Bruce Heard's World of Calidar Comes to an End After 10 Years

Game designer Bruce Heard should be well known to fans of TSR era Dungeons & Dragons and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. In particular, he is known for his work on the Classic D&D (BECMI) game and the World of Mystara, including his role in creating the Gazetteer series and the Voyage of the Princess Ark. He was the Product Manager of the Classic D&D line and eventually became Product Manager of TSR before the company was acquired by WotC. 

When he returned to game design after a hiatus, Bruce attempted to gain permission from WotC to produce 3rd party content for Mystara, but when those negotiations failed, he decided to create his fantasy own world. That world is the World of Calidar. 

Sadly, fans learned yesterday that the Calidar series have come to an end. When asked about future Calidar books, Bruce Heard responded the following in the Calidar Facebook Chat Group:

Given the limited sales of the last series, I can't find the energy to launch another. These books represent a major amount of work, and I'm not getting any younger. It's a heartbreaking decision, but in the face of the apparent lack of activity after the latest Kickstarter and little or no ensuing feedback, I'm not comfortable pursuing the Calidar project.

The first Calidar Kickstarter was launched in 2013 and it has been an amazing ride since then. The World of Calidar is a unique fantasy universe spanning many worlds with their own unique atmosphere, brought to life by the writing of Bruce Heard with additional contribution from other collaborators, most notably Thorfinn Tait.

Following the adventures of the sky ship Star Phoenix in its exploration of the World of Calidar and its universe has been an amazing ride over the last decade. I am greatly thankful to Bruce Heard for the books and gaming material he has provided for us during 10 year run. You can follow Bruce Heard via his blog. If you want to show your thanks to Bruce, now is the time to buy Calidar books!

Get Your Calidar Books from DrivethruRPG (Not an Affiliated Link)

 -Havard

Awesome Fantasy Maps by Thorfinn Tait Cartography

Although we have never met in person, I have known Thorfinn Tait for decades now. He is one of several people from the Mystara fan community that I consider my friends after so many years of talking online about our favorite fantasy setting.

Over the years Thorfinn has developed amazing skills as a fantasy map maker. He started out making fan maps of Mystara, but in recent years he teamed up with D&D designer and former TSR product manager Bruce Heard in order to produce maps for the World of Calidar from Calidar Publishing.

You can get tons of free maps made by Thorfinn Tait Cartography over at http://thorf.co.uk/

Recently Thorfinn also joined Patreon so that you can now support his Calidar Maps through that program. Making maps for small fantasy RPG publishing companies is not something that typically makes you filthy rich, so it would be really cool if you went on to support Thorfinn Tait at Patreon. I hope to see many more maps from Thorfinn in the future so any small amount sent his way will probably help!


-Havard

Beyond the Skies: Bruce Heard Launching New World of Calidar Kickstarter

We all remember how TSR Product Manager Bruce Heard brought us the World of Calidar last year. This amazing fantasy world featured Sky and Space faring magical ships, epic heroes questing for Immortality and a wealth of fantastic races and cultures. I have been a fan of Bruce Heard's work since the 1980s when he gave us Dungeons & Dragons books like The Principalities of Glantri, The Orcs of Thar and of course the ongoing series The Voyage of the Princess Ark in the pages of Dragon Magazine.

I was a backer of the first Calidar Kickstarter: The World of Calidar: In Stranger Skies, so I was naturally excited when I heard that we will be getting more goodness for this setting. This new Kickstarter will give newcomers a chance to get the original book at a reduced price as well as new exclusive titles. The upcoming World of Calidar: Beyond the Skies will detail the Gods, Sprits, and other Planes of Existence in the Calidar Universe. I am also happy to see my good friend Thorfinn Tait returning as cartographer for this book as well. Thorfinn makes the most amazing RPG maps and in addition to Bruce Heard's writing, I find that the maps and floorplans he makes have really become a trademark of the World of Calidar. I can't wait to learn more about this project.



Take a sneak peak at the upcoming World of Calidar: Beyond the Skies here.


Visit the World of Calidar Forum on the Piazza.


-Havard

Bruce Heard's Calidar: Are You Backing This?

I talked about Bruce Heard's World of Calidar when the kickstarter was launched back in December. Being a huge fan of Mystara, the Principalities of Glantri, The Voyage of the Princess Ark and Bruce Heard's work in general, I was already excited about it back then. Now, the project has not only been funded, but has reached 3 Stretch Goals, making it look even better! If I hadn't wanted it before, upgraded art, maps and Pathfinder Rules adaptation really makes me want to get this. More details Bruce Heard has revealed at the Piazza Calidar Forum also helps confirm my suspicion that this is going to be one of the best things to come out of 2014. I just upgraded my pledge to the top level.

There are only about 70 hours left of the Kickstarter, but I am really hoping more people will join in because the next stretch goal sounds like its going to be really cool too!



-Havard

Bruce Heard's Calidar Kickstarter

Former TSR author Bruce Heard is perhaps best known for his work on the world of Mystara, during the time when he was Product Manager for TSR's Classic D&D line. He is also the author of the Voyage of the Princess Ark series which ran in Dragon Magazine in the issues #153-188 as well as a final installment in #344.

Now, however, his own Fantasy Setting is about to become a reality. Featuring gorgeous maps by Thorfinn Tait, this world is now out on Kickstarter! I am a backer and I am really excited about this. Only up for 2 days, the project has almost reached its initial goal already and we have a good chance of seeing several stretch goals being met. Go over to the kickstarter page and join the fun now!




-Havard