Unbreakable Publishers MANAGING DIRECTOR EDITOR in CHIEF ART DIRECTOR Samplejacky Leung Jazz Eisinger Filecaroline Amaba
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UNBREAKABLE: REVOLUTION PRINTER FRIENDLY B/W VERSION (MINIMAL IMAGES) CREATIVE LEAD & SENSITIVITY EDITORS & PROJECT MANAGER CULTURAL CONSULTANTS Jacky Leung Lexi Antoku, Daniel Kwan, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Pam Punzalan, Vis Subramanian, NARRATIVE DESIGNERS TOR WAR Doryen Chin, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Rajib Kalita, Charu Patel, Pam Punzalan, INTERIOR LAYOUT & DESIGN Ari Santiago, KC Shi Caroline Amaba MANAGING EDITOR COVER ARTIST Jazz Eisinger Joshua Mendenhall ASSOCIATE EDITOR INTERIOR ARTISTS Brent Jans Caroline Amaba, Alika Gupta, Cammielle Gwisdalla, Sonya Henar, Rajib Kalita, H. “Ink” Kugler, Herman NARRATIVE EDITORS Lau, Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen, Mia Mercury, Lexi Antoku, Omi Chun, Remy Cortez, Tiona Miché, Brian Phongluangtham, Angeli Rafer, Steve Huynh, Brent Jans, Doug Riechel, Alda Yuan TOR WAR, Nichole Wilkinson, Kathryne Wilson, Nala J. Wu Unbreakable Publishers MANAGING DIRECTOR EDITOR IN CHIEF ART DIRECTOR SampleJacky Leung Jazz Eisinger fileCaroline Amaba 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..... 3 Written By Jacky Leung HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ..... 3 SAFETY TOOLS ..... 4 BIG RAT, THE CRIMSON UPRISING ..... 59 DON’T EAT MY MILLET ..... 6 Written by Rajib Kalita Written By KC Shi Edited by Steve Huynh Edited by Remy Cortez CONTENT WARNINGS: oppression, inequity, CONTENT WARNINGS: rats, claustrophobia, slavery, gaslighting, immolation, torture, child abduction, starvation violence against children and elders DAYS OF POWDER, THE MOUNTAIN’S SHROUD ..... 77 PLUNDER, & PLOT ..... 15 Written by Ari Santiago Written By Kevin Thien Vu Long Nguyen Edited by Brent Jans Edited By Omi Chun CONTENT WARNINGS: violence, character bodily CONTENT WARNINGS: colonialism, imperialism, harm (via weapons, animals, and fire), racial open water, threatening ocean life (sharks), piracy, and religious prejudice, social stratification and theft, hostages, suicide attempt(s), description of prejudice reflective of Spanish colonial society in the imprisonment, drowning Philippines circa 19th century MAKE OF THEE AN THE FIRST DIYA INSTRUMENT OF PEACE ..... 27 OF NAVRATRI ..... 101 Written by Pam Punzalan Written by Charu Patel Edited by Lexi Antoku Edited by Doug Riechel CONTENT WARNINGS: colonial violence, profaning of CONTENT WARNINGS: racism, colonizers, cultural and Christian beliefs and imagery, body horror religious oppression, foreign invaders, prison and imprisonment, snakes, mentions of murder BAD LUCK FORTUNE ..... 40 THE ARTISTS ..... 111 Written by Doryen Chin Edited by Alda Yuan SENSITIVITY READERS ..... 114 CONTENT WARNINGS: general horror, gang violence, THE EDITORS ..... 115 deadSample parents & family members, supernatural file aging, loss of bodily autonomy, kidnapping & GAME LICENSES ..... 116 imprisonment, drowning, orphanages, cemeteries, funerals, alcohol, gambling, firearms, knives, hatchets & axes 2 Introduction How to Use this Book When the Unbreakable Anthology was released in April This book features seven standalone adventures written 2020, the world was faced with a brilliant new reality: to function with multiple different tabletop roleplaying not only are we proud to be Asians, but we also want (TTRPG) rulesets. our voices to be heard. One of the best compliments Each adventure states recommended rulesets or we received was that “[Volume 1] is unapologetically explicitly mentions a specific ruleset. They can be Asian.” standalone scenarios, one-shots, or mini-campaigns. In the spirit of that statement, a boldness was Adventures recommending multiple rulesets are necessary—no, demanded. The Volume 1 anthology written to be agnostic and provide narrative toolkits to was the first of a larger dream and ambition to bring adopt into your favorite system. We encourage groups more voices and creators to share their cultures, stories, to try new rulesets mentioned in these entries, but all and identities. are optional. Adventures optimized for a specific ruleset Unbreakable: Revolution is something new for us. Be make require that particular system to play. bold, just as we have, and be free. This is a revolution. You can find the rulesets mentioned in this book at A revolution is a sudden, radical change, but it these sites: can also be a renouncement of the status quo to drive change. We denounce the view that Asians don’t have • 13th Age by Pelgrane Press a place in creative spaces. We are here, and we have https://site.pelgranepress.com/index.php/the- something to say. We’re not going anywhere. archmage-engine-13th-age-srd/ After the release of Unbreakable Volume 1, we • The Black Hack by David Black wanted everyone involved to be proud of their work https://the-black-hack.jehaisleprintemps.net/ and into the future. We assembled a new anthology • B/X Essentials by Necrotic Gnome in this book to showcase the versatility of Asian stories https://necroticgnome.com/collections/free- and the wider tabletop roleplaying community. There downloads are