A 5th Edition Stone Age adventure. Level 1-20 campaign, setting, and player options. Play D&D in a dangerous prehistoric world!
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Latest Updates from Our Project:
June Development Update
2 days ago
– Mon, Jun 01, 2026 at 07:39:16 AM
A megaloceros family out for a walk
Hi everyone,
It's been a few weeks since the release of Bestiary Beta 0.1, and I wanted to give a quick update on where things stand.
Thank You for the Feedback
First, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read through the Bestiary and submitted feedback.
There have been a lot of thoughtful comments, corrections, balance observations, formatting suggestions, and creature ideas. This kind of feedback is incredibly valuable because it helps identify things that are easy to miss when you've spent months staring at the same document.
If you haven't submitted feedback yet, please keep it coming! Whether you've playtested extensively or simply spotted a typo or unclear rule while reading, we want to hear about it. You can leave your feedback in this form:
Every submission gets reviewed and helps improve future versions of the Bestiary.
How to Access the Bestiary Beta
If you backed at a level that includes the Core Book PDF (or have pre-ordered a package that includes it), Bestiary Beta 0.1 is available through BackerKit.
The current focus is reviewing feedback and preparing the next update. Some of the major additions and improvements already planned include:
Revisions and Adjustments
As expected with a first beta release, there are already a number of improvements identified for existing creatures. Most updates identified so far are minor wording and formatting changes, but there may be some balance adjustments or tweaks to some creature builds.
People
One of the largest missing sections from Beta 0.1 is people.
The next release will add human and neanderthal stat blocks built using the same encounter design philosophy as the creatures currently included in the Bestiary, providing ready-to-use hunters, warriors, scouts, leaders, shamans, and other common NPCs for use in Born from Ice campaigns.
Art
The next update will add creature illustrations throughout the Bestiary for every major creature. You've already seen an example that is one of favorites, the Megaloceros family at the top of this update!
We are also including a visual size guide for each megafauna creature, to help visualize exactly how these creatures compare to humans. Here is an in-progress image of a spread from the book that shows how this will look:
In-progress spread showing art and size-visualization.
Common Creatures
While the Bestiary beta currently focuses heavily on megafauna and other major creatures, the Ice Age world was also filled with countless smaller animals that played important roles in their ecosystems and would have been encountered regularly by prehistoric people.
To help fill those gaps, the next update will introduce a new Common Creatures section featuring animals such as dholes, wild horses, game birds, rats, venomous snakes, small game animals, spiders, and other everyday wildlife, along with swarm stat blocks and similar encounter staples.
Unlike the Megafauna Bestiary entries, these creatures will generally use a single stat block rather than a full scalable progression. Their purpose is not to represent apex predators or legendary encounters, but to provide the animals that make the world feel alive, serving as prey, scavengers, hazards, companions, environmental storytelling tools, and the kinds of creatures characters are likely to encounter during day-to-day travel and survival.
Coupled with the already released megafauna, these additions will help create a more complete and ecologically grounded picture of life during the Ice Age, and also provide an expanded range of encounters that are available to GMs.
Thank You
As always, thank you for your continued support, patience, feedback, and enthusiasm for Born from Ice.
Releasing the first Bestiary beta was a major milestone, and it's exciting to finally be at the stage where the community can actively help shape and improve the final version.
I'm looking forward to sharing the next update and showing how the Bestiary continues to evolve.
— Loren
Missed the Kickstarter?
If you missed the Kickstarter campaign, you can still pre-order Born from Ice and receive access to current and future beta releases by purchasing any package that includes the Core Book PDF.
Anyone who pre-orders the Core Book will receive access to the latest beta materials and future digital updates as development continues.
Development Roadmap
Here's the current development timeline (subject to change):
Completed
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Player's Handbook, and integrated ideas from it into the rules of Born from Ice.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 DM's Guide Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. While it hasn’t required major adjustments yet, it’s given us ideas for future content and fine-tuning.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D Monster Manual Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Monster Manual, which is now helping inform our final development on our Bestiary.
