The Nightside

THE NIGHTSIDE
monte Cook
The Nightside
THE NIGHTSIDE
Walking the Nightside ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 4
Nightside Truths ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 12
Fortes ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 30
Patrons ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 66
Other Magical Practices ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 76
Character and House Secrets ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 110
Locations on the Nightside Path ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 134
Creatures and Beings of the Nightside ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 152
Appendix: Nightside Practices From Other Products ✦ ✦ ✦ 187
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3
The Nightside
WALKING THE NIGHTSIDE
G
ood and evil. Every vislae knows that even in a
world of angels and demons, terms like “good”
and “evil” are far too simplistic to be of any
real value. Nothing is truly entirely one or the other. We
might want to, for example, label life as “good,” but one
need only spend a few hours under the Green Sun to
see that life and growth can be as deadly and destructive
as anything else. And, of course, cancer is alive, and it
certainly grows. Someone might say that darkness and
light are the proper analogs to evil and good, but even then,
it’s too simple. While the light of the suns is existence, and
the absence of that light is oblivion, it gets dark every night.
The sun must set for its cycle to function.
Remember too that there is much that dwells within
the light of the suns that could hardly be seen as “good.”
No one would ever call the demons of the Red altruistic,
for example. The Actuality embraces nuance, not
dichotomies. THE PATH
So when trying to understand what the Nightside Path Nightside Path,
is, try to divorce yourself from the idea of good and evil. page 36
Of white magic and black magic (though no vislae would

use those terms). Instead, understand that the Nightside
Path is full of nuance and cannot easily be summed up in
a few words.
The Nightside Path rejects what is normal, expected,
or common. It ignores the boundaries of what is often
considered forbidden, taboo, or prohibited. It accepts the
unacceptable and thinks the unthinkable. The Nightside
Path embraces the knowledge that was not meant to be
known.
Vislae who walk the Nightside Path do whatever they
need to do to get what they want. You might say that
most vislae draw a line that they will not cross. While
every individual might draw that line at a different point,
they recognize that with such power in their hands (for
4
Walking the Nightside
Vislae sometimes refer all vislae are frighteningly powerful compared to a non),
to non-vislae as “nons.” they need to determine what they will and will not do.
Some will never use magic to harm another. Some will
cause harm or even death, but only in self-defense. Some
will use their spells to murder their foes, but won’t harm
someone’s soul. And so on—every vislae’s proverbial line
might be different.
Vislae walking the Nightside Path draw no such line.
None at all. That doesn’t mean they are insane monsters
doing whatever mad idea comes into their head at any
moment (although there are some . . .). And it certainly
doesn’t mean they’re reckless and have no sense of
self-preservation. But it does mean that if there’s
something they want to accomplish, they will allow no
social mores, no authority figure, and no sense of ethics,
morality, or decorum to prevent them.
And that isn’t to say that those who walk the Nightside
Path are more driven or determined than other vislae,
although sometimes that’s true. There are things that
will prevent such a vislae from moving ahead: physical
reality, their own lack of ability, their own fear, their own
indecision, and so on. But morals, rules, and so forth—
they were created by other people for other people. They
do not apply.
Some take delight in the actions others would never
consider. They actively enjoy breaking laws, harming
others, or exploring the forbidden. Others just see it
as the path toward a greater goal and don’t think of it
as something to be enjoyed any more than they would
consider it something to be avoided.
It’s worth noting that there is no real opposite to
walking the Nightside Path. There is no yang to its yin.
You can technically say that you walk the Path of Suns,
but everyone walks the Path of Suns. In other words,
it’s not a true dichotomy, because you only note the
aberration, not the commonplace. It’s like fire—you don’t
take note of things that aren’t on fire, because that’s just
what you assume things to be. You only take note when
they are on fire. The Nightside is fire.
It’s also worth noting that the Nightside Path is not
associated with one group of vislae over another. It’s not
5
The Nightside
particular to an order, a gender, or a group. Nightside

Goetics are often more overt about their outlook, but they
by no means have a monopoly on the concept.
USING THE NIGHTSIDE

Many narratives will not involve PCs who walk the
Nightside Path. In such cases, some of the material in
this book can be used for NPCs. Still other aspects of
the book, such as experimental magic, don’t have to be
considered Nightside Path material if approached in a
somewhat different, more traditional way.
However . . .
It is not a simple choice of A or B (although there are
those who would say otherwise). One does not choose
to walk the Nightside Path and immediately eschew all
aspects of the Path of Suns. Likewise, there are those who
do not revel in the darkness but still might use some of
the magic thought to belong to the Nightside.
There is no oath that must be sworn. One does not
need to sell one’s soul to a devil to access the magic of the
Nightside. However, there are oaths that can be sworn,
and there are devils who will grant a vislae power for their
soul—or even part of it.
Although the Nightside is referred to as a path,
sometimes one can think of it as a pool of dark water. A
vislae can avoid the pool entirely, but if they choose to
enter it, they don’t have to dive in over their head. They
can just get their feet wet. Or go only as far as their knees.
Or their waist. Or their neck. The choice is always the
vislae’s.
EXPLORING DARK THEMES

Invisible Sun is an intentionally dark game. It’s difficult
to present surreality without getting a little disturbing.
The surreal is a mixture of reality and dreamlike reality.
And dreams can often be nightmares. So, in some ways,
focusing on the darker aspects of the setting is redundant.
Further, there aren’t meant to be clearly defined concepts
like “good” and “evil” in the Actuality.
6
7
The Nightside
That said, it may be that the group—the players and the

GM—will want to keep Nightside elements as the purview
of the NPCs. If that’s not the case, however, and one or
more players wants to explore the themes of the Nightside
Path in the narrative, the GM should make some of the Nightside Changery
material in this book available to them. Changes:
Obviously, spells, secrets, long-form magic, and so on Skin missing from face
can be learned at any point. The fortes in this book, if Forked tongue
used, make it clear from a character’s genesis that they Extremely long and
thin limbs
intend to walk the Nightside Path.
Snake for a tongue
Also, as with the pool analogy used above, keep in
Spiders for eyes
mind that there’s dark and then there’s dark. Some of
Flesh that lightly
the options and opportunities in this book are here only adheres to surfaces
because they are dangerous, and thus usually forbidden.
Spider legs
These are mainly the abilities that are labeled as
Serpents for fingers
“experimental” and require the Experimental Die. Others
Pustules that ooze toxic
are questionable morally, and an individual player can chemicals
decide how they should or shouldn’t be used. But some Glowing red eyes
of the things in this book are downright awful and will be Footsteps burned into
used only by characters who are themselves awful. It is the ground
important for you and the players to discuss the nature of Foul odors
such things, where they fall on this spectrum, and what it
would mean for a character in the narrative to use them.
These conversations are better to have ahead of time, Experimental Die,
page 15
rather than after the fact.
APPROPRIATENESS AND CONSENT

Some of the things in this book are quite dark. There are Consent in Gaming is
elements of body horror, torture, violence, corruption, an additional free tool
you can bring to your
depression, loss, and more. Not all of it is appropriate for game table, especially
every narrative. While we assume that players of Invisible if you’re worried that
Sun are mature adults, that isn’t to say someone might a theme you want to
explore in the game
not object to some of this material at the table. GMs and
could potentially
players alike should be aware of that and always respect make your players
the needs of everyone involved (this is of course true uncomfortable.
for the material in the Black Cube as well, and really mymcg.info/consent
any roleplaying game). Be sensitive, be understanding,
and be accommodating. If everyone is on board, it’s
fun sometimes to play up the more horrific or macabre
elements of the game, but you need everyone’s consent
first, or it won’t—by definition—be fun.
8
ELEMENTS OF THE NIGHTSIDE

When considering the actions and outlooks of those
who walk the Nightside Path, whether PCs or NPCs,
the following (distasteful) topics are likely worthy of
consideration.
DESTRUCTION
Destruction isn’t evil. Sometimes you need to tear down
an old building to build a new one. Sometimes you
need to clear away the brush to plant a garden. Nature is
certainly destructive all its own. The Red—not Nightside
Red, but the Red Sun in general—represents destruction
and decay, as that’s a natural part of reality.
Wanton destruction, or destruction for its own sake,
is different. Although a devil might try to convince you
otherwise, such concepts are almost certainly unwelcome
by anyone. Destruction of something that is important,
necessary, beautiful, or valuable in some way, to someone,
is an act that only a Nightside vislae might embrace.
HARM
The world is a dangerous place. Sometimes you have
to fight to survive, and though a fervent pacifist would
disagree, most people would likely say that causing harm
to defend yourself or others is ethically acceptable.
Causing intentional harm for its own sake, or to get
something you want, likely falls into the Nightside.
DECEPTION
Deceit and lies are difficult to justify as ethical. Certainly,
one could make a case for a white lie that is told for a
person’s own good or to spare their feelings, but most
lies are meant to better the situation or reputation of the
liar, usually at the expense of the one being lied to. This
is something most Nightside vislae would not think twice
about doing.
9
The Nightside
10
CONTROL
Domination and mind control are almost unquestionably
invasive and “wrong” to the typical person. Enslavement
through force, coercion, or magic is horrific to all but the
most amoral. Enslavement can be physical, but it can also
be emotional or mental. Even some Nightside vislae won’t
resort to magically compelling others.
TEMPTATION AND CORRUPTION

Corruption can be mental or physical (or, if you’d rather,
spiritual or physical). Getting someone to do something
that goes against their values through manipulation,
trickery, or enticement—as opposed to using force or
compulsion—is usually done so the tempter can get what
they want. In the case of certain demons or particularly
awful other beings, the corruption of the spirit is an end
in and of itself.
Physical corruption, usually in the form of mutation,
disease, mutilation, and so on, is different but just as
awful. Again, it’s a way that demonic entities torture
mortals so they can delight in their suffering. (Physical
corruption means more to living, mortal creatures, for
whom physical form is a strong identifier and difficult
to repair. To a demon or a similar being, it’s relatively
meaningless.)
For a Nightside vislae, temptation is usually a form of
trickery, lies, and control. Corruption for its own sake
is likely the purview of demons and their ilk. There are
always exceptions, however.
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The Nightside
NIGHTSIDE TRUTHS
T he sign read “Nightside Path” with an arrow

pointing left, and below that it said “Path of Suns”
with an arrow to the right.
“Funny,” Trevain said.
“Yeah,” Nir said, “if someone ever asks about it without
any irony, that’s a good reason to tell them to just go home.”
The two stood outside Niralion’s house. It was overcast,
and the air was filled with falling brown and orange leaves,
as always.
“So how do we get started?”
“Well,” Nir said, motioning Trevain in through the front
door, “after we go through the first few chapters of the
handbook, there will be a test. If you pass, you’ll get your
Nightside Beginner badge.”
Trevain just stared at her. She held his gaze. Finally, she
laughed.
“That’s not how it works,” Trevain said.
“Of course not. There’s no handbook, no badges. The
Nightside isn’t a club or an organization. I’m just going to let
you learn some spells they refuse to teach at the Vancian
Campus. You can decide for yourself if knowing them means
you’re walking the Nightside Path or not.”
“Okay.” Trevain entered her house. It was filled with
shelves and stacks of books, floor to ceiling. Pretty typical
vislae house, he thought.
“Of course,” Nir said, “this is all for show. The books
we want are in the secret human sacrifice room in the
basement. You’ll have to watch your step on the stairs, what
with all the fresh blood.”
“Just stop,” Trevain said with a laugh.
When considering the Nightside Path, the darker

corners of the Actuality, and the secrets such places keep,
the following truths should be understood.
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Nightside Truths
THE DANGER OF
NIGHTSIDE MAGIC
There’s a sigil on the bag that this book comes in. It’s a
protective ward. Why is it there? Because some magic
associated with the Nightside is demonstrably dangerous,
often in insidious ways.
Although this is a book of rules for a game, there are
no game mechanics for some of the dangers from dark
magic. There are no “evil points” a character gains for
using corrupted or malevolent magic. It’s all meant
to be narrative. And as will be pointed out in the book
Appendix: Nightside numerous times, plenty of the magic in the Black Cube
Practices From Other falls into the Nightside category, so if you’re going to deal
Products, page 187
with the effects and dangers of Nightside magic found
here, you should do it when characters use those practices
as well.
SPIRITUAL EFFECTS
First and foremost, Nightside magic might begin to
corrupt and rot someone’s spirit. It won’t destroy them,
but it might affect them. Given enough dark magic, they
could be changed into something no longer truly human,
Orgose, page 176 but that’s the extreme end (the character Orgose is an
example of such a being).
To determine this effect on someone’s spirit, you’ve no
need to look farther than their heart and secret soul. The
dark magic seeps into both heart and soul, and—over
time—might have effects based on the character’s literal
heart and soul.
The following are narrative effects based on heart and
soul. Keep in mind that many of these are personality
changes and should be worked out with the player, not
forced on the player.
THE KEY
Heart, page 64 Heart
Galant: The vislae becomes arrogant and domineering.
Stoic: The vislae’s body becomes slow and lumbering.
Empath: The vislae cannot help but share the emotions
of those around them.
Ardent: The vislae becomes temperamental and
vindictive.
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The Nightside
Soul
THE KEY
The Silver Star: The vislae becomes a misanthrope. Soul, page 138
The Watcher: The vislae loses all desire to take action
themselves, and wants only to watch.
The Child: The vislae becomes utterly irresponsible and
difficult to reason with.
The Lady: The vislae becomes capricious and almost
manic-depressive.
The Flame: The vislae’s body literally begins to look like
it has been burned and scarred.
The Doctor: The vislae becomes cold and calculating to
the point of losing their emotions entirely.
The Old Man: The vislae’s body ages at a greatly
accelerated rate.
The Eye: The vislae becomes so obsessed with
experiences that they are reckless and take great risks.
The Blade: The vislae becomes obsessed with violence to
themselves and others.
The Abyss: The vislae begins to disappear for longer and
longer periods of time, visiting a faraway realm alone,
exploring and learning terrible things.
The Hammer: The vislae becomes destructive,
temperamental, and violent.
The Whisper: The vislae becomes secretive and enjoys
tempting others with evil just to see what they’ll do.
The Dancer: The vislae becomes flamboyant, showy, and
vain.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS
Although some of the narrative changes discussed
above are physical, it’s also reasonable that dark magic
might have nothing to do with heart or soul, but instead
simply produce measurable physical effects. Such effects
might be cosmetic, making a vislae look more and more
demonic, evil, or dark in some fashion (this might be
intentional or unintentional). Others might be debilitating,
such as putting vex or even scourges in Certes pools.
However, if such mechanical changes come into play,
the vislae should gain something in return—a dark but
beneficial change, such as more Sorcery that can be used
only for Nightside magic, for example.
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Nightside Truths
DRAWING THE ATTENTION

OF DARK POWERS
Using dark magic over the long term likely draws the
attention of powerful demons and entities that most vislae
would probably not want to meet. These beings will try to
corrupt the vislae further, conscript them into service, or
simply destroy them as possible rivals.
Again, these are all narrative effects that will help make
your stories more interesting and exciting, not simply
penalties for PCs.
HARNESSING THE FORBIDDEN

Vislae are smart, by definition. Most don’t take too many
risks with magic, but some do. Risky magic (as well as
THE PATH
magical accidents and magical waste products) is the
Fartown, page 98 reason that Fartown is located in its own half-world rather
than occupying the same space as the rest of Satyrine,
after all. Magic that poses undue risk to the vislae or
the world around them is often forbidden by the orders.
It’s often illegal in civilized regions and taboo in most
societies and religions.
But Nightside vislae don’t care about any of that. In fact,
they embrace such restrictions. Some revel in them.
The following are just a few of the potentially forbidden
types and practices of magic.
EXPERIMENTAL MAGIC
Some magic is not fully defined and is more likely to go astray.
Vislae haven’t yet hammered out all the kinks, or maybe
THE WAY
the magic is inherently unstable and will always be risky.
Flux, page 13 This instability or risk is reflected in flux, and the
increased chance for flux with experimental magic is
represented in the requirement of the Experimental Die.
The Experimental Die is included with this product. It
looks just like a normal Invisible Sun die except that it has
nine blank faces. The only face with a symbol indicates
flux. This means that it never contributes to successes,
only to flux. Rolling flux on the Experimental Die is just
like rolling it on any other magical die, and using the die
means that it increases the chance for greater flux.
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The Nightside
MIRRORS
We all know that mirrors are dangerous. They’re a
magical virus infecting our reality. If they end up
reflecting everything, the collected reflection will become
the real world, and we’ll become the reflection. So using
mirrors for magical purposes is risky—it’s playing
with fire, so to speak. A few spells and incantations use
mirrors (such as The Mirror Displays My Gift), but they The Mirror Displays
are rare. Of course, mirrors are closely related to those My Gift, see the Black
Cube Incantations deck
with the Stoic heart, but even they are wary of mixing
magic and mirrors.
Sometimes, however, vislae embrace the danger of
mirrors. Rather than avoid them—or better yet, smash
them—they do something called “mirror gazing.” While
that sounds harmless, if perhaps narcissistic, vislae
mirror gazing involves staring into a mirror for hours,
sometimes days. The goal is to see something in the
mirror that’s not in the real world. It might be a brief
glimpse of a bird flying by a window. A dresser drawer
open just slightly more than it should be. A mole on
someone’s face not quite in the right place. Whatever the
discrepancy, it’s always extremely hard to notice and almost
always brief. If it is noticed, it absolutely and immediately
corrects itself.
Are these discrepancies a sign that the reflection is
no such thing, but instead an alternate reality? Does it
prove that there is some kind of intentional deception
going on? Everyone who knows about the concept (which
is rare) has their own theory, but mirror gazers always
note that the reason for the discrepancies is irrelevant
to their value. Once they have been observed, anyone
who knows the secret of mirror gazing can use them for
their own ends. Somehow, noting the difference between
reality and reflection gives the vislae a brief insight into
a way to change reality in a small fashion. The secret of Mirror gazing secret,
mirror gazing gives them the ability to cast an incantation page 125
without losing it, essentially retaining it so that it can be

cast a second time.
Most likely, there are other benefits not yet discovered
that can be gained through mirror gazing. But the
practice is dangerous.
16
Nightside Truths
THE PATH
DEALING WITH DEMONS
Demons, page 24 A willingness to interact, trade, and consort with demons
is part and parcel of walking the Nightside Path.
Angels and many other spirits interact with mortals
(particularly vislae, and particularly Goetics) because of
ancient pacts, altruism, obligation, and so on. But demons
do it because they see a potential for personal benefit.
Both GMs and players should always keep that in
mind. A demon will always act in its best interest unless
truly compelled to do otherwise. Devils (more intelligent
demons) are devious and crafty. They’re not just smart—
being deceitful and conniving is in their very nature.
17
The Nightside
GOOD DEMONS
It sounds oxymoronic, and perhaps it is, but there are
vislae—particularly vislae walking the Nightside Path—
who claim that demons are not inherently evil. They
believe that many demons, while not overly altruistic, are
not truly evil. That they merely live their lives and do what
they must to survive.
These vislae believe that they can summon and work
with such demons without risk of betrayal, and that it is
no different than working with other spiritual beings.
This flies in the face of the idea that demons are
personifications of destruction (Red) or utter annihilation
(Dark). The conventional understanding is that they are
irredeemably corrupt and malevolent, existing only to
destroy, tempt, pervert, and kill.
DEMONIC CONTRACTORS
It sounds almost comically colloquial to use a phrase Demons hate building,
like “demonic contractor,” but in truth every colloquy is as they’d rather destroy,
but you can force a
a verbal contract, and thus every demon conjured and demon to do anything
used by a Goetic (or another summoner) is a demonic with the right colloquy.
contractor. Use of the phrase, however, encourages Building, repairing, or
cleaning might simply
a vislae to think more broadly about the entities they
be a higher challenge.
summon and ways to use them. Demonic guardians,
spies, teachers, workers, builders, cleaners, and more are
possible for vislae with the ability to summon entities and
force (or coerce or bribe) them into service.
While demon guardians or warriors are fairly obvious,
vislae (particularly powerful Goetics) have been known to
summon and employ:
✦ Demonic builders
✦ Demonic ditch-diggers
✦ Demonic farmhands
✦ Demonic demolishing crew
✦ Demonic porters
✦ Demonic chauffeurs
✦ Diabolical writers
✦ Diabolical editors
✦ Demonic masseuses
✦ Demonic valets
✦ Demonic housekeepers
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Nightside Truths
✦ Diabolical architects
✦ Diabolical accountants
✦ Diabolic nannies
✦ Demonic animal tenders/herders
✦ Demonic gardeners
✦ Demonic prostitutes
Demonic Laborers Demonic contractors working on a long-term project

conjuration, page 91 need somewhere to rest when they are not performing
the task. A wise vislae gives them something to placate
Demonic Servitor them (food, entertainment, additional payment, or the
conjuration, Book M, like) during this time as well. Otherwise, the demons
page 67
might find their own entertainment, which can lead to
unintentional destruction or other unwanted activities. Of
course, if you don’t care that your tutor eats the neighbor’s
dog or even the neighbor’s child during a break between
lessons, so be it.
DEMONIC TUTORS
Demonic tutors are a type of contractor, but worthy of
their own discussion. Should a vislae be able to conjure
a demon for a long-enough period, a demonic tutor can
teach a spell, a secret, or another practice. In this case,
the demon must be at least the same level as the practice,
must possess or be able to find the information needed
to teach, and must have the time to conduct the tutelage.
Thus, to teach a level 5 secret, the demon must be level 5
or higher, and the details of the secret must be accessible
to them somehow. In addition, the conjurer needs to use a
summoning that allows the demon to perform the entire
task (including the time needed to obtain the knowledge).
In the case of a level 5 secret, that would be a minimum
of fifteen days, which would—for example—likely require
the work of a 4th-degree Goetic to get an entity for that
long.
Demonic tutors can also teach skills, but as skills
usually take even longer to learn, the summoner likely
must be even more powerful.
19
The Nightside
DIABOLIC RETICULA Build the Matrix, page

A Nightside vislae can take the energy of two or more 114
demons that are near each other and use it to bind them Connect the Strands,
together with even greater strength. Those who know page 116
the secret of these interactions—called reticula, or more Draw the Cord, page
rarely convergences—use 120
them to create permanent Demonic Tap, page 92

or semi-permanent links Casket Black, page 103
that form places of
power.
The demons might
be conjured allies
or servants,
demon-possessed
objects or creatures,
or demons in the form
of objects or creatures.
The demons, for their
part, must be willing.
Because the demons
must remain within a
small area, reticula are by
far most often created using
demons that are possessing
objects or in the form of an object,
located in a secure place (like a
vislae’s house).
Diabolic reticula have areas
defined by the demons involved and
the secrets used to create them—
small, medium, or large. A diabolic
reticulum lasts as long as the demons
are within the area. Once a reticulum
has ended, the demons involved
cannot be part of a convergence until
the sun next sets.
Diabolic reticula can be used to make
better summoning areas, offer vislae
additional power or resources, or make
areas more conducive to demons and
demonic activity in general.
20
Nightside Truths
GMing DEMONS
THE PATH Demons make excellent villains. They are irredeemably
Zero, page 102 evil. (Are they? Perhaps we should ask Zero . . .) They are
powerful and motivated. They are scheming, violent, crafty,
stupid, stealthy, and overt. Everything you would want out
of any kind of villain.
That said, you might consider thinking about demons as a
little more than personifications of evil. They have their own
individual personalities, quirks, and motivations. A marquis
ruling over an army of its kind is very different than a brute
with nothing more on its mind than breaking things.
It’s possible for mortals to develop relationships with
demons. (Ask almost any Goetic.) As long as the mortal
presents and provides some kind of value to the demon—
as long as there is something in it for the demon—the savvy
fiend won’t just tear the mortal’s head off to watch the gore.
That’s the basis for the contracts that demons and mortal
conjurers make. It’s the idea behind the ancient pacts that
Goetics (and others) can use to convince demons to do
what they wish.
It may even be possible for a demon to, over time,
develop real affection for a mortal. A worthwhile and loyal
companion or partner who makes for pleasant company
might actually become a friend. But that’s a far trickier
notion than making friends with a person, and a goal that
could quickly lead to a mortal’s utter doom.
These are all exceptional circumstances, of course. Most
demons will just tear a mortal’s head off to watch the gore
and think nothing of it. Demons have no conscience and
no soul. That’s their defining characteristic, in fact. Lying
to mortals, tricking mortals, and tempting mortals: these
things are part of their needs and desires as surely as a
person needs to breathe or eat.
A Goetic who summons demons isn’t necessarily a
Nightside vislae. Some vislae look at demons as mystical
tools (dangerous ones, most likely) to be used like an object
of power or a wall of magical fire. To such a vislae, a demon
is just a conjured helper that no one will shed a tear over
should a terrible fate befall them. Ironically, it’s only (some)
Nightside vislae who get attached to summoned demons
and feel regret. Still others, of course, likely swing that
pendulum entirely in the other direction and summon
demons only to abuse them.
The takeaway from all of this is that demons, demonic
summoning, demonic opponents, and demonic servants
can be used in a variety of ways in your narrative, as befits
the story. 21
The Nightside
22
Nightside Truths
COMBINED PRACTICES
Sometimes, experimentation by those willing to accept
no boundaries reveals truths that can be accessed and
used by anyone. Combined practices is such a discovery.
Daring vislae have learned that it is possible to mix the
magical effects of different practices to create a new effect.
But as is true of so much of the Nightside Path, doing
so sometimes comes with risk. There is a greater chance
of flux (and greater flux) due to the inclusion of the
Experimental Die. There is also a chance that the effect
won’t be what is desired but something else, particularly if
the different effects have not been combined before. The
time it takes to perform a combined practice is the sum of
There is a Hate Cyst all the practices involved, even though they are technically
in Satyrine that lies all cast or activated simultaneously.
behind a metal door
the exact color of old,
Although using a combined practice always requires the
yellowed paper. People vislae to roll the Experimental Die, there is only one roll
have reported hearing involved in the combined practice. Sorcery costs from all
babies crying from
the practices involved must be paid.
behind the door.
Some combined practices involve very similar effects.
Sometimes the two effects have no apparent connection
at all, at least at first. Vislae will have to try different
combinations. That’s why it’s called experimentation.
However, when creating a combined practice, the vislae
should always have a general idea of what they hope the
end result to be. Blind experimentation—“let’s just see
what happens”—almost never works.
Sometimes when a vislae experiments with a
new practice, it should not work, regardless of die
rolls, intentions, or anything else. It wouldn’t be
experimentation if it always succeeded. The GM should
adjudicate whether the attempt works. Further attempts at
the same combined practice will produce the same failure
result.
Failed attempts do not cost Acumen. (The Acumen cost
is paid when it has been confirmed that the combined
practice works.) This is different from a flux result, even
with the Experimental Die. Flux does not mean failure.
That said, when a combined practice does not work, there
is usually at least minor flux, regardless of the die roll.
23
The Nightside
The following are a few examples of combined

practices. Hunt the Lost: Black
Cube Spell Deck
THE BESPOKE SUMMONING

Practices: Hunt the Lost + Summon Conceptual Spirit + Gazing Back to Hidden
Gazing Back to Hidden Glances Glances: Black Cube
Incantations Deck
Effect: A specific entity whose name is known is
summoned in a specific place up to 100 miles (160 THE WAY
km) away with instructions on what to do there. Summon Conceptual
Spirit, page 38
THE BOUND SPIRIT Bounded Entity Rite,

Practices: Goetic summoning + Bounded Entity Rite + page 41
Marionette
Effect: The summoned entity is automatically magically Marionette: Black Cube
compelled to perform a service, skipping colloquy. Spell Deck
CALL OF THE FLAME

Practices: Summon Conceptual Spirit + Baptism of Flame Baptism of Flame:
Effect: A powerful fire spirit appears with the conjuration, Black Cube Spell Deck
3 levels higher than what would normally be conjured.
DEVIL TRAP THE WAY

Practices: Bounded Entity Rite + Sign Against Evil Sign Against Evil,
Effect: If the entity trapped by the Bounded Entity Rite is page 27
a demon or similarly evil spirit, it is held twice as long

as normal.
THE ELDER EVIL EYE

Practices: Fermata + Evil Eye Fermata: Black Cube
Effect: The next action the target attempts fails. Spell Deck
THE WAY
GAIN AUDIENCE Evil Eye, page 27
Practices: Beseech + Pathwalker
Beseech, page 31
Effect: The vislae travels to wherever the entity in question
is located to make their request in person. Most
entities find this more respectful (but a few find it Pathwalker: Black
more intrusive). Cube Spell Deck
24
Nightside Truths
Safeguard the Secret, QUINTESSENCE OF PRIVACY

page 107 Practices: Safeguard the Secret + Whelve + Sign Against
Whelve: Black Cube Prying Eyes
Spell Deck Effect: For a year and a day, all the secrets kept by a single
individual are free from discovery through magic.
THE WAY
Sign Against Prying
Eyes, page 27 SERVANT OF DARKNESS OR LIGHT
Practices: Thoughtform Creation + Chalice of Weal or
Thoughtform
Creation, page 39
Woe
Effect: The thoughtform created is either skilled at
Chalice of Weal or healing and otherwise helping (+1 to such actions) or
Woe, Deliration: Black skilled at fighting and killing (+1 to those actions).
Cube Spell Deck
THE WAY
TRUE REGRET
Exculpation, page 35 Practices: Exculpation + Deliration
Effect: The practitioner’s show of regret is so sincere and
Even beyond the intense that the entity involved not only forgives the
Kaleidoscope Void, transgression, but grants them a boon as well, such as
there are rumors of a
place called The Other an ephemera object or the removal of a curse.
Shore. These stories
suggest that if the void
is a metaphorical sea
and the Actuality is on THE KALEIDOSCOPE VOID
its shore, there must be Mentioned in harsh terms throughout all the wrong
another shore on the parts of Fartown, the mysterious Kaleidoscope Void is
opposite side. A world
of suns and magic? supposedly a realm where the light of all the suns comes
Something else? If there together. Metaphysically, it is the opposite of the Dark—
are any who claim to which is also called a void—but it is perhaps just as
know, they are probably
liars. A mysterious dangerous. A place where all the colors of the suns mix,
being called the Girl swirl, congeal, and tear themselves apart, it is a realm of
From the Other Shore madness.
reportedly wandered
Satyrine for a while, There may, however, be ways for a vislae to protect
but her nature and themselves and survive this insane place. Certainly some
current whereabouts are claim to have done so. A few revere entities that might
unknown.
dwell there with names like the Mother of Senseless
Kaleidoscope Void, Things, the Seething Madness, and the Omnipresent
see the Black Cube Eye. Perhaps these entities have secrets or spells to teach.
Spell Deck
Perhaps they offer patronage. Perhaps they will destroy
any mortal that comes close. Such are the dangers of
THE WAY these kinds of endeavors.
Reach Into Chaos,
page 37
25
The Nightside
26
Nightside Truths
CURSES
Certain spells have the Curse facet, indicating that they
are foul, insidious praxis that debilitate or hinder and
are hard to remove. But those spells are by no means
a complete accounting of every curse available. The
THE KEY
following is a list of possible curse effects by level. This is
Death curse, page 140 of particular interest to vislae who want to use their death
curse ability.
SAMPLE CURSES BY LEVEL

