The essential old-school fantasy RPG, now expanded with advanced character options, magic, and monsters — plus brand new adventures!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
The Next Steps...
over 3 years ago
– Thu, Sep 17, 2020 at 01:36:50 AM
Hey everyone,
As I mentioned in the previous update, we have two exciting next steps coming soon:
Step 1: Giving you all access to near-finished pre-release PDFs of the Advanced Fantasy books.
Step 2: Opening the pledge manager and add-ons store.
We have updates on both of those topics today!
Pre-Release PDFs Going Out on Friday!
I'll be sending out links to the pre-release PDFs this Friday! Here's how it will work:
We're using itch.io to give you access to the pre-release PDFs. (The final PDFs will be provided via DriveThruRPG.) itch.io has great support for updating the files as final tweaks / art come in, so you'll be able to keep up to date with the latest version as the books develop towards their final forms.
Pre-release PDFs of the following books will be accessible (you'll get the PDFs of the books in your pledge tier): Advanced Fantasy Player's Tome, Advanced Fantasy Referee's Tome, Advanced Fantasy: Genre Rules, Advanced Fantasy: Druid and Illusionist Spells, Advanced Fantasy: Monsters, Advanced Fantasy: Treasures.
The access links will be sent to your Kickstarter email address. (In case you want to change the email address: make sure you do so before Friday!)
We'll be using the nice integrated discussion feature on itch.io for any feedback anyone has on the pre-release PDFs.
Pledge Manager / Add-Ons Store / Pre-Orders Opening Next Week!
We'll be opening the pledge manager and add-ons store next week! Here's how it will work:
We're using BackerKit.
You'll receive a link (via your Kickstarter email address) to access your pledge in BackerKit.
In BackerKit, you'll be able to let us know your shipping address (if you have physical rewards), pay the associated shipping fees, and select any add-ons you want (for example, Luka's adventure Holy Mountain Shaker or Donn's adventure Isle of the Plangent Mage). See this update for a provisional list of add-ons.
People who missed the Kickstarter will also be able to access BackerKit to pre-order the books. Of course, they won't get the Kickstarter backers' special discounts and won't be able to order the Kickstarter exclusive items.
Pre-orders will be open until shortly before we go to print. (We'll be closing pre-orders late October.)
More details and specific dates to be announced soon...
Custom Dice
Just a quick note on the custom dice which we had planned for the $300,000 stretch goal (which we didn't reach). We've been discussing whether to manufacture the dice anyway and make them available as add-ons in BackerKit. After consideration, we have decided not to do this. The reason is that, doing things this way, we wouldn't know how many dice we'd need to manufacture until we close BackerKit at the end of October. Production of the dice would therefore be delayed (from what we originally planned), which could potentially have the knock on effect of delaying fulfillment of everyone's rewards. It's not worth risking delays for the sake of an optional extra.
All For Now
Very excited to send you all the pre-release PDFs!
Gavin / Moss Master at Necrotic Gnome
The End! And What's Next...
over 3 years ago
– Sat, Sep 12, 2020 at 12:09:13 AM
Hey everyone,
The Kickstarter is now over! And we're blown away by how successful it's been!
Thank You!
Thanks from myself and Exalted Funeral to every one of you who has helped raise the funds for us to produce this game! Thanks to your support, the line up of new material we're going to produce is greatly expanded and enhanced!
Everything We've Unlocked
4 brand new adventures: Along the way, we've unlocked the production of 4 hardcover adventure scenarios for Old-School Essentials by Gavin Norman, Luka Rejec, Donn Stroud, and Diogo Nogueira. What's more, of those 4 adventures, 2 will be completely free to backers!
2 booklets of extra content: We've also unlocked production of a booklet containing 8 brand new character classes and a reference booklet of the most common tables and rules. These booklets will be free to all backers!
Tomeprinting upgrades: The Player's Tome and Referee's Tome have gained printed end papers and a pair of ribbon markers. The standard edition tomes have also gained luxurious gold foil detailing on their covers!
