Introducing Bardsung: Legend of the Ancient Forge
Introducing Bardsung: Legend of the Ancient Forge
The songs won't write themselves.
- 1 - 5 Players
- Ages 14+
- 45 - 90 Minutes
Do you dream of hearing bards sing your name in taverns across the land? Well, now’s your chance!
Become a songworthy hero in Bardsung: Legend of the Ancient Forge, the cooperative, choice-driven dungeon explorer board game for 1-5 players.
A horde of hobgoblins have been plaguing nearby villages, and it’s up to you to sort them out. Rumour has it these pesky raiders are taking refuge in the mysterious Ancient Forge. Should be simple enough to venture below and dispatch them with a stout heart and a steady hand, right? Let’s just say you might find a little more than you bargained for…
Beginning with just one dungeon tile, your Bardsung adventures will effortlessly unfold into legendary campaigns of characterful heroes, dangerous enemies, challenging puzzles, and valuable treasure.
From your physical passage through the dungeon to your hero’s metaphorical journey, Bardsung is a game of paths where your choices define your experience. With branching narrative, customisable heroes, and evolving card decks, no two Bardsung campaigns will be the same!
What's in the box?
- 68 highly detailed plastic miniatures
- 32 different enemy models
- 5 unique heroes
- Over 900 cards
- Full set of RPG dice (10 dice)
- 20 combinable dungeon tiles
- Gigantic demon (120mm base!)
- Inspired by dungeon crawling and choose-your-own-adventure classics
- The immersion of roleplaying games meets rich and elegant board game mechanics
- Over 150 hours of gameplay and 68 highly detailed miniatures. Bardsung even has solo mode!
- Fast setup — play starts with a single dungeon tile, with the rest laid as you play
- Dive straight in with pre-set characters, then build your character your way with Bardsung’s classless path system
- With multiple endings and evolving card decks, no two campaigns are the same
- The custom GameTrayz insert saves progress between sessions, so you can pick up right where you left off
- 68 highly detailed plastic miniatures
- 32 different enemy models
- 5 unique heroes
- Over 900 cards
- Full set of RPG dice (10 dice)
- 20 combinable dungeon tiles
- Gigantic demon (120mm base!)
- Box dimensions: 530mm x 300mm x 165mm
- 7.5kg of components altogether!
Become Bardsung
Bardsung: Legend of the Ancient Forge is a cooperative dungeon explorer board game for 1-5 players.
Your journey begins with a single tile. From there, you build a branching, labyrinthine dungeon of dangerous enemies, wandering monsters, challenging puzzles, and valuable treasure.
Explore more of the Ancient Forge and enhance your adventures!
Pick an Expansion
Kickstarter Limited Edition
Fables
Bardsung veterans, are you? Well then, we should indeed count our blessings, for greater dangers lurk withinthe darkness than most might ever suspect.
Despite appearances, the Ancient Forge holds stories yet untold—and the foul beasts so far encountered are but a glimpse of what preys upon the unwary, and the dread creatures thatguard its deepest secrets
Kickstarter Limited Edition
The Lost Levels
What shall be revealed in the Lost Levels is a truth far greater than the source of any hobgoblin raid orbugbear migration.
A secret so great to even eclipse the greed of the power-hungry duergar clans, and the agenda oftheir cruel monarch.
Hobgoblin Box
What say you, then, to upping the stakes with even more monsters to contend with?
Pick an Accessory
Terrain Pack
The Distant Depths
And when that story requires entering an exotic underground realm inhabited by strange creatures like the Cepid, one would expect to encounter more unusual terrain…
Terrain Pack
The Upper Levels
The greatest tales are told on stages worthy of their grandeur. Now, heroes, ‘tis time to set the stage for your adventure!
Terrain Pack
3D Doors
Why, we’ve seen many wandering monsters in these parts of late!
What better way to keep them at bay, than with this fine set of doors?
Neoprene Mat
Neoprene promotes smoother dice rolls, doesn’t crease or fold, and will protect your carefully-painted minis against any accidental drops.
It’s ideal for laying tiles on to build out your dungeons. The neoprene mat is also double-sided.
Dice Pack
Dance to your own tune
Heavily inspired by choose-your-own-adventure classics, Bardsung emphasises player agency. You and your party will always have a say in where you go, what you do, and how you respond to the obstacles the Ancient Forge will throw your way.
