Acknowledgements

Playtesters

Artists

Aesthetic Influences

The vibe of this game has many influences. First and foremost are the episodic and serial cartoons of the 80s. Masters of the Universe--here I include both He-Man and She-Ra, as well as their more recent reboots--are the kind of planetary romance/sword-and-planet science fantasy this game draws its feel from. Thundercats is a near-perfect template: A post-post-apocalyptic world with mashups of tech and magic, a team where each member has a unique power/set of skills, a team insignia, a team rallying cry, and even a team vehicle.

Other popular cartoons that share a similar DNA are also a big influence: G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thundarr the Barbarian, BraveStarr, The Pirates of Dark Water. Then, of course, was the live-action equivalent in the A-Team. If you ever have a question about creating a character as a player or how to structure a scenario as a GM, just look to any of these shows (or similar) for inspiration.

In a thread weaving in and out with the animated influence are many video games. The Final Fantasy series with its recurring theme of magic crystals as well as the meeting of magic and technology are key, especially FFVII's exploration of the environmental consequences of tapping into fundamental forces. CRPGs that imagine new worlds and invite discovery and exploration follow the same impulse, and games that feature co-op and strong teamwork mechanics are influences as well.

Another major influence comes from the punchy and dramatic narrative of comic books, especially those based around superhero teams and team-ups. What makes a character stand out beyond their powers? How does one balance extraordinary power with personal and very human struggles that we're all familiar with? What does it mean to be part of a team while still retaining some sort of individual identity? How do you tell a story with limited, high-impact moments? All of these are questions worth considering while playing this game.

Drawing in a familiar yet distant feel in time is the use of mythic language, particularly from Ancient Greek (a favorite of fantasy and sci-fi). Those that recognize these etymological roots may discover an extra dimension of meaning layered into the game setting. An Icarus tale is core to the setting lore as well as the mechanics: How much is too much? How high is too high? Many other bits of ancient myth are acknowledged and interwoven in the creation of a new one. The most memorable stories make callbacks to the greats that came before.

Game Design Influences

Deepest of thanks to all those who have made this hobby what it is today. I have been playing and running tabletop roleplaying games since 1986, and subjecting players to homebrew, hacks, and made up games from that point on. There are so many game designers and adventure authors that have influenced my expression of the art that I couldn't possibly list them all. I'm sure there are those I'm not even aware of whose ideas have been passed down and I implement without knowing their source. I appreciate you all.

I do want to give a special shout-out to Cam Banks, the lead designer of the Cortex Plus and Cortex Prime game systems. Cortex Prime inspired me to create the first version of Relics of the Moon, giving me a way to start down a road that no other system had quite allowed me to do in the way I wanted to. While I have since developed my own mechanics and game engine, Cortex Prime initiated the spark for me fleshing out the setting of Anasta from a decade's-worth of scribbled notes and ideas floating around in my head into the seed of an actual game. If you look closely, you can feel the DNA of Cortex Prime in various parts of the game. Kudos, Cam!