Clockwork Dominion Quick Start Rules

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Teresa Sanchez (order #5800817)
Clockwork Roleplaying Game v. 0.92 beta

Created by Zeke Coughlin
Developed & Written by Zeke Coughlin & Nathaniel Dean
Consultants and Contributors: Brent Concillio, Dr. Lisa

Coughlin, Doug Hagler, Michael McLaughlin, The Rev.
Brian Riddle, Jess Shively
Playtesters: Christopher Block, Juliet Brownell, Scott

Coniam, Jack Graham, Aaron Grossman, Melody Hadap,
Additional Proofreading by Fil Florian & K. Adam Kunst Dr. Matthew Hare, Will Harrison, Rachel Jagielski, K. Adam
Cover Art and Layout by Ameen Naksewee & Brian Crick Kunst, Tony Lee, Michael McLaughlin, Jess Noble, Kyle
Northrop, Matthew Slavik, Rick Slavik
Additional Artwork by Luke Santiago, Erik Skiff, period
Additional Thanks: Lisa Coughlin, Seann Eschrich, Pam
artwork courtesy of Liam from www.fromoldbooks.com.
Hagler, Chelsea Monroe-Cassel, Sarah Noe
Book Layout and Design by Zeke Coughlin
Get more information about Clockwork: Dominion
Character Sheet Design by Zeke Coughlin, Nathaniel
On the web: www.AClockworkWorld.com
Dean, and Dr. Matthew Hare
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/aclockworkworld
On Twtter @AClockworkWorld.
Card Layout and Design by Michelle Mullen
Edited by Doug Hagler
This book provides everything you need to introduce

players and Narrators to the basic rules of the Clockwork
Roleplaying Game and the Clockwork: Dominion setting.
Players take the role of exceptional individuals within the
British Empire of 1896 as it strives to maintain tradition
in the face of scientific advancement, powerful mystical
practices, and the Pontus - the primordial chaos which is
slowly reclaiming creation. Characters fight against the
supernatural horrors of a decaying world, and fight to build
or destroy reputations so that they may ascend the social
hierarchy. Reality itself is crumbling while debutantes vie for
social currency, bureaucrats backstab one another, pirates
plunder the seas and skies, and a few honorable men and
women fight back against the chaos that is consuming the
world. Intuitive card-based mechanics keep the action fast
and fluid, and a robust social conflict system enables highstakes intrigues to be the centerpiece of your story.
The World Turns.
The Empires Falls.
The Pontus Rises.
Welcome to the Clockwork.
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These Quick Start Rules include:

The Clockwork World provides a brief introduction to the
setting, which covers the major themes of the Clockwork.
Anatomy of a Character provides details on how to play
characters within the Clockwork: Dominion setting.
Rules and Systems introduces the core mechanics of the
Clockwork Roleplaying Game and provides a framework for
players and Narrators to run quick start adventures.
Idle Hands
is a quick-start adventure. It comes
complete with six pre-made characters, extra setting
information, and everything you will need to help you
navigate your first foray into the Clockwork world.
More quick-start adventures will be available soon at
www.drivethruRPG.com.
Clockwork Cards, the cards used for playing
the game. A free deck of black and white printand-play cards is included at the end of this PDF.
Beautiful full-art versions of this deck are available at
www.drivethruRPG.com.
All Material Reliquary Game Studios 2013
The Clockwork World
If I could create an ideal world, it would be an England with the fire of the Elizabethans, the correct taste of the Georgians,
and the refinement and pure ideals of the Victorians. H. P. Lovecraft
The World Turns
In the beginning there were only the waters of chaos. It

was an endless and formless primordial void that we have
since named the Pontus. This was the scene upon which
the Clockmaker first stepped to utter the words, Let there
be... Thus the cosmos was made, a masterpiece of precise
complexity and interconnectivity. In just six sentences, he
created all that is and then withdrew to his heavenly throne
to rest. From there, he continues to watch as his creation
unfolds according to his design.
The civilization of man emulates and manipulates the
Clockmakers work. As he created the metals of the earth,
we have formed them into buildings that pierce the sky and
war machines that keep his peace. As he created the oceans,
we have created ships to sail them and boil their waters to
fuel our endeavors. Our masterworks now make it difficult
to determine where Gods work ends and mans work begins.
Together, our enterprises make an integrated creation, both
mortal and divine: The Clockwork.
It is so splendid a work of order that many have forgotten
that it was from out of the void that it was called into being.
The cogs and gears of the Clockwork were made from the
Pontus. This chaos was taken and formed into our ordered
universe, but it did not remain as such. Whether it is because
of human action or natural decay, the elements of this world
are breaking back down into the Pontus from which they
were made. To all who are willing to observe it, it is obvious
that the Clockwork is being dismantled, and the question we
are left with is, Why?
The ability to answer this question may be all that stands
between us and oblivion. While some ignore the problem,
seeking their own pleasures, and others speed the decay
through violence or intrigue, there are those of us who
fight back against the Pontus, bolster our orderly society, or
investigate the Clockwork in attempts to determine the nature
of its unraveling. If there is any hope left for humanity, it lies
in stabilizing this crumbling Clockwork world; and if that is
ever to happen, it will be through our efforts. If we fail, the
Pontus will devour us all.
The Empire Falls
Civilization is like a candle burning in the darkness of our

frail and decaying world. It is this light that the Empire offers
to humanity. The civilization we bring keeps the Pontus at
bay, gives order power over chaos, and ensures life as we
know it. It is our bounden duty to stabilize the Clockwork
by creating, sustaining, and spreading our orderly society to
those who, by no fault of their own, are embracing the very
chaos that is consuming the Clockwork.
In this year of our Lord 1896, Queen Victoria rules over
three-hundred million citizens living in so large a domain

that the sun never sets on its soil. We control the largest
navy, the largest fleet of airships, and the most sophisticated
weaponry on the planet. We have connected economic
centers with rail lines and population centers with telegraphy.
Our borders are constantly expanding as more of the Earth
comes to embrace the stability we bring. Yet this vast Empire,
whose far-reaching arms cradle the Earth, is impossible
to maintain. Civil unrest among colonialized peoples, ever
growing expenses for infrastructure and peacekeeping, the
growing self-preoccupation of our citizenry, and a loss of
the traditions that uphold our civilization all contribute to
our struggle to survive. Meanwhile, those whom we cannot
save slip through the fingers of the Empire and fall toward
what lies beneath: the Pontus.
The Pontus Rises
The Pontus is all that remains of the primordial chaos

from which the world was made. It is an infection slowly
eating away at the order of the Clockwork. It bubbles up
from the abyss and floats on the surface of creation like a
film, always in motion and tainting whatever it touches. The
Pontus is drawn to places where corruption and sin erode
orderly living. Where it settles, it begins to dismantle the laws
and systems that govern our reality.
The Pontus will manifest in different ways and with
varying severity according to the area in which it finds itself.
Cities are chaotic places with shifting populations, crime,
and rampant inequality. For this reason, the Pontus seems to
be a constant presence in most metropolises; however, it is
largely limited to erratic weather and solitary monstrosities.
It is as if the chaotic nature of a city acts as a pressure release
preventing explosive manifestations. The countryside is not
so fortunate. While the presence of the Pontus is rare in the
almost unchanging rural communities of the Empire, when
it does manifest there, it does so violently.
The most common manifestations of the Pontus
are meteorological, such as rainstorms of frogs or blood.
Disappearances are also common: the ground will simply
open to swallow a person whole. Sometimes the Pontus will
give back what it has taken, but never as it was; only horrific
hybrid abominations emerge from its depths. There have
been sightings of tribal societies of chimeric abominations
living on the fringes of the Empire, feasting on human flesh,
and praying to the Pontus which birthed them. Whole villages
vanish. Cattle develop a hunger for their owners. There are
rumors of entire towns being overrun by the restless dead.
Even natural and physical laws weaken or fade altogether.
No horror is too strange where the Pontus rises.
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Anatomy of a Character
Without self knowledge, without understanding the working and functions of his machine, man cannot be free,
he cannot govern himself and he will always remain a slave. G. I. Gurdjieff
The Character Sheet
The character sheet contains the characteristics that

define the abilities, attachments, and desires of the persona
each player will play within the game. Each section of the
Clockwork: Dominion character sheet is numbered on the
graphic appearing on the opposite page. These numbers
correspond to those appearing below. Each listing offers a
brief description of how that characteristic is used in the
game.
Characteristics
1. Name records the given name of the character.

2. Bloodlines describe the lineages of mortal beings who
inhabit the Clockwork, some of which represent supernatural
ancestry.
3. Class is the trait defining a characters long-term position
in the social hierarchy of the Empire.
3. Means is the abstraction of a characters resources,
property, and reliable annual income.
4. Potential is the metaphysical measure of the orderly and
disorderly tendencies of a character. There are two types of
Potential - Purpose and Ether - both of which can change
over time.
4. Purpose is one of the two types of Potential. Purpose
represents a characters ability to hold to their course,
resist outside influence, and participate in the will of the
Clockwork.
4. Ether is one of the two types of Potential. Ether represents
a characters tendency to change, create opportunity, and act
outside the will of the Clockwork.
4. Corruption is a measure of the power the Pontus has
over the character. Characters can gain Corruption through
deliberately choosing to commit heinous sins.
4. Integration is the measure of how tied a character is to
the divine order of things.
5. Trades are areas of expertise that a character learns within
the Artisan, Engineering, Medicine, and Science Skills. They
are used in item creation.
5. Masteries are special abilities that a character can learn
when she achieves five ranks in a particular Skill. Pureblooded
characters receive a Mastery during character creation.
6. Blessings are special benefits a character receives through
her Bloodline.
6. Curses are special penalties that afflict a character because
of her Bloodline.
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7. Assets represent atypical talents, possessions, or

circumstances that aid a character.
7. Liabilities are the unusual drawbacks and circumstantial
difficulties that can hinder a character.
8. Affinities are the deep affections and loyalties that
motivate a character.
9. Reputations refer to the perceptions and expectations
that color others opinions and reactions to a character. A
beneficial Reputation is combined with Class to determine
Esteem, and a detrimental Reputation can reduce Esteem.
10. Nature represents the fundamental core of personality
that guides a characters actions.
11. Background represents a characters past experiences
that have taught him certain skill sets. They may represent
her current profession, experiences learned in childhood
through the profession of a guardian, or significant exposure
to a given trade.
12. Aptitudes measure broad areas of talent that can be
applied to a large array of tasks. They are combined with
Skills to perform trait tests.
13. Skills measure specialized ability or learning focused on
narrow areas of endeavor; they are combined with Aptitudes
to perform trait tests.
14. Defense represents a characters ability to protect herself
and is used as a Difficulty for attacks made against her.
Physical Defense is used against physical attacks and Social
Defense against social ones.
15. Dispositions mark how a character feels regarding
an argument, a course of action, or another character.
Dispositions are chosen at the beginning of social conflict.
16. Esteem is the respect and influence a character is
perceived to have in a given social situation. It is calculated
at the beginning of a social encounter as the Disposition
the room has toward the character. It begins at Guarded
and receives a one step bonus for each rank of Class or two
ranks of Means the character has above the standard for the
social environment. It then gets a one step bonus for each
rank of the characters most favorable applicable Reputation
and a one step penalty for each rank of her most detrimental
applicable Reputation, if any.
17. Armor represents protective clothing a character wears
to reduce her chances of sustaining Conditions.
18. Guard represents a characters combat stance and her
ability to protect herself with it. It is equal to (Grace +
Focus).
19. Wounds represent severe injuries a character sustains.

Wound penalties are applied to all trait tests.
20. Lingering Conditions are Conditions that last beyond
the end of a conflict. They are recorded on the character
sheet until the character recovers from them.
21. Funds cover the cash-on-hand which is readily available
to a character.
22. Weapons are any item a character possesses that will do
damage to other characters in physical conflict or any special
abilities that give them an edge in social conflict.
23. Gear is anything a character happens to be carrying.
Ally & Antagonist Sheet
Allies and antagonists use their own special record sheet

You will find these sheets at the end of this book, on our
website, in the text of quick-start adventures, and eventually
in the bestiary of the Core Rule Book. They differ in seveal
ways from a standard character sheet.
The Abilities and Notes section provides all assets,
liabilities, and any unique abilities an ally or antagonist may
have, all in one place.
Generic Skills represent an ally or antagonists basic
competency in physical, mental, and social Skills. When the

Narrator makes a test for an ally or antagonist without a
specific Skill, he uses the generic Skill closest to the one
needed for the test.
Specific Skills represent those special areas where
an ally or antagonist has received advanced training. If a
character has a specific Skill, it should be used instead of a
generic Skill.
Morale represents an antagonists Disposition toward
fleeing from conflict. It begins at Favorable and moves one
step toward Hostile for each level of the antagonists Threat.
Threat is a measure of how dangerous an ally or
antagonist is. Threat determines how many Initative Cards
the Narrator is dealt (p. 10).
Wounds represent severe injuries an ally or antagonist
sustains. Remember that Threat is reduced by one rank for
every wound sustained, thus reducing how many actions an
ally or antagonist can take in a single sequence.
An ally or antagonist will become incapacitated when
they receive a number of wounds equal to their Threat, or
when their wound penalties reach -10, whichever happens
first. If an ally or antagonist ever has wound penalties of -10
they immediately die.
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Traits
In Clockwork: Dominion, the properties and abilities

of most objects and entities are defined by traits. Traits are
specific characteristics measured in ranks on a scale from
zero (0) to five (5). Character traits include Aptitudes, Skills,
Guards, Defenses, Means, Class, Reputations, and several
others. Object traits include Bulk, Complexity, Structure,
and Value.
Special traits called variable traits may have their current
rank value increased or decreased by situational factors.
Variable traits are listed on the character sheet with a box
to record their fixed value and five circles to record their
temporary rank value. The fixed value represents the normal
rank value of the trait, while the temporary value represent
the current modified value of the trait. When a variable trait
must be used in a test, use its temporary value and not its
fixed one.
Aptitudes and Skills
Aptitudes and Skills are the traits that define what a

character can do and how well they can do it. Broad physical
and mental capabilities are defined by Aptitudes, and
specialized areas of practice and knowledge are defined by
Skills. Many Skills will slightly overlap the abilities granted
by other Skills. Any given Skill can be used across a wide
variety of circumstances and in physical or social conflict:
each is briefly described below to help determine which
combinations are the most appropriate for tests (See Core
Mechanic: Trait Test).
Aptitudes
Grace is a measure of agility and deftness, but also physical
bearing and manner.
Vigor relates to physical strength and endurance as well as
health.
Reason is raw intellect and the ability to apply systematic
thought.
Focus allows concentration in spite of distraction and
governs perception and memory.
Presence covers natural charm, wit, and the ability to engage
with others socially.
Will represents dedication, emotional and mental fortitude,
and the ability to resist temptation.
Skills
Academics represents formalized learning in the arts and
humanities. The first rank bestows literacy in ones native
tongue and rank three grants the ability to speak, read, and
write another language (more languages may be learned
through other means).
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Artisan is ones ability to craft objects. This Skill covers the

general ability to fabricate things and work with ones hands,
but at rank three a character may choose a single trade, such
as Carpenter, Metalsmith, or Tailor (more trades can be
learned through other means).
Athletics determines ones ability to run, jump, throw, and
climb. It may also measure skill and knowledge of sports
from a characters native culture and class.
Bureaucracy measures familiarity with complex
administrative systems such as government, the military, the
Church, and big business, as well as how to navigate and
manipulate these systems to get things accomplished.
Burglary allows for the planning and execution of criminal
acts. It covers all aspects of thievery including sleight-ofhand, lockpicking, and the traffic of stolen goods.
Command measures the ability to control or lead others
through manipulation of their emotions. An inspirational
general, an intimidating thug, and an authoritative noble all
use the Command Skill to get others to do what they want.
Composure covers sensory awareness, mental and emotional
tranquility, and self-control. It is used for perception checks
and to calculate social Defense.
Engineering describes skill in designing mechanical and
electrical devices. An engineer can create individual pieces
of clockwork, orchestrate plans to dredge a river, or build
a factory. Any rank of Engineering may be used to operate,
maintain, and repair complicated devices of all types. At
rank three a character may choose a single trade, such as
Architect, Machinist, or Shipwright (more trades can be

Fencing is the Skill of sport and mortal dueling. It is taught
to most gentleman and can be used as an attack Skill with
any balanced, single-handed weapon, including blades, sticks,
and canes.
Firearms grants the ability to shoot and maintain all
forms of personal guns. The use of cannon, artillery, and
knowledge of ballistics are governed by Engineering and/
or Profession.
Fisticuffs governs the ability to fight without weapons
using formalized unarmed techniques such as boxing and
wrestling. Gentlemen may also be taught Bartitsu, an English
adaptation of Asian martial arts.
Guile allows for scheming, lies, and slander to be spread
believably; a dubious talent that is most often used to deceive
or bamboozle others.
Intuition shows ones knack for accurate gut instincts,
skill in sniffing out lies, and judging the intent of others.
Spiritualists claim that it also grants them sensitivity to the
supernatural.
Investigation defines facility with modern police techniques
as well as the patterns of thought and physical practices
which enable research and inquisitive efforts of all kinds.
Medicine represents basic first aid up through full training
as a physician. Any rank of Medicine may be used to treat
maladies and stabilize patients. At rank three a character may
choose a single trade, such as Surgery (more trades can be
Melee is the ability to fight in the chaotic fray of backstreet
skirmishes and battlefields. It governs the use of weapons
designed for such environs like bayonets, sabers, and pikes;

it also governs fighting multiple opponents with fists, rifle
butts, barstools, or even slamming your opponent into
the scenery. It is the only Skill available for Defense when
multiple opponents are within a characters zone of control.
Mysteries shows learning and insight into the cosmology
of the Clockwork, and affords detailed knowledge of angels,
devils, faeries, and ritual magic.
Parley is the art of public speaking, negotiation, diplomatic
argument, and bargaining.
Profession is always taken with a specified calling, such as
Profession (Locksmith). Each Profession Skill represents a
collection of incidental abilities associated with the day to day
work and narrow context of its specialized trade. Profession
(Locksmith), for example, would cover analyzing, picking,
cleaning, and keying locks as well as the ability to market and
sell within the field of locksmithing. The Profession Skill
may only mimic abilities usually associated with others Skills
in passive trait tests. However, it can be used actively for
abilities outside the scope of the other twenty-six Skills.
Refinement describes ones social grace and mastery of
etiquette, manners, and overall ability to comport oneself in
polite society, or to flaunt those norms and get away with it.
Riding displays horsemanship and knowledge concerning
the care of horses. During a conflict, a character must make
a passive Grace+Riding test for each movement she makes
while mounted. The Difficulty for this test is based on the
terrain over which she travels.
Science represents skill and knowledge with scientific
method and experimentation. Any rank of Science represents
specialized knowledge in the fields of mathematics,
chemistry, geology, physics, astronomy and the like. At rank
three a character may choose a single scientific trade, such
as Pharmacology (more trades can be learned through other
means).
Streetwise is common among the lower classes, and is used
to carry oneself among thieves and street people. It also
affords some knowledge of criminal groups and their affairs.
Stealth covers all capabilities to move silently and remain
hidden in terrain of any type.
Survival defines skill at hunting, tracking, and the ability to
survive in extreme weather and wilderness conditions.
Tactics is used to plan military operations and orchestrate
soldiers in the fray of battle. It is also used to plan and
prevent ambushes, and to judge odds of military success.
Temptation shows ones talent for leading others into sin,
depravity, and all sorts of moral hazard through promises of
physical and emotional satisfaction.
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Rules & Systems

I cannot imagine a clock without a clockmaker.
-Voltaire
Time
The story told by the characters and Narrator unfolds

like the plot of a book. Hence, like a book, the story is
broadly divided into chapters and scenes. Each segment of
time will begin and end at the discretion of the Narrator.
A chapter is a long series of events that takes place
around a central theme or a particular event. A good rule of
thumb is that a new chapter begins when a new undertaking
or social event begins: a ball, a dinner party, a journey, or a
large scale battle. It concludes when the event or undertaking
concludes. Each chapter will usually contain several scenes.
A scene is a more specific series of events tied together
by location or function. While a chapter might encompass
the events of an entire ball, the dancing, dining, smoking,
and mingling portions of the evening would all be separate
scenes within that chapter.
Anatomy of a Card
The telling of a story requires some unexpected elements

to represent those things that are beyond both the plans of
the Narrator and the control of the players. Clockwork:
Dominion uses randomly drawn cards to represent these
elements. These cards are used during trait tests, and any
other time randomness is required.
Each card has four characteristics. The card value is
the value that is used to resolve trait tests and to determine
initiative during conflict. The card number is a unique number
Card Value: used for
Initiative and Trait tests
Card Number: used

for breaking ties and
generating percentiles
2013 Reliquary Game Studios
Condition Name: the

Condition this card is
capable of producing
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Condition Description:
the effects of this cards
Condition
used to break ties (it also provides a number from 1-100 for
percentages). The Condition name is the Condition that can
be imposed by this card when used in conflict situations, and
the Condition text gives an abbreviated description of what
the condition does to the character on whom it is placed.
The Core Mechanic:

Trait Tests
At any point in the story, the Narrator may require

a character to make a trait test to discover if an intended
action is successful. This is normally not required for routine
actions, but reserved for actions whose success or failure
would cause significant consequences within the story.
To perform a trait test, the player and Narrator first agree
on an Aptitude and Skill combination that best describes the
abilities required for the action being attempted. The player
then adds the Aptitude and Skill ranks together and subtracts
a Difficulty rank, a number that represents how hard the
action is to complete (see below). Lastly, the player draws
a card from the play deck and adds its value. The final sum
is the Degree of Success (DoS) for the action. A positive
number signifies a success; a negative number, a failure.
Attribute + Skill - Difficulty + Card Value = DoS
The higher the DoS, the more notable the achievement.
The lower the DoS is below zero, the more severe or
embarrassing the failure. A DoS of exactly zero signifies a
partial success that requires more work to complete (such as
leaping a chasm only to smash into the other side, clinging
to the edge).
The Narrator will assign a Difficulty to every trait test.
Difficulty ranks associated with specific undertakings within
the quick start adventure are provided in the text. Difficulties
for attacks and contested actions are equal to the opponents
most appropriate Defense value or a relevant Aptitude +
Skill combination. Elsewise, a Difficulty is assigned by the
Narrator. A Difficulty of 1 is a simple task; 3, a challenging
task; 5, a daunting task; 7, an overwhelming task. Actions
with a Difficulty of 10+ are impossible and cannot succeed
unless a character discovers a way to reduce the Difficulty.
As the story unfolds without active conflict, keep drawing
cards from the play deck without shuffling until the Fate or
Doom card is drawn, then shuffle the deck after all results of
the test that included that card are resolved. During conflict
cards are only shuffled at the beginning of each initiative
sequence; keep drawing from the deck even if the Fate and/
or Doom cards are drawn.
Passive Trait Tests
When a character has as much time as she could want

to complete a task and is not distracted by conflict or other
environmental factors, she may choose to take a passive
trait test. No card draw is required for a passive trait test.
Simply take the Difficulty and subtract it from the characters
Aptitude and Skill combination. Treat the resulting DoS
normally. If this DoS would be a failure, the character cannot
attempt a passive trait test.
Certain Skills, such as Riding, will sometimes allow a
character to take a passive Skill test as they are doing other
things. As with all passive Skill tests, a character always has
the option of performing a standard trait test instead.
Fate and Doom
Sometimes the gears of the Clockwork align to favor or

disfavor a particular action. The turning of the Clockwork
seems to show preference to the events an actions success
will put into motion, rather than the action itself. Whatever
the reason, some actions are fated to occur, while others are
doomed to fail.
When a character draws the Fate card, her action cannot
fail. The Fate card has a value of +5, but the final DoS for a
fated action can never drop below 1. Any values or penalties
that would lower the DoS below 1 are ignored. Actions that
are unquestionably impossible will still fail, but the Fate card
will ensure the complete safety of the attempt.
If a character draws the Doom card, her action cannot
succeed. The Doom card has a value of -5, but the DoS for
a doomed action can never be raised above -1. Any values
or bonuses that would raise the DoS above -1 are ignored.
In addition, if the Doom card creates a Catastrophic Failure
(DoS -8 or worse), the entire endeavor is doomed: the
acting character suffers a -2 penalty on any attempted action
with the same goal for the rest of the chapter. This may be
described by the Narrator with an appropriately harrowing
series of events.
Potential and Integration:
All people have an intended role in the Clockwork those who pursue the path laid out for them find their
actions supported by unseen hands, and those who instead
forge their own path must seize their own opportunities. The
unseen support a character receives to bolster their personal
place in the Clockwork is represented by points of Purpose.
The ability to create opportunities by acting outside of ones
ordained path is represented by points of Ether. The balance
of these two energies is referred to as a characters Potential.
Depending on the balance of Potential and the characters
Bloodline, this may change their Integration. Any character
with an Integration other than Native may be subject to
additional risks as they have a weak or even no part in the
grand plan of the Clockwork.
Integration is fully detailed in the core rulebook.
Purpose and Ether
Points of Purpose and Ether may be spent within the

game to tap into the energies of order and chaos. When a
point is spent, erase it from the character sheet, but remember
to keep track of both a characters permanent and current
Potential points.
A character may spend a point of Purpose to produce
the following effects:
Prevent the outcome of an attack from being imposed
on them. This may prevent a character from receiving a
Condition or from being wounded, subdued, convinced,
or persuaded.

