The Abyss Above and the Bowels Below

“Listen, child. The world has come from the mouth of the great beast, and it will not be long now until it casts us out into the fires beyond the sun. We cannot and will not escape from it. The elves can journey beyond this world into the next, the dwarves can tunnel down, and the giants will stay in their sturdy sky-palaces, but we humans are born to die. Do not cry, child, for our will and love is passed on from generation to generation through our bowels, and the bowels of our ancestors. When I die, you will take my bladder, and my stomach, and my liver, and bury them in the ground to nourish the fields, and you will take the rest of my body and float it down the river to the sea, and my spirit and Astaroth will nourish our land until the end comes. But remember, my child. 

Yearn for the earth, and fear the light. ” 

The Abyss Above and the Bowels Below is a dark fantasy tabletop role-playing game set in a world where all magic comes from brewing elixirs in the preserved organs of slain monsters. In it, players can choose from five different character classes: the Alchemist, who holds the power of brewery magic; the Demon, a mutant who is granted mysterious powers by a parasitic soul; the Gallowglass, an imposing warrior who injects brews directly into their bloodstream; the Harvestblade, a roguish duelist who wields a living shellfish blade; and the Stillwalker, with their beast protector capable of fermenting a potion in their living  body. 

The world of the Bowels Below is a brutal one. There are no heroes, nor are there villains in a traditional sense. Instead, there are those who still pursue life, those that await death, and those who wish to accelerate the coming doom. Mechanically, the game has no roll to hit; instead, all rolls hit and deal damage to first stamina, which recharges after a fight, and then health, which returns only at a respite. 

Character’s abilities are derived from skills, which are similar to feats or abilities in a JRPG. Moves, reactions, and movement all fall under the umbrella of skills, and either replace a strike or are used as one of two free actions. Many skills impose or grant resistance to various status effects, which help to pinpoint a beast’s weaknesses. 

Lethality is also much higher than in typical fantasy, and progression is horizontal, in the form of gaining more skills, rather than vertical, with getting more powerful. Characters can gain more health and stamina, but will remain vulnerable for the entirety of their games or campaigns. The gameplay loop is relatively simple: characters leave their respite location, follow the trail of a beast, and then engage it in combat in its lair. If they are successful, they harvest its organs to grant them power to face larger and more powerful beasts. Each beast has a unique set of skills, which determine the potions that can be drawn from its lingering spirit.

This project has been in development since early 2024, and additions are planned for sometime in the future; namely, a final booklet with full art and layout, a new bestiary including gods, angels, and demons, and two new classes. Any donations will go towards the eventual funding of artists, layout designers, and further game development. 

I hope you enjoy!