11/10/2017 The Others

A Limitless Game

Shannon Kalvar
ASPECTS OF GAMING
An Introduction .................................................. 2
The Others...................................................... 2
The Shattering ................................................ 2
The Limitless Engine....................................... 2
The Great Challenges ..................................... 3
A Game of Others........................................... 3
A Game of Dual Realms.................................. 4
Of Heroes ........................................................... 5
Of Questions and Answers ............................. 5
Of Bright or Dark: Choose an Realm .............. 5
Of Alignment: Choose a Stance ..................... 6
Of Archetype: Choose a Role ......................... 6
Of Lineage: Choose a Tradition ...................... 7
Of Background: Create a Way ........................ 7
Of Stories: Weaving it all Together ................ 8
Of Odds and Ends: Attributes and Kit ............ 8
Of Advancement: How to Heroes Improve ... 8
Of Archetypes .................................................. 10
Of Empowerment and Iconic Skills .............. 10
Of Champions............................................... 10
Of Storytellers .............................................. 11
Of Tricksters ................................................. 12
Of Wayfarers ................................................ 13
Of Lineages ....................................................... 14
Of Dreamers ................................................. 14
Of Knights ..................................................... 15
Of Ogres ....................................................... 16
Of Touched................................................... 17
Of Witches.................................................... 20
Of Skills and Aptitudes ..................................... 22
Of Rank, Title, and Limit ............................... 22
Of Aptitudes ................................................. 22
Of Using Experience ..................................... 23
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Of Skill Descriptions ..................................... 23
Of Kit ................................................................ 24
Of Challenges ................................................... 25
Of Structure: Challenge Description ............ 25
Of Approach: Skill and Aptitude .................. 25
Of Complexity: Success and Progress .......... 26
Of Threat: Endurance, Failure, Grit, and Injury
..................................................................... 26
Of Passing: Assist, Protect, Recover ............ 28
Of Success and Failure: Dice Rolls ............... 28
Of Sequences: Order of Attempts ............... 29
Of Becoming Shattered................................ 30
Of Short Scenes: Example Challenges ......... 30
Of Great Challenges ......................................... 31
Of the Difference ......................................... 31
Of Victory and Defeat .................................. 31
Of Journey and Desire: Journey ................... 31
Of Shadow and Wisdom: Enigmas ............... 33
Of Song and Words: Tellings ........................ 34
Of Steel and Will: Conflict ............................ 35
Of Realms Bright and Dark............................... 36
Of the Dark .................................................. 36
Of the Bright ................................................ 36
Of the Veil .................................................... 37
Of the Shattering ......................................... 37
Of Conflict and Opposition .......................... 38
FAQ .................................................................. 39
Scratch Notes - Delete ..................................... 40
An Introduction
The Others was originally conceived of as a
rejection and answer to the 1991 Vampire: The
Masquerade icons of being a monster preying
on humanity, struggling with one’s internal
demons. The mechanics have, thankfully,
changed over the years but the core protest
remains: stories are the key to a life well-lived
and we must take care to make them ones
which will sustain the world.
The Others
The world is divided into the Dark Realm, the
world we know and live in, and the Bright
Realm, a land woven from mortal dreams,
separated by the Veil, forged of dreams and
starlight by the Fae long ago. The Others are
individuals who somehow bridge between the
two and whose adventures do the same.
Each Other comes from a Lineage, a tradition
and sometimes bloodline with specific
responsibilities and corresponding gifts.
Dreamers create the world the others live in.
Knights long ago swore oaths to uphold specific
duties. Ogres find their physical forms both
twisted and empowered by the Bright, while
the Touched share in the blood of the Bright
Realm and can act as living bridges between
worlds. Witches connect with and create the
mythic places.
Each other Other also embodies an Archtype, a
mythic role which grants opportunities for both
great success and failure. As a hero succeeds
within his Archtype the Bright adheres to him,
empowering him and illuminating his Lineage.
If he fails, then he begins to Doubt himself.
Common Archetypes include Champions who
fight for a cause; Storytellers who delight and
inspire; Tricksters who delight in chaos; and
Wayfarers who walk the worlds searching for
something.
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As human beings, each Other also Background,
a mix of education and experience that shapes
the knowledge of the Dark Realm and its many
facets. A Background describes the Other’s
Aptitudes (specific skillful applications) and
Skills (knowledge and training in broad areas).
Eventually each Other will Align himself
somewhere between the House of Ivy, which
believes that stories of heroism and honor are
the best way to change the world, and the
House of Thorn, which believes that mortals
dream more strongly of fear and terror. Both
stand opposed to The Shattering, the loss of
dreams and meaning which leads to the death
of everything.
The Shattering
The conflicts between Ivy and Thorn, mortal
and Fae, and the fluctuations of the Veil form
the primary story engines powering the setting.
Yet behind them all lurks The Shattering, the
death of dreams.
An individual becomes Shattered when he is
stripped of his dreams and can no longer
connect to the great stories. His Shattering is
infectious but also curable if someone dares to
do so.
An area becomes Shattered when it holds no
place in the hearts of mortal kind. It is not a
home, not a setting for the little stories of life,
just a place. Those trapped in such areas may
become Shattered themselves.
The Limitless Engine
The Limitless Engine is a simplified resolution
mechanic in which a player rolls a d20 to
determine whether he achieves a desired goal.
If the dice shows a number equal to or lower
than the character’s chosen Skill + Aptitude (the
character’s Limit), he achieves the goal. If he
rolls higher he fails.
Two special cases apply to the dice engine
described above. In a case where the player’s
roll is exactly equal the character’s Limit he
gains an Insight, which can be exchanged for
experience to invest in his Background, Bright,
or an additional action. If the dice is a 20 (a
natural 20) then the character gains a point of
Doubt, which when accumulated can cause the
character to become Shattered.
In many cases a single attempt (d20 roll) is
sufficient to achieve the goal. In other cases,
the character may have to amass progress,
representing incremental gains along the path.
This progress may be measured in terms of
successful challenges; modifiers from Skills,
Archetype, and Lineage abilities; or some
combination of these and other factors.
In cases where a challenge requires multiple
attempts, the characters organize their
attempts into sequences, with each character
making or passing on one attempt per
sequence. The order in which heroes act is
based on their Limit, with the hero with the
highest Limit acting first, and so on until
everyone who wishes to has made an attempt.
Each character also has Attributes derived from
his Alignment, Archetype, Background, and
Lineage. These include Endurance which
measures the character’s physical stamina and
Grit which measures the character’s mental
fortitude. A hero will sometimes also sustain
Injury, which reduces his Limits, making it more
difficult to successfully meet challenges.
Death is a strange concept for an Other; he is as
much a story as he is a person, as much a myth
as man. Upon the destruction of his body he
becomes a denizen of the Bright Realm, one of
the immortal Fae, and may in time return to
begin the cycle anew.
The Great Challenges
A game involving The Others can be resolved
using just the Limitless Engine. However, some
kinds of challenges are common enough, and
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important enough to the setting, that they
deserve additional attention.
These Great Challenges are as iconic as the
Archetypes and just as embedded in the myths
of the heroes who complete them. The Great
Challenges include but are not limited to:
Of Journey and Desire: a journey in both the
Bright and Dark Realms, beset by danger and
strife, which the heroes must resolve to achieve
some goal.
Of Steel and Will: it is easy to forget when
bullets fly and steel sings that a struggle among
Others is as much about the will of those who
fight as it is their skill in destruction.
Of Shadow and Wisdom: riddle games, tricky
puzzles, and intricate art are as much a part of
an Other’s life as song and steel. They are also
just as deadly, pitting the Other’s mind and
cleverness against forces as old as time itself.
Of Song and Words: the greatest victory lies
not in an enemy’s defeat but in making his
cause unimaginable to future generations, so
that it fades from the world. Such total victory
can only be won in the dance of Song and
Words, the shaping of the stories which people
remember through performance and pure will.
Successfully resolving a Great Challenge carries
with it the chance for a character to step
beyond his Archetype and Lineage, forging his
own iconic moments and the ability to relive
them in the game mechanics through the
creation of a unique, personalized abilities. He
may also take the victory as a way to increase
the Bright which he starts with at the beginning
of a story.
A Game of Others
The Others was originally set in the US in the
early 1990s, but this was a convention of the
time rather a requirement built into a system.
One can imagine any number of other dreaming of a feast in the faded memories of
possibilities including: Babylon.

Guardians at the Gate: the heroes take on the
role of defenders of a mythic place, one where
the Veil between the worlds thins and beings
both Bright and Dark come to seek the
mysteries.
For convenience, the heroes deal with the Dark
Realm during waking hours and adventure in
the Bright while they dream.

Lamplighters: set between WWI and WWII, the

heroes might find themselves fighting to keep
the Nazis from winning the dance of Song and
Words, transforming the world into a hell-scape
before hostilities start.

Knights out of Time: the heroes might be the

last members of an Order founded in the mists
of time. Alternately, they might be the
founders of an Order, or both – living both the
end of the Order in the Dark Realm and
dreaming of the founding in the Bright.

Other, PI: the heroes work as private

investigators, dragged from one thinning of the
Veil to another. This might be set at any time,
though the 60s, 70s, and 80s all seem to
present interesting adventure opportunities.

Through a Mirror Brightly: the heroes live

ordinary lives but in their dreams, they journey
the Bright Realm, having fantastic and terrifying
adventures. Their heroic selves may be far
removed from their mystical ones until some
event draws the two together.

Through a Mirror Darkly: the heroes are

denizens of the Bright Realm, Fae, who find
themselves dreaming in the Dark Realm and
interacting with beings who gave up on childish
fantasies long ago.

A Game of Dual Realms

The Others allows and assumes that heroes will
face challenges in both Realms and across the
Veil during the course of an adventure. The
characters may spend their day struggling to
sort out clues in a science lab and their nights

