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Harper's Tale: A DnD 5e Adventure Path for heroes 1st thru 10th level

Created by Matt Corley

Harper's Tale is an epic story of sacrifice, perseverance, and redemption. The heroes will investigate, battle, and learn the true origins of the threat to their home. The adventure is based on an outline my daughter, Harper, and I wrote after coming home from the hospital after her first round of chemotherapy treatment for leukemia. All net proceeds from the crowdfunding campaign (including this BackerKit) will be donated to benefit Friends of Kids with Cancer to help others like Harper who are battling cancer. Joining Harper and I are an elite team of creators including: Jeff Stevens, Ben McFarland, Brian Suskind, Hannah Rose, Ashley Warren, Kienna Shaw, Bill Barnett, MT Black, Donathin Frye, Anna Landin, Gwendy B, Anna Meyer, Dyson Logos, Jessica Ross, and others! Kobold Press and Petersen Games also pitched in to us bring this to life. What is Harper's Tale? Harper’s Tale is a forest-based adventure path of 10 connected adventures culminating in the party, now 10th level, confronting the source of the plague within their home land. The adventure is intended for players as young as 10, but I promise players of all ages will find plenty to keep them engaged with the story. The adventure path starts in the village of Grove as the heroes come to a seemingly deserted village. Through exploration and investigation, they learn that a mysterious illness has taken over the town, leaving only two young women, Rose and Grace, to care for the populace. Their investigations take them under the town, and, in learning the source of the illness, they find themselves drawn into a much bigger plot by a mysterious force they know little about. What is clear is that the forest they call home is in danger, and the entity behind the illness of Grove has only just begun its foul machinations as evidenced by a sudden outbreak of madness in a neighboring town. A second outbreak is staved off by the heroes—surely they are best described as such after saving not one but two villages—and they find themselves traveling to see the arch-druid of the forest, Deng. The journey is arduous, but the clever adventurers comport themselves well, and learn much in their audience with the ancient druid, including the ingredients for fashioning a cure for the otherworldly contagion and, more importantly, the appropriate rites for harvesting the key components. Harvesting the cure is a greater challenge than the adventurers anticipated as they must deal with a cold war between the hidden powers of the forest in addition to gathering the ingredients in the dark recesses of the primordial wood. The adventure culminates in a confrontation with the creature whose machinations have been behind the debilitating disease wracking the forest. The heroes have learned much of their enemy, but have they learned all there is to know? How will they react when confronted with the source of so much pain and sorrow? Can it be defeated? Redeemed? Or will it win the day? There’s only one way to find out.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Tue Sep 17 '19 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Tue, Sep 17, 2019 at 04:43:18 AM

As you know from yesterday's update things went a little crazy with our articles at Forbes.com, DnD Beyond, and a post from Friends of Kids with Cancer.

In a few few words...IT WORKED! We're well over $16,000 raised!!!

We had over $3,300 in pledges yesterday. That's blew our best day over (Day 1) out of the water, and shot us past a few stretch goals. That it happened towards the end of the second week is upheard off in crowdfunding. And that brings me to my the reason I'm updating now instead of getting the girls up and ready for school :)

I was able to get a very favorable quote from a printer and I'm happy to announce that we are able to print all the books being delivered to Friends of Kids with Cancer in premium color hardback (think of what you see at Barnes & Noble or your local game store) for the same price as what I'd estimated for softcover color books. This saves us quite a bit, all of which is now going to Friends of Kids. This does not affect the copies that backers will order via DriveThruRPG, but it does helps Kids a lot. The landing page has been updated to reflect this and I'm so excited with everyone you all have done!!

Thank you!

Matt, Harper, and team

Mon Sep 16 '19 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Mon, Sep 16, 2019 at 03:22:51 PM

Today We Got a Bit of Attention!

I'm going to keep my portion of this update to a minimum (I've got dinner in the Instant Pot and all three of us are ravenous).

DnD Beyond

Our good friends at DnD Beyond posted a fantastic article about the project and the folks involved. Please check it out HERE.

Forbes.com

Yes, you read that right and I'm as suprised as you are! I was approached this morning by a blogger from Forbes with a few questions about the project which turned into this surprise article.

We're a few hundred dollars away from $15,000!!! And I've gotten some great news from the publisher that's going to be printined the books I'll be handing to Friends of Kids with Cancer. I need to do some math (and I need coffee for that) so be on the look out tomorrow for an update. It's another good one!

Thank you and let's keep the momentum going!

Matt, Harper, and team

Sun Sep 15 '19 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Sun, Sep 15, 2019 at 05:38:56 AM

Last night during the livestream we funded!!! Yesterday was our 2nd best day at $1,894 raised (it was about $500 less than launch day) which is remarkable for a project in its second week. The support has been humbling to say the least.

The hard part is done, and I can finaly start to get some sleep at night, but we've still got twenty day left to make this project even more amazing for Friends of Kids with Cancer!!!

Now that we've funded its time to really get the word out and show the folks that have been watching that we're means business, the books is happening, and are ready to make a difference for these kiddos.

Please share the project anywhere and everywhere that you can think of. You may be surprised at how many folks want to help out in some way :)

I feel like a broken record, but thank you again. We wouldn't be here without you. Next weeks' updates will be a series on the creatives involved. They're an allstar team and I'm couldn't be more proud to be part of it too.

Matt, Harper, and team

Sat Sep 14 '19 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Sat, Sep 14, 2019 at 03:36:25 PM

Holy crazy day Batman!

We are ~$650 from funding as I type this and the first adventure in the Harper's Tale adventure path is going to be livestreamed in ~30 min (6pm CST) on the Kobold Press Twitch channel.

During the stream will be giving away literally thousands of dollars of amazing RPG content, gift cards, dice, accessories, and what not. Our grand prize is a Legendary Bundle from the good folks at DnD Beyond!!

Harper will be saying hello at the beginning of the stream and we hope you all can stop by to watch. We have an incredible cast, the stream will be family friendly, and it's an amazing cause.

Harper's Tale Livestream!

See you there!!!

Matt, Harper, and team

Fri Sep 13 '19 Announcement
over 4 years ago – Fri, Sep 13, 2019 at 05:17:20 AM

Harper and Friends of Kids with Cancer had an amazing gallery showing last night at Art for the Heart. The event was incredible, the art phenomenal, and we had a blast. Harp's piece sold for almost $400!?!?!

Fundraising Update!

We are at $9,200 as a type this. This is incredible! Our goal is $12,000 and we have just over 3 more weeks to smash through it and bring an amazing book and a considerable donation to Friends of Kids with Cancer!

Livestream!

The first adventure in Harper's Tale will be played and streamed live by an amazing cast tomorrow from 7p to 10p EST. During the show we will be giving away a huge amount prizes to our benefactors and viewers. The show is on Twitch on the Kobold Press channel.

That's all I've got today. Harper is doing fantastic, seeing all the Kids last night was great, a bit emotional, and inspiring. Keep on keeping on my friends!

Thank you!

Matt, Harper, and team