What is Fragments of the Past?
Music, bards, wine, and comfortable cushions: take part in this joyful banquet, listening to the fables and tales of lost Mediterranean-like civilizations.
A world of bronze and blazing sun. You can live the adventures of gods, warriors, travellers and poets reading their stories, looking at their artefacts, following them on their ships through sea routes.
If you miss the mythic vibe of lost ages, Fragments of the Past is the cure for your ancient world nostalgia.
Fragments of the Past is a narrative artbook: a collection of short novels and illustrations with a coherent approach to worldbuilding inspired by Simon Stålenhag and James Gurney.
The project was born from a decade long Roleplaying game chronicle. A series of other books set in the same universe is already under development: the next one will be a Sourcebook to create your own adventures in the world of Askedoria.
Book Fact Sheet
Author: Massimiliano Nigro
Publisher: Self-published
Book File: PDF
Genre: Illustrated Book, Ancient Worlds, Mythology, Fiction
Language: English
Pages: 73
First Free Chapter: Subscribe and Download
Launch Price: $ 9.99
Where To Buy The Book: Store powered by ArtStation
Release date: April 8, 2020
What to expect
Experience a land full of ancient cities, hidden coastal caves, forgotten sanctuaries and temples.
- 73 pages of myths, fables, geographical and cultural information inspired by the style of ancient bards, historians, and Mediterranean folklore.
- The tragic tale of the oracle Tumsilt and the Mercenary Prince Diosconis.
- 32 artworks of environments, characters, props, and maps.
- Short novels that can be enjoyed both as fiction and as an inspiration to set your RPG adventures in the vast Ophiotaurus Ocean.
Take a Look Inside
Who is the reader of Fragments of the Past?
- A history, archaeology, mythology and fantasy enthusiast.
- A person who likes to explore and travel.
- Somebody who plays roleplay games from Zelda to Baldur's Gate.
Reviews
This has got incredible mythic energy, it really feels like a story from an ancient time, a time of beasts and bloodshed, of gods and death. - ChroniclerofAvaas (Reddit User)
This definitely feels like a Homeric tale, I love it! - not_a_roman (Reddit User)
Beautiful worldbuilding. 3 short paragraphs and I'm already completely enamoured with your world. - Kanbaru-Fan (Reddit User)
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
1) What inspired you to create Fragments of the Past?Fragments of the Past is a narrative artbook based on a decade-long roleplay chronicle set in a world inspired by Homer, Tolkien and ancient history. Imagine browsing a book where tales of travellers, legends sung by bards and accounts written by historians are mixed with many illustrations and artworks.
2) You mentioned a roleplay game, can you tell us something more about that? I started playing this game around fifteen years ago using the D&D 3.5 edition; throughout the years, new players joined the Chronicle, and others left. We also used different systems, from the World of Darkness rules to Pathfinder, and we played different story arcs. At a certain point, I realized that the game had become a sort of shared mythology. Sadly, I lost the journal with the details of our game sessions during a period in which I was moving around Europe for work. It seemed the end of the project. When I returned to Rome, I was struck by nostalgia, and I decided to build the setting again: Fragments of the Past was born, and it is the first book of this IP.
3) Do you have written all the stories and painted all the artworks? Yes, but I still think that the book is a collective endeavour. Many talented people helped me; without them, there would never have been any book at all. Silvia Furghieri and Daniele Nigro supported me in dealing with marketing and PR. Silvia's support was essential for the design of the book itself, and her feedback was also crucial for the refining process of the paintings. Antonio Scacchetti overwatched the website design and resolved a jungle of technical problems. Olga Bokareva helped me refining and polishing the text, I can't thank her enough.
4) Is the book meant only for roleplay game enthusiasts? Not at all, it is first and foremost a collection of short stories and artworks set in a fantastical, bronze-age world. You can enjoy them as they are.
5) Do you have also included rules and system to play in this setting? No. This first book is about the atmosphere, lore and myths of a specific region: the continent of Askedoria in the Ophiotaurus Ocean.
6) What are your next projects? A series of other books set in the same universe is already under development: the next one will be a Sourcebook to create your own adventures in the world of Askedoria.
7) Do you have a publisher? Not yet, Fragments of the Past is a self-published book, but I am not excluding the option of collaborating with one.
8) What kind of people will enjoy Fragments of the Past? History, archaeology, mythology and fantasy enthusiasts, people who like to explore and travel, players of roleplay games from Zelda to Baldur's Gate. They are the ideal readers of Fragments of the Past.
About Massimiliano Nigro
I am Massimiliano Nigro, a Worldbuilder. Concept-art, illustration and writing are my favourite tools to create coherent worlds and cultures. I work mainly for the videogame, illustration, and movie industry.
Contact
Inquiries
massi@dev9k.com
Credits
Massimiliano Nigro - Art and Writing
Antonio Scacchetti - Web Design and Development
Silvia Furghieri | Daniele Nigro - Marketing, PR, Branding
Olga Bokareva - Editing and Proofreading
Copyright © 2020 Fragments of The Past. All rights reserved.
Credits:
Massimiliano Haematinon Nigro