Manifest
tall as a western sky
Trails and crossroads. Wings and hooves. Old voices and eldritch whistles.
Manifest is a mythic western setting that combines the legendary creatures of North America with a western aesthetic and folk magics. Explore a vast wilderness of troubling spirits bordered by the various peoples who have carved a home into the land. Navigate their complex societies. Learn their ancient magic. Invent new “way iron” technologies.
Tell a tale as tall as a western sky.
Setting
Host Kings and Whistlers
Destron, the world of Manifest, is divided between the power of the old continent, Oriad, and the newest nations founded on Allegheny, the New World continent. Fleeing the tyranny of the Host Kings, the newest nation stands liberated between the jealous eyes of their motherlands and the spiteful claws and fangs of the Whistlers, callous and maddening spirits of nature.‘Mains and Herds
Allegheny is a land brimming with nations and kinships. To the East, the ten-blade wielding Domains (or 'Mains, as they are called) push their borders ever outward, but to the West, the Westilver Herds' six-guns resist any long term settlement. Between them, the clever Stepsan Rangers keep the peace by word or by blood - maintaining the delicate balance that hides them from the wrath of the Whistlers.Kinships
Manifest is a world heavily influenced by the cryptids and legends of the Americas. These kinships (called "races" in other worlds) are varied and unique to Manifest - avoiding the elves, dwarves, and even humans of other settings. Play as a determined duskmott (patterned after the West Virginian Mothman), a clever mugwump (based on the North American Bigfoot), or a haunted hangman (a unique take on Lovecraftian undead). In all, Manifest boasts seven unique kinships.Way Irons
Unlike Oriad, Allegheny's World Pillars are still (mostly) intact. Growing out of these gargantuan pillars of stone, ingots of strange irons provide dangerous power to those who retrieve them. These powerful properties, which we might call magic in our world, are natural and predictable in Manifest, allowing the peoples of Allegheny to incorporate them into new machines and contraptions. Six guns allow men to shoot at speeds beyond sight. The Bell Line sends vibrations and messages for miles. And the Chain Rail stretches across the barren lands haunted by Whistlers.Knacks and Framers
Magic is built into the very structure of Allegheny society. Those who learn to draw on the unpredictable power of The Manifest, a land hiding behind creation, are given many titles in the world: Undertakers, Midwives, Sheriffs, Schoolmasters, but collectively they are known as Framers. Six disciplines make up all that the kinships have learned to tame over the centuries, but The Manifest is not so easily controlled. Occasionally, someone is born with an unknown power - an inborn talent called a knack.Faith and tradition
Far from being a basis for worship, godlike power has long represented tyranny to the kinships of Allegheny. Instead, people have built religions that worship wise men and women as a form of defiance toward the Host Kings and Whistlers. Usually holders of distinct knacks, these holy figures are based on the tall tales and myths of the American West. Esmund Appletree (based on Johnny Appleseed), Nistabin (inspired by Sequoyah), and Gideon Splints (a mix of Paul Bunyon and George Washington). Each of these 'Gons (short for Paragons) have inspired devout faith across Allegheny and beyond.Kinships
Mugwump
Hangman
Duskmott
Roadmap
Player’s Guide to Allegheny
Manifest will be launched as a series of Kickstarter projects, each producing one Pocket Guide to Manifest, one part of a collection that will ultimately make up the entire setting. Each guide will delve into a fascinating aspect of Allegheny, focusing on the intricate details of one part of the setting. In addition, each volume will cover the basics of the rest of the world, including summaries of kinships, magic, countries, religions, and weapons. Each of these fully illustrated sourcebooks will also provide a fleshed out adventuring location complete with adventure hooks and NPCs that set Manifest’s tone.
Each guide will also be produced alongside one or more companion books that will give stats compatible with Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition and Pathfinder 2nd Edition.
First Kickstarter
For our introduction to the frontiers of Manifest, we will be releasing "Pocket Guide to Manifest: Kith and Kin" via Kickstarter. This beautifully illustrated campaign guide will include detailed information on each of the Kinships appearing in Manifest, including backgrounds, customs, family life, adventuring hooks, and plenty of art.Second Kickstarter
On our second outing into Manifest, our focus will be on the intricate magic of Manifest. Yes, all three magic systems will be thoroughly explored and explained in "Pocket Guide to Manifest: Mappers, Tinctures, and Tamers". Each illustrated page will detail how magic has affected all the peoples of Manifest, including information on Way Irons, Knacks, each of the six types of Framing, and the wicked magic that has come to be called witchery.Further projects
Bringing Manifest to life in the form of an RPG setting is an important step for the Manifest setting, but it is far from the end of our plans for Allegheny. Manifest is a robust setting with characters and locations that our creators are excited to continue exploring in other mediums in the future.Additional Kickstarters
Plans for additional Kickstarter campaigns are in the works, as well, but will depend on the success of the first two. These books will cover subjects including nations, religions, and monsters in Manifest.Novels
It was inevitable. In the years of producing and adventuring in Manifest, entire tales have leapt onto the page, including a full-length novel. Stories of mugwumps and duskmotts navigating whistler-infested wilds or on the run from the law have driven the development of Manifest both at the game table and at the writer's desk. One of the strengths of Manifest is its focus on the fiction of the world first - making a real, enticing world, and then designing game mechanics to fit that tone and vision.Video Games
Work has also started on a game set in the wilds of Steps, a territory deep in Allegheny. It is being developed as a Roguelite Real-Time Strategy title at this time.Creators
Jared Glenn - Author
Hailey Morgan - Artist