✅ COMPLETE - OGL Review: The new OGL 5.2 was released on April 22, 2025. This has been reviewed, and is now integrated into the coming Beta 0.3.
✅ COMPLETE -Full Rules Available in Beta: Beta 0.3 was released July 3, 2025. A nearly complete version of the book, missing only the Bestiary. Includes new 50 page Setting section, new Injuries chapter, a new Appendix on how to play 5e, updates and clarifications to rules, and text and layout revisions throughout. If you encounter any bugs or have thoughts about the rules, please use our Google Form to report them! Please see the Changelog for info on what has changed between releases.
✅ COMPLETE - Survey for Name in Credits: On July 7 2025 we sent out a survey on Kickstarter asking what name you want to appear in the book credits, if you backed at a level that provides that as a reward.
✅ COMPLETE - Core Book Editing: Riley has finished editing the text of the Core Book.
✅ COMPLETE - Bestiary PDF Release: On May 6, 2026 the PDF of the Bestiary Beta 0.1 released.
Q2 and Q3 (April - September) 2026
Bestiary: Playtesting continues, and your feedback will also be gathered. Revisions will be made based on this information and posted.
Adventure Path Development: Work continues on the Adventure Path.
Name Credit Preview Page Available: We will post a page where you can review how your name will appear in the book credits, and an option to provide feedback if you need to make changes.
Q4 (October - December) 2026
Digital Books Available: Final versions of the PDFs will be available once the books are locked and ready for printing.
Books to Printer: Books are planned to be finished and go to the printer.
Pledge Manager Closes: We will close the Pledge Manager once all books are at the warehouses and ready to be shipped. This is also when final shipping and any applicable sales tax, VAT, and tariffs will be charged.
Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds VTT Versions Release: Virtual tabletop versions of the game for Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds should be released roughly at the same time the books ship.
Books Shipped to Fulfillment Partner: After printing, books will ship to our fulfillment partner warehouses in Europe and the US. This process can take some time depending on time at sea, clearing port, customs, etc.
Physical Books Ship to Backers: Books planned to ship to backers.
May Update - Bestiary Beta .01 Available!
28 days ago
– Wed, May 06, 2026 at 01:56:51 PM
Hi everyone,
First, I want to sincerely apologize again for how long it has been since the last update. I know January was too long ago, and I know extended silence makes delays harder and more frustrating.
But despite the delays and silence, work has continued.
And today I finally have something major to put in your hands.
Bestiary Beta 0.1 Is Now Available
The first beta release of the Born from Ice Bestiary is now available on BackerKit for all backers whose pledge includes the Core Book.
This Bestiary will eventually be integrated directly into the final Core Book, but for now it is a free-standing document to make it easier to gather feedback and playtesting data.
This is a major milestone for the project, and honestly the largest unexpected hurdle in the entire Core Book. The Bestiary has been an enormous amount of work — not just writing the creatures themselves, but designing progression systems, balancing mechanics across CR tiers, building the stat block structure, formatting the layout, and making all of it fit together cohesively within the larger book.
Seeing this first version finally complete and released feels incredibly good after how long the process has taken, and I hope you enjoy it.
How to Download the Bestiary
Log in to your BackerKit page. If you backed at any level that includes the Core Book PDF (or pre-ordered it), Bestiary Beta 0.1 should now be available in your digital downloads.
What’s Included
Bestiary Beta 0.1 contains the first full pass of the creature system for Born from Ice, including a large roster of Ice Age animals and megafauna built specifically for the setting and its style of play.
Creatures are designed as archetypes that gather many different creatures that shared similar behavior, ecology, or places within the ecosystem. All of the creatures include scalable CR versions and Bloodied Effects, and most have Lair Actions. The most dangerous creatures also have Legendary Actions to make them more terrifying. All of the creatures are designed with progression in mind to make encounters feel dynamic and thematic at every level of play.
