The Adventurers Hoard: Loot Tables for Every Encounter

Development Update 02 - I Need Your Thoughts!
9 months ago – Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 02:18:32 AM

Hey there intrepid adventurers,

First of all thank you to all of you who have completed your pledge manager, 81% of you have submitted your surveys so if you haven't already then please do be sure to get your survey in to ensure that you get your rewards.

Equally, you'll have seen an add-on in the late pledge that wasn't here in the campaign, D12 Petty Criminals. This is a zine with 12 completely inept criminals for you to insert into your campaign as a hapless NPC or as a low level bounty for your players to capture.

But the real reason I'm posting this update is to get your input and feedback. In essence, I've gone a little overboard with content for the zine and we're trying to find the best way to fit it all in! And so rather than us make the decision on our own I thought we should present it to all of you (and give you a little peek at some of the content while we're at it).

Container Descriptions

One of the issues that we're encountering is fitting in the container descriptions. Ideally what I had wanted to do was to include a description of each loot container just so you had a verbal cue to share with your players. At the moment they look like this:

However, space is a premium on each page as we try to keep the format of the book to have one loot table per page, and as such we either need to cut the container descriptions or greatly reduce them to one or two lines.

Sam, the graphic designer who I collaborate with on these projects, has proposed that if we want to keep the full descriptions we simply list them before you get into the loot tables, like this:

For me, I'm unsure if this would just feel a tad strange as I've a personal preference of trying to keep all the information on one page.

So, let me know in the comments which you prefer: a condensed description on the same page as the loot table, the list of descriptions before you get to the tables like you see above, or no description at all.

Too Much Content!

So here is our next challenge, for some of the loot tables I've included quite a bit of content solely because for some tables it makes sense due to the more intriguing, exciting or useful items that it would contain. Here is an example of one of our more dense tables (remember that this will be A5 size):

Obviously you're more than happy to give me feedback on the literal content of the table but we wanted to ask whether this is too much content, if you feel the text is too small etc. Again, we want to try and keep one table per page so if we need to make more space then we need to cut down on the content that we have in the table and simplify items where we can.

So the second piece of feedback we'd ask for is whether you are ok with what you're seeing here (you can also see an example of the table with no loot container description which also shows how little room we have per page).

I really do appreciate your feedback, so please let me know what you think down in the comments as your feedback will absolutely affect the design of the book as we take it on board. In order to stay on schedule we'll leave this open for feedback for the next 24 hours so be sure to get your thoughts in as soon as you can!

-Samuel

Development Update 01 - Late Pledge Is Live!
9 months ago – Wed, Apr 17, 2024 at 01:32:47 PM

Greetings intrepid adventurers!

I just wanted to send you a quick update to let you all know that you should all be receiving an email very soon from Backerkit to give you access to the late pledge manager.

If you missed out on the campaign and you just happen to be reading this you can check out the main campaign page and click the link at the top in the spotlight section to find the late pledge store there.

In the late pledge, you'll be able to finalise your pledge, add any items you may want to add, and give your shipping details. I won't be charging cards or locking in any of the information until we're ready to ship so you will all have about a month until the pledge manager closes but if you have any issues don't be afraid to reach out to me.

For those of you who are physical backers, you may notice that shipping costs are approximately £1 more than the estimates on the campaign page, this is solely due to you all unlocking so many new items and it pushed us into not only a new weight category but equally a size category.

That's all for now! I'm working away at completing the additional lists of items you all unlocked but it's coming together really well and we're on schedule.

I'll be sure to update you with any progress but if you have any questions don't be afraid to reach out via comments or direct message.

Thanks everyone!

-Samuel

Thank You! (& Some Special Announcements)
10 months ago – Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 04:21:19 PM

Greetings intrepid adventurers,

If I may break character for just one update, I just wanted to say such a humongous, massive, monumental thank you to all of you for your support during this campaign. This has been my biggest campaign yet and has been such an incredible amount of fun going on this choose-your-own-adventure with you all in the updates every day.

