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rustedportal · 7 years

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Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting for 5E and Pathfinder - Kickstarter launch Thursday 3/30/17.

Rusted Portal LLC Launches Kickstarter for Apocalypse the Risen, a post-apocalyptic fantasy horror campaign setting, compatible with both 5E and the Pathfinder™ Roleplaying Game.

For more information, contact Chief Executive Officer Donaven Brines, [email protected]

RENTON, Mar. 30, 2017 – Rusted Portal LLC, a tabletop game design and publishing company specializing in RPG, tabletop and card games, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for publishing Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting, a post-apocalyptic fantasy horror campaign setting that is Pathfinder™ Roleplaying Game Compatible and compatible with 5E.

Apocalypse the Risen delivers an innovative take on the Pathfinder™ Roleplaying Game Compatible category of products with a top to bottom design approach. Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting introduces three all new races and nine all new character classes. The campaign setting eliminates alignment, replacing it with a recreation of real-world personality traits and an insanity system to deal with the many horrors of post-Rise Earth. Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting places players in a near future Earth overrun by risen dead, contending with demons, and perhaps the most dangerous adversary of all, desperate humans trying to survive. Funds raised via the Kickstarter campaign will be used for printing the full color hardcover book for both 5E and Pathfinder™ Roleplaying Game, all game-related accessories, and ensuring this new innovative roleplaying game reaches gaming tables worldwide.

Backers have their choice of reward tiers featuring full color hardcover books for Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting for both 5E and Pathfinder™ Roleplaying Game, each system’s book clearing 250 pages of innovative content, a leather bound special Kickstarter backer only edition of the book in either system, and two designer levels that allow backers at those levels to design demons or even adventures with the Rusted Portal team.

Rusted Portal Chief Creative Jason Stolberg says, “I’ve been involved in gaming and writing in one form another for the better part of three decades, from tabletop RPGs and card games to numerous video games whether in the arcade, at home, or online. Being involve with bringing a new and unique gaming experience to life has been a dream, and being able to go into this venture with some of the most creative and enthusiastic people that I know in Chad Matson, Reid Finucan, Jeff Carter, and Donaven Brines is an opportunity I wouldn’t trade for the world. Each of us brings a unique and fresh prospective with our collective gaming experience, and we all stick to a core edict in everything we do: Is this fun? The answer through all of our extensive playtesting both in house and in the field has been a resounding YES!”

The Kickstarter will run Thursday, March 30th through Thursday, April 27th. To pledge, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rustedportal/1359956246?token=ea8e2b47

Rusted Portal LLC was founded in Renton, Washington in 2014 by five life-long gamers who have always dreamed of publishing games and stories that they—and the gaming community at large—are hungry to experience. By adopting an inclusive game design process and company that rewards creativity and enthusiasm, Rusted Portal hopes to create a collaborative community of gamers and other creative individuals in making games that are imaginative, innovative and most of all, FUN! To learn more about Rusted Portal and their Kickstarter, please visit www.rustedportal.com.

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rustedportal · 7 years

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#DnD5e & #PathfinderRPG playtest adventure for #ApocalypsetheRisen now available! post-apocalyptic #horror #fantasy http://rustedportal.com/journal

#tabletop gaming #dnd 5e #pathfinder rpg #horror

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rustedportal · 7 years

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Apocalypse the Risen PFRPG and DnD5e Kickstarter coming March 21st! Update: https://goo.gl/TLM1DC

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rustedportal · 8 years

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MEET THE RISEN - DEVOURER

The Devourer is the next evolution for the horrendous and twisted Risen, feeding on the living at such a pace they have grown massively strong. These are not your Walking Dead zombies. You will be lucky if you make it out alive with just one of these ferocious beasts. Still not sentient, their appetite for your life essence drives their actions.

THANK YOU FOR BACKING OUR KICKSTARTER!

