Free Indie TTRPG Relict RPG Heads to Kickstarter
The one-man, one-dog Houndsong Games team is crowdfunding the first set of adventures powered by the Relict system.
Relict RPG rose from the ashes of the OGL debacle last year with a simple pitch: we’re making a new system, it’s gonna do some cool stuff, and it’s gonna be free.
A year onward, and Houndsong Games has delivered on the promise. Relict RPG is a free TTRPG system that doesn’t ask for an account, battle pass, subscription, nothing—the entire thing is published to a web page. Fans can support the project through Patreon, Ko-fi, and other platforms, but none of the system’s content is locked behind a paywall. The approach is a leap of faith: if we make cool stuff, the community will support us.
Now that the backbone of Relict is up and running, Houndsong is turning its attention to expanding the content that goes with it. Next week, the project’s first Kickstarter goes live, with the goal of creating digital and physical quick-start books and a series of adventure modules designed to get new players and Game Masters up and running with the system.
This is Relict's ‘year zero’ pack, intended to be the perfect onramp for players looking to try out Relict. The rulebooks are condensed, "just tell me what I need to know" versions of the broader system on the website, and the adventures here are being written with new players and Game Masters in mind. In short: you don't need to master every nuance of Relict to have a great game session running these, and you can learn as you go.
To promote the Kickstarter, Houndsong teamed up with Australian actual-play show Sounds Like Adventure to create a Relict-powered miniseries, Sounds Like Relict: Ten Silvers Bent. In it, usual SLA dungeon master Jack jumps in with his players Chi and Jacob to tackle an eldritch horror adventure GM’d by Houndsong Games head and Relict creator, C.D. Corrigan. The show is the trio's first time playing a Relict game, so it's a great example of a new player experience. Episodes are slated to roll out each week of the Kickstarter.
As for what backers can expect, the campaign’s starting tiers are designed to be budget friendly: digital versions of the player and GM starter books, plus the adventures the campaign funds. Moving higher, backers have several options for physical booklet packs that include accessories like a GM screen, collector’s box, resource tracking dials, and more.
The Kickstarter is structured to snowball what backers get if it exceeds the modest initial goals. Houndsong is uniquely positioned to keep costs low on projects like this, with professional art, writing, and layout experience on the resume. If the campaign gets into stretch goal territory, there are provisions built into the budget to explore commissioning other contributors. Those goals include additional adventure modules delivered to backers throughout the year if the campaign beats its targets.
Relict is available to play right now via its homepage. Houndsong also recommends their Relict in 60 Seconds playlist on Youtube for a crash course on the basics that only takes a few minutes.
