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[IMG: Download the FREE Wardens of the Blue Rose quickstart]
Hi folks, I’d like to chat a bit about how the SAGE System we’re using in Wardens of the Blue Rose came to be, and why we’re using it instead of the classic Adventure Game Engine (AGE). SAGE’s basic ideas were first described by Steve Kenson, in a mid-pandemic design document. At the time I […]
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Malcolm Sheppard
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Malcolm Sheppard2026-05-20 12:32:162026-05-21 13:32:16The SAGE System?We are thrilled to announce that the Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook is now available on Roll20! And to celebrate, we’re offering all Fantasy AGE 2nd Edition at 20% off, and all Fantasy AGE 1st Edition at 65% off! With both collections at 20% off on DrivethruRPG. The Fantasy AGE Compendium includes all the player options, […]
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Jonesy
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Jonesy2026-04-08 12:29:082026-04-08 16:52:11Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook Now on Roll20!  I wanted SAGE to optimally do what many AGE System fans do already: customize the system to fit a setting of their own design, tailoring game mechanics for their own use. I had a vague notion of how to do this for game systems, but about midway through I realized that it’s hard to […]
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Malcolm Sheppard
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Malcolm Sheppard2026-04-08 10:23:362026-04-08 13:02:23SAGE Design Diary #9: Building SAGE, or “I’m a Game Writer and So Are You”
[H3] Featured Product Lines

[IMG: Jonesy]
[IMG: Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook Compendium on Roll20]
Available Now!
We are thrilled to announce that the Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook is now available on Roll20!
And to celebrate, we’re offering all Fantasy AGE 2nd Edition at 20% off, and all Fantasy AGE 1st Edition at 65% off! With both collections at 20% off on DrivethruRPG.
[IMG: Fantasy AGE 1st Edition 65% off, 2nd Edition 20% off!]
The Fantasy AGE Compendium includes all the player options, rules, Game Master advice, and Adversaries featured in the print edition, giving you everything needed to play and run Fantasy AGE in one compendium. It also includes the following.

Set Sail for Breakwater Bay!
Uses the AGE System Official character sheet.
The Tradewind encounter map, a tactical map of the ship bringing your adventures to Breakwater Bay.
Random Crew Generator, use our prebuilt macro to generate a general description of a crew member with a single click.
Storm Hazards Table, our built in macros let you roll for storm based hazards, and see its effect in just a couple clicks.
Shipboard Stunts Macro, one click reference for the two special location based stunts, loaded to both the macro bar and a special location stunt token.
The Voyage, an original music track created for the Roll20 edition of this adventure.
Fantasy AGE Adversaries Token Pack
Folks: Assassins, Bandit, Crime Boss, Cultist, Dwarf Guard Captain, Emissary, Guttersnipe, Tribal Warrior, Soldier, Warlock, Warlock (Shadow form)
Beasts: Bat Swarm, Bear, Bison, Boar, Cat, Crocodile, Dog, Eagle, Hawk, Horse, Rat Swarm, Shark, Snake Constrictor, Snake Viper, Tiger, Squid, Wolf
Monsters: Boneless One, Burrower, Deepdread, Demon soldier, Dragon, Elementals (Air, Earth, Fire and Water), Ghoul, Giant. Giant Spider, Gnarlwalker, Griffon, Knifehound, Medusa, Manticore, Ogre, Selkie, Serpentfolk Priest, Serpentfolk Warrior, Spectre, Walking Corpses
Breakwater Bay Map and Art Handouts
Art handouts for 9 NPCs
Tokens for the 9 key NPCs
Map of Breakwater Bay
Peril Tracker
Daring Tracker
Fantasy AGE Landing page with Wayne Reynolds art
Fantasy AGE One-Click Rollable Tables, and Macros
Random Ability generator
An Ancestry look up table and 9 Ancestry Benefits tables
A Random Social Generator and 4 random Background generators
Hazards list and random damage roller
Random Silver Piece Treasure generator
And this is just the initial release, we are not done. The roadmap includes the following character sheet and compendium updates:
Focus and weapon group updates to support Technofantasy and improve user experience
Drag and Drop support for Talents, Spells and Equipment
Technofantasy Compendium expansion
Additional adventure support and more

