ONE MORE NOTCH

Blades in the Dark x Grishaverse, an alternative setting by Pammu

THE BASTARDS OF NORTH HOOK
North Hook excels at making monsters out of
men. You lose your soul to a city like this; the short
days and long nights grind you down because of the
fear. It sinks deep into your bones, see, clouds your
eyes with shadows everywhere, makes every sound –
even silence – louder, different. Eventually, you break,
because living like that’s impossible. You compromise,
first with the small things, then with the big. It isn’t
long before you’ll do just about anything to stop being
scared and start feeling safe.
Because idealism’s a thing, some sorry sods
will always come along and refuse to let the city take
them down. They fight the dark with every step,
driven, we guess, by pretty things like patriotism, or
religion, or a misguided belief that the world can’t
possibly be such a terrible place. North Hook adores
those sorts – they wash out so spectacularly, it makes
everyone feel a bit better for not ending up like them.
“At least I wasn’t THAT guy,” they can all say, and
then put the issue to rest.
Sometimes, though, these broken souls claw
their way back up from hell. They return to the streets of North Hook, smiling back at every void that used to suck them in. We’re not sure what’s more
frightening: that they managed to piece themselves back together, or that they haven’t forgotten the beautiful ideals that wrecked them in the first place.
They say there’s a storm coming to North Hook, like the one brewing – dark and threatening – in the Barrel over in Ketterdam. See: the little ones,
the small folk, even they get tired of digging through noble trash and cleaning out noble shit day in and day out. They learn, early on, that there is nobody
out there who’s willing or able to save them…
…But there just might be someone who’s willing to tear it all down, wash North Hook clean of sin, and set anyone who stands in their way on fire.

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UPDATES & PATCH NOTES
After the initial release, this section will include the last 2-3 “major” updates for reference. Older ones will be removed to keep the guide
clutter-free.

01 FEBRUARY 2019
❖ Changed “Cult of the Sun Summoner” to “Church o the Sun Summoner” across the board.
❖ Adjusted some entries under “The Factions of North Hook”:
o The Fjerdan Consulate is now referred to as “The Fjerdan Embassy”
o The Novyi Zem Consulate is now referred to as “The Novyi Zem Embassy”
o The Ravkan Consulate is now referred to as “The Ravkan Embassy”
o The Shu Han Consulate is now referred to as “The Shu Han Embassy”
❖ Added a text box under Appendix I: Namayan, Children of the Bakunawa – “Diplomatic Relations”: “Namayans in North Hook”.
❖ Added a new section under Appendix I: Namayan, Children of the Bakunawa – “More on Diwata”: “The First Sky Children”. Added the
following entries:
o Alunsina & Tungkong Langit
o Amihan
o Bituwon
o Ettom
o Lumawig
o Magwayen
o Mangkukulam
o Mayari, Hanan and Tala
o Pasi
❖ Added the following entries under Appendix I: Namayan, Children of the Bakunawa – “More on Diwata”:
o Anina
o Dayang Maria Makiling

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 o Dennitsa
o The Goddess of Bats
o Lisuga
o Sandaan
o Sinta and Sitan
o Tambanokano
❖ Added more entries under Appendix I: Namayan, Children of the Bakunawa – “The Balangay of Namayan”:
o Baga
o Biringan
o Dalan
o Duch’narbaan
o Iraya
o Laguna
o Malabulak
o Sigwada
o Songsong
o Tileg
o Tondo
o Vijaya
❖ Filled in the section under Appendix I: Namayan, Children of the Bakunawa – “The Underworld”.

04 MARCH 2019
❖ Did an overall check for consistency with spelling and terminology, most especially for things that were ported over from the vanilla
Blades in the Dark canon and from the Grishaverse. The Wandering Isles, for example, is the Wandering Isle now. Physiker is spelled
“physicker”, as per Blades references.
❖ Bumped Appendices down again to add “Appendix II: Lore Notes on the Grishaverse x One More Notch”.
❖ Expanded the write-up on grisha, grisha philosophy, and the Small Science in the Grisha Playbooks section.
❖ Applying some special ability revisions and adjustments to the Grisha Playbooks:
o For Healer:

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 ▪ Special Ability – “Let’s Take a Look at That”. New text reads “When you or your teammate spend 1 downtime action
on healing, in addition to rolling to recover from Level 2-3 Harm, you may automatically remove a Level 1 Harm on
their sheet. Everyone in your crew (including you), gets +1d to their healing treatment rolls.”
▪ Special Ability – “Powerful Presence”. New text reads “When you Command, Consort, or Sway while staying in
physical contact with your target(s), you may adjust your dice roll result by 1 or 2. You may push yourself to use
Powerful Presence without having to touch them.”
▪ Special Ability – “Saving Hands”.
• New text reads “When you Tinker with bones, blood, and bodily humors to treat wounds or stabilize the
injured or dying OR if you roll Study to analyze a malady or corpse, you get +1 result level to your roll (a 1-3
becomes a 4/5, etc.). Also allows the grisha to cause Harm with their Small Science.”
• Additional flavor text reads: “The way Grisha Healing works is quite different from anything else in the world.
Their Small Science is, in essence, flesh crafting, where they are capable of molding human bodies and organic
material in the same way that one may shape clay. As such, it’s possible to get, ah, creative with your
application here. For example, when pushed into a corner or given enough time to, a Healer has the potential
to become a horrific torturer, sealing mouths shut, growing bits of extra flesh in uncomfortable places.”
▪ Special Ability – “Solynshko”. New text reads “Twice per score, you may reduce the Stress of one of your crew. The
number of points you can reduce is equal to your Tier + 1. You must be in physical contact with your teammate. You
may push yourself to ignore the requirement of physical contact, or increase the number of points of Stress you can
reduce by 2. In essence, you manipulated the emotions of another person. Are they okay with this? Are YOU okay with
this?” Tier 0 scoundrels can now use Solynshko to reduce Stress as though they were at Tier 1.
o For Bonesinger:
▪ Special Ability – “A Little Night Music”. Mechanics have been clarified. New text reads “Using A Little Night Music
after a successful use of Saint’s Eyes grants an additional +1d to your roll, or you may opt to benefit from +1 effect
instead.”
o For Tailor:
▪ Special Ability – “Amplifier”. New text reads “You can use Study to sense latent potential for the Small Science in
another person. Requires physical contact with the target. The use of any arcane, grisha, or occult ability on the part of
a crew member who is in contact with you gains +1d to their roll, or can benefit from +1 effect.”
o For Tidemaker:
▪ Special Ability – “Peer into the Depths”. Mechanics have been adjusted. New text reads “When using Peer into the
Depths in an area that has been covered by water you summoned through any of your Tidemaker abilities, your
Survey roll gains +1 effect.”

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 o EXP triggers have been adjusted for Squallers, Inferni, and Tidemakers. New text for all three reads “…you earn xp when you
address a challenge with the creative manipulation of their Small Science, or deal with entanglements and obstacles brought
about by you using your gifts. Etherealki arts are admittedly easy to learn but hard to master. Finer sapplications of the Small
Science in their favor can achieve a variety of effects that can surprise even the most experienced grisha in this broken world.
On the flipside, the gifts you have been given often prevent you from moving as gracefully in the world as others do. They may
also become the object of envy, resentment, prejudice, or fear.”
❖ The special item Amplifier for the Grisha Playbooks has been adjusted. New text reads “Amplifier. An object, usually created from the
parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or
gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1 result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.)”.
❖ Made adjustments and additions to the section “North Hook, the Duskwall of Ketterdam”.
❖ Added the following Landmarks in North Hook. Updates to the maps and visual references to follow.
o Brightstone: Brightstone Station
o Dunslough: Sallahatin’s Schoolhouse
o Whitecrown: The Embassies and Consulates of the Alliance
o Whitecrown: Embassy and Consulate Housing
❖ Arranged each of the Notables under every District in alphabetical order for more consistency. Also added the following entries in
Notables lists and NPCs from the Playbooks and Crew Sheets that were overlooked during the last two sweeps:
o Brightstone: Klyra Amin (from the Slide Playbook)
o Dunslough: Ehsan Sallahatin (from the Vizier Playbook)
o Under the Manjun [Underworld Tier I Faction]: Kashr (from the Zindiq Playbook)
o Under the Roosts [Underworld Tier I Faction]: Hoshan (from the Zindiq Playbook)
o Under the Sidapa [Underworld Tier I Faction]: Tamadur Faran (from the Vizier Playbook)
o Under Lord Scurlock [Underworld Tier III Faction]: Oskarr Scurlock (originally from the Vigilantes Play Kit) and Jade Eyes
(from the Vizier Playbook)
o Under the Coalridge Union of Workers [Labor and Trade Tier III Faction]: Faizani Kessarin (from the Zindiq Playbook)
o Under the Inspectors [Institutions Tier IV Faction]: Misha Rhyzov and Erhi Leung
❖ Added the following Factions:
o Under Institutions – Tier I, The Kaelish Consulate
o Under Institutions – Tier I, The Suli Consulate
o Under Institutions – Tier II, The Fjerdan Embassy
o Under Institutions – Tier II, The Iruvian Consulate
o Under Institutions – Tier III, The Novyi Zem Embassy

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 o Under Institutions – Tier III, The Ravkan Embassy
o Under Institutions – Tier III, The Shu Han Embassy
o Under Institutions – Tier VIII, Ketterdam
o Under Labor & Trade – Tier II, The Rail Jacks
o Under Labor & Trade – Tier III, Cyphers
o Under Labor & Trade – Tier III, the Gondoliers
o Under Labor & Trade – Tier III, the Guild of Duskwall Physickers
o Under the Fringe – Tier II, the Deathlands Scavengers
o Under the Fringe – Tier II, The Weeping Lady
o Under the Fringe – Tier III, The Path of Echoes
o Under the Fringe – Tier VI, The Church of Barter
❖ Made adjustments, revisions, and additions to the following Factions:
o The Underworld, Tier I: The Majnun
o The Underworld, Tier I: The Roosts
o The Underworld, Tier I: The Sidapa
o The Underworld, Tier II: The Seventh Step
o The Underworld, Tier III: The River Dogs
o Labor & Trade, Tier III: The Coalridge Union of Workers
o Institutions, Tier II: The Brigade
o Institutions, Tier VI: The Council of Tides
o Institutions, Tier IV: The Small Council
o Institutions, Tier III: The Bluecoats
❖ Moved Appendix I out of this document. It’s got a separate document on its own. For the Namayan Playbooks and other information
on this OMN-unique nation, please refer to that one instead.
❖ Moved Appendix V out of this document. It’s got a separate document on its own. For all Along the Duskwall-centric rules variants,
adjustments, and whatnot, please refer to that one instead.

24 APRIL 2019
❖ Added the section “Copyright”
❖ Added the section “You Turned My World Upside Down”
❖ Added an About section for the developer of this Blades hack at the end of the document.

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❖ Adjusted Stash prices for booking lightning rail trains to the Eastern Continent, and boats to the Western Continent.
❖ Applied some special ability revisions and adjustments for the Grisha Playbooks:
o General: added “A Note on Amplifiers”
o For Bonesinger:
▪ Special Ability: “A Little Night Music” – The text now reads “You can Hunt to manipulate bones, diseased matter, and
dead matter as though they were projectiles. This ability can be used to manipulate pestilence and disease within a
target – or send pestilence and disease into a target of your choice. Your Hunt is considered +1d while using A Little
Night Music.”
❖ Reformatted the Districts of North Hook section. Dropped maps and assets from Blades in the Dark for copyright purposes.
❖ Moving Appendixes out, for release as their own expansions in the future.

14 MAY 2019
❖ Released this officially on Itch. Cheers, everyone! Thank you for being here.

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COPYRIGHT
The basic engine of this work is based on BLADES IN THE DARK (found at http://www.bladesinthedark.com/), product of ONE SEVEN
DESIGN, developed and authored by John Harper, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
The original lore that inspired ONE MORE NOTCH is THE GRISHAVERSE, as written by Leigh Bardugo. This entire tabletop campaign does,
perhaps, count as fanfiction. If we wish to get technical, it is an alternate universe. I take no credit whatsoever for any of Grishaverse
characters who are used in this tabletop setting, nor any of the nations used as Heritages for this setting except Namayan, which is an original
nation of my creation. Bardugo posted a link regarding her stance on fanfiction and her fans writing fanfiction in this post.
One More Notch makes use of Johnstone Metzger’s Iruvian Playbooks. I take no credit for this. The interpretation of Iruvia in this
game is my own, however the base setting can be attributed once more to Blades in the Dark.
The setting of North Hook is meant to be compatible, on the level of names, maps, and the “canon” factions and their respective NPCs,
with Doskvol. Credit for the name goes to Erich Lichnock. Credit for the District names and other “canon” elements, however, are attributed to
John Harper.
The texture used for the entirety of this document was created by Bashcorpo, over at bashcorpo.com.
Unless otherwise stated in their captions, all images used in this document belong to other sources. Some of the pictures have their
specific citations in the aforementioned captions. I have included vectors, photographs, art, and images from the following creators and
sources:
❖ Ander Bourdain ❖ Chris Slupski
❖ Julia Sabiniarz ❖ Andrei Lazarev
❖ Brian Patrick Tagalog ❖ Linnea Sandbakk
❖ Sam Moghadam ❖ Annie Spratt
❖ Marko Blaževic ❖ Karen Maes
❖ Unsplash ❖ Isaac Mehegan
❖ Pexels ❖ Bruno Aguirre
❖ Cobro ❖ Martin Castro
❖ Jeswin Thomas ❖ Jukerman Bahk
❖ Suzanne Jutzeler ❖ JR Korpa

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 ❖ Pascal Chanel
Outside of what has been mentioned above, all characters, locations, events, story hooks, the progression of the alternate timeline of
events as presented in this world, system adjustments, and other creative elements that have been introduced here are my own. They are free
for use and adaptation into your own games on the basis that you inform me, and give me – Pamela Punzalan – credit in some form or fashion.
Donations to keep me as a game designer afloat would be very welcome, but are not required!

YOU TURNED MY WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

It’s been a long, long, journey. Every step was worth it.
Thank you to my patrons Erwin Casia, Rachel Teng, Sin Posadas and Kenneth Yu for their continued support of all of my projects!
Thank you to Erich Lichnock, Rachel Teng, Marc Inting, Francis Florendino, Jammi Nedjadi, Brian Maniquis, Carlo Miguel Ibarra,
Denice de Guzman, Erwin Casia, Joscar Malacaman, Juabe Inciong, Matty Guevarra, Nicky Amista, Rhenn Taguiam, Marielle Ko, Gelo Adr, Sin
Posadas, Carlos Hernandez, Jason Dayrit, Charlene Owen, Mikey Huang, Mia Marci, and every other scoundrel who took a chance on One
More Notch. It doesn’t matter if you only played one session. By joining my table and believing in this Blades hack of mine, you made all the
difference.
The following people get a second mention for their specific contributions to this creature:
❖ Erich, because without him, One More Notch would not exist.
❖ Joscar, Juabe and Erwin for their invaluable advice on tweaking systems, considerations like game balance, and general principles to
consider for One More Notch’s design.
❖ Sin, for deep diving right into this universe, patiently playing soundboard, and offering countless pitches and ideas
❖ Mia, for fangirling the queerness of One More Notch enough to make me confident in producing fiction for it.
Thanks, as well, to you for being interested enough in One More Notch to check it out.

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WHAT IS ONE MORE NOTCH?
ONE MORE NOTCH runs off the FORGED IN THE DARK engine, in a reimagining of the “canon” setting of a vanilla BLADES IN THE DARK
game. It is an expanded universe to the story of THE ST. ANDREW’S FINDERS, a campaign run by Erich Lichnock. He set his stuff in Leigh
Bardugo’s GRISHAVERSE, although in his words, it’s Bad Ending™ Grishaverse, where things did NOT unfold as the story in the books did.
While exploring how this went down and what it implies for the greater setting of One More Notch is on the table for players and GMs alike,
the more “significant” narrative is meant to be something closer to the original setting of Blades: how scoundrels, those who dare to rise above
their station while struggling with their own demons, try to make a name for themselves in an impossibly corrupt city.
The adventures of the gang that was St. Andrew’s Finders was Pam’s first Blades game ever. Since she loved it so much, and later fell in
love Bardugo’s works as well, she decided to take it all and run with it for her own thing. Obviously, neither Erich nor Pam have made any
money off this kit. Outside of some homebrew content that is 100% Pam’s creation, there are no plans of placing any content that is
technically or legally derivative of another work (especially things that are copyright protected under Bardugo or copyrighted under Blades in
the Dark) behind pay walls. This is all for the love of Bardugo, Blades, and tabletop roleplay! Donations, however, to Pam or any other GM who
has contributed original stuff to this exercise would be highly appreciated.
The running theme for the so-called “canon” storyline for One More Notch (i.e. the larger narrative that Pam will be running) is “HOW
MANY SINS WILL YOU CONFESS?”. After an incident known as THE DANCE AT COALRIDGE, certain factions within North Hook have started a
rebellion against the corrupt heart of North Hook itself. Given that players will enter the game with their own visions for their characters and
their gangs, things will get interesting when those aspirations meet with the aspirations of the forces at work.
This Player Kit is meant to be a reference point for anyone who is interested in using the setting for their own games. In keeping with
the original conceits of Blades in the Dark, you’re welcome to take what you like, revise what you like, and remove what you like. There are
also supplements produced by Pam and other One More Notch GMs hat you can refer to as inspiration, or use as you will.

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WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A ONE MORE NOTCH GAME?
Six-Sided Dice. Four should be good. Six if you want to be absolutely sure. We recommend a full set, just in case some of your dice decide to
screw you over – unless, of course, you’re fine with that sort of thing. You may also wish to have a d20 on hand if you’re GMing. The
“Overheard in…” sections under each District make use of a d20 for their rumor tables.

Blades in the Dark and One More Notch Character Sheets. This is self-explanatory. In the absence of the custom Playbooks (which, like all
other peripherals for this hack, will be released on our project page over at Itch), a blank Playbook sheet from Blades in the Dark itself will
suffice.

Pencils, or Erasable Pens. Going digital is fine too, if you can find an editable version of the Blades character sheets, or if you’re #ExtraAF
and made your own thing.

The Readiness to Live Like a Dog, Work Like an Ass, Fuck Like Mink, and (Quite Possibly) Die Like A Rat. One More Notch, like all Blades games, is
about flouting one’s lot as one of the many lost, broken, and weary within the disgusting underbelly of North Hook. Scoundrels are called
what they are not necessarily because they’re evil, but because they’d sooner laugh in the face of danger and grab fate by the neck then let
themselves be defined (or buffeted around) by the social forces all around them. Furthermore, One More Notch stories are, by design, meant to
be gang stories more than they are character stories. Players are at liberty to retire their characters as they please and pick up new ones. As
North Hook exacts its high cost of living and sanity upon its citizens, you may find it more interesting (or necessary) to set your first character
aside in favor of a new one – or maybe the current score needs a better human tool to get the job done. Anything goes, for the gang must go on!

A Keen Desire to Have Fun & Help Everyone Else Have Fun Too. Tabletop roleplaying games are collaborative by their very nature. Your GM is
also a player; you, as players, are mini-GMs. Everyone is trying to build an awesome narrative that they can laugh/cry over together. Check
yourself before you wreck yourself, and others!

SHOULD I READ GRISHAVERSE BEFORE PLAYING ONE MORE NOTCH OR RUNNING A ONE MORE NOTCH GAME?
If you’re just around to play, there’s no need! For GMs, however, it would be good to check the books out, if only to help you
customize this setting only further for yourself and for your own ideas of how things go in North Hook. For players who want to immerse a
little better to the “canon” of One More Notch, however, there are notes provided both within the Heritage section of this kit, and in Appendix
II.
That said, Bardugo’s works are excellent. Whether you’re a fan of young adult novels or not, make some time to check her books out.

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THE GRISHAVERSE, ONE MORE NOTCH STYLE
Sections of this combine my writing, contributions from Erich’s St. Andrew’s Finders setting and campaign primers, and the Blades in the
Dark rulebook. The map below was edited by Erich. Namayan lies beyond the Southern Colonies; Iruvia is South of Shu Han, past the Black
Sands.

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13
A HISTORICAL TIMELINE, RELEVANT TO ONE MORE NOTCH
I. FORTY YEARS AGO… ALINA STARKOV, THE SUN SUMMONER OF RAVKA, engages THE DARKLING and his forces within the Unsea. Survivors of
the fight say she martyred herself by attempting to draw down the full force of the sun upon the Darkling and the Unsea. Her final
strike did not work. Alina’s followers are routed, and the Unsea expands over the Eastern Continent. The Darkling, however, is
weakened by his efforts and the wounds Sankta Alina dealt him, and withdraws
to Os Alta. WHAT IS THE QUEEN LADY’S PLAGUE?
II. RIGHT AFTER ALINA’S FALL, CATALYSMIC EVENTS DEFINE THE NEXT FIVE YEARS FOR THE
The Queen’s Lady Plague refers to an outbreak
WORLD. This is the period that is famously referred to as THE QUIET YEARS – a
of firepox in Ketterdam that, in One More
euphemism among euphemisms. Thousands lost their lives as the very fabric of
Notch, took place around the time North
reality, time, and space was shred apart and remade in the wake of the rise of two Hook was being rehabilitated. It was named
new moons in the sky, the shattering of part of the world’s first moon, and the after a ship, the Queen's Lady, which was
Unsea spreading over close to ninety percent of the world. If that was not believed to have brought the disease to the
enough, the Darkling’s armies always followed in its wake. city.
III. THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO… the new, anti-paranormal properties of electricity are Being situated on an island that had suffered
discovered in Ketterdam. Academics and engineers dub the science of creating outbreaks of plague for at least a hundred
machinery and weapons utilizing electricity SPARKCRAFT. Further years, burial was prohibited within the city
experimentation reveals that WHALE OIL now possesses its own range of strange limits of Ketterdam to prevent the spread of
properties. Remnants of the Cult of Sankta Alina claim that this is a result of disease from decimating the population.
their Saint’s final wish to defeat the Darkling and destroy the Unsea once and for Instead, all bodies must be cremated, or else
all. sent outside the city for burial. For those times
IV. THIRTY YEARS AGO… the first successful lightning rail train crosses the Unsea, when the spread of plague made itself evident,
the plague sirens sounded to signal all citizens
from Gaddoc Rail Station in North Hook, Ketterdam to Amrat Jen, Shu Han.
to return to their homes, and Bluecoats to
V. TWENTY-NINE YEARS AGO… THE COUNCIL OF TIDES completes their Tower in
report to their designated stations around the
North Hook, supplementing the lightning barriers around the city and city. Only the sickboats, bodymen, and mediks
effectively preventing the Unsea from swallowing the area up completely. The can move freely about the city during an
Merchant Council, acknowledging the value of Gaddoc Rail Station, calls for the outbreak.
complete rehabilitation of North Hook.
Sections of this copy were taken from The
VI. TWENTY YEARS AGO… NIKOLAI LANTSOV infiltrates Ravka from Shu Han and his
Grishaverse Wiki.
forces – joined by the armies of Ketterdam and Novyi Zem, with some support
from Shu Han – defeats the Darkling. The Darkling disappears in the Rift.

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 Nikolai returns to Os Alta. About three months later, after recovering from his injuries and a mysterious illness that he contracted
during his time in the Rift, Nikolai is crowned King of Ravka.
VII. SEVEN YEARS AGO… A diplomatic incident in Ketterdam nearly causes all-out war between Kerch, Fjerda, Ravka, the Wandering Isle,
and Shu Han. The intervention of the Council of Tides and almost divine(?) resurgence of THE QUEEN LADY’S PLAGUE ceases hostilities
immediately. Records are notoriously vague on what caused the incident in the first place. Some cite grisha disappearances, flying
men made of metal, and peculiar magic.
VIII. TWO YEARS AGO… A massive gang fight erupts in Coalridge, the last in a series of unfortunate events and civil unrest within North
Hook. Miraculously, there are no civilian casualties. The Bluecoats arrest THE BLACK SHUCK, alleged instigator of the fight that
terrorized the district. Locals later take to referring to the day as THE DANCE AT COALRIDGE.
As the closest “real world” equivalent that we have with regard to the socio-historical context of One More Notch would be Europe
hovering somewhere between the pre-Industrial Period and the Industrial Revolution, it should be noted that without a rigorous educational
background or something similar and plausible, your characters may not know about any of this. If they do, the knowledge may have been
passed down in another form, like a song or a fanciful tale by some poor musician in a tavern. While there is wondrous technology in One
More Notch, the universe doesn’t have the same advancements as we do when it comes to knowledge preservation, and education most
definitely doesn’t count as a civil right for most of the populace in almost any nation on the map.
It’s also worth noting that the presence of a time and space warping Rift plus the necessity of surviving against an otherworldly threat
does tend to muddle a people’s sense of history.

WHAT’S THE LARGER WORLD LIKE?

As previously mentioned, One More Notch is set in a Bad Ending Version™ of THE GRISHAVERSE TRILOGY, with some adjustments to the
story of THE SIX OF CROWS DUOLOGY. As it was not released at the time of One More Notch’s creation, any developments and lore from the latest
KING OF SCARS DUOLOGY do not apply. To put things simply: forty years ago, despite the noble sacrifice of SANKTA ALINA STARKOV and her
followers, THE DARKLING managed to expand THE SHADOW FOLD, a demonic tear into reality. This has effectively thrown all of time and space
into flux, shortening daylight hours and bringing more strange, arcane powers – many of which draw from fell energy – into the world.
The rift of the Unsea has cleaved through THE EASTERN CONTINENT, devastating the northern nation of FJERDA and swallowing entire
areas of Ravka itself whole. The biggest blow to the Resistance and their allies was the loss of OS KERVO, formerly Ravka’s major port city. It has
also cut Ravka and the nations of IRUVIA and SHU HAN away from the coast. Spirits and abominations occupy the dimension, and prey upon

15
any creature that attempts to traverse the Unsea. Strange wonders, however, lurk within
its depths, and the raving of a few survivors who were fished out from the Unsea told tales
of passageways to other worlds filled with riches of their own.
Things have stabilized somewhat since NIKOLAI LANTSOV – the only surviving
member of the Royal Family, now King of Ravka – defeated the Darkling and kept the mad
grisha from opening a new Shadow Fold on the Western Continent. SPARKCRAFT –
developed, primarily, in KETTERDAM and NOVYI ZEM – has also allowed people to thrive
despite the entirely new host of demonic threats by harnessing the cleansing power of
electricity. No one, however, knows how to destroy the Unsea completely, nor set
anything in the world right. Furthermore, King Nikolai and the combined might of the
armies who assisted Ravka had not been enough to kill the Darkling. Disturbing accounts
of spotting a figure who looks like him occasionally emerge from travelers along the
lightning rails. There is, as well, rumors of a substance refined from JURDA, yellow flowers
that are endemic to Novyi Zem. Valuable in themselves for their properties as stimulants,
it is said that experimentation with jurda has revealed that the flowers can be used to
amplify grisha powers to godly proportions. Some say that the diplomatic “incident” that
occurred in Ketterdam a few years back had something to do with those discoveries.
And, lest anyone forget, the disappearance of a common enemy has been taken as
a signal for some nations to go right back to despising each other. Furthermore, each
nation on the Continents have their own domestic issues to deal with on top of the strain
Sankta Alina Starkov, the Sun Summoner. A common
of diplomatic relations between them. rendition of her likeness. Many believe she will one day rise
again, to destroy the Unsea and be the Savior of Ravka.
❖ RAVKA remains ravaged by the ghosts of its past. King Nikolai has been doing all
he can to stymy his country’s civil wars, but the memories of men for slights and Image taken from the Grishaverse Wiki; artist watermark
included.
suffering often outlasts their memories for solidarity and patriotism. THE CHURCH
OF THE SUN SUMMONER has also turned itself into a formidable political force since
the martyring of Sankta Alina. Its leader, THE APPARAT, challenges the King’s rule only too often for comfort.
❖ The gross expansion of the Unsea threatens not just the way of life of THE SULI PEOPLE, but their very survival. The nomads have found
that many of the trails have disappeared into the Deathlands, and that both Fjerda and Shu Han are becoming increasingly hostile
towards outsiders. King Nikolai has recently offered the Suli People full citizenship within Ravka, together with territory that they can
call their own. The Great Houses of Iruvia have also offered some measure of autonomy, although their generosity is said to come with

16
 too many political strings. The Suli are now torn between settling with the assurance of safety and protection or finding a new way for
them all to survive in this broken world.
❖ FJERDA resents the lack of support it received from all other countries when it collapsed under the weight of the Darkling’s
ruthlessness and the corrupting energies of the Rift. Most of Fjerda was swallowed by the Unsea, and the rest of the nation has been
thrust into a possibly eternal night. We note, however, that “lack of support” is relative: The Ice Throne famously declined King
Nikolai’s offer for aid, citing that they could never accept the help of a sovereign who believed that grisha were anything beyond
monsters with human faces.
❖ NOVYI ZEM totes itself as a nation of new beginnings and progressive ideals, but its government ignores how it has built its success on
the bones of the many native tribes who once ran free throughout the continent. The slave trade is Novyi Zem’s big moneymaker
beyond the export of jurda. Slavery is illegal in other nations, yet many are willing to turn a blind eye towards the morality of it when
there’s profit to be made.
❖ KERCH is too often complicit in acts of horrendous injustice in pursuit of the tenets of GHEZEN, the god of Commerce and Trade.
Ketterdam, for example, is an interesting study in contrast, where the gap between the rich and the poor seems to grow only wider
with each year. The rehabilitation, in fact, of North Hook is a topic of hot debate. Ketterdam claims that the Great Fires that swept
through some of the districts were completely accidental, yet it is hard to ignore how many of these swathes of real estate are now in
the hands of just a few merchant families because of it.
❖ The people of THE WANDERING ISLE are constantly embroiled in wars between their clans. Individually, they are often too weak to fend
off the shadow creatures that now roam their lands because of the Unsea. The monsters appear to have crossed over into the Isle
through THE BONE ROAD, posing a constant threat to the survival of the Isle. Unfortunately, the Kaelish have little to offer to larger,
stronger nations in terms of trade. Aid always comes at a price.
❖ The 322nd Dragon King of SHU HAN has grown increasingly harsh in his squashing of rebellion within his borders. He believes that it is
his divine mandate to continue the holy work of his line and find the glory of Shu Han in the capture and experimentation of grisha.
Grisha, he claims, are small, fleshbound gods who exist to serve mortal mankind.
There are, as well, “new” players entering the fray, with their own motivations.
❖ IRUVIA’S increased visibility has been the cause for some alarm, given the fact that many people view their reverence and interest in
the Unsea with some trepidation. They have established an embassy in Ketterdam, and the Great Houses have been ordering the
Ambassador to arrange for expeditions into the Deathlands.
❖ The different balangay of NAMAYAN have been establishing friendlier, trade-oriented relations with Kerch and other nations. Although
no one has managed to confirm this for certain, it seems like the Darkling’s tyranny was a bit of a wake-up call for the region.

17
BLEAKEST DAYS, SILENT WATERS, BLACKEST NIGHTS
THE BROKEN CONTINENTS
The rift of the Unsea threw time and space off-kilter, and prior to the defeat of the Darkling, the corrupt energies of the place
weakened the light of the sun itself. The farther away from the Unsea a place is, the more “normal” the climate is relative to the area. The
closer a place is, however to the Unsea, the bleaker and harsher days are, with more frequent rains and storms and dreary day hours. The
merchant empire of KERCH, for example, has the misfortune of being located right at the southwestern perimeter of the Unsea. Its climate –
formerly something close to Switzerland – has shifted to match the United Kingdom, particularly the far north of the Isles.
One of the most jarring changes that people in this setting contend with is the fact that there are now technically three moons in the
sky. ARIANRHOD, the largest of the three and this world’s “original” moon, had a large chunk of itself torn off by the rise of CAILLEACH from the
Unsea itself on the day that the Darkling sundered the Eastern Continent with the Unsea. Cailleach – a strange, blood red moon with a halo of
black shadow around it – barreled into part of Arianrhod, altering the orbit of the celestial body permanently. Some astronomers name this
broken part as its own moon, CERRIDWEN. Others argue that because it does not have its own orbit, it should not be considered as another
moon. Arianrhod itself lingers in the sky, tilted at an odd angle, with Cerridwen and many shattered pieces from impact floating around it.
The other permanent change – caused, at least in part, but the rise of Cailleach – that has affected the entire world is the lengthening
of night hours. Days are now divided into two parts, with approximately 3-6 hours of daylight depending on the season, the weather, and the
locale. Summers, of course, have the longest days; winters, the shortest. Sunset happens rapidly, more like tropical climates in our world than
the slow diminishing of daylight that occurs in temperate climates. Typically, they are counted by hours (i.e. the first hour, the second hour),

18
or simply by A.M. or P.M. Some nations have more formal names of each hour of the day, the night, or both. These tend to be used for
historical records, formal documentation, or when someone’s feeling fancy.

AVERAGE KERCH DAYLIGHT HOURS BY SEASON

Winter: 3 hours (sunrise at around noon; sundown at around 2-3 pm); weeks can pass without
any daylight whatsoever

Spring: & Autumn 4-5 hours (sunrise at around noon; sundown at around 4-5 pm)

Summer: 5-6 hours (sunrise at around noon; sundown at around 5-6 pm)

THE KERCH CALENDAR

Begins in Winter, on November 1.

Winter (“Geimhreadh”): November, December, January (Samhain, Nollaig, Eanáir)

Spring (“Earrach”): February, March, April (Feabhra, Márta, Aibreán)

Summer (“Samhradh”): May, June, July (Bealtaine, Meitheamh, Iúil)

Autumn (“Fómhar”/Harvest): August, September, October (Lúnasa, Meán Fómhair, Deireadh

Fómhair)

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 Like our calendar in the “real world”, there are 12 months in a year. We note, though, that each One More Notch month has exactly 30
days in a calendar year. Every nation on the Broken Continents name their months differently, so on a player and GM front, it’s advisable to
stick to referring to our conventional names for the solar calendar. In One More Notch, though, in keeping with the original inspiration for
the nation, Shu Han followers a lunar calendar, specifically based on the movement of Arianrhod through the skies. For those who are
interested in throwing in more flavor, though, Pam has ruled that Kerch took a page from the harvest-based calendar of the Wandering Isle,
which she, in turn, lifted from the pre-Christian Gaelic calendar.
Historians from the greatest universities in Ketterdam insist that
things are improving, albeit in small and near imperceptible ways: climates
are gradually returning to their original states, days are occasionally longer,
and the Deeplights don’t appear to be taking as many people as they used to.
One can imagine, however, that it is hard to convince the common folk in this
direction, seeing how it is the little ones who suffer the most in a changed
world.

MORE ON THE TRUE SEA

The True Sea was not left unsullied. The entirety of it has been dyed
an inky black, and a host of new, monstrous sea creatures have emerged from
the depths with a penchant for violence and a hunger for the flesh of humans
and animals alike. These creatures are collectively called LEVIATHANS; the
most common Leviathans are the One More Notch equivalent of Cthulu-esque
giant squids. If that wasn’t enough, there are also THE DEEPLIGHTS to consider.
New realms of constellations appeared in the depths of the True Sea after the
Rift expanded. There are millions of tiny pinpoints of light now, somehow
clearly visible far below the waves. Occasionally, sailors and passengers on
ships hear them singing. Occasionally, these songs compel men to come and
Leviathan Hunters Facing Their Quarry. Unsurprisingly, the first Leviathan Hunters seek the Deeplights out for themselves – or offer other men as tribute to the
were whalers. The methods of facing Leviathans are not too different from hunting voices below. Suffice to say, travelers who manage to book passage on a
whales. Attracting leviathans, however, are a whole new matter entirely. The
Daughters of the Deep feed literally on the energies released by dreams, memories regular ship bound for one of the Continents are encouraged to stay below
and emotions. They seem to love the nightmares of children the most. deck after sundown.
Prior to the discovery (or is it, rediscovery?) of Leviathans under the ocean, port cities made their fortune through whale oil. This
highly volatile substance is second only to electricity in its ability to power machinery. At around the same time that electricity was

20
discovered to have anti-supernatural properties, however, whale oil refineries accidentally discovered that the oil appears to attract
supernatural energies and amplify them. As such, an entirely new profession has emerged for the brave and the bold, the reckless and the
suicidal: LEVIATHAN HUNTING ON THE TRUE SEA. From the lowest of the low to the upper echelons of government in Ketterdam, Fjerda and all
the rest, many are morbidly fascinated with the promise of discovery and power to be found in the body parts of fallen leviathans and whales
themselves have only grown more valuable for their oil.

MORE ON THE UNSEA AND THE

DEATHLANDS
Places right at the border of the Unsea –
sometimes referred to as THE FOLD or THE RIFT –
are something straight out of a Lovecraftian
horror story. The rift’s corruption sucks the very
color out of everything, leaving withered, gray
and white husks of what once was in its place.
Ash or acid rain falls from the dark, unsettling
clouds that fill the sky in these places. Eerily,
there is never any wind, and a cloying silence
cloaks the area.
THE DEATHLANDS lie within the Unsea.
It’s a collective term for every place that was
A Lightning Rail Train. Though they may vary in color and armaments, the principle behind lightning rail
swallowed by the Rift. Back when the Fold was trains is simple: heavily armored trains built to travel specifically along the lightning rails, tightly sealed
smaller, the terrain had changed into against the miasma of the Deathlands. Most of any lightning rail crew consists of their armed defenders,
something similar to what can now be found although it is generally expected that every member of the crew knows how to defend themselves. Whenever a
train arrives at a designated lightning rail station, it and its crew undergo a decontamination and quarantine
along the borderlines of the Rift. Now, however, process before its repaired and resupplied. It’s customary for a lightning rail train to fly the colors of the
everything has twisted itself into a horrific, merchant company or nation that built it. Passage on one of these trains is incredibly expensive.
dangerous and often nonsensical hell full of Image source: Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress.
acidic pits, rotten bogs and marshes, vile flora
that teems with corrupted energy, and sections where the rules of physics and science simply do not apply. The air itself is hostile to outsiders;
extended exposure to the miasma of the Deathlands can leave a man permanently ill or drive him insane. Only a few have gotten sick and
survived, although they do end up tougher for it. Furthermore, VOLCRA – twisted husks that were once human – and NICHE’VOYA – NOTHINGS,

21
and shadow abominations created by the Darkling’s power – roam freely through the area, together
with other unspeakable horrors. Some of these monsters originated from familiar flora and fauna; HOW DOES ONE BECOME DEATHLANDS PROOF?
others are entirely new. They may have emerged from the portals to other dimensions that are
Short of being Seryvin, which presupposes that you
supposedly located within the Unsea.
were stuck out in the Deathlands and emerged from
The only places that are “safe” within the Deathlands are the lightning rail supply stations that it bearing its touch upon your body and soul, there
have been built to traverse the Unsea. These are heavily guarded outposts, manned primarily by ARE means to make you immune to the
Deathlands. This is especially relevant to Hounds,
Ketterdam and Novyi Zem’s armies – other nations often volunteer regiments of their own, in keeping
who have the Special Ability “Survivor” in their
with treaties or simply as a show of political force. However, these stations and the lightning railways Playbook. However, the processes and rituals are,
themselves require constant maintenance against the wear and tear of the Unsea and the monsters beyond being expensive, tend to be risky and
within it. Stations being overrun and railways needing to be rebuilt are regular, harrowing occurrences. extremely painful. Many are also not without side
effects; not all methods grant permanent immunity.
On Outpost #001, “The Last Stop” before (or after) Gaddoc Rail Station Besides, it’s equally difficult finding someone whose
capable of getting the job done for you.
If you’re coming into North Hook, OUTPOST #001 is the last lightning rail supply depot,
quarantine zone, and rest stop for trains before they enter Gaddoc Rail Station and the Duskwall. It is The least painful and risky rituals are the Deathless
modeled after Gaddoc and is – in form and in practice – the immigration center of Kerch for incoming Brands developed by military forces from the
different nations, particularly Iruvia, Novyi Zem,
and outgoing passengers on the lightning rail trains. The Last Stop also powers the sprawling,
Ravka and Fjerda. They don’t give those Brands to
concentric lightning barriers that were built beyond North Hook and Ketterdam, meant to soften up or just anyone in their army, though, and not everyone
completely eliminate any abominations attempting to reach the Duskwall and the capital of Kerch. survives this process either even though it’s the
The Last Stop is capable of housing six trains at any given moment. It also boasts the largest “safest”. Brands come in various designs, and often,
to the untrained eye, look like particularly
barracks outside of the Garrison in Ketterdam, meant to house elite platoons of defenders, Rail Jacks,
intriguing tattoos. They always have sacred
and Blackfeather Order Wardens, and Sparkwrights who have been assigned to its protection and alchemy or strange symbols incorporated into the
maintenance. design, all formulated as wards against the miasma,
prayers of strength/fortitude, and so on.
Outpost #001 and the lightning barriers connected to it are rigged to explode as a last resort,
should the area be overrun. In addition to this story hook GMs are free to
develop their own rituals/processes for themselves.

TRAVELING TO AND FROM NORTH HOOK

Unlike Doskvol in vanilla Blades in the Dark, it IS possible for players to have their characters
leave North Hook for travel or disappear from the Duskwall entirely. Of course, what is within the
realm of possibility doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s plausible. As mentioned above, securing passage

22
on a lightning rail train – the only form of transit to the Eastern Continent – is incredibly expensive. Booking passage on a boat to the Western
Continent is similarly pricey.
Arranging for your journey is one thing; entering a new country without issue is another. Most places in the civilized world also
require a passport or some sort of official documentation that endorses your character’s passage. The lack of any sort of civilian registration
tends to raise eyebrows – unless, of course, you have even more money to silence the talk. However, that is bound to entangle a scoundrel even
further in the long run.
The options and prices listed below are mostly reference points rather than hard sums to be followed. Other GMs are welcome to
adjust things as they will.

Travel to the Eastern Continent – Fjerda, Ravka, Shu Han, Iruvia (Lightning Rail)
The fastest journeys to the conventional points of entry to the Eastern Continent take about one year. Prices measured in Stash since it’s
impossible to have this much Coin on hand.
ECONOMY (BEDSPACE IN A COMMON PASSENGER CAR): 15 Stash
PRIVATE ROOM (JUST SHY OF A STUDIO APARTMENT): 25 Stash
DELUXE ROOM (CAN HOUSE 2-4 PEOPLE COMFORTABLY): 30 Stash
FIRST CLASS: 40 Stash
COMING ON BOARD AS A VOLUNTEER DEFENDER: passengers who have some skill in combat or are capable of wielding occult/arcane powers can,
depending on the train, offer to join in defending the train during its journey. In these cases, most train crews will not charge you for your trip
anymore.
STOWAWAY: Good luck. Lightning rail defense teams often shoot stowaways on sight, for fear of them bringing corruption from the
Deathlands into the train.

Travel to the Western Continent – Novyi Zem, Namayan (Boat)

The fastest journeys to the convention points of entry to the Western Continent take about two years. Prices measured in Stash since it’s
impossible to have this much Coin on hand.
ECONOMY (BEDSPACE IN A CABIN): 10 Stash
PRIVATE CABIN (JUST SHY OF A STUDIO APARTMENT): 15 Stash

23
DELUXE CABIN (CAN HOUSE 2-4 PEOPLE COMFORTABLY): 25 Stash
FIRST CLASS: 30 Stash
COMING ON BOARD AS PART OF THE CREW: passengers who have some sort of skill to offer, either in defense of the boat or as part of the crew, can
usually offer to join the crew instead of paying for their journey.
STOWAWAY: Good luck. If you’re lucky, they’ll toss you in the brig. If you’re unlucky, they’ll shoot you on sight, for fear that you may be
carrying some secret affliction from the True Sea and its Deeplights.
There few boats that are willing to brave the yawning darkness of the Unsea in order to reach the Eastern Continent. Your best bet
would be to join a leviathan hunter crew – or stow away on one.
The only place that does not require a passport and is easily accessible to scoundrels in One More Notch would be Ketterdam, the
capital of Kerch. Having your scoundrel disappear there for a while or move from Ketterdam to other areas of Kerch can be arranged,
especially for personal plot purposes or in cases where you’ve overindulged your Vice.

BUILDING YOUR SCOUNDREL IN ONE MORE NOTCH

One More Notch is meant to utilize the original Playbooks of Blades in the Dark. The key differences from this universe and the
original setting would be in the Heritages that players can pick for their scoundrels, and in the presence of Grisha.
A LOVE NOTE TO READERS: This guide was written by a huge fan of Leigh Bardugo’s work and is trying to be as detailed and informative as
possible. If you’re coming in blind to the lore that’s being used here and find that there are details that would really help you with your own
campaign, but they weren’t covered in this section or in any of the expansions of One More Notch, let Pam know!

HERITAGE
Your character’s heritage describes where their family line is from. You may be of any heritage of your choice, and then decide if
you’re a foreigner who has immigrated to North Hook or if you’re a local who grew up here. Once you’ve chosen your scoundrel’s heritage,

24
make sure to write down a detail about your family life on your character sheet. For example, you might want to choose Wandering Isle
heritage, then write farmers from the Isles, now refugees.
For a rundown of the socio-political situation of each nation in the setting, refer to the section “WHAT’S THE LARGER WORLD LIKE?”

For the GMs in the House

The best way to describe Bardugo’s Grishaverse is an alternative, dark fantasy riffs off Europe and Russia, with some intriguing
explorations on a different sort of China and North America. She seems to have kept the rest of the world – if there are other continents and
nations out there – deliberately vague. In fact, outside of Ravka (via the Grishaverse trilogy), Ketterdam (via the Crooked Kingdom duology),
and Fjerda (via the Nikolai Duology), we’re given more hints than concrete answers on socio-political contexts, culture, and traditions. Much
of the explorations done in One More Notch are Pam Punzalan’s work, launching off from some setup from Erich Lichnock.
Each Heritage has notes for character creation. Entries that look like this under the original Grishaverse nations are details Pam made
on her own and are NOT canonical to the Grishaverse. More extensive notes and information from the Grishaverse books themselves will be
noted down in future expansions of this game.
GMs are free to consider making their own additions to things, right down to providing more Heritages for players to choose from.
The easiest way of enriching your setting would be to consider integrating some of the Heritages from the original setting of Blades in the
Dark. Iruvia, for example, would immediately provide for alternative narratives of the Middle East. You’ll note that Pam herself has included
Iruvia in her listing below.
Nothing’s stopping you from grabbing from several different places either or making your own nation entirely. Have at it, scoundrels!

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KERCH (WHERE THE GAME IS)
Netherlands/Venice
A small island nation ringed by seawalls and coastal dunes. The Council of Tides and the Blackfeather Order protects the cities and
most of the island from the Unsea to the East, and Kerch maintains its wealth through facilitating trade between the Continents. During the
War, Kerch was one of the primary seats of resistance against the Darkling. Natives of Kerch are generally fair-skinned and fair-haired, with
blue or green eyes.
The Kerch government is represented by three flying fish. The national symbol is printed on Kerch money and flown on ships
alongside trading company flags. It’s also incorporated into the architecture of Kerch cities. The national color is purple.

26
Notes
❖ The Kerch worship GHEZEN, the god of industry and commerce. The Church of Barter wields a lot of political and social influence
among the Kerch, and its heads have a lot of government functions.
❖ Just two centuries ago, Kerch – now a parliament, with different Guilds to represent the significant trades of Kerch or functions of
government – used to be a monarchy. The nation’s transition from noble rule to a more egalitarian form of government was rather
smooth, which is something that could be credited to the Church of Barter. Many of the strongest merchant families have noble roots.
❖ Relations between Kerch and Novyi Zem have been warm since day one. The Republic of Novyi Zem was formed mostly from Kerch,
Ravkan, and Kaelish settlers who banded together to tame the country.

RAVKA
Russia, France, Prussia
A war-torn country (sized, we note, more like a sub-continent) where the worship of saints and martyrs is popular. This war-torn land
has known no rest for centuries. Under an uncaring monarchy, civil wars were waged between the many ethnic groups spread across the
country, or between an often helpless “dissident people” and the might of the First and Second Armies. War also raged beyond Ravka’s borders
against the nations of Shu Han and Fjerda. The Darkling’s terrible rule followed, with his Grisha and their Small Science using the Unsea to
stamp out rebels and dissent. Ravka may yet be seeing a new era under King Nikolai Lantsov, Liberator of Ravka. He is a progressive thinker
with a heart for the people, and a keen interest in restoring Ravka’s glory while avoiding the mistakes of his family. It’s been twenty years,
however, and reforms are not coming as quickly as he or anyone else had hoped for.
Ravka is represented by the Firebird, a mythical creature that is said to be the very soul of the country. Natives of Ravka are generally
fair-skinned with hair that varies from fair to pitch black, and brown, gray, or blue eyes.

Notes
❖ Critically, of all the original “nations” in the Grishaverse, Ravka was one of the countries who treated grisha with a relative amount of
respect. Children were tested at an early age and brought to Os Alta where they were meant to train to become members of the Second
Army. Families were compensated handsomely for the loss of their children. Unfortunately, under the Darkling the grisha became
veritable slaves, existing solely for his pleasure as his toys and his dreams of conquest. It should be noted, though, that some of them
truly believed in his cause, or followed him because it felt more fitting to serve a grisha like themselves than feeble mortals.

27
 ❖ Tensions are on the rise yet again between Ravka and Shu Han, and Fjerda’s hostilities against Ravka had not cooled despite all of King
Nikolai’s efforts at brokering peace. This, they say, is the reason why research on the newer forms of the Small Science have stepped up
in Ravka, and why the King is desperate to recall any Grisha who fled from his country during the chaos of the Darkling’s reign.
❖ The largest cult in Ravka – one that has spread far beyond Ravka itself – is the Church of the Sun Summoner, around Saint Alina
Starkov. Their Apparat professes that the Sun Summoner’s final wish was imparting her gift upon the “chosen many”, who remain
hidden until the time is right. When the Reckoning comes, Alina and her companions will rise again and end the darkness of the
Unsea once and for all.
❖ Rumor has it that during the Sun Summoner’s ill-fated showdown against the Darkling, King Nikolai was transformed into a volcra by
dark magic. Alina’s death and the power of her last wish of hope for the world turned him back into a man. However, there have been
whispers that the conversion was not entirely complete. Some speculate, after all, how the King of Ravka could have possibly defeated
the Darkling given that he had no grisha powers of his own. The lack of witnesses to his duel against the Darkling don’t help.

SULI
Romani, Hebrew
The Suli have had roots in Ravka since before it had borders and was called Ravka. While Suli share in their belief in saint-like figures,
their “saints” are called Prophets, and appear to be renowned more for their teachings than any martyr-like sacrifices. They’re also ethnically
distinct from Ravkans and are a stateless, largely nomadic people. Many Suli have ended up in Kerch, Shu Han, and Novyi Zem after the
expansion of the Deathlands sundered families and swallowed old travel routes. The desperate times of this broken world have also made
them particularly vulnerable against less scrupulous groups – like, let’s say, the human trafficking circles within Kerch. They are dark-skinned
and dark-haired, with brown eyes.

Notes
❖ The Suli are mostly carnival performers and fortune-tellers, allowed safe passage from place to place in the past due to their
willingness to facilitate trade across land-locked routes and deliver missives between settlements. Their soothsayers hold a special
place within their communities and can easily be identified by their orange silk cloaks and red jackal masks. They tell fortunes by
reading coffee dregs.
❖ Grisha have always been accepted within traveling bands of Suli, as the powers at their disposal were simply seen as another mystery
of the world that was beyond human understanding, and only as good or evil as the hand wielding them. Their abilities were viewed
as gifts from the Prophets.

28
 ❖ Some of the oldest Suli stories allude to a mythical “golden city” which is something like Zion to Israel in our own reality. They say
that once upon a time, the Suli people all lived in here in harmony. Failure to heed the words and wisdom of the Prophets, however,
led to chaos and destruction. This mythical promised land is said to be located in what was once Os Kervo, Ravka’s large port city prior
to the cataclysmic upheavals of the Quiet Years.

SHU HAN
Mongol, China, Japan, Korea
A land of vast deserts and salt-crystal mountains, and the cradle of a civilization that is older than Ravka and Fjerda combined.
Centuries of conflict with Ravka have made the Shu both mercenary and creative in how they wage war. Shu Han openly sends its bounty
hunters and soldiers of fortune to capture and experiment on Grisha, seeking the source of Grisha power and how to weaponize it for the
glory of the Dragon King. They are generally yellow-skinned and dark-haired. Most of the Shu natives that people see have yellow-golden eyes,
which has reasonably led foreigners to believe that it is a distinctive and universal Shu Han trait. However, some Shu – particularly Shu from
beyond the regions of the country beyond Imperial control – have violet or blue eyes.

