Elderwyld RPG: An Old-School Game of Peril & Exploration

ELDERWYLD

An Old-School Fantasy RPG of Peril & Exploration

Elderwyld is a tabletop fantasy roleplaying game about venturing into the forbidden Outlands of Atheras, a vast wilderness of ancient ruins, forgotten treasures, monstrous creatures, and secrets that were never meant to be uncovered. It features a D6 Pool system with a unique Momentum mechanic that adds spice to old school adventuring.

Create your adventurer. Gather your companions. Leave the safety of the clans behind and enter the Elderwyld.

ENTER THE ELDERWYLD

Atheras has remained hidden from the outside world for ages, protected by the mysterious Dark Shrouds.

Within it, various clans built their homes, raised their cities, fought their wars, and passed down the teachings of Norda Greyle, the All-Father.

But one part of Atheras was forbidden.

The Outlands.

Norda warned the clans that monstrous beings and dark forces inhabited this untamed land. Yet the Outlands have become the greatest object of their ambition. Adventurers cross its borders seeking lost knowledge, forgotten places, ancient treasures, and the glory that comes with bringing them home.

Core Book

The Outlands are a vast wilderness of dark forests, mist-shrouded swamps, and storm-battered mountains, scattered with ancient ruins and forgotten dungeons. Here dwell creatures spoken of only in the tales and folklore of civilized lands.

Defying the warnings of the All-Father, you and your fellow adventurers will venture into these heathen lands, where monsters lurk in every shadow and danger awaits beyond every trail. The few scattered settlements stand as beacons of refuge amid the wilderness, offering shelter and aid in your endeavors, unless the Deep God wills otherwise.

Choose your allegiance among 10 distinct Clans, each shaped by generations of struggle, betrayal, conquest, and survival. Their traditions were forged through hardship, their beliefs passed down from ancestors who did whatever was necessary to endure.

Some Clans follow honorable paths, while others embrace customs that outsiders would consider cruel, disturbing, or downright barbaric. Yet these are the ways that kept them alive.

OLD-SCHOOL AT HEART

Elderwyld is designed for fast play and swift resolution.

The core system uses pools of ordinary six-sided dice, with your Attributes determining how many you roll. Most actions succeed with at least one 6, while greater challenges may require more. Each additional 6 unlocks powerful Momentum actions that can turn the tide, while every 1 creates a dangerous Opening for your enemies.

CREATE YOUR ADVENTURER

Your character is shaped by more than a class.

Choose your Class, distribute your Attributes, select your Race, determine your Clan, and equip yourself for the journey ahead.

Every Class offers its own skills, combinations and style of play, while your Clan connects your character directly to the cultures and rivalries of Atheras.

And every clan grants something special.

CLAN TOKENS

Clan Tokens are unique abilities tied to your heritage. Rather than choosing them from a rigid list, you work with the Keeper to define their nature, power and limits, creating something that reflects where your adventurer comes from.

BUILD MOMENTUM

Combat isn't just a cycle of repeating the same attack.

Successful attacks can generate Momentum, opening access to increasingly powerful Actions and Reactions.

A Fighter, for example, can turn the flow of battle into Disarms, Knockdowns, Grapples, Heavy Attacks, Parries and other combinations.

The same philosophy extends to the creatures you fight: monsters have their own Actions, Reactions, Traits and Momentum-driven attacks.

A WORLD MADE TO BE EXPLORED

Regions of Atheras contain their own Danger levels, encounters, landmarks, challenges, discoveries and rumors.

A journey might lead you through treacherous mountain trails toward the Tower of Winds, into a Worg-infested cavern littered with the remains of previous adventurers, or through an ancient forest where Dryads conduct rituals beneath the twilight sky. 

Every expedition should leave you wondering:

What's in the next hex?

MONSTERS OF THE ELDERWYLD

The wilderness is not empty.

Elderwyld contains a large bestiary ranging from familiar fantasy threats to the stranger creatures of Atheras: Goblins, Worgs, Trolls, Minotaurs, Medusae, Dragons, Hydras, Krakens, Liches, Wraiths, Wyverns and many more.

Each is designed to be easy for the Keeper to run while retaining its own attacks, reactions and special traits.

TREASURE MATTERS

Exploration is dangerous because there is something worth finding.

Discover unusual weapons, magical artifacts and ancient books containing forgotten spells. Improve weapons and armor through multiple quality tiers, from common equipment to legendary pieces.

Magic itself can become part of exploration: lost Spellbooks, Grimoires and Sacred Texts contain knowledge that must be discovered, carried and used with the proper reagents.

BETWEEN EXPEDITIONS

Eventually.. hopefully... you return.

Settlements provide places to rest, meet NPCs, learn lore, buy equipment, discover quests and prepare for the next journey. Weapons and armor can also be upgraded by blacksmiths as your adventurer grows.

Then you gather your supplies.

And go back out.

THE BOOK

ONE MASSIVE VOLUME. ONE COMPLETE GAME.

Elderwyld is planned as a roughly 500–700 page tabletop RPG containing the rules and material needed to create adventurers and explore Atheras.

INTERIOR SAMPLES

MORE THAN A BOOK

Digital tools for the table.

Alongside the book, Elderwyld will be supported by a suite of digital tools designed to help players and Keepers spend less time managing information and more time playing.

Potentially:

CHARACTER FORGE
Create, manage and export Elderwyld characters.

KEEPER'S COMPANION
Quick access to monsters, rules, encounters and tools during play.

INTERACTIVE ATLAS
Explore and manage the lands of Atheras through an interactive map.

EXPEDITION TOOLS
Support for discoveries, encounters and journeys into the unknown.

[SCREENSHOTS / GIFS OF ACTUAL APPS]

Important

I would only advertise the tools that you've actually built by launch.

If Character Forge is working but Atlas isn't, show Character Forge as included and make Atlas a stretch goal. Don't put four speculative apps on the page and create a mountain of work for yourself.

CHOOSE YOUR EDITION

PDF

The complete Elderwyld RPG in digital format.

PAPERBACK

The complete physical game in an affordable, table-ready edition.

HARDCOVER

The premium physical edition of Elderwyld.

WHY KICKSTARTER?

This campaign is about turning Elderwyld into its finished form.

The core game, world and content already exist. Your support will allow the project to move through its final stages, editing, refinement, artwork, layout, production and completion of its digital tools.

STRETCH GOALS

€4,000 — FUNDED
Elderwyld becomes reality.

€5,000 — [TBD]

€6,000 — [TBD]

€7,500 — [TBD]

€9,000 — FOUNDRY MODULE
Play Elderwyld using the Foundry VTT.

ART &  AESTHETICS

The book clearly follows an Old-School aesthetic of beautiful black and white art. The whole books has been illustrated by Chui Wizard, a talented artist who specializes in fantasy and RPGs. No AI was used.

WHO IS ELDERWYLD FOR?

Elderwyld is for groups who enjoy:

• Dangerous wilderness exploration
• Dungeon crawling
• Discovering strange places
• Treasure hunting
• Fast, deadly combat
• Character progression
• Old-school fantasy atmosphere
• A world that doesn't revolve around saving it

THE ELDERWYLD AWAITS

“All but the Elderwyld, which shall remain unstepped, uncharted, and indomitable.”

PROVE THEM WRONG.