News?! Zombie class instead of race! AND shoutout!
about 3 years ago – Mon, Mar 27, 2023 at 10:18:39 AM

Hello again you awesome adventurers and GMs!

I cannot express how grateful I am with your support. So in my over-excitement, those who stuck with me for my first Kickstarter might recall a few flashbacks..., I have implored on the help of Dillon Olney from Critical Crafting and Landon Zea as brainstorm buddies! 

They're amazing people and together we have shared our thoughts and ideas. It will take at least 3 months to get this class (with 3 subclasses!) finalised, but we're only aiming for a result that we should enjoy and be happy with. This way, regardless of the race you'll be playing, your class is related to the munching on brains and the syphoning of spiritual energy through this process. Sounds like interesting and fun!

Anyways, aside from this collaboration and new waters I'm exploring; we've also looked at some amazing monsters and themes for the adventure. In case you have some great examples, ideas, something homebrew of your own, feel free to share it, swing me a message on our Discord channel, etc. And we might put it in (re-vamped)?!

Some more magic is brewing...

Magic items, sure; but also Josh from Lone Colossus Games has provided us with more unique 2 spells to use involving the Aether. So tough to not spoil it yet, but in 1 word: COOL!

Friendly Shoutout to Storyteller's Forge!

So, we've got to meet some amazing writers from Storytellers Forge and they delivered some stellar work with us in the past. Now they've launched a crowdfunding project on BackerKit. Spread the love they deserve of this amazing project: Black Ballad. They've reached 120+k of funding and nearly 1.200 backers, still 9 days to go! 

"The perfect campaign to run after a TPK! If death awaits all adventurers, then the salvation of resurrection is always the hope. But what about the waiting period? Stuck in the afterlife awaiting a cleric's blessing to return you from a critical failure–how do you bide your time?"

For those GMs that are preparing for a TPK, or might consider it a great starting point, between Quest Nest and Storyteller's Forge there's a great deal of overlap crossing through this new adventure and some of ours including: Toll of the Ferrymen and Hell's Prison Escape.

Stay awesome!

Best,

Frank

Structures are a beauty of work! Friendly Shoutout :)
about 3 years ago – Sun, Feb 26, 2023 at 04:06:49 AM

Hello awesome people,

Felt like awesome had to be spiced up, since you are all awesome! Anyways, time for a (chaotic) monthly update! It sort of turned into our year-plan-overview, sooo strap onto your mount because its just as lengthy as the creator video! Yup, I'm mocking myself quite often...

Good news on the SRD and Creative License, this has definitely motivated us to take leaps moving forward. Imagine the largest puzzle with a million pieces (give or take). Envision all the different locations of a region, create each a map or more, envision all challenges your players could face, monsters they could encounter, NPCs they could form an alliance with, loot and fitting lore to obtain, how those all work with the plot-line and where to drop hooks to keep them engaged. 

Sounds familiar work as a GM?! That's the work we're currently doing for you! We've worked on:

The structure of the book

• This always is a beauty of a challenge to figure out a shortest summary possible and to make sure its consistent throughout the book. Not deviating too much between the different pillars of the game (social, explores / investigate and combat). Our main focus is to keep the GM in mind that needs to have quick-access, but with the premise of using-an-older-wise-scholar-voice: "the more you read as a GM, the better prepared you are". 
• Sure, we've done this for the first book, but we listen to feedback and innovate as well. Luckily things are in pdf only, so we can add as many duplicates of maps and leave open areas for a GM to tweak or add notes as they see fit, reducing your clutter of documents!

The Next Step

• We have a lot in concept and ideas that we are currently making tangible. Seems vague?! Well, we know what locations there are, what monsters there will be at the different locations to not be repetitive and how to scale the encounters, tweak/figure out the monster stats, desires/goals and fears, what player challenges need to be overcome and monster strategies there are, what loot there is, where to drop which hooks, some GM reminders, how the story could unfold, the amount of XP per encounter and the tables regarding investigation and lore behind the locations and factions you could drop to your players. 
• This is (again) quite some work, but after we fixed that we could continue more with the location maps, descriptions, consequences, cast of characters involved and PC class/background involvement. 