Unless otherwise specified, all curses end only when they
are removed.
LEVEL 1
✦ Small personal object is damaged
✦ –1 on next attack
✦ –1 on next perception task
✦ –1 on next spell
LEVEL 2
✦ Small personal object disappears forever
✦ Suffers 1 point of damage whenever a certain word is
spoken
✦ Illusory lettering reading “Guilty” appears above head
until the sun sets
LEVEL 3
✦ Filled with fear and anxiety
✦ Rendered deaf
✦ Moves at half speed
✦ Dreamer’s dreams are visible over their head while
they sleep
✦ Illusory lettering reading “Lying” appears above head
whenever they lie

✦ –1 on attacks
✦ –1 on perception tasks
✦ –1 on spellcasting
27
The Nightside
LEVEL 4
✦ Attacks a close friend at the soonest opportunity (once)
✦ Clothes vanish
✦ One important memory vanishes
✦ Cannot remember own name
LEVEL 5
✦ Magical object vanishes forever
✦ Offensive spells deal half damage
✦ Divination spells do not function
✦ Soul is trapped in a specific object when they die
✦ Turns into a mouse until the sun next sets
LEVEL 6 Rumors suggest that

✦ Suffers 1 Wound whenever a specific action is taken the notorious masked
criminal Cryter Miniss
✦ Does nothing but sit on the ground and sing
in Satyrine is, in fact,
nonsense songs two different people.
✦ –2 on attacks Magic within the mask
✦ –2 on interaction tasks prevents them from
ever being in the same
✦ –2 on spellcasting
place at the same time
✦ Cannot take actions while the sun is in the sky to help perpetrate the
deception.
LEVEL 7
✦ Personality shifts to be angry, abusive, and violent
✦ Imprisoned in a specific, confined space on the same
world
✦ Turns into a slug
✦ Turns into a donkey
LEVEL 8
✦ Loses all tangibility and ability to affect the material
world
✦ –3 on all actions
✦ First magic die used in an action always counts as
zero (flux)
LEVEL 9
✦ Bound to a demonic lord, forced to do as they command
✦ House crumbles to dust
✦ Cannot be affected by helpful magical effects
28
Nightside Truths
LEVEL 10
✦ Frozen forever in stasis
✦ Suffers 3 Anguish whenever a specific action is taken
LEVEL 11
✦ Suffers double damage from all attacks
✦ Attacked by a level 7 demon each night
LEVEL 12
✦ Sent back to own birth to relive life
LEVEL 13
✦ Loses all spellcasting ability
LEVEL 14
✦ Never born
LEVEL 15
✦ Entire family dies suddenly
LEVEL 17
✦ Entire family line
retroactively erased
29
The Nightside
FORTES
T he man reeked of death. His jaundiced flesh

clung to his bones so tightly that you could
almost hear it creak like stiff leather when he
shambled toward me.
“Good lord, man,” I said, pulling a chair over to him so
he could sit. “You look terrible. Are you ill?”
He smiled at me when I spoke that last word, his
blackened gums highlighting his gapped teeth. He didn’t
sit.
“What has befallen you? What malady afflicts you?”
“Afflicts me?” He coughed a laugh. “Nothing afflicts me.”
He held up a gaunt hand. “This isn’t my enemy. This is
my friend.”
Was he referring to the illness? I recoiled.
“No, no,” he croaked. “Let me introduce you. It wants to
be your friend too.”
Forte reflects a talent or focus that is unique to the For more on using forte
character. It’s both what you do best and what you can do abilities, see The Key,
page 72.
that most people can’t (or, at least, not the way you do it).
No two vislae in a narrative should share the same forte.
USING FORTE ABILITIES

Unless stated otherwise, using a forte ability is an action.
You can cancel an ability’s ongoing effect whenever you
wish, and doing so is not an action.
Most forte abilities cost Sorcery to use. Abilities
labeled “(no cost)” do not need to be activated and cost
THE KEY
no Sorcery to use. They must be purchased with Crux as Crux, page 22
any other forte ability.
30
Fortes
FORTE DESCRIPTIONS
Every time you gain a Each forte has a number of categories that define it.
new forte ability, you Background: Forte usually contributes to the backstory
permanently increase
one of your stats by 2
of the character, or at least raises questions the player
points (or two of your should answer about their past.
stats by 1 point each). Appearance: Forte often dictates or suggests clothing or
even the physical appearance of a vislae.
Character Arcs: Forte might suggest character arcs
appropriate for the character.
THE KEY
Path to Joy: A few suggestions for things that might
Joy, page 203 earn the character Joy. This is not meant to be a limiting
list, but rather thought-starters to give players and GMs
Despair, page 204
ideas. Most of these suggestions can be used just one
time each.
Path to Despair: A few things that might happen that
would give the character Despair. This is not meant to be
a limiting list, but rather suggestions to give players and
GMs ideas. Most of these suggestions can be used just
one time each.
Forte Abilities: Forte abilities, unless stated otherwise,
cost Sorcery to use, equal to the level of the effect.
You can always spend points from your Sorcery pool to
THE WAY increase the level of effect of an ability you possess on a
Divine Ability secret, one-for-one basis, to a maximum of level 10, unless you
page 87
know the Divine Ability secret.
Color: Each forte ability is associated with a particular
THE KEY
sun. The color of the associated sun is important for
Sooth Deck, page 23 Sooth card effects and occasionally for other effects.
FORTE PAGE
Embraces Nothing 32
Foments Dissension 38
Heralds Plagues 44
Molds Flesh Like Clay 50
Renounces the Light 56
Wallows in Despair 62
31
The Nightside
EMBRACES NOTHING
People don’t understand the difference between rejecting
everything and embracing nothing. I embrace nothing. As
in emptiness. As in the true void. As in the Dark.
Now, the Dark has a bad reputation, and perhaps
for good reason. The common conception of the Dark
and those who ally with it is that they want to destroy
everything. And while that is true, consider for a moment
the idea that the world is already nothing. Existence is a
lie. You cannot destroy that which was never there. You
can’t kill that which was never alive.
I believe—we believe—that existence is a lie. We are
nihilists, and we accept the difficult truth that everything
is nothing, and nothing has meaning. Many talk of the lie
of Shadow, and rejecting it, and escaping it. We believe
that this is commendable, but it doesn’t go far enough.
People have an inherent need for there to be “something,”
so those who escape Shadow simply trade one lie for a
larger lie. It’s all Shadow.
Background: I need to know the circumstances that led
me to learn the truth about existence. Why do I believe
what I do? Why are my beliefs so strong that I can use
them to alter reality?
Appearance: Appearance, like everything else, doesn’t
matter. It has no meaning. I am likely drawn to an
absence of color, wearing all white or all black. Maybe
eventually I can render some part of me permanently
invisible.
Character Arcs: The following character arc ideas are
particularly appropriate for those who embrace nothing:
✦ Destroy something or someone that has some
THE KEY
significance in my life. (Revenge.) Revenge, page 176
✦ Destroy something significant that I have created.
Redemption,
(Redemption.) page 175
✦ Teach someone the ways of nothing. (Instruction.)
Path to Joy: The following events may bring me Joy. Instruction, page 171
✦ Utterly destroy something or someone extremely
significant.
✦ Learn a new spell or other practice of a higher
level than ever before that involves nothingness or

annihilation.
32
Fortes
Path to Despair: The following events are likely to cause

me Despair.
✦ Being forced to rely on something newly created to
survive or succeed at something important.

✦ Being put in a situation where I must create
something of significance.
Forte Abilities: I have access to the following abilities,
as long as I start with the first one and then select more,
following the path indicated and spending Crux to do so.
REJECT THE IDEA

Level: 2 (no cost)
Because nothing has meaning and I have no existence, I
know I can’t truly be harmed by the world. I gain +1 to
all defense actions.
Color: Invisible
DIMINISH
Level: 3
Embracing nothing, I become difficult to sense in any
fashion, whether by sight, sound, or even spells. I
gain +2 to any stealth action and to any defense action
against spells that would locate me or reveal my
existence.
Depletion: 0–4 (check each hour)
Color: Grey
REJECT THE MADNESS

Level: 3
Believing in anything is insane, so I focus my mind on
nothingness instead. I am immune to attempts to read
or control my mind.
Depletion: 0 (check each round)
Color: Invisible
33
The Nightside
KILL THE LIE

Level: 6 (+1 die)
I reject an object’s existence, and take something (or,
rather, that which appears to be something) that is
an inanimate object about the size of a person and
cause it to cease to exist. It’s not even rendered to dust,
because dust is still something.
Color: Red
ANOMIE
Level: 5 (+1 die)
There is no morality—it is as much a deception as the
material world. I help someone I touch understand
that by erasing their sense of morality and ethics. They
act without inhibition, without strictures, and with no
fear of judgment, legal or otherwise. This change may
not manifest in action immediately, depending on the
individual and the circumstance, but it will within an
hour, at most.
Depletion: 0 (check each hour)
Color: Blue
EAT THE LIGHT

Level: 7 (+1 die)
The suns supposedly give existence to the world with
their light. This light, then, is the medium of the lie
and should be destroyed. Everything in a small area
near me ceases to exist, even the light, so it appears
that I have filled that area with darkness.
Color: Red
MAGIC IS NOTHING
Level: 7
Magic, like everything else, doesn’t truly exist. If someone
uses a magical ability on me against my will, I simply
reject it. The next unwanted spell or other practice of a
level lower than this ability that is cast with me as the
sole target does not affect me.
Color: Invisible
34
Fortes
DARK ALLY
Level: 8
A level 4 demon of the Dark appears and works with me
as an ally in whatever I am doing (unless the action
fundamentally goes against its ethos). It more or less
acts as I wish.
Depletion: Ends automatically when the sun next rises
THE JOY OF NOTHING

Level: 8
I choose one thing to ignore, and then it does not exist
At the end of the Spiral for me. If I choose iron, I can see what’s inside an
Road in the realm iron box, ignore the thrust of an iron dagger, and walk
of the Gold Sun, the
Unshattered Tower
through an iron door. The choice must be specific,
offers refuge for those such as iron (not metal) or water (not liquid). “Magic”
who truly do not want cannot be selected as a thing to ignore. I must be
to be found. Some of the
wary, however, for if I choose stone, I might sink into
greatest criminals and
offenders in the universe the earth. If I choose fire, I might not get burned, but
end up there. neither will a wood stove warm me.
Things I can choose to ignore:

✦ Iron
✦ Steel
✦ Gold
✦ Stone
✦ Soil
✦ Wood
✦ Water
✦ Glass
✦ Fire
✦ Cold
✦ Lightning
✦ Leather
✦ Poison
✦ Disease
I can ignore only one thing at a time.

Depletion: Ends automatically when the sun next sets
Color: Blue
35
The Nightside
KILL THE IDEA

Level: 10 (+2 dice)
It’s one thing to destroy an object or a person, but the
ultimate way to embrace nothing is to destroy the
idea of something. An object or creature that I touch,
which is no larger than a horse and whose level is no
greater than 8, fades from existence, and even from
memory. It is as though the creature or object never
existed at all. Using this power is so stressful that I
suffer 1 Anguish. (Fortunately, like everything else, it’s
not real.)
Color: Red
36
Fortes
EMBRACES NOTHING
Reject the Idea
Diminish Reject the Madness
Kill the Lie Anomie
Eat the Light Magic Is Nothing
Dark Ally The Joy of Nothing
Kill the Idea
37
The Nightside
FOMENTS DISSENSION
I don’t hate people.
In fact, I find them incredibly fascinating.
All the dances we do around each other to keep
ourselves safe. The white lies. The subtle shifts of the
face and feature. The complex social contracts that we all
participate in at parties, jobs, trysts. The thin, pale walls
of skin and falsities that protect us from each other’s true
selves.
I will tear down those walls. Rip the contracts to shreds.
Smash the white lies into shards of sharp black truths.
Press the black truths together into whispering lies.
Whatever your darkest fears, your deepest worries, even
the doubts you didn’t know you had . . . I will discover
them.
Even the things you swear to be truth—the progress of
time, the ground you stand on, your mother’s love, the
hue of your skin . . . do you know? Do you really? What if
I whisper something in your ear, a whisper that feels so
true and right that you can’t help but wonder and doubt?
Background: Perhaps in Shadow I worked as some sort
of therapist, con artist, cult leader, or mentalist, or I fell
under the sway of such a person. Perhaps I was born this
way.
Appearance: I likely alter my appearance to make the
greatest impact upon those with whom I plan to interact.
This can be as simple as managing my microexpressions
or as grand as several trips to the changeries, a closet
filled with fashion, and various alterations of my form via
magic.
particularly appropriate for those who foment dissension:
THE KEY
✦ Fomenting dissension between those who have Revenge, page 176
harmed me is an elegant and powerful way to get
Learn, page 172
even. (Revenge.)
✦ Becoming a master manipulator is a long-term goal.
Master a Skill,
(Learn, Master a Skill.) page 172
✦ In the process of fomenting dissension, I
Fall From Grace,
inadvertently destroy or lose something or someone page 170
that I deeply care for. (Fall From Grace.)
38
Fortes
Path to Joy: The following events may bring me Joy.

✦ Discovering a shortcut or new way to quickly divide
people.
✦ Creating dissension and discord between people who
are normally very closely united.

me Despair.
✦ An argument, disagreement, or other creation
of mine escalated out of control and hurt me or

someone I care about.
✦ Someone disrupted or destroyed my plan for (or my
progress in) creating discord.

SENSE EMOTIONS
Level: 2 (+1 die)
I know the true emotional state of someone I touch and
gain an inkling as to its cause.
Color: Blue
CONVINCING VOICE
Level: 4 (no cost)
I gain +2 to all attempts to verbally convince someone of
something that is not true.
Color: Grey
RIGHT WORD, RIGHT EAR

Level: 4
I know the right thing to say to get someone to do what
I want them to, and if I learn something new, I know
who to share that information with (if anyone) to get
something I want. For example, if I’m speaking to a
librarian and I need special permission to get access
to a closed collection of books, I learn the right name
to drop or the right hint of extortionist accusation
to get them to let me in. Later, while reading a book
in that special collection, if I discover that a vislae’s
grandmother once developed a spell that spread a
39
The Nightside
plague, I learn who I can share that information with

to embarrass that particular vislae the most. THE WAY
This is divinatory magic, not mental manipulation. This Divinations and
ability gives me no special means of speaking or Information-
Gathering Magic,
influence. If the librarian in the above example can’t
page 17
be swayed by my name dropping, this ability doesn’t
help. But if the information can be used to manipulate
them as I desire, I might be able to get what I want
without making a roll at all.
Color: Indigo
BELIEF AS POWER
Level: 5 (+1 die)
When I tell someone a lie about themselves, if they
believe it, it takes on a certain level of reality. For
example, some lies I can tell might include:
✦ “You’re fine.” Effect: Target heals 2 Injuries.
✦ “You’re so strong.” Effect: Target gains 3 bene to
Physicality.
✦ “You’re so smart.” Effect: Target gains 3 bene to
Intellect.
✦ “You’re so tired.” Effect: Target gains 3 vex to
Physicality.
✦ “You’re hurt.” Effect: Target suffers 2 points of
damage.
✦ “You can’t see.” Effect: Target is blind (depletion: 0
[check each round])

✦ “You’re so good at that.” Effect: Target gains +1 at a
particular action (depletion: 0 [check each round])
No single being can believe more than one such lie about
themselves at one time.
Color: Grey
LEND AN EAR
Level: 5 (+1 die)
I convince someone to reveal a secret or other information
to me, even when they are reluctant to do so. For a
brief moment, I essentially control their mind and
they tell me what I want to know.
Color: Blue
40
Fortes
LYING TO THE WORLD

Level: 7 (+1 die)
I speak to an inanimate object that can fit into a small
area and tell it a lie about itself. In doing so, I
physically and permanently change the object. I can
tell a filled notebook that it has additional blank pages,
I can convince a stone wall to be made of glass, or I
can tell a small automobile that it is a literal pile of
garbage.
I can’t lie and make something be worth more than it is,
only less. Within some strict limitations, I can make
an object better (making an aquarium larger to hold
more fish, or making a dull blade sharper) but it’s far,
far easier to use a lie to make something worse. I can’t,
for example, make an item simply “better,” raising its
level to gain a bonus with it, but I can make it weaker,
less effective, or utterly useless.
I can’t grant an object supernatural qualities. I can’t,
for example, tell a notebook that it will always have
additional pages when I need them. I can’t make an
inanimate object animate.
I also can’t affect a magical object’s magical properties. I
can turn a magical gold ring into silver, or even into an
amulet or a table, but I can’t change any element of its
ability to turn its wearer invisible.
Color: Gold
TRUE FALSEHOODS
Level: 7 (+1 die)
I tell someone a lie and they believe it to be true. If it is
easily disproven, such as “It’s raining” or “Your legs
are missing,” the lie very likely persists for only one
round. A clever, insidious lie, such as “Your husband
doesn’t love you anymore,” can last far, far longer.
Perhaps forever.
Depletion: Lasts until the lie is disproven
Color: Grey
41
The Nightside
SPREADING LIES
Level: 8 (+1 die)
I tell a lie to one person. Although this ability gives me
no special power to tell the lie effectively, if the lie
is believed, the person is compelled to tell someone
else (other than me) as soon as possible. Likewise, if
that person believes the lie, they also are compelled.
And so on. An easily believed lie can quickly spread
through an entire community in this way.
Spreading Lies and True Falsehoods can be used together,
but only the first person—the one I speak to—is
compelled to believe.
Color: Grey
MASS HALLUCINATION
Level: 9 (+2 dice)
I speak to a crowd of people and tell them a lie, which
they then all believe. If the lie is easily disproven, such
as “You’re all now blind,” it very likely lasts for only
one round. A lie such as “The building is on fire” (and
the ensuing panic) might persist for quite some time.
An insidious lie like “The Hadras family is cursed”
might persist indefinitely, and might even spread to
future generations.
Color: Grey
GLEAN SECRET
Level: 10
I lie to reality itself and convince it to give up one of its
secrets for a time. I choose one character secret of level
6 or below and gain access to the abilities it confers.
Once it’s gone, however, I remember nothing of it.
Color: Indigo
42
Fortes
FOMENTS DISSENSION
Sense Emotions
Right Word,
Convincing Voice
Right Ear
Belief as Power Lend an Ear
Lying to the World True Falsehoods
Mass
Spreading Lies
Hallucination
Glean Secret
43
The Nightside
HERALDS PLAGUES
“For I have reached inside the bodies of my fellow man and
what I found there was glorious, an entity complex beyond
our understanding, a weapon so finely honed it has only
one use: to beautifully and perfectly destroy everything it
touches. My job, my one job in this world, is to spread its
glory and perfection.”
—Bengta Mihalis, harbinger of maladies
Touching what others fear gives me power. Others pick

a scab and find themselves appalled. They hide their
phlegm in handkerchiefs and handbaskets. They sweat
and steam and shiver and ague alone, in the privacy of
their quarters, where they can pretend they aren’t sick,
will never die, are always in perfect health.
We are all sick, all the time.
We will all die.
Embrace it, I say.
And if you don’t embrace it, not to worry. I will help
you.
Sickness fills my every thought. How a disease ravishes
the body until the skin shines tight over hollow bones.
What lives upon this bread, this book, this handshake,
this skin flake. How these tiny beings become something
so much more, growing into their own power until they
can take down even the mightiest of people.
Some call us pest doctors or plague rats, but those
terms are built from misunderstandings and ignorance.
We prefer to think of ourselves as harbingers. Shiny black
crows pecking the eyeballs of the diseased, presaging
what is to come.
And, perhaps, ushering it in.
Background: It’s possible that I lived through a plague,
pestilence, or disease, and that’s what sparked my interest.
Or perhaps I lost a loved one to illness. Alternatively,
my interest may be more scientific and less emotionally
charged—a keen engrossment in the intersection of
magic and malady that drives me ever forward.
Appearance: While some of us showcase our affinity for
disease in the sores and skin of our bodies, others prefer
to keep our interests more . . . hidden. Surprise, after
44
Fortes
all, is a beautiful and powerful element of disease. We

often have a love of masks, from a simple wrap of cloth to
something far more elaborate, ornate, and sinister.
particularly appropriate for those who herald plagues:
✦ I want to design or engineer a plague, illness, or
THE KEY
disease that impacts a large group or community, or
Creation, page 167 the whole world. (Creation.)
✦ There are many great diseases hidden in the wild,
Explore, page 170
untamed places of the world, and I wish to discover
Romance, page 176 them all. (Explore.)
✦ I would like to find someone to share my life with,
someone who at best appreciates my interests or, at

the very least, tolerates them. (Romance.)
✦ I discover a new disease or illness.
✦ I discover an intriguing opportunity to use my
interests in a new way.

me Despair.
✦ Someone discovers a cure for an illness or disease
that is important to me.

✦ A disease or illness ends up hurting someone I love.

METASTASIZE
Level: 2 (+1 die)
I give someone 3 vex in any pool I choose, infecting them
with a minor virus. If the person is already affected by
a disease, I can instead make that disease twice as bad
(if applicable).
Color: Red
45
The Nightside
IMMUNITY
Level: 3
I am immune to diseases of any kind. Further, I can give
anyone I touch a +2 bonus to all Withstand defense
rolls against disease.
Color: Invisible
MURRAIN
Level: 3 (+1 die)
I briefly infect someone I touch with a flesh-eating
disease that inflicts damage equal to the level of this
ability.
Color: Red
MATERIAL CORRUPTION
Level: 5 (+1 die)
I give a disease to an inanimate object I touch. If it is
level 5 or less and small enough for me to lift with
one hand, it decays and crumbles immediately. If it
is higher level or larger than that but still fits within a
small area, it is weakened and its level decreases by 3.
An item reduced to level 0 crumbles to dust. Objects
larger than a small area can be affected, but only a
portion of them (so I could weaken a section of a wall).
Color: Red
GAZE OF THE MIRROR

Level: 6 THE PATH
In league with the mirror virus, I cause a mirror to appear Mirror virus, page 31
on a nearby wall or other surface where none had
previously existed. As a reward, the mirror shows me
a secret, granting me 1 point of Hidden Knowledge.
Once used, I cannot use this ability again until after
the sun next rises.
Color: Indigo
46
Fortes
SORCEROUS PESTILENCE
Level: 7 (+1 die)
I infect a creature I touch with a disease. I can choose one
effect, and it will occur immediately:
✦ Physical malady: They suffer 2 Wounds; afterward,
they suffer 1 Wound per day at sunset until this

disease is cured.
✦ Mental illness: They suffer 2 Anguish; afterward, they
suffer 1 Anguish per day at sunset until this disease

is cured.
✦ Metamorphosis: They turn into a donkey, a cow, or a
giant (sluggish) beetle until the disease is cured.

✦ Instability: They fade in and out of reality (becoming
unable to affect or be affected by the physical world

for a few rounds every few minutes) until this disease
is cured.
DISEASED WHISPERS
THE WAY
Level: 7
Divinations and I speak with the diseases around me and learn
Information- information about anyone infected with any kind of
Gathering Magic,
page 17
virus within 1 mile (1.5 km). Essentially, I can ask
the virus(es) about one topic of my choosing, and if
someone infected would know the answer, they can
relate it to me.
Color: Indigo
HARBINGERS
Level: 8
I conjure six level 3 creatures that give anyone and
everyone they touch a disease. I do not control them,
instead watching as they gleefully race about, touching
as many people as they can. (I am not exempt from
this, so if I’m wise, I’ve used the Immunity ability
ahead of time.) Those they touch become sick (gaining
1 scourge in all pools, or –1 to all actions if an NPC)
and in the following days become bedridden for at
least a week.
Depletion: 0–5 (check each hour)
Color: Pale
47
The Nightside
I AM THE PLAGUE
Level: 9 (+2 dice)
I become a cloud of tiny viral organisms and cannot be
affected by most physical attacks, although I am still
subject to magic. I can move about and slip through
the tiniest of cracks. As an action, I can attempt to give
someone an instant malady that inflicts 1 Wound.
Color: Gold
PLAGUEBEAST
Level: 10
I summon a level 6 demon that brings plague to all
near it. It wanders about, spreading pestilence. (I am
not exempt from this, so if I’m wise, I’ve used the
Immunity ability ahead of time.) Those infected are
immediately sickened (gaining 1 scourge in all pools,
or –1 to all actions if an NPC)
and in the following
days become bedridden.
Those who fail a second
defense roll eventually die
after many weeks. Those
who succeed eventually
recover.
Depletion: 0–1 (check each
hour)
Color: Pale
48
Fortes
HERALDS PLAGUES
Metastasize
Immunity Murrain
Material Corruption Gaze of the Mirror
Sorcerous
Diseased Whispers
Pestilence
Harbingers I Am the Plague
Plaguebeast
49
The Nightside
MOLDS FLESH LIKE CLAY

Flesh is my plaything. It is the medium for my art. I am
a symphony conductor, but with a scalpel rather than a
baton. As much as I enjoy cutting and sewing flesh (and
breaking and shaping bone) with my hands, I have since
learned to do it with magic. This is far more efficient, and,
I will admit, more enjoyable.
Whatever god or creator or force put us here and gave
us these fleshy sheaths we dwell within was good, but that
doesn’t mean their work can’t be improved. I am an artist,
and what I do is beautiful. If you give me time, I can show
you that.
Obviously, some find my work and my talents
distasteful, but that’s simply because they don’t realize
that we are all far more than our flesh. You can’t take what
someone does to your body personally. It’s not really you,
just the vessel you travel in. The material home for your
spirit. If an artist offered to redecorate your home, you’d
be flattered and pleased. Is what I do really so different?
(And yes, as with any renovations, there might be a little
discomfort or inconvenience, but that’s a small price to
pay.)
Background: Body shapers almost certainly learn their
craft and hone their skills in seclusion. It’s unlikely they
learned to do what they do without breaking at least a
few laws here and there. In Shadow, they may have been
a surgeon (or, frankly, a serial killer) or perhaps simply
dreamed of being one.
Appearance: Almost certainly, a body shaper has used
their skills on their own flesh. Perhaps many, many times
over (practice makes perfect). They could have a vast
network of scars, some misshapen features, or uncannily
disturbing perfect features.
particularly appropriate for those who mold flesh like clay:
✦ Body shapers are artists, at least in their own minds,
and their own bodies are their most readily available THE KEY
canvas. (Transformation.) Transformation,
✦ People and creatures are unfinished works in page 178
progress. Wouldn’t it be great to finish one and make
50
Fortes
THE KEY
a creature into its most perfect self, whatever that
Finish a Great Work, might be? (Finish a Great Work.)
page 170 ✦ As an artist, proving my talent and being lauded for
Establishment,
what I make is an important driver. (Establishment.)
page 169 Path to Joy: The following events may bring me Joy.
✦ Shaping the flesh of a creature of a higher level than I
have ever done before.

✦ Finding someone who is important to me and
appreciates the beauty of my art.

me Despair.
✦ Getting run out of a community for my art.
✦ Being truly hindered by something inorganic that I
have no power over.