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Jonesy
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Jonesy2026-04-08 12:29:082026-04-08 16:52:11Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook Now on Roll20!
[H5] You might also like
SAGE Design Diary #9: Building SAGE, or “I’m a Game Writer and So Are You”ENnie Awards Voting Open and ENnie Awards SaleRonin Roundtable: Examining SpecializationsLeave Earth Behind with Five and Infinity Chapter 2: The Dreaming Crown
[IMG: City of the Serpent Queen. An Adventure for Fantasy AGE]
City of the Serpent Queen: Why’d it have to be snakes…?GMing Threefold with Speculative FantasyThe Expanse: Questions of CanonStarting the Engine! Introducing the Official AGE System Magazine

[IMG: Download the FREE Wardens of the Blue Rose quickstart]
Download the FREE Wardens of the Blue Rose quickstart
Hi folks,
I’d like to chat a bit about how the SAGE System we’re using in Wardens of the Blue Rose came to be, and why we’re using it instead of the classic Adventure Game Engine (AGE).
SAGE’s basic ideas were first described by Steve Kenson, in a mid-pandemic design document. At the time I was doing intense work on Fantasy AGE, Modern AGE, and Cthulhu Awakens, all classic AGE games, but for a long time we’ve been interested in adding shorter games to our repertoire than Big Book Games. I love those games, and I will be making more—SAGE isn’t a replacement for classic AGE. But I did like the idea of shifting gears a bit.
So, I took Steve’s design document and basically added ideas from classic AGE I thought would be cool or add depth to characters, working up the Bonds and expanding the core mechanics a bit. At the time I was working on Engine, the AGE System magazine, and I realized I could put a whole SAGE system in there, and due to the small wordcount and modest production costs, I could use it for some really interesting settings, so I got four writers to work on settings, including Sian and Katherine, who are working on Wardens with me.
It was a compelling test drive, so I did two things. First, I designed a book-length implementation of SAGE, revising some things and adding options instead of complexity. That’s in layout now. Second, I started experimenting with applying SAGE to Blue Rose, in response to some of what I experienced promoting Blue Rose, which I talked about in my previous update. A light, character centered system seemed like the best way to support solo and GMless group play along with traditional play. That triggered the first story generation notes, and the desire to give those a compelling direction led to…well, the very premise of Wardens of the Blue Rose: Young heroes on the road, meeting people, solving problems, and maybe falling in love.
So, this game stands on some sturdy shoulders. There’s Chris Pramas, who designed the original AGE System, Blue Rose and SAGE designer Steve Kenson, and Blue Rose developer emeritus Joe Carriker—and that’s before looking back at other great writers and designers. I can’t wait to show you the result.
Wardens of the Blue Rose is a fully funded campaign on Backerkit, and has already claimed stretch goal #1! Click here to learn more and back the campaign today!

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Malcolm Sheppard
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Malcolm Sheppard2026-05-20 12:32:162026-05-21 13:32:16The SAGE System?
[IMG: Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook Compendium on Roll20]
Available Now!
We are thrilled to announce that the Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook is now available on Roll20!
And to celebrate, we’re offering all Fantasy AGE 2nd Edition at 20% off, and all Fantasy AGE 1st Edition at 65% off! With both collections at 20% off on DrivethruRPG.
[IMG: Fantasy AGE 1st Edition 65% off, 2nd Edition 20% off!]
The Fantasy AGE Compendium includes all the player options, rules, Game Master advice, and Adversaries featured in the print edition, giving you everything needed to play and run Fantasy AGE in one compendium. It also includes the following.

