Pirates of Atlantis, Kickstarting Now!
Pirates of Atlantis (5E DnD & 13th Age) is now live on Kickstarter!
Pledge Now!
Your early pledge will help us have the strongest possible launch!
See you in Atlantis!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dreadunicorngames/pirates-of-atlantis-5e-dnd-and-13th-age
October 26th, Pirates of Atlantis!
Set the date: October 26th, Pirates of Atlantis, the epic campaign for both Fifth Edition DnD and 13th Age launches on Kickstarter.
Sign up to get notified when the campaign goes live: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dreadunicorngames/pirates-of-atlantis-5e-dnd-and-13th-age
Pirates of Atlantis includes oodles of epic lore, engaging NPCs, and twisted plots to keep your players engrossed in the campaign.
Atlantis didn’t fall by accident, and there are plenty of clues suggesting what took it down the first time is happening again. Atlantis reached unfathomable height of magic and strange technology before it fell, and the ruins it left are like no other.
Some NPCs are tied to a place, bringing it to life. Others reoccur, their paths crisscrossing the PCs’. The PCs will get their own sailing ship and must hire a crew. Can they trust every sailor that wants to sign on? I think not. Their ship comes with some unique magical individuals aboard. And that scurvy son of a a sea dog Fangos. The PCs will get sick of seeing his face everywhere they go. Especially when a giant version of that smug mug keeps getting grafted onto the backs of hapless NPCs.
Fangos has an agenda that might bring everything and everyone the PCs hold dear to ruin. And when the PCs block one piece of his plan, he has backup plans and the resources to follow them. He will not be stopped. Other agendas oppose, support, and intersect Fangos’. Atlantean factions. Worshipers of elder gods. A witch who just might be a demigod.
Kickstarting October 26th. See you in Atlantis.
Pirates of Atlantis Map
Sea of Tears map by Tânia Gomes.
Pirates of Atlantis, an epic adventure for 5th Edition DnD and 13th Age is Kickstarting soon.
Overworld in Print & Light Gets In Playtest
I'm just back from GameStorm, where I got to meet one of my favorite backers, and they asked "When is the print version coming out?"
I told them I was waiting for another proof from the printer, but expected it soon.
Guess what was waiting in the mailbox when I got home? And it looks good. I'll go over it more tomorrow, but we could be shipping soon. Which still means it takes weeks to get to Kickstarter backers, but weeks are better than months! Once the backers have theirs in the pipepline, we’ll open it up to everyone to buy. If you already bought the PDF and wish you had the print version, we’ll give you a discount.
Meanwhile we’re finishing up the playtest of The Sun Below: That’s How the Light Gets In. At the same time, I’m doing a writer’s edit on the whole manuscript. I’ll integrate the playtest results and do a few more passes before handing it over to the real editor (Alison Wells).
— Nhoj
The Overworld and Beyond Ships
Get the Overworld and Beyond now! If you want to buy the print version, no need to wait. We’ll send everyone who gets a PDF version a discount for the price of the PDF toward the print version when it becomes available.
And So It Begins
The Overworld and Beyond Enters Layout
It's always exciting to start layout. Instead of a zillion versions of a Word document and folders stuffed with art images, this is where it becomes a book, a PDF, a real thing to game with.
After a few weeks of layout, we send it back to the editor. Then we cut the PDF and send it to you.
We wait a few weeks to see if anyone reports any problems, then print and ship.
The Planes are coming.
Exact same text on the Kickstarter Update here.
Elemental Guardian
Here’s a 13th Age elemental that will be found in The Overworld and Beyond.
Elemental Guardian
This being physically embodies the idea of the four elements.
Large 12th level wrecker [elemental]
Initiative: +16
Elemental flux fists +17 vs. AC—100 force damage
Natural even hit: 40 ongoing fire damage.
Natural odd hit: 80 cold damage, and the target is stuck until it takes fire damage.
Natural even miss: All enemies in contact with the ground take 2d20 thunder damage.
Natural odd miss: All engaged enemies take 20 lightning damage and pop free.
C: Elemental vortex +17 vs. PD (1d3 nearby enemies, or 1d3 far away enemies in a group)—60 force damage and 30 ongoing damage (fire, cold, thunder, or lightning depending on which elemental realm it is in).
Elemental immunity: On turns when the escalation die is odd, this creature takes no damage from fire, cold, thunder, or lightning attacks.
NASTIER SPECIALS
Pick One, Determined by Which Elemental Realm the Guardian Is In
Hotter than hell: Enemies engaged with the guardian take 20 fire damage at the start of their turns.
Flows like the waves: The guardian automatically pops free when it moves and cannot be intercepted while moving.
Stronger than the mountains: The guardian has +3 AC.
Quick as the wind: The guardian can move as a quick action, flying if it chooses to.
