EMBRACE THE DARKNESS, FACE YOUR DEMONS, SURVIVE THE NIGHT

EMBRACE THE DARKNESS, FACE YOUR DEMONS, SURVIVE THE NIGHT

Game Design and Writing

Federico Giliberto

Copy Editing
Martina Di Caro

Developmental Editing and Content review

Giulio Dal Santo, Emilio Fabbri, Simone Meconi,
Michele Montesi, Gianluca Torrente

Layout
Elena Bianco

Illustrations and Cover

Kyle Smallwood

Additional Illustrations
Elena Bianco

Editorial Direction
Gianluca Torrente

Artistic Direction
Elena Bianco

Head of Creative Jam

Luigi De Luca Cuccia
«I’m the one who steps from the shadows, all trenchcoat and ciga-
rette and arrogance, ready to deal with the madness. Oh, I’ve got
it all sewn up. I can save you. If it takes the last drop of your
blood, I’ll drive your demons away. I’ll kick them in the bollocks
and spit on them when they’re down and then I’ll be gone back into
darkness, leaving only a nod and a wink and a wisecrack. I walk
my path alone... who would walk with me ?»

[Garth Ennis, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits.]

 It’s just a

GAME
Nightbound is a role-playing game that has been
inspired by the Hellblazer comic book series pu-
blished by DC Comics and Vertigo Comics, and the
series’ main character John Constantine.

As in the comic book, Nightbound players will take

a journey through their very own personal hell and
will be forced to face the demons, sins, and guilt
of their past in a world where the separation
between good and evil is always thin and blurred,
allowing the creatures that inhabit the Darkness
to manipulate the lives of mankind for their own
purposes.

Other content that has been an inspiration for Ni-

ghtbound is the Preacher comic book series, due to
the way it mixes sacred and profane, and for how
it places great powers and responsibilities in
the hands of its protagonist only to see them
used for seemingly futile or selfish motives.
Additionally, the Lucifer comic book series
has been used for inspiration for some cha-
racters archetypes, and the Felix Castor
book series by Mike Carey has inspired the
setting.

The rules and mechanics of Nightbound were

created starting from the design work done
by Vincent Baker on his role-playing game
Apocalypse World. Nightbound is for all
intents and purposes a Powered by The Apo-
calypse (PBTA) game. I would like to thank
Vincent Baker and Lumpley Games for crea-
ting such a masterpiece.

3
 Beyond the

VEIL
h , a n d e v e rything
art
We are on E h e s u n r i ses in
l. T
seems norma s e t s i n the eve-
a n d
the morning e x i s t s d a y after
kind
ning, human l u e l e s s o f the
ely c
day complet h i d d e n b e yond the
rld
parallel wo e s s h a s d ropped
Darkn
veil that y e s . T h is dimen-
r e
before thei e d b y s u p ernatu-
abi t
sion is inh o w a i t p a t iently
es wh
ral creatur i n t h e d arkness,
or s
like predat e m o t i o n s , plea-
the
to feast on l o v e o f human-
and
sure, pain,
kind. r e p r e se n t the
tures
These crea l u r k s w ithin the
a t
Darkness th d w h o s e o n ly goal
, an
human heart a n d m a n i pulate
ugate
is to subj e i r o w n p urposes.
r t h
humanity fo

Sometimes humans invite the Darkness into their

homes. Whether it is for lust for power or for a
nobler purpose, every human who has dealt with
the Darkness has found himself losing everything,
even his life. Sometimes the Darkness violently
enters the lives of humans, destroying everything
they encounter in their advance.

Angels, demons, fairies, ancient sorcerers, vampi-

res, werewolves, spirits, forgotten deities. This
is the Darkness! When we talk about the Darkness,
we refer to all kinds of creatures that go beyond
the normal understanding of an ordinary human being
and that have always been relegated to stories,
fairy tales, or beliefs.

4
Who’s gonna stop

THEM ?
Darkness lurks within the heart of
each human.

Although a policeman, a politician, or a priest may

pass off as a normal person, they could secretly be
one with the Darkness. So, who can be trusted? The
answer is only yourself. You are the only solution to
the problem, or at least that’s what you are convinced
of. Your life has been intoxicated by the Darkness’s
influence and because of it you have learned to defend
yourself. People might call you sorcerer, occultist,
weirdo, or simply crazy. You have seen so much shit
that you can no longer maintain a shred of sanity and
for this reason you have decided to stand up for huma-
nity and kick the ass of that very demon who is most
likely pissed off at you already.
 Occult

DETECTIVES
You might have an idea of who the main characters of
this story are, but you might still ask yourself who
you are, or what you are. You are a group of people
that just had enough. The Darkness has given you one
too many and now it is time to stop it for good. You
could be private investigators with an occult streak,
perhaps charlatans or all brawn and no brains tough
guys. You are all special in one way or the other but
that’s not what matters. The thing that drives the
“Magus” like you is revenge, the desire to make these
creatures pay, to make every second of their existence
in your dimension a worse hell than the one they esca-
ped from. Your job is not easy, you have a lot to lose
but you have to do it.

Nightbound

PRINCIPLES
There are a few principles that players
should follow when playing Nightbound:

Play to see what happens:

Like all PBTAs you play to find out

what happens next. No one knows how
the story will go, there is no scrip-
ting. Every dice roll, every move, and
every decision will modify the story
in unexpected ways. Just play and see
what happens.

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Fiction First:

In Nightbound nothing happens out of the blue. Every

action has consequences and if you want something to
happen you must do something to make it happen. You
shouldn’t say “I use this Move”, you actually have to
do the thing.

Drown in guilt and seek redemption:

There’s no fun in always winning. Seeing characters

suffer and pay for their actions is compelling and in-
teresting, we would like to see them make a difference
in a world plagued by Darkness.

You are no hero, you are just pissed off:

There are no heroes here, you shouldn’t act like one.

The characters in Nightbound are flawed human beings
dealing with their issues and with powers that they
can’t fully understand nor control. They can use the
skills that they possess with their best intentions
but they will always end up in a mess. Embrace your
mistakes and use them to be the best person you can be
while kicking some supernatural ass.

Make it raw and painful:

Nightbound is a game that plays heavily on emotions

and how these reflect on the character’s actions.
Don’t be afraid to embrace what your character feels.
If you do, you will make the story more compelling for
everyone involved. Just please don’t go around pun-
ching people in the gut, ok?
WHERE ARE WE?

Once upon a time in New Eden

Welcome to New Eden, a chasm in which skeletal sky-
scrapers reach the sky like spindly fingers ready to
choke it out. The streets are consumed and corrupted,
every single day hordes of miserable people swarm
through them like insects. Around them the dilapida-
ted facades of buildings stand like sad reminders of a
decadent past. The Darkness hides beneath the mask of
unalluring mundanity of the city. Every corner of New
Eden is a stage ready to unveil its secrets to those
willing to stare into the abyss.

