Routinely Itemised: RPGs #210

It’s been a strange week, and sexy goblins have swarmed us. No foolin’! Let’s take a look at the RPG headlines;

• Renegade Game Studio’s lawyers leapt on an indie RPG called Renegade City
• Evil Hat started a playtest on As the Sun Forever Sets
• Cryptozoic Entertainment readied the official Adventure Time: Roleplaying Game
• The D&D sub-Reddit was flooded with sexy goblins in a protest.
• Save hundreds in two Gayming with Pride bundle deals at DriveThruRPG

Also, thanks to Josh Rosing at Lone Colossus Games, we have got the RPG Publisher Spotlight for June up and live in good time.

Perhaps it’s because it’s Pride, but this week we had several blogs of note wonder why there wasn’t more sex in tabletop gaming. Or perhaps that’s because of the sexy goblin takeover of Reddit?

I suppose it could all be a reaction to the Cocaine Owlbear, which was a quirky RPG last week and is now daring t-shirt merch.

Right, let’s see what the news looks like right now.

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RPG news from Geek Native

• It’s sorted now but lawyers for Renegade Game Studios objected to an indie publisher working on the RPG Renegade City.
• Riley Daniels and Evil Hat open playtesting on As the Sun Forever Sets.
• Monte Cook Games release a free preview of the forthcoming horror RPG Old Gods of Appalachia.
• The Owl Preservation Society release DMsGuild ruules for the guinea pig-like Cavy.
• Fashion from RPGs as artist Jacob Blackmon let tabletop gamers buy their own Cocaine Owlbear t-shirt.
• Wizards of the Coast and Andrews McMeel will do a monster-a-day with the 2024 calendar.
• The Bundle of Holding has a megabundle deal for the European powerhouse RPG The Dark Eye.
• Also, in the BoH, if you’re quick, there’s a flash sale on BattleTech Shrapnel.

Spotlight: Lone Colossus Games

RPG news from around the web

• Cryptozoic Entertainment has the Kickstarter alert page in place for the official Adventure Time: The Roleplaying Game.
• Andy Brown covers the chaos as Protests cause “influx of sexualised goblin content” in million-strong’ Dungeons And Dragons’ Reddit.
• Polygon’s Samantha Nelson notes you can Build a better post-apocalyptic future with the TTRPG Dreams & Machines.
• OnTableTop spots Grab Conan Roleplaying Game Books Before They’re Gone.
• Rob Wieland writes up Project Black Flag Comes To Life As Tales Of The Valiant.
• Dicebreaker has an exclusive preview with Monster Hunter-inspired RPG Wilderfeast is a delectable celebration of food and living in harmony with nature .
• Still with Dicebreaker, we have an article on Clerk & Dagger is an Ocean’s 11 style tabletop RPG that’s inspired by Blades in the Dark.
• Jeffrey Dohm-Sanchez at ICv2 writes up Chaosium reveals two “Cults of Runequest” RPG Sourcebooks.
• Morrus notes that Gloomhaven RPG Crowdfunder Hits $1M In First Hours.
• Sam Warner at Digital Spy celebrates as the Dungeons & Dragons movie finally confirms UK digital release.
• Chaosium already hits Platinum Bestseller at DriveThruRPG with the Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine.

RPG reviews and interviews from around the web

• Grognardia has a look at White Dwarf: Issue #78 and has a retrospective on The Forest Oracle for AD&D.
• Jared Rascher asks What do I Know About Reviews? Fables: Agents of the Empire Part 7, Planebraker and Campaign Overview.
• The Other Side has an Interview with the Witches of Midnight Team.
• Geek Girl Authority’s Julia talks to Becky of Homie and the Dude.
• MJR RPG returns to Call of Cthulhu with a Swamp Song review.
• Signals from Delta Pavonis writes up first impressions of Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20 core rules.
• Reviews from R’lyeh writes up The Curious Conundrum of the Conflagrated Condottiero and the 5e/Mork Borg Tryrannosaur Inside.
• Egg Embry, over at EN World, covers Dante’s Divine Comedy for 5e – The Straight Way Lost: An Interview With Melina Sedó (Vortex Verlag).