Set Sail for Breakwater Bay!
Uses the AGE System Official character sheet.
The Tradewind encounter map, a tactical map of the ship bringing your adventures to Breakwater Bay.
Random Crew Generator, use our prebuilt macro to generate a general description of a crew member with a single click.
Storm Hazards Table, our built in macros let you roll for storm based hazards, and see its effect in just a couple clicks.
Shipboard Stunts Macro, one click reference for the two special location based stunts, loaded to both the macro bar and a special location stunt token.
The Voyage, an original music track created for the Roll20 edition of this adventure.
Fantasy AGE Adversaries Token Pack
Folks: Assassins, Bandit, Crime Boss, Cultist, Dwarf Guard Captain, Emissary, Guttersnipe, Tribal Warrior, Soldier, Warlock, Warlock (Shadow form)
Beasts: Bat Swarm, Bear, Bison, Boar, Cat, Crocodile, Dog, Eagle, Hawk, Horse, Rat Swarm, Shark, Snake Constrictor, Snake Viper, Tiger, Squid, Wolf
Monsters: Boneless One, Burrower, Deepdread, Demon soldier, Dragon, Elementals (Air, Earth, Fire and Water), Ghoul, Giant. Giant Spider, Gnarlwalker, Griffon, Knifehound, Medusa, Manticore, Ogre, Selkie, Serpentfolk Priest, Serpentfolk Warrior, Spectre, Walking Corpses
Breakwater Bay Map and Art Handouts
Art handouts for 9 NPCs
Tokens for the 9 key NPCs
Map of Breakwater Bay
Peril Tracker
Daring Tracker
Fantasy AGE Landing page with Wayne Reynolds art
Fantasy AGE One-Click Rollable Tables, and Macros
Random Ability generator
An Ancestry look up table and 9 Ancestry Benefits tables
A Random Social Generator and 4 random Background generators
Hazards list and random damage roller
Random Silver Piece Treasure generator
And this is just the initial release, we are not done. The roadmap includes the following character sheet and compendium updates:
Focus and weapon group updates to support Technofantasy and improve user experience
Drag and Drop support for Talents, Spells and Equipment
Technofantasy Compendium expansion
Additional adventure support and more

https://greenronin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GRR6101_Fantasy-AGE-Core-Rulebook-square.jpg
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Jonesy
https://greenronin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GRdotcom-logo-banner.png
Jonesy2026-04-08 12:29:082026-04-08 16:52:11Fantasy AGE Core Rulebook Now on Roll20!
[IMG: Engine Magazine Issue 3: The SAGE Issue]
Preview the SAGE rules in Engine issue 3, available now!

I wanted SAGE to optimally do what many AGE System fans do already: customize the system to fit a setting of their own design, tailoring game mechanics for their own use. I had a vague notion of how to do this for game systems, but about midway through I realized that it’s hard to pick game mechanics if you’re struggling to figure out what to say about your setting. Worldbuilding has so many facets it’s a hobby of its own, but I want you to actually play and run SAGE.
So, I thought back to how I create settings, and how I, as a Real-Life Game Designer, write and develop these for publication. I especially thought of the advice I give other writers when I’m developing their work, or they just want advice. After giving it some thought, I did for your setting what I would do for a published setting: I wrote you an outline.
That’s the first part of the SAGE build process. I don’t pretend it’s innovative, but it works. Instead of providing vague advice, you’re getting topics, areas I want you do dig into, and yes, even wordcounts. We’re going to put it all on a form, for which the setting is the first part.
Why though?
Beyond creating focus, wordcounts exist to let you know when to stop. We’ve all seen RPG supplements where one part or another weirdly runs on. Sometimes this is because of overwhelming interest, but sometimes it’s because you’re spinning your wheels. And regardless of how deep you’re into the setting, giving a suggested length limit pushes you to finish it. Get it done, get your functional setting, select the rules for it, and play. Thus, the Story Build outline takes you through these facets:
Summary: Mission statement and maybe elevator pitch, rolled into one, to anchor you in core ideas.
Setting: Peoples, factions, and other matters of raw fact in your setting.
Characters: This is an easy one—it’s where you put summary information about the protagonists people will be playing.
Premise: Where you answer, “What makes stories happen in the game?” Here’s where you look for impetus you can constantly draw on throughout play.
Style: The esthetic and emotional basis of play. Genre, mood, tropes, inspirations.
Premiere: The kickoff that brings characters to the start of the story.
Each section comes with very specific areas to focus on within these topics—again, just as it would in an outline, except with a bit more formality in the writing. However, I won’t be judging your work, and that gives you more freedom than when writing for publication. Point forms, shorthand, sticky notes, and even ignoring my outline (It’s good though?) are all fine.
However, once I decided to do this, I realized the game itself was written in that standard Royal-We manner, which, to be sure, has many excellent reasons to exist, but doesn’t feel so much like one writer talking to another. That’s why I revised the text after, to make it more conversational, and even speak to you in the first person, like I’m doing now.
There’s also the System Build stage of making SAGE your own…but that’s not as suited to an article like this. You’ll see it when it comes out!
Missed the previous SAGE Design Diaries? You can catch up on articles 1 through 8 right here!