New Eden is a large city on the US east coast accoun-

ting for a population of over ten million souls. The
city is a sight to behold in the evenings: a maze of
roads, alleys, and bridges that intertwine between
themselves in a never ending loop. There’s a saying in
the city that goes, “When you venture through the ho-
peless abyss of New Eden your only company is sinners
and demons”.
Only a few are aware that New Eden is built on top of ley
lines, spots in which power flows through the asphalt
like an invisible illness that infects everything and
everyone that touches.
The centre of power, known as The Shattering, is a
tear in the fabric of reality, also known as The Veil,
that draws in supernatural creatures like moths to a
flame. Scholars of magic and Occultists often visit
New Eden not only to study the phenomenon, but also to
take in the dark power that reverberates in the air.
The Shattering of the Veil underneath New Eden allows
creatures to cross over and hide around the city. The
night in New Eden is a survival game in which every
step could lead to knowledge, or to a fate worse than
death.
Quickstart edition
In this quickstart we give you everything you need to
get a taste of Nightbound. In the definitive edition
you will find much more, such as: all the characters
playbooks, the rules to create your own characters, the
complete rules, all New Eden’s Moves, the characters’
Moves and advancements, story arcs, and much more.

BASIC RULES
As said before, Nightbound is a game based on the PBTA
framework. Like all tabletop role play games you will
need a table and chair (or a good video chat platform
such as Discord or Roll20), a copy of these rules, a
copy of the archetype playbooks, a copy of the basic
Moves, a good amount of 6-sided dices (d6), paper,
pen and the most important thing: a group of friends
to play with. Three to four players is ideal but you
can also play in a larger group. For this quickstart
the maximum number of players is five, but in the full
version of Nightbound there will be more playbooks to
choose from.

During the game you will use a tool that is necessary

to play Nightbound: Communication. All the rules you
will find in this document will be useless if there is
no communication between players.

Nightbound is a role play game that uses shared narra-

tive to create unique, interesting, and fun stories.
To make sure everything works as intended we need to

9
discuss the importance of Communication and what we
mean when we refer to the Conversation in this manual.
The Conversation
and Fictional positioning
When you play the game you will have a conversation
between each other. You discuss your characters in
terms of who they are, how they look, and what kind of
out of this world abilities they possess. When these
conversations start you are already playing the game,
even though you haven’t started a scene in game or
rolled a dice. By using the Conversation everyone at
the table will add details. These details might not be
everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s fine, the most im-
portant thing is to discuss your doubts with the rest
of the group so that any element that is not agreed
upon by everyone can be avoided. This will make the
game fun for everyone.

Every player in the game will have a specific role.

There are two roles: One player will take the role of
the Master of Ceremonies, also called the Game master
or GM in some games. In we call them MC for short. The
remaining players will take the roles of the Playing
Characters, or PC for short. The players who take the
role of PC will have control and narrative authority
on everything that has to do with their characters.
The MC will have control over everything else.

As long as you act within the boundaries of your role

no one can say anything about it, but please make sure
to value and respect what has been introduced by other

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people.
This means that if a PC introduces an element during
a scene, when the next PC introduces another element,
the last cannot negate or ignore the previous one.

For example, if a PC describes a scene in which their

character punches a vampire and knocks it out, the
next PC will have to keep the scene in mind to re-in-
corporate it in their answer using the previous event
as a starting point, which means that they cannot de-
scribe their character knocking the same vampire out.
The same applies for the MC, of course. If one of the
players describes their character sitting on top of
a tall building and looking down at a monster he is
using fictional positioning that implies that the mon-
ster can’t hit them with a direct attack. The MC must
take into account the position of the PC and, if the
monster wants to attack, the MC will have to explain
that the creature will move to reach the PC. This mi-
ght take a while, and give the PC an opportunity to
use their fictional positioning to their advantage to
maybe move out of the way or prepare for a counter at-
tack.
In this manual you will often see the word fiction, or
fictional positioning. Fictional positioning represen-
ts the parts of a scene that allow people to understand
if something is plausible, possible, or unlikely. In
short, fictional positioning explains where, how, and
when each element of the scene is located.

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The Moves
In Nightbound Moves are narrative devices used in un-
certain situations that require rolling dice to de-
termine the outcome. The Moves are short phrases that
describe a specific type of action. A Move is activa-
ted when a PC acts in a way that triggers the descrip-
tion of the move. The Moves only describe uncertain
situations, therefore if you can’t find a Move for the
action you want to do, you can just do it without rol-
ling the dice.

The Moves are divided in three main categories:

◊ The Basic moves and the New Eden moves. Every player
can use them.
◊ The Playbook moves. These can only be used by choo-
sing a specific archetype playbook.
◊ The MC moves. Only the MC can use them.

When a player triggers a basic Move or a playbook Move

for the chosen archetype they will have to roll 2d6
and add the value of the required trait to the result.
In addition, the result could also receive a bonus or
malus depending on the situation. Some playbooks have
Moves that grant bonuses or change the trait used to
roll the basic Moves.
A result of 10+ is considered a strong hit, a result
between 7 and 9 is a hit, and a 6- is considered a
miss.
Some Moves won’t require a dice roll, they will requi-
re the character to make an independent decision in-
stead. When these Moves are triggered the player will
gain narrative authority for what’s about to happen.
These Moves have a strong dramatic significance for
your character and for the story and will often allow
you to show the most intimate and raw side of your
character. When you trigger these Moves, reflect
on what your character would do and act following
common sense.

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Character traits
The traits are the numerical skills used to define the
characters in Nightbound. The traits are:

◊ Faith: used to represent how much a character belie-

ves in the existence of a higher power, and in how
they are able to call onto it.
◊ Influence: used to represent the ability to persua-
de, manipulate, and convince others by using chari-
sma or other methods.
◊ Experience: used to represent the knowledge, wisdom,
or experience that your character obtained during
their life and how this experience can be used to
solve an issue or conflict.
◊ Rage: used to represent how much a character is prone
to wrath, violence, and destruction.
◊ Guilt: used to represent the weight that each cha-
racter has on their conscience due to mistakes, re-
grets, and sins they have committed.

Guilt and Sin

Guilt is one of the five traits that you need to build a
character. The mechanics for Guilt are a bit different
from other traits. While the other traits are defined
by a numerical value, Guilt is represented by a seven
segment clock. Each piece represents an ascending va-
lue, where one is the lowest, and seven the highest.
When filling out the segments and therefore earning
Guilt, the character will trigger some Moves. When a
PC reaches Guilt 4 they will trigger their Sin Move.
The Sin Moves are the manifestation of the characters
guilt, and are unique for each playbook.
When a character fills out the Guilt clock completely
they reach their limit and trigger the Breaking point
move as a consequence. The Move will force the cha-
racter to vent their frustration in an act of violen-
ce, either physical or psychological, that helps them
to regain control. When this happens the character
will go back to segment one in the Guilt clock, but
will gain a Scar.

