A downloadable game

This minimalist tabletop roleplaying game is designed to get players started exploring a world of bleak, cosmic horror and unnatural existential dread, with as little time as possible spent learning rules and getting set up. The rules consist of two pages containing some general setting context, multiple tables to inspire and randomize characters and play, and an optional, streamlined mechanic.

This RPG is designed in the spirit/genre of the Free-Kriegsspiel Rules (FKR), a highly minimalist style of RPG design. The system is reduced to barest essentials and much of the emphasis is on table-centered collaboration to create rulings on outcomes.

More information

Status	In development
Category	Physical game
Rating	Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars (2 total ratings)
Author	Abhorrent Vacuum Games
Genre	Role Playing
Tags	cosmic-horror, fkr, free-kriegspiel, free-kriegspiel-rules, Horror, horror-rpg, OSR, play-worlds-not-rules, Tabletop role-playing game

Download

Basalt-Dark Night v1.0.pdf 552 kB

Development log

v1.0 - Layout and additional content
Apr 13, 2021

Comments

Mograg3 years ago

Very nice stuff here. I'm still getting used to the idea of 'less rules' (been playing these games since the 1980s). How would you handle an 'expert' in a given field trying to do something with dice as opposed to a novice? For example, a legendary archaeologist attempting to identify strange ruins, vs. a talented but inexperienced graduate student doing the same task? Assume a dice roll for some aspect of difficulty...a chance of failure...what sets the famed archaeologist apart from the apt pupil in terms of mechanics? Anything? Am I framing this whole thing incorrectly? Thanks...just trying to get my head around this playstyle.

Abhorrent Vacuum Games3 years ago

Thanks! And, yeah, I hear you -- I'm new to this style of play/design, too. From the little I know, I'd say:

Broadly, whatever works for everyone at the table is the best way to handle specialization/expertise. A brief convo to confirm buy-in, then run with that ruling.

Specifically, I'd probably either go with rolling 3d10 and keeping highest two (advantage), adding a d6 to the 2d10 for the expert (gives some edge but still chance of failure), or a flat +5 to any related rolls (definite edge). Any of those could work (or other options), depending on how much of an edge you want to have in your game.

Hope that's useful! I'm still getting my head around it all, as well. Have fun!