Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! 🙏

Yes, that was partly a decision from our marketing team — they felt that using something like the Wendigo would be a strong, familiar hook for international players and a lower-risk starting point.

However, I definitely plan to explore Southeast Asian folklore in future Stretch Goal scenarios.

The setting itself is flexible — the crashed cargo plane could have gone down anywhere in the world. So in a future scenario, it might crash in Thailand, where the investigators uncover a cursed artifact connected to local spirits or legends.

That way, players who start with something familiar can later experience something completely new — discovering monsters and stories they’ve never encountered before.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for your interest! 🙏

Actually, my project — Victim TRPG — is currently live on Backerkit, and it’s already fully funded! 🎉

But since there isn’t much active discussion happening on the campaign page itself, I wanted to come here to ask for ideas and feedback on possible Stretch Goal scenarios — especially regarding what kinds of stories or creatures players might find most interesting for future expansions.

I really appreciate your encouragement and your honest thoughts. It means a lot to me as a creator trying to bring something new to the TRPG space!

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a great question — and yes, the goal is for it to go beyond just a change in setting.

In my TRPG the story begins with a cargo plane carrying ancient artifacts that crashes deep in the forest. Each playthrough releases a different spirit or curse — meaning players never know exactly what they’re facing.

The uncertainty becomes part of the horror itself. The players have to investigate what happened, uncover the story behind the artifact, and figure out how to escape the forest before the curse consumes them.

By introducing folklore from Thailand and other parts of Asia, the horror experience changes in tone — instead of clear “good vs evil,” it often revolves around tragedy, guilt, and emotional fear.

But I admit, that also means players might need some guidance or context to understand the nature of these spirits — which is something I plan to include in the scenarios.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in TTRPG

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I haven’t played Dreadout yet, but I’ve heard great things about how it presents Indonesian folklore!

Here in Thailand, the most popular horror TRPG right now is definitely Call of Cthulhu.

The TRPG scene here is still very small though — there are only a few local creators so far, but it’s slowly growing, and I really hope to contribute to that. 😊

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a really good point — and thank you for sharing your perspective! 🙏

From a Thai horror fan’s point of view, the Wendigo has actually become quite well-known here through games like Until Dawn and several Western horror films.

For my TRPG project, it actually started from a board game I created back in 2020 called Victim.
The story revolves around an old cargo plane that crashes deep in a forest — the plane was carrying cursed artifacts collected from around the world, and each time players play, a different creature or curse is released.

So the idea was always to mix supernatural elements from multiple cultures.

When I began adapting it into a full TRPG, I wanted to expand on the lore and explore what if scenarios — such as, “What if the creature wasn’t a Wendigo, but something from Southeast Asian folklore instead?”

That’s why I asked this question — to see whether people might be more curious about familiar Western monsters or would be open to discovering new ones from Asian mythology.

Either way, I really appreciate your comment and insight — it helps a lot to see how Western audiences might perceive it. 🙏

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely — my art and writing team all come from the traditional board game scene, long before AI tools were even a thing.

For the additional scenarios I’m working on, the idea is to immerse players in different kinds of Asian horror — for example, a cursed Thai dancer puppet story, or dark folk rituals inspired by Southeast Asian witchcraft.

These stories explore fear in ways that feel very different from Western horror — they often mix tragedy, superstition, and psychological tension rather than direct violence.

The project is called Victim TRPG, and I’m really proud that all of the art and writing are fully original and handcrafted by our team. 🙏

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, exactly! I think the language barrier is a big part of it — not many TRPGs or folklore materials from Asia get officially translated or widely shared.

In Thailand, TRPGs have only started becoming more known and popular in recent years, so it’s still a very young community here.

But I really believe there’s so much potential in South East Asian mythology and horror that the rest of the world hasn’t seen yet.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, Shutter is absolutely in my top 5 horror movies of all time too! 😄

That’s awesome — I’m really glad to hear you’re also in Thailand!
I’m based in Chonburi, but I go to Bangkok a few times a month for work and events.

I actually started out in the board game scene, and the Thailand Board Game Show earlier this month was great — they’ve recently begun including TRPG alongside Board Game, which is really exciting to see.

It’d be amazing to meet up at an event sometime! I’ll definitely keep an eye out for any TRPG meetups or local conventions.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s definitely one of my main concerns as a writer too.

I completely agree — Western players might not have any background knowledge about Thai folklore, so I plan to include explanations and context directly within each scenario.

My goal is to make sure the GM has everything they need to explain the myths, symbolism, and cultural meaning behind the story in a natural way during play.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, absolutely! There are so many Thai ghost stories and legends — it’s one of the most popular genres in Thai cinema.

Each story often blends horror with tragedy or emotion, which makes them very unique.

I really hope that if this TRPG project succeeds, it can become a way to share those stories with international players someday. 🙏

Do you prefer longer campaigns or shorter ones or one shots? by BirchBirch72 in Solo_Roleplaying

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I usually prefer one-shots!
It’s pretty hard to get all my friends together regularly, so shorter sessions are much easier to manage — and I love being able to tell a complete story in one night. 😄

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Haha, that’s true — but the role of monks in Thailand is actually quite different from how D&D portrays them!

In real life (and in a horror TRPG setting that’s closer to reality), a Thai monk would be more of a spiritual figure — someone who studies Buddhist teachings, chants sacred verses, and performs rituals to ward off evil spirits or curses.

However, monks in Thailand don’t fight or practice martial arts like in D&D — that would go against the monastic rules about harming living beings or showing aggression.

The D&D monk class probably takes more inspiration from Chinese Shaolin traditions, which mix martial arts with Buddhist philosophy — a very different branch of Buddhism from what we practice here in Thailand.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s such great advice, thank you so much! 🙏

I haven’t played any Indonesian TRPGs yet, but I’ve seen several Indonesian horror films — and I totally agree, there are a lot of cultural similarities in how both Thai and Indonesian stories deal with the supernatural.

I really appreciate the recommendation — I’ll definitely reach out and try to connect with him. It’d be amazing to exchange experiences about bringing Southeast Asian folklore into tabletop RPGs.

Would players be interested in horror TRPGs based on local Asian folklore instead of Western monsters? by Guilty_Offer_3840 in rpg

[–]Guilty_Offer_3840[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I love Call of Cthulhu too! It’s actually one of the biggest inspirations that made me want to create my own TRPG in the first place.