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Of Heroes
Creating an Other Persona
A character in The Others is marked by fate or
chance to take on great challenges and,
hopefully, overcome them.
Each character serves as a player’s avatar in the
Realms. Each has a history, a family,
connections to lineage and stories both great
and small.
The Others adopts a character creation
approach which attempts to balance
mechanical and narrative design needs. As the
players answer questions about the character
they wish to play, narrative hooks are provided
to allow for further growth.
Of Questions and Answers
Creating an Other involves answering the
following questions:
1) Does the character primarily dwell in
the Bright Realm (the faery realms) or
the Dark Realm (the real world)?
2) Does the character believe that hope or
fear is a more potent seed for dreams?
3) What Archetype does the character
embody?
4) What is the character’s heroic Lineage,
the tradition that marks him as
different from mortal and immortal
alike?
5) What is the character’s Background, the
experiences which shape his way of
proceeding in life?
6) How does all of that come together into
a story?
7) What are the mechanical effects?
These answers both inform the character’s
systemic build and provide the player with
“hooks”, unanswered or ambiguous questions
which can then be woven together into the
character’s initial story.
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Once the story is written, the answers can also
be used to calculate the character’s Attributes.
Summary of Elements
Through answering the questions below the
character determines:
Question Effect
Realm Story hooks
Ivy or Thorn Story hooks
Archetype Story hooks, Empowerment
Chart, 1 Iconic Skill
Lineage Story hooks, 1 Lineage Ability
Background Story hooks, Select 2 Novice, 2
Trained, and 1 Expert Rank
Skills and 2 Aptitudes
Story Story hooks
Odds and Calculate Endurance and Grit;
Ends select one kit.
Of Bright or Dark: Choose an
Realm
Each character comes from either the Bright
Realm or the Dark Realm. The Bright Realm is
the land of immortals, a thousand fragments of
dreams woven together into land and sea. The
Dark Realm is the world of mortals, a place
where dreams seem like illusions and science
rather than sorcery rules the day.
A character from the Bright Realm should
describe which of the many storied lands he
hails from. Does he come from Arcadia, the
mythic land of faeries? From the Istanbul of
Shahrazad, land of a thousand and one stories?
From the cold northern wastes, where the sun
only shines once per year and fire dances in the
sky?
A character from the Dark Realm should decide
on his mortal home. What country does he
come from? What city? Does he have a single
home or does his family wander from place to
place?
Finally, is the character a native of his Realm, or Archetypes are: Champion, Storyteller,
a changeling, brought from the other Realm for Trickster, and Wayfarer.
some mysterious purpose? Foundlings and
Champion: fights with steel and will to achieve
changelings, little boys found in peach pits and
his cause. Although many stories of champion
human shepherds raised as princes in the faery
involve combat, most of the most enduring
lands are all staples of the world’s myths.
and iconic moments of a true champion’s epic
Of Alignment: Choose a Stance will involve avoiding or defusing violent
Many of the conflicts between The Others stem confrontation in favor of more constructive
from a fundamental disagreement about the means.
nature of mortal dreams. This disagreement
Storyteller: weaves songs and words so that
goes back to before the written word and will
others take strength from them. A true
likely continue until the last mortal draws his
storyteller’s most iconic moments come when
final breath. he shapes a story which, in turn, shapes the
One side, organized into a loose confederation world.
called the House of Ivy, holds that mortal
Trickster: balances between shadow and
dreams are strongest when founded on hope
wisdom in a quest to challenge, entertain, and
and faith. They act to preserve hope, spread
enlighten. A true trickster’s most iconic
faith, and create moments of light in the world
moments come when she misleads a friend or
so that mortals will dream of brighter things.
an opponent directly into a larger truth.
The other, organized into a loose set of cells
Wayfarer: walks the path of desire, driven by a
and dubbed the House of Thorn, holds that
need to see what is over the horizon and
mortal dreams grow from terror and that
beyond the fields he knows. A wayfarer’s most
suffering is to them as rain is to a tree. They
iconic moments involve discovery, exploration,
work to create conditions under which mortals
and the moments when he realizes he can
can fear, can struggle, and can dream of things
never return home again.
both beautiful and terrible so the Bright Realm
will be renewed. Each Archetype contains two mechanical
elements. The first is Empowerment, benefits
A character does not have to align with either
the character receives as the amount of Bright
House during the creation process. However,
adhered to him increases. The second are
the conflict between the two perspectives
Iconic Skills, which if awakened allow him to
shapes the world an Other lives in. What are
gather Bright when he completes challenges
her personal believes about it? Does she hope
associated with that Skill.
to rebel against the Houses? Lead one in a
revolution? Act as their standard bearer in the
great war against The Shattering? Something
Archetype Skills
else entirely?
Champion Diplomacy, Tradecraft, Warfare
Of Archetype: Choose a Role Storyteller Art, Presence, Perform
Each character embodies an Archetype, a Trickster Enigmas, Humanities, Science
mythic persona which serves as a way for the Wayfarer Insight, Outdoorsman, Savvy
Bright to adhere to and empower him. The

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A character starts with one Iconic Skill, a skill
from the list associated with his Archetype.
When he completes a challenge associated with
this skill he gains +1 Bright. As the hero
progresses he may use experience to add
additional Iconic Skills, increasing his ability to
gather the Bright.
Mechanical details about the Archetypes,
Empowerments, and Iconic Skills can be found
in the Of Archetypes section.
Of Lineage: Choose a Tradition
A character’s lineage is chosen to represent the
way in which he stands between the Bright and
Dark Realm. Others are neither mortal nor
immortal, neither human nor fey, but rather of
both bloods and both worlds.
The word lineage was chosen to imply that a
character does not emerge from a vacuum, a
lone and unique hero. She is part of a family,
even possibly an extended clan which has a
history all its own. When selecting a Lineage,
take the time to imagine what that history
might be and how it might impact the
character’s life.
The Lineages are: Dreamers, Knights, Ogres,
Touched, and Witches.
Dreamers: experience the Realms more fully
than others, as though they could see in
spectrum of colors unknown to normal folk.
They feel, and in feeling they create worlds.
Dreamers gain abilities which allow them to
shape the Bright Realm and reduce the cost of
sharing the Bright with others.
Knights: inherited fearsome oaths sworn by
those before them which carry enough weight
to reshape their perceptions of the world.
Some knighthood is passed down in families,
while others come to it through trial and
travail. Knights gain abilities allowing them to
draw on the weight of their shared oath,
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providing both sword and shield against the
night.
Ogres: awakened to find their bodies and
possibly minds twisted by some contact
through the Veil. They seek one another out,
forming small groups for mutual protection
against a world hostile to anything truly
different. Ogre abilities allow them to
momentarily transcend their limitations
although sometimes at a terrible cost.
Touched: carry in them the blood of another
Realm. They experience a world where they
“see” both the Bright and Dark Realm
simultaneously. Touched abilities allow them
to leverage this “Second Sight” and awaken
the power of their immortal bloodlines.
Witches: create and protect the sacred places.
Their world is filled with ritual and symbol, the
weave from which the Veil springs. Witch
abilities allow them to invest in and empower
places, then draw on that power in times of
need.
A character starts with one (1) Lineage ability
and may awaken more by completing Great
Challenges.
A full list of Lineage abilities can be found in the
section Of Lineages section.
Of Background: Create a Way
A character does not emerge, fully formed,
from the head of her father after he cleaves his
forehead open with an axe. Well, at least most
don’t. Characters come from somewhere, have
experiences and connections, training and
abilities.
Mechanically, the player may select five skills
from the following list:
• Art: the creation of artistic works;
• Diplomacy: working with others
through authority, influence, and
power;
 • Enigmas: riddles and tricks, both verbal
and otherwise;
• Humanities: the study of human
thought;
• Insight: awareness of and intuitive
understanding of myths and symbols;
• Outdoorsman: skill in the practical skills
of survival and travel off the beaten
path;
• Presence: the ability to both exert self-
control and project emotions;
• Performance: the art of entertaining
through acting, instruments, stagecraft,
and song;
• Science: the study and exploration of
the physical world;
• Tradecraft: the skills of a spy;
infiltration, interrogation, and
subterfuge;
• Savvy: knowledge of how to survive and
thrive in an urban world; and
• Warfare: skill with tactics and weapons
Of the five skills chosen, two (2) are learned at
the Novice level (Rank 1, Limit 6), two (2) at the
Trained level (Rank 2, Limit 9), and one at the
Expert level (Rank 3, Limit 12).
Additionally, the character has two Aptitudes.
An Aptitude can be selected from the list
presented with the detailed Skill descriptions or
created by the player. Each Aptitude applies
the Skill Rank of the Skill it is associated with to
the Limit of another Skill. The Aptitudes do not
have to be associated with the highest Ranked
skill, nor do they have to be associated with the
same Skill.
Example: Theresa is a talented actress and
singer (Expert Performance (Rank 3)) with an
Aptitude Impressive Fighter (Performance:
Warfare). She gains +3 to the Limit of her
Warfare challenge attempts.
The Skill a character assigns the Expert Rank is
the focus of her background and training. The
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player should take time to explain how the hero
got started on the road to such mastery, and
why they stayed on it.
The character’s Aptitudes represent an
opportunity to customize the character’s
history, showing how he thinks about his world
and applying his skills to diverse situations.
Example: Theresa’s player decides that the
Impressive Fighter Aptitude comes from her
tendency to boast and shout in fights, a habit
she picked up dealing with rowdy teenagers at a
community theater.
Of Stories: Weaving it all Together
The elements arrayed above build the bare
bones of a heroic narrative and hopefully have
provided some story hooks for the player and
the Narrator to work with.
The player may wish to sit down, review the
results, and then write a one to three paragraph
story summarizing these elements. This can be
done either before play starts or after the
character has a few sessions to “grow” and
develop a voice.
Of Odds and Ends: Attributes and
Kit
Finally, the player calculates the character’s
Endurance and Grit, as follows:
Endurance = 10 + the character’s Ranks in
Outdoorsman and Warfare
Grit = 5 + the character’s Ranks in two of
Diplomacy, Enigmas, Insight, and Presence
He may also select one “kit” as described in the
Of Kit section.
Of Advancement: How to Heroes
Improve
Role playing games generally detail a hero’s rise
from relatively modest beginnings to striding
between worlds, wreathed in power. The
Others does not deviate greatly from this
underlying structure, although there are
caveats.
A character may use his Experience Points (XP),
gained from Inspirations and completing
challenges, to extend and enhance his
Background (Skills and associated Aptitudes).
When he completes a Great Challenge he may
awaken abilities associated with his Lineage,
create a new ability associated with his
Archetype, or increase the amount of Bright he
holds at the start of a new story arc.
However, a hero’s special abilities are fueled by
Bright. The amount of Bright adhered to him
dictates the advantages his Archetype confers;
Bright is spent to activate Lineage abilities and
to overcome both Doubt and The Shattering. A
“high level” character with little Bright is not
that different from a mortal; a “low level”
character with a vast supply of Bright may shine
with power for a moment before fading away.
Achieving Victory
When a character (or group of characters)
emerges victorious from a Great Challenge he
may select one of the following options:
• She may design an Archetype ability
and place it at the tier of his choosing.
She may only place one unique ability at
each tier.
• He may select one of her Lineage
abilities and gain a Rank in it, making it
an option for future conflicts.
• She may designate one Skill as an Iconic
Skill, even if it is not associated with her
Archetype.

Gaining and Spending Experience

A character gains experience when he strives to
achieve his goals; failure teaches as much or
more than success in these cases.

Each session, a character +1 XP for each

completed session and +1 XP for each challenge
resolved with either success or failure.

When a character fails a Great Challenge he

gains a number of XP equal to the total number
of stages in the challenge.

Gaining and Spending Bright

When a character succeeds at a challenge
associated with one of his Iconic Skills, he gains
+1 Bright.

Additionally, a hero gains +1 Bright per stage

she completes in a Great Challenge, so long as
she made at least one attempt as part of the
challenge. If she did not make an attempt
during the challenge (i.e. she passed each
sequence) she does not gain the Bright.

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Of Archetypes
The heroes of myth and legend are each unique
individuals who, in the moment they are called
upon, wield great power. They can also be
described by certain patterns, called
archetypes, which suggest both the arc of their
stories and how they will respond to them.
Mechanically, The Others uses Archetypes as a
way for a character to take on a specific “role”
within the story and the game. This role helps
the hero to grow and evolve over time,
providing specific support to the group but also
opening up opportunities for customization.
The four Archetypes presented here (Champion,
Storyteller, Trickster, Wayfarer) just scratch the
surface of possible builds and combinations.
They are directly aligned with the four detailed
Great Challenges.
Of Empowerment and Iconic Skills
Each Archetype has an Empowerment, abilities
which accrue as the character gains Bright and
access to one or more Iconic Skills, which give
the character Bright as he completes
challenges.
The Archetype entries below show how
Empowerment works for each Archetype. In
general, for every 5 points of Bright character
accumulates he gains an additional minor ability
and +1 to his bonus pool. The minor ability is
always in effect; the bonus pool can be added
to either the Limit of the character’s Iconic Skills
or to other opportunities as described in the
Archetype entry.
The bonus pool can be reallocated among the
available options at any time during a challenge
as a free action by spending 1 Bright.
Of Champions
A young woman who dreams of being a samurai
finds her sword in her hand as goblins leap from
the shadows to take her…somewhere. A Knight
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of St. George sets aside his broken 9MM and
pulls out the ancient sword of his fathers,
whispering prayers as he charges into battle a
dragon. A man screams as his body changes,
pushing up against the falling stones with
taloned hands.
Champions are the warriors and defenders,
soldiers or saints who take the fight to the
forces of darkness. Theirs are the stories of
battle, of glory won from fearsome foes, of the
doomed last stand and the will to endure what
others cannot.
Although it is easy to imagine all Champions as
killers, in most cases they avoid lethal
confrontations. Any fool can kill; a Champion
strives to create a story that will give hope to
everyone involved, even his foes.
Iconic Moments: the Champion archetype is
designed to deliver the following iconic
moments:
• “There’s some good left in this world,
Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
• “You. Shall. Not. Pass.”
• Having driven the army off, Roland
attempted to destroy his blade,
Durendal but it was, indeed,
indestructible.
• The warrior watches warily as ninja
circle, looking for an opening.
Champion Empowerment
A Champion is empowered to stand and fight
against the forces which would overwhelm the
world. They are tough, recover quickly, and
able to protect others.
Bright Effect Pool
0 None 0
1 to 5 +1 Resistance 1
6 to 10 On Protect, take on threat 2
from two allies
11 to 15 +1 Resilience 3
 16 to 20 Increase Iconic Skill 4 boundaries past which The Shattering cannot
inspiration range by 1 pass.
21 to 25 Reduce inflicted Injuries by 5
1 Iconic Moments: the Storyteller Archetype is
30+ On inspiration with an 6 designed to deliver the following iconic
Iconic Skill gain two of the moments:
options rather than one
• “I’m glad to have you here with me at
the end of all things.”
Bonus Pool Allocation • An audience watches mesmerized as a
A Champion may allocate his bonus pool among soloist sings of her vanished home
the following: • Birds and beasts circle as the musician’s
fingers fly on his lute strings
1) The Limit of any of his unlocked Iconic
Skills;
2) To increase the bonus granted by one Storyteller Empowerment
Aptitude from an Iconic Skill A Storyteller is empowered to act as a font of
3) To increase his Recover Endurance inspiration, guiding others and supporting their
4) To increase his Recover Grit efforts. This allows them to strike at the Doubt
which creeps into the hearts of those who seek,
Champion Iconic Skills
who strive, and desire not to yield.
The Champion Iconic Skills are: Diplomacy,
Tradecraft, and Warfare. Bright Effect Pool
0 None 0
Of Storytellers 1 to 5 The character may “bank” 1
A man plays his guitar while wild-eyed soldiers Inspirations for later use; he
search through the streets. A girl whistles the may retain a number of
birds from the trees and they come, swarming inspirations equal to his
around her. An artist strikes at night, leaving bonus pool.
behind a mural which tells the story of a place 6 to 10 On Pass: Aid, the character 2
for everyone to see come the dawn. can give the bonus to two
characters rather than one
Each of these is a Storyteller, an individual 11 to 15 The character adds any 3
gifted in weaving images together to create bonus pool allocated to
sudden, enlightening moments for others. recover Endurance or Grit
Storytellers are the world’s first and last line of between challenges to
defense against The Shattering, the ones with everyone in the group.
the power to drive it back and sometimes heal 16 to 20 On Pass: Aid, the character 4
those suffering from its affliction. increases the inspiration
range of the targeted
Like all Others, the Storytellers align themselves characters by 1
between Ivy and Thorn, between hope and 21 to 25 The character may spend an 5
terror. Those who dedicate their efforts to Inspiration on another’s
hope create the great epics of the world; those behalf
who see terror as the stronger force create the 30+ On Inspiration with Iconic 6
fear which encircles mortal lives. Both work to skill, gain 2 options rather
give meaning, create groups, and establish than one

