Black

Stars
Rise
LaTorra & Koebel

What is this?

Getting Started

Its a game of normal people caught up in the strange

dark truths of the universe. Its based on Apocalypse
World by way of World of Dungeons.
This document is incomplete. It presumes that
youve read Apocalypse World (and/or Dungeon World,
Monsterhearts, Sagas of the Icelanders). This document
only describes how this game differs from AW. If you're
not familiar with those games, you can read Dungeon
World for free at http://book.dwgazetteer.com/.
A good way to describe what the characters do: you
know how in The X-Files Mulder and Scully are always
showing up to different places where strange things are
happening? Youre going to play the people in one of
those places, but Mulder and Scully are never going to
show up and save the day. Good luck.
You'll need one GM and 3-4 players.

Getting ready to play Black Stars Rise requires a little

time before the session, plus a half-hour to hour at the
start of play.

Settings
Each game of Black Stars Rise takes place in a setting,
which is made up of careers the players can choose from
and setups that the GM can use to launch a game. The
choice of setting and setup is up to the GM. This preview
contains one setting: Hinnom, TX.
Careers
A career describes what a player character does. Like
many people, a player character's abilities are largely
defined by what they do. A career provides values for the
three basic stats (Sharp, Steady, Tough), moves, lifestyle,
recovery, and advancement.
Each player chooses a career from the available
careers at the start of play. Every career not chosen
becomes an NPC (and potential replacement PC).
Setups
A setup serves to launch a game into motion. It provides
a general idea of the situation the PCs find themselves
in. Each setup has some choices for the GM to make, as
well as some decisions for the players to make.

0. Before The Session

Before sitting down to play, the GM should read over this
document. The players can read it too, if they likethere
are no secrets herebut they don't need to. The GM will
also need to print materials: the setting (one sided), the
basic moves (two sided), and the breaks (one sided).
1. Present the Setup
The GM presents the setup they've chosen. They should
make sure to touch on a few key points:
The player characters are normal people with no
previous contact with anything beyond the real.
The player characters are caught up in the setup,
we're here to see how they come out of it. They may
try to get out, try to get to the bottom of it, or just
try to survivewhatever makes sense for the player
characters.
2. Choose Careers
Each player chooses a career from those available. Once
every player has a career, the GM takes the other careers
and makes them NPCs. The GM should make sure that
each non-player career turns into an NPCas the players
make their characters, find ways to connect them to the
NPCs. GM NPCs, even when based on a player career,
don't need to be made like player charactersthey don't
get stats, moves, etc. The GM uses the career to suggest
the NPC, but the career sheet is only needed if the NPC
becomes a player character.
3. Choose Stats
Each career provides instructions on how to set the three
core stats.
4. Choose Moves
Each career has a selection of moves, the player gets to
choose two.

5. Hand Out Basic Moves

The GM hands out one basic move card of each type to
each player. Each move card has two sides: a normal
side and a wounded side, marked by a splatter. Make
sure to hand out each card normal side upthe players
don't get to look at the other side until a move or the
GM tell them to.
6. Introductions
Go around the table having each player introduce their
character. The GM should ask follow-on questions about
anything pertinentwhere they live, family, etc.
7. History
The characters are bound together by history. Each
character has history statements. Each statement gives
a particular bonus based on the history those characters
share.

The Basic Moves

The most basic move is Take a Risk, which is a lot
like Defy Danger or Act Under Fire. Itll cover most
everything the players do. Helping someone else is a
specific case of taking a risk, and usually grants the
person being helped a +1 on a 7+ (with complications
on a 79).
Keep it Together and Suffer Harm are reactive
moves. They happen when something happens to the
charactersfacing something horrifying or taking
damage, respectively. Failing at these moves can have
profound effects for the characters.
Study happens when a character carefully studies
a person, thing, or situation. Think of Study as their
characters logic and knowledge: you are the players
eyes and ears no matter what, the Study move is their
characters knowledge, deduction, and intuition.

Lifestyle & Buying

Each career lists a lifestyle which describes the money
and resources the character has so long as they are
employed. These careers are all middle class or welloff, but you can assume theres rich above that, and
struggling below, plus more.
If a character is ever cut off (due to being fired,
disowned, absent, or otherwise) the GM will mark down
their lifestyle to a lower category. If this endures for a
while the GM may remove their lifestyle entirelyat this
point they're essentially broke and credit-less.
When a player wants to buy something above their
lifestyle the GM will tell them one or more of the
following:
The best you can manage is a cheaper version
Buying it will temporarily lower your lifestyle for
weeks/months/a year.

Youll have to secure a loan first, maybe from ________.