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There are also other ways to decrease Guilt, namely two Mo-
ves that the character can activate.
A character can use a bond to activate the Ask for forgive-
ness Move at any time. Additionally, the character can also
activate the Sacrifice yourself to save someone Move. When
using these Moves the amount of guilt that will be removed
depends on the dice roll, and a miss could worsen the si-
tuation. This choice was made to highlight how the action
and consequences of the PCs have effects on everyone around
them. This is a key element in the game.

Conditions and scars

Nightbound uses conditions instead of a system with heal-
th points. A condition is a short phrase that modifies the
fictional positioning of a PC or NPC. Conditions can be
physical, psychological, or supernatural. Their objective
is to give an additional tool to the players to use as an
element of the story.
For example, a PC receives the “broken leg” Condition after
being bitten by a werewolf. This element will change this
PC’s fictional positioning when he tries to walk or run
away, and could put him in a bad spot when trying to escape
a dangerous situation.
The same idea applies for psychological and emotional con-
ditions.

Characters can only endure five conditions before recei-

ving a Scar. When the PC receives a sixth condition they
earn a Scar instead. The Scar reflects characteristics that
are based on all the conditions received until that mo-
ment. After creating the Scar, the character can remove the
conditions accumulated. This doesn’t mean that they heal
though, it only means that the previous conditions are not
relevant anymore as they have been substituted by the Scar.
For example, a hunter with a missing eye could have gotten
used to their loss and learned a way to be efficient despi-
te their injury.
At the start of a new game session the characters remove
all the conditions that they have received, but not the
Scars. When in doubt the player can ask for suggestions to
the other players to decide which kind of Scar is ideal for
the situation.
All the PC can spend their time to mend their conditions,
however some playbook archetypes can also remove conditions
by supernatural means using specific Moves.
You can’t only die once
If players decide so, their characters can die when recei-
ving a condition or if it makes sense in the fiction. In
Nightbound however, death is not final. New Eden doesn’t
allow PCs to get the easy way out. Whenever receiving a
condition that would declare the death of a PC, the You May
Never Leave move triggers.

You may never leave: When you leave New Eden by any means
of transportation (even hearses, sorry) you will find your-
self back in the city the day after. If you die during a
game session, you will return to life the day after with a
Scar. Describe briefly what you remember about what happe-
ned after your death. Did you see the light?

INSTRUMENTS OF PLAY

Basic Moves
1. Pierce the Veil: When you pierce the Veil to cast a spell
or perform a ritual, describe the effect you want and how
you cast it, then roll +Faith.

◊ On a 10+ you do it without unexpected side effects.

◊ On a 7-9 you do it but there are side effects or unwanted
attention.
◊ On a 6- you lose control of the Veil and something goes
terribly wrong. Take +1 Guilt.

Depending on the effect you want, the MC can choose one or

more from this list:
◊ The spell or ritual requires rare or exotic components.
◊ The spell or ritual requires a large group of people to
gather enough magical potency.
◊ The spell or ritual requires one or more sacrifices.
◊ The spell or ritual has to be cast by reading the exact
formula from an ancient tome or grimoire.

Once a spell or ritual has been cast for the first time, its
requirements and effects remain the same for the duration
of play, unless someone tries to improve it or change its
effects. Then the MC has to establish new cast conditions.
When a PC casts a spell or performs a ritual, write it down
on the Grimoire.
2. Search the Darkness: When you focus on
your surroundings to search for the Dark-
ness roll +Faith and pick one question. The
MC must answer truthfully.

◊ What forces are at play here?

◊ What do they want?
◊ What’s their nature or powers?
◊ Where will they go next?
◊ What’s their weakness?

Then on a 10+ choose 2, on a 7-9 choose 1.

◊ The danger is far away.
◊ You know how to fight them, take +1 Ongoing
against them.
◊ Avoid any immediate consequence or entanglement.

On a 6- you’re unprepared to what’s coming or you’re taken

by surprise.

3. Charm and Deception: When you make use of your charisma,

promises or threats to persuade or deceit someone, declare
what leverage you’re using to do it, then roll +Influence.
If the leverage you’re using is too weak you might not be
able to do it. On a hit you do it but they want something
in return. Additionally:

On a 10+ pick 2.
On a 7-9 pick 1.
◊ They won’t remember your promises.
◊ The price you’ll have to pay will not be high or unrea-
sonable.
◊ They don’t ask questions or seek further explanations.

4. Ask for help: When you ask for help from one of your
bonds to gain an advantage, describe what advantage they
can give you and how. It has to be something within their
capabilities or else they will refuse. Then roll +Influen-
ce. On a hit you get their help. Then:
◊ On a 10+ your bond is safe from danger or further entan-
glement.
◊ On 7-9 the Darkness learns of their involvement.
◊ On 6- your bond is already in danger, the MC will tell

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you how. Take +1 Guilt.
5. Anamnesis: When you tap into memories of past encounters
with the Darkness to gain an advantage, tell your story to
the others. The story never ends well and involves failure or
loss. Remembering isn’t easy and you’re not happy to do it,
however you might not have any other choice. Take +1 Guilt
then at the end of the story roll +Experience. On a 10+ hold
2, on a 7-9 hold 1 and 6- the Darkness holds 2 against you.

You can spend holds at any moment before the end of the ses-
sion to trigger one of these effects.
◊ Take +1 Forward against this creature.
◊ Avoid 1 Condition inflicted by this creature.
◊ Counter this creatures’ next move.

6. Avoid claws, fangs, and curses: When you avoid consequen-

ces roll +Experience.
On a 10+ you’re ready and avoid all consequences, then take
+1 Forward.
On a 7-9 avoid part of the consequences then pick 1:
◊ Avoid further entanglements, describe how you flee the sce-
ne.
◊ You take all the consequences but you also take a signifi-
cant advantage against the danger, take +1 Ongoing until
the end of the scene.

7. Let the rage out on someone: When you let your rage out
on someone to harm them roll +Rage. On a hit you do it but
there’ll be collateral damage. Then on a 10+ pick 2, on a 7-9
pick 1.
◊ Avoid collateral damage for you or someone else.
◊ Create an opportunity for an ally.
◊ Scare, impress or surprise your foe.
◊ Avoid further entanglements.

On a 6- you expose someone to collateral damage, then take

+1 Guilt.

8. Breaking Point: When your Guilt clock is full you burst in

a rampage of rage and frustration. Describe what happens to
you and those that are in the scene with you and also how you
use your rampage to annihilate once and for all the cause of
your frustrations. Then mark a Scar.
9. Ask for Forgiveness: When you go to one of your bonds
(NPCs only) to find comfort from your Guilt, tell them why
you feel guilty and don’t spare the details. At the end of
your confession you decide if they forgive you.

