Daniel D. Fox, the creator of Zweihander Grim & Perilous, has announced a new TTRPG. Nocturne is a gothic horror OSR.
The game designer has shared an introduction to the game on Patreon and published the first chapter. You can download that for free.
The new game marks a departure from his previous work, promising a rules-light, brooding experience steeped in gothic horror.
Fox, a notable figure in the tabletop industry, is best known for Zweihänder Grim & Perilous RPG, a game renowned for its mechanical depth and “crunchy” ruleset, which garnered both Best Game and Product of the Year at the 2018 ENNIE Awards. In a move that is set to intrigue his established audience, Fox is now turning his attention to the Old School Renaissance (OSR) movement, a style of game design that champions simplicity and player ingenuity.
Nocturne is described as a “lean, brooding OSR game about mystery, low magic, and the slow creep of terror.” This new venture deliberately steps away from the weighty tome of its predecessor. Where Zweihänder offered a sprawling, “mild to medium crunch” system, Nocturne is being positioned as a fast, deadly, and accessible game that prioritises atmosphere and narrative dread.
“Think less cosmic horror, more gothic tragedy with a dagger in its boot,” Fox explained in his announcement. He cites inspirations from classic literature by Ann Radcliffe and Edgar Allan Poe to the atmospheric dread of films like The VVitch and the music of Joy Division.
This project appears to be a distillation of Fox’s passion for the horror genre, aiming for a more personal and psychological experience than is often found in tabletop roleplaying. “This isn’t a story of bold heroes or cosmic annihilation,” he stated. “It’s about small, human-scale horror. It’s about guilt, obsession, compulsion, and the things we cling to even as they destroy us.”
Instead of the complex insanity mechanics one might expect, Nocturne will feature a system of “Dread,” where characters unravel gradually through compulsions and secrets. The game is designed as a framework rather than a fixed setting, allowing players to create their own haunted domains or adapt the rules for existing worlds, such as the classic Ravenloft. To facilitate this, a ready-to-play realm named Dunhallow is also in development.
Drawing comparisons to the streamlined mechanics of modern OSR hits like Shadowdark, Fox emphasised that Nocturne is “rules-light, vibe-heavy.” He aims to blend the clarity of old-school design with a modern d20 foundation to create a game that is easy to pick up for a single session but possesses enough depth for long-term campaigns.
After years of developing the intricate systems of Zweihänder and its associated products, this pivot represents a fascinating new chapter for the designer. “I’ve always loved horror, but most horror TTRPGs either get too clinical or too bloated,” Fox said. “I wanted something stripped down, where horror is personal, where the monsters reflect you, and where magic doesn’t feel safe or heroic.”
The game has reportedly been in development for some time, with over seven months of rigorous playtesting already completed. Fox’s in-person groups are said to be approaching the game’s level cap, suggesting that a public release may not be far off. For fans of Fox’s work and the burgeoning OSR scene, Nocturne promises a dark and compelling new way to experience horror at the gaming table.
