The aetherpunk book launches on Kickstarter today. Wizards of the Coast only released an official Portuguese translation of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules in 2022, eight years after the original launch. Pedro Coimbra, creative director at CapyCat Games and a 5e playtester, started teaching the rules in Portuguese on his YouTube channel. He created a custom setting for an actual play campaign, and an updated version of that book—aligned with the 2024 ruleset—will be available in English for the first time via today’s Kickstarter.

Coimbra describes Skyfall as “tragic aetherpunk.” The continent of Opath has been fractured by falling islands, each carrying a mysterious energy source called Aetherium. Nations sponsor adventurers’ guilds to explore the wreckage and harvest this resource, which powers advanced magitech. Although the disaster has driven technological progress, people live in constant fear that another Skyfall could bring total destruction.

Figure 1. Battle to save a shattered world in Brazil’s D&D 5e setting Skyfall

“We wanted players to feel the urgency—that if they don’t act, the world will end on its own,” Coimbra explained. “Skyfall is about rising up against overwhelming odds and confronting personal tragedy.” Figure 1 shows Battle to save a shattered world in Brazil’s D&D 5e setting Skyfall.

To emphasize this theme, Skyfall replaces 5e’s heroic inspiration with a Catharsis system: players earn a d6 to boost future rolls when their characters’ flaws are showcased. These flaws are linked to the game’s revamped and new species—for example, elves must consume beautiful things, while the frog-like Anuri prioritize history over wealth, often holding onto old gear instead of upgrading.

Coimbra noted, “It’s great for newcomers because they can focus on roleplaying their character while enjoying unique mechanics.”

The Kickstarter aims to fund the translation of the 500-page hardcover Skyfall book. It introduces four new species—such as tiny dragonkin and vampiric aristocrats—and subclasses that blend magic with engineering. The setting spans 10 distinct regions, each with unique themes, from the blood-alchemy sun temples of the Mirmir Desert to the bug-riding duelist swamps of Blurgh’ta.

With much of the work already completed, Coimbra expects to deliver the book and a level 1-11 adventure by year’s end. Stretch goals will unlock extra species, maps, and props. Backers will gain access to one-shot sessions during development, allowing them to provide feedback on mechanics and influence the adventure’s direction based on their choices.

Coimbra emphasized, “We believe the community comes first and want players to engage in as much playtesting as possible.”

References:

1. https://www.polygon.com/dnd-dungeons-dragons/600041/skyfall-brazilian-dnd-5e-setting-kickstarter

Cite this article:

Janani R (2025), Battle to Rescue a Doomed World in Skyfall, the Brazilian D&D 5e Setting, AnaTechMaz, pp. 176