This Bloodborne-esque RPG turns its players into monster hunters
From Yarnham to Harrowmire.
A new tabletop roleplaying game called When the Moon Hangs Low has some seriously strong Bloodborne vibes.
The tabletop RPG takes place in a gothic city inspired by Victorian London named Harrowmire, which is currently in the grips of a terrible curse. In an alternate world set during a similar time period as the 1840s, When the Moon Hangs Low sees players venturing into a city once populated by ambitious individuals seeking the answers to their questions within an ancient necropolis beneath. Searching for the precious substance of Bitter Sacrament – which is said to extend a person’s life – the people of the city were struck by a terrible plague which spread throughout the streets.
All that is left of Harrowmire for players to explore in the horror RPG are its buildings, which lie mostly abandoned except for those souls unfortunate enough to be twisted into violent ghouls by the plague that ravaged the city. Stalking the charred and desolate remains of Harrowmire, these creatures seek those foolish enough to enter into the city in search of glory, knowledge or something else. Alongside the ghouls are even more terrifying creatures that the players must hunt and kill in order to get what they want.
As hunters, the player characters in When the Moon Hangs Low will need to be able to survive the dangerous, monster-filled streets of Harrowmire. Having already had an encounter with the forces of darkness, the player characters each have their own mark which gives them both a special ability, and a terrible curse. Whilst the ability is a clear advantage, the curse will eventually devour them and result in their doom.
The upcoming TRPG will have players exploring Harrowmire - fulfilling quests, killing monsters and interacting with whatever few survivors remain. A mixture of horror, mystery and combat, players in When the Moon Hangs Low will be using a collection of d6 dice in order to test their characters’ physical, mental and social abilities. Players begin entirely untrained in all possible skills but have the potential to master them. Every skill is linked to one of the three main abilities, with checks requiring players to roll the number of dice equal to their level in the appropriate ability.
When the Moon Hangs Low was designed by Rob Leigh, a tabletop RPG creator who has previously made TRPGs such as Age of Steel and Tormented. The artwork for When the Moon Hangs Low was created by Omercan Cirit and Gabriel McCanless.
The Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for When the Moon Hangs Low is live until October 21st, with a pledge of £10 ($11.50) getting backers a digital version of the book in April 2023.