Theme Reveal for April

Approximate time to read: 2 minutes.   

I missed the Theme Reveal day for the A-to-Z Challenge, which was Monday, 20th March. However, I can easily make up for that right now; although, it feels like stating the theme puts a whole fresh layer of pressure on me.

Oddly enough, you can probably guess that the core theme of my posts in April will be around Symbaroum. The Iron Pact serves as a outlet for my thoughts and creative meanderings on this dark fantasy role playing game from the Jarnringen team.

Perhaps I can excuse myself from missing the Theme Reveal because I got distracted over the launch of the new Kickstarter for Episode 2 in the Chronicle of the Throne of Thorns, Karvosti – The Witch Hammer. Carrying us into the outskirts of Davokar into the heart of barbarian territory, the adventure continues from Thistle Hold – The Wrath of the Warden.

Effectively, as the adventure unfolds, so does the setting – as each book takes the characters and events further afield, mapping out new terrain and revealing new secrets. And, as the setting unfolds, so does the system, with new abilities, traits, mystical powers, creatures, and more.

If you have tried Symbaroum already, this will take you to the next stage. If you haven’t, the Kickstarter offers pledge levels that will bring you up to date.

And, in a way, my Theme Reveal ties into the idea of the Chronicle of the Throne of Thorns; the expansion of the Symbaroum world, replete with new information, new ideas, more adventures, and expansions of in-game material.

Mine were an old people, and were old even when this land was settled… before. And they were strange, because they had come as dark furtive folk from distant climes, and spoke another tongue… And now they were scattered, and shared only the rituals of mysteries that none living could understand.

My challenge for April will be to post each day upon Symbaroum and the Mythos.

Yes, Cthulhu really does get everywhere.

Given I have a vested interested in writing about matters of Howard Lovecraft’s creation in The Cthulhu Hack, it seemed like an interesting proposition to consider how that might apply in the already dark setting of Symbaroum. It seemed like the perfect fit and will dwell upon ideas, places, creatures and other creations that straddle the two worlds.

I hope that newcomers and old hands alike will follow me in this endeavour, even those who might mutter that they’re sick of Cthulhu. As with The Haunter of the Dark, for the Hack, I aim to come afresh upon Lovecraft’s material and not simply retread old tropes and themes.

Return a week on Saturday – April Fools’ Day – for the first installment.