Supplements printing upgrades: The Advanced Fantasy: Monsters and Treasures supplements have also gained printed end papers.
Generators enhancements: The Old-School Essentials generators are going to be enhanced with the capacity to roll up encounters, treasures, memorized spell lists, and NPCs using the new Advanced Fantasy content.
Support PDFs: Further stretch goals unlocked the production of a set of PDFs for keeping track of characters' spell books and for tracking time during dungeon exploration.
Some Previews!
Just for fun, here are a few celebratory previews from the books that you'll be receiving.
Advanced Fantasy: Treasures — Horn of Frothing illustration by Frank Scacalossi
Advanced Fantasy: Monsters — Dragonne illustration by Mark Lyons, Drider illustration by Stefan Poag
Advanced Fantasy: Player's Tome — Cleric illustration by Juan Ochoa, Druid illustration by Ian Baggley
Advanced Fantasy: Referee's Tome — Xorn illustration by Jerry Boucher, Zombie illustration by Frank Scacalossi
What's Next? Part 1: Pre-Release PDFs
As noted in the campaign description, backers will be getting access to pre-release versions of the PDFs of all of the Advanced Fantasy books that are included in your pledge (that is, the two Advanced Fantasy tomes and the four Advanced Fantasy supplements). These PDFs represent the books in their near-finished form. All text and layout is in place, but not all artwork is complete. (Though honestly most of the artwork is already in place as well.)
What's Next? Part 2: Pledge Manager and Add-Ons
All backers will also get access to a pledge manager (BackerKit) where you'll be able to select any add-ons that take your fancy (see this update for a provisional list of add-ons), let us know the postal address you want your rewards sent to, and pay the associated shipping fees.
When and How?
We'll be announcing the timeline for the pre-release PDFs and the pledge manager in an update soon. I'm sure everyone has lots of questions about how exactly this is all going to work, but please hold tight until theannouncements, where we'll provide full details.
All For Now
Thank you all once again for making this Kickstarter such an amazing success! We'll be in touch soon with updates about what's next. But first, it's time for an exalted necrotic gnome funeral party! (Really sounds like a lot of fun, hey!)
Gavin / Moss Master at Necrotic Gnome
Final 24 Hours! Bookplates! All the New Monsters and Magic Items!
over 3 years ago
– Fri, Sep 11, 2020 at 10:20:09 PM
Hey everyone,
We Now Have Less Than 24 Hours Remaining!
In case you have any friends who are on the fence about whether to back, here's a recap of everything you get for a $70 pledge (Dungeon Leader): the complete Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy game (two 248 page hardcover tomes), two brand new adventures (both in hardcover), a booklet of 8 additional classes, plus a rules and tables reference booklet! I think by anyone's reckoning, that's a pretty sweet deal. And only available for less than 24 hours!Tell your friends!
Dungeon Deity Signed Collector's Tomes
Those 250 souls of deific generosity who have backed at the Dungeon Deity level will be getting a few super limited exclusive items. Among these items are signed copies of the collector's edition Player's Tome and Referee's Tome. What we've not previously revealed (as far as I remember?) is that these copies will also feature an exclusive bookplate on the first page! It is upon this bookplate that I shall emblazon my signature (possibly in blood, gold, fairy dust, etc. — to be determined).
David Hoskins has been hard at work on the bookplate and the design is now at a stage where we can reveal the work-in-progress. Feast your eyes on this:
Work-in-progress bookplate design by David Hoskins.
Advanced Monsters and Magic Items — The Complete Lists
One last thing for this update: just for fun, here are complete lists of monsters and magic items that feature in the Advanced Fantasy: Monsters and Advanced Fantasy: Treasures books. (For backers who've chosen the tome option: the Referee's Tome contains all of these monsters and magic items plus everything from Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy — that is 200+ additional monsters and 150+ additional magic items.)
