Cursed Characters [Remastered]
Cursed Characters is a must-have book for any Dark Fantasy roleplayer. Packed with sinister traits and twisted variants of familiar archetypes, it plunges players deep into a world where power always comes at a price. Whether you're reshaping your hero into a tragic figure marked by fate or crafting an entirely new cursed character, this book offers dark, immersive options to elevate your roleplaying experience. Every trait and character type is designed to fit seamlessly into Dark Fantasy settings, where danger, despair, and eldritch forces loom large over every decision.
This book has been remastered and expanded to align with The Simple Approach, enhancing its ease of use while staying fully compatible with The Foragers Guild and all other Lightspress games. It’s also designed to be system-agnostic, allowing you to integrate it seamlessly with any roleplaying system or setting using the free conversion rules available in the Lightspress Handbook.
Navigating This Book
This book is your gateway to exploring Cursed Characters with ease. We begin with an overview of the dark fantasy themes that shape the setting, followed by a step-by-step guide to character creation and the system mechanics that bring them to life. You'll also find a detailed look at our innovative journaling elements, designed to help you craft your character’s story in a personal, immersive way. Whether you're just starting out or a veteran player looking for more depth and customization, this book has everything you need to enhance your roleplaying. Inside, you'll find:
Cursed Artificers: This chapter explores the tragic story of the Cursed Artificer, a brilliant inventor whose creations are plagued by dark magic. Each new device or tool they craft offers both promise and peril, as their inventions harbor twisted, unpredictable power that exacts a terrible price from both creator and user.
Cursed Barbarians: The Cursed Barbarian is a force of untamed fury, driven by an ancient curse that gives them monstrous strength. This chapter explores how their rage becomes a double-edged sword, granting them unmatched power in battle while also pushing them closer to becoming a mindless beast, consumed by their own curse.
Cursed Bards: The Cursed Bard wields songs and stories not of inspiration, but of despair and ruin. This chapter reveals how their performances, once uplifting, now carry a malignant force that affects the minds of their audience, leaving behind echoes of madness and sorrow wherever their voice is heard.
Cursed Clerics: In this chapter, the Cursed Cleric’s holy connection has been corrupted by a malevolent power. Their prayers still grant divine magic, but every blessing comes with a dark twist. The deeper they examine their faith, the more their once-pure connection to their deity becomes tainted, warping their abilities and their soul.
Cursed Druids: The Cursed Druid has lost their harmony with nature, replaced by a dark, twisted bond to a corrupted wilderness. This chapter explores how their control over the natural world now bends plants and animals into grotesque, dangerous forms, as the curse taints both their powers and the land they once protected.
Cursed Fighters: The Cursed Fighter is a hardened warrior whose prowess in combat comes at a dire cost. This chapter details their struggle, as every victory on the battlefield accelerates the decay of their body and mind, with the curse steadily eroding their humanity in exchange for martial power.
Cursed Monks: In this chapter, the Cursed Monk’s disciplined pursuit of enlightenment has been tainted by an otherworldly curse. Their physical and spiritual training, once a path to inner peace, now unlocks dark energies that warp their body and mind, driving them further from their ultimate goal with each step.
Cursed Paladins: The Cursed Paladin is bound by a sacred oath that has been twisted into something dark and malevolent. This chapter explores their fall from grace, as their once-holy mission now serves a corrupting force, forcing them to carry out their duty while knowing that each act furthers their descent into damnation.
Cursed Rangers: The Cursed Ranger roams the wilderness, but their connection to the natural world has been poisoned. In this chapter, their skills in hunting and survival are overshadowed by the curse that plagues them, distorting the creatures they once protected and forcing them to tread a dangerous path alone.
Cursed Rogues: This chapter reveals the Cursed Rogue’s constant struggle with the shadows that cling to them. Whether haunted by the souls of those they’ve wronged or pursued by an unseen force, their every heist and deception deepens the curse, making each step they take a perilous one.
