Balsamic Games, an indie RPG publisher, has made their funding target for a gender-inclusive game about witches. Or, at least, centred on witches and powered by Forged in the Dark.
There’s also more than just an RPG, as the campaign has a Tarot deck. I can’t imagine buying a Tarot deck, but I’ve a deck through RPG Kickstarters without regret. You can see progress on the long Kickstarter.
The setting is a city called Midnight, and it’s always dark there. The metropolis is a crossroads between realms. In Witches of Midnight, characters join a Coven and are Wyrd Witches who refuse to be bound and risk punishment as a result.
Witches of Midnight is an urban horror, and Balsamic use the phrase “Hopeful horror” to describe the game, which sounds like an oxymoron.
The Forged in the Dark RPG offers fast and fun character generation, and Session Zero is used to create the Coven.
There are 22 factions, each with backgrounds and goals, and that’s in addition to sub-realms like Astral, Underworld, Shadow and Liminal.
Open your mind’s eye and envision an alternate history of Earth where the tragedies of the Witch Trials were stopped when 3 brave Witches came forward–risking their lives in a grand reveal. They were successful due in part to the great power they had amassed as witches over the centuries and in the numbers of other witches that poured forth from every corner of the globe.
You can support the game by offering cash or spreading the word. Backers who pledge $44 (about £35) unlock the first wave of digital rewards. In their $44, there’s a PDF manuscript, core rulebook, tarot and stretch goals.
At $55, the print core rulebook is added, and worldwide shipping is also on offer. Alternatively, $55 could include the Tarot deck with a guidebook as physical items.
For backers who want both the physical RPG and Tarot decks, then the $99 tier caters to them. It’s a popular tier compared to the earlier ones.
The $123 tier is limited and adds six custom resin dice. Beyond this, a $333 level includes a custom Grimoire and advice from the Lead Developer or a $666 one for a custom game.
Balsamic Games estimate October 2024 for delivery.
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