If you’re forgiven remove 2 Guilt, if you’re not forgiven

you still remove 1 Guilt but your bond with this person
cracks, remove 1 Strength from this bond. If the strength
of the bond reaches 0, the bond breaks and you lose them
forever and also mark a Scar

When you trigger this move, the strength of your bonds

grant your additional effects.
◊ Bond strength 2: remove 1 additional Guilt.
◊ Bond strength 3: remove also the oldest Scar.

10. Sacrifice yourself to save someone: When you sacrifice

yourself to save someone, describe how you do it then roll
+Bond Strength. (if you don’t share a bond with the target
you roll +0).

On a 10+ you take all the consequences for someone else

and remove 1 Guilt. If you share a bond with them take +1
Strength, if they’re a NPC and you don’t share a bond with
them then mark them as a bond with strength 1.

On a 7-9 you mitigate the consequences for someone else but

your Guilt stays the same. The situation worsens and there
is collateral damage. If you share a bond with them remove
1 strength.

On a 6- your sacrifice is useless and you make it even wor-

se for them. The MC will tell you what happens then take
+1 Guilt. If you share a bond with them it’s broken beyond
repair.

11. Darkness in Motion: At the start of the session the MC

will tell you what’s moving in the dark. Then one of you
rolls without traits.
On a 10+ the Darkness is far from you and is not an imme-
diate danger. you’ve got time to prepare for what’s coming.

On a 7-9 the Darkness moves fast to get you and leaves a

trail of destruction and despair. You don’t have a lot of
time to prepare as it’s about to arrive at your doors.

On a 6- the Darkness has caught you by surprise, ready or

not you have to face it now.
 YOUR ROLE AS THE MC

If you’re reading this it means that you want to take

the role of the MC. While the other players will focus
on their PCs, you will be responsible for everything
else. To help you carry out your role you will be using
the two most important tools we’ve created for the
MC, The MC Agenda and the MC moves, along with other
tools. If you play relying on the tools provided we
guarantee you will be fine.

Your agenda
Below is your agenda, a list of things that you have to do
and keep in mind all the time while playing Nightbound.
The agenda will make sure that you’re always focusing on
the most important aspects and themes of the game.

1. Portray the city as scary, dangerous, and gritty.

2. Refer to the characters, not the players.
3. Always make the situation about the characters and let
them be the ones to get their hands dirty.
4. Ask a lot of questions and build upon the answers.
5. Make the Darkness ruthless against humans.
6. Name everything and give everything a motivation, but
don’t grow attached to your NPCs.
7. Put the characters right in the middle of every con-
flict.
8. Give the players time to think about their choices.
9. Be a fan of the characters.
10. Bring hell into the city, literally.
MC Moves
The MC moves is a list of actions that you can make as the MC.
It is how you are able to influence the story and carry out your
agenda. Whenever a PC gets a 7-9 or a 6- on a move, when there is
a pause in the conversation and the players are looking at you,
and when the fiction demands it you make one of your moves.

Although the list is one, your moves can be Soft moves or Hard
moves. A Soft move is used as a prelude to a Hard move, and it
also allows you to place the PCs in the condition to trigger
other moves. When you use a Soft move you are anticipating con-
sequences to the PCs, if nothing is done to prevent them, then
a Hard move will follow making the consequences you anticipated
happen in the fiction. You can use a Soft move whenever a PC gets
a 7-9 on a move, or when the conversation comes to a halt.

You use Hard moves to bring the consequences down on the PCs. The
consequences of a Hard move cannot be avoided as they already
happened in the fiction. Hard moves are also used as a result of
a 6- on a dice roll, if the fictional positioning requires it,
or if you spend one of your Holds.

1. Remind them of their Sins.

2. Offer them a way out of guilt but then drown them in it
again.
3. Flip their moves on them.
4. Give conditions when it makes sense.
5. Make the Darkness watch them.
6. Put their bonds in dangerous situations.
7. Force them to choose the lesser evil.
8. Show them the consequences of their actions and make them
feel guilty.
9. Make the Darkness’s plans move faster.
10. Exploit their weaknesses.
11. Call upon their guilt, especially when they have to make
a hard choice.
12. Make use of district moves.
13. Raise the stakes beyond any possible limit, make the Dar-
kness look invincible.
14. Corrupt them with promises of power or salvation.
15. After every move, always ask them: What do you do?
OTHER MC TOOLS

Along with the MC agenda and moves, there are addi-

tional tools that will help you to progress the story
and continue the game. These instruments are threats
and holds.

Threats
Threats are the antagonists, the villains that will
try to subjugate the characters in any way possible.
Threats are always supernatural in nature, even though
they could hide behind mundane issues. PCs are occult
investigators and for this reason will have to deal
with otherworldly creatures that will use powerful ar-
cane arts against them. In this quickstart we give you
a group of premade threats to allow you to go straight
into the game. Take some time to read the PC back-
ground and the threats, this information will give you
an understanding of the starting situation and will
help you to push the story forward.

Use threats as if they were actual NPCs with motiva-

tion and goals that justify their actions. If during
the game something influences a threat’s goal, think
on how the threat would react and act accordingly.
Threats don’t compromise, they will do everything in
their power to get what they want.

Holds
The MC gains holds as a result of some
moves used by the PCs. You can spend
holds to activate a Hard move anytime
in the game without having to wait for
a 6- dice roll. Holds are a great way
to up the stakes in the game by chan-
ging the balance of power.
Scenario
IMMORTAL STAKES

In this quickstart we have provided a premade scenario

and four characters with issues and threats that will
allow you to experience Nightbound at its finest.

Intro
We are in New Eden, a dangerous and filthy city filled
to the brim with secrets, sins, and sinners. In this
desperate scenario the protagonists are a peculiar
group of people that in a way or the other decided to
team up to defeat the Darkness.The protagonists have
lost enough already, they must fight this war and stop
this madness.
 PROTAGONISTS

CHARLEY COREY
THE DAMNED

I’ve been to Hell and back.

Now I’ll do everything
to redeem my soul!
Who is Charlie?
My name is Charlie Corey, I was born in 1952 in New
Eden, and I died here in 1986, when I was 34. I used to
be a successful attorney, I had a lovely wife Helena,
and a beautiful daughter named Sophia. She was only 3
when I passed. I used to be a charismatic and sophi-
sticated man, I loved success and how it made me feel.
My hunger for power was the last nail in my coffin.
After finishing my studies I was a young man with a bag
full of dreams and empty pockets, and a man…that man,
changed everything. He promised me fame and success,
the only thing I had to do in return was work for him
exclusively. I became the most famous attorney of New
Eden, everything went well until I died. After that
damned car accident that man, or what I thought was a
man came to collect his due. I’ve always imagined that
I would have seen the pearly gates of heaven after I
died, instead I was dragged to hell by Orobas. He was
no man, he was a demon all along, and I sold my soul
to him in exchange for success. I was trapped in hell
for 38 mortal years that felt like an eternity, but I
never lost hope. I was able to take another deal with
a different demon to return to earth in exchange for
work that I had to do for him. This is not what I would
have liked to do, but it gave me a chance to be free
and take some time to reflect. I want my life back and
I will try everything in my power to escape this si-
tuation, even if it means having all Hell against me.
 BRANDON WATERS THE OCCULT EXPERT

All the answers are behind

the Veil. I just need to
understand how to reach
for them.

