Dungeons & Dragons will return to the Ravenloft setting with its next title — due to be announced in a few hours. Bridgerton star, Regé-Jean Page joins the cast of the D&D movie. Meanwhile, ZineQuest may be winding down, but there are still a heap of fascinating new projects currently crowdfunding.
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The next Dungeons & Dragons book is due to be announced today.
In fact, the Amazon page is now titled Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, so Amazon has once again given us an early heads-up. Ravenloft is D&D’s gothic horror setting (created in 1983, and appearing in 5e’s Curse of Strahd (2016)), Van Richter its Van Helsing analogue.
Two questions arise: firstly, is this part of a continued effort to remove racist elements from this setting (which last year’s Curse of Strahd Revamped attempted to do). Probably. Secondly, does this mean we’ll see another Ravenloft campaign coming? Eh, maybe.
Regé-Jean Page, star of Bridgerton, joins the cast of the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons movie.
Thousand Year Old Vampire designer, Tim Hutchings, announces that a wordless companion to the award-winning solo RPG is on the way.
Miscellany
Comic Relief is running a competition to win a two-day D&D experience at Warwick Castle.
A Forbes column argues that we could see a wave of Roleplaying Games being adapted to film & TV.
Bundles & Deals
Humble Bundle is offering a bundle of Fallout RPG books.
Bundle of Holding is offering a bundle of Atomic Robo graphic novels and RPGs, a bundle of Old School Revival RPGs, and two bundles of HERO system RPG books.
Crowdfunding News
ZineQuest 3
ZineQuest 3 is winding down now. We’re hoping to find the time to do some analysis of this year’s promotion but in the meantime go to Pandatheist’s ZineQuest page for a full list of current and upcoming projects.
Closing Soon
Lighthearted is a magical, 80s-set coming-of-age RPG. So far this project has raised $33,000 from 1,100 backers. Ends February 26th.
This looks like a fun game and I’m tempted, although I’m held back a little by the overexposure of 80s nostalgia and the elements that remind me of games I already have such as Monsterhearts and Smallville. — James
5e
The Black Lotus of Thalarion: A cosmic horror adventure for 5e, by William Murakami-Brundage (The Dream Prison: A D&D 5e Adventure, Descent into Mirefen: A D&D 5e Adventure, Clash at Kell Crenn: A D&D 5e Adventure) — February 25th
One-Page Adventures for D&D 5th Edition: A collection of one-page adventures for 5e, by Morrus/EN Publishing (Advanced Rules Miscellany, Enchanted Trinkets II, Archetype Anthology) — March 9th
Farsight – Explorative Sci-Fi RPG: An exploration sci-fi RPG based on 5e, by Lightfish Games — March 16th
Savage Company: Machines of War: A dieselpunk mecha tactical wargame compatible with 5e and Pathfinder 1e, by SHM Publishing (Savage Company campaign setting for Pathfinder and 5e) — March 19th
OSR
Old School & Cool Volume 2: An OSR Zine for Old School Essentials, by Wind Lothamer (Worm Witch: The Life and Death of Belinda Blood, Old School & Cool, The Scourge of the Scorn Lords) — February 24h
Rackham Vale: A sandbox setting inspired by the fairy folk of Arthur Rackham, by Brian Saliba — February 25th
Errant: A rules-light old school fantasy RPG, by Ava Islam – February 26th
The Door Locks Behind You: An RPG inspired by the Legend of Zelda, by deldon — March 1st
Blackout in Crater Valley: A Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure inspired by 80s slasher films, by Zog – March 1st
Glimmer’s Rim: A systemless psychedelic island hexcrawl, by Tyler Lamb — March 1st
Character Collections for The Fantasy Trip: A collection of ready-to-play NPCs for The Fantasy Trip, by Douglas H. Cole (Four Perilous Journeys: New Adventures for The Fantasy Trip, The Citadel at Norðvorn, More Perilous Journeys) — March 10th
