Shrines: Sites of Reverence & Power

Imagine a shrine to a spider-god: hidden, ghastly, leaking venom. The ideologies of secrecy, horror, and predation present a sanctity that might threaten or offend benevolent characters while emboldening vicious ones. The resulting sacred space—one of terror and disgust or focused, patient hostility—depends on which character arrives.
— Language, Play & The Sacred, p.65.

A SOURCEBOOK OF HOLY SITES FOR TTRPGS

Contents

• Twelve illustrated shrines, each with microfiction and gameplay hooks, for game masters to embed in their worlds as set pieces or plot devices
• Procedural tables for generating new shrines, rituals, visitors, and atmosphere
• Gameplay mechanics for Sacred Rest and Pilgrimage
• Theory on the nature of sacred space and its role in fantasy roleplaying games

The digital version also includes a printer-friendly worksheet for the player-facing Pilgrimage system.

System-Neutral

Shrines presents gameplay text in the language of RPG convention rather than system-specific mechanics. Players of any system can make use of its material, but doing so requires some thoughtful translation to the system’s features. For a given mechanic, this might mean selecting the appropriate character attribute, setting the target number for a dice roll, or improvising interactions with other mechanics.

Himalayan Buddhism

Shrines assumes medievalist fantasy settings and player narratives that center spiritual ambitions, institutions, and conflict. Contrasting fantasy's Eurocentrism, it references the mythology and cultural practices of Himalayan Buddhism as its primary inspiration. This draws on the author's studies in India and Nepal as well as cultural consultation from practicing religious scholars.

Press

Credits

• Writing & layout by James Pianka (Magic: the Gathering, State of Decay 2, TMNT: Splintered Fate)
• Illustrations & layout by Conner Fawcett (Wanderhome, Lancer, Last Train to Bremen)
• Editing by Jerimiah Goad (Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: the Gathering).
• Cultural consulting by Khenpo Pema Wangdak of the Vikramasila Foundation, James Mendez Hodes (Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Avatar Legends), and Jeremy McMahan (Rubin Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum)
• Published by Empty Mountain (Nothing Can Die)

System-Neutral icon by samizdatediciones. Human Made icon by hinokodo.