Stormforge Productions

Haunt is selling like hotcakes over on DriveThruRPG and is well on its way to hitting that Copper medal. Stormforge West is more than just one game, however, so here’s James to talk about the future of Stormforge West and what you can expect to see from them.

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The purpose of this post is to tell all of you my plans for the future. Now that Haunt is released, I want to focus on more games. I love making these games and sharing them with you and I want you to be aware of things to come. Note, these are not set in stone. The order of these and their contents may change over time. This post is not to tell you what WILL be released. Instead, this post is to tell you the direction my thoughts of things to come.

I have three largeish projects I am working on. The first is called Grim Gears. This is a game in the Sigil System ruleset about Brothers Grimm style fairy tails set in a sky-island world with a clockwork aesthetic. The focus of this game will be on the setting and the stories told within. Grim Gears is a collaborative project, so hopefully things will move quickly for it. I have never worked with another for a product, so it is an exciting experience.

The second large game is actually my first real RPG. The name of the game is Gates and I have been working on it off and on for quite a while. Gates is about a group of adventurers from different worlds and genres. Cyborg ninjas fighting alongside werewolf knights. Cowboy deadeyes who works with a vampire CEO. These are just a few examples of the characters in that game. The game will focus on cinematic combat and crazy genre mashed adventures.

The third large game I have in the works has little work going into it. This project has no name, but it will be about scholars from various schools being sent to newly discovered locations to log information. It is a game about finding artifacts, learning of new cultures, and trying to amass more knowledge for your report than the other players.

Those are the three main projects I will be working on. However, during those projects I will be making several smaller projects. The first will be a mod for the Sigil System. This mod, Rituals and Recipes, is nearly complete and will be about performing magic rituals and crafting magic potions. It will add a little bit of wizardry to your games.

Now that Haunt is released, I have gotten a lot of feedback and I know many want a module for it. So, that is in the works as well! The module will have a few different haunts for a map that will be supplied. It will also have further description of how to make your own haunts.

After that module, I plan to release a game called Odyssey of the Few. It is a small RPG about the same size as Haunt. It is also just as strange. Instead of playing a character, you take on the role of a Fate. This means you guide the party alongside the other Fates. Your goal will be to solve the players goal while also skewing things to complete your own personal goal.

These are the projects I am going to release, in that approximate order. I will be constantly creating of course. I will be making many splat books for Sigil, Haunt, and other products. I could go on and on about my ideas, but the ones I have talked about are the ones that will likely be actually finished. Eventually, I will also begin a YouTube channel to talk about my games and ideas. Alongside the YouTube channel will be a patreon so you may support me and my work. However, that will not be for another year until that gets started.

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If you want chat about this with us and other Stormforge fans, then come join our Discord server!

Haunt is almost finished, so now is the LAST CHANCE to pick up the playtest document of Haunt. At 5pm CST tomorrow, the playtest version of this game will be removed from DrivethruRPG. This has been a long an enlightening journey creating this game. I went in with little skill or experience in this. My next project will be much larger and be even better! I want to thank everyone who has supported this games development.

Pick up the playtest HERE. You don’t have much time left!

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If you want chat about Haunt with us and other Stormforge players, then come join our Discord server!

Also, if you haven’t yet done it, fill out our survey and get a free game!

Haunt separates its characters into broad archetypes of supernatural investigators. These archetypes represent the kind of people who would find themselves in these types of situations. The archetypes do three things. First, they determine your starting attributes (Faith, Intuition, and Knowledge). The second thing archetypes do is give you boons. Boons are useful tools which allow the player to learn something or help fend off the haunt. Boons are activated by giving the Game Master a hint, so every use is a risk. The third and final use of the archetype is to help you get an idea of your character and how they work. The archetypes in the book are by no means the only possible archetypes or represent what exactly your character is. It is perfectly acceptable to create your own should these not suffice.

The six archetypes in the book are: Priest, Scientist, Psychic, Investigator, Exorcist, and Mystic.

Priest

The Priest is the character that represents Faith. Their belief in a higher power is what grants them this attribute. Priests (of various religions), pastors, or even social workers (for a no religious approach) are examples of Priests. The boon, Confession, is a defensive boon. When someone in the same location of the Priest fails a roll, the Priest may give the Game Master a hint to stop him from asking the player a question. This can save someone’s life, but it can also shorten yours. The Priest is willing to sacrifice themselves in order to save others.

Scientist

The Scientist is the character that represents Knowledge. Half a lifetime’s worth of study and contemplation have granted them this attribute. Teachers, professors, doctors, or other types of scholars are examples of Scientists. The boon, Explanation, is a boon that is best used in preparation. The Scientist gives the Game Master a hint and every character in the Scientist’s location increases their Courage skill by one. This means these characters are better at defending against the supernatural terror. Unfortunately, this extra courage lasts only until it is used. The Scientist sees the world in a logical way, and can explain exactly why everyone is ok.

