New Stretch Goals
over 5 years ago
– Mon, Oct 15, 2018 at 08:55:36 PM
Hello Kickstarter Backers,
We have nearly reached $10,000 our maximum previous stretch goal. As I write this, we’ve gotten 48 new encounters, including 2 larger keyed encounters with maps, and two complete one-shot adventures. We just need $167 more to get the final encounters and keyed location!
But Wait, There’s More
We are likely to hit those stretch goals before the end of campaign rush starts, and we want to have something to reach for, so we are adding a couple of new stretch goals. We also want to make sure that we don’t slow down getting the book out, so unlike the previous goals, the new goals do not add to the setting book, instead they are extras that we’ll only start working on after we’ve finished the main book.
These new stretch goals are:
$12,000 - GM Screen Inserts - These are PDF files that you can print out and insert into a GM screen like The World's Greatest Screen or just load on your PDF reader for easy reference. They will include some of the most useful tables like the list of map encounters and the random encounter table.
$15,000 - Deck of Many Runewilds - Inspired by the fortune-telling hag Goodie Sharktooth, this PDF features a deck of print and play cards, each of which contains a fortune, a blessing, a curse. In addition each card is keyed to one in the Deck of Many Things, so you can use the Runewild deck should your characters discover that fabled artifact.
More Art to be a Part of
When we set the limit for the Part of the Art reward tier, it was based on the book’s original estimated work count. With all the extra encounter from stretch goals, we’re adding more pages, which means more art, which means we will have room for two more Part of the Art slots. I’ll add as soon as we hit $10,000.
That’s all for now. We’ve got a couple more updates planned for the last few days, and we expect the standard influx of last-minute backers to start in a Tuesday or Wednesday, so I’m sure you’ll hear from us again soon.
-Matthew
Final Weekend and Backgrounds Preview
over 5 years ago
– Sun, Oct 14, 2018 at 09:47:55 PM
Hello again, creatures of the Runewild!
Final Weekend
Here we are, heading into the final weekend of the campaign! Not only have we already funded and hit a number of stretch goals (including 44 bonus encounters and two additional Seasons of the Runewild adventures), but we're nearly half-way to reaching our final "major location" stretch goal. Once we hit $10,000, we will add another major location with keyed map to the Runewild Campaign Setting. These major locations are fully detailed adventure sites, designed to fill one (or more) sessions of game play.
Thanks again to everyone who has backed so far. If you want to support the campaign even further, remember to spread the word on social media, forums, or with your local gaming group!
Backgrounds of the Runewild
Designing new backgrounds can be tricky. The backgrounds presented in the core 5E rulebook are already fairly complete, so when creating new ones you always run the risk of retreading the same ground. Luckily, it's a bit easier if you're designing backgrounds for a specific campaign, and when Matthew and I started brainstorming ideas for Runewild-specific backgrounds, a number of ideas immediately sprang to mind.
Two of our favorite backgrounds are the Polymorphed Animal and Time-Lost Knight. In addition to these, the Runewild Campaign Setting will contain six more backgrounds for PCs to choose from (the Adsonian Devotee, Fey-Blooded, Hag-Owned, Outlawed Apprentice, Runewild Folklorist, and Runish Scion).
All of these backgrounds are recent additions to the book and aren't included in the current backer-only drafts (found here). It's the first time anyone has seen them, and I'm excited to hear what you think. Let me know in the comments!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Background: Polymorphed Animal
You used to be a normal animal until a hag’s curse or a fey creature’s whim transformed you into a person. It’s been some time since your transformation, and you’ve learned to live among the “two-legs” reasonably well. You’ve taught yourself their language and have even mastered a trade to support yourself in your new life. Every now and then, however, you forget yourself and let your true nature show.
Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Survival
Tool: One type of artisan’s tools
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools (one of your choice), food you enjoyed as an animal (such as a handful of grubs), a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Origin: No one may believe it, but you weren’t always a person. Decide what type of animal you used to be or roll a d6: 1 - Amphibian (frog, toad, newt);
2 - Beast of Burden (horse, donkey, mule);
3 - Bird (sparrow, raven, owl);
4 - Canine (hound, fox, wolf);
5 - Feline (house cat, lynx, panther);
6 - Rodent (beaver, mouse, mole)
Feature (Beast Speech):
By growling and grunting, you can communicate simple concepts to animals of the same type as your original form, and you can understand the noises they make in return. For example, if you used to be a badger, you could warn another badger of danger nearby. In return, the badger could tell you the best place to find some tasty grubs. This ability falls short of true language and can’t be used to share complex ideas or feelings.
