DIRGE Dark Modern Fantasy Roleplaying Game

DIRGE
Dark Modern Fantasy

Roleplaying Game
By Joshua Kubli
Imperfekt Gammes
DIRGE DARK MODERN FANTASY ROLEPLAYING GAME

Author: Joshua Kubli
Author Email: jkubli@imperfekt-industrees.com
Dedication: To Daniel Kubli and Ryan Isbell.
Special Thanks: Kevin-Lynn Kubli, Keith Schneider, Joseph Piatt.
Website: http://www.imperfekt-industrees.com
License: All text in this work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative
Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
Cover and some Interior Artwork: Jason Rainville, http://www.rainvilleillustration.com/.
Additional Artwork: Licensed as indicated in each entry.
Table of Contents
Chapter I: Introduction...............................1
Chapter VII: Hardships.............................35
What Is This Game About?......................2
Mortal Hardships...................................35
Warning...................................................2
What Do I Need?.....................................2
Unnatural Hardships..............................39
Inspirations..............................................3
Chapter IIX: Assets..................................41

Initiative.................................................41
Unarmed Combat...................................81
Damage..................................................82
Social Strife............................................83
Other Actions.........................................83
Afflictions..............................................85
Rules of Thumb.......................................6
Physical Resources..................................41
Mental Resources...................................42
Bleeding Out..........................................88
Going Bugfuck.......................................89
Action Rolls.............................................6
Automatic Success and Failure.................7
Physical Defenses...................................44
Mental Defense......................................44
Chapter XII: The Pleroma........................95
Success Factor and Failure Factor.............7

Opposed Rolls..........................................7
Chapter IX: Dark Powers..........................45
Chapter II: System Basics............................5
Triumphs and Mishaps.............................8

Chapter III: Character Creation...................9
Character Creation Procedure................10
Character Creation Example...................12
Chapter IV: Character Types and Factions....15
Special Ability Descriptors....................45

Special Abilities.....................................46
Power Modifications..............................63
Innate Powers.........................................65
Formulae................................................65
Mystical Techniques...............................68
Children of Light....................................15
Chapter X: Possessions..............................71
Ghuls......................................................17
Mystics...................................................19
Tools of Death (Weapons).......................71

Stopping the Pain (Armor).....................75
Chapter V: Attributes...............................23
Dying with the Most Stuff (Trifles)........76
Physical Attributes..................................23
Mental Attributes..................................24
Chapter XI: Strife....................................79
Chapter VI: Talents..................................25
Starting Shit...........................................79
Combat Actions.....................................80
Basic Talents...........................................25
Advanced Talents....................................27
When and Where...................................79
Attack Modifiers....................................80
Combat Example....................................91
Realm Characteristics............................95
The Vale of the Downtrodden................97
The Astral Plane...................................107
The City of Spirits................................108
The Glades of Mirth.............................110
The Industrial Nexus.............................112
The Mansions of Conundrums..............114
The Ruined Palace of Light...................116
The Wastelands of Suffering..................117
The Ylem..............................................120
Making a Monster.................................122
Chapter XIII: Game Mastering.................125
Setting the Stage....................................125
Dealing with Problems.........................128
Enlightenment......................................129
Appendix: Dirge Glossary........................132
DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes
Chapter I: Introduction
You want to know about magic? Alright, fine. I'll tell you everything about magic that any
beginner could ever need to know, right now. Ready?
First off you know, in retrospect, it's always obvious that you're dreaming, isn't it? But at the
time, there's just this nebulous, hazy quality to your sensations. You don't see the sharp edges and
details, you can't make out the cracked paint or the scratches on the glass, but instead, you grasp the
the meaning of everything you see, with just a glance, you know?
I was downtown, and it had just rained, and everything was glossy with reflected neon, and silent
as a scared child. I was looking for something what was it? I had this feeling of growing desperation.
It wasn't my purse, it wasn't Todd, I don't know what it was. I could feel my breath getting tighter, my
muscles more tense. Soon I was running. I didn't care! Nothing mattered anymore! School, friends,
grades, nothing
And that was when I saw her. And, like, I don't want to sound, like, gay or anything, but I think I
fell a little bit in love with her, in that moment.
She was hovering in midair, in the middle of the street, glowing brighter than all the neon. No, it
was like, the light was flowing into her. And her hair was long and golden not blonde, golden, like real
gold and her feet were bare, and her hands were out and open. A gesture of peace. She wore this
beautiful robe. It was like regaining my breath, and then losing it again, all at once.
I could tell she was filled with power. Like she knew everything. She had no worries, because
she'd seen the past and future, and was full of love for everyone and everything.
And then she lifted her head and it was me.
It was the most amazing moment of my life.
And then I woke up.
I cried, because it was so beautiful. And when I slept again and woke, I cried again, because the
dream didn't come back. It hasn't come back since.
But I have a feeling that every night in my dreams, I'm searching, desperately searching, trying to
find her again. Trying to find myself. I haven't found her again, yet, but I will never give up. Never.
Okay, so, then, walk off. What, you thought I was going to teach you some 'magic words' or some
bullshit? Read your palm, maybe let you talk to your dead grandpa or something? You don't understand.
But then, I didn't really expect you to.
Natalie Aster, Mystic of the Cult of Strange Visions, transcript of conversation recorded by
Ordo Custodes Noctis agent.
Page 1
What Is This Game About?

The Dirge RPG is a roleplaying game about
supernatural freaks with living in the shadows of a dark,
weird world, that borders on darker, weirder worlds.
These dark heroes and creatures of myth grudgingly
band together out for mutual safety, and must fight against
blind fear, mind-numbing horrors, and the soul-crushing
powers-that-be. They will venture beyond our world, into
strange worlds of dream and nightmare.
Gaining power and enlightenment in the far reaches of
other planes, encountering the wondrous and oddly familiar,
they can return to their own world, and perhaps, one day,
fight an otherwise hopeless battle against the ancient
conspiracies that have held the reins for centuries
This game is about violence, facing monsters, being
monsters, romance, whimsy, gruesome death, and mindtwisting terror. A cosmos that is grim and wonderful, ringing
with the dark beauty of a dirge.
Image courtesy Public-domain-clipart.blogspot.com.
Warning
The Dirge RPG has a somewhat darkly ironic tone, but
it involves some serious subjects. Characters must grapple
with deep and complex moral and ethical issues, and will
sometimes get ripped to shreds, go insane, or travel to dark
and disturbing worlds. Even more dark and disturbing than
this one. The game has sexual themes, metaphysical themes,
and many very naughty words.
For this reason, the author suggests that this roleplaying

game is not appropriate for children. I haven't gone out of my
way to be grossly shocking just for effect, but the tone is
world of the Dirge RPG is not good clean family fun. If the
stuff here bothers you, it's probably best that you put it down,
and go find something else nice and safe to do.
Page 2
What Do I Need?
You'll need this book, some friends, some paper, pencils,
and at least three 6-sided dice. If you have a computer, you
can do without the pencils and paper; there are even special
programs you can find out there that will generate random
numbers for you, doing away with the need for dice. If you're
very bad at math, it might be a good idea to grab a cheap
pocket calculator, but it isn't really necessary.
with 1d6s, so it may be a good idea to keep a couple of

different-colored dice for the d2s and d3s.
When you need to roll dice, the rules will say to roll
'Xd6', where X is some number, generally from 1 to 10. That
means roll the six-sided dice and add them together to find
the total. Sometimes in the rules you will need to make note
of what numbers each die rolled, as well.
From time to time in these rules, you may run across
mentions of '1d2' and '1d3' as well. For 1d2, roll a 6-sided
die; if the die rolls a 1, 2, or 3, pretend it rolled a 1; if it rolls
a 4, 5, or 6, pretend it rolled a 2. Similarly, for 1d3, roll a die
and divide the result by 2. You may be rolling 1d2 or 1d3
Image courtesy Bigfoto.com.
Inspirations
Books:
N
The Great and Secret Show and Imajica by Clive
Barker.
N
The Illuminatus! Trilogy by R.A. Wilson and
Robert Shea.
N
The writings of H.P. Lovecraft, especially The
Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath.
N
Alice in Wonderland and The Hunting of the
Snark by Lewis Carroll.
Page 3
Movies:
N
Let the Right One In (2008).
N
Mirror Mask (2005).
N
Night Watch (2004) and Day Watch (2006).
N
The Prophecy (1995).
Webcomics:
N
Gunnerkrigg Court
<http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/>.
N
MS Paint Adventures
<http://www.mspaintadventures.com/>.
Page 4
Chapter II: System Basics

I remember watching the tallest spire on the Tabernacle of Meditation fall, smashed by a leering
beast with two heads like jackals. It flew up unto the heights on leathery wings and smashed it with a
mace made of broken souls, and it threw its heads back and gibbered and howled in an unholy dialect,
cackling and laughing madly.
I couldn't stop this desecration, locked as I was in battle with a Shedim with coal-black eyes and
blasphemous names burning on its brow; but I knew then, suddenly, somehow, that we'd lose. The spire
was a single piece of emerald, yards long, and it broke into a million shining stars that fell slowly to the
ground through the spraying ichor of the battlefield, and I knew. I didn't think 'I,' of course. We were all
one, we Children of Light; many souls, but one mind. It just took a few powerful wingbeats of my own
to carry me to the top of the Tabernacle, and there, I matched its mace with my sword of light, my
burning determination smashing against its its cruel brutality. I faced its four burning eyes taunting me,
its slavering jaws hurling insults, when suddenly, I thought, 'I'.
And then, suddenly, I could feel the Ark of Perfection, shattering. For the first time in memory, I
thought, 'I', and that thought was my downfall.
The Dark Ones found the Perfect Ark, the receptacle of all our souls, and shattered it like this
beast before me broke the spire. The strength went out of me; the voices of my brethren, that sang
eternally, sweetly in my mind, were gone. Imagine, for the first time in an eternal life of never knowing
fear or loneliness, suddenly being alone. Not just alone; shot and thrown out of a car in the wilderness
without warning. Laying, bleeding and helpless, and suddenly, awfully, unexpectedly, alone.
My strength fled from me, and I fell from the top of the Tabernacle as my doubt and fear assailed
me. The Children of Darkness, who'd rejected the Grace we'd always known, had performed the most
unimaginable act of violence; they'd made us like themselves. Alone, afraid, naked, without support,
without defense, our inner light began to dim. I could look at my brothers and see their glow fading, as
one by one, the Children of Darkness smashed them to pieces in their brutal victory. I'm not ashamed to
say I fled, my confusion overwhelming, but in time, the Realm Most High ejected me, in my weakness,
and I Fell from the heights.
One by one, my brethren, like I, Fell to the Vale of the Downtrodden, here to the Mortal world.
Here, we struggle to learn how to do what it is good on our own, to fight the good fight without one
another's courage to bolster us, to keep up hope when all seems lost.
Because as far as we are concerned, all is lost.
Cassiel, Child of Light of the Legion of the Malakim, recorded testimony to the Ordo Custodes
Noctis.
Page 5
Rules of Thumb
The basic rules of the Dirge RPG system aren't complex,
but it's important to get the basics down before you go
wandering off into the Tenebr. Here are a few simple rules.
(1). When dividing, always round to the nearest whole
number.
(2). Any time you would have multiple dice under 1d6 in
a roll, combine any 2 of them to make one 1d6. So, instead of
rolling 2d3, or 1d3+1d2, or 2d2, you would combine them into
1d6 instead. A roll of 3d2 would become 1d6+1d2. No roll
should ever have more than one fractional die, and you can
just use a different-colored die to note this one.
(3). When performing mathematical calculations,

remember your order of operations. First anything in
parentheses, then multiplication and division, then addition
and subtraction.
(4). Nothing is free, but some things are
inconsequential. Note what you've got and what you can do
on the Character sheet if it'll be important later.
(5). When in doubt as to how the rules are supposed to
work, ask the Game Master.
Simple, right? Now you're ready to find out what to do
with those dice.
Action Rolls
For most actions, roll 3d6 + Attribute Level + Basic
Talent Level + Advanced Talent Level + appropriate Modifiers.
If the total exceeds a Difficulty Factor set by the Game
Master, then the Action succeeds. Otherwise, it fails.
This is usually written: Attribute + Basic Talent +
Advanced Talent vs. DF. Note that the 3d6 part is generally
left off.
Characters can usually attempt a roll if they don't have
any Levels in the listed Basic or Advanced Talent, but that's
up to the Game Master to decide.
Trickery + Break & Enter, vs. DF set by Game Master based

on the lock's quality.
Pick Up Heavy Item: STR + Athletics vs. DF set by
Game Master based on the item's weight.
Ranged Attacks (Guns, crossbows, thrown weapons):
AGI + Ranged Combat vs. target's RDEF.
Recall Historical Details: INS + Education +
appropriate Expert Talent vs. DF set by the Game Master
based on the obscurity of the event.
Resist Poison: TGH + Endurance vs. DF set by Game
Master based on the poison's toxicity.
Seduction: PER + Trickery + Attractive vs. target's
MDEF.
Modifiers
Unless the Game Master says otherwise, only apply the
three largest Modifiers to any Action. There's no need to go
into endless minutiae for every Action. Range and Reach
Modifiers, and Modifiers from Weapon or Special Ability
Features, however, always apply.
Example Action Rolls

Close Attacks (Knives, clubs, punches, kicks): AGI +
Close Combat vs. target's CDEF.
Detect Clues in the Surroundings: INS + Notice vs. DF
set by Game Master based on the clue's obviousness.
Pick Locks: AGI + Repair + Break & Enter, or AGI +
Page 6
Difficulty Factor
Mythical
Legendary
Nearly Impossible
Impressive
Extremely Difficult
Very Difficult
Difficult
Average
Easy
Very Easy
Extremely Easy
Automatic
DF Number
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Automatic Success and Failure

If there aren't any real consequences to failure, and
plenty of time for the Characters to stack the odds in their
favor, there's no real reason to make die rolls, unless you're
just bored. In such cases, the Game Master should just declare
the roll a success and move on.
In addition, if the chances for success are extremely
remote, and a die roll would just slow the game down, the
Game Master is allowed to just tell the Player that the roll
fails, and move on with the story.

That said, any roll of an 18 on the dice for a roll that
has a chance for success automatically succeeds, and any roll
of 3 on the dice for a roll that has any chance for failure will
always fail. No one is immune to victory or defeat, not even
the powerful Unnaturals of the Dirge RPG
Success Factor and Failure Factor

Failure Factor
Success Factor
Compare your roll to the DF you were trying to

achieve. For every 5 points that your roll fell short, you got 1
Failure Factor (FF). Is that the best you can do? Pfft.
On the other hand, if you compare your roll to the DF

and you succeeded by 5 or more, you attain 1 Success Factor
for each 5 points that you succeeded by. You are, in fact, the
man.
Opposed Rolls
Sometimes, instead of rolling against a static DF, two
rolls are compared to one another. After the die rolls are
totaled up, the lower total is treated as the DF of the roll for
the purposes of calculating SF for the winner, and the higher
roll is treated as the DF for the purposes of calculating the FF
for the loser. A good example is when one Character rolls INS
+ Notice to watch over an area, and another Character rolls
AGI + Sneak to sneak past.
Triumphs and Mishaps

Mishaps
Triumphs
A failed roll with a total of 3, 4, or 5 on the dice is a

Mishap. A Mishap means that something really bad
happened, like dropping your weapon, or even injuring
yourself with an attack.
A successful roll with a total of 16, 17, or 18 on the dice

is a Triumph. Triumphs mean that you did surprisingly well,
like hitting the enemy in the eye.
Page 7
Mishap Chance (MC)
Triumph Chance (TC)
For each +1 to your Mishap Chance (MC) for a roll, an

additional number counts as a Mishap. For example, a
Character with MC +2 would fail hard on a 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
Okay. In case it isn't obvious, for each +1 to your

Triumph Chance (TC) for a roll, an additional number counts
as a Triumph. For example, a Character with TC +2 would do
extra-awesome on a roll of 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18.
Similarly, for each -1 to your MC for a roll, one fewer

number counts as a Mishap. For example, a Character with
MC -2 would only fail hard on a 3. No matter your MC
modification, though, you will always score a Mishap on a
roll of a 3.
So. for each -1 to your TC for a roll, one fewer number

counts as a Triumph. See a pattern? A Character with TC -2
would only do really really well on an 18. No matter your TC
modification, though, you will always score a Triumph on a
roll of an 18. At least you've got that going for you.
Page 8
Chapter III: Character Creation

I do pretty good, most nights, until the hunger pangs kick in.
I couldn't stand the assholes that led the Gathering, so I left. Good riddance. Now, I have my own
place. Okay, it's not much of a place; it's a dumpster, behind a video store that closed up ages ago.
Junkies go there to shoot up, and the bums go there to fuck, but no one bothers me; they've learned not
to. So it's quiet, and I got what I need. Most of the time.
I like to watch people, most of the time. Until the hunger pangs kick in. I see some guy walking,
without a care in the world; he's dressed nice; got a new girlfriend, that one. We should all be that
happy. I see some kid walking home sad, scared; he's got a bad report card, going to lose his video games
for a month, probably can't imagine ever being sadder than he is right now. See the girl there? I'll tell
you what's going on in her head. See how she looks smug, relieved? Say you think she's got a new job or
something? Nah, she's finally decided how she's going to kill herself. Her best friend did it a month ago,
now she's going to. Gonna do it, too. Not fakin' it, this one.
You can learn a lot about people, watchin.'
'Til the hunger pangs kick in.
I start walking behind the guy talking on the cell phone. He's arguing with someone. His elderly
mom, maybe? I can't hear the words, and his thoughts are all jumbled, like he's trying to be three places
at once. He gets to his car, fumbles with his keys, drops 'em, curses. Apologizes on the phone. Sighs deep.
I steal up behind, and tug on his sleeve. Put on the 'scared and hungry kid' act. 'Can I get some money
for some food, mister? Just a dollar maybe, please?' I'm real good at this act. He looks around, probably
looking for the parents I don't have. He skips a beat, can't think. I already looked around; there's no one.
I run forward, knock him into the car.
flurry of movement like birds in a cage pull the phone away give me that CLAW AT HIS EYES
screams and screams oh my god what are you doing NOW tear at the throat ripping gushing
DELICIOUS crunching windpipe licking chewing licking
Double-check outside, pull the legs in, shut the door. Chew in silence. Make sure the cell phone is
turned off. In a few minutes, it's fully dark; I rip off a few chunks, wrap them meticulously in newspaper,
and drag them back to the dumpster. I drag his er, the, body a few blocks away and heave it over a
fence; the dogs there will finish it off. It's a shame, to waste all that good meat, but I won't be able to
finish it all off before it goes bad.
Yeah. Shame. He was probably a nice guy. I'm a nice guy, too. Most of the time.
'Til the hunger pangs kick in.
Lazy Jack, Ghl of the Outcast Tribe, in recorded testimony to the Ordo Custodes Noctis.
Page 9
Character Creation Procedure

Follow the steps listed below to create a Character for
the Dirge RPG.
(1). Read over the rules and form a concept for your
Character. Check with the Game Master to see if there are any
requirements for the campaign when formulating the
Character concept. The following questions will help you
refine your Character concept, as well.
Character Concept Questionnaire:
N
Type and Faction: Is the Character a Mystic, a
Ghl, a Child of Light, or something else? What
Faction do they belong to?
N
Name: What name does the Character go by? Do
they have a nickname?
N
Gender: If the Character is a Mystic or Ghl, are
they male or female? If the Character is a Child of
Light, do they identify as male or female, or is
gender still confusing to them?
N
Age: If the Character is a Mystic or Ghl, how old
are they? If the Character is a Child of Light, how
long has it been since they Fell?
N
Personality and Goals: How does the Character
act? What do they do for fun? What do they plan
to accomplish?
N
Obstacles: What does the Character need to learn?
What challenges do they face in their Unnatural
life? What responsibilities is the Character
charged with?
N
Appearance: What does the Character look like?
Is there a photo, painting, or other image that
captures the Character's looks?
N
Central Contradiction: What is paradoxical or
unexpected about the Character and their
concept? The most interesting Characters have
some tension at the core of their concept,
something that provides the potential for drama,
something central to the human experience.
Character Creation Pitfalls

Character creation for Dirge is fast and simple, but for this
reason, Step 1 is far and away the most important! If you don't have a
good Character concept, the Character will be boring and lame.
There are lots of Character concepts that fit in perfectly with the
themes and tone of the Dirge RPG. There are lots more that suck,
big time. Here are a few traps to avoid when thinking up a
Character.
The Angst-Meister: This guy or gal is all screwed up inside,
and spends lots and lots of time acting out their inner drama. Before
too long, no one cares about the Character's problems. A related
problem Character is the Gimp, the Character that's utterly
incapable in combat, or investigation, or doing anything, really.
Mary Sue / Gary Stu: Saccharine, ridiculous perfection.
This is the Character that every NPC is supposed to love, that's a
totally unique and special little snowflake, that's good at everything,
and who's always at their best. This is the most annoying and boring
type of Character possible.
The Ripoff: It's one thing to be inspired by the latest novel,
movie, TV series, or comic, and make a Character that's an homage.
It's another thing to make an obvious knockoff, a nauseatingly exact
copy.
The Trenchcoat Katana Guy/Gal: Somewhere between the
Mary Sue and the Ripoff lies the special danger of horror games, the
super-cool guy with no visible personality, laughable goals, and a
super-mysterious background (read no background). They tramp
around posing dramatically and looking self-important and scowling
intensely. These guys also tend to often wander off on their own,
creating additional headaches for the other Players and the GM.
Don't create one of these Characters. Craft a multifaceted
personality, complete with quirks, strengths, weaknesses, a plausible
life history, and a mixture of the average and pathetic as well as the
remarkable and supernatural.
(2). Record the Character's Type and Faction, and all

Attribute and Talent Bonuses, and Automatic Advantages and
Disadvantages, on the Character sheet.
(3). All Attributes start at Level 3. Divide an additional
15 Levels (or 45 Build Points) between the Attributes. Level 9
costs double, and Level 10 costs quadruple.
(4). Divide 30 Levels (or 30 Build Points) between Basic
and Advanced Talents. Basic Talents cost double. Advanced
Talents have certain Prerequisites that must be met. As with
Attributes, Level 9 costs double (quadruple for Basic Talents),
and Level 10 costs quadruple (eight times the normal cost for
Basic Talents).
(5). Calculate the Character's Assets. This includes INIT,
Page 10

HLT, LIF, VIG, SPI, CDEF, RDEF, and MDEF.
Points according to the Average

progression.
(6). Choose a minimum of 3 Levels in Hardships, for

which the Character gets no extra Build Points. Characters
may choose up to 5 more Levels in Hardships, and each one
grants 2 Build Points; the additional 10 Build Points may be
used to purchase Attribute Levels, Talents, or Dark Powers.
Equivalent Costs:
N
Attributes: Average.
N
Talents:
Basic Talents are Cheap.
Advanced Talents are Very Cheap.

N
Dark Powers: Cost varies with the Dark Power.
After Character Creation, Characters must obtain
Special Rewards to raise their Dark Powers.
Innate Powers: Characters may only

purchase the Optional Innate Powers listed
for their Unnatural Type, or, after creation,
any allowed by their Special Rewards. Cost
is as listed for the Dark Power.
Formul: Characters may only purchase the

Formul listed for their Focuses for the
Dark Art Talent, or, after creation, any
allowed by their Special Rewards.
Characters get 1 Formula for free per Level
of Dark Art at Character Creation;
additional Formul may be purchased at
Character Creation for 1 BP each.
N
Hardships:
Mortal Hardships grant Bonus Build Points

according to the Cheap progression.
Unnatural Hardships grant Bonus Build
(7). Mystics select 1 Formula per Dark Art Focus, as

listed on the Elemental Formul Table in Chapter IX.
(8). Characters with 1+ Levels in Close Combat or
Ranged Combat may select one appropriate weapon.
Characters may also select 5 Trifles, or trade 2 Trifle selections
for one piece of Armor.
(9). Fill out the extra details on the Character Sheet, and
show the Character to the Game Master. Make any
corrections the Game Master requires, and then get ready to
play!
Playing the Downtrodden

Players are certainly able to play an ordinary Mortal if that's
what they want, but there is no real advantage to doing so. Mortals
are created exactly like any other Character, but they skip Step 2 of
Character Creation. If the Game Master is kind, they may allow
Mortal PCs to take an additional 10 Build Points in Talents.
In some campaigns, the Player Characters may all start off as
ordinary Downtrodden; in this sort of campaign, the PCs may later
on experience a Glimpse and become Mystics, or a teenage
Character might find out their family has a Ghl heritage. The
Game Master may allow Mortal Characters to be traded in for
Mystic, Ghl, or Child of Light Characters later on in the campaign.
Such a campaign is great for slowly introducing the Players to the
Tenebr and the Pleroma by letting them see and interact with them
directly.
Page 11
Ability Build Point Cost Progression Table

Ability
Very Cheap
Cheap
Average
Expensive
Very Expensive
Level 1
Level 2
10
Level 3
12
15
Level 4
12
16
20
Level 5
10
15
20
25
Level 6
12
18
24
30
Level 7
14
21
28
35
Level 8
16
24
32
40
Level 9
10
20
30
40
50
Level 10
14
28
42
56
70
Higher Levels
+4 each
+8 each
+12 each
+16 each
+20 each
Extremely Expensive: If the cost for an Ability is shifted X columns to the right, the Ability costs +X BP per Level at Levels 1
to 8, +(2X) BP for Level 9, and +(4X) BP for Level 10.
Extremely Expensive: If the cost for an Ability is shifted X columns to the left, the Ability grants X Levels per 1 BP per Level
at Levels 1 to 8, grants X Levels for 2 BP for the first Level at Level 9 or higher, and grants X Levels for 4 BP for the first
Level at Level 10 or higher.
Character Creation Example

Tom decides he's going to create a Character for the
Dirge RPG. After reading through the setting, he decides he's
going to play a Mystic, and his Character concept is that he's a
college student, an art major, who's gained a partial
Enlightenment because he's seeing mystical secrets coded in
the world's great art pieces that he's studying. His mystical
experiences assist him as a painter, but as his sanity erodes, his
art will gradually become stranger and more otherworldly,
which could draw unwanted attention to him in time. The
Character will be named Noah Bell, and he comes from a
lower-middle-class family in California.
After looking over the Factions, Tom decides that Noah
would be most likely to join the Pymandri. Noah is kind of
quiet and studious, aside from his creative impulses, and the
cerebral nature of the Knights of Pymander would appeal to
him. Of course, the hermetic, arcane teachings of the
Pymandri will enable him to see the symbols hidden in the
paintings all the better, but may not prepare him for the
mind-bending truths those paintings contain.
Tom records all of Noah's Type and Faction Advantages
and Disadvantages, and thinks about Noah's Attributes. He

assigns Noah the following Attributes:
STR: 5. Noah's not that strong, just average; he
does a base 1d6+1d3 damage with hand-to-hand attacks.
AGI: 6. Noah's got pretty good hand-eye
coordination, as that's needed for painting and sculpture.
TGH: 5. Noah isn't terribly healthy; just normal,
as he's an indoorsy art-nerd.
INS: 7; this includes the +2 bonus from the
Knights of Pymander Faction. Noah's pretty smart and
perceptive; he got a scholarship to go to college, and has a
good eye for form, texture, and color.
PER: 5. Noah's kind of shy, but not a complete
wallflower.
WIL: 7. Noah is very decisive and extremely
stubborn.
Now Tom assigns Noah some Talents. He gains the
following for free:
Basic Talents:
Hidden Lore: 1 Level.
Advanced Talents:
Page 12

Dark Art [Energy, Spirit, Substance]: All at 1
Hands: 16.
Legs: 27.
Feet: 16.
LIF: 31.
VIG: 15.
SPI: 19.
Level each.
Mystical Techniques (Ancient Languages,
Consecrated Tools, Magical Passes, Rituals): 4 Levels.
Expert: 2 Levels. Tom chooses Hermeticism for
Noah's Belief System Focus, and Latin for Noah's Language
Focus.
Noah now has 30 more Build Points to spend on
Talents. So for Basic Talents, he goes for:
Close Combat: 1.
Dodge: 1.
Education: 2.
Hidden Lore: +2 Levels (to a total of 3
Levels).
Negotiation: 2.
Notice: 1.
Self-Control: 1.
Tom gains the following Hardship from the Pymandri

package:
Oathbound [Support the Knights of Pymander]:
Level 1.
Tom must select 3 additional Levels in Hardships for
Noah.
Addicted [Caffeine]: 2. Noah is a major soda
junkie, quaffing a 6-pack a day or so to keep the headaches at
bay.
Phobia [Heights]: 2. Noah has a hard time
climbing tall ladders or looking out of tall buildings.
This costs 20 points so far, from the 30 that Tom

has to spend on Noah's Talents. Tom has 10 more Build Points
to spend for Noah. Then he chooses:
Noah took 1 more Level in Hardships than he had to,

so he takes 1 Level of the Stoic Talent, fitting with his calm,
quiet persona.
Advanced Talents:
Attractive: 1 Level.
Carousing: 1 Level.
+2 Levels each to Dark Art [Energy, Spirit,
and Substance]: all at 1, for a total of 6 Levels.
+1 Level to Expert; for his Focus, Noah
chooses Art [Painting].
+1 Level to Mystical Techniques; for his
Focus, Noah chooses Freecasting. That's all the BP for Talents
that Noah has available.
Now Noah gets to pick a Close Combat weapon, and 5

Trifles. He takes an ordinary Knife for his weapon; easy to
conceal, and easy to explain as part of his classes. For his
Trifles, he takes a smart phone, an energy drink, sunglasses,
and he spends 2 Trifle slots on a leather jacket for some
protection.
Based on his Attributes and Talents, Noah will have the

following Assets:
INIT: 12.
CDEF: 12.
RDEF: 11.
MDEF: 15.
HLT:
Head: 16.
Torso: 37.
Arms: 21.
Now Noah just needs to purchase his Formul, and

that'll be it! For his 3 Levels each in Energy, Spirit, and
Substance, he gains 9 Formul, 3 each. He chooses the
following:
Energy: Blinding Burst, Cloak, Divination
[Pyromancy].
Spirit: Affect Spirits, Daydream, Astral
Projection.
Substance: Entangle, Sense Elements [Substance],
Telekinesis.
He's got a variety of Formul for several kinds of
situations, so he should be set.
Page 13
Page 14
Chapter IV: Character Types and

Factions
The Councils of Night are composed of Unnatural beings who must hide in the shadows of the Tenebr, exercising their
powers and seeking their goals in secret. Children of Light, Ghls, and Mystics are all common members of the Councils of
Night, and the Councils assemble Pacts to help hide their existence from the Downtrodden, explore the Pleroma, and protect
themselves and the world from the Elder Beasts and the Children of Darkness.
All Characters automatically gain all of the listed Automatic Advantages at Character creation. They may increase these
Advantages later on by spending Experience Points, or purchase the listed Optional Advantages instead.
Children of Light
N
N
N
Image courtesy Public-domain-clipart.com.
The source of myths of angels and celestial guardians,

the Children of Light lived in the other-dimensional Realm
known as the Palaces of Light for uncounted years, protecting
the Pleroma with justice and mercy ... until recently. Their
fabled city was destroyed in battle with the Children of
Darkness, and the Perfect Ark containing the souls of the
Children of Light was destroyed. Now, the Children of Light
are cast down into the Mortal world to seek their own,
individual redemption, before their light fades altogether and
they become Children of Darkness themselves.
Several Things About the Children of Light:
N
Children of Light are largely composed of
aberrant matter. Their bodies are lighter and
faster than most Mortals', and far more powerful.
N
Children of Light are hermaphrodites, and are
Page 15
beautiful in an androgynous way. They always

appear tall and gaunt with white or blonde hair.
Children of Light come from another dimension
or Realm called the Palaces of Light; their
capitol, the City of Heaven, was destroyed in an
apocalyptic battle.
All of the Children of Light speak the celestial
tongue, Enochian.
The Perfect Ark held the souls of all of the
Children of Light, and protected their souls from
temptation or corruption. Since its destruction,
all Children of Light are growing dim, slowly
becoming Children of Darkness.
Most Children of Light have fallen to Earth,
and try to learn from the Downtrodden how to
seek redemption and stave off corruption.
The Children of Light are new to the Mortal
world. They are lost in the Vale of the
Downtrodden, unfamiliar with the ways of the
Downtrodden.
The Children of Light wield strange powers that
Mortals have dubbed Miracles. Foremost among
these are the Swords and Wings of Light,
powerful forms of glowing, solid energy which
they may manifest at will.
The Children of Light were all virtually
omnipotent before their Fall; they now wield
only a sliver of their former glory, and their
memories of their lives in the City of Heaven are
fuzzy, tarnished, and painful.
The Children of Light can learn to perform
greater Miracles by finding Splinters of their
fallen Archons' treasured, divine Relics out among
the Pleroma, and also by bearing witnesses to acts

of Grace by others. Growing closer to the Unity
that they serve, they gradually regain their soul
and their vast powers.
The Children of Light all belong to a Legion, each
of which was once led by the Archons. Legions
include the Malakim, the Elohim, and the Yazata.
In the rare places where the Children of Light are
common, those of all different Legions organize
into an Army of Light for support.
The Children of Light sometimes find help from
religious Mortals, but Human beliefs may differ
from the Children's reality, and they may easily be
condemned instead of praised.
Game Mechanics (Children of the Light):

N
Advantages (Automatic):
Attribute Bonus: AGI +1.
Asset Bonus: Corruption -3
Talent Bonuses: Attractive +1, Close Combat

+2.
Elemental Weapon [Energy] (Innate Power):

Level 1.
Elemental Wings [Energy] (Innate Power):

Level 1.
The Sight (Innate Power): Level 2.

N
Advantages (Optional):
Elemental Sense [Energy] (Innate Power)
Elemental Shaping [Energy] (Innate Power)
Elemental Shield [Energy] (Innate Power)
Endure Privation [All] (Innate Power)
Inhuman Attribute [STR and TGH] (Innate

Power)
Redemption (Innate Power): Requires COR

7 or less.
Stigmata (Innate Power): Requires COR 5

or less.
Telepathy (Innate Power): Requires WIL 7+.
Traverse Realms (Innate Power): Requires

((20 COR) + WIL + Elemental Wings)
total of 20 Levels.
Walk on Water (Innate Power): Requires

COR 7 or less.
N
Disadvantages (Automatic):
Dying Spark (Unnatural Hardship): Level 1.
Outsider (Mortal Hardship): Level 3.
The Legion of the Elohim

Description: The Elohim were the highest Legion below
the vaunted Archons, the generals of Heaven. Now the losers
of a war as old as time itself, they are the most disheartened
of the Children of Light, as they believe it was their
leadership that failed. Some Elohim struggle with their roles
as leaders of the fallen, even abandoning their roles and
responsibilities, or taking on new roles as tyrants of the
Tenebr, ostensibly for the good of all.
Game Mechanics (Elohim Legion):
f
Attribute Bonus: TGH, INS, WIL +1.
Inhuman Attribute [INS, PER] (Innate

Power): Level 1.
f
Choose one of the following: Arrogant,

Regretful, or Mood Swings. The Character
has this Hardship at Level 2.
The Legion of the Malakim

Description: The Malakim are the architects of the
cosmos, the shapers, designers and creators of the Many
Realms. Despite the grim circumstances of the Children of
Light, the Malakim know that something new can always
arise from the wreckage of the old. But even the Malakim can
give in to despair, seeing the trashy wasteland of the modern
world, and making it into a paradise like the home they lost
seems like too great a challenge.
Game Mechanics (Malakim Legion):
f
Attribute Bonus: INS +2.
Elemental Shaping [Energy] (Innate Power):

Level 2.
Inhuman Attribute [AGI] (Innate Power):

Level 1.
The Legion of the Yazata

Description: The Yazata are the enforcers of oaths, and
their Legion were acclaimed among the soldiers of the
heavenly legions. They were charged with punishing sinners
for wrongdoing, according to ancient laws, particularly those
who broke their oaths to their fellow man. Many Yazata have
become renegades, pursuing their own brand of justice,
making it harder for them to avoid corruption; the Yazata in
the Mortal world find it all too easy to perform evil in the
service of good.
Page 16
N
Game Mechanics (Yazata Legion):
f
Attribute Bonus: TGH +1.
Elemental Shield [Energy] (Innate Power):

Level 1.
Inhuman Attribute [AGI, STR, TGH]

(Innate Power): Level 1.
Talent Bonus: Close Combat +2.
Oathbound [Must Punish Oathbreakers]

(Mortal Hardship): Level 4.
Ghuls
Ghls are a ragged, morbid, vicious breed, different
from but related to Humans, that live on the periphery of
Mortal society. Ghls live on Human flesh and blood, which
gives them several powers they use to survive and remain
undetected.
Several Things About Ghls:
N
Ghls were once a race of Mortals that ruled the
vast ancient empire of Mada Us-Gidim, and
worshiped the Children of Darkness. Ghls still
speak the Gidimite language, preserving a
primitive form of it in their guttural growls and
sibilant whispers.
N
Because of their depravity and cannibalism, they
were cursed by the Children of Light, and are no
longer Humans, generally unable to walk by day
without pain. Because of their legacy of evil, the
Ghls were blessed by the Children of Darkness,
and they gain power at night and in shadow, and
when consuming the flesh and blood of Mortals.
N
Ghls' internal organs are partially composed of
aberrant matter. They are a bit stronger and
faster than Mortals, with keener senses.
N
Ghls have pale white or sallow gray skin, and
sharp, pointed teeth. Their eyes are often blood
red or bestial yellow, and their hair is generally
dark. They tend to be lean and supple, but some
well-fed Ghls become plump, especially the
leaders of a local Gathering.
N
Ghls live on the periphery of Mortal society, in
sewers and ghettos, slums and wilderness cabins.
N
Ghls love all that is dark and gloomy, reveling in
dark colors and decrepit surroundings.
N
Ghls organize themselves into Tribes based on
family structure, and each Tribe has certain
special Blood Tricks they can learn. The Ghls of
all Tribes in an area form alliances called
Page 17
Gatherings for mutual support.

Family is very important to Ghls, as they have
no one they can rely on but each other. Ghls of
different families, Tribes, and Gatherings often
fight for territory, and over their ancient, halfforgotten traditions.
Ghls can learn more Blood Tricks by learning
the myths of their ancestors and by consuming
the raw, warm, bloody flesh of strange new
creatures, such as can only be found out among
the Pleroma.
Ghls generally seem like ordinary Humans until
their teenage years, when their craving for blood
and flesh begins to overwhelm them. Ghls raised
in foster homes or orphanages have a terrible time
of it, with no relatives nearby to assist them in
this critical period.
Some Ghls settle for living on the flesh of
animals but it isn't as tasty and fulfilling to
them as the flesh of Humans. Others content
themselves with digging up the freshly dead to
snack on, while others break into blood and
organ banks. A few play vigilante, seeking to
consume only eat the flesh of those that deserve
to die. It's a judgment call for a Ghl, how to
sate their vile hunger, and one of the main
functions of the Councils of Night is to watch
Ghls and make sure they aren't preying on the
innocent.
Game Mechanics (Ghls):

N
Talent Bonus: Creepy Looks +1, Notice +1.
Consume Flesh (Innate Power): Level 1.
Dim Sight (Innate Power): Level 1.
Fangs (Innate Power): Level 1.
Inhuman Attribute: [STR, TGH] (Innate

Power): Level 1.
Regeneration (Innate Power): Level 1.

Sharp Sense [Smell] (Innate Power): Level 3.
Adhesion (Innate Power).
Cloak (Innate Power): Requires WIL 8+.
Endure Privation (Hunger, Thirst, Heat,

Cold; Innate Power): Requires WIL 5+.
Ferocity (Innate Power).
Inhuman Attribute: [AGI] (Innate Power)
Leaping (Innate Power).
Regeneration (Innate Power).
Telepathy (Innate Power): Requires PER 7+.
Traverse Realms (Innate Power): Requires a

(WIL + COR + Consume Flesh) total of 20
Levels.
Asset Penalty: Corruption +3.
Choose One (Cruel, Cynical, Mood Swings,

Poor): 1.
Dark Hunger (Unnatural Hardship): Level

2.
Outsider (Mortal Hardship): Level 2.
Sensitivity [Daylight] (Unnatural

Hardship): Level 3.
The Flenser Tribe

Description: The Flenser Tribe live in distant, rustic
communities, often in communities of their own. Living alone
in the hinterlands, mountains, and forests, the Flensers may
consume the flesh of hapless wanderers without being
troubled by outsiders who wouldn't understand their ways.
Flensers grow long, wicked claws, and are renowned among
Ghls for their strength and their fury in battle.
Game Mechanics (Flenser Tribe):
f
Claws: (Innate Power) Level 3.
Ferocity (Innate Power): Level 1.
Inhuman Attribute [STR] (Innate Power):

Level +1
Talent Bonus: Notice +1, Expert +2 (Survival

[Choose two]).
N
Outsider (Mortal Hardship): +1 Level.
The Harlequin Tribe

Description: Most Ghls see Mortals as delicious prey,
but objectify them, viewing their behavior with the detached
eye of the butcher or the connoisseur. The Harlequin Tribe,
who were called si'lwah in ancient times, are fascinated with
Humans; not content to occasionally devour one of the
Downtrodden, a Harlequin will stalk one and take over their
life, living among Mortals for days or weeks on end before
proceeding on to the next. Some Harlequins target a specific
kind of person, taking out the rich, or criminals, or other
killers, while some Harlequins are more indiscriminate.
Harlequins are some of the most troublesome Ghls for the
Ordo Custodes Noctis, and their Tribe are simply wiped out
in some Council territories without question.
Game Mechanics (Harlequin Tribe):
f
Attribute Bonus: PER +1.
Consume Brains (Innate Power): Level 1.
Shapeshifting (Innate Power): Level 1.
Talent Bonus: Break & Enter +2, Trickery

+3.
N
Cruelty (Mortal Hardship): Level 1.
The Outcast Tribe

Description: The Outcast Tribe are nomadic Ghls;
some are part of biker gangs, while others are carnies, follow
religious tent revivals, or wander with a Gypsy caravan.
All Ghls skulk the borders of the mortal world, but
Outcasts are born tricksters, capable of temporarily bending
Mortal wills to their own with a clever word and a wave of
the hand. The Outcast Tribe spent centuries learning to
tolerate daylight better than other Ghls; they can pitch their
carnival tents in the bright sunshine, looking forward to the
great games and feasts that will occur that night. Outcasts
may be found anywhere that Mortal rebels, expatriates,
subversives, and counter-culturals thrive, in day or night.
Page 18
Game Mechanics (Outcast Tribe):

f
Enslave (Innate Power): Level 2.
Buying Off Sensitivity [Daylight]

(Unnatural Hardship): Level -1.
Talent Bonus: Carousing +2, Trickery +1.

N
Cynical (Mortal Hardship): Level 1.

The Value of Breeding
Unnatural creatures are generally distinct creatures from
mortal Humans. Many of them can have sex with Humans, but
reproduction is a different matter.
Children of Light: Children of Light are hermaphrodites,
equipped with both male and female genitalia, but they are sterile.
There are legends from the past of Children of Light begetting or
bearing children with Mortal lovers, but this may have been
Archons, or due to magical interference.
Ghls: The Gidimites are a sub-race of Humans (some would
say, a race of sub-humans), and can reproduce with Humans.
However, the children will generally be ordinary Humans; a Ghl
child may appear in later generations after such an unholy union,
however.
Mystics: Mystics are, arguably, completely Human, and the
gift of Mysticism does seem to pass down erratically through
bloodlines. However, a Mystic's child by a non-Human entity like a
Ghl never seems to gain a Glimpse of their Higher Selves; this may
be part of the curse on the Gidimites and other such species.
Mystics
Image courtesy Salvatore Vuono, Freedigitalphotos.net.
Mystics are modern-day visionaries and medicine men,

sorcerers, mad scientists and miracle workers who can
perform wonders through acts of imagination and will.
Seeking Glimpses of their Higher Selves, Mystics experience
bouts of madness, but learn of the six sacred Elements. Over
the millennia, Mystics have designed Formul that let them
shape these Elements and change the world, casting blessings
and curses as they will.
Page 19
Several Things About Mystics:

N
Mystics are Mortals who have mastered ancient
rituals passed down to them from ancient times.
They call these spells Formul, and they seek
books of deep knowledge called Tomes which
contain more Formul for them to learn.
N
Few other known races can learn Formul;
Children of Light and Ghls can learn the basic
principles of Mystic magic, but cannot perform it.
N
Many of the greatest heroes, sages, and madmen
of Mortal history were secretly Mystics.
N
Mystics may come from anywhere, any walk of
life. The Cults have evolved and survived the
centuries, hidden here and there in every human
culture.
N
Mystics believe all Mortals have a Body and a
Spirit, but that only they have a Soul, which they
call their Higher Self. Their Higher Self allows
Mystics to perform magic. Mystics also tend to
believe in reincarnation, and many Mystics
believe they have already lived before.
N
Mystics gain their strange powers by Glimpsing
their Higher Selves in dreams and visions. They
believe that the Higher Self is their soul, and a
stepping stone towards Unity, a state of godhood
or nirvana that some claim is the ultimate goal of
Human evolution.

N
Game Mechanics (Mystics):

N
Enchantment (Innate Power): Level 1.
Sorcery (Innate Power): Level 3.

N
Endure Privation [Aging] (Innate Power):

Requires Dark Art [Body] Level 5.
Familiar (Innate Power).
Immortal (Innate Power): Requires Dark

Art [Body] Level 10.
N
Unhinged (Unnatural Hardship): Level 3.
Mystics can create Artifacts, and some Mystics,

like Thaumatronicists, specialize in this form of
magic. Anyone with a Spirit can use an Artifact,
and any item may be Enchanted into an Artifact.
The Formul that Mystics seek cannot be
explained in simple language; it requires a mystic
dialect of strange codes, arcane diagrams,
religious symbolism, and mathematical and
musical allegory to contain such knowledge.
Mystics call this code Cryptosophic; written, it
looks like a hodgepodge of alchemical,
mathematical, religious, and astrological symbols
interspersed with strange poetry; spoken, it
sounds like nonsense.
Mortal Spirits suffer from their quest for selfperfection, and Mystics frequently slip into bouts
of delusion, paranoia, schizophrenia, or other
forms of mental imbalance during their quest for
enlightenment. No Mystic escapes the touch of
madness entirely.
Mystics generally belong to a Cult, which
provides training and support, but may also
extract from them certain oaths and obligations.
Mystic Cults include the Pymandri, the
Thaumatronicists, the Visionaries, and the Wu
Zang Taoists, among others.
The Cults are loosely allied, and Mystics in an
area form local alliances called Collegiums for
mutual knowledge and defense. There is
technically another Cult, the Hierates, but they
betrayed the others long ago for the Elder Beasts
and for temporal power. The Cults all signed an
agreement, the Firmament Treaty, long ago that
prevents open warfare and encourages secrecy,
resulting in a drawn-out Cold War with the
Hierates.
Image copyright the author.
Enlightenment or Madness?
The symbol of the Knights of Pymander.
Aside from merely giving a Mystic a moment's look at their

ultimate potential, Mystics often walk away from a Glimpse with
insights about the structure of the Pleroma, prophecies about the
future, ideas about the perfect structure for human civilization all
kinds of things. But Mystics are easily Unhinged how much of
this is real, and how much, some kind of derangement? And how
does the Mystic decode the confusing and mysterious symbolism of
these visions?
This is a problem that Mystics have struggled with since
mankind invented language and writing, and compared their visions.
Some say that religion itself is just a legacy of failed, weird attempts
to assist mere Mortals to attain true Mysticism. The other
possibility is that all of these visions are all true; it's hard to say
which option is worse for all.
The Cult of the Knights of

Pymander
Description: Recipients of the mystic knowledge of the
Gnostics, neo-Platonists, and Knights Templar, the Pymandri
follow a hermetic path of discipline and order. The Pymandri
contact spiritual entities and forge compacts with them to
assist themselves along their spiritual path.
Page 20

Of all of the Mystics, the Pymandri tend to have the
best relationship with the Children of Light, and have sworn
oaths to assist them when possible. Pymandri are diverse;
some are right-wing, gun-toting fully-Armageddon-compliant
survivalist types with family histories of military and
intelligence service, while others as smug business types with
ties to banking and business and an extensive knowledge of
secret handshakes. Pymandri tend to be pompous, formal, and
intense, and tend to scare the shit out of a lot of other
Mystics.
Game Mechanics (Cult of the Knights of Pymander):
f
Dark Art [Energy, Spirit, Substance]: 1 Level

each. Pymandri roll WIL + Expert + Dark
Art to cast Formul.

