Accursed is a dark fantasy tabletop roleplay setting for Savage Worlds. The gist of the setting is that Hellboy meets Ravenloft. Player characters are all versions of classic monsters, from the Vargr (werewolves) to the Golems (Frankenstein's monster) struggling to free the land of Morden from the vile influence of the evil Witches.

Melior Via will be publishing Accursed, which is developed by Ross Watson (best known for the Warhammer 40K RPG line), Jason Marker (best known for his work on the Robotech RPG line) and myself. It's a real rush to work on a product like this with people as talented and professional as Jason and Ross.

Please take the time to visit the Accursed blog site for more information to come! We'll be updating several times each week. Today's posting covers the Order of the Penitent, a group devoted to cleansing the souls of the Accursed so that they might some day achieve redemption.

www.accursedrpg.com

A new blog post has just released discussing the Witchmarks that transform a mortal into one of the Accursed.
http://www.accursedrpg.com/2013/06/on-witchmarks.html

Today's blog post discusses the Dhampir Witchbreed.
The Dhampir

Today's blog post presents the nation of Manreaia, jewel of Morden, as the place which best survived the war against the Witches.
Manreia

Today's post presents Baba Yaga, one of the Witches who led the attack upon Morden and created the Accursed.
Baba Yaga

In today's blog update information is revealed about the Outlands, which were the first sections of Morden to fall prey to the Witches' armies.
The Outlands

Today's blog update reveals information about the Betrayal. It was the turning point that ended the war against the Witches.

The Betrayal

In other news, the Accursed team has committed to working on one of the Stretch Goals for the Shaintar: Legends Unleashed Kickstarter. This project, from Evil Beagle Games, in conjunction with Savage Mojo, presents an Epic High Fantasy game setting for Savage Worlds. Sean Patrick Fannon has spent decades developing a great setting, that offers plenty of depth and action. With its broad range of expansion to the Savage Worlds game system, its a great setting to play in or to crib rules from.

Link to the Kickstarter:
Shaintar: Legends Unleashed

In today's blog post, we present the background information about the Mongrel Witchbreed. These poor souls are victims of the Chimera's depravities.
Mongrels

With this morning's blog post, Ross presents more information about the nature of witchcraft and its uses in the Accursed setting.

On Witchcraft

Today's blog post focuses on the chosen of Baba Yaga, the Witchbreed known as the Vargr.

The Vargr

Any chance to see some artwork soon?

I'll let slip that we're working with Alberto Bontempi for our cover and interior artwork. I can also tell you that we've released one of the Witchmark designs on our facebook page. However, we're waiting back a little bit before we start previewing the pencils and final art. We need to have a few surprises.

Now that's some pretty nice stuff he shows on his deviantart-page. Thumbs up for chosing him!

Thanks for the kind words, Grinder. I'm really looking forward to showing off the work he's doing for us.

Today's posting presents information about the Golem Witchbreed. The Crone imprisons human souls in the unliving bodies she creates, containing them through their Witchmarks.
Living Automata - the Golems

With today's blog post, Ross discusses the central Northern nation of Valkenholm. Once a thriving example for all in Morden, it now struggles under the tyranny of the witches.

Valkenholm

This morning's post presents background information for the Mummy Witchbreed. Those awakened by the Djinn.

Mummies

Gimme more! Moooooooooore!

Since you asked.

Today's posting reveals more information about the composition of the armies that the Witches used to invade Morden.
Witch Armies

This morning Ross presents the ravaged nation of Cairn Kainen. Though the clans were devastated by the Morrigan, they still struggle to resist her Tyranny and retain their identity.

Cairn Kainen

In other news, we're collaborating with the Shaintar: Legends Unleashed Kickstarter. In order for our collaborative project to hit release, we need a total of 700 likes between our respective facebook groups. If this sounds like an appealing idea to you, please consider throwing a like our way on facebook.

Still eager to see some artwork.

Tell ya what - when we get to 150 likes on Facebook, we'll show some Pencils.

Go for it!

We just hit 150 facebook likes, so here are the pencils for the Mongrel witchbreed piece:
Gorilla Arms and Crocodile Skin.

A quick housekeeping item:
Another art preview on the Accursed Facebook page. The Shaintar Kickstarter bonus goal we're involved in met its "like" criteria, so we've shown off part of our world map to celebrate that.

For today's blog post, John presents information about the Djinn. As one of the Witches of the Grand Coven, she created the Mummies from the ruins of ancient Hyphrates. It was her death that also sundered the Grand Coven.

The Djinn

Since my last update, we managed to hit 200 likes on the Accursed Facebook page. We previewed another portion of the world map, as a way of saying thank you for the support. If you enjoy that kind of thing, you might want to check it out.

Today's blog post presents the nation of Steppengrad. The frigid North is home to a hearty people who are prone to fits of both joy and melancholy.

A Bleak and Windswept Country - Steppengrad

With today's post, Ross presents the tale of the Blood Witch, Sanguinara. She who created the Dhampir Witchbreed.

Sanguinara, the Blood Witch

I'd like to read about magic, abilities of player characters, and game mechanics.

Hey, Grinder,

Our 6/28 post delved into Witchcraft a bit, which is the only true magic in the Accursed game setting. Did you have questions about it that you'd like us to explore further?

Game mechanics and PC abilities we've only hinted at in the Witchmarked descriptions. We're still in the design and playtesting phase on both of these, and I don't want to preview things until they're a little better nailed down. I can certainly empathize with the desire, but I don't want to give the wrong impression at this point, either.

Totally missed that one, d'oh!




Ok, that makes sense.

