line mapped out giving a glimpse into their long term plans which will take place beyond this Kickstarter and quite possibly into subsequent crowdfunding campaigns if this one is successful).
More than three hundred years have passed since the fall of the Atlan Alliance, and the people of Aetaltis have finally brought order to their fractured world. Fledgling nations have grown into powerful kingdoms, thriving merchant states have re-established old trade routes, and the priests of the Enaros have rebuilt their great temples. But in this time of hope, the shadow of an ancient evil is rising once again.
Deep beneath the surface of Aetaltis lurk the armies of the fallen god Endroren. For centuries, an order of holy knights known as the Warders of Alantra maintained powerful mystic seals that held the forces of darkness at bay, but when the Alliance fell, so did many of the ancient orders – including the Warders. Now, after centuries of neglect, the wards are failing, and the dark ones have returned.
For the first time since the Age of Darkness, orcs, goblins, trolls, and a host of other fiendish monsters threaten the good people of the world. They strike with unrestrained cruelty; attacking, killing, and destroying all that lies before them. The recently reborn holy orders have combined their divine strength with the temporal power of the new kingdoms to face this growing threat, but the dark ones are many and the defenders are few.
But, there is hope!
Lord Drakewyn of New Erinor has called upon the brave men and women of his land to take up arms against their common foe. In response, a small army of independent heroes, known as adventurers, has joined the struggle. These stalwart men and women fight the battles ordinary soldiers cannot fight, go where the holy orders dare not go, and serve as beacons of hope in a world growing darker with each passing day. From hardened dwarven warriors to crafty cheebatan rogues, from fleet-footed fey scouts to mysterious Selenthean mages, these brave souls provide what ultimately may prove to be the only hope for the people of this troubled land.”
[h=3]Tiny Frontiers: Mecha and Monsters by Gallant Knight Games[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Friday 30th September 2016; 18:44 UTC)
Tiny Frontiers: Mecha & Monsters is the first standalone game expansion to the Tiny Frontiers ruleset which successfully funded in May, and pits giant stompy robots defending civilization against giant awakened monsters and deep space hybrids.
The game wears its very obvious influences proudly and apart from being a fan of the ‘big robot vs big monster’ genre I was also attracted to this campaign because of the brilliant artwork by Tan Ho Sim.
The rules system is light and simple and the book offers a variety of ‘micro-settings’ full of adventure hooks and designed to be able to be picked up and played without much preparation for the time-strapped GM.
“All of the micro-settings come with some story, some fluff, and a single rule that is designed to be unique to that particular micro-setting.”
There are four initial micro-settings available in the book, with more being unlocked as stretch goals.
The initial four range from the Martian Mobile Army defending the terraformed planet against space-borne kaiju attacks, to giant mecha cities housing the last bastions of humanity as they are hunted by the kaiju that has all but made humankind extinct, Humanity’s Aquatic Strike Force fighting twisted beasts that have been woken from the depths of our oceans, or taking part in the finals of Metzger Robotics Championship and the Patel Bioengineering Tournament.
[h=3]The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign by Scott Taylor[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Wednesday 21st September 2016; 18:00 UTC)
Art of the Genre are the company behind the popular Folio series of Kickstarters but this time they are turning their hand to a ‘mega-dungeon’, for both 1st and 5th Edition fantasy rule sets. The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign is compiled from Folio’s 1-6 and named as a tribute to gaming artist Jim Roslof, the cover artist of the classic B2 Keep on the Borderlands adventure.
“It encapsulates the struggle of your characters joining the Company of the Ivory Scimitar as they take on the dangers of a ‘living’ dungeon in hopes of finding the key to immortality. Six detailed levels broken down in both 3D and 2D (classic blue) maps help spin a story of adventure, struggle, martial prowess, and ingenuity in doing something no other adventuring company has ever been able to do, defeat the Infernal Machine that drives the dungeon.