Who is Brandon?
My name is Brandon, me and my family are antiquarians from generations.
We have a small shop called Moorhouse Antiques in New Eden. I’ve grown up
like a ghost between dusty shelves, old artefacts, and cheap trinkets and
maybe this experience made me attuned to the soul of the artefacts. I hear
them talking, begging me to unveil their secrets. Because of my work I ope-
ned up to the knowledge that these artefacts give me, it’s like a thirst
that is never sated. Knowledge in itself is not dangerous but the use of
it can be fatal, I found this out on my own skin. My life has always been
lonely, with books as my only companions. After a while I started longing
for a kindred soul, someone to share my studies and my life with.
Augustine was it. She was my everything, a brilliant mind trapped
in a fragile body. She was going to die and science couldn’t do
anything about it. I decided to find a way to stop this, to give
her more time, to give us more time. I followed a ritual and she
healed but something in her changed forever. She changed, becoming
something obscure, something twisted. The ritual trapped an ancient
being inside her body, and this being takes control of her in some
situations, releasing incredible amounts of destructive power. I
don’t know how to stop this, how to free her body from this pos-
session. I keep cancelling Augustine’s memory everytime the being
takes control, to protect her, but sooner or later she is going to
find out. I’ve heard of an artefact able to negate the effects of
any ritual, a dagger imbued with the blood of an angel. The history
of this item is mysterious, some say it’s only a legend, but I am
doing everything in my power to find this dagger, this is the only
thing I need to fix my mistake.
 VANESSA Who is Vanessa?
THE SLAYER My name is Vanessa, just Vanessa. I
used to be a girl with a boring life
and a normal family but at age 14
everything changed forever. It was
August, I was in the backyard with my family when we heard so-
mething weird, a noise like a wild animal hiding in the bushes
of our neighbours house. We didn’t pay much attention to it
until the silence was broken by screams and noises. My father
and my brother Gale went to the neighbours house immediately
to check in on them, I didn’t even have time to follow them,
I heard their screams. My mom told me to get inside, and she
went too to see what was happening. I didn’t know what to do
and waiting while my family was out there was not an option
so I left my hiding spot and I went outside to look for them.
There were people that I didn’t recognize inside the house,
it was too dark to make out their features. I managed to get
closer to the house and I realised that the people that were
standing there had killed the neighbours and my family and
were…drinking their blood. Vampires, like the ones from hor-
ror movies.
I panicked and rushed back to my house to hide. I was there
for days and no one came looking for me so I went back to the
neighbours house. I needed to be sure of what I saw. While
snooping through the house I met a blind man that was inve-
stigating what happened. He told me that what I saw was real,
that he hunts vampires and was hunting the ones who killed
my family. I begged him to let me stay with him, I had no one
left, I was angry and scared. He took me with him and I beca-
me his cadet. He taught me all I know and made me the killing
machine I am today. I will kill every last blood sucker. No
one will ever have to suffer like I did.

You are not that tough

with a stake
through your heart,
are you?
 Salvatio
n is not
granted.
LEO WALKER You hav
THE SAINT to work e
for it.
Who is Leo?
My name is Leo Walker, and my rap sheet is way longer than what someone would want
it to be. I killed people, stole, dealt drugs and hustled for and with every major
criminal in New Eden. I was young, arrogant and had a temper, I thought I
was the best and nothing could happen to me. But I must have stepped
on the wrong person’s toes and for this reason I got done and was
arrested like a nobody. They gave me 20 years behind bars. In jail
I kept on my own and if we don’t consider a few assholes who tri-
ed to kill me to avenge someone else, people were fine leaving
me alone. My cellmate didn’t, though. Everyone calls him Church
to make fun of him. No one really knows why nor when he was
arrested. People only know that Church doesn’t bother anyo-
ne, and that no one has to bother Church. We started to
get close and little by little became friends. Chur-
ch always told me that God has something in
store for me, that I was the Chosen one,
the one that will bring salvation upon
mankind. After a while I believed that
maybe what Church is saying is true,
I felt God’s presence and accepted him
into my life. Something changed within
me that night, as if I finally took a
life saving breath after being underwa-
ter for too long. I received something from
Church. The same night Church was found dead,
his heart stopped. I got out of jail five years
later for good behaviour and soon after decided
to abandon my old life. I started roaming the
streets of New Eden like a vagrant, no place to
stay, no money or belongings just myself and what
the good will of the people would offer me. I go
from bad alley to bad alley to protect those who
can’t protect themselves and to sway the lost and
the sinners back onto God’s rightful path. I have
learned on my own skin what dangers live on these
streets of this sinful city and I might as well be
it’s only salvation.
 Scenario
THE MC TOOL KIT

Here you will find a list of tools and threats that

you will be able to use during the course of this sce-
nario as you take the role of the MC. Most elements
come from the PCs backgrounds, additionally there are
a couple of extras that might come in handy. Some ele-
ments are not defined in order to leave you some fre-
edom to integrate them in the story, for example the
bonds between PCs have not been defined.

When you are ready to play, follow these steps:

1. Give the playbooks to the players and give them

time to read through to decide who wants to play whi-
ch character.
2. Ask the players to introduce their PC to the group.
3. Take some time to fill out the PC bonds and to cho-
ose the playbook moves.

Playing in New Eden

For this scenario you will play in New Eden, the de-
fault setting of Nightbound. The city is a haven of
darkness and sin, every nook and cranny you walk in
can prove deadly for those who are not careful and are
unaware of what dangers they may be facing. New Eden
is a city of contradictions, its inhabitants live al-
most oblivious to the presence of Darkness but they
still suffer its effects and pay the price. Few mortals
truly know what goes on among the streets of New Eden
at night. As the MC, it’s your job to make the city
a dangerous and brutal place for its inhabitants and
especially for the PCs. Paint every street, store, and
building with hard lines and give everyone an ulterior
motive. Nothing Is ever as it seems in New Eden.
New Eden Moves
Playing around New Eden you will notice that some pla-
ces are special and follow their own rules. We have
created special moves for these places. The dark side
of New Eden is described with the New Eden moves, pe-
culiar moves that provide elements that might put the
PCs in danger. You can find such moves after every di-
strict description.

