Against the Gloom
What if our heroes exchanged their battle axes for Stratocasters? And what if lyrics and harmony were actual magic? Against the Gloom is a fantasy TTRPG of melodic mayhem that asks this and more! It's about the joy and power of music, chosen family, and building community in the face of the void.
Roll dice. Build your playlist. Fight the Gloom.
In Against the Gloom, players take on the roles of punk pirate troubadours sailing across a vast and dangerous void—the Gloom—aboard a ramshackle ship propelled by the power of song. Use your character's sonic powers to push back the Gloom as it seeks to obliterate any pockets of community that dare to resist it. Build your story one gig at a time.
The Gloom is a sentient, fog-filled purgatory world of bleakness and despair, and there is no escape. It is alive, quite intelligent, and you don't even need to ask: it really wants to hurt you.
Fortunately for you, the Gloom is vulnerable to one thing: music, especially amplified music. In the Gloom, music is a powerful kind of magic. And you know how to play because you are Gloomfarers, those brave and wild souls that venture out into the void. You sail aboard fantastic flying vessels, seeking new and powerful songs to strike back against the Gloom and keep your band moving. But as you sail on and rock out, you can feel the Gloom watching you, a twisted elder god with a hunger for misery.
Scattered around this miserable realm are the Anchora, floating islands, your stops on this surrealist concert tour. And they are constantly in trouble from the Gloom. The Gloom wants to tear them down and destroy them. Only you can stop it.
So pick up a different kind of axe–or some drumsticks, or a mic–and take a stand and shine a light. Like Ghostbusters who are also Van Halen, who are also pirates.
“In the rising genre of music Tabletop RPGs, Against the Gloom successfully carves out its unique place, blending familiar gaming concepts to indie fans with a fresh and engaging plot guaranteed to take players on a wild ride! Plug in your amp, and let’s sail!”
—John Thompson, designer of Gutterpunk
“Against the Gloom is a perfect balance between slick game mechanics
and heart. Get ready to become a groupie for this killer game.” —Nick Perron, host of Tabletopped podcast
Designed by Dustin Patrick Winter
Art by: Gigi Wilder and Jupiter V
A5 perfect bound zine, 114 pages
*Digital files will be emailed once the physical item ships.