Consecrated Tools, Magical Passes, Rituals):
+4 Levels.
Talent Bonus: Hidden Lore +1, Expert +2

(One Western mystical belief system, such
as hermeticism, gnosticism, kabbalism, or
pythagoreanism, plus one ancient language
like Hebrew, Latin, or Coptic).
f
Ancient Lore (Optional, Innate Power).

f
Oathbound [Support and Defend all

Pymandri] (Automatic): Level 1.
Sorcerers' Apprentices
Simply having a Glimpse of the Higher Self is not enough to
allow one to perform magic. The Glimpse immediately grants an
individual The Sight, but not actual Sorcery. To perform magic, the
individual must first learn the principles of magic. Unless they
remember these details from previous study or a past life, they must
spend at least a few weeks studying magical theory.
Once this is done, the individual gains the Sorcery Dark
Power, and may begin purchasing Levels in Dark Arts and Mystical
Techniques. Most Cults try to locate individuals shortly after they've
had their first Glimpse, and recruit them and begin their training all
at once.
An image of the Greek god Dionysus, the symbol of the

Cult of Strange Visions.
The Cult of Strange Visions

Description: Visionaries are blessed, or cursed, to see
the world as it could be, beyond the veil of time. Some cope
by becoming bohemian artists, some drug themselves to make
the visions go away, or to make them arrive on command,
others seek a shaman's path, to learn to deal with the spirits
on their own terms, and still others just read a lot of Byron
and Shelley. Many of the Visionaries attained their first
Glimpse early in childhood, and so have never known a
normal life; as such, they are the Mystics who teeter closest
to madness, and some wander the line with ecstatic impunity.
The Visionaries have ties, though troubled, with Ghls, as
they also walk on the brink of a misunderstanding society.
Visionaries tend to enjoy the Realm known as the Glades of
Mirth.
Page 21

Game Mechanics (Cult of Strange Visions):
f
Attribute Bonus: INS +1, PER +2, TGH +1.
Dark Art [Body, Destiny, Spirits]

(Automatic): +1 Level Each. Visionaries roll
PER + Carousing + Dark Art to cast
Formul.
Mystical Techniques (Choose Two:

Dancing, Elixirs, or Tantra): +2 Levels.
Talent Bonus: Carousing +2 (Character must

still meet the Prerequisites).
f
Choose one of the following at Level 3:

Addicted, Arrogant, Confused, Delusions,
Lecherous, Mood Swings, or Obsessed.
The Cult of Thaumatronics

Description: During the Victorian era, ancient alchemy
and natural science collided with modern theories of
engineering, medicine, and physics. Mortals tend to think that
modern science won and the ancient beliefs were discarded,
but in the work of a gifted few, the two melded together to
form a new whole, stronger than either: a path today known
as Thaumatronics. The Thaumatronicists wield the power of
mystically-amplified science and technology to change
humanity's destiny for the better. Good with their hands and
their minds, the Thaumatronicists sometimes make foolish
mistakes in their quest for what they call the Singularity,
their idea of Unity. The Thaumatronicists have an affinity for
the Realm known as the Industrial Nexus.
Game Mechanics (Cult of Thaumatronics):
f
Dark Art [Body, Energy, Substance]: +1

Level each. Thaumatronicists roll INS +
Tech + Dark Art to create Enchantments,
but cannot cast Formul.
Enchantment (Innate Power): Level 3.
Interface (Innate Power): Level 1.
Talent Bonus: Tech +3 (Character must meet

Requirements for this Advanced Talent)
f
Artificer (Unnatural Hardship): Level 3.
Specialized Enchanter (Unnatural

Hardship): Level 1.
The Cult of the Wu Zang Tao

Description: Centuries ago, the Tao was revealed to
mankind, a way of enlightenment and meditation that
brought humans peace and enlightenment. The wisdom of the
old Chinese philosopher that discovered it was eventually
transcribed into the Emptiness Scripture, and many (or at
least a few) of those that followed its Tao or path found
Unity. However, many, jealous of the enlightenment of the
peaceful priests, sought to exterminate them, and the
philosopher's disciples became an order of warrior-priests as
adept at kicking ass as they were at meditation.
The priests devised Ba Tien Xiao Wu Shu, or Eight
Celestial Dragons Martial Art, a form of Kung Fu that
combines magic with martial training.
The Wu Zang Taoists hone their minds, bodies, and
souls through meditation and physical rigor. They learn to
control their minds and bodies, freeing their spirits from the
Vale of the Downtrodden. Wu Zang Taoists are practical and
trustworthy, but introverted, and have an affinity for a distant
Realm known as the Mountain of Peace.
Game Mechanics (Cult of the Wu Zang Tao):
f
Attribute Bonus: STR, AGI, and TGH +1.
Dark Art [Body, Destiny, Energy]: +1 Level

each. Wu Zang Taoists roll TGH + Martial
Arts + Dark Art to cast Formul.
Mystic Kung Fu (Innate Power): Level 1.
Mystical Techniques (Magical Passes): +1

Levels.
Talent Bonus: Close Combat +2

f
Disadvantages:
Choose one of the following at Level 2:

Arrogant, Outsider, Poor, or Vengeful.
An Unnatural Census
So how many Unnaturals exist in the Tenebr? Not many.
Even a teeming city of millions can't support more than a dozen or
so Ghls; even the Downtrodden get suspicious of disappearances,
even of the unwanted homeless. The Children of Light are rare
everywhere, and the betrayal of the Hierate Cult, and today's
fashionable disbelief in the strange and wondrous, has reduced the
numbers of true Mystic numbers to less than a hundred in even the
largest cities.
In most campaigns, the PCs are pretty much alone, in a world
where the odds are definitely not in their favor. In some campaigns,
The other PCs may be the only Unnaturals they will ever meet, so
they must hang together, or they will all die alone.
Page 22
Chapter V: Attributes
All Characters have the same six Attributes: the three Physical Attributes of Agility, Strength, and Toughness, and the
three Mental Attributes of Insight, Personality, and Will. All Attributes have a Level, from 1 to 10, and the average Level in any
Attribute is 5.
Physical Attributes
Agility (AGI)
Level
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Description: Agility is your speed, accuracy, grace,

manual dexterity, and sense of balance. Artists, surgeons,
marksmen, and video game players tend to have higher
Agility.
Game Mechanics (Agility): AGI is a major component
of Characters' CDEF, RDEF, and INIT, and used for rolls to
hit with both Close Combat and Ranged Combat attacks.
Strength (STR)
Description: Strength is your physical might and brawn.
Weightlifters and athletes tend to have higher Strength.
Game Mechanics (Strength): Characters can carry a
maximum of (STR *10) lbs. With no penalties; each additional
increment of this amount causes the Character to suffer a
penalty of -1 to AGI and AP. So, for example, a Character
with 7 STR could carry up to 70 lbs. with no penalty. If the
Character carries from 71 to 140 lbs., the Character suffers a
penalty of -1 to AGI and AP.
A Character's STR determines their HTH damage,
which is the Character's damage with a normal Punch attack,
and is also added to the damage from melee weapons, thrown
weapons, and bows.
HTH Damage Modifier

4d6+1 points
4d6 points
3d6+1d3 points
3d6+1 points
3d6 points
2d6+1d3 points
2d6+1 points
2d6 points
1d6+1d3 points
1d6+1 points
1d6 points
1d3 points
1 point
You're kidding, right?
Toughness (TGH)
Description: Toughness is your constitution, endurance,
stamina, toughness, and resistance to injury and physical
Afflictions. Soldiers and boxers tend to have higher
Toughness.
Game Mechanics (Toughness): Characters make TGH +
Endurance rolls to avoid physical Afflictions. TGH is also a
major component of a Character's HLT and LIF.
Page 23
Mental Attributes
Insight (INS)
Will (WIL)
Description: Insight is your awareness, intelligence, and

ability to pick up on details and learn quickly. Computer
programmers, detectives, scientists, and trackers tend to have
higher Insight.
Game Mechanics (Insight): INS is used to remember
things and figure our puzzles, and is a major component of
INIT and SPI.
Description: Will is your tenacity, perseverance,

confidence, coolness under fire, psychological fortitude, and
concentration. College graduates, soldiers, and emergency
response folks tend to have higher Will.
Game Mechanics (Will): Characters make WIL + SelfControl rolls to avoid mental Afflictions. WIL is also a major
component of Characters' MDEF and SPI.
Personality (PER)
Description: Personality is your charisma,
persuasiveness, manipulation, and outgoing nature. Salesmen
and politicians tend to have high Personality.
Game Mechanics (Personality): Characters make PER
rolls to sway others' opinions or actions, and is a major
component of SPI.
Page 24
Chapter VI: Talents

Talents are areas of knowledge and expertise that Characters possess, or special advantageous life situations that they may
find themselves in. All Talents have a Level, from 1 to 10. Talents are divided into Basic and Advanced Talents; Advanced Talents
always have prerequisites, usually a specific Level in a Basic Talent.
Some Talents grant Specializations; these Talents have [brackets] after their name. Some Talents require a Focus; these
Talents have (parentheses) after them, and Characters generally get one Focus per Level.
Basic Talents
Game Mechanics (Close Combat): Characters make
AGI + Ranged Combat Talent rolls to make attacks with
punches, kicks, or close combat weapons, and to calculate the
Character's CDEF Asset.
Dodge
Description: You have the speed and sense to get the
hell away from incoming attacks. Sidestepping punches and
zig-zagging away from incoming bullets, you last long enough
to seize your moment.
Game Mechanics (Dodge): Characters make AGI +
Dodge Talent rolls to move out of the way of traps or ranged
effects, and use Dodge to calculate Characters' CDEF and
RDEF Defenses.
Drive
Description: You are pretty good at navigating a motor
vehicle through traffic or along bumpy back roads.
Game Mechanics (Drive): The Character makes AGI +
Drive Talent rolls to make any sort of difficult maneuver, like
pulling into a very busy intersection, or avoiding an
onrushing vehicle. Drive covers cars, pickups, and
motorcycles.
Image courtesy Free-Stock-Photos.co.uk
Athletics
Description: You can run, jump, climb, swim, balance,
tumble, parkour, kick-flip, and otherwise do all the stuff
athletes, gymnasts, and little kids spend a lot of time doing.
Game Mechanics (Athletics): The Character may add
the Athletics Level to any STR or AGI roll required to run,
jump, climb, swim, balance, or tumble.
Close Combat
Description: When a fight gets up close and personal,
you know how to land a punch, swing a club, or stab with a
knife accurately.
Education
Description: Almost everyone knows some basic stuff
by the time they're done with high school; your Education
Level shows how much you were paying attention.
Game Mechanics (Education): Characters make
Education Talent rolls when they need information on
science, history, mathematics, or business, or practical Talents
like cooking. The Expert Advanced Talent can add to many of
these.
Page 25
Endurance
Intimidation
Description: The ability to withstand poison, disease,

and other hazards of the Pleroma, and continue to function.
Game Mechanics (Endurance): Most Save rolls against
poison, disease, and the like use TGH + Endurance.
Description: You know how to make people cringe and

back the hell down when they get outta line. With just a few
Levels, you can raise your voice and use some naughty words,
while with much higher Levels, just a whispered word and
narrowed eyes makes people retreat and apologize.
Game Mechanics (Intimidation): You may force a target
to make an Opposed Spooky Fear Save rolling your PER +
Intimidation against their WIL + Self-Control On a Mishap,
any further Intimidation rolls against that target suffer a
penalty equal to -(FF)/2.
Uses of Hidden Lore

Hidden Lore is quite useful for a variety of reasons. Here are
a few of the things Hidden Lore is good for.
DF35: Recall the location of Montsalvat. Recall the name of
the Hierates' Rex Mundi.
DF 30: Recall the signers of the Firmament Treaty.
DF 30: Recall detailed information about the Damocletian
Guard. Recall information about an Unnatural Faction's weaknesses
and vulnerabilities.
DF 25: Identify the Realm (if already known) on the other
side of a Rupture or Gateway without entering. Identify an
Unnatural's Type with only a vague description. Recall information
about an Unnatural Type's weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
DF 20: Identify an Unnatural's Type with several minutes of
intense study. Recall basic information about an Unnatural Faction.
DF 15: Recognize an Unnatural's Type when watching them
use their Dark Powers in a fight.
DF 10: Identify an Artifact on touch. Recall basic information
about an Unnatural Type.
Hidden Lore
Requirements: Player Characters can take a maximum
of 3 Levels of Hidden Lore at Character creation.
Description: You have some idea what's going on in the
shadows of the Vale and the Pleroma. With just a few Levels,
you've read a few issues of the Fortean Weekly Journal, while
with many Levels, you're as tuned-in as a high-ranking
member of the Ordo Custodes Noctis.
Game Mechanics (Hidden Lore): Characters roll INS +
Hidden Lore to recall details about the various Unnatural
kinds, the Pleroma, hidden groups like the Ordo Custodes
Noctis, supernatural creatures, or important people and
events in Unnatural history.
LMGTFY Or Not
Does the existence of Internet research sources make the
Hidden Lore Talent unnecessary? In a word, no. The Internet is full
of information on the paranormal, but most of it is crap.
Characters that know about the hidden forums at the Fortean
Monthly Journal website might have an inside source, but even
then, they'll have to prove themselves trustworthy in order to gain
any useful data; this is best handled with the Connections Advanced
Talent. The more things change, in some ways, the more they stay
the same.
Negotiation
Description: You know how to talk to people so that
you reach an agreement together. And by agreement, we
mean, you get what you want, and they walk away happy.
Chumps.
Game Mechanics (Negotiation): The Character may
make a PER + Negotiation Talent rolls vs. the target's MDEF
to persuade or haggle with others. On a Triumph, the effect is
a Compulsion, and on a Mishap, any further Negotiation rolls
against that target suffer a penalty equal to -(FF)/2.
Notice
Description: Nothing gets past you; your eyes are open,
your ears are sharp. Next to you, most people are blind, or
asleep.
Game Mechanics (Notice): Characters make INS +
Notice Talent rolls to notice clues, sneaking enemies, or other
details in their surroundings.
Ranged Combat
Description: You're good at hitting things from a
distance, whether you're firing a gun, shooting a bow, or just
playing darts.
Game Mechanics (Ranged Combat): Characters make
AGI + Ranged Combat Talent rolls to make attacks with
ranged weapons, and to calculate the Character's RDEF Asset.
Repair
Description: Broken things don't stay broken for long if
you're around, unless you've dismantled them to figure out
how they work.
Game Mechanics (Repair): Characters make INS +
Repair Talent rolls to fix broken weapons, armor, and other
items.
Page 26
Self-Control
Trickery
Description: You can keep your calm and remain on

task, biting your tongue when the wrong people demand
answers.
Game Mechanics (Self-Control): Self-Control is used to
calculate a Character's MDEF Asset.
Description: You're a tricky little bitch; people never

know whether to take you seriously, and they learn to always
check for their wallet when they leave.
Game Mechanics (Trickery): Characters make PER +
Trickery Talent rolls to deceive others, or AGI + Trickery
Talent rolls for pickpocketing and sleight-of-hand tricks.
Sneak
Description: They never see you coming; like a shadow,
you whisk past, on your way to get their stuff, or just give
people a good scare.
Game Mechanics (Sneak): Characters make AGI + Sneak
Talent rolls to move without being noticed.
Wealth
Description: You've got money to spare; in a pinch, you
can always some through with the movie tickets, the gas
money, or the extra ammo.
Game Mechanics (Wealth): The Character gains 2
additional Trifle slots per Level.
Advanced Talents
Advanced Talents cost 1 Build Point per Level. Some
Advanced Talents require Game Master permission to
purchase or to increase the Level.
Some Advanced Talents just add to existing Basic Talent
rolls, like Marksman and Martial Arts, while others add new
capabilities to a Character's repertoire, like First Aid and
Connections.
This is not an exhaustive list! There are a lot of possible
Advanced Talents, and they aren't all listed here. If you think
of an Advanced Talent that sounds good, ask the Game
Master, and they'll make a decision whether to allow it or not.
Game Masters are encouraged to be open-minded and lenient
about new Advanced Talents, provided the proposal is
comparable to the existing Advanced Talents.
Artifact [ ]
The Character may wield this item and gain the Special
Abilities chosen, as may any being with a spirit. These are
treated as Innate Powers that the Character possesses as long
as the item is in use. All listed AP, VIG, SPI, and other costs
are paid by the Character when they use the Special Ability.
Artifact Special Abilities that ordinarily affect the user,
can affect either the user or the object itself. For example, an
item with Regeneration may grant the user Regeneration, or it
may Regenerate itself if damaged.
The Character gains 1 Level of the Attachment
Hardship per Level regarding the Artifact, and the item can
be lost, broken, or stolen like any normal item that the
Character possesses, making this a somewhat risky
investment, but the good news is that the item automatically
has double the normal STRU and FUNC for an item of its
size and composition. The Character may take additional
Hardships and attach them to the Artifact, and use the BP to
purchase more Levels of Special Abilities for the item.
Requirements: Hidden Lore 1+.

Description: Like Bilbo Baggins, King Arthur, or
Michael Knight, you've got an ordinary object that's
enchanted with inexplicable powers.
Game Mechanics (Artifact): Choose one of the
Character's Possessions; this item is now invested with magical
powers. The item can be anything; traditional magic stuff like
rings, swords, and amulets, or more modern things like guns
and leather jackets. The Character gains 3 BP per Level to
spend on Special Abilities from the Dark Powers Chapter.
Page 27

What Can Be An Artifact?
Almost anything can be an Artifact, as long as the object and
its invested Dark Powers are related in some sort of a conceptual
way. Damage-inflicting Dark Powers are usually invested in real or
pretend weapons, protective Dark Powers are usually invested in
clothing or armor, and sensory Dark Powers are usually invested in
telescopes, sunglasses, and hats. Shoes, belts, and vehicles make good
choices for travel-related Dark Powers.
Mystics in ancient times enchanted swords, shields, and chain
mail, but most of that stuff is hidden away in museums or lost in the
Pleroma somewhere. Today, it's a lot more common to see a crow
bar of Elemental Weapon, a windbreaker of Carapace, or a pair of
unwashed socks of Dumb Luck.
Attractive
Requirements: Negotiation 1+.
Description: You're a sexy beast, there's no denying it,
and you know how to use what you've got to get what you
want.
Game Mechanics (Attractive): The Character gains a
bonus of +(Levels)/2 to Negotiation rolls against anyone
attracted to the Character's gender. In addition, with heavy
flirting, you can roll PER + Trickery + Attractive vs. the
target's MDEF to cause the Distracted Affliction for 1 Round;
the roll may gain Bonuses if you show some skin.
Authority [ ]
Requirements: Education 1+, Game Master permission.
Description: You've been granted power by The Man,
entrusted with special rights and responsibilities because of
your training or your job.
Game Mechanics (Authority): The Character is
empowered by the government to do things that ordinary
citizens cannot. There's a wide variety of things that a
Character can have Authority over, so it's up to the Game
Master and the Player to work out what's reasonable. Abuse
of this Authority, while fun, may lead to its permanent loss,
or even jail time, and the more extreme the Authority, the
more severe the consequences will be.
N
Level 1: Authority to write parking tickets, make
health inspections of restaurants, or carry
concealed weapons.
N
Level 2: Locksmith's license, allowing the
Character to legally buy, carry, and use lock picks.
N
Level 3: Authority to request police records and
make arrests, like a police officer.
N
Level 5: Authority to carry automatic weapons
and grenades, like a SWAT team officer or a
member of the armed services.
N
Level 8: Top Secret government security
clearance.
N
Level 10: The Character has a license to kill.
Break & Enter

Requirements: Sneak 2+.
Description: You know how to pick locks, open
windows, take the valuables without anyone knowing you
were there.
Game Mechanics (Break & Enter): The Character can
make AGI + Trickery + Break & Enter rolls to intrude on
buildings and bypass security. The better the locks and
security system, though, the harder the DF will be; most locks
have DF Average (20), but this can increase drastically,
especially if the target has the Lair Talent.
Connections ( )
Image courtesy Free-Stock-Photos.co.uk
Requirements: Negotiation 1+.

Description: You've got friends, allies, business partners,
and colleagues that can help you out from time to time.
Game Mechanics (Connections): Connections help the
Character find the things they need. A Child of Light might
know someone who's aware of their supernatural origin and is
teaching them about Mortal life. A Ghl might know an
Page 28

undertaker or a worker at an organ bank that can
accidentally leave the doors unlocked now and again. A
Mystic might know a dealer in old books or antiquities that
can help them find ingredients for spells. Any Character can
use a friend with guns, money, or a fast ride to spare.
Connections never come without a price; Characters
have a Level 1 Attachment to their contacts, per the Hardship.
In addition, the Connection will expect the Character to
eventually return the favor, or cut all ties with the Character
(and maybe even exact some petty revenge, if snubbed too
badly). The actual help that each Connection can provide
should be determined when the Connections Talent is
purchased, and particularly helpful individuals should take 2,
3, or more Connections Levels to purchase.
Courageous
Requirements: Self-Control 5+.
Description: You don't back down as quickly as others
when something truly frightening is happening.
Game Mechanics (Courageous): The Character gains a
bonus of +(Levels) to all Fear Saves. At Level 9, all Fear Saves
are reduced in severity by 1; Terrifying becomes Daunting,
and Daunting becomes Spooky. At Level 10, they're all
reduced by 2; Terrifying becomes Spooky, and Daunting and
Spooky no longer require Save rolls). Characters at Level 10
gain +1 Level to the Detached or Distant Hardship, though,
gaining one if they don't already have one; their intense selfpossession makes them kind of spooky and robot-like.
Creepy Looks
Goths, Emos, and Unnaturals

Once upon a time, there was a subculture that read Romantic
literature, watched horror films, and fantasized about meeting real
supernaturals. True Unnaturals found the Goth movement a great
resource for recruiting minions, for hunting prey, and for hiding
amongst.
Over time, that subculture, like all others before it, became
trendy and commercialized. Stores catered to its sensibilities, and
music in its genre hit the Top 100. Popular celebrities flounced about
in whiteface and black leather and lace, and big-budget movies were
churned out by middle-aged film directors to cater to the trend. The
movement, like all others, developed branches and offshoots, like a
popular TV show spawns movies, books, and breakfast cereals, and
soon emo branched out from goth and developed its own
unique style of obvious despair.
Today the average emo kid or mall-goth is no more likely
to believe in the supernatural than anyone else. But they're still easy
to hide among, and if anything, they're more gullible than ever.
Unnaturals hid among the hippies in the '60s, among the Beatniks in
the '50s, and among other movements before them. Wise Unnaturals
are already looking for the newest liminal trend to impersonate,
stalk, and devour.
Carousing
Requirements: Endurance or Self-Control 2+.
Description: You know how to have fun and get people
to come out of their shell. People relax and let loose when
you're around; you really are the life of the party.
Game Mechanics (Carousing): When rolling to regain
SPI, if you roll a lower number than your Carousing Talent
Level +1, you may increase the amount of regained SPI to that
amount. You may also extend this benefit to up to (Levels)
other people; Characters with certain Hardships (Detached,
Distant, Despairing. Psychic Scars) count double towards this
number, while others (Lecherous, anyone else with 1+ Levels of
Carousing) don't count against this total at all.
Requirements: Intimidation 2+.

Description: Something about how you look creeps
people the hell out. Maybe you're an albino, maybe you have a
huge Gorbachev birthmark, or maybe it's that you have more
piercings in your face than Apple has rabid fanboys. As long
as you cover up or stay distant, folks don't have a hard time
interacting with you. Good luck with that.
Game Mechanics (Creepy Looks): The Character gain a
bonus of +(Levels) to all PER + Intimidation rolls against
opponents. At Level 9, your Intimidation rolls become
Daunting, and at Level 10, they become Terrifying.
Dark Art [ ]
Requirements: Sorcery Dark Power. Player Characters
can take a maximum of 3 Levels of each Dark Art at Character
creation.
Description: Mystics know that the universe is
composed of various energies and elements. Mystics learn
Dark Arts that allow them to sense and control them as they
will.
Game Mechanics (Dark Art): Choose one Focus for the
Dark Art Talent when this Talent is selected. At each Level of
this Talent, the Character learns a new Formula. The Void
Element is not available to Player Characters (no matter how
much you bitch and moan).
N
Body: Knowledge of the sacred forces of the flesh,
blood, bones, nerves, muscles, organs, and
Devourer elementals.
N
Destiny: Knowledge of the mysteries of time,
space, chance, location, karma, fate, and Reaper
elementals.
N
Energy: Knowledge of the powers that move and
shape the visible world, such as flames and fire,
lightening, sound, gravity, heat, and Salamander
elementals.
Page 29

N
Spirits: Knowledge of the mysteries of the

immaterial, the ther, the mind, ghosts, spirits,
animal and human consciousnesses, and Tulpa
elementals.
Substance: Knowledge of the arcane secrets
behind solids, liquids, and gases, like soil, iron,
steel, wind, wood, water, stone, precious metals,
and Gnome, Sylph, and Undine elementals.
N
N
N
Expert ( )
Requirements: Education 1+.
Description: There are thousands of diverse hobbies,
professions, and fields of study in the world. Maybe you can
design and build bridges, maybe you can calculate pi to the
thousandth place, or maybe you can name the airing dates of
every episode of I Love Lucy.
Game Mechanics (Expert): At each Level, the Character
gains a new Expert field Focus, listed below
N
Area [ ]: In-depth knowledge about a specific
geographic area, whether a country, state, or city.
The smaller the area, the more information the
Character gains with a successful roll.
N
Art [ ]: The ability to cook, paint, sculpt, dance,
write poetry, write prose, or engage in some other
form of artistic endeavor.
N
Bureaucracy [ ]: Knowledge about procedures and
behavioral rules, such as a corporate code of
conduct, or city, state, or national laws. Good for
lawyers, police officers, or the straight-laced.
N
Business [ ]: Information on the brands,
companies, competition, and life in general in a
specific kind of industry, like advertising,
consumer electronics, or technology.
N
Culture [ ]: Behavioral norms, beliefs, holidays,
dress codes, and the like for a specific group of
people.
N
Games [ ]: Skill with a specific type of game, like
board games, card games, or video and computer
games.
N
History [ ]: Knowledge about a specific era of
history, or a specific type of event, like wars or
artistic movements.
N
Languages [ ]: Knowledge about how to read,
write, and speak a specific language; examples
include Enochian (the language of the Children of
Darkness and Children of Light), Gidimite (the
language of Ghls), and the Mystic dialect.
Characters can automatically speak English and
one other language (Enochian for Children of
Light, Gidimite for Ghls, or Cryptosophic for
Mystics) for free.
Metaphysics [ ]: A specific philosophy, religion, or

other belief system.
Music [ ] : Academic knowledge and music theory,
or ability to sing or play a musical instrument
Popular Culture: Knowledge about TV shows,
movies, actors and actresses, pop music, celebrity
scandals, and major political figures.
Science [ ]: Knowledge about systematic and
thorough studies of some sort of thing, using hard
evidence and deductive reasoning. Good examples
include anthropology, archeology, biology,
chemistry, information theory, mathematics,
medicine, physics, parapsychology, psychology, or
sociology.
Sports [ ]: Facts and figures about the teams and
players in a major sport, like basketball, baseball,
soccer, football, or hockey.
Streetwise: Info on how to survive and trade on
the street, what areas are safe and for whom, and
how to make it when you don't have a roof over
your head.
Survival [ ]: Ability to safely last in a particular
kind of wilderness terrain. Examples include
deserts, jungles, forests, frozen lands, or
underground.
First Aid
Description: When people get punctured, fractured, or
lacerated, you know how to patch 'em up until they can get
serious medical attention.
Game Mechanics (First Aid): The Character can make
an INS + Education + First Aid roll to restore 1d3 HLT to any
one Body Part, and 1 TGH, on a subject. This roll may only
be attempted once per day per subject Body Part. The DF is
Average (20) if the target still has HLT in the Body Part, or
Difficult (25) if their HLT is gone; Head and Torso Injuries
have +5 DF.
Strange Bodies
The first time a Character performs First Aid on a Ghl or a
Child of Light, the roll suffers +5 to DF. The Character can instantly
tell that the subject isn't one of the Downtrodden, unless the
Character is Shapeshifted.
Ghls and Children of Light, of course, don't suffer this
penalty when performing First Aid on their own kind, but would if
they were to help out the Downtrodden.
Page 30
Honest
Description: Maybe you're honorable and trustworthy,
maybe you're an innocent kindhearted dope, but you're tough
to corrupt.
Game Mechanics (Honest): The Character's Corruption
Level is decreased by their Honest Level. The Character gains
a (Levels) bonus to MDEF and all Save rolls against seduction,
bribery, or other attempts to sway them to mislead others.
Investigation
Requirements: Notice 1+.
Description: You love a good mystery; and there are so
many in the world. And with all the bad people doing bad
things and covering their tracks, the mysteries just seem to
grow more numerous.
Game Mechanics (Investigation): The Character may
add their Investigation Level to all INS + Notice Talent rolls
to research mysterious subjects, investigate crime scenes, and
locate clues.
Lair [ ]
Requirements: Wealth 1+.

Description: Your pad is better equipped to deal with
your supernatural activities.
Game Mechanics (Lair): The DF to pick the locks on
your home increase by 3 per Level. In addition, your home
automatically has the Wards (The Sight) Special Ability on it
equal to (Levels). The Lair only covers 1 room per Level, so
many Characters make their bedroom or basement into their
official Lair.
Marksman ( )
Requirements: Ranged Combat 4+ Levels.

Description: You excel with ranged weapons. Maybe
you're a hunter, maybe you're a cop, or in the National Guard,
or you just play paintball way too much. You may not quite
be Wyatt Earp, but you know a few tricks.
Game Mechanics (Marksman): Each Level allows the
Character to gain one martial arts move from the list below.
N
Autofire Archery: Requires Ranged Combat 7+
Levels. The Character may treat Bows as having
the Autofire [1d2] Feature.
N
Combat Awareness: Requires Notice 2+ Levels. All
bonuses to attack the Character from the side or
from behind in Ranged Combat are halved.
N
Dual Weapon Training: Requires Ranged Combat
6+ Levels. Choose two one-handed Ranged
Combat weapons, such as throwing knives or
pistols. When wielding these two weapons, Attack

Actions cost 1 less AP.
Fast Attack: The Character's INIT increases by
(Marksman Level)/2. If you have the move of the
same name from Martial Arts, the Character
gains the higher of the two bonuses +2.
Gun Fu: Requires Athletics Level 4+. The
Character can spend up to (Athletics)/2 VIG to
gain an equal bonus to RDEF.
Pinning Projectile [ ]: Requires Ranged Combat 5+
Levels. Choose from thrown edged weapons,
bows, or crossbows. The Character may make an
attack at -3 to pin an opponent to a nearby
surface. If the attack succeeds with SF 4+, the
enemy suffers the Manacled or Shackled
Affliction. On SF 1-3, the enemy merely takes
damage from the attack.
Practiced Autofire: Requires Ranged Combat 5+
Levels. The Character gains a +2 Accuracy bonus
when using weapons' Autofire Feature.
Quick Draw [ ]: Requires Ranged Combat 5+
Levels. Choose one ranged weapon. The AP cost
for the Ready Item Action is reduced to 0.
Ranged Disarm [ ]: Requires Close Combat 5+
Levels. Choose one ranged weapon. The
Character may make Disarm Actions with this
weapon. The Character need not hold their
Action to make Disarms, but may not retain the
weapon. The Character always rolls AGI +
Ranged Combat + Marksman to Disarm.
Ranged Weapon Expertise [ ]: Choose one form of
Ranged Weapon; possibilities include pistols,
rifles, thrown weapons, bows, crossbows, or
military weapons (sub-machine guns, grenades,
knives). You gain an additional +3 Bonus to all
attacks with that weapon.
Signature Move [ ]: Choose one Ranged Combat
attack; the Character gains +3 to hit with this
attack.
Sniper Shot [ ]: Requires Ranged Combat 7+
Levels. Choose one ranged weapon. All Range
Penalties are reduced by 2 per Range Increment.
Martial Arts ( )
Requirements: Close Combat 4+ Levels.
Description: You've taken some classes in an advanced
fighting form. You may not quite be a ninja, but your fists are
definitely someone to be wary of now.
Game Mechanics (Martial Arts): Each Level allows the
Character to gain one martial arts move from the list below.
N
Acrobatic Fighting: Requires Athletics Level 4+.
Page 31
N
N
N
N
N
The Character can spend up to (Athletics)/2 VIG

to gain an equal bonus to CDEF.
Chop: The Character gains the Chop weapon.
Close Combat Weapon Expertise [ ]: Choose one
form of Close Combat Weapon; possibilities
include hand attacks, foot attacks, wrestling, short
blades (knives, daggers, and machetes), long
blades (swords), short blunt (clubs and fighting
sticks), long blunt (baseball bats), or flexible
weapons (weighted chains). The Character gains
an additional +3 Bonus to all attacks with that
weapon.
Combat Awareness: Requires Notice 2+ Levels. All
bonuses to attack the Character from the side or
from behind in Close Combat are halved.
Counterattack: When the Character delays action
and interrupts an enemy's attack with their own
Close Combat Attack, the Character's attack gains
a +2 bonus.
Dual Weapon Training: Requires Close Combat
6+ Levels. Choose two one-handed Close Combat
weapons, such as paired knives or paired swords.
When wielding these two weapons, Attack and
Block Actions cost 1 less AP.
Expert Block: It costs the Character 1 less AP to
perform a Block Action, and they may hold the
Block Action until needed, not the Character's
entire Round, until the Character's next Round.
Fast Attack: The Character's INIT increases by
(Martial Arts Level)/2. If the Character has the
move of the same name from the Marksman
Talent, they gain the higher of the two bonuses +2.
Iron Shirt: Requires Tough As Nails 1+ Levels.
The Character's Tough As Nails Level increases by
(Martial Arts Level)/3.
Jump Kick: The Character gains the Jump Kick
weapon.
Kippup: Requires Athletics 2+ Levels. The AP cost
for the Change Position Action is reduced to 1.
Knife Hand: Requires Close Combat 8+ Levels.
The Character's Punch and Chop Attacks are
treated as the Edged Damage Type, not Blunt.
Quick Draw [ ]: Choose one Close Combat
weapon. The AP cost for the Ready Item Action
is reduced to 0.
Shattering Strike: At a cost of 1 additional VIG
per attack, the Character's unarmed damage to
inanimate objects is doubled.
Signature Move [ ]: Choose one Close Combat
attack, such as Punch, Kick, Jump Kick, or Chop;
the Character gains +3 to hit with this attack.
Sweep Kick: The Character gains the Sweep Kick
weapon.
Mystical Techniques ( )
Requirements: Sorcery Dark Power.
Description: Magic is tremendously costly to one's
mental stability; in order to retain their balance, Mystics must
learn special methods to control their inner forces.
Game Mechanics (Mystical Techniques): At each Level,
the Character learns a new Specialization from the following:
Altar, Ancient Languages, Blood Sacrifice, Consecrated Tools,
Dancing, Elixirs, Fasting, Freecasting, Ingredients, Magical
Passes, Participants, Rituals, Sympathetic Connection, Tantra,
or Vital Sacrifice.
Obscurity
Requirements: Trickery 1+.
Description: You are one of the anonymous nobodies
that crowd the street every day. There isn't much record of
you in the official files, and that's good; you're hard to track
down.
Game Mechanics (Obscurity): The Character's
Obscurity Level is added to all Defenses and Save rolls against
others' spells that use a Sympathetic Connection.
Stability
Description: You've been down and out, even seen some
mind-blowingly weird stuff, but somehow you've always kept
it together.
Game Mechanics (Stability): When the Character must
roll on any of the Tables in the Going Bugfuck Section, they
may subtract (Levels) from all rolls. Mystics may not have
more Levels in Stability than they have in their highest Dark
Art Talent.
Stoic
Description: You're no drama queen. You feel emotions,
sure, but you don't let them rule you. When the time comes to
act, you'll act, calmly.
Game Mechanics (Stoic): You can spend 1 SPI to ignore
one Emotional Affliction for (Levels) Rounds. At Level 8+,
your meditative calm is even more impressive; instead of
spending 1 SPI and suffering the Frozen Affliction for 1
Round, the Character may spend 0 SPI and be Frozen for (13
Levels) Rounds.
Page 32
Tech ( )
Tough As Nails

Description: You have an above-average grasp of
electronics and machinery. Computers, cell phones, wiring,
clockworks, steam, gas or diesel engines, may all have known
your tinkering from time to time.
Game Mechanics (Tech): The Character gains a new
Tech Specialization with each Level. They include clockworks,
computer operations, computer programming, internal
combustion engines, sensor systems, steam engines, wired
communications, and wireless communications.
Requirements: Endurance 5+ Levels.

Description: You shrug off minor injuries and just keep
barreling at the enemy until they've been appropriately
curbstomped.
Game Mechanics (Tough As Nails): The Character gains
Tough As Nails Protection.
Page 33
Page 34
Chapter VII: Hardships

Hardships come in different varieties; Mortals have a host of miseries that beset them in life, while the Unnatural have
special tortures that only they must face.
Mortal Hardships
Addicted [ ]
Arrogant
Description: You're no good without the stuff, but with

it, you're on top of the world. None of your friends or family
understood, but you don't need their bullshit, right? The track
marks are easy to cover up with long sleeves, but more than
that, when you're high, you can forget everything you're lost
and given up.
Game Mechanics (Addicted): The Character must
partake of their drug every day, or suffer a penalty of -(Levels)
to all Attributes until they can obtain the drug. This penalty
stacks, so eventually the Character will be incapacitated or die
if they don't get their fix. In addition, the Character must
deal with the possible consequences of carrying illegal
contraband.
Description: You've never been beaten. Period. You're

the best, and anyone that says otherwise will be forced to eat
their words.
Game Mechanics (Arrogant): Any time the Character
loses a game, contest, or any Opposed roll, they lose (Levels)
SPI. The Character's Corruption also increases by (Levels).
Allergy [ ]
Description: You're great some days, but when you
aren't careful, when you forget the pills or get too close to
some asshole with too much cologne, the sniffling, coughing,
and sneezing begins.
Game Mechanics (Allergy): Choose some allergen, like
pollen, mold, or perfumes. When the Character is exposed to
the allergen, they suffer the Distracted Affliction for (Levels)
Rounds. Each of these rounds, roll a die on the Character's
turn; on a 6, the Character suffers 1 Energy Environmental
damage and is Frozen that Round as well.
Apathetic
Description: Meh. Do your best, they say, try your
hardest. Who cares.
Game Mechanics (Apathetic): Any time the Character
rolls a Triumph, they must spend (Levels) SPI, or it becomes a
normal roll.
Attachment [ ]
Description: Your girlfriend and your little one are your
world, the most important thing to you ever. And you love
Grandma so much; she helped raise you, after all. You have
nightmares about your weird, horrible second life involving
them; if anything ever happened to them, you don't know
what you'd do.
Game Mechanics (Attachment): If the subject of the
Character's Attachment is mildly threatened, the Character
must make a Spooky Fear Save vs. ((Levels *2)+15). If the
Attachment subject is seriously threatened, the Fear Save is
Daunting, and if the subject is in immediate, mortal danger,
the Fear Save is Terrifying. The Character can't be made to
flee without the subject of the attachment, no matter what,
but they may depart immediately once they have a firm grip
on their loved one.
What constitutes being threatened'? It varies on how
capable the subject of the Attachment is. Other PCs are fairly
tough and adaptable, so, the Character doesn't suffer unless
the subject falls unconscious from wounds, or is otherwise
seriously mentally or physically injured in a lasting way. If the
subject is an adult NPC, it will involve their taking any sort of
injury; a child or elderly NPC would trigger the Character's
feelings of Attachment any time an enemy even spoke
convincingly of harming them. It's a matter of roleplaying,
and the Player and Game Master should work together to
make sure that this Hardship is fair.
Page 35
Bad Eyes
Hardship, the Character automatically suffers the Distracted

Affliction for (Levels *3d6) hours.
Description: You can't see all that well, or not at all.

You can usually feel your way around familiar places, but
Game Mechanics (Bad Eyes): The Character suffers a
penalty of -(Levels) to all Ranged Combat and Notice Talent
rolls, and -(Levels)/2 to Close Combat rolls. The Character's
RDEF is reduced by -(Levels), and CDEF is reduced by
-(Levels)/2. All penalties to Range are doubled for the
Character. At Level 10, the Character is legally Blind; at this
point, the Character is considered to permanently suffer the
Blinded Affliction. It's not all bad, though; the Character
gains a bonus of +(Levels)/3 to all Notice Talent rolls involving
other senses, and at a cost of 1 SPI, the Character may halve
this Hardship's penalties to CDEF and RDEF for 1 Round.
Bad Hands
Description: You're missing some fingers, or a whole
hand, or maybe your hands shake so bad you can't get a grip
on things.
Game Mechanics (Bad Hands): The Character suffers a
penalty of -(Levels) to all Talent rolls involving one of the
Character's hands, including Close Combat and Ranged
Combat Talent rolls. At Level 5, one of the Character's hands
is totally non-functional, and additional Levels penalize the
other hand. At Level 10, the Character has no functioning
hands, and indeed may not have arms at all. Attack rolls
against severed limbs become Torso hits. See the Extra Legs
Dark Power for rules on quadrupedal animals with no
manipulative appendages.
Confused
Description: Things happen to fast for you to
comprehend and react. It all becomes a blur, meaningless
noise, and you're left there standing, looking confused and
disoriented.
Game Mechanics (Confused): Subtract (Level *2) from
the Character's INIT. Any time the Character rolls a Mishap,
the suffer the Distracted Affliction for the next Round.
Cruel
Description: Everyone around you are pussies; it's only
natural to hit first, and hit hardest, right? Nature, red in tooth
and claw, and all that. Maybe it's mean and petty, but that's
life.
Game Mechanics (Cruel): The Character loses (Levels)
SPI any time they pass up an opportunity to hurt someone. In
addition, the Character's Corruption increases by (Levels).
Cynical
Description: Nothing good ever lasts for long; it's best
to just be resigned to the worst from the world.
Game Mechanics (Cynical): The Character loses (Levels)
SPI whenever something really good happens. In addition, the
Character's Corruption increases by (Levels).
Delusions
Bum Leg
Description: It's tough for you to get around on your
own anymore; maybe you are slower, or you need crutches, or
you just can't walk at all.
Game Mechanics (Bum Leg): The Character suffers a
penalty of -(Levels) to all Athletics Talent rolls involving their
legs. At Level 5, the Character cannot walk, but can still move
with crutches; at Level 10, the Character cannot walk at all. In
case the Character's legs are actually severed, Attack rolls
against severed limbs become Torso hits.
Description: Sometimes the walls bleed; sometimes the

blank-faced people in the street can tell what you're thinking
just by looking at you. The medication makes the strange
sights go away for awhile, but you can't help wondering which
is the really real reality.
Game Mechanics (Delusions): The Character has visions
of things that are completely untrue, at least in the Realm the
Character currently resides. When the hallucinations hit, the
Character must spend (Levels *2) SPI any time they must
ignore the visions and behave rationally.
Clingy [ ]
Description: People always seem to want to leave you
behind, leave you lonely. You take their rejections like a punch
to the gut; nothing is worse than being rejected.
Game Mechanics (Clingy): Choose someone for the
Character the be Clingy about. The Character's maximum SPI
total is reduced by (Levels) when they can't be in the subject's
presence. If they're ever rejected by the subject of this
Page 36
Hard of Hearing
Description: WHAT? WHAT DID YOU SAY? SPEAK
THE HELL UP!
Game Mechanics (Hard of Hearing): The Character
suffers a penalty of (Levels) to all hearing-based INS+Notice
rolls; at 6 Ranks, the Character cannot hear at all,
permanently suffering the Deafened Affliction.
Homely
Photo courtesy Helix, Photovaco.com.
Despairing
Description: You're such a failure. Nothing ever goes
right for you. And when you fail, you feel such soul-crushing
misery that you start thinking about the knife again, and
how shiny it is, how pretty How easy it would be to just
stop ...
Game Mechanics (Despairing): Any time the Character
rolls a Mishap, they are Frozen for (Levels) Rounds. In
Detached
Description: People sometimes ask you why you're
angry. Why do they think you're angry? Other times you
realize you've been smiling, and you're not sure why.
Sometimes you do things and realize you were worried, or
scared, and that's why you did them. Emotions are weird.
Game Mechanics (Detached): The Game Master makes
all rolls against the Emotional Affliction in secret, and needn't
tell the Character when they're suffering the Emotional
Affliction, or any other Modifiers based on emotional state.
In addition, the Character's Corruption increases by (Levels).
Distant
Description: If people know how you feel, they can hurt
you. Maybe it's better to just show no emotion at all. They say
you're like a robot, but at least you're safe.
Game Mechanics (Distant): The Character immediately
loses (Levels) SPI if they act on any emotion in public. In
Description: No one ever gives you a second look,

unless you're practically jumping up and down and waving for
their attention. You've got a nice personality, they say. Fuck
that. You wish that, just once, you could see lust in a stranger's
eyes, frank appraisal and approval; but it will never happen.
Game Mechanics (Homely): The Character suffers a
penalty of -(Levels) to all PER rolls when interacting with a
more Attractive (or less Homely) person that would
ordinarily be attracted to your gender.
Lecherous
Description: Some people don't know why they're alive;
they've got no fire, no passion. You've got plenty. Some say
you leave wreckage behind you wherever you go, broken
hearts and broken promises; but you know you're truly alive,
for whatever that's worth.
Game Mechanics (Lecherous): The Character loses
(Levels) SPI any time they pass up an opportunity to spend
some time indulging their lusts. In addition, the Character's
Corruption increases by (Levels).
Mood Swings
Description: One minute you're on top of the world,
and the next, things are crashing down all around you. You're
like a stormy sea, all dizzying heights and stormy depths; the
meds make it even out, but even then, you crave the upswings,
so you try and ride the wave.
Game Mechanics (Mood Swings): Any time the
Character scores a Triumph or a Mishap, they suffer the
Emotional Affliction for (Levels) rounds.
Oathbound [ ]
Description: You're a person of your word; at least
about things that matter. You made a promise and by God,
you're going to keep it.
Game Mechanics (Oathbound): The Character loses
(Levels *2) SPI any time they pass up an opportunity to work
towards fulfilling their oath.
Page 37
Obsessed [ ]
Description: They say that you wash your hands too
much, but germs are everywhere. You can almost see them;
they make your skin crawl. In the hospital, you saw other
people like you; one guy could never put down a book or
magazine until he read it cover to cover; you can still hear
him screaming and beating the orderlies when he got his
hands on a trashy novel and made a mess of himself rather
than visit the toilet.
Game Mechanics (Obsessed): Choose one subject for the
Character to obsess over; examples might include cleanliness,
hygiene, fashion, reading, arranging things by number or
color, even fear of being crazy. The Character loses (Levels)
SPI any time they pass up an opportunity to act on or discuss
the object of their obsession.
Mental Illness, not Zany Wackiness

Some people are tempted to play their mentally ill Characters
like some kind of cartoon character pumped full of cocaine, running
around throwing cream pies and dropping banana peels. Although
there are crazy people that act goofy and silly like this, they're
distant minority.
No one is perfectly sane, but the truly ill have an incredibly
hard time controlling their thoughts, feelings, and actions. They are
desperate to regain some sort of grip on their lives, but over and
over they find themselves sabotaging themselves. The guy that
washes his hands until his skin cracks and bleeds, the 40-year-old
man that can't sleep with the light off because he's afraid of the dark,
the woman that can't go out in public for fear of germs, their lives
are shattered by their condition. Some of the mentally ill manage to
hold down jobs and cover up their condition; others subsist on
Social Security and struggle to care for themselves, and still others
bounce from prison to hospital to homeless shelter to the street,
their very survival in question from day to day.
Even the very folks that zoom about like a cornball can't have
normal lives; no one tolerates their behavior forever, and their
ridiculous shenanigans will land them in serious trouble eventually.
Madness is disturbing, thought-provoking, sad, horrifying, but it is
not fun.
Old
Description: Things were so much simpler back in the
day; the world wasn't so busy, so full of madness and
stupidity. And your bones didn't ache in those days, either.
Game Mechanics (Old): The Character must pay 1 SPI
each Round any time they must exert themselves physically, or
suffer the Distracted Affliction for 1d6 Rounds. Many Old
Characters are also Cynical or Hard of Hearing.
Outsider
Description: You were a fool to come here; not that you
can go back, now. Maybe you're from another state, or

another country or even another Realm. What matters is, you
don't belong, you don't understand what people say half the
time, and when people laugh, you suspect half the time that
they're laughing at you.
Game Mechanics (Outsider): The Character suffers a
penalty of -(Levels *2) to any PER- or INS-related roll
regarding specific dialects or cultural peculiarities. For
example, and Outsider will always find themselves lost in the
dating scene, or attempting sexual innuendos.
Phobia [ ]
Description: Crippling fear rules you. Oh, you can act
normal most of the time; but when you see it, the thing you
fear most, you can't breathe. Can't see. All you can do is
escape. Your friends say you're crazy, they even think you're
silly for feeling so afraid. To you, it's a matter of life or death.
Game Mechanics (Phobia): Choose one subject for the
Character to trigger your fear; examples include dogs, cats,
rodents, bugs, birds, reptiles, heights, enclosed spaces, open
spaces, disease, car accidents, the opposite sex, the old,
children, the government, foreigners, darkness, computers, or
guns. When you see the object of your fear, make a Terrifying
Fear Save, rolling WIL + Self-Control roll vs. ((Levels *2) +15).
If the Character could even come near the source of their fear,
they still have to make a Phobia Save roll, but gain a +5
Bonus.
Poor
Description: Boxed macaroni today, ramen tomorrow.
You keep a broom handy for squashing the cockroaches on
the floor of your apartment. You dream of moving out, but
not until they give you more hours at work, or your health
gets better, or you go back and finish up school. For now,
you're stuck.
Game Mechanics (Poor): The Character starts with
(Levels) fewer Trifles, to a minimum of 0. They must
frequently rely on friends for gas and rent money, and their
worries about the future permanently reduce their SPI by
(Levels) as well.
Psychic Scars [ ]
Description: The memories of the accident, or incident,
still haunt you. The counselors call it Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder; all you know is you're trapped in the past, and you
keep hearing the screaming; everything reminds you, always.
Game Mechanics (Psychic Scars): When a situation
arises similar to the one the Character faced before, they
immediately suffer the Emotional Affliction for (Levels)
Rounds, but gains 1 AP for the first Round.
Page 38
Regretful [ ]
Description: You screwed things up big-time, or maybe
you just have a guilt complex leftover from childhood.
Regardless, you can't let it go; you just keep torturing yourself
over it.
Game Mechanics (Regretful): Whenever reminded of
past failures and bad decisions, the Character loses (Levels)
SPI. When the Character scores a Mishap, they lose an
additional (Levels)/2 SPI as well. On the bright side, at odd
Levels, the Character loses 1 COR.
Short
Description: You're a little lacking in the height
department. You can't reach high things, and you just don't
seem as physically imposing as other folks.
Game Mechanics (Short): With 1 selection, the
Character's Reach is reduced by 1. With each additional
selection, the Character suffers a penalty of -1 to all Save rolls
against the Prone Affliction. Further, at Level 3 to 6, the
Character's HLT in all Body Parts is halved; at Level 7 to 10,
the Character's HLT in all Body Parts is at .
Snobbish
Description: Just look at them. Pathetic. You're so much
better than all these poor scum around you.
Game Mechanics (Snobbish): The Character loses

(Levels) SPI any time they are forced to consort with anyone
unworthy of you. This includes anyone with more Levels in
the Poor or Homely Hardships than you have. The Character's
Corruption also increases by (Levels).
Vengeful
Description: You never take any shit from anybody; you
forget a slight, and you always make them pay for what
they've done to you.
Game Mechanics (Vengeful): The Character loses
(Levels) SPI any time they must let someone get the better of
them. The Character's Corruption also increases by (Levels).
Young
Description: You're still just a kid; you can't sit still for
very long before you go wandering off on your own, getting
into trouble. You still have to go to school, and no one takes
you very seriously.
Game Mechanics (Young): The Character must pay
(Levels) SPI each Round any time they must exert themselves
mentally, or suffer the Distracted Affliction for 1 Round. In
addition, you suffer a penalty of -1 to all Negotiation Talent
rolls against adults (note that this does not affect Trickery
rolls), but gain +(Levels)/2 VIG. Many Young Characters are
also Short and Innocent.
Unnatural Hardships
Unnatural Hardships aren't available to PCs at
Character Creation; they're used to design Character Types.
Artificer
Requirements: Dark Art Talent at 1+ Levels,
Enchantment Special Ability.
Description: You can't cast spells as such, but you are
still adept at making Artifacts.
Game Mechanics (Artificer): Reduce all of the
Character's Dark Art Talents by (Levels) for purposes of
casting Formul, to a minimum of 0. If the Character's
Artificer Levels equal their Levels in Dark Art, the Character
can still learn Formul as normal, but only to use them to
create Artifacts.
Dark Hunger
Requirements: Must be a non-Human entity.
Description: You're so hungry, and nothing satisfies you.
You look at the pretty, pretty people out on the street, so
plump and happy, so tender and filled with silly worries and
juicy and interesting.
They smell so good.
You wonder what their marrow tastes like.
You wonder how long you can hold yourself back.
Game Mechanics (Dark Hunger): The Character must
feed on Human flesh and blood every (11 Levels) days. If
they don't, they suffer the Emotional [Ravenous] Affliction
for 24 hours, and cannot sleep (and doesn't seem to need to,
their hunger is so great). After that, the Character suffers the
Page 39

Exhausted Condition for 24 hours; after that, the Character
loses 1 LIF per hour.
Dying Spark [ ]
Requirements: Must be a non-Human entity.
Description: You can feel the darkness slowly
overtaking you; fear, sorrow, rage, and envy creep over your
spirit, reducing you to a petty criminal, a grasping tyrant, a
slave to your passions, little more than an animal with a voice.
Game Mechanics (Dying Spark): Each day on
awakening, the Character gains (Levels) COR. When the
Character reaches 20 COR, something bad happens, as defined
when the Character is created, and the Character becomes a
Non-Player Character, under the control of the Game Master.
The Player may create a new Character at this time.
NOTE: Future supplements to the Dirge RPG may
include rules to allow Children of Darkness as playable
Characters, but they are significantly different from Children
of Light. For now, Children of Light whose spark dies out
become NPCs.
of electronics or toys, watches or swords, clothing or candy,

you've learned to master the art of Enchantment.
Game Mechanics (Specialized Enchanter): The
Character can only Enchant certain kinds of items; the most
common example is Thaumatronicists, who can only Enchant
technological items. The narrower the field, the more Levels
the Character can take. However, the BP cost to create such
items is reduced by (Levels), to a minimum of 1.
Examples:
N
Level 1: Weapons, vehicles, armor, electronics,
food.
N
Level 2: Guns, cars, bulletproof vests, computers,
beverages.
N
Level 3: Pistols, sports cars, jousting plate,
computers, cola.
N
Level 4: Colt pistols, Porsche sports cars, Intel
computers, Coca-Cola.
N
Level 5: Colt .45 semi-automatic pistols, 1982
Porsche 911 sports cars, Classic Coca-Cola from
a specific bottling plant.
Unhinged
Sensitivity [ ]
Requirements: None.
Description: The light burns your eyes; the sun is your
enemy. Other creatures of the night have other weaknesses;
some creatures freeze when they come into contact with cold
iron, or recoil when they hear invocations to the divine. For
all the Dark Powers you possess, Mortals have their own
special weapons against your Unnatural brood.
Game Mechanics (Sensitivity): Choose one circumstance
when the Character is created; a good example is exposure to
sunlight, or running water, or the sound of prayer. When the
Character encounters the circumstance, the Character suffers
1d3 Environmental Energy Damage per Level per Round.
Specialized Enchanter [ ]
Requirements: Enchantment and Dark Art Talents at 1+
Levels.
Description: Some waste their time creating all kinds of
Artifacts, but you're more refined. By plumbing the mysteries
Requirements: Dark Art Talents at 1+ Levels.