P a g e | 11
 Iconic Moments: the Trickster archetype is
designed to deliver the following iconic
Bonus Pool Allocation
moments:
A Storyteller may allocate her bonus pool
among the following: • “Just so long as it’s not ‘Help Me’
again.”
1) The Limit of any of his unlocked Iconic
• “What have I got in my pocket?”
Skills;
• A man spends his night in dreams of his
2) The bonus granted by one Aptitude
wife, only to find in the morning she is
from an Iconic Skill;
gone
3) The Endurance recovery between
challenges; • A shell game becomes a con game
4) Grit recovery between challenges; becomes a chase as an old street
5) The bonus for her Aid action peddler turns out to be a young thief
6) The Bright gained by investing an stealing back a stolen ring
Inspiration into a Telling’s Final Climax
(ordinarily 1)
Trickster Empowerment
Storyteller Iconic Skills Tricksters are empowered in the following
The Storyteller Iconic Skills are: Art, ways:
Performance, and Presence.
Bright Effect Pool
Of Tricksters 0 None 0
A smirking man slinks away from the fight he 1 to 5 Gain one Aptitude of the 1
started between two others to cover his escape. Trickster’s choice
A scholar with dust-stained fingers works 6 to 10 On Pass, gain the Trick 2
feverishly on an ancient riddle. Two thieves option: reduce one target
trade barbed comments while robbing a character’s Limit by 1
preschool of its…crayons? 11 to 15 The Trickster can spend an 3
Inspiration to grant one ally
Each of these is a Trickster, a person who uses one additional sequence to
their wits and no small amount of luck to resolve a lead in an enigma
resolve the greatest challenges. Tricksters live Great Challenge.
in the moment, of the moment, and have a gift 16 to 20 Gain a second Aptitude of 4
for improvisation which would make even a the Trickster’s choice
saint sigh with frustration. 21 to 25 Increase the number of 5
targets a Trick impacts to
The greatest Tricksters have a good sense of two (2)
humor, an eye for detail, and a knack for getting 30+ +1 Resilience 6
under people’s skin. How they use these skills
determines whether they end up as helpful
Bonus Pool Allocation
figures or as tormentors; many would argue
A Trickster may allocate his bonus pool among
that the difference between the two comes
the following:
down to a matter of perspective.
7) The Limit of any of his unlocked Iconic
Skills;

P a g e | 12
 8) The bonus granted by one Aptitude 1 to 5 When the Wayfarer enters a 1
from an Iconic Skill waystation, he becomes
9) The bonus of one Aptitude granted by aware of the paths leading
his Archetype from it
10) The penalty for his Trick action 6 to 10 The Wayfarer and his party 2
recover during a “path”
Trickster Iconic Skills challenge as though they
The Trickster Iconic Skills are: Enigmas, had a chance to rest.
Humanities, and Science. 11 to 15 The Wayfarer is aware of 3
the challenges along each
Of Wayfarers path between his current
A traveler sits and watches as a group of young waystation and the next
adventurers prepares themselves to get lost in ones.
the wilderness. A young woman feels the water, 16 to 20 The Wayfarer may pause on 4
testing the current’s direction. An old man gets a path, granting an
into his car and sets out on the highway, additional chance to rest.
following the endless road. 21 to 25 The Wayfarer is aware of 5
the challenges waiting in the
Each of these is a wayfarer, a traveler who waystations linked to his
cannot stop moving even if he wanted to. The current one.
horizon calls to a wayfarer, drawing him far 30+ On Inspiration with Iconic 6
from the fields that he knows into a world of skill, gain 2 options rather
myths and legends. than one

Iconic Moments: the Wayfarer Archetype is

designed to deliver the following iconic Bonus Pool Allocation
moments: A Wayfarer may allocate her bonus pool among
the following:
• The chieftain’s daughter hears the sea’s
1) The Limit of any of his unlocked Iconic
call;
Skills;
• A swordsman steps in as goblins attack
2) The bonus granted by one Aptitude
a wandering dreamer;
from an Iconic Skill
• A trick shooter entertains a crowd,
3) The bonus of one Aptitude granted by
noting The Shattered in the stands;
his Archetype
• A salaryman books a flight to anywhere,
not knowing where the money will Wayfarer Iconic Skills
come from. The Wayfarer’s Iconic Skills are: Insight,
Outdoorsman, and Savvy.

Wayfarer Empowerment
Wayfarers are empowered in the following
ways.