Psychic

The Psychic is a character that represents Intuition. Their sixth sense is very acute, granting them this attribute. Doomsayers, people with psychic ability, and those who have opened their third eye are examples of Psychics. The boon, Visions, is a boon that can help you confirm suspicions. You give the Game Master a hint, and you get to ask him a question. This question must be a yes or no question. Did Jacob murder the ghost? Will destroying the body destroy the ghost? These are a few good examples. The Psychic gains visions of the future and the past. They can see parts of the truth, but not all of it.

Investigator

The Investigator is the character that blends Intuition and Knowledge. They use a combination of experience and gut instinct to discover what is going on. Police officers, private investigators, and journalists are a few examples of Investigators. The Boon, Investigate, is there to help you when you get stuck. The Investigator gives the Game Master a hint, and the Investigator learns where the closest important clue is. This should only be used when the players are truly stuck and have no idea where else to go. An investigator has the know-how to spot a clue in a pile of red herrings.

Exorcist

The Exorcist is the character that blends Knowledge and Faith. They use religious texts and incantations to battle the dark. Occultists, witch hunters, and those who hunt the dead are a few examples of Exorcist. This archetype is the only that can truly stand up against the spirit. The boon, Ritual, is one of the most potent defensive boons. When the ghost attacks, the Exorcist may give the GM a hint and banish the ghost for a short time, nullifying the attack. This can be a lifesaver near the end of the game, when the spirit is the most dangerous. The Exorcist wields their faith like a weapon and strikes down the things that go bump in the night.

Mystic

The Mystic is the character that blends Faith and Intuition. They combine their sixth sense with a unique outlook on the world. Druids, faith healers, and medicine men are a few examples of Mystics. The boon, Commune, is one of the most difficult boons to use. The Mystic gives the Game Master a hint, and the Mystic may ask the spirit, ghost, demon, or whatever is out there a single question. This is tricky for the Game Master and the Player, because the ghost must answer truthfully. However, the ghost does not need to be clear. They can speak in riddles or metaphors to confuse the Mystic. The Mystic can get the closest with the spirit and has the deepest connection to it. But a door once opened can be entered through both ways.

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If you want to know more about Haunt or talk to the developer, then come join our Discord server!

With Haunt right around the corner, let’s hear from James to see what makes Haunt so unique.

Secrets

Haunt is a game about secrets. Players have secrets, Game Master’s have secrets, and even NPC’s have their secrets.

Let’s explore these secrets in detail.

When creating a character in Haunt, the Game Master needs to physically get up and leave the room. He cannot be here during this time, otherwise the game becomes trivial. Once the Game Master is gone, you can really dig into these dark secrets. There are three secrets each character has, and each one has certain limitations to it. These secrets are the Haunt Secret, Character Secret, and Background Secret. The players talk together to explore their secrets. It is important that each player knows everyone’s secrets. The reason for this is it makes sure that no individual player can lie about their secrets.

The first secret is the Haunt Secret. Think of a phrase that fits within these guidelines: something that has to do with why your character came to this location or why they hunt the supernatural. Let’s look at a few examples. At the beginning of the game the Game Master explains the setting to the players as much as he can. The players use this knowledge to choose their haunt secrets. In this example, the haunted location is an old abandoned house that several people have not returned from. One character’s Haunt Secret might be “I was left behind while my friends went to this house,” and anothers is “I am a paranormal investigator who wants to get to the bottom of this!” The Haunt Secret gives your character a reason for being at this location.

The Character Secret is the most fun secret to choose. The limitations of this secret is that it must have something to do with another character. This secret strengthens the bonds between the characters and helps build up even more of a backstory. Some examples of these secrets would be “I am secretly in love with Mary,” and “The people I murdered had a son. He is another character.”

The Background Secret has the most freedom connected to it. It is simply a secret from your characters past. This is a good way to flesh out your characters background a little bit. Some examples of these secrets would be “I stole another mans identity.” and “I was convicted for a murder I did, but got away.”

Something magical happens when creating these secrets. Talking about them with your friends at the table, you will start to make connections between your secrets. A detailed and interesting backstory begins to reveal itself. When you create your characters’ secrets you will see how your characters’ backstories interact. This makes a small web of interconnected events that can make for some very interesting stories. Of course, you can ignore all of these connections and just play these secrets mechanically, but I have noticed that the kind of people who truly enjoy roleplaying games cannot help but to create these connections instinctually.

Now that we know what the secrets are and how they are formed, the Game Master needs to know how to discover them. Throughout play, the Game Master will gain the opportunity to ask a player a question. This question is the primary technique for finding the players’ secrets. Did you murder anyone in your past? Is your character in love? Are you a runaway? Who is your character secret with? These are all types of questions that you can ask. Each one whittles away at a character’s secrets until the darkest ones are revealed. It is important for the Game Master to use context clues and gauge the players reactions to your questions. The human element of investigation is very important, because once the Game Master uncovers all three of a character’s secret, that character is out of the game.

The three secrets, Haunt, Character, and Background, are just the tip of the iceberg. There are a few other optional secrets as well which will be in the full version of the game. These include Legacy secrets, Outsider secrets, and Hellbound secrets. And many more varieties are possible as well. As long as they are consistent, Game Masters can even create their own.

You can get the playtest version of Haunt for free by CLICKING HERE.

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If you want to know more about Haunt or talk to the developer, then come join our Discord server!