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Dirt City Blues - Redemption's a Bullet Away

Created by The World Anvil Publishing

Dirt City Blues is a TTRPG ispired by Sin City and the cinematography of Quentin Tarantino, about people who should know better: burned-out Badasses with hair-trigger tempers, messy pasts, and a real knack for making things worse before they get better. But Dirt City Blues is also a game about redemption, about that one last heroic act that drags you out of hiding. Someone knocks. Someone bleeds. The quiet life ends. You hang the apron, kill the lights, and step back into the fight. We aim to start shipping physical rewards by July 2026. Digital rewards for already-existing books will be sent when orders are locked down (Mid January 2026). Once they're ready, all other digital rewards will be made accessible (estimated Q2 2026). Pre-order sales are final. Shipping will be charged closer to fulfillment. You can check estimated shipping prices HERE (Shipping and Fulfillment section)

Latest Updates from Our Project:

The campaign is over, and there's hope for Dirt City
9 months ago – Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 10:15:28 AM



…And that’s a wrap, Badasses.

Just a few lines to say how grateful we are for the way this campaign came to a close, and to give you a quick rundown of what happens next.

First off, some good news: the final Stretch Goal, the Problem Sins of the Fathers, was unlocked in the closing hours and will join the rest of the bonus content in the Folder. (If you missed the synopsis, check the previous update.)

If you haven’t yet, make sure to read the update titled “What happens after the campaign ends”—it covers the basics of what comes next.

We’re now taking a few well-earned days off. Running a campaign for three weeks straight means thinking about Dirt City every waking hour for 21 days. Everyone on the team needs to decompress a bit, do something else, maybe even touch some grass.

We won’t receive the campaign funds for another couple of weeks, and in the meantime, you’ll have time to sort out any issues with your payment. If something’s not working on your end, reach out.

Next week, I’ll start setting up the Pledge Manager. That’s where you’ll confirm your order, give us your shipping details, and optionally add more goodies. Shipping fees will be charged next year, closer to fulfillment, so we can lock in accurate rates. With any luck, the tariff situation in the US will have calmed down by then, too.

Raffaele’s plan is to finish writing the Core Book by Christmas, including the newly unlocked Random Problem Generator, then shift to the rest of the Stretch Goals starting in January. We’ll keep you posted with updates roughly once a month.

That’s it for now. Thanks for helping us make Dirt City a little more hopeful, and a whole lot more dangerous.

Get ready for your great comeback.

—Tommaso & The World Anvil Publishing Team

Connect With Us

You can find us on multiple platforms:
 • Discord: Join our community and chat directly with us.
 • Facebook: Follow The World Anvil Publishing page.
 • Bluesky: Stay updated with our latest posts.
 • Telegram: Get quick updates straight to your device.
 • Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.

The Final Push!
9 months ago – Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 06:51:24 AM


Hello Badasses,

TL;DR: This is the final push! We've unlocked a new District, and we're close to adding another Problem to the Folder. If you’re new, please check out the FAQ.  


Unlocked Stretch Goals

Over the weekend, we unlocked a new set of thematic hacks and a brand-new District for Dirt City: perfect if you’re looking to bring a touch of mystery to your sessions or dive into the X-Files-style stories now officially on the table.

UNLOCKED - Tv Series Hacks: We are adding custom rules to the Folder to use Dirt City Blues to play in the style of four classic tv series: Knight Rider, A-Team, Miami Vice and X-Files.
 


UNLOCKED - NEW DISTRICT Area 52: A top-secret underground military base: officially denied, endlessly speculated. Outside, protesters camp with signs and cameras. Inside? No one really knows. It’s the stuff of deep state fever dreams: black helicopters, unmarked vans, and whispers of experiments that never made it to the books. Whatever’s happening down there, it’s not on any official record.

We are also close to unlocking one final Stretch Goal before the campaign ends: adding a new Problem to the Folder called Sins of the Fathers.

NEW PROBLEM - Sins of the Fathers UNLOCKS at 17 000€: Jacqueline Laroche, a broke single mother from the French District, hires the Badasses to find her father… who’s been dead for two years. The young woman swears she’s seen him wandering at night near the border with the Harbor District. The trail will lead the crew deep into the underbelly of the secret societies that have long ruled the District. Will the Badasses manage to stay out of the swirling vortex of sin and voodoo mysticism waiting for them there?

How can you help reach the final stretch goal?  

You could upgrade your pledge to a higher level, add an Add-On, or simply share the campaign address. Every bit helps! Hope is a funny thing, but action gets things done.

We'll talk again tomorrow after the campaign ends. 

Connect With Us

You can find us on multiple platforms:
 • Discord: Join our community and chat directly with us.
 • Facebook: Follow The World Anvil Publishing page.
 • Bluesky: Stay updated with our latest posts.
 • Telegram: Get quick updates straight to your device.
 • Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.

Thank you again for being part of this adventure. Together, we’ll make Dirt City Blues the best game it can be.

