[Funded] Trudvang Chronicles - the Swedish cult Table Top RPG has become international
Kamigoroshi
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRhHaYw1wFQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTeXpCzdhWs
Trudvang Chronicles is an award-winning fantasy roleplaying game from Sweden created by RiotMinds. It is a setting based on the mysterious and dark Nordic and Celtic sagas and myths. Enter a world of enchanted forests, trolls, dragons, spirits of nature, heroes and adventures. Trudvang is both grim and dark, epic and yet down to earth, with a melancholic tone of an ancient age when nature was a living creature and magic was wild and strong. Above all, Trudvang is a saga...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa_b1Cwrnf8
Our goal with this Kickstarter campaign is to bring an award-winning local legend to an international audience. First and foremost, we want to deliver the core rules and a hailed adventure - but also a number of stretch-goals filled with game-material, should we be successful.
In this Kickstarter campaign, we hope to fund four books - all you need to play the game, aside from dice!
Depending on which (if any) stretch-goals we manage to unlock, and the production time of the full package, we aim to deliver the game early in 2017.
300.000 SEK (what we're asking for) is approx: $ 35.000.
Game Master guide (Hardback)
Game Master Guide is the core rules for the Game Master to run the game, including the following chapters:
- Overview of the world and the game
- Combat
- Damage
- Fear
- Campaign play
Game Master Guide
Players Guide (Hardback)
Players Guide is the book dedicated for the players including the following chapters:
- Creating a character
- Skills, Diciplinces and Specialities
- Equipment
- Improvement
- Magic and spells
- Priests and holy powers
Players Guide
Bestiary (Hardback)
Jorgi's Bestiary is the complete monster book for the game, including more than 50 unique monsters and illustrations, written by the fictive character Jorgi from Westmark.
"I know what you think, that giants are enormous human-like beings living in the great mountains or the icy plains. But hear this, ya wanderer and seeker of knowledge. Some say that giants were once gods and that they were chained to this world by a most high force. I know you’ve heard about the frost giants with their mighty horns and the great storm giants living in the mountains, but did you know about the Hrafr, the giant ravens or Fenrirs, the mighty wolves of the north? They are all giant-kin and part of the same tree. The fierce and grim barbarians in the far, far east believe that if they sacrifice enough to a raven it will grow into a Hrafr and the giant bird will serve them. There are just so many stories about the giants and if you hear them all you will have more knowledge than the wise elves."
Jorgi's Bestiary
Wildheart (Softback or Hardback)
The adventure Wildheart is the story and adventure of an enchanted forest that was once good, but got the taste of dragon blood and became dark and evil. Anyone can enter the forest, but no one leaves without paying a great tribute. It's an adventure about old forgotten places, mysterious encounters, trolls and lindwurms - not to mention the first encounter with the great frost giant Blodughadda! The Swedish version was hailed as "one of the best adventures of all time" shortly after its release.
Adventure: Wildheart
Their Kickstarter took flight on the 4th September and already got 1.125 backers. Their funding goal of 300.000 kr was long surpassed. By the time of this post they're close at the 1 million kr milestone!
In other words: all of their stretch goals have been archieved in less than a week!
Now if that isn't an indication that fans love their work, ha!
Here's a list of their already unlocked stretch goals for those interested;
350.000 sek - 4 Color map (Unlocked)
(Approx. $41.950 or €37.140)
We add a 4-color foldable map over Trudvang.
400.000 sek - Extra fuzz (Unlocked)
(Approx. $47.945 or €42.445)
We add the extra fuzz that makes the books even greater. Ribbon marker, embossed logo on cover and glossy paper.
450.000 sek - Monster pack (Unlocked)
(Approx. $53.925 or €47.750)
We add a load of new monsters in Jorgi´s. Approx 5-10.
500.000 sek - 1 extra book - Core Rules (Unlocked)
(Approx. $59.930 or €53.055)
We add more content, spells and prayers to the two chapters "Gods and Priests" and "Weavers of Magic" and put them in one extra book book.
550.000 sek - The Elven Horn (Unocked)
(Approx. $65.920 or €58.360)
We release the adventure "The Elven Horn" as a printable Pdf.
