Brewist Tabletop Games

in collaboration with

Bogus Cheesecake

HELLWHALERS | C ontents | 2
Contents
Introduction 5 Characters 28

Setting Up 5 » The Captain  28

» Components and Requirements 5 » The Crew 29

» Player Principles 5 Blessings & Curses 31

» Guide Principles 5 » Boons 31

Themes and Safety 6 » Curses 31

» C.A.T.S. 6 Clues & Lore 32

» Subject Matter 6 » The Songstress of Hell 32

» Safety Tools 6 » The Sunken Treasure 33
Gameplay 8 » The Betrayal of Hunger  34

» Example Flow of Play 8 » The Ardent Prayer  35

Hell 10 » The Molded Clay 36

» The Angelfinger Compass 37
» The Stygian Sea  10
» The Skeleton Man 38
» Hellish Locales 10
» The Flenser’s Tale 39
Character Creation 12
» Mother of Monsters 40
» The Guilty 13
» Crafting your own Lore 41
» The Weary 14
» Items Littering the Stygian Sea 43
» The Greedy 15
The Hellwhale Encounter 44
» The Hot Tempered 16
Epilogues 46
» The Pious 17
» The Haunted 18 » Shooting Stars  47

Souls 19 » New Lords of Hell 48

» The Long Wait 49
Knots 19
» Pandæmonium 50
The Ship 20
» A Toast 51
The Hellwhale’s Heart 22
» You Made It 52
Gambling & The Devil’s Board 23 Afterwords 53
Fishing 26 » Credits 55

HELLWHALERS | C ontents | 3
The Bargain
You’ve lived a sinner’s life. Now you’ve died a sinner’s death. Cruel,
cruel fate has cast you down to the wretched belly of the Earth. As
your soul is mired with the burdens of your lived life, you begin
to sink deeper, drowning. But before you give up, you’re fished
from the briny depths of Hell’s oceans. A figure stands above you,
and reaches down a knotted hand. As you cough and sputter the
saltwater from your lungs, the figure calls himself your captain,
and explains the deal. Here upon the seas of Hell, a Hellwhale is
said to be so unholy that slaying such a beast can earn you a place
back in God’s grace. And the captain has somethin’ that’ll help find
one, but he needs a crew. That’s you.
Introduction
Yer a cursed whaler . Sent to Hell
your misdeeds , ye now troll the stygian
sea , hunting yer quarry , the dreaded
Hellwhale. The captain says that if ye
can feast upon the whale ’ s putrid flesh ,
ye might break the curse and find a
more peaceful afterlife . The terrible
leviathan worms through the lightless
depths of the vast and frightful ocean ,
forever drawn to the echoes of its own
beating heart . It may be the only way to
find the infernal seabeast , break the
curse , and end yer immortal suffering .
In HELLWHALERS, players take the role of
cursed whalers, hunting a monstrous whale
through Hell for salvation of their eternal
souls. This game is suitable for 2-5 players
and a Guide.
If you’re playing with just 2 players and a
Guide, give each player an extra scene or
move during each encounter’s round.
Setting Up
Components and Requirements
• 2-5 players, plus one player as the Guide
• 3 six-sided dice
• The Devil’s Board (or any Sic Bo board)
• Character Sheets
• Something to use as tokens, like stones or
coins
• A way to take notes, like paper and pencils
Player Principles
for
As you play, try to let your character embody
each of these:
• Boldness in the Face of Danger, by
engaging foes bravely and with urgency.
• Loyalty to Ship and Captain, by
protecting the vessel from danger and
performing your shiply duties.
• Drive to Save Your Soul, by attempting
to play by the premise of the game and
hunting the whale.
• Cooperation with Your Fellow Whalers,
by working alongside one another, and not
undermining the other players’ moments
to shine.
Guide Principles
As a Guide leading the other players through
the game, keep the following in mind:
Facilitate the engine of the game by tracking
tokens, knots, and events. Allow players to
contribute to the narrative, while keeping
the tone in mind; you’ll be the final arbitrator
of what happens. Ask players questions
about what they theorize about the world,
what they’re doing in a moment, or what
their characters want. Support the players’
journey through Hell, and be an ally in their
quest, even as you conduct the enemies and
obstacles they’re facing.
HELLWHALERS | I ntroductions | 5
Themes and Safety
As with any TTRPG, we recommend the use
of safety tools before and during play. These
ensure the game can be a space for everyone,
by allowing each player the opportunity to
voice any concerns they might have about the
game in a comfortable, nonjudgmental way. A
few of these tools can be found here.
C.A.T.S.
C.A.T.S. stands for Concept, Aim, Tone,
Subject Matter. It’s a tool for understanding
a game better and working with the intended
experience in mind.
Concept - On the surface, this game is about
whalers cast to Hell, hunting the darkened
sea for an accursed whale that can save their
souls. On a more metaphorical level, this is a
game about religious trauma and finding the
means to save yourself.
Aim - To tell a story of salty bastards
attempting redemption through the only
means they’re given. This game is intended to
depict moments of humanity and camaraderie
between flawed characters on a dark path.
Tone - Grim hope, determination, and drive,
interspersed with moments of horrific
revelations. Our whalers are antiheroes,
deeply ingrained with flaws, authenticity,
and a conviction of purpose. There may be
times where the tone shifts slightly to a more
humorous bent. This is perfectly okay! It
shouldn’t dominate the narrative, but allowing
whalers to be human is what makes the story
come to life.
HELLWHALERS | I ntroductions | 6
Subject Matter
Religious horror, gambling, deep water,
violence, animal cruelty, body horror, trauma,
self harm, references to suicide and other,
similar themes are present in the text. We
can’t guarantee you’ll be comfortable with
everything in this text, but remember that
none of it needs to be in your game. You can
pick and choose what you’re playing with, and
what you’re omitting. We recommend a brief
scan of the storylines and epilogues by the
Guide or someone they trust who can handle
intense or disturbing text.
Safety Tools
Some other safety techniques include the X
Card, by John Stavropoulos, and Lines & Veils,
by Ron Edwards. The Traffic Light system, by
Peter Malmberg, is also a good substitute or
addition to these tools. Discuss what people
are most comfortable with at your table. Clear
communication is always your most important
safety tool.
X Card
To use the X Card, place an index card with
an X drawn across it in the center of the
table. If someone feels uncomfortable for any
reason, they have the group’s permission to
indicate the card by tapping or holding it up.
The discomforting content can be skipped,
retconned, or otherwise changed as needed.
This should always be done without judgment.
We also recommend a short break to re-center
everyone. Grab a glass of water and take a
breath before resuming play.
Lines & Veils
To use Lines & Veils, players submit content
they feel they do not wish to see in the game.
Veils are subjects that are okay to exist
within the world of the game, but should
not be directly focused on or brought up
with any emphasis. They should only occur
‘offscreen’. Lines are content that a player or
the guide does not want to feature in the game
whatsoever. They’re to be avoided entirely.
If a circumstance of the game conflicts with
a line or veil, always defer to the line or veil
over the game. Don’t pressure someone to feel
uncomfortable.
Traffic Lights
To use Traffic Lights, you’ll need an indication
for three colors: Green, Yellow, and Red. These
could be cards, verbal use of the colors, or
other gestures. Green is a signal that means
you’re enjoying the direction of a part of
the game, and may even want to explore it
more. Yellow means you’re hesitant about the
content potentially being uncomfortable, and
would prefer the content move away from the
current subject. Red indicates you want a
complete stop of the content. It has made you
uncomfortable and you’d like to take a quick
break. Red and Yellow always overrules Green.
Red also always overrules Yellow.
Gameplay
Example Flow of Play
Kim, playing Jezebel, the Pious Nolan - “It looks like you’ve bumped into a
crate, floating in the water.”
Eric, playing Peter, the Hot Tempered
Kim - “Jezebel’s gonna ask Peter for help.”
Anthony, playing Isaiah, the Weary
Eric - “Peter helps! Do I need to spend a soul?”
Nolan, playing the Guide and the Captain
Nolan - “No. This is a straightforward task
Nolan - “You awake, as often, to the infernal
without much interest to gain from failing it.
screaming of countless demons and the vast
Let’s just say you haul it up.”
inky blackness filling the skies. How do your
whalers start their day?” Anthony - “Isaiah’s up now, and is gonna
wander over to the crate as well.”
Eric - “Peter is yelling at Isaiah to wake up,
once he realizes you haven’t made breakfast. Eric - “Peter’s gonna ruin morale with his
You’re the cook, after all.” words. He’s gonna start yelling at Isaiah to go
make breakfast.” Nolan tosses Eric a token.
Anthony - “Ooh. Should I take a soul to shirk
my responsibility? I think I will. Isaiah isn’t Kim - “I wanna know what’s in the crate!”
gonna answer the door.” Nolan hands Anthony
Nolan - “You pry it open. Inside is some
a token.
cured meat. Enough for several days worth of
Eric - “Peter is gonna grumble off and go rations! However…”
check the rigging.”
Anthony - “Uh oh.”
Nolan - “In the darkness, there’s a thump
Nolan - “As you look at it hungrily, the doors
against the bow of the ship. It sounded like
to the captain’s cabin flys open. The captain,
your ship hit something, but softly.”
illuminated by the lamplights, hobbles toward
Kim - “I wanna check the front of the ship.” the crate. He looks pissed.”

