‘Vermilium’ TTRPG Provides Plenty Of Opportunity For Strange New Exploration

Welcome to the table,

I have been waiting for this one for a while and it did not disappoint. Over a year ago I had a chance to sit down Ben Giles to talk about his TTRPG Vermilium. Now, with a PDF of the game in hand and a physical copy coming in the mail any day now, I can happily say that it was worth the wait.

Vermilion feels wild and untamed, and that is one of the things I like about it most.  In Vermilion, the “new world” is the last refuge of humanity, though it is a landscape of untamed wilderness that has been infused and forever changed by strange supernatural forces. The wilds grow over the ruins of something that has come before leaving ancient war machines, constructs, and temples full of magic and machinery to be stumbled upon by those brave enough to venture into the unmapped spaces.

What’s more a strange magical plague known as The Bleed is moving through the world. The Bleed is where magic is formed, and where the spirits of those who have passed journey after death. Now, it is spilling into the land of the living and twisting things more and more as it grows.

Vermilium is a game for antiheroes who are trying to survive on a dangerous frontier that has yet to be charted. It focuses heavily on exploration and traveling to and through strange and wonderous landscapes that are akin to those of the early days of the Wild West. It also has elements of strange steampunk and riverboat adventures. Think Red Dead Redemption 2 with lots more supernatural themes, in a way that actually works and does not feel forced.

That is what I like most about Vermilium. It really leans into the strange unknown of this undiscovered landscape that is close to our understanding of the age of exploration, but it is so full of these cool, weird, trappings that make it feel new and fresh and interesting.

There are humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, clockworks, and monsters who all share a world together built over this forgotten industrial revolution that is deeply scarred by magic and past horrors. You can fight terrifying monsters, climb through crumbling factories that feel like old-school tombs and temple complexes, and the crafting system allows for you to make all sorts of cool weapons and items that make your gear feel personalized. It uses the Savage Worlds system, but it feels very much like it’s own thing in so many ways.

Even the origins of the game setting come from cool beginnings, as it was a home game that Ben played with his friend for years. Over time they all loved it so much that he developed it more and more into the setting book it is now.

The book itself contains a gazetteer for players and storytellers that details all of Vermilium’s many regions, factions, myths, and legends. It also has seven bloodlines to play as, as well as rules for antiheroes with multiple bloodlines that really let you nail down your avatar in this strange setting. There are new setting rules for hunting and gathering creature components and magical ingredients; crafting items and artifacts that really feel fully realized and will give a lot of big-picture players plenty of room to explore and collect as they adventure in the world. The book also has a really robust bestiary with close to 100 creatures to drop into your weekly games.

I myself am trying to figure out how to make time in my already packed out schedule to get in a game or three of Vermilium just based on how much I like the setting and the opportunities it presents for me as a storyteller

If you want to check out a quick start guide you can visit this link, and you can grab a copy of the full game for yourself at this link.

Until next time, keep exploring the weird.