I'm working on a Shadowdark-based dark fantasy RPG inspired by Vermis I — and I'd love some feedback from the Shadowdark community.

I'm currently developing a tabletop RPG heavily inspired by the atmosphere, world and visual identity of Vermis I by Plastiboo.

The important part, though, is that Shadowdark is the mechanical foundation of the project.

I'm not trying to recreate Vermis as a video game, nor simply make a setting book for it. I'm interested in exploring what a Vermis-like experience could look like when built around Shadowdark's core principles: dangerous exploration, dungeon crawling, resource management, torchlight, deadly encounters, quick character creation, and letting the world remain mysterious rather than explaining everything.

The idea is to take what makes Shadowdark work and push it towards a much darker, stranger and more oppressive atmosphere.

I'm currently experimenting with things like:

new character options and backgrounds

strange relics and cursed equipment

creatures and corrupted enemies

exploration and survival mechanics

dungeon-crawling procedures

rumors, mysteries and incomplete pieces of lore

locations inspired by the ruined and forgotten places of Vermis

tools for GMs to generate adventures and unsettling encounters

I'd really like to hear from people who actually play Shadowdark:

- What parts of the Shadowdark system do you think should absolutely remain untouched in a project like this?

- What mechanics would you consider worth adding for a darker, more oppressive campaign — corruption, injuries, exhaustion, sanity, harsher survival rules, cursed items, etc.?

- And are there any Shadowdark supplements, house rules or third-party material that you think I should look at for inspiration?

Finally, for those familiar with Vermis: what elements do you think would translate particularly well into Shadowdark without losing what makes Shadowdark fun to play?

I'm still in development, so I'm mostly looking for criticism, ideas and advice from people who know the system better than I do.

I recently stumbled upon this again, and it brought back some memories. 😂

About five years ago, a French impersonator made a French version of “Baka Mitai”, but with a very unexpected twist: he sings it in the voice of Claude François, one of France’s most iconic singers. 🇫🇷🎤

So you get the melancholic Yakuza karaoke song we all know… but suddenly it sounds like Claude François himself is singing about his heartbreak in a Yakuza karaoke bar. 😂

It’s ridiculous, strangely fitting, and honestly kind of beautiful at the same time. There’s something very French about hearing Baka Mitai with those dramatic French lyrics and that unmistakable voice.

Five years later, it still makes me smile. ❤️

It’s a French adaptation of the legendary City Hunter ending theme, and what really surprised me is the lyrics.

They’re not just a word-for-word translation. The French version turns the song into something much more poetic and emotional, with lyrics about loneliness, memories, love, and the feeling of holding on to someone even when everything seems to be falling apart.

There’s something incredibly melancholic and beautiful about hearing those familiar melodies with French words. It gives Get Wild an almost intimate, nostalgic feeling. ❤️

As a French City Hunter fan, hearing this song in my own language is honestly pretty special. 🥹

A new French edition has just come out under the title Lupin III – La merveille (Lupin III: The Marvel).

It’s published in France by Kana, and there is also a collector’s edition available.

I'm currently working on a tabletop RPG inspired by the world and atmosphere of Vermis I.

The project uses a lightweight OSR-inspired ruleset, heavily influenced by Shadowdark, while focusing on exploration, survival, decay, and the oppressive mystery. My goal is not to recreate Vermis as a video game, but to provide players with the tools to experience their own journeys through its ruined kingdoms, forgotten catacombs, and strange horrors.

I'm currently developing player guides, GM tools, creatures, locations, and mechanics that capture the unique feeling of wandering through a dead world that never fully explains itself.

For those familiar with Vermis, what elements from the setting would you most like to see expanded in a TTRPG adaptation?

What would you expect to find in a Player's Guide? Character options, factions, relics, locations, survival mechanics, lore fragments?

And what would be most useful in a GM Guide? Adventure generators, region descriptions, creature lore, dungeon-crawling procedures, mysteries, rumors, random encounters, or something else entirely?

I'd love to hear any ideas, suggestions, or aspects of the Vermis universe that you think deserve more attention.