A Game of Wuxia MelodramaHearts of Wulin is a roleplaying game of wuxia melodrama. Players take the role of skilled martial artists in a world of rival clans, conspiracies, and obligations. The game builds on the Apocalypse World engine, and is most strongly influenced by Monsterhearts 2, Masks, and The Veil.
Hearts of Wulin emulates Chinese wuxia TV series like Smiling Proud Wanderer and Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain, Chinese martial arts novels from the second half of the twentieth century, and films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In these tales, romance is as dangerous as a blade. Everyone has ties to factions, loves they can’t quite express, and secrets which will shake them to their core. As in the source material, stories in Hearts of Wulin are driven by the characters’ duties, romantic desires, and entanglements with other characters. Hearts of Wulin was successfully Kickstarted on June 17th, 2019. The game is currently in development in preparation for final publication, scheduled for September 2020. |
More About the GameHearts of Wulin is Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA), meaning its mechanics are inspired, in part, by Apocalypse World by Vincent and Meguey Baker. The game is strongly influenced by several recent PbtA games, including Monsterhearts 2 by Avery Alder and The Veil by Fraser Simons. That said, Hearts of Wulin stands on its own, and has several distinct features that help players tell stories steeped in wuxia melodrama.
If you have played Hearts of Wulin or read through the playtest packet and would like to give the authors some feedback, or if you'd simply like to discuss the game, head over to The Gauntlet Forums by clicking the button below. You can also give feedback via the mailing list form at the top of the page.
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Meet the Team!
Lowell FrancisLowell is the co-author of Hearts of Wulin. He co-hosts The Guantlet Podcast and records multiple Gauntlet Hangouts rpg sessions each week. His blog, Age of Ravens, won the Silver ENnie for Best Blog in 2017 and is now part of The Gauntlet Blog. He has worked on comics including Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard and DC Comics's Flashpoint: Project Superman. He knows Laughing in the Wind isn't the best wuxia TV drama, but he loves it the most.
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Agatha ChengAgatha Cheng is the co-author and cultural consultant for Hearts of Wulin. Outside of furiously researching for this game, she is a writer, cultural consultant, and co-host of the Asians Represent podcast. She loves story games, Chinese web-novels, and dark chocolate.
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Minerva FoxMinerva Fox is the illustrator for Hearts of Wulin and is drawn to the fantastical and high-drama of the wuxia genre. Influenced by manga and western comics alike, she enjoys using ink and marker to bring hers and other people’s ideas to life. You can find her work in Codex, a monthly zine by The Gauntlet, Vigor RPG, and Dino Wranglers. In addition, you can watch her process live on Twitch on Mondays and Thursdays (@blue_troller).
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