Torrents of the Spellhoarder and Crown of the Oathbreaker

Upgrade to physical with the new reward tier: Stickers and add-ons
over 1 year ago – Mon, Nov 07, 2022 at 07:37:15 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

How to Become an NPC in Torrents of the Spellhoarder?
over 1 year ago – Sat, Nov 05, 2022 at 04:55:30 AM

Hello, fellow Minds of the Pool!

You might’ve noticed how we love to include our backers in the whole process of creating a memorable adventure and a beautiful book. We populate the story and setting with unique NPCs, each with a portrait, all thanks to you and the artists we work with. There are already scores of you eager to lend your likenesses for NPC designs. Here are some of the  illustrations from the past that really show the potential of this collaboration:

We have had some wild and awesome ideas in the past. Some of you even sent us pictures of your cats - and look how cool a kitty can look as a warlock or monk.

This year you have the chance to either choose a major NPC from our story to bear your likeness or come up with an NPC who fits the world of Xantharos. We will publish a full list of available NPCs to choose from once the campaign ends if you don't want to come up with your own. Picks will be made on a first-come-first-served basis, and you will be able to make your choice through email, comment, or on our Discord server!

Here are a few potential NPCs from the story to choose from :

•  Captain Gixx Shortpebble is the captain of the Sated Contessa. Gixx is a veteran sailor and a popular captain, who is cold when facing the dangers of the sea, but warm and understanding to the crew. No other halfling has ever traversed the seas as far as Gixx.
•  Sorlian Finanza is a rich and cunning merchant traveling on the Sated Contessa. Recently, an ancient relic came into their possession, and they are willing to risk it all to sell it for an astronomical price in Xantharos.
•  Kaduin Gwilas is the state representative of Aglarion. Growing up among the Uncanny Vagabonds, Kaduin learned how to get along with anyone, speaks numerous languages, and knows how to party.
•  Lord Priitus Nerkra is a quirky noble who paid top coin to be on the ship to Xantharos. Lord Nekra claims they just want to see the exotic Isles of Xantharos, but it turns out they might have ulterior motives.
•  Koograkk Rockhorn is the leader of Rockhorn village of minotaurs. This mighty warrior guards the village's secret with fury and wisdom.
•  Lord Rinalvaram Shatterwind is one of the nobles in the Council of Scales. This young bronze half-dragon is boastful and belligerent, a great fighter with a hot temper.

If you can’t find an NPC that you would like to be, or the options run out (it happens), you can still come up with an NPC on your own (or with the help of the writers and illustrators). A pirate maybe? Or something fishier, like a merfolk. Or even a fearless half-dragon innkeeper who takes no crap from sailors, bandits, or player characters. Who would you like to be?

One thing to keep in mind though: the number of NPC portraits is limited to 100. Last time the number of NPC portraits skyrocketed (thank the gods!), but we don’t want to make the tome of Torrents too unwieldy. This means that if you want to be included, you gotta be fast. The All-In Hero Box Series is the only reward tier where NPC portraits are available, so if you want to be part of the adventure in this unique way, please hurry before it is too late!

We hope this project makes you as hyped as we are.  If you want to share your NPC ideas, please join our Discord server!

Team Elderbrain

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We would like to give a shoutout to our friends at Midnight Tower, who have an amazing Kickstarter that is currently live! Hunter's Full Moon Trilogy contains three exciting fantasy adventures in the wild for the fifth edition of the world’s largest roleplaying game (5e). The adventures are designed for level 1-3 characters, but the book includes scalable encounters so that the adventure can be played by all characters of level 1-20. Please check out the project and give them some love!

Are you ready for the adventure to begin? After a long journey through autumn-clad mountains, you have finally arrived to Buckbridge. The isolated village is surrounded by untamed wilderness that is filled with ferocious beasts and other dangerous creatures that are better left alone. But the remote village is under threat – and the people in Buckbridge urgently need your aid. Enter the wild and search for Queen Freja Swiftsteel’s long-lost tomb. Frost wolves, ancient dwarven secrets, and exciting adventures await! You can sharpen your blade. You can prepare your spells. But can you survive the wilds?

