Labyrinth, Spirited Away and Hellboy II are the inspirations for Perils & Princesses: The Secret of the Night Market

Acrid-smelling incense hangs in the air, shrouding the faces of shadowy figures manning market stalls, conversations shouted and whispered in ancient languages, and oodles of otherworldly objects glint menacingly in display cases—these are the sights, sounds and smells that greet players in The Secret of the Night Market, the latest adventure for fairytale tabletop roleplaying game, Perils & Princesses.

Perils & Princesses is a TTRPG where players become a party of misbegotten princesses fleeing their respective kingdoms in search of adventure. Light on rules, and steeped in whimsy, this game is perfect for celebrating or subverting classic fairytale tropes and putting the princesses (of any gender) in control of their own stories. Think witches’ cauldrons, frog princes and a bloody axe strapped to the back of a ruffled silk gown.

The Secret of the Night Market builds on the pretty and gritty vibes of Perils & Princesses. Featuring a broad cast of characters from across Celtic and Slavic folklore accompanied by artwork from the Perils & Princesses' creator Ryan Lynch, this book is both a rich resource for Game Masters to add a heavy dose of folkloric fantasy into their games, as well as a beautifully-illustrated medieval art book.

Written by game designer and TTRPG video creator Sean Foer, this adventure takes inspiration from a variety of fantasy sources including:

› Christina Rosetti’s seminal narrative poem Goblin Market
› Shakespeare’s fairy-themed play A Midsummer Night’s Dream
› Studio Ghibli’s Oscar-winning animated film Spirited Away
› Jim Henson’s ‘80s adventure film Labyrinth
› Guillermo Del Toro’s imaginatively bizarre Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Once inside the Night Market, players are free to peruse the myriad of items on display at the market stalls, all manned by their own unique merchants. Purchasing these items requires more than just a handful of coins however, as each merchant will enact their own price.

Getting into the market is one thing, but to get out, the players will have to uncover a mystery: Who are the Masked Lords who oversee the market? And how far will they go to ensure that no customer leaves the market unsatisfied? On top of this, players have the chance to discover a table’s worth of possible random encounters,
as well as several opportunities for side-quests dotted throughout the Night Market.

The Secret of the Night Market will be live on Kickstarter on April 8th through May 7th, with players having the chance to get their hands on both physical and digital copies. Additionally, newcomers to Perils & Princesses will have the opportunity to grab a copy of the core TTRPG rulebook, as well as P&P’s first standalone adventure Sweet Revenge. Additional items include a collection of whimsical souvenir stickers to display your love of sorcery, fairies and weird little guys.

Find out more about Perils & Princesses: The Secret of the Night Market by visiting the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter right now!