"BULL PRESS

CONVERSATIONAL GAMES
Corpse Thieves
Bull Press MMXXIIT
‘CORPSE THIEVES
Bull Press

First published August MMXX]
“This edition published September MMXXII

To geta fre paperback copy to an inmate,
email their full government name,

current facility, and IDF 0
requests@bullpress.orz

2468109753

ISEN: 9798985956105
Ao,

vUt,

EREN
Table of Contents
Game Inro

Corpse Thieves.

Chapter 1 Infractions

Chapter 2: Emply Graves

Chapter 3 Hitng the Bricks

Chapter & The Grinning Tiger Clan

Chapter : Fist of the Celestial Destroyer
Bump Scenes (nscrable scencs)

Closing Ceremanics

Main Character Creation

Specials

Customizing Specials

Effeet List

Fight Scenes Rules

Weapons & Armor

Gioods & Services

Example Gameplay.

How to Runa

Side Character Generator
Spinning for I

Designing Your Own Games.
Main Character Sheets
‘What the Fuck Is This Book

10
15
2
31
3
a0
54
5
68
i
102
104
107
108
m
s
19
121
123
2
EVERYTHING YOU NEEP TO KNOW .

* Gameplay s conversational & cooperative. ¢ 4 layers s ideal, but 3 10 6 s ine 100
One player i the Key Narrator Everybody else creates a main character
they run the game for the other players & controls them n the game
HOW PO 10O THINGS?

Yousay it For example, 1 look into theally, whtdo I see?” IFi's believable, you do it

163 challenging (* jump the huge gap?), the Key Narrator il tll you to SFIN FOR T
and you'll Tk the 6 spinse on the back of your book:

6. Finessed 3. Notrelly
. Success 2. Failure
. Barely . Faceplant

I cquipmen,expeience, distactions,genetal il e skew your chances
EASY: the Key Narrator will ave you spin s6 twice, taking the highest resull
PAPIULT: spin $6 twice, take the loest,

SFINNING

The back of the book is a spinner. Create an arm by looping one end of a paperclp or guitar
siring trimming. Fasten the loop over the spinner’s center-do.

“36" means a random sumber from 1 1o 6. Flick the spinner arm: wherever it lands
in the 56 ring i the resull. 510" i & random mumber from | (0 10,54 means | 04, e

MAIN CHARACTERS.

The stars of the show. Everybody who isn'tthe Key Narmtor creates a main character, and
the Key runs interesting seenarios for them. Any main charactr concept goes as long 35 it
s the setting, and starts humble (no superbeings or millionaies cc)

SPECIALS: povcers and unique shilies for your main charscter.

S “Special Points”, what you buy and upgrade Specials wi
+ Charactr creaton quick guide on page 54.
KEY NARRATOR
You run scenes fo the main characters — interesting side characters for them to talk 1,

fights, problem-solving scenarios etc. The
eady'1o-run seenes leading 10 3 narrative goal

CLOSING CEREMOMIES: ot the end of cach session, the Key awards SP for best
performances etc (page 40 for allcategories).

re” starting on the next page is 4 series of

THEAMBITION
This is the common goal tha keeps the main characters all pushing the plot in the same

dirction. The Ambiton is set at the beginning of a game, and always has & large reward
atached o1t

Al his i kown s POMEFIECETV, a conversational
ames system that can run any setting and any genre

CORPSE THIEVES
A Conversational Game in Five Parts
Bull Press MMXXIIL

Summary: a golden age Kung Fu & Wuxia are set in mytholog

vy Qing-era Chia.

How to Run This: the Key Narmator just reads ahead a few pages and gets familiss with
the approaching scenes (page 9 is plenty fa (0 stat). The other players (“actors”) don't
e 10 read anything: they just show up and the Key runs the game for them. Doesn't
Hurt 0 keep a sheet of general notes to mark your place in the arc. Page 108 for example
gameplay.

Length: sessions usually last 1 to:3 hours but you can end it whenever you want. Fill out
sessions that went t0o fast with insertable bump scenes (page 39, go dogear quick).

Closing Ceremonies: run these at the end of each session, awarding SP for best
performances etc. Al categories on page 40.

Soundtrack: cach scene has a single track you can throw on loop. If playing on the
outside, o loading up a mp3 player for somebody inside, all tracks are on bullpress.org

First Time Key Narrators: fuck nerves. The friends are getng together 1o riff and
bullhit with cach othr. They're going o have a good tme no matter what.

1 your firs session fels S, don't sweat i, s ot because you dropped the ball,
it because things are sl developing - the main characers don't realy have
personaliies yt, crew dynarmic s sl brewing, and the scttng docsn’t feel lived-in
yet. The pilt session is sl a good tme, but where the hobby goes rom good to reat is
o o three sessions in when the seting and characters st fecling fmilsr, start
coming 1o ife a lite, and start relating o each other i interesting ways. There’s @
reason it akes a couple pisodes (0 ge hooked o a TV shor, you know?

Bsides that, Keying s casy:just give the main charactes engaging shit t do, sec
what gets people stoked,and findineresting ways to give your actors what they wan.

Are Summary
The main characters are kung fu students of the Wo Ping, a mountaintop monastery, and are
sent 1o investigate some graverobbings in the nearby town of Potbelly Hill

SHAPE OF STORY

L Infractions: min Charactrs introduced. Master Lung sends them on 3 mission 1o
Potbely Hill (the town at the bottom of the mountain) to put & stop 10 a series of
sraverobbings. Gravekeeper Wu should have llthe detals.

IL Empty Graves: the only real lead is Gravekeeper Wu saying the newly armived
phsician i suspected of performing experiments on dead bodics at he apothecary.

+ Apothecary: the physician i defniely not tealing bodis (gravekeeper just supersiious
about doctos). A distaction goessideways and a break-in i heard at the back of the
apothecary. A resh corpse set for autopsy (pojsoning suspicion) is gone rom the surgical
area and the back dooris busted in,two thives carting the by away in the back alley:

« A fightjumps off. Ateast ne corpse tief i killd,leaving seveal clues. One is crucal:
callouseson tps of one hand's fngers indicae the thicf was a musician. s known.
‘musiians ar well-paid at the Purple Mountain Theater nd the Floatng Garden.

L Hitting the Bricks: up to ive lads can be followed, all giving useful information
about the corpse thieves. Al the Purple Mountain Theatr, the diretor says the musician
comse thief mentioned he was staying with Merchant Go-Chen,

IV. The Grinning Tiger Clan: main charactrs confront several of the corpse thives ot
Merchant Go-Chen's mansion, sparking a fight. As the fight ends, locas flood the mansion
(cither atracted by the noise o roused by Go-Chen's servants). It looks bad for the main
characters, but they establish the trth by recounting ther investigation and eventually
confrm everything with Go-Chen's joural

* Merchant Go-Chen and his guests sre members of the Grinning Tiger Clan, secrtive:
‘martial brotherhood. They came here secking ~The Fist ofthe Celestil Destioyer”,six
scrollsoflost kg fu instruction burid under shrine n the ncarby Lantern Forest. The
forest's yaksha, wh has developed a st for human bones, demanded paymen of one
human corpse e scroll The estofthe Ginning Tiger members just ef with si bodies,
planning t0 meet the Yaksha tomorrow when e tends o appear sround high sun.

. Fist o the Celestial Destroyer: next morning, the main characters track the cart nto
Lantern Forest, but only find a foul shapeshiftng fox. He tells them he smelled humans
around the camphor tre grov. The yaksha appears within the grove, and says he ate the
bones of the men they seck, then tries o cat them. Afler killing the Yaksha, the main
characterseffortlessly find the woodland shine and uncarh the prcelessserols. Allcorpse
hieves accounted fo,the Crew Ambition is complee.

Chus

s the are i divided into five (Inoretially) equal-szed chapers for easy timing
imain charsete creation/ inteos/plotexpositon / doven the mountain
graveyard / physician / ight/ chase / unwinding clucs

up 0 five leads o follow up on (can b done n any order)

: mansion / fght / shaking out the ruh /parying down at the guesthouse

woods / Bicxin Hali grove / boss fght ! scoll outos or planning next season

Arc Intro
Soundirack: Wu-Tang Clan - Wo-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing T Fuck Wit Instrumental

» Read italicized blocks of text out loud, starting with:

This s a show about that Kung Fu shis, that Wasia shit. The seting is a mythologs-heary
South China of a few centuries back, i an era of style feuds and midnight ducls, where
Stumbling into secret demon wars and mythic sub-glacial fortresses isnt ouside the
realm of possibilty

Our province is Guangfeng, the uncut gem of China's southern coast. For most people,
the region's name evokes images of wandering blademasters and haunted Yian ruins of
unknowable entites stalking bamboo foress and clan rivalries spilling oo city strcets.

For you, it evokes the warm feclings of home

The main characters are students of the Wo Ping, a secular monastery where martial
scholars from every corner of the world study their chosen siyles under the disciples of
Grandmaster Yen-Hai, a living legend renowned for her victory in 111 duels and
probably the llst living practitioner of Crane Siyle

Now, hisis important: each of you ereates and plays one of these main characters in the
show: Whatever your character s concept, work together 0 come up with a cast you'd
wanna watch an actual show about

Setting: Guangfeng Province
Mythology-heaty Qing-ra China, vaguely 16005

Languages: main characters fluent in Chinese.

©Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan are common.

©The language of the ruling elite is Manchu.

© The various Chinese dileets (Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakks, Min, Taivanese
etc) can all count as just “Chinese”, speakers usually understanding cach other
with a ltle discerment.

Money: wen. Main characters start with zero wen (the Wo Ping provides
everything they need). Average day’s pay for laborers is about 10 wen. If you ever
need specifics, use the prices from page 107,

‘Make it Yours: this show can lean more towards the low-budget dubs of the kung.
fu golden age or the high-art wuxia of the new school, or whatever. Alter scenes
and side characters to taste.

Side Character Names: every side character has a ttle - Woodeutter Cai, Gravekeeper
Waetc. I’ normal fo people 1 call each ther by thir ttl instead of theif name (“good
afternoon, Woodeuter”). Let your actors know this so they don't beat themselves up for
ot remernbering the dozen names you throw at themn throughout the arc.
Main Character Creation
Soundirack: Q No Rap Name - Character Creation

Give each of the other players (called actors) a main character sheet from page 123.
Don't create a main character since you, the Key Narrato, wil be running the game.

Quicklist
(This lst also on page 54: snd everybody there if they have theirown book)

1. Snatch a main character sheet from page 123

2, Concept: name, appearance, background eic

3. Pk 10 SP's worlh of Specials (pages 57 to 67)

4. Start with merk 10

. Start with 0 defense (1op number s just all lower numbers added together)

6. Start with a move score af S

7. IFnon-Chinese, put 2 bas in your native tongue (sutomatcally luent in Chinese)

8. Spend & bar in any major skill or additonal language (1 bar fo broken, 2 for fuent)

9. Put one point in any primary

10. Check page S5 for the bonus that primary gives you, write it down.

“The Key Nasrator has veto power over cory shi, but don't be a yrant

Start humble: main charactrs stat a level 1, which is just the average nobody with
fow P, No grandmaster swordsmen o legendary generals.

“The Glue: tel the actors their main characters get along and teust each other as @ ule. 1f
main character’s about 1o fuck over another main character, just say “Nah you don’t do
that” since i goes again the Glue,

Key, help develop main character concepts by asking questions ...
© What's their kung fu style? Feel free to make something up like blood’ leopard,

drunken scorpion, ghost crane etc. I it more aggressive, evasive, counter-punching, Kick-
centric, throw-heavy, high-volume, sniping? A scholacy style emphasizing pressure point

Knowledge? A knuckledragger style focused on brute power?

© What's their name? Page 114 for regional names. Optional: if your memory s shit, you
can make everybody take a more memorable monastery nickname (Moss, One-eye elc)

* How do they spend their free time? Ldeas: callipraphy, studying herbs and medicine,
gambling, cooking, geting wasted in town, drawing, woodearving, meditating, putting in
Work to join one of he procurement squads ete

* Where are they from? The busting capital, a seaside fishing village, a walled fortress-
city, the tranquil woodlands, sunny farmlands, harsh mountains, maybe from the nomadic
tribés in the steppes, or the islander seafarng cullures

© Are any of them already cliqued up? Do any of the main characters know each other
from being into the same shit from the same place, or studying the same style?

~» Set a ime limit: don't let one indeeisive motherfucker hold everybody up.
‘An hour is more than enough time to make main characters.
Chapter One: Infractions

Ashortchaptersince characte reaton usally akes a minute

Main Character Intros
Soundirack: Conway - Air Holez Instrumental

(Remermber toaways ead aliczed blocks of text ut o)
e ogsing through a smal, trec-hemmed courtyand an nto st pagods.

Tnside it a small study with a e fow shlves of scrolls 4 tapesiy of arrow-
pierced Warlord Song-Mu decapiatin the demon prince has above a perjing plant. 1
il o oin hem

Master Lung, with graving temples and a black mustache, is known for his
Eagle Claw siie, i Gates Flving Knee, and beingan incredile uckup when e vas
omming -1 rcal ot har: cracking okes, Gambling, pranks.forgeting 1o bow, aking
U all or somebody s eic are more han enonigh. W' ryna o irst>

Let everybody A.) introduce their main character, and 1) develop therm a ltle
by telling what got them in trouble. As always, ask questions about anything.
interesting they mention. Once intros feel done

Master Lung finishes reading his morning dispatches and says “lright, over the past e
nights somebody’ been pillaging graves down in Potbelly Hill. Grandmaster wanls it seen
to, which fuls 10 this mornings batch of rulebreakers. 115 probably just some asshole
teenagers looking for burial coins, s0 you should be able 1o expose them in a day or two,
and them over 10 the locals, and be back in time for the summer tournament. This part
should o without saying, but remember you represent the monastery while you're in
town, so don' fck anything up, and don' act fike a bunch of ricks. Any questions?”

« Master Lung docsn' know much more than graves are being robbed. His only
usell answe i o talk to Gravekeeper W he'll have more details.

« Establsh Guo Lao's presence by having him ask if ey can stop by the armory
before leaving. Master Lung answers yes, the armory is expecting them.

Once al questions answered:
Casually hecking ouside his studs, Master Lung continues, “Now, 1 know slecping outside
is part of the punishment, but . he takes a pouch offhi belt and throws it 10 you “Just
between us that should cover a room and some hot meals. Sto by the armory on sour way
ot if you hurey, you can probably catch a 1t town on the provisions wagon.

+ I nobody says anything, Master Lung gives them a why-are-you-stil-here
type look and says “Go g0 go,” clapping his hands impatintly.

(Everybody can add 15 wen under the cash section of their ma

haracter sheet)
‘Tagalong Side Character: Log Style / Guo Lao
(hymes with “bro cow’)

Guo Lao is real short, shaved head. So lazy everybody calls him Lo Style.
Talented Mantis Style student but zero work ethic keeps him average. Well known
for gambling and poorly planned comer-cutting, Guo Laa is probably the most
chronically in-trouble student at the Wo Ping, once famously having o guard a
duck for o week s punishment for trying to bribe an instructor with
hallucinogenic mushrooms (joke's on them though, Log Style fucking loves
ducks).

Volce: slightly congested. You can use whatever voice you want though just
make sure it’s distinet enough that you can stat talking and everybody will
immediately know who it .

How to play: keep him in the background. He is 100% not a main charactes for
the Key Narrator, jus a safety net for when the actors are stumped. If the main
characters ae geting bulldozed in a fight, have the enenvies beat up on Log Style
(he should never be the last one standing).

STATS
Offense 5§ (chain whip, ange 2) // Defense 2./ Merk 20 / Move 5

Specials
* Tounami Kick: target knocked back | stride. I target collids with another enemy,
they both take s6 offense (onee per fight)

Long Fist Manis Style: when unarmed, Guo Lo gets o 84 atacks per turn

* Five Phocni lron Shirt: +2 defense (permanent)

Offense Taken

o ox

Voice Acting is Optional: if you aren’t good at voices or just think the concept is
don't sweat it, you can just say “Guo Lao says he knows a spot like that in
fown™ and it get the point across.

That said. voice acting side characters in the frst person is powerfully
mersive, makes them feel more present, and lets you just stat alking in thir voi
without ever having to say who's spesking. You don' have to overdo it 4 minar accent
or change in tone s enough.

Setting Out

Soundirack: Madlib - Definition of Il Remix Instrumental

— Crew Ambition Established: Bag the Graverobbers
Have your actors write “Bag the Graverobbers” in the Crew Ambition slot of
their main character sheet (front side, cente). s value is 1 level

Armory
Describe the main characters crossing terraced courtyards where early students warm up
and lightly spar before morning classes

Deep inthe guts of the Wo Ping, heavy studded double doors open 10. library of weapon
acks and practice equipment. The student on duty asks who theyre here from, then says.
they're cach cleared to borrow cither

a two-handed wespon OR a pair of one-handed weapons

Everything on page 104 except “launchers” is fair game. (Freely tell the actors any
stats they ask about, or just refer them (0 page 104 if they have their own books). No
armor or shields available. The main characters cach find a basic version of whatever
Weapon they’re looking for. Guo Lao takes 4 qijibian, @ sectioned metal chain-whip with
a blade at the end (already in his side character box), giving the air a few test slashes

Down the Mountain
“The empty provisions wagon, a huge oxcart, i just pulling out the front gate when the
‘i characters arrive.

You wind your way down the easy cant of the mouniain, zagging through grassy siopes and
towering forets, boughs of golden larch and cathaya sirred by the sun-warmed breeze

We cut 10 a shot of the main characters luzing i the back of the emply provisions cart,
cating apples Guo Lao stole from: the kitchen last ight and bullshiting about ife in the
Wo Ping. The conversation’s tuned o favorite spots around the monastery — whero docs
everybody tend 1o hang ou? A high tower; the library, the ducling chambers, mayke
somexchere out in the woods, or a secret spot you discovered — you're completely fice 1o
make shit up

o around the circle and gt an answer from everybody. Guo Lao sparks it (gives
everybody else time to think) by saying he prefers the gardens since that’s the gambling
spot right now, plus his favorite duck (Lord Pintal)lives there. When he’s hungover he
hangs out i the library - since he can'tread nobody ever looks for him thee.

Ask questions about anything interesing your actors bring up, helping build main
characters and giving body 10 the seting. (Either way, we need 1o creat a brief sense of
passing time before arriving at Potbelly Hll)

Chapter Two: Empty Graves

W begin unfolding the mystery & srapping with unknown forces

Town of Potbelly Hill

Soundirack: Third Sight - Rhymes Lika Scientis Insrumental

The last threads of morning mist ace the rice ields outside Potbelly Hill, a scenic town
spilling down a low slope. 4 stonework canal races the foot of the hill,divding the large
setlement in o — Hightown and Lowtown. Fare fron ts busy lockways have enriched
Potbelly Hill in_ recont years, fine cobble streets now radiating into prosperous
neighborhoods thick with the distinctive architecture of a dozen different peoples

s the Wo-Ping’s provision cart turss dovwn the low road, you spot the distant
eadstones of the graveyard, pale dois up o the grassy crest of the il What do you do?

Graveyard
A few paits of townspeople with improvised weapons idly patrol around the graveard.
‘Any of them can point to Gravekeeper Wu, currently pruning a flovering mountain-ash at
the edge of the cemetery.

Gravekeeper W is an old man, real short, high voice. He thanks the main
charactes for the Wo Ping’s help, and i happy to answer their questions

« Five graves were robbed (1o and three nighs 320)

« No incidents last night (volunteers now ol the streets ot night, and the graveyard
around the clock)

« Plunder: Half the graves had buria coins left in the coffin

+Tracks: Hunter Shen idenified the plunderers” tracks as 4 or S adult men with a
small handeart (probably necessary for graveyard's narrow entrances)

+Bodies: no discernible pattern - recen, long-buried, male, female, old, young. rich,
poor ete. No unifying feature except being dead

+The civil guard: completely useless — they only answer to the comically corrupt
regent sent by the Imperium, who is also useless

. Gravekeeper Wu (and others) suspect the newly arrived local physician, Sun Tai
He's from the city, where experimenting on the dead is not only acceped, but a central
practice of their crafl Physician Sun Tai is usually at his apothecary down in
Lowtown, a stceet away from the market square — any local can point 10 it (next page).

Ambush: if the main characters decide to clear out the patrols (o set up an
‘ambush for that night, Gravekeeper Wu thinks it's a great idea and agrees o
help. Emphasize the main characters now have an entire day to chase leads.

Civil Guard Headquarters: if the main ¢

uards geting shitfaced and garmbling, ully uninterested in the est of he town. They say

they're “backed up on cases right now” but i somebody brings them the culprit they 1l make
he's punished. I's obvious o the main charactrs s a bad idea 10 tet these assholes.

ters actually go here they fnd & dozen civil

10
Apothecary
A physician’s apprentice sweeps out front the brickwork apothecary, politely opening the
door for you as you approach. Inside are garlands of dried herbs and neatly sorted
shelves of bottled tinctures. At the front counter a rail-thin man with glasses weighs out
spiny purple leaves on a scale, distractedly greeting you as he fnishes writing out a noe,
“Good morning. Just one ... moment .. please ah, how may 1 be of assstance 10

Physician Sun Tai tin, glasses, mild. Voice: sophisticated, uses en-dollar words.

Sun Tai is sharp enough 10 see through most gafling (this isn' even th first time today
e's been accused of the robberis). He patiently explains more old-fashioned types ke
Gravekeeper Wu regard the sciences, and thus physicians, with undue suspicion. While
Sun Tai does perform something called “autopsies™, they're only ever on comission. He
as one scheduled for today on an oxdriver wha died under odd circumstances.

‘While they re talking, a local kid runs in and snatches a tincture bottle, then iries
o run out, but isn't hard to grab (standard spin / easy spin if a character has fst 14)
Before he can be questioned, there’s a slam at the back of the apothecary

Passing through a large torage room of drying herbs and bubbling disiltions, they
enter Sun Tai's surgical space, where the body of the oxdriver is gone and the door's
latch s busted.

Back Door Entry: if the main characters tred (0 sneak in back, they run ino the
masked thieves carrying out the corpse (below paragraph), who mmediately atack.

The Thieves: down the alleyway behind the apothecary, two men in baggy lsborer’s
clothes pull a handeart loaded with bundles of Kindling (oxdriver's body hidden bencath).
When called afte or chased, they try 0 run away with the handcart, making the easy (0
catch. They tm 10 reveal they're both wearing paper festival masks, draw daggers
backhanded, and one slashes the closest main character for 4 (next page)

Apothecary Goods: prices listed are o substantial discount offered by
Physician Sun Tai afler the body is recovered. Stock limited t0 2 for cach
main character. Al items single-dose, move action to administer

* Go Leaf: atringent that numbs and stops bleeding when rubbed on wounds
10 wen / heals 10

©Lai Lai Root Tincture: antivenin that countervails most poisons and venoms
5 wen !/ neutralizes harmfl substances

- Hornpitcher Powder: put under your tongue to immediately counteract chi
diseuption from pressure point strkes (may cause explosive vomiting)
3 wen ! liminates paralyss or weakness from Specials

Following at a Distance: if the main characters only follow, the thives snske through
some backsteets, discrestly looking for tils o the tumaround, cventually smbushing the main
characters a5 they tum a comes. Alirnatively, he thief wih the birthmark. pecs off and
Tollows ot an even further distance o the roofiops, ttacking the main characters fom behind
‘while the cart-pullng thief i los in the market cro.

Fight Scene: Masked Thieves

Soundirack: Westside Gunn - John Starks Instrumental

Corpse thieves in paper festival masks, wielding daggers back-handed and fighting from
a low, ageressive stance. The tallr thief sets off the fight by leaping over the cart and
Slashing a main characte for .

*How Fight Scenes Work
1. Every combatant gets o tum
2 Whocver swings frt goes first
3. Turn order goes around th cirle (Key decides which way)
Encmies and side charactrs g0 on the Key Narrator's turn
5. Atum consists of A a move action, and B.) a main action
6. Move acton: moves your main charactee. Can be done before o afler your main action
7. Main sction: atack with a weapon, use a Specia,or take another move sction
8. Once offense taken s higher than your merk, you're out of the scene (can'tac)
9. The fght ends when one side s merked or gives up

Attacking: costs your main acton. Every weapon has sn offense spin (ke s4 for dager
ors10fora spesr)
‘Weapon Spin + Primary Score? = Atack's Offense.
*fstfor ranged and light wespons/ strong or and-to-hand and throven)

Defense reduce al incoming offense by this numbe.

‘The back of the book is a spinner. To use it hold the looped end of a paperclp or
guitar sting trimming on the center-dot with a pen, and lck the other end. The result
is wherever the arm lands inthe s-ing (56, 312,520 elc) you're spinning for

Balance: temember this joint was designed for 3 actors. If unning it for a different
‘umber, adjust difficuly by dialing enemy merk and offense up or down.

lieves:

asked

ense 54 (dager) / defense 2/ merk 20

SPECIALS
+Chi Bolt: 56 offense, range 6. A beam of powerful heat distortions blasts from the palm.
(amlessathewise sated,a Specialca anly b usd onc day, and costs a main action 0 use)

Offense Taken:
Masked Thief (taler) Masked Thief (shorter)

Merked: for these two, merked means dead. £ e alive they'Il give up information that
skips halfthe arc, 50 if somehow caught they bleed out from an unnoticed aterial wound
before they can be healed.

Once one thief merked, the other runs. A chase jumps off
Chase Scene
Pursuing masked thief #2 (he almost defnitly gets away), after the first thief killed. If
caught, e fights to the death but eaves an additional clue.

1) Market: the thief sprints from the end of the alley into a crowded market square.
“The main characters are gaiing on him when he slashes o tie-down tope on a large:
cart ful of ice bags, causing them to collapse onto the main haracters.

—» Mechanic: cach actor spins 56 twice, taking the higher result. 4 or higher passes.
Pass: dodge or obliterate the flling bags ofrice, showering rice everywhere a they
power through and continue the chase.

Fail: owned by heavy sacks of ice and outof the chase.

2) Bridge: a wide wooden bridge over the town'’ stonework canal, currently thick
with slow-moving carts and wagons headed to market, The masked thief jumps offa
it cart onto the back of an ox, and onto the bridge’s guardrail.

—» Mechanic: cach actor spins 36. 4 or higher passes.

Pass: keep up no problem, running the length of the rail and ganing on the thief.

Fal: lose balance and fallino the canal. Out of the chase

3) Rooftop: the masked thief sprins across the wide avenue along the canal
towards the nearest building, using his qing-gong (supernatural lightness) to run up
its wall and onto the roof.

" Mechanic: main character has (o use & movement Special like ll jumper, qing-
‘gong, body elastiity et 10 get onto the high roof Anything slower (climbing up on
somebody’s shoulders etc) takes long enough for the thiefto be out of sight

Pass: chase him across a few rooflops. quickly closing on him where he fghts o the
death (fulls and blasts his neck if somebody tries to take him alive).

Fal: the second thief gets avay.

Possible Chase Developments

+ Caughtt i anybody catches up with the masked thief via movement Specials etc, they.
eta free attack, butiying 10 restrain him leads 10 his deat (below poin).

* Restrained: if tripped / tackled / paralyzed by a Special e he falls onto his dagger.
piercing a vitl organ and dying immediately (Mick your spinner though so it gives the
illusion of andomness).

*Ranged Shit: thief can be killed with any thrown weapons (default thrown offense is
54 + strong or fast) and ranged Specials. Clear shot at any stage of the chase, but taking.
it means you'll fll behind.

- Fully healed: afterthe chase, Physician Sun T applies an herbal poultce
tothe main characters” wounds, healing any offense taken

Sun TaPs Gift if main character has Medicine 1 or higher, Sun Tai notices
their experienced hand and chats them up, gifling them a tiny boitle of Yao
Giras oi. This type (a highly stimulating variety from Hei Ling Mountan,
dabbed on the seventh pressure point of the liver”) gives the subject an extra
‘main action every tum for an entire fght. Move action to appy.
Masked Thief Clues
Soundirack: Del - Miks to G

Instrumental

Asmall crowd of onlookers has gathered, speculating who the dead thief could be. Stolen
comse s in the cart, hidden under bundles of kindling. Log Style suggests the thieves
must've changed their tacics since so many volunteers are both guading the cemetery and
pateoling the sireets at night. Make sure they catch the callouses clue (frst thiel):

First Thief ...
= Dark purple birthmark on neck behind car. Pockets: 12 Wen.
©Paper mask: common. 90% of the own wore them during th recent Qingrming festival
© Forearm tatoo: tringle containing a teardrop shape. (The smartest main character
Knows of a scholar in town named Pei Pei who might ecognize this symbol )
©The Crucial Clue: obvious callouses on ips of his fingers. Iterestingly, they appear
only on the lefi-hand fingers, but not the thumb.
- Let the actors fgure out that he played stringed nstrument.
Anybody in town can tell them traveling musicians usually moonlight at both the
Floating Garden (3 courtesan house) and the Purple Mountain Theater

+Handeart
©Kindling: unless the thieves gathered all this themselves, it only could have come.
from Woodcutter Cai (ives in Deerpath Foreso).

«Second Thief (only if caugh)

© Beand, beoken nose. Spider veins on cheeks ndicat alcoholism.

= Same tatt00 on forearm (simple riangle with eadrop shape nsid).

« Pocket: smll, imperialstamped rectangles ofsilver worth 100 Wen cach wrapped in
common cloh (he's ane or cach main characte plus on for Log Style)

< Pocket a single dried red bean. Log style, a notorious garmblr,pinches it between
o fingers and says “Ahbh, we have a gambling man. The Boar uses red beans in
theie tinxi games.* Explain tinxi [1ans-shi] i a game where you bet on a hidden
number of beads, bean, or butons. I not uncommn for big winners o take a
ky bt 5.2 memento

#Kid That Ran Into the Apothecary ....

©Sun Tai's teenage apprentice made sure he didn't run off, The kid says a man in a
paper mask found him alone by the canal and paid him 10 wen to “pull joke on the
physician” by making him run ll around the Lowlown Square,

Reasonable Questions
Q: Does anybody from Potbelly Hil ecognize the masked thifis)?
A: Nobody recognizes them except the leads i the next chapter

Q: Who all knew the body was at the apothecary?
A: Half the town. The deceased (Oxdriver Kuo-Chung) was well
Suddenly in a public space.

ked, and died very

Q: Was the deceased murdered 10 create another bady?
A: Sun Tai was sbout to perform 4 post-mortem investigation 1o answer that very
question. (The autopsy that evening finds Oxdsiver Kuo-Chung free of any poison,
Venom, or harmful substance. His heart, however, is amazingly clogged — i’ incredible
e lved as long as he did)

Chapter Three: Hitting the Bricks

Importants stae this chapter by clearly summarizing the clues found on the thieves. The
below leads can be followed in any order.

» The only crucial lead i the Purple Mountain Theater

(butall of them tm up useflinormation)
LEADS
Pei Pei the Seholar’s House, Scribe’s Row, far end of Hightown, page 16

+Connection: can probably identify thieves” tatioo
+Info gained: thieves belonged to Girinning Tiger Clan

Woodeutter Cai's House,just inside Deerpath Forest (northeast) page 17
+Connection: sold kindling found in thieves' cart
+1nfo gained: corpse thieves from Bu Ling City,very interested in Potbelly Hill’s history

Silk Quarer (north end of canal) page 18
orpse thief (musician callouses) probably played his instrument here
+Info gained: thief served masters, arrived a week ago with a few other martal artists

Purple Mountain Theater, Lowtown Square page 19
+Connection: corpse thief (musician callouses) probably played his instrument here
+Info gained: thief was saying at Merchant Go-Chen's mansion

Only if second masked thief caught
“The Boar, Locks Distrct (south end of canal) page 20
+Connection: tinxi games here use dried red beans, s found on masked thief #3

+Info gained: came from Bu Ling City with his brothers to visit a ellow martial scholar
Hhere in town, arriving about a week ago

e i's known the thieves were out-oftowners,
i check aut any of the three local inns. Page 21

Checking the Guesthouses:
the main characters mi

Bump Fights
IF your actors like fight scenes more than sacial gameplay, you can drop o
bump fight (page 39) on them (0 inject some action. Go dogear that page quick
justin case
Pei Pei the Scholar’s House
Soundirack: Peanut Buter Wolf - Chain Gang Instrumenal

Scribe’s Row, a narrow street in Hightown where the inkmisers and papermakers of
Potbelly Hill ply their trade. You're pointed 1o its far end, where the shops give way 10
white adobe residences, 10 a small rowhouse with a shoji-paper door flanked by o
small foo dog statues. What do you do?

A small old woman answers the sliding door,sighing and saying something like “Let me
uess, you're all illtrate and need me o read you some leters of eredit you saw “fal off
the back ofa wagon'

Pei Pei roasts anybody in earshol. She insists the main characters come in for tea, unless
they're in'a hurry 1o get back to making out with a hole in the ground o whatever.

Interior: you take a seat on the layers of Tibetan carpets shelves of books and scrolls
rising to the low ceiling above you. An embroidered tapesty of a spider being hunted by
a maniis being hunted by a sparrow hangs on the wall. Open codeses and an old-
fushioned scholar’ rock crowd a low desk, and a gold-colored parrot preens itselfon top
‘of @ nearhy perch. Pei P returns with a ray of steaming cups of black tea — handing
one to cach of you, she asks "Now what s if you moulhbreathers wanted?”

Shit-Talking Parrot: while Pei Pei scarches her small library, her asshole
parrot tees off on the main characters. Casually remarks shitlike “I'm so tred
P’ so tired from plowing your mom™ /1 didt plow your mom; the line was
100 long™ / “You're dressed like youlost a bet” etc

Symbol: afir running through a few books Pei Pei says the shape isn't teardrop, but a
fang. The tatoo is the symbol of the Grinning Tiger Clan, a secret society (men only,all

bers). Her text is a few decades old, but loosely estimates membership at 400 with
chapters in every southern province. Theie rituals, codes, and central goals are yet to be
documented.

Woodcutter Cai’s House
Soundirack: Capital STEEZ - 135 Instrumenal

n the near edge of Decrpath Fores,just northeast of town,
Follow the sounds of woodworking.

185 a short walk along the low road into Deerpath Forest. Following a grassy trail and
the crack of a spltting-maul reverberaing through the ancient oaks, you enter @ verdant
clearing along the bend of a wide stream. A squat house with a smoking chimney is
surrounded by sheds packed with cords of seasoning firewood, and the smell of reshly
cut spruce, walnut, and applewood hang heavy on the i A big man with a long beard
plants his maul as he sees you coming; a slender black opium pipe hanging from the
comer of his grin.

Woodeutter Cai (voice: grufl cheerfully greets the main characters and offers them
some plum wine, pouring himself a generous porion on @ nearby stump. He's an
engaging conversationalis, asking where they're from and what it is they do up on the
mountain all day.