With the myriad paths ahead and multiple endings, no two campaigns will be the same. You’ve got countless hours of fun ahead if you want to unravel Bardsung’s many mysteries.
The songs won’t write themselves
Your story begins with hobgoblins raiding nearby towns. The townsfolk are looking for warriors to venture into the mysterious Ancient Forge and dispatch them with a stout heart and steady hand.
Heroes
It's time for us to assemble a party for the trials ahead. A hale and hearty fellowship willing to risk life and limb, ready to inspire bardsong and live their legend.
Enemies
Encounter wandering beasts, Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Duergar throughout the Ancient Forge.
Treasures
Enhancing and building legendary heirlooms and treasures that will be passed through the ages.
Exploration
Your first destination is an ancient underground settlement where you’ll have to fight your way through, in an epic dungeon that spirals ever downwards toward your goal.
Holding out for a hero
That’s where you come in. You and your ragtag band of heroes-in-the-making are looking to make a name for yourselves, and this seems the perfect opportunity to do so.
Dawnguard
Dawnguard is a charisma-based hero who might put experienced tabletop roleplaying gamers in mind of a cleric.
Lightweaver
Lightweaver is a pure magic-based wizard, with a high intelligence modifier.
Nightfeather
As you might expect for a nimble rogue, Nightfeather has a high dexterity modifier and speed but will need to be wary of counterattacks if they don’t take down their foe.
Stoneheart
Stoneheart is an out-and-out melee fighter, beginning their path with a high strength modifier and solid resilience.
Wyldshell
Wyldshell is an intelligence-based hero that can use unique ghost tokens for a variety of effects, such as empowering or extending the range of attacks, hindering enemies with status conditions, or providing other heroes with extra movement.
Meet the inhabitants of the Ancient Forge
Bosses & Mini-Bosses
Crimson Hook
Cruel and vicious, the Crimson Hook is an infamous tyrant in these parts, hated and feared in equal measure. Riding atop the giant spider that lends her her bloody moniker, she rules over the others of her kind as a warboss—the first enemy of this type you’ll meet…
Duergar King
The King rules his clan with an iron fist, demanding fealty and obedience. He richly rewards his most loyal vassals, and encourages infighting and ruthless ambition amongst his less noble followers, to keep them in line.
In battle, he is a mighty warrior, martial prowess only matched by his spiteful nature, lending him the air of a tyrant or conqueror…
Greater Demon
Your worst dreams come to life, the Greater Demon is a creature not of this world.
Only those absent of even the slightest hint of sanity would consider summoning such a hideous foe. Tremble should you face this monster, for such an adversary will surely be the ultimate trial!
Ogre
Huge, lumbering, and impossibly strong, ogres are among the most dreaded creatures roaming the ruined hive cities.
With a roar capable of sending even the bravest hero scrambling for safety, those who seek to fight an ogre will not emerge unscathed...
Cepid
Where flooding has occurred, fungi is plentiful.
Spores hang in the air, tainting everything they touch. Strange creatures roam the depths that are half toadstool and entirely alien to any that walk the surface.
Old Crone
Once upon a time, a witch lived in Murkmist Forest. A clever and cunning woman, fast of jest and twice faster of wit. But a cruel tongue does not couple well with a sinister reputation and unnaturally long life. Less still with the ignorant superstitions of the masses.
Sure enough, the villagers from the surrounding settlements came to mistrust the witch, her doorstep darkened more often by angry mobs than by the loverlorn and sick in need of her potions and spells. Baseless their claims may have been, but one bloody day the witch was forced from her grotto by flaming torch, and banished to the Ancient Forge.
Wandering Monsters
Ettin
Hulking brutes of muscle and anger, Ettin are abominations. These beasts are best left alone in their dark dwellings, where their monstrous strength and animal ferocity cannot be brought to bear against the unwary.
Ferrous Maw
Giant Rat
A scuttling in the darkness, making hearts constrict with fear.
Scuttling with feral speed and poison teeth.
Giant Spider
The spider is gigantic. A mass of legs, fangs, fury.
It’s everywhere. Clings to me. Fills you nostrils so much you want to retch.
Kryx
Maybe twenty or thirty hobgoblins. A raiding party. Bits of them strewn across the floor. Up walls. Room is red. And in the centre, six creatures feast on the remnants.
Carrion eater. Kryx. Their bodies slip across the stone, beaks plunging into spoiling flesh, and then…that sound. That slopping rasping sound.
