Fears and Fathoms

It's not safe out there

But for some reason, you and your friends have chosen to go. You have made the conscious decision to go and see the things that go bump in the dark. You know it will change you. Perhaps it already has. After all, would you have gone there before? Were you the kind of person who let their friends drag them into such madness? Or perhaps you were. Perhaps you have led them here.

Perhaps, in time, you will forgive yourself for what you have all become.

Personal Horror

This book is a rules framework inspired by classics like Call of Cthulhu as much as it is by new faces like Blades in the Dark and Apocalypse World. 

The game is mainly played rolling dice and having a Discussion with the Keeper about what can and cannot be done. When consequences might befall the investigators, the Keeper will set in how much trouble the character is when making the roll, and the roll allows you to see whether success is achieved easily or at the cost of your equipment, energy, health, or sanity. With time, and in some cases, your characters might develop strange coping mechanisms, or be branded by the Strange with curses, making them alien to humanity.

This simple, story-driven system puts players in control of their narrative and how the Strange changes them. Perhaps you will push out the Strange. Perhaps, instead, you will let it brand you, forever barring you from a normal life. This is a game about taking risks and hard bargains in order to get to the truth of a mystery.

You will also find tips and tricks for game masters, as well as a mystery generator for those of you who enjoy a bit of randomness in your writing prompts, and a small mystery to get you started. 

I hope to give you all you need to build your own brand of horror and run with it.

This game was written, laid out and illustrated by Ribston Pippin, with cover art and tittle by Sarah Carapace.