Notes
❖ The Dragon King is the recognized sovereign of the Shu Han Empire. His rule across the vast sub-continent is overseen by Sixteen
Thunder Lords of the sixteen city-states of the country, whose clans constantly compete for attention from the Sky Throne. There are,
however, city-states ruled by clans who do not acknowledge the Dragon King’s manifest destiny as Shu Han’s Emperor. Those loyal to
the Dragon King disdainfully call their rulers Devil Kings. Unsurprisingly, Devil Kings tend have their own titles for themselves. To
date, there are, in the lot of these independent cities and their respective fiefs, eight who stand out as formidable threats to the Dragon
King.
❖ Shu Han’s advances across all science and technology are unrivalled, although it is due to their inarguably inhumane treatment of
their grisha.
❖ Official missions from the Sky Court are signified by the wen ye, a Coin of Passage. All wen ye are made from jade mined from a
special location that is considered the sacred property of the Dragon King. There is a square-shaped hole cut into the middle of each
coin, and the detail depicts a Shu Han dragon with its jaws gaping open, as though it was ready to swallow whatever treasure is meant
to be represented by the square.
❖ Traditionally, Shu do not leave their country unless they are mandated by a Thunder Lord, or the Dragon King himself. As such, many
Shu who were born or grew up in another place either stowed away from their country illegally or were descended from somebody

29
 who did. It should be noted, though, that while leaving one’s country without a Coin of Passage or living outside of a Cloud Cities is a
form of high treason, the Sky Throne does not often bother chasing after their subjects for too long.
❖ Cloud Cities are “official” Shu settlements beyond the country, ruled by a Cloud Guardian and his or her constituents. Many of them
aren’t really cities at all in terms of size. A Cloud City, for example, could be a single street in a foreign town populated completely by
Shu. Other nations tend to view Cloud Cities with some suspicion, as Shu are – through patriotic zeal or honest fear – loyal to the Sky
Throne and may be there for espionage.
❖ One of the strangest things about Shu Han for foreigners is the presence not only of strange beasts that seem like they emerged
straight from children’s books, but also gigantic versions of creatures that are, in other countries, modestly sized. Shu Han cats, for
example, can grow up to twenty feet or more.

FJERDA
Germany, Scandinavia
A ragged land of cold mountains and rough tundra, known for their worship of gods embodied in natural phenomena. Fjerda, already
a poor nation, suffered the most from Ravka's expansion of the Unsea. At present, in fact, whole swaths of Fjerda remain thrust in the eternal
night of the Unsea, and much of the country is now part of the Deathlands. Sparkcraft from Kerch and Novyi Zem are the only things keeping
Fjerda afloat and are a necessary part of the new kind of living that Fjerdans have had to resort to in order to survive. Home to tenacious
witchhunters called Druskelle, who dedicate their entire lives to the capture and burning of Grisha as anathema. They are generally pale-
skinned, blue-eyed, and fair-haired.

Notes
❖ Djerholm continues to be the seat of nobility for Fjerda, and the last remaining safe harbor of the nation. Much like North Hook, it
holds its own against the Unsea through a mix of Sparkcraft and enforced grisha labor.
❖ Fjerda is perhaps the most xenophobic nation in the setting, and the events of the past forty years have only made this worse. It is front
upon even for commoners of Fjerda to consider having intimate contact with – much less marriage to – someone who is not Fjerdan.
They have a word for children of mixed heritage: djelhexen, “cursed by Djel”. They have some other more euphemistic terms for it, but
their peoples’ sentiments remain crystal clear.
❖ The only fates that await grisha in Fjerda are death or slavery. While their Ravkan counterparts scour their countryside for grisha and
invite them to a relatively charmed life in the capital, part of the new duties of druskelle is to find grisha and imprison them. Those
who are too willful are tortured and killed. Those who can be broken in are put to work as though they were pack animals.

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 ❖ The druskelle of Fjerda each have a partner ice wolf – unsurprisingly the symbol of the order itself – whom they raise from the litter.
Their witch hunting is viewed as sacred, making them something like paladins in the eyes of their nation.
❖ The Fjerdans believe all the world is connected through its waters — the seas, the ice, the rivers and streams, the rain and storms. All
feed Djel, the Wellspring, and are fed by him. Death is called felöt-objer, taking root. Thus, the dead become as roots of the Ash Tree,
drinking from Djel wherever they are laid.

NOVYI ZEM
The Americas, Australia
A relatively young country comprised mostly of farmland, an expanding frontier, and bustling coastal cities, with natives whose
systems of religion were animistic in nature. Largely separated from global conflict by the expanse of the True Sea, Novyi Zem has prospered
and is popular among those seeking the asylum of opportunity and anonymity. Their tolerance of unaffiliated Grisha has allowed for the
invention of the Lightning Rail and Sparkcraft, technological advancements that have been credited with being one of the main reasons why
the Darkling was defeated. The Lightning Rail is what is making the traversing and exploration of the Deathlands possible.
The native people of Novyi Zem – collectively referred to as the Zemeni – look vastly different from Novyi Zemeni. Western Zemeni
are generally dark or copper-skinned, with dark hair and dark eyes. Eastern Zemeni are brown-skinned with dark hair and brown eyes. These
First People are less a single nation with unified traditions and cultures, and more several tribes not unlike the tribes of our Africa, of the
Native Americas, or even indigenous tribes in Southeast Asian regions. The Free Republic of Novyi Zem, however, has roots in Kaelish,
Ravkan, and Kerch settlers who all hoped for new beginnings, and formed a government for their own. Obviously, this put them in conflict
with many Zemeni tribes. It did not help that up until recently, the Republic made quite a bit of money off the slave trade, at the expense of
Zemeni themselves.

Notes
❖ Novyi Zem is distinguished for their superior metallurgy and smithing work, particularly with guns and civil engineering. They’re the
leading nation for sparkcraft, which is one of the only branches of science that Shu Han is not at the pinnacle of.
❖ The Free Republic subjugation of the Zemeni tribes has necessarily slowed down because of the influx of demonic creatures and
aberrations from the Deathlands. At present, there is a movement within the government that calls for peace between the Zemeni and
the Republic in the form of granting the First People independence. Suffice to say, this isn’t a popular movement among merchants
and traders who hope to profit on Zemeni resources.

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 ❖ There is some tension between the “official” government of Novyi Zem in the Free Republic and the folk authorities of the many
settlements that predate the Free Republic’s coastal cities. These First Colonies – many of them located further into the Zemeni
Frontier – are melting pots of different cultures. They thrive not on the Republic’s imperialist principles, but on cooperation, tolerance
and respect between different peoples.
❖ The largest trade of the Free Republic is in jurda, a yellow flower endemic to the continent. People chew jurda as stimulants. Research
on the other properties of jurda – particularly the properties that are said to amplify grisha powers – has been officially halted for now.
“Officially”.
❖ Grisha in Novyi Zem are called “zowa”, which means “blessed” in one of the main Zemeni dialects. Zowa are traditionally revered as
shamans and medicine men.

THE WANDERING ISLE

Ireland, Scotland, Wales
Once a lush, green country far to the north where the blood of the Gifted is prized as a medical cure-all. Like Fjerda, however, the Isles
were overrun by the Unsea during the Darkling’s reign. The Deathlands have since retreated, but the corruption has seeped deep within the
Isles themselves, tainting the waters and poisoning crops. Furthermore, the Bone Roads connecting the Eastern and Western continents have
provided land bridges for demons and other horrific things to cross. The people of the Isle are generally pale-skinned and red-haired, with
green eyes. Some of them, however, are dark-haired, with blue or gray eyes.

Notes
❖ Ancient Kaelish belief states that all grisha have gods or otherworldly beings – collectively referred to as THE GOOD FOLK OR THE FAIR
FOLK – for ancestors, which explains their gifts. The Gifted became what they are because their human ancestor – the First of their Line
– to this god took the power for himself or herself, usually through cannibalism, trickery, or sex.
❖ The Isles have no centralized government. Their interests on the global front are represented by the Great Clans, and conflict within
the Isles has always been due to wars between Clans.
❖ It is said that there is only one more kind of vow or promise among the inhabitants of the Wandering Isle that run deeper and hold
more love than marriage: death pacts (bás geas). Meant to be oaths taken by kin, loved ones (particularly between clansmen) and
destined (yes, “destined”) rivals, it is the solemn promise to survive at all costs simply because the only way you are going to meet your
end is by the hand of the one who has sworn to be your death. Death pacts can be taken between more than two people, provided that
they all swear to be each other’s ends – Kaelish historians suspect that this flexibility became popular due to the harsh nature of the

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 Isles, with its endless civil wars and clan rivalries. They say that the only ways for a death pact to be broken in a way that will not curse
seven generations of the offenders’ families is if the oath is revoked, by incurable illness, or by The Dark Lady Herself.

IRUVIA (ADAPTED FOR ONE MORE NOTCH)

Persia, India, Egypt
A rich, powerful, isolationist desert kingdom across the Black Sands lay south of Shu Han; their religion maintains that everything in
the world was dreamt by angels and demons, the abandoned scions of apathetic gods and goddesses. The Black Sands are a massive and
treacherous desert that is constantly battered with vicious sandstorms, and have, for centuries, served as a natural barrier against invaders.
Iruvia has only recently started to establish contact and trade with nations beyond Shu Han, but their strange religion of worshipping angels
and devils makes many others in this broken world uncomfortable. For one, many academic circles within Iruvia believe that the Unsea may
be one of the sacred portals into the Hells and Heavens of their Sacred Epics. As Iruvia consists of several distinct ethnic groups much like
Ravka, their people range from black to copper-skinned to fair-skinned, with fair or dark hair and pale eyes.

Notes
❖ Players who wish to use the alternative Playbooks for Iruvian characters are welcome to for One More Notch.
❖ The few accounts that we have from outside of Iruvia describe U’DUASHA – Iruvia’s capital – as a great city that sits between four
towering pillars of black crystal. These pillars are said to contain the four great Demon Princes of their ancient mythology: IXIS,
KHAYAT, KHUSET, AND SEREKH. The elite noble houses of U’Duasha take their names (and implied celestial authority) from the Demon
Princes, dividing the city and its resources among themselves. The lower classes have no choice but to serve one of the great houses, or
risk courting the ire of the legendary demons — expressed by their chosen earthly agents, the mysterious and ruthless city guardians,
known as Gualim.
❖ Foreigners can only enter Iruvia through a summons from one of the Demon Princes themselves. Conversely, leaving one’s country is
forbidden. Any Iruvian found outside of the nation without the blessing of a Great House – something, we note, that can be inherited
from parent to child until a House revokes it – is murdered. Unlike Shu Han’s Dragon King, Iruvian nobles hound violators of this rule
relentlessly. This may explain why the rare Iruvian one sees beyond the Black Sands are often scoundrels who hope to make a life for
themselves and their own, free from the crushing grip of a Great House.
❖ Grisha of Iruvia – called DAEVA – are worshipped as though they are gods themselves, for Iruvians believe that grisha are the result of
interbreeding and marriage between humans and celestial beings. These Daeva reside at the top of Iruvia’s immensely strict caste
system.

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NAMAYAN (UNIQUE TO ONE MORE NOTCH)
Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines
An untamed land past the Southern Colonies, full of lush jungles, rolling mountain ranges, beautiful lakes, and complex river systems
that run through equally massive marshes. Namayan is comprised of several ethnic groups that all act independently from each other, and
generally respect each other’s sovereignty within their own regions. The Free Republic of Novyi Zem and other invaders have barely managed
to penetrate the northern frontiers of Namayan, for if there is one thing that truly unites these jungle nations, it’s a hatred for any who
threaten their independence and ways of life. While the details of their epic song cycles all vary, at the core of these religious canticles is the
belief that the world is full of spirits known as diwata. Humans all possess a diwata “twin” within them, and humans who are completely in
touch with this twin awaken to fantastic abilities. They are generally brown-skinned or bronzed in complexion, with black hair and brown
eyes. Heterochromia is also startingly common among Namayans. Tattoos play a huge role in identifying individual Namayans by their
tribe/ethnic group, beliefs, and personal milestones in their life.
For extended information, refer to the One More Notch supplement Namayan, Children of the Bakunawa.

Notes
❖ Similar to Iruvia, Namayan’s balangay (their polities/fiefdoms) have only started to contact nations outside of the country recently.
Their friendliest relations, at this moment, are with Kerch. The language of commerce and trade is ever universal.
❖ Namayans have many names for their grisha, each unique to the region or ethnic group in question. The most common term is
BAILAN. Traditionally, these grisha tattoo themselves the moment they awaken to their powers with a symbol specific to their tribe
and their nature as grisha. As with all other Namayans, the tattoos expand as they grow older, telling their life story and boasting of
their feats through Namayan script and symbols. The difference lies in the fact that each group have their own “grisha” language. It is
expressly forbidden for a Namayan who is not grisha to mark themselves with this sacred symbology.
❖ A cultural practice across Namayan balangay is that their grisha walk the Heart Path until their diwata twin calls them home to
become Datus, or to become mandirigma under a Datu’s house. This Heart Path is meant to be a spirit journey, where the grisha travel
far beyond the reaches of Namayan itself, offering their skills and services to any in need. Hence, it’s no coincidence that most of the
Namayans that people encounter in their own locales are grisha.

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SERYVINS (UNIQUE TO ONE MORE NOTCH)
Seryvins are not a race nor a nation, but people who have been corrupted, marked, or otherwise touched by the Deathlands yet retain
their humanity. There are more than a few who have an interesting story to tell behind why they emerged with a piece of the Unsea lodged
within them: explorers who became lost and clawed their way back out, soldiers who stayed out on the fields for noble causes despite the
harm it did to their bodies. Unfortunately, the majority of them were simply people who were stuck too long in the fell place and happened to
be lucky enough to survive.
Players who choose to make a Seryvin must first decide on their original Heritage and note a detail down about their family as
originally directed. Then, they must add an additional detail on how they became Seryvin and decide upon a demonic tell as a part of their
physical appearance. Examples: black shark eyes, feathers instead of hair, lizard scales on their arms.

Additional Adjustments:
❖ Due to their life-changing encounter with the forces of the Unsea, Seryvins are hardier than most in the Deathlands, and immune to
the miasma that has taken the lives of so many. Choose between: add +1 stress box OR permanently fill in one segment of the Healing
clock.
❖ The Unsea is inside the Seryvin, whispering dark things to their soul. This corruption has seeped so deep within their blood that even
their children hear the voices. Start the campaign with one Trauma of choice, relevant to the Seryvin’s experiences in the Deathlands,
or the experience of their Seryvin parent.
❖ Add the EXP Trigger: You struggled with prejudice, disgust, fear from others due to your nature .

Notes
❖ The Seryvin “condition” is not contagious, but it isn’t exactly easy to tell people who exist in a world where superstition competes
constantly with science in the minds of the masses. Treatment of Seryvin across the board ranges from pity to outright, irrational fear.

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NEW PLAYBOOKS: THE GRISHA PLAYBOOKS
All Grisha Playbooks possess the Special Ability Veteran (3), allowing them to select Special Abilities from the other Playbooks of Blades in the
Dark and One More Notch.
Grisha are humans who practice the Small Science, which they – or, at least, the grisha of Ravka – view as an extension of the natural
world rather than “magic”. According to grisha philosophers, the grounding principle of the Small Science is that “LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE”. Those
born with the affinity for grisha abilities possess something in their physiology that has connected to the inherent flow of energies in the
world. ODINAKOVOST – the “thisness” of a thing – is what makes something the same as everything else. ETOVOST, on the other hand, is the
“thatness” of a thing that makes all things unique from each other. Odinkovost connects grisha to the world, but etovost is what gives them
the affinity for something like air, or blood, or – in the case of the Sun Summoner – light. Those who are not grisha are called OTKAZAT’SYA:
“the abandoned”. We note that the Ravkan word for people without grisha powers is also used to refer to orphans.
The Small Science supposedly cannot create new energy: it can only draw from its surroundings, and transfer energy from one source
to another with grisha as the conduit. To be able to create new energy and transform things into that which they are not has traditionally been
regarded as MERZOST: “magic”, with the Ravkan word in question curiously blending “magic” and “abomination” into a single term. However,
as evidenced by everything that occurred before and after the Darkling War, many specialists in grisha philosophy are attempting to
understand the impossible things that both the Darkling and the Sun Summoner were able to accomplish, and attempting to see if there’s
some sort of logical explanation behind why nearly all human beings can tap into arcane powers at present. Some others are looking deep into
the past by uncovering what they can about ILYA MOROZOVA – THE BONESMITH, also SANKT ILYA IN CHAINS – and his research. Much of Ilya’s
work, however, was lost or destroyed centuries before the War.
Using the Small Science fills grisha with life and vitality, leaving them energized and a little less worn in the aftermath. Conversely,
hiding their powers almost seems to cut them off from something that is an integral part of who they are. That may explain why grisha who
use practice their Science often always look attractive and spry. It also explains why grisha who do not use their powers for a long time
become listless and prone to illness. To elevate the discussion: grisha who open themselves up to wielding the Small Science experience an
almost divine sense of euphoria and purpose, like how people feel after taking powerful drugs. It can push grisha to do wonderful – or terrible
– things.
The term “grisha” in itself is Ravkan, although some of the other nations in this broken world have their own terms for them. They
were, in the past, uncommon but not necessarily mysterious. Now, however, due to the strange energies generated by the Unsea, more and
more mortals are born grisha.

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A Note on the Grisha Lifespan
Contains major spoilers for the Shadow and Bone Trilogy of the Grishaverse.
Leigh Bardugo implies, across much of her literature for the Grishaverse, that grisha are capable of living for much longer than
mortals do. The greatest evidence of this is the Darkling himself, who successfully fooled Ravka into thinking that he was the distant
descendant of the mad grisha who created the Unsea when, in fact, the mad grisha and his persona at court were one in the same. For the
purposes of One More Notch, we’ve located the average lifespan of a grisha at 150-200 years. They can extend their lifespan by using their
abilities often enough, although the hard “cap” in this direction is likely 300-400 years. GMs can adjust this as they will.
HEALERS. Healers are Corporalki that are attuned to the forces of the body, good at facilitating the natural
processes of mending. Play a Healer if you want to keep your teammates together.
HEARTRENDERS. Heartrenders are Corporalki that have honed their Small Science towards the dismantling of
other people, for so long as they can be seen. Play a Heartrender if you like breaking other gangs.
BONESINGERS. A new kind of Corporalki that started to emerge during the Darkling’s reign. These grisha are –
capable of manipulating the dead. Their abilities either manifested that way, or they were Healers or
Heartrenders who “snapped”. Play a Bonesinger if necromancy fascinates you.
TAILORS. Tailors are Corporalki that have learned to use the Small Science to manipulate physical appearances.
Play a Tailor if you believe appearances are deceiving.
MATERIALKI. Materialki focus their Small Sciences on materials, allowing them to build and construct things of
the finest make. Play a Materialki if you love to tinker with things – or destroying them completely.
SQUALLERS. Squallers can manipulate the wind by raising or lowering air pressure and can also move objects
with the force of air at their disposal. Play a Squaller if you want to meddle with wind powers.
INFERNI. Inferni can manipulate fire by gathering combustible particles of substances like methane or
hydrogen, but they need a spark to start the fire. Play an Inferni if you like watching the world burn.
TIDEMAKER. Tidemakers can manipulate water in the same way that Inferni can move fire. Play a Tidemaker if
water powers speak to you.
A Grishaverse setting would not be complete without the option to play grisha. As such, the unique Playbooks for One More Notch
cover each of the types of grisha that your scoundrel may be. Some adjustments have had to be made in the spirit of premising game balance
over lore, and the ante of powers available to grisha in One More Notch has been amped up to reflect the strangeness of the setting.

37
 For purposes of integrating Blades in the Dark with Grishaverse in a more seamless fashion, Whispers in One More Notch are not
grisha. They are merely people who are more in tune with the formalized practice of this newfound awareness that everyone has of
otherworldly powers in the wake of the Unsea’s expansion.

A Note About Amplifiers

Amplifiers in the Grishaverse canon are far rarer than they are in One More Notch. Canonically, amplifiers are usually made from rare
(or practically mythical) animals, or from the bones of other grisha. In this setting, we assume that the Darkling War caused a massive
increase in harvesting amplifiers. The “popular” targets outside of other grisha are now Leviathans, or creatures from the Unsea.

A Note About Saintsbane

The unique item Saintsbane can be acquired from certain merchants and purveyors within North Hook. Generally, however, they are
extremely expensive given what they can do (at least 2 Coin). Of course, you can always attempt to pay the seller off with a favor, or something
else…

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HEALER
All life is connected in a never-ending cycle, with energies transferred from one being to another. Healers are capable of manipulating
the so-called “raw elements” that are imbued with this energy, speeding up natural processes of a body in order to repair whatever’s been
broken. Interestingly enough, this extends, to a point, to emotions. What are emotions, after all, but responses to chemicals fired within one’s
brain?
When you play a Healer, you earn xp when you address a challenge with your knack for healing or controlling emotional responses.
In a world like One More Notch, where technology often collapses in the face of the otherworldly, a healer who requires minimal tools and
supervision would be a prized asset wherever they went. Mediators are always in demand as well.
Is healing about helping people to you, or controlling your situation? Others would rightfully be wary of people who could
manipulate another’s emotions simply by regulating a body’s responses to a situation. Are you apprehensive about what you’re capable of, or
is it simply a thing that you happen to be good at?

STARTING ACTIONS THE ONES WE SAVE / THE ONES WE RUN FROM

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ TINKER
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ SWAY
STARTING BUILDS
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots
and special ability, use one of these templates.
PHYSICIAN. +1 Study, +2 Finesse, +1 Sway. Saving Hands.
SURGEON. +2 Study, +2 Finesse. Not on My Watch.
MEDIATOR. +1 Study, +2 Consort, +1 Sway. Solynshko.
CAROUSER. +2 Finesse, +2 Consort. Powerful Presence.
❖ Valery Falner, a physicker. Perhaps a kindly mentor, or
perhaps competition in securing affluent clients?
❖ Galina, a Ravkan diplomat. Perhaps a benefactor, or perhaps
an extortionist threatening to deport you or worse?
❖ Hester Vale, old blood from Barrowcleft. Perhaps a favored
client, or perhaps an irate former patient who was unhappy
with your treatment?
❖ Sister Yuri, a handmaiden of Sankt Andrei. Perhaps an old
friend, current romantic interest, or jilted lover?
❖ Henner, Lampblack. An occasional bodyguard, or a dogged
thug on your trail?

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HEALER SPECIAL ABILITIES
NOT ON MY WATCH
You may expend your special armor to lower Level 4 harm to level 3 (thus preventing a teammate from dying), or to push yourself on
a Tinker roll related to tending to injuries and physical conditions on the field. In order to use this ability, you need to be in physical contact
with your target and have fine physicker implements in your Load.
When you use this ability, tick the special armor box on your playbook sheet. If you lower Level 4 Harm to Level 3, you, in essence, have
just saved one of your teammates from dying – but remember that some kinds of Level 4 Harm cannot reasonably be undone.
Furthermore, “Not on My Watch” cannot be used on a teammate that has been dead for more than 3 minutes.
If you use this ability to push yourself, you get one of the benefits (+1d, +1 effect, act despite severe harm) but you don’t take 2 stress. Your
special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

BEZOAR
You may push yourself to purge a teammate of a drug or poison. You must be in physical contact with your teammate. Bezoar can
similarly used on yourself.

CORPORALKI (3)
Choose a special ability from the Heartrender, Bonesinger or Tailor Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another
ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Corporalki can purchase more than three abilities outside of their Playbook.

EFFICIENT PHYSICKER
You have 1 extra downtime action that can be used for healing treatment rolls, or for Study or Tinker rolls related to filling ticks on
progress clocks for projects relevant to your profession or practice. Healers, Physickers, and doctoring sorts in your crew gain 1 extra
downtime action as well.
In cases where there are multiple people who have “Efficient Physicker” as a special ability, the maximum number of downtime actions
that you can “stack” is equal to your Tier. Tier 0 and Tier 1 scoundrels can get a maximum number of 2 extra actions.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT

When you or your teammate spend 1 downtime action on healing, in addition to rolling to recover from Level 2-3 Harm, you may
automatically remove a Level 1 Harm on their sheet. Everyone in your crew (including you), gets +1d to their healing treatment rolls.

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POWERFUL PRESENCE
When you Command, Consort, or Sway while staying in physical contact with your target(s), you may adjust your dice roll result by 1
or 2. You may push yourself to use Powerful Presence without having to touch them.

SAVING HANDS
When you Tinker with bones, blood, and bodily humors to treat wounds or stabilize the injured or dying OR if you roll Study to
analyze a malady or corpse, you get +1 result level to your roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4/5, etc.). Also allows the grisha to cause Harm with their Small
Science.
The way Grisha Healing works is quite different from anything else in the world. Their Small Science is, in essence, flesh crafting, where
they are capable of molding human bodies and organic material in the same way that one may shape clay. As such, it’s possible to get, ah,
creative with your application here. For example, when pushed into a corner or given enough time to, a Healer has the potential to
become a horrific torturer, sealing mouths shut, growing bits of extra flesh in uncomfortable places.

SOLYNSHKO
Twice per score, you may reduce the Stress of one of your crew. The number of points you can reduce is equal to your Tier + 1. You
must be in physical contact with your teammate. You may push yourself to ignore the requirement of physical contact, or increase the
number of points of Stress you can reduce by 2. In essence, you manipulated the emotions of another person. Are they okay with this? Are
YOU okay with this?
For the purposes of this special ability, Tier 0 Healers are always treated as though they are Tier 1 instead.
For a target to be within range, the target must be visible and within twenty feet of your Healer.

HEALER ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ Fine physicker implements. A finely crafted set of medical tools for complex medical work. [1 Load]
❖ Fine clothes & jewelry: An outfit that appears to be of such fine make as to pass you off as a wealthy noble, or some other respectable
type for your rounds in North Hook. [0 Load] If you’re carrying this item as a second outfit to change into, it counts as 2 Load.

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❖ Vial of slumber essence: A dose of slumber essence large enough to put someone to sleep for an hour. Also helps with patients. The
victim’s sleep isn’t supernatural, but it is deep—they can be roused with some effort. [0 Load]

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HEARTRENDER
While Healers use what they know to save lives, Heartrenders focus their intimate knowledge of the human body into sheer killing
intent. They can manipulate the blood flow of a target from a distance, provided that they can see bare skin and all the vessels and nerves
beneath.
When you play a Heartrender, you earn xp when you address a challenge with the unique kind of violence only you are capable of.
Heartrenders were the most feared grisha in the Second Army, as they were capable of felling men with a single look.
Were you formally trained as a Heartrender, or does breaking people apart just come naturally to you? Do you enjoy the rush of power
that comes with being able to hurt someone at a distance, or do you find it disturbing?

STARTING ACTIONS THOSE WE BREAK / THOSE WHO BROKE US

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ HUNT
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ SURVEY
STARTING BUILDS
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots
and special ability, use one of these templates.
SOLDIER. +1 Study, +2 Skirmish, +1 Command. Wingclipper.
ASSASSIN +1 Survey, +1 Finesse, +2 Prowl. Cull or Heartburn.
INTERROGATOR. +2 Wreck, +2 Command. Bloodhound.
SENTINEL. +2 Survey, +1 Study, +1 Skirmish. Breath of Life.
❖ Edik Holtz, Union leader. Someone from your Second Army
past (or that of your family), or did you cross him or his
Lightningbottles?
❖ Corben, ex-soldier. An old comrade from the same
battlefield, or an enemy you made during a campaign?
❖ Maes Mordechai, Saltford’s main legbreaker down at the
docks. Did you run afoul of him, or have you done a job or
two with him for the bank?
❖ Celene, a sentinel. Celene is a guardian; a protector. Who
does she watch over?
❖ Darmout, a Bluecoat. Perhaps a savvy officer that’s busted
you many times, or perhaps an old friend who turned to the
law instead of crime?

HEARTRENDER SPECIAL ABILITIES

For the purposes of this Playbook, a target for a Heartrender is considered “within range” if they’re perfectly visible, and within twenty feet.

CULL
You may expend your special armor to attempt to instantly kill a target. Target must be visible to the Heartrender, with some skin
exposed – it does not matter where. If the target does not possess any special protection, the GM must roll a 5 or 6 on Fortune Dice to see if Cull

43
fails. In the event of failure, the target suffers from Level 3 Harm: “Heartburn”. In the event of a critical success, Cull temporarily immobilizes
the target instead.
When you use this ability, tick the special armor box on your playbook sheet. The number of Fortune Dice that the GM rolls to see if Cull
was successful is equal to 1 an extra +1 for every level of Tier between the scoundrel and his target. For targets of the same Tier as the
Heartrender, the GM rolls 2 by default. For targets of a lower Tier, however, the GM rolls two dice and takes the lower result.
Your special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

BLOODHOUND
A body speaks its truths a whole lot more than most people would ever know. You may use Study to use your Heartrending abilities to
analyze what a person may be thinking or feeling. You’ll always be able to tell when someone’s hiding something from you or lying to you.
What gave them away? Their heart rate? The pallor of their skin? The slight way they shifted their weight on their feet? Their smell?
Bloodhound can also be used on animals.

BREATH OF LIFE
Through training and practice, techniques passed down through the Second Army or your mentor(s), or due to the raw potential you
possess all on your own, you’re particularly adept at the use of your grisha abilities. Physical exertion isn’t as strenuous for you either. Pushing
yourself when using your grisha abilities or when rolling for Actions that require physical activity always costs 1 stress rather than 2.
Breath of Life can be used in tandem with the special abilities from other grisha Playbooks.

CORPORALKI (3)
Choose a special ability from the Heartrender, Bonesinger or Tailor Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another
ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Corporalki can purchase more than three abilities outside of their Playbook.

HEARTBURN
You may use Hunt to attempt to knock a target within range unconscious – the target may attempt to resist the roll as though it were a
conventional attack. You may push yourself to instantly cause Level 3 Harm: “Heartburn” on a target of choice. The target must be fully visible
to the Heartrender, with some skin exposed – it does not matter where.
“Heartburn” fills BOTH Level 3 Harm boxes up on a target’s character sheet. It has the following added effect: all physical and mental
actions on the target’s part suffer from two levels of reduced effect.

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 In the event that the target has pre-existing types of Level 3 Harm, the Heartrender’s attack graduates to Level 4 Harm, thus killing his or
her opponent on the spot.

MARKSMAN
Due to intense training, natural aptitude, or the sheer killing intent you possess, your range for your Heartrending abilities is double
the normal range. You may now target opponents who suit the conditions for your special abilities as long as they’re within forty feet of you.
Gain +1d to Hunt rolls when using Heartrending abilities.

SHREDDER
You can aggravate the pre-existing injuries of a target of choice. You must be in physical contact with the target.
You may push yourself to ignore this special ability’s limitations and use Shredder on a target within range. Target must be fully visible to
the Heartrender, with some skin exposed – it does not matter where.
Shredder “upgrades” one of its target’s Harm by one level. When used against Level 3 harm, this ability may be used to kill your target
under the right circumstances.

WINGCLIPPER
You may expend your special armor to push yourself to roll Hunt and do one of the following: stun a small gang, locate all living
targets close to your location, or puppeteer a small group of living targets.
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.
When you stun a small gang, you’re attempting to knock all members of the target group unconscious at the same time. When you
attempt to locate all living targets close to your location, this special ability will reveal even those in hiding unless they have some sort of
special defense against your powers. When you puppeteer a small group of living targets, you gain control over them for one move or
action each before you lose your grip on their bodies. The action or move must be a simple one.
The cap on the number of people you can affect with this special ability is six, and for stunning or puppeteering, they must be within ten
feet of you. Conceivably, Wingclipper can be used on animals. Targets of your puppeteering will remain conscious and aware throughout
the ordeal.

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HEARTRENDER ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ Fine hand weapon: A finely crafted one-handed melee weapon of your choice, for when your powers aren't enough. Is this a well-
crafted standard weapon, like a perfectly-balanced dagger, or something exotic, like an Iruvian dueling saber or a metal-banded war-
club? [1 Load]
❖ Fine pair of pistols. A matched pair of handguns, made for greater accuracy, with double barrels that allow for two shots before
reloading. For when your powers just aren’t enough. Were your pistols made by Kardera’s Daughters, Templeton & Slane, the
Firebird’s Nest, or some other gunsmith? How do they stand out from the average handgun? [1 Load]
❖ A dose of a jurda parem variant. A small vial of one of the many jurda parem variants circulating around the black market. Its effects
are extremely mild, but they hurt nonetheless. Allows you to use Heartrending abilities against targets who have completely covered
their bodies for an hour. Take Level 2 Harm: Parem Withdrawal. [0 Load]

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BONESINGER
The emergence of Bonesingers revealed that the dead do not rest easy, and that death itself is its own unique form of energy. The never-
ending cycle that connects all living creatures extends to the souls who exist beyond that threshold. Bonesingers are the dark brothers and
sisters of their Healer brethren, capable of manipulating the raw elements and building blocks of death.
When you play a Bonesinger, you earn xp when you address a challenge by maximizing the unique connection you possess with
death and deathly energy. Bonesingers occupy a unique position within this broken world. The Small Science they are attuned to cannot
restore life completely; only mimic it, to potentially shocking and grotesque effects. However, there may yet be ways for a Bonesinger to
provide some solace to those left behind by their beloved dead.
Were you defined by some personal tragedy, or have you always had some sort of connection to the dead? How do you view the
macabre powers at your disposal? What are your views on life and death – and, by extension, your place in this dance between these two
absolute realities?

STARTING ACTIONS THOSE WE BURY / THOSE WHO MAY BURY US

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ATTUNE ❖ Eckerd, a corpse thief. Perhaps a good source of “raw
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ STUDY materials”?
❖ Hopper, a drug addict with interesting hallucinations. Does
he truly see things that interest you, or are you just fond of
STARTING BUILDS him?
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots ❖ Margaret Vale, head of the St. Andrew’s Finders Emporium.
and special ability, use one of these templates. Did she provide you with some necessary tools, or did you
NECROMANCER. +2 Command, +1 Study, +1 Hunt. Marzanna. interfere with her trade?
WARLOCK. +1 Study, +2 Command, +1 Tinker. Darkness, Your Old ❖ Adam Strathmill, an Inspector. Did he call upon you for
Friend. assistance with a case, or is he on your trail for a case you
UNDERTAKER. +1 Finesse, +2 Tinker, +1 Study. Saint’s Eyes. interfered with?
MOURNER. +1 Study, +2 Sway, +1 Command. Oracle. ❖ Bakoros, a Spirit Warden. A friend in the exploration of the
arcane mysteries, or an enemy?

BONESINGER SPECIAL ABILITIES

For the purposes of this Playbook, a target for a Bonesinger is considered “within range” if they’re within twenty feet.

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MARZANNA
You may expend your special armor to reanimate dead creatures within range. Prior to using Marzanna, you need to declare if you’re
targeting human corpses, animal corpses, or just anything you can grasp at. The number and quality of the corpses you can summon is
dependent on your crew’s Tier, further influenced by the environment at hand. You control this undead army for the number of hours equal
to your Attune Action, or until you choose to send them back to their graves.
When you use this ability, tick the special armor box on your playbook sheet. The undead you summon will attempt to get to you as
quickly as they can, which may have its consequences to consider after the fact. For example: some may lose their limbs as they attempt to
crawl through a factory full of buzzing machinery to reach you. Collectively, they count as Cohorts: you must choose between Elite
Rovers, Elite Skulks, and Elite Thugs for the duration of their stay with you. You cannot use Marzanna to create an Expert.
Using Marzanna after a successful use of Saint’s Eyes grants +1d to your roll.
Giving orders to your undead crew requires Command. The corpses can communicate only as well as their bodies – in whatever state they
are in now – allow them to. Your special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

You can Hunt to manipulate bones, diseased matter, and dead matter as though they were projectiles. This ability can be used to
manipulate pestilence and disease within a target – or send pestilence and disease into a target of your choice. Your Hunt is considered +1d
while using A Little Night Music.
Using A Little Night Music after a successful use of Saint’s Eyes grants an additional +1d to your roll, or you may opt to benefit from +1
effect instead.

CORPORALKI (3)
Choose a special ability from the Heartrender, Bonesinger or Tailor Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another
ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Corporalki can purchase more than three abilities outside of their Playbook.

DARKNESS, YOUR OLD FRIEND (3)

Your grim companion’s spiritual energy has increased. It gains an arcane ability: ghost-form, corpse speak, arrow-swift, shadow thief,
eldritch intervention, and bone shield.

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 Your pet functions as a cohort (Expert: Hunter). This ability gives them potency against supernatural targets and an arcane ability of your
choice. Ghost-form allows the pet to transform into electroplasmic vapor as if it were a spirit. Mind-link allows the pet and hunter to share
their senses and thoughts telepathically, and lets your scoundrel speak through it. Arrow-swift allows the pet to move extremely quickly,
out-pacing any other creature or vehicle. Shadow thief allows your pet to “cloak” a target that it has direct contact with, as though it were a
fine shadow cloak. Eldritch intervention allows the Bonesinger to ignore the stress cost of pushing himself for a grisha ability or action
once per score. Bone shield allows the Bonesinger or a target of the Bonesinger’s choice to reduce Harm received from an attack – but the
pet takes 1 level of Harm in return each time this ability is activated. For more details about cohorts, see page 96.

GRAVE STONE
You gain +1 Harm Level on your character sheet. This means that you will only die after you have reached Level 5 Harm. The negative
effects of all Harm Levels are considered one level lower than what is listed. As such, Level 1 Harm for you does not confer any penalties.

ORACLE
You can Study to analyze the deathly echoes around a corpse or dead matter. These impressions come in the form of flashes of vision,
scent, hearing, and the like. The impressions with the strongest emotion attached to them – inclusive of the corpse’s final moments – are the
ones that will rise to the surface first.
Using Oracle after a successful use of Saint’s Eyes grants +1d to your roll.

SAINT’S EYES
You can Attune to locate death energy, dead matter, and corpses within range. The effective range for your Bonesinging abilities is
now forty feet instead of twenty.

SATIN IN A COFFIN
You can Tinker to give yourself Normal Armor without paying Load cost. In order to use this ability, you must have summoned bones
to your person using A Little Night Music or brought bones of your own along in your Load. Your Tinker is considered +1d while using this
ability.
Using Satin in a Coffin after a successful use of Saint’s Eyes grants +1d to your roll.
You may pay 2 stress to convert the Normal Armor from Satin in a Coffin to Heavy Armor instead.

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BONESINGER ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ A grim companion: Your undead animal companion, made from enchanted bones, shaped as you willed it, and imbued with your
emotions and intent. It obeys your commands and anticipates your actions. It automatically possesses potency against supernatural
energies and entities. Cohort (Expert: Hunter).
❖ Fine spirit mask: An arcane item that allows the trained user to see supernatural energies in great detail. Also affords some measure of
protection against ghostly possession. Each spirit mask is unique. What does yours look like? What makes it strange and disturbing to
see? [1 load]
❖ Bones. Could be anything from a handheld case or jar of powdered bone (good for one shot) or full-sized bones from corpses and
animals. [0+ Load]

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TAILOR
A highly underestimated school of the Small Science, Tailoring traditionally revolved around using a balance of inorganic matter and
the building blocks of a body to change a person’s appearance. The basics of this branch were taught to all Corporalki students in the Ravkan
Second Army, and different nations have their own equivalents for grisha who specialize in the art. Extensive research and practice have
revealed that some of the principles of tailoring share fundamentals with Materialki, thus opening up a world of powerful, new possibilities
for the uses of both Sciences.
When you play a Tailor, you earn xp when you address a challenge by playing upon perceptions and prejudices built around physical
appearance and social norms. Beauty, as Tailors know well, is only skin deep, yet even in a world as broken and as desperate as this, people can
be so easily manipulated by lovely things. Subtlety is power, and the best kind of deception are lies that do not stray far from the truth.
Slides and Tailors have a lot in common, and in some ways? Tailors, by merit of having abilities that some Slides can only ever dream
of leaves them worse off. Is there anything true about you, at your core? Is there anything true about people, really, given how easily they can
be turned around with the right push?

STARTING ACTIONS THOSE WE SEEK TO CHANGE / THOSE WHO SEEK TO

CHANGE US
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ATTUNE ❖ Wylan van Eck, a merchant. Perhaps a regular client, or an
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ TINKER elite you displeased?
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ SWAY ❖ Melvir Taylor, a physicker. Do you help him with his
patients, or did you hurt somebody under his watch?
❖ Veleris, a spy. Who does Veleris give their intelligence to?
STARTING BUILDS ❖ Adelaide Phroaig, a noble. Perhaps an old friend and
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots confidant, or perhaps one of the victims of your espionage,
and special ability, use one of these templates. bent on revenge?
BEAUTICIAN. +1 Tinker, +1 Sway, +1 Study, +1 Consort. Rusalka. ❖ Maestro Helleren, senior composer and conductor of the
SPY. +2 Survey, +1 Study, +1 Prowl. Merely Skin Deep. Spinegarden Theater. A steady source of Tailoring jobs, or
BATTLE TAILOR/SEAMSTRESS. +1 Tinker, +2 Finesse, +2 Skirmish. Light did you botch one of her performances?
Reveals All Things in Shadow.
FIXER. +1 Tinker, +1 Study, +1Wreck, +1 Finesse. Artificer (select one
Materialki ability of choice), Efficient Tailor OR Amplifier)

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TAILOR SPECIAL ABILITIES
LIGHT REVEALS ALL THINGS IN SHADOW
You may expend your special armor to completely undo another Tailor’s work or remove all elements of a disguise within a minute.
Makeup sloughs off of your target in waves, as though they were drenched in a sudden downpour; blemishes and markings that were hidden
reveal themselves. No physical contact is required: the target only needs to be within ten feet, and fully visible to you.
When Light Reveals All Things in Shadow is used as a downtime action, it reduces the complexity of the clock for Tailoring by half,
and also automatically fills in one segment. In this case, Light Reveals All Things in Shadow comes back after the completion of a new score.
Your special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

AMPLIFIER
You can use Study to sense latent potential for the Small Science in another person. Requires physical contact with the target. The use
of any arcane, grisha, or occult ability on the part of a crew member who is in contact with you gains +1d to their roll, or can benefit from +1
effect.
Amplifier can only work on one person at a time. Even if several grisha crewmates are holding your hand, you will have to choose who to
focus on at any given moment.
Several grisha with Amplifier can target the same person for increased dice or increased effects. Amplifier cannot be used on yourself.

ARTIFICER (3)
Choose a special ability from the Materialki Playbook. You may purchase this ability again to choose another ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Artificer can purchase more than three abilities from the Materialki Playbook.

BASILISK
Choose a drug, poison or chemical substance (from your bandolier stock) to which you have become immune. You can push yourself
to secrete it through your skin or saliva or exhale it as a vapor.
When you push yourself to activate this ability, you still get one of the normal benefits of pushing yourself (+1d, +1 effect, etc.) if you’re
making a roll, in addition to the special ability.
You choose the type of drug or poison when you get this ability. You may change the drug or poison by completing a long-term project.
Only a single substance may be chosen—you can’t become immune to any essences, oils, or other alchemical substances.

52
 Basilisk “stacks” with the Leech Playbook ability “Venomous.” As such, Tailors with Basilisk can be immune to two substances of choice.

CORPORALKI (3)
Choose a special ability from the Healer, Heartrender or Bonesinger Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another
ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Corporalki can purchase more than three abilities outside of their Playbook.

EFFICIENT TAILOR
You now have +1 downtime action to use for Tailoring abilities. If you do not use it on yourself, you may confer this bonus on
crewmates who are also Tailors or are using their downtime to build disguises and the like. All downtime actions to build disguises,
manipulate physical appearances, use Tailoring abilities, or use Materialki abilities gain +1d for your crew.

MERELY SKIN DEEP

You can Study or Survey to pick out all body and appearance modifications on a target. A high success or critical roll may even reveal
what materials were used to achieve the look or modifications in question. You can Attune to sense when grisha powers or other external
elements are manipulating emotions and mental faculties.
Physical contact increases the results of this roll by +1 (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.)

RUSALKA
You can use Tinker to manipulate aspects of a person’s physical appearance or manipulate your own features. Particular adjustments
will require raw, inorganic materials that are suited to the task. Your Tinker roll is considered +1d for this ability. Rusalka can also be used to
reverse your Tailoring work, or the work of another.
In most cases, Rusalka is only usable during downtime. Clocks determining partial or full success will be built by you and your GM based
on the complexity of the case.
You may push yourself during a score to use Rusalka for quick disguises and adjustments on the spot – provided, of course, that you’re not
in the line of fire, or have a decent place to duck into and concentrate. A clock must still be built to determine partial or full success. You
must have the right raw, inorganic materials in your Load. Using Rusalka this way negates the +1d bonus you would usually get for your
Tinker roll.

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TAILOR ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ Fine cover identity: Paperwork, planted stories and rumors, and false relationships sufficient to pass as a different person. [0 Load]
❖ Fine tailoring kit: A make-up kit equipped with an impressive array of expert appliances to fool the eye, specific for the use of a
professional Tailor. The fine quality of this kit may increase the effect of your deceptive actions when you use it. [1 Load]
❖ Trance powder. A dose of the popular drug, which induces an altered mental state. The victim of this powder is not fully unconscious,
but rather retreats into a calm, suggestible mental state, similar to hypnotism. [0 Load]

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MATERIALKI
Innovation and technology are, too often, the only things that stand between the survivors of this broken world and oblivion. As a
Fabrikator, you are naturally a cut above Leeches and other technical experts in Duskwall, for your practice of the Small Science allows you to
speak to very materials that most must spend precious time and energy beating into submission. You’re capable of engineering and artisanal
feats that most can only dream of.
When you play a Materialki, you earn xp when you address a challenge with technical skill or mayhem. The Duskwall is a city full of
industrial machinery, spark-crafts, plumbing, and electrical systems for you to bend to your purposes or sabotage. Get out your tools and get
your hands dirty.
Even among their own “kind”, fabrikators are viewed as strange or capable only within a “limited” capacity. Did you learn your arts
formally, or did you practice all on your own? In a similar vein to Leeches in the underworld, which side of the coin do you prefer: the side of
creation and restoration, or the side of mayhem and destruction?

STARTING ACTIONS THOSE WE BUILD FOR / THOSE WHO’D TAKE US DOWN

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ TINKER ❖ Jessica Johnson (JJ), a Leech. Do you know her as the
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ATTUNE upstanding daughter of the owners of Gaddoc Rail Station,
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ WRECK or as the scoundrel she truly is?
❖ Stazia, an apothecary. Perhaps a former scoundrel turned to
legitimate alchemical business, or perhaps the other way
around?
STARTING BUILDS ❖ Esa Kessarin, a sparkwright and factory owner. A friend in
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots scientific pursuits? Your boss, former or current?
and special ability, use one of these templates. ❖ Ben Alrdrige (Badger), retired leviathan hunter and inventor.
ENGINEER. +2 Study, +1 Tinker, +1 Survey. Visionary OR The Infinite The one who introduced the trade to you, or someone whose
Greed of Men devices you’ve encountered during your scores?
BREAKER. +1 Tinker, +1 Wreck, +2 Study. A Little Push OR Child of ❖ Augus, a master architect. Perhaps a good source for
the Forge. building schematics and historical details, or perhaps a rival
INVENTOR. +2 Study, +1 Tinker, +1 Finesse. Why Settle for That? who designs security measures?
ARCANE ARTIFICER. +1 Attune, +1 Finesse, +2 Study. Divine Alchemy.

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MATERIALKI SPECIAL ABILITIES
DIVINE ALCHEMY
You may expend your special armor to manipulate inorganic material as though you were an Etherealki rather than a Fabrikator. You
may, for example, have the metal of a sword attack its Cutter, or raise the cobblestones of the street in front of you to protect yourself from a
Hound’s bullet. You must be in physical contact with the inorganic material you’re attempting to wield.
The number of dots you have in Attune will increase the result levels of your Tinker, Finesse, or Wreck roll for Divine Alchemy. Your roll
gains +1 result level for every two dots you possess in Attune, rounded down. For example, if you possess one or two dots in Attune, Divine
Alchemy gains +1 result level. If you possess three or four dots, your Divine Alchemy gains +2 result levels.
Your special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

A LITTLE PUSH
You may push yourself to roll Attune and potentially increase or decrease the result level of your Finesse, Hunt, Skirmish, or Wreck
rolls, or the rolls of a target within ten feet of you. A hostile Hound’s bullet will veer off course, while yours will hit its target with uncanny
accuracy. A Little Push can only be used when there is some sort of weapon or equipment involved in the action. It does not work against
Cutters, for example, who use their bare fists.
A Little Push can only be used against one target at a time. Multiple grisha with A Little Push can target the same thing for increased effect.
Materialki with Visionary consider their Attune +1d higher than what’s listed.

CHILD OF THE FORGE

You may expend your special armor OR push yourself to resist a consequence of grisha powers directed at you or any equipment, gear
or weaponry in physical contact with you. Fabrikators can, for example, mitigate the flames from an Inferni with just the right amount of
manipulation of the Small Science in their favor.
When you use this ability, tick the special armor box on your playbook sheet. If you “resist a consequence” of the appropriate type, you
avoid it completely.
Your special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

FLESHCRAFTER (3)
Choose a special ability from the Tailor Playbook, with the exception of the special ability Corporalki. You may purchase this ability
again to choose another ability for yourself.

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 GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Fleshcrafter can purchase more than three abilities from the Tailor Playbook.

MACHINIST
You may Study to discern the last, strong emotional impression that has been left on an object. All your Fabrikator abilities can harm
ghosts, demons, Saints, and other abominations. Gain +1d to Finesse and Wreck rolls when doing actions with machinery. The sensations
lifted from objects come in flashes. How does your Fabrikator perceive them? Vision? Scent? Emotions do not translate well to the spirits of
objects, but a human mind may yet comprehend what supernatural creatures cannot simply through observation.

THE INFINITE GREED OF MEN

All grisha know the touch of hubris well, for when one believes that he has power at his fingertips, he begins to think he is invincible.
Ironically, this is most true for Materialki and their potential ability to spin fantastic things out of next to nothing. At 3-5 Stress, gain +1d to
completing long-term projects that relate to research, acquiring new assets that the Materialki worked on himself to some capacity, or
tinkering with inventions new and old. At 6-9 Stress, gain +2d instead.

VISIONARY
You can Attune to analyze the composition and components of an object of choice. You must be in physical contact with the targeted
object. Your Attune action is considered to be +1d for Visionary and other Materialki abilities.
You may push yourself to negate the need for physical contact and use Visionary with objects within a ten-foot radius.

WHY SETTLE FOR THAT?

Whether it’s because of your raw talent, your years of experience, or your network, the equipment and gear you acquire for a score or
put together for yourself is just better by design than what’s available on the market. Assets you acquire are always one Tier higher than your
scoundrel’s or his crew.

MATERIALKI ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]

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 ❖ Fine Materialki tools: A finely crafted set of tools for detailed mechanist work, or sabotage and destruction – all are geared for a
Fabrikator’s use rather than a simple Leech’s. Includes some raw materials, like nodes or bars of metal. [2 Load]
❖ Bandolier: A strap worn across the body, fitted with specially-padded pouches to hold three alchemical agents or spark-craft bombs.
When you employ an alchemical or bomb from a bandolier, choose one from the Leech list (page 71 of the Blades in the Dark
rulebook). See page 226 of the core rulebook for more on alchemicals and bombs. During downtime, you automatically refill your
bandoliers, so long as you have reasonable access to a supplier or workshop. [1 Load]
❖ Gadgets: You may create gadgets during downtime by Tinkering with tools and materials. See Gadgets, page 227 of the Blades in the
Dark rulebook. Track the load for each gadget you deploy during an operation. [1+ Load]

Materialki Alchemical Agents & Bombs

BALEEN (III/2) [POTION]. Drawback (Volatile): “Sickened”, lvl 1 harm. A large, white, circular pill. Imbibing the drug allows you to breathe
underwater for the duration of a four-segment clock. It will not filter out any radical substance that’s IN the water, though.
Stay tuned for more! This section will, once it is finished, have thirteen custom items.

58
SQUALLER
Squallers are the catch-all term for Etherealki who can manipulate the wind by raising or lowering air pressure within their
immediate surroundings. From creating acoustic anomalies to hurling objects and people in directions of their choice, Squallers working in
tandem with each other or other elemental summoners can be powerful forces to reckon with during a score.
When you play a Squaller, you earn xp when you address a challenge with the creative manipulation of their Small Science, or deal
with entanglements and obstacles brought about by you using your gifts. Etherealki arts are admittedly easy to learn but hard to master. Finer
applications of the Small Science in their favor can achieve a variety of effects that can surprise even the most experienced grisha in this
broken world. On the flipside, the gifts you have been given often prevent you from moving as gracefully in the world as others do. They may
also become the object of envy, resentment, prejudice, or fear.
A grisha’s affinity for one particular element says a lot about their personality. Why does it feel natural or right for you to control the
element of air versus other elements? How do you, on a philosophical level, understand the interaction of air with every other natural force in
the world?

STARTING ACTIONS BROUGHT IN BY A GUST OF WIND

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ATTUNE ❖ Nyryx, a prostitute. Perhaps a paramour pursuing your
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ FINESSE affections, or perhaps a former lover, now scorned?
❖ Jeren, a Bluecoat archivist who hires you to help preserve
their records. Perhaps a double-agent within the Watch, or
STARTING BUILDS perhaps an overly curious officer, interested in your crimes?
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots ❖ Inej Ghafa, an acrobat. Has her troupe hired you to help
and special ability, use one of these templates. them out with her show? How well – or poorly – did you do?
AIR ADEPT. +1 Finesse, +1 Skirmish, +1 Hunt, +1 Wreck. Four Winds. ❖ Mouse, a Lurk from the Seventh Step. Did your skills help
LITTLE BIRD. +1 Finesse, +2 Prowl, +1 Survey. Echoes. him out with a job for his gang, or did you hinder him?
SENTINEL. +2 Skirmish, +1 Command, +1 Survey. Heaven’s Ward. ❖ Vandra, a Deathlands scavenger. How many runs have you
STORMBRINGER. +2 Command, +1 Survey, +1 Study. Tempest OR helped her complete in the Deathlands – or are you the
Starkov’s Mark. reason why one run didn’t work out too well?

