Fighting fascists is a community project in Voidheart Symphony
Revolution, balance, and mutual aid with Rowan, Rook and Decard’s Minerva McJanda.
“This is a political game,” writes game designer Minerva McJanda in the opening pages of Voidheart Symphony. “All works of art are political, but I’m being clear here: this game is rooted in my anger at the state of the world, and my need to push for change… if we want a better world we’ll need group solidarity, community accountability, individual empowerment, and a dream of a better way, just like this game’s rebels.”
In Voidheart Symphony (VHS) players embody marginalized Rebels, those who have broken through a veil-like shroud over the world and witnessed the truth at it’s rotting heart: a Castle, the interdimensional force that empowers systems of oppression, and its Vassals, those who wield that power to subjugate others. The game is split into two phases. The first is the mundane day, where players use a variant of Rowan, Rook and Decard’s Resistance system from Heart and Spire to navigate a world much like our own where people must pay their bills, treat chronic illnesses, and maintain their relationships amidst a cold and unforgiving individualistic culture.
The second phase occurs at night — which operates using an adapted Apocalypse World ruleset — where rebels fight in the magical world of the Castle, fending off demons and physical embodiments of the ills that plague our world (a theme which is becoming more popular recently, such as in Soulmuppet’s Mad as Hell). In both worlds, rebels find their power not through individualistic heroism, but through community and the relationships they build with the people around them.
McJanda is crowdfunding the second edition of Voidheart Symphony in a much different world than she did in 2018, the first time around. Since then, oligarchies have emerged from the shadows into a full blown technocracy, attacks on marginalized people have increased, and the necessity of community-level interdependence has become more obvious than ever. Rascal chatted with McJanda over email to discuss Voidheart Symphony’s themes, how the game has evolved since that first crowdfunding push, and what it is trying to say about the world we find ourselves in today.
