What's a DreadLore?

DreadLore is a story-telling tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) system  which is setting agnostic – you can use these rules for many different sorts of games,  Fantasy, Near future, Horror, Noir, Adventure, etc.

The DreadLore Corebook presents an original, Fantasy Punk setting – Craster.  We are also publishing various "Splat" books for different settings, at present, a near  future setting called "Into Space."  If you enjoy taking a role in the  creative process of story-telling, and you also wanna roll some dice and kill bad  (or good) guys…chances are – this is the system for you.

What's a TTRPG?

Ever heard of a Table-Top RolePlaying Game (TTRPG)? e.g. Dungeons & Dragons,  World of Darkness, Numenera, etc.? DreadLore is a similar sort of board game. These  games are classified in several ways: table-top games, pen & ink, RPGs, and silly  dice games.

Most systems are comprised of a 'Setting' (sci-fi, fantasy, etc.) and a list of  'Core Mechanics' (how the numbers & math work in the game). TTRPGs also require  a storyteller, called an Arbiter in DreadLore, in addition to 2-6 Players to play.

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Mechanics

Characters Forge the Story

• Modes of Play

  DreadLore offers two captivating modes: The Dread and The Montage.

• The Montage: Maintenance & RP

  In The Montage, the Arbiter sets up the next encounter and can do time jumps. Players can "soft roleply" with NPCs or the group, and they can [Advance] their Characters. Most die rolls are suspended. Players needn't exhaust any Traits nor spend any Resouces.

  The Dread: Take Control

  In The Dread, players seize the narrative reins. They Bid, Throw Down, and engage character mechanics, shaping the story through their choices. It's a high-wire act where degrees of success and failure hang in the balance.

• Dynamic Dice Mechanics: Throwing Down

  DreadLore uses six (6) die types: d4, d6, d8, d10, & d12.
  A "Throw Down" is rolling an Action Die (d10) and an Aspect Die (varies). Other dice can be rolled on a Throw Down as well, e.g. Extra Dice and Chaos Dice, depending on what the Player chooses to do on their [Turn]. Players aim for [Successes], counting them individually on each die thrown. These [Successes] are measured against a [Threshold] which the Arbiter gives.

  Successes:

  Rolls of 4-7 secure 1 [Success], while 8+ brings 2 [Successes].

• Survive the Challenge

  DreadLore is high-risk, low-vitality gameplay. Characters have limited [Plot Armor], determined by their choices. When it depletes, players allocate damage to Wounds or Sanity. Hit zero in either, and death or permanent insanity looms.

• Dynamic Rounds & Turn Order

  DreadLore handles "Initiative" (turn order) differently than other TTRPGs. Firstly, Antagonists go first and then the Players all go at the same time. The Players can spend Resources (Cunning) to change this order and gain an edge.

  DreadLore's turn order adds depth:

  1. World Action:The World goes first; everyone reacts to the World. A [Round] begins with "World Action," sparking unpredictability as all react to unfolding events.
  2. Cunning Turn: A Player can spend one (1) point of Cunning to act before or at the same time (as the Arbiter wishes) the Antagonists. This grants the Player two (2) [Turns] instead of one (1) in the [Round], enabling tactical moves.
  3. Antagonist's Turn: Antagonists go before the Players. They might challenge them, aid them, or perhaps they'll do something entirely different.
  4. Player's Turn: Players go after the Antagonists and at the same time choosing which among them announces their intended action first. NPCs aligned with the Players go at this point as well.

• Player Turns

  Each Player has a chance to [Bid] a [Trait] to slightly control the narrative. They focus on the "what" and the "how" (rather than the "why") giving descriptions and their intended outcome. They work with the Arbiter to fold their intention into the story using their [Trait] as a "jumping off point" for their action, possibly Throwing Down to see what Fate decides.

  On your [Turn] you can:

  1. Bid a Trait: Any "meaningful" action requires you to announce one (1) of your [Traits]. This is called [Bidding]. Opening a door wouldn't require it, but opening a door when the room's about to explode might! Do you [Bid] "Angry" or "Quick Thinker" or something else? The [Trait] you [Bid] colors the action and what could follow.
  2. Throw Down: If the action is opposed or difficult enough, the Arbiter might call for a Throw Down against a [Threshold] she sets.
  3. Spend a Proficiency: Use one (1) to reroll any one (1) die you've rolled keeping the result.
  4. Activate an Ability: These are things you can do the average person cannot, e.g. Magicka, swordplay, fast-talking, etc. Activate an Ability by [Bidding] a [Trait] that makes sense. This means you'd [Bid] two (2) [Traits] to do the action: one (1) for the meaningful action and another to activate the Ability. Abilities can be [Upgraded] to grant additional [Successes] on a Throw Down.
  5. Bid Ninja Gear: Your equipment. Use it as you please. You can also [Bid] it on a Throw Down! Doing so grants you an Extra Die. The die-type corresponds to how many [Traits] the item has got
  6. Spend Resources: Indicated below.

• Resources

  Players spend their Resources to gain an edge; all is detailed in the Pay What You Want Getting Started Guide (GSG) and DreadLore Corebook.
  1. Cunning: Act twice in a [Round]
  2. Breath: Immediately go to Limbo
  3. Pips: Change something in the Past; spend five (5) to gain a [Trait]
  4. Narrative Points: Change something in the Present
  5. Experience Points: Spend three (3) to [Advance]

• Setting and Genre

  DreadLore transcends genres, from horror to adventure, near-future to fantasy, offering creative freedom. The Corebook presents the World of Craster, a fantasy punk, dystopian setting full of Magicka and Theurgy (pseudo-science).

• Who's this game for?

  A.I. says, "DreadLore celebrates your creativity. Craft the stories you crave, whether exploring haunted mansions, solving mysteries, or venturing into fantasy realms."
  We say, DreadLore is for people who love stories. It's a system built for that purpose, and it does it really well. Try it out and you'll see!

ACTUAL PLAY

THE RED WRIT

PAST EVENTS

Lexington Comic & Toy Convention 2023

Come and see us at  ComiCon  in Lexington, KY March 23-26 this year. We will be sharing a booth with our buddy,  Logan Nance, the author of the DreadLore Prologue, 'A Land Soaked in Tears', as well as novels like,  Saturday Shepherd and the World Beyond.

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