Project Mourning Star (Patreon)

I've been teasing an Angelarium tabletop RPG for a while and it's time to start sharing my work with you.

The title is a work in progress. I had a name I liked but when I researched whether or not it was in use, it turned out to already be in use by something unsavory. So, until further notice, Project Mourning Star will do.

What is Project Mourning Star?

I am creating a spinoff from Angelarium set 900 years after the events of the books to create a game-friendly world of Angels to use for games and stories. The first major project in this setting will be a tabletop RPG.

In this setting, the war between the Watchers and the Seraphim has been long over, but the battle scars are still clearly visible. Giant corpses of felled Seraphim have become the foundations for cities and civilizations that build upon their legacy. After centuries of declining power, a glimmer of the old world begins to shine again.

We see this new world through the eyes of fallen Angels that have been born again into a world that still remembers the last time they walked these lands. This story is about second chances, the corruption of power, and the hope of redemption.

What is going to get posted to Patreon?

I have a story bible written based on my early notes about this project, but it's not ready for showtime. I'll share more writing as it comes along, but I have lots of art to share today!

There is a lot of ground to cover, so illustrating key moments at my usual pace was too slow to build out this world. There was a time when I thought AI could help me solve this problem but it's clear to me that it's not a good solution. I am going back to my roots for this project to build it the same way I helped build worlds like Theros for Magic: The Gathering.

Everything will start with concept art. Some of it will go on to inform key illustrations and pieces of writing for the book, but most of it exists to create a foundational layer to be built upon with additional writing and art. I will make a huge pile of concept art and notes that will be formatted into a world guide that will serve as the basis for all future creations in this setting.

Once complete, the world guide will be handed off to professional writers to help me create a fully realized tabletop RPG. It's currently slated to be DnD 5E compatible, but who knows what will change between now and when this book is ready to be published.

Throughout this book's development, I plan on sharing every piece of the project through Patreon. Right now that means concept art and conceptual notes. Later that will mean illustrations and drafts of the playable material.

Throughout the development of this project, I plan to share very little of it outside Patreon. Fans outside this space will see some teasers, extras, and a few new illustrations but mostly a lot of old reposts. Your subscription here will be the sole path to seeing all the work I'm describing until it's ready for primetime.

What about playtesting?

As we progress through this project I hope to host playtesting sessions on the community Discord server. Giving you all a chance to participate in the development of this project is part of what excites me most about this direction. I want Angelarium to be more than a series of illustrations. I want it to be something that you can build on to create your own characters and stories.

When does it start?

I've been doing daily concept art for a few weeks now, so after I share this post, I will begin sharing the concepts I've already started!

Is the Tarot dead?

Nope. The current plan is to integrate the Angelarium tarot deck as a canonical item in the Angelarium world. I have ideas for a 39-card deck that uses the existing Major Arcana, plus some additional illustrations not in the books, and a few more illustrations I haven't started yet. Making my own original Tarot deck makes me more excited than attempting to reproduce Rider Waite cards in my style. This whole pivot is about getting back to creativity rather than looking backward and the Tarot is all a part of that.

Thanks for reading this mega-long post! I look forward to sharing tons more art than normal. I hope you like it.

Much love,

-Pete