Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying
History, mutant madness, and old-school combat meet at the end of humanity.
Stillfeet Studio is proud to announce the upcoming launch of Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying, an old-school-inspired, innovative TTRPG by artist and writer Christopher Pickett.
This is historical fantasy roleplaying, redefined >
In Danse Macabre, you play a Pilgrim, a conscripted peasant who is sentenced to traverse the wilderness in pursuit of quintessence—the sole remedy against the curse of undeath. For in the twilight of the 14th century, death is no longer final: those who die are miraculously and terribly revived, each time with new maleficia—mutations of both the spirit and the flesh.
These strange powers will help you survive in a sundered world filled with historical intrigue, brutal combat, and ravening hordes of demoniacs—transformed humans, lost to the madness beyond death. You will travel through the Mediterranean’s broken kingdoms alongside a caravan (party) of fellow exiles, seeking relics that hold the keys to Constantinople’s salvation. There is no magic to save you here, only a rich, darkly realistic setting.
Danse Macabre uses the highly adaptable Grit System, which was created by Wythe Marschall and also powers the successfully Kickstarted TTRPGs Stillfleet and Blister Critters. The Grit System’s mechanics are simple (your scores are dice) and narrative-focused (powers just happen, leading to epic moments).
The campaign on Kickstarter will support the development of the Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying Rulebook (200 pages, A5), the Guide to the Abandoned World (a shorter book of settings and plots beyond Constantinople), and a zine full of “quintessent” relics (the game’s equivalent of magical items).
Fans of Shadowdark, Knave, and other old-school renaissance (OSR) games will love the simple, “rules-bright,” player-empowering mechanics of the Grit System. And if you enjoy Memento Mori or Outcast Silver Raiders but want a game with more narrative and historical tooth (and claw), then Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying is calling you.
At the level of story, fans of Berserk, Castlevania, Between Two Fires, or Kim Eun-hee’s Kingdom will geek out when they enter the fascinating world of Western Asia in the year 1390 CE. But note, you don’t need any prior historical knowledge to play.
And at the level of art, each page of Danse Macabre: Medieval Horror Roleplaying drips with luscious, deeply researched and 100% human-made art by Christopher Pickett, with layout design by Anthony Grasso (Blister Critters, Måd Borg) to bring it all to un-life.
Pick up the free quickstart, Prima Mors, and check out the game >
Players can also head over to the Stillfleet Studio Discord server and join the ongoing “living campaign” with the game’s creator, Christopher Pickett (they/them).
Christopher is an eclectic multidisciplinary artist residing in the heart of Brooklyn, NYC. Their creative pursuits span the realms of illustration, tattooing, and tabletop game design. Chris is also the co-host of the Stillfleet Studio’s TTRPG design podcast, Why We Roll.
