Hi backers,
We are still in the approvals process for the Fifth Season RPG, so there is not a whole lot to report on right now. Next week we should be sending the book plate...
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Green Ronin Publishing
about 2 months ago
March Update: Approvals and Proofing!
Hello backers,
I’ve got a short update this month but it’s a good one. I have submitted PDFs of the Fifth Season RPG core rulebook and GM’s Kit booklet to N. K. Jemisin for ...
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Green Ronin Publishing
2 months ago
February Update: Lions and Tigers and Kirkhusas, Oh My!
Hello, wonderful backers!
This is lead developer Hiromi again. Chris and the rest of the Green Ronin folks are off working the GAMA trade show right now, so I’m fillin...
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Green Ronin Publishing
3 months ago
January Update - More finished art and Orogeny Preview!
We have some great things to show off during this update! First up, we have some amazing art by Julie Sakai, Christian Huerta, Claudio Pozas, and Danil Luzin! But...
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5
Green Ronin Publishing
5 months ago
December Update:
Hello backers,
Before we close for the holidays, I want to give you an update about where the Fifth Season RPG is at and when you can expect it. The game is currently schedu...
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Green Ronin Publishing
6 months ago
November Update: New Art!
Hey folks,
This month we have another art preview for you. Finalizing the art for a book and waiting for it...
Note that if you are already a backer, this is not the place to add things to an existing pledge. We'll have the pledge manager up and running soon, and that will be where you can add any dice, books, or the GM Kit to your pledge, as well as enter your shipping info.
We are still in the approvals process for the Fifth Season RPG, so there is not a whole lot to report on right now. Next week we should be sending the book plates to print. We will send those directly to N.K. Jemisin for signature. Once we have a print date for the game, we will put in our order for the dice. We are timing production so everything arrives in the warehouse at roughly the same time. Then it’s picking, packing, and shipping.
I’ve got a short update this month but it’s a good one. I have submitted PDFs of the Fifth Season RPG core rulebook and GM’s Kit booklet to N. K. Jemisin for final approval! While she is looking them over, we are doing another round of proofing.
As I’ve mentioned before, N. K. is a busy woman so we are unsure how long this approvals phase will take. She has the right, of course, to ask for changes to the text and art to ensure that we get everything right. Naturally, we want that too, and we are ready to address any changes that need to happen.
The next step is a beta PDF to you. At that point, you can see and play the game. I say beta because inevitably getting a game in front of many sets of eyes will turn up things we’ll want to fix before it goes off to print.
That’s the news I have to share this month. I can see the finish line from here!
I believe the title says it all. I fully expect my heirs in 2185 to be very confused when this project finally delivers.
When I tell people that I've got a crowdfunding project that is over a year past its deadline, they all nod knowingly. When I say it’s by Green Ronin, that's when the confusion begins. Being over a year past delivery date with no end in sight, a staggering lack of communication about how the project is actually going, missing a second delivery date without even a peep about why or an updated project timeline.... This is the sort of thing you'd expect from some YouTuber trying to publish their first RPG splatbook, not a publishing company with a couple of decades of publishing experience and a sizable library of published works.
Basically; Guys, you are better than this. Or at least you should be. So why is this project being treated this way?
So, will my heirs get the book by 2185? Or will it be my far distant descendants in the 41st century?
This is lead developer Hiromi again. Chris and the rest of the Green Ronin folks are off working the GAMA trade show right now, so I’m filling in to talk about the project.
But, before I get started on that, I wanted to say that Green Ronin needs GMs for Gen Con 2025. GMs who run enough games get a free GM badge for the con, which is a pretty good deal! So, if you’re a GM and want to have fun running games at Gen Con, check out this page for more information, and drop Jonesy a line at [email protected]or hit us up over on the Atomic Think Tank!