Cursed Sorcerers: The Cursed Sorcerer is a wielder of immense magical power, but that power is drawn from a dark, dangerous source. This chapter details how their spells are infused with cursed energy, leading to unpredictable, disastrous results, as they struggle to control the magic that threatens to consume them.
Cursed Warlocks: This chapter explores the Cursed Warlock’s pact with a sinister entity, where the benefits of their dark patron’s gifts come at a steep price. Each use of their granted powers tightens the bond between them and their otherworldly master, pulling them deeper into the influence of forces they cannot fully control.
Cursed Wizard: The Cursed Wizard is a master of arcane knowledge who has tapped into forbidden magic. This chapter examines how their pursuit of greater power has led them to unlock ancient, cursed spells that warp their mind and body, driving them toward madness as the cost of their insatiable thirst for knowledge.
The Simple Approach
The Simple Approach puts the focus of your roleplaying experience where it actually belongs: on narrative depth, character complexity, and player agency. While plenty of systems are still obsessed with combat, loot, and grinding, we know roleplaying can be so much more. This system is all about immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and characters you actually care about. Whether you're uncovering espionage secrets, solving a gripping mystery, or diving into the complexities of romance, The Simple Approach offers a fresh take on traditional genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror, along with modern and underserved ones like crime, dark academia, and espionage.
Narrative-Based Mechanics
At the heart of The Simple Approach are narrative-based mechanics that are easy to learn and designed to grow with you as you play. They let you tweak what’s here and even add things we haven’t thought of yet. The journaling system replaces those one-size-fits-none character sheets, giving gamemasters a flexible tool for organizing worldbuilding, adventure design, and session notes. Every character, setting, and adventure becomes a unique creation shaped by your choices.
Seamless Integration and Flexibility
The Simple Approach isn’t just a standalone system. You can blend it seamlessly with other Lightspress publications to create one-of-a-kind experiences or bring elements from other systems into your Lightspress game. If you want to use our material with your favorite system or setting, go for it. The free conversion notes in the Lightspress Handbook give you the flexibility to play how you want.
Our Philosophy
We believe the true essence of roleplaying happens around the table, where creativity and collaboration come alive. It’s not about a book, a brand, or a company. It’s about the people playing together, creating something special. Our focus on cooperation, interaction, and investigation ensures that every session is more than just a game; it’s a journey filled with compelling adventures and meaningful connections. We stand by our belief that the heart of roleplaying is found in shared experiences and stories crafted by the players. This philosophy drives everything in The Simple Approach and underpins our commitment to delivering content that champions the true spirit of roleplaying, free from superficial constraints.
Commitment to Creative Freedom
This philosophy also guides our belief that creators should own their work and not be beholden to licensing terms that only benefit fickle corporations. We draw inspiration from historical, mythological, and literary sources, tapping into our shared heritage to fuel creative exploration. We maintain full copyright ownership, ensuring that our work stays independent and true to our vision. Using style guides to keep a cohesive voice and narrative structure, we deliver exceptional content free from external influences, preserving the integrity and creative standards of our work.
Accessible and Affordable Roleplaying
We’re committed to keeping our games affordable so that more people can enjoy them. Our focus isn’t on producing overstuffed, expensive books filled with art to collect dust on a shelf. We’re here to create material meant to be played, not displayed. You won’t find us chasing awards or turning our games into glorified coffee-table books. Our goal is to facilitate roleplaying, pure and simple, keeping the price points low so you can focus on the game, not your wallet.
Stay Connected and Join Us
If you’re tired of the same old grind and ready to try something that actually respects your input, then The Simple Approach is calling your name. We’re not just offering a game. We’re inviting you to join a movement, a way of playing that values your time, creativity, and agency.
For more on The Simple Approach and our unorthodox take on roleplaying, visit lightspress.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, The Lightspress Manifesto, for updates on new releases, roleplaying advice, and a healthy dose of our opinions. If you’re ready to embrace something different, download the free Lightspress Handbook—your guide to what we’re all about.
