Chris Avellone (the writer behind games like Fallout: New Vegas, Planescape: Torment, Pillars of Eternity, etc) has been quite busy since his departure from Obsidian Entertainment. The veteran designer and writer has announced a new RPG, titled simply Pathfinder: Kingmaker.

As the name implies, it’s the first computer RPG set within the popular pen-and-paper Pathfinder universe, and will be developed under a new studio named Owlcat Games. Featured above, you can view the first artwork for the game.

“I’m excited by the prospect of bringing Pathfinder to the computer RPG world, and hope gamers will enjoy playing in the Pathfinder universe,” Avellone said.

For those unfamiliar with Pathfinder, it’s a tabletop RPG based on the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 ruleset. Originally published by Paizo back in 2009, the RPG has been refined and expanded upon mostly due to frequent player feedback.

The game is set within the Stolen Lands, “the dangerous and turbulent territories well known within Pathfinder fandom.” In Pathfinder: Kingmaker, players will attempt to build their own kingdom. To do this  you can expand and build up your territory, fight rivals and various threats, and more.

Here are some key features:

• Journey to the Stolen Lands
  Welcome to the Stolen Lands, contested territory for centuries. Defend yourself against the threats of wilderness and rival kingdoms as you explore a world rich with history, magic, and conflict.
• Companion Focused Story
  Experience the adventure alongside living and breathing companions, each with deep stories and decisions of their own. Love them, adore them or hate them for who they are.
• Character Development
  Customize your character and companions with a multitude of options available in Pathfinder to make the perfect party capable of overcoming insurmountable challenges.
• Kingdom
  Establish your kingdom in Stolen Lands, claim new territories, and build towns and cities. Be a wise ruler or a heavy-handed tyrant.

The official website for the game shows what appears to be the first look at in-game visuals:

As your influence grows, your kingdom will grow pending your “alignment, choices, allies and the hero’s ability to lead his or her people.” Coming from this, the way in which you rule will directly affect your populace.

We’ll get the first information on the game at this year’s PaizoCon, which runs from May 26th to the 29th.