– Tommaso

IMPORTANT! What happens after the campaign ends
9 months ago – Thu, Nov 06, 2025 at 08:43:36 AM



TL;DR: There are 5 days left in the campaign, please read this carefully!

Before the campaign ends:

  • Check your pledge: Make sure you’re pledged for what you want. To add anything, click “Manage your pledge” from the main page of the campaign. Below we have a list of the other Add-Ons you might be interested in.

  • Check your payment method:
    • If you’re using a prepaid card, ensure it has enough funds. About 5% of payments fail at the end of a campaign—don’t let that happen to you!
    • Failed payments will delay things and impact Stretch Goals, so please double-check now.
    • Some banks/cards may require an extra confirmation. Backerkit will email you if that’s needed. (This is especially common with German banks.)

  • If you haven’t yet, read the FAQ. We will assume that all the info there has been read and understood. 

Coming Soon: Pledge Manager

  • The campaign ends Tuesday, November 11 at 7:00 PM CET. After that, no changes can be made.
  • Backerkit transfers funds to us within a couple of weeks.
  • We’ll spend the following three weeks or so setting up the Pledge Manager on BackerKit.
  • Sometimes in December, you’ll get a survey confirming your pledge and giving you a chance to add extras.
  • Shipping costs will be finalized later to secure the best rates. No extra charges when completing the survey, unless you add new items—payment for shipping will only be requested closer to shipping time.
  • After that, all you need to do is sit back, relax, and wait for updates, which we aim to send out about once a month!



Did Someone Say Add-Ons?

You bet. We’re lucky enough to have a lineup of excellent games that you can now add to your pledge to save on shipping.

Most of these titles aren’t in retail right now, so this might be your only shot to grab them directly. You’ll find everything listed in the Add-On section, alongside all accessories.

Here’s what’s on the table:


Broken Tales Line

Our most successful series to date. Broken Tales is a two-time ENNIE nominee (Best Adventure, Product of the Year), a tabletop RPG of twisted fairy tales where you play as redeemed villains navigating an 18th-century Europe soaked in mysticism and horror.

The line includes:

  • The Core Book
  • The Broken Ones expansion (includes Solo Mode)
  • The most recent entry: Lost Stories

Fast to teach, fast to play, and a consistent hit at conventions.


Dead Air: Seasons Line

Our love letter to The Last of Us, Children of Men, Station Eleven, and all those beautifully bleak stories about what’s left after the world ends.

It’s a game about human struggle, connection, and survival in a world that doesn’t want you anymore. The Core Book was nominated for an ENNIE (Best Setting), and the line also includes:

  • Brave New World (packed with ready-to-go content)
  • A full narrative campaign: Daughter of the Blight
  • Two one-shots and the Solo Mode


Bitter Chalice

This one’s for fans of Elden Ring, Hollow Knight, and everything Soulslike.

A legacy-style RPG with elements of tactical combat, resource management, and sandbox exploration, Bitter Chalice puts you in a cursed world full of grim choices and strange hope. Move across the realm of Vathan, forge your path, and see how every encounter reshapes the world around you.

The game spans three books, includes Solo Mode, and is currently in production.

Available in both standard and limited edition formats.



Valraven: The Chronicles of Blood and Iron

Our low-fantasy, high-tragedy RPG inspired by Berserk and A Song of Ice and Fire. In Valraven, you play as part of a mercenary company, caught between noble houses, a controlling Church, and the whispering pull of demonic forces from beyond.

What will you sacrifice to chase your dream?

Available titles include:

  • The Core Book
  • The Book of the Eclipse expansion
  • A custom Tarot Deck
  • And a full spread of accessories to enrich the experience


Monad Echo SRD – Golden Edition

A limited-edition release of the SRD that powers Dirt City Blues, Valraven, Broken Tales, and more. It guides you through using the Monad Echo system in your own settings—and even allows you to publish your work commercially under an open license.

Connect With Us

You can find us on multiple platforms:
 • Discord: Join our community and chat directly with us.
 • Facebook: Follow The World Anvil Publishing page.
 • Bluesky: Stay updated with our latest posts.
 • Telegram: Get quick updates straight to your device.
 • Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.

Thank you again for being part of this adventure. Together, we’ll make Dirt City Blues the best game it can be.

– Tommaso

New Problem and Random Problem Generator unlocked!
9 months ago – Mon, Nov 03, 2025 at 09:19:24 AM


Hello Badasses,

TL;DR: We’ve unlocked a couple of new Stretch Goals, got a blessing from John Romero, and Raf walks you through character creation (in Italian).

Unlocked Stretch Goals

Over the past few days, we’ve hit the funding thresholds for two new additions: Hall of Shame, a new Problem for the Folder, and the Random Problem Generator, an expanded section of the Core Book.

