Status: 🌱

Published on 19 October 2023 by Janis Strods

Idea: A Latvian Folk Horror RPG?

• Tumultuous background — the 19th century, as explored in Vaesen, is already filled with social pressures. The emergence of industrial cities leading to a clash between the modern and the traditional worldviews is a strong catalyst for action. Add to that the national identity questions of 19th century Latvia — the ruling forces of tsarist Russia, the German landlords, the Latvian serfs — and you have yourself an excellent background for an RPG.
• Unexplored beasties — in addition to the familiar ghosts, gnomes, witches, and werewolves, the Latvian folk stories are filled with lesser known creatures: the vadatajs lures travellers into bogs, the sumpurnis is a cannibal humanoid with a dog’s face, and the local minor deities like the Wind Mother have their own games to play.
• Rich archives to explore — the Latvian National Library is filled with maps, early photographs, and drawings of the period that can enrich the setting.