Art by Vincent Coviello

#Apocalypse the Risen #Pathfinder #zombies #The Walking Dead #horror #tabletop gaming #tabletop role-playing game #tabletoprpg #rpg

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rustedportal · 8 years

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SPLICER CLASS ICONIC - RUBY INTRO

“I still don’t know why I’m the one you wanted to go with you on this, Doc.”

Ruby and I were picking our way through the rubble-strewn concrete wreckage of an off-ramp of what was once Interstate 78 in the former state of New Jersey. As usual, my progeny companion had a single earbud in one of her bat-like ears, listening to some manner of punk rock music from the Before, with the other ear free of obstruction to listen to her surroundings and of course, converse with me. The wire to the single earbud wound its way past a couple of small solar panels and into a device Ruby had created, consisting of an mp3 device, a CD disc player, and an old portable video game, linked with wires leading to another device with detachable speakers and a tiny video screen on her wrist. This hodgepodge of technology all worked together to make her caster, the device crucial for a Splicer to cast spells.

As we got to the bottom of the off-ramp, we cut across an open field and on to the broken asphalt of a street leading toward the harbor. I stumbled a bit as my foot fell clumsily into a pothole, and Ruby, so sure-footed with the cat-like feet that were a product of her demonic sire, caught me before I unceremoniously met the ground, her eyes showing her concern for her “old dude” friend.

“Damn it… thank you Ruby.”

I paused to rub my aching foot and lament the fact that I could never be as sure-footed as Ruby. It gave me a few moments to think about and articulate how to explain to my young companion, barely 19 years old, why I chose her to come with me on this important task.

“I’m fairly certain that my old acquaintance Booker, eldest member of the Liberty colony, knows where the relic I’ve been looking for was last seen. I just hope he remembers that he owes me. Anyhow, his colony is, shall we say, suspicious of most people. They require a little bit of a human touch.”

Ruby looked at me quizzically. “Why didn’t you bring Argo or even Enoch for that matter?” One of her ears flexed pensively. “You know, considering I look pretty far from human.”

I shrugged as I worked my leg, walking gingerly at first after my mishap. “I needed Argo and Enoch to handle securing our transport and making sure that the way south is clear.” Then with a smile toward her. “Besides, you’ll come to learn that there is much more to being human than simply being A human, Ruby.”

Ruby still looked skeptical, before she herself turned her attention down the road we were heading toward. “Whatever you say, Doc. Let’s go find a boat so we can skip over to Liberty island.”

At the end of the road we spied a set of warehouses at the edge of the water overlooking the bay. We stood there and took in the sight; partially obscured by the morning mist and still fairly far away, was the oxidized green copper of the Statue of Liberty. It was a sight I hadn’t seen in quite some time, and gave me nostalgic feelings of the past. Ruby had only seen in it in pictures, so it was hard to tell what she thought. The silence was almost deafening, so I decided to make a bit of small talk.

“So I have been wondering… why is your call ‘Ruby’?”

Ruby didn’t turn around as she kept looking out at the statue for several beats. As she looked at me about to speak, her eyes focused on something past me. “Trouble, Doc.”

I turned and looked, and to my horror I saw the danger; three Risen were rapidly approaching, each with an oversized arachnid-like hand. And behind them was a single Risen that appeared to command the ones sprinting, the glow of sentient hatred apparent in its eyes even at this distance. I knew exactly what they were from my travels, and we were indeed in trouble.

“Oh no… a Depraved and its Ravenous.”

Ruby looked at them grimly, a bit of snarl on her lips. “Whatever. They’re toast. Doc, get that jump fuse out and hit them after I do!”

The Splicer aimed the device on her wrist toward them, and a song that I vaguely remembered as being titled “Firestarter” began to play as she took aim. A golf-ball sized ball of super-heated liquid fire shot forward from the speakers, growing in size at it crossed the parking lot, landing amongst the Risen before it expanded rapidly into a large burst of flame, enveloping the dead within.