Damage
The players will probably end up fighting something, or
themselves, sooner or later.
Weapons and their damage potential are measured
in dice. Light weapons are smaller or multi-purpose: a
pistol, a baseball bat, a crowbar, a knife. Light weapons
deal one dice of damage.
Heavy weapons are larger, tougher to conceal, and
sometimes illegal. Theyre clearly weapons: a rifle, a
sword, a pitchfork. Heavy weapons deal two dice of
damage.
Special weapons fit neither category. Sometimes
theyll do 3 or more dice of damage. Sometimes theyll
have +x damage.
When rolling damage, roll all the dice and take the
best one.
Armor
Some humans (and many stranger things) have armor.
Armor reduces damage. For humans, just about any
normal gear (bullet proof vest or the like) is 1 armor
at most, except maybe magical protection. The average
human has no armor.
NPC Damage
Each NPC has a Threshold. Damage below their threshold
is relatively minor, over the threshold is serious business.
When an NPC takes damage, subtract their armor
(if any). If any damage remains after armor, the NPC
takes a condition appropriate to the situation of the GMs
choosing. If the damage after armor is greater than the
NPCs threshold, they take one more condition for each
point over.
Conditions can be whatever makes sense. Sometimes a
condition will take an NPC out of the fight immediately.
A player taking advantage of one or more conditions
gets +1 to any rolls involved (its +1 no matter how many
conditions). An NPC with a number of conditions equal
or greater than their threshold is almost certainly dead,
though they may be dead before that (if they get the
dying condition and arent treated, for example).
Example: Sam shoots the mad cultist bearing down
on him. He rolls 4 damage. The cultist is a typical
human: 0 armor and threshold 3. Since some damage
gets past the armor, he takes a condition, and the GM
decides on Winged: blood spilling down a gash in his
forehead. The damage after armor is one greater than
his threshold, so he also gets Disoriented.
Player Damage
When a player character takes damage the GM will tell
them the worst it could be:

 0 for the untrained with a light weapon

2 for the dangerous with a light weapon
4 for the untrained with a heavy weapon
6 for the dangerous with a heavy weapon
The player takes this as a modifier to their Suffer
Harm roll. One possible result of a suffer harm move is
taking wounds.
Wounds are always applied to moves. When a move
is wounded, flip it over to its wounded side, it cant be
wounded again.
Medical aid, or the passage of time, may enable a
move to return to its unwounded side. Otherwise it stays
wounded indefinitely.
Note that usually only the basic moves can take
wounds, and that generally the wounded version is
worse for the player than the unwounded.
Example: The cultist carries through onto Sam on
momentum alone, driving a dagger into him. The GM
says this is 0 damage, so Sam makes the Suffer Harm
move with no modifier. Unfortunately he still rolls a 5.
The GM describes the dagger digging into him, and the
blood that starts to leak out, telling Berkowitz to wound
his Suffer Harm card. He flips over his Suffer Harm card
and finds the other side not to his liking.

Breaks
Possibly more dangerous than physical harm are breaks.
A break is a mental mishapthink "break with reality"
or "breakdown." Breaks are printed by the GM. When a
move or the GM tells a player they gain a break, they
draw one from the top of the break deck.
The card will describe what happens. Some may be
instantaneous: some missing time, maybe. Others will
stick around, like compulsion or disorder.
Breaks that stick around may be cured with time and
treatment, as prescribed by the GM. Good luck with
that. Humans are complex piles of irrational and poorly
understood mental mechanisms.

how their character is reacting, what they least want

to happen, etc.) but dont let them fill in the mythos for
you. Its big and scary and most importantly unknown.
Within the normal confines of life let them fill in as
large an area as you please, detailing as much of the
setting as you want, the more the better. Beyond the
normal life its your domain.
Honestly Portray A Twisting World
Your job as the GM is to show the players a world where
ordinary people see their understanding of the world
twist into something stranger. Note twisting, not
twisted. It may be twisted, sure, but more importantly
its changing and uncontrollable and therefore scary.
You dont need to think of story or drama or any
of that. The characters are poised at the edge of the
unknown, interesting things will happen.
The First Session
Start the first session with encroaching weirdness and
steadily dial it up. With the help of the setup, place the
players in the path of strange occurrences and let them
play out what their characters would do. Theyre under
no obligation to investigaterunning away (or at least
trying to) is a reasonable response, but one that comes
with its own dangers. The setup will embroil them in
weirdnessgetting out will be no easy task.

For the most part, GM as you normally would AW or

DW. Thats hand waving a huge amount thats actually
changed, but this is a playtest document. A few important
twists:

Make NPC Triangles

Your NPCsboth those provided by the unused careers
and others you createare your greatest tool in forming
a real world that can fall down on the player characters.
Without NPCs, the player characters are vortexes of
strangeness floating in a void. NPCs allow you to both
see how far the player characters will slide and show
the strangeness around them without confronting them
directly with it.
If every strange thing happens to the player characters
they'll quickly become overwhelmed and cut off from
normal life entirely. Confronting your NPCs with the odd
feels more like real lifethe players are in the midst of big
events, not the focus of them. They allow you to spread
around the weird. How does the barkeep react when the
strange stuff his regulars have been complaining about
happens to him too?

