RPG Crowdfunding News – Tome of Adventure Design, Kamon, Dark Nation, and more

This week I share RPG crowdfunding projects that end between April 11th and the 23rd. This article is a sampling of the projects that are out there, though it is a 5e heavy week. There are a lot of fun 5e projects, but also some interesting original systems as well as a big Praxis System offering.

Tome of Adventure Design from Mythmere Games

• END DATE: Tue, April 19 2022 11:27 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF and print version of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The original Tome of Adventure Design by Matt Finch was published in 2009. Returning to print with new advice and articles, this new edition clocks in at over 500 pages. Boasting over 400 random charts and the Apophenia Engine, this isn’t a gaming system, but a series of micro prompts to help the GM create unexpected ideas. Along the margins of each page are one to five word prompts that the GM can feed into the story to help differentiate the bad guys, the scene, or the whole adventure. Something as simple as “works differently while inside out” can suggest a completely different take on a magical garment. If you’re in the neighborhood for well-reviewed GMing advice, check out the campaign page for a free PDF sample of the book.

Kamon: Japanese Fantasy Setting for 5e from Fabio Attoli

• END DATE: Wed, April 20 2022 10:58 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €24 for the PDFs of the books
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This is an interesting idea: an alternative history of Japan. In 1281, the storms that decimated the Mongol invasion of Japan were the beginning of endless storms, leaving Japan isolated with only connections to the supernatural world. This campaign offers a 5e sourcebook and an adventure in Italian or English to let you experience a magically isolated Japan. The campaign page does not mention any cultural readers, but the free 86-page preview lists several that helped with this project, so it benefits from first hand knowledge. If this project interests you, I suggest checking out the free preview PDF available on the campaign page.

The Heart of Chentoufi: Adventure in Luke Gygax's Okkorim from Gaxx Worx

• END DATE: Sun, April 17 2022 12:00 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $45 + S/H for the PDF and print of both books plus additional PDFs
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Luke Gygax, son of Gary Gygax, founder of Gary Con, author of Gaxmoor, and Melf, the character whose spells we all still sling, is offering an adventure for your 5e gaming table. In this adventure, you’ll run through the City of Chentoufi from the World of Okkorim campaign setting. Expanding on Luke’s Gary Con scenarios, this adventure gets you into the empire’s last important city. If you’re a fan of Luke’s work, this is an easy project to back.

The Biggest Praxis Kickstarter from Post World Games

• END DATE: Wed, April 13 2022 1:58 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Praxis System
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebooks
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $49 for all of the PDFs
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? That wily Jim Pinto is back with the biggest Praxis Kickstarter ever. How big is it? Four complete games and a forest of expansions! You get post-apocalyptic fun like The Carcass: Broken Sky, a sci-fi tale of rescue gone wrong in Odin's Eye II: Gate of Light, an experimental prison fails to reform its inmates in Devil's Maze, and an RPG in which you are the undead and you suffer called Harpy Fields. In addition to those game, there’s Dirty Cops, a Praxis tale of bad cops being investigated, Geneva’s Children, the story of modern-day Robin Hoods, Dying Memoryes: Vertigo, you slowly pull out of a long cryogenic sleep as your ship is being torn apart, yet your memories are mixed and you need those memories to save your now, and, lastly, The Witch in which you escort an accused witch to her fate, what does your character’s participation in this charade say about them? If you are looking for a variety of new, original games, this project offers a range and depth well worth considering.

Dark Nation: A tabletop role-playing game from Martin Lloyd - Amazing Tales

• END DATE: Mon, April 11 2022 10:19 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Cthulhu Dark
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €10 for the PDF of the game
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This game comes runs on a simple concept: Something terrible happened and you have to investigate. Inspired by Handmaid's Tale, The Man in the High Castle, 1984, and Edge of Darkness, this RPG is not about monsters, but about the darkness within humanity. Offered as a 40ish page RPG, you’ll use the Cthulhu Dark system, but nothing supernatural. Instead, the monsters are mankind and the horrors are taken from real life.

LEGENDS: The Superhero Roleplaying Game from MatchPlay Games

• END DATE: Sat, April 23 2022 2:59 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original d20 system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: CA$75 + CA$20 for the PDF and print version of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Superheroes using an original d20 system. No classes, LEGENDS uses 100 different powers and 650 abilities to differentiate characters. Set in a superhero founded city, you live among a 20% to 25% population of superpowered individuals. In terms of background NPCs being important, there’s a 1-in-4, 1-in-5 chance they have enough power to join in a fight, one way or another. At over 300 pages, you get a new d20 option, superpowers, and a city that isn’t like most of the superhero dwellings. If that interests you, check out the campaign page for more details.

