Jim Holloway working on Spelljammer-like Folio product

[Big Mac]

R Scott Taylor, who runs Art of the Genre (and who organised Jeff Easley selling prints of the original painting for the AD&D Adventures in Space boxed set) has been working on something called The Folio.

About a week ago, Scott pinged me and I didn't have the time to check out what he was up to, but he has Jim Holloway (who also did art for Spelljammer) working on some sort of "fantasy space product":

The Folio: Digital Quarterly #4 1E/5E adventure module!

A digital adventure module in both 5th Edition D&D and classic AD&D formats for 3rd - 5th level characters.

Okay, so having worked with artist Jim Holloway since I started Art of the Genre, I've had the opportunity to have access to some of his never before seen work. The piece that appears on the cover of the Digital Quarterly #4 was something he dreamed up in the very early 1980s, as the 'groovy' vibe imports, but when I saw it all I could ever think about was the old TSR Spelljammer setting (that Jim had helped define when it was released). That said, when I was thinking about ideas of the DQ#4, I decided I wanted to do something that could be used in both a 'fantasy space' setting, as well as a fully terrestrial one if the DM so chose. So, for all you old Spelljammer fans, this ones for you, and if you aren't into fantasy characters in space, then simple put this dungeon in any location you want and call it the lair of an old astrological wizard! But whatever the case, I'm going to have fun building it, and I truly hope you'll help me realize another great game design dream!



Who is this adventure for?: It will be based around classic AD&D gaming mechanics, while also have 'grey' stat and treasure blocks for 5th Edition D&D, so it is easily playable in BOTH formats. It has been designed for 6-8 characters, roughly 3rd through 5th, and will include a Virtual Table Top map without secret doors, traps, and numbers.

What are in all the other Digital Quarterlies?: All Digital Quarterlies lay out a setting in both AD&D and 5th Edition formats, the first two detailing a 'gun fantasy' setting I call The Gun Kingdoms, and DQ #3 details an 30+ room 'Ice Dungeon' and how to set the campaign up in a deep northern setting.



What is in this Folio Digital Quarterly? This features a small write-up of the encounter setting (although I'm making it easy to 'place' anywhere you like that is mountainous), and will have a multi- room dungeon (example below) with everything a DM needs to run a great AD&D or 5th Edition adventure including a detailed map, a new monster, and DM notes.

There is a bit more detail on the The Folio: Digital Quarterly #4 1E/5E adventure module! page on Kickstarter.

I've had less free time over the last few years, so I haven't been able to keep up with the Folio.

Has anyone bought any of these? What do you think of them? What do you think of the product range?

Does it work as a single campaign setting? Would the new DigitalQuarterly thing maybe be a "crystal sphere"* built around a campaign setting that is already set out in the 20 previous products?

* = I'm guessing that Art of the Genre would need to go with a generic term like "planetary system" and not mention the Phlogiston (despite "phlogiston" being a public domain word).

EDIT: I'm a bit disapointed there isn't a print option (even Print on Demand) although I can see how the earlier products (with removable covers) wouldn't work in a PoD format.

[Havard]

That's awesome! I love how Jim Holloway's art will be used in this. Yeah, it is a shame, that print options isn't available, but I love that they are doing a D&D in space based Folio!

-Havard

[AxesnOrcs]

I started drooling a bit.

[Tim Baker]

I've purchased the majority of the Folio products, and enjoy them. There's a combination of connected adventures and stand-alone ones. I didn't pick up the first two Folio Quarterly products, but the third one is a stand-alone adventure location that could be dropped into nearly any "frozen north" locale within a campaign setting. If #4 goes down that same path, it will likely have minimal ties to where it's set, and will primarily focus on what's happening inside the adventure locale. Sounds like it will be fantasy space-themed, but is unlikely to have any details related to what's outside the immediate adventure area. If that's the case, it won't provide details necessary for a new crystal sphere, but will work well in a crystal sphere of your choosing.

[Big Mac]

I've purchased the majority of the Folio products, and enjoy them. There's a combination of connected adventures and stand-alone ones. I didn't pick up the first two Folio Quarterly products, but the third one is a stand-alone adventure location that could be dropped into nearly any "frozen north" locale within a campaign setting. If #4 goes down that same path, it will likely have minimal ties to where it's set, and will primarily focus on what's happening inside the adventure locale.

R Scott Taylor has a video on the Kickstarter where he flips through some of the Folio books: Folio Sample (Curse of Roslof Keep):


What was interesting about that, apart from him flipping through multiple Folio products to show what the contents look like, was that he said that Art of the Genre also put out hardback books, that look similar to the 1st Edition hardbacks.

He showed two.

