"I bought Celtic Realm sometime during in the 1980s and our family played it every day for years. After the kids grew up, we tossed most of the games but kept Celtic Realm. We have recently rediscovered it, and play after breakfast and dinner every day. We have seduced some of our friends into playing as well ! Our friends would like their own copies of the game." -Laura D.
Some history: The game was created in 1979 by New Hampshire artist Randy Miller (my dad). It enjoyed small-scale, local success, selling out Randy's stock of 1,000 handmade games in the process. It was last produced and assembled locally by Randy in 1998 and now is sold-out and unavailable for purchase. Owl Tree Games, a fledgling family game company, is hoping to revive and re-release the game for the current worldwide gaming community.
I grew up playing the original Celtic Realm with family and friends. More recent play-testing has resulted in some great new ways of playing the game. The New Second Edition that we are hoping to create will contain a re-written rule book with these variations.
The Second Edition board is the focus of some serious re-design. The aim is to enhance the aesthetic of the original board whilst increasing its functionality. Check out some of my initial sketches below. They show how I've been incorporating the game board itself into a unique box design. The idea is to have a game that looks as good beckoning to be played as it does when you're journeying through the Realm.
The wooden pyramidal dice in the first edition of Celtic Realm are an homage to the discovery of a version of the Royal Game of Ur (Asseb in ancient Egypt) in Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb. The layout of the Celtic Realm board is also derived from the 20- square version of this ancestral game.
Celtic Realm: Second Edition will feature a new dice design created in collaboration with Jason Matses of Bold Print Shop and cast in pewter (a lead-free alloy) at Providence Casting Company of RI. Note: If you contribute at the highest level, you can be immortalized on the new dice!
The wooden checkers depicted in pictures of the original game will remain close to the original- the same dimensions and beautiful design that make Celtic Realm such an aesthetic pleasure to play.
All of the game components, from board to dice, will be manufactured in the USA and assembled by our Owl Tree Games team. Help make this second edition a reinvigorated, handcrafted version of one of the oldest board games known -- with artistic inspiration from one of the most prized of ancient illustrated Celtic manuscripts.
We are so excited to begin work on developments to the game that will make it even more beautiful and fun to play, but we need your help! We are hoping that you, the Kickstarter community, will take interest in our efforts and help fund this endeavor. Supporting this campaign will also give Owl Tree Games the initial boost it needs to produce sufficient quantities of this carefully crafted game to make it available again for retail sale. To do this we need to sell about 250 games. Won't you help make this lovely game a household name?
No added shipping fees on orders in the US- so your donation is just what you want it to be.
Check out these great rewards!
Awesome 2.5"x3.75" sticker for your car/case/fridge/life.
Two 7/8" pewter button designs created by Randy.
Original, signed Book of Kells print by Randy Miller.
Ok. Here's the thing. Backing this Celtic Realm: Second Edition fundraiser could not only get you some sweet rewards, but could seriously unlock Owl Tree Games' potential. We've got some great projects waiting in the proverbial wings, so don't be shy! Heck, take the plunge and become a Celtic Angel!
Be an Angel... or Knot.
Celtic Realm has been out of production for 18 years. What we are trying to do is rethink, reproduce, and revive the game for everyone to enjoy.
Rethinking and redesigning the game involves many hours of play-testing and creative output- the sort of thing we love to do. The hours do add up, however, so we've given ourselves until August to finalize any changes to the game itself.
Improving and recreating the components of the game represents a significant challenge. We have carefully budgeted the time and cost of development, production, shipping and handling of the game. Much of the work will be made easier by referencing existing copies of the original game, and employing new technology to prototype Second Edition parts.
Despite this, there is a small chance that our costs could run over budget, or that production could take longer than expected. For example, our custom-made dice and tokens will require special care to ensure their uniformity and aesthetic beauty. The trade-off in making a beautiful, quality product is the potential extra time involved.
Owl Tree Games represents a family legacy of independent game creators. If this Celtic Realm: Second Edition campaign succeeds, it will encourage and enable us to complete more game projects. Thus, we are highly motivated to fulfill our rewards regardless of such potential setbacks. It is important to our brand that we do so.
We love this game, and we think you will too. Let's make Celtic Realm a widespread classic, and open the door to exciting new OTG projects to come.
Small donation; big thanks from our fledgling game company: Owl Tree Games!
Reward comes in the form of a versatile sticker featuring original Celtic Realm artwork by Randy Miller.
Get a special Celtic-themed 5-pack of notecards featuring Randy's beautiful engravings. Cards come with matching envelopes.
These buttons are unique for their miniature pictorial scenes in relief. The button design originates as a small, sculpted engraving cut into the endgrain of boxwood by hand by the artist Randy Miller. A wax impression in the wood is then converted into a bronze master button, from which the mold for pewter casting is made. The buttons are then polished to bring out the natural patina of pewter.
The lead-free pewter used in making these buttons is an alloy of tin, copper, and antimony, known in colonial times as "Britannia metal."
The neutral, shiny gray tone of the pewter combine nicely with a wide variety of colored fabrics and yarns, for use on blouses, shirts, vests, and sweaters.
All buttons have a half-circle loop shank for easy attachment.
Get a special Celtic-themed 12-pack of notecards featuring Randy's beautiful engravings. Cards come with matching envelopes.
This handsome, new boxed game comes with three custom pewter dice, 14 double-sided wooden tokens, and a reversible black-and-white/full color playing board.
Second Edition rule book contains several exciting new variations of the game!
Celtic Realm: Second Edition Game + Book of Kells Print!
An original signed 'Book of Kells' print, hand-engraved and letterpress-printed by New Hampshire artist Randy Miller. A uniquely beautiful work of graphic art to hang on your wall.
Own a piece of Celtic Realm history!
"Although most of my engravings have been done in boxwood, this one was engraved in rock maple, on a block given to me by the late New Hampshire wood engraver Herbert Waters. It is a study of some of the intricate interwoven knotwork and religious symbolism found in the Irish manuscript of the Bible, known as the Book of Kells. There are fish, lions, serpents, an eagle, the tree of life, and other unexplained Celtic design elements. The Book of Kells dates to about 800 A.D. At 5.5" x 7.25" this is one of my largest engravings."
Get two Celtic Realm Second Edition games, and gift one to your best friend, your local pub, (or library) for all to enjoy!
For more than two games, select this reward and add $65 per additional copy. International buyers add $22.50 for shipping for quantities above 5 games.
Your own profile immortalized on a facet of the new dice design!
Be immortalized as a 'Celtic Realm Angel' when you back our project at this level. We will take a profile picture you provide, represent it in Randy's artistic style, and incorporate it on one of the facets of the dice that we create.
Your name will also be included as an 'angel backer' in the game credits, and you will receive the new Celtic Realm in double-sided Black and White and Full Color.
Cards, buttons, and a sticker, to boot!