Arabian Nights no more

Coriolis: The Great Dark is more than just a sequel to The Third Horizon. It expands the universe and drags the story away from the Middle East-influenced Science Fiction of the last books. The setting I thing is much cooler (pun intended). Coriolis: The Great Dark is set far beyond the last iteration of the game. Colony ships have fled the growing war and have followed a faint signal that many think could be the Nadir, sister ship to the Zenith.

As the signal dies the colonists are stranded in a dead system they call Jumuah. To make things worse the portal that should lead them out is dead. The colonists established a single city on an asteroid called, and I shit you not “‘The Ship City of Coriolis the Eternal and Jumuah the First and Last”. I know right but thankfully it gets shortened to City Ship. In true Coriolis style, they decide to send expeditions into the depts. Where they fight Alien ruins and a disease called the Blight.

A new System for a new system

To push home that Coriolis: The Great Dark is an updated version they have modified the previous rule system that flies more closely to the Year Zero Engine (YZE). This is a welcomed change as if you have played any Free League games you will be very familiar with how easy it is to use. Most changes are small like six attributes rather than the usual four, talents instead of skills.

The two big ones for me are no more Darkness Point mechanics. This is replaced with Hope because there is nothing worse than the loss of all Hope. The other is the new Delve mechanic. The group will make Delves into the ruins to retrieve artifacts. With each Delve the group will have to bring significant supplies, oxygen canisters, food, water, batteries, etc… or else they won’t be coming back. Each one has a difficulty rating (0-3) and markers that show what each character needs supply-wise to make it back. Plans will go out the window as unexpected monsters, blight, and sneaky NPC will ruin your day.

Beauty in the darkness

As usual, the book itself looks amazing. The artwork though different than The Third Horizon is still beautiful. It’s dark and lonely and for some reason has a feel of Event Horizon to me in contrast to the warmth of the last books.

In the pack you get Coriolis: The Great Dark, a quickstart book but you also get four pre-generated character sheets. These are for The Algebraist Apprentice with Bird, The Wreck Diver, The Guild Soldier, and The Vacuum Welder.

If you play Coriolis then you will get The Great Dark and if you don’t and want to start from the start then you better hurry up as Free League is discontinuing the printing of The Third Horizon. I would recommend this game especially if space exploration is your bag.

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The Dragonbane Bestiary includes no less than 63 creatures, each brought to life in text and art, as well as a random encounter and a seed for a complete adventure. Among these fantastic beings, there are nine new playable kin included, each with their own unique ability.

So many options

The full-colour hardcover book is gloriously illustrated by the artists Johan Egerkrans and David Brasgalla. The book will be available both in a standard edition and in a premium Collector’s Edition, with a faux leather cover and gold foil print.

A complete cardboard Standee Set for the creatures in the Bestiary for use on a battle map will be released on the same date, available separately for purchase.

The Dragonbane Bestiary and Standee Set are available for pre-order in the Free League webstore. Pre-orders will give immediate access to the complete PDF of the Bestiary ahead of the release.

In addition, Free League is also releasing a hardback version of the Dragonbane Rulebook – also in a standard edition and a premium Collector´s Edition, with a faux leather cover and gold foil print. The contents of the separate Rulebook are the same as in the softcover rulebook in the boxed Dragonbane Core Set, but has an added introductory adventure – The Castle of the Robber Knight. Just like the Bestiary, the Rulebook is available for pre-order in the Free League webshop, with immediate PDF access.

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All backers who pledge levels with physical rewards within the first 24 hours. They will receive a unique bonus art print of one of the cover art pieces. If successfully funded, soon after the Kickstarter ends. All backers will get early access to the PDF versions.

The Fallen Halls

For long ages, the great city of the Dwarrowdelf was the seat of Dwarven kings. They were rich beyond measure in gold and Mithril. But a thousand years ago, Durin’s Bane arose and drove the Dwarves from their halls. The city fell into darkness, becoming an abode of Orcs, Goblins – and worse. Countless Orcs perished in the Battle of Five Armies. the Halls of Durin lie empty once more. Maybe there are piles of treasure there, waiting to be claimed. Maybe Mithril still glimmers in the mines under Caradhras. Cross the dread threshold, adventurer, and delve deep!

