Blades in The Dark - Flame Without Shadow v3 [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

flame without shadow In this supplement for Blades in the Dark, you play members of the Bluecoats, Inspectors, or Spirit Wardens, tasked with a special mission. Before creating characters, choose which special mission your group will pursue. These replace the crew sheet from standard Blades play.  Mandate: A task force lead by an Inspector, with a few Bluecoats assigned from the area in question. Matters of Imperial security and prosperity which are deemed essential by a Lord Governor can be issued a Mandate by the High Office of Justice. The goal of a Mandate is to uncover and take down a criminal conspiracy (or to give the appearance of doing so for political purposes).  Imperative: A task force lead by an Initiate of the Spirit Wardens (with a few Bluecoats assigned to assist). Usually a final test to determine the Initiate's fitness to ascend to Warden status. The goal of an Imperative is to uncover and take down an occult conspiracy (or subborn its power for the Wardens). When you've completed your Mandate or Imperative, the task force is disbanded. If the players have unfinished business and want to continue playing these characters, they can arrange to do so "off book" — perhapns choosing a scoundrel crew sheet to represent their new endeavors, or somehow petitioning for a new Mandate or Imperative assignment.

REGULAR BLUECOATS If you want to play a standard, day-to-day Bluecoat squad operating in a precinct, choose the Bravos crew sheet from standard Blades. Most Bluecoat squads operate as extortion rackets in their district, in addition to "enforcing the law" to serve the interests of the rich and powerful people who control them.

v3.0

Playset Notes This playset kit has the bare-bones needed to play Flame Without Shadow. Experience with standard Blades in the Dark is assumed. Some elements which aren't fully fleshed out yet:  Case Dice: The idea here is that by completing full rows of the Mandate grid, you earn Case Dice to use in Fortune rolls as needed to address legal concerns during play and to resolve the final conclusion when the Mandate is finished and handed over to prosecutors.  Faction Benefits: I'm tinkering with downtime elements and some other bits to highlight the benefits of working for a powerful faction (rather than being unsupported scoundrels). Stuff like: Free clock ticks equal to faction Tier to spend in downtime (due to better support systems in place for healing, projects, etc.), earning Coin from a salary, and rolling faction Tier as a Fortune roll to address institutional opportunities and problems. Still hammering out the details here — a first stab at salaries is included in this version.  Advancing the Timeline: This supplement takes place about 5-10 years after the time of standard Blades. Some new factions will appear and some old ones will change or go away. Also, some new technology will be introduced, including:  Electroplasmography: the recording of light onto metal plates treated with quicksilver to produce images (similar to photography)  A rudimentary form of radio transmission (propagated through the ghost field, of course)  Advanced weapons, like the Hellyers Repeating Coilgun  Airships (formerly only found in Imperial City) — lighter-than-air craft powered by the lightning field over the city.

1

character & mandate creation CHARACTER CREATION Character creation is mostly the same as standard Blades, with a few changes.

Starting Coin & Stash  Bluecoats start with 1 Coin and 10 stash. They can maintain a moderate lifestyle: When their stash is less than 10, they earn 1 stash at the end of downtime until it reaches 10.  Inspectors start with 2 Coin and 20 stash. They can maintain a good lifestyle: When their stash is less than 20, they earn 2 stash at the end of downtime until it reaches 20.  Initiates start with 4 Coin and 40 stash. They can maintain a luxury lifestyle: When their stash isn't full, they earn 8 stash at the end of downtime until it's full again. Whenever an Initiate pulls money from their stash to use as Coin on the job, tick an 8-clock called "Secret Identity Discovered."

Backgrounds

Inspectors and Initiates are Nobles, and may select an additional Background as well.

ACTIONS Flame Without Shadow uses different actions than standard Blades. Most of the actions are available across all the law enforcement playbooks, while a few are unique to specific character types (though they may be acquired with a veteran advance).

Gathering Information  Analyze: Scrutinize details to discover useful pieces of evidence and conclusively demonstrate connections between them. Reveal deception. (Inspector).  Fathom: Uncanny understanding through deep intuition and clarity of the inner eye. When you fathom what's true, you know it without a doubt—but you may not be able to explain why. (Initiate)  Patrol: Walking a beat, noticing what's out of place, sitting a stakeout, relating with the locals, shaking down informants for the "word on the street." (Bluecoat)

Institutional Process  File: Use administrative tools to marshal the resources of your office or cut through red-tape—fast-track a warrant, pull an extra detachment of Bluecoats for a patrol, deploy lightning barriers around a city block, etc.

 Testify: Submit convincing testimony into record—prove that a suspect is guilty (whether they are or not). Provide clear evidence to secure resources or action from higher Tier offices—demand action from the Lord Governor, freeze a noble's assets, deploy the military, shut off power or water, etc.

Field Work  Control: Manage a situation, crowd, or person by direct orders, a show of force, or intimidation tactics. Establish security with a perimeter, checkpoints, etc.  Deceive: Pass yourself off as a civilian or scoundrel, work undercover. Lie, confuse, cheat, or steal.  Maneuver: Athletic movement (run, jump, climb) as well as coordinated action with a team to act as a cohesive unit for a raid or arrest.  Provoke: Elicit an emotion in a subject to produce a response—guilty admission, trusting sincerity, angry outburst, remorseful confession, etc.  Subdue: Violent action to incapacitate a subject—with bare fists, a truncheon, precise saber cuts, or a pistol shot. Wrestle someone into manacles.  Sweep: Find a person, item, or lead to pursue. Search for what's hidden.

ESTABLISHING THE MANDATE OR IMPERATIVE Creating your Mandate or Imperative is similar to creating a crew in standard Blades, with a few changes. No Hunting Grounds: You don't have hunting grounds. Skip this step. Your Cohort: You start with a Cohort of Bluecoats (for securing locations, crowd control, canvasing). Their type is Thugs. They're scale I (6 people) and quality III. Choose one positive trait and one negative trait for the cohort (page 96). Warrant or Malefactor: Record the warrant for your Mandate (its initial named conspirator and goal) or the Malefactor of your Imperative (the arcane entity at the heart of the matter). Sample starting situations are provided for both. Local Traits: As the officers advance the Mandate and Imperative, they also affect the district the case is centered on. At the start of play record the Local Traits from the district (For example Coalridge has 1 in Weath, Security & Safety, and Criminal Influence and 0 in Occult Influence). During downtime, record how these traits have been affected by advancing the clocks on the Mandate or Imperative sheet. When a clock is filled, raise or lower the trait accordingly.