That said, this release is still very much a beta, and your feedback will play a major role in shaping future revisions. You can leave your feedback in this form:
This is the first beta of the Bestiary, and some material has already been planned for future updates and revisions.
People There are currently no people included in this Bestiary release. Future versions will add human and neanderthal stat blocks built using the same progression philosophy and encounter design structure as the creatures in this release.
Revisions Some creatures are still undergoing additional playtesting, and we’ll also be incorporating your feedback as development continues. Because of that, expect updates and adjustments to current stat blocks over time.
Additions / Deletions The current creature roster is not completely locked in stone yet. As the Bestiary is merged into the final Core Book and prepared for print, physical page count limitations may require adjustments or removals to some creatures. At the same time, continued playtesting may reveal gaps or identify additional creatures that are more important to include. Future updates may therefore add new stat blocks, revise priorities, or consolidate certain entries.
Art We know this beta contains very little artwork right now. Much of the art is already done, but not incorporated into the layout yet. Future updates will include illustrations for all creatures included in the final Bestiary.
Adventure Path Development
The Adventure Path remains the final major item for the overall project, and work there is also continuing actively behind the scenes.
Thank You
I know this project has taken much longer than expected. I know the communication gaps have made that harder. And I know many of you have been waiting very patiently for a very long time.
I truly appreciate everyone who has continued to stick with Born from Ice through this process.
This setting and game mean an enormous amount to me personally, and even when progress has been slower than I hoped, the project has never stopped moving forward. Reaching the point where I can finally release the first Bestiary beta feels huge, and I’m excited to finally start getting it into your hands.
— Loren
Missed the Campaign? You Can Still Pre-Order and Get Beta Access
If you missed the Kickstarter campaign, you can still get access to the Born from Ice beta material by pre-ordering any item that contains the Core Book PDF through our pre-order store: 🛒 Pre-Order Store
Anyone who pre-orders the Core Book will receive access to the latest Beta release and future digital updates.
Development Roadmap
Here's the current development timeline (subject to change):
Completed
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Player's Handbook, and integrated ideas from it into the rules of Born from Ice.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 DM's Guide Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. While it hasn’t required major adjustments yet, it’s given us ideas for future content and fine-tuning.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D Monster Manual Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Monster Manual, which is now helping inform our final development on our Bestiary.
✅ COMPLETE - OGL Review: The new OGL 5.2 was released on April 22, 2025. This has been reviewed, and is now integrated into the coming Beta 0.3.
✅ COMPLETE -Full Rules Available in Beta: Beta 0.3 was released July 3. A nearly complete version of the book, missing only the Bestiary. Includes new 50 page Setting section, new Injuries chapter, a new Appendix on how to play 5e, updates and clarifications to rules, and text and layout revisions throughout. If you encounter any bugs or have thoughts about the rules, please use our Google Form to report them! Please see the Changelogfor info on what has changed between releases.
COMPLETE - Survey for Name in Credits: On July 7 we sent out a survey on Kickstarter asking what name you want to appear in the book credits, if you backed at a level that provides that as a reward.
COMPLETE - Core Book Editing: Riley has finished editing the text of the Core Book.
COMPLETE - Bestiary PDF Release: The PDF of the Bestiary has released.
Q2 and Q3 (April - September) 2026
Bestiary: Playtesting continues, and your feedback will also be gathered. Revisions will be made based on this information and posted.
Adventure Path Development: Work continues on the Adventure Path.
Name Credit Preview Page Available: We will post a page where you can review how your name will appear in the book credits, and an option to provide feedback if you need to make changes.
Q4 (October - December) 2026
Digital Books Available: Final versions of the PDFs will be available once the books are locked and ready for printing.
Books to Printer: Books are planned to be finished and go to the printer.
Pledge Manager Closes: We will close the Pledge Manager once all books are at the warehouses and ready to be shipped. This is also when final shipping and any applicable sales tax, VAT, and tariffs will be charged.
Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds VTT Versions Release: Virtual tabletop versions of the game for Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds should be released roughly at the same time the books ship.