600.000 sek - 2 extra books - Core Rules (Unlocked)
(Approx. $71.915 or €63.665)
We add even more content, spells and prayers and create TWO new books: "Gods and Priests" and "Weavers of magic".
650.000 sek - Character sheets (Unlocked)
(Approx. $77.000 or €69.000)
As a supplement to the character sheet in the core rules we produce designed 20pcs, 2-sided character sheets in color to use playing the game.
700.000 sek - Extended Wildheart (Unlocked)
(Approx. $83.900 or €74.275)
We extend the original adventure Wildheart with new content (approx 20 new pages).
750.000 sek - Game master screen (Unlocked)
(Approx. $88.845 or €79.575)
We produce a designed 4-color game master screen with all charts and info for the play.
800.000 sek - Slipcase (Unlocked)
(Approx. $95.885 or €84.885)
We make a nice slipcase for the core rules to protect the books and look nice in the bookshelf.
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Trudvang Chronicles RPG: An Interview with Theodore Bergquist
Trudvang Chronicles RPG: Game Master Guide (Image: Riotminds)
Finally, the printed Trudvang Chronicles RPG is coming in English!
About one year ago, I backed on Kickstarter The Fabulous Art of Trudvang – a gorgeous and inspiring fantasy artbook with images by Paul Bonner, Alvaro Tapia, Justin Sweet, Jonas Vallentin and Niklas Brandt (among others).
I contacted Riotminds, the project creators, during the Kickstarter campaign for an interview. After some mails we decided to postpone it. The artbook contains beside fantastic illustrations some tidbits of information about the setting. I really like what I saw and read.
A few days ago, they launched their Kickstarter for the printed Trudvang Chronicles RPG and I backed it without any hesitation. Since the fine The Fabulous Art of Trudvang I want to know more about the Trudvang Chronicles RPG. After pledging on Kickstarter, I asked Theodore Bergquist, one the founders of Riotminds, for an interview again. I hope you enjoy his answers.
What are the major aspects of the Trudvang Chronicles RPG? Please give us an elevator pitch of the system and the setting.
It’s Nordic fantasy at it’s best. Norse and celtic myths in a dark mood is something different than what’s out there today. The artwork is ”some of the best artwork I’ve ever seen in a roleplaying game” to quote Angus Abranson writing for ENworld. How the art sync with the story and rules is something we’re very proud of. With inspirational sources like Beowulf, Kalevala, John Bauer and the old Norse sagas, it’s something that can’t go wrong!
You describe your game “as a skill-based BRP-clone” (BRP = Basic Role-Playing Game, Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, etc.). What makes the Trudvang Chronicles RPG system-wise unique?
Wow, that’s a broad question. I’d say how the rule system is linked to the setting is one thing. Combat is pretty unique with ”dynamic” capacity whereas the player decide from round to round how many attacks, parries, move etc, is drawn from a pool of Capacity Points. Damages can be “open-ended” (if you roll 10, roll again) which mean that even the smallest guy can defeat the biggest troll.
Drakar och Demoner Trudvang (Image: Riotminds)
Also what’s quite unique is how we handle religion and faith. Each race and even humans have their own gods and powers, it’s not a generic system for all races. Magic is more down to earth, more shaman-like with different kind of styles to weave magic (singing, chanting, stave-magic, etc.).
The Fabulous Art of Trudvang (Image: Riotminds)
How would you describe a typical Trudvang Chronicles “adventure group” and what makes them interesting? Which cool classes, races, powers, etc. can players expect?
A typical group would be pretty much the same as in all RPGs (a warrior, a mage, a bard, a thief), but what really differs is the context they play in. This game is far from dungeon-crawl and endless search for more treasures, it’s more about taking part of something bigger, a saga. The main villain might not be that big green dragon, it may as well be the evil forest, or the icy plains. Nature and spirits of nature play an important role in the setting. At the same time, not all sagas are big, some are just short and mysterious.