Each person is meant to fulfill their purpose, and the

Clockwork often gives aid to those who need help in
doing so. Give a player extra narrative control over a
portion of the current events, allowing him to describe
a plausible circumstance that does not contradict
something that has already been described by the
Narrator or another player. Spending a point of Purpose
in this way may create a plausible coincidence (My
friend just disarmed his opponent? Well that dagger
lands right next to me), describe a plausible piece of
scenery (That chandelier has to be held up by a rope
that is tied to the wall... right next to me. I cut it), or
add a plausible and consistent past event to the current
chronology (Of course I grabbed that pocketwatch
off the mantle before the house went up in flames).
The Narrator may veto circumstances he thinks are
disruptive to the enjoyment or flow of the story, but
should do so with great discretion.
A character may spend a point of Ether to produce

one of the following effects:
Replace any one card just drawn with a new card from
the top of the deck. The new card must be used instead.

Replace any one card an opponent has just drawn from

the deck to resolve an action that elicits a reaction from
you. The new card must be used instead.
Corruption
If a character ever commits actions abhorrent to the

design of the Clockwork - extreme or random violence,
murder, demonolatry, corrupt ritual magic or sorcery, or the
like - then they will gain Corruption. Such acts strike at the
fundamental goals of orderly creation, bringing chaos and
destruction, and ultimately contributing to Pontus outbreaks.
Exposure to extreme Pontus events can also stain areas and
people it touches, leaving a lingering presence that makes
future outbreaks more likely. It is only possible to cleanse
Corruption through acts of absolution and purification.
Corruption is fully detailed in the core rulebook.
9
Conflict
When a conflict is about to begin, all characters refresh

their Guard. We recommend using tokens such as glass
beads to represent a characters Guard value. Using tokens
makes Guard clearly visible to everyone at the table. As
Guard is lowered during conflict, simply discard a token for
each point it drops. When a player is left without any tokens,
that characters Guard is down.
In social conflicts, if there is an obvious goal or
antagonist, all characters should decide what their
Disposition is toward it. Disposition represents how amiable
a character is to an idea or person. In order from least to most
friendly, Disposition can be Hostile, Guarded, Indifferent,
Agreeable, or Favorable. When conflict begins, a player can
give whatever Disposition he wishes to his character. That
Disposition will slide along the scale as social combatants
attempt to convince and persuade one another. If a new goal
or antagonist arises during conflict, a new Disposition can
be assigned to it at that time. However, once a Disposition
is assigned during a conflict, it may no longer be altered by
choice; it can only be affected by conflict actions (see Social
Attacks, p. 14).
The Initiative Sequence
The order in which characters act within a conflict is

determined by the Initiative Sequence. Begin an Initiative
Sequence by dealing each character four cards from the
play deck. The player will choose three from those dealt to
his character and place them face-up on the table near his
character sheet, discard the remaining card. These are his
characters Initiative Cards - keep them separate from all
other cards that come into play. (If a character receives the
doom card, it cannot be discarded.) No player character may
ever have more than three Initiative Cards in play at any one
time.
After Initiative Cards are dealt and chosen, the character
with the highest Initiative Card value may chose to become
the acting character. If that character passes, the character
with the next-highest card value may choose to be the acting
character, and so on. Ties are broken with card numbers.
Once the acting character is chosen, she will declare how
she will spend her Turn. If her efforts will not affect other
characters, she will flip her highest Initiative Card face-down
and take a Turn normally. However, if her efforts do affect
other characters, the normal flow of play pauses immediately
and an Exchange with one or more reacting characters will
occur (see below). After a characters Turn is fully resolved,
the next acting character is chosen in the same way.
The Turn
Before a character may take her Turn, the player must flip
over an Initiative Card. For the acting character, this must be
her highest valued Initiative Card. Characters participating
in an Exchange on the acting characters Turn may flip any
10
Antagonists in the
Initiative Sequence
The Narrator deals Initiative Cards to himself a
bit differently because he potentially controls several
antagonists at once. The Narrator receives a number
of Initiative Cards equal to the total Threat ranks from
all of the antagonists participating in the conflict. They
are placed face up in a single row, and any card may be
used for any antagonist. Later, as these Initiative Cards
are flipped face-down, they are placed upon the character
sheet or note card for the antagonist who used them. This
allows the Narrator to keep track of how many times
each antagonist has taken a Turn. No antagonist may
take more Turns in a single sequence than his level of
Threat. Threat is also reduced by one for each Wound an
antagonist sustains, in addition to all the normal penalties
for Wounds. If this reduction in Threat ranks leaves the
Narrator with more Initiative Cards than he can use,
they are discarded at the end of the Sequence. When an
antagonists Threat is reduced to zero, she has been killed
or otherwise incapacitated, but many will surrender or
flee before this occurs.
If the Narrator is controlling both antagonists and
allies, two rows of cards are used. For simplicity sake,
we recommend always placing the antagonist row above
the ally row. Allies use the cards from their own row and
otherwise follow the same rules as antagonists.
Initiative Card they choose. During her Turn, a character
may either move, maneuver, and act OR move and react.
Movement allows the character to move within her
zone of control, an area about four paces (10 feet) in every
direction. A character is considered to be moving throughout
this zone during her turn, taking her action and maneuver at
any time and in any order, and then ending anywhere within
her zones boundaries. If 28mm miniatures are being used,
use a 5 circular template to represent this zone.
Actions and Reactions allow the character to perform
tasks that would require a trait test. In conflict, this usually
means attacking an opponent or reducing their Guard
through a feint or other mixed action. A character may also
trade her action to perform an additional maneuver.
Maneuvers allow a character to do anything that would
not require a trait test, including the options below. The
Narrator may also allow other simple tasks as maneuvers at
his discretion.
Aim: Taken before an action to fire a ranged weapon,
this maneuver eliminates the -2 penalty for not aiming. A
character may not aim if an opponent is within his zone of
control.
Attract: used in social conflict to ensure a single character is

paying attention to the attracting character.
Disengage: In social conflict, a disengaging character
may simply leave the conversation. In physical conflict, a
disengaging character may exit the conflict area only if this
maneuver does not elicit a reaction from another character.
Elicit Aid: Before she acts, this characters asks another
character to help her. If that character agrees, she also flips
over one of her Initiative Cards and both characters make
a trait test to accomplish the same goal. The shared action
is resolved using the higher of the two DoS. If a reaction is
made against the attempt, it will always use a Difficulty equal
to the highest Defense of those participating in instigating
action.
Interact with your environment (such as opening a door) or
accoutrements (such as drawing or stowing a weapon).
Run: Move four paces (roughly ten feet, or 5 for miniatures)
and change the center of your zone of control.
Sidestep: Remove an Avenue of Attack until your next
action. If a character reduces her Avenues of Attack to 0, she
also removes her own ability to attack others (See Avenues
of Attack, p. 15).
Again, If a character can move, maneuver, and act
without involving other characters, then her turn resolves
upon her completion of these activities. However, if another
character is within the acting characters zone of control
while she moves, maneuvers, or acts, an exchange will occur
between all characters in the zone. Likewise, any action that
directly affects an opponent outside her zone of control
(such as with a ranged attack) will instigate an exchange with
that opponent.
The Exchange
An exchange begins when one character attempts to

affect another; or a character moves, maneuvers, or acts while
another character is within her zone of control. During an
exchange, any character who is affected by such an action
can immediately take a turn to move and react, possibly even
resolving their turn prior to the instigating character.
First, all participants now joining the exchange will
declare what they will do on their turn. If the instigating
character has already declared her move, maneuver, and
action, these may not be changed. Other participating
characters will declare their movements and reactions in
response to whatever instigated the exchange, usually to
counter-attack or actively defend themselves (remember that
reacting characters do not take maneuvers). Each participant
must flip one Initiative Card face-down before taking their
turn. The acting character must flip her highest Initiative
Card even if she does not go first. Other characters in the
exchange may flip any Initiative Card they choose. These
turns will be resolved in order of Attack Priority.
In physical conflict, Attack Priority is given to a character
according to their weapons reach category - the longer the

reach the higher the priority (See Reach & Distance Attacks,
p. 13). If a tie occurs, priority is given to characters in
advantageous situations (such as standing when an opponent
is prone). If characters are still tied, priority is given to the
instigating character.
In social conflict, Attack Priority goes first to the events
host or guest of honor, then to participating characters
according to the highest current Esteem. In the event of a
tie, priority is given to the instigating character.
At any time, if there is no clear Attack Priority (such
as two characters with the same reach reacting to the same
instigating character), actions are resolved simultaneously.
Ending an Initiative Sequence
When all Initiative cards are flipped face-down or all

participants with face-up Initiative Cards remaining pass
(choose not to become the acting character), the Initiative
Sequence is over. Discard all cards in play, including
Conditions (remember persistent Conditions are recorded on
the character sheet). All characters will refresh a single point
of Guard. Then the deck is reshuffled and, if necessary, new
cards are dealt for the next Initiative Sequence. In physical
conflicts, sequences will continue until the conflict is fully
resolved.
Social conflicts will only last a single Initiative Sequence
(although the timing of this sequence may take as long as
a chapter to complete). If the sequence ends before the
characters can persuade or convince their opponent of their
goal, they are simply unable to do so. However, any change in
Disposition remains (although if the players initiate another
social conflict in a subsequent chapter or scene, all parties
may alter their Dispositions as they deem fit). The players
and Narrator may interpret the changes in their characters
Disposition at their own discretion, bearing in mind that
being hostile is usually a faux-pas. Social conflicts will also
end if a physical conflict arises from them.
Interrupt Actions
At any time, a character may turn over two Initiative
Cards face down to perform an interrupt action (if
a character has the Fate card as an Initiative card, she
may play it by itself to perform an interrupt action).
This immediately makes her the acting character, even
if it interrupts another turn already in progress. The
interrupting character may then take a full turn. After
the turn resolves, play returns to normal. A turn that
was interrupted may now be completed. If two or
more characters attempt to use an Interrupt Action
simultaneously, resolve them in order of the highest
played Card Numbers, then return to the normal flow
of play.
11
Physical Attacks
A trait test made to physically attack an opponent

will almost always combine the Grace Aptitude with one of
the following Skills: Athletics, Fencing, Firearms, Fisticuffs,
or Melee. The Difficulty for a physical attack test is always
equal to the targets best applicable Physical Defense. The
effects of physical attacks depend on the DoS achieved
and the status of the opponents Guard. These effects are
described below and summarized on the following table.
When an attack succeeds while an opponents Guard is
up, their Guard is reduced by one point. A Condition is placed
on the target if the attacker scores a remarkable success
(DoS 4+). If an extraordinary success (DoS 8+) is achieved,
the attack reduces Guard by one and will also penetrate the
Guard, either subduing or wounding the opponent.
When an attack succeeds while an opponents Guard is
down, the attack is penetrating and will subdue or wound
the opponent. A persistent Condition is placed on the target
if the attacker scores a remarkable success (DoS 4+), and
if an extraordinary success (DoS 8+) is achieved the attack
may also render the opponent Incapacitated (as per the
Condition listed on page 16); some weapons may also allow
unique effects in lieu of Incapacitation.
Regardless of Guard, a partial success (DoS 0) will
succeed if the opponent has not declared an action or
reaction in the current engagement, and fails if she has.
If an an attack places a Condition on an opponent, flip
a single card from the play deck and apply the Condition on
the card to that character. If the attacker is using a weapon,
flip a number of cards equal to the weapons damage rank
and choose the Condition from among them. If the defender
is wearing armor, reduce the number of cards flipped by the
armor rank; if this reduces the cards to zero, no Condition
may be placed.
If a character receives a Condition, simply place the
Condition Card face up on the afflicted characters character
sheet. Let it remain in play until its Condition is met or
the Sequence ends, then discard the card. If the Condition
created by an attack is persistent, write the Condition on the
character sheet. These will continue to affect the character
after all cards are discarded and reshuffled.
Most weapons also have a special Weapon Condition
that may be used as a persistent Condition in lieu of one
drawn from the deck - the player chooses to use either the
Weapon Condition or a Condition shown on any cards
drawn whenever a persistent Condition is to be placed. The
Mixed and Social Attacks

in Physical Conflict
Sometimes a purely physical attack isnt the most
effective way to get at an opponent. Somtimes a social
Skill can make an opening that would otherwise be
unavailable. Mixed combinations, such as Grace and
Guile (to feint), or purely social ones, such as Presence
and Command (to intimidate), can be used to make
these attacks. However, neither mixed nor social
attacks may ever wound an opponent. Such an attack
will be able to reduce an opponents Guard, but would
never be able to harm them. A penetrating mixed or
social attack can be made to subdue or persuade an
opponent. These attacks will use a Difficulty equal to
their opponents most appropriate Social Defense.
Narrator should describe the nature of Conditions so they
flow with the story of the conflict, the nature of the attack,
and the weapon being used.
A character who is subdued is grappled or held in
a compromising manner. This character is immediately
considered to be in a disadvantageous position for purposes
of Attack Priority, and may not move, maneuver, or recover
Guard. This status can be broken with a successful attack
against her subduer. A successful penetrating attack can turn
a subdued character into the subduer.
Wounds represent serious injuries such as being stabbed
or shot. For each wound a character sustains, she will
immediately receive a cumulative -2 penalty to all actions, may
no longer take maneuvers, is dealt one fewer Initiative Card
on each subsequent Initiative Sequence, and must put one
fewer Initiative Card into play. Not only this, but a characters
wound penalties will worsen by -1 at the beginning of each
new Initiative Sequence and again for every five minutes
after the conflict ends. For this reason, one wound is usually
enough to make sane combatants stop fighting.
Any character with medical supplies may make a Reason
+ Medicine test against a Difficulty equal to the injured
characters current wound penalties. This will stabilize the
character and prevent the further worsening of wound
penalties. After a full nights rest, a stabilized characters
wound penalties will return to -2 for each wound she has
and will no longer worsen. A character dies immediately if
her wound penalties reach -10.
Table 1: Effects of Physical Attacks

DoS
0
1-3
4-7
8+
Opponents Guard is Up (Guard >0)

Opponents Guard is Down (Guard = 0)
If the target is not acting in the current exchange, treat as DoS 1; otherwise treat as DoS -1.
Guard -1
subdue or wound opponent
Guard -1, place a Condition on opponent
subdue or wound opponent, place persistent Condition
Guard -1, subdue or wound opponent
as above, and the opponent is rendered Incapacitated
12
Reach and
Ranged Attacks
Reach measures the maximum distance at which a
weapon can strike an opponent. If a target is beyond
a weapons Reach, it cannot be attacked. There are five
Reach categories:
Touch: can be touched by the attacker: a dagger
Close: inside zone of control (a step and reach) or
two paces away: a sword, club, cane, barstool.
Extended: up to twleve feet or four paces away: a
rifle-mounted bayonet, a pepperbox pistol.
Short Range: within a large room or about twentyfive feet/ten paces: a pistol, a thrown weapon.
Long Range: can be seen by the attacker: a rifle.
Ranged attacks (including Short Range and Long
Range) cannot be prevented by a defenders Guard.
Baring supernatural abilities or mastery-level training, no
character can prevent a bullet or projectile from hitting
them by means of their own defensive posture. Thus,
all ranged attacks are normally considered penetrating
attacks.
However, a character can make herself harder to hit
by making use of cover. When a ranged attacker shoots
at a character in light cover, she will draw one additional
card and use the lower of the two to resolve her attack.
When shooting at a character in heavy cover, the attacker
will draw two additional cards and use the lowest of
the three. If at any point, the attacker fails to hit with
her lowest card, but succeeds with her highest card, she
will shoot the cover that is protecting her target. This
is especially important to remember when the cover
protecting the target is another character.
These penalties are in addition to the standard -2
penalty for firing without aiming. An attacker will always
suffer a -2 penalty if she does not take a maneuver to
aim, and this penalty applies to all cards drawn to resolve
the shot. After a ranged attacker takes the maneuver
to eliminate this -2 penalty, she may take additional
maneuvers to aim in order to reduce the number of cards
she must draw to resolve the attack. Each maneuver will
reduce the total required draw by a single card.
Thus, a ranged attacker firing at a target in heavy
cover who takes no maneuvers to aim will suffer the -2
penalty for not aiming and then must draw three cards
(one card, plus two cards for the target being in heavy
cover). She will use the worst card to resolve her shot.
However, if she took two maneuvers to aim before firing,
she would receive no penalty and would use the lower of
two cards to resolve her shot. Remember that actions can
be used to take maneuvers (See The Turn, p. 10), and
that weapon Reach will affect Attack Priority (p. 11).
Physical Recovery
After the conflict is over, wounds and persistent

Conditions represent debilitating pain, lingering disabilities,
and physical or emotional trauma. For the duration of a
characters recovery, she will suffer from the penalties and
effects of these maladies on all trait tests and during all
conflicts, regardless of type. A character can recover from
these maladies via natural healing, medical treatment, or
access to transcendent powers. Recovery requires rest; any
day a character participates in vigorous activity or physical
conflict will not count toward her recovery.
A wounded character will naturally and automatically heal
one wound or persistent Condition after three days. She will
automatically heal another wound or persistent Condition
after every three weeks. Recovery for all maladies is on the
same timeline, regardless of when they were taken, until the
character is fully healed.
Characters receiving medical attention heal automatically
as above, but also receive the benefit of a physician making
Reason + Medicine tests to treat them. The Difficulty for
this test is equal to the patients current wound penalties. After
three weeks of wound treatment and care, the physician may
test once for each malady the character has. Each success
will remove one. If any maladies remain, the physician may
test again for each remaining malady after another three
week interval, and again every three weeks following.
A character may also be medicated (usually with laudanum
or some other opiate) to avoid the effects of pain while in
recovery. A medicated patient will halve her wound penalties
(rounded down) so long as she can take the proper dosage. A
character who takes more than this may alleviate all pain, but
suffers no additional mechanical advantage. In fact, she must
make a Will + Composure test to remain lucid. Any use of
opiate medication will carry the risk of addiction.
13
Social Attacks
A social attack is made to convince an opponent

that something is true or persuade them to attempt an action.
They are performed as a trait test combining the Presence
Aptitude with one of the following Skills: Command, Guile,
Parley, or Temptation. Each social attack is made against
anyone who can hear the attacker and is willing to listen to
the argument. Thus one man may try to convince a whole
room if his voice can carry and his audience is willing to hear
him out. The Attract maneuver may be used to ensure one
person pays attention to one actions worth of argument.
Each targeted character or group will defend with their
individual Social Defense, but the attacker will make only a
single attack test.
The Difficulty for a social attack is always equal to the
targets best applicable Social Defense. However, if the goal
of a social attack would endanger, undermine, or contradict
one of a targeted characters Affinities, the Difficulty of
the attack is increased by the rank of that Affinity. If the
goal of social attack aligns or supports one of a characters
Affinities, the Difficulty for the attack is lowered by the rank
of that Affinity. Likewise, a characters relevant Reputation
may increase or decrease the Difficulty of any social attacks
made to convince a third party regarding the character with
the Reputation. The Narrator has the final say as to what
Affinities or Reputations are applicable to a given social
attack, but is encouraged to favor the players.
The effects of social attacks depend on the DoS achieved
and the opponents Disposition toward the attackers goal.
These effects are described below and summarized on the
following table.
When a social attack succeeds while an opponents
Disposition is less than Favorable to the idea being presented,
the opponents Disposition is shifted one step in a direction
chosen by the attacker (usually toward Favorable). An
attacker may also chose to shift her own Disposition rather
than that of her opponent (usually away from Favorable, to
avoid being convinced or persuaded). A Condition is placed
on the target if the attacker scores a remarkable success
(DoS 4+). If an extraordinary success (DoS 8+) is achieved,
the attack may either convince or persuade the opponent
regardless of her Disposition.
When a social attack succeeds (DoS 1+) while an
opponents Disposition is Favorable, the attack is penetrating

and will convince or persuade the opponent. A persistent
Condition is placed on a Favorable target if the attacker
scores a remarkable success (DoS 4+). If an extraordinary
success (DoS 8+) is achieved, the opponent also receives a
rank 2 Affinity toward the topic of the social attack.
Regardless of Guard, a partial success (DoS 0) will
succeed if the opponent has not declared an action or
reaction in the current engagement, and fails if she has.
If an attacker suffers a grievous failure (DoS -4 or
worse), her target may shift their own Disposition one step
in a direction of their choice.
Conditions and Evidence
If an attack places a Condition on an opponent, flip

a single card from the play deck and apply the Condition
on the card to the opponent. If the attacker is using
weak evidence, she may substitute Dazed as the attacks
Condition. If she is using convincing evidence, she may
substitute Overwhelmed. If the evidence is irrefutable, she
may substitute Undone. (The quality of her evidence is
determined by the Narrator). These Conditions may be used
for any attack. If an attack causes a persistent Condition,
write the Condition on the character sheet. These will
continue to affect the character after all cards are reshuffled,
but only with regard to her attackers goal. The Narrator
should describe the nature of Conditions so that they flow
with the story of the conflict, and in particular so that they
make sense given any successful attempts to persuade or
convince a character.
Convincing and Persuasion
A character who is convinced of something will believe

it as though it were true (unless she spends a point of
Purpose to ignore the convincing). This is often the social
outcome achieved when trying to lie convincingly (I may be
out of uniform, but I am a member of her Majestys army),
making an argument for how things should be viewed or
interpreted (I know this looks bad, me holding the gun and
all, but I did not shoot this man), or convincing someone
concerning the nature or character of someone else (The
Earl of Wessex is not the gentle man everyone says he is).
A character who is persuaded to do something will
intend to do it as safely as possible and at her earliest
convenience (unless she spends a point of Purpose to ignore
Table 2: Effects of Social Attacks

DoS
-4
0
1-3
4-7
8+
Opponents Disposition is not Favorable Opponents Disposition is Favorable

Opponents Disposition shifts by 1 rank (defenders choice)
If the target is not acting in the current exchange, treat as DoS 1; otherwise treat as DoS -1.
Disposition shifts by 1 rank (attackers choice) convince or persuade opponent
Disposition shifts by 1 rank, place a Condition convince or persuade opponent, place a persistent Condition
on opponent
on opponent
Disposition shifts by 1 rank, convince or convince or persuade opponent, create a rank 2 Affinity for
persuade opponent
the opponent
14
the persuasion or think better of it at a later point).

