

You are the first group of Heroes that have reached the Evil that rules over the realm. The quest was difficult and full of sacrifice. Despite all this, victory will not meet you. However, the Heroes who come after you may still have a chance, provided you can pave the way.
You will fall, but you are not The End.
PREQUEL is a tactical storytelling game of heroic sacrifice for 3-5 players.
- Fight the Evil in a multi-phased tactical boss fight
- Worldbuild as you fight, constructing a timeline of the Heroes’ quest
- Forge your legacies by discovering the Evil’s weaknesses and Heroes’ burdens
- Perfect for a one-shot or an introduction to your long-term campaign


The Game
Engage in a tactical fight against the Evil while simultaneously recalling your Heroes’ exploits through collaborative storytelling flashbacks. A Hero’s actions in the Final Fight determines how they recall parts of the Quest, and the current state of the Quest impacts the Hero’s effectiveness in the Final Fight.
- The Heroes and Evil fight while creating a shared world, each influencing the timeline of the heroes’ Quest.
- Engage in a multi-phased boss battle where the Evil progressively grows stronger, sealing the fate of your Heroes.
- Cement your Hero’s legacy by preserving the Evil’s weaknesses as a permanent mark on the world.
The Heroes
Play as the Heroes of myth and legend made real by exploring their fears, loves, and burdens. In the end, only your legacy remains. Become the magic sword, create the Chosen One prophecy, seal away the ancient artifact, with the hope that one day your actions will bear fruit.
Mix and match five Origins and five Callings to define your Hero. Play as a Noble Swiftblade, a Crooked Bulwark, a Devout Songsmith, or some other combination! Origins and Callings are provided as half-letter printable PDFs so you can form your own unique Hero Sheet.


The Evil
Choose an Evil to face against. Each Evil has their own strategies to impede the Quest, abilities to defeat the Heroes in the Final Fight, and Weaknesses to reveal.
- Face deception and betrayal as you face The Fiend and their army of secret conspirators.
- Confront large-scale destruction against The Cataclysm as they forever change the nature of your realm.
- Avoid the spectral tendrils of The Horror as they shatter the boundaries of nightmare and reality.



Not only does PREQUEL look gorgeous, it’s exactly what I want to play right now: tactical boss fights with heavy storygame aspects!
Rayne Grimm
Fennec Fables
…a unique blend of narrative worldbuilding storygame and tactical combat that I haven’t seen elsewhere… It makes you think about the ways that history is forgotten, and which moments are important enough that they imprint in our social consciousness.
Lucas Asher
Veritas Tabletop
A fantastic game for those looking to pull players into worldbuilding and lore from the beginning. The struggle of knowing you will fail but leave the keys to success to those that follow is bittersweet and perfect for drama.
Will Jobst
Good Luck Press
Downloads
Press and Actual Plays
- What am I Rolling? Podcast: Q&A with Ethan Yen & James Quigley and Prequel: A Tactical Storytelling Game of Heroic Sacrifice
- Veritas Tabletop Interview: “Designing PREQUEL” with Ethan Yen
- Flyleaf to Endsheets Podcast: PREQUEL RPG by Ethan Yen and James Quigley
- The Many Sided Newsletter: The Best of Zine Month 2025
- Ethan and PREQUEL Mentioned as part of Rascal’s Zine Month 2025, Creators of Color
- A World Adrift: PREQUEL play summary by Sara Gabler
