“To our horror, the corpses of

the fallen samurai began to move.

Rising to life, these dishonored
dead lumbered toward us!”
- Excerpt from the journal of the
Yamabushi Monk, Shiro Takara
Forbidden Fortress - Adventure Book
By Jason C. Hill

Table of Contents
4 Story of the Sword from 42 Feudal Japan and the
Heaven Old West
8 Map of the Region 44 Miniature Gallery
10 Mission List 46 Feudal Japan - An Age of War
12 Basic Missions 47 The Belly of the Beast
18 Advanced Missions 48 Enemy Overview
28 Traveling 52 Miniatures Painting Guide
29 Feudal Villages 56 Travel Hazard Chart
33 Hero Advancement 58 Mutation Chart
34 Samurai Warrior 60 Glossary
36 Assassin 61 FAQ / Clarifications
38 Traveling Monk 62 Blank Character Sheet
40 Sorceress

3
 STORY OF THE SWORD FROM HEAVEN

It was a time of civil war. Cities

burned and the fields ran red with the
blood of battle. For over a hundred
years, warring houses fought for
control of Japan.

That’s when the ‘Sword from Heaven’ came.

Streaking through the sky with a trail of purple
flame. It was like nothing the warriors or wise men
had seen before.

Crashing into the Sacred Mountain, it

erupted in fire and death. This was no ordinary
meteor, but a black rock that glowed with the
power of the gods...Dark Stone.

At first the great houses saw this as a gift that

could change their fortunes in the war.

They collected and forged the Dark Stone

into weapons and armor for their most trusted
Samurai.
But then, the demons came!

4
 The meteor’s explosion had
ripped open portals to other worlds,
from which all manner of creatures
emerged.
Demons of lore swept through
the villages, temples, and fortress
strongholds surrounding the
mountain, killing all in their path.

The skies grew black as swarms of demonic

nightmares descended from the heavens to
terrorize the countryside.

Within days several of the most

powerful houses fell to the Darkness,
only to have their armies of Samurai rise
back up from the dead, a ghastly horde
of dishonored warriors.

Dragons returned to the Earth, bursting forth

from beneath the Sacred Mountain where they had
slumbered for a thousand years. Raining fire and death
down from the skies, the Dragon King, Sho-Riu had
regained much of his former power. Gathering his loyal
servants, he set out to conquer the world and seek his
revenge on the sacred order of Yamabushi monks that
had imprisoned him so long ago.

5
 In the chaos, one house stood strong. They
had been the first to realize the potential of the
Dark Stone, and their Daimyo Warlord had grown
mutated and corrupt with power, ordering every
soldier in his army to be touched by the magik of
the rock.

This gave them unnatural strength, but it also

began to change them, twisting their limbs into
writhing tentacles and making them monstrous
soldiers... the Takobake!

Their weapons and abilities enhanced by

the power of the Dark Stone, the armies of the
Takobake were nearly unstoppable on the field of
battle.

All those that opposed them in open war were

driven before the might of this tainted house.

With his newfound power and

madness, the Takobake Daimyo
declared himself...
The Fallen Shogun, master of war,
and ruler of all Japan!

6
 A dark shadow has fallen across the land, but there are still brave warriors
ready to stand against the Darkness, to challenge the Dragons and the armies of
the Fallen Shogun, and to enter the gates... of the Forbidden Fortress!

A Matter of Honor Elemental Magik

A Samurai’s Bushido Code of Honor guides him Trained in the mystic arts to control the Elements
in every aspect of life. For hundreds of years, the of life - Fire, Earth, Wind, and Water, sorcerers
Samurai of the great clans have trained, honing have long been thought to hold wisdom and
their skills in battle. Now as the supernatural knowledge beyond that of mortal men. Once
Darkness of the Void spreads across the land, and relegated to the roles of hermits and court advisors,
many of the great houses have fallen into shadow, those with an affinity for Magik have found a new
it is the duty of all Samurai to stand against calling in a world overrun with demons,
this tide of evil. For Victory. For Survival. spirits, and creatures of the Void!
For Honor!

7
 MISSIONS
Missions are the backbone of the Shadows of Brimstone, describing a story set up, the goals, special rules, and reward for
successfully completing the Adventure. There are 12 different Missions included in this Core Set. The first 6 are Basic Missions
while the other 6 are Advanced Missions that are unique to the contents of this Set.

SELECTING A MISSION
When you are setting up for a game of Shadows of
Brimstone, one of the key factors is deciding what Mission
you will play. The Lost Contact introductory Mission in the
Main Rulebook is a great entry point for all groups of new
Heroes starting their career of adventure.
Rolling Randomly vs Choosing
When you are ready for your next Adventure, you can
either select a Mission from the list to play, or, if you are
feeling adventurous, you can roll randomly to determine your
next Mission using the list below.
If you are new to the game, it is recommended that you
play though several of the Basic Missions before moving on to
any of the Advanced Missions.
Mission List
Below is a list of all of the Missions found in the Forbidden
Fortress Core Set for Shadows of Brimstone. There are 6 Basic
Missions, and 6 Advanced Missions unique to this Core Set.

D6 Roll Mission Type

1-3 Basic Mission
4-6 Forbidden Fortress Mission

D6 Roll Basic Missions

1 Hunt for Dark Stone
2 Exploration
3 Seal the Void Gate Linking Missions
4 Search Party When playing as a campaign and keeping your Heroes
from game to game, it is sometimes fun to link your Missions
5 Escape thematically, one after another. Though none of the Missions
introduced here directly affect one another, it is easy to imagine
6 Bring Down the Fortress how they might be chained together to form a narrative.
For example, if you play Exploration and succeed, you
D6 Roll Forbidden Fortress Missions may determine that you need to Seal the Void Gate that you
discovered along the way. While if you failed, you might need
1 Castle of the Dead to form a Search Party to rescue someone carried off by the
Darkness you let escape. Then if you failed to Seal the Void
2 The Sorcerer’s Library Gate, perhaps you should really just Bring Down the Fortress,
as it’s the only way to be sure. While if you succeeded, maybe
3 Lost Explorer too many creatures got through before the gate was sealed
and now you have to Escape to get away alive. The narrative
4 A Living World possibilities are endless.
5 Devoured by the Beast

10
6 If it Bleeds...
 MISSION FEATURES FIXED MAP MISSIONS
Elements of a Mission Some Missions use a fixed map rather than a randomly
Every Mission has a short story description as well as generated board. For these Missions, the board is created at
several features. the start of the game, as shown in the Mission’s Set Up section
and map diagram.
Set Up describes the starting board arrangement
and any special markers or cards the Heroes The Map Decks are generally not used for these Missions
start with. as the entire Map is constructed during Set Up.
Mission Goal describes what the Heroes need to Exploration Tokens
do to complete the Mission. Exploration Tokens (if used) are placed on the board as
Special Rules tell what extra rules are used that are shown in the map diagram. As normal, during the Room
specific to the Mission. Exploration phase of the turn, if there are one or more Heroes
on a Map Tile with an Exploration Token, that Token is
Objectives describes what Clue Icons are used for revealed.
during the Mission (if relevant) as well as
what the final Objective Room may hold. Once a Hero has entered a Map Tile with
It also tells how the Mission is successfully
completed by the Heroes. an Exploration Token on it, that Hero may not
leave that Map Tile until the end of the turn.
Reward details what bonuses the Heroes get if they
successfully complete the Mission. This prevents Heroes from moving through an un-
Failure tells what happens if the Heroes lose the Explored Room without triggering the Exploration Token to
Mission - by all being KO’d, letting the be revealed.
Darkness Escape the Fortress, etc. A Hero may, however, move onto one of the puzzle
connection spaces in the Room, connected to another Map
Mission Special Rules Tile, as they will still be on both Map Tiles. If that Map Tile
Most Missions have one or more Special Rules. Often, also has an Exploration Token, both of them will be revealed
the same Special Rule can be found in multiple different during the Room Exploration phase.
Missions.
Special Rules marked with ‘(Objective)’ specifically relate During a Fight, models may not move onto
to the Objectives of the Mission (usually only taking effect a Map Tile that has an unrevealed Exploration
while in the final Objective Room). Token.

New Doors and Gates

Door and Gate Icons on Exploration Tokens are not used
in Fixed Map Missions, as the board is already pre-set. Any
time a Gate or new Door would appear (from an Encounter
card, etc.), ignore that new Door or Gate, it simply does not
come into play.
Placing Enemies
With a Fixed Map, Rooms no longer always have an
obvious ‘Entrance’. Because normal Enemy placement starts
at the opposite side of the Room from the ‘Entrance’, simply
treat the side of the Room that the Heroes moved onto the
Map Tile from as the ‘Entrance’ to that Room.
If Heroes moved onto the Map Tile from two different
directions in the same turn, roll off to see which of the two
sides counts as the ‘Entrance’.

11
 HUNT FOR DARK STONE
Basic
Mission
1
Sitting in a tavern one afternoon, you overhear talk
of an abandoned Fortress up in the hills that has a large
stockpile of Dark Stone, just waiting for someone to
come and claim it. It sounds too good to be true...and
it probably is, but the haggered old soldier swears up
and down that he would go claim it himself if he were
twenty years younger.
It’s not hard to figure out which Fortress he’s
talking about based on the landmarks he mentions,
and though the other patrons he tells just dismiss
him, this could be the rich opportunity you’ve
been looking for.
Set Up
This Mission uses the standard set up and all Heroes
start on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal.
Mission Goal
The Heroes are searching for the stockpile of valuable
Dark Stone hidden away in the abandoned Fortress. To
find the crates of Dark Stone that they are looking for,
the Heroes must collect enough Clue Icons on Exploration
Tokens to lead them to the Objective.
There are three variations for this Mission and the Heroes
must choose before the Mission begins which Mission Length
they want to embark on.
Reward
The XP gained and amount of Dark Stone that the Heroes
Mission Length Objective find in the stockpile is based on the Mission Length they chose
before the Mission began, as noted below. Each Hero receives
Small Stockpile Find 2 Clues the Reward for completing the Mission.
Medium Stockpile Find 3 Clues
Large Stockpile Find 4 Clues Mission Length Reward
Small Stockpile 25 XP and D3 Dark Stone
Special Rules Medium Stockpile 50 XP and D3+1 Dark Stone
There are no Special Rules for this Mission.
Large Stockpile 75 XP and D3+2 Dark Stone
Objectives
When the final Clue is discovered, the Heroes have found Failure
the Dark Stone stockpile they were looking for! Ignore any If the Heroes fail the Mission, the Darkness escapes
Attacks or Encounters listed on the final Exploration Token. the Fortress and wreaks havoc on the countryside and the
Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons on the token, as the neighboring Towns.
Objective Room has no exits.
When the Heroes Travel to a Feudal Village before the
Reveal all Growing Dread cards in the stack as normal next Adventure, D3 Random Buildings there will have been
and then the Heroes must face an Epic Threat. Once all Destroyed by the escaping Darkness.
Enemies have been defeated, the Heroes have successfully
completed the Mission!

12
 EXPLORATION
Basic
Mission
2
You have been hired by a local Samurai Warlord to
investigate and clear out the home of one of his Daimyo
lieutenants that was overrun by creatures in the night. He
will pay you well to dispose of any remaining demons or
evil spirits that haunt this small fortress.
He assures you that it is a modest castle, and surely
most of the creatures that killed his lieutenant have moved
on by now. Sounds simple, right? It always does.
Set Up
This Mission starts with the Fortress Entrance Map Tile
leading directly to a T-Junction Map Tile. All Heroes start on
the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal.
Remove a T-Junction Map Card from the Fortress Map
Deck. Note that the Hero Party marker is not moved forward
a step on the Depth Track for this T-Junction.

Mission Goal
The Heroes must explore the entire Fortress (not
including any Gates they might find along the way) and defeat
all Enemies they come across to successfully complete this
Mission.

Special Rules
Limited Doors
All Exploration Tokens with a Clue Icon have
one less Door/Gate on them (Heroes’ Choice).
Any time you reveal an Exploration Token, roll a D6
for each Door/Gate Icon on that Token. On the roll of 4+,
ignore that Door/Gate Icon. While the Hero Party marker is
in the middle Stage of the Depth Track, ignore on a 3+ instead.
While the Hero Party marker is in the last Stage of the Depth
Track, ignore all Door/Gate Icons automatically.
Reward
Dead End Showdowns Each Hero receives 25 XP as well as $50 x the number
Whenever a Dead End Room is found (a Room Map Tile of steps on the Depth Track the Hero Party marker is from
that has no Exits), roll a D6. the Fortress Entrance space. For example - If the Hero Party
1 - Add an Epic Threat to the Exploration Token. marker is on the 10 space of the Depth Track when the Fortress
2-3 - Add a normal Threat to the Exploration Token. has been fully explored, each Hero will earn $300 ($50 x 6
4-6 - There is no extra Threat here. steps from the Fortress Entrance).
Immediate Dread Failure
For this Mission, Growing Dread cards are revealed If the Heroes fail the Mission, the Darkness escapes the
immediately when drawn rather than being placed on the stack. Fortress and lays waste to the roads and villages in the area.
When the Heroes Travel to Town after this Adventure,
Objectives they must each roll twice to see if they add a Travel Hazard
Once the Heroes have explored the entire Fortress (all to the journey. Also, 1 Random Building in Town will have
paths lead to a Dead End Room - if a Room has only Gates been Destroyed by the escaping Darkness.
as Exits, this counts as a Dead End), they must defeat any
remaining Enemies on the board to complete the Mission.