59
SQUALLER SPECIAL ABILITIES
TEMPEST
You can push yourself to do one of the following: unleash a stroke of lightning as a weapon—summon a storm or localized tornado in
your immediate vicinity (torrential rain, roaring winds, heavy fog, chilling frost and snow, etc.).
When you push yourself to activate this ability, you still get one of the normal benefits of pushing yourself (+1d, +1 effect, etc.) if you’re
making a roll, in addition to the special ability.
When you unleash lightning as a weapon, the GM will describe its effect level and significant collateral damage. If you unleash it in
combat against an enemy who’s threatening you, you’ll still make an action roll in the fight (usually with Attune).
When you summon a storm, the GM will describe its effect level. If you’re using this power as cover or distraction, it’s probably a setup
teamwork maneuver, using Attune.

FOUR WINDS
You can use appropriate actions to direct gusts of winds against targets of choice, knocking them away from you and your crew, or
into other targets. A Hunt roll, for example, might be for pinpoint precision hits on faraway enemies. Wreck could be used to blow doors that
were otherwise locked wide open for you. Finesse could spell the difference between a bad fall and a tolerable one.
You may push yourself to use wind to give your punches and kicks some extra bite or turn bullets of you or your crewmates just the right
way. Alternatively, you can push yourself to spin barriers of protective wind in front of you, your crew, or objects of choice.
You may also push yourself to use wind to propel you through the air, enabling you to complete jumps and feats of athletic prowess that
you would normally not be capable of. You may use this in tandem with other grisha and similar abilities in a teamwork roll. You may
propel other targets the same way.

ALL THINGS UNDER THE SKY (3)

Choose a special ability from the Heartrender, Materialki, or Tailor Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another
ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with All Things Under the Sky can purchase more than three abilities from the
Playbooks listed above.

60
ELDRITCH ELEMENTALIST
You gain +1d to all rolls for using your Squaller abilities. All your Squaller abilities can affect ghosts, demons, Saints, and other
abominations.

ECHOES
You can use Finesse to redirect sound within a twenty-foot radius, playing tricks on Bluecoats that might be on your trail or sending
messages right into the ear of a distant crewmate. The maximum number of sounds that you can manipulate at the same time is equal to your
Tier +1. Additional rolls, like Study, might be required to get create or mimic particular noises accurately.
You may push yourself to dampen or increase sounds within a twenty-foot radius for a limited period of time, or for as long as you can
concentrate on the effort.

HEAVEN’S WARD
Near perfect regulation of the winds of life within you prevents arcane powers and grisha powers (i.e. like Heartrending) directed
against your internal organs from affecting you as much as it does with others. All attempts to use such powers to harm you suffer from
reduced effect.
You may push yourself to use Attune to travel through poisonous gases and similar miasma for far longer periods of time without
consequence. You can also use it to see through haze and fog with perfect clarity.

STARKOV’S MARK
You can expend your special armor to Attune to the ghost field to force a nearby air elemental or spirit to appear before you and obey
an order you give it. You are not supernaturally terrified by a ghost you summon or attempt to compel (though your allies may be).
The GM will tell you if you sense any elemental or spirit nearby. If you don’t, you can gather information (maybe Attune, Survey, or
Study) to attempt to locate one. By default, the elemental wants to satisfy its need for life essence and to exact vengeance. When you
compel it, you can give it a general or specific command, but the more general it is (like “Protect me”) the more the spirit will interpret it
according to its own desires. Your control over the elemental lasts until the command is fulfilled, or until a day has passed, whichever
comes first.
Occasionally, you may summon a Saint.

61
THE BLOOD OF SAINTS
The way the energies of the Small Science have changed your body have made you hardier against other grisha powers, as listed in the
Grisha Playbooks. The results of these consequences suffer from reduced effect. This special ability “stacks” with similar immunities, making
it possible that harm from grisha powers can have no effect on you whatsoever.

SQUALLER ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ Ephemeral Armor. While it doesn’t provide much practical protection against weapons or arcane powers, this Fabrikator-made set
was engineered for Squallers during the war against the Darkling. May increase the effect of rolls for moving quietly and doing
acrobatic feats. [2 Load]
❖ Light climbing gear. A well-crafted set of climbing gear that is less bulky and heavy than a standard set. [1 Load] Standard climbing
gear is 2 Load.
❖ Fine lockpicks: A finely crafted set of tools to disable and circumvent locks. [0 load]

62
INFERNI
Inferni are the catch-all term for Etherealki who can manipulate fire by gathering combustible particles of substances like methane or
hydrogen, but they need a spark to start the fire. From assisting with smelting work to conjuring firestorms seemingly out of nothing, Inferni
working in tandem with each other or other elemental summoners can be powerful forces to reckon with during a score.
When you play an Inferni, you earn xp when you address a challenge with the creative manipulation of their Small Science, or deal
with entanglements and obstacles brought about by you using your gifts. Etherealki arts are admittedly easy to learn but hard to master. Finer
applications of the Small Science in their favor can achieve a variety of effects that can surprise even the most experienced grisha in this
broken world. On the flipside, the gifts you have been given often prevent you from moving as gracefully in the world as others do. They may
also become the object of envy, resentment, prejudice, or fear.
A grisha’s affinity for one particular element says a lot about their personality. Why does it feel natural or right for you to control the
element of fire versus other elements? How do you, on a philosophical level, understand the interaction of fire with every other natural force
in the world?

STARTING ACTIONS ASHES TO ASHES

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ATTUNE ❖ Esme, owner of the Cat & the Candle in Nightmarket.
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ WRECK Perhaps an old friend and good source of gossip, or an
innocent civilian who got caught in one of your crossfires?
❖ Drusilla Cooehorn, matriarch of the Cooehorn Family. Did
STARTING BUILDS you join one of her expeditions? Does she remember you
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots fondly, or does she want you dead?
and special ability, use one of these templates. ❖ Stannon, from the Coalridge Union of Workers. Did you
FIRE ADEPT. +1 Finesse, +1 Skirmish, +1 Hunt, +1 Wreck. Firestrike. help this Union out when they needed it? Are you a
FABRIKATOR’S FRIEND. +1 Wreck, +2 Tinker, +1 Study. Jumpstart. member?
ARSONIST. +1 Wreck, +1 Prowl, +2 Hunt. Phoenix Born. ❖ Elena, from the Silver Nails gang. How does a grisha like you
FIREBRINGER. +2 Command, +1 Survey, +1 Study. Hellfire OR know a woman who was once druskelle?
Starkov’s Mark. ❖ Cortland, leader of the Sallies. Were you a part of the
Brigade, or are you on their hitlist for giving them a lot of
work?

63
INFERNI SPECIAL ABILITIES
HELLFIRE
You can push yourself to do one of the following: unleash an explosive burst of flame around you—summon a massive conflagration
covering about a block in radius.
When you push yourself to activate this ability, you still get one of the normal benefits of pushing yourself (+1d, +1 effect, etc.) if you’re
making a roll, in addition to the special ability.
When you unleash the burst of flame as a weapon, the GM will describe its effect level and significant collateral damage. If you unleash it
in combat against an enemy who’s threatening you, you’ll still make an action roll in the fight (usually with Attune).
When you summon a conflagration, the GM will describe its effect level. If you’re using this power on a larger scale than a block, it’s
probably a setup teamwork maneuver, using Attune.

FIRESTRIKE
You can use appropriate actions to direct blasts of fire against targets of choice, razing people and property alike. A Hunt roll, for
example, might be good for hurling fireballs at pesky snipers. Wreck could be used to set an enemy hideout ablaze. Finesse could warp prison
bars or gadgets beyond repair.
You may push yourself to use fire to give your punches and kicks some extra bite or charge a melee weapon with heat for extra harm
against your enemies. Alternatively, you can push yourself to spin barriers of protective fire front of you, your crew, or objects of choice.
You may also push yourself to use fire to propel you through the air, enabling you to complete jumps and feats of athletic prowess that
you would normally not be capable of. You may use this in tandem with other grisha and similar abilities in a teamwork roll. You may
propel other targets the same way.

BY FIRE ALL THINGS ARE MADE ANEW (3)

Choose a special ability from the Healer, Materialki, or Tailor Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another ability
for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with By Fire All Things Are Made Anew can purchase more than three abilities from the
Playbooks listed above.

64
ELDRITCH ELEMENTALIST
You gain +1d to all rolls for using your Inferni abilities. All your Inferni abilities can affect ghosts, demons, Saints, and other
abominations.

JUMPSTART
You can expend your special armor to use Attune to temporarily power machinery. It does not matter what source of energy they are
supposed to run on, be it electricity, gasoline, or the like. What responds to the heat of your soul are the spirits resting within the machinery
or gadget at hand. You must be in physical contact with the equipment.
You can push yourself to mitigate the need to be in physical contact. The gadget must be within ten feet of you.
Your special armor is restored at the beginning of downtime.

PHOENIX BORN
Sudden hot temperature shifts, fire-based assaults, and other consequences born of extreme heat do not affect you as much as they do
to others. All attempts to use fire and heat against you to harm you suffer from reduced effect. Phoenix Born also applies to electricity and
lightning.
You can push yourself to draw on the flames and heat of the attack directed against you and use it to fuel your own abilities or increase the
effect of pre-existing conditions from the use of your abilities.

STARKOV’S MARK
You can expend your special armor to Attune to the ghost field to force a nearby fire elemental or spirit to appear before you and obey
an order you give it. You are not supernaturally terrified by a ghost you summon or attempt to compel (though your allies may be).
The GM will tell you if you sense any elemental or spirit nearby. If you don’t, you can gather information (maybe Attune, Survey, or
Study) to attempt to locate one. By default, the elemental wants to satisfy its need for life essence and to exact vengeance. When you
compel it, you can give it a general or specific command, but the more general it is (like “Protect me”) the more the spirit will interpret it
according to its own desires. Your control over the elemental lasts until the command is fulfilled, or until a day has passed, whichever
comes first.
Occasionally, you may summon a Saint.

65
THE BLOOD OF SAINTS
The way the energies of the Small Science have changed your body have made you hardier against other grisha powers, as listed in the
Grisha Playbooks. The results of these consequences suffer from reduced effect. This special ability “stacks” with similar immunities, making
it possible that harm from grisha powers can have no effect on you whatsoever.

INFERNI ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ Fine sparkcraft lighter. A durable, hand-held lighter for cigarettes and lamps. Convenient for getting that spark you need. [0 Load]
❖ Dragonbreath Armor. While it doesn’t provide much practical protection against weapons or arcane powers, this Fabrikator-made set
was engineered for Inferni during the war against the Darkling. May increase the effect of rolls for resisting heat/flame harm and for
doing acrobatic feats. [2 Load]
❖ Dragon Eyes. A Fabrikator-made set of googles that were engineered for Inferni during the war against the Darkling. Allows the wearer
to switch between seeing in pitch darkness as if it were well-lit while dampening the glare from sudden flashes of sources of light. [1
Load]

66
TIDEMAKER
Tidemakers are the catch-all term for Etherealki who can manipulate water. From assisting with smelting work to conjuring
firestorms seemingly out of nothing, Tidemakers working in tandem with each other or other elemental summoners can be powerful forces to
reckon with during a score.
When you play a Tidemaker, you earn xp when you address a challenge with the creative manipulation of their Small Science, or deal
with entanglements and obstacles brought about by you using your gifts. Etherealki arts are admittedly easy to learn but hard to master. Finer
applications of the Small Science in their favor can achieve a variety of effects that can surprise even the most experienced grisha in this
broken world. On the flipside, the gifts you have been given often prevent you from moving as gracefully in the world as others do. They may
also become the object of envy, resentment, prejudice, or fear.
A grisha’s affinity for one particular element says a lot about their personality. Why does it feel natural or right for you to control the
element of water versus other elements? How do you, on a philosophical level, understand the interaction of water with every other natural
force in the world?

STARTING ACTIONS INTO THE DEPTHS

⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ATTUNE ❖ Charo Bahaghari, a bailan specializing in leviathan hunts.
⚫ ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ SURVEY Former crew on the same ship, or was she on the OTHER
boat that was going for the same monster?
❖ Riven, a chemist. Perhaps a good source of medicines for
STARTING BUILDS recovery? Someone who relies on your abilities to perfect his
If you want some guidance when you assign your four starting action dots formulas?
and special ability, use one of these templates. ❖ Santino, a gondolier. A good friend, an ear on the ground, or
WATER ADEPT. +1 Finesse, +1 Skirmish, +1 Hunt, +1 Wreck. someone who got a little banged up during one of your jobs?
Wavemaster. ❖ Mei, a street rat and canal scavenger. A trusted partner of
FERRY. +2 Finesse, +1 Consort, +1 Sway. Boom. yours in wetwork, or did she tattle on you to the Bluecoats?
CANAL DIVER. +1 Survey, +1 Prowl, +2 Finesse. Peer into the Depths ❖ Carrie, a Tidemaker at the docks. Someone from your past,
OR Selkie. or someone you’ve recently met during your jobs?
RUSALYE. +2 Command, +1 Survey, +1 Study. The Moon’s Call OR
Starkov’s Mark.

67
TIDEMAKER SPECIAL ABILITIES
THE MOON’S CALL
You can push yourself to do one of the following: instantaneously summon all sources of water within a twenty-foot radius towards
you—draw upon the water resting within the blood of targets in your immediate vicinity, temporarily disabling them.
When you push yourself to activate this ability, you still get one of the normal benefits of pushing yourself (+1d, +1 effect, etc.) if you’re
making a roll, in addition to the special ability.
When you compel the water in the area to rise up and free itself from whatever trappings they are in, the GM will describe its effect level
and significant collateral damage. If you’re using this power as a cover or distraction, it’s probably a setup teamwork maneuver, using
Attune.
Enemies can attempt to resist the pull you have on their blood. Using this ability may have unpredictable effects on their targets.

WAVEMASTER
You can use appropriate actions to direct waves or jets of water against targets of choice, drenching targets or inundating dry spaces. A
Hunt roll, for example, might be good for stunning incoming mooks from a rival gang. Wreck could be used to compromise or completely
ruin sparkcraft. Finesse could restore water in clogged pipes or empty canals.
You may push yourself to use water to give your punches and kicks some extra bite, or coat a melee weapon in a wave of chilling cold for
extra harm against your enemies. Alternatively, you can push yourself to spin barriers of protective water front of you, your crew, or
objects of choice.
You may also push yourself to use water to propel you through the air, enabling you to complete jumps and feats of athletic prowess that
you would normally not be capable of. You may use this in tandem with other grisha and similar abilities in a teamwork roll. You may
propel other targets the same way.

THROUGH WATER ALL THINGS ARE REBORN (3)

Choose a special ability from the Bonesinger, Materialki, or Tailor Playbooks. You may purchase this ability again to choose another
ability for yourself.
GMs, at their discretion, may rule that scoundrels with Through Water All Things Are Reborn can purchase more than three abilities from
the Playbooks listed above.

68
ELDRITCH ELEMENTALIST
You gain +1d to all rolls for using your Tidemaker abilities. All your Tidemaker abilities can affect ghosts, demons, Saints, and other
abominations.

PEER INTO THE DEPTHS

You can use Survey to determine floating radicals, materials, substances, and objects other than the water itself within a container or
space that has been completely inundated by water. Additional rolls like Study may be required to figure out what they are, though.
When using Peer into the Depths in an area that has been covered by water you summoned through any of your Tidemaker abilities, your
Survey roll gains +1 effect.

SELKIE
Freezing temperatures, water-based assaults, and other consequences born of extreme cold do not affect you as much as they do to
others. All attempts to use water and cold against you to harm you suffer from reduced effect. This ability also covers harm caused by
ingesting chemicals, drugs, venom, and poisons.
You may push yourself to use Attune to breathe underwater for far longer periods of time.

STARKOV’S MARK
You can expend your special armor to Attune to the ghost field to force a nearby water elemental or spirit to appear before you and
obey an order you give it. You are not supernaturally terrified by a ghost you summon or attempt to compel (though your allies may be).
The GM will tell you if you sense any elemental or spirit nearby. If you don’t, you can gather information (maybe Attune, Survey, or
Study) to attempt to locate one. By default, the elemental wants to satisfy its need for life essence and to exact vengeance. When you
compel it, you can give it a general or specific command, but the more general it is (like “Protect me”) the more the spirit will interpret it
according to its own desires. Your control over the elemental lasts until the command is fulfilled, or until a day has passed, whichever
comes first.
Occasionally, you may summon a Saint.

THE BLOOD OF SAINTS

The way the energies of the Small Science have changed your body have made you hardier against other grisha powers, as listed in the
Grisha Playbooks. The results of these consequences suffer from reduced effect. This special ability “stacks” with similar immunities, making
it possible that harm from grisha powers can have no effect on you whatsoever.

69
TIDEMAKER ITEMS
❖ Amplifier. An object, usually created from the parts of an animal or monster, that amplifies grisha powers. An amplifier can either
increase the dice pool of grisha powers by +1d, or gain +1 effect. While wearing an Amplifier, you can also push yourself to add +1
result level to the roll (a 1-3 becomes a 4-5, etc.) [3 Load, for despite their size, the weight of an amplifier is a psychic weight that takes
its toll upon whoever wears it]
❖ Saintsbane. A powerful charm developed during the war against the Darkling. Completely negates grisha powers on one instance
before shattering. [1 Load]
❖ Water canister or tank. A finely crafted canister that you can wear on your person, designed to release an initial wave of water for your
abilities. [1-3 Load depending on the size of the container]
❖ Rusalye’s Armor. While it doesn’t provide much practical protection against weapons or arcane powers, this Fabrikator-made set was
engineered for Tidemakers during the war against the Darkling. May increase the effect of rolls for doing acrobatic feats and moving
quickly both through air and through water. [2 Load]
❖ Diving gear. A light, well-crafted set of hooks, lines, and assorted equipment for diving and moving through wrecks and submerged
ruins. Specialized for use underwater, although may serve in a limited capacity as climbing gear in the city. [1 Load]

70
NEW PLAYBOOKS: THE NAMAYAN PLAYBOOKS
Players can, at their option, choose to use one of these Playbooks if they’re playing a scoundrel of Namayan Heritage. Similarly, grisha
scoundrels from Namayan can choose special abilities from any of these Playbooks whenever they purchase “Veteran”. In keeping with the
alternative Iruvian Playbooks, the Namayan Playbooks are all “localized” versions of the canonical Playbooks of Blades in the Dark.
All Namayan Playbooks possess the Special Ability Veteran (3), allowing them to select Special Abilities from the other Playbooks of
Blades in the Dark and One More Notch.
PINTADO (CUTTER). The warrior spirits of Namayan, said to be born with the holy hatred, rage, and envy of the
First Sky Father. They fight as if they are in a trance, where they find no honor in rhyme or reason on the
battlefield. Play a Pintado if you’re fond of berserkers.
BARONG (HOUND). The concept of a vendetta holds a special place within Namayan societies. Barong are the
avatars of justice, whose Bone Road or Heart Path determined that it is their duty to provide solace for the
wronged – or, because they were wronged themselves, have invoked their right as Children of the Bakunawa
to mete out vengeance. It is no coincidence that many Barong are saserdote back in their home country. Play a
Barong if you believe that those who have wronged you live on borrowed time.
ALBULARYO (LEECH). The druids of Namayan society, held in equal regard as masons of their kadugo as Bailan
Healers are. They are herbalists, huntsmen and rangers, applying their unique understanding of the circle of
life and their dual role as predator and steward to the solve problems. Play an Albularyo if the great outdoors
and folk medicine is where it’s at.
WAYFARER (LURK). The cartographers, navigators, explorers, and trailblazers of Namayan. Traditionally, they
occupy a sacred position within the social hierarchy, as they are the ones who are expected to steer their entire
balangay through the continent or find new places for their people to go. Play a Wayfarer if you believe in a
borderless, limitless world.
MAKATA (SLIDE). History is a living creature just like Namayans themselves and must be sustained in an
eternal cycle of telling and retelling. Those who have been trained to recite and sing the stories of their people
are Makata. Unsurprisingly, their ability to grab attention and work up a crowd can be applied to a myriad of
other functions. Referred to as Binukot in other balangay. Play a Makata if you love inspiring – or
manipulating – people with the stories you can spin for them.

71
 TALUKBONG (SPIDER). Datus of balangay are only as good as how virtuous they appear to their constituents, and
sometimes? Remaining pure demands that another sacrifices their karma for the cause. Talukbong are the
hands and shadows of datus, who find their calling in sullying themselves for their balangay’s heroes. Play a
Talukbong if you want to assist teammates and deal with other factions.
SOLIRAN (WHISPER). The undertakers, psychopomps, and spirit mediators of Namayan society, traditionally
expected to preside over any and all ceremonies for the dead in their balangay. In cases where diwata or the
spirits of the dead are restless, Soliran are expected to “house” them and allow spirits to speak and act through
them. Play a Soliran if you want to meddle with arcane powers.
Check out the One More Notch supplement NAMAYAN, CHILDREN OF THE BAKUNAWA for the actual Playbooks. The supplement also has
more information Namayan itself as a nation, which is meant to serve as a guide and a source of inspiration for developing your own
Namayan scoundrels. It’s available on limited distribution from Pam herself, and as a pay-what-you-want document for interested players and
GMs!

72
NORTH HOOK, THE DUSKWALL OF KETTERDAM
As with the larger setting of the One More Notch universe, sections of this of this combine my writing, contributions from Erich’s St. Andrew’s
Finders setting and campaign primers, and the Blades in the Dark rulebook.

A CITY OF BONES, BLOOD, FIRE &

SHADOW
Previously one of the poorer, less consequential
cities of Kerch, North Hook gained importance after
lightning rail proved to be the most reliable method of
sending and receiving goods from the Eastern Continent.
This played an instrumental part in the formation of
seminal peace treaties between the different nations of
the world after the Quiet Years, the organization of the
Resistance during the Darkling War, and the defeat of the
Black Heretic himself within the Unsea. Unfortunately,
with relevance came the Merchant Council’s hostile
takeover, and the attention of the Underworld.
In North Hook, districts are divided by canals and
interconnected by goat or horse-drawn cabs and an
elevated commuter tram system. Goods arrive and leave
through THE 7TH HARBOUR and THE GADDOC RAIL STATION.
Looming over the city is one of the massive towers of THE
COUNCIL OF TIDES, the only force actively holding back

73
the Unsea from devouring the city. To the south is the real KETTERDAM ,
a cutthroat cosmopolitan city filled with older and meaner gangs – it’s a
four-hour ride by commuter tram. The scoundrels of North Hook are
usually spill overs from the capital of Kerch, hoping to get lucky and
make it big in a newer town. The grip of the Merchant Council over
North Hook, however, is an iron vise that routinely crushes even the
most resilient souls.
North Hook’s nickname as THE DUSKWALL OF KETTERDAM is a
result of it being Kerch’s biggest buffer against the Unsea. Ever since the
Darkling disappeared, the Rift appears to have stopped expanding. The
few who are still alive from the days of his rule in Ravka remember how
terrifying things were in Kerch before the Council of Tides completed
the Tower. Much like Ketterdam itself, North Hook is cosmopolitan, a
veritable melting pot of people and cultures from all over the world.
One More Notch is set at a point when North Hook is a city whose fate
remains uncertain, with apathetic elites on top and a dangerously
uneven distribution of wealth across its districts. However, given the
influx of goods that the 7th Harbour and the Gaddoc Rail Station, the
potential rise of a radicalized educated class and the growing dissent of
the general populace, one can only wonder how long that’s going to last
– and how badly the dam will break.
Lightning barriers surround the entirety of North Hook and
envelop the crucial perimeter between the Duskwall and Ketterdam
itself. THE BLACKFEATHER ORDER, in keeping with their role as the
principal defenders of Kerch together with the Council of Tides,
oversees the maintenance, repair, and construction of the barriers.
These structures keep most of the demons, spirits and ghosts of the
Unsea out of North Hook. Electric lampposts also line almost every
street, covering everything in eerie blue light during the twilight hours.
Nevertheless, North Hook’s proximity to the Rift makes it a haunted
city. Sightings or paranormal phenomena are a regular occurrence for

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common folk. Many children born in the wake of the Rift’s expansion,
regardless of where they were from, were born with a natural
attunement towards the strange; those born in locations close to the
Rift had a stronger chance of possessing a “sixth sense”, thus making
them vulnerable to the wicked forces of the Unsea. And, of course,
GRISHA – perhaps due to their strange potential – are susceptible to their
powers becoming affected by the fell energy of the Rift, beyond being
tempting targets for the Unsea’s hostile “natives” themselves.
People without any sort of gift aren’t too safe either.
Particularly strong entities can manifest within the Duskwall, and they
tend not to discriminate the moment they are hungry for the joy and
agony that mortal life can offer. Monsters from beyond occasionally
manage to breach through the city’s defenses and terrorize the
populace. If that wasn’t enough to deal with, more than a few not-so-
upstanding citizens have become obsessed with the strange and dabble
in dark arts. There are, as well, people who have found solace from this
broken world by forming or joining cults to dead or forgotten gods –
and many of these gods, chillingly, require human sacrifices.
All the action in One More Notch has been designed to take
place in North Hook, which both Erich and Pam pretty much wholesale
ported DOSKVOL – the “default” setting of Blades in the Dark – uploaded
for quick reference. This allows us to give more visual guidelines and
pegs to players, which is extremely important given the nature of a
Blades in the Dark campaign. As a result, all the material under this
section will be adjusted or supplementary material from what you can
find in the rulebook and other relevant expansions.

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North Hook, the Duskwall of Ketterdam. The original base of this map is the map of Doskvol. Map edited by Erich Lichnock.

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LIFE IN NORTH HOOK
ROUTINES & PRACTICES
Limited daylight hours and the threat of
hauntings in even the most unlikely places means that
most North Hook citizens – or “NORTHERS”, as they like
to call themselves – live a primarily nocturnal existence
shuttered indoors or huddled around in public places.
Lanterns are as essential as the clothes on one’s back, as
the lightning lamps can’t provide the illumination that
that mortal eyes need to make their way through the
dark. People do what they can to keep their homes
bright, especially if they cannot afford a lightning lamp
of their own. Strange or evil things, after all, thrive in the
shadows. Although everyone in North Hook is required
to have a spiritbane charm (such things are provided by
the Blackfeather Order for free), the talismans cannot
guard a body or soul against stronger, corruptive forces.
The table below lists the formal names of the
hours in Kerch.

KEEPING TIME IN KERCH

Section under construction!
12 noon: Kingfishers 12 MIDNIGHT: Silver
1 PM: Wheels 1 AM: Crows
2 PM: Thread 2 AM: Ash
3 PM: Iron 3 AM: Coal
4 PM: Wax 4 AM: Chains

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 5 PM: Candles 5 AM: Smoke
6 PM: Flame 6 AM: Roses
7 PM: Pearls 7 AM: Worms
8 PM: Silk 8 AM: Reverence
9 PM: Ale 9 AM: Hounds
10 PM: Song 10 AM: Honor
11 PM: Spirits 11 AM: Waves

The work of honest laborers usually starts at 10 AM, two hours before sunlight – if the sun is kind enough to show up, at any rate.
Greater threats to commerce (like phantasmal accidents and the meddling of demons) and the greed of men were what ultimately drove
companies to stop the 12-18 hour, six day weekly shifts that they demanded of their laborers. Now, workers – depending on their profession
and the kindness of their employers – tend to work 8-10 hours instead. Companies that can afford to keep the majority, if not the entirety, of
their operations indoors. There’s also a lot of work to be found in Ketterdam, which is a three hour tram ride away from the Duskwall. Some
Northers travel quite far in pursuit of livelihood.
The rest of the day is spent attending to one’s personal affairs and to recreation. Eating, drinking and bathing are all social activities;
gossip and storytelling are the main sources of entertainment for most, followed by dog fights, plays, and gambling. The staple drink with
meals (or without) is beer or coffee. Potable water is extremely hard to come by, so it is usually safer to brew it into something else. Smoking
tobacco or chewing jurda is a common practice across ages and sexes.
Interestingly enough, Kerch society is a society where even the poorest of the poor tends to have somebody to handle their affairs for
them. Many are willing to enter indentured service in exchange for food and a roof over their heads. What one lacks in coin, they may just be
able to provide in other means. This may be a fallback from Kerch’s old practices of slavery – something shared by Fjerda, Iruvia, and Shu Han,
and something that the Free Republic of Novyi Zem once made its fortune from Although slavery was outlawed after the Quiet Years, many
unscrupulous sorts within the merchant nation use their legal savvy or the muscle of their personal guards to bind others in a way that might
as well BE slavery – and it is no coincidence that grisha are their usual targets, given how useful the Small Science is and the pervasive
suspicion and resentment common folk feel over what the Darkling and his armies did to the world. In Fjerda, Iruvia and Shu Han, however,
slavery continues to be integral parts of their society.
There’s another dimension to the intimate and intricate interpersonal ties within the Duskwall. Being connected to one’s peers or
neighbors is seen as a mark of a good character in Kerch. The more people you know or the more people around who can vouch for you, the
higher the chances of you being somebody who is worth dealing with. Lone wolves, hermits, and reclusive sorts are viewed with some level of
suspicion. Privacy is something that can only be afforded to those with means, so dormitories and homes shared between several families or
friends are the norm, most especially for the poorer citizens of North Hook.

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Kerch Silverarrows from the Dusk River. The average diet of a
Norther is eel, shrimp, crabs, pond and river fish, mushrooms,
fungi, algae, seaweed, lizard, pigeon/quail/lizard eggs, and simple
bread. Fruits, sweets, pastries and complex baked goods, dairy
products, and land-grown crops are a rare treat, although there
are now some fruits that have started to adapt to growing in the
extended nights of this broken world. Any kind of meat
(including whale meat) and edible fish from the open waters of
the True Sea is extremely expensive.
Sharing space, having few scruples about physical intimacy and insisting on
sprawling networks of relationships serves another practical purpose beyond cutting
down on costs: there is a great deal of security to be found in numbers. Abberations
from the Unsea and the hungry dead tend to prey upon the outliers, or those who
spend too much time alone and without strong defenses against otherworldly beings.
Familiarity may breed contempt, but it could also potentially save someone from
being victimized by a possessed loved one.
Life’s different for the well-heeled Norther. They have high walls, private spirit
wardens, indentured grisha, personal guards, and a lot more space. They can also
afford some of the new sparkcraft technology on the market, some of which can be
used to grow food beyond the standard fare of North Hook, and maintain animals
larger than the Suli goats that are the common beasts of labor. Space is their luxury, as
is the ability to let one’s money (or influence) work for itself.
MARRIAGE & SEXUALITY
It should be important to note that unlike contemporary society, the concept
of childhood innocence is alien to this universe. The privilege of idleness and play is
something that is only allowed to the children of well-off or rich families. Girls
become women the moment they bleed for the first time; boys are men the moment
they are capable of apprenticing under a master or being put to work. Consent when it
comes to sexual intimacy and intercourse is a tricky thing. It is generally frowned
upon for adults to take children into bed, but if there’s an arranged marriage between a
much older man and a “woman” of 12…
On that note, arranged marriages are the norm for the upper class, as issues
like the survival of the family trade or the survival of the bloodline are a thing. The
less resources you have, the less it matters to anyone who you choose to sleep with or
marry, and why. This extends to gender and sexuality. A preference for other men or
women can cause a huge scandal for a merchant family; unless they can be discreet
about it or ensure that it will not get in the way of their obligations to the family,
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children could be disinherited for being
gay. Conversely, the middle class, the
working force, and the urban poor aren’t
usually bothered by homosexuality, nor
are many of them inclined to judge a
person for their sex. What is important
to any true Kercher is how well they
work.
In all cases, though, one’s folk
beliefs, native culture and societal
norms (especially in the case of
immigrants from other countries), or
ascribed faith may change their politics
in this direction. Iruvian society, for
example, believes that the highest form
of love exists between members of the
same sex, for procreation – an alien act
to the demons and angels they wish to
emulate – is a necessary evil. Namayans
believe that gender is as fluid and
The Cats of North Hook. Beyond their value as mousers at port, on ships and in granaries, cats are well taken care of in North Hook in the
amporphous as the twin diwata within same way that the citizens of Istanbul in our world handles the cats that are all over their city. Cats are the most sensitive animals to
each of them, and do not think that the supernatural phenomena and provide an early warning for people against vile forces. Stories abound, in fact, of cats protecting humans
by supposedly absorbing evil in place of their human masters.
physical constraints of one’s mortal
body should affect who – or what – one chooses to love. Shu Han’s tolerance of homosexuality only goes so far as it is a relationship between
children or the adoration of a much older man or woman for a child of the same sex. Fjerda thinks homosexuality is about as bad as witchcraft.

YOUTH, EDUCATION & APPRENTICESHIP

There is no standardized education for children. Rich or noble families hire private tutors or matrons to raise their boys and girls
properly, and occasionally cart them off to a university in or beyond Kerch depending on how they important they are to the continuation of
the bloodline for further learning. Everyone else passes their trades down by apprenticeship. There is the odd philanthropist who will take

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children or adolescents under their wing and provide them with education,
although many of these scholars end up having to prove themselves to their
moneyed, blooded peers constantly.
Kerch does not practice conscription; joining the army, the navy, law
enforcement, and firefighting is a choice. Some families, however, elect to send
their children away to apprentice under an officer to prepare them for a military or
naval course in one of the universities because tuition – depending on the
candidate’s recommendations and personal aptitude – is greatly subsidized by the
Merchant Council, or can be sponsored completely by interested patrons. Some
measure of status is conferred to men and women who go into such services and
being in those positions also opens interesting possibilities – like, let’s say,
leviathan hunting.
The Blackfeather Order, in a practice like the Second Army of Ravka and
their annual Examinations, regularly sends their Amplifiers to homes in search of
children who manifest the sort of supernatural aptitude they need. Northers are
required by Kerch law to give their sons and daughters up if the Blackfeathers find
what they need. They are, of course, compensated handsomely for their loss. Their
children are also, in general, treated well, and are assured of as comfortable a life as
one can get given that they are expected to be North Hook’s army against dreaded
supernatural forces. Occasionally, the Blackfeathers may lean on adults with “the
potential” to join them. “Gently”.
Nobody knows who the members of the Council of Tides are, nor how they
recruit new members.

THE ACADEMIA
There are two major institutions of higher learning in North Hook. They
are humble institutions against the long legacies of the universities in Ketterdam,
but both may well be on the way towards making some worthy contributions to
Kerch and to the world as a whole. As things stand, both are benefiting from an

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influx of educators from Ketterdam – an effort on the part of Kerch to enlighten
its people – and from the knowledge that many learned foreigners are bringing
into North Hook.

Duskwall Academy
The (much) younger sibling of Kerch Academy, located in Ketterdam.
Kerch Academy had been established back when the country had still been a
monarchy, and the university’s purpose had been to educate Kerch’s elite class.
The faculty may not admit it, but this has not changed much.
The Academy campus in Whitecrown is broken into three colleges, each a
pillar of understanding, representing the body, mind, and soul.
❖ COLLEGE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. The school of magistrates and political
scholars. Curricula include: Geography, Law, Economics, Diplomacy,
Ravkan Studies, Fjerdan Studies, Shu Han Studies, Kaelish Studies, Lost
Histories, and Political Sciences.
❖ COLLEGE OF NAVAL COMMAND. The chief training grounds for officers of
both leviathan hunters and Imperial war ships. Curricula include: Naval
Law, True Sea Navigation, Ship Design and Operation, Fencing,
Athletics, Astronomy, Alchemy, and Applied Mathematics.
❖ COLLEGE OF IMMORTAL STUDIES. This college started as a theology
department, but now classes include: Literature, Rhetoric, History,
Philosophy, Spectrology, Principles of the Small Science, Pre-Rift Studies,
Music, and Drama.

Charterhall University
Bankrolled by the Church of Barter, Charterhall University is a
sprawling institution spread across Charterhall and throughout North Hook.
Students of Charterhall learn a trade and gain guild membership and status.
❖ JAYAN HALL OF ALCHEMY. A trade school for state and private alchemy
including whale oil distillation, void water filtration, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and transmutation research. Admission and
graduation are bought and sold by city institutions and merchant enterprises.
Kerch’s Physickers. The distinct, bird-shaped mask is meant to mark doctors for
public reference and has been fitted with a breathing mechanism that allows
them some extra protection against the stink of their profession and contagion
that they could end up breathing in while they work on their patients. A side
benefit of going around with the mask means that physickers don’t end up
getting recognized while they’re off duty and flooded with requests.

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 ❖ HOUSES OF JURISPRUDENCE. Called Barrister
Alley, this collection of homes and taverns are each
dedicated to (or directly sponsored by) a particular
advocate who teaches law to a small throng of students.
The barristers are often in competition with each other
over grant funds and wealthy patronage. This has
engendered a bitter rivalry between the houses.
❖ SPARKWRIGHT TOWER. School of research and
development sponsored by rival factions the
Sparkwrights and the Foundation. An exceptionally
dangerous place due to their constant work with
electrosplamic energy and the massive turbines housed
in the school.
❖ MORLAN HALL OF UNNATURAL PHILOSOPHY.
Originally established as an attempt to study other
religions and beliefs vis-à-vis the “accepted” faith in
Ghezen. It has since become a nexus of secret societies
Jurda. A flowering plant found only in Novyi Zem, and the country’s largest export, distinct for their orange or spawning from the Path of Echoes, Forgotten Gods, and
yellow blossoms. Dried jurda is chewed and used as a stimulant all over the world. the Ecstasy of the Flesh — each of which vie for primacy
within the halls of academia as well as carry on their
own cult activities in secret. Classes include Pre-Rift Beliefs, Lives of the Saints, Spectral Philosophy, Introduction to Modern
Metaphysics, and Ethics in Demonology.
❖ BRANWEN COLLEGE OF MEDICAL ARTS. The youngest college in the University, devoted to the pursuit of medical science. It is named for
the first Saint-General of the Blackfeather Order – a man who had been a physicker himself before his gifts had manifested with the
expansion of the Unsea.

ILLNESS & DEATH

As it was in our Europe, One More Notch is a setting where the common cold can kill a man. The plagues and diseases that have been
all but eradicated for us – the ones that loomed large in 17th to 19th century European literature – are constant, looming threats in the
Duskwall. Furthermore, stranger sicknesses and conditions have emerged because of the expansion of the Unsea, and the sinister energies that
it has unleashed upon the Continents.

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 The average lifespan of a Norther is about 50-60 years, with aggravating factors such as diet, lifestyle, profession, the demands of one’s
social stature or biological sex, and the pollution and filth of a booming industrial city. This is particularly devastating on grisha, as those born
with “the gift” are supposed to be able to live for at least a century – more, if apocryphal history records and legends are to be believed.
Social class would be the most decisive factor after the dangers of the city itself, as the poor working conditions of this sort of setting
plus the lack of any sort of healthcare from the city government takes quite a toll on the common populace. There are, of course, grisha who
trained as Corporalki or something similar –
that is, grisha who can use the Small Science
to heal the human body. They are rare and
expensive in both North Hook and
Ketterdam.
Physickers – One More Notch’s
equivalent of doctors and surgeons – are only
slightly less rare than Corporalki. Charterhall
University’s medical college is still very new,
and guilds devoted towards the practice are
small and have barely gotten things going.
Although Kerch has recently required the
doctors that they train within their cities to
roam as though they were Bluecoats and
practice their profession, even families who
are well off will be hard pressed to be able to
pay for a doctor to care for them or their loved
ones, even if they do manage to queue
themselves up. The demand is high; the
supply, still very low.
Old, more holistic practices of healing – particularly from Fjerda, Novyi Zem and the Wandering Isle – are popular among the labor
force and the poorer sectors of the city. These folk cures are usually the only recourse that they have, and they are far more useful as
preventive measures than they are as actual cures.
As a preventive measure against plagues and ghostly possession on top of there simply being no space in North Hook or Ketterdam,
only the richest families can afford to bury their dead – and they are only allowed to do that outside of both cities, in the provincial lands of

84
Kerch. Bodymen are tasked to bring the corpses to the first Witcher they can find for a final exorcism. Once that is complete, they row the
bodies out for mass cremation, or give corpses of interest to the doctors and their apprentices at the city morgue or in one of the universities. If
families have the money, however, they can arrange for private cremations of their own, and house the ashes in vessels of their choice.

BEYOND THE MIRROR

The electroplasmic furnaces run by the
Blackfeather Order burn night and day to properly
dispose of all corpses recovered by the Wardens. The
arcane dissolution destroys the spirit utterly, removing
its echo from the ghost field and neutralizing the threat
from a vengeful spirit.
Despite these efforts, however, there are still
supernatural creatures at large in North Hook. Some
bodies aren’t found and destroyed soon enough, allowing
the ghost to rise free of its shell. Some ghosts are
intentionally removed before the Wardens arrive, to be
sold on the black market or distilled into spirit essence.
Rogue spirits crave what all dead or never-quite-
alive things crave: the sweet essence of life. Some seek it
by pursuing what was lost when they died, mindlessly
The Ghost Field. Philosophers of the occult and arcane speak of the Mirror of Reality. The “bright” mirror is the
realm of men; the “dark” mirror is its twisted reflection, where that which once lived or that which never lived at repeating meaningless actions from life. Others lure the
all dwell. Many are convinced that the expansion of the Fold is what shattered some portions of the mirror, unwary into a cold, withering embrace. The most ancient
thinning the borders between men, spirits, and abominations.
spirits are said to have even more sinister ways of
acquiring what they desire.
Every citizen of the Duskwall has had at least one harrowing encounter with a rogue spirit, sometimes many more. Most supernatural
encounters in the city fall into one of seven types:
❖ ECHOES are “loops” of behavior captured in the ghost field, repeating over and over. They have no will of their own but are still
dangerous because of the electrical discharge of their plasmic forms. They sometimes spontaneously manifest at the site of an
extremely violent event, whether or not death was involved.

85
 ❖ SPECTERS are malevolent spirits seeking to possess a victim to drain its essence and to take vengeance upon those who they believe
wronged them in life.
❖ HORRORS are non-human electroplasmic entities that live within the ghost field. They’re very rare within the city but are common in
the Deathlands beyond the lightning barriers.
❖ RECONCILED are ghosts that have stayed sane and do not crave life essence or vengeance as Specters do. Reconciled are extremely rare.
❖ DEMONS are strange and frightening creatures who were never human to begin with, and never quite alive as men are alive. They come
from the Unsea itself. Occultists suspect that they are either extra-dimensional creatures, or niche’voya who mysteriously gained
sentience and higher intellect than the rest of the rabble.
❖ SAINTS are ghosts who possess superior levels of sentience and have gained reality-bending abilities. They willfully or unknowingly
grant the living wishes and gain power from the transfer of energy. It is said that they instinctively seek to resurrect in new, better
forms than what they once were – an occurrence that does irreparable damage to reality. It is said that all Saints were once grisha.
❖ SPIRIT WELLS are rifts in the veil of reality where ghosts and other supernatural beings congregate to draw energy. In ancient myth, a
spawning ground for demons.
These entities, while terrifying and strange, are a fact of life in the wake of the Darkling’s madness. Citizens still go about their
business amidst supernatural horrors every day, clutching their spiritbane charms, mumbling a half-remembered invocation to a forgotten
god, and never hesitating to call upon the services of a professional Whisper if the situation becomes dire.

A POWDER KEG WAITING TO BLOW

A few segments from this section are revisions to, or lifted from, their equivalent sections in the Blades in the Dark rulebook.
The Duskwall of Ketterdam is full of promise for those with means. This is a city that many people go to because they believed that
they had a better shot at making something out of themselves – or even simply at being safe – here than they would have anywhere else.
They’re not entirely wrong: in comparison to what it’s like on the Continents, with the Unsea or the unfriendly waters of the True Sea,
or the war or monster-ravaged lands to the East and to the West, perhaps North Hook IS better. Like any other city in Kerch, North Hook’s
rules are simple: always have something to bring to the table. Ghezen smiles upon good trade, and he blesses industrious hands and burning
ambition. The trouble is, this god’s principle followers aren’t always clear on their definitions of “good”, or “fair”.

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 North Hook is full of promise for those with means, but
merciless to those without. After all, if you’ve no coin or goods in kind
to offer anyone, what is left to give for any sort of service or care but
your body and soul?
Roughly 5% of the current population of North Hook
constitute the rich and the nobility, and the 15% base of what could
pass as “middle class” in tradesmen, craftsmen, barristers, artisans, civil
servants, scholars, and the like. We note that the aforementioned
middle class fluctuates often, and seems to constantly be in threat of
disappearing. The rest of North Hook make up a labor force of varying
skill levels, a significant portion of which are indentured servants. This
is a time before civil rights are in vogue, where feudal systems were still
in place, and reaching above your station was viewed by many as
unbecoming of an upstanding citizen.
All the power and influence are centered around the upper
class, and they are next to impossible to dislodge. Legally, with the
exception of the Tower of Tides and all the lightning barriers, all real
estate is owned by one of the families that sits on the Merchant
Council: everyone else is leasing from them, and these lessors, in turn,
sub-lease smaller partitions to other tenants. This effectively gives the
Council the right to remove whoever they choose, build and rebuild as
they like, as not a single barrister in North Hook can challenge a
Council member’s ownership of an area. This setup was the grandest
move that the Council took during their hostile takeover of North
Hook – “hostile”, for they crushed the Mayor of North Hook and
wrested power from the Council of Tides and the Blackfeather Order,
and neither faction appears to be interested in setting things right.
Perhaps they’re a bit too busy making sure the Fold and its fell creatures
don’t overrun the entire city. The nobility and the rich clans that are in
North Hook now had to beg, bribe, or threaten the Council for their
own pieces of the pie. Unsurprisingly, they occupy the other positions

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 in the city government and similar institutions that are integral to the city’s survival.
Suffice to say, there are only a few of them who had enough clout to shake the Council up
enough to let them take some of North Hook for themselves. Most of them are permitted
to live in the Duskwall because somebody on the Council has something on them.
Typical to real world hegemonic forces in societies, the middle class in North Hook
are – either due to the constant pressure of maintaining their position or out of sheer
apathy – unwilling to challenge the status quo, and often default to protecting their
interests and their own family over espousing any sort of revolution. Furthermore, the lure
of a better life makes many of them willing to turn a blind eye to the plight of the majority.
Many of them believe that if they work hard enough or study well enough, they’ll be able
to join the upper echelons of society or curry enough favor with someone in power for
themselves and their children. Theoretically, they’re correct. Theoretically.
There’s plenty of demand for work but work rarely pays much beyond what might
allow a body to eke out a hand-to-mouth existence. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that
many people end up turning to a life of crime. Whether it’s out of a twisted sense of justice,
as a means of lashing out against the insidious and constant oppression of the system, a
way of escaping the drudgery of a normal existence, or the simple and selfish aspiration for
a more comfortable life, gangs operate in nearly every corner of North Hook. Most of them
are, of course, centered around the poorer areas of the city, where most Bluecoats don’t
bother to go. There are some very powerful gangs, however, who have managed to
infiltrate the “cleaner” or higher levels of society. In fact, there are others that work
secretly with the Council, doing the dirty work of the incumbent merchants in power for a
decent cut.

The Saint-General of the Crows. Unlike the Council of Tides, the identities of
LAW & ORDER
the Wardens are known to the city government. Occasionally, some of this North Hook’s law and order is presided over by the following institutions:
information trickles down to the general populace. For example: rumor has it
that the current Saint-General – only the fifth person to occupy this position
since the Order was formed – is a woman with peculiar grisha powers. Picture ❖ THE COUNCIL OF TIDES is technically one of the two highest authorities in North Hook,
taken from a screenshot of Witcher 3. tasked with protecting the city from the swirling rift that is the Unsea and with regulating

88
 the conditions of the True Sea around the area. Its members – all of
them shrouded in mystery – answer only to Ketterdam and to
themselves. They have the authority to be present at and intervene at
all Merchant and Small Council proceedings. Their powers extend to
being able to immediately veto any decision made by any other
institution of North Hook, with the exceptions of the Blackfeather
Order or a 50+1 vote from the Inspectors as a whole. These
interventions, however, are uncommon. The latest recorded
intervention was during the diplomatic incident in Ketterdam seven
years ago.
❖ THE BLACKFEATHER ORDER – THE SPIRIT WARDENS – is the other
institution that counts as the highest authority in North Hook. They
are occasionally referred to as WITCHERS, an old nickname with roots in
the Kaelish language. The mildly derogatory slang that is used among
the scoundrels of North Hook are CROWS. The Order is always headed
by a Saint-General, who, once appointed, stays on as Saint-General
until he or she retires of their own volition or is killed in the line of
duty. The Wardens are in charge of dealing with the paranormal and
supernatural threats within the Duskwall, and also construct,
maintain, and repair the lightning barriers around the city. Like the
Council of Tides, they have the authority to be present at and intervene
at all Merchant and Small Council proceedings. Their powers extend to
being able to immediately veto any decision made by any other
institution of North Hook, with the exception of the Council of Tides
and a 50+1 vote from the Inspectors as a whole.
❖ THE MERCHANT COUNCIL consists of nine members, with one seat The Real Justicars of North Hook? Given the position they occupy and how they are
occupied permanently by the High Priest of THE CHURCH OF BARTER and appointed, Inspectors of the Duskwall might just be the only forces of good on the
side of the law. Their assessments still require the final say of the Magistrates, but it
the rest occupied by members of heads of recognized merchant is commonly viewed as bad faith for the Magistrates not to adhere to the judgement
families. They are the defacto rulers of North Hook. The Merchant of an Inspector. Pictured above: Constable Adam Strathmill, a decorated and well-
loved war hero from Novyi Zem. His appointment was one of the first things that
Council drafts and approves legislation, city ordinances, and public the current Saint-General arranged for, in the wake of the gang wars that razed
works; determine the disbursement of the city treasury; and issue North Hook a few years ago. Facecast: Tom Hardy.

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 taxation orders. Council seats are traditionally appointed by vote of the sitting council when a member dies or retires.
❖ THE SMALL COUNCIL consists of 45 members, and they act like North Hook’s equivalent of a Congress. The day-to-day issues and
operations of North Hook – from running & maintaining public transportation to the distribution of food – are handled by them.
Seats on the Small Council are traditionally appointed by vote between the incumbent Small Council members and the Merchant
Council; voting takes place every five years, but indefinite back-to-back terms are still acceptable by Kerch law. Technically speaking,
the Small Council’s votes on city matters and governance could overturn any decision made by the Merchant Council, but at present,
members of the Merchant Council hold every seat through bribery, blackmail, influence, or friendship.
❖ THE MAGISTRATES issue warrants, prosecute trials, assess evidence, and pronounce judgments (there are no juries). Magistrates are
appointed by the Merchant Council and further approved via majority vote by the Small Council. Only barristers who have been
educated within Kerch are eligible to be Magistrates of North Hook. Another term for a Magistrate is ADVOCATE – a carryover from the
legal systems of old.
❖ THE CITY WATCH (aka “Bluecoats”) patrol the streets, “encourage compliance with the law,” capture offenders, and operate IRONHOOK
PRISON. Watch-guards are hired by the Commander of the Watch, who is appointed by the Merchant Council, further approved via
majority vote by the Small Council.
❖ THE INSPECTORS (aka “Constables”) investigate crimes and present evidence for warrants and trials. Inspectors are appointed by the
Saint-General of the Blackfeather Order and the Council of Tides. Inspectors are often foreigners, with no close ties within Kerch. The
Kerchmen they choose are, by necessity, exceptional.
Under this system, a citizen can expect to receive justice commensurate with their social status and wealth. The Inspectors are
famously incorruptible and hold themselves apart from North Hook’s sprawling network of bribery, but the other institutions are bought and
paid for by the powers-that-be and rarely (if ever) bite the hand that feeds them. If you’re captured by the Bluecoats or brought before a
magistrate, it’s the depth of your pockets and the breadth of your political connections that will almost always decide the case, not the
application of jurisprudence.
The Bluecoats are under general orders to enforce the law, but in practical terms, they serve the needs of the richest and most
influential groups and harass the poorest and least powerful — essentially operating as another street gang extorting the underclasses.
It’s often said that everyone is guilty in North Hook, so make sure you get rich before you get caught.

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THE UNDERWORLD
The powerful elite of the city contrive to keep the lower classes in servitude and want, to profit from their labors and control them in
their desperation.
But there are some who try to find a way out of the traps laid by the establishment; some who make their own fates with the only tools
left to them: skulduggery, violence, and the dark arts. These daring few of the underworld are labeled criminals, villains, and scoundrels by
high society; they’re hunted down, locked away, and eradicated before they can upset the rigged games of the status quo. More than a few only
think as far as making enough money to get the hell out of North Hook and try their luck in other countries. A popular pick is Novyi Zem, as
there remains to be plenty of opportunity out on its
Frontiers.
The underworld factions that do survive often
become what they battle against. Their power and
influence corrupt them until they’re just another agent
of control and oppression — feeding on the weak and
vulnerable, as they once were. And so, a cycle
perpetuates: violent resistance to authority, violent
response, and violent ends — or else an ascension to
power and privilege; out of the gutter and onto the
overlord’s perch.
The most notable of these ascended are:
❖ THE UNSEEN. An insidious criminal
organization with secret membership, whose agents are
Asset attributed to Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate. Copyright: Ubisoft.
said to be placed within every institution Ketterdam –
they have, since the hostile takeover of the Merchant Council, started ferrying some of their assets into North Hook. They profit from
vice and extortion at all levels of society, with their bosses taking advantage of the silence of the Council of Tides, the lack of oversight
from an overburdened Blackfeather Order, and the “understanding” they have between themselves and the Merchant Council.
❖ THE HIVE. A merchant guild with many legitimate business and contracts – cover for their much more profitable trade in contraband
and human trafficking. Their influence has only grown in these hard times, given the constant influx of refugees from far more
distressed areas, and the volatility of a market that is constantly reacting to factors beyond its control.

