Yes, Wretched Darkness and The Invisible College can work together quite effectively for a campaign. They share a common "DNA" in terms of mechanics and atmosphere, making them one of the easier crossovers to manage.
However, it’s important to clarify which version of The Invisible College you are using, as there are two very different games with that name.
1. Compatibility with The Invisible College (by RPGPundit)
If you are referring to the modern occult OSR game by RPGPundit, these two games are highly compatible.
System Synergy: Both games are built on OSR (Old School Renaissance) foundations. They use similar d20-based mechanics, attribute arrays, and "bounded" power levels. You can often lift a character or monster from one and drop it into the other with almost zero conversion.
Atmospheric Fit: Both are "Modern Horror/Occult" settings. Wretched Darkness leans into cinematic, gritty horror (think Kult or John Carpenter movies), while The Invisible College focuses on "authentic" magick and secret conspiracies.
The Campaign Hook: You could run a campaign where the players are members of the Invisible College (using its deep magic system) but are forced to hunt the visceral, "Wretched" monsters (vampires, slashers, and demons) found in the Wretched Darkness bestiary.
2. Compatibility with The Invisible College (7th Sea Supplement)
If you mean the supplement for the 7th Sea roleplaying game, the connection is purely thematic.
Mechanical Gap: These systems are entirely different. 7th Sea uses a "Roll and Keep" d10 system, while Wretched Darkness is an OSR d20 system. Converting them would require significant effort.
Thematic Gap: This version is set in a fantasy version of the 17th century. You could still make it work if you use Wretched Époque (the Victorian/19th-century version of Wretched) as a middle ground, but it would be a "square peg in a round hole" situation mechanically.
How to Blend Them (The "Wretched College" Approach)
If you are using the OSR versions, here is the best way to combine them:
| Feature | Which to Use? |
| Character Creation | Use Wretched Darkness for the gritty "Anti-Hero" archetypes and the Sin/Virtue system. |
| Magic System | Use The Invisible College. Its "authentic magick" system is more detailed and flavorful than standard OSR spellcasting. |
| The Enemies | Use the Wretched Darkness sandbox and bestiary. It provides excellent tools for building "Giallo" or "Slasher" style mysteries. |
| The Setting | Use The Invisible College's hidden war between factions as the backdrop for why the characters are encountering "Wretched" horrors. |
Potential Challenges:
Power Creep: The Invisible College characters can become quite powerful occultists. Wretched Darkness is very lethal ("Cannon Fodder" mode). You may need to decide if you want a "supernatural investigator" vibe (high survival) or a "doomed horror" vibe (low survival).
Since you are using RPGPundit’s The Invisible College, you are in luck. These two games are practically made for each other.
Both systems are published or supported by The Red Room, and they share a core OSR (Old School Renaissance) engine. In fact, there is official cross-over material—specifically "The Alliance Conspiracy" and certain issues of "The Pundit Files"—that explicitly combine Pundit's occult world with the Wretched system.
Here is how to effectively merge them into a single campaign:
1. The Mechanical Bridge
Both games use a d20-based system with similar attribute scales. You can swap elements with almost no math:
The Magic System: Use The Invisible College’s "Authentic Magick." It is far more robust and flavorful than the standard magic in Wretched Darkness. Treat "The Invisible College" as the source for your players' supernatural abilities.
Character Vibes: Use Wretched Darkness for the "Anti-Hero" mechanics. If you want a gritty, cinematic feel where players have vices, use the Sins and Virtues system from Wretched. This adds a "Kult-like" psychological layer to Pundit’s high-concept occultism.
Combat & Lethality: Wretched Darkness is often more lethal ("Cannon Fodder" mode). If you want the campaign to feel like a high-stakes horror movie, use the Wretched health and combat rules.
2. The Campaign World: "The Secret War"
The best way to narratively combine them is to use The Invisible College as the Why and Wretched Darkness as the What.
The Conflict: The players are members of the Invisible College (the "libertine" secret society). Their mission is to protect humanity’s spiritual evolution.
The Threat: The "Wretched" elements (the demons, slashers, and urban horrors) are the manifestations of spiritual stagnation or the tools of rival factions like the Araknyd Brotherhood or the Knights of Cydonnia (from the Wretchedverse).
3. Suggested "Toolbox" Mix
Use this from The Invisible College Use this from Wretched Darkness Authentic Magick rules (Rituals, Astral Travel). Sins & Virtues (For character motivation/corruption). The Factions (The College vs. The Inquisition). The Bestiary (The visceral, scary monsters). Occult History (Timeline of secret wars). Modern Setting Tools (Rules for firearms, tech, and grit). 4. Pro-Tip: The 1930s Connection
If you find the modern day too broad, check out The Pundit Files Issue 9: Invisible College: The 1930s Campaign. It was designed specifically to bridge Pundit’s game with Wretched Interbellum. This provides a perfect blueprint for how the two systems can exist in the same space.
