[Q&A] Arno Vandenberg (SEVEN: the Modern Horror Tabletop RPG)

[7:30 PM]Arno Vandenberg: Hi everyone, I’m Arno, the GM, designer, writer, and general ideas guy for SEVEN. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arnovandenberg/seven-the-modern-horror-tabletop-roleplaying-game?ref=2tl8yl

[7:31 PM]Arno Vandenberg: Seven is a modern horror RPG centered around the idea that Angels and Demons can walk the earth, largely free to do as they please. They manipulate the masses to recruit the souls of the dead to their individual causes. There is no singular entity above them any more that enforces Angels are good and Demons are bad – it’s everybody out for themselves. Humans are nothing but sheep mindlessly following the herd to their own slaughter. But standing in the way are a new breed of humans called The Woken. As one of The Woken, you choose from one of seven Orders, each centered around one of the Seven Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues. For those needing a recap, the Seven Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues are: Envy – Gratitude Gluttony – Moderation Greed – Charity Lust – Chastity Pride – Humility Sloth – Diligence Wrath – Patience Being one of The Woken means access to the unique gifts called The Rites. There are Seven Rites for each of the Seven Virtues/Sins. The Rites empower you to fight for all of humanity against the Angels and Demons, or perhaps to join with one side or another. Banish Demons to Hell, fly like an Angel and Read the Signs to change your fate. The Rites give incredible powers, but it is up to the players how to use (or abuse) them. Here’s the preview edition as a direct link (rather than jumping through Kickstarter and DriveThruRPG): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iveuC2rmSUo2rLcjy4IooInogSMz0qr6/view?usp=sharing (done)

[Q&A] Even & Jarle Two Starving Gnolls (The Exorcist’s Codex)

[1:04 PM]Jarle the Gnoll: Hi! We are Two Starving Gnolls (TSG). TSG consists of two people: Jarle and Even. We grew up in the same rural area in Norway and discovered games together. At the age of ten in the late 1980s, we were deeply involved in D&D and later AD&D, as well as board games like Shogun and Axis & Allies. We played on our Commodore 64 and later on the Amiga. Our creative journey began at this early age. We crafted worlds and stories for role-playing games, composed music, and developed primitive games on our computers. Along the way, we forged a lasting friendship based on our shared passion for gaming. In the following years, we explored countless other RPGs, including Twilight 2000, MERP, Cyberpunk, Numenera, and most notably, Call of Cthulhu. We started playing CoC in 1992 with the release of its 5th edition. Its approach to storytelling and player engagement was a revelation and remains a core part of our gaming identity. Over the years, we created numerous games, primarily for our own gaming groups. This changed in 2014 when Even launched his creation, “Insight RPG,” as a Kickstarter campaign—a universal RPG system for all settings. The process of creating a marketable product and using crowdfunding to realize it inspired us to bring more of our creations to the RPG market, and TSG became a reality. In 2017, we launched the Lovecraftian adventure Pax Cthuliana, followed by the scenario Svalbard in 2019. Last year, we ventured into D&D with Tome of Skills, a supplement for 5e gaming. Now, all our time and effort is dedicated to our magnum opus: The Exorcist Codex.

[1:05 PM]Jarle the Gnoll: ‘The Exorcist’s Codex’ is a TTRPG in a dark horror 1890s setting, where players confront powerful demonic beings intent on overtaking the world. They will be faced with fanatical cultists, possessions, and intricate demonic schemes. It’s built on Chaosium’s BRP system, so you’ll see familiar mechanics like rolling percentile dice for skill checks. However, the Core Rulebook adds new elements like Holy Faith, Demonic Corruption, and Spirit Points, which affect your character’s abilities, mental resilience, and vulnerability to demonic forces. Holy Faith allows you to, among other things, use Holy Items, perform Rituals, and use Divine Powers. Player characters, known as Agents, are affiliated with ancient Orders, tasked by the Divine with fighting demonic forces. They rely on the Codex, a collection of rituals, knowledge, powers, and demonic lore. At times, they must seek out both Codex fragments and Holy Items, which may be crucial in future encounters. The GM’s Guide introduces tools for the GM: Dreams and visions guide the players, offering cryptic clues about their missions, while the ‘Demon Dice’ track the increasing intensity of Demonic Energy. This creates tension and unpredictability, as the growing demonic energy weakens the effect of Divine energies. The Exorcist’s Codex has three main types of scenarios: Exorcism: Players deal with possessions and face demonic entities directly. They’ll need to prepare rituals and find ways to stop demons’ dark and intricate schemes. Exploration: Players search for Codex Fragments and Holy Items, often racing against cultists to find them first. Exposure: Players infiltrate and expose cults. The goal is to stop them from helping their demonic masters take over the world. (done)