RPG Crowdfunding News – GODSEND Agenda, Skaldwood Blight, DIVE, and more

This week I look at RPG crowdfunding projects that end between February 15th and March 3rd. It’s February, and you know what that means? Zine Quest… er, ZIMO! It’s 28 days of RPG zines! As I’ve written recently, requests for promotional help have flooded my inbox. While it’s more than I can hope to cover, I try to include as many as I can. What follows is a mix of projects that excite me. This is not an exhaustive list by any stretch and many good projects, including some that requested assistance, were not included here. To give an idea of how much I could not cover, as of 2/2/22, there were five MÖRK BORG and seven Mothership projects that I did not have room for, let alone the 5e, Trokia!, OSR, original system, and other projects that I could not include due to time constraints. I encourage you to explore the many RPG projects crowdfunding at Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, GameFound, GameOnTabletop, and more.

GODSEND Agenda from Khepera Publishing

END DATE: Tue, March 1 2022 10:00 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): Omega System
PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $35 for both books in PDF format
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: I interviewed Jerry D. Grayson about this project here
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Want to play as superheroes inspired by DC’s The Authority instead of the Justice League? Then Jerry D. Grayson’s newest version of GODSEND Agenda will speak to you. Using his 2d10 Omega System, the setting is inspired by Jack Kirby’s Fourth World and The Eternals, Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light and Daniel Keys Moran’s Long Run and Last Dancer. Spread across 250 pages, this saga involves aliens and options to play superpowered heroes in the post-modern world, ancient Greece, the Renaissance, and more. If you’re looking for an RPG with stakes and a mythology built up over decades, this is worth your consideration.

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Homebrew and Hacking: Crafting New Heritages and Cultures from Homebrew and Hacking

END DATE: Wed, February 16 2022 11:00 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £8 for the PDF of the book
DISCLAIMER: PJ Coffey is a freelancer for EN Publishing and co-hosts Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk podcast
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE: I interview PJ Coffey here and Morrus talks with PJ about the project here
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: Homebrew and Hacking: Arboreals and Homebrew and Hacking: Merfolk are free at DriveThruRPG
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition funded for just shy of a million dollars proving there are fans looking for more in-depth mechanics for 5e. One of its authors, PJ Coffey, is branching out to bring more material to Level Up with options to make balanced heritages and cultures for your game. If you’re interested in fully detailed rules that let you make up different types of creatures, this is worth a look. Check out the campaign page and try out the previews to see how this system will work.

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Felt, Friendship, and Feelings (Zine RPG) from Nerdburger Games

END DATE: Thu, February 17 2022 9:00 PM EST.
SYSTEM(S): An original system
PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $12 + $6 S/H in the US for the PDF and print versions of the zine
DISCLAIMER: I’ve attended a number of conventions with Craig Campbell and plan to attend more
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This rules light, GM-less RPG makes you into a puppet person as you play through heartfelt adventures. The game focuses on found family, teamwork, friendship, and all of the positive emotions and experiences that life offers an individual of felt. Using a system of rolls to see how a scene went along with story structured outlines, you’ll be able to navigate this game with everyone playing as a puppet. If a family friendly RPG sounds appealing, check out the campaign page for this one.

Accessible Gaming Quarterly, Year 3 from Accessible Games

END DATE: Wed, February 16 2022 8:53 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): System neutral
PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $28 for the PDF versions of all four quarterly issues
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? I am a fan of Accessible Games. Their inclusive philosophy speaks to the width and depth of gaming fans. Accessible Gaming Quarterly are general interest RPG zines showcasing interviews with disabled gamers and designers, reviews, suggestions on how disabilities would impact creatures and the ecology, questions and answers related to disabilities and gaming, and so much more. This campaign will fund four more issues to go with the seven they’ve already produced. Using vision-enabled PDF layers, dyslexia-friendly fonts, full color or grayscale layers, offering screen reader compatibility, and more, this project makes enjoying games easier. If you’re looking for these types of options for your gaming table, check out the campaign page.

