SystemMech release and a May special

After several years of development SystemMech is ready for release!

The chance-free tabletop RPG will be available to download free from the Oakbound website from tomorrow, along with a 'SystemMech kit' with everything you need to start playing. To celebrate we're releasing a strictly-limited edition model the 'Queen of the May' who will only be available on the Oakbound site from Saturday to Monday (UK time)

The kits contain a tape measure, Field of Vision template, Turn Token, 5 D6s and 5 D20s in a pretty wooden box.... wait a minute! DICE? SystemMech is chance-free, there's no dice rolling! I know, but they're a handy and elegant way to keep track of Stamina and Endurance.

SystemMech release and a May special

A tribute to Alan Lee and Jes Goodwin, the start of the new Myeri range

Followers of Oakbound Studio will know the very exciting news we received last weekend. Alan Lee (the renowned pictographer of all things Middle Earth, designer for Peter Jackson's films and faerie artist extraordinaire) has given permission for us to use one of his paintings as the cover of the Secrets of Shandisholm sourcebook which is due for release in the summer.

There's no need to repeat Zhu's comprehensive study of the relationship between this beastie from the 80s book "Irish folk and fairy stories 2" by Michael Scott, except perhaps to add that the first chapter of said book also provides much of the information that became Games Workshop's Fimir.

Realm of Zhu

 

 

 

This is my 'Limited Edition' Jes Goodwin sculpt, you can clearly see the influence. It was the grainy picture of this guy in 3rd Ed WHFB that first drew me to the Fimir, and whilst I am a big fan of the Bibby nobles the Fimm and Meargh just don't grab me in the same way this beast does.

 

 

Remember these guys?

These were my first attempts to create some 28mm Fimir, I'll just drop them here as progress markers!

As I've said, the Fimir were lifted (not quite wholesale, but nearly) from the Fomorians of Irish myth, as told by Michael Scott. The book is well worth a read by the way! The Fimir never got much attention after 3rd Ed, and not that much then although they featured a bit more prominently in WFRP. This is a shame as the Fomorians are wonderful characters and deserve to be noticed, as does Alan Lee's design work! So when I began work on my Celtic fantasy world I decided the Fomorians definitely needed to be present. However I wanted them to be quite different from the Fimir which have always had quite an evil reputation. Instead I chose to blend the Fomorian myth with Maori, Aboriginal and Welsh folklore and the Skeksis and UrRu of The Dark Crystal to create the Myeri. For the record though, the name Myeri was decided on before any idea that the Maori would form part of their influence- just a happy coincidence!

Here's one of the first wave Myeri. These guys have been around for a few years now and I still like the Froudian character of the heads, but I've been doing quite a lot of sculpting since then and for the forthcoming sourcebook I thought I ought to firm up the Myeri a bit more and release some more miniatures, especially in the light of Alan Lee's generosity. So this weekend I got to work on the first:

Really happy with how this guy turned out so I have plans to do several more. Trying to pin down exactly what to sculpt is tricky though. The Myeri society is made up of craftsmen and workers called Oibrithe, warriors called Losbastun, soothsayers called Draoi and chieftains called Tiarna. The guy above is definitely at least a Losbast, probably a Tiarna given his feathered ruff and ornately carved tail spike.


A tribute to Alan Lee and Jes Goodwin, the start of the new Myeri range

New Myeri clan member

Announcing the arrival of Medb in the swamps of Mael Fen.

Even though the squabbling nobles have been somewhat squashed by Brandigeidfran the enormous there's still plenty of bickering going on, lead by that infamous slanderer Dafydd Cameroon. Fortunately the fen's absent Meargh has returned from her travels, collecting pigments for her geomancy from all around the Old World.

Medb is the new Fomorian Necromancer sculpted by Ross Whitehorn, and a nice nod to the now extremely expensive Meargh model she is too. Actually I had one of the old Bibby Mearghs and sold it on as I didn't like it much. Go on, call me a heretic! I've added an extra pair of arms to Ross' model as what distinguishes magic users in clan Myeri is their extra set of arms, a gesture to The Dark Crystal. She also has a green stone Myeri pendant and some jars of sand added to her belt. Kinds think she needs a raven or two as well though...

New Myeri clan member

Updates! (Ooops, didn't I post...)

So, Marsh was a thing that happened... and it looks like I neglected to post that I did actually finish something:

Yup, the big guy got paint. He's now also based nicely too, must get some more pics taken.

April has been massively given over to gearing up for the big summer release and getting the Legends of British Steampunks posted. I've just updated the website and you can now buy the first wave of Steampunks from oakbound.co.uk if you missed out on the Kickstarter.

Looking ahead to May, there'll be the first 'official' glimpse of Oakbound's new tabletop RPG:

The core SystemMech rules, along with basic character creation and equipment list, will be popping up as a free download as soon as it's ready. We'll also hopefully get these little boxes ready and in the store, giving you everything you need to get playing:

That should lead us nicely into June, when we're hoping to have proper release dates for Secrets of Shandisholm...

Set in the world of The Woods, Secrets of Shandisholm is the first sourcebook release for SystemMech with loads of background, items lists, skills lists, a bestiary of over 50 creatures, modelling articles, scenarios and a full narrative campaign. So much to prep! We have a printer lined up and this will be a 164-page, hardback book in full colour to show off the beautiful artwork we've been collecting from some talented and generous artists.

If you would be interested in contributing let me know, there'll be miniatures that need painting and we're still after some cover art (still hoping a couple of friendly, big-name artists are going to reply to my pleas... but sadly no word yet!).

There are also some exciting miniature sculpts in the pipeline, not just for The Woods but also commissions for other companies with some concepts I expect you'll find quite interesting. News to follow when I'm allowed!

So, that's caught up with where I am now. Onwards to May!

Updates! (Ooops, didn't I post...)