BONE WEAPONRY
Level: 2 (+1 die)
A large section of hardened bone protrudes from my body
or the body of someone I touch, inflicting 2 points of
damage. The bone can then be used as a hand-to-hand
level 3 weapon that inflicts 4 points of damage.
Depletion: Ends automatically at the end of the next
combat encounter
Color: Red
GREATER OR LESSER
Level: 3 (+1 die)
I modify a creature so that it is better or worse, physically.
One Certes pool gains 3 bene or 3 vex (or, in the case
of an NPC, a related set of actions gains a +1 bonus or
–1 penalty).
Color: Green
51
The Nightside
BLOODY BURST
Level: 3 (+1 die)
A part of a close creature bursts open from the inside, and
the creature suffers damage equal to the level of this
ability.
Color: Red
SEALED SHUT
Level: 4 (+1 die)
A nearby creature has their eyes, ears, nose, or mouth (my
choice) sealed shut. This blinds them, deafens them,
takes away their sense of smell, or prevents speech
and eating, respectively. I can make only one such
change on a creature at a time. Bar Zero offers a drink
Depletion: 0–3 (check each hour) that tastes like soap to
anyone other than those
Color: Gold who have a current deal
with a devil in progress,
SHIELDING THE BODY in which case it is
darkly delicious. It is
Level: 5 (+1 die)
called the Devil’s Due.
If a nearby target has natural armor thanks to a carapace,
tough skin, or some other protective quality of their
flesh, I can reduce its effectiveness by 2 (–2 Armor).
Conversely, if someone gains no such protection from
their own flesh, I can harden it into protective plates,
granting +2 Armor.
Color: Gold
HEMOKINESIS
Level: 6 (+1 die)
I can move blood where I wish it simply by willing it
so. Each time I use this ability, I choose one of the
following effects:
✦ I manipulate the blood inside a nearby creature,
restricting the flow. This gives them a –2 penalty on

all actions, even mental ones (because I can restrict
the flow of blood to their brain).
✦ I can stop a hurt creature from bleeding and cause
their blood to coagulate. This heals 3 Injuries or 1

Wound.
52
Fortes
✦ If a creature is already hurt, I can force their blood to

spray out of their injuries and wounds. This inflicts
damage equal to the level of this ability.
✦ I take fresh blood and move it as I wish, causing it to
dance in the air, write words on a surface, or spatter

into someone’s face (giving 3 vex to their Perception
pool).
Color: Green
CAGE OF BONES
Level: 7 (+1 die)
A nearby creature’s bones grow and strengthen until they
burst from their own body, inflicting 1 Wound. The
bones wrap around the creature and form a tight cage
that prohibits movement. Breaking the bone cage is
possible (challenge 6), but doing so inflicts another
Wound on the trapped creature.
Color: Green
FLOWING FLESH
Level: 8
A willing creature I touch takes on the appearance and
general form of another creature I am familiar with,
as long as they are generally the same size (a person
can be made to look like another person or a creature
as large as a horse or as small as a cat). The creature
gains the basic attributes of the new form—a fish can
swim and breathe water—but nothing beyond that.
This grants a +3 bonus to disguise attempts to
impersonate a specific individual.
Color: Gold
53
The Nightside
TWISTED LIMBS
Level: 8 (+1 die)
I do whatever I want with the limbs of a creature—tie
them in knots, elongate them, cause them to fall
off, or move them as though I were puppeteering a
marionette. I can even give the creature additional (but
mostly useless and hindering) limbs. Although the
changes I make can be beneficial, granting a bonus of
+3 to a related action, the creature suffers 2 Wounds
from the manipulations regardless. My control lasts
until the effect depletes, but the changes last until the
sun next sets.
Color: Green
REPURPOSED FLESH
Level: 10 (+2 dice)
Flesh and bone are truly my playthings. I can transform
a creature (or a corpse) into almost anything I wish,
as long as it can fit into a small area. I could turn a
person into a bird, a wall, or even an automobile.
Whatever I change them into, the form still has the
appearance of something organic and alive, which
likely ends up making most inanimate objects appear
disquieting, to say the least. Unless the final form is
viable (a living, functioning creature, not a table or
a coat), the creature dies after a few days. Even if the
form is viable, the creature suffers 2 Wounds from the
transformation.
Color: Gold
54
Fortes
MOLDS FLESH LIKE CLAY
Bone Weaponry
Greater or Lesser Bloody Burst
Sealed Shut Shielding the Body
Hemokinesis Cage of Bones
Flowing Flesh Twisted Limbs
Repurposed Flesh
55
The Nightside
RENOUNCES THE LIGHT

I hate.
Hate defines me. Contempt, anger, and disgust are
my companions. I reject and renounce the conventional
morality of the world around me. The world is inverted,
as I see it. That which is “good” is actually evil, and the
things people call “evil” are the only pure and true things
that exist.
I hate people, and I hate the world we are all forced
to live in. Death is a mercy, and destruction a blessing.
Ghosts, demons, death, blood—these things are my food
and my air. Deny me nothing, or face my wrath.
This doesn’t mean I can’t also feel love. Perhaps, in
fact, by embracing hate, I see love more clearly than
most. If I find a friend or take a lover, they must truly be
someone worthy of that bond. This might be hard for you
to understand. I don’t care. I don’t care what you think or
understand at all. That’s kind of the point.
Call me a dark disciple. My contempt for you and your
society gives me power. My defiance shields me. I don’t
just reject everything you think is sacred. You’ll watch me
crush it beneath my boot. I’ll watch you bleed all over it
after I throw your fresh corpse upon it and let demons of
hate defile it.
Nothing can stop me.
Background: Dark disciples developed their harsh
attitudes and bleak outlooks as the result of difficult
experiences in their past. Those who have renounced
the light likely committed atrocities and made enemies.
Apostates are by far the most common dark disciples, but
there are exceptions.
Appearance: Black, red, and silver are the favored colors
of a dark disciple. Metals—silver, iron, steel—are their
accessories and adornments, often in the form of spikes,
swords, skulls, or whatever symbol of evil and darkness
strikes their fancy. They often speak loudly or scream
their words when angry or emotional.
56
Fortes

particularly appropriate for those who reject the light:
✦ Pick an enemy for good reason and ruin or kill them.
THE KEY
Defeat a Foe, (Defeat a Foe.)
page 168 ✦ Focus on a personal injustice and mete out a
Revenge, page 176

response that is likely disproportionate to the slight.
(Revenge.)
Join an ✦ Find a like-minded group of malcontents and
Organization,
outsiders and join with them. (Join an Organization.)
page 171
Path to Joy: The following events may bring a dark
disciple Joy.
✦ Destroying something significant.
✦ Creating something new that embraces or elevates
the darkness.
Path to Despair: The following events may cause me
Despair.
✦ Spending a great deal of time in direct sunlight
without protection or respite.

✦ Being forced to endure a long stretch of conventional
life, art, music, or conversation.

✦ Watching someone thought to also reject the light
become more conventional.

MY OWN BLOOD
Level: 1
If I cut myself, inflicting damage at least equal to the level
of this ability, the next spell I cast that inflicts damage
will inflict additional damage equal to what I just
inflicted on myself.
Color: Red
RAZORS OF HEAVEN
Level: 3 (+1 die)
Bloody angel feathers fall around a nearby target, cutting
them like razors. They suffer damage equal to the level
of this ability.
Color: Red
57
The Nightside
WALK AWAY FROM FLESH

Level: 3
I reject my own flesh in favor of new flesh that is leathery,
wrapped in steel chains, and covered in barbs and
spikes. I gain +1 Armor, and if anyone touches me,
they suffer 1 point of damage.
Depletion: Ends automatically at the end of the next
combat encounter
Color: Gold
BLOODY HALO
Level: 5
One portion of my body appears to have been dipped into
fresh blood. I gain benefits based on the portion that I
choose when I activate this ability:
✦ Hand: My hand and forearm glisten red with blood,
and my hand becomes a razor-sharp claw. I can make

level 3 physical attacks that inflict 5 points of damage.
✦ Head: My face, dripping with warm blood, contorts
into a rictus grin. I can see through solid matter up to

1 foot (30 cm) thick.
✦ Torso: My midsection is drenched in blood, and I gain
+2 to all defenses.
✦ Feet: My feet and lower legs are covered in blood, and
I can move up to a long distance on my turn and still

take an action.
Color: Gold
TAP THE PRIMAL CURRENT

Level: 6
I loose the primal, violent nature within me and gain
strength from it, even as I lose higher functions. I
gain 2 bene and +1 die enhancement to Physicality,
Accuracy, and Movement, but I also gain 2 vex to
Intellect and Interaction.
Color: Green
58
Fortes
DEMAND OF THE EARTH

Level: 7 (+1 die if applicable)
I can make demands of reality and expect them to come
to fruition. It wouldn’t dare refuse! I can create any
level 5 effect or lower, with a default depletion of no
longer than “0 (check each round).” I suffer 1 point of
mental damage whenever I use this ability from the
strain as I scream my demands at the ground.
Color: Gold
WOMB OF DARKNESS
Level: 7
I cocoon myself in dark energies. I can remain inside the
darkness for as long as I choose, and although I can
The demons of the breathe within it, I still need to eat and drink, and I
Red under Marquis cannot do so while I am inside. While within, I cannot
Ghallud currently work
to produce spells and
be affected by the outside world (nor can I affect it).
ephemera that harm Any non-permanent magical effects I had created
only angels, so that that did not affect me or what I wear or carry (my
they can seed them to
clothing and equipment are in the womb with me)
mortals.
end. Each round I am inside, I heal 1 Injury; if I have
no Injuries, I heal 1 Wound; if I have no Wounds, I
recover 1 Anguish. If I have no more healing, I remove
1 vex. If I have no vex, I remove 1 scourge. If I have no
vex or scourges, I cancel one unwanted magical effect
affecting me or my belongings in the cocoon. While
not doing any of the above, I can refresh my pools in
one round, although I cannot refresh my Sorcery pool,
as the dark energies are sustained by it.
For example, if I have 2 Injuries, 1 Anguish, 2 vex, and
two unwanted effects on me, after seven rounds I can
rid myself of all of them.
If I use these dark energies more than once before the
sun next rises, the second time (and each consecutive
time) I exit the womb with 1 scourge in all pools that
I cannot remove using this ability. Only a full night’s
sleep will rid me of the scourge.
Color: Green
59
The Nightside
DEATH SHOWS THE WAY

Level: 8
I conjure a level 5 spirit of the dead and ask it three
yes-or-no questions. It is particularly good at finding
things, so although it answers questions as a level 5 THE WAY
divination, it is level 7 for locating a specific creature Divinations and
or object. Information-
Gathering Magic,
Color: Indigo page 17
DEVIL’S DESIRES
Level: 9 (+2 dice)
I and everyone close by (willing or not) give in to our
deepest, darkest natures, and act on our most
hate-filled, violent, and destructive notions. We gain
a +3 bonus whenever we act on these desires through
violence, but suffer a –2 penalty on everything else.
Color: Red
BLOOD IN THE SUN

Level: 10
With a primal scream I conjure a level 7 devil from
the Red that does as I bid, as long as it is true to its
destructive, violent nature. I can give it a task that will
last for no more than an hour, or I can let it loose to do
as it wishes for up to an hour.
Color: Pale
60
Fortes
RENOUNCES THE LIGHT
My Own Blood
Walk Away
Razors of Heaven
From Flesh
Tap the
Bloody Halo
Primal Current
Demand of
Womb of Darkness
the Earth
Death Shows
the Way Devil’s Desires
Blood in the Sun
61
The Nightside
WALLOWS IN DESPAIR
Life is nothing but an endless parade of one miserable
experience after another. We all know that. I’m just
honest enough to say it out loud. Oh, many of you keep
up the pretense of happiness, joy, and fulfillment, but
deep down, you know it’s a sham. What you don’t know
is that I am made better by my honest acceptance of the
misery. It gives me clarity and protects me. It gives me
power. I embrace pain and despair. I don’t waste my time
trying to avoid it, because I know that it is fruitless. Pain is
inevitable. So much better, then, to make friends with it.
Make it my ally.
We sometimes call ourselves pain reapers. We bring
anguish to deserving souls, but there’s little we can do
to help the rest. It’s a world of despair, and we cannot
change that or protect others from it. We all have to guard
ourselves as best we can against the inevitable misery
and hardship. My advice? Don’t struggle. It only makes it
worse.
Background: What leads a person to wallow in despair?
What dark events hide in a person’s past? What hurts have
they felt? What grief have they experienced?
Appearance: Mood shapes the wardrobe of the pain
reaper. We wear grey and black clothing. Dark cosmetics
and tattoos to cover up the weak, vulnerable flesh. If
we bother with jewelry, it’s silver. Sometimes, to better
embrace the suffering, we wear the accoutrements of
torture and pain—spiked collars, piercings, chains,
clamps. We are typically quiet and morose.
particularly appropriate for those who wallow in despair:
✦ Prove that my way of thinking is truth to someone.
THE KEY
(Instruction.) Instruction, page 171
✦ Fall in love, even though (or perhaps because) I know
Romance, page 176
that it will inevitably end in heartbreak. (Romance.)
✦ Discover a whole new way in which the world does
Learn, page 172
nothing but generate misery. (Learn.)
62
Fortes

✦ I face utter defeat in something I do.
Effectively, those who ✦ I see someone else’s dreams crushed or plans ruined.
wallow in despair ✦ I suffer real heartbreaking disappointment.

gain Joy when another
person would gain
Despair, and they gain me Despair—at least, more than usual.
Despair in a situation ✦ My actions cause harm to one of the very, very few
where others would
people I actually like.
gain Joy.
✦ It is proven to me that someone is truly happy, not just
deluded into thinking they are.

✦ I am shown that sometimes things do go well.

DARKNESS IS MY ONLY SOLACE

Level: 2
I can see in dim light and complete darkness as if it were
daylight.
Color: Grey
LOVE IS A DEAD LANGUAGE

Level: 3
I resist any attempt to convince, persuade, seduce,
charm, control, or emotionally manipulate me, either
conventionally or through magic. I gain +1 to resist
such influence.
Color: Invisible
I GROW WEARY OF THE TORMENT

Level: 3 (no cost)
I gain +1 Armor due to my resistance to pain.
Color: Invisible
THE ONLY SENSATION IS PAIN

Level: 4 (+1 die)
I use my understanding of pain to inflict it on others.
With a touch, I inflict damage equal to the level of this
ability, although it leaves no visible marks.
Color: Red
63
The Nightside
EXQUISITE AGONY
Level: 5 (no cost)
Whenever I suffer damage, I gain 1 Sorcery bene.
Color: Blue
THE PAIN OF THE WORLD

Level: 6 (+1 die)
I briefly fill a nearby being with all the anguish, pain, and
heartbreak of everyone for miles around. They suffer 1
Anguish and lose their next action.
Color: Blue
HIDDEN WITHIN THE DESPAIR

Level: 7
I wrap my own despair around me like a cloak. I am
effectively invisible. I can also become intangible for
one round, able to move through solid matter (and
unable to affect the physical world), but doing so
immediately ends the invisibility.
Color: Gold
MISERY LOVES COMPANY

Level: 8
Three level 1 demons of despair appear and do my
bidding. They are small and difficult to see or hear (+4
to stealth actions). Roll depletion separately for each.
Color: Pale
LET ME SHOW YOU MY SUFFERING

Level: 10
I am not affected, but everyone near me suffers 2 Anguish
as they get a glimpse of my inner mind.
Color: Blue
64
Fortes
WALLOWS IN DESPAIR
Darkness Is My
Only Solace
Love Is a I Grow Weary

Dead Language of the Torment
The Only Sensation

Exquisite Agony
Is Pain
The Pain Hidden Within

of the World the Despair
Misery Loves Let Me Show You

Company My Suffering
65
The Nightside
PATRONS
B y the deft hands of the Callumundis

And through the sight of their oh-so-keen eyes
I call upon their magic among us,
Which you will find an unwanted surprise
Some vislae form a special sort of alliance with powerful

immortal beings. This relationship, called patronage,
indicates that the vislae owes particular allegiance to the
immortal being. In return, the being grants the vislae
power. Almost any powerful immortal or godlike being
can act as a patron.
The number of beings with selfish or nefarious agendas
looking for vislae agents far exceeds those seeking to
patronize vislae for altruistic ends.
Patronage is developed by means of elaborate forms
and pacts established in the far-distant past. Because
Goetics already have a familiarity with such agreements
and ceremonies, they find the process easier.
To enter into patronage, a vislae must find a patron,
carry out the proper forms and manners, give the
formalized obeisances, and swear a number of binding
oaths. The vislae also provides gifts and services for the
desired patron.
PATRONAGE
A vislae pledges allegiance to their patron and agrees to
act in a manner befitting one associated with the patron.
This varies, obviously, from patron to patron. The patron
always gets something for their patronage. This is called
“the Ask.” The vislae gets something too. This is called
“the Aid.”
In addition to any specific aid detailed in the patronage
agreement, patrons are very likely to respond to their
vislae’s invocations and are somewhat more favorably
disposed to them.
66
Patrons
THE WAY
Patrons can always be called upon in times of great
Beseech, page 31 need, similar to the Beseech invocation, although no
long-form magic need be performed. Likewise, the vislae
should expect that their patron will require them to carry
out a specific task from time to time.
NIGHTSIDE PATRONS
The following are a few beings that can become the
patrons of a vislae on the Nightside Path.
A
Singular.
Unique.
First.
A is a being of Silver, but absolutely not an angel. A
is a creator, but one that appeals to those who walk the
Nightside Path. This is because A is utterly amoral. Not
immoral, but amoral. A does not stop to think about the
uses of its creations, or the implications it might have
upon the world.
When encountered in physical form, A resembles a
tall, thin pyramid made of shining silver, inverted so that
the tip points at the ground and the widest part—which
sports a vague sort of face—is at the top. It creates things
through sheer force of will and a manipulation of matter
and energy on a fundamental level.
Creation is its primary desire. Innovation and
inspiration feed it. Boredom stifles it, causing it almost
physical pain. As a patron, it is emotionless and shows no
friendship or mercy, but neither is it cruel.
Aid: A offers a vislae knowledge of any two Silver spells
of level 7 or lower, and also a +1 bonus to any crafting
action.
Ask: A wishes the vislae to bring it new ideas and new
creations. These can be sent to it using magic like the
Beseech invocation or similar practices, or they can be
presented in person.
67
The Nightside
BALAKARALIMUS
Those few who know of Balakaralimus often know it as
the Corruption of Flesh. Although it is an entity with
a sort of intelligence, it is more concept than being. It
calls the deepest, darkest portion of Nightside Green Balakaralimus is said
home, but in truth, wherever flesh is mutated, corrupted, to have a secret number
sacred to it. Some
metastasized, or otherwise negatively altered, it is there. believe that those who
Balakaralimus is constantly in flux. Its flesh, shape, and know this number can
even configuration constantly shift and mutate in what unlock a secret.
appears to be a dangerous and painful way (less like the
shapeshifting of an elderbrin and more like a series of
very rapidly growing tumors).
Aid: Balakaralimus bestows the spell called The Malinger The Malinger, see the
upon the vislae, and transforms them physically so they Nightside Spell Deck
add +3 to their Physicality pool. The transformations

involved are typically not pleasing in appearance, however.
Ask: The vislae’s appearance over time begins to
change, their flesh slowly morphing and mutating in
uncontrollable—and likely hideous—ways. It never stops
changing, although the change is very slow (measured in
weeks and months).
THE CALLUMUNDIS
Known alternatively as the Thieves of the Night, the
Prowlers in the Darkness, or the Creeping Spirits, the
Callumundis is a collective of minor spiritual entities
that survive through thievery. Everything they need
and everything they have, they steal: energy, magic,
information, and so on.
No one member of the collective is especially powerful
or influential, but in aggregate, they are as potent and
capable as any deity. No two are particularly similar, and
they are scattered across the Actuality.
To be clear, vislae who have the Callumundis as patrons
are not brought into the collective. Every entity making up
the Callumundis is an immortal being—no mortal vislae
allowed.
Aid: The vislae gains access to the spell Unto Shadow, Unto Shadow and
although it is called “The Children of the Callumundis,” Smoke Shield, see the
Black Cube Spell Deck
as well as the spell Smoke Shield, although it is called
“Guardian Mists of the Callumundis.”
68
Patrons
69
The Nightside
Ask: The vislae must steal a valuable object once every

month, in between the new moons. This object must
be worth at least 25 crystal orbs or it must be magical (a
kindled item, an ephemera object, or an object of power).
THE DUKE OF DEMONS

Controversy swirls around the entity known as Aroethe. Is Aroethe, Secrets of
he actually the Duke of Demons? He certainly never calls Silent Streets, page 148
himself that. But every demon of the Red seems to pay

him fealty.
Some call him the Thin White Duke due to his
appearance, as he resembles a human man with
chalk-white skin and hair, typically wearing only bright
white clothing. He often walks with an ivory cane. Others
call him the Son of Spiders, suggesting that he was sired THE PATH
by the union of a truespider and a demon. Truth? Again— Truespider, page 145
who knows for certain?
Whomever he truly is, he is very powerful and holds as
his primary concern punishing or eliminating vislae who
interact solely with beings of the Dark as opposed to the
spirits of the Red. Although some people might take this
to mean that he is an ally of angels and others who seek
to protect the Actuality from the Dark, this would be a
mistake.
The Duke of Demons is very, very discriminating when
offering patronage. He lives somewhere in the Red, but
no one seems to know exactly where. However, he spends
a great deal of time in Satyrine, staying at the finest of
hotels.
Aid: The vislae gains the respect of demons of the Red,
who recognize the vislae via a secret mark only they can
see. They will not cause the vislae direct harm unless
forced to do so. Further, the Duke grants the vislae the
spell Red Door, a special version of the spell Color Door Color Door, see the
that allows travel only to the Red. If the vislae knows of a Black Cube Spell Deck
location in the Red, they can choose that specific arrival

point as opposed to appearing in a random place.
Ask: Every few weeks or months, the Duke calls upon
the vislae to perform a service. Not all of them will be
difficult, and few will be clear as to their relevance. One
task might be to deliver baked goods to a particular
70
Patrons
71
The Nightside
address, another might be to learn the password to get

into a secret gambling den, and a third might be to
murder a specific target.
HADIVIST
Hadivist is a quasi-deity who focuses almost entirely
upon regret. Roaming the Nightside of Blue like a grey,
greasy cloud, Hadivist communicates only through the
transmission of emotion, not words or even images.
It seems to have little consciousness, little motivation,
and little purpose. Those who feel deep regret for past
mistakes pay homage to Hadivist.
Only those who can find and touch Hadivist directly
gain its patronage.
Aid: The vislae learns Erubescence to use as a spell of their Erubescence, see The
own. The vislae can also draw upon Hadivist’s essence to Nightside Spell Deck
make any physical attack inflict mental damage instead of

physical, although the attack roll then suffers a –2 penalty.
Ask: Hadivist asks nothing of the vislae. However,
should the vislae ever suffer a major failure that is clearly
their own fault, they fall into a stupor for up to a week,
dwelling on nothing but their regret. There is nothing a
vislae with Hadivist as a patron can do to prevent this.
THE MURDERER
Although some equate her with a god of death, it’s
a wrong assessment, or, at least, it suggests wrong
conclusions. The Murderer has no affiliation with the
Pale. She doesn’t care what happens to the souls of the
departed. She is interested only in ending lives.
However, she’s not interested in apocalypses, disasters,
wars, or mass killings. No, the Murderer takes joy from
one person snuffing the life out of another. Up close and
personal. A knife to the abdomen. A bit of poison in a
drink. Anything that allows the killer to see their victim’s
eyes as the light of life slips away.
The Murderer dwells in a hidden fortress on the
Nightside of Indigo, although rumors say she has a house
in Satyrine as well. Somehow, she is both strikingly
attractive and able to fade unnoticed into a crowd at the
same time.
72
Patrons
Aid: The Murderer grants her vislae any spell of level

7 or lower that inflicts direct physical harm, renamed so
Extirpation, it has the word “murder” in the name. Thus, Extirpation
Fingersnakes, Red becomes Murderer’s Extirpation, Fingersnakes becomes
Presence, see the Black
Cube Spell Deck
Murdersnakes, and Red Presence becomes Red Murder.
The vislae can ask for a specific spell, but ultimately the
choice is the Murderer’s.
Ask: The vislae must have murdered someone before
and must continue to murder people, at least one every
few months. Often, the Murderer picks a specific target
and communicates that to the vislae.
MYSYRANT
Mysyrant, often called the Ghostking, was once a living
mortal. After death, he eventually ascended into the
role of a powerful entity that all the restless dead should
recognize. He is a tyrannical, angry, and selfish being,
more like a wraith than a ghost, yet he maintains that he
presides over all the spirits of the dead not in the Pale.
Appearing as a towering specter with a deathly visage (a
stylized crowned skull serving as his symbol), Mysyrant
dwells in a palace located somewhere in the shoals around
the edges of the Pale, plotting against the rulers there.
Aid: A vislae working for the Ghostking gains access
Stir the Dead, Infuse to their choice of the spell Stir the Dead (although it is
Remains, see the Black named the Ghostking’s Call) or the spell Infuse Remains
Cube Spell Deck
(although it is called Mysyrant’s Servant and works only
with spirits of the dead). Likewise, the vislae gains a level
1 connection with ghosts.
Ask: Mysyrant forbids that his vislae ever directly
harm a ghost or wraith unless under his orders. Further,
although it is not an ask from Mysyrant, it is worth noting
THE PATH
that any who call him patron are automatically enemies
Empress Xjallad, of Empress Xjallad and likely will have a difficult time
page 54 passing through her gate if they have not already done so.
If they have already passed through her gate, she and her
servitors will know if the vislae enters the Pale and will
attempt to hunt them down and destroy them.
73
The Nightside
PARVENU
Many mysteries lie within the night sky. The stars are
quiet keepers of knowledge, and Parvenu is the keeper of
their deepest, most forbidden secrets. She is a formless
void that slinks amid the darkness between the stars. By
some accounts, she is their ally and defender. By others,
she steals knowledge from them like a spy. Either way,
she knows much and always wants to know more. She
presides over secrets and mysteries. It is said that she is THE PATH
the hated rival of Gulanon, the Undergod. Gulanon, page 50
Aid: Parvenu provides a vislae with any divination spell
of level 6 or lower, renamed to include her name or a
reference to the stars. So Hariolation becomes Parvenu’s Hariolation, Reaching
Hariolation, Reaching for Gnosis becomes Gnosis of the for Gnosis, see the Black
Cube Spell Deck
Stars, and so on. The vislae can ask for a specific spell, but
ultimately the choice is hers. Further, Parvenu whispers
a secret of level 4 or lower to the vislae as they are falling
asleep. The learning time for the secret is normal, but
there is no Acumen cost.
Ask: The vislae must gaze up at the dark sky each night
and ponder a mystery or dwell on a forbidden topic. While
they study the celestial panoply, at some point Parvenu
may whisper a request to them about some secret or lore
she wants them to gather. They would be wise to comply.
74
Patrons
VIVIVANT
The Queen of Werewolves, as Vivivant is known, dwells
in the Nightside of Green. She hates civilization. She
delights in nothing more than when a so-called civilized
being descends into savagery or a peace-loving person
resorts to violence.
Vivivant takes the form of a huge, muscular, wolflike
humanoid with large bloody teeth and claws.
Acrasia, Black Cube Aid: The vislae gains access to the spell Acrasia.
Spell Deck Further, physical melee attacks made by the vislae deal +2
damage.
Nightside patrons from Ask: Pleased only with violence, Vivivant requires
other sources include: the vislae to destroy some aspect of civilization every
Chrusis (The day. The chosen aspect can be something very minor,
Gate, page 40) like a map, a coin, a road sign, and so on. Occasionally,
The Nightmare Prince however, Vivivant comes to the vislae in a vision and
(The Gate, page 41) demands a greater act, like the murder of an official or the
Monblae of the Flail destruction of something major, like a bridge.
(Book M, page 20)
Pov-Re-Ir (Book M,
page 21)
Shrepakti (Book M,
page 22)
Zzarikaz (Book M,
page 23)
75
The Nightside
OTHER MAGICAL
PRACTICES
A
s the Body of Darkness ascendeth, so the Body of
Light descendeth into the Sleep amid the Dead
(this special Sleep having more semblance of
Pale light than Blue), the Flesh becometh wholly Shade
and by virtue of its magical ambience is attractive unto
all manner of Ghosts and Spirits. Prior to the moment of
Egress the Vislae should make petition unto these Spirits,
offering themself thereto as an Offering. For it is said that
the Spirits shall flock unto such an Offering that they may
perchance regain some small spark of Light and Life,
and if such Spirits be of Vislae Past then it is to partake
of Sorcery that they draw nigh unto such a Gift, thereby
arousing their own dormant powers and knowledge. Also
Spirits of every Sun shall gather, that they may taste of
the Shade of a living person; this being advantageous to
their own existence. The Sacrifice of Light is not simply a
veneration of the Dead and Spiritkind, it is an Initiation into
Darkness and a Rite of Transformation.
—From the monograph of the Sacrifice of Light
Enchantment
The Nightside has no direct claim over any particular

magical praxis, but plenty of spells, objects of power,
long-form magical workings, and so forth all certainly
lean toward the dark, the forbidden, and the sinister.
Some of these practices are utterly banned by one or more
of the orders of the Invisible Church. Others are simply
frowned upon. That makes them, at least in some cases,
more challenging to learn. Demonic tutors and similar
beings, however, are often more than happy to help a
mortal study such workings.
76
Other Magical Practices
GENERAL SPELLS
Enclosed in the protective bag in which you should be
storing this tome, you will find fifteen new spell cards.
This is a selection of general spells that any vislae can
learn and use. Feel free to combine these cards with the
Spell Deck in the Black Cube, but be wary—their dark
natures should be watched carefully (hence the protective
ward on the bag).
The deck allows you to draw a spell randomly or sort
spells however you wish, based on facet, level, color, or
other subject.
NIGHTSIDE GENERAL SPELLS

