Unwritten Earths Symposium

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Unwritten Earths Symposium is a home for genre-defining tabletop roleplaying games and cultivating new discoveries in games, play and design. unwrittenearths.com

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Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jul 1

Thanks to our backers, we were able to expand the Eidolons far and wide! There's two multi-card panoramas, a map by @mapcrow.bsky.social and an incredible spread by @simonroy.bsky.social; also, check out those Cursed Swords by @pamwishbow.bsky.social, @sambeckdraws.bsky.social and Jack T. Cole!

Pictures of tarot-sized cards illustrated with sword-and-sorcery artwork. Left: Jovial Overtone card next to the two "tiling" Eidolons, the two-card map from Kyle Latino (colors by Shel Kahn), and the four-card sword-and-planet panorama from Simon Roy. Right: Four of the Cursed Sword Eidolons, one flipped to show the gameplay info - artwork by Sam Beck (front), Pam Wishbow (Left), and Jack T. Cole (right)

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jul 1

Here's some more of the Eidolons, illustrated by @gorangligovic.bsky.social, @portablecity.bsky.social, @goblinprincete.bsky.social and @queerwizard.co.uk. You can also see the double-sided Overtone card, to easily track the current Tone of your Sword and Sorcery Tale.

Sword and Sorcery illustrated tarot-sized cards by various artists. Top Left: The four physical versions of the preview Eidolons from the campaign. Bottom Left: The Glum side of the Overtone card and closeup of two of the illustrations by Goran Gligović. Right: Array of cards along with the reverse side that includes helpful gameplay suggestions, along with Jovial card and open deckbox.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jul 1

Here's the full update with pics of the Eidolon Folio Deck proof, and showcasing the full Eidolon Folio artwork from @portablecity.bsky.social and @goblinprincete.bsky.social! Like what you see? Late Pledges are still available! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Pictures of Eidolon Folio cards for Swords Without Master. Left, spread of many full-color tarot-sized fantasy art cards, arrayed in a circle around a pink-and-beige overtone card that says Jovial on it. Right, a man's hand holding the deck box, with Swords Without Master title in pink over beige Eidolon Folios, and illustration of three opening into other worlds with a skeleton reclining on stairs in the foreground.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jun 30

The proofs for the Swords Without Master Eidolon Folios are in - campaign update incoming, but folks? These look real nice! Some tweaks will happen for the final, but we're very pleased. Shoutout to @elemei.bsky.social for the deckbox illustration, and @queerwizard.co.uk's maps in that closeup!

Pictures of Eidolon Folio cards for Swords Without Master. Left, three deck boxes on their side, with title in beige "Swords Without Master, Eidolon Folios, 64 Art Cards" over opening into another world illustration that bridges from deck to deck. Right, two tarot cards illustrated with maps from Ripley Matthews showing a fantasy world before and after some major catastrophe.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jun 28

... and here's the cover artwork + title treatment! Thanks to @elemei.bsky.social for the incredible work, and @portablecity.bsky.social for the keen eye on pulling it all together.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jun 12

What a pleasure to finally share our cover artwork for Swords Without Master, by the incomparable @elemei.bsky.social! Swords! Sorcery! Foes defeated! Danger looms! Wonders undreamt of wait to be discovered! Truly, everything you can expect from the game. www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· May 28

unwrittenearths.fireside.fm/38

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Apr 17

Our latest Swords Without Master update includes more Eidolons from @simonroy.bsky.social, @sambeckdraws.bsky.social, @newjackcole.bsky.social, @monstermonger.bsky.social and @azuremeraki.bsky.social! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Preview image of four Eidolon Folio tarot-sized cards (left-right) A bright white person-sized bird holding a wavy-bladed sword in a set of ruins, looming tiger statue (with a sword in its mouth) in the background; a corpse lies on a bed of skulls, hand on the hilt of the sword it's impaled on, the sword bursting with magic energy; an enormous standing dragon looks over its right shoulder, framed over the mountain peaks in the forground; a person wearing a gold mask sits on a weird sculptural horse on a mound of rock, with an eclipse in the background, under a framed shooting star.

One continuous piece (bottom) split up into 4 tarot-sized card images (top); it depicts a meeting of insectoid alien beings bearing spiked polearms with a group of masked humanoid beings riding fanged camel-like creatures and bearing banners in an alien script, under a red skyscape with a green moon, an icy blue moon and a purple planetoid.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Apr 8

Master Selu Fyrmyor has selected 8 pilfered charts that make up our Eidolon Folio of fantastical maps for Swords Without Master, thanks to @queerwizard.co.uk @salvaterra.bsky.social @arlinortiz.bsky.social @mapcrow.bsky.social and @portablecity.bsky.social! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Image of the 8 tarot-card sized maps in the Pilfered Charts Eidolon Folio for Swords Without Master - (top left) before and after of a fantastical landscape by Ripley Matthews, (top right) inside and outside a gargantuan cycloptic being by Arlin Ortiz, (bottom left) left and right halves of a dark galactic landscape, drawn by Kyle Latino and colored by Shel Kahn, (bottom right) above and below of two strange and wondrous landscapes by Fernando Salvaterra.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Apr 1