13
 SEAL THE VOID GATE
Basic
Mission
3
A stable Void Gate has opened deep in a nearby
Fortress and all manner of horrific monstrosities are
pouring out! Finding a way to seal the gate within an
ancient occult tome, one of the local monks lead a group
into the Fortress a few days ago to try to put a stop to
the rampage. They have not been heard from since,
and the waves of creatures are getting stronger and more
frequent. Something must be done, or this entire area
will be overrun in a matter of days!
Set Up
This Mission uses the standard set up and all Heroes start
on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal.

Mission Goal
The Heroes must discover the fate of the previous
expedition and retrieve the Occult Book. They must then find
the Void Gate and use the Book to collapse and seal it.
Special Rules
Leading Darkness
Due to the extra Void energies surrounding the area, the The Second Clue
Darkness moves D3+1 steps on the Depth Track at the start The Second Clue the Heroes find is the location of the
of the game (after set up but before the first turn). This may Void Gate! Ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on this
lead to an immediate Attack on the Heroes as they approach Exploration Token. Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons on the
the entrance. token, as the Objective Room has only one exit and that is the
Creature Summoning (Objective) Void Gate (a Gate End Cap). Heroes may not move through
During the final Fight, anytime the Hold Back the Darkness the Void Gate as it leads directly into the abyss of the Void.
roll is failed, roll a D6. On the roll of 1, 2, or 3, immediately Reveal all Growing Dread cards in the stack as normal
add a Low Threat card to the Fight. These Enemies are and then the Heroes must face an Epic Threat that is guarding
placed normally (not in Ambush). the Void Gate. As long as the Void Gate is open, the Creature
Summoning rule above is active in the final Room. Also, the
Sealing the Gate (Objective) Hero with the Occult Book may use the Sealing the Gate rule
While on the same Map Tile as the above. If the Hero with the Occult Book is KO’d, the book
Gate, the Hero with the Occult Book drops in their space and may be picked up for free by any
may attempt to read from it once per turn, other Hero moving into that space.
during his Activation. Make a Spirit 5+ test.
For every 5+ rolled, gain 10 XP and place a Once the Void Gate has been Sealed and all remaining
Sanity marker on the Gate. When there are 5 Enemies have been defeated, the Heroes have successfully
or more Sanity markers on the Gate, it is Sealed and completed the Mission.
the Gate End Cap is replaced with a normal End Cap.
Reward
Objectives Each Hero receives 25 XP as well as D6x$50 for their
efforts.
The First Clue
The First Clue the Heroes find is the location of the ill- Failure
fated previous expedition as well as the location of the Occult If the Heroes fail the Mission, the surge of creatures from
Book they were carrying with them. Ignore any Attacks or the Void Gate destroys all of the villages nearby. The Heroes
Encounters listed on this Exploration Token. Instead the may not visit a Feudal Village, but instead must proceed
Heroes must draw a Threat card that is one Threat Level directly on to the next Adventure.
higher than normal to battle. These are the creatures that
killed the first expedition. At the end of this Fight, the Heroes
find the Occult Book amongst the bodies of the fallen and

14
may choose which Hero will carry it.
 SEARCH PARTY
Basic
Mission
4
Dragged off in the night, one of the local villagers has
gone missing, and there are signs of a struggle leading
through the gates of a fallen fortress. No one else around
these parts is willing to do anything about it, as they are
too terrified to enter the haunted castle! But you can’t
bring yourselves to simply walk away. Not this time.
Set Up
This Mission uses the standard set up and all Heroes start
on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal.
Mission Goal
One of the local villagers has gone missing and everyone
fears the worst. Organizing your Party for a search, you must
find 3 Clue Icons before it’s too late to find them alive.
Roll a D6 to determine who has gone missing. This will
also determine the Reward if you can bring them back alive.
Special Rules
There are no Special Rules for this Mission.

D6 Roll Person Missing

1-2 A Farmer’s Son
3-4 The Warlord’s Daughter
5-6 The Old Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Objectives
The Third Clue
When the Third Clue is discovered, the Heroes have
found the location of the person they were looking for! Ignore Reward
any Attacks or Encounters listed on the final Exploration If the Heroes successfully complete the Mission, each
Token. Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons on the token, as the Hero gains 50 XP. If the missing person was brought back
Objective Room has no exits. alive, they also gain the following Reward based on who was
rescued:
Reveal all Growing Dread cards in the stack as normal
and then the Heroes must face an Epic Threat that is guarding
the unconscious or dead body of the missing villager. Place a Person Rescued Reward
KO’d Hero marker in any space of the final Objective Room A Farmer’s Son D6x$50 and you may
to represent the body (models may occupy this space and the
body may not be interacted with in any way. It is only for remove D3 Corruption
thematic purposes).
Once all Enemies have been defeated, the Heroes have
The Warlord’s x $150 or Draw a Gear card
successfully completed the Mission! If the Hero Party marker Daughter
on the Depth Track is in the first Stage, roll 1 die, if it’s in the Gain +1 Health or
middle Stage, roll 2 dice, and if it’s in the last Stage roll 3 dice. The Old Sorcerer’s
If any of the dice roll a 1, it is too late, and the missing person Apprentice Gain +1 Sanity
is already dead. If none of the dice roll a 1, they are still alive,
but just barely. This roll may not be Re-rolled. Failure
If the Heroes fail the Mission, each Hero takes D3
Corruption Points, ignoring Willpower, as the loss weighs
heavily on their souls.

15
 ESCAPE
Basic
Mission
5
Special Rules
Surrounded by Darkness
As you frantically Search for a way to escape the
Darkness, it closes in around you. Any time the Heroes
find an Exploration Token with a Clue Icon, it moves the
Hero Party marker one extra step forward on the Depth Track,
but also adds an extra Threat card to the Token. If it is already
an Attack or Ambush Attack, this is an extra Threat card for
that Fight (the additional Enemies will Ambush as well if it
is already an Ambush Attack). If the Exploration Token was
an Encounter, this makes it an Attack as well with a single
Threat card.
Dangerous Escape (Objective)
At the end of the first turn in which one or more Heroes
is standing on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as the Objective
Room, roll a special Hold Back the Darkness test (ignore
Depth Events). If failed, the Darkness marker is not moved,
but instead there is an Epic Threat there waiting for you that
must be defeated to escape! If the test is successful, the coast is
clear and the Heroes are able to burst through the castle gates,
escaping without incident.
Immediate Dread
For this Mission, Growing Dread cards are revealed
immediately when drawn rather than being placed on the stack.
May Not Flee
Once the Adventure begins, the Heroes may not Flee;
they are trapped, and must see the Mission through to the end.
Objectives
Find the Fortress Entrance to Escape
Any time a new Map Tile is placed, move the Hero Party
marker as normal and then roll 2D6 (this roll may not be
Re-rolled). If the roll is equal to or higher than the current
position of the Hero Party marker on the Depth Track, the
Something went terribly wrong after that last mission Heroes have found the Fortress Entrance!
and now you’re deep in the Fortress and surrounded! Ignore any Door/Gate Icons on the Exploration Token
You must find a way out before you are overwhelmed for the Map Tile just placed (if there is an Exploration Token),
as it has only one exit, leading to the Fortress Entrance Map
and devoured by the Darkness that is chasing you! Tile as the final Objective Room (this uses the Dangerous
Set Up Escape Special Rule). Once the Heroes escape (after defeating
This Mission starts with the Heroes already deep inside a any Enemies on the last normal Map Tile placed and/or for
Fortress, with just a Cross Path Map Tile. All Heroes start on the Dangerous Escape Special Rule), the Mission is successfully
the Cross Path, and may be placed in any spaces they like. All completed.
four exits of the Cross Path are considered Doors. Reward
Remove a Cross Path Map Card from the Fortress Map Each Hero receives 100 XP.
Deck. Note that the Hero Party marker is not moved forward
a step on the Depth Track for this Cross Path. Failure
If the Heroes fail the Mission, each Hero must discard
Mission Goal one Gear or Artifact card with a listed Gold value of at least
Chased by the Darkness, the Heroes must find a way out $200 as it is lost in the frantic dash to escape the Darkness.
of this forsaken Fortress before they are devoured in the deep. Any Hero that cannot discard a Gear or Artifact like this must
They must explore the Fortress until they find the Fortress instead roll once on the Injury Chart using a D8 instead of
Entrance Map Tile to escape through. the normal 2D6 (in addition to any Injury for being KO’d).

16
 BRING DOWN THE FORTRESS
Basic
Mission
6
That’s it! There are just too many Gates opening up and
creatures coming out of the local Fortress to handle. When
one Gate closes, two more open up around it! There’s only
one thing for it, you’ll have to blow the Fortress! Collecting up
all the heavy-duty explosives the local village has to offer, you
set off into the depths to find a couple of good spots to plant
the charges that will collapse the entire fortress in on itself.
Of course, the only trick is that you also have to get out
before it blows. This one’s gonna be close!
Set Up
This Mission starts with the Fortress
Entrance Map Tile leading directly to a
T-Junction Map Tile. All Heroes start on the
Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal. The
Heroes start with 2 Explosives markers to
plant in the Fortress.
Remove a T-Junction Map Card from the
Fortress Map Deck. Note that the Hero Party marker is not but instead there is an Epic Threat there waiting for you that
moved forward a step on the Depth Track for this T-Junction. must be defeated to escape! If the test is successful, the coast
is clear and the Heroes are able to hightail it, escaping without
Mission Goal incident.
The Heroes must explore the Fortress far enough to find
and place Explosives at a Dead End Room (a Room with no Objectives
Exits) on each side of the T-Junction (two total). They must Two Dead Ends
then return to the Fortress Entrance Map Tile to escape before When the Heroes find a Dead End Room (a Room with
the charges blow! This will successfully complete the Mission. no Exits), after resolving any Encounters or Attacks there,
they automatically place one of their Explosives markers on
Special Rules that Map Tile.
If a Room has only Gates as Exits, it also counts as a Dead
Limited Doors End (as the Heroes can’t very well plant explosives in another
All Exploration Tokens with a Clue Icon have one world if they want to collapse the Fortress here).
less Door/Gate on them (Heroes’ Choice). The Heroes must place one Explosives marker at a Dead
Any time you reveal an Exploration Token, roll a D6 for End on the path leading off to the right of the T-Junction and
each Door/Gate Icon on that Token. On the roll of 4+, ignore one at a Dead End on the path leading off to the left of the
that Door/Gate Icon. While the Hero Party marker is in the T-Junction. This will ensure that the Fortress collapses properly.
middle Stage of the Depth Track, ignore on a 3+ instead.
While the Hero Party marker is in the last Stage of the Depth Get Back to the Fortress Entrance
Track, ignore all Door/Gate Icons automatically. Once both Explosives markers are placed, the Heroes
must return to the Fortress Entrance Map Tile (as the final
Dead End Showdowns Objective Room) to escape the blast. This uses the Dangerous
Whenever a Dead End Room is found (a Room Map Tile Escape Special Rule. Once the Heroes escape (after defeating
that has no Exits), roll a D6. any Enemies), the Mission is successfully completed.
1 - Add an Epic Threat to the Exploration Token.
2-3 - Add a normal Threat to the Exploration Token. Reward
4-6 - There is no extra Threat here. Each Hero receives 25 XP as well as $250 for their efforts.
Failure
Immediate Dread If the Heroes fail the Mission before placing BOTH
For this Mission, Growing Dread cards are revealed Explosives, the Darkness escapes the Fortress and devours
immediately when drawn rather than being placed on the stack. the Heroes Horses before ravaging the countryside. Any
Transport Item a Hero has must be discarded (Horse, Cart,
Dangerous Escape (Objective) etc.).
At the end of the first turn in which one or more Heroes If the Heroes fail after placing BOTH Explosives, they
is standing on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as the Objective are caught in the blast and must each roll once on the Injury
Room, roll a special Hold Back the Darkness test (ignore Chart to see how bad it is (in addition to any Injury for being
Depth Events). If failed, the Darkness marker is not moved, KO’d).