Threats
Below you will find information for each threat pre-
sent in this scenario. Each threat has pointers on
what they want and what kind of behaviour they favour.
Additionally, we have also included which characters
they have relationships or unfinished business with.
In the opening scene we will introduce two of the
threats that we consider to be main threats. We have
also included three other threats that are optional
for the purposes of the story and could be used if you
feel like it.
 Main Threats
Name:
OROBAS
Origin: Major demon, belonging to the lineage of temptors. His
true appearance has never been seen because he loves to hide
behind powerful illusions to mystify his victims and enemies.

Motivation and objectives: Orobas feeds on the souls he collects

on earth, but in recent times this task is proving more difficult
than expected because of Leo Walker’s work; moreover, Orobas is
trying to get revenge from Charlie because of what he did to him.
Orobas wants to take Leo out and get Charlie back. He does not
yet know that the two are part of the same group and wants to use
the vampire Reyes to do his bidding in order to remain behind the
scenes.

Orobas often uses pawns to carry out its plans. When you bring
Orobas into play, do not do so directly, but create NPCs who are
bound to the demon through unfair and sometimes deadly contracts.
If the characters manage to get in the demon’s way then escalate
the situation and make him more aggressive and desperate. If the
situation calls for it Orobas will be willing to do anything to
achieve his goal.

PC that are bound to this threat: Charlie Corey and Leo Walker
are both his targets.

Where to find him: Orobas is hiding in the Labyrinthine Market

inside an abandoned building. The market is a dangerous place for
someone who doesn’t know it well enough.

Threat moves:Orobas is able to do virtually anything he wants and

his power has no limits, but he does have favourite abilities.
When you play Orobas, you can use his abilities as if they were
MC moves.

◊ Whisper in their ears: Orobas loves to whisper in mortals’ ears

and push them to do things they would never do. If the willpower
of the manipulated mortal is not strong enough he is able to
manipulate them like pawns.
◊ Take control of their bodies: Orobas is able to take possession
of mortals’ bodies so he does not have to endanger his own sa-
fety. Orobas cannot be injured when he takes possession of a

29
mortal’s body.
 Name: THE BLOOD BROTHERHOOD
Origin: A group of vampires belonging to the Red Moon coven of
Elder Augustus. They are directly responsible for the massacre
of Vanessa’s family and many others. They are led by Reyes,
a ruthless unscrupulous vampire with a thirst for power. The
group is perhaps the most dangerous of the coven and the most
brutal, they pleasure themselves in the despair and pain of
their victims and kill mainly for fun rather than need. Augu-
stus allows them to do so because this way he demonstrates the
strength of his coven. The group consists of more or less 30
members.

Motivation and objectives: Reyes aims for power; he wants to

increase his ranks so that he can have as much strength as
possible to dethrone Augustus by also using Orobas’ power. In
addition, Reyes has learned about the dormant entity inside
Augustine’s body, and about the dagger soaked in angelic blood
that could be the key to extracting the power of this entity
and allowing him to seize it. Reyes wants more power at all
costs and takes both paths to maximise his chances of victory
against Augustus. Reyes perceives Vanessa as a danger to his
purpose and keeps an eye on her, but remains in the shadows.
When Vanessa gets too close to him then he becomes violent and
tries to stop her, endangering first those closest to her and
then her directly.

PC that are bound to this threat: Vanessa and Brandon Waters,

they both are obstacles to eliminate.

Where to find him: The Brotherhood usually stays in the Noctur-

ne District, they love to party and live recklessly, Nocturne
is the perfect place to do what they want with no consequences.

Threats moves: Reyes’s group is extremely dangerous when they

act as a group. When you play Reyes and his group you can use
the following moves as if they were MC moves.
◊ Ambush them: Reye’s vampires are specialised in hand to hand
combat and they are well coordinated. When they do an ambush
their prey never sees it coming.
◊ Keep them under watch: Reyes and his group have eyes all over
New Eden and they can keep an eye on almost anything that
goes down in the city.

Optional Threats: Here we prepared optional threats for you to

use in case you feel the need to up the stakes of your story
or add extra complications for the PCs.
 Name: AUGUSTUS
Origin: Augustus is an ancient vampire. He is the le-
ader of a coven named The Red Moon, one of the most
established and powerful vampiric organisations of New
Eden. Augustus is three thousand years old and he was
lured to New Eden by the power coming from the Shatte-
ring. With millennia of experience upon his shoulders,
Augustus has become an extremely powerful being trap-
ped in a frail body. He’s never seen leaving his haven
and he controls his coven from the shadows and through
a tight and solid chain of command within the coven.

Motivation and Objectives: Augustus acts upon his pre-

servation instinct aiming to endure even longer than
he has already along with his coven. He is cautious
and doesn’t take unnecessary risks but when there’s
an open threat to his coven he acts swiftly and with
the utmost brutality. He hoards resources and power
to affirm his status of New Eden’s apex predator and
obliterates anyone who opposes him.

PCs bound to the threat: Vanessa hunts them and Augu-

stus could perceive her as a major threat if she tar-
gets the higher ups.

Where to find him: His haven is located in one of the

historical buildings of Grimm Hollow.

Threat moves: Augustus has an arsenal of supernatural

abilities but most of all he has immense knowledge.
When you play Augustus you can use these moves as if
they were MC moves.

Supernatural potence: Augustus has a supernatural

physical potence that surpasses almost any being
in New Eden. When a PC gets hit by Augustus you can
inflict 2 Conditions instead of 1.
Ancestral Knowledge: Augustus has a vast knowle-
dge of the occult and various magical matters.
When Augustus is the target of a spell or magical
effect it doesn’t work on him.

31
Name: ISHTAR, QUEEN FROM THE VOID
Origin: She’s an ancient deity that was banished to
roam the void many many aeons ago. She arrived in New
Eden due to the side effect of a powerful ritual whi-
ch caused her to be trapped inside Augustine’s body.
Isthar can’t control the woman’s body. She possesses
unlimited magical power but has to keep it dormant
otherwise Augustine’s body will be disintegrated and
will be sent back to the void. Isthar was once a mortal
queen of ancient times who was elevated to the status
of goddess however she was tricked by her nemesis Ner-
gal and sent to the void by him.

Motivation and objectives: Ishtar wants to regain a

physical form that would allow her to regain her place
and status as deity and not go back to the void. She
waits within Augustine’s body for the right time to
emerge. However when Augustine is subject to severe
stress Isthar’s power erupts out of her body with de-
structive force. If not for Brandon’s spell Augustine
would have been already dead.

PC bonded to the threat: Brandon keeps Augustine alive

with his magic, but he is also her jailer.

Where to find her: Augustine has an apartment in Cryp-

tic Heights.