Description: Your powerful magic calls on many
mystical forces simultaneously, which are hard to keep
balanced and controlled.
Game Mechanics (Unhinged): Any time the Character
enjoys a Triumph or suffers a Mishap on a roll to cast a
Formula, Enchant an object, or use an Artifact, the SPI cost is
increased by (Levels). If the Artifact doesn't normally cost SPI
to use, then it costs the normal amount.
Weakness [ ]
Requirements: May not be a Mortal Human.
Description: You have an Achilles' Heel, something that
hurts most beings but hurts you a lot worse.
Game Mechanics (Weakness): The Character takes more
damage from some attack, or their saves against some
Affliction are lessened. For each Level, the Character suffers +
(Levels)d6 damage from that Attack, or their saves against the
Affliction suffer a -(Levels *3) Penalty.
Page 40
Chapter IIX: Assets

There are three kinds of Assets: Initiative, Resources, and Defenses. Resources and Defenses are divided into the Mental
and the Physical. Assets are calculated using Attribute and Talent Levels. Temporary penalties to Attributes and Talents don't
require you to recalculate your Assets, though.
Initiative
Initiative (INIT)
Description: Your ability to act before the enemy does,
getting the jump on them, and potentially smashing their
defenses before they are properly prepared.
Calculation (Initiative): AGI + INS.
Game Mechanics (Initiative): At the start of a normal
round, roll 2d6 + INIT. The Character with the highest total
gets to act first, followed by the next-highest, and so on.
Physical Resources
Health (HLT)
Description: Health is a Character's resistance to injury
in each of their body parts.
Calculation (Health): Varies with the body part; see
below.
N
Arms (Each): STR + AGI + (TGH *2).
N
Feet (Each): (STR + AGI + TGH).
N
Hands (Each): (STR + AGI + TGH).
N
Head: (STR) + (TGH *2).
N
Legs (Each): (STR *2) + AGI + (TGH *2).
N
Torso: ((STR + AGI) *2) + (TGH *3).
Game Mechanics (Health): When a Character takes
Injury Damage, it's applied to a specific Body Part, which has
negative effects on their performance in a fight. See the
Bleeding Out section for more details.
Image courtesy Boaz Yiftach, Freedigitalphotos.net.
Page 41
Life-Force (LIF)
Vigor (VIG)
Description: Life-Force is the Character's resistance to

death.
Calculation (Health): (WIL*3) + (TGH*2).
Game Mechanics (Health): When a Character takes
Debility Damage, it's removed from the Character's LIF.
When a Character loses all LIF, they fall unconscious and
begin to die. See the Bleeding Out section for more details.
Description: Vigor is one's energy and resistance to

exhaustion.
Calculation (Vigor): (TGH *3).
Game Mechanics (Vigor): Characters typically lose 1
VIG per round of strenuous Actions, such as during Combat.
Some Talents and Special Abilities also cost VIG.
Characters may take a Rest Action to restore lost VIG.
Mental Resources
N
Image courtesy Public-domain-photos.com.
Corruption (COR)
Description: Most Abilities measure something good,
something the Character needs more of; Corruption is the
opposite. Corruption measures a Character's slide into
darkness, ignorance, selfishness, egotism, and mindless
violence.
Calculation (Corruption): Corruption starts at 9.
Game Mechanics (Corruption): Some Talents, like
Honorable and Innocent, may reduce starting Corruption,
while some Hardships, like Cruel and Vengeful, may increase
it. The kindhearted find it easier to avoid Compulsions to
harm others, while evil folks find it simple to ignore any
persuasion to inconvenience themselves for others' sake.
N
18+: Utterly evil. There is nothing too vile for you
to at least consider doing, and your immediate,
slightest needs are all that matter. You
automatically Resist Compelled Afflictions that
Page 42
would put you in any sort of danger, or place you

in any inferior position. It's all about you, after
all; nothing else matters.
15 to 17: Vile and remorseless. You have trouble
relating to others, or even caring about their
needs. It costs you 0 SPI to Resist Compulsions to
perform any selfless disadvantageous action, but
you're still Frozen like normal.
12 to 14: Petty and selfish. Your first thought is
usually for their own needs and wants. You suffer
a gain a bonus of +1 to MDEF and all Save rolls
against Compulsion Afflictions that would
inconvenience you or assist others. Who cares
what they want?
9 to 11: Average. You care strongly what your
friends, family, and co-workers want and need,
maybe the people at church or temple, but don't
give much thought to people unlike you, that you
don't know. No modifiers.
6 to 8: Kind and thoughtful. You always balance
your needs against others'. You gain a bonus of +1
to MDEF and all Save rolls against Compulsion
Afflictions that would make you perform evil
actions.
3 to 5: Almost innocent. You have a serious
martyr complex; nothing matters but making
others happy. It costs you 0 SPI to Resist
Compulsions to perform any evil action, but
you're still Frozen like normal.
2 or less: Pure of heart. You have no real sense of
self; you are just a bottomless well of giving. You
sap. It costs you 0 SPI to Resist Compulsions to
perform any evil action, and you aren't Frozen,
either. You cannot be Compelled to do evil; it just
isn't in you.

A passive Telepathic scan, or a simple aura scan using
The Sight, is not enough to reveal a person's Corruption, but a
Telepathic mind probe can do so. But Corruption is not a
static value; it waxes and wanes as a person's actions turn kind
or vile. How does this work?
Good Actions: When a Character performs a really
good, noble action, roll the listed dice below. If the result is
lower than the Character's current Corruption, they lose 1
Level of Corruption.
N
Nice: Roll 5d6. Examples: Giving a beggar a few
bucks. Breaking up a fight between friends.
N
Respectable: Roll 4d6. Example: Giving a friend
the money you need for rent.
N
Admirable: Roll 3d6. Example: Taking a bullet for
a friend. Breaking up a fight to save a total
stranger.
N
Exemplary: Roll 2d6. Example: Taking a bullet for
a total stranger.
N
Heroic: Roll 1d6. Taking a bullet for a sworn
enemy.
Evil Actions: When a Character performs a really nasty,
reprehensible deed, roll the listed dice below. If the result is
lower than the Character's current Corruption, they gain 1
Level of Corruption.
N
Petty: Roll 5d6. Examples: Shoplifting. Cheating
on your significant other.
N
Twisted: Roll 4d6. Example: Stealing from a
trusted friend. Beating up a stranger for no
reason.
N
Heinous: Roll 3d6. Example: Seriously mutilating
a total stranger in cold blood.
N
Atrocious: Roll 2d6. Example: Killing a total
stranger in cold blood.
N
Inhumane: Roll 1d6. Killing a child in cold blood.
Breaking the law doesn't endanger your Corruption
score, and in fact, endangering yourself by breaking the law
for a good cause is definitely a Good Act.
Of course, the Game Master is always free to just rule
that the Character gains or loses Corruption as they see fit, as
well, or to modify the die rolls listed above. Adding or
subtracting 1 or 1d3 is a good guideline for borderline
scenarios, for example. Some Game Masters may even wish to
ignore the Good and Evil Acts dice and just wing it, and
this is definitely okay. These rules, like all others, are meant to
be a tool to help you have fun, not some kind of Serious
Business Morality Police.
Spirit (SPI)
Description: Spirit is the your mental strength and
stability, your ability to face the worst of the Pleroma and
give your all. Full of spirit, your magic is mighty and your
decisions are swift and sure, but when you lose your spirit,
you become confused and fearful, and can even develop
lasting mental problems.
Calculation (Spirit): (INS + PER + WIL)
Game Mechanics (Spirit): Spirit is used for three things:
fueling Mystics' Formul, improving rolls, improving
Defenses, and resisting mental and emotional compulsions.
N
Fueling Formul: Most Formul cost SPI equal
to the Formula's Level.
N
Improving Rolls: At any time a Character may
spend 1 SPI to add a +1 Bonus to any roll, to a
maximum of +5.
N
Improving Defenses: At any time a Character may
spend 1 SPI to add a +1 Bonus to any Defense, to a
maximum of +5.
N
Resisting Compulsions: A Character may spend 1
SPI to ignore a mental or psychological
Compulsion Affliction for 1 Round. The
Character suffers the Frozen Affliction during this
time.
Compulsions may come from outside or
inside. Compulsions that come as a result of
Hardships typically cost (Hardship Levels) SPI,
not just 1 point, but the Character is not Frozen as
a result.
It's easier for evil Characters to resist
Compulsions to do noble actions, or actions that
would put them at personal risk; it's also easier
for good Characters to resist Compulsions to
harm others needlessly. See the Corruption Asset
for details.
A Character whose SPI goes negative begins to suffer
emotional trauma; see the Going Bugfuck section for details.
Page 43
Physical Defenses
Close Defense (CDEF)
Ranged Defense (RDEF)
Description: Close Defense is your ability to get out of

the way of incoming punches, kicks, knives, baseball bats, and
the like.
Calculation (Close Defense): 5 + AGI + Close Combat
Talent + Dodge Talent.
Game Mechanics (Close Defense): A Close Combat
Attack roll's DF is the target's CDEF.
Description: Ranged Defense is your ability to zig-zag

out of the way of a marksman's field of fire, preventing a
gunner, bowman, or knife thrower from getting a clear shot at
you.
Calculation (Ranged Defense): 5 + AGI + Ranged
Combat Talent + Dodge Talent.
Game Mechanics (Ranged Defense): A Ranged Combat
Attack roll's DF is the target's RDEF.
Mental Defense
Mental Defense (MDEF)
Description: Mental Defense is your resistance to
persuasion, threats, mind control spells, and mind-altering
drugs
Calculation (Mental Defense): 5 + (WIL *2) + SelfControl Talent.
Game Mechanics (Mental Defense): A social,

psychological, or mental Attack roll's DF is the target's
MDEF. Many such attacks, though, automatically hit, and
instead just require the target to make a Save roll using
WIL+Self-Control.
Page 44
Chapter IX: Dark Powers

This section allows the Game Master to use Special Abilities to build new Innate Powers and Formul for Player
Characters. Dark Powers have a Level, from 1 to 10. The listed Special Abilities are used to create specific Dark Powers, and two
Dark Powers can look entirely different in the game world. For example, a Child of Light's Sword of Light will look very
different from a Wu Zang Taoist's Hammer of Lei Kung spell, or a Pymandri Mystic's Whirling Blade of the Kherubim spell,
despite the fact that they're all just different forms of Elemental Weapon.
Special Ability Descriptors

Special Abilities have certain Descriptors that help
describe how they work, like Accuracy, Range, and Damage.
Accuracy: For attack Special Abilities, the bonus or
penalty to the Attack roll. Standard Accuracy is +0.
Action to Use: The kind of Action needed to activate
the Special Ability. If there is no Action to Use listed, the
Special Ability is always on. Standard Action to Use is
Attack. Some Special Abilities are not quick enough to be
used in combat; these are listed with a Time to Use.
N
Maintain: The Special Ability requires the listed
Action to initiate, but only requires 1 AP per
Round to Maintain.
Cost to Purchase: The cost for the Special Ability. Some
Special Abilities can only be purchased to a specific Level;
that Level will be listed in [brackets]. Standard Cost to
Purchase is Average.
Cost to Use: The amount of SPI or VIG that must be

spent to activate the Special Ability. For Special Abilities with
a Duration, the cost must only be paid once, to activate the
Special Ability, unless the listing says 'Maintained', which
means that the cost must be paid each Round. Any Special
Ability that uses the current Realm's Membrane in its Cost To
Use cannot be used if the current Realm's Membrane Level is
0.
N
Standard Mental: (Levels) SPI.
N
Standard Physical: (Levels) VIG.
N
Maintained: In addition to the VIG or SPI cost,
the effect lasts as long as the Character spends 1
VIG or SPI per Round to maintain.
Damage: The amount and type of Damage dice that the
Special Ability inflicts. Standard damage is as follows:
Standard Special Ability Damage Type Table

Damage
Type
Standard Ranged Damage
Standard Close Combat Damage
Elements
Blunt(B)
5d6+(Levels *2)
4d6+HTH+(Levels *2)
Body, Spirit
Edged (E)
4d6+(Levels *1)
3d6+HTH+(Levels *1)
Substance
Gunfire (G)
3d6+(Levels)
2d6+HTH+(Levels)
Destiny
Energy (E)
2d6+(Levels)/2
1d6+HTH+(Levels)/2
Energy
N
Duration: The amount of time that the effect lasts.
Standard Duration is (1d3+1) Rounds; for Special Abilities
with a Save roll, the Failure Factor of the Save is added to the
Duration as well. If no Duration is listed at all, the effect
never ends.
Page 45
Lasting: The effect lasts until the Character falls

unconscious.
Indefinite: The effect lasts until some specific,
special Action is taken to cause the effect to end.
A Character that is knocked Prone will be so until
they Change Position and get up; a Character
caught on fire will be so until the flames are

doused.
Maintained: The effect lasts until the Character
stops paying the Maintain AP, VIG, SPI, or other
listed cost. Characters cannot Maintain an Special
Ability when unconscious.
Permanent: The effect lasts forever, or until
undone.
Effect: The result of a failed Save roll, generally an

Attribute or Talent penalty or Affliction.
Protection: The amount of Injury and Debility that the
Special Ability will stop. Standard Protection is:
N
Foot
IPRO: (Levels).
N
Leg
IPRO: (Levels*2).
N
Torso
IPRO: (Levels *3).
N
Head
IPRO: (Levels *1).
N
Arm
IPRO: (Levels *2).
N
Hand
IPRO: (Levels).
N
Standard DPRO for all Body Parts is 1, but
increases to 2 at Level 10.
Radius:
N
Large: (Levels *6) yards.
N
Small: (Levels *2) yards.
Reach: The Range for Close Combat attacks and

proximal effects. Standard Reach is 0. You must succeed at a
Close Combat Attack roll to affect an unwilling target.
Save Roll: The Attribute + Ability roll that targets must
make, and the DF they must beat, to avoid the unfortunate
effects of a combat Special Ability.
N
Standard Mental: WIL + Self-Control vs. DF
((Levels *2) +15).
N
Standard Physical: TGH + Endurance vs. DF
((Levels *2) +15).
N
Standard Illusion []: INS + Notice vs. DF ((Levels
*2) +15). The target only gets a Save roll if they
have a reason to doubt what they sense.
Mental: These illusions will only be sensed

by beings with a spirit.
Physical: These illusions may be detected by

electronic and Thaumatronic devices as
well.
Speed: The rate at which the Character can travel, in
miles per hour. Standard Speed is (Levels *10) mph.
Characters gain a +1 Bonus to RDEF per 10 mph that they
travel.
Time to Use: The number of minutes, hours, days,
weeks, etc. that the Special Ability takes to activate. These
Special Abilities cannot be used in combat.
Range: The Range increment for Ranged Combat

attacks and ranged effects. Standard Range is (Levels *5)
yards. Non-attack effects are totally ineffective outside the
listed Range.
Attack and Armor Special Abilities will also list the

Weapon or Armor Statistics and Features.
Special Abilities
Adhesion
Affect Spirits
Description: Like a fly, you can stick to walls, walking

along them as if gravity had lost its senses.
Cost to Purchase: Average.
Game Mechanics (Adhesion): With 1 Level, the
Character can adhere to walls well enough to carry their own
bodies, and no additional weight. Each additional Level adds
the equivalent of 2 Levels of STR that the Character can carry,
assuming they can lift that much mass. The Character also
gains a bonus to all Save rolls against the Prone Affliction
equal to (Levels).
Description: You can touch ghosts and spirits as if they

were physical, and you can beat them as if they were redheaded stepchildren.
Cost to Purchase: Average [1].
Game Mechanics (Affect Spirits): The Character can
affect entities in Spirit Form with their Unarmed Weapons
just as if the entities were physical beings.
Page 46

Emotional [Choose one] Affliction; Duration:
Standard.
Alter Memories
Description: You reach into another's mind and
rearrange the furniture. You leave the subject an amnesiac, or
remove yourself from their memories, or leave them with
guilt-ridden memories of a crime they never committed.
Cost to Purchase: Very Expensive.
Game Mechanics (Alter Memories): Alter Memories
requires both the Telepathy and Enslave Special Abilities, and
cannot be purchased higher than either one.
N
Time To Use: (60 (Levels *5)) minutes; Cost To
Use: ((Levels + target WIL) *2) SPI; Reach: 0; Save
Roll: WIL+Self-Control roll vs. DF ((Levels *2)
+10); Duration: Permanent.
After probing to find a specific memory, the Character
alters that memory. The target's FF on the roll determines
how great an effect the Character has. If the target suffers a
Mishap on the roll, that is treated as +10 to FF.
SF 1 to 4: Edit one short memory.
SF 5 to 9: Edit one group of memories (all memories of
a friend from high school)
SF 10+: Edit the target's entire memory.
Simple edit: No modifier.
Elaborate edit: SF +5.
Complete erasure: SF +10.
Astral Projection
Description: You remove your spirit from your body
and go traveling the Pleroma on your own, unencumbered by
the extra baggage.
Cost to Purchase: Expensive.
Game Mechanics (Astral Projection): The Character's
body falls Prone, and the Character's spirit separates from it.
In this state, the Character has the Spirit Form and Traverse
Realms Special Abilities with Level equal to this Level. The
Character's body suffers 1d3 Debility damage per hour after
the first, and if the Character's body dies, they are trapped in
Spirit Form forever.
Blessings
Description: With a kind gesture, you channel energy
into your allies, giving them an edge.
Game Mechanics (Blessings):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Mental; Action to Use:
Control; Effect: +1 to all rolls and Defenses to
persons of the PC's choice; Duration: Standard;
Radius: Standard Small.
Blinding Burst
Ancient Lore
Description: Your insider sources give you the juiciest
gossip on what was really in the Library at Alexandria, what
that Casanova chap was really up to, and who Napoleon's
secret benefactors were.
Cost to Purchase: Cheap [3].
Game Mechanics (Ancient Lore): The Character gains
TC +(Levels) to all INS + Hidden Lore rolls regarding matters
of historical interest.
Description: You radiate the light of a sun, blinding

everyone around with your radiance.
Game Mechanics (Blinding Burst):
N
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Physical; Effect:
Blinded Affliction; Duration: Standard; Radius:
Standard Large.
Body Spikes
Anguish [ ]
Description: You manipulate the enemy's mind or body,
twisting their emotions into a shape that pleases you. They
are seized with joy, sorrow, pleasure, guilt, or some other
emotion.
Game Mechanics (Anguish): Choose some Emotional
Affliction when this Special Ability is purchased. You can
make empathic attacks on others, making them feel emotions
against their will.
N
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Mental; Effect:
Description: You are covered with spines, spikes, or

quills; when you tell people that you don't want to be hugged,
they had definitely better listen.
Game Mechanics (Body Spikes):
N
Damage: Standard Close Combat; Accuracy: +2;
Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: ---;
Reach: 0; Weapon Features: Passive.
Page 47
Carapace
Description: Your body is covered by insectile plates,
with reptilian scales, or with some other form of obvious,
natural protection, that wards off your enemies' blows.
Game Mechanics (Carapace):
N
Cost to Use: None; Protection: Standard; Armor
Features: None.
Clairvoyance
Description: You view things that are occurring right
this moment in some distant location.
Game Mechanics (Clairvoyance):
N
Action to Use: Control; Cost to Use: Standard;
Range: (Levels *100 miles).
The Character can see events occurring far away almost
as clearly as if the Character were physically present. Any
detailed information, like reading text on a paper, requires an
INS+Notice+(Clairvoyance) Levels roll vs. DF Difficult (25).
While using Clairvoyance, the Character is treated as suffering
the Frozen Affliction. Characters may use Clairvoyance in
conjunction with any of their other normal sensory abilities,
such as The Sight, Dim Sight, Dark Sight, and the like.
Claws
Description: Like some ravenous beast, you sprout
wicked claws from your fingers, ready to tear your enemies
apart.
Cost to Purchase: Cheap.
Game Mechanics (Claws):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Physical; Damage:
Standard Edged Close Combat; Accuracy: ---;
Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 1; Reach:
1; Weight: ---; Cost: ---; Weapon Features: None.
Cloak
Description: You disappear from view, fading from the
mind's eye like an unremarkable memory. You skulk past
unnoticed in this way, and they'll never remember you were
there.
Game Mechanics (Cloak):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Mental, Maintained;
Action to Use: Control, Maintain 1 AP; Save Roll:
Standard Illusion [Mental].
The Character disappears from sight; their mind

radiates the illusion that there's no one present.
Clone
Description: You create a duplicate of yourself,
summoning it from the future, or creating it from pure firemist.
Cost to Purchase: Very Expensive (10 BP/Level).
Game Mechanics (Clone):
N
Cost to Use: Double Standard Mental,
Maintained; Action to Use: Control, Maintain 1
AP.
The Character can create up to (Levels) duplicates of
themselves, all of which are under the Player's control. All of
the clones have the normal LIF and HLT in all Body Parts,
and all share the same pool of SPI. All share a single
consciousness, and any Compulsion or other mental
Affliction that affects one, affects them all. However, anything
one clone sees or learns, all are instantly aware of.
Condemnation
Description: You condemn the damnable act of sorcery,
creating a field in which magical acts are much more difficult.
Game Mechanics (Condemnation):
N
Action to Use: Control, Maintained; Effect: See
below; Range: Centered on self; Radius: Standard;
Duration: Maintained.
Within the area of effect, all sorcerers' Levels in all
Dark Arts Talents are reduced by (Levels). If this reduces any
Dark Art Talent to 0 or less, the sorcerer can't cast spells
using that Dark Art.
Consume Brains
Description: You consume an enemy's brain, tasting
their memories, their very lives.
Game Mechanics (Consume Brains): The Character
consumes a fresh mouthful of a dead opponent's brains in
order to search their memories. This acts like the Mind Probe
use of Telepathy, except that it is the Character that rolls in
order to find the memory they want, against a DF of Easy. On
an SF 10+, this Character can instead gain the use of one of the
target's Talents for (SF -10) hours. An opponent has enough
brains for 3 uses of Consume Brains, but the brains must be
fresh; within an hour, they are no longer fresh, no matter how
they're preserved.
Page 48
Consume Flesh
Dark Sight
Description: You're revitalized when you consume the

still-warm flesh of fallen victims.
Game Mechanics (Consume Flesh): When the Character
attacks an enemy with a Bite, they regain 1 VIG and lost LIF
equal to the amount of Debility they inflict. The Character
can also consume recently-severed Body Parts; the Character
may take an Eat/Drink Action each Round to gains 1 VIG and
1d3 LIF per round, to a maximum of the HLT that part had
when fully healthy.
Description: You can see heat radiating from things,

allowing you to find your way around and identify people
even in the deepest cave.
Game Mechanics (Dark Sight):
N
Action to Use: None; Cost to Use: None; Range:
Standard.
Curses
Description: You gesture angrily at the enemy, and
suddenly, their plans fail, their spirits falter, and they begin to
look for the red 'Exit' sign.
Game Mechanics (Blessings):
N
Control; Effect: -1 to all rolls and Defenses to
persons of the PC's choice; Duration: Standard;
Radius: Standard Small.
The Character can see normally in the complete absence

of light, by seeing heat differentials in the environment. Note
that Darkness, per the Special Ability, will automatically
negate Dark Sight, and extreme sources of light may blind the
Character.
Darkness
Description: You create a field of dense shadows that
swallows the light, plunging an entire area into frightening
gloom.
Game Mechanics (Darkness):
N
Action to Use: Attack, Maintained; Save Roll:
None; Effect: Complete darkness; Radius:
Standard Large; Range: Centered on self;
Duration: Maintained.
Daydream
Description: You create a convincing illusion in the
minds of those nearby, making them think that the
Wastelands of Suffering is a sale at the local Selz-Mor
Superstore.
Game Mechanics (Daydream):
N
Action to Use: Attack, Maintain 1 AP; Save Roll:
Standard Illusion [Mental]; Effect: Witness
illusions; Range: Centered on self; Radius:
Standard.
Dim Sight
Image courtesy public-domain-clipart.blogspot.com.
Description: You can see well even on the cloudiest,

darkest night; the faintest traces of light are enough for you to
see as if it were a sunny day.
Cost to Purchase: Very Cheap.
Game Mechanics (Dim Sight):
N
Action to Use: None; Cost to Use: None; Range:
Standard.
Page 49
The Character can see normally in low light, by seeing

dim traces of ambient light, or the ultraviolet spectrum. All
penalties for normal darkness are negated unless in a field of
utter pitch-black, like a cave.
The Future Is Fluid

Destiny is like a river filled with rocks and eddies. There are
solid definite events that will definitely occur, and there are fluid
motions that constantly change as Mortals make decisions and alter
the flow. Game Masters can prepare for Characters with Divination
by preparing a list of actions that NPCs will definitely take in the
course of the adventure.
Just because the PC sees something doesn't mean it must
occur, though, and their visions are frequently incomplete. The PC
may see themselves attacking a trusted friend, but they may not see
that the friend is Enslaved by a Child of Darkness, and threatening
the PC's beloved relative. If that even occurs, though, the PC may
find a different way to resolve the situation; Divination should never
be used as a way to rob PCs of control of their Characters.
Divination is best used as a tool for the GM to deliver Plot
Hooks and Foreshadow upcoming events, and a way for PCs to
circumvent a few Talent rolls for tactical or investigative situations.
Dumb Luck
Image courtesy Talia Felix, Publicdomainpictures.net.
Divination [ ]
Description: Everything is connected; the cosmos is like
a pond, and looking at any part of it, you can see the ripples
that affect the whole. Looking at the cards, at the stars, at fire,
you can see the shapes that destiny will take. Others may
scoff, but you can see that in the end, they, too, will eventually
believe.
Game Mechanics (Divination):
N
Time to Use: 1 hour; Cost to Use: Standard
Mental.
Choose one Specialization for the Character's
Divination each time this Special Ability is chosen. The Player
must declare what the Character's question is, and then the
Character must roll Divination Levels vs. DF Difficult (25).
On SF 5 or less, the Character gains a vague vision of the
answer or outcome; on an SF of 6 to 10, the vision is more
clear, On an SF of 11+, the Character has a clear vision that
provides some definite answers.
Specializations include astrology, cartomancy (tarot or
poker cards), palmistry (palm reading), oneiromancy
(prophetic dreams), pyromancy (seeing the future in fire), and
tea leaf reading.
Description: Fortune favors the foolish, they say, and

you're living proof. You're not afraid to try hard things, and
although you frequently fail, you also succeed surprisingly
often.
Game Mechanics (Dumb Luck):
N
Action to Use: None; Cost to Use: None.
Every time the Character fails at some roll, they gain a
die of Dumb Luck. Any time they must make a roll, the
Character can spend 2 SPI to activate a die of Dumb Luck.
The Character can spend any number of dice of Dumb Luck
that they want. The Dumb Luck dice are added to the roll just
like the normal dice one would roll for Actions. The
Character can retain a maximum of (Levels) dice of Dumb
Luck.
The Character can't purposely fail to gain Dumb Luck
dice. The failure must be for an important roll, with an actual
chance of failure, and serious consequences.
Elemental Bolt [ ]
Description: You summon a blast of your chosen
Element, which lances forth and strikes your enemies.
Game Mechanics (Elemental Bolt):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Mental; Damage: Standard
Ranged Combat for Elemental type; Accuracy:
---; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands Required: 1-;
Range: Standard; Weapon Features: None.
Page 50

Elemental Powers
There have been many ambitious attempts by Mystics in the
past to divide the universe up into its component elements.
Although the Aristotelian four-element and Eastern five-element
schemes are the best-known to the Downtrodden, most modern
Mystics use the five-element division of Body, Destiny, Energy,
Spirit, and Substance. When you choose a Power with the word
'Elemental' in its title, choose one of these five Elements for its
Specialization.
To understand what these elements consist of, it may help to
know that these five Elements are sometimes divided into subelements each, which are:
Body: Blood, bones, nerves, muscles, senses.
Destiny: Chance, fate, karma, time, space.
Energy: Electricity, gravity, heat, light, magnetism.
Spirit: Animal spirits, elemental spirits, human spirits, nature
spirits, spirits of other Realms.
Substance: Air, metal, soil, water, wood.
The sixth Element, not listed above, is Void. No Mystic has
ever managed to master the Void, and most of those who've tried
have gone insane, so its true potential remains a mystery.
that the Character can reshape is 1 cubic yard per Level.

Elemental Shaping is too insignificant and slow to be used for
direct combat, but can be used to create favorable
circumstances in a wide variety of ways. Some examples of the
uses of Elemental Shaping are below.
Elemental Sense [ ]
Description: You can shift your senses to see your
chosen Element, its presence and its very nature.
Game Mechanics (Elemental Sense):
N
Action to Use: Search; Cost to Use: Standard
Mental; Range: Standard.
Choose one element. The Character is able to sense the
presence of their Element, as well as its amount or potency,
speed, direction, rough shape and composition, and other
pertinent facts. Elemental Sense [Energy] provides Dim Sight
and Dark Sight, and can even see through the Darkness
Special Ability if higher in Level, but isn't that good at sensing
surface details of objects.
Elemental Shaping [ ]
Description: The elements of the cosmos are yours to
tweak, in quick or minor ways. You can create sculptures out
of solid stone as if it were clay, for example.
Game Mechanics (Elemental Shaping):
N
Action to Use: Control; Cost to Use: Standard
Mental; Range: Standard; Radius: Standard.
Body: Grant a bonus of (Levels)/2 to First Aid

rolls. Alter a target's appearance slightly, for a
short period. Make a target sterile or color-blind
for a short period.
Destiny: Grant a bonus of (Levels)/2 to Expert
[Games] rolls for games of chance. Cause the
traffic light to turn green just as you arrive.
Increase yous next die roll by +2, or reduce
someone else's by -2.
Energy: Grant a bonus of (Levels)/2 to Tech rolls
involving electronic devices. Prevent an electronic
device from functioning, or change its input or
output. Reduce darkness in the area, or shape it
like a shadow play.
Spirit: Grant a bonus of (Levels)/2 to Expert
[Science] rolls involving psychology or sociology.
Lower the Membrane in an area by 1. Attract
minor, ineffectual spirits, or push them away. See
a sleeping person's dreams on contact, or enter
and shape them slightly.
Substance: Grant a bonus of (Levels)/2 to Repair
rolls. Create breathable air from poisoned gases,
or a bubble of air underwater.. Push Fog of lower
Level aside. Stifle all sounds in an area, or create
phantom noises. Create doors, walls, or sculptures
of some solid material. Remove traces of passage
through the wilderness. Change an object's color,
temporarily, on touch.
Elemental Shield [ ]
Description: You wrap your chosen Element around
you like armor, protecting yourself from incoming attacks
with fire, air, earth, or something else.
Cost to Purchase: Expensive, except for Energy, which is
Very Expensive; see below.
Game Mechanics (Elemental Shield):
Energy Shields include 1 Rank of Glow and
Elemental Wave.
N
Protection: Standard, IPRO and DPRO +1 to all
Body Parts; Cost to Use: (Levels)/2 SPI per round;
Armor Features: None.
The Character can reshape their chosen element. A

Character with Elemental Shaping [Substance] could shape a
doorway through a stone wall, or a Character with Elemental
Shaping [Energy] could douse flames. The maximum volume
Page 51
Elemental Wave [ ]
Description: You surrounded yourself with a field of
your chosen Element, which harms anyone stupid enough to
come too close.
Game Mechanics (Elemental Wave):
N
Close Combat for Elemental type; Accuracy: +0;
Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: ---;
Reach: 0; Weapon Features: Passive.
Elemental Weapon [ ]
Description: A sword, ax, or spear of your Element
springs to life in your hand, shifting and deadly.
Game Mechanics (Elemental Weapon):
N
Close Combat for Elemental type; Accuracy: +1;
Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 1-;
Reach: 2; Weapon Features: None.
Elemental Wings [ ]
Description: You cause wings of some Element to burst
from your back and carry you away.
Cost to Purchase: Expensive, except for Energy, which is
Very Expensive; see below
Game Mechanics (Elemental Wings):
N
Run Action; Speed: Standard.
For each (STR *10) lbs. that the Character carries,
their speed is halved.
Enchantment
Description: You can create magical items that can be
used by any being with a spirit.
Game Mechanics (Enchantment):
N
Time to Use: 1 week per Level of the Artifact to
be created.
Magical Artifacts have a Level, typically from 1 to 10;
the Artifact has (Level *10) Build Points in Special Abilities
invested in it. Any being with a spirit that wields an Artifact
can use the Artifact's Special Abilities as if they had those
Special Abilities, but must pay all AP, VIG, SPI, and all other
costs to activate the Special Abilities as normal.
Enchanters can create Artifacts of a Level up to their
Level in Enchantment. To create an Artifact, the Enchanter

must pay the Build Point cost of the Artifact; 1 SPI can be
permanently sacrificed instead for the equivalent of 10 Build
Points, or the Enchanter can search for magical materials to
reduce the BP cost of the Artifact. Enchanters can only invest
Special Abilities into an Artifact that they possess as Innate
Abilities or Formul. Anyone who takes possession of an
Artifact suffers a loss of SPI equal to the Artifact's Level for as
long as they possess the item (whether it is currently on their
person or not).
The Enchanter may choose to create an item with a
limited number of uses, paying the SPI or VIG costs ahead of
time. Fragile or consumable items (like arrows or food) can
only hold one charge, but other items can hold as many
charges as the Character's Enchantment Level, provided that
they can funnel the needed VIG, SPI, or other energy needed
into the item. Any Enchanter can recharge a depleted
Artifact, given time and energy.
Many Enchanters also learn the Reservoir Special
Ability, so their can create Artifacts with their own built-in
magical power supplies.
Thaumatronicists start play with 1 Level of the Artifact
Talent for every Formula that they would ordinarily start off
knowing, at no permanent BP or SPI cost (except the normal
SPI penalties of ownership).
Endure Privation [ ]
Description: Like an ascetic, you can ignore the need for
food, water, or some other basic Human need far longer than
normal, or perhaps even forever.
Game Mechanics (Endure Privation): Choose one
deleterious condition: aging, starvation, thirst, heat, cold, or
the need to piss or crap. For each Level, the Character gains a
+1 Bonus to all Endurance Talent rolls to withstand the need
for the condition; at Level 10, the Character is immune to this
need.
Enslave
Description: You lock eyes with him and tell him to
drop the gun. He doesn't even blink at the metallic clank
when it falls to the ground, but shakes his head quickly. He
looks up, horrified, realizing that he's defenseless. You smile.
Game Mechanics (Enslave):
N
Control; Save Roll: Standard Mental; Effect:
Compulsion Affliction; Range: Standard;
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Duration: Standard.
hit as normal and appropriate.
You may deliver a Compulsion to a target that you can

see, that may be stated in four words or less, including one
verb. The target must be able to understand your verbal
command.
Entangle
Description: You cause your enemy to become engulfed
or wrapped up in some rigid binding material that prevents
them from acting.
Game Mechanics (Entangle):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Physical; Action to Use:
Attack; Save Roll: AGI or STR + Athletics vs. DF
((Levels *2) +15); Effect: Manacled and/or
Shackled Affliction, see below; Range: Standard;
Duration: Indefinite.
Extra Head
Description: You know the clich, and you prove it true.
Your monstrous visage aside, it's hard to blindside you, and
off with his head becomes a more daunting exercise where
you're concerned.
Game Mechanics (Extra Arms): The Character gains 1
Head per Level. The Character gains the Combat Awareness
Focus from the Martial Arts Talent, whether they qualify for
it or not. In addition, the Character doesn't die unless all
Heads have been severed.
Extra Legs
On FF 1 to 5, the target is Manacled or Shackled,

whichever is most appropriate. On FF 6+, the target is
Manacled and Shackled, both. If a Character that suffers one
of these Afflictions is Entangled again, the other is applied.
The target may attempt a new Save roll to break free each
Round. Others may attempt to break the Entangling material;
it has STRU and FUNC equal to (Levels *5).
Description: Like a horse or goat, you've got more legs,

which makes you faster and harder to knock down.
Game Mechanics (Extra Legs): The Character gains a
Bonus to Athletics for figuring land speed equal to (Levels,
and an equal Bonus to all Saves vs. the Prone Affliction.
Quadrupedal animals have 10 Levels of Bad Hands, and 2
Levels of the Dark Power Extra Legs, and Attack rolls against
them are adjusted so that Arm and Hand hits become Front
Leg and Front Paw hits.
Daydream
Familiar [ ]
Description: You create a convincing illusion in the

minds of those nearby, making them think that the
Wastelands of Suffering is a sale at the local Selz-Mor
Superstore.
Game Mechanics (Daydream):
N
Standard Illusion [Mental]; Effect: Witness
Standard.
Description: You bind a spirit into the form of an

animal, and make it your trusted henchman. It amplifies your
magic, and in return you give it lots of Meow Mix.
Game Mechanics (Familiar): The Character can choose
one lower lifeform, like a Cat or a Raven. The Character gains
a bonus amount of SPI to use for magic each day equal to the
Familiar's Level. The Character automatically gains an
Attachment to the Familiar, per the Hardship, with Levels
equal to the Levels in this Special Ability. The Familiar gains
a bonus to INS and WIL equal to (Levels)/4,
Extra Arm
Fangs
Description: You have an additional arm or two

allowing you to wield additional weapons, and strike even
more often.
Game Mechanics (Extra Arms): The Character gains an
additional arm per Level, giving them +1 AP for each. Any
Armor that provides Arm coverage will have to be extensively
modified to provide coverage over the additional Arms (+20%
cost per additional Arm). Randomly determine which Arm is
Description: You close in on the enemy and rip into

them with your fearsome incisors.
Game Mechanics (Fangs):
N
Cost to Use: 1 VIG; Damage: (1d3+
(STR+Level)/2)E; Accuracy: +1; Talent: Close
Combat; Hands Required: ---; Reach: 0; Weapon
Features: None.
Page 53
Ferocity
Description: They really, really shouldn't have said that.
You feel the rage overtake you, and the next thing you know,
you've got blood under your fingernails. All over the walls,
too.
Game Mechanics (Ferocity):
N
Cost to Use: (Levels) VIG; Duration: Levels
Rounds.
The Character gains a (Levels) Bonus to STR and TGH,
but a Penalty to INS of the same amount, to a minimum of 1.
The Character is Compelled to attack the nearest enemy in
Close Combat, until they drop, and continue doing so until
they're done; once all enemies are dropped, the Character is
Compelled to attack anyone else around, until the duration
ends. Once it does, the Character is Exhausted for 2d6
Rounds.
Fog
Description: You draw a mist into the area that covers
your activities and muffles the sounds they make.
Game Mechanics (Fog):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Mental; Radius: Standard
Large; Range: Centered on self.
The Character creates a dense mist that makes it hard to
see. Anyone in the field of Fog automatically suffers a penalty
of -(Levels) to all Notice Talent rolls for sight, and -(Levels)/2
for hearing.
The Glow
Several Special Abilities can mimic The Glow at Level 1, such
as Elemental Bolt, Elemental Wave, Elemental Weapon, or
Elemental Wings for the Energy Element. While Glowing, these
Characters suffer the normal penalties to Sneak and defenses.
Some Unnaturals' Dark Powers are literally that, though; they
are composed of dark energies that don't throw off any light. These
Unnaturals' powers don't gain the Glow, but don't gain anything
useful in return; however, they aren't huge targets at night, either.
The Character can generate enough light to read by,

that fills an entire area. Glow drowns out the Darkness
Special Ability if its Level is higher, but doesn't help against
Fog. The Character loses (Levels) from their Sneak Talent at
night while Glow is in use, and suffer a penalty of -(Levels)/3
from RDEF as well.
Gust
Description: You gesture, and a wind lances forth and
strikes your foes, and knocks their breath out of them,
knocking them on their ass.
Game Mechanics (Gust): The
N
Cost to Use: Standard Mental; Damage:
(2d6+Levels)B; Accuracy: +1; Talent: Ranged
Combat; Hands Required: 1-; Range: Standard;
Weapon Features: Radius [2 yd]; Save Roll: (AGI +
Athletics vs. DF ((Levels *2) +15).
If the target fails their Save roll, they also suffer the
Prone Affliction for Indefinite Duration.
Healing
Description: You allow life to flow from your hands
into another person, potentially bringing them back from the
brink of death.
Game Mechanics (Healing):
N
Action to Use: Control; Cost to Use: Standard;
Reach: 0.
The Character touches another and restores LIF to the
subject, and HLT to the Body Part touched. The amount of
LIF restored is (Levels)/3, and the HLT restored is equal to the
equivalent HTH damage +1 Level. For example, 1 Level
restores 1 HLT, 2 Levels restores 1d3 HLT, 3 Levels restores 1d6
HLT, 4 Levels restores 1d6+1 HLT, and so on. The anesthetic
effects of Healing also negate all penalties due to pain for 1
Round afterward, but also automatically cause the subject to
suffer the Inebriated Affliction during that time.
Glow
Horns
Description: You shine like an angel, and others can see

in the darkness by the light you radiate.
Game Mechanics (Glow):
N
Cost to Use: 1 SPI per minute; Radius: Standard
Large.
Description: Like a bull or a goat, you have horns on

your head, and you can easily head-butt your enemies into
unconsciousness.
Page 54

Game Mechanics (Horns): The
N
Cost to Use: 1 VIG; Damage: Standard Close
Combat Edged; Accuracy: -2; Hands Required:
---; Talent: Close Combat; Reach: 0; Weapon
Features: None.
Immortal
Description: You rise from the dead on the third day. If
you're good; if you're not so good, it might be the seventh, or
the tenth.
Cost to Purchase: Extremely Expensive (-7 BP per
Level).
Game Mechanics (Immortal): If the Character is killed
but the body is still largely intact (i.e. the Head or Torso
hasn't been severed), the Character will rise from the dead
again in (11 Levels) days. The Character doesn't heal any
faster than normal, but they are also immune to the negative
effects of aging.
Inhuman Attribute [ ]
Description: You are vastly stronger, more cunning, or
more charming that almost any Human that ever was. The use
of your vast potential is quickly draining, but you can
demonstrate unbelievable power in short bursts.
Cost to Purchase: Extremely Expensive.
Game Mechanics (Inhuman Attribute):
N
Cost to Use: (Level *2) VIG per use for Physical
Attributes, or (Level *2) SPI per use for Mental
Attributes.
The Character gains a bonus of +(Levels)d6 to all rolls
with one Attribute, including HTH damage from STR. If the
Inhuman Attribute is Strength, this includes HTH Damage
rolls. For all calculations, such as Assets, each Level of
Inhuman Attributes counts as 3 Levels of the appropriate
Attribute.
Interface
Description: Some people are good with machines; you
are godlike. You don't just speak their language, you make
them dance and sing in yours.
Cost to Purchase: Average [3].
Game Mechanics (Interface):
N
Reach: 0.
Large
Description: You're larger than an ordinary Human
being; like some hulking abomination, you tower over Mortal
victims.
Game Mechanics (Large): With odd selections, the
Character gains +1 to Reach. The Character gains a bonus of +
(Levels) to all Save rolls against the Prone Affliction. Further,
at Level 3 to 6, the Character's HLT in all Body Parts is
increased by ; at Level 7, the Character's HLT in all Body
Parts is doubled.
Leaping
Description: You drain a subject's very life-force into
you, growing stronger as they grow weaker.
Game Mechanics (Leaping): Each Level adds +10 to the
Character's Athletics Talent for the purposes of calculating
jumping distances.
Leeching
Description: You drain a subject's very life-force into
you, growing stronger as they grow weaker.
Game Mechanics (Leeching):
N
Attack; Save Roll: WIL + Self-Control vs. ((Levels
*2) +15); Effect: Transfer (FF)/2 LIF from target to
yourself; Talent: Close Combat; Reach: 0.
Levitation
Description: You float above the ground, or travel
through the air without touching it.
Game Mechanics (Levitation):
N
Run Action; Speed: 0 yd/Round at Level 0,
Standard at higher Levels.
For each (STR *10) lbs. that the Character carries,
their speed is halved.
The Character can control any mechanical device with a

touch, without needing to use input or output devices. The
Character gains a bonus of (Levels) to all INS + Tech rolls.
Page 55

Standard.
Lycanthrope [ ]
Description: You temporarily take on the form of an
animal.
Game Mechanics (Lycanthrope):
N
Action to Use: Transform; Cost to Use: Standard
Physical; Duration: Lasting.
Choose one form of animal when this Special Ability is
purchased. The Character can transform themselves into an
animal. Choose one form of animal; in this form, the
Character gains its Physical Attributes, but retains their own
Mental Attributes. The Character's Assets are recalculated
based on the Character's new set of Attributes. The Character
also gains all of the animal's Special Abilities, and can
continue to use any Abilities that require SPI to use, or any
Physical Inhuman Attribute Special Ability.
The higher the Level, the more powerful the animal the
Character can transform into. At Level 1, the Character can
transform into a small, mostly-harmless animal, like a cat or a
raven. At Level 5, the Character can turn into a man-sized
creature, like a large wolf; and at Level 6+, the Character
transforms into a creature larger than Human, like a bear or
crocodile.
N
N
Small creature: 1 fewer Levels required per 2

Levels of the Short Hardship.
Large creature: 1 Level required per Level of
Large.
Monstrous Appendage [ ]
Description: Your arm, leg, hand, foot, head, or torso is
many times bigger than normal. You looks like a horrifying
freak, but you're far more formidable than normal folks.
Game Mechanics (Monstrous Appendage): The exact
effects depend on what body part has grown to monstrous
proportions. The Character may add their Levels to the HLT
in that Body Part, and a bonus equal to (Levels) to the Creepy
Looks Talent. The Character also suffers a penalty of (Levels)/2 from CDEF and RDEF, and on any odd-numbered
Attack roll, the attacker may choose to target the Monstrous
Appendage instead of rolling for a Body Part as normal.
N
Arm/Foot/Leg: Gain (Levels/2) Levels of Inhuman
Attribute (STR), but only with that arm, foot, or
leg.
N
Hand: Gain (Levels/2) Levels of Inhuman
Attribute (AGI), but only with that hand.
N
Head: Gain (Levels/2) Levels of Inhuman
Attribute (INS).
N
Torso: Gain (Levels/2) Levels of Inhuman
Attribute (TGH).
Nightmares
Miasma of Madness
Description: With a thought, you radiate the twisted,
maddening energies of the Ylem, and those around you begin
to lose their grip on ordinary reality.
Game Mechanics (Miasma of Madness):
N
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Mental; Effect: Lose
1d3+(FF) SPI; Range: Centered on self; Radius:
Standard.
Mirage
Description: You alter the pattern of light around you,
creating a realistic-looking illusion.
Game Mechanics (Mirage):
N
Standard Illusion [Physical]; Effect: Witness
Description: You curse your foe, troubling their dreams.

