About this project
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E
$67,856
897
ASTONISHING SWORDSMEN & SORCERERS OF HYPERBOREA 2nd Edition
The premier sword-and-sorcery RPG, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea™, will be rereleased in Second Edition hardback format!
This award-nominated tabletop RPG will be presented in a single tome, expanded to include new classes, spells, monsters, magic items, and more.
AS&SH™ Second Edition will come bundled with a massive, 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA.
The Second Edition also will feature hundreds of new illustrations, as well as new layout and typography.
What is AS&SH?
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea is the creation of Jeffrey P. Talanian (Castle Zagyg, Charnel Crypt of the Sightless Serpent, Mystery at Port Greely). It is a role-playing game inspired by the fiction of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith, with rules descended from the original 1974 fantasy wargame and miniatures campaign rules as conceived by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
The heroes of an AS&SH game delve dungeons filled with horrifying monsters, lethal traps, and bewildering puzzles; they explore savage wilderness frontiers and hostile borderlands; they probe ancient ruins and investigate cursed tombs; they match steel against sorcery and sorcery against steel; and they plunder for gold, gems, and magical treasure.
HYPERBOREA is the default campaign setting for Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. This “flat earth” realm is hemmed in by the mystical boreas (“North Wind”), and under the scarlet light of a bloated, dying sun, its roiling seas spill eternal over the world’s rim. Hyperborea is in a perpetual state of decay, populated by disharmonious men, hostile monsters, and weird, alien beings.
What Kind of Character Can I Play?
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea embraces traditional character archetypes with subclasses thereof. The 4 principal classes are as follows:
- Fighter: a swordsman, bowman, or other warrior type
- Magician: a sorcerer who memorizes arcane formulæ and casts spells
- Cleric: an armed and armoured mystic sorcerer
- Thief: a nimble swordsman possessed of numerous specialized skills
The game also features 22 subclasses from which to choose:
FIGHTER SUBCLASSES
- Barbarian: an outland warrior possessed of feral instincts
- Berserker: a rampaging shock trooper renowned for unbridled battle rage
- Cataphract (Knight): an armoured horseman and warrior elite
- Huntsman: a wilderness warrior who glories in the hunt
- Paladin: a champion who crusades for justice and Law
- Ranger: a borderland fighter, frontiersman, and defender
- Warlock: a spell-weaving fighter who wields steel and sorcery interchangeably
MAGICIAN SUBCLASSES
- Cryomancer: a sorcerer who commands the elemental power of ice
- Illusionist: a sorcerer who evokes phantasms and manipulates shadows and light
- Necromancer: a sorcerer who practices black magic and communicates with the dead
- Pyromancer: a sorcerer who commands the elemental power of fire
- Witch (Wizard): a sorcerer who brews potions, divines portents, and lays curses
CLERIC SUBCLASSES
- Druid: a mystic sorcerer empowered by ancestral, elemental, and animistic spirits
- Monk: a warrior-priest who strives for physical and mental mastery
- Priest: a chaplain mystic of prodigious spell-casting capacity
- Runegraver: a mystic warrior who carves runic spells on bone, metal, stone, and wood
- Shaman (Witch Doctor): a primal sorcerer who confers with ancestral and totem spirits
THIEF SUBCLASSES
- Assassin: a thief who specializes in murder and intrigue
- Bard (Skald): a warrior, scholar, and weaver of enchanted lyrics and/or music
- Legerdemainist: an adept thief who also commands the power of sorcery
- Purloiner: a religious thief who also practices the esoteric mysticism of a cleric
- Scout: a lightly armed explorer, intelligence gatherer, and stealth master
Some of the above mentioned subclasses (huntsman, cryomancer, runegraver, purloiner) are new to AS&SH, making their official debut in this Second Edition hardback!
HYPERBOREA is home to various races and cultures of mankind. Some examples include Amazons, Atlanteans, Esquimaux, Hyperboreans, Ixians, Kelts, Kimmerians, Lemurians, Picts, and Vikings. These are inspired by pulp fiction, mythology, and history.
For What Awards Has AS&SH Been Nominated?
After the original boxed set edition of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea was released in 2012, it was nominated for several awards.
North Texas RPG Con 2013, Three Castles RPG Design Award
ENnie Awards 2013, Best Game
ENnie Awards 2013, Best Production Values
ENnie Awards 2013, Product of the Year
Tell Me More about This New Edition!