Threat moves: Ishtar has unlimited magical power, howe-

ver she can’t use it at will otherwise it will destroy
Augustine’s body. However if she wants to she could
level New Eden to the ground with just her thought.
When you play Augustine and so Ishtar you can use the
following moves as if they were MC moves:
◊ Under stress: when Augustine is put under a lot of
stress make the power within her erupt and destroy
everything around her.
◊ Sleepwalking: when Augustine is unconscious her men-
tal defences are more vulnerable to Ishtar’s in-
fluence, you can let Ishtar take control of Augusti-
ne’s body and use part of her power freely for the

32
duration of a scene.
 Name:
AAMON
Origin: Aamon is a marquis of
the infernal empire, he is also
known as the Snakewolf. He is a
powerful demon who thrives in
chaos. He can assume a convin-
cing human form except for his
teeth that keep the appearance
of wolf’s fangs. He can spit
infernal fire from his mouth
to incinerate his enemies.

Motivation and objectives: Aamon loves chaos and has

stolen Charlie’s soul from Orobas for pure fun. He lo-
ves to control Charlie on earth and assign him near-
ly impossible tasks just to see what would happen and
what he would do. He knows that Charlie is trying to
find a way out of their contract, however he wants to
see how close he can actually get to a solution. Aamon
is a passive threat, he doesn’t do anything unless is
in immediate danger, but acts more like a complication
in Charlie’s life, always stirring him away from his
objective.

PCs bound to the threat: Charlie Corey, who is in his

service forever.

Where to find him: Aamon has a place at the Abyssal

docks filled with criminal activity and his so loved
chaos.

Threat moves: Aamon is a powerful demon, but he likes

chaos so much that he employs his abilities only for
the purpose of creating mayhem. When you play Aamon,
you can use these moves as if they were MC moves.
◊ Transformism: Aamon can take the appearance of anyo-
ne or anything to hide or fool his enemies.
◊ Infernal flames: Aamon can spit dangerous flames
onto his enemies. When a PC is hit with such flames,
it takes 2 conditions instead of 1.

33
 INTRO
This intro gives you all the information that you need to start
with the session. It is advisable that you familiarise with the
threats and their objectives so that you know exactly what’s
behind this first scene which will also help you know how to
best react to your PCs first moves and dice rolls.

Before you start

This scenario has been made for a group of maximum five players
(MC included). The initial situation should be able to include
all the PCs however in the first scene there is a clear refe-
rence to the Damned (Charlie). If the PCs are less than four
and that the Damned is not picked as a PC for the story just
introduce him as an NPC. This will give you the ability to con-
tinue without any plot holes or blockers. The same can be done
for any other playbook that’s not being chosen if you feel you
need that protagonist to be present in the story.

The first scene is played within the Nocturne District, the

centre of New Eden’s nightlife and capital of all vices. You’ll
have your PCs starting near the Eclipse Lounge, the most exclu-
sive nightclub of all the city, owned by the beautiful and myste-
rious Valeria Montgomery. The club is packed with people inside
and out and its population is the most diverse. Connoisseurs of
the Occult know that Ms. Valeria’s establishment welcomes both
humans and Darkness and allows them to mix without filters.
There are only a few rules: any kind of interaction within the
club has to be consensual and troublemakers are not welcomed
there. Break these few rules and you’ll get to know Ms. Valeria
in the most unpleasant way possible. Tonight an important mee-
ting is scheduled to happen at the club between Reyes from the
Blood Brotherhood and Orobas the demon. Both agreed to discuss
the terms of a partnership where Orobas gains the help of the
vampires (who know the city very well) to find both Charlie and
the one who freed him from hell and in return Orobas helps Reyes
to bring down Augustus.

34
Orobas will not go to the meeting personally, but will send
a proxy, in line with his usual behaviour. At the same time
Reyes is plotting to kidnap Augustine to try and get the
power that resides within her.

The PCs don’t know anything about this meeting, but Miller,
Vanessa’s bond, heard that the vampires are looking to ki-
dnap a woman but they don’t know who. Since it’s known that
the club is a place that any kind of creature uses to con-
duct business without the risk of being disturbed the whole
group decided to start their research from there. Both Oro-
bas and Reyes chose this place also because they both fear
Ms. Valeria’s power, which so far it’s only a tale since no
one who witnessed it ever lived to tell anyone. They don’t
trust each other so the Lounge, Ms. Montgomery’s domain,
is the perfect deterrent for any potential double crossing
attempts from both of them .

First Scene
Once you are ready to start your first scene, describe in
your own words the below scene to the PCs. At some point
ask them what they are doing within the scene and start
using some moves. You might think that this is too little
to go by, however the moves will help you carry on with the
story from one scene to another, from one move to the next,
until you will reach a satisfying epilogue for the story.
“You all meet in front of the entrance of the Eclipse Loun-
ge, in the middle of Nocturne District, the sinful heart of
New Eden. It’s the dead of night and the streets and alleys
are packed full of people going out and about from club to
club, like they all are under the effect of a spell. All
around is lit by neon lights and the air tastes like al-
cohol, sweat and sin. You decided to come here to find more
info about a group of vampires who are aiming to kidnap a
woman. Miller, Vanessa’s informer, told her that there’ve
been a lot of questions asked around the vampiric underworld
about a woman and it sounded like these vampires are putting
in a lot of effort to find her. Something big is about to
happen. Afterall the Eclipse Lounge is the perfect place to
find out what these animals are up to.

The entrance of the lounge is clogged by an infinite queue

of people who all want to get in at all costs, as if they’re
being attracted inside. You all know that without an offi-
cial invitation from the owner Ms Valeria Montgomery there
is no chance to get in and unfortunately you don’t have one.
Right at the entrance you can see that there’s a group of
bouncers who check those queuing to enter the club, maybe
with the right motivation they will let you in.

The club is surrounded in narrow and very dark alleyways

that hug the building. Looking inside one of them you can
spot a side entrance to the club, maybe reserved to the
staff, which could give you the chance to get in unnoticed.

Let’s start by describing what you are doing right now wi-
thin the scene.”

Wait for the end of each player description then ask one of
them to roll the Start of Session move, Darkness in Motion.
Depending on the roll, one of the following outcomes will in-
fluence the next scene. Use these descriptions to guide your
next moves but don’t specifically read them to the players.

36
◊ If they get a 10+: the situation is quiet, the PCs have
the time to think about how to get in the club as the mee-
ting hasn’t happened yet. On the outside nothing major or
dangerous is happening.
◊ If they get a 7-9: the situation is apparently quiet, the
PCs are still free to roam near the club however their
presence has been noticed. Once the PCs leave the club
they’ll be ambushed by a group of Reyes’s vampires who
were monitoring the clubs surroundings, and will try to
get them to reveal their motives.
◊ If they get a 6-: the PCs will be immediately noticed by
Reyes’s vampires and they’ll be attacked immediately.
This will make the PCs miss the opportunity to witness the
meeting, but they could get some information from one of
the vampires attacking them.

Depending on the result of the above move you might be star-

ting your game with an action packed scene. Wait for an ap-
propriate moment in the fiction then ask the PCs if any of
them has never been to Nocturne District before. The first
to reply will trigger the district move A night to remember.

