Shatterspine - A Memory-Horror TTRPG

SHATTERSPINE

A Memory-Horror TTRPG 

Shatterspine is a dark fantasy in a world fueled by memories, glyphs, names, vaults, and haunted pasts.

You can try to remember who you were, or become who you think you are. You will likely end up fragmented just like the rest of the world. A patchwork of true memories, false memories, and even memories that once belonged to others. Will you find the truth or make your own?

In Shatterspine: "You are not who you think you are"

Key Features of Shatterspine

• Zero-Tracking Mode: No, I mean ZERO, prep required &  No, I mean ZERO, tracking required! (With optional behind the scenes peeks for curious players)
• Good for play as solo or more, ideal for 3-6+ players and scales accordingly
• Quick but deep character creation: be done in 5 minutes and already start imagining your character. 
• Dynamic world: Responds to the players' actions'
• Magic is done through glyphs: an unknown language that people try to remember
• Corruption mechanics that keep glyph and echo power uses balanced
• Your name has power: Use it or keep it safe. Your echo-self might even use it.
• Echo-Selves: What is this thing inside you? A shadow from a past life?
• Endless replayability: Delve for endless dungeon crawl and combat, Explore for adventure, Rewrite the world for power.
• Mount bonding: Really feel a connection to the world. Really immersive and unique mount system where you may even 'fuse' forms with it whether on accident or on purpose.
• Memory Item Mutation: Items, Mounts, Factions, All things in this world evolve and react to the players actions including items that were forgotten or left behind
• Settlement creation, warfare, faction wars
• Rituals & Group Rituals: Powerful binding effects that come at a risk and cost using memories and emotions
• Unique economy: Memory as currency. Trade your memories. Lose yourself. Rewrite was the truth really is.
• Power through roleplay and feeling: You choose from 5 combat roles from the start. These get awakened and expanded upon through gameplay and character choices.
• Gain unique echo powers, awakening powers, and twisted powers: Really feel the power of your abilities and the strategic weight they hold. These are awakened - and twisted - through gameplay.
• Hidden Agenda: Players obtain hidden agendas after some gameplay, optional to the GM to disclose this to the player (recommended) or not. These twist based on whether you are then following your agenda or a different one.
• Unique combat system: Features ZERO numbers, just raw visceral action to keep immersion flowing and emotions high mixed in with deep narrative options and situations. You will feel strong but vulnerable.
• Immersive world with unique travel mechanics: "Do you remember going down this path?"
• Immersive auto-writing Echo-Journal: Give players an extra bit of flavor, theme, and may even interfere if it doesn't agree with it's owner. The shy player in the group may still feel connected.
• A strange world: The sundering happened 50 years ago, or so that's what people think they remember. The empire, Virellia, had immense power and were near divinity had gotten too close to that power and tried to make contact with something they found deep in the center of the empire: the living heart of the world, to control destiny. It may or may not have worked. The world is now trying to re-imagine itself to Virellia's views. What world will you remember?
• Vaults: Dungeons from the past that write themselves back into existence when triggered by the actions of the players or world.
• Dynamic World Bosses: The creatures of the world have all been changed, and may continue to do so. Forgotten mounts, Fractured Echo-Selves and more can return as bosses depending on how you shape your world.
• Perfect for first time DMs and first time Players: You can run it as a traditional TTRPG but where Shatterspine shines is that it was designed to be used alongside ChatGPT (to be used as co-GM as the Memory Oracle or The World)
• Optional Hybrid Mode Feature: NPC Co-Play Assist: When playing in hybrid mode be prompted: Would you like to split this NPC conversation? You can narrate or roleplay one character, and co-GM handles the other. Reduces GM fatigue.
• Hybrid Mode : if using a co-GM you can choose to have it give you cinematic immersion or rapid-fire revelation
• -Immersive Mode: ChatGPT narrates with full detail, mystery, and Vault texture.
• -Pulse Mode: ChatGPT gives quick scene summaries first; you ask for more if needed.
• -Hybrid Mode Extra: You share control: you describe world actions, ChatGPT handles Vaults, rituals, and Echo responses.
• -Full Control Mode: You narrate all; ChatGPT speaks only when asked.
• Easy (Auto) updating character sheets! Gm just copy-pastes and updates! (Auto-update setup guide in progress, coming soon)

Ready to play? No Downloads Needed.

You can start playing Shatterspine right now, in your browser.

Just click https://chatgpt.com/g/g-683859dabdac8191a51fbc2ba80aeca3-the-vault-oracle (ChatGPT-powered) and follow the prompts. No character sheet. No stats. The world remembers for you. Prompt it to provide it if desired. 

(Requires ChatGPT Plus for best experience)

Free users can access the lite version at the bottom of the page.

How to Play

Can be run as a traditional TTRPG but is optimized to be used as a plugin to ChatGPT Plus. There is a free 'lite' version for those not subscribed to ChatGPT.

Combat Roles

Scar-Bearer: (Tank) You absorb what others cannot. Pain marks your path.

Glyph-Striker: (Burst DPS) You burn glyphs into the world, detonating echoes and symbols mid-strike.

Memory-Singer: (Support) You weave past and present. Healing through remembrance, or weaponizing regret.

Echo-Binder: (Control) You command what shouldn't exist. Control vault reactions, twist echoes, and disrupt identity.

Witness-Marked: (Wildcard) You were seen by something. Now the world watches. Unpredictable, cursed, marked.

Development:

I understand if AI isn't your thing. I just wanted to share something personal I spent a lot of time and care building. I used ChatGPT to help clarify and finish what had been an unfinished dream for years. Not to replace the work, but to finally complete it.

I built this game to take over for GM fatigue, Campaign Uncertainty, and Schedule Issues. I love playing RPGs with my friends but lives with different schedules makes it tough, and it usually ended up being something we only talked about and rarely ever actually playing. We would all get excited over playing some module, but everyone would just be stuck on character creation mode for months. This was my attempt to break the lull and so far it has exceeded my expectations and I hope it can help others with these issues as well.

If you try it and enjoy it, please let me know. I'm building a whole ecosystem of AI-native games like this.

This game should run optimally within an LLM as it is literally built for them. It takes limitations of the LLMs and turns them into thematic strengths.

Special Thanks

Heavily inspired by "Xas Irkalla" and "Strain" by James Vail

(This game is playable now, but still evolving. This has been a long passion project of mine buried across many notepads scribbled with new ideas over time, and I finally have been able to turn it into this fully playable game. A fully readable PDF is in the works. This is a goal of mine and I am working on it on my free time. I hope you can enjoy this version until then.)

"Just remember. The World will remember what you may not."

visit the reddit and share your adventures!

https://www.reddit.com/r/AITextGames/

  https://www.reddit.com/r/ShatterspineRPG/

you can try out a free version without downloading to see if you like the style by clicking here: https://chatgpt.com/g/g-68343df2f7808191bcfc52d4ee6edc35-vaultkeeper NOTE: Subscription users use the Vault Oracle link above!