140 pages. PDF and epub files included.
Cursed Characters is a must-have book for any Dark Fantasy roleplayer. Packed with sinister traits and twisted variants of familiar archetypes, it plunges players deep into a world where power always comes at a price. Whether you're reshaping your hero into a tragic figure marked by fate or crafting an entirely new cursed character, this book offers dark, immersive options to elevate your roleplaying experience. Every trait and character type is designed to fit seamlessly into Dark Fantasy settings, where danger, despair, and eldritch forces loom large over every decision.
This book has been remastered and expanded to align with The Simple Approach, enhancing its ease of use while staying fully compatible with The Foragers Guild and all other Lightspress games. It’s also designed to be system-agnostic, allowing you to integrate it seamlessly with any roleplaying system or setting using the free conversion rules available in the Lightspress Handbook.
Navigating This Book
This book is your gateway to exploring Cursed Characters with ease. We begin with an overview of the dark fantasy themes that shape the setting, followed by a step-by-step guide to character creation and the system mechanics that bring them to life. You'll also find a detailed look at our innovative journaling elements, designed to help you craft your character’s story in a personal, immersive way. Whether you're just starting out or a veteran player looking for more depth and customization, this book has everything you need to enhance your roleplaying. Inside, you'll find:
Cursed Artificers: This chapter explores the tragic story of the Cursed Artificer, a brilliant inventor whose creations are plagued by dark magic. Each new device or tool they craft offers both promise and peril, as their inventions harbor twisted, unpredictable power that exacts a terrible price from both creator and user.
Cursed Barbarians: The Cursed Barbarian is a force of untamed fury, driven by an ancient curse that gives them monstrous strength. This chapter explores how their rage becomes a double-edged sword, granting them unmatched power in battle while also pushing them closer to becoming a mindless beast, consumed by their own curse.
Cursed Bards: The Cursed Bard wields songs and stories not of inspiration, but of despair and ruin. This chapter reveals how their performances, once uplifting, now carry a malignant force that affects the minds of their audience, leaving behind echoes of madness and sorrow wherever their voice is heard.
Cursed Clerics: In this chapter, the Cursed Cleric’s holy connection has been corrupted by a malevolent power. Their prayers still grant divine magic, but every blessing comes with a dark twist. The deeper they examine their faith, the more their once-pure connection to their deity becomes tainted, warping their abilities and their soul.
Cursed Druids: The Cursed Druid has lost their harmony with nature, replaced by a dark, twisted bond to a corrupted wilderness. This chapter explores how their control over the natural world now bends plants and animals into grotesque, dangerous forms, as the curse taints both their powers and the land they once protected.
Cursed Fighters: The Cursed Fighter is a hardened warrior whose prowess in combat comes at a dire cost. This chapter details their struggle, as every victory on the battlefield accelerates the decay of their body and mind, with the curse steadily eroding their humanity in exchange for martial power.
Cursed Monks: In this chapter, the Cursed Monk’s disciplined pursuit of enlightenment has been tainted by an otherworldly curse. Their physical and spiritual training, once a path to inner peace, now unlocks dark energies that warp their body and mind, driving them further from their ultimate goal with each step.
Cursed Paladins: The Cursed Paladin is bound by a sacred oath that has been twisted into something dark and malevolent. This chapter explores their fall from grace, as their once-holy mission now serves a corrupting force, forcing them to carry out their duty while knowing that each act furthers their descent into damnation.
Cursed Rangers: The Cursed Ranger roams the wilderness, but their connection to the natural world has been poisoned. In this chapter, their skills in hunting and survival are overshadowed by the curse that plagues them, distorting the creatures they once protected and forcing them to tread a dangerous path alone.
Cursed Rogues: This chapter reveals the Cursed Rogue’s constant struggle with the shadows that cling to them. Whether haunted by the souls of those they’ve wronged or pursued by an unseen force, their every heist and deception deepens the curse, making each step they take a perilous one.