At the end of the campaign, we managed to gather 654 adventurers which means we have 1,654 items in the zine. The math-savvy among you will realise that this isn't a number that is evenly divisible by 20, so here's what I've decided to do...

The final item total in the zine will be 1,600, all of the Guild House options that we had in the last update will be included in the zine as well as an additional category which you're more than welcome to give suggestions for in the comments below. For those of you who have just joined us, here is what we have in the zine so far: 10 skeletons, 10 pouches, 10 pockets, 10 chests, 10 peasant household containers, 5 graves, 5 noble household containers, 5 merchant businesses, 5 sewer loot containers and 5 guild houses (all will a 20 item loot table each)

But What About The Final 54 Items?

That's a great question and this is where I want to share my first announcement. While putting together the loot tables I found myself wanting to include some items or weapons that could have some stats attached for them to be truly useful to you as the backer (this has become much more evident for locations like the Blacksmiths etc). Now don't get me wrong, some of the tables will contain completely mundane pieces of loot, or perhaps a healing potion that can easily be mechanically explained. But for weapons or armour that you may find I thought it would be quite lackluster to have the description be 'you find a pretty sharp-looking sword.'

So I'm going to be adding an appendix to the zine that will contain relevant info and stats for any item that I feel will need it so that you are equally more equipped when you run your games and use the zine. These stats will obviously be completely optional and you don't need to use them but I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed to plug and play these items into your games.

From a design point of view, this equally means I'm able to keep the loot tables to one per page which just makes my organisational brain very happy.

Wasn't There Another Announcement?

Why yes! So this has truly been an amazing campaign and I've loved every second of it. Beyond creating the appendix I was trying to come up with a way that I could say thank you to all of you for your support in a way that would be meaningful.

And so I've decided to upgrade all physical copies of The Adventurers Hoard from softcover to hardback at no additional cost to you as the backer.

The page count for the zine will be around 90-100 pages once the content is all finalised and I felt like having it be a hardcover book would add some durability and a nice look.

If you backed the digital pledge level though, don't worry, you can also get your hands on the upgraded hardback version in the pledge manager once it opens at the same price as it is here on the campaign page.

(Obviously though if you all hate this idea and would much prefer to have the zine be softcover please do let me know in the comments)

So What Now?

Well, now Kickstarter will take the next two weeks to gather your pledges, once they do they'll take another business week to send them over to me. During that time I'll work on creating the additional content for the zine and then get that sent over to Sam (not me, we just happen to have the same name) who is my Graphic Designer on these projects as he's WAY better at it than me.

At the moment I'm hoping to open our Pledge Manager on April 19th where you'll be able to finalise your pledge and pay for shipping (as I'll have a much better idea of final shipping costs at that point), and then hopefully it won't be too long until I can get the zine in your hands.

So for the time being, let me know your thoughts on what our final batch of loot containers should be and equally let me know what you think about the announcements above, your feedback and input are incredibly important to me.

Once again, thank you so much for your support and I'm so excited to get this zine into your hands!

-Samuel

Chapter 27: You Smell A Rat!
10 months ago – Thu, Mar 28, 2024 at 03:31:07 PM

Greetings intrepid adventurers,

With the final hours of our Kickstarter campaign ticking away, the urgency of our adventure mirrors the dwindling time. Your choice to delve into the mysteries of the Artificers' Guild, a bastion of innovation and craftsmanship, has proven to be as enlightening as it is daring. As you navigate through the guildhouse, the air crackles with the energy of unbound potential, the walls lined with gadgets and gizmos, each more intriguing than the last.

In the heart of the guildhouse, amidst workshops cluttered with arcane instruments and mechanical wonders, you find treasures that defy explanation. As you pocket these marvels, the realization that time is of the essence presses upon you. Where will you decide to plunder next...

