RPG CROWDFUNDING NEWS – Riverbank, Woodlander, Ryecroft, and more

This week’s TTRPG crowdfunding sample looks at projects that close between April 24 to 30. Including offering via Kickstarter and Backerkit, this list includes anthropomorphic animals, fantasy magic users that harvest organs to fuel with powers, a solo OSR, a clever OSR adventure, and more.

RiverBank: A cozy RPG of elegant animals, chaos, & whimsy from Kobold Press

• END DATE: Apr 30, 2025 at 6:00pm EDT.
• CROWDFUNDING ON: Backerkit
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $89 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the core rulebook with 2 decks of cards, dice, and dice bag
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Societal anthropomorphic animals having tea and adventures from Kobold Press, a company famous for some of the best 5e third-party products. This game lets you play animal friends setting out on cozy adventures, traipsing between poetry, animality, and whimsy. Expect disastrous visits from relatives, rowboats, and the madness of Mister Toad’s Build Ride. If you’re a fan of folly, check out the Backerkit campaign page for a free PDF preview of this howling grand time.

Woodlander: An Animal Fantasy RPG from Alexander Johnson

• END DATE: Tue, April 22 2025 7:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $35 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This campaign offers another anthropomorphic animal option for your gaming table. This one focuses on being small anthropomorphs in D&D-like adventures. Dungeon crawls and snakes-as-dragons are what you can expect with this RPG. Inspired by Redwall, the Mistmantle Chronicles, and Disney’s Robin Hood, this game uses a d6 dice pool to determine the fate of the characters. If you’re a fan of anthropomorphs and adventures, the Kickstarter campaign page offers a free PDF preview so you can decide if this is right for your gaming table.

Exalted: Essence Player's Guide from Onyx Path Publishing

• END DATE: Apr 25, 2025 at 2:00pm EDT.
• CROWDFUNDING ON: Backerkit
• SYSTEM(S): Exalted: Essence
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $25 + S/H for PDF of the book plus a discount POD coupon
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Exalted is an RPG about powerful beings tasked with slaying gods, safeguarding creation, and, at times, fighting each other. This sourcebook presents character information and content written specifically for the players. Exalted: Essence is a variant of the Exalted Third Edition system, streamlined to make the game easier for players while retaining what makes Exalted a success. If you’re a fan of the Exalted: Essence system, check out this Backerkit campaign page for an expansion.

SOLO BORG: Play MÖRK BORG on your own from Patrick from The Soloist

• END DATE: Thu, April 24 2025 8:12 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): MÖRK BORG
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $32 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book plus more
• AI STATEMENT: “Solo Borg is 100% human made”
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Do you love the MÖRK BORG RPG system, but want to play a solo campaign? This 80-page books gives you the rules to play in a grim fantasy world in its final days. Designed as both an RPG and a toolkit to feed other MÖRK BORG RPGs, this book offers tables and guidance to create a unique experience.

Sickest Witch RPG - Core Rulebook from Severed Books

• END DATE: Sat, April 26 2025 10:51 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Severed System, a d20 OSR system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $39 + S/H for the PDF and print version of the core rulebook plus a PDF of the player’s guide
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Play as a fantasy witch, one that has to harvest body parts for spells and share magic points with the coven. This OSR is a dark, low fantasy RPG that features demonology, but not dragons or fairies. Instead, magic is vile and requires sacrifice in order to harvest the components required to enact your character’s will. Designed for play among your group, the wider game allows players and GMs to connect with other player groups to share resources. Basically, you’re encouraged to talk to your friends and get everyone engaged in the story. If you want a different take on magic, community, and OSR gaming, this book is worth a look.

Ryecroft: A Dangerous Cemetery Crawl for OSE and B/X TTRPGs from MonkeyBlood Design & Publishing

• END DATE: Fri, April 25 2025 10:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Old-School Essentials
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventure
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £15 for four PDFs
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This Old-School Essentials dungeon crawl takes place in a graveyard but forgoes the obvious hook, this isn’t an undead-heavy graveyard encounter. Instead, you’re dealing with the carrion-eating creatures eager to feast on the dead. From jump, Glynn Seal of MonkeyBlood Design has an original take on what could be a stock-standard encounter. This book offers maps, 27 new monsters, movement rules, options for desecration and atonement, various factions within the graveyard, a memorial generator, cards, and so much more. Ryecroft promises a fun, innovative take on what could be another lazy graveyard encounter. If a 224-page book detailing the many non-undead options you could find at an OSR cemetery interests you, check out this Kickstarter for more details.

Meritorious - Claim the Throne (TTRPG, 4X, Roll & Write) from New Guard Studios

• END DATE: Tue, April 29 2025 9:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $39 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This campaign mixes TTRPG, hexcrawl, roll & write, and other types of tabletop games to craft something larger. Each player is a king on an island, using their nation and resources to become the overking of a medieval island. One part board game, one part RPG, you’ll work to defeat your rivals and take the crown. If you’re a fan of Diplomacy with more of an RPG edge, this may speak to you.

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[Von Ether]

If the designer's name for Riverbank, Kij Johnson, sounds familiar it is because she was TSR editor back in the day. She's won some fiction awards since then (the Hugo and Nebula) and now has come back to gaming.

 

[Scribe]

Woodlander looks cool.

 

[beta-ray]

This looks like a big time for small animal RPGs, 2 in this article and at least two more just recently started Rainsporest and Humblewood Beyond the Canopy. Seems like fun times.

 

[Marc Radle]

If the designer's name for Riverbank, Kij Johnson, sounds familiar it is because she was TSR editor back in the day. She's won some fiction awards since then (the Hugo and Nebula) and now has come back to gaming.

Absolutely correct!

It’s been an absolute joy working with Kij on the RiverBank RPG!

A TON of work has gone into RiverBank and I really hope everyone backs it and then of course has a blast playing it when it releases!

 

[Lalato]

We have a bumper crop today. Lots of new stuff out there.

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

Closed and Funded:

• Beyond the Woods
• Wyrmhollow
• Dark Moon Rises
• Emberland

Closed:

Open and Funded:

• Transform & Roll Out (1 week)
• Twilight Requiem: Relics of the Black Flame (1 week)
• Scepter of the Lightbringer (3 weeks)
• The Kingdom of Keshanar (4 weeks)
• Zaman's Guide to the End Times (4 weeks)
• The Gunslinger's Guide to Rexfald (4 weeks)
• Broadsword Guide to the Negative Energy Plane (4 weeks)

Open:

• Noctis (3 weeks, 4%)
• Nomora (3 weeks, 20%)
• Vydal City (4 weeks, 34%)

 

[Belen]

Absolutely correct!

It’s been an absolute joy working with Kij on the RiverBank RPG!

A TON of work has gone into RiverBank and I really hope everyone backs it and then of course has a blast playing it when it releases!

I hope it does well. It is not really of interest to me, but I like Kobold and I wish them the best.

 

[Marc Radle]

Thanks!!
It's really going to be a great game

 

[Eyes of Nine]

I'm kind of worried about the add-ons like the tea infuser and other "cute" add-ons that could end up sinking the main crowdfund of Riverbank.

Kevin Crawford had a post about the horror stories wherein a crowdfund would have been ok if they stuck to their core competency of RPG books, and maybe special printing. But then they get into other stuff like dice and cloisonne pins and that runs them off the rails.

@Marc Radle thoughts on that?
(all of the above notwithstanding, I will probably end up adding the Mr. Toad infuser, it looks adorable)

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Thanks!!
It's really going to be a great game

Oh also - is the Riverbank novel an e-book or dead tree? It's not clear in the add-ons section.