‘When asked about customer/s matching thieP’s description:
Cai thinks for a minute before remembering a similar man with two companions this
morming - bought a whole cartload of kindlng. He had a purple birthmak on his neck
(description matches), the other had a beard and busted nose, and the third wore real
long braid. Woodeutter Cai nvited therm 1o join him in his fist drink of the morning and
they chatted for some time about women, wine, and gambling. Also:

* They mentioned they were visiting from the capita, Bu Ling City

* They had a lot of questions about the history of Potbelly Hill and the surrounding area
(which Cai could’t help them with).

1 nobody picks up on it, Log Style suggests the third dude (real long braid) must have
been lookout carler oday. Who knows how much he saw
The Floating Garden

Soundirack: Benny the Butcher - Change Instrumenal

Asking around (or having a knowledgeable main character n the crew) reveals this is a
courtesan house, like a fancy brothel with banguets, music, poetry recials etc. These
spots are known for being pricey, and brutally pay 10 ply.

The jewelers and taiors of the Silk Quarter line a wide avenue along the canal, heavy
with foot traffic and shaded by flowering dove trees. It here we find the Floating
Garden, its exterior dripping with evers trapping of wealth

Passing a hulking doorman who makes obvious note of your weaponry, you
enter a large siting room over-seronght with palace-like lusury: Among the striking art
and fine floor furniture, courtesans laugh and fawn over big spenders, one playing a
ushen in front of a massive landscape painting of surging waves breaking on coastal
Cliff. You barely have time 10 scan this opulent interior before you're grected by @
middle-aged woman wearing a dressthat probably costs more than a house.

Madame Pear Flower introduces herself 0 the main characters, and asks if they re here
forthis evening’s poetry reading. Whatever the answer, she says they re always delighted
by new guests, and only ask “a demonstration of fine manners” (10 en minimum).

Asking about the masked thief: Madame Pear Flower drops hints untl the main
charactes increase the cash in her hand 10 20 wen. She then temermbers a gentleman with
a port-wine birthmark down his nck, just behind the ear. A tlented player of the pipa
(ke a short-necked guitar), he

© Was still dusty from the road when he firt visited exactly a week ago

* Played exceptionally, and almost always gave his pay over to Sunlight (she gestures

o courtesan in 2 yellow dress)

Madame Pear Flower informs them it's 10 wen for a stick (refers to the time it takes for &
stick of incense to bum, usually in reference (0 the duration of private audiences).

Appearances: if anybey implis the Floating Garden is 4 brothel, Madame Pear
Flower corrects them sernly vith something like “This i not nail shed fan actusl
brothel] where you can bend aver some sun-withered peasant woman for & crumb of
hash, his 5. hous of cultur, of refined courtship.”

Security: five big dudes (merk 10, defense 1) in black are at the brothel’ order, cager 10
1w anybody out into the canal. There's a mellow chime in cach room: sounded once
and they casually show thei presence, sounded twice and they all show up with weapons.

SUNLIGHT
After buying a stick of incense (10 wen), the main characters are granted a private
audience with Sunlight, @ beautiful woman in a fine yellow dress (bored and aloof unless
tipped). She freely answers any questions about the masked hief
* Talked big about being a fightr,said his masters would so
= Said he had just artved with a few of his brothers on business here i town
+ Asked a lot about the history of Potbelly Hill and the surrounding area

“The incense stick s shitty as they come, burning quickly and keeping the audience short

Purple Mountain Theater
Soundirack: Lord Finesse - Down For The Underground Instrumentl

“The theater s closed unil sunset gves main charactes chance 1o check all eads.

Only if after sunset: the vendors of the Lowtown Square have all lf for the day: As the
sun sinks behind the horizon, tradespeople close shop and chat along the stonework
avenues, neighbors light lanterns and hang them above doorways, a dozen of the regent’s

concubines glide along their evening walk, an escortof civil guards clearing their way:

Before you s the largest building on the square, it grand Minnan architecture
arrayed in a riot of olor: Masterfull carved myhical beasts hold ither end of placard
reading “Purple Mountain Theater” above huge doors now thrown open 10 carly
arrivals. Inside, a massive set of a golden palace nears completion on the theater' sage,
and the auditorium buzzes with stagehands and apprentices making final preparations
What do you do?

Aaybody can point o Ditector Pu-E, a dandy
micromanaging a stagehand's painting method:

embroidered red coat, presently

Director Pu-Ehr
Fancy man with delusions of grandeur and Don Juan aspirations. Exizemely annoying o
any females in the vcinity. Voice: dainty.

Masked thief brought up: the director immediately knows wh they're talk
identifying his purple birthmark and talent at the pipa (like a short-necked guitar)
Ditcctor Pu-Ehr informs them this man they scek will be playing songs between acts
onight; the show starts justafer dusk.

I t0ld his star musician was one of the corpse thieves, Pu-Ehe is shocked,
saying shit like “But why ever for? He clearly didn’t want for money, nor manners.
You're absolutely sure it was him?” e

- Apparenily the masked thief drank with the cast after & play one night. He mentioned.
he came (o Potbelly Hill o visit his close friend, Merchant Go-Chen, and was.
staying at his mansion up in the Talon District.

o ox

Asking around about Merchant Go-Chen reveals he made his fortune
rading in glas, and is usually out o town on business. He has sat and pepper
haie, and the build of a hard laborer despite a life of leisure. A notorious
womanize, he's still bachelor at middle age, alone in his mansion up in the
“Tulon Distiet (wealthy part of town) with only some elderly servants.
The Boar

Soundirack: Statik Selekiah - White Silk Instrumental

The Locks Distrct, south end of the canal. The air is laced with the smell of tar and the
noise of industr. Gulls sit tranquilly along the canal’s fine stonework embankment,
erystalline water lapping at its causeway: Before you is a dilapidated shack of a buitding
with a painted placand of a silized boar’ head.

The interior of the Boar is a total hole, barely iluminated but brough 1o e by
rice liquor and raucous games of chance: runs of tanxi, madiao, and kanhoo pop of in
animated circles of tanned laborers, many baring arms and chests of heavy tatiooing;
Before your eves fully adjus o the din interior you're greeted by a big man with a attoo
ofa decapitated head on the back of his hand:

A fat. Not menacing, but has an cnergy of
Violence to him. Owns the Boar, Voice: booming.

Big Po welcomes the main characters, preeting Guo Lao by name (“Guo Lao you
bugfucker, 1 didn know you had any friends”), and asking if they're here for some
action, a drnk 10 soothe the day's worries, or both

Collector: the min charsctrs notice a lot of flowers unexpectedly adorn the Bose —
potted rchids, vases ofchrysanthemum and Hly e

SKil gate: anybody with Busherat 1+ or Worldiness 1+ recogrizes a pressed
Kadapul framed on the wall — a bizarre white flower that only blooms in the tiger-
haunted rinforests of India at exactly midnight and dies by morming. I thy brng it
up B Po s their new best rend, teling the story of how e killed two tiges for that
Kadapul, and doesn't ask for a bribe (below paragraph) (0 tell everything he knows.

Asking about the masked thief: Big Po blunty asks them how much this information is

Worth 1o them (40 wen minimum). After being paid he says a dude with a beard and

poorly reset nose was here just yesterday. Ficker Went on 4 hot streak and nearly cleaned

him ou. He got shitfaced celebrating and did a lot of talking, mentioning.

* His bones were sl rating from the bastard horses him and his brothers had ridden
here from Bu Ling (region’s capial) a week ago.

© He was staying with a martial atist here in town, @ rother

© He was a martial artist himself

OF course when the other punters found out they just made him show off his kung fu for
the res of the night: breaking bricks thrown in the air, running up wall, sliing fies in
half— prety great night actually.

‘Tanxiz Guo Lao hops on a game before they leave. If anybody shows inteest,
inxiis played by guessing a hidden number of dred red beans.

+ The dealer takes 1o handfls of beans and puts them under a bowl

Players place their bets on either 1. 2,3, 4, 0dd, or even

+ The dealer then removes the bowl, and counts out the dried red beans in series
of 4 with a curved sick, The remaining number of beans s cither 1,2, 3, or 4

- Simulate random draw: by spinning . Odd / even bets pay out 1 to 1 (o bet 10
wen, win 10 wen plus keep your original 10), Single number bets pay out 3 to 1
(50 bet 10 wen, win 30 plus keep your orginal 10)

20
Checking the Guesthouses
Soundicack: 1 Dila - Bars & Twists

Once i’s known the masked thieves were out-of-towners,the main character might want
1o check outthe local inns. Potbelly Hill has three:

“The Tranquil Flume: the proprictor is an almost spherically fat man (L) with a high
Voice and gencrous pour. He's been hosting a troupe of actors from the Eastern Peninsula
forthe past ten days: theyve been double-featuring at the theater every night since their
arival (rock-solid alibi).

Toad Style: guesthouse above, restaurant below; has the actual for real best food the
main characters ever tasted. Run by a very old couple (Wei & Mei) who pretend o be
senle to mess with the main characters. They e currently hosting a fow canal laborers
Wwho just got offa boat ast night, and a soltary goldleaf artist here on 4 long-term project
(no alibis, but lso no tatoo).

“The Blue Guesthouse™ page 29. Locals weirdly avoidant about its actual name.
Located on Lowtown Square, definiely the most luxurious guesthouse in town,

2
Chapter Four: The Grinning Tiger Clan

Infitation, btling it out, & exposing the thicves where they lay thei head a.

Dusk fals on the way to the Talon Distrct: e last of the evening light has given
way t0 a lear night sk a huge waxing moon lazing on the horizon. Golden specks
of luminous windows now dot the scenic town spilling down the side of Potbelly
Hill, where our main characters ascend a wide avenue and pass beneath a huge
ornamental gate. The houses along the winding cobble streets grow larger and more
beauifl, then larger still. Sirolling servanis carry fine paper lanterns, and well-
liveried bodyguards patrol in watchful pais. As a richly dressed localis borne past
you in a priceless lacquered palanguin, you know with certainty you are now in the.
lheart of the luxurious Talon Distric. What o you do?

Neighborhood: up in Hightows, the wealihiest neighborhood of Potbelly Hill is
called the Talon District for the long, omate fingernail-guards the wives and
concubines of the disrict wear as @ status symbo, 10 show they are sbove manual
labor (servant's work), or even liting a finger. Anybody can point to Merchant Go-
(Chen's house on the winding incline of Bowervine Street

Mansion of Merchant Go-Chen
Soundirack: The Underachievers - Chrysalis Instrumental

Exterior: one of the largest houses in town looms before you — three stories, rich
architecture, double-eave roofs with statuettes at their peaked corners. The outer wallis
topped with ornate iron spikes, and its facade set with a pair of lage, iron-studded red
doors. What do you do?

(These doors remain closed and locked al hours of the day — unusual for any region)

Getting In
+ Knoeking: an elderly male servant answers the huge front doors and politely says
Master Go-Chen sn't receiving guest right now, but he would be happy 1o convey any
message. The servant is sharp enough (o see through any low-cffort gafling. If afer
dusk, the servant appears with a lanteen at the front doors viewing port (size of a small
window, common 10 wealtier houses).

+Over the wall: the roof of the outer wall s wide racks of small metal spines (passing
over without profection causes s4 offense). Vauling over the spines with a polear ctc
puts you well past the edge of the roof, causing s4 offense from flling. Geting over the
Wal ands you i th front courtyard

+Windows: no windows inouter wall. That would make it a prety shitty wall

+Side entrance: a small servant’s door, ron bound with a internal lock. Anybody with
Metalworking 1 notces how 10 remove the groove-locked hinge pins, and can discreetly
pass nto a storage chamber fll of dried foodstocks atthe far side of th front courtyard

+ (Special) Invoeation of Passage: i a main character has this Specia, they can unlock
the front or back entrance with no trouble.

+ (Special) Primordial Dialeetz: can alk with the cat loafing around outer wall
(extremely armogan) who tels of side entrance (above). five men (one a robed monk)
entring front gate carly this aternoon, and a covered horscart leaving before sundown.

FIRST FLOOR
Front Courtyard: at the center of the entry courtyard fooms a huge fountain of @
suardian chinthe, clawed hand raised in warning and its mossy jaws exuding an endiess
stream of water There are entryways 1o the west, north, and east

Dining Hall (WEST): you enter a massive dining hall where elegant paneled

lanterns of exquisitely painted paper hang above a long table. A huge painting of a

Tang-era battle adorns the wal, a tatered purple banner hung bencath it

© Banner: this purple batleflag is embroidered with a white crescent moon and
crossed red laurels - its likeness can be scen at the spearhead of the batle
depicted in the paining.

= Door: sounds of somebody working in a kitchen emit from the room’s only
other doorway

Kitchen: un elderly Mongolian cook is working in here, and can be taken by

surprise will successful stcalthspin (casy spin f they bave atleast bar n stcalth).

His Chinese is shitty but he’s cooperatve, If asked, he says: A. he's been prepping

enough food this pust week to feed ten men but only enough for abou five for dinner

tonight, and B. the only other servant here today is the majordomo (antiquated term

for a buler). Docsn't know much else. Log Style apologizes, gags him, and tes him

up with an entice spool of kitchen twine (normally used for roasts).

Rellecting Pool (NORTH): you enter a long chamber containing a narrow pool of
water, fine mosaic patterning at the pool’ floor and faint geometries of reflected
light playing on the walls and ceiling. Through a yawning set of double doors at the
chamber far end is a grassy courtyard with racks of both wooden practice
weapons and live metal weaponry:

Sitting Room (EAST): you step into an opulent siting room ornamented with

Ming-erapaintings, shelves_of scrolls, and masterfuly.crafied furniture. An
unfnished game of xiangyi [Chinese chess] rests in the flickering ligh of a blazing.
fireplace, bluck' picces over-extending into.red's domain. A grand staircase

ascends at the room far end. and in the gloom of a near corner; a small old man
dusts the glass case of a taxidermied hawk
“"The majordomo can be taken by surprise with a successful stealt spin (casy spin
ifstealth 14). He doesn’t make trouble, and ansiwers any questior
Time: Master Go-Chen's guests arrived a week ago, no talk of departre

- Activty: the master and his guests have been going out at all hours, but are
otherwise mstly in the practice yard, o third loor where servants aren’tallowed.

- Number: balf the gucsts Letthis afternoon with a traveling horsccart and cnough
provisions for a two-day jourey, leaving just four or five non-servans in the
house, all currenly on the hird flor.

The only other servant here today s the cook.

Log Style apologizes, gags him, and ties him up with two nearby tablecloths.

© Grand staircase leads up o the second story

Stealth Failure: i either of the servants aren taken by surprise, they immediately raise
the alarm (but are easy 1o estrai). As a consequence, have some of Merchant Go-Chen’s
neighbors come by: they aren't thorough in their investigation, and stay just long enough
to make the main characters sweat.
SECOND FLOOR

Landing: grand staircase leads here. Can 20 north, south, or west

Personal Museum (NORTH): you enter an ornate chamber displaying a collection

of ancient and exoric weapons, small placards giving the name and estimated era of |

each. The collection’s centerpiece is a visually stumning but half-destroyed set of

bronze armor from the truly ancient Xia Dynasty (or maybe whatever came before

that),its helmet depicting a sneering demon.

© Ammor unusable (old as fuck).

= Raom contains al clasical weapon types except launchers (page 104), and cach
has an inherent +1 offense. Weapons are all unsecured (free o take). Catch: the
actor must describe the weapon's they find in detail

Master Bedroom (SOUTH): sou step into a massive, richly decorated master
bedroom. A huge canopied bed can be seen between folding screens painted with
drean-like landscapes. Fragrant ribbons of smoke rise from incense stcks below the
portrait of an armored ancestor bearing a sreaming batleflag. In a squat bookshelf
bencat are dosens of volumes all bound in red (Merchant Go-Chen’s journals),
© Journals: chronologically armanged, meticulously detailed. Lots of travel,

business talk, debauchery, a few mentions of brothers he makes trade deals wi

in other cités. Recent mention of being up for promotion within “the Clan

(nothing flly incriminating). The last few months are notably missing.

ortrait: an old-fashioned painting. The ancestor has long black beard, crucl

face, and arstocratic armor. His spea bears a purple banner with a white rescent
and crosed red laurels. A short poem descends the portrait: “he who slaked far
soil/ with oceans of enemy lifcblood / your house lives on to conguer”

“Tea Room (WEST): you enter a lrge, stately tea room whose walls are lined with

halfa dozen doors, some left open 10 reveal modest guest bedrooms. Floor furniture
surrounds a low table set with a lacquered anique ea set. Tll windows and double

doors lead 10 a balcony overlooking the eniry courtyard, and a wide staircase

ascends atthe fur end o the room.

©Guest Bedrooms: these radiat off the tea room. All clearly in tecent use, some.
with additional matiresses on the floor, Rooms contain men's clothing, cormbs, 3
couple wineskins, purse with 31 wen, and a pipa.

- Staircase leads up o the third floor

THIRD FLOOR

Landing: you ascend the wide stairs 10 a lavishly decorated but clearly neglected

landing: cobwebs waft in the corners of the ceiling and s baniste-is capped with a thick

sheet of dust. The far wall i set with an iron-braced, eatureless door: A clock n the far

western style chimes the hour - what do you do?

« Featureless Door: the only door. Large, iron-bound, and no knob. On 4 pedestal next
o itis & peacack figurine (below). Investigating reveals the door is extremely heavy,
unmovable, and no sound can be heard through it (wallis ominously sound-proofed:
Wwho knows what depraved shit happens on the other side).

Golden Peacock
On a waist-high pedestal next 1o the door is 4 large golden figurine of a peacock
displaying a fan of diffrent colored feathers.

Closer Inspections: figurine fixed to pedestal. Fan of plumage is actually the top.
balf of'a wheelthat can be turned in ither direction. Each feather is a differentcolor:
aquamarine, blue, green, pale green, purple, indigo, pink, red, orange, amber,yellow,
white, pale gray, dark gray, lack.

‘When turned right, a faint click s heard once white is at the top of the wheel.
Continuing to tum rightward just makes the whee! re-lick at white, Tuming et a
full rotation or mre resets the wheel so it re-clicks when rightward turned to
white again

*Mise

Metalworking 1 or higher: the resistances of this wheel clearly point (0 4 sequential

tumbler: you spin it right,then lef, then right again t0 aign three or more tumblers

insid (thus selecting a sequence of colors).

The servants: they have no idea about the golden peacock (not allowed on third

floor) or any of Merchant Go-Chen's favorie colors or whatever.

#Solution: white, purpl, red (the colors ofthe attred banner
in the dining hall and the master bedroom’s ancestral portai).

‘Win State: the main characters hear 4 clack. The massive door rasps as i's pulled
aside by some internal mechanism. Everybody gets 3 SP if they eracked the sequence.
without a hint,

Library (through featurcless door): you step into a high-ceilinged librars; haphazard
stacks o books and scrolls sprawling over fine wooden furnitur. The summer air sirs o

‘ossamer curtains around an open window at the room s ar end. Four big dudes [five if
masked thief #2 escaped] siting around a big table loaded with star charts, wine

decanters, and a brass-ringed armillary sphere stare at you in a moment o stunned silence.
* The Goons all stand and Merchant Go-Chen (baritone voice, silver earrings, black

and gray haie) says “Kindly fucking explain yourselves.” A fight jumps off

Missng journal: if anybody scans for i, the red-bound journal (the missing volume
from maste bedroom, contans most recent months) is on & desk at the library'sfar cnd.
Fight Scene: Crew vs Crew
Soundirack: Syl of Beyond - Blach Instrumental

Stats: Offense s4+1 // Defense 0/ Merk 15/ Specials usable once per

LONG BRAID
«Special: Northern Scorpion Fist - causes | undefendable offense (iternal bleeding) at the

beginning oftrgets every tum unti ightcnds
+Offense Taken:

WHITE TUNIC
‘Special: Lion Eye - strike to pressure poit i shoulder that causes partial paralyss (-5
offense on next tum)

~Offense Taken:

BIG MAN

« Specal: Scalding Palm - 5§ fie offense and knocked prone, golden clemental flame.
railing sike
~Offense Taken:

MERCHANT GO-CHEN
«Special: Earth Disgramm Esgle Claw - sutomatic 4 offense to any cnemy who moves into

an adjacent square (always acive)
~Offense Taken:

BEARD [ BUSTED NOSE (only ifescaped from chase scene)
«Special: Wheel Kick - o4 offense o llsurrounding tagets
~Offense Taken:

Tucties:they dow’t run, and fight 0 the last. Don'tjust low allthir Specials sight away.

Optional: (increases difficulty) one of the enemy Kicks a main character a few strides out
a window, where they shatter 4 dozen tles on the second story roof, and fall into the
practice yard below (s6 offense). The enemy follows, geipping a weapon of the racks.

Merked: be clear the Clan members are just KO'd / injured. Any of them getting killed
Would ke the next scene real diffcul for the main characters

Fail State:this i a real dangerous ight (especialy if you lt the enemy crew go fist); &
standard crew of theee main characters has 4 decent chance oflosing. I they do,all good -
Tocals flood the mansion once the last of them is about o get merked.

%
Shaking Out the Truth

Soundirack: Xavier Wolf - Psycho Pass Istrumental

One of Go-Chen's servants hears the sound of fighting (if restrained, they escape using o
Kitchen knife o picce of broken miror) and rushes o get the neighbors. As the fight
ends, two-dozen townspeople flood Merchant Go-Chen’s mansion with lanterns and
Wweapons. Interested locals continue to gather throughou the scene.

» Merchant Go-Chen accuses the main charscters of breaking
‘and entering, and his neighbors believe him.

Captain Feng becomes arbiter: 4 retred captain of the imperial navy (gray sideburns /
stem / gravelly voice) named Feng lives ncarby. Still in his bed-tobe and shadowed by his
one-eyed bodyguard, he shouts down the ruckus and brings order 1o the small mob.
Captain Feng gives each side far ime 10 speak, and questions their tories.

The locals start out against the main characters: they've roughed up 4 community
mermber in his own home, so it looks bad. I looks even worse if they're holding any of
Merchant Go-Chen's elongings. The sctors job in his scene i to explain their line of clues
and exidence, prompled by questions from Captain Feng (and antagonized by Go-Cher).

“The facts line up sooner or later. Physician Sun Tai i fetched to cortoborate the stolen
body story, their attoos, and any other evidence. Other witnesses can be fetched. Go-
(Chen anly has the weakest of alibis. One it starts to ook real bad for Merchant Go-Chen
and his cutty guests,the journal is inally examined. (If the main characters didt aleady
bring it up. a local comes over and hands the red-bound volume o Caplain Feng,
mutering Something in his car) The journal s the final nail in the coffin - an outrazed.
Captain Feng reads sections out loud, piecing together the ful story (just summarize the
below for your actors quick)

Merchant Go-Chen’s Journal
‘Small, ed-bound book on desk at fu end of brary. The journal reveals:

© Go-Chen i a middle-runking member of the Grinning Tiger Clan, for-flung secret
brotherhood of martial artiss

© The Clan discovered a 300-year-old scholar’s ltter deseribing how he hid o
precious tex from invading hoards by burying it bencath a shine in Lantern Forest,
just south of Potbelly Hil. This text is six volumes of lost kung fu instruction
Known as The Fis of the Celestial Destroyer. The Clan's msters ordered Go-Chen
o host nine of his brothers from Bu Ling City, and to etreve these buried serolls
forthe Grinning Tiger Clan

“The forests yaksha appeared (o the clan merbers while they searched for the
shrine. OF truly ancient age and decaying sanity, he had scquired g taste for buman
bones, nd offered sccess o his ores in exchange for ane human body per seroll

The other four Clan mersbers retumed to the mansion with a wandering monk, who.
they poisaned. Having been those last seen with the monik, these same four let that
aftemoon with a horsecrt and the six compses. They plan to lay low somewhere
oxemight then meet the yaksha tommorrows when he appes around high sun

Map & Letter: on the librarys large central table are the 300-year-old scholar's leter,
andashitty map of Lantern Forest, probable location o the shrine sketched in.

E
‘Win State: the locals agree 10 lock Merchant Go-Chen and his guests in a cellr; the
families of the solen bodics can ageee on their punishments in the morning.

Everybody gathered toass the main characters - there’s a ot of backslappi
and well-dones. The wife of a horse merchant says something like “Bless your hands for
trning out these cockroaches,” and takes ofT her bracele, presing it into the palm of the
nearest main character (next paragraph).

LooT

© Bracelet: dope silverwork set with a ruby (360 wen at any jeweler)

© Weapons: i’ a cultural expectation in this setting t0 take an enemy’s weapons
after defeating them. Each main character can take one two-handed weapon, or
0 one-handers from Merchant Go-Chen's personal collecton (second floor)

© Captain Feng discreetly v the scholar’ lette and the Lantern Forest map to
the main character, saying everybody in Potbelly Hill would be happier with
these in the hands of the Wo Ping instead of those dickless grave-desecrators

The Last of the Grinning Tiger Clan: if your actors aren’t already plottng, use Guo
Lao 10 ask what the plan is, sublly reminding them their mission is 10 bring all the
graverobbers o jusice

Asking around about Lantern Forest reveals i’ named for some crumbling stone
{anterns found within. Asking a scholar r checking own schives show these lanterns
predate the town, and dissppessances of locals and traveles who went into the forest
20 back at least century.

Inquiring about Yakshas might lnd an answer from o scholaly type: they're
primordial ctties who usually decare region or even just concep ther dominion.
Thisis where the notion “guardian spri” comes from, though both their behavior and
sense of morality is completely alien and inexplcable o hurmas.

Rest Recommendet

‘ood reasons to wait untl morning.

« They Il flly heal, and regain their once-a-day Specials

+ No guarantee of where the thieves are since theirplan s to specifically lay low
ovenight before meeting the yaksha tomorrow at igh sun (when he tends (0 appear)

+ Log Style straight up refuses to go until morning (geting a ot of emale attention)

the main characters are free 10 do what they want, but there are

- To the Blue Guesthouse: Physician Sun Tai congratulates the main characters
and says thir rooms are on him - he'll hapily pay for their dinner and
the guesthouse’s finestsuite, an etire foor of palace-like luxury

The Blue Guesthouse

Soundirack: Diamond D - This One Instrumentl [only f nighttime]

Located on the Lowtown Square. Locals are weirly avoidant when asked the name, just
calling it “the blue guesthouse”

A azure-blue, four story building of angalar foreign architecture rises before you. The
raucous sounds of good cheer escape tall windows open t the summer air. Above ts
entrance, an engraved silver sign wnmistakably. reads “The Puking. Shiting Dog
Guesthouse”, complete with a draving ofa dog erupting at both ends

Inside, gucsts from every corner of the world lownge in fine Punjabi furniture
variously chatting, drinking tea, and playing madio. Crossed war axes and a round, well-
battered black shield hang above a crackling fireplace where long aromatic cuts of spice-
rubbed jackfruit roast. A gray cat leaping after a moth skids across the rich tilework
flooring i front of vou, and a dariskinned man with the bearing and neatness of @
retired soldier waves you over o the bar where he pours small cups of te.

(Madiao is a trick-taking card game, real popular during the Qing Dynasty)

Host Mirza Voice: basitone, slight Indian accent
Introduces himself, welcomes the main characters 1o his establishment with cups of
jasingly spiced black tea. He's from southwest of the empire, with a big black mustache
and wide scar on his o

After hearing the main charactes brought down the graverobbers that put such a dark
cloud over the town, Host Mirza insists they eat / stay for free, and take the master suite
on the highest loor He then bangs a pot and declare drinks are on the house tonight.

a few years back Mirza lost a very public drinking contest o his rival, the
winner got 1o rename the other’s business. He's the one who made the
lavish silver placard out front. His day wil soon come.

The Cat: named Mabargja Usully lurks in the garden out back.

GUESTS

This block i more for the Hittng the Bricks chapter, but these side charactes are

all present at any given point i time

© An instrumental quartet (Zhu, Shi Shi, Fen, Anjing) who arived late last night,
ot least one currently practicing thei instrument. All women fom Bu Ling City,
Dircctor Pu-Ehe immediately tripled their aking fee and gave ther an advance.

© A pair of foreign cartographers (map-makers) with wide eyes and yellow hair
who speak no Chinese but somehow slam at madiao. Arrived two nights ago

© Physician Sun Tai

© A graying Manchu spice merchant (Barda) in 2 wildly expensive coat his soft-
spoken assistan (Us), and his martial artist bodyguard (Mugiya) from the all-
Woman Changbai monastery. They arrived a week ago from the imperial capital
(far north) o work out some local agreements. No alibs

Optional Bump Fight: Mugiya (sbove) can pull some “Hab the kung fu of the Wo Ping
5 n0 match for Changbai Style” sparking a fight with pulled shots (count up offense unil
one side merked, but erase all offense taken once fight i over). If main chasacters win,
they cach cop 2 SP. Stats: offense 58 (1wo atacks per tum) / defense 2 // merk 30

E
ad of First Night Prompt
After aking down Merchant Go-Chen and peting the master suite, the main characters
are free to wrap anyihing up before turning in. If everybody is £00d to end the day, bash
out he following promp:

You're in the back garden of the guesthouse. Gold and purple fireflies laze around the
Slourishing greenery and guests foaf in the cool grass, rading jokes over plum wine and
“playing cards by the light of paper lanterns. Two of the recently arrived quartet praciice
their instruments among the blooms of champaca and rose, enlivening the evening air
with wandering harmonies. Afier partying down and meeting a dozen requests for
retelings of your day's events, the conversation’s turned 10 life before the Wo Ping. Who
were you before joining the monastery?

Go around the circle and get some backstory from cach main character. Ask
questions on anything interesting they bring up.

Guo Lao’s Whole Deal: fded from rice liguor and goaded by a level o female attntion
's not used (0, Log Style says he was a guter kid in the slums of Bu Ling. One time he
pick-pocketed some nerd who bad almost no trouble chasing him down — frst time he ever
o caught Anyways, that was Master Hu Jinguan, Grandmaster’ right hand man, and he
apparently saw atbletc promise in Guo Lao, His single mom was stoked o s ltrally any
opportunity for him at sl and Guo Lao thought it would be dope o crush dudes tice his
size like paper cranes, so fow he’s gutter trash at the Wo Ping instead ofin the ity

Optional: for the most intereting backstoris, tell everybody shortly before the
session that they’ll be flexing their backstory this cpisode, and whoever brings
the mostinteresting one gets 3 SP.

Once tht scene feels done,bring the nigh t a close, rain lighty plinking on the roof
and windows a the main characters difloff n the guesthouse’ llst suite.
Each main character gets +5 SP for their progress in the storyline.

30
Chapter Five: Fist of the Celestial Destroyer

Following te last ofthe corpse thieves nto Lanter Forest & stin off the vl fight

Morning
Soundirack, SpaceCGhostPur - Mac Nasned Purr Instrumental

A night'srest fully heals the main characters

‘Optional Seenes: this s a solid poin for hangover micromissions, ke an oblivious
imain characte being tod a breakfast they e not wearing any pants and leaming they
drunkesly gambled them away last night (Character Ambition: “Find Zhang's Pants”,
1 SP), or needing 10 track down Sun-Tai for hangover cure, tracing 4 chain of
afterparties unti they fnd him passed out in fountan or somethin.

Sun shining and birds singing. Briefly prompt if anybody has any morning routines of
Shit to got done before heading downstais. After a colossal breakfast of deep-Tried
Wonton, lo mein, and lychee juice, the main characters are greeted by a hungover
Physician Sun Tai, He sets a wooden box on the table: inside are tiny bottles of indigo
sludge - his entie stock of moon vine, freshly percolated.

— Moon Balm: heals 20, costs a move action
(0w vials for ach main character)

Into the Woods
According to Merchant Go-Chen's journal, the remain Grinning Tiger Clan members
were planning 10 lay low somewhere ovenigh, then try to meet the yaksha in Lantern
Forest round high sun, hoping to rade for the Fist of the Celestial Desiroyer scrolls

31
Lantern Forest
Soundirack: Brockhampton - Gold Instrumental

(Visible from Potbely Hill. Not more than 20 minutes down the southern road)

The southern road winds through sus-varmed meadows that slowly give way 1o lush
woodlands. Among the mossy trunks and undergrowth the occasional crumbling stone
lantern peas out, and the lichened cobble of ancient stone pathways appear here and
there in momentary traces. The road you follow starts 10 dissipate, turning 10 dark
woodland soil and tufy grasses. What do you do?

Tracks: as the rain-smoothed southern road fades away, hoofprints lanked by the deep
‘wheeltracks of loaded cart become noticeable in the forests soft grassy soil.

Split: after a halEmile of faily easy tracking into the woods, the tracks tum at a sharp
angle o the lefl. This sharp turn was made on remnants of stone road. Adjacent patches
Of dirt show a few footprints. Once the cat tracks tum Iefl, there are no hoofprints o
footprinis a all.

Busheraft 1+ can spin to notice:

+ The footprints at the turn ar of at last three different large men from the.
uneven impressions you can infer they were physically exerting themselves in
some way (but not running). Made afer las night's rain,

+ The cartwheel tracks that bank lef are recent, made 2 to 4 hours ago. The cart
was significantly less heavy.

- Following the footprints: they enter denser woods a cart couldn’t pass through,
hoofprints following in ther stead. They eventually veer nto remnanis of ancient ston
road and become untrackable (passing a stream and several stony bluffs they could've
stepped ino).

-~ Following the cartwheel tracks: these bank 10 the lefl and go down 3 gente slope,
stil no sign of foot or hoofprints. Within few hundred strdes the tracks lead to a small
clearing

‘Primordial Dislectz: i main character has this Special they can talk with
any of the birds, deer, frogs etc they see. Theyll freely tll that main
character they saw some (maybe four) humans sleep under o nearby walnut
tree, then lead a horse strugeling under bulky cargo soulhwards shorly afler
dawn. A loud snd kind of fucked up fox named Bisxin Hili (“boo-shin hoo-
") took th cart o his clearing a few hours ago (opposite page).

2
Clearing
You enter a scenic clearing at the bottom of a small el A tranguil waterfal feeds a
blucherry bushes nearby, s tongue and wheels completely shatired. What do you do?

Cart Interior: luxurious inside of a passenger cart you'd expect of @ caked up merchant.
No corpses, but dozens of red chrysanthemums are spread along the seats. The main
charactes outside the carthear a voice from the top of the small waterfal

“Can I fucking elp you bro?” A ish appears at the top of the waterfall, swimming
over the edge and awkwardly flopping into the pool. The fish ws into 2 fox, walking
out of the water and shaking his coat dry, angrily asking the main characters wh they re
pecping on his house.

Bixin Hili
As in most setings, foxes are suspected of having powers (mostly shapeshifting) and are
usually smarter than_humans. Bixin (‘boo-shin”) is not particularly smart, and
completely fucking foul. As he talks 1 the main characters, Bixn walks around on his
back legs like a human, gathering the shattered cartwheel pieces into neatly stacked piles
of firewood along his new house /the corpse thieves' cart

Ifasked certain questions, Bixin answers with somethin
read these off, put it in your own words)

imilar t0 the below (don just

* The eart: “I found it frst dude hop off my sack! Nobody was in there, o hors.
nothing. Finders keepers you know what | mean? Smelled like absolute dogahit though
501 had to freshen it up with some [chrysanthelmums. You didn't steal any of my
fucking mums did you?

