Locus is a bespoke, mystery/horror roleplay game with unique mechanics crafted entirely around horror. It is a game about flawed character, about exploring consequence and morality against a backdrop of very real, supernatural and monstrous danger. The game master assumes the position of a Director, who conducts their Cast (the players) in their tragic play of characters haunted by their own pasts and a scenario which aims to turn those haunts against them. The goal is two-fold - to unravel the mystery of the world, and then survive it.Game FeaturesLocus offers a number of unique features to facilitate the horror stories it is made to tell.Negative attributes - You do not decide how well your character might perform tasks. Instead, you score how badly they might do.Haunts - Every character comes with a Haunt. This is an event in their past that weighs upon them. This acts as the focus for the personal horror that character must confront.Custom made monsters - Locus includes the rules and a guide to create your own monsters to reflect each of the player characters, their fears and their failings.Item cards - Notable items are represented on cards the players can hold. However, they degrade with use, making each use a decision with consequences.Simple execution - The rules are designed to facilitate horror and provide meaningful decisions and cues for characters and Director while not getting in the way of the roleplaying experience.The DocumentsThe game is presented in two documents - a Director's Guide and a Player Guide. Potential players should ideally not read the Director's Guide, as it reveals many of the secrets they would be aiming to discover in play. The Player Guide covers what you can expect as a player, the rules, character creation and some guidance on roleplay, interacting with the world and how certain conflicts will play out mechanically. The Director's Guide contains all the tools needed to understand the lore of Locus and build and run your own game, guidance on working with players to get the most out of the personalised elements of your design including monsters tailor made to the player characters, and a full sample campaign. Both guides are included in the purchase and both are needed to play.