Ask Questions and Use The Answers

Still do this, of course, but think carefully about what
you ask the players about. Freely ask them about
their characters normal mundane lives, and use that
everywhere. Let them have typical human possessions
and relationships, let them fill them in.
Then, when the strange mythos comes up, dont give
them so big an input. Still ask them questions (about

Advancement
Most advancement will be descriptive: if the characters
somehow gain new training or position, they get the
matching move.
If a character achieves some considerably victory
(saving something they care for, getting to the bottom
of a mystery) you can give them an advancement. Each
advancement lets them choose one new move from any

GMing

playbook in play. The person playing the character from

that playbook gets first dibsif the Doctor and Detective
both have advances and they both want the Forensics
move, the Doctor gets it.
Campaigns
Campaigns are made up of arcs; arcs are made up of
sessions.
A session is one night of play. Itll usually involve the
same characters for the entire time, but if someone dies
that characters player can make a new character and
start playing them immediately.
The first session and setup establish some odd goingson. The process of dealing with those (by trying to
unentangle the characters from them, getting to the
bottom of them, or otherwise) makes up an arc. Theres
no set arc length, just look for when the setup has been
clearly dealt with, at least for these characters.
The end of an arc is a fine place to stop, but you can
also keep a campaign going. To build a campaign, start
a new arc with a new first session. Use a new setup,
new characters, a new location, and maybe even a new
time. The player characters will likely know nothing of
the previous arcs, but we as the players and GM will
get to see how this incident relates to other earlier arcs
weve played. For example, after dealing with the old
mans death (and the captured spirits he was tending)
we might jump to 130 years earlier when the mansion is
being built under mysterious circumstances.
As a GM, whenever you start a new session or arc
assume it's taking place in the same world as every
previous game you've run. Slowly, over time, you'll
develop the big pictureand the players who play with
you regularly may start to see it too.

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough-1, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp-1, if it requires quick
thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady-1, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough-1, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp-1, if it requires quick
thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough-1, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady-1, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp-1, if it requires quick
thinking
Steady-1, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

Take a Risk

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough-1, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp-1, if it requires quick
thinking
Steady, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

When you attempt something risky,

roll. The GM may tell you to add:
Tough, if it requires physical
power or resilience
Sharp, if it requires quick thinking
Steady-1, if it requires mental
fortitude and nerves
On a 10+, it goes as well as could
be hoped. On a 79 theres a
complication, the GM will give
you a tough choice. On a 6-, the
risk turns out badly, the GM will
describe how.

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you tough it out. On a
79, its not too bad, yet. Take -1
ongoing to this move until you
receive medical attention or spend
a few days recuperating. On a 64
your injuries catch up to you. The
GM will wound one of your moves.
On a 3-, its life-threatening. The
GM will wound two of your moves.
If you dont have two unwounded
moves, youre dying.

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you take -1 forward to
this move. On a 79, the GM will
name a part of your body (an arm,
leg, or eye maybe)its grievously
wounded and unusable until you
receive appropriate medical care.
On a 6- you are dying. The GM will
tell you when youre dead.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you take -1 ongoing to
this move. On a 79, you lose track
or something important or are
otherwise disoriented, the GM will
say how or what. On a 6- you are
dying. The GM will tell you when
youre dead.

When you suffer harm the GM

will describe it and tell you a
number of damage. Roll 2d6+toughdamage. On a 10+ you can either
take a wound to another card or
take -1 ongoing to this move, your
choice. On a 79, you can either
take a wound to another card or
permanently reduce one of your
stats by one, your choice. On a 6you are dying. The GM will tell you
when youre dead.

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you take -1 forward to
this move. On a 79, the GM will
name a part of your body (an arm,
leg, or eye maybe)its grievously
wounded and unusable until you
receive appropriate medical care.
On a 6- you are dying. The GM will
tell you when youre dead.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you take -1 ongoing to
this move. On a 79, you lose track
or something important or are
otherwise disoriented, the GM will
say how or what. On a 6- you are
dying. The GM will tell you when
youre dead.

When you suffer harm the GM

will describe it and tell you a
number of damage. Roll 2d6+toughdamage. On a 10+ you can either
take a wound to another card or
take -1 ongoing to this move, your
choice. On a 79, you can either
take a wound to another card or
permanently reduce one of your
stats by one, your choice. On a 6you are dying. The GM will tell you
when youre dead.

