James Ohlen and Arcanum Worlds have announced Malborn, a new 5E campaign setting located inside an extinct volcano. British author Adrian Tchaikovsky serves as lead writer on the project, which is currently collecting followers on BackerKit ahead of a full crowdfunding launch.
The setting relies on a dual-identity system where characters maintain ordinary civilian lives while operating as masked vigilantes to fight criminal kingpins. Arcanum Worlds is distributing a free 128-page digital Vigilante’s Guide to Malborn to early followers, with a paid upgrade available for those wanting immediate access to more material.
This project sits within a busy period for Adrian Tchaikovsky in the tabletop sector. The author is having a significant roleplaying games moment, with Handiwork Games currently developing The Tyrant Philosophers and Rowan, Rook and Decard working on a Children of Time adaptation.
Players who opt for the $1 VIP tier receive specific upgrades over the free introductory guide:
- Digital Content: Expanded edition of the Vigilante’s Guide
- Physical Content: Exclusive physical Clasp Map
- Subscriptions: One free month of Arcanum Insider on Patreon
- Community Access: Private Discord entry and an exclusive livestream with James Ohlen
- Credits: Name included in the VIP credits
James Ohlen is a familiar name to the roleplaying games community. He previously served as the lead designer at BioWare, where he worked on the original Baldur’s Gate video games. Ohlen and his team at Arcanum Worlds previously found success with Odyssey of the Dragonlords, a Greek mythology-inspired 5E setting that launched on Kickstarter back in 2019.
While the introductory guide outlines new subclasses, species, and equipment, the initial announcement leaves practical mechanics unverified. The publisher describes Malborn only as a “5E campaign setting”. This broad label does not clarify if the game is balanced for the legacy 2014 rules or the modernised 2024 mechanics. Similarly, although it advertises urban maps, the announcement provides no details on virtual tabletop support.
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