You have joined the Ministry of Our Hidden Mistress, a paramilitary cult that worships a forbidden goddess, and sworn in blood to avenge the wrongs placed upon you and your people. You have made an oath to fight the high elves, to subvert and capture their resources, and to take Spire back into dark elf hands once more.

It is a cruel and thankless task, and your family would most likely report you to the city guard if they found out what you did at night. But it is a task you have sworn to perform, and you will kill for it. You will die for it, too.

THE AELFIR

No-one can say for sure what led the high elves to curse half of their number millennia ago and turn them, over time, into the drow. But meet a high elf and talk to them for a while and you’ll see that such arcane cruelty is entirely in their nature.

The aelfir – as they prefer to be called – have magic running through their veins. They are creatures of blazing and beautiful colour whose feet barely touch the ground when they walk and whose perfect hair flows as if caught in a gentle wind. While some deign to spend time among the populace of Spire at large, most of them live their lives in walled districts of per- verse and audacious luxury.

THE CURSE

Some say that the drow are not cursed – that they were never aelfir, that they could never endure the touch of the sun’s light, that they were born under- ground as a different species entirely. But these rad- ical drow historians are rare in Spire, because they are often persuaded to say otherwise and reinforce the accepted wisdom that the dark elves are changed, deformed high elves – and wind up dead if their evi- dence to the contrary becomes too compelling. No- one can say for sure where the race originated from, but the aelfir seem keen to maintain the status quo.

THE HUMANS

Humans die young – at the age of sixty, or so, com- pared to the drow who stay vital until around their hundredth birthday and then quickly turn to dust, and the aelfir who extend their lives with sacred rituals and dark surgeries well into their second century. This short lifespan has filled humans, the aelfir reck- on, with an insatiable desire to discover and build, to create and leave marks upon the world.

The humans, originating from a vast island far to the west, discovered the ancient arcologies of those who came before – and unlike the aelfir and drow who kept the strange artefacts found down there as curiosities and trinkets, they broke them down and retro-engineered the technology into their own inventions.

As a result, humans invented the gun, and things have never really been the same since.They form the bulk of the aelfir mercenary armies, and can com- monly be found in Spire.

THE MINISTRY

The Ministry does not officially exist. Drow are permitted, and indeed encouraged, to worship Our Glorious Lady – their mother-goddess the moon who they believe watches over them from the night sky. She grants her people, who cannot endure the touch of the sun, with light, restoration, inspiration and solace.

But: in dark caverns and secret basements, in shadowed back-rooms and hushed safehouses, they have begun to worship a different goddess. The dark side of the moon, never seen by drow eyes, is known as Our Hidden Mistress, and it is she who fills the drow with the strength to resist their oppressors, un- seen and unheard. She is a goddess of poison and lies,a goddess of shadows and secrets, and a terrible and powerful creature indeed.

The secret society devoted to her is known as The Ministry of Our Hidden Mistress, or just The Min- istry, and they are all sworn to destroy and subvert the dominion of aelfir within Spire.Working in enemy territory, they strike at the assets and allies of the high elves and fight a shadow war against their overlords in an effort to dethrone them from the council and run them out of Spire for good. Each minister, for that is the name of the operatives who serve her, is trained in combat, stealth, and misdirection after being care- fully recruited from the populace of Spire. They are revolutionaries, and they are fighting an impossible battle, but that will not stem their bloodlust.

Things to Know

Before you start play, here are some things to know about your characters, the city, and the people around you.

YOUR OWN FAMILY WOULD SELL YOU OUT

You know what ministers do? Ministers get people killed. Ministers used to meet in the cel- lar of the bar down the road, and then the Solar Guard showed up and burned it to the ground with everyone inside. Ministers abduct and kill people for reasons that no-one can fathom. Min- isters draw the attention of the watch, and the aelfir, on the poorest, most downtrodden districts of Spire. Far better, then, to report a cell to the authorities, and gain whatever rewards are offered for doing so – better job prospects, a pocketful of sten, maybe even a nicer flat further up-Spire.

THE MINISTRY WOULD SELL YOU OUT

The Ministry are not your friends.They can’t afford to allow you to mess up, or to let information slip – they’ve invested so much in getting as far as they have today, and their work has barely started. If you get something wrong and it causes problems, the Ministry will quite gladly give you false information and send you into a trap to confuse their enemies.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 10+Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 10+Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS An Azurite starts with either one rank in Negotiation or Streetwise during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

CUT A DEAL: You know anyone who's anyone...

Once per session you may spend a Story Point to set up a meet with an NPC who can acquire you pretty much anything available in Spire. It won't be free, though, and odds are they'll want a favor or two.

HEART'S DESIRE: ...And you know what they want.

Once per encounter, pick an NPC that you can observe for some time. The GM will tell you what they want most of all.

