-A horror fantasy game about delving deep into a dark and haunted
Underworld-
BY
NICCOLÒ ZOVETTI
ARTWORK BY
SIMONE TAMMETTA
GUIL INCHAUSTI
INSPIRED BY THE WORKS OF
H. P. LOVECRAFT, ROBERT E. HOWARD
Introduction – The Underworld
The other adventurers, they've all disappeared. Headed down, one by one, into the
Underworld, the ruins of the ancient empire.
It's long fell to ruin, yet it still draws fools like you into its depths. Wealth, glory, treasures
beyond imagination and powers that darkness seems to promise.
You should watch out before venturing deep down; frightening abominations dwell there.
Those who venture deep into the earth lose their minds and are devoured by the horrors
of the Underworld.
[…]
The great stone door slams behind you with a roar. A cloud of dust rises and a gust of cold
wind blows from the depths of the crypt. In a heartbeat the light of your torch withers.
A guttural roar echoes in the distance. You suddenly realize you are trapped in the crypt
with no lights to guide your path. You are alone, a wanderer in the darkness.
You move cautiously leaning against the old dusty wall. Incomprehensible howls and
screams rise from the depths. Your hands start shaking, the grip on the sword loosens.
A whispering voice creeps into your mind becoming louder and louder as your sanity
withers; is there someone there? What’s lurking in the dark corners of the earth?
[…]
In the twilight of madness, you see them. Twisted abominations. Amalgamations of putrid
flesh and bones, creeping tentacles and appendages hungry for human flesh.
You start running, the heart pumping the blood as quickly as possible, your mind shaken by
fear. Wandering in the darkness, you finally find a moldy torch. Shivering, you kindle it and
light spreads once again. The abominations disappear.
The skulls engraved on the ancient walls of the dungeon smile at your misfortunes,
rattling noises and chittering sounds in the darkness follow your footsteps.
You delve deeper into the Underworld, nightmarish bellows and horrors crawling all
around, waiting for the torch to expire its last breath of light.
You are safe. But for how long? What horror is lurking the shadows of the Underworld?
What will happen when the light withers?
What’s this?
Withering Light is a rules-light Lovecraftian fantasy horror RPG with OSR influences for a
group of 4-5 people, one being the Game Master (GM). This game is heavily inspired by
Lovecraftian's mythos, Mothership (Tuesday Knight Games), Blades in the Dark (Evil Hat)
and Darkest Dungeon (Red Hook's Roguelite).
In Withering Light, players take on the roles of adventurers delving deep into a haunted
and dark underworld fighting against eldritch abominations and horrors that will consume
their minds. The more the adventurers will delve deep into the earth, the more the lights
will wither giving way to madness and despair.
In Withering Light, the earth is dying, poisoned by eldritch shadows pouring out of the
depths of the Underworld, the ruins of an ancient empire. The sun is dying and the stars
have aligned. What once slept undisturbed in the underground temples is roused once
more bringing forth the end of humankind. Most people spend their lives in the barren
lands of this new harsh world afraid of the nightmares lurking in the depths of the earth
but some adventurers dare to challenge the horrors of the Underworld in search of
fortune and glory.
The Core Mechanics
In Withering Light, the core mechanic revolves around the use of the d100. When
instructed by the Game Master (GM), the player rolls 1d100 hoping to score under a Target
Number (TN). This number is often an appropriate Attribute chosen by either the GM or
the player. If the result of the test is equal or inferior to the TN, the test is successful.
The GM can impose maluses or bonuses decreasing o increasing the TN depending on the
context and only the players are asked to roll dice. The GM is thus free to focus on
storytelling and descriptions.
Ninety-five percent of the entire game can be played using only two D10 dice. It is really
that simple!
Advantage & Disadvantage
Some abilities, conditions or the GM themselves can impose Advantage or Disadvantage
during the execution of an attribute test. When this happens, roll the dice twice and keep
the most favorable (Advantage) or unfavorable (Disadvantage) result. Advantage and
Disadvantage cancel each other out and can stack. However, additional
Advantage/Disadvantages grant +10/-10 modifiers. For example, a test with two
Advantages would require the player to roll the d100 twice choosing the best result (first
Advantage) and add a +10 to the TN (second Advantage). Multiple
Advantages/Disadvantages on damage tests grant +1/-1 bonus/malus.
Degrees of Failure and Success
Most tests outcomes are binary; with a success, the character accomplishes what they
intended; with failure, they do not. However, sometimes it could be useful to determine
the degree of a character's success during the execution of a test.
When a test is successful (the d100 scores under the TN) subtract the result of the test
from the TN. For every 10 points of difference, you gain one degree of success (DS).
Conversely, when a test fails, (the d100 scores higher than the TN) subtract the TN from
the result. For every 10 points of difference, you gain one degree of failure (DF). The
outcome of the test varies depending on the number of DS or DF scored. Remember that
you are not forced to consider the degree of success/failure for every single attribute test,
it is just a game mechanic that could be useful to generate new narrative scenarios!