Stretch Goal: New Monster illustrations are ready!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Nov 03, 2022 at 05:10:31 AM

Hello, friends of the Hive Mind!

Thanks to your support and contributions,  we unlocked some new exciting monsters already and the illustrations have been prepared! What does it mean to each tier, and what’s next?

Depending on your chosen backer tier, you get the following extra content in addition to what is already included in your bundle:

•  Every one of our backers will be able to encounter the new monsters that got added to Torrents of the Spellhorader:
   
  • Crustanoid: Crustanoids(colloquially known as “crabfolk”) are humanoid crustaceans with a rich culture. The males usually have a large major claw and a smaller minor claw, while females have two medium-sized claws. The large claw is used in their elaborate mating ritual, which includes dancing, non-lethal claw combat, and building elaborate rock formations on the sea floor. Once a year, they swarm the shores of islands to engage in their mating ritual en masse. This event is sacred to them and vital for their survival, and because of this, they may react aggressively if bothered by outsiders.

• Deep-sea Dragon: A true oceanic dragon breed, the deep dragon lurks in the deepest trenches and hunts prey, treasure, and knowledge. Deep dragons lurk inside shipwrecks or waterlogged caves, telling stories about leviathans, aboleths, and sea giants to their young.
   

• Eldritch Eviscerator: This nightmarish underwater aberration eats mages for breakfast. Once you are in its claws, it sucks out your magic along with your insides. Don’t get caught.

• Adventurers in the Digital Bundle Series ($40) and Hardcover Series ($99) tiers also find the illustrations of the following memorable monsters illustrated in the new edition of Crown of the Oathbreaker:
   
  • Dryad Witch: These dryads were the first to abandon their friendly fey cousins due to their corrupt souls. The dryad witches cultivate the malicious plant life of the feyrealm domain of the Bleak Mire and serve their midnight hag patrons as informants. They regularly communicate with the plants and beasts of the Feyrealm and prey on those they can charm or lure into a trap.

• Elder Cortex: Elder cortices are masterminds of the aberrations of the Farrealm and emissaries of the god-like entities that rule over the realm of madness. These otherworldly abominations are manifestations of the power of the mind itself. The elder cortex drains every piece of information it can from its victims along with their intellects on which it feeds. It assimilates unimaginable amounts of data and uses it to the best effect. They are master manipulators and negotiators, knowledgeable in academic lore, and the art of magic.

• The Colossus: The Colossus is a 40-foot-tall stone construct that Master Arlen created for the campaign against the Order of the Eternal Light. Its body is made out of an otherworldly material that absorbs light, making the Colossus immune to radiant damage. The massive construct was built to break through all kinds of fortifications, and after Razmyrel’s victory, it was deemed too powerful by Master Arlen to remain active. Master Arlen ordered the monumental construct to bury itself in a remote location at the edge of the Arden Forest. Reawakened by the Midnight Curse but without the magical control of its creator, the Colossus now wanders aimlessly, leaving a trampled swath of trees in its wake.
   

• Heroes in the Torrents Torrents Deluxe Box ($229) tier can rejoice because their boxes now also include the Crustanoid, Deep-sea Dragon, and Eldritch Eviscerator collector’s cards with metallic foil!
   
• Finally, the legends who chose the All-In Deluxe Box Series ($449) or the All-In Hero Box Series ($549) will get even more: not only will they receive the loot included in the previous tier, but also the Dryad Witch, Elder Cortex, and The Colossus collector’s cards with metallic foil!
   

If you want to upgrade your tier, you can easily do so! You can get your hands on all the previously unlocked goodies, but you also increase the chance that we unlock our next stretch goal: six new location maps for the iconic towns of Aglarion and Xantharos! If you don’t want to upgrade but still want to own the cool foil cards, you can add the booster card decks to your pledge as add-ons.