Potential Issue: The "Vibe" Shift
Pundit’s work often leans into "Authentic Magick" (Hermeticism, Crowley-style occultism), while the Wretched series leans into "Exploitation Horror" (grindhouse movies, Giallo, slasher films).
How do you want the campaign to feel?
Option A (Occult Investigation): Focus on The Invisible College lore; use Wretched only for its smooth modern combat rules.
Option B (Gritty Horror): Focus on the Wretched lethality; let the "College" be a mysterious background organization that gives the players just enough magic to barely survive.
To merge these two, we need a character sheet that captures the gritty mortality of Wretched Darkness while allowing for the occult mastery of The Invisible College.
In this hybrid, we treat Magick as a "Special Skill" or "Archetype" within the Wretched framework.
The Wretched College: Hybrid Character Sheet
I. Core Attributes (The Wretched Standard)
Scale: 3–18. Roll 3d6 or use point buy.
Strength (STR): Physical power and lifting.
Agility (AGI): Reflexes and firearm accuracy.
Stamina (STA): Physical endurance and Health calculation.
Personality (PER): Charisma and willpower to resist corruption.
Intelligence (INT): Logical reasoning and tactical knowledge.
Perception (PCR): Situational awareness and spotting the "unseen."
II. Vital Statistics
Health (HP): $STA + \text{d6}$ (Use Wretched "Cannon Fodder" rules for higher lethality).
Sanity/Stability: $PER \times 5$. (Used when witnessing Wretched horrors).
Initiative: $AGI + \text{d10}$.
III. The "College" Integration (Magick & Rank)
Instead of standard Wretched magic, we use Pundit’s Degrees.
Initiate Level (1st-3rd): Can perform Minor Rituals and Astral Sight.
Adept Level (4th-6th): Can manifest Sigil Magick and Influence Reality.
Magus Level (7th+): Mastery of High Rituals.
Current Mana/Essence: Equal to INT. (Used to fuel Invisible College workings).
IV. Skills (The "Street & Sanctum" List)
Select 5 Proficient Skills (+3 bonus):
Investigation (PCR)
Occult Lore (INT) - The "Invisible College" bread and butter.
Firearms (AGI)
Streetwise (PER)
Meditation (PER) - Used for Astral Travel.
Athletics (STR/AGI)
V. Wretched Mechanics: Sins & Virtues
Crucial for the "Wretched" feel. Choose one of each to define your character’s soul.
Virtue (e.g., Fortitude): Once per session, recover 1d6 Sanity when acting on your virtue.
Sin (e.g., Hubris): Gain a bonus to a Magick roll, but take a -2 penalty to your next Sanity check.
How to handle the "Occult Conflict"
When a character from The Invisible College encounters a monster from Wretched Darkness, use this rule:
The Veil of Terror: Monsters in Wretched are often physically repulsive. When an Invisible College member uses Astral Sight on a Wretched creature (like a Man-Goat or Living Shadow), they must make a Personality Save or be stunned for 1 round by the sheer spiritual filth of the creature.
Here is a level 1 starting character built using the hybrid rules. This character represents a classic "street-level" occultist—someone who knows the gutter as well as they know the grimoires.
Character: Elias Thorne
Archetype: The Reluctant Neophyte (Occult Investigator)
Background: Disgraced Antiquarian
Current Rank: 1st Degree Initiate (The Invisible College)
I. Core Attributes
Attribute Score Modifier Notes Strength (STR) 9 +0 Average build. Agility (AGI) 12 +0 Steady hands with a pistol. Stamina (STA) 11 +0 Can take a punch, but not a bullet. Personality (PER) 14 +1 Persuasive and strong-willed. Intelligence (INT) 16 +2 Sharp mind for ancient languages. Perception (PCR) 15 +1 Notices the "glitches" in reality. II. Vital Statistics
Health (HP): 14 (Stamina 11 + 1d6 roll of 3)
Sanity: 70 (Personality 14 × 5)
Mana/Essence: 16 (Equal to Intelligence)
Initiative: 1d10 + 12
III. Sins & Virtues (Wretched Hooks)
Virtue: Curiosity. Elias gains a +2 to Sanity saves when discovering a previously unknown occult truth.
Sin: Addiction (Occult Secrets). Elias must make a PER save to walk away from a dangerous ritual site without investigating it, even if his life is in danger.
