An oversized comic book first issue and adventure module inspired by the old school fantasy roleplaying games that scared a nation
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Kicking off our Last Day with Some Amazing Art
about 3 years ago
– Thu, Oct 28, 2021 at 07:40:13 PM
Today is the final day of the Kickstarter for CHAOTIC NEUTRAL.
Which means I get to reveal the final piece of trading card art, a GELATINOUS CUBE by comics artist/creator extraordinare Jeremy Haun (Red Mother, The Beauty...the covers to all my Aftershock books etc. ):
The sheet of uncut monster trading cards - which feature art by Jeremy, Max Dunbar, Jim Rugg, Dan Panosian, Kyle Strahm, Tim Seeley, Tom Neely, Jeff Johnson and Man House, and stats for the monsters on the back are available at the $35 level or as an add-on.
So if you're thinking of upping your pledge, todayis the day.
If you haven't pledged yet, let me tell you one more time why I think CHAOTIC NEUTRAL is so special.
It's a 48 page oversized comic book drawnby Chris Anderson, who manages to perfectly evoke the feel of old-school fantasy while bringing his own modern, playful approach to it.
It's ALSO a full adventure module compatible both with old-school and Fifth Edition Dungeons and Dragons. You can see if your characters can do better at ours then defeating the Satanic Cult of Baphomet.
Wait, did I just say Satanic Cult? Why yes, I did. That's because CHAOTIC NEUTRAL is inspired by so-called Satanic Panic of the 1980s, when parents and religious groups tried to convince us D&D contained real devil worship. So in addition to the main comic and adventure, you'll also be getting a parody of a "Chick Tract" by comics creator Ryan Brown (Curse Words, God Hates Astronauts).
If you're pledging for the physical book, you'll also be getting fold-up cardboard miniatures of the characters Chris and I created.
And if we hit our last stretch goal - we're less than $1500 away as I write this - you'll be getting fold up minis of the book's original monsters as well.
That doesn't include the various higher tiers - custom dice; sketches, character commissions and original art by Chris, and the opportunity to play D&D with me over Zoom and be the first to play the adventure module before it comes out.
But more than that, you'll be supporting a true labor of love. I've been trying to create a story based on by twin loves of comic books and role-playing games for almost a decade. Chris has poured his heart and soul into creating not just this issue but much of the next. We feel like we've tapped into something amazing here, and we'd love for to join us.
To those of you that already have, all I can say is thank you. Your support and generosity have been nothing short of astounding.
Thanks so much.
Mark
THE END IS NIGH
about 3 years ago
– Wed, Oct 27, 2021 at 05:22:02 PM
Fighters, magic-users, thieves, lend me your ear!
We’re down to the last 30some hours of the funding campaign for CHAOTIC NEUTRAL! This is it! If you haven’t told your friends, now is the time. If you were considering upgrading your pledge, no time like the present. We humbly thank you for all the support you have given us throughout the campaign. Tomorrow we’ll put this to bed and get this all ready to make a reality.
Monster cards are still rolling in. Here’s the Mushroom Man by Street Angel artist and Cartoonist Kayfabe co-host, Jim Rugg.
We have one more up our sleeve that we cannot wait to show you.
But we’re not done. As I’ve said before Mark as already written and I’m almost halfway done drawing issue 2. Don’t forget to sign up to my Patreon to see process shots of that one coming to life. Here are some sneak peeks.
Lastly, here’s a project we KNOW you will love. I personally backed it, myself. This comic is based off the absolutely bonkers movie Psycho Goreman. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, check out the talent that is working on it. Alex Zirrit, Ben Marra, SKINNER, Aaron Conley, Kalman Andrasofszky… the list goes on and on and on. I cannot wait to get this puppy.
3 DAYS and 2 NEW TIERS!!!
about 3 years ago
– Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 09:29:44 PM
Hello, you clearly sophisticated, refined, tasteful and classy backers,
Chris here. Wow, three days to go. that went fast. We really put a lot of thought into making this the best campaign it could be. But once in a while, an idea hits you late that so obvious you start to question wether you just snapped out of a mind flayer blast. Why not create a tier that you can buy where you AND three of your murder hobo friends can experience the game run by its creator, Mark Sable. Duh! so we have added that to the tier levels. If thats not enough for you, we also added an elder god level tier where you and three friends get to play the game with Mark PLUS you get 4 books, 4 monster card sheets, 4 original character commissions by me AND the ULTRA LIMITED EDITION: BLOOD DICE!!! available only in this tier. Good thing there is still time to upgrade your pledge! pfew!
Before we go, we always like to spotlight other kickstarter campaigns we think you would love.
Since its spooky season, and I’m know for my horror books, I thought id steer you toward this cool looking collection.
Also, Jimmy Palmiotti is a creator I’ve loved since my early days of fandom. I backed his last Painkiller Jane jam and it was a ton of fun. Jimmy has always been free to offer me great advice and I always like to pay it back when I can. check it out.
Just 2 days to back and NEW Stretch Goal!
about 3 years ago
– Tue, Oct 26, 2021 at 09:23:51 PM
Hey Everyone,
We just smashed through the last stretch goal, meaning EVERYONE who backed for a physical reward will get a sheet of carboard cut-out "miniatures" miniatures based on Chris's character art for the book.
