I spent 6 months creating Imperial Archives, learning about TTRPG designs and using Affinity Publisher 2. It taught me a lot about my own creative practice, but also made me realise that I can make this kind of stuff.
Now that it’s done and on Itch.io for free I’m moving onto The Mansion of Maroy, a nightmare-horror adventure set in the Faroe Islands.
I’m going to approach this in 3 phases:
- Create solo, self-contained session zero shorts set in that world/timeline. This has the benefit of plugging those pre-made characters and locations into the full game, but also on a practical side allows me to generate content while developing the theme and tone. I expect these shorts to work as mini-adventures that hook into the game’s plot and potentially change the game itself.
- Create the full game; a 4 act adventure narrative inspired by Call of Cthulhu: Masks of Nyarlathotep and Silent Hill. I’ll playtest each act as I go, working on the locations and mechanics to keep the game interesting over 40+ sessions.
- Distribute the game; make the publishing roadmap and steps for a well-organised product that includes the narrative, Facilitator and Investigator rules, maps, and handouts; available in both digital PDF and paperback formats, and as an optional hardback for collectors - potentially on Backerkit or Kickstarter
The reason I’m excited to make it is that I’ll try to offer fans of historical cosmic horror a fresh setting with a unique atmosphere: remote villages; a cursed mansion estate; a dimension-hopping climactic clash with an original pantheon. The reason I’m using Liminal Horror as the core is because I want to avoid the DM overheads that come from typically crunchy games likes Masks. For me the magic is in the story, not the combat.
I’m also excited to work with some people who’ve offered their support on the art and visual design, which will draw inspiration from the likes of Elinborg Lützen, Käthe Kollwitz, Frans Masereel, Lynd Ward, and Rockwell Kent.
In between this, I will try and port Imperial Archives into another setting I’ve been working on, so it can be something I can fully stand behind.