2

imperial mandate

When the Grand Adjudicator of the High Office of Justice ascertains a potential threat to the Imperium itself, the Emperor’s Inner Council is summoned to assess the situation and issue an Imperial Mandate to address the crisis. The goal of an Imperial Mandate is to expunge a problem before it fully manifests, according to the principle known as “Preemptive Justice” in Imperial law. As such a tool, a Mandate falls outside of standard law enforcement practices and prescriptions, and is given wide latitude to pursue the elimination of the threat. Each Mandate is issued to two individuals who are responsible for its successful completion: the Lord Governor of the city in which the Mandate is to be executed, and the Inspector assigned to execute it. In addition, it’s traditional for the City Council to assign representatives of the City Watch to assist the Inspector in their duties—in practice, however, the dire political consequences for failure to achieve a Mandate mean that the Council limits their responsibility as much as possible, assigning as few Bluecoats as they can to the Mandate. Within the byzantine legal systems of the Shattered Isles, the Mandate acts as a variety of lawful powers including:  Warrant to arrest and detain any subject deemed pertinent to the Mandate.  Authorization to use force to achieve the Mandate.  Authorization to seize funds, property, and holdings to achieve the Mandate.  Authorization to offer leniency or rewards as incentives to provoke compliance or assistance with the Mandate. In practical application, the Mandate is seen as a nuisance to the regular workings of local law, disrupting political operations and factional “arrangements.” The elite with enough clout (and coin) will arrange to make themselves conveniently out of reach if they believe the Mandate threatens their freedom or prosperity. As a result, Inspectors are advised against wanton or flagrant use of the Mandate’s authority—though not all heed such cautions.

THE MANDATE IN PLAY For game play purposes, the Mandate acts as a focus for players to achieve a concrete goal. Rather than running day-to-day police patrol operations, or a mystery-solving investigation, the Mandate is instead an organized and targeted problem, which can be approached from a variety of angles and creative solutions to achieve its ends. Much like an underworld crew, the agents of the Mandate are free to pick their targets and go after them as they see fit—the action of the game is always player-

driven, not doled out as a series of clues to follow from the Game Master. The characters have actions and abilities designed to allow them to cut through the unknown and mysterious, to jump into who they will pursue and why. Playing the Mandate is more fun when the discovery of the involved subjects is simple, but what to do about them is hard. Despite the “police procedural” trappings, the Mandate is not a crime to be solved, but rather a threatening situation about to explode into a crisis. It’s a problem entangled in the local landscape of factions and citizens in a messy way, so that striking at any part of it will disrupt lives and create interesting consequences, leading to more action and hard choices. The Mandate grid replaces the Claims grid from standard Blades. Rather than turf and assets, each box on the Mandate grid represents progress on the case, either in the form of Evidence (physical or testimonial) to support the Mandate in court, or a Subject (a perpetrator) whose apprehension or cooperation will advance the case. The players choose which paths to take as they work their way from the bottom of the grid to the top, eventually closing in on the Primary Subject who's behind it all. No Mandate can be executed cleanly, and that’s a big part of the fun. Who will the players choose to destroy, who will they turn to their cause, who will be helped, who will suffer? Nothing is set in stone and the responsibility is in the player’s hands to pursue their course. Can they achieve anything good when the powers-that-be oppose them at every turn? Can justice actually be done in a system so corrupted, or can they only hold off this catastrophe for now? What do the characters really believe in? What matters most? Play to find out!

STARTING THE MANDATE Each Mandate begins with a warrant issued by the Grand Adjudicator (acting on behalf of the Emperor). This warrant will name the individual selected by the High Office of Justice as immediately culpable for the troubles assoicated with the Mandate (usually someone from a lower Tier faction, less protected from Imperial legal scrutiny). The warrant is the central, bottom box on the Mandate grid, connected to a box on either side representing the first choice the Inspector (and their team) must make: Will they collect Evidence or apprehend a Subject as their first move?

WORKING THE CASE Rather than running Scores as in standard Blades, the Inspector and their Bluecoat team pursue Operations. The system is the same as running a score: choose an Operation type (Capture, Legwork, Patrol, Raid, Stakeout, or Undercover), provide the detail, then make an engagement roll and kick off the action.

3

The goal of an Operation is either to gain Evidence (in the form of physical evidence or witness testimony) or to secure a Subject (flipping them to work for the Mandate or else sinking in them in Ironhook Prison on charges, to get them out of the way). The players write the info about the Evidence or Subject in the box provided, then tick the circle on that box when it's completed. Players can learn details about boxes on the Mandate grid before reaching them through Operations. They might learn the identity of the Primary Subject right away (putting that name in the box) but still have a long slog of Operations ahead of them before they can close in on them. The Mandate is a roadmap for the Operations during game play — it's not meant to be a mystery to be solved in small pieces. Information and leads should result from everything the PCs do.

LORD DUNVIL'S INDISCRETIONS Your squad is in the perilous position of investigating a missing person’s case affiliated with the powerful city council member Lord Dunvil. This could be your biggest break or the end of your careers. Roderick Dunvil, city council member and owner of the Dunvil Factory and Dunvil Labor Camps, has long been suspected of embezzlement, conspiracy to defraud his co-council members, trafficking in rogue spirits, and a half dozen other infractions against imperial law. He’s also the single largest employer in Doskvol and a leader of industry. By all measures, he’s as invincible as the Emperor himself. Can Dunvil keep this new indiscretion quiet enough that none of the other council members take notice? Captain Lomond, the precinct commander, receives regular complaints from the drudges about conditions in Dunvil's factories, but few of them hold enough merit to make it onto your desk. Recently, however, one of the workers, Belle Brogan, stepped forward and specifically blamed her foreman Master Slane, for the disappearance of Kierann Hale, a Sparkwright who works in the factory.