DOMAIN: Commerce and either Low or High Society

BONDS:

• You have an individual-level bond with someone who buys, sells, or smuggles things for a living. Name them and what they’re most interested in.
• You have a bond with one of the other PCs who you helped out of debt. Say who, and why they got into debt in the first place.

EQUIPMENT

• One set of blue robes, many layers
• A smattering of gold jewellery made of coins from overseas
• Buckler of Azur
• Serious-looking club

Or

• Three sets of beautiful robes and girdles each in slightly different shades of blue.
• Golden necklaces, nose-rings and bracelets bearing the symbol of Azur
• "Weapon": Bodyguard

HIDDEN STASHES

You have dozens of caches hidden within the city limits.

In addition, once per session, gain a (non-unique, mundane) piece of equipment instantly as you retrieve it from a cache.

THE GOLDEN GOD'S ARCANA

You put a coin under your tongue as payment to Azur, who fills your mind with knowledge.

At the end of the rite, it disappears. Pay 100 Silver to cast this rite; gain access to a Domain and the Knowledge (Domain) skill that you do not have for the remainder of the current situation.

BUY FRIENDS

You sacrifice a handful of sten, throwing them from the side of Spire, and beg Azur to put in a good word on your account.

Pay 250 Silver and beseech Azur to aid you in a short ritual. Choose an organisation – you are treated as having an individual-level bond in that organisation until the end of the session, as Azur tweaks the golden skeins of fate to make a connection between the organisation and yourself.

GLUTTON'S COIN

You summon a magical coin that curses the holder with insatiable greed.

Pay 100 Silver or suffer two Strain. You summon a coin that you imbue with magical power. The first person to touch it other than you will be possessed by a feverish desire to gain as much wealth and items as possible before the next sunrise.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 9 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 9 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: A Bound starts with either one rank in Melee or Stealth during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

SURPRISE INFILTRATION: Nothing can keep you out.

Once per session you may spend a Story Point to insert yourself into a situation you are not currently present so long as there is some conceivable way you could get in there.

BOUND BLADE: You have captured a god and forced it into your blade.

As a Bound, you gain a god-knife or god-axe blade when you join the order and bind a small god inside it with a bloody and dark ritual. The blade counts as a spell implement for you.

DOMAIN: Low Society, Crime

BONDS:

• You have an individual-level bond with a member of the downtrodden underclass. Name them, and name the thing that’s most important to them.
• You have a bond with one of the other PCs who you rescued from a dangerous situation. Describe the situation they found themselves in.

EQUIPMENT

• Light Leather Armor
• Ceremonial red binding ropes and mask
• Sturdy leather gloves
• Climbing gear and ropes

Either

• God-knife
• God-axe

THE SECRET OF FLIGHT

The god bound into your blade can make it soar like an angel.

Your blade gains the following item qualities: Ranged, Pierce 2, Limited Ammo 1. (When you "run out of ammo", go and pick up your blade.)

THE SECRET OF LOOSE TONGUES

Your bottle enchants the liquor inside it, convincing those who drink to share their secrets.

Gain the Charm skill. When someone takes a drink from your bottle, they will feel compelled to tell you about a crime they were involved in, or adjacent to. (You cannot turn this off.)

THE SECRET OF FEAR

You rattle the cage that keeps the god bound in your blade, and it terrifies your enemies.

Suffer two Strain, your bound weapon gains the Superior 2 and Pierce 3 item quality for the next encounter.

THE SECRET OF LUCKY BREAKS

Your gods see to it that you’re never without small luxuries.

Your bottle always has a little bit of liquor left in it, your crumpled cigarette packet always contains three cigarettes, and your box of spireblack matches always contains one match. (You can’t use this ability to give out infinite cigarettes and booze to loads of other people in an attempt to make money; the gods will resent the abuse, and cease to aid you.)

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 8 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 12 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: A Carrion Priest starts with either one rank in Athletics or Stealth during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

HYENA: You have a companion hyena who obeys your commands.

At character creation, pick two com- mands that your hyena understands. At the start of your turn, choose one command to give to your hyena from the list that it understands so long as it can hear you speak:

• SIC ‘EM: When you launch a surprise melee attack on a target, your attacks gain the Vicious tag.
• SCOUT: When you attack at range from a position of hiding, your attacks gain the Vicious tag.
• GROWL: When you intimidate or drive away someone once per encounter, you may upgrade one of your dice for the attempt.
• GUARD: When you take Wound damage, you may reduce the amount by 1, down to a minimum of 1.
• FETCH: When you hunt down a target that you can see and hear once per encounter, you may upgrade one of your dice for the attempt.
• SCENT: When you sniff around a scene for clues once per encounter, you may upgrade one of your dice for the attempt.

LAY OF THE LAND: You are a trained hunter, and others would do well to heed your words.