They awaken exhausted and broken, leaving them open and
vulnerable.
Game Mechanics (Nightmares):
N
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Mental; Effect: Suffer
-1d3 penalty to WIL per night, may make another
save each night; Range: Reach [0]; Duration:
(FF)/2 nights.
Plague
Description: As you demand, your opponent's flesh
breaks out into open sores, and their strength drains away.
They are left a pitiful husk, ripe for your final victory.
Game Mechanics (Plague):
N
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Physical; Effect: Suffer
-1 penalty to STR and END per day, lose
Attractive Talent, and gain Creepy Looks Talent
Level 2, may make another save each day; Range:
Page 56

Reach [0]; Duration: (FF)/2 days.
Pocket Realm
Description: You have your own tiny Realm to retreat
to when things get too tough. In your own little world, you're
safe for a time.
Game Mechanics (Pocket Realm):
N
Action to Use: Control; Cost to Use: (Levels +
Membrane) SPI.
The Character can move to their Pocket Realm, which
is a perfect sphere (Levels * 100 yards) in diameter. The
Character may take with them up to (Levels) other
individuals, but on arrival, all of these other Characters are
Frozen for (10 + 1d6 Levels) Rounds, and automatically take
1 Energy Environmental Damage. The Character may set any
Phenomena in the Realm, such as Purity, Gravity, or Tech
Restrictions, that they want, or make other minor alterations,
pending Game Master approval. Pocket Realms always have a
reasonably comfortable temperature, and breathable air,
neither of which ever run out. The Character can also store
things in the Pocket Realm, and retrieve them later, but
nothing larger than a Human body.
Possession
Description: Like a demon, you enter another's body
and control them like a puppet.
Game Mechanics (Possession):
N
Control; Save Roll: Standard Mental; Effect:
Compulsion, the Character controls the target's
body directly; Range: Reach [0]; Duration: (FF)
Rounds.
Possession requires either the Spirit Form or Astral
Projection Special Abilities.
Redemption
Description: You bring hope and the promise of a new
start to a beleaguered spirit. You transfer some of your
essence into another, allowing them to temporarily resist their
baser urges and give their all.
Game Mechanics (Redemption):
N
Mental; Effect: See below; Range: Reach [0].
The Character can spend (X+2) SPI to transfer X SPI to
another person on contact, where X is any number up to

(Levels). The target also gains a new Save roll against any
Compulsions they currently suffer, with a bonus of +(X).
Instead of transferring SPI, the Character may instead
permanently sacrifice 1 SPI to reduce the target's COR by 1.
The Character may never have more than (11 COR) Levels of
Redemption; if the Character's current COR is 11 or more,
they may not use this Special Ability.
Regeneration
Description: Nothing can keep you down for long.
You've been beaten, shot, even blown up, but your ragged
form always manages to reassemble itself, with only horrific
scars to show for it.
Game Mechanics (Regeneration): The Character regains
1 HLT per (11 Levels) Rounds to all Body Parts, and (Levels)
LIF per minute.
Reservoir [ ]
Description: You can create Artifacts with their own
magical batteries, that are less taxing on the mind and body
to use.
Game Mechanics (Reservoir): This Special Ability can
only be used with the Enchantment Special Ability to create
Artifacts. The Artifact has a reserve pool of 1 VIG or SPI per
Level that can be used to power the Artifact's other Special
Abilities. At any time, any Enchanter with this Special Ability
may take a Control Action transfer their own VIG or SPI to a
Reservoir Artifact to recharge it. An Artifact whose Reservoir
is depleted can still use the wielder's SPI or VIG instead.
Resistance [ ]
Description: There is some form of attack that you can
shrug off. Maybe your incredible focus prevents you from ever
being distracted, or maybe your strange, protoplasmic flesh
doesn't bleed when cut.
Game Mechanics (Resistance): Choose one Affliction;
all Save rolls against this Affliction gain a bonus equal to
(Levels). At Level 10, you are immune to this Affliction. If
you're immune to any two Emotional Afflictions, you gain
Immunity to them all.
Scourge
Description: You shatter illusions, reducing many of
those around you to darkness and despair in their weakness.
Liberated of false hope and silly dreams, they are ready to
Page 57

face the world as it is, trudging towards an unknown future.
Game Mechanics (Scourge):
N
Mental; Effect: See below; Range: Reach [0].
The Character can spend X SPI to give a target a new
Save roll against any Compulsions they currently suffer, with a
bonus of +(X). The target must make a Standard Mental Save
or permanently gain 1 Level of COR as well. Instead of
granting a new Save roll, the Character may instead spend X
SPI to reduce all penalties the target suffers to all Mental
Attributes by X for (Levels) hours. The Character may never
have more than (COR - 11) Levels of Scourge; if the
Character's current COR is 11 or less, they may not use this
Special Ability.
Sever Fate
Description: You slice fate apart like a surgeon,
removing the link between cause and effect.
Game Mechanics (Fangs):
N
Action to Use: Transform; Cost to Use: Double
Standard Mental; Range: Standard; Save Roll:
None; Effects: See below.
In order to use to this Special Ability, the Character
must hold their action, and then take a Transform Action in
response to some other event. That event takes place but has
no effect whatsoever; the event is removed from the normal
flow of cause-and-effect. For example, the Character with a
gun to their head could unlink the cause trigger on gun is
pulled from the effect gunpowder in bullet ignites. The
bullet is not a dud, and the gunpowder struck it, but the
bullet doesn't fire as a result.
If either the cause or effect are ongoing, the Character
must Maintain the Severed Fate, paying SPI each round to
keep the two events separate. For example, the Character,
awakening in a burning house, could unlink the cause walk
through fire from the effect burn, but they'll burn as soon
as they can't keep the Special Ability active. There can always
be unintended consequences, too; the Character awakening in
the burning house might still pass out from smoke inhalation
before they can make it out of the building, or they might die
when the building collapses on them.
Shapeshifting [ ]
Description: You mold your flesh to look like someone
else, effectively stealing their life.
Game Mechanics (Shapeshifting):
N
Physical; Save Roll: Standard Illusion [Physical];
Duration: Lasting.
The Character can alter their appearance to look like
anyone. At Level 2, the Character can mimic voices as well,
and at Level 4, the Shapeshifter can duplicate fingerprints. At
Level 8, even the Character's retinal scans will show the
correct identity, and at Level 10, the Character's very DNA is
the same. Although the appearance mimicry is perfect, the
Character still doesn't necessarily duplicate the mannerisms of
the target precisely. The Shapeshifter may also need to roll
PER + Trickery vs. a viewer's INS + Notice to see if the viewer
notices something odd in their behavior. The Character may
gain or duplicate up to (Levels/2) Levels in the Attractive or
Creepy Looks Advanced Talents.
Shapeless
Description: You have no definite form, instead
composed of a single mass of flesh with no definite parts.
There's no way to target your weak points, since you don't
really have any.
Game Mechanics (Shapeless): The Character loses all
Hit Locations except for the Torso. All attacks automatically
land on the Torso, but the Torso has (Levels)/3 times more
HLT than normal. The Character cannot purchase Monstrous
Appendage, Extra Arms, Extra Legs, Extra Head, or Tentacles,
but the Character may manifest up to (Levels)/2 Tentacles by
taking a Control Action for each one.
The Character is automatically immune the the Prone,
Sitting/Kneeling, Shackled, and Manacled Afflictions. The
Character's jumping distances and movement speeds are all
halved, but the Character can ooze through openings and
porous materials, like a fluid, unless the door or container is
sealed watertight.
Finally, the Character gains (Levels *3) IPRO and
(Levels) DPRO vs. Blunt Damage, and (Levels) IPRO and
(Levels)/3 DPRO vs. Gunfire Damage.
The cause and effect stated need to be specific,

observable, verifiable events, that take place within the
Character's general vicinity. The Game Master is free to rule if
a stated cause or effect are too vague.
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Sharp Sense [ ]
Description: Your sense of sight, hearing, touch, or
smell and taste, are much more acute than any Humans'.
Game Mechanics (Sharp Sense): Choose one sense; the
Character gains a bonus of +(Levels) to all INS+Notice rolls
with that sense. For the purposes of this Special Ability, smell
and taste are treated as one sense. Characters with Sharp Sense
suffer a penalty to all Save rolls against sensory overload
attacks on that sense equal to the Sharp Sense Levels. For
example, a Character with Sharp Sense [Sight[ Level 5 would
suffer a -5 Penalty to all Save rolls against the Blinding Burst
Special Ability, and likewise with Sharp Sense [Hearing] and
the deafening effect of Shriek.
born with The Sight, and they never know what it is to be

sane.
Game Mechanics (The Sight):
N
Range/Radius: (Level *50) yards.
The Sight allows Characters to see auras, sense
magic, and detect Realm-bordering phenomena. Each Round,
the Character can sense one of the following forms of
phenomenon.
Shriek
Description: You create a thunderous, shattering sound,
that causes piercing pain and deafness in all nearby.
Game Mechanics (Shriek):
N
Cost to Use: Standard Mental; Damage:
(1d6+Levels)E; Accuracy: ---; Talent: ---; Hands
Required: ---; Range: Centered on self; Weapon
Features: Automatic; Radius [10 yd]; Save Roll:
Standard Physical.
If the target fails their Save roll, they also suffer the
Deafened Affliction for Standard Duration.
Image courtesy Anna Cervova, Publicdomainpictures.net.
Sense Auras: The Character can sense a single

target's current emotional state. A halo or cloud
of a specific color surrounds the target in the
Character's Sight, giving clues to the Character's
feelings. The Character is instantly aware if the
target is suffering the Afraid or Panicked
Afflictions, or any Emotional Afflictions, and
what they are. It's not possible to see another
person's Corruption Level, but you can see their
aura when they perform questionable actions, to
see if they're emotionally troubled by what they
do.
Sense Gateways and Ruptures: The Character can
sense Ruptures and Gateways, although they can't
sense where they lead. Gateways are often Warded
by their creators against discovery, though, so an
unwarded Gateway may have been forgotten, and
could lead anywhere.
Sense Magic: The Character can sense Formul or
Artifacts in use. Artifacts that store SPI or VIG
for use can be sensed as if constantly in use, but
only at 1/10 the normal Range.
Sense Unnaturals: The Character, on seeing
another single person, may detect if that person is
an Unnatural if they make a INS + Notice roll vs.
DF Hard. It requires an SF 10+ to determine what
Type of Unnatural the target is; on an SF 1 to 9,
the Character just knows that the target isn't what
they appear to be. Only one person per Round
may be scanned in this way. Any Effect that causes
a Standard Illusion (Physical) Save won't protect
against this use of The Sight, Standard Illusion
(Mental) Special Abilities will provide their
normal protection. This use of The Sight will also
detect the presence of any being in Spirit Form in
the vicinity.
Sight, The
Sorcery [ ]
Description: You can see the mysteries that lie hidden in

the Membrane; the unseen world is laid bare to you. Spirits,
magic, strange energies; you can see them slithering and
fluttering and shimmering past, all about. Some people are
Description: Sorcery allows a being to control cosmic

forces; with the aid of mystical learning and special
techniques, they may bend the universe to their will.
Page 59

Game Mechanics (Sorcery): The Character can learn the
Dark Art and Mystical Technique Talents, to a maximum
Level equal to this Special Ability. Choose one Attribute and
one Advanced Talent when Sorcery is selected; the Character
uses that Attribute and Advanced Talent with Dark Art when
making Formula rolls.
Spirit Form
Description: You transform your body directly into a
subtle, spiritual form, allowing you to walk through walls.
Game Mechanics (Spirit Form):
N
Action To Use: Transform; Cost To Use: ((11 Levels) + Membrane) SPI per Round.
The Character can shift themselves into the Membrane
itself; here, they can be seen as a sort of ghostly, semitransparent outline by beings in the Realm they just left, but
are effectively intangible. The Character gains 1 Level of The
Sight in this form, and a +3 bonus to all Sneak Talent rolls,
and cannot be harmed by normal weapons or attacks at all.
Magical attacks do half normal damage, including hand-tohand attacks by Characters who know Mystic Kung Fu, and
Close Combat attacks by Characters with the Affect Spirits
Special Ability do full damage.
The Character can use INS as STR, PER as AGI, and
WIL as TGH. Attribute loss to STR, AGI, and TGH can be
ignored by this Character in this form. The Character doesn't
suffer any Injury Damage on these Realms, and any Debility
damage is taken from SPI, not LIF.
Each day that the Character remains in Spirit Form, the
Character takes LIF damage equal to the Realm's Membrane.
This damage cannot be healed unless the being inhabits a
physical object or entity; inhabiting an object, it heals at a rate
of 1 per day, and inhabiting a living being, it regenerates at the
normal rate. Characters may inhabit an unattended item
automatically, but require the Possession Special Ability to
inhabit living beings or attended objects. The Telekinesis,
Interface, or Elemental Shaping Special Abilities are required
to animate and move inhabited objects.
Mystics using magic in Spirit Form suffer -2 to all Dark
Art [Substance] rolls, but +2 to all Dark Art [Spirit] rolls. The
cost of all Substance Formula is increased by 2, but the cost of
all Spirit magic rolls is reduced by 2.
Characters in Spirit Form can be killed as normal in
Spirit Form, and the First Aid Talent is useless for healing
damage in this form.
Stench
Description: Like a rotting zombie, you can produce a
repulsive stench that sickens anyone that smells it.
Game Mechanics (Stench):
N
Cost to Use: (Levels)/2 VIG; Action to Use:
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Physical; Effect:
Distracted; Range: Centered on self; Radius:
Standard; Duration: Standard.
Stigmata
Description: A sense of joy and peace overwhelms you,
as your body takes in divine energies and purges itself of all
that is corrupt.
Game Mechanics (Stigmata): The Character may gain
(Levels) SPI once per day, by suffering the Emotional (Joy)
and Bleeding Afflictions for (Levels) Rounds. The Character is
Frozen for 1 Round when they activate Stigmata, and they
bleed from (Levels) separate locations on their body each time
this Special Ability is used.
Summoning [ ]
Description: You call animals or mystical creatures to
serve you, and they arrive and obey when called.
Game Mechanics (Summoning):
N
Cost to Use: Standard; Duration: Double
Standard.
Choose some minor, non-sentient creature, like cats,
ravens, or zombies. The Character can summon 1 such small
animal per Level, or 1 per 2 Levels if it's a more capable
creature like a shadow goblin or a zombie. The summoned
creatures will arrive the next Round, and will be under the
Character's command, obeying the Character to the best of
their understanding.
Tail
Description: You have a tail like a beast, which helps
you keep your balance when you climb.
Game Mechanics (Tail): The Character gains a bonus of
(Levels) to all AGI+Athletics rolls to retain their balance. At
Level 5, the Tail can be used to hold objects, and at Level 10, it
is deft enough to use as an additional hand.
Page 60

(Levels) SPI; Radius: Standard Large (for
Scanning).
Telekinesis
Description: You master base matter with your mind,
moving it through midair as if it were manipulated by
powerful, invisible hands.
Game Mechanics (Telekinesis):
N
Action To Use: Control; Cost To Use: (STR
required to lift the object) SPI; Range: (Levels *10
yd).
The Character may exert the equivalent of (Ranks) STR
at a distance against any object they can sense clearly. Attack
rolls with Telekinesis use WIL in place of STR or AGI, and
the Ranged Combat Talent, but the Character may otherwise
make Grapple, Punch, and Tackle Attacks with Telekinesis.
The Character senses the presence of entities within the

listed radius. Once they're detected, the Telepath may switch
to reading their surface thoughts, one at a time.
Reading: Action To Use: Control; Cost To Use:

(Levels + target WIL) SPI; Range: Standard Large
(for Scanning); Save Roll: Standard Mental.
The Character scans a target's thoughts. Any entity may

make the listed Save roll to see if they detect a monitoring
psychic presence; if they do, they may attempt to blank their
minds. This is almost impossible to do when distracted by
combat, although one's thoughts in combat will be simple and
survival-oriented; outside of combat, a Telepath still gains +
(Levels)/2 to the Negotiation Talent when interacting with
someone attempting to blank their minds. The Telepath can
also communicate by sending their thoughts into the target's
mind, establishing two-way communication. The two must
share a language in common for communication to occur,
although the two can communicate very crudely by sending
and receiving pictures.
Probing: Time To Use: (11 Levels) minutes; Cost

To Use: (Levels + target WIL) SPI; Reach: 0; Save
Roll: WIL+Self-Control roll vs. DF ((Levels *2)
+10).
The Character looks into the target's memories to try to

pull up specific memories from the past. The degree of
information gained depends on the target's Failure Factor on
their Save roll. On FF 5+, the Telepath can see a vague
impression of the intended memory; on FF 6 to 10, the
impression is more detailed. On an FF 11 to 15, the Telepath
can see everything that they want, recalling all details that the
target can remember clearly, and finally, on FF 16+, the
Telepath can navigate the memory as if they were there,
noticing details that the target's conscious mind never even
noticed. A Telepath can also do a general survey of a target's
memories to learn the target's general Corruption score; the
SF required for this is 8+. A Mishap on the roll adds +10 to
the Character's effective Failure Factor.
Image courtesy Jason Rainville.
Telepathy
Description: You see into another person's mind,
reading their surface thoughts, looking for other minds in the
vicinity, or delving into another's memories.
Game Mechanics (Telepathy): There are three uses for
Telepathy; Scanning, Reading, and Probing.
N
Scanning: Action To Use: Control; Cost To Use:
Teleportation
Description: You skip to another Realm and back again
swiftly, bypassing distance and appearing where your enemies
least expect it.
Game Mechanics (Teleportation):
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N
Action To Use: Control; Cost To Use: (Levels +

Membrane) SPI; Range: (Levels *100 yd).
The Character can disappear from one location and

reappear instantaneously in another. The Character actually
takes a short inter-Realm shortcut, hopping to another,
nearby dimension where time moves faster in comparison
with the Mortal world, and then returning in a different spot.
The thicker the Membrane is in a location, though, the more
effort it takes. The Character must see or be familiar with the
location they're going to; if they aren't, there's a very good
chance they could teleport into a solid object, taking
(Levels)d6N damage to a random Body Part on reappearance.
All Characters that have been Teleported suffer a penalty of -2
AP the Round after Teleportation, as they re-orient
themselves.
Tentacles
Description: Your octopus-like tendrils can wrap
around your enemies in a steely, twisted embrace and squeeze
the life from them.
Game Mechanics (Tentacles): The Character gains a
bonus of +(Levels) to all STR+Close Combat rolls to Grapple.
Tongues
Description: Your deft mind can unriddle any cipher,
allowing you to learn any language in mere minutes.
Game Mechanics (Tongues):
N
Cost To Use: (Levels) SPI.
The Character can learn any new language they
encounter in (11 Levels, minimum 0) minutes.
Transmutation
Description: Like the alchemists of old, you can touch
an item and change its material composition, weaving gold
from straw with mere intention.
Game Mechanics (Transmutation):
N
Cost To Use: (Levels) SPI; Damage: (Levels)d6N;
Accuracy: -2; Talent: Close Combat; Hands
Required: 1-; Reach: 0; Weapon Features: None.
Levels of Expert [Science: Chemistry] to create anything as

complex as organic matter, like wood or flesh, and with 8+
Levels, the Character can even create edible meat or wine. It's
tempting to just instantly start creating hundreds of gold
bricks or diamonds, but the Servitors put a swift and brutal
end to anyone that the Hierates can tell is abusing
supernatural powers for their own ends, treaties be damned.
Traverse Realms
Description: You transition yourself and your allies to
another Realm, to continue your quest.
Game Mechanics (Traverse Realms):
N
Action to Use: Control; Cost to Use: (Levels +
Membrane) SPI, plus 1 TGH.
The Character can move to a neighboring Realm, taking
with them up to (Levels) other individuals. On arrival, all of
these other Characters are Frozen for (10 + 1d6 Levels)
Rounds, and automatically take 1 Energy Environmental
damage.
Unwinding
Description: You steal potential energy from a
mechanical or technological device, preventing it from
functioning. Like a toy that hasn't been wound, it sits, useless.
Game Mechanics (Unwinding):
N
Attack; Save Roll: Unattended items get none,
Possessions get their wielder's Standard Mental
Save; Effect: Item ceases to function as if taking
100% FUNC damage; Range: Standard; Duration:
Standard.
Venom
Description: You secrete a venom from your skin that
slowly kills your foes, as you stand by and laugh.
Game Mechanics (Venom):
N
Cost to Use: (Levels)/2 VIG; Action to Use:
Attack; Save Roll: Standard Physical; Effect: Suffer
-1 penalty to all Attributes per minute, may make
another save each minute; Range: Reach [0];
Duration: (FF)/2 minutes.
The Character can transmute up to (Levels) lbs. of mass

into any single element. If the Character possesses 2+ Levels of
the Advanced Talent Expert [Science: Chemistry], they may
create simple compounds (water, sand, salt), and with 4+
Levels, they may create more complex elements. It requires 6+
Page 62
Walk on Water
Wards
Description: You walk above the waters of a river, pond,

or the sea, as if beneath you were stone or soil.
Game Mechanics (Walk on Water):
N
Duration: Maintained; Effect: Character can walk
on water as if on dray land at their normal land
movement rate.
Description: You extend your will around an area,

protecting it from malign influences with your unbreakable
will.
Game Mechanics (Wards):
N
Action to Use: Control; Cost to Use: 1 WIL (see
below); Radius: Standard Long.
Choose one Special Ability per Level from the
following list: Astral Projection, Clairvoyance, Divination,
Elemental Sense, The Sight, Teleportation, or Traverse
Realms. The Character can place a mark on an item, and
protect an area from sensation or intrusion by that Special
Ability. While the Character has active Wards, they suffer a
penalty of -1 to WIL per active Ward.
Power Modifications
Who can resist playing God, toying with forces beyond
their control? This section allows one to manipulate the Dark
Powers, tailoring them to suit one's whims.
Each selection of a Power Modification either increases
or decreases the Character Point cost per Level of a Special
Ability.
Beast Hybrid
Requirements: Lycanthrope Level 1+.
Description: You can transform halfway into a bestial
form streamlined and specialized for slaughter.
Modification: +2 Cost Level.
Game Mechanics (Beast Hybrid): The Character can
transform into a half-human, half-beast form that has all the
benefits of both forms. In this form the Character is at their
normal Human size, plus 2 selections of the Large Special

Ability. If the base creature has the Small Claws Special
Ability, the Character gains 1 Level of the Claws Special
Ability in Beast Hybrid form; the same goes for Small Fangs
and Fangs.
Descriptor Change [ ]
Requirements: Any Special Ability without the Radius
Feature.
Description: Your Dark Power is more effective than
others' in some way.
Modification: See Descriptor Change Table.
Game Mechanics (Descriptor Change): Refer to the
Descriptor Change Table to see what the cost will be for the
modification desired.
Page 63
Descriptor Change Table

Descriptor
Modification Effect
N
N
Each -1 to AP cost increases Cost Level by +1.
Reducing SPI or VIG cost to increases Cost Level by 2; 2 selections reduces SPI or VIG cost to 0.
Formul still retain their normal minimum cost.
Increasing SPI or VIG cost by decreases Cost Level by 2.
N
N
Damage cannot be directly modified.
Adding the Balanced [-1], Block [-1], or Disarm [-1] Weapon Features decreases Cost Level by -1.
Adding the Requires Move Weapon Feature decreases Cost Level by -2.
N
N
N
Doubling Duration increases Cost Level by +1.
N
N
N
Protection cannot be directly modified.
Increasing a Large Radius by +4 yd increases Cost Level by +1. Adding Radius to an attack increases
Cost Level by +2.
Decreasing Radius by -4 yd decreases Cost Level by -1. Removing Radius from an attack decreases
Cost Level by -2.
N
N
Increasing Range by +25% increases Cost Level by +1.
Save Roll
N
N
Increasing Save roll DF by +5 increases Cost Level by +2.
Speed
N
N
Increasing Speed by +25% increases Cost Level by +1.
Action to Use
Cost to Use
Damage
Duration
Protection
Radius
Range
Each +1 to AP cost reduces Cost Level by +1. If the AP cost is reduced to 0, the Special Ability is
always on
Adding the Balanced [+1], Block [+1], Disarm [+1] Weapon Features increases Cost Level by +1. Adding
the Armor-Piercing, Autofire, Knocks Down, Manacle/Shackle, or Passive Weapon Features increases
Cost Level by +2.
Reducing Duration decreases Cost Level by -1; 1d3+1 becomes 1d2 Rounds, then 1 Round.
Changing Duration to Lasting increases Cost Level by +2 and doubles SPI and VIG Cost. Changing
Duration to Indefinite increases Cost Level by +2 and doubles SPI and VIG Cost again. Both require
Game Master permission. If the Special Ability has a Save and is easily reversible (i.e. the Prone
Affliction is ended with a Change Position Action), the Duration is automatically Indefinite.
Adding the Hardened or More Effective Armor Feature increases Cost Level by +1.
Adding the Less Effective Armor Feature decreases Cost Level by -1. Adding the Ablative Armor
Feature decreases Cost Level by -2.
Decreasing Range by decreases Cost Level by -1. Decreasing Range to Touch decreases Cost Level by
-2; the attack becomes Close Combat, and has Reach [0].
Decreasing Save roll DF by -5 decreases Cost Level by -2.
Decreasing Speed by -25% decreases Cost Level by -1.
Hidden
seen. The Special Ability is still fully visible to The Sight as

normal.
Requirements: Any Special Ability with obvious effects.

Description: Your Dark Power is hidden from the eyes
of casual observers; only those with mystic vision can see the
truth.
Game Mechanics (Hidden): The Special Ability cannot
be noticed by the ordinary senses; only the effects may be
Implement
Requirements: Any Special Ability.
Description: Your Dark Power requires an outside focus
to use. The Dark Power is totally inaccessible without the
Implement, although the power will still lie dormant within
Page 64

you, waiting to be released.
Modification: -1 Cost Level.
Game Mechanics (Implement): Choose one sort of tool
or item; the Character must have and use that item to make
use of the Special Ability. An example is Satyrs and their use
of the pan-flute to inflict Anguish or Daydreams on their
victims.
Limited Application
Requirements: Any Special Ability.
Description: Your Dark Power isn't as flexible as others';
instead of warping metal in general, it only opens locks, or
maybe instead of controlling any mind, it only dictates the
actions of animals.
Modification: -1, -2, or -3 Cost Level.
Game Mechanics (Limited Application): Choose one
more specialized, limited application for the Dark Power. For
-1 Cost Level, the Dark Power isn't useful about half the time;
an example of this would be Enslave that only worked on
animals. For -2 Cost Level, the Dark Power is only useful
about 25% of the time; an example of this would be Healing
that only restored HLT lost to Energy Damage. Finally, for -3
Cost Level, the Dark Power is very rarely useful; an example
of this would be Shape Element [Substance] that only works
for opening locks.
For magic, Limited Application cannot be applied when

Freecasting, only to Formul.
Regrowth
Requirements: Regeneration 1+ Levels.
Description: Even if completely severed, your body
parts will completely grow back in time.
Game Mechanics (Hidden): The Character will regrow
lost Body Parts, even if they are completely severed.
Resurrection [ ]
Requirements: Immortal 1+ Levels, Regeneration 1+
Levels, Regrowth.
Description: When you say that you're immortal, you're
really, really Immortal. It takes some extraordinary measures
for your enemies to finally wipe you out.
Game Mechanics (Hidden): The Character will rise
from the dead even if their Head or Torso is severed. Burning
the body, or otherwise pulverizing or disintegrating it, will
kill the Character once and for all; the Player must also
choose one other method to finally kill the Character
completely.
Innate Powers
Innate Powers are Special Abilities that the Character
possesses without needing to make spellcasting Talent rolls.
Innate Powers are part of the Character, and are an innate part
of them in the same way as the Character's Attributes, Talents,
and Hardships are. Innate Powers typically belong to

particularly non-Human Unnaturals, like Ghls, Enkidu, and
the Children of Light and Darkness.
Formulae
Learning Formulae
Spellcasting Procedure
To learn a Formula, the Character must possess the

appropriate Dark Art Talent Specialization. The Character
learns one Formula per Level in the Dark Art Talent. The
effective Level of the Formula's Special Ability is equal to the
Character's Mystical Art Level.
Here are the steps in casting a spell:

(1). Decide if you're going to use a Formula or, if you
have the option, if you're Freeecasting. If you're Freecasting,
go to (2). If not, go to (3).
(2). Describe your intended effect to the Game Master,
and what Dark Art you want to use to accomplish it. If it
sounds reasonable, the Game Master will tell you what the
Page 65

effective Cost per Level of the effect will be. Go to (3).
(3). Decide on the Level of effect that you want. Each
Level will be more powerful, but harder to cast and more
expensive. Also decide on what Mystical Techniques you will
use to mitigate the SPI cost of the effect. Go to (4).
(4). Roll appropriate Attribute + Advanced Talent +
Dark Art Talent vs. DF (20 + total BP cost of the Special
Ability for the Level you want). Go to (5).
(5). Pay (Levels)d6 SPI to activate the Power, plus any
listed non-SPI cost. The total cost is doubled if you're
Freecasting, and doubled if you roll a Mishap OR a Triumph.
A spell's SPI cost cannot be reduced below (listed cost +
Levels), no matter what Mystical Techniques are used. If
you're at or below 0 SPI, make the appropriate rolls on the
Going Bugfuck Tables.
(6). If your spell is a Ranged Combat Attack or a Close

Combat Attack, proceed with your Attack rolls.
That's it. It looks complex, but it gets simpler with time.
Listed below are the Mystical Techniques that Characters can
learn to reduce the cost of their magic.
Below is the Formul Table. As a Mystic gains
knowledge about the Elements, they can manage more
complex and obvious effects. At first they can only sense the
Elements and tweak their shape, but in the end the Mystic can
reverse and warp them, and even summon Elementals from
the other Realms.
Page 66
Formulae Table
Dark Powers
Element
Body
Initiatus
(Level 1 to 2)
Zelator
(Level 3 to 4)
Spirits
Magus
(Level 9 to 10)
The body is the

microcosm of the
universe.
Adhesion, Body
Spikes, Carapace,
Claws, Divination
[Palmistry], Endure
Privation [Any],
Fangs, Ferocity,
Horns, Sense Element
[Body], Sharp Sense
[Any], Tail, Tentacles.
Anguish [Any], Extra

Arms, Extra Head,
Extra Legs, Glow,
Healing, Leaping,
Monstrous Appendage
[Any], Regeneration,
Resistance [Any
Physical], Stench,
Venom.
Elemental Bolt
[Body], Elemental
Shield [Body],
Elemental Weapon
[Body], Large, Plague.
Inhuman Attribute
[Any Physical],
Shapeless, Summoning
Leeching, Lycanthrope [Devourers].
[Any], Shapeshifting.
Nothing lasts
forever. Everyone has
a destiny.
Destiny is mutable,
through our own
actions.
Destiny is
inescapable. Free will
is an illusion.
Everything has
already happened,
exactly as it should.
Blessings, Curses,
Divination [Any],
Dumb Luck.
Condemnation,
Traverse Realms,
Ward.
Elemental Bolt
Clairvoyance,
[Destiny], Elemental
Elemental Shield
Weapon [Destiny],
[Destiny], Telekinesis.
Sever Fate.
There is no death,
just endless change.
There are many

realities. Everything
that can happen,
does.
Clone, Pocket Realm,
Summoning [Reapers].
Motion and stillness Power and speed are Nothing can stop me I am already there,
are different ends of
merely matters of
should I choose to
for I am all places at
the same pendulum. perception.
move.
once.
All energy is but a

different vibration in
a cosmic symphony.
Adhesion, Blinding
Burst, Dim Sight,
Divination
[Pyromancy], Glow,
Levitation, Sense
Element [Energy],
Sharp Sense [Sight].
Elemental Bolt
Cloak, Darkness,
[Energy], Elemental
Dark Sight, Interface,
Shaping [Energy],
Leaping, Unwinding,
Elemental Weapon
Walk on Water.
[Energy].
Elemental Shield
[Energy], Mirage,
Teleportation.
Clone, Summoning
[Salamanders or
Sprites].
Spirit surrounds us
and binds the world
together.
The spirit of
The spirits affect us
everything is bound in all, moment by
a great cycle.
moment.
The world is but the

intersection of many
different archetypal
forms.
There is no 'I', only

the universe seeing
itself wearing many
masks.
Affect Spirits,
Anguish [Any], Astral
Projection, Divination
[Oneiromancy], Sense
Element [Spirits].
Daydream, Inhuman
Attribute [Any
Mental], Nightmares,
Resistance [Any
Mental], Ward.
Alter Memories,
Possession,
Miasma of Madness,
Redemption, Scourge,
Spirit Form,
Stigmata, Tongues,
Summoning [Ghosts
Telepathy.
or Tulpas].
Enslave, Elemental
Bolt [Spirit],
Elemental Shield
[Spirits], Elemental
Weapon [Spirits].
Matter is a
Matter is the
There are only atoms
hologram, a projected plaything of the
and the void.
force.
gods.
Substance
Magister
(Level 7 to 8)
The body is the

In the body lay
Trust the wisdom of
temple of the soul,
wondrous powers, yet the unified bodyheir to all its virtues. untapped.
mind.
Destiny
Energy
Adeptus
(Level 5 to 6)
Divination
[Aeromancy,
Hydromancy, or
Lithomancy],
Entangle, Sense
Element [Substance].
Fog, Gust, Shriek,

Stench, Telekinesis,
Walk on Water.
The alchemist is the

Matter is merely our
first and final
perception of a manyingredient of any
dimensional reality.
transmutation.
Elemental Shaping
Elemental Bolt
Summoning [Gnomes,
[Substance], Elemental [Substance], Elemental Sylphs, or Undines],
Shield [Substance].
Weapon [Substance]. Transmutation.
Page 67
The rank titles for the Elements came from the Knights
of Pymander. Mystics use the rank titles to describe their
stages of learning each Element; Mystics with an odd Level
sometimes identify themselves as Lesser/Junior while those
with an even Level may say Greater/Senior, as in Lesser
Zelator of Substance or Greater Initiatus of Spirit. Some
Collegiums even grant official privileges and responsibilities
based on a Mystic's highest-ranked Elemental knowledge.
High Mysteries
The Dark Arts that Mystics wield are capable of changing the
world, but even these changes are limited and temporary. When a
Magus overcomes the limits of even their vast knowledge, they
attain the rank of Ipsissimus, one capable of reshaping entire
continents, stopping a planet's rotation for a day, or defying the
Dark Princes themselves.
High Mysteries such as these require Levels higher than 10 in
a Dark Art, and may take decades or centuries to research and cast.
Ipsissimi are incredibly rare, very rarely sane, and utterly obsessed
with their inscrutable pursuits. It's said of the Ipsissimus Ensi Abgal
that he might not notice if the Elder Beasts did manage to invade
and conquer the City of Spirits, unless he was alerted.
High Mysteries are not available to PCs except with special
Game Master permission.
Mystical Techniques
Mystical Techniques extend a Mystic's magical
capabilities, or reduce the Spirit cost of magic, drastically
reducing the risk to their sanity when they bend the
Elements. The Mystical Techniques Advanced Talent gives
Characters a new Mystical Technique with every Level.
immobile spot that will be the Character's Altar when you

select this Mystical Technique. As long as the Character is at
their Altar, the SPI cost of all Formul is reduced by -1 per
Level.
Ancient Languages
Requirements: Languages Talent 1+, with Focus in
Egyptian, Enochian, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, or some
other ancient language.
Description: You speak in the language of the Elements
themselves, and the salamanders and undines hasten to obey.
Game Mechanics (Ancient Languages): The SPI cost of
the Character's Formula is reduced by 1, as long as the
Character speaks in the Ancient Language in their own voice
and can be clearly understood. Ancient Languages doesn't
work underwater, or when the Character has just had dental
work done, and recordings or electronic transmissions don't
work either.
Blood Sacrifice
Image courtesy Public-domain-photos.net.
Altar [ ]
Requirements: Lair 1+ Levels.
Description: You create a sacred space where magical
energies move more freely, and where your Great Work can
continue uninterrupted.
Game Mechanics (Altar): Designate one permanent,
Requirements: Hidden Lore Talent 1+ Levels.

Description: You let loose your blood, or that of
another; you feed the Elements, and they do as you bid for a
time.
Game Mechanics (Blood Sacrifice): The Character
sacrifices X Levels of TGH, up to their Mystical Techniques
Level, and reduces the Formula's SPI cost by (Levels * X).
Page 68
Consecrated Tools
Description: You craft wands, amulets, cards, or
daggers, or even specialized Thaumatronic devices or
computer programs, to amplify your magical potential when
used.
Game Mechanics (Consecrated Tools): As long as the
Character uses their Consecrated Tools, the SPI cost of the
Character's Formula is reduced by (Levels)/2. The Character
may have a maximum number of Consecrated Tools equal to
their Mystical Techniques Level, but may only benefit from
one at a time.
Dancing
Requirements: Expert (Dancing) Talent 1+ Levels.
Description: You move your body to the music of the
Spheres, and your body calls to the Elements, seducing them
to obey.
Game Mechanics (Dancing): The Character reduces
their CDEF and RDEF by X, up to their Mystical Techniques
Level, and reduce the SPI cost of the Formula by (X *
Levels)/2.
Elixirs
Requirements: Expert (Drugs) Talent 1+ Levels.
Description: You prepare sacramental wine, or some
other mind-bending chemical, that frees your mind from the
grip of the Vale of the Downtrodden, and lets you reach the
higher Realms.
Game Mechanics (Elixirs): While the Character is under
the effects of the Elixir, the Character suffers the Distracted or
Inebriated Affliction, but the SPI cost of all Character's
Formul are reduced by (Levels). Most Elixirs last 1d3+3
hours, after which time the Character is Exhausted for twice
that long.
Fasting
Requirements: Endurance Talent 1+ Levels.
Description: By abstaining from food, your body grows
weak but your soul grows strong.
Game Mechanics (Fasting): As long as the Character
fasts, the SPI cost of all Character's Formul are reduced by
(Levels)/2, but the Character suffers the Distracted Affliction.
The Character must have been fasting for at least 24 hours to
gain this effect, subsisting on nothing but water.
Description: You channel the power of raw magic,

shaping it on the spot rather than calling on time-honored
techniques. You risk madness in the most stark way, but the
rush is exhilarating.
Game Mechanics (Freecasting): The Character tries to
cast a Formula that they don't really know, or try to make a
new one up on the spot. Either way, the base SPI cost for the
spell doubles; the minimum cost for any Freecast spell is
(listed cost + Levels) *2 SPI. The Character is free to apply any
Descriptor Change they want to modify the Freecast spell. A
general outline of the descriptors and their effects can be
found below.
N
Damaging Spells:
Ranged Combat: Standard Ranged Combat

Damage for the Element used, to one target
at Standard Range with an Attack Action.
Base Cost: Average.
Close Combat: Standard Close Combat

Damage for the Element used, at Reach [0]
with an Attack Action. Base Cost: Average.
N
Miscellaneous Spells: Base Cost: Average.
N
Protective Spells: The Character gains Standard
Protection IPRO and DPRO, no Action required.
Base Cost: Average.
N
Sensory Spells: Base Cost: Cheap.
N
Travel Spells: The base speed is (Levels *10) mph.
Base Cost: Average.
Flight: The base speed doubles. Base Cost:

Expensive.
Ingredients
Requirements: Connections or Wealth Talent 1+ Levels.
Description: You obtain rare and valuable materials to
use in your magical experiments, like flawless gems, rare herbs
or animal parts, or the fragments of broken Artifacts.
Game Mechanics (Ingredients): The more expensive the
Trifles, the more helpful they are. Each Trifle slot spent gives
the ability to use the Ingredients Technique once; each use of
Ingredients reduces SPI costs by (Levels).
Magical Passes
Description: You make special movements in with your
arms and hands.
Game Mechanics (Magical Passes): The SPI cost of the
Character's Formula is reduced by 1, or reduced by 2 if both
hands must be free.
Freecasting
Page 69
Participants
Requirements: Mystical Techniques Focus Dancing,
Rituals, or Tantra.
Description: Your spell requires a number of people, all
giving of themselves to make it work.
Game Mechanics (Participants): Each Participant may
contribute 1 SPI to the Character's Formula, to a maximum
number of Participants equal to double the Character's Mystic
Techniques Level. The base time to cast the Formula doubles,
however.
Rituals
Requirements: Hidden Lore Talent 3+ Levels; Mystical
Techniques Focus Ancient Languages, Consecrated Tools, or
Magical Passes.
Description: You
Game Mechanics (Rituals): For each full minute that the
Character spends all AP casting the spell, the SPI cost is
reduced by (Levels).
Sympathetic Connection
Requirements: Hidden Lore Talent 3+ Levels, Rituals,
Limited choice of Formul (Anguish, Blessings, Curses, or
Nightmares).
Description: You do that voodoo that you do so well.
Your enemies writhe in pain miles away, and you laugh,
knowing they'll remember you, promising vengeance.
Game Mechanics (Sympathetic Connection): The
Character obtains a piece of the target's body, such as hair or
blood, and affects them at a vastly increased distance. The
Formula only affects one, single target at a time. The SPI cost
of the Character's Ritual is reduced by (Levels)/3 if skin or
hair is used, but is reduced by (Levels) if blood is used. The
Range for all Formul that use a Sympathetic Connection is

100 times normal, and the Special Ability is treated as
Hidden; it's not obvious who's attacking from afar. A
Character must usually make an Opposed roll of INS +
Notice + Investigation vs. the target's INS + Sneak + Obscurity
to obtain the sample without breaking into their home or
capturing them.
Tantra
Requirements: Endurance Talent 1+ Levels; Expert (Sex)
Talent 1+ Levels.
Description: Sexual tension contains powerful energies,
and you and your partner summon all your control to release
those energies to cast a spell.
Game Mechanics (Tantra): The Character has sex with
another, funneling the energy into a spell they cast as they
climax. This takes 1 hour, and the Character makes a TGH +
Endurance + Expert (Art: Sex) roll vs. DF Average (20). The
SPI cost of the spell is reduced by (Levels * SF/2), to a
maximum of the Character's Mystical Techniques Level. Both
sexual partners suffer the Exhausted Affliction for an hour
afterward. Sex has other dangers, like diseases and pregnancy,
and it's up to the Character to think ahead about these things
or the Game Master may have surprises in store.
Vital Sacrifice
Description: You channel your physical energy into a
spell, potentially exhausting yourself but summoning
powerful forces.
Game Mechanics (Vital Sacrifice): The Character
sacrifices X Levels of VIG, up to their Mystical Techniques
Level, and reduces the Formula's SPI cost by (Levels * X)/3.
Page 70
Chapter X: Possessions
Characters are assumed to have a full-time, minimum-wage job, a one-room apartment, about $50.00 in small unmarked
bills, and an assortment of furniture and appliances. Everything else the Character may need can be chosen from the Weapon,
Armor, and Trifle lists below.
Tools of Death (Weapons)

Characters with Levels in Close Combat or Ranged
Combat may start with one appropriate weapon of their
choice.
most firearms, a box of 50 shells (or arrows, or bolts) costs

$10.
Unarmed weapons like Bite, Punch, and Jump Kick

can be found in Chapter XI: Strife.
Weapon Descriptors
Damage: The amount and type of damage that the
weapon inflicts.
Accuracy: The Modification to attack rolls with the
weapon.
Talent: The Talent that's used to attack with the
weapon; usually this'll be Close Combat or Ranged Combat.
Some Weapons require the Character to possess an additional
Talent; for example, some combat maneuvers will list Close
Combat + Martial Arts.
Hands Required [ ]: The weapon requires 1 or 2 hands
to wield. If the weapon says it requires 1- hands to wield, the
weapon can be wielded with one hand, but gains a +2
Accuracy bonus if wielded with 2 hands. If the Character
doesn't have free hands (for example, they're Manacled), they
can't use a weapon that doesn't have --- listed without Game
Master permission.
Conceal: Characters make Opposed AGI+Trickery rolls
against an enemy's INS+Notice to hide weapons on
themselves; the Conceal descriptor indicates any penalties to
conceal the weapon. If the weapon has a Conceal Descriptor
of N/A, the weapon can't be concealed by a Human-sized
Character. Any weapon with a modifier of -15 or more
requires a long coat, or it becomes N/A.
Reach: For Close Combat weapons, the Reach modifier
for the weapon.
Range: For Ranged Combat weapons, the Range
increment for the weapon.
Weight: The mass of the weapon.
Shots: For Ranged Combat weapons, the number of
times the weapon can fire before it a Ready Item Action must
be taken to reload the weapon.
Cost: The amount of money that the weapon costs. For
Weapon Features
Armor-Piercing: Both IPRO and DPRO are halved
when damage is applied; round down, but to a minimum of 1.
The Hardened Armor Feature negates the Armor-Piercing
weapon Feature.
Autofire [ ]: The weapon has an Autofire setting. On
Autofire, the damage from successful attacks is multiplied by
the die in brackets, after modification for armor (1d2, 1d3, or
1d6), but the weapon suffers a -5 Accuracy Penalty. Characters
don't get to place their shots on SF 10+ with an Autofire
weapon, but in such a case, all of their bullets land, no need to
roll the dice for a multiplier. In such a case, an Autofire [1d2]
weapon would have damage does doubled after armor is
applied, an Autofire [1d3] weapon would just be tripled, etc.
Automatic: No roll to hit is needed. This is typical of
weapons like land mines; most Automatic attacks have a Save
roll.
Balanced / Clumsy [ ]: Attack and Block Actions receive
a Modification to their Critical Success or Critical Failure
Chance equal to the number listed in the brackets.
Block [ ]: Block rolls receive a Modification equal to the
number listed in the brackets; this stacks with the
Modification from the Weapon's Accuracy and Reach. Some
weapons will be listed Cannot Block; these weapons cannot be
used for Block Actions.
Disarm [ ]: Disarm rolls receive a Modification equal to
the number listed in the brackets; this stacks with the
Modification from the Weapon's Accuracy and Reach. Some
weapons will be listed Cannot Disarm; these weapons cannot
be used for Disarm Actions.
Environmental: This weapon completely ignores
Armor, even if it's Hardened. Ignore any Injury Damage the
weapon would usually do; it only inflicts Debility Damage.
Faster/Slower [ ]: Attack and Block Actions receive a
Modification to their AP cost equal to the number listed in
the brackets.
Knocks Down: The target must make an AGI+Athletics
Page 71

