Certification Test – A DUNGEON, INC. quickstart set
“Have you ever delved dungeons to deal death to your foes as part of a steady job with food, accommodation, perks, and plenty of opportunities? Well let me show you our entry-level contracts at Dungeon, Inc.” -Garalgux the Smooth, hobgoblin recruiter
The reverse dungeon trope has existed in roleplaying games since 1976’s Monsters! Monsters!. The dungeon-as-a-business idea is a fan favourite in wider media with the Dungeon Keeper video games and the Donjon graphic novels as the best-known examples. But until recently, no one had ever mixed the two to offer a dual experience: bash elf paladins in the morning and be back in the office for Thrulgox the Lich’s momentous leaving party. Ben Felten did it in 2022 when publishers John Doe and Black Book Éditions teamed up to crowdfund Donjon & Cie (French title).
The game made its impact on the French gaming community, seducing fans of old-school adventure games, traditional roleplayers, and newcomers to the hobby alike with its simple, collaborative rules and well-balanced parody of both D&D and the corporate world. Dungeon, Inc. won the GROG d’Argent 2023 award for best French RPG (right behind the translation of Modiphius’ Dune, so as far as we’re concerned it is a first place for both original French creation and indie game).
We are working on the game right now with outstanding translator Edwin Nagy and legendary artist Peter Mullen. As soon as the text is locked in and the layout in place, we’ll put the game on Kickstarter for a no-frills funding campaign. (But not before the campaign for KNOCK! issue 4, don’t worry!).
If you’re curious, you can download this 12-page quickstart zine. It contains five trainee characters and a mission titled Certified?, as well as all the rules you’ll need to play it.
For those of you attending Dragonmeet in London on the 2nd of December, you’ll have a chance to pick up a free print copy of this zine, and maybe to play it with Ben himself!
