BEOWULF. a|state. Maskwitches. Cold City:Hot War. FiveEvil
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Morgue has been playing FiveEvil with some really talented friends from Aotearoa New Zealand, and we have the video evidence to prove it!
Playing with Morgue are
• Julz Burgisser from Fate of Isen
https://www.fateofisen.com
• Brendon Bennetts the DM from Dungeons & Comedians
https://dungeonsandcomedians.com/
• Brad Thompson from Cutting Words
https://www.youtube.com/c/cuttingwords
And from the world of improv theatre, Caitlin Penhey.
Look out for the full video of a session of a special version of Wakefield House, one of the scenarios included with FiveEvil releasing this week on YouTube!
We’ve received some lovely commentary on FiveEvil from Paul Beakley of the Indie game Reading Club. Check it out!
https://www.indiegamereadingclub.com/indie-game-reading-club/fiveevil-an-unlikely-winner/
We were delighted and honoured to see this shared in Thomas Manuel’s Indie RPG Newsletter.
(also featured was Thomas’ excellent interview with our own Malcolm Craig about the Cold War and RPGs: https://www.rascal.news/how-the-cold-war-influenced-rpgs/ )
And it was nice to see Tabletop Sentinel pick up the story too: https://www.tabletopsentinel.com/u/profile/59a2720e-b8a0-4c7e-b5cc-0fb5427d2fc9/social-post/celtic-carnage-scotlands-handiwork-games-unleashes-irish-horror-with-fiveevil
FiveEvil is working through stretch goals on Kickstarter right now.
Hey! We’re working on a mask generator for #Maskwitches of Forgotten Doggerland. You’ll be able to generate and print out your own set of masks, built at random from interlocking parts. Check out the work in progress:
With Splinter Five now out we’d love to show you more close ups of the amazing art by Scott Purdy, but since it’s the final part of the scenario it’s all a bit spoilery. So let’s instead talk about the rules innovations that Morgue reveals in this final Splinter.
Firstly there’s new uses for Desperation. Desperation replaces Inspiration in FiveEvil, and it works in reverse. You take on the debt of Desperation to do things you’d do with Inspiration, and you’ll have to pay it back later. In Splinter Five, Morgue outlines some more of the things you can do with Desperation.
When you’re really up against it, the temptation to take a desperation point, which you’ll have to shed later by enacting predefined parts of your character (or suffer more later), becomes *really* tempting.
This gears *beautifully* into the rising DC via the Intensity mechanic, and creates this manic feel as things get worse and worse and your characters will take on these debts in order to survive.
An other major reveal in Splinter Five is “the verge”. This is really smart. The verge is the imaginary space where monsters “live” before the PCs encounter them. It allows them to move in parallel to the players, making checks, existing fully, but without revealing themselves. It’s a neat way of framing things, and keeps unseen enemies in motion while the scenario is happening. It’s some cool stuff!
Lastly Morgue details Hunt Encounters: a structure for play when the PCs are being hunted: a common trope in horror scenarios and a very necessary set of rules. While you can freestyle such encounters, offering a mechanical structure really brings something to the tension, and again meshes gears beautifully with the Intensity mechanic.
In Splinter Five we reach the throbbing climax of the scenario, and a fateful showdown with the creature Plisken.
Who will get out alive?
Additionally there’s:
All for FREE!
Part Five has been added to the Splinters title at DrivethruRPG, so if you already picked up any part you’ll have them all!
Get something to run this weekend free on us.
We’ve got free intro adventures for BEOWULF, a|state, and FiveEvil as well as fascinating previews for Cold City and Hot War.
And don’t forget that The Silver Road is now pay what you want. And you’re welcome to grab it for free if you’re feeling the pinch.
Hit the WOPPA button to get free stuff at DrivethruRPG:
FiveEvil is our upcoming horror hack for 5th Edition. And make no mistake, it’s not just some 5e stats for some monsters and a spooky adventure seed or two.
It’s a thorough reworking of the very soul of 5th Edition, aimed at subverting what you know and expect to facilitate horror gaming. We’ve completely replaced combat, we’ve mutated the action economy, stat blocks are completely different, Inspiration becomes Desperation and more changes, both subtle and wide ranging switch up everything you’re familiar with to twist it into a whole new experience. You’ll know how to play, while play edges you out into the completely unfamiliar and unnerving.
FiveEvil gives you everything you need to play. Check out the slightly redacted contents page. We’ve removed any spoilers from the scenarios included, but these scenarios are worthy of mention. These aren’t just one-shot play throughs which you’ll use once and then never play again: these scenarios demonstrate important templates for FiveEvil play, and are packed with reusable play information and guidance.
• There is a bunch of support to learn more about this amazing horror hack of the fifth edition rules ahead of the crowd-funding launch:
• Find out the basics here at our site.
• Get a free, playable scenario that builds in parts, alongside a ton of behind the scenes design notes and inspirations. We’re up to part four all in the single DrivethruRPG title.
• Check out Five Evil designer Morgue Davie interviewed by unpleasant skeleton Clive Evil.
• Sign up at the Campaign page to be notified on launch at the end of the month.
UPDATE: they are all now sold! Our apologies for any disappointment caused.
During an office reorganisation we’ve discovered 3 copies of the Dragon Warriors Deluxe Print set. Once these are gone, the set is done! If you’ve thought about getting one, this is the final opportunity. The set comes in a handsome box and includes a booklet and 8 professionally printed, signed A4 art prints.
The booklet has contributions from Dave Morris, and Ian Sturrock of Serpent King Games, as well as the artist’s behind the scenes thoughts on each cover painting from the Magnum Opus edition of DW.
UPDATE: they are all now sold! Our apologies for any disappointment caused.
Maskwitches of Forgotten Doggerland Redux Edition is now on general release from our web store. There is a full range of book available right now, with free PDFs.
You can get the evocative and unique core book in hardcover or softcover, and you can even choose the dramatic and evocative black and white version, Pine Pitch Black in hardcover.
There’s also:
The Meat Spoiler Story Scenario, in which the witches must resolve the differences in a lakeside community as winter approaches.
To the Ice Caves – a Maskwitches Journey book, packed full of inspiration for your games, and a new subsystem for manifesting a spirit guide from the ice.
Making Maskwitches – the behind the scenes ‘making of’ book, full of images and essays about the game and art.
Knap Tokens and Predestined Event tracker in sturdy MDF printed in full colour and laser cut, and the compact dice tray to control your rolls.
Find out more here at our web store, and check out the just-released bundle option to save when you buy the full playable range.
FiveEvil is our upcoming horror hack for 5e. It’s not just some stats for monsters – this is a complete retooling of familiar systems to make them deliver a truly affecting horror experience.
To learn you can download the second free Splinter now. Splinters present design notes, inspirations and most importantly playable material so you can get playing right now.
Both Splinter One and Two are available in the same package here:
• More behind-the-scenes design notes from FiveEvil author Morgan Davie
• New Rules: Personality aspects and advanced ability checks
• Further inspirational material
• Guidance on linking the episodes of playable material
• The next instalment of Five Evil adventure
• More detailed pre-generated characters