Within each level, spells are listed by name and color.
LEVEL 2
Erubescence Blue
LEVEL 3
Chill of Night Gold
Nascent Midnight Gold
Parallel Color Green
Solipsistic Boon Gold
LEVEL 4
Empty Silhouette Pale
Inner Temptation Blue
LEVEL 5
For Love of the Moon Gold
The Malinger Green
Tree of Blood Red
LEVEL 6
Grey Snow Grey
LEVEL 7
Insidious Follower Green
LEVEL 8
Love’s Stalker Blue
77
The Nightside
LEVEL 9
Obfuscation of the Dead Pale
LEVEL 10
Impose My Will Gold
EPHEMERA
Ephemera are items or abilities that are fleeting at best.
They have a single use before they are consumed utterly.
Ephemera, however, cost the vislae no Sorcery to use.
Objects are the most common kind of ephemera:
potions, elixirs, talismans, pills, marks, or trinkets with a
bit of power to them. These can be used by anyone, even
nons. They can sometimes be bought or sold, or, perhaps Vislae sometimes refer
more commonly, traded with other vislae. Some of the to non-vislae as “nons.”
ephemera objects of the Nightside are categorized as such

because they are forbidden or taboo for one reason or
another.
Other ephemera are incantations. They represent magic
not learned but gained. A vislae who meditates quietly for
an hour can gain knowledge of an incantation (if they’re
not already at their limit of ephemera).
Every vislae has a limit on how many ephemera they
can possess at one time, dictated by their order and
degree. This is a hard and fast limit without exceptions.
Along with the spell cards in the bag, you will find ten
new ephemera object cards and three new incantation
cards. These represent additional ephemera objects that
a vislae might find, purchase, or make, and incantations
they might gain.
EPHEMERA OBJECTS
In general, an ephemera object must be used to be
activated. A potion must be drunk, an amulet worn, a
mark made, an icon held and gazed upon, and so on. This
requires an action.
The GM should feel free to alter the form of an
ephemera object to suit the situation.
78
NIGHTSIDE EPHEMERA OBJECTS

Name Level
Elixir of Night 3
Insidious Poison 5
Sardanapalian Star 5
Dark Potion 6
Guilt Glass 6
Syncretism 6
Malevolent Feather 7
Effigy of Pain 8
Discordant Amulet 9
Twilight’s Dark Gleam 10
INCANTATIONS
Incantations work essentially like spells and follow all the
same rules. After they are used once, they fade like bits
of last night’s dream, impossible to grasp no matter how
hard you try to recall them. Few incantations fall under
the purview of the Nightside, but those that do certainly
have more of the dark than they do of the light.
NIGHTSIDE INCANTATIONS
Name Level
Terror Dancing in the Storm 5
The Loom Weaves the Darkest Thoughts 6
In Honor of the Faceless Queen 11
79
The Nightside
OBJECTS OF POWER
In the bag protected by the seal you will find ten new
dark object of power cards. Objects of power are magical
items that have a more permanent nature than ephemera
objects. They can potentially be used many times. It costs
a vislae no Sorcery to use an object of power, but they
usually must make a depletion roll to see if the object
runs out of potency.
Some rare or unique objects of power are called
“artifacts.” They are often—but not always—old and even
legendary in reputation. Artifacts never deplete, although
they tend to disappear eventually.
“Relics,” unlike other objects of power, were not created
intentionally through the effort of a mortal, like a Maker.
Instead, their magic comes from their inherent nature,
their proximity to a source of power, or some other
unintentional source.
NIGHTSIDE OBJECTS OF POWER

Name Level
Demon Razor 4
God’s Teeth 5
Plague’s Brother 5
Souleater 6
The Black Door 7
Fist of the King of Anger 7
Lubricious Book 7
Mother of Imprecations 8
Necrolator 9
The Devil’s Mouth 10
WEAVER THREADS
Weavers create their own spells by weaving threads
of magical power and concepts together. The order of
Weavers knows of threads—also called aggregates—that
belong to the Nightside Path, and generally discourage
members from using them, but these aggregates are not
technically forbidden. Two such aggregates are Darkness
and Temptation.
80
DARKNESS
Darkness hides wrongdoing, hides within one’s heart, and
keeps us all apart. It is cold, consuming, and obfuscating.
Default Duration: One round
Default Range: Close
QUALITIES
Cold
Stealth
Decay
Obfuscation
Night
Division
ABSENCES
Light
Truth
Clarity
TEMPTATION
The lure of what we desire can be overpowering. It
corrupts and leads us astray. Temptation does not allow
for clear thinking or rational decisions.
Default Duration: One round
Default Range: Touch
QUALITIES
Allure
Value
Corruption
Seduction
Guilt
Obsession
ABSENCES
Purity
Calm
Self-control
81
The Nightside
82
VANCE SPELLS
The Order of the Vance is no stranger to the Nightside,
but some of these spells are strictly regulated. Vance
spells work like general spells, but they are categorized
into four groups: alpha, beta, gamma, and omega. The
categories indicate how much of the Vance’s brain they
fill, with each category basically consuming twice as
much space as the one before. The more experienced and
capable the Vance, the more spells (or larger spells) they
can prepare and keep in their mind.
There are ten new Vance spells included with this book.
ALPHA SPELLS
Name Level
Comminatory Eyes of the Burning One 2
Allama’s Extirpation 3
Broderick’s Furtive Movements 3
BETA SPELLS
Name Level
Cavalcade of Bestrewn Razors 4
Qua Meris’s Call to Angry Souls of the Lost 4
Somnambulant Haunting of the Weary 5
GAMMA SPELLS
Name Level
Ka-Raemul’s Kaleidoscopic Touch 6
Callahan’s Gathering Shades 7
OMEGA SPELLS
Name Level
The Overlord’s Tides of War 9
Shama’s Dreaded Exit 10
83
The Nightside
MINOR MAGIC
Almost anyone can learn minor magical practices. In
many ways they are level 0 spells, and they come in
several varieties: cantrips, charms, signs, and hexes. For
purposes of the Nightside, we deal primarily with the
latter.
HEXES
Hexes are minor magical curses or attacks. They are Hexes require 1
usually more spiteful than truly dangerous. They are Acumen and one day
to learn.
considered level 0 for purposes of modifying the caster’s
venture, but all have an enhancement of +1 die.
Absent of Mind: A nearby target forgets a key fact for

a short time (a password, combination, set of directions,
baking ingredient, or the like).
Ailurophobia: A nearby target immediately moves away
from any nearby cat for one round.
Darkening Ears: A close target is deafened for one
round.
Darkening Eyes: A close target is blinded for one round.
False Weather: A touched target is convinced that the
weather will soon change (it’s about to rain, it’s about to
stop raining, or the like).
Flicker and Wink: A nearby light source fails for a short
time.
Focus Hex: The most important action a touched target
attempts before the sun next sets suffers a –1 penalty.
Gravestep: A nearby target gets a cold chill and an
ominous foreboding.
Insect Lure: A touched target draws unwanted, natural,
nearby insects to them for a short time.
Leptodermous: A nearby target becomes upset at the
slightest criticism for a short time.
Malaprop: A close target mistakenly says a random
word incorrectly when next they speak, saying a word that
sounds similar instead.
Misslieness: A close target is consumed with a solitary
feeling for one round that comes from missing something
or someone they love.
84
Oafish Fingers: A touched target drops what they are

holding.
Oneirodynia: A nearby target has an unpleasant dream
when next they sleep.
Sitomania: A nearby target must eat food as soon as
possible.
Stale: One small morsel of nearby food goes bad.
Startle: A nearby target jumps a bit and makes a startled
noise.
Stub: A nearby target steps on something sharp or stubs
their toe and cries out.
Tarnish: A nearby object becomes dirty, grimy, or
otherwise tarnished (but not damaged).
Twisted Taste: A close target looks upon something
beautiful and finds it ugly for a brief time.
Unopen: A nearby door, window, lid, or hatch is stuck
shut for a round.
Unthief: A touched target is slightly more likely to trip
an alarm or trap (suffering a –1 penalty to see, disarm, or
maneuver around such a thing) until the sun next rises.
Untie: A nearby knot in a string or thread becomes
undone.
Unwanted Alert: A touched target makes dogs bark
when they are near until the sun next rises.
Unwanted Attention: A nearby target makes a noise,
attracting the attention of others nearby.
Wrecking Touch: A touched object that was hastily
crafted, jury-rigged, or is otherwise unstable breaks or
falls apart.
LONG-FORM MAGIC
Long-form magical workings are the most
involved of magical practices. This chapter offers more
long-form practices beyond those in The Way, but it’s still
nowhere near the total of such practices in existence (and
use) in the Actuality. They’re organized as they are in The
Way, with the single-practitioner workings (conjurations,
invocations, and enchantments) grouped together and the
multi-practitioner workings (rituals) grouped together.
85
The Nightside
Although most long-form magical practices were

created by vislae—sometimes many years ago—certain
invocations and rituals were created by demons and evil There are no angelic
gods. They always require a rather horrific sacrifice on equivalents to
demon-crafted
the part of the participants, but they grant great powers. workings, nor are
It is interesting that even though demons have the ability there equivalents to
to cast spells or work long-form praxis, particularly other spiritual entities
as a whole (though
crafty ones can still create them. Do not underestimate
there may be specific,
demonkind. rare exceptions).
ANIMATE FLESH (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 7
Requirements:
✦ At least 10 but probably no more than 250 pounds of
dead flesh in the form of a creature’s corpse, a severed

body part, or a miscellany of bits from different
creatures, gathered together The concept of a
✦ Must be performed at night necromancer with
an army of lurching,
✦ Smoke from a small fire
animate corpses is a
✦ Symbols inscribed on a nearby surface as well as
common one in plays
carved into the flesh you can see in the
✦ Chanting Reinvention district
of Satyrine, stirring
✦ A handful of dirt from the Pale (50 crystal orbs)
up all manner of dark
✦ Five hours preparation, one hour performance imagery, but in truth,
The dead flesh used in the enchantment transforms into most vislae couldn’t
animate a corpse if they
an unthinking but animate automaton that obeys very
wanted to, and most
simple commands given by the practitioner. How it don’t want to. Animate
moves and acts depends on the amount and type of Flesh is a rather
flesh used. In general, however, the creature is five uncommon praxis,
and most people—and
levels lower than the level of the enchantment. almost all ghosts and
The automaton persists until destroyed or until the flesh spirits—find this use
rots too much for it to remain cohesive, usually about of magic repellent and
abhorrent.
two weeks.
Color: Pale
86
BLINDED CLAIRVOYANCE
(ENCHANTMENT)
Level: 6
Requirements:
✦ Must be performed in the dark
✦ Scented oils (20 crystal orbs)
✦ 3 leaves of confusion (75 crystal orbs)
✦ Two hours preparation, one hour performance
The practitioner makes it so the next divination involving

them (used to find them or predict their actions)
fails. Further, until the sun next rises, all divinations
involving them are known to the practitioner, as is the
identity of the caster.
Color: Grey
CALL TO THE SERPENT (INVOCATION)

Level: 6
Requirements:
✦ Thirteen live snakes (26 crystal orbs)
✦ Chanting and singing
✦ Symbols etched into thirteen square plates of solid
onyx (130 crystal orbs)

✦ Ten hours preparation, two hours performance
The Serpent is a mysterious entity, perhaps beyond even

the scope of gods. They may be one and the same as
the Angular Serpentine, or they may be the intelligent
embodiment of magic itself. By invoking this dangerous
being, the vislae puts themselves at risk. When the
invocation is complete, the vislae must Resist the
magical intrusion of the Serpent, which is a challenge
of 8. Failure means that the vislae suffers 1 Anguish
and must make another Resist defense action. This
continues until the vislae suffers enough Anguish to
die or go mad (at which time they disappear, appearing
to be rapidly devoured from the inside out) or the vislae
finally makes a successful Resist action.
After this ordeal, the successful practitioner can ask one
question that would normally be appropriate for a level
8 effect and get an answer, and then ask one follow-up
question on the same topic and get an answer.
Color: Indigo
87
The Nightside
CLOTHE IN FLESH (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 5
Requirements:
✦ The freshly skinned flesh of at least one person
✦ Soft flute music
✦ Twenty feet (6 m) of twine and/or chain
✦ A mixture of various herbs and water
(10 crystal orbs)

✦ 2 leaves of desire (50 crystal orbs)
✦ Three hours preparation, one hour performance A ghost vislae could, in

Using the skinned flesh, the practitioner grants a ghost theory, perform Clothe
in Flesh for themselves.
or other incorporeal spirit the ability to operate in
the material world. The flesh appears to be crudely
animated or just sort of wrapped around or draped
over the spirit. The spirit can then use the flesh as
a medium through which to interact with physical
objects or creatures. The spirit’s ability to use the
flesh is a bit clumsy and crude. The effect persists
as long as the spirit wishes and the flesh maintains
cohesion (before it dries or rots—about two weeks).
Color: Pale
CONTACT THE TELLURIC DARKNESS

(INVOCATION)
Level: 8
Requirements:
✦ Must be performed underground, in total darkness
✦ Four silver handbells (80 crystal orbs)
✦ Singing and bell ringing
✦ 4 leaves of fear (100 crystal orbs) The GM may rule that

✦ Six hours preparation, one hour performance some secrets cannot
be gained by using
There is an abiding darkness within the earth itself, and Contact the Telluric
this practice gives the vislae a chance to communicate Darkness. In particular,
with it to gain secret information and lore. Once the secrets dealing with
light, the sky, and so on
invocation is complete, the practitioner names any
are likely inappropriate.
secret of level 10 or lower, and they learn that secret
immediately, as the darkness welling up from the
earth engulfs them. The vislae must pay the normal
amount of Acumen to learn the secret, but the
knowledge comes immediately, and the vislae doesn’t
need to hunt for a source of the information.
88
Secrets gained this way sometimes—but not always—are

tainted by the darkness from which they came. A
character with knowledge of such a secret may notice
that flux effects from using magic are more severe.
Perhaps only occasionally and only slightly at first, but
the more secrets learned this way, the more severe
the flux results. (Since flux results are always in the
purview of the GM, this should be handled as seems
appropriate to them.)
Color: Indigo
89
The Nightside
DARK OFFERING (INVOCATION)

Level: 10
Requirements:
✦ Incense (1 crystal orb)
✦ Vellum inscribed with as much history and detail as
possible about the being involved (1 crystal orb)

✦ The practitioner’s own severed head
✦ Large golden chalice (500 crystal orbs)
✦ 3 leaves of gratitude (or other emotion, depending
on the vislae’s perception of the being involved) (75

crystal orbs)
✦ Four hours preparation, two hours performance
The practitioner must decapitate themselves at the end of

this invocation and present their head in the chalice.
Which means that, obviously, some other magical
effects need to be in place, or the invocation won’t be
completed—the practitioner will simply be dead.
Dark Offering is a much more powerful version of THE WAY
Beseech, and is directed specifically (and only) at Beseech, page 31
demonic beings or other spirits or deities of the Dark.
The practitioner calls upon a specific higher power
named in the performance, offering their own severed
head as a gift, and more importantly, the dedication
and intensity involved with procuring that gift. The
practitioner asks for a specific favor. The favor can be
anything, as long as it is within the entity’s power. The
being invoked is not compelled by the magic involved,
but they are highly incentivized, for if they refuse, the
vislae instead must be granted the service of a lesser
demon or spirit subservient to the entity. If the vislae
knows the name of such a demon or spirit, they can
request that specific being. Service lasts for a year and
a day and is absolute—the spirit is enslaved to the
vislae.
The entity physically manifests when they appear.
Usually, the being asks questions to clarify what the
vislae wants them to do, and why. It is the pain, effort,
and pure dark thoughts required to complete this
magical praxis that are the true gift to the invoked
entity. Despite this gift, however, most entities invoked
by this working resent the explicit coercion involved
90
in granting the request or losing a servitor. No being

will answer this invocation twice, and the resentment
incurred can often bring poor fortune upon the vislae
in the future.
The vislae’s head is usually returned to them, but not
always.
Color: Pale
DEMONIC LABORERS (CONJURATION)

Level: 6
Requirements:
✦ The names of the demons, inscribed on a piece of red
vellum
✦ Burning fire
✦ 12 leaves of mastery (300 crystal orbs)
✦ Ten hours preparation, one hour performance
A favorite among Goetics because it sidesteps some of

the limitations of their own summoning abilities,
this conjuration summons a dozen level 2 demons
to perform physical labor, such as building a simple
structure, tearing down a ruin, digging a ditch,
moving heavy objects, and so on. The work must
require little in the way of real skill. The specific task
must be clearly stated as part of the performance and
cannot be changed later.
The demons are not smart and are unable to adapt to the
unexpected. Demons summoned to dig a channel
for water that accidentally cause it to flood the
surrounding fields won’t take action to prevent that.
Demons building a wall upon an unstable foundation
will watch helplessly as it collapses.
These level 2 demons will not engage in combat, and if
attacked—even if a spell is cast upon one of them—
they all disappear permanently.
Color: Pale
91
The Nightside
DEMONIC TAP (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 7
Requirements:
✦ Must be performed within a diabolic reticulum Diabolic reticulum,
✦ Symbols inscribed on a nearby surface page 20
✦ Whistling
✦ Two bronze wands (100 crystal orbs)
The practitioner taps into the power flowing through

a diabolic reticulum and draws that power into
themselves. As long as they remain within the area of
the reticulum, they can take a number of additional
single-action rests each day equal to the overall level of
the reticulum. This lasts for a number of days equal to
the reticulum’s overall level.
Color: Pale
92
DIABOLICAL OBEISANCE (CONJURATION)

Level: 5
Requirements:
Bear Demon Symbol, ✦ Practitioner must know the Bear Demon Symbol secret
page 113 ✦ Seven red candles (1 crystal orb)
✦ Enough fresh, warm human blood that one person
couldn’t lose that amount and live (about 4 pints)

✦ Vellum inscribed with as much history and detail
about the being involved as possible (1 crystal orb)

✦ 3 leaves of subservience (75 crystal orbs)
✦ An ephemera object of at least level 3, given as a gift
✦ Four hours preparation, one hour performance
This practice summons a devil of the Red of at least level 7

whose name the practitioner knows. This is not a typical
conjuration in which the vislae calls upon the entity to
perform a task on their behalf. Instead, this is a physical
conjuration of a devil. The conjurer then gives as detailed
an accounting of their capabilities as they wish, and the
devil gives them a task. The task is one that the vislae
could conceivably complete in twenty-four hours (it can’t
be impossible, although it can be dangerous or difficult).
If the vislae fails to complete the task in twenty-four
hours, they suffer 2 Anguish and their demon hierarchy
rank likely decreases substantially. If they succeed,
they gain a blessing from the devil that grants them a
+1 bonus to all actions until the sun next rises.
The point of this conjuration isn’t to gain the bonus
(although that’s nice to have). It’s to show the devil,
and perhaps the devil’s superiors, the worth and
capabilities of the vislae. A successful vislae’s demonic
hierarchy rank increases. After two or three successful
uses of this conjuration (the devil summoned doesn’t
need to be the same one each time), the practitioner
may gain a special status as “Beloved of the Red.”
No demon or devil of the Red of level 7 or below
will knowingly harm a Beloved of the Red. Further,
devils will begin to request further tasks of the vislae,
unprompted, with substantial rewards, such as the
service of a long-term demonic ally, magical or secret
knowledge, an object of power, and so on.
Color: Pale
93
The Nightside
TYPICAL TASKS A DEVIL MIGHT ASK OF A VISLAE

✦ Kill an enemy. (Demons of the Red hate demons of the Dark,
angels, and anyone who would cross them. Demons of the Dark
hate everyone.)
✦ Spy on an enemy to gain specific intelligence.
✦ Curse or embarrass a specific powerful or influential person.
✦ Destroy a powerful object that is useful to an enemy.
✦ Deliver a message or package to a being difficult to reach or find.
✦ Give an ephemera object or object of power that the vislae owns to
another servant of the devil or to the devil itself.
✦ Destroy a prominent sacred object.
✦ Steal a specific object of power.
✦ Tempt a specific person to do something evil.
✦ Make or commission an object designed for nefarious purposes
and give it to the devil.
✦ Deliver an extortion message with accompanying violence to a
specific person.
✦ Coerce a specific person into committing a specific action.
✦ Steal an object of value from one of the vislae’s friends or family
members.
✦ Sacrifice a living being in the devil’s honor.
✦ Deliver a dark or embarrassing secret to the devil (one of the
vislae’s, or someone else’s).
✦ Provide aid or succor to a demon, vampire, evil spirit, or similar
being.
✦ Make a specific person (perhaps even a specific child) cry.
✦ Spread a vicious rumor about a specific person.
94
GIRDING THE MINIONS (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 8
Requirements:
✦ At least 20 pounds (9 kg) of bones, arranged in
specific patterns
✦ At least 20 pounds of various bits of metal, the more
rusty and jagged the better

✦ A pot of burning coal
✦ Chanting
✦ Four hours preparation, one hour performance
Once the working is performed, any demons summoned

near to the site of the enchantment are granted armor
of jagged metal and bone that adheres to their flesh
and claws. Each gains +2 Armor and +2 damage. The
effect lasts until the sun next rises, at which point the
armor gained fades away. Using this enchantment
adds +1 to any attempt to bribe a demon in colloquy.
Color: Red
GRIM CASEMENT (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 10
Requirements:
✦ Ten gallons (38 l) of absolutely pure water to wash the
object to be encased
✦ A large amount of fresh, bloody flesh and bones—the
equivalent of at least three human corpses

✦ A large fire burning wormwood throughout the
performance (5 crystal orbs)

✦ Soft chanting
✦ A circle of symbols drawn on the floor
✦ Eight hours preparation, three hours performance
The flesh, bone, and blood envelop an object no larger

than a person, forming a grisly but utterly solid
and sturdy shell. The object within is sequestered,
immune to the passage of time, and immune to
divination spells. For example, an object of power has
no power within the shell. A corpse encased in the
shell can’t be returned to life. A demon possessing an
object in the shell cannot escape.
95
The Nightside
Breaking the shell is difficult, but not impossible. Magic

of level 7 or higher is required to do so, and the magic
must inflict at least 23 points of damage. Once broken,
the casement’s power is negated completely.
Color: Silver
MALNEIROPHRENIC VISITOR
(CONJURATION)
Level: 4 (+1 die)
Requirements:
✦ A written account of one of the practitioner’s past bad
dreams
✦ Quiet singing
✦ 2 leaves of unease (50 crystal orbs)
✦ One hour preparation, one hour performance
The vislae conjures a nightmare from the Nightside of

Blue and sends it to a sleeping target within 10 miles
(16 km) that they name. The target experiences a
terrible dream and wakes prematurely with a feeling
of real unease. The next day, they suffer 1 vex in
Accuracy, Movement, Perception, and Intellect.
Color: Blue
THE MURDER’S BLESSING (INVOCATION)

Level: 5
Requirements:
✦ Must be performed at dusk
✦ Constant whispers
✦ The practitioner must have their flesh eaten by crows,
suffering at least 2 Wounds

✦ The practitioner must eat a live crow
✦ 4 leaves of hunger (100 crystal orbs)
✦ Two hours preparation, two hours performance
A murder of crows comes to the vislae. The practitioner

must have their flesh eaten by the crows at the end of
the performance, and then they must eat a live crow.
This gives them all a connection and an obligation to
each other.
The murder of crows surreptitiously follows the vislae
until the next full moon. Should any danger come
toward the vislae during that time, one or more crows
96
will call out a warning. The crows have a supernatural

sense of what might be a danger to the vislae, and they
have an uncanny ability to remain out of sight of most
beings. (A few people might notice that there’s a crow
or two wherever the vislae goes, but most won’t notice
anything.)
Color: Indigo
SACRIFICE OF LIGHT (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 9
Requirements:
✦ Must be performed so that it ends precisely at
midnight
✦ Chanting
✦ A glass sphere filled with trapped darkness (50 gem
orbs)
✦ Six-foot-long (2 m) scroll covered with runes and
symbols (50 crystal orbs)

✦ An onyx ewer (75 crystal orbs)
✦ 2 leaves of sacrifice (50 crystal orbs)
✦ Ephemera object of level 3 or higher
✦ Six hours preparation, two hours performance
The practitioner loses some of the light inherent in their

being and replaces it with darkness. Grateful ghosts
and spirits feed upon the loosed light, and share one
random secret (of level 4 or lower) from this book
that the practitioner learns for no cost of Acumen
or time. But that is not the true point of this praxis.
The loss of light and infusion of darkness grants the
vislae an additional one-round rest action that can be
used only at night. They also gain a +1 bonus to any
stealth action, as their appearance is noticeably more
shadowy. However, if exposed to direct sunlight, the
vislae now gains 1 vex in all their Certes pools, and 1
additional vex in these pools for each additional ten
minutes in the sun. Bright artificial light bothers the
vislae but does not cause outright harm.
A vislae can enjoy the benefits of this working only once.
97
The Nightside
SEEK JUDGMENT (INVOCATION)

Level: 3
Requirements:
✦ Mirror
✦ Whispered chanting
✦ 1 leaf of curiosity (25 crystal orbs)
✦ Half hour preparation, one hour performance
The vislae calls upon the nearest random spirit of any real
power, who appears in the mirror. The vislae then asks
them who is the worst person within a mile radius
in terms of general immorality, crimes committed,
lies told, acts of cowardice, and so on. The answer is
subjective to the spirit, but the information is truthful
and accurate to the best of their abilities.
Color: Indigo
SEEK THE TABOO (ENCHANTMENT)

Level: 4
Requirements:
✦ Symbols drawn on the floor
✦ 1 leaf of outrage (25 crystal orbs)
✦ One hour preparation, one hour performance
The practitioner learns the major taboos of the dominant Obviously, there may
culture in the surrounding area. Further, should be ramifications from
violating cultural
they violate any of those taboos before the sun next taboos.
rises, they gain 1 bene in their Sorcery pool, up to a
maximum equal to their normal maximum for that
pool. (In other words, they can double the pool.)
Color: Indigo
SILENT WINGS OF DREAD

(ENCHANTMENT)
Level: 5
Requirements:
✦ 17 black candles (3 crystal orbs)
✦ Symbols scratched into a wooden surface
✦ Chanting and moaning
✦ 2 leaves of dread (50 crystal orbs)
✦ Half hour preparation, one hour performance
A feeling of dread wells up in the practitioner and is

expelled from their mouth, nose, and eyes like thick
98
liquid. Free of dread and despair, the practitioner

regains 1 Anguish if they have suffered any. More
important, the dread they expelled takes the form of a
giant creature that is a little like a bat and a little like
a manta ray. The nameless thing has a level equal to
the enchantment level and is large enough to carry the
vislae on its back or in its claws. It serves them as a
mount until it fades away when the sun next rises, but
it will not engage in battle.
Color: Blue
VAMPIRE’S KISS (INVOCATION)

Level: 7
Requirements:
✦ Must be performed at night
✦ Twelve candles covered in dried blood (2 crystal orbs)
✦ Three pints of blood from the practitioner’s three
closest friends or lovers

✦ Six vampiric symbols, learned through research,
painted on the floor in blood

✦ 4 leaves of hunger (100 crystal orbs)
The blood required for this invocation can be given

willingly, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. Calling
upon the enigmatic vampire lords, the practitioner
offers obeisance and the gift of beloved blood. The
practitioner then beseeches the vampire lords to grant
them one specific ability associated with vampires,
including but not necessarily limited to the following:
✦ Hypnotic gaze
✦ Resistance to conventional harm
✦ Ability to transform into a bat or wolf
✦ Ability to cling to walls
✦ Great strength
The practitioner gains some form of what they have

requested (adjudicated by the GM), although if the
ability is particularly potent, they might also gain a
unique vulnerability of vampires, such as suffering
damage from daylight, repulsion by garlic or holy
symbols, inability to cross running water, inability to
enter a home without an invitation, or the like.
99
The Nightside
The ability lasts the night of the invocation and through

the next night as well, but only if the practitioner
sleeps during the intervening day so they never see the
sun.
Color: Gold
VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

(ENCHANTMENT)
Level: 13
Requirements:
✦ At least 6 feet (2 m) of chain, ending in a metal hook
✦ The practitioner must hang from a large tree by the
eye socket for three days

✦ Half hour preparation, three days performance (no
roll each hour required)

This practice inflicts 3 Wounds on the vislae and destroys The best way to
their eye. The pain is horrific, and eventually the adjudicate Visions
of the Future is to
vislae enters a transcendent state of blood loss, pain, avoid trying to predict
dehydration, and hunger. They cannot heal while the future—which
hanging on the hook. is impossible for a
GM—and simply
While in this state, the vislae has visions. Most are likely
provide details now and
meaningless or too difficult to interpret, but three again and otherwise
are clear—if somewhat symbolic—revelations of grant the character the
the future. The GM provides the general topic of appropriate bonuses
to show that they are
each vision, and the vislae chooses one to pursue
following the vague
and investigate further after the praxis is complete. and symbolic vision
The GM can give vague details of what the vision as best they can.
revealed, particularly involving the first few steps the
vislae might take, but specificity isn’t important. The
assumption is that the vislae follows the revelations of
the vision and is thus blessed by this foresight.
As long as the practitioner follows the path of the vision,
and until it reaches its conclusion, the vislae ignores
any unwanted Sooth card effects, the card in play is
always treated as if it is of the family tied to their heart,
and the color of whatever magic they currently use is
always enhanced.
Further, while the vislae doesn’t know everything that
will happen, it’s unlikely that they’ll be ambushed
or unduly surprised by what would otherwise be
unexpected events.
100
For example, a practitioner who survives their ordeal and

extricates themselves from the hook hanging from
the tree’s branch knows that they saw visions relating
THE PATH to their brother, a lost artifact, and the group known
The Third Hand,
page 113
as the Third Hand. The vislae chooses to follow the
vision of the lost artifact. The GM feeds them bits of
information about where to start looking, and then
every attempt to learn more, every action to overcome
an obstacle to success, and so on is easier as described
above. When the vislae finds the artifact,
the prophetic vision’s aid is gone.
Once the vislae chooses one vision
to follow, the others fade from
memory like dreams. There is
no opportunity to change the
path or gain the benefits from
two visions.
Color: Indigo
101
The Nightside
RITUALS
Rituals always require multiple participants.
BESTOW WEAKNESS
Level: 7 (+1 die)
Requirements:
✦ At least six participants
✦ One specific object important to the target
(something they desire, something they have had in

their possession for a while, or the like)
possible about the target (1 crystal orb)

