Heart: The City Beneath

No. You can arrive with no prior knowledge. A professional Game Master will explain the rules in minutes and guide you through character creation. The system uses pools of d10s and straightforward outcomes, so it clicks quickly. You will learn about Stress and Fallout as you come across them. Familiarity with Spire enhances the atmosphere, but it is not essential. You can also choose someone who enjoys teaching beginners when you browse available Game Masters.

Heart centres on risk, cost, and discovery rather than tactical combat. There is typically no grid. Position and narrative are more important than precise distances. You create dice pools based on your actions and location, then manage Stress against tracks like Blood, Mind, and Supplies. Fallout alters scenes and characters, not just hit points. Equipment is lightweight and tagged, magic is potent but expensive, and factions influence your decisions. Delves resemble perilous expeditions where objectives and consequences guide play.

Expect surreal horror, obsession, and strange wonder. Scenes may involve body horror, cults, scarcity, and psychological strain. This is intended for adults, not children. Before play, our Game Masters establish lines and veils and utilise safety tools such as Script Change or the X-card. You decide the intensity you prefer. It can be grim and desperate, or balanced with moments of hope and beauty. The goal is tense, meaningful play where you feel secure as a person, even when your character is in peril.

Heart is designed for 2 to 5 players. With fewer players, there’s more focus on each character and a more intense, perilous journey. More players introduce conversation, strategies, and more complicated outcomes. Sessions usually run for 3 to 4 hours. A one-shot is ideal for a single adventure with a clear goal and a definite conclusion. In a continuous campaign, you’ll establish connections and resources, take on bolder explorations, and deal with long-term consequences. Your Game Master will adjust the pacing to suit your group’s preferences.

You choose a class with a unique flavour, such as Deep Apiarist, Vermissian Knight, Junk Mage, Cleaver, Heretic, or Hound. Your Calling determines what motivates you, whether it's Adventure, Enlightenment, Profit, or Protection. Abilities, equipment tags, and Beats influence your actions and development. Character creation typically takes around 20 to 30 minutes with guidance, or you can opt for pregenerated sheets for a quicker start. Expect bold, flawed individuals who are prepared to sacrifice safety for their desires.

Stress accumulates on various fronts as you take risks. When Fallout occurs, the Game Master enforces an appropriate consequence. Minor Fallout may damage equipment, change the scene, or leave a temporary mark. Major Fallout can alter your journey, affect relationships or resources, or even remove your character from play. While death is a possibility, the game typically transforms you before it claims your character. Risks are clearly indicated, allowing you to decide when to push forward, regroup, or negotiate for a safer path.

Yes. Heart operates seamlessly over video with straightforward maps, shared dice rollers, and handouts. Many of our Game Masters utilise Roll20, Foundry, or Owlbear Rodeo, or keep it simple with theatre of the mind and a shared document. The system’s dice pools and narrative positioning are well-suited for online play. If you have a preferred setup, please mention it when booking. For common platform options and what they offer, see online play platforms.