EPIGONI: a Mythpop RPG from NessunDove and Dreamlord Games

• END DATE: Thu, April 21 2022 5:00 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €150 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of both books as well as additional PDFs
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The gods had children and you are they, unworthy of their power or fate, you forge your own way. In this RPG, you take on the role of a godly offspring, one that the fates are keen to put on a path, but you have not predetermined destiny. As such, you may choose your own way. If that idea of playing as the child of a god appeals to you, check out the campaign page for a preview PDF.

The Herbal Journal of Cicely Longbottom: a DnD supplement from Sarsen Games

• END DATE: Wed, April 20 2022 4:58 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £29 + £12 S/H to the US for the PDF and print of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This book puts over 100 plants, poisons, and monsters into your hands. If you’re running a nature themed campaign and want more plant-based options, this book gives you a fair number to check out.

Blessings, Healing, and Peace for Ukraine from EN Publishing

• END DATE: April 14, 2022
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £5 for the PDF
• DISCLAIMER: EN World is a subsidiary of EN Publishing. To learn more about this project, you can read Morrus’ article here
• NOTE: This crowdfunding campaign runs through IndieGoGo
• THE CAUSE: “100% of the proceeds from this campaign will be donated to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.”
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Because of the good it offers. EN Publishing could produce this project for profit, but they’re giving the proceeds to a charity that needs their support. If you can, check it out, it’s worth the look.

In Our Dreams Awake #1: A Cyberpunk/Fantasy Adventure from John McGuire and Egg Embry

• END DATE: Fri, April 29 2022 11:00 AM EDT.
• PROJECT TYPE: Comic book
• DISCLAIMER: I co-wrote this comic
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? I’m sharing my comic book Kickstarter at the end on the justification that you can use the campaign to pick up my Powered by the Apocalypse RPG, POWERED by the DREAMR (PbtD). Other than my involvement, what does In Our Dreams Awake (IODA) have to do with PbtD? Both touch on my fascination with dreams and what goes on when we close our eyes. IODA tells the tale of Jason Byron. Is he a painter in a fantasy world or a cyberpunk drug dealer? More importantly, who does he love? Which world is the truth and which one is the dream? This is a four-color tale for fans of cyberpunk, fantasy, and dreampunk. Plus, you can check out my RPG while you’re there.

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

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

We see a lot of interesting projects for crowdfunding, but there is a risk they are too many, and without enough advertising they are forgotten when other new appear. I love some IPs and I worry for them because I know nothing about the publishers after. What if there are new sourcebooks, or they may be translated into other languages?

 

[This Effin’ GM]

While I already own Tome of Adventure Design, I absolutely backed this new one. What a useful book and the update looks purdy

 

[Mark Craddock]

Honest question and not trying to start anything but was Luke Gygax part of the NuTSR fiasco? I'm only peripherally aware of it and don't want to fund something from any of those people.

 

[LazarusKane]

@ Mark Craddock:
No, NuTSR is/was Ernie Gygax.

 

[JohnA]

We see a lot of interesting projects for crowdfunding, but there is a risk they are too many, and without enough advertising they are forgotten when other new appear. I love some IPs and I worry for them because I know nothing about the publishers after. What if there are new sourcebooks, or they may be translated into other languages?

Back before Kickstarter, they called these "heartbreakers, " I believe, because the authors pored everything they had into them, and then couldn't get them advertised, distributed, sold, before the game system or popular opinion moved on. The author would be stuck with a garage load of books.

These here are different. Crowdfunding sells the books AHEAD of publication. People are able to find these now more than ever (I thank ENWorld to help me navigate the KS website) and the project is funded and paid off before the material is even printed. If it is forgotten two years from now? So what. The customers that wanted got it and the authors didn't have to print too many . I think the current situation is damn near perfect for the creator AND the consumer.

We live in a pretty good era for TTRPG.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

An interesting opinion, but some of those settings are too good to fall in the oblivion. Why do you save your favorite toys from your childhood? Don't you want anything to share with the next generation? Do you know how is the feeling when you show your Dragonlance art book to your niece?

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Good luck on your comic kickstarter @Egg Embry

 

[Bill Zebub]

(I thank ENWorld to help me navigate the KS website)

I agree, if "navigate" is a euphemism for "spend prodigious amounts of money on."

/shakesfistangrily@eggembry

 

[JohnA]

I agree, if "navigate" is a euphemism for "spend prodigious amounts of money on."

/shakesfistangrily@eggembry

Yeah, no kidding. I'm actually physically trying to restrain myself. It helped that the creator of "the Doom that came to Astreas" declined to put up any kind of sample; I probably would have backed it. I'm trying to make myself back on more than just art work.

But seriously, KS needs a better sorting system, like a "TTRPG" button/category/filter . And a 5e (for those of you so inclined) filter too.