Actions, due to persuasion or otherwise, can be
damaging to Affinities and Reputations. Any action that
endangers, undermines, or contradicts a characters Affinity
or Reputation will reduce its current rank by one. A
character who has the Affinity Honor and Honesty who is
persuaded to break her word will lose a rank of that Affinity.
Record both the permanent and current rank of the Affinity
or Reputation on your character sheet. Actions can also
completely alter an Affinity or Reputation. A duelist who
has the Reputation Never lost a fight who loses a fight must
not only reduce his Reputation by one rank, but also change
its description to something like Only lost once.
Avenues of Attack
In order to attack, a character must have the ability
to get at her opponent. In physical conflict, this means
having a clean line-of-sight for ranged attacks or simply a
lack of obstacles for close attacks. In social conflict, this
means having an open discourse where the opponent is
actually listening to whats being said. Either way, these
available lanes for striking are called Avenues of Attack.
In physical conflict, all characters have three Avenues
of Attack. These avenues may be occupied by large
obstacles (such as a wall or tree), by comrades (such as
fighting back to back), by opponents who are engaging
in close combat with the character. Hence only three
combatants may attack one individual at a time, as each
would occupy one of that characters three Avenues of
Attack. This number is reduced by one for each obstacle
or comrade that already occupies one of these avenues.
Ranged attacks need an Avenue of Attack for a clean
shot, but will not occupy one. Hence, a battalion of
snipers could fire on a single target without blocking one
another. Obviously, if the ranged attacker cannot see the
target opponent, there are no open Avenues of Attack
available to him. See Ranged Attacks, p. 13.
In social conflict, a character has two Avenues of
Attack for each Disposition currently being tracked, one
reserved for arguments that move that Disposition toward
Favorable and one reserved for arguments that move it
toward Hostile. Each Avenue can only be occupied by one
social attacker. Hence, all social combatants who wish to
alter a single Disposition toward the same result must assist
this single primary attacking character. A character who
uses the Sidestep maneuver in social conflict may declare
which specific Avenue of Attack is being closed, choosing
to ignore that entire line of argument. A character may
also take a Disengage maneuver at any time to close all
social Avenues of Attack: one can always walk away from
social interactions with a polite Good day, sir; however,
certain contexts may provide dire social ramifications for
doing so.
Changes in Disposition
While being able to fully convince or persuade a social

opponent is ideal, it is not always possible or necessary. Changes
in Disposition can dramatically alter how social opponents
will act. At times, changing a character's Disposition from
Hostile to Agreeable can have effects almost as useful as
achieving a successful convince or persuade outcome. While
a convinced or persuaded opponent will do as her attacker
wishes, an Agreeable opponent may still choose to help on
her own terms.
Social Recovery
If a character is convinced that something is true, they

will believe it until another social conflict convinces them
otherwise. A character who is persuaded will perform the
action if and when a safe opportunity arises to do so. Either
result may be removed at any time by spending a point of
Purpose to think better about the matter. However, a player
that chooses to allow his character to endure the results of
being convinced or persuaded will receive an additional
experience point at the end of the adventure. Choosing this
option revokes his ability to ever remove the results of the
convincing or persuasion.
Loss to Affinities and Reputations will normalize (return
to their permanent value) one rank for every three weeks
that they are neither raised nor damaged. Thus, upon being
damaged, the three-week healing period for an Affinity or
Reputation begins anew. Narrators running stories that take
place over short periods of time may decide to use a threesession healing period rather than three weeks. Affinities or
Reputations whose descriptions have been altered will never
return to what they previously were, but may be altered again
if the circumstances arise.
Since Dispositions are set at the beginning of any social
conflict, they may be changed to whatever the player wishes
at that time.
15
Conditions
Conditions represent minor injuries or situational

complications that result from successful attacks. Any attack
that achieves a remarkable success (DoS 4+) will place
a single Condition on the target character. If the attack is
penetrating, the condition will be persistent. Penetrating
attacks that succeed with an extraordinary success (DoS 8+)
will automatically apply an Incapacitating wound, although
some special weapons may allow for other effects.
Standard Conditions
Aggravated: An already existing Condition becomes

persistent, else treat as Dazed.
Damaged: Take a physical or emotional wound, then
discard this Condition.
Dazed: When choosing to react, Dazed characters must
turn over two Initiative Cards instead of one.
Disarmed: Lose the use of a weapon, evidence, or armor;
then discard this Condition.
shift one step of Disposition to your opponents advantage,

then discard this Condition.
Unbalanced: Unbalanced characters cannot take maneuvers
without turning over an additional Initiative Card.
Undone: Treat this Condition as an additional successful
attack with a DoS 1. Resolve the second attack and then
discard this Condition.
Weapon Conditions
When a character makes an attack with a weapon that

places a Condition on an opponent, her weapon may offer
her an additional Condition option. This Weapon Condition
is always added to the pool of Conditions from which a
player may choose. The player may choose any Condition
from those available, from the drawn cards or from the
Condition provided by her weapon. Some weapons will
provide Conditions from the Standard Condition list, while
others provide more robust options.
Exposed: An additional Avenue of Attack is available when

attacking Exposed characters (In social conflict, this allows a
maximum of three Avenues per Disposition).
Bleeding: The character receives an wound penalty of -1

for each Sequence that the characters condition remains
untreated. This stacks with all other wound penalties.
Successfully stabilizing the character stops the bleeding, but
the Condition remains until removed via physical recovery.
If a character takes a wound before removing the Bleeding
Condition, she will begin to bleed again. Remember that a
character dies immediately when her wound penalties reach
-10.
Staggered: Do not regain a point of Guard or step of

Disposition on your next opportunity to do so, then discard
this Condition.
Crippling: A Character suffering from a crippling wound

loses the use of one sensory organ or limb. If it is not clear
from the situation, the Narrator declares what is lost.
Fatigued: Immediately lose one Initiative Card, then discard

this Condition.
Incapacitating: A character who receives an incapacitating

wound is rendered unconscious. Immediately discard all
Initiative cards, and do not draw new Initiative cards while
this condition persists. Another character may spend an
action to stabilize this character, rendering her conscious, but
the Condition remains until removed via physical recovery.
Disoriented: Disoriented characters automatically lose

Attack Priority.
Entrapped: Entrapped characters cannot willingly leave the
current conflict.
Outmaneuvered: Opponents receive a noncumulative +1

to any trait tests made against an Outmaneuvered target.
Overwhelmed: Immediately drop one point of Guard or
16
Table 3: Physcial Weapons

Weapon
Reach
Damage
Conditions
Blackjack
Bottle
Brass Knuckles
Cane/Club
Farm Implement
Fists
Pocket/table Knife
Large Knife
Polearm
Sword
Touch
Touch
Touch
Close
Extended
Touch
Touch
Touch
Extended
Close
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
2
3
3
Incapacitating
Bleeding
Staggered
Disarmed
Staggered
None
Bleeding
Bleeding
Crippled
Bleeding
FIREARMS
Pepperbox Pistol
Extended
Bleeding
Bolt Action Rifle
Long Range
Mortal
Standard Pistol
Short Range
Bleeding
Shotgun
Short Range
Crippling
Tesla Taser
Close
Incapacitating
Notes
-2 to attack
Single shot
-2 to attack if not Aimed
5 shots
6 shots
2 shots
-2 to attack if not Aimed, +1 to attack if within
Extended range.
Single shot and then it is destroyed
May place its weapon Condition on
any successful hit.
Optional Rule: Infection

Infection is a very real danger in the nineteenth century.
Groups that wish to have this danger as part of their game
may require all characters to make a Vigor + Will test
for each physical wound they receive. If alcohol or other
antiseptics are available, infection will only occur if a character
catastrophically fails (DoS -8). If no medical supplies are
available, infection will only set in on a grievous failure (DoS
-4). If the character is recovering in a contaminated area or
an environment where it is difficult to keep the wound clean
(such as a swamp), infection will set in on a basic failure
(DoS -1).
Infections are deadly. An infected character will take
an additional wound every three days until she dies. If the
wound is in an extremity, it may be amputated to prevent
the spread of the infection. Otherwise, Victorian medicine is
useless at this point. However, a character may seek out less
mundane ways to preserve her life.
17
Example of Play:
Physical Conflict
Will and Rachel are playing Fitzwilliam and Augusta, a

brother and sister who have been investigating their fathers
disappearance. Their search has brought them into a dark
alley where they have encountered two brigands. One of the
brigands pulls a knife and physical conflict begins (as the
brigand will be making an attack). Chris, the Narrator, deals
four Initiative Cards to both Will and Rachel. Each chooses
three to keep and discards the remaining one.
One brigand has a Threat of 1 and the other a Threat
of 3, so Chris deals himself a total of four Initiative Cards.
Each of the players place tokens on their character sheets to
represent their characters Guard, and Chris places tokens on
the antagonist sheets to represent theirs.
Chris (Narrator): The highest card value on the table
seems to be you Rachel, with a 4. Would you like to make
Augusta the acting character?
Rachel (Playing Augusta): Augusta is unarmed and
unsure of the situation, so Im going to pass this time.
Chris: The next highest card value is a 2, thats you, Will.
Will (Playing Fitzwilliam): Fitzwilliam will act. Will flips
over the Initiative Card bearing the value of 2. Am I within
four paces of one of them?
Chris: Yes. The one closest to you is within your zone of
control.
Will: In that case, I will use my maneuver to unsheathe my
sword cane, my move to close on the guy, and my action to
swing at him.
Chris: Hes going to attempt to react to you by attacking with
his knife. However your sword cane has a reach category one
step higher than his knife, so you get Attack Priority. Your
attack will take a Grace + Fencing test. However, you are
in a back street brawl with brigands, so you can use Melee
instead of Fencing if you like. The brigand has a Defense
of 2.
Will: My Fencing is higher than my Melee, so Im going
to use Grace + Fencing. I close with the guy and move
to swing at his face with the blade. Will adds Fitzwilliams
Grace of 2 to his Fencing of 2. He subtracts the Difficulty
of 2 based on the brigands Defense and draws a card with
a value of 2. 2+2-2+2=4. Fitzwilliam succeeds with a DoS
of 4.
Chris: Alright, so your attack succeeds, reducing his Guard
by one. A DoS of 4 is also a remarkable success, so flip cards
for a Condition. Your sword-cane has a damage rank of 2,
right? So thats two cards.
Will: Will flips two cards from the play deck and looks at the
Condition names printed on each: Dazed and Entrapped.
I think I want these guys to run away, so Im not going to
18
choose Entrapped. I pick Dazed. My blade nips the top of

his ear within just inches of taking his eye out! The sudden
smack of pain and fear leave him Dazed.
Chris: The brigand is now Dazed. He is going to react now,
but hes Dazed, so that means hes got to flip over two of
his Initiative Cards to do so. Chris flips two of them over.
The brigand lunges at you with his knife. Chris decides
that this is a Grace + Melee test and adds the brigands
Grace of 2 to his Melee of 3. Fitzwilliam can choose his
best physical Defense: he has only a single opponent in his
zone of control so he can choose Grace + Fencing. Had
the other brigand been in his zone, he would have had to
choose Grace + Melee, to combat multiple opponents.
Thus, Fitzwilliams Defense is 4 right now. Chris subtracts 4
from the total, and then draws a card with a value of -2. 2+34-2 =-1. The brigand fails with a DoS of -1. The brigand
thrusts out at you, but you deftly maneuver to the side of
his strike.
Will: He doesnt scare me.
Chris: Next acting character is... Rachel, Augusta is still
sitting on that 4, you wanna go now?
Rachel: Yes. Rachel flips over the Initiative Card bearing
the value of 4. Whats around me in this alley?
Chris: Not much, its pretty barren.
Rachel: Can I spend a point of Purpose to notice a pile
of refuse within four paces (her zone of control), preferably
with a large plank of wood in it?
Chris: Sure, this is an alley; thats plausible.
Rachel: Rachel erases a point of temporary Purpose from
her character sheet. I use my maneuver to grab the plank of
wood from the refuse pile, close with the brigand, and use
my action to smack him in the head with it.
Chris: The brigand chooses not to react, his attention is on
Fitz. Go ahead and attack, thatll be a Grace + Melee test.
Rachel: Adds her Grace of 3 to her Melee of 2 and subtracts
the brigands Defense of 2. She draws a card with a value of
5! 3+2-2+5=8. Augusta succeeds with a DoS of 8.
Chris: Wow! Okay, thats an extraordinary success! Your
attack will bypass his remaining Guard. I assume you want
to wound him?
Rachel: Yes. I swing the board right into the side of his
head.
Chris: You hear a crunching sound as the board hits his jaw,
and some blood flies in the opposite direction. The brigand
slams to the ground and is grasping his head. Chris marks
the wound on the brigands character sheet and reduces his
Threat by one. Chris knows that this means he will deal
himself one fewer Initiative Card in the next Sequence (if
they make it that far). Also, the brigand may no longer take
maneuvers, and is at -2 to all actions henceforth.
Will (as Fitzwilliam): Thats my sister!

Chris: The next highest card is a 0, looks like Will and I
both have one. Will whats your card number?
Will: My zero card has a number of 50.
Chris: Mines a 52, so the still-standing brigand will become
the acting character. Hes going to rush at Augusta and try to
knock her over. He uses his maneuver to Run and his action
to slam into her. After his Run maneuver, hell be acting
within the boundaries of both of your zones of control.
You may both react.
Will: Fitzwilliam is going to stab him with the blade as he
closes.
Rachel: Augusta will level the board so he runs into it.
Chris: Okay, Attack priority will go to Augusta, as she has a
weapon with an extended reach, then to Fitzwilliam with the
sword, and finally to the brigand, who appears unarmed.
Rachel: Rachel flips an Initiative Card over. Then she adds
her Grace of 3 to her Melee of 2 and subtracts the brigands
Defense of 2. She draws a card with a value of -3. 3+2-22=0. Augusta got a DoS of 0, a marginal success.
Chris: The brigand is acting in the current exchange, so your
marginal success is considered a failure. Sorry, Rachel.
Will: Im going to run him through. Will flips an Initiative
Card and then adds Fitzwilliams Grace of 2 to his Fencing
of 2. He subtracts the Difficulty of 2 based on the brigands
Defense and draws a card with a value of 1. 2+2-2+1=3.
Fitzwilliam succeeds with a DoS of 3.
Chris: You swipe at him and he loses a bit of balance as
he dodges your blade. His Guard is reduced by 1. But now
its his turn to complete his action. He continues to try to
tackle Augusta. Chris adds the brigands Grace of 2 to his
Melee of three, subtracts Augustas Defense of three and
draws a card with a value of -3. Its just not this guys day.
Augusta steps to the side and deftly avoids
the attack. It looks like the next highest
Initiative Card is you Will, with the zero.
wound, he is incapacitated. Next up is the wounded brigand

who Augusta smacked int he head. He has an Initiative Card
of -1. Hes going to trade his action for a move so he can
run away.
Rachel: Is he in my zone of control?
Chris: Yes.
Rachel: Then Im going to react by smacking him with the
board.
Will: Im out of Initiative Cards, so Fitz cant react.
Chris: Rachel, Augustas weapon has a longer reach, so you
have attack priority. Go ahead.
Rachel: Rachel flips over her last Initiative Card. Then she
adds her Grace of 3 to her Melee of 2 and subtracts the
brigands Defense of 2. She draws a card with a value of 0.
3+2-2+0=3. Augusta got a DoS of 3.
Chris: You clock him across the back. His Guard is reduced
by 1. Meanwhile, Chris knows that this last surviving
brigand has been wounded, reducing his Threat to 2. That
means, the brigand can only act twice in this Sequence. Hes
already acted once, so even though the antagonists have two
Initiative Cards left, only one can be used.
The brigand will use his last Initiative Card to beg for his
life. Please, he says, Ill do whatever you want. The brigand
has attempted to begin a social conflict, what will you do?
Shall I shuffle the cards and deal another sequence of
physical conflict or are you done trying to kill him?
Rachel: Sure, lets see what we can get out of him.
Will: Are you sure I just cant stab him?.
Rachel: We want to know who sent him!
Will: Oh, okay. Well enter social conflict.
Chris: Great. Chris shuffles the cards and redeals for
social conflict.
Will: I come at him from the side and stab

at him. Hes only a Threat 1 antagonist, I
bet he only has a Guard of zero, which
means its now down! Will flips over
his last Initiative Card and then adds
Fitzwilliams Grace of 2 to his Fencing of
2. He subtracts the Difficulty of 2 based
on the brigands Defense and draws a card
with a value of 0. 2+2-2+0=2. Fitzwilliam
succeeds with a DoS of 2.
Chris: Youre right, his Guard is down.
Your blade goes right into his gut. He
is now wounded and collapses to the
ground. The brigand was only a Threat
1 antagonist, so after receiving a single
19
Example of Play:
Social Conflict
of the other brigand and then back at the prisoner.) Now

youre going to tell us why you attacked us, and everything
you might know about where our father is being kept.
Will and Rachel are playing Fitzwilliam and Augusta, a

brother and sister who have been investigating their fathers
disappearance. During their investigation, they were jumped
by two brigands in an alleyway. After dispatching one of
them, the other surrenders and they are about to question
him. Note that a real session might involve a lot more roleplaying than is described below. The purpose of this example
is to explain the mechanics, so that is our focus.
Chris (as Brigand): I dont know nothin about no father!

Me gangs just being paid to put a scare in ya, we got nothing
to do with this.
Chris (Narrator): This brigand is Guarded against telling

you anything. Chris decides the brigand is more interested in
saving his own life than he is keeping secrets, and translates
this to a Guarded Disposition. Hell be attempting to
convince you not to kill him.
Rachel (as Augusta): Wait a minute, Fitz. We dont need

to kill him. Im sure hes a reasonable man who could help us
if we just give him a chance.
Rachel (Playing Augusta): Augusta would rather not

have to kill him, but needs to know where her father is
and is willing to do almost anything to find out. Ill say her
Disposition is Indifferent toward his pleas.
Will (Playing Fitzwilliam): Fitz is equally Indifferent for
much the same reasons.
Chris: As the players mark their Dispositions with tokens on
their character sheets, Chris marks the brigands Disposition
on his. He then deals three cards to each player and two to
himself, as the brigand has a Threat of 3, but also has one
wound (which reduces the number of cards received by one).
It looks like the highest card value on the table is a 3, and
thats you Will.
Will: He flips over his Initiative Card. Well, theres only one
Avenue of Attack, so I use my maneuver to get assistance
from Augusta and my action to hold my sword menacingly
and try to intimidate him.
Rachel: She flips over her Initiative Card.Augusta will play
good cop to Fitzs bad cop, and Ill try to reason with him,
promising well let him go if he tells us what we need to
know.
Chris: The brigand is going to react by attempting to
convince you to let him go, but you are the acting character
so you get Attack Priority. Fitzwilliam will be making a
Presence + Command test and you can add the weapons
damage rank to your result since you are intimidating him.
Augusta will be using Presence + Parley... unless shes
lying, in which case youll need to use Guile. The brigands
social Defense is 3 The Brigand actually has a Defense of
2, but also has the Affinity The gang is a cruel but loving
family which will add its rank of 1 to his Defense, making it
a 3. The brigand is both afraid of and compassionate toward
his gang.
Will (as Fitzwilliam): You saw what happened to your
buddy over there! (Fitz points his sword at the bleeding body
20
Will (as Fitzwilliam): Too bad for you...

Will: adds Fitzwilliams Presence of 3 to his Command of
3, subtracts 3 for his opponents Defense, and draws a card
with a value of -3. He adds his weapons damage rank of 2 to
the result. 3+3-3-3+2=2. Fitz succeeds with a DoS of 2.
Rachel: Augusta is not lying, so Ill use Parley. Rachel adds

Augustas Presence of 3 to her Parley of 3, subtracts 3 for
her opponents Defense, and draws a card with a value of 1.
3+3-3+1=4. Augusta succeeds with a DoS of 4.
Chris: Okay, youre aiding one another so we take the better
of the two tests. Your collective effort yields a DoS of 4.
The brigands Disposition is moved one step to Indifferent.
Also, youve scored a remarkable success, so draw a card for
a Condition.
Will: Flips over a single card revealing the Undone Condition.
Will smiles broadly.
Chris: Okay, so the Undone Condition will move the
brigands Disposition an additional step, making it Agreeable.
Hes starting to really believe you might let him go, and thats
doing a lot to make him warm up to you.
Now he gets his reaction. Chris flips over an Initiative
Card. What are your social Defenses?
Rachel: My Will + Composure is a 4, but can I use Parley?
My Will + Parley is a 5.
Chris: Sure, hes trying to reason with you. Parley covers
that.
Will: Unless I can use Command, Im better off just using
my default Defense of Will + Composure. Its a 4.
Chris (as Brigand): The brigand is currently Agreeable to
helping the siblings, so Chris tries to show that in his speech.
Listen, we just meant to put a fright into you is all. We
werent going to hurt you. You let me go, and Ill tell you
what you need to know bout your father.
Chris: adds the brigands Presence of 2 to his Parley of
2, subtracts his -2 wound penalty, and draws a card with a
value of 5. Will, your Defense of 5 is going to bring his
total to a DoS 2 against you. (2+2-2-5+5=2) Fitzwilliams
Disposition toward letting him go is going to shift to
Agreeable. However, Rachel, you have the Affinity Family
comes before all else at a rank 2, so his promise to tell you
what he knows is going to be more convincing to you. Your
Defense will be lowered by your Affinitys rank, making it

only a 3. (2+2-2-3+5=4) He gets a DoS 5 against you, a
remarkable success, so hell get to place a Condition on you.
Chris flips a card from the play deck to reveal a card with
the Disoriented Condition. His words are convincing to
Augusta, moving her Disposition to Agreeable, but they also
reawaken her feeling of abandonment. As he says the word
father she feels her chest tighten and emotion swell in her
gut. She is Disoriented.
Rachel: Augusta takes a deep breath and steps back.
Chris: The next acting character is... it looks like Rachel and
I both have a 2. Whats your cards number, Rachel?
Rachel: Ive got a 70.
Chris: Ive got a 68, so Augusta is up.
Rachel: Augusta is going to continue the negotiation. Shell
use her maneuver to get Fitz to help her, and her action to
persuade the brigand to spill his guts.
red, but all the paints falling off. Thats all I know. I swear!
Chris: Next highest card is a 0, thats Fitzwilliam.
Will: flips over his Initiative Card. Fitz sheaths his sword
and says, Well, thats what we needed. Lets go! I use my
maneuver to Disengage and walk away. Im leaving the social
conflict.
Chris: The brigand has no more initiative cards to attempt
to convince or persuade you but he will plead, I told you
what you needed to know! You cant just leave me tied up
in an alley! Rachel, your Disposition for letting him go is
Agreeable, but you still dont feel compelled to do it if you
dont want to. He didnt get a penetrating attack on you. You
also have the last Initiative Card in play.
Rachel: flips the last Initiative Card. My last maneuver is to
take pity on him and drop a knife close enough to him that
with some effort hell be able to get himself free, and then
my action is to walk away.
Chris: The brigand will react by continuing to persuade

you to let him go before he talks. You are suffering from
the Disoriented Condition, so you automatically lose Attack
Priority. That means he goes first.
Rachel: Bollocks!
Chris (as Brigand): I swear to you, untie me and let me go
and Ill tell you everything I know!
Chris: flips his last Initiative Card. Then he adds the brigands
Presence of 2 to his Parley of 2, subtracts his -2 wound
penalty, and draws a card with a value of -2. Will, your
defense of 5 is going to bring his total to a DoS -5 against
you. (2+2=2-5-2=-5) Thats a grievous failure. Fitzwilliam
hears the same song over again, and its getting old. Because
of the grievous failure, Fitzs Disposition shifts back to
Indifferent. Rachel, the brigand isnt using words that push
your buttons this time, so you can use your full Defense.
(2+2-4-2=-2) He gets a DoS -2 against you, so Augusta isnt
really buying it either.
Rachel (as Augusta): You better stop promising and start
talking - Im not going to be able to keep my brother at
bay for much longer. Rachel adds Augustas Presence of 3
to her Parley of 3, subtracts 3 for her opponents Defense,
and draws a card with a value of 0. 3+3-3+0=3. Augusta
succeeds with a DoS of 3.
Will: Fitz cleans the blood of the sword menacingly. Will
adds Fitzwilliams Presence of 3 to his Command of 3,
subtracts 3 for his opponents Defense, and draws a card
with a value of 4. He adds his weapons damage rank of 2 to
the result. 3+3-3+4+2=9. Fitz succeeds with a DoS of 9!
Chris: That will persuade him regardless of his Disposition.
He spills his guts.
Chris (as Brigand): Alright! Alright! Just keep that bastard
away from me. All I know is that your father is being kept in
a warehouse. Its down by the docks. Its a big one, painted
21
Quick Start Adventure

Idle Hands
For Satan always finds some mischief for idle hands to do.
-Isaac Watts
Preparing the Story

Idle Hands drops a team of capable but unsuspecting
Edinburgh police officers and civilians into the machinations
of a group of outlaws playing with dangerous supernatural
powers. This story serves as an introduction to the world and
mechanics of the Clockwork: Dominion role-playing game,
as well as to the historical city of Edinburgh. Playing the
game will require a deck of Clockwork cards, the Clockwork:
Dominion Quick Start Rules, and about 3-4 hours. No prior
knowledge of the rules is required, and the mechanics are
introduced gradually through the course of the tale.
This game is designed for 3-7 people to play. One person
will take the role of Narrator to tell the story, control the
actions of all the antagonists and secondary characters, and
help conduct play for the group. Everyone else will play
one of the six pre-made characters provided, and will be
responsible for deciding all that they say and do. Before
going further, decide who will act as Narrator and who will
be players.
Players and Narrators should first read through the
Edinburgh, 1896 section to familiarize themselves with some
of the fundamentals of the city. This information will help
set the stage for the action to come. Next, players should read
through the backgrounds and descriptions of the pre-made
characters presented in The Citys Finest and choose which
character they will play in the story. Players should not read
anything after the character descriptions to avoid spoiling
the plot of Idle Hands. The Narrator, however, should read
through the rest of the booklet, starting with the Advice to
the Narrator section, to familiarize himself with the story.
After you enjoy Idle Hands, you can check out
suggestions and advice for incorporating this story into a
larger campaign in the Continuing the Tale section at the
end of the adventure. Information on additional adventures,
previews, and design highlights will also be released via the
Clockwork website at www.AClockworkWorld.com, so you
can continue exploring the Clockwork running up to the
release of the full Core Book in 2014.
Edinburgh, 1896
Edinburgh has always been the seat of royalty, culture,

and learning in Scotland, and throughout the 19th century
Edinburgh has even more fully bloomed as the center of the
Scottish Enlightenment. Luminaries in the arts and sciences
from across Europe have walked its streets with their
Scottish peers, and it has taken its rightful place as one of
22
the most important cities in the Empire. Yet even still, many
survive as best they can in the dilapidated tenements lining
the edges of the Auld Toon or huddled in the cellars longsunk beneath the streets. The flowering of art and culture
feeds on poisoned soil, and of late the city grows restless
as chilling rumors have both citizens and the authorities on
edge.
Edinburgh is an old city, with a long memory of its
darker past, and it is difficult to forget all those who have
died for their involvement with cults and witchcraft, treason
and murder. Many have lived and worked, or been hanged
or beheaded, in the shadow of Edinburgh castle. As recently
as two-score years past, resurrectionists stole and sold so
many of the bodies of the dead that iron coffins and burial
cages are still in use. Nobility and peasantry alike are quick
to dredge up the horrors of the past for titillation: the lurid
confessions of the witch-covens of Dr. Dee and Lord Nicol,
the gruesome murderers Burke and Hare who supplied Dr.
Knox with bodies for public dissection, or the sad tale of
Jessie King, the murderess and baby-farmer hanged just
a few years past in 1889. Other, stranger stories bubble up
from those living in the Vaults - the warrens beneath the
hill under the old city: tales of disappearances, ghastly sights
half-glimpsed, and unwholesome deeds carried out beneath
the homes of more decent folk.
Of late, a rash of oddities has been reported. Two weeks
ago, a pair of masons building a wall along Southgate swore
they heard screams and saw blood well up from the brick.
The Lord Provost of the city himself has been heard to
confirm rumors that he and others have seen strange lights
dance atop the crosses on St. Giles Cathedral. Just last
week, a mephitic stink welled up around the city chambers
and persisted for three days. Perhaps worst of all, several
disturbances have been reported near the grounds of the
Grange cemetery, and groundsmen have found at least one
grave whose occupant had gone missing. With All Hallows
Eve just a few weeks away, theres growing panic that
something sinister is afoot.
Scurrilous broadsheets are quick to print news of a
coming catastrophe, while the Evening Post is pleased to
announce the expansion of its social pages to track the
comings and goings of the citys elite. The police are under
increasing pressure to get things in hand, as the Provost
fears that bringing in any of the Crowns Witchfinders or
involving the military garrison would only fan the flames and
lead to civil unrest.
Story Overview
Reading through the full story is the best way to prepare

for Narrating, but this summary provides a thematic
overview of each chapter and some important notes.
Chapter One
The characters are brought into the action as they respond

to a seemingly random act of violence. The characters are
presented clear options and incentives to act in defense of
the general peace of the city. Some details they might notice
hint at the stirring of something strange, but they will quickly
unite in the pursuit of a criminal.
Basic mechanics are introduced with skill tests and
simple physical and social conflicts. These will allow the
Narrator and players to become accustomed to Clockworks
basic system, and to learn what everything on the character
sheet means in play.
Chapter Two
The grim designs of the bodysnatchers trap the

characters in dire circumstances facing a rising of the
Pontus. An unexpected, and perhaps unwelcome, ally will
present themselves to help them move forward, but also rely
on them for aid. Inexplicable and unbelievable events will
test their resolve.
Multiple skill tests and conflicts will occur as they
encounter others caught in the strange events of the night.
Player decisions and character actions will lead them through
several different mix-and-match scenes as they choose how
to react to the dangers in which they find themselves. The
way the player characters and non-player characters they
encounter work together or fight could give them extra
benefits or penalties going into the conclusion of the story.
Chapter Three
The characters come face-to-face with the root cause

of the recent disturbances, and the dangers confronting
them and the city are thrown into stark relief. If they flee or
falter, even greater terrors might follow. The characters must
make a critical decision in which of two threats to face, and
whatever they dont address will have consequences for them
and the city later. The climactic scene brings the characters
into mortal struggle against the remaining criminals and the
instigator of their activities, or fighting to quell the Pontus
outbreak and prevent it from spreading; they cannot do both.
As the story concludes the characters will have glimpsed the
deeper struggle going on in the world, and gained allies and
enemies already steeped in that conflict. Whether they return
to their lives as though nothing happened, or choose delve
deeper into the unknown is left unanswered, but could be
explored in another story.
Reading the Scenes
Individual scenes are presented with a brief block of

italicized text that can be read or paraphrased to the players.
The events of the scene are then described for the Narrator,
and any threats or challenges are detailed in stat blocks for
easy reference. The scenes in chapters one and three are
set in motion by events beyond the characters control and
will flow directly into one another sequentially, but those in
chapter two will lead in different directions based on player
choices.
Some Scenes will have relevant information that will
already be known by specific characters. In these cases details
will be presented as a sidebar in the text for the scene, and
Narrators should feel free to remind players of what their
character might know.
The Citys Finest:

Character Selection
Six pre-made characters are presented for Idle Hands.
They are listed on the final pages of this adventure with
full descriptions and character sheets. They may be used
in any combination of them can be used to play the
scenario. However, depending on the number of players,
some character combinations will provide a better balance
of capabilities and story options. It is recommended that
groups include characters in the following order for their
first play-through:
1. Constable Jock Mathieson
2. Constable Alec Dubh
3. Constable Gavin MacLeod
4. Ms. Dora Ramsay
5. Inspector Colum Campbell
6. Dr. Iain Trowbridge
Given the events of the story, it is extremely unlikely
that any single play through of Idle Hands will cover
every scene and event. As a result, subsequent runs with
different characters and different choices could lead to
very different experiences.
Gavins Glamours
Here are expanded versions of the glamours rules
Minor Illusions: Use a Maneuver to test Presence +
Guile, Difficulty of the targets Will + Composure.
If successful, create an illusion that affects one sense of
the target for their next action.
Beguile: Before a social conflict begins, spend a point
of Ether and choose a target you can see. The targets
disposition cannot be worse than Indifferent towards
your argument in the next social conflict in that scene.
23
Chapter 1
The Butchers Bill
The evening of October 6th is dark and blustery and

most folk remain indoors. As its a new moon, the only
lights are those spilling from windows and the gas lamps
flickering along some of the main streets. Sgt. Mathieson
and Constable Dubh are two hours into their evening patrol
route, snaking among the narrow closes and wynds of the
old city flanking the Royal Mile that runs between Edinburgh
castle atop the hill and the royal estate at Holyrood Palace at
its base. Constable MacLeod is finishing a non-productive,
though perfectly enjoyable dinner with Ms. Ramsay at the
Saracens Head public house. Dr. Trowbridge and Inspector
Campbell are heading down the high street after leaving an
appointment at the City Chambers.
The characters begin going about their business
separately in the environs of the city around the Royal mile,
but the events of the first scene will quickly bring them
together. Depending on which characters have been chosen,
the Narrator may wish to put any and all police characters
together, as due to the growing unrest they may have
increased patrol sizes as a show of strength to citizens. Ms.
Ramsay may well be going to or coming from any number
of other social engagements and could happen upon the
action and join up with the constables in an effort to get a
line on a real story. Dr. Trowbridge could be appended to
any other group of police; he would not typically rush to
potential danger if given an alternative, but if hes already
engaged with the police when danger occurs, he wouldnt
outright flee.
24
Chapter 1, Scene 1:
Fleshmarket Close
Walking about the hill around the Royal Mile is a cold prospect.
Although the day was mild, the wind and misting rain makes being out
in the night uncomfortable, even for those in overcoats and hats. Theres
little traffic on the street, as the early nightfall and inclement weather
keep most folks at home about their business. To get a minute out of
the wind and catch a bit of warmth with a few puffs on a pipe, Sgt.
Mathieson and Constable Dubh duck off into Fleshmarket Close to
take shelter. Even washed by the rain, the street still smells faintly of
blood and offal from the several butcher shops and victuallers clustered
at the top of the steep cobbled street, leaving it doubly-deserted and a
quiet haven for the two policemen.
After taking refuge in a door frame and just getting the pipe going,
both officers notice the odd sight of a figure trudging up from the base
of the hill carefully carrying a small wheelbarrow so it makes no noise
on the cobbles, and trying to avoid the few pools of light spilling onto
the street. Two doors down from the officers nook, he steps to the door
of butcher McFadyens shop, looks about the street for a moment, then
taps on the window glass twice. Although the shop is closed and the
windows are dark, the door opens a few moments later and the caller
enters without a word, barrow and all.
The player characters should make a standard perception
test: Focus + Composure, Difficulty 3. Success indicates the
observer discerned the person appears to be a man based on
his size and gait, and appeared to be trying to hurry even with
the risk of falling on the rain- slick cobbles. A Remarkable
success (DoS 4+) also reveals the tell-tale shape of a pistol
butt at his waist as his coat moves when he knocks on the
glass.
Characters attempting to sneak up to the shop window
can test Grace + Stealth, Difficulty 0 (the Difficulty is
lower as they are aided by the conditions outside). The door
is currently locked from the inside. If they go to investigate,
they see very little:
The shop window has an array of empty hooks and
a tiled shelf that would be used to show the days goods,
but now all is empty. Even with eyes used to the dark, the
interior of the store can barely be made out, save for a bit of
flickering light visible from the staircase into the cellar. After
two minutes, the light from the stairwell dances wildly and
a shot can be heard (no Test necessary). Moments later the
figure comes pounding up the stairs with a large and very full
sack slung awkwardly over his shoulders. He drops the sack
onto his wheelbarrow, rushes to the door and flings it open.
The man fleeing is Thomas Corddray, and hes just
accidentally killed Mr. McFadyen over the butchers lastminute attempt at price-gouging. The argument had erupted
over the sale of a particular human corpse Thomas wanted
retrieved from the cemetery. The gun went off in a scuffle.
Thomas is terrified that the police will be called because the
shot was heard, and will make every effort to escape and
make it to his scheduled meeting place with the body in tow.
Remind the characters that their first duty is to raise the hue
and cry, and that they were issued police whistles for this
reason.
As soon as the whistles are blown, cut to Constable
MacLeod and Ms. Ramsay as they are walking out from the
Saracens Head around the corner and trying to find a carriage
for Ms. Ramsays ride home, then to the Inspector and Dr.
Trowbridge, as they walk down the hill. The policemens duty
is to rush to a fellow officer in trouble; Ms. Ramsay should
be interested to catch a story firsthand, and Dr. Trowbridge
would likely want to respond in case anyone is hurt. Even
as the other characters come to aid their aid, Sgt. Mathieson
and Constable Dubh will have one full conflict Sequence
dealing with Thomas before any help arrives.
Environment: The cobbles are steep and slippery; any
combatant may attempt to knock another off balance with a
Vigor + Melee test, Difficulty equal to the targets physical
defense. A success (DoS 1+) will knock the opponent prone,
but this will not reduce Guard or cause a wound. Attacking
someone who is prone is an advantageous condition, so that
could change Attack Priority. Anyone knocked down can
take a maneuver to stand up. Ranged attacks with firearms at
any target outside the attackers zone of control are made at
a -2 penalty due to the darkness and rain.
Thomas is dealt three initiative cards and will use all his
efforts to escape. If he is able to act first he will spend his
move, maneuver, and action to run. If not acting first he will
not react to any actions as he desperately wants to use his
Threat
Thomas Corddray
Native Pureblood Thug
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Guard
G
Dispositions
Morale
_____________
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical
OOOOO
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Command
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________
OOOOO
Guile
________________
OOOOO
Streetwise
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Wounds OOOOO
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Knife
2
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
Ranged
Pistol
3
Bleeding (one shot)
____________
_____
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes
Flash Powder, overcoat, corpse of Bill Trifle in large sack,
______________________________________________
small wheelbarrow
______________________________________________
Morale: Begins Hostile to surrendering
______________________________________________
maneuvers to escape. Instead, he will use the alchemical flash

powder he has on him with a single Grace + Streetwise
test; compare the result against the Physical Defense of all
people within his zone of control. Anyone Thomas succeeds
against with a DoS of 1+ suffer from the Dazed condition
until the end of the Sequence.
If Thomas is inside the zone of control of the
characters at the end of the Sequence he will draw his
pistol and threaten to shoot the officers, which should send
them scrambling for cover (remind characters that they cant
raise their Guard against firearms unless they have cover,
so any successful attack will automatically wound them) and
give him a chance to run. Observers may make a Reason
+ Firearms test, Difficulty 3 to realize the gun is only a
single-shot model; if Jock or Alec succeed on the test theyll
know he didnt have time to reload it and that it is currently
empty.
If Thomas is outside the zone of control of the
characters at the end of the Sequence it will start a foot
chase where everyone is moving at the same speed. Instead
of a Sequence, have the characters and Thomas make Vigor
+ Athletics tests, Difficulty 3. If Thomas scores a higher
DoS than everyone chasing him he remains out of reach
of his pursuers. Any characters that score a higher DoS
than Thomas will catch up to him and can restart a conflict
Sequence, though the pursuing character(s) and Thomas will
start outside of each others zone of control, so if Thomas
goes first hell continue to run away and stay out of reach.
If such a Sequence does start, any characters not caught up
should only be dealt two initiative cards, as they will need to
spend a full activation just to catch up.
If Thomas can outrun the pursuers for two consecutive
tests he will make it to a crowded tenement building along
Southgate moments before them, getting inside and locking
the door. Proceed to Scene 2.
Character Knowledge
If Thomas is caught and Gavin MacLeod has a
chance to see him clearly, he will recognize him as
Thomas Corddray, a fence and sometimes informer
that helps traffic stolen goods through the Vaults.
The last two times Gavin visited him for information,
though, Thomas was unhelpful. Gavin is beginning
to suspect he has gotten involved with something
dangerous, but didnt have any leads as to what.
Any other police characters can make a Focus +
Streetwise test, Difficulty 3 to recall Thomas name
and that he had a reputation for acting as a fence. A
remarkable success (DoS 4+) will also let them know
he sometimes informed to the police.
25
If Thomas is caught his first instinct is to fight to

the last since he knows he faces hanging for his crimes. If
the characters subdue him (by working through his Guard
and choosing to subdue rather than wound) and then spend
an action to handcuff him; he will surrender. If he is not
subdued, he will keep fighting until he takes three wounds,
then collapse under the weight of his grisly burden and
surrender.
He will be near hysterical, knowing that hes like to hang
if he doesnt die of his wounds first. When subdued or if he
suffers 3 wounds, he will say:
I had no choice...they, they made me, you have to believe me! It
were the only way, they said, we needed to get enough for everyone, so
they made me....I didnt want to, I knew it were the devils own work,
but...they made me. Dont let me hang! I swear Ill help you swing them
that made me do it. Youll find them in auld Nicols basement now...see
if ye dont...ah...ah God ...theyve killed me.
If Thomas is incapacitated he will go into shock.
Characters can make a Reason + Medicine Test, Difficulty
6 to stabilize Thomas, but cannot rouse him to sensibility,
getting at best disjointed muttering about his own impending
doom.
If Thomas is subdued, any police character can
get him to spill more information with a success on a
single Presence + the players choice of Bureaucracy,
Command, Parley, or Streetwise test, Difficulty 2 as
Thomas is desperate to bargain for his life. If any policeman
promises that his cooperation will prevent hanging success is
automatic. Thomas will explain:
I never meant to kill McTavish...I just went there to buy the--the
body. The greedy bastard wouldnt sell it to me for the ten pounds we
agreed, tried to twist me on the price. I didnt have time, ysee, Mack
said we needed em all tonight, and if I didnt have it, I wasnt in. We
got into a scuffle and the gun went off. Why wouldnt he just take the
money?
Look, look, it was all a mistake, I know that. Ye can get em all,
Mack and the rest, theyre all in the Vaults tonight. I dont know how
manys they are, but theres at least Mack and two others Ive met. Go to
Southgate, just a few doors up from the last nice townhouse and theres a
green painted door. Marys the woman who lives there, the entrance is in
the cellar. Please, just get em and Ill say whatever ye need me to afore
a judge. Please, just dont let me hang.
The characters will presumably search Thomas after he
is subdued, wounded, or killed, and find 10 pounds worth
of crumpled notes and assorted coins, his pistol, an almostempty tin flask with a swallow of cheap gin, and a slip of
paper with Oct. 6, Southgate, 3 doors down. Auld Nicols
basement. scrawled on it (this is the location for Scene 2).
26
There is a corpse in a moderate state of decay stuffed

in the sack. On a successful test of Focus + Composure
or Streetwise, Difficulty 3 any of the police or Ms.
Ramsay will recognize the body as that of Bill Trifle, a thief
and charlatan of note who was hanged a fortnight ago.
Chatper 1, Scene 2:
Auld Nicols Basement
As Southgate cuts off from the Royal Mile it quickly

descends from the townhouses of the wealthy to the
overcrowded tenements of the working poor. Three doors
down from the last of the grand townhouses you spy a small
patch of light as it flashes out onto the street and vanishes a
moment later; and the heavy thud of a door slamming closed
greets your arrival at the suspects destination. The rest of
the street is deserted, with barely any windows showing even
flickers of light through their shutters. Its oddly quiet; even
on an unpleasant night such as this you would expect a few
folk about, and certainly some indication of activity from
the buildings nearby. The thin light of your own lanterns and
the steaming of your breath is the sole sign of life.
If the players advance to the door that they just saw
closed they will find it locked and barred from the inside.
Knocking on the door will bring no immediate response.
Should they attempt to batter it down it will require two
successful tests of Vigor + Athletics, Difficulty 3, or
one remarkable success (DoS 4+). Alternately, a Grace +
Burglary test, Difficulty 5 will jimmy the handle and free
the bar, letting you open it normally.
As soon as the characters attempt to force the door, or
after a failed attempt to unbar it with Burglary, a womans
voice will call out and tell them:
We dinnae want nae trouble with no one. Please, leave us be.
Even without a test its obvious that the woman is tense
and upset. She and her family have been browbeaten and
threatened by the criminals using the building as an entrance
to the Vaults and she fears for her familys safety, but also
sees this as a chance to hopefully get rid of the thugs.
Her own worry and indecision are what complicates this
situation enough to require a full social conflict to get her to
cooperate, rather than just a single skill test.
If the characters announce that theyre police
Mary starts out with an attitude of Indifferent; if they
simply demand she open the door with no explanation she
starts with an attitude of Guarded and it will be almost
impossible for the characters to talk their way in. Many
different combinations can be used for the test, depending
on the line of argument, but most police characters would
use Presence + Command to order the door open on their
authority as constables. Presence + Parley could be used
to gently persuade the occupant that they have no ill will.
Threat
Mary MacTavish
Native Pureblood Worker
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption OOOOO
Guard
G
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Artisan
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________
OOOOO
Guile
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Defenses
P 2
Dispositions
Aid the Party
_____________
Wounds OOOOO
Armour
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Kitchen Knife _____
2
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_______
______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________

Abilities & Notes
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
If the characters convince her to open the door

willingly she directs them to the basement to where a shelf
conceals a hole in the brickwork that leads into the cellar of
the building next door. Ms. MacTavish will also tell them that
starting back in July a man she never met before approached
her and offered her two pounds up front and then 2 shillings
a month to let he and others use her flat as an entrance into
the Vaults. She needed the money and so so let them start,
but since getting the initial two pounds they havent paid,
and instead have beaten her once and have turned to threats
that if theyre ever caught theyll name her an accomplice
in any of their crimes. She doesnt know names, but says
shes seen at least six different men, so the characters have to
catch all of them or shell have hell to pay.
If the characters force the door she wont provide
any details, and will briefly protest that she doesnt know
whats going on, but will then direct them to the basement.
A quick search of the tiny basement turns up a meager store
of food and some baskets of cloth scraps as well as some
broken furniture. A successful Focus + Investigation test,
Difficulty 1, or Focus + Composure test, Difficulty 3
reveals that a shelf along the wall opposite the staircase has
scuff marks around it on the floor, and that the brickwork
along the left side doesnt match the rest of the cellar; the
case swings open to reveal a hole through the wall that leads
into another basement.
Running Social Conflict

Remember that because this is a social conflict,
the players only have a single Initiative Sequence over
the course of the scene to attempt to make their
arguments. Anyone working towards the same goal
(e.g. convincing the occupant to open the door) makes
tests to assist each other as part of the same initiative
action. The benefit to this is that so long as any of
them succeed, it will improve their targets disposition
by one step; this protects against missed opportunities
for successes or grievous failures (DoS -4 or less)
dropping the disposition back towards Hostile and
risking an early end to the conflict.
Allow players the chance to speak in character,
help and reinforce one anothers positions, and
interact with the unseen resident. Good roleplaying
can be rewarded with a +1 bonus on players tests.
Checks should happen quickly, though, as this is
a tense and time-sensitive situation, especially if
Thomas managed to escape in the first scene.
Dispositions
This is a good opportunity to remind or instruct
players what various Dispositions entail:
Hostile indicates that they refuse to listen to or engage
with an argument in any way. In many circumstances,
being openly Hostile is a social faux pas.
Guarded indicates that they are mistrustful and will
challenge the position, but are willing to listen and may
be persuaded with strong arguments.
Indifferent indicates the character has no strong feeling
or conviction to either agree with or oppose the position
being argued.
Agreeable indicates sympathy and growing agreement
that could come around to the position with some light
persuasion.
Favorable indicates a character broadly agrees with the
position and only needs a bit more certitude to determine
how best to put the position into practice.
Once someone is at Favorable the person making the
argument can make a penetrating attack which can
Convince them to hold a belief, or Persuade them to
pursue a given course of action.
27
The shelves swing out on a concealed hinge to show a gaping hole

thats been knocked through the brickwork. Bringing up a lantern to
peer in reveals it opens onto another cellar mostly filled with earth and
rocks. A trapdoor that would lead into the building above has had a
bar and lock attached to its underside, preventing anyone from coming
down. Another hole has been broken into the wall opposite you and
shored up with beams. A tunnel angles down into darkness.
Chapter 2:
The Hollow Hill
Both Alec Dubh and Inspector Campbell can test

Reason + Mysteries, Difficulty 3, to piece together that
the area theyre heading into is the site of the former home
of Nicol Edwards, Lord Provost of Edinburgh during the
reign of King James. He is a man with a dark reputation even
two-hundred years after his death: he had his wife exiled for
shouting at him in public, and was rumored to have buried
the bodies of the suspected witches that he personally
tortured in the basement of his home along with a fortune
in gold and silver.
Proceed to the opening scene of chapter 2.
Descending into the cramped, earthen tunnel you are struck by an

unwholesome musty stink permeating the air. As the passage winds
downwards you are forced into a shuffling half-crawl, making the
lanterns almost useless as your bodies block the light. You hear the
sounds of shouting and scuffling ahead, and as you round a final bend
and emerge from the cramped tunnel you step into a scene out of some
nightmare. An once-grand but now partially-collapsed room is picked
out in wildly flickering lantern-light. Corpses are laid out in a line atop
a long trestle table by one wall, and a knot of combatants is locked in
a desperate fight in the center of the room: two men in the distinctive
dark longcoats of the Witchfinders against two others in threadbare
working clothes, with one more in plainclothes down and dying from a
suppurating wound to the chest. With a curse one shabby combatant
ducks back from the melee to snatch up a bloody bag and a pistol from
the table strewn with bodies. He levels the pistol at the Witchfinders;
the echo in the closed space makes it roar, and one of them drops to
the ground with a cry. His companion steps in front of him defensively,
but the two in plainclothes disengage and rush off through a doorway
behind them, taking potshots back into the room to cover their retreat.
The uninjured Finder shouts Stop! In the name of the Queen,
Stop! but its unclear if hes shouting at you or his fleeing foes.
The Witchfinders
Since the mid-1600s the British crown has
maintained special bailiffs of the royal court to deal
with magical and supernatural occurrences. The
Witchfinders originally worked primarily to deal with
those suspected of witchcraft and sorcery, but have also
come to be involved with investigating and responding
to outbreaks of Pontus events. Witchfinders are
officers of the crown and are granted extraordinary
legal authority which lets them command assistance
from any subject of the Empire. Typically this is used
to enjoin cooperation with inquiries or provide room
and board, but can also extend to dragooning people to
assist them with more dangerous work. Witchfinders
demands of cooperation from the characters are legally
mandated and failure to assist could result in being fired
from the police force and/or criminal charges.
During their service Witchfinders give up their
names and any connections and communication with
their family, lest they expose themselves and others to
supernatural risks. Teams are assigned names for the
duration of a period of service - trees were used here.
Canons are all religious scholars, primarily drawn from
Cambridge. Stars come from some other branch of civil
service, but are most often drawn from regiments with
royal patronage and proudly bear the reference to the
Star Chamber, the personal royal court of inquiry.
Finders are often possessed of special gear and
equipment, and their distinctive peaked hats and
leather longcoats are alchemically treated to give them
extraordinary protection. Narrators can add almost
any gear they see fit to the basic list of accoutrements
provided.
28
Opening Scene:
An Unexpected Resurrection
Players have just come in on the tail end of a conflict

between members of the gang Thomas was working with
and a group of Witchfinders in service to the crown. Make
it clear to the players that the other combatants have fled
and they wont be able to immediately catch them as they
have several move actions head start, but they can start an
Initiative Sequence if they want.
The standing Witchfinder is Canon Alder, and the
Witchfinder that was just shot is Rowan Star. Canon Alder
will call on the characters to stand down and render aid as
required of all citizens by the Act to Reform the Bailiffs
of the Star Chamber of 1648. His immediate priority is to
stabilize Rowan. After that, he will instruct the characters
to wait in this area while he pursues those who fled. He
will brook no argument on this; he invokes his rights as an
agent of the Crown, and insists that a pair of already-injured
criminals are well within his powers to apprehend. Leaving
to continue pursuit, Canon Alder says:
Theres something deeper stirring here; Rowan, confirm with the
officers if they know the bodies to be from criminals, but I think theyre
using them for hands of glory, which cant be good for anyone.
Rowan Star will instruct some of the characters to keep

watch by the tunnel the criminals fled down, and the rest to
begin preparing the bodies for eventual removal by bringing
them over towards the tunnel they just came through. The
corpses are all in varying states of decomposition, with
bloated and weeping flesh, and have a sickening stench
coming from them. Strikingly, each one is missing one of
their hands, with a series of strange symbols lightly cut into
the skin of the arm above the point of amputation. Testing
Focus + Medicine, Difficulty 2, reveals that the cuttings
and separation all occurred post-mortem. Testing Reason
+ Mysteries, Difficulty 3, affords some recognition of the
symbols used as excerpts from Solomonic seals. Remarkable
successes (DoS 4+) reveal them to be invocations and
bindings for spirits of greed and darkness.
If asked about how the Finders entered, Rowan will
smirk and say We used a door that used to be here, but only Alder
has the key. They entered using a magical ritual that allowed
them to bypass the sealed entrance in the previous chamber,
but it cannot be replicated without Alder to perform the rite.
After several minutes of conversation have the
characters test Focus + Composure, Difficulty 3. Anyone
who succeeds will notice that one of the corpses seemed
to twitch. Nothing will happen with that corpse, but one of
the others will make a more noticeable motion (no check
required) a moment later. Read to the players:
Rowans eyes grow wide and his voice quickly raises to a shout no
no No, NO! Not now damnit! All of you, on your feet and help me up,
we have to get out of here and get to Alder. The Pontus rises!
Even as he speaks-against all reason-the corpses begin moving. A
few spastic moments are spent lurching upright, but with frightening
quickness new life and coordination animates the festering bodies and
they begin moving towards you.
We cant fight our way past, theres almost nothing we can do to
slow them, and theyre ungodly strong. Our only hope is to get away
for now and try to find Alder, he can help set things right before this
spreads. Into the Vaults! GO!
If the characters attempt to engage the corpses
over Rowans objections, he will continue shouting at them
to flee and find Alder, but he will try to provide them with an
opportunity to escape by engaging with the dead so long as
any other characters remain engaged as well. The Witchfinder
is a skillful fighter, but even if he werent wounded hed be
no match for the risen dead on his own. Make all attacks
from the corpses target Rowan until he is killed, which could
well be a single Sequence since Rowan will start with a Guard
of 3 and will lose the ability to act if he takes an additional
wound (He will die immediately if his total wound penalties
exceed -10). If he falls, the mob of corpses will spend the
following action ripping him to pieces. This fight should be
described in ghastly detail to help dissuade the characters
from trying to combat the dead head-on.
Alecs Warning
All nephilim bear an incredible benefit of their
angelic heritage: near immortality. They may die in any
number of horrible ways, but will always return to life
with one less wound three days after they die. However,
as all nephilim are descended from the fallen Grigori,
their birthright is also debased. Each naphil has one
substance or circumstance - their Bane - that can kill
them permanently. Exposure to a Bane is incredibly
risky, as even a touch can cause excruciating pain and
greivous injuries.
Alec Dubh is a naphil that doesnt fully understand
her background. Shes already died once, yet doesnt
understand her protection from normal death, but she
also doesnt know her Bane or the risk is poses.
As soon as shes in the presence of the Witchfinders
she feels an icy dread unlike any shes ever felt before.
Pass a note or discreetly tell the player running Alec
about the unfocused terror she suddenly feels; keeping
this knowledge secret from other players at the table will
help drive the experience for all.
Alec doesnt - and shouldnt - find out what it is
during this adventure, but one of the many oddities the
Finders are carrying is her bane. The feeling persists as
long as she is in near either of the Finders, but lessens
when she is only with one or the other.
Hand of Glory
A successful Reason + Streetwise test, Difficulty
7, or a Reason + Mysteries, Difficulty 3 will let the
character know that a hand of glory is a grisly totem
believed to give thieves and sneaks protection in their
endeavors by dulling the senses of guards and causing
others around the scene of their crimes to fall into a
deep stupor. They are allegedly created with a ritual
performed on the night of a new moon requiring the
severed hand of someone hanged for thievery. The
fetishs power is activated by lighting the fingers, which
burn like candles, and it will persist so long as its user
keeps it lit and carries it with them.
If asked, Rowan will only indicate that a hand of
glory is a disgusting relic created by lost and deluded
men, and that if anyone who would seek one is a threat
to any community in which they hide.
29
If the characters take Rowans advice and flee he

