Dive into Fragments of the Past
Discover the books and the TTRPG that are redefining the Mediterranean fantasy
Fragments of the Past is a vast setting inspired by Tolkien, Homer, and the archaeology of the Bronze Age, echoing the civilizations and myths of the archaic Mediterranean Sea.
Imagine the hypnotic hum of cicadas in the fragrant air, the clash of shields, the intense glare of the Sun, the taste of soft lips wet by crimson wine, and the dark smoke over the sacrificial pyres.
It is a journey into a forgotten past that could have been but never was.
May you be blessed by the Immortal Gods.
What People Say
An absolutely fantastic read for anyone who appreciates the classics, and has an interest in speculative fiction or history. The detail and quality of the writing is phenomenal. You truly feel as though you are reading an undiscovered Homeric epic. The artwork is fantastic and feels like it could be depicting a yet undiscovered bronze age civilisation. I 100% recommend downloading the tabletop RPG guide as well. | Aaron Rolfe - ArtStation |
A beautiful book full of inspiring images - perfect for Game Masters, RPG players, artists and anyone who wants to delve into an imaginary world that may have been real in another time, another place. | Jeremy Blum - ArtStation |
Stunning artwork and story fragments immerse you into this incredible and detailed world, leaving you wonder all the possibilities of the things left untold. It's truly a great piece and I can't wait for it to be expanded upon. In the meantime I'll let my imagination wild, shifting through the drawings and poems. Highly recommended to anyone that likes both fantasy and mythological settings! | Andrea - ArtStation |
Amazing art, amazing narrative and interesting characters. Overall a great buy and a project you MUST follow if you're interested in TTRPGs! | Lenny - ArtStation |
The Fragments of the Past est une œuvre exceptionnelle. Elle nous amène à la découverte littéraire et iconographique d'un passé si réel qu'on se prend à imaginer qu'il a réellement existé. C'est que l'auteur utilise tous les codes des "beaux livres", et use d'une finesse, d'une intelligence, d'une précision et d'une beauté qui nous renvoient à nos propres références littéraires et iconographiques sur la Grèce antique, l’Égypte antique, et mille autres civilisations encore. Ce voyage en Askedoria est troublant, merveilleux, et à la fin le doute s'installe : comment peut-on imaginer qu'Askedoria n'ait pas réellement existé ? De tout cœur, merci pour ce voyage enchanteur, Maestro. | Jean-Philippe Mouton-Mazerand - ArtStation |
The Core Manual
Fragments of the Past is a rules-light roleplaying game set in a Bronze-Age world evoking the atmosphere of ancient tales and poems of the archaic Mediterranean, where conflicts are resolved on a roll of a d10 or a d100. Experience the great tragedies, deeds, and ambitions of larger-than-life characters, dwelling in a world of sacred places and untamed wilderness. Pray and live according to the ancient customs of long-forgotten civilizations, if you dare.
Epithets, Passions, and Gifts define characters: they describe past experiences, and torments, inspiring narrative plots and interacting directly with the rules. You can be a “Lotophagus“, a “Fallen Prince of a distant Thalassocracy“, an “Heir of an Ancient Warrior Tradition“, or “Possessed by Madness”. Fortuna points and Hybris points describe your relationship with the Immortal Gods and the extent of transgressions that you will inevitably commit during your life.
The setting is inspired by a sense of wonder and nostalgia for the fierce beauty of the archaic past: think Homer meets Tolkien. The manual is enhanced with a rich collection of story prompts to inspire and aid improvisation, like Talismans, sacred processions, ritual duels, shipwrecks, and joyous banquets.
- A two-page cheat sheet with all the rules.
- 120 Epiteths, Gifts and Passions.
- 187 pages filled with artworks to nurture your imagination and worldbuilding.
- New Fragments that continue the collection of the Narrative Artbook (XLIV - L).
- Many in-game examples of the mechanics, character creation, and guidelines to support Storytellers and Players in running the game.
- A one-shot adventure with 4 pre-generated characters, "The Destiny of the City of Moray Eels", to begin your story in the continent of Askedoria.
- A digital edition with a bookmarked PDF for easy reference.
The Collector's Edition Exclusives
- A blue linen cloth impressed with golden letters.
- A dust jacket with an alternative cover.
- A detailed account of the Zeugridas and Nautakoi civilizations [+10 pages].
- Two additional Epithets.
- Two additional Fragments (LI - LII).
