BOWLER
A downloadable game
An Adventure by Steven Harder, Cog 5 Games
BOWLER is a system-neutral horror adventure. Events are set in a region known as The Upper Hearth, a cavity of autumnal wilderness, comprised of dark forests and jagged plateaus. Nestled within, the remote village of Nellthorp, where gas lamps burn bright to stave off things that creep at night.
Adventurers are often average people who end up in perilous situations, brave souls willing to take on dangerous work for good pay. Magic exists, but has long since gone out of style.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
The Village of Nellthorp
Tucked away from the modern world, the recluse villagers of Nellthorp live their lives. In the shadows, petty rivalries, selfish desires, and cut throat sacrifices are all waiting to play out.
Sodden Ghoul Farm
When crops would no longer grow in The Upper Hearth, the family at Moorland Farmstead resorted to forbidden practices extracted from the pages of a stolen tome. Using means both scientific and arcane, they attempted to reanimate their perished livestock. Things went wrong.
Incubating Demon Swarm
A century ago, a greedy venture carried out at Deeds’ Mine exposed a vast chamber underneath The Upper Hearth. The act allowed an ancient evil to seep through, poisoning the land and all the people who live there.
The Rise of Bo’lor
Deep in the southern gorge, Bo’lor sleeps. The massive, alien being uses its spawn to infiltrate the minds of those within Nellthorp Village, and bend them to their will. Margrethe Eloi, The Chosen of Bo’lor, exploits her position as priest of Stone Church, to lure sacrifices and acquire new servants, to ensure her master’s rise. Communion draws nigh.
WHAT'S IN THE BOOK?
- Over 60 pages, packed with adventure text
- Details on the setting of The Upper Hearth
- A half-dozen hooks to pull your players into the adventure
- A hex-based overworld, 8 locations, each with random happenings
- A hex-based underworld, to sate your cave crawling needs
- 20 villagers, some wearing hats, each with personal desires and sacrifices
- A selection of monsters and such, with descriptions
- Of which you can apply stats from your favorite system
- Includes one ghoul doodle
- A dozen items, including artifacts and a diving suit
- A corpse table!
Note: 2025 will see a few new illustrations added to the Monsters & Such section. Those who have previously purchased the adventure will receive the update. Stay tuned!
WHAT'S NOT IN THE BOOK?
This is a system-neutral adventure. While some suggestions are provided, the book does not include specific rules, character generation, or stats of any kind. Pick your favorite system and borrow from there.
CONTENT WARNINGS
BOWLER is a horror adventure, content and themes include: Abduction, Animals, Aliens, Blood, Cannibalism, Coercion, Confined Spaces, Corpses, Cults, Death, Demons, Drowning, Ghosts, Immolation, Insects, Manipulation, Monsters, Occult, Poisoning, Religion, Suicide, Violence
JAM INFO
Overworld (The Upper Hearth) submitted to:
Vexes and Hexes Jam
Underworld (The Underneath) submitted to:
Adventure Jam 2
Check out all the other amazing submissions, support indie creators!
VERSION INFO
Version 1.1 - PDF bookmarks added!
MORE INFO & GAMES
Website: cog5games.com
Purchase
In order to download this game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $8 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Comments
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Looks awesome :0 would you describe it as a CoC sandbox adventure? Are there any inspirational pieces of media for it? How many sessions might it take?
Thanks! Yes, I think this would fit well as a CoC sandbox adventure, lots of cosmic horror inspiration here for sure.
Closest movie inspiration would be Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), but set in the early 1800s, or in a remote town that has not modernized. I had watched Midnight Mass (2021) prior to writing this too, probably influenced the creepy church and small community vibe.
Depends on your usual session duration, but 2-4 evenings, I’d say. It’s a small hex area, travel is pretty quick, but lots opportunities for distraction. Side hooks outside the main adventure and NPC interactions could stretch things out, if your players dig into that kind of thing. :]
Thank you so much!
I really liked the format of this one - More than enough detail to run as written, but enough skeleton to stretch your own additions across.
Thanks! Appreciate you taking the time to have a look. :]
Wow! This looks absolutely gorgeous, I'll try to play it asap
Thanks! 🙂