  • Hall of Shame: In Sunnyvale, the district of the rich and famous, acclaimed film director Gordon Douglas is found dead by the pool of his luxurious villa. At first glance, it looks like an overdose — a relapse after more than a year of therapy and sobriety. But something far darker lurks in the shadows, and solving the mystery may mean putting one of the Badass’s Bonds on the line.
  • Random Problem Generator: We’re still refining the format, but Raffaele (who’s deep into the OSR scene) has some killer ideas. The goal is to provide modular hooks that help you create objectives, conditions, complications, twists, and consequences that come back to haunt you later.

Next up: hacks to play iconic series like Knight Rider, The A-Team, Miami Vice, and The X-Files. We’ll unlock this at €15,000 or 750 clicks.

You can help by sharing this link:

John Romero Says YES

Okay, this isn’t an official endorsement, but Raffaele met John Romero at Lucca Comics & Games, and not only was he happy to take a picture with us, he also signed our Quickstart.

Weird? Maybe. Awesome? Absolutely.

If there’s anyone who understands rugged action heroes, it’s the Doom Guy himself.



Learn Italian with the Character Creation

Sorry folks, this one’s in Italian only for now!
In this video, Raf walks through a character sheet, explaining how creation works in the final book. Perfect if you speak Italian… or if you’ve been looking for the nerdiest way to learn it.


Connect With Us

You can find us on multiple platforms:
 • Discord: Join our community and chat directly with us.
 • Facebook: Follow The World Anvil Publishing page.
 • Bluesky: Stay updated with our latest posts.
 • Telegram: Get quick updates straight to your device.
 • Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.

Thank you again for being part of this adventure. Together, we’ll make Dirt City Blues the best game it can be.

–Tommaso

Upcoming Stretch Goals, Clichés and more
9 months ago – Wed, Oct 29, 2025 at 12:33:29 PM



Hello Badasses,

TL;DR: The next Stretch Goals have been chosen, we’re spotlighting character Clichés, and we’ve got some snapshots from a live event.


The Votes Are In

Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote in the Stretch Goal poll.

Here are your top three picks:

  1. New Problem – Hall of Shame (20%)
  2. Random Problem Generator (22%)
  3. Hacks to play popular series (Knight Rider, A-Team, Miami Vice, X-Files) (37%)

We’ll unlock them in that order, and just like we explained in the last update they’ll be unlocked in one of two ways:

  • Hitting the associated funding goal
  • Or reaching a specific number of unique clicks to this campaign link (which we can track):
If you’d like to help, share that link anywhere you think people will genuinely care: Discord servers, forums, social posts, DMs.

(We trust your judgment, just don’t spam random places. Be cool.)

Here are the thresholds for each unlock:

  • New Problem – Hall of Shame: 200 clicks / €12,000
  • Random Problem Generator: 400 clicks / €13,000
  • TV Series Hacks: 750 clicks / €15,000

We’ll add a visible click tracker to the Stretch Goal section of the campaign page and update it regularly so you can follow the progress.


Clichés

We haven't really delved into the six Clichés that your Badass can choose from at the beginning of the game. This is who you used to be—for better or worse. Even though a few of them are included in the Quickstart, here's the full list.


The Veteran
You’re good with weapons and even better when your body and instincts move as one. You probably joined the military out of some clean-cut patriotic ideal… the kind that died screaming along with a part of you, somewhere in the middle of a useless, bloody war.

The Vigilante
You used to fight for justice. You actually believed in it. Maybe you were a cop, a nosy reporter, or just someone who finally got sick of the system and started doing things your way, free from the lies of men and their laws.

The Agent
The secrets you carry are worth more than lives. Don’t play dumb: you always knew you were on borrowed time. A high-level asset. Useful, but disposable. Their one mistake? They trained you too well.

The Leader
You lead because you have presence, authority, and the scars to prove you earned them. Maybe you were the guy in the suit pulling strings in some ivory tower, or the grizzled squad leader who gave more of a damn about his crew than himself. One thing’s for sure: you pissed off the wrong person. Someone with power.

The Smartass
You’re better with words than fists, no doubt. Still, that smug grin of yours has gotten you out of more trouble than most people get into. There are action men, shady backroom types, and then there’s you—a silver-tongued bastard who either knows more than the devil… or fakes it better.

The Specialist
You were the best at what you did, and what you did was nasty. Your skills made you highly sought-after, for better or worse. Whenever you finished a job in one country, there was already a new one lined up in another, usually in some hot zone where danger was part of the deal.


Raffale @ Lucca Comics & Games

This is probably only relevant to Italians, but the biggest gaming event in Italy started today, and Raffaele is there, manning our stand (or, to be precise, MS Edizioni’s stand), demonstrating the game, and hustling like only a badass could. Here are a couple pictures from this morning. If you're there, go say hi!


Connect With Us

You can find us on multiple platforms:
 • Discord: Join our community and chat directly with us.
 • Facebook: Follow The World Anvil Publishing page.
 • Bluesky: Stay updated with our latest posts.
 • Telegram: Get quick updates straight to your device.
 • Instagram: See behind-the-scenes content and more.

Thank you again for being part of this adventure. Together, we’ll make Dirt City Blues the best game it can be.

–Tommaso