Races and classes are also pretty much same as in any other game, but what makes them different is the depth and the story behind. How a dwarf is born, why the dark elves are dark, why the Stormlanders shave their head, that kind of stuff. The stories behind are the cool stuff I’d say. It gives each character more meat on the bone than just “+5 on this, or that”, or “this cool power for this”.
Trudvang Chronicles RPG is based on Norse and Celtic myths and sagas. How does this affect the game? What are stories that players will tell? Which kind of threats will they likely have to oppose?
It affects the mood of the game. This is a grim and dark saga, just like the old Norse and Celtic sagas. The ”otherworld” is always present, it’s always there reaching out for the players, drag them into the mist – kind of feeling. Also, the Bestiary is pretty unique Scandinavian I’d say. We include monsters never seen before in fantasy games, and they got a story too.
The Fabulous Art of Trudvang: Giants (Image: Riotminds)
It’s more than playing a game, it’s like taking part of a saga.
Who or what is Riot Minds?
We’re a bunch of people who started 16 years ago with the ambition to create good quality games for the Swedish market. We’ve produced numerous of games and books, both for Trudvang but also for Götterdämmerung (an 18th century, mystery game) and a local game called Drakar och Demoner. The founders are Magnus Malmberg and myself (Theodore Bergqvist). I’ve spend 12 years in the PC gaming business founding Paradox Interactive and Gamersgate, but that’s all history now.
Götterdämmerung (Image: Riotminds)
After the Kickstarter, what kind of further development can fans expect? Any other projects you want to share?
Yes, aside from expanding Trudvang Chronicles with world setting books and campaigns, we plan to release a Kickstarter campaign for Götterdämmerung. It’s an 18th century dark mystery/horror game with secret societies, occultism, faith against science kind of game. It was hailed as “The game of the year” in Sweden when it was released. We’re so looking forward to this one. It’s build on the same rule system as Trudvang and thus the setting and rules are very much connected. Most likely to launch that campaign beginning of 2017, but may be earlier. News on our FB-page.
Why do you think fans should support the Kickstarter for Trudvang Chronicles RPG right now?
Well, if you like Nordic and Celtic fantasy, the artwork from Paul Bonner and Alvaro Tapia, 6 books, one map, one adventure and more for $ 70, it’s a pretty solid package. This is an award winning game and I think people will say ”hey, that’s truly something I have not seen before.” Quality and hand-craft is exceptional, if I may say.
Trudvang Chronicles RPG (Image: Riotminds)
Finally, how do you explain the international success of so many Swedish games (KULT, Mutant: Year Zero / Genlab, Coriolis, Mutant Chronicles, Symbaroum)? Please tell us more about Swedish roleplaying scene.
I guess the no 1 thing is that role playing games was really big in Sweden in the 80´, and I mean really big. It’s always been there since then. When we released the first version of Trudvang 16 years ago we set a new standard with high quality books and everyone could see it was doable. Kult is a story of itself I think. It was big outside Sweden even back then. If you haven’t checked out Symbaroum, it’s also pretty cool. Love the art-work! Or just wait for Götterdämmerung!
Götterdämmerung RPG (Image: Riotminds)
Thank you, anything else you want to add?
I want to thank all our backers. They are our gods! They made a dream come through! Thanks for your support!
You can support the Trudvang Chronicles RPG project until 2. Okt 2016 on Kickstarter. I did …
For one, a brand new pledge level has been added for those who prefer .pdf's over physical books (+ involved shipping costs/customs taxes).
As shown above, for only 400 SEK (€42, £35,50, $47) you get seven books. The books consist of 3 main books, two supply books, and two adventures. It has been hinted at that each book will have ca. 120 pages.
Plus you get access to their RiotOnline service for up-to-date information about rules and the setting.
The biggest surprise was the revelation about the not-quite-stretch-goals-but-close Easter Eggs, a little extra from RiotMinds to their backers:
EASTER EGGS!
Hey all backers! First of all, super-thanks for your great support in this campaign. We can’t say enough how happy we are to share this setting and game with you. In just a few days we ”ran out” of stretch goals thanks to a fantastic momentum and your support. Even though we do have material and further plans we want to avoid a logistic nightmare, both compiling all the material and to send it out. We’re already stretching the cost for shipping. Therefore, we will not include any more stretch-goals in this campaign…HOWEVER! We introduce a set of EASTER EGGS along the way. Consider the EASTER EGGS as “icing on the cake”, something extra, a bonus for all the backers and a way for us to say THANK YOU for supporting us.