I briefly thought perhaps this was the end of our troubles; but then I realized why Ruby had told me to follow up with the jump fuse now cradled in my hands. The Ravenous still surged forward, stumbling and on fire, but still very deadly. The Depraved bellowed in anger as it also moved toward us, damaged but undeterred. I pointed the jump fuse shakily as I squeezed its connectors, and a black bolt of energy leaped forth and struck the ground in front of the three Ravenous. Suddenly, large black rubbery tentacles erupted from the ground, grabbing and attacking the Risen immediately.

Ruby looked quite satisfied at first, seeing the Risen being grappled rather effectively by the writhing mass. But that satisfaction drained away as the Depraved managed to avoid most of the effect and continue toward us. I motioned toward the warehouses. “Quick, let’s cut through there…”

Ruby nodded and we raced to the door of the warehouse, Ruby supporting my weakened ankle. Thankfully the warehouse doors were ajar. Ruby closed the door and jammed a piece of metal rebar through the handles, hoping to slow down the advance of the Depraved.

She looked at me rather exasperated, then looked around the warehouse, which was filled with various electronic junk, likely a distributor of TVs and computers back in the Before and her eyes lit up. “Ok, maybe we can get the drop on this thing. I got an idea.”

Ruby quickly moved toward the offices in the back, dragging a dusty old flat panel TV with her. She set the TV up on the desk, pushing a bunch of decrepit papers and files on to the floor. One thing did catch her eye, though. I saw her take a moment to look at a photo of a woman and a young girl at the beach. There was a drawing next to it, crayon stick figures and sunshine, a child’s handwriting decreeing “I love my mommy!” I didn’t know at the time why she paused for so long, or why she snatched both the photo and the picture and stuffed them in her pocket.

Ruby plugged a cord from her belt into the TV, and using the small cable spool, let out several feet of slack and trailed back into the office across the way. Somehow, she jury-rigged a shadowy picture of herself on to the TV, and some noise like whispering was generating through its speakers.

That’s when the warehouse entrance door broke wide open, sending the rebar and the door itself smashing to the floor. The Depraved, still singed from the earlier fireball, growled low and guttural. Ruby and I crouched silently in the office across from the TV. The Depraved must have spotted the image and raced across the warehouse and into the office. From its side profile I watched as it sneered, thinking it had us.

Just then, the image on the TV changed to that of a man on screen dancing in time to some terrible music in what I vaguely remembered as a joke from internet culture of the Before. The Depraved howled in rage and smashed at the TV, just as Ruby stood up in the office across the way.

“Rick rolled, jackass.”

She took aim and hit the Depraved with a green beam of light that smashed square into its midsection mid howl. In a blink the Depraved was disintegrated into ash.

Rick rolled. I couldn’t help but smirk as that particular memory came back to me from decades past. How this young Progeny had learned so much of the Before was mind-boggling.

Ruby held her hand out to help me stand, and she smiled, obviously pleased with herself. “That wasn’t too hard. Let’s go find that boat.”

“Oh and Doc…” She looked over her shoulder at me with a smile. “Because… my destination is unknown.”

I looked at her, puzzled. “I don’t follow…?”

“My call. Ruby. It’s because my destination is unknown.” With a laugh. “You should google that.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Yet another term that I hadn’t heard in a lifetime. All that media she treasures, surely that’s the source of her knowledge of the Before. Impressive indeed.

With that, Ruby walked through the back door to the warehouse in search of a boat to take us to Liberty.

THANK YOU FOR BACKING OUR KICKSTARTER!

Ruby, Splicer Class Iconic Draft, Artist Raven Mimura

#Apocalypse the Risen #Pathfinder #PathfinderRPG #horror #tabletop gaming #tabletoprpg #rpg #AtRRPG #Kickstarter

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rustedportal · 8 years

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JACKAL CLASS ICONIC - FINDER INTRO

“I can’t believe this. Is this how we meet our end? So close to our goal?””

