Guide to Cryptdigger's

SampleCryptdigger's Guide file to Published by SoulMuppet Publishing www.soulmuppet.co.uk www.soulmuppet-store.co.uk www.facebook.com/SoulMuppet Writing by: Zachary Cox (@JellyMuppet) and Nicholas Spence (@NickSpence1) Editing by: Vi Huntsman (@ImmaWaffleBunny) MRC, Fiona Maeve Giest (@coilingoracle) MRC and James M Hewitt (@needycatgames) Layout by: Dave Cox (@dastardlydave) Art by: Ben Brown (@IllustratorBB) Maps by: Patrick Eyler (@Mountain_Foot) Thanks to: Luke Gearing, Ben Milton, Alex Hill, Ben Warren, James Lader, Harrison Swift, Sam Sleney, Abigail LaLonde, Josh Davenport, Perrtu Vedenoja, Luka Rejec, Michael Lombardi, Connagh Doohan, Huw Williams, Michael Bacon Sample file The Cryptdigger’s Guide to Table of Contents Introduction 6 Welcome to Best Left Buried, a rules light, fantasy-horror roleplaying game combining the “Old School” spirit with new Getting Started 10 procedures and mechanics for a gruelling—but thrilling— dungeon crawl experience. It intentionally mixes the Making a Character 16 immediate threat of death with fear, suspense and slow, grinding consequence. Archetypes 26 The setting of many Best Left Buried games is the Thirteen Duchies of Lendal, a renaissance world dominated by powerful Equipment 40 colonialist institutions and ruled by the Wizard of White Tower, a powerful liche. Tools are included to run Best Left Advancements 54 Buried in Lendal, but with any fantasy setting featuring large dungeons and an adventuring class. Playing the Game 66 A referee, the Doomsayer, is responsible for describing the Consequences 84 world, its inhabitants and its monsters. Players act as Cryptdiggers, professional dungeoneers seeking Monsters 94 riches within terrifying subterranean dungeons—Crypts. The game is designed to be grim and lethal. Monsters should be genuinely scary. Your Cryptdiggers return changed. We Hope you have fun. Zach and Ben Sample file 4 5 Introduction Introduction The Book A Warning There are three primary sections: Best Left Buried has mature If your table prefers not to use them, themes including the following the Doomsayer’s Guide to Horror Cryptdigger’s Guide to Survival content warnings: contains alternate rules removing or A Cryptdigger facing book containing everything necessary to lessening Affliction’s effects. play. It includes character creation, core mechanics, Violence, Mental Illness, Death, equipment lists and a short chapter on monsters. Injury, Trauma, Ableism, Mutilation, We recommend using safety tools, such Body Horror, Cannibalism, Blood, as an X Card (John Stavropoulos), Doomsayer’s Guide to Horror: Addiction, Drug Use. Script Change (Brie Sheldon) or Lines A Doomsayer facing book containing guidelines and and Veils (Ron Edwards), as well as procedures for running games and creating dungeons and a As with any improvisational medium, pre-session discussions and post- toolbox of alternate rules. It also includes the Thirteen worse scenarios can arise in play. sessions debriefs. Information about Dutchies of Lendal and a full hexcrawl adventure, The As with all RPGs, foster an these tools online. Lowlands of Internment. environment where the Doomsayer Best Left Buried engages with the Hunter’s Guide to Monsters and Cryptdigger's actions are powerful and world changing acts A Doomsayer facing book containing guidelines and informed by trust and consent. If the anyone—even if living with physical procedures for creating and using monsters, including game is not safe for everyone, the and mental illnesses can make. It Monster Mythology, Monster Templates and a sizable Doomsayer failed to create an should lift people up, not put them Bestiary. It also adds new Adaptations and rules for creating accommodating space. down. Make your table a safe and fun Monstrous Treasures. In particular, Best Left Buried contains place to play, and people will return. extensive mechanics for psychological Afflictions. Many resemble real world mental illnesses, extremely and through a ‘gallows humor’ lens. Afflictions are not commentary on real mental illness or a condemnation of people’s medical conditions. IfanAffliction makes a Cryptdigger uncomfortable, it should be removed, Sample file reworked or ignored. 6 7 Introduction Introduction Concepts and Tools Characters are controlled by Cryptdiggers. Mythological monsters and NPCs are controlled by the Doomsayer,and might be monsters in the mythological sense, or just other people not controlled by the characters. Creatures include both these categories The only dice you need in Best Left Buried are standard six sided dice, known as D6. If asked to roll XD6, roll X dice and add them together. If asked to roll a D2 or D3. For a D2, roll D2 a D6 and count 1-3 as 1 and 4-6 as 2. 1 ForaD3,1-2=1,3-4=2,5-6=3. For some tables, you may need to reference a grid. Roll one dice for the column and another for the row. 2 Further, you will require pens/pencils and paper for notes and characters sheets. You also need a coin the larger, D3 rarer and more ominous the better. 