Frozen Skies - A Dieselpunk Setting For Savage Worlds

[stormwell]

In case this interests anyone.
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Frozen Skies is part of a new Dieselpunk campaign setting for the award winning Savage Worlds system and is set in the mysterious, frozen lands of Alyeska, it is an in-depth and informative guide to its history, geography, myths and legends. After Frozen Skies is successfully launched, further books are planned to cover a much wider setting known as the Realms of Darmonica.

The Kickstarter is intended to fund the Frozen Skies book with the view to release it as a PDF and through Print-On-Demand.

Thanks for your time and even more so if you decide to back this project, but by all means please help spread the word about it.

LINK; http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/349041463/frozen-skies-a-savage-worlds-dieselpunk-rpg

For people's benefit who aren't aware of what Dieselpunk is.

Dieselpunk is an art style based on the aesthetics popular between World War I and the end of World War II. The style combines the artistic and genre influences of the period (including pulp magazines, serial films, film noir, art deco, and wartime pin-ups) with postmodern technology and sensibilities. First coined in 2001 as a marketing term by game designer Lewis Pollak to describe his role-playing game Children of the Sun, dieselpunk has grown to describe a distinct style of visual art, music, motion pictures, fiction, and engineering. Examples include Rocketeer, The Legend of Korra, Crimson Skies, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Dark City, Greed Corp, Gatling Gears, Iron Sky, the BioShock series, K-20: Legend of the Mask and Skullgirls.

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #3 Day 4 & Stuff!

We're over £150 and 5% of the way there by Day, this calls for yet another big thank you to those who have backed this project thus far.

Still wish to get a third of the way to the project's goal by the end of the week, so to this end I've been working hard and spreading the word to various different websites and forums. So if you happen to know people who might be interested then please tell them, likewise with websites you think would help this project reach its target and ultimately get a copy of Frozen Skies in your hands.

As a mini-reward for reaching £100 I posted a snippet from the book, I intend to post others as the project reaches certain marks. So if there anything you'd like to see or know about the book then feel free to ask for it.

I've also put up a FAQ that people should find useful, though if there is a question that I haven't covered and you feel that I should then by all means let me know.

Once again, thanks for being awesome and backing this project!

 

[Matt James]

Here you go buddy: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/349041463/frozen-skies-a-savage-worlds-dieselpunk-rpg?ref=live

Best of luck!

 

[stormwell]

Best of luck!

Thank you!

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #4 Day 5

Now up to Day 5 and coming towards the end of the first week.

Interest in Frozen Skies has been steadily growing as work continues on spreading the word about both the book and the Kickstarter. Don't expect too much in the way of updates until Monday, though unless the funding reaches certain levels over the next couple of days. On Monday another preview will be posted, though please say if there is anything you like to see.

Regardless thanks yet again to those who have backed already, you guys are awesome.

And to everyone, have a good weekend.

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #5 Week Two Ahoy

I trust that everyone reading this has had a good weekend, I've been promoting the Kickstarter like crazy and getting more exposure for the project to help it succeed.

First week is over and the number of backers continues to grow, though we're still a ways off from reaching the project's goal. We've got three lefts and I'm confident we can make it, we're still getting an increasing number of hits and the project is getting more exposure.

So if you know people who may be interested in this project then by all means let them know about it, especially since if it pushes us over £1,000 this week then the project stands a good chance of succeeding.

But check back tomorrow for another preview from the book.

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #6 Three Weeks And Counting

First week is now behind us and the project is gaining more exposure, more hits and more shares.

The next three weeks will count every bit as we get closer to our target goal, though thanks once again to those who have already backed and also to those who've helped by spreading the word.

As promised, another preview from the book in the form of a notable NPC.

Carl 'Judge' Kingsley

A veteran of the trenches during the Last War Carl Kingsley is a tough man who prefers actions over words. Originally hired by the Lord Governor to be his lackey in the Air Police, Kingsley quickly showed that he was his own man, much to the Lord Governor's dismay. Cleaning up Gravenburgh effectively almost overnight through sheer force of arms by taking out the criminal kingpins, his instant popularity with the townsfolk made it impossible for the Lord Governor to remove Kingsley. This has led to the current tensions between the two, and it is only a matter of time before an outright fight erupts on Gravenburgh's streets when the Lord Governor finally decides to get rid of Kingsley.

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d8

Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Law) d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Piloting d8, Shooting d6,

Charisma: -; Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 6

Hindrances: Code of Honor, Loyal, Vow (Minor),

Edges: Ace, Combat Reflexes, Command, Steady Hands,

Gear: Edward No.3 Revolver (12/24/48; 2d6+1 damage; RoF 1; Shots 6; Revolver), Dagger (d6+d4).

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #7 Good News Everyone!

Big announcement concerning the project and the Frozen Skies book.

