BLACK VOID: FREE Quickstart - PDF

The popular and critically acclaimed BLACK VOID role-playing game launched in 2019. This free quickstart presents the essential rules and content enabling you to play the game.

Combined with the free downloadable adventure: THE FLIGHT FROM SALVATION SQUARE you are ready to embark upon your first BLACK VOID adventure immediately. 

THE QUICKSTART

• The basic character-building system
• An introduction to the dynamic and easy-to-use D12 rules system
• Selected manoeuvres to run enticing combat encounters
• Rudimentary Blood ritual mechanics
• Weapons and armour sample lists
• Basic Arbiter’s guide including abridged Fear, Madness, Injury tables and more...

SETTING

In the days when Babylon was the greatest city on Earth, humankind lived in placid ignorance of the grandeur, vastness and horror of the Cosmos. Following cataclysmic events on Earth, the fragile Veil between reality and the Void was shattered, and the truth of existence was revealed. As mankind cried to their Gods for salvation, they were torn from Earth by Void torrents and the surviving peoples were scattered among the stars. Countless were lost, and mankind seemed all but perished. 

Over the decades the lone survivors, stragglers and ragged remnants of humankind’s tribes struggled for survival across countless uncaring worlds. However, a few managed to go beyond mere subsistence and travelled the Void currents to find fabled Llyhn, the epicentre of the Cosmos. The survivors congregated and created enclaves within the Eternal City - small communities where mankind could survive and start to rebuild all which was lost. 

You are descendants of the survivors from Earth, the lost cradle of humanity. Llyhn is your home now. Swarming with outlandish life forms, eccentric Daimons and fickle demigods; it is a swelling cosmopolis of intrigue, wonder, treachery, corruption, beauty, decadence and eldritch menace.

Behind you lie the smouldering ruins of a once-great species trying to reclaim former glory, before you the mysteries of Llyhn and a vast treacherous Cosmos… For humankind, survival is only the beginning! 

SYSTEM

BLACK VOID uses an original ruleset. “Simplicity grants diversity” is the primary maxim behind the Black Void RPG system. The mechanics are based on a few basic principles, making the rules easy to grasp and implement, which in the end gives more time for the fun bit, namely playing the game. 

D12 BASED RULES SYSTEM: Actions are resolved by a single roll using a twelve-sided dice to determine their success or failure. Actions have a difficulty rating, which is the value the dice-roll must equal or exceed for the action to be successful. Rolls are modified by adding Trait, ability and conditional modifiers. 

A key feature is that actions can be associated with differing Traits and skills - enabling players to adopt their individual style depending on circumstances or personal preference. 

EASY AND FLEXIBLE CHARACTER CREATION: The character creation rules allow you to “build” a character in simple steps where points are allocated to determine the features, strengths and weaknesses of the character. The quickstart features an abbreviated version comprising Traits, Talents, Backgrounds, Attributes, Powers and Skills. 

TACTICAL FAST-PACED COMBAT SYSTEM: Based on a strategic application of manoeuvres; combat is designed to be simple yet dramatic, exciting and unpredictable. Ultimately compelling combatants to adapt tactics and thinking creatively to gain the upper hand. 

NONLINEAR AND VERSATILE CHARACTER PROGRESSION: As characters progress in the game, they advance and develop their abilities. Players can select skills and abilities freely from a vast variety of options without limitations from career or class choices. 

ASCENSION AND INFLUENCE: Two main factors in the game are Enlightenment and Wastah with each element significantly impacting the game. Enlightenment grant characters the ability to traverse the Void as well as extraordinary powers and abilities while Wastah confers tangible and vital sway, authority and social influence with other sentient species. Aspects that are essential as humanity’s – and the character’s - very existence is threatened. 

POWERS: The quickstart features a simplified version of Blood Rituals. Bloodletting, which enables the characters to gain boons and fortunes that have a direct impact on the player characters, e.g. they can increase a physical trait by one once utilized in action or gain +1 to all actions rolls for the duration of the boon. Sacrificial divination allows characters to discern the unknown and obtain omens that may guide their paths as they explore the vast Cosmos or the dark corners of the Eternal City.  

TESTIMONIALS AND REVIEWS

"Black Void is a fantastically dark RPG with a unique twist on the genre. As a huge fan of dark fantasy, I find myself continually drawn to the easy-play nature of this game which makes it a great game to introduce beginners to."- Will Jones, encounterroleplay

"[I] can see not only is this a labour of love for you, but what a massive effort you have put into this - it is amazing!!" - Mark, the Dicemen Cometh

“««««« Genuinely unique fantasy setting - Black Void is an a beautifully realized rpg setting and perfectly workable ruleset. The art is high quality and the book is laid out in a way that makes sense.” – amazon.com user review. 

“Black  Void by Black Void Games is a great fantasy game, which any fan of Planescape, Lovecraft or esoteric fantasies should check out. The setting is marvellous, and the game is really interesting and, in many ways, a fresh approach to the fantasy genre. This is a must-have for anyone interested in Scandinavian roleplaying games.” – #3 in YAWNING PORTAL TOP 5 RPG’s OF 2019 

“At first glance, Black Void has all the recognizable elements from other popular RPG systems, yet it feels unique in its own right. It starts in middle-east Bronze Age and ends up in an alien world between realities, and that’s just the intro to the setting! It got me hooked and wanting more, and as I read through the book, more and more adventure and campaign ideas popped into my head!” – GRAVITY BITS REVIEW 

“I can confirm that Black Void is a really rad setting. Character creation was easy to understand but interesting. The setting is wild.” – J. Smith, on Twitter 

“…my author spotted a copy of […] Black Void book. That thing’s criminally beautiful. If you love beautiful RP books: Check it out!” – TalespinnerEU, Twitter 

“I recently discovered Black Void at a retailer, and man I’m sorry I missed the KS. I cannot wait to run a game! This is my kind of surreal dark fantasy, like if Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard published their take on Planescape.” – S. Seibert, Twitter 

“««««« Deep game with simple mechanics. […] Have a go at this wonderfully illustrated and written game!” – L. Haught, Modiphius.net review 

“«««« I feel like the system is solid, if a little fiddly at times with the charts and tables, and the fluff is well-written, if a little maudlin. Best of all, I finally get the Clark Ashton Smith roleplaying game I’ve always wanted: Wooden galleys with shadowy oarsmen sailing to distant, dying stars; magicians consorting with alien seers in incense-filled cyclopean temples; a vast galaxy that contains plenty of chances for madness and death, but opportunities for wonder as well; and a flavour of Fantasy that, while not entirely unique to RPGs, is seldom seen and which provides a refreshing newness to the hobby.” James S., drivethruPRG purchaser

“«««« I saw the art on this book and had to check it out. After the read I wasn't disappointed with my purchase. The setting is reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons' Planescape, with a slightly more horror bent. It is unique among most fantasy settings in that it has a more Middle Eastern/Sumerian vibe to it than general West European. The writing is solid, and the art is top notch.” – Jess D, drivethruPRG purchaser