AC 28
PD 26 HP 765
MD 22
Elemental Guardians and the Icons from Gods and Icons
Blue Aoife makes great use of elemental guardians, whom she sees as allies. Thrice-Wise Mercurius and Queen Tanadil use them as well, but as tools rather than allies. Occasionally these creatures will be seen in the service of Lady Akuma, Lord Ikal, or Ghiama.
Playtest, Art, and Progress
Want to Playtest?
If you are a 13th Age GM and have players, want to playtest? We need you to run some or all of the Overworld and Beyond, email me at john at dreadunicorngames dot com for details.
If you are a 13th Age Player and want to participate in the playtesting we are doing via Google Hangouts, email me at john at dreadunicorngames dot com. We are based in Bend, OR, USA, which is in the Pacific Standard Time zone.
Art Previews
Sparrow Buerer (of The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady and Gods and Icons fame) is working on the art for The Overworld and Beyond. Here are some of her illustrations.
Progress
Ash has submitted his final text. We added a ton of great content through our stretch goals, and we need to do more playtesting, and a quality job on editing and layout. I'm seeing a November release in my crystal ball.
Next Up
We'll be contacting the lucky winners whose NPCs, inns, or what have you will be illustrated.
Tales of the Dread Unicorn, July 2018
Tales of the Dread Unicorn
The Overworld and Beyond for 13th Age is in development. Ash Law is adding all the new content that came out of the Kickstarter stretch goals. Sparrow Buerer (The Sun Below: Sleeping Lady and Gods and Icons) has started working on additional art. Editor Keith Garrett is chomping on the bit, waiting for the text. I am handing the project management and Kickstarter duties. Once editing is done, I’ll do the layout.
Backers should have received their PDFs for any add-ons they purchased. Print add-ons will start shipping in the next week or two.
If you missed the Kickstarter, preorders are now open -> https://john-ws-marvin-dread-unicorn-g.pledgemanager.com/projects/the-overworld-and-beyond-13th-age-rpg-planar-adven/participate/?ref=website
The Sun Below: That’s How the Light Gets In for Numenera is in development. I am working on a transdimensional city that exists in three dimensions. The City of Lost Worlds is the setting for the middle act of the plot. Aser Tolentino and Megan Tolentino (The Redacted Files and The Amber Clave) have contributed a new flavor, the Dimension Walker, plus an extradimensional portal full of new cyphers. Alison Wells (The Sun Below titles, Gods and Icons, The Gods Have Spoken) will be the editor.
Connor Marvin (Gods and Icons) is working on a new RPG, which will be “contemplative yet fighty.” Once That’s How the Light Gets In ships, I will join the product. It will be set on our own unique version of Lemuria where the forces of mindless conquest have almost destroyed civilization but have overreached. The players will be working for the temples to restore civilization, but it may be too late. We’ll be using the Powered by the Apocalypse engine.
We have some other projects we can’t talk about yet. More later!
Hope all our US fans had a Happy Fourth of July! We stayed home with our brand new (nine-week-old) puppy.
John WS Marvin
Ollie
Copyright © 2018 Dread Unicorn Games, LLC, All rights reserved.
PreOrder Now for The Overworld and Beyond
PreOrders are open!
Transdimensional 13th Age adventure for every tier! The Carrow Hills are a perfect sandbox for adventurer-tier, and we add three adventures for champion- and epic-tier parties. Plus two new classes (Realm Walker and Voidcaller), tons of new monsters, and magic items. Capping it all is plane after plane for your adventures to take place in.
PreOrder Now!
The Redacted Files Talks All Things Overworld
Listen in as Aser Tolentino and Megan Tolentino of The Redacted Files interview Ash Law and me about The Overworld and Beyond and our passion for 13th Age.
And be sure to check out the other episodes of gaming goodness on the Redacted Files. We're big fans of their actual plays and everything Aser and Megan
Overworld Funded!
Lots more to come. Read about the first stretch goal, the Realm-Walker class, here.
Overworld Interview on the Iconic Podcast
Take a listen as Ash Law and I are interviewed by the Iconic Podcast crew about The Overworld and Beyond.
https://iconicpodcast.com/2018/05/07/s2-e03-the-overworld-and-beyond/
And be sure to check out the other Iconic episodes for amazing deep dives into all things 13th Age.
And checkout the Kickstarter here: http://bit.ly/Overworld13
Adventure Tier: The Carrow Hills
See The Overworld and Beyond Kickstarter: http://bit.ly/Overworld13
While talking to Ash Law the other day about The Overworld and Beyond I realized that while I’ve talked a lot about our champion-tier and epic-tier adventures, I haven’t spoken enough about its adventurer-tier support.
The Carrow Hills, our little backwater you can stick anywhere in your campaign world that has a coast, is a perfect sandbox for adventurer-tier games. There are random events tables for the countryside and the three towns. These events provide clues as to what is going on behind the scenes and lead the PCs into adventures and foreshadow champion-tier threats to come.
