Bloodshadows
Bloodshadows is an original pulp adventure gamebook by West End Games that was published in 1994. It was the first setting book for WEG's MasterBook game, which used rules elements used earlier in their TORG and Shatterzone games. It was reprinted in 2011 by Precis Intermedia, which is looking to rework and reform the core rules. A reworked third edition of the gamebook was published by Precis Intermedia in 2016.
Background
The game is set in the world of Marl, a setting influenced by dark fantasy, urban fantasy, and pulp fiction influenced by writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Edgar Rice Burroughs and the roman noir of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. It has an early 20th century industrial age base in which the technology is blended with magic.Marl is controlled by three factions: Order, Chaos, and the Oathbreakers. Order and Chaos are like their equivalents in Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion cycle. Order represents stability and obedience while Chaos is randomness and freedom. Neither side should get complete control, because it would mean the end of reality into total stasis or formless entropy. The conflict between them, which is played out between their followers across infinite worlds and realities, is called the GodWar. Marl last fought in the GodWar 900 years ago during their Iron Age. The conflict, in which armies from outside Marl fought there, led to the deaths of billions that devastated the planet. The Oathbreakers are pawns of Order or Chaos who renounced their former masters. Some follow a god of Order or Chaos who has broken ranks, while others reject the gods and wish to use their patrons' gifts against them. The Oathbreakers' true goals and intentions remain unknown but their actions are dragging Marl back into the GodWar.
The character races are humans and Unnaturals. Human characters don't need to take Compensations unless their player wishes it. Unnaturals are the non-human races who have abilities and powers but balance them off with Compensations. Humans dislike and fear the Unnaturals, who are second-class citizens. Certain Unnaturals can pass as human, can manipulate or control Humans into doing their bidding, or have useful powers that balance out their inhuman status.
Humans hide behind the walls of city-states separated by savage wilderness. The default campaign takes place in Selastos, a wilderness boom town surrounded by a desert. It is connected to the other city-states of Galitia by portals so that commerce can bypass the dangers of the desert. Selastos runs the mines and recovers GodWar-era artifacts in exchange for food and water from Galitia. Factions include god cults and wizards' guilds as well as the Oathbreakers. Galitia remains indifferent to local politics and events since Selastos keeps being profitable.