D&D 5E Raiders of the Serpent Sea Is A Preview of 5E Norse Mythology For Free!

Arcanum Worlds, a Canada-based RPG publisher formed by ex Bioware / EA videogame developers, is preparing for a new Kickstarter-funded adventure path/campaign setting. Their previous outing was the dense and successful Greek mythology-inspired Odyssey of the Dragonlords, notable for having some world-altering plot twists and being structured around gated 'open world' sections that lead to more linear and spectacular setpieces, a design philosophy seemingly carried over from videogames. They also introduced the idea of 'epic paths' which were unique story beats for players who commit to them.

Their next outing Raiders of the Serpent Sea seems to be in a similar vein, this time using Norse mythology and viking culture as an inspiration. They just released the Player's Guide for free at Modiphius and Drivethrurpg.

Raiders of the Serpent Sea is an epic fantasy campaign for fifth edition D&D. The Player's Guide introduces the world of Grimnir, its origins, and major historical events. Learn about the cursed gods known as the Stone Court, the wealthy kingdoms that threaten the raiders, and the power of sacrifice. Features:

• New Class Archetypes. Includes ranger, bard, and wizard archetypes that help bring to life the various raider clans.
• New Player Races. Includes rules for playing the Wicker and Tallfolk.
• Glory! Introduces a new glory system fueling your character's ability to boast to overwhelm adversaries.
• All Backgrounds are Epic. Includes four epic backgrounds for players to choose from. These backgrounds create additional motivations for your hero and weave their personal stories into the core campaign.

 

[Yaarel]

Cool. I will check it out!

 

[Weiley31]

I find it interesting that the Nameless One is mentioned in The Fallen Epic Background.

 

[Weiley31]

Also: The Tallfolk section pretty much shows an example of how to do Large size beings in regards to weapons reach, and armor sizes/costs for a Large sized character.

 

[Weiley31]

I'mma gonna be quite honest: So far the Wolf Rider Ranger is my favorite Subclass. And the more and more I read the various Bonus Actions and the Reaction abilities you can do with your Wolf Companion is super neat. I'm hela tempted to legit jack these actions and use them for any other 5E Character with a special Animal Companion. Like the Primal Beasts and what not.

 

[Davies]

Heh. When Odyssey of the Dragonlords came out, I commented that there were a lot of ersatz-Greek mythology games in the works, but that games inspired by Norse mythology tended to just use the mythology (or an interpretation therof) directly. Apparently, someone was listening.

Don't think I can afford to support this kickstarter, but I'm looking forward to the final product all the same.

 

[Weiley31]

Heh. When Odyssey of the Dragonlords came out, I commented that there were a lot of ersatz-Greek mythology games in the works, but that games inspired by Norse mythology tended to just use the mythology directly. Apparently, someone was listening.

Don't think I can afford to support this kickstarter, but I'm looking forward to the final product all the same.

I can't wait to purchase the full version of the Player's Guide. Liking what I'm seeing that's for sure.

 

[niklinna]

I've only skimmed bits but already I like this setting. If I had my druthers I'd get my Level Up and make a character for this setting. That Wolf Rider feels like a ranger in ways most other subclasses just don't.

Noticed that old-style race descriptions are being used, and a few minor things. Wolf Rider pet attacks don't seem to act as if magical, for example. But it's a preview so I expect those things will be addressed.

 

[Dire Bare]

Odyssey of the Dragonlords wasn't perfect, but . . . by the gods, it is amazing! I fully expect this to be equally amazing, a fun and interesting world, fun player options, and a fun adventure with amazing art.

But the world, as described so far, is somewhat grim for my tastes. Makes sense considering the source material . . . I stopped watching the Vikings TV show for the same reason. Lots of clan-on-clan raiding, murder, and slavery going on. I prefer my gaming more heroic, less brutal. This isn't really a criticism of the upcoming setting and adventure, just me being disappointed that a sure-to-be-beautiful product might not be for me.

 

[niklinna]

Aye, I just finished a proper read of the preview and it is indeed pretty grim. There's room for not-grim, but you'd have to work at it. But folks who are itching for an extra +1 to die rolls for the low low price of a finger or toe are gonna love this campaign!