will stop moving once clear of the immediate threat, and
briefly explain:
Running Scenes
within the vaults
As the characters attempt to make their way
deeper into the Vaults there are several paths open
to them, and how long they spend working through
the underground should be managed by the Narrator.
If the characters are taking their time and following
physical clues of passage - disturbed dirt, clear paths,
and operating doors - everyone working to track can
test Focus + Investigation, Difficulty 2, to stay on
the trail. Since those characters will be cooperating,
so long as one test is successful, they can track their
quarry reliably and directly. Run two scenes - Here
and There and one other of the Narrators choice for
a standard game of about 4 hours.
Alternately, if the characters are not following the
trail, deviate from the path, or if everyone is having
a great time and the characters remain relatively free
of wounds, Narrators may wish to continue and can
include more of the scenes described below or others
of their own devising.
5 Mutilated Corpses
Outsider Corpses
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption OOOOO
Guard
G
Threat
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Defenses
Wounds OOOOO
P 10 S
Armour
Dispositions
Weve no time to go into all the whys and wherefores, but you need
to know that right now its simply the nature of dead flesh to move.
Theres no thought behind it, they feel no pain, and need to be taken
completely to pieces to be destroyed. We need to get to Alder so we can
try to put a stop to the Rising thats causing it. Keep moving, lest they
catch up with us, but be careful, as theres like to be more strangeness
below.
Proceed to Vault Scene A.
If the characters stay and fight to the point that
there are 5 or more wounds between all characters before
either fleeing or defeating the dead proceed by running only
the vault scenes A Here and There and B The Lost and
the Lonely then move on to Chapter 3.
If the characters fought and defeated the dead and lost
Rowan, most of his accoutrements were ruined during his
grisly death: the most they can salvage are some coins, his
badge of office, sword, gun, and ammunition.
Threat
Rowan Star
Native Pureblood Witchfinder
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption OOOOO
Guard
G
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical
OOOOO
-4
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Command
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________
OOOOO
Investigation
________________
OOOOO
Medicine
________________
OOOOO
Tactics
________________
OOOOO
Parley
Dispositions
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Flailing Limbs _____
3
Touch
____________
_______
______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________

Abilities & Notes
Cannot use Initiative Cards to react or interrupt.
______________________________________________
Wound penalties are -1, instead of -2. Immune to all
______________________________________________
social conflict. Large: +1 available Avenue of Attack
______________________________________________
30
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Sword
3
Bleeding
Close
____________
_____
_______
______________
Ranged
Pistol (6 shots) _____
3
Bleeding
____________
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes
Wounded: -4 penalty on all Tests, cannot take Maneuvers.
______________________________________________
Accoutrements: Witchfinder Leathers(Ar. 2), sword, pistol
______________________________________________
2 sets handcuffs, rank 1 and 2 ritual reagents, electric torch
______________________________________________
Vault Scene A:
Here and there
The Vaults are a confusing and chaotic place at the best

of times, and the Pontus outbreak is distorting the normal
constants of the world, making the normally arduous attempt
to navigate them infinitely worse. Although in truth the
characters are working their way through a straightforward
series of rooms with infrequent physical danger, they will be
suffering through strange disruptions in themselves and their
surroundings that they must either overcome through mental
and emotional effort on their own, or through teamwork and
cooperation to compensate for one another. Although these
can all be bested reliably with time, the biggest threat comes
from the pursuing dead, so if progress stalls, let characters
hear the shuffle and thud of their approach drawing nearer
to help keep the tension present and motivate them onwards.
Spread out these effects between each scene by applying
one effect at a time to the entire party: once now, and then
once between each subsequent scene as directed in that scene
(so, one would apply now, one after the first scene used,
etc). Specific maps are not provided for these encounters
as they can be applied at any point in the trip through the
Vaults. Using description alone helps reinforce the sense
of confusion and distress that the characters are trying to
work through. If the players dont find these distortions to
be a credible threat or hindrance, Narrators may wish to
introduce some additional element of risk by applying them
in areas with some other physical danger for poor navigation
such as a narrow walkway or ledge, or during one of the
other scenes with an encounter; this works especially well
with the scene Beasts and Bogies. However, beware of
creating a situation that is too complex to run smoothly.
Choose or randomly determine which effect the
characters encounter, then read them the opener and the
relevant text below. If randomly selecting the effects, draw
a card and compare the Card Number in the upper right to
the list below:
Card Number
Result
1:
All characters are overwhelmed with
crippling fear and lose one point of
Purpose
2-25:
Unnatural Angles
26-50:
Dilation
51-75:
Compression
76-99:
Impenetrable Darkness
100:
No effect
All effects are very localized at this point; each character will
navigate through them with two successful tests as listed in
each entry.
Bad Blood
If the Unnatural Angles effect comes up it will only
apply to Alec Dubh and Gavin MacLeod, and will be
an immediate sign that something is terribly wrong,
not just with the environment, but with the characters
themselves. The Witchfinder will immediately be
suspicious of both, and closely watch them for any
indication they are ritualists, sorcerers, or possessed
of any supernatural abilities. Gavins small amount of
faerie blood is of little consequence, especially since he
has almost no talent for glamours. Alec is at risk if she
reveals her death and resurrection, or her ability to gain
skills or memories by tasting flesh and blood, as the
Finders are wary of nephilim at the best of times. If
she does so in a way that helps the Finders, they will
accept it out of necessity, but warily.
Unnatural Angles
The very shape and position of objects around you warps and
twists violently, and each step sends you reeling as walls, floor, ceiling,
and your compatriots are displaced to new and strange relations.
This is a mental effect that will not impact any character
with a Native Integration (p. 4) as the Pontus outbreak is
attempting to influence the characters directly and those that
are in their proper place in the Clockwork benefit from its
protection. Anyone with an Integration status of Emigre
will be subject to the effect for no more than three rounds.
Those with a status of Outsider will be subject to the effect
indefinitely for the scene until the effect is resolved by
succeeding three times the test outlined below.
Normal spatial relations are meaningless, and each step
forward seems to turn in a different direction. To proceed
normally, characters must succeed testing Reason +
Athletics, Difficulty 3. Failure results in them aimlessly
flailing about and making no progress.
Dilation
Every motion slows to a crawl as it must cover vast gulfs of time

and space. Your fingers are miles long, and each step ahead of you must
cross continents. The exit that was steps away from you a moment ago
now lies on the distant horizon, and will take lifetimes to reach.
The act of coordinating body motion while under this
effect is daunting: any progress through this area requires a
successful test of Focus + Intuition, Difficulty 2. Tests for
any action that requires fine dexterity or coordination, such
as manipulating an accoutrement, tying a rope, or combat, is
almost impossible, and has its difficulty increased by 5.
Rushing deeper into the Vaults plunges you further into a fever
dream:
31
Compression
As you step forward the walls and ceiling begin to pulse and bulge
outwards towards you, attempting to close the way forward. Your only
hope is to rush ahead, lest you be trapped here and crushed.
The structures and objects around the characters
are pressing in on them. Moving at all requires testing
either Vigor + Athletics or Grace + Athletics test,
Difficulty 2. Success lets them move forward slowly, as
they are squeezing through the bulging, putty-like masses of
the walls, floor, and ceiling. Failure has them crushed and
suffocated, and applies a -2 penalty on the next check. If
they fail 3 tests they can no longer proceed under their own
power, and are utterly immobilized, and automatically suffer
one wound. Having another character push or drag them
physically from the room with a successful test of Vigor +
Athletics, Difficulty 3, is the only way to free them. The
effect will persist for several minutes, and then irregularly
subside for a few rounds before recurring.
Impenetrable Darkness
As you look ahead the world washes to black and white for an
instant, then a surging tide of darkness boils up from nothing and
envelopes you. Even if you look to where the lantern was you see nothing
more than the faint twinkle of a distant star, illuminating nothing.
While so afflicted, nothing will provide sufficient
illumination to see. Characters can attempt to physically
grab hold of one another and stay together (though this
may cause other difficulties if other effects are in play). They
may test Focus + Composure, Difficulty 2, to remember
their approximate position in the room and how they need
to move to get to the exit or entrance. Alternatively, they
can attempt to feel their way through their environment
carefully by testing either Grace + Athletics or Grace +
Investigation, Difficulty 2.
Witchfinder Rowan, if he lives, will tell the characters
that Pontus uprisings can cause impossible things to happen.
This is permanent, and can spread if not corrected. Its
urgent that Alder is found as soon as possible and a ritual
begun that will halt the spread, lest effects like this cascade
throughout the Vaults and threaten the city above.
Vault Scene B:
The lost and lonely
After pushing through the strange distortions you come back to

normality in a narrow defile between two walls, long ago arched over.
Shuffling along the narrow path your clothes are stained and dampened
from the nitre coating the structures. You welcome the gradual widening
of the path as it breaks into a series of small groined arches, but as you
begin to hope the way ahead is clear you note a dim light being quickly
covered, and a faint sobbing. A pair of hunched figures is visible ahead,
32
Threat
2 Lost Wretches
Native Pureblood Unfortunates
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption OOOOO
Guard
G
Dispositions
Morale
_____________
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical
OOOOO
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Athletics
________________
OOOOO
Guile
________________
OOOOO
Intuition
________________
OOOOO
Streetwise
________________
OOOOO
Survival
________________ OOOOO
P 2
Wounds OOOOO
H
Aid the party
_____________
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Small Knife
1
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________

Abilities & Notes
Morale: Begins as Agreeable towards fleeing, shifts one
______________________________________________
towards Favorable every time a Wound is suffered.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
trying to remain hidden behind a pillar. One of them sees you, and calls
out shakily,Stay where ye are and leave us be. Theres some madness
about tonight, and Ill have nought from ye.
The two huddling in the niche ahead are some of the
otherwise-homeless working poor that use the Vaults as
refuge from the elements and landlords both. The Pontus
outbreak is centered in this general area of the Vaults, but
has also occurred elsewhere, and these two have fled here to
seek refuge. They are both frightened and unsure of whats
going on right now, but have valuable information that could
aid the characters if they are successfully engaged. Have the
characters test Reason + Intuition, Difficulty 1: anyone
who succeeds realizes the speakers feel threatened by the
characters unexpected arrival. Pushing them will likely make
them snap.
If Rowan is alive and with the characters hell share
that his injuries are tiring him and he cant present himself
forcefully. Hell instruct the characters to tell those ahead to
aid them or stand aside with a Presence + Command test. If
the characters attempt this and are successful, the wretches
offer no resistance and stand aside so long as there are no
real or perceived threats to their safety in doing so. The
characters will travel onward and encounter another Pontus
event as described in Scene 2, then proceed to Chapter 3,
Scene 1.
If the characters try to calm the wretches down

and get information from them there is the potential for
more beneficial interactions: begin a social conflict. For a
reminder of what various Dispositions mean, see p. 27.
The Vault-dwellers begin with a disposition of Guarded,
as they are justifiably frightened by the strange events afoot.
If the characters approach the conversation calmly and try to
reassure them or otherwise offer assistance to the wretches
they benefit from a +1 bonus on their tests.
As the characters improve the Dispositions of the Vaultdwellers, they will be provided with additional information:
Indifferent: the unfortunates will tell them of their confused
flight to this spot after their usual shelter
Got passing queer. We was sitting, and started hearing summat
strange. Of a sudden, it sounded as if a hundred church bells were
booming inside our heads. It were so loud it drove us half-mad and we
fled.
Agreeable: they tell the characters
This is the worst weve ever seen...there have always been uncanny
things ye hear about, and some ye find yersel, but theyve been getting
worse the last few weeks, since those strange men started mucking about
down ere.
Favorable: they reveal
I dont...I should keep to meself, but since theyve been coming round
theyve driven us and other folk out. The chambers they took over near
Southgate are where we used tae stay, and it was a fine spot, living in
a lords old home, with a fireplace an all. Theyve stirred sommat up,
havent they?
Penetrating Attack: If the characters manage to succeed on
a penetrating attack to convince the wretches to render aid,
Mary will tell the characters shes seen at least six different
men, though one of them only once, and he seemed to be
directing the others. John will offer to guide the characters
towards where the strangers have been spending most of
their time the past two weeks, though he wont actually go in
himself as hes afraid hell be killed if anyone finds out hes
helped the characters.
Proceed immediately to Chapter 3 with no further Pontus
effects or other scenes.
Hostile: If the characters drop the wretches disposition to
Hostile at any point during the social conflict it immediately
ends; John brandishes his knife and yells at them that
hell hear no more and they should be on their way. If the
characters continue it will result in a physical conflict. Should
the characters assail the unfortunates the wretches will be
quickly overwhelmed, but provide no additional information.
The
characters will encounter one additional
effect, then proceed to
Chapter 3.
Pontus
Vault Scene C:
The dead and damned
For a moment it appears that youve come to a dead end as the

passage youre in ends abruptly at the site of an old collapse, but after
a few moments search you find that you can scramble up the rubble
and move through the breach into an adjacent room. The space beyond
is cold and still, a bare stone room with an imposing metal door fitted
in one wall. A pile of metal in one corner may once have been a length
of chain, but its now rusted to uselessness. The brittle remnants of a
rust-eaten metal brazier lay in the middle of the floor and soot stains
the walls and ceiling; a tiny grate above might have served to let out the
smoke. In one corner a large cabinet of some kind is partially visible
beneath a rotting sheet, surrounded by dark stains on the floor.
As the characters enter the room have them each test
Focus + Intuition, Difficulty 1. Anyone who succeeds feels
a sense of foreboding and malevolence. Those who succeed
with Remarkable success (DoS 4+) also feel a separate and
distinct sense of loneliness and fear. Anyone who fails with
a Remarkable failure (DoS -4 or lower) instead begins feeling
angry and distrustful of others. Regardless of success or
failure on the Test, characters will begin having unsettling
sensory hallucinations: the faintest echo of a scream, the
splash of blood on stone, the hiss or smell of burning flesh,
phantom heat as though they suddenly stepped in front of
a fire, and the like.
In the initial moments of inspection it becomes apparent
that the door is locked from the other side, though the frame
itself is old and ill-maintained enough that it should be
possible to break it down. If anyone attempts to investigate
the object under the sheet, or at the first attempt to open the
door, read the following:
Your lanterns gutter for a moment, and in the gloaming darkness
you see the outline of a young woman begin to take shape in the center
of the room. As her form comes more fully into focus the room likewise
grows oppressively hot, and the air tastes thick and sooty. The figures
visage is that of a plain woman, but almost imperceptibly you see
flickers of another, ravaged face as though through cracks in a mask.
She appears to be wearing little better than rags, but even they have
holes, cuts, and dark stains appear and vanish across them. Even as
you steel yourselves for some new horror a pure, sweet voice speaks out.
Help me. Please, please you have tae help me. Dinnae leave me
here wi him. Please. Help me, Im alone here and I cannae escape.
Rowans voice cuts through hers. Ignore it, all of it. It is a memory,
an echo stirred up by the Rising, no different than the other strangeness
weve already come through. Work on getting through the door.
The door can be knocked down, but will require several
minutes of effort and using the rubble to batter it out of
its frame. Using brute force doesnt require a successful
test, but does take time and makes a great deal of noise.
Alternately, the lock can be picked by successfully testing
Grace + Burglary, Difficulty 5. A test can be made once
for every 5 minutes of effort.
33
The shade is one of Lord Nicols torture victims, Anne

Lewis. She was accused of witchcraft and Lord Nicol had
her taken here and he put her to the question himself. Anne
died of the grievous injuries she suffered, but by the time
she passed she had become so maddened by her fear and
hatred of Lord Nicol that her soul has remained trapped
here, and has become a shade. The only way for her spirit to
move on and find rest is if the room itself and the objects
within it are destroyed, and she will use her sad tale to being
a social conflict in the attempt to elicit the characters aid and
convince them to help her.
She is completely immaterial and cannot be effected by
any physical means, so there is nothing the characters can do
to avoid her while trying to get through the door.
Characters should choose their starting disposition
based on whether or not they feel any sympathy for her
and are even willing to listen. Rowan begins the exchange at
Hostile. Characters can choose their dispositions freely. For
a reminder of what various Dispositions mean, see p. 27.
Shades
You may read or paraphrase to any characters who
succeed a test of Reason + Mysteries, difficulty 4.
If no characters succeed, Rowan will use some of this
information in his arguments to them to ignore the
shades pleading.
SHADES
Greek , Latin umbra
The whole of a person is made up of both a body
and a soul. The teachings of the Church tell us that
upon death the soul departs to dwell elsewhere while
the body decays, but that the two shall be united and
made perfect on the Last Day. However, not every soul
travels to its intended resting place. There are instances
where the souls of the dead refuse to leave the mortal
realm until they have attended to some unresolved
trauma. These remnant souls are called Shades. They
are half of a person, mere shadows of a complete self,
which are tethered to this world by their attempts to
resolve what they could not in life. Having no physical
body and only half a mind, they often lack both the
means and sanity to complete their tasks, hence they
often manipulate the living for aid. However, Shades all
too often lose sight of what would actually complete
them, instead falling to the lure of revenge, the sating
of desires, and other, baser cravings. The result is
that most Shades, once tethered to the moral realm,
never find the resolution that would allow them to
leave. Instead, they are driven further and further into
insanity as they grasp at straws in attempts to release
themselves, and end up dragging many a mortal down
into misery with them.
34
Threat
Anne Lewis
Outsider Shade
Aptitudes
Grace OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption OOOOO
Guard
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical OOOOO
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Command
________________
OOOOO
Guile
________________
OOOOO
Mysteries
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Dispositions
_____________ H
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Sad Tale
2
Undone
Voice
____________
_____
_______
______________
Area: Extended
Visage of Terror _____
2
____________
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes
"Visage of Terror" requires 1 point of Ether to use.
______________________________________________
Immaterial: cannot be engaged physically
______________________________________________
Tethered: cannot leave the room where she dwells
______________________________________________
Tactics: Anne uses her first action to tell of her false

accusation and torture by the monstrous Lord Nicol. Even
after starving her, depriving her of sleep, burning and
mutilating her hands and feet, and her frequent protestations
that she would say anything he wanted to get it to stop, he
kept asking her for the truth. Lord Nicol didnt care what
she said, it was never enough to make him stop. During this
dialogue, the characters themselves feel a growing sense of
menace lurking in the room, as if the mere discussion of

Lord Nicol is enough to endanger them all. Rowan will be
arguing against all of this, urging the characters to ignore her
tale and help him batter the door down. If Anne succeeds
on her test it will increase anyones disposition towards
Favorable; if Rowan succeeds on his Presence + Command
test, it will push their disposition towards Hostile. If Anne
succeeds with a DoS of 4+ and is able to place a condition,
she can substitute anything drawn with Undone instead,
which will change her targets disposition by two steps.
Her second action will be to plead with the characters
to destroy her prison, referring to both the room the
characters are now in which was the scene of her torture, as
well as the cabinet in the corner that holds her mortal remains.
All the characters need do is collapse the walls further and
the room should be filled in. Any character can test Reason
+ Engineering, Difficulty 3 to see that it would be fairly
simple work to bring the room down, but its also obvious
that doing so would have a potentially devastating effect on
the structure of the Vaults around it, and it would be almost
impossible to plan or execute safely. A much more arduous
process would be to fill in the room with earth, which poses
no risk to the Vaults, but would be a very difficult task to
perform. Rowan will continue to berate anyone thats giving
credence to the shades request.
weeping tears of joy and the room immediately returns to

the same damp chill as the rest of the Vaults, and the sense
of unease is replaced by one of peace. The ghostly form
seems whole for a moment, and moves to hover inches away
from the promisor, saying
If after two actions the shade has not improved

any listeners Disposition to Amenable or better, she will
spend her last activation working herself into a screaming
rant that they will suffer a worse fate than she, and attack
them with her Visage of Terror ability which manifests as
her spectral image rapidly and grotesquely displaying the
mutilation she suffered during her torture, then vanishing
completely from view. Even after disapparating, her voice
will continue to scream incoherently in pain and madness
until the characters leave the room.
Vault Scene D:
Beasts and bogies
Ye are monsters, monsters all! As bad as the deil Nicol himself.

