This was originally meant to be revealed through Ed Greenwood’s story, but since the poll didn’t unlock during prelaunch follower milestones, we’re giving you direct creative control now. We just can't let this fall through. :) 

Today, we are opening a poll that allows you to help create a brand-new subclass for the adventure. We will illustrate it and provide it exclusively to backers. 

There are two polls included:
 

The voting starts now and runs until May 23rd. Once the campaign concludes, we will unveil the final subclass, created by you.

 

This is your chance to forge something truly unique, so please join the poll and let’s create together!
 

Archvillain Encounters: Death & Beyond is now LIVE on Gamefound: 15 premium boss boxes for D&D 5E and 5.5E, each built around a huge 75mm-base Gravelord miniature and a complete 50+ page adventure.


Each box gives GMs everything needed to run a cinematic boss encounter:

The campaign also introduces Foes & Legends: 2 boxes, each with 6 unique 25mm miniatures that can be used as NPCs, allies, rivals, villains, or player characters.

Back early: the campaign launches with 3 physical limited-time Early Bird reward tiers, and once the launch window is over, they are gone.

Back here, back now, show them some Hive Mind love!
 

 

Fellow Brains of the Hive,  

As achievement milestones unlock during the campaign, the Spawns of the Mindrender Physical Bundle will expand with additional rewards at no extra cost to eligible backers. This pledge tier now includes all poster maps that were previously exclusive to the Box tier pledge levels. 

These unlocks include more poster maps for your table, printed character sheets that evolved through the follower polls, and practical DM sheets filled with quick-reference tools.



Each achievement brings new treasures into the bundle, strengthening it piece by piece as the community pushes deeper into the madness together.


Pledge now for the Physical Bundle to grab these goodies! 

Please share the project with as many friends as you can to spread the word, upgrade your pledge to the physical bundle or box tiers, or get the add-ons you desire, so we might unlock ever more achievements. Every backing goes a long way in this communal endeavor!

You can bring new backers by sharing your referral link far and wide! For every successful referral, you’ll earn $5 complimentary credit toward your pledge in the BackerKit pledge manager. All you need to do is add your unique identifier code to the end of your referral link below:

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/elderbrain-inc/spawns-of-the-mindrender?ref=hivemaster_

Example:  

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/elderbrain-inc/spawns-of-the-mindrender?ref=hivemaster_DMJohnDoe

Send your link to other DMs and people who might be interested in the project, and make sure they use the link to enter the campaign page when they pledge.

Then send your identifier code to [email protected] with the subject "Hive Master" so we can verify your referrals and credit your account.

We have added the Pay Over Time feature at the request of our backers! It lets you split a pledge into four installments instead of paying the full amount at the campaign's end. It is only available for pledges of $150+ before shipping and tax. The pledge is split into 4 interest-free monthly payments - the first installment is charged when the campaign successfully ends, while the remaining 3 charges happen automatically each month afterward. Note that you will not receive the surveys, rewards, or fulfillment until the full amount is paid. Shipping is usually charged separately later through the pledge manager, not split into the installment plan.

Due to popular demand, we have decided to make the early-bird siege engine mimic dice tower and reservation metal d20 rewards available to all backers who meet the criteria of backing early or making a reservation. We will ask you in the backer survey whether you wish to receive these items as a digital backer and pay for their associated shipping costs. Shipping costs would, of course, vary based on location, but should be under $10 for the USA. 

A soothing Monday brainwave,
Team Elderbrain

As the first few days of the campaign conclude, it is time for a big recap of what has happened so far and to highlight all the Achievements that we have unlocked so far due to your unwavering loyalty and kind backing. Even though the Early-bird rewards are past us, there are many great additions to the campaign in the form of Achievements.

With each Achievement unlocked, we will add new content and rewards that will be available to all backers in the form of a digital character sheet, new subclasses, soundscapes in the Elderbrain Soundscapes app, and STLs for minis. For Spawns Bundle backers, the booster card deck will be expanded with metallic foil cards featuring the six Spawn of Shandar. And for backers in the Hero Box and Deluxe Box pledge levels, the box will be further expanded with physical character sheets, DM Sheets, encounter and location poster maps. physical minis, and a few super exclusive rewards like the Shandar plushie and metallic dice set if we reach these achievements. 

Please share the project with as many friends as you can to spread the word, upgrade your pledge to the physical bundle or box tiers, or get the add-ons you desire, so we might unlock ever more achievements. Every backing goes a long way in this communal endeavor!

You can bring new backers by sharing your referral link far and wide! For every successful referral, you’ll earn $5 complimentary credit toward your pledge in the BackerKit pledge manager. All you need to do is add your unique identifier code to the end of your referral link below:

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/elderbrain-inc/spawns-of-the-mindrender?ref=hivemaster_

Example:  

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/elderbrain-inc/spawns-of-the-mindrender?ref=hivemaster_DMJohnDoe

Send your link to other DMs and people who might be interested in the project, and make sure they use the link to enter the campaign page when they pledge.

Then send your identifier code to [email protected] with the subject "Hive Master" so we can verify your referrals and credit your account.