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Malcolm Sheppard
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Malcolm Sheppard2026-04-08 10:23:362026-04-08 13:02:23SAGE Design Diary #9: Building SAGE, or “I’m a Game Writer and So Are You”
[IMG: Engine Magazine Issue 3: The SAGE Issue]
Preview the SAGE rules in Engine issue 3, available now!

One of the features of our upcoming expanded version of SAGE (the new, light, AGE-based RPG originally presented in Engine #3) is that we’ve provided explicit instructions for customizing the game to make it your own. I’ll go into more detail next time, but Chapter 9 of the game presents a grab-bag of additional systems to plug into your game. These join the alternate rules, extensions, and options presented throughout the rest of the book, as well as Chapter 7, which introduces powers for characters,
Let’s see what we’ve got. A few are classic AGE rules we’ve reintroduced for you to use or lose as you please, while others are brand new.
Attitudes: AGE social mechanics, streamlined for SAGE.
Chases: The return of chase mechanics, again streamlined for SAGE.
Companions: Rules that cover everything from costumed henchfolk and summoned demons to your really cool dog, or if you’re Batman-like, your butler. This takes an idea originally introduced in Blue Rose, mashes it up with notions from Fantasy AGE Technofantasy, and turns them into a flexible generic system for attached secondary characters and creatures faster than you can say Pika-pika!
Dynamic Actions: This one resulted from Steve Kenson and I posing a similar question: What if you could roll the dice before knowing what you’re going to do? This alternate system reworks gameplay so you can decide what you’re doing after you have a sense of how well you’ll do and it allows you to trade a greater chance of success for flexibility, and vice versa.
Executions: Turning conflict from round-by-round battle to decisive masterstrokes and mystery-style murders. This one started out as sidebar in the Modern AGE Companion, and we’ve revived it for use in games where mystery and intrigue are more important than combat.
Investigations: Mystery-solving mechanics evolved from Modern AGE, adding a new dimension where characters must devise a theory for the mystery, whose accuracy determines the direction their investigations take.
Scaling: Spacecraft. Giant robots. Kaiju. Akira-scale psychic feats. This has rules for them, including the ways in which they interact with Fortune. Could you use these to make characters the size of mountains? Yes. Should you? I don’t know man, I just design stuff….
Next time, we’ll talk about the build stage of SAGE, where you make the game your own.
Missed the previous SAGE Design Diaries? You can catch up on articles 1 through 7 right here!

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Malcolm Sheppard
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Malcolm Sheppard2026-01-22 11:03:272026-01-22 11:04:03SAGE Design Diary #8: Making the Game Your Own
[IMG: Mutants and Masterminds Fourth Edition launches February 3rd!]
Mutants & Masterminds 4th Edition launches February 3rd!
(originally posted to Steve Kenson’s personal blog)

