The creators of the cooperative board game Defenders of the Wild present an illustrated guidebook to the besieged lands of the Commonwood and a rules-light tabletop roleplaying game for collaboratively telling your own stories of animal resistance to the machine invasion. Each story requires a storyteller and 2 or more players to roleplay as the main characters: animal Defenders embarking on a life-changing mission in the war against the machines.
The Defenders Almanac features extensive reproductions of in-world documents such as histories, maps, botanical guides, short stories, and diagrams that are all paired with evocative illustrations. The final section of the book details the complete rules for a bespoke and streamlined roleplaying game system designed for quickly diving into short stories of sabotage, rescues, escapes, espionage, heists, and other forms of clandestine resistance. Players build animal characters using a character web that expands as the story progresses unlocking new proficiencies and abilities. Significant actions are resolved using six-sided dice and the average story lasts 3-5 chapters that are each approximately 1 session of gameplay.
Can the Defenders work together to navigate the complexities of the Commonwood and defeat the machine occupation? Or will the Land of the Fire Oaks succumb to a devastating industrial winter? It’s up to you and your comrades to decide.
