# Chapter Serf tags: #game/rpg/chapter-serf ![[Chapter Serf (cover).jpg]] _Chapter Serf_ is a rules-light tabletop RPG by Zedeck Siew that invites you to stop pretending you’re a genetically-modified demi-god and instead embrace your true calling: being a glorified janitor in a gothic space-cathedral. While the Astartes are busy being the "Angels of Death," you occupy the role of a "Villein"—the background noise of the 41st millennium tasked with scrubbing gore off power armor, loading massive shells by hand, or perhaps just singing hymns until a Space Marine can finally fall asleep. It’s a game about the subaltern experience in a "Grimderp" setting, where the only thing more dangerous than the alien horrors outside is the social hierarchy within the ship. ## Core Die Resolution Mechanics The game operates on a lean, high-lethality chassis inspired by _Into the Odd_. Your survival depends on three primary attributes—STR, DEX, and WIL—rolled with 3d6. These represent how much of a "candle to the Astartes’ sun" you are (spoiler: not much). - **Saves:** When acting under pressure or facing the unexpected, you must roll a d20. If the result is equal to or lower than your relevant attribute, you succeed. If not, the consequences are usually messy. - **Automatic Success:** If you have the time, the right tools, and the relevant skills (like being a professional "Fluesweep" or "Burnisher"), you simply succeed at the task. Rolling is reserved for when things are actually falling apart. - **Violence and Harm:** Combat is swift and brutal. Players make a DEX save to see if they act before their enemies. There are no rolls to hit; when you attack, you simply roll your weapon’s damage die and subtract the target’s armor value. The result is applied directly to Hit Protection (HP). Once HP hits zero, damage carries over to your attributes. If an attribute hits zero, you are "Incapacitated," and further harm results in your immediate—and likely un-ceremonious—demise. - **Obeisance:** You literally cannot refuse orders from an Astartes. Disobeying or lying to one doesn’t just get you yelled at; it deals d6 damage to your WIL, ignoring armor, as your very soul recoils from the sacrilege. ## Editions and Changes As of November 2025, _Chapter Serf_ exists in its initial _V1.0_ release. While the core philosophy remains consistent with Siew's previous unofficial ventures into the setting—such as the unfinished _Paper Route_ (which featured orks with origami guns) and the _DIE RPG_ adventure _Powersword Purgatory_—this edition represents a shift toward an "earnest" exploration of the little people crushed by the grimdark machine. # References - [Play as the wretched background weirdos - Wargamer](https://www.wargamer.com/chapter-serf/indie-warhammer-40k-rpg "null") - [Download the PDF - Slow Loris Press](https://slowlorispress.com/post/800571442650595328/chapter-serf "null") - [Official Launch Thread - Zedeck Siew on Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/zedecksiew.bsky.social/post/3m5w7lj3uck2w "null") - [Fan discussion and lore liberties - Reddit r/40krpg](https://www.reddit.com/r/40krpg/comments/1p2d2vw/chapter_serf_a_fan_made_rpg_about_being_a_group/ "null")