1 2 Sample3 file 8 9 Getting[CHAPTER Started TITLE] Getting Started The party met in the Guildhall of the Blue Moon in the Grand Best Left Buried is a roleplaying game, a conversation between City of Falfe. Albert Du Lac, bastard of Dentwine, peerless Cryptdiggers and the Doomsayer about a fantasy horror warrior of hammer and helm. Osford of the Nine Fingers, acolyte adventure. Each player takes on one (or more) Cryptdiggers, of the Blue Order and mutant of the priesthood. Lillian the White, while the Doomsayer is the medium they experience the world conjurer of tricks and keeper of great secrets. Carris 'Fingers' through. The Doomsayer portrays other non-player Delton, a gutterscum thief schooled in the subtle art of knifework characters (NPCs), controls monsters, narrates player action’s and treachery. consequences and takes necessary actions creating the adventure’s world. All gathered for their own reasons. Family betrayal, penance, occult thirsts, the promise of forgotten gold. The guildmaster didn’t care. How To Use This Book: The Process of Play They did not tremble, for each thought themself sterner than If you are a player: The loose cycle of play is steel. They did not pause or delay as they agreed to the terms, 1. First read this chapter, to learn the as follows: and asked for the Crypt’s location. basic rules. 1. The Doomsayer describes a situation. She almost pitied them. She had seen so many before. She hoped 2. Then make a character with 2. The Cryptdigger(s) describe how they found what they sought but didn’t reckon much on it. Chapter 3: Character Creation. they interact. 3. To read the complete rules see 3. The Doomsayer decides if/what Chapter 6: Playing the Game. mechanics resolve the interaction, (Stat Check, Observation Check, If you want to be a Doomsayer: Grip Check, combat) and, if Read the Cryptdigger’s Guide To Survival necessary, dice are rolled. cover to cover at least once and, 4. The Doomsayer narrates the preferably, also read the Doomsayer’s action(s)’ outcome, explaining how Guide to Horror. the situation changed. 5. Repeat. Sample file 10 11 Getting Started Getting Started Rules Summary Rules Summary Stats Vigour and Grip Characters have three stats: Brawn, Wit and Will. Higher is Cryptdigger’s Vigour measures health and their resilience, better. The player selects an Archetype determining their and Grip measures sanity, stamina and mana. Vigour is lost character’s pre-Cryptdigging experiences, an Advancement from physical dangers, and replenished by resting away from determining their Cryptdigger’s skills and some equipment danger. Grip is lost through Exertion, failing Grip Checks or and weapons. Through play, characters gain Experience. using some Advancements, and regained by accepting When 8 Experience accumulates, they reset it to zero, gain a Consequences—like Injuries orAfflictions. new Advancement and add 1 to their Vigour and Grip pools. Grip Checks Stat Checks If a character sees something that would damage their Grip, When a Cryptdigger attempts something difficult or risky, the Doomsayer may request a Grip Check.Roll2D6+Will.On the Doomsayer may request a Stat Check ofBrawn, Wit or a 9+ they succeed, gaining 1 Experience. Otherwise, they fail, Will to determine outcome. The player rolls 2D6 +Stat .A losing 1 Grip. Grip Checks may have the Upper Hand orbe result of 9+ is a success, anything lower is a failure. Against The Odds. If the Doomsayer decides a Check is easier than normal, Death and Consequences it is made with the Upper Hand: Roll an extra die and discard When a Cryptdigger is reduced to 0 Vigour, flip a coin. Heads the lowest. they die. Tails they are wounded andUnconscious , making If the Doomsayer decides a Check is hard, it is Against The them vulnerable to being finished off by an enemy, unless an Odds: Roll an extra die and discard the highest. ally prevents them with a Heroic Rescue. Checks can also be made easier with Exertion. Spend 1 Grip for A Cryptdigger reduced to 0 Grip is removed from the the Cryptdigger to push themself beyond their limits and player’s control. make a Stat Check with the Upper Hand. Cryptdiggers regain Grip by accepting Consequences. When hurt or suffering damage, they can accept an Injury—risking Observation Checks death or dismemberment—to reset their Grip to5. The Doomsayer may request an Observation Check to discern Alternatively, outside combat, they can reset their Grip to10 surrounding details. Roll 2D6. A 9+ is a success, otherwise by accepting an Affliction, accepting a potentially debilitating they fail. Observation Checks may also have the Upper Hand mental condition. SampleorbeAgainst The Odds. file 12 13 Getting Started Getting Started Rules Summary Inventory Slots Characters have inventory Slots, equal to 12 + (Will orWit whichever is higher) + 2x Brawn. Each carried item fills Slots equal to the number of hands required to hold them comfortably, at the Doomsayer’s discretion.

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