About Mysteries of the Yokai
Mysteries of the Yōkai is an independent tabletop Role Playing Game developed by Warding Circle and funded on Kickstarter. The game is currently in development and is planned for release Q1 2017.
Mysteries of the Yōkai is set in alternate version of ancient Japan. In this world, the supernatural is very real, including the Yōkai ; a name given to enigmatic spirits, monsters, elementals and mythical animals. But Yōkai are not the only mystical element in this world. Humans with secret knowledge and strong will harness Magic for their own use. Dedicated Martial Artists channel the power of Ki; the energy of life and the universe. Skilled warriors master the arts of the blade and commune with the souls of their swords. Clever investigators pull back the curtains on the secrets of the otherworldly.
The setting is inspired by the many works that have explored Japanese mythology, from homemade creations like Princess Mononoke and Mushi-Shi, to western interpretations like Avatar: The Last Airbender. We take history, add a dash of mythology, and just enough mystery to let people fill in the blanks with their own story.
Mysteries of the Yōkai uses an original rule system that is designed for flexibility. The rules are inspired by the power of point buy systems like Hero, along with the quick, story driven gameplay of Fate.The system allows players to explore different types of conflict and empowers them to find their own solutions to problems. Altercations with spirits and creatures in East Asian traditions aren’t necessarily a fight between good and evil, so it doesn’t always make sense to resolve the situation with violence. With “conflict rules instead of combat rules”, encounters are engaging and tactical whether you need to handle a battle of weapons, minds, magic, spirits, or anything else.
Many of the game’s combat mechanics are built to help players work together to overcome challenges and opposition. Battles are a shared experience in Mysteries of the Yōkai. Rather than tracking the health of each character, the Morale system tracks the progress of each side in battle. The Tide of battle is pushed back and forth as characters take actions, when the tide is pushed far enough the side . As a character’s side loses morale, they lose the will to fight and succumb to injuries or flee the field of battle. This system allows players to contribute to the goals of the conflict with whichever types of actions their characters are most proficient at. Assisting a fallen allies, distracting the enemy, or studying the battlefield are all examples of actions that can affect the Tide of battle.
You can read our sample rules on our downloads page
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About Warding circle
A warding circle is a magical circle of protection. A “circle” can also be used to describe a group of people connected to a central interest. At Warding Circle, we all have a great enthusiasm for games, especially tabletop games. We’re connected by a desire to create experiences that we’d enjoy as much as our players do.The members of Warding Circle studied design together at the prestigious Digipen Institute of Technology under the tutelage of legendary game designers such as R. Talsorian’s Mike Pondsmith and WotC’s John Feil. After graduation, parting ways, and gaining real world experience, we’ve reunited to use our combined talents to create the best tabletop games we can
Andrew Sudangnoi (click to email)
Game Design, Story
Matt Trussell (click to email)
Mechanics Design
Richard Martija (click to email)
Editing, Website, Marketing
For general inquiries please email: info@wardingcircle.com