Trepanning the Light Fantastic

An Alternative History of New England

In Trepanning, we apply the charmingly named “Butterfly Effect” to an otherwise grim chapter in New England’s history: The Salem Witch Trials.

Medical Experimentation Gone Right

Trepanning, also known as trepanation, trephination, trephining or making a burr hole (the verb trepan derives from Old French from Medieval Latin trepanum from Greek trúpanon, literally “borer, auger”), is a surgical intervention in which a hole is drilled or scraped into the human skull. Trepanning — Wikipedia

These brutal and gruesome experiments were conducted with drastic measures, all in the name of simple discovery.

Centuries of Dormancy

As with most of humanity’s mistakes, the full story of the Salem Witch Trials remained unresolved for centuries. As recently as August 2021, another person wrongly convicted of witchcraft, Elizabeth Johnson Jr., was finally exonerated.

But there may still be something lying dormant among the ashes of this cruel history.

A Real Affliction with Terrifying Conclusions

The year is 1983 — and we’re heading to Norridgewock, Maine. It is here, among the towering pines of dense coniferous forests that yet another branch of humanity’s evergreen atrocity tree is revealed.

Put on “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire (1978—still apropos for the setting) and try to figure out what really happened all those nights ago in September of 1692.

Links

• Basic Setting: @DriveThruRPG

Trepanning the Light Fantastic is a micro-module published under the Splatterhaus label. An entire setting — people, places, timelines, threats, and a map — packed into a front-and-back flyer.

Splatterhaus

Splatterhaus is a thrilling homage to the wild and over-the-top horror of the 1980s, capturing the essence of the era’s iconic slasher films and creature features. It revels in the darkly comic and gleefully grotesque, offering a vivid mix of blood-soaked mayhem and outlandish monsters that are as terrifying as they are absurd.

Splatterhaus isn’t just a game; it’s an experience, packed with one-shot flyers that plunge players into distinct, horrifying settings and dramatic set pieces designed to keep everyone on edge. It also includes immersive handouts and carefully crafted audiovisual elements that bring the chilling atmosphere to life, enhancing the tension and drama around the table.

Whether you’re looking for a quick, spine-tingling session or an unforgettable night of horror, Splatterhaus delivers with style, flair, and a hearty dose of ’80s nostalgia.