An RPG gamer becomes a successful artist and turns his talents to create the RPG he dreams about. Gods the Roleplaying Game, slated for a May 2020 release, is dark fantasy brought to life through rules, setting, art, and story as first envisioned by artist and writer Bastien Lecouffe DeHarme. This interview details his journey. Gods RPG, set for release in May 2020, turns a dream of a ten year longing to create his own RPG and world into reality. Bastien Deharme, an artist known for work on Magic the Gathering and novel covers for authors such as Philip K. Dick, Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft, and Frank Herbert, brings a vision formed by decades of RPG play, artistry, and writing to life. Gods encourages mature dark fantasy roleplay with dangerous battles, exploration of a wild land, conflict between opposing beliefs, and a search for lost gods and hidden magic.
Bastien shares stories. As a storyteller, he discovered that some stories are better told visually and others are better when written. He switches between both mediums while working and even has workspace dedicated to both. In the art below, Bastien painted a queen with an eye patch and surrounded by ravens. After the art was completed, he needed to write about how the queen lost an eye and why the dark birds flock around her. Bastien both wrote and illustrated the French graphic novel Memories of Retrocity.
I asked Bastien why D&D players might want to try Gods. He said that he has all the D&D 5E books and enjoys the game for a full high fantasy experience. Gods will be a gritty human-centric world with more dangerous combat and a built in theme of thinking deeply about the setting and its myths. It is simply a different experience, dark fantasy versus high fantasy, when one wants a change of pace from D&D.
In Gods, PCs must act now. Different game modes allow for different starting power, but regardless the world changes and the characters are embroiled in turmoil and challenges. Chosen Ones, the PCs, are exceptional men and women called by the Old Gods, each one armed with a Shard, a divine magic item. Whether the best blacksmith in a small village, a shaman, a thief, merchant, or escaped slave or gladiator, the PCs are answering a call to adventure.
In Bastien’s own campaign, the PCs slowly discovered their Shards and started to unravel the mysteries of the Old Gods. Whether this form of uncovering mystery makes it into the final version or something else replaces it, Gods is being formed not only through art and writing but also through playtesting and actual play. Gods has become a fusion of art and RPG play.
Native to France, Bastien now lives in Ohio. Arkhane Asylum Publishing, a French publisher, is developing Gods and other French writers are adding to the game. Bastien is a professor and his students in Ohio wanted to experience the RPG he was developing. Therefore, Bastien made the decision to publish first in English, with a French version to quickly follow. He eagerly looks forward to taking his students on a journey through the RPG world he imagined and is now a part of helping to bring to life.
Bastien is doing what many roleplayers dream of: developing a world and sharing it with others as an RPG. Gods will benefit from his amazing art along with the work of many other talented artists. If you find Bastien’s art beautiful and compelling it is very likely you will find his upcoming RPG equally fascinating and the accompanying world a wondrous place to explore.
This article was contributed by Charles Dunwoody as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. Please note that Charles is a participant in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to DriveThruRPG. If you enjoy the daily news and articles from EN World, please consider contributing to our Patreon!
Bastien shares stories. As a storyteller, he discovered that some stories are better told visually and others are better when written. He switches between both mediums while working and even has workspace dedicated to both. In the art below, Bastien painted a queen with an eye patch and surrounded by ravens. After the art was completed, he needed to write about how the queen lost an eye and why the dark birds flock around her. Bastien both wrote and illustrated the French graphic novel Memories of Retrocity.
I asked Bastien why D&D players might want to try Gods. He said that he has all the D&D 5E books and enjoys the game for a full high fantasy experience. Gods will be a gritty human-centric world with more dangerous combat and a built in theme of thinking deeply about the setting and its myths. It is simply a different experience, dark fantasy versus high fantasy, when one wants a change of pace from D&D.
In Gods, PCs must act now. Different game modes allow for different starting power, but regardless the world changes and the characters are embroiled in turmoil and challenges. Chosen Ones, the PCs, are exceptional men and women called by the Old Gods, each one armed with a Shard, a divine magic item. Whether the best blacksmith in a small village, a shaman, a thief, merchant, or escaped slave or gladiator, the PCs are answering a call to adventure.
In Bastien’s own campaign, the PCs slowly discovered their Shards and started to unravel the mysteries of the Old Gods. Whether this form of uncovering mystery makes it into the final version or something else replaces it, Gods is being formed not only through art and writing but also through playtesting and actual play. Gods has become a fusion of art and RPG play.
Native to France, Bastien now lives in Ohio. Arkhane Asylum Publishing, a French publisher, is developing Gods and other French writers are adding to the game. Bastien is a professor and his students in Ohio wanted to experience the RPG he was developing. Therefore, Bastien made the decision to publish first in English, with a French version to quickly follow. He eagerly looks forward to taking his students on a journey through the RPG world he imagined and is now a part of helping to bring to life.
Bastien is doing what many roleplayers dream of: developing a world and sharing it with others as an RPG. Gods will benefit from his amazing art along with the work of many other talented artists. If you find Bastien’s art beautiful and compelling it is very likely you will find his upcoming RPG equally fascinating and the accompanying world a wondrous place to explore.
This article was contributed by Charles Dunwoody as part of EN World's Columnist (ENWC) program. Please note that Charles is a participant in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to DriveThruRPG. If you enjoy the daily news and articles from EN World, please consider contributing to our Patreon!
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