Seeds of Decay - 5e campaign setting, bestiary, & adventure
Created by Darryl T. Jones
A crack has formed in the darkness, leaking decay into the forest, twisting its creatures into terrible monstrosities.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
January-February Update - My Experience with the OGL Crisis
about 2 months ago
– Wed, Feb 01, 2023 at 11:49:45 AM
Hello Adventurers of the Alwaysgreen Forest,
It has been a heck of a year this month! I'm going to take a moment to share my perspective on OGL drama below, I'm sure you've heard about it. It's taken me some time to write and it's still a little raw. Its been extremely stressful. Also my recent Kickstart is launched on January 10th. It's doing fantastic. I couldn't be more pleased. Thank you for all the support.
The OGL Crisis
I first played D&D in '93 or '94, I don't honestly remember which. I had just started to get close with the kids that would be my best friends throughout my high school years. Somewhere between 4 and 8 of us would spend almost every night at one of our houses. One of the friends suggested we'd have a "lock-in" at his parents shop. They owned a little shop that sold knickknacks, tech, and games. It really had everything and no niche at all. They even had, get this, laser disks! I digress. We stayed the night in a spare storage/break room with couches and such. We'd game and watch movies. It became an almost weekly tradition.
It was in this back room that I first played D&D. It was AD&D. I remember one of my friends being adamant about the "A". Like I had any clue why it mattered. Years later, I see the significance, of course.
Somehow this has survived 30 years.
We played constantly, not just weekends. We tried every RPG we could get our hands on, but it was D&D that we came back to.
Playing D&D was about being a hero. Also, we learned so much through it; teamwork, compassion, social skills, taking turns, math, problem solving, improved vocabulary, syntax, application, improvisation, drama, comedy, and most importantly what true friendship could be. We were playing heroes in our imagination, but we learned how to be heroes to each other in real life.
I went to college and still got to play, but soon it became less and less. Before I knew it, I graduated and was married. Years passed and fortunately new friends asked me to play 5e with them in 2014. I did, and the old joy and imagination instantly came back. I immediately started thinking about and creating a Dobbers campaign setting.
I didn't know anything about the OGL or SRD at that time. I was creating something new. It was about people coming together to share stories and adventure, to face imagined dangers and save the day, to be heroes! WotC/Hasbro doesn't own that. They don't own being a hero!
Since then I've learned a ton about the OGL and SRD. I'm not going to rehash that here. There's tons of breakdowns on youtube and they do a better job of explaining it than I would.
It's been about a month since the news came out (though there were rumblings all the way back in December of 2021). I was knee deep in developing Seeds of Decay and I was pushing for the home stretch. In the back of my mind I had started to stress at the thought of needing to convert the book to OneD&D. Should I just leave it? Should I re-release it after fulfillment? Maybe I could produce some kind of conversion guide? These thoughts were enough of a distraction, but they didn't hold a candle to the mega-ton bomb that dropped when a new OGL leaked. WotC/Hasbro was going to release a new OGL and revoke the one I had been operating under. There was a lot of terrible terms proposed in this leaked OGL, but I'll only highlight one:
Wizards wouldhave a "nonexclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, sub-licensable, royalty-free license to use that content for any purpose."
The Dobbers, in many ways, were inspired by my Grandpa who helped raise me. I self-published the Dobbers comic in 2001. The Dobbers are a part of who I am. There was no way I was going to sign that new OGL and sign away my rights to anything I create under it! The mantra for the Dobbers and Seeds of Decay has always been "The Forest Needs Heroes!"They don't own being a hero!
Did they really think they could take that away from us?
Was I going to have to rewrite Seeds of Decay in a completely different system now? I began to feel that I would have to. I know there's a lot of conflicting information out there about what was safe and what was not. I'm not going to debate that. I assure you, I wasn't sleeping because of the stress this was causing.
Seeds of Decay was effectively on hold and, because I'm running a business, I still had to somehow get my next product launched. I was a wreck, but I wasn't alone. Thousands of creators were in the same boat. Thousands of creators had their livelihoods in WotC/Hasbro's crosshairs. Then came the #OpenDnD movement.
Though my contribution was small, I was fortunate enough to have been in the war room for the #OpenDnD movement. It was unreal to see it unfold. It was amazing to see the passion of so many talented creators, with their backs against the wall, attacked, hurt and feeling violated. They rose up with strength and integrity.
On January 27th, 2023, WotC/Hasbro capitulated. OGL 1.0a, the one I was operating under, would stay in place and the entire SRD 5.1,the one I reference,would move to Creative Commons.
I can't accurately put into words what this felt like. The entire community could breath again. Jobs and companies were saved. Plans and projects that had been scrapped were back on the schedule. Seeds of Decay can be finished and published as planned, just as you expected when you supported this Kickstarter! This experience is something I'll never forget. I'm eternally thankful for all the third-party publishers that banded together so save an industry and that they didn't give up. They arereal heroes!
I'm beyond thankful for your continued support!
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Seeds of Decay - Do we really know the Rot Weaver?
