Does commanding a rotting horde of minions through the crumbling remains of an ancient necropolis have any appeal to you?
Yes?
Good, then stick around for a little bit.
Just over a year ago, I was lucky enough to catch Thou and The Body at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center. After the show was over and most everyone cleared out, Chip (of The Body) and I struck up a conversation about the most metal of all topics: board games and RPGs. That’s when he introduced me to Cave Evil. Everything about it clicked; from the putrescent art, to the absurdity of the creature design, to the in-depth ruleset, I knew I had to nab a copy while it was still available. Days later I went to order a copy. Unfortunately, I was struck with that gut-dropping feeling that inevitably comes when you miss out on a record you’ve been waiting for.
It was sold out.
For a year I waited, e-mailing, checking the site, subscribing to their boardgamegeek threads. I almost lost hope when, in April, a glimmer of hope peered out from the darkness. A reprint was coming. Now, three months later, it’s here. And it needs your help.
Cave Evil is the spawn of Nate Hayden, Mat Brinkman, (of the legendary Fort Thunder) and Jochen Hartman’s boardgame outfit Emperors of Eternal Evil. A masterpiece of DIY design and ethos, Cave Evil received an exceptionally warm welcome by the board game community, selling out it’s first print on word of mouth alone. Cave Evil is a homegrown project top to bottom, assembled entirely in the USA, with over 340 unique pieces of art. Aesthetically, Cave Evil combines the over-the-top dungeon miasma of classic AD&D and the foul etchings of a thousand metal album covers, notebook margin sketches, and splatterpunk comics.
Emperor of Eternal Evil’s dedication to the dark side is apparent. Check out the Cave Evil radio station here. Grinding dungeon synths merge with the dissonant shrieks of the living dead, creating what sounds like a spooky sounds for Halloween cassette on ketamine. While you’re at it, browse the swath of merchandise available, from woven patches (of course), to posters, T-shirts, and original sketches here.
The Darkest Statue of Death
Emperors of Eternal Evil need your help in ensuring the success of their reprint. If they receive 420 preorders by August 9, then the repress goes ahead. If not, then it’s back to the crypts. If you are at all interested in descending into the depths of madness, you can pick up a copy of Cave Evil at a pre-order price of 75 USD. Even if nocturnal gaming sessions aren’t your thing, the sheer quality of the art and merchandise available is worth checking out. Three weeks remain. Shed blood.
New Comments