OPENING SCENE After they make their characters and Mandate, tell them this: Branon Coleburn, your criminal informant squints at you with his one good eye as you all squeeze into the small alcove under Market Way Bridge. The overhang offers little protection from the rain and the cacophony of foot traffic above you would make it difficult for any nearby interloper to eavesdrop on your meeting. When he sees you’ve all arrived, he nods, turns up the corner of his mouth acknowledging the deal you’ve made, and tells his story. “Yeah, I know what happened to Hale, I saw it first hand. He took to Lure poorly. It wasn’t an hour or so before his eyes started turning white and his skin started to abrade from the pressure of something beneath it. After that, there’s no coming back, so we packed him in the cart and sent him off. Wouldn’t have thought a drudge from the factory would matter to the Inspectors.” “Did Slane give him to us to get him high and keep him quiet? Did he hope Hale would overdose and disappear for good? I’m not about to perjure myself by answering any of those questions! What I can tell you is that Slane has plenty of support, much of it from your own precinct, and if Belle keeps making noise about forming a union, you’re going to have more than one disappearance in your case files.” Play Coleburn. He’s an unabashed criminal who knows the PCs have got bigger fish to fry. He won’t say anything directly incriminating, but he’s happy to point the Inspector in the right direction if that means keeping them off his back, and if the pay is right. Speaking of which, when he’s done, he’ll expect payment. Will they toss him a coin, trade information, or double-cross him and sink him into Ironhook as their first move to show the bosses they're getting results?

OTHER SCENES

Master Slane, a known enforcer for Dunvil and foreman in the mines, has a history of violent altercations, which are typically justified by the Necessary Means Act (NMA). This recent disappearance however, has sparked an upheaval among the workers, who are now threatening to riot, or worse, unionize. Do the workers have the resolve to unionize or can their leaders be intimidated or bribed like everyone else in the city?

Play the NPCs. Slane believes himself invulnerable because he has the personal ear of Lord Dunvil. He perceives the Bluecoats as Dunvil’s enforces and expects them to work with him to find a scapegoat to pin Hale’s disappearance on.

You have been issued a Mandate to resolve this matter in Coalridge before the situation spirals out of control (and productivity in the work houses dips). The warrant names Master Slane as the starting point. The Primary Subject, Lord Dunvil, is a member of City Council, and could have any of your jobs should he catch wind of your investigation. Who did Dunvil anger enough to pull strings for an Imperial Mandate? Who benefits if he goes down?

Belle was friends with Hale, who had been working on a private project to make sparcraft prosthetic limbs for Coalers that lost them in the factory. She knows that Slane found out about the project and is sure he killed Hale for his “disloyalty”.

Lomond is obligated to assist the mandate but every resource she allocates takes away from her patrol, including the Bluecoats assigned to the case. She’ll go out of her wait to aid the Mandate if she sees the end in sight.

4

spirit warden imperative CORPOREAL DEGRADATION IN COALRIDGE When a supernatural threat arises in the city, a Spirit Warden is given an Imperative to correct it and is assigned a unit of Bluecoats to act as their intermediary with the civilians involved. One of you will be playing a Spirit Warden Initiate on their first assignment, and the others will play Bluecoats stationed in the Coalridge precinct. The fires of the Ironworks foundry, fueled by centuries by the flames of a demon called The Iron-Caller, erupted last night after it had been tampered with by a factory worker named Quess Thorn, was consumed in the flames. The forge has gone dark, hardly the whisper of a flame emanating from it despite the coal fed to it. Did the demon summon it’s liberator, or is it now bound to some force beyond the forge? Coalridge district workers, who may be involved with a labor dispute, are frequent victims of grifting from The Telestic Order and owe many obligations to the illicit organization. Several of them, under the demon’s influence, have exhibited violence and defiance uncharacteristic of their common mien. How many of these citizens have been exposed? How many will have to be quarantined to protect the others? Your imperative is tasked to restore the foundry to operation, prevent further unnecessary deaths, and contain any demonic contamination. As per Warden protocol you’ve been instructed to keep your exposure limited to prevent further spectral contamination. Can you bind the Iron-Caller back to the forge? Can you contain the panic? Is the unrest of the factory workers caused by the demon’s anger, or the other way around? Let’s play to find out.

OPENING SCENE Warden Initiate, the acrid smell filling the Iron Works are principally formed by superheated metallic oxides, however in this particular corner the odor of decomposition overpowers the fumes, even behind your spirit mask. Despite it being unorthodox protocol, the circumstances of this cadaver death necessitates immediate spectral containment. This ghost is a means to an end, your assignment is to contain the demonic threat. Meanwhile a crowd of curious workers is pressing in. They are led by factory boss Emrun Biddle, who could either be a great asset containing the people or a giant liability if he tries to start the foundry back up again. Bluecoats, whether as an award or punishment, you’ve been assigned to work this case by Precinct Captain Lomond, and right now you are the only ones who can keep this crowd’s bubbling curiosity from turning to a fevered panic. This foundry and these people…they’ve all gotta get back to work.

On a stained factory floor the burned corpse of a factory worker spasms and lurches, as the spectral separation completes and a ghost emerges. Restrained by your electroplasmic bonds and compelled to answer honestly, the ghost of Quess Thorn first demands, then begs you to take vengeance on The Telestic Order. “First they robbed me, then they used me, then they sent me to my death!” Do you trust their account? Will you go after the The Telestic Order, or the malefactor they serve? Will you give this ghost the vengeance it craves or send it quickly to the incinerator? How will prevent a panic from the people looking on? Play Quess. Three days ago they were a drunken factory worker who lost their meager savings in the Night Waltzer dance hall to a dealer named Lendry the Squid who works for The Telestic Order. Terrified of returning to their family with news of further destitution they agreed to pour a concentrated quicksilver contaminants into the forge during the smelting process, which caused an eruption of molten iron. Every worker burned by the iron is now an agent of the Iron-Caller. Quess as a ghost is lost, confused, and increasingly hateful. In their containment, Quess poses no threat to the Spirit Warden Initiate, but they will still rage against the living in any way they can. Play Emrun. He’s been a disciple of the Iron Caller for decades without knowing it. Every time he pounded the bellows and spread the forge’s flame, he was giving breath to the demon. He’s helpful when he thinks he might learn something that would gain him the favor of his master. Emrun has every right to know what’s happening in his foundry however, and he’ll use that authority if he feels left out of. His resources include pressure from Lord Dunvil and members of his own cult, also seeing to gain the favor of the Iron Caller.