Cursed Sorcerers: The Cursed Sorcerer is a wielder of immense magical power, but that power is drawn from a dark, dangerous source. This chapter details how their spells are infused with cursed energy, leading to unpredictable, disastrous results, as they struggle to control the magic that threatens to consume them.
Cursed Warlocks: This chapter explores the Cursed Warlock’s pact with a sinister entity, where the benefits of their dark patron’s gifts come at a steep price. Each use of their granted powers tightens the bond between them and their otherworldly master, pulling them deeper into the influence of forces they cannot fully control.
Cursed Wizard: The Cursed Wizard is a master of arcane knowledge who has tapped into forbidden magic. This chapter examines how their pursuit of greater power has led them to unlock ancient, cursed spells that warp their mind and body, driving them toward madness as the cost of their insatiable thirst for knowledge.
The Simple Approach
The Simple Approach puts the focus of your roleplaying experience where it actually belongs: on narrative depth, character complexity, and player agency. While plenty of systems are still obsessed with combat, loot, and grinding, we know roleplaying can be so much more. This system is all about immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and characters you actually care about. Whether you're uncovering espionage secrets, solving a gripping mystery, or diving into the complexities of romance, The Simple Approach offers a fresh take on traditional genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror, along with modern and underserved ones like crime, dark academia, and espionage.
Narrative-Based Mechanics
At the heart of The Simple Approach are narrative-based mechanics that are easy to learn and designed to grow with you as you play. They let you tweak what’s here and even add things we haven’t thought of yet. The journaling system replaces those one-size-fits-none character sheets, giving gamemasters a flexible tool for organizing worldbuilding, adventure design, and session notes. Every character, setting, and adventure becomes a unique creation shaped by your choices.
Seamless Integration and Flexibility
The Simple Approach isn’t just a standalone system. You can blend it seamlessly with other Lightspress publications to create one-of-a-kind experiences or bring elements from other systems into your Lightspress game. If you want to use our material with your favorite system or setting, go for it. The free conversion notes in the Lightspress Handbook give you the flexibility to play how you want.
Our Philosophy
We believe the true essence of roleplaying happens around the table, where creativity and collaboration come alive. It’s not about a book, a brand, or a company. It’s about the people playing together, creating something special. Our focus on cooperation, interaction, and investigation ensures that every session is more than just a game; it’s a journey filled with compelling adventures and meaningful connections. We stand by our belief that the heart of roleplaying is found in shared experiences and stories crafted by the players. This philosophy drives everything in The Simple Approach and underpins our commitment to delivering content that champions the true spirit of roleplaying, free from superficial constraints.
Commitment to Creative Freedom
This philosophy also guides our belief that creators should own their work and not be beholden to licensing terms that only benefit fickle corporations. We draw inspiration from historical, mythological, and literary sources, tapping into our shared heritage to fuel creative exploration. We maintain full copyright ownership, ensuring that our work stays independent and true to our vision. Using style guides to keep a cohesive voice and narrative structure, we deliver exceptional content free from external influences, preserving the integrity and creative standards of our work.
Accessible and Affordable Roleplaying
We’re committed to keeping our games affordable so that more people can enjoy them. Our focus isn’t on producing overstuffed, expensive books filled with art to collect dust on a shelf. We’re here to create material meant to be played, not displayed. You won’t find us chasing awards or turning our games into glorified coffee-table books. Our goal is to facilitate roleplaying, pure and simple, keeping the price points low so you can focus on the game, not your wallet.
Stay Connected and Join Us
If you’re tired of the same old grind and ready to try something that actually respects your input, then The Simple Approach is calling your name. We’re not just offering a game. We’re inviting you to join a movement, a way of playing that values your time, creativity, and agency.
For more on The Simple Approach and our unorthodox take on roleplaying, visit lightspress.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, The Lightspress Manifesto, for updates on new releases, roleplaying advice, and a healthy dose of our opinions. If you’re ready to embrace something different, download the free Lightspress Handbook—your guide to what we’re all about.
140 pages. PDF and epub files included.
