Gehenna Gaming is excited to announce Eldritch Automata, an action horror tabletop roleplaying game, is coming soon to Kickstarter. Inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion, Pacific Rim, Godzilla, Escaflowne, Alien, Pandorum, and other science fiction, psychological horror, and anime media, Eldritch Automata is an original IP tabletop RPG developed using the Year Zero Engine Open Gaming License, as provided by Fria Ligan AB, with original rules, lore, and setting from Gehenna Gaming.
With additional writing from Chris Handley (Wrath and Glory, Age of Sigmar: Soulbound), Ave “Calamity” Kaye (Dark Hopes, Tyler’s Castle), DeAngelo Murillo (Emerald Templars), Erykah Fassett (Scion: Demigod, Trinity Continuum: Adventure!, Vampire: The Masquerade Companion), Michelle Y. Kim (Pathfinder: Divine Mysteries), Josh Domanski (Liminal Horror: The Bureau, Assault on the Spire), Lucia Versprille (Islands of Sina Una), Conri Purcell (Scarred Lands: Dead Man’s Rust), and more, the game is intended for release in Q3 2024, with a crowdfunding campaign launched in January 2024. The core rulebook will consist of 300-400 pages, with plans to develop a science fiction novel and accessories, and incorporates themes of psychological, religious, science fiction, and cosmic horror with a focus on character and player experiences and roleplaying combined with “mecha” combat.
“Eldritch Automata has been in the works for the last few years behind the scenes, with creative collaboration between Ian and me regarding the setting, rules, and scope of the game. I’m thrilled to finally reveal the fruits of our labor to the world and can’t wait for backers to experience this game line,” says Nicholas Francia, creator of Eldritch Automata and Creative Director of Gehenna Gaming.
“I am incredibly proud of the work that has gone into Eldritch Automata so far,” says Ian E. Muller, CEO of Gehenna Gaming. “Nick’s vision for this game is astonishing, and I believe fans of not just horror games but TTRPGs as a whole will love it. What we’re working on here hasn’t been seen before, system-wise, but is still incredibly easy to pick up, learn, and play.”
The world of Eldritch Automata is filled with unspeakable horrors, from the eldritch abominations known as the Horrors to the angelic nightmares known as the Seraphs. These creatures are a constant threat to the characters’ survival, and they will need to use all of their skills and wits to avoid or defeat them. Piloting, or “riding,” an Automata, a massive and uncontrollable entity, is their only chance at survival, but a constant source of stress and danger. As the riders use these machines to fight against the Horrors and Seraphs, they must confront their own fears and demons. Their stability will be constantly tested, and if they fail, they may find themselves lost to violence and wrath.
In the end, the biggest enemy players will face in Eldritch Automata is themselves. Can you maintain your morale in a world that is constantly trying to tear it away? Can you navigate the treacherous waters of a brave new world and survive the horrors that lurk around every corner? The answers to these questions are up to you. Welcome to Eldritch Automata, a nightmarish future where the only chance for survival is to trust the unknowable.
- Explore an innovative new take on the Year Zero system with new mechanics and dual character archetypes for both riders and automatas.
- Discover a world broken by an apocalyptic event and held together by the best of humanity and the hope of fighting back.
- Explore personal and existential demons with an in-depth stability and character relationship system.
- Survive as humans or take to battle in towering mechs capable of world-shattering combat.
Attendees of PAX Unplugged 2023 this weekend in Philadelphia, PA, can preview Eldritch Automata at the Gehenna Gaming game room while table space is available.
Images via Gehenna Gaming