OTHER SCENES Play the NPCs. Quess, Emrun, Lendry, The Telestic Order, the factory workers, and the Iron Caller all have their own agendas that they’ll either try to entangle the officers in, or keep them far away from. Lendry may just be a pawn of the Telestic Order, but he’s savvy enough to know when he’s being used and prepare. The factory workers see better working conditions and see this interruption as a change to strike for them. Belle, Adric, and Tock are all ready to take action. Haunt, the leader of the Telestic Order is ready to cut ties if needed. She doesn’t want spirit warden attention, and she’s happy to use her political clout to misdirect them. Adric was in the factory during the explosion and a shard of molten iron embedded itself in his arm. Though his cousin Belle is in charge, he’s prone to solving problems with violence, either personally or by rallying others.

5

coalridge notables LABOR

UNDERWORLD

Belle Brogan. A Skovlander factory worker gaining popularity as a union organizer. It’s only a matter of time before a factory boss tries to make an example of her. (Charming, Confident, Bold)

Emring Wells. Stinger for the Hive tasked to ensure that Hive business is undisturbed by Coalridge upheavals (Efficient, Perceptive, Cold)

Adric Brogan. Cousin of Belle. Works in the factory. Solves his problems with violence, either personally inflicted or rallying his family (Commanding, Cajoling, Righteous). Veld. He used to be a Skovlan smith, now Veld works in the factories and hates it. Local ferrier. (Creased face, Crooked nose, Wry smile). Remira Llewellyn. Factory worker whose children Mysie and Arquo joined the Lampblacks against her wishes. She tends to her ailing husband (Resourceful, Despairing, Clear-eyed)

TRADE Emrun Biddle. Foreman in the Dunvil Ironworks. His many children claim privileged roles as shift leads, liaisons to the ministry, and enforcers. (Watchful, Exacting, Loud). Master Slane. A notorious factory foreman known for excessive and cruel punishment. Many attempts have been made on his life, but all have failed. Some say he’s a devil. (Cold, Cruel, Sadistic)

Molosca Black, alias Haunt. (sorcerer, unpredictable, unhinged, malignant)

LAW Precinct Captain Lomond. A career bluecoat who Believes in the chain of command and suffers endless abuse from her superiors to maintain her post (Insightful, Cooperative, Candid). Kara. Resentful of her family life, takes it out on citizens (calm, suddenly fierce, obsessive). Parker. Patrol leader, loved by his cronies, despised by everyone else (Vindictive, Charming, Petty). Swimmer. Disowned son of a noble he doesn’t like to talk about. He’s been transferred from so many precincts that people only know his nickname (Incompetent, Insecure, Fidgety). Shar. Veteran of the Unity War, always carries electroplasmic ammunition along with her standard shot. (Callous, Brave, Precise)

NOBLES Lord Dunvil. After Lord Strandford’s promotion to chancellor of the Ministry of Preservation in Imperial City, Dunvil has begun maneuvering to claim his seat of immanence in Doskvol, seizing every opportunity to claim land from the weakened houses Bowmore, Clelland, and Rowan (Calculating, Charming, Indebted).

6

bluecoat

an officer of the law

precinct

look heritage: local district—other district —outsider

background: bluecoat—labor— military—sailor—trade—underworld

vice / purveyor: faith—gambling—luxury—obligation—pleasure—stupor—weird stress

trauma

cold—haunted—obsessed—paranoid reckless—soft—unstable—vicious

harm 3

healing need project clock help

2

-1d

1

less effect

notes

armor uses

armor heavy special

  

Natural Born Police: You may expend your special armor to  resist a consequence from skullduggery (being given the slip, getting ambushed, being lied to, etc.) or to push yourself in the line of duty. Bulldog: When you brandish your authority, it's especially intimidating.  When you Control a subject under threat of the law, take +1d.  Come Along Quietly: You can push yourself to do one of the following: make a violent or unreasonable person listen to you for a moment—cause a mob to hesitate and move aside for a few moments. Desk Jockey: When you gather information on a subject that's  been in the system, you get +1d to your rolls. When you Consort or Testify using Bluecoat documents, you get +1 effect. The Shield: When you protect citizens or a fellow officer of the law,  take +1d on your resistance roll, and take -1 stress from the roll. Interceptor: When you pursue a subject, choose one of the  following; they choose another: the chase is in the open, for all to see—there's a risk of harm to you both—you're both isolated from your allies. When you catch a subject, clear 2 stress. Moonlighting: During downtime, choose one downtime activity  (long-term project, reduce heat, or train) and gain 1 coin when you do it. Or also gather info? Rough Experience: You get a scoundrel action, starting with one dot.  Veteran: Choose a special ability from another source.        

conviction

   

control file testify _____________

force

   

subdue maneuver provoke _____________

savvy

   

deceive patrol sweep _____________

bonus die push yourself (take

+ 2 stress) -or- accept a devil's bargain.

 Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute. At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.  You served your precinct by laying down the law or you did what's right.  You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.  You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

3 light   5 normal   6 heavy   nd   A Pistol    A 2 Pistol A Large Weapon     An Unusual Weapon   Armor   +Heavy   A Practical Item   Burglary Gear Climbing Gear     Arcane Implements   Documents   Subterfuge Supplies Demolition Tools     Tinkering Tools   Lantern

teamwork

gather information

street contacts

items

Rhona, a cutter     Trippet, a workhouse boss     Polk, a laborer     Hopper, a whisper     Cortland, a gang leader     One-Eye, a drug dealer    

load

Truncheon   Saber   Battering ram    Manacles & chain   Bluecoat badge & whistle   Spiritbane charm  

xp

v3.0

       

playbook

special abilities

name

stash           coin          

operations & load

Assist a teammate

Choose an operation, provide the detail. Choose your load limit for the operation.