Advanced Treasures: Alchemist’s Beaker; Amulet of Protection Against Possession; Apparatus of the Crab; Arrow +1, Slaying; Arrow of Location; Bag of Transformation; Book of Foul Corruption; Book of Infinite Spells; Book of Sublime Holiness; Boots of Dancing; Bracers of Armour; Bracers of Defencelessness; Brooch of Shielding; Candle of Invocation; Chime of Opening; Chime of Ravening; Cloak of Defence; Cloak of Flight; Cloak of Poison; Cloak of the Manta Ray; Crossbow +1, Distance; Crossbow +1, Speed; Crossbow +2, Accuracy; Crystal Hypnosis Ball; Cube of Force; Cube of Frost Resistance; Dagger +1, Buckle; Dagger +1, Throwing; Dagger +1, Venomous; Dagger +2, Biter; Decanter of Endless Water; Deck of Many Things; Drums of Thunder; Dust of Appearance; Dust of Disappearance; Dust of Sneezing and Choking; Eyes of Charming; Eyes of Minuscule Sight; Eyes of Petrification; Eyes of the Eagle; Feather Token; Figurine of Wondrous Power; Folding Boat; Gem of Brightness; Gem of Monster Attraction; Gem of Pristine Faceting; Gem of Seeing; Gloves of Dexterity; Gloves of Swimming and Climbing; Horn of Cave-Ins; Horn of Frothing; Horn of the Tritons; Horn of Valhalla; Horseshoes of a Zephyr; Horseshoes of Speed; Immovable Rod; Incense of Meditation; Incense of Obsession; Instant Fortress; Ioun Stones; Iron Flask; Javelin of Lightning; Javelin of Seeking; Jug of Endless Liquids; Libram of Arcane Power; Loadstone; Luckstone; Lyre of Building; Mace +1, Disrupting; Marvellous Pigments; Medallion of Thought Projection; Mirror of Mental Prowess; Mirror of Opposition; Necklace of Adaptation; Necklace of Fireballs; Necklace of Strangulation; Net of Aquatic Snaring; Net of Snaring; Oil of Insubstantiality; Oil of Slipperiness; Pearl of Power; Pearl of Wisdom; Periapt of Foul Rotting; Periapt of Health; Periapt of Proof Against Poison; Periapt of Wound Closure; Phylactery of Betrayal; Phylactery of Faithfulness; Phylactery of Longevity; Pipes of the Sewers; Portable Hole; Purse of Plentiful Coin; Restorative Ointment; Robe of Blending; Robe of Eyes; Robe of Powerlessness; Robe of Scintillating Colours; Robe of the Archmagi; Robe of Useful Items; Rod of Absorption; Rod of Captivation; Rod of Lordly Might; Rod of Parrying; Rod of Resurrection; Rod of Striking; Rope of Entanglement; Rope of Strangulation; Rug of Suffocation; Saw of Felling; Scarab of Chaos; Scarab of Death; Scarab of Rage; Short Sword +2, Quickness; Sling Bullet +1, Impact; Spade of Mighty Digging; Spear –1, Backbiter (Cursed); Sphere of Annihilation; Staff +1, Growing; Staff of Dispelling; Staff of Swarming Insects; Staff of the Healer; Staff of the Woodlands; Sweet Water; Sword +1, +3 vs Reptiles; Sword +1, +3 vs Shape Changers; Sword +1, Dragon Slayer; Sword +1, Frost Brand; Sword +1, Giant Slayer; Sword +1, Luck Blade; Sword +1, Sharpness; Sword +1, Sun Blade; Sword +1, Wounding; Sword +2, Dancing; Sword +2, Nine Lives Stealer; Sword +2, Venger; Sword +2, Vorpal; Sword +3, Defender; Sword +3, Holy Avenger; Sword –1, Berserker (Cursed); Talisman of the Sphere; Trident +1, Fish Command; Trident +1, Submission; Trident +2, Warning; Trident –2, Yearning (Cursed); Vacuous Grimoire; Wand of Magic Missiles; Wand of Radiance; Wand of Summoning; War Hammer +3, Thunderbolts; Well of Many Worlds.
All For Now
Thank you all so much for your fantastic support and for making this Kickstarter an outstanding success!