Books Shipped to Fulfillment Partner: After printing, books will ship to our fulfillment partner warehouses in Europe and the US. This process can take some time depending on time at sea, clearing port, customs, etc.
Physical Books Ship to Backers: Books planned to ship to backers.
January 2026 Update: A Long Overdue Check-In
5 months ago
– Mon, Jan 05, 2026 at 07:14:13 AM
Hi everyone,
First and foremost, I owe you an apology for how long it’s been since the last Kickstarter update. September was far too long ago, and I’m sorry for the silence since then.
Part of the challenge has been balancing time spent actively working on the book with time spent stepping away from that work to write updates like this—especially given how small our team is. Born from Ice is, at its core, a very small operation. The vast majority of the writing, layout, design, and production work is done by me, Loren, along with handling the business side of the project. Riley has been doing editorial work on the Core Book (and will move to the Adventure Path when that is ready), and Scott is contributing additional writing on the Adventure Path, but day-to-day progress lives on a very small set of shoulders.
Coupled with the personal challenges I alluded to in the last update, and the added strain of the holiday season, the past few months have been a particularly complicated time on a personal level. I also kept hoping to have better news to share, and so kept delaying "just a few more days" until I could give a better update. All of this of course stretched into several months, which also weirdly made it harder to write and post an update.
None of this is an excuse for the gap in communication, but I did want to explain why communication with you slipped.
The short version is this: progress has continued, even if updates haven’t, and I want to take some time to clearly explain where things stand as we move into the new year.
Progress Is Still Moving Forward
Born from Ice has not stalled. Work has continued steadily behind the scenes over the past few months, particularly on layout and final editorial revisions. That said, progress has been slower than I hoped in a few key areas, most notably the Bestiary.
Bestiary Status
The Bestiary text itself is complete, but the layout has proven to be far more time-consuming than expected. The sheer number of tables, stat blocks, and formatting constraints—combined with the challenge of fitting the Bestiary cleanly into the already large Core Book—has made this one of the most difficult layout phases of the project. Page count has become an issue for the entire book, and so the Bestiary is also undergoing editorial decisions at the same time as trying to implement it into the layout. For example, stat block designs have gone through multiple iterations to try to account for space and to present information cleanly, which has required reworking of already completed work.
On top of that, I unfortunately lost some layout work due to a cloud syncing issue with our backup system. While no final text was lost, recreating portions of the layout set things back and, frankly, was pretty demoralizing in an already very technical process. That setback cost time and momentum, but the work has since been rebuilt and is continuing.
The Bestiary remains the biggest remaining hurdle for the Core Book, and it’s the primary reason for the delay.
Editorial Update
On the editorial front, there’s good news: Riley has completed and submitted their Core Book editorial revisions. This was a major milestone, and their feedback has been incredibly valuable in tightening language, clarity, and consistency across the book. Those revisions are now being actively integrated as part of the final layout pass.
Core Book Digital Release Timing
The priority right now is to get the final Core Book PDF into your hands as soon as possible. The current goal is late January or February, depending on how quickly the remaining Bestiary layout and final checks can be completed. I don’t want to overpromise a specific date, but I do want to be clear that this is my primary focus right now.
Looking Ahead: Adventure Path Development
Once the Core Book is locked and the final digital release is out, development on the Adventure Path will shift into high gear. Scott has done amazing work up until now, but I am now definitely the block, as I need to weigh in more for work to continue. Finishing the Core Book/Bestiary will free me up to push this part of development forward.
Thank You for Your Patience
Again, I apologize for the delays on both the project and my communication.
I know delays are frustrating, especially when communication gaps make them harder to understand. I truly appreciate everyone who has stuck with Born from Ice through a long development process. This project is deeply personal and important to me, and while progress hasn’t been as fast or as smooth as I hoped, the finish line is very much in sight.
Thank you again for your patience and support.