HELLWHALERS | G ameplay | 8
Kim - “Crap. Jezebel is gonna make a sign
of the cross, and address the captain. ‘Aye,
captain! We got some food from this crate we
pulled up.’”
The party continues their roleplay, collecting
a few tokens, until later, when Nolan describes
the next event.
Nolan - “Amidst the din of demonic screeching,
you hear a different sound for a moment.
Faint, but unmistakable. It’s a seagull’s cry.”
Kim - “Hm. Seems strange. I’ll climb up to the
crow’s nest and try to shine our spotlight.”
Nolan - “Kim, Jezebel gets to the top, and
hears more of them. A lot more.”
Eric - “Oh no.”
Nolan - “The gulls swoop down and begin
pecking and tearing at Jezebel’s flesh.” Nolan
marks the ‘C’ on the word CLAIMED
Kim - “I’m out of souls, so I guess I’ll just
gain one by asking why God has forsaken
us. Except I’m probably screaming it.” Nolan
laughs and tosses Kim a token
Anthony - “I’m gonna spend a soul to lead by
example and draw my cutlass.” Nolan marks 1
soul spent on the knot
Eric - I’m gonna spend a soul to fight with
everything I’ve got. I’m gonna follow Isaiah’s
lead and swing a cutlass at them.” Nolan
marks a second soul spent on the knot.
Nolan - You both drive off quite a few of the
gulls, but they’re still dive bombing and
pecking at you all. Nolan marks an ‘L’ on the
word CLAIMED
Kim - “I’m gonna spend my soul! To strike with
righteous fervor!” Nolan marks a third soul on
the knot
Eric - “I think I’m gonna have Peter strike like
lightning, spending one more soul.” Nolan
marks the fourth soul on the knot, clearing it
Nolan - Rolls a d6, getting a 5 “Alright. Eric,
you can distribute 3 Souls. The seagull flock
is driven off by your efforts. The deck is just
covered in droppings and dead seagulls.
Eric - “Captain’s not gonna like that. Better
clean up.”
HELLWHALERS | G ameplay | 9
Hell
“The path to paradise begins in hell .”
– Dante Alighieri, Inferno
The Stygian Sea
A near-infinitely vast underworld body of
salted water. The water is clammy, oily, and
dark. Any sailor cast overboard won’t last long.
The ship you crew is one of the rare few upon
its surface, but not the only one. It is eternally
night upon the devil’s ocean. Most times, your
lamplights and candles yawn weakly outward
into the vast inky blackness of a limitless
night. At others, there are chaotically blinding
lights, or streaks of flame roiling through
the sky. The eternal din of countless winged
demons shriek overhead at any hour. Time
passes strangely here, but you’ll find your
old grandfather clock, woozy from the ship’s
nauseating pitch, keeps the next midnight
ever on your mind.
HELLWHALERS | H ell | 10
Hellish Locales
1. Cilfertrix’s Cove - The home of a middling
devil, made of sculpted bone and flesh -
will trade significant sums of souls for a
living person.
2. Chambers of the Contrite - A floating
collection of ships bolted together,
serving as the home of a god-worshiping
repentance cult, potentially hazardous to
those not seeking forgiveness in Hell.
3. Prison of the Watchers - A gigantic
onyx safe just below the water’s surface,
bound in chains and inscribed with
ancient decrees. Opening the safe causes
it to disappear in a flash of energy, and
provides a piece of lore to the sailors.
4. Marooner’s Isle - A tiny sandy islet, naught
but 40 paces across each way. A human
skull sits upon the center, with a bullet
hole across the temples. A rusted empty
pistol lies half-buried beside it. A palm
tree bears a singular coconut. The coconut
provides 1 ration.
5. The Mural of Folly - A massive sheer stone
cliff, upon which are drawn scenes from
the war in Heaven. Entoning repentance at
this locale may generate a number of souls.
6. The Fountain of Lazarus - An unblemished
ceramic fountain of roman design jutting
up from the ocean. Upon the first visit,
provides a sparse number of rations and
unmarks all Crew Harm.
7. The Sieve of the Needle - An isle formed
exclusively from the gold and material
possessions of the wretched, mounding up
from the ocean’s depths in an ever-growing
heap. Nothing useful can be found here.
8. The Carnifex Infernalis - A butcher’s
barge, where the drowned dead are
dredged from the deep to be fed into an
infernal contraption and turned into cured
meat. - will trade rations for corpses
9. Turrim Doloris, the Tower of Suffering
A massive spire upon the rocks, formed
entirely by the human corpses of those
struggling to escape Hell. A tower of bodies
living and dead, working in desperate
coordination to breach the Heavens. The
top extends far beyond a whaler’s eyes.
Providing individuals to the pile grants a
number of souls. A potential spot for side
characters.
10. Azazel’s Warforge - A space carved into
a sheer rock face, this infernal smithy
is lined with forges fueled by human
suffering and quenched with troughs of
blood. A demon here will create Weapon
supplies in exchange for Souls and raw
materials. If the players have opened the
Prison of the Watchers, a black-winged
angel can be found instead. In such cases,
the angel will bestow 2d6 free Weapon
supplies on each visit.
11. Lucifer’s Landing - A large, descending
waterfall from the edge of the ocean,
cascading into an endless void. Anything
thrown into the water here is lost forever.
Above the pit can be seen a shining crack
across the boundary between Heaven and
Hell.
HELLWHALERS | H ell | 11
Character Creation
Playbooks outline the abilities and
characteristics of your sailor. Each playbook
has a lure which awards players a soul
when the interaction takes place. Playbooks
also include moves which outline actions a
character can use throughout the journey.
While these aren’t the only things that
your character can do, they’ll inform your
character’s core behavior and inform the guide
on how to distribute tokens for your actions.
Once a playbook is selected, answer the
following questions:
• What’s the name for yer whaler? (Name)
• An’ how do we refer to ye? (Pronouns)
• What d’ya look like? (Style)
• What are yer shiply duties?
(Responsibilities)
• An’ how did ye shuffle off the mortal coil?
(Cause of death)
The Guilty

You’re in Hell, and you deserve it.

The people you hurt, the crimes you committed. Each sin weighs on you like an invisible chain,
dragging you to the bottom of this infernal cesspool, where you belong. That’s what you tell yourself,
anyway.

They say good deeds don’t matter in Hell, that repentance is a living man’s gift. Yet, what other
recourse exists within your tortured mind? You accept the lord’s punishment, strive for forgiveness,
and perhaps one dawn your guilt will be absolved.

Lure: When someone affirms that something Strong Moves (-1 Soul)
isn’t your fault, they gain a Soul.
• Indulge in something without shame

Play to Find Out • Let go of a regret

• Seize a moment, and deal with the
Are you worth being saved?
consequences later
Will what you’ve done outweigh what you still
• Accept your mistakes
can do?
• Ask yourself what you need
Can you forgive yourself?
Regular Moves
Inventory
• Put others before yourself
Pick One
• Put yourself before others
• A cilice woven from barbed wire
• Lean on someone for comfort
• A journal, filled with confessions
• Be afraid of making another mistake
• A knife speckled with rusted blood
• Ask “Do I deserve this?”
• A pure gold necklace
• An ornate key Weak Moves (+1 Soul)
• The photograph of a family member • Try to fix something that isn’t yours to fix
• A length of rope • Take the blame
• A metal flask of distilled spirits • Judge your worth by your value to others
• A blindfold from the world of the living • Punish yourself
• Ask “How can I make it up to them?”

HELLWHALERS | C haracter C reation | 13

The Weary

Another day in Hell. Your Hell.

At first, you struggled. The sensation of flesh being torn from your bones and serrated hooks being
run through your intestines hurt for the first several hundred years, but such things dull with time.
All things do.

Things don’t change in Hell. What reason is there to fight? To do anything? You’ve been through
things like this before, and you probably will be again. A new deal, a new bargain. Will anything be
different this time? You doubt it.

Lure: When someone reminds you to rest, they Strong Moves (-1 Soul)
gain a Soul.
• Keep Going, Despite Everything

Play to Find Out • Work Smarter, Not Harder

• Lead by Example
Will you persevere?
• Let an Enjoyable Moment Linger
The importance of rest.
• Ask Someone to Take a Break
How deep does your pool of strength run?

Inventory Regular Moves

• Lean on Someone for Help
Pick Two
• A sprig of nightshade • Speak to Avoid Action

• A blanket • Choose the Easy Way

• The faded photograph of a loved one • Ignore a Criticism

• A wedding ring, split in two • Ask “Who’s Job is This?”

• A washpan Weak Moves (+1 Soul)

• A dulled pickaxe • Shirk a Responsibility
• An empty urn • Overexert Yourself
• A canister of powdered tea • Indulge in Complaining
• A candle, burned down to the nub • Suffer Needlessly
• A walking stick made of fig • Ask “Why Should I?”
• A jar of pickled olives
• An opium pipe of marbled glass

HELLWHALERS | C haracter C reation | 14

The Greedy

Hell isn’t so bad. So long as you know what to do.

Devils torture indiscriminately, and there’s not a shortage of scapegoats here. They say only an evil
man thrives in Hell, but you’re not nearly as bad as the one who put you here.

There’s very few things that are valuable in Hell. But as in life, as in death, and if anything can make
your situation better, you want it. You need it. After all, this is Hell, and no one is going to help you
but you.

Lure: When someone offers something useful Strong Moves (-1 Soul)
to you, they gain a Soul.
• Fight to Protect Your Interests

Play to Find Out • Help Someone by Offering Them Something

of Yours
What you value most.
• Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
What strength lies in protecting your needs.
• Know Your Worth
What will you give up to be free?
• Ask “What do we need right now?”
Inventory
Regular Moves
Pick One
• Appraise Something’s Value
• An abacus of polished wood
• Act in Your Own Best Interest
• A list of debts owed to you from life
• Bargain a Deal
• A small pouch of blood-stained coins
• Take a Bold Risk for the Chance at
• An ornate hourglass Something
• A small set of lockpicking tools • Ask “What do you want most?”
• An iron crowbar
Weak Moves (+1 Soul)
• A quill and ink
• Take What isn’t Yours
• A golden timepiece
• Covet Something Obsessively
• A sack of gold fillings and a pair of pilers
• Blindly Follow the Promise of Reward
• Hold Back to Save a Resource
• Ask “What’s in it for me?”

HELLWHALERS | C haracter C reation | 15

The Hot Tempered

Hell is the flame. The flame is the forge. You are the tool, the red-hot weapon. Your wrath against the
infernal and divine alike permeates every motion you take, every decision you make.

Whose right is it? To put you in the world, to say you failed, to put you in this horrid place? God’s? You
spit on the notion. You will rage against the powers of Heaven and Hell until your wick turns to ash
and the world is smoldering around you.

Lure: When someone stands by your split- Strong Moves (-1 Soul)
second decision, they gain a soul.
• Fight With Everything You’ve Got

Play to Find Out • Make an Important Sacrifice

• Find a Well of Strength You Didn’t Know
Are your instincts true?
You Had
The value of action.
• Strike Like Lightning
How to say what you mean.
• Ask Someone to Act, Now!
Inventory
Pick One
Regular Moves:
• A pipe and tobacco • Make a Snappy Comeback

• A spring-loaded knife • Lash Out At Someone

• The sharpened jawbone of a donkey • Let Your Emotions Get the Best of You

• A drug kit • Be Brave in the Face of Fear

• A pair of broken handcuffs • Ask Someone to Fuck Off

• A brutal and heavy rock Weak Moves (+1 Soul)

• The photograph of a hated acquaintance
• A prosthetic eye made of lead
• A cord whip
• Ruin Morale With Your Words
• Stumble Headfirst into Danger
• Refuse to Change Course
• Foil a Delicate Negotiation
• Ask “Who do you think I am?”

HELLWHALERS | C haracter C reation | 16

The Pious

Prayer strengthens the soul. It guards against suffering and delivers peace. True in life, and true in
death. The balm of the soul brings comfort, even in the torments of eternal damnation.

God is great, and God is just. He provides the means of salvation to his flock, and fervent hope in His
holy name will prevail against the trials of Hell. He sees our struggle and hears our prayers. All is
part of His holy plan.

Lure: When someone reaffirms your moral Strong Moves (-1 Soul)
compass, they gain a soul.
• Strike With Righteous Fervor

Play to Find Out • Avoid a Wicked Temptation

• Divine an Inspired Path
What strength lies in morality.
• Stand Against Evil
Can one be saved through their belief?
• Ask “What is right?”
How to accept being human.

Inventory Regular Moves

• Pray for Guidance
Pick One
• A breviary • Take The High-Road

• A rosary made of hellpearl • Forgive a Transgression

• A small bag of incense and firestarter • Offer a Blessing of Comfort

• A shirt of sackcloth • Ask “How can we know His plan?”

