Alexander Huddock will launch the Astral Hunt Tabletop Role-Playing Game on Kickstarter on the 30th.
The 30th is a Monday, Tuesday is the most popular date for Kickstarter launches, and the 31st is Halloween. Geek Native predicts it is going to be busy! The Monday launch is a gamble which might pay off.
Geek Native has some sneak peeks as to what’s coming up, perhaps not enough to be called an Astral Hunt preview, but enough to get you a flavour of the gothic fantasy and its focus on the desperation and incongruity of being both hunter and hunted.
Monster: Skelgar
This spider-like creature can be created by characters in the game if they misuse magic. It’s a dangerous accident that hunts with barbed tentacles and comes in at about six metres tall!
Primer: Astral Hunt
Alex also shared the primer;
Skulking in the thin alleys of Ryshol, four individuals hide hoping to slip past the terrified mob undetected. Whether or not any of them have done anything wrong is unimportant; the mob won’t care if they are found. The strange marks that each of them have set them apart from regular people. They set them apart to be seen as monsters. Former friends, family, and lovers have all been led astray thanks to the emergence of that star born monstrosity. A beast that steals the very limbs from its victims, and uses them for itself, a creature that is patient, intelligent, and cunning. The group skulks in search of the monster hoping to end the pandemonium that has befallen Ryshol, before the city is lost completely to the ever corrupting flesh of the beast, or before they are killed by those they once called friends. The Astral Hunt has begun.”
Monster: The Limb Thief
This mass of flesh is The Limb Thief, which shapeshifts, using stolen limbs as its own. The horror can attack with different shapes, and the image shown here is a tame form and likely only be an early phase in any fight.
Not a traditional Sword and Sorcery
I asked Alex about the design objectives of the Astral Hunt.
What we are trying to do with the game is not a traditional sword and sorcery adventure game but rather an exploration of desperation as well as players being both hunter and hunted. This has led to a strong horror setting that makes players’ impressive powers still feel like they are far from overpowered thanks to societal pressures. Each player will have something that makes them unaccepted by society, what will they do with this aspect? Will they hide it, embrace it despite the risks, or go as far as to reject the society that rejected them. All of this societal stress while being pushed by whatever forces a GM can devise to hunt dangerous beasts creates situations that test a character’s morals, strength of will, and tactical ability. Results have been phenomenal for roleplayers with some of the early playtesters feeling extreme pressure to make tough decisions they would not normally make in other systems.”
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