Bright Effect Pool

0 None 0

P a g e | 13
Of Lineages
In addition to being unique individuals, the
heroes of myth and legend come from
somewhere; have a family and a connection to
the past which enables them to have a future.
This lineage plays an important part in the
heroes’ stories and helps to shape their final
destiny.
Mechanically, The Others represents the
character’s connection to the Bright Realm as a
Lineage; a combination of inheritance and
relationships which grant the character the
option to unlock specific abilities. These
abilities expand the character’s options and can
fundamentally change the rules of the game for
the duration of a challenge.
Narratively, the character’s Lineage creates
hooks the character can explore as part of his
own story arc. What is his relationship to his
lineage, to his family and their associates? How
does he fit among his people, and where does
he not fit in? What do others from the same
lineage expect from him; can he meet those
expectations or does he reject them out of
hand?
The rest of this section deals with some of the
Lineages in The Others. The original treatment
had additional Lineages (e.g. magicians, skin-
changers) which are not addressed at this time.
Also, mixed Lineage parties are challenging.
Dreamers and the Touched typically adventure
in both the Bright and Dark Realms
simultaneously; Knights and Witches can do so,
but they need to spend Bright to do so. Ogres
have no such ability and may well miss out
entirely on the opportunity to explore the
Bright Realm.
Of Ability Ranks
Lineages provide the heroes with “abilities”,
which can be awakened by allocating a Victory.
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Each victory allocated to an ability increases it’s
Rank by +1.
Of Dreamers
A woman lives a life of adventure in Genji’s
Shining Court at night while working in an over-
bright office during the day. A middle-aged
man thrashes in his sleep, tormented by
nightmares that have no earthly origin. A
young girl wakes up, her mind filled with
dreams of a world made better by technology.
Each of these is a Dreamer, an otherwise
normal person whose imagination allows them
to dream vividly and shape the Bright for good
or ill. Dreams are the first and strongest
warriors against The Shattering, and a Shattered
Dreamer is a threat to the integrity of the
worlds.
The Dreamer lineage is passed on either
through family lines or by contact, generally in
the Bright Realm, between someone with the
potential to be a Dreamer and one of the Fae
realms.
As their name implies, many Dreamer
adventures take place in the Bright Realm. It is
where they are most comfortable, most
powerful, and best able to face the threats the
world creates.
Iconic Moments: the Dreamer Lineage should
be able to deliver the following iconic moments:
• A child dreams of fire and it awakens
around him;
• A girl tells stories of a far-away place
called the Misty Vale until one-day
adventure comes to claim her;
• Dark dreams pursue a musician in the
waking world
Mark of the Dreamer
Like all of those who live in both the Bright and
the Dark, a dreamer carries with him marks
which set him apart from others.
A dreamer’s marks in the Dark Realm may
include but are not limited to:
1) Animals follow the dreamer wherever
he goes
2) The dreamer always does the same
three actions, one after another, when
entering a room
3) The dreamer’s eyes cannot stay focused
on anything close to him
Dream Guilds
Dreamers are vulnerable as they come into
their powers. Older dreamers, therefore,
search for younger ones to take on as
apprentices, ensuring that the gift is not lost.
Over time these masters have formed
associations, or guilds, which work together in
large efforts.
Dreamer Abilities
All dreamers have the ability to DreamWalk, to
cast themselves into the Bright Realm. They
gain 1 Bright each night that they do so.
Each Dreamer may also select from among the
following abilities, called Icons:
At Hand: A Dreamer can spend 5 Bright to
create a kit in the Bright Realm. The kit remains
until he awakens and contains one addition per
Rank of this ability.
Dream Aid: A Dreamer can spend 3 Bright per
ability Rank to call forth an ally who, for the
duration of one challenge per Rank of this
ability, perform a Skill selected when he is
called at the Rank paid for.
Dreamer’s Heart: A Dreamer can spend 3 Bright
to share his current Bright total (before the
expenditure) with an ally for the duration of a
challenge. The ally gains Archetype abilities as
if he had Bright equal to the Dreamer’s plus the
Dreamer’s Rank in this ability.
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Open Path: A Dreamer can spend 10 Bright to
open a new Path from his current Waystation to
the next one. He may select the skill challenge
to open the Path. He may do this a number of
times equal to the ability’s Rank per Great
Challenge.
Of Knights
Water flows down over the woman’s shoulders
as she casts aside her shattered rifle and
prepares for the final fight of her life. A man in
rags lifts up another, carrying his new
companion to the homeless shelter. A professor
in tweed reads through term papers, setting
aside those which warrant further study.
Each of these is a Knight, one of the sworn
protectors who watch over the world. Some
serve in places of danger while others serve in
silence.
The lineage is passed down along family lines,
from father to son or mother to daughter,
transmitted through both lore and solemn
vows. Some Knights come in from outside the
lineage, drawn to service through a calling they
cannot deny.
Iconic Moments: the Knight Lineage should be
able to deliver the following iconic moments:
• “Not one step further.”
• To set aside what one’s heart’s desire
for a duty that could be denied;
• To swear a fearsome oath and have it
carry to the seventh generation.
Mark of the Knight
Unlike other Lineages, the Knights are not
visibly marked by their connection to the Bright
or the Dark. Their oaths are a choice they
make; the words a mark which shapes their
soul.
Knightly Orders
Knights who share an Oath becomes a member
of an Order. Some Orders are almost military
organizations with complex rank and seniority
structures. Others are loose associations
dedicated to a specific cause.
Some Orders include:
The Knights Templar: founded during the
Crusades, the Templars stand for mortal men
against all the forces nightmare can throw at
them.
The Ancient Order of Scrolls: founded in
Egypt, the Ancient Order is a collection of
scholars who preserve knowledge.
Knight Abilities
All Knights are bound to an Oath, a fearsome
duty which they can set aside at any time. So
long as they hold to their Oath, they gain
Experience Points equal to their current amount
of Bright which can be spent to increase their
existing skills. The Experience Points can be
reallocated by spending 5 Bright.
Each of the Knights may also select from among
the following abilities, called Virtues:
Charity: the Knight regains 1 Endurance or Grit
when he uses Assist action for each Rank he
possesses in this ability. He may select what he
gains when he takes the Assist action.
Compassion: the Knight regains 1 Endurance or
Grit when he uses the Protect action for Rank
he possesses this ability. He may select what he
gains when he takes the Protect action.
Courage: the Knight gains an additional +1
Endurance or Grit for each Rank of this ability
during each pause in a Conflict Great Challenge.
Humility: the Knight can sets aside his choices to
support others. He may sacrifice his action and
restore 1 Endurance or Grit to an ally for each
Rank in this ability he possesses.
Piety: the hero knows how to keep the faith.
When he uses Bright he can roll a d10; if he rolls
a number equal his Rank in this ability, he
P a g e | 16
reduces the Bright expenditure by an amount
equal to his total number of Knight abilities.
Of Ogres
A boy awakens from a bloody nightmare to find
himself naked and cold in the woods. A girl
lashes out at her attackers with claws that
spring from her fingertips in a spray of blood.
An old woman smiles and smiles, revealing row
upon row of teeth as her jaw opens wide.
Each of these is an Ogre, a child of the Realms
touched and physically twisted by contact with
another. They appear to be normal, indeed
may live completely mundane lives, until the a
moment of stress reveals their true nature.
The change is permanent but brings with it
recompense, as if the powers that be took with
one hand and gave with the other. An Ogre’s
deformity masks incredible physical and mental
abilities, powers that in others would be
recognized as genius.
Every Ogre comes into this world alone. Many
find themselves cast out, exiled from hearth
and home. In the modern world of the Dark
Realm, most end up homeless and many will fall
in with criminal elements in an attempt to
survive a world which has no place for them.
Iconic Moments: the Ogre Lineage should be
able to deliver the following iconic moments:
• Standing as the bullets rain down,
feeling the sting of them as the Ogre
shelters a small child;
• Melding out of the shadows from
behind a guard, breaking his neck with a
sharp, inhumanly fast twist;
• Peering at a book with owl-like eyes,
seeing the truth behind the words; or
• Walking for a day and a night and a day
again to find the place where the sun
goes to sleep.
Mark of the Ogre
Ogre are physically different from the mundane
citizens around them. These “marks” cannot be
hidden and get worse as they draw additional
Bright into their bodies. The oldest Ogre, nearly
immortal beings with fantastic mental and
physical gifts, can seem as outlandish as the
Egyptian Gods themselves.
The Ogre’s marks:
• Glowing eyes;
• Scared or horny skin;
• Strangely colored hair or skin;
• Hands or a head of an animal;
• Talons, razor teeth; and
• Spines or other protrusions from
beneath the skin.
Ogre Fastnesses
Although Ogre come into the world alone and
scared, some find a home among their own kind
on the edges of civilization. In ancient times
these “fastnesses” hid in the deepest forests
and highest mountains. Now, they may exist
within an abandoned warehouse or even at the
top of a fallen but not yet out of business hotel.
A warlord watched over each fastness, using
her superior skills and powers to protect the
younger ogre she gathers. In return for
absolute fealty, the fastness provides a
community to young ogre, training in how to
use their remarkable abilities, and protection
from the many foes who prey upon them.
Ogre Abilities
Ogre are among the Dreamless; that is, they do
not dream and do not cross over the Veil unless
they wish to. This is both a blessing and a
curse: although they cannot participate in
dream adventures without intervention, they
are also cannot be harmed by threats in the
Realm they do not inhabit.
P a g e | 17
Each of the Ogre may also select from among
the following abilities, called Twists:
Bones of Iron: the Ogre cannot be stopped. He
gains a 1 point permanent reduction to Injury
penalties for each Rank of this ability he
possesses. Example: Sam selected Bones of
Iron 3 times (Rank 3). When he gets to 4
Injuries, he suffers a -1 penalty to his limits.
Feat of X: when the Ogre selects this ability he
chooses one Skill he does not yet have a Feat
for. He gains +1 to his Limit with that skill, and
can increase that Limit for one roll by spending
3 Endurance or Grit per +1 to the Limit. Each
time he selects his ability he must select a
different skill.
Heart of Stone: the Ogre adds 3 to his Grit each
time he takes this ability. He may also choose
to take Grit damage to his Bright instead of to
his Grit.
Regeneration: the Ogre heals rapidly. Each time
he selects this ability, he may choose to
increase his Recovery of Endurance, Grit, or
Injury by +1. This bonus is assigned when the
ability is selected and cannot be changed.
Speed of the Wave: the Ogre may select on
Aptitude he possesses. When that Aptitude
applies, he gains First Strike in the challenge.
The Ogre must select a different Aptitude each
time he gains a Rank in this ability.
Speed of the Storm: the Ogre adds +3 to his
initiative rolls per Rank of this ability.
Unnatural Toughness: the Ogre adds 3 to his
Endurance each time he takes this ability. He
may also choose to take Endurance damage to
his Bright instead of his Endurance.
Of Touched
A woman watches the butterflies no one else
can see in her cell; one day she vanishes. A
young man made of snow steps through a
mirror on the way to meet his date at the
movies. Crows circle above a woman’s head as
she walks counterclockwise around a well, each
step taking her further and further into below
the surface on an invisible stair.
Each of these is one of the Touched, a person
from the Bright or Dark Realm who, by lineage
or circumstance, finds herself able to interact
with both Realms simultaneously. The Touched
see things no one else can see and always live
dual lives; one in either Realm. Doing so puts
them under enormous strain. It also gives them
powers equal to that of the greatest heroes.
Indeed, many of the Touched believe the
heroes of legend came from among their ranks.
Demi-gods and fey-touched; monsters and
saints, all seem to describe at one point or
another the confusion which comes from living
in two worlds.
Many of the Touched struggle with what
appears, to outside observers, to be a form of
insanity. They react to things others do not see:
stepping around invisible obstacles; talking to
themselves while not on a cell phone; and
commenting on strange smells or sensations.
These are an effect of their “Second Sight”, of
seeing what others cannot.
Iconic Moments: the Touched Lineage should
be able to deliver the following iconic moments:
• A mugger grabs a young woman only to
discover that, rather than the dress he
saw, she wars silver armor and carries a
lance which pierces his heart;
• Four friends dodge and weave, fighting
a dragon only they can see. One
screams as his skin blackens in response
to the creature’s flames;
• A fey noble shudders as a car crash in
the Dark Realm distracts his attention
from the dance.
P a g e | 18
Mark of the Touched
The Touched look just like a normal person of
their type to others. However, everyone
around them looks like a phantom to them;
everyone except other Touched. Only other
Touched exist in both Realms at once; therefore
only other Touched seem “solid” to those
blessed and cursed with the Second Sight.
Touched Bloodlines
All of the Touched are, well, touched by both
Realms. The simplest way for this to happen is
for the Touched to have come from a union
between a mortal and a fey; others might gain
this touch through intimate contact with a
person from another Realm. More rarely,
someone may be a changeling, a child from one
Realm raised in another.
Common Touched bloodlines include:
Dwarves: taciturn and prone to wrath,
dwarves are creatures of the ice and stone
whose mastery of metal knows few bounds.
Flower Fairy: whimsical and strange, the
flower fairy awaken when their plants bloom
and retreat back into slumber when winter
comes.
Night Elves: fearsome creatures made of
mist and shadow, these elves stand no
higher than a man’s waist but can devour
even the strongest warrior or aid his wife
when he is away if he pays proper respects.
Touched Abilities
All of the Touched are blessed with the Second
Sight; the ability to peer from one Realm to
another. They can choose to change their focus
from one Realm to the other as their action for
the sequence.
Each Touched has one Realm that his “physical”
body resides in, and one Realm which he
“dreams” in. This may be selected by the player
at the start of the game, and may change at the
Narrator’s discretion during the day.
Additionally, in areas where the Veil in thin the
Touched may be directly impacted by actions
on both sides. They can choose to focus on one
or the other (as above).
Each of the Touched may also select from
among the following abilities, called Favors:
Bring Across: The hero may spend 3 Bright to
bring a kit he possesses from one Realm to
another. A kit from the other Realm functions
perfectly for as long as it remains in the
Touched’s hands but will not work for another
person and does not count against his total
number of kits in either Realm. This ability has
only one Rank.
Champion’s Arms: the Touched is outfitted as
befits a champion of his Realm. She must invest
no less than 3 Bright into this ability and must
select a Realm (either Bright or Dark). He gains
a kit which does not count against his kit limit in
that Realm and gives +1 to Diplomacy,
Tradecraft, and Warfare challenges. Each time
the hero selects this ability, she must invest an
additional 3 Bright and may select one kit
addition.
Hero’s Gambit: the Touched may spend 5 Bright
to attempt an additional challenge this
sequence. This ability has only one Rank.
Shift Over: the Touched may spend 3 Bright to
shift completely over into either the Bright
Realm or the Dark Realm. He automatically
returns to his home Realm at the location he
crossed over at the end of the scene. He may
spend an additional 1 Bright to return to his
home Realm in the location adjacent to his
ending location instead. This ability has only
one Rank.
Speed of the Wind: the Touched may spend 2
Bright to gain First Strike in a challenge using
P a g e | 19
the skill he selected when he allocated a victory
to this ability. He may select an additional skill
each time he increases this ability’s Rank.
Stand Between: the Touched may spend 3
Bright to focus on both the Bright and Dark
Realm equally, interacting with both
simultaneously. This effect lasts a number of
sequences equal to the ability’s Rank.
Storyteller’s Scrolls: the Touched is outfitted as
befits a sage and storyteller of his Realm. He
must invest no less than 3 Bright into this ability
and must select a Realm (either Bright or Dark).
He gains a kit which does not count against his
kit limit in that Realm and gives +1 to Art,
Performance, and Presence challenges. Each
time the hero selects this ability, he must invest
an additional 3 Bright and may select one kit
addition.
Trickster’s Knot: the Touched is outfitted as
befits a trickster and ne’er-do-well of his Realm.
She must invest no less than 3 Bright into this
ability and must select a Realm (either Bright or
Dark). He gains a kit which does not count
against his kit limit in that Realm and gives +1 to
Enigmas, Humanities, and Science. Each time
the hero selects this ability, he must invest an
additional 3 Bright and may select one kit
addition.
Wayfinder’s Reed: the Touched is outfitted as
befits a wanderer of his Realm. She must invest
no less than 3 Bright into this ability and must
select a Realm (either Bright or Dark). He gains
a kit which does not count against his kit limit in
that Realm and gives +1 to Insight,
Outdoorsman, and Savvy challenges. Each time
the hero selects this ability, he must invest an
additional 3 Bright and may select one kit
addition.
Of Arms, Knots, Reeds, and Scrolls
Kit is an extremely abstract concept in The
Others. It represents specialized resources
generally and therefore can take a wide variety
of forms. This is particularly important when
thinking about the various kit creation abilities
of the Touched, whose kit can take wildly
varying forms.
Here are three different examples of
Champions Arms 3, to show this in action:
My Father’s Gun (Dark): Kelly’s father’s father’s
father first fought the spriggans with this gun a
hundred years ago. It, along with his belt and
the secrets of making cold iron ammunition,
have served the family well for generations.
Nightwatcher’s Arms (Bright): Gwendolyn is a
child of the night elves and her heritage comes
with the arms to prove it. She has uncanny
strength and speed along with armor and a
selection of silver-iron blades (knives and a
sword).
Word of Winter (Bright): Skor is a child of the
deepest winter who fostered with a mortal
couple for twenty years. He can call up armor
of ice, throw blasts of winter wind to freeze
foes, and become like onto a glacier when he
must.
Of Witches
Smoke and chants rise up to the sky as the
decimated singers weave the Veil back into
being. A man watches over the birth of kittens,
the last of a line originating from the Goddess
Bast. Fire rises, and with it power, as sacred
wood burns away impurities.
The above are examples of witches, individuals
charged with and connected to one or more of
the Shadows. Witches draw power from this
connection, power which they can use to
protect or to harm.
Witches are the source of myths about magical
talismans, potions, and rites which have
persisted for thousands of years. Most of these
stories are just that: stories which can help to
P a g e | 20
weave the Bright Realm. Others contain a
kernel of truth about how mortal men can
shape the immortal worlds.
In the modern era, witches live and work within
the bounds of society, relying on technology
more than shadowy magics to achieve their
ends. After all, why spend a dozen hours
chanting to send a message to a distant relative
when a text will do just as well?
Iconic Moments: the Witch Lineage should be
able to deliver the following iconic moments:
• Drop a amulet in the bushes by a
stranger’s doorstep to protect them
from an evil they will never see;
• Wish a friend Godspeed and have their
journey be merry and bright; or
• Find an arch formed of two fallen trees
and dance through into the Bright
Realm.
Mark of the Witch
Witches carry about them a sense of the
“other”, a feeling that shapes the reaction of
animals and mortals alike, depending on their
allegiance.
A Witch aligned with the House of Ivy generally
finds animals friendly and others find his
presence comforting. One aligned with the
House of Thorn finds animals distrustful and
others find his presence unsettling. They will
unconsciously place objects between
themselves and the witch, avoid direct contact
with him, and may even shun him entirely if
they can.
Witches’ Chambers
Witches organize themselves into chambers,
groups bound by a common purpose and
responsibility to a Shadow. Chamber members
do not have to be friends, or even friendly with
one another; shared responsibility does not
necessarily translate into common well-feeling.
The important thing to realize here is that the The witch can spend no more than 5 Bright per
choice to join a Chamber is not in the hands of Rank he possesses in this ability.
the witches but of the Shadow they protect.
Innecto: the witch can close a Shadow,
The Shadow may choose anyone, at any time,
restoring the Veil and preventing creatures
and the mortal members have no say in the
from using the Shadow as a passage between
situation.
the Realms. Doing so costs her 1 Bright each
Witch Abilities time something tries to cross. She may place up
All witches feel the Call, the sense of the sacred to this ability’s Rank in Bright when she sets up
or profane (the Shadows) that cannot be the Veil.
described only experienced. A witch always
Hio: the witch can open the Veil at a Shadow,
knows when she is in the presence of a Shadow
allowing him to step between the Realms. This
and can feel a pull towards any Shadow in a
costs 1 Bright per person transitioned and the
radius around her. The exact distance depends
witch may carry a number of people across
on narrative necessity but is rarely less than a
equal to his Rank in this ability.
mile.
Reparatio: the witch can mend the hurts
Additionally all Witches may select from among
caused by toil and trouble. By spending Bright
the following abilities, called Charms:
up to her Rank in this ability she can heal
Animare: the witch can place a portion of her 1d4+Bright spent Endurance or Grit to one ally
Bright into an object, giving it the semblance of within the scene.
life. He may animate a small object for 5 Bright,
Servo: the witch can extend his protection to a
a human-sized object for 10 Bright, and
person or a place, effecting no more than one
something as large as a pick-up truck for 15
target per Rank in this ability. Each target costs
Bright. The object moves and shifts per the
the witch 3 Bright to set up the protection. The
witch’s request. Additionally, it acts as kit for
witch is considered to be a participant in any
the witch, with a number of additions equal to
scene targeting the protected target.
the number of time he selected this ability
minus 1 (Rank -1). The animation lasts until the Vecto: the witch can follow her path through
end of the scene. the Bright Realm to a location in the Dark. At
the end of a Dream she can spend 1 Bright per
Deificatio: the witch can draw the power of the
person (spending Bright up to her Rank in this
Bright into herself, granting her supernatural
ability) to emerge in the Dark Realm at the
powers for a short duration. For every 3 Bright
place located closest to her last position in the
the hero spends, she gains 1 Rank in an Ogre
Bright Realm, rather than at where she went to
ability for the duration of the scene. She may
sleep.
not spend more than 3x her Rank in this ability
during a specific scene. Veneficium: the witch can curse others, causing
them great harm. Each target costs the witch 3
Evocatio: the witch can call a being of the Bright
Bright and she cannot have more targets than
Realm to her, though doing so does not enforce
her Ranks in this ability. The witch is considered
the creature’s service. A creature called in this
to be a competitor in any scene the target
way has one victory for every 5 Bright the witch
undertakes or (in the case of a place) in any
spends and remains until the end of the scene.
scene taking place there.