This unabridged version will include 6 gazetteers, 6 adventures, 6 mini-adventures toflesh out the campaign, Races of the Nameless Realms supplement, and 2 character sheets (one each for 1E & 5E). Our goal is to attempt to replicate the 128 page format of the old TSR ‘orange bound’ AD&D series of hardcovers from the early 1980’s, and like those hardcovers this will be covered with brand new commission artwork by artist Jeff Easley who did all the covers.”
[h=3]Slaughter at Splinterfang Gorge (5e, Pathfinder) by Brian Berg[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Sunday 25th September 2016; 09:11 UTC)
TPK Games are looking at producing not one, but two, dual-statted adventures through this campaign. Slaughter at Splinterfang Gorge and Noble Cause, Bloodied Hands, both written by William Tucker (Hackmaster).
Slaughter at Splinterfang Gorge (5th Level)
“The elven thorp of Var’Lande has been destroyed, its citizens slain and a number of elven children taken captive. The evidence left behind indicates that the raiders were goblinoid, efficient, and beyond ruthless. As the centennial event known as the Garnet Gales Aurora dominates the sky, an unholy ritual is being prepared. A great evil rises as foul mantras are screamed within the chasm that holds his tomb. He is awake. His power grows. His minions are ready to do his bidding once again. If this manifestation of destruction is not stopped here, the crimson hue that currently floods the land will not just be from the light of the aurora… Spragnokk must be stopped… at Splinger-fang Gorge.”
Noble Cause, Bloodied Hands (6th – 8th Level)
“Julip Vellaway, the young wife of Baron Bruce Dunhare, has been murdered, prompting a realm-wide manhunt for the killers. The trail leads to Tibud, a port city rife with crime and corruption. Within the metropolis’ narrow alleyways, a new thieves’ guild had emerges, its members said to have the very shadows under their command. The bodies left in the wake of this guild have wounds similar to that of the noblewoman. Bounty Hunter Terent Segnar knows this is more than just coincidence. The guild’s hideout is vast and full of hazards, the dwellers wandering the underground vaults are not all human, and the evidence found within could very well damn two nations into war. Segnar need your help.”
[h=3]Trudvang Chronicles by RiotMinds[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Sunday 2nd October 2016; 14:57 UTC)
I covered the Trudvang Chronicles in an article on EN World when the campaign launched, but it’s worth mentioning it here in the weekly column too for those of you who may have missed it.
Trudvang Chronicles is an English translation of a Swedish game set in a dark Nordic/Celtic fantasy setting. The artwork is some of the best I’ve ever seen in a game, with artists such as Paul Bonner providing much of the work. I’d strongly suggest checking this one out, or having a read of my previous article about the game.
[h=3]Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, Powered by GURPS by Steve Jackson Games[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Friday 30th September 2016; 22:00 UTC)
Steve Jackson Games are celebrating the 30th anniversary of GURPS with a Kickstarter to fund the GURPS powered Dungeon Fantasy Boxed Set. Packed full with a host of books, combat maps, dice, and cardboard figures, the box is standalone and contains everything you need to play.
You can read more about the game here on EN World.
*****
If you like what we do here at EN World (the Forums, Columns, News, ENnies, etc) and would like to help support us to bring you MORE please consider supporting our Patreon. Even a single dollar helps
Thanks!
If you have a forthcoming Kickstarter, or see one that excites you, please feel free to drop me an email on angus.abranson@gmail.com You can follow me on Twitter @ Angus_A or on Facebook where I often post about gaming.
Until next week, have fun and happy gaming!
