Men always seek the blood of monsters. Some spill it to avenge their massacred families. Others swim through an ocean of gore to find treasures worth the envy of kings. A few know blood can be a priceless treasure in and of itself.
Alchemy has long used the lifeblood of monstrosities as arcane fuel, and of all the legendary beasts, the blood of the gorgon holds the most secrets. Ancient sages say it stills men’s hearts, and makes them beat again. They say it can draw a festering corpse from the grave as fresh and kicking as a newborn babe. They say it helps a man walk the world as a god.
Few know the blood’s darkest secret – its ability to draw out the monster within every soul. Those who drink gorgon’s blood are forever changed. The darkest horrors of their mind come unbidden to the light, unleashing the monsters caged in our hearts with sinew and blood.
The heroes hunt a deadly murderer who stalks the streets of the Free City of Zobeck after nightfall, and cross blades with a guild of monsters who rule the city from below. Lucky heroes might risk no more than their lives. Unlucky heroes must wager their souls in a game where monsters and men dance close enough to share their blood… and their fate.
Patrons are now sought to commission this work. Join us, and drink deep!
Blood of the Gorgon is a 50,000+ word dark urban adventure in which the heroes brave terrors without and within. Written by Nicolas Logue and developed by Wolfgang Baur, this patron-driven project will be commissioned between now and February 29th.
The project includes daily posts and discussion, five design essays discussing horror, mystery adventures, storytelling, and other topic. It also offers playtest opportunities and up-close Q&A of the design choices made for the adventure. The final design will ship to patrons on or around May 1st, as a full-color PDF with a print option available.
You can support this Open Design project today for $25 (€17) for the basic membership. Members who contribute at least $75 (€50) gain additional access to the design process, such as manuscript access and additional posts and commentary. If the project commission is not met by February 29th you will receive a prompt and full refund. On March 1st, the price to join the project goes up to $35 (€24) or $100 (€68), so join today.
Basic Membership ($25)
Europe Basic Membership (€17)
Patron Membership (Additional Content, minimum $75)
Europe (Additional Content, minimum € 50)
Nicolas Logue is the author of Dragons of Eberron, Eyes of the Lich Queen, and City of Stormreach, as well as wildly original adventures such as “Chimes at Midnight” (Dungeon #133) and Pathfinder #3, “Hook Mountain Massacre”. Plus the “Ecology of the Barghest”, in Kobold Quarterly #2. He’s eating your brain even as you read this.
Wolfgang Baur is the founder and primary author of Open Design projects, including the ENnie-nominated Castle Shadowcrag and the fan-favorite Empire of the Ghouls. He’s also the publisher of Kobold Quarterly magazine and the author of Dark*Matter, Frostburn, Pathfinder #4: Fortress of the Stone Giants, and many other works.
This is a fascinating subject. The blood of the gorgon contains the deadliest secret of all blood: the power to call forth the monster within every human being. Essay on aesthetics that delves into the dark and mysterious.