Dwarven Quarterly Volume 1 Issue 3

The Official Newsletter of Dwarven Forge
Vol. 1, Issue 3 - July 2019

Greetings, Friends of the Forge!

Welcome to the third issue of Dwarven Quarterly. As usual we have much to report. Below you’ll find a wrap-up of recent events, notice of ongoing endeavors, and word of great things to come. Another fantastic summer is underway.

Let’s delve!

On July 1st, we wrapped up our latest Kickstarter campaign: Hellscape! We raised nearly $1.25 million to produce a stunning new array of infernal terrain, featuring rivers of magma, twisted stone, and devilish accessories perfect for creating a terrifying fiery landscape, or for adding fiendish details to any dungeon, cavern or castle of ill omen.

As part of our journey, we pioneered some creative new technology to add an extra layer of immersion to your games: modular light panels and translucent overlays we call Phantasmal Filters! The panels can be paired with the overlays or used directly beneath the terrain itself to create stunning underlighting effects that make the Hellfires blaze even hotter.

The Pledge Manager for the Hellscape will open during the second week of August. For more information about Hellscape or the pledge manager, please e-mail service@dwarvenforge.com.

We’ve had the pleasure of working with the good folks at Paizo to create officially licensed terrain for Pathfinder 2nd Edition. We designed four new sets specifically for the inaugural PF2 module “The Fall of Plaguestone.” Together, these thematic sets combine to create an epic encounter at the heart of the adventure – a mysterious hideout known as “The Pen”.

This terrain includes existing DF pieces as well as some exciting new sculpts created especially for this adventure; they’ll be great for both newcomers and long-term fans looking to expand their collections. You can also order the new pieces on their own as add-on packs for those interested in new pieces exclusively.

These Pathfinder sets will debut as a pre-sale at Gen Con – and online -- on August 1st at 10AM Eastern, when Pathfinder 2nd Edition is officially released.

When the pre-sale launches, you can order the set(s) you want on a special page that looks like our online Pledge Manager. Each set reservation requires a modest deposit. We’ll bill you the balance when your sets are ready to ship in early 2020.

The Plaguestone pre-sale ends on August 31st. As a Gen Con special, we’re offering free domestic shipping on any pre-sale orders completed by 10PM Eastern on August 5th. This includes online orders.

Look for the link on our website on August 1st, or stop by our Gen Con Booth #1301. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to discover our latest offering!

One annual tradition that always brings cheer to our dwarven hearts is our trip to Gen Con. Come visit us at our Gen Con Booth #1301! Meet our dedicated team of artists and check out our awesome displays (including prototypes of our new Hellscape!). Backers of our Kickstarter campaigns and fans who follow us on social media will receive a free gift (while supplies last).

We will be running D&D games on our terrain several times each day (check the Gen Con schedule for availability). Dwarven Forge founder Stefan Pokorny will be the Dungeon Master for a special dungeon grinder session Thursday afternoon starting at 2 pm—not for the faint of heart!

Then, at 10 am on Saturday, Chief Creative Officer Nate Taylor will host an over-the-top livestream event with gaming celebrities Ember Moon, Satine Phoenix, Amy Dallen, Luke Gygax, and our own Stefan, in the Westin Grand Ballroom. Come watch these industry notables try to survive the perils of the Hellscape! All attendees physically present at the livestream will be eligible to win several awesome door prizes in a random drawing at the end of the stream.

Caverns Deep should begin shipping within the next month! Soon the lands far and wide will be riddled with vast subterranean labyrinths, caverns glittering with massive crystals, tunnels choked with foul fungus, and the dark chasms of the Underdoom, while the brooding trees of the Dreadhollow Forest spread over the hills above.

Caverns Deep will ship in waves, with the first six encounters and starter sets going out in August and September and the rest to follow soon thereafter.

We look forward to seeing the amazing layouts our backers create with their new cavern and forest terrain. Please share photos of your builds as you get your new sets, and be sure to tag us with #dwarvenforge & #cavernsdeep!

Dwarven Buildmaster Tobi continues his series providing tips and tricks for assembling outstanding terrain layouts. The latest features some innovative ways to use our signature Terrain Trays. This ongoing series is also available on our website.

You can check out the latest Builder’s Masterclass here.

During our Caverns Deep Kickstarter campaign, Zaltar and Doom gave you a glimpse into their devious creative process when designing lethal dungeons with the Deadliest Dungeon Designs video series. Now Doom the Imp continues the D3 series in these pages. The latest installment features a perilous journey to Kobold Cove.

The deadly encounter write-up is available here.

Our latest restock of the webstore landed last week, replenishing a large mix of popular sets in multiple themes, from dungeons to caverns to cities, to streets. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

While the dwarves were busy on their expedition to Hell, our founder Stefan Pokorny has been undertaking a different epic journey. Partnering with fellow dungeonmaster and gaming personality Satine Phoenix, he recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to create an independent documentary travel show that will follow the hosts around the world on a quest to discover all things fantastic. .

The two will explore stunning landscapes, castles, dungeons, labyrinths, and the history and culture that inspired the great fantasy artists and storytellers. You can join them on their great adventure here!

Dear Ozraeline,

It’s incredibly hot this summer and I’m having a rough time staying cool. Do you have any advice on how to beat the heat?

- Scorched

Dear Scorched,

Try going to Hell for a while—after that everything seems cool by comparison. The Dwarven Forge team has been busy laboring in the depths of the infernal fires for the past year, so when our Kickstarter ended and we emerged for a breath of fresh air, I felt as if I were on an icy tundra.

If you lack the ability to go to Hell and back without dying, maybe try a sauna, or a quick dip in lava to acclimate yourself? Or avoid the above-ground heat entirely. I know for a fact that caverns and dungeons keep very cool year-round. You have to learn to love the smell of carrion crawlers.

Finally, you could try consorting with wraiths. A wraith’s chill touch produces a pleasant icy frisson at the expense of a paltry fragment of your life force. On the other hand, you have to put up with its morbid conversation, so it’s not a solution for everyone.

- Ozraeline

Editor – Elye Alexander
Design – Michelle Chin
Ozraeline's Oddvice – Mace Griffin
Builder’s Masterclass – Tobi Lieberson
Chief Creative Director – Nate Taylor
Deadliest Dungeon Designs – Nate Taylor
Ozraeline Illustration – Felipe Torrent