Against the Darkmaster is a tabletop fantasy role-playing game characterized by high adventure, heroic action, and heavy metal combat. It presents a modern interpretation of the classic MERP/Rolemaster ruleset, offering extensive character customization, lethal combat, a flexible magic system, unified mechanics, and more character-driven mechanics. Essentially, it serves as a homage to the games that marked the beginning of my journey.

However, it's important to note that there isn't a wealth of content available for this game—especially when considering that it's not D&D5e—and it's unlikely that there will ever be a significant expansion.

In today's landscape, the tradition of sharing free house rules and content seems to be fading away. Instead, the scene is dominated by Patreons, Kickstarters, Itch.io microshops, and DrivethruRPG sales. It appears that many are seduced by the allure of gold, even if their content is mediocre at best. Perhaps it's a sign of me becoming older and more cynical, but it feels like the sense of community that once thrived in this hobby is now extinct.

Whatever.

I intend to share my own creations and thoughts here, freely available to everyone. Feel free to enjoy, comment, modify, and reinterpret my work. The only condition I impose is that you should not use it for commercial purposes without my explicit consent. Not that such requirement would deter those lacking integrity.

In the shadow of a Rome that never sleeps, where the glory of the empire blazes under the watchful gaze of Emperor Augustus, lies the heart of our campaign, 'Roma Invicta'. It is a tale woven from the threads of destiny and daring, where players are thrust into the whirlwind of history at its most critical juncture. As whispers of treachery weave through the marbled halls of power, our heroes uncover a sinister plot aimed at the very heart of Rome - an assassination attempt on Emperor Augustus himself.

By a twist of fate and their own unparalleled valor, they not only foil this deadly scheme but are also enshrined as Praetorians, the emperor's elite guard. Their new mantle comes with a grave responsibility: to root out and quell any threats that loom over the empire and its sovereign.

Amidst this charged atmosphere, emerges a foe as cunning as he is cruel - the Darkmaster, the enigmatic leader of the Cult of Isis. His ambition knows no bounds; he seeks to unravel the very fabric of Rome, to bend its will under the yoke of his sinister cult. Employing a diabolical mix of political machinations, war strategies, and if need be, the arcane and mythical forces of yore, he is a shadow that threatens to engulf Rome in darkness.

This is the stage upon which 'Roma Invicta' unfolds, a saga of courage, intrigue, and the unyielding spirit of Rome, fighting to preserve the light of civilization against the encroaching shadows.

Under a cruel sun the world is ash and thirst. Where water still gathers, kings raise walls around alien Obelisks of black glass that hum when they please. Each Maned City is a ring of life about one such needle, and each throne lives or dies by the well it guards.

Men rule by steel, water-rights, and memory. In the Second Age women held the leash. Their sorcery dried the earth to bone and remade their own blood into competing ideals of beauty and dominion. The revolt that followed overturned that order. The gods are believed dead. The Darkmaster of this age is a woman who would free her daughters, bind the sons, and wake the ash anew.

This is the stage of Ash Brides: hard oasis kingdoms, free tribes on the waste, bronze and blackglass, chitin and Firstwork relics, pits, raids, and survival under a hard sky. What follows is free content for Against the Darkmaster. Use it, alter it, and share it as you like for non-commercial play.

Mature content. Written for adult audiences. The setting is unjust and often cruel. If that is not your table, stop here.