Setting

Haven is a modern, paranormal horror game set in the city of New Haven, a city
that exists in the liminial space between worlds with an unclear origin.

Haven is a horror setting in which the foundational principle is that power
equals corruption. It is not just a saying that power corrupts in this world it
is an unbreakable metaphysical law. All the most powerful individuals are
corrupt and so are most of the more powerful organizations.

The two primary themes of the game are Heroic Horror and Gothic Horror.

Heroic Horror is a term that refers to horror settings in which heroism is
still possible and, at least somewhat, effective. Unlike in some horror genres
where characters can only hope to survive their antagonists in heroic horror
it is possible to defeat them and improve the state of the world. It differs
from standard heroic fantasy in that the victories characters achieve are
small scale and the overall state of the world is never meaningfully moved to
a just or orderly standard. In heroic fantasy characters generally protect
a basically just and moral world from being corrupted, in heroic horror they
are just trying to stop an immoral and corrupt world from getting worse. The
aesthetic of heroes in heroic horror is much closer to resistance fighters than
soldiers or police.

Gothic Horror is a term that refers to a genre of horror in which supernatural
elements function as metaphors for real world psychological or social conflicts.
It also has a heavy emphasis on conveying a general feeling of unease or haunting.
In Haven all the Demons, Gods, Fae etc used to be human, and many supernatural
elements function as exaggerations of real human traits or what-ifs that can
function as the basis for psychological exploration.

It’s important to keep these themes in mind while playing, as all the mechanics
and lore are written with this in mind and you will find your play experience
frustrating if you are constantly trying to fight against the design of the
game.