Hello, all!! While I remembered we would be closed on 31st Jan, I had neglected to mention that we would also be closed on 22nd Jan, for which I have been summarily punished. I had to hang from my toes with my face against the wall for several weeks. This also meant that I missed my last deadline, and was summarily punished again with a severe flogging. Oh, I do hope I don't need to be punished for any mistakes in this edition! Oh noooo, whatever will I do if I make a mistake?

RIFT FAIRE

We'd like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who came to visit us at the Rift Faire at MegaCon in January! It was lovely seeing all of your friendly faces and running games for you! We learned a lot from the experience, and we just might do something similar again soon... Watch this space.

OFF WITH YOUR HEAD

Mon 9th Mar sees the Guild Hall become the potential site of regicide once again, with the interactive comedy show Off With Your Head.

Can you save the kingdom from the curse? Two guest performers will try to rule a 12th Century Kingdom, but the crowd will decide who lives and dies!

From veteran performer Sam See and video game designer Stephen Case from RGB Monster, joined this month by Special Guest Jester Boy Joe Mayo (QI), and extra special guest rulers, Ken Cheng (No Rolls Barred, Winner of ITV’s Genius Game), and Charlotte Yeung (Genius Game, Miss London 2025).

IT'S YOUR ROLE

There are still a handful of Earlybird tickts available for Fri 27th Mar's performance of It's Your Role - Interactive D&D Live show.

Answer the call and become the hero in a madcap Dungeons & Dragons adventure, as a troupe of professional actors brings a chaotic fantasy world to life! But there’s a twist – one lucky audience member will be cast into the adventuring party live on stage.

Name NPCs, sound magical instruments, or take the leap and join the quest yourself. Direct from performing Off-West End, as well as having recently performed at World's Lair alongside Oxventure and Dark Dice. It's Your Role is a riotous night if improv and fantasy, where the audience shapes the story and you could be the hero who tips the scales of fate. Tickets are available on our site.

TAVERN QUIZ

The popular Tavern Quiz will take place on Mon 23rd Feb, with host Ringo taking sadistic glee in the pain of the participants as they try to figure out 'Does the Dog Die?'. Tickets are £3.50 through the Arcanist's Tavern website, or, if there are still some available, at the bar on the night.

Ringo would like to thank those of you who have been paying attention to his clues sown into the newsletters, and would also like to say: 'now might be a good time to look up Gladiators UK names'.

AETURNUM CAMPAIGN II REVEAL: NOCTURNE

THE FLAME FADES

The sky blisters, revealing a jagged wound above the vampiric continent of Tisis.

It drains the world below of light, trapping what remains of humanity in an inevitable march towards extinction. Year by year the breach expands, turning the survivors below to stone; their agony preserved for all eternity, as the flame of creation itself is extinguished.

Besieged by the warring draconic vessels of the Valentian Crusade, and the vampiric courts of Tisis, the City of Adrestia has sent its final few champions to seal this breach. A desperate expedition to slay the godlike vampire queen - Haera Agelamorn, before all of creation is plunged into an endless night.

As the leaders of the Wayfarer’s guild, you will be tasked with uniting the scattered remnants of the Isles, forging fragile alliances and confronting the curseblood plague that threatens to consume you from the inside.

RISE ABOVE DEATH

Aeturnum II is a visceral new psychological and action-horror campaign set within the ruined world of Theora. Tasking you with leading the Wayfarers Guild as you embark upon a perilous expedition to the vampiric capital of Aernoc.

It will be up to you to decide which allies can be trusted to join your cause, and who will be sacrificed to stave off the curseblood plague.

Aeturnum II will introduce a number of new mechanics and overhauls, as you forge a path beyond death itself.

THE WAYFARER’S CONVOY: Aeturnum II's biggest mechanical update is the Wayfarer's Convoy, a mobile base for you and your allies to oversee and develop.

The convoy is an evolution of our Boon system; across your journey you will gather allies, and salvage resources that can be used to upgrade these colossal armoured wagons and their facilities. Granting you access to unique abilities, weapons, skills and questlines.

Players will all contribute towards these upgrades, choosing carefully which features to prioritise and develop as you build a home amongst the ruins of the frontier.

As night falls, your choices will be tested as you are forced to repel the undead horde. Without the proper defenses, precious companions may be infected and turned, as they succumb to the vampiric curse.

FORGE YOUR PATH: Aeturnum II will place a greater focus on player choice and consequence, as your expedition decides the fate of humanity. Your journey will require you to make unspeakable sacrifices, as you choose what you are willing to lose to fulfil your mission. Will you inspire hope in your fellow survivors? Or will desperation drive you down a darker path entirely.

Aeturnum II will feature an expanded world to explore, that will be shaped by your actions. You will need to earn the trust of your companions, as they each pursue their own hidden ambitions. Not everyone can be saved as night falls, and you must risk your most trusted allies being enthralled and turned against you.

ACCURSED BLOOD: Your blood festers with ancient whispers, as the Queen of Tisis seeks to claim you as her own. You have been infected with her Curseblood plague, and must fight to retain your humanity as her hold deepens.

The Curseblood system is an overhaul of the Afflictions and Cursemark framework, representing your descent into becoming an inhuman thrall. Any Wayfarer that falls will be turned against you, as they join the vampiric horde.

A NEW BEGINNING

Aeturnum II is a new, standalone story that requires no prior experience with Campaign One. It is intended to be an accessible jumping on point for those looking to join this world for the first time.

Nocturne will begin with a new Prologue scenario: REQUIEM. As with Campaign One, playing this Prologue will be mandatory for all players before joining, as it introduces you and your character to this world - beginning their descent into undeath.

Aeturnum II will not allow characters to be carried forward from Campaign One, as it is an original story set further forward in Theora’s ruined timeline.

Accompanying this campaign will be a revised set of character creation guidelines, incorporating elements from the latest 5E2024 releases.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

We’ll be releasing an extended preview of Aeturnum II’s world, narrative and systems over the coming month as the Witness Arc draws to an end. This will be accompanied with developer commentary that will dive deeper into these new updates.

Aeturnum II will launch on June 5th. Tickets for the new Prologue and Quests will be released in May, with release dates to be confirmed shortly.

After Campaign One concludes on March 1st, we will be running two months of special quests and events in the lead-up to this release (and taking a much needed break from the horrors…). More information about these events will be released next month, so watch this space.

Until next time!

I.

INKYFINGERS: January Update II