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The Skaldwood Blight - 1st-20th Pathfinder 2E adventure from Rogue Genius Games

END DATE: Thu, March 3 2022 2:19 PM EST.
SYSTEM(S): Pathfinder 2nd Edition
PROJECT TYPE: Adventure path
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $18 for the PDF and POD versions of the book
DISCLAIMER: Rogue Genius Games’ owner, Owen KC Stephens, has freelanced for EN Publishing
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Need a PF2e adventure path for levels 1 to 20 from Paizo Pathfinder Managing Developer, Ron Lundeen? Over 250 pages long, this adventure starts with a demon lord invading the Northfells. You must defeat his plots, minions, and, ultimately, the demon lord. If you’re a PF2e fan, this is a large 3rd party offering that comes from one of the best sources for Pathfinder material, the Managing Developer. If this idea interests you, check out the campaign page for previews including a link to the website where Ron Lundeen first conceived of this project.

DIVE from Gordinaak Games

END DATE: Thu, March 3 2022 10:00 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): Mothership's Panic Engine
PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $40 for the PDF and print versions of the books, pamphlet, and poster
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This project uses the Mothership engine, but not the outer space sci-fi setting. Instead, this is a hack using the system to power your favorite undersea horror. Inspired by The Abyss, Deep Star Six, Jaws, and Deep Blue Sea, this project offers two books and a pamphlet: DIVE is 40 pages, From the Deepest Trenches is 26 pages, and CHUM is a pamphlet adventure. With rules for scuba diving, depth, pressure, monsters, and tables for a variety of options, these books will let you bring the horrors of the deep to your gaming table.

Lucid:Sea of Dreams from GamesGarden

END DATE: Fri, February 18 2022 3:32 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): An original system
PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 for the PDF of the zine
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Investigate the waking world and the dream realms in this game about lucid dreaming. Written as a standalone RPG or an add-on to an existing campaign, this project lets players create characters and daydream through the world. Using tables to prompt encounters and design dreamscapes, this project pulls from dreams, nightmares, and Jewish folklore. I’m a fan of dream-based RPGs (see my attempt with POWERED by the DREAMR), so this game speaks to me. At 48 pages, the book sounds like a good option to play out dreams.

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You're (Not) A Wizard - A Zine Quest Project from Curious Lycan Games

END DATE: Thu, February 17 2022 3:30 PM EST.
SYSTEM(S): Powered by the Apocalypse
PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the zine
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? You’ve been accepted to the finest wizarding school in the land. There’s only one small challenge, you don’t have any magical ability. In this RPG, you must trick, bluff, and cheap your way through magic school, the only goal is to not get caught. The preview art and concept look fun. If you’re a fan of magic schools and students looking for group, this 32-page project may be for you.

I Guess This Is It from Button Shy Games

END DATE: Sat, February 12 2022 10:30 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): An original system
PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook in a wallet
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 + $5 S/H in the US for the physical game wallet and a free solo mini game
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This two-player RPG comes in a wallet, making it the easiest game you’ve every carried with you. Using a few cards and short rules, this RPG allows players to say goodbye. To what? You choose why you’re saying goodbye, the relationship between the characters, and where this goodbye occurs. Using cards and rules, you’ll figure out the conclusion to this adventure. The draw is the wallet, the economy of size and all it can contain. If you like the concept, check out the page to see this game and other upcoming wallet-sized RPGs.

Planar Compass Issue 3 from Planar Compass

END DATE: Tue, February 15 2022 10:05 AM EST.
SYSTEM(S): Old-School Essentials
PROJECT TYPE: RPG zine
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $14 + $5 S/H in the US for the PDF and print versions of the zine
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The third issue of this weird fantasy OSR offers more of the Astral Sea setting, this time Ordo, the plane of Law and Time. You’ll get two new classes, monsters, spells, and more. Expected to be 60 pages of zine goodness, this RPG supplement is for fans of any OSR looking for far out ideas that will make for original scenarios. Check out the campaign page for details on this issue and the prior two.

Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.