The Second Edition of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea will be presented in sturdy hardback format, with Smyth-sewn case binding and cardinal red end sheets. The cover will be full colour, interiors black and white. The pages will be thick, durable 70# paper. Current estimates range from 420–500 pages. This will be an all-in-one presentation, a single tome containing the following volumes:
VOLUME I: Swordsmen & Sorcerers
VOLUME II: Sorcery
VOLUME III: Adventure & Combat
VOLUME IV: Bestiary
VOLUME V: Treasure
VOLUME VI: Hyperborea Gazetteer
Each book will include a 32 × 40-inch full colour map of HYPERBOREA, folded to an 8 × 8-inch square and tucked behind the cover. The map was hand-created by Glynn Seal of MonkeyBlood Design. Glynn drew the map to actual size—a massive undertaking. He penciled, inked, and coloured the entire thing. Then, he used graphics software to render final embellishments.
This is the whole of HYPERBOREA, an hexagonal “flat earth” realm hemmed in by the mystical boreas, whose seas spill to the infinity of the Black Gulf. It is attended by oddly shaped moons, and its sun is a red giant that sheds little warmth. Saturn is prominent in the sky, and celestial phenomena are often. At the centre of the realm rises Mount Vhuurmithadon, an extinct, treble-peaked volcano said to be home to dæmons, monsters, and gods.
Additional Art!
We have brought in several new artists whose work will join the well-received art of Ian Baggley as published in the original edition of AS&SH. Some of these artists have worked with us before on other projects, and others are new to AS&SH. New artists include Daisey Bingham, Johnathan Bingham, Charles Lang, Peter Mullen, Russ Nicholson, Glynn Seal, Val Semeiks, Jason Sholtis, Logan Talanian, and Del Teigeler.
So, What’s Different about This “Second Edition”?
One of our slogans for the Second Edition of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea is “Same Game, Same Rules, More Content!”—and we really mean that! In the words of editor David Prata:
“The hardcover Second Edition includes new classes, spells, monsters, and magic items. Errata have been incorporated, and ambiguities clarified, but no substantive rules changes have been made. This Second Edition is not a wholly new game to be learnt; it remains fully compatible with the AS&SH original edition boxed set.”
In other words, one can bring his original edition boxed set to a game of AS&SH, and it will work seamlessly with the new Second Edition hardback.
Pledge Level Rewards
$1 TIP JAR. You will receive all project updates, and you have our gratitude.
$15 AS&SH SECOND EDITION PDF. You will receive a PDF of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E, including a PDF of the HYPERBOREA map.
$59 AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N) + PDF. You will receive a signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian) hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. You also will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF.
$99 BLUE FOIL AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N). You will receive a limited, signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. You also will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF.
$105 RETAILER PACKAGE. You will receive three (3) signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian) hardback books of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Enclosed in each book will be a 32 × 40-inch full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. Proof of retail shop required.
$699 SEMEIKS ILLUSTRATION + BLUE FOIL AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N). You will receive an original, one-of-a-kind, 11 × 17-inch illustration by AS&SH artist Val Semeiks. You also will receive a limited, signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. Additionally, you will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF. Limited to 12 customers (first come, first served).
$999 SEMEIKS FRONTISPIECE + BLUE FOIL AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N).
You will receive an original, one-of-a-kind, 11 × 17-inch illustration by AS&SH artist Val Semeiks. Each of these six illustrations functions as a frontispiece for its respective volume within the book. They include Volume I: Swordsmen & Sorcerers; Volume II: Sorcery; Volume III: Adventure & Combat; Volume IV: Bestiary; Volume V: Treasure; and Volume VI: Hyperborea Gazetteer.
You also will receive a limited, signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. Additionally, you will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF. Limited to 6 customers (first come, first served).
$1099 GLYNN SEAL HYPERBOREA MAP + BLUE FOIL AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N). You will receive the original, one-of-a-kind HYPERBOREA map created by Glynn Seal of MonkeyBlood Design. This 32 × 40-inch original map is in full colour, created with pencils and inks. Note that the map is unlabeled; labels were computer-generated after its creation.
You also will receive a limited, signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. Additionally, you will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF. Limited to 1 customer (first come, first served).
$1499 CHARLES LANG BACK COVER PAINTING + BLUE FOIL AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N). You will receive the original, one-of-a-kind back cover painting of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. It was painted by horror and weird-fantasy artist Charles Lang.
You also will receive a limited, signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. Additionally, you will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF. Limited to 1 customer (first come, first served).
$2499 CHARLES LANG FRONT COVER PAINTING + BLUE FOIL AS&SH SECOND EDITION HARDBACK BOOK (S&N). You will receive the original, one-of-a-kind front cover painting of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. It was painted by horror and weird-fantasy artist Charles Lang.
