The Chair - A Modern & Minimalist Horror TTRPG

Creating your character

Read the game description above and think about short answers to the following: 1. What is your character's name? 2. What unique role do they play on the paranormal investigation team? Don't say camera operator — you have two of those already, and they're NPCs. 3. Do they really believe in this stuff, or are they grifting? Or both?

Preparing for the session

⬡ The game is designed so that players don't need to know the rules before they start. ⬡ There is nothing else you'll need to buy or sign up for. ⬡ Joining my Discord server is optional. If you'd like to, a free Discord account is all you need. ⬡ I run our calls on a paid Zoom plan. Zoom works in your web browser, but it runs best with the desktop client installed: https://zoom.us/download ⬡ I'll give you a login to my Foundry Virtual Tabletop, which runs in your web browser. Chrome or Edge recommended; Firefox and Safari can have issues.

What Dom Bosco brings to the table

¢ I don't do many voices. I don't expect you to either, but feel free to go hog wild. ¢ I'll provide regional maps, the occasional dungeon or battle map, and handouts. ¢ I play ambient music through Foundry VTT. You control the volume on your end and can mute it entirely if you like.

Homebrew rules

This "Indie TTRPG" is my adaptation of Penny Dreadful, a minimalist horror RPG played using only pennies. You don't need to have actual pennies to play the game! 🪙 The complete player-facing rules You have a character, but you don't have a character sheet. Your character has a name, a past they share with the other characters, and hopes for the future. As the story unfolds, you'll investigate and interrogate the world and interact with it in realistic ways. When you take an action, or linger in inaction, the Director may ask you to make a check or save by flipping pennies. 🪙 There is only one mechanic - Each player starts with one penny. - When the Director (your Game Master) asks for a check or save, they'll give you a Difficulty Score (DS) you need to meet or beat. - Then you flip all your pennies (in our case, by clicking a button in Foundry VTT). - Heads count as 1. Tails count as 0. - The DS varies, but it never exceeds 5. - If your heads meet or beat the DS, you succeed. - If you fail, you gain a penny. You flip all your pennies on every check or save from then on. - You can hold up to 10 pennies. 🪙 With 9 or fewer pennies, failing doesn't necessarily mean the action didn't work. It means doom came closer. - You break down the door, but the sound echoes… - You clear the gap, but you leave a scrap of fabric on the cliffside… 🪙 With 10 pennies, failing means it's the end for your character. They die, usually in a spectacularly horrific way. 🪙 Success on a check or save moves the players closer to their stated or implied goals.

How Dom Bosco creates a safe table

This is a horror-themed roleplaying game. Before we begin, I'll ask everyone to complete an anonymous Deck of Player Safety, a quick questionnaire in the form of cards. Use it to tell me about topics or images that would make the game unenjoyable for you, and I'll avoid them. The X Card, an anonymous flag to stop play at any time, will be available in Foundry VTT. Children may appear in the story, but they are never harmed or endangered in my games.