In terms of the project’s progress this past month, Hal’s been hard at work laying out the text of the orogeny update that we showed off last month. Additionally, Hal and I have been working with artists to get some amazing illustrations done for the book. I could be wrong, but I don’t think there are many more pieces of art that we’re waiting on, which brings us closer to getting you the wonderful book you’ve been patiently waiting for.
All right, now for the previews! This time, I’m talking about a few of the deadly creatures of the Stillness that your characters might run into, especially during a Season. I’ll also provide some in-game details to whet your appetites for the full game.
First up, we have Season-changed kirkhusas, depicted in this exciting piece by Claudio Pozas. Normally, kirkhusas are cute, playful, otter-like creatures that midlatters with food surpluses take in as pets. But, all things change during a Season, and those who invite kirkhusas into their homes will have to be quick to turn to violence if they want to stay alive.
A few things to note about these cute, but deadly critters:
Their Speed is 16 on land and in water, meaning that you’re not going to be able to get away from them by swimming. Climbing could help, but don’t count on it.
Like the otters they resemble, they’re social creatures. So, when they can, they hunt in packs. And they have Stunts that support that (Double Team & Knock Prone). Don’t get surrounded.
Our version of the kirkhusa is visually based on the Brazilian ariranha (giant otter; Pteronura brasiliensis), thanks to the artist Claudio Pozas’ brilliant idea.
Surprisingly, kirkhusas are even bigger than giant otters! According to the novels, Season-changed kirkhusas can be around 100 pounds.
In this gorgeous, yet horrifying illustration by Cristián Huerta, we see an unfortunate bull under attack by the violent boilbugs. As their name suggests, they’re bugs that boil water inside their bodies, causing severe burns on anything they land on. In large swarms, they’re a terrifying force of nature, capable of wiping out entire comms.
Boilbugs technically have a docile, non-aggressive form most of the time, but they also live in hives. So, with the exception of a few biomests (biologists in the Stillness), no one has ever seen a non-Season-changed boilbug. Of course, given how terrifying boilbugs are, no one wants to see a boilbug of any type!
Some design tidbits here:
Boilbugs are swarm creatures, meaning that they obey swarm rules; you can’t hurt them by swinging a glassknife at them. Only an attack that does damage to an area does full damage. That’s great news for orogenes and bad news for everyone else, which is how fights with boilbugs go in the novels.
If you manage to do enough damage to a swarm through area attacks, they become vulnerable to the Knock Out Stunt. Not very vulnerable, mind you; successfully landing the Stunt will only deal 1 point of damage. Still, it’s better than nothing.
Lastly, we have this vicious attack by a stone eater, depicted by Julie Sakai. Very few characters truly know anything about stone eaters, as the creatures are secretive and not usually social among humans. But, they are intelligent and very, very deadly when they want to be.
The good news is that if you see a stone eater (and know that you’re looking at a stone eater and not just a statue), they probably want you to see them and aren’t aggressive … yet.
Some design notes:
Like in the novels, they can pass through earth and rock at will and can do so with terrifying speed. In game, this is represented by an ability called In A Blink, which allows them to reposition themselves (and anyone unfortunate enough to be dragged by them) anywhere in an action encounter. The only thing keeping this from effectively being a teleport is that there has to be contiguous solid earth or stone between the two points.
Also like in the novels, their ability to grab someone and hold onto them is terrifying; they use their incredibly high Constitution (8!) to maintain grabs instead of their lower Accuracy.
They also have potent natural armor that makes it very unlikely for an attack to actually do damage.
On top of all that, GMs can choose to make them even more dangerous with the optional Adversary Improvement rules, which bumps their stats up.
In short, they are statted out to be terrifying, because that’s how they’re presented in the novels. That said, they’re not indestructible. It is possible to injure or even defeat one. It’s incredibly unlikely, and I would not recommend picking that fight, but the option is available to you.
That’s it for now, but, like I said, we’re closing in on the final production days for this book. We should have some really good news for you soon.
