Happy to announce that I have just re-released Death of Rapacus.
Death of Rapacus is my dark comedy love letter to Ars Magica. It’s is a one shot where you get to enjoy one of the play experiences you can get with Ars Magica — that of petty wizards scheming and arguing with each other about … well pretty much everything like an old married couple.
In the end, disagreements escalate to violence. When the player characters wields enough magical power to lay waste to a countryside, this leads to a spectacular climax. There is also a rival gang of wizards, a sleepy Loch Ness monster, and a soul devouring demon to spice up things.
Players take turn narrating and playing scenes. When another player narrates something you disagree with, you shout “Over my dead body!” and duel it out with dice.
The working title for the game was Last Wizard Standing. It’s dark comedy, it’s PvP, it’s GM-less, and it’s super fun and silly.
Ars Magica
Ars Magica is an epic TTRPG where players play wizards in a mythical medieval Europe where dragons, demons and fairies are real.
Ars Magica is rich in details and setting, built over decades. As part of the 2024 crowdfunding campaign for the Ars Magica Definitive Edition, Atlas Games released the text for the 5th edition under an open license that encourages and explicitly allows for third parties to add and expand to the vast trove of material available for the game.
This year backers receive the beautiful Ars Magica Definitive Edition, a hard bound full colour book collecting most of the setting and rules into one single tome.
Definitive Edition
I took this opportunity to gently revise the 2023 revised edition of Death of Rapacus and release a Death of Rapacus (Revised and) Definitive Edition. If you already own the 2023 revised edition, there is no need to purchase the Death of Rapacus Definitive Edition. In fact, I will give you the new edition for free, just ask me for it. I’ve run Death of Rapacus at LinCon the last three years and I know the game delivers. However, I also noted a few recurring sources of confusion and took the chance to weed things out a bit. Most prominently, I’ve simplified duelling with monsters.
Death of Rapacus does not require any knowledge of Ars Magica rules or setting. It takes place in Mythic Europe and uses some of the concepts from Ars Magica. But it’s a stand alone one shot that in fact does not teach you to play Ars Magica. Either as break from playing a long and serious Ars Magica campaign. Or as a taster to get started playing Ars Magica. Or just because it’s fun.
Available now
Another source of inspiration for Death of Rapacus is The Marquis of Ferrara by Pompey Crew Design. Instead of quarrelling wizards, it’s political intrigue and assassination in renaissance Italy. Highly recommended too. Though I must of course insist that Death of Rapacus is better ;).
If you have played and enjoyed Death of Rapacus, please consider reviewing or recommending the game. More people should play it.
Death of Rapacus Definitive Edition is available from Thoughtful Dane and RPG Trader.