• A feather presumed to be from an angel Weak Moves (+1 Soul)

• A crucifix of scrimshawed bone • Sin, As All Men Do
• A votive candle, burned to the nub • Turn Away From the Light
• A filled wineskin • Take the Easy Way Out
• A miniscule glass vial of holy water • Castigate Yourself or Others for Mortal
Failings
• Ask “Why has He forsaken us?”

HELLWHALERS | C haracter C reation | 17

The Haunted

The human mind has the uncanny ability to remember certain things in precise detail. Yet, for a soul
in Hell, memory is nothing more than another instrument of the Grand Torturer. Like a sponge,
you’ve absorbed horror after horror, a shallow wreck in the face of evil and malice.

You’ve clawed your eyes out, thrown yourself into the ocean, opened your skull against the hard rocks,
all to make it stop. You cannot bear to see more, your will long broken and gone like any sane man.
You would do anything to escape, and when an offer came along to provide you the means of doing
so, what choice did you really have?

Lure: When someone comforts or honors your Strong Moves (-1 Soul)
pain, they gain a soul.
• Break a Cycle

Play to Find Out • Move Forward, Without the Ghosts of the

Past
How to overcome the past.
• Make Nonlinear Progress
Will your demons haunt you forever?
• Take Your Time to Process
Can you hold it together?
• Ask “What do we need to carry on?”
Inventory
Regular Moves
Pick One
• Remember the Past
• A damaged photograph
• Run from Something
• A collection of prayer beads and chains
• Quash your Feelings
• A tome of inhuman language and purpose
• Hold On
• A cloth, bearing the portent of a divine
image • Ask Yourself What You’ve Learned

• A lantern that never seems to go out. Weak Moves (+1 Soul)

• An almost-empty medicine bottle • Try to Forgive
• Earplugs made of beeswax and a woolen • Become Paralyzed with Fear
eyemask
• Channel Your Hurt to Someone Who
• A container of rocksalt Doesn’t Deserve It
• Scrolls bearing ill prophecy in strange • Become Trapped in a Cycle
words
• Ask “Why me?”

HELLWHALERS | C haracter C reation | 18

Souls
“There, pride , avarice , and envy are the
tongues men know and heed , a Babel of
depsair ”– Dante Alighieri, Inferno
Souls are a tradeable commodity in Hell.
They’re a bargaining chip to get things done.
Each Soul was once a mortal being, but after
enough decay in this terrible place, they grind
down to their barest essential form.
Souls are one of the main mechanics and
currencies of the game. Souls are used to
empower your whaler to take the spotlight and
seize a moment. They’re also used to pulse the
Hellwhale’s Heart. Any time your character
shines in a scene, or uses a Strong Move,
spend a Soul. Any time your character does
something vulnerable, or authentic to their
flaws, potentially worsening a problem, or
uses a Weak Move, you can gain a Soul.
Souls can also be gambled on the Devil’s
Board at midnight. More in the Gambling &
the Devil’s Board section.
Knots
Knots represent threats or obstacles. A
Knot has two primary defining features: its
complexity, or how many souls are required
to resolve it, and its consequence, or what
happens as it goes unresolved. These
are marked in the format ([Complexity],
Consequence), such as ([4], Mark one letter
of Seaworthiness). Consequences are usually
recurring, happening every round until the
Knot is resolved.
Every round when a Knot is in play, give
each whaler an opportunity to make a single
meaningful move or action. Souls spent on
actions that help solve the Knot contribute
to its resolution. Some Knots will have
consequences immediately, and some will
allow whalers to act first.
When a Knot becomes resolved, return 1d3
Souls to the Whaler who spent either the
most Souls or the final Soul, that player may
distribute them as they see fit.
Knots also have descriptors, such as hellish,
social, supernatural, or weather. These are
tags that indicate whether they are affected by
some of the boons, effects, and features of Hell.
They have no other intrinsic rules attached to
them.
HELLWHALERS | S ouls & K nots | 19
The Ship
Crew Health
Some Knots may have consequences that
inflict crew harm. To indicate crew harm,
mark a letter on the whalers’ collective
CLAIMED table. At zero letters remaining,
the crew member that is affected by the final
marking has perished. The game is over for
that player. Subsequent markings of letters
when none remain will also be fatal.
Ship’s Seaworthiness
As Knots are introduced, some may
have consequences that affect your
ship’s Seaworthiness. To damage your
Seaworthiness, mark a letter on the collective
WRECKED table. At zero letters remaining,
the ship is sunk, and the game is over. Turn to
the Epilogues section.
C L A I M E D
W R E C K E D
Food Supplies
Meals, Rations, & Fresh Water
Depleted at a rate of 1/character aboard the
ship/day. Can be increased through fishing,
though not indefinitely. Each day without
enough food supply for each character aboard
the vessel marks one Crew Harm. Start your
journey with enough to last 6 days.
Repair Supplies
Wood, Rope, & Caulk
5 restores a point of Seaworthiness to the ship.
Can also be used to solve repair-based Knots in
smaller quantities in place of souls. Start your
journey with 10.
HELLWHALERS | T he S hip | 20
Weapon Supplies
Harpoons, Powder, & Cannonballs
Can be spent in place of souls in knots that
require combat. Used in the final encounter
with the whale. Start your journey with 20.
Falling Overboard
Sometimes, a whaler or side character will fall
overboard. This creates a new knot. (Physical
Knot [X], The whaler is lost) X should be the
total number of acting player characters in the
game, including the one sent overboard (for
example, if there are 4 players plus the Guide,
this would be a complexity 4 Knot).
Ship Encounters
When hostile ships must be engaged, use
the following combat guide. Create a Knot
with twice X complexity, where X is the total
number of acting player characters in the
game. As a consequence each round, roll a d6,
and consult the table.
Reward: 3d6 Souls, 1d6 each of Weapon, Food,
and Repair Supply.
1. They’re repositioning. Open fire!
2. Incoming cannonfire! (Navigational Knot
[1], 1 damage to Seaworthiness)
3. They’ve hit us directly! (1 damage to
Seaworthiness)
4. A boarding party is coming! (Physical Knot
[3], 1 Crew Harm)
5. They’re looking to ram us! (Navigational
Knot [2], 2 damage to Seaworthiness and
end the encounter, wrecking the hostile
ship)
6. They’re willing to parlay. (Social Knot
[5], if resolved, end the combat without
reward. If declined, resume the combat)
Building Your Ship
Together, choose one or more categories and • The boat rocks to its own cadence, even
name your ship. amidst still waters.
• A feminine name. • The captain’s quarters have thick glass
doors.
• A masculine name.
• There are casks of rum below deck.
• A fierce name.
• Something else. Describe it.
• A name of infamy.
Together, choose your figurehead.
• A cursed name.
• Another kind of name. • Neptune’s muscular form, trident bearing
forth.
Each player chooses one thing that is true
about the ship. • A sea bass, so vividly carved it appears to be
leaping from the ship.
• Below decks are well insulated.
• A saint, painted white, with holy book in
• The crow’s nest uses a reflected candle as a hand.
spotlight.
• A wicked devilish figure, grinning wide and
• There is a brig, where the unruly are sent toothy.
for punishment.
• An oyster-headed maiden.
• The galley is stocked with a small amount
• A hammerhead shark, silently watching.
of expensive spices.
• Something else. Describe it.
• The sails are dyed black as the encroaching
darkness.
The Hellwhale’s Heart
"For there is no folly of the beast of the
earth which is not infinitely outdone by
the madness of men " – Ishmael, Moby Dick
The only bait suitable for the dreaded monster
of the deep you seek. Once enough souls are
fed through its arteries, the heart will pulse,
and the hellwhale will hear it, no matter
the distance. A horrible and highly coveted
treasure, it is kept locked away in the captain’s
quarters until it is used. Tasting the rotting
muscles of this blackened heart does nothing
to break the curse upon you. Although the
starving and miserable crew has tried before
to make a meal of it, none can stomach its
flavor.
Once you’ve decided on a campaign length,
divide the number of requisite Souls into
thirds. Each third will allow a pulse of the
heart, which may trigger blessings, curses, or
other notable events. As the captain feeds the
Souls into the heart, describe the elaborate
ritualizations that accompany the event. The
thick smoke of incense, the hushed Latin
chants, and a shudder of dread as the heart
beats a single spasm that echoes low across
the seas of Hell. Somewhere, the whale hears
it.

Decide together how long of a journey you’ll

play through. Collect 15-20 Souls for a
single session, 30-50 Souls for a small mini
campaign, or 100+ Souls for longer campaigns.

T’was a hideous deal I struck. A devil’s

bargain that brought me that infernal
organ and this damned vessel. The grisly
devil that I’d met upon that isle was true
to his end, and delivered unto me a fine
ship, and the accursed heart. It sits now,
away from me in my quarters, chained
‘cross its dreadful length. Its arteries and
ventricles suckle and pucker greedily for
the souls of men to be fed into its horrid
chambers like a gruesome tithe box. I pray
each day that the Lord will cast a glance
of mercy at this wretched sinner, and
the deeds I’d done for it can someday be
forgiven.