Save roll vs. the attacker's (STR+Close Combat+10) or suffer
the Prone Affliction.
Manacle/Shackle [ ]: The weapon can be used to cause
the Manacled or Shackled Afflictions. If used in this way, the
weapon does half Injury and no Debility damage for that
attack, and the attack suffers the listed Accuracy
Modification.
Passive: You don't have to make attacks with this
weapon; anyone that comes into contact with a Character
wielding this weapon automatically takes damage. The
Character with the Passive weapon doesn't even need to make
an Attack roll, and it doesn't matter how good the target's
CDEF is.
Radius [ ]: This weapon affects a number of targets
simultaneously. If it's a Ranged Combat Attack, the weapon
affects all targets in with the listed distance from the target (a
listed number of yards). If it's a Close Combat Attack, the
weapon affects all targets within the listed distance from the
attacker (listed as Reach).
Reload [ ]: It takes an additional number of AP to
reload the weapon equal to the number listed in the brackets.
Requires Move: The Character must take a Run or Jump
Action before their Attack Action to use this weapon. Good
examples include the Tackle and Jump Kick attacks.
Restricted [ ]: PCs may not choose this Weapon as one
of their starting Weapons unless they possess the listed Levels
in the Authority Talent, or a combination of the Connections
and Wealth Talents adding up to that amount.
Save Roll [ ]: The Attack isn't always fully effective; a
fast, strong-willed, or tough target can fight off some or all of
the effects.
Save Roll: The Attribute and Talent, and DF, to
save against the attack.
Effect: If failed, the Character suffers a Hardship
or Affliction. If successful, the Attack does nothing.
Half Damage: If failed, the Attack does full
damage. If successful, the Attack does half damage.
Universal: Everyone has this weapon, and the weapon
cannot be Disarmed. Universal weapons include attacks like
Punches, Kicks, and Grapples.
Suspicious Behavior
Most people don't go around carrying weapons, or wearing
armor. Even when and where it's legal, it's usually noteworthy, even a
little odd, that someone is packing heat. That's why small or
improvised weapons are often a safer bet.
Also, in most decent neighborhoods in the city, nothing
brings unwanted attention like the sound of gunshots, so melee
weapons or unarmed attacks are also favored by many Unnaturals.
Besides, many Unnaturals have powers that are better than guns or
bulletproof vests anyway.
Baseball Bat
Description: When your enemies get too close, you send
one into the bleachers.
Game Mechanics (Baseball Bat): Damage: (2d6+HTH)B;
Accuracy: -1; Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 1-;
Reach: 2; Conceal: -10; Weight: 2 lbs.; Cost: $25.00; Weapon
Features: None.
Brass Knuckles
Description: A short metal weapon designed to add
weight to ordinary punches, your Brass Knuckles are illegal in
many places because of their bone-crushing power.
Game Mechanics (Brass Knuckles): Damage:
(1d6+HTH)B; Accuracy: -1; Talent: Close Combat; Hands
Required: 1; Reach: 0; Conceal: ---; Weight: lbs.; Cost:
$10.00; Weapon Features: Restricted [1].
Chain Saw
Description: As long as you've got gasoline, your saw
can chew rapidly through trees, stumps, or, very messily,
through flesh.
Game Mechanics (Chain Saw): Damage: 5d6G;
Accuracy: -2; Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 2;
Reach: 2; Conceal: -15; Weight: 10 lbs.; Cost: $200; Weapon
Features: None.
Compound Bow
Description: Like some kind of modern-day Robin
Hood, you nock an arrow and send a bladed shaft into them.
Game Mechanics (Compound Bow): Damage:
(3d6+HTH)E; Accuracy: +1; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands
Required: 2; Range: ((STR *2) +10) yd; Conceal: N/A; Weight:
5 lbs.; Shots: 1; Cost: $200.00; Weapon Features: Cannot
Block; Cannot Disarm; Reload [3].
Crossbow
Description: Like a bow mounted on a rifle stock, your
crossbow holds bolts ready to fire until you're ready.
Game Mechanics (Crossbow): Damage: (2d6+HTH+3)E;
Accuracy: ---; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands Required: 2;
Range: ((STR *3) +12 yd); Conceal: N/A; Weight: 8 lbs.; Shots:
1; Cost: $125.00; Weapon Features: Cannot Block; Cannot
Disarm; Reload [5].
Page 72
Crow Bar
Description: You heft a bar of metal used to pry open
crates. Its weight and slight edges make it kind of unwieldy,
but still great at cracking open skulls.
Game Mechanics (Crow Bar): Damage: (4d6+HTH)B;
Accuracy: -2; Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 1-;
Reach: 1; Conceal: -10; Weight: 5 lbs.; Cost: $40.00; Weapon
Features: Hands Required [1].
Dynamite
Description: It's not just for coyotes anymore;
Dynamite is a powerful enough explosive to blow a tree trunk
out of the ground. It needs to be lit and then thrown, and so it
isn't that good when wet or in high winds.
Game Mechanics (Dynamite): Damage: 6d6G;
Accuracy: -1; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands Required: 1;
Range: (STR) yd; Conceal: ---; Weight: lbs.; Shots: 1; Cost:
$150.00; Weapon Features: Cannot Block; Cannot Disarm;
Radius [4 yd]; Restricted [1]; Save roll [AGI+Ranged Combat
vs. DF Difficult (25); Half Damage]; Slower [4].
Fire Ax
Description: Chopping down zombies is no harder than
chopping down doors in a burning building with a fire ax.
Game Mechanics (Fire Ax): Damage: (3d6+HTH)E;
Reach: 2; Conceal: N/A; Weight: 2 lbs.; Cost: $40.00; Weapon
Features: Block [-2], Disarm [-2].
Holdout Pistol
Description: Small enough to hide in a pants pocket,
this snub-nose revolver is still big enough to put some hurt on
anyone that messes with you.
Game Mechanics (Holdout Pistol): Damage: 4d6+1G;
Range: 4 yd.; Conceal: ---; Weight: lb.; Shots: 4; Cost:
Reload [3].
Hunting Rifle
Description: Designed for taking down wild game from
a distance, your hunting rifle has a long range and decent
accuracy.
Game Mechanics (Hunting Rifle): Damage: 6d6G;
Accuracy: +1; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands Required: 2;
Range: 100 yd; Conceal: N/A; Weight: 5 lbs.; Shots: 10; Cost:
$250.00; Weapon Features: Reload [2].
Image courtesy, Simon Howden, Freedigitalphotos.net.
Knife
Description: Whether a stiletto or a Ka-Bar, this
short sharp hunk of metal rips and tears opponents into lunch
meat.
Game Mechanics (Knife): Damage: (2d6+HTH)E;
Accuracy: ---; Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 1;
Reach: 0; Conceal: ---; Weight: lb.; Cost: $10.00; Weapon
Features: None.
Machete
Description: Used for cutting brush, bamboo, or sugar
cane, machetes are bladed tools a little over a foot long.
Game Mechanics (Machete): Damage: (3d6+HTH);
Reach: 1; Conceal: -15; Weight: 1 lb.; Cost: $15.00; Weapon
Features: None.
Molotov Cocktail
Description: A rag, a glass bottle, and some petrol is all
you need to really light up the party.
Game Mechanics (Molotov Cocktail): Damage: 4d6N;
Range: (Strength) yd; Conceal: -5; Weight: lb.; Shots: 1;
Cost: $10.00; Weapon Features: Cannot Block; Cannot
Disarm; Radius [2 yd]; Save roll [AGI+Ranged Combat vs. DF
Difficult (25); Half Damage].
Night Stick
Description: You've got a short, heavy stick, often with
a smaller handle extending out of the side at 90 degrees.
Night Sticks are nasty blunt weapons carried by police and
security officers.
Game Mechanics (Night Stick): Damage:
Page 73

(1d6+1d3+HTH)B; Accuracy: +1; Talent: Close Combat; Hands
Required: 1; Reach: 1; Conceal: -10; Weight: 1 lbs.; Cost:
$40.00; Weapon Features: Block [+1]; Disarm [+1].
Replica Sword
Description: Real swords went out of use long ago, but
some collectors still purchase replica swords for decoration
and emergency use.
Game Mechanics (Replica Sword): Damage:
(4d6+HTH); Accuracy: -1; Talent: Close Combat; Hands
Required: 1-; Reach: 2.; Conceal: -15; Weight: 4 lbs.; Cost:
$250.00; Weapon Features: Clumsy [1].
Revolver
Description: Real cowboy Dirty Harry guns, these
pistols are real old school, reliable and dependable.
Game Mechanics (Revolver): Damage: 5d6+1d2G;
Accuracy: -1; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands Required: 1-;
Range: 8 yd.; Conceal: -5; Weight: 1 lb.; Shots: 6; Cost:
Reload [5].
Semi-Automatic Pistol
Description: You feel like a real action hero or a forreals gangsta when you whip out your piece and start laying
down fire.
Game Mechanics (Semi-Automatic Pistol): Damage:
5d6G; Accuracy: -1; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands Required:
1-; Range: 8 yd.; Conceal: -5; Weight: 1 lb.; Shots: 7; Cost:
$200.00; Weapon Features: Cannot Block; Cannot Disarm.
Shotgun
Description: This is your BOOM STICK.
Game Mechanics (Sub-machine Gun): Damage: 5d6+2E;
Range: 10 yd.; Conceal: -15; Weight: 4 lbs.; Shots: 2; Cost:
Radius [2 yd].
Steel-Toed Boots
Description: Your kicks gain great force when you put
on these ordinary leather boots with metal in the tips.
Game Mechanics (Brass Knuckles): Damage:
(1d6+HTH)B; Accuracy: -2; Talent: Close Combat; Hand
Required: ---; Reach: 1; Conceal: --; Weight: 1 lbs.; Cost:
Sub-Machine Gun
Description: You let loose a veritable wall of bullets
with your highly illegal (but highly fun) military automatic
weapon.
Game Mechanics (Sub-machine Gun): Damage: 5d6G;
Range: 60 yd.; Conceal: -15; Weight: 8 lbs.; Shots: 30; Cost:
$400.00; Weapon Features: Autofire [1d6]; Cannot Block;
Cannot Disarm; Restricted [5].
Thrown Rock
Description: You grab a stone up from the ground and
lob it at someone, clubbing them like David did to that big
guy.
Game Mechanics (Thrown Rock): Damage: (HTH+2)B;
Range: (STR yd.; Conceal: ---; Weight: lb.; Shots: 1; Cost:
Throwing Knife
Image courtesy Suat Eman, Freedigitalphotos.net.
Description: Your shuriken or juggling knives are good

for lobbing at the enemy from across the room; it's like
playing lawn darts with moving, screaming targets.
Game Mechanics (Throwing Knife): Damage:
(1d6+HTH)E; Accuracy: -1; Talent: Ranged Combat; Hands
Required: 1; Range: (STR) yd; Conceal: ---; Weight: lb.;
Shots: 1; Cost: $10.00; Weapon Features: None.
Page 74

Game Mechanics (Weighted Chain): Damage:
(1d6+HTH)B; Accuracy: -1; Talent: Close Combat; Hands
Required: 1-; Reach: 3; Conceal: -5; Weight: 1 lb.; Cost: $5.00;
Weapon Features: Block [-4], Disarm [+2], Manacle/Shackle
[+2].
Weighted Chain
Description: A shot length of chain with weights on
either end is a simple yet effective means of pulling their
weapon away, and then bringing them down.
Stopping the Pain (Armor)

The shadows in which the Unnaturals dwell are brutal
and bloody. Sometimes you need to put something between
you and the claws of some horrific monster, and that would be
Armor.
Armor Descriptors
DPRO: Debility Protection.
IPRO: Injury Protection.
Weight: The mass of the Armor.
Cost: The amount of money that the Armor costs.
Bulletproof Vest
Description: Typically used by police and the military,
your Bulletproof Vest stops low-caliber bullets, but isn't so
good against
Game Mechanics (Bulletproof Vest):
N
Torso
IPRO: 20, DPRO: 3.
Weight: 10 lbs.; Cost: $200.00; Armor Features:
Ablative, Less Effective (Blunt, Edged), Restricted [3].
Leather Jacket
Armor Features
Ablative: Each time the armor is hit, it loses 1 Level of
IPRO; Armor-Piercing weapons remove 2 Levels of IPRO.
When the armor's IPRO is reduced to or less, it begins
losing DPRO as well. Environmental weapons don't remove
any IPRO or DPRO from Ablative Armor.
Hardened: This Armor is just as effective against
Armor-Piercing weapons as it is against other weapons.
Less Effective [ ]: The IPRO and DPRO for this Armor
is reduced to against the listed form of Damage.
More Effective [ ]: The IPRO and DPRO for this Armor
is increased to 1- times normal against the listed form of
Damage.
Restricted [ ]: PCs may not choose this Armor unless
they possess the listed Levels in the Authority Talent, or a
combination of the Connections and Wealth Talents adding
up to that amount.
Description: Nothing looks as badass as a black leather

jacket; the fact that it's designed to help cushion you from
death at high speeds is a bonus.
Game Mechanics (Leather Jacket):
N
Torso
IPRO: 10, DPRO: 1.
N
Arm
IPRO: 9, DPRO: 1.
Weight: 4 lbs.; Cost: $200.00; Armor Features:
None.
Motorcycle Helmet
Description: Designed to protect your skull from a
high-speed crash, a Motorcycle Helmet can help cushion you
from deliberate attacks as well.
Game Mechanics (Motorcycle Helmet):
N
Head
IPRO: 15, DPRO: 2.
Weight: 1 lb.; Cost: $30.00; Armor Features: None.
Tough As Nails
Description: As a result of your tough demeanor, you
can take a lot of punishment before you begin to fold.
Game Mechanics (Tough As Nails):
N
All Body Parts IPRO: (Levels)/2, DPRO: 1.
Armor Features: None.
Page 75
Dying with the Most Stuff (Trifles)

Trifles are helpful small items that don't do much (if
any) damage, and can't really keep you from taking damage.
Characters get 5 Trifles for free at Character creation.
Characters may select one form of Armor for two of these
selections instead.
Backpacks allow Characters to carry lots of other stuff
conveniently. Cost: $35.00.
Ballpoint Pens and Sticky Notes allow Characters to
write themselves notes, and stick their notes on walls and
objects. Cost: $3.00.
Bling helps to establish your word cred on the dawg
street, yo, giving a +1 Bonus to Negotiation Talent Level when
dealing with gangsta types. Cost: $20.00.
Booze in a Hip Flask can give you a shot of courage,
giving a temporary Bonus of +2 to the Courage Talent for 1
hour, but causes the imbiber to suffer the Inebriated Affliction
during that time. Cost: $15.00.
Cigarettes and Lighters are supposed to make you look
cool, but they mostly just give you nic fits and lung cancer.
They cause 1 point of Energy damage if used as a weapon.
Cost: $5.00.
Don't do Drugs, kids! But they're a common street
currency, and Visionaries are often foolish enough to fry their
neurons in this way. The Character has about $200.00 in drugs
per selection.
Duct Tape keeps things from falling apart. Even the
Archons used Duct Tape. Cost: $5.00.
Energy Drinks are good for a quick burst of energy,
adding 1d3 VIG once per day with an Eat/Drink Action. Cost:
$2.00.
First Aid Kits contain bandages, antiseptic, gauze,
scissors, and other stuff one might use to treat wounds. The
First Aid Talent suffers a -5 penalty without a First Aid Kit.
Cost: $25.00.
Flashlights help Characters without Dim Sight or Dark
Sight see at night, underground, or in gloomy Realms. Cost:
$2.00.
Glitter Powder helps Ghls tempt gullible young female
Mortals into being their very special dinner guest. Cost: $1.00.
Hairspray makes sure your 'do doesn't get out of
control, and, with a Lighter, can make a halfway decent
improvised weapon (1d6E, Accuracy -2, Reach 1) Cost: $4.00.
Image courtesy Graeme Weatherston, Freedigitalphotos.net.
Handcuffs help make sure that bad guys (and kinky

girls) don't get away. They require an AGI + Athletics or
Break & Enter roll DF 30 to escape from. Cost: $25.00.
Incense and a Lighter help with Rituals, or setting the
mood. Cost: $1.00.
Laptops have a little more processing power than Data
Phones, and are a little more comfortable to type your
NaNoWriMo masterpiece on, too. They're good for about 2
hours without a power outlet, and come with cameras, DVD
drives, and stereo speakers. Cost: $400.00.
Lockpicks help criminals get in where they're not
welcome so they can take what they want; they allow a
Character with the Break & Enter Talent to unlock a lock.
Cost: $100.00.
Makeup helps touch up one's good features, giving a +1
Bonus to Attractive Talent Level (or reduced the Homely
Hardship by 1 Level). Cost: $20.00.
Musical Instruments like guitars and keyboards can be
used to lift the spirits of one's friends; outside of combat,
playing a truly bitchin' riff (PER + appropriate Expert
(Music), DF Average (20)) adds 1+(SF/2) SPI to all who hear,
Page 76

once per day. Cost: $150.00.
Permanent Markers are good for drawing maps, or
drawing on your friends when they fall asleep. Cost: $2.00.
Prophylactics make sure that amorous Characters don't
end up with unexpected dependents. Cost: $5.00.
Psych Meds can help keep your Character a little more
sane when facing impossible abominations from beyond space
and time. Halves the Level of all mental Hardships, but causes
a -3 penalty to AGI and TGH due to a variety of unpleasant
side effects. Cost: $50.00.
Rain Coats help Characters that don't have Leather
Jackets ignore inclement weather. Rain Coats give a +5 bonus
to Endurance rolls against cold. Cost: $15.00.
Fifty feet of nylon Rope helps Characters get up and
over cliffs and chasms, or tie up their enemies. Cost: $20.00.
Smart Phones help Characters without Telepathy
communicate over long distances (if there are cell towers), let
you listen to MP3s, schedule important meetings, watch
MP4s, take pictures, and surf to http://www.imperfektindustrees.com (and other, lesser websites). Cost: $200.00.
Smokes are kind of important for Characters that, well,
smoke. They don't really do anything else, and aren't much
good without a Lighter. Cost: $5.00.
A little Spending Cash always comes in handy; in this
case, the Character gains another $100.00 in small bills per
selection. Cost: $100.00.
Sunglasses help Characters see in areas full of blinding
light, and help them look cool, too. Sunglasses give a bonus of
+5 to all Dodge rolls against the Flash Dark Power. Cost:
$50.00.
Survival Kits include a water flask, water purification
tablets, a sleeping bag, a small plastic tarp, a folding shovel,
and a variety of other small items all useful for surviving in
the wilderness. It's a must-have for campers and hikers,
granting a +5 Bonus to Expert (Survival) Talent rolls. Cost:
$125.00.
Utility Knives don't do much damage ((1d3+STR)E,
Accuracy -2, Reach 0, Cannot Block or Disarm), but have wire
cutters, corkscrews, can openers, files, screwdrivers, and a
variety of other built-in attachments. Cost: $30.00.
Walky-Talkies allow Characters to speak over wide
distances on a variety of channels, and they don't require cell
phone towers or expensive plans to afford, either. Cost: $15.00.
I Need More Crap!

Spending Cash is for your in-game needs, not for buying
more Trifles, Weapons, or Armor before Character creation is done.
How much junk do you really need?
Most people don't carry around a lot of junk on them, even if
they're expecting trouble. The Dirge RPG rules are intended to get
your dark heroes skulking the Tenebr right away, not to provide a
convincing shopping channel simulation.
Page 77
Page 78
Chapter XI: Strife

When and Where
Gunfire in a dark, rain-slick, neon-glowing alleyway. A
white-knuckle escape from a knife-wielding psychotic
through a crumbling building. Sparks flying from sword
parries flickering in the light of a dying sun in a hellish
blood-red desert. Casting spells of fire and thunder at
jackbooted soldiers along a narrow metal catwalk above a
dizzying, dark abyss. Combat is a fact of life in the many
twisted worlds of the Dirge RPG.
When the shit hits the fan, the Players and the Game
Masters need to know who does what, when. For this
purpose, when combat begins, it's important to keep track of
time and the locations of the Characters. This game divides
combat time up into rounds, each one 6 seconds long. Each
round, a Character has 6 Action Points (AP) to spend on
various Actions.
All distances in these rules are measured units of 2
yards. If you want to, you can use graph paper to keep track
of locations; a convenient scale is one 1/8 square equals 2
yards. If you're using miniature figures, a convenient scale to
use is 1 equals 2 yards.
Starting Shit
Every fight starts somewhere; an angry word, a thrown
fist, an errant gunshot, the clawed tentacle of a nether-thing
casually sweeping someone's face off with a razor-sharp caress.
Roll 2d6 + INIT to get things going. The Character with
the highest total gets to go first, although they may hold off
and act later, pre-empting anyone else's actions.
In case of a tie, the Character with the highest AGI goes

first, then the Character with the highest INS, then the
Character with the highest WIL. If all of these are equal, the
two Characters act simultaneously, announcing their actions
in secret to the Game Master.
Page 79
Combat Actions
Every Character gets 6 AP every round, which they may
spend on Actions. These are the most common Actions used
in Combat.
Attack (3 AP)
Description: You swing a knife or club at the enemy, or
shoot a gun or arrow at them.
Game Mechanics (Attack): Varies with the kind of
attack. For most attacks, roll AGI + Ranged Combat vs. the
target's RDEF, or AGI + Close Combat against the target's
CDEF.
Block (3 AP)
Description: You parry the enemy's weapon with your
own, shoving it aside and protecting yourself from harm.
Game Mechanics (Block): The Character holds their
Round until attacked; when this occurs, you roll AGI + Close
Combat vs. the opponent's Attack roll, and adding any Block
Modifiers from the weapon. If the Character succeeds, they
gain additional Protection equal to (STR) IPRO and (STR)/2
DPRO.
Dodge (2 AP)
Description: You throw yourself out of the way of
harm, deftly avoiding an incoming attack.
Game Mechanics (Dodge): By taking a Dodge Action,
the Character gains a +5 Bonus to CDEF and RDEF.
Feint (2 AP)
Description: You make like you're going to attack, but
stop at the last moment; drawing them out, you move in for
the kill.
Game Mechanics (Feint): The Character must make an
PER roll, adding either Trickery or Intimidation, and either
Close Combat or Ranged Combat, against the target's MDEF.
The opponent must have a clear view of the Character. On a
success, the Character gains +(SF)/2 towards their next attack
against that target, as long as it is the next action they take.
Control (6 AP)
Description: You concentrate on using your strange
powers, or some special equipment.
Game Mechanics (Control): Control Actions are a kind
of catch-all; there is no one, specific result of a Control
Action.
Disarm (3 AP)
Description: You grab the enemy's weapon and yank it
out of their hands, either throwing it to the floor, or taking it
for yourself.
Game Mechanics (Disarm): The Character holds their
Round until attacked; when this occurs, they roll AGI + Close
Combat vs. the opponent's STR + Close Combat or STR +
Ranged Combat, and adding any Disarm Modifiers from the
weapon. If the Character succeeds, the weapon is removed to
(1d6)*2 yards in a random direction. On SF 10+, the Character
gains the weapon instead.
Page 80
Attack Modifiers
Facing Modifiers
here's how you keep track of Reach:

Reach On Maps:
N
Reach 0: Same square.
N
Reach 1 to 2: Adjacent squares.
N
Reach 3 to 4: Up to 1 square away.
Attacking an enemy from the left or right 90-degree

angle grants a +2 bonus to the Attack roll; attacking from
directly behind grants a +5 bonus to the Attack roll.
Range Modifiers
Attacking an enemy armed with a weapon with lower

Reach gives a bonus to hit equal to the difference.
Each Range Increment causes a +5 to the DF of the

attack.
Attacking an enemy armed with a weapon with higher

Reach gives a penalty to hit equal to the difference.
Reach Modifiers
If using graph paper or tabletop maps and miniatures,
Unarmed Combat
Unarmed combat weapons are treated exactly like
other weapons, except that the Character wielding them can't
be disarmed (unless, of course, their arms and legs are ripped
off or something). They use the same statistics format and
have the same Features; for details, see the Possessions Section.
Some of the following unarmed combat weapons are
universal, while others can be learned through the Martial
Arts Talent, or other, similar Talents. Unarmed attacks that
everyone has will have the Universal Feature, while the others
are listed in the Martial Arts Talent in the Talent Section.
Reach: 1; Weapon Features: None.
Grapple
Description: You grab hold of an enemy with both
hands and squeeze the fight out of them. Everyone has this
built-in weapon.
Game Mechanics (Grapple): Damage: (HTH+2)B;
Reach: 0; Weapon Features: Universal.
Head Butt
Bite
Description: You grab onto someone with your teeth

and chomp down viciously. Everyone has this built-in
weapon.
Game Mechanics (Fangs): Damage: (HTH+1)E;
Accuracy: -3; Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: ---;
Reach: 0; Weapon Features: Cannot Block; Cannot Disarm;
Universal.
Description: You introduce someone's face to your

forehead, hard. Everyone has this built-in weapon.
Game Mechanics (Horns): Damage: (HTH+2)B;
Universal.
Jump Kick
Chop
Description: Your hand goes flat and rigid, and you
smack someone with the edge, concentrating the force into a
small target area.
Game Mechanics (Chop): Damage: (1d6+HTH+1)B;
Description: You leap into the air and your foot comes
forward. You look like you're that guy on that TV show who's
a Texas lawman and has a beard and knows karate or
something, hell yeah.
Game Mechanics (Jump Kick): Damage: (1d6+HTH)B;
Accuracy: -3; Talent: Close Combat + Martial Arts; Hands
Page 81

Required: ---; Reach: 1; Weapon Features: Cannot Block;
Cannot Disarm; Requires Move.
Sweep Kick
Kick
Description: You smash someone with your foot or
knee. Everyone has this built-in weapon.
Game Mechanics (Kick): Damage: (HTH+2)B;
Universal.
Punch
Description: You make a fist and jab it in someone's
face, blacking eyes and crushing noses. Everyone has this
built-in weapon.
Game Mechanics (Punch): Damage: (HTH)B; Accuracy:
---; Talent: Close Combat; Hands Required: 1; Reach: 1;
Weapon Features: Universal.
Description: You crouch on one foot, jut out the other,

and whirl in a circle, knocking your enemy's feet out from
beneath them.
Game Mechanics (Sweep Kick): Damage: (HTH)B;
Accuracy: -2; Talent: Close Combat + Martial Arts; Hands
Required: ---; Reach: 1; Weapon Features: Cannot Block;
Cannot Disarm; Knocks Down; Radius (Reach 1).
Tackle
Description: Hurtling towards the enemy, you smash
them to the ground like a linebacker. Everyone has this builtin weapon.
Game Mechanics (Tackle): Damage: (Strength+1d6+2)B;
Knocks Down; Requires Move; Universal.
Damage
Damage comes in four Types: Blunt (B), Edged (E),
Gunfire (G), and Energy (N). Damage has two different
effects: it can cause Injury, which reduces Health in one Body
Part, and it causes Debility, which causes loss of Life-Force.
Damage Roll Procedure

There are 3 steps to each Damage roll.
(1). Find out what Body Part has been hit.
1.
If the Attack roll has a SF of 15+, the attacker
may choose the Body Part.
2.
If the Attack roll has a SF of 11 to 14, the
attacker may choose to Attack from Above,
Below, Left, or Right.
3.
If the Attack roll has a SF 1 to 10, the attacker
must roll for a random body part.
(2). Roll for damage.
1.
Total the dice. The attack causes this much
Injury to the Body Part you rolled.
2.
If it's a Blunt Attack, it causes 1 Debility per 6
rolled for Damage.
Page 82
3.
If it's an Edged Attack, it causes 1 Debility per

1 or 6 rolled for Damage.
4. If it's a Gunfire Attack, it causes 1 Debility per
even damage die roll (a die that rolls 2, 4, or
6).
5.
If it's an Energy Attack, is causes Debility
equal to the Injury inflicted.
6. Environmental attacks works just like other
attacks, but ignore armor and only do Injury
Damage.
(3). Apply the damage effects.
1.
Subtract the target's IPRO from the Injury
Damage to that Body Part, and record the
remaining Injury damage.
2.
Subtract the target's DPRO from the
Character's Debility Damage to that Body
Part, and temporarily reduce the target's LIF
by the remaining Debility damage.
3.
The target also loses AP next round equal to
the Debility damage taken.
Body Part Table

Roll
2
Effect
Feet. Roll 1d6 for which side; if odd, the left foot, if right, the right foot.
3 to 4
Leg. Roll 1d6 for which side; if odd, the left leg, if right, the right leg.
5 to 7
Torso.
8 to 9
Head.
10 to 11
12
Arm. Roll 1d6 for which side; if odd, the left arm, if right, the right arm.
Hand. Roll 1d6 for which side; if odd, the left foot, if hand, the right hand.
If the Character is attacked from above, Roll 1d6+6 on this table.

If the Character is attacked from below, Roll 1d6 on this table.
If the Character is attack from the left or the right, apply to appropriate side's side body parts.
Damage to Inanimate Objects
N
N
N
N
N
Objects have two damage absorption abilities, like

creatures; instead of Health, they have Structure (STRU), and
instead of Life-Force, they have Function (FUNC). Injury
damage is subtracted from STRU, and Debility damage is
subtracted from FUNC.
Concrete: STRU = SIZ *4, FNC = SIZ *3.

Stone: STRU = SIZ *5, FNC = SIZ *4.
Iron: STRU = SIZ *6, FNC = SIZ *5.
Steel STRU = SIZ *7, FNC = SIZ *5.
Alchemical Steel STRU = SIZ *9, FNC = SIZ *7.
Object Armor:
N
Very Soft: IPRO and DPRO = 0.
N
Soft: IPRO = STRU/2 DPRO = 0.
N
Average: IPRO and DPRO = STRU/2.
N
Hard: IPRO = STRU, DPRO = STRU/2.
N
Very Hard: IPRO and DPRO = STRU.
An object's STRU and FUNC is based on its size and

the materials it's constructed from.
Object Sizes:
N
Extremely Small: Size 1. -4 to Attack Rolls.
N
Very Small: Size 2. -2 to Attack Rolls.
N
Small: Size 3. -1 to Attack Rolls.
N
Medium: Size 4. No modifiers to hit.
N
Large: Size 5. +1 to Attack Rolls.
N
Very Large: Size 6. +2 to Attack Rolls.
N
Extremely Large: Size 7. +4 to Attack Rolls.
Example Objects:
N
Car: Extremely Large Average Steel/Very Hard
Plastic.
N
Knife: Very Small Hard Steel.
N
Laptop: Small Average Plastic.
N
Long Sword: Medium Hard Steel.
N
Pistol: Small Hard Steel.
N
Rifle: Medium Average Steel/Hard Wood.
N
Smartphone: Extremely Small Hard Plastic.
Object Materials:
N
Glass: STRU =SIZ/2, FNC = SIZ/2.
N
Leather: STRU =SIZ, FNC = SIZ.
N
Wood: STRU and FNC = SIZ * 2.
N
Plastic: STRU = SIZ *3, FNC = SIZ *2.
Social Strife
Social attacks are like other attacks except there is no
Roll to hit. The attacker makes a PER + Negotiation or
PER + Intimidation Roll vs. the target's MDEF; the higher the
SF, the more successful the effect is.
Page 83
The target of a Social attack can always spend SPI to

resist the Compulsion, or they may simply walk away;
forcible Social attacks have nasty words attached to them like
harassment, interrogation, and even torture, as they
gradually erode peoples' emotional health and ability to resist.
Other Actions
Change Position (3 AP)
Description: You sit, kneel, or stand.
Game Mechanics (Change Position): The Character
spends the AP and changes their position. For game
mechanical purposes, there are 3 possible positions: standing,
sitting/kneeling, and prone, and the Character may go from
standing to sitting/kneeling, sitting/kneeling to prone, or the
reverse of any of these changes. Sitting/Kneeling and Prone
Characters suffer the appropriate Affliction.
Image courtesy Free-stock-photos.co.uk.
Climb (3 AP)
Eat/Drink (3 AP)
Description: You move up and over obstacles.

Game Mechanics (Climb): You move
(STR+AGI+Athletics)/2 yards up a ladder or knotted rope, or
over an object with decent handholds. If the rope has no
knots, or handholds are spare, the Character must make an
STR + Athletics Roll vs. a DF set by the Game Master not to
fall and hurt themselves. Characters typically suffer 1d6 Blunt
Environmental Damage per 10 feet they fall, after the first 10
feet.
Description: You quickly scarf an energy bar or suck

down some coffee. Or maybe you take a swig of some magical
potion that looks like beet juice and tastes like battery acid.
Now you're ready for more action!
Game Mechanics (Eat/Drink): The Character takes a
bite of some solid food, or a swig of some beverage, per
Eat/Drink Action.
Jump (3 AP)
Don/Doff (6 AP)
Description: You put on or take off one article of
clothing. But why stop there, baby, when it's just getting'
good?
Game Mechanics (Don/Doff): The Character adds or
removes one article of clothing per action.
Description: You leap into the air, over some obstacle or

across some chasm, or just toward something you need.
Game Mechanics (Jump): The Character moves (STR +
AGI + Athletics) inches up and across from a stand, or that
many feet with a short run.
Ready Item (2 AP)
Drop Item (0 AP)

Description: You let go of some item and it drops to the
floor; your hands are freed up for other stuff.
Game Mechanics (Drop Item): The Character drops a
Weapon or Trifle to the ground, freeing up a hand.
Description: You reload a weapon, recalibrate a device,

or just whip out your cell phone.
Game Mechanics (Ready Item): Sheathed or holstered
weapons must be Readied to be used. Some weapons require
longer to reload, as noted in the Reload Feature.
Rest (6 AP)
Description: You take a breather; in a minute you'll be
ready to go, but for now, a little downtime.
Game Mechanics (Rest): The Character regains 1d3+1
Page 84

lost VIG per Rest Action.
Run (2 AP)
Description: You gallop across the field at a fast pace,
covering the distance with deep breaths and long strides.
Game Mechanics (Run): The Character moves (STR +
AGI + Athletics) yards across the ground per Run Action.
Search (3 AP)
Description: Have a look around; there's something
important here, or someone hiding here, and you're going to
find it.
Game Mechanics (Search): The Character makes an INS
+ Notice Roll against the DF of the target. If the Character is
Searching for a hiding target, the DF is the subject's AGI +
Sneak Roll.
Sidestep (1 AP)
Description: It's just a jump to the left. Or a step to the
right ...
Game Mechanics (Sidestep): The Character moves 2
yards in any direction on the ground.
Sneak (4 AP)
Description: They'll never see you, as long as you stick
to the shadows and move slowly and quietly ...
Game Mechanics (Sneak): You move (STR + AGI +

Sneak)/2 yards without suffering any penalties to your Sneak
Roll; each 2 yd faster you move, up to your Run speed, you
suffer a -1 Penalty to the Roll. If you remain still, you gain a +3
Bonus to the Roll.
Swim (2 AP)
Description: With long strokes, you move through the
water, almost like a fish.
Game Mechanics (Swim): The Character moves (STR +
AGI + Athletics)/2 yards through the water per Swim Action.
Talk (0 AP)
Description: It's time to have a word with someone,
sharing thoughts and ideas, or good-natured banter, or the
sort of verbal abuse that never goes out of style.
Game Mechanics (Talk): You say a few words to anyone
nearby who can hear. Don't go overboard; in a noisy,
confusing battle, you can only say a few short words per
Round.
Transform (6 AP)
Description: You shift into another form using
supernatural powers, or maybe you just adjust your makeup.
Game Mechanics (Transform): The Character changes
themselves in some fundamental way. This is another catchall Action.
Afflictions
Bad things happen to Unnaturals that find themselves
outmatched. Sometimes these bad things pass in time, but
sometimes one is cursed forever by their meddling in weighty
matters.
N
Unless otherwise stated, if a Character is affected with
the same Affliction multiple times, the effects don't stack, but
the Durations do.
N
Fear Rolls: Fear has different effects, based on how
severe it is. A special example of a Save Roll is the Fear Roll.
There are 3 kinds of Fear Saves: Spooky, Daunting, and
Terrifying.
Spooky:
You're in a dark room and you hear a

strange noise coming form behind you (DF
10).
Daunting:
You see a huge bloodstain on the trail

ahead, and the wolf howls are getting closer
(DF 15).
Terrifying:
You see a friend torn limb from limb

without warning (DF 20).
Each progressively greater Fear Save has greater effects,

and with the greatest Fear Saves, it's almost impossible not to
suffer some kind of ill effects.
Page 85
Fear Saves Table

Spooky
Daunting
Terrifying
Triumph
Gain 1 SPI
Lose 1 SPI
Emotional [Fear], plus lose 2 SPI
Success
Nothing
Afraid, plus lose 1d3+2 SPI
Failure
Afraid, plus lose 1d2+1 SPI
Panicked, plus lose 1d6+1 SPI
Mishap
Afraid, plus lose 1d2 SPI
Panicked, plus lose 1d3+1 SPI
Frozen, plus lose 2d6 SPI
Afraid
Description: You've got the shakes; something bad is
about to happen, and it's hard for you to concentrate.
Game Mechanics (Afraid): The Character gains a bonus
of +2 to CDEF and RDEF, but must spend 1 SPI per Round
not to withdraw to safety.
Bleeding
Description: Your precious life's blood is dripping from
your open wounds; soon you'll be dead, but at least you won't
have to do laundry any more.
Game Mechanics (Bleeding): The Character loses 1
Level of TGH per round. This doesn't stop until someone
makes an INS + Education + First Aid Roll vs. DF Hard Roll
to stop the bleeding and stabilize the Character.
Blinded
Description: You can't see anything, making it hard to
Game Mechanics (Blinded): The Character
automatically fails any sight-based INS+Notice rolls, and all
opponents gain +5 to CDEF and +10 to RDEF, and all
penalties for Range increment are doubled. The Blinded
Character also suffers -5 to CDEF and -10 to RDEF. When the
Character attempts to move faster than their maximum
speed, they are treated as suffering the Dizzy Affliction.
Compelled [ ]
psychological Compulsion Affliction for 1 Round; the

Character instead suffers the Frozen Affliction during this
time.
Deafened
Description: You can't hear anything, making it hard to
communicate.
Game Mechanics (Deafened): The Character
automatically fails any hearing-based INS+Notice rolls, and
the Deafened Character suffers -1 to CDEF and -2 to RDEF.
On a Mishap on any Save Roll against the Deafened
Affliction, the Character is Frozen for the Duration, and
then Deafened for the full Duration.
Distracted
Description: You face your foe, and yOH MY GOD
WHAT IS THAT OVER THERE
Game Mechanics (Distracted): The Character loses 1 AP,
suffers -1 to all Rolls, and is at -2 to MDEF. On a Mishap on a
Save Roll the Distracted Affliction, the Character is instead
Frozen.
Dizzy
Description: You stumble along as if drunk, struggling
to keep your feet beneath you.
Game Mechanics (Dizzy): The Character must make an
AGI+Athletics Roll vs. DF Hard every Round, or suffer the
Prone Affliction.
Description: An order has been issued to you, which

you feel you must obey. Some small part of your mind is
screaming No! Ignore the command! You can't DO that!,
but you can't hear it.
Game Mechanics (Compelled): The Character obeys the
command that's been issued to them, whatever it is, for the
duration of the Affliction. As listed under the SPI Asset, a
Character may spend 1 SPI to ignore a mental or
Page 86
Frozen
Description: Something shocking has happened, and
you're caught immobile, like a poor dumb horned ungulate in
the onrushing headlights of an 18-wheeler.
Game Mechanics (Frozen): The Character has 0 AP, and
is at -1 to all Defenses. The Character can take any Actions
that do not require AP, and is fully conscious of their
surroundings. On a good note, the Character regains 1 lost
VIG per Round while Frozen.
Inebriated
Description: You're good and smashed, making you a
bit dizzy, nauseous, and fuzzy in the brainpan.
Game Mechanics (Inebriated): The Character's AGI is
halved, and all Defenses are at -2. On any failure on an AGI
Roll, the Character is treated as Dizzy next round.
Manacled
Description: Your feet are bound, making it tough for
you to jump or run.
Game Mechanics (Manacled): The only movement-type
Action the Character may take is Sidestep, and if they try
multiple Sidesteps per Round, they are treated as Dizzy that
Round.
Image courtesy Free-stock-photos.co.uk.
Panicked
Emotional [ ]
Description: Overcome with awe, ecstasy,
embarrassment, or some other powerful feelings, you can't
focus on the situation like you should.
Game Mechanics (Emotional): The Character suffers a
penalty of -1 to all Defenses, and all Rolls. Characters may
suffer multiple Emotional Afflictions of different kinds
simultaneously, and all effects stack. Possible Emotional
Afflictions include anger, apathy, awe, depression, envy, fear,
hatred, joy, love, lust, or shame.
Exhausted
Description: You're worn out; if you don't take a
breather soon, you might collapse.
Game Mechanics (Exhausted): The Character cannot
Climb, Jump, Run, or Swim, and the Character's CDEF and
RDEF are halved. If the Character suffers the Exhausted
Affliction again, they instead fall Unconscious.
Description: Everything seems to have gone to hell;

your pulse is hammering in your ears, your sight blurs, and
the next thing you know, you're running away at top speed.
Game Mechanics (Panicked): The Character must take a
Climb, Run, Jump, or Swim Action every round to get out of
the combat area; any other Actions must be spent to protect
oneself.
Prone
Description: You've been taking a nap, or someone
knocked you down; better get up quickly before you get
kicked in the teeth.
Game Mechanics (Prone): The Character suffers a
penalty of -5 to CDEF, RDEF, and the Close Combat Talent.
The Character gains a +2 bonus to the Ranged Combat Talent
to use guns or crossbows.
Shackled
Description: You've been handcuffed, or your hands are
tied, making it hard to handle things properly.
Page 87

Game Mechanics (Shackled): The Character can't use
their hands. The Character suffers a -10 Penalty to Close and
Ranged Combat Talent Rolls, and most other Talent Rolls; the
penalty increases to -20 if the Character's hands are Shackled
behind their back.
Sitting/Kneeling
Description: You're sitting or kneeling down, which is
relaxing and all, but isn't the best position to be in when
someone attacks you.
Game Mechanics (Sitting/Kneeling): The Character
suffers a penalty of -2 to CDEF, RDEF, and the Close Combat
Talent. The Character gains a +1 bonus to the Ranged Combat
Talent to use guns or crossbows.
Unconscious
Description: You're asleep or you've been knocked out,
leaving you helpless. Cute as a button, though.
Game Mechanics (Unconscious): The Character may
not take any Actions, is completely unaware of their
surroundings, and unless they're propped up, instantly falls
Prone. If the Character is successfully physically attacked, they
awaken immediately, but they're considered to be helpless
against such attacks; they're automatically considered
Triumphs, no need to roll to hit. Any Ability that requires the
Character to spend AP, SPI, or VIG to use cannot be used
while Unconscious. On a good note, the Character regains 1
lost VIG per Round while Unconscious.
Page 88
Bleeding Out
You know how to dish out damage, and how to take it,
but what happens as a result?
N
N
or Torso, they suffer a penalty of -2 to all

Defenses and all Actions, and they immediately
suffer the Unconscious Affliction for 2d6 rounds.
Also see Mutilation, below.
Negative LIF: As per negative TGH.
Negative VIG: When the Character's VIG goes
negative, they suffer the Exhausted Affliction; if it
goes negative by more than the full, normal
amount, the Character falls Prone and
Unconscious.
Negative SPI: See the Going Bugfuck Section,
below.
Mutilation
If a Character's HLT in any Body Part goes negative by
more than the same amount as its starting HLT, the Character
suffers 1 Level of permanent Hardship to that Body Part. If
the HLT goes negative by twice that amount, the Body Part is
severed. For Arms, Legs, Hands, and Feet, that's not a
problem, but a severed Head or Torso means instant death.
Image courtesy Public-domain-photos.net.
Low or Negative Abilities

Any time one of a Character's Abilities drops to 0, they
suffer the Unconscious Affliction for 2d6 Rounds; there may
be other, lasting effects, as well.
Negative Attributes:
N
Negative AGI or STR: The Character suffers the
Prone and Frozen Afflictions.
N
Negative TGH: The Character begins to die. Once
the Character reaches -1 TGH, they begin to
suffer the Bleeding Affliction, until they reach a
negative number of TGH equal to twice their
normal amount, at which point, they're dead.
N
Negative INS or WIL: The Character suffers the
Frozen Affliction.
N
Negative PER: The Character suffers the
Emotional Affliction, but all penalties are
multiplied by the number of negative Levels of
PER the Character suffers.
Negative Assets:
N
Negative HLT: When a Character has lost all HLT
in a given Body Part, they can no longer use that
Body Part for any Action, and suffer a penalty of
-1 to all Actions. Head or Torso Damage is more
serious. If a Character loses all HLT in the Head
Mutilation Example
Noah has 18 Health Points in his Hand. Once he suffers more
than 18 points of Injury Damage to his Hand, it's rendered unusable,
but will still heal up nicely. If he suffers 19 to 36 points of Injury
Damage to his Hand, he'll suffer 1 Level of some Hardship,
permanently, such as Bad Hands. If he suffers more than 37 points of
Injury Damage to his Hand, it's severed, and he permanently suffers
the appropriate Hardship as a result.
Characters don't receive bonus Build Points for

Hardships suffered as a result of a Mutilation.
Healing Up
Regaining Lost Ability Levels: Characters regain 1 Level
in all lost Abilities per day.
Regaining Lost HLT: Characters regain 1 HLT per day
to all affected Body Parts, except the Head and Torso, which
regain 1 every other day.
Regaining Lost LIF: Characters regain 2d6 LIF per day.
Regaining Lost VIG: Characters regain 1d6 VIG with a
Rest Action.
Regaining Lost SPI: Characters regain 1d6 SPI per day
spent resting and relaxing.
Page 89

The above rates assume complete rest and relaxation,
with proper medical care in the case of physical harm. The
rates are halved without proper medical treatment, and halved
again if the Characters are working or engaging in vigorous

activity.
Going Bugfuck
None of you understand! WE ARE THE ELDER BEASTS! We dwell eternally in the Ylem, and
the Realms are only delusions we invented to hide our unspeakable power from ourselves! When you
someday stir from your stupor, you too will know that there is no right or wrong, no life or death for
such as we; there is only power!
Final words from the renegade Mystic Garvin Santos, before his execution.
Just as losing Health will kill you, losing all your Spirit
will drive you mad. When the Character drops to 0 SPI of
less, roll 2d6 on the Going Bugfuck Table, and add the
amount of negative SPI the Character is currently suffering,
each time the Character loses SPI.
Going Bugfuck Table

Roll
Effect
2 to 5
Suffer an Affliction for 1 Round. Roll 2d6:

(2 to 4): Emotional [the Game Master will choose an appropriate emotion].
(5 to 7): Afraid.
(8 to 12): Distracted.
6 to 9
Suffer an Affliction for 1d6 Rounds. Roll 2d6:

(2 to 4): Emotional [the Game Master will choose an appropriate emotion].
(5 to 7): Afraid.
(8 to 12): Distracted.
10 to 13
Suffer a Hardship for 1d6 Rounds. Roll 2d6:

(2 to 3): Confused.
(4 to 6): Cruel.
(7 to 9): Obsessed.
(10 to 12): Despairing.
14 or more
Roll 2d6 on Permanent Bugfuck Table, below, adding (Roll on this Table minus 9):
Each time you roll on the Going Bugfuck Table, add

1d6 to the Character's current SPI; if they're still negative, roll
again. Characters attempting to ignore the effects of a
Hardship gained from negative SPI suffer a loss to PER

instead of SPI.
Page 90
Permanent Bugfuck Table

Roll
2 to 3
Effect
Suffer the Delusions Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
Suffer the Phobia Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
Suffer the Psychic Scars Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
Suffer the Mood Swings Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
Suffer the Detached Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
Suffer the Distant Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
Suffer the Confused Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
10 to 11
Suffer the Obsessed Hardship at Level 1, permanently.
12
Roll 2d6 again:

