THE

Shadow
Hack By Nate Treme

POWERED BY THE BLACK HACK

How To Play
The Core Mechanic
Everything a character might possibly attempt that could result in failure is resolved by testing attribute stats, in
order to successfully test a stat - a player must roll below it on a d20.
Enemies don’t make tests - a character must avoid their attacks by making a test, the only time an enemy rolls
is for damage.
Players Turn
During a player’s turn a character may move and perform an action. They could attack, look for a clue, talk with
an NPC - interacting with the world is an action. Often they will test their attributes to determine the outcome.
Movement & Distance
4 abstract ranges are used for measuring distances. Close, Nearby, Far-Away and Distant. On their turn every
character can move somewhere Nearby as part of an action, performing that action at any stage of the move.
They can forgo their action and move somewhere Far-Away instead. Anything beyond Far-Away can be
classified as Distant and would take 3 moves to get to.
Initiative
When combat breaks out, everyone must be sorted into an order so they each get to act and react in turn.
Every character tests their DEX, those that succeed, take their turn before their opponents, they must then act
as a group - deciding their own order for actions. Those that fail their DEX tests, go after their opponents.
Enemy HD
HD represents an enemies level and the number of d8 rolled to determine its HP.
Attacking, Defending & Damage ENEMY HD DAMAGE
When a character attacks an enemy they must roll below their STR stat for a 1 d4 (2)
Melee Attack or DEX for a Ranged Attack. Likewise, when an enemy attacks, 2 d6 (3)
the character must roll below its STR against a Melee Attack and DEX against a 3 2d4 (4)
Ranged Attack to avoid taking damage. A GM will often give the stat required for 4 d10 (5)
the test. 5 d12 (6)
The damage an attack deals is based on the character’s class or the number of 6 d6 + d8 (7)
HD an enemy has. 7 2d8 (8)
To make a Melee Attack an opponent must be Close. Ranged Attacks against 8 3d6 (9)
Close opponents are possible, but the attacker suffers a Disadvantage. 9 2d10 (10)
Enemies deal damage based on their HD - refer to the HD table to the right. 10 d10 + d12 (11)
Armor Points
Armor provides protection by reducing all incoming damage. Each type will reduce damage by a limited amount.
Armor Points are regained after a character rests. Once the player or monster has used armor to absorb its
maximum amount, they are too tired or wounded to make effective use of it again - they then begin taking full
damage.
Critical Damage
If a player making an attack rolls a 1, they add an additional damage die to their damage roll. If they roll a 20
when avoiding an attack, an additional die is added to the damage they take. Armor Points are used normally.
Powerful Opponents
For every HD above the character’s level, add +1 to every roll the player makes for any attribute test that would
determine the outcome of a conflict between them and an NPC. - A level 3 character defending against a HD 5
enemy’s attack would add +2 to their roll.
Advantage & Disadvantage
A GM may decide that a particular course of action or task has a higher or lower chance of success. They will
ask a player to roll an additional d20 when making a test - with advantage the lower result is used and with
disadvantage, the higher.
Death & Dying
When a character is reduced to zero Hit Points (HP) they are taken Out of Action (OofA), they are unconscious
and cannot make any actions. When the fight is over/are out of danger, a character that is taken OofA can roll
on the following table to see what happens to them. If they survive they gain 1d4 HP.
If the characters lose the fight or are unable to recover the body of the character, they are lost forever!
Out Of Action
1. KO’d: Just knocked out.
2. Fat Head: Disadvantage on all tests for the next hour.
3. Cracked Bones: STR, DEX and CON are temp. -2 for the next day.
4. Crippled: STR or DEX is permanently reduced by 2
5. Disfigured: CHA reduced to 4.
6. Dead: Not alive anymore.

