SafeHaven Games started frequenting board game conventions like GameHole Con in 2015 and has never looked back. Brian Moseley, head of SafeHaven Games, dove into game development in 2013 with his Winds of Fortune and Prove It! titles. 

Like many developers in this space, they see board games as a means to promote enriching experiences between friends and strangers: 

“We see games as the ultimate tool to connect people, strengthen relationships and build community. Lifelong friendships have been built around a single, well-loved game!”

SafeHaven Games have entered the RPG scene with their newest fantasy RPG set in an industrial revolution; Freelancer: Skies Over Tolindia.

Game Story

In a newly-industrialized world of magic and mayhem, dragons are hunted down for their powerful blood, which is processed into Dragon Oil. 

From this oil, magical runes are crafted, which sustains new technological developments, including cars, airships, and modern convenience appliances such as refrigerators. 

The nation of Tolindia is the world’s economic and political capital and has been for hundreds of years. Tensions rise in Tolindia as the once-dominating aristocratic families slowly lose their power and influence over the people due to the abundance of these technological developments. 

Threats loom outside the nation with a growing and hostile Elven secessionist movement in the west and an expanding Gryzun Empire to the east.

As a contracted Freelancer, your mission will be to maintain law and order during these unsettled times. 

Freelancers are an order of heroic knights that have vowed to protect the people of Tolindia at all costs. As a result, Freelancers take on many roles, such as investigators, negotiators, and even soldiers. 

To read more about the world of Tolindia, check out this SafeHaven Games blog. 

Gameplay

This RPG is designed to ease you, the player, into character development and creation, so you don’t feel overwhelmed with information as soon as you start playing. 

Character creation is not limited to a specific class but develops as you progress in the world that naturally melds to your playstyle.

You can choose from many different species when crafting your character, such as the rodent-like Gryzuny or the scaled Dragonkin. 

As a player, you can define your motives and personality as a Freelancer by selecting a single virtue and a single vice and then defining your family connections—all these nuances aid in determining your role in this treacherous world. 

Player stats or statistics incorporate three basic elements:

1. Physical Ability
2. Mental Ability
3. Social Aptitudes 

Through deep ability tree systems, your stats and utilities can be significantly customized and are the basis of how you solve problems in the game.  

With magical runes, players can bolster their abilities and achieve feats that only mere mortals could dream of.

The combat system of Freelancer: Skies Over Tolindia is based around a D10 system whereby:

“Experienced characters will seamlessly pull from different styles to create powerful combinations, blending the techniques of the different styles for their weapon of choice. ” (Source)

Freelancers: Skies Over Tolindia also features epic sky battles between massive airships that exchange cannon fire! Players start in a small airship, which acts as your resting and refreshing spot before and after your adventures. 

Each player also starts with 200 Escudos (the currency of Tolindia), with which you can purchase equipment, such as combat gear, firearms, or explosives. You could also invest your money into revenue-generating activities such as real estate or local business. 

Unique Qualities

Unlike traditional role-playing games, Freelancers: Skies Over Tolindia has no XP progression. Instead, you are awarded Renown after completing missions, which allows you to unlock more essential skills. Players’ abilities improve over time when using their actions to bring about a full-fledged gaming experience. 

These unique ability trees are also available to the Game Master, who can custom-craft Boss battles to counter players’ specialties. 

You can download and print out custom-made SafeHaven Games terrain tiles so you can completely customize maps while expanding the world you’re adventuring in! 

To Kickstarter!

To receive game updates and be notified via email of the Freelancers: Skies Over Tolindia Kickstarter date, make sure to sign up here. 

Share your favorite RPG system and why you love it in the comments below.