Gavin / Moss Master at Necrotic Gnome
The Halls of the Blood King: Second Free Adventure Unlocked!
over 3 years ago
– Thu, Sep 10, 2020 at 12:26:28 AM
Hey everyone,
This is the moment we've all been waiting for... We just crossed the $250,000 mark! And you know what that means — a second free adventure for everyone! In this update, we'll take a look at each of the (now four!) new Old-School Essentials adventures that we'll be producing and revealing the illustrators who will be working with each of the authors.
The Incandescent Grottoes, by Gavin Norman
Free to all backers! (Except the Dungeon Dealer retailer pledge tier.) Digital backers will receive the adventure as a PDF, physical backers will receive print + PDF.
About the adventure: A classic expedition into the Mythic Underworld: a bubbling stream cascades into a hole in the earth, leading to a series of pools, underground watercourses, and scintillating grottoes. Adventurers who delve within may discover a profusion of odd mosses and fungi, an ancient tomb complex, the lairs of weird, subterranean monsters, and the hide-out of an exiled illusionist. The Incandescent Grottoes is a companion adventure to Gavin's previous scenario, The Hole in the Oak. The two adventures can be played independently of each other or can be connected to form a larger dungeon.
Written by Gavin Norman: Gavin is the creator of Old-School Essentials, creator of the Dolmenwood campaign setting, and author of critically acclaimed, weird fairy tale-esque adventures (Winter's Daughter, The Hole in the Oak).
Illustrated by Nate Treme: Nate is a artist and designer based in Shreveport, Louisiana. He makes posters, books, shirts, games, music, and other stuff. He is available for freelance graphic design projects and/or friendship. (p.s. he is a good friend.)
Available as an add-on at the special backer's price of $10 (MSRP $15)! We'll be using a pledge manager after the Kickstarter has finished, where you'll be able to select add-ons.
About the adventure: The earth shakes. Trees sway like grass before the hungry wind. Again. Chimneys fall like childrens' toys in the streets of Doll Town. Again. The capstone of the tomb of the first folk tumbles and breaks. The divine carp beneath the sacred mountain is angry. The town needs heroes. Brave souls to enter the deep places, the abandoned temples, the lightless waters at the roots of the mountains. Holy fools to appease the wonder fish. Is service to the community not draw enough? The townsfolk wag eyebrows and mutter and complain. Then admit. There are old treasures there, too. Glittery scales of gold and adamant, yes. But also doors to the other worlds, where demons of disease may be banished, whence lost friends may be retrieved from death's dusty grasp.
Written and illustrated by Luka Rejec: Luka is an artist and writer, probably best known for the ENnie-winning Ultraviolet Grasslands, though he would prefer to be better known for the apocryphal adventures of Pointyhelmet and Poncho.
(Yes, Luka is the only with the skillz to both write and illustrate his adventure.)
Available as an add-on at the special backer's price of $10 (MSRP $15)! We'll be using a pledge manager after the Kickstarter has finished, where you'll be able to select add-ons.
About the adventure:Isle of the Plangent Mage takes players to multiple locations above and below the ocean. Areas worth exploring include a hidden cove, an old rickety lighthouse, a small fishing village, a weird island, and a mysterious lair that plunges the to depths of the underwater world. Ultrasonic magics, strange aural puzzles, monstrosities from the deep, suspicious villagers, and beached whales all stand between discovering the truth behind the dealings and the demise of the Plangent Mage.
Written by Donn Stroud: Co-host of the infamous Drink, Spin, Run podcast. Donn's adventure Dead Planet won an ENnie in 2019 and his adventure A Pound of Flesh won another ENnie in 2020.
Illustrated by David Hoskins: David is a Florida based artist with a passion for DIY publication. Known for his high-end zines and album covers, David has moved into game illustration and has provided art for Troika!, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, Mörk Borg / Dark Fort, and many other 3rd party releases.
Free to all backers! (Except the Dungeon Dealer retailer pledge tier.) Digital backers will receive the adventure as a PDF, physical backers will receive print + PDF.