Lead a group action

Capture: Subject Location Raid: Point of attack

Protect a teammate

Legwork: Connection

Stakeout: Watch point

Set up a teammate

Patrol: Route

Undercover: Method

 What should I lookout for?  What do they intend to do?  How can I find [X]?  How can I get them to [X]?  Are they telling the truth?  What's really going on here?

inspector

an imperial investigator

precinct

Bloody Fingerprints: When you interpret evidence, it's especially  compelling. When you wield evidence against a target, take +1d.

look heritage:   bright harbor—imperial city background, nobility &: academic— mistport—sevrin—tyrmoor—u'duasha law—military—trade—underworld vice / purveyor: faith—gambling—luxury—obligation—pleasure—stupor—weird stress

trauma

cold—haunted—obsessed—paranoid reckless—soft—unstable—vicious

harm 3

healing

2

-1d

1

less effect

notes

armor uses

armor heavy special

Beyond Reproach: You can push yourself to do both of the following:  impress onlookers with your integrity and authority as an agent of the Imperium—cause them to hesitate and reconsider their actions. Forensics: When you gather info at the scene of a crime, you get +1d  to your rolls and you collect useful evidence. You may ask "What can be proven using this evidence?" and "What's the best lead to pursue now?" A Good Person to Know: When you would take -1 status with a  faction, you may instead take stress equal to its Tier+1, to smooth it over. Lead Investigator: When you lead a group action to advance the  mandate, you may count multiple 6s from different rolls as a critical. Righteous: You're immune to intimidation from anyone you  consider dishonorable or lowly. You get +1d to Integrity rolls.

need project clock help

  

Sanctioned: You may expend your special armor to resist a  consequence from status or institutional barriers (access to people, places, or things) or to push yourself in the line of duty. Streetwise: You get a bluecoat action, starting with one dot. 

acumen

   

analyze deceive sweep _____________

integrity

   

control file testify _____________

valor

   

maneuver provoke subdue _____________

bonus die push yourself (take

+ 2 stress) -or- accept a devil's bargain.

Veteran: Choose a special ability from another source.        

 Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute. At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.  You honorably did your duty in service to the Imperium or you did what's right.  You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.  You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

3 light   5 normal   6 heavy   nd   A Pistol    A 2 Pistol A Large Weapon     An Unusual Weapon   Armor   +Heavy   A Luxury Item   Burglary Gear Climbing Gear     Arcane Implements   Documents   Subterfuge Supplies Demolition Tools     Tinkering Tools   Lantern

teamwork

gather information

affiliates

items

The Lord Governor     The Master Warden     Commander of the Watch     The Chief Magistrate     The Ambassador of your     home consulate

load

Truncheon   Saber   Investigator's kit    Inspector's badge   Vial of identification oil   Spiritbane charm  

xp

v3.0

       

playbook

special abilities

name

stash           coin          

operations & load

Assist a teammate

Choose an operation, provide the detail. Choose your load limit for the operation.

Lead a group action

Capture: Subject Location Raid: Point of attack

Protect a teammate

Legwork: Connection

Stakeout: Watch point

Set up a teammate

Patrol: Route

Undercover: Method

 Who's connected to this?  What do they intend to do?  How can I find [X]?  How can I get them to [X]?  Are they telling the truth?  What's really going on here?

initiate

stash           coin          

a spirit warden in training

       

playbook

special abilities

real name

spirit mask symbol / alias

look heritage:    a koros—the dagger isles iruvia—severos—skovlan—tycheros

background, nobility &: academic— church—law—military—underworld

vice / purveyor: faith—gambling—luxury—obligation—pleasure—stupor—weird stress

trauma

cold—haunted—obsessed—paranoid reckless—soft—unstable—vicious

harm 3

healing need project clock help

2

-1d

1

less effect

abilities for reference

armor uses

armor  heavy  special  vestments 

implements

Compel: While wearing your spirit mask, you can Fathom the ghost  field to force a nearby ghost to appear and obey a command you give it. You are not supernaturally terrified by a ghost you summon or compel (though your allies may be).

Uses 

Ghost Fighter: You may imbue your hands, melee weapons, or tools  with spirit energy. You gain potency in combat vs. the supernatural. You may grapple with spirits to restrain and capture them.

 Demonbane Sigil

Ghost Mind: You’re always aware of supernatural entities in your  presence. Take +1d when you gather info about the supernatural. Warded: You may expend your special armor to resist a supernatural  consequence, or to push yourself when you deal with arcane forces. notes

v3.0

When you use an implement slot, choose one below:

 Vial of Electroplasm  Spirit Bottle & Lure  Lightning Grenade  Quicksilver Grenade  Severance Oil  Stillness Oil Ritual of "Mirror and Bone": Spirits in the affected area become heavy with electroplasmic essence, causing them to interact strongly with the physical world, rather than weakly.

Spectrologist: When you flashback to academic study in  preparation against the supernatural, it costs 1 fewer stress. Your setup and group action teamwork rolls involving such preparation get +1d. Exalted Carillon: While the bells of the crematorium ring out  for a death near you and/or Deathseeker Crows fly nearby, you get +1d to any rolls to contend with spirits (including resistance rolls).  Plasmatic Apparatus: When accoutred with the implements of your office, you can push yourself to do one of the following: warp the ghost field in the local area to trap spirits within and repel spirits without—summon or dismiss Deathseeker Crows Clad in Righteousness: While wearing your spirit mask, you  gain Warded from the Whisper playbook and Ghost Fighter from the Cutter playbook. The Third Cataract: While wearing your spirit mask, you're  immune to supernatural terror. You gain Compel and Ghost Mind from the Whisper playbook (using Fathom in place of Attune). Ghost Echo: While unmasked, you may push yourself to remain  anonymous and to use abilities that normally require your mask. While unmasked, you may expend your special armor to resist consequences from pursuit or discovery or to push yourself when remaining inconspicuous or unnoticed. Imperial Training: You get an Inspector action, starting with one dot.  Veteran: Choose a special ability from another source.        

clarity

   

file maneuver testify _____________

depth

   

deceive fathom sweep _____________

scorn

   

control provoke subdue _____________

bonus die push yourself (take

+ 2 stress) -or- accept a devil's bargain.

 Every time you roll a desperate action, mark xp in that action's attribute. At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (in your playbook or an attribute) or 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times.  You discharged your duty in service to the Emperor or you did what's right.  You expressed your beliefs, drives, heritage, or background.  You struggled with issues from your vice or traumas during the session.