When you enter a dangerous situation you may spend a Story Point to name up to three features or opportunities that your allies can take advantage of. Whenever they do so, they may upgrade one of their dice (for example: cover with a good view of the battlefield, an exit, a badly-guarded door, a stack of barrels, etc).

DOMAIN: Religion, Low Society

BONDS:

• You have a street-level bond with the faithful of charnel – a collection of worshippers of the corpse-eater god who live in New Heaven. Name three of them, and what’s weird about them.
• You have a bond with another PC who you have helped deal with a death – either by guiding them through the grieving process or disposing of the body. Say who it was, and who died

EQUIPMENT

• Leathers and robes
• Hyena

Either

• Heavy-pull crossbow
• Knife

Or

• War-cleaver
• Preyhook

MURDER OF CROWS

The sacred birds of death come to your call.

Suffer 2 Strain to cast this spell, which you must do so with access to a large open interior space, or the sky. You summon a flock of crows, ravens, jackdaws, magpies and all kinds of corvids, who will do your bidding until the end of the situation. They aren't skilled combatants, but they can provide a distraction in a pinch, and you can talk to them in a weird, croaking dialect if you want to ask them to gather information or watch an area.

RIP AND TEAR

When you corner your quarry, their death is swift.

You generate an automatic a on all of your attack rolls. You generate additional a each time you buy this talent.

DEAD FLESH

You are well-liked amongst the slums of New Heaven, as you are able to make rotting food edible once more.

You can call upon Charnel to bless rotting or spoiled food, casting the decay out of it, and making it safe to consume, as a five-minute ritual.

CHARNEL'S MARK

You channel the energies of the God of Slow Death through your body and onto your foes.

Suffer 4 Strain to cast this spell on a target within sight; a rune daubed in rapidly-drying blood appears on their person. Until the end of the encounter, you and all allies gain the Vicious 1 item quality whenever you inflict Critical Wounds on a target. If your weapon already has the Vicious Quality, it is upgrade one step whenever it is used against the target.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 10 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 10 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 110

STARTING SKILLS: A Firebrand starts with either one rank in Coercion or Skulduggery during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

LEAD FROM THE FRONT: You excel when you’re under pressure.

When you have reached at least 50% of your Strain threshold, you may upgrade one of your dice on all of your rolls.

DRAW A CROWD: You can pull together a crowd at a moment's notice.

Once per session you may spend a Story Point to draw a crowd to you in a matter of minutes. People will stop what they’re doing, so long as it isn’t life-or- death, and listen to what you have to say.

DOMAIN: Crime, Low Society

BONDS:

• You have two individual-level bonds with folk who are sympathetic to your goals. Pick two domains, and create an NPC bond for each of them.
• You have a bond with one of the other PCs who you recruited to the cause. Say who, and say what it was that tipped them over the edge.

EQUIPMENT

Either

• Knife, sap or brass knuckles

Or

• Sledgehammer or pickaxe

And either:

• Crow-pattern revolver

Or

• Buzzard sawn-off

FORCE OF PERSONALITY

There’s nothing you can’t do. Honest.

Once per session, declare you possess a Domain or Skill that you don’t actually have – you are treated as having a rank in it for the next encounter. Your natural bravado and charisma are enough to carry you through, even with your lack of applicable knowledge.

ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED; NEVER OUT-RUN

You are exceptional at getting the hell away from your problems.

Whenever you flee a superior force, you can add bb to your roll.

BROTHERS IN ARMS

You inspire your comrades to greatness and demoralize your foes.

Once per encounter, when you and an ally are fighting side-by-side, the next time either of you make a combat check, you can spend aa to have the other partner attack hit as well.

GODDESS' CHOSEN

You fight for the people, and Limyé smiles upon you.

Gain one talent from the Lajhan archetype.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 10 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 10 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: An Idol starts with one rank in Deception or Negotiation during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

LIFE AND SOUL OF THE PARTY: People flock to be near you.

Once per session, you may spend a Story Point- so long as there are people nearby and a place to have it- to create an instant gathering with dancing, games, drinking, eating and chatting. The party allows you to upgrade one of your dice to persuade, deceive, or distract actions performed within it.

GLAMOUR: Black magic and poise let you become whoever they want you to be.

Once per encounter, you may spend a Story Point to choose an NPC. Using a cocktail of charm, practiced poise and semi-legal black magic, you change your appearance to represent their ideal partner. You don’t get to determine what this looks like – it’s entirely reliant on the person you’re targeting – and you can end the spell by scrubbing off whatever makeup you’ve applied and spending five minutes in front of a mirror remembering what you look like.

Whatever your target prefers, you’ll always look like you. If they’re obsessed with tall people, you’ll look taller; if they like aelfir, you’ll look as though there’s some aelfir blood in you; if they’re mad about one particular person, you’ll resemble them (but not enough to, say, pass as them).