RPG new releases

• Jared Hawk and Javelin Arc have powered the FATE-powered Drugfall: The Chemical Apocalypse Playtest Rulebook.
• Free League and Luke Stratton are among the scurvy-ridden crew of Pirate Borg.
• Meanwhile, Modiphius urges “Refuse, Resist, Retaliate!” with the Achtung! Cthulhu 2d20 suppelement Vive La Resistance.
• Rodger Huffman has published a 300+ page guide with Epic NPCs: Creating Memorable Characters in Role-Playing Games.
• TLHP Games welcomes you to Cyberwuxia with the Xianta RPG.
• Yellowbyte Studios has a new DMsGuild title with Dante’s Guide to Hell: Monster Manual.
• Gem Game casts you as powerful warriors chosen by the Obelisk in the Gemknight RPG.

RPG bundle deals

• Save $171.85 (87%) with Tabletop Gaymer’s Gayming with Pride 2023 Prismatic bundle.
• Save $158.84 (86%) with Tabletop Gaymer’s Gayming with Pride 2023 Kaleidoscope bundle.
• Save $12.32 (39%) with Nightfall Games’ SLA Industries: Progress Reports bundle.
• Save $4.37 (100%) with Agencia Especial’s Basic Files bundle.

RPG ideas, tips and discoveries

• Ben and the Genre Police are all about Seizing The Initiative.
• Ana Valens, at The Mary Sue, asks Do We Need More Romantic and Thirsty Tabletop Games?.
• Also, Alex Meehan notes Roleplaying is the perfect medium for stories of sex and romance – so why is the genre so underserved on the tabletop?
• DungeonSolvers offer up D&D 5e Tools: The Best Resources for Your Next Adventure.
• Den of Geek’s Anton Kromoff shares Why the Forgotten Realms Is Dungeons and Dragons’ Most Beloved Setting.

RPG Crowdfunding

You can see those Kickstarters and other crowdfunding campaigns that caught Geek Native’s attention over at Kickstarter watch. Here are some industry projects worth a mention;

