If you’re looking for an easy-to-read, easy-to-play RPG that puts a fun spin on a familiar structure, look no further than Not A Demon by Cezar Capacle. It uses mechanics from Charge and Blades in the Dark to put the players in the roles of magical guardian spirits as they attempt to help the superstitious residents of an island with any number of problems. On the one hand, Not A Demon will feel very familiar to a lot of RPG fans, especially those who have played a lot of FitD-related games. But it also stands apart from the field in some really clean and clever ways.
Firstly, Not A Demon goes a step beyond the normal playbooks structure and includes six pre-made characters. Like everything else in Not A Demon, the playbooks are written and laid out in a clean and easy-to-follow fashion that makes me want to take them all right to the table. No small part of their charm comes from the artwork, sourced from the Edo Period Bakemono Zukushi “Monster” scroll. In his designer notes, Capacle notes that Not A Demon is in part an investigation into “tropes of good-looking heroes and scary villains.” The grotesque-yet-loveable designs of these creatures really help push that, as even bulging, solitary eyes and bladed spider legs manage to be endearing when they belong to a character like the gregarious Ralmekot or the curious Ungrinag.
Not A Demon plays with another RPG convention by explicitly disallowing the characters from interacting with the world in direct and obvious ways. Their spiritual nature relegates them to similarly metaphysical actions. This is represented here by their stats, or Domains. Rather than sneaking around or vaulting over obstacles, Not A Demon characters have direct lines into the hearts of mortals and the ability to alter luck, space, and even time. The unique suite of Domains instantly gets players thinking of fun and creative ways to approach problems in a way that I think is extremely elegant.
Just as it includes premade characters, Not A Demon includes a fully fleshed out map of eight cities, each with their own related People of Interest and Troubles. These cities are as evocative as the characters, they put me in the mind of Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities. I really appreciate how much work went into creating the locations as well as the mechanics for this game, as it makes Not A Demon feel like a complete package. It’s ready to just pick up and play while still being mechanically very engaging.
Speaking of mechanics, I just love how streamlined this game feels. Like I said, it’ll feel familiar to anyone who has played other Charge or FitD games, but it’s been pared down to do exactly what it needs to do and nothing else. Each “mission” is broken up into three distinct tasks, each represented by a clock. There are also clocks for Doom and Exposure, representing the consequences of the mission outright failing and the spirits being discovered respectively. While consequences may add or affect these clocks, that’s really all you need to play. Not A Demon could easily be played with a GM, but it is also just as suited to GMless or even solo play. I love it when a game knows exactly what it wants to be and do, leaving no spare parts or loose ends. That’s exactly what you’re getting in Not A Demon.
Not A Demon is available on itch.io now.