Artesia: Adventures in the Known World

Artesia

by Mark Smylie (Illustrator)

The award-winning graphic novel Artesia comes to life in the Adventures in the Known World RPG, using a modified and easy-to-use Fuzion-based roleplaying system to plunge players into the strife-riven realms of the Known World, from the Warring Citadels of the Daragjan Highlands to the never-ending feud between the Sun Court of Illia and the Phoenix Court of the Empire of Thessid-Gola. Includes an expansive adaptation of R. Talsorian Games' LifePath character-generation system including birth omens, star signs and divine and heroic lineages, and rules for talents and abilities accessible to characters through the Arcana, the Tarot-like system representing the Known World's archetypal paths of power and the foundation of an unique system of experience, allowing game rewards for virtually all types of character actions.

Genres: Fantasy, Role Playing Games

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 14, 2005

About the author

While The Barrow marks his first published prose novel, Mark Smylie has worked as a writer, illustrator, editor, and publisher for over a decade.

His epic military fantasy comic book, Artesia, was first published by Sirius Entertainment in 1999, and then later by Archaia, a publishing company that he founded. He was nominated for the Russ Manning Award for Best Newcomer in 1999, and for an Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition in 2001. His illustrations have appeared in works from Wizards of the Coast (for Dungeons & Dragons), White Wolf (for Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse), Brigand Publishing (for Avlis), Kobold Quarterly, and collectible card games from AEG (L5R and Warlords). He contributed a short story to the Eisner-Award winning Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard anthology; designed and illustrated a roleplaying game based on Artesia that won the Origins Award for Role-Playing Game of 2006, three Indie RPG Awards, and was nominated for six ENnies; and contributed an essay on Artesia and religion to Graven Images: Religion in Comic Books & Graphic Novels, published by Continuum International Publishing.

Reviews

[Eduardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic setting. Wrong choice of rule system.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the comics, I loved this game book. It provides a wealth of information, both current to the storyline and of ages past. The experience system rewards characters for doing significant things in-game, providing experience that can be spent to improve in the vein of what was done, allowing organic growth of charaters (i.e., "I seduced the countess to achieve our goal, which gained experience points in Lovers, allowing me to improve my looks, my Seduction skill, or one of my appearance/personality feats").

The magic system is VERY free form while channeling genre appropriate actions. The GM will need to pay attention as high levels of magical skill can get mighty powerful.

[Ben L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got six ENNie Nominations, including Best Art, Interior; Best Production Value; Best Writing; Best Campaign Setting/Setting Supplement; Best Game; and Best Product. Written and illustrated by Mark Smylie, this book in the crown jewel of my TTRPG collection.

The world building is staggering, and the details of the setting is amazing. No wonder it got the Origins Award Winner for 2005 RPG of the year.

The system is based on Mike Pondsmith's Fuzion system and Lifepath system (a second edition is coming soon.)

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My spouse is into comic books and because I am not the caped superhero type, got this for me to try. This is a graphic novel with great art. The non-primary characters and wars are a little bit difficult to keep track but the lead female character has very interesting and unique dimensions.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic art from the stories.
The world history is well presented.
The game system is rich and playable.
I really like the tarot based "XP" awards system.
The combat system was good.