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

Suffer Harm

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you take -1 forward to
this move. On a 79, the GM will
name a part of your body (an arm,
leg, or eye maybe)its grievously
wounded and unusable until you
receive appropriate medical care.
On a 6- you are dying. The GM will
tell you when youre dead.

When you suffer harm the GM will

describe it and tell you a number of
damage. Roll 2d6+tough-damage.
On a 10+ you take -1 ongoing to
this move. On a 79, you lose track
or something important or are
otherwise disoriented, the GM will
say how or what. On a 6- you are
dying. The GM will tell you when
youre dead.

When you suffer harm the GM

will describe it and tell you a
number of damage. Roll 2d6+toughdamage. On a 10+ you can either
take a wound to another card or
take -1 ongoing to this move, your
choice. On a 79, you can either
take a wound to another card or
permanently reduce one of your
stats by one, your choice. On a 6you are dying. The GM will tell you
when youre dead.

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or
mind-shattering, roll+steady. On a
10+ youre in control. You can do as
you please. On a 79 you choose
which you do from the list below.
On a 6- the GM chooses and you
wound this move.
Scream and panic
Lash out violently
Beg and plead
Curl up and shut down

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, roll+steady. On a 10+ you
choose which you do. On a 79 the
GM chooses. On a 6- you suffer a
break, the GM will give it to you.
Hurt someone or something else
chosen at random
Hurt yourself

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, roll+steady. On a 10+ take
-1 forward to this move. On a 79
decrease your Sharp by 1 until you
get out of here (wherever here is).
On a 6- you suffer a break, the GM
will give it to you.

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, choose someone nearby
(or yourself, if nobodys around)
and roll+steady. On a 10+ you choose
one from the list below. On a 79
choose one randomly. On a 6- you
suffer a break, the GM will give it
to you.
You must be near them, now
You must get away from them,
now
Its as if they disappeared
Theyve been replaced by someone
else, the GM will say whom
You have a present for them, say
what and give it to them

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, roll+steady. On a 10+ you
choose which you do. On a 79 the
GM chooses. On a 6- you suffer a
break, the GM will give it to you.
Hurt someone or something else
chosen at random
Hurt yourself

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, roll+steady. On a 10+ take
-1 forward to this move. On a 79
decrease your Sharp by 1 until you
get out of here (wherever here is).
On a 6- you suffer a break, the GM
will give it to you.

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, choose someone nearby
(or yourself, if nobodys around)
and roll+steady. On a 10+ you choose
one from the list below. On a 79
choose one randomly. On a 6- you
suffer a break, the GM will give it
to you.
You must be near them, now
You must get away from them,
now
Its as if they disappeared
Theyve been replaced by someone
else, the GM will say whom
You have a present for them, say
what and give it to them

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

Keep It Together

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, roll+steady. On a 10+ you
choose which you do. On a 79 the
GM chooses. On a 6- you suffer a
break, the GM will give it to you.
Hurt someone or something else
chosen at random
Hurt yourself

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, roll+steady. On a 10+ take
-1 forward to this move. On a 79
decrease your Sharp by 1 until you
get out of here (wherever here is).
On a 6- you suffer a break, the GM
will give it to you.

When you are confronted by the

horrendous, supernatural, or mindshattering, choose someone nearby
(or yourself, if nobodys around)
and roll+steady. On a 10+ you choose
one from the list below. On a 79
choose one randomly. On a 6- you
suffer a break, the GM will give it
to you.
You must be near them, now
You must get away from them,
now
Its as if they disappeared
Theyve been replaced by someone
else, the GM will say whom
You have a present for them, say
what and give it to them

Study

Study

Study

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

Study

Study

Study

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

Study

Study

Study

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will add a
complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

Study

Study

Study

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will give
you a horrible insight and wound
this move and your Keep It Together
move.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any two questions about
the subjectthey'll answer one
truthfully and lie about the other.
On a 79 the GM will choose one
from the list below to answer. On a
6- the GM will add a complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ the GM will
choose one from the list below
to answer. On a 79 choose one
question randomly from the list
below for the GM to answer. On a
6- the GM will add a complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

Study

Study

Study

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will give
you a horrible insight and wound
this move and your Keep It Together
move.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any two questions about
the subjectthey'll answer one
truthfully and lie about the other.
On a 79 the GM will choose one
from the list below to answer. On a
6- the GM will add a complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ the GM will
choose one from the list below
to answer. On a 79 choose one
question randomly from the list
below for the GM to answer. On a
6- the GM will add a complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

Study

Study

Study

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any one question about
the subject. On a 79 you may ask
the GM one question from the list
below. On a 6- the GM will give
you a horrible insight and wound
this move and your Keep It Together
move.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ you may ask
the GM any two questions about
the subjectthey'll answer one
truthfully and lie about the other.
On a 79 the GM will choose one
from the list below to answer. On a
6- the GM will add a complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

When you carefully observe

a person, thing, or situation,
roll+sharp. On a 10+ the GM will
choose one from the list below
to answer. On a 79 choose one
question randomly from the list
below for the GM to answer. On a
6- the GM will add a complication.
What here should I be worried
about?
What here might be useful to me?
What's about to happen?