These glorified thugs who call themselves the “Knights of the Temple” had no idea the powers they were messing with. They had given no thought to the ramifications of not keeping the tablet safe, to give mankind a chance to reverse the darkness that has befallen the world these past 25 years.

The three men, armed to the teeth with various firearms and blades, along with the white tabards adorned with blood red crosses that had become a feared symbol in Mid-Atlantic region, pushed me and my companion forward into the darkened void of the museum’s great hall. At one point this museum was a bastion of knowledge and learning, a place that housed countless treasures. Now, it was a cavernous and foreboding place, obviously having been picked over of everything that could be useful. It was a travesty that historical documents, books, and relics that weren’t weapons or other items needed to survive are left here to succumb to the ravages of time. My mournful thoughts were interrupted as the leader, Ezekiel, spoke in a deep voice laced with disdain.

“The Knights of the Temple would appreciate you moving this along, Dr. Dobrin. Your feet dragging isn’t going to keep us from sending you and your spawn loving friend here straight to hell once we’re done.” The wicked looking knife in his hand that he pointed at me drove home the emphasis of his words.

My companion, her hands tied securely behind her back, gave an exasperated sigh as she blew a loose blond lock that escaped from her harried ponytail. “Look, fellas. I totally get it. Crusading against the darkness and all that, kill the non-humans, people who like non-humans, people who have better fashion sense, whatever. I don’t care what you believe, what you do with the Doc’s tablet, or even what you do with the Doc. I just wanna get paid. I’m the best at hunting stuff like this down, so take these restraints off, and let me do what I do. You let me go after, we call it even. Mark it down as my tithe.”

The leader scoffed. “Jackal through and through. We’ve heard of you, Finder. Finder’s Fortune has quite the reputation for a band of low-life mercs. We know what you stand for… employing spawn, tweeners, halos, anyone who wants to make some ‘sources regardless of who or what they are. Other than tripping whatever traps might be around here, we don’t need…” His voice dripped with malice as he slammed the knife home in the sheath on his belt as he reached back and drew a serrated sword from his back and eyed Finder dangerously. “…someone like you.”

Finder shrugged, her face showing a quiet calm that actually puzzled me. Didn’t she know how dire our situation was? “Well my reputation may have preceded me. No matter. But I will say you will need me for more than just ‘trap-tripper’. There’s a Risen in here, something so evil it’ll turn your face as white as your shirt.” Her face soured as she looked at his shirt. “Well, when your shirt was actually white anyhow. Regardless, you’ll need all the fighting help you can get when we get to it.”

Knight Michael, a Splicer judging by the old impact wrench from the Before that serves as his caster, voiced some concern. “Sir, if there’s some terrible creature guarding the relic, I’m going to need to find some combustibles, otherwise there are critical spells I won’t be able to cast, and I need to replenish the jump fuses I gave to you and Thomas.”

The third of the Knights, a young man named Thomas, barely out of his teens and doesn’t look entirely comfortable with the black-powder rifle he was holding, patted the pocket on his thigh. “I still have one left.”

Finder nodded, sounding a bit hopeful of getting Ezekiel to see her side of things. “You see? Preparations need to be made, something else I can help with. Seriously, this is no longer profitable for me, so I’d just as soon cut my losses and get out of here. Let me help you guys get your holy relic, you already have the Doc to help you with it, and then I will go on my way.”

Ezekiel grumbled, obviously not wanting any delay in finding the tablet and them summarily doing away with me and Finder, reluctantly nodded. “Fine, you can help. But we are not untying you, because I know what a rat like you is capable of. And I make no promises on your fate after we find what we’re looking for in here.”

Finder smirked a bit, and I could not believe that she would actually think she was going to get a good deal from these men. “Well, got no choice but to work with that. Look…” She gestured toward a faded map placard on the wall. “The door down the hallway to the right leads to the basement where the furnace is. Might be able to find some combustibles down there.”

