Morbidgames
Encyclopedia
Morbidgames is a publisher of role-playing games and sci-fi fiction
under the Open Game License using the d20 system
, the majority of which take place in a medieval world with fantasy
and steampunk
elements.
's popular game Neverwinter Nights
. While the modules were based in a world referred to as Ave’Molech, their modules are completely unrelated to their current game world. Note the apostrophe, which was removed from their product branding in 2007 along with their website redesign.
In 2006 the company began producing PDF short stories, which they called Journals. These Journals took place in the world of Ave Molech and are flash fiction narratives taking place in specific locations that typically end with the main character’s demise. In 2007, after a series of mixed reviews, the company reworked their product line as well as hired popular artists such as Gerald Brom
and released a second edition of their Ave Molech campaign setting, also in PDF.
Eventually the company’s popularity grew and in 2007 was a runner up in the RPG-Awards Supplements of the Year. Then in 2008 Morbidgames released their fantasy campaign setting
in paperback
version, though their Journals series and individual writings still only available as PDFs. It was also during this time that the PDF's and books became available on a number of popular web retailers including Amazon
, Barnes & Noble
, the OBS (One Book Shelf) network, Paizo and Your Games Now.
Morbidgames has been a consistent advocate for aspiring writers, editors and artists in their local community found through Craigslist
. With its founding members based in California
& Nevada
, the majority of the company’s part-time employees are typically local college students majoring in related subjects. The students are given the chance to work on projects and receive full credit within titles and product lines Morbidgames produces.
Ave Molech.
They have produced a line of flash fiction
stories and GM supplements called Journals with currently five Volumes using the OGL created by Wizards of the Coast
.
In addition, an OGL 3.5 Edition Steampunk Logo was created and released for use and distribution
by other OGL publishers.
The last work on the series was the two Lore
books published in 2009, the first a fictional story taking place prior to the events of the world setting and the second a collection of stories and adventures written entirely by fans of the setting.
Also in 2009, Morbidgames Publishing published the work of Gloria Weber, Gaslight Demons. The novel is unrelated to the world of Ave Molech, and role playing in general. It features a story based in a gaslamp setting. A synopsis of the plot is: Occult Officer Sophia Nogard has a mysterious past. Her boss, Chief Wizard Unver, has been trying to unravel since before she joined the Occult Investigations Offices. Now he’s got a new plan and an ally. Will Sophia’s new partner, Mackey Stone, be able to uncover the deadly secrets of Sophia’s family? If that weren’t enough to keep a girl’s hands full, a serial magical killer is on the loose. Can she protect the secrets, the people of the city, and her friends all at the same time?"
Most monsters, and even some races, in the world of Ave Molech have come through tears in ley lines and planar travel, as seen in Lore Volume 1, is a dangerous, but not uncommon occurrence. The books are careful to avoid using the term "rift", as Palladium Books
is the publisher of the Rifts
role-playing game. Rifts is not related to the Rift MMORPG
from Trion Worlds
, though both games share similar many elements. Some of these elements have also been compared to those found in Iron Kingdoms.
The world of Ave Molech also includes a favorable and useful outlook on body piercing
and art. As well as often plays up its dead gods and atheist undertones.
Influences for the setting have been speculated as Dark Sun
meets H.P. Lovecraft according to review articles on Examiner.com
.
, makers of FATE (role-playing game system)
Louis Porter Jr. Design, Design and Publisher of RPGs
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
under the Open Game License using the d20 system
D20 System
The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
, the majority of which take place in a medieval world with fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
elements.
History
They originally started in 2002 creating modules for BiowareBioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer founded in February 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. BioWare is currently owned by American company Electronic Arts...
's popular game Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights , produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames , is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules. It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial...
. While the modules were based in a world referred to as Ave’Molech, their modules are completely unrelated to their current game world. Note the apostrophe, which was removed from their product branding in 2007 along with their website redesign.
In 2006 the company began producing PDF short stories, which they called Journals. These Journals took place in the world of Ave Molech and are flash fiction narratives taking place in specific locations that typically end with the main character’s demise. In 2007, after a series of mixed reviews, the company reworked their product line as well as hired popular artists such as Gerald Brom
Gerald Brom
Gerald Brom is an American gothic fantasy artist and illustrator, known for his work in role-playing games, novels, and comics.-Early life:Brom was born March 9, 1965, in Albany, Georgia. As the son of a U.S...
and released a second edition of their Ave Molech campaign setting, also in PDF.
Eventually the company’s popularity grew and in 2007 was a runner up in the RPG-Awards Supplements of the Year. Then in 2008 Morbidgames released their fantasy campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
in paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
version, though their Journals series and individual writings still only available as PDFs. It was also during this time that the PDF's and books became available on a number of popular web retailers including Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
, the OBS (One Book Shelf) network, Paizo and Your Games Now.