Edward

Dr. Doolittle

Babel

You have a new friend named

Edward. Hes pretty typical, except
nobody else can see him. Sometimes
hell stop by your house to hang out
for a while, or visit you at work and
see how youre doing. Hes got some
interesting hobbies hes trying to
get you involved in too. Treating
Edward as anything but a real
friend is taking a risk.

Its amazing, now that the animals

talk. Its like always being in a
crowded room. They dont always
make sense, of coursetheyre
animals, still. They talk of the meal
they just ate, the local predators
and prey, the scents and sights. The
GM will tell you what the animals
say. It may be annoying, distracting,
or just plain loud, depending on
the circumstances. Of course the
animals cant understand you. That
would be crazy.

Sometimes your words dont come

out right. You think you know what
youre saying and then drydock sync
fetch by education buddy knick.
When you speak, the GM may speak
for you instead. Generally itll just
be gibberish, though sometimes itll
reveal something about you or the
situation at hand. Good luck telling
which is which.

Howling Fantods

Rabbit's Foot

The Other You

The GM will name something

physical related to the situation
where you gained this insanity.
From now on, the mere presence of
that thing evokes a bowl-loosening
fear in you. Doing anything but
running from it is taking a risk.

Choose an object associated with

how you got this insanity. It
becomes important to you. Very
important. Cant-live-without-it
important. When youre without
it, doing anything but trying to
recover it is probably taking a risk.

It was lonely in your mind before

there were two of you. Take another
career sheet. Copy over your stats
as-is from your current sheet.
Choose a starting move. You have
the requirements of the job (or at
least think you do) but get none of
the benefits, unless you somehow
actually find employment. The
GM may tell you to switch between
careers at any time. Physical
conditions carry over between
them, but moves and insanities do
not. What knowledge the two yous
have of each other is up to you.

What Dreams May

Come
Where your dreams where once
mere imaginings brought on by
sleep, now theyre clear visions into
what has been, what is, and what
may be. That makes them totally,
utterly horrifying. When you fall
asleep the GM will describe your
dreams. Feel free to ask questions
for more detail, these are after all
your dreams. Your dreams deny you
rest, which may lead to penalties or
having to take a risk for everyday
actions. Abusing drugs and alcohol
has its own price.

Beethoven's 5th

The Old Charmer

No matter where you go, its always

playing. Sometimes the performer
or arrangement might shift, but its
hard to tell. After the hundredth
repetition it all blurs together. The
GM may deny you information or
cause you problems based on what
you cant hear over the music.

Your face is no longer yours. You

can control the important stuff:
where you look, breathing, eating,
speaking. But the expression you
givethe look of joy or pain or
whatever elseis entirely up to the
GM.

Dog Beneath The Skin

Missing Time

Painless

Your sense of smell has improved

immeasurably. The world is a
symphony of smells calling out to
be experienced. The GM may at any
time give you only a description of
the scents around you and require
time, effort, or even a risk to take
advantage of your other senses.

Its like it never happened. The

last few minutes (as determined
by the GM) are erased from your
memory. Its as if it never happened.
If confronted with facts about the
blocked-out event, you have to keep
it together.

You feel no pain. This can be a

blessing, when you need to carry
on in the face of injury, but it also
means you get no warning before
your hand touches a grill. The GM,
or another player of your choosing,
will roll the suffer harm move for
you. If it results in one of your
moves taking a wound, they get to
choose which one, and they wont
tell you until the next time you roll
it.

Tongues

Prophecy

Second That Emotion

You speak every language around,

now, but have no control of what
you speak. The GM may at any
point tell you that what youre
saying is, in fact, in Aramaic or
Awadhi or Afrikaans or whatever
other language they please. It
usually wont last more than a few
moments.

Your dreams tell you the future, or

at least appear to. Whenever you
sleep the GM may tell you what
the future holds. If they do, this is
the bedrock truth for you. To act as
if your dreams are wrong without
compelling proof would be crazy.
After all, youve seen the future.

Your emotions come from others

as well. Whenever someone nearby
has an outburst of emotionjoy,
fear, loveyou feel the same thing
and must express it as best you can.