DOMAIN: High Society, Occult

BONDS:

• You have a street-level bond to your adoring fans. Name three of them, and what the group is most excited to see next.
• You have a bond with another PC who you know has feelings for you, even if they wouldn’t admit it. Describe the moment when you knew for definite.

EQUIPMENT

• Several sets of flattering clothing
• Tools to create or perform your chosen art
• Small gifts and trinkets from your fans
• A knife

MAJESTY

You become so beautiful that none would dare raise a hand against you.

To cast this spell, anoint yourself with pigments and regal jewelry. Make an Average (dd) check: if you succeed, for the next minute or so, you cannot be the target of attacks until you make an attack yourself. People can still block your path, but they can’t grab or attempt to restrain you until the spell is broken.

DISHARMONY

You turn your enemies against each other with whispered curses.

Make an Average (dd) check and pick a target that can see and hear you. On a success, they will immediately attempt a combat roll on their nearest ally with whatever weapon they're holding, believing them to be an enemy. If they don't have an ally nearby, this spell doesn't have any effect on them.

INSTILL EMOTION

Your art drives others to excess.

If you succeed to make an Average (dd) check when you perform or exhibit your art for an hour or more, you may drive a receptive crowd into one of the following: debauched excess, utter sorrow or mind-numbing ecstasy. You can’t direct them past this.

INCORRUPTIBLE

Your mind is crystal, shining and pure, and madness rolls off you and onto others.

Once per encounter, when you take Strain damage, a different nearby character (chosen by the GM) takes it instead.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 12 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 8 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: A Knight starts with one rank in either Melee or Ranged and Cool during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

PUBCRAWLER: You bear an encyclopedic knowledge of where to get drunk.

Once per session you may spend a Story Point to name a pub, inn or tavern where you know the landlord (whether she likes you or not is up to the DM.)

PICK A FIGHT: You’ve spent many an evening sizing up the other patrons in search of a decent brawl.

Once per encounter, ask the GM who is the best person in the surrounding area to pick a fight with on one of the following conditions: 1) you want to win 2) you want to make a good impression 3) you want to cause a distraction.

LAW OF THE DOCKS: You carry a mighty weapon.

As a Knight, you are permitted to carry a large bladed weapon (or a lance) without getting in trouble with the city guard. Using it is another matter.

DOMAIN: Low Society, Crime

BONDS:

• You have a street-level bond to your adoring fans. Name three of them, and what the group is most excited to see next.
• You have a bond with another PC who you know has feelings for you, even if they wouldn’t admit it. Describe the moment when you knew for definite.

EQUIPMENT

• Knight quarter-plate

And either

• Greatsword

Or

• Sword and Grackler Pistol

Or

• Knightly Lance

BRAGGADOCIO

You are an accomplished liar, especially when it comes to exaggerating your own abilities.

Once per session, automatically convince an NPC that you can achieve something (whether or not you're able to do it is immaterial).

KNIGHT-ADMIRAL

You have achieved a high rank, and thus command a portion of the fleet.

Your order bestows upon you a mighty mount – a rowboat. Name it. In addition, pick one: it’s fast; it looks good; it has a swivel-gun on the prow (as Shrike Gun); it doesn't leak much. Seats six (all of them rowing).

BULWARK

You and your armour share a special bond; it looks after you, you look after it.

Once per session, ignore all Wounds from an attack.

KNIGHT-PROTECTOR

You are adept at throwing yourself into trouble to save your friends.

Once per encounter, when a nearby ally would take Wounds from an enemy attack, you take it instead.

THE CROWD GOES WILD

You’re used to fighting with the support – or ire – of the crowd to keep you going.

When you have a crowd watching you, your combat rolls add a a. In addition, when you win a fight in front of a crowd, immediately restore two Wounds or two Strain.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 8 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 12 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: A Lajhan starts with one rank in either Repair or Resilience during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

RITE OF RESPITE: You create a place of stillness and healing.

Once per session, you may spend a Story Point to lead your allies in a recuperation session while you hold vigil. Describe how you create a comfortable, healing environment and how you help them. All allies present may heal strain and wounds up to the number of 󲊳 and 󲊴 generated.

MOONLIGHT: Limyé’s light shines forth from you.

Your forehead gem (or necklace, or bracelet, etc) glows as brightly as the full moon, casting a calm light into the darkness that cannot be extinguished unless you decide to snuff it, or you fall unconscious. The more ritualists casting this spell simultaneously, the brighter the light becomes.

DOMAIN: Religion, Low society

BONDS:

• You have an individual-level bond with an NPC member of the congregation who is sympathetic to your goals. Name them, and what they’re getting out of the relationship.
• You have a bond with a PC who you’ve helped overcome sickness, injury or addiction in the past. Say who it was, and what the problem was.

EQUIPMENT

• Ceremonial robes, a set of wooden and silver jewellery including bracelets, anklets, earrings and circlets.