HELLWHALERS | T he H ellwhale ' s H eart | 22

Gambling & The Devil’s Board
Gambling is how to get enough souls to
activate the Hellwhale’s Heart. Using the
Devil’s Board is no joke, and oftentimes invites
disaster.
At midnight, the whalers gather ‘round the
board to read their fate and try to win some
souls. To simulate this gambling, have players
bet their Souls on a Sic Bo board. Then, roll 3
six-sided dice. If the roll reflects the outcome
on a square the player bet upon, they keep
their bet, and win an amount of souls equal to
the square’s payout value, denoted by 1:N. N
is the payout value. If the dice don’t reflect the
square, the bet is lost.
HELLWHALERS | G ambling & T he D ev il ' s B oard | 23
Betting is done in a single round each night.
Regardless of what the players roll, the
outcome is reflected in the next day’s events.
Consult the Fractured Fate table, using the
total of the three dice as an entry number on
each individual die’s table.
For example, a roll of 2, 3, 4 would foretell
the 9 result on A Simple Knot, An Unexpected
Twist, and An Advanced Knot. Disperse these
events throughout the next day’s roleplay,
allowing some downtime between them to fish,
roleplay, or repair the ship.
Fractured Fate
Interpreting the Board
Use the individual dice rolls to determine
which tables you pull from, and the sum of all
dice rolls for the entry number.
If doubles or triples of any number are
rolled, omit that table and substitute with
the corresponding individual number on the
doubles or triples table.
1’s - A Sliver of Fortune
6 A tiny isle with resources of some kind.
7 A small cache of souls. +2d6 Souls
8 An item that may come in handy.
9 Precious scraps of edible food. +2d6
Food Supply
10 Enough materials to repair the ship a bit
+2d6 Repair Supply
11 A favorable wind leads you to a hellish
locale.
12 A mystical boon from the depths.
2’s - A Simple Knot
6 Debris in the water. Navigational Knot
[1], 1 Damage to Seaworthiness
7 Still water and dead air. Weather Knot
[1], -1 Food Supply
8 A squabble amongst the crew. Social
Knot [1], 1 Crew Harm
9 Uneasy, choppy water. Weather Knot [1],
1 Crew Harm
10 A dense and eerie fog. Weather Knot [1],
1 Damage to Seaworthiness
11 Persistently unpleasant and chilly rain.
Weather Knot [1], 1 Crew Harm
12 A slow leak. Physical Knot [1], 1
Seaworthiness
13 Pests aboard the ship. Creature Knot
[1], 1 Crew Harm
HELLWHALERS | G ambling & T he D ev il ' s B oard | 24
3’s - An Unexpected Twist
6 A small, makeshift settlement.
7 An unstable island.
8 The captain flies into one of his moods.
9 Another ship, whose intent is unknown.
10 A sighting of the hellwhale.
11 A clue or piece of lore.
12 Either a new crew member joins, or an
existing one is lost.
13 A flash of memories from your mortal
life.
14 Strange, cyclopean structures, jutting
from the sea.
4’s - An Advanced Knot
7 A mutiny is brewing. Social Knot [3], 1
Crew Harm
8 A black reef of razor sharp corals.
Navigational Knot [2], 1 damage to
Seaworthiness
9 A winged demon alights upon the ship’s
deck, demanding cruel entertainment.
Supernatural Knot [3], 2 Crew Harm
10 A flock of flesh-eating gulls. Immediate
Creature Knot [4], 1 Crew Harm
11 Carrion crabs board the ship en masse.
Creature Knot [4], 1 Crew Harm
12 A strong storm begins to brew. Weather
Knot [3], 1 Damage to Seaworthiness
13 A curious trading vessel is spotted
nearby. Negotiations may be tense.
Social Knot [3], a Hostile Ship
Encounter
14 Another ship is spotted, and it is quickly
sinking. Navigational Knot [4], Lose the
treasure and the clue aboard it
15 A small fire has started upon the
ship. Physical Knot [2], 2 Damage to
Seaworthiness
5’s - An Omen
8 The wood of the ship begins to bleed.
9 It begins to rain ash.
10 A ghostly lighthouse in the distance.
11 A comet burns through the sky, lighting
the way for miles in a streak of prismatic
light.
12 A foul smell of rot crosses over the ship.
13 Visions of disaster.
14 A grotesque golden idol is fished up.
15 An ethereal song plays through the dark
and misty air.
6’s - A Hellish Knot
9 The sea is boiling hot in this stretch, and
flames lick the sides of the ship. Physical
Knot [5], 2 Damage to Seaworthiness
10 A storm of epic proportions begins to
manifest. Weather Knot [6], 2 Damage
to Seaworthiness
11 A titan squid has taken hold of the
ship. Creature Knot [7], 1 Damage to
Seaworthiness, 1 Crew Harm
12 A razorshark school is trying to tear
apart the hull. Creature Knot [8], 1
Damage to Seaworthiness
13 A hostile ship. Social Knot [5], a Hostile
Ship Encounter
14 A painful and debilitating illness befalls
some of the crew. Physical Knot [8], 1
Crew Harm
15 Gremlins have taken to infesting the
ship, bringing misfortune. Supernatural
Knot [6], 1 Damage to Seaworthiness
HELLWHALERS | G ambling & T he D ev il ' s B oard | 25
Doubles
1 A supply crate is found floating in the
water. +1d6 to each Supply
2 You come across a demonic merchant
vessel that trades in souls.
3 A stowaway is discovered.
4 A small ship with a fortune teller aboard
it.
5 An enormous albatross harries the
ship. Hellish Creature Knot [6], Drops
a whaler overboard once, then 1 Crew
Harm every consequence after. Killing
the albatross curses the ship.
6 Someone falls overboard.
Triples
1 A hole in the ship has ruined a large
amount of your supply. Valuable items
lost to sea. -1d6 from each Supply
2 The heart begins to calcify. Until it is
pulsed, increase its next cost by 2 souls
each day.
3 A powerful demon pirate appears,
demanding the surrender of all your
souls. Hellish Supernatural Knot [9], 1
Crew Harm
4 Two Hellish Knots: A whirlpool
threatens to sink the ship, and another
ship is attacking. Navigational Knots
[5, 5], 1 Damage to Seaworthiness, a
Hostile Ship Encounter
5 The captain disappears. For good or ill
remains to be seen.
6 The whale is coming with vengeance.
No force in Hell can stop it. The game
will be over within the next day’s events.
Best make your preparations, say your
goodbyes. Whale encounter, but start on
the third table.
Fishing
To feed their crew, every vessel must subsist
on fishing at some point. Most small fish are
barely worth eating - blackened scales, boney
bodies, and of little nutritional import.
Should the whalers decide to cast their nets
and harpoons to the waves for larger prey, roll
a d6 for the day, consult the fishing table, and
consult the stats and table for the relevant
entry. As the beast is hauled aboard, give each
player a chance to make a small scene or take
a reasonable action, dealing 1 HP’s worth of
damage to the creature if the action spent a
Soul or used a Weapon Supply.
1 Devil's Snapper
4 HP | 2 Food Supply
1 It’s gasping and flopping.
2 Leaps onto a nearby whaler, knocking
them over. Knot [1], 1 Crew Harm
3 It flies across the deck with its mighty
leaps, knocking over lamps and
important rigging. Knot [2], 1 Damage
to Seaworthiness
4 It tail slaps a whaler. Disrespectful, but
not dangerous.
5 Its jaws crush into a whaler, and they
begin to hemorrhage blood. Immediate
Knot [2], 1 Crew Harm
6 It escapes over the railing, landing back
in the water.
HELLWHALERS | F ishing | 26
After each player has acted, if the creature
is still alive, roll a d6, and perform the action
from its table result. If the creature’s action
creates a Knot, the whalers cannot harm the
creature any further until the Knot is resolved.
Return to the whaler’s turns and repeat until
the creature is dead or has fled. Once enough
Weapon Supply or Souls have been spent on
the creature to end its life, it can be processed
for the Food Supply listed on its stat line.
2 Gulper Eel
5 HP | 1 Food Supply
1 Its horrible mouth gapes harmlessly.
2 Leaps onto a nearby whaler, knocking
them over. Knot [1], 1 Crew Harm
3 Its long, slippery body thrashes and
writhes. It cannot be damaged this
round.
4 It tail slaps a whaler. Disrespectful,
but not dangerous.
5 Its jaws crush into a whaler, and they
begin to hemorrhage blood. Immediate
Knot [2], 1 Crew Harm
6 It escapes over the railing, landing
back in the water.
3 Hell Serpent
6 HP | 3 Food Supply
1 It twists and coils with baleful rage.
2 It bites a sailor; its venom causes
horrible pain and panicking
hallucinations. Immediate Knot [4], 1
Crew Harm
3 It slips and turns quickly, moving
itself to another part of the ship. Knot
[4], 1 damage to Seaworthiness
4 It churns its horrible body away from
your blows. Knot [1], No consequence
5 It drives its bony headplates into
the wood of the ship. 1 Damage to
Seaworthiness
6 It zigzags its way under the railing
and overboard, never to be seen again.
4 Abyssal Ray
6 HP | 2 Food Supply
1 It flaps its fins and moves its mouthparts
eerily.
2 It lashes out with its stinging tail,
cutting a sailor and inflicting them
with a painful venom that thins the
blood. Immediate Knot [4], 1 Crew
Harm
3 It slams its fins into the wood of the
ship, its powerful weight damaging the
hull. 1 Damage to Seaworthiness
4 It flops and flaps its way onto a sailor,
smothering them with its bulk. Knot
[1], 1 Crew Harm
5 A demonic wind begins to howl, and
the Abyssal Ray takes flight. Knot [4],
the ray escapes
6 It flies overboard in a sudden
movement, diving back to the depths.
5 Razorshark
7 HP | 5 Food Supply
1 It snaps its jaws menacingly.
2 It thrashes violently, serrated skin
threatening injuries. Knot 3, 1 Crew
Harm
3 A vicious bite removes a hand, foot,
or similar from a whaler who strayed
too close. Immediate Knot [2], 1 Crew
Harm
4 It slashes its tail into ropes, wooden
railings, and other valuable pieces of
the ship. 1 Damage to Seaworthiness
5 It throws its weight into a nearby
sailor, nearly knocking them
overboard. Knot [1], Whaler falls
overboard
6 With a powerful motion, it launches
itself back to the sea and escapes.
6 Vampire Squid
7 HP | 4 Food Supply
1 It pulses and spreads its tentacles.
2 Its hooked tentacles dig into a
sailor’s flesh, squeezing and tearing.
Immediate Knot 3, 1 Crew Harm
3 It crushes a poorly aimed weapon. -1
Weapon Supply.
4 It knocks important materials
overboard with a flash of its awful
limbs. -2 Repair Supply, 1 Damage to
Seaworthiness
5 It surges toward a sailor, enveloping
them with its mass, and begins to
strangle them. Knot [5], 1 Crew Harm
6 It claws its way over the deck and plops
back into the sea.
HELLWHALERS | F ishing | 27
Characters
The Captain
He/Him
Perhaps a cursed mortal, as one of you, or maybe Old Scratch himself. It isn’t clear how the
captain came into this ship, or how you’d fallen in to be his crew. But he’s a frightful and wicked
tempered man. Usually locked in his quarters, pouring over charts and maps. Best to lay low
when he makes his rounds.

The Captain’s Playbook

Lure: When someone follows a direct order
from the captain, they gain a soul.

Strong Moves
Use these rarely
• Issue a Direct Order
• Step into Danger Headfirst
• Discipline a Whaler
• Fight With All the Ferocity and Depravity of
the Damned
• Show a Meager Sliver of Mercy or Kindness
The bastards won't leave me alone. It
Normal Moves wasn't enough for them to kill me. Now
Use these as needed they torment my nightmares.
• Reprimand a Whaler for Something They Every night I lay there, metallic taste
May or May Not Have Done
pooling in my mouth, as he stares down at
• Shatter Something With a Display of
me. "You're the reason," he says, fingers
Frightening Temper and Power
at my throat, "you're the only one to
• Inspect the Ship for Irregularities
blame, you sadist."
• Change Course Erratically
The punches keep landing as my
• Exclaim a Loud and Colorful Curse
skull begins to break. Teeth flying. My
Weak Moves men - those who should have been my
Use these as often as feels appropriate
men - standing in audience, jeering and
hollering.
• Rattle the Door of Your Quarters Ominously
• Scribble Furiously Upon a Map or Other Evil. Dictator. Cruel.
Paper One by one their faces twist, distorting
• Cast an Evil Glare into the devils and demons I'll see
• Smoke From Your Pipe tomorrow. This is hell.
• Mumble Gripes and Curses

