Cubicle7 is a quiet RPG success story, moving from strength to strength over the last few years. They first came to my attention when they took over the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay franchise. Since then, they have also taken on Warhammer 40,000: Wrath and Glory and produced the excellent Soulbound, an RPG set in the Warhammer: Age of Sigmar Universe. As well as all that, they’re working on another system set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Imperium Maledictum, which looks fascinating. If that wasn’t enough, they’ve just launched a Kickstarter for their very own setting, Broken Weave.
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What is Broken Weave?
Check out the Kickstarter page, here.
Broken Weave is already fully funded, reaching that target in an hour. At the time of writing, there are nine days to go and it has reached almost 10x its intended target. They’re now moving very nicely through the stretch goals. (The next one is for an adventure to be included in the PDF version and the hard copy GM’s screen!)
Broken Weave is a “post-apocalyptic tragic fantasy campaign setting.” It’s designed to be fully compatible with 5th Edition D&D and also Cubicle7’s own forthcoming C7D20 ruleset.
In the strange new world of the Broken Weave “Hope” tries to outweigh “Decay.” The Gods have died, time and distance have lost their meaning, and memories are fading. All is not lost. Community, love, and trust in one another can remake the world. Reading through the Broken Weave setting blurb, it felt a little like the Root RPG crossed with The Dark Tower. Bad things are already here, but community and hope can make the world a better place. (Actually, the setting feels a lot like 21st Century Britain, but enough said about that.)
Broken Weave promises five new character classes (though a 6th is already unlocked). There are no wizards or clerics as such, but sages, makers, and diplomats are backed up by the more martial seekers and wardens. Each has a role to play in the interlocking stories and sense of community that permeate the setting.
One of the most intriguing concepts in the game is that of Havens—the home location for the characters that grows with them and becomes the sum of their hopes and fears. “Build up your Haven together, watch it grow, and protect it from the encroaching end of all things.” Havens introduce a built-in “Generational Play” mechanic, which means characters might retire, to the Haven and become part of its legend and its identity. Players will get to shape how their Haven grows over generations and play ancestral player characters, who will be shaped by those that came before them. This generational idea for games is something that has always fascinated me (ever since playing Blood Royale about 35 years ago). It will be interesting to see how it all maps out.
On top of that, there will be new systems for scavenging the remains of dead gods to obtain powerful artifacts and the implementation of Cubicle7’s own “Uncharted Journeys” system. I’ve not seen this in action but it apparently “Use[s] a bespoke language of Trail Glyphs to leave and decipher messages for other travellers,” which sounds entirely cool.
There are a number of different pledge levels available, starting with a PDF-only version at 28 Euros (about $30 USD).
If you want a hard copy version, 55 Euros will bring you a standard edition (+PDF). For 110 Euros ($120), you can have a collector’s edition. If you’re looking to GM games, you might want to consider the “Party Leader” pledge ($110), which gives you the standard hardcopy edition (+PDF), a GM’s screen, and a “deck of broken things.” There are various other pledge levels, all of which can be found on the Broken Weave Kickstarter page.
Why Back Broken Weave?
If the setting appeals and you like the idea of a generation-spanning rules system, then Broken Weave is an enticing prospect. I have several books from several systems across Cubicle7’s stable and, first up, they always look amazing. The art is top-notch. Beyond that, you feel like these books are a labor of love for their creators. The depth of thought and level of innovation that goes into a Cubicle7 work is always impressive. I’ve never been disappointed with one of their products.
So, whether you’re new to Cubicle7 or looking to branch out beyond their Warhammer stuff (did you know they also have a Doctor Who RPG?!), check out the Broken Weave Kickstarter today.
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Disclosure: GeekDad received a copy of this game for review purposes.
