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You don't have to go to the stars... they're coming to you!
It Came from the Stars is a new patronage project from Zombie Sky Press, exploring the effects of the weird on your game. Join today!
It Came from the Stars brings the mystery of the unknown and the weird to your Pathfinder Roleplaying Game with new player options, new monsters, and new adventures. Mystery, wonder, and terror from the starry vastness await you. Whether you play in a world that is already aware of what lies beyond or that has been so far oblivious, it's about to get ugly.
Discover bold new options for characters: Fantastic psychic abilities. Strange alien technology. Mindwarping secrets. Will you stalwartly oppose the madness or will you give in? Can you twist the dark whispers to your own advantage?
Confront challenging new foes: For instance, the dreaded star beasts (one is illustrated above). Each star beast is unique in personality, appearance, and power. What can you hope to do if one of these devastating forces comes to your world? Or any of the other new creatures, for that matter?
Plunge into harrowing adventure: The stars are here! Stave off invasion. Discover derelict technologies. Plunge yourself into worlds unknown. How will you fare in the coming confrontation?
Join us in bringing the weird to your game. It Came from the Stars comes in two parts, 64 pages each, wondrously illustrated by Roxxy Goetz (The Spoils CCG). The first is full of player options, including new classes, new options for existing classes, and much more. The second is full of new monsters and crazy adventures. Discover strange, new technologies and portals to other worlds. Meet odd monsters and take their stuff. Save the day or die as your world burns. (This product will be supported with Hero Lab, character generation software from Lone Wolf Development.)
Who could bring you such a thing? Only masters of the weird, that's who: Scott Gable (Incantations in Theory and Practice, The Faerie Ring), Colin McComb (Dark Sun, Planescape, and Ravenloft Settings), Richard Pett (The Sixfold Trial, The Styes, We Be Goblins!), Michael Kortes (Entombed with the Pharaohs, Haunting of Harrowstone), Clinton Boomer (Incantations from the Other Side, The Infernal Syndrome). And you! You can join us in this craziness: contribute your designs, playtest the results, shape the final product, and have some crazy fun!
As a milestone, if we can reach 150% of our funding goal, we'll create three parts, instead of just two: the bestiary and the adventures will each have there own 64 pages. (That means a minimum of 192 pages!)
Maybe the strange creatures are here to enslave! Maybe they're here to eat! Maybe they're here to mate!! Whatever the case, it probably won't be pretty. It Came from the Stars is not a setting but a set of tools for you to add the wonder of the stars to whatever setting you wish. It's an event to up the stakes of your game and shatter expectations. It gives you what you need in order to add an element of the unknown to your game. Mysterious abilities, strange technologies, powerful foes, and mind-blowing adventures. It's about discovering that you're not alone. That there is much more than you had ever realized out there. That you are in terrible danger always.
It Came from the Stars provides the means to launch your game in new directions. Spice up your fantasy with a taste of the stars--some Lovecraftian horror here, some space opera there, a splash of pulpy action. Add some mystery to your ancient cultures, giving them ties to things beyond the stars. Add an unexpected twist to the storyline, upping the stakes and revealing new possibilities. Create rich characters with backgrounds hinting at the stars and powers threatening to consume them. Stave off the invasion forces and discover new worlds.
While a book of the weird, for sure, It Came from the Stars is fun and playable and still the fantasy you know and love. It's intended to shake up campaigns, pushing the limits--whether that's cthuloid squishiness or arcane science or weird psychic powers.
There's weirdness out there. You ready to explore it with us? Follow along with the pre-launch discussion and teasers at zombieskypress.com and Scott's G+.
It Came from the Stars is the first offering in The Weird Cycle. Future offerings under this banner will explore... other weirdness! It Came from the Stars complies with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Compatibility License.
I am a backer.
That's quite the list of authors! And Mr. Pett is one of my favorite adventure writers. Also, I've been meaning to try out Kickstarter. Signed up (and the fact that Kickstarter links through my Amazon account made it oh so easy).
@DM: It's absolutely a toolbox! Full of classes, monsters, adventures, advice, and more. Challenging to pull off? Maybe, but I'm betting that we can do it. ;D
@Steve and John: Welcome aboard! This is gonna be fun. :)
Ooh... I am so in.