Hobgoblins
Brigand
The grunts of any Hobgoblin raiding force, Brigands are the lowliest members of the tribe— either too young, too old, or too stupid to hold any real position.
Still, don’t let their rank fool you. Every Brigand has the same feral mindset and, in their numbers, it’s easy for one of their blades to sneak through even the strongest defence.
Raider
Where other Hobgoblins close the distance to make their attacks, Raiders are chosen for their unerring aim and quick reactions.
Dangerous at range but vulnerable up close, these foes will puncture your heroes with arrows as their Hobgoblin allies keep them free from hand-to-hand combat.
Brute
A sentient wall of armour, flesh, and muscle, the Brute is a living tank that keeps moving forward, pushing your heroes around and dishing out damaging attacks in the process—the definition of an unstoppable force.
If you do manage to do damage, you’ll break through their defences and expose their vulnerability.
Butcher
The Butcher is a master of coming back for more, and holds a grudge like no other. Even when bested, they are dangerous. Any who do defeat them will be marked for later revenge.
Sadistic and skilled with a blade, their attacks will leave heroes bleeding—and it just so happens that blood attracts wandering monsters…
Reaver
Reavers are dangerous foes, each one a veteran of hundreds of raids.
Armed with cold steel and even colder cunning, these creatures will often circle the fight, and only move in to attack when an opponent is cornered or outnumbered.
Bugbears
Beserker
Hunter
Slaughterbeast
With a mighty below, the slaughterbeast crashes into the ground, a pool of blood expanding beneath it.
Alas, you know from experience this is one creature which does not respect the natural order of things, and has a disturbing tendency to regenerate—even from death itself. Some might say that it’s canny survival, but you call it cheating.
Shaman
Keep your wits about you, heroes. Not every enemy will threaten you with wicked-sharp blades.
Foul witches lurk in the shadows, witches that will instead curse you with spiteful hexes. ‘Tis dark magick, fuelled by the bones and blood of their victims.
War Chief
Duegar
Miner
Duergar miners hack through living stone with contemptuous ease, hewing tunnels through which their brethren pass in pursuit of greater conquest. Don’t underestimate them, however. Their picks can cleave through flesh as easily as rock.
And don’t let them get too near, either. Miners may be vulnerable at range, but pose a significant threat up close!
Executioner
An elite sect among their Duergar allies, Executioners are ambitious vassals to their lord, both pragmatic and ruthless.
In battle, they couple an enviable martial prowess with low cunning, striking at exposed armour to bleed and cripple their adversaries.
Sniper
Keep an eye over your shoulder, hero. The Sniper’s powerful crossbow is both accurate and deadly, but it takes some time to load and aim—precious seconds you would be wise to take advantage of!
Kingsguard
Seasoned soldiers and campaigners all, the Kingsguard are the elites amongst the Duergar, second only to the king himself.
Unlike the ambitious Executioners, they are fiercely loyal to their liege and each other, fighting as a disciplined phalanx that you’ll struggle to break.
Arcanist
Cold and unforgiving, Duergar Arcanists hold only their own lives dear, and think little of lashing others to death with dangerous and unstable magick.
Close with them as quickly as possible and meet their sorcery with cold steel, or risk becoming another sacrifice to their unholy sorcery.
Duergar King
The King rules his clan with an iron fist, demanding fealty and obedience. He richly rewards his most loyal vassals, and encourages infighting and ruthless ambition amongst his less noble followers, to keep them in line.
In battle, he is a mighty warrior, martial prowess only matched by his spiteful nature, lending him the air of a tyrant or conqueror…
A story worthy of song
If you’re a fan of amazing storytelling, you’re in for a treat. Your Bardsung adventures will unfold with lush, branching narrative from the legendary Rhianna Pratchett, as well as the best storytelling Steamforged Games has to offer — including writing by ENNIE-nominated Richard August!
Professional narration from Foreteller
Enhance your Bardsung adventures with audio narration from Forteller! Includes over 7 hours of audio with professional voice actors, music, and sound effects.
Available on the Google Play & Apple App Stores
Fighting the good fight
What are you waiting for? The chance to tell your own tale of bravery and derring-do awaits! The songs won’t write themselves, you know…
Vanquish your foes, discover the secrets of the Ancient Forge, and become the hero you always dreamed of.
Become Bardsung.
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