— Loren
Development Roadmap
Here's the current development timeline (subject to change):
Completed
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Player's Handbook, and integrated ideas from it into the rules of Born from Ice.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 DM's Guide Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. While it hasn’t required major adjustments yet, it’s given us ideas for future content and fine-tuning.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D Monster Manual Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Monster Manual, which is now helping inform our final development on our Bestiary.
✅ COMPLETE - OGL Review: The new OGL 5.2 was released on April 22, 2025. This has been reviewed, and is now integrated into the coming Beta 0.3.
✅ COMPLETE -Full Rules Available in Beta: Beta 0.3 was released July 3. A nearly complete version of the book, missing only the Bestiary. Includes new 50 page Setting section, new Injuries chapter, a new Appendix on how to play 5e, updates and clarifications to rules, and text and layout revisions throughout. If you encounter any bugs or have thoughts about the rules, please use our Google Form to report them! Please see the Changelogfor info on what has changed between releases.
COMPLETE - Survey for Name in Credits: On July 7 we sent out a survey on Kickstarter asking what name you want to appear in the book credits, if you backed at a level that provides that as a reward.
COMPLETE - Core Book Editing: Riley has finished editing the text of the Core Book.
Q1 (January - March) 2026
Core Book/Bestiary PDF Release: The PDF of the Core Book (including Bestiary) will release.
Adventure Path Development: Work continues on the Adventure Path.
Name Credit Preview Page Available: We will post a page where you can review how your name will appear in the book credits, and an option to provide feedback if you need to make changes.
Q2 (April - June) 2026
Digital Books Available: Final versions of the PDFs will be available once the books are locked and ready for printing.
Books to Printer: Books are planned to be finished and go to the printer.
Pledge Manager Closes: We will close the Pledge Manager once all books are at the warehouses and ready to be shipped. This is also when final shipping and any applicable sales tax, VAT, and tariffs will be charged.
Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds VTT Versions Release: Virtual tabletop versions of the game for Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds should be released roughly at the same time the books ship.
Q3 (July - September) 2026
Books Shipped to Fulfillment Partner: After printing, books will ship to our fulfillment partner warehouses in Europe and the US. This process can take some time depending on time at sea, clearing port, customs, etc.
Physical Books Ship to Backers: Books planned to ship to backers.
🎙️ New Fan-Produced "Born from Ice" Actual Play Podcast: Tales of Fire & Stone
9 months ago
– Wed, Sep 03, 2025 at 05:07:39 AM
We’re excited to share a brand new fan-made podcast set in the world of Born from Ice!
Tales of Fire & Stone is a Paleolithic actual play series exploring the prehistoric world through structured group storytelling and the Born from Ice RPG.
Long before the smelting of metal or writing of words, a small hunter-gatherer tribe faces a crisis.They have mastered the use of fire, and learned to chip rock into useful shapes and bind that stone to wood. Yet the lands of their ancestors can no longer sustain them, and it has been years since they encountered another tribe.
A small group of outcasts and adventurers are sent out on a dangerous mission: to discover the fate of the lost tribes, and to find a new home for their own.
The first two episodes are now available. Please give it a listen and show them some love!
August Update: Bestiary Delay, Print Timeline Shift, and a Personal Note
9 months ago
– Tue, Sep 02, 2025 at 07:39:33 AM
Hi everyone,
We hope you’ve had a chance to dive into Beta 0.3 and explore the new setting content, revised rules, and optional injury system. We’re incredibly proud of this release and grateful for all the kind messages, feedback, and support you’ve shared so far.
We’d love your input as we finalize the core game. The feedback form is quick and helps us catch things we might have missed
A Quick Personal Note from Loren
I want to apologize for the quiet stretch these past few weeks. July and August ended up being unexpectedly difficult. I made a major change, switching my day job, which has been an exciting but demanding transition. There have also been a few other life challenges that reared their heads during this time, but most significantly, I experienced the sudden and unexpected loss of a close personal friend—someone who was instrumental in the earliest conversations that eventually grew into Born from Ice.