The wilderness contains bandits, druids, ruined farms, an abandoned watchtower, Witch’s Hill, a hat-carrying raven, and more. A great place for adventurer-tier parties to explore.
Shank, the small town surrounded by a wooden palisade, has inns, troubled farmers, a talking goat, a chapel of the Bright Gods, and all sorts of people needing the kind of help low-level PCs can give. A wonderful base for first- and second-level characters.
Shriveport is a Lovecraftian port where odd and disturbing NPCs and monsters seem to be always just out of sight. Until they aren’t. Rumors of unsettling amphibious people seen at night, a nearby shipwreck, pirate treasure, and so much more. Don’t forget to visit the cats at the Esoteric Temple of Balamet. A perfect setting for spooky adventures for third- and fourth-level characters.
Harrowbridge is the big town of the Carrow Hills. Nobles, wizards, and merchants make this the most cosmopolitan town of the three. The Tower of Wizardry is full of wizards drawn to the Carrow Hills by the proximity of other planes, and they often need the kind of help only parties of adventurers can provide. A perfect base for third- and fourth-level PCs.
Fogfen, the setting for the first-level adventure The Tower in the Mist (published by Dread Unicorn Games), is just south of the Carrow Hills. A party only has to follow the trade route north from Fogfen to find themselves in Shank.
The Carrow Hills, a perfect place for an adventurer-tier party to find adventure.
The Overworld and Beyond Kickstarting News
We're on a Roll!
83% and climbing at this moment. http://bit.ly/Overworld13
Kickstarting Now!
Ash and I are going to be on two podcasts: The Iconic Podcast (already recorded) and The Redacted Files.
Check out our wonderful backing thus far.
This is my third Kickstarter, and this is typical. You always open big, then the growth slows a bit, but you keep on growing.
Help Spread the Word
Our short link is http://bit.ly/Overworld13, use it to tell your friends and post on social media. After every Kickstarter, I hear from gamers who say "Oh darn, I never heard about it."
There's nothing like word of mouth and recommendations from a friend.
Got a Podcast or Blog?
Let us know. We'd love to talk about The Overworld and Beyond.
Kickstarting Now: The Overworld and Beyond
It's ALIVE! http://bit.ly/Overworld13
Go to Kickstarter.com and search for "The Overworld and Beyond" or just follow this handy link: http://bit.ly/Overworld13
1 Day till Kickstarter!
And Giant Koblin-Spider Preview! (below)
Preview: Giant koblin-spider
A horrific hybrid creature, revered by other koblins.
Huge 7th level spoiler [beast]
Initiative: +8
Scissoring mandibles +12 vs. AC (two attacks)—40 damage
Natural even hit: The target is stuck (save ends).
Natural odd hit: The target is hampered (save ends).
C: Caustic webbing +12 vs. PD (one nearby or far-away enemy, plus one enemy engaged with the koblin-spider)—5 ongoing acid damage and the target is stuck (save ends both)
Limited use: 1/round, as a quick action.
Climber: The spider can move on just about any surface that can support its weight.
Nastier Specials
Dripping with poison: Stuck or hampered enemies engaged with the koblin-spider take 10 poison damage at the start of their turns.
AC 24
PD 21 HP 333
MD 15
(Giant koblin-spiders and everything else subject to change before final release.)
Two Days till Kickstarter!
Preview: The Widow Amalthea
The Widow Amalthea—Now an elderly woman, Amalthea was young when she first came to Shriveport with her husband. They planned to turn the town into a major trade hub—building warehouses, inns, docks, everything that would be needed to turn an obscure bay into a place where ships would stop regularly and in large number. They only got as far as building the piers that now exist before her husband drowned in mysterious circumstances. In her grief, the Widow Amalthea took the money that they were going to invest in the town and instead built a mansion on the dark cliffs overlooking Shriveport.
Adventure hooks:
- The adventurers receive an invitation to the Widow’s large and luxurious home to take supper with her. While there their host hints that her husband was murdered by Zadok Marsh (the town priest).
- The Widow Amalthea’s maid, Gladys Seaglass, is in town buying supplies. The maid says that her employer is ill and that is why she hasn’t been seen in town for a month—but something about the way the maid’s eyes dart about when asked about the widow alerts the adventurers to the fact that something else is going on.
- The adventurers are approached by Bill Codwater, the Widow’s handyman and gardener. When the moon is high and the mist rises, something strange climbs the cliffs and lurks around the rambling mansion—apparently trying to get inside the mansion. Everybody who lives in the house is terrified, but the townsfolk just laugh at their tales. Will the adventurers take Bill’s invitation stay the night, and perhaps discover what is haunting the mansion?
(Everything subject to change before the final release.)