HELLWHALERS | C rew | 28
The Crew
The ship begins with a skeleton crew of just The Roperigger
the captain and player characters. As the game
Seasoned - Weather Knots require 1 fewer
progresses, certain events may add other
Soul.
characters to the ship’s crew. Most are useful,
but some may carry curses or negative traits. Trait - Roll below.
Keep the effects of a side character mysterious 1. Keen-Eyed - Navigational Knots require 1
for as long as possible. They may allude to fewer Soul.
their trade, or demonstrate their skills with
2. Wasteful - -1 Repair Supply when using
roleplay, but never should the Guide tell the
Repair Supplies.
players what their mechanical effect is.
3. Scholarly - When found, reveal a Clue.
The Crabcatcher 4. Ravenous - Eats in secret. Requires 3 Food
Trawler - Provides 2 Food Supply/Day Supply/Day.
5. Destructive - Every two omens, remove 2
Trait - Roll below.
Repair Supplies.
1. Talented - Provides 1 additional Food
6. Cursed - Physical Knots require an
Supply/Day.
additional Soul to resolve.
2. Haunted - Tells stories each night.
Provides 1 Soul/Day. The Cook
3. Ravenous - Eats in secret. Requires 3 Food Professional - Feeding crew requires 2 fewer
Supply/Day. Food Supply/day.
4. Dangerous - When found, add 2 Weapon Trait - Roll below.
Supply.
1. Efficient - Feeding the crew requires 1
5. Superstitious - After three omens, refuses fewer Food Supply/day.
to trawl.
2. Haunted - Tells stories each night.
6. Cursed - Creature Knots require an Provides 1 Soul/Day.
additional Soul to resolve.
3. Odious - Social Knots require an additional
The Dredger Soul to resolve.
4. Stingy - Feeding crew requires 1d2 more
Oddity - +3 Souls for Odd dice total payouts.
Food Supply/day.
Trait - Roll below.
5. Nervous - Every omen, remove 1 Food
1. Balanced - +3 Soul for Even dice total Supply.
payouts.
6. Cannibalistic - Will ‘convert’ other side
2. Tireless - +1 Repair Supply after Odd dice character crew into 6 Food Supply.
total payouts.
3. Dangerous - When found, add 2 Weapon
Supply.
4. Scholarly - When found, reveal a Clue.
5. Ill-Fated - After five omens, disappears.
6. Barnacled - 3 fewer Souls for payouts (to a
minimum of 0).

HELLWHALERS | C rew | 29
The Chandler The Entertainer
Lightbringer - Gain 1 Soul/day. Charming - Social Knots require 1 fewer Soul.

Trait - Roll below. Trait - Roll below.

1. Magnetic - Gain an additional 1 Soul/day. 1. Quick Witted - Physical Knots require 1
2. Scholarly - When found, reveal a Clue. fewer Soul.

3. Odious - Social Knots require an additional 2. Well-Stocked - When found, gain 4 Food
Soul to resolve. Supply.

4. Wasteful - -1 Repair Supply when using 3. Dangerous - When found, gain 2 Weapon
Repair Supplies. Supply.

5. Doomsayer - Every two omens, gain 3 4. Starving - When found, lose 3 Food Supply.
additional Souls. 5. Hoarder - Every two omens, lose 3 Souls.
6. Gambler - Loses 2 Souls/day. 6. Cursed - Supernatural Knots require 1
additional Soul to resolve.

The Barber
My soul turned from the light of God
Medically Trained - 1d3 chance to unmark one
And my spirit reveled in wickedness. Crew Harm 1/day.
For he had turned his gaze upon the unholy
Trait - Roll below.
nature of his fishermen.
1. Well-Stocked - When found, gain 4 Food
For behold: henceforth, all generations shall Supply.
call me unloved.
2. Scholarly - When found, reveal a Clue.
For his hand is upon me: and holy is his 3. Licensed - When Crew Harm is unmarked,
Name. -1 Soul.
And his forgiveness is on them that know 4. Dangerous - When found, gain 2 Weapon
him: throughout all generations. Supply.
He has shown redemption in his blood: 5. Superstitious - After three omens, refuses
he has cast down the proud into troubled to practice.
waters. 6. Malpracticing - 1d3 chance to mark an
He has plucked the mighty from their eye. additional crew harm when failing to
unmark.
He has exalted the penitent and the
peaceful.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the sated he had sent away empty.
Bestowing his mercy he helped his servant
from Tarshish
As he promised to their forefathers,
Leviathan and his bloodline forever.
– Vituperat Canticle, by Basil Wright