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 The rest of the underworld has, until recently, been a constant war of attrition — vicious competition among desperate gangs, each
scrabbling to crawl out of misery on the backs of their victims. The landscape of criminal power used to shift constantly, from street to street,
block to block, and district to district, as the struggle for dominance rages on. THE DANCE AT COALRIDGE, however, changed the game
significantly. The Dance was the culmination of a “game” that had been set up by THE LOVERMAN, a demon of immeasurable power who had
made it his business to “prepare” the bastards of North Hook for future trials and tribulations. That was what he claimed it was for, anyway.
No one really knows what the Loverman was hoping to accomplish, and it isn’t as if anybody can ask him now: no one’s seen hide nor
hair of him for over a year now. What is certain is this: the victors of that bloody fight have seen power consolidated in interesting places, to
equally interesting effect.
In the wake of the Dance, here are the things of note that are happening in the underworld of North Hook:
❖ THE BLACK SHUCK, dubbed “THE MAD DOG OF COALRIDGE” after he slaughtered his rivals during the Dance at Coalridge, stands at the
head of a gang coalition he calls THE RIVER DOGS. It is the largest alliance that North Hook’s gangs have seen yet. What is even more
intriguing, though, is what they specialize in: they’re vigilantes who hope to take the Duskwall back one street at a time and rely on
old codes of honor that once defined the gangs of Ketterdam as champions of the people. If one cannot rely on the authorities, it is
time to BE the authority. One of their biggest victories is taking full control of Coalridge, making it the first area of North Hook that is
more or less free of Bluecoats and Merchant Council control.
❖ A number of former enforcers for the Merchant Council members on the real estate front have wizened up and are starting to bite
back at their masters. They’ve naturally started butting heads with each other, as they work towards expanding operations and taking
more of the cuts from their rackets for themselves. Most of this conflict is centered around CHARHOLLOW and CROW’S FOOT.
❖ At CHARTERHALL UNIVERSITY, a group of nefarious students has established a successful criminal operation from within the school,
drawing the attention of other gangs who now see the halls of academia as a ripe target.
❖ In NIGHTMARKET, evil men and women from all walks of life have learned to fear those whom they originally believed to be the most
helpless: women, children, and the dispossessed of North Hook. There’s a Wolf who calls the lost and the broken his “pack” and has
made it his business to train them how to kill.
GMs: Feel free to change any of these plot points for your own purposes or add ones of your own unique to the Districts of North Hook and the
scoundrels that consider them home. Information on the districts, the gangs and NPCs relevant to the gangs and beyond are all in the
succeeding sections. When it comes to details on the setting and its denizens, everything in this guide are merely suggestions. Go wild!

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93
THE DISTRICTS OF NORTH HOOK
CITY LANDMARKS
Items listed here are the locations indicated in white on the map/locations that are not
Districts above. Arranged in alphabetical order.
DUSK RIVER. One of the largest rivers of Kerch. It feeds straight into the True Sea. Particularly
large lightning barriers have been placed at its mouth by the Blackfeather Order, designed to
filter out any residual entities before they spill over into the rest of Kerch. The Wardens
declared, some ten years ago, that the waters are safe to harvest food from and fish in again.
GADDOC RAIL STATION. The first lightning rail station ever built in the world. It is the gateway
from Kerch to Shu Han and the rest of the Western Continent.
IRONHOOK PRISON. A towering metal fortress, where the worst (or most unlucky) criminals are
incarcerated. Many are forced into labor in the Southern fields and pit-mines of Dunslough.
The condemned are sent to scavenge in the Deathlands.
NORTH HOOK CHANNEL. The busiest watery thoroughfare in Kerch, and the entry point to the
island nation from the True Sea. Its proximity to the Tower of Tides is one of the only reasons
why has not been contaminated by anything beyond human waste.
OLD NORTH PORT. Originally a place to dock and re-supply for ships moving out of North Hook
before they sailed on towards the True Sea. The Port was used, for a time, by Barrowcleft as a
private pier. The city is discussing the possibility of expanding North Hook’s lightning
barriers to include the Port again and resuscitate it for Barrowcleft’s use. At the moment,
however, it has been swathed by the energies of the Unsea.
SEVENTH HARBOR. The main port of North Hook, and the gateway to Kerch for the rest of the
world. Goods from across the True Sea flow through this Harbor, and Leviathan Hunters come
here to repair themselves and resupply before they try their luck, once more, against the
ocean’s abominations.
THE TOWER OF TIDES. This imposing, black stone structure was the secret to Kerch’s success for
years. The home of the Council of Tides, this is where the grisha under the employ of Kerch –
particularly Squallers and Tidemakers – regulate the waters around the island nation. The
Tower’s second function now is to use grisha magic to buffer the worst of the Unsea’s energies.
DISTRICTS
Listed in alphabetical order. Each district is detailed on the following pages.
BARROWCLEFT. The second oldest District of North Hook. Residences and markets for the
farmers who man the granaries, and work the fields, the fisheries, and the eeleries.
BRIGHTSTONE. The grand mansions and luxury shops of the wealthy elite.
CHARHOLLOW. A crowded district of tenements and stacked houses.
CHARTERHALL. The city’s civic offices and the hub for shops, artisans, and commerce. Also
home to Charterhall University.
COALRIDGE. The remnants of the Duskwall’s original hilltop mining settlement, occasionally
referred to as “old North Hook”. Now home to laborers and industrial factories.
CROW’S FOOT. A cramped neighborhood of multi-level streets ruled by gangs.
THE DOCKS. Rough taverns, tattoo parlors, fighting pits, and warehouses.
DUNSLOUGH. A labor camp served by convicts and a ghetto for the destitute poor. This District
has become the ghetto for North Hook’s Seryvin.
NIGHTMARKET. The trade center for exotic goods imported by rail. Many vendors also trade in
illicit goods.
SILKSHORE. The “red lamp district” and artist community. Home to Shu Han’s only Cloud
Colony in Kerch.
SIX TOWERS. A formerly rich district, now worn down and dilapidated.
WHITECROWN. Home to the sprawling estates of the Merchant Council members, the Hunter
Commander, the Embassies and Consulates of the other nations, the Blackfeather Order, the
Council of Tides, and Duskwall Academy.
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DESIGN NOTES FOR GMS
This current release of One More Notch does not have maps yet. Stay tuned for future releases! By design, however, GMs are
encouraged to place the landmarks that have been listed down wherever is convenient for them and their play group.
Every District section has the following sub-sections:

LANDMARKS
Runs through the places numbered on the District Map. Some of the write-ups for pre-existing landmarks from Blades in the Dark
were similarly changed.

DETAILS
Short-hand phrases that are meant to serve as guides for players and GMs. The street names are merely suggestions that have been
carried over from the original Blades in the Dark rulebook.

TRAITS
Breaks down the characteristics of the District according to WEALTH, SAFETY & SECURITY, CRIMINAL INFLUENCE, and OCCULT INFLUENCE
using a scale of 1-4. Each District also has a special ability (or several) that have the potential to impact your crew’s performance or may
otherwise be of interest to your gang’s operations.

NOTABLES
Lists down NPCs that may be useful to players and GMs. Gangs, Institutions, and Factions have their own sections in this guide.
Special note: many of the Dangerous Friends found within the original Playbooks of Blades have been integrated into these sections. This has
the potential to make for more interesting encounters on the shadowy streets of North Hook. Adjust as you will, though: what matters is what
interests you as players, or what is useful to your campaign.

OVERHEARD IN…
This section is meant to wholesale replace the general “Overheard in Duskwall” and “Rumors On the Street” sections of the Blades in
the Dark book. The ambient conversations and snippets can be used from anything to simply establishing the mood of the place to being
legitimate story hooks for your use as a GM, to leads that players may take advantage of if they’re feeling lost or wish to gather useful
information for future scores.

95
USEFUL TABLES
Some of the original versions of these tables can be found on page 281 of the Blades in the Dark Rulebook. The ones here have been adjusted to
suit the setting of One More Notch. Make your own additions as you will!

People
1 Kerch
2 Ravka
3 Suli
4 Shu Han
5 Fjerda
6 Novyi Zem; odds/evens for native or white
7 The Wandering Isle
8 Iruvia
9 Namayan
10 Seryvin; roll again for original ethnicity

City Events in the Newspapers Weekly, or whenever you need one.

1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Plague Festival Raids Revolution Accident Disaster
2 Refugees Strike Prohibition Construction Siege Charity
3 Demolition Election Scandal Martial Law Conscription Exodus
4 Shortage Excess Discovery Paranoia Assassination Witch Hunt
5 Parade Celebrity Holiday Riots Gang War Hysteria
6 Crime Spree Political Prison Break Diplomacy Supernatural Cult Gatherings
Upheaval Weather

Remarkable Occurrences Weekly, or whenever you need one.

1 Strange plasmic fog fills the streets — deathseeker
crows, the familiars of the Blackfeather Order's
Wardens, shun the district.
2 Bluecoats suspend street patrols, citing budget
cuts. It’s free reign for crime!
3 Citizens rally against extortion, bringing in hired
bravos from other districts.
OR The Wardens have set up a watch post, and their
deathseeker crows have began to roost in nearly
every nook and cranny in the area.
OR Bluecoats set up checkpoints for contraband or
whatever they feel like confiscating.
OR Local talent (band, chef, tumblers) becomes popular,
swelling crowds at market and shops.

96
4 Canals become choked with debris, overflowing
with foul effluvia.
5 The ramshackle shanties of (insert area & District
here) are marked for demolition.
6 A group of scoundrels, recently escaped from
Ironhook, go to ground nearby, attracting bounty
hunters.
7 A Leviathan hunter has been spotted just past the
lightning barriers, in the clutches of the very
creature it may have been trying to hunt. There is
talk that the hunter may drift too close to shore for
comfort.
8 A member of the Merchant Council has been
assassinated. The Watch has stepped up its patrols
as the city government searches for the killers.
9 Reports of a lightning rail train crashing between
Gaddoc Rail Station and Outpost #001 –
sometimes known as The Last Stop – have reached
the city. Reputedly, it was carrying incredibly
valuable cargo.
10 The Blackfeather Order is stepping up recruitment
efforts. They’ve gone as far as shaking the trees of
the local gangs for their Whispers and their grisha.
11 Another outbreak of the Queen Lady’s Plague has
occurred in the city (GM chooses the District). It is
rapidly spreading, forcing all other Districts to
enforce a strict curfew and quarantine
surrounding districts.
12 This season has seen unusually long nights – and,
as if they are attracted by the dark, the spirits and
monstrosities that thrive in shadows have become
very active in North Hook.
OR Canals throughout district are drained for
maintenance (or some strange purpose).
OR A raging fire sweeps across (insert District here),
threatening to destroy the district.
OR A strange arcane object or landmark has been
activated somehow, attracting wailing hollows.
OR A Leviathan hunter has entered port. The corruption
it brought with it infected the entire crew, which the
Wardens noticed too late. The infestation has forced
the Docks to shut down for an indefinite period. The
District has been sealed off.
OR The Inspectors are out and about. Rumor has it that
they are shaking down leads on a possible
assassination attempt on a member of the Merchant
Council.
OR The crew of the latest lightning rail train to arrive at
Gaddoc has been corrupted, forcing the Wardens to
shut the station down for an indefinite period.
Nightmarket and Coalridge have been placed under
quarantine as a preventive measure.
OR The Merchant Council has decreed that any able-
bodied scoundrel or loiterer found after curfew
ought to be considered for service as a Rail Jack.
OR It is one of Kerch’s largest national festivals. In a rare
show of generosity, the Council has decreed that all
workers gain double their wage until the season
ends, courtesy by the government. Festivities
abound, and the Watch – lulled perhaps by this
strange wave of good will – has become complacent.
OR This season has seen persistent, troublesome rains.
Some trades and work around the city have been
forced to stop. Some canals are threatening to spill
over.
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13 There are more cats roaming about than usual. It is
difficult to determine what this could mean, given
that North Hook’s furry guardians have uncanny
sixth sense.
14 Barrowcleft’s harvest this season has been bad,
forcing the Small Council to apply universal
rationing across North Hook. Rumor has it that
even the richest among the Northers has not been
spared from the blockades and the strictly
controlled distribution of goods. The black market
of the Duskwall is, of course, eyeing these events
with interest.
15 The Astronomer’s Guild of North Hook is all a-
tizzy over a rare cosmic phenomenon that is
scheduled to occur this month: Whiterise, when
Arianhod and Cerridwen break free from
Cailleach’s shadow. Namayans, Iruvians, and
Kaelish have, since the Quiet Years, adopted
Lunarfall as a new festival of theirs, replacing the
way that they used to celebrate lunar and solar
eclipses.
16 There is a shortage of bodymen in North Hook.
Corpses are going unclaimed and unprocessed for
dangerously extended periods. Public health is a
rising concern in some Districts because of the rot
and the stench.
17 The main bridge connecting North Hook to
Ketterdam has been destroyed. Authorities have
not determined whether there was foulplay
involved, or an occult force. Many Northers are
stranded, and now in need of work that the
Duskwall may be unable to provide.
OR There’s a sudden case of catkill in the district. The
City Watch’s preliminary investigation has revealed
that human violence is not responsible for this wave
of feline deaths.
OR Barrowcleft’s harvest this season has been
exceptionally good, lowering prices for North
Hook’s staple foods across the board. In fact, some of
the things that wouldn’t normally be available for
the good people along the Duskwall (like, you know,
meat) have the potential to hit marketplaces and
food stalls – that is, if you can figure out how to
distribute it well before the richer folk gobble it all
up again.
OR The Astronomer’s Guild of North Hook is all a-tizzy
over a rare cosmic phenomenon that is scheduled to
occur this month: Lunarfall, when more pieces of
Arianrhod and Cerridwen break free and plummet
towards the earth in a beautiful meteorshower.
Previous instances of Lunarfall have noted that the
meteorshower is mostly harmless, as many of the
chunks that come apart burn up before contact.
When there are some comets that survive the
atmosphere, however…
OR Some of the Blackfeather Order’s soul furnaces have
malfunctioned, and an overall shortage of specialists
has delayed their repair. Hauntings and possessions
in several Districts are on the rise, increasing the
demand for Whisper work.
OR A great fire swept through Ketterdam’s poorer
districts and some of the industrial areas connected
to them, taking the homes and livelihood of many
Kerchers. A significant number of refugees have
flooded into North Hook, looking for cheaper rent
and new opportunities.
98
 18 It’s the seasonal cycle of parties for the nobility of
Brightstone. The houses will surely compete for
who can host the biggest, fanciest ball, which
means that they’ll be looking for people to fill in as
servants, caterers, vice purveyors, and security.
They may also put some of their finest possessions
on display while they’re at it.
19 Ships laden with jurda from Novyi Zem, the
Southern Colonies of Ravka, and Namayan
balanggay have arrived at the Seventh Harbour.
Opportunity knocks, but it doesn’t just knock at
your door.
20 Some sort of upheaval in the Unsea has driven
pods of whales mad, prompting them to beach
themselves at the harbours of North Hook or along
the shorelines of the Duskwall. A few have
managed to get past the crackling lightning
barriers at the mouths of the city’s rivers.
Unsurprisingly, many see this as a good time to
harvest contraband whale parts, especially whale
oil.
Random Public House/Tavern/Pub Generator
1 The Hook & Line
2 The Black Tree
3 The Nail & Bottle
4 The Six Arms
5 The Old Rasp
6 The Moon’s Daughter
OR The new academic years are about to begin for
Charterhall University and Duskwall Academy.
Some of the most privileged families in North Hook
use this as an opportunity to strut their stuff by
hosting parties. These venues also tend to be
hunting grounds for patrons in need of
impressionable, young minds for their own
purposes, be it academic study or… well, who
knows?
OR A successful expedition from the Iruvian Consulate
has arrived at Gaddoc Rail Station. Rumor has it that
the exploration team has brought in many strange,
frightening, and beautiful artifacts from the silent
lands of the Unsea.
OR For reasons unknown, the Deeplights have
permeated the rivers and canal systems of North
Hook. While the Blackfeather Order and the
Foundation scramble to control the situation, the
Lights call to any who listen, and fill the air with
their eerie songs.
7 The Sexton
8 Hazelwood
9 Quinn’s
10 The Wandering Saint
11 Sweetwater
12 The White Hart
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 Names with an * are canonical figures from Leigh Bardugo’s work or
Saints mentioned in the novels. Names with + are Saints with grounding in One
More Notch’s lore.
1 Malyen* 11 Gwenhyvar+
2 Andrei+ 12 Petyr*
3 Marya* 13 Anastasia*
4 Vladimir* 14 Lizabeta*
5 Omri 15 Ruth
6 Nadab 16 Konstantin
7 David 17 Fiacre
8 Bridgette 18 Usama
9 Chinua 19 Geriel
10 Jian 20 Shufen

100
BARROWCLEFT
Barrowcleft grew out of the original farming settlements of North Hook and is now home to some of the oldest families in the Duskwall: the
first farmers, merchants, traders, and artisans who made the city what it was. It is a dusty, rural district, with sturdy wooden buildings of only
one or two stories and wide dirt roads to accommodate large cargo wagons. The farmers of Barrowcleft are organized into tight-knit family-
based clans that are proud of their vital role in the city’s welfare and hold themselves apart from the “city folk” across the river – particularly
the Merchant Council, whose roots are either in Ketterdam or are very old nobility from the Duskwall itself. Outsiders are welcome here for
honest trade but are met with a cold suspicion otherwise.

LANDMARKS
I. BARROW BRIDGE. One of several residential bridges in
the city. The bridge is lined with homes, shops, and
merchant stalls. Families of river-fishers work from
ramshackle wooden huts along the banks on either
side. They hunt the large and dangerous wild river eels
that gather to feed on refuse near the channel to the
sea.
II. THE BARROWCLEFT LIGHTNING TOWER. The lightning
towers of North Hook are marvels of electroplasmic
engineering, requiring constant attention from the
powerful Sparkwrights Guild. The largest towers are
over 200 feet tall and include their own internal
generators. These generators provide power to the
lightning barriers that keep the ravenous spirits of the
Deathlands out of the city.
III. BARROWCLEFT MARKET. This open-air marketplace
provides a place for the radiant energy farms to sell
fresh produce and goods made from their crops. Other
vendors have also sprung up here, including brewers
and distillers, weavers, dyers, and goat breeders. The
tough and close-knit people of Barrowcleft have
managed to keep criminal influence out of their
market, and have, thus far, managed to keep the
Merchant Council and other outsiders from disrupting
their trade or dictating how things go. As such, it’s
famous as a rare place for fair trade in the city.
IV. THE BREADBASKET. The farms, fisheries, eeleries, mills,
and granaries of both North Hook and Ketterdam. This
is one of the few places in Kerch where food grows
without too much issue, and without the taint that has
seeped into much of the soil in the country ever since
the Unsea expanded.
V. THE HOODED FOX. The largest and most popular tavern
in the district. It’s the best place for gossip and
mingling, although outsiders be warned: the reluctant
tolerance that Clefters extend to anyone from beyond
their district extends to the Fox.

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DETAILS
SCENE: Farmers trudging to and from work. Tradespeople crafting
simple goods. Merchants selling their wares. Heavy-laden cargo wagons
transporting food into the city. Vigilant deputies surveying the fields
from their watchtowers.
STREETS: Smooth dirt roads, drainage ditches. Black Hill Road, Mill
Street, Porter Street.
BUILDINGS: Low, wide wooden structures. Barns. Animal pens. Stone
mills. Hilltop manors for the Barrowcleft Guilds. Crowded apartments,
towers, and market stalls along Barrow Bridge.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Barrowcleft Market is one of the best marketplaces in the city,
but criminal types draw lots of unwanted attention. You can take +1d to
acquire an asset here, but also accrue +2 heat.

NOTABLES OF BARROWCLEFT
FRAKE. An expert locksmith whose reputation has reached as far as
Ketterdam. Choosy with his clients. (Brusque, Detached, Obsessive)
MARA KEEL. A former smuggler who’s gone into hiding among the
farmhands of Barrowcleft. (Quiet, Secretive, Patient)

102
LUTES. Owner of The Hooded Fox. Used to run with a crew in his wilder days, but a bad brush with the law convinced him that the scoundrel
life wasn’t worth it. Unlike many who were in that position, though, he had a proper way out by merit of his blood. (Friendly, Savvy,
pronounced limp)
STEV MORRISON. A weaponsmith recently moved in from Novyi Zem, granted permission to settle in Barrowcleft due to distant blood relations
in the District. Founded one of the most famous smithies in his country. (Taciturn, Principled, Fatherly)
MASON PRICHARD. Dubbed the “Little Mayor” of Barrowcleft, occasionally referred to as “Chief”. Ex-Bluecoat, born and bred in the District, and
current representative of Barrowcleft’s interests – decided by “official” vote among the heads of each of the families in the place.
Manages the day-to-day of the District and handles all the concerns of his “town”. (Calculating, Confident, Calm)
HESTER VALE. Matriarch of the oldest farm family, and overseer of the Barrowcleft Market. The living embodiment of “tough but fair.”
Occasionally butts heads with whoever the current “Little Mayor” is. It’s the principle of the thing. (Proud, Fierce, Suspicious)

FACTIONS & GANGS IN BARROWCLEFT

WARDEN BOSSES: The Barrowcleft Council
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Blackfeather Order ❖ The Guild of Whalers
❖ The Church of Barter ❖ The Inspectors
❖ The Foundation
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The River Dogs
❖ The Gondoliers ❖ The Small Council
❖ The Merchant Council

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OVERHEARD IN BARROWCLEFT
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Miss, your kind ain’t welcome here. We’ve our own wives and
wenches to keep us occupied.”
2: “I reckon it’d be good if we could move on the old Port, should
they ever clean it up. Dock is too damned far, and besides… the Vales
have the title for that place, not any of them fancy councilors!”
3: “…For the last time, we don’t take money for your wares. You’ll
hafta barter, fair and square. Them’s the rules for foreigners like
yourself.”
4: “Huh, that’s a new place.”
“Smithy, owned by a Zemeni named Stev. Good fellow used to be the
third party in Templeton & Slane.”
“What? THE Stev Morrisson?”
“Did I stutter?”
“…Well, then. Been meaning to get myself a hunting rifle.”
5: “S’it true? Chief’s been talking to that Mad Dog? Nothing good’s
gonna come outta getting involved with ’em city folk no matter how
pretty their words are.”
6: “Weren’t the Lichnocks from around these parts?”
“That they were. Good of the Lord Governor to send one in to sit on
the Council. Someone ought to set those crooks straight.”
7: “Now it takes a hell lot to piss one of these goats off. If you
somehow manage it, sir? Only advice I can give you is get up high
and stay there til it’s tired itself out.”
8: “I see Constable Strathmill paid the Council another visit.”
11: “I’m damned convinced that Frake’ll sell his wares or services to
criminals if they promised him a challenge.”
12: “Those blasted city merchers are putting their dirty paws on
everything! Billy’s son, he lost the job he had just last week. Seems
like they want to have at the gondoliers now.”
13: “Learned a trick from an old Gondolier. Watch where the eels go,
when they’re in open water. The paths they follow, they’re spirit
currents. You’ll know what to avoid – or, if you’re crazy and the kind
of man who looks for that sort of trouble, you’ll know exactly where
to go.”
14: “My father will hear of this!”
“I reckon he will, and I reckon I still won’t care. Now run along back
to Brightstone, merchling.”
15: “No more of those courage games with your friends, Nellie. Not
in that field, all right?”
“But, mom…”
“Shush. Never go where cats fear to tread, child.”
16: “…It doesn’t matter that Mad Dog saved that Vale girl’s life! He’s
been paid in kind for his kindness, so we don’t owe him nothing.
One way, then the other. That’s as far as we always go.”
17: “Another send-off, eh?”
“What do you expect? Word on the street is lots of Inspectors have
been dying lately. As expected, our boys and girls are the only locals
the Constables recruit from.”
18: “Don’t go singing that song, boy!”
“But—”
104
“Well, he DOES like the Cleft, and… yes, does seem like Clelland’s
trying to force a District Captain on us again. Saints bless Strathmill
for supporting us.”
“Indeed! I’ll take Prichard’s prattling over a scoundrel in uniform
any day!”
9: “…Well, I think Miss Keel’s pretty decent for an outsider.”
“Don’t go fancying her yet. Council’s bit hot on that one. *drops to a
whisper* Might’ve sniffed something out.”
10: “We bury our cats like they’re family, because they are family.
Reckon everyone in this town’s got a personal story on how a cat has
saved them from a ghost, or worse.”
“Barrowcleft protects its own, we don’t need no damned
‘revolution’.”
19: “What’s the name of the lass working for Morrisson?”
“Ashlyn, I believe.”
“Are they…?”
“Saints, no! Mr. Morrisson mentioned that he’s merely taking care of
her for an old friend of his.”
20: “If it’s van Eck or any of his own who’ll file for a lot here, I
wouldn’t mind. Rare merch-type, he is, the good sort.”
105
BRIGHTSTONE
Brightstone is home to many of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of North Hook. Its streets are broad and paved, under bright
electric lights; its canals are sparkling and clean, with perfumed water; its houses are all of fine, pale marble blocks, rich timbers, and intricate
ironworks. There are cultivated parks that are illuminated and tended to 24/7 by grisha; lavish restaurants and cafes; jewelers, tailors, and
other luxury shops. Street-side vendors are forbidden here, resulting in a serene, spacious atmosphere, punctuated by the occasional carriage
or marching Bluecoat patrol.

LANDMARKS
I. UNITY PARK. A grand park, fountain, and roundabout
featuring enormous monuments commemorating the free
world’s victory against the Darkling, and the glorious role
Kerch and its lightning rail played in the war efforts.
II. SILVER MARKET. A curated open-air emporium overlooking
the North Hook channel. Named for its original use as the
primary marketplace for silver traders, it’s now host to
luxury goods vendors of all sorts, including rare Iruvian
silks, spices from the Southern Colonies and Namayan,
horse-traders from Shu Han, carriage upholsterers, and rare
alchemical distillations (including some illegal spirit
essences —to which the City Watch turns a blind eye).
III. THE SVYATILISCHE. The largest cathedral dedicated to the Sun
Summoner in all of Kerch. It’s a hauntingly beautiful
building with scintillating mosaics and glass work
showcasing the traditional Ravkan style, originally
commissioned by the Darkling; rumor has it that he
intended to marry the Sankta Alina in its halls. After King
Nikolai liberated Ravka, he and the Merchant Council
refurbished the Svyatilishche completely. Devotees gather
weekly to purify themselves in baptismal rites and fervent
prayer. The oldest tombs in the catacombs beneath contain
the consecrated ash of recognized heroes of the resistance
effort and war against the Darkling. At present, it’s a popular
interment spot for famous and affluent citizens.
IV. BOWMORE BRIDGE. This massive structure of bright white
stone and shimmering metal-work is said to be one of the
largest bridges in the world. Luxury apartments and shops
perch all along its length from Brightstone to Whitecrown.
V. THE SANCTORIUM. A towering edifice of buttresses and spires,
more intimidating than it is beautiful especially in
comparison to the Svyatilische. The grand cathedral of the
Church of Ecstasy.
VI. BRIGHTSTONE STATION. The commuter hub of the District,
and the only station that connects North Hook directly to
Ketterdam and beyond. Fondly called the Scramble by locals
because of the simultaneously dizzying and impressive
maze of staircases and lifts leading to its different sections
and platforms. Its architecture is as grandiose as the rest of
the District is, and full of its own set of cafes and restaurants
with decadent offerings, and stores with expensive wares.
Many noble and rich families house their private carriages,
electric cars, and trams here.

106
DETAILS
SCENE: Elite Bluecoat patrols, arrayed in fine armor and
gleaming gun-pikes. Wealthy citizens strolling through
manicured parks, attended by servants. Horse-drawn coaches
and the occasional electroplasmic carriage rumbling along the
avenues.
STREETS: Broad, clean, well-lit. Silvermark Avenue, Goldcrest
Avenue, Ruby Street, Sapphire Street.
BUILDINGS: Pale stone mansions with lightning barriers, grand
manor houses, lavish townhouses, opulent theaters and
restaurants, luxury shops.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Most engagement rolls suffer -1d due to heavy Bluecoat
patrols. Operations against the nobility in Brightstone
are considered on “hostile turf” for the purpose of
generating heat.

NOTABLES OF BRIGHTSTONE
KLYRA AMIN. Current Proprietess of The Dancing Goat, one of
the oldest and most popular pubs in Brightstone

107
 Station. It’s so old, in fact, that most of the Station grew around it. Famous for its Suli cuisine – something Klyra, the granddaughter of
a retired Kerch Sallie and a Suli fortuneteller – takes a lot of pride in. Offers discounts for current and former Sallies, Cabbies,
Gondoliers, and tram operators. This isn’t something that a lot of the District’s snooty residents approve of, but Klyra – like the rest of
her family – doesn’t care. (Generous, Patient, Unconventional)
COMMANDER RUBEN BOWMORE. Chief Officer of the Watch in Brightstone. Bowmore’s family financed Bowmore Bridge centuries ago and now
holds many positions of power. (Proud, Principled, Connected)
SEVOY DAVIES. A Kaelish war chieftain who claims that he did what many of his own should have done a long time ago: leave the Wandering
Isle for fairer pastures. Now a merchant lord, and a fixture in the Small Council due to his political savvy. Not a lot of people know
this, but he used to be the main backer of the Roosts. (Weathered, Pot-bellied, Cunning)
MATEAS KLINE. A nobleman recently made head of his family after the sudden death of his father. Known for his looks, his marriageability, his
devotion to the Sun Summoner, his generous donations to the academic societies and expeditions, and his intense love for the arcane
and the strange. (Handsome, Sharp, antiquarian, actually a part of several cults to Saints)
ADELAIDE PHROAIG. One of the former belles of every ball in Kerch, although even in her twilight years she has not lost a single ounce of her
grace, elegance, and beauty. What not a lot of people know about her is that she was a spy for the Resistance during the Darkling’s
reign of terror over the world. What even fewer people know about her is that she was the woman who founded the White Hands
after the War. (Elegant, Cultured, Stunning)
LORD LEVI STRANGFORD. Operates one of the largest leviathan hunter fleets, serves on the Merchant Council and is a high-ranking member of
the secret order within the Church of Barter. (Secretive, Calculating, Arrogant)
WYLAN VAN ECK. The young head of the Van Eck House, one of the oldest merchant families of Ketterdam; he gained control of his family and
its assets after his father, Jan Van Eck, was tried for treason and arrested seven years ago. Many are intrigued – and suspicious – of his
decision to build himself a home in Brightstone and invest in North Hook. (Affable, Calm, Sharp)
ROLAN WOTT. An influential magistrate who handles property, endowments, and financial cases. Famous for his extravagant parties. ( Stylish,
Elitist, Shrewd)1

1
For One More Notch and Along the Duskwall campaigns, the Rolan found under the Hawkers Crew sheet is one in the same as this man.

108
FACTIONS & GANGS IN BRIGHTSTONE
WARDEN BOSSES: The Unseen
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Blackfeather Order ❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The Foundation
❖ The Church of Barter ❖ The Merchant Council
❖ The Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh ❖ The Small Council
❖ The Council of Tides ❖ The Weeping Lady
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Blue Bonnets ❖ The Hive
❖ The Dandy Lions ❖ The Worshippers of Djel
❖ The Ghost Wolves ❖ The Wraiths
❖ The Inspectors

OVERHEARD IN BRIGHTSTONE
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “But when are services at the Svyatilishche going to resume?”
“Who knows? The main Church in Ravka has been slow to appoint a
new Rassvete Apparat.” (chuckles) “Perhaps they’re having trouble
finding someone who suits their political inclinations.”
“I dread the thought. There must be some way for us to decide on
someone who represents this Church better.”
2: “Well, I don’t care how much money they have! None of those
damned Iruvians are getting any of my properties. I’ve no desire for
having demon worshippers as my neighbors.”
3: “Think of your servants as your pets, and you’ll never want to
sleep with them – unless you’re into that sort of thing. (a pause)
Like, you know. Lord S.”
11: “Oh, it’s absolutely dreadful, Melissa! Frightening, I say! They
wouldn’t have even found the body if his mother hadn’t decided to
check, you know they were estranged.”
“Well, if you ask me, it’s about time something exciting happened
here.”
12: “You’re FAR too kind on them. Pain is the only language your
household has to understand.”
13: “Oh, but the young Lady Strangford’s beautiful, isn’t she? And of
age, as well.”

109
4: “Yes, my lady, come and see me at the prescribed Hour. I shall
have your wares, as requested.”
“And none shall know?”
“None shall know.”
5: “…Truly, though, the moral bankruptcy of these commoners!
These Unions of theirs will bring nothing but ruin upon us all.”
6: “That the Swan’s still in operation all these years is proof that
miracles are real.”
“Miracles, my Saintly arse! The Swan’s still floating because
noblemen of the confirmed bachelor sort need their pipes cleaned
like everyone else, and because Eldrin Prichard’s a cunning king
even among his own kind.”
7: “…And so, like butterflies emerging from a chrysalis, must shed
ourselves of the weight of our previous lives, of our attachment to
the vices of men…”
8: “Coin isn’t enough to get yourself an invite to Hargreaves’ estate.
You’ll need to offer him something of far greater value than that:
rare artifacts, relics from the Unsea. Secrets. Then, there’s the
Initiation.”
9: “That van Eck boy’s a bit too handsy with the head of his guards.
One must wonder what his poor mother has to say on the matter.”
“About which matter? That her only son might be gay, or that his
lover’s Zemeni?”
10: “If it’s the sort of problem that even money cannot solve, you’ll
find your solution in Nightmarket, by the Night Lady.”
14: “Tis such a shame you missed the Ball, Cathy! Lord Brogan and
Lord Hargreaves were at it again.”
“Whaaaat. Tell me everything! Especially if it’s about… (dreamy sigh)
Oh, Lord Hargreaves. He’s so~ handsome.”
“Brogan is desperately outclassed. *titters* His Club may even end
up in (dramatic shudder) Silkshore, if he isn’t careful.”
15: “If it’s Tailoring you want, you’d best get it from Lady Kriselda
along Goldcrest Ave. If she can make Madame Redford look thirty
again…”
16: “Our dear Chief Officer’s taken to his sick bed rather often these
days, hasn’t he?”
“Indeed. My maid – bit of a gossip, that one – tells me that her friend
works at the Bowmore House. Chap hasn’t seemed like himself
either.”
“Being ill often is bound to change a man.”
“I think she said it was more than that. Like he was a different
person entirely.”
17: “Honestly, though, the Sanctorium gives me the creeps. It’s
colder around there too. Are they sure it isn’t haunted?”
18: “Well, I’ve heard that Lord Wott has an absolutely fanTASTIC
idea for his up and coming party. He plans on hiring genuine
scoundrels, from Crow’s Foot and such! How exciting.”
19: “…But why hasn’t anyone moved on that property yet?”
“Ah, right, forgot you weren’t around when it happened. Place is
cursed. Lord of the manor was murdered by the captain of his guard.
(voice drops even lower) My wife tells me they were lovers. Riveting.
Wouldn’t you agree?”
20: “My word, did you see the sorts who’ve been at Lord van Eck’s
parties lately? They’re so… roguish.”
110
CHARHOLLOW
This crowded district is home to the bulk of the workforce of the city — servants, dockers, sailors, stockyard and eelery workers, cabbies, and
so on. It’s cheap, noisy, cramped, and sweltering from cookfires and hissing steam-pipes, but there’s a familial camaraderie among its residents
that you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else along the Duskwall. The people of Charhollow are a true community, brought together by
circumstance, but bound by ties of mutual support and care in stark contrast to the cutthroat ruthlessness that constitutes business as usual in
the rest of the city.

LANDMARKS
I. THE SHEETS. Washers, tailors, and seamstresses
congregate in this neighborhood, filling the alleyways
between the buildings with the billowing fabrics of
their trade. A secret association of anarchists among
the working class meets here to plot their schemes for
revolution.
II. THE STRANGFORD HOUSE. The grand, fenced estate of
the powerful Strangford Family perches on the hill of a
private island overlooking Charhollow. Many who live
in the district toil in Strangford’s factories and
workhouses, and few miss the chance to throw the evil
eye in their direction when they catch glimpse of their
house on the hill.
III. CHARHOLLOW MARKET. A public market fills the open
square here, offering fair prices and decent goods to the
local community.
IV. KELLEN’S. One of the oldest pubs in the city, with a
dizzying selection of Kaelish ales and whiskeys. Rich
and poor alike rub elbows here to enjoy the traditional
food and music with their drinks, though recently, the
pub has become a hub for discussing the liberation of
the Wandering Isle. Political discussions tend to get
hairy these days, as members with ties to the warring
Clans of the Isles tend to bring the generations of bad
blood between them through the pub’s doors.

111
DETAILS
SCENE: Laborers returning from work shout greetings to friends and
families. Groups of people cook and eat together at communal
cook-fires. Children run wild, playing at hunt-and-peek and catch-
the-ghost.
STREETS: Steep inclines cut with crude stone stairs, twisting
alleyways, dirt and cobblestones. Bridge Road, Canal Street, Hill
Street.
BUILDINGS: Stacked one- or two-room homes, cheap tenements,
ramshackle apartments, well-worn taverns and public houses.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SAFETY & SECURITY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Operations against the citizenry in Charhollow are considered
on “hostile turf” for the purpose of generating heat.
❖ Charhollow was the go-to District for many Fjerdan, Kaelish,
Zemeni, and Ravkan immigrants. As such, it iis a hotbed for
seditionary activity against foreign governments. Operating here,
depending on the score, may draw the attention of an embassy or a
consulate.

112
NOTABLES OF CHARHOLLOW
BRIGGS. The owner of a merchant stall at Charhollow market, cover for a network of gossips, spies, and code-smiths among the working class
people of the district, selling their services to those who need them. (Secretive, Sneaky, Cautious)
CORBEN. An ex-military Zemeni on the lam for deserting his post. One of the more dangerous mercenaries floating around the criminal
underworld, although it is said he has a code of honor that prevents him from harming civilians. (Tough, Reckless, Volatile)
DARMOUT. Likely one of the only half-decent Bluecoats in the District, which means he isn’t very popular with his own kind or with the
criminal sorts in the area. The common folk like him well enough, though. (Earnest, Moral, Friendly)
HUTTON. A former slave from the Southern Colonies, now in Kerch through the grace of his former master. Speaks out regularly against Novyi
Zem and the Free Republic’s horrendous treatment of the Zemeni in the Colonies. (Huge, Chiseled, Weathered)
JENNAH. One of the senior servants of the Strangford House, trusted to do most errands for her master in the District. Has ingratiated herself to
most everyone in Charhollow because she’s actually a decent person. (Friendly, Bold, loose tongue)
THE KELLEN FAMILY. The Kaelish family that has owned Kellen’s for several generations and counting. Not one family but several, in an
extended and confusing network – confusing to everyone but them, anyway. Few in Charhollow can tell one Kellen from the other, as
they always just refer to each other as “Kellen”.
ANDERS PAOULSEN. A Fjerdan refugee and former druskelle, now the leader of an anarchist movement that is bent on forcing other nations to
recognize the plight of his country. (Brave, Compassionate, Wise)
MASTER SLANE. Once a notorious factory foreman known for excessive and cruel punishment. He was run out of Coalridge by the Union.
Unfortunately the Strangfords gave him a second lease at terrorizing honest working folk. Many attempts have been made on his life,
but all have failed. Some say he’s a devil. (Cold, Cruel, Sadistic)
TOMAS. The son of a Namayan Albularyo and a Kerch tailor; has only recently completed his training and is studying for the medical service
exams. Is engaged in physicker work to support his aging parents and pay off some of his student debts. Favorite among some of the
local gangs because he’s taught some of their members how to read and write in the past. (Worn, Pleasant, loves coffee)

113
FACTIONS & GANGS IN CHARHOLLOW
WARDEN BOSSES: The Hive
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The Merchant Council
❖ The Brigade ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Cabbies ❖ The Silver Nails
❖ The Gondoliers ❖ The Unseen
❖ The Lampblacks ❖ The Worshippers of Djel
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Blue Bonnets ❖ The Lightningbottles
❖ The Crows ❖ The Rail Jacks
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner ❖ The River Dogs
❖ The Ink Rakes ❖ The Small Council

OVERHEARD IN CHARHOLLOW
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Oh, I do love Jennah, but I love the fact that she spills all the juicy
stories about her masters even more.”
2: (in front of a body in factory worker clothes, strung up and on
display. There’s a sign around his neck: “I asked for a raise.” There’s a
woman on her knees, weeping in front of it. There’s a Bluecoat
stationed to watch over the body, and make sure no one takes it
down.)
11: “…and I nearly pissed meself, yeah? Thought I was done for and
such. But Corben, see, he just picks me right up, sets me straight,
puts some coins in my hand and tells me ‘You still got a chance, sir,
don’t be squandering it like this. It’s too late for the rest of us.’ Good
man, that one. Ain’t ever gonna steal again, no matter how tempting
it is.”
12: “We’re damned lucky it’s Bear they assigned as the head Sally
round these parts. Places Rick takes care of… well, you’d best prepare
your pockets if he or his teams are the ones answering your call.”

114
“Another one? Dreadful business.”
“What are we to do? Slane has the ear of the Lord. His word is law.”
3: “You wouldn’t believe what I heard last night. Corben was 13: “I’m a man now, Ma, with an apprenticeship and everything! I’ve
swimming pretty deep in his bottles, yeah? Kept blathering on about not needed your blessing for years.”
how he knew the Mad Dog from his army days!” “So, I’m not allowed to be concerned, is it? Involving yourself with
that druskelle will be the death of you!”
“But he’s right. They need to see. They all do!”
4: “Do you know why they dispose of bodies in the canals after 14: “We don’t often need the Warden to handle our ghosties these
midnight? The spirits of the drowned live there. Well, ‘live,’ right? days. Not since the Nails moved in.”
They claim everything that touches the water after the clock strikes
twelve. Well, everything except those gondoliers.”
“Yeah, and I suppose you have just the charm to sell me to keep me
safe and sound...”
“What fortune! It just so happens I do...”
5: “We listen to Bazso Baz and his people not because we’re scared, 15: “I heard that new Inspector used to be a commander in the
but because we respect him.” Zemeni army…”
“I guess snoopin’ crooks in the Dusk beats riding down devils in the
Deathlands, eh?”
6: “Another day away from the grind, eh?” 16: “Can’t say it’s coincidence now. Only ever been blocks with a Rail
“Fraid to say so, friend. Nails are crawling all over the place. They Jack or a Rake that seem to suffer from ‘unfortunate accidents’ these
even struck a deal with the Witchers for some help. Heard one of days.”
them say there were too many of ‘em.” “Most Jacks have been leaving town already though, yeah?”
“Many of what?” “Yeah. They say the Union makes it worth their while to move.”
“The workers. The ones who used to be on my shift. The ones who…
you know, with the foreman and all.”
7: (from atop a makeshift podium of crates) 17: “Hutton best be careful. They’ll find something to pin on him
“…for it is upon our shoulders that these giants stand! Our brothers yet. …So, you’d best stay away from him.”
and sisters in Coalridge are living proof our voices need only be loud “He’s a good man, though.”
enough, our hearts stout enough for them to falter.” “Virtue’s never helped nobody in this town.”
8: “Officer Darmout’s such a sweetheart! Unlike the rest of the 18: “…for it is not the Saints to whom we look to for guidance, but
Watch. Saints, it’s a small miracle that he hasn’t become one of them Djel, the Tree, the wolves of the earth and sky. We are a pack, born in
yet.” the darkness, in the blood and cold of a country laid to waste. We
need not be afraid of shadows, for we, more than anyone in this
broken world, know how deep they truly are.”

115
9: “If you’re lucky, it’ll be Hettie you’ll hafta deal with… silly woman
only ever requires you to get her a new pretty for her collection, and
she’s not right in the head no more, yeah? Can’t tell a crow from a
peacock. If you’re unlucky, though, it’ll be Old Man Abe, so pack
your bags and don’t bother fighting him. If it’s Grace, though… you
run. Run, and don’t look back.”
10: “Let me tell you: if you need something spread around town
quick, it’s the Cabbies or the Sheet wenches you whisper to and tell
them it ain’t important at all. Their rumor mills are more reliable
than Ink Rakes will ever be.”
19: “Wouldn’t touch the water if I was yous. Goes red and hot and
sticky sometimes. Burns like it’s on fire. Might see faces too, of the
ones you worked with before. (chuckles, rueful) See, the blue boys
have no idea why good folk keep disappearing these days, and where
they go.”
20: “Looking for B, are ya? Well, friend, it’s a simple as finding a
hollowed-out tree stump, bringing a bottle o’ Shivering Jimmy’s
Whiskey, and waitin’.”
116
CHARTERHALL
Charterhall is the site of the first major construction in the city. The old walls marking the perimeter of the Duskwall still stand in partial ruin
around the district. The area is now home to the civic offices of the government including the courts, licensing and taxation offices, banks, and
records archives. City officials and students at Charterhall University live here, along with some of the up and rising literati class of North
Hook.

LANDMARKS
I. CHARTER WALL. Along the ruins of the old walls are a sprawl
of artist colonies. Bohemian lovers of music and sculpture,
these students are typically patronized by a single individual
or family who expect their charges to master their craft and
make art for their edification.
II. BELLWEATHER CREMATORIUM. The largest and oldest
crematorium; it was established by the first Saint-General of
the Blackfeather Order. Bodies recovered by the Wardens are
ritually cleansed through rites developed by the Order and
incinerated in order to destroy their ghosts.
III. CLERK STREET. The main avenue of the district is lined with
imposing government structures of all sorts, tucked behind
iron fences, patrolled by Bluecoats on the sidewalks.
IV. JAYAN PARK. The great alchemist for whom this park is
named contrived to formulate soil and seeds that could
produce real, growing trees without sunlight, all through
experimentation with whale oil. They are horrifically toxic
to all living things and must not be touched, but they still
grow beautifully here, years after his death.
V. CHARTERHALL UNIVERSITY. A dozen buildings have been
converted into classrooms and dormitories for the students
of this modest-seeming but nevertheless prestigious
institution. The school’s massive Sparkwright Tower, where
experts of spark-craft are trained, looms huge over the
district, often belching fire and smoke from the more
vigorous lessons.
VI. THE LION’S CLUB. A horrendously exclusive socials club easily
distinguishable among the buildings in Charterhall for its
exquisite wooden structure and massive, golden statues of
lions. People who manage to become a member are given
access to the card and game tables within. Elites in the
ranking gain access to the Club’s cigar rooms.
VII. SAINT ELIZABETH HOSPITAL. The first public hospital in North
Hook, as old as the Branwen College of Medical Arts. Fees are
subsidized by the city government, but even with this
discount, not everyone in the Duskwall can afford even basic
treatment here. The place is also packed with patients at
almost every hour of the day.
VIII. THE PROPHET’S REST. The most popular student dive in
Charterhall, and one of the oldest pubs in the district.
Notable for being a clean, well-lighted place ideal for
studying. Also notable for its menu of Iruvian food and
drinks.

117
DETAILS
SCENE: Clerks and government workers rush to and fro, official
papers bulging from their valises. Wealthy bankers trundle
past in heavy carriages with private bodyguards arrayed in
clanking armor. Students gather at street-corner cafes to
discuss world politics, Iruvian mysteries, the tribal lineages of
native Zemeni people or the Namayan balangay, and other
esoteric matters.
STREETS: Broad, clean, well-lit. Clerk Street, Jayan Way,
Dalmore Avenue, Imperial Avenue.
BUILDINGS: Imposing stone buildings with officious columns
and classical sculptural motifs.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ The records in Charterhall can be of particular interest
to criminal sorts. Take a Devil’s Bargain for +1d to gather
info here in exchange for 1 heat (the Bluecoats are
always watching for scoundrels like you).
❖ Many intriguing & useful assets or services can be
found in at the University, but criminal sorts will
attract attention. Treatment rolls and rolls to acquire
an asset benefit from increased effect (i.e. 1-3 becomes
4/5), but the crew accrues +2 heat.

118
NOTABLES OF CHARTERHALL
AZIZ. A jovial fellow who inherited the Prophet’s Rest, one of the most popular student dives in Charterhall; it was established by his great
grandfather. Representative of the other end of the spectrum of Iruvians who live along the Duskwall. (Large, Bearded, Fatherly)
LADY CHRISTINA DRAKE. A Bluecoat District Commander who is “reasonable” when it comes to street crime, so long as the offender’s purse is
sufficient or they’re willing to do her a solid in returen for her kindness. (Flexible, Shrewd)
FITZ. A mid-level diplomat from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not-so-gently ribbed by peers and superiors alike for his “intense” fascination
with historical paraphernalia, archeological objects, and paleontographical oddities. In fact, his obsession has gotten so bad that he’s
known in smuggling circles for hiring whoever can cater to his requests. (Eccentric, Idealistic, Gregarious)
JEREN. Lady Drake’s head archivist at the City Watch office. Said to be as “reasonable” as his boss is. (Inquisitive, Organized, book lover)
MORIYA. A skilled spirit trafficker hiding among the artists and performers that set up shop along the Charter Wall. Peddles her wares (ones
often whisked away from Bellweather Crematorium) to the highest bidder. (Cold, Greedy)
LORD ORLAN PENDERYN. Chief Scholar of the Archive of Echoes. Authorized by the Church of Barter and the government of Ketterdam to keep
a collection of ancient ghosts trapped in spirit bottles, to be consulted in cases where knowledge from the distant past would benefit
the nation. Lord Penderyn also consults the spirits on his own volition, forming the rebellious Path of Echoes society for other elites
and nobles who seek communion with the spectral realm. (Reckless, Strange)
PETRA. A clerk at the Hall of Justice. Often complains about not being paid enough for what she’s doing – which might be why she can be
convinced to do little things on the side, on occasion. (Sullen, Sarcastic, crow’s feet under her eyes)
STAZIA. Runs a small but popular apocethary close to Charterhall University. Cult favorite among students and professors. Said to have special
stock for the right buyers. (Brisk, Sharp, excellent businesswoman)
MELVIR TAYLOR. A young but talented Physicker who works multiple shifts at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Unlike many of his colleagues, he has
not yet been beaten down by the sheer level of demand at the hospital. In fact, it is sa2id that he takes on charity cases off the clock, if
he’s approached personally. (Friendly, Nurturing, Principled)

FACTIONS & GANGS IN CHARTERHALL

WARDEN BOSSES: The Esteemed Circle of Disciples of Sankt Ilya (the Circle)
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS

119
 ❖ The Blackfeather Order ❖ The Ink Rakes
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The Merchant Council
❖ The Cabbies ❖ The Novyi Zem Embassy
❖ The Cyphers ❖ The Path of Echoes
❖ The Dandy Lions ❖ The Ravkan Embassy
❖ The Fjerdan Embassy ❖ The Shu Han Embassy
❖ The Foundation ❖ The Small Council
❖ The Guild of Duskwall Physickers ❖ The Sparkwrights
❖ The Hive
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner ❖ The Red Sash Academy
❖ The Iruvian Consulate ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Kaelish Consulate ❖ The Suli Consulate
❖ The Namayan Balangay Consulates ❖ The Wraiths

OVERHEARD IN CHARTERHALL
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Oh, don’t bother with the rest of the apocetharies around these
parts. Stazia’s got the best stock for the best prices.”
“But, the line…”
“Would you rather pay out of your nose for practical goat shit?”
2: “Sorry, I’ll need to borrow a bit of coin from you again. Been weeks
since I’ve been able to withdraw.”
“It’s all right, mate. You don’t think the rumors are true? Seems a bit
uncanny and all, these ‘renovations’.”
“If the vault really HAS been ransacked, well… wouldn’t put it past
them, trying to cover it up. Saints know who might try to gun for it
while they’re still repairing it.”
11: “The boys in blue have been a bit rougher than usual, eh?”
“Might be because Lady Christina isn’t around to keep them in
check as much as she should be. Hear tell they’ve been calling her
away often, for ‘discipline’.”
“Whatever for? She’s a fair woman.”
“Can’t say. I heard it’s ’cause they think she’s supporting Mad Dog.”
12: “Remember how Stazia’s almost closed down last year? Learned
it might be because somebody in the Iruvian Consulate despises her.
Wonder what she did to deserve their ire.”

