Vast Grimm is a sci-fi horror RPG hack of Mörk Borg by Brian Colin and published by Infinite Black. The RPG line is coming back with new books. Originally crowdfunded on GameFound in July 2021, this project reached 1,727 backers and raised $130,619. After delivering the core rulebook, a GM screen, some really awesome dice, and more, Brian Colin and Infinite Black are back with new books for Vast Grimm, this time on Kickstarter. With the crowdfunding campaign running from January 24th through February 17th, I spoke to Brian to learn more about the books he’s creating and what else is coming with this campaign.
EGG EMBRY (EGG): Brian, I’m excited to see that you’re back with more Vast Grimm books, which is awesome news! For those unfamiliar with your RPG, what is Vast Grimm?
BRIAN COLIN (BRIAN): Vast Grimm is a rules-light RPG where everyone must band together in order to keep what’s left of humanity alive.
EGG: With the new crowdfunding campaign running on Kickstarter, what are you creating?
BRIAN: We’re expanding with three new books and a Mission Patch program.
EGG: With these new books, the campaign mentions one of the books has new rules. Can you tease some of the options that will be available?
BRIAN: One of the most exciting additions is starship generation and combat rules. We wanted it to feel like the core Vast Grimm rules, so creating a ship is very similar to character creation. And combat is just as easy and brutal as character combat. We’ve also added new classes and sub-classes in these books.
EGG: Those are cool new options! You are introducing them through these three books and patches? Why crowdfund all three books at once?
BRIAN: They are smaller books that all fit into the Vast Grimm universe, but wouldn’t be cohesive in one volume. Four connected adventures on the home planetoid where the würm infection was first unleashed, a book on playing space raiders along with factions and a hex crawl, and then the starship book. There is a lot packed into each one of these compact books.
EGG: I was at Level Up Games in Duluth, Georgia recently and picked up a physical copy of the core rules and the GM screen for Vast Grimm. I have to say, they’re amazing products. Will these new books be the same look, layout, and dimensions as the first book?
BRIAN: Thanks for grabbing those at Level Up! I may have dropped those off there personally just the other week. The new books will all be 6” x 8.5” to match the Mörk Borg books Vast Grimm was based on. The new books will be significantly slimmer with a smaller page count. I love hardcover books and want to see a spine on my shelf.
EGG: Vast Grimm is a hack of Mörk Borg. Because your background is in making amazing sculpts, artwork, and RPGs, you have the right visual eye for an art-punk sci-fi take on Mörk Borg. When considering the visuals for Vast Grimm, what’s your touchstone? What do you think about to achieve the right look for your project?
BRIAN: Between Ross and myself, we really want to create it so that each page spread is really enjoyable visually. We want it to get you into the tone of the setting before you even read a word on the page.
EGG: For Free RPG Day 2021, you and Infinite Black gave out copies of the free Vast Grimm quickstart, Into the Würmhole. I met with you at the aforementioned Level Up Games for that Free RPG Day where we discussed the book a bit (here). You’ve done a lot of promotion for Vast Grimm with Free RPG Day, convention appearances, putting out the core game, multiple online games, and more. What’s the feedback been like from fans and critics? How have your efforts been received?
BRIAN: Considering that the core book has been out for less than a year, I think it’s been really well received. We have only had it in-person at one convention so far and the response there was fantastic. Once people see it, the visual style grabs on and doesn’t let go.
EGG: In 2021 on EN World, we talked about your first Vast Grimm crowdfunding on GameFound. Where will this project crowdfund?
BRIAN: We moved to Kickstarter for this project to see if we could expand Vast Grimm to backers who might not have seen the original campaign on Gamefound. We’ve even added pledge levels to accommodate this for those who are just joining our legion.
EGG: Glad that you’re adding backer levels for new fans. Beyond Vast Grimm, are you working on anything else?
BRIAN: Infinite Black has additional projects on the horizon, but most of those are still under wraps. Even though we’ve chatted pretty regularly over the years, I am planning to try and harness all of my energy into additional Vast Grimm projects for the next couple of years. There is so much left I’d like to explore in the setting.
EGG: Thanks for talking with me. Where can fans learn more about your crowdfunding and Vast Grimm?