Either

• L'od Nansan (The Order of Blood) knife
• Healer's kit

Or

• L'od Linyé-Anjhan (The Order of Silver Light) Moonsilver staff

FRIEND TO THE DOWNTRODDEN

You can sense who most needs your help.

Once per encounter, ask the GM which NPC is most in need of help, and they'll tell you.

OUR LADY'S CALM

You shine the calming light of Limyé over a situation, and tempers fade.

Suffer 4 Strain to cast this spell. You, and anyone nearby to you, cannot fight, or engage in violent actions, or move more than Short range per turn, for the next minute or so – you can extend it for another minute by suffering an additional 2 Strain.

RITE OF THE SILVER SANCTUARY

You mark a room as sacred to the goddess, barring the entry of trespassers.

Anoint the walls of an area (the size of a large room) with silver pigment mixed with sacred oils and suffer 2 Strain. If you are present in the area, you can stop or slow unwelcome guests from coming inside – if someone attempts to enter the area and you don't want them to, they suffer 4 Strain. They can sense this beforehand and choose not to enter if they wish.

SCRYATRIX NASCEN

You possess uncanny senses, and take the first step along the path of the blind seer.

Spend ten minutes meditating and attuning to the area around you to uncover strangeness or things out of place. You may then ask the GM to reveal something hidden to you in your immediate area: this can be an item, a motivation, a pathway, etc. The GM will relay the information to you as a vision or sensation, not hard data.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 9 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 9 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 90

STARTING SKILLS: A Masked starts with one rank in either Discipline or Coercion during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

SMELL STATUS: You know precisely who to talk to, or who to take out, to get things done.

Once per session, you may spend a Story Point to ask the GM: “Who’s really in charge, here?” You can find out easily, or you already know thanks to your connections.

SERVANT TO THE HIGH ONES: You spent years bowing and scraping at the feet of the high elves.

When interacting with the aelfir, you may upgrade one of your dice for the roll.

DOMAIN: High Society, Order

BONDS:

• You have one street-level bond with the servants of your old master. Name three of them and describe their jobs, and note down your master’s name and the worst thing they ever did to you or someone else under their power.
• You have a bond with another PC who you assisted during their durance.Who was it, and how did you help them out?

EQUIPMENT

• Your mask (describe it)
• Two sets of nice clothing
• Servant mask (carries the sign of your old master)

Either

• Hawk dueling pistol

Or

• Dagger

ONE OF THE STAFF

You'd be surprised how much chambermaids see.

Once per session, you can seamlessly blend into the household staff or employees of an organization or group and keep your ears open for information. For every hour you spend performing busywork (up to a maximum of 3), ask the GM one question about the organization that they must answer honestly.

ONE EYE OPEN

A life of regular beatings and cruel “gifts” have hardened you.

Even when you're asleep or knocked unconscious, you have an awareness of your surroundings. You are broadly aware of your location even if blindfolded and moved around, and any weapon you carry has the Concealed 2 tag, stacking if the item already has the Concealed quality.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

A good cravat can cover all manner of sins.

If you spend an hour helping an ally prepare before a difficult endeavor, picking out their clothes and advising them on methods of approach, they add b on Coerce, Charm, Negotiation and Deception checks for the next encounter.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 10 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 10 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 110

STARTING SKILLS: A Midwife starts with one rank in either Repair or Medicine during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

MARTYR: You sacrifice your life, inch by inch, to safeguard the future of the drow.

Once per session and after spending a Story Point, when an ally reaches their Wound or Strain threshold, you appear nearby so long as it would be even slightly feasible for you to do so. They take one less damage than their threshold allows while you take the overflow.

PROTECTOR'S EYE: Ancient instincts, bound into you by forgotten sorcery, give you a measure of what a person really cares about.

Once per encounter you may spend a Story Point to ask the GM what a particular NPC wishes to protect above all else.

DOMAIN: Occult, Low Society

BONDS:

• You have a street-level bond with the Order of Midwives, and are an active member. Name your immediate superior, who does not know you work for the Ministry, and one colleague, who does.
• You have a bond with another player character, whose life you saved when no- one else would. Say who, and what they’d done to ostracise themselves from their community.

EQUIPMENT

• Ceremonial silk robes

Either

• Twin Razors

Or

• Weighted Chain

BLESSING OF ISHKRAH

You weave a spell of protection over your allies, and inky spiders crawl across their skin.

Gain the Academia domain. Make an Average (dd) check to cast this spell. On a success, your allies are under the protection of Ishkrah: the first time they suffer Wounds in combat, the enemy that caused them suffers 4 Strain from arachnid nightmares assaulting their senses.

PLUCK THE WEB

You bind up tiny effigies of your foes with glistening silk, and force them to act upon each other.

Make an Average (dd) check to cast this spell. On a success, any two connected entities or groups of your choosing (whatever their size, so long as they share a connection) immediately act upon one another in whichever fashion the GM sees fit.

