Recapping Dark Souls RPG, Ep 1: Session Zero with Gabe Hicks & Friends
Set in the ruinous DARK SOULS universe, Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game brings Dark Souls to life like never before. In case you missed it, here's a quick recap of Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game, Session Zero with Gabe Hicks, Elise Rezendes, Ginny Loveday and Richard August!
In case you missed the video, watch it here:
Meet the Cast
Our GM - Gabe Hicks
My name is Gabriel Hicks. I come from a game design background so working a little bit and video games and tabletop role playing games or board games. To me the biggest focus is storytelling and it's one of the things that I enjoy the most.
My role here at Steamforged is I am a senior game designer! My work focus is with the RPG team so most recently working on the Dark Souls RPG and making sure to get that to a point where everyone can properly enjoy it. That can be creature design, well design, or encounters even.
With the Dark Souls RPG we got to run through some gameplay and show it to you and preparation for this was two main things. Number one, remembering that this is a world that already exists and with this game system I get to influence that world and then give my players that same opportunity. I started looking into themes that felt fun to explore, especially ones tied to like gothic horror or mystery. Then it was just going over mechanics that even if they were familiar by 5th edition standards, still were a bit unique and different like the way that magic is cast here or a bonfire is the equivalent of a long rest and character death doesn't mean permanent death.
Figuring out how these themes transition into the game and then making the Dark Souls experience that everyone at the table wanted was so much fun to me and it became a discussion. "What aspects of what this game provides us to run our ultimate dark Souls experience are the aspects we want to pull into this game?" The Dark Souls RPG that you have that discussion in ways that I haven't been able to in many others.
Astrid the Bitter - Elise Rezendes
Elise Rezendes is a creator that has worked in film and television for years and found joy in the tabletop industry. From creating incredible outfits to monstrous terrain, Elise has found passion in the creation of storytelling through objects and made it into a mastery.
For Steamforged, Elise worked as a studio manager and was organizing timelines and projects. If it came to creating a spreadsheet that outlined what was happening when it was happening and what things needed to make it happen that was her forte and became an expert at it.
Elise mentioned creating her character to be flexible in this world. The Dark Souls universe was something she was familiar with and wanted to have someone that was going to be able to experience it first hand just like she was. What better way to do it than creating someone who can charge into a fight and hold their own even if the fight is against a giant, monstrous dog thing.
Harold the Herald (or Harold the The Very Very Quiet) - Ginny Loveday
I'm Ginny Loveday and I am the Lead Editor for Steamforged Games! I primarily work on our Tabletop RPG product lines like Epic Encounters, Local Legends, Animal Adventures, and of course, DARK SOULS: the Roleplaying Game! I've been working in the TTRPG industry for almost a decade freelancing in design or editing roles with various companies such as Wizards of the Coast, Renegade Games, Nerdburger Games, and the DMSGuild. I've been a lifelong fan of gaming and am thrilled to be able to work on games that are enjoyed the world over.
For this Dark Souls game, I played Harold the Herald (a quiet kind of guy, apologies for the mic issues), who really misses being an archivist...or at least he feels like he maybe was at one point. Books are definitely important! Harold has a lot of abilities that help him to defend his friends from the perils of Lothric, but he's also able to hold his own in a fight with hollows if it comes to that! Gabe did a phenomenal job bringing the world to life and I cannot wait for everyone else to get a chance to create their own tales.
Thomas the Petty - Richard August
I’m Richard August, SFG’s lead RPG designer and product owner, and a man who always looks scruffy in photos. Sometimes because he totally forgot team photos were happening that day, and decided to just wear a Seinfeld t-shirt. And he’s fine with that decision, and doesn’t regret it.
I’ve written a lot of RPG stuff by this point, and been involved with a lot of projects, but you can google that. You don’t need me boring you with the details. Not when I can bore you with details about my character Thomas Earl III, known as Thomas the Petty. He’s blonde, has prominent teeth, and is absolutely not an homage to legendary musician Tom Petty, with whom I definitely don’t have an unhealthy obsession. Though I am wearing a Wildflowers t-shirt while writing this. Thomas the Petty is somewhat nonchalant, laidback, but with an iron spine. He won’t bend for anyone. He won’t back down, you might say.
Recap
Don’t Touch the Mushrooms
Perception Check: A couple of poor rolls leave Thomas the Petty & Harold the Herald on their way to make a tasty mushroom snack when Astrid’s solid 18 saves the day. Two enormous crows save the group from certain peril, mushrooms are snatched from their grasps as they start to realise these lands might not be welcoming to travellers…
“I want to grab into the bottom of its dislocated jaw and yank it just a little bit closer just to scream in its face”
We’ve got some absolutely staggering rolls combined with Astrid the Bitter’s warcry and we’re left with the whole party reveling as Thomas takes an incredible slash through the *redadcted* of the *redacted creature*
*Redacted to avoid spoilers!
“I’m not gonna do it *Maniacal laughter* Yes, I am”
Just this as a whole moment - Gabe feels GM power coursing through him and Rich’s face says it all!
Ominous Singing
I don’t want to ruin the ending because - Oh boy! Did it have me on the edge of my seat but what I will give you are these points:
- “Sister Noelle”
- Funeral march vibes
- Dripping red robes
- “The pyre will bring the mother back”
And that’s all for this session! Don’t forget you can get your hands on Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game right now!