many games out there, and we want to bring them • D20 systems by Wizards of the Coast to more readers with new perspectives. The game https://www.d20srd.org/ systems featured may be some you’ve heard of, and • One Shot World by Yochai Gal some you may have not. We encourage you to explore https://yochaigal.itch.io/oneshotworld them and give them a try, and you may discover a new • Forged in the Dark by John Harper favorite system. https://bladesinthedark.com/forged-dark We have achieved our dream and much more in • Gun&Slinger by Nevyn Holmes this book. New contributors are entering the tabletop https://forktwenty.itch.io/gun-and-slinger gaming space for the first time in a professional • Ironsworn RPG by Shawn Tomkin capacity as writers, artists, and editors. We also have https://www.ironswornrpg.com/ Volume 1 contributors, artists, and editors returning. • Pathfinder by Paizo As Unbreakable Publishers continues to grow, https://www.d20pfsrd.com/ we refine and improve our processes. Sometimes they • Quest RPG by the Adventure Guild work, and sometimes they don’t. It has been a year https://www.adventure.game/ of learning for the team, but everyone brought their • Year Zero Engine by Tomas Härenstam best to bring you this book. Inside this book, you will http://frank-mitchell.com/rpg/year-zero-engine- find stories about resisting tyranny, rebelling against ogl oppression, and overthrowing colonizers. Like our previous publication, these stories reflect the diverse Asian heritagesSample and cultures of our contributors. file Please look for our other publications for new themes and stories in the future. We are starting our journey with a firm step forward. 4 Pronunciation guides and keys have been provided for Asian-inspired names, items, customs, or locations. Safety Tools They are placed there in the spirit of good faith; it’s reasonable and understandable if the playgroup Each adventure in this book features content warnings mispronounces these names, but mispronouncing is with potentially sensitive subjects. While these often preferable to substituting another name. warnings are at the front of each adventure, they are Please keep in mind that many of the names in this not the only tools available to you. We recommend book have a strong cultural significance, and name implementing the following tools in your game substitutions may result in a loss of context. Some sessions. This is not an exhaustive list, and not every adventures also provide sidebars detailing the relevant safety tool may apply to your group. Additional safety cultural or historical information about the chosen tools curated by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant- names. Monk can be found at bit.ly/ttrpgsafetytoolkit. Text that appears in a box like this is meant to be read Lines & Veils aloud or paraphrased for the players. Before your first session, facilitators and players should list topics or subject matter that fall under two ABOUT SIDEBARS categories: lines and veils. Text in these boxes are extra information. Sidebars help provide Lines are topics that a player absolutely does not the GM further context, helpful hits about NPCs, and advice for want in their game, during play, or in the game’s adjusting encounters. context and background. Veils are topics that a player is fine with appearing in a game session, but the situation or topic will not be Each adventure provides an estimated time for play described in detail. its game system or estimated based on the average When a veil during gameplay, the narrative time in most of the suggested rulesets. A typical game performs a “fade to black” with the implications stated, session may last between 3 to 4 hours. These times are and play moves forward. rough estimates so that facilitators and playgroups may This list can be edited and amended during play as determine the best approach to the content. Time and well. All participants must respect the new boundaries content may also be part of your group’s discussion placed upon declaration. Consider keeping your lines using the Palette safety tool (see Safety Tools). and veils accessible, whether on index cards or a general list at the center of your table. Sample file 5 Palette Script Change This tool functions similarly to Lines & Veils, except This multifaceted tool respects boundaries placed by the group compiles concepts or narrative milestones everyone in the group. It is often worked alongside they wish to achieve in the game. Making a list of other safety tools such as Lines & Veils, the X-Card, player wishes for the game session(s) helps establish and others. When a sensitive topic is approached (or expectations and goals while also highlighting aspects seems to approach one), the facilitator may “redo” the that players (including the facilitator) are excited about scene from an earlier point in the story with the subject or looking forward to in the adventure. or topic removed. This tool does not necessarily need to be established This “script change” provides a structure for before the game session. Just like Lines & Veils, the conversation in your group, as everyone can freely game palette may be edited and amended at any time communicate amongst each other.