* When he found it: “1 don't know, like, when the sun was there,” he points 10 the sky
indicating maybe three hours ago

* How he got it here without a horse: “You serious? I'm fucking magie bro check me
out” and shools lte fireworks out his fingers.

©If he saw any humans: “Nah dude humans suck ass, 1o offense — 1 smell humans, |
slide. The stream by the camphor tree grove fucking recks of humans right now so I'm
giving that 2 wide birch for & minute. Actually that reminds me, you holding any of that
uman style food?”

*The camphor grove: “Ublih that way, not e he waves southish unhelpfully “They're
the biggest fuckers in the forest so jus climb a tree or whatever and you'llsee em.”

*The yaksha: “What you think I'm scared of that dork? 'm not scared bro watch this
shit”and he turms nto a ock, “Boom what's he gonna do with this?”

*The shrine: “There’s kindo ke old buildings and shit in some spots but they're all
fucked up and sunk in the ground. | couldn'ttell you where any are aL.”

©Why e was a fsh just now: “Listen, these fsh bithes can't get enough of me. Once |
fgure out how to twin into @ rabbit s over for these hos.

Bixin sn't helpful, and doesn't acknowledge the main characters leaving with much
more than “Alright don't trip over your dieks out there - and hey lemne grip some of that
human food sometime, bring Some plum wine.” If the main characters bother him
(doesn't take much) he tums nto an elephant and starts throwing the into the water with
his trr

B
Camphor Grove

As they approach the rove, anybody with Busheraf | or higher can spin to notice that
all signs of wildlif slowly disappear - no st of undergrowth from foraging beast, birds
stop singing, toads stop croaking cic

You emerge into a grove of massive camphor tres, their wide trunks cleaved with dark
vy and their verdant tops cresting @ hundred feet above you. Sunlight glimmers on o
shallow stream winding along mossy stones and banks of dark carth. What do you do?

Afew metalitems glint in the cool water of the strean:
« Large ring of three keys + Dagger with ow inlaid on the hil
+ Coins (60 wen, some burial coins mixed n) » Decayed lnt with seel strker

Owl Dagger: offense s4, block 1. Worth 600 wen

© Light weapon (can add strong o fast score o offense spi)

© IFspin landsa 1, auomatically attack again for frce (unlimited)

© Engraved with characters reading: “Fortune & Disaster | Entwine like strands of rope”
[Worldiness 1~ knows soutc s th lasic "Rhyme-Prose on the Owl by Chia Yi c.180 BC]

» The Yaksha Appears: at some point, without sound o motion, a yaksha is simply
there. He can appear as the main charactes are walking 1o the grove, as they leave,
or maybe appear squatting next 1o them as they check out the metal shil n the
sream. Either way, pick a moment that would be realy jaring 10 then.

Side Character: AGang (“ali-gong”) the Yaksha Voice: otherworldly
THumanoid inshape, butseven fee tll and overed n blue sales. Eys ke glowing cosls,
timbs ofsone, wsk ke canines.

Con be fne-mannered and oy fiendly for somebody ha cats urnans, bizame and
unpredictable to emphasize his othervorldliness, or cerie - unsetlingly gazing theough
Wwhaever h'stlking to. Go with whatever vibe you think is most iteresting.

Ab'Gang asks the main characters wh they are. He politly introduces himself and asks
what they'e doing in his forest. Anybody that hasn' yet now notices all signs of wildiife
have disappeared — even the wind is gone, leaving the main characters in an unnerving
stilness (pause soundirack).

If asked about
The four Grinning Tiger members: Ah'Gang casually says he ate their bones. He also
at the bones of the corpses they brough,

“The Fist o the Celestial Destroyer: the yaksha says he never heard of the scrolls,that he
just played along with the Girinning Tiger members gt access o more human bones

The metal items in the strear
like “Yes, quite inflami

A Gang makes a disgusted
tothe gut”

oise and says someth

+ Ifthe main characters tum (0 g0, Al Gang immediately appears before them.
He stares hungrily at them, slowly approaching before (ring (0 grab at one.

34
Fight Scene: the Yaksha of Lantern Forest
Soundirack: DJ Smakey - Choppin Out Da Lost Woods

Al Gang takes the defensive stance of a clearly ancient form,
heat distortions of chi emanating o his hands.

Al Gang the Yaksha: Offense s tice per tun (unarmed) / Def 3/ Merk 50
Calgong’)

PECIALS
(cach once per ight, no sction cost)

+ Sweeps when attacker’s offense ower than 3, immediat 56 offense and knocked down
« Ghost Step: when attack incoming, immediately teleport five srides

« Taijitu Throw: trget launched 4 srides, knocked prone, and tkes 5§ offense

+ Overgrowth: roots burst from ground and entangle target (move 0 strides next turm)

OFFENSE TAKEN

Tactics: attacks cach of the main characters equally (keeps him from immediately
‘merking anybody). Can't be moved (Specials ike Tsunami Kick ineffective).

Fail State: if the main characters are geting paddled, et the last one standing merk
AW Gang (even if he’s not close to merked). As a fur trade, inflet loss: after the
Victory,tell them the fist main character merked lost an eye and had their juw broken
(can't speak for a month). The second main character merked had ther ankle shattered
(permanent -2 to move score).

Merked: Ah'Gang stumbles as he begins 10 slowly turn to ash. He looks at his hands
in horror as a swifily lfling wind srong enough o bend tres blasts away the Yaksha's
disintegrating form, shrieking in your cars ke a typhoon before fading as quickly as
it came.

#Crew Ambition Completed
Each main character gins a level for binging al involved
in the Potbelly Hil graverobbings to justice
Finding the Shrine

Soundirack: ODB - Shimmy Shimmy Ya Instrumental

Over the next minute birdsong and other signs of wildlife reemerge, the wind now a
warm, pleasant breeze.

“The Shrine: the map the Grinning Tiger Clan sketched up is prety shit, but the shrine can
be found n a ravine about ten minutes south without 100 much trouble

You reach a sun-soaked clearing bencath boughs of ginkgo and elm. Ancient stone
pativays neardy swallowed by the carth converge on a tiny, moss-covered stone structure.
~ the ruins of a small shrine. What do you do?

‘The Big Payoff

Buried a foot beneath the floor ofthe shrine is a bundle of burlap cloth. I contains

£ 24,000 wen (send actors o page 107 to spend ther share)

B) A small bel: omately wrought,unknown meta, no clapper. Anybody with Fluent in
the Evoteric knows it's supernatural but requires a clapper made from a thunderbird
hallux bone. (This is a “blank”, an indeterminate item that can seed future plots)

€. Elegantly lacquered tubes containing the scrolls

Fist of the Celestial Destroyer
Six volumes flled with graceful calligraphy of antiquated anguage, stsnce and foorwork
illustrations, diagrams of chi application etc. They seem 1o teach sx lost technigues. Each
‘main characier can take one for ree:

- Sublime Diagram: +4 unarmed offense (permanent)
- Stone Lion Style: +2 defense (permanent)

~ Seven Point Ethereal Lotus Strikes target has 5% chance of immediately dying: if
they don't they take 84 (+strong or fast) offense. Once per fight, costs a move actor

- Bleeding Tiger Style: +5 offense when your offense taken is more than half your merk
~Viehl Focus: whenever your atack fais 10 put offense on a arget, gain +2 stacking
offense that lasts the restof the fight scene:
*Tolling Palms no offense dealt but target loses next turn and has 0 defense unil the
of your next turn. Once per fight, costs a move aci
The SP value of these Specials is *27”, they can't be upgraded, or mirtored by Mimic
‘Special. The main charactes ar free to do what they feel with the serolls (next page).

36
Arc Outro
Soundirack: Large Peofessor - uswannachill Instrumental

I the show fecls done: go sround the crcl, cach actor montaging out thei main character.
As always, ask questions about anything ntereting (0 get the fll utro out of then.
o the next Key Narrstor and crew's dirction

I you wanna keep it rolling:

SSEASON TWO IDEAS-
Agents of the Wo Ping: if the main characters bring the scrolls 0 the monastery, they're
promoted (0 procurement squad and regularly sent on missions

+Clans o saled sca-dweling peoples (Dirn) invade one ofth southirs slands wher & main
Character has family. The Wo P es the crew borrow insane arifacts from s hbray.

+ A stranger shows up at the monascry: he was a iutenant of sscurity for some sristocrats i
Bindsong City, charged with procuring vagrants snd “other undesirables” to sate their
vampiric appetites. Afler his aistocratc masters demanded younger vietims fo their more
exauisite blood,he realzed his mistake and s secking redempion by asking for outside help

- Find and retreve missing Wo Ping agents who were infiltating a thieves” il i the capi

+ A hunter discovers the ruins of a palace in the mountans, and reports it 1o the Wo Ping
instcad o his Iocal authorities beckuse they all ucking suck. The traly sncient palace 13
Haunted by dozens of shades, inky black ultravioent ghosts of is inhabitants, some vith
sorcerous poner. One uncorrupted ghost holds keys o imner sanctun: a pantao grove, where
immortality-bestowing peaches grow over centuries on atherworlly tres (several are ipe).

+A Wo Ping spy confirms rumors that the monks of the North Wind Temple have tumed fo
numan sacrifce for secret knowledge. Ice the monks, ce whatever they're suerfcing (0. uke.
theis shil,torch the temple. Can ride out on pixiu (iant winged ions)imprisoncd intempl.

+ Bea imperial axents to the gnce.mythical Dawa Sheine to wicc:is pre-ancient superweaon.

+The Catacombs of Warlord Yodwicha: hidden on a remot island permanently shrouded in o
Heavy storm. Filled with pishacha (corpse-<ating ghouls) taps, and cryplograms you must
decipher to pass (o the next chamber s lowest burial vault contains the Black Astrolabe,
Ziou Dymasty (1056 - 256 BC) artifact ble (0 fully contol weatherin 3 one-mile radius.

~ Missions to other dimensions usin the mior from this game's prequel, Malce a the Palace.

Going Independent: for crews who wanna cuttes with the Wo Pin

+ A powerful martal artst of fre spet ancesry with a legendary magmatic sword leads o
separaist rebelion in sl province. Can side it rebellio or joi Imperia inflrtors.

+ Qi el (opposite page)- anything gocs. Rival clns or imperial agents might ry 1o scal i,
the main characters could grp the clapper by moving on a thunderbird (Tiely common, prey
o humans) o a tyrant sorceres known o have a gallery of mythic skeletons. The bell sl
‘ould open a dimensional potal, surmmon djnn, b an heirloom that makes bearer he rler
ofa sl kingdom, endow powers or shapeshiftng, summon an undervater custle tc

+ A e of siants s at war with the ogre clans in the far norh and it's sating (0 spill ver into
uman setlmens. The lmperiur s circulatng bountics on key figurc to nd the confict.

+ Use the seroll o found a clan (name? where's thei traning hall ), proving legitimacy by
sccking out ducls or enering he Midsummer Tournament in Min Min City.

~ Move on the Grinning Tiger Clan, orany ofthe other sccre societicslaing the cpre

+ Cash out by sllng the scroll i Bu Ling City (120,000 wen), but watch out for thieves.

Shorts: low-commitment single-session aces for new Key Narrators

i Min City Toumament; alcrmating a seres of facial ighs (ournasment winsable) with o
scret prank war against a rival kung f school (sanctioned by masters, bountis posed).

+ Bulldoze a ring o rad rying 10 set up a brothel and force local girls int prostttion

+Triad (or whocves) had map to a tomb complx they were planning on illaging. Guarded
by living satues, haunted by asshole ghosts ofinvader warlords buried ther, colossal lot.

I the main characters bum the records of some debt callector goons fo the silversmit, he
will reverse his nfamous bet with Mieza (main charactrs can rename his business; Host
Niza suggests “The Pervert Menageric” or maybe “The Shutering Asschecks”).

characters

> Don't forget to run closing ceremonies & level up mai

B
Creating a New Show
I everybody wanis o keep mesting for sessions, but instead run a diferent seting or
genre, just bang ot the below seps

1. Agree an a show concept
Something with & lot of narrative potential like uncovering supernatural scerets in the
theiving cities of the Bronze Age, or exploring a small planet of destroyed civilizations
now infested with strange lifeforms,

2. First Key Narrator steps up
Since they'Il be running the show, they now have ereative control over the setting. Key,
' your job to come to that fist session with an episode that introduces the main
characters and sets the Crew Ambition in motion. I you'te a fisttimer, check out page
111 for a crash course.

3. Agree on a Crew Ambition that will drive the show’s plot forward
Can be something immediate like repelling the raiders boarding the ship you're all
passengers on (*Merk the Raiders”). Can be something open-ended like crew of
longtime friends starting private deteetive ageney and waiting forther first case o walk

n the door (“First Case”). Can be something longform like fiding a map and pillaging
the tomb of the tyrant Kashif Sullan (“Into the Crypt”).

4. Actorscreate & crew of main characters
Acast you'd wanna watch an actual show about - nteresting group dynamics, belicvable
orthe stting, and ll driven o move the show’s plot forward.

5. Lock in time for your first session
Seriously, do this step now. If you kick that can down the road everybody’s schedule is
‘zonna il up and your show probably won't appen.

B
Bump Scenes
Sclf-contained scenes you can drop into the midde of ny session. Use them to hange
up gameptay or il ou essions tha ran short

4 Social Bump Scene: Inexorable Pupil
A silver bullt. for engaging an actor who isn't quite buying in yet, or spotlighting one
Who's good at social gameplay. Shortly afle a public fight, the main characters exit a
building t0 sec & young person bowing toward them (local orphan named Scissors; missing
pinky and ring finger). Scissors calls one of the main characters maste, nsists on learning
their moves, offers (0 do busywork 1o carn theis tutelage, and wor't ke no o an answer.

4 Bump Fight I Soundirack: GZA - Liguid Swords Insrumental.
A stocky man wearing all black comes bolting round & corner and sprints past the main
charactrs. Fight dudes with improvised weapons (chains, mallets, axchandles etc) chase
after him, but stop in front ofthe armed main characters. When asked why they're chasing
i, they answer something like “Feh! He's not a man: hes taken a vow of non-violence.
We are helping him restore his manhood by making him fight”

You don't gott erack into the dialogue or philosophy of this scene if you don't feel
like it the posse can just say something like “Feh! We'll estore your manhaod as well for
questioning us!” and immediatly run at them.

Local Assholes x8 Offense 54 Defense 0/ Merk 3
Tacties: et the main characters go firs — this is actually a pretty dangerous fight
if you don't (fu warning).

Merked: if a main character spins high, just describe them pulling their shot or
g thei blade at the last second to avoid cing somebody over petty shit
Reward: 2 SP 1o cach main character

The dude in black doesn't iterfer, but deyly says there's realy no reason o ight since he
outruns these dorks all the time. Has indeed taken the vow of Ahimsa (a0 harm 1o any
eing). His name is Boatwright Lau Kar-Leung; he invites the main charactes to visi his
workshop i the Lacks Distriet where he and his brothers build / repair boas if there's ever
anything he can help them out with,

4 Bump Fight IT Soundirack: GZA - Liguid Swords Insrumental

th wooden staffs and heavy Hakka accents notice the main
s weaponry and osk i they're from the monssery on the mountan. They barely
speak Chinese, but say they've been wandering since their master was killed, challens
the fighters of ane kung T school afler another, looking for a new maser skilled enough (0
train under. They speak politel, but insist on fight, testing the crew until it jumps off
then spinning theie $taffs and toking a defensive monkey style stance.

Monkey Siyle Fighters x2 Offense 1443 (staff)/ Defense 3./ Merk 10
Special: fron Pendulum - Immediate free atack on anybody who atacks you bur
hils 1o put ffense on you. Unlimited uses but not more than once per turm
Merked: the fighters apologize, and give the main charactes mollusk shell of
amica balm (enough to fully heal any offense they took), then ask the name of
their monastery and the best oad 10 it

Reward: 2 SP 1o cach main character

il State: i entire crew merked in eithe of these Gghts, they re just roughed up
“with minor injuries / KO'd. Their offense taken stays at a point below
merked untl they find a way to hal themselves.

£
+On Last Week’s Episode

Soundirack: Lewis Parker - Incognito Instrumental

Start each new session by A. covering any new Specials bought since last time, and
B going over the events of last session, finishing by setting the scene where you left
offat

#Closing Ceremonics
Soundirack: Linle Brother - Beautiful Morning Instrumental

End every session by running through three categories

1. Tha Golden Domez: g0 around the circle and award cach player 2 SP. As it's
awarded the group gets to decide what it's for (“I present 1o you tha Golden
Dome award for Worst Plan Humanly Possible” etc)

2. Key's Choice Award: favorite performance of the session (2 more SP to that actor)

3. Completed Ambitions: give SP for any Ambitions wrapped up

IKey

arrator Notes]

a
]
2

P
[B-r b
plosrety x
%

P

[Key Narrator Notes]
[Key Narrator Notes]

s
Summer Hountains (Excerpt 1)

[Key Narrator Notes]
[Key Narrator Notes]

9
Zhang Zeduan - Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Excerpt 1)

Zhang Zeduan - Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Excerpt 1)
Zhang Zeduan - Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Excerpt 1)

Zhang Zeduan - Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Excerpt 1V)
IKey

arrator Notes]

52
IKey

arrator Notes]

5
Main Character Creation
Each actor creates and controls a main character in the game. As long as they fit the
show’s concept and start at level 1, anything goes.

+Quicklist..

1. Snatch a main character sheet from page 123

2. Concept: name, appearance, background eic

3. Pk Specials: page 57 - 67, start with 10 SP's worth (you can starthere f
‘you'resil thinking on a concept)

Start with merk 10

Start with 0 defense (top number i fust alllower numbers added together)

Start with a move score of 5

1 non-Chinese, put 2 bars in your naive tongue (automatically fuent in Chincse)

. Spend a bar inany majo skill o addtional language (1 bar fo broken, 2 i lunt)

9. Put one point in any primary
10, Check opposite page for the bonus that primary gives you, write it down

4
s
6
7.

Ready to play.

Start undeveloped: you'll mostly figure out who your main character is as you play
them, iffing with the other main characters and interacting with the seting. Leave mad
foom o grov.

Start humble: remember you're stating at level 1. You're basically the average person
with a e SP so forget about any master swordsman shit.

Meet your Key at least halfway: they put together game for you 1o enjoy so don't
make & main character named Fred Shitbreath or whatever. The show i only as good as
everybody's level of buy-in

Build your cast cooperatively. Cres chemistry is what really makes @ show jumnp. Try to
think of yourselves not s a proup of individuals, but a a crew, a cast of main characters
you'd wanna watch an actual show abou. You wanna be able 1o have a slamning pait-off
Scene with any two main characters.

“Two of us play in the same jazz combo’” is good, but 10 really juice a cast, fuck
around with dynamics and archetypes — Seinfeld with four Jerrys never would have
worked, you know?

Background: defines your main character, sure, but also use it 10 seed your future
storylines and tie yourself to the setting. Some prompt ideas
+ Where and how you grewup A group you belong to % A comrade or contact
+ Yourart /crestive expertise % Your tade vocational expertise % Arival
+Culure / subculure | chicity + A nickname title and how you got it
+ Towo ramorsthe other main charsctrs have heard about you

don' specity e e, or exagserted il comes u o )

Don't bother writing beyond the background box: no amount of backstory will make your
main character fel like lving person (that only happens as you play ther).
Levels

Levels represent a main character’s power. Afler overcoming significant challenge in the
show, all main characters ain a evel. Leveling up about once every 3 sessions is norma.

Startatlevel T with - mesk 10, | Primary Poiot, 10 Special Points, | Knowledge Bar

Leva2 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Points
Leva3 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Leverd 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Points
Level 5 +1t0all Primaries, 10 Special Points, | Knowledge Bar
Level 6 1 Primary Poi, 10 Special Points
Leve 7 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Levl 8 1 Primary Pois, 10 Special Points
Leve9 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Level 10 +110 al Primaries, 10 Special Poiats
Lot 11 1 Primary Point, 10 Special Poiats, 1 Knowledge Bar
Leve 12 1 Primary Poiat, 10 Special Points
Leve 13 1 Prmary Pois, 10 Special Points, 1 Knowledge Bar
Leve 14 1 Primary Poiat, 10 Special Points
Level 15 +110 all rimaries, 10 Special Poins, | Knowledge Bar

Andsoon

Primaries

“The core stats of a character. Each primary amps up secondary features, like so

sTRONG
© Every 1 point: +1 offense on all hand-to-hand attacks and throwing atacks
© Every 2 poinis: +1 defense (put under parry) © Every 3 poinis: +1 move score
FAST
+ Every 1 point: +1 offense on all ranged atacks and light weapon attacks
+ Every 2 points: +1 defense (put

et dodge) + Every 3 poinis: +1 move score

HARD
© Every 1 point: +10 merk * Every 2 poinis: +1 defense (put under gri)
= Exery 3 points: heal | pointof offense taken each turm

SMART
+ Every 1 point: +5 Special poiats (SP) » Every 2 poinis: +1 knowledge bar

Your main characte starts at level 1 with a point in any primary (z¢10 i the est). Satvise
this represents the average person. Narratively, primaries are open o interpreation: smart
can mean wise o witt or booksmar,srength éan b as-twitch or slow-twilch tc.

55
Major Skills
A marative touchpoint for what your main character can casily do. Examples lsted below
ae sl subjet 0 your Key Narator’ judgmen of the situation, so don'tbe like “do this
immediately and fToressly and the book said | ean so suck i

Automotive
Examples 1 bar t0 hotwire an oudted model of car or ot brakelines, 2 o outdrive & pursuing.
policecrse o estore a small cngine, 3 o hotwie recent models afcar, 4 1o be bl 1 deduce how
1o operate a tank, 0 outdriv fll-saie police pusuit with el support

Busherat
Examples: 1 bar 1 build a i with no tols o forage caough foo for ne persn, 2 0 forage for a
sroup or extmet and braid fiber, 3 1o rack 4 survivalist ying (0 evade you o safcy weaponize
Venoms (4 undefendable offnse per tum ith Duraion: Combat, single 1), 410 knap and bind it
or osidan weapons rom scatch (2 offnse since made ofsone, bul can crate any §pe of hand-to-
Hand wespon or bow) 0 crets & comiortabe setlement withlov-maintenance permacuture

Chemistry
Examples: 1 bar o flly destroy fingerprints, 2 to trace ovigin of a sret drug by extracting
addiies, 3 0 discreely symhesize batchs of mid-grade rcreational drugs ($400 woth per eek),
4 1o extract poison (56 undefendable offense per tum with Duration: Combat, single se) from
redacted hoschold product, § 10 make s Trag grenade with an hour's abor and $20 worth of
redacted industrial products)

Electronies
Examples: 1 bar to disble & sccuity camera or cheap alarm, 2 to safly disam 8 homemade.
explosiv or defeat a mid-grade sk system, 3 o projet pirse radio n 8 |-l adius or 19 &
Specifc newhy trget, 4 to make 3 pulc-swithing EMP device (tmporanly disables nerby
lctroncs)outof garbage with thee days abor, t knock out city's powergid with access 0.4
transmission ln, or a speciic neighborbood with acces 10 3 substtion

Gunsmithing
Examples: 1 bar 1o clear jam or assemible your own ammo (S0% discount), 2 10 sabotage a ircarm.
with spiked ammo o it cxplodes when next usd (frarm destoyed, cauies irsarm's offnse 1o
user. 3 1o sally make your own gunpowder (even n the wilderess) 4 1o make advanced
ammunition (automatically espin 1), § 10 machine firarm from meta stock (weck ofabor)

Medicine
Examples: 1 bar for CPR or 1o stop arial blcding, 2 o idendy a common poscn venom / oxin
or resetand splin & compound facture, 3 0 be abe o deduce @ corpacs cause of deth or seal o
Sucking chest wound, 4 o reatch 3 severed hand or ientfy 8 e poison / venom / toin, o
safely grafteybernetic rostheses

Metalworking
Examples: 1 bar 1o make a dagger out of scap or defeat a cheap lock, 2 to weld bulleproof
armorng onio avehile. 3 to make ny hand-o-hand weapon out of srap, 4 o defeat the door of o
ank vaul, 0 make @ hand-to-hand weapan with permanent +1 offene (week of libor)

Nanotech
Each bar is 2 10% cash discount o nanite-basd tch (eprsents being able o just creae your o)

Stealth
Examples: 1 bar o creep past a security gard scrolling through bis phone, 2 0 piekpocket the
average person. 3 tocree p behind s seninl and remove the magzine rom hei rifle, 4 1 defcat
art museum moton sensars 0 evade & tcam o mercensries rained and cauipped for pursit

Worldliness
Examples: 1 bar 1 know who pulsthe stings inyour locsl criminal underwarld, 2 (0 know th datc
of most major historica events o the scting, 3 o have friendly conact i every majr city, 4 1o
know so many people in bands and abels that you can et on the st of any show on the planct, § 10
Know the names and adessesofthe people who scualy killd JFK.

s6
Specials
Povwers and unique abilites. Feel fice to change their appearance o fit your main

character. Here's how they work

#Special’s Name [oal P cos]
Acsthetic How it looks
Summary: What it docs
Effect: The base meshanie (5P cos]

Modifers: Opionalupgrades to range/ ara/ duration et [SP cost behind cach]

Premade Specials

Even if you
this book is complted.

M 0 vV E

Jow how to create your own Specias already, stick t0 these unil the are in

M E N T

Premade Specials That Move & Al How You Move

+Radiant Palm [10 s]
Acstheic: A pulse of chi blasts outvard from
your plm throwing your opponcat back.
Summary: Target s hrown buck one e, If
they collde with anothr charscer, they both
e 512 offense. No action cos (but must be
wsed o your tur).

Eftect: Push calision s12) (8]

Modifers: Speed: Move-Equivalat [+114
fect cost]

*Frog Pop [1 s7]
Acsthtic: You launch yourelf up from s prone.
posion.

Summary: When knocked down, o sction cost
10 stand bk up on your tum. Urlimited uses.
Efect: K- [151]

Modifiers: X

+Qing-Gong [15 sr]
Acstheie: Supermatural lghines from years of
iraining ung

Summary: You can fump up 1o the full disance
of your move score, sid, and gencrally move
around ke you'e i lowgravity. Unlimited
Eftect: Oing-Gong (155

Modifiers: X

«Shadow Doorz [10 s¢]
Acsthetis You snk ino s shadow snd
immediatly reemerge from any other shadow
nsight

Summary: Telsport_beswesn o shadows
i sight Shadow must be wide cnough
it your body, and can't b your own.Only costs
Effct:Teleport Betucen Shadovs [1051]
Modifiers: X

wkite [85¢]
Acsthede: You slickly fade away from @
ungin cocany.

‘Summary: Immediatly move one seide inany
dircton (o acton cost) When an_cnemy
moves 0. squar adjacent 0 you. Can be used
once per fight

Effect: Side (djacent move) [455]

Modifirss Use: Once per Fight [x2]

«Pao Qlang |5 sv]
Acsthetc: Augmeniedging-gong allows you to
‘wallcon walls sndcelings.

‘Summary: Walk and function on sny surfces
asfthey were the ground for o trncyele.
Effect: Allnface (39

Modifie

How many times can 1 use cach Special? The defuult number s once per.

day. For upgrades, check out page 69

Some Specials automatcaly have unlimitd wes, ke Qing-Gang, Others have:
I thei use number upgraded, ke Kite, but most o these premdes ar sill at

their defaultof ance e day.
s T

A

T s

Some Real Basic Premade Stat Specials

+Tron Shirt [7sr]

Acstheics Lesser martia arists have broken
iheir hands onyour highly conditoned ribs.
Summary: 1 har (permanen).

Eftect: Primary Up hard) 7 2]

Modifiers: X

*Yintang Meridian [S sv]

Acstheics Stike 10 o craial pressae point
makes your opponent wobbled and confused
Summary: Anybody hat put offense on the
target i the nest turncyele gt 4 bonus.
Effect: Defense Down 4 (4 %] (nsiad of
lowering defense, all tackers jus dd offnse)
Modifers: Speed: Move- Equivalat [+114
fect cost]

+Northern Wind Diagran [S sr]
Acsthtics Advanced footwork les you move
around fights ke phantom.

Summary: Get 4 free and immediate move
action, The bonus move ation must b used on
your tum, and must be used 1o acualy move
(B0 subsituing Speed: - Move-Equivalent
Specials). No actioncos

Effect: Exta Move Action (551]

Modifiers: X

s E

~

#Golden Mantis Style [7 se
Acsthetcs You're fluent in a kung fu discpline
prsingspecd.

Summary: -1 fst (pemancn).

Efect: Prinary Up ([ [750]

Modifiers:

“Nomad [3 se]
Acsthete: You grew up nomadic — hunting,
acking, and herb gatherng daly routine.
wmmary: You know e basis of plant
idetificaton, can forage. cnough food and
clean water to sustain one person, can build 4
fire with o tols e

Effect: Knowledge Bar (busherat) (3 1)
Modifie

«Lotus of Sublime Obliteration [13 sr]
Acsthetcs Hest disorionsofchi blaze o your
body a5 you power up.

Summary: 4 offese to cvery atack and
offcasive Special you make for the rest of the
ight scene. Remember this Special costs
move action o manifest, and can only be used
once p day

Effct: Oense Up 4 455]

Modifirs: Dusstion: Combat [effct 3]
‘Spec: Move-Equialent (+114 et cot)

s E

Premade Sensory-Based Specials

+Exalted Eye [2 7]
Acsthete: Momentarly slimpse he b
chiclow ofallsumounding e,

Summarys Cleary see sl esaby biologial Ife
despite any obscucions or lusions. Lasts &
wencyele

Eftect: Detec Lifforns [259]

Modifiers: X

+Out of Body [3 se]
Acsthetics You rter 8 trane sste, your vision
lowly rising above your physical body.
Summary: Move your visul vantag point 1o
anywhere your acual bological eyos can se.
No actio cost. Lasts a ight scene o about ive
minutes s of combat

Effect Remote Hewing [351]

Modifiers: X

s

«Part the Vell [3 s7]

Aestheti: Youwve clevaed_your sensory
pesception to supernatural levels theough years
of mediaton.

Summary: Selectivly see through matter for
one tumcyele.

Effect: -Ray Vision [355]

Modifie

«Unclouded Mind [4 se]

Aesthetc: A carcully culivated memory gives
voullawlss recall.

Summary: You can remernber any sight or
mage you've witnessed with perfect slary.
Thi Spocil is slways setive (never have to
specify 1 se Unclouded Mind")

Effect: Photographic Memory [451]

Modifie

s o ¢
Premade Identity & I

+Echoes of Malice 3 sr]

Acsthetcs You momentarily attune (o the
{ntentionsof surounding beings.

Summary: Know with cerinty if anybody in
the surrounding arca means you_ harm, and
ko the reltive location o anybody who docs
Effect: Detec Malevolence 351

Modifiers: X

+Primordial Dialectz [2 57]

Acstheic: Through some srange folkule ke

cvent in your past you've leamed the secret

fongue of beastsand irds.

Summary: Speak fluatly with any non-human
s 25 long s e comverston.

Non-Human Animal 125¢)

Acstheics An clevaed stat esspive 0 the
emanations ofohers thoughts.

Summary: Momentaily observe the tarze’s
i of consciousness/ surfac thoughts.
Effect: Read Mind (355]

Modifiers: X

L1

Premade Specials That

— Husions st sbout 5 minutcs sach before
specfcally rge the user sar with a rane of 5
the same but add up rom ther.

+Jingzi Gui [6 sv]

Acstheie: You appear 1o tple.

Summary: Two wentica copcs o your isage
emerge on eilher sde of you, imilating your
cvery move and sisying adjacent © you. When
st used you can swich with one of these
copies for fre. When copy struck fo even |
offense, it disappears ina fash of rapured ch.
Eftect: Gorchacopis x2 [651]

Modifiers: X

+Forest Dweller [2 5]

Acsthtic The woodlands rognize you s one
of their own and mask your moverments from
oussders.

Summary: When among wess, il grass, or
othe fliage,get 2 additonal bars i scath
Eftect: Cloak of Verdanes +2 [251]

Modifiers: X

Bl

1AL
teraction Specials

«Halfa Face |3 sr]

Acsthetics You ciber fesk people out with
your appesrance o somehons cover i p. Either
way mostpeople dont want o lk 0 you
‘Summary: Gain 3 SP hut everybody except the
most kindheartd or enlghiened are elucant 1o
speak with you The naraive orgins of this
distigrement s up o the sctor

Effct: Ugh (535

Modifiers: X

«Seed of Volition [4 7]
Aesthetc: Nudgea characer's thought patens.
Summary: You give the et 8 vage
lncliation ordesc.

Effect: Notion (551]

Modifiers: X

«Discernment [4 sv]
Aesthete: You're pracicedinsptsing ars.
Summary: Inmctiaicly koo if 3 Sttemeat
‘made withincarsho was mesnt o deceve
Effct: Detecr L 1451]

Modifiers: X

s 1 0 N

Twistup Perception

saing 1o glich out. lusions that don't
Srdes;any range modifesupgrades sl cost.

«Phantasmagoria [10 sp]
Acsthetcs You rest a sound, image, scent ctc
hat o't rally here.

wmmary: Create . basc singl-sensory
illsion that fecs el 0 any observer: clling
voie, thearoma of cooking,an lered sgn cc
Unlimited uses (but st b used on your tum).
Effect: Minor sion (105¢]
Modifiers: X

«Vell of Menglong [7 sr]
Acsthetcs You make an skhenical sign and
fum your palms against cach othr, your skin
ippling theough colors and pasces.

ummary: Alts appearan of skin at il +3
scall whenever e (unlimited s, no
Sction cost)
Effect: Chanelean Skin 755]
Modifierss X

AL T E R

Premade Specials That Change up Form & Fu

+Torrid Bloom 9 sv]
Acstheic: You impart n intnse locus of chi
hrough v finges, the objct you_touch
immediacy haring 1 8 dungerous emperaure.
Summary: Heat a0 objec. 1 @ character is
holding the object they take 56 offense per
turneyele (starting t the beginning of your next
). Weapons and implments can b dropped
fresly but armer akes a full m 10 remo.
Can s target single square of ground.
Effect: Hear 6 3 5¢]

Modifers: Duration: Comnbat (et 3]

+lnvocation of Passage [4 s¢]
Aesthetic: You muter s i seet words that
persade locks o open for you.

Summary: Immediatly and sl open most
lacks (madde grade o lower). Wil o defeat
sl Specialoflowes SP value

Effect: Unseal heavy) (451)

Modifiers: X

+Daojiao Fundamentals [6 sr]

Aesthtic: Your asic grssp ofsichemy allows
Y00 0 transfigure nanimae abjcts.

Summary: Trnstorm an object, but it mist
Kkosp same mateials and volume. Target obiect
can't b supernaturs o lager than ser

Eftect: Object o Objec (651
Modifiers: X

G E N E R

AT 1 0 N
ciion

«Cosmic Vitality [4 s7]
Acsthete: Enlighicncd understandig of your
body frecs you fom the valgar forms of
sourshment.

‘Summary: Don'tneed fod or waer

Efect: Eliminae Bilogical Need (food, water)
s

Modifiers: X

«Yanshen [14 5]
Acsthetie: As you slap your_palm onto an
objet it quivers then explodes i ength
Summary: Target objct (no hicker han 6°)
can extend t as long 25 0 stridesor contact 1o
S5 short 55 & millimetr, One use of both
eagthening and shortening perday

Efect: Length / Shorten [14.5¢]

Modifierss X

«Ensorcelled of Body [15 s7]
Acsthetcs When you were young your parents
Sought the medial aition of 3 great
alchemist, but while she was adminisering
rcatment you wandered into her aboratory and
drank bl the it n tere.

ummary: Vour body 1 usnaturaly sttchy.
and contorsble. Your limbs can rech an extra
rde even whileatacking).

Efect: Body Elasiiy (can aack) [1551]
Modifierss X

A T 1 0 N

Premade Specials That Conjure & Create Shit

*2Zhu Que [S sr|
Acsthetcr A small bird of clement
futters fom your hand.

Summary: Range of 3 sirides, lasts s ong as
you have e hand o diret . Max offense |
Effect Call Fire (351

Modifers: Range 3 (251]

e

+Backpicee: Viclous Triumphator 3 sr]
Acsthetics A ful back tatioo of dog-headed
Guo-Tuo standing on & mounain of demon
‘corpses, blood dipping rom his grcat hammer
Summary: Inbucd tatoo (SP discount for
acsthetc qulity). Besrer gets +1 offene for
cach cnemy merked during fght sccnc; bonus
lastsfor dration offight

Effect: Imbue Tutoo: Death Dealer [551]
Modifiers: X

«Domecrusher [15 se]
Acsthetics An outwacd blsstof hi distrs the
i when this loag,spiked ironcudgel srikcs
Summary: Mateialze tis weapon a will (14
+ szong, lock 1, two-handed). Inhabicd by a
spirit named Dorecrusher who has ula-keen
earing. some knowledge of the ancint world,
and can frecly communicate with the wiclder
Effct: Supernanral Weapon: Two-Handsd
Hafarm [750] with Enclow Sentence 45¢] and
dcute Hearing 1351)

Modifiers: X

«Leopard [10 7]
Acsthetcs A violety loyal companion leopard
youreseued s n orphaned cub.

Summary: Merk 10, move 5. offense 2.

Effect: Companion (can atack) [10 9]
Modifiers: X
M E

T A

Premade Specials That Deal with Specials

+Celestial Mirror [15 sr]

Acstheics You flwlessly replicste he chi
potcrms of an observed techniue

Summary: Copy another charactr’s Special
ihat costs cqual 0 o less than e SP spent on
this Specil {can mimic every Specal i this are:
and premade. sccton). You then have the
mimicked Special unil you use this Special o
copy a difernt one. Must observ use of
Special o mimic. No acion cost.

Eftect: Miic Spcial [155]

Modifiers: X

+Fluent in the Esoteric [3 s¢
Acsthetc: Years of poring through_great
libraries of ditant monasirics has made you
familsr withthe udiments of every cxpresion
of ch

Summary: Immedisily kaow if something
within cyesight is a Specia, and get st st
<ome functional or mechanical idea of how it
works,

Eftec: denify Specal [39]

Modifiers: X

uos

A

«Supernatural Attunement [3 se]
Acsthetics Whenever somehody uses @
supernatural echmique nearby you feel like @
Sruck tunin fork,

ummary: Know when somchody uses o
‘Special around you and the exact locaton it was
mamifested. Wom't detect ongoing cffects or
identiy propertiesofa Special Aways active.
Efect: ool Manfestaion (351

Modifiers: X

«Sever Chi-Flow [6 sr]

Acsthete: You compleely fuck up the inricate
paterns of chi maimaning 3 supematursl
technique.

ummary: Sop any occuring / ongoing
‘Specal. The Key Naruor wil judge difficuly
and give you an cqual number of cards off 3
Shuted deck; a5 soon a5 you sort the cards i
numerc onder by sui, the targeted Special
Stops. Number of cards determined by the
power el of the sharcter whose Spcial
you're undoing. No ation costand can be used
duringothers” s

Effect: Rupnre (351

Modiffrs: Specc: nierup 2]

G E

Premade Specials That Alier Modifiers & SP Costs

*Yin Neijing [1 sr]

Acsthetcr You excel in the destrctive
disciplines.
Summary: Sacriie an unspent Speialfor the

day: convert s SP value ino poins of ffense
added 1o the Special you use this
Unlimited uses. No acion 6ost,and canbe used
o others s,

Eftect: Burm Special 11 5v]

Modifiers: X

*lnterflow [2 sv]

Acsthetic: An ineenal conversion of chi for 3
fally diffren manifestation

Summary: Sacriice an unspent Speialfor the
day and put s P value towardsanother use of
an alrady-spent Special. Unlimited uses. No
action sost, bt st be wscd on your .
Effect: Sub 254]

Modifiers: X

61

«Yang Neljing [1 s#]
Acsthetcs You exeel i the sestorive ars.
‘Summary: Sucrifice an unspent Special (o the
day: conver s SP valie into points of hesling
added 1o the Special you use this .
Unlimitd uses. No action ost, nd can b used
on others” ums.

Effect: um Special 11 55]

Modifiers: X

«Supreme Interflow [3 7]
Aesthete: A highly esoteric chi augmentation
{fat's unbelivably dangerous i he rght hands,
ummary: Sucrifce an unspent Special for the.
day and use s SP valie to cohance the
modiirs of another Special. Ulimited uses
No'action cost,but mustbe sed on yourtrn.
Efect: Fing Mod [3 1]

Modifiers: X

o F F

E

N s E

Premade Specials o Fuck up Enernies

*Mystagogue IS se]
Acsthetic: A_scholarly _approach 1o the
desnctive ors has made sou uniquely
dangeros.

Summary: Any time you deal offcas from &
(non-aick) Special, sdd your smart seore 10
the ol offense,

Effect: Engine of Ruin 5 5]

Modifiers: X

+Bao Lei Emanation [14 5r]
Acsthetcs You take the mountin foress
Stance, cmiting pule of chi povertul caough
1o throw enermics 0 th ground.

Summary: All nemics witin 2 srides ke 56
oftense and are knocked prone (akes @ move
acton 1o snd back up). No scton cos. bt
mustbe sed on your tun

Effect: Knockdown (1]

Modiflers: Offnse 56 [3 s/ Arca Radics 2
feflct and offense x3] 1 Specd: Inmediate
14172 efect and offese cos]

*Void Bolt [7 sv]

Acsthtic: A bol of blackest s

rom e tps of your fingers

Summary: Ranged s offense thatcnly coss &
Sivaighs Ofense s [459]

st Range: 3 (2 5] /1 Speed: Move-

Jent [+1/4 offnse cos]

bt ances

+Comet Kick [10 se]
Acstheic: A pawerfl uing ick sends your
opponent’s weapon fing.

Summary: Taget's weapon fics p o S ssdes
ety back. If & band-to-hand weapon, is
offense s dealt 0 he fis charsetr in 5 ath
Only costs a move action

Effect: Disarm (lunch) (85|

Modifers: Speed: Move-Equivaent 257]

«Deadly Venoms [10 sr]
Acsthete: Tnky black i fumes from where
vou stung em, whal, what, what

Summary: Tagel ukés s offonse, and
sutomatcally takes 56 mor at e beginnig of
‘your tums for the rest of the fight. Only
Effect: Straight Offnse 6 3.55]

Modifies: Duntion: Combat et x3] 1/
‘Spcd: Move-Equivalent (4114 efect cot)

«Phoenix Eye [15 sr]
Aesthete: You disrup a chi meridian in your
opponent’ nek, fcezing them n plac.
Summary: Torger ks 8 offense and is
completey immabile (n0 actons, no defensc)
il the end of their nex tum. Only costs &
Effect: Supertock 8 9]

Modiffrs: Offense 5§ 4 9] 1/ Speed: Move-
Equivalat [+1/4 ffctand offense cost]

«Searing Aura 6 sr]
Aesthete: You're proicied by a scorching
radance.

Summary: Wheneveran cacany s offense
youthey auomatically take 56 offnse

Effect: Reactive Offense 6 655]

Modifie

«Lesser Sigil of Fire [13 s7]
Acsthetics You make the sccret symbol of
clemental fie, a pillir of golden flame flaring
ot xisence and mmolatngthe g,

Summary: Torget skes sn mmediate %
offense,and 5§ more offense st the st of your
next o tens. Range of 6. Only costs & mave
Effect: Sageer Offnse (3 tums) 3 offense

Offense 358 [12.59] / Range 63 ]
11 Specd: Mov-Equialen: (-1 oftnse cost]

Advanced Shit: some of these Specials have the effect “Straight Offnse”.
“This can instead b moved to modificrs (since szaight offense can b an effct

or a madifer) withthe price rems

&2

ing thesame.
“The back of the book s a spinner. s
mcans spinner from 1 10 12 et. To use
or guita siring trimming on the center

means a spinser from 110 6, “512"
it hold the looped end of a paper cip
ot with a pen. Flick the other cnd

Wherever it ands n the ring you're spinning for is the resul.

+Trigram Blast [15 sv]
Acsthetic: A besm of smaihilative cncrgy
rom your patms.

Summarys s16 offnse t0 al trgers in 5 6
ide lne.

Eftect: Svaight Offnse 16 8 9]

Mectters Fnge 6 3 o) 1 Av: Ray [+12
offense cos]

*Blizzard Nesus [14 se]

Acstheti: Vour reaching hand _radates

clemental cold, flecks of e swiring n it

ke

Summary 5 offense o an sdjscent targe. If

an' lande anybody atacking the wrge before

the end of your next um gets .43 10 oflens.

No action cost,but must be used on your ur.

Can be used once per fight,

Eftect: Svaight Offnse 5 (4]

Modifiers: Specd: inmediae [+172 offease

cost/ Chance L in'$ chanceof - defrse 1 ]
Use: Onee p Fight el 2]

+Luminous Tone [15 sp]
Acstheic: A ipple of searng golden
s ouwad st the sound of an atherworkdly
chime

Summary: Inmediatly afer merkingan
encmy; cause 56 offense o all cnemis within
S-rid radis. No acton cot, and can be used
in the midle of others” tums (0 if you merk
somebody with 2 counterattack ).

Effect: Blooit [3 5]

Modifer: Offnse 6 (3] / Radis 3 [offense
4

*Void Cascade [8 se]

Acstheic: Desolating blacker-than-black encegy
pours from your hands.

Summary: Adjacent arget takes s12 offense. I
prone hey inscad ke 2612 offense

Effect: Mop Up [257]

Modifers: Offcns <12 655]

&

«Frenzicd Dragon Style [2 s#]
Acsthetics The most reckess of the southern
syl

Summary: Lowe your defense but raise your
offase by the same. Max 3 defaseloffnse per
level Lasts @ tameyele. Remember a negative
defense score caues that mach exiraoffense t0
vou No action cost o e

Effect: Trade Defensefor Offese [255]
Modifiers:

«Three Point Supreme
Decimation Method [15 sr]

Acsthetcs Chi emenstions i your hands a5
you disrupt an oppencat’s vial meridians with
blinding specc

Summary: 58 offense 1o sn sdjscent targt
Only costs a move acton. Unlimd uses (but
Dot mace than once per tur)

Effect: Sraight Offense 3 455]

‘Modifirs: Specd: Move Eguvalent [+1/4
offcase cos] Use: Unlimied tota x3]

«Threads of the Heavens [15 sr]
Acsthetcs A Nash of elcetriciy ares rom your
and 1o ncarby opponeat.

Summary: 54 ofcnse with fange 3. No scton
cost (bui must be used on your ) and
unlmited uses (out not o than once per ).
Effect: Sraight Offense 3 (259]

‘Modifirs: Spcd: Immedite [ 112 efect cost]
1 Range 3 (2591 Use: Unlimited [oal 3]

«Zhenzhu Sequence [15 sv]
Acsthetcs White fire lanes through sting of
opponcrs.

Summary: 6 offens to 4 trgets with not
more than 1 st between them. 1f no
additional targets, final rge takes remaining
offcase. Maximum range from user (o frst
argetis 3 srdes

Effect: Sraight Offnse 6 3.55]

Modiffers: Range 3 (2 ¢] / Area: Chain w 3
Targes offense x4] can jump 1 stde (1 5¢]

AT T A

c K

Premade Specials That Modify or Evoke Attacks

Qi What's th diffrence between Attack Speeials and Offensive Specials?

Attacking is what you do with a weapon: swinging a sword or shooting @ gun,

~ Atack Specials modify o trger atacks.
~ Offensive Specials (prvious section)sre any ofer way you damage sn cnermy,

ke prionic lightning orenergy beas.

+Baguazhang [3 sr]
Acstheics Foundstonsl barchanded. fighting
Sysem.

Summary: I stacking unarmed, stk tvice
Eftect: Unapmed Fighing [359]

Modifiers: X

+Tron Monkey Style [6.57]
Acsthetic: You can fluently sike unarmed,
cven when wielding aone-anded weapon.
Summary: I stacking unarmed, you can ke
o atacks. I wickling a onc-handed weapon,
you can e an stack with the weapon and sn
unarmed atack.

Effect: Unarmed Fighting (aybrid sste) (655]
Modifiers: X

+Eagle Claw [10 57]

Acstheie: Finge pushups llday every dy.

Summary: The oftense of all your e
acks s 36 + srong or st (defult unarmed

offense s <2 stzong or s,

Eftect: Unapmed Offense Up 6 2.55]

Modifers: Duration: Permancat [x5)

+Drunken Fist [4 ]

Acsthetics An cusive and unpredicabe sty
makes you had 0 i

Summary: Whenever unsrmed, you have a <1
bonus o deense

Effect Unarmed Defense Up [45¢]

Modifiers: X

+Harmonic Mauling [3 sr]
Acsthetie: A perfclly timed ke © 3
urounded cnemy.

Summarys For one atack, gt +3 offnse for
cach comade adjacent o th arge

Effect: Hom [n 3 (350]

Modifiers: X

«Wheel Strike [8 s7]

Acstheti: An scrobstie flare atcking. sl
adjacentcncmics.

Summary: Instad of s norm
atack on al adjacent encmics 1 dual wicding:
make an snack wih both weapons on al
adjacent cacmics (but remember they g0t o
apply thei defense o both atacks).

Efect: Spinning Aitack [8:55]

Modifie

«Crucl Tutelage 4 sv]
Acsthete: You eflonlesly dodse and brusally
Courter n the same motion

Summary: When sn cocmy makss an aack on
you snd their_offense is lower than your
fense, immediacly make 3 free atack on
.

Effct: Punish (450

Modifie

«Reaping Juggernaut [7 se]
Acsthete: You'e lighting up another encrmy
befor the las on cven his the ground.
Summary: Aftr merking an cocmy with
atack, immediacly make another atack on an
enemny inrange

Effect: Encore [755]

Modifie

«Whiperack Throw [6 s¢
Acsthetcs You throw knives hard cnough 0
Shater bricks.

ummary: Thrown offsnse upgraded to 58+
szong or fast. Unlimited uses, but not more
than once per wm (tis s upgradeable
Boweren,

Effect: Do Oferse Up 8 (257]

‘Modifiers: Use: Unlimitd [x3]

+Linking Fist 5 s
Acstheics A syl that buids sequences of
antipative sekes.

Summary: Esch i you atiack an cnemy i
ow, gain an accumulating +1 1o atack offnse
against them. 1f atacking multiple cnermics
cach tum tis bonus pplics 10 al of them. This
Special is abways ctive

Effect: Overwheln (5 5]

Modifiers: X

+Southern Owl Style 7 se]
Acstheic: You'e experty wined in aacking
the unguardable bck of an appanest.

Summary: When ttacking an cnemy from the
square dieely behind them, aack 2 second
time for fee I ranged, must b atacking from
the Lsquare-wide line dircty behind the trge.
Eftect: Buck Atack 11 {750)

Modifiers: X

+Eight Diagram Pole Fighter [8 sr]
Acsthetics You're one of seven sons taught
Secret spear and saf syl from te norh
Summary: +2 oftns 1 all atacks made with
polearm(spea, staff. monk' spade ec).

Effect: Weapon Speciais (poearms +2) [ 5]
Modifiers: X

#Wuxin Rapture [10 se]
Acsthetic: Your body aisluminous patens of
caceay 15 you become a vessl of decimation.
Summary: When you land an § atacking with
o o handed e weapon, gain a +5 bonus
offens and move for th rst o figh.

Efect: Crircal it (two-banded fex. weapon
8 Move Score Up 5 and Offnse Up 3 with
Durstion: Combat [10.5]

Modifiers: X

#Voracious Blade [6 5
Acstheics Your blade scems to drink hest
distortions of chi rom the wounds i flcts.
Summary: Wheaever you land a 4 atacking
with 3 light sword, siso lfjck 58 from the
target (o they take 458 offese, and you hel
the sam smoun).

Effect: Criical Hit (light sword 4): Ljgiack %
o0

Modifiers: X

«Moth Glides by Flame [4 sr]
Acsthede: A ming sske on & passing cnemy.
ummary: Free snd immedise hand-o-hand
atsck on an enemy tha passes through n
adjacen square (pascs hrough, not moves ().
No acion cos,

Effect: ircept [451)

Modifiers: X

«Beads on a String [S se]
Acsthetes A real tschoieal strike that wounds
o pponcats with a sinle atack

ummary: When wielding 4 each wcapon you
can attack fwo cnemics in the range of a single
{hrust. Can use any umber of times pr fum
it
Efect: Reach Weapon Taofr [157)
‘Modifiers: Durstion Permsnent [15]

«Death Wiclds a Sword [4 57]

Acsthetcs You're sn ambiious sword schola
Summary: +1 offnse o llatacks made with
a sword (whethr light, onc-handed, or to-
handed).

Effect: Weapon Specialis (swords +1) (4]
Modifie

«Fire Tiger Style [10 s7]
Acsthete: “As a rul, when oo tigers met in
e forest, one s maimed and he othe is
il

Summary: When you land a 4 attacking with a
Salf, aret also thrown up o o strdes back.
16 they collde with snather encmy. they both
ake sl0 offense.

Effect: Criical Hif (it 4): Push (o ssdes,
colision s10) (10:]

Modifie

«lmmaculate Cut 10 se]
Acstheti: A single flawlessly _execued
Swordstoke. Enough 10 send cold wind of
feartrough the most estcemed blademaster
‘Summary: When you atack witha two-handed
swond and land 5 12, you deal n exia 3520
offense

Effet: Cical Hit (two-banded sword 12):
3920 aftense [1059]

Modifie

“The only modifiers Attack Specials are allowed to have are Use and Duration.

* Use: Once per Fight i total SP 2.

* Use: Unlimited s totl SP x3

+ Duration: Combat i ttal SP 3 (can use any nummber of times in one fight)
+ Duration: Permanent is total SP x5 (unlimited uses and any mumbe of usesper turn)

65
D E F

E

N S E

Premade Protective Specials

+Vanishing Crane Style S 5
Aesthtics Motherfuckers coulda't it you with
a handiul ofrice on sparing day

Summary: Pemmanen +1 to defensc.

Effect: Defense Up 1(1]

Modifiers: Duration: Permancat [x5]

*Plerce Ego [3 sp]

Acstheic: You roast an appenent s viciously

ihey have o choice but 1o fce you.

Summary: Actor must scually rosst cocay:

An cnemy withinsigh has - offense unt they
ack you. No action cost (but mustbe s o

vour )

Effect: Fuckithme | (offense ) [351]

Modifiers: X

+Phocnix Afinity [5 se]
Acsthetics Horn undee & e concurrence of
Signs, you have the unique property of loving
et levels thal 10 norml humans.

Summary: Vou'ss immune 10 e clfet Hoa,
ke ulf offense from heat snd. fr-based
Specials (ound down), and arn't bothered by
anyehing less than about 200 degrees ahrenhei.
Eftect: Thermoplilic (5]

Modifers: X

+Silk Door 12 ]

Acstheic: You stp a chargin enemy 50 delly

ihey srike the enemy behind you.

Summary: Redicet sn cocmy’s_incoming
sck to . cacmy on the othr side of you

(directly oppositc)

Eftect: S 11259]

Modifiers: X

«Jin Xiu Reversal [10 se]
Acsthetie: A chi-funing seike hat turs @
supernatural echaique back o s usr
Summary: Reflset fist 7 offense of Spcisl
Back at the encmy targeting you (ake any
remalning ofense 35 nomal)Effct_not
eflcted. No action cost and can b used n the
‘middle ofothers turs,

Effect: Reflect Special 7 [1055]

Modifie

«Golden Bell [9 sv]

Acsthetic: Esotcric i exertions
exieral impacs (0 intermal mending
Cummary: Vou don' fake th frt 2 offcns of
any blunt twauma. (punches, maces, hammers
), but instead tum it o bealing. Abvays
Effct: Resistant 0 Offense: Tpe (bunt 2
hesting) [95¢]

Modifie

«Ghost Diagram [3 sr]
Acsthete: A technique ofpefec evasion
ummary: Give up your enire et fur 1o
avoid an incoming atack or Special

Effect: Bail st (350)

Modifiers: X

«Dragon Crashes Bridge [2 s¢]
Aesthete: You rediree your opponent’s arm,
{hrowing their atack ino anothr el
Summary: Redsect an soemy’s incoming
atack 10 an ncmy adacent o he atacker.
Etfect: S 112 ]

Modifie

Acstheties: you're free to change the mame and acsthetc of any of these
Specias to it your main character. For exampl, if you wanted 1o be
descended from a ie spiit, st take Phoenix Afinity (sbove lef) and change
the name o Igncous Blood or whatever
HoOE A

L

1 N G

Premade Specials to Reduce Offense Taken

+Rejuvenation [9 ]

Acsthetics Rstoraive chi blazes off your hand
a5 you hold it over aclosing wound.

Summary: Heal adacent anse (or self) 55
Only costs a move action. Unlimited uses, but
ot more than anceper tun

Eftect: Svaight Hoal 8 (257

Modifers: Speed: Mave-Equivaeat (1] Use:
Unlimited 1o x3]

+Huichun Surge [8 ]
Acstheic: A neary comade glows with waves
of spermatual vty
Summary: Tasget healed for 5§ (n0 acton
ot then 5§ again st the st of your nex two
turns (50 o action cost), Range of 3.

Sagaer Healing 3 tameyeles)[33%]
Modifiers: Healing 353 (6 58] 1 Specc:
Immcdist [+12 total hesling] / Range 3 (251]

+Tonify Meridian [10 ]
Acsthetic: Mend a chicflo meridian rupured
by an iy

Summary: Heal adjacen targed <10. 1 a 10
landed, ot hs +7 defense for the rest of the
fightsene. Can b used onceper fght

Eftect: Svaight Hoal 10 (359]

Modifiers: Chance: 11% chines of +7 defense
with Dusation Combat [257] Use: Onee per
Fight total cost 2]

Advanced Shit:

«Neidan Scholar [3s]
Acsthetcs You have robust knowledge of the
medicinal Thise Jewels and the - inernal
Jchermy of Nedan

ummary: Whenever you use a healing
Special, alvays add your smart score 10 he
‘otal smount healed.

Efect: Engine of Mending (355]

Modifie

«Chain of Light [95¢]

Aesthetie: A sequence of alles are clad in
upvadsusaming ight

Summary: <4 healing in 3 seies of 3 trgets
(can't b more than 2 strides away from cach
the). 1F no addional targes, il target akes
remining healing. Maximum range to fist
arget is 2 siids. No action cos, and can be
sed in the middle ofoters tuns,

Effect: Sraighs Heal 341 5v]

Modifirss Arca: Chain w 3 Targes [hesing
3] can jump 2 sides 2 7]/ Range 2 (1]
Specd:Intemupt [x2 ol healing]

«Avulsive Gate 9se]
Acsthetics Your eyes smolder brghter and
rghterus you drainchi from a grabbed encmy.
Summary: s offense 10 adacent cnemy, and
vouheal e same amount. No acion cost.
et Lifjack 5 055]

‘Modifirs: Specd: Immedite [+1/2effect cost]

e of these Specils have the effct “Sraight Heal". This

can instead be maved o modifies (since straight healing can be an effect or
modifer) with the price emaining the same.

&
Building Your Own Specials
Pick outa effect(pages 70 1o 101), and give it a name / aesthetic. That's t.

Upgrading Specials
Just add modifiers (opposite page) o give your Special longer range, more uses, bigger
offense ctc.

68
Modifiers

‘These upgrade Specials.
<USE

Once per Day defuult

Once per Fight ‘otal Special cost x2

Unlimited’ total Special cost x3

(bt ot more than ance per tum)

*RANGE
1 stride: default /2 strides: +1 SP // 3 strides: +2 P
6strides: +3SP /1 12 strdes: +4 SP /1 20 strdes: +5 SP

+SPEED
‘Main (costs your main acton) defuult
Move (costs your move action) . . _effect, healing and offense cost x1.25
Imanediate (n0 action cost) “xis
Interrupt (no action cost & usablc on others” wis) “x2

#OFFENSE: 1 SP per +1 offense
Spinner 1 SP per half the spinner’s max. (Example: 5§ of offense would cost 4 SP)

#HEALING: 1 SP per +2 healing.

Spinner: | SP per quarter the spinner's max. (Example: 8 of healing would cost 2 SP)

*AREA
Radius 1 stride effect, healing, and offense X2
Radius 2 strides,| 0
Radius 3 strides, x4
Al encmics or comrades in fight scene “x8
Ray (all enemies in Special’s path afected) effect, healing, and offense xL.S

Chaiin (effect jumps through multiple targets): effect, healing, and offense x maximum
number of targets + 1 SP per sride between. 1 no additional targets, final taget takes ll

«DURATION
Turneyele defuult
Combat (o sbout S minues owtsideof combay) . effect, healing, offense, and area x3
Permanent “x8

#SELECTIVITY: Reduce Special price by condition. Only at night (half the time)
Would cost 50%. Only on the undead (sbout 10% of your enemies) would cost 10% e

+DEFENDABILITY
Undefendable (surpasses all defense) offense x1.5
+10% offense cost per cach of the below defense factors ignored:
Armor /1 Shield // Block // Dodge // Parey 1 Grit/ Specials

#CHANCE: add something good, like an extra 20 offense when you land a 10 0n a0 510
spin, which would only cost 2 SP (10% chance means 10% cost” 10% of 20 SP is 2 SP).
You can lso use this modifie o reduce the Specials price by the chance of lure

6
Effects

What a Special does. Newjacks, don't even look at this section. Go on, gt

Attack Effects
Can't have modificrs added except Use and Duration (end of secton). What's the diffrence
between attack effcts and offensive effcts? Attacking s what you do with 8 weapon
(swinging 8 sword, firing pistol. Attack effeets modify or tigser an atack. Offensive efects
(nextsection) are any other way you cause offense, ik psionic lightning or energy bearns.

Spinning Attack: make a hand-to-hand atack on al adjacent enemies in place o your normal
attack this tur. Attck path can't pass through comrades (without attacking them). IF dual-
wielding: you can make an atack with each weapon on all adjacent enemics (but remember
they et 10 apply thei defense o both atacks). § SP.
+Step: youcan move one stride, attacking all enernics adjacent 0 your wo-srde path. +10 SP
+ Bound: you can move two srdes,atacking all ncrmics adjacent 0 your thrc-stride path. +10
P (and musthave previous upgrade)
Followthrough: when you put offse on an encrny with s hand-to-hand sttack, you can make
an_immediate bonus attack (same weapon) on 4 diffeent _enemyadjacent o you
Followthrough path can't pass through comrades (without attacking them). No attacking the
same enemy mare than once. Automatically Duraton: Permanent. 10 SP.
- Step:you can take fre one-stride sep o followhrough on an cnemy: +15 SP
+ Resch: you can followthrough with reach weapons, buf must maintain range (s i intal arget
2 stides away, any subscquent targets must also be 2 trdes away). Can inscad fllowthrough
o' sccond trget direely bhind an nital adjacen arge, but then end tere. Can'tsep (dbave
upgrade) when using this upgrade. 10 SP

Shooter Persccutor: make a free second hand-to-hand sttack on an cnemy that only has @
bayoneiles frcarm or launcher weapon (ke bows, lings, crossbows) equipped. IF the anget
pulls & hanc-t-hand weapon this effect can'tbe used (both dropping and puling 4 weapon has
o acton cost, and can be done at Specd: Interupt). § SP.

Lunge: increase hand-to-hand weapon range by 1 ssde for e atack. You can lunge through
occupied space, unless your Key says otherwise. Can be used in conjunction with any other
attack Special, but only llows one target per use of unge. 2 SP.

Reach Weapon Twafer: when wiclding a reach weapon, you can attack o targets in the
range ofa single thrus for one attack. 1 SP.

Chasing Attack: free hand-to-hand attack on an enemy that's moving out of an adjacent
square. Automatically Spee: Interrupt_ 4 SP.

Intereept: free hand-to-hand attack on an enemy that's moving hrough an adjacent square
(must pass through, not move o). Automatially Specd: Interrupt. 4 SP.

*S1op target i your offcnse i higher than e defense: +3 SP

Punish: when an enermy makes an attck on you and thei offense is lower than your defense,
make one free and immedite ttack on them (i in range of curently equipped weapon). 4 SP.
Bust Back: one frce and immediate atack on an cnermy that manages to hurt you ith an
atack (if n range of currently cquipped weapon). 6 SP.

Riposte: one frce and immedise attack on an cnemy that just atacked you, reg
success only ifin range of currntly cquipped weapon). 8 SP.

dless of

“Square® just means square strde. Think of the combat map a5 @
chessboard of square strides. This mokes measuring out range and
moverment way caser

o
Unarmed Offense Up: increase unarmed offense for one tum (defalt unarmed offense is 52).
sdistSP “sis2SP Cis3sp
Unarmed Defense Up: you have a defense bonus when unarmed. 4 SP per point of defense
Unarmed Fighting: when atacking unarmed you can now make o attacks per tun. You can
attack two different targets, o the same tasge twice (remermber they et 1o apply ther defense
10 both your sirkes). When upgrading unasmed offense (unarmed offense up. weapon
speciais, 1), it applis 10 both unarmed attacks. Your pimary bonus (you can add stong oF
) lso gets ok 0 both atacks. Automatically Durston: Permanen. 3 SP
« Hybrid Style: ifatacking with a one-handed weapon and yous other hand i empty, you can
also make an unarmed attack withthat hand (Automatically Duration: Permanen): +3 SP

Shield Bash Offense: increase offense when atacking with a shicld for one wm (default

shild bash offense is o4) Remerber that shied's defense unusable unil trn afe shield bash.
s6is 1SP “ssis2SP +510is3SP

Shield Push: for ane atack,shield bashing pushes the target back 1 strde. 2 SP.

*2 trides: +2 S+ Knockdown (akes a move action (o stand): +2 SP

« Collson: ifpushed enemy cllides with another enemy, both take offense. 1 SP per point

Thrown Offense Up: increase thrown weapon offense for e turm (defuul is s4).

“sois ISP ~iis2SP C03SP es2isdSP
Thrown Range Up: increase thrown weapon range for one tum (default thrown weapon range
is3 ssdes). 1 SP per +1 range.

Barrage: sacrifice move action to make a second (non-firearm) ranged atack at half offense
(round down). SP.
Distance Shot: increase firearm or launches range for one atack. 1 SP per 3 range.
Beat Cover: this ranged atack supasses any cover the enemy has taken (his includes being
ehind other characters). To b clar, thei defense score st applis. 6 SP.
Cautious Shot: your ranged stack (includes throw) thi tum can safly pass through space
occupied by comrades. 3 SP.
Disarming Shot: instcad of spinning offense for an atack, you can disarm arge in range of
vour currntly held ranged weapon (launcher, fircamm, or thrown). Key decides where
unhanded weapon lands. 1 SP.

+ Trade next main acton for a Speed: Internupt disarming shat (includes shooting down a

thrown weapon aleady mid-sie): +1 SP

« Trade next move ation for s disarming shot: <2 5P

« Trade next move sction fo a Speed: Internpt disarming shot (includes shooting down & mid-

i throwing weapon): 3 SP

Plercethrough if you successfully put offense on a araet with 3 ranged attack, spin 4 free
bonus atack on a target behind them (make sure to maintain lne of fire). Must be a percing
projectie (arrow, aveln, bolt,bullet ctc). 2 SP. + Third arget ina line: +2 5P

+ Overshot: don'thase to actually wound a trget o make & bonus atack on another ar

behind thers: +2 SP

Sipe: target must be unaware of you, and within range of your currntly equipped fiream or
launcher weapon. For every consecutive tum you spend obscrving them, you multply the total
offense of the next shot you take on them. 17 thy take cover or become unobservable in some.
way, the muliplier seses. For exampl: if you spend one tum observing them, the shol you
take' on your second tm will have double offense: if you spend thre ums abscrving them,
the shot you tske on your fourth turn il heve quadrple offense. Limit of x5 offense. S SP.

Weapon Specalist: bonus o offense when atacking with 3 specific type of weapon: sword,
haftrm, polesrm, flex wespon, unarmed, launcher, shortrm (pistols / SMGs), e, shotzun
throvwn, shicld, borst instrament, insrument. 1f duslwielding your chosen weapon type, you
add the offense bomus from thi effct t both atacks. Automatically Duration: Permanent. 4 SP
per 1 offens.

7
Knoekdown Attack: make an atack as normal: it also knocks down the target (it takes an
entre move acton to stand back up). 3 SP.
Roek: make an atack as normal: it lso causes th target (0 lose thei next main action. 6 SP.
Stop-Hit: sacrifce your main acton next tu to imimediately male an atsck on somcone (in
range of your currntly equipped weapon) that i about 0 attack: i your offense s igher than
their defense, they do not atack. Automatcally Speed: nterupt. 3 SP.

+ Only sacrifice move acion: +4 SP
Beat Back: instead of making s hand-to-hand atack, push the target back 1 side. 1 SP.

« Make hand-to-hand attack and push target back: 14 SP

Hound: cach time you atack a particular enemy in a row without atacking another enemy,
you gain +1 atack offense on them, Like this, atack 2 1, atack 3 -2, aack 4 +3, ctc.
Special atacks like harrage, stop-hit,punish, hust back riposte, etc all count towards this
effet. Automatcally Duration: Permanent. 3 SP.

Overwhelms cach fum you sttack o paricelar cnemy in & v, you get a +1 bonus to atack
offense on them. Like thi, turn 2: 1 tum 3: -2, tum 4: +3 ctc. You can taget other encrnis.
it attacks and Specials, just as long as you make at last one attack on the overwhelmed
target per tum. Docs no stack with Hound. Can overwhelm mulsiple targets simultancously.
Automatically Duration: Permancnt. SP.

Hem In: for one atack, gt 4 bonus o offense for cach (combat<apsble) comrade adjscent to
the taget. 1 SP per +1 offense

Surprise Attack Bonus: bonus offense when atiacking an enemy unavae of your presence.
Offense double if attack is hand-o-hand: 1 SP per +1 ranged offense / +2 hand-to-hand
offense

Load Ups skip main setion this urm o double your offense when you attack next turm. § SP.
Blitz: bonus fo hand-o-hand atack’s offens, but you must move in a staight line for your
entre move score. 1 SPper +1 offens.

Encore: after merking an cnemy with an attack (includes counteratacks and other stack
Specials), make an immediate fre atack on an coeny in range. Unlimited uses. 7 SP.

Back Attack I: bonus offense to one attck made 1o an enemy’s back. 1f hand-to-hand: must
e oceupying the square dircety behind the target. If ranged: must be occupying the 1-squire-
‘wide line dirtly bebind the target. 1 SP per | offnse,

Back Attack I: for one tum,atack a econd time for free when sttacking an enermy’s back.If
hand-to-band: must be occupying the square dirccly behind the target. I ranged: must be
occupying the |-square-wide line dirctly behind the target. If you slso use ack atack | he
offense bonus only applies to one of the ttacks. 7 SP.

Shadow Attack: for one atack, attacking someone's shador i the same as atacking their
actual body: 2 SP.

Criical Hit: you have the chance to deal extra offense with 4 specifc type of wespon
(automatically Duraton: Permanent). Pick & number on your chosen weapon's spinaer;
whenever you land that umber, you dish out extra offense. Here's the math:

hons offense] x

hance of it appening] x 4 = total SP cost

Soif your chosen weapon i @ spear (polearm, 510) and you want it to do an extra 20 offense
(20 SP) whenever you land a 3 (10% chance), you're just taking 10% of 20 (3 SP), and
multplying i by 4 total SP cost is . Easy shi. No increasing your critical ange past one-
quarer of the spinner'stotal numbers. Tnstead of offense, you can spark an cffect when you
land o critcal

5P costof effect] x [% chance of it appening] x

Coitical s are ane of th best holers for your dollr: you'se paying almost nothing in SP 0
sive every atack spinthe chance of a massive bons.

7
Charging Bon:
pointof offense
Charge Counter: +1 offense when spinning against charging enemics. Automatially
Duration: Permanent. 1 SP per point of offense.

Ranged Charge Counter: if you're wielding a rnged weapon and spin higher than the cncmy
charging you, they stop & number of sirdes short o you equal 1o the offense you beat them by
“This includes thrown weapons. Automaticaly Duraton: Permarcot. 4 SP.

Shoat Charger: when wilding ranged weapon, pop a charging cnemy (who's charging
someone els) that pases through your ange. Autoratically Specd: Iterrupt 4 SP.

Charge Knockdown: when you spin @ higher offense than an enemny during a charge they
Knocked dovn (it takes move action 0 sand back up). Unlimited uses. 3 SP.

41 offense when charging. Automatically Duration: Permanent. 1 SP p

Grappling Bonus: +1 0 srapple sins. Automatcally Duration: Permancnt. 2 SP pr point.
Cerebral Grappling: add your smart score (insead of your strong or fst) 1 your grapple
spins. Automatically Duration: Permanca. 3 SP.

Grappling Throw: when you win a grapple (does't mater if you iniiated 0, you can theow
hat enemy a square in any diretion (from the square you currently occupy). Target also
knocked prone. If you did iniiate the grapple and choose 1o throw, you can't also hold the
target in place. Unlimited uses. 3 SP.

*Two squares: £3 SP.

« Collson: ifthrovwn cneny colides with another encn, both take offene. 2 SP per point
Grappling Offense: whenever grappling (win or lose, doesn't matte if you nitiated i) you
exert a clinch, choke, lock, or slam that puts offene on the enemy you'ss grappling with
Chosen grappling primary i sdded tottal offense. Unliited uses. 3 SP per point of offense.

“The only modificrs Attack Specials are allowed to have are Use and Duration:

Use: Once perFight total SPx2
Use: Unlimited (but ot more than once pes tum) total SP3
Duration: Combat (can use any numbes of times i one Gight) total SP3

Duration: Permanet (unlimited uses and any number oF wses pes tum) | . total SP xS

7
Offensive Effects

Straight Offense: 1 SP per | offense. Spinner option: | P per half of spnee’s maximurn (s0
3P for 56 offense, 4 SP for s offense et). This effec canalso be made ito & modifesatany

Mop Up: if taet i ad out when this ffec is used o them, double your offense. 2 SP.
Offense if Still: enemy takes offense f they don't move at least one stride their next tum,
Targetwill be e of the ffect. 1 SP per 2 offense.

Offense if Mobile: enemy takes offense if they move even a single stride before the end of
their next turn. Taget il be aware of the efeet. 1 SP per 2 offense

Back Attack I11: double offense when trgeting an cnems’ from beind. For exampl, i you
spend S SP giving this Special S offense, it deals 10 offese when atacking an enemy' back,
but S offense from any other angle. If adjacent: must be occupying the square diectly bekind
the targt I ranged: must be occupying the 1-square-wide line diectly behind the argel Base
effct costis 1 SP (adding offemse is sual price of 1 SP per | offense).

Deluge: tis ffect gives you a bonus for every attack o offensive Special sed o your target
since the end of your st turm. 1 SP per offense. (Exampl: i you spent 4 SP on this effect and
3 of your comrades attacked the targe s your lastturm, you would then deal 12 offense to
the target.)
Stagger Offense: splt offense of Special o tht
‘Oceursat the beginning of your tum. 2 umeyeles: S
-3 wmeyeles: 33.3% lss
No Caver: this Special surpasses any cover the encny has taken (includes being behind other
characers). To be clar,thei defense score sl applics. 2 SP
Power Up the more acion costyou pay, the more powerful this Special gets:
) Speed: Interrapt = 14 this Specials default offense, B.) spend only move sction = 112
offense, C) spend main action = normal offense, D) spend both main action and move action
2 offense, . spend this main action and your next main action = X3 offense, ) spend your
main action and move action this tum and your next tum = x4 offense (eleases on second
um). Always round up offense. 2 SP per 1 default offense.
Chambered: wser can divide up this Special’s total offense however you want. Using o
emaining porton of offense has no acion cost, nd can be done i the middle of others” urns.
For cxample. after you pay the action cost o & chanbered Special with 10 offense, you can
nail a target with 3 offense ight away (no acton cost), then blas a differnt targt for 2
offense (a0 action cost), then use that remaining 3 offense on another target (sl 1o action
cost), or it until afer your turn and intermpt an cnemy with that emaining 3 offene. To
reiteate: A) you only pay the action cost of this Special once, B.) using any amount of
remaining offense has Speed: Interrupt, and C.) vou can use as ltle or as much of he
Special’s offense cach time, unil you've expended the entirety of the Specia’sotal offense. A
chambered Special lasts until the end of the fight scene, or about five minutes outside of
Combt 15 SP per | offens.
+ Fixed divisions: chambered offense divided into predetermined amounts (For exampl, 9
offense manifested as 3 blasts of 3 very fime, or § offense divided ito 4 jots of 4 every
time,et): -25% offense cost

happens equally over muliple tumeyeles

“The back of the book is @ spinner. 6" means a spinner from 1 1o 6, 512"
mcans spinner from 1 0 12 ee. To use it hld the loaped end of paper cip
or guita sring trimming on the center dot with & pen. Flick the other cnd
Wherever it ands n the ring you're spinning for is the resul.

"
Bloodlusts this offensive Special can be used a no sction cost immedisely afer merking an
cnemy. 3SP.
Death Dealer: cach time you merk an enemy, you ge astacking +1 bonus 1 al offense. This
bonus luss the estofthe fight sceme. Automatically Duraton: Permacat. S SP.

you heal the same amount ofoffense you ol on an enemy with this efect. 3 SP per

« Siphon healing 0 selfor any comade in range: +3 SP.
Recail: also deals offense to user (surpasses defense). Subtract Specials offense cost by the
offense caused to the user

Mine: ance you pay this Special’ action cost, is locked onto s location or object ithin
range. You can detonate i at will, or assign it 1o trigaer when here’s movement within a
certain prosimity. You can detonaté the mine from any distance. A placed mine lasts about &
day. 2P

Mine undetectabl to cnemics: 2 SP « Mine doesn'texpire: 2 SP
Trade Defense for Offenses lower your defense score, and increase your offense by the same
nusber. Must be in sctual combat: targt shooting or kicking down a door won't he affcted.
Capped a1 3 defenseloffnse per level. Offense bonus applics to sl offense for cxactly one
wmeyele (so. both. strikes iF dual-wiclding, counteratacks, all offensive Specals_etc).
Remember negative defense score does tha much exta offense t you. No acion cost. 2 SP.
Kinetic Charge: give an everyday item the offense of a classical weapon. Reach weapans
must_actally have reach (lke a broom) and two-handed weapons must actally be
functionally two-handed (ke a guitar). Kinetic charge lasts fo a fight scene (or about five
minutes outside of combat). Weapon speciaist doesn't apply to kineically charged weapans,
but efects like thrown offense up and reach weapon nwofer do. No acton cost o kinctically
chasge an obect. § SP.

Knoekdowns knock down an enemy (i takes an entire move action 0 stand back up). 1 SP.
Lock: arget moves zero stides next tur. Taret can stll rface, move the rest of thei body
normally, and use their move action for something else (lke a Special with Speed: Move-
Equivalent) 1 SP.
* Can't refce: <3 5P,
+ Superlock: taret is compleely immobile uni the end of thet next tum (no defense, no
actons): 47 SP
Deny X Action: targetloses ther next move action: 1SP.
* Targe loses thei next main action: 2. SP
+ Targe loses al ation: unable 0 act untl the end of theis next tum (no main action, move
action,or Specials with no action cost): 4 SP

Porcupine: whenever an encmy maves into a square adjacent (0 you, they instantly ke
offense. Automatically Duraton: Permancat. 2 SP per | offense.

Reactive Offense: whenever an encmy puts offense on you, you instantly deal this ffects
offense o them. Automaticaly Duraion: Permanent. 2 SP per 1 offense.

+ A enemy within 2 sirdes (maximum upgradeabl range): +2 SP

Defense Down: decrease defense in taget for | urneyele. Defuul is Speed: Move-Equivalent,
and all speed modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. 1 SP per 1 defense. (You can
instead have this effect give an offense borus of the same number 0 anyore attacking or using
offensive Specials on the target, since the resul is the same either way. Choice mustbe locked
in before Special finalized.)

Offense Down: decrease ffense in target for | tumeyele. Defiultis Spesd: Move-Equivalent,
and sl speed modifiers cost 25% les than thei usualprice. 1 SP e | offnse.

Move Score Down: decrease target’s move score. Defuul s Specd: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Auomatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
per stride

75
sarm: currntly held weapon's (includes instruments) of arget are dropped. 3 SP.
« Weapon stripped (and immediately wickdable: +2 SP.
« Launch: target’s weapn gocs fying S strides dircly back. 1 hand-o-hand weapon,
it offense iscaused to the frst character i s path: +5 SP
Deshield: currntly held shield oftarget isdropped. 2 SP.
Disarm Punish: when an enemy makes a hand-to-hand atack on you and thei offense is
lower than your defense, disarm them of whatever they attack with (Key decides where
weapon lands). Automaticlly Specd: Interrupt 2 SP.
« Can sep then immediately wieldtargets weapon: +1 SP
+ Targe’s weapon goes fying 5 stsdes directy back. 12 hand-to-hand weapen, s offense is
caused toanyone i ts traectory: +3 SP.

Siek Move: fo one atack or offensive Special, gin an offense bonus o 2 per level, but you
must specifically namate how you gain it — clever use of the cnvironment, wedkness you
clocked in arge,jus acinematic surge of pawer . Aulomaically ance per fight (can'thave.
umber of uses ugraded, o buy multples f his cffct). SP.

Burn Special I sacrifce an unspent Special's fo the day. For every SP you sacrifce, add a
point of offense o the offenive Special you use his tum. No action cost Unlmited uses. 1 SP.
Swap Offense Type: pick an offense type (e, cold, electricity, acid, psionic, explosive,
blunt, shar, void tc). You can now change the offense type of any olher Special You have (0
this offense type. Bach time you buy tis effect is for a different offense type. Unlimited
number of swaps, no action cost 2 SPper offense type.

Engine of Ruin: whenever you use a Special that causes offens, add your smat sore (0 he
offense caused. Doesn't apply o Specials that use atack effects. For effcts thal cause
recuring offense (chambered, stagger offense, offensive Specials with Duraton: Comba, etc)
add your smart score every time offense s deat. Automatically Duration: Permanent, SP.

Defense still applics to Specials.

Specil’s offense - targets deense

Mense put on target

7
Defensive Effects

if uscr atacked by an enemy flanking them direcly opposite another cncmy,
mmediaely using this Special will edirct the atack.from th user 1o he encmy flanking
opposite. 2SP.
Slip 1: if user attacked hand-to-hand by an enemy adjacent 1o another enemy, immediately
using this Special will redirct the attack 1 the enemy adjacent o the attacker. Automatically
Specd: Interupt. 2 SP.
Projectle Shell: make one square invulnerable to all incoming projectle, physical or
supernatural. Can uncomfortbly squecze two average-sized characters i this shell (possible
actons probably resicted) 3 SP.
Perfect Shel: arget s sumounded by a forcefield that prevents any force of matter from
enteing or exitng. Target can be a fxed areo. I targe i imstead an object or characte, the
Shell will move with the target. 1 used with Duration: Combat during a fight,the sbsolute shell
instead lasts about five minutes (lss if the user wants). Can uncomforably squeeze two
average.sized characters n this shel (possible actons probably resricted). 3 SP.
Bulwark: conjure an unmoving frce / shicld shout one square stride (big cnough fo cover, but
100 small o flly obsruct most doorways). The bulwark has 10 merk for every 1 SP spent on i
Size can b increased a higher SP prices, and merk isspread evenly (example i you put 4 SP
into this efect, you could conjure A. o wall that's 1 square with 40 merk. B. a wall that's 4
squares with 10 merk each, or C.a wall that's 2 squares with 20 merk cach). Bulwark must be
planted on the round (can"t be knocked over). Speed: nterupt cost i xS instad of usual 2.

+ Bulwark can be suspended n the ar: 4 SP

+ All offense from the attack or Special that merks the bubvark is compleely absorbed

(remaining offense does not pas 10 any target behind): 2 SP

Fallproof: you aren't hurt by falling anyhing less than 3 stories. Automatically Duration:
Permaneat. 1SP.

Uslust by a ful of any distance: +3 5P
Immovable: target can' be moved against thei wil or 1 tumeyele. No oction cost 2 SP.
Move Frealy: taser's movement / posiion not affeced by Speeials (unless they want it 10 be)
for I tumeyele. No acton cost. 3 SP. Any SP spent o immonabie can be respent on his cict
Juggernaut: arget can't have their move action or theis main acton taken from them for |
fumeyele. No action cost. 1P,

you are permanenly unable o be knocked prone. 4 SP.

‘when knocked down, o acton cost {0 retum (0 standing on your um. Automatically
Duration: Permanent. 1 SP.

uring surpis atacks, use yous fll defense. 3 SP.
o can'tbe disarmed. Automtically permanent. 2 SP.

Immune to Deshicld: you can'tbe deshielded. Automaticaly permanent. 1 SP.

Immune to Stat Altration: you can't have your stats alered by anything except your own

Specials, o leveling up. Automaticaly pesmanent. 4 SP.

Immune to Mental Intrusion: social effcts from the maripulation block (insaniy 1o plant

memory) don't work on you. Automatically Duration: Permancnd. 4 SP.

" Ko when someone ties o use one of these effects on you, and who it was: +2 SP

Deteet Mental Intrusion: user knows wilh certainty ifa social effct rom the manipulation

block (nsaniny to plant memors) has been used on the target. 2 SP

« Know identity of mentaliteuder: +2 SP.

Rupture Shapechanging: tarset stays in thei orignal form for one tumeyele (also protects

from shrinking and enlarzing). 1 this ffect used on & target whose form has been changed by

someone lower level than the user, they immedistely revert to their natual form. Default is

Speed: Move-Equivalent, and allspeed maifcrs cost 25% lessthan ther usualprice. 2 SP.

Rupture Stat Alteration: within the targt aca,al stat aheratons that re less than Duratior:

Permanent are ngted. 2 SP.

id
Intereept Arrow: wsget breaks or snaches one arrow; blt, o similar ammunition they re he
targetof, o that passs through their occupied square. Automaticaly Speed: Interupt. 2 SP.

+ Cument square or adjcent square: +2 5P

Divert Arrow: arzel ediects the ajectory of one artow; bolt, or similar ammuniton they're
the targt of, o that passs through their occupied square. The line of fire can be moved on
siride o s I o ight, and maintais s normal offens. Automaticaly Speed: nterupt. 4 SP.

« Curtent square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Intereept Bullet: target stops one bulll, photonic bol or similar ammuniton they're the
tangetof, o that passs throush their occupied square. Automatcaly Speed: Interupt. 7 SP.

« Curment square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Divert Bullet: target redisects the trajectory of one bullet, photonic bolt, or similar
ammonition they'e the targe of, o tha passes through ther occupied square - he tectory
ca be redircted one stride (0 is e or right, and mainains it normal offense. Automatially
Speed: Interrupt. 10 SP-

- Current square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Divert Speclal: target redieets the trajectory of one Specialthy'e the targetof, o tht passes
through thei aceupied square, up 0 a certan offense amount — the line of ir can be moved
ome stride 0 is el or right. Automaticlly Speed: Intrrupt. 1 SP per 1 offeas rediected.

« Curtent square or adjacent square: +2 5P

Reflect Special: target rellecs offense from a Special they were the target of back 1o the
Characer that targeted them, up to the offense cap of this efec; the remaining offense s taken
a5 normal. Effect not reflected. Automatically Speed: Inerrupt. Base cost: 3 SP, +1 SP per
offense eflcted instead oftaken.

* Mimor a Specialtageting currnt square o adjacent square: 2 SP

« Mimor to snotherencimy in Special's isted range: -3 SP

Store miored offense until atr tum, targeting any encrmy within the Special'slisted range

(sputtes out by end of igh: 4 P

- Will miror back any effet's as well s the Specials offense: 5 SP

Absorb Offensive Special: when tarzeted by a Specil that deals offense (including atack
Specals), tha offense instead heals you up 1 the imit of this effct the remaining offens is
taken as normal Automatcally Speed: nterupt. 1 SP per | offense healed

« Cursent square or adjacent square: +3 SP.

Bail Artst: give up nexttum to completely dodige an attack. Must decide to use this Special
efore enemy offense s spun. Automaticaly Speed: Intrrupt. 2 SP.

* Dodae atack or Special: -1 SP

Dive for Cover: rade your entire next move acton (o immediaely (Speed: Interrupt) throw
yourslprone. 2 SP

+ Also move one st

e 25P

Fuckwithme I an enemy within sight takes a penalty that lasts unil they attack you No
acton cost. 1 SP per -2 defense /1 SP per -2 offens.

Fuckwithme I1 al enemies in the fight scenc face a penalty unil they attack you. No action
cost. 1 SP per-2 defense/ 1 SP per -2 offens.
Take One for Yas user tkes the offensc hat was dirceted tovards & comrade. Automatically
Speed: Interrpt. Adjacent comrades: 2 SP.

"+ Any comrade in sight: 3 SP

Delay Wounds: use tis effect immedisely aftr the targ
one wmeyele. Auomatcally Speed: nterrupt. 3 SP.

"+ Two tums: +4 5P

Blood Buddies: two consenting tagets split all offense aken equaly between them
Automatically Duration Combat. 2 SP.

+ Every additional blood buddy: +2 SP

takes offense t0 dely that offense

7%
Cryopilics you handle the cold well. ou A. aren't affected by the effet ieese, B take half.
offense from any cold-based Specias (round down), C. aren't affcted by cold weather, cold
water, or anything less than about -80 degeecs Fahrenheit, and D. can't take thermophilc.
Auormaticallypermanent. S SP.
Thermophilic you dig the hat. You A. aren't affected by the ffect hea, B take half offense
rom any heat-based Specials (round down), C. aren't afected by ot weathe, scalding water,
o anyibing less than about 200 degrees Fahvesheit, and D. can't take eryophilic
Automatically permancat. S SP.

Immune (0 Offense Type: for one tumeyele the target (and ther gear) are immune (0 o
predetermined offense type. Snce every seting is differet n offense ype commonness, Key
approval is required. Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all speed modifies cost 25%
less than their sl price. Pried by commonness of affense ype.

« Dominant (ncaly all enermics i the seting use 0): § SP

« Common (sbout halfofal enermis se 0): 3 P

« Uncommon (a minority of all enemics use i) 2 SP

« Rare (sce it in maybe | outof 10 fghts) 1 SP

Resistant o Offense Type: you have a permancnt rsistance (0 @ predetermined offense type.
Since every seting s different in offense type commonness, Key spproval i required. Every
point spent on resistance 1o on offense type can be put towards purchasing immunity 1o it
{above effct). Prices by commonness of offense type (examples are if our workd was the
settng).

« Dorminant lke bullts: 3 SPper | defense

« Common (ike shar trauma: Knives | arows | machetes etc: 2 SPper | defense

« Rare ke clecticty): 1 SP pr | defense

- Offense you resist withthis ffec s turned o healing, 1t 1: 1S total SP

Defense Ups increase defensc in tarzet for 1 sumeyele. Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent,
and al speed modifiers cost 25% les tha ther usual price. 1 SP per | defens.
Trade Offense for Defense: for every point you lower your offense, you increase your
defense by a point. Must be in combal. Capped at 3 offenseidefense per level or maximum
offense you can deal in a single acton (whichever lower). Lasts one tmeyele exacly (s0 if
used at the startof your trn, it Lsts until the tat of yous nxt ur; if usd at the end of your
turn,Lsts until the end of yous next turn) No action cost. 1 SP.
Offense Ups increase offense in targe for | torncycle. Defaulis Speed: Move-Equivaleat, and
ll speed modificrscost 25% less than their wsul price. 1 SPper 1 offense.

Move Score Ups increase target's move score. Defult is Speedt: Move Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Automatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
perstride

« Permanently increase move score: 3 SP per stride

Extra Move Action: give an extra move action (Largel can only use it on ther ). Must be
wsed 1o move - no substituting Speed: Move-cquivalent Specias. Auomatically Speed:
Inermupt. § SP.

i
Healing Effects

Straight Heal: 1 SP per 2 points healed. Spinner option: 1 SP per quarter of spinner’s
maximum (s0 2 SP for 8 of haling, 3 SP for 12 of healing etc). This efectcan also be made
into s modific o any tine.

Stagger Heallng: split Special’s haling s0 it happens equally over multple tumneyeles (tarts
immediaely). 2 tumeyeles: SP costof healing is 25% lss

3 meyeles: 33.3% less
Transfer Wounds: user akes on any amount of th trget’s offense taken. 3 SP.
Lifejack: you healthe same amount of offense you pu on an enemy with this efect. 3 SP per
2offense.
Siphon healing 0 elf or any comrade in range: 43 SP.
Regeneration: you automatically heal ot the start of your every tum (no action cost).
Automatically Duration: Permancnt. SP per | heling
Fount:divide up this Specials otal healing however vou want. Using a remaining porton of
ealing has no action cost, and can be used in the middle o others tums. For example, ater
vou pay the action cost of a fount Special with 10 healing, you can heal taret for S right
away (o action cost),then hel a different arget for 2 (n0 action cost), hen use hat emaining
3 healing on another target (st no action cost),or even wait ntil afer your turn and heal
Yoursll right before an ncoming attack, etc. To eiterate: A.) you only pay the action cost
once, B) using any remaining healing has Speed: Interrupt, and C.) you can use a litle or a5
much of the Special’ healing cach time, unil you've expended the entirey of the Special’s
total healng. A fount Special lsts until the end of the fsht scene, or sbout five minutes
outside of combal - if unused at the end of the durtion, the remaining healng fust goes
owands the user 1 P per | point of healing.

+ Healing divided into predetermined amounts (For example, 9 healing manifested as 3 blasts

3 every time, o § healing divided into 4 jols of s every time,etc): 25% healing cost

Cure Contagion: you fully il any non-supernatural sickness form the target. 1 SP.
Neutralze Bioactive Substance: a poison, oxin, venom, hallucinogen, ntoxicant, medicine,
et is rendered inert, even IF alrcdy ingested (user can choose a specific substance if they
want). Doesn't reverse the substance’s past effecs ([ke offense taken or healed ete). 3 SP.
Bring Back From Death: flly restore somcanc (o theie pre-death condition. The detals of
the effect — whethera itual, consersation with Death, or verturing into an afeife —are up (o
the Key. One-time use. 10 SP.

Burn Special I1: sacrifice an unspent Specials fo the day. For every SP you sacrifce, add a
point of healing o the healing Special you use this tum. No action cost. Unlimited uses. 1 SP.
Engine of Mending: whenever you use a Special with healing, add your smart score 10 how
much it heals. For effects that cause recursing healing (foun,stagger healing, healing Specials
wilh Duration: Comba, tc — but not regeneration) add yous smat score every time healing
occurs. Automatially Duration: Permaner. 3 SP.

50
Stat Effects

Primary Up: permancntly increase a primary by 1 poiat. (If increasing smart, don colect on
the S bonus SP) 7 SP.

Merk Up: permancntly increase merk. 1 SP per +1 merk.
Knowledge Bar: permancntly purchase a knowledge bar. 3 SP cach.

Offense Ups increase offense in targe for | turncycle. Defaulis Speed: Move-Equivaleat, and
ll speed madifierscost 25% less than their wsul price. 1 SPper 1 offense.

« Permanent increas: § SP per point of offense

Offense Down: decrease offense in target for | tumeyel. Defiltis Spesd: Move-Equivalent,
and al speed modifirs cost 25% les thanthei usualprice. 1 SP e | offnse

Defense Ups increase defensc in targe for | tumeyele. Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent,
and al speed modificrs cost 25% less tha ther usual price. 1 SP e | defens.

* Permanent increase: S SP per point of defense

Defense Down: decrease defense in taget for | wrneyele. Defuul s Sy
and all speed modifies cost 25% less than their usual prce. 1 SP pe
instead have this effec give an offense borus of the same number 0 anyone attacking or using
offensive Specials on the targe,snce the resul is the same either way. Choice mustbe locked
in before Special finalized.)

Trade Offense for Defense: for every point you lower your offense, you increase your
defense by a point. Must be in combat. Capped at 3 offenseidefense per level or maximum
offense you can deal in single acton (whichever lower). Lasts one tmeyele exacly (50 if
used at the startof your trn, it Lsts until the tae f yous next ur if usd at the end of your
turm,Lsts until the end o yous next turn) No action cost. 1 SP.

“Trade Defense for Offenses lower your defense score,and incrcsse your offense by the same
number. Must be in sctual combat: taret shooting or kicking down a door won' be affcted.
Capped 1 3 defenselofense per level. Offense bonus applis 1o al offense for cxaclly one
wmeyele (so. both surkes if dual-wiclding, counteratacks, all offensive Specials etc).
Remember negative defense score does that much extra offense t you. No acion cost 2 SP.

cd: Move-Equivalent,
1 defense. (You can.

Move Score Ups increase target's move score. Deful is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Automatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
perstride

- Permanent increase: 3 SP per siride
Move Score Down: decrease target’s move score. Defaul is Specd: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Auomatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
per sride.

Ruptare Stat Alteration: within the target aea, al stat leratons that re less than Duration:
Permanent are ngted. 2 SP.

Randomization: bow much a stat is altered docsn't have to be a fixed
sumber. To randomize, the SP cost is just half the spinner's highest number.
Example: to increase your offense by 312 for a urncyele, the cos is 6 SP. To
permancatly incresse you merk by 10, pay 5 SP, et

81
Movement Effects

Extra Move Action: give an extra move action (Larget can only use it on ther ). Must be
wsed 1o move - no substituting Speed: Move-cquivalent Specias. Auomatically Speed:
Interrupt. S SP.

Move Score Ups increase target's move score. Deful is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all
specd modifies cost 25% less than their usual price. Automatcally Duration: Combat. 1 SP
perstride

« Permanently increase move score: 3 SP per stride

Split Move: for one tum you can move, use a main sction, then move agsin, not exceeding
vourtotal move score. No ation cost 2 SP.

Pushs taret moves one stide dircctly awy from user. 2 SP.
* Target pushed an exrnstide: 3 SP
« Push moves arget in any dirction (ot just away from user): +2 SP.
+Collision: if targe is pushed into another charsctr,they both take offense (Key decides
where second enemy moves). | SP per pointof ffense
+ Tarzet also knocked prone (akes & move action 0 get back up) +2 SP
Switch: switch places with a comrade (remember default range is | stide). Auomatcally
Specd: Interupt. 4 SP.
" Can target non-comrades: +4 5P
+ Switch two characters: +4 SP
Comoke: you and a target move o the o, centermst squares between youse (can failin rare
instances of etraheavy orsccured tangets). 2 SP.
- Can choose which of the two centermost squares you land on: +2 SP
Slide: you move slde / step/pivot/ i) one stride afer a crtain rgger, not more than once
per tumeycle. Automatically Speed: Interrupt.
« Afte attacking (svoids counterattacks): 3 SP
Afte enemy moves into an adjscent square: 4 SP
ive for Cover: trade your entire next move action to immedisely (Spesd: Iterrupt) throvw
vourselprone. 2 SP.
+ Also move one s

e 25P

Lock: arget moves zero strides next turm, Target can stll reface, move the rest of thei body
normally, and use their move action for something else (lke a Special with Speed: Move-
Equivalent). 1 SP. - Can't efsce: 43 5P
+ Superlock: taget is compleely immobile unti the end of thee next tum (1o defense, no
actons): 47 SP
Deny X Action: targetloses ther next move action: 1 SP.
* Targe loses thei next main action: 2.SP
*+ Targe loses al ation: undble 0 act untl the end of theis next tum (no main action, move
acion,or Specials with no action cost): 4 SP

Fallproof: you aren't hurt by falling anyhing less than 3 stories. Automatically Duration:
Permaneat. 1SP.

« Uslurt by a al of any distance: +3 5P
Immovable: target can' b moved against thei will for 1 tumeyele. No oction cost 2 SP.
Move Frecly: taget's movemment / positon not affected by Specials (unlessthey want it o be:
can pick and choose) or | tumcyele. No action cost 3 SP. Any SP spent on inmovable can be
respent on this et
Knockdown Immuni

o sk permanently unsble o be knacked prore. 4 SP.

Knoekdown: knock down an enemy (i takes an entire move action 0 sand back up). 1 SP.
Kip-Up: when knocked down, no action cost 0 eturn 0 standing on your tum. Automatically
Duration: Permanent. 1 SP.

0
L sumper: ump up o the full disance of your move score for one tum. 3 SP.
« Jump the entirty of how fr you move in atur (50 also covers double-moving): +3 SP
I Climber: climb on any surface untl the strt of your next tum, movin up to your total
move score. Can use ane hand for non-climbing shit. 3 SP.
I Swimmer: swim as fist g5 your move score (defuult s half your move speed for
swimming). 3 SP.
Allsurface: vk and function on any surfoce ik i’ the ground unsil the sart of your next
um. 5 SP.
Grapnel-Shot: launch a rope lne / tether and have it securely atach (0 a surface or object
(vithoot harming it From there you can swing, hang, yank shi towards you, and detach the
rabbing end at will Lines length i fxed once grapnel secured (upgradeable). Line can hold
just e your weight. Automatically Use: Unlimited. Base ange: § scides. § SP.
« Can shoot and hold i lines simulancously: -3 SP
« Every addition] § srides of ength: +1 SP Gfyou have two lncs,applics to both)
+ Freely detractor extend the line,recling yourslf up or down i or recling n out a grabbed
obiect) with pefect control: +5 SP.
« Line can hold twice your weight: 2 SP
« Line can bold 1000 s (only +3 fprevious sub-effctslrady boughty: +5 SP

Glide: slde at will. I this ffec is active you can't be hust by falling. Automatially Duration:
Permaneat. 10 SP.
Qing-Gong: also called wire-fu. You can jump like you have il fumper (sbove) and glide
around ke vou're in low zravity. Can o longer be hurt by falling. Automatcally Dursion
Permancnt. 15 SP. (Any SP spent n gl can be respent buying this cfcr),

ight starts liited: you gota begin and end every tum on slid ground. Defult fight speed
is your move score. Automatically Durtion: Permancnt. 15 SP. (Any SP spent on gl or
ing-gong can b respent on this efect and issub-cflects)

« Unlimited figh / leviaton: +10 SP

« Can fy carrying another average-sized charscte or equal weight: +5

« Faster fight -3 SP per stride (permanent)

Projection: enter 5 rance-like stte to move and sense through an inangible phantom of
yourell Projection can speak, and appears s f the user i acualy there. Projection has merk |
Projection lass until destroyed o user cnds. Nothing suffered by projecton passes to user
Physical body incapacitatd and unpetceiving fo projecton’s duraton. 8 SP.
« Projection invisible when unmoving: +3 SP
« Projection can manifest anywhee you've been before: +8 SP.
« Projection ca very lightly afect the physical world (exert 2 Ib of force): +4 SP
« Projection can use asingle Special before mmediaely vanishing: +5 SP.
Projection can have any appearance or identity (deceives identificaion Specials, but can be.
defated with unseramble n the social ffectssection): +3 SP
Sense Projection: within your nommal range of sght / hearing you can detect any projection
wilh cerany. 1 SP.
Banish Projection: projection destroyed,consciousness retumed 1 projectors body. 1 SP.
+ Create a projection-banishing 7one up o about the sze of a chamber (endures unil sed o0
another area: +2 5P

Pass Through X: you (and your gear)ar able o move through a sold substance. You're fully
intangible to that substance, o i will also pass through you. Remember default duraion s one
meyel.

«Metal 15SP + Earth (stone /soil/conerete): 10SP+ Wood (lving or dead): 5P
“Glass:SSP « Textle (natural clothor synthetic abricsy 2SP - 1SP

5
Teleport: you (and your gear) are insantly tansported anywhere you can see. Defuult is
Speed: Move-Eauivalent, and all specd modifers cost 25% less than their usual price. I you
add offense o his effct it can happen from the point you teleport o or the point you eleport
rom; same with added healing. 14 SP.

« Anywhere you've been befurs (10 sightreqired): +7 SP

* Transdimensional: +5 SP

* Telepor ober. +1SP

« Bring an adjacent charactr: +4 SP

+ Teleport small group (vous crew plus two; must be adjacent): +12 SP (only +8 SP if you

already have e previous sub-effect)

Teleport Between X's: you (and your gear)ars instanly transported from an X 1o another X
within sght Default is Speed: Move-Equivalent,and all speed modifers cost 25% less than

their usual pric. « Trees (lving and plated inthe cart): 7 S
« Flowses (lving and plated in the cart): 6 SP
« Radio anteanac: § SP « Shadows (wide enough to it your body): 10 SP

« Bodics of wate at least s wide as your shoulders: 6 SP
« Bodics of water at last the size of eacups 11 SP (5 SP i you have the previous sub-effect
« Corpses larger than a bouse caty: 6SP » Fire (o east orch-sized): 6 SP
+ Between any curently It forges, firelaces, or ieepits you've seen before: 11 SP only 5 P
i you alscady have the previous sub-cffct)
« Mimors o least as wide a5 your body: 6 SP.
« Asigl that takes a tum 0 inscrbe (no defense that tuneyele though: 10 SP.
« A complex sealthat takes 10 minuts o nscrbe: § SP
No-Teleport Zone: create a zone up 10 about the size of @ chamber in which telepartaton is
mpossible (endures until used on another area): 2 SP.
+ Create a zone up t0 about the size of chamber in which teleportation and portal formation
are impossible (endures ntil usd on another arca) +2 P
Portal: two portals manifest snywhere within sight. Porials last untl wer decides o close
them or create a new pair. Defuul is Speed: Move-Equivalent, and all speed modifirs cost
259% less than thir usul price. Fissized: 10 SP. ~Persan-sized: 45 SP
+ Portalcan lead amywhere you've been before: <10 SP + Transdimensionl: +5 SP

Microkinesis: you have a permancnt (but minor) elekinetc field around you, active only
within arm's reach. You can leviate small objects, move them around nimbly, but not wi
enoush force o damage anything. 3 SP.
Telekinesis: you permanently have the abilty to move small obiects (within sight) around
wilhouttouching them: 12 SP (only 9 SP i you alrady have microkinesis)
* Megakinesis: human-sized items and human-sized chaacters (o7 a ower level). Can't case
more than 3 + your level's worth of offense et tum: +10 SP
kinesis: you permanenily have the abilty 1o move a specfic substance without touching it.
Can'tcause more than 3 = your levels worth ofoffense per turn.
“Wood: 12 SP +Gold: §SP »Any metal: 30 P +Fire: 13 SP Gluss § SP. Paper: 4 SP

square within range takes teo strides to pas throvgh, Automatically Durstion:

Bulwark: conjure an unmoving frce shickd shoutone square stride (big cnough fo cover, but
100 small o flly obsruct most doorways). The bulwark has 10 merk for every 1 SP spent on i
Size can b increased a higher SP prices, and merk is spread evenly (example: i you put 4 SP
into this efect, you could conjure A. o wall that's 1 square with 40 merk, B. 3 wall that's 4
squares with 10 merk each, or C.a wall that's 2 squares with 20 merk cach). Bulwark must be
plantd o the ground (can"t be knocked over). Speed: nterupt cost i x5 instead of usual 2

« Bulwvark can be suspended inthe air +4 SP.

+ All offense from the atack or Special that merks the bulwark is completly absorbed

(remaining offense does not pas 10 any target behind): 2 SP

8
Inerease Gravity: up to tipl graviy in one square. Moving through a square with doubled
graviy takes the equivalentof 2 strdes moved; hrough wipled, the quivalent of 3 strides. 2. 5P
persiride.

Decrease Gravi aviy i one square. 2 SP per sside.

Call Wind: a lasge area surrounding the uses i subject 0 @ wind tha blows in a fixed
dinccion. Any charactes moving with the wind gets 2 on stride bonus to movement, and any.
against takes a one siside penalty. Fiing lancher weapons any direction but with the wind
causes half offense. The wind will also speed along ying and sailing vessels, power wind
tarbines, blow away gas, fog, clouds, swarms, eal ligh objects etc. Automaically Duration:
Combat. SSP.

Solidify Air: you crate an unmavable solid shape that defis graviy and can beas about 1000
Tbs forevery level the user has. This shape can take any form (a plte, ring, bar etc), and can
only be destroyed by passing it weight limit the uscr ending i, merking the use, o using
rupture. The shape ofthe soldified ai i visibe, and can have any (predetermined) acshetic
Default duraton is about fve minutes (Duration: Combat). Priced by sie limit. Max size
aboutaverage human hand: § SP.

« Max size about an average human body: +7 SP

« Max size abouta chamber: 5 SP

Ambiguously outlined effects (“the size of & chamber”, “Key's call” tc)
ke the game moving and gloss over unineresting detils. Remersber that
stopping gameflow to get ino glasses-adjusting mmm-well-did-you-calculte-
the-radius type discussionis ot fucking fun.

85
Social Effects

Walkie-Talkie: creste o 2-way telepathi link wil sny one consenting character. Lusts untl
you create a new ane, or one of you ends it Target must be in sight at use, but once link
established it has no ange limit. Unlimited uscs. Automatically Specd: nterrup. § SP.

« Target docsa't have to be i sght (but you must know then personally): <2 SP.

- Additional characters: 1 cach « Transcends language barsiers: +10 SP

Misive: you send 2 short, spoken message (0 anyone you know. Automatially Specd:
ntcrrupt. 1SP.

« rivat telepathic messase only the ntended ecipient will perceive: +1 SP

- Visual clement addable: +1 SP ~ Anyone atal: 12 SP

Trace missive: know location of sender (a ime of missive being sen). 1 SP.
« Know idenity of sender: +1 SP

Imitate Voiee: replicate any voice you've heard at least doen words froms docsn' include.
vocabulary, personalty, or oher non-soic characteistics. No limit 1 use. 3 SP.

Instantly Learn Language: you are immediately and permanently flueat (1o bars) in o
language of your hoice. One-ime use. 6 SP.

Speak any Language: for about 2 minutes you can flunly spesk any lunguage. § SP.
“Talk With Non-Human Animal: ffect lss s lons s the conversaton. 2 SP.

“Talk With Corpse: taret no gusranteed to be cooperstive though. 3 SP.

“Talk With Ghost: chop it up with someone wha's passed on, no body required. I long dead,
valued possession o the deceased or presence in & place they'd most ikely haunt may be
reqired.§ SP (only 2 SPif upgrading talk with corpsc).

Tlk With Statuc: ISP Talk With Gemstone: 2SP. Talk With Buildings 5 SP.
Talk With Tree: 3P Talk With Body of Water: 3SP. Tk With Cloud: § SP

Unbreakable Oath: the oatiake will know hat they Il e physically unabl to break the oath
they are shout o make. One-time use, o lesst some el rquired. 1 SP,

Deteet Lie: know when a specific statement made within carshot was deliberately misleading
Can detect something said 3 few seconds in he past Automatically Specd: Intrrupt. 4 SP.

Deteet Malevolence: ping the nearby area for anyone that means you harm. 3 SP.
+ Know exact location o charsctr'stht mean you harm: +2 5P

Trackings plant an inangible tracker. Exiss unsil ruptured o wser crestes another tracker
Tracker can only be sensed with i viewing, detec Special, and the next effect 3 SP.

Deteet Tracking: ping the nearby area for he above effect 1 SP.

Move Tracker: discretl relocatea supernatualtrscker. 1 SP.

Good-Looking: you probably et hit on a lot (fo beter o worse), and end (0 get you way a
litle mors than the average person. 3 SP.

Ugly: not even close o taditionally good-looking, but somcbods' thing no doubt. Good luck
ot here. -3 SP (that's 3 extra P to spend on any other Special, since you actualy had to work.
ard and develop a personality — good on you)

Phobia: you have _an irational and overwhelming aversion to something. Requires Key
approval. -1 SP 1o -5 SP depending on commonncss: -1 would be something like doctors, a-3
something like dogs, nd 2 -5 somelhing ik bodis of water.

Minor Celebrity: you'e a biz deal in 3 small community: the neizhborhood you came up in,
or maybe a small scene no a lot of people follow (ke a world-famous powersiolence
musician, a legendary graf aris, a national handball champion, a local folk hero o rightcaus
gangstr ec). 4 SP.

86
make o side charactr with 3 lower smart score temporariy insane. Key decides
nature and duration of insanity. Smarter characters will sl eperience minor symploms. 4 SP.
Notion: you pive a side character with a lower smart score v desire or inclinatin. S SP.
Sympatico: muke the araet more fiendly tovards you than they currently are. The less
intelligent the tanget the mre they1l be influcnced (1his includes non-humans). Key decides
duration (usually onger th Les ntellgent hey are). § SP.
No Sympatico: make the target less Tiendly lowards another side character The less
intellizent the target, the more they'Il be influnced (his includes non-humans). Key decides
duation (usually longer th Les ntellgent hey are). § SP.
Wimp'd: seciously dial down the courage and mental foritude of the arget Less ineligent
targetsalmostalways runin feas, but ulimate evel of effectand duration is Key's call. §SP.
No Filter: make the araetobliviously blun, just saying whatever comes to mind. Key decides
duration the lower their smart scor the onger tlsts). 3 SP.
Read Mind: momentasily observe surface thonghts of target: 3 SP.

+ Ascertin specifc memry or knowldge (asget will be aware of this sub-ffect being used

on them): +12 SP

Plant Memory: creae o alte one memory in & target with s lower st score. 10 SP,

Immune to Mental Intrusions the previous 14 effcts (insaniy o plant memory) don't work.
on you. Automatcally Duration: Permancnt. 4 SP.

Ko when someone tie use one of these effects on you, and who i was: +2 SP

Deteet Mental Intrasion: user knows with certinty if an effect from the previous block
(insaninyto plan memors) has been used on th target. 2 SP.

« Know identity of mental iteuder: +2 SP.

Read Character: know ifa charactr within sight i higher o lower level than you, and get a
vague idea of their stats. No action cost 1 SP.

Ldenify Object: gain detaled knowledze of an tem within eyesight. Key Narmator must
describe the make-up, unction, and some recent history of the object. SP.

Ldentify Character: zin some knowledge of a characte within eyesight: Key Narator must
el you hei name and short descripton of what thei i islke. S SP.

Seramble Identty: give tarzet a bullshi identit that will be fd 1o anyone tying to dentify
the tanget through supernatural means. Unlimited uses. 1 SP.

Unseramble: you re pesmanently able (0 deect scrambling. Key must offeryou some type of
purre to decode that represent the scramble (includes projection and inhabi corpse sub-
effcts). When puzzle defeated, Key must reveal the information hidden on the other sde of
the scrambling. 2 SP.

8
Sense Effects

Photographic Memory: perfectly recall any image or sight you've witnessed. Automatically
Duration: Permanent. 4 SP.
Phonographic Memory: perfectl recall ny sound. Automstically Dursion: Permaneat, 3 SP.

: s aboutas far s a falcon (automatically permanca). 3 SP.
Sec bt signatures for one umneycle. 3 SP.

seectively see hrough mater for one turneycle. 3 SP.
- automatically Durtion: Permanent. 3 SP.

Echolocation: Like a bat. You have an understanding of the surrounding area a5 if you had
one around feeling out and knocking on every inch of it Always acive 10 SP.

Acute Hearing: your snse of hearng i (permancatly) s keen as the sverage ca’s 4 SP,
Scent: your sense of smell s (permanently) as powerful as the average dog's. 8 SP.

Remote Viewins

v your visusl vantage point anywhere your setual physical eyes can sce.
Target can be an area or characte. Once vantage point s set, it an rotate but is otherwise
locked onto tanet (10 be clea, will ollow mobile tasgets around). Can be sensed with e
viewing, detect Special. etc. No action cost, default duration is about five minutes (Duration:
Combat). 3 SP.

« Anywhere you've been before: +5 SP

« Vaniage not fixed; can move around at use's base move specd: +7

Remote Hearin

move your sonic vantage point amywhere you can currently see. Targt can
e an area or characte. Vantage locked on once used (1o be clear, will follow mobile asgels
around). Can be sensed with irue iewing, deect Specia, etc. No action cost, default duraton
is bout five minutes (Duraton: Comba). 2 SP.

« Anywhere you've been before: +3 SP

+ Vaniage not fixed; can move around at use's base move specd: +2
(CCTV: creae a fived vantage point (boh visualand sonic) you can check a any time, and will
rernain unil you crate snother ane. Can b sensed with e viewing, deteet Special et 3 SP.
Unsurveillable: reate 2 zone up 10 about the size of a chamber that nobody can remolcly
observe through the previaus 3 efeets. Endurcs il used on another arca. 3 SP.

Blind: take away a characters sight for 8 tumeycl. IF used doring a fght scenc, hey cither
attack random squares,run off, o attack the source ofany teling sound. 3 SP.
Deafen: take away s character' hearin for o tumeycle. 1 SP.

True Viewiag: for one turneycle you're immune to visual lusion, invisibilty, blinding, and
can see supermaturaly concealed phenomena. § SP.

“True Hearing: for one tumeycle you're immune o sonic illasions and deafening. 2 SP.
Anti-llusion Zone: create a zone up to about the size of 4 chamber where illusions don't
work propesly, ideally malfunctioning hilasiously. Endures until sed on another arca. 10 SP.
Deteet Lifeforms: gt an idea of sl narby biological 1. 2 SP.

Alarm: create an inangible tipwire tha can range from the width of a single stride (0 the
perimete of a chamber-sized area. Alarm signal can be visual o sonic, ranging from loud-
ass cacophony 10 @ sol chime private (o he user's mind. IF offense s added o this effect it
will be rigacred when the alarm s tripped, and only applies t the square tht was breached
“The alarm iself can be sensed with true viewing, detect Special, and the nex! ffec. Lusts until
ispped, user negate, o use creaes a new alarm. 3 SP.

Deteet Alarm: automatically Duration: Permanert. 1 SP.

Juke Alarm: discreetly relocat, pass by, or otherwise alter a supernatural alarm. 2 SP.

8
Ilusion Effects.

—lusions last bout § minutes, and start with a ange of S stvides (can be upgraded from
here). Size / areaare limitd by complexity and the Key's good judgment.

Minor Hlusion: vessatie but weak. Create soft music, a spring brceze, a pleasant fragrance, hot
garbage reck, a fake wound, a single minor facial feature altraton, confet burting around a
basner that reads “his i e, tc. Unlimited uss, bt only one llusion at tme. 10 SP.
Create Sound: any iteration of a sound the user has heard. Can accuraely rcreate a voic,
evea holding an enireconversation (mus have heard voiee of original speaker). § SP-

(Create Visage: any sght the user can imagine. Docs not gencrate sound or othessensory. The
larger and more animated th visage the more diffcul i i o pull off. Forcxample, i the usr
ires o maintain an claborate disguise while concentratng on a task,or project a whle brigade
of charging cavaly,there may be glitchy inconsistncies viewers can spol. § SP.

Major Hlusion: combines various complex sensory input. You can create an illusory chest of
silvr that is beavy and clinks snd shimmers and i cool to the touch, conjure a well-spoken
customs officer that smell fainly of temple incense and has a firn handshake, project a
sturdy-looking rope bridge over the perilous gorge ele. As abways, the more camplex the
illusion the more diffcul it is o maintan. 13 SP (any SP aleady spent on create sound or
create visage can be respent buying thiscffct).

Gotchacopies: a fllllsion of the target appeaes ex o them, indeciphersble from the target
I the insant this Special is used,the targe may choose o switch places with thir gotchacopy
for free. The gotchacopy simultancously imittes whatever hei orginal i doing,only slightly
diffrently (sometimes bizrrely), and says in an adjacent square. A gotchacopy ill 20 up in
smoke when ssuck, and won't stop (o even slow) projectles or sinning attacks. To be clear,
gotchacopies are intangible, have 0 ofense, and can'talfetthe warld. 3 SP per gotchacopy:

Counter alter somcone else's llusion i a small way. To be clear, his efect works on
any other llusion effect. Automatcally Speed: Intcrrupt. The character that initlly conjured
the illusion mintains ulimate control nd is fre to disppear your counterilusion 8 so0n a5
they notice. 1 SP.

Countercounterillusion: instant and undefendsble offense towards any character tying 1o
‘counteillusion any of your illusions. 1 SP pe 3 offense.

Know Iocaton of counterllusionis +2 5P

Ant-llusion Zone: create a zone up to about the size of 4 chamber where illusions don't
work properly, ideally malfunctioning hilariously. Endures until used on anothe arca. 10 SP.

Invisibilty: other characters can sill hear the tasget, smell them, see how they affect the
environment, see shit thrown on top of them ctc. Slightly visble when moving. Targets
cquipment lso invisible, but not anything they hokd or equip affer becoming invisible. 10 SP.

« Invisble even when moving (-3 (0 offense and defense): +15 SP

Melt Into Shadows: you et 3 bonus to stalth whenever you're in shadow. Automatically
Duration: Pemanent. 1 P per +1 o stcalth.

Cloak of Verdancy: you et s bonus 1o stcath whenever you'se in a tre, a bush, tall grass,
seaweed, or ther folage. Automatically Duration: Permancnt. 1 SP per +1 o scalt.

Cloak of Mist: you zet a honus to sicalth whenever you'te in the mist, fog, o clouds.
Autommatically Duration: Permancat. 1 SPper +3 to sealh.

Cloak of Tides: you et a bonus to stealh whenever submerged (314 or more) in water
Autommatically Duration Permancnt. 1 SP per +3 to sealh,

Chameleon Skin: at will your skin changes color to blend into your surroundings. You can
also frecly change it o whatever color/patten you fecl. Automatically Duraton: Permanent.
3 to stalth when sctive. 7 SP.

Silence: all oise in tanset area s compltely suppressed. Area can b fxed on @ character or
location (remember the default area for a Special i | square). 3 SP.

5
Death Effects

Animate Corpses tum a dead characterinto the undead and put thern immedistely under your
control. Animated corpses use thei pre-death stats, minus Specials. Higher intelligence,
memories, specch, and the coondination required to make ranged attacks are los. Offensc
taken restored to zero. Once destroyed s undead, they con't be reamimated. Corpse must be
reasonably whole: if immolated, disintegrted, vaporized, absolutely buichered etc, they are
unsnimatabl. 15 SP.

Blood Animata: for every | offense you put on yourself,animate 4 merk's worth of corpses.
No mater how many corpses are animated, it's done all i the same action. Corpse must b
reasonably whole (sce animate corpse sbove). 3 SP.

- Don't need 10 ma outcorpse’s merk 1o animate i (bot they start with offense taken): +5 SP
Make Corpse Un-Animatable: automatically Use: Unlimited. Won't un-animate any corpses
that are slready animated. 2 SP.

Steal Control of Undeads 1 SP per 5 merk’s worth of acked undead

Blood Mending: if you have wounded undead under your control, transfer any amount of
offense they v taken to yoursel. 2 SP.

Necrati Energy Blast: heals the undead, wounds the living. § SP per 4 healing / offense.

« Spin-based option: SP per § healing offense
Necratie Energy Well: any encmy you kill immediaely begins t radiate necrotic energy
(heals the undead, wounds the lving) in a one-sride radius. Offense healing oceurs as soon
a5 character entrs that radius, and again at the beginning of ther cvery tum for s long s
they remain. Automatially Duration: Combat 1 SP per 2 offense.

Rattle Undead: any undead in the Special’s area that are belows the user’s level are now
permanently affaid of the wser (il run fom them). 1 SP.
* Larger rudius: +1 SP per srde

ndead Zone: crete an area that undead cannot enter. Maximurm arca s sbout 100 x
100 ssides, lasts one day. 3 SP.
Lasgerarea: +1 SP per additional 100 100 strides
Ant-Living Zone: create an area up 1o he size of a chamber that the iving cannol enter.
Defaultduraton i about ive minutes (Duraion: Combat). 3SP.

Bring Back From Death: flly restore somcanc (o theie pre-death condition. The detals of
the effect — whethera itual, consersation with Death, or venturing into an aferie —are up (o
the Key. One-time use. 10 SP.

Death: you bave a chance of instantly killing the targ
Special issole excepion). 1 SPper 2%

Stash Lifeforee: usr permanently transfers thee merk 10 an object, As this object ukes
offense the wer s wounded. The user can' otherwise ake offense. The user wil stll sge snd
even rot s normal, even i they can't dic. Onetime use. Usage time automatically ot lesst n
hour 30 SP,

« Bvery additonal object: +10 SP. (Can be done any time afler the initial ranspositon, but

ot the orginal and new object must b present)

Halt Aging: can be resumed at user’s will IFundead, prevents decay. One-time use. Usage
time automaticallyat least halan hour. S SP.

rescrve a corpse, severed body part dead plant ec. 1 SP.

Instant Decay: bring corps, severed body. par, dead plant etc (o its final stage of
putselction n a mater o scconds. 1 SP.
Reverse Decay: instanly restore a corpse, severed body part, dead plant etc o pre-
putsefction. Must have majority of trget (even if oy dust o bones) 3 SP.
Kl Plants: end the lfeofall plants n a square. 1 SP.
Revive Plants: resore the lie of allplnts in square. 1 SP.

regandies of level or power (below

%
“Talk With Corpse: tanget not guaranteed 1o be cooperaive though. 3 SP.
“Talk With Ghost: chop it up with someone wha's passed on, no body required. I long dead,
valued possession of the deceased or presence in a place they'd most likely haunt may be
reqired.§ SP (only 2 SP if upgrading talk with corpse).

Know Mortality Status: detcet if anyone you know (or have leamed a lot about) s alive or
dead. over any disance. 2 SP.
Fake Deaths appear dead to anyone that docsa't have medical expertise, or & Special with an
effct like e viewing o tre hearing; Uses has limited perception and éan't act, butcan also
stop theeffect at il 1 SP per knowledge bas of medicin you can deceive.
Inhabit Corpse: emporarly ranspose your consciousness & compse, which you can actand
perceive through. Corpse retains full mobilty and all pre-death sat, minus Specias, igher
intelligence, and the fine motor skill required to make ranged attacks. Consciousnéss will
retum 10 user once corpe s destroyed or user abandons it Compse must be lasger that @
songbird No limits on corpse’s ange. 6 SP.

+ Use one Special through the corpsc: any backlash, dentifcaton, o tracing of the Special

will spply only tothe nbabited corpse: +5 SP

— Undead (or any other entit) under a character’s control
‘et immedistely oftr that characters turn.

o1
Alteration Effects

Repair:restore smple object (u pipe, a guita, a wheel, hull tc) o functionaliy. 3 SP.
+ Or acomplex objec ( car, a house, compute cc): 4 SP

Heat: cause insnimate mater o become 0o o 1 touch safely. Can arget a sngle tem or o
square of ground. A beated object causes offense to anyone touching it at the begioning of
user's next tumn. If Duraton modifir i bought, that offense s taken again every tumeyele

contact is maintained. Weapons and olher implemens can be dropped or thrown frecly, but
armor takes an enire turm o remove. 1 SP e | heat offense.

A taret taking heat offnse from this effct has that offense repeated for every heat and
ire-based Specialthey'r targeted with hattumeycle (does not nclude this ffect): +3 SP
Frecze: cause inanimate matte to become t0o cold o touch safly. Can tanget 8 single item or
a square of ground. A feczing objeet causes offnse to anyone touching it at the beginning of
user's next w1 Duraton modifir i bought, that offense s taken again every tumeyele
contact is maintained. Weapons and olher implemens can be dropped or thrown freely, but

armor takes an enire turm o remove. 1 SP et | freezing ofense

A targt taking freczing offense from this cffct has that offnse. repeated for every cold-

based Special they e argeted with that tuneyele (does not include this efect): -3 SP
Sticks you make o suface slippery and difficlt to zrip. I lat, that surface can be an cntire
square:if o (especaly i moving) that surfuce is saller. 2 SP.
‘ou make a surface highly adbesive and glucy. If lat, that surface can be an cntire
square: if ot (especialy i moving) that surface is smaller. 2 SP.
Bind: atach two non-lving surfuces thatsre currntly touching. Bond unbreaksble as long as
‘Special lasts, but bonded objects maintain thei durabiliy as noral. 2 SP.

Includes living surfuces: +4 SP
Increase or Decrease Item Weights by as much as 1000%. 5 SP.
Shrink Object: imit is 10% its original size. Whether weight or durabiliy is maintained is
subject 0 situational factors the Key'scal. No charactrs o animated objecs. § SP.
Enlarge Object: limit s 1000% is oriinal size. Whether weigh or durabilty is maintained is
subject 0 situational fuctors / the Key's cal. No charactrs o animated objecs. § SP.
Lengthen / Shorten: you cause an object no thicker than 6" to extend its ensth up to 50
stsdes, o shorten is length to | millimeter (lghtly thinner than @ dime). Only length can be
modifed, no other dimensions. Maintains rlative strength and flexibilty of orginal objct.
Some extended objects can be used as a sl (offense: 4 + strong or fus / block 2/ range 2/
2-handed), brace, battring ram, pole vault, staight up elevator et. Each s of this efect
purchased allows both one lenathen and one shoren per day. 14 SP.
Decontaminate: bliterate anything harmfal in food o water 1 SP.

Seal: you lock a door, window, bos, botle, folderet. Seal lasts unil user negats,seal oreed,
or Special used again. Strcngth of seal based on SP spent

- Simple seal (can be forced with s small tool o strong 2 tc): 2 SP

« Heavy seal (can be forced with a lange ol o strong 4 tc): 3 SP

+ Advanced sl can be forced ith demoliion toolsor strong 6 ctc): 4 SP

+ Conditional seal: seal will only open for certain people,fo cerain passphrases, with cetsn

items prest ee. Can alo disply messages orsimple images. +2 5P

Sritchseal: telepaticaly see prson tha fucks with your seal. No rnge limit +1 SP
Unseal: unocks doors,cars, lockers et instantly and slely. Willdefeat any seal effet that
has alower SP value. Unlocking power is based on SP spent

* Defeat simple locks (that would therwise take 2 strong ora smalltool o defea: 3 SP

« Defeat heavy locks (that would otherwise take 4 srong or large tool 10 defcat): 4 SP

« Defeats advanced locks (1at would otherwise take 6 strong or demolition 0ols): § P

%2
: yoursel as small as 10% your orginal size, but also have a
cormelting % of your merk and strong. Lass unél you negate. 4 SP.

Alled characer (they choose when effct i negated): +2 5P

« Non-allied (lwer level) character. +2 5P

+ Shrnk self o alled charscte a smallas & mote of dust: +2.SP
Enlarge Character: enlarge yoursell up o thee times your original size. Your fst score is
reduced 10 and respent between your sirong score and hard score hawever you feel Default
is Duration: Combat, or sbout five minutes outside of combat. 8 SP.

« Unlimited uses per day (can only arpet se): +12 SP

« Every extrapoint ofston o haed (fixed): +3 SP

« Can target other characters (they choose how o respend theie fast score): 6 SP

Breathe Undermate

+ Permanent: +2 5P
Eliminate Biological Need: automatically Duration: Permanen. Your body functions as
normal withoutany of the following (can have more han one in the same Special)

~Food: 25 * Water: 2 5P “Sleep: SSP + Air 6 5P

Non-Living: you're a cybors, undead, aulomata etc. You don't need to breathe, eat, dink or
slcep, and are immune o discas. 15 SP.

Trade-offs: hese i you back some SP. (Can laer be bought back for same SP valuc )

« Pawered by the sun (24 hours with no sun = merked until retuned t0 suslight): 4 SP.

« Merked when submerged in water: 4 SP

« Minor offense from discet sunlight (1 undefendable offense per minute): -3 SP

« Major offense rom discct sunlight (1 undefendable offense pe tumeyele): 5 SP.

« Hated (hunted?) by paricular groups: -5 SP

* Take massive offnse from rare material: -5 SP

« Strugele (0 understand the living,thee emotions, ncentives, tc: -3 SP

«Sill need 0 slecp,recharge,trnce or otherwise be unconscious fo § hours igh: 5 SP.
Immune 0 Disease: avtomatically Duraton: Pesmancat. 2 SP.
Halt Aging: can be resumed at usee’s will IFundead, prevents decay. One-time use. Usage
time automaticallyat least halan hour. S SP.
Prehensile Extension: a til, tendsi, Nloating hand, trunk, tenacle, mid-ving fngers like a
bat's, @ ridiculous tongue like an sntester's, or whatever. Can hold and manipulte light
obiedts, but can't attack or wield shields. Automatially Durstion: Permanent. 5 SP.per
prehensile extension.

« Every additional stride you can ssech your etensions: +3 SP
Body Elastcit: your body is supernaturally stetchy. Your limbs reach an extra stide, but
you can'teffectively attck with weapons while strtching them (upgrade listed below). This
effct docsn't add any inherent defense, offense, or otherwis alter any stats. Weight never
altered by this eflct. 7 SP.

« Every additional stride you can sztch your limbs: +4 SP

« Can squeeze your body through a space the size of your skull: +4 SP

« Can atack with weapons while setching (lmited 10 one ssde of each): +8 SP.

+ breathe underwaterfor sbout 1 hour. 2 SP.

Transpose Consciousness: permaneatly transfer your mind from your current body to another
vessel undead, an animated suit of armor o statue or olher automaton, another animal oF 4
supernatural creature, some kind of Frankenstein’s monster you put together ctc. New form
maintans user'slevel, but respends all primary points and SP. As abways, benefits ave to be
paid for (no free defense bonus for staring as 4 statue). One-time use. Usage time
automatically atleas aday. 15 SP.

o
‘The remaining alteration cffects are automatically Duration: Combat unless
the usercuts them short. I the cffect tums & charocter into another form A. their
equipment gets morphed along with them, and B, they can't et bigger than twice
thir normal size, or smallesthan tenth thei normal sze.

Morph: shift between your normal form and a secondary form. Half your SP and all your
primary points are respent in your secondary form, but once spent they're locked in plce.
User can permanently cansfer SP from their normal form to theis secondary form. Neither
form can access the other's Specials. Form benefits stil zota b paid for: your second form
can have wings,but you sll have 10 buy fight 0 actually fy: you can have rhino skin but you
stll ase o buy the extra defense. Secondary form sarts with mesk 10, move S, and an 2
umarmed attack (lke any other character). Secondary form cant cquip weapons, istruments,
shields or armor (upgrade listed below). Unlimited uses, but can only. morph once. per
wmeyele. 10SP.

« Secondary form can cquip weapons, instruments,shiclds and aror: +15 SP

« Morph t Specd: Move-Equivalent +5 + Morph at Speed: Immediat: 410 SP
Omnimorph: you can take any form, but your stats are imited. You get 1 levels worth of SP
and primary poins (o spend when you shifl ino a new form. Can't access normal form's
Specials from omnimorphed forms. Unlimited uses, but can only omnimorph once. per
meyele. 30 SP.

« Additional levels of SP and primary points: +15 SP cach

« Ormnimorph at Specd: Move-Equivalent: +5 SP

« Ommnimorph at Speed: Immediate: +10 SP

Shapeshift tum nto any entity you can imagine. Can respend all of your SP and primary
points every tme you shift. Can'taccess normal form's Specals when shapeshifed. Can't use
weapons, nsirments, shiclds or armor. Main acton (0 shapeshifl. Use: Unlimited. 80 SP (any.
P spent on omnimorph can b respent buying this cfect),

- Shapeshifta Specd: Move-Equivalent +15 SP

Turn Into Liquid: sbout the sume volume of iquid as your body. Can't access any of your
Specials while in this form, and can s6ll take offense 25 normal. Speed is he same as your
norml form. 7 SP.

Turn Into Smoke: or similar semi-gascous stae (mist, fog, cloud etc). Can't secess any of
vour Specials while i this form, snd can sill tske encrgy offense (immune to physical
offense) Flying speed is your normal move score. 18 SP.

Faster moverment: +2 SP per stide

Body Permutation: aler your body — change bone shape or muscle size, change your hair
color or facial structure etc. A body permutation can also cause one bonus ar penalty o a st
alte offense (up 0 2 poins), altr defense (up o 2 point),aler move score (up o 3 stsides)
cause offense o healing (up 1o 2 points per turmeyele). Can only cause one permutation per use
of this cffect, but remember the defoult durstion of al effects i this secton is Duration:
Combat, 15 SP.

* Double any ofthe dbove stat ranges: +15

« Can target other characters: +10

Rupture Shapechanging: tarzet stays in ther normal form. IF this cffct used on target
whose form has aleeady been changed (by somcone lower level than the use) the target
immediaely reverts o theie naural form. To be clear, this effct also ruptures shrinking,
enlaring, and body permuttions. Default s Specd: Move-Equivalent, and all speed modifers
cost 257 less than theirusual price. 5 SP.

Entity Into Entity: turn a lving being into a predetcrmined form (lamingo, bycns, animatcd
football with arms and legs, etc). IF hostle, urget must be lower level. Merk and stzength
decrease to size % of original form. Statscan't b increased by this effect. User can end st
will 10SP.

" Alimmatve forms: 3 SP cach

Eatity Into Object: tum ino a sngle predetermined type of mundane object. Fully maintain
perception. Zero defense and can't take sctions. Merk unchanged despite substance of form.
User can end at will. 4 SP.

« Very limited mosement (half move score): +2 SP

« Can target other charactrs (must be lower level if hostie): 46 SP

« Allemative mundane forms: 12

Obiject Into Entity: must maintain relative size. Can be any enity from cxisting sctin.
Targetcan'tbe langer than user. Key entirly controls (effcts ke sympatico can sl be used).
Can't use weapons, inssuments, shields or armr. Each time this effect used, spn s4: if you
land a4 the transformation is permanent, 6 SP.

Object Into Object: ransform & non-supermatural object. Transformed object keeps same
materal, and volume can't be increased. Can be used to replicate 5 model obiect with o
similar object, but the model object must be present for user (0 observe. Can't form anything
‘complex ke clctronics or machinery. Tange can't be langer than user. User can choose 10
make tronsformation permanent at no extra cost. 6 SP.

Animate Object: targt objeet sprouts arms and legs i it doesn' slrady have them) and
tars moving around. Key controls and determines personality (eTects like symparico can sl
e used). Target can' be lager than user. Move score S, offense can't b higher than user's
level. Can't use weapons, instruments,shilds o armor. 3 SP.

Command Cordage: animate a ength of rope, whip, orcable. It can't levitate, but can slither
around, wrap itself sccurely around object, swing, op, 20 ST as a wooden pole,coil up e
The animated cordsge can also sct independently, lahing an cnemy (54 + user's smart per
um), or grappling an enemy (sraight $10). Acts on user’s tum. Range limited o user’s sight.
Max cordage length 3 stides: 15 SP.

» Or chain (s + smart offense,oso odd user's smart o grapple spin): +15 5P

« Max length 10 strides can grapple two enemics at a me): +10 SP

Recruit Statue: animate a satue from the surrounding scenery 1 fuck up your enermies or just
do chores. Can help with general labor or engage in combat as dirccted. Default merk is 10 x
user' level, defaul offense is o + user's smart per tum, but siats will vary by statue. 3 SP.
Recrait Tree: animat a tree from the surounding scenery. Large deciduous rees can atack
enernies (36 + user's smart per tum). Vines and willows can grapple enemics (510 + user's
smart). Default merk is 100 x usr's vl 7 SP.
Grabby Plans: plan e witin the fght senc grabs at your cncmics. Weak plans ik shrubs
and vy will anly bl movement (costs two sirides 0 move through ther square). Srong plants
Hike vines and surfuce roots will grapple adjacent cncmics 510 + use s smart). 7 SP.
Solidify Air: you create an unmavable sold shape that defis gravity and can bear about 1000
Tbs for every level the user has. This shape can take any form (a plte, ring, bar etc), and can
only be destroyed by passing it weight imit, the user ending it, merking the use, o using
rupture. The shape of the soldified sir i visible, and can have any (predetermined) scstheic
Default duraton is about fve minutes (Duration: Combat). Priced by sie imit. Max size
about average human hand: § SP

« Max size about an average human body: +7 SP

« Max size abouta chamber: 5 SP

95
Generation Effects

Companions an ety permanently becomes your loyal companion. Stats with move $ and
merk 10. You choose their namative origin and sethetc, but practical benefits gota be pid for
(they can have armored skin, but you have o buy any defense bonuses;they can have wings,
but you have to buy lght cte). You can permanently give them SP from your own pool (1 SP
101 SP), but they can't take any of the effects on this page. Can't se weapons, insruments,
shiclds ar armar (uprade listed below though). Merked usualy just means KO'd, but they're
ot unkilabe like a main characte. 1 a companion dies o is otherwise no longer played, theis
P total beyond the base priceisretuned 1o the main characer. Base companion price: § SP.

* Can use a language or olhenwise communicate comple ideas: +12 SP

« Can make an unarmed atack cach turm (tarts at 2) =5 SP

« Can use weapons, insrumens, shiclds and armor +15 SP

Call Entty: summon fxed, predetemmined enity that obeys your commands. Can frecly
‘communicate in any one of user’s known languages. Stars with move 5, merk 10, and an <2
umarmed attack. Can'tuse weapans, insiumens, shields o armor. User decides acshetic, but
practical bencfits gotia be paid for (they can have armored skin, but you have 1o buy any
defense bonuses; they can have wings, but you have 10 buy flight etc). You can permanently
ive themm SP from your own poal (1 SP o 1 SP), but they can' take any of the effcts on this
page. I merked, called entiy disappears in a cinematic flash (will retun as normal when next
summoncd). Default i Duraton: Combat (o about five minutes outside of combu). 10 SP.

« Can summon acsthetically simlar entity, but with espen stals cach summon: +15 P

+ Can summon and unsummon entity at will: X2 toal SP

Ride: canjure afived, precetermined entity 10 give you a il Can carry cargo equal 10 @ large
uman. Stars with toice the user's move score, half the user’s merk, and can't atack. Usee
decides aesthetic, but practical benefits gota be paid fo (hey can have armored skin, but you
have 1o buy any defense bonuses; they can have wings, bul you have 1o buy the fight sub-
effct below etc). You can permanently give them SP from your own pool (1 SP 1o 1 SP), but
they can't take any of the ffects on this page. If merked, summoned ity disppears i a
cinemaic fash (il retum a5 normal when next summoned). Hangs around il unconjured,
merked, purged, or moved more than a fev srdes from use. § SP.

* Base move score four fimes user's 45 P+ Can el any surfce: 410 SP
« Can swim as fast s move sore (defaul i half): +5 SP
« Jump distance of $ strides: +3 SP “Glide: :SSP_ + Unlimited fight <20 5P

« Ride massive cnough to carry whole squad plus two: +5 SP
* Ride can bring several simslr rids (enough for the whole rew): +10

Helpers conjure s fixcd, predetermined entity 1o help with menial shit. User instructs, Key
contols. User decides adsthetc, but can be o bigger than a small human (ke a stone golem
you raise from the carth), or two small forms (ke pair of spider monkeys in Mels jrseys
hat reck of dich weed), or mess of eal small forms (ke a crew of tny ghosts sepresented
by chief foreghost). Stasts with hlf the user’s merk, move S, and can't attack. Practical
bencfits gota be. paid for (they can have srmored skin, but you have to buy any defense
bonuses; they can hase wings, but you have (o buy fight ct). You can permancatly give them
P from your own pool (1 SP to 1 SP), but they can't take any of the effects on this page. If
merked, helper just pops like @ soap bubble (will etum as normal when next summoned). If
the aesthetc is muliple helpers they each have half the user's merk, but all disappear as soon
a5 e is merked. Helper hangs around until unconjured, merked, purged, bored, or moved out
of user's sight. 5 SP.

Quick reminder: the default mumber of uses for a Special is once per day.
For upgrades,check ou the madifers page (right before his section).
Supernatural Weapon: ot will, materiaize weapon from thi air. Can be cassical weapon,
instrument, shield, or launcher (ke bows and shit, ot fircarms). Weapon can have any
acsheti, cven being formed of destuctive energy (ke blade that's & capturcd lghtning bol).
Can hav its own Special (ertical his tc). To be clea,the same weapon is summoned with
cach use o his efect. User can unconjure t will Speed: mmediate, unlimited uses. 7 SP.

« Can simultancously conjure asecond weapon 1o dual-wield: +3 S

« Conjure supermatural weapon at Specd: Interrupt: =3 SP

+ Unlimited smimo. Amimo simply appears when firing, and can have any appesrance. I used.

o a throwing weapon, it retuns 0 user’s hand afer cach throw: -5 SP
Supernatural Covering: ot will, materalize an tem of clthing from thin air. The covering
can have any appearance (o homed mask that changes color 1 cloak of molcn gold), but is
locked in once the effct is bought The covering can look ke ammor, but ny actual defense
bonus (o other effects) have o be bought like normal. Paies of shoes gloves / tc count as 4
single item ofclothing. 2 SP,
Bulwark: conjure an unmoving frce shickd shoutone square stride (big cnough fo cover, but
100 small o flly obsruct most doorways). The bulwark has 10 merk for every 1 SP spent on i
Size can b increased a higher SP prices, and merk isspread evenly (example i you put 4 SP
into this efect, you could conjure A. o wall that's 1 square with 40 merk, B. a wall that's 4
squares with 10 merk each, or C.a wall that's 2 squares with 20 merk cach). Bulwark must be
plantd on the round (can"t be knocked over). Speed: nterupt cost i xS instead of usual 2.

« Bulwvark can be suspended inthe air +4 SP.

+ Al offense from the atack or Special that merks the bulwark is completely absorbed

(remaining ofense does not pas 10 any target behind): 2 SP

Create Dimension: gencrate a new dimension of your own design. s form, physics, weather,
flom, e are lacked in once this onetime effct is used. Size abvays upgradeable. Means of
geting o the dimension (satewas, item,just appearing there <1c) up 10 you, but you'l always
etur o the exact spo you lft fom. Usage ime at least an hout Pricing by sze
“Trunk: 4P +Chamher7SP »Estaie: 12SP + sand: 20 SP
* Coninent: 30 SP+ Small planet: 60 S+ Large planet: 90 SP
Starsystem: 240+ Galaxy: 1200+ Nebula: 10000+ Universe: 100,000

Temporary Dimension: entr s microdimension of your own design. Dimension only cxists
‘while user inside. Ofher characters ar fre 1o tag along, but anybody Ief inside when the user
leaves is thrown into another dimension (Key's choice). Means of geting o the dimension
(gateway, iem, just appearing there etc) up 10 you, but you'll always reur 10 the exact spot
you lef from. Can't (via his ffect) add anything sble o leave the dimension, ltr sats, or
provide sustenance. Pricng by size

+Size of s small room: 3SP + Large roor: 4 S+ House: SSP » Estate: 6 5P

Imbue Tattoo: create a tatoo that gives its bearer a Special Costs as much as buying a
Special normally (1 SP to 1 SP) BUT Key Narmtors are requied (o give discouns for sick
‘comcepts. Ths i a mandatory ule, but remember the Key has fnal say on wha they tink is
dope and how much of a discount it carns. One-time use

Imbue Artifact:insill an existing item with a Special That Special costs 75% its normal SP
value. Remember th item you imbuc into can aliways be bartred, solen, destroyed, or even
used against you. One-time use.

Endow Sentience: give an abjector place consciousness. User determines personalty, spesch,
intellect, prnciples ete. Key controls. Can freely communicate, whether through specch or
telepathy. Price can be negotiated with Key given cerain properties. For example: a needy
‘weapon that sarts making trouble when it hasn't killed reccnty should get »big discount, and
an implement that can sprout arms and legs and move around on it own should probably be
double price. One-tim we. 4 SP.

o7
supernaturally inscribe ext or symbols on any surface. Can't be longer than a short
paragraph. Acsthetc is up o the user — mundane, colored, Nashing, invisible etc. Effcts like
e viewing and detect Special are able 1o see past invisiblty. Text lasts unl ruptured,
negated by user, o efect sed again elsewhere. Unlimited uss. 3 SP.

« Can be fxed in the air ncluding the ai around a arge (moves with trget): +2 5P

Call Light: can summon, unsumenon, and dim a supernatural light at wil (limited uses).
Acsthetc up 10 user (held item becomes luminous, handfl of flame, brilliance in your eyes
). Pried by brightness: Dim: 2 SP.

« Thoroughly light up achamber: +1 5P

* Thoroughly light up a villsge: +2 5P

Call Darkness: create an inky blackness about the size of a chamber that overpowers every
non-Special soure of light. 3 SP.

(Call Textiles permanently conjure textile or fibrous objectof your specifcation. Acsthetic up
10 user (spun from nearby raw materals, woven from acther, jus barfed through a one-vay
portal etc). 4 SP.

" Complex clothing or shelter: +2 SP.
Call Wood: permanently coniure a wooden object 3 SP.

* About dozen (identical) wooden implements: +1 SP
Call Stone: permanenly conjure a stone obect. 3 SP.

* About a dozen (identica) stone implements: <1 SP.
Call Metal: permancrily conjure a metal object Must be a sngle picce of metal no complex
items like machinery, fircams, armor ctc 8 SP.

« About dozen (identical) metal implements: 4 SP
Call Fire: about a handful, can't deal more than 1 offense. User has full contol of the
conjured flame within the square they occupy. Flame cndures ss long as ser has free hand.
Acsthetc up o user. 3 SP.
Call Blectrcity: jus & respectabl jo or minor continuous siram. Can't deal more than |
(direet) offense per use of this eflect 2 SP.

Call Water: conjure & small amountof water in any form: 1 SP.
A very large amount of water(can' deal more than $ total offense: +4 5P
Call Liquid: conjure a small amount of any non-water iquid (sulfuri acid, bleach, cooking
ol lemon juce,soda etc). Can'tcase more offense than user' level: 3 SP.

Call Wind: a lasge area surrounding the user s subject 0 a wind that blows in @ fixed
dinccion. Any charactes moving with the wind gets 2 on stride bonus to movement, and any.
against takes a one siside penalty. Fiing lancher weapons any direction but with the wind
causes half offense. The wind will also speed along ying and sailing vesscls, power wind
tarbines, blow away gas, fog, clouds, swarms, eal ligh objects etc. Automaically Duration:
Combat. SSP.

(Call Weather: rain, wind, sun,snow, moderae storms etc. Not enovgh o cause desiruction of
any kind. Lasts at leasta scene. 2SP.

Call Plant: aplant of any varicy erupts form the carth. Can be food, medicine that hels 56,
poison that deals 56, fools or vincs that prevent a targels next move action, o any plant
Comimon to the scting. 6 SP.

Call Food: a stacked meal for one person, 4 few snacks, or 4 single mind-blowing dish
Acsthetc up o user,and mst be described vividly with cach use. 1 SP.

« Enough for all main characters, plus a few joiners: +2 SP

« A maxed-out east with no liiton ingreciens orpresentaion: +2 SP

« Etheral servants to serve and clar dishes: +2 SP

o8
Call tem: make a single existing item permanently summonable. Form s fxed: tem can be
altered or destroyed once called, but will return in ts usual form when effect is next used
Can't summon muliples of the same item: using tis effct within the duraton of 4 previous
use simply resummons the callabl iem. This effctcan never cause more totaloffense than ts
P price (s0 3 SP effect could cause 3 offense once, or | offense three times). Works on
‘consumables (food, drugs, holy oil etc), but they lose their practcal efect (nourishment,
intosication, stt aleration etc). Default is Duration: Combat. Buying Duraion: Permancat
allows you 1o summon and unsummon the item at will Priced by size

+ Pocket-sized: 1S * Deskesized: 8 SP
« Catsized: 3SP « Carsized: 125D
« Average human-sized: § SP * RV-sized: 20 SP.

« Unpurgeable (can'tbe unsummone by the below effcts): =3 SP.

Purge: immediatly vanish anyihing summoned by an effctin the above section (rom script
10 call item) or a summned entity (cal enity, helper, ride). Must match SP cost of purged
effct in bumed Special, which can be sacrificed at no acton cost (simlar o fling mod in
usae effcts) 2SP.

Purging Zone: reate an area up 0 the size of a charmber where i’ impossibe o summon an
object (rom seript o call tem) or being (call enit, helper, ride ). 1 a calld object o ent
rom the above effects cners purging zone, they immediaely vanish. S SP.

Summoned items (supernatural weapon, supernatural covering, call tem
etc) can have effects added (0 them (endow sentence, offense up <tc)
without paying any addiional SP for fusion (bttom of the next section).
Meta Effects

Feel Manifestation: keow when someone iniiates o Special nearby (won't deect ongoing.
effets). This doesan' ive any knowledge of the Special tscl,just certainty of where it was
manifested. Automatically Duration: Permanen. 3 SP.

Detect Special: pinpoint active | ongoing Specials anywhere in user'ssght. 2 SP.

Ldeniify Special user knows the function and some mechanical detais of one Special within
st 3SP.

Trace User: know idenity (shortdescription ofthee i at present) of a character who used a
Special. Can be deceived by scrambl idenity, inhabit corpse, nd projecton. 3 SP.

Rupture: undo an ongoing Special. The Key must offer some type of pozzle to decode,
however difficull, 1o represent the complexity of the Special. Time spent on the puzzle
transltes to real fime in-game. Only the sctor of this effets user can work on the puzzle.
Key: ideal pusalesare blls of knotid up sting and stacks of cards sorted by st and nurmber
both make it casy to gauge and deliver diferent levels of diffculy. 3 SP.

Mimic Special temporaily copy another charscters Special that coss equal o or les than
the amount of SP spent on this fect. Must witnes use of Special. No acton cost. User
maintains mimicked Special until this ffectis used again.

Fasion: create Spectal with mre than one effet. Some effect combinations leave space for
interprtation, so make the unction clar on creation. Key spproval i required. I you put two
effcts into the same Special that would work the same £ you just bought heen separately; you
don' e 0 buy tis effect. +25% the base SP costof al effects

Usage Effects

Burn Special I sacrifce an unspent Special's fo the day. For every SP you sacrifce, add a
point of offese o the offensive Special you use his tum. No action cost Unlmited uss. 1 SP.
Burn Special 1: sacrifice an unspent Special’s fo the day. For every SP you sacifce, add o
point f healing o e healing Special you use this tum. No action cost. Unlimited uses. 1 SP.
Sub: sacrifice an unspent Specials for the day and put heir SP value tovards addiional wses
of a Special you alrady used up. For example: sacrifce a 4 SP Special and a 3 SP Special
(making them completely unusable untl tomorrow) and you can cop 2 sccond use of an
already-spent 7 SP once-per-day Special. Leflover SP can'tbe saved for late tums. No limit
o uses, but must be uscd on your turn. No action cost. 2 SP.

Blood Sub: put offense on yourselr for an addiional use of a Special you've aleeady used up.
offense per | SP's worth of Specil. You control exaet amount of offense. No limit on uses,
but mustbe used on you tum. No action cost. 2 SP.

Fiying Mods sacrfice an unspent Specials forthe day and then use thir SP value to cahance
the modifiers of another Special. Leflover SP can't be seved for late turns. No limit on uses,
but mustbe used on your tm. No action cost.. 3 SP,

101
Fight Scenes

Where gameplay is normally freeflowing and conversational, fight scenes ae turn-based.

How They Work ...
1. Every combatant gets a
2. Whoever swings first goes first
3. Tum order goes around thecircle (Key decides which way)
‘4. Enemies and side characters go on the Key's turn
5. A tum consists of A.) a move action and B.) a main action
6. Move action: moves your main character. Can be done before or affr
your main action.
7. Main action: atack with weapon, use a Special, ortake another move action
8. Once offense taken i higher than merk, you'te out of the scene (can't act)
9. Fight ends when one side is merked or gives up

Attacking
Costs your main action. Every weapon has an offense spin (lke s8 for handaxe)
‘Weapon Spin + Primary Seore* = Attack's Offense

st for ranged and lght weapons / stron for hand-to-band and trown)
Defense
Reduce all incoming offense by this number. Defense, like all sats, is just an abstraction;
if some nerd s like “Well technically armor can’t realy protect you from ful damage,
the rules allow you to kill them in eal e

Merked
Once offense taken gets higher than your merk, you're KO'd (can't act for the rest of the
scene, even if healed). Start mext scene a point below merked, but able o act. Main

characters can't actually i until their actor wants them (0 (but don'tactlike a0 unkillsble

asshole because you can still get your arms chopped ofF and shi).

‘The Back of the Book is a Spinner: 1o use it bold the looped end of a paperclip
o guitar string trimming on the center-dot it a pen, and fick the other end. The
sl is wherever the arm lands i the s-ring (56, 512, 520 ete) hat you're spnming.
for. You can also install @ spinner arm permanely by holding it in place with
brass fustener: just make sure the fustener head isn' 100 low and pinching the
looped end of the arm.

Distance & Moving
Measured in sirdes. Default move disance is § strides. Half move score (round down) for
swinmming and climbing. Entire mave aetion o stand from prone. Can fefuce at the end of
your turm. Normal-sized characters oceupy one square siride (think of the combat map
ridded up like a chessboard). Can move through comrade’s square but not an enemy’s.

Gameplay Option: Map Style

When a fight scene jumps off, lay out a chessboard and use pieces to mark each

combatant. Each square is one strde x one stride.

© Pros: distance casier to measure, visual representation satisfying, fight scenes.
more tactially interesting

© Cons: needs board and pieces, transitioning into. fight scenes not as smooth
because of set-up ime.

102
Misc Attack Rules
Dual-Wielding: any character can use two one-handed weapons simultaneously, making
an attack with both each tum. (F atacking same character twice, remember they get (0
apply their defense to both atacks).

Light Wea
Shit like un

s: hand-to-hand weapons that let you add your st score instead of strong.
med stikes, daggers, rapirs, staves, chainblades, meteor hammers et

Ranged Weapons: cach ranged weapon has its own listed range. Targeting beyond costs
“50% offense per strde. Reloadi 20 action cost (unless stated otherwise).

Thrown Attacks: thrown weapon offense s 54 + fast o strong. Range is 3 strides. Both
these can be upgraded with ranged attack Specials. Hand-to-hand weapons and shields
can be used as thrown weapons (but base offense sl 4).

Surprise Attacks: if target had no perception of a theat, they have zero defense unil
their first turn.

Attacking Unarmed: default unarmed offense is s2 + stong or fast (once per turn).
Many upgrades in Attack Effects

Charging: an optional ful-tum action that lets you move twice and then hand-to-hand
atack. Target gets to make opposing atack; subiract higher offense from lower and the
loser takes the difference. Charges must move in a relativly straight line and cover more
than the charger's move score.

Attacking With a Shield: sce “shields” i equipment

ext section).

Grappling: main action. You and the target spin $10 + stong or fast. If you have the
higher result you can cither A.disarm o take something clse from target,or B. hold target
i place (they get no move or main action) untl the star of your next wrh. If the character
initatng loses they aren't then grappled, but it sl costs their main action. Respin ties.

“Tell the Story of the Numbers: even a quick 1 slash him for 5 s fucking miles
beter than “uhh I do S offense to this dude.” But ideally go in: “1 spin past his
last attack and slash the side of his head for 5.” Keep it cinematc, you know?

‘Newjacks, use the level of success as a jumping off poiat, like I jump
forward and run my sword through him for 14.” nstead of I attack this dude and
fuck landed 17 ey something like 1 give him a esting jab for 1"

Key Narrator Notes
Keep it moving. Don't et actos wait unil thei turm 1o decide what they're gonna do and
then ubh and umim for 1w minutes. Keep heads in the game with a tight pace and the
renetc feel f a fight

Remember fghts arejust s much a part of the story as any other scene, 50 always narrate
that shit and bring it o lie. Bug your actors 1o narrate their attacks, and prompt them
with “Tell me what that looks like” when they do something ineresting.

How many fights per session? Start with one and experiment from there. Every crew of
actors is different some wil wan just one real meaningful fight every few episodes,
others will wan three squabs a session.

Check out page 116 for tools and theory on ereating gas fight scens.

103
+Weaponry
Ofnse (4,58, 512 ctc) corresponds with the spimner on the back ofthe book. Example
Weapons are lstd in ialics beneath each weapan type. but actos re fee 0 customize

their weapons” aesthetic. Al prices lised s . (wen), th settng’s currency.
Swords
Light sword 54+ strong or fast/block 1/ 1h, Light/ % 30

This would be ke a dagger,shortsword. barong (oval-bladed dager)
deerhorn blade (inversely-crossed crscent blades with claw-1ike poiis), etc
Single-hand sword 56+ strong /block 1/ 65

Dao (cured sword) jian (sraighi swond). tabwar (simitar-{ie swond from sub-consnen),
huang gou (hook sword), yatagan (forand-curved, pointed swond from the near west)
Two-hand sword. $12-+ strong block 2/ % 140
Shuangshou jian (ivo-hand sivaight svord) changdao (two-hand curved sword)
“chanma dao (lon il and huge curved blade, 1. “horse-chopping sword”)

Haftarms
Single-hand haftarm S8 + strong /block 0/ 45
Fu (axe) chui (mace). i bian (heavy 1od), gi (ul-<ircle axehead), L (sicke)
Two-hand haftarm S14 ¢ strong / block 1/ %110
Shuangshon fu (reataxe) saghnal (ke seythe), Loy bamg (volf toohs cudel)
Polearms
sttt 54 + srong or fast / block 2. 2b, Reach, Light/ £ 12
O anything saf-ike you can et your hands on
Polearm 510+ strong / block 1 /2h, Reach 55

Qiang (spear), guandao (heavy cleaving blade). gekhen (upward crescent bade),
iger for (riden), pudao (huge sword with il 50 ong i’ efecivly just a polearn),
yueyachan (“monk's spade”,shovel-ike blade also used forfunerary vies by traveling monks)

Flex Weaponry
Single-hand flex weapon 54 + strong or fast / block 0/ Reach, Light /% 130
i jie bian (scctoned metal whip it a spike), met zha (siked chain)
Two-hand flex weap 38 + strong or fast block 0/ Reach, Light / % 200
Meteor hammer, gije bian (biaded chain whip).long zha (“dragon claw " aka fing clar)

Light Weapons: hand-to-hand weapons that let you add your strong or fast to the
attack spin. (Default i to add your strong score fo hand-to-hand atiacks.)

Reach Weapons: hand-to-had weapons with an exira stide of ange ([ike a spear)
1/ 2h: a weapon i cither one-handed (1) o two-handed (2h).

the bonus to defense you get from wielding this weapon.

Launchers
Never have a block score. No need o track ammo.

Sting 52+ fust/ Range 6/ 1h / % 10

Shortbow 56+ fust/ Range 10/ 2h /% 200

Longbow S8+ fast/ Range 20 /2h / £ 300

Crossbow (takes & main action o reoad) $12+ fust/ Range 20 /2h / £ 500

Range - effective range. Can targetfurtherat -50% offnse per stride

104
+Instruments
Supernatural weapons that amplify the wser's chi saff, ods, floating erystals, third eyes
et. Instruments are way more rare than other types of deapons, so main characters will
have to go hunting for them.

Instrument 56+ smartoffense /range S/ 20/ % 1200
Burst nstrument S8 + smart offense /range 2/ 2h / 1,050

Example Instruments
Staff of Devouring Void: 56 + smart offense, range 5, two-handed. ¢ 1,500 if sold. Ebony.
all with a large silver ring ot top blastsjet-black ant light at foes. One per fight can cause
56+ smrt offense o all targets in o 20-tride i (main action)

Plot Fucl: Key Narrator,if an actor asks hor they can get a hold of an instrument,
tell them s common knowledge some “scholars of the green forest” (Qing-era
cuphemism for bandits) ouiside the nearby town of Southlock are led by an ex-Taoist
priest called Cruel Lu-Shang who's known to wield o staF of supernatural power, This
s the Staff of Devouring Void, and gettng it is o § SP Character Ambition. As the main
charactrs investigate the area sround Southlock (sbout a day davnriver),thy find the
dozen bandits have made their home in an ahandoned emerald mine, now laced with
traps and ferociously defended, but holding both the Staf of Devouring Void and a
smallfortune stolen from a ecently massacred merchant caravan.

S8+ smart offense / range 2 /20 /2 2,000 if sold. Bras-studed rod that emits
cely back (516 +

Anjing Ro
an outvard eruption of chi. Once pr fight can throw target § strides
smart offense, move-equivalent).

Phantom Jian 6 = smartoffense / range S / 2h / 3£ 1,200 i sold. A ceremanial sword that
can project & ghostly blade mirroring the ian'sshsh, cuting 3 target within S stides. While
their method of manufucure is lost, phantom jan were firly common during the Han
Dynasty: many more powerfulierations are stll hidden away in tombs and lost cites, o held
by prominent bladermastr

6 + smart offense / range 5 / 20 / 3 3,600 if sold. This exquisitly
lacquered lantern enis birds o fir that ttack whoever the user ommands. Once per day can
summon apillar of fir that causes 3510 - smart offense one trgel.

105
*Armor
Woven Rat:
“This amor

42 defense / 5900
1ges from deep red to pale gold i hue, and is light enough (0 swim in.
Heavy Armor 3 defense / % 1,300
Most common is dingjia brigandine with its characteistc riveted outer jacked, though
scale, plte, vrious lamellr armors, and even far castern gusoku are also common,

+Shields

Nothing can be wielded with the same arm wielding a shield. Can wield two shields in
either hand, if that's something you really wana do.

Buckler concealable, +2 defense (o +54 defense) / 5 30
Shicld 3 defense (or 456 defense) 50

+ Sacrifice shield: after someone spins offense against you, you can scrifice your shicld
10 ignor that offense

© Spun defense: instad of fved defense, you can spin for & shiclds defense s
iven attack: spnnee's max s ice the shied's defense (lsted above).

* Attacking with a shield (ska sicld bashing) deals 4 +strong offnse, bt you lose tat
Shild's defense unti the stat of your e turn. Can sl atack with offand.

stany

Goods & Services
Remermber this is a fictionalized setting: the prices in this section aren’t historically
aceurate 10 Qing Dynasty China and they shoulda’t be (the main characters would have
close o zero purchising power).

Headquarters & Institutions
Purchaser i fre to draw up & map and work out any detals with their Key.

Cottage: 1,100
House: 6,500

Mansion: 574,000

Palace: 1155000

Pub or inn: 18,000

Academy or monastery: J 50,000
Shrine: 1 800

Chapel: 1,700

Temple: 5 110,000
Transdimensional gate: % 160,000

Outpost: 7200
Tower or pagoda: 55,000

Castle: 240,000

Library or museun: 16,000
Subterranean expansion: 10,000
Fortificaions: 1 5,000 0 2 50,000
Well: 1,000

Food garden (sustain 5): % 500

Paddy or orchard (sustains S0): 2,000
Price to build on a lying island: X2

Laboratory or workshop (medical, metalworking, chemical 1c): 1900
“This gives +56 1o any kil pin (ake the highest) done o premises

Daily Costs
Sedentary lie, humble: 55
Sedentary life, comfortable: 35
Travel by boat: 9

Travel by contracted carriage: 7
Average guesthouse room: 2 10

Daily Wages

Menial laborer: ¢ 10

Artsan or expert: %20

Master of crafl or trade: % 100

Grandmaster of craft or trade: 5300
ntry level securiy (level 1) %15

Skilled security (level 3) % SO

Veteran security (level 5): 3 120

Elitesecurity (level 10): % 400

Animal Companions
Messenger facon: 1 230
Watchdog (4 bite): % 160
Macague monkey: % 110
Hunting panther (56 bite): 1,200

General
Backpack: %5

Tent 130

Flint and seel: 52
Bundle of 20 candles: |
Lantern: 36

Rope, per 101t 5 1
Telescope: 80

Botle ofrice liquor: 2
Humble outit: 8

Sharp outft % 15
‘Asistocrati outfit: % 700
Capentry toolchest: %70
Seribe’s case: %60
Mountaineering pack: 90

Vehicles
Sailing sKIfl % 1,100

Junk (mid-sized sailboat): % 2,700
Warship: 123,500

Hot-air balloon (they did indeed exist
during the middle Qing, but emernber

Trained rding horse: % 800 they can't b steered): 3,300

Healing.

Physician (fll heals entie crev’s offense aken, but ot every setlement has one): 25

Healing herb,oil, o tincture (move action to administer)
“Heals 10: % 10 ©Heals 20 %40 *Heals 30: 3 120
*Heals 50: 3400 < Heals 80: 900 ©Heals 100: 1,500

Foraging: for every skill barin busheraft or medicine, you can acquire one degree (heals
10, healk 20, heals 30, heals S0, etc) of healing herb per day spent i of near wilderness.

107
Example Gameplay
Every game i gonna ook diferen,and theres noone right way o run . Let's just drop o
he middle of a sesion actor A, ato B, acor C and their Key Naratorar dee i 2 show
about warin secet socctie n the 22305, curely i a city on Mimas, small moon just
outide the rings o Satur,

Ky The lghts o the skyscrpers and sspenson towers e by hypmotialyas you ride the
Iy cxpressay Youpel o you it and s o he ok efor the s o
o bt routh cnough s o know sty ill e ouscar e gt Whatda o
I
g, you koow the il g i the dil
il sl and drop i i e b
1 my AK i o g, Wher an e gonn i he?
Wedo' ot ot o work it The ok st rosc.ight?
Lo s curvd sy lsdng 10 oot
i, What ook ike? Ay sreeney? Trash cnc?
K Ther' » sidevall lon the medin i o bins, but sl the gras s trimmed low:
Tre e i e hroughout e ockway, h e spliced vith bslmincscent nes o e
Lehves glow st mgh - soon seet g Pacigin ok it The Tow s 4 s
g, il on st day <y
i A W —
Ky o . They v spacd ot slong he mshan i ook I he tpe you ca pll ot by
and
- Tha's gt be the ply — the i r o abvious,and
unnin sound e unil e g6t back 0o slhons
R
Woukd it be possie t, ke, the st ower th b, snd theclose te e o it
Camps downon o sp fthe dulbag?
Voo
gt i once hre et crs coming | hoof ot a1 o clap the dufcl s i
aneof o e
ey Works ke char. 1 grip igh, ad the i ofthe s isconcald sl e dead
Lcovsaround he dan
Sk
Bet, e pull around 0 he g
o 0 1 h Bt amd o e wave it mrked spae ke aways. Bl shecsof ight
e an s ove h o, ad an armerd g speds upicionly long e . squming i
b ool - before loking o . andwaving you o
Vou ki
o tone fom youronboan sgnifc the ] was ust dductd rom your sccount
Yow mucs
Key U ot e it
gt e st anoff myshect hre
ol i e colowal iodome and h st thin you s are the ings f Saums
o you, mmaginely e, mposkly close, g hrough he i igh sy of e
T dom's ransparen pancs et h ot glare o e disan sun
Fucing il e, 11 v et s o being offword
o cret e cnirance il you 5t o b four diffent syt il
i i he masive Minae Crer. Whet do youda?
S Alp iome ight 1 head ht way
it vou -
Ao L' kieping an ey inthe i, docsanybody seem o beling us?

s trash doy we could end up

108
Ul o, thee'smothing suspicious. Nobady's even behind you
A2 Good, good

fou ol through o bamboo forest and cross bridge into the Alps biome, quickly finding.

the spot. The camera slowly pans dowen through some ask boughs onto rel senie clearing 2=

s red SUV i already ther, no far from steam fed by a small watefall. What

One of these days we're gomna be the first o fucking show up 1o something
Uhop out and pop the trunk
Key: The red SUV's doors swing open, exh
clasical music

Ay L would ecognize?

+ You do actually. You're prtty sure you played i for @ gala or maybe a weskding gig years

back — i’ checks noes] a chamber opera called “Renard" by Igor Sravinsky

Honmu, decp cut

& No-Sleep Jin, three massive goors, and faint

sepe
o-Slecp Jin says something in Korean to hercrew and walks over o you. A brssze sties
the claring. swaying the oakbranches snd rufling the grass as she extends & hand in reetin.
Are you bringing the case?
A2 Does she have the cash?
Key: You s one of her guys hand s bog off o B

T counting that st
- Then | bring the cose from th trnk and hnd it over
Keys So one of her goons takes it, and you notice she waits unil hes out of carshot before
gesturing over (o the watesall saying she has somcthing 1o run by you

Alright
: Do any of Jin'speople follow them?
Key: Nah, one’s inspecting the case. The other o ae hovering near the SUV, puling out packs
of Lucky Strikes
C: How fumilar do they look?
Key: Unh, you sen them a the Lt e drops you did with Ji's people
(C: Alight, I sep over and light one of ther cigaretes. “Sup cousin,you seen a skinny ltle guy
like this around? Cybemetic eyes, buzzed head? — and | show him that securty footage we
jucked
B Think these mouthbresthers would know? They probably spend most of their time foding
Ji's laundry

Can't hurt. Whatothe leads do we have?
: Fair point
Key: So you g0 up 0 thetllr one and he waiches the footage loop a few times, dragging on his
cigartte,thensays with heavy sccent “Actualy . | belicve we have,

Lild youson!
Key: Tall goon says something in Korean o the diver, beckoning him with a wave: As he walks
overand clarsth fron of the car,you s he's carying a aked machete —

What
Keys Tall gaon sy “Hands." You look down o sce trench knife has appesred in s offhand
What do you do?

“Are you fuking serious?

o you say hat?
Nah, jus —fuck 1 guess | aise my fucking hands
Do I notce any o this?
s mane, No-Slecp has you tumed 5o you're facing the waterfall

Fuckin doin us grssy

Ke

s my hands s millimeer sbove my head, palens in,and theraise my middle fngers
Key: Short goon moves towards you B he's gripping long-handled hatchet, With the other
hand he pads sround your pockets and puls ot your swichblade

When he'srooting around | ask if his chick knows he's ito this type ofthing.
Key: Hahaha I'm somy but he pops you with the but o his htchet for .. 2 offese, right on the
forchead

Whats rude man
S would anybody notce if charge up my clectzashock prosthetie?
s Shit | forgot sl sbout that ting.
Key: Unhh, I guess it would glow but s 0 bright outfor anybody t notice

“Alright | sset amping up
: How far away'sthe car? The bt il i there right?
Key: Yea you remember it being in the trunk. The ca s about four ssides away — fis warning
though, shot goon'sdefinitelyclose cnough to chop you

“The runk's open though right?
Keys Ush -

Ve from when | grabbd the case, | definitely would have lf it open

Irght fine,tunk’s open

Sick
+ Am 1 charged up?

fou'e charged up
Setitor
" A ar of clecricty blasts ot of my paln t ll goon
Key: Alrght give e a umber

icks spiner] 12 mtherfucker s 0ol

o ok, he ol o clecrcty makes tll goon violently onvulse snd drop ke bag of
vocks, defncly merked. B, o e geting chopped by shosack

Fuack
Key: [cksspinncr b swings the e up o your b fr 5. C,te driver brings his machete
o on o fo ficks spnser] 2 offnse
: Tdads mo poblem, e nly it e
Keys Vourtur B. A, you fnally herd what's oing on 5 you'tc ondeck

1o
How to Key
We runtheough the basics quick,plus a fow moves for your oolbel.

Writing an Are
Lock n the Ambition firs. The next sep is thinking on the most nteresting path o that
Ambition — bing the main charactes throu . socialscenarios,problem solving tc.
all set i cinematic paces and laced wih intriguing side charactes. If you're stumped,
think on your favorit sorylines from movies | TV and what made them faorites.

I you did’t run the are in this book, scanning through it wil give you a feel for the flow
of an e, and what's important for the Key to know. That said:

Only draw up one session at a time. You never know which way your actors are gonna
0. Don't got atached to any partcular outcome: you're just putling your crew in an
interesting stuation and playing to sce how it shakes out.

Start small: plan on a humble two or three session joint for your frst arc. Almost every
newjack starts like a frstime prizefighter, putting on an incredible performance but
compltely emptying their gas tank the first round, noticeably slowing the second round,
and by the third they‘re just surviving. Set a hard limit of three sessions for yourclf

Always introduce u scene with a brief description to immerse your actors in t. It helps
o emphasize sensory (the aroma of temple incense, the ambient noise of moming
birdson, ete). This briefintro doesn't have to be pre-written; a couple offtop lines will
do just fine. Always end with a prompt (like “What do you do?”) 1o maintain smooth
gameflo.

Key Narrators don't get a main character. If you're sartng a new show, don’t make
one until he next Key tags in. If you'e tagging in for somebody else, find a good reason
for your main character o sce to some other shit until the end of the arc. You have an
entie seality o simulate: rying t0 also play as an actor i a shity distraction, and (more
mportantly) ruins the effect of you being the Key Narrator.

Write for your actors: this is not 4 one-person show — you're creating interesting
situations for your actors to make 2 story out of. Include narrative promps for them o
develop their main characters, and points of nteractvity that will actually engage them in
the scene. Leave the most interesting blanks for your actors to fill i

“This is only a real loose guideline, but the average session has
*An ineresting problem 10 be solved
<A fghtscene
+ An interesting side character/ social scenario

Adjust to taste for your specific actors and what gameplay gets them stoked.

Number of players: 3 is ideal, but up (0 6 is solid i its a crew of quiete actors — any
more than that is a fucking mess. The number of actors also determines how fast you go
through the arc: ot only are more actorstrying to veer in diffrent diections, but just the
Volume of ifts and planning will make scenes last way longer. Expect a crew of two
actors 10 tear through this axc in four sessions, and a huge crew of six actors 10 take closer
102 dozen sessions,

Consistent narrative progress: every session should end with the fecling “We just got
closer 1o the Ambiion.” Resist the temptation of irrclevant side-missions. You want &
clear series of narative steps to the Ambition o your actors never ask “Why are we here
i

Prepping a Session
Session prep s just immersing yourself n a fitional location long enough that you
can make i feel real to your actors. You stcep in the realit of he session’s sting,
thinking on how side characters would act, how events would play out cic, and it
actualy really fucking ransportive — arguably the best pat o conversational games

Don’t over-prep: coming up with all types of optional shit just because it could bappen
s 2 huge waste oftime. I’ way easie 1o instcad make a straight line of just a ew scenes
that you can really tighten up. Since the main characters are chasing an Ambition, you
aleady know where they're driven 1o 2o, making tha stsaight line completely believable

Don’t under-prep: if you stat your session with “Wait what happened last session?” and
then just improvise some bullshi, nobody’s showing up nex tn.

Punching up scenes: if you already have your interesting fight / social scenario
problem to be solved. you can make it more immersive by
+Nesting it ina more interestng location (“the bar” into “the rooflop bar at the top of the
Banpei Tower”), or omamenting that ocation (*Ray's house” into “Ray’s house, walls
tined with lluminated tanks of rare tropical ish™)
- Sharpen up the scene’ inro. Contrast the imimersion of these two.
“You enter the chapel. Your contact i there. What do you do?™
“You enter the cool air ofthe chapel, stained glass depictions of saints glowing with the
morming sun. A lone figure at prayer crosses himself and stands to an alarming height of
4", He asks in a Salvadoran accent “were you followed?"™

Interactivity is crucial. The most fusc in the world is meaningless if it
doesn’t prompt yous actors o engage wih i (social gameplay, problemm solving etc)

“The abjective of being Key i to reate the conditons for the raddest time possibl.

Are ide se spring 10 mind, just think on the are you would most wanna act in. 1f
You'te just in o creative dead end. try working on the soundirack first - you'd be
Surprised how much that musical headspace can clear up creative logiams.

Stay on the gank: fieely take everything you like from movies, TV, books, comics,
history. Once you put them in your seting, they'll be an eniiely new ihing,
untecognizable Trom their source. You've been unconsciously racking up a colossal
library of trope and story ideas your enice ife by just watching movies and shit, and the
more you pull from i, the more efforless accessing it becomes. Just don't i it by
telling your actors what the source was: et it be its wn brand new and unigue thing.

Advanced shit: spotlighting is wriing a scene for a specific main character’s strength o
Silset, 10 hard to braid into a session on top of your normual prep, but when you do. it
always makes the sessions for the actor you spotlight.

Gt the ship sailing itself the show’s intro s where the actors buy in and the validating
feedback loops of interest star. Think on an interesting way to introduce their main
characters, and inferesting Ways (0 get back-and-forths rolling between them.

End srong: there’s @ reason you always end an album with like the third or fourth best
song - that's the impression you're leaving listeners with, Deliver the arcs promised
narrative payoffs, and give some faling action and satsfying resolutions.

Fuck nerves: the friends are getting together to iff and bullshit with each other — they're
‘zonna have & good time no matter what you put n,

nz
Running the Game
“The alpha rule s having a good time, seting up the best time for your actors. All other
ules bend 10 thi one.

Prompts: these are your most important tool, basically just quest

forward. Here's the best one:

*What do you do?

Use prompisto build the story and visualize scenes

- You unlack your safehouse for everybody: what do they see as the door slides opes

+ Avwide shot pans seross the house party - wht are ach of you doing when Kana arives?

Use themn to focus attention

~So what are you gonna do about those camerzs?

+The courier seems eager to bounce - do you say anything (o him?

Some promps aren’t questions,just something that urges response

~ Everybody hears glass shater upstics.

+You see from cover that the mercenary leaves his radio and sidearm on the desk s he
steps into the bathroon,.

But yea, prompts are usually just a quest

you're prodding in a specific direction.

that move the story

and always passive, 50 it never feels ke

Interludes: never skip over traveling or laying low — these e arguably the most fertile
ground for main character development. Ask what the main characters get up 1o
training, some type of hobby or passion project or personal crusade, spending time with
side characters, lowing thir cash from the st are ete
Interudes slam for both the long-term (*A month bas passed since the las job

everybody give me a montage of what your main character’s been up t07), and short (A
you wait for No-Lobe (0 show up, late as usual, you all gt in an argument — not a serious
one, but over something fucking rdiculous. Whatis 7).

“The pait-o:rocket el fo character development. Firs, pair up main characers for a scene
or intelude, then guide them into finding and exploring that thing they have in common.
This creates @ new, unique dynamic between them, like how the bassist and drummer of &
band are just a bassist and 4 drummer untl they stat calling themselves “the shythm
secton”, eifying their bond as 4 concep. This is maybe the best move in the prestige TV
playbaok: a well-culivated bond between every main character is namative lectricty.

Emphasize sensory: when introducing a new scene,bring i 0 ife by describing not just
how it looks, but at least one other sense - the ambient sounds, aromas, how the ai fecls
on the skin, the emotional atmosphere tc. Take that immersion shit serously: your job as
Key is simulating a more interesting relity for your actors,so rally bringing them there

Mention shit that has nothing 1o do with the main charactes o their objective: routine
happenings, locals going about their day, the Toghorn sounding out i the harbor et If
you only mention shit related to the main characters the world feels small and
uninteresting, like the camera following them around has tunnel-vision. Settng the scene
like this not only creates a more living world type feel, but gives your crew options for
narrative threads they might wanna pull on. Chekhov’s Gun is wrong and bad.

The Key is the editor: when a scene feels done, don’t uh and um out of i, but prompt
where they're headed next, or just ut o the next seene of nterest. Keep it moving.

Show, don't tel: lassic film trick. Instead of saying “The party’s host i known to be an
unhinged psychopath,” just show him throwing a guest offa balcony for disagreeing with
him on Asistole or whatever. Never give 4 fyou can give 2+ 2.

13
Side Characters
Don't seript: you can have an idea of what they’ll say and do, but you sill want
improvising them to come naturally. You wanna give the impression of interacting with a
eal person, you know?
There are two ways to run side characters:

1) Volee acting: voice acting side characters in the fist person s more immersive and
makes them foel more present. Having a unique voice for each gives them more
personality, makes them easier 0 act, and you'll never have 10 say who's alking. Don't
et goofy with it (seriously) just give them a minor accent or speech pattern change.

2) Not volee acting: some people don't like voice acting because they're shy, bad at
Voices, or think it’s comny or whatever. I you're not nto it, don’t sweat i, you can just
say “Knock brings up the brass casings you found carler” and it conveys the same
information,

Don't over-think mior side characters: they only nced o
(next page) just o make them memorable / casy t reference.

ngle distinguishing feature

Major side characters: always ive them a personality, and a voice if you prefer voice
actng. A unique physical feature makes them memorable. Make them feel a lite more
el by giving them ife outside the main characters (lke a goal o passion). Making
them of the seting goes a long way — from an existing culture or fuction, affected by major
Stting evens ele. Just remember 1o amount of information dumping will make them fecl
eal,that anly happens us they're interacted with

You can also sart with a favorite character from movies / books / TV and think
on what makes them a favorite (stay on the gank). Subverting stereotypes is always good,
like a scarred-up goon with a love for classical poetry, or an insanely hot woman who's
also nsanely gross, eating old sandwiches out th trash etc.

Names: give nicknames to side characters. They're both A. casier 1o emmernber and B. more
evocative, saying lot about the side character in a single word. You can use them in
conjunction with a given name like “Balogun the Suint”, which les heads just call him the
Saint unil his given name sticks. Two side characters with similar names i dogshit writin:
i your show has Samantha and a Sandra your ators want to kill you.

Guangfeng Names (feel free 10 change | rearrange)
. Xiangning, Bingehi, Keng, Shuging, Weijun, Zongxue, Qunying, P,
Qiu, Yongehun, Chin-feng, Vanyan, Tiqing. Zihua, Deshens, Shanbao, Jin, Nars, L, Nangxian
Male: Vosiang, Peiyao, Lingko, Jingsheng, Duchu, Hongsen, Zhangfu, Bingxian, Tun-ban,
Shaobin, Kang-h, Zhongkai, ishen, Shizeng, Qichao, Jiongming, Pei, Yaotang, Ruoshui

s 55 bats, Zh = g a5 in barrage, R = ss i A,
ut it tp of tongue fouching back of bottom-font tecth, @ = “ch” but with
ip of tongue touching back of bottom-ront tecth

Nicknames: Birdeye, Drusken, Nine-Fingers, Gorilaback, Recluse, Geezer, Giant, Boneless,
Rough Tongue, Fat, Dogsnap, Lucky, the Goat, Lile, Cold Face, Nightow!, Chaterbos, Basher.
‘Onion, lron Finger, Frogmouih, Runasound, Cauldron Head, No-Peace, Quict, Sear-Neck.

Foreign Names
Gwansun, In-Wo, unjidang Korean male: San, Chacho, Yongeheol, Juipil
Orapin, Melat, Sudarmin Nanyang male: Sjuhir, Koesno. Prid, Kyar
fshe, Teogyal, Ayu Tibetan male: Lingpa, Dorie, Shenga, Getse
female: Zaya, Nasangerel, Terbish - Mongolian male: Basang, Migmar, Dava
Tianzh female: Gaur, Rokeya, Irom, Privasha Tianchu male: Mangal, Amir, Pul, Bhagat

na
Side Character Generator
Bookmark this page 1o make a side character on the fly. To randomly generate
characte,select two categories and spin once (the arm will ntersect both ings). The two
esuls should immediately generate a web of other detils in your mind. Feel free o add
categories for more depth, but emenmber mast side charactes ate only momeniary.

obp FEATURES cLotuiNG
1 Bigsoldcamiog 1 Spectacis 1. Baggy laborer’sclohes
2 Vooden pryerbeads 2 [orperi] Smit's s
30 Pendemi ot lioman 3 Buicdnose 3 Scholar's robs
(woscupion ghing, 4 . Sprig i comeraf mouth 4 - .. Fin dingi s
s o B e with oot
Sl ot metiing (lng shor e jde bsd) et o vl g it o
o it 6 Mustache i b sy
et ) 7y v dien oo 6 Closk
ol bt () 8 Loprmack 7. .. Forsiga it & stying
§ . Omae ngemai-gards 3 Nhicr 8 ¥ il i
. Neckrngs 10 Couillowerar(Goverimentcmploee)
7 Long, thin pipe 11 _ 6 burn dots on forchead 9. . Colored coat with rich
s Tutcocdams (comnen 0 sone monste embroden ptoms
o Tattooed legs. and ascetic martial orders) (phocnix, dragon, centipede
10 Honds & throatatooed 12" Dy skimed sowtbermer bave. B o 0
i Comaiband 13 Light simed notbemer 10 eadband
Thet,mayhem, freery 14"+ Souarsh toosof 11 Wid e Termr's
sl agans mperum) southern anders o s 12 Skt ()
12 Bodyguand / retainer 5. Foignhintle 13 Tubetcika
3 Slecping baby in 16 | Religious markings (cap wom by Chinese Muslims)
comas g ovee bk (o ot ey, 14", Tving Pt et
1 Dagger mbelt is Feasnrs s
15 Chain i atand vait 1671 Fuhonable s
16 Sword over back FORM " Extravagant gown
1 Suff 1 Fot {with attendants to hold
138 Hound 2 Skinny its long train off ground)
1 v 3 18 ol obes
00 ot St ‘o by Ghting mms
DEMEANOR L Stocky SPIRIT ANCESTRY
1 Fippant ' Vings i i)
2 Siked vorce 20 Shupest il
3 Nt 1 Loudmouth . (cdamanr i
b Bored 2 Barione 3 . White b paeof cven
s Togigy 3 Forignacom " bluishskin wimes i)
i i Siow tlking 4. - - Homs ki i)
3 s Eincacd 5. L . Musivesii &
§ Sy 6 Ot rough i (moumisin s
> Cary 7 Gl 6 Seaes (amado i)
10 Enlghined & Reely 7 Glowing et
i Simey 9 Penave orstiving e (tom o)
2 Refined 10 . Nuteorvow ofslnce 8. Shapess (o iy

ns
Fight Scenes
Narrate the numbers. Don't say 2 offense doesn’t actually hurt him.” do say “He
sidesteps your swing.” I somebody asks “How bad isthis dude hurt?” don'tsay “He's up
1o like hall his merk.” do say “He’s bleeding prety bad and staring 10 breathe heavy.™
Your actors get lot of satisfaction from all the dope shit they get 0 do i a ight — make
sure 0 nareate all the energy blasts and necks getting snapped, and o use the phrase “tell
me what that looks like™ when actors do something interesing

Punching up fight scenes: fist is enermies. They should be A. mechanically interesting.
with stas or abilitis for the main characters to out-think or take advantage of (ry surfing
through attack effects), and B. aesthetically nteresting, so it dogsn't feel ike you're just
batling a block of stats.

Second is where you fight: a cinemaic location — elevated tracks, in a ruined
mausoleum etc — is crucial. For exira credit, add features like hazards, levels, cover, or

moving components 1 increase strategic depih.

Every fight should feel like there was something gained by it: even just a fitde new
aformation to advance the plot or some interesting e,

Guillotine Style: a method for smoother fight. The tum masker s an eye-catching object
placed in front of whoever's turn it i. They pass it on when thei trn is complete. Jf the
next actor doesn' immediately act, they are skipped. This keeps heads in the game
without fail: nobody needs to be caught up on what happened, nobody waits uniltheir
trn and then takes & minute (o decide what to do - the fight just flows. The Key is
exempt from needing to act immediately since they have a whole fight scene 10 run
Obviously this optional rule shoulda't be put on newjacks.

Advanced shit at those higher levels, the balance of the crew can get all over the place,
and the main character that dumps ail heir SP into a single stat or Special might start
Walking through fights with less and less of a challenge. This is where the chess match
starts: inding a way 1o stillchallenge them withous them feeling cheated.

Offensive main characters are casy to handle: if they dumped everything nto
argeting a single enemy, throw multple enemies at them. Death 100%2 No problem —
make sure you always have an interestng lieutenant that can step up, or multiple bosses
for every boss fight.

Defensive main characters are where you have to use your head a lte more —
there’s almost always one motherfucker who spends every single SP on their defense stat,
but you have a dozen ways around that. Our favorite way is 0 ust turn up the heat on the
entire crew, and when the high-defense main character is consistenly the last one
standing, everybody else will sart balancing in tha disection. Also, once their enemies
otice, why wouldn't they just show up with a stinger missie that docs $20+100 offense
next fight? OF start using armor-piercing nanofilament weaponry, o send out & mutant
with undefendable fire powers? Maybe a mercenary psion with social Specials or
powerful illusions. Maybe 4 plot like carbombing their motoreycle, instantly merking
them then ambushing the rest of thei crew: Maybe a napalm blast or chemical weapon
that coats them in acid, puttng s20 offense on them every turm for therestof the fight

Merk: offense counts up because addition is easir than subiraction. This also allows you
1o write offense taken out in the open or on enemy markers without giving away if
they're close to death. I you like the intuitve concept (counting down) more than the
functional ease (counting up), you're free o flip it around. We went with the phasing of
“merk” because i’ ambiguous: enemies can be dead, KO'd, retreating, or whatever.

16
Dealing With Actors
1 playing o the outside,felfre to lay down the rle “IFanybady pulls ou her phone,
every othe player ges o send a text o it Most people don'tneed this ule, but we've
scen a few sessions go downhill on fucking rolleskates when actors stared scrollng
through instagram whenever the Key Narrator wasn' speifically talking o then - they
nceded constant updates on where they were and what was happening. had to be handed
crucial clues et. Did't even seem worth playing. To be clar draing and shit is ine
since you can sill take n what's happening, but phone use il estroy your game

Key, fucking around and rifing is arguably the best part of the game, s0 g0 along Wit it.
You'can have an interesting storyline, meaningful scenes, and constant fucking around

There's a point where it clicks for new people and they realize they really can do
anything in the game. They usually ask for something way over-powered for a level 1
character (“Can I get flying island with a sick pagoda?), and that’s good: your aciors
wanting shi s the engine of the game. Always say yes, and have them write it down os 2
(Character Ambition $0 you can run it for them next season.

I you'se inviting somebody you know likes to get fucked up, think on telling them it's a
sober table - remember if they suddenly become the most annoying motherfucker on the
planet you're stuck with them for the whole session,

“The most you should ever have 1o regulate is the phrase "be cool™. If new actor is stll
outof pocke, just “start a new game” without them in it 10 avoid drama.

There aren't really actor types. You just have to watch for what engages people, what

atetests people, and keep your show dialed to keep everybody happy. Sometimes you'te
blessed with an agreeable crew, sometimes you land 4 pack of divas who all want
different shit and act foul if they don't get it. That's life baby. Ride out the scason and
start again with a new crew.

Advanced shit: proactive vs passive crews. Figuring our which one your crew of actors
Teans towards will make prepping for them casier. Examples:if the Crew Ambition is to
Knock over a mid-level drug supplier and your actors stare blankly before asking “Uh so
what should we do?” that’s a teal passive crew. If another crew immediately stats
ploting “Alrght, fist we find a fend and tell hiny his next via’s on us if he takes us to
his dealer — we bag the dealer and work our way up the foodchain until we find
somebody laced with the plug,” that crew i real proacive.

Proactive crews need less prep: you just give them a goal and they move the
plot forwards. The other edge of that sword i they need way more improvisation: they
move quickly and unpredictably, love exploring, and create their own immersion by
asking a lot of questions about your seting (*What are the current power dynamics and
alliances in the criminal underworld?” “Whar's the architeeture like in OId Town?")
which is Hattering but can sometimes feellke sress-tsting.

Passive crews mosly just want an interesting storyline spoonfed to them: you
have to make both clues and narrative paths forward obsious, and break their Ambition
down into teal clear sub-goals. Instead of immersing themselves by exploring and asking
questions, passive actors rust you o immerse them in the most interesting parts of your
stting. This definitely doesn't mean they're having any less of a good time, so don'ttake
offense. Since passive crews are highly predictabl, they’re a blessing for Key Narmators
who love writing and hate improvising.

n7
Soundtrack
AU Bull Pres soundiracks are on bullpress.org.

When ereating your own soundiracks with whatever you've gotten off rulins, or anything
afrend has loaded on a mp3 plager for you, remember

A have the soundirack lined up beforchand so you don't waste time scarching for songs
B don't use anything with actual vocals they're more distracting than you'd think)

‘Spinner Alternatives
Double-cups writ a ring of numbers on the outside of the inercup. Cut ltle window
on the outsde cup. Next 10 the outside cup's window, wite the ring’s highest number

with an 5" before it To spin, just look away and turn the cup a few times: your result
appears i the window. Remernber you can fl every range your main characler uses on
single cup.

Cards: casy (o get a hold of, slow 10 use. Create a sack for each range your actors use
(52, 54, 56 €16). Weite the range on the back, then write the individual numbers of that
fange on the face. Keep the stacks facedown in the middle of the table.

Verbal: when you have no materials on hand, wanna keep it low, or are pla

+Figure out the range of your spin from 1 to whatever (example: $121is 1 0 12)

+The player spinning and the Key cach pick a number in that range, and say that number
simultancously (example: 5 and 3.

+ Add those numbers together for the resultof the spin (example: 5).

+ Now,if those numbers go over the top when added together (example: 10+ 6), it olls
over and counts back up from 1 (example: the esult i 4).

So,if the range s 1 10 8 and player A says 3, and player B says 4, the resul is 7. If the

fange is 10 6 and player A says 4, and player B says S, the result s 3. If he range is 1 10

20 and boih players say 20, the resalt is 20. See how when it ops out the remainder is the

esult? Slick rght?

nseg.

s
Spinning for It

‘When somebody ries to do something uncertain,the Key has them spin 56 for the resul:

6. Finessed. 3. Not really
. Success 2 Failure
Barely 1. Faceplant
Easy: spin 6 twice,take the highest resull (75% chane ofsuccess)

chance ofsucees)
Difficult: spin s6 twice, take the lowest result (25% chance ofsuceess)

Versus: if it's two characters against each other, they both spin and the one with the
higher result wins. If one has a significant edge over the other (reative stat i higher etc)
they spin twice and take the highest. Ties can be inconclusive or spark another versus
spin - Key's choice.

Pros & Cons
“This mechanic adds the lauded gambler’s buzz to any scene, can add suspense, and can
spark the creatvity that only comes from having to improvise.

“That said this mechanic i real casy to over-use: the sbove retuns rapidly
diminish, you can paint yourself ino narrative comers, make the storyline less interesting
(your spinner isn'Calways good writer, and skip material that would have been more
fun to acally play theough

Don’t skip interesting gameplay: crucial shit. If the main characters need 1o create @
trap for a jungle yaksha, and you just have them spin to see how good the trap is. you
Jucking blew i. 1 would have been way more interestng 1o find out from various jungle
inhabitants the yaksha s intensely attracted (o gemsiones, then design an ingenious trap
using that knowledge and the jungle environment. Remember creating suceess through
‘gameplay and nteraction withihe seting s basicall the whole point of the hobby.

Spinning s just gambling with narrative capital: s sn casy Way 1o give your actors a
quick neurochemical buzz, but A.) there have 1o be nteresting sakes, and B.) using it o0
often ruins the offct.

Alternate Rule: The Narrative Spin
“This adds a prompt which can enrich the scene and keep the present subnarrative
moving forward, but takes a litle longer since the Key has o spend time thinking on
an intresting consequence or bonus.

6. Yes and (succes, plusabonus) 3. No but (ilre, but a ood thing happeas)
5.Yes 2No
4 Ves but (succes, butatsome cost) 1. No and (failure, las another bad hing)

For example: & main character tries to hotwire the crooked PI's car. They land a 4
(“yes but), so can fire up the car and drive off, but fucked something up so the
stereo is *blasting? Spice Girls on loop. Another example: a main charactr jumps
offthe roof onto an enemy below. They land 1 (“no and"). s the enemy sces them
comiing, gets a free attack on them,and they stil ake fall offense.

Balls Out: on a challenge that’s real real dicey, worth making memorable, of just
fucking insane, the Key can 3dd o Balls Out spin 1o the $6 namative spin. This
produces truly buckvild scenes, but only if used rarely:

4. Toobonuses 3. Onebonus 2, One consequence 1. Two consequences

1o
Conversational Games & Narrata

Narrata is the creation of fietion through structured conversation. We at Bull Press
consider it the most powerful form of escapism possible since i’ ot limited by the
physical constcuints of medi: it goes exactly a far 3 your creative abilty.

What really makes nartaa immersive is having other people to run it with, and structure
(rules) that get people interacting with the simulated setting and characters.

That's seally all you need to know to start creating your own conversational games
games, but it helps 1o run a few existing ones o really figure out what gameplay you like
and ho to ereate more of i with specifc ruls.

Narrata s ot least 60 years old, though if’s arguable some centuries-old party games and
umpired wargames fit he defniton. Either way the artform i finally spreading its wings
as we see 4 proliferation of new genres and gameplay concepts, new writrs and
luminaies, and games that can only be called works of fine art anging from the size of
single page (0 dozens of volumes. Best ofall, even though shit's papping right now, it can
be said with certainy the John Coltranes and Dave Brubecks of the craft are et to design
their first game.

120
Game Design
Raule 1: the function of a game is s layers having a good time.

Steaight off the bat, here’s some newjack shi 10 look out for and be brutally honest with
YourselFabout

*When you like the idea of a rule, but not the esult o it

+ When you're straight up reinvening the whee! just o be different

+When you're stubbornly holding onto a mechanic your frends ! playtesters hate

Have clear design goals. Outline fest orthat shit's gonna balloon ll over the place.

Start smal: everything takes about a hundred more hours than you think, so start with &
pamphlet-sized game (seriously). Bigger projects will always feel 90% done: be harsh in
deciding when they'te done enough, since there s a definite point of diminishing retums
on your creative energy.

Playtest: there wil always be shit that manifests different than you expected, 5o playtest
more than even seems necessary. I possibl, playtest across demographics (unless you're
only designing a game for your friends). Most playesters won't give you the brutal
honesty you need: it's on you to keep an eye what acually engages them, what bores
them, what rules they strugele to grasp etc.

Explicability: have an answer to questions like “what's it about?” and “how do you i
You want your basic game concept 1o be a sentence, and the rules to be explainable in
less than a minute. Anything more and motherfuckers'cyes start plazing over.

Watch for overdesiga: a game isn't a lve reading of the ten-page seting you wrote up,
' a concise ruleset that allows the actors o have a good time flexing fheir creativity.
Leave the most interesting blanks for your actors to 6l i

Watch for underdesin: you need clear structure and gosls. Too open-ended and players
will feel direetionless. Give specific prompis to induce & flow stat.

Challenge: every game requires it. Too hard and heads check out from frustration. Too
casy and heads check out from boredon. Ideally make it a curve so learning the ropes is
jusi engaging enough for new people. Making diffculy scaleable adds massive replay
Value for more experienced players: do this by adding mechanical and straegic depth o
eward their advanced knowledge of the gane

Risk: it built into traditional games (where everybody plays against each other) since
there can only be one winner and losing sucks. However, even if s 3 cooperatve game
(whete al the players compete against & situation or aulomated sysiem instcad of cach
other) there s t0 be a chance they could lose or face some major setback, otherwise
there’s o theill. I’ the same reason gambling’s §

Frostration riage: losing and setbacks fucking suck, so having something to immediately
disract from cating shit is A+ design. Example: for this game you could create a rule
called “Hardened™ - every time you're merked in 4 fight, you get permanent +3 to your
merk.

Incentives: never punish an action when you can instead reward not doing that action.
Postive incentives are ot only more reliable for shaping behavior, but also contribute to
the overallsense of enjoyability of you game (nobody ikes punishmen).

121
Realism s a terrble goal. First o al, reality mostly sucks. Second, rying to reproduce it
mechanically just creates 2 clunky abyrinth of conditional ruls and other unfn shi
Instead, you wana i the right notes of realiy, both in designing rulesets and settngs.

Game mechanics are best when they're stripped down and_absracted
tepresentations of concepts that interest us (shit like fighting and powers). Settings are
best when they're novel and outlandish, but sull contous the relatable and interesting
parts o our realiy

Realism i tax codes and spinning for how hungry you are or whatever; hitting
the right notes ofreality is unceal shit like dope spaceship fights and psychic powers BUT
coherent seting logic and resonant sde characters.

Randomizing outcomes: you can make the resull of an uncertain thing up to chance with
a randomization meshanic, sometimes called 3 resolution mechanic (simsla to “Spinning
for 16", page 149). This doés a couple good things: it 1. creates a gambler’s buzz, and 2.
ives the Key Narrator an improvisational prompt o interpret the result

On the negative side, the neurochemical thrill of that gambler’s buzz has
swifly diminishing returs: use it 100 often and it just becomes annoying. Even worse, a
fandomization mechanic skips over the gameplay that would normally create suceess.

Some games benefit rom randomization mechanics (lke Risk), but i you tried
o force them into others (like chess) it would straight up ruin the game. Consider
carefully if your game or mini-game would become more enjoyable by adding one.

When designing a randomization mechanic, consider fange. Say you wan 1o
simulate troop teinforcemens in your wargame, and cach player spins at the top of their
. 520 is way 100 swingy: if @ player lands a 19 he can just dogwalk the player that
landed a 4. You can always make the range smaller (like S8 or even ), sure, but you
could also make it more prediciable: spinning 356 slightly reduces the range (0 3-18, but
more importantly it makes the results a bell curve since i’ thrce different spins added
ogether (so resuls at the extremes like 3, 4, 17, 18 are real real are). You could also
reduce randomness by making gameplay a factorreinforcements are s6 + the number of
forresses you have, o you can spin an 56 for each warchest you turm i etc.

Don't get discouraged if your first game feels flat: your carly games are stll worth
playing, you're just developing a more sel-ritical eye since you're now creating games.
Someties rules and mechanics won't produce the result you thought they would and
thar'salrght, that’ how great rulesets are designed: small adjustments over tme.

One of the more popular theories of learing is that we acquire and sharpen
kils by first. doing them wrong and then correcting: ral and error 1’ annoying to hear
for the hundredth time, but the best way o improve is by doing, filing, and learning.
{om falures. Embracing thatshit puts a person ahead of 95% of theit compett

Play more games: every innovation a person makes s a brick on top of 4 colossal
pyramid of previous advancements in human knowledge made by other peaple. Explore
that pyramid - designers put n thousands of Hours creating a single game you can play i
twenty minutes. Devour that knowledge to power your own innovat

Presentation: sucks 1o say, but there’s o reason presenation is S0% of your grade i
culinary school. Consider it another good reason 1o start small, pamphlet-sized games
don'tnced a $10,000 layout and ilustation budge to attact new players

122
+Defense Il

Name:

Summary: v
Appearance: *

sPrimaries

Cter Ambitions

+Background
Eiaamy

45 o
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SUCIEI|IY B S19EINOD ®

sioypoly
103

Asmiing

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ds *
Closing Notes
Bull Press ook are fce 10 prisoners incarcerted in the US. While these book donations
tely on funds we don't siays have, i you Wit into your egional books to prisoners
Workspace, we know the good people voluntering the would be happy to send you
Similarconversational games and ableop matril.

To get a copy: have your people email your info to requests@bullpress.or. Even if your
phone time is limited, this method should enable us 10 get copy in your hands faster
than mailn requests.

People on the outside: if you'd like us 1o send a copy o
sure o include their government name, ID number, and curres

incarcerated friend, make
facilty in your emmail

LIBRARY
(Every book contins main chractr shect,spnners, and everyting s needed t play )
Corpse Thieves: & Kung Fu are set in mythology-heavy Qing-era China. Unwind o
bizarte series of graverobbings, serap with supernatural wigsplittrs, bust open esoteric

conspiracies. Sold for newejacks (short and lincar)

Hiadelph: a game distlled from 90s hip hop., set in parallel Philadelphia laced with
powers, strange creatures, and superbeings. Solid for newjacks (short and linear), plus 75
optional missions across 13 cities for those trying run longform games.

Stirring Giant: o grimy near-future are tracking down @ depraved patrcian in a lawless
megametropolis. Gene spliing, cybemetics, criminal underworld, political violence etc.

- Digital copis of the enire Bull Press library are free at bullpress. org

Internal Font: Times New Roman
Style Guide: Ligma's Auboritative English

Langusge: the function of lunguage s o convey meaning. Asbitrary rules
language (using “whom” for subject | “who? for object, or “ess” for uncountable / “Tewer”
for countable, ec) don t convey additional meaning and are thus linguistically valueles.

“This extends 1o groundless probibitions on double comparatives (more faster, most
oldest), verbiage (lhey is, she be) pleonasms (complete and total, where at) and so on. If
meaning was successfully conveyed, the Tunction of anguage was fulflld — sweating about
dangling prticiples and whatever i only a waste of time and efor,

Listen, language evolves. I you disageee, you can always tlk in old-
Shakespeare English,

mey

System: this conversational game uses the DomepicceTV system. You have express
permission from Bull Press 1o use it for your game or product s long s i's not for anything
fucked up, and you shout us out

‘Special Thanks (0 Q No Rap Name, rghteous individu and genius on the boards

anorapname bandeamp.com to hear a master at work.
DUES

Respect and gratitude to the original Minneapolis scene: your hard work and innovation

made our world fr casir o live in

All glory to The Most High