The Weapons are one of the coolest parts of Hollows and we haven’t said much about them yet. That’s primarily because there are ten of them, and we were worried if we tried to describe them all in the detail they deserve on the campaign page, people would simply stop reading. 

But believe me, we’re very eager to talk about the Weapons, so we’re going to spotlight each one in turn in its own blog post. First, there are things about Weapons you should know.

WHAT IS A WEAPON?

Weapons, capital “W” Weapons, are tools of destruction and pain. In the hands of a Hunter they are a focus for something greater and more terrible than the simple act of violence; they are a means of taking one’s turmoil and focusing it outwards on others. 

This turmoil – born from a bearer’s seed – can rewrite the world in broken and bloody patterns. A knife, any old knife you might find in a kitchen drawer or a soldier’s pack, just cuts things. The Knife, your Knife, the reflection of your razor-sharp will to make an impression on a world that never gave you a fair go, can make you move faster. It can send your stomach lurching in response to danger before any of your mortal senses know what’s going on. It can carve binding sigils (that it understands, and you do not) with your hand into the hides of those who would oppose you. It can bleed a beast twice your size dry in minutes.

Like demons resting on your shoulders, Weapons push, prod and provoke their bearers into action. This communication comes in dozens if not hundreds of forms, and each Hunter’s relationship with their tools is different and gruesomely unique. You might find your Sword in your hand when vicious thoughts intrude upon your consciousness, as if to agree with them. Your Book could manifest runes daubed in blood (whose, though?) denoting important objects and pathways. Your Knife, ever discreet, might carve messages into your arm while you’re distracted.

NOT ANY KNIFE. YOUR KNIFE. 

A Weapon always looks special. Weapons matter to their bearers; these aren’t simple tools or interchangeable devices, but personal expressions of belief. Every single Weapon has been customised in some way, either by its owner or one of the many artisans of the Isles, and each is just as distinctive as the Hunter that carries it. A Hunter would never mistake their Weapons for anyone else’s.

Custom details, unusual materials, personalised etchings and attachments and unique construction are commonplace. A Pistol that uses special gunpowder that must be mixed specially before a Hunt; the tattered flag of a fallen regiment hanging from the head of a Spear; a Staff wrapped in wool and leather harvested from the bearer’s parish for a better grip.  

As a Hunter grows in power, so too do their Weapons. Tier One Weapons are mundane, if unusual-looking; Tier Two Weapons are twisted by their time in Hollows, and transmute their materials into something stranger and more profound. Hilts of blood-red ivory clasp around matte-black steel; leering faces grow around muzzles to spit keen death; vibrant scenes of torment are stained prismatic into blades. A Tier Three Weapon is a thing of dark wonder.

Watch out for future updates to see which of the egotistical murder devices won the bloody scrap to be first in the spotlight. Or tell us which one you're most interested to see in the comments: Shotgun, Sword, or Knife? 

All art by Sam Lamont (Moonskinned)

That video up there, that's our live action Hollows trailer, in which two grimly determined Hunters blast their way into a former landlord's vile Hollow to purge his rotten little pocket of reality from the face of the Isles. It's a great summary of Hollows: atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife, grit and determination in the face of monstrous odds, and really big fights.

It's also 90 seconds of Grant Howitt (yes, that Grant Howitt, the Honey Heist guy) and our community lead, CJ, slamming shutters, conducting seances, and firing prop weapons. They had a great time, and Producer Chant is not jealous at all. 

That's not the only big Hollows reveal today. If you're following the project, there's more content underneath this paragraph. If you're not, you should follow now so you can see the SECRET CONTENT. 

Want to see some Hollows?

Grant's running some of the Rowan, Rook and Decard team through our quickstart, The Sins of Grisham Priory. Check out Session 0 on our Twitch channel now (or later on YouTube), and mark your calendars for this time every Monday, until we run out of monsters to slay and personal traumas to confront! 

twitch.tv/rowanrookdecard

- Chant

If you just got a notification that we're streaming tonight... alas, we are not, due to ill health.

But if you were interested in catching a stream and seeing some Hollows in action, you can check out the pilot episode of Hollows Fight Club on YouTube. It's a little bit rough and ready, rather like the average Hunter, but it's a taste of what's to come! 

We will be streaming regularly in the run-up to Hollows launching though, so watch this space. 

- Chant, Hollows Producer

Hello, Hunters.

In just a few weeks, Hollows will be live on Backerkit and you won't be able to shut us up about its innumerable fine features. But that won't be the first time we've talked about it. 

Editor Maz talked about their experience of running public demos at a UK convention. Want to know how Hollows plays? This is a great start.

Designer Grant explained why Hollows doesn't use experience points. Killing – or saving – an Entity gives you new abilities. So does dying. This is an excellent glimpse at the ideas that guide Hollows design and why it doesn't work quite like anything else out there. You have to get a bit metaphysical to get to the bottom of it all.

And finally, if you haven't been swayed to pick up the quickstart yet, Maz lovingly detailed what's in it. Want to know what you get just for following this project? It's all here.