I. Dear friends…
Have YOU ever wanted to be a space cowboy? An interstellar gangster of love? An alien named “Mau Reese”? Well, I speak of the outer space above.
Being a purveyour of the latest releases, crowdfunding campaigns, indie zines, and other TTRPG wonders, every now and then I stumble across something that strikes me in the core of my creative brain, and causes a electrical blitz to rush all of my neurons at once. Something fresh, colorful, hype, yet reminiscent of a finely crafted mood and attitude in pop culture.
While Dungeons and Dragons is just one of many games in the tabletop roleplaying game market, its 5th Edition (and 5.5e) has become the ruleset of some amazing independent campaigns, supplements, and setting books.
Now, granted my attention has been pointed mostly at the non-DnD part of the RPG scene, this is no reason not to highlight some of the more inspired indie projects. Plenty of BST and TLC has gone into these setting bundles, which are so homebrewed to nearly be games unto themselves!
However, as DnD is a fantasy based on medieval tropes, taking that ruleset into the realm of space opera fantasy is something truly special! … Now, take the space opera fantasy formula, and throw every ADHD pop culture darling idea into the petri dish.
So, lets rave for a moment about Neon Odyssey, the newest Kickstarter from Legend of Avantris.
Neon Odyssey is a 1,400+ page trilogy that brings Space Opera to D&D 5.5e, drawing inspiration from legendary Sci-Fi Films, retro Video Games, classic Animation, pop-culture Nostalgia, and more. Launch into a space adventure with galactic GM Tools in a colorfully cosmic Campaign Setting, or suit up with an astral arsenal of Player Options to soar among the stars.
Ok. The copy-pasta is a buzzword salad with with a ton of evocative scenery, but if you think thats a sales-pitch, you need to check out the announcement trailer.
Witness the power of mood coloring, angst, and redemption amongst the stars/ Mysterious loner finds friendship amongst outlaws with a flair of Akira Toriyama 80s art-style and over-the-top battle scenes. Goddamn, so much personality!
The Kickstarter is ongoing through the month of May, pledging at 8.8 million dollars, and growing!
In this ever-changing and endlessly intriguing era of TTRPGs, with tons of crowdfunding blowouts in the space, its hard to tell what will live past its hype, but the best way to know for sure is with open eyes, and plenty of time!
But damn does the hype feel good!
Want a sneak peak? Grab the playtest. Also, enjoy a free wallpaper.
II. The Sage Speaks
Continuing the saga of populating the TTRPG Glossary and the Writing and Worldbuilding Glossary.
Here are this weeks terms:
Area of Effect (AoE) - An area or shape of physical space which a spell or attacks effects take place, used to determine the number of creatures or objects affected.
Armor Class (AC) - The difficulty to hit an opponent during an attack or targeted spell, represented as a numerical value.
Railroad - A linear campaign or story arc which is delivered with no options for diversion. This limiting approach disposes player freedom for a uniform story.
Railroading - When a game master forces the story in a particular direction against the will of the players, or imposes actions or behaviors upon a player character without their consent.
Sandbox - A campaign or story arc which allows exploration, empowering players to choose their path within the setting. This often takes the form of an open world free to explore and discover.
III. The Treasure Chest
«««»«»«»«»»» This Weeks FREE Resource!! «««»«»«»«»»»
Celebrating a tiny centennial milestone of my own, my Fantasy NPC Generator has a cozy little home in the creation toolbox of 100 RPG enthusiasts, game masters, and worldbuilders across the world! … Small but mighty! … and you can grab it for yourself HERE. PWYW
IV. Markings on the Wall
TTRPG Sales, Deals, Etc.
The TTRPGs for Trans Rights (Idaho) bundle continues on Itch.io, with over 500 indie games, resources, assets, and more, all for just $5.
From the lab that brought the rest of the GMs handbook series, the Game Master’s Handbook of Patrons, Pacts & Pantheons is available for pre-order now on our Bookshop.org store!
For the fans of modern supernatural terror, the Delta Green Cosmic Horror RPG collection pits you on a team confronting the things people were never meant to see, now on Fanatical.
I’m a regular fan of Rascal News, the TTRPG news site. If you’re looking for a discounted subscription on top of a few more gaming sites (video mostly), check out this Independent Media Collective bundle.
Kobold Press is hosting its Elves and Fey 5E DnD Bundle on Humble Bundle, featuring their Creature Codex and a selection of premium campaigns.
Magpie Games gathered together a few of its indie titles into the Magpie Classic Indie RPG Physical Book Bundle.
NEW Crowdfunding Projects
START - a BREAK!! starting adventure! - The retro anime ENnie award winning game is back in a new 200 page hardcover companion book, with a full adventure, sandbox region to explore, and wonderful mysteries to encounter!
Its Old School Essentials Month on BACKERKIT! - May has begun, and a summoning circle has been cast! This group-collab project, led by Exalted Funeral and Necrotic Gnome, features a new 176-page OSE book — the Demonic Grimoire — and sister projects from other renowned creators in the OSE community.
RPG News and Finds
A local Minneapolis DnD event troupe, Dragons Dungeons & Drinks, recently had all of their equipment stolen. A GoFundMe has opened up to cover the loss, and they’re near their goal!
Rascal News is picking up on a trend that’s appearing in the space, starting with Dungeon Crawl Carl, then DnD Beyond with DnD becoming a “live service”. The time of the regular content Drop is upon us!
Hey! Here’s an interesting find: an indie (like… super indie) publication called Tayurzip! - the Gamers Digest, a zine for both sides of the GM screen, and completely free. Check out their 4th and latest issue here!
Swords is a web comic by Matthew J. Wills, and is a factory of memeable shorts that find themselves on the timelines of handsome people (and Redditors)! … Check the latest, or roll a random one!
If you’re looking for another table of magic items to add to your inventory, Whose Measure has dropped d20 Yet More Magic Items. From icy axes that aren’t axes but wands, to ivory snails that fill bathtubs of slime … And yes, it’s a series!
Another magical table from the blogosphere, this one packed with quirky and regretful stays at half-star hotels, and taverns so seedy the floor is flax! Elfmaids and Octopi presents d100 Worst Weird Inn and Guest Rooms.
Neon Odyssey is flashy, but if you’re into Cowboy Bebop, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Firefly, should also check out Orbital Blues by Soulmuppet Publishing, something more lo-fi and rules light.
taps into two decades worth of gaming knowledge and breaks down important rules to follow in the art of game mastering, taking examples from multiple RPGs. Read How to go with the flow while running adventures!
Check out the previous issue here!