✦ 6 leaves of hatred (150 crystal orbs)
✦ Six hours preparation, three hours performance
The participants affect a named being with a specific,

stated weakness. If the being has a secret soul
name and that name is used in the ritual, success
is automatic. The distance to the named being is
irrelevant. Possible weaknesses include (but are not
limited to):
✦ Magical defenses don’t work against fire
✦ Penalty of –3 to all defenses at night
✦ If at least three spells are cast upon the being at once,
at least one will succeed

✦ Penalty of –4 to Resist defense if a cat is close and
within sight
✦ Suffer +5 damage from attacks dealing cold or frost
damage
The weakness lasts until the sun next rises. A single
being cannot have more than one weakness bestowed
upon them, ever.
Color: Gold
BLOOD OF THE WISE

Level: 6
Requirements:
✦ At least three participants, all with different hearts
✦ At least one pint of blood from three different notably
intelligent or wise people

✦ A large golden ewer with specific engraved symbols
(150 crystal orbs)

102
✦ 3 leaves of envy (75 crystal orbs)

✦ Three hours preparation, two hours performance
All participants drink the blood from the ewer, gain 3
bene to their Intellect pool, and learn one random fact
or idea that was known by one of the people whose
blood was used (which is why the participants should
not use their own blood). The fact or idea will be new
to each participant, and each will learn something
different.
Color: Blue
CASKET BLACK
Level: 7
Requirements:
✦ At least three participants
Diabolic reticulum, ✦ Must be performed within a diabolic reticulum
page 20 ✦ The secret soul name of a dead person (who had a
specific need for revenge) etched on a tablet of black

stone
✦ A casket made of ebony and dark wood (300 crystal
orbs)
✦ 6 leaves of revenge (155 crystal orbs)
✦ Twelve hours preparation, three hours performance
The participants inter a corpse in the area of a diabolic

reticulum. One week later, at precisely midnight, the
corpse arises from the coffin, animated by the spirit
of the person whose name is written on the tablet.
The spirit retains its level regardless of the level of the
person whose corpse is being used, but they face any
limitations imposed by the condition of the corpse.
The revenge-seeking being now has a week to enact
their vengeance, however they see fit. At the end of
that week, the corpse crumbles to dust.
Color: Pale
103
The Nightside
CONJURE THE SERPENT

Level: 9
Requirements:
✦ At least six participants, all of whom must bear
serpent-based tattoos on their flesh

✦ Thirteen live snakes (26 crystal orbs)
✦ Chanting and singing
✦ Symbols etched into thirteen square plates of solid
onyx (130 crystal orbs)

✦ A live mammal at least as big as a goat
✦ Thirteen hours preparation, three hours performance
A far more potent, and far more dangerous, companion

to Call to the Serpent, this ritual conjures a physical Call to the Serpent,
avatar of the being. At the end of the ritual, a massive page 87
serpent appears within one practitioner, coming out of

their mouth. This deals 3 Wounds to the practitioner.
The serpent then swallows the mammal provided as a
sacrifice, which takes about ten minutes. At this point,
the serpent becomes the Serpent.
The Serpent cannot be negotiated with, controlled, or Tasks that might please
commanded. However, if each participant swears the Serpent: inventing
a new spell, killing an
fealty to it and pledges to perform a task that would enemy using poison,
please the Serpent, the being will perform a service creating an object of
for them. This service is most likely a single magical power, or destroying an
object of power, to name
effect, but the effective level is that of a divine nature
a few. All tasks must
(level 14 or higher). be done overtly and
Color: Pale publicly in the name of
the Serpent.
CURSE OF THE RED

Level: 11
Requirements:
✦ At least seven participants, one of whom must be a
native of the Red (likely a demon or devil)

✦ A bronze urn filled with dust from the Red (300
crystal orbs)
✦ Chanting and beating on drums
✦ Symbols drawn on the floor and nearby walls in blood
✦ 7 leaves of spite (175 crystal orbs)
✦ 7 leaves of revenge (175 crystal orbs)
✦ Seven hours preparation, seven hours performance
104
As part of the ritual, a target location is named, and it

can be anywhere that demons of the Red have been
slain. Swords of red-tinted metal fall from the sky and
thrust into the ground, where they make the earth
itself bleed. Once embedded, they cannot be removed
except by magic of a level higher than the ritual level.
The swords appear to grow like plants, becoming
larger and taking root. After a period of seven days and
seven nights at minimum, one of the practitioners
can command the swords to rise up into the air as
if wielded by large, powerful warriors. They attack
anyone within a large area, inflicting 10 points of
damage each round on all potential targets until they
are dead or have fled the area. Afterward, the swords
disappear, although the wounds in the ground last
until the sun next rises.
Color: Red
FAMILY CURSE
Level: 6 (+1 die)
Requirements:
✦ At least three participants, one of whom either is a
blood relative of the target or literally wears the face

of a blood relative of the target (removed from their
corpse)
✦ Singing and dancing
possible about the target (1 crystal orb)

✦ 3 leaves of rivalry (75 crystal orbs)
✦ 3 leaves of resentment (75 crystal orbs)
✦ Six hours preparation, six hours performance
The target of this ritual need not be anywhere near the

participants, nor do they even need to know the
location of the target. If affected, the target has one
of three curses placed upon them, chosen by the
participants when they prepare the ritual:
✦ At any time, any one of the participants can see
through the target’s eyes, hear through their ears,

and so on. Only one participant at a time can use this
ability.
105
The Nightside
✦ Each day, at sunrise, one participant can choose an

action that the target might take—talk persuasively,
cast a spell, make an attack, craft an object, or the
like—and sometime that day, the target will fail at
that sort of action. Only one participant can use this
on a given day.
✦ The target becomes weakened and sickly, requiring
a great deal of rest and suffering a –1 penalty to all

actions when they are active.
The family curse can be removed only by magic, and only
in a specific time and place named by the participants.
It must be possible for the cursed target to reach said
location at said time. (The time must be recurring,
such as “every time the moon is half full,” rather than
a single specific time or date, so there is more than
just one chance to remove the curse.)
Color: Gold
REVEL IN THE FORBIDDEN

Level: 3
Requirements:
✦ At least four participants
✦ Dancing, singing, and loud music
✦ 1 leaf of joyful abandon for each participant (25
crystal orbs each)

✦ Body paint to cover each participant’s skin with
symbols
One of the participants, chosen by the others, can now

use any magic designated as being “experimental”
without rolling an Experimental Die. This effect lasts Experimental Die,
until the sun next rises. page 15
Color: Gold
106
SAFEGUARD THE SECRET (RITUAL)

Level: 16
Requirements:
✦ At least two participants
✦ A gold-dipped candle (40 crystal orbs)
✦ Whispered chants
✦ Details of a secret inscribed on a plate of gold
that slowly disintegrates over the course of the

performance (100 crystal orbs)
✦ 13 leaves of secrecy or privacy (350 crystal orbs)
✦ Seven hours preparation, five hours performance
One secret, stated during the performance, becomes

unknowable by divinatory magic lower than level 17.
Further, the participants know when an attempt to
learn anything about the secret occurs, and they learn
the identity of the being making the attempt.
Secrets that could be safeguarded include (but are not
limited to):
✦ A specific individual’s location
✦ The location of anyone wearing or wielding a specific
object
✦ A specific individual’s secret soul name
✦ Details of a specific deed committed by a specific
individual
✦ Weaknesses of a specific individual
✦ A specific password or passphrase
✦ The function, activation, or means of destruction of a
specific object of power

This effect is permanent and lasts after the death of the
participants, who are alerted even in death of attempts
to learn the secret.
Color: Grey
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The Nightside
SKELETON’S KEY (RITUAL)

Level: 7 (+1 die)
Requirements:
✦ At least three participants, one of whom has died in
the past
✦ Three elaborate drawings of the skeletal structure of
a human (or other appropriate creature type if the

target is not human)
✦ A chalkboard slate and chalk that both incorporate
actual bone dust (20 crystal orbs), with a number of

details about the target written on the slate
✦ Singing and dancing
✦ Three hours preparation, two hours performance
The participants take control of the bones of the target.

They literally control all of the target’s movements,
but not their mind or autonomic processes. The
target must be visible during the entire performance
of the rite, so some kind of confinement (physical or
magical) is advisable, unless all participants have the
ability to clairvoyantly view the target while working.
Once the ritual is successfully completed, all participants
gain the ability to see the target, no matter how far
away, while still seeing their own surroundings. (No
other sense is gained, so they cannot hear what is
going on near the target.)
This ritual allows complete control of the target’s
movements. Walking, running, manipulating objects,
attacking, and any similar actions are possible. If
need be, rather than use the target’s level or stats, the
controlled being is simply considered to be level 5.
Talking is not possible.
The hardest part of the ritual is that all participants must
act in concert. Should two or more attempt to force the
skeleton to move differently, the result will probably be
disastrous, with the target likely stumbling, fumbling,
or twisting in a painful contortion.
This is a unique method of controlling a target that is not
mental control. It doesn’t matter what the target wants,
what they would or wouldn’t do, and so on. Conversely,
the controllers have no access to the target’s skills,
knowledge, magical abilities, and so on. If the target
108
has abilities that are purely mental, they can use them.
Likewise, actions that are entirely muscular, like eye
movements, are under their control. But anything
involving bones, including talking, is not possible.
Control lasts until one or more participants stop
concentrating. Ironically, even the death of the target
will not end the effect, as dead bones move as easily as
living ones. Only injuries that break bones impair the
effect.
Obviously, a being without bones is immune to this effect.
Color: Green
SYMPATHETIC CURSE (RITUAL)

Level: 8 (+1 die)
Requirements:
✦ At least three participants, one of whom must have
touched the target in the past

✦ The name and very general location of the target
written on three pieces of paper

✦ Object of importance to the target or a piece of their
physical body
✦ 3 leaves of hatred (75 crystal orbs)
✦ Two hours preparation, three hours performance
One curse or hex is cast upon a target, regardless of how

far away they are, using an object of importance to
them or part of their physical body (a lock of hair,
a toenail, a bit of blood, or the like). One of the
participants must know the curse or hex in question
and must cast it normally, as if they were touching the
target.
Color: Green
109
The Nightside
CHARACTER AND
HOUSE SECRETS
D
ark is my path, to be sure. Do not follow in my
steps. There are barbs and stones and serpents
that bite. God does not look favorably upon my
choices, and will not see me through to the end. The devils
and demon gods tell me that they will guide me, but their
words are venomous, and require hearty doses of antidote.
And my supply of such a beneficent elixir has long since
been exhausted.
My steps are weary as the years I carry upon my back
grow heavy. And yet still I tread this course. When, oh when
will I learn? Never is the only answer that will come. The
lesson, then, young acolyte, is for you to learn, not me. I
have chosen a Nightside path, and I have chosen poorly.
You do not trust my words. That is likely as it should be.
You seek the direct path to power. I can see it all in your
eyes. For those eyes were in my mirror staring back at me
when my face was as young as yours. Turn away, vislae! The
dark secrets that I know gnaw at my soul as surely as if I
had allowed rats to nest within my breast.
Oh, you foolish spitter of spells! You do not want to learn
what I know. You do not want to pry open the sealed lid of
my brain and look inside. It is trapped with curses and
bound demons, ready to rend your spirit and flesh. You
will not find beauty here. My words and thoughts bear only
ugliness and danger.
And yet still you persist. You wish to know how to sing
songs only devils know, the secret treasures of the lands
of the dead, and what lies at the bottom of the deepest and
darkest waters of the human soul. Why? Why would you
wish this?
No, do not answer. I do not need to hear it. I answered
that question for myself long ago. It was the wrong answer,
and I regret it with each setting sun. But no one could have
dissuaded me then, just as no one can dissuade you now. My
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Character and
House Secrets
words of warning fall upon ears that refuse to listen.
The power of the darkness is seductive. The call of the
night enticing. I know these temptations. I was weak and
succumbed to them.
Won’t you exit back through that door? Won’t you look for
another path?
All right, then. What do you wish to know?
LEARNING NIGHTSIDE SECRETS

Secrets should rarely be easy to learn, and this is likely
doubly so for secrets related to the Nightside. Although
some secrets might be learned by finding the right library,
and others can often be considered a reward for finding a
hidden cache of lore, a learned ally, or some other source
of information, darker secrets are more . . . secret. They’re
found in books forbidden by the magical orders of the
Invisible Church. They’re taught by secretive, shadowy
cabals and criminals in back alleyways. They’re shared
by demonic tutors and found by analyzing the screams of
torture victims.
The GM should determine something appropriate for
the secret in question. Or, if the vislae meets a Nightside
NPC, the GM might decide that person knows a secret or
two they could share. Secrets are bought with Acumen
but can be treated as treasure or rewards for charming the
right people, finding the right old tome, or discovering
the right hidden locale. They can be the springboard
for stories related to finding the secret or earning it in
exchange for completing a task or requirement.
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The Nightside
CHARACTER SECRETS
The following secrets affect you and what you can do.
ABNEGATION There may also be

Level: 6 narrative repercussions
of Abnegation.
You choose someone you have a bond with, or a group
with which you have a connection. You sever the
tie with them henceforth, but in so doing you All demons of the
permanently gain 2 bene to add to your Sorcery pool. Red have an invisible
symbol that only
they can see that
ALLICIENT EVIL updates with their
Level: 7 current position in
the hierarchy of all
You have a preternatural ability to make something
demonkind. Mortals
horrible sound appealing. After speaking with can see and even gain
someone for at least a few minutes in a non-stressful a hierarchy symbol, but
situation, you can attempt to convince them to as you can imagine,
there is a risk involved.
commit an act that they would never consider due to
Two secrets that a vislae
its morality or ethics. The challenge is equal to the can learn relate to these
challenge of using persuasion to convince them to do symbols.
something they wouldn’t normally do, but overcomes
the barrier of the act being something they would
never do.
AMOROUS INTENTION
Level: 4
You are attuned to the signs and symbols of love, lust, and
infatuation. If given a few minutes to quietly observe
someone nearby (such as at a party or a dinner), you
discern whether they have romantic or sexual feelings
for anyone else within the same area. Attempts to
magically conceal such feelings can’t be overcome, but
otherwise this is foolproof.
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Character and
House Secrets
ANSATSUKEN
Level: 8
Also known as “murder’s touch” or “assassin’s fist,” this
secret draws upon your knowledge of inflicting harm
to translate your sorcery directly into physical damage
to someone you touch. For each Sorcery bene you
devote, you inflict 1 point of damage. You can specify
when that damage will take place, starting from when
you touch the target to any time before the sun next
THE WAY
sets. All the damage is inflicted at once.
Lethal Lore, page 89 You must know the secret Lethal Lore before you can
learn Ansatsuken.
ANHEDONIA
Level: 4
Pleasure is for the morally weak and for those who do
not truly understand pain. You are unable to gain
pleasure from experiences that others would consider
pleasurable. When you would receive Joy from
something, you can choose to receive Despair instead
(but not the other way around).
BEAR DEMON SYMBOL

Level: 5
You now fit into the hierarchy of the Red and bear the
invisible symbol to prove it. Only demons and those
View Demon Symbol, with the secret View Demon Symbol can see the
page 129 symbol. You’re likely not very high in the ranks,
although performing tasks for a powerful demon lord
or killing demons above you in the hierarchy are some
of the actions you can take to rise higher. Technically,
demons lower in the hierarchy should fear you and
obey your commands. But sometimes they’ll try to kill
you to better their own position. Likewise, demons
that see they are higher in the hierarchy may attempt
to give you commands or even conscript you into their
service.
You must know View Demon Symbol before you can
learn this secret.
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The Nightside
BEGONE THE NIGHT

Level: 4
You disguise your spellcasting. When you cast a spell,
it is still obvious that you are casting, but even to
most vislae or other knowledgeable observers, it
appears that your spell is more innocuous than it truly
is—peaceful rather than dangerous, helpful rather
than sinister, or of a very low level rather than high.
Attempts to correctly identify a spell you are casting or
have just cast have +3 added to the challenge.
BUILD THE MATRIX

Level: 7
You connect four or more demons into a diabolic Diabolic reticulum,
reticulum. The area of the reticulum is large and all page 20
demons must remain within that area, and the level

of the reticulum is equal to the level of the weakest
demon +4.
Upon creation, the reticulum offers one benefit, chosen
when created:
✦ All demons (including those that are part of the
reticulum) gain +3 to their level when within the area.

✦ Any actions to perform long-form magic within
the area gain a +4 bonus, and performance time is

reduced by one hour (to a minimum of one hour).
✦ A vislae can draw Sorcery from the reticulum while
within it, up to a maximum equal to its level. Once a

vislae does this, the reticulum has no more Sorcery to
give until the sun next sets.
You must know the secret Connect the Strands before you Connect the Strands,
can learn this one. page 116
CHAOTIC CEREMONIALS
(EXPERIMENTAL EFFECT)
Level: 6
You can change the requirements of a long-form
magical practice to suit your current situation. The
requirements must be replaced on a one-for-one
basis. The number, essence, and relative value of the
requirements must be preserved. For example, leaves
of one emotion can be substituted for another. Candles
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Character and
House Secrets
can be substituted for burning incense. Whispers can
be used instead of chanting. If you know this secret,
none of these replacements affects the working (if the
GM agrees).
For a more dramatic change—substituting a basin of
water for symbols on the floor, silent meditation
for beating on a drum, a handful of precious stones
for a pair of silver rods—things get riskier. Again,
where possible, the number and relative value of the
requirements should be preserved. If they are not, the
time requirement and Sorcery cost doubles. Either
way, if you make more substantive alterations, you add
Experimental Die, an Experimental Die to your roll.
page 15
CONJURE DEMON OBJECT

Level: 5
Only a Goetic can benefit from this secret. When you
summon a demon, you can convince it to take the
THE WAY
form of an object that you name. In effect, you have
Types of summoning, a fourteenth type of summoning along with counsel,
page 81 aid, guard, and so on. This is different than the
binding summoning type because it takes advantage of
demonkind’s shapeshifting ability to become an object
rather than the ability of all spiritual entities to inhabit
an existing object. Further, it is different because the
binding summoning type traps the spirit indefinitely
and confers special powers upon the item. A demon
taking the form of an object simply makes a mundane
item, although higher-level demons make very
high-quality items.
A demon of level 5 or below becomes an object that you
can hold in one hand. A demon of level 6 through 8
can become an object about the size of a person. A
higher-level demon can take a form that fits into a
small area.
The object has the same level as the demon. A level 5
demon in the form of a knife, then, adds 5 to the
venture of attacks made with that knife. A level 3
lockpick demon adds 3 to the venture of picking a
lock. And so on.
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The Nightside
Demons, particularly powerful and intelligent ones, often

don’t like to turn into objects used by a vislae. They
find it demeaning. The colloquy to gain the service of
a demon in this way has a challenge that is 2 higher
than normal. If the demon is level 6 or above, the
challenge is 4 higher than normal.
CONNECT THE STRANDS

Level: 6
You connect three or more demons into a diabolic
reticulum. The demons must be willing or be in the
forms of objects or possessing objects. The area of the
reticulum is medium and all demons must remain
within that area, and the level of the reticulum is equal
to the level of the weakest demon +2.
when created:
reticulum) gain +2 level when within the area.

✦ Any actions to perform long-form magic within the
reticulum gain a +3 bonus.

✦ Spells cast within the reticulum with a depletion of
“ends automatically when the sun next sets” do not

deplete until the sun next rises. Spells cast within
the reticulum with a depletion of “ends automatically
when the sun next rises” do not deplete until the sun
next sets.
To create a larger or more powerful reticulum, you must
use the secret Build the Matrix. Build the Matrix,
You must know the secret Draw the Cord before you can page 114
learn this one. Draw the Cord,

page 120
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Character and
House Secrets
CONTAGIOUS DESPAIR
Level: 1
You call up extreme sadness within yourself, which is so
strong that you gain 1 vex in a pool of your choice. The
person you next touch also feels your mental pain,
summoning dark thoughts within themselves and
suffering a –1 penalty on their next action.
CORRUPTED SPELLS
Level: 8
Your spells—but not items, incantations, or any other
magical practice—carry a dark malevolence. Spells
that affect an unwilling target have an additional effect
of your choosing, limited to one of the following:
✦ The spell inflicts +1 Wound or Anguish. (The original
spell does not need to be a damage-inflicting spell to

choose this option.)
✦ The spell fills the target with dread and foreboding,
such that they gain 1 scourge in all pools until the

sun next rises.
✦ The spell corrupts the target’s mind such that the
next time they are tempted to take an unethical or

uncharacteristic action (as they would define it), they
are much more likely to do so. If needed, this might
require an additional roll to resist the spell again to
determine if they give in to temptation.
✦ The spell corrodes matter, reducing the level of an
inanimate target by 2, and covering it with rust,

corrosion, or disease-like pustules that weaken its
integrity.
The additional effect does not require a second roll.
Rather, if the spell succeeds, the additional effect also
takes hold, but if the spell does not affect the target,
neither does the additional effect.
The cost in Sorcery to cast the spell is increased by 2,
Experimental Die, although the level remains the same. Further, you add
page 15 an Experimental Die to your roll.
Darkening Magic, You must already know the secret Darkening Magic to
page 118 learn this one.
117
The Nightside
CROWN OF IRON
Level: 12
A crown of jagged iron and bent spikes appears floating above
your head when you wish it, although summoning it or The Crown of Iron is
sending it away takes an action (a single, horrific whisper a legendary thing, a
relic of the Red, made
in a dark tongue). While the crown is above you, you as a tool for mortal
gain +3 Armor and inflict +3 damage with any attack. diabolists.
Further, if you inflict more than 15 points of damage
on a single target with a single attack, blood drips
down from the crown and you heal 1 Wound.
CRY THE DARKNESS

Level: 4
You understand the forces of the Dark better than most.
When resisting spells with the Dark facet, you gain
+1 to the venture. You gain +1 to all intimidation
interactions with creatures of the Dark, as they fear
you.
DARKENING MAGIC
Level: 2
Your magical effects—spells you cast, items you use,
and so on—take on a dark, forbidding appearance.
The magical effects involve gloomy shadows, horrific
skulls, leering eyes, hellish flames, sharp teeth,
hissing serpents, and so on. The changes are purely
cosmetic and do not modify the effects in any way.
DEATH TOUCH (EXPERIMENTAL EFFECT)

Level: 10
You’ve internalized your own death and the trauma
involved with the event. Your touch corrupts and
corrodes flesh. Creatures you touch suffer 1 Wound.
This can be used in conjunction with another attack
requiring a touch, such as a punch, a kick, or a spell
that requires a touch. In the latter case, you add an
Experimental Die to your roll for the spell. This cannot Experimental Die,
be combined with an attack with a weapon or a ranged page 15
attack of any kind.

You must have died at least once to learn this secret.
118
Character and
House Secrets
CROWN OF IRON
119
The Nightside
DRAW THE CORD

Level: 5
You can connect two demons of level 5 or less to make
a diabolic reticulum. The demons must be willing or Diabolic reticulum,
be in the forms of objects or possessing objects. The page 20
area of the reticulum is small and both demons must

remain within that area, and the level of the reticulum
is equal to the level of the weakest demon +1.
when created:
reticulum) gain +1 level when within the area.

✦ Any actions to perform long-form magic within the
reticulum gain a +1 bonus.

✦ Spells cast within the reticulum with a depletion of
“ends automatically when the sun next sets” do not

deplete until the sun next rises.
To create a larger or more powerful reticulum, you must
use the secrets Connect the Strands or Build the Connect the Strands,
Matrix. page 116
Build the Matrix,

ENANTIODROMIA page 114
Level: 9
You can change a magical effect into its opposite. A
spell that inflicts damage instead heals wounds, an
incantation that destroys matter creates it, or a hex
that gives someone hives actually takes hives away.
The player and GM must work out and agree on
the change. Some effects might have no reasonable
opposite. If you do this kind of transformation, the
level of the effect is reduced by 1, and the cost in
Sorcery (if any) is increased by 2. Further, you add an
Experimental Die to your roll. Experimental Die,
page 15
EXPERIMENTAL SPELL
Level: 2
You can raise the level of any spell you cast by 1 with no
increase in Sorcery, but you must roll an Experimental
Die when you cast it.
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Character and
House Secrets
EXAMPLES OF ENANTIODROMIA
A Curse of Feathers
(Black Cube Spell Deck)
Birds appear (rather than bursting from the target’s
body) and fly around the target, healing 3 Injuries
or 1 Wound. Rather than causing the loss of an
action, the birds add +1 to whatever the target’s
action might be that round. The spell depletes
after the first time a 0 is rolled to determine
whether more birds appear.
Accoyed Savagery
(Black Cube Spell Deck)
Rather than being prevented from taking a hostile
action, the affected target can only take a hostile
action on their next turn (or take no action at all).
The Lies Spiders Tell

(Black Cube Incantations Deck)
A giant insect or similar creature is banished to
some other realm.
Floating Wish
(Black Cube Ephemera Objects Deck)
You weigh twice as much as normal, suffering 3 vex
to your Movement pool.
EXTISPICY
Level: 5
THE WAY
When you examine the entrails of a very recently dead
Divinations and creature, you can ask a level 3 divinatory question.
Information- This process takes about ten minutes. Once you use
Gathering Magic,
page 17
this ability, you can’t use it again until after the next
sunrise.
121
The Nightside
CLOTHE IN FLESH
122
Character and
House Secrets
FEAR EATER
Level: 4
When you cast a spell or use a magical effect that
specifically gives a target fear or terror (fear or terror
is in the description of the spell or effect), and that
target is nearby, the next spell you cast requires 1 less
Sorcery because you use the victim’s fear as magical
fuel.
FEARMONGER
Level: 6
Dark magic gives you an aura that causes unease or dread
in all who are close. Pleasant interaction actions suffer
a –1 penalty, but intimidation actions gain a +1 bonus.
If you use your action to intensify this aura, beings of
level 5 or lower suffer a –1 penalty to act against you
(attack you, lie to you, and so on) for the rest of that
encounter.
FIENDISH CREATION
Level: 6
THE WAY
If you know this secret and craft a magical item (as a
Ensorcel Item, page 35 Maker, using the Ensorcel Item enchantment, or by
some other method) within a diabolic reticulum with a
level at least as high as the intended level of the item,
the crafting time is reduced by half. The demonic
energies and knowledge facilitate the entire process.
INFUSE WITH BLOOD

Level: 8
When you create an item (as a Maker, using the Ensorcel
Item enchantment, or by some other method), you
can infuse the object you make with fresh blood. The
blood can serve as a power source of a level equal to
the creature it came from.
Additionally, the blood allows you to use your own
Sorcery to increase the level of the item just as if it
were a spell. If you do so, however, you must add an
Experimental Die to your roll.
123
The Nightside
INVEST WITH A DEMON

Level: 7
Item enchantment, or by some other method), you can
invest a demon that is otherwise trapped or compelled
into an object you make.
The demon can serve as a power source of its level.
Alternatively, the demon can be used to allow the item
to activate itself, requiring no action on the part of the
user. In this latter case, the demon’s level must be at
least as high as the object’s level, and the user must
add an Experimental Die to their roll.
INVEST WITH A SOUL THE WAY

Ensorcel Item,
Level: 6 page 35
Item enchantment, or by some other method), you
can invest a soul that is otherwise trapped or removed The Sacrificial Rite
from its body into an object you make. ritual is very useful for
vislae who use Invest
The soul can serve as a power source of its level. With a Soul.
Alternatively, the soul can increase the level of an item The Way, page 44.
that already has a power source by 1 (by 2 if the soul is
above level 7).
Learn the Name
LEARN THE NAME represents the
minimum research
Level: 8 and magical insights
You learn the secret soul name of a person whose required to learn a
common name you already know. This secret can be secret soul name. The
GM can and should
learned multiple times to learn names for different
rule that some names
people (each name is its own secret). cannot be learned in
this way, and that some
LIBANOMANCY names might be possible
to learn using the secret
Level: 5
at a much higher level.
You can learn the answer to a simple level 3 question by
observing the smoke of burning incense. The incense
used must be worth at least 10 crystal orbs, and the THE WAY
process takes an hour. Once you use this ability, you Divinations and
can’t use it again until after the next sunrise. Information-
Gathering Magic,
page 17
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Character and
House Secrets
LOVE’S LOSS
Level: 10
If you include the name of a being you love into the casting
of a spell, the being whose name you speak suffers 1
Wound and you gain +4 to your venture. The being
does not have to agree to your action for it to succeed,
but you must truly love them. If the being dies from
the damage you inflict, you gain +6 to your venture.
MENISCUS OF RAGE
Level: 5
You summon a growing feeling of rage within yourself
and transform it into violent magical energy.
This takes an action. Afterward, you gain a +1 die
enhancement bonus to a violent action (such as
making a physical attack, casting a damaging spell, or
breaking down a door) on the following round.
MIDNIGHT NAME
Level: 6
If you know a person’s secret soul name and speak it at
precisely midnight, you know that person’s location at
that moment and they suffer 1 Anguish, wherever they
are. Their mind is filled with dread, anxiety, depression,
and fear. Obviously, you can speak only one name on a
given midnight.
MIRROR GAZING
Level: 5
You stare into a mirror for an hour, using your one-hour
Mirrors, page 16 rest for the day. At some point, you notice a single
discrepancy in the reflection, and this provides an
important insight that you can use to slightly modify
the flow of magic. The next incantation you cast is not
gone, and you can cast it again before it leaves you.
NIGHTMARE NAME
Level: 4
If you know a person’s secret soul name and speak it at
dusk, they will have horrific nightmares that night
when they sleep.
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The Nightside
NIGHTSIDE VOYAGER
Level: 6
When you travel to the Nightside of a sun, you arrive
feeling refreshed and well rested. All of your pools are
returned to full or you heal all Wounds or Anguish.
Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until
the sun next rises.
PAIN LEECH
Level: 4
When you cast a spell or use a magical effect that inflicts
serious pain on a target (not just damage; pain is in
the description of the effect), and that target is nearby,
the next spell you cast requires 1 less Sorcery because
you use the victim’s pain as magical fuel.
PALE BLOOD
Level: 5
When you learn this secret, your blood turns milky white.
You gain a permanent enhancement of +1 die to resist
magical attempts by ghosts, dead spirits, or beings
from the Pale to locate you, perceive you, or learn
anything about you.
PAREIDOLIA
Level: 6
Vislae who have mastered this secret sometimes refer to it
as apophenia, patternicity, or even chaos theory. If you
know the secret, you can see patterns in everything. The
pattern that a flock of birds in flight takes, the way the
branches of a particular tree grow, the number of times
your friend blinks this minute rather than the previous
minute—you learn that all of these things are significant
even though most people don’t recognize it. The world is
a spell and everything in the spell is significant.
If you use your ten-minute rest to observe your
surroundings rather than restore your pools, you gain
an insight into coming events. The GM might handle
this narratively, but most of the time it simply confers
a +2 bonus on your next significant action, assuming
that action takes place in the next hour.
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Character and
House Secrets
PASSION’S PROMISE
Level: 5
Your lovers say that your ability to bring them sexual
pleasure is unparalleled. After engaging in sexual or
sensual activities with another being, you gain +2 on
all interactions with them. To learn this secret, you
must have had sex with at least one demon of the Red.
RETURN THE FAVOR