P a g e | 21
Of Skills and Aptitudes
Skills
<descriptive text>
<guidance>
Of Rank, Title, and Limit
Each Skill has a Rank, title, and Limit. The Rank
is a numeric designation used for convenience
in numbering and as a bonus for Aptitudes. The
title is a rough, in game narrative description of
the character’s level of ability in the specified
skill. The Limit indicates the value the player
needs to roll at or under in order to succeed at
an attempt to use the Skill to meet a challenge
without applying modifiers from Archetype,
Aptitudes, Kit, or Lineage.
Rank Title Limit
0 Unskilled 3 inspiration and imagination, passing through
1 Novice 6 challenges which prevent others from moving
2 Trained 9 on without pause.
3 Expert 12
4 Master 15
5 Paragon 18
6 Legend 21
Rank 0 – Unskilled (Limit 3): is used when the
character has no training or ability in the Skill
called by the challenge. He gets by on his raw
intelligence and ability, perhaps supplemented
by some of his other modifiers.
Rank 1 – Novice (Limit 6): indicates the
character received formal training in the subject
or has some practical experience but not both.
A Novice has little depth of knowledge or skill to
draw on but can make do in simple challenges.
Rank 2 – Trained (Limit 9): denotes a character
with both practical experience and formal
training in a specific discipline. With the right
equipment and support a Trained character can
meet most challenges, given enough time and a
little luck.
P a g e | 22
Rank 3 – Expert (Limit 12): can perform within
the discipline with precision and skill,
completing most simple challenges with
aplomb. A this Rank the character is still
somewhat reliant on other bonuses to provide
for consistent success in more difficult
situations.
Rank 4 – Master (Limit 15): denotes a character
who is ready to move beyond the constraints of
her training and experience, creating new
opportunities as she meets unusual challenges.
A master is generally successful in her efforts,
especially when supported by friends or decent
circumstances.
Rank 5 – Paragon (Limit 18): indicates the
character has passed beyond the known,
elaborating on his discipline with unconscious
grace and skill. He operates in the realm of
Rank 6 – Legend (Limit 21): the character has
become a hero, able to face the greatest
challenges within his discipline and defeat
them. If he chooses, his name will go down in
legend as one of the greatest of his generation.
Of Aptitudes
A character may also have Aptitudes in addition
to his Skills. Aptitudes represent the characters
ability to leverage her knowledge in one
discipline to improve her performance in
another.
Each Aptitude is sourced in one Skill and applies
the Rank of the source Skill to the Limit of one
target Skill. The source skill and target skill are
chosen when the character acquires the
Aptitude and cannot be changed.
An Aptitude is noted as Name (Source Skill:
Target Skill), where the Name is selected from
the examples listed with the skills or created by
the player, the source Skill designates the Skill
which will apply its Rank to the Limit, and the
target Skill is the Skill which is modified.
Example: Knife Fighting (Enigmas:Warfare)
shows that the character will apply his Enigma
Rank to the Limit of his Warfare challenges.
Note that the Narrator may choose to disallow
the application of an Aptitude if it does not
seem to make sense for the situation. From the
example above, the character may not be able
to apply his Knife Fighting aptitude to a
strategic planning session.
Aptitudes on Skill XP
0 5
1 7
2 9
3 11
4 13
5 15
Of Skill Descriptions
Art: the creation of artistic works;

Total Number of Aptitudes Diplomacy: working with others through

A single Skill may not have more than five (5) authority, influence, and power;
Aptitudes associated with it. Each Skill may only
Enigmas: riddles and tricks, both verbal and
target another Skill once with an Aptitude.
otherwise;
Of Using Experience Humanities: the study of human thought;
A character is expected to earn between 4 and
6 XP per session: one (1) for participating in the Insight: awareness of and intuitive
session itself, and one (1) for each challenge the understanding of myths and symbols;
character(s) overcome in which he made at Outdoorsman: skill in the practical skills of
least one attempt. survival and travel off the beaten path;
Assuming this rate of experience point gain, the Presence: the ability to both exert self-control
following chart can be used for Skill and project emotions;
Advancement:
Performance: the art of entertaining through
Rank to Rank XP Cost From R0 acting, instruments, stagecraft, and song;
Unskilled to Novice 15 15
Novice to Trained 10 25 Science: the study and exploration of the
Trained to Expert 10 35 physical world;
Expert to Master 15 45
Tradecraft: the skills of a spy; infiltration,
Master to Paragon 15 60
Paragon to Legend 20 80 interrogation, and subterfuge;

Savvy: knowledge of how to survive and thrive

Additionally, the player may instead choose to in an urban world; and
purchase an Aptitude. The cost is based on the Warfare: skill with tactics and weapons
number of Aptitudes already associated with
the Skill, as follows:

P a g e | 23
Of Kit
The Others uses a highly abstract system for
representing equipment, clothes, and
possessions of various sorts.
A character may access two (2) “kits” with him
at a time. A kit consists of all of the materials
one might need to perform a specific skill well,
and may include objects to carry directly and
the means to store them.
Generic Kit
A generic “kit” provides +1 to the Limit of a
single skill.
Special Additions
A sword forged of silver as hard as iron. A
computer possessed by the ghost of Ms.
Lovelace. A mirror that speaks in riddles.
Each of these is an example of an “addition” to
a generic kit. The addition provides one of the
following bonuses:
• +1 to the character’s Limit with the
primary skill
• +1 to the character’s Limit with a
different skill
• +1 Resistance when using the kit for its
primary skill
• +1 Resilience when using the kit for its
primary skill
• +1 to the character’s Insight range
when using the primary skill (+1
changes the Insight range from Limit to
Limit -1, Limit; +2 extends it to Limit -2,
Limit-1, and Limit; etc).
The Narrator may disallow any addition to a kit
which seems ridiculous or out of place.
Additionally, a single kit may only have one of
each kind of addition, for a maximum of five
additions per kit.
Acquiring Kit and Additions
All Others start out with one kit of their choice
during character creation.
P a g e | 24
Some Others can create additions as part of
their Lineage. These additions are restricted
per the rules for kits, above.
Most additions are rewards, given by the
Narrator as part of the completion of a
challenge or Great Challenge.
Losing Kit
A character may choose to lose the kit he used
rather than being forced to reassess after failing
a critical challenge.
A Narrator may declare a kit “lost” at any time,
although there are Other abilities which allow
the player to state otherwise.
Example Kits
The following present a small, non-exhaustive
list of the possible base kits a character might
acquire during play.
Diplomatic Papers (Diplomacy +1): an official
position and the papers to prove it along with
the training and resources to back the character
up in his efforts.
Forensics Lab (Science +1): a sample gathering
kit, portable analysis kit, and a larger space
somewhere with more elaborate equipment
used to perform scientific analysis of physical or
social leads.
Musician’s Kit (Perform +1): a performers kit
including music, a notebook for musical
notation, simple recording equipment, and
instruments.
Tactical Kit (Warfare +1): a soldier’s equipment
including light body armor; weapon and side
arm; ammunition and other supplies helpful in a
fight.
Trust Fund (Savvy +1): access to a continuous if
modest stream of funds which helps to ease
one’s way through the world.
Of Challenges
Face and Overcome Adversity
Heroes will, over a course of time, face
innumerable challenges, opportunities for them
to prove their worth by applying both luck and
pluck to achieve desired ends. Most of these
challenges are resolved with a single roll (or a
single roll for each character in the group),
while others require more elaborate resolution.
The truly notably struggles, those which define
a hero’s epic, are called Great Challenges and
are handled separately.
Of Structure: Challenge
Description
Challenge is the formal term adopted whenever
a hero faces a difficulty in the game world and
wishes to resolve it using a combination of
Aptitude, Skill, and abilities.
Each challenge entry describes the desired goal,
the intended approach, and the threat which
the hero endures through the challenge.
For example:
Scatter the Nazi soldiers guarding the Pagoda of
the Red Lotus
Approach: Warfare
Progress: Complex (5 successes required)
Threat Level (difficult, critical, lethal): 1d6
Endurance per attempt, on 6 sustain 1 Injury
This describes a straight forward skirmish in
which the heroes will have to distract, befuddle,
or defeat a group of opponents using their
Warfare skill, applying an Aptitude and
modifiers as appropriate. Each character who
attempts the challenge will lose 1d6 Endurance,
with a 6 indicating that they take one Injury
instead. Once the heroes amass 5 Warfare
progress among them the opponent’s scatter
and they can proceed.
P a g e | 25
Of Approach: Skill and Aptitude
Each challenge is keyed to an “approach”, the
primary Skill called upon by the challenge for its
resolution. The Skill is modified by one or more
of the character’s applicable Aptitudes, insights
gained by the character in how he might apply
one skill to situations involving another.
In The Others, Skills are extremely broad and
represent a body of discipline which is not easily
substituted. The Skill required by a challenge is
therefore non-negotiable and does not vary
once established.
However, over time a character may gain
insights into the connections between
disciplines which allow him to leverage his skills
in different situations. This is mechanically
represented by an Aptitude and the hero may
apply one of his Aptitudes to the challenge
attempt roll.
Example: Loki is a Trickster and Paragon (Rank
5) of Enigma, giving him a Limit of 18 on Enigma
rolls. He creates using experience the Knife
Fighting (Enigma: Warfare) aptitude and can
apply his Enigma Rank (5) as a bonus to
Warfare rolls when he can use a knife,
supplementing his relatively low level of
experience in combat (Trained Warfare: 9) for a
Limit of 14.
Summary of Challenge Actions
The character may, once per sequence in initiative
order:
• Attempt Challenge – suffer threat,
potentially make progress
• Pass (Aid): add +1 to one character’s Limit,
no threat
• Pass (Defend): take one character’s threat
onto himself
• Pass (Recover): recover +1 Endurance or Grit
As a free action they may also:
• Reallocate bonus pool for 1 Bright
• Activate Lineage Ability for Bright

