Ashen Stars

Ashen Stars is a science fiction tabletop roleplaying game published by Pelgrane Press, utilizing the GUMSHOE system. Players take on the roles of 'Lasers,' freelance law enforcers in the 'Bleed,' a sector of space struggling after a devastating war.

Theme and Setting

The game focuses on investigation, problem-solving, and collaborative worldbuilding, offering a mature, narrative-driven experience. Theme and Setting Ashen Stars plunges players into a gritty space opera setting known as the Bleed.

How Play Feels

This region, once a promising frontier of the Combine, now exists in the aftermath of a disastrous war with a mysterious enemy called the Mohilar. The Combine, a multi-species federation, has been weakened and can no longer fully exert its authority over the Bleed.

What Makes It Distinct

This creates a power vacuum filled by freelance troubleshooters known as Lasers, who are contracted to solve problems too difficult or strange for local authorities. The game emphasizes the challenges of maintaining law and order in a lawless frontier, where resources are scarce and danger lurks around every corner.

Where It May Not Fit

You want combat and action to drive most of the session You mainly want short standalone sessions with minimal carryover.