Yup, I've got several white boards with a ton of (sticky) notes, beautiful stuff!

Tier 2 or up

•  All 10 spells, monsters, items are in process of creation, and I don't want to divulge too much yet, but a tortoise companion/mount and an abomination of evil centaur mixes of something odd seems to be leading at the moment.
• Big steps on Isla de Puerta starting point with a map, tavern names, ship names, shops with NPCs, but also some secret dealings in odd pets and creatures that your characters could purchase; seemed like a great hub to start off the adventure! Either in between book 1 and 2, or as a general starting point.

Tier 4

• The mechanics of the Aether and spells that involve it. This seems like a tiny aspect, but the adventure involves around the Aether. 'Finding' some of it at the end should make sense and cool to your players. What types of crystals are there? What do they do? How are they awesome, but not gamebreaking? What cool stuff should be possible? And trying to word that so everyone can understand means we still go back and forth on that! Feel free to chime in any ideas though! 

Yes, it is possible to add the Aether as an add-on, luckily we've got Lone Colossus Games helping

Stretch Goal

•  The Tundra Mountains is still under revision with the maps and locations Bonam Buldar and Sparkwobble, but the different locations are 'settled', still beefing up the Frost Giant father Arazus and his two sons Zlifur and Torwur with some avalanche powers and tweaking the White Dragon Scylla to get her ready for your level 6-9 players. 

Extra?

• We took the plunge with the zombie playstyle and we haven't committed yet to a race since it would have to be a lineage of sorts, but maybe make an entire class with subclasses out of it with different milestones and paths to take, or a background just for the flavour, or a subclass of a current class which would be an easy route..? Who knows?! I'm currently even inclined to make it all!
• Partner Nuno Silva is a gem and wishes to continue with music and make a digital 1-hour(ish) playlist fitting to the adventure and purchased outside of the Kickstarter. Just to set the mood!
• Some of you will start their very first campaign as a GM, which is a tornado of emotions. I'm therefore making a GM Utility Package on my website with session 0 questions/optional rules I use myself at my table, advice on 'plotting' player characters and backstory questions, and finally my GM screen set-up on 4 pieces of A4 that you could print and slide into your own set-up.
• Currently I'm also playtesting a mini level 3 adventure that was supposed to be a one-shot that could be a great starting point for some coin (coming out of Hells Prison Escape), or a starting off point after which they could wake up on their way to Hell or if we scale it differently to learn how to work together as a party before they plunge themselves into a war. The Haunted Temple could be played on Isla de Puerta as a starting point for Tier 2 and up, but it could be could be plugged-and-played in any town or village.
• Should we add a mini adventure of the Ruins of Arrowslit Fortress that ties in with the ghost ship of the Wailing Whispers, and has Sparkwobble as its base? Before your players will move towards the direction of Port Gula and see the beginning of book 3? Frank, mate, that's still a year away! I know, but it's so coool! 
• I'm considering to add an additional location (the Simachu Lake with an encounter of magic hungry Sahuagin). A few more random tables (including a few names for ships and taverns), since I think changing the 'your players meet in a tavern' scenery to a ship sounds pretty awesome. Especially if they also meet some resistance on the way. Who knows?! A green dragon, a ghost ship, something natural instead. Sooo many ideas that we need to channel into this book that I'm reluctant to share too many as some ideas are just too 'bold' and would need too much time.
• Maybe we will add a mini adventure of the Ruins of Arrowslit Fortress that ties in with the ghost ship of the Wailing Whispers, but let's focus first at the task at hand. 

Sheesh I love my job! 

Friendly Shoutout!

It happens quite often that your players are also going all over the place, talking to random NPCs, etc. Headless Hydra Press still has 4 days left with random NPC generator from villagers to villains. Check it out here or follow the link below!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shanecollins/villains-and-villagers?ref=9fi4sx

I'll update again next month, curious about the zombie stuff, chosen monsters, maps, loot, and more? You and me both! Till next month where we have more clarity and that will continue till the testing/final book.

Stay Awesome!

Love,

Frank - Quest Nest

First Update! More about Quest Nest than your products...
about 3 years ago – Fri, Jan 20, 2023 at 06:31:03 AM

Hi Everyone!

