13th Age is a new fantasy roleplaying game by Jonathan Tweet (lead designer of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition) and Rob Heinsoo (lead designer of D&D 4th edition), combining an old-school approach with indie story game design. Players take the roles of fortune-seeking adventurers in a world where powerful individuals called Icons pursue goals that may preserve an ancient empire, or destroy it.. By defining each character’s relationship to the Icons, along with a rich background and a trait that makes him or her unique in the world, 13th Age lays the groundwork for epic stories that emerge through play.