Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan writes game books meant to be turned into wide-screen adventures. Book of the Underworld goes one better: the sunbearer golems who march an endless path through the four warring Kingdoms of the Mechanical Sun aren’t just made for cinema, they’d also work splendidly as the subject of a area-control and route-carving wargame!
In Gareth’s words: “In ages past, the dwarves forged the Mechanical Sun. This incredible artifact is a globe of crystallized flame, which sheds warmth and light in the same manner as the surface sun. Four golden golems carry the globe, marching tirelessly through the underworld like artificial Koru behemoths. The golems’ path is marked by magical waystones, which can be adjusted to change the sun’s speed and direction.”
Warring underground kingdoms fighting over waystone locations! Costly rituals to reroute the golems, with your results not clear until the golems pass that waystone again! I want to design this game now.
Here are a couple illustrations that capture the feel of this dream-boardgame and that show how inspired the artists were by Gareth’s story. The illustration above, by Rich Longmore, shows the four golden golems carrying the Mechanical Sun. The illustration below, by Roena I. Rosenberger, shows a noble warrior from the Queendom of Voth, one of the four Kingdoms of the Mechanical Sun, where light is the most precious magic.
Book of the Underworld is on pre-order and in the middle of layout. The fully laid-out version will be available through the pre-order soon.