Hope everyone had a lovely New Years, holidays and/or coming Chinese New Years with loved ones.

Already a month has passed since we blew past the stretch goal! The flying high of success was relatively brief before weird things happened within the D&D world.

Since our success in December:

Well, weird things happening in the D&D community regarding the possibility for third party creators to create. Just in case any of you aren't up to date on the OGL, it's a 'hot' topic that's better explained by many different people and I won't address those here.

Because of the latest development I had to figure out what was possible with the future of Quest Nest. This led to my radio silence and awaiting some official statements / developments during which I even considered to refund everyone... SO you could consider it weird times indeed!

These changes have also consumed most of my time, and energy, in order to see what was going on. Meaning I haven't spend most of my time writing/puzzling your books yet, bummer!, since that is my passion.

Regardless of the new OGL:

Rest assured, I will continue building and you will all receive your books and pledges. I don't want to delay working any longer. True, for a second there was a mini-shred of doubt that you will receive any of that or everyone would get refunded. From what I can tell so far, it's that there might be a change in course for Quest Nest in the future and maybe a delay coming up in delivery due to making it (more) system neutral and avoiding 'certain things'...

Regardless, I will continue this coming week together with a newfound group of players to get into a new campaign where I can start puzzling, playtesting and tweaking your new content. Finally! The building continues!

Future of Quest Nest:

I love what I do and I get a lot of joy from you having fun with my products. Luckily, the books that I publish are mostly from a homebrew world including deities, locations, etc. Just some monsters, magic items and other SRD content I might have to rewrite for a different system, which could be a challenge for a 350 page book that was my first Kickstarter and so many of you purchased! As of yet, I am unsure what system, since I have spent a lot of time to figure out D&D 5E and love the community it brings, including all new friends, so many laughs, etc. I want to build your adventure, while I focus on that joy!

Thank you for your support!

At the moment there are some unprecedented times and waters. Feels like I've been trudging through new things every month, since I've started Quest Nest, so we will make our way through this as well. No worries.

Sorry again for the radio silence, and in return you get the weirdest update so far... The next update, next month will be about some more things I have done for your products, you know stuff relevant for yourself.

Stay awesome!

Love,

Frank

It's the final countdown! Stretch Goal in sight! And a friendly shoutout
over 3 years ago – Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 04:59:32 PM

Wowsers! 400 euros away from the second stretch goal!

We've gained a lot, I mean it, a whole lot of traction over the past 48 hours and increased with nearly 30 new backers and 1300+ euros! I was about to say spread the love with your own groups, but it seems you have all been doing just that! Heaps of thanks!

Getting so close! to both the campaign ending and the second stretch goal.Technically, the next 400 euro to hit the stretch goal could be reached with 4-16 more generous backers like yourself. We've got 700 followers by now... By chance any clerics around that have the Divination-spell in their arsenal and is willing to give it a shot? Preferably within 10 hours! 

What is the weirdest use of this spell (the 4th level ritual Divination) according to your own experience? Feel free to share it below, in the comments or our Discord channel.

Stretch Goal #2, when reached!

Maybe it's too soon to say, but I'm excited and tend to dream big! Marcin the Architect GM will be helping us out building some more amazing maps for you to use at your own tables. There will be at least 6 locations, some of them are multi-layered and there is massive dungeon coming up inside the Divine Forge; he will bring them to the next level!

What if your players decide to help the villagers over the Tundra Mountains and get side-tracked from the main adventure? Sure, it happens... This stretch goal gives you the tools needed to make a cool survival challenge in the cold, a potential feud between Frost Giants and a White Dragon. Who will they ally themselves with? Or will they hobo both parties and even the distraught villagers?

Music?! Stretch Goal 3, or an add-on?

In the comments of the last update there was a question regarding the music. Therefore, I'll just ask the question again with the music here! I'm curious who would be interested in the music as an add-on instead? Kindly let me know below, in the comments or our Discord channel. For your convenience I've added the link below as well, enjoy!

Nuno and Victor have really gone above and beyond for these samples, it's still a passion project, so who knows! 

