In 2021, Turkish publisher Metis Media ran their first Kickstarter for Historica Arcanum. On offer with a fantasy alternative timeline of Earth.
Since then, the company has earned fans and followers as the latest project asks for $30,000, and thousands of backers have rushed to pledge nearly $250,000 in the opening days. Metis Media are ENnie Award winners. This time, two sourcebooks for the Era of the Crusades are underway.
There’s a free-to-download Historica Arcanum: Era of the Crusades available from Metis’ website.
The game uses 5e and features the occult dangers of 12th-century Holy Lands. Metis has that stretch from Jerusalem to Cario and features NPCs like Baldwin, the Leper King, and Saladin, the Avenging General.
Historica Arcanum is a 5th Edition historical fantasy universe where occult secrets are hidden in the darkest corners of world history. Players and game masters can delve into exciting timelines and regions of the world, each with unique lore and storylines. From Victorian-era Istanbul to the Silk Road under the Mongolian invasion to the years of the Crusades, Historica Arcanum offers a vast and ever-expanding playground for adventure.
The two books, Era of the Crusades and The Sigil of Jerusalem, include a large adventure and details on fantasy 1182 Jerusalem and Cairo. There are new character creation options, subclasses, a bestiary, rules for the Deck of the Damned, professions and Knight Orders.
Just how large is the adventure? It’ll take PCs from level 1 to 10, complete with handouts and soundtracks.
Deck of the Damned: Combat and Narrative stress overhaul, for the darkest moments of 5e – designed as an easy to use ruleset that adds flavor, danger, and if the fates allow, solace. In addition to the cards, the deck is also in the setting guide as rolling tables.
For $3, backers can access the pledge manager and add whatever they fancy.
Then, at $24, there’s a PDF of your choice and access to the pledge manager.
Economies of scale kick in as $39 backers get both PDFs, the digital map packs, tokens and Deck of Damned.
The first physical book appears at $55; as is the case with PDFs, you get to pick one. On this tier, you get the accompanying PDF.
Once again, there are economies of scale for backers who can go higher at $99 as they are rewarded with both books.
Metis Media offer a Kickstarter exclusive to backers at $229 with a Collector’s Box, a physical Deck of the Damned, a designer-made GM screen, minis, “bloodlust” dice, a physical canvas map, tokens and digital copies of the City of Crescent, Empires of the Silk Road and Herald of Rain. There’s also Alchemy RPG access.
The $349 tier is even higher, which upgrades those additional PDF bonus books to physical editions.
Metis Media estimates that the project will ship in August 2024.
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