With Stars in Your Eyes
We just launched It Came from the Stars for Pathfinder RPG, and perhaps, the best place to start this conversation is with the stunning illustration by +Roxxy Goetz (at the top of the Kickstarter page).
The star beast in the image is a new type of dragon--one that thrives in the interstellar void. They are a little different from your standard dragons in that each star beast is unique. They look different from one another, they have different abilities and powers levels, and they have different personalities. But they are all out for themselves and are all very powerful. A handful of these dreaded monsters will be developed, from Fomalhaut (the star beast shown) to Wormwood (the most terrible of all).
But that's not all there is to that illustration: the star beast is chasing a falling star. A falling star in this context is, quite literally, a star-spawned fey. A star beast's favorite snack.
The tone is set right here in this one illustration. It's still the fantasy you know, but with a taste of what lies beyond. If that sounds fun to you or if you just want to see more of Roxxy's gorgeous illustrations, come join us.
Pledge today... I'm not sure how long I can keep the star beasts off your scent.
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I'll be pledging closer to December, but I just wanted to jump in and say how excited I am about this project. With such a great line-up of authors, this promises to be fantastic. Pett + McComb + Boomer + Kortes = awesome!
Although this seems to be getting off to a slow start, I think the excitement building for Paizo's Distant Worlds and the strong demand for a Numerian AP means that there is a fanbase for this sort of material.
Personally, I've been reading a lot of sci-fi / fantasy crossbreeds recently, so this comes as a godsend. I'm hoping for something that will draw upon Expedition to the Barrier Peaks , Dave Arneson's Blackmoor, 1st Edition Gamma World, and REH's Tower of the Elephant.
Any chance you could spill more info on this project, or what else is coming up in The Weird Cycle?
Why, oh why is my RPG-budget constantly so drained? This looks awesome!
@weirmonken: It's going to be awesome! It's an ambitious project, so if you know of anyone that might be interested in this kind of material, tell them about it! The more people involved, the better the experience.
You're not actually charged until/unless the project's funded, so even if you pledge now, you wouldn't be charged until December.
This is absolutely meant to work together with Paizo's products, not replace them. All the adventures, monsters, classes, and other stuff will just add to your game. Yes, all those works you mention are inspirations for the flavor here! Done in a way that is balanced with the core material and that doesn't overshadow it.
I will be spilling more info daily in the With Stars in Your Eyes installments (like above, with the next a little later today). Not quite ready to announce possible future projects in The Weird Cycle. ;)
@Endzeitgeist: End! End. One of us, one of us...
I'll get aboard this ride as soon as my paycheck flutters in. It's official, I'm OCD with regards to reviews AND patronage projects. *sigh*
With Stars in Your Eyes
Perhaps the initial ideas that gave birth to It Came from the Stars were for new classes. Something really different in flavor from the core. Something strange. Something that could only come from the stars. Whether that's because of the strange meteorite you and your friends found, because of the alien larvae in your head, because you were bombarded with Z-rays, or something else more bizarre, you can do some messed up stuff... (in a manner balanced with other classes of course).
The very first of this batch is the starseed. As a starseed, you are a terrible warrior, whose "muscle" and "steel" take the form of tendrils of telekinetic force. You lash out at foes at range and toss them around at a whim. Your mind and body are becoming one. You are a scion of the stars themselves.
Join today... we'll crack that mind open for you.
Cthulhu, fairy tales, MDMA, etc.
*sigh* another patron greenlighted. Gotta love the subject! Bend my sanity Scott!
@weimonken: Tons of stuff! I'm a big anime and comic book fan, so countless works there. (Sharp-eyed anime fans will see more than a bit of inspiration for the starseed above in Elfen Lied.) From film, just about any sci-fi focused more on meeting the unknown and the struggles that ensue; especially older sci-fi where there is less emphasis on spacecraft and technology: The Day of the Triffids, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dr. Who, The Twilight Zone. Some more-modern surprises, like Mars Attacks! and Pitch Black. From literature, of course HPL and his era of horror and weird fiction writers, which are the obvious influences, but that mythos is only a part of it. I've also been discovering the sword & planet and space opera that came after thanks, in part, to Planet Stories. Tons more influences! (EDIT: Music, too: I'm loving the last Monster Magnet album to pieces and that will be blasting when portions of this are written for sure!)