One was called The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign The Art of the Genre page for The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign hardback suggests it replaces Folios 1-6. It also says it replaces "supplemental mini-adventures 1.5 thru 6.5 and the Nameless Realms Races supplement". I have no idea what any of that extra stuff is, and Scott didn't mention that product line in the video, but there is a "The Nameless Realms" logo on DQ4.

The second was called The Cities of Sorcery. The Art of the Genre page for The Cities of Sorcery campaign hardback suggests it replaces Folios 8-13. It also says it replaces "supplemental mini-adventures for each Folio, and the Places of Valoria V1-2 supplement". The book is also referred to as "an epic double city adventure" suggesting that these six Folios were all set in two cities.

The blurb in these two books kind of suggests that the first six Folios (and seven other things I'm not sure on yet) are connected to something called "Roslof Keep" and might be a part of "The Nameless Realms" (along with this new thing). But Folios 8-13 are connected to something called "Valoria", which might not be part of the same world.

I'm not sure what's going on with Folio 7 (which isn't mentioned in either of the two hardbacks that look like AD&D books) or Folios 14-20, which might not have been converted into a hardback yet, or which might not be connected.

I think that R Scott Taylor is aiming his Kickstarter at Folio fans, who probably understand where everything fits with everything else (and who don't have to worry about double buying...or buying an older version with the wrong stats or somesuch).

Sounds like it will be fantasy space-themed, but is unlikely to have any details related to what's outside the immediate adventure area. If that's the case, it won't provide details necessary for a new crystal sphere, but will work well in a crystal sphere of your choosing.

I suppose the logo ("The Nameless Realms") could be a nominal thing, with any space location being "up there somewhere". Scott does seem to suggest that it would be easy to relocate the adventure on the ground. Maybe it works as the inside of an asteroid, but can be rebooted as part of the Underdark or somesuch. Or maybe it works as the top of an asteroid (Spelljammer style) but can be rebooted as the top of a mountain.

[Tim Baker]

The Art of the Genre page for The Complete Roslof Keep Campaign hardback suggests it replaces Folios 1-6. It also says it replaces "supplemental mini-adventures 1.5 thru 6.5 and the Nameless Realms Races supplement". I have no idea what any of that extra stuff is, and Scott didn't mention that product line in the video, but there is a "The Nameless Realms" logo on DQ4.

As stretch goals or sometimes as short, stand-alone Kickstarters, there are side-adventures and connecting adventures that are offered for these larger adventure paths. The X.5 numbering (or sometimes X.1, X.2, X.3) is used to indicate where these mini-adventures would be set between the larger pieces. The hardback books collect both the larger adventure pieces and the smaller ones.

The blurb in these two books kind of suggests that the first six Folios (and seven other things I'm not sure on yet) are connected to something called "Roslof Keep" and might be a part of "The Nameless Realms" (along with this new thing). But Folios 8-13 are connected to something called "Valoria", which might not be part of the same world.

The Nameless Realms is the name of the designer's fantasy setting. The Cities of Sorcery book combines the adventure path set in the Dwarven Forge's city of Valoria with an adventure path set in the Nameless Realms' city of Taux. So half of the book takes place in one setting, and the other half in another setting.

I'm not sure what's going on with Folio 7 (which isn't mentioned in either of the two hardbacks that look like AD&D books) or Folios 14-20, which might not have been converted into a hardback yet, or which might not be connected.

Folio 7 was a stand-alone issue. It takes place in the Deadlands Hell on Earth setting. Folios 14-19 are compiled into the Complete White Ship Campaign. Folios 20 and 21 have started the Curse of Roslof Keep adventure path.

I think that R Scott Taylor is aiming his Kickstarter at Folio fans, who probably understand where everything fits with everything else (and who don't have to worry about double buying...or buying an older version with the wrong stats or somesuch).

I suspect he isn't intentionally excluding information that those who are new to the Folio would find useful in determining whether or not to back. I've reached out to him on Kickstarter, since I'm a backer of the project, and asked if he'd care to jump into the conversation here.

I suppose the logo ("The Nameless Realms") could be a nominal thing, with any space location being "up there somewhere". Scott does seem to suggest that it would be easy to relocate the adventure on the ground. Maybe it works as the inside of an asteroid, but can be rebooted as part of the Underdark or somesuch. Or maybe it works as the top of an asteroid (Spelljammer style) but can be rebooted as the top of a mountain.

I hadn't nocied the Nameless Realms logo – good catch. This would place the adventure in the same setting as the majority of the other products. I haven't done a deep dive into all of the products, but I don't recall Spelljammer-like fantasy space tropes (yet). So this may be introducing a new dimension to the existing setting.