Würm - Roleplaying in the Ice Age
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Adventure at the very origins of humanity!
Würm is a system-lite RPG set in the last period of the Ice Age 35¸000 years ago. Characters don't have Attributes or even Skills¸ but they are instead described by Strengths like Secret of the Bear or Eye of the Panther and Weaknesses such as Fearful or One-Eyed. The nature of the game is at your discretion - you may play a game that's more historically accurate or you may decide to incorporate fantastical elements like magic and the spirit world that are discussed in the rules.
Originally published in France¸ Würm has been professionally translated. Nocturnal Media is proud to present this acclaimed RPG to an Enlish-speaking game audience.
In Würm you will find adventure in the prehistoric past of our own world. In this long-forgotten time¸ many powerful creatures roamed a vast territory covered in steppes and taiga¸ reaching from the white mountains to the raging sea: mammoths¸ aurochs¸ bison¸ giant deer¸ cave bears and cave lions. Among these huge creatures¸ two species of humans live in small communities of hunter-gatherers: the robust Bear Men (Neanderthals) and the taller Long Men (Cro-Magnon¸ or Cavemen).
When you play Würm¸ it will be up to you to imagine what life was like for our ancestors¸ and explore your own vision of this time. During your adventures¸ whether simply surviving or going on perilous hunts or legendary quests¸ your characters will gain strength¸ wisdom and prestige by exploring unknown territories¸ daring to enter the darkness of mysterious caves¸ seeking out the powers of ancient spirits¸ or challenging the creatures of the night.
All the rules you need to play Würm are included in the core rulebook¸ detailed over nine chapters. These rules were designed to be simple and clear. For the most part¸ they only require a few 6-sided dice. Most of all¸ they were designed to be well adapted to the atmosphere of the Stone Age. For example¸ to develop the characters¸ you won't need skills and stats¸ but a number of Strengths and Weaknesses that are connected to specific totems. Additionally¸ Talents and Secret techniques represent the abilities that a character may learn¸ such as painting¸ shamanism or certain combat techniques.
The game rules have been developed to be as close as possible to established archeological sources¸ carefully relaying what we know of the technical knowledge¸ the environment and part of the culture of our ancestors. However¸ the world of Würm also leaves room for a touch of fantasy and adventure: you will therefore find rules that allow you to play with the real powers of totem spirits¸ as well as a whole range of fantastical creatures living along side the mammoths and the cave bears¸ such as fire spirits¸ witches and glacier giants.
So you may dive right into the prehistoric adventure of the world of Würm ¸ the core rulebook ends with four introduction scenarios¸ each one offering a specific atmosphere¸ including adventure¸ investigation¸ melancholy¸ or humor. One scenario is designed to introduce younger players to the game.