So the work resumes at full speed. I'll be finishing any remaining writing this month, proofing, revisions and art next month. Hopefully you'll all have an alpha pdf to critique soon.
Here's a few new illustrations.
And, for some more flavor, would you care to meet Othkara? Below is an excerpt about this very important NPC:
Othkara opened his eyes and instinctively pushed his long whiskers back, brushing them with his groundhog claws. It didn’t take long for his mind to focus. He hadn’t slept well, and who would with what they were facing. He blinked looking around the camp. There were only four of them. Four wizards against the Lightless. They didn’t stand a chance. Not really. Sure, the king sent them out with a lot fanfare and the promise of a kingdom restored. But no one really understood what it was they were up against. Rohr-tan, the Lightless.The inbetweener. The Rot Weaver.
Why do so many call him Rot Weaver? he wondered. Rot is the byproduct of his darkness. Somehow he accelerates the natural process of decay wherever his shadow casts. Rot grower might be more accurate, but I suppose that doesn’t have the same ring. His mind continued to wander as he rolled up his bedding. He’d only laid out a blanket of wool, not even dyed. He didn’t need much. His thick fur provided all the cushion he needed,though he didn’t want to lay directly on the dirt. He was civilized after all. And there were his things to think about. If dirt got into his potions, they’d be ruined. Yes, his bed was simple, but he was not.
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One last thing, a Thank You for your Support!
Lastly, RPG Essentials is going amazingly. Just as you supported Seeds of Decay, many of you have supported RPG Essentials. As a special thank you, as a backer of Seeds of Decay, if you back RPG Essentials at any physical reward tier, you will receive a free set of Seeds of Decay Acrylic Tokens!
If you've already backed RPG Essentials, don't worry, this set will automatically be added to your rewards. If you've not yet, don't miss out. This set will only be free to you while the campaign is live.
December Update + Holiday Monsters & Magic Items
3 months ago
– Sat, Dec 24, 2022 at 10:16:48 PM
Hey backers,
Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, and a joyous New Year to you and yours.
We hope everyone is staying safe and warm during this holiday season! We just got blasted by that cold from that came through the Midwest. My phone showed a negative 24 degrees with the wind chill last night.
My back door last night!
Here is the short and sweet last update for 2022.
Rewards Update
This month I've been focused on art and writing revisions. There's a lot to do. Also, a small curve ball. Nord has decided to back away from fulfillment, but fortunately I was able to connect with Flying Cloud. Flying Cloud handled a lot of Nord's fulfillment anyway, so it should be a seamless transition. I am still targeting summer of 2023 for your rewards to go out!
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Free Holiday Monsters & Magic Items
This is just for fun. I created some holiday goodies a while back for a collaboration. When I came across them this year, I quickly realized how much I've grown as a writer and creator. So, after some revisions, I've decided to share them with you here!
Christmas is a somber affair in Weasel Foot. It was ten years ago this night that the unbread began to rise from cookie sheets and ovens, wreaking havoc wherever the. Christmas spirit was strong. Though, many believe and wish to keep the Christmas spirit alive, they know, it only takes a simple wreath of holy, or a careless carol hummed under one's breath to call the Gingerdead Man and his Unbread Minions.
Download the PDF here. Let me know if you include the Gingerdead Man and his Unbread Minions in any holiday adventures.
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The Kickstarter launch of RPG Essentials is just a few weeks away!
Things are just about set and I wanted to share with you the master list of tokens we'll be producing. You can sort it by size, type, and CR. Also, this list includes some stretch goals, so we'll have to make sure we hit them all so all 400+ are included.
October/November check-in, new page design, and a peek toward the future
5 months ago
– Thu, Nov 03, 2022 at 12:26:22 AM
Greetings Heroes!
Hail and well met. Our adventure continues and you, my intrepid party, are the reason for our success. As we draw nearer to the tomb of the Rot Weaver, I need you to be vigilant and soldier on. Only a few more quests lie upon the Dark Desk of keyboard striking. Once he is defeated, our journey continues along a different path. We must storm the Keep of Manufacturing, embark upon the Treacherous Seas of international shipping and finally we can celebrate our victory at the palace of Lord Fulfillment. There is much yet to do, but even more has already been done!
So what is done?
Introduction
New Player Heritages (races)
New Backgrounds
New Classes
New Subclasses
Magic Items
Spells
Monsters
Contraptioneering Activity
Foraging Activity
10 of the 14 Quests that make up the Adventure Arc
Many of these sections are in their first draft state, and have just begun the editing process. So, it's still going to be a while before I can share an alpha PDF. But, that being said, I'm eager to do so. You'll get to see Seeds of Decay as soon as I'm able to share it.
New Page Design
Many of you have downloaded the Introduction PDF and the Plaguewood Spider adventure PDF. The page design and layout of these, I believed was strong. As such, I was planning to use most of those design elements throughout the full book. However, as the book continued to grow, I began to feel I could incorporate some improvements that would make the book more user friendly. So, I've redesigned the page. In the new design, I use a three-column layout. The third column will be used for reference, making it easier for those reading it to quickly find more information about any given point as soon as they come across it. Additionally, the bottom of each page will be color coded to the current section and will include the section and subsection titles. Here is the proposed design:
New improved page design, focusing on ease of use
The better the visual design, the more accessable text and tools become. I hope you like this concept. I'd love to hear your feedback.
