Francesca Viganò
As always, before diving into the actual review I would like to thank the publisher, Mana Project Studio, for sending us a physical copy of the deluxe edition of their new tabletop RPG: Elder Mythos.
The game has completed its crowdfunding campaign and is available on the publisher’s store for 49.90 €. On the same website, you can also find the dedicated dice set for 19.90 € and the deluxe edition for 99.90 €.
Let’s take a look at what’s inside the deluxe edition box:
- The Core Manual
- The Eldritch Master Screen
- A Deck of Entity and Resource Cards
- A set of 9 six-sided dice
- A set of Scenario Maps
In short, this is a good number of high-quality products that guarantee a truly immersive experience. Personally, I hope to see a set of themed dice created for each Entity in the game.
Safety Systems? Yes, Please.
Elder Mythos is a cosmic horror roleplaying game that blurs the lines between the real world and the supernatural. As you can imagine, it addresses themes that may be disturbing and problematic for some individuals. I therefore find it particularly important that, after the first few introductory pages, the game manual clearly explains the safety systems that can be applied at the table.
The types proposed are the best known and perhaps most widely used in the world of roleplaying games. We are talking about Lines and Veils (first conceived by game designer Ron Edwards) and the X card (invented by John Stavropoulos). The manual also lists some of the potentially sensitive issues touched upon in the game, so that everyone who approaches it is aware of them.
Playing a Lovecraftian Entity
Let’s face it, who hasn’t wanted to play a Lovecraftian Entity at least once in a roleplaying game? Elder Mythos shifts the focus of cosmic horror to the divine entities that live beyond time and space. As we know, these are abominable and terrifying creatures that should not even be named.
Players will choose one of the 12 available Entities to bring destruction and chaos, facing threats posed by other Entities and the Eldritch Master (the name given to the narrator) in an attempt to be the first to destroy the world.
Each player plays an Entity, pulling the strings of the narrative like a puppeteer, but seldom directly entering the fray. During the narrative, Entities act by exploiting their powers, manifestations, and unmentionable resources. Among them are adepts, nightmare creatures, and terrifying ministers, all striving to achieve the Scenario’s objectives before the other Entities.
The Entity and Its Character Sheet
The game offers a total of 12 Entities to play. Each one has four characteristics: Fear, Madness, Dream and Violence. Each Entity can distribute 4 points among the characteristics, considering that each of them can have a minimum score of 0 and a maximum of 4. All Entities have modifiers to the value of a characteristic depending on its behavior in the material world.
Each Entity has three Traits that define its identity, abilities and narrative archetype within the shared story at the table. During a test, an Entity can declare one of its traits and, if it is relevant to the narrative, add one die to its reserve.
Each Entity has a Special Power that influences the game mechanics. These powers can be written down on the card, or if you have the deluxe edition, they can be found on the power cards included in the box. Entities also have Manifestations, which describe how they act in the world. These elements should also be written on the card. Finally, each entity has three types of unspeakable resources: Cults, Creatures and Ministers. These are used to operate more effectively in the material world.
The Rules of the Game
Elder Mythos has streamlined, intuitive rules that draw heavily on the Year Zero Engine. Firstly, dice are only rolled to determine the outcome of uncertain actions. In all other cases, the game is simply a conversation between those at the table.
When determining the outcome of an action, the Entity rolls several dice equal to the value of the relevant characteristic, plus one die if a Trait is used, plus any bonuses or penalties, and the degree of the unnameable resource introduced. It is important to note that each entity only rolls its own dice, as does the Eldritch Master. Therefore, dice cannot be lent to others. This fundamental rule ensures that, even if the pool allows more dice to be rolled than are available, only those in the Entity’s possession can be used.
To succeed, the Entity must roll at least a 6; if it rolls higher than this, it achieves catastrophic success and gains a Scheme Point. This implies extraordinary success and side effects. If the Entity does not roll any 6s, however, it fails, and a complication will come into play.
Scenarios and Campaigns
Each session of Elder Mythos is called a ‘Scenario’. Each Scenario consists of a description, a map divided into points of interest and several objectives. The points of interest and objectives are accompanied by brief descriptions to help the Entities decide how to take control of them. Once an objective has been acquired, it cannot be conquered by others. In purely mechanical terms, a Scenario is divided into rounds, during which each entity can take a turn.
To determine the order in which entities act, an initiative is drawn from the ten initiative cards. The entity with the lowest number acts first, and a new initiative card is drawn at the start of each round. During their turn, an entity may declare an objective, use a power or acquire their objective.
The Entity that acquires a objective in the scenario earns some Scheme Points. When all objectives have been acquired, the scenario ends, and the Entity with the most Scheme Points wins.
At the end of each Scenario, Entities earn a certain number of Dominion Points based on their ranking in relation to the objectives. The winning Entity earns 3 Dominion Points, the losing Entity earns 1 Dominion Point, and all others earn 2 Dominion Points. If you decide to continue playing, in the next Scenario, the winner can use a tactical advantage, i.e. a unique Power or Resource.
The Eldritch Master, the Narrator of Elder Mythos
In my opinion, the Eldritch Master‘s task in Elder Mythos is not an easy one. As with all horror games, it requires a keen eye on the table and the themes addressed during the Scenario. They dynamically manage and narrate the events, interpreting the resources and directing the conversation.
They must also improvise based on the information provided by the scenario itself. Moreover they must complicate matters by making it more difficult for the entities that are winning to help those that are losing.
The narrator has a dedicated chapter that explains and details the resources and how they can be used.
The same chapter summarizes the objectives of the Eldritch Master: to mediate narrative agency, to suggest details, atmospheres, and possible plot developments if the players are lacking inspiration, to pull the strings of the game and to enforce the rules.
Review of Elder Mythos Aesthetics
First and foremost, Elder Mythos is a product with a very well-defined and instantly recognisable graphic concept. The hardback cover is solid and impressive, and the box containing the deluxe edition is of high quality. It is not only sturdy, but also collects and houses the materials in an aesthetically pleasing way.
The paper is thick and pleasant to the touch. However, I had to separate some of the pages that were slightly stuck together to leaf through the manual. Fortunately, this was possible thanks to the paper’s quality and the product’s robustness. The white print on black pages is easy on the eyes thanks to the highly legible font and the single-column layout. This proves to be a winning combination in the A5 format chosen for the product.
The illustrations are spectacular, thanks to the large team of artists who participated in the project. Each image is part of a larger design, with each glyph punctuating to emphasise rather than fill.
But let’s return to the cover, which, despite its apparent simplicity, offers a trompe l’oeil-like glimpse of a white sky surrounded by figures mingling in an iridescent tangle, reminiscent of Mantegna’s frescoed ceilings. The visual impact is clear, as is the effect. In short, it is a marvellous yet unsettling way to present the manual’s contents.
Conclusions of the Elder Mythos Review
In conclusion of this review, I can honestly say that Elder Mythos is worth the money. Regardless of whether you are a fan of H. P. Lovecraft’s work or not, the effort and quality that has gone into this product are undeniable, shining through in both the big picture and the small details.
The game mechanics are extremely simple and can be learned in less than half an hour, but this is not a game for everyone. Beyond the themes addressed, some design choices lean more towards board games than towards classic roleplaying games. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, but (without the right group) there is a risk that the narrative tension will be lost in a purely strategic boardgame.
However, if you love Lovecraftian imagery and have always dreamed of being a Great Old One for an evening, then Elder Mythos is definitely for you!