But so little of this has been written so far, it's tough to say which influences will show strongest. And much of the decision making will be by the patrons!
@Cheapy: Probably a bit less of fairy tales in this one... but the others are right on. >;)
@Patrick: ... and when I snap my fingers, you will be awake and obey my every command. MWahahaha! HAHAHAHAaaaha... *coughcough* :)
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Scott,
A few more questions about this project:
1. Can we upgrade the amount of our pledge later in the project? For example, if I initially pledge $100, but in February decide I can't live without a wire sculpture, could I spend an extra $400 and become a Starlord?
2. In the description of the "Supreme Shaper" you mention that the supporter will receive a one-of-a-kind adventure. Who would be the designer(s) on this adventure? What would be the length? To what degree what the supporter be able to direct such a project?
3. Speaking of the Supreme Shaper, I noticed that the higher pledges (Starlord and One Who Knows) don't include that personalized adventure. If a supporter wanted the benefits of both the One Who Knows and the Supreme Shaper, would there be a way to arrange that?
Thanks!
@weirmonken: 1) I'm pretty sure you can upgrade with Kickstarter while the funding is in progress, but not after 12/2 when the funding ends. As for "upgrading" after the drive is over, I'm afraid not. Some of these items are limited editions and only available through the Kickstarter pledging (i.e. the numbered, signed, color, hardback and the personalized adventure). Some of the items might be available after funding to the public, like the softcover and (possibly but no promises) the sculptures. I encourage you to support now, though, since the project can't move forward if we can't fulfill the goal.
2) It would be a short PDF adventure of around 4,000 words or less. I can only guarantee myself as a writer; other writers on the project are subject to their availability. At the least, you would be able to set the level; decide on theme, location, specific encounters, and certain elements specific to your world; and review a draft. More detailed direction would need to be negotiated with the author.
3) You would have to pledge at both levels, receiving all the benefits of each. There is not currently another way to do this.
Hope that helps!
Here's two entries of With Stars in Your Eyes:
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With Stars in Your Eyes #3
I was asked about inspiration for It Came from the Stars. The obvious names are the weird fiction masters who set it all off for me: HP Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and the others of that era, like Blackwood, Machen, Dunsany, Chambers. But that is only a part of this project. Add to those the sword & planet and space opera fiction writers of later years: Moorcock, Wolfe, and so many more. Movies and television dealing with facing the unknown, like The Day of the Triffids, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dr. Who, and The Twilight Zone. Comics, anime, music--there's so much that has been an inspiration for this.
But it's all yet to be written. And you, the patrons, will decide much of what is included, so who knows which bits of inspiration will have the greatest influence at the end. But you can bet that cosmic secrets, invading aliens, drugged-out cultists, rampaging monsters, crash-landed spacecraft, and even death rays will be among the tools we pick from.
Join today... and feel safe in knowing that you shot first.
With Stars in Your Eyes #4
What about the adventures for It Came from the Stars? Well, I mentioned some inspirations last time, and you can expect to see a lot of those kind of stories. I think it's safe to say that the core conceit will be PCs struggling against the unknown.
- A strange rock has fallen from the sky, turning villagers nearby against them. How will they respond?
- After investigating an odd wreckage, the PCs start experiencing strange effects. Will the maddening whispers crush their wills? Will they turn on one another?
- Creatures from the sky wreak havoc upon the known world. Will the PCs survive?
- The PCs are trapped with an unknown enemy. Can they work together for freedom or will they destroy each other?
- The PCs step through a portal and find themselves on a new world. What oddities will they find? Will they ever make it back?
These are just some of the possibilities for adventure. What would you like to see?
Join today... there's strange people asking a lot of questions about you.
(Sharp-eyed anime fans will see more than a bit of inspiration for the starseed above in Elfen Lied.)That was the first thought that came to mind when I saw the class description!