The Rat Catchers' Guild

Tucked away in a less frequented part of the city, the Rat Catchers' Guild is a labyrinth of narrow corridors and cramped rooms, filled with the tools of the trade: sturdy traps, intricate nets, and an array of poisons. The guild, with its unique blend of necessity and ingenuity, might not boast the ostentatious wealth of the more glamorous guilds, but it holds its own form of treasure.

The Physicians Guild

In the heart of the city, the Physicians Guild stands as a beacon of healing and scientific achievement. Beyond its contributions to medicine, the guild hides a trove of alchemical secrets and experimental concoctions. The apothecary, filled with rare herbs, potent potions, and the occasional forbidden substance, offers a wealth of resources for those daring enough to explore its depths. The guild's mastery of the healing arts is matched only by its commitment to safeguarding its discoveries.

The Dockworkers Guild

Down by the bustling waterfront, the Dockworkers Guild oversees the comings and goings of ships and their cargoes. While it might seem an unlikely target, the guild's warehouses are filled with exotic goods from distant lands, smuggled treasures hidden among legitimate shipments, and the occasional contraband seized from less fortunate thieves. The dockworkers, seasoned in the art of negotiation and not strangers to conflict, guard their domain with vigilance.

Where will your lust for loot take you next:

• The Rat Catchers Guild
• The Physicians Guild
• The Dockworkers Guild

Chapter 26: Have A Little Faith
10 months ago – Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 03:32:33 PM

Greetings intrepid adventurers,

As the sands of time trickle down to the final grains, our grand adventure together approaches its twilight, but there is yet still time for more loot.

Guided by the collective will of your intrepid backers, your path leads you to the serene yet imposing gates of the Monastic Guild. Here, in this haven of tranquility amidst the city's ceaseless bustle, the air seems imbued with a sense of ancient wisdom and guarded secrets. The monks, devoted to their scholarly pursuits and the preservation of knowledge, have amassed a collection of artifacts and manuscripts that speak of the world's arcane and spiritual mysteries.

With careful steps and hushed tones, you navigate the guild's hallowed halls, the echoes of your movements mingling with the quiet whispers of the past. Yet, even as you marvel at your findings, the sense of accomplishment is tinged with a reverence for the guild's mission to safeguard such treasures. The knowledge and artifacts you've gathered are not merely loot; they are pieces of history, entrusted to you by the silent, unseen approval of the guild's ancient guardians.

Buoyed by your success within the Monastic Guild, the city offers up its next challenge...

The Artificers' Guild

Nestled within an industrious quarter of the city, surrounded by the clangor of forges and the hiss of steam, the guild is a bastion of invention and ingenuity. The artificers, masters of crafting magical and mechanical wonders, guard their secrets with a combination of arcane locks and mechanical traps. The guildhouse itself is rumored to be a marvel of magical engineering, its workshops filled with experimental devices, enchanted tools, and prototypes of constructs that blur the line between magic and machinery.

The Physicians Guild

In the heart of the city, the Physicians Guild stands as a beacon of healing and scientific achievement. Beyond its contributions to medicine, the guild hides a trove of alchemical secrets and experimental concoctions. The apothecary, filled with rare herbs, potent potions, and the occasional forbidden substance, offers a wealth of resources for those daring enough to explore its depths. The guild's mastery of the healing arts is matched only by its commitment to safeguarding its discoveries.

The Dockworkers Guild

Down by the bustling waterfront, the Dockworkers Guild oversees the comings and goings of ships and their cargoes. While it might seem an unlikely target, the guild's warehouses are filled with exotic goods from distant lands, smuggled treasures hidden among legitimate shipments, and the occasional contraband seized from less fortunate thieves. The dockworkers, seasoned in the art of negotiation and not strangers to conflict, guard their domain with vigilance.

Where will your lust for loot take you next:

• The Artificers' Guild
• The Physicians Guild
• The Dockworkers Guild