Stepping into the Gilded Age: Storybrewers Unveils ‘Castles in the Air’ RPG

For those who have ever found themselves lost in the pages of Little Women or the sweeping, pastoral beauty of Anne of Green Gables, a new tabletop experience promises to turn those literary daydreams into an interactive reality. Castles in the Air, the latest project from the acclaimed designers at Storybrewers Roleplaying, invites players to step back into the late 19th century to navigate the profound, bittersweet transformation from childhood innocence to the complexities of adulthood.

As the tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) landscape continues to diversify beyond dungeon-crawling and high-fantasy combat, Castles in the Air stands out as a poignant exploration of character-driven narrative. It is a game not of swords and sorcery, but of social standing, budding romances, lifelong rivalries, and the inevitable, aching passage of time.

The Core Concept: A Chronicle of Growth

At its heart, Castles in the Air is a collaborative storytelling engine. Unlike traditional RPGs that prioritize leveling up combat stats or acquiring loot, this game focuses on the "leveling up" of the human experience. Players are tasked with building a tight-knit group of characters who begin their journey as children, bound by the simplicity of rural life during the American Gilded Age (roughly 1870–1890).

The game’s structure is inherently chronological. Players spend the first phase of the campaign defining their childhoods. This involves establishing shared memories—swimming in sun-dappled lakes, wandering through golden farmlands, or stargazing from a barn loft. These early sessions are designed to ground the players in a sense of wonder and safety, which makes the eventual transition into the harsher realities of the adult world all the more impactful.

As the campaign progresses, the game mechanics evolve to reflect the shifting priorities of the characters. The "troublesome scamp" may find themselves navigating the pressures of employment, while the "studious bookworm" might confront the societal limitations placed upon them by the era. The narrative eventually leads the group to the bittersweet conclusion of adulthood, where the characters—much like the sisters in Alcott’s classic novels—may find their paths diverging, leading to lives separated by geography and circumstance.

A Legacy of Literary Design

The pedigree behind Castles in the Air is significant. The project is primarily designed and written by Melia Carraway, but it benefits from the seasoned expertise of Storybrewers Roleplaying co-founders Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon.

The studio is perhaps best known for Good Society, a landmark TTRPG that successfully captured the nuance and social maneuvering of Jane Austen’s novels. In many ways, Castles in the Air feels like a spiritual successor. While Good Society leaned into the sharp wit and rigid social hierarchies of Regency England, Castles in the Air leans into the emotional warmth and nostalgic melancholy of American period dramas.

"We wanted to create a space where the stakes are just as high as a dragon fight, but the battlefield is a family dinner or a secret correspondence," says the development team. By leveraging the same design philosophies that made Good Society a hit, the team ensures that the game remains accessible to newcomers while offering enough mechanical depth for veteran roleplayers to craft truly complex, multi-layered arcs.

Mechanics of Archetypes and Ambition

Character creation in Castles in the Air is designed to be highly evocative. Players select from a variety of classic archetypes, such as the aforementioned "troublesome scamp" or "spoiled princess." However, the system goes deeper by requiring players to define their "Dream."

In the context of the Gilded Age, where industrialization was shifting the landscape of the American economy and migration was reshaping the nation’s social fabric, having a "dream" is both a catalyst for action and a source of conflict. A character’s dream might be to escape their small town for the bustling city, to inherit the family farm, or to pursue an education that their background denies them.

Complementing these goals are the "bosom enemies" and family dynamics that players establish during the first act. These relationships act as the anchors of the story. Whether it is a childhood rivalry that turns into a complicated adult friendship or a family background that provides both support and crushing expectations, these elements ensure that no two playthroughs of Castles in the Air will ever feel the same.

Chronology of the Development and Launch

The journey to bring Castles in the Air to the tabletop has been a methodical one, reflecting the meticulous nature of the Storybrewers’ design process.

• Initial Concept Phase: Drawing inspiration from the 2019 film adaptation of Little Women and the 2017 Anne with an E series, the team began drafting a system that could emulate the pacing of a period drama.
• Prototype Testing: Throughout 2023, the team held closed playtests to ensure the "aging" mechanic—the transition from child to adult—felt earned and narratively satisfying.
• The "A Golden Dawn" Actual Play: To demonstrate the game’s tone, Storybrewers released a three-part actual play series, "A Golden Dawn," which provided potential backers with a clear vision of how the game plays at a table.
• Kickstarter Launch: The official crowdfunding campaign launched in mid-2024, quickly gaining momentum as fans of historical fiction and narrative-heavy RPGs flocked to the project.
• The Path Ahead: With the campaign slated to conclude on June 9th, the team is currently finalizing the production schedule, with physical and digital fulfillment targeted for March 2025.

Implications for the TTRPG Industry

The success of Castles in the Air highlights a broader shift in the tabletop industry. For decades, the market was dominated by games that focused on tactical combat and dungeon crawling. However, the last decade has seen a surge in "narrative-first" games that prioritize emotional catharsis over hit points.

Castles in the Air proves that there is a massive, underserved audience looking for games that explore themes of family, legacy, and the passage of time. By providing a framework that allows players to "act out" their favorite period dramas, Storybrewers is lowering the barrier to entry for non-gamers. A fan of Little Women might never have touched a Dungeons & Dragons book, but they might find themselves instantly at home with a game that asks them to roleplay the emotional journey of a character coming of age.

Furthermore, the game’s setting—the Gilded Age—offers a rich, historically complex backdrop that allows players to touch upon real-world themes like industrialization and migration without requiring a PhD in history. It uses the setting as a canvas for the personal, ensuring the focus remains on the "castles in the air" that each character builds for themselves.

How to Support the Project

For those interested in contributing to the creation of Castles in the Air, the Kickstarter campaign remains the primary avenue.

• The Digital Tier (AU$ 34 / £18 / $26): This provides backers with the digital PDF of the core rulebook, allowing for immediate play once the project is finalized.
• The Physical Tier (AU$ 99 / £52 / $77): This includes a high-quality physical copy of the book, which will feature the evocative artwork that has already become a hallmark of the game’s marketing materials.

As the campaign draws to a close, the focus shifts to the final stretch goals, which may include additional character archetypes, expanded setting guides, and potentially more scenarios that help GMs (Game Masters) run their games more effectively.

Final Reflections

Castles in the Air is more than just a game; it is an invitation to inhabit a different time. It asks players to slow down, to appreciate the quiet beauty of childhood, and to grapple with the inevitable changes that life demands of us all. By bridging the gap between literary fiction and tabletop gaming, Storybrewers Roleplaying is crafting a space for players to not only tell a story but to experience the profound, often painful, and ultimately beautiful process of growing up.

Whether you are a veteran of the hobby or a lover of classic literature, Castles in the Air offers a unique opportunity to build a narrative that stays with you long after the dice have stopped rolling. With its release set for early 2025, the stage is set for a new era of storytelling—one defined by heart, history, and the dreams we hold onto as we face the future.