Forbidden Psalms for the Wretched
A downloadable game
There are few who dare walk the path of the wretched, cloaked in shadow and blight. There is not much that can soothe a wretched soul, but rumours persist of forbidden psalms which bring blessed catharsis to those who read them.
The path to the temples hiding these apocryphal texts is treacherous and full of danger, so those seeking to walk the path of prophets seek other doomed souls to accompany them on their sacrilegious pilgrimage.
Dare you walk the path or shall you be dragged down by the hounds of hell seeking to bring you down with them? There’s no salvation at the end of this road, but perhaps you can find something that can pierce the veil of darkness.
About the Game
This is a GMless game for 1-4 players, using tarot cards to take you on a sacrilegious journey through a strange world. It has aspects of card based prompt games, roguelikes, and dark fantasy, as well as folklore and religious struggles - especially those of small pagan religions in face of Christianity.
The game deals with some dark themes such as torture, death, and religious tyranny. If any of those might affect you strongly, caution is advised!
This game was written as a submission for the Mock Cover Jam 2, with a cover designed by CABBAGEHEAD.
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $5 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Exclusive content
Support this game at or above a special price point to receive something exclusive.
Community Copy
If you can't afford the game, feel free to grab a community copy if some are available.
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Great game! Just found it! I love the writing and the prompts! I assume that if you get the Death Card, or run out of Resource Cards, then you are lost at the next waypoint, and don't reach the temple. And too much melancholy also means you are lost. That's how we've been playing it anyway.
Forbidden Psalms sucks you in with a dark and intriguing premise about journeying outside of a world which has failed you. You draw from an oracle, create stories of struggle and persist together hoping you'll find salvation. The prompts are highly evocative and never one-note. I like that it doesn't immediately frame the religion you are trying to abandon as detestable or even negative.
On several prompts, you meet figures from your former life who are framed with opportunities for conversation, rebellion and even solutions. Then, there are the scenes of gruesome costs for living under these figures. It makes the setting nuanced and shows how difficult it can be to escape a familiar tyranny.
"Forbidden Psalms sucks..."
me: hey! be nice!
"...you in with a dark and intriguing premise"
me: ah, never mind, carry on.
Hi. How many pages are in this supplement? Thanks!
It's a standalone game with 10 pages!