Moria – Through the Doors of Durin includes:

• And At the Gates, The Trumpets Rang: Rivals, allies and patrons in the quest for Moria, as well as a history of the Dwarven city from its founding to its fall.
• Journeys in the Dark: Journey rules adjusted for underground exploration, Moria-specific Undertakings, and advice on running games and campaigns set in the city.
• Fell Foes lists the Orcs and other enemies that may be found in the city – and rules for risking an encounter with Durin’s Bane.
• The Mansions of the Dwarves is the largest part of the book, describing Landmarks and hazards in the various regions of Moria.

Speak friend and enter

Moria – Through the Doors of Durin describes the city of the Dwarves. The surrounding lands as they were in the last years of the Third Age. For each region of Moria, we describe Landmarks, factions, and non-player characters that the Loremaster can use as desired.

Moria – Through the Doors of Durin written by seasoned game writer and author Gareth Hanrahan and
overseen by Francesco Nepitello. All beautifully illustrated by Antonio De Luca, Giuditta Betti, Federica Costantini, Michele Galavotti, and Niklas Brandt.

There is no ‘true’ Moria — in one game. Maybe the great quest of the heroes is to loot the fabled Treasure Vault of Uruktharbun. In another, the treasure vault might have lain broken. Some were empty for a thousand years; in others, it never existed at all. Moria is to be explored cautiously; even the Wise cannot trust their memories in this place.

If you want to get the Kickstarter then look no further than here.

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The Third Horizon

As I mentioned the main theme of Coriolis is inspired by the Middle East. This is right down to fashion, food, and myths. The story itself is a war between the Firstcome and the Zenithians, who are descendants of the second wave of colonists.

The Coriolis is the central Hub of the Third Horizon. It’s a large space station that was built from an old arkship. Think Babylon 5 or Star Trek: Deep Space 9. Coriolis is split into three regions. The Core, the Ring, and the Promenade. Each area serves the players as places to buy goods restock, and play out missions

Create, Play, Have fun

Creating characters is fun and pretty standard. First, you need to choose what group and concept you will belong to. Each group has a sub-concept/Talent that you will use for extra stats on different actions.

The Group concepts are:

• Free Traders – willing to travel anywhere in the system for whatever will make them some money on Horizon.
• Mercenaries – The muscle of the Factions, bought by the highest bidder and mostly hated by the populace because of their heavy-handedness.
• Explorers – are truth seekers who refuse to settle for the Bulletin’s oversimplified version of reality.
• Agents – infiltrate criminal organizations to assassinate whoever the Factions want to disappear.
• Pilgrims – Travel around the system looking for Holy sites to get work or to Entertain the masses.

Secondly, you get to pick the ship that will need to suit your group’s needs going forward. It doesn’t really matter what you do you will owe someone money. This is where a rich and important benefactor comes in. He will bankroll you but only if you give more back. On the flip side, you will gain a nemesis who will hamper you and your group at every turn.

Last but not least is your actual character creation. If you have played any other TTRPG you will be familiar with all of the options you are given. There is your background, upbringing, concept/job, followed by name and appearance. There are numerous tables that you can use in the Rulebook to help if needed.

Space never looked so good

This whole review is based on the PDF Kickstarter set. In this set, you received as always loads of add-ons and supplements to get you started. You will receive:

• Core Rulebook
• Battlemaps
• Character creation sheets
• Spaceship sheet
• System sheet
• NPC sheet
• Mission Sheet
• The Last Cylade and GM resources
• Emissary Lost

All of these are beautifully put together and easy to navigate. The artwork in Coriolis as with all of Free Leagues offerings just fits the mood of the game. Well, they don’t win all these awards for anything.

If you like sci-fi settings in your TTRPGs then I would recommend giving Coriolis a spin. Its setting is different but the gameplay will be familiar so what else do you want?

