{"product_id":"before-the-worms","title":"Before the Worms","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBefore the Worms\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a game about a group of regular people who have seen a horror they could not turn away from. It's a game about the choices and sacrifices they will make to fight against that vicious, relentless evil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Worms are semi-physical parasites that feed on human suffering. They don't possess us or control us, they simply\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eencourage\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eus, offering power to the worst of humanity. Those who give themselves over entirely are called the Hollowed. They are everywhere. Holding the levers of power. Infiltrating systems and institutions, turning them towards misery. Most people don't see them for what they are. Most of the time, they seem perfectly normal. Until they don't. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil you've seen the Worms. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe game is designed to be played in short \"seasons\" of 5-10 sessions, focusing on a single infestation of Worms and the terrible choices the PCs make as they attempt to burn it out. The bleak setting of the game provides a stark backdrop meant to snap characters into stark focus. It is an engine meant to drive PCs to make difficult, painful decisions. Though you may achieve a victory over the Worms, it will cost you dearly. The story of those choices and that cost: of what you cling to, what you lose, and how it changes you, is the substance and spine of the game. \u003cem\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBefore the Worms \u003c\/em\u003eis a 78-page book that provides: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA complete, concise horror system for both group and solo play that focuses on character, cost, and connection. The system is diceless, using a standard deck of playing cards to give intuitive probabilities. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCard-draw inspiration tables for character creation and relationships, as well as prompts for creating infestations and framing downtime vignettes. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA simple procedure for uncovering and resisting the infestations of the Worms their networks of power and exploitation, and the threats they pose. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuidance for setting stakes, framing scenes, and letting more complex and emotional themes unfold over time. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuidance for creating your own infestations, prepping sessions, and tracking the process of uncovering and fighting the Worms using a flexible yet powerful node-based design to map connections.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA ready-to-use example infestation. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn extended example of play. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOver a dozen pieces of full-color art. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBefore the Worms\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis also an \"anti-Cosmic Horror\" game. Unlike Cosmic Horror, which focuses on the insignificance of humanity before the vastness of uncaring alien gods, \u003cem\u003eBefore the Worms \u003c\/em\u003eis squarely focused on the human. The Worms are intimately entangled with us. Their horrors are our own, heightened and reflected back at us through a twisted mirror.  Although the game's setting is very bleak, it is ultimately about hope, not despair. It insists that our lives and choices \u003cem\u003edo\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehave meaning, even in the face of an implacable horror that cannot be fully defeated. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause although you cannot hope to destroy \u003cem\u003eall\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethe Worms, you can fight them \u003cem\u003ehere.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eYou can resist them \u003cem\u003enow.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eYou can save \u003cem\u003ethese people\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut there are no victories without cost. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd all too often, that price is paid in blood. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContent Warnings:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBefore the Worms\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eis recommended for mature players who wish to explore emotionally intense subject matter. The game engages sincerely with themes of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmotional and psychological trauma\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePsychological manipulation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSystemic violence and exploitation \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstitutional and interpersonal abuse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComplicity, ethical compromise, and moral corruption\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePersonal and relational sacrifice, loss, and tragedy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSelf-destruction, self-betrayal, and loss of agency\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBody horror (specifically, worms and parasitism used as metaphor)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhysical violence and cruelty\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetaphors that resemble cult behavior and indoctrination\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetaphoric reflections and implications (though no direct depictions) of patterns of abuse, grooming, intimate partner violence, and gaslighting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough the text contains disturbing imagery and grapples with intense subject matter, it does not directly depict graphic violence. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough sexual abuse is indirectly implied, it is never specifically discussed nor directly depicted in the text or imagery. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough this game focuses its horror on human violence and cruelty, pains have been taken to ensure that these depictions are not gratuitous. The game treats this subject matter seriously, and centers player support through the use of explicit safety tools and \"breaths\" built in to the system. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRemember:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003ethis is not a game about despair.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eThough it centers trauma and cruelty, it is not\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eabout\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eevil. It is about we choose to do in the face of it. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Before the Worms pulls out the core of horror conspiracy roleplaying. It is the rawest, simplest, most clear-eyed portrayal I've seen of the fear and drama that we try to achieve when playing games like Delta Green, Night's Black Agents, Hunter, or any other game where mortals stand against monsters. It speaks to familiar suffering and gives the best answer a game can give. I want to tell everyone about this game.\"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e             –\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/itch.io\/profile\/lymetime\"\u003eLyme\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e        \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Goblin Door Games","offers":[{"title":"Print + Digital","offer_id":48341927035102,"sku":"GOBLINDOOR-ZINE-BEFORETHEWORMS","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Digital Only","offer_id":48341927067870,"sku":"GOBLINDOOR-DIGI-BEFORETHEWORMS","price":8.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0070\/1454\/7583\/files\/Before_the_Worms_Cover.png?v=1782230770","url":"https:\/\/plusoneexp.com\/products\/before-the-worms","provider":"Plus One Experience","version":"1.0","type":"link"}