S2E43: Dark Souls RPG with Richard August

We get your “why 5e?” questions answered. Dark Souls The Roleplaying Game was announced this week by Steamforged Games. We got in touch with the game’s designer, Richard August, to discuss the kind game that it is and how it’s all going to work. 

The announcement also came with the news that it would use a Fifth Edition compatible system. Many fans of the videogame series complained about this online, partly it seemed because of the natural distaste players have for the world’s most popular roleplaying game (i.e. because popular things are popular to dislike) and the existence of the Japanese Dark Souls Roleplaying Game. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to hear Richard’s answers to that question in full – but in short: if the biggest problem many have with Fifth Edition is that you only have the verb ‘hit stuff’ in the game, then using it for a game that is, fundamentally, about hitting stuff, makes a lot of sense.

We discuss the kinds of adventures we expect players to be going on in the game, and try and unpick the thorny question of how to create new storylines in a world that’s so well defined in player’s minds. Subscribe to the podcast to hear more.

BONUS: D6 Adventure Hooks for the Dark Souls RPG

After talking to Rich, we tried thinking up a few of our own adventure starters. These are, naturally, not sanctioned by Steamforged or FromSoft. Many of these are inspired by the fan theories of Dark Souls 3.

1 . Catarina Crusade. The Onion Knights of Caterina have decided to wage a crusade against The Deep. You and your party have to shepherd them through the world on their way to confront Aldritch. Naturally, they’re very good natured, but easily tricked by other characters. A classic ‘herding cats’ adventure.

2. Orphanage breakout. Set before the sludge-slugification of Aldritch, when ferrying fresh bodies to the Cathedral of the Deep, players attempt to break into the Cathedral before it was fallen, and stop the grotesque consumption – possibly saving Anri and Horace from their childhood horrors.

3. Overdue. In the Undead Settlement players find a powerful spell book in the boarded-up house of a reclusive hermit, along with his body. A final note left by the wizard laments that they never returned the book they borrowed from the Grand Archives. Can the players make it into the archive, and can they return the book without incurring any deadly late fees?

4. A Box is a Box. Ludleth, the only remaining Lord of Cinder not driven mad, loves an experiment. While he yearns for the Transposing Kiln, he also has other ideas – mimic experiments. Can the players collect and transport three Mimic chests back to Ludleth so he can perform his strange experiments, without losing their heads?

5. Snappy Reunion. The swamps near the Crucifixion Woods have become impassable because of the giant crabs. They’ve gone completely wild. On closer inspection, they appear to be looking for one of their offspring. Can the players find the baby crab in the Catacombs and return it to its parents?

6. Greirat Rescue Squad. The thief has gone missing on his most recent mission to Lothric Castle, you suspect he is being held, once again, in a cell somewhere in the castle. Can you find him before it’s too late?

Our music is by Body In The Thames: https://bodyinthethames.bandcamp.com/ 

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