Se7en Sagas

There are moments in a creative scene when the right thing to do is simple: show up, lend your voice, and help good work travel a little further.

That is exactly why I’m backing Silent Læke, the new game by Helder Araújo of Newborn Games.

Silent Læke is a melancholic horror storygame set in the 1990s, built around death, memory, secrets, and the search for truth. Deirdre is dead, and the town around her death seems to hold more than grief, it holds silence, distortion, and something darker beneath the surface. It is a strong premise, emotionally charged, intimate, and full of mood, the kind of game that clearly wants to leave a mark.

But this post is not only about the game itself. It is also about something I believe deeply.

I believe Portuguese roleplayers, designers, and publishers should help each other.

I run Se7en Sagas in a very personal, hands-on way. I do everything myself, and I also work with AI as part of my creative process to build the kinds of strange, cool, and interesting games I want to bring into the world. That is my path – even if I’m lookiing into collaboration with portuguese artists for my future games. It is a solitary one in many ways, but it is mine.

Helder and Newborn Games are working differently. They have a team behind them. They are building together. Silent Læke is part of a growing body of work, and from the outside it is clear that they are trying to create something atmospheric, distinctive, and heartfelt. That is their path.

And honestly, I think that difference does not matter in the way some people seem to think it should.

Games can be made in different ways. By one person or by many. With traditional workflows, experimental ones, or a mix of tools and methods. What matters is that people are making things with passion, with intent, and with the hope of giving others something memorable to experience at the table.

That is why I want Silent Læke to succeed.

Not because it looks like something I would have made. Not because I need everyone to work the way I work. But because I want good things for fellow creators, especially creators from the same small but stubbornly alive Portuguese RPG scene.

We need more people making games.
We need more people launching projects.
We need more people taking risks.
And when someone does step forward with a new game, especially one that feels this personal and this deliberate, I think the rest of us should pay attention and, when we can, offer support.

So yes, I’m backing Silent Læke.
I wish Helder and the whole Newborn Games team the very best.
I hope the campaign does brilliantly.
And I hope this is only one more step in the growth of a stronger, louder, more confident Portuguese tabletop scene.

Because that is how this should work.

We do our own thing.
We make our games our own way.
And when the time comes, we help each other.

And you should back Silent Læke as well. Go follow this link and do your thing. Then, collectively, we’ve helped get a new beautyfull thing into the world.

Best,

-Rui