17
 CASTLE OF THE DEAD
Forbidden Fortress
Mission
1
Legend tells of a haunted
castle, perched on the mountain Objectives
top. Once home to a fearsome
trio of sorcerous The Witch (Mission Difficulty - Basic)
sisters, besieged by While hunting The Witch, when the First Clue is found,
a jealous daimyo, draw D3 Growing Dread cards and add them to the stack.
it now holds little When the Second Clue is found, the Heroes have
more than cold discovered The Witch’s lair as the Objective Room!
death... and the Ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on this
promise of unending Exploration Token. Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons
torment to all the on the token, as the Objective Room has no exits.
villages in the shadow Reveal all Growing Dread cards in the stack as
of the mountain. normal and then the Heroes must face an Epic Threat
card Randomly selected from only those that include a
Harionago Enemy.
Set Up
This The Twins (Mission Difficulty - Medium)
Mission uses While hunting The Twins, when the First Clue is
the standard found, ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on this
set up and Exploration Token. The Heroes must Fight 1 Harionago
all Heroes (drawing a Trait card for her) as the first Twin. As the
start on weaker of the Twins, this Harionago has -10 Health.
the Fortress When the Second Clue is found, the Heroes have
Entrance Map discovered the lair of the second Twin, as the Objective
Tile as normal. Room! Ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on this
Before the Exploration Token. Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons
Adventure begins, the Heroes may choose any on the token, as the Objective Room has no exits. Reveal
2 Exploration Tokens to remove from the stack. all Growing Dread cards in the stack as normal and then the
Heroes must face an Epic Threat card Randomly selected from
Mission Goal only those that include a Harionago Enemy.
The Heroes must enter the haunted castle and find Clues
to hunt down the ghostly Harionagos that dwell there. The Three Sisters (Mission Difficulty - Hard)
There are three variations for this Mission and the While hunting The Three Sisters, when the First Clue
Heroes must choose before the Mission begins which Mission is found, ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on this
Difficulty they want to embark on (use only the Objective text Exploration Token. The Heroes must Fight 1 Harionago
for the chosen Difficulty level). (drawing a Trait card for her) as the first of the Sisters. This
Harionago has -15 Health.
Mission Difficulty Objective When the Second Clue is found, the Heroes have
The Witch (Basic) Find 2 Clues discovered the lair of the second Sister! Ignore any Attacks or
Encounters listed on this Exploration Token. The Heroes must
The Twins (Medium) Find 2 Clues Fight 1 Harionago (drawing a Trait card for her) as the second
The Three Sisters (Hard) Find 3 Clues of the Sisters. This Harionago has -10 Health.
When the Third Clue is found, the Heroes have discovered
Special Rules the lair of the third and final Sister, as the Objective Room!
No Gates Ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on this Exploration
No Gates can be found in this Mission. Any time a Gate Token. Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons on the token, as the
would be placed, instead place a normal Door. Objective Room has no exits. Reveal all Growing Dread cards
in the stack as normal and then the Heroes must face an Epic
Death Dwells Here Threat card Randomly selected from only those that include a
Whenever any Room Map Tile is placed (not Passages), Harionago Enemy.
also place D3+1 Corpse Tokens in that Room as dead samurai
that once besieged the castle (in a checkerboard fashion, as per Reward
Enemy set up. If Enemies are placed in the Room as well, they Each Hero gains 50 XP. If hunting The Twins, each Hero
do not start in spaces with a Corpse Token). may also draw an extra Loot card. If hunting The Three Sisters,
No Rest for the Dead each Hero may also roll a D6. On the roll of 1-3 draw a Gear
Whenever the Hold Back the Darkness roll is failed, card, on the roll of 4-6 draw an Artifact card.
immediately make a Rise Up roll for every Corpse Token Failure
currently on the same Map Tile as one or more Heroes. Tormented by the lost souls of the castle, each Hero must
No Loot cards are drawn after any Fight that has 2 or roll once on the Madness table using 3 dice and discarding the
fewer Dishonored Dead (and no other Enemies) during the

18
lowest single die roll.
Fight (though Heroes may still Catch Their Breath).
 Cutthroats and Conquerors Myth and Legend

As word of the untamed power held by the black rock For generations, theater and folklore have told
spread, pirates, cutthroats, and kings for thousands of tales of great Heroes and monsters of Myth and
miles around began to take interest. Leading raiding Legend. Now creatures walk the land, terrorizing
parties and even armies across the sea to reach Japan, those that once considered them little more
ruthless conquerors such as Banghi Tamur of the than stories to frighten children, while theater
Uzbek Plateau traveled great distances, leaving a trail performers and entertainers like the great Ji Satome
of death and destruction in his wake to collect of the Yongu Kabuki troupe find themselves
some of this ‘Dark Stone’ for himself! fighting off the demons and spirits that
were once only an element of the stage.

19
 ,
THE SORCERER’S LIBRARY
Forbidden Fortress
Mission
2
Objectives
Objective Doors
There are four Objective Doors on the board, marked
by blue arrows on the Map diagram. To search one of these
Objective Doors to see if the Secret Door to the Library is
there, a Hero may Look Through the Door as for normal
Exploration. (Note that if the Objective Door is on a Map
Tile with an Exploration Token, any Encounters/Attacks on
that Token must be completed as normal before a Hero may
Look Through the Door). When a Hero Looks Through an
Objective Door, reveal the face down Number Counter by
that Door.
If it is the number ‘ 1 ’, the Heroes have found the Secret
Demons have been attacking the local village for days now, Door leading to the Objective Room! Place The Library Map
threatening to overrun the warrior monks who have sworn to Tile attached to that Objective Door.
If it is any other number, it is blocked off with an End
defend it. This entire area was once protected by a powerful Cap and roll a D6. On the roll of 1, 2, or 3, the Hero Party
sorcerer, but he was consumed by the Darkness, and his marker is moved to the next Stage of the Depth Track.
temple fallen to shadow. The monks implore you for help
to find the Sorcerer’s secret library, hidden within the tainted The Library
Once The Library has been found
temple, and bring back a banishment Spell Scroll that will and attached to the board,
help them to defeat the demons. You’re their only hope! the Heroes have reached
the Objective Room and
Set Up the final Fight! Reveal all
This Mission has a Fixed Map Layout, as shown in the Growing Dread cards in
diagram to the right. The entire board should be constructed the stack as normal and
during Set Up. There are four open-ended Objective Doors then the Heroes must face an
on the board; these are the possible locations of the Sorcerer’s Epic Threat that is guarding
Library Objective Room. Each Room has a random the Sorcerer’s Library.
Exploration Token placed on it, face down (as shown in the Once the Epic Threat is
diagram). defeated, any Hero starting their
You will also need The Library Map Tile and the Number Activation on The Library Map
Counters marked 1, 2, 3, and 4. Mix these Number Counters Tile may recover the Spell Scroll.
up and place one face down, without looking, by each of the
Objective Doors. Escape!
The Heroes start on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as Once the Epic Threat is defeated, the Heroes must
normal. Escape the Fortress before being consumed by the evil that has
awakened! Replace each remaining Exploration Token currently
Mission Goal on the board with a Low Threat, positioning the Enemies in
The Heroes must search the fortress to find the secret door that Room as for normal Enemy placement (if only 1 or 2
that leads to The Library, and retrieve the Spell Scroll. There Heroes, instead Exploration Tokens are only replaced with a
are four possible Secret Door locations for The Library Room. Threat on the D6 roll of 1, 2, or 3 each). The remainder of the
These are marked on the map diagram with blue arrows. Adventure is considered one long Fight, and the Enemies will
move along the shortest distance to try and reach the Heroes.
Special Rules The Heroes escape and successfully complete the Mission
by having all of the Heroes (except any KO’d) on the Fortress
Fixed Map Entrance Map Tile at the end of any turn, with the Spell Scroll.
This Mission uses a Fixed Map as shown in the Map Note that defeating the remaining Enemies is optional, but no
diagram to the right. A list of all of the Map Tiles used is Loot cards are drawn for these Enemies.
provided for easier identification. Map Cards can be used as
reference to determine the names of each Map Tile. Reward
Each Hero gains 10 XP and may draw 2 Loot cards.
Hero Party Marker Moves by Stages
In this Mission, the Hero Party marker is not positioned Failure
on the Fortress Entrance space of the Depth Track at the start If the Heroes fail the Mission, the local Monks cannot
of the game, instead it is placed at the top of the first Stage of complete the banishment ritual without the Spell Scroll and the
the Depth Track. When it is called to do so, move the marker village is overrun by demonic forces!
to the top of the next Stage. In this way, the Hero Party Each Hero takes D3 Corruption Hits and they may not
marker moves in large chunks, Stage by Stage, rather than Travel to Town, but must proceed directly on to the next

20
incrementally, space by space. Adventure.
This Fixed Map layout uses the following Map Tiles:
Fortress:
- Fortress Entrance - The Audience
- Sacred Garden Chamber
- A Castle Wall x 2 - T-Junction Passage
- A Dojo - Corner Passage
- Bath House - Mid Passage
- The Kitchen - Short Passage

21
- Burning Room - End Cap x 3
 LOST EXPLORER
Forbidden Fortress
Mission
3
D6 Evidence
1-2 Bloody Trail - Draw a Growing Dread card and add
it to the stack. Subtract -1 from the roll on the Explorer’s
Fate chart when the Third Clue is found.
3 Lost Item - One Random Hero may draw a Gear
card, dropped by the Explorer during a struggle (if
this is the Second Clue, you may draw an Artifact card
instead). Subtract -1 from the roll on the Explorer’s Fate
chart when the Third Clue is found.
4-5 Travel Marker - A good sign! All Heroes may
Recover a Grit.
6 Dead Creatures - All Heroes may draw a Loot card,
found at the site of the skirmish. Add +1 to the roll on
the Explorer’s Fate chart when the Third Clue is found.

Objectives
The Third Clue - The Explorer is Found
When the third Clue is found, the Heroes have discovered
the Objective Room and the location of the Explorer! Ignore
any Door/Gate Icons on the token, as the Objective Room
Sitting in the local tavern, you are approached by a weary has no exits.
Reveal all Growing Dread cards in the stack as normal
looking woman with a beaten down demeanor. She tells you and then roll once on the Explorer’s Fate chart below:
of her master, an explorer of some renown, that has gone
missing. It has been seven days since he set off on his journey D6 Explorer’s Fate
into darkness and he has not returned. Fearing the worst, the 1-2 Dead Body - The Heroes find the gruesome remains of
woman is willing to pay dearly for the safe return of her the Explorer. Until the end of the Adventure, all Heroes
mentor, or at least the knowledge of his ultimate fate. roll one less die on any Skill tests they make (min. of 1)
and all Enemies are +2 Damage on their Attacks.
Set Up 3-4 Injured Explorer - The Explorer is alive but
This Mission uses the standard set up and all Heroes start seriously injured. No further effect.
on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal.
5-6 Alive and Fighting! - The Heroes find the Explorer
alive and fighting for his life! Until the end of the
Mission Goal Adventure, all Heroes roll one extra die on any Skill
The Heroes must find 3 Clues to follow the trail of the lost tests they make and at the start of each turn of a Fight,
Explorer, discovering evidence of his journey along the way. a Random Enemy model takes D6 Wounds, ignoring
They must bring the Explorer back alive, or at least determine Defense.
his ultimate fate.
If the final Exploration Token was marked as Encounter,
Special Rules the Heroes must draw and resolve 3 Encounters.
If the final Exploration Token was marked as Attack or
Trail of Evidence Ambush Attack, the Heroes must draw 2 Threat cards for the
Each time the Heroes find a Clue Icon, they Fight.
have discovered some hint at the path the Explorer Once all Enemies have been defeated and all Encounters
has taken, depending on which Clue has been found. resolved, the Heroes have successfully completed the Mission!
The First Clue - Gate and Evidence Reward
When the first Clue is found, ignore any Door/Gate Icons Each Hero gains 25 XP and D6x$100. If the Explorer
on the token. The Room has only a single Gate as an Exit. It was found Alive and Fighting!, each Hero also gains D3
is clear that the Explorer has passed this way. Roll once on the Health, learning valuable lessons about how to survive against
Evidence table below to see what has been left behind. the odds.
The Second Clue - Evidence Failure
When the second Clue is found, the Heroes have Each Hero must discard 1 Gear or Artifact card, lost on
discovered another hint at the Explorer’s journey. Roll once your travels. If a Hero has no Gear or Artifact card to discard,

22
on the Evidence table below to see what has been left behind. instead lose 1 Health permanently.
 A LIVING WORLD
Forbidden Fortress
Mission
4
Stories have begun to spread of a fallen fortress that
is home to a stable gateway leading to a strange living
world! It is said that this world is full of terrifying wonders
and hideous creatures, and that the very ground you walk
on is alive.
Some daring explorers have returned with what
appears to be living artifacts and lost relics, pulled from
the fleshy walls inside the Beast! But there are also tales
of nightmare parasites of massive size, that dwell within
the living tunnels, feeding on any foolish enough to enter
the living world inside the Belly of the Beast!

Set Up
This Mission uses the standard set up and all Heroes start
on the Fortress Entrance Map Tile as normal.

Mission Goal
Find a Gate that leads into the monstrous Belly of the Beast
and explore the living world within the creature. Once in the
Belly of the Beast, the Heroes must find 2 Clue Icons to have
explored the beast and successfully completed the Mission.
Special Rules
All Gates Lead to the Belly of the Beast
All Gates in this Adventure lead to the Belly of the Beast,
even Gates found in the Belly of the Beast (they lead to a
different part of the living world).
Fortress Clues add a Gate
Any Clue Icon the Heroes find in the Forbidden
Fortress, automatically has a Gate in that Room, in addition to Reward
any other doors (place this Gate before other Doors). Each Hero gains 25 XP and recovers enough trinkets and
lost relics that they can sell for D6x$100.
Objectives
The Second Clue in the Beast Failure
When the Heroes find the second Clue Icon in the Belly Lost in the twisting, fleshy caverns of the Beast, you are
of the Beast, they have reached the Objective for exploring this burned by acid and bile fighting your way back out! Each
OtherWorld. Ignore any Attacks or Encounters listed on the Hero takes 2 Bleeding markers that may not be removed until
final Exploration Token. Also, ignore any Door/Gate Icons during the next Adventure.
on the token, as the Objective Room has no exits.
Reveal all Growing Dread cards in the stack as normal
and then the Heroes must face an Epic Threat. Remember,
that any time a normal Threat card (Low, Med, or High)
would be drawn in an OtherWorld, an OtherWorld Threat card
is drawn instead. Once all Enemies have been defeated, the
Heroes have successfully completed the Mission!

