Ruin & Requiem

Hello, everyone! If you've read today's update, you know that I've been obsessing over  Against the Darkmaster lately. For those of you unfamiliar with the game, it's a Rolemaster retroclone, streamlining its mechanics while preserving what made the game special. Rolemaster has a special place in my heart because it's definitely the game I played the most when I was in my teens, and one that I still play now and then because it's just brilliant (if you know which rules to keep and which ones to ignore, of course).

As those of you who have been part of this Patreon for a while know, I like to see if you guys agree with me working on new projects or not, especially when I'm not sure if it's a good idea. I spent most part of yesterday fleshing out both the setting and modified mechanics for a game based on Against the Darkmaster, a game that for now I'm calling Ruin & Requiem. Here's what I got so far:

• The world was a place of unparalleled beauty and harmony. The gods watched over it, and both celestial beings and humans lived in harmony.

• A cataclysm caused by something that the gods refuse to speak of tore the celestial planes, bringing them down upon the material plane and leaving the world fractured.

• The gods, now reduced to warring factions, struggle for dominance in this desolate realm. Their celestial energies have become tainted, and their powers have manifested in twisted, unpredictable ways. Mortals caught in the crossfire navigate a world of shifting allegiances and unfathomable dangers. Some seek to align with the warring gods for power, while others work to uncover the lost secrets that may hold the key to restoring the realm to its former glory.

Regions

• Once resplendent with celestial palaces and radiant gardens, the Shattered Heavens are now a jagged landscape of floating islands suspended amidst roiling tempests. The fragments of crumbling temples and ethereal bridges hint at the realm's former glory. Here, fallen deities vie for power amidst the ruins, their domains warped and twisted by their own internal conflicts.

• Once a beacon of divine light, the city of Maldorgia has now succumbed to a potent, necrotic plague that clings to its twisted spires and cobblestone streets. The aristocracy resides in decaying opulence, their vitality sustained by dark rituals, while the impoverished masses eke out a wretched existence in the shadowed alleys, their lives consumed by the creeping decay.

• Beyond the city's sprawling borders lies the foreboding expanse of Etherwood. This ancient forest has become a place of absolute danger. Malevolent spirits and vengeful entities haunt the twisted boughs and shadowed glades. Mysterious druidic cults have carved enclaves within the woods, seeking to harness the remnants of celestial power while communing with the tormented spirits.

In the game, you'll play as a human belonging to one of the different cults, and will set out to advance both your personal goals and those of your deity's. I've already worked out how the setting will alter the core mechanics found in Against the Darkmaster, things like not having fixed classes or different kin.

I actually went one step further and contacted the folks at Open Ended Games (the game's publisher) to discuss some stuff about their license. I'm supposed to have a chat with them this week. My original idea was to make this a setting book, but that would mean people would need to own Against the Darkmaster, and that might not be the best idea. It's a popular game, but that would really narrow my reach. So right now I'm leaning towards having the full rules included in the book.

But before I worry about any of that, I want to know your thoughts. Is this a good idea? Do you guys like the setting? Do you like Against the Darkmaster? Should I just focus on my already bloated game release schedule?