EYES OF ISHKRAH

You grow additional eyes with which you can sense the threads of magic.

Make an Average (dd) check to cast. On a success, you see all forms of occult magic in the surrounding area as shimmering webs of fate (including those around invisible creatures, or people observing you remotely) until the end of the current encounter. You can follow these threads to the point where the spell was cast.

RITE OF STILLED MIND

You have been taught the secret art of decanting your madness into ink-black liquid that you spit into vials.

Once per session, remove one Critical Injury from yourself, or treat a Critical Injury roll as 01.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 10 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 10 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: A Vermissian Sage starts with one rank in either Vigilance or Survival during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

BACK DOOR: You throw open a door and lunge through it into a twisted metallic nightmare: home.

Once per session, you may spend a Story Point to find an entrance to the Vault no matter where you are in Spire (whether it was there before you started looking remains unclear). Inside, you’ll find a collection of strange items and peculiar books, many of which relate or come from alternate histories, and some of which tell the truth. Any non-Sage character who enters the Vault should roll Resilience (3) or suffer two Strain.)

THE VAULT: You have access to the vast informational resources of the sages.

While inside the Vault, whether you accessed it through a Back Door or by normal means, you have access to equipment that will allow you to perform a Skulduggery or Knowledge check on any subject. It won’t upgrade your dice, but it will allow you to perform the check.

OBSESSIVE RESEARCHER: You spend every quiet moment filling your brain with knowledge – knowledge which is often fleeting.

At the start of each session, gain a level in a skill or domain that you don't already have. At the end of the session, you lose that benefit. You can’t have the same skill or domain two sessions in a row; you get bored, and must expand your mind in different ways.

DOMAIN: Academia, Occult, Technology

BONDS:

• You have an individual-level bond with an academic, researcher or guardian of the Vault. Name them, and their specialty.
• You have a bond with another PC – you know a secret about them. Say who it is, what the secret is, and whether they know you know or not.

EQUIPMENT

Either

• Folding Crossbow

Or

• Dagger

DEAD DROP

You have a network of concealed caches, filled with useful equipment.

Once per session, find a hidden stash of equipment that you, another scholar, or a version of you from an anomalous history has left in place to prepare for this eventuality. The drop allows you to equip a small group of people with generic equipment to perform a particular task (e.g. lockpicks, dark cloaks, matches and lanterns, food, etc).

MENTAL DIRECTORY

You can smell knowledge.

Make an Average(dd) check and ask the GM a question. On a success, they don't have to tell you the answer, but they do have to tell you the most straightforward way of getting one. (For example: You can’t know the combination to a safe, but you can know that it’s written down on a scrap of paper tucked into the overseer’s diary.)

THE LOCKED STACKS

You have access to the Locked Stacks, a dead and dusty place where knowledge is interred to an eternal rest.

When you visit the Locked Stacks, you can attempt to suppress a single fact or rumor – make an Average(dd) check. On a success, the information will begin to fade out of public knowledge unless someone makes a dedicated effort to make it known.

THORNED TONGUE

Untruths, in your presence, burn like cinders.

Make an Average(dd) check to cast this spell. On a success, you can punish people for lying to you: for the next situation, if someone lies to you (not through omission, but actively presents a falsehood) they suffer 2 Strain as searing pain shoots through their body and stabs behind their eyes. This is enough to put most people off ever lying to you, if they know who you are.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN

Reality is malleable, in the right hands: yours.

Once per session, re-roll all the dice in your pool, as you reveal the events that just happened to be false. You can try this trick a second time, but you suffer 4 Strain when you do so.

STARTING WOUND THRESHOLD: 8 + Brawn

STARTING STRAIN THRESHOLD: 12 + Willpower

STARTING EXPERIENCE: 100

STARTING SKILLS: A Blood-Witch starts with one rank in either Deception or Resilience during character creation. You may not increase these skills above rank 2 during character creation.

NIGHT TERROR: You have a history of fear in the city of Spire.

Once per session, when you meet an NPC for the first time, you may spend a Story Point to declare that they have tried to intervene in your affairs at some point in the past, and failed. They are now terrified of you, with all the risks that entails.

ECHOES: You can taste the intricacies of a person in their blood.

When you taste the blood of a creature, you will learn something interesting or surprising about their past or future. The blood must still be warm; the colder it is, the less accurate and more disjointed the visions will be. Visions of the future are inaccurate at best and misleading at worst, but they will represent one potential future for the target. (You cannot derive any information from tasting the blood of a cold-blooded creature.)

TRUE FORM: Try as you might, you just can’t keep the writhing terror inside yourself.