Level: 7 (+1 die)
Whenever you suffer damage (one or more Injuries,
Wounds, or Anguish) from a magical attack launched
by another, you can choose to further your injury,
essentially doubling it. In doing so, you also reflect
the damage back upon the attacker. For example, if
an attack gives you a Wound, you can choose to take
2 Wounds, and then give 2 Wounds to the caster. The
secret does not automatically overcome any defenses
the caster has. You must make a roll to affect them as
if you were using the very same magic against them.
SACRIFICED LOVE
Level: 6
This secret must be studied and learned by two
individuals at the same time. Both vislae must have
If the GM agrees, a significant affection or love for each other, whether
particularly strong bond that be romantic love, sibling love, parental love, or
of love sacrificed with
Sacrificed Love might
any similar relationship. Once they speak, in unison,
earn a slightly larger the secret magical phrase they have learned, their love
amount of Sorcery. is gone forever. However, they gain +3 to their Sorcery
pool forever.
127
The Nightside
SHARED NIGHTMARES
Level: 2
When you have a nightmare, all nearby sleepers also have
a nightmare.
STEALTH CASTING
Level: 5
You can cast spells surreptitiously so that no one
recognizes you just cast a spell. To do so, you attempt Remember that secrets
a Movement-based action, modified by stealth or and effects that specify
spells, like Stealth
a similar skill, with the level of the spell as the Casting, apply only
challenge. Success means that you cast the spell with to spells and not to
no noticeable movements, words, or other telltale incantations, minor
magic, and so on.
signs. (Powerful magical entities and very skilled vislae
might still be able to notice, but you can hide your
spell even from them with a stealth action with their
level as the challenge.)
SYMPATHETIC CONJUNCTION
Level: 6
If you have a physical part of a person, you can cast a
ranged spell up to level 3 on them from a distance of
up to 100 miles (160 km). The spell takes five times as
long to cast and costs three times as much Sorcery.
SYMPATHETIC CONNECTION
Level: 9
If you have a physical part of a person, you can cast a
ranged spell up to level 7 on them from a distance of
up to 100 miles (160 km). The spell takes five times as
long to cast and costs three times as much Sorcery.
You must know the secret of Sympathetic Conjunction
before you can learn this one.
128
Character and
House Secrets
TAP NIGHTSIDE CURRENT
THE PATH Level: 7
Currents of magic,
All vislae tap into the current of magic of the Path of
page 9
Suns, which flows from the Invisible Sun and follows
the traditional path. With this secret, you learn to tap
the Nightside current. The magical current of the
Nightside Path grants those who tap into it an affinity
The mysterious for magic that deals with darkness, death, destruction,
Book M offers details and negative emotions. Those who tap into this
on more currents of
magic than are known
current add 1 to the level of magical practices that fit
by most vislae. this category but subtract 1 from the level of all other
practices.
A vislae can tap into only one current at a time, and
changing this designation is an action.
VIEW DEMON SYMBOL

Level: 1
You can see Red demons’ invisible symbols that indicate
their precise position in the hierarchy.
WANTON CASTING
Level: 5
Whenever you cast a spell that would affect everyone
within an area, you can choose one person (including
yourself ) who is not affected. This makes the
spell dangerously unstable, so you must roll an
Experimental Die, Experimental Die when attempting it.
page 15
WELCOMING DARKNESS
Level: 4
Diabolic reticulum, If you summon a demon into the area of a diabolic
page 20 reticulum, and the demon’s level is lower than that
of the reticulum, you gain +1 to all colloquy attempts
with the conjured being. Further, any interaction
action with a demon (of any level) that you did not
summon while you are both in the area of a diabolic
reticulum gains a +1 bonus.
129
The Nightside
130
Character and
House Secrets
HOUSE SECRETS
House secrets provide an augment to your home.
CURSED DOORWAY
Level: 7
Should anyone pass through a doorway that you specify in
your house without your explicit invitation, they gain
a level 7 curse, the effect of which is chosen by you at
the time you learn this secret.
CURSED FOOD
Level: 2
At any time, you can cause any food in your house to be
rotten (to the point of being filled with maggots or
other pests). If someone at your dinner party offends
you, you can make their next forkful utterly disgusting.
DARKHOUSE
Level: 5
If you perform an act of cruelty within your house, the
For vislae who learn house rewards you with 1 Acumen, which you can
the Darkhouse secret, use only to acquire new house secrets. The house
GMs may wish to play
up the malevolence of
will reward you no more than once per month, and it
their house beyond the judges the adequacy of the cruel act. Obviously, this
simple game mechanics gives your house a malevolent intelligence all its own.
involved.
DEMONHOME
Level: 4
Diabolic reticulum, Any time you create a diabolic reticulum in your house,
page 20 the level is 1 higher than normal.
EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY
Level: 5
If you use magic within your home that would normally
Experimental Die, require an Experimental Die, you can use the practice
page 15 without the die.
131
The Nightside
IMBRUED KNOCKER
Level: 4
A fiendish face sits upon your front door. In order for
someone other than yourself to open the door, they
must slide a finger into the fiend’s open mouth, which
clamps down just hard enough to draw blood but not
inflict damage. Anyone whose blood is in the knocker
is now more easily traceable by you; henceforth, you
gain +2 on any magical attempt to determine their
whereabouts.
MANIFEST STRUCTURE
Level: 5
A spiritual being of level 5 or less that you’ve conjured
(through some other means) possesses a permanent
portion of your home that you choose, such as a
doorway, window, or wall. While inhabiting this
element of your house, the being does as you
command, although its actions are likely limited by
the structure. The possession lasts until the being
finds a way to break free or until you release it.
PERMANENT GLOOM
Level: 8
The lighting and weather immediately around your house There may very
are dark and gloomy, although the type of gloom varies well be a secret that
is the opposite of
from day to day. One day, a chill wind blows. The next, Permanent Gloom, but
fog gathers. On the third day, light rain falls. you’d have to find it
somewhere other than
a book devoted to the
PLAGUE VESTIBULE
Nightside.
Level: 4
Anyone entering through this door in your home without
your permission is struck down with a level 4 malady
that exhausts them so deeply the only action they
can take is to crawl. Once they leave your house, the
disease heals itself.
132
Character and
House Secrets
UNINVITED GUEST
Level: 4
If you hold a party with at least nine invited guests, a
guest you did not invite will always show up. You
cannot decide who the guest will be—sometimes
it is someone you know, sometimes not. The GM
may determine that this is worth 1 Joy or 1 Despair,
depending on the nature of the guest.
VESTURE VALET
THE WAY
Level: 6
Thoughtform Valet, A variation of the secret known as Thoughtform Valet,
page 97 this secret grants your home a thoughtform that is
capable only of standing inside where you command
and offering to take any clothing, accessories, and
items from visitors. The valet duplicates one of the
items it takes (of your choice) and gives it to you once
the visitors have left. The item is an exact duplicate but
lasts only until the sun next rises.
CLUB MALDOROR
133
The Nightside
LOCATIONS ON THE
NIGHTSIDE PATH
T
he path was dimly lit. She supposed that such a
thought really didn’t need to be expressed. Wasn’t
every Nightside realm dimly lit? Probably. It was
right there in the name, after all.
The short path led to a rather simple stone arch and
continued out the other side. She could just as easily step
around as walk through it, she imagined. But she knew
that’s not the way it worked. Of course it wasn’t that easy.
Nothing out here ever was, and that was doubly true on the
Nightside.
She approached with slow trepidation. When she was but
two steps away from passing beneath the archway, a voice
bellowed that seemed to shake the ground beneath her. Or
rather, the voice was the shaking of the ground beneath her.
She stopped in her tracks as it rumbled:
WHO ARE YOU?
“My name is Revenell, and I am a vislae.”
The voice, she assumed—no, she knew—was that of
Gulanon, although the woman from whom she’d learned
of this place had referred to him as the Undergod. The
warden of the Nightside of Indigo. The dark aspect of truth.
AND WHY ARE YOU HERE?
She’d come to learn a secret. Wasn’t that always the
reason she went anywhere? He liked secrets, she’d been
told. He fancied himself a keeper of them. She didn’t think
that he held the particular secret she desired, however.
“Secrets,” she stated simply.
THAT IS THE ONLY TRUE REASON TO GO ANYWHERE.
Hmm. Maybe she was going to like this Undergod. Maybe
she was going to like the Nightside.
134
Locations on the
Nightside Path
Nightside vislae sometimes have to study in secret.
Gather in secret. The forbidden is rarely easily accessible.
Not all locations important to the Nightside are found
on the Nightside Path, but many are. Some of the varied
locations of importance to the Nightside are described
here.
THE ACCIDENTAL SPACE

You know you have wandered into the Accidental Space
because you’re very likely the only one there, even though
it’s clearly a place meant to be inhabited. Empty streets
lined with vacant but nondescript buildings. A place
might seem identifiable, like a train station or a grocery
store, but there’s never any signs confirming the feeling,
nor inhabitants to ask.
The layout of this space never makes any clear sense
or follows any sort of pattern. Many visitors have likened
it to a place you’d wander in a dream. And, in fact, some
THE PATH
take this further and suggest that the Accidental Space
Deeps of Sleep, originated in a dream, seeped down into the Deeps of
page 45 Sleep, and eventually became its own space.
If this Accidental Space is located anywhere we can
understand, it winds between the Nightside realms of the
Path. But where it is doesn’t matter much, because you
can reach it from anywhere in the Actuality. You just can’t
do so intentionally.
People stumble into the Accidental Space when
they aren’t paying attention. It happens most often in
cities, but not always. Turn a corner and you’re there,
without any sense of transition. Occasionally people find
themselves there in groups, but most often a traveler ends
up there alone.
The trick, at least at first, seems to be getting back.
Spells that transport someone work normally here, so
Vislae sometimes refer it’s easy for many vislae to get home. Nons have no such
to non-vislae as “nons.” luck and are likely stuck here for a while. But what people
have found is that getting home quickly might not be
such a wise idea. Because there’s no way to get back to
the Accidental Space, and there are reasons to want to be
there.
135
The Nightside
Those who wander for at least a few hours begin to find

things of interest or value, although they are always out
of place. A book, a discarded bit of clothing, a personal
item like a pen or a hairclip, or even an ephemera object.
These objects have meaning unique to the wanderer, but
always in different ways. A book might offer a secret the
character can (or should) learn. A garment might have
a trace of perfume that triggers a long-lost memory. An
object might even be one that the character lost long ago.
Who controls this space and these finds? Anyone? The
explorer themselves? No one seems to know. There are
inhabitants in this strange, empty realm, though they are
well hidden. These are the Shedarinis, and it’s speculated Shedarinis: level 7;
that they are the transformed souls of those who came magic (two successes),
+4 defenses; +5 stealth;
here and never left. They appear to be gaunt horses wields one or two
with the faces of white owls and white feathered wings. abilities of level 5 or
Intelligent and secretive, they have unknown motives. below
Finding them is very difficult.
Deep within the Accidental Space is a decidedly
different scene. Most likely the flux result of a long-form
working practiced by someone hoping to escape, it is a
gymnasium-sized space within a much larger building
(or complex of buildings), filled with burning butterflies.
Literally tens of thousands of them flutter, impaired,
always burning, but never completely consumed. If there
is a way to save them, it’s never been discovered. This
place, called the Home to Blackening Wings, is a place of
power, useful for removing curses that can’t otherwise be
lifted, and a safe place to perform difficult or dangerous
rites.
136
Locations on the
Nightside Path
CLUB MALDOROR
The flesh of the court is bound to the spirit of the master.
The strength of the master is bequeathed to the court.
Red rains of blood and pain grow fruit of pure agony.
All shall feast, and upon the altar of the night, know
satiation.
The Nightside of Red is, even in the estimations of most

who walk the Nightside Path, a truly terrible place. Club
Maldoror lies within a broken plain of shattered glass and
metal at the heart of Nightside Red. It is a meeting place,
and a place of foul, depraved entertainments. It caters to
those who truly relish what most would refer to as “evil”—
it is for demons, and mortals who are all but demons
themselves. If the suffering of others (or yourself ) does
not bring you pleasure, this club is very likely not for you.
In addition to standard alcoholic fare, the club serves
drinks that include poisons, diseases, and the distilled
essences of pain, despair, grief, and so on. Even the music
in the club is recorded from the wails of people suffering
with grief or physical pain. Torture here is an art form,
with exquisite pain as desirable as (or indistinguishable
from) pleasure.
The owner of the club, referred to as the Master of
Maldoror (or just the Master) by everyone there, is a
Causedes: level 9; demon named Causedes, who appears as an eyeless man
+5 Withstand, +2 with purple skin like tree bark. He’s fond of wearing
Dodge and Resist; +3
Armor; the merest
elaborate black and grey gowns and extraordinary
touch can inflict 12 headpieces, including one that looks like a massive set
points of damage, of scales. Causedes frequently refers to himself as the
accompanied by
Judge or the Arbiter, and he proclaims everyone and
tremendous pain;
within the club, this everything guilty and terrible. The devoted patrons of the
damage is 24 points club call themselves the Court of Maldoror and, whether
demon or mortal, they all participate in feverish, bloody
dance orgies and indulge in sadomasochistic acts that
involve serious injuries and death—or rather, they would
if various enchantments and spells upon the court didn’t
keep the patrons from dying. The magic they use allows
them to perform hideous acts upon themselves and each
other and still survive.
137
The Nightside
RENOUNCES THE LIGHT
138
Locations on the
Nightside Path
Rumors say that Causedes is very close to obtaining a
full soul of his own. Some say that when that happens,
he’ll almost certainly abandon the club. Others contend
that it will only make his hold over the place that much
stronger.
Despite the loud, wailing music, the sometimes frenetic
dancing, and the general club atmosphere, Club Maldoror
is a surprisingly good place to find and learn secrets,
spells, and other processes unique to the Nightside Path
or demonkind in general. In back rooms, hidden by
dark draperies, or in the hall leading to the (disgusting)
restroom, it’s not uncommon to see a member of the
Court of Maldoror whispering secrets in a newcomer’s ear
or sharing stained and torn pages from a spellbook. But it
all comes with a price, and in Club Maldoror, that price is
often pain, torture, or other suffering.
The Light is oppressor.

The Light is exposer.
The Light is transgressor.
The Light is eraser.
One thing that makes Club Maldoror unique is that it

is a place where the demons of the Red intermingle with
the demons of the Dark. In fact, it’s one of the few places
in the Actuality where denizens of the Dark are openly
welcomed. These demons usually seem a little brooding
and quiet compared to their more boisterous, violent Red
fellows. Causedes ensures that the two never come in
THE PATH
conflict, and everyone submits to his will.
Vespertine, page 114 Groups from Satyrine such as the Vespertine and the
Church of Midnight sometimes seek out Club Maldoror,
Church of Midnight,
using it as a haven or a secret meeting place. In particular,
page 111
Vespertine agents meet entities of the Dark here to
exchange information and discuss plans. The agents
typically bring offerings of captives for the demons to
torture. Only the most powerful and the most daring of
mortals come here, lest they inadvertently become the
entertainment themselves.
139
The Nightside
Eleven lies in the dark.

Eleven lies near the Dark.
Regret and grief and pain.
Seek sorrow’s song and be done.
THE DEVIL’S DOORBELL

The Devil’s Doorbell can appear anywhere, at any time, Finding the Devil’s
often appearing directly to those who seem to need it Doorbell intentionally
is possible only by
most. Many do not recognize it for what it is; it seems a someone who has come
simple lighted red button on a wall or door or sometimes upon it inadvertently
even an object. Those who press it hear the barely and who learns a
special level 5 secret.
discernible sound of music, as if from far away, and then
Those with that secret,
find themselves standing before a set of elevator doors however, can find the
that slide open in the nearest wall or surface. Inside the red button whenever
ornate elevator, each button on the wall—and there are they wish.
hundreds, possibly thousands—bears a mark; it is up

to the new arrival to discern them as best they can and
choose the one they believe signifies that which they
most desire.
The structure itself is located on the Nightside of Blue THE PATH
and is rumored to be the creation of Nimragul himself. Nimragul, page 45
The elevator implies many different floors, but in fact
each stop is its own chamber. It is impossible to move
between chambers, or to move between levels without
the elevator.
Within the vast building, the administrative needs
(cleaning, repair, taking care of unruly guests) are served
by a bevy of beings known as the Closs, who resemble
person-sized insects with too many joined legs and
dozens of pairs of fluttering wings. Many visitors never
encounter them, for they excel at keeping out of the way
and in the background.
Every “floor” offers something different. Those
who seek to fulfill innocuous fantasies—wild orgies,
threesomes, consensual pain—will not be disappointed,
for the Devil’s Doorbell prides itself on serving all tastes.
But that is not the specialty. Only those who seek the truly
unspeakable, the secret hidden desire they are afraid to
give voice to, only they will be rewarded with the shining
glory of everything the Devil’s Doorbell has to offer.
140
Locations on the
Nightside Path
The Devil’s Doorbell creates the people, the chambers,
the equipment, and anything else required from pure
(or impure) thought. There is no charge, although many
visitors have found that Nimragul later calls on them for
a task or favor—sometimes involving providing for the
needs of other visitors.
The elevator always returns people to the place where
they entered.
THE DUNGEONS OF
IVORY SORROWS
Lost within the half-worlds along the borders of Indigo
lies a place that has been co-opted by vislae and turned
into a labyrinth of workshops, research facilities, and
spell-testing facilities far from the eyes of those who
might disapprove of the methods or the results.
The name of the location comes from the white stone
that is used almost exclusively throughout, and from
Nota: level 6; the ivory statues called nota. The nota appear to depict
+10 Withstand, shapely human men and women in various poses, but
–2 Dodge,
+4 Resist; +8 Armor;
they are actually guardians. They watch and move when
+2 perception; energy no one is looking. If a nota must take overt action, its
inflicts 6 damage on head separates from its neck like a decapitation and a
nearby target or binds
fount of red energy bursts forth, directed at a transgressor.
it in place (1 rest to
escape) or forms a level This energy can inflict damage, bind creatures, or form
6 barrier that can fit walls, depending on the whim of the nota. They act in
into a small area concert if they must to defend their domain.
Vislae who wish can come here to train, study, and
experiment with magical practices forbidden elsewhere.
As long as they have permission from a vislae who already
has access, they are welcome and won’t be bothered by the
nota unless they cause trouble.
Test subjects come from those who seek to rid
themselves of someone unwanted. Subdue an enemy,
a rival, an unwanted suitor, or simply an annoying
acquaintance, and bring them here—they’ll likely
never be heard from again. Hundreds of prisoners are
kept here, making it more of a prison than most actual
prisons. The cells and laboratories hold subjects that have
been trapped in these dungeons for decades, but most
141
The Nightside
don’t last nearly that long. The average time a prisoner

spends here is measured in weeks or even days, and their
end is typically grisly and hideous.
GODWIN ASHOL, MAKER

Satyrine’s criminal element has its own source of dark, Godwin Ashol: level
dangerous, or illegal magical creations. Catering to a 12; magic (three
successes), +4 defenses;
particular clientele that most Makers would never work +5 Armor; +4 crafting;
for, Godwin earns a great deal of money. He supplies wide variety of
virtually all the criminals in Satyrine with magic items powers, defenses, and
abilities from items
needed for their nefarious purposes (or normal items if
he has crafted; vislae
no one else will do business with them). He made Cryter with some spells; +2
Miniss’s mask and bag of hands, he crafted Slipping Jack’s spellcasting
infamous paired daggers, and he supplies members of
the Charnel Heart with all their specialty item needs, just THE PATH
to name a few. Godwin is a short, stout man with a beard Cryter Miniss,
made of faintly smoldering coals. page 89
Slipping Jack,
THE WORKSHOP page 84
No sign marks this location. Just a nondescript door on
the ground floor of what looks like a closed shop with Charnel Heart,
page 91
bricked-up windows attached to a grocery. Should anyone
knock on the door, a large, hulking man opens it and
turns away anyone without an appointment. This is Oscar, Oscar: level 6; +2
and if someone should get past him, the real difficulty defenses; +2 Armor
is the door behind him. Oscar stands in a short corridor

with a door on either side. One is the front door, and
the other is the door into Godwin’s workshop. However,
it is impossible to open the latter door without first
whispering your secret soul name into a small figurine
of a large snail that sits on a shelf next to the door. And
the figurine knows when you’re telling the truth. Godwin
created this as a safeguard, because the figurine stores the
names it’s told. Cross him, rob him, cheat him, and he
has your secret soul name to use against you.
The room beyond the second door appears to be an
unkept storeroom. There are packages, boxes, and a
desk with a few ledgers on it. This is where Godwin
deals with his customers or their lackeys. It’s where he
accepts payments and turns over finished items. But
142
Locations on the
Nightside Path
143
The Nightside
it’s not his workshop or his home. One other door leads
out of this room, and it’s warded with level 10 effects
to make it resistant to magic, lockpicking, and physical
blows. Beyond lies the vast, vast workshop and home that
Godwin’s created for himself, including a grand hall the
size of most sports arenas with glaring 100-foot (30 m)
statues peering down at those who pass by. The workshop
is actually a maze of different workrooms, each with a
different purpose. The living quarters are the size of fifty
opulent mansions; it’s likely many rooms have never even
been entered, let alone used.
The entire place exists in its own pocket dimension
created by Godwin. He has a staff of twenty demonic Demonic servants:
servants, who all look like multiarmed young girls made level 3; +2 defenses
of pure darkness, and a cadre of fifteen thoughtform Thoughtform guards:

guards, all of whom he created to look like armored level 4; +3 defenses; +2
Armor
skeletons without faces.
THE MIRRORED ABATTOIR

There is a place in the Nightside realm of the Blue Sun
where, if you squint just right, you can see the Nightside
of Green. It is at that place that you will see, not far away,
what you might take to be a sparkling palace of crystal.
And you’d be forgiven for that mistake, but it is a big
mistake. For this structure is not made of crystal, but
mirrors, and it is not a palace, but a slaughterhouse.
A pair of beings called Sacride and Sacrido employ Sacride and Sacrido:
a staff of mostly humans—lost, destitute, or strangely level 8; magic (two
successes),
inclined humans—and a few other beings to kill and +4 defenses; reflect spells
butcher. Yet the floor of the Mirrored Abattoir is sparkling and attacks back on
clean, and there’s not a single knife or blade to be found the caster or attacker;
create objects of great
in the place.
durability made of
Here, they slaughter reflections. The reflections are mirrors
caught in a mirror somewhere in the Actuality and
transferred here through magical mirrors. These abattoir
mirrors reflect that which is seen in mirrors elsewhere.
Random reflections, or chosen? Only Sacride and Sacrido
know, and they’re not telling.
Butchered reflections can be processed into
thoughts and emotions (for the Emotion Mills, or to be
144
Locations on the
Nightside Path
transformed into Satyrine’s currency), magical essence, or
other ephemeral substances, depending on the reflection.
Someone whose reflection has been slain no longer has a
reflection in any mirror, anywhere.
Because the abattoir’s produce possesses great value,
Abattoir guards: some of the staff are employed as guards, and various
level 4; +2 defenses; magical wards and spells protect the structure from
armor reflects back first
attack made against
intrusion. Although Sacride and Sacrido deal mostly in
them bulk to major buyers (such as the shadier aspects of the
Emotion Mills Consortium), sometimes vislae and other
THE PATH
beings travel to the Mirrored Abattoir to purchase their
Emotion Mills products directly. Because the reflections are technically
Consortium, stolen, the goods are illegal in most locales, and at least
page 118
frowned upon in others.
Look, a man, see his surprise.

He looks in a mirror, checks again,
He no longer sees his very own eyes.
No one is there, no reflection.
Gone for good, gone till he dies.
THE SANGUINARY CAMPAIGNS

IN THE GORY CATHEDRAL
Held in a different place in the Red each year, the
Sanguinary Campaigns are an opportunity for the most
bloodthirsty, murderous, and bitter of demons—and
other beings—to pit their rage and power against each
other in an increasingly difficult set of dangerous games.
The construction of the Gory Cathedral—the giant
construct where the games are held—is a massive
undertaking of its own. Each year, there are bets as to the
number of workers who will die during its construction,
and each year the cathedral grows larger, more dangerous,
and, it is rumored, more sentient.
The games have no rules, other than savagery, and no
requirements to enter. The winners are not necessarily
those who come out on top, nor even those who survive.
They are those who spread the most blood, shred the
most minds, and gain the glorious cries of a crowd
ravenous for destruction. Even those who attend merely
145
The Nightside
SHEDARINIS
146
Locations on the
Nightside Path
to watch the events know they are not safe from the
bloodshed, for they understand that rage of this measure
THE KEY
cannot be, and in fact should not be, contained.
Bloodsilver, page 182 Winners are granted a sizable prize in bloodsilver, but
most are far more interested in the prestige.
SEOCNES SHAMBLES
Located in a bustling corner of the Undersling, this tiny
shop is well known, at least among those who deal in
such things, for its variety of plagues, pestilences, and
Mikie: level 5; pathogens, magical and otherwise. The shopkeep, Mikie,
+4 Withstand; +3 is a being teeming with diseases of his own—pustules
knowledge of diseases;
vislae with a variety of
riddle his body, bubbling and popping; his gums are
disease-related spells; +1 blackened and rank; tiny vermin run in and out of
spellcasting every hole. “Keeps away the lookie-loos,” Mikie will say,
laughing so hard that blood and bile run down his chin.
The shop remains open around most clocks, and there
are often a handful of “pests”—those who are obsessed
with pestilences—hanging around the place, talking
about various diseases and maladies. Mikie’s prices aren’t
fair and they aren’t in coin (the shopkeep typically asks for
just a bit more than the buyer would like to give), but the
goods are proven and potent.
SINISTRAL ATHENAEUM
Believed by many bibliophagists and bibliophiles to be
more rumor than reality, the Sinistral Athenaeum is
considered one of the “Holy Grail” libraries (so called
after a Shadow legend of a rare and difficult-to-find holy
object). While there are a few secret, hidden libraries in
the Actuality, none are quite like the Sinistral Athenaeum.
Before the War, the Athenaeum was like most libraries
in Satyrine—prominently placed, oft frequented, and
filled with an array of books on a bevy of subjects. With
one small exception: each of the books was possessed
by a demon or was a demon in book form, making the
place a favorite of Goetics and scholars of the Red. In
truth, though, these books did not cover only demonic
topics, but a wide variety of virtually all possible subjects.
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Hundreds of thousands of tomes, row upon row of

shelves filled with books. And every book a demon. The
librarian, a being called Eidenai, was knowledgeable and Eidenai, page 158
helpful, clearly protective and proud of their position
inside the library.
At some point during the War, the library disappeared
completely. For the longest time it was believed destroyed,
gone forever, likely the demons and the librarian with it. A
few people know that it was instead picked up and moved
whole-cloth to a hidden place on the Nightside of Red,
propelled by the dark will and eldritch power of demonic
inhabitants. Some claim to know where to find it today,
but the price for that information is high, and there’s no
telling how valid it might be.
The Nightside of Red is a terrible place for a library, so
to survive, the Sinistral Athenaeum was secreted away,
physically and spiritually. It waits, unseen amid the
crumbling rocks and collapsing cliff faces, the inhabitants
inside utterly unaware that the War is over.
If one can find this special library, and can convince
the extremely protective (almost paranoid) librarian to
allow entry, the books can be perused and read, although
none will ever allow themselves to be removed from the
premises. Of course, the collection of books is obviously
dangerous, and the fact that they are also defensive and
afraid makes them all the more so.
TREMOC ALIASTOR
In some long-forgotten language, the name of this
gate meant “Loosed Ruin.” This giant set of sealed
doors, decorated in ancient runes and sigils, lies on the
Nightside of Indigo. Legends say that the Undergod
Gulanon himself created the gates as a way to seal inside
his monstrous enemy, Augoral.
Tremoc Aliastor can be opened only through a specific
level 14 ritual that involves fourteen participants. If this
ritual is completed (against Gulanon’s wishes, obviously),
Augoral strides out of the gates, ready to enter the world
once again.
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Locations on the
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Augoral: level 17; Augoral towers above the surrounding landscape, with
magic (four successes); iron chains a thousand feet long replacing his hands, and
+12 Armor; can sustain
20 Injuries per Wound
an iron helmet the size and shape of a crenelated tower
and 10 Wounds; on his head. He has an additional set of hands that each
inflicts 25 points of hold a lantern, the light of which shines as bright as the
damage to all nearby
full moon and dispels all illusions and concealment magic
targets he wishes;
banishes all illusion within a mile. After being freed, his first order of business
and concealment magic is slaying thirteen of the fourteen ritual participants.
within a mile He then hunts down and kills at least 117 other mortals,
striding across the countryside to find them wherever he
can. He is in no hurry, and enjoys stretching his giant
limbs and breathing the air. If need be, he will travel to
another realm, such as Indigo, to find the quarry he seeks.
Once his chains are coated with the blood of the
ritualists and other mortals, he then finds the one unslain
practitioner and bestows upon them a dark gift: the ability
to slay a single specific individual of the practitioner’s
choosing with just a touch. No power can resist this
deadly touch.
After Augoral has completed this final task, he strides
back through the open doors of Tremoc Aliastor, which
close behind him. This is the nature of his eternal
binding, and even he cannot escape it.
THE PATH
VIARA’S SAFEHOUSE
The Cadallish, Within the mobile city called the Cadallish, located on the
page 61 back of an enormous creature who slowly moves across
the Nightside of Gold, one will find all kinds of exiles and
people in hiding. One of the canniest and likely most
Viara, page 184 dangerous is Viara.
In addition to being a skilled vislae, Viara is known
throughout many realms as an untrustworthy con artist
and thief. Wanted in many different cities by a variety
of law enforcement agencies, wronged individuals, and
angry organizations, Viara came to the Cadallish to hide.
THE PATH
But before she did that, she stole the secret soul name of
The Court of Nous, the Cadallish from the Court of Nous in the Blue.
page 44 With this knowledge, she has—behind the scenes—all
but taken control of the Driver’s Guild and through them
manipulates Baroness Unalasis. With this influence,
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she has assembled her own small army of guards and

followers that remain within her safehouse, located near
the head of the giant beast.
Among the movers and shakers of the city, as well
as the criminal element, the safehouse’s location is an
open secret. Viara, and those who work for her, serve
as a fence for stolen goods from across the realms, and
likewise offer “procurement services” for objects and even
people up and down the Path of Suns. Viara trades in
stolen secrets and other information just as much as she
specializes in pilfered goods.
Hidden from the sight of any visitor, known only to
her closest allies, Viara has drilled down from the lowest
portion of the safehouse into the brain stem of the
Cadallish itself. The fluid that is brought up is a powerful
natural elixir that allows the imbiber to steal the thoughts
of those around them for a time. This fluid, Viara sells
to the unscrupulous to fund the next steps in her latest
scheming path to power.
Viara is slight, with chalk-white skin and hair. She
wears exclusively white clothing. What almost no one
knows is that she is the child of a demon and a truespider.
And no ordinary demon, either, but the Duke himself. Duke of Demons,
page 70
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Locations on the
Nightside Path
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The Nightside
CREATURES AND BEINGS