120
3: “The secret to acing Instructor Farros’ class? Makeup. Lots and lots
of makeup. Flowers help. So does plugging how much you
absolutely love her work every other sentence.”
4: “You didn’t hear this from me, but… the Lion’s Club, it’s run by a
gang. Exciting, yeah?”
5: “…And I tell you, the lock was worth every coin I spent! Protected
my life’s savings, my papers!”
“Was it from that smith in… Barrowcleft, was it? Frake?”
“Yes! You ought to consider investing. The Consulate offices and
Embassies all have their vaults and systems made by him.”
“It’s not like we have thieves, though…”
“But, ghosts. Yes, his works are ghost-proof.”
6: “A bit loose with your wages today, aren’t you?”
“Well, I’ve come into quite a bit of money, and I’ve Lord Penderyn to
thank! You see…” (voice drops to a whisper) “…He’s buying up
inhabited spirit bottles. No questions asked!”
7: “Pray to every Saint above that you don’t come and fetch records
while Petra’s on shift. Her portrait ought to be beside the dictionary
definition for ‘bitch’.”
“You just haven’t figured out how to woo her. Clarence from
Philosophy of Law says all it takes is a little something on the side.”
8: “Oh, please, sir, my Nellie, she’s so sick…”
“There’s no space at all, ma’am, and a waitlist going well into three
months and counting. Now, I’m sorry, but…”
9: “The reason why the Watch never catches Howlers on their raids
is cos none of them are at the Docks. Paper’s printed right here in
Charterhall. Can confirm: my old flame used to be one of their
runners.”
10: “It’s the Steps you’ll want to go to, if you need a good fix. Their
dream quests are fantastic, and I had the best sleep of my life after
my first.”
13: “Truly, though, how different are we? Why must we be beholden
to our own shock and awe over strange customs, or quibble over the
color of a man’s skin? I tell you, Lawrence, these questions rob me of
sleep these nights.”
14: “You can’t say you’re a Charter until you’ve tried the Tombstone
at the Prophet’s Rest.”
“…I don’t want to die early.”
15: “Jezal hasn’t been around lately.”
“Oh, you didn’t hear? He’s dead. Absolutely dreadful business.”
“That powder was the death of him at last, hmm?”
“Wasn’t that this time. It was this new thing, Lure. Leviathan blood,
sold around Nightmarket. Seems like it turns men into demons.”
“…You can’t be serious.”
“I saw his corpse.”
16: “Security for the Ravkan Embassy’s office here has been over the
top since the Incident. Something tells me they haven’t actually
resolved anything. …Anyway, just walk faster and don’t look up,
yeah? They all have bloodletters on their guard details now.”
17: “I say the real reason why they shut the Park down well before
sunset is because it’d be easy peasy to get poisons from any of the
plants in there. University friend of mine says some of them can kill
a man in seconds and leave not a trace.”
18: “Who needs street performers or Bluecoats when you have the
Red Sashes? Charter Wall’s been so much safer ever since their
Headmaster started sending recruiters over here.”
19: “Those Dandies host the greatest university parties in the city!
Heard tell that they look out for new recruits in ‘em too, Buy in’s
guaranteed to be horrendously expensive, though.”
20: “I’ve nothing to pay him, though! My husband, see, he—”
“Don’t worry about that. Taylor’s a good man with a heart of gold.
He’ll take care of you, I’m sure of it.”
121
COALRIDGE
Coalridge is home to most of the machinists, industrial laborers, and factories of the city. It’s cramped, soot-choked, and loud—spewing dense
clouds of black smoke, showers of sparks, and burning cinders. The old elevated train lines that once hauled coal now carry heavy equipment
and raw materials to and from Gaddoc Station, though many of the ancient tracks and cars have been abandoned to poorer residents who’ve
converted them into makeshift homes.
LANDMARKS
I. COALRIDGE MINE. The site of the first permanent settlement
at the river delta. The mine still operates centuries years
later, mostly because more stranger ores and minerals have
been found within its depths since the expansion of the
Unsea. Coal also continues to be hauled up from the mine,
even though the demand for it has decreased sharply with
the adoption of electricity and whale oil as main power
sources.
II. ENTRANCE TO THE UNDERCROSS. The last “functioning” (more
like, the largest and most known) tunnel into the
Undercross, the original railways that used sprawl
underneath Coalridge and span out into the older districts of
North Hook, namely Barrowcleft Charterhall, the Docks,
Nightmarket, and Six Towers. Officially, the Undercross is
no longer in use. “Officially”.
III. THE OLD RAIL YARD. Before Gaddoc Station was built, this
industrial rail yard was a center for commerce in the city.
The Old Yard now serves only a couple heavy cargo trains
daily, with many of its old rail cars rusted in place where
they were abandoned.
IV. THE IRONWORKS. The Ironworks is a sprawling collection of
massive industrial workhouses. Cruel foremen used to drive
indentured laborers around the clock to keep up with the
massive production demands to replace and refit leviathan
hunter ships and lightning rail trains as well as the need for
goods transported out of Kerch at large. Suffice to say, since
the Dance at Coalridge, working conditions have improved
rather much here.
V. BRICKSTON. The most densely packed residential area in
Duskwall. Brickston is a cramped jumble of multi-story
brick row houses, stacked one atop the other. Many of the
toughest scoundrels of the underworld hail from here,
learning the harsh lessons of survival and gang life within
its dark maze.
VI. THE FIREBIRD. A pub established by the first Ravkan
immigrants into North Hook, making it one of the oldest
establishments in the Duskwall. It has always been a symbol
of nationalism and resistance for its patrons. At present, the
new Coalridge Union of workers have their meetings there.
VII. ST. ANDREW’S FINDERS. A large curio store of the strange and
the arcane that’s brought in from the Harbor and the Rail
Station; its wares are so good that it has a reputation from
outside of the District. May or may not have been the
headquarters of a gang a few years ago.
VIII. THE KAPELLE HOUSE. A landmark simply because it is the
only place in the district that’s fit for a rich man, or a noble.
It went unoccupied for decades following the Kapelle
Family fleeing to Ketterdam during the Quiet Years. Lord
Kapelle’s son, however, has returned to take up residence in
the estate.
122
DETAILS
SCENE: Soot-covered workers wiping at their faces and chatting quietly
as they trudge home from the factories. Heavy rail cargo being
unloaded by crane. Street-tough waifs running wild. A factory boss
arguing with a Union representative. Homeless from the Old Ship Yard
lining up at a soup kitchen.
STREETS: Multi-level, crowded with crates and discarded junk. Elevated
rail lines. Dunvil Way, Black Rock Road, Wright Street, Crane Street,
Forge Street.
BUILDINGS: Tall and narrow brick row houses with belching chimneys,
metal-clad factories and warehouses, train cars converted into
dwellings.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ The factories of Coalridge operate around the clock, making it
difficult to find an ideal time for clandestine crime here. If you play your
cards right, though, you may just be able to find foremen who are happy
to be bribed to “take a break” or look the other way – or you can try your
luck with the so-called guardians of Coalridge.
❖ Operations against the citizenry of Coalridge will start a six-
segment Clock: “The Black Shuck”. Fill at every succeeding instance of
an operation against citizenry of Coalridge or ANY of its surrounding
Districts. Once filled, mark a negative tick for Faction: The River Dogs.

123
NOTABLES OF COALRIDGE
BELLE BROGAN. One of the known and named Lightningbottles; she was the original face of the Union, as her father – an old friend of Holtz –
had been an organizer before her. Unsurprisingly, because of her popularity, she was nearly killed during the factory worker uprisings
that hit the District two years ago. At least she avoided her old man’s fate. (Charming, Confident, Bold)
LORD ADAGIO LEANDER KAPELLE. The firstborn son of Lord Ricercar Leander Nicolas Kapelle, current patriarch of their esteemed House. The
Kapelle Family has deep roots in Ketterdam; they were the knight-scholars who established the settlement that would eventually
become the District of Coalridge. An Advocate by training, he’s already made some enemies within the Councils by coming to North
Hook. The first move he did was invoking ancient Kerch laws of estate, inheritance and rule to give his district a remarkable level of
autonomy from the rest of the Duskwall. (Handsome, Brilliant, Ruthless)
VALERY FALNER. A well-loved Physicker who’s known to charge only what he feels like you can pay him. He’s also known to be very discreet,
and not discriminating at all with his patients. (Charismatic, Sharp, Professional)
EDIK HOLTZ. The head of the Coalridge Union of Workers. Once a top officer in the Second Army of Ravka, he fled during the Darkling’s rule
and spent many years trying to save more of his own and their children from their tyrannical ruler. It doesn’t seem like he’s interested
in returning to his country, though, even if King Nikolai seems like a good man. (Calm, Affable, Fearless)
HOPPER. A drug addict, Whisper, and all-around weirdo who perches on rooftops in the district. Hopper claims to see “spirit train tracks”
stretching beyond the horizon. (Weird, Visionary)
THE JOHNSON FAMILY. The owners of the Gaddoc Rail Station. It is said that the Merchant Council robbed them of their rightful claim, and that
the Mad Dog of Coalridge restored it for them. (Mrs. Jocelyn Johnson is Honest and Soft; Mr. Jared Johnson is Stern and Fatherly; their
daughter Jessica Johnson is Brilliant, Temperamental and Friendly)
ESA KESSARIN. An Iruvian Sparkwright, and the first foreign business owner to enter Coalridge. Specializes in spark-craft and large sparkcraft
machinery and vehicles. Appears to run things above ground and have warm relations with the Coalridge Union of Workers – a result
of him being the older brother of Faizani Kessarin, one of their founding members. (Pragmatic, Intense, has one mechanical arm)
MARGARET VALE. Former True Sea transport hauler who – along with her crew – were put out of work by the new cargo rail lines. She
impressed the boss of St. Andrew’s Finders, and has managed to find herself new work as the store’s manager. (Quiet, Cool, Tough)

124
FACTIONS & GANGS IN COALRIDGE
WARDEN BOSSES: The River Dogs
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Coalridge Union of Workers ❖ The Ghost Wolves
❖ The Cult of Sankt Andrei ❖ The Lightningbottles
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner ❖ The Rail Jacks
❖ The Dandy Lions ❖ The Seventh Step
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Barrowcleft Council ❖ The Sparkwrights
❖ The Ink Rakes ❖ The White Hands
❖ The Lampblacks ❖ The Wraiths
❖ The Red Sash Academy

OVERHEARD IN COALRIDGE
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Some nights, the trolleys and trams you hear aren’t the trolleys 11: “Johnson’s girl is a brilliant one. I don’t know how she did it, but
and trams at all.” she fixed my carriage up better than it was on the day I bought it.
Hella noisy on their street most nights, though. Saints know what
she’s making in that shop of hers.”
2: “The Lady Kapelle is so elegant! I heard she’s some sort of princess 12: (from a small, Iruvian boy in worker’s overalls, standing on a
from Shu.” box.)
“Not just that. She’s the daughter of the owner of the Kolya “…come and behold the finest sparkcraft in Iruvia, forged in fire and
Company.” drenched in the blood of celestials, all for perfectly reasonable
“…Weren’t they the ones who…?” prices! Come one, come all to Kessarin Company!”
“Yeeep.”
3: “…Then my sister Polly – you remember her, yeah? – she’ll be 13: “Beware the rains. The Shuck always comes with ’em. Oh, and
moving her family in here by next month.” stay off the rooftops.”

125
“Aren’t you afraid? This is all too good, ain’t it? The Watch and the
Council, they’ll find some way of taking this district back. They
always do.”
“They’re gonna have to go through Kapelle, which means barking
up Ketterdam’s tree. Doubt they’d be willing to go that far yet.”
4: “Lots of ghosts in Brickston, from the Dance. Heard some Wardens
talking about how they still haven’t exorcised them all. Some good
folk say they even spotted the Loverman in ‘er.”
5: “Demand’s been insane on us lately. Must have something to do
with the Hunters. Lots’ve been sunk or come back in a bad way.
Their crews are always worse off than the boats.”
6: (Every time this is rolled, it’ll always come from someone different
and scoundrel-looking OR a Union worker; determine as you will
*singing to this tune*)
“Holed up, out of the city
Bounty on my head
I don’t care if you call me “brother”
Nothing you say is gonna bring me back…”
7: “Hit the bar at the Firebird, order a Rusalye, three fourths red, on
the rocks. If you’re lucky, they’ll let you speak to their man. If you’re
unlucky, they’ll let you speak to their woman.”
8: “Don’t push Doctor Falner, yeah? He always makes sure you pay
for his services.”
14: “Innit that those houses used to belong to the Lampblacks?”
“Yep, back when Bazso was sweet with the Billhooks – then, a little
later, when it was the Finders in charge. He and the Dogs don’t get
along so good. Arthur tells me, in fact, that our Shuck stabbed Baz
last year.”
“But, didn’t they just…”
“Look, s’what I heard, I don’t pretend to understand.”
15: “Ain’t cheap, those Finders, but you’re sure to get whatever you
need from them. They don’t ask no questions either.”
16: “They say they’re sending Saint-General herself as soon as
possible. The mines just aren’t safe again with the hauntings, but
there’s profit to be had. No telling how long it’ll be, though, and
while the lady Witcher’s taking her sweet time, the rest of us are out
of work.”
17: “…For it was into Sankt Andrei’s arms that Sankt Malyen placed
his Beloved, and it was into Sankt Andrei’s ears that the Tracker
whispered their Second Wish. Thus, it is said that Sankt Andrei and
his followers fled to North Hook and hid our Sun Summoner away
from the Darkling, where they met our Sankt Gwenhyvar. The First
Roads are Gwenhyvar’s work. The Second Roads are Andrei’s, meant
to lead the faithful to Alina’s resting place.”
18: (same tune as #6, This time, though, the one singing is always a
blonde young man in leathers OR a beautiful, dark-haired girl with a
waifish face. Neither are dressed like regular citizens of Coalridge)
*singing*)
“I got the same gun, with new bullets
A long line of my new sins
126

9: “Truth is, we like cats better than we like any of yous. Surefire way
for you to get yourself possessed or worse by ghosties? Ignore how
the mousers move around these parts, what they do.”
10: “I must say, Lord Adagio is the strangest noble I’ve ever met. He
keeps his own quarters, has no scruples no matter who he’s dealing
with from where or what, and apparently isn’t afraid to get his own
hands dirty by working with his own men.”
I’m a trigger-happy maniac, so tell me father
How many sins must I confess?”
19: (Conversation between a young Bluecoat and a factory worker.
Factory worker has a Union armband. He’s got the Bluecoat by the
collar.)
“Now listen here, son. This District ain’t the place for you to be
throwing your weight around. Knock us one more time and mark
my words: Mad Dog will know. And he’ll come for you.”
20: “…Ain’t so bad, though, living around here. The young Lord
Kapelle is fixing everything up, and them Dogs take better care o’ us
than the Coats ever did.”
127
CROW’S FOOT
Crow’s Foot is a crossroads, merging many qualities of its neighboring districts: the illicit vices of Silkshore, the labor and trade of the Docks,
the poverty of Charhollow, and the classic architecture of Charterhall. The district is a patchwork, both held together and threatened to be
torn apart by the menagerie of competing street gangs and Bluecoat squads that claim every avenue and corner as territory in an endless turf
war.

LANDMARKS
I. CROW’S NEST. An old Tower of Tides that has been a
sanctum, an astronomer’s laboratory, and a Bluecoat watch
post — before its current role as the headquarters of the
district’s chief gang, the Crows.
II. TANGLETOWN. During the Sundering that occurred with the
Darkling’s rise to power, one of the massive leviathan hunter
ships was partially sunk in the river. Since then, it’s collected
an attendant flotilla of tiny watercraft, all lashed together
into a floating neighborhood. Tangletown is considered
neutral ground among the street gangs of Crow’s Foot, and
no violence is allowed there.
III. HENWICK HOUSE. The lost children and unwanted orphans of
Crow’s Foot inevitably pass through the halls of Henwick
V. THE LEAKY BUCKET. The largest and most popular public
house in the District. Left untouched and unharrassed by all
the gang wars and politicking of the different factions of
Crow’s Foot because of the ties and clout possessed by its
House. Some are cared for and trained for jobs at the Docks
or the workhouses of Coalridge. Others are quietly
instructed in the arts of the lookouts and runners used by
the gangs of the district — all for a small fee to Henwick
House, of course.
IV. RED SASH SWORD ACADEMY. This large mansion has been
converted into a training school for the Falling Star style of
Shu sword play. The Red Sashes, a gang who run several
luxury drug dens in the district, used to claim it as their HQ
and cover operation for their illicit operations. These days,
though, the instructors and senior students of the Sashes are
actively trying to shy away from gang activities.
owner. As such, it’s a bit of an impromptu gathering place
for the District’s citizenry. Its proprietor is said to regularly
hand out jobs for scoundrels who are hoping to establish
themselves in North Hook.

128
DETAILS
SCENE: Dockers filing to and from work. Minks plying their trade on the corners.
A squad of Bluecoats shaking down a shopkeep for a bribe. Rival gangs calling
challenges to each other across the rooftops. A fine coach carrying a noble
seeking illicit wares.
STREETS: Multi-level, cramped, dark, foggy. Ash Way, Cinder Street, Rye Street,
Candle Street, Hulliver Lane.
BUILDINGS: Flophouses, inns, old manors chopped into apartments, traditional
stone houses. Smiths, taverns, brothels, and butchers.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Years of murder have made this the most haunted district. Angry ghosts
crave bloodshed here. You may take a Devil’s Bargain for +1d for violent
action, but the ghost will lash out, too.

NOTABLES OF CROW’S FOOT

MARDIN GULL. Owner and operator of the Leaky Bucket public house. Mardin
was the leader of the Crows many years ago (before Roric and Lyssa) and
now enjoys a comfortable retirement out of the scoundrel life.
(Charming, Experienced, Respected)
KELLER. A blacksmith that has been on the payroll of the Red Sash Academy
since Mylera Klev’s term as Headmaster. That he continues to be their

129
 man of choice for smithy work of all kinds shows that he must be good enough at his job to prevent Erdin Oktai from killing him on
principle. (Talented, Nervy, Greedy)
SERGEANT JENNA LOCHLAN. The senior Bluecoat squad leader in the district, reporting to Captain Dunvil. Lochlan is flexible and reasonable,
taking bribes and payoffs when she can; enforcing the law and making examples when necessary. (Shrewd, Tough, Commanding)
LEWIT, JOL, MYRA, REYF. Bluecoat constables; they run an extortion racket. They will neither confirm nor deny whether Captain Dunvil is in on
the gig, and Sergeant Lochlan – their superior officer – most definitely isn’t.
ERDIN OKTAI. The new Headmaster of the Red Sash Academy, following Mylera Klev’s unfortunate demise during the Dance at Coalridge. He’s
spearheading the “reformation” of the Academy and seems rather uninterested in the former activities of the gang Klev had controlled.
(Handsome, Vicious, Languid)
SAWTOOTH. A backdoor Physicker who has made his bread and butter through being a neutral surgeon on call for all gangs who can pay his
fees. Operates out of a butcher shop owned by his Inferni wife. Used to be a “she”. (Huge, Frugal, surprisingly deft hands)
SOREN. The spirit of a boss whose gang – the Blue Moons, shadows who had made liberal use of arcane knowledge and occult powers in their
scores – had existed alongside the very first batch of Crows, Red Sashes, and Lampblacks. Appears whenever there’s a new crew in need
of a leg up against their peers. What Soren himself does not know is that he’s been dead for decades. He also does not know that he has
since become a Saint, and the “help” he provides these crews out of the goodness of his undead heart is often responsible for getting his
benefactors killed in the end. (Gentle, Friendly, dreams big, instinctively prefers young gangsters)
WALKER. Boss of the Bronze Hogs, a crew of bravos that is just shy of growing into a proper gang. Has managed to keep himself and his people
from getting wiped out by the Crows, bullied by the Red Sash Academy (although that has stopped since Oktai stepped into power),
and “encouraged” to join the Lampblacks. It’s hard to say how long that’ll last. (Daring, Intimidating, soft for his crew)

FACTIONS & GANGS IN CROW’S FOOT

WARDEN BOSSES: The Crows
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Blue Bonnets ❖ The Lampblacks
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The Red Sash Academy
❖ The Brigade ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner ❖ The Silver Nails

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 ❖ The Unseen ❖ The Worshippers of Djel
❖ The Weeping Lady
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Dandy Lions ❖ The River Dogs
❖ The Dimmer Sisters ❖ The Seventh Step
❖ The Hive ❖ The Wraiths
❖ The Majnun

OVERHEARD IN CROW’S FOOT

Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Lyssa did it with her own hands, they say. Eye to eye, cold as can 11: “Used to be that there were three warden bosses in this town.
be.” Then the Dance happened, and the Sashes hung, and Roric fell unto
“If she stuck her own boss she’s a dirty scuttler,” (spits) “…but not Lyssa’s knife, and Bazso didn’t do the right thing when they were
one I’ll cross any time soon.” counting on him to.”

2: “I heard it was Casta from the Hands that Jenna’s been sleeping
with.”
“Well, I heard it’s our very own Lyssa.”
“…”
“…”
“Reckon it might be both?”
“Reckon so.”
3: (exasperated dock worker digging through his pockets in front of
a Bluecoat.)
“Aw, c’mon, Lew, have a li’l mercy, I gave you a good share like you
asked last week. Extra and everything!”
“Sorry, no can do, Nix. Unless you want to be the one to argue it out
with Myra there.”
4: “Tally’s missing from the orphanage. I asked the headmistress if
he was taken already, but she shut me out! I’m desperate, I can’t
leave my little brother like this!”
12: “Every gangster in here’s on edge these days. Too many people
breaking faith in Tangletown.”
“Bit uncanny, though, innit? It really any of them, or is it something
else?”
“Idiot. Of course, a man’s gonna say it was an accident.”
“…But, all of them do.”
13: “There goes another crow. How dreadful!”
“Whassat? Seven inna last half hour? Naw, mate, this is Crow’s Foot.
Like, where they perch, get it? Night’s just getting started.”
14: “So, how do you… you know…”
“Ah, with Sawtooth? Hit the store. Tell his wife you want Barrell
Pork, thrice dead, bones intact. Bring coin, though. A lot of it.”

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5: (two street cleaners, one young, one old. They’ve found another
body.)
“Get some salt and kindling, boy.”
“But the Wardens – ”
“Have their hands bloody fuckin’ full with this place! Now, get!”
6: “Didn’t Oktai used to run with those Finders?”
“Well, I’m not going to ask him.”
7: “Wouldn’t take that shortcut if I was you. See that over there? The
Silver Nails have claimed that place. Unless you want a Fjerdan wolf
feasting on your guts tonight, friend, you’d best take the long route.”
8: “He threatened you? What, with a blade?”
“Oh, no, Warden sir, nothin’ plain like that, or I wouldn’t have
summoned yeh. He, well... it was awful strange. He spoke in my
Rickard’s voice, sir.”
“He threatened you with a stage trick?”
“Not a trick sir! Rickard’s own voice! Such awful things he said, too.”
(sighs) “Hardly a crime, madame.”
“But Rickard’s dead these seven years, sir! Never made it over from
the Isles. How could this Lampblack scuttler have his voice?”
9: “If you’ll be wanting some juicy gossip, Singer’s bath house brings
in all sorts of types. Just… if you’ve no coin for some privacy, don’t
ever drop your soap.”
10: “Best for you and your own that you pay up to ‘em Roosts.
Chance it once on these here streets, and if it ain’t a gang or a
Bluecoat that’ll getcha, I’m sure a demon or a ghost will.”
15: (random scoundrel – usually a Red Sash or a Lampblack, singing.
Same tune as the encounters in Coalridge. [see #6 or #18]. The
Bluecoats nearby look VERY uncomfortable when they hear the
song.)
“I’ve earned every thread from the gallows
Robbed the rich to feed the pure
When I’m swinging from a tree will you tell my daughter
I’m a holy vigilante in the devil’s door…”
16: “Henwick’s got some new services. Not my cup of tea at all,
though. Poor, poor little souls.”
17: “Mean days we’re living now. Least there used to be some sort of
code among the thieves here. Game’s changed, and we’re the ones
who suffer for it.”
18: (two dock workers, inspecting one of the many flyers advertising
the Red Sashes Academy.)
“Can’t right believe my eyes, Billy. Sashes doing charity work?
Taking commoners in for training?”
“Yeah, I’d say it’d be a bit too good to be true if I hadn’t seen it for
myself. We oughta count our blessings, though. Everyone else here’s
changed for the worse.”
19: “Good ol’ Mardin’s gone and made the Bucket bigger. Saints keep
that one. His dive’s the only safe house you can stay at now.”
“How long is that going to last, though? These new scumbags have
no respect for the way things used to be.”
20: (altercation between a Henwick House matron and a hysterical
mother. The latter is being dragged away by the Bluecoats.)
“I KNOW YOU TOOK HIM! YOU TOOK A MY SON! SAINTS CURSE
YOU, CURSE YOU, CURSE YOU!”
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THE DOCKS
The docks of North Hook are another one of the oldest districts of the city, back when the Duskwall was little else beyond Barrowcleft and
Coalridge. Today, some commerce has shifted to the new lightning rail of Kerch, but the docks are still bustling with cargo haulers, fishing
boats, whalers, and the prestigious leviathan hunter ships that provide the raw material that keeps the city running.

LANDMARKS
I. THE NORTH HOOK COMPANY. This grand, old-fashioned
estate house is headquarters for the oldest surviving
shipping and naval exploration enterprise in Kerch.
The North Hook Company has a massive fleet of trade
ships and is considered by many to be merely a private
front for the Grand Merchant Council of Ketterdam.
No one knows for sure, since enemies and rivals of the
company (not to mention overly curious journalists)
tend to disappear.
II. INK LANE. This twisting back-street is home to many of
the city’s tattooists as well as several newspapers—
who all share the cost of their inks in bulk. A fine place
for gossip and rumors of all kinds.
III. THE BROKEN ANCHOR. The largest tavern at the Docks,
operating out of a refurbished war ship from the days
of the Resistance against the Darkling. Popular dive for
the ex-soldiers, as the owner makes it a point to give
them food and drinks on the house or at a huge
discount.
IV. SALTFORD’S. A squat stone building that houses one of
the more notorious private banks in North Hook.
Being so close to the docks, Saltford’s has faced many
gangs of whiskey’d sailors that decided to turn to
robbery as a new line of work, and defeated them all—
sometimes even hanging the corpses from their lamp-
posts as discouragement to the next pack of drunken
fools.
V. THE FAIRGROUNDS. A fenced-off muddy field, dotted
with rusting animal pens, water tanks, and gaudy
signage. Sailors traditionally drop off any curious
creatures they pick up in their travels, which Captain
Rye, the strange proprietor, incorporates into his
makeshift zoological displays.

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DETAILS
SCENE: Small and medium steamships docked close, dwarfed by the
titanic leviathan hunter ships and whalers further out. Throngs of
sailors and dockers, doing their work, singing work-songs. Heavy cargo
rumbling away on wagons. Shouts and breaking glass from a brawl
spilling out of a tavern.
STREETS: Raised streets perched over the docks themselves, rigged with
cranes and winches. North Hook Way, Carter Street, Plume Street,
Saltford Street, Ink Lane.
BUILDINGS: Massive cargo warehouses. Squat taverns, brothels, and
tattoo parlors. Crowded overnight bunkhouses for sailors.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Operations against ships at port are considered on “hostile
turf” for the purpose of generating heat.
❖ Players may opt to take a loan from Saltford’s at their own risk.

NOTABLES OF THE DOCKS

BEN ALDRIDGE (BADGER). Novyi Zem born, and one of the last surviving
members of the first generation of leviathan hunters of North Hook

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 alongside Ingrid “Twelves” Mangusen. Gained his nickname because of his hair, which he continues to keep shaved but for a single
streak that evenly divides the two halves of his head and ends in a ponytail. Twelves’ oldest friend; he’s served on every one of her
crews as her Chief Engineer until the death of his husband made him realize that perhaps he should have spent more time on shore
with his loved ones. An inventor of exceptional foresight and talent; only takes the request of clients who interest him. (Quiet,
Brilliant, dotes over his grandchildren, still in mourning)
CHARO BAHAGHARI. A tough, no-nonsense bailan from Namayan who claims that her Heart Path led her to North Hook. She’s on the market for
challenging jobs of all sorts out on the True Sea and within the Docks themselves. So far, she’s received stellar reviews, and the
rougher, less scrupulous types in the district have learned not to cross her. (Fierce, Proud, Honorable)
ARTHUR CONWAY. The most senior squad captain of the Bluecoats at the Docks, under Captain Stone’s command. Many people attribute his
long tenure at a district like his with the fact that he’s well-connected to all the major factions in this area. He’s from “honest stock”
according to the Guild of Kerch Whalers, married to a leviathan hunter with a good track record, best friend to Chief Helker, and a
blood brother to the Butcher of Saltford’s. With this pedigree, one wonders why he isn’t commander yet. (Tough, Fair, Handsome)
NURUL FALLASH. An Iruvian leviathan hunter who is also renowned in his country for being a Dunemaster – the captains of Iruvia’s
spelljammers over the Black Sands. (Volatile, Proud, alcoholic)
CHIEF HELKER. One of the most influential senior Dockers. Helker has a lot of sway at the docks, and if you cross him, you might find your
cargo tossed into the drink — and possibly you along with it. (Cautious, Greedy)
INGRID MANGUSEN (TWELVES). Kerch born and bred, and of the last surviving members of the first generation of leviathan hunters of North
Hook, the very same generation that also had to face the genetically modified leviathan soldiers of the Darkling. Nicknamed “Twelves”
because she has, over the course of her illustrious career, grown an extra finger on each hand and an extra toe on each foot due to long
periods of exposure to the miasmic fogs that roll over some sections of the True Sea. Has outlived each and every one of her crews so
far (except for Badger), and loudly proclaims to all who will listen that the only form of retirement she’ll accept is if she’s killed out at
sea. (Old, Spry, Unorthrodox, heavy coffee drinker)
MARLANE. One of the more crowd favorites among the pit fighters of the Docks. Responsible for training an entire generation of hopefuls to
fight, win, and rake in the coin. (Jovial, Warm)
MAES MORDECHAI. The all-around fixer, doorman, and protector of Saltford’s. Given how warm he comes off while he’s strolling (limping)
around the Docks, new folks around the district are initially bewildered to hear that he’s known as “the Butcher”. Then they see his
handiwork around Saltford Street. (Cheerful, Ruthless, Striking)
RIGNEY. A former ship surgeon turned owner of the Broken Anchor tavern. A shining example of how being nice and compassionate really
DOES have its rewards, even in a cutthroat place like North Hook. (Compassionate, Honest, Tough)

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SETARRA. A demon who has gained some notoriety, especially since nobody has managed to catch her(?). Often comes around as a voice and a
large pair of eyes in dark corners, or close to the less frequented or used piers in the District. Fond of possessing/controlling prostitutes.
Occasionally paid for this purpose. (Alluring, Sexy, Deadly)
TREV. Boss of a small crew of Bravos who haven’t even come up with a name for themselves yet. All of them used to be Crows; they fled from
Crow’s Foot after Roric’s murder, as their loyalty to their old leader automatically painted a target on their backs with Lyssa. (Bitter,
Suspicious, Loyal)
TRIS. A legendary tattooist who only inks those that have looked upon a leviathan and lived to tell the tale. Getting a tattoo from Tris is a rite of
passage for everyone who hunts the demons of the deep lurking in the True Sea. (Artistic, Popular, Insightful)

FACTIONS & GANGS IN THE DOCKS

WARDEN BOSSES: Saltford’s
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Crows ❖ The Guild of Whalers
❖ The Council of Tides ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Dockers ❖ The Sailors
❖ The Hive ❖ The Sidapa
❖ The Grinders ❖ The Unseen
❖ The Guild of Kerch Leviathan Hunters
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Ghost Wolves ❖ The Lampblacks
❖ The Ink Rakes ❖ The Worshippers of Djel
❖ The River Dogs

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OVERHEARD IN THE DOCKS
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Don’t get cute with Laney girl, boyo, she’s a spry one. She’ll find
you, twist your ear and twirl you around if you push the wrong
buttons too often.”
2: “Ya see, there are three types in this world. Maes Mordechai, me,
an’ doffing idiots.”
3: (from a Cypher, reading from a Council scroll)
“…would like to remind all good, Saint-fearing residents of North
Hook that the punishment for treason is execution according to the
form of capital punishment favored by your country – in the case of
Zemeni Law, this would be death by electric chair. The Free Republic
would, as well, like to reiterate its offer of a reward in titled land on
the Continent, and the sum of ten thousand Zemeni doublets, for
any information on the seditionists formally of the First Company
from the Seventh Regiment…”
4: “…Word is, they’re negotiating with Bahaghari now. They need
tough types like her, even if they’re bloody expensive. Last few
teams they sent out to that ship never came back.”
5: “Don’t even bother asking the Bluecoats in this town for any help.
Helker’s the real authority, and his boys can get the sort of justice
you want for you a lot quicker than they ever will.” (a pause)
“Unless it’s the bank that’s got you up in a tizzy, in which case you
might as well shut up and take it.”
6: “Quickest way ta make sure all o’Duskwall knows about
something? Tell an Ink Rake what you want then tell him not to
breathe your words to a soul.”
11: “You’ll have to forgive me if I am unsympathetic to your plight,
Magistrate Hawthorne. No more loans: that’s final. Now, if you’ll
excuse me…”
“Please! All I need is a bit more coin. The ship, see, it’s – ”
“Don’t make me call Mr. Mordechai. Good day, sir.”
12: From a random building of your choice, cordoned off by stone-
faced Wardens and frightened-looking Bluecoats who definitely
don’t want to be there: guttural moans and the rattling of windows
and walls and doors. Think “The Walking the Dead”, et al.
13: (sung as an out-of-tune sea shanty)
“...pawned my farm for a ‘viathan hunter
“lost me ship to the ink
“paddled back home on a dead god’s shell...”
(louder, as if expecting others to join in)
“I’d sell me soul for a drink!”
14: “If it’s fun you’re looking for, try catching Setarra’s attention.
Guaranteed: she – or he, if that’s your fancy – will give you a night
you’ll never forget.”
15: (from a liveried announcer, standing on a box a street or so away
from the Fairgrounds)
“…And this month’s marvelous display includes, from the
mysterious depths of the True Sea, A LIVE MERMAID IN THE
FLESH…”
16: “All rounds are on me tonight boys! To the Wardens and their
fuckin’ weird hots for whale oil!”
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7: “Looks like a regular tattoo to me.”
“Naaaaw, see how the crab’s claw wriggles? Ink’s laced with demon
blood.”
“Sure, and I’m the Weepin’ Lady.”
“Oh, you’ll see. Once it sets in...”
8: “If it was Captain Fallash you borrowed from, don’t expect the
cash back. Ever. Good man to have when it’s time to throw
somebody down, though.”
9: Have a cat – breed and coloring of choice – approach character of
choice, begging for food. They’ll follow the Whispers, Grisha and
similarly attuned sorts for a block or two. There are cats everywhere
in the Docks.
10: “There are sections of the grotto where the power of the Council
of Tides can’t reach. Where you can see the Lights up close and hear
them clear as crystal. Treasure’s to be had for sure, given all the
sunken boats from the Sundering and the Wars. The risk, though…”
17: “Many ways to lure a Daughter of the Deep out these days, but
the oldest trick in the book is still the best one.”
“And which one would that be, sir?”
“Pure, distilled nightmares of children.”
18: (one sad-looking sailor leading along his ashen-faced, babbling
friend down the street. Everyone gives them a VERY wide berth.
Babbling sailor looks like he’s been in the clutches of something
with a lot of tentacles.)
“…Now, come along then, Troyen, let’s get you looked at…”
19: “Marlane and her circuit isn’t just tolerated around these parts:
she and her own are a motherfucking institution! You want a tough
fuck, you get somebody she raised and trained in her pits.”
20: (one supervisor shaking a young boy roughly by the collar, red in
the face. An overturned vat has whale oil covering an entire street.
Yes, the smell is horrible.)
“…DO YOU REALIZE YOUR FUCKING CIGARETTE BREAK
COULDA JUST BLOWN US ALL TO THE SAINTS AND BEYOND?!”
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DUNSLOUGH
Dunslough is a ghetto for the destitute poor of the city, as well as the site of Ironhook Prison and its labor camp. Originally, the ghetto was a
neighborhood for families of prisoners, but over the years, extreme poverty and neglect have worn it down into a sodden ruin. A vicious cycle
plays out here: crime driven by desperation, then arrest, incarceration, and release back to Dunslough — giving Ironhook an endless supply of
laborers to exploit.

LANDMARKS
I. IRONHOOK PRISON. A towering metal fortress, where the
worst (or most unlucky) criminals are incarcerated.
The poorest are forced to work at Dunvil Labor Camp.
The most well-connected prisoners manage a
comfortable stay and may even continue to run their
criminal enterprises from behind bars.
II. DUNVILL LABOR CAMP. Poor prisoners who can’t afford
to bribe the staff at Ironhook or hook themselves up
with one of the outfits within its walls spend most of
their days toiling at Dunvil Labor Camp, loading
precious ores onto barges for the rail station and
breaking the larger rocks hauled from the Mire.
III. DUNSLOUGH GHETTO. The most destitute of the city end
up in Dunslough, working the Mire for a pittance just
to buy their daily bread. The city counts the space as
“runoff” for the prison grounds and does nothing to
maintain it. In fact, they’ve made conditions in the
ghetto even worse by forcibly relocating every Seryvin
they can find to this place.
IV. THE MIRE. A massive mud-quarry pit, the Mire is the
site of the impact of a celestial body that had been
hurled into the district by the Darkling. It left behind a
variety of precious ores and jewels embedded in the
earth.
V. SALLAHATTIN’S SCHOOLHOUSE. The refurbished and
renovated District Hall of Dunslough, now owned by
Ehsan Sallahattin. Sallahattin has converted the entire
place into a school house, soup kitchen and library,
where he teaches the children of Dunslough for free.
The place is regularly harassed by the City Watch of
Dunslough and the Wardens of Ironhook Prison, but
Sallahattin’s connections to the Iruvian Embassy have,
thus far, prevented things from escalating.

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DETAILS
SCENE: Mud-covered laborers returning from the Mire. Destitute
families scrounging for scraps along the roadway to the Barrowcleft
farms. Seryvin huddled miserably around dumpster fires. Bored
Ironhook guards, rifles slung on their backs, watching a taskmaster lash
a labor camp prisoner.
STREETS: Cramped, multi-level—some of stone but many of dirt, sodden
into thick black mud. No street names to be found.
BUILDINGS: Decrepit wooden row houses, many abandoned from fire
damage or fallen-in from age. Stone silos, clanking steam machinery,
and metal sheds for dredging equipment.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ There are a lot of desperate sorts milling about in Dunslough,
hungry for an opportunity to earn a bit of cash. They’re not
exactly skilled, though, and many aren’t quite sane either. Take
a Devil’s Bargain to gain +2d to acquiring cohorts, but the asset
will come with a minor entanglement of the GM’s choice.

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NOTABLES OF DUNSLOUGH
BENAZ. The so-called gatekeeper of the District, as he is charged with handling the Watch patrols that monitor the borders of Ironhook.
Known for his preference for killing prisoners who attempt to escape rather than bring them back in. (Sadistic, Arrogant, hates it
when people look him in the eye)
ECKERD. Bodyman assigned to Dunslough. Extremely efficient at his job. Maybe a bit too efficient. (Tall, Lanky, gallows humor)
MASTER KROCKET. An unsavory, greasy-haired, scarecrow of a man who runs the snarling pack of vicious dogs used by Ironhook to track down
escapees and sniff out contraband and tunnels. His dog-handlers can be found around the labor camp and all about Dunslough, using
their status with the prison for favors and bribes. (Cruel, Greedy, Ruthless)
MEG. One of the so-called “stars” of Sergeant Velk’s pit-fighting circle in the district. Has been trying to fight for her brother’s freedom for the
past five years now. She knows why she has not succeeded yet, but it’s not like she can do anything about it. (Scarred, Tough, Worn)
NOGGS. The “leader” of the Seryvin community within Dunslough Ghetto, easily distinguishable because the entirety of his skin has been
warped to resemble roughened stone. He’s made it his business to protect his newfound family, and his drive has attracted a number of
the tougher Seryvin who have found themselves stuck in this district. (Brooding, Huge, Stern)
QUELLYN. The Cunning Woman of the Seryvin community within Dunslough Ghetto, and Noggs’ unofficial second. Distinguishable for her
rainbow-colored hair, and the fact that she has small, feathered wings protruding from her temples. Powerful grisha Healer, also
knowledgeable in arcane arts. (Scholarly, Calm, Kind)
EHSAN SALLAHATTIN. An ex-diplomat of the Iruvian Embassy. It is said that he had been so moved during one diplomatic mission to Ironhook
Prison that he immediately resigned from his post and channeled all his savings and assets into setting up a school house in
Dunslough. He is its only librarian and teacher. Rather popular among the poor residents of the District because of how he takes care
of their children, and continuously protects them and their families from harassment. He’s so charismatic and big-hearted, in fact, that
he even welcomes Seryvin children into his schoolhouse. (Compassionate, Learned, Fearless)
VANDRA. A Deathlands scavenger that survived six runs and was pardoned. She knows the landscape beyond the barrier very well — but few
can make sense of her haunted mumblings. (Haunted, Wise)

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FACTIONS & GANGS IN DUNSLOUGH
WARDEN BOSSES: Ironhook Prison
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Blue Bonnets ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The Silver Nails
❖ The Crows ❖ The Unseen
❖ The Deathlands Scavengers
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Majnun ❖ The River Dogs
❖ The Inspectors ❖ The Weeping Lady

OVERHEARD IN DUNSLOUGH
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “You punched a guy out of his pants!”
“They were kinda loose, I guess. Boots came off, too. Then his
pregnant wife came at me. What are you supposed to do about
that?”
2: “Don’t look into Benaz’s eyes, unless you wanna be the next body
they string up as an ‘example’ along the River Wall.”
3: “The only pretty ones around here are the Bonnets, and they’re off-
limits unless you’re a Bluecoat. Next on the list are the Jailbirds, but
Saints only know what their pimps have on them to make them
take to whoring. Poor things.”
4: “The old bird Tarvul got rounded up again recently.”
“Again? I’m surprised they haven’t killed him or the other Billhooks
in the slammer yet.”
11: “Wouldn’t go messin’ with Vandra if I was yous. Poke fun at her,
and you’ll be poking fun at Quel, and that witch ain’t nearly as sweet
as Vandra is.”
12: At the next corner, the player(s) will see the corpse of a woman
lying on the road. The swaddling bundle in her stiff arms is
squirming and crying. A pack of dogs watches with interest.
13: “That wretch, Rowley. That... thing is twisted. I was walking late
the other night and can swear I saw him surrounded by a damn
horde of dregs like him. And they were pleading allegiance like he
was the dammed king of the alleys. It was the mockery of a court,
with a throne and everything. He... it’s gathering an army, I tell you.”
14: From a man in a dusty suit that was nice once upon a time. Now
it’s been patched and sewn over one too many times. Anyone
observing him will see that it’s clear that he targets outsiders.

142
“Orders from the top, I reckon. Maybe they ought to, though, the
Mad Dog killing his family drove him off the edge.”
5: “Noggs don’t get mad easy – heart of gold in that big, stone-
looking lug – but when he does? Ain’t no Saint above or below who
can save you from him.”
6: At the road just ahead, a pack of dogs is hot on the heels of a
sobbing, stumbling man. Shrieks, barks, mauling. You may or may
not want to look.
7: “…And make sure you’re indoors after the Witching Hour, cos if
Krocket’s dogs that don’t get you, Steiner’s wolves will.”
8: (An arrogant-looking Bluecoat is standing in front of a large crowd
of slum dwellers.)
“…And so, we declare that the new minimum quota per man is half
his weight in stone. Incentives shall be rewarded to whosever
delivers for seven days, and one – just one – ore of value is
discovered…”
9: “Master Sallahattin is a living Saint. May Alina herself and all her
Companions preserve him, he’s one of the few good things about
this District.”
10: “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay Mistress Quel for what
she did for us. My daughter’s all I have left of him, and she brought
my girl back from the edge of death!”
“Hey, hey… lookin’ to feel alive? Wanna be the master of another
man’s destiny? Come with me then, good man. The Sergeant’s pets
always need a backer – and you’ll get to do with them as you please
before, during, and AFTER the fight, guaranteed!”
15: A huddled, wretched figure is on his hands and knees, digging
with his bare hands.
“Deeper and deeper must go deeper I can hear the stones, stones,
singing…”
16: “Them Wardens are meaner than theys ever was since their last
Commander was found dead in the courtyard. Accident, they say, in
the kennels.”
17: “Best cut yourself, girl, or find some way of looking less like you
do now. Don’t look up too high, don’t look too nice. They’ll take you.
They take girls, boys… they take them all, as long as they’re pretty
enough.”
18: An Iruvian man, naked as the day he was born, sitting cross-
legged on a stone right out on the streets. He appears to be
meditating. No matter what people do to him or say to him, he does
not move and does not speak beyond the low, guttural litany he is
reciting over and over. A close inspection will show that he may
have carved his own tattoos, and they’re less tattoos and more like
wounds and cuts made to form intricate patterns and shapes of his
choosing.
19: “Eck takes them elsewhere, you know. The bodies.”
“Who cares? At least they’re not out on the streets. Ain’t no one’s
gonna miss some of them anyway.”
“But what if one of them was your family?”
“Got no family to speak of left.”
20: “Mommy, mommy, why were Miss Vannie and Miss Quellie
kissing the way you and Daddy do?”
“Because, dear, when two people love each other very much…”
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NIGHTMARKET
Nightmarket is a district dominated by commerce. Situated near Gaddoc Rail Station, Nightmarket receives the bulk of salable goods from the
lightning rail trains, bringing the exotic and rare to Duskwall. The citizens that call Nightmarket home constitute a new class of “elites”—
wealthy people who are not of noble descent nor have connections to the guilds or the merchants of North Hook, but nevertheless claim land,
status, and power without titles. The district has been taken over by new construction, introducing lavish private townhouses with all of the
modern advances for the elites that can afford them.

LANDMARKS
I. THE VEIL. A luxurious social club known for its
confidentiality and permissive policies regarding
guests and arcane or unusual forms of entertainment
behind its doors. Ibrahim Therani, the proprietor and
host, is said to be the son of the first Iruvians who came
to North Hook, and a Daeva of great power. He’s rarely
seen in person.
II. DUNDRIGE & SONS. Considered by many to be the
foremost tailor in North Hook. The Dundridge family
has provided the finest clothes and sartorial
accoutrements to discerning citizens of Ketterdam and
North Hook for several generations. Despite their
legendary reputation, Dundridge’s prices are very
reasonable.
III. VREEN’S HOUND RACES. The racing of specially bred
hounds is currently in vogue among North Hooks’s
upper crust. A con man from the Wandering Isle
calling himself “Master Vreen” swindled a small
fortune from gullible investors to create “the premier
hound racing track in Kerch.” The investors have yet to
see any returns, but Vreen assures them that a great
windfall is due any day now.
IV. THE DEVIL’S TOOTH. A tavern known for its “secret”
menu of alchemical concoctions. Adventurous
psychonauts may experiment with all manner of
mind-altering (or spirit-altering) substances in the
relative safety of Mistress Kember’s comfortable
establishment.
V. THE BLACK LOTUS. A sprawling, four-tiered
establishment built to look like an imperial Shu Han
estate. It’s one of the newer social clubs in town, but it’s
made quite a name for itself for having wares,
offerings, and nightly companions on their repartee
that rival the Veil’s selections.
VI. THE CAT & THE CANDLE. One of the first taverns and
public houses to ever be established in Nightmarket. It
continues to be the place of choice for weary travelers
coming in from the Gaddoc Rail Station and looking
for a place to stay for a night or several.

144
DETAILS
SCENE: Electric lights in a riot of colors advertise the market stalls of
the vendors. Several devout acolytes bow in silent prayer at the
statues of the Night Queen, the district’s adopted forgotten god. Once
every three blocks, there’s food set out for the cats that lounge all over
the District. The city’s elite, hidden behind masks, slip into the
underground to partake of strange pleasures in the private clubs.
STREETS: Multi-level wooden platforms and boardwalks. Landscaped
parks of petrified trees from the Deathlands. High-class subterranean
avenues. Song Street, String Street, Paper Street, Bell Street.
BUILDINGS: Wooden market stalls. Underground stone shops and
clubs. Newly constructed private townhouses for the Nightmarket
elites.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Nightmarket is the best place to trade illicit and arcane goods
in the city, but the darker corners are full of strange horrors. You can
take +1d to acquire an asset here, at the cost of 2 stress.
❖ Operations against the citizenry of Nightmarket will start a six-
segment Clock: “The Wolf”. Fill at every succeeding instance of an
operation against citizenry of Nightmarket. Once filled, mark a
negative tick for Faction: The Ghost Wolves.

145
NOTABLES OF NIGHTMARKET
CELENE. A sentinel for hire, with a sterling track record. Most everyone’s aware that she’s only ever in Nightmarket to take on extra jobs when
she’s off the clock from her real guardian work, but nobody knows who her official employer is. (Kind, Honorable, has a scar across
one eye)
ESME. The current proprietress of the Cat & the Candle, Nightmarket’s largest public house and most popular tavern. In a similar fashion to
Mardin Gull from the Leaky Bucket in Crow’s Foot, Esme used to be a scoundrel of repute. She retired comfortably and continues to be
treated with respect and care by the local gangs. She became the owner of the Cat by marrying into the family that established the
place, although that wife’s been dead for more than a decade now. Her other wife is still alive and is said to own several establishments
in Ketterdam. (Motherly, Resilient, actually does love cats)
JIRA. A dealer of fine weapons from Shu Han and Iruvia. Greatly respected by many street toughs in the Duskwall — a “jira blade” is a status
symbol that many aspire to. (Bold, Tough)
LECLURE. A purveyor of personal luxuries (soaps, hair oils, perfume, fine silks) who dabbles in fortune telling. Some say that her drowned lover
is a ghost that whispers secrets in her ear. (Pretty, Tough, Unstable)
BILAL MAAT. Ibrahim Therani’s latest lawyer, fresh off the train from Iruvia. May be the reason why entire blocks of prime real estate in
Nightmarket are freeing up for friends of Mr. Therani. (Boisterous, Ruthless, foodie)
MORDIS. A strange merchant that hides its true appearance beneath many layers of robes and hoods. Also fences occult and arcane stolen
goods, no questions asked. (Secretive, Insightful, Arcane)
IBRAHIM THERANI. Proprietor and Host of the Veil, from old (and insanely rich) Iruvian blood. A rare sight, even among the regulars and rising
elite of the District. A Daeva of great power. (Sexy, Brilliant, Mysterious)
VELDREN. Something of a tourist spectacle for those new to Nightmarket. Psychonaut, unverified whether he’s an amusing addict too poisoned
to ever return to lucid thought, or a legitimate explorer of psychedelic realms beyond mere mortal experience. (Talkative,
Affectionate, Loud)
NASRA ZOSHAVID. The new Bluecoat chief of the District, born of honest immigrant stock. Able to handle all the different interest groups
within Nightmarket with finesse. (Professional, Unflappable, Tough)

146
FACTIONS & GANGS IN NIGHTMARKET
WARDEN BOSSES: The Ghost Wolves
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Esteemed Circle of Disciples of Sankt Ilya ❖ The River Dogs
❖ The Majnun ❖ The Sidapa
❖ The Path of Echoes ❖ The White Hands
❖ The Red Sash Academy
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ Lord Scurlock ❖ The Iruvian Consulate
❖ The Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh ❖ The Seventh Step
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner ❖ The Shu Han Embassy
❖ The Dandy Lions ❖ The Worshippers of Djel
❖ The Dimmer Sisters ❖ The Wraiths
❖ The Ink Rakes

OVERHEARD IN NIGHTMARKET
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Wanna grasp a wolf by the jaws? Go to the Night Queen for a full week,
exactly on the Hour of Chains, and leave a Coin for the Dead at the base. If
you find a letter smelling of higanbana on the eighth day, you’re in luck.”
2: “Word on the street is, Veil’s trying to find ways to muscle the Lotus out
of here. Losing customers and rep, see. Might be that Therani’s met his first
real rival in decades.”
3: “You ever need an extra pair of hands and a strong back against your
back, you talk to Celene. Careful not to offer her the wrong sort of work,
though. She’ll remember you for it.”
“And what counts as ‘wrong’?”
“Anything that violates her code.”
11: This sweet voice will call out from an alleyway or a flower bush,
complete with an ephemeral arm beckoning towards the player(s).
“Come, pretty, come closer. Come, warm me up?”
12: “I tell you, ’twas a lover’s quarrel that caused so much trouble for us
here. Casta should have known her place and stuck to it.”
13: “Red milk, I call it. Y’take scarlet toad venom, distill it pure—a method
whispered to me by a demon, hahaha! — cut it with a vesch of fractionated
spirit essence, the best memories of former life—dam’t hard to get—but if
y’got some, even a dram...”
“Yes, yes... as I said, Lord Scurlock has...”
“Highest high silver can buy—lord, lad, or lady.”