This morning, my blog post focuses on the nation of Hyphrates. A land tied together by blind loyalty, subservience, and mind-altering drugs.
Hyphrates - A Desert of Tombs

Love the entry, but would like it even more if the culture differs from an ient Egypt in their burial rites. Something else than pyramids would give it a nice twist.

It's a fair criticism, though you'll see more types of tombs in Hyphrates than just Pyramid-shaped structures.

Sounds promising.

For today's posting, we begin to explore the terrors that the Witches created beyond the Witchmarked. These are the banes; the horrific creatures that remain within their thrall. The Hunger Trolls are one of Baba Yaga's tools for terrifying the Gradniki.
On Gluttony - Hunger Trolls

In today's post, Ross presents the last of our six Witchbreeds, the Revenant. These risen dead use their intense focus to hold onto their consciousness, granting them the willpower to pursue a specific goal.

Revenants - Driven beyond death

The Accursed team recently did an interview to help launch RoleplayDNA's new supplemental podcast, RoleplayDNA U. During the course of the discussion, we did let slip a few things about our plans for a Kickstarter, since folks seem to keep asking those questions. That's now available from their site. Here's the direct link to the Episode.
RoleplayDNA U: Accursed

Today, we release a new blog post that discusses De Acosta's Workshop. Located in the Manreian capital of Palymria, this is likely the most advanced center of technology in all of Morden.
De Acosta's Workshop

Jason explores the nation of Hebron today, and how the desperate war they fought against the Grand Coven transformed it. The Witches did not conquer the Hebronites, but the defensive effort may have destroyed their culture.

An Implacable People - Hebron

You should reconsider the name... http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebron

Ross explains the history of alchemy in Morden, then discusses how it has grown and some of its capabilities. Systemic and reproducible, a white witch would scoff at any who dared to call alchemy a kind of magic.
Alchemy - Supernatural Science

This morning we preview the first of the banes. These are the terrors that the Witches have unleashed upon Morden to keep the population in a state of constant subservient terror. When a plague of Scarabs sweeps across a portion of Hyphrates, it leaves no trace of life behind it.

A Plague upon Hyphrates - Scarabs

During the Bane War, the Witch armies conquered Morden, but they did not pass beyond its coast. Many refugees fled to the islands of the Discordian Sea, hoping to find freedom and salvation. Some found new lives, but many found only death.

On the Roiling Main - The Discordian Sea

In today's update, Ross explores the origins of the Armies of Light. This bold alliance tried to present a unified front against the Grand Coven's armies during the Bane War. Spoiler: It didn't quite work out the way they'd hoped.

The Armies of Light

Slightly off topic from this weeks blog update, I wanted to drop a last minute mention of our Gen Con seminars. The Accursed team is giving several seminars at the show. We'll likely talk about Accursed a little bit during each of these, and we'd certainly be happy to answer any questions or discuss matters at further length.
SEM1341269 Thursday 11AM: Professionalism in the Gaming Industry Crowne Plaza : Hay Market B
SEM1341270 Friday 9AM: Working with a Licensed Product Crowne Plaza : Grand Central Bllrm D
SEM1341271 Friday 2PM: How to RPG Freelance! Crowne Plaza : Grand Central Bllrm D

This morning's blog update delves deeper into the Enochian religion. Leaders of this faith formed the Order of the Penitent and offer some respite to the Accursed. They also risk their lives in speaking out against the tyrants and the Witches whom they serve.

The Enochian Faith

The Crone is thought to be the very first Witch. She undertook this mantle long before colonists crossed the lightning bridge to Morden.

The First Witch

We had a great time at Gen Con, thanks to all who came to our seminars or had a chance to visit! A few folks were lucky enough to get a sneak peak at some of our interior layout and even the cover art. The feedback we received seemed to be pretty positive on both of those. A few lucky folks even snagged Accursed T-Shirts. We'll give folks a chance to see those when we launch our Kickstarter.

Unfortunately, we did lose track of time a little bit at the show and didn't get a chance to update the forums about Friday's blog post. In case you didn't check the site, Ross explained a bit about three Alchemical materials that are sometimes used in constructing devices and weapons because of their unusual properties.

Technology in Morden

Today, we have another blog update as well. The Chimera's magic is focused on transforming life. She has no tolerance for stagnation.

All Must Change - The Chimera

Even among the Order of the Penitent, there are those who recognize that the Witchmarked can never truly belong among mundane society. Accursed who embrace their Witchmark often strive to find a place that they could make their own permanent homes. A few who share this goal have come together as the Adherents of Aliyah.

The Adherents of Aliyah

We hit a landmark number of likes on Facebook yesterday, when we reached 250. In celebration of that fact, we released our map of Morden - the region where Accursed takes place. That's now visible on our facebook page.

The Grand Coven swept through the nations of Morden using vast armies of mindless drones. The Morrigan created huge numbers of her cauldron-born using every corpse she could find (or quickly create).

The Cauldron-born

With her penchant for recombining life into new forms, the Chimera has devised countless horrors. Few of her banes are identical, but there are patterns that particularly interest her. One of these is the Swamp Kraken, a bane that seemingly threatens any who need access to the body of water in which it dwells.

Chimeric Banes - The Swamp Kraken

For generations, the horrors of the Darkwall Peaks formed an outer boundary to Morden, posing a barrier to exploration and expansion. Unbeknownst to the peoples of the region, it also was a defensive line, keeping the land separate from the Witches — until they finally deciphered its mysteries.
A Black Barrier - The Darkwall Peaks

The Blood Witch created the Dhampir and the vampire, but first, she created something more savage and primitive. The leech-men were the banes she led across the Darkwall Peaks, but abandoned as she mastered the Dhampir witchmark.

Leech-Men - banes of Sanguinara