What's Next? Acrylic Tokens!
As promised, it's time I tell you what is coming from Splattered Ink Games next. I first must share that I really appreciate the time Rico from Hit Point Press as invested in me. We were talking about the future of Splattered Ink Games and what ideas I had in development. Of course, there's Seeds of Decay II (The Silent King). Plus, A Time Traveler's Guide to Dinosaur Hunting (not kidding at all). Those projects are going to be amazing, but right now all of my energy is on finishing Seeds of Decay for you amazing people! So the question became, how can I move Splattered Ink Games forward without detracting from Seeds of Decay? The answer was right in front of me, acrylic creature tokens.
For the past two years I've been working with Tom Cartos, drawing top-down illustrations of every creature in the 5e SRD. Those are almost done. Seriously, I only have a handful more to do and the entire SRD will be drawn. So I sent those illustrations to my manufacturer to produce some acrylic samples and they came out amazing! Check it out:
These tokens are beautiful, portable and affordable. The Kickstarter price will be significantly less than any unpainted mini you can buy, plus you'll be able to carry the whole SRD in a few binders. You'll see for yourself when the KS launches. The penciled in launch date is January 4th, 2023. You can follow it here. :)
Quick delivery because the work will already be done
Seeds of Decay backers get a special loyalty bonus (read below)
As a special bonus to you all, any backer of Seeds of Decay will get a packof Seeds of Decay creatures for free! That's right, if you back at any physical level, you'll get the Seeds of Decay creature pack included at no cost. I've always had a knack for making little tools or other elements that help game play. I'm really excited to share these token-minis with you.
Watch the following video all the way to the end so see a few of the special Seeds of Decay acrylic token-minis:
So go follow that Kickstarter page. Show the world that you support indie publishers!
Speaking of Tom Cartos:
Into the Wilds is a collection of 6 fully customisable, biome and region themed battlemap books for your favourite TTRPG. They are ideal for pre-set or random encounters out in the wilderness, so you can be fully prepared no matter which direction your players choose to head in.
Tom has been producing amazing maps for TTRPGs for years. I've loved working with him on the SRD tokens and you're going to love the beautiful map books he's crowdfunding drawn. There's only 48 hours left. Don't miss out!
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As always, thank you for the support and continued encouragement! I love that I get to do this work. Its so fulfilling and rewarding!
Happy gaming!
-Darryl T. Jones (aka Splattered Ink)
Final Reminder: Orders Lock & Credit Cards Charged
7 months ago
– Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 02:57:11 PM
Greetings fellow denizens of Rohr-tan, the Rot Weaver,
I hope you've all had a great summer. It certainly has been busy and full of new experiences for my family and I. I'll continue to push toward completion of the remaining parts of Seeds of Decay. Many parts have come together nicely and I'm excited to how the sum whole will be so much greater than it's parts!
The Mysterious Firework
The Rat Claw Clan Warrior you recently dispatched lies lifelessly in a heap. The murderous ratkin was carrying a large satchel, a long, cylindrical shape can be identified through the cavas. Inside you find a bundle of mysterious bamboo tubes, rolled in a scrap of hide. You now have 2d4 Mysterious Fireworks.
I've shared that it is my goal to see Seeds of Decay on many of the available platforms and in different game systems. I'm very pleased to share with you that we've begun integration of the full Seeds of Decay product into Shard Tabletop. You can add the free one shot, The Plaguewood Spider, to your Shard account now, just click here!
Orders will lock at midnight tonight - Cards charged tomorrow
This is the final (final) reminder. I understand that communication is key in this type of project. However, moving forward, I plan go back to monthly updates. It's time to focus on final part of development and production.
Cards will be charged for post-Kickstarter addons and late pledges tomorrow.
Shipping will be charged when we near fulfillment. You will not be charged shipping at this time. This delay has become a necessary step for most small businesses using crowdfunding to create new products. I appreciate your understanding.
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Sincerely,
Darryl T. Jones aka Splattered Ink
Orders Lock Tomorrow, August 30th - Plus Magic Items Preview
7 months ago
– Wed, Aug 31, 2022 at 02:45:39 PM
Hello Dobberton!
Orders lock tomorrow.
Just a short message to remind you that orders lock tomorrow at midnight. Your credit cards will be charged after that, so get those final changes and updates in.
Magic Items
Magic items sneak peek.
Look at those beautiful items from Dungeon Scribe. All 15 are already in development. Tomorrow, I plan to give a final remind about cards being charged. At that time I'll reveal the text and features for one of these. Which one should it be? Let me know in the comments.
Missing Surveys
We still have 115 missing surveys left. If you've not filled out your survey, you will not be able to change your order after midnight tomorrow.
Shipping will be charged when we near fulfillment.
Just another reminder that you will not be charged shipping at this time. This delay has become a necessary step for most small businesses using crowdfunding to create new products. I appreciate your understanding.
