Pelgrane Press Announces Ballad Hunters, A Folkloric Investigation RPG Launching on Kickstarter March 17
London, UK – Pelgrane Press announces Ballad Hunters, a new tabletop roleplaying game of folklore, music and investigation set in Regency Britain. The Kickstarter campaign launches March 17.
London, UK – Pelgrane Press announces Ballad Hunters, a new tabletop roleplaying game of folklore and investigation set in Regency Britain. The Kickstarter campaign launches March 17.
Ballad Hunters blends historical fiction, traditional song, and investigative play. Set in 1813 during the upheaval of the Napoleonic Wars, the game casts players as agents tasked with tracking ballads that are manifesting in the real world. When a song takes hold, people begin to follow its verses toward betrayal, disappearance, or death. The players must recognize the pattern and intervene before the story reaches its grim conclusion.
The game inaugurates GUMSHOE Labs, a new experimental line exploring innovative approaches to investigative roleplaying. Ballad Hunters retools the GUMSHOE system for shorter, focused sessions designed to deliver a complete narrative arc in two to three hours. Each adventure centers on a single traditional ballad brought vividly to life.
At the heart of the design is the Compass Verse mechanic. Each character carries a line from a traditional song that can be invoked once per session to reshape events. This feature ties player agency directly to the folkloric structure of the game, reinforcing both theme and dramatic tension.
The core book includes thirteen ready to play adventures inspired by historic British ballads, along with additional material to support original scenarios. Drawing on the rich tradition of narrative folk songs collected in the nineteenth century, Ballad Hunters presents a grounded Regency setting where superstition, politics, and poetry intersect.
Ballad Hunters is designed for groups seeking evocative storytelling and strong historical atmosphere in a format that fits modern schedules. It offers an accessible entry point for new players while expanding the creative possibilities of investigative play.
The Kickstarter campaign begins March 17 and will feature exclusive editions and stretch goals.
For more information and updates, visit Ballad Hunters on Kickstarter: https://bit.ly/4l401kz
About Pelgrane Press
Pelgrane Press is a UK-based tabletop roleplaying game company, publishing character-focused, story-driven RPGs for more than twenty years.