About the adventure: During a Blood Moon, the halls of an extra-dimensional vampire phase into the material world. Local people are dragged to the accursed halls, snatched up for the bloody pleasure of the vampiric Blood King. A horror themed adventure for Old School Essentials!
Written by Diogo Nogueira: Diogo is a Brazilian game designer, illustrator and graphic designer, creator of Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells, Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells, and many other titles. His work focuses on rules light games and tools to help emergent storytelling in RPGs.
Illustrated by Justine Jones: Justine is a self taught illustrator living in Philadelphia. Her influences come from comic books, video games, mythology, and folklore. She has done work for Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, and many small publishers.
There are now less than 48 hours remaining of this Kickstarter. We have one more stretch goal to reach — at $300,000 we'll be producing free dice for all physical backers! Let's see how high the final 2 days' surge can take us!
Gavin / Moss Master at Necrotic Gnome
Collector's Edition Tomes
over 3 years ago
– Wed, Sep 09, 2020 at 09:36:56 AM
Speaking of fancy books, I thought it'd be nice to have a more detailed look at the Kickstarter exclusive collector's edition tomes, as the images in the main Kickstarter description don't really show much detail. (Kickstarter unfortunately limits us to pretty low resolution images.)
What's in the Books?
Just to reiterate quickly what's in these two tomes...
The Player's Tome: Like the standard edition Player's Tome, the collector's edition is a 248 page, A5 (Digest-sized) book. It contains the complete game rules, a massive selection of character classes and races, hundreds of spells, and full lists of equipment, mounts, vehicles, and hirelings. Everything a player needs, all in one book.
The Referee's Tome: Like the standard edition Referee's Tome, the collector's edition is a 248 page, A5 (Digest-sized) book. It contains a massive bestiary of over 300 monsters, extensive encounter tables, a hoard of over 300 magic items, along with advice on refereeing and guidelines for creating adventures. As a companion to the Player's Tome, this book contains everything a referee needs to run exciting and deadly adventures.
Complete game: These two books together contain the complete content of Old-School Essentials Classic Fantasy plus the four Advanced Fantasy supplements.
Black Leatherette Covers With Silver Foil Art
While the content of the collector's edition books is identical to the standard editions, the covers are completely different. These books will be wrapped in luxurious black leatherette and will feature brand new artwork by Andrew Walter, rendered in gorgeous silver foil.
For those of you who have one of the previous leatherette / silver foil books we've produced: the collector's edition tomes will be manufactured with exactly the same specs, so you're familiar with the quality and feel of them.
Here are some renders of the books, including zoomed in images showing a bit more detail on the leatherette and the foil stamp artwork.
Collector's edition Player's Tome
Collector's edition Player's Tome closeup
Collector's edition Referee's Tome
Collector's edition Referee's Tome closeup
Kickstarter Exclusive!
Aside from the luxurious production, the really special thing about these books is that they are only available to backers of this Kickstarter! While we'll be doing a massive print run of the standard edition tomes and will be selling them in retail, the collector's editions will be produced in a special limited run — just enough for backers.
There may be a very small number of extra copies for sale, but generally the collector's edition tomes will not be available in retail. (The reason there may be a few extra copies is that we'll round the size of the print run up to a reasonable number in order to guard against the eventuality of loss or damage during shipping. We wouldn’t want a backer’s copy of a limited edition book to get lost or damaged in transit and not have a spare copy to send them!)
How to Get the Collector's Editions
Kickstarter pledge: Pledging at the following tiers will get you copies of the collector's edition tomes: Dungeon Champion, Dungeon Sage, Dungeon Lord, Dungeon Deity.
Add-ons: Following the Kickstarter, we'll be using a pledge manager to gather backers' shipping addresses and allow you to select add-ons in addition to the rewards in your pledge. (See this update for more details on the pledge manager and add-ons.) Backers will be able to select the collector's edition tomes in the add-ons store, but each person will be limited to adding on at most one copy of each of the collector's tomes! We're putting this limit in place in order to keep these tomes really special and truly limited.
All For Now
We're well on our way to the next stretch goal at $250,000: a second free adventure. Let's see how quickly we can get there!
