SPIRIT

CHASERS
Designed by Sam Dunnewold
Doskvol’s Spirit Wardens have a new thorn in their side: crews of hooligans
beating them to recently dead bodies and absconding with them into the
night. Their reasons are unknown—are they simple corpse robbers? Study-
ing the moment of death? Do they believe they’re “saving” the deceased’s
ghost from the acid chambers of Bellweather Crematorium? Whatever their
reasons, they’re well organized, and they seem to have a plan...
Spirit Chasers is both a new crew type and a mechanical hack of Blades in
the Dark. It changes some rules from the base game to accommodate the
very specific sort of score that such scoundrels embark on. It is designed
for one shots or short campaigns, ideally 3-6 scores in total (though per-
haps the crew will graduate to another crew type for additional seasons).
Movie night: Ghostbusters, Minority Report, Nightcrawler

Blades in the Dark™ is a trademark of One Seven Design. The Forged in the
Dark Logo is © One Seven Design, and is used with permission. This work
is based on Blades in the Dark, 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.
This work is also itself licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution
3.0 Unported license.
Skull (on character sheet) by Vladimir Belochkin from NounProject.com
 THESIS
This is a supplement about making death personal.
I mean that as both a thesis and a content warning. You will meet people
of Doskvol, you will come to like and love them, and then they will die.
It will probably be tragic, because death is tragic. And then your PCs will
go in and steal their corpse and/or soul, because life goes on, and Blades
scoundrels are Blades scoundrels.
Spirit Chasers is about how you feel about all that, as both PCs and as
players.
It’s also about gonzo action, because this is still Blades in the Dark. For
the same reason, it might be about capitalism, class warfare, oppression,
racism, and psychedelic magic imagery depending on what you make it.

Some other notes:

Spirit Chasers makes the crew rules simpler and campaign length shorter
because I like shorter games and simpler rules. If you want to play for
longer, please hack it.
I wrote Spirit Chasers specifically on the back of Doskvol Breathes, an-
other supplement I wrote for Blades that changes how downtime works
towards the same ends as this: making Doskvol more personal. The two
work well together, though leave off “Day in the Life of a Victim” from
Breathes if you combine the two, and maybe skip Breathes entirely if
you’re newer to Blades. There’s a lot of rules to track as it is.
Shout outs to the Hacked in the Dark community, and to my original
Duskwall crew(s): Willie, DBlock, Travis, Salem, John, and Sophie.
 THE GIST
About 30 people die every day in Doskvol*. That’s 30 or more tolls of
the bells above Bellweather Crematorium, each one dispatching a death-
seeker crow to circle the body, followed by a Spirit Warden plus small
accompaniment of assistants.
But that’s not thirty opportunities for you Spirit Chasers to beat them to
the punch. At least half of those deaths are “public sphere deaths”: those
in hospitals or retirement homes, or at least the buildings that pass for
such things in Doskvol, and workplace accidents around the docks, fac-
tories, or lightning barriers. Spirit Wardens are stationed near such places
(often as punishment or training, since the detail tends to be tedious and
heavy on paperwork). You’ll never beat them to such bodies.
Another third or so are expected deaths—people dying at home, sur-
rounded by family, of age, sickness, or childbirth. These, too, are account-
ed for by the Wardens. It’s considered bad luck to let them know when
someone sick or elderly is likely to pass soon, and even worse to tip them
off about a birth. But when the Wardens started offering a small payment
for such info, their assistants started showing up outside homes like grim
reapers in training. (If you don’t want the Wardens around, don’t call a
doctor, and tip your midwives generously).
Of the remaining four to six deaths in the city each day, most will be
closer to the crematorium than to wherever you’ve set up shop, even if
your lair is mobile in some way, and it’s not usually worth racing the
Spirit Wardens when they have the head start. Other deaths happen while
you’re occupied, or aren’t caught by your ramshackle equipment, or come
in late.
Truth be told, you get a couple clear shots a week, if you’re lucky. Make
them count.