Happy Birthday, Swords Without Master! Our latest Kickstarter update celebrates that, includes previews of the incredible glyphs @elemei.bsky.social is finishing up, and showcases a titanic creature to explore through two maps from @arlinortiz.bsky.social www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Preview image titled Master Selu Fyrmyor's Pilfered Charts of the Knowable World, featuring two tarot-sized maps by Arlin Ortiz. On the left, a landscape with story-book style forests and houses leads to a mountain range dominated by a large domed shape with a gem like a cyclops eye. On the right, that shape is revealed to be the head of a gargantuan creature floating in the night sky, with cavities in it's body holding and referencing the elements that poke through to the surface of the landscape on the left. Also includes smaller preview images of 3 other map cards in the folio set.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Mar 24

Thanks to @ipr.bsky.social for bringing the Adventurer & Hobbyist Annual 2025 to PAX East! Check out Booth 12109 to peruse this collection of system-adventurous scenarios, which will helpfully also provide a scintillating array of games with which to play them out!

Cover of Adventure & Hobbyist Annual 2025: Caught Between Worlds, featuring illustration of red-robed wizard with a hovering open tome looking out into swirling cosmos in an observatory full of astronomical paraphernalia, cyber-hand raised with glowing light; overlaid are circular headshots of characters appearing in the Annual Scenarios: The Ineffable Nebulex (a pro wrestler made of starstuff), The Devil's Realtor (an older woman with red glasses) and Cmdr. Imogen Cisneros (a serious-looking female astronaut with transparent glass helmet).

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Mar 13

Progress Without Master! 🎲 Fixup Rogue & Ref Playsheets! Fully compatible with Swords Classic, check out the itch page to download. 👉 unwrittenearths.itch.io/swords-witho... 🔥 Eidolon Art Card preview of incredible work from @gorangligovic.bsky.social. More: www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Preview image of Goran Gligovic's artwork for the An Age Before Time Eidolon Art Cards. 5 Tarot-sized cards in a fanned array. (far left) a pale spire reaches into a blue sky with an eldritch light atop it, with the small figures of 3 rogues in the foreground casting long shadows (left) Amid green mist, a sword-bearing figure stands atop a red outcropping of red, brandishing a sword; below, a long-haired, cape-wearing figure grimly faces their opponent (center) a serpentine person places their benevolent hand atop a crouching boar-creature, in front of a low red sky (right) A closeup image in green tones of a figure wearing a full-face, horned helmet, with glowing red eyes, reaching out towards the viewer with a gloved hand (far right) an elephentine skull on cold tundra at night, central eye socket lit as if with a fire within, viewed through rib bones in the forground. A cloaked figure with a sword stand in front of the arcing tusks.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Mar 4

Here are screenshots of @epidiah.bsky.social's spinner for The Marian and Robin Role Playing Party Game!

Screenshot of spinner graphic, showing the top right quadrant of a target with a piece of the bullseye in the lower left corner, then two rings of gold and blue, than a white background area. A black arrow is pointing to the gold area. There are hand emoji on either side, and the title The Marian and Robin Role Playing Party Game over it, all on a beige background.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Feb 13

The last day for Swords Without Master starts with some great news: we hit the stretch goal for @simonroy.bsky.social's sword & planet themed Eidolon Folio! It's going to be very cool. Check out the campaign for info on the game and our final stretch goal! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Square promo image reading "Swords Without Master Final Day - 6 Art Card Folios Unlocked (1 to go!)" and "A Sword & Sorcery TTRPG". Features promo images of 5 tarot-card sized art cards staggered with 3 in the back and 2 in front, showcasing the example Folios we have so far: 3 narrative illustrations with different moods and 2 maps.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Feb 12

Speaking of artwork, here's a look at the rad map from @mapcrow.bsky.social that's part of the "Pilfered Charts &tc" Folio. Colored by our own @portablecity.bsky.social, these two Eidolons are full of greebly details to inspire a character, location or eldritch power in your games!