Our next stretch goal is more cardboard minis, this time of the original monsters that we've created for both the comic and adventure module:
There's just a little over 48 hours left to back this, so if you haven't pledged or are thinking of upgrading, please do. And any shares you can do over social media would be greatly appreciated. Here's the link:
A Peek Inside the Adventure Module, and Opportunity to Playtest
about 3 years ago
– Sun, Oct 24, 2021 at 08:28:28 PM
Hey Everyone,
We're now in the last week of the Kickstarter. We're less than $500 away from our stretch goal, at which point everyone who backed CHAOTIC NEUTRAL for a physical reward gets cardboard, fold-up "miniatures" based on Chris' amazing character art.
Fold up Mini of Wilgotha, the half-orc butcher
Meanwhile, it occurs to me that while we've show a lot of the comic that's half of CHAOTIC NEUTRAL, we haven't shared anything from the adventure module that lets you play in the world of comic.
The module is broken into three parts geographically, as seen on this map.
The first is the town of Alptraum. Your players might have many reasons to be there, but one thing that will likely attract them is the fact that the peasants have banded together to hire adventurers to stop the ruling Prince Bishop from making human sacrifices to The Cult of Baphomet"
The town isn't just a place to purchase supplies and rest. It's chock full of NPCs (non-player characters) who can help or hinder you, and treasures that might be just as valuable as those in the dungeon if you're feeling greedy.
Here's sample location, NPC and his belongings:
3. ALPTRAUM ANTIQUITIES
A bazaar of the bizarre, a hoarder’s paradise where strange items are sought but nothing is sold.
THE ELVEN ARCHAEOLOGIST
-FOUND:makingetchings of rune covered tablets from the Cycolopean ruins
-FIRST IMPRESSIONS: haughty, pretentious high elf in frilly collared doublet. Has a spell or two up his sleeve and is surprisingly adept with his antique rapier.
-Secretly opposes the cult, but not out of morality. He hopes that when they are cleared from the Cyclopean Ruins he’ll be able to retrieve more artifacts.
-Still has quite the stash of gold (150 gp), not having fully paid Stellan the Gongfarmer. Will overpay for antiquities recovered from the Cyclopean Ruins.
-But his real treasure consists of massive stone tablets can be used as spell books, his etchings as scrolls. He refuses to sell the tablets, but willing to sell the etchings at double standard price. Each stone/etching has one of the following spells: Light, Floating Disc, Detect Magic, Ventriloquism, Hold Portal
-Considers the wood elf druid in the Impenetrable Wood a barbarian.
Surrounding Alptraum is the aforementioned IMPENETRABLEWOOD. It's kept Alptraum free of invasion for centuries, and is filled with dangers as well as potential allies. Here's a sample locale:
DRUID HUT
-LOOKS LIKE: What appears to be a wattle hut actually made of still living vines
-HOME TO: The Wood Elf Druid, who sits inside in a meditative state, vines literally running into his veins
-Druids taught its secret can use those vines to heal themselves and others at double the normal rate
-Anything man-made brought inside will break - The Druid will warn PCs before entering.
WOOD ELF DRUID
-Antler’s protrude from his skull, wears naught but a leafy loincloth that grows from him
--Inside the Wood Elf Druid sits in a meditative state, with the vines literally running into his veins
-Unnervingly calm, focused on neutrality in general and the balance of nature in particular
-Will ask PCs to leave any metal outside, as he is vulnerable to it and considers it unnatural
-Wields: Cudgel of Entanglement. An extension of the Impenetrable Woods, works as an entangle spell – charges x 5. Can only be recharged by a druid in the Wood itself
Finally, there are the Cyclopean Ruins itself, the adventure's main dungeon. It's filled with traps, treasures and monsters...but also factions you can pit against one another. It's home to the Cult of Baphomet, as well as it's mysterious, much older inhabitants.
Here's one of the Cultist's chambers:
c. NECROMANCER’S STUDY
-An OSSUARY converted into a library. The walls are made of bones, and skulls crunch beneath their feet. Theirs is a 1d4 chance that one of those skulls will animate (STATS) and bite an intruder’s ankle.
-THE CULT’S NECROMANCER will be found studying intently here, unless he has heard a commotion in the (REDACTED). Decrepit, but fastidious he has no use for conversation and even less regard for life
-Behind a bookshelf are two SOUL HUSKS – bloated zombies with flaming mouths and eyes, souls replaced with infernal fire. They burst into flame when they reach zero hp. water causes them to collapse.
-The HUSKS guard a TUNNEL that LEADS TO (REDACTED):
-TREASURE: Scroll of Animate dead can be found among the rusty tomes
-A smashed skull gnome skull with the upper and lower jawbone intact but for silver and gold fillings (worth 350 GP if removed) and inscribed with runes. More than just a marvel of medieval dentistry, it’s a JAWBONE OF TRUTH. When someone lies in its’ presence it chatters the truth. It can only do this 3 times before disintegrating.
Currently, there are over 20 rooms in the dungeon alone. While the comic is 100% written and illustrated, the module is a still a work in progress, as we continue to playtest and refine it (in both old school D&D/AD&D and 5E now that the stretch goal has been unlocked.
If you'd like to be one of those playtesters, remember there's a reward at the $99 level where Mark will run a session of the module online for a small group of backers.
Speaking of Kickstarters, here's couple worth checking out:
Also, here's a gaming one called The Bai Ze & the Book of Monsters. It's Fifth Edition D&D Compatible Adventure Module with a comic book story/setting. You can back it here.
Finally, if you're enjoying seeing Chris' art in these updates, please check out his Patreon. He posts progress on all his projects. While Issue 1 of CHAOTIC NEUTRAL is done, he's already begun Issue 2 and that will be the place to get sneak peaks.
Thanks again to all of you. Your support and generosity means the world to us.