See, see what Auld Nic has done to me, and what I will do to ye until
I find peace!
As she shouts at you, ragged strips peel from the flesh of her arms,
her hair is ripped to bloody stubble, and the sickly-sweet smell of burned
meat overwhelms you as you see her feet and legs blister, swell, and burst.
Her form is bent double as bands of ghostly metal enclose her, and
compress her in ways that would cripple anyone. The cage shrinks and
her screams become ever more cacophonous until her tormented image
disappears in a flash of blinding light. The smell of her blood and
terror coils in your nostrils, and her piteous shrieking rings in your ears.
A viscous puddle of gelid blood begins leaking out from the base of the
shrouded cabinet in the corner, oozing towards you even as you redouble
your efforts to batter down the door and escape.
If the shade convinces someone to promise to
help her, or if a character promises to help her regardless
of whether theyve been convinced, Annes shade begins
Thank ye, kind heart, for the care ye spare for me. Ive been all
alone with him...for so long I almost lost all hope. The pain, ye
see, its...a hard thing...but I dont have to bear that alone any longer.
Thank ye.
With that the shade leans forward and kisses your forehead. In
that instant you see the chamber as it is for her, the brazier filled with
smoking embers, heating cruel goads and brands; the bloodstained
chains glistening on the wall, the cabinet displaying all the finely-made
flensing knives, and little jars of teeth, and hair, and fingernails from
other victims. And there, in the cupboard space in the bottom, the cruel
metal cage with a broken, bleeding young girl bent double and staring
into your eyes with a beatific smile on her split lips and shattered teeth.
Thank ye. Ill be waiting.
The door unlocks and the characters can leave freely. As
soon as theyre outside the room Rowan barks You bloody
fool! As if all werent bad enough now well like have to get an exorcism
as well. For a lark, try doing as I tell you next time.
Continue on to Chapter 3.
Before starting this scene have the character(s) taking

point test Focus + Composure, Difficulty 2 to attempt to
notice faint scuttling and animal noises coming from the
room that opens up at the end of the tight passage they are
moving through. Remarkable successes (DoS 4+) will reveal
that there are two distinct but intermingled types of noises:
quick, high-pitched scratching and squeaking noises and
intermittent snuffling noises at a lower register. The noises
stop as soon as the characters light is visible.
Coming to the end of the cramped passage, you draw up short as
the lantern-light flashes into the room ahead and reveals a sickening
sight. A mass of rats crawl and swarm over and around each other in
a writhing mound in the middle of the floor, seemingly locked in some
vicious struggle amongst themselves. As soon as they are aware of the
light they begin churning towards you, not as individual vermin, but as
crude amalgams of flesh and fur, each composed of near a dozen rats
apiece. As they pull away, you see the rat-things were swarming over
the misshapen husk of dog that now stands, its oversized jaws slavering
viscous drool and its torn and bleeding body undulating with bulges
sliding beneath rents in its skin as rodents still burrow within it.
Coming upon such an unexpected, revolting sight,
combined with the strain of recent events brings the
characters up short when they are first confronted with these
35
abominations. Have all characters test Will + Composure

or Will + Mysteries, Difficulty 2. If they are successful,
they overcome their shock with no further effect. Anyone
who fails will be dealt one fewer initiative card for the first
Sequence, as it takes them a moment to come to their senses
after their initial revulsion. Anyone who grievously fails
(DoS -4 or worse) will additionally suffer the Disoriented
condition. The condition will be resolved and removed
automatically at the end of the first Sequence just like any
other temporary condition.
If there are 4 or fewer characters playing, or characters
are already wounded, run the encounter with 3 rat amalgams
and 1 afflicted canine. If there are 5 or more characters, run
3 rat amalgams and 2 afflicted canines.
The antagonist sheets for the rat amalgam and afflicted
canine can be found on pages 40 and 41 respectively.
Tactics: The rat amalgams should attack first and
will all attack the same character, if able, and continue to
do so until they are incapacitated. The dog(s) will attack a
Aberrations
If Dr. Campbell is in the party he automatically
knows the following information. If other characters
succeed testing Reason + Mysteries, Difficulty 3 they
will have heard rumors of monstrous Aberrations, but
lack any specific knowledge.
ABERRATIONS
Animals seem especially vulnerable to the presence
of the Pontus. Those who are exposed for any length
of time become hopelessly aggressive and are prone
to maul and devour even the most innocuous life they
encounter. Longer exposure can afflict the animal with
dramatic warping of the flesh, including the growth of
horns, spinal spikes, flaming eyes or breath, and other
malicious malformities. These deformed animals are
called Aberrations and are one of the more common
symptoms of breaches of the Pontus.
CHIMERA
Greek ; Latin Chimaera
Those animals unfortunate enough to be swallowed
by the Pontus may sometimes emerge as horrible hybrid
creatures, bearing the features and limbs of anything
else the Pontus has devoured. This may be a simple
combination of two creatures such as the lizard-folk
rumored to inhabit the Floridian peninsula or more
horrific mixtures, such as the thirty-meter long, three
headed, rhinoceros-hide beast killed in the Bolivia as
reported in the Anglo-Brazilian Times, March 24th, 1883.
36
different character than the rats, and react to that characters

actions whenever possible. The beasts will not use any more
sophisticated tactics than these, and are killed outright when
their Threat is reduced to 0.
After the fight concludes, the characters suffer
another Pontus effect then proceed to Chapter 3.
Chapter 3:
The Devils Playground
After surviving the effects of the Pontus outbreak, the

characters will find Alder and have the chance to risk life and
limb to provide vital assistance to him by stopping a greater
threat than any of them previously realized, or retreat back
into the Vaults to try to quell the upwelling before it spreads,
but there isnt time for both. The Witchfinders themselves
are of a split opinion, and will need the characters support
to succeed in either endeavor, so they must decide - quickly
- how best to serve the city.
If Rowan is alive and with the party, read below:
The room you come to seems to be a dead end; the floor before
you slants down at an angle, ending in a jagged hole where it partially
collapsed in the corner. The sharp scents of blood and gunpowder hang
in the air. A strong voice calls up from the hole Come at me if you
will, and Ill send you to eternity! Rowan gestures to hold steady and
breathes a sigh of relief.
Rowan says, Are you done lazing about and writing your Sunday
sermon yet Alder? Get up here, weve work to do. Theres a Rising and
its like to worsen if we dont stop it now.
Canon Alder then emerges from the hole in the corner, his leathers
spattered in blood and filth. Now that you can get a proper look at him
hes shorter and stockier than his partner, but has a more authoritative
carriage. As he comes up into the room and crosses towards you its
evident hes favoring his right leg, and his britches shine wetly below a
bloody cloth tied round a cut in the thigh.
Theres work, indeed, yet it lies below. Its been a hot chase, and
they almost took me in an ambush. I needed to patch up a bit before
continuing on, but they shouldnt be much further ahead. Rising or no,
interrupting these bodysnatchers is our task and duty; if the disturbance
in the Vaults is a serious breach, as you say, itll take more than just me
to place a proper ward anyway. Were best served by ending the corpsethieves and getting back above to put out a call for proper aid.
Alder turns to you. Were in no shape to handle either alone; I
need you to come with me to round up the bodysnatchers. If they make
any Hands of Glory, this is only the start of the trouble theyll cause.
True, Rowan counters, but thats a future worry when you all
know theres present danger spreading through the Vaults. If we dont
put a stop to it now it definitely will get worse. Mark me, this is only
the start of it.
Both Witchfinders turn to go, each expecting you to follow.
If Rowan is dead or incapacitated, read below.

The room you come to seems to be a dead end; the floor before
you slants down at an angle, ending in a jagged hole where it partially
collapsed in the corner. You hear the crack of a pistol shot ring out from
below and a heavy thud. The sharp scents of blood and gunpowder cut
through the damp air. A familiar voice solemnly states Forgive them
Father, they know not what they do. It seems youve found Canon
Alder at last.
After announcing yourselves, the Witchfinder calls you over to the
collapse, which you can now see opens into a slanting natural cave.
Canon Alder is seated on a shelf of rock, his leathers spattered in gore.
Now that you can get a proper look at him, hes shorter and stockier
than his partner, but has a more authoritative carriage. His britches
shine wetly below a gash cut in the thigh, which he bandages while you
tell him your tale of the events above.
After meeting with him and explaining what happened to
Rowan and the experiences in the Vaults, Alder will shake his
head sadly and murmur something unintelligible under his
breath, then look to the characters sternly. He will charge the
characters with assisting him in apprehending the criminals
under the statutory authority:
Rowan was a good man, who served bravely and well, but theres
work to be done. As hes no longer able to stand to the task, I must
work with what instruments I have: I command you all in the name of
the Queen, for love of God and your fellow man, to come with me and
do as I say. The criminals below must be stopped, lest they create more
havoc when none are able to stand against them.
If the characters decide to push ahead with Alder to
thwart the ritual
proceed to Chapter 3, Scene A.
If Rowan is present to present his case and the characters support Rowans position that sealing the Pontus
upwelling while its small is paramount,
proceed to Chapter 3, Scene B.
Threat
Canon Alder
Native Pureblood Witchfinder
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Guard
G
Wounds
OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical OOOOO
-2
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Athletics
________________
OOOOO
Firearms
________________
OOOOO
Investigation
________________
OOOOO
Melee
________________
OOOOO
Mysteries
________________
OOOOO
Stealth
P 4
Dispositions
_____________ H
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Sword
3
Bleeding
Close
____________
_____
_______
______________
Bleeding
Ranged
3
____________
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes
Wounded: -2 penalty on all Tests, cannot take Maneuvers.
______________________________________________
Accoutrements: Witchfinder leathers (Ar. 2), sword, pistol
______________________________________________
ritual book, rank 1, 2, and 3 reagents, electric torch
______________________________________________
37
Chapter 3, Scene A:
Chapter and Verse
Alder takes the lead Follow me. They tried to ambush me, but
there were better places for an ambuscade earlier, so they must be trying
to defend wherever theyre performing this blasphemy. We should find
them soon, so be prepared to act decisively as soon as we come upon
them. If theyre still in the midst of any ritual I can try to stall it, but
Ill need cover from you lot to do so effectively. Do anything you can to
interfere with anything odd you see them doing. If were unlucky and
they have any hands of glory completed, we have to stop any of them
escaping. The priority is hands first, then anyone making them, then
anyone else - are we clear? Capture is preferred, but kill if you need to.
After taking a moment to ensure everyone has weapons ready, you
descend into the natural cavern below. A dozen yards along a narrow
passage you come to a tight corner and can hear the echoes of chanting
ahead. Creeping to the edge of the corner and peering around, you can
clearly see the flicker of light: it appears youve found your quarry.
When the characters first round the corner they see:
A long natural cavern stretches away from you, its length worming
from side to side and broken up with curtains of stubby stalactites and
collections of odd materials gathered from the the Vaults or the city
above - stacks of wood scraps, piles of dirty clothes and linens, boxes
of candles, even a bedroll and military pack - but you quickly focus on
the ring of torches encircling a crude stone altar at the opposite end of
the space. A tall figure wearing faded robes embroidered with strange
sigils and patched with deep brown stains holds a severed hand in each
of his own, dipping the corpse fingers into a pot of liquid wax in front
of him while uttering strange cadences. The stone of the cave around the
altar has been covered with odd script made of unfamiliar angles and
circular marks.
A shot echoes through the chamber
and your cheek is grazed with shards
of stone as it misses you by inches,
then a harsh voice brays At em lads.
Were nearly done, we just needs tae
holdem back, but killin em works
as well! You see a group of figures
detach themselves from the shadows
and start towards you, weapons
glinting in the torchlight.
When the first character
has the ritualist in their zone of
control, they see:
Closing on the ritualist you see
that what you originally took for some
mantle or capelet on the robes is a
pronounced irregular hump deforming
the upper back and shoulders of the
figure. Snapping his visage towards
you with a snarl, you can see the face
is crosshatched with old, puckered
scars and an oft-broken nose. His eyes
are luminous ice blue, and scattered
38
around them and across his forehead a half dozen or more wrinkled,
fleshy bumps seem to quiver in time with his unbroken rhythmic cant in
some foreign tongue.
Narrators should take care in laying out the physical
area of the cavern for the final confrontation to manage the
challenge. The bigger the space and the less cover there is,
the harder it will be on the players to close without getting
shot. It should take characters at least three movements to
make it across the length of the cavern from where they
enter to physically reach the ritualist. It should take them at
least two movements to reach either the mob of criminals
or Mack Andrews, the gangs lieutenant. At the very rear of
the cavern is an exit shaft that leads through a series of other
natural passages to exit the hill to the north, free of the city.
Anyone in the area around the altar will notice the passage,
no Tests required.
The total Threat of the encounter should also be
managed depending on the number of characters and how
wounded they are. The basic Threat for a group of 4 players
with an average of 1 wound each (or less) should be 9, as
presented (4 for the ritualist, 2 for the mob, 3 for Mack). For
each player beyond 4 increase the Threat of the mob by 1.
For every 3 total wounds the characters have, decrease the
Threat of the mob or Mack by 1, to a minimum of 1 each.
The Threat of the Ritualist should always be 4.
Tactics:
Witchfinders: Alder gets 2 Initiative cards and Rowan (if

alive) gets 1. They will each spend their first turns move
and maneuver getting into cover near the rear of the cavern,
where they will hang back and try to provide covering fire for
the characters. Due to their Wound penalties, -4 for Rowan
and -2 for Alder, they are unlikely to be much assistance. If
characters are injured they will attempt to help get them out
of immediate danger and stabilize any wounds.
Ritualist: The ritualist is intent on completing the hands
of glory, and will spend his first four activations to finish
the ritual. He will not react, interrupt, move, or take any
maneuvers or actions other than finishing the ritual. (This
will normally occupy his entire first Sequence of actions,
but if the players are brilliant or lucky, they may manage to
wound him and cause him to lose an initiative card in the
first Sequence and force it into the second) As soon as he
has a hand of glory complete the ritualist will act normally,
attempting to shoot at characters out of cover, while he
himself takes cover behind the altar. If he takes two wounds,
or Mack or the thugs are down, he will attempt to flee, using
a completed hand of glory to aid his escape if possible.
Mack Andrews: Mack was Wounded by Alder in the
ambush attempt, so all his tests will suffer a -2 penalty and
he is unable to take maneuvers. He will hang back in cover
and take shots at the characters, prioritizing anyone getting
close to the altar and his boss, the ritualist. He will fight very
defensively. If the bodysnatchers Morale begins to flag he
will make a Presence + Command test to bolster their spirits
and keep them in the fight. If the ritualist is incapacitated or
killed Mack will automatically surrender.
Mob of Criminals: They will use the highest initiative cards
from the thieves to rush the characters and bog them down
near their entrance to the cavern. The individual members
of the mob will try to create engagement with as many
characters as possible.
Characters: Narrators can use Rowan or Alder to remind
players that interrupting the ritual is the main goal. Characters
can best do this by catching the naphil ritualist, but disarming
him and taking control of any completed hands of glory is
also viable. If a character reaches the altar, they can take an
action to try to destroy the other, incomplete hands, take
them away from the altar and ritualist, or upset or destroy
the various reagents being used for the ritual. Any objects
not being held or manipulated by the ritualist are considered
to have a physical defense of 2 due to their small size and/
or durability. Objects held by the ritualist have his current
Guard and normal physical defenses, and can only be
specifically targeted with a penetrating hit or affected with
the Disarmed condition. Any successful hit with a weapon
will render an item such as an un-enchanted hand or the
bowl of wax useless.
The Hand of Glory

Ritual
Hand of Glory, Corrupt Ritual

Destroy Awareness
Duration 2, Potency 3, Scope 3
Multiple Activations - Up to two uses for no more
than 4 hours total. The effect begins when the fingers
of the hand are lit like candles, and ends when they are
extinguished.
Participants 1, Reagents 5, Time 2
Exact Time 2, Mandatory Participants 1, Mandatory
Reagent 5 (hand of a recently hung murderer or thief),
Mandatory Timing (night of a new moon)

Difficulty 5.
At the completion of the ritual the reagent is
prepared as the focus of the effect. Activating a hand
of glory requires one Maneuver to light the fingers of
the hand with any ready source of flame. A hand of
glory is a magical creation, and cannot be extinguished
through non-magical means unless its bearer wills it.
Anyone in sole physical possession of the hand of glory
is considered its bearer.
Effect: When active, up to 5 targets in the area,
starting with those closest to the source of the effect
must pass a Will + Composure Test, Difficulty 3 or
suffer from the Unconscious condition. While the effect
is ongoing all targets in the area must make the test at
the beginning of each of their actions. The difficulty to
rouse any targets from the Unconscious condition is 3.
The Unconscious condition can be avoided by spending
Purpose as usual, though it only prevents the effect for
a single Turn. Whenever 5 targets are Unconscious as a
result of the hand no one else needs to take the test, but
if any victims are roused, the nearest targets are again
subject to the effect until there are again 5 Unconscious
targets.
Anyone not affected by the Unconscious condition
suffers a -3 penalty on all tests made to perceive the
bearer of the hand when testing with the Focus aptitude,
as the magic of the ritual hides their movements and
muffles sound.
The characters are completely successful if the ritualist
is captured and no hands of glory were made, or any that
were completed are in the characters control.
The characters are partially successful if the ritualist
escapes, but does so without any hands of glory.
The characters fail if the ritualist escapes with any functional hands of glory.
Proceed to Epilogue.
39
Threat
Mob of 2 Criminals
Native Pureblood Thugs
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Guard
G
Dispositions
Morale
_____________
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Burglary
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________
OOOOO
Melee
________________
OOOOO
Streetwise
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Defenses
P 4
Wounds OOOOO
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Knife
2
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________

Abilities & Notes
Morale: Begins as Hostile towards fleeing, shifts one
______________________________________________
towards Favorable every time a Wound is suffered by any
______________________________________________
antagonists in this scene.
______________________________________________
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Guard
G
Dispositions
Morale
_____________
Penalty
Physical
OOOOO
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Athletics
________________
OOOOO
Command
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________
OOOOO
Firearms
________________
OOOOO
Guile
________________
OOOOO
Temptation
Defenses
P 4
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
G
Threat
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Outsider (Demonic) Naphil ritualist
Aptitudes
Guard
Stephan Kirs
Native Pureblood Gang Lieutenant
Armour
Threat 3
Wounds
OOOOO
Mack Andrews
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
P 4
Dispositions
Morale
_____________
Skills & Traits
Physical
OOOOO
-2
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Command
________________
OOOOO
Firearms
________________
OOOOO
Fisticuffs
________________
OOOOO
Melee
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Knife
2
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
Bleeding
Ranged
3
____________
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes
Wounded. Accoutrements: Leatherbound notebook and
______________________________________________
Keyring (1 key for trapdoor in Ch. 2, Sc 1.; 1 key for door
______________________________________________
to Anne's Chamber Ch. 2, Sc 1.; 1 key for an unkown lock)
______________________________________________
Rat Amalgam
Emigre Aberration (Rattus pontusiensis)
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Armour
Guard
Threat
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Athletics
________________
OOOOO
Melee
________________
OOOOO
Stealth
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
P 2
Dispositions
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Dagger
2
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
Bleeding
Ranged
3
____________
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes
Accoutrements: Magically reinforced robes, ritual reagents,
______________________________________________
vellum manuscript for the Hand of Glory ritual, a
______________________________________________
completed Hand of Glory (if created during the encounter)
______________________________________________
40
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Gnashing Teeth _____
2
Bleeding
Touch
____________
_______
______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________

Abilities & Notes
Mindless: Immune to social conflict and Morale
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Cat Aberration
Emigre Aberration (Felis pontusiensis)
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Ranting Madman
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Guard
G
Threat
Defenses
P 4
Emigre Pontus-Touched Pureblood
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason
OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Armour
Guard
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical
OOOOO
Mental
OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Command
________________
OOOOO
Melee
________________
OOOOO
Survival
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
P 4
Threat
Dispositions
Dispositions
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Ragged Claws
2
Outmaneuvered
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________
Weapon
Broken Stone
____________
Crazed Ranting
____________
Abilities & Notes

______________________________________________
Small: Has only two available Avenues of Attack
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Abilities & Notes

Alternate Form: After the Madman suffers its second
______________________________________________
wound, it will die and rise at the begining of the following
______________________________________________
Sequence as the Animate Dead antagonist.
______________________________________________
Dog Aberration
Emigre Aberration (Canis pontusiensis)
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Guard
G
Threat
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________
OOOOO
Composure
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
Defenses
P 6
Dmg Reach Condition
2
Touch
_____
_______
______________
Voice
2
Disoriented
_____
_______
______________
Threat
Animate Dead
Outsider Corpse
Aptitudes
Grace
OOOOO
Vigor
OOOOO
Reason OOOOO
Focus
OOOOO
Presence
OOOOO
Will
OOOOO
Potential
Purpose OOOOO
Ether
Ether OOOOO
Purpose
Potential
Corruption
OOOOO
Armour
Guard
Wounds OOOOO
Skills & Traits
Penalty
Defenses
Armour
Physical
OOOOO
Mental OOOOO
Social
OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
________________ OOOOO
P 7
Dispositions
Dispositions
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
_____________ H
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Fangs
3
Unbalanced
Touch
____________
_____
_______
______________
Weapon
Dmg Reach Condition
Flailing Limbs _____
2
Touch
____________
_______
______________
Abilities & Notes

______________________________________________
Painless: Wound penalties are -1, instead of -2
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Abilities & Notes

Mindless: Immune to social attacks and Morale
______________________________________________
Painless: Wound penalties are -1, instead of -2.
______________________________________________
(This is the Alternate Form of the Ranting Madman above)
______________________________________________
____________ _____ _______ ______________
____________ _____ _______ ______________
41
Chapter 3, Scene B:
From Hell to Breakfast
With a snort Alder adjusts his pack and glares at Rowan. I see
youve all been rattled by what youve already run through. Something
tells me that whatever our body-snatchers have in mind will leave this
outbreak looking like a drop in the ocean by comparison, but if your
minds are set and your will is firm thats what well need to try to set a
ward, so lay on.
As you begin to head back into the Vaults Rowan explains, Well
need to press on until we can find a serious effect of the Rising, and then
Alder and I can enact a ritual to establish a ward that can block it from
spreading. The ritual isnt terribly complex, but it can be draining and
requires a great deal of concentration, so it will be up to you to handle
anything odd or dangerous that comes up while the ritual is underway.
If we are interrupted or further injured it might fail, which would be
terrible for all of us, and the city as well. Youve handled yourselves well
in difficult circumstances so far. I have faith in you.
You come through several minor distortions without great difficulty,
but each time Alder or Rowan dismisses it as too small to serve as the
locus for the ritual; Alder complains with ill grace throughout the trip
about the lost opportunity to prevent the resurrectionists from completing
their goal. Eventually, you come upon some of the arched tunnels that
serve as a rudimentary drainage system for many of the streets and
squares on the hill. It only takes you a moment to notice that the water
appears to be flowing up the walls back into the drains and grates above.
Well, Alder sighs, it appears that this might be serious after all.
He carefully removes several small jars and packets from his satchel
and the various pockets in his coat, then draws his pistol and offers it
handle-out. Im about to have my hands busy, and you dont seem to be
terribly well armed. Do try not to shoot me when things start becoming
more...fraught.
After passing the pistol off, the Witchfinders and any volunteers
aiding in the ritual take their places. Alder begins to lead a fervent
declamation while Rowan starts combining several strange powders in
a small stone bowl. Everything proceeds uninteruppted for more than
twenty minutes, but as the ritual nears compleation you hear splashing
and the incomprehensible echoes of shouts and howls ringing from the
tunnels. From the drains and grates around you masses of maddened,
misshapen rats come scurrying into your torchlight, and a cat with
too-long limbs and ragged claws like fishhooks scrabbles along a ledge
of brick, hissing balefully as it crouches to leap. Hold them back!
Rowan shouts over Alders chanting, We cannot let the ritual falter!
The Witchfinders will be completely absorbed in the
ritual which will take 10 successful actions to complete (or
just over three complete Sequences if both Rowan and Alder
are able to perform them uninterrupted; remember that if
Rowan has 2 wounds and Alder has 1, there are only 3 total
Initiative cards dealt for both of them). While engaged in
the ritual the Witchfinders cannot take any other actions.
Rowan and Alder automatically succeed on tests to perform
the ritual, no card flips are necessary.
42
Aiding in the Ritual

Of the characters provided for Idle Hands, only
Alec Dubh, Dr. Trowbridge, and Inspector Campbell
are able to participate in the ritual to aid it along. If all
three of them attempt to assist it could greatly speed
its completion at the risk of being poorly defended
against the attacks of the Pontus-touched creatures.
Given Alecs low Mysteries Skill she has a less
than even chance of success, but could improve her
odds if she uses her naphil birthright Knowledge in
the Flesh to gain a temporary boost to her Mysteries
skill by drinking a mouthful of blood from either of
the Witchfinders or Inspector Campbell. The request
would be shocking to the other characters - especially
Jock - but it could make a critical difference in the
amount of time it takes to complete the ward. So long
as Alec has not done anything to upset Rowan or Alder
the Finders are both pragmatic enough to see the
necessity and benefit, and can be convinced to do so
without the need for social conflict. However, if Alec
seems overly excited or too casual about the act they
refuse. Between the two of them, Alder would be the
one to offer some of his blood as Rowan is already
badly injured. Regardless of whether or not they allow
Alec to use her birthright, both of them will definitely
be paying close attention to her after the night is over.
Any character with a Mysteries skill of 1 or higher can
also participate in the ritual to attempt to speed it along.
If a character wishes to aid, they must be standing within
Close range of the Finders and use their entire turn to test
Will + Mysteries, Difficulty 4. If the test is successful,
it will move the ritual one step closer to completion. A
Remarkable success (DoS 4+) will instead count as two
successful actions. A failure on the test will instead remove
one actions worth of progress, while a grievous failure (DoS
-4 or worse) will remove two actions worth of progress.
Any time a successful penetrating attack is made on a ritual
participant it also increases the actions needed to complete
the ritual by one. The ritual should take approximately four
Sequences to complete. If the ritual is not completed at the
end of 5 Sequences it fails automatically as it is overwhelmed
by the rising energies of the Pontus outbreak.
If both Witchfinders are incapacitated before the
ritual is complete the characters must finish it by the
end of the current Sequence, otherwise it will fail as
detailed below.
Pontus effects
As the ritual is performed the pontus energy is being

gathered and concentrated before being contained. As this
occurs all manner of bizarre effects will harry the characters,
but will not negatively impact the pontus-touched creatures.
Narrators should describe these effects as they see fit.
Sequence 1: No effect. Everyone notices that water begins
flowing into the tunnel at a much higher rate, and it starts
deepening on the ground.
Tactics
The antagonists have all been warped by the Pontus,

and the ritual presents a clear threat, so they will attack
Canon Alder first, then anyone else participating in the
ritual. The Ranting Madman will make social attacks using
Vigor+Command to intimidate and reduce Guard before
attacking physically. (Dont forget the +2 bonus to intimidation from his weapon, for a total base combination of 8).
Sequence 2: Disorientation. All characters must test their

Will + Composure, Difficulty 3 at the beginning of the
Sequence. Those that succeed suffer from the Disoriented
temporary condition, those that fail suffer from the
Unbalanced temporary condition.
If the ritual succeeds, the Pontus outbreak will be

contained and the Pontus effects described below will
immediately end. All antagonists in the fight will immediately suffer one Wound. Complete the physical conflict with
any remaining antagonists and proceed to the Epilogue.
Sequence 3: Rising Waters. At the beginning of the Sequence

the water flowing through the tunnel becomes completely
still for a moment, then begins wildly frothing and pulling
at the characters, flowing up and along them, burning hot,
freezing cold, and at times even constricting. All characters
suffer a -2 penalty on their first action in the Sequence.
As the terse chanting of the ritual comes to a climax there is a

sense of some great pressure welling all around you, threatening to crush
you to nothing...and then lightness and clarity. Those things warped and
twisted by the pontus halt, then simply collapse. The waters subside,
once more obedient to the mute laws of nature.
Sequence 4: Inconstant Gravity. At the beginning of

the Sequence the direction of gravity changes, dropping
everyone to the walls or ceiling and leaving them prone.
All characters immediately lose a point of Guard from the
shock. It requires a Maneuver or Move action to stand.
Antagonists
Begin the encounter with the antagonists below. Then, at

the start of each new Sequence add at least one Threat worth
of enemies for every two characters without wounds. Less
than that and it is too easy to defend the ritual, more than
that and the characters will likely be overwhelmed. However,
if the characters are waltzing through the fight feel free to
include other random Pontus effects, or have additional
antagonists join the conflict during the middle of a Sequence
by dealing them one Initiative card and having them begin
one Move action away from the center of the room.
Suggested enemies
These suggestions assume four healthy characters, if

there are five or more characters introduce the Ranting
Madman in the first Sequence instead of the second.
Antagonist sheets for these antagonists are found on the
previous pages.
Sequence 1: 3x Rat Aberrations, 1x Cat Aberration
If any Witchfinders are still conscious, continue:

Well done, youve much to be proud of, but theres more to do.
The resurrectionists are sure to be well and gone by now, and theres no
telling what theyre after. We need to get back up into the city and start
preparing for the next incident, whatever it will be. Take a moment
to collect yourselves, youve earned that much, and the thanks of the
Witchfinders as well.
If the ritual fails read the following:
Even before it happens, you can tell that something is dreadfully
wrong. The nerve-wracking strangeness that has been building seems to
coil in on itself for a moment, but its the tide rushing out before a wave,
and you seem to feel the world itself snap and fall out from beneath
you. You cannot say if its moments or millennia, but you lose yourself
struggling through a storm of shattered perceptions, pain and euphoria.
The characters are completely successful if the ritual
is completed and both Witchfinders are alive.
The characters are partially successful if the ritual is
completed and any of the Finders have died.
The characters fail if the ritual fails, regardless of
whether or not the Witchfinders are still alive.
Proceed to Epilogue.
Sequence 2: 1x Ranting Madman

Sequence 3: 1x Dog Aberration
Sequence 4+: Introduce 1 Rat Aberration if the characters
have 3 or less remaining Threat for all Antagonists that
remain in the fight.
43
Epilogue:
Continuing the Tale
Characters failed against the

bodysnatchers:
Fought the Bodysnatchers
Quelled the Rising
Characters completely successful

against the bodysnatchers:
Characters completely successful

in containing the rising:
There are too many variables to account for at the end

of the adventure, so rather than presenting specific ends for
every possible outcome you can use the general information
below and embellish it with the specifics of the characters
success or failure. Regardless of the outcome, any surviving
characters have many leads and options to follow if they
wish to continue investigating what exactly the thieves were
planning, discover more about the Pontus and the threat it
poses, or even start working with the Witchfinders.
They return to the city above with any captives, and more
than enough evidence to put anyone involved on trial for
their lives. If Alder and Rowan survived they take custody of
the naphil ritualist and perform their own interrogations of
him separate from the characters, while any other prisoners
are left with the police. If the Witchfinders perished the
ritualist is taken into police custody along with any other
surviving bodysnatchers.
The characters themselves all gain the rank 1 Reputation
Dauntless in the face of danger, thanks to the police
working with the Evening Post to spread the story of
how their brave boys (and Ms. Ramsay if she participated)
cracked the ring of bodysnatchers, and how the city can now
rest safe. All characters will also enjoy a potential boost to
their careers, as their superiors will gain increased respect for
their skills and attempt to make use of their temporary fame.
The Witchfinders will work closely with the police - and very
likely the characters - to follow up on addressing the ongoing
Pontus outbreak in the Vaults, and in pursuing the larger
motivations and plans of the thieves.
Characters partially successful

against the bodysnatchers:
Although their ends were not perfectly achieved, the

characters have much to be proud of in thwarting the worst
outcomes of a major threat to the city. The actions of the
bodysnatchers were at least somewhat disrupted, though
further vigilance is required. Other Witchfinders are called
in to help put down the lingering disruptions from the
Pontus event. The characters proved their mettle, and after
they recover, the police and Witchfinders will call on them
again to assist in further investigation of the deeper schemes
discovered.
44
Despite their best efforts the ritualist escaped with a

completed hand of glory. Its cold comfort at best to know
that the situation is certainly less dire than if the entire
gang was free with them, but the Witchfinders know that
youve bought time at best. Other Finders are brought in
to help deal with the Pontus outbreak in the Vaults, but
with the police stretched thin and only a small number of
Witchfinders able to pursue the bodysnatchers and deal with
the Pontus outbreak its likely that the characters will need to
be pulled back in to help in the aftermath of tonight.
After quelling the Pontus outbreak the characters return

to the safety of the streets of Edinburgh and report the
situation to the police. With the direction and support of the
Witchfinders, the constabulary sweeps through the Vaults
and suppresses the few remaining pockets of disturbance
lingering after the Rising was halted. Given the instrumental
role the characters played in resolving the matter, they
have the opportunity to assist in these efforts and are able
to maintain contact with the Witchfinders and ingratiate
themselves with the police, and all characters gain the rank 1
Reputation Favored by the police.
Evidence of the bodysnatchers activities is found in the
Vaults, and clues suggest that they managed to complete
several hands of glory and flee. Some insight to their
motives can be gleaned from the items recovered from their
lair, and it is learned that they were gathering information
on both Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace in the city
and its chilling to think what mayhem and harm they could
cause by breaking into either. As the danger posed by the
bodysnatchers becomes clear, the characters are asked to
step forward once again and help the Finders put an end to
this lurking menace.
Characters partially successful

in containing the rising:
Despite the losses suffered in the horrors of the Vaults,

the determination and grit showed by the characters won
the day. After making their way back to the world above the
characters are able to rest and recover in the care of the
police physicians and surgeons at the medical college. After
interviewing the characters Chief Constable Mackenzie
sets the police to begin a systematic sweep of the Vaults
to find anything they can relating to the bodysnatchers, and
another team of Witchfinders is assembled to clean out any
lingering manifestations of the Pontus breach and then take

over pursuit of the bodysnatchers. Given their extraordinary
involvement, the characters are approached by these
replacement Finders, Canon Cypress and Linden Star, and
asked if theyd be willing to step forward again to aid them in
their inquiries. After all, the police have enough to handle as
it is, and the characters have already proven themselves able
to stand unblinking in the face of terrible danger.
By the time of their release the problems in the Vaults

have been mostly contained at great cost by the police, with
some support and direction from the Witchfinders. There
are many casualties among the working poor that lived in
and near them, and a rising panic is gripping the city. With
the strain on resources to respond, the characters will,
reluctantly, be called back by the police and Finders to help
with the aftermath of that fateful night.
Characters failed to contain the

rising:
As other Witchfinders are called to the city and work

through the Vaults in the following days, they find the
surviving characters scattered and lost, raving incoherently
about their experiences and suffering from dreadful injuries.
The characters are brought to the hospital, and given care by
Dr. Ramsay and other police surgeons on staff. Their bodies
will mend quickly, but their minds are a different matter, and
it takes weeks of rest and treatment before they are again
themselves. All characters gain the one point Reputation
Recovering Lunatic.
45
Sergeant Jock Mathieson

Right lads, all together and theres nought can stop us.
Jock came to Edinburgh as a teenager from the

neighboring port of Leith. He arrived after leaving a short
and terrifying career as a sailor when the freight steamer he
served on, the Gemma, foundered and he almost drowned.
Originally coming to the city as one of the working poor,
Jock has climbed into a more rewarding career with the
constabulary, gaining a respectable station for himself with
brighter prospects for the future.
Proud of his hard-won increase in standing, Jock can be
prickly if he perceives hes being sneered at by his betters.
This has led him to occasional difficulties with his superior
officers even though he knows it hurts his chances of getting
further along in the force. He has little patience for abiding
foolishness from anyone, regardless of their standing.
Among his fellows, Jock is known to be a good man to
have at your back in a scrap, and a useful connection to the
residents of the old city. He takes his position seriously and
is always ready to step into harms way to fulfill his duties or
to protect another constable.
Accoutrements
Police uniform with reinforced greatcoat, police

truncheon, 6 shot revolver with one reload of ammunition,
gun license effective through January 1897, police whistle,
handcuffs, electric torch, blackwood pipe, tin of tobacco,
book of matches, two shillings sixpence.
Thoughts on other characters
Constable Alec Dubh

A young constable whom you have taken under your wing,
the lads got grit and just needs a chance to use it for something good. Alec is scrappy, and has had a rough life, but
is trying to do right for himself. Hes got the makings of a
good constable or a good criminal - all the best police do - so
take the chance to keep the boy on the straight and narrow.
You recognize a runaway when you see one, but given the
haunted look in the lads eyes, he likely had reason to run.
Give advice where you can, but especially with women! The
lads hopeless, and finding him some young thing to fill up
his off time would probably be good for him.
Constable Gavin MacLeod
A slick man thats so sharp he might just cut himself. Though
a bit more of a politicker than yourself, hes still a good
constable and cares about doing his job well, so youve no
complaint there, but when he gets too smug about his own
bright future its hard to take it well.
Ms. Dora Ramsay
A writer from the Edinburgh Evening Post, usually specializing in articles about tea cups and similar ridiculousness in
46
the social pages, but recently youve come to hear of Mad

Miss Ramsay from gossip in the force. When you heard she
was speaking to some of the officers you thought it was a
bad joke, but apparently someone high and mighty got their
nose tweaked and forced into it. Youre fit to leave it as a
comedy of politics and be done with it. The sooner shes
back to writing on dinner parties the happier youll be.
Inspector Colum Campbell
A man to respect. Hes helped build up the constabulary to
what it is today, and is one of the best when it comes to the
worst sorts of cases - bodies turning up from nowhere, odd
disappearances, and other uncanny things. Youve had little
cause to work directly with the man, and are happy for it.
Dr. Iain Trowbridge
A physician from the medical college who assists the
inspectors from time to time. What you know of him and
sixpence will get you a good beef pie at the Saracens Head,
and thats about that.
Tactics
In physical conflicts, Jocks best attack is Grace + Melee,

which can be used with his truncheon, any other hand held
weapon, or to smash his opponents into the scenery by hand.
In social conflicts, Jock can use Presence + Command to
order people around or intimidate them.
Brand: Edinburgh Police OOOOO

3
__________________
Stubborn as a Mule
2
__________________
OOOOO
Rough and Tumble
1
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Reputations
Dutiful Son
2
__________________
OOOOO
The Constabulary is Family OOOOO
1
__________________
Mentoring Alec Dubh
1
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Affinities
Assets & Liabilities

Member: Edinburgh Constabulary 2
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Talent: One Mastery for a core Skill

_____________________________
Driven: Refresh one point of
_____________________________
Purpose at the start of each session
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Blessings & Curses
_____________________________
Brawler (Melee Mastery): +1 Phys. Defense

_____________________________
if 2 or more enemies are in Zone of Control
_____________________________
Masteries & Trades
Corruption . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Native
Integration __________________
Pureblood
Bloodline:________________
Status
Class . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Means . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Potential
3
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Ether . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
2
I
A
I
A
(Guarded + Class/Means Diff + Best Rep - Worst Rep)
Esteem
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dispositions
Skill: Composure _______ _______
(WILL + skill)
Lingering Conditions
___________________________
___________________________
Penalties
Wounds
(GRACE + FOCUS)
Athletics _______
Armor
Melee
Guard
Skill:
(Vigor + skill)
Physical Defense
Physical Conflict
Social Conflict
Social Defense
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Fisticuffs . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Guile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Investigation . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO

Mysteries . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Parley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Academics . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Bureaucracy . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Command . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Composure . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Engineering . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Aptitudes
Reason . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Skills
Grace . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vigor . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Dmg Reach Condition
Weapons
23
Gear
Police uniform with reinforced greatcoat (Armor 1),
________________________
police truncheon, 6-shot revolver with 12 rounds of
________________________
ammunition, gun license good through Jan. 1897,
________________________
police whistle, handcuffs, electric torch, blackwood pipe,
________________________
tin of tobacco, book of matches
________________________
Tesla Taser: one-shot electricity gun, causes condition on hit
________________________
Truncheon
2
Disarmed
Close
_________ ___
____
______
Ranged ______
Bleeding
Revolver
3
_________
___
____
Incapacitated
Close
Tesla Taser
1
_________
___
____
______
Weapon
Funds
2
6
___ ___
s ___
d (1/20/240)
___________________________
___________________________
Accoutrements
Profession . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Refinement . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Streetwise . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Temptation . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Presence . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Police
Background:_____________________________________________
Nature:____________________
Warrior
Leith
1866 to _______________
12 July
Sgt. Jock Mathieson
This is a record of ______________________,
born on __________
in the year of our Lord _____
in the city of _____________.
James & Flora
47
Constable Alec Dubh

No reason Im askin,
Im just interested in all sorts o uncanny things...
Alice is doing well for a dead girl. She was abandoned as

an infant and grew up in one of the Boys and Girls Welfare
Society homes. Compared to some of the other institutions
in the area, the Society were saintly - she got a basic education
instead of being sent off to one of the factories for labor but she still hated it there. She was odd, with a tendency to
speak her mind and knack for knowing when others were
lying, which earned her scorn from the other children and
frequent punishment from the adults. Never having been
adopted, she ran away from the home at 14. She spent two
years living rough on the streets, gaining skill in begging and
petty thieving to supplement the bit of work she was able to
secure in a mill. It was a hard life in a hard city, but she was
scraping through.
She should have known better than staying with Flash
Jimmy that night, but it was so cold, and he had a nice warm
spot hidden in the train yard. She knew he fancied her, in his
way, and that he was used to getting his way from the others
in his gang. They both split a stolen jack of gin, and things
were fine at first, but when he wouldnt stop and she slapped
him, he went for his knife and she died.
There were terrible visions of blood and secrets, but
then she woke, wrapped in a bloody blanket, disposed of on
a freight train, with a scar where there should be a terrible
wound, and a new life. Since then, shes spent 3 years passing
as the boy Alec, travelling about trying to discover who and
what she really is. Through misfortune and misadventure,
shes learned that she cant die, that she cant seem to finish
growing up, and - after one terrifying moment when she bit
off an attackers ear to force him to let her go - that tasting
blood or eating flesh gives her temporary access to the skills
or memories of the source.
Shes made her way to Edinburgh to see if she cant find
out more about herself by exploring its many supposed ties
to the supernatural. If she can manage to steer clear of the
Witchfinders, she just might have a chance to learn what she
is.
Accoutrements
Police uniform with reinforced greatcoat, truncheon,

brass knuckles, police whistle, handcuffs, electric torch, one
shilling tuppence.

The big brother and father you never had. For all that
hes a bit gruff, you can tell that Jock is a genuinely good
man. Its painful to have to lie to him, but youre afraid of
what might happen if he ever found out any of the truths
youre hiding.
48

Hes quite the charmer, and one of the sharpest constables
on the force. You respect him, admire him, and in a distant,
guarded part of you that still holds some innocence, fancy
him. You realize how utterly impossible it would ever be to
act on anyone you fancy...there are just too many lies in the
way.
Ms. Dora Ramsay
You dont read much, and you havent the coin to spend on
the Post regardless, so all you know of her is what youve
heard. Evidently, the Post let one of their social writers
start writing about police business and it has some folk in
a huff. The thought of Ms. Ramsay snooping around the
precinct makes you fear what would happen if anyone
you knew found out you were really a lass, not to mention
previously dead. Then, the best you could hope for would be
that maybe Jock wouldnt hate you and no one would turn
you over to the Witchfinders.
Of anyone on the force, you think Inspector Campbell is
the one most likely to be able to help you discover more
about what you are. Hes had some proper learning, and
hes the officer that deals with all the queer cases that still
pop up from time to time: rumors of witchcraft or devilworshippers under the Auld Toon and the like. Hes not a
Witchfinder, but youve heard hes worked with them in the
past ,so youre not sure if hed turn you over to them or not.
For now, just focus on getting the basics down of being a
decent constable, and maybe once youve established a reputation within the department you might be able to approach
him more safely.
Dr. Iain Trowbridge
Youve never met the man, and only heard that hes from
the medical college and that he sometimes talks to the
inspectors.
Tactics
In Physical conflicts,
Alec can use Grace +
Melee to attack with
a truncheon; however,
when not making a
penetrating attack, Alec
may use Grace + Guile
to feint.
In social conflicts,
Presence + Guile is
useful for lying and
trickery.

2
__________________
Scrappy Lad
2
__________________
OOOOO
Jock's
Favorite
1
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Reputations
2
Discover what I am! OOOOO
__________________
Find
a
place
to
call
home.
1
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Affinities

_____________________________
Sensitive Palate: Knowledge in the Flesh
_____________________________
only needs 4 oz. of blood to use.
_____________________________
Unknown Bane
_____________________________
Knowledge in the Flesh: Gain Skill or

_____________________________
memories by eating flesh or drinking blood.
_____________________________
Fluid Mein: Your appearance will change
_____________________________
according to your balance of Potential
_____________________________
Bane: Special item needed to kill you
_____________________________
Blessings & Curses
None
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Masteries & Trades
Integration Outsider
__________________
Nephilim
Bloodline:________________
Status
Class . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Means . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Potential
2
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Ether . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
3
I
A
I
A
49
Esteem
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dispositions
Skill: Composure _______

Guile _______
(WILL + skill)
___________________________
___________________________
Penalties
Wounds
(GRACE + FOCUS)
Athletics _______
Armor
Melee
Guard
Skill:
(Vigor + skill)
Physical Defense
Physical Conflict
Social Conflict
Social Defense
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO

Guile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Mysteries . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Parley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Grace . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vigor . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Command . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Aptitudes
Reason . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Skills
Dmg Reach Condition
Weapons
Gear
________________________
police truncheon, brass knuckles, police whistle,
________________________
handcuffs, electric torch
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
Brass Knuckles
2
Touch ______
Staggered
_________ ___
____
Truncheon
2
Close
Disarmed
_________
___
____
______
_________ ___ ____ ______
Weapon
Funds
0
1
2
___
___
s ___
d (1/20/240)
___________________________
___________________________
Accoutrements
Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vagabond
Background:_____________________________________________
Nature:____________________
Seeker
Manchester
1878 to _______________
1 April
Constable "Alec" Dubh
born on __________
unknown parents in the city of _____________.
24

You can trust me, Im a constable.
Gavin has managed to turn his natural charm and

knack for getting on with people into a major asset in the
constabulary, despite the touch of fey blood thats evident in
his grass-green eyes and unusual features. His skill at getting
people to see things his way has allowed him to build up
a network of informants among the commons that help
tip him off to many a productive lead. Though only on the
force for a little over two years, hes already close to making
inspector and bypassing the drudgery of being on a beat.
With that possible future in mind Gavin takes his standing
with other constables seriously. Hes very conscious of the
opportunities before him and will do what he can to protect
and further his position. He won't cross the line of morality
or the letter of the law, though hes quite prone to some
lenient interpretations of either when it suits his purposes.
Gavins family line has connections back to the MacLeods
of Dunvegan, the old Lords of the Isles. However, with
the failure of the Pretender in the Jacobite revolution, the
ensuing highland clearances, and sad state that most of his
clan (and his branch of the family in particular) had come to
by the time of his birth, he has little use for the past. Theres
opportunity to be had in the city for a bright young man,
and the lasses do seem to fall more easily for a braw lad in
uniform.
Accoutrements

truncheon, police whistle, handcuffs, tin cigarette case, book
of matches, small pad of paper, pencil, three shillings.

Jocks a good man and a good officer. The men he works
with respect him, and he keeps them in good order.
Personally, you dont interact too much as he usually runs
night watches, but when you have, hes been genial and good
company. Being friendly with him now will put you in good
stead when you inevitably get promoted past him, so stay on
his good side without getting too close. Hes a good man to
have at your back and someone you genuinely like, but were
he to be a true friend, it would only make it difficult to be
above him later.
Constable Alec Dubh
One of the fresh crop that started a few months back.
Smarter than he lets on, and very observant. Jocks already
taken to mentoring the boy, which is probably all for the
best as from what little you know the lads had a rough go
of things what with his family passing not that long ago.
The constables have a few misfits, and so long as Alec can
pay attention and swing a truncheon at the right time, the
50
lad may well have a profession thatll keep him out of

the poor house and maybe
even put some starch on his
collar one day.
Ms. Dora Ramsay
At first, when Chief
Constable
MacKenzie
ordered you to take around
some fussing scold from
the Post for a few days, it
seemed like a punishment.
However, Ms. Ramsay
turned out to be a spirited
young woman rather than
the harridan you imagined.
The Chief Constable wants you to end the Posts interest
in the recent rumors of body-snatching, and Ms. Ramsay
is trying to to charm you into lowering your guard and letting something slip. The past two days have met the Chief
Constables requirements and let you enjoy Ms. Ramsays
company. Youre beginning to think that she could be a
worthy person to pursue; shes intelligent, lively, and from
a well-off professional family. Given a promotion, it might
not be out of the question that her father would consent to
your courting her, and it just so happens you should have a
promotion or two coming up quite soon.
Inspector Colum Campbel
Still a man in his prime, hes been an inspector for near
a decade and already in a position to advise some of the
chief officers. If the amount of contact he has with the
medical college and even, on occasion, the Witchfinders
is any indication, the inquiries hes assigned are among the
most challenging and important. Youre hoping to be made
Inspector yourself soon, and any opportunity to work with
or learn from this man should be eagerly pursued.
Dr. Iain Trowbridge
An uncanny fellow from the medical college, and a disciple
of Drs. Bell and Littlejohn. When a crime calls for some
medical expertise, Dr. Trowbridge is often dispatched to
lend aid to the police. Once you make inspector youre likely
to deal with him, but so far youve had little interaction with
the fellow.
Tactics
In Physical conflicts, Gavin can attempt Grace + Melee

to attack with a truncheon; however, a feinting attack using
Grace + Guile or an intimidation attack using Presence
+ Command will be much more effective. For gentler social
conflicts Presence + Guile or Parley are preferred.
Edinburgh Police
2
__________________
OOOOO
2
__________________
OOOOO
Social Climber
Ladies' Man
1
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Reputations
2
Self-Advancement
__________________
OOOOO
Edinburgh Police
1
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Affinities

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Glamours: Minor illusions. Maneuver

_____________________________
_____________________________
to make Pres + Guile vs. target's
_____________________________
Will + Comp. DoS 1+, trick 1 sense
_____________________________
Beguile: 1 Ether to fix target's dis_____________________________
position to you to Indifferent
Blessings & Curses
_____________________________
None
_____________________________
_____________________________
Masteries & Trades
Integration __________________
Changeling
Bloodline:________________
Status
Class . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Means . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Potential
3
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Ether . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
2
I
A
I
A
Esteem
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dispositions

Guile _______
(WILL + skill)
___________________________
___________________________
Penalties
Wounds
(GRACE + FOCUS)
Athletics _______ Armor
Guard
Skill:
(Vigor + skill)
Physical Defense
Physical Conflict
Social Conflict
Social Defense
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO

Guile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Mysteries . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Parley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Command . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Aptitudes
Reason . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Skills
Grace . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vigor . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Dmg Reach Condition
Weapons
Gear
________________________
police truncheon, police whistle, handcuffs, tin cigarette
________________________
case, book of matches, small pad of paper, 3 pencils
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
Truncheon
Standard ______
2
Disarmed
_________ ___
____
_________ ___ ____ ______
_________ ___ ____ ______
Weapon
Funds
3
0
___ ___
s ___
d (1/20/240)
___________________________
___________________________
Accoutrements
Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Rogue
Background:_____________________________________________
Nature:____________________
Schemer
Portnalong
1870 to _______________
21 Sept
Constable Gavin MacLeod born on __________
Dougal & Clara in the city of _____________.
51
Ms. Dora Ramsay
Please go on, I assure you I am paying the utmost attention.