23
 DEVOURED BY THE BEAST
Forbidden Fortress
Mission
5
Stumbling into the wrong area of the Beast, you find
yourselves standing on a massive sphincter! Just as the
horrible realization strikes your mind, it opens beneath
your feet and you tumble down, down, down, splashing
into a shallow pool of acidic bile deep below!
Set Up
This Mission starts on the
Belly of the Beast Digestive Pit
Map Tile, with 2 open Doorways,
one on either side, and an End
Cap blocking the bottom Exit.
The 4x4 space area at the center
of this Map Tile (shown here) is board.
the Starting Area. The Heroes may Other non-Acid Blob Enemies that appear are still treated
be placed starting the Adventure as normal Fights (note that Corpse Tokens do not roll to Rise
anywhere in the Starting Area. Up if only Acid Blobs are on the same Map Tile). If the last
non-Acid Blob Enemy is killed while there are still Acid Blobs
No Exploration Token is placed on this starting Map Tile. on the board, finish out the rest of the turn before drawing
Remove the Digestive Pit Map Card from the Belly of the Loot and rolling to Catch Your Breath.
Beast Map Deck.
Mission Goal May Not Flee
The Heroes have been swallowed into a secondary Once the Adventure begins, the Heroes may not Flee;
stomach of the Beast! They must search the creature’s intestines they are trapped, and must see the Mission through to the end.
for 2 Clues to find Bile Stones that they can bring back to the Objectives
Digestive Pit and dissolve, expelling gasses that will force the
Beast to open it’s stomach and allow them to escape! The First Clue Found in Each Direction
The first Clue Icon that the Heroes find in each direction
Special Rules leading away from the Digestive Pit Map Tile is the location of
a caustic Bile Stone!
No Gates Ignore any Door/Gate Icons on the Exploration Token,
No Gates can be found in this Mission. Any time a Gate as this area is an enclosed chamber of the stomach. Place a
would be placed, instead place a normal Door. Bile Stone marker in the back, left most space of the Map
Immediate Dread Tile (like Enemy placement). Then resolve any Encounters or
For this Mission, Growing Dread cards are revealed Attacks on this Exploration Token as normal.
immediately when drawn rather than being placed on the stack. Bile Stones
Bile Stone markers do not block movement
Hard to Hold Back the Darkness or Line of Sight. Any Hero entering a space
The Hold Back the Darkness roll needs to be with a Bile Stone marker may pick it up for
one higher than normal to succeed each turn. free. If a Hero with a Bile Stone marker is
Digestive Acid Blobs KO’d (or wishes to drop it), place the marker
The digestive Acid Blobs within the Beast’s in the Hero’s space. Bile Stone markers may
stomach have been awakened and are bubbling be exchanged between nearby Heroes just as
to the surface to devour the Heroes! though they were Items.
Any time the Hold Back the Darkness roll is To successfully complete the Mission and escape the
failed, place 1 Acid Blob Enemy in the space of the stomach, the Heroes must have both Bile Stones on the
Starting Area (on the Digestive Pit Map Tile) closest to a Hero. Digestive Pit Map Tile, and no Enemies on the board (other
Whenever any Acid Blob is killed, the Hero that killed it than Acid Blobs).
must draw D3 Scavenge cards to see what spills out of the
digestive slime (no Scavenged marker is placed for this). Reward
For this Mission, Acid Blob Enemies alone do not Each Hero gains 50 XP and rolls a D6. On the roll of 3+,
constitute a Fight; they are always active. draw a Belly of the Beast Artifact.
When Acid Blobs are defeated, no Loot card is drawn Failure
and no Catch Your Breath roll is made. Heroes may even still If the Mission is failed, each Hero must roll a D6 for each
Explore while Acid Blobs are the only Enemies on the board. Gear and Artifact card they have (not Starting Items). On the
‘Once per Fight’ abilities and Items may be used ‘Once per roll of 1, it is dissolved by the acid of the stomach (discard).

24
Turn’ instead while Acid Blobs are the only Enemies on the
 IF IT BLEEDS...
Forbidden Fortress
Mission
6
Writhing their way through a tear in the fabric of space place an Organ marker covering a 2x3 space area at the back,
and time, the massive tendrils of an interdimensional beast left-most spaces of the Map Tile, similar to Enemy placement
have burst into our world! Smashing and devouring everything (this Organ marker may overhang off the edge of the board
they come into contact with! The gaping maws of the creature if need be). Organs block movement, but not Line of Sight.
are toothy doorways into its unfathomably enormous body. Encounters and Attacks on the Exploration Token are
To attack this beast from the outside would be useless. Only resolved as normal.
by venturing inside the creature can you hope to find some of Each Type of Organ has a different special effect once placed
its more sensitive areas and attack them, hopefully forcing it to on the board, as well as when it is Destroyed:
withdraw back into its own dimension.
Thymux Gland - This Organ controls the
Set Up immune response inside the Beast! When
This Mission starts on the Belly of the Beast side of the placed, also add .Acid Blobs to the
Entrance Map Tile, leading directly to a T-Junction Passage board. While on the board, all Enemies are
Map Tile. All Heroes start on this Entrance Map Tile, as +1 Damage on all of their Attacks. Once
Destroyed, all Enemies are -1 Defense.
normal, and no Passage Encounter card is drawn for this
T-Junction Passage. Bile Sack - Any time a Hero adds one or
Remove a T-Junction Passage Map Card from the Belly more counters to this Organ, they must pass an
of the Beast Map Deck. Note that the Hero Party marker Agility 5+ test or gain a Bleeding marker.
is not moved forward a step on the Depth Track for this While on the board, all normal spaces on the
T-Junction Passage. Depth Track count as Blood Spatter spaces.
When Destroyed, the Bile Sack explodes,
Mission Goal pouring out gore and objects it was trying to
The Heroes must search for 2 Clues to find the 2 Organs digest. Each Hero may draw 3 Loot cards.
that control this section of the Beast! Once located, the Heroes
must destroy each of these Organs to kill the creature’s massive Ichor Pump - When placed, immediately
draw an extra Exploration Token for this
appendage that is bursting into their reality, before the entire Room, resolving it in addition to the
area is consumed by the Beast’s ravenous appetite! normal Exploration Token (ignore any Clue
Icon on that Token). While on the board,
Special Rules whenever the Hold Back the Darkness roll is
failed, roll a D6 and trigger the corresponding
No Gates Depth Event. Once Destroyed, the Beast loses all
There are no Gates to escape through in this Mission. sphincter control. All Exits on Map Tiles that do
Any time a Gate would be placed, it is simply a normal not contain an Organ now automatically count as
Doorway instead. Open Doorways.
Hard to Hold Back the Darkness Destroying an Organ
The Hold Back the Darkness roll needs to be one higher
than normal to succeed each turn. Any Hero adjacent to an Organ may give up their Attack
for the turn (even when not in a Fight) to choose any one of
Immediate Dread their Skills (Lore, Cunning, etc.) and make a ‘Skill’ 6+ test to
For this Mission, Growing Dread cards are revealed find a way to damage the Organ (it can be fun to announce
immediately when drawn rather than being placed on the stack. how your Hero is using their chosen skill to work on the
Organ). For each 6+ rolled, place a marker on the Organ and
“I Think it’s Angry!” gain 10XP. To Destroy an Organ, the Heroes must collectively
This section of the Beast is twisting and writhing as the place a number of these markers on it equal to:
creature consumes all it comes into contact with! Pustules burst
and gouts of acidic mucous spray out of the walls! Any time The Hero Party Level +1 per Hero
the Hold Back the Darkness roll is failed, every Hero must Once an Organ has enough markers on it, it will be
immediately pass an Agility 5+ test, or gain a Bleeding marker. Destroyed and removed from the board. When the Heroes
have found and Destroyed 2 Organs, the Mission is successfully
Objectives completed.
Finding an Organ
Each time the Heroes find a Clue Icon, they have Reward
discovered one of the Organs that controls this section of the Each Hero may draw 3 Loot cards and choose 2 of them
Beast. Roll a D6 to determine which Organ has been found to keep (discard the other). Shuffle the Loot Deck before each
(Re-rolling if that Organ has already been found): Hero’s draw.
1-2 Thymux Gland Failure
3-4 Bile Sack Burned by the acids of the Beast, every Hero must start
5-6 Ichor Pump the next Adventure with D3 Bleeding markers each. Also,
the Heroes may not visit a Feudal Village, but instead must

25
Ignore any Doors listed on the Exploration Token and
proceed directly on to the next Adventure.
 East vs West Armageddon

Once the portals to other worlds began tearing With a stable gateway to the American West
open across Japan, strange folk started showing up. of the 1880s, and an enterprising spirit, a small
Westerners with fancy firearms and even fancier Frontier Town sprang up nearly overnight. Called
clothes set up shop in an area ravaged by demons. Armageddon, this new town teemed with Western
Some came to trade, some looking for Dark Stone, folk looking for new opportunities. Notorious
and some just to rob anything of value. One such madam Affection Eve went so far as to construct
Outlaw was Jonas Ryan and the Quinn Gang. He a river boat gambling hall, ‘Eve of Armageddon’,
quickly made a name for himself dueling complete with gatling guns on the rooftop
Samurai with his six shooter and a smile. to ward off demons and dragons.

26
 A Taste for Gold The Royal Navy

Following rumors of untold riches and the magical

black rock, Spanish Conquistadors like Diego Tomas Master of the Black Fleet and captain of the HMS
Rodriguez Gonzales set sail for the Far East. Making Wade, Royal Navy Admiral Shannon was dispatched to
landfall on a small island, off the coast of Japan, Japan by the Crown to represent the Queen’s interests
they discovered a stable gateway to a murky swamp in trading for the mysterious black rock. After dropping
world...Jargono! Establishing Spanish Forts on both anchor off the coast, they immediately found themselves
sides of the portal, the Conquistadors fended off under siege by demons and unwelcoming Samurai
countless attacks from the native Serpentmen alike. “If they will not trade with us, we shall
while collecting Dark Stone and Gold to
send back to Spain. take our share by force if necessary.”

27
 TRAVELING TO TOWN
When keeping your Heroes from game to game in a campaign, it is important to be able to resupply and get pesky Injuries,
Madness, or Mutations Healed. To do this, Heroes can Travel across the countryside to reach a Feudal Village. Traveling in the
shadow of the Sacred Mountain can be a dangerous prospect, even for the most hearty of Heroes, so beware.

Mission Success or Failure

The success or failure of the previous Mission can have
an impact on your Traveling or the Feudal Village you visit,
as noted in the individual Mission just played. Oftentimes,
failing a Mission will lead to one or more Locations in Town
being Destroyed by the Darkness that you let Escape from the
nearby Fortress.
Preparing to Travel
Once the Heroes are ready to Travel, every Hero in the
Party must roll a D6.

A Hero that rolls a 1 or 2 on the die adds

a Travel Hazard to the journey.

Rolling for Travel Hazards

Once you have established how many Travel Hazards
there will be, each Hero that added a Hazard to the trip must
roll once on the Travel Hazard Chart. This can be done in any
order, but each Travel Hazard roll must be completed before
the next roll on the chart is made.
Note that Travel Hazards usually affect the whole group,
but on occasion, they will specifically affect the Hero that
triggered the Hazard/rolled the result on the chart.
The Travel Hazard Chart can be found at the back of this
book, on page 56.
To roll on the chart, a Hero rolls 3D6 and adds them
together. The result (between 3 and 18) is then consulted on
the chart to see what the Heroes have encountered in their
Travels.
Completing Your Travels
Once all of the Travel Hazards are rolled for and resolved
(and there may not have been any at all, if none of the Heroes
rolled a 1 or 2 on their Travel die), the Heroes have reached
their destination. Arriving at a Feudal Village, the Heroes may
now interact with that Town, as described below.
Horses and the Horse Cart
One thing that Heroes can buy while in Town is a
specialty Transport, in the form of a Horse or a Horse Cart.
It is assumed that every Hero has a basic Horse that lets them
Travel between a Fortress and town, and is left outside when
Resetting Heroes for Travel and Town delving deep into a Fortress for an Adventure. This basic
As noted in the Campaign Play section of the Rule Book Horse does not give any bonuses and cannot be Upgraded in
on page 36, there are a series of steps the Heroes go through any way. Buying a specialized Horse or a Horse Cart for the
at the End of Each Adventure. This represents the Heroes Party gives you bonuses for Traveling. These can be found at
regrouping outside the Fortress. the Swordsmith in Town.
As the Horse Cart is an Item used by the whole Party, it
is limited to One per Hero Party, as noted in its store entry. It
As noted, every Hero is reset to full is still purchased by a single Hero and they are considered the
Health, full Sanity, and 1 Grit before Traveling owner of it (or driver). The Heroes may pool their Gold, of
and visiting Town. course, to help pay for it though, as it is an expensive purchase.

28
 VISITING A FEUDAL VILLAGE
Once the Heroes have completed their Traveling, they reach a Feudal Village in which to buy supplies and equipment, as
well as to try to Heal Injuries or Madness, or even get Corruption and Mutations removed. Of course, just because you are in
a Town, it does not mean you are safe. This is Feudal Japan after all, and there are always raging battles and dark forces at play.

THE TOWN BOARD

The Town is represented by a small board that shows the
various Locations you can visit as well as the Inn or Camp
Site you will be staying at. It also has a Town Event Track to
show how long the Heroes have been in Town since the last
Event occurred.
Setting up the Town Board
The Town Board is printed on the back side of the Depth
Event Chart and should be laid out at the center of the table
where all Players can reach it. Place the Hero Party marker on
the ‘ 1 ’ space of the Town Event Track.

The Town Event Track

At the end of each Day in Town, the Heroes will have to
make a single roll to see if a Town Event has occurred. These
are usually fairly bad things and best to be avoided. The
more Days that have passed since the last Town Event, the
more likely it is that one will happen, so staying in Town for
too long can get a bit risky. Rolling for Town Events and the
Town Event Chart can be found on the large Feudal Village
reference sheet.