3 light   5 normal   6 heavy     A Blade    A Pistol A Large Weapon     An Unusual Weapon   Armor   +Heavy   A Luxury Item   Burglary Gear Climbing Gear     Documents   Subterfuge Supplies Demolition Tools     Tinkering Tools   Lantern

teamwork

gather information

connections

items

The Burned King     Stevan, a Whisper     Ayleth, a reconciled ghost     Sersa, a Gondolier     Asher, a possessed     Deathlands Scavenger

load

Initiate's Spirit Mask   Spirit Warden Implements   Lightning Baton   Portable Lightning Barriers    Spiritbane Vestments   Ritual of "Mirror and Bone"  

xp

commitments & load

Assist a teammate

Choose a commitment, provide the detail. Choose your load limit for the commitment.

Lead a group action

Disposal: Subject Location Raid: Point of attack

Protect a teammate

Inquisition: Subject(s)

Interdiction: Malefactor

Set up a teammate

Purification: Location

Undercover: Method

 What's corrupted here?  What should I lookout for?  How can I find [X]?  How can I get them to [X]?  Are they telling the truth?  What's really going on here?

mandate precinct / patrol / unit

a task force serving an imperial warrant

reputation

special abilities

warrant

case dice primary subject 

key subject

 +3

evidence



key subject





evidence

subject



evidence



subject

 +2



evidence

evidence



key subject



subject

 +1

evidence



subject





evidence

subject



evidence



subject





Evidence: Sweep for physical evidence to collect (or destroy). Or press a witness to testify for the mandate. Subject: Flip them to work for the unit. Or sink them with an arrest (into Ironhook) or off-books elimination. duty

turf

heat

pressure

local traits

st

rank        

funding coin |                        

chaos

stability

SAFETY & SECURITY freedom

suppression

      

strife

OCCULT INFLUENCE

v3.0

purity

      

contacts

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

CRIMINAL INFLUENCE peace

Elite Cohort   Rugged      (+1 stress box)

_______________________________________________

      

      

Cover operation    'Interview' chamber   Imperial pardon   

_______________________________________________

WEALTH

hold wk

tier status

Lord Governor

vi

City Council

v

Leviathan Hunters

v

Ironhook Prison

iv

Spirit Wardens

iv

Bluecoats

iii

Inspectors

iii

Ink Rakes

ii

Citizenry

unit upgrades

0

warrant evidence

Hand-Picked: Each PC may add +1 action  rating to Evaluate, Connive, or Testify (up to a max rating of 3). The Citadel: You're welcome at the friendly  local cop bar. Take 1 Turf. When you recover, you get +2 segments on your healing clock. Efficiency: During downtime, the unit gets  one free downtime activity to reduce heat, acquire an asset, or work a long term project. Friends in High Places: When you reduce  heat on the unit, take -1 heat. When the unit receives funds, take +1 coin. A Special Arrangement: When there's  killing during an operation, spend 2 coin to avoid -1 status with the Spirit Wardens. Sharpened: Choose one operation type and  take +1d to the engagement roll when you execute that operation. Backing: When you arrest, indict, or use  case dice in pursuit of the mandate, take +1d. Veteran        

FACTIONS

corruption

unit xp At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (or instead mark 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times).  Enforce the law or advance the progress of the mandate.  Contend with challenges above your current station.  Bolster your unit's reputation or develop a new one.  Express the goals, drives, inner conflict, or essential nature of the unit.

assets quality   Vehicle    Documents   Hidden    Gear   Quarters    Implements   Secure    Supplies   Fund    Tools   Workshop    Weapons training   Conviction—Depth—Integrity   Force—Scorn—Valor   Acumen—Clarity—Savvy   Personal    Mastery cohorts New: 2. Add Type: 2 gang

cohort WEAK

IMPAIRED



BROKEN

expert



ARMOR

imperative a spirit warden special assignment

precinct / hq

special abilities

reputation

Worthy: Each PC may add +1 dot to Control,  Evaluate, or Secure (up to a max of 3). Lockdown: You may cordon off a ward  with lightning barriers and checkpoints. In the ward, you get +1 effect vs the arcane and +1d to track or capture foes. Dark Wings: A Deathseeker Crow attends  you and provides warning of all arcane threats before they manifest. You may send the crow in search of a subject or object—it returns during your next downtime with the location. Quicksilver Amulet: Each agent is issued an  item which negates a supernatural ability in near proximity: demonic speech or travel—ghostly possession or dissipation—vampiric power or void Efficiency: During downtime, the unit gets  one free downtime activity to reduce heat, acquire an asset, or work a long term project. Friends in High Places: When you reduce  heat on the unit, take -1 heat. When the unit receives funds, take +1 coin. Sharpened: Choose one operation type and  take +1d to the engagement roll. What special training gives you this edge? Veteran        

objective / malefactor

profaned

adepts scion

defiled

acolytes

malefactor defiled

sanctum

artifact

defiled

FACTIONS

tier status

Lord Governor

vi

City Council

v

Leviathan Hunters

v

Ironhook Prison

iv

Spirit Wardens

iv

Bluecoats

iii

Inspectors

iii

Ink Rakes

ii

Citizenry

unit upgrades

acolytes

Cover operation Elite Cohort      'Interview' chamber  Ascended       Imperial Clemency (+1 max trauma)   

defiled

scion adepts

profaned

contacts

Acolytes: Members of the cult. +1 scale to cabal's forces until all are cleansed. Adepts: Leaders of the cult. +1 Corruption tick per downtime until all are cleansed. Artifact: Occult item. -1d resistance vs. cabal until cleansed. Defiled: Corrupted victims. +1 Heat per downtime until all are cleansed. Profaned: Corrupted foes. -1d to engagement rolls until all are cleansed. Sanctum: Corrupted place. Ancient Tower, Spirit Well, etc. Add the Ritual entanglement to each downtime until cleansed. Scion: Elite corrupted foe. A demon, spirit, vampire, sorcerer, etc. -1 effect level vs Malefactor until all are cleansed. duty

turf

heat

v3.0

st

rank        

_______________________________________________

WEALTH chaos

_______________________________________________

      

stability

SAFETY & SECURITY freedom

      

pressure

suppression

funding coin |                        

      

strife

OCCULT INFLUENCE purity

      

_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

CRIMINAL INFLUENCE peace

hold wk

_______________________________________________

local traits

corruption

unit xp At the end of each session, for each item below, mark 1 xp (or instead mark 2 xp if that item occurred multiple times).  Cleanse corruption or advance the imperative.  Contend with challenges above your current station.  Bolster your unit's reputation or develop a new one.  Express the goals, drives, inner conflict, or essential nature of the unit.