Ezekiel eyed the map carefully while stroking his chin in thought. “Makes sense. You’ll go down there, with Michael and Thomas, show them where they might find what we need.” Ezekiel looked at his two knights. “Keep an eye on her. Thomas, if she does anything you don’t like, shoot her.”

Finder turned and looked at Thomas, who was sweating profusely, and shook her head. “Seriously? This kid’s so nervous he may shoot me on accident.”

Ezekiel snarled and grabbed Finder from behind by her ponytail and yanked her backward, his breath and spittle blasting against her ear. “Shut up. We don’t need you, you’re lucky I’ve let you live to this point. Do what you say you can do, and by our grace you may survive a little longer.”

Finder exhaled as she winced, although her tone was still flippant and defiant as ever. “Ow, Christ. And you didn’t even ask what my safe word was yet. It’s ‘Sorry’, FYI.”

Ezekiel pushed her in the back and she stumbled forward as he glared at his two knights. “Get her away from me before I kill her right now. Take her and go find the damned resources you need for your spells.”

Michael nodded as Thomas put a hand on Finder’s shoulder and guided her toward the hallway. Finder looked at the young knight over her shoulder. “Easy kid, I can walk myself. I ain’t going anywhere.”

Thomas glanced at her suspiciously, but let her walk a few steps ahead. “Fine, but don’t try anything. Rifle’s cocked and locked, and I’ve been trained plenty to use it.”

Finder gave him a bit of a smirk. “Oh I believe you… and I’m counting on it.”

As the trio moved ahead down the hallway, Ezekiel grabbed me by my restraints and pulled me after him. “Come on, Doctor.”

Finder started picking up her pace; it was subtle at first, but suddenly she was several paces ahead, passing by a fallen display of dismembered mannequins in the “winter gear of the 20th century”, apparently taken down as they were scavenged for warm clothing many years ago. Thomas called after her “Hey, slow down!”

Finder called back over her shoulder as she got to the corner. “The stairs are just around here, quit dragging, got to find those resources right?” And with that, she rounded the corner ahead of the two knights trailing her.

Michael cursed under his breath. “For Saint’s sake Thomas, keep up with her!”

Thomas hustled down to the corner and rounded it, only to find the darkened hallway ahead and the stairs leading down to be empty.

“Oh hell…” Thomas exhaled under his breath before yelling out. “She’s gone!”

“WHAT??” Bellowed Ezekiel. “Find her now!”

Ezekiel yanked me along as he double-timed it to the corner, shoving me down into the platform with the dismantled display. “Stay there, and stay quiet. I’m this damn close to just killing you and taking my chances of finding that tablet myself.” I simply nodded, rolling into a position so I could watch down the hallway.

Thomas jogged ahead, his black-powdered rifle in hand as he traversed the 50 feet or so to the beginning of the stairwell going down. Michael followed several paces behind, looking closely along the walls for perhaps a recessed door that they were missing.

Thomas turned around and looked back toward us. “The stairway going down is completely dark, we’re going to need some light or…”

The young knight didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. At that moment, a shadowy figure dropped down behind him from the ceiling, a female hand holding a familiar wickedly edged blade slid around the front of Thomas’s throat and cut him ear to ear. In his shock, Thomas discharged his rifle into the ceiling, causing a deafening report to fill the hallway. My jaw slackened and instinctually I looked at Ezekiel’s belt and confirmed what I already knew. Finder managed to lift that knife when he pulled her close to threaten her just minutes ago.

Finder mouthed “Sorry” to the kid as she pushed him aside, her hand deftly plucking a small item from his thigh pocket as his body slid down the wall. The jump fuse, I remembered. She pointed the fuse down the hallway as a greenish bolt of energy leapt from it and struck Michael in his face before he could level his caster toward her. He screamed as the acid arrow erupted into his skin, causing it to bubble and burn.

