An RPG set in the Doom of Ragnarök, utilizing Robert J. Schwalb's Shadow of the Demon Lord rules and based in Ian Sharpe's Vikingverse.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Til árs ok friðar
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Jan 24, 2023 at 09:18:06 PM
Hello!
I hope everyone had a splendid Jól. You might be familiar with the toast in the title – "for a good year and peace". Let’s hope 2023 is a good one, and the sense of impending Ragnarök recedes.
Now, where are we?
It’s all layout, layout, layout right now, getting all the fiddly bits done.
Here are the first 5 chapters, including the Mythic Paths that are (almost) complete. Jeremy at Outland is beavering away with the rest, and I send back little edits and fixes on a routine basis.
We have a whole campaign written and play tested. Below the big image, you’ll see an adventure flowchart. The first adventure will be printed in the book. The next few sagas go out to Kickstarter backers, and then the rest we’ll aim to release ASAP.
We also have a whole new set of rules around Ship Combat, Thought and Memory Drive and of course, more paths. Those are all written and raring to go – I sent them over to the inestimable Mr. Schwalb just today for him to cast an expert eye over.
All told, that’s about 55,000 words that should help set the scene for sagas to come.
Rest assured, I sacrifice daily to the PDF Gods. More as I get it!
Best,
ISS
CHAPTER 1: NOBODY DIES IN HJALPMAKAAR For 0-level characters The characters escort a dying man on his last journey only to find themselves drawn into a bitter blood feud.
CHAPTER 2: THE BOOK OF DANIEL For 1st level characters The characters are cursed by a jötunn headman and must earn his forgiveness.
CHAPTER 3: THE GHOST SIGNAL For 2nd-level characters The characters are asked to investigate a mysterious aurora.
CHAPTER 4: FINNBOGI’S WAKE For 3rd-level characters The characters must clear their names of murder and bring the real culprit to justice.
CHAPTER 5: THE HORROR OF FANGSTONE MINE For 4th-level characters The characters travel to a deserted mining town to uncover its secrets.
CHAPTER 6: BLOOD BATH AT ROÐREKR’S DRIFT For 5th-level characters The characters must defend an archive from an orcneas incursion.
CHAPTER 7: SHIP OF THE DEAD For 6th-level characters The characters track down a derelict ship, marooned on the ice.
CHAPTER 8: THE SCAR ON THE SKY For 7th-level characters The characters stage a daring rescue and evade an enemy fleet.
CHAPTER 9: THE WELL OF MEMORY For 8th-level characters The characters uncover the dark truths behind the Swordfall.
CHAPTER 10: MOTHER’S NIGHT For 9th-level characters The characters battle a fracture, sent to repair the timelines.
CHAPTER 11: THE RAVEN ROADS For 10th-level characters The characters seek to return Thought and Memory to their rightful owner and thwart the Sons of Ivaldi.
Backerkit is out!
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 06:00:35 PM
Hello!
Just in case you missed the notification yesterday, the When the Wolf Comes Backerkit is live.
https://when-the-wolf-comes-rpg.backerkit.com/
There is also a pre-order link, in case any of your roleplaying pals missed the campaign and you want to share for Jól.
Light 'em up!
Chapter 0-4 as PDFS!
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Nov 23, 2022 at 10:22:12 PM
Hello!
Just in time for US Thanksgiving and Svartur Frjádagr, here is a long-awaited link to the first 5 chapters of When the Wolf Comes!
Feedback is a gift! Feel free to let me know what works for you and where you see room for improvement.
We know there are some niggles with page numbers and Old Norse characters, but didn't want to hold up getting this in your hands. We'll be fine-tuning as we complete the second half of the layouts.
The Backerkit will go out shortly. Make sure to keep an eye out for it so we can lock down add-ons and extras.
As well as editing, I'm heads down making sure there is a full campaign ready for launch. Here is a map to help set the stage, hot off the press. Or, should I say cold...
Enjoy your Turkey, the World Cup, or early Yule shopping! More from us soon!
Best,
ISS
Nobody Dies in Hjálpmakaar AND Last Chance to be a Saga Hero!
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Oct 25, 2022 at 12:28:54 AM
Hello!
