Crystal Lake Publishing will launch Shadows of Nosferatu, a new tabletop role-playing game later this month, putting the visceral horror of vampires and other monsters firmly front and centre.
For centuries, vampires have haunted our nightmares, emerging from the darkest corners of European folklore as creatures of disease, death and spiritual corruption. Now, with Shadows of Nosferatu, internationally acclaimed artist and game designer Jason Juta and Chris McAuley are inviting players to become the very monsters that humanity has feared for generations.
Set in the brutal, superstitious and blood-soaked heart of medieval Europe, Shadows of Nosferatu is a gothic horror tabletop role-playing game, published by Crystal Lake Publishing, that abandons the romanticised vampires of contemporary fiction in favour of something infinitely older, more powerful and more terrifying. Players will assume the roles of monstrous vampires, wielding extraordinary supernatural abilities while navigating a world ravaged by religious persecution, disease, warfare and ancient evils.
Imagine stalking the streets of a plague-stricken village, standing beneath the crumbling arches of a forgotten monastery or confronting something so profoundly evil that even an immortal predator experiences fear. This is a world where humanity is fragile, faith is powerful and the boundary between the living and the dead has been irrevocably shattered.
Fantasy illustrator, cartographer, designer and layout artist Jason Juta brings an extraordinary creative pedigree to the project, having worked across some of the world’s most celebrated fantasy and entertainment properties, including Star Wars, Marvel, Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons and Middle-earth. His extensive experience as an illustrator, cartographer and game designer has helped shape a visual identity steeped in historical authenticity, supernatural dread and oppressive gothic atmosphere.
“I was primarily inspired by the films of Robert Eggers,” he notes, “He is a modern master of horror, dread and atmosphere. I saw Nosferatu and thought it would be fantastic to make a game where people play old-school monstrous vampires, with all the power to match.
“I hope that players experience the thrill of that power, as RPGs usually place big limits on a new character’s power. I also hope they’ll enjoy horrifying enemies, overcoming dreadful problems and doom-laden atmospheres, along with facing serious spiritual dilemmas in a medieval setting.”
His artwork reflects that same uncompromising vision, drawing upon the decaying beauty of medieval Europe to create something deeply unsettling. As Jason puts it, “The artwork was a way for me to delve into a blackened historical horror setting, and to be free to experiment and create textural and moody pieces.”
Chris McAuley’s own fascination with vampire mythology has occupied a significant part of my writing career, particularly through his work as co-creator of the StokerVerse alongside Dacre Stoker, the great-grandnephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker.
Through projects including Dracula: Dark Reign, Dracula’s Bedlam and Voices of Dracula, he’s explored the historical, literary and folkloric foundations of one of horror’s most enduring monsters. As we’ve previously noted, his wider career as an award-winning writer, producer and transmedia creator that has included work connected to Doctor Who, Star Trek, The Terminator and Sony PlayStation, alongside numerous original novels, comics, films and games. His film productions have received more than 25 festival awards, while my contribution to the PlayStation legacy has also been recognised by Sony.
“Yet with Shadows of Nosferatu, I intend to venture into some of the darkest territory of my career,” Chris tells us. “I believe this will be one of the most disturbing games I have ever written, not simply because of its brutality or grotesque imagery, but because of the psychological and spiritual horrors at its centre.
“The vampires of ancient folklore were never intended to be seductive heroes,” he continues. “They were abominations, associated with corrupted blood, desecrated graves, unnatural appetites and the terrifying possibility of eternal damnation. I want to restore that original sense of horror, creating situations where players must confront not only unspeakable acts of violence but also the terrible consequences of their own decisions.”
What makes Shadows of Nosferatu particularly exciting is its exploration of the relationship between absolute power and profound spiritual vulnerability. You may possess the strength to slaughter armed knights, survive mortal wounds and command the terror of entire communities, but what happens when physical power becomes meaningless? What happens when your immortal existence places you against forces older and more malevolent than yourself?
And what remains of your humanity when the taking of innocent lives becomes essential to your survival?
“Jason and I want players to experience the intoxicating freedom of becoming a supernatural predator while discovering that immortality carries a terrible price,” Chris says. “This is not a game about glamorous vampires or comfortable morality. It is an uncompromising descent into medieval darkness, combining historical horror, grotesque supernatural encounters, religious terror and deeply uncomfortable choices.
“We want to create something that lingers in the imagination long after the dice have stopped rolling, a world where every victory might demand an unforgivable sacrifice and where the greatest horror may ultimately be the creature you have chosen to become.
“In Shadows of Nosferatu, you do not hunt the monster. You are the monster…”
Since its founding in August 2012, Crystal Lake has quickly become one of the world’s leading publishers of Dark Fiction and Horror books. In 2023, Crystal Lake officially transitioned into an entertainment company, joining several other divisions, genres, and imprints, including Torrid Waters, Sinister Smile Press, Crystal Lake Comics, Crystal Lake Games, Crystal Cove Press, Crystal Lake Kids, Memento Mori Ink, and The House of Shadows & Ink on YouTube.
• Shadows of Nosferatu goes on sale from Crystal Lake Publishing on 17th November 2026
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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