Of Complexity: Success and
Progress
Challenges in terms of their complexity. Some
are simple, concluded in a single attempt.
Others prove to be more complex, requiring
multiple attempts. The most memorable will
likely be contested, in which the heroes must
both meet a simple or complex challenge AND
out race one or more opponents on their way
to the goal.
Simple challenges require one character to
succeed at his attempt to resolve it. Multiple
characters may make the attempt and the first
to succeed gains the prize.
Complex challenges require multiple attempts
to overcome. Each successful attempt provides
1 progress towards challenge resolution.
Multiple characters may make the attempt,
taking turns as described in Of Sequencing.
As a rule of thumb, a complex challenge should
take 1 progress per character involved who is
Trained in the appropriate skill per sequence
the Narrator wishes the challenge to take. This
will vary based on the challenge Threat.
Contested challenges occur when the heroes
are either opposed in their efforts to resolve
the challenge or another individual (or group)
wishes to achieve the same goal. In these
cases, each character may choose to allocate his
progress either to his group’s progress or to
increasing the progress required by one
opposed group by +1.
Example: Gwendolyn, Holly, and Uriel need to
persuade a pawn shop owner to help them in
their investigation. This is a simple challenge,
and each hero can attempt to resolve it using
Diplomacy. Gwendolyn isn’t terribly good at
this challenge (Novice: Limit 6), and Holly is just
confusing (Novice + Confuse (Enigma:
Diplomacy): Limit 10) but Uriel is skilled at this
P a g e | 26
(Expert + Calming (Presence: Diplomacy): Limit
15).
Of Threat: Endurance, Failure,
Grit, and Injury
A hero exposes himself to threat when he
attempts a challenge. This threat may take
many forms; a threat of failure, loss of resolve,
or even physical injury. Over time the hero
becomes tired and, eventually, must put his
burdens down and rest.
The Limitless dice engine measures four forms
of threat:
Endurance: represents the physical resources
expended in an attempt. A hero who reaches
0 Endurance can no longer attempt challenges
and must rest.
Failure: sometimes failure ends the challenge,
preventing the hero from progressing past it.
Failure forces the heroes to reassess the
challenge and consider new approaches to
achieving their goals.
Grit: measures the hero’s mental fortitude and
ability to press forward. A hero who reaches 0
Grit can no longer attempt challenges and
must rest.
Injury: measures the hero’s health and
wellbeing. The hero reduces all Limits by his
Injury value. A hero many continue to press
forward while Injured but if his Injury exceeds
his maximum Endurance or Grit (whichever is
higher) he must stop and recover.
Each time a hero attempts to resolve the
challenge by rolling a d20 he suffers from the
challenge threat. The resources lost depend on
the threat level, as described below.
Threat Level: Mechanics
A challenge’s threat level determines which
resources the hero risks and the amount of risk
he suffers.
At the peaceful threat level, the hero loses 1 of
Endurance or Grit for each attempt. This
represents minor exertion which tires the hero
but does him little harm.
At the troubled threat level, the hero loses 1d4
of either Endurance or Grit for each attempt.
This represents a major exertion on the hero’s
part and may impair him in future challenges.
At the dangerous threat level, the hero loses
1d6 of either Endurance or Grit for each
attempt. This represents circumstances which
place the hero in considerable jeopardy and
may reduce him in ways he would rather.
At the extreme threat level, the hero loses 2d4
of either Endurance or Grit for each attempt.
These challenges exhaust the hero, possibly
preventing him from making further progress.
Additionally, a threat level may be either critical
or lethal. A critical threat causes the group to
fail if they cannot overcome the challenge in a
set number of sequences. A lethal threat deals
1 Injury to the character for each threat dice
which rolls its maximum value.
Descriptor Effect
Peaceful -1 Endurance or Grit
Troubled -1d4 Endurance or Grit
Dangerous -1d6 Endurance or Grit
Extreme -2d4 Endurance or Grit
Critical Must be completed in X
sequences
Lethal -1 Injury when threat dice
rolls its maximum
Deciding Between Endurance or Grit
A threat reduces Endurance when it calls upon
the character’s physical resources or carries the
opportunity to do harm to his body. A threat
which draws on the character’s mental
resources or erodes his spirit/strength of will
reduces Grit instead.
P a g e | 27
How many sequences for a Critical
Threat?
A critical challenge allows the characters a
limited number of sequences before failure
occurs, inflicting Doubt and forcing them to
reassess. The number of sequences is up to the
Narrator, but the following general rules apply,
based on the challenge’s threat level:
A peaceful or troubled critical challenge
allows between 2 and 4 sequences to resolve
before failure.
A dangerous critical challenge allows between
1 and 3 sequences to resolve before failure.
An extreme critical challenge allows 1 or 2
sequences before failure.
When is Threat Applied?
A character suffers the threat after he resolves
whether his attempt succeeded or failed.
Resisting Threat: Reduction and
Resilience
Some characters have the ability to resist threat
when it occurs. This resistance may come from
a Lineage ability, an Archetype, or even from
equipment the hero carries.
A character with Reduction reduces the total
amount of Endurance loss from a threat by his
Reduction value. Likewise, a character with
Resilience reduces the amount of Endurance
lost to a threat by his Resilience value.
Recovery: Endurance and Grit
A character recovers 1 Endurance and 1 Grit
between challenges. Some Archetype and
Lineage abilities accelerate this recovery.
Recovery: Injury
A character recovers 1 Injury between game
sessions, if the session ends between
challenges. Some Archetype and Lineage
abilities may accelerate this recovery.
Reassessment: Failure
When a character or a group of characters fail
to overcome a critical challenge, they must step
back and reassess. Each hero gains +1d4 Doubt.
The group discusses and debates a new
approach and, with approval from the Narrator,
may try again.
Recover: By
Doubt Spend 1 Bright per Doubt
Endurance +1 between challenges
Grit +1 between challenges
Injury +1 between sessions
Failure Reassessment scene
Of Passing: Assist, Protect, Recover
A character who does not wish attempt the
challenge may instead choose to pass. This
opens three possible options for him.
• Assist another hero, providing +1 to
that hero’s Limit,
• Protect another hero, taking that hero’s
threat onto herself, or
• Recover, regaining +1 Endurance or
Grit.
Of Success and Failure: Dice Rolls
As described in An Introduction, the Limitless
dice engine uses a single d20 roll to resolve an
attempt to overcome a challenge.
The d20 result must be less than or equal to the
hero’s Limit to count as a successful attempt.
The hero sets his Limit based on a combination
of his Skill Rank bonus and a bonus from one of
his Aptitudes (if one applies). He may also gain
bonuses from Archetype or Lineage abilities.
If the result is higher than the hero’s Limit, the
attempt is unsuccessful and does not contribute
to the progress required to resolve the
challenge.
P a g e | 28
Of Doubt: Automatic Failure
When a d20 shows a 20 on its face, the hero
always fails regardless of his Limit. He also
acquires 1 point of Doubt, representing a loss of
confidence in his abilities.
As a hero’s Doubt grows, so too does his chance
of failure. This is shown in the table below.
Doubt Automatic Failure Range
0 20
1 to 3 19 or 20
4 to 6 18, 19, or 20
7 to 9 17, 18, 19, or 20
10 to 12 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20
13+ 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20
Additionally, a hero whose Doubt equals or
exceeds his maximum Endurance or Grit
(whichever is lower) becomes Shattered.
Recovering from Doubt: Expending Bright
A hero can recover from Doubt by spending 1
point of his Bright for every point of Doubt he
wishes to remove. This can be done as a free
action at any time.
Of Inspiration: Exceptional Success
When a d20 shows exactly the character’s Limit
he gains an Inspiration. The hero’s success
bolsters his confidence and reaffirms his place
in the epic of his name.
An Inspiration may be spent immediately to
1) Take an additional action during the
character’s current turn
2) Remove 1d4 Doubt
3) Gain 1 point of Bright
4) Gain 1 Experience Point
When a character’s Limit would naturally be
over 20, he gains an extended “inspiration
range” as described in the table below:
 Limit Automatic Failure Range
20 19
21 to 23 18 or 19
24 to 26 17, 18, or 19
27 to 29 16, 17, 18, or 19
30 to 33 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19
34+ 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, or 19
Example: Theresa has a Limit of 26 going into a
Perform challenge. She will gain an Inspiration
if her d20 shows a 17, 18, or 19. Holly takes the
Aid action rather than attempting the challenge
herself, increasing Theresa’s Limit by +1 to 27.
She now gains an Inspiration if her d20 shows a
16, 17, 18, or 19.
Finally, there are some effects which increase
the “inspiration range” of a character’s roll.
These effects (primarily actions in the
Storyteller Archetype) are expressed as
“increase the inspiration range by +X”, where X
is generally 1.
These effects add a number of dice faces to the
hero’s inspiration range equal to their value,
always at the lowest end of the scale..
A character can only benefit from one effect
which extends his Inspiration range at a time,
with the strongest effect superseding the
weaker one.
Example: Theresa gives Gwendolyn a +1
inspiration range effect targeting her Warfare.
She has a total Limit of 22 at the moment
(inspiration range 18 or 19). The effect adds the
17 to her inspiration range, allowing her to earn
an inspiration on a 17, 18, or 19.
Of Doubt and Inspiration: Interacting
Ranges
The character’s “doubt range” supersedes his
“inspiration range”. The ranges are also
deliberately offset, so that at high levels a
character with a great deal of Doubt might still
P a g e | 29
find a way to seize upon an Inspiration and
begin the long journey back.
Of Sequences: Order of Attempts
A sequence occurs when each character either
attempts a challenge or passes on the
opportunity to do so.
In a simple challenge, the sequence is implied
but not formally structured. Each character is
given a chance to attempt or pass, with the
players deciding on the order they wish make
their rolls or the Narrator calling on heroes one
at a time.
In complex or contested challenges, it becomes
necessary to keep formal track of the sequence
and the order of actions. In these cases, the
Narrator organizes the frame and the initiative
order to speed play.
Of Framing: Steps in a Sequence
Each sequence consists of three steps:
1) The Narrator summarizes the scene,
tells the players how much progress the
characters have made towards
completing the challenge, and describes
any changes to the threat level or other
challenge elements;
2) The characters act in initiative order,
each one either attempting the
challenge or passing;
3) The Narrator determines if the
challenge has been resolved.
Note that in the case of critical challenges the
Narrator also tells the players how many
sequences remain before the heroes fail.
Of Initiative: Establish the Decision
Order
Each player rolls a d20 and adds his Rank in the
challenge Skill to the result to determine his
Initiative. The character with the highest
Initiative decides to attempt the challenge first
or pass; then the next does so, and so on until
the last character decides.
Some characters have Archetype or Lineage
abilities which affect their Initiative and the
order of action. These abilities describe how
they work and override the general Initiative
order.
Additionally some characters have an ability
called First Strike. In situations where the
ability applies, the hero assesses whether the
challenge is resolved before threat is assessed.
Example: Gwendolyn spends 2 Bright to activate
her Speed of the Wind (Touched) ability, which
grants her First Strike in Warfare challenges.
The heroes need to sneak into (by stealth or
quick talking) a guarded house and search it for
a clue to the next step in their adventure.
Example 2: A Deal Gone Bad
Governing Skill: Warfare
Threat: Dangerous Lethal (1d6 Endurance, 1
Injury on a 6)
Progress: 4
Success: After amassing the required progress
the heroes can progress to the next scene.
The heroes are negotiating with a contact when
a fight ensues. This is a short fight (probably
taking a sequence or two to resolve) inflicting
minor damage to the heroes.

