Shadowdark Setting Looks Set To Be 2025's First Million Dollar TTRPG Crowdfunder

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Just launched today, the new Western Reaches setting for the Arcane Library's popular Shadowdark roleplaying game (which itself raised $1.3M in 2023) has flown past half a million dollars in the first few hours, and looks certain to join the Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarter Club imminently!

[[Edit/Update--and it's done it! $1M less than 12 hours into the Kickstarter campaign!]]

2025 has been quiet so far this year on the million-dollar crowdfunding front. This new setting is a sandbox environment with new classes and ancestries, and various areas such as the Gloaming Forest, Djurum Desert, and Myre Swamp. It comes in two 200-page digest-sized hardcovers. Also included are new issues of the game's Cursed Scroll zine. The full core set will cost you $129, or $149 for a premium version, with fulfillment expected in December 2025.

At $670K at the time of writing, just 3 hours into the campaign, The Western Reaches is already the 7th most first-day funded TTRPG ever, having just passed 2024's Terry Pratchett's Discworld RPG: Adventures in Ankh-Morpork. It looks set to pass 6th place very soon, which is 2023's Ryoko's Guide to the Yokai Realms - A 5e Tome. Only five TTRPG crowdfunders (so far!) have ever hit the million-dollar mark on the first day. You can see the full ranking at the Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarter Club.

The Western Reaches are an unexplored land of fragile civilizations, majestic landscapes, and forgotten horrors that lurk in the dark.

In the Reaches, you could play as:

• A painted witch from the steppes hunting for the secrets to deeper magic
• An armored knight from the City of Masks guarding frontier villages from attack
• A silent monk from the mountains searching for the assassin who killed his teacher
• A scarred pit fighter from the desert looking to make her fortune outside the arena
• A quick-witted explorer from the jungle who can find any artifact for the right price
• A seafaring warrior from the northern isles who fights for the glory of the Old Gods

This sandbox setting is fast, elegant, and flexible in the signature Shadowdark style. You don't have to memorize lore; you'll discover it as you go. The world moves and grows with you as you explore it.

 

[Vincent55]

I backed this the slip case version I hope at some point i can run this game.

 

[TheSword]

They are the size of a trade paperback,

Ah, right a5’ish. That makes more sense. I was looking at that picture thinking something was off.

 

[TheSword]

Can I ask are shadowdark adventures all dungeons or are there more modern adventures in there as well?

 

[Lidgar]

Can I ask are shadowdark adventures all dungeons or are there more modern adventures in there as well?

The run the gamut. Lots on dungeons, but also city based adventures and (somewhat the focus of this KS), hex crawls/wilderness.

There are no “adventure paths” ala 5e that I’m aware of. The adventures go for a minimalist design. Key elements are given, kind of similar to 1e modules but way better organized.

 

[Scribe]

Can I ask are shadowdark adventures all dungeons or are there more modern adventures in there as well?

They are not just a dungeon, if thats the question. This is from CS2.

 

[UnplayedRanger]

It's not for me, but congrats on a runaway success!

 

[TheSword]

They are not just a dungeon, if thats the question. This is from CS2.

View attachment 399296

I guess the question is, is it kick down doors and kill shiz?
Or in this case move to hex and kill shiz?

 

[Nightfly]

Can I ask are shadowdark adventures all dungeons or are there more modern adventures in there as well?

Depends on what you mean by "modern". Certainly not all of them are dungeons: there are hexcrawls and others set outdoors. But they all have an old-school feel and are surprisingly minimalist. The one-page dungeons I was raving about earlier in this thread could literally fit on an index card, yet they feel fully fleshed-out and alive. So very much the opposite idea of 5e's huge hardbacks, or Paizo's adventure paths. I like Paizo's stuff too, but their "background info" introductions are longer than entire Shadowdark adventures.

I guess the question is, is it kick down doors and kill shiz?
Or in this case move to hex and kill shiz?

It's not all hack-n-slash, no. But monsters don't have their entire life story included, up to blood type and grandmother's maiden name.

 

[TheSword]

Depends on what you mean by "modern". Certainly not all of them are dungeons: there are hexcrawls and others set outdoors. But they all have an old-school feel and are surprisingly minimalist. The one-page dungeons I was raving about earlier in this thread could literally fit on an index card, yet they feel fully fleshed-out and alive. So very much the opposite idea of 5e's huge hardbacks, or Paizo's adventure paths. I like Paizo's stuff too, but their "background info" introductions are longer than entire Shadowdark adventures.

Is that because it’s room description and monster name.

 

[Scribe]

Is that because it’s room description and monster name.

There's more to it, but just enough (IMO) to get things going.

Here's a review for a few of them.

The Wavestone Monolith | tenfootpole.org

tenfootpole.org

Cursed Scroll #1 – The Hideous Halls of Mugdulblub | tenfootpole.org

tenfootpole.org