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Is that a duck? Yes…yes it’s a duck           

The first thing I noticed was how easy the guide was to read and get a grip with. I was worried that it would be a D&D 5E clone but was pleasantly surprised. Dragonbane uses a D20, roll-under system, so the lower you roll, the better in this game. This will be alien to most RPG gamers but if you roll like me it’s for the best.

You will then select a race or in this instance a Kin. There are six Kin folk to choose from:

• Human
• Elf
• Halfling
• Dwarf
• Wolfkin
• Mallard (Yes a goddamn duck person)

If you are not a Mallard and living out your Darkwing Duck fantasy are you even a Tabletop gamer? The character creation doesn’t end there though. There are also ten professions including, Merchant, Thief, Bard, Knight, etc… Sometimes I struggle with this part of RPGs but I found it really simple.

Roll low, aim high

There is a lot of 5E in the basic game mechanics. These are advantages and disadvantages while rolling but they are called boon and bane. There is also a push roll like in Vaesen. It lets you reroll a fail but if you fail again things get a whole lot worse for you as you need to pick a bane for your character.

Combat is fairly straightforward. You use initiative cards instead of rolling to see the order of combat. You take your turn just like you would in D&D but this time you get a chance to interrupt another action. This helps you to dodge or parry an enemy’s attack. You just roll your D20 against your skill level and hope you succeed. You roll damage like normal but armor can reduce it like in Vaesen instead of being added to your AC.

Another aspect I loved was how the magic worked. You get something called Will power. This works like MP works in most games. You spend your Will power to cast your spells or do certain abilities. The higher the level of spell/ability the more WP you spend and the more powerful it is. Simple really.

All the goodies

You get everything you need to start your adventures in the Misty Vale in the Drangonbane Core Set:

• 112-page rule book
• 116-page adventures book
• A solo play booklet
• A map of the Misty Vale
• Illustrated playing cards for treasure, initiative, and adventures
• Five blank character sheets
• Five pre-made characters
• A battle mat
• Ten dice
• Cardboard standees for players and monsters

I received the PDF version so all I didn’t receive was the dice, either way, that’s a lot. Plus with all the maps, standees, etc… it will give me and others the kick up the bum to host a game in person and not over Zoom.

I can’t review Dragonbane without talking about the spectacular artwork. Again this is down to the amazing art style of one of my favourite artists, Johan Egerkrans. He just gets the fantasy vibe and illustrated another favourite RPG of mine, Vaesen.

If you are a fan of fantasy TTRPGs then get your hands on Dragonbane. It’s quick and easy to play by yourself or with others. Even if you don’t just get it for the Mallards you cowards.

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The One Ring for Dummies (including myself)

So what are the differences between Lord of the Rings 5E and 2022’s The One Ring I hear you ask? Well other than the rules switch and certain RPG language changes there are not many. If you are familiar with The One Ring then you can really jump into this. On the other hand, if you’re a D&D player you will have to learn certain mechanics like, Fellowship score, Shadow points, and dealing with the all-seeing Eye.

The language changes are small. The Dungeon Master is a Loremaster, the characters are Player-heroes, races are now Cultures, and classes are renamed to Callings. There are also phases called Adventuring and Fellowship. Adventuring is broken up into Combat, Council, and Journey. Combat is, well combat. Council is the interaction you and your party have with NPC etc… And Journey is the traveling aspect of your time. Fellowship is when the heroes have downtime during their adventure. Where they can chat and relax or when the adventure is over.

I see you!

Shadow points and The All-seeing Eye are great mechanics and immerse you further into Tolkien’s world. You or your party member gain these by doing or witnessing evil acts. You can remove your Shadow points by using “Hardened Will” as long as it doesn’t match their Wisdom score. Players who have a Shadow score equal to their Wisdom go a bit crazy. They give into dark urges like betrayal, fear, and rage. If the Shadow takes hold you develop permanent flaws, or even worse get removed from the party altogether, Boromir style.