HELLWHALERS | C rew | 30
Blessings & Curses
Boons and curses to potentially be provided
when rolling on the Devil’s Board. Whenever a
significant event happens (new side character,
pulsing the heart, an omen, solving a hellish
knot) the GM rolls a D6. On a 1, the crew is
blessed. On a 6, the crew is cursed. Curse
breaking rituals can be discovered by talking
with side characters. Otherwise, 1d3 days of
study can reveal the method of removal.
Boons
• Boon of the Sea: Fish have 2 less HP in
combat.
» Blessing fades after 3 fish are caught.
• Divine Inspiration: Advanced knots require
1 less soul to resolve.
» Blessing fades after encountering a
hellish knot
• Satiated Hunger: The crew consumes 1 less
food a day.
» Blessing fades after someone actively
takes inventory or remarks about the
blessing.
• Boon of Plenty: Each time a character
would earn one or more souls from the
devil’s board, they earn an additional soul.
» Blessing fades after pulsing the
hellwhale’s heart.
• Ring of Kings: The Seal of Solomon
appears across the woodwork of the ship,
protecting it from harm.
» Blessing fades after preventing 1 damage
to Seaworthiness.
• Asclepius' Shield: An effigy of a snake
appears mounted on the ship’s mast,
warding those who view it from harm.
» Blessing fades after preventing 1 Crew
Harm.
Curses
• Famine of the Seas: fish provide 1 less food
supply each.
» Curse is broken after 2 food is sacrificed,
dumped overboard.
• Curse of Poverty: Characters receive one
fewer soul from resolving knots.
» Curse is broken after successfully
completing a hellish knot.
• Curse of Hatred: the complexity of social
knots is increased by one.
» Curse is broken by having an interaction
that promotes camaraderie.
• Wasting Scurvy: Each day, a new letter on
Crew’s Health is marked.
» Curse is broken by obtaining fresh fruit.
In Hell.
• Demon Fevers: A hellish plague eats away
the muscle of the crew. The complexity of
physical knots is increased by one.
» Curse is broken by eating human flesh.
• Imp Infestation: Snickering imps occupy
the ship. An additional Food supplies
disappears each day.
» Curse is broken by setting out poisoned
food (costs 1 Food supplies).
HELLWHALERS | B lessings & C urses | 31
Clues & Lore
Random tidbits you can use to give players a
sense of discovering more about Hell, or the
predicaments of others. The guide should
choose a storyline to dole out pieces from, and
deliver them in order as appropriate. If players
uncover all six pieces of a story, consider
starting another storyline if your game length
is long enough, or use the player’s theories
around a story to determine which epilogue
feels most appropriate.
The Songstress of Hell
These notes appear written on the back of old sheet music, the ink smeared from blood and
water.
1. “Forsooth, my darling Theodore, for on
these daring seas we sail, me on my vessel
and you on yours, for ageless eons and
many more, I have such sights to regale
you with regarding the utmost current
circumstances of my fate. Heaven has sent
me the waters of relief in the form of a
beautiful muse.”
2. “For whence your disbelief may spread,
I plead you first lend your patience for
the entirety of my story. Dear Theodore, I
have found, of all the priceless treasures
of Hell, the sweetest flower, an enchanting
creature wielding the voice of an angel as a
stake upon which my heart is pierced.”
3. “I will do my best to describe her visage,
that you may conceive the source of my
fever and understand the haste in which I
write to you. Her form is apt for the waters
of Hell, nearly that of a beast, but her keen
mind betrays that of the noblewomen with
whom we often consorted in life.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 32
Storybooks: Lore bits discovered
• The Songstress of Hell, pg. 32
• The Sunken Treasure, pg. 33
• The Betrayal of Hunger, pg. 34
• The Ardent Prayer, pg. 35
• The Molded Clay, pg. 36
• The Angelfinger Compass, pg. 37
• The Skeleton Man, pg. 38
• The Flenser's Tale, pg. 39
• Mother of Monsters, pg. 40
4. “Velvet gills and pearly eyes, the true
comprehension of her base nature yet
eludes me as a sweet secret. I find myself
stealing away in a rowboat during the
sleeping hours to rendezvous with her
company. Together, I compose the warmest
songs that spill from her bluest lips. Her
talent, Theodore, it bewilders the mind!”
5. “Her voice, God bless this sinner, grows
more alluring by the day. She pursues my
knowledge of the musical arts with the
ravenous tenacity of a London schoolgirl. I
find the burning desire in my empty heart
to nurture her talent as though I were still
alive.”
6. “You see, good Theodore, she confides in
me that not all are so tolerant as I, and that
she hopes the good word of song may be
a bridge upon which she can convey her
sweet and kindly nature to passing sailors,
in nobel pursuit of social community. I will
teach her all our secrets of mortal music,
that she may bring solace and peace to all
the souls in Hell.”
The Sunken Treasure
These clues are found written in hastily scrawled manuscript, pages waterlogged and
smudged.
1. “There, at the bottom, it lies. A weft of
secreted treasures no man can lay eyes
upon. Hell hath claimed it, and the sea is
cruel as none can fathom. For to swallow
it up with such smothering tides is a great
wrong committed by the sea, and each of
us, its victim.”
2. “To keep such wealth and beauty from
mankind is a sin above those that put us
here below. The alluring glitter of gold
pales in shine to the alabaster stones of
Heaven. As such do the stones of Heaven
pale to the riches below.”
3. “The demons of this maddened sea will
sooner spill their own lifeblood than
words of it from their wretched lips. But I
know where it lies. It was revealed to me
by shining stars within the realm of my
dreams. Deep down to the farthest trench,
where crushing darkness will swallow you
up, never to know another day upon the
lightless ocean.”
4. “The others think me mad, to have built the
diving bell. But I must reach the bottom,
to simply taste the divinity of the treasures
below. I have wrested my fate from that of
my ship’s companions and entered the bell.
Against their most dire pleas, they have
agreed to send me down.”
5. “Before I leave the bell, I must confide the
location of this gift of paradise, should I
not return. Across the endless ocean of
Hell, there lie scant landmarks. But should
one track their course to a stone edifice,
cut from the sea in the shape of a crown,
travel 10 nautical miles in the direction
of the centermost point to the crown’s
farthest edge. There you will go straight
down.”
6. “I’ve reached the end of the slack of rope.
I’m leaving the bell now. I swear I can
just see it below me, just beyond the veil
of darkness. My mind is slavering for a
glimpse of it below me. I know I won’t have
long out there, but I simply MUST know.
Even a momentary touch is better than this
agony away from it. Goodbye.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 33
The Betrayal of Hunger
These journal entries are ripped from a book, each wrapped in moldering cheesecloth.
1. “I put quill to parchment to record the
annals of my cursed days aboard this
vessel, the Hellish May, that I should
obtain them in a future cycle to, in God’s
grace, provide myself fair warning and
rekindle memories lost in the endless
rebirth of suffering. For these pages
contain dire warnings and pleas to be
heeded.”
2. “The Hellish May, this ghoulish vessel,
with its captain gaunt and gallow, ran
barren of the good food of men not more
than a fortnight ago, its stores now filled
only with the skeletons of mice searching
for grain and finding none. On that night
of our final meal, we knew not of the
depths of blasphemy to which we would
fall.”
3. “When, in future trials, our gambits for
soulful sustenance turned up naught but
sour water that leaked through our fingers
like the last drops of mortal sense, we
took upon ourselves the appearance of
skeletons, all surmising our souls were
destined to perish as they had so many
times before. This, I know, would have been
the ideal end.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 34
4. “With the peace of Franciscans we
approached our captain, to plead him
throw our ship upon the rocks to end our
failure in swiftness, yet it was discovered
the despicable rapscallion had taken the
galley cat, that heavenly thing, and filled
his stomach with its bones. We had neither
the temper nor fortitude for forgiveness
despite our saintly appearance.”
5. “We divided his body into several portions,
separating his foul limbs from his torso
and tossing his head into the bottomless
sea, cooking him upon a fire of his
own treasures. Hunger sated, we found
ourselves once more with resolve steeled to
continue our journey.”
6. “There are but three of us left now, and I
sense eyes upon my back during the quiet
minutes of the day. Surely, then, it would
have been better to throw myself into the
sea and drown myself the moment we
partook of our final meal, than persist only
to suffer a worser fate.”
The Ardent Prayer
These twine-bound scrolls are each affixed with a bloodied white feather.
1. “Dearest Lord, God of all that is and will
ever be, blessed be thy wonderful and
awesome mercy, to deliver us hope in
our darkest hour and to take pity on us,
your humble sinners. Praise be, we have
obtained your holy gift.”
2. “With joy in our hearts we give thanks,
oh Lord, to extend the wonders of your
presence to where neither your light nor
your glory reaches. We, in guilty thought,
assumed in our wretchedness the mercy of
your Kingdom was beyond our grasp, yet
we have received the messenger you sent
to our humble crew.”
3. “Upon the shores of this damnable place,
we were blinded by its presence, your holy
angel there upon the cursed sands. Let
it be known, oh Gracious Host, that your
mercy entered our hearts as our sinful eyes
laid upon the spirit of your chorus, and we
did not waver in approaching your servant
with the zeal of devoted men.”
4. “We, in rapture, understood your glorious
message, the oasis you had sent us sinners
in your wondrous mercy. Your messenger,
though speaking in tongues which no man
could comprehend, laid upon the ground
in barren form, as in the endless wisdom
of your glory it suffered a most terrible
wound across its holy wing.”
5. “We have no doubt in our hearts, oh God,
for it has been removed by the presence
of your servant. In accordance with your
will, we sacrificed the lamb in your name
there upon the rocky shore, to prove
our dedication worthy of entering your
kingdom. Even as it tried against us in
fearsome strength, not one man faltered in
this holy mission.”
6. “Our prayer, oh King of Kings, is sent to
you now, bound with the tools of salvation
of which you have provided us, to soar
from this dark place and to enter your
presence, that we may be heard and be
saved. With full hearts we await our
salvation. Oh Lord, Amen.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 35
The Molded Clay
Each section of mad writing is pinned to a different article of clothing, covered in dirt and
blood, forming the full outfit of a whaler.
1. “Aye, consider these writings to be my
declaration of resignation from humanity.
‘Tis with a light heart and free spirit I rid
myself of these foul garments. Begone, I
say! For this sailor has learned the truth of
men from the Devil’s blasted mouth itself.”
2. “Mutinied was I, for my compatriots with
their hearts as black as coal elected my
wretched self to leave ship in a dingy of
no more than two weak planks of wood,
sacrificing me to stave off one of Hell’s
curses. May those dogs all drown! Days I
drifted, until at last, I made shore upon a
sandy atoll. There I saw it.”
3. “Blackened nails each the length of an
able man’s sabre, teeth in a galley row of
yellowed ivory. ‘Twas easily the size of two
men it was, skin as red as a lass’s vein.
I sat there upon the shore, waiting for
the beast to tear my flesh asunder, but it
took no want of me. It continued forming
a sculpture from the muddy sands as it
appeared to have been doing for some
time.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 36
4. “An effigy, of someone. Something. I
gathered up my nerves and addressed
it. Ho, beast, kill me, I plead for your
swiftness. For what purpose do you sculpt
the mud and sand? Your claws are too long
for fine details, and your eyes are good
for naught but preying upon sinful men. I
bade insulting the demon would trick it to
kill me quick.”
5. “I had not heard the voice of the devil
before now, only its cloying laughter in
the mouths of my tormentors. Without
averting its gaze, its forked tongue spoke
to me. ‘Long claws and yellow eyes, sinner.
Are youdst beholden to the design of your
form? Your legs are meant only to run, and
your mind only for the search of shelter
and prey. And yet you seek other purposes
and fancy yourself a sailor. Wailing
hypocrite.’”.
6. “The devil continued its art, and I departed
from it. Whispers share that the devil
shares nothing but truth, and blasted be.
I could not deny its words. Let this be the
last time I place my eyes on the written
word, and my speech return to that of base
snarls. I wish no longer to drag my claws
through the mud in denial of what I am
meant for. The devil had but one failing - it
followed not its own truth.”
The Angelfinger Compass
This declaration is wrote on old, soiled paper, each page autographed by the misspelled names
of a confident crew.
1. “Avast, ye blisterworn barnacle, ye foul
blight of soot, ye miserable dog-wailing
son of a whore! Consider this ye royal
notice, to not go searchin’ yonder for the
starlit treasure of Kokabel, fallen angel
of Heaven’s yore. Be this not a warning,
rather, we! The most noble and greatest
sailors of Hell! Have already found that
very treasure.”
2. “Ye may wonder how in the seven circles
did we, Tupper, Charleston, Berthold,
Huckston, and Franklin, find success
where you, you downright no-good deck-
swabber, fail! Aye, we have agreed to
generously educate ye in our good fortune.
The dredge nets! It was in the dredge nets
we found it: A brass compass, dulled and
rusted, in which no needle rested, but
rather the placid, ivory finger of a heavenly
being.”
3. “It was Charleston, he bids me embellish,
who in the knowledge he accumulated in
the mortal coil was able to translate the
sea-scourged runes on the underside of the
compass. Good Kokabel, his hoard of stars,
and his very finger affixed upon a bolt
pierced through its knuckle, like that of a
strange insect within the collection of an
archivist.”
4. “That compass of good fortune, that finger
in its unrelenting twitching, did well in
its duty to guide us towards our rightful
treasure. The endless nights of Hell grew
full of determination, and aye, that be the
second piece of advice we so nobly record,
that each man working with renewed
purpose in his hollow corpse forges a
sturdy crew.”
5. “Many trials we faced, our formidable crew,
beasts and horrors that would surely crush
weaker men like yerself. Yet we persisted,
us unstoppable few, and ye would do well
to follow our example. For not even Hell
can oppose the strong! Who, devil tell, is
stronger than those chosen by an angel’s
grace?”
6. “We drift now, our compass tapping
impatiently on the brass tip of its cage,
towards a large cavernous opening in the
side of a mountainous cliff. The darkness
sits too strongly to look further in, so we
release this declaration to the wind, that it
may precede our triumphant return with
as many stars and gilded treasures as our
store can hold. Our last lesson is this - ye
will never beat us, ye maggoty wretches!
We win!”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 37
The Skeleton Man
These pages appear torn from an old journal, peppered with bullet holes and blood.
1. “Day 513016. Bloodied skies. Rough
waters. After losing our captain to the
grangenous bite of a creature from
beneath our waves, his flesh melted and
innards spilt, we collected ourselves and
held counsel to determine our next plan
of action. In the absence of his stalwart
leadership, I fear our crew may fall to
pieces.”
2. “Day 513017. Blackened skies. Rough
waters. A seer amongst us has proposed, if
we cannot elect a new leader, why forsake
our current captain? A desperate crew
grew tempted by such talk of necromancy.
I must confess, I believe the seer may be a
lunatic, but I do not see a better way. No
man does.”
3. “Day 513018. Blinding skies. Rough
waters. Luckily we had the captain’s
remains in the hold, his bones with the
skin sloughing off and innards oozing.
We hadn’t known what to do with him,
it seems unkind to toss his body to the
waters of the very beasts that had dealt
him this death. We put him in a strange
circle on the deck, as the seer demanded.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 38
4. “Day 513019. Laughing skies. Rough
waters. No one has seen the seer. Worse,
no one has seen the captain. The strange
circle of runes remains on the deck,
smoking ill-smelling fumes. I cannot help
but feel as we’ve been deceived, I will pray
a sinner’s prayer for the poor captain this
night.”
5. “Day 513020. Pure dark. Rough waters.
At early noon Gerald, the linesman, heard
something in the captain’s quarters.
I shiver, but our captain was found.
Accursed, his soul bound to that body of
bone and melted flesh, his face nothing
more than a skull. He spoke only in
screams. He set upon Gerald and the
others, I assume the worst. I am alive,
hidden in the crow’s nest.”
6. “Day 513021. Flaming skies. Rough
waters. I peer through the splintered wood
of my hiding place, down at the deck below.
The captain, wretched creature, shambles,
his undead fingers dragging the lifeless
bodies of my compatriots into that eerie
circle. Somehow, the seer is back. They
point, but they will never reach me. I am
safe here.”
The Flenser’s Tale
The remains of this notice are each carved into a piece of driftwood, once perhaps a door.
1. “Aye, consider this yer final notice, the
flensing services of John the Carver
are hereby closed. No more. I bid ye not
disparage this, be it come to ye as a shock.
If ye were so determined to pursue mine
services such that ye found my home, I
will reveal to ye why I have halted mine
practice of butchering hellbeasts for yer
sake. But aware ye are to be doomed.”
2. “Ye know, clear as day, there not be
sustenance fit for men in these wretched
seas of blood. Hunger does not kill, but
the achings of a starved body be the worst
of Hell’s tortures. So I’s understands why
many turn to the hunter’s trade, and ye’s
understands why I made mine fortune
upon such practice. But Alas, read no
further, I beg ye.”
3. “A fine crew delivered a kindred whale
to mine shoppe. Turgid and hefty, it was.
Never before had I seen a beast as big, its
frame the length of my table. They bid me
butcher it and flense the skin to patch
their sails. I reserved a fortnite to tan
its hide and salt the meat. There, in the
moonless night, I prepared my knives and
cut deep into its sternum, blood and ichor
draining to the gutters as I had done so
many times before.”
4. “I pried it open, its skeleton, to make a
rack on which to hang its hide. I regret,
now, opening it in such a way that let me
peer within its innards. The sky drew
light, as though in an act of God to punish
me. Illuminated, I saw the ghoulish form
of a man’s body, stretched and twisted,
straining as it formed the complete insides
of this monster, as though broken and
reformed.”
5. “The beast, now clear, held the appearance
of a man turned out like a sack of burlap.
His ribs, its mangled teeth. Its fins, his
broken joints. It had not skin but muscle
coated in the tar and clotted blood of the
ocean, for his skin lined the insides of its
veins. As my gaze met its lifeless eyes, I
could no longer hold my knife.”
6. “I knows not if what I witnessed was truth
or a devil’s madness, neither will find me
peace. I bid ye, if ye have not turned away
in horror, to keep this in yer eternal soul in
secret. Ye understand the pangs of hunger
as any man does, and the terror of endless
starvation. I beg of ye, do not doom the
common man with knowledge as I have
doomed ye. Now, search not for me, and
leave this place.”
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 39
Mother of Monsters
These notes are written on relatively clean paper, sealed in glass mason jars, and packed tight
with tiny shriveled flowers. All but the last is covered in scribbled marginalia reminiscent of
love letters.
1. Ev’n here, in the depths of Hell, I have
found exuberant love! Let me profess to all
that this lover o’ mine is beautiful as the
radiant dawn, and possesses all the virtues
of sainthood! She came to me in a dream,
and now I know her to be of true flesh and
blood.
2. We crew had sailed many years upon this
hellish sea, alone in matters of the heart,
until she, in resplendent form, appeared in
the vapors of my sleeping mind. I bid the
crew indulge my heart, and sail toward the
cave she revealed unto my mind.
3. But they refused! And so, I set off in a
lifeboat, to find my lover. When I arrived
at the cavern, I feared I’d been deceived,
for only darkness greeted me. But I called
out her glorious name, and she greeted me
kindly.
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 40
4. In the dark of that stone cliffside, Lilith
and I spent endless hours. She spoke to
me of her history and life before this place.
I spoke to her of mine. We laid together
beside the fires we built of my liferaft. I
knew I would never need return to my crew
or ship.
5. Lo! Lilith is with child! I placed my ear
upon the scales of her belly and felt the
unborn child’s movements this very day! I
am to be a father! It is a miracle! Tomorrow,
I hunt seabirds to collect feathers for a bed.
6. Damn it all! I can scarcely will myself to
write this letter. I am shaking with such
revolt! Where my promised daughter
was to be born, my beautiful babe, in
her place, Lilith has birthed a tangle of
wretched serpents! I confronted her of this
deception, but she has done naught but
weep and wail. I forgave her, and promised
we would try for another in time.
Crafting your own Lore
Tools for Guides

