Catilus, who was featured in 2023’s first spotlight, has a Kickstarter full of her gorgeous illustrations, 85 items and a rule set called Highforging.
Orelyn’s Opus of Outstanding Objects asked for €2,500, and with three weeks still to collect backers, and more than €13,000 pledged. That’s a success! You can see the current tally on the project page.
The talented artist works with GM and author Theo on this second book with the images, pre-genned items and new rules all powerful lures.
There’s a Dropbox-hosted preview of some items that the NPCs Orelyn, Hemera and Nyctos are associated with in this goodies supplement.
Highforged items give gamemasters a new tool to add another layer of excitement and gameplay by creating balanced items with a range of customizable abilities.
Many magic items can be created as or converted to highforged. A highforged magic item has its original properties in addition to one, two, or three arcane slots that can be fitted with magic gemstones that further enhance its power.
This new mechanic gives an alternative, more permanent use for uncommon consumable items such as Elemental Gems and the Gem of Brightness and allows players to combine the effects of more rare and permanent items that require attunement, such as Aeon (Ioun) Stones and the Stone of Good Luck. For example, a Blue Sapphire Elemental Gem can be fitted into a highforged magic weapon for additional thunder damage, or into a highforged magic armor for a permanent feather falling effect.
Stretch goals have added Arcane Mysteries, Gems & Crystals, Library of the Blue Candles and the Armory. Excitingly for backers, the Foundry VTT and Roll20 modules unlock at €15,000 with Gnomish Inventions and Lore & Map of the Spiderback Inn still to come before undisclosed stretch goals become possible.
Backers and sly into the add-ons by pledging just €1 now, but few people have done that. Instead, backers are in their hundreds for the €12 tier for the PDF of Orelyn’s Opus of Outstanding Objects with the Highforging rules added to the Early Access as soon as the Kickstarter campaign ends.
There’s a print-on-demand at-cost code for the DriveThruRPG/partner hardback at €24, and that tier is as popular as the PDF.
There’s also a scary €2,500 jump for multiple copies of the rules and a mega illustration of your party for affluent gaming groups.
The creative team suggest a delivery of April for the add-on access (which makes sense but doesn’t mean you get the add-ons) and July for the PDF.
As usual, the print-on-demand takes a bit longer, and it’s September.
Check out the comments below to see what other Geek Natives think.