I saw it and knew I had to play it. A telekinetic fighter is just such a cool idea! ;D
With Stars in Your Eyes #5
Last time, I hinted at seeing other worlds in It Came from the Stars. While this isn't intended to be a space-faring addition to the game, there is still a chance to visit other planets. Portals.
Portals, whether driven by technology or magic (or both), will give you the chance to explore the stars. Maybe you went through one knowing what it was, maybe it was an accident. There'll be generic rules and guidelines for handling this in your own games. You'll be able to tweak the environmental options to create just the locale you need: modify gravity, air quality, landscape hazards, and more. There will likely be some specific worlds detailed, too, providing some interesting options to play with. Perhaps a (mostly) abandoned outpost, plunging into the sun. Perhaps an oddly disturbing temple, its nightmare landscape preventing you from leaving and threatening to destroy your mind. Perhaps an interstellar crossroads, full of odd races. Perhaps a seedy cantina with mysterious figures offering adventure to those brave enough to take it.
Join today... lithium is no longer available on credit.
With Stars in Your Eyes #6
What about technology and arcane devices from the stars in It Came from the Stars? What secrets do they hide? Do you have the skill to figure them out?
What if this strange technology was built for the game like an incantation? That is, if you have the right skills, you can access their terrible, wonderful secrets. The shimmering surface of the portal promises untold sights. The brain canister hums mechanically. The giant guardian lurches to life. The personal transmogrification chamber whirs and bumbles quizzically. The death ray... looms menacingly.
Join today... it takes two of us to aim the death ray.
With Stars in Your Eyes # 7
We already talked about one new class in It Came from the Stars--the starseed. But that's not the only one. There's also one called (tentatively) the untouchable.
The untouchable is an odd one, indeed. Those of this class develop a force field around their bodies. This is a tremendous boost to AC but prevents them from doing many things, such as use weapons. Instead, they have mastered ways of affecting opponents more indirectly, like reflecting attacks, redirecting enemy attacks into other enemies, and throwing enemies (not unlike aikido). Where the starseed uses telekinesis actively and deliberately, the untouchable's abilities are passive and always on.
Join today... ego the living planet's been asking about you.
With Stars in Your Eyes #8
New classes won't be the only new player options in It Came from the Stars. But some of them come at a price.
Will you let the dark whispers in your head steer your decisions? After all, their words sound so sweet, their solutions so elegant. Will you give in to your symbiote's demands? If you don't, it will surely die--or turn on you. How much of yourself will you replace with alien technology? It started with just a little here and a little there, but now...
There are decisions to be made, and they aren't the easy kind.
Join us... it'll make you feel good.
With Stars in Your Eyes #9
I've already teased some specific adventure hooks that you can build using It Came from the Stars. But the elements of your adventure are wide open.
Play a slow, brooding, mythos horror adventure. Play a high-flying, swashbuckling space opera adventure. Hells, play a swashbuckling mythos horror adventure. Emulate your favorite movies and novels or mix and match all your favorite tropes into something truly unique.
Join us... all signs point to crazy.
With Stars in Your Eyes #10
The moonchild. A third new class planned for It Came form the Stars.
A delicate balance of darkness and light, you shouldn't let these seemingly unbalanced souls give you the wrong impression. A moonchild is a master of the magic of the stars: fire and ice, light and shadow, gravity and perception. They combine stealth and magic--and a little unpredictability--in a surprisingly potent package.
Join today and bring this project to life... pure, concentrated ARRRRRGGGGGHHH!
Hitting you square in the brain with THREE installments today!
With Stars in Your Eyes # 11
It Came from the Stars is not a campaign setting. It is 100% a toolkit that you can use with whatever setting you choose. It is intentionally designed to be as setting-neutral as possible. It gives you new monsters, player options, GM goodies, plot hooks, and adventures that you can mix and match however you please and in whatever setting you wish. It will all still be rich with detailed flavor, but it won't be tied to any one setting.
Are you already playing a horror game? Well, now you can add some maddening whispers from the edge of space and bizarre body modifications. Are you already playing in a pirate game? Throw in some squiggling tentacles and watch PCs willingly jump overboard. Are you already playing in an urban setting? Body snatchers, alien shapechangers, and intergalactic slavers love urban areas, too. No matter what genre or time period, there is inspiration here for you.