While the project has changed a lot since those first talks, their creative energy and encouragement were part of what sparked this journey in the first place. Losing them knocked the wind out of my sails for a while, and I appreciate your grace and patience over the last few weeks.
As a result of all of this, my efforts on layout work slowed considerably, and so we are still behind on the release of the Bestiary promised as part of Beta 0.3. That said, layout is back underway now, and we’ll release it as soon as it’s ready.
Update on Printed Books and Fulfillment Timeline
We also want to be transparent with you about a change in the timeline for printed books. While we are still on track to deliver the final digital PDFs by December, the physical books will likely miss that target.
There are a few reasons for this:
The development and layout delays from this summer
Ongoing uncertainty around tariffs on printed materials shipping to the U.S.
Our desire to deliver books at the level of quality you’ve come to expect
We’re currently reviewing all of our printing and fulfillment options to avoid surprises. While we believe RPG books still qualify for a tariff exemption in the U.S., the situation remains volatile, and we’re working to confirm that this will still be true by the time we go to print and fulfillment. We’ll share more details on this front once we have more information.
Name Credit Survey – Still Open
If you backed at a level that includes your name in the book credits, please make sure to complete the Name Credit Survey we sent out through Kickstarter. If you haven’t filled it out yet, now’s the time!
A reminder of what’s acceptable (and not) can be found in our July 7 update. In the coming weeks, we’ll also post a preview page where you can verify your entry and request any corrections.
Development Roadmap
Here's our current development timeline:
Completed
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 Player's Handbook Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Player's Handbook, and integrated ideas from it into the rules of Born from Ice.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D 2024 DM's Guide Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide. While it hasn’t required major adjustments yet, it’s given us ideas for future content and fine-tuning.
✅ COMPLETE -D&D Monster Manual Review: We’ve completed our review of the 2024 Dungeon Monster Manual, which is now helping inform our final development on our Bestiary.
✅ COMPLETE - OGL Review: The new OGL 5.2 was released on April 22, 2025. This has been reviewed, and is now integrated into the coming Beta 0.3.
✅ COMPLETE -Full Rules Available in Beta: Beta 0.3 was released July 3. A nearly complete version of the book, missing only the Bestiary. Includes new 50 page Setting section, new Injuries chapter, a new Appendix on how to play 5e, updates and clarifications to rules, and text and layout revisions throughout. If you encounter any bugs or have thoughts about the rules, please use our Google Form to report them! Please see the Changelogfor info on what has changed between releases.
COMPLETE - Survey for Name in Credits: On July 7 we sent out a survey on Kickstarter asking what name you want to appear in the book credits, if you backed at a level that provides that as a reward.
Q3 (July - September) 2025
BETA 0.31 (Core Book) - Bestiary: An updated version of Beta 0.3 will be released to include the Bestiary.
Adventure Path Development: Work continues on the Adventure Path.
Q4 (October - December) 2025
Name Credit Preview Page Available: We will post a page where you can review how your name will appear in the book, and provide feedback if you need to make changes.
Book Editing: Riley will work to do final editing on the text of the books to prepare for publication.
Digital Books Available: Final versions of the PDFs will be available once the books are locked and ready for printing.
Q1 (January - March) 2026
Books to Printer: Books are planned to be finished and go to the printer.
Pledge Manager Closes: We will close the Pledge Manager once all books are at the warehouses and ready to be shipped. This is also when final shipping and any applicable sales tax, VAT, and tariffs will be charged.
Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds VTT Versions Release: Virtual tabletop versions of the game for Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds should be released roughly at the same time the books ship.
Q2 (April - June) 2026
Books Shipped to Fulfillment Partner: After printing, books will ship to our fulfillment partner warehouses in Europe and the US. This process can take some time depending on time at sea, clearing port, customs, etc.
Physical Books Ship to Backers: Books planned to ship to backers.
Thanks again for sticking with us! The core game is nearly complete, and your support has helped keep us going. We’re incredibly excited to get Born from Ice into your hands.
