Thank you for signing on to join us on the journey to create Crucible of Aether, a mystic-industrial Tabletop RPG that puts player agency first. We have a ton of news to share and we hope you'll continue to help us make this game a reality.

Stick around to the end of the newsletter for a peek into a world of magic, industry and the eldritch!

It's Alive! Check out the Kickstarter preview!

We can't make the game a reality without your help. Please check out the Kickstarter preview page, give it a follow, and share it on social media! We want to make the best game possible and growing the following on Kickstarter is a huge step for that.

Learn more about CoA on Character Creation Cast

Mike from the team is on the latest series of Character Creation Cast, a podcast about character creation in RPGs.

This week we talked about the design and world of Crucible of Aether!

We’re heading to PAX Unplugged

Members of the team will be at PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia Dec. 4-6! Come check us out at Booth 4353. We’re going to have more announcements about the convention soon, so keep an eye out for that!

Want to play now? Join our Discord

Our Discord has a quickstart guide, introductory adventure and character creation beta. Check it out now!

Thanks for reading! As a treat, here’s a glimpse into the nation of Meisnland, one of the 14 home nations player characters can hail from:

The forested hills of Meisnland

Although Meisnland lies in the heart of Odayos, its landscape bears little resemblance to the industrialized sprawl of the capital to the south. Old-growth forests still loom over most of the misty hills that roll across the country — where they have not yet been cleared for cities and factories.

Meisnlanders are taught to prioritize the protection of their people above all else and to regard the thick, darkened forests with distrust. Massive forts and giant factories act as beacons of civilization within the murky woods, keeping danger at bay with imposing stone walls and great iron gates. Lantern-lit roads, patrolled by heroes and hunters alike, offer safe passage through the wilderness. And along these routes, villages nestled deep in the woods stand firm, warded by sturdy barricades and the craft of their denizens.

At the center of these fortress-towns lie the forge abbeys of the Kindlers, whose drums resound to the rhythm of blacksmith hammers and signal sanctuary. These craftsmen-monks of the Pendrallan sect of the Faith of Fire and Forge revere Bryden, the First Smith. A folk religion focused on craftsmanship, the forge abbeys serve as cultural centers, redoubts, and archives of collected learning. Throughout the generations, Kindlers have served as masters of crafts of all kinds and community leaders who come from and serve common folk.

Meisnlander dwellings are bluntly imposing from the outside; however, their insides are typically far more welcoming. Windows are tall and narrow to deter invaders, but broad hearths and mirrors maximize light and cheer, while mantles and ceilings boast colorful patterns. The welcoming warmth within a Meisnland household makes for a relaxing refuge from the hazards without.

Long years spent scratching out a living in dark wealds have encouraged Meisnlanders to trust only the work of their own hands, the strength of a sword arm, and the sturdy reassurance of a stone wall. The names of Meisnlanders honor this tradition. Children earn an appellation as a surname after coming of age, rather than a familial name. These honorifics echo throughout history, for better or worse: Bircham the Iron-Bear, the Augment-clad leader of the Black River Warriors, Ludolf the Fanatical, who founded the apocalyptic Advent Crusade and allied with the separatist Patron Dukes, and more.

The Meisnland culture of emphasizing simple solutions, individual craft, and heroism has clashed with the complex, demeaning modern world. Traditionalist Meisnlanders remain stuck in their ways, taught over countless generations to reduce complex issues into simple fairytales and to turn obstacles into foes to be vanquished by a sword.

In spite of the proliferation of factories and faceless mass production, the forge abbeys revere the work of individual craftsmen and produce unique works that are an art unto themselves. In an era of firearms, Black River Warriors simply invented heavier armor and adapted artificial metal limbs into combat Augments. Faced with the brutality and degradation of industrialization, Meisnlanders formed the first unions in the Empire, taking up arms against their factory masters.

Solidarity against outside threats, whether they be monsters of the deep woods or foreign capitalists, has dominated the country’s politics. Especially since the recent civil war and partition into two nations, Meisnlanders default to distrust and wariness of outsiders.

We hope that folks continue to support the game’s development and share it far and wide!