Wights by Łukasz Kołodziej is a free role playing game published by Skavenloft. The supplement is covered by the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported license and is based on Lasers & Feelings.
The supplement is available as a 31-page PDF for free from DriveThruRPG. Two pages are the front and rear covers, one the front matter, one the Contents and one a character sheet. A second, single page PDF is also the character sheet.
The Introduction explains that this is a game about people returning from the dead to get revenge on their killers, and is designed for 2-6 players, with one being the Narrator, or GM. It uses d6s as well as the usual of writing materials. It also explains that this is an adult game with mature themes.
Characters starts with character creation. Each character has a Memento, a Nemesis, a Totem and a Fetish. Samples are given of each. The Memento is something the Wight cannot get back. The Nemesis is the person they want to punish; a sidebar explains that there can be different ways of getting revenge. The Totem is the creature responsible for the Wight’s resurrection. The Fetish is a quirk gained after returning to life that draws attention to the Wight.
Approach is how the Wight overcomes challenges; this is done either by SEX or VIOLENCE, both with broad definitions. A number between 1 and 5 is assigned to the Wight; a high value means they are better at overcoming challenges with SEX, low with VIOLENCE. Equipment is the small amount of stuff the Wight has and the player can then create the backstory and appearance.
Finally, there is an example of character creation.
On Wights explains how their bodies and minds work, how they react to occult rituals and what happens after revenge; basically, a Wight no longer has a reason to remain in the mortal world after that. They may stay for a while, but sooner or later their Totem sends them away.
Narrator covers the responsibilities of the GM and how to run the game.
Gameplay Example is, as it suggests, an example of play.
Checks covers the game mechanics. A few d6s are rolled to see whether the Wight succeeds at something. Once something has been determined to need a Check, the player decides whether to use SEX or VIOLENCE. There are graduations of success, depending on the number of successes rolled; zero means failure. A result that equals the Wight’s approach grants a vision, which allows the player to ask the Narrator questions. Finally, there is an example of a check.
Game Aids has a variety of things that can help, with lists of names and surnames, nemeses advantages and flaws, people in good and bad neighbourhoods, legal and illegal organisations, pests, cities, flaws and advantages for cities, hideouts, locations, being venues and spaces, various weapons, outfits, props, vehicles, complications and positive events.
Inspirations lists movies, books, comic books, RPGs and bands used as inspiration.
Wights in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and is long enough with enough different sections that these would have been useful. The Contents covers the major sections. Navigation could be better. The text maintains a single column format and some minor errors were noticed. There are a variety of stock black and white illustrations. Presentation is decent.
Like all Lasers & Feelings games, this is more narrative-based than mechanical; as such, it won’t be for everyone. It does expand the basic game a bit, with a variety of options, but the fundamentals are the same and understandable to anyone who has played the game. This is a darker take on the game. Wights can be downloaded for free by clicking here.
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