RPG Crowdfunding News – Twisted Taverns, Traveller, Everway, and more

This week, I review some of the RPG crowdfunding projects and quickstarters that end in February and March. As of this writing, I am tracking over 230 RPG crowdfunding projects, but space is limited so I can only cover a fraction of those. Here are a sampling of the ones that spoke to me.

The Seeker's Guide to Twisted Taverns from Eldermancy

• END DATE: Sat, March 6 2021 10:01 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $55 plus S/H for the PDF and hardcover of the book plus maps
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This book offers 14 taverns and inns, story hooks, and their appropriate NPCs. From Eldermancy and Runesmith on Youtube, this book fills out the where-to-meet/how-to-get-started portion of the campaign freeing you up to build from there. If you’re interested, there are a number of additional items listed on the campaign page.

Traveller: Mercenary Campaigns in the Far Future from Mongoose Publishing

• END DATE: Sun, March 7 2021 4:59 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Traveller
• PROJECT TYPE: Source boxed set
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £125 plus free shipping worldwide for the PDFs, boxed set, pencils, pens, cards, dice, weapon’s guide, and more
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Traveller needs mercenary companies and this boxed set gives you a lot to work with. It includes three boxes to bring these factions to your gaming table. If you’re not already a Traveller fan, but are interested, they have a free preview of the first book, Mercenaries in the Far Future, linked through the campaign page.

Everway Mythic Roleplaying Game from The Everway Company

• END DATE: Fri, March 5 2021 12:00 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Everway
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $120 plus S/H for the PDFs and hardcovers of both books
• TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: EVERWAY Silver Anniversary Edition - Gateway Book (Free)
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Jonathan Tweet and crew bring back Everway for its 25th anniversary with revised and expanded books, cards, and more. If you’re looking for a tarot card driven RPG, this one has a great pedigree, quotes from some of gaming’s top creators, and a free preview. Book 1: Players contains 368 pages detailing what the players need to know and Book 2: Gamemasters has 400 pages of gaming rules and serves as a Fortune Deck to be used in the game (just flip to a random page).

Under the Seas of Vodari - Aquatic Adventuring for 5e from Tribality Publishing

• END DATE: Fri, March 5 2021 12:00 PM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $95 plus free worldwide shipping for the PDF and hardcover of the book, 126-page quickstart guide, maps, tokens, and more
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This is the 200-page sequel to The Seas of Vodari, and it lets you deep dive [See what I did there?] an underwater campaign setting. Want to play an undersea character? Want to get your favorite surface dweller into the sea? This book has the tools to cover that. If you missed out on The Seas of Vodari, this campaign includes a hefty 126-page quickstart guide to fill in any missing info from that world.

Monsters of the Wilderness for 5th Edition from Cawood Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, March 4 2021 8:59 PM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: CA$45 plus CA$23 for the PDF and hardcover of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Continuing their line of monster books, this offering gives us monsters that came about due to a curse. Covering regions ranging from artic to desert to mountains, this book will be 140 to 160 pages containing 120 new monsters. If you need a book of monsters that includes backstory, adventure hooks, and more, this promises to be a solid offering.

WARPLAND from Gavriel Quiroga

• END DATE: Tue, March 9 2021 10:07 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $33 plus $6 US S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book plus MP3’s of the soundtrack
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This 140-page book is another example of an RPG that is also an artbook, and like so many of those, it’s stunningly gorgeous. Inspired by Heavy Metal and so much more, this science fantasy RPG comes with an optional rules light system. If you want to play in a world with a variety of visuals and a soundtrack by the Argentine band Espejo Negro, check out this project.

Mage to Order (#ZineQuest) from Drowning Moon Studios

• END DATE: Thu, February 18 2021 1:00 PM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 plus $5 US S/H for the PDF and print zine plus a PDF adventure
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? You’re a magical utility worker whose job is to keep magic flowing in the city. When something magical breaks, you’re called to fix it. This tongue-in-cheek concept takes magic to mundane and asks what that would mean, all while leaving you with the problems magic can entail. If you’re looking for a new take on how magic might be viewed, this is worth a look.

Hibernation Games: 5 Journaling RPGs for Solo Play from Lucian Kahn

• END DATE: Wed, February 17 2021 11:59 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Original systems
• PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $19 plus S/H for the PDF and physical zine
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This 40 page-zine features five solo RPGs, each by a different creator (Lucian Kahn, Jeeyon Shim, Anna Anthropy, Viditya Voleti, and Will Jobst) and featuring unique artwork. In addition to these solo adventures, the project is creating a bonus PDF to enhance your games providing new gender options for fantasy creatures, featuring a cover by Jabari Weathers.

City of Flesh from Angry Hamster Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, February 18 2021 9:31 AM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €15 for the PDF and physical zine
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This zine contains a game of grimdark fantasy using a tarot card based system as you attempt to stave off the end of the world. At over 50 pages, this game allows you to build a world and enter it as a character imbued with powers as you face off against a doom you face at the campaign’s climax.

Harrowings #03: MUSPELHELL from Drew Cochran

• END DATE: Mon, February 15 2021 12:00 PM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Old School Essentials
• PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $12 plus $5 US S/H for the PDF and print versions of the zine
• DISCLAIMER: I wrote parts of Harrowings #01 for Drew Cochran
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This issue in the Harrowings series offers a 50-page dungeon crawl featuring dwarves and Norse mythology using the Old School Essentials system. If you need an energetic adventure that covers 3 levels and 40 rooms of dungeon offering either group or solo play, unexpected possibilities, and so much more, give this one a try.

Love's Labour's Liabilities - A 5e RPG Zine Quest from Egg Embry Publishing

• END DATE: Sat, February 13 2021 11:59 PM EST.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $20 with free US S/H for the PDFs of both zines plus the print versions of Love’s Labour’s Liberated and Love’s Labour’s Liabilities
• DISCLAIMER: I am a co-creator and publisher of this project. It is not associated with EN Publishing
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? 56 pages of 5e content taking the theme of love and applying it to warlocks and monks with new backgrounds, feats, and spells. But don’t take my word for it, try Tony Vasinda of PlusOneExp (quotes here and here) or Drew Cochran of The Epic of Dreams and Harrowings#03: MUSPELHELL Kickstarter from above (quote here).

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Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG and Amazon.

 

[Terry Herc]

Some great selections. This year's Zine Quest is... overwhelming. So much to choose from!

 

[Terry Herc]

Some great selections. This year's Zine Quest is... overwhelming. So much to choose from!

 

[Egg Embry]

Some great selections. This year's Zine Quest is... overwhelming. So much to choose from!

I completely agree! I am tracking 178 Zine Quest projects at the moment. It's a cornucopia of fun projects! ;-)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Expensive week. I'm sorely tempted to get Vodari and the original book, which I waffled on, and multiple Cawood Publishing books from the Monsters of the Wilderness campaign. And that's to say nothing of all the Zine Quest ...

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I wish a great succes for the franchise of Vodari.

 

[SAVeira]

I backed the original Vodari book and am very happy to back the new book.

 

[dbm]

Savage Pathfinder is in to its last week and knocking it out of the park...

 

[Tyler Do'Urden]

Man, Muspelhell is tempting...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Man, Muspelhell is tempting...

I kind of feel it'd be a better DCC module, but I can't fault them for going with the system they prefer.