I’ve recently written about Monte Cook’s game Numerera, and by all accounts, the game appears to be enjoying some success, or at least significant buzz. Many creators would be content with that and simply double-down on that product. That being said, Monte Cook doesn’t seem to be the kind of guy to rest on his laurels, as evidenced by his latest endeavor.
Monte Cook, along with Bruce Cordell, has begun yet another Kickstarter campaign for a new RPG titled, The Strange. The game uses the same Cypher system that provides the mechanics for Numenera, so most of the basic rules should be interchangeable, but the world of The Strange is very different from the Ninth World. The Strange is based around the idea that our world is entwined with others through a complex network of ancient alien technology called the Strange. Each world, called a recursion, can have vastly different laws of nature. In some, time may pass more slowly. In others, magic may be part of the world’s foundation. The possibilities are endless. The conceit of the game is that the dark energy that has perplexed astrophysicists for so many years is actually the detectable part of the network, and that now humans are beginning to discover ways to interact, or even travel via that network.
Not all is joy and adventure though. Along this network live terrifying and strange creatures called planetovores that scuttle along the web looking for worlds to consume. In the game, the prime world of Earth is entwined with two other recursions, and in this configuration it provides some limited protection from the planetovores. How this works isn’t clear from the descriptions, but is sure to be fleshed out as the game develops.
Characters may decide champion various worlds, exploit them, or even pass between recursions in their adventures. In time, they may even choose to create their own.
It’s an exciting premise, and given the amazing production quality of Numenera corebook, I have high hopes for this game. I’m not alone in thinking so either. The Kickstarter met its initial target amount within the first 24 hours of its funding period, and has been happily chewing its way towards various stretch goals ever since. As I write this, the game has already raised 314% of its original goal.
If you want in on preordering the game, you can currently only do so by backing the campaign. However, I’m sure once the campaign is over, additional preorders will be possible through Monte Cook Games.