RPG Crowdfunding News – Moria, Tombpunk, TTRPG Conventions, and more

This week’s sampling of TTRPG crowdfunding campaigns end between September 11 to 20. The RPG engines that power these products include 5e, The One Ring 2e, Savage Worlds, and original systems. As well, this article spotlights two upcoming tabletop gaming conventions.

Moria™ – Through the Doors of Durin for The One Ring™ RPG from Free League Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, September 14 2023 3:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition (5e) and The One Ring 2e (TOR2e)
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebooks
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: SEK 398 + S/H for the PDF and print TOR version of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? These books delve into Khazad-dûm, letting you play through the epic setting to explore its history amid the ruins. Using either the 5e or TOR2e engines, you’ll experience the ancient dwarven city using the system of your choice. The 5e version is titled Moria – Shadow of Khazad-dûm while the TOR2e version is titled Moria™ – Through the Doors of Durin. These books include new foes, updated journey rules for underground exploration, and details about the world of the dwarves and the darker creatures that came after. There’s a map and it’s as detailed as the setting itself, showing a top-down view and a cross section. This crowdfunding puts the 5e engine for Tolkien’s masterpieces up against the The One Ring system, letting fans decide which one they’d like. As of this writing, the TOR version of the rewards is outselling the 5e version 6:1. That does not factor in 5e or TOR add-ons or the likelihood that the 5e version will be easier to obtain at retail, but just looking at the campaign page, TOR is well ahead of 5e. If you’re a Tolkien fan, there is some great content here.

Tombpunk RPG: The Mausoleum Edition from Octopress Publishing

• END DATE: Sat, September 16 2023 1:18 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Tombpunk
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $55 + S/H for the PDF and print version of the book, map, dice, coins, bookmark, and more
• AI STATEMENT: Tombpunk is 100% made by humans and creature hands with no robots or AI art whatsoever.
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Alan Bahr’s lo-if, rules lite TTRPG is back with an updated core rulebook showcasing RPG’s current trend: amazing layouts as influenced by Johan Nohr’s work on Mörk Borg and CY_BORG. Over 120 pages that convey the rules and feel of this RPG through the layout and artwork by Kris McClanahan. This new edition showcases the improved system with nicer artwork which makes this easier to dive into. As mentioned below, this version includes solo RPG rules. For creators, this campaign offers up a TOMBPUNK Third Party License, so you can design your own TOMBPUNK content. If you’re looking for a great looking revision of one of Alan’s systems, check out this campaign.

Odysseys & Overlords Second Edition for Savage Worlds from Aegis Studios

• END DATE: Thu, September 14 2023 6:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Savage World Adventure Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 for the PDF and POD discount versions of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This crowdfunding brings the second edition of Aegis Studios’ Odysseys & Overlords to tabletop. In this world, the gods died a millennium ago, the continent has a vast wasteland and what remains is divided up among kingdoms. This RPG started life using an OSR system until the OGL crisis convinced Travis Legge, the creator, to convert to Savage Worlds. This setting and rulebook works to make the RPG friendly to SWAdE players as well as existing fans.

Issliss 1e: A Grimdark Biopunk Roleplaying Game from Fablescraps

• END DATE: Tue, September 19 2023 3:04 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the core book and character sheets plus the PDF of the quickstart
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? “A thousand years ago, humans tried to invade a land of monsters. They failed…” With that, the world opens in a mix of fantasy, biomechanical prosthesis, a bug and plant extract economy, and monsters. With multiple nations and cultures to choose from, this RPG offers an original system tailored to this world of monsters and humans that survive encountering them. If you’re interested in creatures and survival, you can sign up for their newsletter via the campaign page and get a free PDF of the quickstart or just back the book on Kickstarter.

Greasers & Ghouls RPG - Weird Retro Roleplaying in the 1950s from Bloat Games

• END DATE: Mon, September 11 2023 6:30 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): SURVIVE THIS!!
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $59 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
• DISCLAIMER: I have written for Bloat Games. I am not involved in this project
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The concepts and plots of 1950s B-movies have a charm to them, though the quality of those charming movies vary wildly. Taking just the concepts, Bloat Games is matching them with an OSR system to help convey an old-school feel. From the publisher that brought you Dark Places & Demogorgons, this has potential. Match beatniks, bikers, all-American kids, teen idols, and other 1950s tropes with monsters such as the blob, giant radioactive critters, little green men, and more. This 175 to 200-page core rulebook takes inspiration from projects that took inspiration from the 1950s movies like Back to the Future, American Graffiti, Grease, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. If the idea of Greasers & Ghouls speaks to you, then check out the campaign page.

Old Town Saga 5E from M.T. Black Games

• END DATE: Tue, September 19 2023 7:58 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventure
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: AU$8 for both PDFs
• DISCLAIMER: M.T. Black is a columnist at EN World
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? M.T. Black is back with a new mystery for a 5e party full of 1st through 4th level adventurers. While the adventure is 72 pages designed to be easily digested, you’ll also get the Iskandar Player's Handbook, 572 pages of setting support for this world. In this adventure, you’ll run the streets and alleys of Old Town as you match wits with a hard-to-find master criminal. This is less of a brawl and more of an investigation as your players find the enemy is playing the long game.

