Last year, in a Vanor and Dungeon World Facebook group discussion, Eran Aviram sparked a fascinating question: what if we “upgraded” Vanor? It hinged on a simple truth – Dungeon World, Vanor’s foundation, is over a decade old. While innovative for its time, Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) games have grown significantly. Modern PbtA titles boast a level of refinement unimaginable ten years ago. Witnessing this evolution, the desire to revisit Vanor and its setting became undeniable.
Patchwork Past, Promising Future
Vanor, as a commercial product, celebrates its tenth birthday this year. However, its setting boasts a much longer history, stretching back to my initial creations in 2002. This heritage holds both beauty and burden. While aspects like the familiar orcs and goblins resonate, others, like the arbitrary limitation of five dragons, feel dated. Yet, these elements weave together Vanor’s unique tapestry. Remember the Magitech dwarven empire concocted on the “Pundak” forums? It’s a testament to the collaborative spirit that built Vanor’s world.
However, comparing this “patchwork” approach to a modern PbtA game like Masks: A New Generation exposes the difference between a work crafted today and one built two decades ago. This realization fueled a dual desire: refine existing rules and forge a setting with a more cohesive internal logic.
Beyond the D&D Mirage:
Many fantasy RPGs, including Dungeons & Dragons, struggle with internal consistency. Magic item economics are often nonsensical, and the very existence of adventurers lacks justification. While some games, like 4th edition D&D, Torchbearer, or Dungeon Crawl Classics, attempt to rectify this, I felt compelled to do the same with my next project.
Godflesh Rises
This quest for internal logic wasn’t a solitary one. Discussions with Eran, fueled by inspiration from games like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Pillars of Eternity, gave birth to “Godflesh: Cycle of Inheritance.”
In Godflesh: Cycle of Inheritance, the very nature of divinity is a brutal truth. Gods aren’t celestial beings; they are monstrous transformations mortals undergo upon ascension. These grotesque entities rule over vast areas, dictating weather and events within their domain. Entire countries thrive under their influence. However, this power isn’t eternal. Gods are mortal, and when they die, their domain collapses into a wild, untamed zone.
These wastelands hold a horrifying allure. They are littered with the crumbling remnants of past civilizations and the decaying bodies of fallen gods. This “Godflesh” is the coveted prize. It holds the key to ascension, allowing mortals to challenge the existing gods and potentially become deities themselves. Additionally, the bones and tendons of these fallen entities provide the raw materials for potent magic items and alchemical concoctions.
Building a World in Collaboration
Developing a compelling world is a collaborative effort. Recognizing this, I enlisted the help of my gaming group. Together, we delved into “Microscope,” a game that facilitates world-building through a shared narrative. Through this process, we imbued Godflesh with a unique character.
One such element is the world’s deep-seated aversion to literacy. Reading and writing are forbidden for the common folk, and reserved solely for the high priests of deities. The act of learning to read carries a death sentence. This illiteracy extends to a taboo against meat consumption. Consuming meat becomes symbolic of usurping a god’s power, solidifying its place as a cultural norm.
The world of Godflesh eschews advanced technology. Even Renaissance-era firearms are absent. Inspiration for this choice came from games like “Tyranny,” where a domineering overlord restricts technological advancement. In our setting, however, the cyclical rise and fall of civilizations coupled with the taboo on written knowledge creates a natural barrier to progress.
Tailoring the System to Godflesh
Next week, my gaming group embarks on a Godflesh campaign using the recently released Demigods rulebook. While the game boasts excellent character creation (Playbooks) and insightful player group management advice, its core system suffers from missing rules and an uneven execution.
Despite these shortcomings, Demigods offers a valuable foundation. Its premise of characters inheriting god-like powers aligns with Godflesh’s thematic core. However, the game’s “magical realism” setting clashes with Godflesh’s grim-dark atmosphere.
We’ve begun adapting Demigods to better suit Godflesh. This involves eliminating abilities that contradict the world’s limitations, like teleportation. Additionally, I’ve rewritten the “How to Play” section to reflect Godflesh’s unique mechanics.
Demigods serve as a springboard, but the true inspiration lies in the PbtA genre itself. Dungeon World’s core mechanics provide the framework for replicating a familiar D&D-like experience within Godflesh’s cohesive world. Further inspiration is drawn from games like Monsterhearts, Masks, Urban Shadows, and Root, each contributing valuable elements to the overall design.
While I’m crafting the core rules, world-building will be a collaborative effort. Instead of a pre-defined map, I’ll utilize an online generator to create a Mediterranean-inspired base map. This reflects Godflesh’s classical-age themes and allows for future expansion beyond the initial region. Players will contribute by shaping their characters’ origins, specifying the god they descend from and the dominion they hail from. This playtest campaign serves as a springboard for refining Godflesh into a truly immersive experience.
The journey to create Godflesh: Cycle of Inheritance is far from over. This playtest campaign with my group is just the first step. We’ll refine the rules, flesh out the world based on their contributions, and strive to capture the essence of a grim-dark fantasy where mortals vie for godhood through the coveted Godflesh. Stay tuned for future updates as Godflesh takes shape, and if you’re interested in a PbtA game that offers a fresh take on the power struggle, keep an eye out for its development!