Cursed Characters is a must-have book for any Dark Fantasy roleplayer. Packed with sinister traits and twisted variants of familiar archetypes, it plunges players deep into a world where power always comes at a price. Whether you're reshaping your hero into a tragic figure marked by fate or crafting an entirely new cursed character, this book offers dark, immersive options to elevate your roleplaying experience. Every trait and character type is designed to fit seamlessly into Dark Fantasy settings, where danger, despair, and eldritch forces loom large over every decision.
This book has been remastered and expanded to align with The Simple Approach, enhancing its ease of use while staying fully compatible with The Foragers Guild and all other Lightspress games. It’s also designed to be system-agnostic, allowing you to integrate it seamlessly with any roleplaying system or setting using the free conversion rules available in the Lightspress Handbook.
Navigating This Book
This book is your gateway to exploring Cursed Characters with ease. We begin with an overview of the dark fantasy themes that shape the setting, followed by a step-by-step guide to character creation and the system mechanics that bring them to life. You'll also find a detailed look at our innovative journaling elements, designed to help you craft your character’s story in a personal, immersive way. Whether you're just starting out or a veteran player looking for more depth and customization, this book has everything you need to enhance your roleplaying. Inside, you'll find:
Cursed Artificers: This chapter explores the tragic story of the Cursed Artificer, a brilliant inventor whose creations are plagued by dark magic. Each new device or tool they craft offers both promise and peril, as their inventions harbor twisted, unpredictable power that exacts a terrible price from both creator and user.
Cursed Barbarians: The Cursed Barbarian is a force of untamed fury, driven by an ancient curse that gives them monstrous strength. This chapter explores how their rage becomes a double-edged sword, granting them unmatched power in battle while also pushing them closer to becoming a mindless beast, consumed by their own curse.
Cursed Bards: The Cursed Bard wields songs and stories not of inspiration, but of despair and ruin. This chapter reveals how their performances, once uplifting, now carry a malignant force that affects the minds of their audience, leaving behind echoes of madness and sorrow wherever their voice is heard.
Cursed Clerics: In this chapter, the Cursed Cleric’s holy connection has been corrupted by a malevolent power. Their prayers still grant divine magic, but every blessing comes with a dark twist. The deeper they examine their faith, the more their once-pure connection to their deity becomes tainted, warping their abilities and their soul.
Cursed Druids: The Cursed Druid has lost their harmony with nature, replaced by a dark, twisted bond to a corrupted wilderness. This chapter explores how their control over the natural world now bends plants and animals into grotesque, dangerous forms, as the curse taints both their powers and the land they once protected.
Cursed Fighters: The Cursed Fighter is a hardened warrior whose prowess in combat comes at a dire cost. This chapter details their struggle, as every victory on the battlefield accelerates the decay of their body and mind, with the curse steadily eroding their humanity in exchange for martial power.
Cursed Monks: In this chapter, the Cursed Monk’s disciplined pursuit of enlightenment has been tainted by an otherworldly curse. Their physical and spiritual training, once a path to inner peace, now unlocks dark energies that warp their body and mind, driving them further from their ultimate goal with each step.
Cursed Paladins: The Cursed Paladin is bound by a sacred oath that has been twisted into something dark and malevolent. This chapter explores their fall from grace, as their once-holy mission now serves a corrupting force, forcing them to carry out their duty while knowing that each act furthers their descent into damnation.
Cursed Rangers: The Cursed Ranger roams the wilderness, but their connection to the natural world has been poisoned. In this chapter, their skills in hunting and survival are overshadowed by the curse that plagues them, distorting the creatures they once protected and forcing them to tread a dangerous path alone.
Cursed Rogues: This chapter reveals the Cursed Rogue’s constant struggle with the shadows that cling to them. Whether haunted by the souls of those they’ve wronged or pursued by an unseen force, their every heist and deception deepens the curse, making each step they take a perilous one.
