Our interest is piqued by this upcoming DnD supplement inspired by Dune and the Ottoman Empire. Pilgrims of the Empire's End is a setting book about a dreamlike, mystical desert world full of political intrigue and - as the name hints - surrounding a crumbling Empire.
The first project by The Dungeon Hussars, Pilgrims of the Empires End (which I'm going to shorten to PEE because I'm immature) is a third-party 5e book with over 300 pages of content, including a brand new DnD class, 80+ magic items, 30 spells, and 100 enemies to battle.
The setting seems to combine a mystical desert setting like Dune's with the political situation of the late Ottoman Empire, which became known as 'the Sick Man of Europe' in the 19th century as its power waned and internal strife took hold. As Dune's Fremen were already inspired by various Islamic traditions and cultures, the two ideas seem like a pretty harmonic pairing.
Apparently the players have the option of fighting to save the struggling power or say 'stuff that' and going off to be desert sages. I mean, is that even really a choice?
This supplement has a few interesting features like combat mechanics for fighting giant monsters, such as the evocatively named Walking Towns, crab beasts that appear on the Kickstarter page. Apparently these can do way more damage than ordinary monsters but have weak spots and parts you can cut off like Monster Hunter.
It also boasts a Psion class - like the one DnD 2024 recently put out. Apparently it works quite differently to the normal system, with a customizable 'class tree' rather than subclasses. The supplement does have regular DnD subclasses too though, such as a Dervish Monk and a Barbarian that seems to cover themself in cactuses. Ouch!
PEE has so far raised $7,000 out of its $23,000 goal, so its funding doesn't yet look like a sure thing. But with 26 days to go on the Kickstarter campaign, it still has plenty of time to drum up the dosh.
On the Kickstarter page, you'll see all the tiers and rewards, which includes the usual stuff like custom dice and 3D-printed miniatures.
What do you look for in a third-party supplement: a great setting, cool original systems, or something else? Come let us know at the Wargamer Discord. And don't miss our guide to the many, many DnD races that appear in official WOTC content.