The Narrative Artbook
Fragments of the Past - Collection I - XLII is a book to get lost in: a collection of myths, drawings, artefacts, poems and stories from the ancient continent of Askedoria. Readers will find again the pleasure of ancient tales. The Narrative Artbook will be a source of inspiration and a treasure trove of information for Players and Storytellers of the TTRPG, to experience even more intensely the fierce world surrounded by the Ophiotaurus Ocean.
- 100 pages and more than 50 illustrations.
- A geographical description of Askedoria, the ancestral uses and customs of Iskuzai and Etoi.
- Numerous artefacts and talismans related to the cult of the Twelve Gods.
- Myths dedicated to Six of the Twelve Immortals: from the divine Phoeraia to the Twin Moons, the Green-Faced Goddesses.
- The impious story of the tragic love between the Prince-Mercenary Diosconis and the Oracle-Concubine Tumsilt of the Koklidoi, the Celestial Nomads.
The Designworks
Fragments of the Past - The Designworks is a book that showcases the creative process behind the worldbuilding of Fragments of The Past. Part of its content has been developed with the members of the community during live streams on Twitch. We explored together myths, traditions, jewellery, weapons, cities, rituals, costumes, and many other things that the Immortal Gods suggested to us about the civilizations of Askedoria.
- 55 pages filled with sketches, paintings, ornamental motifs and characters.
- A foreword about the birth of the Fragments of the Past project.
- The XLIII Fragment.
A release without Kickstarter or crowdfunding. Why?
Fragments of the Past was born in 2020. After digitally releasing the first edition of the Narrative Artbook on ArtStation, we started to think about what publishing strategy we would be following. We were already backers of many projects, and initially, crowdfunding seemed the go-to option, but we saw increasing criticalities. Too many projects were facing severe issues due to the pandemic, to the skyrocketing cost of logistics, materials, and energy. Then we noticed, even among friends, that people are tired of waiting endlessly for their backed products, which rarely respect the timeline. People often forget what they backed or are no longer interested in the products when they are finally shipped. All the hype is gone. On the other hand, big publishing firms are increasingly using crowdfunding platforms as a pre-order system and marketing strategy.
We decided to release a finished product to give people something complete when they purchase it. It takes more time, you have to organise your project and business management differently, and you must invest upfront.
Then we evaluated the print-on-demand path. We gave ourselves the following rule: if the print quality did not match the quality of our products, we would have opted for a digital release only. After several printing proofs and tests from different suppliers, we choose a printing platform: Lulu. The quality of the paper, the vibrancy of the colors, the silky smoothness of the matte covers: we were enthusiasts.
We followed the old-style publishing approach: you finish a product before and then sell it. It is riskier but has some advantages: you can develop your project more comprehensively, take care of all the details, try different iterations, do multiple revisions, and take the time to mature creative options and decisions.
So, do we still need crowdfunding platforms? There is no one-size-fits-all solution. It depends on the kind of project you are creating, your business structure, the time at your disposal, and if you are willing to take the risk to invest upfront.
Ultimately, as creators, we all need to be receptive to the changes in our environment and respect the people who support our projects with passion, trust, and money.
Fact Sheet
Author, Illustrator and Game Designer: Massimiliano Haematinon Nigro
Publishing Studio: Dev9k Games
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Age Range: 16+
Player Count: 1 - 5 [+ the Storyteller]
Release Date: November 09, 2022
Printed Books are available on our Lulu Store
PDF Books are available on our Lulu Store, ArtStation, ITCH.IO
Quickstart Is Available Through Our Newsletter, ITCH.IO, and DriveThruRPG
Contacts & Assets
Inquiries
silvia [@] dev9k [.] com
Review Copies
Are you interested in reviewing one of our products? Just e-mail silvia [@] dev9k [.] com presenting yourself and the media you are collaborating with to receive a digital copy. If you are a blogger, YouTuber or streamer, please include links to your channels.
Media & Brand Assets
Use all press material exclusively in connection to Fragments of the Past products. If you want to use the images for another purpose, please contact us at massi [@] dev9k [.] com for approval. Always state the author's name, Massimiliano Haematinon Nigro, when using an image from Fragments of the Past - Dev9k.
Interview Requests
If you are interested in interviewing anyone in the Dev9k team, please email silvia [@] dev9k [.] com
Updates and News
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Credits
Writing, Game Design, Art and Layout: Massimiliano Haematinon Nigro
Project Management and Strategy: Silvia Furghieri, Antonio Scacchetti
Advertising and Video: Daniele Nigro, Gian Marco Proietti
Editing: Olga Bokareva [ENG], Gavin Hamilton [ENG], Gaetano Cipolla [ITA]
Favourite Cat: Papuzzini, also known as Luvio Zenna, Tullio Miagolini and by many other names
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