Cursed Sorcerers: The Cursed Sorcerer is a wielder of immense magical power, but that power is drawn from a dark, dangerous source. This chapter details how their spells are infused with cursed energy, leading to unpredictable, disastrous results, as they struggle to control the magic that threatens to consume them.
Cursed Warlocks: This chapter explores the Cursed Warlock’s pact with a sinister entity, where the benefits of their dark patron’s gifts come at a steep price. Each use of their granted powers tightens the bond between them and their otherworldly master, pulling them deeper into the influence of forces they cannot fully control.
Cursed Wizard: The Cursed Wizard is a master of arcane knowledge who has tapped into forbidden magic. This chapter examines how their pursuit of greater power has led them to unlock ancient, cursed spells that warp their mind and body, driving them toward madness as the cost of their insatiable thirst for knowledge.
The Simple Approach
The Simple Approach puts the focus of your roleplaying experience where it actually belongs: on narrative depth, character complexity, and player agency. While plenty of systems are still obsessed with combat, loot, and grinding, we know roleplaying can be so much more. This system is all about immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and characters you actually care about. Whether you're uncovering espionage secrets, solving a gripping mystery, or diving into the complexities of romance, The Simple Approach offers a fresh take on traditional genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror, along with modern and underserved ones like crime, dark academia, and espionage.
Narrative-Based Mechanics
At the heart of The Simple Approach are narrative-based mechanics that are easy to learn and designed to grow with you as you play. They let you tweak what’s here and even add things we haven’t thought of yet. The journaling system replaces those one-size-fits-none character sheets, giving gamemasters a flexible tool for organizing worldbuilding, adventure design, and session notes. Every character, setting, and adventure becomes a unique creation shaped by your choices.
Seamless Integration and Flexibility
The Simple Approach isn’t just a standalone system. You can blend it seamlessly with other Lightspress publications to create one-of-a-kind experiences or bring elements from other systems into your Lightspress game. If you want to use our material with your favorite system or setting, go for it. The free conversion notes in the Lightspress Handbook give you the flexibility to play how you want.
Our Philosophy
We believe the true essence of roleplaying happens around the table, where creativity and collaboration come alive. It’s not about a book, a brand, or a company. It’s about the people playing together, creating something special. Our focus on cooperation, interaction, and investigation ensures that every session is more than just a game; it’s a journey filled with compelling adventures and meaningful connections. We stand by our belief that the heart of roleplaying is found in shared experiences and stories crafted by the players. This philosophy drives everything in The Simple Approach and underpins our commitment to delivering content that champions the true spirit of roleplaying, free from superficial constraints.
Commitment to Creative Freedom
This philosophy also guides our belief that creators should own their work and not be beholden to licensing terms that only benefit fickle corporations. We draw inspiration from historical, mythological, and literary sources, tapping into our shared heritage to fuel creative exploration. We maintain full copyright ownership, ensuring that our work stays independent and true to our vision. Using style guides to keep a cohesive voice and narrative structure, we deliver exceptional content free from external influences, preserving the integrity and creative standards of our work.
Accessible and Affordable Roleplaying
We’re committed to keeping our games affordable so that more people can enjoy them. Our focus isn’t on producing overstuffed, expensive books filled with art to collect dust on a shelf. We’re here to create material meant to be played, not displayed. You won’t find us chasing awards or turning our games into glorified coffee-table books. Our goal is to facilitate roleplaying, pure and simple, keeping the price points low so you can focus on the game, not your wallet.
Stay Connected and Join Us
If you’re tired of the same old grind and ready to try something that actually respects your input, then The Simple Approach is calling your name. We’re not just offering a game. We’re inviting you to join a movement, a way of playing that values your time, creativity, and agency.
For more on The Simple Approach and our unorthodox take on roleplaying, visit lightspress.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, The Lightspress Manifesto, for updates on new releases, roleplaying advice, and a healthy dose of our opinions. If you’re ready to embrace something different, download the free Lightspress Handbook—your guide to what we’re all about.
140 pages. PDF and epub files included.