Of Becoming Shattered
When a character’s Doubt exceeds his
Endurance or Grit (whichever is higher) he
becomes Shattered.

A Shattered character can no longer gain Bright

and loses 1 Bright in addition to any threat
associated with attempting a challenge.

Additional effects of the Shattering and of being

Shattered are discussed in the Of Realms Bright
and Dark section (pg. 36).

Of Short Scenes: Example

Challenges
A challenge is, in effect, a short scene which
plays out over a handful of dice rolls. These
scenes are not intended to take the place of a
Great Challenge, but should have a rhythm all
their own.

Example 1: Search a Household

Governing Skill: Tradecraft or Savvy
Threat: Peaceful (1d4 Grit)
Progress: 7
Success: After amassing the required progress
the heroes gain access to a clue

P a g e | 30
Of Great Challenges
Forging an Epic in One’s Own Name
To be a hero is not just to meet the common,
everyday challenges which all beings, mortal or
immortal, must face. A hero faces the great
challenges, those which would destroy ordinary
being, and defeats them. Or not; the best epics
contain both victory and defeat; elation and
despair.
A hero or group of heroes who would assay
these “Great Challenges” risk much, and in
return may gain great rewards.
Of the Difference
A character or group of characters may run
through any number of challenges in which they
use their Skills + Aptitudes, and occasionally
their various abilities, to achieve goals. Some of
these will be remarkably intense, powerful
narratives which create memories lasting a
lifetime or two. Others will be minor moments
which come and go without much note.
A Great Challenge is something different. It is
an extended, intense narrative conflict in which
a character can prove himself a hero, or not.
This intensity benefits from additional structure
and tactical decision-making, leading to a back
and forth of near victory and defeat until the
challenge finally resolves.
Of Victory and Defeat
A character who succeeds at a Great Challenge
may select one of the following rewards:
• She may design an Archetype ability
and place it at the tier of his choosing.
She may only place one unique ability at
each tier.
• He may select one of her Lineage
abilities and “awaken” it, making it an
option for future conflicts.
P a g e | 31
• She may select one skill as an Iconic
Skill, even if it not associated with her
Archetype.
When a character fails a Great Challenge he
gains a number of XP equal to the total number
of stages in the challenge. He learns from his
defeat and may, leverage the knowledge to
improve his chances in future efforts.
Of Journey and Desire: Journey
A woman poles her coracle out into the open
waves, knowing not when she will return. Three
friends set out into the mists to find a door only
open when the Morning Star shines. Four fiends
coordinate flights over the course of five years,
visiting places where Camelot might have been
and getting closer to it in their dreams.
Each of these is an example of “Walking the
Path of Desire”, a sacred journey in which the
hero travels from mythic place to mythic place
and learns from the guardians of each until
reaching his final destination. The passage
between each waystation may also present
challenges; these are generally more easily
overcome than the struggles at the waystations
themselves.
Governing Skills: Insight, Outdoorsman, Savvy
Associated Archetypes: Wayfarer
Structure of a Journey
A journey is a voyage from a starting place to a
destination. The destination may be selected
by the hero or dictated by the story. Along the
way the hero stops at waystations, places
where he is unavoidably delayed by some
challenge. Paths link the waystations together
posing challenges expose the heroes to modest
danger along the way.
Player or Narrator Determined?
In general, the Narrator establishes the journey
parameters (e.g. destination, waystations,
paths). However, in some cases the hero or
heroes may chose a destination of their own
accord, allowing the Narrator to establish
waystations and paths.
Choose a Destination
The destination is the journey’s goal, a place in
the Bright or Dark Realm where a hero may find
refuge, learn a secret, or otherwise advance the
epic of his own name.
A common trope in walking the path of desire is
that the hero actually learns his lessons or gains
the knowledge she needs ON the journey, not
at the end of it.
Set up Waystations
A journey has at least one waystation per hero
within the group, with a minimum of three
waystations per journey. Each waystation will
challenge at least one hero and some will
require each hero to overcome the obstacle
before continuing.
A waystation may be in either the Bright or Dark
Realm, but will often blend elements as they
are places where the Veil has thinned for one
reason or another. For example, a subway
station may be filled with the scent of flowers
or a high summit might contain a small shack
with electricity and a color TV.
The challenge will often be presented by a
guardian, a being who either physical present
or who left something which the heroes must
deal with. The guardian prepares and presents
the challenge; the heroes must overcome it.
Mechanically, the waystation’s obstacle is
described as a simple challenge with an
associated threat, following the rules outlined
in Of Challenges.
Narratively, the waystation and its obstacle are
used to heighten dramatic tension, highlight an
important aspect of the destination, or prepare
the hero for what he will find at the end of his
journey.
Descriptively, a waystation can be any place
where the hero(es) find themselves unavoidably
delayed for some reason. The waystation may
be a forest glade, a subway station, an airport,
or a prison cell.
Define Paths
A “path” is a space between waystations,
defined as much by the method used to travel
between them as by their description.
Each waystation has at least two “paths”
extending from it – the path which opens when
the hero succeeds at the waystation’s challenge
and the path which opens when he fails. This
second path may, in fact, be the way back to
the start of the journey.
Some waystations, called crossroads, have
multiple paths leading from them. An
experienced Wayfarer can distinguish these
paths and where they lead; others must guess
and hope for the best.
The three skills used to traverse a path are:
Insight: is used for paths which require an
intuitive understanding of myth and symbol,
timing and rhyme rather than physical skills or
an understanding of urban environments.
Outdoorsman: is used for paths which cross
natural terrains, wilderness, and water.
Savvy: is used to move through urban
environments, seek out paths through mazes,
and similar challenges of mortal cunning.
Following a path is generally a simple challenge
with failure carrying a minor threat (general
Endurance or Grit loss). However, some paths
are particularly difficult, requiring a complex
challenge as described in the Of Challenges
section.

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Of Shadow and Wisdom: Enigmas
A riddlemaster listens to shadows as they step
forth and, one by one, offer up enigmas which
have laid gods low. A small group of
investigators scours the scenes of long-
forgotten crimes, hoping to find enough clues to
piece together the pattern before a killer strikes
again. A scholar and a scientist work together
to unravel the mystery of an ancient, potentially
arcane, plague which will kill all life if it is not
stopped.
Each of these is an example of an enigma, a
complex knot of problems which must be
somehow unraveled before time runs out.
Enigmas are different from ordinary challenges
both because of their complexity and the
creeping dread which occurs as the time to
solve the riddle drains away.
An enigma organizes into leads, each of which
encompasses a separate challenge. The
characters have a limited number of sequences
to complete each lead and a limited number of
sequences overall before the threat escalates or
they fail entirely.
Governing Skills: Enigma, Humanities, Science
Associated Archetypes: Trickster
Structure of an Enigma
Each enigma consists of a set of leads which
must be discovered and investigated. Once the
characters successfully investigate enough leads
they have a revelation which unveils the final
challenge.
Choose a Revelation
At its heart an enigma Great Challenge is a
revelation, an insight which sets the clues into a
new and sometimes frightening context. This
revelation sets the stage for the final challenge,
generally a confrontation of some sort but not
always.
Example: After considering the clues, the heroes
realize that the sage who helps them in their
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dreams is the serial killer they have tracked
through Chicago’s streets. They prepare
themselves for a confrontation in the Bright
Realm, the only place they know how to find
him.
Allow for Discovery
A revelation occurs after the heroes amass
enough progress against their various leads,
which are revealed as progress is made. This is
represented as in the sample discovery chart,
below:
Progress Leads
0-3 Lead 1
4-6 Lead 2, Lead 3
9-12 Lead 4
Revelation Final Challenge
A group has access to all leads in their current
progress level or lower.
The amount of progress required to progress in
each level of the investigation can vary between
3 and 5 and may vary between level.
The characters do not have to investigate every
lead in order reach the revelation. Instead they
must amass a certain “threshold” of successful
attempts across all the discovered leads, even if
each individual lead is not entirely successful.
Example: Gwendolyn achieves one successful
attempt during a lead involving “shaking down
a lowlife for information” of the three required
for success. Although she failed the challenge
(gaining Doubt), she still contributes one (1)
progress towards the overall goal.
Describe Leads and Challenges
Each lead is a separate challenge with the
“critical” designation. Most leads allow for two
sequences although sometimes the story may
allow enough time for three or more.
Unlike a normal challenge, a character does not
have to complete a lead sequentially. He may
instead attempt the challenge, retreat, and Select a Central Conflict
attempt it again later during the challenge so A telling revolves around a central conflict,
long as the maximum number of attempts have generally a character (not necessarily one in the
not yet been exceeded. party) who must somehow overcome.

Of Song and Words: Tellings Examples include but are not limited to:
A news crew races ahead of a spreading blight,
1) An awakening Dreamer must set aside
trying to publicize stories of hope. Storytellers
the pain of his life to dream of greater
step into the ring one by one, and one by one
things;
the wretched king’s sharp words destroy their
2) An old woman’s seething bitterness has
dreams. An old woman whispers a story to a
Shattered the dreams of a small town;
young girl, nodding as she walks away to spread
3) A wealthy man’s abuse has broken the
it to the next listener, and the next, and the
lives of a half-dozen people and the
next.
characters must weave a new story
Each of these is an example of a story, an effort before they Shatter.
undertaken by an Other to create the stuff from
Lay out Chapters
which the Bright Realm is made. This is
Each “chapter” is a challenge which can be
generally done as an effort to push back The
addressed using EITHER one of the Storyteller
Shattering, but may also be part of an organized
Iconic skills or another skill of the Narrator’s
effort to create enough Bright to create a new
choice. This is a variance from the standard
fold in the Bright Realm.
challenge rules requiring the challenge to be
A telling organizes into chapters, each of which addressed by one Skill.
requires inspiration to move forward. A
Completing the chapter requires one or more of
chapter may use one of several skills, each
the heroes to achieve an Inspiration in addition
contributing differently to the chapter
to meeting the challenge victory condition.
completion. When successful, each chapter
Completing the chapter generates 1 Bright for
generates Bright which may adhere to the
each of the characters who attempted the
characters or be directed towards resolving the
challenge.
Shattering of a person or place.