Doctor

Choose two:

Start with Tough -1, Sharp +1, Steady +0, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You make a living fixingor at least

amelioratingthe physical ills of life. Name a
specialty and describe your practice. Lifestyle:
Well-off

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Forensics

When you study a dead body, ask the GM

what killed it. If the death was mundane,
the GM will describe the circumstances. If
the death was supernatural, the GM will tell
you the nearest mundane cause, plus what
doesnt fit that cause.

Medic

When you give a dying person your undivided

attention you buy them time. They wont die
for at least a few moments and the GM will
tell you what you can do to keep them alive
longermaybe even avoid death entirely.

Family Doctor

Name
History
I saved _______'s life, they know they're in
good hands with me. They take +1 to Keep it
Together in your presence. Others you save
enjoy the same benefit.
_______ has shown an interest in my work
which I appreciate. They get +1 Sharp in your
presence. Others who study under you enjoy
the same benefit.
I trust _______ to hear me out when the work
is too much. They take +1 when aiding you.
Others you open up to enjoy the same benefit.

Off the top of your head you know the medical

history of everyone in town.

First Aid

When you provide immediate medical aid to

someone whos suffered harm, they roll with
your Sharp instead of their Tough.

Notes

Miracle Worker

When you treat someone with a permanent

condition, ask the GM how the condition
could be removed. They will always give you
a way (though it may take some work).

Reporter

Choose two:

Start with Tough +0, Sharp +1, Steady -1, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You write stories, maybe with an investigative

bent, for a periodicalname it, describe its
topic(s), and choose a news beat (crime,
politics, or high society maybe). Lifestyle:
middle class

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Tell

When you talk to someone and can carefully

study them you can ask the GM if theyre
lying about any given statement, as often as
you please. The GM will answer truthfully.

Muckraker

Youre known for bringing down people

(deserving or not) with your stories. If
you report on something with the barest
of evidence you can be sure the proper
authorities (local police, most likely) will get
involved as soon as your story hits. This may
not be a good thing, but at least they cant
kill you without somebody asking questions,
right?

Name
History
I filed a story on _____ and it made them look
goodthey owe me. They take +1 to aid you.
Others you report on enjoy the same benefit.
_____ helped me out with a particularly tough
story, we worked well together. They take +1
to aid you. Others who help you investigate
enjoy the same benefit.
I always give _____ a copy of my notes, just
in case someone comes after me. They take
+1 to aid you. Others who keep your secrets
enjoy the same benefits.

Camera Man

Youre used to taking your own photos. Unless

youre physically denied a working camera,
you always have photographic evidence of
every place youve been. Not that everyone
will believe it.

Connected

You always know whos in the know. When

you seek information, you can always ask the
GM who might know more about this? The
GM will answer truthfully, including where
that person can usually be found.

Notes

Librarian

Choose two:

Start with Tough -1, Sharp +1, Steady +0, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You take care of a large collection of books,

either publicly owned or part of a university
collection. You track and maintain the books,
promote reading, and aid the interested in
finding what they need. Lifestyle: middle
class

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Everybody Reads

When you consult library records on a

person you can always piece together some
meaning from even the most random
selection of booksthe GM will tell you
what goal that person is working towards
(anything from "losing weight" to "raising
the dead," depending on the person).

Special Collection

Your collection contains books on a

particularly notable topic, some of which
can be found nowhere else. Name the topic.
You can be sure that anyone looking for
information on that will come to your library.
With enough time, you can find anything
known (and written) on the topic.

Grimoir

Some of the books in your collection contain

spells and you know which they are. (If your
collection isnt special, this means other
libraries have similar spells, which sounds
bad.) The GM will give you two or more spells
as benefits of your job. With time spent in
research you can probably find more.

Name
History
_____ donated something unique to my
collection. You get +1 to aid them. Others who
give generously to the library enjoy the same
benefit.
I helped _____ find something they thought
was lost. You gain a +2 bonus (instead of
+1) when they aid you in Studying. Others
who help you solve a mystery gain the same
benefit.
_____ and I share a taste in literature, we
discuss our reads on a regular basis. When
you recover with them you recover two moves
instead of one. Others who talk books with
you enjoy the same benefit.

Notes

Bookworm

When you have peace and solitude to read

you recover Keep it Together or Study, your
choice.

Detective

Choose two:

Start with Tough +0, Sharp +1, Steady +0, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You investigate crimes. Maybe you have an

assignmenthomicide, larceny, or the like
but depending on the available cops you may
get assigned anything. You find facts, make
a case, and take it to the powers of justice.
Lifestyle: middle class

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Gut Feeling

When you study someone closely, you can

ask the GM (or player, for PCs) what crimes
theyve committed recently. They will answer
truthfully, but offer no proof.

Connected

When you need to find something out, tell the

GM what you want to know. Theyll give you a
way to find out involving people (informants,
prisoners, officials).