assets quality   Vehicle    Documents   Hidden    Gear   Quarters    Implements   Secure    Supplies   Fund    Tools   Workshop    Weapons training   Conviction—Depth—Integrity   Force—Scorn—Valor   Acumen—Clarity—Savvy   Personal    Mastery cohorts New: 2. Add Type: 2 gang

cohort WEAK

IMPAIRED



BROKEN

expert



ARMOR

FLAME WITHOUT SHADOW: BLUECOATS

Duty, Heat, Entanglements, Factions/Clocks, Downtime

1. DUTY

2. HEAT

4. FACTION STATUSES & LOCAL TRAIT CLOCKS

The unit earns 2 duty per operation by default. If the unit made progress on the mandate, take +1 duty. If the unit completed a whole row of the mandate, take +4 duty. If the unit endangered the peace or interfered with law & order, take -2 duty (minimum zero).

After an operation or conflict with an opponent, the unit takes heat equal to double the Tier of the highest-Tier subject accosted. Add +1 heat for a high-profile or well-connected target. Add +1 heat if the situation happened on hostile turf. Add +1 heat if you're at war. Add +2 heat if killing was involved.

Killing: -1 status with Spirit Wardens. -1 status with a faction hurt by the killing. +1 status with a faction helped by the killing.

3. PAPERWORK & ENTANGLEMENTS

Before entanglements, deal with paperwork. Blow off your paperwork and take +1d to one of your downtime rolls, or write your reports and choose what you say: 1. What actually happened. 2. Cover for the Blue. 3. Throw someone under the bus. If any number of unit members blow off their paperwork, add 1 heat. For entanglement, roll dice equal to your Pressure, and read the result according to your heat. HEAT 0-3

HEAT 4/5

HEAT 6+

A Clean Coat or 1-3 Cooperation

1-3 Bad Weather or Community

1-3 Flipped or Arrest

4/5 Rivals or In the Sheets

4/5 A Clean Coat or Exposed

4/5 Marked or Review

6

Community or Rivals

6

Marked or Reprisals

A Clean Coat. The Bluecoats expect you to take a cut of a score in exchange for looking the other way and keeping your mouth shut. Take 1 coin and 1 heat, or refuse and take -1 status. Arrest. A subject of your Mandate has been arrested for another crime. Bad Weather. The Bluecoats expect you to join in on a score, extorting the locals. Assist them and earn 2 coin, 3 heat, and +1 status; support them by paying 3 coin; or refuse and take -1 status. Community. Someone from the local community expects you to handle a problem for them. Put the Mandate on hold to deal with it or take -1 status with the Citizenry. Cooperation. A +3 status faction asks you for a favor. Agree to do it or forfeit 1 rep per Tier of the friendly faction or take -1 status with them. If you don't have a +3 faction status, you avoid entanglements right now. Exposed. A journalist from the Ink Rakes has discovered details about the mandate and acts based on their faction status (+3: They ask if they can publish it. +2: They'll listen to edits. +1: They tell you before they publish. -1: They publish without talking to you. -2: They slant the story to make the law look worse. -3: They slant the story to make the unit look worse.). Flipped. One of your contacts switches allegiances. They're loyal to another faction now.

6

Arrest: -1 status with subject's faction. +1 status with a faction helped by the arrest, and/or with the Bluecoats if the arrest makes them look good. Clocks: Assess each local trait and determine if one of its clocks should advance based on recent events.

5. DOWNTIME

Between operations you may pursue two downtime activities from the list below. You also recover all of your armor uses. During downtime, you may perform additional activities from the list by spending 1 coin or 1 duty for each. For any downtime roll, add +1d to the roll if you get help from a friend or contact. After the roll, you may increase the result level by one for each coin spent, by hiring assistance, paying a bribe, etc.

acquire asset

Acquire temporary use of an asset. Roll the crew's Rank. The result indicates the quality of the asset (1-3: Inferior (Tier -1), 4/5: Standard (Tier), 6: Fine (Tier +1), Crit: Exceptional (Tier +2). You may spend coin to bump this result beyond exceptional, to reach higher quality Tiers, but it costs 2 coin per level to do so.

long term project

Work on a Long Term Project, if you have the means. Roll a trait and mark 1 segment on the project clock per level (1-3: one, 4/5: two, 6: three, Crit: five).

recover

Get treatment to tick your healing clock (like a long-term project). When you fill a clock, each harm is reduced by one level.

reduce heat

Say how you reduce Heat on the unit and roll your action. Reduce heat according to the result level (1-3: one, 4/5: two, 6: three, Crit: five).

train

Mark 1 xp for an attribute or your playbook (+1 xp if you have the appropriate crew training upgrade). You can train a given xp track only once per downtime.

indulge vice

Visit a purveyor of your vice and roll dice equal to your lowest attribute. Clear stress equal to your highest die result. If you clear more stress levels than you had marked, you overindulge (see below). If you do not or cannot indulge your vice during downtime, you take stress equal to your trauma.

Untouchable

In the Sheets. A journalist from the Ink Rakes has written a speculative piece about the unit or mandate subject(s), and intends to follow up with supposition, accusations, and inconvenient questions. Marked. The underworld makes a move against a member of the unit. How do they get the drop on you? Pay them off with 3 coin, or they beat you up (level 2 harm) and you spill a detail about the mandate. Reprisals. An enemy faction makes a move against you (or a friend, contact, or vice purveyor). Pay them 1 coin per Tier of the enemy as an apology, allow them to mess with you or yours, or fight back and show them who's boss. Review. Your superiors bring one of you in to account for the unit's actions. Make a fortune roll with Testify to see how well you hold off their ire (1-3: lose all discretionary funds and -1 hold, 4/5: -1 hold, 6: +1 hold). Rivals. A neutral faction throws their weight around. They threaten you, a friend/contact, or one of your vice purveyors. Forfeit 1 coin per Tier of the rival, or stand up to them and lose 1 status. Untouchable. A subject of your Mandate becomes untenable due to institutional interference. "This person is a key witness in another case... you can't touch them. This comes straight from the top."

Overindulge.