Since returning from the Heart, your true self pushes and boils beneath the surface of your skin. If you ever take more than half of your Strain Threshold as damage, you shift into the form that the Heart wishes you to be – a flickering zoetrope horror. Your fingers twitch and flex and your movements are stop-motion and disjointed; your shoulders pop and creak as they bend at the wrong points and the stench of old blood fills the air. You gain the Coercion and Athletics skills, and anyone with an ounce of sense will most likely run from you. You may attempt to stop this change with a Resilience+Cool roll. Your true form lasts until the end of the encounter.

You can two Strain to shift into your true form at any time.

OBSESSIVE RESEARCHER: You spend every quiet moment filling your brain with knowledge – knowledge which is often fleeting.

At the start of each session, gain a level in a skill or domain that you don't already have. At the end of the session, you lose that benefit. You can’t have the same skill or domain two sessions in a row; you get bored, and must expand your mind in different ways.

DOMAIN: Occult, Low Society

BONDS:

• You have captured a creature and fed your diseased blood to it, turning it to your will and enhancing its intelligence. Choose a small common creature such as a cat, toad, crow, snake, spider or raven, and gain it as an individual-level bond. The creature has a physical tell that indicates it is under the influence of black magic, such as compound eyes, additional legs, strange markings, or horns.
• You have tasted the blood of another player character, and learned a secret about their past (or future). What did you learn, and how often do you remind them of it?

EQUIPMENT

• Athame
• Several sets of weird-looking, tattered clothing
• A collection of occult ephemera

TALENTS (TIER 1)

BLOOD-BOUND COMPANION

You strengthen your bond with your familiar.

Gain two of the following abilities:

• Your familiar can talk to people other than you.
• Your familiar can change its shape into any similar-sized non-unique creature (but retains the tell).
• Your familiar can very briefly shift to become incorporeal.
• Your familiar can be used as a (6, Ranged, Short, Concealed 2, Limited Ammo 1) weapon.

You can take this talent twice, choosing different abilities each time.

BLOOD WARD

You slit your palm and slap it against the wall, leaving a bloody handprint that will lash out at anyone who comes near.

Suffer 2 Wounds to cast this spell, which is instantaneous. The next person – friend or foe – to come within arm's reach of the ward before it dries suffers 4 Strain.

BLOODY MASK

You mix your tainted blood with that of another, and daub sigils of glamour with it onto your brow and lips.

Suffer 2 Wounds to cast this spell. Draw on your face with a mixture of your blood and someone else's: until the blood dries completely, you will appear as though you are the other person to onlookers. The spell won't disguise your clothing, though.

ARTERIAL SPRAY

You spit a curse in a thrice-dead language and stinking, vitriolic black blood sprays out of a wound or orifice.

Suffer 1 Wound. It functions as a (6, 3, Ranged, Short, Blast 3, Burn 3) weapon.

BLIND EYE CURSE

You conjure a hex which manifests as sigils crawling underneath your skin that beguile and confuse those who would try to stop you.

Suffer 2 Strain to be forgotten of a minor crime, suffer 4 Strain to be forgotten in a moderate crime, suffer 8 Strain to be forgotten of a major crime.

EVIL EYE

*You spin a hex on a target, guaranteeing that three misfortunes will assail them.+

Suffer 4 Strain to cast this spell – you must be able to see the target. The next three times you or an ally roll against the target of this spell in any way (attacking, defending against their attacks, investigating, tailing, etc) the target adds bb to their check.

ACOLYTE

You spent time serving as an assistant to an aelfir in the Solar Basilica or researching ancient gods in dusty temples. You have a broad awareness of religious practices in Spire and are used to helping out during casting of ritual magic.

As an Acolyte you count the following skills as career skills: Alchemy, Knowledge (Academia), Knowledge (Occult), Knowledge (Religion), Mechanics, Medicine and Perception.

AGENT

You served as a connection between your master and the underworld, doing whatever needed to be done to ensure the success of their business enterprises.You are adept at covering your tracks, and in the know when it comes to the criminal element.

As an Agent you count the following skills as career skills: Charm, Cool, Coordination, Deception, Ranged, Skulduggery, Stealth, and Streetwise.

BUILDER

You designed and built things for your master – machines, structures, bridges, elevators, and so on. You are well-versed in patching things together and understanding the mysterious inner workings of devices.

As a Builder you count the following skills as career skills: Brawl, Cool, Coordination, Athletics, Repair, Knowledge (Technology), Mechanics, and Operating.

DEALER

You bought and sold things for your Lord, striving to get a good price, and are not averse to applying pressure to get what you want. You know the best places to acquire goods.

As a Dealer you count the following skills as career skills: Athletics, Brawl, Discipline, Knowledge (Commerce), Negotiation, Perception, Resilience, and Streetwise.

DUELIST

You put your life on the line, fighting for the honour of an aelfir lord during their debauched festivals, and you survived. You can comport yourself equally well in a swirling melee or a cocktail party.