Adding the All-Seeing Eye into your game takes it up a notch. The Loremaster keeps track of all that you and your party get up to. Depending on what mix of cultures your party has the eye might be more aware of them. The more magic you use or Shadow points you accumulate will all add to the Eye’s awareness, even rolling 1’s brings his glare upon you. If the party finishes the adventuring phase without the Eye becoming aware of them, they remain hidden. If the Eye sees you then your adventuring will get harder. Something might go wrong, you might be betrayed or the enemies get stronger to fight. Basically, be good and stay under the radar.

Pack Old Bill up and away you go

Just like The One Ring, the Lord of the Rings 5E starter is stacked with what you need to jump in. You get the Core Rulebook, Shire Adventures book, and Loremaster’s screen with Rivendell Compendium. All of these are beautifully laid out. The artwork as usual is amazing and would not be out of place in any Tolkien book.

The Core rule book and The Shire Adventures book are the perfect way to get your party on the road. All in all, if you like D&D and Lord of the Rings then this is a no-brainer to pick up. Free League has taken what was done in The One Ring and slimmed it down and made it accessible across the board. I will hopefully in the near future get some people together and get stuck into this. You can check out my One Ring review here

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In the game, the player characters must not only hone their physical skills, but deeply explore who they truly are – what drives them to go on, what they consider worth fighting for, and what they’re capable of doing, in the best and worst of times.

The crowdfunding campaign has unlocked a long list of stretch goals, including: solo mode, threat meter, Atlanta Area Map, custom dice, bonus archetypes, adventure maps, Foundry and Roll20 Virtual Tabletop Modules and pre-generated characters from The Walking Dead TV series, with more stretch goals on the way.

All backers will get early access to PDF versions months ahead of the official release.

In The Walking Dead Universe Roleplaying Game, you will play as people struggling to survive in a hostile world. Exceptional challenges can appear from anywhere – from the lack of essential supplies, from conflicts brewing within the group, from hidden construction flaws in your safe haven, or from approaching walkers hungering for your flesh.

There are two ways to play the game:

• In Campaign Mode, it is your goals and choices, and the result of your group efforts, that create the storyline.
• In Survival Mode, you are faced with a dangerous situation that needs to be handled immediately. Survival Mode scenarios often feature locations and characters from the TV series.

Expect the stress and stakes to be high. The rules of The Walking Dead Universe RPG are based on the acclaimed Year Zero Engine, used in Free League´s award-winning games such as the ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG, Tales From the Loop, Mutant: Year Zero and Forbidden Lands, but uniquely tailored for The Walking Dead Universe.

For more news and previews, visit thewalkingdead-rpg.com. Then follow Free League Publishing on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and discover art and gameplay development ahead of the game’s release.

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The Walking Dead Universe RPG is a co-production between AMC Networks and the award-winning tabletop publisher, who are working closely with key forces behind the franchise, including Chief Content Officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, and Head of AMC Networks Publishing Mike Zagari. The RPG series will introduce new story elements while drawing inspiration from the current series and upcoming spin-offs.

The game is directed by Free League co-founders Tomas Härenstam (ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG) and Mattias Johnsson Haake (Symbaroum). Nils Hintze (Tales from the Loop RPG, Vaesen – Nordic Horror Roleplaying) will be the lead writer. Gustaf Ekelund (Twilight: 2000) and Martin Grip (ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG) as lead artists. Genuine Entertainment’s Joe LeFavi (ALIEN RPG, Blade Runner RPG, Dune, The Dragon Prince) as producer and brand manager on the game series.

We have a tabletop game COREL!!

In The Walking Dead Universe RPG, players are challenged to enter the unforgiving, post-apocalyptic sandbox. They must learn how to survive and thrive in this new world order. Pushing the boundaries of the survival genre, each group can tailor their RPG experience to suit their own interests and play style.

Expect the stress and stakes to be high. Boasting a new spin on Free League Publishing’s award-winning Year Zero engine. Players must not only hone their physical skills but deeply explore what makes them tick. They must also confront how the hardships of this world naturally impact what they’re capable of.