147
4: “You may want to steer clear of your friend, our dearest Magistrate
Hawthorne.”
“Whyever so?”
“He’s trying to leave town. Been pleading with whoever would listen to
take him in or help him flee. The Bluecoats have been shaking associates of
his down. I’ve no idea what he did, but I’d rather not get caught in the
crossfire.”
5: “Night around the Market isn’t complete without old reliable Vel
spooking some new folks.”
6: “Whatever’s happening down there?”
“Wardens sealed the area. Every place along that street’s been broken into
by spirits, and the Witchers are a bit too busy to tend to the issue.”
7: “Once was the Eels who were the big men of this town, right beside the
Hands before they fell too far. They dressed same as the Wolf and his pack –
was their masks that were different. Acted different too. Money was their
Saint, not Justice.”
8: (A masked “herald” of Nightmarket addressing tonight’s crowd)
“…And please be reminded that the Guilds of Nightmarket condemn abuse
and maltreatment of the cat populace within the District. All citizens must
not be remiss in their taxes, for a percentage goes into the care and feeding
of our feline protectors…”
(from disgusted passerby)
“This place feeds its cats better than it feeds its humans.”
9: “Money won’t be enough for you to get one of Jira’s and threatening him
won’t do nothing but get you in deeper shite. He’s always going on about
‘only giving to true warrior spirits’.”
10: “If there’s something you want and it’s not a shop but a man who has it,
find the Hands. They’ll gladly take it for you, provided that you make it
interesting enough for them.”
14: “Plenty of good crews around this town for moving supplies of your
choice, but if it’s bodies and people you want to transport, you’d best find
the boat that looks like it came from Namayan. Climb in, blindfold
yourself, and wait. They’ll come in an hour if they want your business.”
15: “If you’re lost and you know you shouldn’t be, turn all your clothes
backward and follow the next cat you see. Don’t look away from it. Don’t
lose it either.”
16: “No trespassing. This is Mr. Therani’s property.”
“That’s my HOUSE you’re blocking me from!”
“It is not your house anymore.”
17: “Out of whale oil again, I see.”
“Aye, stock’s been selling like hotcakes lately – and to Wardens, at that.
Saints know why they need to stockpile, and believe me: I’m content with
just the Saints knowing what they plan on doing with all that oil.”
18: “I don’t envy Captain Zoshavid’s position. Seems like her own men
despise her for what she is.”
19: “But the loveliest place here, friend, is the Black Lotus. Superior by far.
Horrendously difficult to book, though, even for a single hour. And then,
there are their rules. If they decide they do not like you, no amount of
money in the world will let you through their doors.”
20: (two female revelers on a bench, one looking completely lost in her own
dreams)
“We can’t afford to go back there, silly! Not until next week, at the very
least.”
“But, I must see him! I must see Lord Therani again! His eyes… (sighing
dreamily) I’ll never, ever forget them.”
148
SILKSHORE
Criss-crossed by dozens of narrow canals, Silkshore is a district best navigated by gondola, as most visitors to this “red lamp district” do. The
brothels, vice dens, food stalls, and exotic shops all perch at the waterside, ready to satisfy the appetites of their clientele, no questions asked.
Silkshore is a place of public indulgence and private indelicacy, catering to every pleasure imaginable—as well as some that strain the bounds
of fantasy.

LANDMARKS
I. THE SPARK GROUNDS. Beneath the crackling flares of a
lightning tower, this open field draws crowds to watch
the death-defying stunts of acrobats and circus
performers, including the notorious “spark flyers” who
soar in manned kites adorned with bits of metal to
attract arcs of electricity from the barrier in a
pyrotechnic display.
II. THE EASE. The northern part of the district is more
easily navigated by gondola than by coach, and the
dozens of entryways into the canals are flanked by
shops and brothels advertising their wares with
colored electric lights and flying banners.
III. FOGCREST. A high, peaked hilltop crowded with
rowhouses jammed within the maze of narrow
stairways that constitute its “streets.” A bohemian
community of artists, free-thinkers, psychedelic
explorers, and philosophers.
IV. ANKHAYAT PARK. This extravagantly landscaped space
is the largest open area in the city, hosting many public
festivals and events throughout the year. The Iruvian
noble for whom the park is named keeps a falcon
aviary and stable of fine horses at the park and
sometimes organizes gamehawking for the nobility.
V. THE STEPS. Located within a ruined lightning tower,
this establishment – run by the Seventh Step, a crew of
hawkers with a reputation for being strange – is one of
the most popular dens of vice among the denizens of
Fogcrest.
VI. THE SINGING SEA. A cult favorite of the locals, this
charming eatery grew out of a bunch of old rail cars
stacked together on a commuter tram track that the
city government stopped using for years. Their
specialty dishes are off the menu, served only to
customers whom the lovely serving girls like.

149
DETAILS
SCENE: Hundreds of gondolas gliding to and fro in the spiderweb of
canals, carrying eager patrons to the bounty of pleasure-houses and vice
dens. Artists and philosophers arguing epistemology over tea from
exotic locations like Namayan at the cafes on Fogcrest hill.
STREETS: The few remaining surface streets are interrupted at every turn
by a bridge over a tiny canal. Colored lights and patterned silks hang
roof to roof, signaling various indulgences in a complex code for the
initiated. Greenwater, Highwater, Chimewater, Ringwater, Sweetwater.
BUILDINGS: Tall, narrow rowhouses of wood and stone. Low canal-side
shacks and stalls. Cramped old stone houses and converted offices on
Fogcrest hill.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Should you overindulge your vice while in Silkshore, you’ll get
a taste for it. Take +1d to your roll the next time you indulge
your vice here.

NOTABLES OF SILKSHORE
THE GHAFA FAMILY. A Suli family of acrobats who are the darlings of the
Spark Grounds. They’re not always in town, but whenever they

150
 are, the stands are packed with admirers. The current head of the troupe is INEJ, the young daughter of patriarch. (Striking, Athletic,
Quiet)
HELENE. The elegant and mysterious proprietor of the Silver Stag Casino. Rumor has it that she is Fjerdan royalty, perhaps the illegitimate
child of the current king or queen, or a half-sister. (Beautiful, Charismatic, Bewitching)
JASMINA. Proprietress of The Rose’s First Words, an establishment that takes after the Iruvian practice of providing a salon for clients who
simply crave human touch, performance, art, and skilled conversation. Sex is absolutely forbidden between her clients and any of the
boys and girls in her employ. (Genteel, Alluring, bears scars from her previous indenture)
LEVYRA. A medium who invites clients to bring ghosts in bottles to possess her so they can share a few final words before the ghost is “freed”.
Levyra hands it off to the waiting Spirit Wardens nearby. (Delicate, Mysterious)
NIMET. The Groundskeeper of Ankhayat Park. Has many fascinating stories about the Park and the wonders it can offer its visitors. (Scholarly,
Articulate, a little stooped)
MADAME TESSLYN. Operates the Red Lamp brothel, the oldest and most respected institution of its sort in the city. Has few kind things to say
about her sister’s enterprise in Ketterdam: the infamous Menagerie. (Vivacious, Commanding)
VELERIS. Runs a small book store and antique shop. Moonlights as an informant. Accepts payment in favors, coin, rare manuscripts and
curiosities. (Charming, Intelligent, Articulate, voracious reader)

FACTIONS & GANGS IN SILKSHORE

WARDEN BOSSES: The Unseen
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Esteemed Circle of Disciples of Sankt Ilya ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Dandy Lions ❖ The Seventh Step
❖ The Gondoliers ❖ The Sidapa
❖ The Majnun ❖ The White Hands
❖ The Path of Echoes ❖ The Wraiths
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ Lord Scurlock ❖ The Blue Bonnets

151
 ❖ The Bluecoats
❖ The Ghost Wolves
❖ The Ink Rakes
OVERHEARD IN SILKSHORE
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: “Tis a true matter of curiosity for me, though. What is it about the
Western Continent that produces such noble yet savage cultures? Is
there enlightenment to be found in their ways?”
2: “Was the Widowmakers whose word was law for years here…
even the richest of the proprietors and proprietesses found it a bit
too hassling to be rid of them. Then, Mad Dog came with the people
on his side, and ended their boss. They say he froze the man first,
with a whiff of Standstill Poison. Then he took a piss, had a cigarette,
and put a bullet between Alfie Comber’s eyes.” (a pause) “Trouble is,
now nobody knows who’s on top in Silkshore.”
3: “If there’s a personal, troubling matter of yours that needs, ah, to
disappear, I’ve been told there’s a Bluecoat down in Crow’s Foot.
Skilled fellow, bit greedy, but worth all the coin.” (chuckles) “The
best part about it is, you’ll enjoy being rid of an enemy of yours
while you’re at it.”
4: “…Yet there is nothing in Verges’ Meditations that outright denies
the possibility that the Principles of the Small Science are barred
from the all but ‘the worthy’. I mean, grisha work is not TRULY
magic. Is it ever a matter of natural gifts?”
5: “You mean you’ve NEVER been on a dream journey? Saints, man,
we need to fix that!”
“I don’t know, it seems a little…”
“Don’t be daft! The Steps know what they’re doing. Besides, you
won't be disappointed. Every journey bares something within your
soul. It’s magnificent.”
❖ The Red Sash Academy
❖ The River Dogs
❖ The Hive
11: “…And no, Mistress Levyra’s services do not include fornication,
intercourse, and similarly risqué behavior while she has engaged the
ghost of your choosing.”
12: (The same tune found in Coalridge [see #6 and #18], always sung
with almost eerie cheer by pairs of young, pretty women traveling
down the streets together)
“I’ve earned every thread from the gallows
Robbed the rich to feed the pure
When I’m swinging from a tree will you tell my daughter
I’m a holy vigilante in the devil’s door…”
13: “But why does Mr. Veleris close so early!”
“Oh. (knowing grin) But he doesn’t, my dear. You’re just not enough
of a scoundrel to be counted among his nightly clientele.”
14: “Been to the Steps lately? View’s a bit peculiar on their Balcony
these days.”
“Oh?”
“Another ghost ship beyond the lightning barrier. Take a spyglass
with you. Seems like there’s a leviathan wrapped around it.”
15: (between two nobles, sitting at a café overlooking the Park)
“…and this map will guide you through. Bit ridiculous, the way
they’ve set themselves up in a Saintsforsaken lightning field, but I
suppose it can’t be helped.”
“I’m… I’m not so sure about this.”
“You need the intel, do you not? The Wraiths will get it for you.”
152
6: “Excuse me, how do I get to…”
“Shop of Veleris, is it.”
“How did you know?”
“Students like yourself are always asking.”
7: (Same tune as #12, sung by the booze runners, shoe shiners, and
cleaning boys of the District)
“I got the same gun, with new bullets
A long line of my new sins
I’m a trigger-happy maniac so tell me father
How many sins must I confess?”
8: “…Well, it isn’t MY fault the arse won’t pay. You can’t expect ME to
foot these bills for him.” (exasperated sigh) “These Magistrates. I
hope the Watch finds Hawthorne and strings him up good.”
9: “The Bluecoats in this town are extra greedy cos there are such
slim pickings for them. Every establishment worth anything in
Silkshore either has their own little army, or is run by a gang that
can fend most of the Watch off all right.”
10: “If you’re only in town for a few days, friend, we MUST catch the
Ghafas. I’ve yet to see acrobats better than they, and I’ve been all
over the Continents!”
16: “The servers at the Singing Sea aren’t ACTUALLY related. The
eldest among them, my Da helped set them free a year back. Poor
things were kidnapped by a nasty gang.”
17: “A word of caution, friend: have your wits about you when you
take gondolas beyond the main canal of the Ease. Might not be a
gondola you’ve boarded, and might not be your room you’ll wake up
in the morning after.”
18: “They say the Menagerie in Ketterdam had beautiful
merchandise, but the girls were, in fact miserable, practical slaves.
Hard to believe the Madame there’s related to our Lady Tesslyn, eh?”
19: (Sing-song chants from the gondoliers close to the player or
players near the canals)
“Come, come, the wonders of this District await! You wish for a tour,
yeah? I know the best spots, just tell me your fancy!”
20: “How much of a grisha’s powers are related to inherent
potential? How much of it is philosophical inclination, disposition?
How much of it can be altered or defined by trauma?”
153
SIX TOWERS
This formerly prestigious district has faded over the centuries into a pale shadow of what it once was. The eponymous six towers were originally the grand
residences of North Hook’s first elite families. All but four (Bowmore House, Scurlock Manor, Rowan House, and the Van Cooehorn House) have been sold
off and converted into cheap apartments or fallen into ruin and abandoned. The district has an empty, haunted feel, with many sprawling old buildings dark
without power, broad stone streets cracked and buckled, and the fires of squatters crackling from overgrown lots.

LANDMARKS
I. ROWAN HOUSE. One of the last of the original six towers, this
antique building resembles an ancient castle from history
books, complete with moat, draw-bridge, and arrow-slit
windows. The powerful Rowan family rules their holdings
from within the fortress, rarely venturing beyond the
security of its thick stone walls.
II. MISTSHORE PARK. This dark and overgrown space overlooks
the eastern branch of the Dusk River and the Deathlands
beyond. In old folk ballads, young lovers who could not be
together would commit suicide in this park. Whatever the
truth of it, the park is certainly haunted now.
III. SCURLOCK MANOR. The Scurlock family came to North Hook
generations ago and was once a great force in the city, before
some curse or calamity befell their line. This tumble-down
manor house and tangle of vines is all that remains of their
original fortune. Lord Scurlock is its lone resident. He keeps
no servants, it seems – no living servants, at any rate.
IV. ARMS OF THE WEEPING LADY. This grand building, formerly an
opera house, is now a soup-kitchen and bunkhouse for the
destitute, run by the charity of the Weeping Lady. Locals use
this landmark as the demarcation between the districts of
Charterhall and Six Towers.
V. VAN COEHOORN HOUSE. Another one of the last remaining
original six towers, the Girard de Mielet van Coehoorn is less
a house and more a collection of expansions – each drawing
from a different source of architectural inspiration – cobbled
together in what the masters of the place must hope to
present as a house. The Coehoorns are bankers with a
passion for exploration and collection; the strange and
exotic creatures in their personal zoo fill the air of the block
with their cries day in and day out.
VI. THE GOLDEN PLUM. A restaurant with a legendary reputation:
it’s a family run business, nearly as old as the district of Six
Towers itself. All of their dishes are “fusion” dishes as the
establishment’s head chef calls it, for her family has, across
generations, prided itself for tasting all the flavors of the
world and integrating them into unique culinary creations.
VII. SWANSONG VETERAN’S HOSPITAL. Recently restored and
renovated to almost brand new, this hospital was originally
a private facility meant to be a charitable project for the
wounded and broken of the war efforts against the Darkling.
It was neglected soon after the Darkling was defeated. Word
on the street is, an anonymous benefactor bankrolled the
restoration project, and continues to pay for the
maintenance of the facilities and the salaries of the
physickers working there to this day.

154
DETAILS
SCENE: Bits of trash, blown by a cold wind, skitter across empty streets,
illuminated only by a few still-working street lamps and the campfires
of squatters. The shutters and doors of abandoned buildings moan,
creak, and bang in a haunted chorus. Residents hustle by, heads down,
clutching spiritbane charms close to their breasts.
STREETS: Broad stone avenues, cracked and broken, dark without power;
overgrown and neglected. Comber Way, Bowmore Way, Rowan Way,
Coleburn Avenue.
BUILDINGS: Palatial estates, tumbled into disrepair. Grand manors,
remodeled into cramped and cheap apartments.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ The many empty buildings and abandoned properties make
this district a perfect location for a hidden scoundrel’s lair.
❖ Discreet treatment at Swansong is possible for certain criminal
sorts – namely, those who can pay. Crew can take a Devil’s Bargain to
the following effect: healing treatment rolls benefit from increased
effect (i.e. 1-3 becomes 4-5), but a four-segment clock entitled “All Debts
Must Be Paid” will be activated. Once this clock is full, the crew gains an
Entanglement of the GM’s choice, relevant to the main plot of the
campaign.

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NOTABLES OF SIX TOWERS
ALICE. No one knows if Alice is her real name, but that is what residents of the District call her. The weeping ghost in Mistshore Park.
Responsible for several possessions (all of them traumatizing), injuries (all of them permanent) and deaths. The Witchers have tried,
multiple times, to send her on her way. She’s a strong one. (Sorrowful, Haunting, Beautiful, Deadly)
AMANCIO. A former Advocate who was, in recent years, disgraced and chased out of Charterhall after attempting to defend an innocent man
against crooked noblemen – or so he claims. Some of his peers claim that he was ruined because he was in love with the sole heir of a
shipping moghul. Uses his network in his new profession: deal brokerage. Isn’t picky with his clients; it’s all about who can pay him
the most and threatens him the least. (Professional, Subtle, likes to crossdress)
DRUSILLA COOEHORN. Famous in social circles for her propensity to cross-dress and flout social norms left and right – and because she can
defend herself against the inevitable offense she causes simply by being herself. When she isn’t wining, dining, and cuckolding men
by stealing their wives from them in Duskwall (then poking a few new holes into the ones who try to challenge her to a duel to defend
their honor and take their lady folk back), she’s gallivanting around the world in search of more wondrous things and places to
discover. (Striking, Proud, Reckless)
DOWLER. An explorer usually on Lady Drusilla’s payroll, which might be why he’s been able to get himself a decent apartment in the district.
Used to be a cartographer for the First Amy of Ravka and enjoys modest levels of fame for his cartography skills. (Awkward, Gentle,
talks with a lisp)
FLINT. A spirit trafficker who trades out of a condemned manor house. (Weird, Calculating, Suspicious)
ROSLYN KELLIS. Part of Mother Narya’s favored circles; frequents Six Towers often enough for locals to know her well. Supposedly being
groomed to take over the charity. (Delicate, Selfless)
MOTHER NARYA. Runs the Arms of the Weeping Lady charity house. A force to reckon with, given how she’s capable of keeping her
establishment running while fending off scoundrels, and stolidly ignoring the disdain of the elite of the North Hook. (Kind, Patient)
RIVEN. A chemist usually on Lady Drusilla’s payroll, which might be why he’s been able to get himself a decent apartment in the district. He
runs his laboratory and shop out from it. (Dreamy, Innovative, socially awkward)
CHEF ROSELLE. One of the best cooks in the city, still operating the legendary Golden Plum restaurant — worth the trip into the haunted streets
of Six Towers. Her prices remain favorable to nearly everyone from the Duskwall, and she occasionally gives food for free to the
poorest of the poor. (Creative, Insightful, Friendly)

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FACTIONS & GANGS IN SIX TOWERS
WARDEN BOSSES: Lord Scurlock
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Dimmer Sisters ❖ The Path of Echoes
❖ The Esteemed Circle of Disciples of Sankt Ilya ❖ The Roosts
❖ The Foundation ❖ The Weeping Lady
❖ The Majnun
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS
❖ The Cult of Sankt Andrei ❖ The Silver Nails
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner ❖ The Unseen
❖ The Hive ❖ The Worshippers of Djel
❖ The Sidapa

OVERHEARD IN SIX TOWERS

Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: An Iruvian woman, naked as the day she was born, sitting cross-legged on
a stone right out on the streets. She appears to be meditating. No matter
what people do to her or say to her, she does not move and does not speak
beyond the low, guttural litany she is reciting over and over. A close
inspection will show that she may have carved her own tattoos, and they’re
less tattoos and more like wounds and cuts made to form intricate patterns
and shapes of her choosing.
2: “The Lady Cooehorn’s always looking for able lads and lasses to join her
crew. Jobs are dangerous as the Deathlands, I heard, but the pay-off’s worth
it.”
3: “You do not demand for an audience with Lord Scurlock; he will be the
one who calls for you. Should his carriage come, no matter the hour or the
circumstance, do not look away, and do not try to run.”
11: (A Witcher sits at the base of a ruined statue, watching a clowder of cats
eating foot she’s brought out all around her. She has one cat on her lap:
she’s rubbing the affectionate thing between the ears.
GM’s discretion: this may be Liandrin Delacroix, Saint-General of the
Blackfeather Order.)
“There’s a good boy. Eat up now. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
(She’s putting a collar around his neck; curiously, it has a demonbane
charm. All the cats in the clowder are wearing one.)
12: “Sometimes, old Telda – the beggar that’s always on the Bridge? If you’re
kind to her, she’ll tell you things that no person alive ought to know about
yourself. If you pay her well, she’ll tell you exactly what you need to hear.
Not what you want to hear; only what you need to hear.”
13: “Leave the food Chef Roselle puts out on the streets alone. Them’s for
the ghosts.”

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4: A relatively decent-looking property in the lot appears to be crawling
with ne’er-do-wells. The squatters will eye you suspiciously if you get too
close, or rather aggressively beg for coin, or make lewd-borderline-
threatening catcalls.
5: “The notice arrived… they want us gone by next week.” (weeping)
“Wherever will my boy and I go now?”
“Those brutes! Can we not complain to Lord Rowan about this?”
6: An entire block to your right has been cordoned off by the Foundation:
that will be obvious in how it is miniature lightning barriers that have
been set around the perimeter. Eerily, there are wards slowly writing
themselves across every inch of the condemned buildings, glowing blue,
green and violet.
7: “Saints above, though, I’d kill to learn who’s backing Swansong. They just
bought out another block. Housing for select families of their patients, they
say.”
8: A sizeable group of well-dressed but burly guards are roaming around
one house that appears to have been hastily refurbished and occupied for
some sort of event. Since it is not party music but weird chanting and
strange tunes coming from the house, it’s no average gathering. The guests
– all of them masked – who present some sort of invite are let through.
Those who do not are roughly dragged off.
9: “Lady Kellis’ bleeding heart will get her in trouble someday.”
“It already has. You see…” (low whispers, indeterminate to the
eavesdropper)
“…Oh, Saints. Poor girl doesn’t deserve any ill will, any at all!”
10: There are four tattooed Namayans loading passengers from a gondola
into a waiting carriage. The passengers appear to be asleep. “Appear to be.”
(pushing an encounter may reveal they’re Sidapa, smuggling more of their
human wares into one of their safe houses.)
14: “If you see a girl weeping by the gates of Mistshore Park, turn around
and run. Just run, and no matter what you do, don’t give in.”
15: A dead cat lies on the road; breed and coloring of your choosing. It will
either (1d6): look like it was frozen solid, sucked dry of its innards, squished
by something heavy, burned horrifically, cut to ribbons by a tornado of
glass, or mauled by some sort of beast. It has no demonbane charm around
its neck.
16: “Oh Lady, Mother of love, sorrow, and mercy, we beseech you: look
upon your children with compassion. Plead our brokenness with the
Saints. Intercede upon our behalf…”
17: “...seen her in the mirror.”
“Like, behind him?”
“No, just her reflection, in the mirror.”
“Inky hell.”
18: “Never take flowers from any of the houses here, even if you know, for a
fact, that they are empty.”
19: The house to your left will come alive as you pass. It will be much like
watching a time lapse video, shifting from the ruined present to the
glorious past. Echoes of laughter, fine dining and conversation will fill the
air, then end with weeping, then end in flames and screams.
20: “Master Riven deals in all sorts of strange substances, really. He isn’t a
doctor, not by a long shot, but I’ve seen more than a few Physickers come
here seeking him out.”
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WHITECROWN
Whitecrown sits atop a grand peak on the island across North Hook channel from the city proper. From this lofty height, the strongholds of
the Council of Tides and the Blackfeather Order oversees all, flanked by the grand estates of the Merchant Council members, the homes most
powerful nobility, the grand Embassies and Consulates of other nations, and the extravagantly appointed campus of Duskwall Academy.
Whitecrown is a rich and rarefied world unto itself — most citizens live out their entire lives in the city without ever once crossing the bridge
to the glittering spires of wealth and power there.

LANDMARKS
I. THE TOWER OF TIDES. This imposing, black stone structure
was the secret to Kerch’s success for years. The home of the
Council of Tides, this is where the grisha under the employ
of Kerch – mostly Squallers and Tidemakers, if the reports
are to be believed – regulate the waters around the island
nation. The Tower’s second function now is to use grisha
magic to buffer the worst of the Unsea’s energies
II. DUSKWALL ACADEMY. Hailed as one of the finer institutions
of learning in the Empire, the school is most well-known as
the instructional facility for the leviathan hunter captains
and their senior officers. Training cruises for new recruits
are conducted year-round to replace the poor souls lost in
the hunts.
III. THE HOUSE OF CROWS. This gigantic, fortified manor is home
to the Saint-General of the Blackfeather Order and is their
primary training facility. It’s said that some spirits are not
destroyed at Bellweather and other Warden-operated
crematoriums – but are brought here instead for some
unknown purpose.
IV. NORTH HOOK LIGHTHOUSE. This old structure has been
converted into an electro-plasmic apparatus capable of
providing a navigation beacon for hundreds of miles into the
darkness of the Void Sea around the Duskwall. Also houses
the Guild of Astronomers.
V. THE EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES OF THE ALLIANCE. The
different embassies and consulates of the nations beyond
Kerch, clustered together both for security and convenience.
They each have satellite offices in Charterhall for what they
dein to be “minor” concerns. The real business of their states
happens behind the walls of their respective buildings.
VI. EMBASSY HOUSING. Housing for the families and staff of the
Embassies and Consulates that have been established in
North Hook, initially bankrolled by Kerch as a gesture of
good faith. The differing levels of opulence and architectural
ingenuity among the townhouses, however, are direct
reflectiongs of how each nation likes to show off to
Ketterdam – or how they don’t care to at all.

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DETAILS
SCENE: Elite policemen from Whitecrown’s division of the Watch
parade outside the stronghold, astride their armored steeds, gleaming
lances held high. Trainee crews run drills on a leviathan hunter ship
docked for refitting. The lavish carriages and electroplasmic coaches of
the fabulously wealthy glide by, carrying their privileged passengers to
luxurious destinations.
STREETS: Broad, polished stone, brightly lit to near daylight by a riot of
warm electric lights. Whitecrown Boulevard, Swancrest Avenue.
BUILDINGS: Grand, elegant facades; landscaped terraces, balconies, and
elevated walkways connecting bright marble buildings with inlaid
platinum and gold details.

TRAITS
WEALTH: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
SECURITY & SAFETY: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
CRIMINAL INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
OCCULT INFLUENCE: ⚫⚫⚫⚫
❖ Most engagement rolls suffer -2d due to heavy Bluecoat patrols.
Operations against the nobility in Whitecrown are considered
on “hostile turf” for the purpose of generating heat.
❖ Acting against Embassies and Consulates in any fashion will
earn the ire of the foreign nations in question.

NOTABLES OF WHITECROWN
CAMILLA BENNETT. The new Head Astronomer of the small but
dedicated Guild of Astronomers of North Hook. Graduated at

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 the top of her class, and is known among academic circles for her work in two fields: on the Deeplights in the True Sea, and the
constellation shifts and planetary movements that happened after the Moon Split. (Intelligent, Obsessed, sensitive about her looks)
LADY FREYLA. Regarded by some as the finest sommelier in Kerch. She serves only the most deserving at the Emperor’s Cask. When asked if she
considers Chef Roselle of the Golden Plum her rival, Freyla will demur. (Erudite, Cultured, Charming)
DURJAN HASK. Renowned poet from Iruvia, now settled comfortably in North Hook. His loving patrons in Whitecrown gave him a (not-so-
)modest apartment in the District. (Dreamy, Eloquent, bad with money)
MAESTRO HELLEREN. Senior composer and conductor of the Spiregarden Theater, premiere performance venue for the elite of the city. ( Sincere,
Dramatic)
KARLOS VARMA. A Suli bounty hunter with several decades of experience; he entered the trade after leaving King Nikolai’s service. Varma is
still a scourge that many of the scoundrels in North Hook speak of in fearful whispers. Beyond his military career, his previous work
for several influential families or individuals in the city government is the reason why he has a “modest” home in the most affluent
district in the city. (Charismatic, Commanding, loves talking about his previous hunts)

FACTIONS & GANGS IN WHITECROWN

WARDEN BOSSES: The Unseen
FACTIONS WITH STRONG HOLDS
❖ The Blackfeather Order ❖ The Iruvian Consulate
❖ The Bluecoats ❖ The Merchant Council
❖ The Council of Tides ❖ The Namayan Balangay Consulates
❖ The Church of Barter ❖ The Novyi Zem Embassy
❖ The Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh ❖ The Ravkan Embassy
❖ The Cyphers ❖ The Shu Han Embassy
❖ The Esteemed Circle of Disciples of Sankt Ilya ❖ The Small Council
❖ The Fjerdan Embassy ❖ The Suli Consulate
❖ The Foundation ❖ The Wandering Isle Consulate
❖ The Hive
FACTIONS WITH WEAK HOLDS

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 ❖ The Inspectors
❖ The Church of the Sun Summoner
❖ The Dandy Lions
OVERHEARD IN WHITECROWN
Suggestion for GMs: Roll a d20 on this table whenever’s convenient, or whenever you feel like it.
1: In a street corner just by one of the main roads, some students in the
robes of Duskwall Academy have cornered one of their own. They have the
boy on the ground; one of them is poking at him with her foot.
“Turn around and lick my shoe clean, commoner. I believe I’ve stepped in
goat dung.”
2: “Under NO circumstances are you to leave on another Hunter until
they’ve slain whatever creature is lurking out there now, understand?”
“But, Father – ”
“You’re my only heir! There’s no point to you seeking glory if you’ll die
along the way.”
3: “Oh, the cost of passage is nothing. It’s the risk!”
“Then have your own train made and get a large crew. More souls to throw
at the volcra means less of a chance that they’ll eat you first, yes?”
4: “I see the Lord Varma is still a spry fellow despite him getting on in
years.”
“Not just spry. I hear he hasn’t retired yet.”
5: Two noble girls, with one of them fawning over her two very tall
bodyguards – one man, one woman – from the Red Sash Academy. Her
companion is inspecting the pair as though they are prize horses.
“…Wonderful, aren’t they? And the best part about it is, my father put a lust
clause in their contract.” (giggles) “For rainy days.”
“It’s a bit like sleeping with one’s dog, though, isn’t it?”
“Oh shush, you’re sooo judgmental.”
6: “Try just one thing at the Cask – any one thing – and you’ll never be able
to have something similar from another place in your life.”
❖ The Ghost Wolves
❖ The Red Sash Academy
❖ The Wraiths
11: “…And our esteemed Saint-General is now a girl barely out of her teens.
She’s a pretty thing, but I’m not exactly filled with confidence.”
12: People and vehicles in the vicinity immediately clear off to the sides
once the rolling mists approach seemingly out of nowhere. Conversations
die as a trio of Council of Tides members – in their distinctive robes,
wearing their unique spirit masks – silently walk by. The mists disappear
the moment they cross the street. Normal activity strikes up again, but
with a distinct uneasy air.
13: “Oh, but Hask’s words, they set me aflame! We must buy new clothes
for him, darling.”
“Again?!”
14: “If it is ennui that you suffer from, friend, perhaps you should come to
the Dusk Manor Club. The games Lady Dusk sets up for our entertainment
are riveting.”
“Are they not dangerous?”
“Is that not what we need in order to feel alive?”
15: “The Maestro’s newest show is a bit off the rails of her usual. Not a bad
thing, mind you, but I must say… it’s her reputation keeping the Watch
from questioning her. Really: you’d almost think she sympathized with
those vile creatures in… where was it again?”
“Coalridge.”
“Right.”
16: From a finely dressed Cypher (his robes are far finer than the ones who
operate beyond this district and Brightstone) reading off of a scroll in an
area with a lot of idling nobles:
162

7: A group of young nobles, all fawning over their two friends’ costumes.
From the looks of it, they are attempting to dress as though they were
destitute. “Attempting”, complete with one of them trying the North Hook
equivalent of blackface.
“…Must say, this is the most authentic attempt I’ve seen! You look
positively dreadful.”
8: “Well, if you wish for my honest opinion of the fellow… Durjan’s a hack, I
tell you. Besides, there must be a reason why he’s here and not in
U’Duasha.”
9: A masked Whisper in finery, showing a noblewoman an empty spirit
bottle that looks a bit complex than the usual.
“I can assure you, my lady, the process will cause only minimal discomfort.
We have already prepared suitable hosts for you: I’ve prepared their
profiles for your perusal. The charge per ride, of course, is determined by
the hour. Should your pony expire before your session is over, rest assured
that we…”
10: Two of the distinct lightning-engine cars of the Blackfeather Order drive
past, with an open carriage sandwiched between them. There’s a masked
Witcher on board, watching over the latest batch of children that the Order
has taken from North Hook. The children are all dressed in finery that they
are clearly awed by, and stare about in wonder.
“And the following Houses are pleased to inform the public of the spilling
of the First Seed or First Blood of their children. From House Bowmore…”
17: (an older servant woman instructing her younger)
“No, no, no! We’re not supposed to walk there. That road is meant only for
nobles.”
18: Merchants line up in front of one of the shrines to Ghezen, God of
Trade. They prostrate themselves completely, then leave their offerings in
his left hand (for financial success) or his right (for new opportunities).
From the looks of it, people try to compete to see who gives the bigger
offering.
19: A Cypher – dressed in far finer robes than the ones who operate beyond
this district and Brightstone – stands underneath one of the many beautiful
statues in Whitecrown, announcing that week’s socials: the wakes of
import, the balls, the fetes, etc. Curiously, most of them are invite-only.
20: A small crowd has gathered in the area to watch new initiates into the
Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh do their Saint’s Walk throughout the
district. They are all naked and walk in tune with the toll of a bell rang by a
high adept. Admirers scatter flowers at their feet. Low prayers lamenting
the sins of the flesh accompany the procession. Each “station” has bed,
bench, post, cross… some sort of place where the initiates may be bound
and spread out. The crowd is invited to watch as masked adepts have their
way with them – to waves of prayers and chanting – just once before they
are required to move on.
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THE FACTIONS OF NORTH HOOK
More extensive profiles of some of the factions can be found after the tables, just to give examples and story hooks for GMs to poke around
with. As a general rule of thumb, the factions that do not have an extended profile are self-explanatory, and do not require a lot of fleshing out.
There are significant differences between the factions listed in this section and what you’ll find in the original Blades in the Dark rulebook.
Furthermore, many of these factions are unique to One More Notch. Use these or discard these as you will, and, as always, never hesitate to add
your own spins on things!
REGARDING THE CITIZENRY OF EACH DISTRICT: The ordinary citizens of a district can be represented by a faction, if you want to track status with
them in the game. The GM will set their Tier according to the wealth and power of the citizens in that district (Whitecrown might be Tier V,
The Docks Tier II, Charhollow Tier 0).

THE UNDERWORLD
Faction Name TIER HOLD
The Hive. A guild of merchants who secretly trade in contraband. Named for their symbol, a golden bee. IV S
The Unseen. An insidious criminal enterprise with secret membership. Thought to pull the strings of the entire IV S
underworld.
The Esteemed Circle of Disciples of Sankt Ilya (The Circle). A secret society of antiquarians and scholars; cover for III S
extortion, graft, vice, and murder. (originally “The Circle of Flame” in the Blades in the Dark rulebook)
The Ghost Wolves. Masked assassins who look like they stepped right out of ancient Shu Han tales of demons and III W
monsters. They only kill people of interest to their Wolf, and the wicked and sinister of Nightmarket and beyond.
The River Dogs. A rapidly growing company of vigilantes inspired by the Mad Dog of Coalridge, dedicated to protecting the III W
downtrodden and the hopeless. Originally called St. Andrew’s Finders, but that wing of their operations has gone legit
already.
Lord Scurlock. A grisha noble, rumored to be as old as North Hook – or even older. Some suspect he has become a vampire; III S
others believe he’s simply an example of a particularly rare grisha. Obsessed with arcane secrets.
The Crows. An old gang with new leadership. Known for running illegal games of chance and extortion rackets. II W
The Dandy Lions. A fraternity of well-to-dos and rich youth who are interested in the scoundrel life simply because it’s II S
more interesting than their own lives.

164
The Dimmer Sisters. House-bound recluses with an occult reputation. II S
The Grinders. A vicious gang of former dockers and leviathan blood refinery workers. II W
The Lampblacks. The former lamp-lighter guild, turned to crime when their services were replaced by electric lights. II W
The Lightningbottles. Deserters from the Ravkan Second Army, pushed to crime out of necessity – their founding members II S
wished to provide for other grisha, and the children of their fallen comrades. Backers of worker unions all around North
Hook.
The Seventh Step. A crew of hawkers with a reputation for being strange. They are purveyors of the weird and arcane sorts II S
of indulgences.
The Silver Nails. A company of Fjerdan mercenaries turned to crime when official liberation efforts around the country II W
ended. Renowned ghost and demon killers.
The Blue Bonnets. Ladies (and gentlemen) of the night who exclusively service the City Watch in exchange for favors and I S
protection.
The Majnun. Iruvian demon worshippers who claim that all their victims were sacred demons of theirs trapped within I W
flesh vessels.
The Roosts. Professional squatters who – for their own upkeep or on the bidding of a client – forcefully occupy real estate in I S
North Hook as an extortion racket.
Sidapa. A crew whose members are mostly from Namayan. Their intimate knowledge of the canals and waterways of North I S
Hook to kidnap targets or smuggle human assets for clients.
The White Hands. A band of daredevils and thrillseekers who, like their boss, steal more to challenge than themselves than I W
to make a living.
The Wraiths. A mysterious crew of masked spies who are making a name for themselves because of their growing pool of I W
information.

INSTITUTIONS
Faction Name TIER HOLD
Ketterdam. The capital city of Kerch. It could all come tumbling down with a single word from the Lord Governor. VIII S
The Council of Tides. Powerful grisha tasked with the protection of North Hook (and, by extension, Ketterdam) from the VI S
fell energies of the Unsea. They also regulate the tides around the city.
The Blackfeather Order. The Spirit Wardens of North Hook, charged with handling all undesirable supernatural activity. V S
Also in charge of the maintenance and repair of the lightning barriers.
The Merchant Council. The incumbent “city government” of North Hook. Comprised of nine members who traditionally IV S
hold these posts until retirement or death.

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The Small Council. North Hook’s equivalent of Congress. 45 members, all appointed by the Merchant Council. IV S
Ironhook Prison. Where many scoundrels spend the bulk of their lives. Several criminal organizations are run by convicts IV S
inside its walls.
Inspectors. The criminal investigators of the City Watch. They have a reputation for ethics and integrity (no one likes IV S
them). They present evidence for prosecutions to the city magistrates.
Bluecoats. The City Watch of Duskwall, tasked with upholding the law. Known as the meanest gang in the city. Corrupt, III S
violent, and cruel.
The Guild of Kerch Leviathan Hunters. The daring captains and crews that grapple with titanic demons of the Void Sea to III S
drain their blood and collect their body parts for processing. A newer institution, but rapidly growing in size and clout due
to their necessity.
The Novyi Zem Embassy III S
The Ravkan Embassy III S
The Shu Han Embassy III S
The Brigade. The firefighters of the city. Beloved for their life-saving heroism, or reviled for their looting and extortion II S
rackets. Also known as “Sallies” (from “salamanders,” their old name).
The Fjerdan Embassy II S
The Iruvian Consulate II S
The Namayan Balangay Consulates II S
The Kaelish Consulate I S
The Suli Consulate I S

LABOR & TRADE

Faction Name TIER HOLD
The Foundation. The powerful guild of architects and builders, as old as Kerch itself. Many of their enemies have V S
disappeared behind the brick and mortar of the cities they have built for their country.
Saltford Incorporated. One of the oldest banks in the world, and most certainly as old as Kerch itself. Its roots extend all the V S
way back to the very first noble family placed in charge of the Imperial Treasury of Kerch. It only has one branch in North
Hook: the institution around which the Docks of the Duskwall were built.
The Barrowcleft Council. The collective term for the informal council of guilds and families from Barrowcleft – the farmers, V S
and workers at the granaries, mills, fisheries, and eeleries.
The Guild of Whalers. The government-sanctioned guild of whalers registered with Ketterdam. Mostly comprised of old IV S
families who have passed down their trade – as captains or as crew – across generations.

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The Coalridge Union of Workers. The first true worker’s union to ever succeed in North Hook. Represents the factory III W
workers, miners, train and tram builders of the city.
Cyphers. The messenger guild of the city. Cyphers swear sacred oaths of secrecy—never revealing the contents of their III S
messages or the identities of their clients—or so they claim.
Dockers. The hard-bitten laborers who work the docks. III S
Gondoliers. The guild of canal boat operators. Original members were “imports” from Ketterdam. Their members have, III S
across the past few decades, learned many occult secrets (many things are submerged in the Dusk).
The Guild of Duskwall Physickers. The government-sanctioned guild of Physickers registered with Ketterdam, given license III W
to practice within North Hook.
Laborers. The honest (beleaguered) working folk of North Hook. These are the workers who have no guild or union III W
representation, because their sort of work has no guild and unions are an alien concept.
Sailors. The captains and crews for merchant and Ketterdam Navy ships. III W
Sparkwrights. The engineers who are often called upon by the Blackfeather Order to maintain the lightning barriers. Also III S
pioneers of new technology, often indulging in dangerous research.
Cabbies. The public coach operators. They also breed the large Suli and Kerch goats used to pull the carriages. An II W
impressive gossip network.
Ink Rakes. The journalists, muck-rakers, and newspaper publishers of North Hook. II W
Rail Jacks. The men and women who protect the electro-trains of Kerch from the savage spirits of the Deathlands. Have II S
recently been making noises about forming a union.
Servants. Anyone who works for somebody, because only the poorest of the poor in North Hook don’t have servants. II W
Another impressive gossip network.

THE FRINGE
Faction Name TIER HOLD
The Church of Barter. Kerch’s main religion. Technically, there’s a separation of church and state in place. Technically. VI S
The Church of the Sun Summoner. The largest cult in history to ever form around a Saint. Has strong roots in North Hook, V S
as the church migrated in its entirety to Kerch after Saint Alina Starkov’s defeat.
Worshippers of Djel. Djel, the Wellspring, is the principle “god” worshipped by Fjerda. The faith has strong representation IV S
in Kerch due to the constant influx of refugees from the country.
The Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh. A religion born out of the desperation and despair that came in the wake of the III S
Unsea’s expansion. It remains popular due to the terrible, dark times that people live in. They honor the life of the body and
abhor the corrupted spirit world. Essentially a secret society.

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 The Saints. Cults that attempt to follow the ways of the Saint they venerate. There are many cults under this umbrella, who III W
rarely organize together. An individual cult is usually Tier I or II.
The Forgotten Gods. Cults that attempt to follow either the old ways from their respective cultures or have built their faith III W
around any of the new strange ephemera of the world, doing the bidding of demons and darker things. There are many
cults, who rarely organize together. An individual cult is usually Tier I or Tier II.
The Horde. A mass of hollows, all united in some fell purpose, controlled by an unknown power. III W
The Path of Echoes. A mystery cult that borders on open rebellion against spirit laws established by the Blackfeather Order. III S
They revere “the ancients” and seek to gain knowledge from the past— including consorting with ghosts.
The Reconciled. An association of spirits who have not gone feral with the passage of time. III W
Deathlands Scavengers. Convicts from Ironhook and desperate freelancers who roam the wasteland beyond the lightning II W
barriers.
The Red Sash Academy. A school dedicated to the Falling Sword style of Shu Han swordplay. Used to be gang. Currently II S
trying to stay on board and reclaim the influence they once had.
Refugees. Desperate survivors of the ravages of this world, forced to criminal opportunities when denied all others. II W
The Cult of Sankt Andrei. A cult dedicated to purifying the spirit trails marked by the train tracks – both the old and II S
discontinued, and the current routes – that span across North Hook.
The Weeping Lady. A charity and pseudo-religion, honoring the first Lord Governor of Ketterdam, Lady Devera, said to be a II S
champion of the poor.

PROFILES: THE UNDERWORLD

Arranged by Tier, then by alphabetical order.

THE HIVE TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

A guild of legitimate merchants who secretly trade in contraband. Named for Dominate contraband market 8
their symbol, a golden bee. Avenge Roric’s murder 6
TURF: Many shops, taverns, cafes, warehouses, and other mercantile establishments all across the city. No centralized HQ.
NPCS: Djera Maha (leader, bold, strategic, confident), Karth Orris (mercenary commander, ruthless, insightful, jealous), Liam Hutchins (top
antiquarian and appraiser of the gang, shrewd, intelligent, impatient)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A massive treasury. Elite mercenaries on retainer. A fleet of transport ships, carriages, wagons, and private trains.
QUIRKS: The Hive is known to avoid doing business with any occult or arcane groups. The Church of Ecstasy is popular among Hive
members, who reject the superstitions and weird practices of the past.

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ALLIES: The Small Council
ENEMIES: the Unseen, the Crows, the Dandy Lions
SITUATION: Djera Maha was kidnapped from her caravan at a young age, and “liberated” from her brothel by a soft-hearted smuggler mostly
because the man fancied her. She learned what she could from him, and later moved on to learn all the secrets of vice and smuggling as she
worked her way up the ranks of every gang along the trade routes to Kerch. Having built up her acquisition and distribution network in the
city (as well as within the unknowing merchant guilds, the Barrowcleft and Small Council included) she is poised to take over all of the
contraband markets. Maha had a close relationship (some say romantic) with the leader of the Crows, Roric, who was recently murdered by
his second-in-command.

THE UNSEEN TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

An insidious criminal enterprise with secret membership. Thought to pull the Assess the River Dogs 12
strings of the entire underworld. Infiltrate the Blackfeather Order 12
Infiltrate the Council of Tides 16
Expand into other cities 20
TURF: A multitude of vice dens and extortion rackets across the city — virtually none realize that they pay up to the Unseen. Several
opulent townhouses used as safe houses.
NPCS: The Tower (leader), The Star (captain), Adikin (mid-level occultist more talented than his superiors, undercover in Charterhall
University), Grull (mid-level thug with big ambitions, undercover as a coach driver).
NOTABLE ASSETS: A legion of thugs, thieves, and killers on-call to their secret masters.
QUIRKS: The perfect secrecy of the Unseen is the result of arcane rituals. Core members can recognize each other with attuned second sight.
Any non-member who learns the identity of a member falls victim to a ritual that removes that memory from their mind after a few
moments.
ALLIES: The Merchant Council, the Bluecoats, Ironhook Prison, The Forgotten Gods
ENEMIES: Ink Rakes, the Hive, the Ghost Wolves, the Blackfeather Order, the Council of Tides, the Inspectors
SITUATION: The Unseen crave the power and authority of the Spirit Wardens, whose own secret membership has so far resisted infiltration.
They also wish to infiltrate the Council of Tides. The Tower and The Star plot to place their own spies and operatives among the Wardens
and seize it from within. Furthermore, the organization is equal parts intrigued and concerned with the rise of the River Dogs, that vigilante
gang from Coalridge. They are yet to determine if they will be useful, or if they’ll become a potential threat.

THE ESTEEMED CIRCLE OF DISCIPLES OF SANKT ILYA (THE CIRCLE) TIER III FACTION CLOCKS
Ascertain the nature of the 20
constellations underneath the True Sea

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A secret society of antiquarians and scholars; cover for extortion, graft, vice, and Verify reports of the return of the 20
murder. (originally “The Circle of Flame” in the Blades in the Dark rulebook) world’s legendary creatures
Recover the remains of Saint Alina in 20
the Unsea
Create an initial map of the Unsea 32
TURF: The Centuralia Club (Silkshore), the Cooehorn House (HQ)
NPCS: The Eight (leadership): Drusilla van Cooehorn (noble, striking, proud, reckless), Elstera Avrathi (Iruvian diplomat, secretive,
gracious), Lady Drake (magistrate, cunning, ruthless), Raffello (painter, visionary, obsessive), Lord Mora (noble, cold, suspicious), Lady
Penderyn (noble, charming, patient), Madame Tesslyn (vice purveyor, sophisticated, subtle), Harvale Brogan (vice purveyor, shrewd, quiet).
NOTABLE ASSETS: Vast treasury provided by wealthy membership. Impressive collection of strange artifacts, maps, and ephemera. Highly
trained and discreet private security force.
QUIRKS: One of the Seven is a powerful demon from the Unsea in disguise. Another has been possessed by a Saint.
ALLIES: Lord Scurlock, the Forgotten Gods, The Path of Echoes
ENEMIES: The Hive, the Dimmer Sisters, the Silver Nails, the Church of the Sun Summoner, the Cult of Sankt Andrei
SITUATION: The Circle has an extensive library of scholarly works that collect stories, reports, and accounts related to the older, “lost”
religions of the world together with artifacts, objects, and locations of interest. Of special interest are all relics related to the Saints, and –
more “recently” – the uncanny similarities between some of the stories they have compiled and what has, thus far, been seen in the Unsea.

THE GHOST WOLVES TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

Masked assassins who look like they stepped right out of ancient Shu Han tales Assassinate latest target (recurring) 6
of demons and monsters. They only kill people of interest to their Wolf, and the Eliminate resistance in Nightmarket 8
wicked and sinister of Nightmarket and beyond. Secure shares in the Gaddoc Rail 10
Station
Expand hunting grounds to Silkshore 10
Survey potential targets in Charterhall 12
TURF: The Black Lotus (HQ), various shops and vice dens that are all fronts and hiding places for their members.
NPCS: Hikaru Shinta/The Wolf (leader, ruthless, compelling, driven), Alistair Mordechai/The Seer (second, loyal, patient, deadly), Mercy
(Hound, cold, professional, devoted), Hiiragi (Lurk, mute, loyal, young)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Wide network of informants indebted to the Wolves or believers in their cause. Highly trained cohorts and gang members.
Familiarity with the secret, underground passageways of North Hook.
QUIRKS: Every member of the gang was personally rescued by Hikaru or Alistair. Many of them are children. Ghost Wolves are also
distinguishable for their strange garb and the masks they wear whenever they do a score.
ALLIES: The River Dogs, the Citizenry of Nightmarket, Ibrahim Therani
ENEMIES: The Merchant Council, Citizenry of Whitecrown, the Citizenry of Brightstone, the Bluecoats

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SITUATION: The Ghost Wolves have cemented their position as an urban legend of North Hook, and it is serving their purposes well.
However, the elite of the Duskwall are starting to notice, especially since attempts at using the Ghost Wolves in their games have all fallen
flat. It is only a matter of time before the Inspectors start looking for them in earnest.

THE RIVER DOGS TIER III FACTION CLOCK

A rapidly growing company of vigilantes inspired by the Mad Dog of Coalridge, Expand hunting grounds to 8
dedicated to protecting the downtrodden and the hopeless. Originally called St. Nightmarket
Andrew’s Finders, but that wing of their operations has gone legit already. Find more allies (repeating) 12
Infiltrate the Small Council 20
TURF: All of Coalridge. Notable areas, though, are a tall building called Arcadia in Brickston (HQ), and the Gaddoc Rail Station.
NPCS: Alexander “Alex” Ward/the Mad Dog of Coalridge (leader, driven, fearless, honorable), Riley Vasilek/The Surgeon (second, acerbic,
insightful, family man), Salem Rayne/Lady Xanadu (Miss X) (Spider, cool, calculating, sophisticated), Lavinia Calliope Kapelle/Queenie
(Slide, haughty, cunning, always decked out in jewels & finery), Jessica J. Johnson/JJ (Leech, brilliant, temperamental, friendly), Wei
Gantulga/The Rat (Lurk, unassuming, shrewd, caring), Siobhan Mulligan/S (Whisper, quirky, mysterious, cross dresses), Logen
Berg/Ninefingers (Cutter, gruff, loyal, courageous)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Wide network of cohorts indebted to the River Dogs or believers in Mad Dog. Full control of Gaddoc Rail Station, of which
only certain individuals in the Novyi Zem Embassy are aware that the place is now run by a gang.
QUIRKS: The River Dogs seek to become the new law of North Hook. They’re approaching other scoundrels, offering the possibility of a
better life – or the Shuck coming after them himself if the scoundrels they’re talking to aren’t interested in helping him save the city.
ALLIES: The Ghost Wolves, the Dandy Lions, the Lightningbottles, the Lampblacks, the Seventh Step, the Citizenry of Coalridge, Lord Adagio
Leander Kapelle
ENEMIES: The Hive, the Crows, the Blue Bonnets, the Bluecoats, the Small Council, Ironhook Prison, the Novyi Zem Consulate, various
criminal elements
SITUATION: The Dogs are still riding the momentum their leader won for them with the Dance at Coalridge and the gang’s successes as of
late. Their alliance with the Ghost Wolves is their latest win within the Underworld. Now they’re seeking eyes on the inside of North
Hook’s government. The better to go after the real evil within the city, yes?

LORD SCURLOCK TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

A grisha noble, rumored to be as old as North Hook – or even older. Some Obtain arcane secrets (repeating) 6
suspect he has become a vampire; others believe he’s simply an example of a Recover the remains of the 20
particularly rare grisha. Obsessed with arcane secrets. Darkling in the Unsea
TURF: A secret lair outside the city. A dilapidated manor house in Six Towers and the catacombs beneath. An array of business holdings and
cult shrines across the city, collected for some united purpose known only to Scurlock.

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NPCS: Lord Scurlock (enigmatic, cold, arcane, old-fashioned) is an individual, but is so powerful that he’s considered a faction. His personal
scale is Tier III — in conflicts he counts as a large gang (20 people). He does have two members of his household, however, whom he sends
off in his stead as spokesperson often: Oskarr Scurlock (reputedly his nephew) and a demon who calls herself Jade Eyes.
NOTABLE ASSETS: An impressive collection of occult and arcane curios, books, and ephemera. An ancient demonic temple.
QUIRKS: Scurlock is immune to spirits. Ghosts can’t see, hear, or harm him. He makes no sound when he moves and is sometimes difficult to
look at directly.
ALLIES: The Merchant Council, the Bluecoats, the Forgotten Gods, the Dimmer Sisters
ENEMIES: the Blackfeather Order, the Cult of Sankt Andrei, the Path of Echoes
SITUATION: Scurlock’s abilities as a grisha match what the Darkling was once capable of. Perhaps he is living proof that the Darkling’s
powers were not tied to one family line, only that they are exceedingly rare – much like the ability to summon sunlight.