Angus Abranson
[h=3]World of Aetaltis RPG Campaign Setting for Fifth Edition by Marc Tassin[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Tuesday 11th October 2016; 20:30 UTC)
View attachment 76711
Aetaltis is a world of classic heroic fantasy in the vein of settings such as Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Shannara, Kyrnn and Thieves World. The campaign is looking to unlock a wealth of products upon achieving its funding goal – three 112 page hardcovers (Adventurer’s Guide, Player’s Guide, Game Master’s Guide), a Game Master’s Screen, Character Sheet Pad, Inspirational Tokens, Essence Counters, Character Pawns and a 160 page location book called Heroes of Thornwall… and that’s before they start looking at the stretch goals (and they have a few years worth of game line mapped out giving a glimpse into their long term plans which will take place beyond this Kickstarter and quite possibly into subsequent crowdfunding campaigns if this one is successful).
“A TIME OF SHADOWS, AN AGE OF HEROES
More than three hundred years have passed since the fall of the Atlan Alliance, and the people of Aetaltis have finally brought order to their fractured world. Fledgling nations have grown into powerful kingdoms, thriving merchant states have re-established old trade routes, and the priests of the Enaros have rebuilt their great temples. But in this time of hope, the shadow of an ancient evil is rising once again.
Deep beneath the surface of Aetaltis lurk the armies of the fallen god Endroren. For centuries, an order of holy knights known as the Warders of Alantra maintained powerful mystic seals that held the forces of darkness at bay, but when the Alliance fell, so did many of the ancient orders – including the Warders. Now, after centuries of neglect, the wards are failing, and the dark ones have returned.
For the first time since the Age of Darkness, orcs, goblins, trolls, and a host of other fiendish monsters threaten the good people of the world. They strike with unrestrained cruelty; attacking, killing, and destroying all that lies before them. The recently reborn holy orders have combined their divine strength with the temporal power of the new kingdoms to face this growing threat, but the dark ones are many and the defenders are few.
But, there is hope!
Lord Drakewyn of New Erinor has called upon the brave men and women of his land to take up arms against their common foe. In response, a small army of independent heroes, known as adventurers, has joined the struggle. These stalwart men and women fight the battles ordinary soldiers cannot fight, go where the holy orders dare not go, and serve as beacons of hope in a world growing darker with each passing day. From hardened dwarven warriors to crafty cheebatan rogues, from fleet-footed fey scouts to mysterious Selenthean mages, these brave souls provide what ultimately may prove to be the only hope for the people of this troubled land.”
[h=3]Tiny Frontiers: Mecha and Monsters by Gallant Knight Games[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Friday 30th September 2016; 18:44 UTC)
Tiny Frontiers: Mecha & Monsters is the first standalone game expansion to the Tiny Frontiers ruleset which successfully funded in May, and pits giant stompy robots defending civilization against giant awakened monsters and deep space hybrids.
The game wears its very obvious influences proudly and apart from being a fan of the ‘big robot vs big monster’ genre I was also attracted to this campaign because of the brilliant artwork by Tan Ho Sim.
The rules system is light and simple and the book offers a variety of ‘micro-settings’ full of adventure hooks and designed to be able to be picked up and played without much preparation for the time-strapped GM.
“All of the micro-settings come with some story, some fluff, and a single rule that is designed to be unique to that particular micro-setting.”
There are four initial micro-settings available in the book, with more being unlocked as stretch goals.
The initial four range from the Martian Mobile Army defending the terraformed planet against space-borne kaiju attacks, to giant mecha cities housing the last bastions of humanity as they are hunted by the kaiju that has all but made humankind extinct, Humanity’s Aquatic Strike Force fighting twisted beasts that have been woken from the depths of our oceans, or taking part in the finals of Metzger Robotics Championship and the Patel Bioengineering Tournament.
[h=3]The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign by Scott Taylor[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Wednesday 21st September 2016; 18:00 UTC)
Art of the Genre are the company behind the popular Folio series of Kickstarters but this time they are turning their hand to a ‘mega-dungeon’, for both 1st and 5th Edition fantasy rule sets. The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign is compiled from Folio’s 1-6 and named as a tribute to gaming artist Jim Roslof, the cover artist of the classic B2 Keep on the Borderlands adventure.
