Welcome to the Risusiverse!

Risusiverse is a site for fans of Risus: The Anything RPG - the free pen and paper roleplaying system written by S. John Ross. While this site might not set the world on fire, it may hopefully become the recognized resource for Risus (and possibly start a flame in your heart).

Some might find Risus to be nothing more than a beer and pretzels one-shot type of comedy system, while others see Risus as pure genius in its simplicity, suitable for serious RPG campaigns. In either case, the Risusiverse presents the opportunity for Risus fans to share their work with the rest of the world.

Getting your own copy of Risus is as easy as clicking the Get Risus button in the upper left, right below the Risusiverse banner. Or you can click this link right here. Or you can go to DriveThruRPG. Or Tabletop Library. Or you can do a Google search for it. Whatever works for you.
Supporting this Site

The value of a place like the Risusiverse is directly proportional to the amount of support that is provided by the Risus community. Feel free to comment on anything that has been posted here. Better yet, feel free to join in on the fun! To join, send an email to risusiverse@gmail.com with "Risusiverse Membership Request" in the subject line. We'll send a link back to you for the access group - don't worry, we won't spam any emails to the group. That group is your access to both the Risusiverse site here, and the associated Risus Archive sites. Please note that membership does require a Google account, so send your email via your gmail address.

Once you're a member, you can add your Risus content to the site (no cost to join; you'll be helping out the Risus community; it makes a great backup for your Risus content you might have on your website; it could bring about world peace; etc). If you have your own website, it would be appreciated if you added a link to the Risusiverse (http://www.risusiverse.com). If you would like to contribute but don't want to register, feel free to email your submission to us, and one of the moderators will be able to post it here for you.

As always, please keep in mind our Submission Guidelines. Thanks!

Setting the Stage
Various things to do and places to see
  • Settings - A variety of settings that are freely available for you to use and have fun playing in.
  • Adventures - In the old days of roleplaying, these were called modules - pre-made scenarios so you could get to playing the game quickly.
  • Characters and Clichés - It never hurts to have a bunch of characters and clichés ready for use - either for players or for the game master (GM) to use. Feel free to add your own, too: the more the merrier!
  • One Page Challenge - These settings and adventures all fit on one page, perfect for the GM on the go!
Nitty Gritty
When 4 pages of rules just isn't enough
  • Rule Elucidation - Risus might not be complicated, but it can certainly be subtle. While the Risus Companion is what amounts to a 64 page guidebook for a 4 page roleplaying game, sometimes it helps to see other thoughts on how to use Risus.
  • Optional Rules - Some see Risus as being complete as is. Others love to tweak things until Risus becomes something else. This section is for the hardcore Risus tweakers.
Extra Tidbits
Some extra stuff to enhance your Risus experience
  • File Vault - Word documents, PDF files, ZIP archives, etc, all related to Risus.
  • Software - Some nifty programs made for Risus.
  • Artwork - Here's many assorted images you can use to promote Risus and the Risusiverse.
Around the World
Risus all across the webternet!
  • Risus Links - Links to websites, resources, and communities that are specifically focused on Risus.
  • External Links - Links to general resources available on the web that might be of interest to Risus fans.
  • Risus SuperFans - A list of fans who've gone above and beyond the normal call of Risus fandom.
  • 404 Restored - This links to Risus fan pages that have been lost to time, disuse, and the collapse of assorted web hosting services.
Informative Information
Information on what exactly all this is, and additional information for those who want it
  • What is Risus? - "Risus is a complete Role Playing Game (RPG) designed to provide an "RPG Lite" for those nights when the brain is too tired for exacting detail. Risus is especially valuable to GMs assembling a quick convention game, or any late-night beer-and-pretzels outing. While it is essentially a Universal Comedy System, it works just as well for serious play (if you insist!). Best of all, a Risus character takes about 20 seconds to create!" - S. John Ross. Explained in more detail in the link above.
  • Risus in Print - While you can download and play Risus for free, you can purchase Risus and a host of other Cumberland Games titles through the print-on-demand store at the Cumberland Games & Diversions Lulu Store.
  • International Order of Risus - While it is not necessary to be a member of the International Order of Risus, being a member grants you access to the Risus Companion (a 64 page guidebook to a 4 page RPG that is well worth reading). Membership has other perks as well.
  • Risusiverse the Fanzine - Google Site's software makes the whole idea behind a fanzine seem a bit moot. Now, every page on the site cane be printer friendly. Just click the Print Page link on the bottom of any page, for a print-ready version of anything on this site. Feel free to print anything you want - Everything here is made to be shared, printed and brought to the table.
  • Artwork Credit - Most of the stick figure based artwork used on this site was created by using the freely available Risus fonts, and is used by permission and © S. John Ross. Many of the photographs are from stock.xchng (a good source of royalty free pictures).
  • Google Sites - The Risusiverse currently uses Google Sites for its backbone. For help using Google Sites, look right here!
  • Submission Guidelines - How to submit, what to submit, where to submit it to, etc etc.
  • Help - Help on editing pages and adding content.
  • History of Risusiverse - Larry Bullock shares the story of the Risusiverse's creation.