An Publication www.evilhat.com • [email protected] @EvilHatOfficial on Twitter facebook.com/EvilHatProductions

In association with One Seven Design www.onesevendesign.com • [email protected] @john_harper on Twitter

Blades in the Dark Copyright © 2017 John Harper. All rights reserved.

First published in 2017 by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. 10125 Colesville Rd #318, Silver Spring MD 20901

Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat logo are trademarks owned by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. All rights reserved.

Evil Hat product number: EHP0030 Digital Release, March 28, 2017. v8.2

Printed in the USA.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior express permission of the publisher.

That said, if you’re doing it for personal use, go right ahead. For those working at a copy shop, this means the person standing at your counter can make copies of this thing. This is “express permission.” Carry on.

This book was produced using Adobe Creative Suite. Typefaces: Minion Pro, Kirsty, Ugly Qua. Sample file CREDITS

John Harper Game Design, Writing, Layout, Art, and Cartography

Stras Acimovic Sean Nittner Consulting Designer Developmental Editor

Additional Material by Stras Acimovic, Vandel J. Arden, Duamn Figueroa, Dylan Green, Sean Nittner, and Andrew Shields

Fred Hicks Director of Operations for Evil Hat

Sean Nittner Director of Projects for Evil Hat

Carrie Harris Marketing Manager for Evil Hat

Chris Hanrahan Business Development for Evil Hat

Karen Twelves Copy Editor

Rita Tatum Indexer

Visit the website for character sheets and other game materials Samplewww.bladesinthedark.com file THANKS Adam Koebel, Adam Minnie, Alex Crossley, Andrew Shields, Anthony Turner, Asteyni, Blake Hutchins, Brandon Amancio, Brandon Hilliard, Brendan Adkins, Chris Bennett, Clinton Dreisbach, Daniel Levine, Dave Turner, Duamn Figueroa, Ed Ouellette, Eric Levanduski, , Greg Stolze, J.P. Glover, Jack Conte, James Stuart, Jared Sorensen, Jason Morningstar, Jeannie Harper, John Tynes, Johnstone Metzger, Jonathan Tweet, Jonathan Walton, Josephe Vandel, Kelsa, Kieran Magill, Kim Dachtler, Kira Magrann, Larissa Barth, Leonard Balsera, Les Hilliard, Luke Crane, Mark Diaz Truman, Mark Griffin, Matthew Gagan, Michael Atlin, Michael Prescott, Mike Pureka, Nadja Otikor, Nathan Roberts, Neil Smith, Oliver Granger, Paul, Paul Riddle, Peter Adkison, Rachael Storey Burke, Rachel Martin, Rachel Walton, Radek Drozdalski, , Robin Laws, Sage LaTorra, Sara Williamson, Sean Winslow, Shannon Riddle, Stephen Shapiro, Steve Harper, Steve Nix, Steve Sechi, Steve Segedy, Thor Olavsrud, Tom Dachtler, Tom Richardson, Travis Stout, Vasco Brown, Wesley Flowers, Will Scott, Zane Mankowski. Additional Feedback & Proofing: Adam Sexton, Alex Blue, Andrew Shields, Arne Jamtgaard, Aske Lindved, Ben Scerri, Benjamin Liepis, Brian Pullam, Bryan Lotz, C.R. Harper, Carl Leonardsson, Carsten Bärmann, Chris Pipinou, Christopher Slifer, Craig Reeder, Daniele Di Rubbo, David Barrena, Haakon Olav Thunestvedt, Jack Shear, Jamarr P, Jamie Collette, Jason Eley, Jason Kottler, Jason Puckett, Jens Brandmeier, Joerg Mintel, Johan Nilsson, John Dornberger, Jordan Lessing, Kai Tave, Kevin Denehy, Kevin Heckman, Lukas Myhan, Michael Pureka, Michael Sands, Nathan Black, Oliver Granger, Paul Drussel, Rouser Voko, S. C. Israel, Slade, SlyBebop, Stefan Struck, Stras Acimovic, Troy Ellis, Wojciech “Onslo” Chelstowski, Zanakai, Zeke Mystique. My fellow “thiefy game” designers: Vincent Baker, Will Hindmarch, Harvey Smith, and Matt Snyder. The cataclysmic three: Allison Arth, Keith Anderson, and Mike Standish. Thanks for destroying the world. The original scoundrels:Ryan Dunleavy, Dylan Green, Zane Mankowski, and Ed Ouellette. This game design wouldn’t have survived without you. The dynamic duo: Stras Acimovic and Sean Nittner. You made this game so much better than I could have alone. Thank you so much for your insight and friendship. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Several designs influencedBlades in the Dark in various ways. This game would not exist without them. Apocalypse World, by D. Vincent Baker and Stars Without Number and Other Dust, by Meguey Baker. Dogs in the Vineyard and Kevin Crawford. The Sundered Land by D. Vincent Baker. Night Witches, by Jason Morningstar. The Shadow of Yesterday, by Clinton Talislanta, by Stephan Michael Sechi. Dreisbach. Fate, by Rob Donoghue, Fred Hicks, SampleThe Burning Wheel and Mouse Guard, by Leonard Balsera, et al. file Luke Crane, et al. Thief (series) and Dishonored (series), by Dream Askew, Monsterhearts, and The Harvey Smith, et al. Quiet Year, by Avery Alder. Fallout: New Vegas, by Josh Sawyer, John Thou Art But a Warrior, by Anna Kreider. R. Gonzalez, Charles Staples, et al. Bliss Stage and Polaris, by Ben Lehman. contents