THE CROWS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

An old gang with new leadership. Known for running illegal games of chance Strengthen position within Crow’s 6
and extortion rackets. Foot
Rise in Tier 10
TURF: Claims all of Crow’s Foot as their turf. Everyone in the district pays up the chain to them. HQ in an abandoned City Watch tower.
Operates gambling dens in Crow’s Foot and extortion rackets at the Docks.
NPCS: Lyssa (leader, brash, killer, noble family). Bell (second-in-command, loyal), Chael (Cutter, vicious, crass, alcoholic)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A veteran gang of thugs and killers. Several small boats. A fortified HQ.
QUIRKS: Roric’s body was lost during his murder (it fell into a canal). His vengeful ghost is now at large in the city.
ALLIES: The Bluecoats, the Roosts, Sailors
ENEMIES: The Hive, the Lampblacks, the Red Sashes, the Grinders, Dockers
SITUATION: Lyssa murdered the former boss of the Crows, Roric. She is a fearsome killer, and few want to cross her, but her position as leader
of the Crows is uncertain. Some were very loyal to Roric. As the power-play continues, the Crows’ hold on the district just might slip away.

THE DANDY LIONS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A fraternity of well-to-dos and rich youth who are interested in the scoundrel Earn Coin (repeating) 6
life simply because it’s more interesting than their own lives. Broker loan for favor with a new 10
Faction (repeating)
TURF: The Lion’s Club in Charterhall (HQ)
NPCS: Mr. W (leader, whimsical, witty, tenacious), Harvey (manager of the Lion’s Club, reserved, quiet, professional), Lydra (advocate/deal
broker, subtle, driven, righteous), Omid (the doorman, Materialki/Fabrikator, chiseled, reserved, tough)

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NOTABLE ASSETS: Money. Lots and lots and lots of money. Some friends in high places. A fortified HQ.
QUIRKS: Dandy Lions all wear obnoxiously bright shades of orange, yellow and brown. They are never seen without their animal masks.
ALLIES: The River Dogs, the Wraiths
ENEMIES: The Hive
SITUATION: Gangs in Charterhall and few and far between, but all of them are old and well-established – except for the Dandy Lions. They
may or may not have infuriated their neighbors by how easy it has been for them to integrate. In essence, they do buy their friendships,
through loaned assets, cohorts, and favors.

THE DIMMER SISTERS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

House-bound recluses with an occult reputation. Dominate spirit trade 6
Obtain arcane secrets (repeating) 4
TURF: Fine old manor house and grounds (HQ), as well as the ancient temple ruin and subterranean canal beneath. Apothecaries and
witches in their service.
NPCS: There is no single leader of the Sisters; their true names are not known. Roslyn (servant, patient, loyal, arcane), Telda (beggar, dour,
wizened, strange) and Irelen (spark-craft tinkerer, loyal, enigmatic, obsessive) deal with contacts outside the house.
NOTABLE ASSETS: A private electroplasmic generator, lightning barriers, and spirit containment vessels. Many spirits bound to service.
QUIRKS: The precise number of sisters is unknown. Some say they are an ancient family of possessing spirits. Others say they are vampires.
Everyone knows that if you go into their house, you never come out again.
ALLIES: Lord Scurlock, the Silver Nails, the Majnun
ENEMIES: The Seventh Step, the Esteemed Circle of Sankt Ilya, the Blackfeather Order, the Reconciled
SITUATION: The Sisters have been slowly and secretly consolidating the trade of captured spirits and spirit essences in North Hook for
several decades. Only a few remaining rivals stand between them and domination of the market. Do they have an ulterior motive for
acquiring so many spirits and essences, or is this purely a matter of wealth and power?

THE GRINDERS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A vicious gang of former whalers and leviathan blood refinery workers. Raise a crew, steal a war ship 12
Fill war treasury 12
TURF: Abandoned dock warehouse (HQ) and underground canal dock.
NPCS: Corben (leader, tough, reckless, volatile). Sercy (second, crippled, defiant). Derret (toughest gang member, huge, shrewd), Ellyn
(Whisper/Docker contact, quiet, fearless), Decker (inside man at the Novyi Zem Embassy, savvy, cautious, learned)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A few small canal boats. Wrecking tools and explosives.
QUIRKS: Many Grinders have been mutated by the toxic rains that sweep, with some frequency, over the True Sea.

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ALLIES: Dockers, Hutton
ENEMIES: Bluecoats, Novyi Zem Consulate, the Crows, Leviathan Hunters, Sailors
SITUATION: The Free Republic of Novyi Zem man their leviathan hunters (with the exception of its officers) and whalers with slaves and
indentured servants in order to protect its “proper” citizens from the dangers of both professions and maximize profit for the country. A
group of these workers have been radicalized and seek to strike back against the Republic starting with harrowing Novyi Zem’s
representatives in Kerch. They’ve turned to criminal endeavors to raise money for the army they’re hoping to build, and to finance their
planned terrorist actions against Novyi Zem officials and representatives.

THE LAMPBLACKS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

The former lamp-lighter guild, turned to crime when their services were Destroy the Crows 8
replaced by electric lights. Become warden boss of Crow’s Foot 8
TURF: HQ in the office of a coal warehouse. Operates a handful of brothels and cheap drug dens across Crow’s Foot.
NPCS: Bazso Baz (leader, charming, open, ruthless, whiskey connoisseur); Pickett (second, shrewd, conniving, suspicious); Sera
(weaponsmith and armorer, innovative, patient, uncompromising); Henner (thug, loyal, reckless); Remira (physicker, soft, simple, conceals
her Seryvin mutations through Tailoring)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A fearsome gang of leg-breakers and mayhem-makers. A number of smugglers on the payroll who run their drugs.
QUIRKS: Bazso Baz is a member of a secret society (Forgotten Gods cult, “The Empty Vessel”) and sometimes puts the needs of that group
ahead of the well-being of his gang.
ALLIES: The River Dogs
ENEMIES: The Bluecoats, the Crows, the Blue Bonnets, Cabbies
SITUATION: Now that their feud with the Red Sashes has ended, the Lampblacks have set their sights on the Crows. Bazso Baz is recruiting
every free blade in the district for extra muscle and doesn’t take no for an answer. You’re either with them or against them. The Lampblacks
are not particularly well-connected politically but are akin to folk-heroes among the working class, who see them as “lovable rogues”
standing up to the powers-that-be.

THE LIGHTNINGBOTTLES TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

Deserters from the Ravkan Second Army, pushed to crime out of necessity – Acquire resources (repeating) 8
their founding members wished to provide for other grisha, and the children of Increase in Tier 12
their fallen comrades. Backers of worker unions all around North Hook.
TURF: The Firebird (HQ). Controls several establishments through connections with their Ravkan owners
NPCS: Edik Holtz (leader, calm, affable, fearless). Belle Brogan (second, charming, confident, bold), Kudret (Heartrender, loyal, withdrawn,
gentle)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Most of the Bottles are highly trained Grisha.

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QUIRKS: At the core of the Bottles is a network of ex-soldier families tied together by blood or through adoption.
ALLIES: The River Dogs, the Coalridge Union of Workers, the Barrowcleft Council
ENEMIES: The Small Council, the Bluecoats, the Citizenry of Brightstone
SITUATION: The Lightningbottles now enjoy a comfortable position within the hierarchy of Coalridge. They were instrumental in throwing
out the Kolya Company, and helping their allies, the River Dogs, gain control of the District during the Loverman’s Game. Inspired by their
success with the Coalridge Union of Workers, they are working to become the gang muscle to any group of workers who hope to unify
against the big men and the elites of North Hook.

THE SEVENTH STEP TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A crew of hawkers with a reputation for being strange. They are purveyors of Network with new cult (repeating) 8
the weird and arcane sorts of indulgences. Throw new party (repeating) 12
TURF: The Steps (main vice den). Also runs the Seventh Sea in Silkshore. Has connections in small societies within Charterhall University.
NPCS: Anya Farrow/Nightingale (leader, perceptive, soft spoken, devoted), Adil of House Khayat/Prince (second, handsome, showman,
demon lover). Vincenzo Banaag/S.T. (Leech, inquisitive, eccentric, loves fancy threads), Jack Daniels/Mouse (Lurk, cheeky, industrious,
money grubbing), Julia Strangford/Jules (Spider, imperious, cutting, compassionate, self-appointed bookkeeper of the gang)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Mobile, fortified and hidden HQ. Has bound, through a mix of coercion and favors, some otherworldly creatures into
service.
QUIRKS: The lowest tiers of their wares are not real drugs at all; their Whispers and Grisha are just extremely good at conning people. Their
reputation used to be professional, but…
ALLIES: The River Dogs, the Dandy Lions, the Closed Eye (Forgotten Gods Cult)
ENEMIES: The Dimmer Sisters, the Silver Nails, Sidapa, the Majnun
SITUATION: The Seventh Step has made their fortune three ways: peddling trips strange enough to rival some of Nightmarket’s marvels,
throwing wild parties, and courting otherworldly forces. It hasn’t made them very popular with other strange and arcane crews in the city,
as they pose a very real threat to consolidating spiritual power within North Hook.

THE SILVER NAILS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A company of Fjerdan mercenaries turned to crime when official liberation Increase in Tier 12
efforts around the country ended. Renowned ghost and demon killers. Ransack Fjerdan Embassy Vault 18
TURF: A large inn (The Gray Wolf), its pound, and a stable (HQ)
NPCS: Fyodor (leader, bold, brash, defiant), Elena (lead scout, bold, cunning, charming), Steiner (wolf trainer, comely, disciplined, detached)
NOTABLE ASSETS: An ever-growing pack of Fjerdan ice wolves. A contingent of exquisite cavalry horses — fearless, swift, and trained to hunt
and battle spirits. Arcane lances.

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QUIRKS: Each member wears a ring fashioned from a silver nail, which protects against possession. They’re trained in the Ghost Fighter
special ability (Cutter).
ALLIES: Lord Scurlock, the Dimmer Sisters, the Worshippers of Djel
ENEMIES: The Circle of Flame, the Seventh Step, the Blackfeather Order, the Majnun, the Fjerdan Embassy
SITUATION: The Silver Nails built their expertise from riding through the Deathlands of Fjerda and were once the clean-up crew to the
druskelle and Fjerdan army. They have been embittered by the way Fjerda simply cut them loose once their usefulness had been used up.
Some among their number deliberately target Fjerdan representatives and elite within North Hook out of revenge.

THE BLUE BONNETS TIER I FACTION CLOCKS

Ladies (and gentlemen) of the night who exclusively service the City Watch in Increase in Tier 10
exchange for favors and protection. Find secondary patron 15
TURF: The Fair Lady (HQ). A few brothels throughout the “middle class” and poorer Districts of North Hook.
NPCS: Constance (leader, motherly, pious, sadistic), Melissa (Constance’s “pet” [current favorite & second], sycophantic, naïve), Nyryx
(Constance’s actual #1, pleasant, soft-spoken, apathetic), Laroze (main pimp from the Bluecoats, arrogant, violent, lecherous), White
(Doorman, monstrous, slow, loyal), Arzu (Doorwoman, slight, cruel, loyal)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Protection from the largest gang in town. Open invite to hide their stash and their members in most Bluecoat controlled
establishments.
QUIRKS: Their gang members are named for their distinct uniform. Only they could have the balls to dress like prostitute versions of
policemen and get away with it in this city.
ALLIES: The Roosts, the Bluecoats, Ironhook Prison
ENEMIES: None… yet.
SITUATION: The Bonnets have the dubious honor of being the first organized group of prostitutes in North Hook that became its own gang
rather than fall sway under one of the many crews along the Duskwall. Constance hopes to be 100% ensure her gang’s survival, though, and
is searching for a secondary patron on the downlow.

THE MAJNUN TIER I FACTION CLOCKS

Iruvian demon worshippers who claim that all their victims were sacred Decrease Heat 10
demons of theirs trapped within flesh vessels. Gather worshippers (repeating) 12
TURF: A hidden HQ in Six Towers fortified with arcane protection. Slow but steady sources of income from a few cults.
NPCS: Arash (leader, vicious, religious, gender indeterminate), Dilshad (second, unhinged, devoted), Kheshiyyar (Rakshasa, skittish,
deceitful), Nima (rising star within their ranks, fierce, beautiful), Kashr (Rafiq, zealous, savage)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Fanatical and highly skilled crew members who have proven their loyalty in blood.

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QUIRKS: Every member of this gang really believes in the sacredness of their cause. The Majnun are known to kill their own if any of them
prove to be “infidels”
ALLIES: The Dimmer Sisters
ENEMIES: The Seventh Step, the Citizenry of Charhollow
SITUATION: The Majnun turned more than a few heads with their first, few spectacularly grisly murders in Six Towers. It chafes them to do
this given that their code requires that they take responsibility for every sacred demon they free, but they are currently lying low to protect
the rest of their cabal.

THE ROOSTS TIER I FACTION CLOCKS

Professional squatters who – for their own upkeep or on the bidding of a client Find new patron (repeating) 10
– forcefully occupy real estate in North Hook as an extortion racket. Monopolize the trade 15
TURF: A hidden HQ in Six Towers fortified with arcane protection. Slow but steady sources of income from a few cults.
NPCS: Old Abe (leader, shrewd, spry), Mad Hettie (second, strange, bird lover), Grace (favored muscle of her bosses, loquacious, brutal),
Hoshan (Leech, Seryvin, child-like, friendly, difficult to tell if he’s always high or lost in Deathlands-born delusions)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Familiarity with the complicated relations and jurisprudence behind real estate in North Hook. Dirt on a handful of the
elites of within the Duskwall.
QUIRKS: One of the only gangs that doesn’t think twice about welcoming Seryvins into their number – or, more accurately, their leaders
don’t think much about it.
ALLIES: The Blue Bonnets
ENEMIES: The Brigade, Deathlands Scavengers, the Weeping Lady
SITUATION: The Roosts are one of the larger crews to break free from the elite patrons who primarily used them to clear properties out or
acquire new ones of interest. They’re looking to strike out on their own.

SIDAPA TIER I FACTION CLOCKS

A crew whose members are mostly from Namayan. Their intimate knowledge Increase in Tier 10
of the canals and waterways of North Hook to kidnap targets or smuggle Seize control of the Gondolier Guild 18
human assets for clients.
TURF: A large warehouse at the Docks (HQ)
NPCS: Amado Batumbakal (leader, inspiring, bold, devoted to his crew), Isidro Liwanag (second, cautious, smooth talker), Tamadur Faran
(Tidemaker Wayfarer, brash, creative, half-Iruvian)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A mobile, well-concealed HQ. A flotilla of gondoliers disguised to make them look like official members of the Gondolier
Guild. Several Grisha gang members.
QUIRKS: Amado, Isidro and Charo are involved in a polyamorous relationship.

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ALLIES: Charo Bahaghari
ENEMIES: The Seventh Step, the Gondoliers
SITUATION: Amado claims that establishing Sidapa is part of his Heart Path. The original members of Sidapa are all from his balangay and
have no intention of going back to Namayan until Amado’s diwata calls him home.

THE WHITE HANDS TIER I FACTION CLOCKS

A band of daredevils and thrillseekers who, like their boss, steal more to Reclaim lost gang assets 10
challenge than themselves than to make a living. Increase in Tier 10
TURF: An abandoned curio shop in a quiet corner of Nightmarket (HQ)
NPCS: Casta Jayen/Casta the Clean (leader, cunning, daring, fierce), Goldie (second, calculating, patient, confident), Imran Pasha (Janissary,
massive, motherly, loves to cook), Adelaide Phroaig/Belladonna (contact/sponsor, elegant, cultured, stunning)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A few favors from Casta’s ex-lovers in high places.
QUIRKS: They used to be one of the stronger gangs in Nightmarket. Now they’re barely hanging on to what little they have left.
ALLIES: Mordis (fence)
ENEMIES: Ex-White Hands
SITUATION: Casta is looking to re-establish herself now that she has gained control of the White Hands, but all the internal strife has done a
number on the crew.

THE WRAITHS TIER I FACTION CLOCKS

A mysterious crew of masked spies who are making a name for themselves Acquire blackmail material 10
because of their growing pool of information. (repeating)
Increase in Tier 10
TURF: A hidden set of rooms within the Spark Grounds at Silkshore (HQ)
NPCS: Sankta I (leader, striking, athletic, quiet), Sankta K (second, Tailor, cheerful, dauntless)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Climbing and burglary gear of the finest make. Fearless gang members capable of death-defying stunts.
QUIRKS: No one ever sees what a Wraith looks like. They never go on a score without completely covering up.
ALLIES: The Dandy Lions
ENEMIES: None… yet.
SITUATION: The leader of the Wraiths and the leader of the Dandy Lions used to be from the same gang in Ketterdam. They’re pursuing a big
dream: marking the vilest scoundrels of Ketterdam and North Hook and ending them all.

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PROFILES: INSTITUTIONS
Arranged by Tier, then by alphabetical order.

KETTERDAM TIER VIII FACTION CLOCKS

The capital city of Kerch. It could all come tumbling down with a single word
from the Lord Governor.

TURF: Kerch. Kerch Embassies all over the world. Kerch-owned ports and lightning rail stations, or ports and lightning rail stations where
Kerch has a majority share.
NPCS: Ketterdam itself –Her Majesty’s Government – is run by the Prime Minister and the House of Names, with checks and balances in
place from the House of Commons, the House of Scales, and the Church of Ghezen. The encumbent Monarch and Her Ministers of the
Crown oversee their decisions and veto as necessary. Jurisdiction over North Hook has been given to Leahhan Whitelow, the current Lord
Governor of North Hook – a direct result of the Darkling War. Lord Governor Whitelow holds office in Ketterdam, together with the other
Lord Governors of Kerch’s cities.
NOTABLE ASSETS: The entirety of Kerch is at their disposal.
ALLIES: Novyi Zem, Ravka, Shu Han, Fjerda, the Wandering Isle
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army
SITUATION: Ketterdam’s largest issue at hand would be the rising tensions between the former members of the Alliance that defeated the
Darkling, and the entry of newer players like the Namayan Balangay and Iruvia. As far as Her Majesty is concerned, reinstating the Lord
Governor position – thus revoking North Hook’s federal autonomy over itself and placing someone to represent Kerch’s interests along the
Duskwall – is enough of an intervention from them given North Hook’s position as Kerch’s main line of defense against the enroachement
of the Fold. Unless Her Eminence is convinced otherwise, the Merchant Council and the deeply entrenched gangs in the underworld are
manageable problems.

THE COUNCIL OF TIDES TIER VI FACTION CLOCKS

Powerful grisha tasked with the protection of North Hook (and, by extension, Suspicion (The Unseen) 8
Ketterdam) from the fell energies of the Unsea. They also regulate the tides
around the city.
TURF: The Tower of Tides (HQ). All of North Hook.
NPCS: The Tides are ruled by what many refer to as the Circle of Saints – 12 all in all, six men and six women. The exact number of Tides
members are unknown, along with their identities. (for practical purposes, GMs may default to the Tides being the size of a Tier V Gang).
NOTABLE ASSETS: The unquestioning support of Ketterdam.

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QUIRKS: Interventions from the Council of Tides are incredibly rare. North Hook’s upper echelons and its seedy underbelly are united in
their relief over this.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Blackfeather Order, the Inspectors
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army
SITUATION: The Council of Tides remains politically apathetic by necessity. However, to a reasonable level they are apprised of the situation
in North Hook and how oppressive things are for its citizenry. There are simply bigger concerns at hand for them, and the interests of
Ketterdam take priority.

THE BLACKFEATHER ORDER TIER V FACTION CLOCKS

The Spirit Wardens of North Hook, charged with handling all undesirable Suspicion (The Unseen) 8
supernatural activity. Also in charge of the maintenance and repair of the Investigate Murder of Former Saint- 12
lightning barriers. General
TURF: Bellweather Crematorium. All crematoriums and lightning barriers around North Hook. The House of Crows in Whitecrown.
NPCS: Liandrin Delacroix (Saint-General, cool, brilliant, ruthless). A Warden known as “Bakoros” (who may be several different individuals)
sometimes lectures at Duskwall Academy; his/her/their counterpart in Charterhall is a Warden known as “Exeter”, who may also be several
different individuals. Another Warden named “Anis” (or perhaps several who all share the alias) is the representative that the Order seems
to have placed in charge of lightning barrier construction and maintenance. Beyond that, the exact number of Witchers are unknown. (for
practical purposes, GMs may default to the Wardens being the size of a Tier V Gang)
NOTABLE ASSETS: The unquestioning support of Ketterdam. Many cohorts of expert Whispers. The most advanced spectrological and spark-
craft equipment, including several spirit-hunter hulls.
QUIRKS: Interventions from the Blackfeather Order are incredibly rare. Their presence on the streets, however, is rather strong despite the
overwhelming odds they face on a daily basis.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Council of Tides, the Inspectors, the Sparkwrights
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army, the Path of Echoes
SITUATION: Liandrin, the incumbent Saint-General, was the protégé of the former Saint-General. She hopes to find who was responsible for
his murder – although only the Crows know that he was murdered.

THE MERCHANT COUNCIL TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

The incumbent “city government” of North Hook. Comprised of nine members Investigate the van Ecks 10
who traditionally hold these posts until retirement or death. Remove Strangford from Council 12
Strangford eliminates threats 15

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TURF: The city council chambers are in Charterhall, along with the attendant government offices and impregnable city treasury vaults. The
council also holds ownership of practically all spaces in the city, including streets, docks, and waterways. There is, in actuality, no such
thing as privately-owned property – with the exception of Gaddoc Rail Station.
NPCS: Seven of the current members are scions of the most powerful families in North Hook, namely: Bowmore, Clelland, Dunvil,
Penderyn, Rowan, van Cooehorn, and Strangford. The other two seats are currently occupied by Marya Hendricks-van Eck, and Nathaniel
Lichnock – old blood from Ketterdam.
NOTABLE ASSETS: A massive treasury of coin and valuable goods. Many officials, barristers, clerks, and officials. The public coaches operated
by the Cabbies.
QUIRKS: Most of the Council members are devout disciples of the Church of Barter. Some of these same councilmen, however, moonlight as
high-ranking adepts or members in other Fringe religions.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Council of Tides, the Inspectors, the Sparkwrights
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army
SITUATION: Three of the councilors (Bowmore, Clelland, Rowan) have aligned against Strangford and are maneuvering to remove the house
from the council. The rest have not taken sides so far. All Council members, however, are united in their suspicion of Marya Hendricks-van
Eck and her young son Wylan.

THE SMALL COUNCIL TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

North Hook’s equivalent of Congress. 45 members, all appointed by the Prevent Namayans from gaining 12
Merchant Council. representation
Prevent Iruvians from gaining representation 15
Iruvians gain representation 15
Namayans gain representation 15
TURF: Shared with the Merchant Council – with a few exceptions, as dictated by the whims of their patrons.
NPCS: There are 45 members in total. The current Lord Speaker for the Council is Thomas Regardi.
NOTABLE ASSETS: A massive treasury of coin and valuable goods. Many officials, barristers, clerks, and officials. The public coaches operated
by the Cabbies.
QUIRKS: 3/4ths of the Small Council have the positions they do due to the Merchant Council. This same majority won’t often dare to oppose
the Nine’s wishes.
ALLIES: The Merchant Council
ENEMIES: Any who defy North Hook’s administrators
SITUATION: The Merchant Council is reluctant to allow questionable foreigners and pesky labor groups some clout within North Hook.
Unfortunately, these groups are proving a bit too resilient and influential for them to control.

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IRONHOOK PRISON TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS
Where many scoundrels spend the bulk of their lives. Several criminal Confiscate contraband (repeating) 10
organizations are run by convicts inside its walls. Eliminate Mad Dog Supporters 12
TURF: Ironhook Prison (HQ)
NPCS: There are four main groups to consider in Ironhook. The Wardens of Ironhook (the supreme authority within the prison), the
Hamfists (the gang that operates the fighting pits), the Bowery (the smuggling crew and overseers of the barter system among prisoners,
headed by Hoxley) and the Jailbirds (the prostitution ring within Ironhook, headed by Marlo)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Council support. Troves upon troves of confiscated goods. Cohorts in the droves, because the numbers in the prison never
dwindle.
QUIRKS: Bluecoats consider themselves “made” if they can land a cushy position in Ironhook. Even with the conflict Wardens deal with on a
regular basis with some criminal organizations within the prison, it’s one of the easiest posts an officer of the law can have in North Hook.
ALLIES: The Unseen, the Merchant Council, the Small Council, the Bluecoats, the Blue Bonnets
ENEMIES: Deathlands Scavengers, Most criminal organizations in North Hook
SITUATION: Some of the criminal organizations within Ironhook are constantly at war with the incumbent Wardens from the Bluecoats.
Others make it a point to cozy up to them to keep their lives comfortable while they’re behind bars.

INSPECTORS TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

The criminal investigators of the City Watch. They have a reputation for ethics Dismantle criminal operations in 15
and integrity (no one likes them). They present evidence for prosecutions to the Ironhook
city magistrates. Retain Control over the Bluecoats 15
Investigate the Murder of the 15
former Saint-General
Investigate the Unseen 18
TURF: Technically all of North Hook. Technically.
NPCS: Inspectors move independently from each other and possess only a loose idea of a ruling body based on clout and integrity. Four of
the more popular Inspectors at the moment, though, are Adam Strathmill from Noyvi Zem (Learned, Commanding, Dauntless), Misha
Rhyzov from Ravka (Ruthless, Secretive, Loyal), Erhi Leung from Shu Han (Sharp, hot-tempered, confident), Sordat Khan from Iruvia
(Tough, Realist, salt and pepper hair), Mara Dayrit from Namayan (Savvy, Meticulous, Calm), and Lenora Drakewell from the Wandering
Isle (Bold, Genial, Beautiful)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A massive treasury of coin and valuable goods. Many officials, barristers, clerks, and officials. Lightning-engine vehicles
and military grade gear. Private sponsorship from their respective networks in and beyond North Hook.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Council of Tides, the Blackfeather Order

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ENEMIES: The Unseen, Ironhook Prison, the Bluecoats
SITUATION: Recent events have convinced many Inspectors that it is time to start working together against North Hook’s greater evils.
Suffice to say, the disappearances of some of their own have them a bit paranoid of both the Merchant Council and the Small Council now.

BLUECOATS TIER III FACTION CLOCK

The City Watch of Duskwall, tasked with upholding the law. Known as the Procure bigger budget, military 8
meanest gang in the city. Corrupt, violent, and cruel. arms & equipment
Lobby for independence from the 12
Inspectors
TURF: The Bluecoats claim the whole city as their turf, but find their influence severely limited in Whitecrown, where the personal guards
of the Merchant Council members handle their respective areas, and joint units from the Council of Tides and the Blackfeather Order roam
free.
NPCS: Commander Clelland (chief commissioner of the City Watch, corrupt, cruel, arrogant). Captain Michter (chief instructor, ambitious,
fierce, confident). Captain Vale (quartermaster, loyal, insightful, quiet).
NOTABLE ASSETS: Many large gangs of vicious thugs in uniform. Armored coaches and canal patrol boats. Public punishment sites (pillories,
stocks, hanging cages).
QUIRKS: The Bluecoats are divided into companies by district, and they have fierce rivalries, encouraged by their superiors—often good-
natured, but sometimes violent.
ALLIES: The Merchant Council, the Small Council, Ironhook Prison, the Blue Bonnets, the Unseen
ENEMIES: The Coalridge Union of Workers, the River Dogs, many criminal organizations
SITUATION: The Bluecoats are starting to chafe under the supervision of the Inspectors and are pushing to become recognized as an
independent group, “to better let the honorable Inspectors do their jobs, as we should do ours”. They also want to refit their watch-guards in
heavy armor and weapons, to better strike fear into those they prey upon. A show of force, in light of their failure to stop things like the
Dance at Coalridge.

KERCH LEVIATHAN HUNTERS TIER III FACTION CLOCK

The daring captains and crews that grapple with titanic demons of the Void Sea Discover new hunting grounds 8
to drain their blood and collect their body parts for processing. A newer (repeating)
institution, but rapidly growing in size and clout due to their necessity. Investigate new breed of leviathans 12
TURF: The massive metal docks for the huge hunter ships and the associated construction and repair facilities. Several small private
leviathan blood processing facilities for the captains’ personal shares.
NPCS: Lord Strangford (captain, ruthless, arrogant, tainted). Lady Clave (captain, daring, cruel, accomplished). Lady Lina Ankhayat (Iruvian
captain, confident, charming, scoundrel).

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NOTABLE ASSETS: The leviathan hunter fleet (each vessel is owned by the elite house or organization who built and commands it). Many
cohorts of expert sailors, as well as spark-craft technicians, demonologist Whispers, and void-touched navigators. Companies of marines to
protect the vessels and their valuable cargo at sea and in port.
ALLIES: The Merchant Council, the Small Council, Sailors, Dockers, Sparkwrights
ENEMIES: The Guild of Whalers
SITUATION: The captains have a horrible secret. They know full well what has been causing many of their ships to go under: new
monstrosities from the Unsea, near invincible and unrivaled in their ferociousness. They are hoping to find a way to defeat the
abominations before anyone catches on.

THE NOVYI ZEM EMBASSY TIER III FACTION CLOCK

The Embassy of the Free Republic of Novyi Zem. Investigate rumors of terrorist action against the 8
Embassy
Assure Sunrise Hill that everything’s under control 8
(repeating)
TURF: The Embassy Building in Whitecrown (HQ), their dedicated port in the 7th Harbour. Jurisdiction over anyone in North Hook who
bears a Novyi Zem passport/papers or whose ancestry can be traced back to the Free Republic.
NPCS: Adelaide Finch (encumbent Ambassadorof Novyi Zem, cool, secretive, ambitious), Luke Powell (Adelaide’s secretary, patriotic,
earnest, savvy), Walter Twighorn (spokesperson for the First People of Novyi Zem, patient, quiet, defiant), Pacifica Ibarra (representative of
the Balangay of Maynila, melancholy, stunning, bitter)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from the Free Republic. Overflowing coffers under their Saltford’s account. Notable levels of clout and popularity,
even among nations that are wary of them.
ALLIES: Kerch, Ravka, the Wandering Isle
ENEMIES: several Namayan Balangay, the River Dogs, the Grinders, the Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army, Zemeni seditionists,
Hutton
SITUATION: The Free Republic’s diplomats have been unable to escape criticism of the Zemeni and Namayan colonies that they still control,
particularly the Balangay of Maynila. North Hook also appears to be a hotbed for seditious activity against the nation. On a smaller scale,
Ambassador Finch is still fending off allegations against her regarding Gaddoc Rail Station and particular connections she possessed with a
certain former gang boss in Crow’s Foot.

THE RAVKAN EMBASSY TIER III FACTION CLOCK

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Ravka. Investigate rumors behind the death of the Rasvette 8
Apparat

184
 Investigate grisha disappearances around North 8
Hook
TURF: The Embassy Building in Whitecrown (HQ), their dedicated port in the 7th Harbour. Jurisdiction over anyone in North Hook who
bears Ravkan passport/papers or whose ancestry can be traced back to the Kingdom.
NPCS: Garik Rostov (encumbent Ambassador of Ravka, charming, sophisticated, insightful), Klaus Sokolov (second, disciplined, intelligent,
principled), Mari Zhabin (Commander of the First Army detail in North Hook, confident, cooperative, loyal, Adrik’s devoted wife), Adrik
Zhabin (Squaller and commander of the Second Army detail in North Hook, courageous, warm, bears scars from the War, Mari’s devoted
husband), Galina (mid-level diplomat, poised, elitist, proud), Elias Avelino (representative of the Balangay of Biringan, subtle, cold, savvy)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from Os Alta. Overflowing coffers under their Saltford’s account. Well-trained, competent grisha staff.
ALLIES: Kerch, Novyi Zem, the Wandering Isle, the Suli People, the Church of the Sun Summoner
ENEMIES: the Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army
SITUATION: Tensions are high between Ravka and their immediate neighbors: Shu Han and Fjerda. The Embassy in North Hook often finds
itself backing up any diplomatic gestures made by the Embassy in Ketterdam, especially since King Nikolai Lantslov has no desire to go to
war. However, the Embassy’s immediate concern is the Church of the Sun Summoner in North Hook, especially since it is in need of an
Apparat. As staunch Loyalists to the Crown, they’ve no desire to let the Apparat in Ravka or any of his own take over. Their other concern
are the rising incidents of grisha disappearances. One particular kidnapping hit close to home: Ambassador Rostov was nearly taken during
his tenure at Duskwall Academy years ago, when he was still a mid-level diplomat.

THE SHU HAN EMBASSY TIER III FACTION CLOCK

The Embassy of the Empire of Shu Han. Continue internal investigation of staff 8
Restore friendly relations with the Red Sash 8
Academy
TURF: The Embassy Building in Whitecrown (HQ), their dedicated port in the 7th Harbour. The Cloud City in Nightmarket. Jurisdiction over
anyone in North Hook who bears Shu Han Coins of Passage or whose ancestry can be traced back to the Empire.
NPCS: Ju-long Qadan (encumbent Ambassador of Shu Han, charismatic, shrewd, calculating), Altan Muunokhoi (Secretary, ex-military,
doubles as ambassador’s personal bodyguard, ruthless, bold, loyal, Ju-long Qadan’s lover), Sarnai Qiu (diplomat in charge of internal
investigation, principled, careful, quiet)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from the Dragon King. Overflowing coffers under their Saltford’s account. Highly trained security force.
ALLIES: Kerch, Fjerda, some Namayan Balangay
ENEMIES: The Ghost Wolves, the Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army, agents of the Devil Kings
SITUATION: The Shu Han Embassy has had several storms, big and small, that it has had to weather in the past few years due to the actions of
many of its former employers. The Ambassador prior to this one, for example, was found guilty of consorting with scoundrels, and of being
complicit in the actions of the disgraced Kolya Company. At present, the majority of the new staff remain wary of those who have retained
their positions in the Embassy.

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THE BRIGADE TIER II FACTION CLOCK
The firefighters of the city. Beloved for their life-saving heroism, or reviled for Acquire new equipment 8
their looting and extortion rackets. Also known as “Sallies” (from Cortland removes the extortionist 12
“salamanders,” their old name). rings
TURF: The Brigade gets free reign over the entirety of North Hook for handling fires and doing damage control and relief efforts for disasters,
man-made or natural. Each District has a dedicated platoon of Sallies.
NPCS: Cortland (leader, idealist, candid, cavalier). Bear (second, fierce, moody, brash). Rick (big man for the extortionist Sallies, talkative,
shrewd, scoundrel), Hanifa (Inferni, wiry, cheerful, fearless)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Sparkcraft machinery and vehicles. Well-trained Grisha volunteers. Funding from the city government. Generous
retirement packages for their service.
ALLIES: The Small Council, the Foundation
ENEMIES: The Roosts, the Barrowcleft Council
SITUATION: Some fraternities within the Brigade are working with certain city officials to run good people out of their homes and refresh the
real estate market. Before Chief Cortland stepped in, most of the Sallies ignored the fraternities who did this on the side.

THE FJERDAN EMBASSY TIER II FACTION CLOCK

The Embassy of the Fjerda. Negotiate better trade deals with Kerch 8
Negotiate an alliance with Novyi Zem 12
TURF: The Embassy Building in Whitecrown (HQ), their dedicated port in the 7th Harbour. Jurisdiction over anyone in North Hook who
bears Fjerdan passports/papers or whose ancestry can be traced back to Fjerda.
NPCS: Rasmus Hellstrom (encumbent Ambassador of Fjerda, articulate, elitist, devout Djel worshipper), Isak Vilgot (pragmatic, meticulous,
actually responsible for smoothing over many of Ambassador Hellstrom’s gaffes), Natalia Karaleva (commander of the devana stationed at
the Embassy, ambassador’s personal bodyguard, cavalier, vicious, thrillseeker), Lars Arturri (commander of the druskelle stationed at the
Embassy, vain, volatile, competitive towards Natalia)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from Djerholm and the Ice Throne. 5 out of 8 staff are druskelle or devana/trained by druskelle or devana. Part of
the Embassy’s security force is a large pack of ice wolves.
ALLIES: Kerch, Shu Han, the Worshippers of Djel
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army, Ravka, the Silver Nails
SITUATION: The Fjerdan Embassy in North Hook has only recently restored its staff and seated an ambassador (10 years after the Fjerdan
Embassy in Ketterdam went back into operation). There’s talk that Djerholm is desperate enough to swallow a bit of its pride and try to
establish friendly relations outside of the Unsea-ravaged Fjerda.

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THE IRUVIAN CONSULATE TIER II FACTION CLOCK
The Consulate of Iruvia. Increase clout in North Hook 8
Arrange for an expedition into the Unsea (repeating) 8
TURF: The Consul Building in Whitecrown (HQ), their dedicated port in the 7th Harbour. Jurisdiction over anyone in North Hook who bears
Iruvian passports/papers or whose ancestry can be traced back to U’Duasha.
NPCS: Saladin Ankhayat (encumbent Ambassador of Iruvia, enigmatic, learned, careful), Elsthera Avrathi (Secretary to the Ambassador,
secretive, gracious, actually a member of the Circle),
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from U’Duasha and the Great Houses. Overflowing coffers courtesy of Saltford’s and from their leviathan hunters.
Almost everyone in the Consul is daeva.
ALLIES: Kerch, several Namayan Balangay, Ehsan Sallahatin, Nurul Fallash, Lady Lina Ankhayat
ENEMIES: Remnants of the Darkling’s Army, the Majnun, Ibrahim Therani
SITUATION: U’Duasha is deeply interested in strengthening Iruvia’s influence on foreign soil, particularly North Hook. The Great Houses
seek to understand the Unsea and draw from its power, even if it’ll make practically every other nation suspicious of them. While they’re
busy pursuing this, they’re content with letting Iruvians already based in North Hook and beyond to do as they like.

THE NAMAYAN BALANGAY CONSULATES TIER II FACTION CLOCK

The Consulates of Namayan Balangays who have chosen to send Convince other Balangay to join the Consul 8
representatives to North Hook. (repeating)
TURF: The compound for their Consuls in Whitecrown (HQ), their dedicated port in the 7th Harbour. Jurisdiction over anyone in North
Hook from their balangays.
NPCS: Several balangay from Namayan have decided to come to North Hook and retain diplomatic relations with Kerch. Generally, the
balangay act independently of each other. They only present a common front or convene to discuss serious concerns that effect all of them.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from their Balangay. Riches from the trade they engage in through their diplomatic engagements. Almost
everyone in each Balangay are bailan.
ALLIES: Kerch, Kriselda
ENEMIES: the Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army, the Sidapa
SITUATION: Every balangay has its own reasons for being in North Hook. Their specific allies and enemies depend on what kind of balangay
they are, and on what they’re hoping to do. Generally, however, all the Consuls get along and look out for each other, as all of them are
interested in seeing more Namayans along the Duskwall and enrich their respective Balangay back on the Western Continent.

THE KAELISH CONSULATE TIER I FACTION CLOCK

The Consulate of the the Wandering Isle. Explore new trade possibilities 8

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 Petition for funding from Saltford’s 8
TURF: The Consul Building in Whitecrown (HQ). Jurisdiction over anyone in North Hook who bears Kaelish passports/papers or whose
ancestry can be traced back to the Wandering Isle.
NPCS: Connall Wayland (encumbent Ambassador of the Wandering Isle, tough, driven, calm), Fiona Kerr (Silvertongued, mysterious,
beautiful, devout). Wayland has a small council whose members each represent one of the Great Clans who spearheaded the push for
diplomacy with other nations. They discuss matters of state and strategize together. In matters of the occult and arcane, however, they tend
to defer to Fiona.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from several Great Clans.
ALLIES: Kerch, Ravka, Novyi Zem, Maes Mordechai, the Kellen Family
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army
SITUATION: The more sensible Clan Chieftains have realized that the only way for the Isle to survive is if the Great Clans band together for
survival. Thes Chiefs are the ones who were responsible for sending people over to North Hook and Ketterdam, in the hopes of securing
some foreign aid.

THE SULI CONSULATE TIER I FACTION CLOCK

The Embassy of the the Wandering Isle. Complete registry of all Suli in North Hook 12
Petition for funding from Saltford’s 8
TURF: The Consul Building in Whitecrown (HQ).
NPCS: Nalia Kashyap (Consul of the Suli People, matronly, charming, worn)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from King Nikolai Lantslov of Ravka and some of U’Duasha’s elite.
ALLIES: Kerch, Ravka, Novyi Zem
ENEMIES: The Unsea, Remnants of the Darkling’s Army
SITUATION: This Consul would not exist without generous support from Ravka’s King, and some generous handouts from Iruvian nobles.
Suli within North Hook are ambivalent as it is about this sort of representation, as it goes against their traditionally nomadic ways. Survival,
however, is a very real concern given how the expansion of the Fold all but decimated the Suli People as a whole.

188
PROFILE: LABOR & TRADE
Arranged by Tier, then by alphabetical order.

THE FOUNDATION TIER V FACTION CLOCKS

The powerful guild of architects and builders, as old as Kerch itself. Many of Dissatisfaction (Merchant Council) 10
their enemies have disappeared behind the brick and mortar of the cities they Dissatisfaction (Small Council) 12
have built for their country.
Research new cleansing rituals 15
(repeating)
TURF: The Foundation House in Brightstone (HQ). Jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to architecture, repair, construction, and city
planning within North Hook and Ketterdam. They used to have sole control over the construction and repair of the lightning barriers, but
they’ve been forced to share that with the Sparkwrights ever since the Unsea expanded.
NPCS: The Foundation has always been controlled by the Allidok Family, one of the original royal houses of Kerch while it was still a
monarchy. The young Moira Allidok is its current Master Architect (quiet, serene, professional). Charterhall University students are
familiar with Augus, one of the Foundation’s most prized members who handles several classes on architecture and engineering.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Near unconditional support from Ketterdam. Coffers overflowing with money. State-of-the-art equipment and easy access
to materials common and rare. Highly skilled labor force and officers. Intimate knowledge of North Hook, the city they planned and built
from nothing.
QUIRKS: Strangely, when people check portraits and old sketches of previous Master Architects, the resemblance to most of them and Moira
Allidok is uncanny. It’s so striking that you almost can’t just write it off as them being her ancestors.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Barrowcleft Council, the Brigade, the Cyphers, the Church of Barter
ENEMIES: Sparkwrights
SITUATION: One of the silent but near unshakable powers of North Hook, older than the Council of Tides and the Blackfeather Order.
They’ve traditionally held themselves separate from the politics, as all ends of the spectrum inevitably approach their members and officers
if they wish to build or repair anything. Some of their members, however, feel as though the Merchant Council is becoming a bit too greedy.
Their sniping and selfishness may prevent everyone from getting rich off the masses properly.

THE BARROWCLEFT COUNCIL TIER V FACTION CLOCKS

Harvest for North Hook (repeating) 10
House cleaning (repeating) 10

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The collective term for the informal council of guilds and families from Representation in the Small 15
Barrowcleft – the farmers, and workers at the granaries, mills, fisheries, and Council
eeleries.
TURF: The Hearth in Barrowcleft (HQ), and the District of Barrowcleft itself. They also control all legitimate channels of barter and trade for
agriculture and craftsmanship.
NPCS: “Little Mayor” Mason Prichard (calculating, confident, calm) and Matriarch Hester Vale (proud, fierce. suspicious)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Near total control over the food supply in North Hook. Influence in Ketterdam, and with the city government of North
Hook.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Foundation, the Lightningbottles
ENEMIES: The Brigade, any organization that threatens honest trade or jeopardizes North Hook’s food stock
SITUATION: Barrowcleft and its Council have – by Ketterdam authority – always controlled the main food supply and agricultural welfare of
North Hook. The Merchant Council has wisely decided to leave Barrowcleft to its own devices if they wish to keep food on their table, and
the Lord Governor’s attention away from them.

SALTFORD INCORPORATED TIER V FACTION CLOCKS

One of the oldest banks in the world, and most certainly as old as Kerch itself. Eliminate infiltrators from the 10
Its roots extend all the way back to the very first noble family placed in charge Merchant Council (repeating)
of the Imperial Treasury of Kerch. It only has one branch in North Hook: the Eliminate infiltrators from the Hive 10
institution around which the Docks of the Duskwall were built. (repeating)
Eliminate infiltrators from the 10
Unseen (repeating)
TURF: Saltford’s (The Docks). They control close to 90% of the flow of coin and assets in North Hook.
NPCS: The Saltford Family founded the company and remain in control of it several centuries after the fact. However, they’ve evolved
enough with the times to create a Board to acknowledge the factions and individual shareholders who have helped them maintain
themselves. Each of their banks has their own Board of Directors, and these Boards are said to meet regularly. The face most people in North
Hook know is Maes Mordechai, the leader of their private army. (Cheerful, Ruthless, Striking)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Near unconditional support from Ketterdam. Immeasurable private assets, and near total control of the flow of money and
assets all throughout North Hook, Ketterdam, and every city – major or otherwise – in Kerch and beyond.
QUIRKS: Saltford Directors are instructed to go out in masks or use means to disguise themselves so that they won’t be easily pegged by
people hoping to target the bank, its benefactors, or its management. Ladies and gentlemen of the Board all wear the same distinctive top
hat and brooch/lapel pins that mark them for what they are and carry a sword cane. The animal head on the cane marks which Board
they’re from. North Hook’s Board of Directors is a cat head.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Council of Tides, the Blackfeather Order

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ENEMIES: The Church of Barter, the Unseen, the Hive
SITUATION: A truly apolitical group, interested only what allows them to generate more profit for themselves – and playing the neutral party
with the world’s wealth at their fingertips allows them to do that best. They’re constantly locking horns with the other secret (or not so
secret) powers within the Duskwall in order to protect their interests.

THE GUILD OF WHALERS TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

The government-sanctioned guild of whalers registered with Ketterdam. Find new hunting grounds 12
Mostly comprised of old families who have passed down their trade – as Research new properties of whale 12
captains or as crew – across generations. oil (repeating)
TURF: The Guild House at the Docks (HQ). All whale oil and whale product processing factories in North Hook.
NPCS: Guildmaster Lannock (bold, proud, charismatic), Dockmaster Sven (shrewd, tough, crippled)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Fleets of whaling ships. Exclusive use of several piers at the Docks. Control over patents for the whaling industry. Coffers
of money made from their trade.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Church of Barter
ENEMIES: The Guild of Kerch Leviathan Hunters
SITUATION: This guild is the only government-sanctioned group for the hunting, killing, processing, production and sale of whale products,
most especially whale oil. Their rivalry with the Leviathan Hunters was originally a rivalry in good sport given the importance of both
groups in the eyes of Kerch and the Church of Barter. Keyword: “originally”.

THE COALRIDGE UNION OF WORKERS TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

The first true worker’s union to ever succeed in North Hook. Represents the Legitimize operations (repeating) 10
factory workers, miners, train and tram builders of the city. Complete succession of Stannon as 12
Union Leader
TURF: The Coalridge Union Headquarters in Charterhall. Coalridge District. Gaddoc Rail Station.
NPCS: The Lightningbottles and the Union have common leadership. Edik Holtz (leader, calm, affable, fearless) Stannon (second, quiet,
loyal, dog lover), Faizani Kessarin (Forger, intense, calculating, brilliant)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Fresh grants on the industries of their members straight from Ketterdam. Ownership of the Gaddoc Rail Station. Deep ties
with extremely driven, skilled gangs.
ALLIES: The River Dogs, the Lightningbottles, the Barrowcleft Council, the Citenzry of Coalridge
ENEMIES: The Small Council, the Bluecoats, the Citenzry of Brightstone

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SITUATION: Nobody really says it, but everybody knows it – the Coalridge Union was only made possible due to the intervention of
Coalridge’s oddly heroic new gangs. It’s painted a target on this Union’s back, given that they are now inspiring other labor groups to
mobilize and fight for their rights.

THE CYPHERS TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

The messenger guild of the city. Cyphers swear sacred oaths of secrecy — never
revealing the contents of their messages or the identities of their clients — or so
they claim.
TURF: The Guild House in Whitecrown (HQ), Cypher Hubs all throughout North Hook.
NPCS: In a fashion similar to the Council of Tides, Cyphers go by code names and do not reveal their faces or sex to outsiders. Any internal
structure of authority that they possess is shrouded in mystery.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Theoretically, any information transmitted through their guild is viewed by their members first. If they are not as loyal to
their oaths of secrecy as they claim they are…
ALLIES: The Foundation, the Blackfeather Order, Lord Scurlock
ENEMIES: Who knows?
SITUATION: For centuries, Cyphers were responsible for delivering letters and messages from any point of Kerch to another, and North Hook
was no exception. However, it is no longer so vogue for people across social classes to rely on their services. There is, as well, the relentless
march of technology and alternative means of communication. Nevertheless, it is stlll fashionable to use a Cypher for official missives, and
Cypher deliveries continue to be viewed as more legitimate than most other means of communication.

THE GONDOLIERS TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

The guild of canal boat operators. Original members were “imports” from
Ketterdam. Their members have, across the past few decades, learned many
occult secrets (many things are submerged in the Dusk).
TURF: The canal systems of North Hook. Exclusive right of way as they are the main mode of public transportation through the canals.
NPCS: Each District of North Hook has its own cadre of Gondoliers. Gondoliers generally don’t step on each other’s turf and are known to
band together quickly against anybody who threatens their trade or makes life too difficult for them.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Intimate knowledge of the canal systems of North Hook. Training that allows them to fare a little better against the darker
entities that lurk within the city than most common workers would.
ALLIES: The Blackfeather Order, the Barrowcleft Council, the Cyphers, the Cabbies
ENEMIES: Forgotten Gods, the Horde, Saints, the Sidapa, the Majnun

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SITUATION: Some Gondoliers are uneasy over how the Merchant Council, the Small Council and other elites have taken to employing their
own gondoliers in order to move around, and how some of them are even considering creating their own groups to make money off what is
traditionally their trade as a guild. Also: as always, bullying from some elements in the Underworld is always a problem.

THE GUILD OF DUSKWALL PHYSICKERS TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

The government-sanctioned guild of Physickers registered with Ketterdam, Audit current Guild members 8
given license to practice within North Hook. (repeating)
Train more physickers (repeating) 8
TURF: The Guild House in Charterhall (HQ). Charterhall University, Duskwall Academy. Government-owned hospitals and clinics
throughout the Duskwall.
NPCS: The Guild elects a board of nine physickers every year as a ruling council of their Guild. These Heads are responsible for the day-to-
day concerns and management of the Guild, and also see to the individual concerns of their colleagues.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Support from the academe and from Ketterdam. Rights to ply their trade and earn a living within North Hook.
ALLIES: Charterhall University, Duskwall Academy, the Blackfeather Order, Swansong, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Melvir Taylor
ENEMIES: None yet
SITUATION: Even though their operations have expanded and the number of physickers in North Hook have exponentially increased, the
demand for doctors remains too great for the Guild to manage completely. The Guild is also hypervigilant against members they have
trained who may be engaged in various forms of malpractice, or members who are moonlighting as scoundrels.

SPARKWRIGHTS TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

The engineers who are often called upon by the Blackfeather Order to maintain Develop alternative fuel 15
the lightning barriers. Also pioneers of new technology, often indulging in Research new properties of 18
dangerous research. electricity (repeating)
TURF: The Barrowcleft Lightning Tower (HQ). Sparkwright Tower and design facility in Charterhall.
NPCS: Una Farros (instructor at Charterhall University, curious, vain, famous), Forcha Khoravid (instructor at Duskwall Academy, brilliant,
insightful, humble)
NOTABLE ASSETS: The electroplasmic generators, city lights, lightning barriers and associated facilities and systems across the city.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Blackfeather Order, the Barrowcleft Council
ENEMIES: The Foundation, the Reconciled
SITUATION: Formed under orders from Ketterdam after Kerch determined that it was important to have a more specialized guild for the
research, development, patenting, and manufacturing of Sparkcraft. Some resent the clout they possess, in the same way that older rich
families may look down upon their noses at younger houses.

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THE CABBIES TIER II FACTION CLOCKS
The public coach operators. They also breed the large Suli and Kerch goats used
to pull the carriages. An impressive gossip network.

TURF: The roads of North Hook. Exclusive right of way as they are the main mode of public transportation through the streets.
NPCS: Each District of North Hook has its own cadre of Cabbies. Cabbies generally don’t step on each other’s turf and are known to band
together quickly against anybody who threatens their trade or makes life too difficult for them.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Intimate knowledge of the roads of North Hook.
ALLIES: The Cyphers, the Gondoliers
ENEMIES: Private chaffeurs
SITUATION: Many Cabbies are uneasy over how the Merchant Council, the Small Council and other elites have taken to employing their
own chaffeurs in order to move around, and how some of them are even considering creating their own groups to make money off what is
traditionally their trade. Also: as always, bullying from some elements in the Underworld is always a problem.

INK RAKES TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

The journalists, muck-rakers, and newspaper publishers of North Hook. Rise in Tier 10
Investigate the real powers of North 12
Hook (repeating)
TURF: Newspaper publishing houses all over North Hook.
NPCS: There’s no guild or union for Ink Rakes in North Hook yet. The big publications at the moment are The Watchman and The
Duskwall Herald. The most (in)famous tabloid is The Midnight Howler.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Grants allowing them to subsidize the cost of mass printing and publication. Support from the universities.
ALLIES: Duskwall Academy, Charterhall University, the Inspectors
ENEMIES: The Unseen
SITUATION: North Hook is only beginning to see the relevance of journalism and the dissemination of critical news and discourse.
Unfortunately, this means that the Ink Rakes with real integrity are making some very powerful enemies simply by existing.

