I’ve always found that Tabletop RPGs are phenomenal for tackling dark topics. As a longtime fan of settings such as the Old World of Darkness and Delta Green, the art form never flinches from humanity’s sickness. What makes these feel even more disturbing as a player is you become a part of that disease. There are times when your character may fall to their desires.
This TTRPG is the freshest meat on the menu for those chasing that feeling.
A Most Bloody Devotion is a dark fantasy romance TTRPG set in a medieval society ruled by religious autocrats and rotten from famine. A social system, fueled by claims, debts, and devotions makes every conversation a deadly encounter. The best tabletop RPGs must have strong themes for me to truly connect with them. From its beautiful yet disturbing artwork to its macabre mechanics, A Most Bloody Devotion deconstructs the very concept of gender.
In lieu of traditional DnD classes, the game takes a more esoteric approach that encourages roleplay over crunch. Among my favorites is the “Blessed Corpse” class, which traps the player in the dead body of a woman once revered in life. As the party carries around her coffin, she can interact with them through their dreams, and even influence emotions in a ghostly fashion. It’s a stylish take on “The Lost Lenore”, showcasing the power that perceived virtue has over people, even in death.
And finally, let’s talk about the hook of A Most Bloody Devotion: cannibalism. Mechanically, consumption of a dead person’s flesh allows you to take on one of their Truths, an irrefutable aspect of them in life. The flesh of a Fair Princeling grants knowledge of castle swordplay and noble beauty, while a Treasured Daughter has a hidden talent for numbers.
Thematically, cannibalism literally and figuratively represents the endpoint of a society that places arbitrary values on its people. The desperate eat flesh because they think gaining those desirable traits are the only way to survive. The privileged eat flesh because they revel in holding onto whatever power they have in a dying world.
Honestly, there’s so much more I could yap about, but A Most Bloody Devotion is a game best experienced for yourself. You can check it out on itch.io here.
If you’re looking for a much, much lighter setting to socialize, the Wargamer Discord has plenty of friendly folks eager to chat.
Source: Wargamer