Over the course of sailing across the seas of • Consider what this lore says about the
Hell, there may come a time when you desire to player character’s current predicament
tell a story separate from the six self-contained or how it reflects their base selves. Do the
tales presented here. We welcome you to implications of this lore change the way
create the lore and experiences you wish to the players view the environment of Hell?
share with your crew of players. The following Could there be a connection between the
tips are provided to aid in making a classic story they’ve uncovered and an aspect of
HELLWHALERS-themed six-step story. their own personal journey? Six-step lore is
an ideal opportunity to flesh out the world
• Consider how the player characters will
around the player characters and provide a
come across the information that contains
perspective they would not otherwise see in
your lore. Do they find it sealed within clay
their travels.
pots dredged from the ocean, or haunting
images scorched into the deck of their ship? • Alternatively, there may be a desire to
What does the physical shape of the story share a story from a player character’s
say about the situation it portrays? prior experiences. Such stories can provide
entertaining introspection into a player’s
• To maintain the mechanics of gameplay,
character, but are best used in a manner
separate your story into six sections of
that is still applicable to the world as a
roughly similar length. An ideal section
whole for the interest of the other players at
builds off of the previous piece, creates
the table.
tension or introduces a twist, and leaves
the party intrigued.
» The following is an example composition
for six-step storytelling
1. Introduce the premise, characters, or
current situation, and withhold the
direct plot.
2. Introduce any aspects of setting or
characters not described in step 1,
create a doorway to the plot.
3. Introduce a plot beat, draw connections
to everything introduced in steps 1 and
2.
4. Continue the plot and begin to to build
up to the climax
5. Introduce a twist, upset, or other climax
drawn from the plot or characters
themselves.
6. Finish the tale following the step 5
climax. Cliffhangers or ambiguous
endings can help reinforce a creepy or
dark atmosphere.

HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 41

Items Littering the Stygian Sea
The seas of Hell contain many mysteries and
treasures. When appropriate, whalers may
uncover these items in their journeys. Remove
items from this list as they’re fished up.
Roll 2d6 - Odds and Ends
2 The reliquary of Saint Erasmus, bone
encased in glass and wood
3 The severed finger of a damned
nephilim, the size of a man’s leg
4 A silver noose
5 Ruined garb sewn with a Yellow Cross
6 A piece of demonic ambergris
7 A drowned dove
8 Flensing blades of human origin
9 A cracked spyglass that shows visions
of Heaven
10 The skull of an imp
11 An unbroken, seemingly unspoiled
bottle of wine
12 The desiccated corpse of Pope
Formosus
Roll 1d6 - Boon
1 A small jewlery box containing a
signet ring, an emerald necklace, and
silver bracelets. Gives Ring of Kings.
2 A set of weighted gambling dice made
of ivory. Gives Boon of Plenty.
3 A heavy iron cooking pot. Gives
Satiated Hunger.
4 An intact fishing net, made of silk.
Gives Boon of the Sea.
5 A pendant depicting Asclepius' Staff,
made of gold. Gives Asclepius' Shield.
6 A water-logged book on Greek
philosophy. Gives Divine Inspiration.
Roll 1d6 - Bane
1 A wire trap meant for a small animal.
Gives Imp Infestation.
2 A journal full of secret notes and
observations on members of the crew.
Gives Curse of Hatred.
3 A crate full of rotten, maggot-filled
oranges. Gives Wasting Scurvy.
4 An alms box, the lock broken off,
contents lost to the sea. Gives Curse of
Poverty.
5 A tack box full of diseased and mutated
bait. Gives Famine of the Seas.
6 A crate of soft, clean wool blankets.
Gives Demon Fevers.
Roll 2d6 - Supplies
2 A barrel containing fresh water.
+4 Food Supply
3 A tangled mess of rope.
+1 Repair Supply
4 A soggy loaf of bread. +1 Food Supply
5 A can of glue. +2 Repair Supply
6 A keg of powder. +2 Weapon Supply
7 A half used jar of caulk.
+1 Repair Supply
8 A single cannonball.
+1 Weapon Supply
9 A crate of stale rations. +2 Food Supply
10 A bundle of sturdy wood planks.
+3 Repair Supply
11 A net full of broken harpoons.
+4 Weapon Supply if repaired.
12 A box full of fresh strawberries.
+1 Food Supply
HELLWHALERS | C lues & L ore | 43
The Hellwhale Encounter
After pulsing the heart for the third time,
there would be no need to gamble at midnight.
The whalers may still choose to do so, but
regardless, their moment is at hand. The day
after using the heart, the hellwhale is spotted
approaching the vessel. Harpoons at the ready,
begin the final confrontation.
The guide rolls a single six-sided die for the
hellwhale, and consults the table below. Then,
allow each player a moment to take action or
craft a small scene. After each player has done
so, roll again on the relevant table.
During moments they aren’t dealing with
problems, whalers can throw a harpoon at
the whale by spending a weapon supply. If the
whalers can take down the whale by hitting it
with 13 harpoons before the Guide has rolled 6
on each table, the whalers are freed.
Table 1
1 You see an opening.
2 The whale zigs and zags. Your
harpoons just won’t hit it this round.
3 The whale breaches, flooding the
ship from the splash Knot: [3], 1
Seaworthiness.
4 The whale dives, threatening to
drag the ship under. Knot: [3], 2
Seaworthiness.
5 The whale bucks against the ship,
dealing damage to the hull. 1
Seaworthiness.
6 The whale surges with unholy might.
Advance to Table 2. Harpoons thrown
this round do not pierce its flesh.

If not, they’ll be cast overboard, killed, and

their fragmented souls will litter the Stygian
Sea for an eternity. Either way, once the
encounter is finished, turn to the Epilogues
section.
Table 2
1 You see the whale’s eye, and shudder
with dread.
2 The whale is crackling with demonic
energies. Harpoons thrown this round
have a 1/2 chance of being deflected,
dealing 1 Crew Harm on a deflection.
3 The whale knocks everyone prone
with a pulse of sonic energy, nearly
deafening you all. 1 Crew Harm.
4 A lash of its tail slaps a whaler
overboard. 1 Crew Harm, and a Whaler
is thrown overboard.
5 The whale crashes into the ship,
dealing damage to the hull. 1 Damage
to Seaworthiness.
6 The whale’s infernal rage is seething.
Advance to Table 3 on the next roll.
Harpoons this round splinter against
its furious movements.
Table 3
1 The whale’s evil bloodshot eye
unnerves you, obliterating your
confidence. Knot: [1], inability to
strike the whale for a round.
2 The whale jumps at the ship, inflicting
massive damage to the hull. 2 points of
Seaworthiness.
3 Its wounds begin to close up and heal.
The whale restores 3 health.
4 The whale breaks the line. It will
escape unless immediately retethered.
Knot: [2], The Whale Escapes.
5 A corona of aquatic vermin crowns
the whale, risen by demonic energy.
Knot: [5], 1 Seaworthiness plus 1 Crew
Harm.
6 The whale destroys the ship
completely, casting each sailor
overboard. The whalers have lost. Turn
to the Epilogues section.
Epilogues
"Towards thee I roll , thou all - destroying If the whalers succeed in bringing down the
but unconquering whale ; to the last I hellwhale, use one of the following epilogues,
grapple with thee ; from hell ’ s heart I as the guide decides appropriate:
stab at thee ; for hate ’ s sake I spit my last
breath at thee ." – A hab , M oby D ick
• Shooting Stars, p. 47
» celestial horror, failure
• New Lords of Hell, p. 48
If the hellwhale destroys the ship, use the
following epilogue: » transformation, corruption
• The Long Wait, p. 49
“Cast to the bottom, the air plied from your
lungs, your souls are eroded away by the » loneliness, trapped
merciless waves of the hellish sea, ground • Pandæmonium, p. 50
down to your most basic form. Perhaps, in the
» chaos, desperation
future, some other damned sailor will dredge
you from the deep, and win a lucky bet with • A Toast, p. 51
you. Between now and then, you are flotsam, » betrayal, defeat
littering the abyssal ocean. From the sea we
• You Made It, p. 52
crawled, and to the sea we returned.”
» redemption, nilism

HELLWHALERS | E pilogues | 46
Shooting Stars
The hellwhale slain, you begin to harvest the
blackened meat of the leviathan. As you cook
it in the stewpot, craft one final scene with
your fellow crewmates, as you prepare to taste
salvation.

Putting the meat to your lips, you chew the

acrid, rubbery flesh. Your cheeks flush and
your eyes begin to water, as you wonder what
comes next… Then, a rushing sensation, and a
light of purest holy bliss surrounds you.

"BE NOT AFRAID!" The horrifying entity

speaks in a chorus of myriad tongues. You see
it at the gates of shining pearl, but its form is
indescribable. Addressing each whaler in turn,
it asks why they have come here. After they
each make their plea for salvation, the entity
responds by recounting their vicious deeds,
culminating with the death of the whale. "YOU
HAVE COME ALL THIS WAY, BUT HEAVEN
CARES NOT FOR THE BARGAINS OF HELL!
YOU CANNOT FIND SALVATION HERE!"

