Streets of Magic: A Pulp Fantasy RPG

Streets of Magic is an OSR urban fantasy tabletop RPG set in a version of our own Earth where the things of legend- magic, monsters, and other mythological elements- have always been very real and largely out in the open. Humans live alongside Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, and numerous other races straight out of our fantasy dime store novels, sharing crowded cities lit by neon and magic. Whether you’re playing a spell-slinging detective, a back-alley Orcish bruiser, a gun-toting merc, a magically gifted performer, or a rogue Elven sorcerer chasing illegal artifacts and forbidden knowledge, the streets are always alive with danger, opportunity, and a distinct lack of the mundane. 

With a pulpy setting kept purposely timeless- anachronistic even- and rife with alternate history befitting this magic soaked world, Streets of Magic aims to offer plenty of gritty adventure driven by classic OSR principles mixed with some contemporary flair: lethal encounters, player choice and ingenuity, crawling through the underbelly of magic-soaked cities or across far-flung exotic places, and the sheer thrill of surviving by your wits alone. All using a simple to learn d20 system inspired by the classics, but with some custom twists.  

Lightwood, a vast metropolis in the fictional western state of Dorado. One of the first American settlements to draw power directly from the local leylines, the city quickly attracted East Coast money and influence, its skyline rising in gothic spires and art deco towers as it swelled into a modern urban sprawl. And while its name promised hope, the city didn’t keep that promise. A botched attempt at geo-engineering magic left the sky almost permanently choked with heavy cloud and cold, dirty rain. While beneath that dark veil, corruption and crime run deep, from the lowliest back-alley spellslinger to the highest office. 

Locals don’t really call it Lightwood anymore now. They call it Blightwood.

Streets of Magic includes the following key features:

• Setting: A neo-noir urban fantasy setting describing the city of Lightwood, better known by the cynical locals as "Blightwood", a purposely timeless metropolis situated in the equally fictional state of Dorado, its sprawling, art deco and gothic decay built on top of magical ley lines and fueled by greed and corruption. The setting will be described through details on the various city districts, its factions, and its legends, as well as some helpful information on the world outside Blightwood- to be expanded on in future supplements.  
• Basic System: A d20, roll-high OSR system (The Ammo Box system) inspired by White Box and other classic systems, augmented and expanded to the author's own taste. The system includes all the needed elements for modern-day, urban fantasy themed play, such as rules on how to handle firearms, explosives, vehicles, and other modern technology. 
• Classes: The Shooter, The Sneak, The Heavy, The Wiz, The Artiste, The Face, The Scrapper, The Expert, and other modern themed classes befitting this urban fantasy setting, further augmented by various archetypes (subclasses) for added flavor and progression. 
• Races: Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Halflings, Warclocks (arcane clockwork beings), and various other fantastical races to choose from- both familiar and new.  
• Weapons & Gear: An arsenal of firearms, melee weapons, gadgets, armor, and magical paraphernalia- including powerful or even cursed artifacts- to outfit your character with. 
• Magic: A comprehensive list of roll-to-cast spells, each part of a specific school of magic. Become a Pyromancer, an Arcanist, a Necromancer, a Demonologist, a modern day Druid, or some other type of street mage of your choosing- including being able to mix and match the schools you have trained in. You will even be able discover secret magic schools and spells through play, granted by ancient grimoires, powerful artifacts, or even deities, demons, spirits and other supernatural beings lurking in the secret corners of the world. 
• NPCs: A bestiary of common foes (or allies) that may be encountered in the city and its environs. Including random encounter tables to properly utilize them. Violently cross paths with Goblin gangsters shaking down locals in back alleys, or descend into abandoned subway tunnels to track and hunt the rogue elementals, vengeful undead, colossal spiders and other hungry critters nesting in the dark. All for reputation, survival, or just cold, hard cash. 
• Random Tables: Random tables for encounters, events, rumors, and weather & atmosphere.
• Plot Hooks: A series of simple plot hooks that may be expanded on by the referee.
• Digital Release: Backers will receive a PDF through DriveThruRPG.
• At-Cost Print on Demand: POD backers will receive their copy through DriveThruRPG. IMPORTANT! Note that you will have to pay the small fee for the at-cost printing as well as the shipping cost of the print on demand books as extra charges beyond your initial pledge. This is why the price of the pledges themselves have been kept lower than the final sales price once the book is available to the general public, and why each print on demand pledge also includes the PDF at essentially no extra cost. 
• Offset Print: Offset print also available, shipped and fulfilled through a professional US-based printer. 
• And more!

You may pledge for one of the following rewards:

The funds we receive will be allocated toward art, as well as paying for the offset print version of the book. The high quality black and white art will entirely be done by the amazing artist Noeland Collins, as seen in the various examples on this page. 

The funding will also allow me to work towards my continuing future as a creator and publisher. My plans include full support for Streets of Magic, from additional setting content to expanded rules, as well as offering opportunities for third-party creators to develop content for the setting and system. In doing so, I hope to offer others some of the same chances that were given to me in this industry.

• PDF & Print On Demand: At the time of fulfillment, you will receive an email link from DriveThruRPG.com for the downloadable PDF. If you have pledged for either the softcover or hardcover print on demand, you will additionally receive a link to claim either edition of the printed book. IMPORTANT! Note that you will have to pay the small fee for the at-cost printing as well as the shipping cost of the print on demand books as extra charges beyond your initial pledge. This is why the price of the pledges themselves have been kept lower than the final sales price once the book is available to the general public, and why each print on demand pledge also includes the PDF at essentially no extra cost. 
• Offset Print: If you have pledged for the offset print book, it will be shipped to you through a professional fulfillment company based in the US. Shipping costs will be calculated and charged post-campaign before the books are shipped out, using the kickstarter pledge manager. We will provide updates on the final shipping costs, as well as any delays and other issues that might arise. 

Every tier will also be available as an additional addon, in case you want an extra copy of the softcover POD, etc. 

Additionally, you can choose both my existing products that were previously kickstarted, Modern Necessities for Old-School Essentials and Blacklight for Shadowdark RPG as discounted addons, should you wish. Please note that the print-on-demand versions are produced at cost and will require a small additional fee, plus shipping, when you claim the codes through DriveThruRPG, hence the much discounted prices. 

The Scrying Dutchman is, as his name implies, from the Netherlands. He started playing tabletop games in the early 2000s, and the games he played then, such as d20 Modern and Shadowrun, as well as his love for urban fantasy literature, inspired his love for adding a modern flavor to fantasy rulesets. He has released previous projects in this vein, such as Modern Necessities for Old-School Essentials and Blacklight for Shadowdark RPG. He was also a writer on Gods of the Forbidden North by Pulp Hummock Press , for which he won an ENNIE award.