RPG Crowdfunding News – Blade Runner, The Merry Mushmen!, HYPERBOREA, and more

This week’s TTRPG crowdfunding sampler covers campaigns that end between June 11 and 19. I look at projects from Free League Publishing, The Merry Mushmen!, Hunter Books, North Wind Adventures, and more selected from campaigns on Kickstarter and Backerkit. In addition, check out Voidrunner's Codex Sci-Fi Box Set For D&D 5E & Level Up: A5E from EN Publishing.

Blade Runner RPG: Replicant Rebellion & Asset Pack from Free League Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, June 13 2024 3:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Year Zero Engine
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: SEK698 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the sourcebook and asset pack
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This campaign-length adventure cuts to the core of the Blade Runner mythology by answering a critical question: What if the Replicants rebelled? Blade Runner’s movies, anime, and comics hint at this possibility, the corporate-produced Replicants preparing to rise up/have risen up with each narrative touching on different elements of that reality. However, the full scope of a society-wide rebellion is too large to be covered in a single movie. Enter Free League’s latest project, a TTRPG campaign that deep dives the possibilities, starting with how a rebellion would form. For this campaign, you play as Replicants preparing the ground for the coming upheaval. The Blade Runners are out in force to retire you so be quick, clever, and blend in. If you do this right, you might be able to free all of the Replicants. If you’re a fan of Blade Runner and fighting against an oppressive system, this crowdfunding is waiting for you to test it out.

An Adventure Double Feature from The Merry Mushmen!

• END DATE: Tue, June 18 2024 6:00 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Old-School Essentials
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventures
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €50 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of both books
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The Merry Mushmen! have two new adventure modules for your OSR games. Each module is 72 pages designed for Old-School Essentials characters levels 2 to 4. In the Raiding the Obsidian Keep, your party is searching for a cursed fortress across a “war-torn seascape.” In The Horrendous Hounds of Hendenburgh, demon hounds have taken up in the forest, keeping the townsfolk locked in. Those dogs have to go, but what brought them and how can they be stopped? The Merry Mushmen! provide top-tier OSR content and this Kickstarter promises to add two more to their growing list. If you need OSE adventures, these are going to be among the best options.

HYPERBOREA: Modulistic Terror from North Wind Adventures

• END DATE: Tue, June 11 2024 12:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): HYPERBOREA
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventures
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $85 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the three books
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Sticking with the topic of OSR adventures, this crowdfunding offers three adventures for HYPERBOREA. For those that haven’t tried HYPERBOREA, the game takes the original version of D&D and reworks it to better reflect the types of tales written by Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith. Through this crowdfunding, you’ll get: THE OBLATION SLAB OF THE HEPATOMANCER for character levels 5 to 7, THE THOUSAND EYES OF THAUMAGORGA for character levels 3 to 5, and THE VANISHING ISLES OF THE SUMMER KING for character levels 4 to 6. Expect a lot of bold, violent fantasy action as you’re pulled into quests to save villages, fight pirates, and deal with evil species raiding the area. If you’re a fan of sword and sorcery and HYPERBOREA, check out this crowdfunding.

Devabhumi: A TTRPG setting inspired by Ancient India from Silver Compass Maps

• END DATE: Wed, June 19 2024 9:42 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition, Pathfinder 1e and 2e
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $25 for the PDF of both books in all three game system options
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Want explore fantasy India? This project by Khanjan Patel explores a fantasy version of Bronze Age India when there were multiple powerful kingdoms, wandering gods, mythic lands, and fearsome monsters to fight. The books, a setting guide and player’s guide, offer details about the world, its pantheon, 20 new monsters, new weapons, and a Karma mechanic that will have long-term impacts based on your character’s decisions. These books are designed for use with Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition, Pathfinder 1e and 2e. If you’re interested in backing, this crowdfunding offers you the PDFs are for all three systems in each pledge level. No need to double or triple dip to get each system, Silver Compass Maps has you covered. If you’re interested in a tabletop version of India, this campaign is worth reviewing.

Little Wolves from Dinoberry Press

• END DATE: Jun 11, 2024 at 1:00pm EDT.
• CROWDFUNDING ON: Backerkit
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Werewolves in the realm of the fae? At their core, werewolf tales tend to be body horror stories or adventures about hunting monsters; dark tales of humans suffering. Little Wolves moves the setting to the realm of the fae where werewolves would be seen in a different light, and that move changes the story possibilities. You’ll work with the fae court and complete missions, which provides rewards. In addition, the players will craft wolf masks, improving them as the game goes on to show what they’ve achieved. If the idea of playing as werewolves in a new setting appeals to you, check out their Backerkit campaign page for a free preview PDF.