You begin to fall… Your stomach churns with

the weight of your drop. A descent so far,
you begin to ignite. In agony, your form and
eternal soul burn to ashes, as you plummet
into the blackest ocean at the very bottom of
the cosmos.
New Lords of Hell
The hellwhale slain, you begin to harvest the
blackened meat of the leviathan. As you cook it
in the stewpot, craft one final scene with your
fellow crewmates, as you prepare to leave this
Hell.

You desired to taste salvation, and salvation

you shall receive. Boiled veins and pustules
of oil burst between your crooked teeth.
How many people have you hurt for this
moment? How much pain have you caused?
Insert questionable acts party members have
committed.

And you expect Salvation.

Over the course of your journey, your soul has

become twisted in nature. You stand alone as
evil men, despicable even among all in this
hole of sinners. The taste of the hellwhale
proliferates in your jowls.

Your fingernails break through the skin

of your fingers. Your teeth elongate in
excruciating pain as the sharp tips cut
through your gums. Your tailbone burns,
cracks, and splinters from your spine as your
skin is dyed red in your own blood.

You desired Salvation. You deserve no

salvation. Your escape comes only as a
proliferation of your cruel nature. In the
bowels of Hell, a devil is born anew.
The Long Wait
The hellwhale slain, you begin to harvest the
blackened meat of the leviathan. As you cook
it in the stewpot, craft one final scene with
your fellow crewmates, as you prepare to taste
salvation.

As visions of white blind you, you feel yourself

rising up, up, up. You feel weightless, and the
pain of your tortured body washes away to a
pleasant numbness. You can hear waves, and
feel heat on your skin.

When your vision clears, you find yourself

laying down, alone, on a placid beach of white
sand. Blank white skies coat the space above
you, and you look out across a coastline of
white waters gently lapping at the beach.

You attempt to make a sound, but no voice

leaves your throat. You can hear the gentle
lapping of the waves, and nothing else. You
can feel the pleasant heat on your skin,
and nothing else. You are alone. The beach
stretches for miles. You have arrived in
purgatory, short of the pearly gates. The beach
stretches on forever. You begin to forget to
blink. No one is here. You spend years - no,
hours - or decades? - you spend minutes,
perhaps, looking at the coastline of the ocean
from whence you escaped once before. You
could wade back in, so, so easily, and see your
friends again. How long can you endure?
Pandæmonium
The hellwhale slain, you begin to harvest the
blackened meat of the leviathan. As you cook
it in the stewpot, craft one final scene with
your fellow crewmates, as you prepare to taste
salvation.

As you raise the meat to your lips, a

thunderous boom rocks your boat, and it
rumbles with the sound of breaking wood.
You tear your eyes away from the flesh in
your hands and you see them - hundreds,
thousands, of souls, all coming for you. Ships
and galleons and the eyes of a million cannons
pointed in your direction. A tidal wave of faces.

One hellwhale, one ticket to paradise. You hear

a scream, you turn and see men boarding your
vessel, your captain (Use a player name if the
captain is absent) skewered on the end of a
dozen rapiers.

You go to swallow your scrap of meat, to

escape, but a hundred hungry hands pull and
tear at your face. The ship creaks, sinking
under the weight of a thousand desperate
souls. The hellwhale’s smoking body shakes
as naked men brutalize each other upon its
carcass.

Pandæmonium, they say, is a capitol of Hell,

a place of demons and lunatics. As a million
fingers scratch at the meat in your palms, you
realize Pandæmonium is here. Not a place, but
the thousand wailing voices of desperate men.

With a sickening crunch, the boat splits in

two. The hellwhale’s body plunges into the
sea, sinking beyond the grasp of the crowd.
Your fingers are broken and your arms are
wrenched from your body, a mass of people
drowning in a sea of blood. As the water
fills your lungs, you weep, for you know the
hellwhale is no more.
A Toast
The hellwhale slain, you begin to harvest the
blackened meat of the leviathan. As you cook
it in the stewpot, craft one final scene with
your fellow crewmates, as you prepare to taste
salvation.

As you stand around waiting for the meal to

cook, your proud captain comes, tray in hand,
holding chipped glassware full of brandy.

“Ay’ve been savin’ this for a special occasion…

dare to say there won’t be many opportunities
to drink this up top.” The captain hands you
a glass, the amber liquid well-preserved and
cared for. “I had me doubts about ye, but
it seems I find myself surrounded by the
company of good men. Before we ascend, a
toast. To leaving this all behind.”

A cheer from the small congregation. The

brandy is warm on the tongue and smolders in
your throat.

“They sez, though, that A PERSON who eats

of the whale’s flesh will be saved. Not persons,
see. An’ I can’t afford to take any chances.”

The brandy burns in your belly. You can feel

the fire grow and claw at the lining of your
stomach, inducing an intense pain that
wracks your body. The poison you’ve ingested
locks your muscles in seizing pain, a torture
comparable to that of Hell’s interrogators.

You watch from the floor as the captain, your

captain, takes his glass and scoops up some of
the stew from the pot. With a kick the entire
thing goes overboard - the pot, the stew, the
whale - all of it. The captain gives you one last
look, almost pitiful, and imbibes.

In a flash of light powerful enough to sear

your failing eyes, the man is gone. Your body
seizes, convulsing, left to die on a deck of wood
and splinters.

Was it worth it? Was he saved? Perhaps, then,

in another life, there will be another hellwhale.
Another ship. Perhaps, even, your ship. One
where you can be called captain.
You Made It
The hellwhale slain, you begin to harvest the
blackened meat of the leviathan. As you cook
it in the stewpot, craft one final scene with
your fellow crewmates, as you prepare to taste
salvation.
Putting the meat to your lips, you chew the
acrid, rubbery flesh. Your cheeks flush and
your eyes begin to water, as you wonder what
comes next. Then, a rushing sensation, and a
light of purest holy bliss surrounds you.
When you regain your vision, the next thing
you see is an endless horizon of placid, shining
clouds. You step through an endless mist
circling around your ankles, yet your feet find
solid purchase with each step. The sky above
you is a sunless bright sky.
Behind you is a gate. A gate you, presumably,
did not walk through. Its golden arches extend
further into the sky than you can see, its bars
glittering and painful to stare at. You can see,
closer, that upon its handles lays a brutal set
of chains and locks, sealing it shut forever.
You walk through the heavenscape. The air
is light on your skin and your wounds are a
distant memory. Beyond your fellow crew, you
see not a soul within these hallowed halls.
You pass empty structures, monuments, and
fountains impeccably bright and clean.
HELLWHALERS | E pilogues | 52
You come to a staircase. Do you climb it?
[No.] You remain in Heaven, and not once do
you see another soul. In this abandoned place,
eternal nothingness stretches towards time
immemorial. Is this paradise, you wonder? The
endless sky answers nothing, in this vacant
place. Perhaps, at least, it is better than Hell.
[Yes.] You climb the gilded stairs, crescending
upwards to a space you cannot see. After years
of climbing, you cross the threshold to the
top of the steps, finding yourself before an
immaculate door of sculpted gold and stone. It,
too, stretches to even greater heights, and as
you pass through the crack of its barely-open
frame, its build is as thick as several galleons.
Inside, you can see it. Even miles away, you
can see it. The majestic throne of God. The
simple form of its craft illuminates its divinity,
seeing it wells tears in your eyes through
awe alone. And it is empty. The hall of God is
empty. The wide swathes of space no doubt
meant for the crowds paying God homage, are
empty.
Empty.
Empty.
Empty.
There is nothing here but dust.
Afterwords
“Um, um , um . Stop that thunder !
Plenty
too much thunder up here . What’s the use
of thunder ? U m , um , um . W e don ’ t want
thunder ; we want rum ; give us a glass of
rum . U m , um , um !”
Thank you for purchasing Hellwhalers. There
is something to be said about the process of
writing for a game about hunting a hellish
whale in the depths of Hades. Resilience and
spite against the world and the forces we find
against ourselves is a human endeavor — it is
one we encounter on a daily basis in a world
that would so eagerly strike us down. To
endure and survive is a human quality - one so
innate that it is pleasing to consider a world
where such instinct would persist even long
after mortal death. Attempting to distill those
raw emotions into the aesthetic of Hellwhalers
was a passionate task - I hope you, reader,
thoroughly enjoyed your experience with this
game, and I hope you arise victorious against
whatever hellwhale you may be striving
against in your own life.
– Thomas V, Bogus Cheesecake
Hey there. Kaye here. This project came at a
very interesting time in my life, and I'd like to
request a favor, dear reader, if it's something
you partake in.
My grandma passed right around April of
2023, when we were completing layout and
gathering art assets. She was an amazing
person, a beautiful soul, and will be dearly
missed. The only thing she loved as much as
her family was a good beer, so next time you
gather around a table, crack open a cold one
for her.
Thank you for your continued support, and
we'll see you in the next one.
– Kaye "Pip" Mahoney
Hellwhalers has been an intense experience.
I’ve learned so much as a designer and writer,
and I owe it all in no small part to the legions
of supporters that have given me hope for this
project.
Hope is one of the main themes of the game.
Not ephemeral, gossamer hope, but the gritty,
salty, bloodspattered hope that really embodies
the struggle through life that we sometimes
face. This project fell across a difficult time
with my life’s battles, and to say we made it
this far is nothing short of a miracle and a
testament to that hope. So, whatever hopes
you’re holding onto, fight for them. You’ve
gotta keep the lantern of your life burning,
no matter the raging storm outside. And
whatever your white whale, pursue it with all
the tenacity of the damned. Someday we’ll get
there.
Thank you for the support.
– Moss
HELLWHALERS | A fterwords | 53
Credits
Game Design - Moss Powers, Thomas Vorderbruggen, a.k.a. Bogus Cheesecake
Layout - Kaye Mahoney
Editing - Nolan Heath, Lillian Jolly
Art - Kaye Mahoney, Charles Torok, Albert "Bael" Johnson, Lepish Susanō

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Copyright © 2023 Moss Powers - All rights reserved.

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Published using Adobe Creative Suite.

Fonts used: Clarendon URW, Celestial Typeface

Public Domain Art

4 The Ghost Ship, Alfred Rudolp Waud 38 Pêche du Cachalot, Friedrich von Martens
7 Jonah in the Whale, Augustin Hirschvogel 41 Ezekiel has a vision of angels and spheres with
8 Nipped in the Ice, Currier & Ives eyes coasting along the thunderstruck sea,
10 The Vision of Hell, Hélidore-Joseph Pisan Robert Pranker

17 Hell, Abraham van Diepenbeeck
19 Four-master and Two Three-masters Anchored
near a Fortified Island from The Sailing Vessels,
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
23 The Passion for Gambling, Claude Gillot
37 The Remains of a Shipwreck, Nicolas de Launay
42 Job Tormented by Demons and Abused by His
Wife, Lucas Emil Vorsterman
43 Sunset at Sea after a Storm, William Miller
44 The Fall of the Magician, Pieter van der Heyden
45 A travelling gypsy family enjoying a rest and a
meal of soup, bread and wine, F. Pedro