Blood Dawn is a role-playing game

Role-playing game

A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...

 designed by Lawrence R. Sims and first published in 1996

1996 in games

This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top role-playing games published in 1996. For video and console games, see 1996 in video gaming.-Game awards given in 1996:*Origins Awards :...

. The game's tagline is Roleplaying in Earth's Second Dark Age. The Blood Dawn license was later sold by Optimus Design Systems

Optimus Design Systems

Optimus Design Systems was a small publisher of role-playing games , based in Buffalo, New York. The company produced two products, the Battlelords of the 23rd Century science-fiction role-playing game, and the Blood Dawn post-apocalyptic RPG. ODS produced the first of several editions of...

 (ODS) to SSDC, Inc.

SSDC, Inc.

SSDC, Inc. is a small publisher of role-playing games and poetry collections, based in Rochester, New York. Their two product lines are the Battlelords of the 23rd Century science-fiction role-playing game, and the Blood Dawn post-apocalyptic RPG. SSDC was formed by Michael Osadciw and Aaron Thies,...

 in September 1999.

Setting

Blood Dawn is set in an alternate 21st century timeline, on Earth. Characters can play "normal" humans or mutants.

System

Blood Dawn uses a custom system which is d20 based, but not the d20 system

D20 System

The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...

. There are plans to convert the game to the Battlelords of the 23rd Century

Battlelords of the 23rd Century

Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century is a paper and pencil science fiction role-playing game designed by Lawrence R. Sims and first published in 1990. The game's tagline is Roleplaying in a dangerous future. The Battlelords of the Twenty-Third Century license was later sold by Optimus Design...

system in the future.