ay is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage month and StartPlaying.Games is celebrating some of the amazing Asian creators in the Tabletop Roleplaying Game space. In no particular order, here is a list of some of our favorite recent TRPG products from Asian creators.
The Unbreakable Anthology
If you are looking for the best way to incorporate Asian mythology into your 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign, this is it. The Unbreakable Anthology is a collection of ten adventures inspired by Asian-mythology packed with dynamic adventures, incredible art, and deadly monsters. Jacky Leung put together an incredible team of adventure writers including Kat Kruger, Daniel Kwan, and RK Wilde to name a few. The Unbreakable Anthology Vol. 1 is a Gold Bestseller on DriveThruRPG and is available in PDF and Hardcover. In addition to a second D&D 5th Edition compatible volume, Unbreakable Publishers are planning more releases throughout 2021 including adventures for other systems like Powered By the Apocalypse and Forged in the Dark.
Unbreakable Vol. 1 on DriveThruRPG
Unbreakable Publishers Website
Unbreakable Publishers on Twitter
The Islands of Sina Una
Sina Una is an expertly crafted campaign setting inspired by pre-colonial Philippines mythology. In addition to the rich world presented in The Islands of Sina Una, there is a ton of gameable content you can add to your own campaigns. From brand new class options like Babaylan who walk the fine line between the spirit realm and the material plane to the fierce Headhunter who channels the spirits to enhance their martial prowess. The entire team for this book is of Filipino heritage and includes incredible talent such as Lucia Versprille, Joshua Mendenhall (better known as HTTPaladin) and Makenzie De Armas. The PDF is available on Hit Point Press and you can pre-order the Hardcover book now.
The Islands of Sina Una Website
The Islands of Sina Una PDF on Hit Point Press
The Islands of Sina Una Hardcover on Hit Point Press
Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
In 1920s Chinatown you take on the role of a member of a multi-generational family of Chinese immigrants who run a restaurant. The twist? By night you and your family hunt Jiangshi, or hopping vampires. The setting of the game is reflected in every aspect of gameplay, making for an immersive experience that blends the family drama, horror, and comedy genres. Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall is a hybrid cooperative board game and tabletop roleplaying game. It is created by Banana Chan and Seng-Foon Lim, and published by Game & Curry. You can pre-order the physical game on BackerKit now or purchase the PDF and print-play-materials on DriveThruRPG.
Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall on BackerKit
Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall on DriveThruRPG
A Thousand Thousand Islands
This zine collection is system agnostic, meaning you can use them with whatever your favorite tabletop roleplaying system is. There are a total of eight unique settings that all take inspiration from Southeast Asian mythology and culture including Ngelelangka, "a market in the mountains, built on the backs of puppets", and Stray Virassa, "an island of sorcerers and the shipwrecked dead." The project is ongoing and the Malaysian based duo, Mun Kao and Zedeck Siew, continue to publish new content on their blog. You can purchase the zines on the A Thousand Thousand Islands website.
A Thousand Thousand Islands Website
A Thousand Thousand Islands on itch.io
An Altogether Different River
Inspired by the uncertainty of moving back home after being away for a long period of time, this micro-RPG has no GM and is intended to be played over the course of one session. Together a group of two to four players tell the story of a town, the people who stayed, the people who left, and the inevitability of change. Created by Aaron Lim as a spiritual successor to his previous project Homebound, An Altogether Different River is an experiment in collaborative worldbuilding which makes it a great choice for a one-shot with your regular group. The PDF is available on itch.io.
An Altogether Different River on itch.io
