Category: Planarch Codex: Astral Repository: General Discussion

Hey Planarchs! Time for a basic update on official Planarch stuff, I think. After talking with a ton of smart, experienced game publishers (including Luke “Burning Wheel” Crane who edits the games section of Kickstarter and also handles publishing responsibilities for Dungeon World now), I’ve been gradually and painfully convinced that it makes a lot more sense to publish new Planarch stuff as a 6×9″ book (same size as Dungeon World) rather than a plastic box full of mini-booklets, mostly because of (1) it simplifies the logistics and costs immensely and (2) even more importantly, it enables me to publish additional Planarch stuff in the future without having to launch a separate Kickstarter every time for the $4,000+ it takes to do a print run of three Scoutbooks in a box. All those facts make total sense, but it’s taken me some time to make peace with it, since I love the original mini-booklet format (as I’m sure a lot of you do too).

In the meantime, I’ve been exploring a bunch of other options and even had some sample books printed to see how a different format would work (see the attached image of a 120+ page Planarch hardcover). I don’t know the exact details yet, but I’m getting excited about how this may also give me a chance to revisit the stuff in Dark Heart and flesh it out with more examples, more tables, more support, and the extensive experience I’ve had running and playing Planarch since I originally wrote it. The book could even include some more specific suggestions for running Planarch with DW, World of Dungeons, and a few other related AW hacks like John Harper’s upcoming Blades in the Dark. I often switch between DW and WoDu myself, depending on the number of sessions and tone of the game we’re trying to create.

In any event, the bad news in all this is that it’s probably going to take a little more time to put the Kickstarter together, despite my promises to have it done this summer. There’s a possibility we could Kickstart in September, say, for a delivery by late December, but it might also make more sense to Kickstart in January for stupid U.S. tax reasons.

In the meantime, since people have been patiently waiting for this, I think I might end up just going ahead and releasing some of the Planarch material that I already have finished, since it seems kind of silly to keep holding onto it for the next 3-6 months. So you may see some new Planarch stuff pop up in the meantime, in addition to some other small weird games by me.

In any event, thanks for being understanding as I’ve tried to work through all these details. I care about Planarch and its fans a lot and want to do it in a way that’s sustainable in the future, so both me and other folks (like you!) can keep publishing Planarch stuff for years to come. I have a lot of other weird urban planar fantasy ideas that I’d like to continue to play around with and I hope you do too.

I’m playtesting Johnstone’s next project right now (this amazing nightmare-fighting urban dungeony thing), but in the meantime he’s released his weird space fantasy masterpiece for Dungeon World. Probably of interest to folks here. Definitely great inspiration for Planarch stuff.

Originally shared by Johnstone Metzger

Space Wurm vs. Moonicorn is a stretch goal I wrote for Jackson Tegu’s Second Skins kickstarter. It takes those extra Monsterhearts skins and puts them in the world of Adventures on Dungeon Planet, which means it’s a Dungeon World supplement. There’s also quick play rules which are similar to (and compatible with) the ones in Battle Between the Worlds.

It’s 368 pages, full colour. I did 50 full-page illos and over a hundred smaller ones, plus I got some even better art by Chiara Di Francia, George Cotronis, Iolanda Zanfardino, Jakub Rebelka, James Fenner, Jon Cairns, Nate Marcel, and Taylor Winder.

It’s also now available for purchase.

https://redboxvancouver.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/space-wurm-vs-moonicorn/

https://redboxvancouver.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/space-wurm-vs-moonicorn

Pondering what a high-level Sets 4 & 5 / Exalted / Nobilis style game for Planarch might look like.

Originally shared by J. Walton

Random thoughts on Exalted/Nobilis-inspired thing for the Planarch Codex

Every plane in existence has, at its heart, a fountain: a place or object or being that serves as its metaphysical fulcrum and the outpouring font from which the shape and life of the plane bubbles forth. If a mortal being takes possession of this fountain – whether by being given charge of it or seizing it by force – they become a demigod-like champion of that plane, embodying its traits and bound to safeguard the plane against threats both internal and external. Such demigods are known as Planarchs, as they are often considered to be the monarchs of their respective planes.

Historically, the Planarchs schemed and romanced among themselves and with the most powerful mortals and immortals of their planes, playing a grand game of their own devising. But that was before the Ravenous City began consuming their planes one by one. Of course, Dis doesn’t completely digest the planes it devours but rather remakes them in the city’s own image, creating new districts and neighborhoods and welcoming refugees by the millions. The fountains also remain, for the most part, as it takes Dis millennia to slowly absorb the core essence of a plane into itself. Consequently, there are still Planarchs and they are now much more likely to be close neighbors, staring across at each other from the windows of Dis’s alleyways.

The grand game of the Planarchs has changed too. Those devoted to wild planes mostly untouched by Dis’s tendrils hope to maintain their independence and resist the city’s encroachment. Sometimes they even find allies among the Planarchs of the city, who know all too well what its like to watch their homeland be colonized and torn apart. However, the old grudges and suspicions die hard. Has your ally cut a deal with the Sultana to temporarily protect their plane at the cost of your own? Either way, Planarchs often scour the multiverse for information about Dis’s weaknesses, its origins, and the means for resisting or even destroying it. At the same time, they are beholden to the inhabitants and lands of their plane, even if it has been already fully consumed by Dis: they may be called on to deal with crises, to perform important ceremonial tasks, and to ensure that whatever’s left of their plane survives as long as it can.

Of course, there are also the Planarchs who’ve won demigodhood through treachery, deceit, or violence, who conduct their role through tyranny and demand much more from their inhabitants than they give back in return. And there are others who may have originally had noble goals in mind but – confronted with the unstoppable might of Dis – decide that extreme measures need to be taken, ones that may ultimately inflict as much as or even more harm than the city. Others may have decided, for better or worse, that the city’s advance cannot be stopped and submission is the only way to preserve as much as possible. And don’t forget that there may be a vast number of mortals who are just waiting for a Planarch to stumble so that they can take their place as the new demigod of the plane, returning their predecessor to the humble station from when they came or even disposing of them entirely.

In any event, things should be interesting.

Nate Marcel is doing some illustrations of the City of Dis for the Kickstarter. Pretty exciting!

Getting closer? Still tweaking.