R. Talsorian Games (Cyberpunk RED, The Witcher TTRPG) announced today that the Shadow Scar Starter Set, the first release of their brand new game and IP Shadow Scar, will make its debut next week at Gen Con 2024! Earlier this year, fans got a peek into the game with the Free RPG Day release of Shadow Scar – Eyes in the Darkness. The Starter Set will allows fans to get a true full look before the upcoming release of the Core Rulebook arriving at PAX Unplugged 2024. The new game is described as a “labor of love” by Cody Pondsmith, taking influences from both anime and video games he found inspiration in to bring together the game he has always dreamed to make
The story so far from the publisher:
Once there was a world called Nakatsukuni, a peaceful land created by the Kotoamatsukami, the First Great Spirits of the Land.
This lush paradise was home not only to humans but to magical spirits called Kami as well as fantastical creatures called Yokai. But as it so often does, tragedy came to Nakatsukuni. The Great Mother Spirit Izanami perished giving birth to the Spirit of Fire. Blinded by grief, Izanami’s husband, Izanagi, traveled to Yomi No Kuni, the Afterlife, to retrieve her spirit – but he was too late.
Izanami had already been claimed by the Afterlife and she could only return with the permission of the Ruler of the Dead. But the Ruler of the Dead had other plans. They deceived Izanagi and corrupted Izanami, transforming her into a monstrous shadow of her former self. Izanami swore that she would return one day to destroy all that lived and unfortunately she made good on her promise millennia later.
The next century was one of near constant war in which the forces of life itself fought against the corrupt power of the Afterlife. Millions died and Nakatsukuni was nearly destroyed. In the end, the Kami resorted to their riskiest scheme: to wound Izanami and banish her into the void. And so, in the midst of the Final Siege of Kyoto, Izanagi battled his fallen wife for the last time and cast her into the void through a Shadow Scar.
Now, we come to present day, and the unfortunate circumstances of that banishment. As she was banished, Izanami and all of her minions were scattered throughout the Mosiac, a web of worlds interconnected by an unknown force.
To combat the consequences of their plan, the Kami created the Shadow Scar Agency from the Six Great Clans of Shadow to deploy across the Mosiac and bring an end to the Yokai threat. This is the Veil War, and it rages still today. And this is where you come in…
Decades ago, a war between gods spilled out across the many worlds of the Mosaic! Terrible monsters called yokai found their way into the countless dimensions, preying on the unsuspecting natives from the shadows. To counteract this monstrous threat the Shadow Scar Agency was created. This organization of secret agents, trained in the ancient arts of Ninjutsu, scour the multiverse to find the yokai and put a stop to their vile plans.
The Shadow Scar Starter Set is meant to act as an introduction to the many worlds of a Mosaic and includes:
- One booklet full of lore on the worlds and factions of Shadow Scar.
- One booklet with all the essential rules needed to play right out of the box.
- One booklet containing the 50 page “Mask of the Green Demon” adventure.
- Six customizable characters.
- A set of Shadow Scar-themed dice
- Maps and tokens to help bring the world of Shadow Scar to life!
The Shadow Scar Starter Set will have physical copies available first at Gen Con 2024 before anywhere else, giving people a chance to pick up the very first copies straight from Booth #249 in the Exhibit Hall.
Shadow Scar – Eyes in the Darkness
Utilizing the new Mosaic system, “Eyes in the Darkness” gives players the first taste of Shadow Scar and what’s to come.
- A glimpse into the deep lore of the Shadow Scar Agency, the Six Great Clans, and the worlds of the Mosaic.
- The basic rules for the game, designed for easy pick up and immediate play.
- Six pregenerated characters, all bearing their own unique skills from each of the Six Great Clans and representing multiple worlds of the Mosaic.
- The included mission ‘Eyes in the Darkness’ which sets you on the search for a powerful smuggler known as the “Green Demon” through multiple worlds.
“Eyes in the Darkness” is now currently available for all to download for free over on DriveThruRPG, providing a taste of things to come at Gen Con. It isn’t alone however, as Syrinscape prepared and released a free Shadow Scar SoundSet just for “Eyes in the Darkness”.
Images via R. Talsorian Games
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