RAIL JACKS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

Rise in Tier 8

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 The men and women who protect the electro-trains of Kerch from the savage Lobby for the registration of their 8
spirits of the Deathlands. Have recently been making noises about forming a union with the Small Council
union.
TURF: Gaddoc Rail Station and the Last Stop. The lightning rails beyond North Hook. Any Kerch-controlled station or outpost within the
Deathlands.
NPCS: Camaraderie and familial ties are strong between Rail Jacks given the nature of their work. They tend to take a very “us vs. them”
mentality about regular folk given how regular encounters in the Deathlands have changed them. There are no notable spokespersons or
influential members among their number just yet.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Highly trained and experienced members. Almost every Rail Jack is immune to the miasma of the Deathlands because of
Deathless Brands or through sheer exposure.
ALLIES: The Coalridge Union of Workers, the Lightningbottles, the Sparkwrights, Deathlands Scavengers
ENEMIES: The Small Council, the Merchant Council
SITUATION: The Rail Jacks are finally speaking up against the dismal conditions of their work and the overall lack of support and civil rights
they have. Their dissent is all the more dangerous for their oppressors given that the political situation along the Duskwall has changed,
and certain vigilante groups are in the business of supporting the formation of labor unions.

PROFILE: THE FRINGE

Arranged by Tier, then by alphabetical order.

THE CHURCH OF BARTER TIER VI FACTION CLOCKS

Kerch’s main religion. Technically, there’s a separation of church and state in Disrupt Saltford’s operations in 8
place. Technically. North Hook (repeating)
TURF: The High Cathedral of Ghezen in Whitecrown (HQ).
NPCS: The Golden Hands of Ghezen are highest authority of the Church of Barter. Each Chapter has its own set of Hands.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Representatives of perhaps the most powerful faith Kerch, and all the perks that come with that – devotion from followers,
steady flow of tithes, daily donations, influence. Considerable political clout due to their long relationship with the Crown.
ALLIES: Ketterdam, the Merchant Council, the Small Council, the Foundation, the Guild of Whalers
ENEMIES: Saltford’s Incorporated
SITUATION: The Church of Barter is engaged in a bitter rivalry with Saltford’s Incorporated, as both institutions seek to do the same thing:
dominance over the most influential powers in the world through commerce, trade, and money. Saltford’s reach is currently longer then

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the Church of Barter – something that the Golden Hands would not chafe at so much, were it not for the fact that Saltford’s is starting to
control more assets within Kerch.

THE CHURCH OF THE SUN SUMMONER TIER V FACTION CLOCKS

The largest cult in history to ever form around a Saint. Has strong roots in Elect new Rassvete Apparat 10
North Hook, as the church migrated in its entirety to Kerch after Saint Alina Investigate rumors of resurrected 12
Starkov’s defeat. Sun Summoner
TURF: The Svyatilishche in Brightstone (HQ).
NPCS: A Rassvete Apparat is supposed to be the highest authority of the Cult in North Hook. The College of High Adepts has not yet decided
on a candidate and is currently managing the Cult’s affairs while they discuss the issue.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Representatives of perhaps the most powerful faith in this broken world, and all the perks that come with that – devotion
from followers, steady flow of tithes, daily donations, influence. Kerch is, at the moment, the only nation where they are secondary in the
eyes of the majority. (The Church of Barter is Kerch’s state religion).
ALLIES: The Ravkan Consulate, the Cult of Sankt Andrei
ENEMIES: The Circle, the Church of Ecstasy, the Worshippers of Djel, the Path of Echoes
SITUATION: The High Adepts of the Church in North Hook are at odds with the main Church in Ravka. They view the High Apparat’s
politicking as him attempting to become the real king of Ravka against Nikolai. This maneuvering runs afoul of their teachings, and – in
their perception – could potentially cloud the Cult’s judgment.

THE WORSHIPPERS OF DJEL TIER IV FACTION CLOCKS

Djel, the Wellspring, is the principle “god” worshipped by Fjerda. The faith has Finance Sparkcraft research 10
strong representation in Kerch due to the constant influx of refugees from the (repeating)
country. Acquire Sparkcraft (repeating) 10
TURF: The Tree That Owns Itself in Brightstone (main temple). Various temples to Djel throughout North Hook.
NPCS: The Worshippers follow the collective authority of its Sapphire Circle, which is comprised of all of their druids within North Hook.
NOTABLE ASSETS: Charismatic leaders of the faith. Tithes from devoted worshippers, and droves of faithful who show their love and loyalty
in actions when they cannot do it in coin. A private army of druskelle. Nominal support from the Fjerdan Embassy.
ALLIES: The Fjerdan Embassy, the Silver Nails, Sparkwrights, Fjerdan Refugees
ENEMIES: The Church of the Sun Summoner, the Church of Ecstasy
SITUATION: The faithful in North Hook are slowly becoming radicalized against anyone and anything “unpure”. The seat of corruption for
them, even before the fell energies of the Unsea, are the witches and warlocks born of man – Grisha. Although their official stance with

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regard to other faiths (most especially the Church of the Sun Summoner) is to treat them with cool disdain, there have been reports of their
preachers encouraging violence against all infidels.

THE CHURCH OF ECSTASY TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

A religion born out of the desperation and despair that came in the wake of the Unlock the secret of ascension 12
Unsea’s expansion. It remains popular due to the terrible, dark times that Eliminate the Reconciled 12
people live in. They honor the life of the body and abhor the corrupted spirit
world. Essentially a secret society.
TURF: The Sanctorium grand cathedral in Brightstone. Many other smaller temples across the city.
NPCS: Elder Rowan (leader, devout, resolute, visionary). Preceptor Dunvil (arcane researcher, unorthodox, obsessive, enigmatic), Preceptor
Vishka (mistress of ceremonies, traditionalist, proud, lover of makeup & personal luxury)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A large treasury of tithes from citizens. Extensive arcane and occult libraries, workspaces, and artifacts. Many cohorts of
acolytes and hollows who enforce the will of the Church’s leadership.
QUIRKS: Although the Church of the Sun Summoner and the Worshippers of Djel are more widespread and older, the Church of Ecstasy
enjoys the privilege of attracting most of the elite of North Hook to their flock.
ALLIES: The Merchant Council, the Small Council, the Unseen, the Path of Echoes
ENEMIES: The Church of the Sun Summoner, the Worshippers of Djel, the Cult of Sankt Andrei
SITUATION: The purest beings (according to secret teachings of the Church), are those entirely without spirits: the demons. Demons are
immortal, but never fade into madness or lustful hungers as rogue human spirits and vampires do. They are perfect; and the most devout of
the Church seek to become as they are, to unlock the secret of ascension. Many dark experiments and rituals with hulls, hollows,
vampires—and the rare demon—are conducted in the labyrinthine dungeons below the Church’s chief cathedral in Brightstone.

THE PATH OF ECHOES TIER III FACTION CLOCKS

A mystery cult that borders on open rebellion against spirit laws established by Collect more ectoplasm (repeating) 6
the Blackfeather Order. They revere “the ancients” and seek to gain knowledge Create a new nightmare pantheon 12
from the past— including consorting with ghosts.
TURF: The Archive of Echoes in Charterhall (HQ). Large swathes of the underground tunnels and catacombs beneath the Duskwall. Several
spirit tracks within North Hook’s ghost field that the Path has hijacked for power.
NPCS: Lord Orlan Penderyn (leader, reckless, strange), Lord Mateas Kline (second, handsome, sharp, antiquarian), Camilla Bennett
(Astronomer, intelligent, obsessed, sensitive about her looks), Moriya (fence and scout, cold, greedy)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Tithes from members. Some generous support from nobles and elite who have been initiated into the cult. Arcane power
from captive ghosts and spirits. Professors in Charterhall and the Academy who keep the faith. Droves of unknowing students providing
research and life essence for the Path’s Adepts. A handful of rogue Witchers who feed the Path with information.

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QUIRKS: Although the Church of the Sun Summoner and the Worshippers of Djel are more widespread and older, the Church of Ecstasy
enjoys the privilege of attracting most of the elite of North Hook to their flock.
ALLIES: The Unseen, the Church of Ecstasy, the Esteemed Circle of Sankt Ilya, Forgotten Gods
ENEMIES: The Church of the Sun Summoner, the Worshippers of Djel, the Cult of Sankt Andrei, the Blackfeather Order, Lord Scurlock
SITUATION: Although the Seventh Step do not know it, the Pillar of Night – the Forgotten God they destroyed – was one of the main deities
of the Path, and managed to gain a lot of its power through the Path’s intercession. The Path seeks to create more nightmare pantheons of
that kind, and serve as the army of these fell entities for their own benefit.

DEATHLANDS SCAVENGERS TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

Convicts from Ironhook and desperate freelancers who roam the wasteland Complete another expedition 8
beyond the lightning barriers. (repeating)
Train new members (repeating) 8
Rehabilitate last batch (repeating) 8
TURF: Technically, Deathlands Scavengers have no turf to speak of. They are usually found loitering around Gaddoc Rail Station or lurking
about in Dunslough.
NPCS: Sister Thorn (leader, tough, protective, volatile), Vandra (the gang’s finest tracker, haunted, wise)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Hardiness and camaraderie that come from their traumatic backgrounds and constantly facing the fell energies of the
Unsea.
QUIRKS: One of the few factions who wholeheartedly accept Seryvin in their number – although this should not come as a surprise, as many
of them become Seryvin in the end.
ALLIES: The Seryvin Community, the Citizenry of Dunslough, the Rail Jacks
ENEMIES: Ironhook Prison, the Roosts, the Unsea
SITUATION: Although they have not been able to confirm this, the Deathlands immediately beyond North Hook appear to be even more
dangerous than before. Life in North Hook is not getting any easier, though, and the Scavengers see no other recourse for themselves but to
continue doing what they’re doing.

THE RED SASH ACADEMY TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A school dedicated to the Falling Sword style of Shu Han swordplay. Used to be Rise in Tier 10
gang. Currently trying to stay on board and reclaim the influence they once Court the Shu Han Embassy 12
had.
Make peace with the Crows 12
TURF: HQ in their sword-fighting school/temple.

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NPCS: Erdin Oktai (Headmaster, handsome, vicious, languid), Irimina (Vice Headmaster, sadistic, barb-tongued, obsessed with Tailoring her
disfigurements away), Zajjidan (swordmaster/accountant of the Academy, scarred, savvy, wears glasses), Yuuto Shirogane (swordmaster,
striking, chiseled, serene)
NOTABLE ASSETS: Small contingent of master sword-fighters. Master alchemist; many potent potions and essences.
QUIRKS: Most of the Academy’s members aren’t actually from Shu Han anymore.
ALLIES: The Dandy Lions
ENEMIES: The Bluecoats, the Crows
SITUATION: The Red Sashes used to be at war with the Lampblacks and the River Dogs. The Dance at Coalridge ushered in completely new
management, and effectively ended the Academy’s run on the wrong side of the law. Unfortunately, this also meant great losses in their
resources and influence within North Hook.

THE CULT OF SANKT ANDREI TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A cult dedicated to purifying the spirit trails marked by the train tracks – both Rise in Tier 10
the old and discontinued, and the current routes – that span across North Hook. Purify fallen Saints in North Hook 12
(repeating)
Map spirit train tracks 15
TURF: HQ hidden within the sprawling underground tunnels beneath Coalridge
NPCS: Speaker Sergei (leader, taciturn, pious, disciplined), Sister Yuri (second, haunted, kind)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A small but highly devoted circle of disciplines, all of them powerful Grisha. The quiet patronage of the Church of the Sun
Summoner itself.
ALLIES: The Church of the Sun Summoner, Hopper, the River Dogs, the Lightningbottles
ENEMIES: The Circle, the Church of Ecstasy, the Path of Echoes
SITUATION: In a strange twist of faith, the Cult of Sankt Andrei was assisted by the River Dogs, a gang they had despised for their willful
desecration of their Relics. This Cult considers itself a leg of the Sun Summoner’s army, doing her bidding until she rises again.

THE WEEPING LADY TIER II FACTION CLOCKS

A charity and pseudo-religion, honoring the first Lord Governor of Ketterdam, Find sources of funds for the Arms 6
Lady Devera, said to be a champion of the poor. of the Lady (repeating)
Seek aid from the Bluecoats on their 8
missing benefactors
TURF: Arms of the Lady (HQ, Six Towers). Small charity houses and soup kitchens operating on their dime all throughout North Hook.

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NPCS: Mother Narya (Mother Superior of the Lady, kind, patient), Father Yoren (Mother Narya’s second, religious, devoted), Roslyn Kellis
(Mother Narya’s confidant, delicate, selfless), Ehsan Sallahatin (tutor to the Lady’s benefactors, compassionate, learned, fearless), Tomas
(volunteer physicker, worn, pleasantm loves coffee)
NOTABLE ASSETS: A few noble patrons who continue to give the Weeping Lady their support.
ALLIES: The Citizenry of Dunslough, Chef Roselle from the Golden Plum, Maria Hendricks-van Eck
ENEMIES: The Roosts
SITUATION: Mother Narya has not revealed this to anyone yet, but her Charity is experiencing serious financial woes. Few in North Hook are
willing to aid the weary and downtrodden: it’s no longer fashionable. Also, many of their benefactors have been disappearing, and nobody
seems interested in helping Mother Narya locate them.

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NORTH HOOK: VICE PURVEYORS
This is an expanded version of the original list found in Blades in the Dark. Adapted for One More Notch.

FAITH
❖ Any cult to a Saint or to a Forgotten God. You can
coordinate with your GM on this one.
❖ Mother Narya, House of the Weeping Lady, Six Towers.
❖ Ilacille, the ruins of the Temple to forgotten gods,
Coalridge.
❖ Malista, priestess of the Cult of the Closed Eye, Silkshore.
❖ Sister Cassandra, the Church of the Sun Summoner,
Brightstone.
❖ Nelisanne, The Church of the Ecstasy of the Flesh,
Brightstone.
❖ Brother Miroslav, the Worshippers of Djel, Brightstone.
❖ Lord Penderyn, the Archive of Echoes, Charterhall.

GAMBLING
❖ Spogg’s dice game, Crow’s Foot.
❖ Harvey’s card tables, the Lion’s Club, Charterhall.
❖ Grist, boxing, the Docks.
❖ Helene, Silver Stag casino, Silkshore.
❖ Master Vreen, hound racing, Nightmarket.
❖ Lady Dusk, the Dusk Manor Club, Whitecrown.
❖ Mr. Jade, wheels of fortune & dice games, the Lion’s Club,
Charterhall.
❖ Sergeant Velk, the fighting pits, Dunslough.

LUXURY, PLEASURE
❖ Singer, bath house, Crow’s Foot. ❖ Lord Gabriel Hargreaves, Hargreave Estate (kinkster &
❖ Jasmina, Elif, Qarraq, Mirza and Yashua, the Rose’s First artists’ club), Brightstone.
Words, Silkshore. ❖ Raban, Iruvian silk trader, Brightstone.
❖ Harvale Brogan, the Centuralia Club, Brightstone. ❖ Traven’s smoke shop, Coalridge.

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 ❖ Dunridge & Sons, fine fabrics and tailoring (the clothing
kind, not the Small Science kind), Nightmarket.
❖ Leclure, personal luxuries, Nightmarket.
❖ Kriselda, Tailor, private boutique in Brightstone.
❖ Mohadisa, Iruvian and Shu Han beauty product importer,
Nightmarket.
❖ Reyasso, Iruvian art and antiques dealer, Nightmarket.
OBLIGATION
❖ If your scoundrel is maintaining a “legit” front, this may
count as their Obligation. Determine the nature of it with
your GM!
❖ Family members (Heritage) or former co-workers
(Background).
❖ Henwick House, orphanage, Crow’s Foot.
❖ St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, public hospital, Charterhall.
PLEASURE, STUPOR
❖ The Ghafa Family, acrobats, Silkshore.
❖ Mardin Gull, the Leaky Bucket, tavern, Crow’s Foot.
❖ Abilene, the Firebird, tavern, Coalridge.
❖ Pux Bolin, the Harping Monkey, tavern, Nightmarket.
❖ Helene, Silver Stag Casino, Silkshore.
❖ Lady Freyla, the Emperor’s Cask, bar, Whitecrown.
❖ Avrick, powder dealer, Barrowcleft.
❖ Aziz, the Prophet’s Rest, Charterhall.
❖ Rolan Volaris, the Veil, social club, Nightmarket.
❖ Chef Roselle, the Golden Plum restaurant, Six Towers.
❖ Maestro Helleren, Spiregarden Theater, Whitecrown.
❖ Harker, pimp for prostitutes pushed into service in
Ironhook, Dunslough.
❖ Margaret Vale, store owner, St. Andrew’s Finders,
Coalridge.
❖ Swansong Veteran’s Hospital, hospital for soldiers/ex-
soldiers, Six Towers.
❖ Hutton, Zemeni Refugees/Revolutionaries, Charhollow.
❖ Stannon, labor union organization, Coalridge.
❖ The Circle of Flame, a secret society.
❖ Felix, Ink Rake, reporter for The Duskwall Herald.
❖ Bear, Sallie for the Brigade [the good side] OR Rick, Sallie
for the Brigade [the extortionists].
❖ Kasumi Aoi, the Black Lotus, social club/kinkster
establishment, Nightmarket.
❖ Madame Tesslyn, the Red Lamp, brothel, Silkshore.
❖ Traven’s smoke shop, Coalridge.
❖ Eldrin Prichard, the Silver Swan pleasure barge
(transsexual and gay prostitutes; regular drag queen
shows), Brightstone canals.
❖ Jewel, Bird, and Shine, Catcrawl Alley, the Docks.
❖ Yuuto Shirogane, the Red Sash Academy, Crow’s Foot.
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 ❖ Anya, Clarisse, Suzanne and Julie, the Seventh Sea, eatery,
Silkshore.
WEIRD
❖ The hooded proprietor of a half-flooded grotto tavern near
the Docks. Strange passageways lead to stranger chambers
beyond.
❖ Gagan, an academic obsessed with lost history,
Charterhall.
❖ Hopper, druggie and visionary, Coalridge.
❖ Captain Rye, proprietor of the Fairgrounds, the Docks.
❖ Setarra, demon (succubus/incubus), the Docks.
❖ Prince, the Seventh Step Gang. Weird drug trips, Silkshore.
❖ Father Yoren, House of the Weeping Lady, Six Towers.
❖ “Salia,” a spirit of the Reconciled, which moves from body
to body at their whim.
❖ Dameer, Iruvian Rakhshasa and cannibal, Dunslough.
❖ Bryl, jurda product dealer (possibly has jurda parem knock-
offs), the Docks.
❖ Kellen’s, Kaelish pub, Charhollow.
❖ Nusha, a demon summoner, Nightmarket.
❖ Jul, a blood and body parts dealer, not just of human pieces.
Found in Six Towers.
❖ Nyelle, a spirit trafficker who’ll occasionally let people
“sample the merchandise” before she bottles them up for
other clients. Found in Nightmarket.
❖ Sister Thorn, Deathlands Scavenger Gang, Gaddoc Rail
Station.
❖ Ojak, Seryvin rooftop market vendor, Silkshore.
❖ Gulrukh, Iruvian infernalist, Nightmarket.
❖ Aranna the Blessed, cultist of a forgotten god, barge
moored in Nightmarket.
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STORY HOOKS & SCENARIOS OF ONE MORE NOTCH
This section is devoted to presenting the different plot hooks and scenarios that Pam, the designer of this universe, will attempt to
pursue during her own campaigns. These are the “canon” narratives by which every aspect of this guide – the NPCs, the Factions, the rumors
listed in every “Overheard In…” section during the Districts – has been centered around.
Arranged in alphabetical order, with a † beside the ones that Pam is particularly fond of. The suggestions under each plot hook or
scenario that has been written are directed towards GMs, to serve either as inspiration for creating plot hooks unique to your own campaigns
or as stories that you’re welcome to play out in any way that you and your players desire. They vary in magnitude and impact, vis-à-vis the
setting at hand – some are localized, others have the potential to move the world in totally different directions from where it is going at
present. Use them as you will!

A FEW GOOD SOULS IN THIS TOWN (†)

SUMMARY: In the initial stages of the Quiet Years, the Council of Tides and the Blackfeather Order were all far too busy dealing with the
immediate threat that the Unsea and its abominations posed for North Hook and the rest of Kerch. However, they are not oblivious in the
slightest to how deep the corruption has seeped into the city administration and the upper echelons of society. Even the Foundation – an
institution that has been almost infuriatingly neutral across the years – is starting to react to how bad things are in the Duskwall.
PLOT POINTS
❖ The Blackfeather Order has a new Saint-General, and she has an arrangement with the Council of Tides. The Tides wish to remain
focused on handling the ever-present threat of the Unsea. They have since discovered that the corrupting influence of the dimension
may be poisoning peoples’ souls. As they cannot divide their focus, however, they have come to rely on the Witchers to be their hands
within North Hook, weeding out the evil that is threatening to sink the entire city. The previous Saint-General – Liandrin Delacroix’s
predecessor – was murdered while he was pursuing this cause. This has only served to embolden the alliance between the Tides and
the Witchers.
o OPTIONAL PLOT HOOK: The Diplomatic Incident in Ketterdam and the Dance at Coalridge are the main reasons why the
Tides have ruled that enough is enough, and the incumbent Merchant Council must be removed from power.

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❖ Adam Strathmill, the new Inspector in North Hook, is working with Liandrin Delacroix to bring the real criminals of the Duskwall to
justice. While he is not the only new Inspector that the Crows – and, by extension, the Tides – have come to rely on in these troubled
times, Detective Strathmill is perhaps the finest one among them. He’s the first one that Saint-General Delacroix appointed herself.
o OPTIONAL PLOT HOOK: Strathmill and the Mad Dog of Coalridge have a personal history together. Strathmill knows the
Mad Dog’s real identity, because he was, once upon a time, the boy’s commanding officer in the Novyi Zem Army. To make
matters more interesting, they used to be lovers.
❖ The Foundation feels as though the Merchant Council and their cronies have glutted themselves for long enough and wish to
intervene. Corruption is unavoidable, but too much corruption means that people like them don’t profit as much as they could be.
Furthermore, if the Tides are right, and the Unsea’s strange influence is the root cause of North Hook’s woes…
o OPTIONAL PLOT HOOK: Moira Allidok – a Sun Summoner of centuries past – is aware that Alina Starkov is alive and trying
to regain her strength. Clearing the way for Sankta Alina is beneficial to Lady Allidok, as she cannot destroy the Unsea on her
own. If two Sun Summoners of great power were to attempt it, however, they may yet succeed.
❖ OPTIONAL PLOT HOOK: Wylan van Eck, scion of an old merchant family from Ketterdam, has already shaken things up through the
simple act of establishing himself in North Hook, and he might just be a champion for the just among the merchants and elites in the
making. Hushed accounts and whispered rumors are swirling around over the “scandal” caused by his father in Ketterdam have
followed him and his mother Maria around. The wilder ones claim that Wylan worked with less scrupulous groups in the capital in
order to bring his father to justice. Regardless of what really happened, the elites of the Duskwall do not know how to take this new,
sharp entry into their midst. Wylan has proven how politically savvy he’s proven to be over the past seven years and has grown his
family’s assets exponentially. Furthermore, it was his specific breed of maneuvering through social circles that landed him titled
property in North Hook, making him and his mother actual stakeholders in the Duskwall.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM
❖ Does the Lord Governor care about what is happening in North Hook? It is impossible, at this point, that the central government of
Kerch would be oblivious to the Merchant Council and their hostile takeover of the Duskwall. Why have they let everything thus far
go on without intervening?
❖ Does the Church of Barter care about what is happening in North Hook? The Church of Barter is about equal in political will and
authority as the central government. What interest do they have in keeping the status quo, and what has made them change their
minds?
❖ Are there other people or institutions that are struggling to change the status quo in North Hook? The traditional setting of Blades in
the Dark emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation for scoundrels and crews, but One More Notch is all about an overdue
reckoning. Good people get tired, tired people get angry, and good and tired people with means act on it. Barring that, the infinite
potential of human selfishness and greed is ALSO a thing to consider, especially in the case of the Foundation as an institution.

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 ❖ What are the potential ways in which this scenario will clash or complement the plans of your players? Scoundrels become
scoundrels because they are attempting, in their own way, to fight the system before they become a part of the oppressive forces that
once punished them. Will encountering institutions or individuals with integrity help or hinder them?

AN AGE OF SAINTS
SUMMARY: The expansion of the Unsea turned the spirit world upside down, drawing otherworldly creatures and abominations from other
dimensions into the ghost field and also into the physical realm. Some of these beings were ghosts whose extreme attachment to the lives they
have lost have twisted them into unrecognizable creatures driven purely by their instincts. Disturbingly, they have developed some sort of
collective consciousness among themselves and have gained some limited ability to bend reality to their whims. These “Saints” drift through
the world, waiting for the opportune time to attach themselves to those who can see them, offering them all that their hearts desire.
Siphoning the energy that results from the consequences of granting these wishes, however, enables Saints to materialize, and rejoin the
world with all of the fell power they possessed as abominations.
PLOT POINTS
❖ Saints are as varied as the humans they once were. Some are not necessarily “evil” and may have pure intentions behind wanting to
come back to life. Some may believe they are really helping people and may or may not be oblivious to the sort of spiritual damage
they wreak by using their powers. On the flipside, there are Saints with downright selfish motivations for wanting to come back to
life: absolute power, influence, immortality, the works.
❖ Some of these Saints really WERE Saints when they were alive. These ones have a bit of a leg up on the rest of their brethren, as it is
easy for these “legitimate” abominations to gather followers in the physical world.
❖ Some Saints may be counted as Forgotten Gods. Prior to the expansion of the Unsea and the borderlines between the realms thinning
or collapsing entirely, the gods that older religions worshipped did not have any real power – or, at the very least, their influence over
the physical realm was minimal. The game has since changed.
❖ Saints differ from Demons in the sense that Demons come from other dimensions. As mentioned above, Saints are basically ghosts on
overdrive, possessed of a wider range of power and influence.
❖ As Saints are invested in gaining power from their followers, occultists are intrigued by the potential power they can receive by
controlling Saints. Spiritual energy is currency in this broken world. Many occultists are convinced that Saints are not indomitable,
and may yet be used as tools in their own machinations towards North Hook and the world at large.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM

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 ❖ Are any of the Saints in your campaign former followers of Sankta Alina? It is implied, in One More Notch, that many martyred
themselves for the Sun Summoner. Is finding their beloved Saint part of their motivations for resurrecting themselves? What was
their relationship with Alina Starkov like?
❖ What characteristics will you give to your Saints? They are as varied as human beings under the sun are, but there must be a set of
baseline traits and abilities that separate Saints from all of the other strange and weird creatures that populate One More Notch.
❖ How will Saints play into the spiritual/occult politics of your setting? A number of NPC gangs are already interested in accumulating
spiritual capital. Your players may become involved as well, either accidentally or because they wish to reach for power for
themselves.

DAUGHTERS OF THE DEEP

SUMMARY: A little known fact is that the leviathans of the True Sea now evolve at a frightening pace. When the first sea creatures came after
the Quiet Years, leviathan hunters rose to the challenge of hunting the beasts, dissecting them, and learning everything they could about their
new enemies in the spirit of profit. Strangely, after the defeat of the Darkling in Ravka, new, far stronger leviathans, the likes of which no
hunters have seen before, are emerging from the depths of the ocean.
PLOT POINTS
❖ No one has managed to defeat any of the new leviathans that have been spotted in the True Sea. The Guild of Kerch Leviathan Hunters
have received direct orders from Ketterdam: the public must not know. They have been tasked – discreetly – to reassess their prey and
slay the creatures before anyone catches on.
❖ The appearances of the new leviathans appear, thus far, to be random. The Guild is still determining their regular hunting grounds,
favored victims, and other patterns of behavior.
❖ A number of these leviathans have strayed alarmingly close to the lightning barriers surrounding North Hook. The Council of Tides
has impassively repelled a few of them, deterring them from attacking the barriers themselves or getting any closer to the Duskwall.
One can only wonder, however, what might happen to the city in the case of an attack.
❖ Increased exposure to the miasma these new leviathans excrete corrupts human beings. At the moment, the corruption appears to be
merely – “merely” – physical. At the moment. Some of the Guild’s officers and crew who have gone on prolonged hunts for these
creatures have reported having terrible nightmares that blur the lines between reality and fantasy. Some claim to hear voices now,
calling to them from beneath the waves.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM

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 ❖ What else has been affected by these new, powerful leviathans? A few Northers have noticed the increasing instances of leviathan
hunters going missing at sea or returning to port in virtual pieces – but they do not yet know what to make of it. Is transport by sea
getting adversely affected in your setting? How has this made waves in the underworld for your scoundrels?
❖ Can the new leviathans even be defeated? There is no canonical answer to this question on purpose. You, as GM, may do as you will
should you choose to tap this plotline for your own purposes, or by the request of your players.
❖ Why are new leviathans emerging in the first place? Was the timing of their appearance and the defeat of the Darkling coincidental,
or is there some sort of arcane logic to it?
❖ What would you like these new leviathans to reveal about the Deeplights and other mysteries of the True Sea? “Canonically”, there is
another realm beneath the waves, possessed of its own logic and teeming with spiritual energy. It is, however, your choice as a GM to
consider this possibility, or to make your own story hooks for this.
❖ What exactly is the miasma doing to people? Is this the way these creatures possess mortals? Does the miasma make soulless zombies
out of them? Does it physically and mentally mutate them? Is it “merely” an incurable illness? The choice is yours.

THE FIREBIRD SHALL RISE AGAIN (†)

SUMMARY: Alina Starkov, the Sun Summoner, did not sacrifice her life in vain against the Darkling. She was critically injured during the
encounter and whisked away by her close confidants at the last, fatal moment. She and her cohorts – those who are still alive, anyway – hiding
somewhere in North Hook, gathering her strength for a proper attempt at ending the Darkling.
PLOT POINTS
❖ …Yes, the Darkling is still alive. The sightings were NOT hallucinations or tricks of the shifting energies of the Unsea.
❖ Alina and her confidants are hiding underneath the Svyatilishche in Brightstone. The previous Rassvette Apparat was aware that their
Saint was still alive and took that secret with her to her grave. Someone within North Hook’s Chapter of the Cult has always known,
and there may or may not have been instances in the past where the secret changed hands due to a previous confidant being unable to
keep things under wraps.
❖ Sun Summoning, like the Darkling’s ability to control shadows, is not the sole providence of Alina Starkov. Her “final wish” actually
scattered the potential to summon the sun across humanity, which may be the main reason why she “died” and has taken this long to
recover. Also, we note that this plot point implies that aspects of the purifying power she has as the Sun Summoner are, indeed, the
reason why lightning/electricity can repel evil.
❖ …But scattering her sun summoning across the broken world is not a permanent loss on her part. Sankta Alina is recovering her full
strength by “devouring” the corrupted Saints within the ghost field and the Unsea. The act of purifying them or wholesale absorbing

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 them as though they were simply energy and not souls/abominations is firing up the old, pseudo-magical synapses within Alina’s
body, enabling her to use the Small Science again.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM
❖ What is the exact nature of the Darkling’s existence now? Does he have a physical form? Is he pure energy and will? Is he part of the
Unsea? Is his goal still the expansion of the Unsea over the world, or is he trying something different? Is he ACTUALLY the Darkling
as the world once knew him, or a mere echo of what once was, preserved by the twisted realm he lost himself in?
❖ Who among Alina’s old friends are her confidants, and who have no idea that she’s alive? Is King Nikolai, for example, in the know, or
oblivious to the truth? We note, of course, that familiarity with Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse Trilogy is essential here, for determining
which characters are alive or not, and whether they know or not.
❖ What happened to the last Rassvette Apparat? It could be as simple as she died of sickness or old age, or it’s possible that she was
assassinated. If she was killed, who did it? Is this a power play with the main chapter of the Church in Ravka, or is some other party
responsible for the Rassvette Apparat’s death?
❖ Who are the other Sun Summoners? The only one Pam has provided for use is Moira Allidok (see The Foundation, under Labor &
Trade Factions in the previous section), and even she may not count if only because she was a Sun Summoner centuries before Alina
was even born. A related question, of course, would be, where are they? Furthermore, who knows about them? Why aren’t they
visible?
❖ How will Alina’s re-entrance affect everything? The Sun Summoner is practically a god of this setting. Social and political upheavals
are sure to follow in her wake. People will be keen to use her if they can manage it or destroy her if they cannot bring her to their side.

ALEX WARD & THE RIVER DOGS, MONGRELS OF NORTH HOOK (†)
SUMMARY: Following the Dance at Coalridge, Alex Ward – Black Shuck, Mad Dog of Coalridge, and Boss of the River Dogs – is out to save
North Hook in the only way that a scoundrel like himself knows how. Since you can’t eradicate evil and you cannot trust the “good people” in
government, you might as well become the law of the underworld. This new breed of vigilantism has the potential to set the Duskwall on fire
– provided that this gang’s flames don’t burn out before anything happens.
PLOT POINTS
❖ The River Dogs used to be St. Andrew’s Finders, and it was the Finders who enabled the Lightningbottles to create the Coalridge Union
of Workers. This was a direct result of the Loverman’s Game in Coalridge. In essence, the Loverman gathered all of the gangs of
Coalridge together and coerced them into a full-scale gang war with each other. He felt they were too weak “to face the coming threat”

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 and wanted a proper pecking order established within this little facet of the Underworld. By the time the dust settled, the Finders
“went legit”, and the River Dogs were formed in its place. Some of the River Dogs “retired” from active service to fulfill Mad Dog’s crazy
dream in other ways:
o Margaret Vale, Proprietress of St. Andrew’s Finders. The original gang, in an attempt to reduce heat and to further legitimize
the control they have over Gaddoc Rail Station and the exchange of goods between North Hook and the rest of the world, has
“legitimized” the store they used to operate out of.
o Erdin Oktai, Headmaster of the Red Sash Academy. The Finders crushed the original Academy during the Loverman’s Game.
The animosity between them and the Sashes was incredibly high, which means that this particular hit was a little less about
principles and more personal in nature for Mad Dog.
o Jared and Jocelyn Johnson. The parents of Jessica, one of the original Finders. They were never part of the gang, but they are
aware of what the Dogs are trying to do – and let themselves play a part in the takeover of the Rail Station.
❖ Coalridge is able to stay within the River Dogs’ control due to Adagio Kapelle’s support. The young Lord Kapelle came to Coalridge in
order to track his sister Lavinia Kapelle down, as the two retained contact across the years. The political movements within the
District interested him and his family as the nobles with ancient claims on the area. He has effectively turned Coalridge into a semi-
autonomous city-state by invoking Ketterdam laws. That he married Mimi Ashina – a Shu Han princess, and the favored daughter of
the head of the Kolya Company – just solidified his hold on Coalridge by bringing what was once Ward’s biggest threat to heel.
o The interests of the Kapelle family are not just a matter of principle, but pragmatism. Lord Ricercar Leander Nicolas Kapelle –
the patriarch of the family, and Adagio and Lavinia’s father – is an example of a powerful Kerch noble who is displeased with
the Merchant Council of North Hook. Yes, they’re principled in their own way, but they would also like to make more money.
It is difficult to make money if your greedier peers end up beating the workhorses that are the populace too much or over
picking the fruits from the trees that are your industries.
❖ The main way the Dogs plan on wresting control from the Council is by supporting organized resistance against the status quo. North
Hook makes monsters out of men and crushes the weak beneath its wheels. As they were inspired by their leader to dream bigger, the
River Dogs are out to show common folk that if enough of them stood up and fought, they could overturn even the deepest, darkest
injustice on the Duskwall, and take their city back. Also, on a pragmatic level, having organized institutions backing the gang is bound
to take them places. Gaddoc Rail Station is just one step in the right direction. The labor force represents the demographic with the
great potential and use, on top of them being the most oppressed group within North Hook.
❖ While they organize the populace, the Dogs are going after – or planning on going after – any oppressor within their sights. From the
Underworld to the Fringe, it doesn’t matter. If you’ve made a business out of kicking people when they’re down, you’re on the list. This
may occasionally entail filling the power vacuum left behind by these individuals with someone who in Mad Dog’s pocket – or, at the
very least, someone he or a River Dog can control.

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❖ Given this trajectory, it is almost inevitable that players and player-controlled crews will have their close encounter with the River
Dogs. Mad Dog refuses to compromise his vision, even if it gets him killed in the process. Anyone who becomes apprised, to some
level, of what he and his crew are out to do are welcome to help or step aside. If not…
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM
❖ Who stands to gain the most for supporting the River Dogs? It is necessary, perhaps, to phrase the question of motivation and benefit
this way rather than assume that the cause of this gang is pure. Also consider the fact that some people will support what they’re
doing simply because it’s better than the status quo, or because it’s convenient to them, or because they were coerced into doing it. The
road to Hell, and all that.
❖ What happened to the Loverman in your storyline? What was he after? What was this “big threat” he was alluding to – or was all of
this, in actuality, another sick game that people with power love to play? Is he even alive? Does it matter anymore?
o LOVE NOTE TO GMS INTERESTED IN THE LOVERMAN: “Canonically”, the Loverman was inhuman. Whether he/she/it is a
vampire, a Grisha, a Seryvin or a demon is your call at the end of the day. One epic level consideration for plot is the possibility
that the Loverman is connected to the Darkling, or may even been the Darkling himself. Going in that direction, however, may
entail using plot hooks from “The Firebird Shall Rise Again” (see above).
❖ Who may inevitably suffer from Mad Dog’s plan? Regardless of how pure or principled Mad Dog might be, the fact remains that he is
still engaging in an armed struggle against the kingpins of North Hook. The situation in Duskwall is critical; near any shake-up, no
matter how “small”, has the potential to escalate into full-on revolution or civil war. Any war – for this is a war – has costs and
consequences, and the ones that usually end up as collateral are, more often than not, the civilians who happened to be in the wrong
place at the wrong time.
❖ Who else, in your setting, have thrown their lot in with the River Dogs? The ones listed above are merely “canonical” examples. Are
there Districts where there are civilians who are “fans” of these vigilantes? In what ways do they show their support? Do any of these
groups or individuals actually take things too far?
❖ What are the entanglements, weakness, and struggles of the River Dogs in your campaign? This is especially important to consider if
you’re setting them up to be one of the driving forces of your campaign. For example: “canonically”, Mad Dog really IS cracking under
the strain of the vision he is pursuing and runs the danger of becoming precisely what he is fighting against. Furthermore, he and
other Dogs are as human as the next scoundrel, with Vices and interpersonal connections that may compromise them – and may yet
lead to their downfall. GMs are under no obligation to create solutions for players – players are demi-gods of their own campaigns –
but a GM does need to provide ample story hooks for players to take or abandon as they please.

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JURDA PAREM
SUMMARY: Bo Yul-Bayur’s super drug refined from Novyi Zem’s national flower plus the “death” of his son Kuwei – the only person who knew
enough about the man’s research to reconstruct it – have left the powers that be in world governments and kingpins of the underworld alike
scrambling to develop jurda parem on their own. The drug’s ability to amplify grisha powers has the potential to empower whoever has the
formula perfected beyond their wildest dreams.
PLOT POINTS
❖ The initial formula of jurda parem disappeared with Kuwei. What’s circulating at present are all knock-offs with varying effectivity
and their own shopping lists of horrific side effects. Ravka, by merit of being the country that is housing Kuwei in secret, is the only
player that has access to the “real” thing. Thankfully, King Nikolai is a principled man, and has no plans of using jurda parem until the
formula doesn’t kill or permanently injure its user.
❖ The kidnappings that plagued Ketterdam have not stopped – and now, North Hook is seeing similar waves. One of the major culprits
behind these disappearances is the Shu Han government, with extremist factions of Fjerda’s government as a close second. Both
countries have stepped up their efforts to research jurda parem and develop usable formulas for their use.
❖ The drug trade in North Hook has been bolstered by these pseudo-formulas. Sometimes, failing to make what you want results in
happy accidents. These happy accidents have the potential to make a lot of people a lot of money, even if the human cost is real along
the Duskwall.
❖ An odd side effect of the pursuit of jurda parem is a surge in occult research. Such research has strong demands on the market, and has
driven the prices and acquisitions of weird flora and fauna from the Unsea and the True Sea up.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM
❖ Who is not happy about King Nikolai’s decision to forgo using jurda parem for his country? A powerful “weapon” like this drug
naturally attracts attention. Some in Ravka are sure to believe that it can only do good. Others will definitely want to use it for their
own gain.
❖ What are ways in which you can show that people are disappearing, and that particular parties are responsible? Gone are the strange
mechanical winged men that Shu Han used to send after grisha in Ketterdam; people have since learned their lesson, and are keeping
their operations on the downlow. However, even in a terrible place like North Hook, someone will always notice when a friend or
family member of theirs vanishes.
❖ Who are the specific groups that are interested in jurda parem in your campaign? Something as powerful as this drug in a setting like
the Grishaverse has unprecedented effects on how it could affect a game world. The ones who are at the top of the race to make their
own strain of jurda parem can define a lot of things in your setting.

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 ❖ What sort of new drugs have entered your setting? Who created them? What do they do, exactly? Are they as bad as jurda parem or
pretty harmless beyond that not-so-small issue of addiction?

KAZ BREKKER AND THE DREGS, BASTARDS OF THE BARRELL (†)

SUMMARY: The injustice they faced in Ketterdam has inspired Kaz Brekker and his gang, the Dregs, to expand their operations to include North
Hook. Their desire to fight against human trafficking, slavery, and the development and distribution of jurda parem has brought them face-to-
face with the Hive – who have their own operations in the capital – and at least three governments who have turned a blind eye towards jurda
parem.
PLOT POINTS
❖ The Dregs were among the first people in Kerch to discover jurda parem. In keeping with the events of the original Crooked Kingdom
Duology, they were, in One More Notch, assigned to retrieve the creator of jurda parem from the Fjerdan government. They are
directly responsible for the diplomatic incident that took place seven years ago in the capital, and their daring ploy stopped a full-scale
war from breaking out. Rather than sell out the one person who could develop jurda parem, however, they faked his death and ferried
him away to Ravka with King Nikolai’s assistance.
❖ Pursuing their leads on jurda parem and Inej Ghafa’s personal vendetta against slavers and their ilk led them to the Hive. The Dregs
hope to stamp out every last bit they can of the drug and have made it their gang’s business to dismantle any and all human trafficking
and slavery operations that they come across. They have rightfully concluded that there is a large gang that controls the majority of
the human trafficking circles in Kerch. This same gang is also trying to restart research on jurda parem.
❖ The Dregs are splitting their core members up, having them play to their strengths to make this (very long) score work out for them.
Some of them are still in Ketterdam, waiting for the right time to come around. Kaz himself shuttles between both groups and keeps
his head low while he’s in North Hook – his reputation precedes him with some of the older bosses along the Duskwall. The ones who
are in North Hook are:
o Wylan van Eck/Mr. W of the Dandy Lions. Currently living a double life as a good, upstanding member of the merchant elites
in North Hook and as the head of a relatively new gang in North Hook. The Dandy Lions were initially bankrolled by
Hendricks-van Eck money. They’ve established themselves as a generous benefactor of other crews along the Duskwall,
making sure they’re everyone’s friend by giving them whatever money can provide for their scores.
o Jesper Fahey, the Middle Man. Followed Wylan to North Hook because somebody’s got to look after his boy. Under express
orders to stay on the right side of the law at all costs – until the Dregs start getting serious about taking the Hive down, at any
rate. As such, he’s attending classes at Charterhall University, and stays with the van Ecks. He is, officially, their porter.

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 oInej Ghafa and the Wraiths. Inej has placed herself in charge of training more members of the Dregs to do the same kind of spy
and saboteur work that she made herself (in)famous for in Ketterdam. However, this time she is supported by the family she
thought that she had lost when they had taken her from her caravan years ago.
❖ OPTIONAL PLOT HOOK: The Dregs are looking for like-minded vigilantes to back them. News of the Dance at Coalridge went far,
piquing Brekker’s interest in the River Dogs. There are, as well, stories of the dark justice doled out by the Wolf of Nightmarket and his
Ghost Wolves.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM
❖ What other elements of Crooked Kingdom will you use? Pursuing this scenario, of course, presupposes a familiarity with the Crooked
Kingdom Duology. Are there things you will change given that things in the wider world of this Grishaverse are very different, or will
you stay as true to the original narrative as possible?
❖ Where are the other Dregs? It’s assumed that they are in Ketterdam, but this could easily change. Furthermore, regardless of whether
they’re in Ketterdam or not, what are they all up to? What will merit them joining their crewmates in North Hook?
❖ What are the entanglements, weakness, and struggles of the Dregs in your campaign? This is especially important to consider if you’re
setting them up to be one of the driving forces of your campaign. The Dregs are as human as the next scoundrel, with Vices and
interpersonal connections that may compromise them – and may yet lead to their downfall. GMs are under no obligation to create
solutions for players – players are demi-gods of their own campaigns – but a GM does need to provide ample story hooks for players to
take or abandon as they please.

…UNTIL THE WORLD TURNS UPSIDE DOWN.

SUMMARY: Gaddoc Rail Station is the first major property in North Hook that has been wrested from the hands of the Merchant Council. It is
run by the Coalridge Union of Workers – similarly the first of its kind. While the common Norther’s trials and tribulations are far from over,
these milestones for the labor force of Duskwall have radicalized more organized groups, showing them that they must keep fighting. Unlike
before, the chances of them succeeding against the Man are much, much higher than before.
PLOT POINTS
❖ The Coalridge Union of Workers would not have existed without the underworld. Two of Coalridge’s major gangs – the
Lightningbottles and St. Andrew’s Finders – backed the Union up with their own men, and through a mix of legal remedies, coercion,
blackmail and intimidation, had the Union registered as an official institution within North Hook.

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❖ Prior to the Coalridge Union of Workers, other labor groups were often cruelly dismantled by the city’s elite. A Norther’s memory for
abuse tends to be short, if only because it is difficult to dwell on bigger things or hope in anything when losing it has the potential to
destroy a man. However, pockets of resistance against the unfair labor conditions imposed by the Councils in light of Coalridge’s
Union succeeding, and Gaddoc Rail Station falling into the hands of “good, common people”.
o The song that is sung throughout North Hook is a call to join the cause, and a signal to others that friends to the “revolution”
are watching over the citizenry of the District in question. Who these “friends” might be? The River Dogs and the
Lightningbottles are definitely on the top of that list.
❖ The Barrowcleft Council, traditionally separate from the political affairs of the rest of the city, appear to be interested in this new
movement for social justice. Barrowcleft prides itself for their honest trades and have kept apart from the rest mostly because the taint
of the city perturbs them. If legitimate Unions are forming, however…
❖ The Councils are displeased by the radicalization of the people. The loss of Gaddoc Rail Station was huge all on its own; now they have
a powerful Union to contend with, backed by elements in the underworld that they have no real way of touching yet. Nevertheless,
some of them are trying to find active ways to discredit the Union (or get rid of it entirely), and win the Station back.
QUESTIONS FOR THE GM
❖ Who among the merchants and the elite resent Coalridge and its workers? People do not let go of power so easily, most especially if
they feel like it is their right to take what they will regardless of its cost to others. Which people in power were displaced by the rise of
the Coalridge Union of Workers?
❖ Who is most threatened by the possibility of more Unions in North Hook? Every industry in North Hook has benefactors who earn
immense amounts of money off of the backs of the common citizenry. There’s little doubt that these families or individuals – whoever
they might be – are desperately unhappy at the thought of giving civil rights to their laborers.
❖ How are the other gangs in the Underworld responding to this situation? Merchants, nobles, and the city’s elite families are not the
only ones who have gained so much from laying everyday Northers low. Conversely, there may be scoundrels who – like the Mad Dog
of Coalridge – see some benefit in helping common folks out now.
❖ What other labor groups are forming in your game world now? Theoretically, any trade in North Hook can have a union backing
them. Some have been “canonically” provided for in this guide. Are there others that you, as GM, would like to consider for your own
purposes?
❖ How would you like this story to play out? Not all revolutions succeed. World history is littered with examples of them. Will this end
well for the people of North Hook, or will these organized groups – much like the scoundrels of Blades – become the oppressors they
fought so hard to free themselves from?

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APPENDIX: STORYTELLING SYSTEMS FOR ONE MORE NOTCH GAMES
These are rules adjustments to the Blades in the Dark system, meant to be applied to standard One More Notch tables whether they’re
dedicated crews or they’re Along the Duskwall scores. They’re completely optional. If you have suggestions for modifications, feel free to
contact Pam!
0

ADJUSTED FACTION STATUS LEVELS

In keeping with the flavor of One More Notch, the campaign works along an expanded range for status levels for factions, Notables,
and NPCs.
+5 Blood. This faction will help you even if it’s not in their best interest to do so. War against your faction
means a war against them. They may, depending on campaign circumstances, not expect payment or
compensation for their actions. HOWEVER, your scoundrel will gain a four-segment or six-segment clock in
this faction’s name, as determined by the circumstances at hand. Your GM will automatically fill a segment
after every score; other circumstances may fill in segments accordingly. Once the clock is filled, your status
with this faction will drop to “+3 Faction Status: Friendly”. Segments may disappear, or the clock may
disappear completely if your scoundrel goes out of their way, in actions or in Coin, to support their blood
brothers and sisters in North Hook.
+4: Allies. This faction will help you even if it’s not in their best interest to do so. They expect you to do the
same for them.
+3: Friendly. This faction will help you if it doesn’t create serious problems for them. They expect you to do the
same.
+2: Helpful. This faction will help you if it causes no problems or significant cost for them. They expect the
same from you.
+1: You’re Not So Bad. This faction has taken interest in your scoundrel – in a positive way, at least. They may,
with a successful fortune roll, agree to help you if it causes no problems or significant cost for them.
0: Neutral

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-1: Displeased. This faction will gain a six-segment or eight-segment clock in your name, as determined by the
circumstances at hand. Your GM will automatically fill a segment after every score; other circumstances may
fill in segments accordingly. Once the clock is filled, your status with this faction will automatically drop to “-2
Faction Status: Interfering”. Segments may disappear, or the clock may disappear completely if your scoundrel
goes out of their way, in actions or in Coin, to appease them.
-2: Interfering. This faction will look for opportunities to cause trouble for you (or profit from your
misfortune) as long as it causes no problems or significant cost for them. They expect the same from you.
-3: Hostile. This faction will look for opportunities to hurt you as long as it doesn’t create serious problems for
them. They expect you to do the same and take precautions against you.
-4: War. This faction will go out of its way to hurt you even if it’s not in their best interest to do so. They expect
you to do the same and take precautions against you. When you’re at war with any number of factions, your
scoundrel suffers +1 heat from scores and get only 1-2 downtime actions rather than 3-4. Multiple factions may
increase heat further or bring other complications to the table. You can end a war by eliminating your enemy
or by negotiating an agreement to establish a new status rating.
-5: See You in Hell. This faction’s animosity for you has attracted the fell energies that permeate through this
broken world. If they or their own die, you and your own are the top of their list for hauntings. While they are
still alive, the darkness in their souls has the propensity to attract ghosts, demons, Saints, and other
abominations to you. In addition to this, you remain in a state of war with this faction until you’ve negotiated
an agreement to establish a new Status rating – or, in the case of unquiet dead and monstrous creatures, found
some way of dealing with the situation.

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ON VETERAN AS A SPECIAL ABILITY & OTHER MULTI-DOT PERSONAL ABILITIES
These points of consideration are less revisions of vanilla Blades in the Dark rules and more a confirmation of what its original
designer said in forums and other resources.
❖ “Veteran” worksheets only list three dots per Playbook. At your option as GM, however, you may allow your players to add more
special abilities from other Playbooks beyond the visual “cap”.
❖ There are “caps” on other multi-dot special abiltiies. At your option as a GM, however, you may allow your players to purchase more of
the ability’s listed options. In essence, this allows a player whose scoundrel manages to stay alive long enough to “max out” multi-dot
special abilities.

STACKING SPECIAL ABILITIES

In One More Notch and Along the Duskwall campaigns, GMs may wish to consider the possibility of allowing special abilities that do
essentially the same thing to “stack” for increased effect. It is, for example, applied across some of the abilities and upgrades that grant extra
stress boxes that accumulating bonuses is allowable up to a listed cap.
The special abilities found in the Grisha and Namayan Playbooks have specific text that makes it clear that the abilities in question are
“compatible” with their counterparts in the rulebook, and in the alternative Iruvian Playbooks. This was put in to compensate for the silence
on both the rulebook’s end and the Iruvian Playbooks regarding variance and stacking. Otherwise, there are no set equivalents across special
abilities. GMs and players are encouraged to consult with each other on what works and what doesn’t.

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THE GIRL NAMED PAMMU, AKA THE DOVETAILOR
PAMELA PUNZALAN
Editor-in-Chief of Play Without Apology (playwithoutapology.com /
@PWOAcom on Twitter). Apparently a Geek Community Mom™.
Sometimes a game designer.

https://thedovetailor.itch.io/
thedovetailor
TheDovetailor
thedovetailor
pam.punzalan@gmail.com

Can proof read games (for a price) and playtest too (for free!). Would
love to collaborate. Hit me up if you want to join my Discord.
The nifty profile on the left was put together by Temujin David
Larracas || https://www.behance.net/tdrlarracas

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