Thank you for the amazing support, and stay tuned, because in the next update will reveal more about the encounter maps we plan to prepare for the Accessory Boxes, and even a few illustrations we have already prepared.

Please also join the hivemind on our Discord server to discuss the new monsters or anything else!

Eternally bonded to you in thought!

Team Elderbrain

Meet the Subclasses: 12 New Subclasses for Torrents of the Spellhoarder
over 1 year ago – Wed, Oct 26, 2022 at 02:55:28 AM

Dear Tentacled Friends!

We want to show you more about the subclasses in the making. Here are some of the details and a sample illustration that really shows the vibes of Torrents:

There are 12 base subclasses in Torrents of the Spellhoarder, one for each class. They are the following:

•  Horned Rager: Originally a fighting style developed by minotaurs, barbarians of this subclass learn how to ram and gore like a raging beast by using horns on their heads. By tapping into their emotions' hidden potential, they can even grow real horns, regardless of their species.
•  College of Sea Shanties: An experienced shantyman can turn a group of ragtag sailors into a perfectly synchronized working unit, and any monotonous task into a joyous activity. Bards who know the art of the shanties can help their party members find their voices, making them stronger, braver, and more resilient.
•  Water Domain: Clerics of the water domain have a connection to the divine essence of waters stronger than anyone else. The three pillars of their practice are: praying, swimming, and fishing.
•  Circle of the Deep: Also known as ocean druids, these nature-loving fellows live on small islands, underwater, or in ocean caves, tending to the wildlife of the seas.
•  Sea Knight: These fighters can hold their breaths as long as whales, and they fight even more elegantly underwater than mounted knights on land. Their training is deadly, and their way of life is even deadlier on the open seas.
•  Way of the Sea Serpent: Myths tell about a mysterious serpent that devours worlds, sleeping under the eternal waves of the ocean. Monks who tap into the mind of this serpent during their meditations receive esoteric revelations and deadly fighting techniques. They either go insane or find enlightenment in the strange dreams of the sea serpent.
•  Oath of Spells: These paladins seek to master spells, learning them similarly to wizards. But unlike wizards, their faith leads them to reject the taboos and restrictions that come with being a magic user. They want to get to the heart of the magical powers and dedicate their lives to acquiring as many spells as possible.
•  Deep-Sea Stalker: Rangers traverse the ocean's bottom and swim around reefs, and sunken ships are known as deep-sea stalkers. Their ability to track down creatures underwater, where footprints and smells are constantly carried away by the currents, is as impressive as it is supernatural.
•  Cult Agent: Rogues who work for shadowy religious organizations are invaluable assets for their cults. They are not always evil or even particularly zealous, but they certainly take infiltration and manipulation to the next level.
•  Aboleth Bloodline: Aboleths are well-known for their incredible knowledge and diplomatic skills. People whose ancestors have been magically enslaved by aboleths for generations sometimes develop magical abilities and even gain insight into their ancient overlords' alien minds. These aboleth sorcerers can then turn their heritage into a source of power and dignity.
•  Vampire Lord Patron: Some warlocks make a pact with a vampire lord, primarily with the hope that one day their patron will turn them into a vampire. But even before this blessing of blood, their patron’s gifts bring them closer to undeath with vampiric powers.
•  School of Metamagic: Wizards have been studying the unique abilities of sorcerers since the dawn of magic, and finally cracked the enigma that is metamagic. A few wizards even began to artificially recreate the effects of metamagic and apply these twists of the force to magical items.
   

We hope you like the new subclasses we have added to the 12 that have already been unlocked for Torrents. Stay tuned, because we will soon showcase every monster that has been unlocked in our previous stretch goal. 

If you’d like to discuss the subclasses and their abilities, or just hang out, please join our Discord server!

