This week is my first dip into the weird and wild pool of indie RPGS!

First, a bit of context. These are games that are designed by one person, or a small collective. They’re usually self-published in short runs and make an effort to explore styles of play and subject manner outside of the traditional genre-based RPGs that have dominated the industry since the beginning. They tend toward the narrative side of things, encouraging collaboration, atmosphere and storytelling over stats and number crunching (they are generally referred to as story games). Finally, unusual mechanics abound: when you’re reading about indie RPGs, expect things like dice, game masters or even a table to sit around to be unnecessary for play.

Let’s dig into that last bit and look at the Lovecraftian horror game De Profundis, by Michal Oracz (fun fact: he also contributed to the board game Neuroshima). Originally released in 2001 by Hogshead Publishing, this is the 2010 reprint by Cubicle 7.

There is no game master in De Profundis, no combat rules, no dice, no stats. The rules are minimal – most of the book is advice on structure and atmosphere. The game requires two or more players to write each other letters (or emails, or blog posts), mimicking the epistolary style of Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in the Darkness” to create a horror narrative revealed by reading. Players control all aspects of the action and mystery by writing. As such, the game is almost entirely freeform and improvisational.

I have never played De Profundis, despite very much wanting to – writing for a living makes writing not the most ideal leisure pursuit. Still, despite the game’s perhaps limited appeal, it is noteworthy for completely reinventing roleplaying for an entirely new form.