Resting
When characters rest for about an hour, they regain the use of all their Armor points. Also once per day, after
resting, they may roll a Hit Die associated with their class and regain that many HP.
Experience
Adventurers learn through defeating and overcoming obstacles. For every session / dungeon level / quest /
major event the character survives they gain a level. The GM will decide which, and it’s recommended that this
decision remains more or less a constant throughout the campaign.
Gaining Levels
When a character levels up, their maximum Hit Points increase by rolling the Hit Die for the class. Also a player
should roll a d20 for each Stat, if the result is higher - that Stat increases by 1.
Encumbrance
A character can carry a number of items equal to their STR with no issues. Carrying over this amount means
they are encumbered and all attribute tests are taken with Disadvantage - you can also only ever move to
somewhere Nearby. They simply cannot carry more than double their STR.
Usage Die
Any item listed in the equipment section that has a Usage die is considered a consumable, limited item. When
that item is used the next turn its Usage die is rolled. If the roll is 1-2 then the usage die is downgraded to the
next lower die in the following chain: d20 > d12 > d10 > d8 > d6 > d4
When you roll a 1-2 on a d4 the item is expended and the character has no more of it left.
Sanity
Each player character has a sanity usage die defined by their class. When they experience unfathomable horror,
forbidden knowledge or an event that is too much for the human mind to bear, the player rolls their sanity die.
Everytime they roll the sanity die they must also roll on the Minor Madness Table.
Minor Madness (Lasts for 1d4 days)
1.Alcoholism: You drink constantly to calm your nerves.
2.Phobia: You are irrationally afraid of 1)cats 2)left-handed people 3)children 4)rain. (Roll 1d4)
3.Amnesia: You are constantly forgetting both recent events and old memories.
4.Compulsive: You can’t help but repeating the same action or phrase over and over.
5.Paranoia: You are sure you’re being followed and watched at all times.
6.Mute: You can’t speak, you must find other means to communicate.
Once a sanity die is depleted the player must roll on the Major Madness table. Strong medicine paired with a
succesful INT roll is the only way to cure major madness. Curing major madness restores the sanity completely.
Madness effects disregard any advantages given by class or special abilities.
Major Madness
1. Hallucinations: Otherworldly visions and sounds cause disadvantage on all WIS rolls.
2. Tremors: Nervous spasms give you disadvantage on all STR and DEX rolls.
3. Delusions: Your wild thoughts and inane babbling cause disadvantage on all INT and CHA rolls.
4. Night Terrors: Your are unable to rest, you can’t regain AP or HP from resting.
5. Obsession: You only care about one object in your inventory, discard all others.
6. Catatonic: Roll new character.
Character Creation
Roll Stats:
Stats are generated with 3d6 in the following order Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Constitution (CON),
Intelligence (INT), Wisdom (WIS), Charisma (CHA). If a stat of 15+ is rolled the next must be rolled with
2d6 + 2, then continue with 3d6 until the end or another 15+ is rolled. Once all stats are generated 2 may
be swapped around. Alternately you may assign this array to your stats instead of rolling: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8.

Choose Class
TOUGH QUICK BRIGHT
Starting HP: d8 + 4 Starting HP: d6 + 4 Starting HP: d6 + 2
Hit Die: 1d8 Hit Die: 1d6 Hit Die: 1d4
Damage: 1d10 / 1d6 Unarmed or Damage: 1d8 / 1d4 Unarmed or Damage: 1d6 / 1d4 Unarmed or
Improvised Improvised Improvised
Sanity Die: 1d8 Sanity Die: 1d10 Sanity Die: 1d12

SPECIAL FEATURES SPECIAL FEATURES SPECIAL FEATURES

Intimidate:
Once per battle, you can test STR
to intimidate a foe as a free action.
If successful, the foe loses their
next attack.
Hearty:
You have advantage on CON tests
to resist poison, sickness and
intoxication.
LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase,
roll with advantage for STR and
CON.
At levels 3 and 7, you can make
an additional melee attack each
round.
Sharpshooter:
Roll with advantage when attacking
with ranged weapons from an
obscured position.
Lightfoot:
You have advantage on DEX tests
to sneak or hide.
LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase,
roll with advantage for DEX and
WIS.
At levels 3 and 7, you can make
an additional ranged attack each
round.
Instructor:
Once per battle, as a free action,
you can give tactical instructions
to a companion, giving them
advantage on their next roll.
Scholar:
Choose an additional background.
Mend:
Once per day you can test INT to
treat a wound for 1d4+level HP.
LEVELING UP
Roll to see if attributes increase,
roll with advantage for INT and
CHA.
At level 3 you can use Mend twice
per day.
At level 7 you can use Mend 3
times a day.

Choose Background
Backgrounds are professions or areas of study your character has experience with.
You have advantage on INT rolls related to your background. Choose a background from the
following list or create your own (with gamemaster’s approval) and come up with a backstory
for your character.