Team Elderbrain

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Stretch Goal Unlocked: 12 New Subclasses!
over 1 year ago – Mon, Oct 24, 2022 at 05:47:12 AM

Hello, unique Intellects one and all!

Thanks to your support and contributions, the campaign has reached a new milestone, and we have unlocked 12 new subclasses, doubling the number of options to be included in Torrent of the Spellhoarder. 

The 12 new subclasses will be included in every copy of Torrents of the Spellhoarder, one for each class. There is no difference between the tiers in this respect. But what are these subclasses? Let's see:

• Shark Totem Warrior: Barbarians of this subclass wrestle swordfish for fun, outswim dolphins on a whim, and grow their teeth back after every bar fight. Their love and respect for sharks is well-known; some even claim they can talk to aquatic creatures. If you are out fishing, don’t fear the shark. Fear the shark totem barbarian!
• College of Sirens: Bards who studied the song of sirens and survived can use the mystical song themselves, even changing it in creative ways. Listeners will be more than charmed to hear them sing!
• Travel Domain: Clerics of the Travel domain are kept in high respect by sailors, merchants, pilgrims, and explorers everywhere. Blessed by the Boundless Wonderer, the god of travel, these holy people dedicate their lives to travel and swear to help the pious on their way to reach their destination safely.
• Circle of the Five Winds: Druids who harness the power of the wind can make a ship’s sails swell, blow their enemies off the deck, rise in the air on the wind’s back, and with enough practice, even tame a hurricane. They are the fiends of sea birds, and masters of bending their preferred element to their will.
• Buccaneer: Fighters of this subclass have some serious sea legs! But walking in a steady line on the deck while the raging waves threaten to flip the whole ship over is not the only skill these sea dogs learned through the years. Give them some heavy artillery, and they will show their enemies a really bad time.
• Way of the Wave: Even the hardest rock will give in to the relentless waves of the ocean. To find true wisdom and perfection, monks who study the Way of the Wave learn how to move, breathe, and even think like the ocean, while letting their emotions roam freely like foaming waves.
• Oath of Grandeur: Magnificence. Splendor. Glory. These paladins made the solemn oath to shine brighter than anyone else in the room. They find incredible power in their grandiose sense of self through flamboyance, ceremoniousness, or by becoming the pinnacle of beauty.
• Explorer: Rangers of this subclass are driven by endless curiosity. Danger is their friend, and the unknown is their love which always slips out of their hand the moment they think they have reached it. Some say they are cursed, and that’s why they can’t stay in one place for longer than a couple of days. They would say that’s just the way they are and there are no limits to exploring the world.
• Pirate: Pirate rogues believe that there is no such thing as a fair fight, and they have endless tricks up their sleeves to bag that pirate booty. Trustworthy friends and terrifying foes, pirates are not to be underestimated.
• Efreeti Bloodline: Some have fire in their veins. Those with the blood of powerful fire elementals inherit not only some of the abilities of the efreeti, but can also learn their passion and confidence. Efreeti sorcerers are rumored to have a dark side to them, but those who have had their weapons imbued with flames by one know the warmth these gifted people carry with them.
• Great Wyrm Patron: Some warlocks made a pact with a great wyrm - an ancient dragon of almost god-like power and immense knowledge. The wyrm can lend some of its power to devotees who swear to further their agenda. On Xantharos, this is considered the highest honor.
• School of Force: This school of wizards harnesses the raw power of magic to become more efficient in destruction than it should be possible. Force wizards can turn magic missiles into deadly barrages by focusing on perfecting just a few spells. And they never miss.
  

If you want to upgrade your tier, it is still not too late to do so! We hope that with your help, we might unlock our next stretch goal: new location maps! To get there, you can also add individual items that were unlocked so far as add-ons to your current pledge.

Thank you for the amazing support, and stay tuned for more updates coming soon, detailing all the subclasses that are included in Torrents.

Please also join the hivemind on our Discord server to discuss all the subclass options!

Team Elderbrain