Filipino designer launches horror social-deduction tabletop RPG globally

A Filipino game designer is set to launch an original tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) internationally in 2026 that blends social deduction, cinematic storytelling, and psychological drama around a single premise: someone at the table is doomed to die.

“One of Us Will Die,” created by Filipino horror writer, game designer, stage actor, and Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) practitioner Titus Villanueva III, will be published internationally by Lone Colossus Games. The game runs in one- to two-hour sessions for four to six players, including a game master, and is available in both PDF and hardcover formats.

At the start of each session, players are secretly assigned one of three roles: the Mark, who is destined to die and quietly steers their character toward their fate; the Traitor, who can identify and kill the Mark first; and the Adventurer, who can save the Mark at the cost of their own character’s life.

To fulfill their role, players must complete “Milestones,” unique story goals tied to their chosen Archetype. These arcs drive the tension upward as the doomed ending approaches. Completing Milestones unlocks Destiny Points, powerful narrative tools that let players push scenes, reveal truths, or force dramatic outcomes.

The game uses an original rules-lite narrative engine with minimal math, archetype-driven character sheets, and world-building questions to build a unique story every session. The core engine prioritizes tension over tactics, drama over dice, and character story arcs over combat optimization.

“In this game, fear and anxiety about character death are alleviated by simply accepting that death will occur… One of Us Will Die is meant to bring out the humanity in the characters we create, by facing them with the most human fact of them all. That’s why we make it count,” Villanueva said.

The game is “setting-ambiguous,” making it easy to run as horror, fantasy, mystery, adventure, or pulp. The core book includes 15 archetypes, 10 one-shot scenarios, five Lovecraft-inspired scenarios that form a full campaign, a bestiary, and a progressive campaign mode where characters gain experience through character development instead of combat.

Villanueva cited a range of influences in developing the game, including TTRPG systems such as Powered by the Apocalypse, Praxis, and The Between; literary works including A Song of Ice and Fire, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and classical literature; and the philosophical ideas of Carl Jung, Martin Heidegger, and Joseph Campbell.

The game has drawn early praise from the tabletop community. University of the Philippines Tabletop described the experience: “By the end, you can look back and gawk at your masterpiece with your friends… Just ignore the blood at the edge.”

Mykey Cuento of The Tabletop Traveler called it “created by people who care about weaving narrative threads into a cinematic tapestry of archetypal motivations and grand ambitions.”

The Kickstarter release will feature digital and physical versions, exclusive scenarios, archetype packs, and game master tools. Sessions run three to five hours in campaign mode.

Villanueva’s work is focused on stories of sacrifice, mortality, and humanity. Inspired by Filipino storytelling traditions, pop culture, and narrative-heavy RPG engines, he creates games built on emotional truth rather than mechanical complexity.

“One of Us Will Die” is his flagship release.

The Philippine tabletop gaming community has grown steadily in recent years, with Filipino designers increasingly gaining international recognition for original systems that foreground narrative and cultural identity over traditional combat-heavy mechanics.