You also will receive a limited, signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea 2E. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. Enclosed in the book will be a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA. Additionally, you will receive a complimentary AS&SH 2E PDF. Limited to 1 customer (first come, first served).
Stretch Goals
This Kickstarter campaign features some exciting stretch goals! Additional art, content, and physical features to the book. Help us attain these goals!
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $17,500 PETER MULLEN ILLUSTRATED END SHEETS. Peter has already illustrated two frighteningly evocative pictures that form a single piece. If we achieve this initial stretch goal, we will have these printed on the cardinal red end sheets of the hardback—a grand scene that stretches from the front of the book to the back of the book.
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $20,000 VAL SEMEIKS FRONTISPIECES COLOURED BY DAISEY BINGHAM. Val has pencilled and inked six amazing, atmospheric, volume-dividing frontispiece illustrations. If we can achieve this second stretch goal, we will present these illustrations digitally coloured by Daisey Bingham. These colour pieces will be tipped in and sewn into the otherwise black-and-white book. Help us bring some colour to AS&SH!
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $22,500 SATIN BOOKMARK. The hardback will include a lovely satin bookmark if this stretch goal is crossed.
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $25,000 GLYNN SEAL HAND-DRAWN CHARACTER SHEET. This letter-sized, four-page AS&SH character sheet, hand-drawn by Glynn Seal, will be included in an appendix of the book and also as a free, downloadable and easily printable PDF.
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $27,500 AS&SH READY REFERENCE SHEETS PDF. This graphically embellished PDF can be used by the referee for easy reference to the most pertinent tables and other information. Affixed to foam board or other like materials, the AS&SH Ready Reference Sheets also can serve as a referee’s screen.
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $30,000 INTRODUCTORY ADVENTURE. An introductory HYPERBOREA adventure, “The Black Moss-Hag of Lug”, will be presented in an appendix of the book. It was written by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian, and will include a hand-drawn map by Glynn Seal.
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $35,000 STARTING VILLAGE. A starting village that will accompany the introductory HYPERBOREA adventure, “The Black Moss-Hag of Lug”. It was written by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian, and will include a hand-drawn map by Glynn Seal.
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $40,000 ROGUES GALLERY. A cast of iconic characters presented in an appendix of the book, each illustrated by Val Semeiks. Each character will include statistics for the 1st, 5th, and 9th level of experience. Use them as PCs or NPCs!
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $50,000 ADDITIONAL ART. We will commission more art for this already art-rich book! Monsters, items, spells, and more!
***ACHIEVED!!!*** $60,000 SATIN BOOKMARK #2. The hardback will include another lovely satin bookmark.
Add ons!
We have several exciting add-ons to offer. To pledge for an add-on, you simply increase your pledge amount to cover the add-on price. So, if you pledge for a $59 AS&SH book, and you want to add a second book, simply increase your pledge to $118. After the KS campaign is over, we will send a survey to you to find out what extra items you want.
Please note that add-ons, like the base pledges, are for product only; they do not include shipping fees, which are detailed below.
The add-ons to this Kickstarter campaign are as follow:
ADD-ON ADVENTURE MODULES
+$20 ADD AN ADVENTURE MODULE. Add an adventure module from one of our past Kickstarter campaigns. Choices include the following:
- Beneath the Comet™ (Ball)
- Forgotten Fane of the Coiled Goddess™ (Salvador)
- Ghost Ship of the Desert Dunes™ (Talanian)
- The Mystery at Port Greely™ (Talanian)
Want more than one of these titles? Simply add increments of +$20 per title, and we’ll ask you which ones you chose when we survey you after the Kickstarter campaign ends.
ADD-ON BOOKS
+$59 ADD AN EXTRA AS&SH 2E BOOK (S&N). Add a signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian) hardback book to your pledge. The book will include a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA.
+$99 ADD AN EXTRA BLUE FOIL AS&SH 2E BOOK (S&N). Add a signed and numbered (by AS&SH creator, Jeffrey Talanian), foil-stamped hardback book to your pledge. Metallic, ice-blue foil will be stamped on the masthead and the spine. The book will include a 32 × 40-inch, full-colour map of HYPERBOREA.
ADD-ON MAPS
+$15 ADD AN EXTRA MAP (FOLDED). An extra 32 × 40-inch, folded map of HYPERBOREA.
+$20 ADD AN EXTRA MAP (UNFOLDED). An extra 32 × 40-inch map of HYPERBOREA, unfolded. This map will be rolled up and placed in a mailing tube or triangular container.
+$99 ADD A CANVAS MAP. This gorgeous, high-end cloth map (also 32 × 40-inches) of HYPERBOREA on heavy canvas will be rolled up and placed in a mailing tube or triangular container.
