Today’s review of tabletop gaming Kickstarter projects focuses on two sets of supplements for ENnie Award-winning roleplaying games that first launched on Kickstarter. Plus bonus links to two Euro-style board games and two more roleplaying games (they may deserve their own write-ups, but by the time I got around to one of these again, they might be over). Because you can never have enough RPG books on your shelf (note: my wife would vigorously contest that last assertion, which may have something to do with the RPG books having expanded beyond their designated massive shelf).

No Thank You, Evil! The Adventures Continue: You may remember No Thank You, Evil from its original Kickstarter, which we buzzed about in may of last year. This RPG is exclusively focused on kids as its players (which is highly relevant to those, like me, who have such creatures populating their home). It’s a vibrant and whimsical setting, with three ‘difficulty levels’ of rules for kids of different ages. It’s easy to feel like the game is a bit sparse, but since the whole point is to be able to sit down and do an RPG session with little kids, that’s kind of necessary. The Adventures Continue Kickstarter has two products. The more relevant, to me, is called Uh-Oh, Monsters! … because it comes with three already-made adventures (and a monster book, 30 new monster cards, and 15 standees). The other component is Story, Please! – an adventure-building deck of cards (story cards, place cards, stuff cards, twist cards, etc.). I put this as less important, for me, because those kids I mentioned take up a lot of time, so (as long-time readers will be well aware) I like my adventures fully formed, and the Story Please deck is still only providing ideas. Getting the two new products is $50 (free shipping in the U.S.), or $90 if you want the basic version of the base game. No Thank You, Evil! The Adventures continues is on Kickstarter through November 11, 2016, and is currently around 85% funded.

Shadows Of Esterern – Daerg: Like No Thank You, Evil!, Shadows of Esterern started out on Kickstarter and has won ENnie awards. Unlike NTYE, this one should probably be kept far away from the kids. Shadows of Esteren is an RPG dripping with adjectives I like on RPGs, such as dark, medieval, horror, and gothic – it is low fantasy, but with some grim and powerful things out there (I like good old high fantasy too, but between Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder that part of my shelf is pretty occupied). There have been several ‘core’ books (Book 0 through Book 2; a PDF of Book 0 is available for free on DriveThruRPG), and other supplements, mostly (maybe all) launched through Kickstarter. Daerg is the next ‘core’ book (Book 3), and is a two-volume campaign (this Kickstarter is for the first book and a later Kickstarter will fund the second, although there is an option to back both at once now). The Daerg campaign uses narrative arcs, focuses, and modular scenarios. Narrative arcs are character-specific, and are theme-based (love, guilt, and such). These are furthered through focuses, special sessions where the story advances the personal story of one of the PCs, with the other players taking on NPC roles in that story. The overall Daerg campaign aims to focus on themes of love, despair, beauty, and death. The full Daerg adventure covers two books – the base pledge is $50 for the first book, with a total of $90 for both (with the second book to be shipped later). Shadows of Esteren: Daerg runs on Kickstarter through November 18, 2016, and is fully funded. Note that there is an important October 31, 2016 deadline to get some of the packages that include physical copies of the prior releases at (relatively) cut-rate prices.

Bonus Pick – Bluebeard’s Bride: The players in this RPG each take on the role of one aspect of the psyche of the eponymous (and now deceased) character, exploring the manse where she once lived. Ends November 20, 2016.

Bonus Pick – Guild Masters: Collect resources, equip adventurers, collect your share of the treasure, expand your guild for more powers … and gain the most VP, of course. Ends November 17.

Bonus Pick – Beer Empire: Because maybe just Brew Crafters isn’t enough beer-themed Eurogame-with-too-many-components for your gaming room. Ends November 18.

Bonus Pick – Powder Mage: Savage Worlds-fueled Revolutionary War era fantasy – muskets and magic! Ends November 22, 2016.