Apocalypse Interest...?
over 3 years ago – Wed, Oct 21, 2020 at 10:18:55 PM

I've gotten a number of DMs asking as to whether there are plans for Dark Harbor to support a Powered by the Apocalypse ruleset.  Although I hadn't planned on that, it makes perfect sense.

The whole concept of the Wandering Island malevolently pursuing those with a checkered past, abducting them, and forcing them to atone for or come to grips with what they have done... that's a perfect alignment (pun intended!).

In fact, the real value of and approach of Playbooks in PbtA mirrors the intent behind the tools that will be in the DH books to let you dive right into the action with premade PCs and backstories etc.

So I'm wondering: Are there any PbtA-style players or DMs out there who would be interested in this riff on the Dark Harbor idea?

Let me know (comment, DM, email, etc.)... and I'll see what I can make possible.  :)

Onward!

Stretch Goal #2 Unlocked!
over 3 years ago – Sat, Oct 17, 2020 at 06:47:14 PM

New Stretch Goal Unlocked

Huzzah!  We made it to $7k.  That means all backers get a huge additional reward that will make Dark Harbor campaigns even easier to play: Aquilae: Gothic Horror Monsters.

This book is a subsection of Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm and Monsters of Aquilae, collected specially to help support Dark Harbor.  Probably 200-500 pages; everything you need to run all of the monsters in Dark Harbor for PCs of ANY level.  Free PDF and POD code to ALL backers.

Add this to the Grim Kickoff Pack that was unlocked at $5k, and you've got like 500 pages of additional FREE content with every pledge!

• UNLOCKED! $5,000: The Grim Kickoff Pack: A set of pregenerated PCs, ready to play, with backstories that tie into the Wandering Island.  Skip the infamous Session Zero and dive right into the action, either as a one-shot, to jump-start a new campaign, or as a means of introducing a dream sequence sort of intermission from your regular campaign.  Each pregen PC comes with a "playbook" to orient the player and make life easier for the GM to integrate the PC into a Dark Harbor adventure.  Supporting Pathfinder and 5E.  64-256 page softcover.  Free PDF and POD code to ALL backers.
  
• UNLOCKED! $7,000: Aquilae: Gothic Horror Monsters: A subsection of Aquilae: Bestiary of the Realm and Monsters of Aquilae, collected specially to help support Dark Harbor.  Probably 200-500 pages; everything you need to run all of the monsters in Dark Harbor for PCs of ANY level.  Free PDF and POD code to ALL backers.
  

Next Stretch Goal: Grimdark ULTRA

Up next is a high mark, but it seems feasible based on where we are in the campaign.  

Part of the fun of most horror roleplaying is the sense of danger and genuine suspense, the feeling that around every corner could lurk certain death for even the most powerful PCs.  Running away from threats and encounters becomes a legitimate approach and tactic to consider, in a way that usually only happens with 1st-level characters or a DCC "funnel".

Well... it just so happens that I've been homebrewing a set of rules extensions and tweaks for several decades, across many different rules systems, that attempts to adapt the games we know and love into this sort of approach.

If we hit the next Stretch Goal, I'll formalize this homebrew into a PDF and softcover/hardcover that will be FREE with every Dark Harbor pledge. 

$10,000: Grimdark ULTRA: For those who wish to imbue their gothic horror roleplaying with a bit more old-school lethality, IGS hopes to release its own homebrew tweaks on 5E and Pathfinder rules that help it resemble OSR, while maintaining the fun complexity and modern capabilities we enjoy.  ULTRA stands for Unbelievably Lethal Tabletop RPG Addendum.  It's an entirely optional way to play through a Dark Harbor adventure or campaign, or a rules extension that you can apply to any game or campaign setting completely separate from Dark Harbor.  ~64 page softcover.  Free PDF and POD code to ALL backers.

Onward!

Campaign Setting Overview: Content Outline
over 3 years ago – Wed, Oct 14, 2020 at 09:49:01 PM

Hi folks!  We're closing in on the next Stretch Goal, and on 100 backers total, but in honor of passing $6,666, I figured I'd unveil the next information about the project: an Outline of the entire Campaign Setting book.

• Introduction
• Overland Map of the Island
• Overview Maps of Key Areas (city views)
• Inclusion (how to start a DH campaign, how to include in any existing setting)
• Hook/Intro Adventure Snippets to plug PCs into the island and to get them there
• History & Lore: In addition to IGS' trademark Rumors & Lore tables, there's atmospheric effects, psychological effects, diseases, poisons, and other general notes
• The Road: A road travels the entire circumference of the Island.  Geographically, it's about 9 miles around; in reality, it could take days, weeks, even months to traverse.  Encounters here run differently than you'd expect...
• The Forest: Viewed overhead--if you could penetrate the magical, ever-present fog--the Island is less than 4 square miles.  But to venture within the dense Forest that permeates the environs is to enter an infinite realm of misdirection, monsters, and miasma.
• The Water: Surrounding the Island is, of course, water, but this, too, is not as it appears.  Infinitely dense, infinitely mobile, it helps the Island direct wanderers where, and only where, the Island wishes.
• Dream Sequences: Part chase, part exploration, and part story, Dream Sequences can be a vital part of a DH adventure.
• Character History, Integration, and Retconning: Tools to introduce elements of character backstory to tie in to the Dark Harbor mythology and provide meaningful reasons for the PCs to be there in the first place... and plot-based motives for them to want to STAY there until all is dealt with.  Includes Planned Retconning, Coordinated Retconning, and Revelatory Retconning tools.
• Locations of Interest

Locations of Interest

This will be a topic for an upcoming update... stay tuned! 

Onward!

Wandering Island Inspiration
over 3 years ago – Wed, Oct 07, 2020 at 01:08:21 PM

Saw this, thought it was interesting, as Mackinac Island is the real life inspiration foe the structure and overview and many points of interest for Dark Harbor:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/07/mackinac-island-movies/5909947002/