Friendly shout out #1:

After brief reprieve due to the aftermath of war, which most communities cherish as a time of peace. But there is an end coming when your adventurers start following whispers about a vampire leading a horde of undead creatures. Are these rumours to be true? Or did the templars speak the truth?

This level 5 one-shot adventure brings you25 hours of gameplay in a brand-new universe deeply infused with dark fantasy and old-school roleplay games. Click or follow the link below!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/galandir/the-ballad-of-aerin-the-chronicles-of-ivria-5e-adventure?ref=3xhrsc

Friendly shout out #2:

Headless Hydra Press is coming up with a new Kickstarter, well soon anyways. Click here to get notified! It's about Tips, Tables, and Townsfolk for Any Fantasy RPG. Make unique, interesting, and memorable NPCs while saving time on your game prep.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shanecollins/villains-and-villagers

Final hours! Regardless of the outcome, I'm grateful and proud of us :)

Please continue to share the love with your friends.

Stay awesome,

Frank

We've officially done it!
over 3 years ago – Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 04:57:04 PM

Several huge thank you's!

You've made another dream and project possible! We've achieved a great success and I'm truly grateful for all your pledges. I truly love making these books for you, heard some great feedback on the sample pdf, music, artwork, and seeing all you pledge has given me a nice warm fuzzy feeling so thank you!

STRETCH GOAL #2 UNLOCKED!

You've all done it! We reached the second stretch goal with seconds to spare! This stretch goal gives you the tools needed to make a cool survival challenge in the cold, a potential feud between Frost Giants and a White Dragon. I don't want to repeat myself, so here's a preliminary map with 6 mini locations Qaris Grave, Boram Buldar, Sparkwobble, the Arrowslit Fortress and 2 lairs. WOW!

What's next? There are a few next steps:

• In 2 weeks your card will be charged, backers with errored pledges (see below) must fix their payment within the next 7 days.
• Expect a Pledgebox survey later, I still need to tweak some questions. Here, we'll collect your shipping details and payment, email addresses and a few other key bits of info from you – there's also an opportunity to add extra rewards to your pledge in the Add-On Store.
• If you would like to add something to your pledge, either go directly to our website or wait for the survey from Pledgebox.
• The project updates will be every month or so, in which I will share what has been going on.
• I will be working hard with collaborators to finish the project before November 2023. 
• By then, you will be able to receive your products by downloading them from our website. In order to set this up, I will give everyone an individual discount code so they are able to add the products of their pledge.

In case you already have some burning questions, Discord, Kickstarter message, website are all ways to reach out!

Quick Question regarding delivery

Do you want to receive everything in a bulk? Or little-by-little, as soon as something is ready you'll be able to download it? Some of you pledged for the adventure of Book 1: Hells Prison Escape, which is done so you could play that already if you're interested. Let me know!

Kickstarters are hard work!

I could not have done it without your help. I'll get back to you with some additional artwork, which I probably won't be able to refuse to invest more into. Maybe some music, who knows! Maybe after I settle down I'll be able to make more reasonable decisions... Now I'll probably go for a long rest.

If you want to continue keeping in touch, feel free to join our Discord channel and you could become a playtester with early-access content.

Trouble shooting and errored pledges

Sometimes when Kickstarter tries to take a payment there is an error. This could be due to the following reasons below:

• Your account has insufficient funds.
• Another Kickstarter project ended on the same day: Your bank blocked the card for security by thinking it was a duplicate charge.
• Your card is incompatible with the Kickstarter US charge hub:

If this happens you will receive an email from Kickstarter and you have 7 days to fix the issue in order to secure your pledge (and benefit from the discounts). Use the steps below:

• 1. On a web browser (not in the app) go to https://www.kickstarter.com/ and log into your account.
• 2. You will see a red band at the top of the website saying you have an errored pledge. Click on "Fix Payment"
• 3. Try again with a payment source that is compatible with Kickstarter and has sufficient funds.
• 4. Check this worked by refreshing the page - the red band at the top will disappear. Alternatively, try looking in your mail for confirmation.

It's best to fix the issue in Kickstarter so you can receive the updates. But rest assured that your pledge info is still on record and you will have some opportunities to fix payment in the future. We will be here to provide support.

Stay awesome,

Frank