OF THE NIGHTSIDE
“F
ell! Fell was the night!”
Oh, I wish this guy would give it a rest.
“Darkness all around us, like unto a living
thing!”
Like unto? Who talks like that? I finish my drink and nod
toward Zero to get another. The bar is full tonight. Full of
idiots and loons.
“Be wary of its evil. The night holds dangers to both body
and soul!”
I’d put ten crystal on the bar right now that says this guy
wouldn’t know darkness if it bit off his ass and spit it back
in his face.
I should know. I really have seen some dark shit. Demons
interested in nothing more than what your skull looks like
from the inside, and things that feed only on songs sung by
terminally ill children. Lurking around every corner of the
Nightside you’ll find creatures and whatnot that are a hell
of a lot worse than “darkness like unto a living thing” or
whatever.
If you’re looking for information on devils, dark spirits,
and worse, don’t go listening to some loudmouth in a bar
looking for saps to pay for his drinks. Find someone who
knows. Or do your own goddamn research. Don’t listen to
me. To be honest, I don’t want to talk about what I’ve seen
anyway. I want to be able to sleep tonight.
Speaking of which, where’s that drink?
The Path and Teratology are full of dark creatures—

demons from the Red and the Dark, malevolent spirits,
hungry beasts, angry wraiths, and so on. But the truth
is, the creatures and beings of darkness, night, and
danger are far more numerous. Thus, presented here
are still more such entities. They run the gamut that is
the Nightside, from vislae with questionable tactics all
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Creatures and Beings
of the Nightside
the way to demons that want to
eradicate all existence, and various
shades in between.
GMs can use these creatures and
NPCs to populate the dark corners
of the Actuality, to build whole stories
around, or as the templates for their
own creations.
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THE DARK TRINITY

You are three, but you are one. You share a physical form
when you choose to take one, but as dark spirits, you are
distinct. It has always been such. You have always been
three. You have always been one.
You came here to bring an end to the suns and an end
to existence, like so many other beings of the Dark. At
that time, you were collectively known as The Enemy of
Bliss, and you had many servitors, also called the Enemy
of Bliss. But after spending time in the Actuality, amid all
its people, its places, and its things, you made a discovery.
You liked it here.
You liked having creatures to dominate and torment.
You liked the emotions you felt and invoked in others:
fear, subjugation, despair. You felt powerful, and you
never wanted that to stop.
So you made a decision. No longer would you work
toward the goals of the Dark. The nihilistic delight it
offered could not compare to the exquisite delights you
found in existing. Yes, the Dark offered the ultimate in
calm, order, and freedom from pain, loss, or despair (and
everything else). But as it turned out, you like pain, loss,
and despair. You like chaos, struggle, and strife.
You forged a kingdom of your own hidden away in the
Nightside of Gold because the idea that it was at the “bottom”
of the universe appealed to you. Perhaps sequestered away
there, you would be undisturbed to conduct your activities
in peace. You recruited new servitors—rogue beings, either
mad or suitably twisted—to serve as servants, guards, and
(most important) collectors to gather creatures from across
the Actuality for you to toy with.
Now you dwell in your palace made of barbed wire and
anguished captives, never allowed to rest, never allowed to
die. You fear that one day your own kind from the Dark will
hunt you down and punish you for your abandonment of
their ideals, but so far, they have not. Perhaps your activities
still serve the Dark, after all. Perhaps you never truly
understood the Dark. Ah well—it doesn’t matter now.
When you take physical form, the three of you appear
to be a trio of gigantic grey serpents joined in the middle.
Rather than snake heads, the top of each serpent is the
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of the Nightside
broad shoulders and chest of a muscular human, and
above that a darkly handsome head with long black hair.
Each of your three bodies bears two muscular arms.
Level: 13
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes); +4 Withstand and Resist
Armor: +4
Modifications: +3 torture, +2 perception
Coils of Pain: Each of the three serpent tails can attack
a nearby foe, inflicting 12 points of damage. Those
struck are caught in the coils and held there. Each
round they do not escape inflicts 1 Wound from the
supernatural pain induced.
Six-Bladed Strike: Each hand conjures a silver steel blade.
This allows the entity to make an attack against up to six
different close foes, inflicting 10 points of damage each.
Trio of Spells: Use any three of these as a single action, in
any combination:
✦ Blast of Darkness: Strike a faraway foe for 13 points of
damage
✦ Calcify: One living creature touched turns into salt
✦ Disintegrate: One nearby inanimate object no larger
than a person turns to dust

✦ Dispel: Cancel one magical effect of level 10 or lower
✦ Repel: Negate the next incoming attack (physical or
magical)
✦ Shift: Move up to a short distance instantly
✦ Telekinesis: Move one nearby creature or object no
larger than a person up to a long distance

✦ Wailing: Inflict 3 Anguish on a touched being
Three Who Are One: As three melded intelligent minds,

never surprised by foes’ actions. Sees in all directions
at once. Anticipates every move and is always prepared
to act on an opponent’s weakness.
Traits: Arrogant. Cruel. Domineering.
GM Shift: Knows something it should not know, thus
being prepared for an eventuality or able to react to an
action it never should have seen coming.
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The Nightside
EDMUND
Studying spells. Learning more secrets of magic. Yours
was the typical life of a vislae in Fartown, and you took joy
from that. It’s all you ever wanted.
Then the doctors told you that the pain in your guts
was more than just lingering indigestion. A tumor grew
in your belly. They advised a number of procedures, both
magical and medical, to deal with the situation. That all
certainly seemed to be the right thing to do.
But then, something happened. You heard a faint,
simplistic voice. It whispered strange questions. At first
you thought it was a ghost or a demon, but divinations
confirmed that it was not. Finally, you realized.
It was the tumor.
Somehow, it was conscious. It was developing an
intelligence deep inside you all its own. You could talk to
it, and it would respond. It was curious about the world
beyond your body.
You asked it not to kill you, and it agreed. Its terms
were that you had to answer its questions. Easy at first—it
was just trying to understand the basics of the world.
Eventually, though, the questions took on a different tone.
“What does that man’s liver look like?” “What does that
woman’s flesh taste like?”
When you balked, it offered you further incentives.
It seemed that, somehow, it was accumulating its own
sorcerous power, and could channel it to you. Eventually,
you gave in.
What vislae wouldn’t, you asked yourself. The powers it
offered were greater and greater. Whole new spells you’d
never studied were at your command. More sorcery lay
at your disposal than you ever dreamed possible. Forget
libraries and musty old scrolls. You had the true path to
magical power, and it was living right inside you.
Eventually, the things it asked you to do stopped
bothering you. Murder. Torture. Abuse. You don’t know
why it was so interested in such things, why it delighted
in such things, but its obsessions grew stronger with
each day.
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of the Nightside
When you told the one person you confided in about
your situation, she exclaimed “Of course it’s interested in
the awful things in life. It’s a fucking tumor! It’s cancer.
Literally the enemy of life.” Naturally, the tumor made you
kill her. And eat her. You regretted it a bit, but you saw
that it had to be done.
You don’t feel so much regret anymore. It’s better not
to think about such things. Focus instead on all the magic
that your new little friend provides.
Level: 9
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Dark spirits hailing Modifications: +2 stealth, +1 magical knowledge
from one of the Leech Sorcerous Burst: Enhanced by the power of the tumor, a
Worlds seek out mortal
victims to drain their
pure blast of destructive energy can inflict 13 points
life essence using the of damage to a single faraway target, or 8 points of
power of so-called “the damage to all nearby targets.
last music.” No one
Telekinetic Shove: Creature or object the size of a horse
knows what this music
sounds like, because all (or smaller) is flung up to a long distance with great
who have heard it are force, inflicting 10 points of damage on the creature or
dead—thus, it is the object and on whatever it strikes.
last music they hear.
Invisible Cloak: Invisible until a violent or dramatic action
is taken.
Levitation: Float up into the air at walking speed.
Mists of Deception: Erases the selected memories of all
close beings.
Creation: A simple or sturdy object (a wall, bridge, or
the like) that fits in a medium area is created from
glistening red stone and lasts until the sun next rises.
Traits: Uncaring. Selfish. Apathetic.
GM Shift: The tumor heals all Wounds and Injuries.
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EIDENAI OF THE SINISTRAL ATHENAEUM

(PRIDE PRONOUNCE IT PROPERLY. CAREFUL.)
Over the ages, your official titles have varied. Curator.
Keeper. Librarian (distaste the word reeks of propriety and
silence, of distance).
You think of yourself as something far better, far more:
protector, guardian, parent. (funny to imagine yourself after
all these years, thinking the unthinkable. you, a parent. but not
distasteful, not like librarian. surprise possibly delight)
Here, within the Sinistral Athenaeum, you are all that Sinistral Athenaeum,
stands between the demons of the stacks and the horrors page 147
of the outside world. Thousands of demons reside within

these walls, each possessing a book of their choice. They
once chose you, too, as theirs. Once, you were close to
each and every one. They lined up for you, telling stories,
promising favors, inviting you in. You touched their
pages, felt their power, gained their knowledge. (pride
pride pride always. more than you should have, you know.
enough to be your downfall. enough that it was.)
And then you erred. One small, horrible, egregious
error. (betrayal shame hide it away before it devours you.) They
turned their spines to you. Refused you admittance. Kept
their secrets under cover.
Now you walk these stacks, righting the disheveled,
dusting the decayed, bringing light to the darkest corners.
For it is a library of demons, to be sure, but there is no
need for neglect. You respect their turning away. You
never open a book, never seek to know them better, never
ask to be allowed back in. Leave them to their silence
and their . . . whatever it is they do upon the shelves.
(loneliness a tiny seed in the tiniest of hearts. you ignore these
seeds. no. you kill them, smash them with your bare hands,
swallow them with bile and poison, until they are dead dead dead.)
You think you might be dead too. You aren’t sure. Can’t
remember (fear something in the crimson dread). You wish
to ask the demons, wish to read these books spread before
you. There are answers here, you know it. Can feel it.
Every day you think will be the day when you lift one from
its place, feel its spine break between your pale palms,
learn the truth of yourself (ache want no, you will not).
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of the Nightside
Not until you are invited again by their need, and it has
been so long since you’ve been invited. The pages whisper
at night, telling each other tales that you cannot hear. You
lurk, a parent at the door, a jilted lover at the bedside,
and lean in, hoping for them to turn your way, just for a
moment. They never do.
Surely someone will find the Sinistral Athenaeum
again, after all these days and years and lifetimes. Surely
they will come and threaten everything you hold dear,
everything you promised to protect (excitement desire
guilt). Surely then your charges, your children, your life,
will open themselves to you again and invite you in.
Level: 7
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses (Spiritual): Magic (two successes); +4 to all
defenses
Defenses (Physical): Magic (two successes); +4 to all
defenses
Modifications: +4 general knowledge, +3 persuasion and
perception
Speed Read: Touch a demon in the form of a book and
learn something useful to your current situation. Gain
an ability relevant to the book’s content.
Librarian’s Gaze: Look directly upon all nearby beings,
and silence all noise and stifle actions for one round
for all of them.
Manhandle: Inflicts 7 points of damage.
Traits: Lonely. Knowledgeable. Self-disciplined.
GM Shift: One or more of the possessed books returns to
its demon form to offer support and aid.
159
The Nightside
EPHRETAH THROIS
YOU’RE
Hors d’oeuvres INVITED
The first book you ever wrote was The
The honor of your esteemed
Interfector’s Guide to Etiquette. It sold presence is requested
well enough to buy you this glorious for a luxury experience of
house with four kitchens and six dining Dinner and Deep Discussion
rooms, and everyone you know claims over emotion leaves and
dark drinks
to have read it, or at least to have a copy
presented by culinary conjurer
on their bookshelf somewhere. Fern Baxter
So you’d think people would be
smarter. Or at least more cautious. They RSVP three days prior
might even go so far as to look up the Formal attire required. Bring a
gift for the table.
word “interfector” before they accept
your invitation to dinner. They might
even go so far as to turn you down.
But no. They don’t. You find most people to be all
ego. They believe they, and only they, will be the ones to
outsmart your game, to leave your table with their minds
and bodies intact. So they respond, demurely, believing
they have a chance to win. Yes, they say. Thank you for
inviting me/us. I/we would be honored.
Bring it on, you say. The more the merrier. They will
show up with their gift for the table, and the table will eat
it, and you will watch in their eyes the moment they start
to question. They moment they start to wonder if they
have overstepped.
And that’s before you’ve even begun to have your fun.
Amuse-bouche
“Beloveds,” you begin. “Welcome to my table.”
You have a speech planned, different for each. They
all hear something you are not saying, something in the
tenor of your words, in the lilt and lift of your voice. You
will pierce each heart, and not one of them will believe it
was you.
In these ears, the voice of a forbidden crush, lusting.
In these, the strain of a broken promise. In those and
those, an old rivalry lying dormant, shaken into life.
Whispers. Rumors. Lies. Even the food speaks untruths
and mistrust.
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Aperitif
Now it begins. You merely sit back and listen. Forks and
knives clash. Banter spills like red wine upon a white
cloth. A smatter of crimson ire. A splash of discontent.
Tight-lipped sip of bruised and bloodied ego. Stolen kisses
reflected in the chandelier’s twinkling eye.
This is what you’re made for. You know hearts are the
tenderest of places, best eaten bloody and raw.
Main Course
There is heat in every word. Knives to arteries. Forks to
eyes. Cloth napkins around clothes. The meal arrives.
Barely anyone notices.
Through it all, no one accuses you. Sometimes you
wish they would. It would be nice to have someone stand
Some vislae
up before you, just once, and lay the blame at your feet.
communicate in a
secretive Nightside To be smart enough and strong enough to withstand your
tongue taught only to whispers and see this for what it truly is: a stirring of the pot.
a select few. It can only You chew a leaf of discontent to bring down your high.
be spoken in whispers It would be easy to fly too far, to be too in love with your
and has no words for
own power.
concepts like mercy,
justice, or compassion.
Dessert
No one makes it to dessert. You dip a spoon into custard
whipped smooth with discontent, spread it across your
tongue like lies.
Level: 11
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes); +3 to all defenses
Modifications: +4 to persuasion, deception, social
interaction, and coercion
Immunity to Inducement: Immune to persuasion unless
the persuader has eaten dessert with you at some
point prior.
Sow Discontent: Your words make all those within long
distance distrust all beings close to them.
Traits: Corruptive. Manipulative. Machiavellian.
GM Shift: An NPC is particularly susceptible to
manipulations and inadvertently helps sow dissent
through their words or actions.
161
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EUSTORGIO “THE VARLET” MAZELLA

You were eight the first time you wrote your favorite
word in the secret place in the back of your closet. Twelve
before you knew how to pronounce it properly. Thirteen
before you dared speak it aloud in front of others.
Eighteen when you had it tattooed upon your skin for the
first time. Then again at twenty-two, thirty, forty-three.
Now it loops your life like so many serpent tails, coiling
tight, delighted at its own success.
Quomodocunquize. Making money any way you can.
Quomodocunquize is your god. Your belief system. The
reason you go on living. Once, at six, the futility of life
shook you so hard you nearly choked on it. Earlier too, A vislae named
but you remember these episodes like dreams. Walking Phaeton, who lives
in an enormous glass
through a world with no purpose, no reason, knowing orrery in Fartown,
there was nothing before you but death and decay. will teach a variety of
And then, that word. Rising up from a random page Nightside spells and
secrets to other vislae,
like a lifeboat. You clung and clung until it brought you to
but it is difficult to win
shore. her trust.
What else has it brought you? So, so much. A house in
the Red, in the Blue, in the Gold, and even in the Green.
Plus two in Satyrine. A bevy of butchers, maids, escorts,
drivers, Makers, and other beings to call your own. A
couple of visits to high-end changeries, where you have
become more than you began. Defenses up the ass. Red
meat. Red wine. Red magic. Red demons. Truly, you want
for nothing.
And all that bullshit about money being shallow and
boo-hoo I’m so lonely all alone in my big mansion and no one
loves me is just that. Bullshit. Everyone loves you if you pay
them enough. And, truly, there’s no difference between
love-love and paid-love. It all sounds the same between
the lips. And between the sheets.
You do have morals, strong ones, though some would
say otherwise. They’re just . . . different. If you can
make money at it, it’s moral. That’s what you always say.
Everyone makes their own choices. If you sell them fake
emotion leaves and they still feel sad, whose fault is that?
If they buy a demon in a cage, they can hardly come to
you angry after they’re dead from its attack of tooth and
claw. Well, they can come to you (and have—this is the
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Actuality, after all), but what is there for them to do but
yell and cry and accept responsibility for their own wants
and needs?
Your life would be perfect if not for your brother—the
same brother who tried to eradicate your favorite word
from the very fabric of existence, and failed. The same
brother who tried to eradicate you and failed. Your
business. Your beliefs. He claims you have sullied the
family name, brought shame and ruin upon House
Mazella.
To which you said, time and again: brother, rein in your
jealousy and join me. We will share this word and this
life.
But he went underground instead. You can feel him,
scratching away at your word. You say it to yourself over
and over to keep it alive. Find a blank spot on your body
for a new tattoo. Promise that when you find him—and
you will, for there is nothing money will not, cannot
buy—you will write your word on his soul and sell it to
the highest bidder.
Level: 8
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes); +3 Resist
Modifications: +3 business interactions and financial
systems, +2 social interactions
Hand Over Fist: Threaten, intimidate, or persuade
someone into buying what you have to offer, for all
the money they have on them, whether they originally
wanted the thing or not.
Follow the Money: Sense when interesting deals are being
made and travel to the vicinity instantaneously.
Traits: Moral. Mercenary. Calculating.
GM Shift: Able to obtain the exact item that someone else
is looking to buy, as if pulled from thin air.
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GILRAVAGE
Shredded cloth. A bit of stitching. A handful of buttons,
one missing. That’s all. Nothing to fear.
That’s you.
A tattered, dark grey dress. A stain near the hem. The
kind of thing someone would toss in the trash—in fact,
the kind of thing that looks like someone dragged it out of
the trash.
Yet compelling. Somehow interesting. People take a
second look. Feel the fabric. Smell it.
They want to try it on. How would they look in this?
Why would they want to? Who knows. Probably just a
silly lark. “Look at me in this old rag,” they might assume
they’ll say with a laugh. A Nightside vislae
But they don’t laugh. Because once they put you on, named Naomi Cadle is
an expert in personal
they belong to you now. Clothed in you, embraced by you, hauntings (not location
they are nothing but a puppet. A vehicle. A means to an hauntings), magical
end. viruses and infections,
and curses. Specifically,
And you decide the ends.
she has a talent for
You used to be like them. You were a fleshy thing, diagnosing them and,
walking around Satyrine on your own two legs. But your for the right price,
life was cut short. Your brutal murder is etched forever curing or removing
them.
into your psyche, even as that psyche persists in the land
of the living.
Oh, yes. Hell yes. You’re still here. You’re never going
to the Pale. Not unless you’re the last one in. Because you
will get your revenge. Not on your murderer. You already
did that. It wasn’t enough. Not on anyone who witnessed
the bloody act. You got them too. Not even anyone who
was within earshot or could have heard about it afterward.
They’re all dead too. And still you are unsatisfied. That’s
why you decided that to truly get the revenge you crave,
and for justice to actually be served, you have to kill
everyone.
Everyone.
But you’re smart. It will take a long time, and you have
to be careful. Thankfully, no one suspects a tattered
old dress. And if they even so much as notice you, you
can control their minds. One glance and you’ve got a
hook in. If you can get them to put you on, it’s all over.
They’re your new tool for murder. But you’re subtle.
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Stealthy. You’ve got to be, because it’s not always easy to
get someone new. You like to keep your tools as long as
you can. But when you’re done with them, they’re done.
You don’t want anyone talking. You don’t want some “I
was possessed by a murdered ghost inhabiting the dress
she died in” statement made to the authorities or entered
into a court record. So you end their life when you know
there’s no other way out. But their suicides are always
slow—slow enough that they can take you off in a place
where you can be found again. Because you’ve got work
to do.
Oh, and there’s that detective in Strangeglass who’s
begun noticing random murders by assailants all wearing
an old grey dress. Sure, he thinks it’s a strange death cult
with similar garments, but you’d better take care of him
sooner rather than later before he gets any closer.
Level: 7
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes); +3 Resist
Modifications: +3 persuasion and stealth (both transferred
to wearer if better than wearer’s modifications)
Attract: Anyone who sees the dress is drawn to it, to
touch it, and eventually put it on if it’s not already on
someone else.
Control: Anyone wearing the dress is mentally enslaved
for the entire time wearing it.
Stab: Inflict 7 points of damage with any sharp object
(transferred to wearer).
Poison: Given almost any ingredients, can make a level
7 poison that inflicts 1 Wound every ten minutes
(new Withstand defense action every Wound, with a
successful roll ending the progression).
Traits: Driven. Conniving. Insidious.
GM Shift: The dress infuses the wearer with magical
might, heals all their Wounds, and adds +1 to all
damage inflicted.
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The Nightside
IENU, ANGEL OF EXECUTIONS

Punishment is part of justice. It’s part of keeping order.
Without punishment, there would be chaos. Among
the mortals, and among the immortals. Sometimes
punishment must be severe.
You oversee the harshest of punishments. You oversee
executions.
You have served in this role for untold years. Since the
beginning. You have executed so many wrongdoers—
angels, spirits, mortals, even demons. (Demons are easy
to judge. They are all inherently deserving of execution.)
If you enjoy your work, that’s hardly a sin. You love to
see justice being served. You love to see the horribly guilty
face their ultimate fate. You need it. It sustains you.
THE PATH
And there are so many of the guilty. In ages past, you Queen Frageliva,
page 39
waited for the judges of Queen Frageliva or some other
authority to give sentence. But those wheels turned too
slowly. You’ve seen so many trials, waiting patiently for
the guilty verdict, that you soon developed your own
talent at passing judgment. This proved to be far more
expedient.
You travel the Path of Suns, seeking wrongdoers. Their
numbers are so great, it’s never hard to find them. You’re
never not busy.
You’ve long believed that your work not only punishes
the guilty but also serves as a deterrent for those tempted
to do wrong. So it serves both the guilty and the just.
Thus armed with that logic, you eventually realized, once
you were on your own, that rather than just mete out
punishments for only the most vile of crimes, it made
sense to execute any guilty party.
You don’t look like a typical angel, or at least, as
people tend to think of angels. Your skeletal form, your
skeletal wings, and the black ropes that hold you all
together—each ending in a noose—all give you a horrific
appearance. But that’s as it should be. People should be
terrified of you.
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of the Nightside
Other angels seek to find and stop you. They are
misguided. You have heard some people refer to you as
the angel of murder. They simply do not understand.
Your work is just. Your path is righteous. Even if others
do not see it that way.
Level: 8
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses (Spiritual): Magic (two successes); +4 to all
defenses
Defenses (Physical): Magic (two successes); +2 Withstand
and Resist
Armor: +3
Modifications: +2 perception
Immune to Fear, Despair, and Remorse: These emotions
mean nothing, even if magically induced.
Execute: The nooses move independently and can attack
up to four different close targets. Those caught by a
noose suffer 1 Wound each round they are held.
Slash: Like executioner’s blades, wings inflict 8 points of
damage, and can attack two foes at once.
Gaze of Justice: One nearby target is rendered motionless
(2 rests).
Traits: Homicidal. Driven. Self-righteous.
GM Shift: Noose immediately ends up around a foe’s neck
and inflicts 1 Wound.
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The Nightside
JZAVAN THE PATH

You work for King Nine. Soon the King’s kavail, Patral, King Nine and
will go too far. He’ll be caught or killed. And then your Patral, page 48
master will be in need of a new lieutenant, a new kavail.

And that person will be you, if everything goes well.
Born in a little nowhere Indigo village, you always
knew you were destined for more. You and your cousin,
Olis, fell into a life of petty crimes to get by, but it wasn’t
until you both got work with King Nine—guarding illegal
emotion shipments into Satyrine—that you truly saw the
path in front of you. Olis had little in the way of ambition,
but you knew that by hitching yourself to someone like
King Nine, you would have no real limits: wealth, power,
and influence would all be yours.
The really enviable position in King Nine’s ranks, of
course—the top of the top—is kavail. The current holder
of that title, Patral, is a hawk-faced liar and cheat. You’ve
seen that he operates his own schemes within King Nine’s
plans, getting rich and powerful without the master
knowing what he’s doing. The audacious fellow has even THE PATH
gone so far as to try to woo Avelia, which is insane not Avelia, page 48
just because she’s King Nine’s daughter, but because she
is, in Olis’s words, “not quite right in the head.”
You needed evidence to prove these claims to your
master. To get that, you enlisted Olis’s help to break into
Patral’s personal chambers. Unfortunately, you were
caught, but circumstances allowed you to make it look like
it was all your cousin’s doing. And so you did. In fact, you
made it appear that you were preventing her from getting
away with it.
Thus, Olis ended up in King Nine’s dungeons awaiting
punishment (very likely death) and you wound up being Jzavan doesn’t know
where the sword
rewarded by Patral with a powerful magical sword he had
originally came from,
obtained. Olis is an unfortunate but acceptable loss, not and Patral’s not telling.
just because you’ve escaped blame but also because now
Patral trusts and likes you and King Nine has newfound
respect for you.
You can perhaps use this position to get evidence on
Patral. Maybe even better proof than you would have
obtained before. Or maybe you can use your relationship
with him to get him to reveal himself, or just overextend
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his reach so he’ll take one risk too many and get himself
killed. He’s arrogant enough to think he’s better and
tougher than he is. If you can manipulate him into
confronting some of King Nine’s powerful enemies
directly . . .
And then you’ll be kavail.
You’re good at what you do, but even you admit that
much of your power comes from your sword. It’s a
fantastic weapon—perhaps even better than Patral
realized when he gave it away (again, he’s an arrogant son
of a bitch). You’ve unlocked secrets of the sword that you
doubt anyone else could. And maybe there are still more.
You are tall and muscular and your skin and hair are
dark, but you never paid much attention to appearances.
No fancy clothes or jewelry for you. Practical always, you
wear sturdy armor, and practice every day honing your
skills. It’s your knowledge and cunning that will get you
where you want to go.
Level: 7
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes) when sword is drawn; +4
Withstand and Dodge, +3 Resist
Armor: +3
Sword Slash: Inflicts 8 points of damage.
Slice Through Sight: Cannot be seen when waving the sword,
using an action (in addition to perhaps moving) to do so.
Parry Attack: Using an action to do nothing but defend,
all incoming attacks for the next round—magical or
otherwise—are sliced apart or parried away, negated.
Slash Magic: An ongoing magical effect (like a conjured
barrier or a spell of levitation keeping someone aloft)
can be dispelled by using an action to slice through it
with the sword.
Cut Through Space: Step into the blade as if it has sliced
open a doorway, and step out up to a long distance
away, if the arrival point is visible.
Traits: Disloyal. Confident. Practical.
GM Shift: The sword unlocks a new, immediately useful
ability.
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KARLENE THYSSIS
You used to be an elderbrin. That’s an odd thing to say,
but it’s accurate. You committed heinous crimes against
your family, and, like all elderbrin, your family is vast.
You eluded them for years. Laughed at their ineffectual
attempts to find you. Eventually, though, your crimes
caught up to you. Even though you hid among humanity
and took on the appearance of humans (unthinkable!),
you were found, you were captured, and you were exiled.
Now, for the elderbrin, exile doesn’t always mean
a change of physical location. In your case, for your
particularly horrific deeds, exile means that the matriarchs
used an application of the feyline magic they wield and
exiled you from your own identity. They stopped you from
being an elderbrin.
Your form is no longer fluid. You can no longer
participate in the mystical network of connection that
holds you to your family. They even took your name.
But they didn’t take your life.
Your human woman face is frozen forever in
mid-shift, so it eternally looks like half your face is
melting off your head. But a human might make that
alteration in a changery, right? So you can pass for a
somewhat-disturbing human. Taking a human-sounding
name was easy enough. But as a human, you didn’t have
much in the way of skills. However, you did know a secret.
You knew the location of a powerful artifact called the
Wanion Lamp.
It took months to get there. Moments to kill those who
stood in your way. But you got the artifact, and now you’ve
returned to Satyrine. Thanks to the powers of the lamp,
you can hold your own and even start to gather the wealth
and influence you have so longed for. No one will stand in
your way. Not the humans. Not the elderbrin. No one.
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Level: 7
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Modifications: +3 deception and stealth
Light of Misfortune: All nearby creatures (other than the
lamp holder) fail at their next action through unlikely
Locals in the Hollows
mischance.
refer to a mysterious Stealing Luck: The light of the lamp allows the theft of
figure living in an luck. Nearby target suffers –1 on all actions, and while
abandoned building
there as “the Bone
that effect lasts, the lamp holder gains +1 on all actions
Librarian.” He (1 rest).
apparently collects all Traits: Resourceful. Clever. Persevering.
variety of bones and
is supposedly building GM Shift: The light of the lamp inflicts 1 Wound
something . . . enormous (through misfortune) on another and heals 1 Wound
and macabre.
of the lamp holder.
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The Nightside
KING OF THE OUBLIETTE

Deep and dark
Damp and cold
Bare and stark
Soul’s been sold
—Chant of the Oubliette
“Welcome to the darkness,” you say.

