8 Reasons to Check Out Guardians of Umbra

As you might know, High Level Games is a Savage World Ace, and as a company that is tied into what other creators of Savage Worlds are producing, we sometimes see things early that get us excited. Guardians of Umbra. I saw two things immediately, Tesla and Tesla. Anything Tesla related gets my attention. I have a brick at Wardenclyffe to prove it.

We talked to Michael Barbeau of Bumblebear  about the project. Micheal told us his 3 reasons to be excited, and then he answered a few great questions.

3 Reasons to Be Excited for Guardians of Umbra

1. It expands the existing Savage Worlds library of content! There is an arsenal of Arcane Backgrounds, Edges, Hindrances, and other mechanics that players and GM’s can use in their normal Savage Worlds campaigns as well as in Guardians of Umbra. After all, who doesn’t love more content?
2. Play as crazy mythological creatures. We’ve all looked through the monster manual and wished we could play all the cool creatures. Most games aren’t built for that, but this is where Guardians of Umbra shines.
   
3.  We have taken a well explored setting, World War II, and using both unique technology and mysterious entities, changed the dynamic of a dark and dangerous time. We have added additional enemies, historical events, and factions that are not always what they appear to be.

What genre influences are we getting from this setting? (Tell us more about Teslapunk, WWII Nazi punching, etc)
Our setting introduces Teslapunk technology during World War II. In Guardians of Umbra, a madman steals Tesla technology and uses it to create a wide array of weapons and strange devices. This alters the technological level like many steampunk games, only with more mad scientists and fewer rivets. It also opens the door for crazy enemies like cyborg zombies and Nazis using lightning guns.
The second influence comes from the world of Umbra itself. This is a place occupied by a wide variety of creatures from folklore, myths, and fairy tales. Players get to play as these creatures—once viewed as monsters and driven away--as they return to take on the far more frightening enemies of the Tesla Corpse.

Why Savage Worlds for the ruleset?
I have been playing Savage Worlds games for about a decade now and their system has always impressed me. The mechanics have a way of making everything feel gritty and dangerous, while allowing players to attempt epic feats. Like their tagline says, “Fast, Furious, Fun” and that is exactly what we wanted for our game. 

Additionally, because players will be playing epic mythical creatures, we needed to make sure everything was well balanced. We were able to use the Savage Worlds system to give each race unique abilities and add new Arcane Backgrounds while making sure that no one race could dominate the game.

I noticed the Kickstarter includes information for paper miniatures. Can you tell us more about them and why we should be excited about them?
Many role players enjoy using theater of the mind, and I have done it plenty of times myself. However, we wanted to help players who love getting visually immersed see their characters and enemies on the board. Many roleplaying games use miniatures, however that can be a hefty investment, especially for a very specific setting. So, by using printable paper miniatures, players can get the same experience but for little cost.

What sort of adventures do you anticipate people running using Guardians of Umbra?
Many of the adventures we anticipate are smash and grab rescue operations. There are many allies that have been taken hostage or used as experiments that are in dire need of help. There is also a massive war going on that players can get involved in. Many adventures will be flexible based on whether the player characters decide to co-exist with humanity and come to their aid or seek to dominate and destroy. 
We also have a Plot Point Campaign that will be included in the Game Masters Book. This campaign will provide a series of adventures that will pit players against the Tesla Corps, drag them through combat zones, and reveal a hidden darkness that threatens the world. 

What's in the future for Bumblebear Games?
Being miniature lovers, once we deliver on Guardians of Umbra, we are launching another Kickstarter for a series of miniatures in-setting. We already have seven minis sculpted and ready to go, including a rogue demon, Rosie the Riveter, an avatar of nature, and one of the Tesla Corps failed experiments. After that, we have setting expansions and several board game projects lined up, such as the Guardians of Umbra board game, which is already in development.


Check it out now on Kickstarter!