Finder was on him in a flash, closing the distance almost inhumanly fast as she stabbed him through the soft palette under his jaw with that same knife.

Ezekiel, watching all of this in horror completely forgot about me as he drew his large serrated sword and started down the hallway as he screamed. “I knew I should have killed you, damn it!”

This was my chance, and probably the only one I would have at this point. I picked up one of the broken legs of the dismembered mannequins and wielding it like a club, swung with all the might I could muster. It connected with Ezekiel’s head, and he collapsed in a heap on the floor, his sword clattering loudly in front of him.

Finder instinctually jumped back as the sword hit, then gave me a smirk and what amounted to something I remembered as a ‘golf clap’ back in the Before. “Very nice work, Doc. Made the job easy for me.”

I breathlessly looked over the carnage before nodding at the backpack on Ezekiel’s unconscious form. “He has some rope that we can use to tie him up with.”

”Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, Doc. I got this handled.” At that, Finder drew the red-handled machete that was in the lead Knight’s backpack. The same machete that he took off of Finder when he captured us a few hours ago. The one she called ‘Red Hand of the Righteous’. I suppose it was her stab at irony, as she fully believed that the pious are usually the ones with the most blood on their hands. As she gripped the handle, the telltale blood started dripping over her hand and down the blade. Stigmata, the oddity as it were, was disconcerting no matter how many times I’d seen it.

Finder looked almost lovingly at her blade, before she turned a chilly gaze at Ezekiel. With no more emotion than one would show while carving a gourd, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and lifted, before she cut his throat with her blade.

I gasped at the cold viciousness of it. “My god… why did you do that? That’s not right!”

Finder slide the machete back into its sheath on her side. “Ain’t about right and wrong, Doc. Not anymore. You know my saying right? Fortune favors the bold. Leaving a creep like this alive behind you isn’t bold. It’s just plain stupid.”

She sighed, grabbing me by my restraints and helping me up, before cutting them off with the knife she took. “Some things have no place in this world. You know, like selfies, the forty-hour work week, and stupidity. Now let’s go find your tablet so you can pay me the other half of what you owe me.”

Thank you for backing our Kickstarter!

Finder, Jackal Class Iconic Draft, Artist Raven Mimura

#Apocalypse the Risen #AtRRPG #Pathfinder #tabletop gaming #horror #tabletoprpg #PathfinderRPG

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rustedportal · 8 years

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MEET THE RISEN - THE RAVENOUS

Apocalypse the Risen has introduced you to some terrible Risen in previous updates. We have exposed you to the evolution of these horrific creatures as they feed. But you haven’t seen the worst, not by half.

The next in the progression of these fearsome creatures is The Ravenous! This form of Risen becomes far more fearsome in their ability to grapple, their strong fingers extending out to hold and choke their prey. And if you felt like running, typically a good idea, be careful as these beasties are sprinters!

THANK YOU FOR BACKING OUR KICKSTARTER!

#AtRRPG #Pathfinder #horror #Apocalypse the Risen #tabletop gaming #tabletop rpg #roleplaying game #rpg #zombies #PathfinderRPG #tabletop games #tabletop

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rustedportal · 8 years

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MEET THE DESCENDED – SERAPHIM BANNER

Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting brings you fallen angels as you’ve never seen. We wanted to go beyond the Pathfinder Aasimar and introduce some Earth lore into the design. As the breaking of the final seal became inevitable, a great call went out across the upper realm. Angels no longer wished to sit idle as the Apocalypse loomed, choosing instead to leave the sanctity of their celestial home and join humans in their fight for survival. In the process they lost their immortality, memories, and angelic powers.

In our story, these angelic beings hailed from one of three banners in service to their celestial host: Serephim, Cherubim, and Throne. Reaching Earth as Descended, the banners of their angelic past remain hidden and locked within their minds and bodies. As Descended progress, these unique abilities emerge. While we consider Descended as one playable race, in truth they provide three very different playable options.