IV. Skills & Magick (The College Training)
Proficient Skills (+3 Bonus):
Occult Lore (INT): Identifying symbols of the Araknyd Brotherhood.
Investigation (PCR): Piecing together clues from a ritual murder.
Persuasion (PER): Talking his way into restricted library wings.
Firearms (AGI): Basic training with a snub-nosed .38 revolver.
Meditation (PER): Entering the trance state for Astral Sight.
Invisible College Magick (1st Degree):
Astral Sight: Elias can spend 1 Mana to see the spiritual residue of Wretched creatures for 1 hour.
Sigil of Protection: By tracing a symbol in chalk (requires an INT check), he can grant himself a +2 bonus to Defense against supernatural entities for one combat.
V. Gear & Weapons
Snub-nosed Revolver: (Damage: 2d6, Range: Short).
The "Lesser Key" Notebook: Contains his research and ritual notes.
Heavy Trench Coat: (Armor: +1 vs. knives/scratches).
Pocket Flask & Silver Lighter.
How he plays in the Campaign:
In a Wretched Darkness combat, Elias is fragile. He needs to stay behind the "muscle" and use his Firearms skill. However, when the party encounters a "Wretched" horror that cannot be killed by bullets, Elias uses his Invisible College training to identify the creature's spiritual weakness or banish it using a ritual.
In this scenario, Elias is tracking a "Hollowed Man" (a classic Wretched Darkness threat—a corpse possessed by an extra-dimensional parasite) through a derelict tenement building.
The Setup
The Hollowed Man is functionally immortal against small arms fire; the parasite inside just knits the dead flesh back together. Elias needs to use Invisible College techniques to expose the creature’s spiritual core so his .38 revolver can actually do damage.
Round 1: The Astral Reveal
The Situation: The Hollowed Man lunges from the shadows. Elias wins initiative.
Elias’s Action: Instead of shooting blindly, Elias uses Astral Sight.
The Mechanics: Elias spends 1 Mana. He rolls a Perception (PCR) check.
Result: He rolls a 14 + 1 (Mod) + 3 (Skill) = 18. Success.
The Effect: The "Veil" drops. Elias sees the creature not as a man, but as a writhing mass of oily black tendrils centered in the corpse’s chest.
The Wretched Twist: Seeing the true, jagged form of the parasite triggers a Sanity Check. Elias rolls a d100 against his 70 Sanity. He passes. He stays cool, but his knuckles whiten.
Round 2: The Sigil and the Strike
The Situation: The Hollowed Man slams Elias against a wall. Elias takes 4 damage (Health drops to 10). He needs to act fast.
Elias’s Action: He uses a Sigil of Protection.
The Mechanics: He spends 2 Mana and quickly traces a banishing sigil in the air with his silver lighter. He rolls an Intelligence (INT) check.
Result: 12 + 2 (Mod) + 3 (Skill) = 17. Success.
The Effect: The air hums. For the rest of the fight, the Hollowed Man has a -2 penalty to hit Elias, as the creature's spiritual essence recoils from the sigil.
Round 3: The Execution
The Situation: The creature is hissed back by the glowing sigil. Elias levels his snub-nosed revolver at the "oily mass" he can see in the chest.
Elias’s Action: Attack with Firearms.
The Mechanics: Because he is using Astral Sight to aim at the "Core," the GM rules he ignores the creature's physical damage reduction. He rolls d20 + Agility + Skill.
Result: 16 + 0 + 3 = 19. A direct hit.
Damage: 2d6 = 9 damage.
The Result: The bullet, backed by the intent of his Magick, shreds the parasite. The Hollowed Man collapses into a heap of mundane, silent meat.
Post-Combat Recovery
Elias is bleeding and his Mana is down to 13. In Wretched Darkness, healing is slow and hospitals are dangerous places for occultists. He’ll need to use his Streetwise skill to find an underground doctor or use Meditation during a long rest to recover his Mana.
The "Wretched" Consequences
The police are now on their way. The Invisible College demands secrecy, but Wretched Darkness mechanics often leave a "Trail of Blood." Elias must decide: does he stay to clean up the occult evidence (risking arrest), or flee and let the "Araknyd Brotherhood" find the remains first?
To balance the high-concept occultism of Pundit’s world with the "slasher" grime of the Wretched universe, your rival needs to be someone who treats magick like a weaponized science.
Enter Julian Vane, a "Fixer" for the Araknyd Brotherhood. He is the dark mirror to Elias: where Elias seeks truth, Vane seeks control.
