Before the Worms is a game about a group of regular people who have seen a horror they could not turn away from. It's a game about the choices and sacrifices they will make to fight against that vicious, relentless evil. The Worms are semi-physical parasites that feed on human suffering. They don't possess us or control us, they simply encourage us, offering power to the worst of humanity. Those who give themselves over entirely are called the Hollowed. They are everywhere. Holding the levers of power. Infiltrating systems and institutions, turning them towards misery. Most people don't see them for what they are. Most of the time, they seem perfectly normal. Until they don't. Until you've seen the Worms. The game is designed to be played in short "seasons" of 5-10 sessions, focusing on a single infestation of Worms and the terrible choices the PCs make as they attempt to burn it out. The bleak setting of the game provides a stark backdrop meant to snap characters into stark focus. It is an engine meant to drive PCs to make difficult, painful decisions. Though you may achieve a victory over the Worms, it will cost you dearly. The story of those choices and that cost: of what you cling to, what you lose, and how it changes you, is the substance and spine of the game. Before the Worms is a 76-page book that provides: A complete, concise horror system for both group and solo play that focuses on character, cost, and connection. The system is diceless, using a standard deck of playing cards to give intuitive probabilities. Card-draw inspiration tables for character creation and relationships, as well as prompts for creating infestations and framing downtime vignettes. A simple procedure for uncovering and resisting the infestations of the Worms their networks of power and exploitation, and the threats they pose. Guidance for setting stakes, framing scenes, and letting more complex and emotional themes unfold over time. Guidance for creating your own infestations, prepping sessions, and tracking the process of uncovering and fighting the Worms using a flexible yet powerful node-based design to map connections. A ready-to-use example infestation. An extended example of play.