Suggested Characteristics:
Polymorphed animals continue to be ruled by their animal instincts. Even when they’ve learned to live among people, few forget their former lives entirely, and many struggle to suppress their bestial natures.
Personality Trait (d8):
1 - I like animals, but people make me nervous.
2 - I wolf down my food as fast as possible, so others don’t steal it.
3 - My greatest fear is that my new friends will find out what I used to be.
4 - I don’t sleep in a bed so much as I build a nest.
5 - I’m always alert for danger.
6 - I’ll never get used to wearing clothes.
7 - I’ve kept one animal-like feature, such as a cat’s tail or a donkey’s ears.
8 - I miss my tail, my wings, or my claws.
Ideal (d6):
1 - Ferocity. I don’t want trouble, but I’m fearless when provoked. (Any);
2 - Loyalty. I stay true to my friends no matter what. (Any); 3 - Strength. Where I come from, only the strong survive. (Neutral);
4 - Nature. Humans, with their axes and fire, are the greatest danger the forest faces. (Neutral);
5 - Change. Now that I’m no longer an animal, I can make a difference in the world. (Chaotic);
6 - Freedom. When the wild calls, I answer. No one will put me on a leash again. (Chaotic)
Bond (d6):
1 - Another PC taught me how to be human.
2 - My beloved “pet” is actually one of my relatives.
3 - I must find the witch who transformed me and convince her to change me back.
4 - I’ve fallen in love, and now I wouldn’t go back to my old life even if I could.
5 - My four-legged friends are just as important to me as my two-legged ones.
6 - I was given a new body for a reason. I won’t rest until I’ve fulfilled my destiny.
Flaw (d6): 1 - I still act like an animal sometimes, especially when no one’s looking.
2 - I know money is important, but I don’t understand how it works.
3 - In the face of danger, I either run or fight. More complex plans are beyond me.
4 - Only weaklings care about being polite.
5 - I try so hard to fit in that I make others feel uncomfortable.
6 - When I see an animal treated cruelly, I always intervene.
Background: Time-Lost Knight
When the Witch Wars ended, many of the knights who served in Aruanda’s army did not return. Not all these brave warriors died in the Runewild, however. A few became lost in the forest’s depths, kept alive by fey magic or a hag’s fell curse. Every now and then, one of them comes back, only to discover that the world they left behind disappeared years, or even lifetimes, ago.
You are one of these time-lost knights. Maybe you fell asleep in the forest and, when you awoke, found a century had passed while you were dreaming. Perhaps the fey abducted you, forcing you into servitude until you managed to escape. Or, perhaps, no time has passed for you at all, despite the fact your family and friends have all been dead for decades. Whatever your circumstances, you now struggle to make your way in a strange, new world: one in which your present has become the past, and the future is even more uncertain than before.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, History
Tool: Vehicles (land)
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a token from the lord you once served, an item as old as you are (such as an antique ring or an outdated map), and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Feature (Eye Witness):
Your memories of the time you spent lost in the Runewild are hazy, but what others consider to be ancient history is for you current events. At the GM’s discretion, you may possess first-hand knowledge of things that would otherwise require an Intelligence (History) check to recall. For example, you might know the details of an ancient battle (because you fought in it) or recognize the portrait of a long-dead king (because you served him).
Suggested Characteristics:
Despite the years that have passed since they swore their oaths, many time-lost knights continue to uphold the values that first drew them into knighthood. Time plays tricks on even the most disciplined mind, however, making time-lost knights particularly prone to odd behavior or outright madness.
Personality Trait (d8):
1 - I bring up ancient events as if they happened yesterday.
2 - I’m fascinated and delighted by everything that’s gone on in the world since my absence.
3 - When lost in thought, I hum a tune no one else has heard in decades.
4 - I refer to everyone as “young,” even if they appear much older than me.
5 - My time in the Runewild left me haunted and scarred.
6 - I picked up an odd habit from the fey who kidnapped me.
7 - I take every opportunity to tell stories about my past.
8 - My short-term memory is atrocious.
Ideal (d6):
1 - Gratitude. My experience taught me to be thankful for every moment I spend with my loved ones. (Good);
2 - Beauty. The fey showed me how to appreciate beauty, in all its forms. (Neutral);
3 - Honor. I never forget a promise, even one I made years ago. (Lawful);
4 - Abandon. We should live for today, because tomorrow may never come. (Chaotic);
5 - Vengeance. The hag who stole my life will pay for what she’s done. (Any);
6 - Wisdom. I must pass on my knowledge to a new generation. (Lawful)
Bond (d6):
1 - Another PC is my grandchild, even though I look much younger than them.
2 - A long-lived friend (perhaps an elf or dwarf) still remembers me.
