GrimmLITE (2010)

From publisher blurb:

A patched together Humpty Dumpty is the dreaded Rotten King of the Big and Awful Forest and only his madness prevents him from conquering the Checkered Kingdom. Cinderella grew up to become a dictatorial, sadistic queen and Little Red Riding Hood is a cursed teenage vampire who travels the lands under a blood soaked cloak suggestively luring in her next victim. Hansel and Gretel are now the cannibalistic servants of the house made of sweets, since the witch is no more. These are not your grandma's fairytales… but your great-grandmother is familiar with The Brothers Grimm.

The descriptions above are mere examples of what the Grimm Lands may hold instore for you. They are based on familiar fairy tales, folk lore, myth, nursery ryhmes, or anything else that may have captivated you as a child. As we grow older we see how violent and awful the events in these stories are. We recognize the immoral acts and we notice the triviality of the human experience. The characters are sometimes forced to deal with awful entities to preserve their own lives. Make sure the players discuss and decide what sort of Grimm experience they would like before delving in. For some, it may be an opportunity to consider the implications of these deeper topics. For others, it may simply be a fun chance to pretend to be the bully they hated, the popular kid they envied, or to relive being the nerd or dreamer. Grimm could stretch into an extended campaign wherein the kids take over the Grimm Lands. Alternatively, the game could be short-lived where the characters are snuffed out one by one. Somewhere in between a Grimm campaign may take characters from 1st to 6th level culminating in a “skin of their teeth” escape to the real world. Regardless of your style; this game is all about fantastic imagination.

Take on the persona of a child who has slipped from reality into a nightmare of grotesque fantasy. The core system is MicroLITE d20 which is a simple yet robust version of D&D d20. While significant portions of the game have been adapted, you will find that most of it translates simply and concepts are easy to grasp. This streamlined core system makes the mechanics easier so that players are more free to focus on the story and characters; putting the Role Playing back in Role Playing Games!