THE BLOOM
A downloadable ttrpg Adventure
Nominated for an Ennie! Best Adventure Long Form!
Our Bloody Disgusting Horror Magazine Feature: TTRPG ‘The Bloom’ Combines ‘Alan Wake’ With ‘The Last of Us’ in a Surreal Adventure [Review] - Bloody Disgusting (bloody-disgusting.com)
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In print at Space Penguin Ink!
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"I Want To Go Home" a soundtrack for The Bloom:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5OOPvMcLTtZ5cuNwYY4Xlf?si=48a9811bde674b30
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Abstract
Out a ways from the big city lies the town of Coldwater, named after the body of water it borders. Coldwater is a complacent place and its residents prefer it that way, thank you very much. Most townsfolk will greet you with a smile, but asking about the Incident from about a year back will get you met with cold stares and abruptly shut doors. But here’s the thing, folks have started disappearing again, and this time it was out-of-towners.
The Bloom is a sandbox adventure for Liminal Horror. Something sinister is creeping beneath the town of Coldwater. Campers have gone missing, but the townsfolk won’t say a word and the authorities are less than helpful. Can your team of Investigators find out the truth and save the town before it’s too late?
Touchstones
- Alan Wake (2010) - Remedy Entertainment
- What Moves the Dead (2022) - T. Kingfisher
- Twin Peaks (1990-1991, 2017) - Mark Frost & David Lynch
- The Last of Us (2013) - Naughty Dog
- Stranger Things (2016 -; present) - The Duffer Brothers
- Ben 10, Camp Fear (2006) - Man of Action
- Dark (2017-2020) - Baran bo Odar & Jantje Friese
- Wolverine: The Long Night (2018) - Marvel New Media
- Desert Moon of Karth (2021) - Joel Hines
- Feast (2021) - Chris Bissette
- Dying Light (2015) - Techland
What's in THE BLOOM:
- Includes multiple formats for play (starting fresh, integrating into a campaign, one-shots).
- A DOOM clock that tracks the escalating threat descending on Coldwater. Tied to investigation phases (6 hour increments).
- Custom Character Creation designed to be used specifically with this adventure.
- 20 custom backgrounds including equipment and motivations..
- 10 key NPCs, each with stats, description, desires, secrets, and how they connect socially..
- Enemies: there is a section on Hosts (including four main iterations) as well as the main threat in the module (the Hyrdra) as well as statted NPCs and some location specific enemies..
- Locations: The town of Coldwater Lake and its surroundings offers a major sandbox for players to explore (that changes as the DOOM clock progresses).
- Coldwater Proper (which includes 12 keyed locations within).
- Coldwater Camp (which includes 8 locations to investigate the disappearances)
- Haru’s Cabin (a small cabin deep in the woods that is home to something much older that Coldwater).
- The Gas Station (a waypoint filled with supplies).
- Hines Farm (location of the Coldwater Lake Incident)
- The Lodge (an old hunting lodge purchased by two suspicious newcomers).
- Coldwater Surrounds (10-12 additional locations in the surrounding area).
- The Forest (a dense voidcrawl encasing Coldwater)
- The Caverns (below Coldwater).
- Appendix A: CONSEQUENCES - different potential outcomes for The Bloom.
- Appendix B: CONVERSIONS - systems to be announced.
- Appendix C: FALLOUT - d12 custom Fallouts for this module.
- Appendix D: RESIDENTS AND RUMORS - 20 additional NPCs to populate Coldwater along with rumors about town..
- Appendix E: RANDOM SEARCH TABLE
- Appendix F: Artifacts.
Also includes:
- Fully internally linked pdf (in both page and spread formats)
- Single map files from the adventure (bundled in a zip file)
- Text only format (in epub, txt, pdf)
LIMINAL HORROR (TTRPG )
The Bloom is an official adventure module for Liminal Horror (a modern hack of Cairn), it is a rules-lite, fail forward TTRPG system. The core rules can be accessed a few different ways:
- PDF version can be purchased on it's itch.io page.
- A free web-based version can be found here.
- A physical + pdf can be purchased at Exalted Funeral.
The Bureau (a related module to The Bloom)
- Digital: The Bureau by Goblin Archives, Unenthuser (itch.io)
- In Print: The Bureau (exaltedfuneral.com)
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What about a physical version?
You can buy it now!
In print at Space Penguin Ink!
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Content Warning
This module includes elements of Body Horror, Graphic Violence, Harm to Animals, Fungi, and Religion, and the major theme throughout is Complacency.
Status | Released |
Category | Physical game |
Rating | Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars (29 total ratings) |
Authors | Goblin Archives, Unenthuser, Zach Hazard Vaupen // Emo Sludge |
Genre | Adventure |
Tags | Horror, Itch Funding, liminal-horror, Tabletop role-playing game, zimo |
Purchase
In order to download this ttrpg Adventure you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $9.37 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Development log
- Nominated for an Ennie (vote now) and a soundtrack82 days ago
- Review Roundup!Feb 20, 2024
- See The Bloom in action!Oct 20, 2023
- The Bloom (In Print)Oct 15, 2023
- The Bloom v.1.0 Full Release!Sep 10, 2023
- Ashcan and Actual PlayJul 27, 2023
- Editing Wrapped UpJun 10, 2023
- Manuscript and New ArtMar 07, 2023
Comments
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Congrats! Believe the hype: This game rules.
Big congrats for the ENNIE nominations, Goblin Archives team!
Any word on a print edition? Love this content!
there’s definitely going to be a print edition. We’re finishing up the layout now. Then submit it to printer (along with one night).
Keep an eye on: https://spacepenguin.ink/
will there be community copies once it's all completed?
we will be considering some sort of community copy program for all of our modules.
The Bloom Play Session - Episode 1
podcast interview on Wobblies & Wizards https://anchor.fm/wobbliesandwizards/episodes/The-Bloom-for-Liminal-Horror-e1uecmp
Weekly Scroll interview & review
The Bloom Game Pitch on Dieku Games