Morbidgames has been a consistent advocate for aspiring writers, editors and artists in their local community found through Craigslist
Craigslist
Craigslist is a centralized network of online communities featuring free online classified advertisements, with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums....
. With its founding members based in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
& Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, the majority of the company’s part-time employees are typically local college students majoring in related subjects. The students are given the chance to work on projects and receive full credit within titles and product lines Morbidgames produces.
Games and supplements published
Morbidgames' main product line is the role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
Ave Molech.
They have produced a line of flash fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
stories and GM supplements called Journals with currently five Volumes using the OGL created by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
.
In addition, an OGL 3.5 Edition Steampunk Logo was created and released for use and distribution
Distribution (business)
Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user.The other three parts of the marketing mix are product, pricing,...
by other OGL publishers.
The last work on the series was the two Lore
Lore
Lore may refer to:* Loré , a city and subdistrict in Lautém District* Lore , the region on each side of a birds face between eye and bill* Lore , a fictional android* Lore Sjöberg, an internet humourist...
books published in 2009, the first a fictional story taking place prior to the events of the world setting and the second a collection of stories and adventures written entirely by fans of the setting.
Also in 2009, Morbidgames Publishing published the work of Gloria Weber, Gaslight Demons. The novel is unrelated to the world of Ave Molech, and role playing in general. It features a story based in a gaslamp setting. A synopsis of the plot is: Occult Officer Sophia Nogard has a mysterious past. Her boss, Chief Wizard Unver, has been trying to unravel since before she joined the Occult Investigations Offices. Now he’s got a new plan and an ally. Will Sophia’s new partner, Mackey Stone, be able to uncover the deadly secrets of Sophia’s family? If that weren’t enough to keep a girl’s hands full, a serial magical killer is on the loose. Can she protect the secrets, the people of the city, and her friends all at the same time?"
Ave Molech Setting
The setting for Ave Molech's role playing game, supplements and fiction is based in a high fantasy, post apocalyptic world. The world is broken into many distinct areas, such as a technologically advanced goblin city and a floating city of magic users. Ave Molech has attempted to include many popular creatures and monsters, but also includes many of its own creations, often considered to be over powered.Most monsters, and even some races, in the world of Ave Molech have come through tears in ley lines and planar travel, as seen in Lore Volume 1, is a dangerous, but not uncommon occurrence. The books are careful to avoid using the term "rift", as Palladium Books
Palladium Books
Palladium Books is a publisher of role-playing games perhaps best known for its popular, expansive Rifts series . Palladium was founded April 1981 in Detroit, Michigan by current president and lead game designer Kevin Siembieda, and is presently based in Westland, Michigan...
is the publisher of the Rifts
Rifts (role-playing game)
Rifts is a multi-genre role-playing game created by Kevin Siembieda in 1990 and published continuously by Palladium Books since then. Rifts takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, deriving elements from cyberpunk, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, mythology and many other genres.Rifts...
role-playing game. Rifts is not related to the Rift MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
from Trion Worlds
Trion Worlds
Trion Worlds, Inc. is an award-winning American video game developer and publisher, which focuses primarily on MMOs, particularly of the MMORPG and MMORTS genres. The company was founded in 2006 by Lars Buttler and Jon Van Canegham, who had each previously worked for EA and NCSoft, respectively...
, though both games share similar many elements. Some of these elements have also been compared to those found in Iron Kingdoms.
The world of Ave Molech also includes a favorable and useful outlook on body piercing
Body piercing
Body piercing, a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. The word piercing can refer to the act or practice of body piercing, or to an opening in the body created by this act or practice...
and art. As well as often plays up its dead gods and atheist undertones.
Influences for the setting have been speculated as Dark Sun
Dark Sun
Dark Sun is a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting featuring the fictional desert world of Athas. The original Dark Sun Boxed Set campaign setting was released in 1991....
meets H.P. Lovecraft according to review articles on Examiner.com
Examiner.com
Examiner.com is a media company based in Denver, Colorado, that operates a network of local news websites, allowing "pro–am contributors" to share their city-based knowledge on a blog-like platform, in 238 markets throughout the United States and parts of Canada with two national editions, one for...
.
Other Indie Publishers
Evil Hat ProductionsEvil Hat Productions
Evil Hat Productions is a company that produces role-playing games. Chief among them is the free indie RPG, Fate, which has won numerous awards. In 2005, the company began producing a series of commercial role-playing games using an updated version of the FATE system, each focusing on a different...
, makers of FATE (role-playing game system)
Louis Porter Jr. Design, Design and Publisher of RPGs