With Stars in Your Eyes # 12
It Came from the Stars is a game changer. Now what do I mean by that? It gives you events to rattle your campaign and, literally, bring some change to your game. Whether you need just a sprinkling along the way or you want a sudden one-eighty in direction. Whether you're the GM running the adventure or a player developing your character.
Need a world-shattering monster? Need a meteorite impact? Need a shadow conspiracy of alien imposters? Need a crazy origin story? Need a freaking invasion? Your campaign need never be quite the same again.
With Stars in Your Eyes # 13
All I've been talking about is It Came from the Stars, but there's potentially a larger work here: The Weird Cycle. What else could this product line contain? I'm glad you asked!
How about a release devoted entirely to adding steampunk to your game? Or another take on psionics? Or maybe time travel or the gods themselves? There is so much more that is dying to be written... but it all starts with It Came from the Stars.
Join us... the stars are a terrible thing to waste.
I know I want to back this. I have a few things to buy and make sure I have done but as a fan of SpellJammer I know I want to pay enough to get a print copy.
With Stars in Your Eyes SPECIAL PREVIEW #1
Brand new art from Roxxy Goetz of the astreid--fierce and brutal hunters! One of the new creatures being designed for It Came from the Stars.
(The new art is at the bottom of the Kickstarter page... or at Zombie Sky Press.)
The Astreid: Bold. Proud. Intense. Brutal. The astreid are hunters. These fey scour the stars, relentlessly chasing their prey. As dryads are connected to the woodlands and nereids to the sea, astreids are at one with the starry vastness above.
Unforgiving, like the dark expanse in which they thrive, they lead with a passion geared toward action. And usually violence. They are hunters, and their range is all they see.
If such a space nymph targets you, you best be getting your affairs in order.
This looks interesting; not exactly what I'm interested in, but close. If it were closer to being fully funded, I'd be more likely to help push it over the edge.
Some Questions:
- Is there a difference between the $15 pledge's "fully illustrated PDFs" and what would otherwise be released?
- What would you expect the price of the PDFs to be after release, or would they only be available to people who pledge beforehand?
- How many PDFs are you expecting to make?
- The $50 level design/contribute ideas/playtest access: what timeframe would that cover?
I guess I'm spoiled by Dreamscarred Press' approach, and am wondering what exactly I'd be getting for my money. :-)
I'll probably look again in a week or two to see how things are going.
It doesn't look like we're going to make the super-high 12K - what's next? I like the ideas, and I'm willing to pitch in...
The project has been relaunched! Smaller goals and restructured rewards. More for your patronage at every level.
Check out the revamped It Came from the Stars and join us!
@Distant Scholar: Sorry I couldn't answer your questions earlier, but the project's been under reconstruction:
- The entire PDF will be available at the lowest tier ($15), along with the data sets. These will be available afterward, too, but the price may be higher, depending on final size. (No matter the size, the Kickstarter price will not increase.)
- We may still split the PDF into smaller chunks (one for players, one for GMs) if the patrons vote for it, but all of the PDF, no matter how many parts, will be available at the lowest tier.
- We're aiming to be finished by June 2012, but that is a soft estimate. (There's a lot of factors that could effect progress.) Interaction is completely optional. The design log and general brainstorming will begin right after the funding period ends. Playtesting will take place as designs are finished, as we go. We're still finding out what works for us.
@Gloom and Doom: Here's your answer. A newly restructured project! ;D
If anyone has questions, let me know!
PREVIEW #2
Another stunning piece from project illustrator Roxxy Goetz for It Came from the Stars! (Make sure you go to this new link. The old project is cancelled. The new illustration's at the bottom of the page.)
Magnetar
Magnetars are elementals from the starry vastness. At their core, each is a semi-sentient, extremely dense fragment of a star. However, using their magnetic abilities, they build complex suits of armor and weapons around themselves from whatever is available. Each is unique.
When on a given planet, they typically take a form similar to the dominant life--or at least the life they first encounter--but they are capable of creating armor of any form. They have even been known to coalesce and build massive forms.
It's not clear what drives a magnetar. Entire planets have been razed by only small invasion forces. Perhaps they are summoned by those that should know better? Or perhaps magnetars have developed an agenda of their own?