As a Duelist you count the following skills as career skills: Brawl, Coordination, Deception, Melee (light), Perception, Ranged, Stealth, and Coercion

ENLISTED

You were a grunt – a frontline soldier, wrapped in scarves to protect yourself from the sun’s light, fighting a war far to the south against the gnolls. You are tougher than most, and can shoot straight.

As an Enlisted you count the following skills as career skills: Athletics, Brawl, Coercion, Melee (heavy), Perception, Ranged, Survival, and Vigilance.

GUARD

You were one of the thousands of drow forced to police Spire. This thankless task gave you a reputation as someone who’s useful to know, and a keen understanding of how to cut through bureaucratic red tape.

As a Guard you count the following skills as career skills: Athletics, Brawl, Coordination, Deception, Perception, Ranged, Stealth, and Survival

HUMAN EMISSARY

You dealt with the humans, a strange and short-lived race from beyond the eastern ocean, and grew used to understanding their strange technology before buying it off them.

As a Human Emissary you count the following skills as career skills: Cool, Deception, Knowledge (Technology), Leadership, Negotiation, Perception, Streetwise, and Vigilance.

HUNTER

You hunted wild beasts around the minarets of the upper Spire; either you aided your master in their hunts for sport, or you hunted alone for their table.

As an Hunter you count the following skills as career skills: Coordination, Perception, Ranged, Melee (Light), Riding, Stealth, Survival, and Vigilance

INFORMATION BROKER

You applied your unique talents for your lord’s benefit, buying and selling information, secrets and allegiances to further their political schemes. You have a keen eye for information, and are hard to track down.

As an Information Broker you count the following skills as career skills: Cool, Deception, Knowledge (Commerce), Negotiation, Perception, Skulduggery, and Vigilance.

KILLER

You murdered the enemies of your lord in cold blood; strangling them with their silken bedsheets, pushing them off gilded balconies, or shooting them in the street. You have an aptitude for death, and going unseen.

As a Killer you count the following skills as career skills: Charm, Cool, Coordination, Deception, Ranged, Skulduggery, Stealth, and Streetwise

LABOURER

You toiled in the enormous factories of the Works or the endless fields of the Garden district alongside multitudes of other drow. It made you tough, and instilled a keen sense of rebellion in you.

As a Labourer you count the following skills as career skills: Athletics, Repair, Streetwise, Melee (light), Melee (heavy), Discipline, Survival, Perception

OCCULTIST

You plumbed the depths of arcane knowledge for your master, risking your sanity by poring over forbidden tomes in an effort to unlock the secrets within. You are used to concealing your activities from the authorities and decoding ancient spells.

As an Occultist you count the following skills as career skills: Alchemy, Knowledge (Occult), Mechanics, Medicine, Skulduggery, Stealth, Cool and Perception.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT

You handled the day-to-day business of your lord, giving you an unusual level of authority and a small stash of embezzled money that has nearly run out.

As a Personal Assistant you count the following skills as career skills: Charm, Coercion, Knowledge (High Society), Discipline, Leadership, Melee (light), Negotiation, and Perception.

PET

You were kept as an objet d’art, too pretty to put to work, and shown off at parties. You have retained some of the trinkets and cash from your previous life.

As a Pet you count the following skills as career skills: Charm, Coordination, Deception, Discipline, Leadership, Melee, Skulduggery, and Stealth.

SAGE

You worked in one of the universities up-Spire, or perhaps in a private collection, understanding and distilling a broad array of topics for your master. You have a wide understanding of the sciences and history.

As a Sage you count the following skills as career skills: Alchemy, Knowledge (Academia), Knowledge (High Society), Mechanics, Medicine, Resilience, Negotiation and Perception.

SPY

You were employed as a spy, infiltrating societies and guilds to spread misinformation and report back on their activities to your lord. You are adept at lying, cheating, and moving unseen.

As an Acolyte you count the following skills as career skills: Alchemy, Skulduggery, Knowledge (High Society), Melee (light), Charm, Perception, and Deception.

City Guard

Requirement: Serve, or have served, with the City Guard.

Concealed (Passive)

Concealed weapons are easier to hide from prying eyes. Ignore each b of the opposed Perception check vs. your character’s Stealth up to the Concealed quality's rating. Additionally, if you strike an adversary unaware with this weapon, you can add damage up to the Concealed quality's rating to your damage. This only works if the adversary is surprised and does not anticipate your attack.

Dual-Wield (Passive)

A weapon with the Dual Wield quality adds one b up to the Dual-Wield quality's rating to all two-weapon attacks using this weapon. The other weapon does not need the Dual-Wield quality for this to come into effect. However, the effect stacks if both weapons have the Dual-Wield rating, in which case you add b up to the sum of both weapons' Dual-Wield quality's rating.

Camoflauge (Passive)

Allows you to blend in with the surroundings described next to the Camoflauge quality. Allows you to add a b die to all social interactions for this environment.