Gods anD masters

Gods and Masters was my debut RPG setting, and definitely my most experimental work to date. It is set in the city of Dokaro, a city on the edges of civilization. Its wild and untamed people have just been brought to heel by a mighty imperial army, and they do not take it lying down. The city has exploded into a chaotic maelstrom between three unyielding factions: the mighty imperial army, a shadowy partisan force made up of the original inhabitants, and a bloodthirsty cult feeding off existing racial tensions in this fantasy universe.

In a Gods and Masters campaign, players pick a faction and do battle against the other two for control of the city. The choice of faction determines basically everything about your character, from gear, Edges, Hindrances, and even Arcane Backgrounds. A campaign in each faction feels like a radically different experience.

Writing adventures for this setting was tricky. Instead of planning adventures for a faction, I made adventures set against a specific faction and playable by the other two. No matter what faction you and your players pick, you’ll be able to play the majority of the included adventures.

In particular, I am proud of the magic system in this game. Each Arcane Background has benefits as well as costs, giving each approach to magic its own distinct function. One style or another can be far more powerful or weaker situationally. 

I am also very happy with the Dramatic Stealth system, which provides a way to run extended stealth sequences using Savage Worlds combat mechanics without making them much more complicated. It’s perfect for any game featuring infiltration or a sneaky escape, which is why you will see it developed further in some of my later work.

If Gods and Masters sounds up your alley, check it out here.