Talebones Teaser
“In these parts, there are the villages, and there’s ‘the rest’. The villages are communities of Grassfolk, Folk, and Treefolk respectively. Grassfolk a group of people of which the tallest are barely as tall as a folk child, while Treefolk children, tower most but the tallest folk adults. Beyond these superficial groupings, no one folk is unified in appearance or form. The world seems to have made a cruel joke out of making each and every person unique in appearance, temper, and form.
‘The rest’ is not a good place to be. The wilds between villages are untamed. So for centuries, haunted by monsters, beasts, and ‘the rest’, only the most fool hearty take it upon themselves to travel between communes. And fools die a quick death.”
Inspired by Communal Storytelling
Talebones focuses on telling a story with the other players at your table. The backstory of your character is your own. But revealing and building on it is on the group to work together.
Talebones: When a character dies, they have the option to return to life by fracturing a Talebone. This causes part of their history to "leak" into public consciousness and tales. From now on the character will be known by an additional Epithet, usually leading to conflict.
Resting: When resting a character can only regain bodily health to a point. Flesh wounds take time to heal, bones take time to set. Should the need for a fast recovery arise the character may share a story about a person or place special to them with the others. The release of this secret or history accelerates the healing; so long as the secret hasn't been known already.
Inspired by great TTRPGs
We all play and enjoy so many TTRPGs. So obviously the experience with them influences our future projects.
Dungeon & Dragons
Call of Cuthulhu
ICON
Cloud Empress
Monsterhearts
Vaesen
The Arcane Arcade Fallout TTRPG
Source: Raven's Blood Studio
Inspired by Fromsoftware games
The game design, worldbuilding and general vibe of Fromsoftware's Souls-games is defining the creation process of Talebones in many ways, emphasising the freedom of players to play anything and any combination of "build" options, to fully express themselves.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice inspires the combat system to be fast paced and centered around breaking Poise of enemies to execute them.
Bloodborn supplies a modern retelling of the eldritch horror genre. (Good vibes)
Inspired by Myth, Folktales and Legend
Tales and stories always have been told and shared by humans. Talebones pulls on these threads of established folklore and myth to craft a surreal and mystical setting, and gameplay experience that focuses on what humans don't know, but what they still speak of in legend.
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