The art of Fomoria – the folk horror RPG drawn by Tania Herrero

Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering could soon be getting a run for their money from a new fantasy role-playing game that has blown up on Kickstarter. Fomoria is the creation of artist and writer Tania Herrero and graphic designer and tabletop RPG inventor Johan Nohr. In our eyes, it's the gloriously creepy visual tone that sells it.

Whereas many mainstream RPGs draw heavily on Tolkien, other fantasy authors, and classical mythology, Fomoria has grown from the peculiar yet fertile soil of folk horror. "Folk horror is weird, uncomfortable, raw, forgotten, and I love every part of it. It's not just about fear, or just an aesthetic, it is about communities that have been built around a world mostly unknown to them, uncanny, and to survive, they commune with that unknown, they give it names and bargain with it to thrive," enthuses Tania Herrero.

She continues: "Fomoria pulls from that, and adds epic notions from classic literature, where flawed characters throw themselves into danger, so the world remembers the names of the greatest. Art-wise, Fomoria is not clean; it is organic, earthy. It is not curated, it is weird, uncomfortable, raw, maybe also forgotten, just like folk horror."

Based in Madrid, Tania draws in Photoshop on a scratched-up Cintiq tablet, drafting imagery in a rough, scratchy style with strong linework and heavy shading. It's reminiscent of horror comics and seems perfect for the kind of world-building she has undertaken here. In fact, Fomoria was a concept in Tania's sketchbooks for over a decade before she began turning it into a tabletop RPG. It mixes her love of monsters, weird places, exploration and folklore, which have inspired her character and world design.

Player characters in the game come from a people called the Folk. For reasons to be discovered, they've been cast into an underworld and have developed into unusual creatures. Each member of the party exploring Fomoria belongs to a clan. Descending into the tunnels, labyrinths and caverns of the Darkness, they must hunt the Eldrich and vanquish the Red Plague. These ancient beings take many forms; some are almost whimsical, others extremely perilous.

"The Eldritch are a big part of Fomoria's setting and definitely my favourites," says Tania. "They are forces that embody aspects of the world: subterranean currents, the wrath of flames, a prisoner song, the melancholy of what has been lost... Their minds and natures are not easy to comprehend, but they are not necessarily antagonistic: you can bargain with them, make deals and ask for their protection, or maybe listen to their teachings so you can learn the Boons they may grant."

While Tania draws, Johan Nohr is producing dramatic layouts that often emphasise the jeopardy and unknown horrors of Fomoria's subterranean setting. A wide array of materials is being produced, including a hardcover rulebook, a zine which includes game adventures, character sheets, hireling cards, an adventure on an A5 trifold card, stickers, creature and character standees, a game master's screen, limited edition 20-sided dice and even a fabric patch and a soundtrack. It's a collaborative process that can begin with the text and layout, or with a powerful image that Tania has drawn.

"We want each spread to tell a story and inspire ideas both with the text and the illustrations, with the layout flowing organically to be a part of it, not just decorative or functional," she says.

Darkness and shadow dominate the aesthetic, but there are washes and sometimes bursts of colour. Tania has used a limited palette to help ground players in various aspects of the game as they learn the rules. The earthier colours represent the Folk and what is familiar to them. Red steps to the fore where the Red Plague and its spawn are present. Darkness represents the game world itself. In the shadows, eyes watch, and horrors lurk. Johan Nohr will illustrate some elements related to this aspect of the game.

The ideas, imagination, ingenuity, and creativity of this project are further elevated by the creators' commitment to ensuring players receive a human-made experience. No AI has been used.

"What's the point of making something you are passionate about, something that has been born out of your own influences and experiences, if you do it through a tool that steals from the ideas and experiences of other people without even understanding them?" asks Tania. "My artwork and my writing are far from perfect, but they are how I want them to be, not how AI or the general public wants them to be. There are a lot of people who send me comments about how much they enjoy it, and maybe it's my impostor syndrome talking, but it is really hard to believe how much support and love this project is receiving. It means a lot to me."

As we post this story, Fomoria has already received pledges worth nearly 20 times its funding goal. It's a game in demand, and the printed materials are due to be available in November. The game fits with the Mörk Borg rules-light gaming framework co-created by Johan Mohr. Tania has created several earlier RPG scenarios and bestiaries, including Crown of Salt, The Menagerie of Unbearable Things, and The Omens October Brings. Pledges close 22 April.