29
 Ninja Clans would rather stay at the soldier’s Camp Site for Free. Players
should place their Hero on the Town Board in either the Inn
or Camp Site space.
Though the Camp Site does not cost Gold to stay at, it
can be a little rough. Any Hero staying at the Camp Site must
roll 2D6 on the Camp Site Hazard Chart to see if anything
happens. This Chart can be found on the large Feudal Village
reference sheet. Heroes staying at the Inn simply pay their $10
for the Day.
Visiting a Town Location
Each Hero is allowed to visit one Town Location a Day.
All of the Heroes should move their figure to the Location
space on the Town Map that they wish to visit for the Day.
Location Event Charts
Once all of the Heroes are at the Location they have
chosen for the Day, each Hero must roll 2D6 on the Location
Event Chart for the Location they are visiting. These charts
can be found on the individual large reference sheets for the
different Locations.
Very often a Location Event Chart result will affect all of
the Heroes at that Location for the Day.
Operating in secret, the deadly assassins of the
Ninja Clans are masters of stealth, sabotage, and
death! When the demons came and the creatures
Buying Equipment and Services
Once all of the Location Events have been rolled for
began to attack, several clans saw it as an and resolved, Heroes may purchase Items and pay for special
opportunity to gain power and influence, aligning
themselves with various aspects of the Darkness. services at the Location they are visiting.
These fallen ninja became known The cost for each Item or service is listed on the Location’s
as the Shadow Clans.
reference sheet. When a Hero spends Gold to pay for an Item
or service, the amount is deducted from that Hero’s Gold total
(just like in real life). Gold can sometimes be hard to come by
though, so spend it wisely (again, just like in real life).
Town Locations
There are 6 Locations that the Heroes can visit while Selling Dark Stone
in Town - the House of Healing, Swordsmith, Tavern, Guard Dark Stone may also be sold, but only to the Guard
House, Shrine, and Village Market. Each Location has Items House Vault located at the Guard House Location, or to the
that you can purchase as well as a unique Event Chart and Street Vendors at the Village Market Location. Details for this
specialty services. They are also each represented by a large, can be found on each particular Location’s reference sheet.
double-sided reference sheet that can be passed around the
table as Heroes visit the different Locations.
Random Town Locations
Sometimes determining a Random Town Location will
be required. When this happens, simply roll a D6 and consult
the numbers in the bottom corner of each of the Location
spaces on the Town Board. Note that the Inn and Camp Site
are not numbered and will never be selected Randomly like
this.
Destroyed Town Locations
Sometimes one or more Town Locations will be
Destroyed. When this happens, place a marker on that
Location to show that Heroes may not visit it for the rest of
this Town Stay.

A DAY IN TOWN
The Inn and the Camp Site
At the start of each Day in Town, each Hero must decide
if they want to stay at the Inn for the cost of $10, or if they

30
 are permanently attached to an Item and cannot be removed
or sold separately from that Item.
The amount of Upgrade Slots that a Forged Upgrade
requires is listed on each entry as well as if it adds one or more
Dark Stone Icons to the Item. Forging several Upgrades onto
an Item can greatly improve that Item, but can also make it a
little dangerous. At the end of a game, when rolling for Dark
Stone Corruption, a Hero must roll for EACH Dark Stone
Icon on the Items they are carrying. This means the more you
enhance an Item with Dark Stone, the more Corruption it will
cause you over time.

END OF THE DAY

Once all of the Heroes have finished their Location visit,
the Day ends and the Heroes must roll to see if a Town Event
occurs. If it does, the Town Event must be resolved and affects
all Heroes in Town. If not, then the Day ends quietly with a
nice sunset over the mountains.
Selling Items Then, a new Day begins and the process is repeated.
While in Town, a Hero may elect to sell any Item card
they have for the amount of Gold listed in the bottom right Leaving Town
corner of the card. Discard the card and add the Gold value to Any Heroes that do not want to spend any more time in
your Hero. This can be done at any time, regardless of where Town may elect to Leave Town at the end of a Day, after the
in Town you are. Town Event is rolled for and resolved. Once a Hero Leaves
Items purchased in Town may also be sold later for 50% Town, they may not return until after the next Adventure, but
of the value you paid to get the Item. Services, of course, may are no longer affected by any Town Events that may occur.
not be sold as they were a one time event that you paid for.
Hero Starting Gear
Heroes may NOT trade or give their Starting Items to
other Heroes, and may NOT choose to sell their Starting New Techniques
Items in Town.
When called on to discard an Item (by an event or Travel
Hazard, for instance), a Hero may NOT choose to discard
a Starting Item (though a Starting Item MAY be lost when
discarding a ‘Random Item’).
A Starting Item MAY be discarded voluntarily, to make
room for carrying other Items.
Because Starting Gear cards are a fundamental part of
every Hero Class, if a Hero’s Starting Item has been lost/
discarded, they MAY purchase a replacement of it in Town, at
any time (no specific Location is required), for the Gold Value
listed on that Item. If there is no Gold Value listed, the Hero
may acquire a replacement for free.

FORGING DARK STONE

One of the special services provided at the Swordsmith
Location (as well as a few other Locations) in Town is to
Forge Dark Stone into powerful Items, or Upgrades that can
be attached to an Item to improve its abilities. Having pioneered the forging of Dark Stone as a
To have your Dark Stone Forged into an Item or an Blacksmith in the Old West, Leo Blake couldn’t resist
the golden opportunity to travel back in time to learn
Upgrade, you simply pick the entry you would like to get and new techniques from the master sword makers of
pay the costs shown in both Gold and Dark Stone. Feudal Japan. As a Dark Stone artisan, his knowledge
of the black rock was second to none. That combined
Forging Upgrades with new skills learned in folding steel and
Dark Stone Forged Upgrades work just like Upgrade constructing armor, allowed him to forge
cards found on an Adventure (as described in the Rulebook some of the greatest items known to man.
on page 21), with one notable exception - Forged Upgrades

31
 The Nobuhara Clan Port Prosper

Once an honorable Samurai house, the Nobuhara Though most Western sailors were met with hostility
Clan are now viewed as ‘traitors’ for joining forces by the Samurai Warlords of Japan, the Dutch were
with the Demons that pillage the countryside! When allowed to set up a trade port on the coastline.
their Daimyo was killed in battle, the rest of the Clan Known as Port Prosper, the unsavory town has
was thrown into turmoil without a proper successor! gained renown over the years as a haven for pirates,
Looking for new leadership, they began to worship cutthroats, and mercenaries, willing to sell their
Akuma Oki, an Oni Warlord that terrorized the services for gold. Pirates like Johan Mitchell
region! Now the Oni lead the clan, enslaving have made their fortunes stealing shipments
local villagers to do their bidding! of Dark Stone on the high seas

32
 HERO CLASSES AND LEVELING UP
There are several different Hero Classes that players can choose from in Shadows of Brimstone, each with their own style
of play and unique feel. Keeping your Hero from game to game allows them to progress in Hero Level, gaining new abilities
and collecting all manner of Gear and Artifacts along the way to help in their Adventures against tougher and tougher Enemies.

XP AND HERO LEVELS Choosing an Upgrade Chart Ability

Every Hero Class also has an Upgrade Chart that acts as
Once your Hero has collected enough XP, you can spend a skill tree of new abilities, unique to your Hero Class. Each
it to go up to the next Hero Level. This will usually grant time you Level Up, you may choose one new Ability from
you more Health/Sanity, Skill boosts, and even a new Ability your Upgrade Chart.
unique to your Hero Class. The chart has four different vertical Tracks that run top
to bottom and are themed for a particular aspect of that Hero
Spending XP to Level Up Class. When choosing a new Ability, you may pick from any
The amount of XP required to ‘Level Up’ to the next of the four Tracks, but you must take the first Ability in that
Hero Level is shown on the chart below. Track that you do not already have. In other words, you must
have the first tier Ability in a Track before you can take the
Hero Level XP Cost second tier ability below it, etc. Note that as the Hero Level
1 Start cap is 8, a Hero will not be able to get the fourth tier ability
in more than one of the different Tracks, so choose wisely as
1 2 500 you Level Up.
2 3 1,000
3 4 2,000 HERO PARTY LEVEL
4 5 3,000 Just like each individual Hero has a Hero Level, the group
as a whole has a Hero Party Level. The Hero Party Level is
5 6 4,500 equal to the highest Level Hero currently in the group, so a
6 7 6,000 group with a Level 2 Hero, two Level 3 Heroes, and a Level
4 Hero would be Hero Party Level 4.
7 8 8,000 The Hero Party Level is set at the start of each Adventure
and allows for different Heroes to come and go from the
It is important to note that XP is actually group from game to game. Once an Adventure starts, the
spent to Level Up, removing the XP from your Hero Party Level does NOT change, even if one or more
Hero’s XP total. Heroes Level Up mid-game.

Mark Down Your New Level Tougher Monsters

Once you have spent the required XP to Level Up, make As the Heroes go up in Level, the Enemies that you fight
a note of your new Hero Level to keep track of where you are. will also naturally get more difficult. All of the Enemies in an
Adventure get a Bonus based on the Hero Party Level at the
Hero Level Cap start of that Adventure as follows:
Heroes max out at Level 8. Though you can continue Party Level Enemy Bonus
to acquire XP and keep Adventuring, you may not Level Up
beyond Hero Level 8 (at least not yet). 1 No Bonus
Leveling Up Mid-Game 2 No Bonus
As soon as a Hero has enough XP, they may spend that XP
to Level Up. This may even be done during an Adventure! A 3 1 Elite Ability
Hero may Level Up at the start of a Game Turn by spending
the appropriate amount of XP. That Hero immediately Fully 4 2 Elite Abilities
Heals their Health and Sanity, and Recovers 1 Grit. They may Brutal Side of Enemies
then immediately gain the benefits of Leveling Up as noted 5
below 6 Brutal Side of Enemies
A Hero that has enough XP to Level Up 7 Brutal + 1 Elite Ability
MUST do so before the next Adventure begins.
8 Brutal + 2 Elite Abilities
Roll for Free Upgrade Bonus
Each Hero Class has a free Upgrade Bonus Chart. Remember also that Elite Enemies are +5XP
Whenever your Hero Levels Up, you get to roll 2D6 on the for each Elite Ability they have. Brutal Enemies
Chart to determine your random bonus. This is in addition to are worth more XP as listed on their sheet.

33
choosing a new Ability for your Hero.
 SAMURAI WARRIOR
Wall of Steel
The Samurai Warrior is the most heavily armored Hero
around, and with the Wall of Steel ability, even more so! Getting
frequent Re-rolls on Armor saves at crucial times can mean
the difference between life and death, allowing the Samurai to
wade into hordes of Enemies with confidence that his Armor
will protect him.
Rising Sun
Sometimes you need that little bit of extra punch to get
through an Enemy’s high Defense or to finish off a stubborn
creature. Rising Sun gives you that power by channeling your
Grit into damage. It also has extra Grit generating potential as
when the Darkness grows in strength, your warrior rises to
meet the challenge!
Leveling Up a Samurai Warrior
Whenever you go up to a new Hero Level, roll 2D6 on
the following chart for your free Upgrade Bonus. Note that
as this is a roll on a Chart, Grit may NOT be used for this
roll. You may also choose one new Ability from the Samurai
Warrior Upgrade Chart on the next page.

2D6 Roll Upgrade Bonus

2 Honorable Vendetta - Choose an Enemy
Keyword (Demon, Undead, etc). From now
on, any time you collect XP from those
Enemies, collect an extra +10 XP.
3 +1 Max Fury
4 +1 Move
Perhaps one of the most iconic figures in history, synonymous
with Feudal Japan, is the honorable and determined Samurai Warrior. 5 +1 Strength or +1 Agility. Also, gain
Dressed for battle in full armor, brightly colored to match their Clan, +D6 Health/Sanity (any mix)
and equipped with a finely crafted and razor-edged Katana, sword
of the Samurai, these warriors form the fighting force of every feudal 6 +1 Cunning or +1 Spirit. Also, gain
house. +D6 Health/Sanity (any mix)
Playing a Samurai Warrior
A stalwart fighter, the Samurai Warrior is fully equipped 7 +D6 Health and +D6 Sanity
with weapons and armor straight out of the gate, ready for
battle. Channeling his Fury as he fights, the Samurai builds up 8 +1 Lore or +1 Luck. Also, gain
to unleash powerful Battle Tactics themed for fighting in rank +D6 Health/Sanity (any mix)
and formation on the feudal fields of war.
Starting Upgrade Choices 9 +2 Side Bag Token Capacity. Also,
Samurai Warrior Starting Upgrades focus on enhancing gain +D6 Health/Sanity (any mix)
your Fury potential, boosting your Armor, and focusing your
Grit into more Damage. 10 +1 Max Grit
Determination 11 +1 Initiative
For Samurai Warriors that are focused on high cost Battle
Tactics, Determination can be key. It not only gives you a
bonus to your Max Fury, but also helps to generate that Fury 12 +2 Corruption Resistance
even when Enemies are getting their hits in. When a Samurai

34
Warrior is determined, you don’t want to make him mad.
 Samurai Warrior Upgrade Chart
Battle Tactics Fury Way of the Honor
Warrior
Battle Tested Growing Rage Defense Discipline Leadership
Once per Adventure, At the start of each
New gain 1 Fury for Once per Fight, you
Warrior every 2 Wounds may add +1 to all of turn, choose any
Samurai you currently your Armor rolls one Hero or Ally to
have on you. just rolled. Heal 1 Wound or
Battle Tactic 1 Sanity Damage.
While at half Health
or less, you are
+1 Luck +1 Combat. +1 Max Grit +1 Lore