We have added the Pay Over Time feature at the request of our backers! It lets you split a pledge into four installments instead of paying the full amount at the campaign's end. It is only available for pledges of $150+ before shipping and tax. The pledge is split into 4 interest-free monthly payments - the first installment is charged when the campaign successfully ends, while the remaining 3 charges happen automatically each month afterward. Note that you will not receive the surveys, rewards, or fulfillment until the full amount is paid. Shipping is usually charged separately later through the pledge manager, not split into the installment plan.

Due to popular demand, we have decided to make the early-bird siege engine mimic dice tower and reservation metal d20 rewards available to all backers who meet the criteria of backing early or making a reservation. We will ask you in the backer survey whether you wish to receive these items as a digital backer and pay for their associated shipping costs. Shipping costs would, of course, vary based on location, but should be under $10 for the USA.

We want to show you the first achievement we unlocked on Day 1 thanks to your amazing support!



We’re thrilled to share that all backers will receive the Spawns of the Mindrender digital character sheet, bringing eldritch flavor and ease of organization to your adventures.

And for our Deluxe and Hero Box backers, we’re stepping it up with 4 printed character sheets to help you keep track of your characters on your tables.

Due to the turnout for follower polls before the campaign, these sheets will also include additional pages for Core Identity (Background, Beliefs, Motivations, Goals, Favorites), Companions and Vehicles (Familiar, Mount, Vehicle), and Inventory Management (Magic Items, Ammo and Consumables Tracker, Item Location Indicator).
 

We’re also excited to reveal the second achievement that’s been unlocked thanks to your early backing!



This means a new subclass has been added to Spawns of the Mindrender - the Path of the Warmonger barbarian – a relentless frontline destroyer who inspires allies as battle intensifies.

And for our Deluxe and Hero Box backers, we’re adding a new DM Sheet: the Shandar Visions Table. This table will come in handy as a reference guide to the daily nightmares your players will experience while delving into the madness of Shandar the Mindrender.

The adventure grows ever richer as we’ve hit yet another achievement—thank you for your amazing support!



Another subclass has been unlocked - the College of the Skald bard - to further enhance your character options with a lore-driven storyteller who channels legends into heroic power.

And for our Spawns Physical Bundle, Deluxe and Hero Box backers, we’re adding a new foil booster card into the booster card deck - the False Awakening - one of the aberrant Spawns of the Mindrender. Those touched by this Spawn wake into worlds that feel real — until they aren’t. A clock ticks backward. A loved one speaks in riddles. A second sunrise occurs. Then, they wake again. And again. Each layer of reality peels back until all sense of what is real is lost. The characters must enter the Dreamrealm to face this Spawn and delve into a world of nightmares where their dreams are not their own.

Another achievement smashed—$100,000! What an amazing start to the campaign, thanks to you all!



To celebrate, we’re adding a brand new Inside the Machine Soundscape to Elderbrain Soundscapes. Imagine the roar of the Dreadscorcher's engine inside this massive war-machine. It is a dungeon willed with the sounds of a volcryn engine, its devastating flamethrower cannon, turning wheels and gears, and the incessant clanking of machinery.

And for our Deluxe and Hero Box backers, we’re adding a double-sided poster map of the Dreadscorcher — King Ralukkar Doomhammer's rolling metal fortress.

We also hit an incredible milestone—$125,000! Cheers to all you brainiacs!



To celebrate, we’re adding a brand new subclass to the book: the Madness Domain. Clerics of this domain are chaos-touched priests who bend aberrant insight and controlled insanity.

And for our Deluxe and Hero Box backers, we’re adding a DM Sheet to the box that will feature a random encounter table to be used when the characters make their Pilgrimage to Madness on the Farrealm.

The most recent achievement we've just unlocked is for $125,000! Three rounds of hurrays for you all!



As a result, a brand new subclass has been added to the book:  the Circle of the Ancestors druid. This is a spirit-guided shaman aided by ancestral guardians and rituals.

And all backers with the Spawns Physical Bundle, Deluxe and Hero Box pledge levels will be happy to own the new foil booster card in the booster card deck - The Starved Apostate. Once Khal-Grymm the Caller of the Threshold Beyond, now an aberrant celestial exile, this being is a husk of desiccated giant’s flesh. Each bite tears at the fabric of reality — where it feeds, gravity fails, and time folds inward. It hides among cannibal trolls who revere it as a divine glutton that consumes itself endlessly. To end its spread, the party must face the Apostate in a temple to Madness where it has made its lair, where the rules of physics no longer apply — and hunger for flesh is contagious.

We hope you love these additions! Stay tuned, because there’s more to come! If you have any suggestions or just want to chat with other like-minded hive-dwellers, join our Discord server, and don't forget to fill out our survey to shape the next adventure!

Big thanks and much love,

Team Elderbrain

There’s something about metal D&D dice sets that’s undeniably awesome: the solid weight, the way they roll, and the ability to use them as caltrops in a pinch. They’re great for when you want a nice solid thump to underscore a skill check, or when you want your attacks to be so savage they leave dents in your dice tray. Dice Envy metal gaming dice aren’t just for your own satisfaction, they’re a great way to show off. Your friends will definitely appreciate how slick our collection is, and it’s all shipped directly to your door.