Brawler

When you take a risk in personal combat

(fists, bats, knives, or the like) you treat a
roll of 6- as a 79 instead.

Self-Medicating

When you drink yourself to sleep, choose one

of your breaks: its under control, for now. Of
course drinking and hangovers may mean
taking risks for normal tasks.

Undercover

Name an organization you have in-depth

knowledge of: the GM will tell you how you
can gain access, and what act youll have to
keep up to do so.

Name
History
They liked _____ for a crime, but I found the
real perp. They take +1 to aid you. Others
whom you save from the long arm of the law
enjoy the same benefit.
_____ was a victim of a crime, I got to the
bottom of it. Ask their player any one question,
they must answer truthfully. Anyone you
investigate gets the same treatment.
_____ and I drink at the same bar, we drown
our woes together and toast the good times.
When you share a night of drinking with
them you recover two moves. Others who
become you drinking buddies enjoy the same
benefit.

Notes

Professor

Choose two:

Start with Tough -1, Sharp +2, Steady +0, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You teach and research, pursuing a clearer

knowledge of some academic topic. Name
the institution you work for and the field
you work in. Lifestyle: middle class

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Research

You're on to something cutting edge and

beyond the normal. When you want to do
something seemingly impossible related to
your field, the GM will tell you the cost or
requirement. Do it and the laws of reality
are yours to bend.

Knowledgeable

When you encounter something important

(your call) that falls within your field, you
may ask the GM any one question about it,
theyll answer honestly.

Mentor

When another player comes to you for advice,

tell them what they should do. If they follow
your advice, they take +1 forward to do it.

Renown

You are known as an expert in your field,

and therefore experts in other fields as
well. When you want to know more about
an academic topic, tell the GM what you
want to know, theyll tell you who you know
that could tell you, and how you might get
a hold of them.

Mechanic

Choose two:

Start with Tough +1, Sharp +1, Steady +0, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You take care of cars. If its broke, you can fix

it. You have a few regular clients who come
to you for maintenance, but most of your
work is when something just isnt working.
Lifestyle: middle class

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Fix-It

When you encounter a mechanical device

(or simple machine) thats not working, you
may ask the GM how it could be fixed. The
GM will tell you the easiest way.

The Only Shop In Town

Youre the only car shop in town. Whenever

you interact with somebody who might
reasonably have used your services int the
past, the GM will tell you some secret about
them you learned while fixing their car.

Thugs

Name
History
I taught _____ and found them a notable
student. They gain +1 Sharp when in your
presence. Others who study under you enjoy
the same benefit.
_____ has an active amateur interest in my
field, which I encourage. They take +1 to aid
you.
I speak with _____ on matters beyond my
field, a welcome distraction. When you
unwind with them you recover two moves
instead of one.

Notes

Name
History
_____ helped me get started in this business,
I owe them. Take +1 to aid them. Others who
invest in your business get the same benefit.
I fixed something for _____ when they really
needed it. They take +1 to aid you. Others who
you do a favor for enjoy the same benefit.
_____ and I go way back. You always know
when something is wrong with them no
matter what separates you.

The folks you work with trust you implicitly.

Theyll do anything up to minor crimes so
long as you can show them how it would
really help you out.

Improvised

You can build just about anything using the

tools in your workshop. Tell the GM what
machine you want to build. Theyll say yes,
you can build that, but and then one or
more of these:
Itll be limited in some particular way
Youll need some extra tools or materials
to do it
Itll fall apart pretty quick
Itll be dangerous to use

Notes

Priest

Choose two:

Start with Tough +0, Sharp +0, Steady +2, then

increase your choice by 1.

FIT

Sharp

Steady

You represent the religion of your choice

within the community. Your job is less
theology and more pastoral: helping those in
need, bringing together the community, and
spreading the word. Lifestyle: middle class

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

Rites

So long as you fulfill the regular offices of

your religion (usually some sort of daily
services, plus larger weekly events) your
breaks are under control.

The Good Book

When you spend time in quiet meditation

with your scriptures, the GM will give you
some insight into the situation at hand that
is comforting.

Reliquary

Your house of worship has something of

supernatural power within it. The GM will
tell you what it is, and at least some of what
it does.

Name
History
_____ is a member of my flock. So long as they
attend regularly choose one of their breaks:
it's under control. Other members of your
congregation enjoy the same benefit.
_____ helps me in my duties. They take +1 to
aid you. Others who take an active role in
the church gain the same benefit.
When my faith falters I come to _____ for
understanding and advice. When acting on
their advice you take +1 forward.

Minister

When another player comes to you for advice,

tell them what they should do. If they follow
your advice, they take +1 forward to do it.

Notes

Superstition

You have a love for the esoteric and

apocryphal. When you encounter the
supernatural the GM will tell you something
about it that you would have learned from
the fringes of your religion.