Archaeologist, Aristocrat, Artist, Barber, Beggar, Brewer, Builder, Butcher, Carpenter,

Cartographer, Chemist, Chimney Sweep, Coachman, Cook, Criminal, Drunk, Farmer,
Fisherman, Gambler, Gardner, Grave Digger, Historian, Hunter, Lawyer, Mathematician,
Merchant, Miner, Monk, Mortician, Musician, Occultist, Physician, Priest, Psychologist,
Sailor, Servant, Soldier, Stevedore, Tailor.
Buying Equipment
Every new character starts with 4d6 x 10 Shillings ($) with which to buy their equipment. They also start with a
set of clothes and a one handed weapon as allowed by their class.

ARMOR & CLOTHING CONSUMABLES TOOLS

Hat 1AP, $25 Preserved Rations Work Tools $2
Boots 2AP, $75 d8 Usage Die, $15 Thieves Tools $25
Padded Clothing 2AP, $50 Fresh Rations Iron Spikes $1
Sturdy Coat 3AP, $100 d4 Usage Die, $5 Lantern $10
Heavy Coat 4AP, $250 Wine $1 Handheld mirror $5
Gold Locket $5 Assorted Common Herbs 50’ Rope $1
WEAPONRY d8 Usage Die, $10 Comb $1
1-Handed Melee $25 Healing Salve Pocket Watch $15
2-Handed Melee $50 Heals 1d6 HP, 1 use, $50 Flint & Steel $3
+1 to attack roll and DMG Flask of oil 10’ Pole $1
Bow or Crossbow $25 d6 Usage Die, $2 Bucket $1
Quiver of Bolts or Arrows Torches (6) Glass Jar $1
$10, d10 Usage Die d6 Usage Die, $1 Chalk $1
Pistol +1DMG, $50, Loud Wineskin Tent $10
Rifle +1d4 DMG, $100, Loud d6 Usage Die, $1 Hour Glass $2
1 round to reload Tobacco Manacles $10
Bullets $15, d10 Usage Die d6 Usage Die, $2 Magnifying Glass $10
Special Abilities
When a character of any class levels up they may choose to gain a Special Ability instead of increasing their
ability scores.
LEVEL 2
All Ears: Advantage on WIS tests to hear quiet noises.
Climber: Advantage on STR tests to climb.
Freerunner: Advantage on DEX tests to travel quickly
on foot.
Grappler: Advantage on STR tests to pin or hold an
opponent.
Pacify: Advantage on CHA tests to calm a fearful or
angry creature that is not hostile to you.
Strong Lungs: Advantage on CON tests to hold
breathe.
LEVEL 3
Alert: You always roll with advantage on initiative.
Brawler: Increase your Unarmed damage by one die
level.
Disguise: Advantage on CHA tests to pass yourself off
as someone you’re not.
Dodge: Once per battle you get advantage on a
defense roll.
Empath: Advantage on WIS tests to discern a
person’s intentions or feelings.
Hunter: Advantage on WIS checks for tracking a
creature.
Lockbreaker: Advantage on DEX tests to pick locks.
Observant: Advantage on WIS tests when searching
for hidden doors, objects, creature, etc.
Parley: Roll with advantage on CHA tests for debating
and arguing.
Sleight Of Hand: Advantage on DEX tests involving
manual trickery, such as pickpocketing and card tricks.
Trapper: Advantage on DEX tests to disarm or set
traps.
Tumble: Advantage on DEX tests to land safely after a
fall or jump.
LEVEL 4
Ambush: On a successful surprise attack, you do
critical damage + your level.
Lucky: Once per day, you can reroll any one dice
result.
Meditate: Once per day you can attempt an INT test
to restore your Sanity Die by one level.
Pack Mule: You can carry STR + 4 items without
facing disadvantage.
Protector: Once per battle you can choose to take
damage that would otherwise be dealt to another
character in close range to you.
Thick Skin: Your abnormally high tolerance for pain
gives you +2 Armor Points.
Wild Attack: Gain advantage on a melee attack in
exchange for disadvantage on your next defensive roll.
LEVEL 5
Combat Experience: You’re critical hit range is now
1-2.
Death Rattle: When an attack drops your HP to 0
or below you can make one final melee attack with
advantage before falling unconscious.
Eagle Eye: Advantage on WIS tests to see things at a
distance or in the dark.
Merchant: Advantage on CHA tests when haggling.
LEVEL 6
Battle Hardened: +4 HP
Command: Advantage on CHA tests when giving
orders to people not hostile to you.
Catch Your Breath: In battle, you can take no action
for a turn and restore 1 HP.
Marked Target: Once per battle, choose a
single enemy as your target and gain advantage
on all combat rolls against that enemy but have
disadvantage on all combat rolls against other
enemies.
Silver-Tongue: Advantage on all speech related CHA
tests on people not hostile to you.
Trash Talk: As a bonus action in battle you can
attempt a CHA test to draw the attention of an enemy
nearby or closer to yourself, causing them to attack
only you on their next turn.
Sure Shot: Once per battle you can make a ranged
attack at advantage with a critical hit range of 1-6.
LEVEL 7
Cheat Death: When you roll on the Out of Action
table, roll two die and pick the result you prefer.
Nomad: You can carry STR + 7 items without facing
disadvantage
LEVEL 8
Veteran: You’re critical hit range is now 1-4.
Armor Expert: You get double the AP value from any
armor you wear.
LEVEL 9
Noble Confidence: Advantage on all CHA tests on
intelligent creatures your level or lower, even those
hostile to you.
Guided by Fate: Except for surprise attacks, you
always have initiative over your enemies.
LEVEL 10
Blessed: You can reroll up to 3 failed rolls a day.
Enemies:
ENEMY HD ACTIONS AND SPECIALS
Nutria 1 1d4 hp, 1d4 DMG
Street Dog 1 1d6 hp, 1d4 DMG. Disadvantage on defense rolls when fighting more than 1 dog.
Urchin 1 Can double attack once per battle.
Ruffian 1 Can grapple and hold a PC instead of attacking. STR to avoid or break free.
Cultist 1 CON test to avoid +1d6 poison DMG on cultists knife attacks.
Hooligan 2 Advantage on attacks, disadvantage on defense against Hooligans.
Gun Slinger 2 +1 DMG on ranged attacks.
Black Eyed Kid 2 Disadvantage on players attack rolls.
Ghoul 2 CON test or Paralyzed when a Ghoul lands an attack.
Gator 3 STR test to avoid grapple, 3d6 DMG from death roll when grappled by gator.
Crimeboss 3 Critical hit range 18-20 on defense rolls.
Shadow Person 3 Only gold or silver weapons hit. Repelled by light.
Shadow Hound 4 CON test or Paralyzed when Hound roars.
Thrall 4 Disadvantage on all rolls when fighting a Thrall in the Dark.
Corpse Golem 5 A powerful monstrosity made from the body parts of multiple corpses.
Vampire 6 Bite attack does 2d8 DMG to player and heals the vampire for the same.
Wolf Demon 10 Players must make a Sanity Roll each round they see the Hound Demon.
THE Shadow Hack
Name: Background:
Class: Sanity Die:
Level: Hit Die:
HEALTH POINTS ARMOR POINTS DAMAGE
Current Total Current Total Armed Unarmed