Preview image of two Eidolon Folio cards, a weird galactic map depicting strange mountains, obilisks and crashed spacecraft connected by bridges. It's one illustration split across two cards. Map by Kyle Latino, Colors by Shel Kahn.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Feb 11

With 3 days left, we're announcing our final stretch goal Eidolon Folio: Fugitives of the Shattered Menagerie. If we hit it, we'll be commissioning baleful creatures from @soengery.bsky.social, @azuremeraki.bsky.social and @monstermonger.bsky.social! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Promo image with text Stretch Goal: Fugitives of the Shattered Menagerie, 8 More Eidolon Folio Art Cards from Indui, Marie Enger and Sasa Durdevic. Includes square cropped examples of each of their work - a white feathered dragon in repose, a skully boy with a sword declaring DEATH TO THE WIZARD KINGS, and an insectile multi-armed person riding a giant creature, respectively.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Feb 9

It's the last Week Without Master! One small update: we've confirmed the full Glorious Dreams of Eight Cursed Swords Folio. In addition to @jnb.art and @pamwishbow.bsky.social, we'll see sick swords from @sambeckdraws.bsky.social and @newjackcole.bsky.social! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Fifth Eidolon Folio image, showcasing artwork from the portfolios of Jaen NIghly Butler, Pam Wishbow, Sam Beck and Jack T. Cole. Includes text "Fifth Eidolon Folio: The Glorious Dreams of Eight Cursed Swords" "8 More Eidolon Folio Art Cards From:" and then a horizonal row of square cropped images of each artists work from their portfolio, over their name.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Feb 5

Huge update for the Swords Without Master campaign today! 🎉 Next Goal: a sword & planet Eidolon Folio from the incredible @simonroy.bsky.social! 📦 EU-friendly shipping! 🎲 Eidolon Card "game stuff" preview! 🤝 @rascal.news interview with @epidiah.bsky.social www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Promo image for $35K Stretch Goal: Simon Roy Sword & Planet Folio. Includes example artwork from Simon Roy's books A Star Called The Sun and Habitat, showcasing the highly-detailed juxtaposition of mundane people with alien environments, and preview mockup that says 8 More Eidolon Folio Art Cards. Includes text "When unlocked, this Folio joins all Omnibus+ Bundles"

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jan 23

The Swords Without Master project page has been updated with our fifth Eidolon Folio: The Glorious Dreams of Eight Cursed Swords! Illustrated by the inimitable @jnb.art and @pamwishbow.bsky.social, this 8-card Folio focuses on swords to inspire your Rogues! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Preview Image reading Fifth Eidolon Folio: The Glorious Dreams of Eight Cursed Swords, with example images from the portfolios of Jaen Nighly Butler and Pam Wishbow. Includes mockup image for 8 More Eidolon Folio Art Cards, and notes More Artists TBA, images from artist's portfolios.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jan 20

Thanks to you Rogues, we are adding a fifth 8-card Eidolon Folio to the Swords Without Master campaign .Details on that coming soon, but it means that all Omnibus+ bundles now have 32 full-color art cards included for the same bundle price! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Promo image for the Omnibus Bundle, showing mockup previews of 4 existing Eidolon Folios and Coming Soon graphic, along with list of artists. Text: Swords Without Master Rulebook (cover design not final); A Fifth Eidolon Folio (Announcement Soon!); An Age Before Time Eidolon Folio (8 Cards illustrated by Goran Gligovic); The Sepulchre of
Astonishments Eidolon Folio (8 Cards illustrated by Jabari Weathers);
Master Selu Fyrmyor's Pilfered Charts of the Knowable World
Eidolon Folio (8 Cards illustrated by Ripley Matthews (featured) & others); Trials of the Stargazers Eidolon Folio (8 Cards illustrated by Shel Kahn); Each Folio is available as an add on to make your own Bundle!

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jan 14

In our first Swords Without Master campaign update, we thank all of you for the amazing response, provide some in-process pics of the Tone Bones, answer some questions, and announce that all Eidolon Folios are going from 6 to 8 cards! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Promo image with title Eidolon Folio Art Cards over mockup examples of 4 portrait-orientation Tarot cards. (left) fantasy creature with an axe crouching in front of a serpentine figure with a sword on a red and ochre background, by Goran Gligovic (center-left) 3 small figures adventure into the mouth of an enormous underground cavern, in blues and purples, with red mushrooms and carven face details, by Jabari Weathers (center-right) a detailed fantasy map in yellows, greens and browns in an ornate border, by Ripley Matthews (right) an adventurer offers up a sword to an enormous brown bear sitting on a rock, in blues and greens with red details, by Shel Kahn.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Jan 5

Things are coming together for Swords Without Master! Here's 2 preview Eidolon Folio cards, from @gorangligovic.bsky.social and @queerwizard.co.uk. Eidolons are imaginative images to inspire your Rogue character - a beast, a sword, a location, even a color! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Preview image of Tarot-sized Eidolon card illustrated by Goran Gligović. A boar-headed creature bearing a bronze axe crouches at the feet of a thin, tall, green-skinned figure cloaked in a brown robe with blue, red and gold details. They hold a thin sword in one hand with the other resting on the boar-creature's back. In the background, a dull yellow sun is framed between the sword and the person's head, with dark red sky and clouds; a tower rises from dark red hills while the figures are standing on a ochre plain of color.

