Torrents of the Spellhoarder and Crown of the Oathbreaker

Kickstarter Exclusives: Get everything!
about 2 years ago – Mon, Nov 07, 2022 at 09:22:17 AM

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

Upgrade to physical with the new reward tier: Stickers and add-ons
about 2 years 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?
about 2 years 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!
about 2 years 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
about 2 years 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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There are some other cool projects happening right now that we would like to bring to your attention, to make your RPG experiences richer with new resources and great ideas. These two are about to conclude and could really use a last-minute push:

Riftborne - Champions of the Multiverse is a cataclysmic package for 5e that brings unforgettable boss battles to your table. Flood your world with chaos as rifts between worlds open, bringing catastrophic devastation, inquisitive new races, flavourful subclasses, and a tide of monsters yearning to make a foothold in the land you call home. Complimenting this 300+ page book are hand-drawn battlemaps, incredibly detailed minis (and STLs), and an arena combat system for your battle-hungry players.

Here are some freebies that the good folks at Eightfoldpaper have provided for us:

Oath of the Nightflame (Paladin Subclass): https://eightfoldpaper.com/other/riftborne-championsofthemultiverse/free-demo/Riftborne_Demo_Subclass_OathOfTheNightflame_V1-2.pdf

Giga Mimic - Boss Battle: https://eightfoldpaper.com/other/riftborne-championsofthemultiverse/free-demo/Riftborne_Demo_GigaMimic_V5-1.pdf

Anansi's Tapestry of Lives is 320+ pages of D&D 5E compatible content to make your games easier, more fun, and more inclusive. Anansi's has over 100 unique and useful NPCs created and voiced by a majority BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disabled creative team. That's right, each and every fully illustrated NPC comes with a professionally voice acted intro monologue to kick off the action. It's like having voice actors at your table! In addition to NPCs, there's stat blocks, magic items, story tables, side quests, and other tools by some of the best creative minds in D&D. Check out the Kickstarter and bring Anansi's stories to your table!