Fresh from the Forge: A collection of weapons and weapon generators for Old-School Essentials, by Lucille Lillian Blumire — March 16th
Other & Generic Fantasy
The Pamphlet of Pantheons: A workbook zine for creating fantasy religions, by James Holloway — February 25th
Tooth & Claw: Reimagining fantasy monsters from a zoological point of view, by Shanice Fagan — March 1st
Lex Arcana – ‘Dacia and Thracia’ and ‘Italia’: Two new regional setting books for the Roman RPG, Lex Arcana, by Quality Games (Lex Arcana – An Empire Without End RPG) – March 3rd
Our Traveling Home: A Ghibli-inspired story RPG about queer found-family, by Ash Kreider (The Ruined Empire: an anime-inspired RPG campaign sourcebook) — March 11th
Horror
The Very Good Dogs of Chernobyl RPG Zine: Play as telepathic dogs protecting the world from Lovecraftian Evils in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, by 9thLevel (Rebel Scum The Anti-fascist Space Opera RPG Zine, The Excellents RPG & Princess Accessories, Mazes The RPG of Dice, Danger, and Dungeons) — February 22nd
Investigation
Not A Place Of Honor: An RPG supplement about the containment of campaign-ending magical items, inspired by real-world efforts to contain nuclear waste, by David Lombardo — March 1st
This project led us into a discussion about what I’m choosing to call bureaucratic fantasy: the genre of RPGs that puts organisations resembling government agencies or corporations into sci-fi or fantasy settings (Paranoia, Acquisitions Incorporated, Delta Green). Intentionally or otherwise, these organisations tend to undercut the horror (or wonder) of their settings. This is the only time where the real-world equivalent actually made the fantastic one hit harder for me. — Amy
Pulp & Adventure
Temples & Tombs: A pulp adventure RPG using the Year Zero Engine, by Christopher Grey (The Great American Witch, The Great American Novel, A Roleplaying Game, The Happiest Apocalypse on Earth Roleplaying Game) – March 16th
Post Apocalyptic
In the Light of a Faded World: Play as small forest creatures in a world reclaimed by nature after the end of human civilisation, by Derek Kinsman (Mishaps of Extraplanar Interiors of Infinite Storage Boxes) — February 27th
Storygames
Crescent Moon: An RPG about brave children exploring dreamscapes, by ema acosta — February 24th
An Altogether Different River: A zine-RPG about a Town and how it changes through the eyes of those who left and returned, and those who remained, by Aaron Lim — February 25th
This reminds me of places I left behind. — Amy
Blood Feud – An RPG about Honor, Power and Toxic Masculinity: A game about men struggling to uphold their honour — and the cost of doing so, by Bläckfisk Publishing (Skrômt; Vindsjäl) — March 4th
This is a really interesting theme for me, and I’ve always been a fan of Sagas of the Icelanders by Gregor Vuga (which this seems to be influenced by). Looking forward to trying it out. — James
This looks so powerful. And in particular, when so many RPGs and their precursors are driven by stories of warring men, it’s encouraging to see a game look that theme squarely in the face. — Amy
What Even Are Categories, Really?
A Fantastic Longing For Adventure, or Young Tim Hutchings Tells You How To Live: an autobiographical game zine, by Tim Hutchings (Thousand Year Old Vampire, The Complete “The Oracle” AD&D fanzine reprint, 1982-1983, The Habitition of the Stone Giant Lord & Other Adventures) — March 3rd
Accessories
Paths of Savage Gods (Dungeon Master tool): A tool for procedurally generating RPG adventures, by lyniat_games — March 18th
Academic
The Journal of Fantastic Linguistics: An zine of linguistic and language-related tools for RPGs, by Freelancing Roleplayers’ Press — February 26th
It will surprise no one who knows me that I’ve backed this. I’m pretty excited. — Amy
This update was made possible by Keenan Collett, and the rest of our Patreon supporters.