“It encapsulates the struggle of your characters joining the Company of the Ivory Scimitar as they take on the dangers of a ‘living’ dungeon in hopes of finding the key to immortality. Six detailed levels broken down in both 3D and 2D (classic blue) maps help spin a story of adventure, struggle, martial prowess, and ingenuity in doing something no other adventuring company has ever been able to do, defeat the Infernal Machine that drives the dungeon.
This unabridged version will include 6 gazetteers, 6 adventures, 6 mini-adventures toflesh out the campaign, Races of the Nameless Realms supplement, and 2 character sheets (one each for 1E & 5E). Our goal is to attempt to replicate the 128 page format of the old TSR ‘orange bound’ AD&D series of hardcovers from the early 1980’s, and like those hardcovers this will be covered with brand new commission artwork by artist Jeff Easley who did all the covers.”
[h=3]Slaughter at Splinterfang Gorge (5e, Pathfinder) by Brian Berg[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Sunday 25th September 2016; 09:11 UTC)
TPK Games are looking at producing not one, but two, dual-statted adventures through this campaign. Slaughter at Splinterfang Gorge and Noble Cause, Bloodied Hands, both written by William Tucker (Hackmaster).
Slaughter at Splinterfang Gorge (5th Level)
“The elven thorp of Var’Lande has been destroyed, its citizens slain and a number of elven children taken captive. The evidence left behind indicates that the raiders were goblinoid, efficient, and beyond ruthless. As the centennial event known as the Garnet Gales Aurora dominates the sky, an unholy ritual is being prepared. A great evil rises as foul mantras are screamed within the chasm that holds his tomb. He is awake. His power grows. His minions are ready to do his bidding once again. If this manifestation of destruction is not stopped here, the crimson hue that currently floods the land will not just be from the light of the aurora… Spragnokk must be stopped… at Splinger-fang Gorge.”
Noble Cause, Bloodied Hands (6th – 8th Level)
“Julip Vellaway, the young wife of Baron Bruce Dunhare, has been murdered, prompting a realm-wide manhunt for the killers. The trail leads to Tibud, a port city rife with crime and corruption. Within the metropolis’ narrow alleyways, a new thieves’ guild had emerges, its members said to have the very shadows under their command. The bodies left in the wake of this guild have wounds similar to that of the noblewoman. Bounty Hunter Terent Segnar knows this is more than just coincidence. The guild’s hideout is vast and full of hazards, the dwellers wandering the underground vaults are not all human, and the evidence found within could very well damn two nations into war. Segnar need your help.”
[h=3]Trudvang Chronicles by RiotMinds[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Sunday 2nd October 2016; 14:57 UTC)
I covered the Trudvang Chronicles in an article on EN World when the campaign launched, but it’s worth mentioning it here in the weekly column too for those of you who may have missed it.
Trudvang Chronicles is an English translation of a Swedish game set in a dark Nordic/Celtic fantasy setting. The artwork is some of the best I’ve ever seen in a game, with artists such as Paul Bonner providing much of the work. I’d strongly suggest checking this one out, or having a read of my previous article about the game.
[h=3]Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, Powered by GURPS by Steve Jackson Games[/h]
(Campaign Ends : Friday 30th September 2016; 22:00 UTC)
Steve Jackson Games are celebrating the 30th anniversary of GURPS with a Kickstarter to fund the GURPS powered Dungeon Fantasy Boxed Set. Packed full with a host of books, combat maps, dice, and cardboard figures, the box is standalone and contains everything you need to play.
You can read more about the game here on EN World.
*****
If you like what we do here at EN World (the Forums, Columns, News, ENnies, etc) and would like to help support us to bring you MORE please consider supporting our Patreon. Even a single dollar helps
If you have a forthcoming Kickstarter, or see one that excites you, please feel free to drop me an email on angus.abranson@gmail.com You can follow me on Twitter @ Angus_A or on Facebook where I often post about gaming.
Until next week, have fun and happy gaming!
Angus Abranson