For more news and previews, visit thewalkingdead-rpg.com. Then follow Free League Publishing on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

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The work on these new licenses was initiated last year. However, it was fast-tracked after the news regarding the update of Wizards of the Coasts’ OGL v1.0, on which the Year Zero Engine license was based.

“It’s clear that it is high time for Free League to have an OGL that is fully our own,” says Free League CEO Tomas Härenstam.

Free League Publishing and YZE – What is the Year Zero Engine?

The Year Zero Engine in various iterations has been used in most Free League RPGs in recent years, including Mutant: Year Zero, Coriolis, Tales From the Loop, Forbidden Lands, ALIEN, Vaesen, Blade Runner RPG, and the upcoming The Walking Dead Universe RPG. The YZE is an accessible, fast and adaptable rules framework that encourages story-focused and player-driven playstyles.

The new Year Zero Engine OGL is designed to be easy to understand and use for creators. It will give creators an irrevocable, worldwide, and royalty-free right to use Year Zero Engine Standard Reference Document (YZE SRD) and freely publish their own roleplaying material based on it.

Alongside the new YZE OGL, the YZE SRD itself is being given a major overhaul and update, based on the developments of the Year Zero Engine in recent years. The new SRD will include more rules variants and add rules for chases, vehicles, travel, and magic.

But wait, there’s more

Besides the YZE OGL, Free League will also release a third-party license for the upcoming Dragonbane RPG, which was successfully Kickstarted last year. This license allows creators to freely publish RPG supplements explicitly compatible with Dragonbane, and to place the special A Module for Dragonbane logo on the front cover.

The Dragonbane license is intended for third-party supplements for the game, not new standalone games, and thus does not have an SRD. This license is similar to the Free League Workshop community content program on DrivethruRPG, but allows creators to freely choose where to share or sell Dragonbane modules without paying any royalties to anyone.

Both new Free League OGLs will be released in the next few weeks.

Unrelated to the two new OGLs, Free League currently publishes two product lines for 5E using WotC’s v1.0 OGL: The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying (based on the original game The One Ring) and Ruins of Symbaroum (based on Symbaroum). Based on the latest announcement from WotC, it seems like these two game lines can continue largely unaffected even after their updated OGL, but Free League continues to monitor the situation as more information becomes available.

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Vaesen: Mythic Britain & Ireland

I have been looking forward to Mythic Britain & Ireland for a while. Most of my excitement was to see what Vaesen and mysteries they would come up with in Ireland. To my disappointment, the main focus was on Britain. I shouldn’t have been surprised really so I won’t hold it against them.

Mythic Britain & Ireland is the more significant expansion of the two at 164 pages. Set in 19th-century Britain and Ireland you are summoned to a sister Society called the Apollonian Society. The whole setup mirrors the base game so it is easy just to jump in. The Rose House will be your base of operations and even comes with its own creepy little butler, Hawkins.

Mythic Britain & Ireland comes with three new character archetypes (Athlete, Entertainer, and Socialite). Like the basic archetypes, they come with their own resources, attributes, etc… You also get thirteen new Vaesen that span across, Britain and Ireland. Along with the three new mysteries, this will give you so many options. The book is a GM’s dream to start in a new setting and has everything you need to spend a long time hopping back and forth between Ireland and Britain.

Seasons of Mystery

Seasons of Mystery sets us back in Scandinavia and has all the bleak, snowy goodness any Vaesen GM or player could want. I ran one of the new mysteries (A Winter’s Tale) and I am using it as a jump-off point for a big campaign. Unlike Mythic Britain, this one is smaller and only comprises four mysteries and some hand-outs.

Both expansions are brilliantly written and easy to navigate. Then there is the artwork, as usual, it is beautifully done by, Johan Egerkrans. These really are a must for any Vaesen fan and cannot wait to see what Free League comes up with next in the series (I’m hearing France). You can check out the mysteries we have played through on the Team Zoom Zoom Youtube channel here

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