(2 to 3): Roll again on the Permanent Mental Illness Table; the Level is 1d2.
(4 to 5): Roll twice on the Permanent Mental Illness Table. Ignore this result if rolled again
(6 to 7): Roll again; Level is 1d3+2.
(8 to 9): Permanently lose 1 Level of INS, PER, or WIL.
(10): Permanently lose 2 Levels of INS, PER, or WIL.
(11 to 12): Roll again on the Permanent Mental Illness Table; the Level is 1d6+3.
Permanent mental illnesses are usually related in some

way to the horrifying circumstances that caused them, or
exacerbate some existing or latent condition. The Game
Master may slightly modify the results of such a roll to
something that makes sense.
Characters don't gain bonus Build Points from

Hardships gained from the Going Bugfuck section.
Page 91
Combat Example
The Set-Up
Combat Actions
Noah Bell, Lilith Deodata, and Righteous G have been

appointed to form a Pact by the Council of Night of Nineveh.
They've been ordered to look into a Consortium Veneficus in
the area who's been ripping off Unnaturals who trade with
him. They walk into the abandoned warehouse where the
trader does business and, forewarned, he immediately orders
his three Shadow Goblin bodyguards to attack the dark
heroes.
Noah's Turn: The Game Master asks Noah's Player what

he wants to do. Noah decides he wants to make sure that the
Veneficus doesn't get away, o he's going to cast his Entangle
Formula from the Substance Dark Art on the Veneficus,
describing how the concrete beneath the Veneficus' feet turns
to quicksand and holds him fast. Noah's Player adds that
Noah is going to chant in Latin and make arcane hand
movements to enhance his spell, reducing its psychic strain.
The Game Master approves, and tells Noah to make his
spellcasting rolls.
Initiative
The combatants are all aware of each other, so there's no
chance of ambush. The Game Master tells all the Players to
roll 3d6 and add their Characters' INIT Levels for Initiative
for their Characters, and he rolls for the Veneficus and the
Shadow Goblins. The totals are:
Player Characters Initiative Rolls:
Noah Bell: Rolls 10 + INIT 12 = Total 22.
Lilith Deodata: Rolls 8 + INIT 12 = Total 20.
Righteous G: Rolls 4 + INIT 14 = Total 18.
Entangle has a Standard Physical Cost, so it costs 3 VIG

to cast; in addition, Formulas always cost (Levels)d6 SPI to
cast. Noah's Player rolls 3d6 and gets a 6, a very good, low
roll! He can reduce the cost by 1 for the use of Ancient
Languages, and 1 more for the Magical Passes, for a total SPI
Cost of 4.
NPC Initiative Rolls:

Shadow Goblin 1: Rolls 4 + INIT 13 = Total 17.
SG2: Rolls 8 + INIT 13 = Total 21.
SG3: Rolls 7 + INIT 13 = Total 20.
Veneficus: Rolls 7 + INIT 12 = Total 19.
We have a tie between Lilith and Shadow Goblin 3, so
we compare their AGI Levels. Both Lilith and Shadow
Goblins have AGI 6. Next we look at INS. Lilith has INS 6,
while Shadow Goblins have INS 7, so Shadow Goblin 3 gets to
go before Lilith.
Initiative Order:
Noah Bell
Shadow Goblin 2
Shadow Goblin 3
Lilith Deodata
Veneficus
Righteous G
Shadow Goblin 1
Noah is a Knight of Pymander and is casting a

Substance Formula, so he needs to roll INS + Expert + Dark
Art [Substance]. Noah's Player decides that he's going to try
for the strongest possible effect he can manage, Level 3, so the
DF for this roll is (20 + (3 Levels * 2 Cost per Level for Cheap
Special Ability)) = 26. Noah's Player rolls 3d6 and adds INS 7
+ Expert 3 + Dark Art [Substance] 3 = 13. He rolls an 11, for a
total of 24, sadly just short of what he'd need to succeed;
Noah's Player decides to add 2 SPI to the roll, making it a 26,
which is exactly what's needed for success.
The Veneficus is entitled to a Save roll against the

Entangle effect. He may roll AGI + Athletics vs. ((Noah's
Dark Art [Substance] Levels *2) +15). The Veneficus has AGI 4
and Athletics 1, and Noah used all 3 of his Dark Art
[Substance] Levels, so the DF is 21. The Veneficus rolls 3d6 and
gets 7, for a total of 12; the Game Master announces that the
Veneficus suffers the Shackled Affliction. He's not going
anywhere.
The Entangle Spell took an Attack Action, which cost 3
AP, so Noah has 2 AP left. He takes a Dodge action with his
remaining 2 AP, and his CDEF and RDEF temporarily
increase by 2. That ends Noah's Turn.
Shadow Goblin 2's Turn: The Veneficus ordered the
swarthy little bastards to take out the Pact, and the Shadow
Page 92

Goblin brandishes its knife and closes on Noah. The Game
Master says it'll take a Run Action to get to Noah, leaving the
Shadow Goblin enough AP to swipe at Noah with the knife.
The Shadow Goblin has AGI 6 and Close Combat 4,
and rolls a 13 on 3d6, for a total of 23. Noah's CDEF is
normally a mere 12, but is boosted to 17 right now because he's
taking a Dodge Action. The Shadow Goblin still rolled plenty
to hit, and so he rolls for Damage. The SF of the roll is 6 (23
17 = 6), not quite high enough for the Shadow Goblin to
choose what Body Part he hits.
The Shadow Goblin does 3d6 Edged damage with the
knife, rolling a 6, a 6, and a 3. This does 15 Debility Damage
and 2 Injury Damage. Ouch! The Game Master rolls a 4 on
2d6 and consults the Body Part Table, seeing that the Goblin
hit Noah's Leg. He rolls another die, which comes up 3, odd,
meaning that Noah's left leg was hit. Noah's Assets look like
this right now:
LIF: 29
VIG: 12
SPI: 13
HLT: All normal, except Left Leg is down to 12 HLT.
CDEF: 17
RDEF: 16
MDEF: 15
Another hit like that, and Noah's leg will give out on
him. Also, because he suffered 2 Injury damage, next round he
loses 2 AP. That sucks.
Shadow Goblin 3's Turn: Shadow Goblin 3 sees the gun
in Righteous G's hand, and decides to take him out before he
can level that muthafuckin' piece.
Like Shadow Goblin 2, #3 takes a Run Action, coming
at Righteous G and slashing at him with his knife. He rolls
3d6, getting a 9, and adds his AGI 6 and Close Combat 4,
getting a total of 19 to hit. Unfortunately for it, Righteous G
has a CDEF of 23. The Goblin is out of AP, so its turn is over.
Lilith Deodata's Turn: Lilith sees that they're
outnumbered, and thinks of a way to turn the tables in their
favor. She uses her Enslave Innate Power on Shadow Goblin 1,
commanding it to attack Shadow Goblin 3 in front of Noah.
The Enslave Dark Power requires a Control Action, so
that'll be all 5 of her AP for this Round. The Shadow Goblin
has to make a WIL + Self-Control Save roll against a DF of 19.
The Goblin rolls a total of 9, and adding his WIL of 4 and
Self-Control of 3, has a total of 16. He fails, and he suffers the
Compulsion Affliction.
Veneficus' Turn: The Veneficus is sunk up to his ankles

in quicksand, but he can still perform magic. He's going to
help out his Goblin minions by casting an energy bolt spell at
the Pact; it's hard to say who's most dangerous, but given that
Noah imprisoned him in the concrete, he's going to blast him.
First he needs to make a roll to cast the spell, and then make a
ranged roll to hit.
The Veneficus doesn't feel the need to overdo it, so he'll
just make it a Level 3 Elemental Bolt [Energy] Formula that
he casts. The Veneficus will use Ancient Languages, Magical
Passes, and his Consecrated Tools to cast the Formula, and
Since Elemental Bolt is an Expensive Special Ability, the DF
for the roll will be 32.
The Veneficus will roll 3d6 to cast, and add his PER of 8
to his Expert Talent of 1 and its Dark Art [Energy] Talent of
4. He rolls a 15, which, added to his PER and Talents, adds up
to 28. This isn't enough to succeed, but since the Veneficus is
an important NPC, the Game Master decides to allow the
Veneficus to spend some SPI on its behalf to make the roll
succeed. It spends 4 SPI, and the Formula goes off successfully.
The Veneficus needs to roll to hit now. It has AGI 4 and
Ranged Combat 4, and it adds these to a 3d6 roll. It rolls a 10,
for a total of 18; Noah's RDEF is currently 16, so the roll hits.
The Formula does 2d6+(Levels/2) Energy damage, which
works out to 2d6+2; it rolls 6 Injury Damage; since there were
2 dice, the attack does 2 Debility Damage, since it's Energy.
The Game Master then rolls 2d6 on the Body Part Table to
see where the Veneficus hits Noah (since the SF was not high
enough for it to choose what Body Part it hits). It rolls a 7, so
Noah is hit in the Torso. He takes 6 Injury Damage to the
Torso, and 2 Debility Damage, and loses 2 more AP. Although
he's not dead yet, with the 2 AP he was already down, it looks
like he won't be doing much next Round. Noah drops with a
scream and writhes in pain.
The Veneficus rolls 3d6 for the SPI cost from his
Formula, and rolls a 17; he can reduce that by 1 for using the
Ancient Languages Mystical Technique, 1 more for Magical
Passes, and (Levels/2=1.5) 2 for Consecrated Tools, but he still
ends up losing 13 SPI. On top of the 4 he spent casting the
spell, he's left with 7 of his original 24 SPI. He's going to have
to tone down the spellcasting from here, or find a more
efficient way to finish up the fight.
Righteous G's Turn: Aight, now it's on. Shadow Goblin
3 has closed with Righteous G, so he might as well summon
his light-sword and cut into the little freak. He has AGI 10
and Close Combat 4, plus 1 from the weapon's Accuracy. In
addition, the Goblin has only a Reach 0 weapon, giving
Page 93

Righteous G a +2 bonus to hit for the Reach 2 on his
Elemental sword, giving him a total attack bonus of +17. He
rolls 3d6 and gets a 14, for a total of 31. This is higher than the
Goblin's CDEF of 20, so he definitely hits. In fact, with his SF
of 11, he can choose to attack from above, below, left, or right!
Righteous G's Player decides that he slashes into the Goblin
with a mighty overhand blow from above, so he gets to roll
1d6+6 on the Body Part Table to see where he hits. He rolls a
9, which means that he hits the Goblin in the head. He rolls
4d6+1 for the Energy Damage from the attack, getting a dice
roll total of 16, for a total of 17 Injury Damage and 4 Debility
Damage to the Goblin. The Shadow Goblin has 6 HLT in its
Head, which means it can survive up to -12 in its Head before
it's dead. It's at -11, which means it slumps, bleeding profusely,
clinging to life by only a tenuous thread.
Shadow Goblin 1: Mind-controlled by Lilith, Shadow
Goblin 1 takes a Run Action to close on its comrade Shadow
Goblin 3, and slashes at him with his knife. Shadow Goblin 1
has a total attack roll bonus of +10 with its knife, and rolls a
12, for a total of 22. That's higher than Shadow Goblin 3's
CDEF of 20, so he hits. He rolls 3d6 for Edged Damage and
rolls a 6, a 6, and a 5, for a total of 17 Injury Damage and 2
Debility Damage. He rolls 2d6 on the Body Part Table and

rolls an 8. Boom, head shot. Shadow Goblin 1 falls.
The Wrap-Up
At this point, the Veneficus surrenders; two of its
minions have been defeated, one is mind-controlled, and
although Noah is unconscious, he doesn't fancy his chances
against a Ghl and a Child of Light while his feet are sunk in
quicksand.
Combat can be a little complex, but it can go swiftly
and smoothly if the Players and the Game Master are familiar
with the rules and do some calculations ahead of time.
Printing out some copies of the Body Chart Table and other
tables ahead of time will help, as will calculating attack roll
bonuses for weapons, and Mystics being familiar with the DF
calculations for their spells' DF to cast and SPI costs. On the
other hand, combat in the Dirge RPG is deadly, and PCs
should always think carefully before rushing into a fracas;
they may very well be carried out on a stretcher, or in a
hearse.
Page 94
Page 95
Chapter XII: The Pleroma

There are many planes of existence, each with their own elemental alignments, energy signatures, destinies, and magical
potencies. Many Realms of the Pleroma are eerily reminiscent of places of the Vale of the Downtrodden, only twisted and
surreal, while other places are unique and wonderful, or terrifying beyond parallel.
Realm Characteristics
that emotion, and all Save rolls against that Emotion suffer a
Penalty equal to the Emotional Resonance Level of that
Realm.
Membrane: Every Realm has a barrier of energy
surrounding it, separating it from the Astral Realm and
restricting travel in and out. A Realm's Membrane is given a
Level, and a typical Realm like the Vale of the Downtrodden
has a Membrane Level of 5. Any Special Ability that uses the
current Realm's Membrane in its Cost To Use cannot be used
if the current Realm's Membrane Level is 0.
Neighboring Realms: The Realms that can be traveled
to from this one from naturally-occurring Ruptures. These
relationships aren't constant, however; Realms shift and drift
with the astral tide, and two Realms may become
neighbors, or drift apart, over time.
Central Contradiction: In many ways, Realms are
Characters, too. Some are even sentient, but even the nonsentient ones have a unique personality. The Central
Contradiction of a Realm is what makes it dynamic and
interesting, and the Contradictions of Pleroma are really deep
philosophical and metaphysical issues that plague all beings,
given sharp focus through direct interaction.
Realm Statistics
Elemental Characteristics: Every Realm except the Vale
of the Downtrodden has one or more Mystical Element that
it's attuned to, and some Mystical Elements that are weaker
within its domain. These Elemental Characteristics provide
the listed Bonuses or Penalties to Mystics' Dark Arts Talents
when used in these Realms.
Emotional Resonance: Most Realms resonate with
certain emotions; a Realm's Emotional Resonance will list one
such emotion, with a Level. Characters must make WIL +
Self-Control Save rolls vs. DF ((Level *2)+10) on entering the
Realm to avoid suffering the Emotional Affliction regarding
Phenomena, Sites, and Encounters: What are the

Characters likely to find in the Realm? Phenomena are
unusual physical properties of the Realm that may help or
hinder Realms-travelers. Sites are important or interesting
locations in a Realm, that travelers may wish to visit, or
avoid. Encounters are creatures or groups known to inhabit
the Realm, that may help or hinder the Characters. Some
example Phenomena are listed below.
N
Gravity: Realms may have different gravity than
the Vale; in some Realms Characters may find
themselves as light as a feather, while in others, it's
almost impossible to move.
Freefall: No object is treated as having any

mass. Characters can conceivably move any
weight, although objects still retain their
Page 96
inertia. Characters can fly by kicking off

of objects, moving in a straight line in the
opposite direction, however PCs must make
an AGI + Athletics roll DF Average (20) to
keep from painfully crashing clumsily into
objects and suffering 1d6+3B. Any Save roll
that would cause a Character to be rendered
Sitting/Kneeling or Prone instead knocks
them backward at a rate of (Save roll DF
-10)/2 yards per Round.
Heavy: All Characters are treated as having

their normal STR for lifting and carrying
weight, and all travel speeds are halved. All
Save rolls against the Sitting/Kneeling or
Prone Afflictions suffer a -5 Penalty.
Purity [ ]: Some semi-sentient Realms have a
certain strong moral or immoral personality, and
visitors with may feel particularly oppressed in
this Realm if their beliefs vary, or comforted and
uplifted if their beliefs are in agreement.
Beneficent: Any inhabitants with more

Corruption than the Realm's will suffer a
loss of 1d3 SPI per hour. If the Character has
twice as much Corruption or more, the loss
is 1d6+1. Anyone that loses Corruption due
to good acts instantly gains 1d6 SPI and
heals 1d6 LIF.
Malignant: Anyone with less Corruption

than the Realm's Level with suffer a loss of
1d3 SPI per hour. If the Character has half as
much Corruption or less, the loss is 1d6+1.
Anyone that gains Corruption due to evil
acts instantly gains 1d6 SPI and heals 1d6
LIF.
Tech Restrictions [ ]: Due to differences in
physical laws, or some preference of a semisentient Realm, technology can't be counted on to
work consistently out among the Pleroma.
Thaumatronics always work in any Realm,
however, since they're magical, not mere
machines.
Pre-Electronic: Electronics cease to work

properly, but other forms of technology
work fine.
Pre-Firearms: Chemicals lose any highlyexplosive properties, rendering firearms

useless.
Ruptures and Gateways

Ruptures are naturally-occurring openings in the
Membrane of a Realm, and the weaker the Membrane, the
more common Ruptures will be. Ruptures spontaneously
open and close over time due to the astral tide, but they can
be stabilized into Gateways. Sorcerers can take a Rupture and
stabilize it into a Gateways, a permanent two-way tunnel
between Realms. They can also craft Gateways between
Realms that aren't adjacent to one another, but this is very
time consuming.
Appearance: Ruptures and Gateways vary wildly in
appearance, and can be obvious to the naked eye, or can blend
into the environment. Some fuse unseen with an existing
opening in some surface, so that someone taking a quick run
to the bathroom suddenly appears, unexpectedly, in another
Realm. Some float in midair, unattached to any surface; most
of these are barely visible as a shimmering distortion in the
air, like a heat shimmer in a roughly globular area. Most
Ruptures and Gateways are small, covering an area 1 to 3 yards
in diameter, but some cover entire rooms. Even worse, some
Ruptures oscillate into and out of existence with the astral
tide; everyone is sitting around in the Vale of the
Downtrodden, and then without moving, everyone
disappears, reappearing in the Glades of Mirth or the
Wastelands of Suffering. Both Ruptures and Gateways vary
wildly from time to time and place to place.
Frequency and Discovery: Characters that find
themselves trapped in a Realm may need to search for
Ruptures to find a way out; roll Character's Levels in The
Sight against a DF of (Membrane *4) each day. On a success,
the Character finds a Rupture that leads to a random,
neighboring Realm.
Ruptures are most likely to occur in places that
correspond conceptually, Elementally, or emotionally to the
Realm that they lead to. Likewise, Gateways are easiest to
construct in places with strong conceptual, Elemental, or
emotional links to the far destination.
Energy Flow: Elemental and emotional energy
constantly flows both ways from Ruptures and Gateways, and
Characters without The Sight can often detect Ruptures and
Gateways by examining others' emotional state, or observing
strange behavior in the Elements, in the vicinity. Also, many
supernatural creatures thrive in the region around Ruptures,
and increases in sightings of bizarre entities can indicate the
presence of a Rupture, also.
Page 97
The Vale of the Downtrodden

The Vale of the Downtrodden is a fancy name for the
Mortal world. The Mortal world of the Dirge RPG is much
like ours to the casual glance. It's got junkyards and 24-hour
convenience stores, supermarkets, used car lots, trailer parks
and housing projects, but behind the shadows of the Vale lies
a world of secrets and evil forces.
Vale of the Downtrodden Statistics

Realm Characteristics:
N
Elemental Characteristics: None overall, but
certain areas, especially near Ruptures or
Gateways, may have Elemental Characteristics.
N
Emotional Resonance: None overall, but certain
areas, especially near Ruptures or Gateways, may
have Emotional Resonances.
N
Membrane: 5.
N
Neighboring Realms: Astral Plane, the City of
Spirits, the Industrial Nexus, the Glades of Mirth.
N
Central Contradiction: The Vale is full of mythic
powers as it was in the ancient past, but vast
conspiracies have led the inhabitants to a cynical
and jaded outlook that ignores anything
wondrous, and is blind to the true terrors of the
night.
N
Phenomena, Sites, and Encounters: The Vale isn't
quite as dangerous as many other Realms, but the
shadows still hold threats like Mystics, Children
of Light, Ghls, and Enkidu. Most of the
inhabitants are ordinary Mortals, though, and
most of the sites are ordinary locations,
apartment buildings, schools, coffee shops, or the
local Selz-More Superstore.
Lilith Deodata, Outcast Ghul

Lilith is a Ghl of the Outcast Tribe, a family of carnies
that has hauled Ferris wheels and cotton candy machines from
one shore to another in the continental states. Lilith grew to
hate the kids in the towns they passed through, seeing only
their contempt at the new kid, but since her teenage years,
she's begun to wish the Gathering would settle down
somewhere, so she could have some friends that didn't
eventually end up invited to her family's supper table.
Physical Attributes
N
AGI: 6
N
STR: 8* (HTH 2d6+1)
Mental Attributes
INS: 6
PER: 4
Page 98
TGH: 9*
WIL: 5
* = Includes bonuses from Inhuman Attributes.
Initiative
N
INIT: 12
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 33
COR: 13
N
VIG: 27
SPI: 19
N
HLT:
[2 to 3] Foot HLT: 23.
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 40.
[6 to 7] Torso HLT: 55.
[8] Head HLT: 24.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 32.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 23.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 13
MDEF: 11
N
RDEF: 16
Basic Talents: 2
N
Athletics: ---, Close Combat: 1, Dodge: 1, Drive:
---, Education: 1, Endurance: ---, Hidden Lore: ---,
Intimidation: ---, Negotiation: 2, Notice: 2,
Ranged Combat: 4, Repair: ---, Self-Control: 1,
Sneak: 2, Trickery: 1, Wealth: ---.
Advanced Talents:
N
Attractive: 2.
N
Carousing: 2.
N
Creepy Looks: 1.
N
Marksman: 2 (Combat Awareness, Fast Attack).
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Cynical: 1.
Mood Swings: 2.
Outsider: Level 2.
Poor: Level 2.
N
Unnatural Hardships:
Dark Hunger: 2.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Consume Flesh: Level 1.
Dim Sight: Level 1.
Enslave (Innate Power): Level 2.
Fangs: Level 1.
Inhuman Attribute: [STR, TGH]: Level 1.
Regeneration: Level 1.
Sharp Sense [Smell]: Level 3.
The Sight: Level 1.

Possessions:
N
Weapons:
Pistol (DMG 5d6G, Range 8 yd, Accuracy

-1, Total Attack Roll +9).
N
Armor: None.
N
Trifles: Handcuffs, rain coat, sunglasses.
Details:
N
Sex: Female.
N
Age: 19.
N
Preference: Bisexual
N
Height: 5' 5.
N
Weight: 110 lbs.
N
Eye Color: Blue.
N
Hair Color: Black.
N
Hair Style: Shoulder-length and wavy.
N
Skin Tone: Very pale.
N
Clothes: Black vinyl jacket, black t-shirt, cutoffs,
torn fishnet stockings.
N
Personality: Outgoing, friendly, temperamental,
slightly manipulative.
N
Goals: Lilith wants some real friends, friends
she'll keep and stay in contact with. She has a
romantic streak a mile long, but she doesn't know
a thing about affairs of the heart other than from
watching movies. And reading trashy novels. And
from removing the heart, along with the other
organs, when butchering a fresh carcass.
N
Obstacles: Lilith's Gathering is very insular, and
rarely even bothers to meet the local Council of
Night wherever they are, so she's only met a few
other Unnaturals. The Gathering's elders tend to
react badly to their folk wandering off on their
own except to prey on the locals, so she'll have a
hard time unless she wants to leave the Gathering
altogether.
N
Central Contradiction: Most kids dream of
running away from home to join the circus; Lilith
dreams of running away from the color and the
excitement. By the time they graduate from high
school, most kids have dated several people; Lilith
has killed and eaten lots of people, but never held
hands with someone. She understands the
principles behind seduction for the purposes of
bringing home the bacon (or the long pork),
but she's never done so. She's full of bright dreams
that don't belong in her dark world.
Story Use/Notes: Lilith can be used as a Player
Character, or as an adversary for a group of Ordo
Custodes Noctis agents tracking down some
indiscreet Ghls.
Noah Bell, Pymandri Mystic

Noah Bell is a Mystic and Knight of Pymander; but
before that, he was a quiet and unassuming art student at the
Nineveh Community College in Washington.
Noah is the example of Character creation from
Chapter III.
Page 99
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 5
INS: 7
N
STR: 6 (HTH 1d6+1d3) PER: 5
N
TGH: 5
WIL: 7
Initiative
N
INIT: 12
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 31
COR: 10
N
VIG: 15
SPI: 19
N
HLT:
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 27.
[6 to 7] Torso HLT: 37, IPRO: 10, DPRO: 1.
[8] Head HLT: 16.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 21, IPRO: 9, DPRO: 1.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 16.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 12
MDEF: 15
N
RDEF: 11
Basic Talents:
N
---, Education: 2, Endurance: ---, Hidden Lore: 3,
Intimidation: ---, Ranged Combat: ---,
Negotiation: 2, Notice: 1, Repair: ---, Self-Control:
1, Sneak: ---, Trickery: ---, Wealth: ---.
Advanced Talents:
N
Attractive: 1.
N
Carousing: 1.
N
Dark Art [Energy]: 3.
N
Dark Art [Spirit]: 3.
N
Dark Art [Substance]: 3.
N
Expert (Art: Painting, Belief Systems:
Hermeticism, Language: Latin): 3.
N
Consecrated Tools, Freecasting, Magical Passes,
Rituals): 5.
N
Stoic: Level 1.
Hardships:
N
Addicted [Caffeine]: 2.
N
Oathbound [Support the Knights of Pymander]:
Level 1.
N
Phobia [Heights]: 2.
Dark Powers:

Formul:
Energy: Blinding Burst, Cloak, Divination

[Pyromancy].
Spirit: Affect Spirits, Daydream, Astral

Projection.
Substance: Entangle, Sense Elements

[Substance], Telekinesis.
Possessions:
N
Weapons:
Knife: The
N
Armor: Leather Jacket.
N
Trifles: Energy drink, smart phone, sunglasses.
Details:
N
Sex: Male.
N
Age: 22.
N
Preference: Heterosexual
N
Height: 5' 8.
N
Weight: 165 lbs.
N
Eye Color: Brown.
N
Hair Color: Black.
N
Hair Style: Long on top, short on the sides and in
the back.
N
Skin Tone: Slightly pale.
N
Clothes: Black leather jacket, blue jeans, band tshirts.
N
Personality: Quiet, perceptive, creative,
withdrawn, introspective.
N
Goals: Few if any. Noah doesn't know what he
wants to do with his life, other than pursuing his
Higher Self. In a way, his goal is to find a worthy
goal.
N
Obstacles: Noah is on his own, at college for the
first time, and is learning harsh lessons about how
the world works, and what people expect of you.
N
Central Contradiction: Noah is a shy and bookish
kid that's a member of a Cult full of outspoken
assholes. He's not very assertive at all, but is
gradually learning to be less of a wimp from his
superiors in the Pymandri, a lesson as valuable as
his magic lessons in his personal growth.
Eventually, he may surprise them all and become
a great leader, the biggest jerk in a Cult full of
self-important windbags, but that time is far off
yet.
Story Use/Notes: Noah is a pretty typical low-level
Mystic. He's still relatively ignorant of how things
work in the local Council of Night, and he's only
made a few forays into the Pleroma. Noah is
suitable for use by a Player as their Character, or
he could be an ally rival to another Mystic from
the same region.
Righteous G, Yazata Child of Light

Righteous G was once known as Gabuthelon, an
honored Child of Light of the valorous Yazata Legion. When
Gabuthelon Fell, it found itself in an abandoned building in
Nineveh, surrounded by street gangsters. After it beat several
of them severely, they invited it to join their gang; it began to
identify as male, and took the street name Righteous G.
Gabuthelon has grown to love his new, Mortal family, but
wonders if some of their activities might be contrary to
Mortal law. But as he says, Only the Archons can judge me.
Page 100
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 10*
INS: 4
N
STR: 10* (HTH 3d6)
PER: 5
N
TGH: 10*
WIL: 5
* = Includes bonuses from Inhuman Attributes.
Initiative
N
INIT: 14
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 35
COR: 7
N
VIG: 30
SPI: 14
N
HLT:
[2 to 3] Foot HLT: 30, IPRO: 2, DPRO: 1.
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 50, IPRO: 2, DPRO: 1.
[8] Head HLT: 30, IPRO: 2, DPRO: 1.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 30, IPRO: 2, DPRO: 1.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 23
MDEF: 12
N
RDEF: 21
Basic Talents: 4
N
Athletics: 2, Close Combat: 4, Dodge: 4, Drive:
---, Education: ---, Endurance: 1, Hidden Lore: 2,
Intimidation: 1, Negotiation: ---, Notice: ---,
Ranged Combat: 2, Repair: ---, Self-Control: 2,
Sneak: ---, Trickery: ---, Wealth: ---.
Advanced Talents:
N
Attractive: 1.
N
Connections: 3 (Gangstas).
N
Tough as Nails: 2.
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Oathbound [Must Punish Oathbreakers]: 4.
Outsider: 3.
Psychic Scars: 3.
N
Dying Spark (Unnatural Hardship): 1.

Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Elemental Weapon [Energy]: 1. Damage:

4d6+1.
Elemental Wings [Energy]: 1.
Elemental Shield [Energy] 1.
Inhuman Attribute [AGI, STR, TGH]: 1.
The Sight: 2.
Possessions:
N
Weapons:

N
Armor: Leather Jacket.
N
Trifles: Bling, drugs, sunglasses.
Details:
N
Sex: Hermaphrodite; identifies as male.
N
Age: Unknowable.
N
Preference: None as yet.
N
Height: 5' 6.
N
Weight: 133 lbs.
N
Eye Color: Red.
N
Hair Color: White.
N
Hair Style: Cornrows, tied together in the back.
N
Skin Tone: Stark white.
N
Clothes: Black leather jacket, hooded sweatshirt,
ball cap, baggy blue jeans, button-up shirt, tank
top.
N
Personality: Confused, kind, protective, strict,
determined.
N
Goals: Gabuthelon wants to attain his lost power,
and is continually striving to test the limits of his
current incarnation to see what he can do.
N
Obstacles: Gabuthelon occasionally suffers
flashbacks to the last catastrophic battle for the
Palaces of Light, and continually relives the death
of Sandalphon, one of the Archons to whom he
was particularly loyal. His utter ignorance of the
mortal world is also a massive problem.
N
Central Contradiction: Righteous G is a cosmic
entity of terror and justice, living in urban
squalor with a street gang selling drugs and
beating up people for invading their turf, as his
new friends tell him this is the way things work
here, dawg.
Story Use/Notes: Righteous G knows little to nothing
about the Mortal world, but has a few contacts
among the other Children of Light in the local
Council of Night.
their laziness, grace, beauty, cruelty, and usefulness for poorlyspelled Internet image files.
Typical Cat
Often sought by Mystics as companions and Familiars,
cats are valuable but independent companions. Prized for
their ability to catch rodents, Cats are paradoxes, known for
Page 101
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 7.
INS: 2.
N
STR: 1 (HTH ---)
PER: 5.
N
TGH: 3.
WIL: 4.
Initiative
N
INIT: 9.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 18
COR: 10
N
VIG: 9
SPI: 10
N
[2 to 3] Back Feet HLT: 3
N
[4 to 5] Back Leg HLT: 4
N
[6 to 7] Torso HLT: 6
N
[8] Head HLT: 2
N
[9 to 10] Front Legs HLT: 5
N
[11 to 12] Front Feet HLT: 3
N
Note: Cats have normal HLT in all Body Parts
due to the Short Hardship.
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 21
MDEF: 8
N
RDEF: 17
Basic Talents:
N
Athletics: 7, Close Combat: 4, Dodge: 5, Drive: ---,
Education: ---, Endurance: 2, Hidden Lore: 3,
Intimidation: 1, Ranged Combat: ---, Negotiation:
1, Notice: 6, Repair: ---, Self-Control: ---, Sneak: 8,
Trickery: 2, Wealth: ---.
Advanced Talents: None.
Hardships:
N
Bad Hands, Level 10.
N
Short, Level 10.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Dim Sight, Level 5.
Extra Legs, Level 2.
Sharp Senses [Hearing], Level 4.
Sharp Senses [Smell and Taste], Level 2.
Tail, Level 3.
The Sight, Level 1.
Special: Small Claws (DMG 1d2E, Reach 0,

Accuracy +1, Total Attack Roll +11).
Possessions:
N
Choose one of the following: Flea collar, fleas
(1d3+1).
Details: All personal details vary.
Story Use/Notes: Cats are common Familiars for
Mystics, and can be called with the Summoning
Dark Power. Some Enkidu can take on the form
of Cats, as well.
Typical Downtrodden Businessman
AGI: 5
INS: 5
TGH: 6
WIL: 6
Initiative
N
INIT: 10
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 25
COR: 12
N
VIG: 15
SPI: 15
N
[2 to 3] Foot HLT: 17
N
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 29
N
N
[8] Head HLT: 18
N
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 23
N
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 17
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 15
MDEF: 16
N
RDEF: 15
Basic Talents:
N
Athletics: 1, Close Combat: 3, Dodge: 2, Drive: 3,
Education: 2, Endurance: 2, Hidden Lore: ---,
Intimidation: 3, Ranged Combat: 3, Negotiation:
1, Notice: 1, Repair: 1, Self-Control: 4, Sneak: 1,
Advanced Talents:
N
Authority: 3.
N
Expert: 2 (Bureaucracy [State or Local Law],
Streetwise).
N
First Aid: 2.
N
Investigation: 2.
Hardships: Divide 3 Levels between Cruelty, Cynical,
Snobbery, and Vengeful.
Dark Powers: None.
Possessions:
N
Weapons:
Night Stick: (DMG 3d6B, Reach 1, Accuracy

+1, Total Attack Roll +9).
Pistol: (DMG 5d6G, Range 8 yd, Accuracy

N
Trifles:
Ballpoint Pen and Notepad, Flashlight,

Handcuffs, Rain Coat, Sunglasses, WalkyTalky.
Story Use/Notes: These are the typical stats for police
officers; Unnaturals always need to worry about
attracting the attention of law enforcement
officials.
N
N
N
Ordinary Mortals, paid to make phone calls and shuffle

papers, acting out the meaningless dance of the business
world.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 5
INS: 5
N
STR: 5 (HTH 1d6+1)
PER: 6
N
TGH: 5
WIL: 5
Initiative
N
INIT: 10
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 25
COR: 10
N
VIG: 15
SPI: 15
N
N
N
N
[8] Head HLT: 15
N
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 20
N
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 15
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 12
MDEF: 11
N
RDEF: 11
Basic Talents:
N
Athletics: ---, Close Combat: 1, Dodge: 1, Drive: 1,
Education: 1, Endurance: ---, Hidden Lore: ---,
Intimidation: ---, Ranged Combat: ---,
Negotiation: 1, Notice: 1, Repair: 1, Self-Control: 1,
Sneak: ---, Trickery: 1, Wealth: 1.
Hardships: None.
Dark Powers: None.
Possessions: Smart Phone, 4 other Trifles.
Story Use/Notes: These are the typical stats for a runof-the-mill Mortal. They may be someone's
boyfriend or girlfriend, or need to be rescued
from a Rupture, or they may be Enslaved by evil
forces and used as puppets in some vile game.
Typical Downtrodden Police Officer

The guardians of order and peace, in theory; bullies
who hide behind a badge and a gun, in a world ruled by
conspiracies and evil.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
Typical Downtrodden Thug

Besides the Tenebr, there's another underworld, full of
desperate people, seeking to make a fast buck in the harshest
Page 102

circumstances.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 5
INS: 4
N
N
TGH: 6
WIL: 5
Initiative
N
INIT: 9
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 27
COR: 14
N
VIG: 18
SPI: 14
N
N
N
N
[8] Head HLT: 18
N
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 23
N
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 17
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 16
MDEF: 11
N
RDEF: 13
Basic Talents:
N
Education: 1, Endurance: 1, Hidden Lore: ---,
Advanced Talents:
N
Connections: 2.
N
Expert: 1 (Streetwise).
Hardships: Divide 3 Levels between Addicted, Cruelty,
Cynical, and Poverty.
Dark Powers: None.
Possessions:
N
Weapons:
Knife (DMG 3d6+1d3E, Reach 0, Accuracy

---, Total Attack Roll +9).
Pistol: (DMG 5d6G, Range 8 yd, Accuracy

N
Trifles:
Pick any or all of these: Bling, Booze,

Drugs, Lockpicks, Smart Phone.
Story Use/Notes: Thugs can cause problems for anyone,
whether Mortals or Unnaturals. Thugs are a
typical low-level combat encounter, but some PCs
with criminal Connections might call up some
Thug reinforcements from time to time.
named Enkidu, that accompanied the king on great quests.

The Enkidu are were-creatures that prowl the wildernesses of
the Vale, feared by the Downtrodden and by other Unnaturals
alike. Lycaons are the proud and mighty leaders of the
Enkidu, wolf-shifters who tend their shapeshifting brothers as
an alpha wolf would their pack.
Typical Enkidu Lycaon

The legendary hero Gilgamesh once had a lustful, hairy,
primitive warrior companion, a man beloved of all beasts
Page 103
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 7.
INS: 3.
N
STR: 8 (HTH 1d6+1)
PER: 3.
N
TGH: 7.
WIL: 5.
Initiative
N
INIT: 10.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 29.
COR: 11.
N
VIG: 21.
SPI: 11.
N
HLT:
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 37.
[8] Head HLT: 22.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 29.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 22.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 22.
MDEF: 12.
N
RDEF: 19.
Basic Talents:
N
Education: 1, Endurance: 5, Hidden Lore: 3,
1, Notice: 2, Repair: ---, Self-Control: 2, Sneak: 2,
Advanced Talents:
N
Creepy Looks: 2
N
Lair 1.
Hardships: (-19)
N
Mortal Hardships:
Allergy [Silver], Level 5.
Mood Swings, Level 3.
Obsessed [Territorial], Level 3.
Outsider, Level 3.
Poor, Level 5.
N
Weakness [Silver], Level 3.

Dark Powers: More powerful Enkidu might have Levels
in Carapace, Cloak, or Summoning.
N
Innate Powers:
Affect Spirits, Level 1.
Dim Sight, Level 2.
Ferocity, Level 1.
Lycanthrope [Choose any one animal, up to

the size of a wolf], Level 5; Modifiers: Beast

Hybrid.
Regeneration, Level 1.
The Sight, Level 2; Modifiers: Descriptor
Change [Extended Range].
Traverse Realms, Level 1.

Possessions: None.
Details: Personal details vary. Central Contradiction:
Are Enkidu animals that look like Humans, or
Humans that look like animals? It's hard to say,
but it kind of begs the question: are Humans
animals that think like gods, or gods that fuck
and kill like animals? Hard to say. Regardless,
most Enkidu have only a simple grasp on
ordinary Human behavior, so their clothes are
likely to be dirty and ill-fitting. They tend to
stare at people when speaking as if facing down a
wild beast, and they betray various other
mannerisms of their inner beast as well, such as
whining when afraid or confused, smelling people
when first meeting them, or eating meat raw.
Story Use/Notes: Enkidu are terrifying combatants, but
fortunately they keep to themselves unless
someone invades their territory. Unfortunately, an
Enkidu's territory could be anywhere, in any
Realm. They particularly hate Ghls, since
ancient Ghl lords conquered and held Romania
during the Middle Ages by using Blood Tricks to
enslave entire packs of Enkidu, who aren't known
for their mental might. The stats for this Enkidu
are balanced so that they could be used as a Player
Character, or tailored slightly to fit a Player's
desires.
Image courtesy Paul Brentnall, Freedigitalphotos.net
Typical Raven
Ravens are black-feathered scavenger birds said to be
harbingers of death, doom, and bad Edgar Allen Poe
references. Mostly, though, they just scrounge for worms,
trash, and shiny things.
Page 104
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 8.
INS: 2.
N
STR: 1 (HTH ---)
PER: 3.
N
TGH: 3.
WIL: 3.
Initiative
N
INIT: 10.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 15
COR: 12
N
VIG: 9
SPI: 8
N
HLT:
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 4
[8] Head HLT: 2
[9 to 12] Wing HLT: 4
Note: Ravens have normal HLT in all

Body Parts due to the Short Hardship.
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 22.
MDEF: 6
N
RDEF: 21.
Basic Talents:

---, Notice: 7, Repair: ---, Self-Control: ---, Sneak:
6, Trickery: 3, Wealth: 1.
Hardships:
N
N
Short, Level 10.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Dim Sight, Level 5.
The Sight, Level 1.

Special: Wings (Flight 10 mph).

Possessions:
N
Various small shiny items.
Story Use/Notes: Ravens are common Familiars for
Mystics, and can be called with the Summoning
Dark Power. Some Enkidu can take on the form
of a Raven as well.
The Firmament Treaty

Mystics are like other Humans; a little more imaginative and
willful, but just as violent. In the old days, Mystics that found Tomes
out among the Pleroma used to battle for them, sometimes even to
the death; this kind of rampant violence led to the Firmament
Treaty. So what can the Cult of the Hierates get away with under the
treaty? A lot, by exploiting loopholes. Here are the basic stipulations
of the treaty:
The Right to Answers: Any Mystic accused of violating the
Treaty is called to a trial at the Mansions of Conundrums, where
they may face their accusers, and testify on their own behalf. The
jury will be composed equally of members of at least three Cults.
The Mystic is to be notified at least 3 days before the trial, and to be
held safely and comfortably in the Mansions until the trial.
The Right to Fair Punishment: Minor infractions of the
treaty will result in the convicted being required to perform some
minor service for the accuser. Major infractions will result in the
convict being declared Cacodox, i.e. being ejected from their Cult
for a time, or permanently. The most serious offenses, such as using
magic before Mortal witnesses, result in a death sentence.
The Right to Quest: No Mystic will inhibit another's quest
for their Higher Selves, by preventing them from traveling either the
Pleroma or the Vale, unless convicted of a crime.
(continues)
(continued)
The Right To Safety: No Mystic shall cast a spell on another
Mystic, except for a simple, passive, non-invasive scan, without
permission, except to save that Mystic's life, mind, or spirit. Mageduels are assumed to have permission from both parties. Later
addenda extend the Right of Safety to immediate blood relatives of
the Mystic (parents, siblings, spouses, and children). A Mystic's
Familiar is treated as an extension of themselves for the purpose of
the Right to Safety. Mortal friends and servants are given no such
protection.
The Right To Sanctity: No Mystic shall enter or modify
another's ritual space without permission, nor use or modify that
Mystic's Artifacts or sacred tools without permission.
The Right to Satisfaction: Any Mystic is allowed to challenge
another to a mage-duel at any time, to settle grievances that aren't
covered by the treaty. Mage-duels may only take place when both
parties are healthy and prepared.
The Right to Secrecy: All Mystics shall be required to keep
their magic hidden from the eyes of Mortals that are not in the
employ of that Mystic. The Mystic is cautioned that they may be
held accountable for the actions of their Mortal servants, or other
Unnaturals they consort with, if any of them should break the
treaty.
One of the most severe punishments that a Collegium can
levy is to declare one of its members a Cacodox, stripping them of
the protections of the Firmament Treaty.
Page 105

HLT:
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 60.
[8] Head HLT: 39.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 47.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 34.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 28
MDEF: 24
N
RDEF: 28
Basic Talents:
N
Intimidation: 5, Ranged Combat: 7, Negotiation: ,
Notice: 5, Repair: 4, Self-Control: 8, Sneak: 7,
Advanced Talents:
N
Authority: 10.
N
Break & Enter: 7.
N
Courageous: 10.
N
Creepy Looks: 1.
N
Expert: 3 (Bureaucracy: One espionage or lawenforcement agency, Languages: Cryptosophic,
Enochian, and Gidimite).
N
First Aid: 1.
N
Investigation: 5.
N
Marksmanship: 5 (Combat Awareness, Fast
Attack, Quick Draw, Ranged Weapon Expertise
[Pistols]).
N
Martial Arts: 5 (Fast Attack, Jump Kick, Kippup,
Shattering Strike, Sweep Kick).
N
Stability: 10.
N
Stoic: 10.
Hardships:
N
Cynical: 3.
N
Distant: 3.
N
Oathbound [Serve the Cult of Hierates]: 10.
N
Outsider: 3.
Dark Powers:
N
Affect Spirits: 1.
N
Dim Sight: 1.
N
Endure Privation [All]: 1 each.
N
Inhuman Attribute [STR,TGH]: 1 each.
N
Regeneration: 1.
N
The Sight: 1.
N
Tongues: 1.
Possessions:
N
Weapons:
Knife (DMG 3d6E, Reach 0, Accuracy ---,

Total Attack Roll +15).
The symbol of the Hierate Cult.
Typical Servitor
The Servitors are genetically engineered and magically
augmented agents of the Hierates, sent forth to do their
bidding and that of the Elder Beasts. Servitors ride in black
Cadillacs or helicopters, and wear black suits with dark
sunglasses. They're perfectly sculpted men and women with
short hair and regular, generic features; they rarely betray
emotion of any kind, only a single-minded devotion to their
dark masters.
Servitors carry credentials for the super-secretive
espionage and law-enforcement agency Annex 37, giving them
authority to go wherever they want and do whatever they
need in the name of safety. In accordance with the
Firmament Treaty, Servitors are forbidden from directly
harming Cult Mystics or any of their servants, but there's a lot
of things they can do to harass them nonetheless.
Physical Attributes
N
AGI: 8
N
STR: 10 (HTH 3d6)
N
TGH: 10
Initiative
N
INIT: 20.
Physical Resources
N
LIF: 50
N
VIG: 39
Mental Attributes
INS: 7
PER: 4
WIL: 8
Mental Resources
COR: 13
SPI: 19
Page 106

Armor: Bulletproof Vest.
Trifles: Smart phone, sunglasses.
Details:
N
Sex: Male.
N
Preference: Heterosexual.
N
Height: Exactly 6' o.
N
Weight: Exactly 155 lbs.
N
Eye Color: Always brown.
N
Hair Color: Always brown.
N
Hair Style: Always in a conservative and
businesslike style, combed to the side or straight
back.
N
Skin Tone: Tan or dark-skinned.
N
Clothes: Always wear a black suit with white
shirts and black ties, and dark sunglasses. The
only variation is adding a trenchcoat in inclement
weather.
N
Personality: Emotionless, intimidating, forceful,
brainwashed.
N
Goals: To serve the Cult of the Hierates, fight the
Ordo Custodes Noctis, and suppress any
knowledge of the supernatural among the public.
N
Obstacles: Servitors are all members of secret
organizations like Annex 37, with the highest
clearance, but most people haven't heard of these
agencies. Also, as servants of the Hierates, they
are required to obey the Firmament Treaty.
N
Central Contradiction: Servitors are geneticallyengineered and magically-augmented clones,
designed to obey without free will or emotion,
but as time goes on, individual Servitors will
begin to develop feelings. They'll become
obsessed with killing a dark hero that keeps
escaping them, or they will develop twisted,
romantic feelings for someone they're spying on.
Eventually these Servitors are killed by the
Hierates, but their repressed emotions could
surface at any time.
Story Use/Notes: Servitors are villains, but they're
generally only sent to investigate major problems
for the Hierate Cult. The only thing worse that
the Cult would send is an actual Hierate Cultist.
A single Servitor is probably a match for an entire
group of starting-level PCs, and are authorized to
use lethal force against Ghls and Children of
Light that aren't in the company of a Cult Mystic.
N
N
Typical Wolf
Wolves are unknown to most people except from
movies and radical T-shirt designs, but are a rare and
endangered predator that lives in the wilderness. Wolves are

social creatures that live in packs, renowned for their tracking
ability.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 8.
INS: 2.
N
STR: 8 (HTH 2d6+1)
PER: 6.
N
TGH: 8.
WIL: 5.
Initiative
N
INIT: 10.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 15
COR: 12
N
VIG: 9
SPI: 8
N
HLT:
[2 to 3] Rear Paw HLT: 24.
[4 to 5] Rear Leg HLT: 40.
[8] Head HLT: 24.
[9 to 10] Front Leg HLT: 32.
[11 to 12] Front Paw HLT: 24.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 26.
MDEF: 12
N
RDEF: 19.
Basic Talents:
N
---, Education: ---, Endurance: 7, Hidden Lore: 1,
---, Notice: 8, Repair: ---, Self-Control: 2, Sneak: 7,
Hardships:
N
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Dim Sight, Level 4.
Extra Legs, Level 2.
Fangs Level 2 (DMG 1d3+6E, Reach 0,

The Sight, Level 1.

Possessions: None.
Story Use/Notes: Wolves are sometimes Familiars for
wilderness-dwelling Mystics, but more commonly
are allies and totem beasts for the Enkidu.
Typical Zombie
Dead corpses, called back to a shambling, rotting
Page 107

existence by some unscrupulous necromancer, or by a
spontaneous magical phenomenon.
Some believe that Zombies were first created by some
ambitious Mystic that bound the spirit of a dead Ghl to a
human corpse, creating a monster with a Ghl's lust for flesh
and a corpse's insensitive to pain. Others believe that Realms,
like cells, may become infected with diseases like zombie
outbreaks, diseases created out of pure chaos by the Elder
Beasts. According to this theory, when all of the living things
in a Realm are devoured by the ravenous undead, the Realm is
destroyed, and the spirit-seeds of new outbreaks are expelled
into neighboring Realms.
Whatever their source, zombie outbreaks aren't
particularly rare, but are always taken seriously by the
Councils of Night and the Ordo Custodes Noctis.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 3
INS: 2
N
STR: 10 (HTH 3d6)
PER: 1
N
TGH: 8
WIL: 1
Initiative
N
INIT: 4
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: --COR: 20
N
VIG: 24
SPI: --N
HLT:
[8] Head HLT: 13
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 15
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 10

N
Notes:
As their flesh is decaying, Zombies have
the normal HLT in all Body Parts.