Warrior’s Shout at Attack Discipline Toe to Toe

Training the Darkness Once per Adventure,
New Once per turn, All Keyword Strike use 1 Grit to gain
spend 3 Fury to Battle Tactics cost +2 Combat for
Warrior each Large or
cancel a Darkness you 1 less Fury
Samurai card on the D6 to activate (min 1).
bigger Enemy
Battle Tactic adjacent to you
roll of 3+. (limit +6).
+1 Max Grit +1 Max Fury +1 Initiative +1 Strength
Unrelenting Furious Speed Movement Stalwart
Resolve Once per turn, at Discipline For each Clothing
the start of a turn, Item you have
New spend any number Whenever you roll
Equipped, you are
Warrior of Fury to gain a 1 for Move, you
+1 Initiative each. may also gain +1 Health and +1 Sanity
Samurai (max +5 each).
Battle Tactic +1 Max Grit D3 Fury.
and +1 Corruption
+1 Initiative +1 Max Fury +1 Move Resistance

Lord of War Fury Unleashed Precise Strikes Battle

Once per Fight, Your Melee To Hit rolls Formation
you may spend any of 1 may be assigned
Melee number of Fury to to targets as though You are +1 Combat
for each other Hero
To Hit add +1 Damage they were Hits,
doing D3 Wounds or Ally adjacent
3+ each to one of each, ignoring to you (max +2).
your Combat Hits. Defense.
+1 Max Fury +1 Strength +1 Cunning

35
 ASSASSIN
Running Assault
For an Assassin, speed can mean all the difference in
reaching your target or getting out of harms way. Running
Assault gives you an extra speed boost, but also lets you take
full advantage of your deadly Shuriken, getting to throw them
twice as often during a Fight.
Ruthless
The Ruthless Assassin finds solace in the art of death,
healing Sanity as she kills. She also trades in her Ninjato sword
for a deadly Pair of Sai, both boosting her Combat output,
favoring more Hits over a higher chance of Critical Hits, as
well as gaining some much needed defensive capability.
Leveling Up an Assassin
Whenever you go up to a new Hero Level, roll 2D6 on
the following chart for your free Upgrade Bonus. Note that
as this is a roll on a Chart, Grit may NOT be used for this
roll. You may also choose one new Ability from the Assassin
Upgrade Chart on the next page.

2D6 Roll Upgrade Bonus

2 Assassination Target - Once per
Adventure, choose an Enemy model at
the start of a Fight. If you kill that model,
gain double the XP for the killing Hit. If
you have this multiple times, must choose
different models for each.
3 +1 Initiative
Infamous for their stealth and deadly skills, the Ninja Assassins
of Feudal Japan were not honorable warriors with social standing 4 +1 Move
like the Samurai, or traveling protectors like the Yamabushi Monks.
They were outlaws and killers, operating on their own code of ethics. 5 +1 Strength or +1 Agility. Also, gain
Masters of martial arts and an array of exotic weaponry, the Ninja +D6 Health/Sanity (any mix)
could complete their deadly missions of sabotage, espionage, and
death, and be gone without leaving a trace! 6 +1 Cunning or +1 Spirit.
Also, gain +D6 Sanity
Playing an Assassin
The Ninja Assassin is the most deadly fighter in the game,
but they are also the most fragile. Masters of movement and 7 +2 Health and +2 Sanity
stealth, they have the ability to freely traverse the board, getting
into the best position to strike, and cutting down their targets 8 +1 Luck or +1 Lore.
with ruthless efficiency. Just don’t let yourself get cornered. Also, gain +D6 Sanity

Starting Upgrade Choices 9 + Health

Assassin Starting Upgrades focus on Movement, extra
Damage output, and blocking Hits.
10 +1 Max Grit
Smoke Bomb 11 +1 Initiative
Dropping a Smoke Bomb and disappearing into the cloud,
only to reappear elsewhere, lets you get the drop on Enemy’s
that would otherwise be out of reach. It also allows you to take 12 +2 Corruption Resistance
advantage of the element of surprise on Enemies that thought

36
they were safe, not to mention the extra movement potential.
 Assassin Upgrade Chart
Shadow Acrobatics Ninja Trickery
From the Shadows Acrobatic Strike Deadly Accuracy Distraction
When assigning Once per turn, when Once per Fight,
you move through when you roll Gain 2 Flash Powder
any Hit to a Target
an Enemy’s space, a Critical Hit on a Side Bag Tokens at
on the other side
that Enemy takes To Hit roll, you may the start of each
of a Barrier from
1 Wound, ignoring turn one of your Adventure.
you, that Hit is Defense, on the D6
+1 Damage. other normal Hits
roll of 4, 5, or 6.
for that Attack into +2 Side Bag
+1 Cunning +1 Move a Critical Hit as well. Capacity

Find the Weak Spot Wall Run Clan Veteran Mini-Bombs

Once per turn, You may roll You may now use Gain 1 Bomb Side
you may ignore Bag Token at the
2 dice for Move your Ninja Clan’s start of each
the Tough or each turn and Ability a second Adventure.
Endurance Abilities time during each
choose which Once per Fight,
of an Enemy for you may throw an
to use. Adventure.
a single Hit. Explosive (such as
a Bomb) as a
+2 Health +1 Move +1 Spirit Free Attack.

Shadow Dodge Dance of Death Light on Chop Chop

Once per turn, you For every 4 spaces Your Feet While you have
may Bounce yourself you moved (may not
once (like a Bomb) in
place of a Defense roll
count the same space
twice), gain +1 Combat
+1 Initiative 2 or 1
(even after rolled or if on a Melee Attack this and Hand Weapon
Defense would be ignored).
If moved to a different
turn. When used, your
Combat Hits must be
+1 Agility Equipped, you
space, that Defense is assigned to targets not and gain +1 Combat.
successful. If not moved,
take Damage as normal.
adjacent to you at the
start of your Activation.
+1 Move

Living Shadow Move like Deep Slice Only a Ninja Can

Models with a the Wind Kill a Ninja
Once per turn, you You start every
lower Initiative may add a Bleeding
You always count Adventure with a
than you are Marker to a Target Revive Token,
-1 on their To Hit as having a that you assigned a usable only by you.
rolls targeting you. Cover 5+ save. Melee Critical Hit to. Gain 25 XP any
time you use it.
+1 Initiative +1 Strength +1 Spirit

37
 TRAVELING MONK
Fists of Fury
For those Monks that focus on their martial arts training,
Fists of Fury allows them to unleash a powerful flurry of
blows, striking out against every Enemy nearby, or unleashing
the attack on one large foe.
Defender of the Light
Boosting their Max Ki, Monks that choose to be a
Defender of the Light are masters of channeling their life
energy and gain strength of spirit as the Darkness grows ever
stronger.
Leveling Up a Traveling Monk
Whenever you go up to a new Hero Level, roll 2D6 on
the following chart for your free Upgrade Bonus. Note that
as this is a roll on a Chart, Grit may NOT be used for this
roll. You may also choose one new Ability from the Traveling
Monk Upgrade Chart on the next page.

2D6 Roll Upgrade Bonus

2 Sacred Vow - Choose an Enemy Keyword
(Demon, Undead, etc). From now on, any
time you kill an Enemy with that Keyword,
collect an extra +10 XP and Heal 1 Wound
(or +20 XP and Heal D3 Wounds if Large
Size or bigger).
3 +1 Initiative
4 +1 Move
The Yamabushi monks were an order of devout warriors
dedicated to protecting others and fighting all manner of supernatural 5 +1 Strength or +1 Agility. Also, gain
threats. Trained from birth in the ways of martial arts and the ability +D6 Health/Sanity (any mix)
to channel their Ki life energy, the Yamabushi lived in sacred temples,
high in the mountains. When the Dragon King Sho Riu returned, he 6 +1 Cunning or +1 Lore.
destroyed the temples and wiped out the Yamabushi. Now scattered,
the few survivors travel the roads, training a new generation and Also, gain +D6 Health
searching for heroes to join the fight to stop the spreading Darkness.
7 +D6 Health and +D6 Sanity
Playing a Traveling Monk
The Traveling Monk is both a healer and a strong fighter. 8 +1 Lore or +1 Luck.
Trained to do battle with demons and mythological monsters, Also, gain +D6 Sanity
they use the power of their Ki to enhance their attacks and to
bolster their healing capabilities. They also have a Sacred Bell
that can be rung to protect the Heroes from incoming damage! 9 +2 Side Bag Token Capacity.
Starting Upgrade Choices
Traveling Monk Starting Upgrades focus on movement, 10 +2 Corruption Resistance
martial arts, and generating Ki energy.
11 +1 Max Ki
Acrobatic Flip
Trained not only in martial arts, but also in acrobatics and 12 Sacred Duty - Once per Adventure,
agility, the Monk can make himself extra difficult to hit and Recover 1 Grit.
may channel his Ki energy into his movement. This has the

38
extra advantage of being able to flip over intervening obstacles
and models along the way when used.
 Traveling Monk Upgrade Chart
Yamabushi Defender Martial Arts Mythic Lore
Trained from Guardian Shield Quickness Do Not Fear
Birth Once per Adventure, At the start of any Myth and Demon
Once per turn, turn, you may Enemies do
use 1 Grit to add you may Ready 1 less Damage to
spend Ki to increase
+2 Damage to your Sacred Bell. your Initiative this you on all of their
one of your turn by +1 for every Hits (minimum 1).
Combat Hits 2 Ki spent. You are immune to
(or +3 against a +1 Max Grit the Enemy Ability
Demon Enemy). +1 Move Fear.

Ki Block One with Speed Lines Between Worlds

Once per turn, the Light
You are +1 Damage While in an
spend Ki equal to Any time you gain
the Damage you or against all Enemies OtherWorld,
1 or more Ki Tokens, you roll 1 extra
another adjacent you may remove with a lower
Hero just took from die on all Skill
1 Wound or 1 Sanity Initiative than you. tests.
a single Hit to prevent Damage from yourself
that Damage.
(Ki may not be spent
+1 Max Ki to increase this). +1 Agility +1 Lore

Warrior Monk Protector Patience Knows No Terror

Once per turn, Once per turn, All of your Attacks
you may spend spend 5 Ki to are +1 Damage
Defense 6 Ki to Re-roll Recover a Grit. against Undead
and Demon Enemies.
3+ one of the dice on
a Hold Back the
You may use Grit
to Re-roll your You are immune
Darkness roll. To Hit rolls, even to the Enemy
if they have already Abilities Terror and
+1 Max Grit +1 Max Ki been Re-rolled. Unspeakable Terror.

Ki Blast Defier of The Last Straw Hero of the

Once per Fight, Darkness Once per Adventure, Dragon War
spend any number un-Equip any number While in a Fight
of Ki to create a Whenever a of Clothing Items to with an XL Enemy
Ki Blast with a Range Growing Dread or gain +1 Combat each or larger, every
equal to half the Darkness card is (max +6) until the Hero on your
number of Ki spent drawn, you may cancel end of the turn. Map Tile Recovers a
(rounding down). You may not Equip Grit on the D6 roll
Every Enemy within it on the D6 roll of Clothing Items for of 4+ each, at the
Range takes D6 Wounds, 5 or 6. If canceled the rest of the start of every turn.
ignoring Defense. gain 10 XP. current Fight. +1 Combat

39
 SORCERESS
Blood of the Dragon
For those sorcerers that descend from the supernatural
themselves, the Blood of the Dragon flows through their veins.
This makes them highly attuned with the creatures of myth
and legend, and gives them unnatural regenerative capabilities.
Demon Fire Claw
Bursting into flames, the Sorceress’ hand becomes a
gnarled demon claw, tearing through Enemies with ease! This
ability allows her to become a fearsome hand-to-hand fighter,
channeling the power of the Void into her burning fist.
Leveling Up a Sorceress
Whenever you go up to a new Hero Level, roll 2D6 on
the following chart for your free Upgrade Bonus. Note that
as this is a roll on a Chart, Grit may NOT be used for this
roll. You may also choose one new Ability from the Sorceress
Upgrade Chart on the next page.

2D6 Roll Upgrade Bonus

2 Touched by the Void - Each time
the Darkness marker on the Depth
Track crosses into a new Stage, heal D6
Wounds and take 1 Corruption Hit.
3 Arcane Powder - Start each Adventure
with +1 Arcane Powder Token in your
Roku Demon Bag.
4 +1 Move
A master of arcane lore and forbidden knowledge, a Sorceress
uses the power of the Elements to wield terrifying magik! Traditionally 5 +1 Strength or +1 Initiative.
acting as court advisors or reclusive oracles, these mystic scholars Also, gain +D6 Health
have stepped forward with the coming of the Demons to push back
the forces of Darkness and fight the return of the Dragons. 6 +1 Cunning or +1 Agility.
Also, gain +D6 Sanity
Playing a Sorceress
Of all of the Heroes, the Sorceress has the most variety
and potential for different styles of play. Using Mana to cast 7 +3 Health and +1 Sanity
Elemental Magik allows her to heal other Heroes, shoot fire
at Enemies, or even fly. As a mostly ranged fighter with low 8 +1 Spirit or +1 Luck.
Defense, the Sorceress likes to keep her distance from Enemies. Also, gain +D6 Sanity

Starting Upgrade Choices 9 +2 Side Bag Token Capacity.

