[PR] Anubium Announces Harbinger: Dark Fantasy Roleplaying

[J Lloyd]

We're announcing our intent to release Harbinger: Dark Fantasy Roleplaying, a setting of sleeping empires, doom-haunted heroes, and pale gods that do more than just walk the earth. Inside this pale environment you’ll find your elves and dwarves, orcs and goblins, and many other familiar fantasy themes. But be warned—we’ve put a little twist on it all so there would be enough doom to go around. The release date is set for the 4th Quarter of 2003 (and our intent is to make it OGL but not d20, we shall see if this changes). More information is on our site….

We also thought it would be fun to have some company on our long road to Hell, so we invite you to come along on the journey! Today we kick off our Twisted-Monster design contest, which aims to find a truly hellish creature from one of the many talented writers in the community. The details of the contest are on our website.

In addition, we are putting out a call for writers who have an interest in writing dark fantasy for the d20 system. Excellent writers have a chance of becoming a part of the world’s development in the future. Both campaign material (dealing with such things like empires, cults, history) and game design are welcomed.

Questions and comments are appreciated. We would love to hear from you.

 

[NeghVar]

J,

You might want to post this over in the Publishers Forum as well...

Looking forward to picking this up...sounds interesting to say the least. Is this going to be print or PDF?

Thanks!

 

[hellbender]

When submitting a monster for the design contest, is it also possible to send in a sample of art for the creature as well? And if so, which format do you prefer?

Also: Is there a limit to the number of entries? Would you prefer only one per contestant?

Thanks for any information,
hellbender

 

[J Lloyd]

When submitting a monster for the design contest, is it also possible to send in a sample of art for the creature as well? And if so, which format do you prefer?

Also: Is there a limit to the number of entries? Would you prefer only one per contestant?

Yes, art is welcomed! It makes visualizing the creature much easier.

JPEGs are preferable, but you can send GIFs if you like.

We would prefer to have one entry per person. Give us your best monster. You can always submit extra material for us through our standard submission format (though we haven't put artist guidelines up yet). We are always looking for great writers and designers.

 

[hellbender]

Yes, art is welcomed! It makes visualizing the creature much easier.

JPEGs are preferable, but you can send GIFs if you like.

We would prefer to have one entry per person. Give us your best monster. You can always submit extra material for us through our standard submission format (though we haven't put artist guidelines up yet). We are always looking for great writers and designers.

Thank you very much for the prompt reply! I will get busy cooking something up.

hellbender

 

[EarthsShadow]

How Dark is this Dark Fantasy Setting going to be? Is it going along the lines of Vile Darkness or Mature Darkness? I am curious, and if I knew about how Dark your taking this setting, it will make it a lot easier to come up with something to submit.

 

[J Lloyd]

Mature and Vile as long as it's done Maturely

How Dark is this Dark Fantasy Setting going to be? Is it going along the lines of Vile Darkness or Mature Darkness?"

I'm hesitant to say either way, because I'm not sure what either mean in particular. I think my own definition of dark fantasy is horror mixed with fantasy (and fantasy meaning the inclusion of magic). As for the type of horror, I think all types are equally viable as long as the material is handled maturely.

I really don't want to talk about specific issues, and I'm unwilling to have the thread become something it shouldn't be. Nevertheless, don't shy away from horrible things. As long as these things aren't glorified, and they're told to convey the sort of depravity needed, there isn't much need to dwell on them. The best short example I can give is the fact that Moorcock in his Elric books talk about the Melniboneans taking drugs for sheer pleasure, and even Elric needs them to sustain him, but he never really dwells on writing 10 pages on specific scenes of drugs use (though a page or so wouldn't have been bad). In Games Workshop's Mordheim, there are rules for using specific drugs and the effects on characters. I think this is entirely appropriate for dark fantasy.

Note that much of the discussion of dark fantasy also misses the psychological horror aspect that one can find, in say, the Cthulhu Mythos.

Dark also seems to me to be a world without clear archetypal GOOD and EVIL. Both sides can exhibit both qualities. The heroes may have qualities that are questionable and villains may have some redeeming qualities.

Dark for me also encompasses the overall "direction" of the world. Dark worlds tend to have a feeling about them that world is doomed, and even if the heroes do anything good for the world, the world is still doomed.

So, after all that discombobulation, I'd say go ahead and submit what you feel is comfortable to you and we won't judge you for it. We'll simply say, we would like to see something else, etc. And if this is wishy-washy, then I apologize for not having the guts to be any clearer.

 

[EarthsShadow]

thanks

thank you, that does make things clearer for me.

 

[NeghVar]

The descriptions you have provided evoke images from Lin Cart, Robert E. Howard, and Michael Moorcock's writings. I am thinking specifically of one of Lin Carter's novel; The Black Star.

Sounds more and more like a purchase I will make.

Thanks!