They reply with harsh invective. They’re angry. They
always are. But they’re also trying to hide their fear.
That’s how it starts. Every time.
“You’re going to learn many things here,” you say.
They don’t reply this time. They usually don’t. Only
the brashest of them do. (The brashest always break the During the War, there
swiftest.) was a play called
Beyond the Yellow
“You’ll gain a new appreciation for the passage of time,” Door that reportedly
you say, just like you always do. “In case it wasn’t made drove everyone who
clear before, you won’t die here. Oh no. This is not a saw it violently,
murderously insane.
place of death. The Pale does not reach here. You’ll spend
The play, performed in
eternity in the dark. You’ll find no pleasure here. No the Isabelline Theater
warmth or solace. Just an existence of loneliness and cold in the Pallindrome, was
that never ends.” never staged again.
You can see it in their eyes, down there in the dark,

where no normal eyes function. The depth of their
situation is sinking in. Their shoulders slump. Their face
falls. They always do.
“Eventually, you’ll go mad. At that point—well, we’ll
discuss that when the time comes.”
The clanking of chains echoes off the wet stone walls
as they are lowered into the pit that will be their home for
centuries, if not longer.
They scream in protest. They beg. They bargain. They
always do.
You are the master of this place, as you always have
been. This place has no name, yet you rule here. Few,
you expect, would ever think that the most formidable
prison in the Actuality lies in the Nightside of Green. A
corruption of the lifegiving power of the Green Sun keeps
the prisoners here from dying, for dying is a form of
escape. And no one escapes. No one.
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Level: 10
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (three successes); +3 Withstand and
Resist
Modifications: +2 perception
Seize: Stone hands reach out from the ground (or any
surface with earth or stone) and grasp a nearby target,
holding them fast.
Imprison: A victim held by the hands of Seize is
swallowed by the earth entirely, held in a tiny cell
underground.
Wring Despair: Inflict 3 Anguish on a target by touch.
Spiked Hooves: Inflict 12 points of damage.
Traits: Patient. Content. Merciless.
GM Shift: Drawing power from the earth, the king heals
all Injuries and Wounds.
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The Nightside
MASTER ACCIPITRARY SEJNUS

KADASHMAN-TURGU
In Shadow, you proudly bore the title Master Falconer.
You and your birds were one, a single mind of hawk and
hunt.
Here, your hunters are not birds, but demons. You
find them in the wild, alone and searching for something
they cannot name. They think it is a soul they seek,
but you know that other things will fill that hole just as
well. So you gather them and train them, one by one,
painstakingly teaching them the ways of the hunt. They
imprint on you, in ways that birds never did, treating you
as family, friend, feeder, home.
Of course, not all demons can be trained. You’ve had
failures. Those who will not come back. Those who will
not hunt. Those who anger against you, believing you
to be their captor, their keeper. But those who can be
trained . . . oh. You’ve learned to choose more wisely, to
look for the ones who will truly join you in the hunt.
To hunt with demons is to live fully. From Shadow,
you remember the whoosh of wings, the caw of your
birds overhead, the jingle of the bells. Good sounds, but
sounds nonetheless. Demons? Demons on the hunt can
be silent. So silent they pull sound into them, deafen
the world. There is no greater joy than standing among
them, feeling the pull of their desire and excitement. You
make the sign—you, too, have learned to be silent among
them—and they are gone. Sometimes the hunt takes
hours, days. Sometimes moments. Sometimes, even, your
hunters slip through time and come back before they
began.
Lately, you have begun to lose members of your flock.
They fly away on the hunt, and only some return. Those
who do are disconcerted, distraught. They can’t remember
what happened to the others.
You know they are not leaving by choice—you and
your demons are one, a single mind of decimation and
destruction. Someone or something is snatching them.
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of the Nightside
The thought of them being caught, hurt, possibly even
killed rends you with panic and ache. You must find out
what’s happening to them.
You had rivals in Shadow, sure. Other Falconers who
wished to bring you down or rise above you. But here?
What have you done here that would cause someone to
come for the thing you love most dear? You will find out.
You will find them. And then you and your flock will hunt
A vampire named
them down. Silent. Swift. Screaming.
Himari resides on the Level: 8
Nightside of Indigo. Injuries:
She is both vampire
and vislae, and she Wounds:
has conceived of a Anguish:
variety of spells that Defenses: +3 Dodge, +2 Resist
enhance and enable her
unique qualities and Armor: +2
overcome her inherent Modifications: +4 interactions with demons, +2
weaknesses. Vampiric
perception
vislae are rare, but
those few that do exist Demons: Rather than treat the demons as separate
seek her wisdom and entities, they are part of their master, granting abilities.
knowledge.
Loose the Flock: Demons strike all faraway foes, each
inflicting 3 points of damage.
Target Focus: Demons all strike a single faraway foe,
inflicting 10 points of damage.
Scarf the Eye: Calm one foe to the point where they no
longer believe they are in danger and will not attempt
to defend themselves or take a hostile action (1 rest).
Angel Posture: Demons form a protective ring around the
specified being for one round, providing +4 Armor.
Traits: Focused. Protective. Driven.
GM Shift: One or more demons of the flock have
unique abilities that they use against foes at the most
inopportune time.
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The Nightside
ORGOSE
You are neither demon nor deity, although most
disbelieve that to be the case. Are you mortal still? What
exactly are the boundaries of that label? You’re not sure,
and perhaps it doesn’t matter. You were mortal, a vislae
who walked the Nightside Path. Delving deep—too
deep?—into forbidden lore, the secrets you learned and
the magic you mastered changed you.
You’ve discovered that will is a thing that can be shaped,
manipulated, and shared. It’s perhaps the most efficient
way to get what you want. Forcing others to give you what
you need or do your work for you. Other people are all the
tools you need.
The only thing that ties you to your former life as a
mortal vislae, you are loath to admit, is your love for a
woman named Valaine. You knew her when you lived in Valaine, page 180
Satyrine, and she rejected you. She wanted a child, and
you had no interest in being a parent. Bringing another
life into the world seemed profoundly . . . pointless to
you. So she left, and you haven’t seen her since. That
was decades ago. You’ve no idea where she is or what
happened to her, but you need to find her. With this
oh-so-mortal, oh-so-mundane condition still lingering
within you, this “love,” you can’t move on to whatever you
are truly destined to become. God? Demon? Maybe there
is no word for it.
So you need to find her. You won’t be able to control
her; you know that your weakness means such magic
won’t affect her. But you can kill her. And how hard will
that be, really? She’s just a mortal, after all.
Due to your now-inherent magical nature, at all times,
the area surrounding you loses all color, becoming black
and white, with shades of grey. The only exception is the
blood-red amulet at your throat. The amulet grants you
some of your power but, more important, it holds your
essence. As long as it survives, you survive. Your material
form might be utterly destroyed, but as long as the amulet
remains, you can reform a new body.
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of the Nightside
Level: 9
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes); +2 Dodge and Resist
Modifications: +3 command and suggestion, +2 deception
Grant Life to Emotion: Touch a being, and their
predominant emotion transforms into a level 4
creature that literally pulls its way out of them
through their mouth. The target suffers 1 Wound
and 2 Anguish and can no longer feel that particular
emotion. Further, the emotion creature obeys the
commands of Orgose.
Control Minds: Control the actions of a touched target
(2 rests).
Fade From Sight: Disappear and remain unseen until the
sun next rises.
Reform: If killed, will reform in a new body identical to
the original within one week, as long as the amulet
exists.
Traits: Manipulative. Practical. Harsh.
GM Shift: A mind-controlled NPC intervenes.
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The Nightside
TIPHANIE CAI
You are a member of the Silent Watch. Which, of course,
does not exist. It doesn’t see things. Or know things. Or
use those things in nefarious ways to move mountains,
mount wars, and destroy half-worlds. Of course not.
Most people know you as Tiph, the owner of The Sun
of All Seasons, a small store in the Brickhouse District,
where you sell flowers, mostly, as well as candles, vases,
and the types of knick-knacks that only people with paid
cleaners ever purchase. The store is a hollow tree with a
giant eye in its trunk. The eye and the tree have nothing
to do with the Silent Watch, although you can understand
why someone might think otherwise.
The flowers, candles, vases, and knick-knacks, on the
other hand? They are your true work for the Silent Watch.
You send each customer off with a gracious smile and a
watching stalk, a listening pistil, a passel of tiny insects,
a recording flame. Sometimes the secrets start coming
back before the customer is even out the door. Who knew
how many people talk to the items they purchase? Or to
themselves?
Even you don’t know who the Silent Watch really is, or
what they do with the information they glean. Other than,
obviously, blackmail. Which you know since that’s how
you came to work for them. You wonder some days. Was
it the sweet-smelling rose on a date that changed your
life? A candlelit dinner in a posh restaurant? A gift from
a former coworker? Or something unimaginable that
caught the essence of what you’d been doing with T—and
sent it along to someone, somewhere, to be used against
you? (Although you are grateful that the Silent Watch
truly is silent. They may use your secrets against you, but
they promised that if you said yes to them, they would not
use your secrets against anyone else, and so far they have
been true to their word.)
Honestly, you’re glad to have been caught. Until this,
you’d never found a job that truly seemed to fit you. It was
all flowers and rainbows. Granted, it’s still flowers, but
now it’s flowers with sharp teeth. Or, rather, sharp eyes
and ears.
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of the Nightside
Besides, now you get to know what they know. Of
course, you’re not supposed to listen in. Your contract
with the Silent Watch explicitly states that you will not
THE KEY
interrupt, listen to, share, or block the stream of secrets
Aethyric devices, that wend their way to your shop and into the aethyric
page 185 storage device in your back room. In fact, the stream is
warded against doing that very thing. You, however, have
learned how to glean impossible secrets, even from those
who are doing the gleaning.
So far, you’ve managed to fool even the red-haired
demon who shows up at your store every week to collect
the information for the Watch. In fact, you think they
might be a little bit in love with you. How could they not
be, when you somehow know so much about their most
intimate desires?
And each week you learn more and more about the Silent
Watch too. What you have yet to decide is what to do with
this knowledge. Seek a higher position in their ranks? Set
out to destroy them? Or possibly create their biggest rival
and see how much of the world you can take over?
Secrets, after all, truly do run the world. And those who
hold secrets? They can ruin it.
Level: 7
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: +3 Resist
Modifications: +1 perception; +2 understanding motives,
persuasion, and seeing through deception
Your Secrets Are Mine to Use: Touch a person and learn
one secret that can be turned against them, now or in
the future.
Knowledge Siphon: Touch a person and steal up to three
points of Hidden Knowledge from them, from which
you gain +1 (per point) to all interactions or combat
with them.
Secret and Safe: Immune to effects that attempt to force
you to reveal secrets and effects that erase or alter
memories.
Traits: Sneaky. Driven. Intrusive.
GM Shift: Another member of the Silent Watch appears.
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The Nightside
VALAINE (VAMPIRE)
Ruddy with blood, bloated with power, fierce in force
and body, you’re not like any other vampire you know. So
much so that other vampires turn from you. As if they
were perfect beings of the dark. As if such a thing even
exists.
No matter. You don’t need them, and you certainly don’t
The formerly mortal
fear them. In fact, you sense the reverse might be true. vislae Orgose (page
They would never own up to such a thing, but the way 176) was once the
lover of Valaine. He
they avoid you so avidly, not even baring their teeth but
has decided to find
merely stepping aside, even going so far as to cross the her and kill her to
street, suggests as much. sever all ties with his
previous existence. He
You could hunt them, you suppose. Bring down the has no idea that in the
houses and siblings and solitaries. For a while you intervening years she
believed that eradicating them all would bring you became a very powerful
and unique vampire.
some kind of . . . relief? revenge? Maybe both. You were She, on the other hand,
younger then. barely remembers him
These days, you prefer your own company, and that of and has no idea he
is looking for her.
your growing collection of mirrors. You like the way you
look, reflected. You own your power in these images. You
have lost your eyes, but not your vision. Blood seeps from
your nose and mouth; you lick it constantly. Your muscles
flex of their own accord. The scars from stakes and bullets
and curses riddle your form, reminders of everything
you’ve outlived. A million versions of you, and every one
of them is strong and powerful.
After all this time, your life is missing only one thing:
your desire to have a daughter, a tiny version of yourself.
Someone you can love with your whole heart, and teach,
and raise to be a strong woman in her own right. You
know of other vampires who turn humans and claim
them as their own, but that isn’t what you seek. You want
flesh and blood, a being you carry inside you until she
arrives, smart and strong and yours.
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of the Nightside
Level: 13
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (three successes); +3 Withstand, +3
Resist
Armor: +3
Modifications: +4 strength-related actions, +3 stealth and
perception
Blood Pour: Open a vein and spray your blood at up
to three nearby targets. All creatures touched by
the blood take the form of a large rat (2 rests). Rats
are likely to attack other rats (bite does 2 points of
damage).
Dust to Dust: Transform into a spinning, swirling column
of dust for one round. Any close creature that inhales
the dust takes 5 points of damage and feels weak. They
lose all Physicality bene (although the pool can be
refreshed). While spinning, gain +2 to all defenses.
Puncture: A swift, sharp bite that does 5 damage to your
foe and heals you for 1 Injury or 1 Anguish.
Slash With Claws: 15 points of damage (affects other
vampires as their greatest weakness)
Traits: Confident. Solitary. Powerful.
GM Shift: An unwitting creature appears on the scene,
providing the opportunity to use it to your advantage.
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The Nightside
VENMEER ASTRETHA
You finally got your soul. For so long you counted yourself
THE PATH
among the Empty Ones. But you tricked that foolish Empty Ones, page 26
mortal a few decades back into trading his soul for
something as minor as a cure for his daughter’s disease.
Now he’s dead and his soul is yours! It fills your being and
gives you oh so many new opportunities.
Demon sorcerer. Sorceress? You’re still not sure what
sounds better to you. Not vislae, though. You’ve always
hated that word, as well as every vislae you’ve met.
Arrogant mortal cockroaches—they can all just die. You’ll
show them what real magic is. Magic is actually too good
for them. Like so much, it’s utterly wasted on mortals.
But what can you expect? Life is unfair. Deeply unfair. To
succeed, you’ve got to be resourceful and smart, like you.
You’ve got to make the best of what you have at the start,
and then figure out how to take what you don’t have. And
you’ve done just that.
You’ve been studying spells and magic in your hidden
cave-home on the Nightside of Red. You’ve mostly
practiced with pyromancy because fire seems to come
182
of the Nightside
naturally to you, welling up in your black heart. It’s
so easily loosed into the world to destroy and kill. But
enough study. It’s time to put some of this learning into
practice.
Now traveling the Nightside Path, you’re looking for
more secrets and more power. You’re like an addict with
this soul and what it’s unlocked for you, and you love it.
Unfortunately, you’ve recently learned that a captured soul
lasts for only a short time in the hands of an Empty One
such as yourself. You’ll need to find another soul quickly.
And keep a steady supply for the future as well. You’re
never going back to how you were.
Level: 8
Injuries:
How many? Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (two successes); +2 to all defenses
Modifications: +3 stealth, +2 deception, +1 magical lore
Blackfire: Everyone within a small area, the center of
which is within long distance, suffers 5 damage from a
burst of dark fire.
Burning Clutch: An object you touch, no larger than a
person, is destroyed in black flames.
Fires of Despair: Inflicts 1 Wound and 1 Anguish to a
faraway target.
Smoke and Flame: Disappear in a sulfurous burst and
reappear up to 100 miles (160 km) away.
Shaped Fire: Creates a barrier or other shape made of fire
that fits into a small area. Anything within it suffers 6
damage per round.
Traits: Arrogant. Ruthless. Determined.
GM Shift: Casts two spells at once.
183
The Nightside
VIARA
Some people talk about “daddy issues.” They have no idea.
You don’t share this with anyone, but your father is
none other than the Duke of Demons himself. Your Duke of Demons,
page 70
mother is a truespider. You grew up in the Red, amid
destruction, decay, and pain. That wasn’t for you, and as
THE PATH
soon as you could, you fled and have never returned. Truespider, page 145
You’ve encountered your father a few times in the years
since, and every time he’s made it clear that he doesn’t
respect you or think well of you. Did you disappoint him
somehow? Did he want a different child? Did he want a
child at all?
Whatever the truth, you’ve realized that it doesn’t
matter. You tell yourself that you don’t need his respect or
approval. Is that true, though?
Regardless, you have your own path now. After
wandering the realms of the Actuality for years, you
picked up a number of tricks and, more important,
secrets. Most recently, you stole the secret soul name of
THE PATH
the Cadallish from the Court of Nous and have set up a Cadallish, page 61
safehouse in the Nightside of the Gold Sun. There you
Court of Nous,
sell an elixir made from the liquid secretly drained from page 44
the Cadallish’s brain stem. But even this is just a step in
your larger scheme. Viara’s safehouse,
You’re going to show your father and prove to him that page 149
you are far more than he ever thought. You are going to
rule your own world, even if you have to learn how to
create one to do it. There’s supposedly a way to create a
new half-world, but it will be difficult and you’ll need to
bribe, deceive, or manipulate a lot of people to accomplish
it. Of course, you’ll make enemies along the way, and
you’ve made so many powerful enemies already, so you’d
best be prepared for them as well.
184
of the Nightside
Like your father, you can pass for human, but your flesh
and hair are chalk white, and you prefer to dress all in
various shades of white. You never appear armed, but you
always are.
Level: 11
Injuries:
Wounds:
Anguish:
Defenses: Magic (three successes); +2 Dodge, +4 Resist
Modifications: +4 deception and persuasion, +3 stealth, +2
magical knowledge
Reflection: Any attack, spell, or ability of level 9 or less is
reflected back at the attacker.
Steal Magic: Cast a spell known to a nearby vislae (who
loses the ability to cast it until the sun next sets).
Teleport: Teleport herself or another nearby target (willing
or not) up to a very faraway distance.
Influence: Force a nearby target to do as you ask as a
single action that either is their next action or is keyed
to a circumstance you specify. (“When you next see a
sharp blade, cut yourself with it.”)
Backstab: Produce a concealed blade and inflict 12 points
of damage.
Poison: Poison blades, food or drink, or any surface with
any of the following effects:
✦ Inflict 1 Wound
✦ Cause confusion and an inability to act (1 rest)
✦ Cause target to fall in love with her and do as she says
(2 rests)
Traits: Devious. Seductive. Charming.
GM Shift: A demon or other ally arrives to help.
185
The Nightside
THE DARK TRINITY
186
Appendix: Nightside
Practices From Other Products
APPENDIX: NIGHTSIDE
PRACTICES FROM OTHER
PRODUCTS
T
he following magical practices from the Black Cube and Book M
can be considered Nightside practices just like those found in this
book. These lists are not definitive because the Nightside depends
on intention and context—it’s not a black-and-white distinction. For example,
some of the listed practices can be used in different ways (an effect might
summon a demon or an angel, for instance). A practice is considered a
Nightside practice only if it is learned to be used in a Nightside manner
(summoning a demon).
SPELLS
BLACK CUBE GENERAL SPELLS

✦ Bleeding Darkness ✦ Mute Accord
✦ Cardiophagy ✦ Nightmare Weather
✦ Carious Touch ✦ Perfidious Assault
✦ A Curse of Feathers ✦ Self-Mutilation
✦ Demonshriek ✦ Sleep of the Damned
✦ Empery ✦ Soul Compulsion
✦ Execration ✦ Soul Rider
✦ Eye of Immanis ✦ Soul Thief
✦ Glare of Enmity ✦ Stir the Dead
✦ Hemakinesis ✦ Summoned Sycophant
✦ Ineffable Thought ✦ Swarmblood
✦ Infuse Remains ✦ Unwholesome Aliment
✦ Kaleidoscope Void ✦ Vitiferous Curse
✦ Ktheris’s Fusion ✦ Voraginous Sphere
✦ Marionette ✦ Wake the Dead
✦ Midnight’s Occupation ✦ Wings of Fear
✦ Mortiferum
187
The Nightside
BLACK CUBE VANCE ALPHA SPELLS

✦ Pallent’s Mouthpiece
BLACK CUBE VANCE BETA SPELLS

✦ Aothrasal’s Vaporous Coercion ✦ In the Grip of the Darkening Beast
BOOK M GENERAL SPELLS

✦ Bound Entity ✦ The Unquiet Soul
✦ Chaotic Infection ✦ The Worst End
✦ Demonic Porter ✦ Xenotopia
✦ Sable Soul
EPHEMERA OBJECTS
BLACK CUBE EPHEMERA OBJECTS

✦ Bonedeath ✦ Existence Antidote
✦ Complex Tongue ✦ Inverse Philtre
✦ Damning Oil ✦ Miasma Mark
✦ Death’s Exchange ✦ Nefandous
✦ Demoniac Porter ✦ Rotting Bomb
✦ Diablerie
BOOK M EPHEMERA OBJECTS

✦ Deliberate Tentacle ✦ Infernal Contract
✦ Elixir of Night ✦ Maculation Poison
✦ Ferocient Smile ✦ Slivered Cacophony
INCANTATIONS
BLACK CUBE INCANTATIONS

✦ Anger Hates Itself Most of All ✦ Heaven and Earth Shall Pass
✦ Blood’s Voice Sings a Song of Pain Away
✦ The Bonds of the Flesh Free the ✦ Lost in a Place Beyond the Map
Mind ✦ The Narcotic of Sin
✦ A Dark God Hungers ✦ The Sound of Talons
✦ Draining the Essence of a Soul ✦ Terrible Is This Place
✦ The Festering Growth of Death ✦ The Weight of Ghosts
✦ From Deep in the Cave of ✦ The West Opened and Death
Dezd-Urbat Rode Out
✦ The Gallows Bring Unjust Justice ✦ When Joy Becomes Dust
188
Appendix: Nightside
BOOK M INCANTATIONS
✦ All That Fell From Heaven While ✦ But Now That My Grave Is
You Looked Away Honored, Friends
✦ Revenge Songs of Pinioned Angels
OBJECTS OF POWER
BLACK CUBE OBJECTS OF POWER

✦ Blood Boots ✦ The Omega Curse Stone
✦ The Devil’s Ring ✦ Sinsuit
✦ Lethiferous Brand ✦ A Stone Called Murder
✦ Mask of Eyes ✦ Taming Chain
✦ Offering Knife ✦ Murderer’s Gloves (kindled)
BOOK M OBJECTS OF POWER

✦ Riven Speaker
SECRETS
BLACK CUBE CHARACTER SECRETS

✦ Antigram ✦ Invoke the Name
✦ Conjurer ✦ Midnight Sorcerer
✦ Defensive Dreaming ✦ Pale Seeds
✦ Face Theft ✦ Servant of the Dark
✦ Idea Theft ✦ Soul Investiture
BOOK M CHARACTER SECRETS

✦ Appease the Devil ✦ Murder Magic
✦ Darkeye ✦ Thief of Power
✦ Instauration
BLACK CUBE HOUSE SECRETS

✦ Portrait Spirit ✦ Yes Room
BOOK M CHANGERY SECRETS

✦ Shared Space
189
The Nightside
LONG-FORM MAGIC
BLACK CUBE LONG-FORM MAGIC

✦ Conjure Devil ✦ Reach Into Chaos
✦ Conjure the Dead ✦ Scream Into the Void
✦ Consecrated Intention ✦ Summon Demon
✦ Exacting Geometry ✦ Summon Conceptual Spirit
✦ Flesh for Knowledge ✦ Understanding Through Torment
✦ Moritat
BOOK M LONG-FORM MAGIC

✦ Demonic Servitor ✦ Garden of Grim
✦ Demonic Warriors
RITUALS
BLACK CUBE RITUALS

✦ Bounded Entity Rite ✦ Ritual of the Black Cube
✦ Curse Tablet ✦ Sacrificial Rite
✦ Entombing Rite ✦ Siphon Power Rite
BOOK M RITUALS
✦ Harness the M Current
✦ Morrow’s Thief
✦ Pale Tattoo Rite
✦ Red Tattoo Rite
✦ Ruinrite
190
Appendix: Nightside
IENU, ANGEL OF EXECUTIONS
191
The Nightside
CREDITS
DESIGNER Monte Cook

ADDITIONAL WRITING Shanna Germain
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE Sean K. Reynolds and Bear Weiter
MANAGING EDITOR Shanna Germain
EDITOR/PROOFREADER Ray Vallese
ART DIRECTOR Bear Weiter
ARTISTS
Biagio D’Alessandro, Sarah Dahlinger, Michele Giorgi, Doruk Gölcü,
Aldo Katayanagi, Eric Lofgren, Raph Lomotan, Irina Nordsol, Angelo Peluso,
Roberto Pitturru, Maichol Quinto, Martin de Diego Sádaba, David Seidman,
Zoa Smalley, Matt Stawicki, Bear Weiter
The Nightside is a supplement for Invisible Sun.

You need the Invisible Sun Black Cube to play.
© 2020 Monte Cook Games, LLC. INVISIBLE SUN and its logo are trademarks of Monte Cook
Games, LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries.
All Monte Cook Games characters and character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are
trademarks of Monte Cook Games, LLC.
Printed in Canada
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THE NIGHTSIDE

Walking the Nightside ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 4

Other Magical Practices ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 76

Character and House Secrets ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 110

Locations on the Nightside Path ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 134

Creatures and Beings of the Nightside ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ 152

Appendix: Nightside Practices From Other Products ✦ ✦ ✦ 187

WALKING THE NIGHTSIDE

Of white magic and black magic (though no vislae would

particular to an order, a gender, or a group. Nightside

USING THE NIGHTSIDE

EXPLORING DARK THEMES

That said, it may be that the group—the players and the

APPROPRIATENESS AND CONSENT

ELEMENTS OF THE NIGHTSIDE

TEMPTATION AND CORRUPTION

T he sign read “Nightside Path” with an arrow

When considering the Nightside Path, the darker

DRAWING THE ATTENTION

HARNESSING THE FORBIDDEN

without losing it, essentially retaining it so that it can be

✦ Demonic demolishing crew

Demonic Laborers Demonic contractors working on a long-term project

DIABOLIC RETICULA Build the Matrix, page

them to create permanent Demonic Tap, page 92

The following are a few examples of combined

THE BESPOKE SUMMONING

THE BOUND SPIRIT Bounded Entity Rite,

CALL OF THE FLAME

3 levels higher than what would normally be conjured.

DEVIL TRAP THE WAY

a demon or similarly evil spirit, it is held twice as long

THE ELDER EVIL EYE

Safeguard the Secret, QUINTESSENCE OF PRIVACY

SAMPLE CURSES BY LEVEL

✦ –1 on next perception task

✦ Suffers 1 point of damage whenever a certain word is

until the sun sets

✦ Moves at half speed

✦ Dreamer’s dreams are visible over their head while

whenever they lie

✦ One important memory vanishes

✦ Cannot remember own name

✦ Offensive spells deal half damage

✦ Divination spells do not function

✦ Soul is trapped in a specific object when they die

✦ Turns into a mouse until the sun next sets

LEVEL 6 Rumors suggest that

✦ Imprisoned in a specific, confined space on the same

✦ Turns into a donkey

✦ First magic die used in an action always counts as

✦ House crumbles to dust

✦ Cannot be affected by helpful magical effects

✦ Suffers 3 Anguish whenever a specific action is taken

✦ Attacked by a level 7 demon each night

T he man reeked of death. His jaundiced flesh

USING FORTE ABILITIES

level than ever before that involves nothingness or

Path to Despair: The following events are likely to cause

survive or succeed at something important.

REJECT THE IDEA

REJECT THE MADNESS

KILL THE LIE

EAT THE LIGHT