Pictured above, the Seraphim represent one of these banners. Among other powers, this banner allows the Descended to manifest a halo—and later wings—of pure fire. The wings allow the creature to fly at high speeds and maneuverability for short periods of time or manifest their wings for a burst of flame.

Will you dare to join the battle against the Darkness? Do the fiery wings of the Seraphim call you to join the fight?

Back the Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting Kickstarter and bring this product to the light of production!

Descended, Seraphim Draft, Artist Rodrigo Vega

#Apocalypse the Risen #Pathfinder #tabletop rpg #rpg #horror #Pathfinder RPG #indiegames

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rustedportal · 8 years

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MEET THE RISEN - THE FAMISHED

Apocalypse the Risen Campaign Setting introduces a host of all new creatures, including more than a few terrible zombies known as Risen. The Famished represent one of many evolved forms Risen can take as they feed on your life essence. That’s right, Risen become more powerful, more vile, and more dangerous the more they feed.

In our narrative, the events of the Rise took place twenty-five years ago. That is a long time for these creatures to be feeding on your loved ones. Fight back by backing our Kickstarter and spreading the light!

THANK YOU FOR BACKING OUR KICKSTARTER!

#Apocalypse the Risen #Pathfinder #PathfinderRPG #TabletopRPG #horror #zombies #rpg #tabletop gaming #tabletop games #tabletop rpg

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rustedportal · 8 years

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MAVERICK CLASS ICONIC - GIDEON INTRO

To say I was alarmed was an understatement. Did Gideon have a death wish? While he was certainly a decade younger than me, his actions when faced with certain demise made it seem like he felt we had lived long enough. I of course, had no such desire to meet my end on some random dusty rock-strewn road a day and a half out from the Great Salt Lake; so I spoke up.

“Look, I have…” All the weapons were trained on me, and I swallowed, though with the sudden lack of moisture in my throat it was a vain response for calm from my body. “…no desire to fight you here. But please, if you take all of our ‘sources, we may not make it the Salt Lake. We only would wish to keep enough to make sure we make it to our destination.”

Gideon turned toward me, his voice low enough that the marauders wouldn’t be able to hear. “Doc, what the hell are you doing?”

I blinked and looked at him, dumbfounded that he didn’t seem to share my sense of direness. “There’s six of them, and one of you. You’re supposed to keep us alive, not get us killed!”

Gideon looked at me with a maddening sense of calm, his voice as level as if he were talking about the annoyance of a pebble in his boot. “I’ll do my level best.”

The marauders all sneered, looking akin to a pack of hyenas circling a wounded antelope. As much bravado as they displayed, they all nervously eyed the large nickel-plated semi-automatic pistol sitting in a holster on Gideon’s hip, which his right hand was in constant contact with. Mohawk licked his lips and spoke up… “Ok old man. But if we’re not takin’ as many ‘sources as we would want…” He turned his hungry gaze at the wife of one of the nomadic colonists in the group. “We’re gonna need another form of payment. Taxation, if you like.”

Gideon shook his head ever so slightly. “Now I won’t have you go about defiling anyone. That just wouldn’t be gentlemanly of me considering these nice people paid me a lot to protect them.” Mohawk turned his enraged eyes at our mercenary, but before he could speak, Gideon cut him off and gave a nod of his hat-covered head toward me. “But… my friend here, Doc, well… he’s got himself something that would make up for that. A bona fide pocket watch. Even works too from what I gather.”

My face suddenly burned. How did he know about that? And how dare he offer something so precious to this gang of thugs? I opened my mouth to speak, but Gideon turned his eyes on me. In that single glance I saw something in his eyes… a silent command that said I needed to trust him at this very moment if I wanted to live. So I swallowed again and nodded.

“Show ‘em the watch, Doc.”

All eyes were trained on me as I reached into my pocket and produced my grandfather’s sterling silver Howard hand-wind pocket watch; I held it up by its chain, the silver slightly tarnished but still bright enough to reflect the sunlight. There were gasps and murmurs as each man squinted to see the mechanical hands of the watch still in motion. I ventured a glance at Gideon, my eyes showing hot anger at what seemed like a betrayal by the man who took our resources and swore to protect us.

In the fraction of a second it took for me to open my mouth and begin vocalizing what would be my last ditch effort to negotiate something that didn’t include my time piece, Gideon spun around to face our ambushers with a small unassuming revolver in his left hand. The large ivory-handled pistol was still nestled against his thigh, and Gideon’s right hand still rested casually on its butt. Where did that other gun come from?

I had barely even finished that thought, when a cacophony of miniature explosions rang out, echoing off the rock outcroppings. The barrel of Gideon’s revolver was a constant ball of flame, bullets roaring out of it at a volume completely contradictory to its diminutive size. The first round struck the calm man in the back of the group square in his eye, shattering the side of his face and dropping him where he stood. The next rounds took each of the other four men in various vital locations, each in turn collapsing to the ground. It wasn’t until the rest had fallen that Mohawk actually got a chance to respond; and in the amount of time it took for his bladder to fail him, the sixth round from Gideon’s revolver entered his open mouth and erupted out of the back of his helmet in a spray of gray matter and impact plastic.

My own mouth was slackened as I stared wide-eyed at the carnage. There stood Gideon, the barrel of his revolver still smoking, and six very dead men all sprawled out in front of him. For some reason the visual that shook me most was that his right hand still rested so casually on the pistol in his thigh holster. “Much obliged for the distraction, Doc.” He said, not even bothering to look my way.

Walking amongst the bodies, Gideon flicked open the drum of the revolver, plucked a speed-loader from his belt and reloaded. He came to a stop in front of the calm man’s body, leveled the revolver directly at what was left of the man’s ruined face. Suddenly the one eye the calm man had left snapped open, his mouth opened revealing rows of razor sharp brownish-yellow teeth and he let out a guttural screech that caused a copious amount of blood to pour from his mouth. Gideon put a boot on the unnatural creature’s throat and slammed it back down on to the ground before squeezing the trigger of his revolver, blowing apart what was left of its head with a booming report that echoed with finality. The creature gave one last twitch and never moved again.

It was only after he was sure the creature was dead that Gideon put that revolver away in a hidden holster somewhere against his back and under his duster. The colonists were still shaken, but thanked our Maverick profusely. All he did was give a tip of the brim of his hat, before mounting back on his mottled mare.

I shook my head, still in awe. “How… how did you know?” I said, meaning the creature that if it were an ordinary man, would have been dead from that first shot.

Gideon just looked at me, impassively as ever. He shrugged. “Reckoned something wasn’t right on account he didn’t have a shadow.”

I looked at him dumbly. It never occurred to me to look for something like a shadow. But to Gideon, it was probably second nature from having survived so long in such a treacherous profession. As I stared at him, for the first time I saw the simple leather necklace around his neck; it must have fallen free of his shirt during the very one-sided gun battle. Hanging from the necklace were a few coins, and I recognized them immediately. It was coinage from the Before; to be precise a quarter, two dimes, and two pennies, which equaled 47 cents in that day and age. I’d heard of what it symbolized, but I’d never met one in the flesh. “You’re one of the 47! No wonder you moved so fast…”

As Gideon spurred his horse forward, his reply was quiet with just a hint of snark from a sense of humor he probably buried many moons ago. “Could have been faster… I ain’t left handed after all.”

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Gideon, Maverick Class Iconic, Artist Raven Mimura

#Apocalypse the Risen #AtRRPG #PathfinderRPG #Horror #tabletoprpg #tabletop gaming

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