Zombies have no LIF; they do not suffer
Debility Damage. The only way to finish
them off is to inflict enough Injury Damage
to tear them apart.
Likewise, Zombies have and need no SPI,

and suffer no ill effects from it.
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 15
MDEF: 2
N
RDEF: 9
Basic Talents:
N
---, Drive: ---, Education: ---, Endurance: 5,
Hidden Lore: ---, Intimidation: 5, Ranged
Combat: ---, Negotiation: ---, Notice: 1, Repair:
---, Self-Control: ---, Sneak: 1, Trickery: 1, Wealth:
---.
Hardships: None.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Dim Sight, Level 1.
Fangs, Level 1.
Resistance [Afraid, Bleeding, Compulsion,

Exhausted, Panicked, and all Emotional
Afflictions], Level 10.
Stench, Level 1.
Possessions: Rags.
Story Use/Notes: Zombies are the perfect cannon
fodder for any Mystic with the Summoning Formula.
Particularly powerful Ruptures sometimes radiate magical
energy that cause spontaneous Zombie outbreaks, requiring
Unnatural action to quell.
The Astral Plane

All of the Realms lie suspended in the Astral Plane, and
Realms that don't border directly on one another may be
reached through the Astral Plane. The Astral Plane is traveled
by many entities, and there's a sort of commerce between
planes by the beings that live there.
Astral Plane Statistics
The Astral Plane looks like a shimmering, endless field

of amber clouds, extending endlessly in all directions. The
Astral Plane leads to all other Realms, and many dangers can
be found in its infinite mists to the unwary.
Page 108
N
Elemental Characteristics: Spirit +1, Destiny +0,
all other Elements -1.
N
Emotional Resonance: Calm.
N
Membrane: 0.
N
Neighboring Realms: All Realms.
N
Central Contradiction: The highway to
everywhere, some Mystics call it, and despite the
fact that the Astral Plane looks endless and empty,
trouble lurks in every minute that someone
wanders the endless clouds. Astral pirates,

monstrous creatures from unknown Realms,
spiteful mages of unknown species, astral storms,
Ruptures to worlds of fear and untold suffering,
and all manner of other disasters await those that
wander the Astral Plane blithely. Nowhere else
looks so empty and yet is so full of danger.
Phenomena, Sites, and Encounters:
Astral Colonies: The Astral Plane has no

native inhabitants per se, but there are
scattered colonies of Unnaturals,
particularly the Venefici, throughout the
Astral Realms. There are even strange
Artifact vehicles from a myriad of Realms
that are designed to travel Astral space;
these crafts may look like anything from
sailing ships to RVs to alien flying disks.
Astral Storms: Characters may find

themselves in a .
Ruptures: The Astral Plane has randomlyoccurring Ruptures here and there to every
conceivable Realm. The problem is, it's
difficult to tell from the outside where the
Rupture leads; it takes an INS + Hidden
Lore roll DF Difficult (25) to guess what
kind of Realm lies on the other side.
Guided Freefall: Characters can fly at will

at a rate of (WIL) mph, propelled by
intention alone, without kicking off of
anything.
AGI: 3
INS: 1
STR: 12 (HTH 3d6+1d3) PER: 1
TGH: 13
WIL: 4
Initiative
N
INIT: 4.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 38
COR: 20
N
VIG: 39
SPI: 6
N
HLT:
Torso HLT: 414, IPRO: 3, DPRO: 1;

(Blunt) IPRO 21, DPRO: 7,
(Gunfire) IPRO 9, DPRO: 3.
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 18
MDEF: 9
N
RDEF: 13
Basic Talents:
N
Education: ---, Endurance: 8, Hidden Lore: ---,
---, Notice: 4, Repair: ---, Self-Control: 1, Sneak:
---, Trickery: ---, Wealth: ---.
Advanced Talents:
N
Creepy Looks: 8.
N
Tough as Nails: 5.
Hardships: None.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Consume Flesh: 7.
Dark Sight: 3.
Fangs: 10.
Large: 10.
Resistance [Compulsions]: 8.
Shapeless: 6.
The Sight: 3.
Possessions: None.
Story Use/Notes: Devourers are typically summoned
through the Dark Arts of the Body to devour the
enemies of Mystics, or are encountered in the
wastelands of myriad Realms as a horrifying
threat. They can even be found floating freely in
the Astral Realm, and too many unwary travelers
have been devoured by an Astral Devourer.
N
N
N
Typical Devourer
Though often reckoned in ancient times to be demons,
perhaps since the Unbidden resemble them, Devourers are
flesh elementals. They are shapeless, formless monstrosities
that resemble nothing more than giant amoebas. Devourers
are mindless beasts of hunger, driven forever forward to
consume whatever they should run across. A typical Devourer
achieves the size of a station wagon in a short time, and
nothing can stand in its path for long.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
The City of Spirits

Once, in ancient times, a powerful sorcerer created a
Realm for himself, where he could practice his craft in peace,
without interruptions. Over time, he made progress with his

unknowable experiments, and although his vast palace was
Page 109

maintained by golems and the shambling, mindlessly obedient
undead, he required raw materials for his rituals that his
minions couldn't obtain. And, although he would never admit
it, he occasionally craved companionship and conversation.
The sorcerer, called Ensi Abgal in the city he founded,
watched his almost-forgotten homeland, until he saw the
waters of the Nile flooding, threatening to annihilate a small
village. He extended his powers through the Astral Plane, and
pulled the village whole to his Realm, recruiting the villagers
as his servants. As time progressed, Abgal repeated this
performance many times. He rescued hundreds from the
eruptions of Pompeii, the Shaanxi earthquake in China, the
fall of the Mayan empire, the nuclear detonations at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, almost every major disaster brought
a new culture to the city of Uru Ulan.
The city itself is arranged roughly into wards, where the
members of each culture continue to preserve their ancient
ways. Other wards are inhabited by inhuman beings like
Goblins and the Venefici, and the trade wards are filled with
shops and wares which can be found nowhere else.
The rulership of Uru Ulan seems strange to visitors
from the vale. To understand how the City of Spirits is
administered, one must know about the Judges, the
Disputants, and the Necromantics. When Uru Ulan was
founded, Ensi Abgal gave the people The Tablets of Laws,
which is just what it sounds like: a series of stone slabs with
laws inscribed on them in an ancient tongue. The city council
are called the Judges, and they regard Ensi Abgal as a demigod or god, and the Tablets of Law as divinely inspired. The
Laws are clear about many matters, but vague on many
others, and the attitude espoused in the Tablets would have
been considered liberal and forgiving in 5,000 B.C. To an
inhabitant of modern-day Earth, the Laws are restrictive and
the punishments brutal. Petty criminals tend to be branded,
flogged, or mutilated, while violent criminals are publicly
executed, and the worst are dismembered in a variety of
gruesome ways, all while the Judges sing hymns to Ensi Abgal
as a god of justice and compassion. Judges typically wear
whatever clothing is normal for their ward, but when acting
in their official role, they wear masks and dress in robes of
ashen gray.
on one another. The Venefici Consortium is turned against the

Japan Ward's Shoguns gang, who in turn also fight with the
Tweeds and the Centaurians.
This is part of the reason why the Ordo Custodes
Noctis has a negligible presence in the City of Spirits; many
members love the city, but operating in an official capacity in
the city always draws the attention of the Disputants.
Disputants carry short barbed daggers, and like to ornament
their black armor with the bones of criminals they helped
apprehend.
Half civil defense and half civil servants, the
Necromantics are part of the reason for the city's name.
Created by Ensi Abgal himself, and under the direct
command of the Judges, the Necromantics summon spirits to
do the dirty work of the city, cleaning filth, delivering
messages, building walls, and supplementing the Disputants
when they require assistance. The Necromantics are students
of an ancient, traditional lineage of magic founded by Ensi
Abgal himself, dedicated to civil service and turning the
powers of the underworld to good use, which explains why
powerful Mystics would follow the commands of the
hidebound and self-righteous Judges.
The City of Spirits Statistics
The Judges are served by the Disputants, a sort of

combined police force, militia, and spy agency that uses
magical means to enforce the laws and seek out
troublemakers. Often, the intention to commit a crime is
enough. While the Judges are single-mindedly devoted to the
Law, the Disputants are much more pragmatic, and tend to
target powerful individuals before they can cause trouble.
Power blocs that the Disputants can't disassemble are turned
Page 110
N
Elemental Characteristics: Spirit +2, all others +0.
N
Emotional Resonance: Awe.
N
Membrane: 3.
N
Neighboring Realms: The Astral Realm, the Vale
of the Downtrodden.
N
Central Contradiction: The City of Spirits is the
crossroads of the cosmos, a metropolis containing
the remnants of thousands of Earth cultures, and
inhabited by thousands of beings from
throughout the Pleroma. And yet, despite its
trans-cosmopolitan nature, the people here
continue to squabble, bicker, and backstab like all
sentient beings do. The ultimate melting pot is
more of an ultimate arena of endless, low-level
hatred and bloodshed. Another contradiction is
that a city carried forward by a hundred cultures
from a hundred nations over many centuries
should be held back by sadistic laws now
centuries out of date, written by a scholar who
never actually proclaimed himself a god.
N
Many Eras: Half of the inhabitants are the

descendants of Downtrodden brought to
the city from various eras in history. The

rest of the inhabitants are Unnaturals of
various kinds.
Venefici
A sorcerous race from another Realm, the Venefici are
traders and schemers without scruples or regrets. The Venefici
are thick as rats in Uru Ulan, and more than a few exist in the
Vale of the Downtrodden as agents of their Consortium.
According to themselves, they destroyed their homeworld
with reckless magical experimentation, and have since learned
to be cautious with magic. Some scholars in the City of Spirits
say that this is a lie, claiming that the Venefici were enslaved
by a warlike race of marauding raiders, an underclass of
enchanters, and their masters slew each other in a massive,
final civil war. The Venefici are silent on these rumors.
Venefici always carry Artifact knives, and maybe an Artifact
staff, but are often accompanied by a retinue of Goblin
bodyguards.
Venefici are masterful sorcerers; they don't stagger as
quickly towards madness as Human Mystics do. On the other
hand, they're physically frail, and their magical senses are
sensitive. Venefici master languages quickly and easily, and
speak well, but maintain a calm, poker face throughout
negotiations; and you never, ever get anything for free from a
Veneficus.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 4
INS: 8
N
STR: 3 (HTH 1d3)
PER: 8
N
TGH: 4
WIL: 8
Initiative
N
INIT: 12.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 32
COR: 15
N
VIG: 12
SPI: 24
N
HLT:
[8] Head HLT: 11
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 15
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 11

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 16
MDEF: 18
N
RDEF: 18
Basic Talents:
N
Page 111
Trickery: 6, Wealth: 8.
Advanced Talents:
N
Dark Art [Destiny. Energy, Spirit, Substance]: all
at 4. Venefici cast using PER + Expert + Dark Art.
N
Mystical Techniques (Any 4): 4.
N
Others: Creepy Looks: 1, Expert (Trade): 1,
Investigation: 1, Languages (Goblin, Venefici): 2.
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships: Distant: 2, Obsessed [Trade]: 3.
N
Unnatural Hardships: Sensitivity [Powerful
mystical impressions]: 3.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Large: Level 1.
Sorcery: Level 4.
Enchantment: Level 4.
The Sight: Level 3.

N
Formul:
Elemental Bolt [Energy], Elemental Sense

[Substance], Tongues, Wards.
Possessions:
N
Knife (DMG 2d6+1d3E, Reach 0, Accuracy ---,
Total Attack Roll +6).
Details:
N
Sex: There are both male and female Venefici.
N
Preference: Varies; Venefici don't talk about their
species' biological and sexual habits.
N
Height: Around 6' 4.
N
Weight: Around 145 lbs.
N
Eye Color: All three of a Veneficus' eyes will be
milky pale, with only several pinprick pupils.
N
Hair Color: Generally black or white, if any.
N
Hair Style: Lower-ranking Venefici are bald, while
higher-ranked Venefici grow their hair very long.
N
Skin Tone: Purple, ranging from light lavender to
dark grape.
N
Clothes: Brightly colored, flowing robes, with lots
of mystical amulets and jewelry in a variety of
precious metals and gems.
N
Personality: Cold, calculating, curious,
mysterious, egotistical, indifferent.
N
Goals: To make money, and nothing else.
N
Obstacles: Venefici frequently need the assistance
of other Unnaturals to obtain the things their
buyers want, and their physical frailty makes
them poorly suited to such adventures.
N
Central Contradiction: Venefici, like Human
Mystics, have all of the secrets of the cosmos
potentially within their grasp, but care for
nothing more than ensuring their own survival
and aggrandizement. Most Venefici have no
friends, only business associates and flunkies, and

although most are wealthy, they don't know what
to do with that wealth other than to invest it in
obtaining more, like some ridiculous zero-sum
game.
Story Use/Notes: Venefici have access to all kinds of
materials that Mystics might find valuable, for
Enchantment and other magical experiments. Of

course, nothing is ever free, and Venefici will
often send PCs on long quests for something
specific to trade, making them great plot hooks.
The Glades of Mirth

A beautiful and lush forest-Realm inhabited by the fae,
where subtle dangers await the unwary. Nothing in the Glades
of Mirth are what they appear, and this seemingly-Edenic
Realm is actually more dangerous than many others, for all of
its dangers are hidden behind a most pleasing surface.
N
N
Neighboring Realms: The Astral Realm.

Central Contradiction: The Glades of Mirth!
Sounds like fun! I know, right? Celebrate good
times, come on! Except that it's all too easy for
the unwary to kill themselves in the festivities of
the fae, because when they party, there is no
stopping them. More than one Realm-wanderer
has returned from the Glades of Mirth robbed
blind, hung over, and ruthlessly degraded. And
yet, some still go back for more.
Dangers:
Oaths: Swearing an oath of any kind is

dangerous business in the Glades of Mirth,
and the Realm itself seems to punish
oathbreakers. Anyone that says anything
that sounds like a promise, no matter how
casual or ridiculous, instantly gains the
Oathbound Hardship at Level 1. In
addition, a Character that swears to
complete some task in the Glades of Mirth
will find that any time they attempt to leave
the Glades of Mirth, the Membrane has
increased to 10 for them (and anyone
traveling with them).
Partying Too Hard: The fae creatures of the

Glades of Mirth, particularly the sidhe,
dwarfs, and satyrs, are given to wild parties
involving incredibly powerful wine. Most
people are wise to steer clear of fae parties
without magic to fortify their bodies. The
DF for even the mildest faerie wine is
Impressive (40); on a failure, the Character
suffers the Inebriated Affliction, and on a
Mishap, the Character is not only
Inebriated but suffers 3d6 Blunt
Environmental damage.
The Pomegranate Orchard: The legendary

fruit of the trees in the Pomegranate
Orchard is said to be able to cure any
disease, and the distilled spirits of the trees
Image courtesy Dynamite Imagery, Freedigitalphotos.net.
The Glades of Mirth Statistics

N
Elemental Characteristics: Body +2, Destiny +2, all
others -1.
N
Emotional Resonance: Joy.
N
Membrane: 4.
Page 112

is even said to grant immortality. However,
like something out of dozens of myths, it's
an epic quest to find the orchard, and it's
said to be protected by a cunning dragon or
serpent with a taste for riddles and human
flesh.
Image courtesy Yana Ray, Publicdomainpictures.net.
Typical Satyr
Satyrs are fae creatures with vast appetites for sex and
booze. The ultimate revelers, these goat-horned and goathoofed party animals have an unending lust for sex, booze,
and fun and games, and could very easily kill anyone who's
around when their hedonism gets out of control. A Satyr that
finds they've done something vile in the midst of their games
will suffer from loud and dramatic remorse, but only until
they can drown their sorrows once again.
Physical Attributes
N
AGI: 7
N
STR: 6 (HTH 1d6+1d3)
N
TGH: 6
Initiative
N
INIT: 12
Physical Resources
N
LIF: 24
N
VIG: 18
Mental Attributes
INS: 5
PER: 8
WIL: 4
Mental Resources
COR: 17
SPI: 17
Page 113
HLT:
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 31.
[8] Head HLT: 18.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 25.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 19.

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 22
MDEF: 8
N
RDEF: 21
Basic Talents:
N
4, Notice: 1, Repair: ---, Self-Control: ---, Sneak:
4, Trickery: 8, Wealth: 3.
Advanced Talents:
N
Attractive: 2
N
Carousing: 9
N
Creepy Looks: 1
N
Expert: 5 (Art: Pan-Flute, Art: Dancing, Art: Sex,
Games: Any one game of chance, Language:
Greek).
Hardships:
N
Addicted [Alcohol]: 8
N
Cruel: 1
N
Lecherous: 6
N
Mood Swings: 3
Dark Powers:
N
Anguish [Any]: 3; Modifications: Implement [PanFlute].
N
Daydream: 3; Modifications: Implement [PanFlute].
N
Dim Sight: 1
N
Horns: 3
N
Regeneration: 1
Possessions:
N
Pan-Flute, wine-skin.
Details:
N
Sex: There are both male and female Satyrs.
N
Preference: Bisexual.
N
Height: Around 5' 6.
N
Weight: Around 125 lbs.
N
Eye Color: Brown.
N
Hair Color: Brown.
N
Hair Style: Curly and shaggy.
N
Skin Tone: Swarthy.
N
Clothes: Generally none, although their netherregions are partially covered by all their fur.
N
Personality: Gregarious, fun-loving, boisterous,
mercurial, can be cruel.

N
N
N
Goals: To have fun, and nothing else.

Obstacles: None. The Glades of Mirth meet all of
the Satyrs' needs.
Central Contradiction: Satyrs are magical,
immortal creatures, wise and powerful, but they
care for nothing other than getting wasted and
playing silly games; they could conquer the
Realms, but they never will, preferring to get
drunk and dance about and party.
Story Use/Notes: Satyrs make a great social encounter,

but don't make very good allies; they're too wild
and unfocused, more likely to cause more
problems that solve any existing problems. Satyrs
may pick fights when very drunk, but more likely
than raw aggression is that Characters might need
to fight off Satyrs' romantic advances, perhaps
even with force.
The Industrial Nexus

A vast, dystopian city-Realm of steam-driven machines
and silicon intelligences, clockwork robots and clones, choked
by bureaucratic elitism.
The Industrial Nexus is arranged in layers, each one
more dangerous and unpleasant. he top level is the Control
Center, with brushed steel walls, soft pulsing lights, data
cables, elevator music, and soft and random beeps and bloops.
The Factory Level looks like the interior of an endless factory,
filled with gears, steam, pistons, tubes, rusty walls, smells of
smelted metal and noxious chemicals, loud noise, and robotic
workers. The Undercity is an abandoned level of the city,
filled with trash, pools of sewage, mutant creatures, and
Ghls. The Mining Level is a myriad of tunnels dug deep into
solid rock, where the inhabitants obtain ore for processing
above.
The Nexians, inhabitants of the Industrial Nexus are
essentially Human, but their skin is gray and eyes are red,
perhaps from the omnipresent pollution. Their government is
an ugly form of materialist socialist meritocracy, but there's
an undercurrent of superstitious folk religion in the lower
levels. The Industrial Nexus does a great deal of trade with
other Realms, and is particularly beloved by Thaumatronicists
for its magical properties, and they tend to be given special
privileges by the Nexians.
make things more efficient. Then why are there so

many catwalks everywhere with no railings? Why
does getting a parking space for your hover-bike
require a thousand pages of paperwork? And if
there are efficient mechanisms in place to make
sure everyone is treated fairly, why do the
Gearbots and others continually suffer at the
hands of the system? The Industrial Nexus isn't
spiteful, it's just callous, which makes the
injustices all the more appalling.
Bazaars: Huge, crowded trade centers filled

with barking vendors, various cheap wares,
smells of food and drink. Bazaars are only
found on the lower levels, and anything can
be purchased in one place or another in the
Bazaars. Incautious travelers may be cheated
by the vendors here, or robbed blind by
thieves.
Catwalks: The factory areas of the

Industrial Nexus include many narrow
platforms over nearly endless falls.
Everyone is Guilty of Something: It's almost

impossible to avoid breaking some Nexian
law; what matters is avoiding the attention
of the authorities. Anyone making a public
disturbance, or acting unusually, is likely to
be imprisoned by security Gearbots and
tortured for a few days in a random,
desultory fashion. When the authorities are
bored, they'll release the detainee wherever
it's most convenient for some reason, this
is always the Undercity.
Meshing Gears: In the Industrial Nexus it's

almost impossible to avoid dangerous
The Industrial Nexus Statistics

N
Elemental Characteristics: Substance +2, all others
+0.
N
Emotional Resonance: Passivity.
N
Membrane: 6.
N
Neighboring Realms: The Astral Realm, the Vale
of the Downtrodden.
N
Central Contradiction: Technology is supposed to
Page 114

machinery. Characters that stray too close
to this equipment suffer 2d6+2E damage
automatically. Jets of steam cause a mere
2d6E, but spatters of molten metal in
smelting plants cause 4d6E or more.
The Planning Centers: Huge banks of

computers and rooms of programmers,
with wood-paneled side rooms where suits
vote random laws into place for the masses.
Theoretically, the computer system creates a
psychological profile of every citizen and
automatically votes for them, selecting
representatives that would stand for a
majority of the citizens' interests; in
practice, there's a ruling caste that never
seems to change, that focuses mostly on
advertising and selling crap to the citizens.
Revolting Gearbots: The Gearbots that toil

endlessly in the Industrial Nexus are
assumed to be artificial intelligences, but
are instead native elemental beings.
Although usually content to slave away,
sometimes they turn against their fleshy
masters, until they are destroyed or
contained once again.
Undercity: The Undercity is filled with

rivers of offal, piles of rubbish, skulking
Ghls, and strange, mutated creatures of
every hideous variety.
STR: 8 (HTH 2d6+1)

PER: 4
TGH: 7
WIL: 7
Initiative
N
INIT: 8
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 35
COR: 10
N
VIG: 21
SPI: 18
N
HLT:

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 15
MDEF: 14
N
RDEF: 15
Basic Talents:
N
Advanced Talents:
N
Creepy Looks: 2.
N
Tech: 4 (Any 4).
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Detached: 4.
Outsider: 4.
Poor: 4.
N
Sensitivity [Electricity]: 4.
Dark Powers:
N
Dark Sight: 5.
N
Endure Privation [Starvation, thirst, heat, cold,
excretion]: 10.
N
Interface: 5.
Possessions:
N
Any one tool kit.
Story Use/Notes: Characters may have Gearbot allies,
and may even get involved with the Gearbot
Resistance.
N
N
Typical Gearbot
Most people believe that the Gearbots are constructed
by the Nexians, but in actuality, they're Elementals selfassembled from the junk in the lower levels of the Nexus.
Gearbots are sold by Nexians on the lower levels to those on
higher levels, reassembled for aesthetic appearance, and then
used as servants, workers, and guards on the higher levels.
Gearbots are strong and loyal, but some retain an element of
free will, and have been known to rebel against the Nexians
from time to time.
Physical Attributes
N
AGI: 4
Mental Attributes
INS: 4
The Mansions of Conundrums

The Mansions of Conundrums is an entire Realm that
looks like the interior of some vast, ancient house or castle,
Page 115

with ornate architecture, gargoyle statues, vast banquet-halls
and dance rooms. Most impressive of all are the libraries
which stretch hundreds of miles high, and the entire Realm is
crawling with mages of all kinds, Mystics, Hierates, Venefici,
and others, all operating under the Firmament Treaty,
The Mansions of Conundrums

Statistics
Quick To Anger: Mystics can be irritable,

and many hold the power to make one
miserable if one isn't careful.
Typical Shadow Goblin
N
Elemental Characteristics: All Elements +2.
N
Emotional Resonance: Curiosity.
N
Membrane: 3.
N
N
Central Contradiction: A Realm devoted to
knowledge and learning of all kinds, it and its
inhabitants seem to delight in hiding its wisdom
behind impenetrable riddles, blind mazes, and
meaningless glyphs. It's good to hide the most
unsettling truths from the unwary, but when
seekers are alone together, what's the point of
clasping blindly to endless ritual and traditions
whose meanings are lost for centuries, except for
some artistic love of the baroque?
N
The Great Academy: The most influential

Mystics are given the opportunity to send
their children to the Great Academy to
learn magic, study ancient history, and learn
to speak Cryptosophic. The curriculum is
extremely challenging, and rivalries are
overlooked, even encouraged. Most of the
students are human Mystics from the
Collegiums, but some are Hierates, and
more than a few of the instructors are
Venefici or other magic-using creatures.
before, a difficult task indeed.
The Hidden Maze: The Mansions of

Conundrums are filled with secret passages,
and the vast, twisting, winding tunnels,
hidden staircases and corridors all form a
sort of Hidden Maze. It's possible to
wander into another Realm from the Maze,
or blunder into innumerable traps that line
the walls.
There are many breeds of Goblin found throughout the

Pleroma; they're almost as widely traveled as the Venefici.
Shadow Goblins frequent dark Realms, but can occasionally
be found underground in the Vale. Goblins of all breeds are
cunning and vicious, but have powerful urges to creativity as
well.
Goblins' aptitude for traps and tactics is deadly, but
they are as likely to subject their victims to their weird
obsessions as they are to kill and eat them. Shadow Goblins
love performance art of all kinds; captives may find
themselves forced to participate in improv theater or
impromptu beatboxing.
Other Goblin breeds have other avocations; Flame
Goblins love fashion, while Ice Goblins are fascinated with
Human games of all kinds, including video games and board
games. Sand Goblins love cooking, and Sun Goblins think of
themselves as expert seducers and lovers. If only Goblins were
as as good as they thought with their stupid hobbies, but it's
often best to humor them, especially when the Goblins have
the upper hand.
Goblins are short human-like creatures, about 4-1/2 feet
tall, with long pointed ears, and a long pointed nose. Their
skin color varies with their breed; Shadow Goblins have dark
gray skin and yellow, cat-like eyes. Goblins tend to be scrawny
and spindly, with long, clever fingers, and walk with a
hunched gait. Their voices are high and screechy, and their
names, though meant to sound threatening, are often faintly
ridiculous. Goblins are often summoned or hired by Venefici,
or Mystics as bodyguards and minions.
The Library of Red Runes: There are too

many book collections to count in the
Mansions of Conundrums, but the rarest
and most valuable can be found in the
Library of Red Runes. To be admitted, one
must offer up a Tome that's never been seen
Page 116
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 6
INS: 7
N
STR: 4 (HTH 1d6)
PER: 6
N
TGH: 4
WIL: 4
Initiative
N
INIT: 13
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 20
COR: 13
N
VIG: 12
SPI: 17
N
HLT:
[8] Head HLT: 6
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 9
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 7

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 20
MDEF: 10
N
RDEF: 20
Basic Talents:
N
Advanced Talents:
N
Break & Enter: 1.
N
Creepy Looks: 2.
N
Expert (Art: Any one, Languages: Goblin, Traps):
3.
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Cruel: 1.
Lecherous: 1.
Obsessed [Performance Art]: 1.
Short: 3.
N
Unnatural Hardships: Sensitivity [Light]: 1.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Dark Sight: Level 1.
Elemental Shaping [Energy]: Level 1.
Horns: Level 1.
Resistance [Energy]: Level 1.
Sharp Sense [Hearing]: Level 2.

Possessions:
N
Knife (DMG 3d6E, Reach 0, Accuracy ---, Total
Attack Roll +10).
Details: Personal details vary.
Story Use/Notes: Goblins are minor combat threats,
but may be Summoned, or may indicate to PCs a
Rupture to any dark Realm. Goblins make a
pretty good social encounter.
The Ruined Palace of Light

A sun in permanent eclipse shines over this Realm of
scorched gardens and shattered temples. The light is bright
and stark, and a feeling of devastating grief hangs over the
Realm whose people once protected all the cosmos from
unthinkable dangers.
The Ruined Palaces of Light

Statistics
N
Elemental Characteristics: Energy +2, all others
+0.
N
Emotional Resonance: Sorrow.
N
Membrane: 6.
N
N
Central Contradiction: The Palaces of Light were
ruled by the Children of Light, and used as their
headquarters for defending the Pleroma from the
encroachments of the Elder Beasts. The Children
of Darkness rebelled, desiring freedom from the
Perfect Ark, and they attained free will and
individuality, even going on to destroy the Perfect
Ark. Now, the Palaces have fallen, and the
Children of Darkness find themselves the only
line of defense between the Pleroma they still
love, and the Ylem; but they find it almost
impossible to work together towards any

common goal, because of their much-vaunted free
will.
Purity [Malignant 12]: The Ruined Palaces

of Light are drenched with a feeling of
anger and hopelessness that slowly erodes
the soul of visitors.
The Shattered Vestibule: Hope fades and

lights dim in the shattered palaces of the
fallen angels. Worst of all is the temple of
the Perfect Ark; even approaching close to
this spot causes the Children of Light to
suffer 1 COR and to lose 1d6 SPI.
Sprites: Travelers through the Ruined

Palaces of Light may encounter deranged
Sprites.
Typical Sprite
Sprites are Energy Elementals of light. They look kind
of like the traditional image of a faerie, small humanoids with
dragonfly-like wings. However, Sprites don't have a head, and
instead have a single, large eye on their naked torso.
Page 117
Sprites are normally kind and generous, but they don't

suffer from most of the needs of other beings, so they don't
really understand their needs. Sprites survive on the positive
emotional resonance from Realms, and can be found in any
Realm or near any Rupture with a positive affect.
Unfortunately, with the destruction of the Palaces of Light
and the darkening of its emotional resonance, Sprites starve
and become deranged. Sprites may try to help travelers to
feed on their positive emotions, or may harm them in their
unreasoning madness.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 7
INS: 3
N
STR: 1 (HTH ---)
PER: 6
N
TGH: 3
WIL: 4
Initiative
N
INIT: 10
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 18
COR: 12
N
VIG: 9
SPI: 13
N
HLT:
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 4.
[8] Head HLT: 2.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 4.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 3.

N
Note: Sprites have normal HLT in all Body
Parts due to the Short Hardship.
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
The Wastelands of Suffering

The Wastelands of Suffering are a hellish world, the
home of the Children of Darkness during their banishment
from the Palaces of Light. The Wastelands of Suffering are
filled with deserts of burning red sand, under a pitch-black
sky. Throughout the deserts, ancient, beautiful ruins of steel
and glass and marble stand juxtaposed against the rubble and
sand. Once, this place held proud, defiant palaces and mighty
fortresses, but infighting prevailed, and their shining heights
were brought low.
Half-reptilian, half-canine things, the Sheolites, forage
for the rare food creatures that skitter through the desert.
These Hell Hounds prowl the few roads, looking for fresh
slaves to capture for their dark lords, and everywhere, the
feeling of dread hangs heavy on the spirit.
Page 118
CDEF: 20
MDEF: 8
RDEF: 22
Basic Talents:
N
3, Notice: 5, Repair: ---, Self-Control: ---, Sneak: 2,
Advanced Talents:
N
Creepy Looks: Level 2.
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Despairing: Level 8.
Short: Level 10.

Dark Powers:
N
Blinding Burst: Level 3.
N
Elemental Sense [Energy]: Level 5.
N
Elemental Wings [Energy]: Level 5
(Modifications: Cost to Use: 0).
N
Healing: Level 3.
N
N
The Sight: Level 8.
Possessions:
N
None.
Story Use/Notes: Sprites are mostly minor opponents;
they aren't smart or cooperative enough to be
allies, and aren't organized enough to be major
villains.
N
N

isn't freely offered. If a Character is out in
the open and doesn't bleed once per hour,
the Realm will send a sandstorm that causes
1d6 Edged damage per Round for 2d6
Rounds.
Image courtesy Filomena, Freedigitalphotos.net.
The Wastelands of Suffering

Statistics
N
Elemental Characteristics: All Elements -2.
N
Emotional Resonance: Spite or Despair.
N
Membrane: 7.
N
N
Central Contradiction: The Wastelands of
Suffering were once a paradise to rival the Palaces
of Light, but the Fallen battled among themselves
and destroyed the great civilization they built
here. The great dungeons and charnel houses
jutting like austere monuments out of the bloodred sand were once breath-taking temples and
throne rooms, and are testaments to the beauty
that gave way to the current mad horror.
N
The Bloodthirsty Realm: The Realm itself

thirsts for blood, and it's unwise to ignore
its needs for long, or it'll begin to take what
Page 119
Poison Trees: The only plants that grow in

the Wasteland of Suffering are small, gray,
spikey grasses, barbed-wire-like brambles,
and the Poison Trees. Poison Trees look like
they're composed of human bodies from the
waist-up, writhing slowly in pain and terror.
Anyone ingesting their fruit suffers from a
Level 5 attack of the Venom Dark Power.
Purity [Malignant 8]: Anyone that isn't

almost completely pure of heart will find
themselves incredibly uncomfortable in this
Realm, witnessing the horrific suffering and
cruelty of its inhabitants.
Slavers: The Children of Darkness and the

native beings, Hell Hounds, enslave anyone
they encounter wandering the Wastelands
of Suffering.
The Temple of Slaughter: The Temple of

Slaughter is a barren gray land under a
blood-red sky; a vast complex of temples of
broken gray marble are the only
habitations, where dwell a black-cowled,
monastic order of Ghls dedicated to
preserving the memory of Mada Us-Gidim,
and one day raising it from the ashes.

honoring their word.
Typical Asura Child of Darkness

The Children of Darkness were once Children of Light,
but they rebelled against the Archons and were cast down.
While all of the Children of Light are all similarly fairskinned and fair-haired, the Children of Darkness are also
beautiful, in a wild variety of dark shapes and colors.
The doctrines of the Children of Darkness hold that as
they began to experience free will and became more corrupt,
they found themselves more and more vulnerable to the Elder
Beasts. The Children of Darkness found that if they channeled
their corruption into singular, identifiable channels, such as
lust, greed, and gluttony, they became less vulnerable to the
forces of the Ylem. Now, with the Palaces of Light destroyed,
the Children of Darkness find themselves in the unenviable
position of trying to protect the Pleroma from the mindless
creatures of endless chaos.
The Asuras are a Legion among the Children of
Darkness, many of whom were once Elohim, and who are
known for their ambition and power-lust. Asuras are noble in
demeanor and commanding in tone, and they are among the
few Children of Darkness known for, at least generally,
Page 120
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 14
INS: 15
N
STR: 15 (HTH 4d6+1d3) PER: 16
N
TGH: 15
WIL: 14
Initiative
N
INIT: 29.
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 72
COR: 16
N
VIG: 45
SPI: 45
N
HLT:
[2 to 3] Foot HLT: 44, IPRO: 5, DPRO: ---.
[4 to 5] Leg HLT: 74, IPRO: 5, DPRO: ---.
[6 to 7] Torso HLT: 103, IPRO: 5, DPRO: ---.
[8] Head HLT: 34, IPRO: 5, DPRO: ---.
[9 to 10] Arm HLT: 59, IPRO: 5, DPRO: ---.
[11 to 12] Hand HLT: 44, IPRO: 5, DPRO:

---.
Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 35
MDEF: 34
N
RDEF: 33
Basic Talents:
N
-----, Education: 6, Endurance: 6, Hidden Lore: 8,
Advanced Talents:
N
Attractive: 5.
N
Creepy Looks: 5.
N
Honest: 2.
N
Tough as Nails: 10.
Hardships:
N
Arrogant: 6.
N
Despairing: 3.
N
Obsessed [Power]: 8.
N
Outsider: 4.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Affect Spirits: 1.
Darkness: 10.
Dark Sight: 10.
Elemental Shaping [Energy]: 5.
Elemental Shield [Energy]: 5.
Elemental Weapon [Energy]: 6.
Elemental Wings [Energy]: 5.
Extra Arms: 2.
Inhuman Attributes [All Attributes]: 2.
Possession: 1.
Scourge: 4.
The Sight: 8.
Spirit Form: 1.
Telepathy: 1.
Tongues: 1.
Traverse Realms: 4.
Possessions: None.
Details: All personal details vary; Asuras tend to be
well-dressed, though, at the top of whatever social
group they're currently consorting with. Central
Contradiction: Asuras rebelled against the
domination of the Perfect Ark's hive-mind, but
they strive to institute tyranny almost as absolute
over everyone they encounter.
Story Use/Notes: Even a relatively weak Child of
Darkness like this Asura is more than a match for
a large group of very powerful PC Unnaturals.
Most Children of Darkness retain a great portion
of their original power, if not their shining glory,
than the Children of Light do, making them
lethal foes. Short of an incursion by the Elder
Beasts, an encounter with a Child of Darkness
should be considered a worst-case scenario.
Typical Hell Hound

Also known as Sheolites, Hell Hounds are roughly
canine in shape, but the resemblance ends there. Their skulllike heads top a black, oily, hairless body half the size of a
horse, and their legs all end in three massive sickle-shaped
claws. Hell Hounds can stand and walk erect, and their hands,
though crude, enable them to manipulate simple devices
almost as well as Humans. In the place of a tail, three bladed
tendrils flail around them, like a scorpion's stinger, and their
three eyes glow like hideous amber lamps. Anyone who's
faced a Hell Hound never forgets it.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 6
INS: 5
N
STR: 11 (HTH 3d6+1) PER: 3
N
TGH: 9
WIL: 7
Initiative
N
INIT: 11
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 39
COR: 18
N
VIG: 27
SPI: 15
N
HLT:
The Ylem
Page 121

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 21
MDEF: 19
N
RDEF: 20
Basic Talents:
N
---, Education: 1, Endurance: 5, Hidden Lore: 2,
Advanced Talents:
N
Courageous: 7.
N
Creepy Looks: 7.
N
Education: 1 (Language: Enochian).
N
Tough as Nails: 5.
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Bad Hands: 3.
Cruel: 4.
Outsider: 8.
Vengeful: 4.
Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Carapace, Level 5.
Claws, Level 5 (DMG 6d6+8E, Reach 0,

Dim Sight, Level 7.
Fangs Level 4 (DMG 1d3+8E, Reach 0,

Large, Level 3.
The Sight, Level 6.
Tail, Level 10.
Venom, Level 6.
Possessions: None.
Story Use/Notes: Visitors to the Wastelands of Suffering
are very likely to run across Hell Hounds, and any
Child of Darkness may be accompanied by 1 to 12
Hell Hounds. Hell Hounds are conscious
predators, and massively powerful, but are a little
dim, making them a good encounter for
resourceful Pacts.

Beyond even the Astral Plane is the Ylem, an infinite
expanse of pure chaos. The Ylem is the home of the Elder
Beasts, and exposure to the Ylem results in quick and utter
madness. Some Mystics are brave enough to travel briefly into
the Ylem; few return, and of those that do, most are slaves of
the Beasts. The Palaces of Light and its Legions were
established to protect the Realms from the Elder Beasts; now
that the Palaces have been brought low, it is only the Children
of Darkness and their tyrannical reign over the Realms that
can keep the Mortal world somewhat safe.
The Ylem Statistics

N
Elemental Characteristics: All Elements -2.
N
Emotional Resonance: Confusion.
N
Membrane: 0.
N
N
Central Contradiction: For being creatures sprung
from complete and utter randomness, the Elder
Beasts and their hellish kind are pretty singlemindedly determined to destroy the Pleroma and
all its inhabitants. Why? What purpose does such
destruction serve?
N
Madness: Any mind that resembles a

Human's isn't capable of coping with the
Ylem for long. Every Round that a
Character is in the Ylem, they lose 1d6 SPI.
It's believed that Void magic might be able
to mitigate this loss, but no one is sure.
Slightly more prepared for the home of
their ancient enemies, the Children of Light
only lose 1d3 SPI per Round, but this
doesn't help much.
Randomness: Part of the terrifying nature

of the Ylem is that the physical laws are
constantly changing; every Round every
Character takes 1d6 Damage of a randomlychosen type, as the strong force fails and the
Character's atomic nuclei fall apart, or all of
the free oxygen in the vicinity randomly
transmutes into helium.
Creation Myths
How did the Universe come to be? What is real and what
isn't? The Children of Light should have all the answers, right?
Actually, not so much.
Their memories of what some of them call The BeforeTime, the First Aeon, the time before they Fell, are clouded and
indistinct. One of the most popular myths, which jives with the
beliefs of the ancient Gnostic sect, is that one the Elder Beasts
created the Astral Plane and the Archons. The Archons went on to
create the Pleroma and their inhabitants, in service to the Logos, the
incarnation of Unity.
Other Children of Light believe that one of the Elder Beasts
nobly sacrificed itself to create the known cosmos, to make
something previously unknown. Its blood formed the Astral Plane.
Its organs became the Pleroma, and the ineffable thoughts in its
mind became the Archons. They believe that the Elder Beasts are an
aberration on the path to Unity, and that they follow the true path.
There are many other theories. Thaumatronic astronomers
often say that the Elder Beasts are nothing more than the creative
and destructive forces in space, or maybe the remainder of a
destroyed civilization, and that the Children of Light are simply
aliens with an incredible gamut of psychic powers. A few Children
of Light say that the cosmos was never created, that things have
always been this way; many Wu Zang Taoists believe that the
cosmos goes through endless cycles of destruction and re-creation,
and that the Ylem is just the raw material of creation, and the
impetus of necessary destruction.
Who is right? It's hard to say, but the Children of Light are all
more than willing to fight one another over their personal favorite
cosmology.
Typical Boojum
Boojums (named for creatures in Lewis Carrolls poem
The Hunting of the Snark) are inscrutable creatures from
the Ylem, servants of Jorok the Wise and Wicked. Their
bodies look roughly Human, albeit too thin and with too
many joints, all in the wrong places. Their heads have the
shiny, reflective surface of a ceramic mask, a vaguely bird-like
beak, and hollow eyes that continually weep a lumpy green
phlegm that rapidly dissolves in air. Boojums favor the formal
clothes of the Realm they inhabit, and they float above the
ground. They can take on the illusory appearance of an
ordinary Human or other Unnatural, and their telepathic
communications have a hollow and confusing sound, as if
they were speaking backwards and forwards simultaneously.
Boojums are vastly intelligent, but their only goal is to
open permanent Gateways into the Ylem. Boojums may be
accompanied by Servitors and Hierates, but often travel alone
as well. Their most terrifying ability is the power to warp
probability at random, causing the impossible to occur. They
are very resistant to harm, except by acts of creativity in the
area around them. Spellcasting is not considered an act of
creation as such, but any kind of extemporaneous art or
Page 122

performance, with true emotion and skill, would be.
Creation, the bringing of something out of nothing is the
antithesis of the Ylem, and it causes Boojums' physical forms
to weaken and dissolve. When slain, their bodies also dissipate
into the air, leaving nothing behind.
Physical Attributes
Mental Attributes
N
AGI: 8
INS: 13
N
STR: 4 (HTH 1d6)
PER: 4
N
TGH: 10
WIL: 10
Initiative
N
INIT: 21
Physical Resources
Mental Resources
N
LIF: 50
COR: 20
N
VIG: 30
SPI: 27
N
HLT:

Physical Defenses
Mental Defenses
N
CDEF: 20
MDEF: 10
N
RDEF: 20
Basic Talents:
N
Advanced Talents:
N
Break & Enter: 1.
N
Creepy Looks: 9.
Hardships:
N
Mortal Hardships:
Cruel: 1.
Lecherous: 1.
Obsessed [Performance Art]: 1.
Short: 3.
N
Sensitivity [Acts of creation]: 8.

Dark Powers:
N
Innate Powers:
Carapace: Level 10.
Dark Sight: Level 8.
Elemental Bolt [Void]: Level 6.
Inhuman Attribute [INS]: Level 6.
Levitation: Level 2 (Action to Use: None;

Cost to Use: None).
Miasma of Madness: Level 6 (Action to Use:
None; Cost to Use: None).