3 - The lord who gave me my mission died years ago, but a promise is a promise.
4 - A creature that looks just like me stole my identity while I was lost. Now everyone thinks I’m the imposter!
5 - When I escaped the Runewild, I left behind something that I must get back.
6 - I’m from the past, but I’ve also glimpsed the future. Now I have a chance to stop something terrible from happening.
Flaw (d6):
1 - I still think I’m in the past, despite all evidence to contrary.
2 - I hate the fey and attack them on sight.
3 - Everyone thinks I’m crazy. Maybe they’re right.
4 - When under stress, I have flashbacks to my time in the Runewild.
5 - I’m a sucker for lost causes, the more hopeless the better!
6 - I’m terrified of clocks, hourglasses, and sundials.
Final Adventure Unlocked and Kickstarter Exclusive Edition
over 5 years ago
– Wed, Oct 10, 2018 at 10:33:53 AM
Hello Creatures of the Runewild,
We've done it again! We've passed the $8,000 stretch goal, meaning that everybody who pledges at the $6 level or higher gets a PDF copy of the Springtime Comes to Kidwelly, in which the heroes must discover the fate of the Monax to save Kidwelly from eternal winter. We also continue to rack up new encounter, now up to 30. Our next big goal is for another major location with keyed map, which we'll get when we reach $9,000.
Kickstarter Exclusive Edition
As mentioned previously, now that all four Seasons of the Runewild adventures are a go, I've added an option to get them in print. Voting for two vs. one book started close, but the single volume options pulled ahead, getting over 60% of the vote.
Thus I've added new pledged levels to get a Kickstarter-exclusive version of the Runewild. This book collects the setting and adventures into one single volume, and will be the only way to get the seasons of the Runewild in print.
I created levels for just the book and for the book and denizen, and to do so I lowered the number of denizen slots for the PDF plus denizen and print plus denizen. The real cap is 100 denizen slots between all of these. As levels start to fill up, I may continue to shift them around based on where demand is.
While planning the Kickstarter-exclusive edition, I also thought it would be fun to add some extra bonus features to the book in the form of behind-the-scenes essays and the like (think DVD extras). These will NOT be any extra encounters or game mechanics. I'm still working with Bill on the exact details of this, and will let you all know when I have the details. It's possible I might create some stretch goals specifically for the Kickstarter-exclusive edition based on how many people pledge only at those levels.
More Stretch Goals?
Speaking of stretch goals, it's looking very possible that we might surge well past our current maximum stretch goal of $10,000. We're capping the bonus encounters at 50, because we don't want to get so bogged down in adding content that it delays the book, but we're thinking about other stretch goals that we might introduce beyond the $10,000 mark.
One of our current favorite ideas is a special deck of cards, which we'd send as a print-and-play PDF to everybody and as and add-on for a physical add on. We're also curious to hear if you have more ideas for things we could add beyond the book. If you have any thoughts comment below or send me a message through Kickstarter.
Eleven days to go!
-Matthew
Smashing Stretch Goals and Print Adventures
over 5 years ago
– Sun, Oct 07, 2018 at 01:27:20 PM
Hello Backers,
Congratulations, we've smashed through another stretch goal and then some! Thanks to a backer suggestion, I've added a graphic to the stretch goal section that shows us uncovering new areas of the Runewild. I have to updated it manually, which I try to do at least once a day. This morning when I did, I opened seven new hexes, taking the total number of bonus encounters up to 24! Moreover, because we surpassed the $7,000 dollar mark, one of those will be a larger location with a keyed map.
We keep unlocking new encounters every $100, and our next big stretch goal is for the final Seasons of the Runewild adventure, Springtime Comes to Kidwelly. As I write this, we are less than $600 away!
Seasons of the Runewild Print Collection
Some people have asked about print versions of the Seasons of the Runewild adventures. Since each adventure is pretty short individually, it makes the most sense to collect them all together and print them in a single book. Even though it's safe to assume we'll reach the last goal, I am going to wait until we actually hit $8,000 to make this an official options.
I am debating two options for how to do this, and have created a single-question survey for you to get your opinion.
Option one would be a kind of Runewild Special edition, a single book that contains both the setting and all of the adventures. I'd probably make new reward tiers for this, but it's possible I could do it as an upgrade.
Option two would be to have the adventures as a separate softcover book that you could order as an add-on. For what it's worth, because of how my printing costs work, it would probably cost a few dollars more to get the setting and adventures as separate books than option one would cost.
If you are interested in print adventures, please take the survey soon. At the rate we're going it will probably only be a few days until I need to decided.
That's all for now,
-Matthew