BRIAN: Thank you for having me! The Kickstarter can be found here. All other Vast Grimm links can be found at Linktree.
Vast Grimm: Into Oblivion from Infinite Black
EGG EMBRY (EGG): Brian, I’m excited to see that you’re back with more Vast Grimm books, which is awesome news! For those unfamiliar with your RPG, what is Vast Grimm?
BRIAN COLIN (BRIAN): Vast Grimm is a rules-light RPG where everyone must band together in order to keep what’s left of humanity alive.
EGG: With the new crowdfunding campaign running on Kickstarter, what are you creating?
BRIAN: We’re expanding with three new books and a Mission Patch program.
EGG: With these new books, the campaign mentions one of the books has new rules. Can you tease some of the options that will be available?
BRIAN: One of the most exciting additions is starship generation and combat rules. We wanted it to feel like the core Vast Grimm rules, so creating a ship is very similar to character creation. And combat is just as easy and brutal as character combat. We’ve also added new classes and sub-classes in these books.
EGG: Those are cool new options! You are introducing them through these three books and patches? Why crowdfund all three books at once?
BRIAN: They are smaller books that all fit into the Vast Grimm universe, but wouldn’t be cohesive in one volume. Four connected adventures on the home planetoid where the würm infection was first unleashed, a book on playing space raiders along with factions and a hex crawl, and then the starship book. There is a lot packed into each one of these compact books.
EGG: I was at Level Up Games in Duluth, Georgia recently and picked up a physical copy of the core rules and the GM screen for Vast Grimm. I have to say, they’re amazing products. Will these new books be the same look, layout, and dimensions as the first book?
BRIAN: Thanks for grabbing those at Level Up! I may have dropped those off there personally just the other week. The new books will all be 6” x 8.5” to match the Mörk Borg books Vast Grimm was based on. The new books will be significantly slimmer with a smaller page count. I love hardcover books and want to see a spine on my shelf.
EGG: Vast Grimm is a hack of Mörk Borg. Because your background is in making amazing sculpts, artwork, and RPGs, you have the right visual eye for an art-punk sci-fi take on Mörk Borg. When considering the visuals for Vast Grimm, what’s your touchstone? What do you think about to achieve the right look for your project?
BRIAN: Between Ross and myself, we really want to create it so that each page spread is really enjoyable visually. We want it to get you into the tone of the setting before you even read a word on the page.
EGG: For Free RPG Day 2021, you and Infinite Black gave out copies of the free Vast Grimm quickstart, Into the Würmhole. I met with you at the aforementioned Level Up Games for that Free RPG Day where we discussed the book a bit (here). You’ve done a lot of promotion for Vast Grimm with Free RPG Day, convention appearances, putting out the core game, multiple online games, and more. What’s the feedback been like from fans and critics? How have your efforts been received?
BRIAN: Considering that the core book has been out for less than a year, I think it’s been really well received. We have only had it in-person at one convention so far and the response there was fantastic. Once people see it, the visual style grabs on and doesn’t let go.
EGG: In 2021 on EN World, we talked about your first Vast Grimm crowdfunding on GameFound. Where will this project crowdfund?
BRIAN: We moved to Kickstarter for this project to see if we could expand Vast Grimm to backers who might not have seen the original campaign on Gamefound. We’ve even added pledge levels to accommodate this for those who are just joining our legion.
EGG: Glad that you’re adding backer levels for new fans. Beyond Vast Grimm, are you working on anything else?
BRIAN: Infinite Black has additional projects on the horizon, but most of those are still under wraps. Even though we’ve chatted pretty regularly over the years, I am planning to try and harness all of my energy into additional Vast Grimm projects for the next couple of years. There is so much left I’d like to explore in the setting.
EGG: Thanks for talking with me. Where can fans learn more about your crowdfunding and Vast Grimm?
BRIAN: Thank you for having me! The Kickstarter can be found here. All other Vast Grimm links can be found at Linktree.
Vast Grimm: Into Oblivion from Infinite Black
- End Date: Fri, February 17 2023 9:00 PM EST.
- “A sci-fi horror RPG set in a dying universe // New splatterpunk adventures and expanded rules // Inspired and infected by Mörk Borg X_X”