SagaBorn Creature Compendium 1.5 Edition from Lone Wander Entertainment

• END DATE: Wed, September 20 2023 2:22 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Sagaborn 1.5 Roleplaying Game
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $6 for both of the PDFs
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? At JordanCon 2019, I was able to play the 1e version of this RPG GM’ed by the creator. It was a good time and I’ve always wanted to see this RPG get more attention. With the revised edition, the rules are better explained as is the world. This campaign brings the all-important monster manual up to the new rules. If you’re looking for a fun fantasy d20 based RPG system, this page is worth checking out.

SKY ZEPHYRS - Vehicle Combat Supplement for DnD 5e from HOMIEandTheDUDE

• END DATE: Thu, September 14 2023 8:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £25 for the PDF of the book, a month subscription to HaTDBuilder, and more
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Do you need three dimensional movement in 5e? You do for airships! This book offers 250 pages of new airship combat rules, zephyrs, spells, and so much more (including STL files). You’ll get rules for the aircrew, new character options including a lot more swashbuckling characters. They’re also offering access to the HaTDBuilder site where you can generate modular vehicles. If this sounds interesting, check out the campaign page for a sample of the book.

AcadeCon 2023. Dayton's own 3-day Tabletop Convention

• END DATE: Wed, September 20 2023 9:30 PM EDT.
• PROJECT TYPE: Tabletop gaming convention
• LOCATION AND DATES: Dayton, Ohio from November 3 to 5, 2023
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $45 weekend badge
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This week, I get to talk about two tabletop gaming conventions. The first is AcadeCon in early November. Spinning out of The RPG Academy podcast, this is a smaller convention, but they still hope to host about 600 games across three days. All of the vendor and demo tables offered on Kickstarter are already taken. This is a good thing as it shows that dealers, creatives, and publishers back this convention. The price for the weekend badge is good and you’re likely to find a game or two with 600ish options to choose from.

RiverCityCon Board Game & RPG Convention

• END DATE: Tue, September 19 2023 11:59 PM EDT.
• PROJECT TYPE: Tabletop gaming convention
• LOCATION AND DATES: Louisville, Kentucky from January 12 to 14, 2024
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $40 for the weekend badge
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This tabletop gaming convention comes from the individuals behind LexiCon in nearby Lexington, Kentucky. While this convention in Louisville offers options for all of tabletop, the campaign page mentions a strong Pathfinder and Starfinder presence. As with AcadeCon, the vendor spaces are already spoken for and, as with that con, I take that as a good sign. While the time and location imply the risk of real winter – more than an inch-of-snow-each-year that I’m accustomed to – for those that are prepared, this will be a fun time.

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[Froderik]

Note that this release of Tombpunk also includes solo rules.

 

[Egg Embry]

Note that this release of Tombpunk also includes solo rules.

Good call out. I've updated the post.

 

[ART!]

Moria is very tempting.

Also: Monstrous just launched, and it looks GREAT. It's a book of system-neutral, in-depth monster lore and what-not. It's by a creator who has a local store, and they had printed previews of one monster entry, and they look great and the content is great. I've already backed it, and I usually hem and haw a lot before backing things

 

[talien]

Tough week for some of these crowdfunders. I wonder if there's something about this timeframe in particular (end of summer/beginning of school in the U.S.) that makes it challenging?

 

[Egg Embry]

Tough week for some of these crowdfunders. I wonder if there's something about this timeframe in particular (end of summer/beginning of school in the U.S.) that makes it challenging?

The timeframe could be part of the challenge. I wish I had more insight. I wonder if Kickstarter and Backerkit have some insight?

 

[J.M]

Tough week for some of these crowdfunders. I wonder if there's something about this timeframe in particular (end of summer/beginning of school in the U.S.) that makes it challenging?

Small publisher here, our DriveThruRPG business has been a bit sluggish these past couple of weeks, so you may be onto something.

 

[ART!]

Tough week for some of these crowdfunders. I wonder if there's something about this timeframe in particular (end of summer/beginning of school in the U.S.) that makes it challenging?

Could it be a post-GenCon, -Origins, etc. slump?

 

[Bolongo]

If anyone is on the fence about Moria, just let me point out that it's written by Gareth Hanrahan.
That was enough to push me over, at any rate.

 

[Zehnseiter]

Damn those numbers of One Ring fans in the Moria kickstarter are making me smile.

I don't want to begrudge the 5E fans their version of the books but we are in a time in our hobby where its like the 3E/d20 glut gain just with 5E. Its nice to see to that the One Ring as system isn't depending on 5E to survive and thrive. It has the numbers to stand on its own feet and have a large line of supplements.