STRANGE
TIMES
What is Strange Times?
Strange Times is a setting agnostic investigative horror RPG. It combines the competency of detective narratives with the powerlessness of horror stories. Players will be taking on the role of those who became obsessed with learning about the dark forces hiding in their world--be they monsters, aliens, or ghosts. Every dive into the dark unknown will wear them down until they need to claw their way back into the light.
How Does It Work?
Strange Times uses a d100 Roll Low system. Characters will have Save, Traits, and Skills that they will use to overcome obstacles and keep themselves alive. Using a unique Pushing mechanic, Character will be able to use their Saves as a resource to pass Trait Rolls, but caution is needed. Saves, in addition to being the character's health, are an active measure of how much danger they are in. The lower Saves go, the worse the outcome of fail rolls.
Why Play Strange Times?
Strange Times offers a unique blend of mechanics that naturally progress through the arc of horror stories. Characters will begin every episode capable of overcoming almost any challenge, only for the stress and pressure of the underlying threat to wear them thin for the final confrontation where characters will need to risk everything to succeed.
In addition, Strange Times can take place in any setting and offers flexible systems that are easy and fun to alter, allowing for limitless imagination and creation. Perfect for making strange horrors and running modules from different systems in one game.
DOWNLOADS
STRANGE TIMES DEMO
Everything you need to get started playing Strange Times.
Inside the 100 page document, you will find:
- A introduction outlining the high concepts of Strange Times
- The complete rules of how to play with examples
- Detailed character creation process
- Advice for both players and GMs
- Setting creation guide
- Three pre-written modules ready to be ran
CHARACTER SHEET
The official character sheet of Strange Times
- Set places for all character attributes
- "Easy to read and play" layout
- Quick rules references printed on sheet
TRIFOLD MODULES
Big Experiences IN SMALL PACKAGES
GHOST OF MARS
Gale Martian Base - Near Future
Only 7 months after the Gale Martian Based was established, the facility went dark. No transmissions, no detected movement. The characters are now at the end of a 2 month journey through space to investigate exactly what happened. They have been tasked to find all survivors, but are warned that the last reports indicate a severe mass psychogenic illness broke out amongst the crew. It seemed the Gale team were convinced that a ghost was present.
Created by: Gavin Rubin
STIMULANT
Deep Space - 2385
The characters awake from cryo-sleep by an alert. A Priority 1 message was just received from the characters' employer: Cardis Insurance. A nearby space station was claimed to have been lost to an asteroid field; however, the station appears to be completely intact and life support systems remain online. The characters are tasked with boarding the station to determine the validity of the claim and removing any and all active threats.
Created by: Gavin Rubin | Art by: Kim Holm (Creative Commons)
HOUSE OF THE DEAD
Vermont - 1947
The characters are putting the finishing touches to their new investigation office when their is a knock at the door. A woman by the name of Velma Callahan is seeking help with a mystery involving her husbands murder. Not who did it; she admits that she is the culprit. The issue is that he is no longer dead. The characters will need to learn what strange magic has afflicted the man and discover the dark secret of the person responsible.
Created by: Gavin & Bojana Rubin | Art by: Kim Holm (Creative Commons)
THEY COME AT NIGHT
Vermont - Modern Day
The characters have been called upon by the wealthy and reclusive Gregory Micheal to stay at his remote log cabin for the weekend. He has seen something in the woods he describes as "a new species" and needs the characters help in tracking it down. Once the characters arrive, they will learn that Gregory has become ill and that their hunt will need to be delayed. However, it seems what they were looking for might have found them first.
Created by: Gavin Rubin | Art by: Abdurhafidh