STATS
STR DEX CON WIS INT CHA

INVENTORY
1. 8. 15.
2. 9. 16.
3. 10. 17.
4. 11. 18.
5. 12. 19.
6. 13. 20.
7. 14. $:

FEATURES & ABILITIES

NOTES
SAMPLE DUNGEON:
The Sunken Temple of the Leech
Mother
This is a simple adventure location for low level charac-
ters to explore. You can drop it into the sewers of any
city location. The temple is an ancient structure that
sunk into the earth long before the city was bullt. It can
be accessed from the city’s sewers.

People in the city have been dissapearing. Strange

hooded figures carrying golden idols have been glimpsed
at night. Strange symbols have been written in blood
on certain streets in the city. The authorities don’t have
time or resources to investigate these occurrences. The
street urchins of the city say all this is the doing of the
weird church in the sewers. They’ll share the location
for some $.

Magic Items
The Mirrors of Binah
A pair of handheld mirrors. When
looking into one by the light of the
moon, the viewer can see out of
the other mirror as if looking out a
window. Some have speculated that
unknown intelligences may also be
peering through the mirrors.
Worth $500 to the right collector.

King’s Ink
This dark blue ink bridges the gap
between the material and spiritual
worlds. When applied to an incorporeal being it makes the inked portion physical.
D10 usage die. Worth $200 to the right collector.

