Take a look into the files of archaeologist Danni Cipher & explore the Ages of the Super-Hero in this Super-powered by M&M product!
Deus ex Historica - Gods from the Ages
UPDATE: Our main goal to produce the book is $3500, but if we can get to $5000, I would also be able to get a version of Deus ex Historica done for either BASH or ICONS, both of which several folks have asked about. If we get to that point, everyone that pledges enough to get a PDF will get the PDF of both versions, and everyone that pledged for a print copy will get their choice of system!
Welcome to the Kickstarter campaign for 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming's first Super-powered by M&M product, a supplement for Green Ronin's 3rd edition of the M&M RPG!
With Deus ex Historica, you take a look into the files of future archaeologist Danni Cipher, and explore the Ages of the Super-Hero: from their Golden Age beginning, straight through to the Modern Age. Follow the way these comic book eras focused on different styles, struggles, attitudes and even powers, for hero and villain alike.
You can step into the role of any one of four dozen ready-made heroes, to take up their struggles against dozens of their most diabolical foes! Golden, Silver, Bronze, Iron, Modern; each age presents its own team of heroes and the criminals and maniacs that they opposed, good to go straight from the book.
Who and Why
Deus ex Historica has been designed and developed by Don Walsh and James Stubbs to be compatible with Green Ronin's 3rd edition of the Mutants & Masterminds RPG. Don has written and developed plot, history, characters, and scenarios, and run several international events for NERO Massachusetts, the founding chapter of NERO, the New England Roleplaying Organization, and James has done work for Deep7 as well as the company he co-owns, Heyoka Studios, primarily in the Deep7 1PG System and in the d20 System.
We have a lot of art already completed, as you can see in the video, but we still need to finish some of the art, complete editing and then layout. We are looking to raise $3500 to help us finish the production of the book so we can send it to our partners at Studio 2 Publishing for printing of the paperback edition. The funds raised will also allow us to produce a limited edition hardcover edition of the book, available no where else but directly from us! Deus ex Historica will have the highest page count by far of any book we have yet produced at somewhere around 300 pages!
Tier Rewards
There are eleven different tiers to choose from, but five of the tiers are special rewards. Two of them are geared directly for retailers, allowing for the possibility of the limited edition hardcover to be available in retail outlets. As stated above, the hardcover will NOT be available any other way. Books to be shipped to retailer backers will ONLY be shipped to an address that includes a verifiable retailer business name. No personal or third party addresses, please!
The other three special tier rewards give folks that chose those tiers the chance to contribute material that will be exclusive to the limited edition hardcover! The Armored Hero level allows you to name an evil minion mentioned in the book (it could even be your own name!) and the Mutated Hero level allows you to give us a 20-word description of either a hero OR a villain, which we will include in the book, with full stats and powers and complete with illustration. The Ultimate Hero level gets you a one-of-a-kind, custom multi-character piece of art by Jim Scanlin depicting up to 6 heroes and our villains!
And remember, with Kickstarter, it's goal or nothing. If we don't reach our goal, you won't be charged. But we want to make it, so help spread the word and get us to our goal, because then that opens up stretch goal rewards!
Stretch Goals
If our goal of $3500 is reached, we will extend the number of limited edition hardcovers available from 100 to 200, and the number of retailer levels 1 & 2 packages available from 10 to 20.
If the goal manages to reach $5000, everyone who contributes – even at the $5 level – will receive their original tier reward plus a randomly selected 8x10 print of one of the pieces of interior art. PLUS! Everyone who contributes - even at the $5 level - will receive a second print, this one of one of the pieces by artist Jim Scanlin, and it will be SIGNED by the artist!
If the goal manages to reach the $10,000 level, we will have all of the interior artwork colored and the limited edition copies of the book will be printed in full color (the regular paperback edition will still be b&w).
Video by: Jonathan Crummett
Music: "Military March" by Alastair Cameron and "Crisis de Identidad #1749 (Identidad #2006 por Vate)" by Deus Ex Machina ( both via Free Music Archive)
Gamers: Justin Barba, Amy Farrington, Justin Farrington (GM), Patrick Greenwell and CJ Ruby
Artwork ©2011-2012 4 Winds Fantasy Gaming
FAQ
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Great question! For the video, we wanted some of our already published books to be seen, but all of our books to date are PFRPG-compatible. It only made sense for the gamers to be playing Pathfinder if those books were going to be lying around.
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We aren't giving information on how to play in those comic eras - as you say, Green Ronin has done that already, with entire sourcebooks from the 2nd edition of the game and section in the 3rd edition rulebook. We are instead providing a number of heroes and villains from the different eras and making sure each is unique and distinct to their comic era. Too many roster books do not spend enough time on differentiating characters for the different comic eras.
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It is not specifically a time-travel setting. The future archaeologist Danni Cipher, though, is a time traveler. She is the eyes the rest of the characters in the book are seen through. It's not actually a setting itself, either. It is a collection of heroes and villains from all eras of comics that can be used as PCs or NPCs. Their stories can be used to flesh out the GM's existing setting (which is stated in the voice over in the video).