NPC: Julian Vane (The Occult Cleaner)
Archetype: The Antagonist / Sorcerous Assassin
Affiliation: The Araknyd Brotherhood (High-level Rank)
| Attribute | Score | Modifier | Notes |
| Strength (STR) | 11 | +0 | Wiry and deceptive. |
| Agility (AGI) | 15 | +1 | Fast draw; moves like a spider. |
| Stamina (STA) | 13 | +1 | Toughened by ritual scarring. |
| Personality (PER) | 16 | +2 | Coldly charismatic; predatory. |
| Intelligence (INT) | 14 | +1 | Strategic and patient. |
| Perception (PCR) | 17 | +2 | Hard to surprise. |
Vital Stats:
Health (HP): 25 (He is an "Elite" NPC, not cannon fodder).
Sanity: 30 (Vane has sacrificed his mind for power; he is nearly immune to horror because he is the horror).
Initiative: 1d10 + 15.
Special Abilities (The Hybrid Twist)
The Black Gaze (Invisible College Magick): Vane can force a contest of Personality. If he wins, the target is paralyzed with existential dread for 1 round.
Shadow-Stepping (Wretched Supernatural): In dim light, Vane can teleport up to 30 feet as a move action. This represents the Brotherhood's "Wretched" corruption.
The Obsidian Blade: He carries a ritual dagger that ignores physical armor and leeches 1d4 Mana from the victim on a successful hit.
Tactics: How Vane hunts Elias
Vane doesn't just kick down the door. He uses the Wretched setting to isolate his prey:
The Frame-Up: Using his Investigation and Streetwise skills, Vane leaves Elias’s fingerprints at the scene of the "Hollowed Man" fight. Now Elias is hunted by the police AND the Brotherhood.
The Astral Bleed: Vane uses Invisible College rituals to "poison" the local astral plane. Whenever Elias tries to use Astral Sight, he takes 1d4 Sanity damage as Vane whispers threats directly into his mind.
The Confrontation: Vane prefers to strike when Elias is low on Mana. He will wait in a place Elias considers safe (like his apartment or a favorite library), standing in the darkest corner.
The Campaign Hook
Vane isn't trying to kill Elias—yet. He wants the "Lesser Key" Notebook Elias carries. Vane believes it contains the location of a "Wretched Gate" that the Araknyd Brotherhood can use to bypass the Invisible College's defenses entirely.
"You have a delicate touch, Elias. But the College is a dying social club. The Brotherhood is a hunger. Give me the book, and I might let you keep your eyes."
To fit the Wretched/Pundit crossover, this table mixes high-society Hermetic artifacts (Invisible College) with gritty, cursed, and visceral objects found in the "Wretched" gutters of the world.
D100 Occult Items & "Treasures" Table
| d100 | Item Name | Effect / Lore |
| 01-02 | The Gutter Grimoire | A water-damaged diary. Reading it grants +1 to Occult Lore but costs 1d4 Sanity. |
| 03-04 | Silver-Plated Lighter | Engraved with a protective Seal of Solomon. Grant +1 to PER saves against Fear. |
| 05-06 | Hand of Glory | A pickled thief's hand. When lit like a candle, only the holder can see the light. |
| 07-08 | Astral Incense | Burn to gain +2 on Meditation checks for 1 hour. Smells like ozone and rotting lilies. |
| 09-10 | Leaden Defixio | A Roman curse tablet. Buried near an enemy, it prevents them from recovering Mana. |
| 11-12 | Obsidian Scalpel | Ignores 2 points of supernatural Armor. Requires a drop of the user's blood to "wake." |
| 13-14 | Polaroid of a Ghost | A photo of a spirit. Can be burnt to banish a minor apparition instantly. |
| 15-16 | Brass Astrolabe | Grants +3 to Navigation and predicting "Planetary Hours" for rituals. |
| 17-18 | Jar of Grave Dirt | Sourced from a murderer's grave. Can be scattered to create a 5ft circle demons cannot enter. |
| 19-20 | Enchanted Syringe | Filled with "Neon Ectoplasm." Restores 1d8 Mana but causes 1d4 Stamina damage. |
| 21-25 | Araknyd Coin | A heavy black coin. Owning it allows you to hear whispers from the Brotherhood. |
| 26-30 | Glass Eye of Thoth | Replace your own eye with this to see through illusions (PCR check +4). |
| 31-35 | Bag of "Twitcher" Teeth | Teeth from a Wretched creature. Can be thrown to create a distraction of clicking noises. |
| 36-40 | Hermetic Signet Ring | Mark of a 2nd Degree Initiate. Provides +2 to Persuasion with other occultists. |
| 41-45 | Bloody Tarot Deck | The cards change to reflect a violent future. Predicts one "Slasher" attack per day. |
| 46-50 | Bottle of Absinthe (19th C.) | Grants "Visionary Trance." +5 to INT checks, but -5 to all physical rolls. |
