HOLLOW

HOLLOW

P L AY B O O K :
A pure vessel possessed of strange urges
What is a body without a soul? Untainted by the fragile hubris of the human
mind. A cancer removed and cauterized, leaving flesh to thrive. Purged of evil,
a body is a vessel for good and for the god’s own will. You can almost believe
it, but if all that is true, why do these urges haunt you still?
When you play a Hollow, you earn XP when you struggle with your urges or lost
emotions and when you address a tough problem with perfect obedience or willful
defiance. You are not the person you once were. Play the Hollow to discover your self.
How did you become a hollow? Was it an act of perfect faith or an unfortunate accident?

They hold
BECOMING HOLLOW YOUR CREATOR sway over you

When you transfer your character to the
Hollow playbook, you lose access to all of
your special abilities and action dots.
Choose four dots to immediately reclaim
and add them to the ratings on the Hollow
playbook. You may not have a reclaimed
action rating greater than 3. Additionally,
so long as you are Hollow you may not
Attune to ghosts or the ghost echo.
SURVEY
����
���� FINESSE
���� SKIRMISH
���� ATTUNE
� Stian Bowmore, church adept.
Why were you deemed worthy?
� Last Light, a demon of radiant
echoes. They claim to have
swallowed your soul in an act of petty
vengeance. Do you believe them?
� Clovis Vultarum, a vampire. You
were meant to become her vessel.
How did you break free?
� Resin, your severed spirit. When
you are in their presence, you feel
something quite familiar.

RECLAMATION CLOCKS URGES

You begin with with the Empty Vessel � Worship: Whom do you revere?
ability and retain urges inspired by
your former vice. You may indulge in � Risk: Danger for dangers sake.
these urges to reclaim a portion of your
identity. When you do, fill segments of � Hoarding: What do you collect?
a reclamation clock as if you had rolled
to advance a long term project. You � Service: To the one who created you.
cannot overindulge in this activity.
� Stimulation: Of the mind or flesh.
� Personal Details or Item
4 Segment Clock � Stillness: Complete and utter peace.

� A Skill (One Action Dot) � Learning: The accumulation of knowledge.

6 Segment Clock
� An Ability or Emotion
8 Segment Clock
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 HoLLoW SPECial aBilitiES

EMPTY VESSEL
As a Hollow, you feel no emotion except those you have reclaimed and you
reduce all stress automatically at the start of each downtime. If you stress
out, strike out one emotion from the emotions list. It is lost forever. When
you have reclaimed all personal details, skills, abilities, and remaining
emotions, switch to a new playbook and retain your Hollow abilities.
Emotions: Anguish—Elation—Fear—Longing—Mourning—Pleasure—Rage—Surprise
The Hollows journey is one of discovery and redemption. Will you find yourself or
will you give in to another’s desires? Should you strike out a fourth emotion, you
are permanently hollowed. Retire from the game. The GM will decide your fate.

FUGUE STATE
You may choose to enter an emotional fugue at any time. When you do, take
a lvl 1 harm relating to the chosen emotion. For the remainder of this scene,
you ignore all penalties from harm and may fight on par with a small gang.
You must have access to an emotion in order to enter a fugue state. For Hollows: This
ability may awaken latent feelings. When you take it, also reclaim one emotion.

IN SILENCE
You may spend a point of special armor to fully resist consequences of
distraction and detection or to push yourself in an action requiring
concentration or precise movement.
When you spend a point of special armor mark it off on your character sheet. For
Hollows: This ability may awaken latent potential. When you take it, also
reclaim a dot of Finesse or Prowl, if you have lost one.

LATENT SENSES
You gain access to one of the following abilities: eyes that pierce the darkness—
ears that hear with perfect clarity—a nose as keen as a the finest hunting hounds—
the ability to sense subtle tremors in the earth.
You may take this ability multiple times to choose more options. For Hollows:
This ability may awaken latent potential. When you take it for the first time, also
reclaim a dot of Hunt or Survey, if you have lost one.

PERFECT FOCUS
You may train multiple times per downtime and when you devote two
downtime activities to a single task you gain +1 effect level to each.
Consider that it may be more beneficial to you to spend coin or rep to perform an
additional downtime activity rather than to upgrade one. For Hollows: This
ability may awaken latent potential. When you take it, also reclaim a dot of
Tinker or Study, if you have lost one.

3
 HOLLOW
RESONANT FLESH
You may Attune to corporeal beings in order to elicit an emotion you
yourself feel or else to command demons and their kin to do your bidding.
Note that Attuning to the flesh of others is potentially a violent act and not
one you should take lightly. For Hollows: This ability may awaken latent

P L AY B O O K :
potential. When you take it, also reclaim a dot of Attune or Command, if you
have lost one.

TRANQUIL PRESENCE
Your placid expression is confounding to some and soothing to others.
Most people cannot easily read your emotions or tell when you are lying.
In addition, you gain +1d when attempting to calm or reassure others.
This might improve your effect when attempting to Sway or Consort with
someone. For Hollows: This ability may awaken latent potential. When you
take it, also reclaim a dot of Sway or Consort, if you have lost one.

VICE GRIP
You may push yourself to do one of the following: harden your body such that
you may smash bricks or deflect steel—grab someone or something with such strength
that they cannot escape you.
Hardening your body does not count as armor but it may be factored into the
conversation by the GM. When you push yourself to activate this ability, you
still get one of the normal benefits of pushing yourself (+1d, +1 effect, etc.) in
addition to the special ability.
For Hollows: This ability may awaken latent potential. When you take it, also
reclaim a dot of Skirmish or Wreck, if you have lost one.

HoLLoW itEmS
� An Ordered Mind: You have an eidetic memory and can remember
everything you’ve seen, heard, or read after your hollowing. [ 0 load ]
� An Ageless Body: For severance to be successful, the body must be girded
with ritual magic. As a result, your strength, endurance, and speed are not
obviously supernatural but they are extraordinary. [ 0 load ]
� An Unwieldy Weapon: Impossibly large for most people but almost elegant
in your powerful hands. [ 2 load ]
� Respect of the Faithful: Members of the church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh
revere you as a martyr. In times of need you can rely on their respect and,
occasionally, their support. [ 0 load ]
� A Large Spiritbane charm: Your hollow body is especially enticing to spirits.
This spiritbane charm is intended to compensate for your weakness. [ 1 load ]
�A Reclaimed Item: Use this slot to document iconic items and gear
reclaimed from your old life? [ variable load ]

4
 AUTHOR’S NOTES

The Hollow is my attempt to add to the lore of

Doskvol. Hollows in the fiction are seemingly
benign and tragic characters. I took that
concept as a challenge to imagine a playbook
with a dramatic story arc.

CREDITS

The Hollow is a custom playbook designed for

Blades in the Dark. It was designed in
consultation with the Blades in the Dark
Discord channel and the larger community.

Writing and design by Justin Ford.

Iconic Hollow based on original art by Jakayla

Toney of Unsplash.com.

Original layout and design by John Harper.

Blades in the Dark is property of John Harper

and One Seven Design.

If you enjoy this playbook feel free to leave a

review on my storefront at
moth-lands.itch.io or write me on twitter
@MothLands.