RPG Crowdfunding News – Coriolis, Knights of Dust and Neon, The Lost Bay, and more

This week’s TTRPG crowdfunding sampler covers projects that end between April 8 to 14 with a few outliers. For this article, I focus on projects from Free League Publishing, Monte Cook Games, EN Publishing, a few other creative houses, and two gaming conventions.

Coriolis: The Great Dark RPG – Explore A Lost Horizon from Free League Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, April 11 2024 4:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Year Zero Engine
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: SEK 898 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the core rulebook and boxed set
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This Kickstarter re-invisions Coriolis – The Third Horizon, a 2017 Ennie Awards Judges Spotlight winner, with a revised setting and new mechanics, which makes The Great Dark Coriolis Second Edition. Deep space explorers colonized an asteroid and built a city, one near the ruins of a long-dead civilization whose powerful artifacts are guarded by monsters and trapped within Blight. This project brings sci-fi and dungeon crawls together with the Year Zero Engine; think the ALIEN RPG as a megadungeon and you’re getting the vibe of this project. For gamers, there’s the core rulebook and a starter boxed set. For creators, there’s an open license allowing you to craft your own content. If you’re on the fence about deadly space adventures with an award-winning engine, check out the campaign page for a quickstart.

Knights of Dust and Neon from Monte Cook Games

• END DATE: Apr 12, 2024 at 8:00pm EDT.
• CROWDFUNDING ON: Backerkit
• SYSTEM(S): Cypher System
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebooks
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $190 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the three sourcebooks, a zine, and a PDF of the core rulebook
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Monte Cook Games has three new sourcebooks for their Cypher System: Neon Rain, High Noon at Midnight, and Gunslinger Knights. Neon Rain brings new cyberpunk options to the Cypher System. High Noon at Midnight is a resource for genre kitbashing ranging from pure Old West to Weird West to Sci-fi Westerns to Space Cowboys. This book provides the options you’ll need to make a unique campaign for your gaming table. Gunslinger Knights takes the idea of King Arthur, Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series, George A. Romero’s Knightriders, and any tale of medieval knights defending the innocent with guns, adds motorcycles, and offers the role of protector to you. If these sourcebooks speak to you, check out the free PDF copy of the Cypher Systems Rules Primer via the campaign page. Plus, “every pledge level includes the complete Cypher System Rulebook in PDF.” If you want cyberpunk, Westerns, and gun knights for your Cypher System campaigns, this Backerkit awaits.

The Lost Bay: Suburban Gothic RPG from The Lost Bay Studio

• END DATE: Thu, April 11 2024 7:58 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original TTRPG system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £65 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of both books
• AI NOTICE: “HUMAN MADE: Sweat, flesh and passion are behind each word and image of The Lost Bay. We do not use AI generated content.”
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Need a game that combines the mundane and supernatural, all set in a suburban gothic world of 1980s horror and ‘90s indie culture? Designed for group play or solo adventures, these 160-page core rulebook and 100-page adventure anthology create a world of teens, powers, ghosts, weirdness, monsters, and a large suburb to explore. If the idea of retro ‘burbs and teenagers saving the day speaks to you, get a free PDF preview of the game and an adventure on the campaign page.

Big Empty Blue #1-2: Graphic Novels & DnD 5E Resources from Marco Antonio Piana

• END DATE: Thu, April 11 2024 11:59 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook and comic books
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: CA$10 for the PDFs of both issues and the sourcebook plus VTT assets
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This is a multimedia project offering 2 comic books, a 5e resource book, and a zine of gaming content. This is an all-ages sci-fantasy setting, a vast ocean with differing territories and unusual types of creatures and peoples to explore and adventure with. Inspired by “The Legend of Zelda, Avatar: The Last Airbender, One Piece, and the works of Studio Ghibli,” this project gives you a 5e sourcebook that details the peoples, the subclasses, monsters, magic items, and 7 adventures. Not sure if this is for you? They have a free preview bundle via the campaign page that’s worth checking out for the art, ideas, and gaming options.

Flavor Text Adventures - Cooking monsters for 5e from Flavor Text Adventures

• END DATE: Sun, April 14 2024 12:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $39 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
• TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: Cooking Cave Troll - Flavor Text Adventures is PWYW at DriveThruRPG
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Who wants to eat their enemies? This book’s title is a play on words conveying this cookbook/sourcebook of monster-baking recipes. There’s a growing subgenre of fantasy TTRPGs that involve slaying monsters and eating them such as Heliana's Guide To Monster Hunting, Cottages & Cerberus, and Recipe for Adventure Cards to name a few. It feels like something perfect for OSRs and Mörk Borg campaigns, really. However, this ruleset is for 5e. What can you do with your numerous slain enemies? What do they taste like? What benefits do you get from eating them? With a Larry Elmore and Joby Dorr cover and stretch goals coming from Ed Greenwood, this project offers dishes, desserts, and D&D legends for every gaming taste.

Fear the Con 2024

• END DATE: Sun, April 21 2024 3:00 PM EDT.
• DATE AND LOCATION: Friday, June 21 and Saturday June 22, 2024 in St. Louis at the Brentwood Drury Inn
• PROJECT TYPE: Gaming convention
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $30 for the weekend pass
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This week, I look at two gaming conventions, each one happens in different states along I-64. CharCon is in Charleston, West Virginia while the other, Fear the Con, in St. Louis, Missouri. Fear the Con provides board games and “D&D, BattleTech, and Savage Worlds.” It’s two days of gaming plus there’s the World Wide Wing Night on Thursday June 20th, 2024 to kickoff the convention. They take care of their attendees, working hard to bring gamers together. If you’re in the St. Louis area in June, this is worth exploring.

