article by Darcy Ross
Small communities hold fast against the darkness of a dying world in Age of Umbra, a dark, survival fantasy 8-part Daggerheart mini-series with Game Master Matthew Mercer coming May 29th with players Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, and Travis Willingham. Death lurks around every corner, but five characters of the small community of Desperloch must band together to fight for hope for their community, risking it all for those they love.
Daggerheart is an endlessly flexible system, and Age of Umbra stands as a dark mirror to the brightly playful fantasy of The Menagerie one-shots (during the Open Beta Playtest) or the holiday themes set in the 1980’s of A Daggerheart Critmas Story. Buckle up for a whole new flavor of Daggerheart.
The World of Age of Umbra
Lethal and foreboding, the world of the Halcyon Domain is a world abandoned by gods, where souls of the dead are cursed and reborn into twisted, nightmarish forms. A dark, ethereal mass known as the Umbra roams and holds these fiendish monstrosities, further corrupting anything it touches. But flickers of hope remain—Sacred Pyres keep the Umbra at bay, with small communities enduring and surviving through cooperation. Out in the beyond, whispers speak of ancient secrets and powers, wonders of a lost age, ready for discovery to those brave enough (or foolish enough) to seek them.
Age of Umbra is a playable campaign frame designed by Matthew in the Daggerheart Core Set, but like any Daggerheart game, it is made anew through collaborative worldbuilding of the players and GM.
OUR Age of Umbra: Session Zero Worldbuilding
In a Session Zero airing May 22nd, you can watch players Sam Riegel, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Travis Willingham, and Ashley Johnson work with Matthew to make their characters and tie them into the setting of the Age of Umbra, creating adventure hooks, locations, and campaign elements that will reemerge throughout the mini-series.
Where to Watch & Listen
In a Session Zero airing May 22nd, you can watch players Sam Riegel, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Travis Willingham, and Ashley Johnson work with Matthew to make their characters and tie them into the setting of the Age of Umbra, creating adventure hooks, locations, and campaign elements that will reemerge throughout the mini-series.
The 8 episode mini-series premieres Thursdays at 7pm starting May 29th on Beacon, Twitch, and YouTube, with a break week on July 3rd and the finale on July 24th. VODs on YouTube are available the Monday following the premiere. Podcast versions are available instantly and ad-free to Beacon subscribers, or in two parts anywhere podcasts are found: part 1 available the Thursday after the premiere, and part 2 the following Tuesday.
Teaser Trailer
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