Mirage: Level 8 (Only to create the illusion
that the Boojum is a Human).
Sever Fate: Level 10.
Resistance [All Mental Afflictions]: Level

10.
Telekinesis: Level 6.
Telepathy: Level 6.
Teleportation: Level 6.
The Sight: Level 10.
Tongues: Level 10.
Special: Boojums cannot Go Bugfuck, and

suffer no damage whatsoever from exposure
to the Ylem.
Possessions: None.
Story Use/Notes: Boojums are a major threat, on the
order of Children of Darkness or Servitors. Most
Unnaturals aren't prepared to deal with the weird
powers of Boojums, who prefer to disarm and
delay their enemies until their continual Miasma
of Madness can drive them permanently insane.
The Elder Beasts

Dragons. Old Ones. Titans. Monsters older than time
and more powerful than gods. There are an uncounted
number of these blasphemous monstrosities, but among those
cataloged by the Ordo Custodes Noctis are Eoth DamnationBringer, Iijikal Morthian of the Stolen Eyes, Jorok the Wise
and Wicked, Shora'anis the All-Devourer, and The Storm Of
All Iniquities.
The Elder Beasts have no game mechanics; facing one of
them is an apocalyptic experience, worthy of the very end of a
long campaign. A typical Elder Beast would have Affect
Spirits and at least 5 Levels each of Immortal, Inhuman
Attribute [All], Miasma of Madness, Regeneration, and The
Sight.
The most horrific thing about the Elder Beasts is their
tendency to change their surroundings and the beings around
them in random ways. They radiate the bizarre energies of the
Ylem, and one the few occasions when one of them has been
summoned to a Realm, whole species mutated into new
forms, physical laws shifted permanently, and even
neighboring Realms changed in unpredictable ways. If the
Elder Beasts were to find their way permanently into the
Pleroma, the results would be a world of apocalyptic chaos,
without end.
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Making a Monster
New Player Character Unnaturals
There are thousands of myths and legends to draw
inspiration from for a Character, from campfire tales of ghosts
to literary and televised figures of monster-hunting aptitude,
to ferocious were-beasts, to Mortal psychics, the list goes on.
It's easy to add new types of Unnaturals for the Players to
select form when creating a Character; the Dirge RPG is
designed to be flexible in this way.
An Unnatural Type and Faction package together
should total 30 Build Points; 15 BP for the base Unnatural
Type package, and 15 BP for the Faction package. Of course,
you can easily also make new Cult Packages for Mystics, new
Legion Packages for Children of Light, or new Tribe Packages
for Ghls. Just spend 15 Build Points on the new Package, and
you're set.
New Packages for New Settings

If you're using the Dirge RPG for a different genre, you can
change the 2 initial packages to suit the campaign. For example, for
a traditional fantasy setting, you can rename the Type package to
Race and make new Elf and Dwarf packages, and replace the
Faction packages with a Profession package, like Warrior, Mage,
Priest, and Thief. Just make sure they're all 15 BP and you're all set;
you will even be able to mix and match packages between settings, if
your campaign will span many worlds!
Each additional +1 to Corruption at start grants 1 BP,

and each -1 to Corruption costs 1 BP; the maximum
modification either way is 3 Levels.
When a new Unnatural Type is designed, the Game
Master should also work up the background details on these
new Unnaturals, along with some new Special Rewards for
them to go adventuring among the Pleroma in search of. If
the new creature Type automatically gets their own language,
they don't have to take Levels in the Expert Talent to be able
to speak it.
New NPC Monsters

If the creatures here aren't enough of a threat to the
PCs, it's time to craft some new monstrosities to haunt their
nightmares. You can be a little more creative with NPC
monsters, since they don't have to be balanced one against the
other; have fun dreaming up new and exciting ways to
torment the PCs. Keep them from getting careless.
Page 124
Page 125
Chapter XIII: Game Mastering

The Game Master is the individual that creates and presents the campaign and all of its adventures, helps the Players learn
the rules and makes their Characters, interprets the rules where they may be unclear or incomplete, and rewards the Characters
based on their accomplishments. The Game Master isn't exactly the author of a story, but a co-author, creating half of the action,
mystery, and danger; the other half is created by the Players, all working together.
Setting the Stage

Themes and Tone
A single story can be told in many different ways; the
wording, setting, and situations all create a tone, and
reinforce certain themes. One of the most important Game
Mastering task is decide what kind of story they want to tell.
It's a good idea to ask the Players what kind of Theme and
Tone your story will have, and let them know what kind of
Theme and Tone to expect so their Characters will be
effective.
Action: Action stories focus on crazy stunts and combat
of all kinds. Heroes in an Action-oriented campaign or
adventure will need lots of Athletics and Combat Talents.
Desolation: Everything falls apart; the center cannot
hold. Survival is the ultimate victory, and the ultimate
challenge. Desolate stories will focus on emotional difficulties,
and Players that just want to blow off some steam might not
enjoy the dark atmosphere of this campaign.
Exploration: With a myriad of strange dimensions at
hand, who could sit at home and veg out on the couch?
Exploration stories require a certain amount of preparation
on the part of the Characters, and Notice, Investigation,
Knowledge, and Survival Talents are a good idea.
Grim Fantasy: In a Grim Fantasy story, the ancient
myths are all real, but darker than advertised. Out among
the Pleroma, anything is possible, and many strange things
skulk the shadows closer to home, as well.
Madness: The line between sanity and delirium is very

fine, even finer for Unnaturals like the PCs. And with Realm
travel, illusions, and mind control, how is one to even know
they've gone mad?
Paranoia: They're everywhere! They know everything!
They could even be YOU! The Hierates provide lots of
opportunities for conspiracy-themed adventures.
Philosophy: What do we know? How can we know
anything? What is scarier, that life may have a meaning that
we're missing out on, or that it may have no meaning at all?
Philosophy, and disputes of philosophers, provides a lot of
meat for adventures and campaigns, and one's beliefs about
reality aren't just matters of academic interest to Unnaturals,
they are often matters of life and death.
Protection of Innocence: Every Unnatural is burdened
with the horrible knowledge of the true goings-on in the
world. It's up to the dark heroes to protect Mortals from
truths they can't handle.
Surrealism: In a surreal story, everything looks familiar,
but subtly twisted; the eerily reminiscent landscape somehow
reveals facts about our own inner natures. Time and space
play tricks on visitors to strange Realms, and some Realms
resemble the innards of a giant beast, the clockworks of an
immense machine, or rotating, revolving geometric solids.
Whimsy: Strange, ironic, even slightly silly things can
be found out among the Pleroma. Alien creatures that want to
argue fashion and politics, or extraplanar versions of the SelzMor Superstore with lich door greeters and succubus
cashiers, are appropriate for a whimsical campaign. Some
Players might expect a serious horror campaign, and not
appreciate this sort of oddity in the campaign.
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A Banquet of Horror
By default, every Dirge RPG campaign includes horror and
fantasy themes. Dark Modern Fantasy puts traditional elements of
mythology into the modern world, and mixes them with a liberal
amount of gut-wrenching fear. But there are many different kinds of
horror.
Gore: So much blood The simplest kind of horror to
arrange for and to understand is for the Characters to witness or
experience gruesome violence. Gore can be overdone, though, so
leaven it with some different terrors as well.
Subtle Implication: Oh my God, what happened here? The
Characters find evidence that something horrible happened, and the
dawning realization is almost as bad as witnessing the events
themselves.
Dread and Helplessness: How am I going to get away?
Something horrible is about to happen, and it seems that nothing
can stop it. An ax murderer that just keeps coming, that seems
insensitive to pain and can't be stopped, evokes dread very well.
Cosmic Terror: I didn't just read the book. I saw it. It knows
everything it's ancient, its mind is so foreign we're like
bacteria to it The Character experiences something that the
human mind isn't prepared for, and the Character goes temporarily
batshit insane as a result.
Personal Terror: What am I becoming? And what have I
done? It's bad enough when the world is a terrifying place, but if
your very body and mind are the thing that's changing, you suffer an
unavoidable form of suffering.
Players to make Characters that are a little more powerful

than the average starting-level Dirge PC. If so, you should
consider awarding some extra Build Points to Characters at
creation time, to be used on Attributes, Talents, or Dark
Powers.
More Powerful PCs:
N
Unprepared Amateurs: +0 BP. These Characters
haven't had Unnatural powers that long, and are
generally ignorant and vulnerable.
N
Ready for Trouble: +20 BP, and up to 3 more
Levels of Hardships. These Characters have been
traveling the Pleroma for a few years, and learned
some secrets.
N
Dark Heroes: +40 BP, and up to 5 more Levels of
Hardships. These Characters are powerful enough
to hold positions of responsibility in the local
Council of Night, or be trusted agents of the
Ordo Custodes Noctis.
N
Deadly Elites: +60 BP, and up to 8 more Levels of
Hardships. Few Characters survive long enough to
get this powerful. These Characters are likely to
be members of the Damocletian Guard, dedicated
seekers after enlightenment, and are powerful
enough to present a significant threat to the
Hierate Cult's control over an entire area.
Help the Players Make their

Characters
After deciding on Themes and Tones, but before the
campaign begins, the Game Master's role is to help the Players
make their Characters. The GM may decide to restrict certain
kinds of Characters in order to facilitate your campaign; for
example, if a Campaign will revolve entirely around the
Palaces of Light and their awful fate, it might be appropriate
to restrict PCs to Children of Light.
Another important question every GM must answer is
how they are going to bring the PCs together as a team. The
PCs may be a Pact assembled by the local Council of Night to
solve a temporary problem, or for a permanent reason. The
PCs may be agents of the Ordo Custodes Noctis, working
together to save the world from the Elder Beasts. Or the PCs
may all be the same Unnatural Type, and be called together
by the Army of Light, Gathering, or Collegium, to solve some
problem. This is the easy way; if the Unnaturals are scarce in
an area, the PCs may all be friends or acquaintances from
before their Unnatural change, or be brought together by
some tragedy that gives them a mutual purpose.
In some campaigns, it may be appropriate to allow the
Image courtesy, Vitasamb2001, Freedigitalphotos.net.
Adventures and Campaign Plots

Adventures are, at their simplest, a series of scenes
linked together by the same set of Characters, and a related
set of settings and goals. A series of these adventures, also
linked together, form a campaign. So what goals should you
present for the PCs to pursue? Here are a few examples.
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Hunted: The Characters are being hunted down, and

must obtain something, or get somewhere, so they can be safe.
Hunted adventures are great at inducing fear and suspense;
it's probably better to start off with weak enemies that
gradually get more numerous and aggressive, gradually raising
the stakes so the PCs aren't instantly overwhelmed.
Introductions: In Introduction adventures, the PCs first
meet each other, discover what they have in common, and
begin working together. Intros are usually part of the first
adventure in the campaign, and the Introduction occurs along
with another, larger plot.
Location Quests: The PCs must explore some otherRealm temple, catacombs, abandoned military base, or other
spot, dealing with traps, enemies, and creatures along the way.
This form of adventure is easy to prepare for, and puts the
impetus for the forward action in the PC's hands.
Mystery: The Characters need to gather information
about something. Investigation adventures work great for
some groups, and not for others; if the PCs took lots of Levels
in the Hidden Lore and Investigation Talents, that's a clue that
they may be up for a Mystery. Don't rely exclusively on the
dice or the Players' questions to drive the plot, and give plenty
of alternate paths to the Mystery's conclusion.
Plot Hooks
No matter what the goal of the adventure or campaign
is, you've got present the goals of the story to the PCs. The
best Plot Hooks ask questions which should interest the
Players, and which only the Characters can answer.
The Change: In an Introductions adventure, nothing
gets things going like several Characters getting their first
Glimpse together, or Falling from the City of Heaven into the
same damp, littered alleyway all at once.
Mysterious Messages: A dying man delivers a cryptic
message to the PCs, asking them to bring it to someone far
away, right away!
Visions: Another form of Mysterious Message, one of
the PCs with the Divination Dark Power, or some other
sensory ability, brings a shocking prediction to the other
Characters. Something terrible that is about to happen, or
something vital must be done. Visions should provide a clear
path to accomplish, but should be a little vague and
mysterious.
Weird Happenings: All of the cats in the city begin
gathering in an abandoned building, as if waiting for
something, or someone. Weird happenings can be strung out
over the course of many adventures, foreshadowing a single
climactic adventure that resolves the issues.
Designing Non-Player Characters

The PCs aren't alone in most adventures and campaigns;
they're surrounded by informants, enemies, merchants,
friends, and neutral passers-by. Most Non-Player Characters
(NPCs) don't need statistics, but some might. The most
important question to ask yourself when designing an NPC is,
What am I going to use this NPC for?
Allies: The PCs sometimes need someone to give them
hints, gear, or even accompany them on their escapades.
Members of the Ordo Custodes Noctis make good Allies for
most Player Character groups, as do some Venefici.
Arch-Villains: The final boss of adventures or even
entire campaigns, Arch-Villains must be opposed or the
consequences are grave for many people, or the entire
Pleroma. Good Arch-Villains include Children of Darkness
and Hierate Mystics.
Lieutenants: Leaders of groups of Minions, Lieutenants
are more powerful and capable than them. Venefici, Servitors,
and Hell Hounds make good Lieutenants.
Maguffins: Some NPCs are central to the story
themselves; perhaps they get kidnapped and need to be
rescued, or maybe they're prophesied to do something
important someday and need to be kept safe until then.
Minions: Enemy NPCs that are minor obstacles except
in large numbers. Most Minions don't have names, and are
usually significantly weaker than PCs. Shadow Goblins,
Zombies, Sprites, and Gearbots make good Minions.
Setting Color: The NPC exists mainly to establish
certain facts about the setting. These NPCs rarely need stats,
unless they're going to come into conflict with the PCs in
some way.
Story Exposition: The NPC exists mainly to pass on
important information. Story Exposition NPCs don't
generally need stats.
Rather than writing full stats for a minor NPC, you can
often simply assign the most important stats to them. For
example, a Consortium merchant that isn't intended to be a
combat encounter can be simply assigned Levels in PER,
Negotiation, and MDEF; other important stats can be
assigned on the fly. Game Masters should always be wary of
over-preparing; you don't want to burn yourself out with prep
work on stuff that will never be used!
Rails
One of the dangers of presenting the PCs with specific
goals is that you lock the PCs into only one course of action.
Gaming parlance calls this being put on rails, as in a train
that cannot turn right or left, but is trapped with a single
destination.
Page 128
Be sure to give the PCs multiple methods to achieve

each goal, and be ready to improvise if they decide to take an
unforeseen direction. It's okay to pre-script a few events, but
keep it to a minimum, and keep it plausible, or the PCs will
get justifiably upset. Remember, Game Master, this isn't just
your campaign, it's everyone's.
Sandboxing
The opposite of a rails adventure is a sandbox
adventure, where the PCs are turned loose to do whatever
they want, like children in a sandbox. Some groups of players

work well together even if there is no specific goal, if they get
to explore and investigate the campaign world on their own
terms. However, this some Players freeze up when presented
with too many options, paralyzed with indecision.
Sandbox adventures can also be really hard on the GM
as well, as the PCs do all kinds of stuff you couldn't possibly
have foreseen or prepared for. Don't start a sandbox adventure
unless you're confident with your Game Mastering skills, and
ready to improvise like mad; with the right group and GM,
though, it can be very rewarding.
Dealing with Problems

Issues with Players
Keep It Simple: Re-use existing rules whenever possible.

Why re-invent the wheel?
Inevitably, problems will arise between Players, or

between yourself and one or more Players, and you'll need to
help resolve the situation and keep the campaign on track.
People naturally disagree, and as previously mentioned, the
Dirge RPG includes some complex issues, all stuff that people
freak out about in real life.
Keep It Fast: If you do decide to write a completely new

game mechanic to handle a situation, make it easy enough no
one feels the need to reach for a calculator (unless they failed
basic algebra).
You and the Players need to be mature, be able to

communicate when things are getting uncomfortable, and
everyone needs to be understanding and committed to having
fun together. If any of these ingredients is lacking, the
campaign will probably experience issues long before
arguments arise and squicky stuff comes up.
Part of writing a campaign with horror themes is
pushing boundaries, but as Game Master, you need to know
your players, and be sensitive to the placement of those
boundaries. If everyone is relaxed, open-minded, open about
their thoughts and feelings, and if they're just showing up for
a good time, there shouldn't be any serious problems.
Making Rulings
These rules are yours, Game Master. Fold, spindle, and
mutilate them to make them into the game that you want to
play. Your humble author will point out that writing
roleplaying games is not an exact science. Perfection is an
admirable goal, but not a realistic one, and these rules are
vague in more than a few areas, sometimes deliberately so.
This is your chance to shine, Game Master! The Rules of
Thumb below might help:
Keep It Fun: There's no point in adding rules that don't

further the action and heighten the suspense. Ask yourself,
How would this work in a horror movie, a dark urban
fantasy novel, or comic book, or in the darker myths and
legends?
Keep Your Audience: Hey, the rules are just here to
make sure that everyone has roughly equal amounts of fun.
When you make a ruling, check with the Players to make sure
that they understand why you made the decision that you did,
and that they don't strongly object. If they do, ask them why,
and consider what they say; they may be on to something.
Ask For Advice: You aren't alone; other people have
walked the long road of learning to Game Master, and have
run into the exact same problems you have. Lots of RPG
websites have decent advice on dealing with the rules, the
players, and the plot.
Burnout
Every Game Master discovers that their energy and
creativity have limits, and it's far better to extend a short
campaign that's been a lot of tun, than it is to drag out a
campaign that no one enjoys any more. When you're
planning, it's easy to think that the story you're writing for
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your Players will last for decades, but most never do. Don't
feel compelled to keep going just because there are a few plot
threads left dangling; you can pick those up with your next
campaign.
Some Game Masters hand off their duties to one of the

Players when they're starting to get burned out, letting them
take over the campaign; other campaigns have a revolving
Game Master. Don't be afraid to give it a try.
Enlightenment
The dark heroes that somehow manage to survive
should be rewarded for their efforts.
special Build Points that can be used to purchase Special

Abilities. A Character that experiences a Special Reward
suffers an Emotional Affliction, generally Awe or Joy, for 1
minute per point of the Special Reward.
Experience Points (XP)

Characters gain Experience Points (XP) in the course of
their adventures; 10 Experience Points earns the Character 1
Build Point, which can be spent on anything except Special
Abilities.
Suggested Build Point Rewards:
N
Base Award: All Characters gain one XP per game
session.
N
Defeating Enemies:
1 to 2 XP for defeating a minor threat, like a

Zombie, Shadow Goblin, or Thug.
Maximum of 10 XP per game session.
3 to 5 XP for defeating an intermediate

threat, like another Unnatural of the PCs'
power level. Maximum of 10 XP per game
session.
8 to 10 XP for defeating a major threat, like

brand-new PCs fighting a Servitor.
Maximum of 10 XP per game session.
N
Good Roleplaying: Maximum of 3 XP per game
session.
1 XP for merely taking Character Type and

the existence of certain Hardships into
account.
2 XP for roleplaying encounters thoroughly

and discussing things in Character.
3 XP for sometimes making bad decisions

because that's what the Characters would
do.
N
Learning: One point of XP for experiencing new
stuff. Learning the hidden history of the Pleroma,
being dumped by one's significant other, or
getting shot for the first time would all qualify, to
a maximum of 5 XP per session.
Special Rewards
Special Rewards are rated from 1 to 10, and they grant
Blood Myths and Strange Flesh: The tales of the Ghl

civilization contain clues to the incredible power that their
people once held, and their true, unholy potential. Ghls also
grow more powerful by devouring the flesh of strange new
creatures, drawing on their vitality to amplify their own. Each
time a Ghl hears a Blood Myth, they may spend the Build
Points to learn new Blood Tricks, the Ghls' Special Abilities;
but each time they do, they gain +1 COR.
N
Example Blood Myth: In the empire of Mada
Us-Gidim, there was a powerful noble who
married a goddess from the heavens. The gods
hoped that her beauty would temper his heart,
and teach him respect for others; instead, he felt
that he'd conquered both the world and the
heavens, and continued in his evil way, bathing in
the blood of his enemies and slaughtering their
children. One day, despairing of his evil, she
resolved to end his life. She drew a dagger and
went in unto him at night, to kill him as they lay
in bed together. As she pulled the knife from his
body, he thanked her. She thought perhaps he was
about to repent of his sins; he said then to her,
'No, you silly woman, but you reminded me, I
still have yet to conquer the Underworld.' With
his last breath, he wrested the knife from her, and
tore open her throat; their servants found them
both dead the next day, in the other's bloody
embrace.
This is a 3-point Blood Myth. Ghls that hear this
Blood Myth and learn from it gain 3 BP to spend towards the
Elemental Shield [Spirit] Dark Power, which will be an Innate
Power. This form of armor is effective against almost any
attack, but wooden weapons like stakes are used by some
Ghl-hunters with some success (the Armor has the Weak
Point Modification, granting it the Less Effective [Wood]
Armor Feature; the Dark Power has Average Cost).
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The flesh of Children of Light count as 1 point of
Strange Flesh, which can be used to increase the Ghl's Level
of The Sight. The flesh of Mystics doesn't count as Strange
Flesh.
Dark Wisdom
So, what does it mean to learn from a Blood Myth? There
are different ways to handle this, depending on what kind of
campaign the Game Master is running.
Maybe the Game Master should decide what the Blood Myth
means, and expect the Ghl Player to figure it out before they can
spend the points. Or, the GM may ask the Player to come up with
their own meaning for the Blood Myth; in the real world, different
people learn different things from fables and stories.
The Game Master may decide that each Blood Myth is a
code, and certain precise techniques for using new Blood Tricks are
ciphered in this code. In this case, the Character needs to make an
INS + Hidden Lore roll, usually vs. DF Average (20), to decipher
what it means.
Regardless, Ghl Players should have to work to grasp the
Blood Myth. Lazy efficient Game Masters should instead just give
Ghl Characters Strange Flesh instead, which requires no deep
understanding to savor and grow strong from.
Glimpses and Tomes: Mystics seek Glimpses of their

Higher Self out among the Pleroma, which they may use to
purchase additional Levels of the Sorcery and Enchantment
Special Abilities.
Mystics also seek Tomes which hold the ancient secrets
of magic, which they may use to learn Dark Arts and Mystical
Techniques.
Tam As Svat Thou Art That

Glimpses are rare and wondrous events where a Mystic sees
their Higher Self out among the Realms. Each Mystic's Higher Self
looks different, and generally, only Mystics can see the Higher Selves
of other Mystics.
The Glimpse can be many things. Sometimes the Mystic
learns that the strange NPC they've been traveling with on this
adventure is their own Higher Self, and they've been dropping
cryptic wisdom all the time. Sometimes the Glimpse is just in the
Mystic's mind, but each Glimpse is unique and personal, quietly
soul-shattering. Mystics may go questing alone for a Glimpse, but no
magic can induce a Glimpse; which is strange, because Mystic
Formul seem to be capable of anything.
While Ghl Blood Myths are all about dark, pragmatic,
Machiavellian wisdom, and the Grace that the Children of Light
seek is all about the divinely good, the Glimpse is neutral, amoral,
impersonal (or rather, trans-personal). It's about oneness with the
universe, with all of its good, bad, and ugly, all its seeming purpose
and purposelessness, accepting it all at once.
From the point of view of the Ipsissimi of Destiny, every
Mystic has already achieved Unity, and the Glimpse is sort of an
echo backwards in time of that event.
Splinters and Grace: Bearing witnesses to acts of

righteousness and virtue, can help restore a Child of Light of
their original celestial state and powers. When Children of
Light witness another Character performing a Heroic or
Exemplary action, they gain Build Points that may be used to
purchase new Miracles.
The Archons were the most powerful of the
Children of Light, and they wielded Relics that contained
echoes of their divine glory. The Archons were slain, and the
relics shattered. During the Middle Ages, hucksters often sold
rubes ordinary splinters of wood, telling them that they were
splinters of the True Cross, i.e. pieces of the cross on which
Christ was crucified. Maybe somewhere, actual holy relics of
the cross changed hands; the Children of Light face similar
problems as they also seek Splinters of the Archons' holy
relics out among the Pleroma. Finding a Splinter can also
restore a Child of Light's Miraculous powers.
Amazing Grace
Children of Light gain Grace and re-learn some of their lost,
holy powers by seeing Mortals at their best, but let's face it; the
Child of Light isn't very likely to see the Downtrodden doing
glorious deeds all that often.
Acts of heroic self-sacrifice, incredible acts of compassion and
giving, brave heroes battling to save others against the worst kinds of
odds, these are the acts of Grace that will enable the Children of
Light to grow closer to their original, celestial powers.
Acts of Grace are even more rare among the Unnaturals;
most Mystics don't care much for good or evil, and Ghls tend to
err pretty heavily on the side of evil. A Child of Light may
encounter Grace among the Downtrodden that they encounter in
everyday life, or can even go on a pilgrimage to go meet people
rumored to be holy and virtuous. These quests are likely to end in
disappointment, but it's important to never give up.
Page 131
Appendix: Dirge Glossary

This section consists of a master list of individuals, places, and terms relating to the Tenebr, the Pleroma, and everything
beyond. Some of the people and terms here will be expanded on in future Dirge RPG supplements.
137: A Ghl member of the Eschaton Crusade.
Aberrant Matter: Thaumatronicists coined the term
aberrant matter for a form of matter that interacts like
ordinary matter, but is denser, and yet somehow lighter. The
existence of aberrant matter is rejected by mainstream science,
but it explains a wide variety of phenomena observed on the
Pleroma. Most of a Child of Light's body, and some of a
Ghl's internal organs, are composed of aberrant matter.
Abothacaudes: A renegade Mystic who leads an the
Eschaton Crusade, which seeks to defeat the Elder Beasts and
destroy the Pleroma.
Annex 37: A United States government law enforcement
and espionage agency, controlled by the Cult of Hierates,
which employs the Servitors.
Apostate: A Mystic that turns aside from the quest for
Unity, and gives up magic. Apostates are almost universally
miserable, but at least they're somewhat safe from the Hierate
Cult and the dangers of the Pleroma.
Archons: The greatest among the Children of Light, the
rulers of the Palaces of Light and the servants of Unity. The
Archons were all slain when the City of Heaven was
destroyed. Their Relics were shattered, and the Splinters were
scattered to the Pleroma. Known Archons included Uriel,
Israfel, and Sandalphon.
Armageddon Knight: A series of four Thaumatronic
constructs created in the Industrial Nexus in ancient times,
commissioned by the Children of Light to use as a doomsday
weapon against the Children of Darkness. Two of these
apocalyptic nightmares are unaccounted for; one
Armageddon Knight was captured by the Children of
Darkness and used in the final battle for the Perfect Ark in the
Palaces of Light, and one lies unused in the heart of Uru Ulan,
powering the entire city as it slumbers. The Armageddon
Knights were going to be used by the Archons in 245 A.D.,
but the production of these unstoppable juggernauts took too
long, and in the end, the plan was put on hold. Some say that
the Archons were seeking the missing Armageddon Knights
to use them after the rise of the Hierate Cult, but were too
late.
Army: Often-used shortening of Army of Light.
Army of Light: A group of Children of Light of
different Legions that live in a specific area. Since the
Children of Light are new to the Vale, Armies of them are
ironically very few and very small.
Artifacts: Items that are Enchanted to possess magical
powers, which anyone may use. The Thaumatronicists are the
greatest experts at making Artifacts.
Aster, Natalie: Teenaged Mystic of the Cult of Strange

Visions.
Asuras: A Legion of the Children of Darkness.
Ba Tien Xiao Wu Shu: Eight Celestial Dragons Martial
Art, the kung fu form of the Cult of the Wu Zang Tao, a
form of kung fu that combines magic with martial training.
Bell, Noah: This Pymandri Mystic art student lives in
Nineveh.
Blood Myths: The stories of Mada Us-Gidim, which
can teach Ghls new Blood Tricks once they decipher their
meaning.
Blood Tricks: The Dark Powers of Ghls, oriented
towards hunting down fresh prey.
Boojums: Well-dressed, bird-like, powerful servants of
the Elder Beast Jorok the Wise and Wicked, Boojums cause
madness in those in their vicinity, and possess strange powers
to warp and bend probability.
Cacodox: One of the harshest punishments that can
befall a Mystic. If a Mystic is ruled a Cacodox by their
Collegium, all members are forbidden from assisting the
Cacodox. The protections of the Firmament Treaty does not
apply to Cacodoxes, either. Sometimes a Collegium allows a
Mystic to become Apostate, forswearing magic forever but
retaining the protection of their fellows, a kind of house
arrest that at least keeps them alive. A small number of
Collegiums have experimented with permanently stripping
Cacodoxes of their magical power, but this is such a difficult
and Corrupting act that it's not widespread yet.
Cassiel: A Child of Light of the Malakim Legion.
Children of Darkness, The: Inhuman Guests that were
once Children of Light, but rebelled against the Archons and
removed their Spirits from the Perfect Ark. The Children of
Darkness recently destroyed the Palaces of Light, and are now
the only thing protecting the Pleroma from the Elder Beasts.
Known Children of Darkness include Naamah.
Children of Light, The: Inhuman Guests from another
Realm, the Palaces of Light, who have been banished to the
Mortal world since their capital, the Palaces of Light, have
been destroyed. Children of Light join Legions, and where
there are many Children of Light in an area, the various
Legions join together to form an Army. Known Children of
Light include Righteous G and Cassiel.
City of Spirits, The: The Astral Realm city of Uru Ulan,
founded in Sumerian times by a powerful Mystic. Founded by
the Ipsissimus Ensi Abgal, the city is constructed of buildings
stolen from Earth throughout history, rescued from wars and
natural disasters, and the inhabitants are also a mishmash of
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Mortals from all eras on Earth. Uru Ulan is neutral territory
for all Unnaturals, a sort of Casablanca where Hierates,
Cult Mystics, Ghls, Children of Light, Children of Darkness,
and all other sorts of beings come to trade, recreate, and
commiserate.
Collegium: An alliance of all of the Mystics of various
Cults in a given area, except for the Hierates.
Collegium Cults: All the Cults except the Hierates, as
they worship the Elder Beasts, and have betrayed the others in
exchange for power.
Consortium: An organization of Venefici that operate in
the Tenebr and throughout the Pleroma, even in the Vale,
providing trade in magic items and materials. Opponents
accuse the Consortium of operating like an organized crime
syndicate, asking utter loyalty of its employees, muscling out
competition, and employing Goblins as leg-breakers, but the
Ordo Custodes Noctis prefers to have one organization filling
this need, rather than several.
Corruption: A spirit's decay into evil and darkness.
Corruption can be seen in a spirit by those with The Sight;
the opposite of Corruption is Grace.
Council of Night: A local gathering of Mystics, Ghls,
Children of Light, and other Unnaturals, for mutual support
and defense, and for establishing codes of behavior and
punishing infractions thereof. In areas too small to support an
entire Army of Light, Gathering, or Collegium, the Council
of Night is easily the most important political entity to most
Unnaturals. Most Councils of Night are founded by the Ordo
Custodes Noctis, who may sometimes be called on to enforce
their edicts.
Cryptosophic: The secret language of Mystics. Accounts
vary about whether the term is derived from the Greek words
for love of secrecy (kryptos + sophia), or a shortening of a
phrase meaning secret philosophy (kryptos + philos-sophia),
although either is valid.
Cult: A Faction of Mystics. The Cults include the Cult
of Thaumatronics, the Cult of the Knights of Pymander, the
Cult of Strange Visions, and the Cult of the Wu Zang Tao.
Once, the Cult of the Hierates was counted as an ally, but
those days have long since passed.
Cult of the Hierates, The: Once the dominant Mystic
Cult, now given over to worship of the Elder Beasts and
control of various world governments, militaries, and
corporations. The Hierates are more widespread and betterorganized than even the Pymandri, and their leader is called
the Rex Mundi. Theoretically the Hierate Cult has treaties of
cooperation and nonaggression with the Collegium Cults, but
in practice this means little. The Hierate Cult is based in
Rome, and is served by Annex 37 and the Servitors. A local
group of Hierates is called a Throng.
Cult of the Knights of Pymander, The: A secretive and
arcane fraternal order of Mystics devoted to the hermetic and
cabalistic sciences. Members are called Pymandri.
Cult of Strange Visions, The: A Mystic sect with talent

for divination and a predilection for extreme practices; they
are the sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll Mystics. Members are
called Visionaries.
Cult of Thaumatronics, The: A Mystic symposium
devoted to combining magic and technology, especially
electronics and modern machine, or steam-powered and
clockwork devices. Members are called Thaumatronicists.
Cult of the Wu Zang Tao, The: An Asian order of
Mystics devoted to mystical contemplation and mastery of an
esoteric style of kung fu, called Ba Tien Xiao Wu Shu.
Members are called Wu Zang Taoists.
Damocletian Guard: An elite Mystic unit of the Ordo
Custodes Noctis devoted to patrolling the Pleroma and
helping police the City of Spirits and the Mansions of
Conundrums. Damocletian Guards are usually trained from
childhood in the Great Academy by representatives chosen
from all four allied Cults, particularly the Wu Zang Taoists.
Dark Arts: The sorcerous practices used by Mystics to
manipulate the elements of the universe. The six Dark Arts
are Body, Destiny, Energy, Spirit, Substance, and Void. The
Collegium Mystics are not familiar with Void, as it's believed
to be linked to the Elder Beasts. Elementals are generally
linked with a specific Dark Art.
Dark Power: The special abilities of the Unnaturals.
Miracles, Blood Tricks, and Formul are all forms of Dark
Power.
Dark Princes: The rulers among the Children of
Darkness. Only three of the Dark Princes were Archons; most
of them were Children of Darkness who were granted, or
seized, power among their fellows.
Deodata, Lilith: This Outcast Ghl frequently travels
with her carnie Gathering to Nineveh and away.
Devourer: An elemental of the Body, commonly found
in the Astral Realm and the Wastelands of Suffering.
Devourers resemble giant amoebas, and want nothing more
than to consume every living thing they encounter.
Downtrodden: A formal term for Mortals, the pathetic
Soul-less beings that are the majority inhabitants of the Vale
of the Downtrodden.
Dwarf: One of the many fae species inhabiting the
Glades of Mirth.
Elder Beasts: Malevolent, ancient, nearly omnipotent
entities that reside in the Ylem. There are many Elder Beasts,
but they include Eoth Damnation-Bringer, Iijikal Morthian of
the Stolen Eyes, Jorok the Wise and Wicked, Shora'anis the
All-Devourer, and The Storm Of All Iniquities. The Elder
Beasts are served by Boojums, the Hierate Cult, and Servitors.
Elemental: A being dwelling in the Pleroma with a
strong affinity for, or composition of, some fundamental
element of the universe, and often linked to a specific Dark
Art. Elementals include Devourers, Sprites, Reapers, Tulpas,
Gnomes, Sylphs, Salamanders, and Undines.
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Elements: The fundamental building blocks of all
things in all Realms, different from and in some cases
unknown to commonplace science. Glimpses give Mystics
power over the Elements, and they learn Techniques and
Formul to bend the Elements to their will. Most Realms
have an affinity for certain Elements as well.
Elohim: See Legion of the Elohim, The.
Enkidu: Wilderness-dwelling were-creature Unnaturals
feared by all other Unnaturals.
Enchantment: The process that Mystics and Venefici use
to create Artifacts.
Enlightenment: The path for an entity to achieve their
Higher Selves, and from there progress towards Unity. There
are three general ways of Enlightenment: Grace, Corruption,
and the Esoteric, followed by Children of Light, Ghls, and
Mystics, respectively. Mystics refer to these as the White,
Black, and Red Paths.
Enochian: The language of the Children of Light and
Children of Darkness.
Entity: A thinking being, whether physical or spiritual
in nature.
Eschaton Crusade: A renegade Unnatural organization
based in the Pleroma, led by a Mystic calling himself
Abothacaudes. They seek to defeat the Elder Beasts while
destroying the Pleroma, supposedly so as to establish a New
Heaven and a New Earth. Known agents include the Mystic
Sophia, the Child of Darkness Naamah, the Ghl called 137,
and the Veneficus Laar L'aag.
Factions: Many Unnaturals are organized into Factions;
some are born or created in a Faction, while others join a
Faction organization. Mystics join Cults, and the Children of
Light join Legions, while Ghls are born into a Tribe.
Fall, The: The ejection of a Child of Light from the
Palaces of Light because of Corruption. In order to survive as
spirits in a physical world, the Children of Light take on
bodies in the Vale of the Downtrodden.
Firmament Treaty: The treaty between the Cults that
regulates their interactions and prevents violence. The Hierate
Cult exploits loopholes in the treaty to further their own ends
and expand their already-massive power base. A Cacodox is a
Mystic who is no longer protected or supported by their
Collegium, and to whom the Firmament Treaty no longer
applies.
Formul: The magical spells used by Mystics.
Fortean Weekly Journal: Once a supermarket tabloid
with uncannily accurate reporting, the Journal is now a
heavily-trafficked website with blogs and forums. Hidden
portions of the forums are used by the Ordo Custodes Noctis
for communications in a variety of secret codes.
Freecasting: A method of magic use that is less
predictable than Formulaic magic, but also allows for greater
creativity and spontaneity. A Mystic casting a Formula is
limited to a specific effect, but a Mystic that is Freecasting
may shape the raw magical power into whatever shape they
can imagine and will, at much greater risk to their sanity.
Gathering: A group of Ghls of various Tribes that live
in a specific area.
Ghls: One of the Human races, a species of shadowdwelling cannibals with strange powers of stealth and carnage.
Ghls are born into Factions called Tribes, including the
Harlequin Tribe, the Flenser Tribe, and the Outcast Tribe.
Known Ghls include Lilith Deodata, Lazy Jack, and 137.
Gidimite: The inhabitants of the ancient empire of
Mada Us-Gidim; also, the language of Ghls.
Glades of Mirth, The: A blissful, verdant Realm
inhabited by the fae and various plant elementals.
Glimpse: The initial Enlightenment of a Mystic that
starts them on the path to Unity. Ancient Mystics called this
experience the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy
Guardian Angel, but modern Mystics often shed such poetic
metaphors.
Goblin: A short, squat, ugly human-like species that
inhabits many Realms. Goblins come in many different subraces, including Flame, Shadow, Sun, Sand, and Ice. Goblins
are violent and cunning, and sub-race has their own creative
obsession.
Grace: The opposite of Corruption.
Guests: A term commonly used by Annex 37 and the
Fortean Weekly Journal to refer to visitors from other
Realms.
Harlequin Tribe, The: A Tribe of Ghls that may be
found anywhere, is known for obsessively stalking the
Downtrodden, and eventually stealing their lives with their
shapeshifting skills.
Hell Hound: Hideous, sentient predators native to the
Wastelands of Suffering, enslaved by the Children of
Darkness. Also known as Sheolites.
Higher Self: Another name for the greater Soul that
Mystics have Glimpsed and maintain a tenuous link with, and
which resides somewhere on the Pleroma, waiting for them to
discover it. Mystics that grow closer to their Higher Selves
attain greater knowledge of the Elements, and may use their
Soul to cast Formul and Enchant Artifacts.
Human: A member of the species Homo sapiens
sapiens. The precise meaning of Human is debatable; Mystics
and Enkidu are generally believed to be something more than
merely Human, while Ghls are believed to be separate Race.
Industrial Nexus, The: A Realm of fire and metal, filled
with factories and steam engines and gears. The Industrial
Nexus is a favorite Realm of the Thaumatronicists.
Ipsissimus: The highest rank of Mystic, sorcerers whose
mastery of the High Mysteries gives them godlike control
over the Elements of the Many Realms.
Laar L'aag: A Veneficus member of the Eschaton
Crusade.
Lazy Jack: A Ghl of the Outcast Tribe.
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Legion: A group of Children of Light dedicated to a
specific form of service towards others and towards Unity.
Legions include the Elohim, the Malakim, and the Yazata.
Alternatively, a group of Children of Darkness united by
devotion to a particular vice. Legions of the Children of
Darkness include the Asuras.
Legion of the Elohim, The: A Legion of the Children of
Light composed of leaders and commanders.
Legion of the Malakim, The: A Legion of the Children
of Light composed of creators and artisans.
Legion of the Yazata, The: A Legion of the Children of
Light composed of warriors and guardians.
Logos: A theoretical, unbeheld incarnation of Unity.
According to some metaphysicians among the Children of
Light and the Mystics, the Logos was an Elder Beast that
created the Pleroma from the Ylem for unknown reasons. The
Logos created the Demiurge, the first of the Archons, to
administer, who then created the other Archons and the
Children of Light. Some say that Mystics' magic draws on the
willful, structuring, focusing energies of the Logos, and that
the chaotic madness that Mystics suffer is a backlash from
their re-ordering of the cosmos.
Lords of the Dead: The most ancient and powerful
Ghls, said to literally be reanimated corpses that feast on
flesh and blood. The Order of Shiru keeps ancient rituals that
can create Lords of the Dead.
Mada Us-Gidim: The Realm of Blood Demons. An
empire of evil Mortals in ancient times that ate the flesh of
their enemies, and worshiped the Children of Darkness. The
blessings of the Children of Darkness gave the Gidimites
power, but the curses of the Children of Light destroyed the
Empire. The two together created the Ghl race.
Malakim: See Legion of the Malakim, The.
Mansions of Conundrums, The: A strange Realm that
resembles an endless, palatial M. C. Escher-esque, filled with
statues and tapestries, cozy drawing rooms and vast concert
halls. Mystics of all kinds congregate to the Mansions of
Conundrums to meditate and learn, but the place is like a
non-Euclidean maze, and it's easy to get lost forever in the
huge three-dimensional puzzle.
Membrane: The barrier surrounding a Realm, keeping
it separate from the Astral Plane, the Ylem, and other Realms.
Miracles: The strange powers displayed by the Children
of Light.
Montsalvat: The legendary, hidden headquarters of the
Ordo Custodes Noctis. Some say Montsalvat is in a forest in
Germany, some say it's in Utah, and some say it's in another
Realm. Only the most elite agents of the OCN, such as the
Damocletian Guard, are allowed to enter Montsalvat.
Mortal: An ordinary Human being, as opposed to
Unnaturals.
Mystics: Humans who've attained a Glimpse of their
Higher Self and as a result may learn magic Formul and
Enchant items. Mystics grow closer to their Higher Selves

which assists them learning Mystical Techniques and Dark
Arts. They learn Formul, that allow them to bend the
Elements, and eventually seek Unity with their Higher Self
and the universe. Mystics of different Cults in an area gather
together into a Collegium. Known Mystics include Ensi
Abgal, Noah Bell, and Natalie Aster.
Naamah: A Child of Darkness member of the Eschaton
Crusade.
Nexians: The gray-skinned but Human-like native
inhabitants of the Industrial Nexus.
Nineveh: A small city in southern Washington with an
especially high Unnatural population and an active Council of
Night. The residence of Noah Bell and Righteous G.
OCN: An abbreviation for Ordo Custodes Noctis.
Order of Shiru: A monastic order of Ghls that dwells
in the Wastelands of Suffering. The Shiru monks, following
the practices of the ancient Gidimites, consume human flesh
not only for sustenance, but as a sacrament to the Children of
Darkness. The Order of Shiru has rituals to create Lords of
the Dead from the most powerful and ancient Ghuls.
Ordo Custodes Noctis: The Order of Night's
Guardians, a group of Unnaturals dedicated to keeping the
peace between Unnaturals, shielding their existence from the
Downtrodden, and defending the world from the Children of
Darkness, the Elder Beasts, and, indirectly, the Hierate Cult.
The Ordo Custodes Noctis were originally an order of
Mystics devoted to enforcing the Firmament Treaty, but they
expanded their operations to include other Unnaturals. Their
headquarters is the mysterious location Montsalvat. One of
their main objectives is to establish and assist the Councils of
Night to promote stability. The Ordo Custodes Noctis means
well but often resorts to extreme measures to ensure peace,
and are often given free reign to act in Council territories.
The Ordo Custodes Noctis evolved from an order of Mystics
chosen to enforce the Firmament Treaty after it was signed,
and has a few specialized branches, such as the Damocletian
Guards. Well-known agents of the OCN include
Mandragoras Sallow.
Outcast Tribe: A Tribe of Ghls that lives in distant,
rural areas where they can pick off rare Downtrodden
wanderers who won't be missed. Outcasts are noted for their
berserk rage in a fight.
Pact: A group of Unnaturals of different kinds working
together towards a common goal. The Councils of Night or
the Ordo Custodes Noctis often assemble Pacts for
troubleshooting potentially politically sensitive issues, as the
various Unnatural races are often loathe to work together and
wary of one another's agendas.
Palaces of Light, The: The home of the Children of
Light and the home of the Perfect Ark, where all of the Spirits
of the Children of Light were housed, protecting them from
Corruption.
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Perfect Ark, The: The receptacle for the Souls of the
Children of Light, which resided in the Palaces of Light. It
was destroyed along with that Realm, cursing the Children of
Light to slowly decay into darkness.
Pleroma, The: Generally, the Realms other than the
Vale of the Downtrodden. There are hundreds, thousands,
maybe an endless number of Realms; some of them resemble
our world, some are vaguely Earth-like, and some are bizarre
beyond comparison. The best-known Realms of the Pleroma
include the Barrens of Ordure, Belly of the Beast, the
Candlepine Voivodship, Der Unschlagbar Reich, the City of
Spirits, the Endless Isles, the Glades of Mirth, the
Gloomfallen Caverns, the Industrial Nexus, the Mansions of
Conundrums, the Mountain of Peace, the Palaces of Light, the
Theater of Bittersweet Recall, and the Wastelands of
Suffering.
Pymandri: Members of the Cult of the Knights of
Pymander.
Races: There are various Human races inhabiting the
Earth, other than Homo Sapiens sapiens. One is the Ghls,
and another are the Enkidu. The Children of Light are not
Human at all, but they take on a Human-like form during
their Fall. Mystics are believed to differ from ordinary
Mortals, but no difference has ever been discovered.
Realms: Another plane of existence, floating within the
Astral Plane. All Realms taken together are called the
Pleroma.
Reaper: A type of Destiny Elemental, which haunts
places where deaths are about to occur to feed on the entropic
energy.
Relics: Magical weapons wielded by the Archons. When
the Archons were slain, their Relics were shattered to
Splinters and scattered among the Pleroma.
Rex Mundi: The King of the World, the unseen,
unknown leader of the Hierate Cult. Whether the name is
accurate or not is a matter of decreasing debate. The Rex
Mundi's second-in-command holds the title Vicarius.
Righteous G: Once known as Gabuthelon, this Yazata
Child of Light literally Fell in with street gang members in
Nineveh.
Rupture: A tear in the Membrane between neighboring
Realms, that allows energy to bleed through both ways, and
allows Unnaturals and the Downtrodden to travel to the
other Realm.
Sallow, Mandragoras: A centuries-old Magister and
high-ranked leader in the Ordo Custodes Noctis, who
typically operates from the Mansions of Conundrums, as
renowned for his knowledge as for his paranoia.
Sanguinals: An old, formal term for Ghls.
Santos, Garvin: AVisionary Mystic executed in the 1920s
for mass murder. Santos was the last Mystic known to possess
a fragment of the Tome of Malevolent Splendours.
Satyr: One of the many fae species inhabiting the
Glades of Mirth.
Selz-Mor Superstores: A popular chain of variety
stores in the Vale of the Downtrodden. Oddly, every SelzMore Superstore seems to have a reflection in some other
Realm.
Servitors: Genetically and magically enhanced servants
of the Hierates. Servitors are among the most terrifying
killers in the Vale of the Downtrodden. The Servitors are
employed by the Unites States government as agents of Annex
37, and under other agencies in other countries.
Sheolites: The proper name for Hell Hounds.
Sidhe: One of the many fae species inhabiting the
Glades of Mirth. Known sidhe include Princess Ianna and
Prince Foalan.
Soul: An immaterial body like a Spirit that some
entities may attain, but most Mortals do not possess. Mystics
have Souls, their Higher Self which they seek on the Pleroma.
The Children of Light once locked their Souls away in the
Perfect Ark, but since its destruction, they have been giving
way to Corruption. Souls cannot be destroyed, and a Mortal
with a Soul may reincarnate, returning to the Vale of the
Downtrodden to be reborn.
Spirit: An immaterial entity, the basis of consciousness.
Most material entities have Spirits which can, with training,
detach from their bodies to function independently. In certain
Realms, Spirits are treated as solid, and can be interacted with
normally. Spirits can be destroyed, and a Mortal with a
damaged Spirit goes mad. Mystics use their Spirits to
manipulate extradimensional energies, but they always run
the risk of going mad for this reason.
Splinters: The remains of the Relics of the Archons,
which shattered during the final battle for the Palaces of
Light. The Children of Light go questing for Splinters, in
order to bask in their holiness and regain their souls.
Sprites: A type of Energy Elemental, continually
radiating light.
Strange Flesh: Flesh composed of aberrant matter, flesh
of Unnatural creatures, which Ghls can consume and grow
more powerful.
Temple of Slaughter, The: A location in the Wastelands
of Suffering, a Realm of ancient, ruined temples to forgotten
deities of carnage; a place that is sacred to the Ghls.
Tenebrae: A Latin word meaning shadows, a term
commonly used for the sort of underworld that Unnaturals
live in within the oppressive and repressed Vale of the
Downtrodden. Sometimes called The Ten or just X for
short.
Thaumatronicist: A member of the Cult of
Thaumatronicists.
Throng: The term used by the Hierate Cult for a local
organization. Compare Collegium, Council of Night.
Tome: A book of magical power that Mystics seek in
the Vale and throughout the Pleroma.
Page 136

Tome of Malevolent Splendours: Created by Mystics
during the empire of Mada Us-Gidim, bound in the Splinter
skin of an Archon, filled with the vilest Formul and Blood
Myths, one of the most powerful, feared, and sought-after
items in existence. The Visionary Garvin Santos possessed a
fragment of the Tome of Malevolent Splendours.
Tulpa: A type of Spirit Elemental, often created by
Mystics who desire trustworthy servants.
Unbidden: The horrifying results of a Child of
Darkness that is corrupted by the Elder Beasts, and becomes a
shapeless mass of tentacles and eyes and fanged mouths.
Unhinged: A term for a Mystic that has gone mad due
to Enlightenment. The Cult of Strange Visions are most
susceptible to becoming Unhinged out of all Mystics.
Unity: Godhood, perfection, oneness with all of the
Pleroma, and traversal to what lies beyond. Perfect
Enlightenment of the Soul leads to Unity. Some Children of
Light claim that the Unity is sentient, and that the Archons
were its servants. The Elder Beasts have almost achieved a
form of Unity through their Corruption, but such
development requires horrifying, unthinkable evils to
accomplish.
Unnaturals: A general term for sentient creatures with
supernatural powers. Unnaturals include Mystics, Children of

Light, and Ghls, as well as Children of Darkness, Enkidu,
Venefici, and Mamono.
Uru Ulan: The Ancient Sky City; see City of Spirits.
Vale: Short for the Vale of the Downtrodden, another
word for the Mortal world.
Vale of the Downtrodden, The: The Mortal world, the
Realm that is home to the Downtrodden.
Venefici: A species of dangerous, non-Human sorcerers
from another Realm. Most Venefici in the Tenebr are
members of the Consortium. Known Venefici include Laar
L'aag.
Vicarius: The second-in-command of the Hierate Cult.
Visionaries: Members of the Cult of Strange Visions.
Wasteland of Suffering, The: A parched Realm of
endless, meaningless warfare and bloodshed.
Yazata: See Legion of Yazata, The.
Ylem, The: The primal chaos, the nothingness from
which the Astral Plane, the Vale, and the Pleroma arose. The
home of the Elder Beasts. Sensing the Ylem in any way causes
utter madness, and some say that Mystics suffer bouts of
insanity because their magic draws on the Ylem.
Page 137

DIRGE Dark Modern Fantasy Roleplaying Game

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DIRGE

Dark Modern Fantasy

DIRGE DARK MODERN FANTASY ROLEPLAYING GAME

Chapter VII: Hardships.............................35

What Is This Game About?......................2

Chapter IIX: Assets..................................41

Chapter XII: The Pleroma........................95

Success Factor and Failure Factor.............7

Chapter IX: Dark Powers..........................45

Chapter II: System Basics............................5

Triumphs and Mishaps.............................8

Special Ability Descriptors....................45

Tools of Death (Weapons).......................71

Dying with the Most Stuff (Trifles)........76

Chapter XI: Strife....................................79

Chapter VI: Talents..................................25

When and Where...................................79

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

What Is This Game About?

Image courtesy Public-domain-clipart.blogspot.com.

For this reason, the author suggests that this roleplaying

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

with 1d6s, so it may be a good idea to keep a couple of

Image courtesy Bigfoto.com.

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

Chapter II: System Basics

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

(3). When performing mathematical calculations,

Trickery + Break & Enter, vs. DF set by Game Master based

Example Action Rolls

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

Automatic Success and Failure

fails, and move on with the story.

Success Factor and Failure Factor

Compare your roll to the DF you were trying to

On the other hand, if you compare your roll to the DF

Triumphs and Mishaps

A failed roll with a total of 3, 4, or 5 on the dice is a

A successful roll with a total of 16, 17, or 18 on the dice

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

Mishap Chance (MC)

Triumph Chance (TC)

For each +1 to your Mishap Chance (MC) for a roll, an

Okay. In case it isn't obvious, for each +1 to your

Similarly, for each -1 to your MC for a roll, one fewer

So. for each -1 to your TC for a roll, one fewer number

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

Chapter III: Character Creation

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

Character Creation Procedure

Character Creation Pitfalls

(2). Record the Character's Type and Faction, and all

DIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli, Imperfekt Gammes

Points according to the Average

(6). Choose a minimum of 3 Levels in Hardships, for

Basic Talents are Cheap.

Advanced Talents are Very Cheap.

Innate Powers: Characters may only

Formul: Characters may only purchase the

Mortal Hardships grant Bonus Build Points

Unnatural Hardships grant Bonus Build