ADD-ON T-SHIRT
+$25 ADD A T-SHIRT. This will be a grey shirt featuring the stunning artwork of Val Semeiks and the beautiful colours of Daisey Bingham. You will be surveyed for your shirt size following the campaign.
Shipping
Shipping fees will be billed after the campaign (later in 2017 when it is time to fulfill) through PayPal. If PayPal is not a viable option for you, please don’t be deterred from pledging. We have other billing options, such as Square. Here is a breakdown of estimated shipping fees in the USA, Canada, and the rest of the world. (See note below on estimates.) You must pay your shipping fees in order to receive your item(s)!
AS&SH 2E BOOK (Standard or Blue Foil Edition) ESTIMATED SHIPPING FEES
- USA SHIPPING = $6 (Media Mail) or $12 (Priority Mail)
- CANADA SHIPPING = $45
- REST OF THE WORLD SHIPPING = $56
AS&SH ORIGINAL ART ESTIMATED SHIPPING FEES (must ship in separate container; does not include shipping for book)
- USA SHIPPING = $25
- CANADA SHIPPING = $40
- REST OF THE WORLD SHIPPING = $50
Original art pledges are packaged separately and insured.
ESTIMATED SHIPPING FEES FOR ADD-ONS
We will attempt to work with you as best as possible. If you are in the USA and you wish to order, for example, an extra book and a T-shirt, you will not need to pay any more than the basic $12 Priority Mail fee, because we can put these items in the same box and send them at Flat Rate shipping. Other items (like an unfolded map) must be sent in a separate container. Note that shirts cannot be sent media mail, but books can.
Simply put, add-ons add weight to your package and in many cases will affect your shipping rate. If you have concerns, do not hesitate to contact Jeffrey Talanian of North Wind Adventures through this Kickstarter page or through www.HYPERBOREA.tv.
We can, however, accurately estimate the cost to ship an unfolded map or a canvas map, because these require their own separate (triangular prism) container to ship.
UNFOLDED / CANVAS MAP ESTIMATED SHIPPING FEES
- USA SHIPPING = $13
- CANADA SHIPPING = $35
- REST OF THE WORLD SHIPPING = $45
NOTE ON ESTIMATED SHIPPING: The above shipping fees are estimates based on current USPS rates. We reserve the right to alter these fees if USPS implements a new pricing structure before we ship.
FINAL COMMENT ON SHIPPING FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: North Wind Adventures is a small company run from the home office of Jeffrey Talanian, the creator of AS&SH. Our products are not in the distribution chain at this time, and we do not have global print partners. We do short print runs on all our gaming products, here in the USA, and we have a hands-on approach, aiming for the highest quality in production values. We understand and sympathize with the concerns of our international customers: Shipping is dreadfully expensive, in some cases more than the cost of the product itself. The AS&SH Second Edition book will weigh over 4 pounds. This means it cannot be shipped First Class International; it must be sent Priority Mail International.
Our advice to international customers who can’t afford the shipping fees—or who simply can’t justify the expense—is this: Pledge at our PDF level. Print the PDF, have it hole-drilled, and place it in a three-ring binder. We intend to explore the prospects of print on demand (POD) in foreign countries, but it is not something we intend to pursue at this time.
Final Word!
Thank you for considering pledging your support to the Second Edition of Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. I hope you enjoy the game. Maybe we will have the chance to roll some dice together at a future gaming convention. Excelsior!
Cheers,
Jeffrey Talanian
North Wind Adventures, LLC
Credits
Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea Second Edition
Text: Jeffrey P. Talanian
Editing: David Prata
Cover Art: Charles Lang
Interior Art: Ian Baggley, Daisey Bingham, Johnathan Bingham, Charles Lang, Peter Mullen, Russ Nicholson, Glynn Seal, Val Semeiks, Jason Sholtis, Logan Talanian, Del Teigeler
Cartography: Glynn Seal
AS&SH Music Video
Video: Michael Neel
Music: After Shokk
Support independent music! After Shokk’s album Evolution is now available on iTunes and Amazon.
Risks and challenges
Every Kickstarter project has its share of potential obstacles, and this one is no different. However, please consider that this game is already written. Indeed, it is going through various revisions: New classes, spells, monsters, and magic items have been added, and some of those monsters and items are still in progress, but 95% of the writing is complete. In fact, a good third of the editing already is done, too. We waited to launch this campaign until the bulk of the art was in, and the map was complete. These benchmarks have been accomplished. We’re in great shape at launch, and we are setting a conservative fulfilment month. Our past campaigns were met with great success, and we expect that this one will be no different. Pledge with confidence!
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Funding period
- (30 days)