We are progressing nicely through our Kickstarter stretch goals. I just received some of the inks for the first adventure, Nobody Dies in Hjálpmakaar, that will be included with the rule book.
As citizens of Hjálpmakaar, the player characters will be drawn into some uniquely Norse drama involving Ísbjörn, holmgang and er...cliff jumping (who doesn't enjoy a nice Ættarstapi?). If they succeed, they will forge the bonds of friendship and honour they need to carry them on to even greater adventures (I've now finished six).
And if they fail? Well, let’s just say the title of the adventure is aspirational…
NOT ONLY BUT ALSO: before I sign off, it is my sworn duty as a loyal Thingman to remind you there are just 65 hours to support Althingi - Saga Heroes! Give the link a click and get ready for Blood Feuds!
Saga Heroes and Pre-Orders!
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Sep 28, 2022 at 03:28:07 AM
Hello!
Lots of news today.
Firstly, a big thanks to everyone who visited us at Capital City Comic Con. We sold out of all our stock and had a blast doing it!
Thirdly, the Outland team and I have been proof-reading PDFs, so we can send you all more rules pages soon. Just today, I also received the first few inked pages of the new comic.
Fourthly, my partner-in-glœpaverk, Josh Gillingham (pictured, center, next to yours truly in the helmet) just launched his own Kickstarter for Althingi Saga Heroes:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/joshuagillingham/althingi-saga-heroes. It's an amazing expansion from an inspiring creator, so give it a click. Scroll down below the picture to read the whole press release.
And lastly, but not leastly, I'm also keeping a close eye on the work ofJason Duff, whose new universal RPG system is coming out soon. Jason backed this project to the hilt, and so helping him spread the word is the drengr thing to do. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/heroes-and-hardships/heroes-and-hardships-core-rulebook
Capital City Comic Con!
Vancouver Island board game designer and author Joshua Gillingham is ready to bring another thrilling Viking project to the board game table, this time the first official expansion to his debut release Althingi: One Will Rise (Outland Entertainment, 2021) which takes players back to life in Viking Age Iceland. The Althingi: Saga Heroes (2022) expansion introduces ten new characters drawn straight from the historical Norse sagas, as well as a new feuding mechanic for settling scores with rivals and kinship cards which provide players secret goals to achieve throughout the game for extra end-game points.
"I really enjoy the challenge of designing a game which takes place within a historical setting," Gillingham says, "Mechanically, it is restricting in some ways, but also provides such a rich cultural backdrop for players to engage with and immerse themselves in. The base game is light and approachable - this expansion really deepens the strategic experience."
Gillingham's board game debut was hailed by hosts of Saga Thing, a podcast series which The Northman director Robert Eggers credited as his first stop when drafting the summer blockbuster's script, as an essential game for anyone interested in experiencing Icelandic history. Other highlights have included his work being featured at the Jorvik Viking Museum in the UK, and taking part in IceCon 2021 in Reykjavík as a guest speaker alongside Icelandic authors and game designers.
Saga Heroes builds on the success of two previous projects set in the Althingi universe, both the original board game and an anthology of fiction inspired by the base game characters titled Althingi: The Crescent & the Northern Star (Outland Entertainment, 2021). A brand new game from Gillingham set in the Althingi universe titled Shield Wall is slated for release through Outland Entertainment in Fall 2023; this two-player game is inspired by the iconic shield wall tactics used by Vikings both in battle and during raids. A concurrent novelization project centering around one of the characters from the base game is also in the final stages of development; written by Kaitlin Felix, author of The Seeing Trees, Ran's Daughters (Spring 2023) tells the tale of an all-female crew of Viking traders fighting to survive in world ruled by violent men and treacherous seas.
"Not everyone gets to see their Kickstarter funded or their game published. Seeing my game featured at GenCon in Indianapolis and attending SHUX in Vancouver this year were both bucket-list items for me. The anthology, Kaitlin's work on the novelization, and another brand new upcoming game are all things I could have never expected when I first set out to design a game set in Viking Age Iceland. I am continually blown away by the response to these projects and I'm so excited to see what other new adventures this all might lead to."
Althingi: Saga Heroes launches on Kickstarter on September 27th, 2022 and runs until October 18th. For media inquiries please contact Joshua at [email protected].
