I've been wanting to run a modern horror game in the style of WoD, but I honestly think WoD has a little unwelcome bloat. There is some hope though, as many horror games get released around the fall season including the very cool Spooks!, Accursed and the updated Book of Pandaemonium.
So I thought I'd jump on the band wagon and make a little game. Rules lite, takes some cues for WoD, but works on its own. The main meta plot involves the Well of Souls, which is where all life is born from and returns to. Guarded by celestial beings, it is somehow mysteriously closed off, trapping souls both inside and out. People are panicking, the dead are rising, and supernatural creatures are running amok. Your characters are part of a Cult, a group of people looking for the "Key" to unlock the Well of Souls again.
Characters are divided into cabals, which are different depending on the status of your soul.
Ghuls have no souls, but extreme force of will, and are thus undead abominations. This cabal includes mummies, zombies and vampires, all with flavorful names.
The Circe have two souls, and are at a constant war between their two halves. This cabal includes lycanthropes, changelings and Mr. Hyde type characters
The Dias are the former protectors of the Well of Souls. This cabal includes angels, demons and lovecraftian horrors.
The Fae have souls, but they are splintered and broken. This is the widest spread cabal, and deals with all mythical creatures ranging from centaurs to goblins.
The Neph have no bodies, but can not turn to the afterlife. This cabal includes golems, ghosts and nature spirits.
Then there are humans, of course. The group is composed of people that rely on natural ability, ones that rely on technology, and one that rely on a divine host.
The classes will be Warlock, Investigator and Soldier, and I want to have some sort of skill tree for the classes.
The resolution system is 2d6 plus modifier versus a target number. Skills work in that if you have the skill, you roll 3d6 and take the two dice. There will only be three stats, and there will be three "pools": magic, sanity and health.
I'm currently working on the races, which are coming along pretty well. No estimated date, but I feel it could be done before Halloween. Hope you guys think it sounds cool!
How do you imagine a typical scenario in this game?
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned the most important objective is to find the "Key"; what actions facilitate finding it? What are the major obstacles between the characters and the Key?
I just posted a new blog about how the game will take a slightly different direction. I still like the Well of Souls idea, but instead the characters will ALL have a secondary soul inside of them. So the character will be sharing his body with Ulor the Werewolf or Crane the Vampire, and the game will be about a fight between the two souls for dominance of your body, or until you can open the Well of Souls
ReplyDeleteThis actually sounds pretty awesome. Would love to have more than just White Wolf to cover these types of games and I'd love if you went back to it
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