Sol’Kesh: A Speculative Evolution Bestiary, Art Journal & Miniatures for 5e – Now on Kickstarter

November 5, 2024

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Sol’Kesh, created by Terry Maranda, is a comprehensive tabletop RPG project that brings a speculative evolution-themed world to life. Divided into three main components—a Bestiary, an Art and Story Journal, and a set of 3D-printable miniatures—Sol’Kesh offers a unique exploration of what life might look like on a future Earth shaped by evolution long after humanity’s extinction.

The Bestiary serves as a 5e-compatible resource, with over 70 unique creature stat blocks and campaign settings. The book introduces new mechanics for resource gathering, hunting, and taming, creating a setting that challenges players to survive on an untouched island brimming with strange and primal life. Meanwhile, the Journal focuses solely on art and world-building, detailing each creature and its environment, giving fans of speculative evolution a richly illustrated narrative journey.

An illustration of the Esslinter, a Sol'Kesh creation with a serpent-like body, eel-like head, sharp tusks, and fins. The descriptive text delves into its features and behavior within a speculative evolution context, offering an intriguing glimpse into its imagined world. — Get the Esslinter STL pack for free here.

Sol’Kesh also includes a set of 3D-printable miniatures, bringing to life creatures ranging from small to gargantuan. These miniatures are sculpted by skilled modelers and continue to expand, with over 50 models available and more in development. Since 2022, Terry has released two new creatures each month on Patreon, building a loyal following and sharing detailed creature designs, craftable items, and unique 5e stat blocks.

Illustration of a large, fictional crustacean with a spiky exoskeleton and numerous legs, native to the world of Sol'Kesh. The creature is depicted in a dynamic pose, with detailed textures and colors. Text describes its features, habitat, and behavior in a speculative evolution bestiary entry.

A detailed illustration from a bestiary showcases a large, green-scaled creature with a thorny crest, long tail, and thin nose. It has foliar spines and can spit venom with precision. Text explores its defensive adaptations and predatory avoidance strategies in speculative evolution context.

Terry’s career has spanned major collaborations with Modiphius Entertainment, White Wolf Publishing, Kobold Press, and as an art director for titles like Warriors of Waterdeep and Diablo 4. After years of world-building for other companies, Terry turned to his own vision, developing Sol’Kesh over three years. He has handled all the writing and artwork himself, while collaborating on 5e rules and miniatures with other creatives.

Currently live on Kickstarter, Sol’Kesh represents the culmination of years of passion and independent work, inviting backers to support a project built around both creativity and community. The campaign ends on December 5.

A free STL creature pack for Sol’Kesh is available on DrivethruRPG and the Tabletop Gaming News exclusive Esslinter STL package is available here.