Governing Skills: Art, Presence, Performance Create Final Climax

Associated Archetypes: Storyteller
Structure of a Telling
A telling revolves around a central conflict,
which plays out through chapters, each of
which consist of rising action leading to a climax
and hopefully Inspiration. Completing each
chapter helps the characters to progress to the
final climax, in which they must both resolve a
challenge and invest enough Bright to change
the world.
The Telling’s “final climax” is the completion of
the central conflict and the heart of the tale.
The characters step forth and act as heroes,
helping or causing harm as their alignment
dictates.
Mechanically, the final climax involves both
completing a challenge and investing some
amount of Bright. The amount of Bright
invested depends on the nature of the final
climax; some examples include:
• Lift the Shattering from a place: 25
Bright

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 • Lift the Shattering from a person: 40 characters can rest and regroup, recovering
Bright before the next beat.
• Create a new dream shard in the Bright
Realm: 100 Bright

This Bright can come from the characters, from

their allies, or from the Inspirations they earned
during the chapters (if a Storyteller “banked”
them).

Of Steel and Will: Conflict

A half dozen knights rest between waves,
checking through ammunition cases to find
another handful of bullets. A swordsman and a
trickster hide under a cliff, watching a dragon
swoop past. Two fighters watch each other
warily as two others spar in the ring.

Each of these is an example of a contest of steel

and will, a combat where the stakes are high
and rest limited. A quick fight or fisticuffs in a
bar is handled by the challenge mechanics;
conflicts are contests worthy of myths and
legends, events which if won become part of a
hero’s epic for all time.

A conflict organizes into “beats”, generally

escalating challenges which require a mix of
different skills for the heroes to overcome. A
conflict will generally contain between three
and five beats, linked together by pauses during
which the characters rest, recover a bit, and
prepare for the next beat.

Governing Skills: Diplomacy, Tradecraft,

Warfare
Associated Archetypes: Champion

Structure of a Conflict
A conflict is organized into “beats” and
“pauses”, with each beat representing a
challenge the characters can overcome by using
one of the three governing skills.

Each beat is structured as a normal challenge.

Each pause is a transition during which the

P a g e | 35
Of Realms Bright and Dark
How to build a story of the Realms
The Others assumes the game world is
composed of five critical elements which help
to fuel the story engines built around the
characters. These are:
The Dark Realm: the world of mortals and
science, where the fantastic exists only at the
edges.
The Bright Realm: the world of faery and
magic, where dreams come to life and desire
is the driving force. The Bright is created from
the dreams of mortals (human and animal)
and contains wonders and terrors from every
era.
The Veil: a construct created by the Fey Lords
which separates the Bright and Dark Realms.
It is porous and sometimes quite thin.
The Shattering: the sense of despair and
normlessness which kills human dreams. The
Fey Lords created the Veil to protect the
Bright Realm from the Shattering but in so
doing made it worse.
Shadows: places where the Bright and Dark
Realm mingle due to a weakening of the Veil.
Shadows may be people or places; people
tend to be Touched or one of the Lineages,
while places are generally considered
“sacred” or “profane” locations seeped in
legend.
Of the Dark
The first The Others games took place during
the late ‘90s, with an almost Matrix-like focus
on the challenges presented by transitioning
into a time of plenty.
At its heart, the game is a “modern fantasy”
setting; the actual time period doesn’t matter
as much. What does matter is that the mortal
world resists the intrusion of the magical one:
P a g e | 36
the heroes have responsibilities, friendships,
and rivalries which clash with their mythic
responsibilities.
Like any “modern fantasy”, the game could be
set in various time-periods including: Edwardian
England, The British Empire., World War I, the
Interwar Period, World War II, the “Great
Expansion” from 1950 to 1970, the Cold War, a
more Matrix-like 90’s, or the period after 9/11.
Of the Bright
The original “Bright Realm” was explicitly called
Arcadia and contained elves, faeries of various
sorts, and monsters drawn from myth and
legend. The idea was later expanded to include
science-fiction tropes (aliens, xenomorphs,
distant planets) and mythical places like
Yggdrasil.
The “places” of the Bright realm are called
“lands” or “shards”; each one thematically
complete and based on a mythology or story.
Shards are connected together by the “Path of
Desire”, the will and dreams of those who wish
to travel between them.
Shards are distinguished by being “near” or
“far” from the Dark Realm. A “near” shard is
just on the other-side of the Veil and is easily
access by Others who in physical proximity to
the area the “shard” neighbors in the Dark
Realm. For example, a “shard” representing DC
Comic’s Gotham might be “near” to the physical
city of Chicago. A “far” shard borders other
shards in the Bright Realm but none in the Dark:
these are places which are rarely thought of and
have therefore drifted deeper into the Dream.
They can typically only be accessed through the
Path of Desire (a Journey Great Challenge).
The heroes’ adventures in the Bright Realm
generally mirror myths and legends; they are
grand in scope and typically of the “high
fantasy” or “operatic” tradition. Emotions and
deeds are writ large; monsters come in many
forms but all can be defeated by those with
enough luck and pluck.
Standing behind the scenes are the “Fey Lords”,
beings of great power born from Dreamers who
became legends. The Lords rarely show
themselves, or do so only indirectly through the
actions of others. A Lord has the power to
shape and reshape the Bright Realm itself,
shifting the shards like a deck of cards to create
new adventures.
Dual Adventures
Games in The Others intentionally
leverage the dichotomy between the
Dark Realm (with its responsibilities
and limits) and the Bright Realm (with
its mythic adventures and legendary
actions). The point and counterpoint
between the two, their interweaving
and sometimes outright
contradiction, creates one of the key
story engines of the game.
Of the Veil
Before some period (generally placed at 1000
CE but it could easily end earlier or later
depending on narrative need), the Bright and
Dark Realms were one. Anyone could walk
beyond the fields that they knew; mortals and
immortal dreams traded and interacted on
occasion. The superstition of the past was not
just foolishness; it was a set of rules which
allowed humans and fey to coexist.
A great rite, costing many of the Fey Lords their
lives, split the two worlds apart by creating a
Veil. The Veil prevents physical contact
between the Realms. Mortal dreams still seep
through; as do occasional leakages of fey magic.
P a g e | 37
The Veil is as thin as a whisper and as wide as
the ocean; it both exists and does not exist at
the same time. The separation it enforces is as
much a myth as the things which exist behind it;
the worlds cannot be truly separated for long.
Nor without a cost.
The Rise and Fall
All The Others games deal, to one
degree or another, with either the
raising of the Veil or it’s inevitable
fall. This theme may be touched on
only lightly or it may dominate the
game completely (e.g. have the
heroes run around patching up places
where the Veil falls apart).
Of Shadows
Places and beings where the Veil breaks down
completely are called “Shadows”, a mixture of
Bright and Dark
Place shadows are “mythic places”, either
sacred or profane, where magic and mundane
mix in uncontrolled ways. They may be
permanent (always there) or appear only during
the right set of circumstances (time, ritual
action, event, etc.).
Creatures who are Shadows are, well, the
Others themselves and creatures like them who
live in both Realms concurrently. Some are
monsters. Some are saints. Most are just trying
to get along.
Although by default the Others are assumed to
be human, this is by no means the only kind of
Other that exists. Animals and plants may also
take on Lineages like Dreamer, Ogre, Touched,
or Witch. Knight might be too much of a
stretch…or not, depending on the creature and
the story the Narrator and players wish to tell.
The original adventures strongly featured
vampires, werewolves, and other characters
modeled on their World of Darkness
counterparts. The core idea here of the “evil
Other” would be eventually distilled down into
the Houses of Ivy and Thorn.
Of Ivy and Thorn
Heroes (creature shadows) are
encouraged to take a stand
somewhere on the spectrum of
heroism (from doing deeds which
inspire to those which terrify). The
two opposite ends are embodied in
the House of Ivy (heroes) and the
House of Thorn (nightmares). The
two often spar around place shadows
where great events can generate
enough Bright to fight against the
Shattering in the near Bright Realm.
Of the Shattering
The Shattering is an enigma and a contradiction.
It forms from meaninglessness and the loss of
stories. It consumes everything it touches,
leaving only ruins in its wake. But the very act
of doing so gives rise to stories which oppose it;
to the moments of heroism and folly that
redefine the world and allow life to go on.
In the Bright Realm the Shattering is seen as a
fading, as life and color drain out of the shard.
The land turns to ash, the creatures become
sick and die, and those who remain have
nothing left with which to stand. They scrape
out meager existences and hunger to consume
everything that comes near.
In the Dark Realm the Shattering takes the form
of anomie and the resulting increase in
substance abuse, suicide, and social dissolution
that condition entails.
Fighting against the Shattering is a complex
business. Mechanically exposure to it can
create additional Doubt for the heroes, making
P a g e | 38
their actions more difficult and in time
destroying them.
Practically, the Shattering is relatively easy to
face in the Bright Realm: completing Great
Challenges and feats of daring do are generally
enough.
The Dark Realm presents our heroes with
greater challenges. The Tellings Great
Challenge can potentially restore a Shattered
area or person by accumulating enough Bright
to heal the Doubt. That provides temporary
relief. How do heroes then take the next step,
to address the dynamic which caused the
Shattering in the first place? That question, and
the frustration it entails, drives a large number
of the Dark Realm stories.
Of Competitors and Competition
The Others system does not lend itself to the
deeply tactical opposition design of a Dungeons
& Dragons or, really, most roleplaying games.
How, then, do we as Narrators create
competition for the heroes?
In general, unnamed or minor opposition is built
into the structure of a challenge as part of the
story. There are as many of them as there need
to be to keep the scene running until the heroes
make enough progress to proceed.
Named opposition which exists to fight with the
characters is, again, part of the narrative
structure of the scene rather than a discrete
entity. Take the time to describe these
characters and their actions in detail; give them
hopes and dreams, quirks and personalities.
You’ll be seeing them again and their activities
may well help shape the story engines which
drive the game.
Competitors are fully fleshed out characters
who attempt the same challenges as the heroes
with different agendas. Competitors will
generally come form an opposed House and
establish a race condition in the challenge.
FAQ
This section contains direct, somewhat pointed
commentary about the design process and
questions I addressed during the writing jam. It
is not intended to be either exhaustive or even
particularly formal.
Alternative: Playing through
character creation
It is entirely possible to actually start play
without any clarity at all about the six or eight
questions of character creation. Select a sex
and a general appearance, a location, and just
jump right in. Make selections as you go, as
challenges present themselves, and ham it up.
Seriously.
However, this “Hall of Mirrors” style character
creation actually requires the time and energy
to write up a good scenario. I have two or
three, but the notes are a mess. If I get some
extra time I’ll write one up.
Question: Are there other possible
Archetypes/Lineages?
Sure! The original game had magicians, skin
changers, and vampires in the Lineage
analogue; Nobles and Caretakers in the
Archetype analogue.
I just ran out of time.
Question: Isn’t this just an evolution
of that weird 3rd Edition Supplement:
Narrative Combat?
Why yes, yes it is. I was the original author and
Adamant Entertainment did a great job
expanding it later.
Thank you for being one of the rare people who
bought it.
Question: Why do you switch between
him and her all the time?
Old habit, and an inconsistent one when I’m
writing at speed. It’s something I do because
P a g e | 39
formal English has trouble with gender neutral
pronouns. I know there are dozens and dozens
of “new” pronouns, but…
Question: Story Hooks vs. Background
Details?
Many character creation systems focus on
detailing a character’s background. That’s
interesting work and necessary to understand
how the person evolved.
It’s also the past from the character’s point of
view, and the past is prolog.
I’ve tried to add in “story hooks” as well as
background details, elements which help to set
up future stories and give the Narrator (or other
players) some way “into” the character, her
motivations, and her desired outcomes.
Question: I came up with this clever
thing for my character to do. Can I
change the Skill of a challenge?
Games as a rule tend to be very flexible in
allowing players to shift around which skill to
use. The Others is not, as its focus is on the
Great Challenges rather than a more
generalized narrative skill resolution with a
detailed combat system.
If you have a very clever idea, build it as an
Aptitude for your character so he can have the
idea too. Or pick up a Lineage ability which lets
you shift a Challenge into a skill of your
liking…just be prepared to spend the Bright to
do it.
Scratch Notes - Delete

XP Gain Rate

Per Session: 4 to 6 XP

Bright Gain Per Session: 2 to 4

Victory: Every 3 to 5 Sessions

Goal: 3 Sessions to advance to Novice in a skill?

2 Sessions per up to Expert

3 Sessions per after

Unskilled to Novice: 15

Novice to Trained: 10

Trained to Expert: 10

Expert to Master: 15

Master to Paragon: 15

Paragon to Legend: 20

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