THE BASICS 1 GATHERING INFORMATION.....36 The Game...... 1 EXAMPLE OF PLAY...... 39 The Setting...... 1 The Players...... 2 PC VS. PC...... 41 The Characters...... 2 COIN & STASH...... 42 Thh e Crew...... 2 THE FACTION GAME...... 44 The Game Master...... 3 Tier...... 44 Playing A Session...... 3 Hold...... 44 Before You Start...... 3 Development...... 44 Touchstones...... 4 Turf...... 45 What You Need To Play...... 4 Faction Status...... 45 Making The Game Your Own...... 5 Claims...... 46 THE CORE SYSTEM...... 6 ADVANCEMENT...... 48 The Conversation...... 6 PC Advancement...... 48 Judgment Calls...... 6 Crew Advancement...... 49 Rolling The Dice...... 7 Changing Playbooks Or Crew Type....49 The Game Structure...... 8

ACTIONS & ATTRIBUTES...... 10 CHARACTERS 51

STRESS & TRAUMA...... 13 CHARACTER CREATION...... 52 Character Creation Summary...... 57 PROGRESS CLOCKS...... 15 Actions...... 58 ACTION ROLL...... 18 CUTTER...... 61 Action Roll Summary...... 22 HOUND...... 65 EFFECT...... 24 LEECH...... 69 Consequences...... 27 LURK...... 73 SETTING POSITION & EFFECT....29 SLIDE...... 77 CONSEQUENCES & HARM...... 30 SampleSPIDER...... file81 RESISTANCE & ARMOR...... 32 Death...... 33 WHISPER...... 85 FORTUNE ROLL...... 34 STANDARD ITEMS...... 88 THE CREW 91 HOW TO PLAY 161 CREW CREATION...... 92 Fiction-First Gaming...... 161 Crew Upgrades...... 95 Triggering The Action Roll...... 163 Cohorts...... 96 How To Choose An Action...... 166 Cohort Harm & Healing...... 97 The Purpose Of Dangers & Stress.... 166 Crew Creation Summary...... 99 NPC Threat Levels...... 167 There’s Always A Consequence...... 168 ASSASSINS...... 100 Failing Gracefully...... 168 BRAVOS...... 104 Setting Precedents...... 168 Abstraction Vs. Details...... 169 CULT...... 108 Attune...... 170 HAWKERS...... 112 Command...... 171 Consort...... 172 SHADOWS...... 116 Finesse...... 173 Hunt...... 174 SMUGGLERS...... 120 Prowl...... 175 THE SCORE 125 Skirmish...... 176 Study...... 177 PLANNING & ENGAGEMENT...127 Survey...... 178 The Detail...... 127 Sway...... 179 Item Loadouts...... 127 Tinker...... 180 Engagement Roll...... 128 Wreck...... 181 Linked Plans...... 131 PLAYERS’ BEST PRACTICES.....182 Flashbacks...... 132 Giving Up On A Score...... 133 RUNNING THE GAME 187 TEAMWORK...... 134 GM GOALS...... 187 EXAMPLE SCORE...... 137 GM ACTIONS...... 188 DOWNTIME 145 GM PRINCIPLES...... 193 PAYOFF...... 146 GM BEST PRACTICES...... 194 HEAT...... 147 GM BAD HABITS...... 197 Incarceration...... 148 STARTING THE GAME...... 201 Prison Claims...... 149 Starting Situation...... 204 ENTANGLEMENTS...... 150 THE DARK FUTURE...... 206 DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES...... 153 STRANGE FORCES 209 VICE...... 156 Stress Relief...... 156 The Unquiet Dead...... 210 Indulging Your Vice...... 156 Devils...... 210 Whispers...... 211 SampleDOWNTIME ACTIVITIES Hulls...... file211 IN PLAY...... 158 Vampires...... 211 Npc & Faction Downtime...... 158 Demons...... 212 Downtime Activities Summary...... 159 Summoned Horrors...... 213 Spirit Characters...... 213 Coalridge...... 264 Crow’s Foot...... 266 GHOST...... 214 The Docks...... 268 HULL...... 216 Dunslough...... 270 Nightmarket...... 272 VAMPIRE...... 218 Silkshore...... 274 MAGNITUDE...... 220 Six Towers...... 276 Whitecrown...... 278 RITUALS...... 222 Sample Rituals...... 223 OVERHEARD IN DUSKWALL...280 CRAFTING...... 224 FACTIONS...... 283 Sample Creations...... 226 Sample Special Formulas...... 227 VICE PURVEYORS...... 299 Sample Gadgets & Special Plans...... 227 STREETS...... 300 Crafting Example...... 228 BUILDINGS...... 301 CHANGING THE GAME 229 PEOPLE...... 302 Expanding The Scope...... 230 DEVILS...... 304 Tweaking What’s There...... 231 Making Something New...... 233 SCORES...... 306 ADVANCED ABILITIES THE SHATTERED ISLES 308 & PERMISSIONS...... 234 Iruvian Sword Arts...... 234 World Map...... 309 The Forgotten Gods...... 234 The Path Of Echoes...... 235 INDEX...... 320 Bound To The Demon...... 235 DOSKVOL 237 The Dark Jewel Of Akoros...... 237 A Brief History Of Doskvol...... 238 Cultures...... 239 Languages...... 239 Lights In The Darkness...... 240 Weather, Calendar, & Seasons...... 245 Law & Order...... 248 The Underworld...... 250 Academia...... 251 The Haunted City...... 252 DOSKVOL MAP...... 254 Landmarks...... 255 Districts...... 255 SampleBarrowcleft...... 256 file Brightstone...... 258 Charhollow...... 260 Charterhall...... 262