ENEMY HD ACTIONS AND SPECIALS

Larval Leech 1
Cultist 1
Adolescent Leech 2
Leech Priest 2
Shadow Person 3
Leech Mother 10
Slimy, difficult to grab.
CON test to avoid +1d6 poison DMG on cultists knife attacks.
Releases a noxious gas when killed that does 1d6 damage to all within 15 ft.
Heals self 1d6 on successful bite attack.
Only gold or silver weapons hit. Repelled by light.
Eats any non leech organic material. Pacified by Star Flower incense smoke. It’s
screech paralyzes anyone that fails a CHA test.
The Sunken Temple 5. Prison
A Cultist and a Jailer are in this room. There are 4
of the Leech Mother cells (Jailer has key), 2 are occupied. 1 prisoner has
gone incurably mad and only recites lines from an
unknown poem (David Bowie's The Glass Spider or
The Laughing Gnome). The other prisoner will tell
1. The Hallway
PCs that the cultists sacrifice their prisoners to some
This musty hallway is made of cyclopean stone slabs
monstrous god they call The Mother. There is a dirt
and is dimly lit by a few lantern sconces. The faint
pit in the south end of the room. 2d6 adolescent
scent of a strange incense lingers in the air.
leeches live under the soft dirt at the bottom of the
pit and they will burrow to the surface if they sense
2. The Priest’s Study
movement.
2 Cultists are studying a gold covered book of strange
diagrams at the desk. Under the desk is a wooden
6. Void Room
box containing what 2 handheld mirrors (The Mirrors
The door to this room is locked. The Leech Priest has
of Binah). A tunnel to the Embalming room is hidden
the key. Inside there is a small platform surrounded by
behind a tapestry depicting stars and planets.
total darkness. No light seems to pierce the darkness
Bookshelves hold tomes in strange languages. One or
and no ceiling or floor is visible. This void is the home
all of the following phrases can be deciphered.
of countless shadow people who will be released to
1. Bathe thy blade in the tears of the leech mother.
roam the earth once the door is open.
2. Light is the shadows’ cage.
3. Their flesh is frozen by the hymn of the leech.
7. The Sacrifice Room
4. The smoke of the star flowers to placate the leech.
A stone table is in the middle of the room. A giant
stone block is suspended above it by a pulley system.
3. The Embalming Room
There is a lever next to the table that causes the block
1d4 Cultists are in this room. Embalmed and wrapped
to drop on the table. A short staircase in the South
bodies lie on 3 tables. On close inspection they are
of the room leads into the center of a massive stone
still alive but in a catatonic state, if healed they behave
circle set against the South wall. 6 pillars have small
as hostile Zombies. A tunnel to the Study is hidden
alcoves containing golden statues of a horned leech,
behind a tapestry depicting a diagram of the human
each worth $100, double that to the right collector.
body. Shelves and a long table contain jars, bottles
Grooves in the table lead to grooves in the floor that
and removed organs. These items can be found here:
lead to a stone podium where the Leech Priest inks
1.) Small jar containing an eyeball that moves
a diagram on its surface. The diagram matches one
occasionally.
from the book in the study.
2.) A bottle of a purple healing liquid.
3.) A jar of King’s Ink
When a sacrifice is made on the table and the blood
4.) A jar containing a brain suspended in clear liquid.
travels the grooves to the podium a portal opens
The brain belonged to some inhuman clairvoyant
in the stone circle. The diagram on the podium
creature and whispers prophecies of varying
determines the destination of the portal. The cult is
usefulness in an alien language to the jar carrier.
trying to open a portal to where their goddess The
Leech Mother lives. They have yet to be successful. 1
4. The Spawning Room
of the 100 diagrams in the book is the correct location.
Except for a winding stone walkway this entire room
The other 99 locations are up to the GM. The Leech
is a 10ft deep pool of warm, green, thick slime. There
Priest will pay $50 for a victim to sacrifice.
are 4 planters at points along the walkway, each with
different Star Flowers growing. These flowers are
If the Leech Mother is summoned, it will attempt to
combined to make the cult’s incense.
devour everyone in the city.
1d4 cultists are harvesting flowers in this room. Every 5
minutes 2d4 larval leeches will leap from the pool and
attack players. If the players are burning the incense
the larva will not attack. The green slime is mildly
poisonous.
 City Sewers

1.

2.
5.

4.
3.

6.

7.
The Shadow Hack is inspired by and made with The Black
Hack, a tabletop rpg system by David Black