A night to remember: Nocturn District is the place to

go when looking for pleasure. When you are within the di-
strict borders something pushes you to let loose and sa-
tisfy your darkest desires. When you enter the Nocturne
District for the first time, tell the MC what vices you
dream of and then roll +Influence.

On a 10+ you are able to control yourself.

On a 7-9 you can resist, but it’s not easy. You get a -1
Ongoing until you do something to satisfy your urge.
On a 6- you lose consciousness. The MC will tell you how
or where you will wake up.

This move could add a complication for all PCs, as one of

their allies could leave their side momentarily to cater
for their urges or they might need to pull them out of
trouble.

From this moment on no one knows what’s going to happen

next and you’ll have to keep on playing to find out what
happens. The fiction will be carried forward from scene
to scene thanks to the moves which are the motor to find
out what’s in the next scene.
New Eden’s Districts
and District Moves
Here you will find the description of the districts in which
the PCs could go to, with the specific district moves.

District: Labyrinthine Market

From the outside, Labyrinthine Market is shrouded by the
shadow of crumbling buildings and abandoned skyscrapers.
It’s an intricate maze made of small stalls and sketchy
shops that sell any kind of goods and service, from the most
mundane item to the weirdest show performed by street arti-
sts. A curse has been placed on the market, causing anyone
who enters it to get lost and sometimes never find their way
home. This feat makes the market the perfect hiding place
for the creatures of the Darkness. While passing through the
market is possible to spot some members of the infamous oc-
cultist group The Twilight Cabal, their members use creepy
masks and long robes to hide their true identity. Who knows
them keeps their distance to avoid getting in trouble. The
market is also home to one of the city’s legends, the Nowhe-
re Alley, a dark place of power said to be inhabited by a
powerful entity that grants gifts to those who pass a test.
None ever came back to prove it.

District move - Wrong turn: Moving around the Labyrinthine

Market and finding what you are looking for is difficult. At
the end of the day you might be the one being found. When
you look for something in Labyrinthine Market roll
+Experience.

On a 10+ you find exactly what you are looking for without
any issues.
On a 7-9 you know where to find it, but there’s an obstacle
to overcome.
On a 6- the MC chooses 1:

◊ The thing you are looking for is not exactly what you need.
◊ In order to obtain the “item” you have to pay an unexpected
price.
 District: Nocturne District
Nocturne District is the beating heart of New Eden’s
nightlife. When the dusk darkens the sky Nocturne
District becomes alive with its opulent clubs, posh
restaurants, and imposing theatres. The roads are
full of sinners in need of fun and luxury that only
the most expensive glamorous places can offer. The
flagship of Nocturne District is the Veiled Theatre, a
magical place in which all the creations of Director
Leopold Shadowdancer come to life, giving the audience
unforgettable and unique experiences. While exploring
the alleys of Nocturne District you might be able to
find the exclusive Eclipse Lounge, a club managed by
the charismatic Valeria Montgomery. The access to the
club is only allowed to the people who receive an of-
ficial invite from Ms. Montgomery.

District move - A night to remember: Nocturn District

is the place to go when looking for pleasure. When you
are within the district borders something pushes you
to let loose and satisfy your darkest desires. When
you enter the Nocturne District for the first time,
tell the MC what vices you dream of and then roll
+Influence.

On a 10+ you are able to control yourself.

On a 7-9 you can resist, but it’s not easy. You get a
-1 Ongoing until you do something to placate the im-
pulse.
On a 6- you lose consciousness. The MC will tell you
how or where you will wake up.

District: Grimm Hollow

Grim Hollow is the sinister part of New Eden, where
historical buildings are nestled within new apartments
creating a visual cacophony. Here the ruins of the old
city emerge like echoes of the past whispering dark
stories of obscure places. The most famous spots in
the district are the Ebonshade Park, what used to be a
massive urban green space, and the Hallowed Emporium,
an old and dusty shop.

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District move - Heavy fog filled with whispers: When you walk
around Grimm Hollow you could notice a dense fog that might
cause you to lose your way or to end up separated from your
group. When you find yourself in Grimm Hollow for the first
time, roll +Faith. On a 10+ choose 2, on a 7-9 choose 1.

◊ The road is safe

◊ It’s easy to find your way.
◊ Nothing is lurking and waiting for you.

On a 6- the fog surrounds you. The MC chooses 1:

◊ You are lost.
◊ You are alone.
◊ You get ambushed.

District: Cryptic Heights

Cryptic Heights is the residential area of
New Eden, where mid rise and high rise towers look
like ghastly guardians of the night sky. The roads of
this area are plagued by business people enslaved by the trends
with no morals, and by people who move from more humble pla-
ces to work here to satisfy their cravings. In the centre of
Cryptic Heights you can find the Shrouded Tower Apartments.
A tall building with darkened windows that stands menacingly
inside the urban jungle. Close by and hidden behind a plethora
of rusty signs and roads filled with degenerates you can find
The Silent Gallery, the perfect haven for who’s able to find
beauty even in the darkness.

District move - Not what it seems: Cryptic Heights is not

what it seems to be, and it hides secrets and danger behind
paintings and normal looking structures. When you look at so-
mething or someone for more than a few moments roll
+Influence.

On a 10+ you are able to see behind the illusion and discover
its true nature.
On a 7-9 you realise that something’s weird but you are not
quick enough to react.
On a 6- you are caught in the illusion, the MC will tell
you what happens.

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District: Abyssal Docks
This district received its name just a few decades ago.
This area includes the Phantom Shipyard that is, as the
name suggests, an abandoned shipyard, and the Millennium
Docks, a modern harbour. Because of the Phantom Shipyard
the district has a bad reputation. It is considered to be
the most dangerous area of New Eden, where criminals make
the rules and the police is completely powerless, if not
even part of the gangs. The Phantom Shipyard is a creepy
sight to behold, sure to provide a terrifying experience to
the brave people who decide to go there. Another small gem
of the district is the Abyssal Black Market, the best place
to hustle for criminals. You should avoid the area unless
you are ready to face the most dangerous side of the city.

District move - Cut a deal: The abyssal docks are the focal
point of sketchy affairs and criminal dealings. In this di-
strict one’s word is considered the highest currency. Some
say that whoever betrays a promise done at the Docks will
be dealt a fate worse than death, caused by an ancient ri-
tual that was performed in this area. When you make deals
or promises you must follow through. If you break a promise
done at the Docks, roll +Influence.

On a 10+ you find a way to break the

promise without consequences.
On a 7-9 the consequence of your
action is a small misfortune. The MC
will tell you what happens. Mark a
condition.
On a 6- you can break the promise
but you receive massive consequen-
ces for doing so. The MC will tell
you what destiny has in store for
you. Additionally, your reputation
at the Docks is compromised.

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