Gothic is a print & play “journaling” type solo rolo-playing game with a horror theme. The deck of 70 illustrated cards builds a map of your location, and suggests what you find there. You explore – acquiring information, objects, and assistants to help you overcome dangerous encounters. 

A journaling RPG is like a hybrid between a game and a creative writing session. It will appeal to those who enjoy writing from their imaginations, since the resources provided in the rulebook and the card deck only “suggest” what might be happening – you actually create the details, populating your story with characters, environments, objects, events and perils limited only by your own imagination.

The monochrome art for the Encounter Cards is adapted from some of the wonderfully macabre book illustrations created by the Irish artist Harry Clarke. The evocative imagery serves to stimulate your imagination whilst giving you free reign to design your own story:

Gothic is available to preview and acquire as a digital download from the popular RPG store:

Download Gothic JRPG from here: DriveThruRPG.

The “print & play” rulebook, card sheets, and other resources are published on a “pay what you want” basis – free, if that is your choice.

If your own printer can’t handle thick card, the sheets are provided in PDF format – A4 size, 8 cards per sheet – which most print-on-demand service providers will happily print for you. (I got the 9 sheets printed on 300 gsm card (standard playing card weight) for about £1.50 + postage.)

Once cut out, the individual cards are 2.5 by 3.5 inch, and will fit standard poker size card sleeves to create a robust deck that can be easily shuffled and used over many sessions.