About Catacolyte
Catacolyte Games is a solo TTRPG development studio that designs immersive, body horror supplements for D&D 5E. Catacolyte believes that "play" (i.e., the shared space at a table where collective imagination matters) is special, and should be nurtured wherever possible.
My work strives to help people explore themselves and the world in a way that helps them tackle complex topics like politics, religion, gender identity, and more. It's not just all about the heavy stuff, though! Fun matters most here at Catacolyte so our products aim first for creating unique and interesting play experiences.
Design Philosophy
At Catacolyte Games, the player comes first. I strive to create exciting, immersive systems, characters, equipment, spells, and creatures that excite the player's imagination. To this end, Catacolyte's creations have to feel real, like they're part of the world.
Why Horror?
I love horror, especially in relation to the body. Really though, it offers a chance to explore emotions often inaccessible in modern-day life. Things like fear signal danger, and dangerous situations are best avoided.
That said, fear can be useful. It tells us not to touch the snake, or walk down a dark alley. In moments of great stress, it can even push us to run faster or fight harder. Fear, then, is part of being human. It may seem best avoided, but it is my belief that feeding fear by seeing scary movies or playing horror games is healthy. It helps us discover parts of ourselves that we couldn't otherwise know. That, to me at least, is why horror matters.
Are Catacolyte Products Not Safe for Work?
Well, yes and no. Cult of the Blood Queen and Sins of Our Mother both contain depictions of bare, female breasts. The writing in both supplements also touch on mature topics like cannibalism, sex, torture, and more. Viewer discretion is advised.
However, I believe Catacolye has explored these topics in a mature manner that treats them with the seriousness they deserve. I explore these topics because they matter, and I hope the work I do illuminates something important for readers.