CharCon 2024: THE West Virginia Gaming Convention

• END DATE: Mon, April 8 2024 8:00 PM EDT.
• DATE AND LOCATION: Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14, 2024 in Charleston, West Virginia
• PROJECT TYPE: Gaming convention
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $40 for the weekend pass and die
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? West Virginia’s CharCon returns for a 17th year. That is outstanding! This conventions features TTRPGs, board games, and miniatures plus artists, cosplay, and vendors. Every year, this looks like a solid gathering of gamers, and it makes me wish I were in the area to sling some dice.

Planestrider's Journal for Level Up A5E and D&D 5E from EN Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, April 4 2024 6:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Level Up! Advanced 5th Edition and Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £40 for 3 PDFs and VTTs
• DISCLAIMER: EN World is a subsidiary of EN Publishing
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The Level Up! Advanced Fifth Edition planar adventure options for the 260-page Planestrider's Journal and the 50-page Captain Cobalt's Codicil ends tomorrow.

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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.

 

[Lalato]

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

Closed and Funded:

• Born From Ice

Closed:

• The Beautiful Stride (52%)
• Paths to Elemental Peace (10%)

Open and Funded:

• Planestrider's Journal (ending this week)
• Surviving Strangehollow (ending this week)
• Adventures in the Household (ending this week)
• The World of Shira: Volume One (ending next week)
• The Arcane Realms (ending in 2 weeks)
• The Captain's Logbook (ending in 2 weeks)
• The Complete Virgin Mine (ending in 2 weeks)
• Labyrinth & Lyre (ending in 3 weeks)
• Myrwoods (ending in 4 weeks)
• The Wandering Tavern (ending in 5 weeks)

Open:

• Furthest Night: Beyond the Outer Darkness (5%)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

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

Closed and Funded:

• Born From Ice

Closed:

• The Beautiful Stride (52%)
• Paths to Elemental Peace (10%)

Open and Funded:

• Planestrider's Journal (ending this week)
• Surviving Strangehollow (ending this week)
• Adventures in the Household (ending this week)
• The World of Shira: Volume One (ending next week)
• The Arcane Realms (ending in 2 weeks)
• The Captain's Logbook (ending in 2 weeks)
• The Complete Virgin Mine (ending in 2 weeks)
• Labyrinth & Lyre (ending in 3 weeks)
• Myrwoods (ending in 4 weeks)
• The Wandering Tavern (ending in 5 weeks)

Open:

• Furthest Night: Beyond the Outer Darkness (5%)

In addition to Big Empty Blue, Wandering Tavern is also another Ghibli-inspired project, as was last years Obojima, which should be fulfilling later this year. Probably more than enough to link all three together to create a very Ghibli campaign.

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

Really looking forward to Coriolis. I liked the original system and setting, and this new edition expands on both in directions I like: exploration and streamlined rules. And I really like the birds.

 

[Lalato]

In addition to Big Empty Blue, Wandering Tavern is also another Ghibli-inspired project, as was last years Obojima, which should be fulfilling later this year. Probably more than enough to link all three together to create a very Ghibli campaign.

Yes, definitely. Only reason I didn't include Big Empty Blue is that it's not going to be a fully realized setting yet. The focus is on the graphic novels and the 5e resources are somewhat limited in scope. That said, I'll still probably support it. Never hurts to have some new comics to read.

 

[thullgrim]

Really looking forward to Coriolis. I liked the original system and setting, and this new edition expands on both in directions I like: exploration and streamlined rules. And I really like the birds.

View attachment 355768

Also a backer on Coriolis and am really looking forward to it. I’m on the fence with the Cypher campaign. If I backed I’d want to get the back catalog in print too and that’s gonna get pricey.

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Lost Bay on my watch list. I enjoy his podcast too

A few other projects to flag for you @Egg Embry in case you haven't seen them yet (although I am sure you have). Probably to list in a week or two if you so choose

Gardens of Ynn If funds allow, plan to get the Stygian Library too since I couldn't get it on the first go around

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soulmuppet/gardens-of-ynn

Divine Right board game, based on ye olde TSR game of the mid-70's. Hopefully with updated tech from the last 50 years of board game design

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2141043266/divine-right-2024

Cairn 2e

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1557907976/cairn-2e-boxed-set

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Gardens of Ynn If funds allow, plan to get the Stygian Library too since I couldn't get it on the first go around

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soulmuppet/gardens-of-ynn

Stygian Library is crazy good. I sprang it on a group of Strixhaven characters sent to find an unfindable book at the Biblioplex as a hazing ritual.

 

[Superchunk77]

Really looking forward to Coriolis. I liked the original system and setting, and this new edition expands on both in directions I like: exploration and streamlined rules. And I really like the birds.

View attachment 355768

I've heard this game/setting mentioned so many times in podcasts I listen to that I had to back it as well. I've heard good things about it using an evolution of the Year Zero game engine, as that was one of the complaints I saw about the older edition.

 

[Charles Dunwoody]

I've heard this game/setting mentioned so many times in podcasts I listen to that I had to back it as well. I've heard good things about it using an evolution of the Year Zero game engine, as that was one of the complaints I saw about the older edition.

The older edition had some unusual choices like a three action combat round instead of two. But the setting depiction of the struggle against the Dark Between the Stars was well executed. This new version streamlines things in what I consider a positive way: rules are refined and gameplay focuses on exploration. So a tighter focus in both the rules and gameplay.