*My napkin math on this is for a Doskvol of population ~450,000. If

yours is larger, distance likely keeps the details here relatively true.
 SCORES
Spirit Chasers mostly use the same rules as the default Blades in the Dark
crew types, but there are some key differences.
Spirit Chasers have only one type of score: race the Spirit Wardens to a
recently deceased corpse and make off with the ghost. This may or may
not involve first removing the ghost from the body.
Every Spirit Chasers score begins the same way: your Ramshackle Spirit
Bell alerts you to a death, and circumstances are such that you might beat
the Spirit Wardens there. There is no need to roll engagement.
Instead, all players collectively frame a vignette around the poor dead
soul’s last day alive by answering the following prompts:

1. What is your name and occupation? If you don’t have a job proper,
how do you spend the majority of your time? (The GM has dibs on
this question, though they may open it up to the table if they like. If
you need ideas, see Spirit Chaser “Opportunities” on page 9.)
2. It is the morning of the day you die. How do you feel when you
wake up? Do you expect to die today?
3. What makes today ordinary? What makes it extraordinary?
4. Who’s a person who’s a comforting part of your routine? What is
the last thing you say to them?
5. What is the last thing you eat?
6. What plans do you have for tomorrow?
7. How do you die? Who else is there?

Next, the GM starts a 4-clock “The Spirit Wardens arrive on the scene”
The PC’s first action roll should describe how they get to the body, with
the GM assessing position and effect (likely risky/standard) and choosing
consequences as normal. Do you run into problems getting to the scene? Or
are complications because of what’s happening once you arrive?
Finally, at the end of the score, return to the deceased for one last look at
their body, the loved ones they leave behind, or their legacy.
 PAYOFF
Changes to Spirit Chasers rules continue into payoff:
Spirit Chasers can’t gain rep—they are always tier 0 with strong hold
(you’re not in this for glory). They can gain coin, but it’s useless to them.
Instead of heat, start the campaign with a 12-clock “The Spirit War-
dens find you.” After each score, tick it once for each of the following:
◆ if the Spirit Wardens arrived on the scene before you left
◆ if the score was particularly loud or chaotic
◆ if anyone died (other than the inciting corpse)
This clock might also get ticked for complications or devil’s bargains as
normal (one tick on this clock is roughly equal to a desperate consequence).
When this clock fills, the Spirit Wardens discover your lair and identities,
and they learn how to track the signal of your Ramshackle Spirit Bell.
Enter free play or a score, whatever feels appropriate, and do your best to
get out of dodge. When the dust has settled, your campaign (or at least
this season) is over. You may instead choose to stop doing scores at any
time, likely ending your campaign in a safer manner, but this will leave
whatever goals you have left unfinished.
When rolling entanglements, use the same tables as in the base game
with the following substitutions:
◆ Instead of Heat 0-3, 4-5, and 6+ the tables are “Spirit Wardens locate
the crew” clock 0-3, 4-7, and 8-11 segments filled.
◆ Arrest means Spirit Wardens are sent after you instead of Bluecoats.
Note that this is not the same as your 12-clock filling, as the Wardens
have not yet figured out how to track your Spirit Bell.
◆ Show of Force works similarly, but instead of giving them a claim,
they ask for a large sum of coin or for you to use your abilities to help
them (do your next score for them using the standard Blades rules
for scores).
Finally, you can’t take the Reduce Heat downtime action (but see the
Friendly Neighbors special ability).
CREW CREATION
1 Spirit Chasers cannot gain
rep—they are always tier 0
with strong hold (you’re not in this
for the glory). You start with 2 coin.
2 But what are you in this for?
Choose or invent a reason:
◆ Study spirits and death.
◆ Procure bodies for clients.
◆ Save the dead from annihilation.
Whatever you choose, dwell on the
details. Do you teach ghosts to care
for themselves after you save them?
Does the demon you hunt spirits for
have a plan, or is it just hungry?
If your goals could be achieved with
a small number of “fresh” ghosts,
start a clock “ghosts caught,” tick
it every time you capture a ghost,
and end the campaign when it fills.
I recommend a 6-clock, but the
size is up to the GM.
Start your “The Spirit Wardens
find you” 12-clock now.
3 Pick which district your lair is
in. (Remember, Spirit Chasers
can have scores in every district—
people die everywhere). Describe it,
and detail your Ramshackle Spirit
Bell (see Upgrades, next page).
GM, pick a faction that has been
inconvenienced by where the crew
has set up shop. The crew takes -1
status with them. Is their equip-
ment loud, sonically or psychically?
4 Choose a special ability. The
first one on the sheet is a good
choice if you’re stuck.
5 Get crew upgrades. You start
with your Spirit Bell for free,
and then choose two more. Re-
member there are Spirit Chasers
upgrades (see next page) and ge-
neric crew upgrades (see the core
Blades book page 95).
6 Choose a favorite contact to
be a close friend, long-time
ally, or partner in crime.
7
Take -1 status with the Spirit
Wardens, and state one piece
of evidence they currently have
against you.
Another faction stands to gain
from your exploits. Who? Take
+1 status with them, and describe
how. Do they benefit from the Spirit
Wardens being distracted? Are you
delivering ghosts to them?
One of the factions the crew now
has status with has an unfortunate
relationship with your favorite
contact. Elaborate, and take anoth-
er -1 status with them.
Wait, if we want fresh ghosts,
why not just kidnap people
and murder them ourselves?
A crew that treats murder so
casually is likely Assassins or
Bravos.
 DETAILS
When you play Spirit Chasers, you earn XP when you outwit or out-
run the living, or capture the recently dead.