Preview image of Tarot-sized Eidolon card illustrated by Ripley Matthews. It is a map of a fantastic land in yellows, greens, browns and pale blues. A central element is a city of spires and flags, drawn large to stand out from the geography that surrounds it. There's a coastline to the east, an archipelago to the west, dark forests to the north and hills to the south, with an oasis and pyramid nestled in them. As a map, it includes lines indicating roads as well as additional points of interest, and has a key in the upper-right corner. The title, key and other "text" is drawn in a fantasy alphabet. The entire map is in a baroque frame, set against a parchment background to the edges of the card.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Dec 10

The Swords Without Master campaign page has been updated with the final Eidolon Folio we are preparing for the initial campaign: Maps! We are pumped to have @queerwizard.co.uk, @salvaterra.bsky.social, @mapcrow.bsky.social and Arlin Ortiz on board for this one! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Image in four parts: far left, a color map of a rural area with fantastic elements (by Fernando Salvaterra); center left, a color map of a fantasy kingdom with heraldric elements (by Ripley Matthews); center right, a large two-faced head rising out of a hole in the ground (by Arlin Ortiz); far right, an isometric map of a fantasy town with a gritty vibe (by Kyle Latino).

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Dec 10

New ep Wednesday! In the latest Plus Expenses, we talk about The Rockford Files (a little), writing cover tune versions of other games, and more. Not a patron? Check it out with a 7-day free trial! Join Our Discord: discord.com/invite/cgJa5... www.patreon.com/posts/plus-e...

Meme based on the xkcd comic "Average Familiarity", two stick figures are talking. "The Rockford Files cast is second nature to us 70s TV enthusiasts, so it's easy to forget that they average person probably only knows James Garner, Gretchen Corbett and the other actors in the main cast." "And Ken Swofford, of course." "Of course". Caption reads: Even when they're trying to compensate for it, experts in any thing wildly overestimate the average person's familiarity with their field.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Dec 7

👀 🔜 🔥 🪙 ⚔️

Cover image for The City of Fire & Coin, A Play-Along Adventure for Swords Without Master. Title text is over an impressionistic fantasy illustration of a street scene in tans, purples and oranges. An armored guard riding a snarling tiger looks to the right, distracted by something such that they can't see the howling monkey bearing a sword on a nearby rooftop. In the foreground, a mysterious robed figure with a jeweled crown over their turban reaches forth, while behind them a dark red stain issues from an open doorway into some dark underworld. Other figures create the impression of a bustling marketplace. In the background, columns and minarets reach into a dusty sky.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Nov 28

In addition to the standalone game, the Swords Without Master campaign will fund Eidolon Folio art cards to inspire your rogues and adventures. We're pumped to have @gorangligovic.bsky.social, @goblinprincete.bsky.social and @portablecity.bsky.social on board! www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Image tryptic, left: a human skull resting in front of a stone with engraved symbols, center: a Black woman holds a hat to keep rain off of her face and the yellow snake that entwines her body, right: a wolf looks out a snow-covered lair, framed by swords left leaning against the shelter

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Nov 24

We are very happy to announce some of the artists that we will be working with to envision, explore and enhance Swords Without Master: @goblinprincete.bsky.social, Goran Gilgović, @portablecity.bsky.social (of course) and Erin Vest! Preview page has more info. www.kickstarter.com/projects/unw...

Image tryptic, left: a human skull resting in front of a stone with engraved symbols, with artists name Goran Gilgovic; center: a Black woman holds a hat to keep rain off of her face and the yellow snake that entwines her body, with artists name Jabari Weathers, right: a wolf looks out a snow-covered lair, framed by swords left leaning against the shelter, with artists name Shel Kahn

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Nov 6

The Rogue Stands Alone! Join @epidiah.bsky.social this coming Sunday, November 9, to try out the many-player, one-Rogue version of Swords Without Master. Drop-ins and new players welcome! Join our Discord: discord.com/invite/cgJa5... Scheduling Post: discord.com/channels/130...

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Nov 5

Here's the digital mockup from @ndpdesign.com for his "Big Lore" game, hearkening back to an old fantasy/weird west mashup world that never made it out of the desk drawer. Locations, factions and character development have card decks that reveal lore and guide growth in play.

Black-and-white wireframe mockup of cards with titles, descriptive text, numbers to indicate how to stack them in a deck, and numbers/icons to indicate some mechanics stuff. Top 2 are for a faction, The Formless; middle 2 are for a character "path", Path of Flame; bottom 1 is for a character "weird" power, Immolate.

Unwritten Earths Symposium@unwrittenearths· Nov 5

Here's the cards @epidiah.bsky.social made for his exploration x legacy adventure board game concept. Go to places, meet some draculae, help some urchins, all in the context of a generative location-based game concept.