Kids in Capes from Hunters Books

• END DATE: Wed, June 19 2024 9:06 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Kids on Bikes 2e
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the Roll20, PDF, and print versions for the game
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? First there were Kids on Bikes then Teens in Space and Kids on Brooms. Now, we’re up to Kids in Capes. This series of TTRPGs deals with kids and teens facing a variety of troubles, yet armed with the abilities and powers to meet them head on. The latest project, Kids in Capes, brings in the superhero genre, but reframes the wider genre with more heart and a smaller focus. Not street level, but not universe-saving either. While you could fight Thanos, this game isn’t intended for that level of conflict. Instead, it’s for tales of kids dealing with smaller problems, but ones that are important to the characters. If you want to put on a cape and wear your heart on your sleeve while you fight for what’s right, this project is worth a review.

The Hardy Boys RPG from Sixpence Games

• END DATE: Thu, June 13 2024 11:15 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Seeking the Unknown variant
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 for the PDF and POD discount coupon for the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This homage to The Hardy Boys mysteries has you roleplay as one of the two brothers. This game is GM-less and designed for 1 or 2 players, making this feel exactly like the world found in those original books. Each session can be run in under an hour as you solve the latest mystery. This project takes advantage of The Hardy Boys’ entering the public domain in order to create something new for your gaming table. If you want to try a solo or duet mystery-solver, this may be right for you.

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[dbm]

I found this game, which is role-playing adjacent, and thought people might be interested. It’s a cool game which deserves more visibility in my opinion.

Like a lot of people, I am sure, I have enjoyed some fantasy wargaming alongside my role playing. But these days I don’t have the time to invest in painting whole groups of miniatures, so I have been looking for a game which scratches that wargame itch without needing minis. I found it recently, in the form of Warline: Manoeuvre and Tactics. It’s a really fun wargame which is quick to play and very tactical in nature.

There was a campaign for the core game a little while back, and now there is a crowdfunding campaign for an expansion which adds a new solo / co-op play option.

The campaign has options for just the core game, just the expansion if you already have the core, or a package with both. It’s worth checking out if it sounds interesting to you.

One of my favourite board game reviewers just released a review of the core:


And he also has a pro-mo of the new set, too:

 

[Lalato]

I have a friend who loved The Hardy Boys when we were growing up. I'll have to tell him about this.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Kids in Capes sounds interesting, but the Kids on Brooms book, which I backed, felt so rushed, so incomplete and with early 2000s bad Photoshop graphic design (not on theme or anything, just bad fake parchment backgrounds, etc.) that I'm going to have to wait on reviews for this one.

 

[Lalato]

Here are the 5e Campaign Setting and Adventure Path crowdfunding campaigns I'm keeping an eye on right now.

Closed and Funded:

• The Infernal Tome

Closed:

• Sword of Souls

Open and Funded:

• Devabhumi (ending in 2 weeks)
• Luminous Lore (ending in 4 weeks)
• Voidrunner's Codex (ending in 4 weeks)

Open:

• Darkentale (56%)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

• Darkentale (56%)

Them giving away the complete product for free as a PDF and only asking people to back for physical books is a baller move. I hope they fund. That kind of behavior should be rewarded, IMO.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Hardy Boys RPG sounds like a joke. There's a license out there, and I'm sure this KS is not paying for that cost of license. If he was, he'd have access to all the assets - but he doesn't even have art yet. Things like "I'm hoping to hire this artist if my project funds" is a major red flag.

I'm assuming the Cease & Desist letter is on it's way to the creator already.

 

[Lalato]

Hardy Boys RPG sounds like a joke. There's a license out there, and I'm sure this KS is not paying for that cost of license. If he was, he'd have access to all the assets - but he doesn't even have art yet. Things like "I'm hoping to hire this artist if my project funds" is a major red flag.

I'm assuming the Cease & Desist letter is on it's way to the creator already.

Hardy Boys is in the public domain. The first few novels entered public domain in 2023.

 

[Egg Embry]

Hardy Boys RPG sounds like a joke. There's a license out there, and I'm sure this KS is not paying for that cost of license. If he was, he'd have access to all the assets - but he doesn't even have art yet. Things like "I'm hoping to hire this artist if my project funds" is a major red flag.

I'm assuming the Cease & Desist letter is on it's way to the creator already.

I am not even modestly attune to copyright laws, but the first three The Hardy Boys novels are in the public domain in the US. The name is still copyrighted.
Adding those points to say that, while I agree that there is a copyright holder for The Hardy Boys, there may be some legal basis for this project since it appears to be based on the second novel from the US public domain.

 

[dbm]

If anyone was considering Warline then it is now fully funded and the stretch goals unlocked so it is in it’s ’final form’; there are two days left on the campaign.