| 51-55 | Finger of a Saint | Wrapped in silk. Grants a one-time reroll on a failed Sanity check. |
| 56-60 | Corrupted USB Drive | Contains digital rituals. Using it causes nearby electronics to malfunction. |
| 61-65 | Iron Spikes (Cold Iron) | Essential for pinning down fae or "Wretched" spirits. 1d6 damage. |
| 66-70 | Orichalcum Wire | Can be used to "handcuff" an astral traveler to their physical body. |
| 71-75 | Victorian Spirit Mask | Allows the wearer to speak with the recently deceased (costs 2 Mana). |
| 76-80 | Mummified Cat | Used as a "spiritual battery." Store up to 5 Mana inside it for later use. |
| 81-85 | Vial of Black Bile | Harvested from a Demon. Can be used as a contact poison (1d10 damage). |
| 86-90 | The "Lesser" Key (Fragment) | One page of a high-level ritual. Grants a permanent +1 to INT. |
| 91-94 | Clockwork Heart | A ticking mechanical artifact. While carried, you cannot be magically put to sleep. |
| 95-97 | Dagger of Cydonnia | A jagged blade. Heals the wielder for half the damage it deals to a human. |
| 98-99 | The King in Yellow (Transcript) | Reading this causes permanent insanity but reveals the ultimate truth of the world. |
| 100 | The Invisible Diploma | A letter of recommendation from the College Leaders. Total immunity from minor spirits. |
How to use this table:
Wretched "Scavenging": If the players search a serial killer's lair or an abandoned cult site, roll 1d100.
The College "Vaults": If they visit a mentor at the Invisible College, they might be gifted an item from the 05-20 or 36-40 range.
The Price of Power: Remember that in Wretched Darkness, items are often double-edged swords. If an item gives a bonus, it should usually cost Mana, Sanity, or Blood.
To activate the Glass Eye of Thoth (Item 26-30 on your table), the character cannot simply carry it in a pocket. In the tradition of The Invisible College, magick requires a visceral commitment, and in Wretched Darkness, power always demands a physical price.
To use the eye, the character must undergo a ritual known as the "Awakening of the Third Sight."
The Ritual: The Awakening of the Third Sight
Rank Requirement: 1st Degree Initiate (Invisible College)
Cost: 4 Mana, 1 permanent point of Sanity, and a permanent -1 penalty to Perception regarding the physical world (due to the glass eye being fixed and unmoving).
Time: One "Occult Hour" (Midnight to 1 AM).
The Preparation
The character must be in a place of "Total Silence." They must wash the Glass Eye in a solution of salt water and wormwood. Using a sterilized silver needle, they must prick their own tear duct to "consecrate" the artifact with their own essence.
The Activation (The Roll)
The player must make a Meditation (PER) Check vs. a Difficulty of 15.
Success: The glass eye "bonds." The character can now see into the Ethereal Plane at will.
Failure: The eye rejects the host. The character takes 1d6 damage and loses the Mana, but can try again in 24 hours.
Critical Failure (Natural 1): The eye shatters. The character takes 2d6 damage and is blinded in that eye for 1d4 weeks.
The Mechanics: Using the Eye
Once successfully "installed" (either replacing a lost eye or worn as a magically-bonded monocle), the Glass Eye of Thoth provides the following benefits and drawbacks:
| Feature | Effect |
| True Sight | You automatically detect illusions, glamours, and shapeshifters within 30 feet. No roll required. |
| Astral Tracking | You gain a +4 bonus to Perception (PCR) when tracking a creature that has a spiritual signature (Demons, Ghosts, Wretched Parasites). |
| The Burden of Truth | You see the world as it truly is. This is hideous. You take a -2 penalty to all Sanity saves because you can see the tiny, crawling "reality-parasites" that normal humans ignore. |
| Mana Sense | You can see the "glow" of magical items or active rituals through walls (up to 10 feet of stone/wood). |
The "Wretched" Complication
Because this is a Wretched campaign, having a glowing, ancient Egyptian-style glass eye makes it impossible to blend into normal society.
Social Penalty: You take a -4 penalty to Persuasion checks with "Normies" unless you wear heavy sunglasses or a bandage.
The Brotherhood's Mark: Members of the Araknyd Brotherhood recognize the artifact instantly. They will prioritize killing the "Seer" in any combat encounter to stay hidden.
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