LONG-TERM GOALS STARTING UPGRADES

Spirit chasing is dangerous. If there ◆ Training: Insight
is something you want to accom- ◆ Ramshackle Spirit Bell
plish before you’re caught, speak its
name and represent it as a 12-clock. CONTACTS
Tick it 0-3 times after each score.
◆ Cheryl, a gondolier. Perhaps a
When it fills, end the campaign,
guide to the city’s shortcuts?
and have an epilogue.
◆ Xavier, a research assistant.
Examples: Perhaps a rival academic, or a
◆ Satiate the demon you’re in font of expository info?
debt to. ◆ Leon, a corpse dealer. Perhaps
◆ Finish your graduate thesis and an eager buyer?
get your degrees. ◆ Nelly, a junior Spirit Warden.
◆ Free enough ghosts from the Perhaps an ex-spirit chaser?
Crematorium to alleviate your ◆ Gabriella, a monster hunter.
guilt. Perhaps someone who pays well
◆ Invent your own goal, or go for your assistance?
without and commit to spirit ◆ Tipper, a midwife. Perhaps a
chasing until the bitter end. source for early warnings?
SPIRIT CHASERS UPGRADES
◆ Ramshackle Spirit Bell: An alarm that sounds when someone dies
nearby. Not necessarily a bell. Perhaps a jar of pickled eyeballs, or a
pocket watch that points to midnight when death arrives. What makes
your “Bell” different than the Spirit Wardens’s? What makes it similar?
◆ Mobile Lair: Your lair moves, to better evade the Spirit Wardens and
race to bodies. Is it on a barge, or a roaming ghost-field denizen?
◆ Spirit Storage: Your lair has enough spirit bottles to provide long-
term housing for every ghost you procure.
◆ Get-Out Bags: When the campaign ends, you can automatically skip
town for somewhere else without needing to do a final score to escape.
◆ Elite Adepts: All of your Adept cohorts get +1d to quality rolls.
◆ Elite Skulks: All of your Skulk cohorts get +1d to quality rolls.
SPECIAL ABILITIES
GHOST VACUUMS:
Each PC adds a ghost vacuum to their gear list (two gear boxes). When
attached to a ghost-containing corpse, they suck the ghost out immedi-
ately instead of the usual two or three days it takes for them to wriggle
free on their own. This process can be... dramatic, and likely requires an
action roll even with the proper equipment (probably Tinker or Attune).
What do Ghost Vacuums look like? Sound like? Smell and taste like?
FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS:
The people who live and work near your lair have taken a liking to you.
When you take this, reduce your “The Spirit Wardens locate the crew”
clock by two ticks. You gain +1d on gather information rolls made within
your community.
If your lair is mobile, pick one community you spend a lot of time in
for these effects.
GHOST PASSAGEWAYS:
From weird experience or occult ritual, your crew has found access to a
network of entrances and exits from the ghost field that allow you to cross
the city in minutes.
What happens when you get lost in the ghost field? What’s out there,
waiting for or stalking one of your in particular?
KINDRED SPIRITS:
When you learn something intimate about a captured ghost by speaking
with and then releasing them, they take a liking to you. You may add
them as a crew contact.
SPONSOR:
You each get +2 stash after every score.
What does your patron require in return? Who are they, if you even
know?
STREET RATS:
Each PC may add +1 to Hunt, Prowl, or Attune.
USED TO THIS CRAP:
No one in your crew is supernaturally terrified by ghosts.
“OPPORTUNITIES”
-or-