Sorceress Starting Upgrades focus on protection, Also, gain +D6 Health
regeneration, and Combat.
Elemental Blast 10 +1 Max Grit
As wielders of Elemental Magik, all Sorcerers have the
ability to focus their Mana into a powerful blast. 11 +2 Corruption Resistance
Arcane Protection 12 Dragon Spirit - Once per Adventure,
Using powerful counterspells and wards, the Sorceress add +2 Damage to one of your Hits.
increases her defensive capabilities, as well as offering some

40
protection from Enemy magik.
 Sorceress Upgrade Chart
Elemental Relic Guardian Dragon Kin Void Lore
Mastery
Conjuring Arcane Wonder Iron Skin Counter Spell
New
Start each Adventure
with +2 Arcane
Armor 6+ Once per turn, spend
2 Mana to fully cancel
Powder tokens Also, you are the effects of an
Elemental immune to Enemy Spell on the
in your
Magik Spell. Roku Demon Bag. Bleeding and D6 roll of 4+.
Burning markers.
+1 Lore +1 Strength +1

Incantations Keeper of Smell of Blood Ancient Rivalry

the Vault Your Attacks are
New +1 Damage against
Elemental You gain Melee Void Enemies.
Magik Spell. +1 Health for To Hit Once per turn, you
each Artifact you
carry (max +6)
4+ may force an
Enemy to Re-roll
+1 +1 Cunning
one of their To Hit
rolls against you.

Elemental Wrath Bound Demon Dragon Rage War Caster

Choose an Artifact to
Your Elemental Blast bind a Demon into. That Once per turn, New
now only costs Artifact may never be lost, you may Re-roll
1 Mana and is sold, or discarded. At the
one of your Elemental
start of each Adventure,
+1 Shot (or +2 if draw a Random Spell Damage rolls for Magik Spell.
Hero Level 6 from a chosen Element a Combat Hit.
for that Artifact. Discard
or higher).
+1 Spirit
this Spell during the
Adventure to cast it for
+1 Initiative +1
free, without a Casting Roll.

Master of Magik Vault of Kage Savage Fifth Element

Once per Adventure, At the start of each Ferocity You are +2 Health
Cast one of your Adventure, draw an
Artifact from a Random You are for each different
Spells without paying +2 Combat for
Mana or making a World to use for this Mutation you have.
Adventure. You may each open
Casting Roll. This not trade or sell this When rolling on the
may be used to cast Item and it has no you currently Mutation Chart, you
the same Spell a weight. Discard the have.
second time in the Artifact at the end of may choose one of
same turn. the Adventure. +1 Strength the dice to Re-roll.

41
 FEUDAL JAPAN AND THE OLD WEST
Shadows of Brimstone is an expansive game world with gateways opening up across all of time and space! This allows
for Heroes from different worlds to come together in an effort to hold back the Darkness from consuming all of humanity!
Combining Forbidden Fortress with other Core Sets allows players to mix the heroics and determination of the American Old
West with the honor and skill of the Samurai of Feudal Japan in your struggles against the unspeakable horrors of the Void!

COMBINING CORE SETS OTHERWORLD EXPANSIONS

There are now several different Core Sets available for Mines World Card
Shadows of Brimstone. Though they often have different A World card for the Mines has been included in this
themes (the Old West, Feudal Japan, etc.), they all share the Core Set to allow the use of the Old West Mines Map Tiles and
same rule set, gameplay, and ‘game world’. This allows for cards found in many of the Shadows of Brimstone OtherWorld
the different Core Sets and Expansions to be mixed together Expansions, without the need to also own an Old West themed
to make for a larger and more varied experience, adventuring Core Set (you can simply use the Fortress Depth Event Chart
through portals that cross all of time and space! for the Mines as well). If you do not yet have any of these
The intent is that virtually all of the components from OtherWorld Expansions that include material for the Mines,
multiple different Core Sets can simply be combined together this extra World card can simply be left in the box.
(though you may wish to keep some elements separated for
thematic reasons).
The only three elements that we recommend you NOT
mix together are the Loot deck, Scavenge deck, and the
TERMINOLOGY
Exploration Tokens. Most of the game terminology is fully shared between
These CAN be mixed together if you like, to give you Core Sets, regardless of theme. There are a few exceptions
a double-sized deck/stack of each, but all that really does is however.
give you a lot more potential for swings of luck (for better or
worse) when drawing from those decks/stacks. Side Bag Tokens
There are a couple of basic Side Bag Tokens that have
the exact same use in game across all Core Sets, but have
Justice Unleashed a different name for thematic purposes. For game purposes,
the following Side Bag Tokens are considered to be the same
thing:
Bomb = Dynamite Sake = Whiskey

Hero Party/Hero Posse

In addition, the terms Hero Party and Hero Posse should
be considered to be interchangeable for all game purposes.

FEUDAL JAPAN ICON

For ease of identification, cards in Forbidden Fortress
that share a standard card back with other Core Sets and
Expansions (such as Darkness, Gear, Personal
Items, etc) have a special Japan Icon in the
upper left side of the card.
This icon allows players to mix the Feudal
Japan themed cards and Old West themed cards
in these decks together and then easily separate
them later, or to make Japan Only themed decks
for things like Gear and Threat cards when in Feudal Japan as
With all of the gateways tearing open across the opposed to when in the Old West Mines.
frontier, a group of US Marshals was organized
to hunt down Outlaws that have traveled to other This Japan Icon is intended for thematic purposes and can
times and worlds to wreak havoc. A group of be found on Japan Themed cards for the following card decks
these Law Men, lead by Marshal Jessica Monte, - Gear, Darkness, Threats, Growing Dread, Personal Items,
followed the infamous bandit Jonas Ryan and the Starting Gear, and World Cards.
Quinn Gang to Feudal Japan. This may not be
her frontier, but that won’t stop her As a guideline, it is suggested that any Gear and normal
from dispensing justice across this Threat cards drawn while in a World that has the Japan Icon
or any other world.
on its World card only be drawn from those that also have the

42
Japan Icon.
 TRAVEL AND TOWN Saxton’s New Formula
With multiple Core Sets and even some OtherWorld
Expansions, the Heroes will have some options as to what type
of Town they may be able to visit between Adventures. The
Frontier Towns of the Old West, Feudal Villages of Japan, and
even the alien Wasteland Barter Towns of the Blasted Wastes
each offer a different experience with different Travel Charts,
Town Locations, Events, and Items available for purchase.
Which Town to Visit
At the end of an Adventure, the Heroes have the choice
to either visit a Town in the World that the Adventure ended
in, or to return home and visit a Town that is native to at least
one Hero currently in the Hero Party.
For example, if at the end of an Adventure, a Party of all Feudal
Japan themed Heroes are in the Mines, they have the choice to either
visit an Old West Frontier Town (themed for the Mines), or to return
home and visit a Feudal Village (themed for the Feudal Japan World
that the Heroes are native to).
Alternatively, if you had a mixed Party of Feudal Japanese and
Old West Heroes, and they ended an Adventure in the Blasted Wastes Always searching for new tonics and new marks,
OtherWorld, they would be able to choose between staying in the Alfred Saxton III, Esquire couldn’t resist dipping
Blasted Wastes to visit an alien Wasteland Barter Town, or returning his toes into the untapped market of Feudal Japan.
‘home’ to visit either a Frontier Town or a Feudal Village. Bottling strange potions and elixirs of all kinds, he’s
concocted the most amazing, outrageously effective,
Which Travel Chart to Use and downright affordable juice of the gods to ever be
Once the Hero Party has decided which type of Town to made available to the common man like yourself!
visit, they should use the Travel Chart that is specific to that But don’t wait, Saxton’s New Formula, made
type of Town. with real Dragon tears, is going fast!

43
 We’ve worked very hard to make
Shadows of Brimstone: Forbidden
Fortress™ miniatures high-quality and
high detail, while remaining easy to
assemble and paint. From concept to
sculpture, it is important to us that the
poses are dynamic and exciting and the
features are characterful.

Samurai
Traveling Monk Hero
Assassin Hero Sorceress
Hero Hero

Harionago Oni

44
Mini Boss Enemy Large-Sized Demon Enemy
 The gargantuan Living Statue model towers over all
of the other figures in the boxed set. One of our goals
was to have enemies of different sizes, including extra
large epic enemies! The Living Statue is a beautiful
showpiece model, sure to get
attention every time he
hits the tabletop!

Acidic Tentacles
Void Enemies

Living
Statue
XL-Sized
Epic Enemy
Tengu
Demon Enemies

Dishonored
Dead
Undead Samurai

45
Enemies
 FEUDAL JAPAN - AN AGE OF WAR

For hundreds of years Japan had been embroiled in a Forbidden Fortresses

sweeping civil war. Samurai Clans battle done another for Before anyone realized the danger that the Dark Stone
power and territory. Each Clan was lead by a Daimyo Warlord posed, much of it had already been collected up by the
who had grown greedy and bloodthirsty for revenge against different Samurai Clans. Hoping to gain an advantage over
his rival Houses. Building massive castles and shutting out the their rivals, the greedy Daimyos used the power of the black
outside world, each House operated independently from the rock to forge weapons and armor for their warriors, hoarding
others, creating alliances and bitter feuds that scarred the land it within their castle fortresses. When portals began to open,
with war. tearing apart the fabric of space and time itself, many burst
open inside the vaults of fortresses where the Dark Stone was
The Mountain and the Sword most concentrated. Countless fortresses fell into shadow, not
The Sacred Mountain rose high above the hills and valleys from demonic attack outside, but from inside their own castle
at its base. Seen as a symbol of divine power and majesty, walls, overrun from within by the Darkness.
the mountain was considered the most sacred place in all the
lands. Temples and statues dotted its peaks. In honor of the The Dragon Prophecy
gods, the monks made offerings and prayers that the long war For over a thousand years the monks of the sacred
for dominance would come to an end. They would soon get Yamabushi order dedicated their lives to training and discipline.
their wish. They followed an ancient prophecy that one day the great
Streaking across the sky, the ‘Sword from Heaven’ crashed Dragons would return to the land amid a terrible cataclysm,
into the Sacred Mountain, exploding in a supernatural fireball wreaking death and destruction like never before seen. It was
that could be seen for miles in all directions. Showering the said that only the Yamabushi could stop the arch villain Sho-
land with Dark Stone and debris, at first the meteor was seen Riu, the Dragon King, from destroying the Earth!
as a blessing. The Samurai Houses used the magical rock to But knowing and doing are very different things. When
forge powerful weapons to crush their Enemies. But soon, the the ‘Sword from Heaven’ crashed into the Sacred Mountain,
demons came! Swirling portals began to tear open wherever it not only unleashed the demons and the Darkness, it awoke
the Dark Stone was amassed, with creatures and supernatural something deep under the mountain. Bursting up from the
terrors emerging to wreak havoc on anything in their path of ground, the Dragons had risen from their timeless slumber,
destruction. The sky grew dark with swarms of bat-winged enraged by the thunderous power of the meteor and fueled by
monsters and black feathered demon Tengu. The centuries of the Void energy from the exploding Dark Stone! Not even the
civil war had indeed come to an end, replaced with a fight for Yamabushi could hold them back. With fury and flame they
the very survival of humanity itself. set out to conquer or destroy the world, as foretold in the

46
ancient prophecy.
 OTHERWORLD - THE BELLY OF THE BEAST

A terrifying environment within an unfathomably massive A Living World

creature, the Belly of the Beast is a living world. Webs of thick Those that have ventured through the portals that lead into
mucus hang from the spongy ceiling and enormous sphincters the Belly of the Beast and have managed to return, tell tales
open and close in the walls to separate the chambers and of being inside a world that is itself, alive! Stories of exploring
passages of the Beast. The ribbed tunnels and muscular walls the fleshy passages and chambers within the creature depict a
form natural corridors, creating an organic maze that pulses nightmare land of dripping mucus and humid air, thick with
and drips with every step you take deeper into madness. the smell of bile and decay. Massive blobs of gelatinous acid
scour the corridors, burning away anything they touch, while
Devoured by the Beast shelled insect-like creatures scurry in the shadows, chirping
The Gonyoku Samurai Clan were the first to enter portals and clicking in the dark. Few have ever returned from these
into the Belly of the Beast. Jealous of the power that the Fallen expeditions into the Beast, and those that have are covered in
Shogun and his Takobake Clan had gained by being the first horrible acid scars and ramble incoherently that it knew they
to master the Dark Stone, they greedily sent all of their armies were there, and it wanted them to stay...forever.
through the gates, sight unseen, to be the first to pilfer the
riches of whatever lay beyond. Ancient Appetite
The leaders of the Gonyoku soon realized that this was a It is impossible to tell how old the Beast is, or indeed if it
horrible miscalculation, but it was too late! Virtually the entire even has a beginning or an end in size or age. What is known
clan was wiped out as legions of Samurai marched blindly into is that when larger portals have been ripped open, massive
the maw, devoured by the living world on the other side. Now tendrils of the Beast have erupted out smashing everything
the only remnants of the Gonyoku Clan are the occasional within their reach and devouring anything that strays close
corroded Sword or Helmet found stuck in the mucus walls enough to be consumed by its countless feeder tentacles and
within the creature, and the shambling Devoured Dead jagged maws! It is as if the Beast hungers to feed on all other
samurai that roam the chambers of the Beast, still searching worlds, growing across dimensions and realities as it absorbs
for glory as the last spark of memory running through their all in its path.
melted brains.

47
 ENEMY OVERVIEW

Dishonored Dead
Once honorable Samurai warriors, killed on the fields
of battle or cut down by the forces of Darkness, the
Dishonored Dead rise back up to join the ranks of the
evil they once fought to destroy! Still wearing their now
tattered suits of ornate armor, and wielding their chipped
and tarnished Katanas, these shambling undead warriors are nearly
impossible to stop! Cut down again and again, they rise up to fight on
once more, an insatiable hunger for revenge upon the living driving them
to attack the Houses they once swore to defend.
Marching across the countryside, entire armies of the dead lay siege
to castles and villages, tearing down the walls and clashing swords with
Samurai warriors they once called brother.