Ever since you lost your mother as an infant, your
father, Dr. Archibald Ramsay, has doted on you. Widowed
young, but consumed by the demands of his work, he never
remarried, and you were his only child. As a result, you had a
very strange childhood. Never around other children much,
you became very independent, and after Father taught you
to read at a young age, you spent much of your early years in
books. Your housekeeper, dear old Mrs. Archibald, and later,
years at a boarding school provided the social polish you
needed as part of the professional class, but even still youre
accustomed to being more or less on your own.
As you grew into womanhood Father seemed little
interested in pushing you into a marriage and you took
over running the household. You did step out to engage in
Edinburghs social life, but mostly around the growing art
and academic flowering, rather than the endless afternoon
teas and supper parties that most women your age flock
to in search of a husband. Not content to merely be an
ornament, you began writing thoughtful retrospectives of
the various salons you were part of in order to memorialize
the discussions. At a small dinner party you were hosting
with Father you had the chance to speak with Mr. Ross, an
assistant editor at the Edinburgh Evening Post, and when
he complained about the vapidity and wasted ink they had
for their social pages you leapt at an opportunity to share
some of your work. A few weeks later you were officially on
the staff of the Post, and have been working on changing
their society coverage into something with real value, rather
than just gossip of who said what to whom. You know that
theres a deal of tut-tutting and head-shaking behind your
back at the paper and around the town, but to Hell with
anyone that cant see women as good for anything more than
being inoffensive social ornaments kept for breeding.
Its been hard, but
all your efforts and,
admittedly, your fathers
support and social pull,
have finally begun to
bear fruit. The writing
youve done for the
Post is letting you make
a name for yourself on
your own merit. Women
throughout the Empire
are beginning to push
into a few professions,
and you are proud to be
among the first to gain
credibility in journalism.
The senior editors at the
Post are still very leery
of allowing a woman to
52
cover anything of politics, but you have recently managed

to get approval to work on some broader issues involving
the public. Right now youre working on a piece about the
rumored resurgence of body-snatching, but the Police have
kept you on a short leash. If you cant get something on
this story in the next few days, youre very worried that the
editors will give it to someone else and youll have missed
your biggest opportunity yet.
Accoutrements
Handbag with small hand mirror, tin of mints, white linen

kerchief, coin purse with assorted coinage worth 6 shillings,
derringer pistol and ammunition for two reloads, gun license
good through November 1896, pad of paper, two pencils,
small pocket knife.
Sgt. Jock Mathieson

Youve heard people mention him as a good officer, and a
career constable. Hes also one of the sergeants who run the
night patrols, so hed be a fantastic source to talk to if you
could manage to see him without Gavin at your elbow.
Constable Alec Dubh
Not a name youve run across.
Your charming, handsome, genteel minder. If the man
was any less likeable, youd probably hate him for how
effectively hes doing his job of preventing you from doing
yours. At this point, youre strongly considering trying to
blush and flirt some information out of him, but youre
neither sure how effective, nor how false, that behavior
might be.
Everyone at the Post knows hes the man that works all
the strange cases. Youve seen his name come up in notes,
but more often than not, the editors see to its removal from
the paper. Youre not sure exactly where the pressure on the
editors is coming from, but if you could actually get in touch
with the man, who knows what you might find.
Dr. Iain Trowbridge
A medical college man up from England. Your father
knows him professionally, and hes supposedly a confidant
or aide to Inspector Campbell. If you cant manage to talk
to Campbell, Dr. Trowbridge might be just as informative.
Tactics
Feinting attacks using Grace+Guile or pistols with

Grace+Firearms are Doras best bet in physical conflict. In
social conflict she is a negotiator, using Presence + Parley.
Boundary Breaker
__________________
OOOOO
2
__________________
OOOOO
Tenacious Reporter
1
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Reputations
My Beloved Father
__________________
OOOOO
1
Women's Rights
2
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Affinities

None
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

_____________________________
Driven: Refresh one point of Purpose
_____________________________
at the start of each session.
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Blessings & Curses
Silver Tongue (Parley Mastery): Once

_____________________________
per social Conflict, nominate one Test.
_____________________________
If successful, shift Disposition twice.
_____________________________
Masteries & Trades
Integration __________________
Native
Bloodline:________________
Pureblood
Status
2
Class . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Means . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
2
Potential
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
2
Ether . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
3
I
A
I
A
Esteem
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dispositions

_______
Parley
(WILL + skill)
___________________________
___________________________
Penalties
Wounds
(GRACE + FOCUS)
Athletics _______
Armor
Melee
Guard
Skill:
(Vigor + skill)
Physical Defense
Physical Conflict
Social Conflict
Social Defense
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Guile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Mysteries . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO

Parley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Grace . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vigor . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Command . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Aptitudes
Reason . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Skills
Dmg Reach Condition
Weapons
Gear
________________________
Handbag, small hand mirror, tin of mints, white linen
________________________
handkerchief, coin purse, pad of paper, two pencils,
________________________
small pocket knife (for sharpening pencils),
________________________
pepperbox pistol (2 shots), 4 additional bullets, gun
________________________
license good through November 1896
________________________
_________
___
____
Bleeding
2
Extended ______
Pistol, Pepperbox
_________
___
____
______
1
Pocket Knife
Bleeding
Touch
_________ ___ ____ ______
Weapon
Funds
0
6
0
___
___
s ___
d (1/20/240)
___________________________
___________________________
Accoutrements
Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Background:_____________________________________________
Professional
Nature:____________________
Visionary
Aug. 3
born on __________
Archibald &Fiona in the city of _____________.
Dora Ramsay
1874 to _______________
Edinburgh
53

God rest the poor soul. Ill find whoever...or whatever ...did this.
Coming up from being a county constable in Perthshire,

Inspector Campbell is very used to operating more or less
on his own. Self-reliant, clever, and more widely experienced
than someone growing up in the Midlothian countryside has
any right to be, Colum was brought on to the Edinburgh
constabulary as an inspector near 10 years ago after making
a name for himself by tracking down a murderer that had
evaded them for months. Ever since, hes cemented a
reputation as a dogged pursuer and not one to let a case go.
Experiencing first-hand the perils of competence,
Inspector Campbells early successes quickly led him to be
the one assigned the hardest and most unusual cases that
came up in Edinburgh. Murders, rapes, and all the worst
crimes fell to him when no one else could or would get
them solved. Given the citys history, it was almost inevitable
that he would eventually brush up against inexplicable and
seemingly supernatural events, and due to such hes had to
work with an assortment of doctors, scientists, alchemists,
and Witchfinders. Dr. Trowbridge is but the latest that hes
had to mind, and for all the mans oddity he at least seems
to care about the poor wretches that end up hurt by some
madman or bogey.
Although quite grounded and not given to credulousness
or religious sentiment, the many disturbing occurrences
Inspector Campbells had to labor over professionally have
left him genuinely concerned that the proper order of the
world might well and truly be breaking down. He keeps his
worries to himself, though, as hes keenly aware that if he
starts sounding spooked or too strongly affected by his work
hes like to be put back on a beat, and he could not abide that
now that he knows there are deeper, darker things abroad in
the world.
His wife Kate and daughter Mary live with him in a small
flat in the New City, and they are his hope and his truest
loves. The desire to protect them and build a better life for
them is what drives him to keep stepping out into the night.
Constable Alec Dubh

Something about the
lad doesnt sit well with
you. Youve no cause to say
why, but the once or twice
youve run across him, hes
raised your hackles. When
you can spare an eye, hes
one to watch.
Constable Gavin
MacLeod
That ones bound for
officers brass sooner than
later. Hes sharp, and a fair
face for the constabulary to
show to some of the more
genteel folk in the city, but from what youve heard hes a
middling investigator at best. If he tries to go for Inspector
rather than work up within the ranks youll be damn sure hes
got the skill to pull his weight on tough cases before he gets
your blessing for anything more.
Ms. Dora Ramsay
She and others like her set you on your heels. You think
of wee Mary and could see her with a future not necessarily
just as someones wife, but at the same time you do what you
do to fight and claw your way up precisely so you can see
her happily wed, spending her days in a nice flat with a few
bairns of her own. Its all well and good for Ms. Ramsay and
others to put women forward, but its also a damn nuisance
to have folk nosing about some of the things you have to
investigate.

truncheon, police whistle, handcuffs, horn-handled jackknife,
pocketwatch with cameo of wife Kate, small pad of paper,
pencil, eight shillings fuppence.
Dr. Iain Trowbridge

Dr. Trowbridge has been a help and confidant for some
time now, and youre glad to have someone else thats seen
some of what youve seen. It helps you keep perspective,
that youre not alone in this, and that even the strangest
things youve dealt with are really happening. Hes become
a comrade, not a friend. Youd risk your life for his in the
midst of something dire - and have - but you cant sit down
and have a pint with him. You each have different lives to go
home to, and you dont want any reminder of the slice of life
you do share to come away with you when not in uniform.
Tactics
Accoutrements
Sgt. Jock Mathieson

A solid enough constable, and by all accounts a good
officer. He cares for his lads, and his bunch are generally
kept with a bit more spit and polish than those under some
of the other sergeants. You respect that hes another man
whos worked himself up from nothing through a career
with the police.
54
In physical conflict, Colum relies on his truncheon

to do the talking, using Grace + Melee. Colum also
excels at tracking opponents and finding clues with
Focus+Investigation. When Colum aids others in social
conflict, they will benefit from his high Social Defense.

3
__________________
Relentless
Pursuer
2
__________________ OOOOO
Man of Integrity
1
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Reputations
Family First
2
__________________
OOOOO
Truth
before
Politics
1
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Affinities

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

_____________________________
Driven: Refresh on point of Purpose
_____________________________
at the start of each session.
_____________________________
Blessings & Curses
Palace of Memory (Investigation Mastery):

_____________________________
May make a Focus+Investigation, Diff. 5.
_____________________________
Success = have perfect recall of one scene.
_____________________________
Masteries & Trades
Native
Integration __________________
Pureblood
Bloodline:________________
Status
Class . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Means . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
Potential
4
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Ether . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
I
A
I
A
55
Esteem
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dispositions
(WILL + skill)
___________________________
___________________________
Penalties
Wounds
(GRACE + FOCUS)
Athletics _______
Armor
Melee
Guard
Skill:
(Vigor + skill)
Physical Defense
Physical Conflict
Social Conflict
Social Defense
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Guile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO

Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Mysteries . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Parley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Command . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO

Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Aptitudes
Reason . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Skills
Grace . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vigor . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Dmg Reach Condition
Weapons
Gear
________________________
truncheon, police whistle, handcuffs, horn-handled
________________________
jack knife, pocketwatch with cameo of wife Kate,
________________________
small pad of paper, pencil
________________________
________________________
________________________
Truncheon
2
Close
Disarmed
_________
___
____
______
Jack knife
1
Touch ______
Bleeding
_________
___
____
_________ ___ ____ ______
Weapon
Funds
8
4
___ ___
s ___
d (1/20/240)
___________________________
___________________________
Accoutrements
Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Police
Background:_____________________________________________
Nature:____________________
Gallant
Penicuik
1862 to _______________
Jan. 3
Inspector Colum Campbell born on __________
in the city of _____________.
James & Laurie
28
Dr. Iain Trowbridge
I didnt say anything about fangs, Constable, I said, uh, youd have
my thanks, if youd send someone to fetch Inspector Campbell for me.
You moved to Edinburgh back in 84 to study at the
medical college, and after graduating went back to your
familys home in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne to start your own
practice, but the whole endeavor fell flat. After being part of
the bustle of the medical college, the participation in some
of the new methodologies being developed for investigative
medicine, and the opportunity to work with Dr. Bell...the
personal complaints of your clients just didnt hold your
interest. So, by 90 you were back in the city and formally
part of the adjunct staff at the college.
You have paid your dues and for the past three years
have worked indirectly for Drs. Bell and Littlejohn as theyve
developed some very interesting new applications of forensic
science. Your own skill as a surgeon, interest in challenging
cases, and involvement in forensics all coincided to bring you
to your current position after you were called in to determine
whether or not a body was killed by a beast or some type of
weapon. The trauma was unlike anything youd ever seen strange puncture wounds in an asymmetrical pattern around
the gut, and jagged slashes that appeared to be defensive
wounds on the victims arms. After much back and forth
you determined that it had to be an animal attack, but one
unknown to science.
A week later, you had your initial pronouncement
confirmed when Inspector Campbell brought you the body
of some twisted thing that might once have been a dog, but
bore a terrifying, sucker-like mouth in the middle of its body.
Campbell had managed to use the location and timing of
the attacks to suss out the things likely lair, and managed to
bring it down. You had the chance to autopsy it and...there
are hardly words.
Since then, youve been attached to Inspector Campbell
as hes investigated the strangest occurrences and crimes
in and around Edinburgh. You still work for the medical
college, but in a very quiet position helping research oddities
and terrors like those the Inspector sometimes comes
across. You are part of a small but vital cadre of scientists
throughout the Empire that are beginning to shed the light
of reason and rigor of science on the beasts and nightmares
that were previously left to childrens stories. There is terror
to it, and risk, but the chance to work on something so truly
rare is priceless to you.
Accoutrements
Medical bag with basic first aid supplies, stethoscope,

calipers, measuring tape, small bottle of rubbing alcohol, 4
empty glass bottles with stoppers, notebook, two pencils,1
dose laudanum, pocketknife, small steel flask with whiskey,
1 pound two shillings sixpence of assorted coinage.
56
Sgt. Jock Mathieson

By all accounts, a solid member of the force. Youve not
had the pleasure of working with him directly.
Constable Alec Dubh
An unknown member, which usually indicates a constable
is very new... or incompetent.
A name youve heard mentioned a few times over the
last few months. The man seems fit to make Sergeant or
Inspector soon, but from the few tidbits of gossip youve
caught from Inspector Campbell, you get the sense that he is
perhaps more flash than substance.
Ms. Dora Ramsay
The daughter of Dr. Archibald Ramsay, and by all
accounts both clever and unusually strong-willed in the
best way. Youve had some contact with Dr. Ramsay - hes
a successful practitioner here in Edinburgh and publishes
with the school. If his daughter is half so focused as he shell
certainly make a name for herself. It is good to see talented
women trying to step forward in life, but you worry that
trying to dive so openly and directly into the politics of a city
like Edinburgh is folly.
A missed opportunity for the scientific community. Had
the circumstances of his life been different, this man could
have made a wonderful doctor. Hes possessed of a rigorous
nature and keen mind, and has been a good partner for you.
You do what you do for love of knowledge and discovery,
he does his part for love of family...and at times you envy
him greatly.
Tactics
Dr.
Trowbridge
prefers to use the blade
of his sword cane when
physical conflict presents
itself. These attacks
use Grace + Fencing.
However,
his
most
exceptional skills lie in
healing the injured using
Reason+Medicine;
tracking opponents and
looking for clues with
Focus + Investigation,
and anything involving
thinking or planning.
Friend of the Police

1
__________________
OOOOO
Medical Expert
2
__________________
OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Reputations
Unlock the Secrets of Biology OOOOO

2
__________________
Beloved
Ms.
Moira
Donaldson
1
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
__________________ OOOOO
Affinities

_____________________________
Member: Edinburgh Medical College
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

_____________________________
Driven: Refresh on point of Purpose at the
_____________________________
start of each session.
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
Blessings & Curses
Surgeon (trade): Can perform surgeries

_____________________________
Steady Hands (medicine mastery): Flip two
_____________________________
cards and use best when aiding in recovery
_____________________________
Masteries & Trades
Native
Integration __________________
Pureblood
Bloodline:________________
Status
Class . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
2
Means . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
2
Potential
4
Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Ether . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
1
I
A
I
A
Esteem
___________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dispositions
(WILL + skill)
___________________________
___________________________
Penalties
Wounds
(GRACE + FOCUS)
Athletics _______
Fencing Armor
Guard
Skill:
(Vigor + skill)
Physical Defense
Physical Conflict
Social Conflict
Social Defense
Firearms . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Guile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Intuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Melee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Mysteries . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Parley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Grace . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Vigor . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Artisan . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Burglary . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Command . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Fencing . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Aptitudes
Reason . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Skills
Dmg Reach Condition
Weapons
27
Gear
________________________
calipers, measuring tape, small bottle of alcohol,
________________________
4 empty glass bottles w. stoppers, 1 dose laudanum,
________________________
pocket knife, small steel flask with whiskey, sword cane
________________________
________________________
________________________
Medical bag, basic first aid supplies, stethoscope,
Sword cane
2
Close
Bleeding
_________ ___
____
______
Pocket knife
1
Touch ______
Bleeding
_________
___
____
_________ ___ ____ ______
Weapon
Funds
1
2
6
___
___
s ___
d (1/20/240)
___________________________
___________________________
Accoutrements
Riding . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Stealth . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Survival . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Tactics . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Will . . . . . . . . . . . . . OOOOO
Professional
Background:_____________________________________________
Nature:____________________
Seeker
Newcastle
1864 to _______________
Oct. 15
Dr. Iain Trowbridge
born on __________
William & Clara in the city of _____________.
57
Index
A
Abberation..........................................36, 40-41, 43
Action........................................................see also Turn
and Threat.......................................................................5
Affinities............................................................4, 15
Aiming...................................................................10, 13
Allies
Ally & Antagonist Sheet Explained................................5
Canon Alder..........................................28, 37-39, 42-43
Rowan Star....................28-30, 32-33, 35, 37-39, 42-43
Antagonist
Ally & Antagonist Sheet Explained................................5
Idle Hands Antagonists: Sheet, Text References
Anne Lewis....................................................34, 33-35
Cat Abberation..............................................41, 42-43
Dog Abberation..............36 and 41, 35-36 and 42-43
Lost Wretches.................................................32, 32-33
Mack Andrews....................................................40, 38
Mary MacTavish............................................27, 26-27
Mob of Criminals................................................40, 38
Mutilated Corpses...........................................30, 29-30
Rat Amalgam.................36 and 40, 35-36 and 42-43
Stephan Kirs.........................................................40, 38
Thomas Corddray............................................25, 24-26
Aptitude.................................................................4, 6
Armor...............................................................4, 12, 16
Assets............................................................................4
Attack Priority......................................4, 11, 16
Avenues of Attack..........................11, 15-16
Background.............................................................4
Bane..............................................................................29
Blessings....................................................................4
Bloodline...............................................4, 29, 31, 42
Jock Mathieson....................................................46-47
Character Sheet...........................................4-5
Chimera.....................................................................36
Class..............................................................................4
Condition.......................................4-5, 12-14, 16-21
Gaining and Losing..................................................12-13

Lingering Conditions.............................................5, 12-13
Standard Conditions.................................................16-17
Weapon Conditions...................................................16-17
Conflict..................................................10-15, 18-21
Physical Conflict..................................................11, 18-19
Social Conflict.....................................................11, 20-21
Corruption....................................see under Potential
Cover...........................................................................13
Curses............................................................................4
Damage..................................................12, 17, 18, 20

and Social Tests..................................................20-21, 43
Death.....................................................................5, 12
Defense, Physical & Social.......4, 7, 12
Degree of Success (DoS)...................12-16
Partial Success..........................................................12, 14
Extraordinary Successes and Failures.................12, 14, 16
Remarkable Successes and Failures...........................16, 42
Disposition.....................4, 14-16, 20-21, 27, 33, 35
Changing Disposition................................................15-16
Edinburgh.........................................................22-24
Empire.....................................................................3, 22
Esteem..........................................................................4
Ether.................................................see under Potential
Evidence.................................................................14
Exchange...................................................11-12, 14
Glamour.............................................................23, 51
Guard................................4, 10-13, 16, 18-19, 25, 43
Determining Guard..........................................................4
Gaining and Losing............................................11-12, 16
Card
Card Number......................................................8, 31-32

Card Value...................................................................8-9
Drawing Cards.....................................................8, 10-11
Fate and Doom Cards...................................................8-9
Shuffling..................................................................8-9, 11
Changeling...............................see under Bloodline
Character
Character Selection for Idle Hands..................................23
Sample Characters
Alec Dubh..........................................................48-49
Colum Campbell..................................................54-55
Dora Ramsay......................................................52-53
Gavin MacLeod..................................................50-51
Iain Trowbridge...................................................56-57
58
Hand of Glory...............................28-29, 38-40
Character Knowledge Sidebar...........................................29

Ritual.............................................................................39
Healing and Recovery.....................12-13
Social Recovery................................................................15
Idle Hands
Ch. 1, Sc. 1..............................................................24-28

Ch. 1, Sc. 2..............................................................26-28
Ch. 2, Sc. 1..............................................................28-30
Ch. 2, Sc. A.............................................................31-32
Sc. B..............................................................32-33
Sc. C..............................................................33-35
Sc. D.............................................................35-36
Ch. 3, Sc. A.............................................................38-39
Sc. B..............................................................42-43
Epilogue....................................................................44-45
Infection.................................................................13
Incapacitated..................5, 10, 16-17, 37-38, 42
Initiative....................................................10-11, 16
Interrupt.........................................................................11
React.................................................9-11, 12, 14, 36, 38
Integration...................................................4, 9, 31
Emigre............................................................................31
Native........................................................................9, 31
Outsider..........................................................................31
Interrupt.......................................See under Initiative
Liabilities..................................................................4
Maladies................see under Healing and Recovery

Maneuver...........................................see under Turn
Masteries.........................................4, 47, 53, 55, 57
Means...........................................................................4
Mixed Attacks................................10, 12, 43, 50
Move.........................................................see under Turn
Nature.........................................................................4
Nephilim........................................see under Bloodline
Outcomes.....................................9, 12, 14, 16, 18-21
Avoiding with Purpose......................................................9

Convince.........................................................................14
DoS and Placing Outcomes................................12, 14, 16
Persuade..........................................................................14
Subdue............................................................................12
Wound............................................................................12
Penetrating Attack..........12, 14, 16, 39, 42

Pontus.............................2-4, 23, 28-33, 36-37, 42-45
Ranged Attacks...............................................13
Aiming.....................................................................10, 13
Reach..........................................................................13
React.................................................see under Initiative
Reputations...........................................4, 15, 44-45
Ritual........................................................38-39, 42-43
see also Hand of Glory
Sequence...............................8, 10-12, 17-19, 42-43
Beginning and Ending...............................................10-11

See also Initiative
Shade...........................................................................34
Skill.............................................................................4-7
Test..............................................................................8-9
see also Degree of Success (DoS)
Threat...................................................................5, 10
Adjusting Encounter Threat...............................35, 38, 41

Time.................................................................................8
Trades....................................................................4, 57
Turn........................................................................10-11
Action............................................................................10
Exchanges......................................................................10
Maneuver.....................................................10-11, 12, 16
Move...............................................................................10
see also Initiative
Weapon............................................................5, 16-17
Weapon Conditions...................................................16-17
Weapon List...................................................................17
Witchfinders.......................................................28
see also Allies for Canon Alder & Rowan Star
Wounds.........................................5, 12, 38, 40, 42-43
Wound Penalties..............................12, 16, 30, 37-38, 40
and Threat........................................................................5
Zone of Control..........7, 10, 17-19, 25, 38, 47
Pontus Effects.....................................................31-32, 43
Potential..................4, 9, 14-15, 18, 23, 31, 34, 51
Corruption....................................................................4, 9
Ether.........................................................4, 9, 23, 34, 51
Purpose................................................4, 9, 14-15, 18, 31
Pureblood....................................see under Bloodline
Purpose.............................................see under Potential
All material Reliquary Game Studios 2013.
59
Print & Play Cards

Copyright Reliquary Game Studios 2013
Layout & Design by Michelle Mullen
Game Design by Zeke Coughlin and Nathaniel Dean
These printable cards and a copy of the free Quick-Start Rules are all you need to
begin playing the Clockwork: Empire tabletop role-playing game. The Quick-Start
Rules, full-art cards, and all other Clockwork: Empire releases are available from
www.drivethrurpg.com. News, previews, and more game materials are on our
website at www.aclockworkworld.com. Find us on Facebook and follow us on
Twitter @AClockworkWorld.
60
Doom
Damaged
-5
Disarmed
-4
Disarmed
-5
Disarmed
-5
Disarmed
-4
Disarmed
-5
Disarmed
-4
Disarmed
-4
Disarmed
61
-4
10
-4
11
-4
12
Disoriented
Disoriented
Disoriented
13
14
15
-4
-4
-3
Disoriented
Disoriented
Disoriented
16
17
18
-3
Disoriented
62
-3
Disoriented
-3
Disoriented
-3
19
-3
20
-3
21
Entrapped
Entrapped
Entrapped
22
23
24
-3
-3
-2
Entrapped
Entrapped
Entrapped
25
26
27
-2
Entrapped
-2
Entrapped
-2
Staggered
63
-2
28
Staggered
-2
31
-2
29
Staggered
-2
32
-2
30
Staggered
-2
33
Staggered
Staggered
Staggered
34
35
36
-1
Staggered
64
-1
Fatigued
-1
Fatigued
-1
37
Fatigued
-1
40
Fatigued
-1
43
Outmaneuvered
-1
38
Fatigued
-1
41
Fatigued
-1
44
Outmaneuvered
-1
39
Fatigued
-1
42
Fatigued
45
Outmaneuvered
65
46
Outmaneuvered
49
Outmaneuvered
52
Overwhelmed
66
47
Outmaneuvered
50
Outmaneuvered
53
Overwhelmed
48
Outmaneuvered
51
Overwhelmed
54
Overwhelmed
55
Overwhelmed
58
Overwhelmed
Dazed
61
56
Overwhelmed
59
Dazed
Overwhelmed
60
Dazed
Dazed
57
62
63
Dazed
67
64
67
70
68
69
Unbalanced
Unbalanced
71
72
Unbalanced
68
Dazed
Dazed
Dazed
66
Dazed
65
Unbalanced
Unbalanced
73
74
75
Unbalanced
Unbalanced
Unbalanced
76
77
78
Undone
79
Undone
Undone
80
Disoriented
Undone
81
Entrapped
69
82
Unbalanced
Dazed
85
Exposed
88
Exposed
70
83
86
Exposed
89
Exposed
84
Exposed
87
Exposed
90
Exposed
91
Exposed
94
92
93
Aggravated
Aggravated
95
96
Aggravated
Aggravated
Aggravated
97
98
99
Aggravated
Aggravated
Aggravated
71
100
Fate
None
72
73

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1

Teresa Sanchez (order #5800817)

Clockwork Roleplaying Game v. 0.92 beta

Consultants and Contributors: Brent Concillio, Dr. Lisa

Playtesters: Christopher Block, Juliet Brownell, Scott

This book provides everything you need to introduce

These Quick Start Rules include:

The Clockwork World

The World Turns

In the beginning there were only the waters of chaos. It

The Empire Falls

Civilization is like a candle burning in the darkness of our

three-hundred million citizens living in so large a domain

The Pontus Rises

The Pontus is all that remains of the primordial chaos

The Character Sheet

The character sheet contains the characteristics that

1. Name records the given name of the character.

7. Assets represent atypical talents, possessions, or

19. Wounds represent severe injuries a character sustains.

Ally & Antagonist Sheet

Allies and antagonists use their own special record sheet

competency in physical, mental, and social Skills. When the

In Clockwork: Dominion, the properties and abilities

Aptitudes and Skills

Aptitudes and Skills are the traits that define what a

Artisan is ones ability to craft objects. This Skill covers the

Architect, Machinist, or Shipwright (more trades can be

designed for such environs like bayonets, sabers, and pikes;

Rules & Systems

The story told by the characters and Narrator unfolds

The telling of a story requires some unexpected elements

Card Number: used

2013 Reliquary Game Studios

Condition Name: the

The Core Mechanic:

At any point in the story, the Narrator may require

Passive Trait Tests

When a character has as much time as she could want

Fate and Doom

Sometimes the gears of the Clockwork align to favor or

Potential and Integration:

Purpose and Ether

Points of Purpose and Ether may be spent within the

Each person is meant to fulfill their purpose, and the

A character may spend a point of Ether to produce

Replace any one card an opponent has just drawn from

If a character ever commits actions abhorrent to the

When a conflict is about to begin, all characters refresh

The Initiative Sequence

The order in which characters act within a conflict is

Attract: used in social conflict to ensure a single character is

An exchange begins when one character attempts to

according to their weapons reach category - the longer the

Ending an Initiative Sequence

When all Initiative cards are flipped face-down or all

A trait test made to physically attack an opponent

Mixed and Social Attacks

Table 1: Effects of Physical Attacks

Opponents Guard is Up (Guard >0)

After the conflict is over, wounds and persistent

A social attack is made to convince an opponent

opponents Disposition is Favorable, the attack is penetrating

Conditions and Evidence

__________ _ _ __________

__________ _ _ __________