Artist

Choose two:

Start with Tough -1, Sharp +1, Steady +0, then

increase your choice by 1.

Notable

Something in your art has gotten widespread

attention. Increase your lifestyle to well-off
(as the doctor).

Insight
FIT

Sharp

Steady

You make visual art of some sortpaintings,

drawings, or sculpture, maybe. Describe your
style and the type of people who pay you for
your work. Lifestyle: struggling

Recovery
When you receive appropriate medical
treatment (GM's call), recover Suffer Harm.
When you build a basic human relationship
with someone (their player's call), recover
one of Take a Risk, Keep it Together, or Study,
your choice.

When you create art directly related to

something supernatural you personally
experienced, the GM will tell you what the
work requires of you. If you do it, the GM
will reward you with some insight into the
supernatural (most likely related to the event
that inspired you, but not always).

Crazy Like a Fox

While you have at least one break that isnt

under control, you have Sharp +3 instead of
your normal Sharp.

And I Feel Fine

When you have at least one break that

isnt under control, you get +1 Steady (to a
maximum of +3).

Empathy

When you create art based on a supernatural

event you experienced, anyone who views
that art will immediately experience exactly
what you felt in that moment (fear, despair,
or otherwise).

Name
History
_____ has been the subject of my art before.
Ask their player any one question, they must
answer truthfully. Anyone else who sits for
your art gets the same treatment.
I owe _____ for helping me through some
hard times. Take +1 to aid them. Others who
come to your aid enjoy the same benefit.
_____ can pull me out of myself when I get
too involved in my work. When you build
a connection with them choose a break
it's now under control. Others who break
through your shell enjoy the same benefit.

Notes

The Mansion On The Hill

I dont think anybody ever really expected
the old man to die. He was a fixture here,
as much as you can be a fixture when you
rarely leave your house. Odd was the kind
word for him, though plenty of people had
others. Now that hes gone I guess the old
place is being opened up, and I hear whats
in there is pretty strange. Must be valuable to
someone too, since everybody seems to want
to claim it as their own.
What strange collection did the old man
leave behind?
Books, many handwritten in various hands,
some unorthodoxly bound.
Specimens, in unlabled jars, lovingly
displayed. Some of them dont look like
anything natural.
Idols and totems, in a variety of tiny
sanctuaries, many with fresh offerings.
Keys, every one ornate, some impractical,
but nary a lock in sight.
How did the old man die?
Of an apparent overdose
Drained of all blood, but without a cut
Cut up cleanly with one piece in each room,
except for the eyeballs nobody found
Nobody knows, since hes only presumed
dead

Each player chooses one and fills in their

character's name:
_______ has a claim to something valuable
and strange in the old man's belongings, but
the claim is disputed.
_______ was the last one to see the old man
alive and hear his last wishes.
Since the old man's passing, _______ has gone
into the mansion to recover something.
_______ is a blood relation to the old man,
though they don't always admit it.
Before he died, the old man borrowed
something from _______, it still hasn't been
returned.
_______ was taking care of the old man before
he died, trying to give him some comfort.
_______ has the final say on some piece of
the old man's estate, though others are after
it too.
A local business is trying to buy up the
mansion for some odd purpose, but _______
has been fighting them.

Renovation
It was a good deal. Not too good to be
truenothing isbut a nice apartment at
a nice price as the building came out of a
long renovation. It sold out fast, all dozen
apartments. The complaints were small at
firststandard apartment stuffbut now
people are talking. Maybe theres something
more going on here.
Which complaints have been reported?
Small items tend to decay and crumble as
if theyd been left here for years
The clear yowl of sirens, but no source
Loud clunky footsteps from above, but no
ones there
Pets panicking around the middle of the
second floor hallway
Small leaks of a curious pale green liquid
Urgent knocks, like someone desperate to
get in, from below the first floor.
Phone calls with snippets of unintelligible
chanting
Unknown creatures glimpsed in stairways

What has the landlord done about it?

Given several discounts and refunds on
rent
Stubbornly denied that anything was
wrong
Hired several workers to come in, none of
whom have found anything wrong
Gone silent, nobody can reach him

Each player chooses one and fills in their

character's name:
_______ was the first to experience anything
odd, now many have had the same.
A building watch set by _______ failed to spot
anything, they eventually gave up.
_______ has lived in the building since before
the renovation, nothing could make them
leave.
_______ tried to get the police involved, they
claimed it was just a hallucination.
_______ has started a lawsuit against the
landlord, but it's slow going.
_______ moved in after the strangeness
started, they claimed it wouldn't bother them.
_______ has a special arrangement with the
landlord.
The landlord tried to evict _______, but they
fought to stay here.