Built for Greatness
Dice Envy's metal D&D dice sets are forged from some of the finest zinc alloys around, for sturdy dice that will last with you through many tabletop RPG campaigns. Zinc is also a perfect choice for casting tiny details, which is great, since we love to bring you original designs straight from the minds of our in-house artists! From your first goblin grapple to your legendary slaying of a dragon, these metal dice are great companions for the journey. And if you don’t like them, we offer our 30 day return and refund policy on all of our metal dice.


So Many Styles
There’s a theme for everyone with Dice Envy’s metal gaming dice. So, no matter what you’re after, we’ll find something that suits you perfectly. Many of our metal dice also feature coats of enamel, which is what provides the bright, striking, and sometimes glittery color fills that you’ll find in our listings. There’s Edge Boss, made for sleek cyberpunk settings, Arcane Vein for your more traditional medieval fantasy gaming, and America’s Ass for those of us who appreciate Chris Evans' butt.


Unique Polyhedrals
You probably noticed, but we're sort of obsessed with our patented Infinity d4. To that end, every Dice Envy metal polyhedral dice set comes with an additional Infinity d4, meaning you get eight awesome dice instead of the standard seven!

Visit Dice Envy and get your metal dice for your next metal adventure now! 

Thanks to all for joining us at the Launch Party! If you missed it, you can watch us do a deep dive into the project and the exclusive encounter location reward from the prelaunch campaign at https://youtube.com/live/fNHYbHA0HJ4

We are fortunate to have Ed Greenwood, founder of the Forgotten Realms, Mr. Elminster himself, as a collaborating writer on the project. Ed joined us at the Launch Party to discuss the results of the community polls and share his ideas for shaping this one-of-a-kind encounter location PDF.

We are happy to announce that we have expanded this reward to all early-bird backers as well, available for the first 48 hours of the campaign!



More to come in the next few days, as we reach an ever-growing army of dedicated backers and hopefully smash through our stretch goals.
 
Once again, our heartfelt gratitude to you all for joining this adventure. 

Warm brainwaves from:
Team Elderbrain

The journey to make Spawns of the Mindrender, our most epic adventure yet, starts now!

As our fourth and most ambitious book, this project is fueled by our passion and your backing. Your support is greatly appreciated and truly important to us—every pledge helps us bring the world of Vordan to life, expand its epic content, and create something truly unforgettable.

What to Expect in Our Updates
We'll keep you informed at every step of the way about the stretch goals as we unlock new content. We'll offer behind-the-scenes art and design peeks and provide further insights into the exclusive rewards, as well as information about the world, mechanics, and story behind Spawns of the Mindrender.

Early Bird Rewards — Don’t Miss Out!
Backers who pledge within the first 48 hours will receive:

🏰 Exclusive Mimic Siege Engine Dice Tower (for physical backers only).

🎭 A VTT Monster and NPC token pack with over 600 beautifully crafted digital tokens for use in your online sessions (included with every pledge level).

The Ultimate Reward — Immortalize Yourself In The Book!
Want to become part of the world of Spawns of the Mindrender? The Spawns Hero Box pledge level is your key!

🔹 Backers in this pledge level will receive a fully illustrated portrait as a named NPC in the story!
🔹 Choose from our list of key characters (on a first-come, first-served basis).
🔹 Customize your portrait — from facial features and attire to magical effects and accessories.
🔹 Provide a photo and/or describe your vision — our amazing illustrators will bring it to life!

How to Claim Your NPC

1️⃣ We'll release a list of available NPCs exclusively to Spawns Hero Box backers.
2️⃣ You'll get a notification about the exact day and time when selection opens.
3️⃣ Simply comment your backer number next to the NPC of your choice — if it's available, it's yours!

This is your chance to become part of the legend — don’t wait too long, claim your perfect NPC!




What's Next? You Tell Us!
The story in Spawns of the Mindrender will continue in our next adventure, Eclipse of the Nightfeeder, taking characters from level 16 to 20 into the Mountainfall — a land shattered when burning mountains fell from the sky, each carrying the essence of a fallen angel. Entire civilizations were erased, the gods were cut off from the Material Plane, and survivors were left to endure a brutal world bathed in darkness. At the heart of the Mountainfall rises Xapto’wa’ttykal, a colossal ziggurat-city carved into the mountain that entombed the Dark Star itself. Here, ash-skinned Dark Descendants rule over countless slaves, led by the fanatical high priest Cadmael the Flenser, who seeks to restore his fallen god through sacrifice. 

Take our extensive survey with over 100 questions covering your player profile, style, and preferences on monsters, settings, plots, magic, villains, allies, dungeons, and more. Survey participants will gain exclusive access to the results. Your choices will directly shape the adventure—help us forge a world you’ll want to explore in our next adventure!

Thank you all for joining us in making history and shaping the world of Spawns of the Mindrender!
 
Team Elderbrain