(success, 0-2 DS) Success
The test is successful. Everything goes as planned and the action succeeds.
(success, 3+ DS) Exceptional Success
The test is not only successful but it also produces (possibly) unexpected beneficial
outcomes.
Dorin the Rascal is attacking a bandit with their dagger. The player performs an attribute test scoring an
impressive 5, far below the Rascal’s Combat attribute (60). The GM determines that not only the attack hits but it
also staggers the bandit.
(Failure, 0 DF) Success with Complications
The test is successful but with a cost. The action barely succeeded. When a “Success with
Complications” happens, the GM can autonomously impose a minor setback on the
character’s action or consult the player giving life to a shared narrative scenario.
Andrè the Cleric is running from a horde of shambling horrors and is about to jump over a chasm. He leaps and
the player rolls 1d100 under Andrè’s Brawn attribute (60). The test scores 65. The test is not successful with 0 DF
triggering a “Success with Complications”. The GM and the player determine that Andrè successfully jumps over
the chasm but loses his coin purse in the process.
(Failure, 1-2 DF) Failure
The test is not successful. The intended action fails.
(Failure, 3+ DF) Catastrophic Failure
The test fails leading to catastrophic and unexpected effects.
Andrè the Cleric is running from a horde of shambling horrors and is about to jump over a chasm. He leaps and
the player rolls 1d100 under Andrè’s Brawn attribute (60). The test scores a miserable 95. The test triggers a
“Catastrophic Failure”. The GM determines that the Cleric slips falling into the depths of the Underworld.
Stress, Push the Limits and Mitigate
Stress is the measure of the adventurer’s mental resilience and sanity. When performing
an Attribute or damage test before rolling any die, the adventurer can choose to suffer
two Stress to gain Advantage. This is known as Push the Limits.
Conversely, when an adventurer fails an attribute test before suffering any consequence
and knowing the exact outcomes of the failed test the player can choose to resist it by
telling the GM. This is known as Mitigate. Mitigating is always effective and is up to the GM
to determine whether the negative consequences of the failed test are reduced in their
severity or completely avoided. Then, the adventurer suffers 1d10 Stress. The Mitigate
action is a last resource and can be used only once per game session.
Andrè the Cleric is running from a horde of shambling horrors and is about to jump over a chasm. He leaps and
the player rolls 1d100 under Andrè’s Brawn attribute (60). The test scores 85. The test is not successful with 2
DFs. The player knows that that their character would probably die a horrible death falling into the depths of the
crypt or suffer some serious injury and thus decides to Mitigate. The action is successful and the GM determines
that Andrè successfully jumps over spraining an ankle. This inflicts 1d10 Stress upon Andrè’s fragile mind…
Teamwork and Group Tests
When delving deep in the Underworld cooperation is essential to get out of the Dungeon
alive. In this section are presented the rules for teamworking, cooperation and group
tests.
Adventurers have access to the teamwork actions listed below: Assist, Synergic Action and
Group Action.
Assist
An adventurer can help another character during the execution of an Attribute or Skill
test. To help them, wait until the player has described their intent and action in detail and
then describe how you are going to help. The player performing the action can choose to
accept or decline your help. If the player accepts, they gain Advantage during the
execution of the test. If the test is successful, every adventurer who participated shares
any beneficial effects of the action. If the test fails, all characters share all the negative
consequences and suffer one Stress.
You can help by either referring to a specific Attribute (e.g., Brawn for pushing a boulder)
or Skill. However, remember that it must makes sense in the context of the action. The
GM’s discretion determines whether the Assist action can be performed. For example, it is
not reasonable to expect that an adventurer without any knowledge of medicine or
surgery could help another character during the execution of a complex First-Aid Skill test.
Synergic Actions
During a Combat Phase or any similar scenario two adventurers can cooperate performing
a Synergic Action. For example, a character could attempt to distract a group of cultists
while a fellow adventurer attempts to sneak past them. In this case, the rogue sneaking
would gain Advantage. Likewise, while fighting an adventurer could attempt to blind a
nearby bandit by throwing sand (the GM could require a test) granting Advantage to a
nearby character attacking the enemy.
Group Action
A Group Action occurs when the GM asks every member of the party to perform the same
Attribute / Skill test or when every party member decides to perform a simultaneous
action (e.g., “everyone perform a Dexterity test to sneak…”). Every adventurer participating
in the Group Action performs the test and the GM chooses the single best result as the
overall outcome for everyone who participated in the action. However, those who fail the
test suffer one stress for every DF down to a minimum of 1.
Usage Die Mechanic
Withering Light uses a brilliant mechanic commonly used in many OSR games known as
Usage Die (UD) (credits to https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/255088/The-Black-Hack-Second-Edition, David Black). Consumable
items have an associated Usage Die: when the resource is used, the player rolls its Usage
Die and if the result is either 1 or 2, its die is downgraded 1 step in the following chain: d8,
d6 and d4. If you roll a 1 or 2 with a d4 UD, the resource is depleted and cannot be used
anymore.