Friday News Update – May 21st

The first copies of BEOWULF!

Yes, they’re real – we finally got out mitts on the very first copies! And just have a LOOK at this artwork:

With huge thanks to our friends, supporters and heroes…

‘An epic tale deserves an epic game system. This is that system’ – John Kovalic

Breathtaking… staggering… atmospheric in the extreme. It’s as if you were stepping into 6th Century Scandinavia and boarding a longship’ – John Gwynne

‘Really magical’ – Will Hindmarch

‘A vast treasure hoard’ – Francesco Nepitello

‘A magnificent accomplishment’ – Lou Anders

‘Brimming with brutal authenticity’ – Snorri Kristjans

‘Ingenious, beautiful, epic, enormous’ – Angus Watson

And to Maria Dahvana Headley for our foreword.

In more BEOWULF news, catch our latest podcast!

While BEOWULF was crafted for duet play (one Hero and one GM), in this episode, Jon and Jacob talk about how it can be played by a full adventuring party.

And you’ll need full adventuring party for this week’s Handimonster! Additional content for the Clatterbones is now available to our patrons – a desert-based scenario for a party of 4^th– 5^th level. We’ve all seen skeletons before, but not like these…

And in a|state news…

We’ve updated our pages with some info on the game’s history. From its earliest notebook appearances, to its first hardback manifestation at Conpulsion in 2004, it’s been an amazing project. And it returns very soon with a retooled system and all of the original creators still on board!

“Bringing the wine-dark visual vibes of Dark City and the socially-aware dystopia of Metropolis, a|state delivers Dickensian anti-Thatcher sparks and knives sci fi.”

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21st May 202121st May 2021

A Brief History of a|state

a|state 2e is shaping up really nicely. And we’re hoping to launch the Kickstarter for the Second Edition in June. For those in the know, the game is a well-loved indie classic from the British Invasion of the turn of the century, but for those who don’t, what is a|state?

A brief history

a|state began in the early 2000s in the notebooks of Malcolm Craig. Inspired by the layers of built history in cities like London and Edinburgh, and a sense of gloomy science-fictional possibility, he created memorable locations like Mire End and Folly Hills and a game system to explore them. The project gained enormous momentum when Paul Bourne joined. His vivid illustrations rapidly drew attention in the UK gaming community, and soon a|state games regularly featured at UK conventions.

Interest continued to grow, so Malcolm and Paul developed a|state into a beautiful hardback book.

This debuted at Edinburgh gaming con Conpulsion in 2004 and went on to find an enthusiastic audience around the world. The production values of first edition were way above what any indie publication of its size had any right to be.

Further books with more contributors followed over the next few years, and the audience for a|state was still hungry for more when Malcolm and Paul eventually moved on to other projects. Now a|state returns, with a retooled system and all the original creators on board.

You can find out more at a|state’s own page. And grab the free introduction to the setting and a complete scenario here.

20th May 202120th May 2021

BEOWULF is Here!

It’s happened: the very first copies of BEOWULF: Age of Heroes!

There’s no feeling like it – to get your hands on the thing you’ve made, to realise it’s fully real. Many of you have shared this journey with us, from Kickstarter all the way to completed article, and we’re delighted to have had you on board. It’s been an epic Whale Road of it own!

So – a great big mead-thumping thank you, to you our readers, and to our lovely and supportive friends:

‘An epic tale deserves an epic game system. This is that system’ – John Kovalic

Breathtaking… staggering… atmospheric in the extreme. It’s as if you were stepping into 6th Century Scandinavia and boarding a longship’ – John Gwynne

‘Really magical’ – Will Hindmarch

‘A vast treasure hoard’ – Francesco Nepitello

‘A magnificent accomplishment’ – Lou Anders

‘Brimming with brutal authenticity’ – Snorri Kristjans

‘Ingenious, beautiful, epic, enormous’ – Angus Watson

And to Maria Dahvana Headley for our foreword.

We’re almost ready to lose ourselves in the ultimate adventure – orders for the book will replace pre-orders in our SHOP very soon. Whether you’re a follower of god, or of the old ways, whether you’re a lone Hero with your trusty companions, or part of a party of intrepid and courageous adventurers, this is a world of great legend and old lore, of mysteries and monsters, and of true, high-hearted heroics…

So join us, as we journey in the world of BEOWULF!

14th May 20212nd June 2021

Friday News Update – May 14th

Back to the Table SALE!

This weekend, we’re celebrating the return of round-the-table gaming with a SALE on our RPG accessories.

Sign up to our newsletter for your SALE code, and you can save precious gold on mats, maps, dice trays and our award-winning family card game, The Forest Dragon. Almost everything you need to get back to dungeoneering (apart from the biscuits).

Dungeon Tiles – just add Adventuring Party (and monsters)!

Signing up for our newsletter will also give you regular extra peeks from Jon and the team – including exclusive info, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and early warnings when cool new stuff hits our stores.

This week, though, the big news: BEOWULF has arrived in Germany!

If you’re a kickstarter backer, or you’ve pre-ordered your copy: –

From the UK, then the books should here any minute, and we will ship them to you, along with your UK rewards

From the EU, you should receive your book in the coming weeks.

From the US – more info as we have it.

You can follow our updates on the Handiwork site.

If you haven’t yet ordered your copy, the book is available to pre-order in our STORE. In the meantime, you can download the .pdf from DriveThru, and have a good look through our BEOWULF scenarios and adventures!

And on the subject of adventures – have a cheeky freebie!

In proud celebration our Scots language and people, Jon and Paul bring you BEOWULF Scots portent tables:

If you’re not a native speaker, then have fun looking these up on Google!