Egg #1. CRACKED!!! Tales from Trudvang
"Greetings, brave adventurers. I trust that you are tired and weary. Your journey must have been a most arduous one. Come closer now, warm yourselves by the hearth and treat yourselves to some mead, I want to hear all about it. The world of Trudvang is a vast one. For thousands and thousands of miles its great landscape stretches on from the elven archipelago of Soj in the south to the blistering cold wasteland of Icy plains in the farthest north. It is the home of sagas, the deep forests and great adventure. For many a century thousands of brave heroes have come and gone as they together have sought to uncover the hidden places of this world and repel the dark forces that seek to claim them as their own. They have loved, lost, sacrificed and lived their lives by the sword from Wildheart to the Silferspiir mountains and beyond. Living lives of solitude in the vast wilderness it is to them that the denizens of Trudvang owe their lives.
The Tales from Trudvang are the stories they tell, the adventures they have endured and the sagas they have written. Tales from Trudvang is an anthology, stories told by the true heroes, compiled in a pdf OR embedded in the rules and setting in the core rules. By: Max Herngren Derpich, also the author of The Elven Horn. Approx: 20-30 pages."
Egg #2. To be cracked at SEK 1.250.000
Egg #3. To be cracked at SEK 1.500.000
Egg #4. To be cracked at SEK 1.750.000
Egg #5. To be cracked at SEK 2.000.000
Trudvang Chronicles is currently at 1.222.915 SEK thanks to the support of 1.411 backers. Meaning the second Easter Egg will be reached with just a further 27.085 SEK. As one can guess, the tension is high amongst the fans of what RiotMinds will cook up next for us.
Even all the post-stretch goal Easter Eggs were cracked by the steady influx of backers:
We just cracked another great easter egg and we give you 6 composed Trudvang themes for your play. Composed and produced by Simon Kölle, a long time Trudvang-fan. Here you can see his full work. https://waerloga.bandcamp.com/album/drakar-och-demoner-trudvang-ost
Egg #3. CRACKED - PAUL BONNER
3rd egg cracked and we let Paul Bonner out of the cage once more. We let him produce some additional-not-planned-for-Trudvang-exclusive art. Maybe a new cover, some interior art or simply a bunch of single figures.
Egg #4. CRACKED - DESKTOP IMAGES
We give you a set of very cool hirez desktop images to have as backgrounds on your computer, just to be able to check out every little detail. First and foremost the Bonner art, but also a compilation of Alvaro Tapia's art.
Egg #5. CRACKED - QUICKSTART ADVENTURE
We give you a quick-start-adventure from David Malmström, a long time fan and member of the ”extended” RiotMinds family.
The quick start adventure will be a smaller adventure for the beginners with rules and examples integrated with the adventure so that you and your group can start playing without having to dig into every detail of the game once it’s released. The quick start adventure will be released in pdf format for download.
There are still a bit over two days to pledge for those interested.
2.585 backers already did with an astonishing amount of SEK 2.160.287 !
The end result? 3.273 backers contributed 2.709.837 SEK to make the English localization of Trudvang Chronicles a reality. I hope everyone who planned to back this campaign here got their chance.
TRUDVANG CHRONICLES - THE Most Anticipated RPGs of 2017!
"We took nominations. We held a massive poll, and nearly 5,000 people voted. And now we have the definitive list of the Top 10 most anticipated tabletop roleplaying games for 2017."TRUDVANG CHRONICLES IS #1, and we're DAMN proud of it!
http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?3781-And-Here-Are-The-Official-10-Most-Anticipated-RPGs-of-2017!
You read right!
Just now, Trudvang was nominated and won the top spot for EN World's Official 10 Most Anticipated Tabletop RPGs of 2017~
No doubt it's a great honor for RiotsMind indeed!
Also, here is the list of this year's contesters for those who are interested: