q u i c k s ta rt k i t

one seven design

 About This Quick Start PDF how to use the quick start
This quick start gives you the basics so you can start playing Blades before
the final game is released. By definition, it's missing some pieces, particularly 1. Read this whole document. materials needed
some instructional text and examples as well as the full guide to Duskwall 2. Print all the reference and character sheets (pages 27 through At least 7 six-sided dice.
city which will be in the final game. As such, it's a document that you'll 39). You might want multiple copies of the Action & Effect
Printed character, crew, and
have to interpret and bolster with your own understanding of roleplaying sheet (page 27).
reference sheets.
practices. If you're brand-new to RPGs, maybe ask a more experienced 3. Brief the group on what Blades in the Dark is all about, using
friend to run this for you. Pencils and erasers.
the Overview on the next page.
Index cards and marker.
4. Give a summary of the situation the characters will find
I'm so excited to share the complete game with you in November (plus all Printed Duskwall map and
themselves in for the Quick Start scenario, using the information
the amazing add-ons you unlocked during the project). Until then, I hope on page 4. Crow's Foot map.
you can have fun playing with this incomplete shard.
5. Create the player characters and the crew, using the instructions
If you have questions or want to give feedback, head over to the G+ on page 30 and page 37, respectively. number of players
Community: 6. Follow the guidelines for starting the session on page 26. Ask 3 or 4 players plus 1 GM is
the players to choose a score to pursue, or create their own. recommended. 2 or 5 players
https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/112767357581554417629 is okay.
7. Start the first team operation by asking the group to choose a
The people there are helpful and I'm usually on hand to answer questions, plan type and provide a detail. Ask them who's on point, and
too. jump in to the action.
Please feel free to talk about the game online and share your experiences 8. Now you're into regular play, as discussed in How to Use the
from actual play. However, this PDF is for backers of the Blades in the System (pages 16 through 18).
Dark kickstarter only, so please don't redistribute it. Thanks! 9. When a PC faces an obstacle or danger, they'll make an action
roll to resolve it. Consult page 11.
10. To see if they overcome the whole obstacle or danger (or if
there's more left to do) make an effect roll (page 12). When
Attention Game Hackers they resist the effect of a threat, you also use an effect roll.
If you're excited to use this game as the basis for a hack or your own game 11. Continue with actions and effects (and teamwork moves) until
design, I'm glad to hear it! But be advised: the operation is resolved or abandoned.
12. After a score, the crew will attract heat (p. 29), earn coin
There will eventually be a CC-licensed, SRD kind of thing for Blades. This and hold through development (p. 29), and have some
is not it! So hold your horses on doing any kind of full-on supplements or breathing room (called downtime) in which to recover and
creating actual products or anything. That will come along once the full pursue personal projects (p. 21). The characters and crew
game is launched. I know you're hyped to make stuff. Which is great! But also earn XP for advancement (p. 20).
I'll have a more polished final version for you at launch later this year. In 13. Once that's done, pick or create a new score, and start the cycle
the mean time, go ahead and toy around, just in moderation. over again.

Blades in the Dark is copyright 2015 by John Harper

All rights reserved.

version beta 08b | 04.02.2015

overview
overview
All the coin in the Empire is cold comfort when
a blade comes for you in the dark.
Bazso Baz
Some people like to get a big-picture overview of
a game; its premise, setting, characters, etc. before
diving in to all the details. So, here it is.
summary
You play scoundrels on the streets of Duskwall,
an industrial-fantasy city. Theres primitive
electrical technology, the printing press, strange
alchemy, and gunpowder weapons.
You and the other players create a fledgling
criminal enterpriseyour crewand then take
on illicit jobs to improve your assets and status.
Game play focuses on the moments of daring
action during a job (with occasional flashbacks
to planning sessions to improve teamwork).
touchstones
When youre pitching the game to potential
players, here are some media touchstones you
can use to relate the game to stuff with which
theyre already familiar.
The video game Dishonored, by Arkane Studios.
The Vlad Taltos series of novels, by Steven Brust.
The stories of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, by
Fritz Leiber.
The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch.
The video game Thief: The Dark Project and its
sequels, by Looking Glass Studios.
The TV show The Wire, by David Simon et al.
theme song
Furnace Room Lullaby by Neko Case.
The Game
Blades in the Dark is a game about a group of daring
scoundrels building a criminal enterprise on the
haunted streets of an industrial-fantasy city. There
are heists, chases, escapes, dangerous bargains,
bloody skirmishes, deceptions, betrayals, victories,
and deaths.
Well play to find out if the fledgling crew can thrive
amidst the teeming threats of rival gangs, powerful
noble families, vengeful ghosts, the bluecoats of the City
Watch, and the siren song of the scoundrels own vices.
The Setting
It is the year 847 of the Imperium which united the
shattered islands of the cataclysm under one ruleall
glory to his majesty the Immortal Emperor.
The unquiet spirits of the deadfree to roam the
world since the gates of death were shattered in
the cataclysmprey on every living thing in the blasted
deadlands between cities. with established turf. They do this by taking illegal jobs from clients,
The port of Duskwall, like every city-stronghold of the Imperium,
planning their own devious missions, making alliances, destroying
their enemies, and trying to stay one step ahead of the law.
is encircled by crackling lightning-towers which create an electrical
barrier that spirits cannot pass. By law, all corpses are incinerated The Players
with electroplasm (to destroy the spirit essence within). However, Each player creates a scoundrel character and works with the other
wealthy citizens, heretics of the spirit cults, and the criminal element players to create the crew to which their characters belong. Each
often arrange for a spirit to escape destruction at the crematorium. player strives to bring their PC to life as an interesting, daring,
Rogue spirits and the illegal spirit essences derived from them are conflicted fantasy adventure character who reaches boldly beyond
rich trade for the black market. their current safety and means. The players decide as a group on
The docks of Duskwall, on the cold, windswept northern tip of the tone and style of the game by making judgment calls about the
Akoros, are home port for the titanic iron steamships of leviathan dice and actions, along with oversight from the GM.
hunters. The blood of those massive demons is the catalyst which
gives potency to the plasmic oils which power the city. The noble The Game Master
elite make their fortunes from the fleets of leviathan hunters they The GM establishes the dynamic world around the characters,
deploy on the ink-dark waters of the Never Sea. especially the law-abiding civilian world and the shadowy criminal
underworld. The GM plays all the non-player characters in the
The Characters world by giving each one a concrete desire and preferred method
The scoundrels attempt to develop their crew from a ragtag group of action. They present opportunities to the PCs. Then they follow
of poor independents to a serious mid-level criminal organization the chain of action and consequences wherever it leads.
3
the situation
the situation
This page describes the situation for the Quick Start. Give the
players this overview before going on to character and crew
the lampblacks
The former lamp-lighter guild, turned to crime when their
ii the red sashes
Originally an Iruvian school of swordsmanship, expanded
ii
creation. See page 26 for more details. services were replaced by electric lights. into criminal endeavors.

War in Crow's Foot Turf: HQ in the office of a coal warehouse. Operates

Your crew of thieves is caught up in a perilous (and possibly
profitable) situation in the Crow's Foot district.
Roric, the ward boss who ran the criminal operations in
Crow's Foot, has been killed. People say it was his second
in command, Lyssa, who did it. She now controls Roric's
impressive gang of cutthroats, who call themselves the Crows.
Can she establish dominance over the district the way Roric did?
When Roric died, the peace he had brokered between two
enemy gangs fell apart. The Lampblacks and the Red Sashes
have once again exploded into open war on the streets. Will
their old feud finally be resolved with bloodshed?
Your crew of thieves is poised to profit from all of this, or
be swept up in the chaos and destroyed. Who will you side
with? Do you have loyalties and friendships in the mix, or
are you detached outsiders coldly exploiting the situation?
We'll play to find out!
See Starting the Game, page 26.
a handful of brothels and cheap drug dens across the
district. destroy
the red
NPCs: Bazso Baz (leader, charming, open, ruthless) sashes
Notable Assets: A fearsome gang of leg-breakers
and mayhem-makers. A number of smugglers on the
payroll who run their drugs.
Allies: The Fog Hounds, Gondoliers, Ironhook Prison.
Enemies: The Red Sashes, The Bluecoats, Cabbies.
Situation: The Lampblacks and the Red Sashes are at war over turf and
vengeance for deaths on both sides. Bazso Baz is recruiting every free
blade in the district for extra muscle and doesn't take no for an answer.
You're either with them or against them.
Turf: HQ in their sword-fighting school / temple.
Operates a handful of high-end drug dens across the
district. destroy
the
NPCs: Mylera Klev (leader, ruthless, aggressive, art lampblacks
collector).
Notable Assets: Small contingent of master sword-
fighters. Master alchemist; many potent potions and
essences.
Allies: The Path of Echoes, Dockers, Cabbies, Inspectors.
Enemies: The Lampblacks, The Bluecoats, Gondoliers.
Situation: The Red Sashes and the Lampblacks are at war over turf
and vengeance for deaths on both sides. Mylera is recruiting every free
blade in the district for extra muscle and doesn't take no for an answer.
You're either with them or against them.

the crows ii
An old gang with new leadership. Known for running
illegal games of chance.
Turf: Claims all of Crow's foot as their turf. Everyone
in the district pays up the chain to them. HQ in an
abandoned city watch tower. Operates many gambling reestablish
rooms across the district. control
of the
NPCs: Lyssa (leader, cold, calculating, killer) district

Notable Assets: A veteran gang of thugs and killers.

A number of small boats. A fortified HQ.
Allies: The Bluecoats, Sailors, The Lost.
Enemies: The Hive, Inspectors, Dockers.
Situation: Lyssa murdered the former boss of the Crow's, Roric. She is a
fearsome killer, and few want to cross her, but her hold as the new leader
of the Crow's is uncertain. Some were loyal to Roric. As the power-play
continues, the Crow's hold on the district just might slip away...

4
factions
factions, tier, & hold
Faction Ladder
The goal of the game is to advance your crew up the faction ladder,
to tier 3 (or beyond!). Your crew begins at tier 0, with 0 hold.
Hold represents how strongly a faction can maintain their
position at their current tier. The more hold you have, the
harder it is for you to lose your position.
Advancement
To advance up one tier, you must have at least 3 hold on
your current tier, then do one of the following:
Achieve +3 faction status with a faction one or two tiers above
you, then successfully perform the next mission they request.
Take advantage of a faction one or two tiers above you
when they're reduced to zero hold. Successfully perform a
mission to take advantage of their weakness (you gain one
tier, they drop down one tier and reset to 1 hold).
Whenever you change tiers, your hold resets to 1.
Factions & Scale
Faction tier level determines the scale of that faction's gangs.
Tier 3 (top). Huge gangs. (40 people)
Tier 2 (middle). Large gangs (20 people)
Tier 1 (bottom). Medium gangs (10 people).
Tier 0. Small gangs (5 people).
Status Changes
When you execute a score, you gain -1 status with any factions
that are hurt by your operation. You may also gain +1 status
with a faction that your operation helps. If you keep your
operation completely quiet (no one knows it was you) then
your status doesn't change.
If you take on a mission given by a faction, you gain +1 status
with them when you complete it, and -1 status with their
enemies if the operation isn't quiet.
NPC Faction Project Clocks
You may also add or remove a segment on a faction's project
clock when you perform a mission or pull off a score.
Gaining Hold
Your crew generates hold primarily with development rolls
(see Heat & Development Rolls on page 29). You may also
earn hold by striking a deal with a faction that involves them
"paying" you 1 of their hold in exchange for some service or
asset. 1 hold is generally worth 1 coin.
NPC factions generate hold via downtime actions. They may
also gain hold by striking deals and trading with another
faction.
Reducing a Faction's Hold
You may perform an operation specifically to reduce the hold
of another faction. A successful operation results in -2 hold.
You may first have to gather information (see page 10) to
discover what you can do to reduce their hold.
A faction at zero hold (or less) is vulnerable to lower-tier
factions who want to move up a tier (See "advancement" at
left). A faction reduced to -3 hold instantly drops down 1 tier
and resets to 1 hold.
Faction Status
+3: Allies. This faction will help you even if it's not in their
best interest to do so. They expect you to do the same for them.
+2: Friendly. This faction will help you if it doesn't create
serious problems for them. They expect you to do the same.
+1: Helpful. This faction will help you if it causes no problems
or significant cost for them. They expect the same from you.
0: Neutral.
-1: Interfering. This faction will look for opportunities to
cause trouble for you (or profit from your misfortune) as long
as it causes no problems or significant cost for them. They
expect the same from you.
-2: Unfriendly. This faction will look for opportunities to hurt
you as long as it doesn't create serious problems for them. They
expect you to do the same, and take precautions against you.
-3: Hostile. This faction will go out of its way to hurt you even
if it's not in their best interest to do so. They expect you to do
the same, and take precautions against you.
5
actions
dice, actions,&& effects
Rolling the Dice
effects
Blades in the Dark uses six-sided dice. You roll several at once
and read the single highest result.
If the highest die is a 6, it's a full success. Things go well.
If you roll multiple 6s, it's a critical success.
If the highest is a 4 or 5 that's a partial success. It's a mixed
result some good, some bad.
If the highest is 1-3 it's a bad outcome. Things go badly.
If you ever need to roll but you have zero (or negative) dice,
roll 2d and take the lowest result.
Action Ratings
There are sixteen actions in the game
system that the player characters use to
overcome obstacles and face dangers. Each
action has a rating (from zero to four) which
tells you how many dice to roll when you
perform that action. Action ratings don't just
represent skill or training you're free to
describe how your character performs that
action based on the type of person they are.
Maybe your character is good at Command
because they have a scary stillness to them,
while another character barks orders and
intimidates people with their imposing size.
You may use any action to overcome an
obstacle or danger. Actions that are very
poorly suited to the situation at will put the
character in a more challenging position, but
they can still be attempted. If it's something
you're really good at, maybe it's worth it.
It's up to you which action your character
performs to overcome a problem.
See How to Choose an Action, page 17.
Action Roll
You make an action roll when your character tries to do
Effect Roll
You make an effect roll to find out the scope of your character's
something that's blocked by an obstacle or when they're action. Is this action enough to overcome the obstacle or
threatened by danger. defeat the threat? Or is there more left to do?
An Action Roll answers two questions: An Effect Roll answers this question:
Do you accomplish your action? -and- What's the scope of my action?
How much trouble are you exposed to when you do this? In general, a full success on the effect roll means that your
The possible results of the roll depend on your character's action has overcome the problem. Lesser rolls mean that
position. There are three possible positions: Desperate, you make progress, but will have to attempt more actions to
Risky, and Controlled. If you're in a controlled position, finish the job.
most of the possible dice results are good. If you're in a
Resistance Roll
desperate position, most of the results are bad. If you're
Attune
somewhere in between, it's risky, and there's a mix of good When you resist a bad outcome, your effect roll tells us how
Cipher and bad dice results. much stress it will cost you to avoid the consequences. The
Command better your roll, the less stress it costs (or you can choose to
For the details on Action Rolls, see page 11.
Consort suffer the effect and save your stress).
Deceive Effect Ratings For the details on Effect Rolls, see page 12.
Discern There are four effects in the game system
Force
Slip which you use to determine how much
Finesse
Mayhem
impact an action has on the situation. Each
effect has a rating (from zero to four) which Insight
Murder tells you how many dice to roll when you Will
Prowl apply that effect. For example, after youroll
to Stalk a target, you roll your Insight
Secure
Stalk effect rating to find out how much you learn
about them.
Stitch
Supply
Effects Are Also Resistances
Sway Your effect ratings also indicate how well your character can
Tinker resist negative consequences. If you get stabbed, you resist
with your Force rating. If someone tricks you with a clever
ploy, you resist with your Insight. When you encounter a
terrifying spirit, you resist with your Will. And so on. The
better your roll, the more easily you can avoid a bad outcome
by taking stress (page 7).
6
stress trauma
Stress
&
stress & trauma
Player characters in Blades in the Dark have a special reserve
Stash 40: Fine. You end up with a well-appointed home
or apartment, claiming a few luxuries. You might operate
of fortitude and luck called Stress. When they suffer a bad a medium business or several small ones.
outcome that they don't want to accept, they can take
stress instead, to reduce the consequences of that Stress & The Supernatural
danger. The result of the Effect Roll determines A close encounter with a spirit or demon is a harrowing
how much stress it costs to avoid. experience. By default, the standard effect is to first freeze a
person in place with fear, then panic them into fleeing from
Daniel's character, Cross, is losing a fight with its presence. A PC can choose to take stress as normal to
an assassin sent by The Unseen. The GM describes resist these effects. Exceptional NPCs, such as Rail Jacks and
how the assassin slips past Cross's defenses and stabs occult weirdos, are more resistant to the supernatural terror
Cross in the chest. Daniel rolls his Force effect to resist, of spirits but it still takes its toll eventually.
and gets a 1-3: a diminished result. He can take 4 stress
to reduce the consequences of the attack (he just gets a Being possessed by a spirit inflicts a level of Trauma at the
minor flesh wound) or Cross suffers the full consequences end of every week. Once the possessed body suffers its fourth
of a dagger to the chest. See Lasting Effects, page 12. level of trauma, it can no longer sustain its life. The possessing
spirit must either bond with the corpse (becoming a vampire)
Trauma or abandon it and seek out a new host.
When a PC marks their 8th and final stress box, they suffer a
level of Trauma. When you mark a level of trauma, clear all Ghost Qualities
of your stress, resetting to zero. You also improve your Vice Roll 1d. Add +1 to roll for each year of ghostly existence.
rating by 1 (this is the only way Vice rating advances). You may 1. Jealous, desperate, violent, hysterical, skittish, or fleeting.
choose to be "left for dead" or otherwise dropped out of the
2. Curious, deceptive, clever, probing, or knowledgeable.
current conflict, only to show back up later, shaken and drained.
3. Prophetic, insightful, true, revelatory, guiding, or
Trauma levels are permanent. Trauma represents how worn
instructive.
down your character is. When you mark your fourth trauma
box, your character cannot continue as a daring scoundrel. You 4. Reactive, territorial, dominant, insistent, bold, or
must retire them to a different life at your first opportunity. demanding.
5. Angry, unpredictable, aggressive, wild, savage, or vengeful.
Retirement
6. Mad, chaotic, vengeful, bizarre, destructive, or insane.
When you fill your last Trauma box and retire, the amount
of coin you've managed to stash away determines the fate
of your character.
Stash 0-10: Poor soul. You end up in a reeking flophouse,
awash in vice and misery.
Stash 11-20: Meager. You end up with a tiny (but warm)
hovel that you can call your own.
Stash 21-39: Modest. You end up with a simple home or
apartment, with some small comforts. You might operate
a tavern or other small business.

7
teamwork
teamwork
Teamwork
When the team of PCs engages in an operation
together, the GM asks the group "Who's on point?"
One of the players chooses to put their character in
the point role.
The character on point leads the action of the team.
They go first and make decisions about how to deal
with obstacles. They're also the first to face any harm
or trouble that comes their way.
All the other PCs on the team are backup for the
character on point. The backup characters are
following their lead, on the lookout for danger, ready
to step in and help.
The point and backup roles shift as the team takes
action. During the course of an operation, each PC is
likely to have a turn in both roles. There's no official
"team leader" as far as the game is concerned.
Moves on Point
When you're on point, in addition to normal actions
and rolls, you have access to three special moves:
Lead a group action.
Overcome an obstacle or danger for the whole team.
Set up a character who follows on your action.
After you perform any special move on point, you
become backup and someone else takes point. The
special moves are detailed below.
On Point: Lead a Group Action
When you lead a group action, you coordinate
multiple members of the team to tackle a problem
together. Describe how your character leads the team
in a coordinated effort. Do you bark orders, give subtle
hand signals, or provide charismatic inspiration?
Each PC who's involved rolls for the action and the
team counts the single best result as the overall
effort for everyone. However, the character leading
the group action takes 1 stress for each character
that rolled 1-3 as their best result.
This is how you do the "everyone sneaks into
the manor" situation. Everyone rolls their
Moves as Backup
The only thing tougher than scrounging on
these haunted streets is trying to do it alone.
Arlyn Grel
When you're backup, in addition to normal actions
Teamwork Summary
Moves on Point
Prowl action, and the best result counts for and rolls, you have access to three special teamwork
the whole team. But the player on point suffers moves: Lead a group action.
stress for everyone who does poorly. It's tough Face an effect in place of the character on point. Overcome a group
covering for the stragglers. Assist another character on the team. problem.
The group action may extend to the effect roll, if Follow through on a setup action. Set up another character.
you wish. Everyone may roll for effect and take the
best result, but stress applies again for 1-3 results. Moves as Backup
Backup: Face an Effect
Otherwise, only the leader rolls for effect. Face an effect for the
When you face an effect in place of the character on
The group action move is good when none of the team point, you roll to resist the effect instead of them. character on point.
members are experts at a given action and can all You may spend stress to avoid the consequences, Assist another character.
contribute to improve the performance of the team. as normal. Describe how you intervene to face the Follow through on a
effect meant for them. setup action.
On Point: Overcome
When you overcome an obstacle or danger the whole Backup: Assist Changing Roles
team is facing, you can solve a problem for everyone, When you assist another character, take 1 stress
but risk stressing out your teammates. You become backup after you
to give them 1 bonus die to their roll. Only one
use any teamwork move on
Roll your action as normal, but if your result is less than teammate can assist a given roll. Describe how your
point. Choose someone new
6 each member of the team suffers 1 stress. It's stressful character assists.
to be on point.
to watch a teammate do less than perfectly on an action
that affects everyone. (This stress happens on the initial Backup: Follow Through You must take point when you
roll only, not any follow-up rolls from a 1-3 result.) When you follow through on an action set up by follow-through as backup.
The result of the point character's roll applies to the character on point, you become the character You can't freely shuffle
everyone on the team. on point. You add their effect dice to the effect roll people between roles. If the
for your next action. (Your next action may include
This is how you do the "I'll lure the guard wrong person is on point, two
a special point move, like Overcome.)
away" situation. The point character rolls characters can swap if one of
their Sway action, and the result covers for Do We Have to Use Teamwork? them takes 1 stress. Smoothly
everyone to gain access to the manor. Teamwork moves are options, not requirements. shifting the point role around
Each character can still perform solo actions during the team is a mini game that
The overcome move is good when you have an expert
an operation. You can Sway that guard with your requires actual teamwork
on the team with a high action rating to deal with a among the players. You won't
charm to gain access to the manor without using
particular problem.
the Overcome move, leaving the rest of your team always get it just right. That's
to figure out their own way inside. just the nature of teamwork.
On Point: Set Up
If your character can't communicate or somehow
When you perform a setup action, you do something
coordinate with the rest of the team, you can't use
that makes one of your teammates more effective. If
or benefit from any teamwork moves.
your action is a success, you add your effect dice to
the effect roll of the teammate who next takes point
and follows through on your setup (see Backup:
Follow Through).
8
progress
progress clocksclocks
Progress Clocks
Use a progress clock for a goal that takes several
actions to resolve.
Sneaking into the Bluecoat watch tower? Start
a clock for the security coverage of the patrols.
When the PCs fill the clock with their effect rolls,
they've overcome the patrols obstacle.
Generally, the more complex the goal or problem,
the more segments in the progress clock.
A simple obstacle is a 4-segment clock. A moderate
obstacle is a 6-segment clock. A complex obstacle
is an 8-segment clock. A daunting obstacle might
be a 10-segment clock, or more!
An effect roll is used to tick segments on a
clock. Each effect result level indicates how many segments to
tick (see page 12). Also, effort spent during downtime (see
page 21) can tick a clock representing a long-term project.
Some complex obstacles should be broken into several
"layers", each with its own progress clock. For example, the
Lampblack's HQ might have "perimeter security" with an
8-segment clock, "interior guards" with a 6-segment clock,
and "Bazso's office security" with a 6-segment clock. The crew
would have to make their way through all three layers to reach
Bazso's personal safe and fine whiskey collection.
Countdown Clocks
The GM can use a progress clock to represent a countdown
threat, like reinforcements that are on the way, or the time
it takes for a burning building to collapse. When a PC takes
action, the GM fills in a segment on the countdown clock.
When the clock is full, the time-based threat manifests. The
GM also has the option to include the advancement of a
countdown as a danger on a roll. So if the PC rolls a 4/5 on a
risky move, for instance, the clock counts down, but on a 6+,
they do their action quickly enough so no countdown occurs.
Mission Clocks
The GM might make a special countdown clock for a time-
sensitive mission, to represent the window of opportunity
you have to complete the operation. If the countdown runs
Faction Clocks
Each faction has a long-term goal they're working on when
out, the mission is scrubbedthe target escapes, or another the game begins. When the PCs take downtime (page 21)
crew completes it first, etc. A mission clock might tick down the GM ticks forward the faction clocks that they're interested
one segment per hour, or per day, or per week, depending
in. In this way, the world around the PCs is dynamic and
on its nature. things happen that they're not directly connected to, changing
Recovery Clocks the overall situation in the city and creating new opportunities
When A PC suffers a lasting effect, like an injury, it has a and challenges.
progress clock associated with it, representing the time needed The PCs may also directly affect NPC faction clocks, based
to recover. The more serious the effect, the bigger the clock. on the missions and scores they pull off. Talk to them about
During downtime, you can receive aid to tick segments on known faction projects that they might aid or interfere with,
your recovery clocks. and also consider how a PC operation might affect the NPC
clocks, whether the players intended it or not.
Long-Term Project Clocks
Some projects will take a long time. A basic long-term
project clock (like tinkering up a new feature for a device)
Campaign Countdowns
In the full version of the game, the GM has several campaign
has 8 segments. Truly long-term projects (like creating a new
countdowns that represent the unstable situation in the city.
designer drug) should be broken up into several phases, each
When one of the NPC factions fills its project clock, the GM
with its own clock. The phases are, generally: 1) Figure out how
advances the campaign countdown clocks. When a campaign
to do it, 2) Muster resources and test things out, 3) Complete
clock is full, a campaign event occurs. This is one of the systems
the project. Add or subtract phases depending on the details
the GM uses to make the city of Duskwall come alive as a
of the situation and complexity of the project.
dynamic backdrop for the game.
Tug-of-War Clock For this quick start, you won't need campaign countdowns
You can set up a clock that can be filled and emptied by events, unless you play a whole lot! If you do, by that point, I bet you'll
to represent a back-and-forth situation. For example, you might have all sorts of ideas for campaign countdowns of your own
make a "Revolution!" clock that indicates when the refugee design. Share them on the G+ community for others to use, too.
Skovlanders in the city start to riot over the annexation of their
homeland. Some events will tick the clock up and some will
tick it down. Once it fills, the revolution begins.
A tug-of-war clock is also perfect for an ongoing turf war
between two crews or factions.
Linked Clocks
You can make a clock that unlocks another clock once it's filled.
In the "Revolution!" example, above, the GM might make a
countdown clock called "Imperial Troops Arrive" when the
"Revolution!"clock fills up. A multi-phase long-term project is
essentially a set of linked clocks.
9
info & planning
information & planning
Gather Information
The flow of information from the GM to the players about the
fictional world is very important in a roleplaying game. By
default, the GM tells the players what their characters perceive,
suspect, or intuit. But there's just too much going on to say
everything it would take forever and be boring, too. So, the
players have a tool at their disposal when they want to know
more about something in the fiction. Their characters can
perform a special kind of move called Gather Information.
When your character gathers information, you ask the
GM questions about the fictional world, based on what the
character is doing to discover the details. For instance, you
decide to beat up Avrick the powder dealer to make him talk,
you could ask questions about where Avrick gets his supply,
if he's lying, what he intends to do later, etc. Or maybe you
decide to stalk the Night Market and find out who's carrying
the heaviest purses home.
A list of sample questions is provided on the character sheet,
but you can ask any question related to the situation at hand.
If the action of gathering the information is blocked by an
obstacle or exposes your character to danger, you make
an action roll as normal. If there's a question of how much
information can be gathered, then you roll for effect.
Planning
Your crew spends time planning each score. They huddle around
a flickering lantern in their lair, looking at scrawled maps,
whispering plots and schemes, bickering about the best approach,
lamenting the dangers ahead, and lusting after stacks of coin.
But you, the players, don't have to do the nitty-gritty planning.
The characters take care of that, off-screen. All you have to do
is choose what type of plan the characters have already made.
That's right; the planning phase is over as soon as you start it.
Just choose and go.
There are five different types of plan, each with a missing detail
you need to provide. To "plan an operation," simply choose the
plan and supply the detail. Then cut to the action as the first
moments of the operation unfold at the target location.
Scouting the Detail
When you choose a plan, the GM will ask you to provide a
missing detail, like the point of attack, or the social connection,
etc. If you don't know the detail, you can scout it out by
gathering information.
Some groups of players naturally fall into a creative mode
when the GM asks about the detail. They invent something
interesting and supply the detail from their imagination in
the moment. This is fun! But be aware that inventing details
this way makes scouting actions irrelevant. If you don't want
scouting and casing targets to be a focus of play, go ahead and
simply invent the detail off the cuff. Otherwise, try to refrain
from doing this. If your characters don't already know the
detail, say so, and follow up with gather information actions
to discover it. Or, play with a mix of approaches.
The Five Plans
Assault plan. You intend to do violence to a target. Detail:
The point of attack.
Deception plan. You intend to lure, trick, or manipulate.
Detail: The method of deception.
Infiltration plan. You intend to trespass unseen where
you are not wanted. Detail: The entry point of infiltration.
Occult plan. You intend to confront or exploit a
supernatural power. Detail: The arcane power you will
employ.
Social plan: You intend to negotiate, bargain, or persuade.
Detail: The social connection you're using.
Linked Plans
A common scenario is a team that wants to attempt a two-
pronged approach. "You create a diversion at the tavern the
Dimmer Sisters own, and when they send their thugs over there,
we'll break in to their house." There are two ways to handle this.
1. The diversion is a setup action that a team member performs
as part of the Infiltration plan. If the diversion succeeds, the
next teammate who follows up gets increased effect dice. (See
Teamwork, page 8, for details about setup actions.)
"No plan extends with certainty beyond the
first encounter with the enemy."
Moltke the Elder
If it makes sense, any team members who performed the setup
action can drift back in to the main operation and join the team
again so they don't have to sit out and wait.
2. The diversion is its own operation, linked to a future
infiltration plan. You play it out as a full series of team actions,
with the end goal being, "There are no guards at the house when
we infiltrate it later."
Either approach is fine. It's a question of interest. Is the diversion
interesting enough on its own to play out moment by moment?
If so, make it a full operation. If not, simplify it to a setup action
as part of the main plan.
Flashbacks
The rules for actions and effects don't distinguish between
actions performed in the present moment and those performed
in the past. When an operation is underway, you can invoke a
flashback scene to roll for an action in the past which impacts
your current situation. Maybe you bribed the district watch
sergeant to not patrol here tonight, so you make a Supply roll
to see if it worked.
The GM sets a stress cost when you activate a flashback action:
0 Stress for a normal action for which you had easy
opportunity. The Cutter Consorted with his friend Chael
to ask him to arrive at the dice game ahead of time, to suddenly
spring up as a surprise ally.
1 Stress for a complex action or unlikely opportunity. The
Hound arranged to Slip her pistols under the table ahead of
time so she could retrieve them after the pat-down at the door.
2 Stress for an elaborate action which involved several
special opportunities or contingencies. The Whisper has
already Attuned to the ghost of the former proprietor to
divine the secret of the hidden safe.
10
action
the action roll
roll
action roll
1d for each Action dot.
+1d if the target matches your
+
Background.
+ +1d for the Devils Bargain
+ +1d for Backup (they take stress).
-1d if youre hindered by any
- level), or try for full effect by taking a
relevant lasting effects.
-1d if you face veteran, elite, or
- resistance result level). Then, choose:
well-prepared opposition.
Each time you roll a desperate move,
mark a tick of desperate move xp on your
character sheet. See page 20.
Desperate
You take a huge risk on a slim chance.
Youre stuck in a bad position. You face
a threat thats out of your league.
Crit: You do it and avoid the danger.
6: You do it but the danger manifests.
4/5: Things go badly. The danger manifests.
You must abandon this approach or try
again by taking a bigger risk and rolling a
desperate move.
1-3: It gets worse! First, you face a more
potent effect from the danger (-1 to your
Abandon this goal (you cant achieve it
for now) or try again by taking a bigger
risk and rolling a desperate move.
Risky
You face a dangerous opponent on equal
footing. You act under fire. You take a
calculated risk.
Crit: You do it with increased effect (+1
effect result level).
6: You do it and avoid the danger. or you
may choose to overreach and get +1 effect
level but also face effect from the danger.
4/5: You do it but the danger manifests.
1-3: Things go badly. First, the danger
manifests. Then, choose: Abandon this
approach (you'll have to try another way)
or try again by taking a bigger risk and
rolling a desperate move.
Controlled
You take time to carefully execute a plan.
You hedge your bets and play it safe. You
exploit a dominant position.
Crit: You do it with increased effect (+1
level) and you may create an additional
opportunity that follows on from this
action.
6: You do it!
4/5: You do it with reduced effect (-1
bigger risk and rolling a risky move.
1-3: You reveal a flaw in this approach
that will expose you to danger. You may
back out now (abandon this method of
action) or go ahead with it by rolling a
risky move.

When your PC pursues a goal that's blocked by an obstacle
or exposes them to danger you make an action roll.
Choose Your Action
Tell the group which action your character performs to deal
with the obstacle or danger. It's usually obvious, but make
it explicit anyway. There's some overlap among actions,
meaning several of them might apply, depending on the
specific approach you take. The choice is yours, as long as
your character actually does the action in question. You can't
roll Murder unless you proceed with serious violence.
Position & Desired Effect
Assess the strength of the character's position to perform
this action. There are three positions (from worst to best):
Desperate, Risky, or Controlled. Look at the profiles for
each position. Which of the various phrases best matches the
character's current situation?
Also consider the desired effect of the PC and the possible
effect of the threat they're facing. In general, the bigger the
desired effect, the bigger the risk.
By revising their approach and desired effect, a player can
modify their position. Discuss alternate goals, approaches and
effects and how the PC's position might change as a result.
Be explicit about what they'll accomplish and what they're
risking! (Even if the risk is "You don't know what will happen
if you do that.") The players need information to make good
decisions about their actions. Once you're happy with the
assessment, assemble the dice pool for the roll.
The Devil's Bargain
PCs in Blades are reckless scoundrels addicted to destructive
vicesthey don't always act in their own best interests. To
reflect this, the GM or any other player can offer you a bonus
die if you accept a devil's bargain. Take some action or exploit
some advantage which helps you now, but works against your
overall well being, security, or future plans. Common devil's
bargains include:
Revealing a valuable secret for a momentary edge.
Sacrificing coin, an item or a crew asset.
Suffering stress or a lasting effect.
Betraying a teammate, friend or loved one.
Angering a powerful enemy.
Making a dangerous promise.
Adding heat to the crew with evidence or witnesses.
There isn't a devil's bargain in every situation. If one doesn't
occur to anyone right away, that's fine.
The devil's bargain occurs regardless of the outcome of the
roll. You make the deal, get the bonus die, and pay the price.

11
effect resistance
&
effect & resistance
When your PC successfully performs an action, you make an
effect roll to determine its scope.
that might be an 6-segment clock
(or more). Tell the players what
effect roll
1d for each Effect diamond .

+ +1d if you have a Fine Item.

Critical: Your effect is extreme.
6 segments.
6: Your effect is complete.
you're thinking about the scope of 4 segments.
Determine the Scope of Your Action the obstacle and talk about their -1d if your opposition is especially 4/5: Your effect is partial.
In Blades in the Dark, you overcome obstacles and face goal so it's clear and they can revise -
resistant to this effect. 2 segments.
dangers by making action rolls. But, how many action rolls as needed.
does it take to deal with a particular problem? If you're not 1-3: Your effect is diminished.
sure, you make an effect roll to find out. Resist the Danger 1 segment
If you've played other roleplaying games, you're probably When you face a danger and resist
its negative outcome, you roll one
familiar with a system where you make a roll to attack in
of your effect ratings to find out resistance roll
combat, then make a follow-up roll for damage. The result
of the damage roll tells you if you defeat the target, or if they how much stress it will cost to Critical: You resist fully. 0 stress.
1d for each Effect diamond .
still have hit points left, so you'll need to attack them again. avoid the consequences. This is
always optional. You don't have to 6: You resist it if you take 1 stress.
This system is similar, but it applies to all kinds of actions and take the stress; you can suffer the 4/5: You resist it if you take 2
+ +1d if you have a Fine Item.
effects, not just attacks and damage. full consequences, instead. This stress.
The default case is a simple obstacle which has 4-segments of usually means you take a Lasting -1d if your opposition is especially
- 1-3: You resist it if you take 4
scope. See the table, top right, which shows how much effect Effect (see below). Sometimes this potent with this effect.
stress.
you have for a given roll, and how many segments of progress it's is a good idea, especially if you
worth. When a player rolls for effect and gets a 6+, they overcome expect to face worse things soon.
a 4-segment obstacle. This is the standard case, so you don't need Arlyn's action roll goes badly while she's fighting a Red
to draw a 4-segment clock for each and every obstacle. Just keep Sash on a rooftop, and she's forced over the edge. She resists
it in mind. When a player rolls less effect (1 or 2 segments) then Lasting Effects
the harm from the fall using her Finesse effect rating (she
maybe draw the clock real quick, fill in 1 or 2 parts, and describe A lasting effect persists beyond the current situation. Physical
catches a laundry line and slows her fall on the way down).
how their effect manifests, without overcoming the obstacle. injuries produce obvious lasting effects, but social influence,
She rolls a 4, meaning she can avoid any harm from the
Then ask them what they want to do next. fatigue, arcane events, etc. can also have long-term effects.
fall by taking 2 stress.
Lesser obstacles (a trusting mark, a weakened enemy) can have When a PC suffers a lasting effect, make a note
Your character's remaining stress boxes indicate how much
smaller clocks. 3-segment or 2-segment clocks are fine. If you of it on an the character sheet, along with its
trouble they can avoid. When you're maxed out on stress you
imagine a 1-segment obstacle, that's the sign that you don't recovery clock. Most lasting effects should be 6-
can't wriggle out of bad outcomes anymore (unless you take
need to roll for effect at all. or 8-segment clocks. If a lasting effect hinders a
trauma). If you've played other RPGs, you can think of stress broken
character's action, they take a -1d penalty to the leg
Complex obstacles (a series of guard patrols, a complex security as your "hit points." But you get to decide when to spend them.
action roll. If multiple lasting effects apply to the
system, a suspicious mark, a veteran fighter) call for bigger NPCs can't take stress. They just suffer whatever effect level action, take a -2d penalty.
clocks. 8-, 10- or 12-segment clocks are good. you roll against them. Things may be tough for your fledgling
When a PC inflicts a lasting effect on an NPC,
The vast majority of obstacles should be 4-segments. Use crew, but at least you have a safety net that your enemies don't.
put it on an index card for future reference. It
smaller or larger clocks when you want to highlight something can be used as leverage until the target takes
Armor
remarkable or when the players do something "the hard way." time and effort to recover from it. Leverage seduced
If you have a type of armor that applies to the situation, you
For example, if the player's goal is "I shove him back and run can mark one armor box to avoid a negative effect, instead of might create a new opportunity for action (if
away down the stairs," that might be a 4-segment obstacle. If they taking stress. (All of your armor is restored when you have an NPC has the "Seduced" lasting effect, for
say, "I slip past his defense, kill him, and run down the stairs," downtime.) If an NPC has armor, you'll usually take a -1d example) or might improve a PC's position for a future action
penalty to your effect roll. or both.
12
example of play
example of play
Breaking Into the Manor House
Rivka and her crew of scoundrels are on a job. They heard
from their smuggler friend, Hoxley, that the Dimmer Sisters
had recently acquired a valuable arcane relic from the time
before the cataclysm, The Eye of Kotar.
Rivka's crew has a -2 status rating with the Dimmer Sisters,
which means they're enemies. Stealing the Eye will hurt the
sisters, loosen their hold in the underworld, and put a valuable
treasure in the crew's vault, to boot. Everyone agrees that this
is the job they want to pursue.
The Plan
Rachel, the GM, asks the question that kicks off every job
in Blades in the Dark: "Okay, you want to rob the Dimmer
Sisters. Excellent. What's the plan?"
The players look at the list of plans on their character sheets
and quickly choose one. "I vote for infiltration," says Dylan.
"Yeah," says James, "Let's keep this nice and quiet. We already
have enough heat as it is." The other players agree.
The GM asks the group for the detail that completes the plan:
"What's your point of entry?"
"Well," says Rivka. "We've cased the Dimmer Sisters' manor
before. I think using the underground canal entrance is good.
We have cistern keys to deal with any gates down there, and
that approach will keep us out of sight from witnesses on the
street." Everyone agrees.
"Cool," Rachel says. "That's the plan your characters made,
probably huddled around their sketch of the Dimmer's manor
house and the canal map. Now, on to the operation! So...
you're making your way through the underground canal,
poling your gondola silently through the disused tunnels."
"I have a lantern held out," Allison says. "But it's shuttered
down to a faint glow. Is it all moldy and slimy down here?"
"Oh, yeah," Rachel says. "The walls are covered in glistening
wet ooze, completely obscuring the stone. The water is black
and oily. There's a stench of waste and rot."
"Ugh," says James.
On Point
The GM asks the question that starts the action on a team
operation: "Okay, who's on point?"
"Well," says Allison. "When we cased the place last time, the
Dimmer's had some arcane wards set up, plus some goons
patrolling around. We'll have to assume that's still true."
The GM shrugs. "Yeah, they haven't had a reason to change
things. It's been quiet with them. Your last recon still counts."
The GM checks her notes, but doesn't find the Dimmer Sisters'
details from the last time. Oh well. Rachel quickly makes a
new set of progress clocks for their security, based on what
she knows about the Sisters' operation. She puts them out on
the table for everyone to see. Wards: 6, Patrols: 4, Locks: 6.
"I'll take point," Allison says. "The Sisters are all
whispery like me, after all. Wards are my thing."
"Great," says Rachel. "Your gondola bumps against
the ancient dock below the Dimmer's manor. An wards
open stone doorway lies beyond, shrouded in pitch
blackness. When you shine your lantern toward it,
the darkness is not dispelled. A coldness creeps over
everyone. You can see your breath mist in the air."
patrols
"'Hold up, everyone,'" Allison says, in character. "'I'll
take care of this.' Cylene's eyes glow softly and she
approaches the doorway, sending out arcane power
against the protective wards that must be there."
locks
"Okay," Rachel says. "Your first obstacle. It sounds
like you're using the Attune action to get past it."
"Yep. Attune it is. How strong is my position here?"
"You're dealing with arcane wards set by the Dimmer sisters
specifically to catch someone breaking in to their home. You're
going after them where they're strong and prepared. But this
is something you're prepared for, as well. You're a professional
Whisper who does this for a living, and you're not under any
other pressures. Sounds like the definition of a risky position,
to me: You face a dangerous opponent on equal footing."
"Yeah, that sounds about right," Sarah says. "It would be
desperate if you had to do this in the middle of a fight, or if they
knew we were coming. So risky seems right." Everyone agrees.
"Cool," Allison says. "Cylene's Attune rating is 2."
"Okay, take 2 dice. You're on point, so you get to decide: are
you leading everyone to attune together, or are you handling
this yourself to overcome the obstacle on behalf of the team?"
"And what's the difference, again?"
"If you lead, everyone will roll to attune, and the team will keep
the best result. But, you'll take stress for everyone who fails
their roll, since you're leading and covering their mistakes."
"Okay. So we have a better overall chance, but I risk some stress.
Especially because these yahoos aren't any good at attuning."
"Right. Or, if you handle it yourself to overcome the obstacle
for the whole team, then you're the only one who rolls, but
whatever you roll counts for everyone."
"That sounds good," Dylan says."
"Yes," Rachel says. "But, if Allison doesn't roll a full success,
the rest of you take stress. It's tough to stand by and watch
someone do something and not do it just right!"
"Ha! Yeah," Sarah says. "That is so true."
"Okay," Allison says. "So if I lead, I risk stress. And if I overcome,
they risk stress. Got it. Since I'm pretty good at this, I think
'overcome' makes sense. They're just gonna hold me back."
"You're on point, it's your call." James says.
"Okay," Rachel says. "So you have 2 dice so far. You also get
a bonus die if your background matches the target in this
case, The Dimmer Sisters, since they set up the wards."
"My background is Noble," Allison says.
"Yep, same as the Dimmers. Take a bonus die."
"Sweet. Any more dice?"
"Two more, if you want them. A teammate can give you a
bonus die if they assist you and take one stress. And you can
accept a devil's bargain for a bonus die."
13
"Okay... let's talk teamwork first. Who wants to back me up?"
"I'll do it," Dylan says. "You know I never leave your side,
Cylene. No matter how weird things get. That's 1 stress for
me." Dylan passes the bonus die over.
"Aw, you're the best, Frost," Allison says.
"Nice," says Rachel. "What does Frost do to assist?"
Dylan thinks for a moment. "Frost walks up beside Cylene
and silently places his hand on her shoulder. He closes his
eyes and opens his mind, letting her take whatever strength
from him she needs."
"Whoa," Sarah says. "That's cool."
"Yeah, awesome!" Allison says. "Okay, Rachel... let's hear your
devil's bargain."
"Hey," Rachel says, "It's not just my job! Anyone can propose a
devil's bargain. Think of a cost or complication or nasty little
twist and if Allison accepts it, she gets a bonus die."
"Oh, I have one," James says. "It's the obvious thing. When you
meddle with the Dimmer's wards, you leave a trace of yourself
behind. They'll be able to figure out who did it. Eventually."
"Oh, that's good. So mean, and so good," Allison says. "I love it.
Yes. Devil's bargain for me. We're good? I have 5 dice. Let's roll."
"Okay," Rachel says, "Let's do it."
Allison rolls all her dice and keeps the highest. It's a 6!
"Suck it," says Allison. "Full success."
"What's it say for a full success on a risky move?" Rachel asks.
Allison reads from the reference sheet:
6: You do it and avoid the danger. or you may choose to
overreach and get +1 effect level but also face an effect
from the danger.
"Hmm," Allison says.
"Oh jeez," James says. "You're going to overreach, aren't you?"
"I sure am," Allison says. "I'm gonna show these Dimmer's
who's boss. Spoiler alert: it's me."
"Here we go," Sarah says.
"Okay, wait. First, what's the danger?" Dylan asks.
"Oh, damn! I should have said that to begin with," Rachel
says. "That's part of the risky move. You should know what the
danger is so you can decide if you're taking the risk or not."
"Eh, it's fine," Allison says. "It's not like we were gonna turn
around and leave. We're here to do a job. But I'd like to know.
What's the danger?"
"Well, the Dimmer's don't mess around," Rachel says. "So
it's the obvious thing. The darkness in the doorway isn't just
as barrier, it's a trap. It swirls out and wraps you in choking,
cold vapors. You feel your heart stop."
"Holy crap."
"Yeah. Uh, sorry. They do have a certain reputation about
how they deal with interlopers."
"Yeah. No, I get it. It makes sense. We know they have a pile of
bodies in their basement, after all. But, yeesh. Maybe I don't
want to show them who's boss."
"No, you're good," Dylan says. "I'm your backup, right? I can
face danger in your place. I got this. Go ahead and smash
them. I'll deal with the death vapors."
"Ooookay," Allison says. "If you say so! I overreach."
"Okay, you're gonna roll your effect to see if you can bypass
this whole ward problem with this one action, or if there's still
more stuff to do. More you know death vapor stuff to do."
"Wonderful. And I choose which effect to roll, based on what
Cylene did, same as picking my action. So this is definitely
Will. I'm attuning and channeling my willpower, and Frost's,
too, to bypass the barrier ward."
"Yep. Take dice equal to your Will. Do you have a fine quality
item that applies to this?"
"Yep, I have my fine spirit mask. It helps me see arcane energy.
So, 2 Will + fine item, that's 3 dice. No devil's bargain, thanks.
Let's roll it." Allison rolls and gets a 6 again! A complete effect.
"Bam," Allison says. "That's a complete effect, so that's 4 ticks
on the Wards clock."
"Yep," Rachel says. "But... it's actually a critical result! Since
you decided to overreach, you get to bump up your result by
a whole tier. From a success to a crit."
"Oh right! Bad ass. So that's 6 ticks on the clock, right? I beat
the whole thing."
14
"You sure do," Rachel says. "We'll get to that, but
first we have to find out what happens with the
heart-stopping death vapors."
"Oh yeah." wards
"How are you resisting the vapors, Frost?" Rachel asks.
"Uh... Force is my best effect rating... but, no. I can't use
force against death vapors, "Dylan says. "I guess Frost has to
summon his Will against this stuff."
"Well, it depends," Sarah says. "Are the vapors actually
attacking his lungs and heart, physically? Because resisting
physical attack is totally a Force thing."
"Yeah, that's true," Rachel says. "I guess the vapors are both
arcane and physical, really. It's up to you, Dylan."
"Okay, yeah, that does make sense. Frost is really tough and
can push through pain and damage, so sure. I'll roll Force."
"Okay," Rachel says. "So... Frost, you step between Cylene and
the death vapors. You feel them envelop you, filling your
lungs, withering your organs. You collapse on the
dock, face down in the muck. Not moving.
Not breathing."
"I struggle with every ounce of strength
within me!" Dylan says. He rolls and the
dice betray him. He gets a 3. A weak
effect.
"Oh no," Allison says.
"Ouch! Okay then. So I'm gonna
die, huh? Yeah, no thanks," Dylan
says. "I'll take stress to avoid that
effect. Obviously. Thanks to my
awful roll, that's gonna cost me 4
stress! Which is almost all I have left,
but hey, that's what stress is for, right?"
"Right! Tell us how Frost resists the vapor
and doesn't die."
"Oh, yeah, I think it's just like you said, but,
after a beat, he suddenly twitches and stands
up, alive after all. He pulls his pipe from his
belt, lights it, and takes a long, thoughtful drag.
'Well, shit.' he says."
"Nice," Rachel says. "So, Allison, you totally wrecked the
wards. Want to tell us what happens? Remember, you leave
some trace of yourself behind, from the devil's bargain."
"Right. So, from behind my spirit mask, my eyes glow even
brighter, and twin beams of pale blue light spill out, burning
through the death vapors and ripping the arcane energy of the
ward apart. This causes a chain reaction through all the wards
across the building, and they each fade out silently, one by
one. In their place, a single scorched rune remains, a symbol
that encodes my name in an ancient language."
And that's the first part of the operation in the bag. Allison
used her teamwork move on point to overcome the wards for
the whole team, so now she hands off the point position to
someone else. Maybe James steps up so Dor can be on point
and use his Lurk talents to lead the team past the Dimmer's
patrols and find where they keep their artifact collection.
Questions to Consider
What if the team had no Whisper? How would things have
gone differently? Can anyone deal with arcane stuff, or does
it require a specialist? Would they need to hire an NPC
whisper for the operation?
What if they didn't know about the wards ahead of time
and just blundered into them? How would you handle that?
What if Allison had rolled lower for her effect, leaving more
to do with the wards? She's handing off point to someone
else, so how might they deal with it? Maybe they just do
a setup action and hand point back to Allison again, or
maybe they think of something else. Are the PCs daring
and proud, or ultra-cautious and pragmatic?
What if the Dimmer Sisters had been tipped off to this
infiltration? Maybe there was an opportunity for that,
or maybe the PCs planned their operation secretly and
attacked before the Dimmer's were wise to it. Could that
question be resolved by an action roll? How would you
handle that?
Setting the danger of the ward to "you die" was pretty harsh!
Do you think that's a fair move, given the Dimmer's lethal
reputation? When would you threaten a lethal effect like
that?
15
how to use the system part i
The game is a conversation between the people at the table.
You're talking, narrating actions, speaking in character,
making jokes, sketching maps, speculating about what
might happen, all that good stuff. But it's just talking, right?
There's a thing that happens in a roleplaying game where the
conversation shifts. Where you go from just talking to using
a mechanic. What's that like?
Triggering the Action Roll
This shift in the conversation is the GM's responsibility (they
should always be on the lookout), but anyone can call for it.
So, when do you call for it? You call for an action roll when
any of these happen:
A player character faces an obstacle that blocks or
complicates the achievement of their goal.
A player character faces danger from a threat an NPC;
a dangerous situation or environment.
A player character leads or gives orders to an NPC or
NPC group, which faces an obstacle or danger.
Someone grabs the dice and gets all excited about making
a roll.
So, then, what do you actually say? I like to first ask the
player how they're accomplishing their action. Which of their
action ratings will they use? Then, I suggest the position
the character is in, to start a brief conversation about that.
To use the action mechanic we need to know the strength of
the character's position Desperate, Risky, or Controlled.
It's like:
Player: "So he has the amulet? Okay, no, I'm forcing him
to hand it over, right now."
GM: "Okay then. How are you gonna do that?"
Player: "I look him square in the eye and I Command
him to hand it over."
GM: "Cool. Sounds pretty risky to me. He's no push-over
and his goons are standing right there."
And then the other players chime in and suggest an alternative
position, or the player revises their statement to something
more or less daring, or everyone just nods and we've shifted
into using the mechanic.
Why We Do This
What's the point of this shift into a mechanic, anyway? Why
not just talk it out? The main reason is this: when we just
talk things out, we tend to build consensus. This is usually a
good thing. It helps the group bond, get on the same page,
set expectations, all that stuff. But when it comes to action-
adventure stories like Blades in the Dark, we don't want
consensus when the characters go into danger. We want to
be surprised, or thwarted, or driven to bigger risks, or inspired
to create a twist or complication. We want to raise our hands
over our heads and ride the roller coaster over the drop.
When the mechanic is triggered, the group first dips into
being authors for a moment as they suss out the position,
the danger, and the details of the action. Then, author mode
switches off and everyone becomes the audience. What will
happen next? We hold our breath, lean forward in our seats,
and let the dice fall.
The Purpose of Dangers & Stress
Some GMs get frustrated when they feel like the enemy NPCs
or threats "aren't doing anything." They almost inflict harm
on the PCs, but then the PCs take stress (or even trauma) and
avoid the harm. This is by design!
The PCs in the game start out as huge underdogs. The stress
system gives them a special ability to survive when they
otherwise wouldn't, so they have some hope of achieving
their long-term goals.
The purpose of threatening harm is not always to inflict it,
it's to describe it. The threats become manifest in the minds
of everyone playing, even if they're avoided.
"The ghost is entangled with your soul."
"You hear the bone snap as you hit the cobblestones."
"You can tell that she'll never trust you again."
The bad outcomes are spoken aloud. They hang there in the
room as horrible potential. They're scary. Then the player
gets to roll their resistance, look you in the eye and say, "No.
It's not that bad. I take the stress instead." It's empowering.
They look danger in the face and laugh. That's the nature of
a scoundrel.
Describing the harmful outcomes with gusto is your job, not
inflicting them. The purpose of the effect and stress mechanics
is to add interesting fictional details to the game when it
comes to harm and trouble. Instead of simply saying, "You
take 3 damage," you describe how the blade catches under
their armor and digs a bloody furrow across their ribs. It
becomes real in the ongoing fiction of the game. Then the
player can resist it with a simple statement of mechanics, "No,
I take the 2 stress instead. It's just a scratch." But the only way
they can know whether it's worth it to pay the cost is if you
describe the potential harm. Each cycle of threat and stress
requires this input of new fiction. And that, after all, is what
we're here to do.
NPC Threat Levels
The severity of the danger that you describe (and the
position for the action roll) determines the threat level of the
opposition. If they're facing an NPC that you've described as
a standard thug, then the dangers will be things like wrestling
them to the ground, or punching them in the face, or maybe
cracking a rib with her blackjack if she's got the upper hand.
If they're facing an NPC that you've described as a master
assassin, then the danger might be a lightning-fast move that
puts a dagger in the PC's heart.
Since NPCs don't have stats and action ratings, it's by the
severity of their dangers and harm (and the position of
the PC's action roll) that their capabilities are manifest in
the game.
This is something that will grow and evolve over time as
you play the game. Talk to the group about it as you go. Do
you want a more deadly, high-stakes, kind of game? Then
PCs and NPCs should threaten lethal harm all the time.
Injuries are bloody and leave permanent scars. Do you want
a more cinematic, adventurous kind of game? Then describe
dangers with less dire consequences. People are "left for dead."
16
how to use the system part ii
Explosions make you look cool when you dive out of the way.
You don't have to decide on one approach and stick to it. Be
flexible and let it change over time according to what the
group is most excited about.
No Whiffing
Every time you roll the dice in Blades, the situation changes.
There's no such thing as a "nothing happens" result from a
roll. How does this work?
The "failure" results for action rolls (1-3) are not simply
"misses." The character's action has a tangible outcome.
Something happens which changes the character's
circumstances. On a controlled failure, the character spots
a flaw in their approach, and can decide to withdraw or push
their luck with a risky move. On a risky failure, the character's
action fails, but the threat hits them. Things get worse. On
a desperate failure, the threat dominates and makes the
situation much worse.
In each case, the player gets a choice to push their luck and try
again. It's more dangerous, but if the player cares enough to
keep trying (and facing dangers) they can overcome a string
of unlucky rolls and achieve success at a cost.
Also, remember that an effect roll always makes progress. Even
on a 1-3 result, you have some effect, and tick 1-segment if a
clock is involved. There aren't any "zero segment" outcomes.
When describing a character's effect, something concrete
always happens. They don't just swing and miss, or try to
persuade but get ignored, or any other kind of null result.
The action has an effect.
Your punch connects with a meaty thud. They stagger for
a moment but don't go down. They snarl and grapple you!
She looks at you sideways, "You want me to tell you that? I
don't know, love... you're asking quite a lot. What's in it for me?"
You slip past the sentry near the stairs, but before you can
get further into the house, another patrol rounds the corner
ahead, lanterns held high. You barely squeeze into a dark
alcove before the light hits you.
A bad effect roll can't "undo" a successful action roll. If you
try to sneak past a guard and roll a 6+, but then roll a 1-3 on
effect, the guard doesn't spot you. You already did it without
danger as a result of the action roll. The low effect roll just
means that this problem isn't solved yet. You're not free and
clear of this problem yet; there's more left to do. But so far
you've done it without trouble.
How to Choose an Action
When an action roll is called for, the character is usually
already in motion, doing something in the fiction. This thing
they're doing will almost always determine which specific
action rating to roll. However, a player is free to revise their
character's action in order to use a different action rating, as
long as the character performs the new action in the fiction.
For example, Nox wants to sneak in to the secret meeting
room of the Circle of Flame. The GM asks her how she does
that and Nox's player says she'll climb the outside of the
tower and slip in through a window. Climbing is a Prowl
action, so that's what she'll roll.
Nox's player can change her mind at this point, and say,
"Hmmm... I'm not good at Prowl. I want to climb in
using Slip, instead. It's like I'm slipping my way in, right?"
No. Nox can certainly use Slip to sneak in through
misdirection or subtle action but Nox cannot "use
Slip" to climb the tower. The action of climbing is... well,
climbing. Athletic moves like that are the Prowl action. If
Nox wants to Slip, instead, that's fine, but that means she
is not climbing the tower.
In other words, a player is free to choose the action they use
to overcome an obstacle, but their character must perform
that action. You can't freely substitute the rating of one action
while doing another (unless you have the Slide's Adaptation
special ability).
Failing Gracefully
The system of Blades in the Dark is designed to fail gracefully.
That is, if you just use the core action roll and forget extra details
or special cases, it will be okay. The game will sail along just fine.
The game is better when you use all the details, but the whole
thing doesn't come crashing down if you don't.
If you want to ease in to the system in play, just start with the action
roll. Then, when something bad happens to a PC and they want
to resist it, add effect rolls. When the group starts asking about
teamwork and helping each other, bring in the teamwork moves.
When they wonder about how much loot they get and how their
crew rises in the underworld, bring in the development and faction
stuff. Don't feel like you have to explain everything up front.
The same goes for the fiction. Don't feel like you have to get
everything perfectly right every time. If you say something
about an NPC and then realize later that it was wrong, just
revise it. No big deal.
"I told you that Trayga was seen at the docks, but that was all
wrong. I was thinking of someone else. It was supposed to be Arlo."
"Oh! Well that changes things. Okay, got it."
And also:
"Oh, dammit, I would have totally brought my wrecker tools on
this job. I forgot to mark it. Can I have them anyway?"
"Oh, sure. But that means you would have been heavy loaded
when you bluffed the butler, right? Kinda hard to hide that."
"Oh, yeah, right. Can I just take 1 stress and we call it good?"
"Works for me. It's not a big deal."
Fly casual. If you're not sure what to do, keep it simple. Go
with what's obvious to you. Add mechanics when you're
comfortable. Forgive each other's mistakes. Have fun.
Setting Precedents
What's true for the PCs is true for the NPCs, and vice versa. If
you establish that the Whisper PC is the only one who can talk
to the ghost they summoned (due to a special "summoning
language" that binds them together), then that fact becomes
true for NPC-summoned ghosts, as well.
If you establish that a skilled NPC can instantly kill an
unsuspecting victim, then the PCs can try it, too.
Each time you make a judgment call or establish new details
about the game world, they become available to everyone as
a new tool in play.
17
putting ittogether
putting it all all together
I like to think of the Blades system as a guitar. I've built this
thing with strings that make particular sounds, but you're
the one who plays it. You decide which chords to strum and
what kind of music comes out. Is it fast and rocking? Slow
and moody? Jangly and weird? Up to you. The system itself
gives you an instrument to play the music on, and it's distinct
from other instruments. A guitar is not a piano.
Let's look at some examples of playing chords on this guitar.
Murder in the Night
Arlyn (a PC) has found out where her enemy, Tress, sleeps.
Maybe this discovery was a long-term project that Arlyn has
been doing during her downtime. Arlyn's player says, "I'm sick
of Tress's shit. I'm gonna sneak in there tonight and kill her."
Version I
Let's say this is a minor side issue. Tress isn't that important;
just an annoying enemy NPC that needs killing. The GM says
"Yeah, well, you know where she sleeps now. It's not like she
has a fortress and guards or anything. You're using Murder,
yeah? Okay, sounds risky to me. There might be a witness
or you could leave some evidence behind or something like
that. Let's roll and see." And Arlyn's player makes an action
roll to accomplish the murder, just like that.
Maybe Arlyn makes an effect roll to resist if the danger of a
witness or evidence manifests. But they probably skip Arlyn's
effect roll on the actual murder, because no one is really that
curious about how thoroughly the murder is done. It's just
done. Simple and quick, doesn't derail the session, but gives
Arlyn's player some satisfaction. And if the roll goes badly,
with desperate follow-ups, etc. then you've just spun out some
interesting problems to deal with, and maybe Tress is a more
important enemy NPC now, too.
Version II
Let's say this murder is a fairly important thing in the
campaign. Tress isn't a big, powerful NPC, but she's an
important character and everyone is like, "Oh shit, you're
gonna kill Tress? Dang." You want to spend a little time with
it, and the other players are interested.
The GM sets the scene, describing the twisty little street
where the building with Tress's flat is. Laborers shuffle to
and from work, weak light from cheap lanterns flickers on
the cobblestones, a few vendors call out their wares of eel
pies and boot-black. Tress's window, four stories up, is dark.
"What do you do?"
And they play it out as a series of actions. First Arlyn prowls
around to a rear entrance and creeps stealthily up the stairs,
avoiding any prying eyes. Then she secures entry to the flat,
past Tress's modest lock. Then she murders Tress there in her
sleep, quiet as death.
Or maybe Arlyn just walks boldly up the stairs, kicks down
the door and kills Tress in the ensuing struggle. It's up to her
player. But since this is an important moment, the GM puts
it all in context in a little scene, with specific details, and it's
played out action by action.
Here's an aspect of the game that may be interesting if you've
played other RPGs. In Blades, the GM doesn't decide the steps
needed to kill Tress. The GM doesn't say, "Okay, first you need
to roll Prowl to sneak in. Okay, now you need to roll Secure
to pick the lock," etc. The player decides what the steps are, by
saying what their character wants to accomplish and how they
do it, which determines the action and effect rolls. The player
says, "I don't want any witnesses, so I'll Prowl around back
and sneak in." They set the goals and go after them.
Arlyn's effect rolls for her actions determine how involved
it all is. Like, maybe the GM imagines that Tress's modest
security is only a 2-segment clock (this is just in her mind,
she doesn't even bother to write it down). But if Arlyn rolls
diminished Finesse effect (1 segment) when she secures entry
then maybe the GM steps in and says, "Heh, okay. The lock
on her door is modest, but not that modest. Let's say there's
1 segment left to go. Want to keep picking the lock or do
something else?" And that complicates things slightly, since
Arlyn rolls again, with another chance for trouble to creep in.
No one has to decide ahead of time how difficult or
complicated it is to kill Tress. You just play in the moment,
using the fictional details as imagined to prompt the questions
about what Arlyn does, and then see how effectively she
does it. Each successful roll accomplishes a concrete goal
determined by the player (and affirmed by the group), leading
up to the goal of murder.
Version III
Let's say Tress is an important NPC and the whole group is
invested in getting rid of her. When Arlyn's player says, "I'm
sick of Tress's shit. I'm gonna sneak in there tonight and kill
her," the other players say, "Yes. We're going with you." The
GM asks what the plan is, and who's on point, and the murder
becomes a team operation. This is just like Version II, but with
the team at her back, Arlyn's chance of success rises and the
stress from resisting effects and such gets spread around the
team instead of concentrated on her alone.
Version IV
Just for fun, let's flip it around. Let's say that Tress is the PC
in this scenario. An enemy NPC has discovered where Tress
sleeps and decides to sneak in at night and murder her. You
can totally do this! The GM says, "You know Arlyn? That killer
who hates your guts? I guess she figured out where you sleep
because she shows up in the middle of the night to murder
you. Let's see how that goes."
This triggers an action roll for Tress, since she's facing danger
from a threat. Maybe the GM says, "You're sleeping and Arlyn
is picking the modest lock on your door. What do you do?"
The player says, "Uh... well, I'm sleeping. So... I don't know?"
Another player says, "You could discern the attack. Discern
covers 'anticipate and foresee' actions, right?" "Oh, right. Cool.
It's like a little flashback, almost. Maybe I heard a rumor or
got a weird vibe when I went to bed. I'll start with that."
And you follow the actions and effects to see where it goes.
Maybe that Discern roll is desperate, and it doesn't go well,
and Arlyn is suddenly on Tress, stabbing away, and Tress rolls
Murder or Mayhem to fight back, and rolls Force to resist the
stabbing, etc.
As GM, you can push as hard as necessary, because everything
comes down to action rolls, resistance, stress, flashbacks and all.
You can't just dictate outcomes, so everyone is on equal footing.
18
action, effect, & resistance example

arlyn vs. the red sash

1 2
The Situation: Arlyn (a PC) is
facing a member of the Red Sashes on
a rooftop in Crow's Foot. The Red Sash
fighter stands between her and her goal of
reaching the Lampblack's HQ to warn them
of an impending Red Sash attack.
When a PC pursues a goal that's blocked by
an obstacle or danger, you make an action
roll. Arlyn's player chooses Murder for
her action. She draws her fighting knives
and rushes at the Red Sash, attacking and
maneuvering in close combat.
The GM makes a progress clock for
this obstacle. Since the Red Sash is a
highly trained sword-fighter and has
the luxury of fighting defensively, to delay
Arlyn, it's an 8-segment clock.
Arlyn's player has described an aggressive
attack. What's her position? Everyone agrees
that it's not controlled. There's definitely
danger here. But is it risky or desperate? After
a brief discussion, the group settles on risky.
The Red Sash is a dangerous sword-fighter,
but is roughly on equal-footing with Arlyn.
3 4
If the position is risky, then Arlyn is
facing danger. What is it? Why is this
risky? Everyone agrees that it's the
obvious thing: the Red Sash will threaten an
injury to Arlyn. If she was taking her time
and probing for an opening first, maybe
the risk would be different. If she had the
longer weapon with more reach, perhaps she
wouldn't have to charge in. But as it stands,
the Red Sash can threaten a wound with their
longsword right out of the gate. Arlyn's player
accepts the risk and rolls the dice.
Arlyn's player makes an action roll
using Murder rating (plus any bonus
dice) and gets a 5. She successfully
makes her attack, but also faces the danger
at hand. She rolls for her effect using her
Force rating (plus any bonus dice) and
gets a 4. Arlyn makes 2 ticks of progress on
the clock. Then she rolls to resist the danger
of the Red Sash's counter-attack (using her
Force rating again) and gets a 5. She can
resist the harm if she takes 2 stress, or she
can instead suffer a lasting effect.

Obstacle: Position: Risky Action Roll: 5 Effect Roll: 4

Red Sash The danger is, the Red You do it, but face the Partial: 2 segments.
Sash fighter inflicts effect of the danger.
red sash a wound with their Resistance Roll: 5 red sash
Action:
sword longsword. Partial: 2 stress. sword
Murder fighter fighter

stress

This sequence of position, action, effect, and resistance continues Arlyn either takes 2 stress or suffers a lasting effect and
until the situation changes, or Arlyn overcomes the obstacle, or records it on her sheet, as seen below.
she's taken out of the fight (by a serious lasting effect).
lasting effects

19
advancement
advancement & coin & coin
It would be a terrible shame if Madame Tesslyn's
lotus supply went up in flames, wouldn't it? Such
a waste of quality product. Of course, if such
a tragedy were to happen, I would be only too
happy to accommodate her clientele while she got
back on her feet. And the arsonist would warrant
some measure of my gratitude as well.
Rolan Volaris
Scores
One way you advance the level of your crew is by executing criminal
jobs that suit your crew type. These activities are called scores. A
score is one operation one smuggling run, one rogue spirit hunt, one
assassination, one jewel heist, etc. If the operation was profitable (you got
the reward you were going for), you count it as advancement for the crew.
Development
Your scoundrels and crew didn't just spring into existence tonight. You
have a complex history of favors, commitments, debts, and promises that
got you where you are today. To reflect this, after each score, you roll dice
to find out how much hold they gain, how much of their hard-won riches
they manage to hold on to, and what past entanglements come calling.
See Heat & Development Rolls on page 29.
The game will naturally flow from executing a score, to downtime, to
development, to dealing with old debts, and then moving on to a new score.
PC Advancement
At the end of each session, each player does all of the following:
Ask the other players which action category your character best
embodied during the previous session (Blade, Book, Cloak, or Mask).
Mark 1 advancement tick in that category.
Choose one advancement type (one of your action categories or your
playbook) to which your character devotes their personal training
time. Mark 1 advancement tick in that category. If your crew has
the Training upgrade for that category, mark +1 advancement tick.
Review your playbook advancement items, and mark 1 playbook
advancement tick for each item that you did during the previous session.
If you've done the same item multiple times, you can take multiple ticks.
When you mark 4 action category ticks, clear the ticks and add a
dot to one of the actions in that category. (Level 3 and level 4 skills are
locked until you get the Expertise and Mastery crew training upgrades.)
When you mark 6 playbook advancement ticks, clear the ticks and
choose a new playbook special ability, or add +1 to an effect rating,
or add two items from another playbook to your list of item options.
You may spend any ticks you have for desperate moves to supplement
other advancement ticks. For example, if you have 1 tick in Blade and 3
ticks in desperate moves, you can combine those ticks (4 total) to add a
new Blade action dot. You can't spend desperate move ticks on their own.
Crew Advancement
At the end of each session:
Review the crew advancement items, and mark 1 advancement tick
for each item that you did during the previous session. If you've done
the same item multiple times, you can take multiple ticks.
When you mark 6 crew advancement ticks, clear the ticks and choose
two (a given item may be chosen twice):
ffA new crew upgrade.
ffIncrease one of your crew effects by 1 (except Renown).
ffAdd a new special ability.
In addition, each PC gets 1 coin (+2 per crew tier) as their share
of the profits, which they may keep as spendable currency on hand or
permanently stash away for retirement. A character can hold up to 2
personal coin. Any excess must be stashed or spent immediately.
Coin
When the crew completes a profitable score, they're rewarded with coin.
Coin is an abstract measure of significant wealth. The few silver pieces
the scoundrels use in their daily lives are not tracked. If a scoundrel wants
to toss a few silver around to achieve something, roll the Supply action.
You can spend coin 1-for-1 to increase the result level of any Acquire
Asset, Reduce Heat, Recovery, Project, or Gather Information roll. (So a
1-3 becomes a 4/5, a 4/5 becomes a 6, etc.). You can do this after the roll.
1 coin: A coffer of silver pieces. A fine artwork. A handful of
common jewels. The monthly take of a small business.
2 coin: A fine piece of art. An exquisite jewel.
3 coin: The monthly take of a thriving business.
4 coin: Liquidating a significant asseta boat, a property deed.
More than 4 coin is an impractical amount to keep lying around. If
the crew has a vault, they can store up to 8 coin, otherwise any coin
beyond 4 must be spent as soon as possible, or distributed among the
crew members.
1 parcel of silver coins or other bulk currency takes up 1 item slot
when carried.
20
downtime
downtime
The bone must be reset, Im afraid. Here,
breathe this black lotus vapor while I consult
Edvards treatise on anatomy.
Melvir Kepp
summary
When you have downtime between operations,
the crew recovers from lasting effects (like
injuries), restores their armor, and indulges in
vice to clear stress.
Each PC also gets the option to take a special
downtime action, like working on a long-term
project, reducing heat on the crew, or acquiring
an asset for the next score.
Crew Downtime
When you're not pursuing a score, your crew can spend some time
NPC Downtime
The NPC crews and factions also do things when you take downtime.
recovering and dealing with other issues. During a downtime phase, The GM advances their project clocks and chooses a downtime
each crew member may do all of the following: action for each faction that they're interested in at the moment:
Recover from lasting effects. Plan an operation to: generate +1 hold, to make an enemy
vulnerable, or to inflict -1 hold on a vulnerable enemy.
Indulge your vice to clear stress.
Execute an operation (above).
Restore all of your armor.
In addition, choose one extra downtime action, which may include Gather information on the PCs (may be opposed by a PC roll).
the actions above as well as: Achieve a short-term objective they're in position to accomplish.
fWork
f on a long-term project. Acquire a new asset.
fReduce
f heat on the crew. GM: Take downtime actions and advance clocks for the factions
you're interested in right now. Don't worry about the rest. Later,
fAcquire
f use of an asset (including hiring +1 scale worth of people
when you turn your attention to a faction you've ignored for a while,
for one of your gangs).
go ahead and give them several downtime actions and clock ticks
A PC can take several downtime phases in a row, but each additional to "catch up" to current events.
downtime costs 1 coin or 1 hold. When you complete a score,
you reset and get a "free" downtime phase again.
See page 28 for the rules for all the downtime rolls.
GM: If a player can't decide which special downtime move to pick,
offer them a project idea. You know what the player is interested
in and what they like. Suggest a project that will head in a fun
direction for them.
You got that weird vision when you were messing around with
the altar to the Forgotten Gods, remember? You want to get to
the bottom of that, probably. Okay, start a project8 segments
called... "Weird God Vibes." What do you do to work on that?
21
gm
gm: goals, principles, & actions
GM Goals
This is what you're trying to accomplish when you run the game.
Play to find out what happens. Don't steer the game toward
certain outcomes or events. Be curious!
Bring Duskwall to life. Give each location a specific aspect
(crowded, cold, wet, dim, etc.). Give each NPC a name,
detail and a preferred method of problem solving (threats,
bargaining, violence, etc.). Give each action context the
knife fight is on rickety wooden stairs; the informant huddles
among the wreckage of the statue of the Weeping Lady; the
Lampblacks' lair stinks of black lotus smoke.
Convey the fictional world honestly. Spirits are terrifying.
Friends are really friends they'll help when they can but it
cuts both ways. If someone is reasonable, they'll listen to reason.
Don't keep pointless secrets so you can "reveal" them later. Let
it come out when it comes out. Find reasons to reveal the cool
things in your head.
GM Principles
Be a fan of the PCs. Present the world honestly things really
are stacked against them but don't make yourself the enemy
of the PCs. They have enemies enough. Be interested in the
characters and excited about their victories.
Let everything flow from the fiction. The game's starting
situations and your opening scene will put things in motion.
Ask how the characters react and see what happens next. NPCs
react according to their goals and methods. Events snowball.
You don't need to "manage" the game. Action, reaction, and
consequences will drive everything.
Hold on lightly. Rewind, revise, and reconsider events as
needed to accommodate the action of the game.
Address the characters. "Silver, where do you go to look for
the Red Sashes?" not "Sara, where does Silver go?" This puts
Silver front and centerhis preferences, desires, and style.
Silver comes to life as a character.
Address the players. "Sara, how do you want to handle this?"
not "How does Silver do that?" This puts Sara front and center
her preferences, desires, and style. Sara can consider what
she wants, then filter it through Silver.
Paint the world with a haunted brush. There are ghosts and
hollows, weird sounds, arcane energies, and strange cults
everywhere. How does the haunted city manifest here?
Surround them with industrial sprawl. Duskwall is crowded
with factories and their choking soot clouds, buzzing electric
lights, ironworks, clanking machines.
Consider the risk. Think about the risks and dangers inherent
in most things the scoundrels do. A risky move is the default
action almost all the time. When they've taken great care and
are building on successes, they might make controlled moves.
When they have to improvise off the cuff or when they're in
over their heads, they're probably making desperate moves.
Go with your gut. Call the positions as you see them, but be
open to revision.
GM Actions
The player characters have sixteen actions they use. You have
actions, too. When it's your turn to contribute to the game, and
you're not sure what to do, look at your list of actions and pick one.
First and foremost, ask questions.
When things are getting started:
What plan did you make?
Who scouted it out? (fill in the plan detail)
Who's on point? (cut to the action)
And when things are underway:
How do you do that? (which action do you use?)
What's your goal? (which effect do you want?)
Cut to the moment of crisis. When they say, "We should break
in to the Dimmer Sisters' house," say "Okay, sounds like a plan.
Infiltration? Okay, what's the point of entry?" Then, when they
answer, "All right, so you're on the rooftop of the fabric store
across the alley from their house. It's quiet and dark in there.
Who's on point?"
Telegraph trouble before it strikes. Show them a threat that's
about to hit, then ask them what they do. Then it's easy to know
what's at stake when they roll.
Follow through and hit them hard. You've telegraphed the
threat, so go ahead and follow through when it hits. Players
have several tools at their disposal to deal with adversity. If
they can react in time, they can make an action roll. If they're
hit with trouble, they can roll to resist it. Go ahead and say,
"The Unseen told you what would happen if you interfered.
They firebomb your lair while you're sleeping." The players
will interrupt, flashback, scramble and deal with it! It'll be fun.
Tell them the consequences and ask. "Yeah, you can totally
smash him. But he'll remember this. And he's friends with
Inspector Krop, remember? Still want to do it?"
Offer a devil's bargain. Think of a fun complication or reckless
decision. Offer them the bonus die in exchange. If you don't
have a good idea, you can offer the devil's die in exchange for
heat or stress.
Show the downside of their vice. Take a look at the purveyors
of vice (p. 35). How do their connections factor in to the
current situation in a problematic way?
Make a progress clock or tick one down. Keep a stack of
index cards handy. Make clocks like crazy! Keep them out
where everyone can see.
Ask the players. Ask them if this seems desperate. Ask
them where their character eats their meals. Ask them who
their character slept with last. Ask them questions they can
answer from within their character's POV things they know,
suspect, experienced, or hope for.
Actions ripple through the network. Every event has
consequences, good and bad. What one faction loves, another
hates. How is a certain faction connected to this? How might
they know about it?
Think off-screen. What's happening elsewhere? Put it on
screen. Show something only the audience sees.
After every GM move, ask "What do you do?"
22
gm
gm: best practices
Convey the ongoing fictional space as accurately as is
desirable for this group. Be concise. Use small details
when they help to convey a bigger picture.
Lead an interesting conversation. The game is nothing but
a conversation between you and the players. The goal of the
conversation is to answer the question "What happens now?"
in the most engaging way possible. The most interesting
conversations are those that are curiousasking questions
and prompting ideasrather than dogmatic or one-sided.
Be curious about what the other players have to say.
Create an atmosphere of inquiry at the table. This
means you play to find out what happens, not to make
sure something specific happens. Will they go to war
with the Fog Hounds? Is Nyla badass enough to take out
the thugs by herself? Can they avoid or predict Casta's
betrayal? Play to find out. Don't contrive events ahead
of time or manipulate play to bring them about.
Ask questions to lead the assessment of the fictional
space when engaging the mechanics. "Which of the
position profiles matches your situation here? Taking a
calculated risk, or is it a reckless move?"
Help the players use the game system to pursue the
goals of the characters. Don't let them flounder. When
they have a goal, ask them about any opportunities they
have to pursue it. Present two possible approaches from
that opportunity and ask if they want to choose one or
invent a third way.
Don't block. It's not your job to say "you can't do that."
You're not the sole authority on what the characters can
and cannot do. Instead, ask them: "You need to create an
opportunity to attempt that, right?" Ask them how they
might create an opportunity they need. Don't block. Show
them that there's a path to their goal, even if it might be
a long or dangerous one.
Earn the trust of the group by being a supportive and
fair advocate of the integrity of the fiction. It's your job
to portray a fictional world with integrity, not one that's
contrived and "set up" for particular outcomes. When
you advocate for something, the players know that you
do so on behalf of this integrity, not to get your way or
to arrange situations to your liking.
Keep the meta channel open. When you portray an
NPC, tell the players things that are going unsaid. Invite
them to ask their Gather Information questions
to dig deeper. The characters have a broad spectrum of
senses and intuitions to bring to bear in the fiction; the
players have only the narrow channel of your few words.
Help them out by sharing what they might suspect, intuit,
feel, and predict.
Be a curious explorer of the game in play. Ask the
players questions to feed your own interest in the ongoing
fiction in which the PCs are the protagonists. Your game
series is a cool TV show and you're its biggest fan. When
you're curious about something that a PC says or does,
ask them about it! "I'm curious, though, when you tell
him you'd do anything to help, do you really mean that?
Anything? Are you that kind of person? Or are you just
manipulating him?" These questions will often lead to
goals, approaches, and rolls.
Advocate for the interests and capabilities of the NPCs.
Your job is to convey the fictional world accurately,
remember? Believable NPCs with interests and capabilities
make for a more compelling fictional world. Don't be a
push over. When the PCs take action against an NPC,
remind the players of their interests and capabilities. "But
Quellyn won't just go along with all this, right? They're a
witch, wanted by the spirit wardens. How are you going to
contend with that?" When the PCs act in alignment with
the interests of NPCs, remind the players of their support
and friendship.
Bring the elements of the game system to life on screen
(especially effects). When an NPC is influenced,
what does that look like? When a PC is hunted by the
guards, what fictional details convey that change in their
situation? Ask the other players for ideas if you want to.
"Do they come rushing over with lantern lights trained
on you?" "Oh, no, maybe they have electric lights here,
and they all come on with a massive crackle of energy."
23
gm
gm: techniques & bad habits
Play Goal-Forward.
Poll the group about what goal they're pursuing, either in
the bigger picture of the game (best used at the beginning
of a session) or in this microcosm of the present moment
(best used when things are underway and the situation is
snowballing). Once you know the goal, have a conversation
about opportunities, actions, and effects. The pursuit of
opportunities and positions to enable certain approaches,
the acquisition of information and resources, and the nested
conflicts and that result will drive the action of the game.
What are you trying to accomplish? Do you have an
opportunity to do that? How do you want to go about it?
Follow this chain of events as actions and consequences play
out. Let the players lead where the game goes next.
Cut to the Action
Solicit a goal and plan, then cut to the action and use dice
rolls to move the situation forward. Don't be afraid to resolve
something! They want to eliminate Ulf Ironborn and then
they plan it and do it, despite the odds and dangers? It's done.
Don't string things out.
Put it in Context
The game is a conversation between the real people at the
table, but the action happens in the fictional space. Always
place actions and effects in the fictional context. Where is it
happening? Who's there? What's the vibe? What interesting
details distinguish this context as the haunted industrial-
fantasy world of Duskwall?
Put it on Screen
The game is a conversation, but roleplaying can still be a
visual medium in the imagination. Take every opportunity
you can to bring the game to life in the minds of the players.
Describe the action as if it's on screen in a TV show. What
does that look like on screen?
Put it on a card.
Use index cards for NPCs, locations, job offers, leads, etc.
It's easy to lose track of things if you don't have a record of
it. By putting important things on index cards, everyone can
see them spread out on the table and incorporate them into
the game.
Bad Habits. Avoid These!
Calling for a specific action roll. This bad habit usually
happens if you've GM'd other games where this is kinda
your job. You might say, "Give me a Murder roll," or "That's
a Consort check" or whatever. Don't do that! Get used to
saying this, instead: "How do you do that?" Ask them
which action they use.
Letting planning get out of hand. Some players will plan
an operation forever if no one stops themeven if they hate
doing it! They think it's worth the trouble if they can cover
every potential issue or avoid some bad outcome. This is
not how Blades in the Dark works. Everything is resolved
by action and effect rolls, so get to them! If someone has
a cool maneuver or idea, that's great, but, at best, it's still
a controlled action roll. They can't plan and discuss their
way out of making the rolls. An idea is not execution.
Not giving them what they earn. If they get into position,
make the roll, and have their effect, they get what they
earned. Don't weasel out of it! Things are hard enough
on them already. Don't be a skinflint about victories;
defeats will come without your thumb on the scales. The
scoundrels are at the bottom of the faction ladder, but that
doesn't mean they're ineffective. It means they needs lots
and lots of victories to make it. They're good at the game,
they just started out with negative points on the board.
Saying no. There's always a better answer than "no" or "you
can't do that." Offer a devil's bargain! "So... you want to
seduce the most experienced madame in the city. Uh huh.
Okay then. That's desperate, with a -1d penalty. And here's
my bargain: regardless of how this goes, you fall in love with
her." Or tell them to start the first phase of a long-term
project clock. That's what they're there for. "You want to
trace every contraband route into Duskwall? Okay, start a
long-term clock. The first phase is... 'Assemble the list of
all the contraband dealers.'" Saying no is boring.
Don't Roll Twice for the Same Thing
When a PC faces danger, they make an Action roll. Also, you
can roll Resistance to avoid a bad outcome. However, don't
roll twice for the exact same thing.
For example, Arlyn is dueling a Red Sash on the roof. The
Red Sash drives her back with a flurry of feints and slashes,
and there's a danger that Arlyn will be forced over the edge
during the skirmish. Arlyn's player makes an Action roll to
see how her counter-attack goes and if the danger manifests.
She rolls badly and the danger manifests. This means that
Arlyn is forced over the edge and falls off the roof.
But she can roll to resist, right? Yes. She can resist the harm
that results from the fall. But she shouldn't roll to resist being
forced over the edge. That's already been determined by her
Action roll. The resistance roll answers "how bad is the fall?"
Does she simply take some stress and catch herself on a railing
on the way down, or does she end up with a lasting effect as
she breaks her leg when she hits the street?
Here's another example: Cross is sneaking into the Red Sash's
temple, trying to elude the notice of their guards. He rolls
Prowl and gets a result that the danger manifests. A guard
notices him! But how much? How alerted is he? Cross's player
can roll to resist the effect. If he pays the resulting stress cost,
then the guard hasn't raised the alarm or seen Cross's face, but
the danger did manifest as a result of the Action roll. So what
happens? This is the classic case where the guard and his partner
say, "Hey, did you see that?" "What?" "Something over there by
the pillar." "Probably nothing." "Yeah, I'm gonna check, though."
If Cross's own Effect roll is enough to overcome the obstacle,
then he hears that conversation in the distance behind him as
he slips inside the temple. If he hasn't overcome the obstacle
yet, then he's hidden behind the pillar as the guard strolls
over to investigate.
In other words, the Action roll determines whether a danger
manifests or not. The Resistance roll determines how much of
that danger manifests or how bad it is. Don't roll both Action
and Resistance to determine the same thing. Each roll has a
concrete result that affects the situation.
24
 gm reference duskwall notables city wards (richest to poorest)
The Eye, anonymous leader of The Unseen. The Hand, Whitecrown Coalridge
chief lieutenant. Groll, a mid-level thug with ambitions. Brightstone The Docks
gm goals Names Adric, Aldo, Amison, Andrel, Arcy, Arden, Arilyn, Arquo,
Lyssa, a crime boss. Cold and calculating. Killed her Six Towers Crows Foot
Play to find out what happens. Arvus, Ashlyn, Birch, Bird, Branon, Brace, Brance, Brena, Bricks, Candra,
Canter, Carissa, Carro, Casslyn, Cavelle, Chime, Clave, Coil, Corille, former boss, Roric. Charterhall Dunslough
Bring Duskwall to Life.
Cross, Crowl, Cyrene, Daphnia, Drav, Edlun, Emeline, Flint, Frog, The Dimmer Sisters. People say theyre witches who Nightmarket Barrowcleft
Convey the world honestly.
Frost, Grine, Helles, Hix, Holtz, Hook, Kamelin, Keel, Kelyr, Kobb, drink blood. Never seen outside their home. Silkshore Charhollow
Kristov, Laudius, Lauria, Lenia, Lizete, Lorette, Lucella, Lynthia, Mara,
gm principles Milos, Mist, Moon, Morlan, Myre, Nail, Narcus, Naria, Needle, Noggs,
Ulf Ironborn, a brutal Skovlander, looking to seize a ward.
Be a fan of the PCs. Odrienne, Orlan, Phin, Polonia, Pool, Potch, Quess, Remira, Ring, Mylera Klev, leader of the Red Sash gang. Prizes fine art. locations
Let everything flow from the fiction. Roethe, Sesereth, Sethla, Silver, Skannon, Skeever, Skinner, Song, Stavrul, Baszo Baz, leader of the Lampblacks. A lover of whisky. Undercross
Hold on lightly. Stev, Syra, Talitha, Tesslyn, Thena, Thistle, Thorn, Timoth, Tocker, Una, Echo Gardens
Merrul Brime, a secrets broker, proprietor of the
Address the characters. Vauri, Veleris, Veretta, Vestine, Vey, Volette, Vond, Weaver, Wester. Hooded Fox.
The Night Market
Address the players. The Canals
Family Names: Brogan, Tyrconnell, Dunvil, Comber, Millar, Slane, Lady Devira, a city magistrate on the payroll of criminals.
Paint the world with a haunted brush. Strangford, Dalmore, Edrad, Lomond, Clelland, Arran, Scapa, Kinclaith, Chalk Street Bridge
Mordis, a merchant of the night market. A fence. Hides Candle Street Bridge
Surround them with industrial sprawl. Coleburn, Penalten, Strathmill, Haig, Morriston, Penderyn, Danfield,
his true appearance under a heavy robe and hood.
Consider the risk. Hellyers, Walund, Templeton, Michter, Bowman, Prichard, Keel, Wathen, Gaddoc Rail Station
Clermont, Rowan, Booker. Taffer, a merchant of the night market. A cultist. Heartbreak Square
gm actions Grel Oro, a merchant of the night market. A smuggler. The Anvilworks
Ask questions! Looks Man, Woman, Ambiguous, Concealed. Elstera Avrathi, resident diplomat of Iruvia. Black Circle
Kurt Skyhold, resident diplomat of Skovlan. Cathedral Hill
When things are getting started: Affable Worn Athletic Lovely Plump Stern
Brooding Lean Stout Handsome Squat Open Tyrsin Nol, resident diplomat of Severos. Bellweather Crematorium
What plan did you make? (and what's Ironhook Prison
Bright Wiry Scarred Slim Weathered Languid Andris, a spy and informant with flexible loyalties.
the detail?) Dark Huge Rough Delicate Cold Calm
Who's on point? Fair Chiseled Striking Bony Sad Fierce Krop, a constable of the watch. Refuses bribes. taverns
Lewit, Jol, Cinda, Reyf, bluecoats of the watch. The Hooded Fox
And when things are underway:
Rolan Wot, a judge-inspector. Rooting out corruption. The Hook & Line
How do you do that? (which action
The Leaky Bucket
do you use?)
What's your goal? (which effect do
vice Casslyn Mora, a judge with family ties to criminals.
The Four Roses
When they overindulge or spend coin, their purveyor may Belindra, a jailor of Ironhook Prison. The Devils Tooth
you want?) offer them a lead on a new score. Ereth Skane, an advocate with unseemly vices. The Black Tree
Cut to the moment of crisis. Denkirk Sol, an advocate with surprising scruples. The Cat & Candle
Telegraph trouble before it strikes. flashback stress costs Polix, attache to the Lord Governor of Duskwall. A secret The Broken Anchor
Tell them the consequences and ask. spiritualist and rune-binder. The Red Lamp
Offer a devil's bargain. 0 Stress for a normal action for which you had easy The Nail & Bottle
Nyryx and Hoxan, rogue spirits possessing the bodies of
Show the downside of their vice. opportunity. streetwalkers, looking for a whisper to serve. The Six Arms
Make a progress clock or tick one down. 1 Stress for a complex action or unlikely opportunity. Levyra, a spirit medium. The Silver Keel
Ask the players. 2 Stress for an elaborate action which involved The Old Rasp
Kember, a distiller of essences and potions, proprietor of
Actions ripple through the network. The Moons Daughter
several special opportunities or contingencies. the Devils Tooth.
Think off-screen. The Rabbits Foot
Raffello, a master painter obsessed with the unnatural.
What do you do? The Harping Monkey
Lannic, an expert art forger.

teamwork: on point
Lead a group action.
Overcome a group problem.
Set up another character.
teamwork: backup
Face an effect for the
character on point.
Assist another character.
Follow through on a setup.
gather information
What do they intend to do?
What might I suspect based
on this?
What's the danger here?
Where could I go to find X?
Ask about a detail for a
plan.
planning downtime action roll bonus dice
Choose the plan the characters have Choose your carried Items.
made, establish a detail, cut to the action. Restore your Armor. + Assist (They take 1 stress)
Assault plan: Point of attack. Recover & indulge your Vice.
Deception plan: Method. and choose 1: + Devil's Bargain.
Reduce heat on the crew.
Infiltration plan: Entry point.
Occult plan: Arcane power. Work on a project clock. Background (Action)
+ Fine Item (Effect)
Social plan: Social connection. Acquire an asset.
starting the game
starting the game
Explain the Situation
Read or summarize the info on page 6.
Make Characters and the Crew
Follow the procedures on page 31 and page 38. Ask some of these
questions while they do it:
Have you ever been locked up? For what crime?
Why did you become a scoundrel?
How did you join this crew? Did another member vouch for you?
Were you a founding member?
What's your vice? What is it, specifically? (what kind of drug,
etc.) Why does that thing consume you?
Who do you trust the most on the crew? Who do you trust the
least? What's that about? Or will we find out in play?
Has [faction] ever tried to recruit you ? What happened? You,
uh, don't secretly work for them, do you?
The First Scene
After they make characters and the crew, tell them this:
You're in the office of the Lampblack's leader, Bazso Baz. He
wants your answer. Are you with them, or against them? What
do you say? Will you side with the Lampblacks? Will you just
pretend to? (Good luck, Bazso is very sharp). Will you tell him
to fuck off?
Are you actually here to kill him for the Red Sashes? (If so, do a
flashback and pick a plan for the assassination.)
Play Bazso. React to their answer how he'd react. If they're with
him, he has the perfect assignment for thiefy types like them: go
steal the Red Sashes treasury from their vault. If they're against
him, he says he's very sorry to hear that. They better get off his turf
and stay out of the war, or they're all dead. He threatens them with
easy confidence. What are they gonna do?
The Next Scenes
Play the NPCs. Mylera, Bazso, and Lyssa all have thiefy things that
need doing, so they'll offer the PCs jobs (until the PCs make an
enemy of them, of course). Use the scores tables on page 40 for
ideas. Also, each faction is vulnerable to thievery in some way.
How can the players use their crew's strengths to profit from this
situation? Ask them how they want to gather information, which
leads to a plan (or vice versa).
Don't waste time waffling around. Give them straightforward
avenues to pursue at first. "Do you want to rob the Crow's card
game on Bell street? It's probably not defended much right now."
There are three sample starting scores, at right. Offer those, ask them
which they want to pursue. Ask them to pick a plan and provide
the detail, then ask who's on point, and get to it.
The Campaign
This quick start isn't really meant for a campaign, but, you can easily
play out the consequences of the starting situation over several
sessions. Who ends up running the ward? Do the PCs use the
situation to rise up in the faction ranks? Do they manage to play for
all three sides, or do they have to take a stand? Plenty of material
to work with there.
Score I
One of the gang leaders (Bazso Baz or
Mylera) offers you a score: Go rob the
treasury of their rival.
Where is it? Maybe it's a secret.
What's the plan? Provide the detail.
Who's on point?
Score II
One of the gang leaders (Bazso Baz or
Mylera) offers you a score: Plant this strange
artifact somewhere in their rival's HQ.
What does it do? It's covered in weird
runes and makes your head go swimmy
when you hold it in your hand. Want to
bother to find out what it is, or not?
What's the plan? Provide the detail.
Who's on point?
Score III
Lyssa is vulnerable. She needs assistance if
she's gonna seize control of the ward.
Steal some loot and bring it to her to help
her pay for bribes and thugs to seize the
ward. Profit and status both, for you.
What's the plan? Provide the detail.
Who's on point?
26
action, effect & resistance rolls
action roll
1d for each Action dot.
+1d if the target matches your
+
Background.
+ +1d for the Devils Bargain
+ +1d for Backup (they take stress).
-1d if youre hindered by any
- level), or try for full effect by taking a
relevant lasting effects.
-1d if you face veteran, elite, or
- resistance result level). Then, choose:
well-prepared opposition.
Each time you roll a desperate move,
mark a tick of desperate move xp on your
character sheet. See page 20.
Desperate
You take a huge risk on a slim chance.
Youre stuck in a bad position. You face
a threat thats out of your league.
Crit: You do it and avoid the danger.
6: You do it but the danger manifests.
4/5: Things go badly. The danger manifests.
You must abandon this approach or try
again by taking a bigger risk and rolling a
desperate move.
1-3: It gets worse! First, you face a more
potent effect from the danger (-1 to your
Abandon this goal (you cant achieve it
for now) or try again by taking a bigger
risk and rolling a desperate move.
Risky
You face a dangerous opponent on equal
footing. You act under fire. You take a
calculated risk.
Crit: You do it with increased effect (+1
effect result level).
6: You do it and avoid the danger. or you
may choose to overreach and get +1 effect
level but also face effect from the danger.
4/5: You do it but the danger manifests.
1-3: Things go badly. First, the danger
manifests. Then, choose: Abandon this
approach (you'll have to try another way)
or try again by taking a bigger risk and
rolling a desperate move.
Controlled
You take time to carefully execute a plan.
You hedge your bets and play it safe. You
exploit a dominant position.
Crit: You do it with increased effect (+1
level) and you may create an additional
opportunity that follows on from this
action.
6: You do it!
4/5: You do it with reduced effect (-1
bigger risk and rolling a risky move.
1-3: You reveal a flaw in this approach
that will expose you to danger. You may
back out now (abandon this method of
action) or go ahead with it by rolling a
risky move.

effect roll resistance roll

1d for each Effect diamond . Critical: Your effect is extreme. 1d for each Effect diamond . Critical: You resist fully. 0 stress.
6 segments. 6: You resist it if you take 1 stress.
6: Your effect is complete. 4 segments. 4/5: You resist it if you take 2
+ +1d if you have a Fine Item. + +1d if you have a Fine Item.
4/5: Your effect is partial. 2 segments. stress.
-1d if your opposition is especially -1d if your opposition is especially
- 1-3: Your effect is diminished. 1 segment. - 1-3: You resist it if you take 4
resistant to this effect. potent with this effect.
stress.

When there's a difference in

Scale, use the modifiers at right
for Effect and Resistance rolls.
For example, when one PC fights
a small gang, they're mismatched.
When the four PCs try to defeat
the patrols and security systems of
a Tier III facility, they're outclassed.
Scale (applies to effect and resistance rolls)
Mismatch: +1d if you're larger. -1d if you're smaller.
Overwhelmed: +1 result level if you're larger. -1 result level if you're smaller.
Outclassed: Larger gets critical effect. Smaller has a diminished effect.
If larger size is a hindrance, reverse the large / small modifiers above.
downtime rolls
recovery roll
1d for each Action dot.
Increase the rolled result level by +1
for each parcel of coin you spend.
Heal Thyself
You may attend to yourself but its far from
ideal. You suffer 1 stress.
vice roll
1d for each Vice rating.
Increase the rolled result level by +1
for each parcel of coin you spend.
Increase the rolled result level by +1
if you choose an overindulgence.
Overindulgences
Broke. You pawn off your assets to pay for a
massive indulgence in your vice. Lose access
to all but one of your personal items or gear
(its your choice which one to keep) until you
next complete a profitable job.
Tapped. You really overdo it. Your current
purveyor cuts you off and you need to find a
new source for your vice.
When you have downtime, each PC restores all of their armor, rolls to recover from lasting effects,
and rolls to indulge their vice. They may choose one additional action from the rolls on this page.
Critical: Tick 6 segments of
recovery.
6: Tick 4 segments of recovery.
4/5: Tick 2 segments of recovery.
1-3: Tick 1 segment of recovery.
When you recover, you treat one type of harm
physical, social, occult, etc. If you have
several different types of harm to recover, you
must take additional downtime actions.
Critical: You clear 6 stress.
6: You clear 4 stress.
4/5: You clear 2 stress.
1-3: You clear 1 stress.
Leads: If you spend coin or overindulge, the
purveyor will be willing to discuss a lead on a
new criminal job, if youre interested.
Bad Rep. You let word get around about your
vice problem. Lose one status level with your
least understanding faction connection until you
assure them that youre reliable. Mark the status
box with a slash to show the temporary reduction.
Lost. You lose yourself in your vice. Play a different
character (maybe "graduate" one of the NPCs from
your crew's units to PC status) until this one returns.
acquire asset roll
1d for each Supply action dot. Critical: You may acquire a rare or
unusual form of a fine asset.
Increase the rolled result level by +1 6: You acquire a fine asset.
for each parcel of coin you spend. 4/5: You acquire a standard asset.
1-3: The asset isn't available right now.
Temporary Use
When you acquire an asset this way, its for one use only. This may be a single instance (like
pouring a vial of poison into a goblet, or luring a rogue ghost into a spirit bottle) or a single period
of use (like hiring a boat for a couple hours).
reduce heat roll
1d for each Renown rating. Critical: Reduce heat level by 4.
6: Reduce heat level by 3.
Increase the rolled result level by +1 4/5: Reduce heat level by 2.
for each parcel of coin you spend.
1-3: Reduce heat level by 1.
work on a long-term project
1d for each Action dot. Critical: Advance the project clock
by 6 segments.
6: Advance the clock by 4 segments.
Increase the rolled result level by +1
for each parcel of coin you spend. 4/5: Advance the clock by 2 segments.
1-3: Advance the clock by 1 segment.
A character may perform additional downtime actions, for
1 coin or 1 hold each.
heat & development rolls When you complete a score, roll Heat. Then, if the
score was a success, roll Development.

heat roll When you complete a score development roll When you complete a successful score

Roll dice based on the events of last
session:
1d Smooth & quiet. Low exposure.
2d Under control. Medium exposure.
3d Loud & chaotic. High exposure.
4d Wild. Devastating exposure.
+ +1d if killing was involved.
+1 result level for a high profile
target.
-1 result level if the action happened
on turf you or a friendly (+3 status) Your wanted level represents the threat level of
faction control.
Critical: The crew takes 6 heat.
6: The crew takes 4 heat.
4/5: The crew takes 2 heat.
1-3: The crew takes 1 heat.
Wanted Level
If you need to take heat, but don't have any
boxes left, you must mark a box of wanted
level instead. The bad news is: wanted level
marks are permanent. The good news is: when
you mark a wanted level, reset your heat to zero
and advance your Renown by 1 (this is the only
way to advance Renown).
Bluecoats and Inspectors sent after you when you
attract the attention of the law.
1d for each crew Resources effect
diamond.
Crime Pays
Set the default coin reward based on the
nature of the score:
1 coin: Small job, nothing fancy.
2 coin: Standard crime work; decent loot.
3 coin: Something special; a fine haul.
4 coin: A major score; serious wealth.
Set the default hold reward based on the importance of the target: 1 hold per Tier of
the target, +1 hold if the target is in the public eye or is high profile in some other way.
Modify the default coin and hold rewards based on the outcome of the development roll.
Entanglements (Heat level 1-4)
1: Unquiet Dead. The rogue spirit of a past
victim finds its way to you. Pay 1 coin to a
Whisper or Rail Jack to exorcise it, or deal with
it yourself.
2: Rivals. A faction with whom you have a
neutral status throws their weight around. Pay
them 1 hold or 1 coin, or lose 1 status with
them.
3: Old Debts. A friend calls in their marker.
Pay them 1 coin or agree to perform the favor
they ask.
4: The Little Guy. An equal- or lower-tier
crew asks you for a hand. You may give them
1 coin or 1 hold in exchange for a favor of
your choosing.
5: The Law. The Bluecoats aren't messing
around right now. Pay them off with 1 coin
or take +1 heat.
6: Cooperation. A +3 status faction asks you
for a favor. Agree to do it or give them 1 hold.
If you don't have a +3 faction status, you avoid
entanglements right now.
Critical: Your crew gains +2 hold
and +2 coin. Roll an entanglement,
below.
6: Your crew gains +1 hold and +1
coin. Roll an entanglement, below.
4/5: Your crew gains the default
rewards. Roll an entanglement, below.
1-3: Your crew gains hold -or-
coin. Roll an entanglement, below.
Entanglements (Heat level 5-8)
1: Demonic Notice. A demon approaches
the crew with a dark offer. Accept it or hide
until it loses interest in you and lose 2 hold.
2: Vengeful Dead. The rogue spirit of
a vindictive enemy finds its way to you. Pay
2 coin to a Whisper or Rail Jack to exorcise it,
or deal with it yourself.
3: Show of Force. A faction with whom you
have a negative status makes a play on your
turf. Pay them 2 hold or 2 coin, or go to war.
4: Opportunists. An equal- or lower-tier
crew plans to betray you to facilitate their climb
up the ladder. Give them 2 hold or endure
whatever comes of their betrayal.
5: Investigation. An Inspector of the watch
has started a file on your crew's crimes, to build
a case for your arrests. Pay them off with 2 coin
or take +2 heat.
6: Cooperation. A +3 status faction asks you
for a favor. Agree to do it or give them 2 hold.
If you don't have a +3 faction status, you avoid
entanglements right now.
character creation
1. Choose Playbook
Your playbook represents the nature of your character, their
special abilities, and how they advance. Playbooks arent unique
multiple players can choose the same one.
2. Choose a Special Ability
Choose 1 starting special ability. Note: the Veteran ability can
be taken twice, which is why it has two dots. Each time you
choose it, fill one dot.
2. Choose a Heritage
...and detail it with a note about your family life. Ex. Skovlan:
Ore Miners.
3. Choose a Background
...and detail it with your specific history. Ex. Academic: Former
Legal Advocate.
4. Assign Action Dots
Assign 6 dots (in addition to those already marked for your
playbook). No action may be higher than 2 (until you unlock
Expert training for the crew).
5. Assign Effect Diamonds
Assign 3 diamonds to effects (Force, Finesse, Insight, Will) in
addition to those already marked. No effect may begin higher than
2 (but may advance further after character creation).
6. Choose Items Carried
You own all of your items. Check the boxes for the items you're
currently carrying. The number of items you check determines
your movement speed and conspicuousness (items in italics
don't count toward your load): 3: Light (youre faster and less
conspicuous. you can blend in with citizens). 4 or 5: Normal
(you look like a scoundrel, ready for trouble). 6: Heavy (youre
slower. you look like an operative on a mission). Some items count
as two items for load (they have two connected boxes). Note that
the Cutter playbook can carry a heavier load.
7. Choose A Favorite Friend
You begin with all of your friends. Mark the one who is a close
friend, long-time ally, or lover.
8. Choose Your Vice
Pick your preferred vice from the list. You indulge your vice to
clear stress. Your vice rating begins at 1.
9. Record Name, Alias, & Look
Actions Effects
Actions are grouped into four categories: Blade (the bloody actions Force: How hard do you hit? How strong is your hold? How
of battle), Book (the actions of knowledge and reason), Cloak (the
scary is your display of violence? How badly do you wreck it?
subtle actions of the shadows), and Mask (social actions).
Finesse: How quickly or smoothly do you do it? How much
Attune to spiritual forces and electroplasmic energy; ground do you cover? How good is the position you take?
understand spectrology, ancient lore, rituals, and occult How subtle is your action?
practices.
Insight: How much do you find out? How detailed or broad
Cipher information with books and academic knowledge; do is the information? How accurately can you predict with this
research; employ codes and secret messages; forge documents. knowledge?
Command obedience with your force of personality; Will: How strong is your will? How thorough is your
intimidate or threaten; execute an action with one of the influence over someone else? How brave are you? How much
crew's units. inner energy can you muster?
Consort with your friends and contacts to discover information
or gain access to people or places; acquire new connections.
Names Adric, Aldo, Amison, Andrel, Arcy, Arden, Arilyn, Arquo,
Deceive with falsehoods, disguise, or bluff; detect lies; evade Arvus, Ashlyn, Birch, Bird, Branon, Brace, Brance, Brena, Bricks,
questions and scrutiny; conceal your true intentions. Candra, Canter, Carissa, Carro, Casslyn, Cavelle, Chime, Clave, Coil,
Discern what's really going on; put the pieces together; gain a Corille, Cross, Crowl, Cyrene, Daphnia, Drav, Edlun, Emeline, Flint,
deeper understanding; focus and judge; anticipate and foresee. Frog, Frost, Grine, Helles, Hix, Holtz, Hook, Kamelin, Keel, Kelyr, Kobb,
Kristov, Laudius, Lauria, Lenia, Lizete, Lorette, Lucella, Lynthia, Mara,
Mayhem wrecks with savage force; brawl and wrestle; fight Milos, Mist, Moon, Morlan, Myre, Nail, Narcus, Naria, Needle, Noggs,
in a group skirmish. Odrienne, Orlan, Phin, Polonia, Pool, Potch, Quess, Remira, Ring,
Murder a target with precision violence; execute a killing Roethe, Sesereth, Sethla, Silver, Skannon, Skeever, Skinner, Song, Stavrul,
Stev, Syra, Talitha, Tesslyn, Thena, Thistle, Thorn, Timoth, Tocker, Una,
and leave little evidence; engage in skillful combat.
Vauri, Veleris, Veretta, Vestine, Vey, Volette, Vond, Weaver, Wester.
Prowl about unseen and overcome physical obstacles;
Family Names: Brogan, Tyrconnell, Dunvil, Comber, Millar, Slane,
general athletic ability. Strangford, Dalmore, Edrad, Lomond, Clelland, Arran, Scapa, Kinclaith,
Secure entry into a protected area by defeating locks and Coleburn, Penalten, Strathmill, Haig, Morriston, Penderyn, Danfield,
avoiding alarms or traps; secure an area against infiltration. Hellyers, Walund, Templeton, Michter, Bowman, Prichard, Keel, Wathen,
Clermont, Rowan, Booker.
Slip away from scrutiny or suspicion, slip an item out of
someone's pocket; use misdirection or distraction; sleight of
Looks Man, Woman, Ambiguous, Concealed.
hand; blend in a crowd; remain inconspicuous. Affable Worn Athletic Lovely Plump Stern
Stalk a target to discover where it is, where it's going, where Brooding Lean Stout Handsome Squat Open
Bright Wiry Scarred Slim Weathered Languid
it's been, and who's connected to it.
Dark Huge Rough Delicate Cold Calm
Stitch up wounds and provide long-term care; remove a Fair Chiseled Striking Bony Sad Fierce
lasting effect penalty for one sequence of action.
Supply the temporary use of an asset by mustering finances; Tricorn Hat Tall Boots
Long Coat Mask & Robes
bribe or coerce with money; trace supply routes for goods Hood & Veil Suit & Vest
and services. Short Cloak Thick Greatcoat
Sway attitudes and behavior with charm, manipulation, or Knit Cap Loose Silks
bravado; seduce and lure; make a convincing case. Slim Jacket Waxed Coat
Hooded Coat Long Scarf
Tinker with devices and chemistry to create, modify, or
repair.
 cutter
blade

command


mayhem

special abilities
murder


stitch

name look Deadly: Any attack you make in combat does +1 effect or

ignores 1 armor, your choice, moment to moment.
Not As Bad As It Looked: After a battle, you instantly get
book
heritage:akorosdagger isles background:academicbluecoatlabor
iruviaseverosskovlantycheros merchantnobleunderworld two ticks toward recovering from lasting effects.
attune

vice affiliationdrinkdrugsfaithgamblingloversluxuriesweird Wolfpack: Take 1 stress to give your team +1 Force in battle.

cipher


supply

Not to be Trifled With: In combat, you ignore 1 level of

stress trauma armor +heavy scale (you fight a small gang on equal footing).

tinker

lasting effects battleborn Battleborn: You get special armor against physical attacks in

combat. When you roll a critical in combat, clear 1 stress.
cloak
Daring: When you roll 1-3 and choose to try again with more

prowl

coin
stash risk, you get +1d.
secure

notes

slip

Experienced: Choose an additional background with which

you get a bonus.
stalk


Veteran: Choose a special ability from another playbook.

mask
items (3,4)Light. (5)Normal. (6,7)Heavy. Items in italics don't count. dangerous friends

consort

A Blade or Two Fine hand weapon Marlane, a pugilist

Throwing Knives

deceive

Fine large weapon Thena, a veteran warrior

A Pistol & Shot
discern

Manacles & chain
A Large Weapon
Chael, a vicious thug

sway

Rage essence vial
An Unusual Weapon Mercy, a cold killer

Wrecker tools
desperate rolls
Armor +Heavy Concealed blade Grace, an extortionist

Burglary Tools
Climbing Gear
Spiritbane charm Stras, a clever blade
effects
playbook advancement
Books / Maps

force
Spectrology Gear Defeat a superior opponent.


finesse
Subterfuge Supplies Solve a problem with violence.
Tinkering Tools Destroy an enemys asset, influence, or resource.

insight
A small personal item Express your character's flaws, obsessions, secrets, or shortcomings.

will

teamwork: on point teamwork: backup
Lead a group action. Face an effect for the
character on point.
Overcome a group problem.
Assist another character.
Set up another character. Follow through on a setup.
gather information
What do they intend to do?
What might I suspect based
on this?
What's the danger here?
Where could I go to find X?
Ask about a detail for a
plan.
planning
Choose the plan the characters have
made, establish a detail, cut to the action.
Assault plan: Point of attack.
Deception plan: Method.
Infiltration plan: Entry point.
Occult plan: Arcane power.
Social plan: Social connection.
downtime action roll bonus dice
Choose your carried Items.
Restore your Armor. + Assist (They take 1 stress)
Recover & indulge your Vice.
and choose 1: + Devil's Bargain
Reduce heat on the crew.
Work on a project clock. Your Background matches
+ the target.
Acquire an asset.
 hound
blade

command


mayhem

special abilities
murder


stitch

name look Detached: Take -1d to an action roll to clear 1 stress.

Unorthodox: Take 1 stress to substitute one effect rating for

another.
book
heritage:akorosdagger isles background:academicbluecoatlabor
iruviaseverosskovlantycheros merchantnobleunderworld
attune

Predator: Take +1d to rolls against injured, weakened, or

vice affiliationdrinkdrugsfaithgamblingloversluxuriesweird vulnerable targets.
cipher


supply

Marked Target: When you gather information about a

stress trauma armor +heavy
tinker

person, you and your team get +1d effect against them.
lasting effects cold Cold: You get special armor vs. mental effects (fear, confusion,

etc.). When you roll a critical while hunting a target, clear 1 stress.
cloak
Daring: When you roll 1-3 and choose to try again with more
prowl


coin
stash risk, you get +1d.
secure

notes

slip

Experienced: Choose an additional background with which

you get a bonus.
stalk


Veteran: Choose a special ability from another playbook.
mask
items (3)Light. (4,5)Normal. (6)Heavy. Items in italics don't count. deadly friends

consort

A Blade or Two Fine pair of pistols Bell, a duelist

Throwing Knives

deceive

Fine long rifle Oman, an assassin

A Pistol & Shot
discern

Electroplasmic ammunition
A Large Weapon
Celene, a sentinel

sway

A fine trained hunting pet
An Unusual Weapon Melvir Kepp, a physicker

Far-sight spyglass
desperate rolls
Armor +Heavy Concealed blade Veleris, a spy

Burglary Tools
Climbing Gear
Spiritbane charm Casta, a bounty hunter
effects
playbook advancement
Books / Maps

force
Spectrology Gear Hunt or ambush a challenging target.


finesse
Subterfuge Supplies Establish your dominance over a person or situation.
Tinkering Tools Seize control of an enemy's asset, influence, or resource.

insight
A small personal item Express your character's flaws, obsessions, secrets, or shortcomings.

will

teamwork: on point teamwork: backup
Lead a group action. Face an effect for the
character on point.
Overcome a group problem.
Assist another character.
Set up another character. Follow through on a setup.
gather information
What do they intend to do?
What might I suspect based
on this?
What's the danger here?
Where could I go to find X?
Ask about a detail for a
plan.
planning
Choose the plan the characters have
made, establish a detail, cut to the action.
Assault plan: Point of attack.
Deception plan: Method.
Infiltration plan: Entry point.
Occult plan: Arcane power.
Social plan: Social connection.
downtime action roll bonus dice
Choose your carried Items.
Restore your Armor. + Assist (They take 1 stress)
Recover & indulge your Vice.
and choose 1: + Devil's Bargain
Reduce heat on the crew.
Work on a project clock. Your Background matches
+ the target.
Acquire an asset.
 lurk
blade

command


mayhem

special abilities
murder


stitch

name look Ambush: When you attack from hiding or spring a prepared

trap, add +1d to your roll.
Composure: Add an additional stress box.
book
heritage:akorosdagger isles background:academicbluecoatlabor
iruviaseverosskovlantycheros merchantnobleunderworld
attune

Intensity: You may spend 2 stress on any roll, for +1d.

vice affiliationdrinkdrugsfaithgamblingloversluxuriesweird
cipher

Scout: When you fill segments of a progress clock for any

supply

kind of reconnaissance or infiltration, fill +1 segment.
stress trauma armor +heavy
tinker

Shadow: You get special armor vs. detection and security.

lasting effects shadow When you roll a critical on an athletic feat or during an
infiltration, clear 1 stress.
cloak
Daring: When you roll 1-3 and choose to try again with more
prowl


coin
stash risk, you get +1d.
secure

notes

slip

Experienced: Choose an additional background with which

you get a bonus.
stalk


Veteran: Choose a special ability from another playbook.
mask
items (3)Light. (4,5)Normal. (6)Heavy. Items in italics don't count. keen friends

consort

A Blade or Two Fine lockpicks
Telda, a beggar

Throwing Knives

deceive

Fine, light climbing gear
Darmot, a bluecoat

A Pistol & Shot
discern

Shadow essence vial

A Large Weapon
Frake, a locksmith

sway

Silence potion vial

An Unusual Weapon Roslyn Kellis, a noble

Dark-sight goggles

desperate rolls
Armor +Heavy Concealed blade
Petra, a city clerk

Burglary Tools
Climbing Gear
Spiritbane charm
Loop, a bounty hunter
effects
playbook advancement
Books / Maps

force
Spectrology Gear Discover a powerful or compromising secret.


finesse
Subterfuge Supplies Infiltrate a new, challenging, or interesting location.
Tinkering Tools Execute an operation without being detected.

insight
A small personal item Express your character's flaws, obsessions, secrets, or shortcomings.

will

teamwork: on point teamwork: backup
Lead a group action. Face an effect for the
character on point.
Overcome a group problem.
Assist another character.
Set up another character. Follow through on a setup.
gather information
What do they intend to do?
What might I suspect based
on this?
What's the danger here?
Where could I go to find X?
Ask about a detail for a
plan.
planning
Choose the plan the characters have
made, establish a detail, cut to the action.
Assault plan: Point of attack.
Deception plan: Method.
Infiltration plan: Entry point.
Occult plan: Arcane power.
Social plan: Social connection.
downtime action roll bonus dice
Choose your carried Items.
Restore your Armor. + Assist (They take 1 stress)
Recover & indulge your Vice.
and choose 1: + Devil's Bargain
Reduce heat on the crew.
Work on a project clock. Your Background matches
+ the target.
Acquire an asset.
 slide
blade

command


mayhem

special abilities
murder


stitch

name look Ace: When you lead a group action using your highest-rated

action, you suffer 1 less total stress from the failed rolls.
Im Outta Here: When your cover is blown or you need to

book
heritage:akorosdagger isles background:academicbluecoatlabor
iruviaseverosskovlantycheros merchantnobleunderworld flee, take +1d to rolls to escape.
attune

vice affiliationdrinkdrugsfaithgamblingloversluxuriesweird Adaptation: Take 1 stress to substitute one action rating for

cipher

another.
supply

stress trauma armor +heavy Trust in Me: You get +1d when you roll vs. a target you have

tinker

a relationship with.
lasting effects suspicious
Suspicious: You get special armor vs. persuasion or deception.
cloak
When you roll a crit while manipulating someone, clear 1 stress.

prowl

Daring: When you roll 1-3 and choose to try again with more

coin
stash
secure

risk, you get +1d.
notes

slip

Experienced: Choose an additional background with which


stalk

you get a bonus.

Veteran: Choose a special ability from another playbook.
mask
items (3)Light. (4,5)Normal. (6)Heavy. Items in italics don't count. low friends

consort

A Blade or Two Fine clothes & jewelry
Bryl, a drug dealer

Throwing Knives

deceive

Fine disguise kit
Bazso Baz, a gang leader

A Pistol & Shot
discern

Fine loaded dice, trick cards

A Large Weapon
Harker, a jail-bird

sway

Trance powder

An Unusual Weapon Arlynne, a tavern owner

A cane-sword

desperate rolls
Armor +Heavy Concealed blade
Nyryx, a prostitute

Burglary Tools
Climbing Gear
Spiritbane charm
Lanette, an informant
effects
playbook advancement
Books / Maps

force
Spectrology Gear Gain someones trust or betray someone who trusts you.


finesse
Subterfuge Supplies Pass yourself off as someone or something youre not.
Tinkering Tools Make a new friend, ally, lover, rival, or enemy.

insight
A small personal item Express your character's flaws, obsessions, secrets, or shortcomings.

will

teamwork: on point teamwork: backup
Lead a group action. Face an effect for the
character on point.
Overcome a group problem.
Assist another character.
Set up another character. Follow through on a setup.
gather information
What do they intend to do?
What might I suspect based
on this?
What's the danger here?
Where could I go to find X?
Ask about a detail for a
plan.
planning
Choose the plan the characters have
made, establish a detail, cut to the action.
Assault plan: Point of attack.
Deception plan: Method.
Infiltration plan: Entry point.
Occult plan: Arcane power.
Social plan: Social connection.
downtime action roll bonus dice
Choose your carried Items.
Restore your Armor. + Assist (They take 1 stress)
Recover & indulge your Vice.
and choose 1: + Devil's Bargain
Reduce heat on the crew.
Work on a project clock. Your Background matches
+ the target.
Acquire an asset.
 whisper
blade

command


mayhem

special abilities
murder


stitch

name look Channel: Use electroplasmic energy to produce supernatural

effects. Costs stress equal to the magnitude of the energy (0-4).
Compel: You can attune to the ghost field to compel a spirit

book
heritage:akorosdagger isles background:academicbluecoatlabor
iruviaseverosskovlantycheros merchantnobleunderworld or demon to follow a direct instruction you give it.
attune

vice affiliationdrinkdrugsfaithgamblingloversluxuriesweird Strange Methods: When you tinker with a device, tool, or

cipher

weapon, you may include electroplasmic or arcane features.
supply

stress trauma armor +heavy Summon: Perform a ritual to force a supernatural being to appear

tinker

before you. Costs stress equal to the magnitude of the being (2-6).
lasting effects beyond
Beyond: You get special armor vs. supernatural effects. When
cloak
you roll a critical while dealing with arcane powers, clear 1 stress.

prowl

Daring: When you roll 1-3 and choose to try again with more

coin
stash
secure

risk, you get +1d.
notes

slip

Experienced: Choose an additional background with which


stalk

you get a bonus.

Veteran: Choose a special ability from another playbook.
mask
items (3)Light. (4,5)Normal. (6)Heavy. Items in italics don't count. strange friends

consort

A Blade or Two Fine spirit anchor Nyryx, a possessor ghost

Throwing Knives

deceive

Fine lightning-hook Hoxan, a rogue spirit

A Pistol & Shot
discern

Fine spirit mask
A Large Weapon
Scurlock, a vampire

sway

Demon blood vials
An Unusual Weapon Setarra, a demon

Ghost key
desperate rolls
Armor +Heavy Demonbane charm Quellyn, a witch

Burglary Tools
Climbing Gear
Spiritbane charm Flint, a spirit trafficker
effects
playbook advancement
Books / Maps

force
Spectrology Gear Solve a problem with arcane power or knowledge.


finesse
Subterfuge Supplies Learn something new about spectrology or demonic lore.
Tinkering Tools Dominate, control, or destroy a ghost, demon, or other occultist.

insight
A small personal item Express your character's flaws, obsessions, secrets, or shortcomings.

will

teamwork: on point teamwork: backup
Lead a group action. Face an effect for the
character on point.
Overcome a group problem.
Assist another character.
Set up another character. Follow through on a setup.
gather information
What do they intend to do?
What might I suspect based
on this?
What's the danger here?
Where could I go to find X?
Ask about a detail for a
plan.
planning
Choose the plan the characters have
made, establish a detail, cut to the action.
Assault plan: Point of attack.
Deception plan: Method.
Infiltration plan: Entry point.
Occult plan: Arcane power.
Social plan: Social connection.
downtime action roll bonus dice
Choose your carried Items.
Restore your Armor. + Assist (They take 1 stress)
Recover & indulge your Vice.
and choose 1: + Devil's Bargain
Reduce heat on the crew.
Work on a project clock. Your Background matches
+ the target.
Acquire an asset.
standard items
A Blade or Two: Perhaps you carry a pair of large fighting
knives. Or a sword and dagger. Or A heavy cleaver and long
stiletto. Up to you.
Throwing Knives: A brace of six light blades, suitable for
throwing.
A Pistol & Shot: A flintlock pistol, devastating at 12 paces,
slow to reload. A small pouch of powder and shot.
A Large Weapon: A weapon meant for two-hands. A
greatly enhances the user's strength, resistance to pain, and
weapon of war, like a battle-axe, greatsword, warhammer,
or pole-arm.
An Unusual Weapon: A curiosity of the blacksmith's art
or a tool turned into a weapon. A whip, a flail, a hatchet, a
shovel, a length of chain, a razor-edged fan, steel-toed boots.
Armor: A heavy leather tunic with a high collar, heavy
gloves.
+Heavy: The addition of chain mail or metal plates,
a metal helm.
Burglary Tools: A set of lockpicks. A small pry-bar. Vials
of oil to silence squeaky hinges. A coil of wire and fishing
hooks. A small pouch of sand.
Climbing Gear: A large coil of rope. A small coil of rope.
and demons.
Grappling hooks. A small pouch of chalk dust. A climbing
harness with loops and metal rings. A set of iron pitons and
a small mallet.
Books / Maps: A small collection of slim volumes on a
variety of topics. Blank pages, a vial of ink, a pen. A number
of interesting maps.
Spectrology Gear: A vial of quicksilver. A pouch of black
salt. A spirit anchor in the form of a small, heavy stone. A
spirit bottle. A vial of electroplasm, designed to break and
splatter on impact.
Subterfuge supplies: A theatrical make-up kit. A selection of
blank documents, ready for the forger's hand. Costume jewelry.
A reversible cloak and distinctive hat. A forged badge of office.
Tinkering Tools: A set of tools for detailed mechanist
work. A jeweler's loup. Measuring devices.
Spiritbane Charm: A small arcane trinket which ghosts
prefer to avoid.
cutter items slide items
Fine hand weapon: A finely crafted one-handed weapon
Fine clothes and jewelry: An outfit of such fine make as
of your choice. to pass as a wealthy noble.
Fine large weapon: A finely crafted two-handed weapon
Fine disguise kit: A theatrical make-up kit equipped with
of your choice. an impressive array of expert appliances to fool the eye.
Manacles and chain: A set of heavy manacles and chain,
Fine loaded dice, trick cards: Gambling accoutrements
suitable for restraining a prisoner. subtly altered to favor particular outcomes.
Rage Essence Vial: A single dose of Rage Essence, which
Trance powder: A dose of the popular drug, which induces
a dreamlike state.
irrational aggression for the span of several minutes. A cane-sword: A slim sword and its sheath, disguised as
Wrecker tools: A heavy sledgehammer and crowbar.
a noble's cane.
Iron spikes. Heavy gloves.
hound items whisper items
Fine spirit anchor: An arcane item which can hold a ghost
Fine pair of pistols: A pair of finely crafted pistols.
in place near it.
Fine long rifle: A finely crafted hunting rifle, deadly
Fine lightning-hook: A long, two-handed pole with a
at long range. loop of heavy wire at the end, connected to an electroplasmic
capacitor. Suitable for grappling a spirit and dragging it into
Electroplasmic ammunition: A bandolier of
a spirit bottle.
electroplasmicly charged shot, suitable for harming spirits
Fine spirit mask: An arcane item which allows the trained
user to see arcane energies in great detail. Also affords some
A fine trained hunting pet: An animal companion that
measure of protection against ghostly possession.
obeys your commands and anticipates your actions, of a
species of your choice. Demon blood vials: A small set of tough crystalline vials,
containing blood from demons.
Far-sight spyglass: A device which allows you to see
clearly over extreme distances. Ghost key: An arcane device which can open ghost doors.
Demonbane charm: An arcane trinket which demons
lurk items prefer to avoid.
Fine lockpicks: A finely crafted set of lockpicks.
Fine, light climbing gear: A finely crafted set of climbing
gear which is less bulky and heavy than a standard set.
Shadow essence vial: A vial of shadow essence designed
to break and splatter on impact, releasing an ink-dark cloud.
Silence potion vial: A vial of golden liquid that negates all
sound within 10 paces of the drinker for a span of several minutes.
Dark-sight goggles: A mechanist device that allows the
wearer to see in pitch darkness as if it were day.
crew creation
1. Choose Crew Type
Your crew type represents the nature of your crew, its special
abilities, and how they advance. In the full game, there are
several to choose from. In this quick start, you're Thieves.
2. Choose a Special Ability
Choose 1 starting special ability for the crew.
3. Choose Reputation
Your crew's reputation represents how you use your Renown
effect rating to impress or frighten other crews.
4. Assign Crew Upgrades
Mark 2 upgrade boxes. If you choose one of the gangs
(Adepts, Killers, Thugs, Rooks, Shadows, Rovers) also choose
which NPC among their roster is the leader of that gang).
5. Assign Effect Diamonds
Assign 3 diamonds to crew effects (Gangs, Lair, Morale,
Resources, or Transport) in addition to those already marked.
No effect may start higher than 2.
5. Choose A Favorite Contact
You begin with all of your contacts. Mark the one who is
a close friend, long-time ally, or partner in crime.
6. Assign Faction Status Ticks
Each player assigns a positive tick and a negative tick with any
Tier 1 or Tier 2 faction (to represent past interactions). Then, as
a group, assign one positive and one negative tick at Tier 3. Say
why you have good or bad status with these factions.
7. Crew Name, Lair Details, & Patron or Boss
Your crew has a patron or ward boss who has helped you get
started. They may sometimes come to you with requests. In
the quick start, this person is Lyssa, the new boss of Crow's
Foot. Choose a quality that best describes her.
Thinking of a name for your crew can be very hard at first.
It's okay to start out without a name and later acquire one
based on what the crew is like.
8. Tier, Hold, & Cash
You begin at Tier 0, with 0 Hold. You start with 2 cash.
Crew Upgrades Crew Effects
Adepts: Your crew has a gang of scholars, tinkerers, Gangs: How effective are your gangs (Adepts, Killers,
occultists, and chemists. Thugs, Rooks, Shadows, and Rovers)?
Killers: Your crew has a gang of assassins and murderers. Lair: How useful is your base of operations? (It's workshop,
library, etc.) How secure is it?
Thugs: Your crew has a gang of toughs, brawlers, and
roustabouts. Morale: How well can your crew and gangs hold together
Rooks: Your crew has a gang of con artists, spies, and during adversity?
socialites. Resources: How well can you develop, given your
available assets and debts?
Shadows: Your crew has a gang of scouts, infiltrators,
and sneak-thieves. Transport: How quickly can you get your gangs in
Rovers: Your crew has a gang of sailors, carriage drivers, position? How advantageous is your maneuver?
and deathlands scavengers. Elite Gangs: When you employ an Elite gang, you get +1d
effect (like a fine item).
Hidden Lair: Your lair has a secret location and is
disguised to hide it from view.
Secure Lair: Your lair has good locks, alarms, and traps
Renown
to thwart intruders. Your Renown starts at 1. It represents how much clout you
have among the other crews and factions. Your renown
Library: Your lair has a collection of useful books,
documents, maps, intelligence reports, and case files for advances when your Wanted Level increases. You roll your
use in research. Renown when you try to reduce Heat on your crew.
Quarters: Your lair includes living quarters for the crew.
Vault: Your lair has a secure vault. You can store up to
8 cash, instead of just 4. Your vault can also be used as
a holding cell.
Workshop: Your lair has a workshop appointed with tools
for tinkering and alchemy, as well as a library of books,
documents, and maps.
Blade, Book, Cloak, Mask Training: Your crew
has access to special training. When you choose the
corresponding action category for your personal training
during PC advancement, you mark +1 segment.
Expertise: Your crew has access to expert level training.
You may advance your PC action ratings to 3. This upgrade
costs 2 advances to unlock.
Mastery: Your crew has access to master level training.
You may advance your PC action ratings to 4. This upgrade
costs 3 advances to unlock.
 thieves

hold
tier
factions

The Unseen
iii 7

The Silver Nails iii 6
tier special abilities
Lord Scurlock
iii 5
name lair Everyone Steals: Each PC chooses to take level 1 in Prowl,

The Hive
iii 4
Slip, Secure, or Finesse (choose one which is currently zero).
absentbolddrivencarelessfiendish hold

The Circle of Flame
ii 4
ward boss meticulouspatientruthlesssavvyweird Pack Rats: Your lair is a jumble of stolen items. When you

roll to acquire an asset, take +1 result level (as if you'd spent

The Crows
ii 3
coin
coin on the roll).
The Lampblacks ii 3
wanted
|


heat Slippery: When you roll entanglements during development,

The Red Sashes
ii 3
renown ambitiousbrutaldaringprofessionalsubtlestrange roll two dice and keep the one you want. Also, when you reduce

The Dimmer Sisters ii 5
heat on the crew, take +1d to the roll.
roster
Overwatch: When you're backup and you face an effect for the

Ulf Ironborn i 3

adepts killers thugs others character on point, you can share the stress cost between 2 PCs.
The Fog Hounds i 2
Vincen Crane Zana Alpha: When you lead a group action, you do +1d effect.
The Eels
i 3
Kyra Dro Chalk Experienced: Choose an additional reputation with which
The Lost
i 3
Tor Tevis Whistler you may employ your Renown.

Duskwall Council iv 8
Vetta Aslyn Grip Veteran: Choose a special ability from another crew.


Skovlander Refugees
iv 2
rooks shadows rovers crew advancement
Ironhook Prison iii 9
Lyzelle Avery Kam Execute a profitable heist, robbery, or shakedown.
Spirit Wardens iii 6
Corlane Merrick Ruby Gain access to a new avenue of thievery or type of victim.
Bluecoats
iii 7
Grevor Adra Hester Complete a profitable side job (of your own or for a client).
Inspectors
i 9
Quinn Sloane Drake Contend with challenges above your current station.
Leviathan Hunters iii 8
crew effects crew upgrades contacts
Sailors
ii 5

gangs Adepts
Hidden Lair
Blade Training
Fine Building Plans
Dowler, an explorer

Dockers
ii 4
Killers
Secure Lair
Book Training
Fine Rooftop Routes
Laroze, a bluecoat

Gondoliers
ii 4

lair
Thugs
Library
Cloak Training
Elite Shadows
Amancio, a fence

Cabbies
i 3

morale
Rail Jacks
i 3
Rooks
Quarters
Mask Training
Prison Escape Methods
Fitz, a collector

resources Shadows
Vault Expertise

Secondary Lair
Adelaide Phroaig, a noble

Church of the

iii
Ecstasy of the Flesh 5

transport Rovers
Workshop
Mastery

Thief Rigging (-1 load)
Rigney, a tavern owner

The Weeping Lady ii 5
notes
The Path of Echoes
ii 4

The Forgotten Gods i 3
Deathlands

Scavengers

i 3

scores To generate a score, roll or choose on the following tables. Still a work in progress.

1. CLIENT / 3. TARGET 2. WORK 4. LOCATION 5. TROUBLES 6. TWIST OR COMPLICATION

civilian
1 Academic or Scholar
2 Laborer or Tradesman
3 Courier or Sailor
4 Merchant or Shopkeeper
5 Artist or Writer
6 Doctor or Alchemist
criminal
1 Drug Dealer or Supplier
2 Mercenary or Thug
3 Fence or Gambler
4 Spy or Informant
5 Smuggler or Thief
6 Crime Boss
political
1 Noble or Official
2 Banker or Captain
3 Revolutionary or Refugee
4 Clergy or Cultist
5 Constable or Inspector
6 Magistrate or Ward Boss
strange
skullduggery
1 Stalking or Surveillance
2 Sabotage or Arson
3 Lift or Plant
4 Poison or Arrange Accident
5 Burglary or Heist
6 6
violence
1 Assassinate
2 Disappear or Ransom
3 Terrorize or Extort
4 Destroy or Deface
5 Raid or Defend
6 6
underworld
1 Escort or Security
2 Smuggle or Courier
3 Blackmail or Discredit
4 Con or Espionage
5 Locate or Hide
6 6
unnatural
mood
1 Haunted or Cursed
2 Abandoned or Decrepit
3 Busy or Crowded
4 Lavish or Refined
5 Dank or Dismal
Serene or Silent
type
1 Ship or Dockside
2 Canals or Grotto
3 Town House or Apartment
4 Tavern or Restaurant
5 Shop or Marketplace
Tower or Keep
type
1 Manor or Villa
2 Sewer or Slaughterhouse
3 Workshop or Factory
4 Barracks or Bunkhouse
5 Rail Station
Library or School
ward
barriers An element is a cover for heretic spirit
1
cult practices
1 Stronghold (high walls, etc.)
A seer has foreseen this job and
2 Masterwork security (locks, etc.) 2
warned the parties involved
3 Natural Feature (cliff, island) Rogue spirits possess some/most/all of
3
the people involved
4 Safe, lock-box, vault
5 Runes / Wards 4 Rogue spirits haunt the location
6 Electroplasmic Security The job furthers a demons secret
5
dangers agenda
The job furthers a vampires secret
1 Traps (deadly or entangling) 6
agenda
2 Toxic Substances
An element is a front for a criminal
1
3 Clockworks / Automatons enterprise
4 Alarms 2
5 Rogue spirits
3 The job is a trap laid by your enemies
6 Electroplasmic Devices
opposition
4 The job is a test for another job
1 Guards / Scouts / Sentries
The job furthers a merchant lords
2 Bluecoats / Imperials 5
secret agenda.
3 Guard Dogs / Lookouts The job furthers a crime bosss secret
6
agenda.
4 Trained Killers / Thugs
5 Whispers / Bound Spirits 1 Job requires travel by electro-rail
6 Hollows Must visit the Deathlands to do the
2
job

1 Ghost of (roll again)
2 Occult Collector
3 Vampire or Other Undead
4 Demon (disguised)
5 Possessed or Hollow
6 6
1 Curse or Sanctify
2 Banish or Summon
3 Extract Essence
4 Place or Remove Runes
5 Perform / Stop Ritual
1 Whitecrown or Brightstone 1 3 Job requires sea travel
2 Six Towers or Charterhall 2
4
3 Mightmarket or Silkshore 3
4 Coalridge or The Docks 4 The job furthers a revolutionarys
5
secret agenda.
5 Crows Foot or Dunslough 5
The job furthers a city officials secret
6
6 Barrowcleft or Charhollow 6 agenda
purveyors of vice
affiliation
The Silver Nails, a mercenary company.
The Unseen.
The Hive.
The Circle of Flame.
drink
Mardin Gull, The Leaky Bucket, Crow's Foot.
Pux Bolin, the Harping Monkey, Nightmarket.
Helene, Silver Stag casino, Silkshore.
Harvale Brogan, The Centuralia, Six Towers.
Freyla, The Emperors Cask, Whitecrown.
drugs
Avrick, powder dealer, Barrowcleft.
Rolan Volaris, The Veil, Nightmarket.
Madame Tesslyn, The Red Lamp, Silkshore.
Travens smoke shop, Coalridge.
Eldrin Prichard, The Silver Swan pleasure barge,
Brightstone canals.
lovers
Jewel, Bird, and Shine, Catcrawl alley, the
Docks.
Madame Tesslyn, The Red Lamp, Silkshore.
Rolan Volaris, The Veil, Nightmarket.
Eldrin Prichard, The Silver Swan pleasure barge,
Brightstone canals.
luxuries
Singer, bath house, Crows Foot.
Travens smoke shop, Coalridge.
Dunridge & Sons fine fabrics and tailoring,
Nightmarket.
Chef Roselle, The Golden Plum, Six Towers.
Maestro Helleren, Spiregarden theater,
Whitecrown.
weird
The hooded proprietor of a half-flooded grotto
tavern near the docks. Strange passageways
lead to stranger chambers beyond.

faith
Sister Narya of the Weeping Lady.
The ruins of the Temple to Forgotten Gods, [... MORE TO COME HERE ...]
Coalridge.
Nelisanne, Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh,
Silkshore.
Lord Penderyn, The Palace of Echoes, Brightstone.

gambling
Spoggs dice game, Dunslough.
Grist, boxing, the Docks.
Helene, Silver Stag casino, Silkshore.
Master Vreen, hound racing, Nightmarket.
Lady Devera, The Dusk Manor Club, Whitecrown.
40
the unquiet
the unquiet dead dead
They say anything can be sold on the streets
of Duskwall. But have you ever tried to unload
a cursed spirit bottle? Yeah, all of sudden the
market dries up.
Flint
details
A spirit rises from its corpse three days
after death, unless the body is dissolved in
electroplasm before then.
Bellweather Crematorium (operated by the
bronze-masked Spirit Wardens) handles most
of the corpse disposal in Duskwall. But rogue
spirits still haunt the city.
Ghosts are not the only undead. A variety of
strange beings stalk the darkest shadows.
Spectrology
Its said that the cataclysm which shattered the earth, banished the
sun, and turned the seas to black ink was caused by a sorcerer who
dabbled in forbidden magic and tore down the Gates of Death.
But who believes such ancient tales? Whatever the truth of it, one
thing is certain: once a body dies, its spirit does not disperse as they
once did long ago. It becomes a ghost: a spectral entity composed
of electroplasmic vapors.
It takes roughly three days for a ghost to become free of the corpse.
It is then free to wander the world, consumed by darker and darker
urges until it goes entirely mad and monstrous. If the corpse is
dissolved in electroplasm before then, the spirit, too, is destroyed.
But there are other ways for body and spirit to relate...
Soul. A living body with its own spirit. The normal state of affairs.
Possessed. A living body containing two (or more) spirits.
Hollow. A living body without a spirit. Usually dim-witted and
easily controlled.
Hull. A clockwork body animated by a bound spirit.
Undead. A dead body animated and sustained by a spirit.
Sometimes called a vampirethough only some crave hot
blood.
Ghost. A spirit without a body. Craves life essence and
vengeance on its earthly enemies. Can coalesce into semi-solid
electroplasmic vapor or diffuse into a fine haze.
Spirit-Well: A rift in reality where ghosts and other
supernatural beings congregate to draw energy. In ancient myth,
a spawning ground for demons.
Electroplasm: The energetic residue distilled from spirits
and leviathan blood.
Whisper: A person sensitive to spirits. May be able to summon
and communicate with ghosts.
41
duskwall
the wide world
blackvale
Tycheros

Akoros lockport

[Dark forests, rocky hills. Rich coastal cities and some mining colonies deep inland.]
Skovlan duskwall
Severos
[Windswept grass plains. Outside the Imperial cities, some native Serverosi still live
in tribes, scavenging the deathlands on their ghost-hunting horses.]
arvaedh
Iruvia whitehollow
[Golden deserts. People say that some positions of power are openly held by demons
in Iruvia.] wintercliff

The Dagger Isles

tyrmoor Akoros
[Tropical, jungle. People there live without lightning barriers. How do they manage
that?]

Skovlan ilysia
[Cold, mountainous, wild. The last holdout from Imperial control. The war of Skovlan
Unity ended only a few years ago.] imperial
city
sevrin
Tycheros
[A far off land, disconnected from the Empire. People say the Tycherosi (rudely Severos
called "Strangers") have demon blood. If you play one, tell the group what your
telltale demonic feature is.] cullfield
south
point

a note about the world thorn

The islands have wildly different climates due to magical weirdness from the
cataclysm. The "water" of the Never Sea seems to be composed of opaque black ink, sunfall
but it's possible to see constellations of shimmering stars far below the surface. The irondale
sun is a dim ember, providing only purpleish twilight at dawn and dusk; leaving the bright
harbor
world in darkness otherwise. (eldira)
Don't expect realism here.
Iruvia
The kethrys

Dagger u'duasha
mistport
Isles

alduara