We also have a new BEOWULF quest coming very soon! This one is written by Elaine Lithgow, comes complete with Jon’s always-gorgeous maps, and is suitable for a Hero or Heroes of 4^th/5^th level.

From the opening paragraph: Our Hero is approached by a desperate young woman who begs them to come with her and save her village from a gargantuan sea serpent known as the Stoor Wurm. The village lies on a rocky peninsula blasted by frigid winds to the farthest-north. Here, people have lived in fear of the Stoor Wurm for generations…

Plus, this week’s HANDIMONSTER is one of our favourites.

Jacob and Scott have truly outdone themselves. Meet the Lord of Ambition, wanderer of the multiverse, unstuck in time and space. He may offer you knowledge, but beware…

Join our Patreon for a new, fully detailed monster every Monday, plus all sorts of adventure and scenario ideas.

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BEOWULF Limited Edition. We may have squeeed a little.

11th May 202118th May 2021

The Eormenultur has landed! BEOWULF books arrive in Germany

Exciting news!

We have BEOWULF books in Germany! Thanks to Patric and Christine for these photos.

7th May 20212nd June 2021

Friday News Update – May 7th

Updates for BEOWULF – and a|state!

We now have have FOUR full adventures for our BEOWULF setting. These include our ENnies-nominated intro, The Hermit’s Sanctuary, The Three Ogre Brothers, which comes as part of the main BEOWULF rulebook, plus two adventures more recently released – Horror at Herrogate and The Witches and The Wyrm. And, thanks to feedback from our backers, we’re delighted to release some updated content!

7th May 202118th May 2021

Caring in the City with Morgan Davie

The next stage of the a|state second edition is complete!

Our intro-adventure Nicely, Done was played by fully forty playtest groups. Incorporating their feedback, Morgan, Malcolm, Gregor and Paul have created a complete and fully illustrated, 132-page preview edition of the a|state rulebook.

This will go to Kickstarter backers AS SOON AS you back the project – so keep your eyes peeled for more news!

With your help, we can unlock a whole swathe of game and setting expansions, detailing more of The City.

Here, line developer Morgan Davie gives us a sneaky glimpse into some of the new rules. They’re built on Forged in the Dark foundations, so we can best present a|state’s location, feel and gameplay:

30th April 202118th May 2021

Friday News Update – April 30th

A brand new scenario for our BEOWULF setting!

Now available at DriveThru, The Witches and the Wyrm sees your Hero face the serpent undying, in the hope of restoring time…

And, to go with new scenario news – our BEOWULF page proofs have arrived!

Jon and Paul have a good look through them, and we should have the finished article very soon. If you’ve got one on pre-order, then your wait shouldn’t be much longer.

In the meantime, the .pdf is also available from DriveThru, and we’ll update you about the physical book as soon as we can.

And a huge thank you to the mighty John Kovalic!

And, just in case, you haven’t heard us shouting – we have DICE. Gorgeously coloured, proper outsize, click-clack d20 maths rocks, made by Q-Workshop for BEOWULF. We still have a few of the limited edition sets left, so grab yours quick!

For more adventures, try this week’s HANDIMONSTER!

The Flesh Fungus is a larder keeper… but it’s not going to hang about until you die of natural causes. You can find out all the gorgeous, gruesome facts, plus full stats and lore, when you join our Patreon. Starting at only £2.50 a month, it’ll give you a whole manual of monsters and all sorts of suggestions for adventures, including maps and scenario outlines.

And this week’s bonus content takes you to Magisterio College, Kardoshevk City, where you can learn all about the Primordial Realms…

To keep up with BEOWULF and all our other news, please follow us on our Socials!

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28th April 202118th May 2021

BEOWULF Print Proofs Have Arrived!

It’s happened: print proofs of BEOWULF Age of Heroes have arrived!

We’re almost there – our print proofs have arrived and Jon and Paul have given them that all important read-through. They’re looking absolutely beautiful (as you can see).

We’ll be despatching your pre-orders in a couple of weeks’ time – ready for you to lose ourselves in the ultimate 5e adventure!

In the meantime, you can grab the .pdf on DriveThru!

Whether you’re a follower of god, or of the old ways, whether you’re a lone Hero with your trusty followers, or a part of that party of intrepid and courageous adventurers, this is a world of great legends and old lore, of mysteries and monsters, and of true, high-hearted heroics…

Find out everything you need to know about the world of BEOWULF!

23rd April 202118th May 2021

Friday News Update – April 23rd

Calling all Dice Goblins!

They’re already so popular, we’ve put the pre-order up early! Treat your click-clack Goblin self to this set of three, chunky boi d20. Each one is 31mm across (a normal d20 is 19mm), and designed with the legends and lore of our BEOWULF setting in mind.

Every set comes in its own pouch, but the FIRST HUNDRED SETS SOLD will be limited edition – coming with a BEOWULF pin badge and a card signed by the designers, Jon Hodgson and Paul Bourne.

Of course, if you’re not a BEOWULF player, and you just like those lovely maths rocks, then that works too. Giant dice are great for DMs, so the players can see as you make those tense and all-important rolls, and what 5e character doesn’t need their very own d20?

You could even roll them for our HANDIMONSTER encounters! This week’s new 5e beastie is the MOAT TERROR, lurking about the outsides of castles everywhere – and in lakes, ponds, canals and slow-moving rivers. A mass of mouths and tentacles, its unknown creator may even have crafted it to defend some forgotten space.

Or perhaps not so forgotten…

Get a new monster every week when you sign up to our Patreon.

And something we’ve haven’t talked about nearly enough – the second edition of a|state is almost done! Take yourself away from monsters and moats, legends and lore, bards and beasties… and travel instead the crumbling streets of The City. Lose yourself, lose your mind, lose your soul. And make sure you watch the shadows…

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