SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a classic, turn-based RPG featuring modern design combined with a classic 8-bit look and feel.
It's set in a dark and gritty fantasy universe: full of tragic heroes, violent deaths and eldritch horror.
With a dark, immersive plot and inspired by legendary titles such as Ultima and the gold box series, this is my love letter to classic roleplaying.
SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a tile and turn based roleplaying game where you lead a party of up to six characters on an epic and perilous quest.
The game features:
- Vintage graphics using the glorious Commodore 64 color palette
- Complex level-based character development with abilities, skills and features
- Grindless tactical combat
- "Choose-your-own-adventure" system and dynamic, tree based dialog.
The current leader of the party can be swapped by the push of a button and the skills and abilities of the current leader will influence interactions with the game world. But be warned: Managing the party can be challenging with members having private agendas and motivations.
Combat in SKALD is turn- and menu-based. This leads to fast and grind-less combat (that can be automated). The design emphasis is on having interactions between abilities, tactics and situational circumstances create unique and challenging combat every time.
The game will feature a rich and highly interactive world with both scripted and systemic ways of interacting with the hundreds of NPCs, items, objects and plot points. The game will allow for, and encourage, a large range of player expression and roleplaying.
Interacting with the world takes place through tree-based dialog, "choose-you-own-adventure sequences", combat, tile-based exploration and interaction with in-game systems.
The GIFs of the game really sell it -
I mean look at these! Gimme this game NOW.
The manual and campaign guide will, at a minimum, be a 32-page. soft-cover booklet with black and white illustrations. The manual will explain the rules and gameplay, whilst the campaign guide will serve as an introduction to the SKALD universe with an emphasis on the Gallian Empire and the Island of Idra with its locations and surroundings.
Besides providing hints and context for the main game, the campaign guide will contain enough information that it will be possible to use the setting in a tabletop RPG campaign.
The manual will be available in print and / or as a digital file depending on reward tier.
Music!
Website and Dev Log: https://www.skaldrpg.com/
GO GO GO!