What Is The Blasphemess Game?

There are two levels of explaining Blasphemess: the gameplay, and the lore. Let's start with the lift pitch, which can be condensed into a minute's monologue that conveys elements of both:

Blasphemess is a browser based multiplayer RPG developed in the open, set in a multiverse where oppressors have spread like wildfire. The conflict is multi-sided, featuring three large associations and scattered independent factions:
Demon sovereigns rule many worlds with cruelty, whilst the Holy Alliance style themselves as angels protecting mortals from evil. Members of the Exoneration Coalition proclaim "No Gods, No Masters," as they fight both angelic and demonic associations.

Players take on the role of individuals on the front lines of the conflict zones, constantly faced with choices that will impact the collective struggle. The players spend minutes at a time playing whenever is most convenient, throughout their day. During the modest downtime, players can engage in text-based role playing with others.

Death is not the end in Blasphemess. Empowered individuals, such as player characters, have the ability to come back from death.
Players can stay attached to their characters as they navigate conflicts in the multiversal cosmos, moving from one zone to the next.

After all, individual conflicts do not last forever: zones may suddenly open up after an invasion, proceed through conflict, and eventually reach a resolution in favour of one side – or several sides. At which point, characters move on to the next hot spot of conflict.

These conflict zones are largely separate, allowing for different game rules and world settings for each one. Some can have more player-versus-player focus, others may be slowed down for role-play oriented experiences.

The settings for conflict zones can run the gamut of fantastical and sci-fi worlds. This loose multiverse of science-fantasy allows for players to establish their characters from nearly any background, and still fit into the established canon of Blasphemess.

The Gameplay

The core gameplay loop of Blasphemess is driven by combat, logistics, role-play, setting/world exploration, and engaging in narrative storylets. The inspiration is TTRPGs, where combat can improve the stakes and the story steals the spotlight.

There is plenty of downtime for players, punctuated by periodic check-ins. For instance, players may check in for a few minutes during breaks in their day. Some may check in only once or twice a day, and others still may play only on their weekends.

This is due to action points limiting what a player can accomplish within a short timespan.

However, certain actions are free to perform, such as speech and "emotes." This allows players to engage in role-play even when they have spent their action points.

Some players may continuously monitor the game, both to role-play and to catch activity as it happens. This is because offline characters are still part of the persistent world and can be interacted with, unlike many MUDs. Though, characters can also be set to automatically defend themselves (and others) whilst offline.

Depending on which game server ("cluster") the character is on, the game may be more focused on combat of the Player vs. Player (PvP) variety, Player vs. Environment (PvE), or a mix of both (PvPvE). The majority of clusters will be mixed PvPvE.

Outside of combat, there are game-driven storylets. Players can interact with storylets to affect the conflict, explore narratives, and make choices to develop their character.

The Lore and World Building

Hierarchical demonic beings rule most of the multiverse, though these demonic sovereignties are often only large enough to control a nation or a world. Demons take by force the magical energies they need to fuel their abilities, and tribute a portion back to their pact-masters. The ambitious among demons seek to rise higher in the hierarchy, by any means necessary.

The Holy Alliance opposes the oppression of such demons, but they have their own worlds to defend from interlopers – not to mention the scale of logistics required to maintain and grow such a widespread society. Thus, the alliance is not able to liberate other worlds as quickly as it wishes. Angels derive their abilities from their divines, and use energy shared cooperatively by the faithful.

The Exoneration Coalition is the third-largest group in the struggle for the Blasphemess cosmos. They are a loose collective of self-empowered transcended individuals that oppose both demonic and angelic invaders, and the coalition instead aims to empower mortals to govern themselves. Anywhere there is conflict, a rag-tag bunch of Coalition members are sure to rise up, for they are as ubiquitous as the individual desire for freedom.

There are much smaller independent factions as well, such as death-cultists, angels outside the alliance, free demons, and player-created groups of all sorts.

The infinite cosmos of Blasphemess allows for worlds to have vastly different cultures and technologies, including elements more familiar to fantasy or sci-fi genres. Arcologies, generation ships, agrarian communities, walled fortresses, visionary dreamscapes, twisted and fractured magical realms, and more.

All sorts of beings can exist in the cosmos. Players are welcome to determine their own character's form, though the game will support many commonly expected forms, such as cybernetic beings, vampires and other undead, were-creatures and animalistic beings, or non-humans of any sort.

In short? A sentient magical brick is not the weirdest person on the scene.