*First off, Fabled Environments have offered a selection of four of their maps as a free reward for backers of the project. The maps will be available to everyone regardless of the amount they pledge.

*Secondly, Anthony Preece has offered to write some fiction for the book. He has previously written for Savage Insider and this will mean extra content in the book when it releases.

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #8 Preview: Places of Interest

Once again thank you to everyone who has either backed this project or at least spread the word about, you guys are awesome for doing so.

Still a ways off but if we continue to promote the project we'll get there.

But in the mean time, here is another preview from the book.

Places of Interest

The Chillwynd Marches

A completely flat plain lying to the far north, its boundaries are marked by a ring of standing stones. Rumoured to be a haunted place, the voices of the dead are said to be heard whispering on the chill wind. Small mining settlements and ancient ruins lie scattered across the plains, though despite the potential fortune, most folk tend to steer clear. The heart of the Marches is dominated by a towering city known as the Monolith. Believed to have been the capital of some long since forgotten empire, its ice bound streets and halls remain uninhabited. Only tomb raiders and curious explorers dare travel here, however, those who do return, are forever scarred by their experience and quickly flee elsewhere.

The Monolith

Standing forlornly in the dead centre of the Chillwynd Marches, sits the Monolith, a ruined mountain city carved by unknown hands a great many eons ago. Towering high into the sky, its great spire can be seen for miles around; however, its interior is largely unexplored. The carvings that adorn the exterior are believed to have taken decades to complete, but centuries of neglect and exposure to the harsh northern elements have weathered and worn the stonework. Much of the surviving carvings can be found in the more sheltered parts, but even these aren't untouched, having been crudely defaced at some point.

Very few people have ventured far into the ruins, with only the outlying areas having been combed over by relic hunters. Even fewer have tried climbing up into the spire. Those who have report it as being akin to a palace....though admittedly one that has been thoroughly desecrated with strange glyphs covering every possible surface. There is evidence that the structure descends some distance underground, though hardly anyone has dared brave these tunnels. Of those who have, none have returned.

The Maw

More of a roaming storm than a fixed point, much of the year this tempest stays out over the Frostbracken Wastes. Only during the winter months does it expand south over the Bastion Peaks, shutting down the northern routes. Some of the older and superstitious aviators refer to the storm as being akin to a living beast, but only in low whispers and with a nervous glance over their shoulder. The Maw is certainly a wild thing, winds howl as dark clouds boil and rage. There is little escape for those who get caught in its grasp, the countless wrecks that litter the Bastion Peaks attest to this.

When the Maw hungers it is best to keep your feet on Terra Firma.

The MacHorne Trail

Little more than a long canyon, the MacHorne Trail is the sole overland route between Alyeska and the rest of the Commonwealth. Primarily it was used by wagons during the summertime when it was first discovered. Naturally, when the railway arrived, it was along the MacHorne that it came. During winter, it often gets blocked by snow drifts.

 

[stormwell]

Kickstarter Update #9 Much Ado About Skyjacking

Coming up to the midway point of the campaign, the number of backers has steadily increased along with views and exposure. The project has been mentioned on a few gaming podcasts like RPG Circus as well as a few blogs.

Still a ways off from the target, but we've got two weeks left which is plenty of time to make it. So continue to plug and share this project and we'll get there, but everyone who ahs abcked thus far or just shared the project has my undying thanks.

So time for another preview from the book; Skyjacking.

What is Skyjacking I hear you cry.

It is basically the name given to a form of hijacking of aircraft done whilst it is airborne, it is highly dangerous and typically only air pirates try it. Though on occasions military units have been known to attempt it.

Skyjacking involves a person jumping out of an aircraft above the intended target armed with a grappling gun, also a parachute if one is lucky enough to have one. The idea is whilst the person is in free-fall they are to fire the grappling gun at their intended target, hope it hooks on and then inch their way along the rope to board and take control of the aircraft. Though it remains highly risky as the grapple could miss or the aircraft's crew could cut the rope, there is also the risk of hitting an aircraft's propellers.

It is especially dangerous for air pirates as they rarely have access to a parachute.

To attempt a Skyjack a character must first jump out of an aircraft that is flying above their intended target and must be armed with a Grappling Gun. Whilst in free-fall the character must then make a Shooting roll at -4 (Steady Hands reduces this to -2), a success means they've hooked onto their target. Failure means they've missed, critical failure means the character flies into the props of an oncoming aircraft and take 5d6 points of damage.

Probably they've successfully hooked onto their intended target, the character must then make a Climbing roll at -2 and follows the normal rules for Climbing. The aircraft crew (if aware of the character) may try shooting at the character but suffer -2 for doing so, or they could simply cut the rope if they can reach it.

If the character misses their target or the rope they're climbing up is cut they then fall down to earth unless they have a parachute that works. If they don't have a parachute then follow the rules for Falling.