Three Sails Studios, the award-winning team behind Mappa Mundi, has launched the Kickstarter for Gallows Corner, a historical fantasy RPG set in 1376.
Geek Native has been following the development of this “grimdark with hope” RPG closely, covering its initial announcement, the release of the Quickstart Guide, and the recent Dragonmeet award win. Now, the full campaign is live.
The game is set five years before the historical Peasants’ Revolt. England is fractured by the Black Death, a dying king, and a wealthy church. Players take on the roles of outlaws, peasants and working-class people who have been pushed too far.
Unlike many grimdark settings where survival is the only victory, Gallows Corner is explicitly powered by hope. The mechanics are designed to tell stories of community building, radical confrontation, and the belief that everyday people can change the world.
The system uses a dice pool mechanic where players assign dice (d6, d8, etc.) to three Traits: Physical, Intellectual, and Emotional. Rather than abstract classes, characters are defined by their Trade (such as The Body, The Earth, or The Masque) and their Job.
Progression in Gallows Corner eschews standard levelling in favour of a community-focused approach.
Gallows Corner is a game built on a simple truth: there is power in community. Whether family, friends, or people you meet along the way, you’re going to need a Retinue.
In Gallows Corner, you don’t get more powerful by ‘levelling up.’ Instead, your character becomes more capable through the support of others.
As you travel through England and build your Influence by helping others and standing up against tyranny and injustice, you will attract Retainers: people who have chosen to join you in your struggle.”
Consistent with the game’s themes of solidarity, Three Sails Studios has opted to forego traditional stretch goals. Instead, they have implemented “Social Impact Stretch Goals.” For every copy of the game pledged (physical or digital), the studio will donate £1 to a UK food bank, with the donation amount increasing as funding milestones are met.
The game is available as a single, 250+ page cloth-bound hardback. All backers also receive PDFs of the first four Tales of Old England zines.
- Pledge £10: The Low Income tier. A reduced-price PDF for those who need it, no questions asked.
- Pledge £15: The Digital Edition. PDF of the core book and digital assets.
- Pledge £45: The Physical Edition. The cloth-bound hardback rulebook plus digital files.
- Pledge £75: The All In Edition. The hardback book, physical copies of all four Tales of Old England zines, and a collector’s box with room for future releases.
The project is currently funding on Kickstarter, with delivery estimated for Summer 2026.
