My latest game is FINALLY out, and I'm so stupidly pleased

[Piratecat]

Back in the early 2000s when I was writing my storyhour here at EN World, one of the locations was the city of Eversink: a highly political swamp city that was oozing with adventure. Well, maybe not "oozing." Because that's gross. But the city was always sinking into the swamp, slowly, meaning it was an iceberg of underground dungeons and lost buildings. That has since become the setting for Swords of the Serpentine, Emily Dresner's and my new GUMSHOE sword & sorcery game from Pelgrane Press. I got to toss in all the sort of stuff I love (social combat, cinematic warfare, freeform sorcery, and political manipulation). After a very long pandemic delay it is hitting peoples' doorsteps this week, and it hugely fun to see what they think.

Plus, it's pretty and built like a brick.

Ask me questions - Setting, rules, game design, swords & sorcery, the huge paper shortage right now, barbecue, anything!

 

[BookTenTiger]

That's awesome Piratecat! Sounds like a really neat setting, it kind of reminds me of Seattle (in that it has underground ruins that used to be surface-level buildings).

Do you have any links to where it is being sold?

 

[TheAlkaizer]

Congratulations. It's a big achievement to go through such a big project!

 

[Piratecat]

Oh, sure! Hardcover available now, PDF available September 1.

Swords of the Serpentine

A GUMSHOE roleplaying game of swords & sorcery! by Kevin Kulp and Emily Dresner When it’s summer, you smell her before you see her. As you come around the curve of the Serpentine river the scent of the open sea is replaced by the stench of low tide, of boat tar, of rare spices spilled from a...

pelgranepress.com

And here's a nifty and comprehensive review.

Swords of the Serpentine Review

Three years ago, I participated in the Swords of the Serpentine playtest, a new game from Kevin Kulp that combines elements...

teletype.in

 

[Arilyn]

Been eagerly waiting. Can't wait for it to be sitting on my doorstep! Congratulations.

 

[mcmillan]

I've been looking forward to this getting released. Can't wait for the chance to look it over. From what I've heard it seems like you found some nifty ways to push the Gumshoe system in new directions

 

[Fenris-77]

I'm super happy for you Kevin. I'm also super happy to be even somewhat close to holding the dead tree copy in my hands. For everyone else. this game is super cool and evocative and you should own a copy.

 

[Umbran]

From what I've heard it seems like you found some nifty ways to push the Gumshoe system in new directions

Having run and played the game a couple times during the process, I can say that yes, there's some new territory here for Gumshoe. But it is fun territory. Sometimes when you push a system somewhere new, it comes out awkward - I don't find that to be the case with SotS.

And yes, the book is a friggin' brick. Don't drop it on your foot.

 

[tsadkiel]

But did you include the gondola race?

 

[jdrakeh]

I super want to get this but can't justify spending more money on games I'll never be able to convince my friends to play. As it is, I'm currently blowing out all of my physical RPG books except for my pile of Basic Fantasy RPG (because it basically has no resale value) and B/X D&D (because it's beat to hell). However, I also want to congratulate you on this! It looks super rad!