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As a matter of fact, March 2012 marks our 3rd anniversary in the RPG industry! We have published numerous products in the past 3 years for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game by Paizo, including both print and PDF-only products. You can check out our previous publications at these links:
http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=98
http://paizo.com/store/byCompany/09/4WindsFantasyGaming
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/index.php?&manufacturers_id=2680
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Good question! Here's what you do. Pick a reward tier you like, such as the $25 Minion level, which nets you a paperback copy and a PDF. Multiply the amount of that level by the number of books you want, and enter that amount as your pledge, then simply send me a note on what you've done and I'll make note of it in my records. Then, when it's time to ship, I'll know to ship you the requisite number of books!
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That's a good question, and the answer is that we specifically set out to emulate the specific comic eras, so for those eras the costumes were specifically designed to reflect that comic era's look.
That said, I invite you too look at the art in the updates. Sonar Girl wears practical clothing: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/4wfg/deus-ex-historica/posts/206629
As does Joyride (part of the duo known as Twoccers) - in fact, she's just in normal clothes - jeans and tank top: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/4wfg/deus-ex-historica/posts/206629
Rotoscope (though technically Rotoscope is a hermaphrodite and not a female) - like Joyride, Rotoscope wears normal clothing: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/4wfg/deus-ex-historica/posts/199474
And on our Facebook page, Troubleshooter is dressed as a 1940s TV cowboy: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150467727205122&set=a.414354220121.373334.385138025121&type=3&theater
Also, in the video above is Spring-heeled Jill (:12 in) in a full body suit with cape, Skybolt (:19 in) in a fully body suit, Dani Cipher (1:23 in) in armor, and Davi Jones (2:13 in) - and I would argue that as an aquatic being, her one piece bathing suit is practical for her :).
Finally, from the cover, there is Redeemer (with the brown hair on the left) - full body suit and cape and (again) Skybolt (blonde on the right).
All in all, I think the female characters seen so far, and the ones not yet seen, are overwhelmingly practically dressed. I think the ones that could be considered to be not practically dressed that have been seen so far are Blood Lily, Barb and FlashFire - and yet they do accurately reflect the appearance of the comic book heroes and villains of the comic era they are from.
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Funding period
Mar 23, 2012 -
Apr 30, 2012
- 2 created · 11 backed
- Robert W Thomson 520 friends
- Website: 4windsfantasygaming.com
Pledge $5 or more
4 backers
Innocent Bystander - Your name will appear in a list of special thank you credits in the back of the book!
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $10 or more
19 backers
Helpful Citizen - Your name will appear in a list of special thank you credits in the back of the book, and you will get a PDF copy of the book!
Estimated delivery: Sep 2012Pledge $25 or more
30 backers
Minion - Your name will appear in a list of special thank you credits in the back of the book, and you will get both a PDF copy and a paperback print copy of the book! Please add $10 for shipping to locations outside the US.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $50 or more
4 backers
Sidekick - Your name will appear in a list of special thank you credits in the back of the book, and you will get both a PDF copy and a paperback print copy of the book! PLUS, you will receive an 8x10 print of the cover art, signed by artist Kristen M. Collins! Please add $10 for shipping to locations outside the US.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $90 or more
1 backer Limited (9 of 10 left)
Special Retailer Tier #1 - As a retailer, you will receive 3 copies of the Limited Edition Hardcover edition of the book. This edition will not be made available through any other channels (the paperback edition will be available through our partners at Studio 2 Publishing). I will pay shipping to retailers within the US, but retailers outside the US should include an extra $20 for shipping.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $100 or more
6 backers Limited (94 of 100 left)
Street-level Hero - Your name will appear in a list of special thank you credits in the back of the book, and you will get a PDF copy, a paperback print copy, AND a Hardcover Limited Edition copy of the book! PLUS, you will receive an 8x10 print of the cover art, signed by artist Kristen M. Collins! Please add $15 for shipping to locations outside the US.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $115 or more
3 backers Limited (7 of 10 left)
Armored Hero - As the Street-level Hero tier, plus your name (or the name of your choice) included in the limited edition hardcover edition of the book as the name of an evil minion serving one of the villains! Please add $15 for shipping to locations outside the US.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $150 or more
1 backer Limited (9 of 10 left)
Special Retailer Tier #2 - As a retailer, you will receive 5 copies of the Limited Edition Hardcover edition of the book. This edition will not be made available through any other channels (the paperback edition will be available through our partners at Studio 2 Publishing). I will pay shipping to retailers within the US, but retailers outside the US should include an extra $45 for shipping.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $200 or more
1 backer Limited (9 of 10 left)
Mutated Hero - As the Street-level Hero tier, plus a fully-stated and illustrated hero or villain (your choice) based on your 20-word description included in the limited edition hardcover edition of the book! Please add $15 for shipping to locations outside the US.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $400 or more
1 backer Limited (4 of 5 left)
Paragon Hero - As the Mutated Hero tier, plus you will receive a randomly selected piece of original line art used in the book! Please add $15 for shipping to locations outside the US.
Estimated delivery: Oct 2012Pledge $500 or more
1 backer All gone!
Ultimate Hero - As the Mutated Hero, plus an original, one-of-a-kind, custom piece of artwork by artist Jim Scanlin (who did Second Hand Jim Gallows, as seen in Update #2). Jim will create a piece of art depicting up to 6 characters - heroes or villains - based on your description. Want your entire gaming group's hero squad? You got it! Want up to 5 heroes facing off against their arch-enemy? You got it! This piece will be unique for you, and will not appear in the Deus ex Historica book.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012
