To Nowhere and Back Again - D&D 5E TTRPG Campaign by Fabula

Summary

This project will produce a tabletop RPG campaign book PDF and print version set in the FRWC Runiverse that is compatible with the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Open Gaming License. In this campaign players will find immortality in a troubled kingdom, introduce them to the strange effects of the Quantum Shadow on a sleepy coastal town and transport them into the strange mirror worlds beyond the Runiverse where they become both more and less than the gods themselves.

FAB-1 “Family is Forever” is for levels 1-3 and will seek to have a mix of wilderness exploration, combat, social, and puzzle challenges. There will be a focus on roleplaying with the four members of the royal family supported by a friend & foe rating system to help DM and players prioritize roleplaying and relationships during the campaign.

FAB-2 “The Doom that Came to Cliffside” is for levels 4-6 putting the players in an investigation of a sleepy village that has become a hotbed for mysterious disappearances. A techno-magic Void Disciple Wizard engages their help to solve the strange cases and discover what is responsible for an increasingly dangerous situation. Urban and dungeon exploration is the primary focus of this module with a small cast of villagers (and their ancestors) creating a social puzzle to solve.

FAB-3 “Nowhere and Back Again” is for levels 7-10, picking up from the end of the previous module immediately as the players (and others) are caught in a multiplanar trap within the Quantum Shadow set by beings from the far future. Puzzle investigation, social factions and planar exploration create a wild adventure that drives the PCs to deal with gods and monsters to find their way back home.

Project Goals

The project will use a 16-bit aesthetic combined with the look and feel of the original TSR S1-S3 modules from the 1970s. We are excited to work with The Pixel Shop and dive into this aesthetic for all the artwork in the project as it will be the first D&D 5e campaign to use the concept! Each module will feature: ● A full-color wraparound cover illustration ● 36 2-column pages ● ~25 color pixel illustrations ranging in size from full page maps or handouts, full pages scenes, half page characters and quarter page objects or locations

The module will each have the following sections: ● Introduction ● Pre-made characters ● Running the Story ● Custom rulesets ● Encounters ● NPC profiles & stats ● New Monsters stats

Previews of the manuscript will be provided to playtest groups and additionally playtested by the team in online and in-person games 2 months after production starts.

Upon completion, PDFs will be offered for sale on DriveThruRPG.com and DMsGuild.com as both digital and print-on-demand formats. Proceeds from the sales will be split 90/10 with the DAO and the game team until the initial funding is refunded. After that point revenue from the project will be split 50/50 between the DAO and the game team.

Once the campaign production is begun, we have a number of blue sky ideas that the team can pursue in parallel (that would require additional funds): ● Follow-on modules in the campaign, FAB-2 & FAB-3 ● Converting the campaign to other TTRPG game systems like Pathfinder 2 or Powered by the Apocalypse ● Creating a version of the module for Roll20 virtual tabletop marketplace that includes assets and rules systems for groups running VTT games ● Funded, professional voice acted stream with players in costume, fundraising with associated charities, and post production beginning a library of recorded streams on Youtube and Twitch. ● Funding a touring DM to run the campaign at major conventions in the USA (Kublacon, Gen Con, Pax Prime/East) exposing more folks to the Runiverse and driving sales of the campaign books ● Limited edition Beadle & Grimm style campaign kit with maps, miniatures, props, handouts and costumes ● Partnering with an immersive venue in Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles to create a LARP season that is Runiverse themed at their adventure theme park that grants VIP access to FRWC holders. Marty has a personal connection with groups like Fever, Insomniac, Punchdrunk, and others that can be pursued ● Create a 16-bit standalone RPG videogame in the style of 1980s SSI games like Pool of Radiance or Eye of the Beholder ● Animate the 16 bit art in short films that use the in-game play as the voice track to highlight funny, dramatic, and shocking moments suitable for TikTok/Youtube Shorts

Funds Requested The team estimates $20k USDC to create the project with the following payment schedule:

1. Month 1 - $7,520 USDC
2. Month 2 - $7,500 USDC
3. Month 3 - $5,000 USDC

Link to full proposal:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_0ObYCXgu8YG9sGXd-wYZBF-9YB9Kh2P/view?usp=sharing