Question: I backed the original project. Do I have to renew my patronage?
Question: I backed the original project. Do I have to renew my patronage?
Unfortunately, yes. The old project is cancelled, so none of those backers will be charged anything. The new project had to be started from scratch, and assuming you'd like to be a part of the new project, you'll have to join up again.
Hope you decide to come back! :D
Question: I backed the original project. Do I have to renew my patronage?
Yes.
Backed the relaunch with $55. Here's to hoping 4k will be reached soon!
PREVIEW #3
One more piece from project illustrator Roxxy Goetz for It Came from the Stars!
A Tentacular Terror of Squicky Proportions
This massive ball of tentacles floating through the darkness has been intentionally undefined. The patrons will get to to decide just what this monstrosity is. Is it the seed of a great, dark god? A tool sent to prepare a world for something far more terrible? Only the patrons know for sure!
I think people should definitely check this project out. Paizo is releasing a cool interplanetary module next year by Mr. Pett, one of the designers slated for this project. I think they would go really well together as well as the Paizo "Distant Worlds" guide coming out early next year. So check it out because I think it is going to be really fun and useful (and I want Scott to take my money!).
It Came from the Stars is 63% funded and climbing!
Colin McComb, Richard Pett, Michael Kortes, Clinton Boomer, and others are creating new options for adding the the mystery of the stars to your Pathfinder game. New player options, new GM options and monsters, and new adventures all in one tight package. A starry sandbox of ideas for you to pick and choose what works in your campaign. (And other themes will follow this one, including post-apocalypse, steampunk, and more.)
There's only 2 weeks left until launch. You can help us make it truly awesome with your support.
The stars are 67% aligned! Help us make It Came from the Stars a reality.
There are two new updates on the project. First, samples of the Mythos wire sculptures that you can pledge for are now shown. Second, the 5 highest rewards have been slashed in price for the holidays, anywhere from $100-250!
Join up soon and bring a little wonder--and terror!--to a gamer you love.
The stars are 67% aligned! Help us make It Came from the Stars a reality.
There are two new updates on the project. First, samples of the Mythos wire sculptures that you can pledge for are now shown. Second, the 5 highest rewards have been slashed in price for the holidays, anywhere from $100-250!
Join up soon and bring a little wonder--and terror!--to a gamer you love.
Awesome, thanks!
It Came from the Stars is just over 70% funded and there's only 4 days left. With your help, we can launch this project.
Need an apocalypse to launch your post-apocalyptic campaign? Need a rationale for those psionic abilities you can't stop using? Want an in-game reason to start developing steampunk? Post-apocalypse, psionics, and steampunk are just a few of the possibilities for follow-up books, but it all starts here.
Spice up your Pathfinder campaign with something different. There's something in here for everyone.
This project is really close to getting funded but it only has 3 days left. I think it'd go awesome with some of the stuff Paizo is releasing next year (Moonscar Legacy and Distant Worlds). People should definitely check it out.
Looks like our planet's on course to survive another year, but a new year of unknown terrors is right around the corner. It Came from the Stars, your primer for the end of the world, is nearly 75% funded!
To ring in the new year, anyone that makes a new pledge to this project or upgrades an existing pledge (from 12/30 until close on 1/2) will receive a PDF of their choice from the Zombie Sky Press catalog for FREE. Even if we don't meet the final goal! If (WHEN!) we do meet our goal, EVERY backer will get this benefit and ONE lucky, random backer will receive ZSP's entire back catalog of PDFs.
Additionally, there's a brand new backer level at $100 that gets you a 2012 Digital Pass, entitling you to FREE copies of EVERY PDF we put out in 2012! Those pledging (or already pledged for) more than $100 receive this as well.
Watch out, the stars are sneaking up behind you!
Game on!
It Came from the Stars looks awesome! I love the concept behind the Weird Cycle. The idea of weird themed GM tool kits is something I can really see myself using in my campaigns to surprise my players with something totally different. I just became a backer and am looking forward to this product and future Weird Cycle projects.
I'm in! So very, very close to full funding, I hope it makes it. Too much cool potential in this to not be realized!