Stazia, a careless apothecary

“Salami” Keaton, a hooligan, gambler, and bar-fighter
Delmore, a meticulous sparkwright
Mata, an optimistic beggar
Cherney, a jaded union organizer
Jin, a well-loved cook

-or-

Ruby, an introverted eel-fisher

Lenaya Ixix, an Iruvian diplomat
Harker, a tattoo artist and ex-leviathan hunter
Wester Penderyn, a noble duelist and laughingstock
Chandra, a fanatical watchmaker
Arlo, a retired scoundrel and veteran

-or-

Lorette, a mute, devoted cultist

Kristov Ironborn, a young Skovlan radical
The Raven Man, a club owner and party animal
Veronica Phroaig, a university student and sorority leader
“Crimson” AKA Marty Kraut, a wannabe drug dealer
One of your friends, rivals, or crew contacts
Blades in the Dark crew sheet
SPIRIT
chase
spirits

Name

Hold Weak Strong Tier

Reputation

The Spirit Wardens find you

CHASERS
4 8 Special Abilities

Crew Upgrades Contacts GHOST VACUUMS: all crew members add a ghost
☐ Ramshackle Spirit Bell ▷ Cheryl, a gondolier vacuum to their gear (two boxes). When attached to a
ghost-containing corpse, they suck the ghost out imme-
☐ Mobile Lair ▷ Xavier, a research assistant diately. This requires an action roll (Tinker or Attune).
☐ Spirit Storage ▷ Leon, a corpse dealer FRIENDLY NEIGHBORS: The people who live and
☐ Get-Out Bags ▷ Nelly, a junior Spirit Warden work near your lair have taken a liking to you. When
you take this, reduce your “The Spirit Wardens locate
☐ Elite Adepts ▷ Gabriella, a monster hunter the crew” clock by two ticks. You gain +1d on gather
☐ Elite Skulks ▷ Tipper, a midwife information rolls made within your community.
☐ Lair Hidden ☐ Quality Gear GHOST PASSAGEWAYS: From weird experience or
Cohort Gang Expert occult ritual, your crew has found access to a network
☐ Lair Secure ☐ Quality Tools Weak Impaired Broken Armor of entrances and exits from the ghost field that allow
☐ Lair Workshop ☐ Quality Arcane you to cross the city in minutes.
☐ ☐ Gain a Cohort Implements KINDRED SPIRITS: When you learn something inti-
mate about a captured ghost by speaking with and then
Experience releasing them, they take a liking to you. You may add
them as a crew contact.
At the end of each
session mark 1 xp SPONSOR: You each get +2 stash after every score.
for each of the following that occurred (or 2 if
Cohort Gang Expert STREET RATS: Each PC may add +1 to Hunt, Prowl,
that item occurred multiple times). Weak Impaired Broken Armor or Attune.
◆ Outwit or outrun the living, or capture the USED TO THIS CRAP: No members of your crew is
recently dead. supernaturally terrified by ghosts.
◆ Contend with challenges above your current VETERAN ADVANCE: Take an ability from another
station. crew book (but what’s better than ghost vacuums?)
◆ Bolster or develop your crew’s reputation.
◆ Express the goals, drives, inner conflict, or
essential nature of the crew. Coin (if you must) ☐☐☐☐