You make a bad call because of your vice— in acquiring it or while under its influence. What did you do?

 Attract Trouble: Select or roll an additional entanglement.  Brag about your exploits. +2 heat.  Lost: Play a different character until this one returns from their bender.  Tapped. Your current purveyor cuts you off. Find a new source for your vice. v3.0

FLAME WITHOUT SHADOW: SPIRIT WARDENS

Imperative Cult Penalties, Duty, Heat, Entanglements, Factions/Clocks, Downtime

1. DUTY

2. HEAT

4. FACTION STATUSES & LOCAL TRAIT CLOCKS

The unit earns 2 duty per operation by default. If the unit made progress on the imperative, take +1 duty. If the unit cleansed all instances of a threat on the imperative, take +4 duty. If the unit endangered the peace or interfered with law & order, take -2 duty (minimum zero).

After an operation or conflict with an opponent, the unit takes heat equal to double the Tier of the highest-Tier subject accosted. Add +1 heat for a high-profile or well-connected target. Add +1 heat if the situation happened on hostile turf. Add +1 heat if you're at war. Add +2 heat if killing was involved.

Killing: -1 status with Spirit Wardens. -1 status with a faction hurt by the killing. +1 status with a faction helped by the killing.

3. PAPERWORK & ENTANGLEMENTS

Before entanglements, deal with paperwork. Blow off your paperwork and take +1d to one of your downtime rolls, or write your reports and choose what you say: 1. What actually happened. 2. Cover for the Wardens. 3. Throw someone under the bus. If any number of unit members blow off their paperwork, add 1 heat. For entanglement, roll dice equal to your Pressure, and read the result according to your heat. HEAT 0-3

HEAT 4/5

HEAT 6+

A Clean Coat or 1-3 Cooperation

1-3 A Clean Coat or Community

1-3 Flipped or Arrest

4/5 Rivals or In the Sheets

4/5 Vengeful Spirits or Exposed

4/5 Ritual or Review

Community or Vengeful 6 Spirits 6 Ritual or Reprisals 6 Untouchable A Clean Coat. The Bluecoats expect you to take a cut Reprisals. An enemy faction makes a move against of a score in exchange for looking the other way and you (or a friend, contact, or vice purveyor). Pay them keeping your mouth shut. Take 1 coin and 1 heat, 1 coin per Tier of the enemy as an apology, allow or refuse and take -1 status. them to mess with you or yours, or fight back and Arrest. A subject of your imperative has been show them who's boss. arrested for another crime. Review. Your superiors bring one of you in to Community. Someone from the local community account for the unit's actions. Make a fortune roll expects you to handle an arcane problem for them. with Testify to see how well you hold off their Put the imperative on hold to deal with it or take -1 ire (1-3: lose all discretionary funds and -1 hold, 4/5: -1 hold, 6: +1 hold). status with the Citizenry. Cooperation. A +3 status faction asks you for a favor. Ritual. Occult forces aligned with the malefactor Agree to do it or forfeit 1 rep per Tier of the friendly enact a ritual of dark power which does harm in the faction or take -1 status with them. If you don't have district and threatens your imperative. a +3 faction status, you avoid entanglements right now. Rivals. A neutral faction throws their weight around. Exposed. A journalist from the Ink Rakes has They threaten you, a friend/contact, or one of your discovered details about the imperative and acts based vice purveyors. Forfeit 1 coin per Tier of the rival, on their faction status (+3: They ask if they can publish or stand up to them and lose 1 status. it. +2: They'll listen to edits. +1: They tell you before they Untouchable. A subject of your imperative publish. -1: They publish without talking to you. -2: becomes untenable due to institutional interference. They slant the story to make the Wardens look worse. "This person is a key witness in another case... you can't -3: They slant the story to make the unit look worse.). touch them. This comes straight from the top." Flipped. One of your contacts switches allegiances. Vengeful Spirits. Your work attracts angry They're loyal to another faction now. ghosts, drawn to the power of the malefactor or bent In the Sheets. A journalist from the Ink Rakes has on retribution against the Wardens. Avoid them and written a speculative piece about the unit or imperative forfeit 3 duty or deal with the spirits yourselves. subject(s), and intends to follow up with supposition, accusations, and inconvenient questions.

Purification: -1 status with subject's faction. +1 status with a faction helped by the purification, and/or with the Spirit Wardens if the purification makes them look good. Clocks: Assess each local trait and determine if one of its clocks should advance based on recent events.

5. DOWNTIME

Between operations you may pursue two downtime activities from the list below. You also recover all of your armor uses. During downtime, you may perform additional activities from the list by spending 1 coin or 1 duty for each. For any downtime roll, add +1d to the roll if you get help from a friend or contact. After the roll, you may increase the result level by one for each coin spent, by hiring assistance, paying a bribe, etc.

acquire asset

Acquire temporary use of an asset. Roll the crew's Rank. The result indicates the quality of the asset (1-3: Inferior (Tier -1), 4/5: Standard (Tier), 6: Fine (Tier +1), Crit: Exceptional (Tier +2). You may spend coin to bump this result beyond exceptional, to reach higher quality Tiers, but it costs 2 coin per level to do so.

long term project

Work on a Long Term Project, if you have the means. Roll a trait and mark 1 segment on the project clock per level (1-3: one, 4/5: two, 6: three, Crit: five).

recover

Get treatment to tick your healing clock (like a long-term project). When you fill a clock, each harm is reduced by one level.

reduce heat

Say how you reduce Heat on the unit and roll your action. Reduce heat according to the result level (1-3: one, 4/5: two, 6: three, Crit: five).

train

Mark 1 xp for an attribute or your playbook (+1 xp if you have the appropriate crew training upgrade). You can train a given xp track only once per downtime.

indulge vice

Visit a purveyor of your vice and roll dice equal to your lowest attribute. Clear stress equal to your highest die result. If you clear more stress levels than you had marked, you overindulge (see below). If you do not or cannot indulge your vice during downtime, you take stress equal to your trauma.

Overindulge.

You make a bad call because of your vice— in acquiring it or while under its influence. What did you do?

 Attract Trouble: Select or roll an additional entanglement.  Brag about your exploits. +2 heat.  Lost: Play a different character until this one returns from their bender.  Tapped. Your current purveyor cuts you off. Find a new source for your vice. v3.0