Hey, folks, can I both commit capitalism and get a bit personal for a moment? I wanna talk a bit about the upcoming Kickstarter for the fourth edition of Mutants & Masterminds.
As GR COO Nicole Lindroos said, now feels like a weird time to be running a crowd-funder for a game, but the last decade has felt like a weird time to be making games, honestly.
That said, I make games. They’re my passion, and M&M has a very special place in my heart. It truly changed my life.
The first edition of M&M back in 2002 changed the trajectory of my career: It led to my coming on-staff with Green Ronin and it cemented me as “the superhero RPG guy” in a lot of people’s minds — folks are still surprised to this day about the other stuff I’ve done!
Add to that, it has been a rough 5+ years in TTRPGs with a pandemic, trade-wars, tariffs, and distribution bankruptcies, all with no real let-up. That’s doubly-true if you’re not D&D, Pathfinder, or associated with streaming show with a huge fanbase. So a successful Kickstarter can mean a lot.
All of that said, I really believe the power-fantasy of the superhero is being powerful enough to help, to respond to that cry of “save me!” To swoop in and save the day. That’s a power fantasy we need more than ever: Not to wait around for a hero, but to BE a hero, to stand up for what’s right.
I don’t know about you, but creating stories at the game-table with my friends has helped keep me sane this past decade or so, and helped remind me why I create games and adventures and worlds to tell those stories in. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed those efforts over the years.
Still, right now, it feels a bit like I’m the battered Captain America, facing Thanos and his army alone with just a broken shield and a borrowed hammer. I could really use for some portals to open up and for some much-needed help to arrive in my hour of need.
If that’s you, I’m asking this: Please do what you can to support the M&M 4e Kickstarter. That may be signing up on the KS page and backing it when it launches, or it may just be sharing it and hyping it to friends you think might be interested. Every bit helps and is so appreciated. Thank you!

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Steve Kenson
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Steve Kenson2026-01-21 11:43:322026-01-27 12:46:33Calling All Heroes!
[IMG: Engine Magazine Issue 3: The SAGE Issue]
Preview the SAGE rules in Engine issue 3, available now!
Now we’re at how to play the game, covered in

[H1] AGE System Hub
Welcome to the AGE System Hub, a portal to learn all about Green Ronin Publishing’s AGE System and the games it brings to life.
The Adventure Game Engine (AGE) System powers licensed roleplaying games, worlds of our own—and any world you can imagine. AGE helps you bring them into being with easy to learn rules that favor dramatic results and lend themselves to customization. If you know one AGE System game, picking up another one takes virtually no time—and you can combine their rules and resources to make your campaigns utterly unique.
The AGE System uses a simple core mechanic. Roll 3d6 + modifiers (typically an ability score) versus a target number. Stunts and character traits help convert this simple procedure into moments of triumph, sudden reversals, and the other staples of dramatic roleplaying. Learn more about the AGE System rules.
Each AGE roleplaying game tailors the system for its world, adding new and varied ideas to the system. In 2026 we’re adding a new stream of the system with simplified rules, called, naturally, the Simple Adventure Game Engine, or SAGE. Learn more about SAGE.
[IMG: SAGE: Simple Adventure Game Engine]
Looking for SAGE? The Simple Adventure Game Engine is a streamlined version of AGE, made for dramatic roleplayers and rules hackers alike. Find out more about SAGE.
[H2] AGE System Games
Current AGE System games include:
[H3] Licensed AGE System Games
Dragon Age: The official tabletop RPG adaptation of Bioware’s Dragon Age computer games, set on the world of Thedas.
The Expanse: Earth, Mars, the Belt…and beyond, where alien riches and horrors await. The Expanse Roleplaying Game is the official adaptation of the novels of the same name by James S. A. Corey.
The Fifth Season: The roleplaying adaptation of N. K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth Trilogy, the first novel series to win the Hugo Award for best novel with every book. Survive the wrath of Father Earth—and reach for something greater than survival.
[H3] Original AGE System Games
Blue Rose: The AGE Roleplaying Game of Romantic Fantasy: The AGE System revision of the groundbreaking romantic fantasy roleplaying game, inspired by inclusive fantasy where emotions can raise wonder and terror—and where you can play a psychic, intelligent cat.
Fantasy AGE: Classic fantasy action-adventure with a swashbuckling twist! Adventure across the Wyrd Tides to explore the thousand worlds of the Stranger Shores. Play a Warrior, Mage, Rogue, or Envoy, relying on your class’s training and special stunts for heroic deeds—and to win a full treasure chest.
Modern AGE: Contemporary action-adventure roleplaying where you choose the setting and degree of realism. Play heroes without class constraints, ready to explore any world you wish, including the default setting, the portal fantasy epic Threefold.
Cthulhu Awakens: The reports are suspect, but the horror is real. Cthulhu Awakens introduces players to the Weird Century, where alien gods stir in their sleep, and understanding them brings power at the cost of humanity. An inclusive cosmic horror RPG—everyone must battle the Mythos.
[IMG: SAGE RPG: The Simple Adventure Game Engine]