• Stonehenge – Tabletop Game Dice Set from XIU introduces “Is this a masterpiece of aliens or genius craftsmanship? This dice set recreates the scene of Stonehenge using stone materials.”
• Lore Link from Lore Link introduces “Campaign Management Made Quick, Easy, and Accessible.”
• 70+ TTRPG Battlemaps For Your D&D and Pathfinder Games from Snowy’s Maps raises funds for “A pack of 10+ base maps with 70+ variations for your RPGs (DnD,D&D,Pathfinder,5E). For any VTT. Includes tavern, UK castle, and more!”
• The Guild Hall – Pay What You Want from Quinn Zahasky kickstarts “3D Printable STL Files, Terrain for Tabletop, Role Playing Games, Wargames and RPG’s”
• MAPS MAPS MAPS – Volume #3 from Daniel James raises funds for “Pay-What-You-Want for 100+ fantasy Maps, created for all your favorite TTRPGs, from DnD to OSE. $1 is all you need!”
• The Job Board: A Plot Hook, Quest, & NPC Generator Zine from Kat Foley raises funds for “Generate quests, plot hooks, rumors, and the NPCs that give them out. Compatible with any fantasy TTRPG!”
• Immense Dungeons – Digital Maps for Discerning Game Masters! from Loke Battle Mats pitches “Digital dungeon, cave & sewer battle maps AND tokens & tiles to create your own maps or customize ours! Sized for VTT or print at home.”
• Infinite Archipelago: The Isle of Sedra from Douglas H. Cole crowdfunds “An RPG Setting and Adventures for The Fantasy Trip”
• Swords of Meropis from Gallant Knight Games suggests “A troupe and solo-friendly Greek myth-inspired sword and sandal RPG from Alan Bahr and Rick Hershey!”
• Behemoth Slayers Guild from Rocket Pig Games pitches “Deluxe Creature and Monster Hunter 3D printed .stl files for your DnD RPG tabletop gaming, roleplaying, or miniature painting hobby.”
• Quixote: Starship Map & Miniatures from 0-hr proposes “Starship poster map and miniatures for Starfinder & sci-fi RPGs. A noble justiciar on one side – a grungy pirate ship on the other.”
• ChatGPT AI Companions for Your DND 5e RPG Adventures from Arcana AI kickstarts “Unleash the power of AI to Unlock our ‘Persona Alignment Protocols’ for Immersive and Dynamic Roleplay Companions for DND5e.”
• 2.5K: a TTRPG from noah phippen pitches “Cyberpunk TTRP game with a twist: Zombies.”
• Haunting at the Darkwillow Manor (D&D5e horror adventure) from Grim Press offers “Explore Darkwillow Manor, an accursed estate said to be haunted by a vengeful presence. Brave the darkness before it claims your soul.”
• $1 D&D 5E Adventure Shadowed Temple of the Forgotten Goddess from Ancient Sage proposes “A 5E adventure exploring a ruined temple in a deep forest, with new monsters, new magic items, new lore, and original art. All for $1!”
• The Puzzle Masters Handbook for Homebrew DnD 5th Edition from Daniel Jefford introduces “The ultimate 150+ page guide to puzzles and traps for your Dungeons and Dragons campaigns or preferred RPG”
• 3x Non-Fantasy Campaign assistants for 5E D&D from Matt Evans nominates “Expand your TTRPG gaming experience into new an adventurous genres.”
• Cyber Beast – Art Zine | 40 CY_BORG Characters from Sergiusz Junczyc kickstarts “Step into the brutal, awe-inspiring domain of 40 Сyber Beasts. Encounter raw power where the line between biological and digital blurs.”
• CHVRCH OV THE WVRM – A MÖRK BORG FILTH CRAWL from JVC Parry introduces “A rank scenario for MÖRK BORG that’ll make you want to bathe. Find the cultists. Reach the Cesstine Chapel. Murder worms.”
• CopperAge: An Epic Steampunk DnD 5e Adventure! from Enchanted Emporium introduces “Join the crew of the Aetherian as they take to the skies in this epic 5e Steampunk adventure! Stretch goals and add-ons available!”
• Athena’s Tears: Diamond-Shaped RPG Dice from Athena offers “Six-sided diamond-shaped dice crafted from natural gemstones”
• Caliya’s Chronicle of Runes: A Runic Expansion for D&D 5e from Tony Casper pitches “The definitive tome of magic runes for 5th Edition! Unearth new races, lore, monsters, & more tied to your favorite DnD languages!”
• 1d100 Sci-Fi Quests by Terry Herc from Terry Herc kickstarts “A stellar collection of unique, adaptable quests for your sci-fi RPG!”
• Adaptable Encounters: Fury & Tales for D&D 5E – $1USD from Ready to Play nominates “Ready-to-play encounters set in marine and city scenarios to add to your GM/DM toolbox, for Dungeons & Dragons.”
• Qadida: A Spy-Filled Stillfleet Gazetteer from Wythe Marschall suggests “The new 100-page setting sourcebook for Stillfleet, featuring new classes, species, advanced powers, and a full-length venture!”
• DnD 5e One Shots of Ethelon Vol 4 – Underwater Adventures! from Adventure Ripples is working on “D&D 5e adventures taking place in uncharted depths that will upgrade your Campaign and keep your players on edge!”
• Oath of Commulism vs. the Bourgeoisie Necromancer from Chamomile Has A Project raises funds for “Two subclasses for 5e bringing new meaning to the term “class struggle.””
• Sudden Scum, Instant Mörk Borg Characters by Philip Reed from Philip Reed suggests “Draw four cards and create a Mörk Borg character within seconds using this custom deck of cards designed by Philip Reed.”
• The Mad Necromancer’s Basement | Dungeon & Bestiary for RPGs from Jean Francois Senay is working on “A dungeon filled with dangerous traps, strange objects and weird creatures! Easily adaptable to any tabletop role-playing games like 5e”
• Inner Realms Journey – Fantasy Adventure Meditation RPG Game from Aaron Pyne – the Elven Wizard submits “Experience the power of meditation with the new IRJ Journal- more fun, engaging and accessible than ever before.”
• The Veil of Night: A Dark Elf One-Shot Adventure Module from Tina Glasneck proposes “A 5e adventure module with new monsters, magic items, maps, awesome art, and lore. Plus the Fight Like Hell & Apocalypse Magic stories.”
• Epic Realms: 50+ Maps for DnD, Pathfinder, and More from Adventurica offers “Unlock Boundless Adventures with 50+ High-Quality Digital Fantasy Battle-Maps for Tabletop TTRPGs (D&D, 5E, Pathfinder, OSR, Roll20)”

Do you know of an RPG news source that we don’t? Let us know, or leave a comment below.