Tengu
Born high on raven’s black wings, the
demonic Tengu descend from the skies with razor
sharp talons and blades of flashing steel! They are
unmatched in skill with the sword, parrying aside blows
with ease while slicing and slashing with lightning speed.
Wearing traditional, long-nosed masks, the Tengu hide their
true faces from the prying eyes of the unworthy.
Once thought to be creatures of legend, the Tengu have
been emboldened by the return of the one they call master,
Sho-Riu...The Dragon King! Now the skies grow dark with
swarms of these vicious killers, attacking travelers on the road
with impunity and frequently raiding villages and sailors at sea.

Acidic Tentacles
Bursting up from the ground, these writhing
tentacles lash out from the Void, smashing
anything within their reach. At the top end of
their muscular stalk is a razor-toothed mouth
that bites and spits deadly acid at any that stray
too close. Though each Acidic Tentacle seems
to act independantly, it is unclear if each is its
own individual monster, or if they are all part of
a larger beast, buried beneath the surface. Either
way, they are not only a common creature to find
within a forbidden fortress, but also one of the more
dangerous foes to face.

48
 Oni
Large and brutish demonic ogres, the red skinned
Oni wield hefty wooden clubs, dotted with iron studs
to bludgeon their hapless victims to a pulp. Known
for eating livestock and the occasional human, Oni
are ornery thugs who are as likely to bash you across
the room as they are to pick you up and stuff you
in a sack for a later meal. With long flowing black
hair, gigantic horns, and tusk-like front teeth, the
mythological Oni are truly a terrifying sight to behold...
especially up close where you can also smell them.

Harionago
A Harionago is a ghastly spectre of a
vengeful woman. In life, she was a
powerful sorceress or noble lady of great wealth
and distinction. In death, she is a cruel
spirit with a mind for murder. Her long,
flowing black hair holds her ghostly
body aloft, while swirling around to
ensnare her victims with barbed hooks,
allowing her to drain away their life force,
leaving behind little more than a desiccated
husk.
These ghostly fiends haunt many a fortress
across the cursed lands surrounding the Sacred
Mountain. On occasion, when a group
of witches or sinister sisters return as
Harionagos, they infest a castle with
their deadly coven, working together
to terrorize all that live within reach of
their wicked influence.

Living Statue
Towering statues are a common sight in the courtyards and halls
of the great fortresses of Japan. Originally constructed as decor to ward off evil
spirits, when the Darkness infests one of these sculpted giants, it tears itself
away from the posts and pedestals it was once confined to, smashing the walls
and crushing the people it was built to protect!
Most often made of polished wood, cast metal, or chiseled stone,
a Living Statue dwarfs the tiny forms of the mortal men that made it.
Enraged by the power of the Darkness, these colossal gladiators can
pick up and throw even a fully armored soldier with ease, splintering
timbers and crushing stone with their powerful fists.
Acid Blobs
Gelatinous globs of acid goo, these mindless blobs scour
the interior linings within the Belly of the Beast, burning
away imperfections…including any intrepid Heroes
exploring the cavities and chambers
within the living world! A form of
natural defense for the Beast as part
of an immune response, Acid Blobs
slurp their way across the spongy floor
and walls as they glide on a thin layer of slippery
mucus. Their favored form of attack is to envelope
their prey, burning it to sludge with their caustic

49
digestive juices.
 Spreading the Faith A Hard Life

Through all of the horrors brought about by the Many poor souls have had their lives turned
discovery of Dark Stone and the ensuing Darkness, upside down by the relentless demonic attacks.
men of good conscience like Father Nash have kept For those orphaned by the Darkness, like Tali, a
the faith. Spreading the word of hope across the frontier Rancher’s daughter, they must grow up
frontier of his home in the American West and into fast in a harsh world. Stolen from her Old West
other worlds opened up by gateways through the farmstead by a group of Nobu Oni traveling
Void. As a roaming missionary he brings a chance through a portal on a slave raid, she escaped
for salvation from the Darkness, as well as the Dark Stone Mines of the Oni Warlord,
a fiery judgment to the shadows. vowing revenge on the demons that took her.

50
 Living History New Worlds to Mine

Jumping at the chance to see history come alive, In spite of all the terrifying creatures and
professor David Young of Jennett University set forth unspeakable Darkness, there are some who see a
on an expedition to Feudal Japan as soon as a stable golden opportunity in gateways opening up into
portal was discovered. Witnessing first hand the other worlds, and the discovery of Dark Stone.
armies of Samurai and their warring houses was a Enterprising Prospectors like Darius Redford travel
dream come true for the excited historian and from world to world in search of new claims to mine
his assistants. But in a Feudal Japan overrun by and new fortunes to be made, be it from gold,
demons, they quickly became part of the Dark Stone, or any other precious material
history they only wished to study. that can be mined and sold for a profit!

51
 PAINTING GUIDE
This painting guide shows how to
easily paint your plastic models using only
Warpaints from the Heroes of the Old West
(HOW), Creatures of the Void (COV), and
Forbidden Fortress (FF) Paint Sets. For spray
priming the models, use any matte (NOT Gloss)
spray paint which can be purchased inexpensively
from a hardware store. These Shadows of
Brimstone paint sets are sold separately and available
now at your local game store or online at the
Official Flying Frog Web Store.

TENGU
1) Prime with matte black spray paint.
2) Base coat clothing, sash, and cloud base with Tengu
Grey.
3) Base coat wings, arms, legs, and neck with a mix of
Portal Blue and Shadow Black.
4) Paint chest straps and mask with Crimson Hand Red.
5) Paint armored areas with Loot Gold and sword with
Pistol Metal.
6) Paint hat and hair with Shadow Black.
7) Wash model with Strong Tone Ink.
8) Dry brush wings, arms, legs, and neck with a mix of
Portal Blue and Spirit White.
9) Highlight clothing with Tengu Grey.
10) Highlight cloud base and sash with Spirit White.

DISHONORED DEAD
1) Prime the models with matte black spray paint.
2) Dry Brush with Pistol Metal.
3) Paint sleeves and pants with a mix of Tentacle Blue
and Fang Bone.
4) Paint face, hands, and feet with Fang Bone.
5) Paint sash with Spirit White.
6) Paint helmet ornaments with Loot Gold.
7) Paint straps with Leather Brown.
8) Wash entire model with Dark Tone Ink.
9) Highlight face and hands with Fang Bone.

ACIDIC TENTACLES
1) Prime the models with matte white spray paint.
2) Blend tentacle body between Serpent Skin and Desert
Yellow (green on the underside, yellow on top).
3) Paint fleshy base with Cherry Blossom Pink.
4) Paint mouth with Saloon Red and teeth in Fang Bone.
5) Paint drool with Spirit White.
6) Paint base with Shadow Black.
7) Wash entire model with Soft Tone Ink.
 ONI
1) Prime with matte black spray paint.
2) Base coat body with Oni Red (you may need two
coats to get a good solid color).
3) Paint tiger pants and ropes with Desert Yellow.
4) Paint tiger stripes on the pants with Shadow Black.
5) Paint the large club and the bag on the back of his
belt with Leather Brown.
6) Paint handle straps, jug on belt, teeth, and horns with
Fang Bone.
7) Paint bracelet, ankle shackles, metal club spikes, and
metal club handle with Pistol Metal.
8) Paint sash with Spirit White.
9) Wash model with Soft Tone Ink.
10) Dry brush skin with a mix of Oni Red and Spirit
White.
11) Highlight hair, eyebrows, and tiger stripes with
Tengu Grey.
12) Paint eyes with a mix of Desert Yellow and Spirit
White.

HARIONAGO
1) It may be easier to paint this model in two parts:
the head/hair and the body with attached right arm.
Prime the head/hair with matte black spray paint and
prime the body with matte white spray paint.
2) Paint her kimono (dress), blending from Shadow
Black at the bottom to Saloon Red at the top.
3) Paint the hair on the body with Shadow Black.
4) Dry brush the hair with Tengu Grey.
5) Paint face, hands, and feet with a mix of Yamabushi
Blue and Spirit White.
6) Paint the obi (sash) with Serpent Skin and Oni Red.
7) Paint the sandals with Leather Brown.
8) If you are painting the model in two parts, you
should now glue the head/hair to the body. While
we suggest plastic cement to glue these plastic
models, you should use super glue to connect these
painted pieces.
9) Wash entire model with Strong Tone Ink.
10) Highlight face, hands, and feet with Spirit White.
11) Carefully paint small flowers on the kimono with
Spirit White. For each flower, use a small detail
brush to paint four small dots in the shape of a ‘+’.

LIVING STATUE
1) Prime with matte black spray paint.
2) Dry brush the entire model with Statue Bronze.
3) Wash entire model with Soft Tone Ink.
4) Dry brush with a mix of Serpent Skin and Tentacle
Blue, being careful to leave some areas of bronze
showing through.
5) Dry brush with a mix of Serpent Skin, Tentacle Blue,
and Spirit White. Use this same mix to highlight
with some vertical “streaks” to add to the effect.
 SAMURAI HERO

STEP #1 STEP #2 STEP #3

1) Prime with matte black spray paint. 1) Paint sword blade with Pistol Metal. 1) Highlight cloth areas with a mix of
2) Dry brush armor with a mix of 2) Paint the helmet ornamentation with Desert Yellow, Cynder Yellow, and
Portal Blue and Tengu Grey. Loot Gold. Spirit White.
3) Paint cloth with Desert Yellow. 3) Paint scabbards with Tengu Grey. 2) Highlight skin with a mix of Pale
Flesh and Spirit White.
4) Paint hands and face with Pale 4) Wash the skin and cloth areas with
Flesh. Soft Tone Ink and allow to dry. 3) Highlight armor with a mix of Portal
Blue, Tengu Grey, and Spirit White.
5) Paint straps, sword handles, and 5) Wash the armor and swords with
sandals with Leather Brown. Strong Tone Ink.

ASSASSIN HERO

STEP #1 STEP #2 STEP #3

1) Prime with matte black spray paint. 1) Paint sword, shuriken, and buckles 1) Highlight cloth areas with Tengu Grey.
2) Paint cloth with Tengu Grey. with Pistol Metal. 2) Highlight skin with a mix of Pale Flesh
3) Paint straps with Leather Brown. 2) Wash the skin, strap, and pouch and Spirit White.
areas with Soft Tone Ink and allow 3) Highlight straps with a mix of Leather
4) Paint skin with Pale Flesh. to dry. Brown and Spirit White.
5) Paint pouches and backpack with 3) Wash the cloth, metal, and hair
Fang Bone. 4) Highlight pouches with a mix of Fang
areas with Strong Tone Ink. Bone and Spirit White.
 SORCERESS HERO

STEP #1 STEP #2 STEP #3

1) Prime with matte white spray paint. 1) Paint magik flame with a mix of 1) Paint base with Shadow Black.
2) Base coat dress with Saloon Red. Serpent Skin and Elemental Yellow. 2) Highlight magik flame with a mix of
3) Paint obi (sash) with Fang Bone. 2) Paint her tiara with Loot Gold. Serpent Skin, Elemental Yellow, and
Cynder Yellow.
4) Paint hands and face with Pale 3) Wash the skin and obi (sash) with
Flesh. 3) Highlight skin with a mix of Pale
Soft Tone Ink and allow to dry. Flesh and Spirit White.
5) Paint containers and sandals with 4) Wash the dress, flame, containers,
Leather Brown. 4) Carefully paint flowery designs on
and hair with Strong Tone Ink. the dress with Elemental Yellow,
6) Paint hair and belt Tengu Grey. highlighting raised areas with Cynder
Yellow.
TRAVELING MONK HERO

STEP #1 STEP #2 STEP #3

1) Prime with matte black spray paint. 1) Paint sacred bell and staff headpiece 1) Highlight robe with Tengu Grey and
2) Base coat robes with Tengu Grey with Loot Gold. Yamabushi Blue.
and Yamabushi Blue. 2) Paint hat with Elemental Yellow. 2) Highlight skin with a mix of Pale Flesh
3) Paint staff Leather Brown with 3) Wash the robes with Strong Tone and Spirit White.
wraps in Fang Bone. Ink and allow to dry. 3) Highlight staff and sandals with a mix
4) Paint skin with Pale Flesh. 4) Wash the skin, hat, staff, and metal of Leather Brown and Spirit White.
5) Paint sandals with Leather Brown. areas with Soft Tone Ink. 4) Drybrush hat with Elemental Yellow.
 TRAVEL HAZARD CHART
3D6 Traveling Hazard 8 - Nobuhara Slave Cart
Hearing shouting from up ahead, you quickly get off
3 - Possession the road just before a rickety cart turns the bend. Driven
As you settle in for the night around the fire, there is an by a brutish half-man half-Oni taskmaster, the cart carries
odd chill in the air. With a contorted face and twisted form, several large bamboo cages full of malnourished prisoners,
one of the Party is possessed by a vile demon, lashing out bound for a Nobu Slave mine to work for the Oni Warlords!
and speaking in tongues before regaining control! ‘You will
all die before the might of the Ancient Ones…rez’chu’kau’to! Each Hero may decide to remain hidden, try to
Your souls will burn…Has’te’for’i…in the fires of Cynder! Free Prisoners, or Confront the Nobu Slaver and his
Beli’al will have his revenge!” Oni guards.
If you try to Free Prisoners, make an Agility 5+
The Hero that rolled this result immediately loses test. If successful, you sneak in, relieving them of gold
D3 Sanity permanently, and must roll once on the and freeing some of the prisoners! Gain 10XP and $25
Madness chart as a result of this horrific experience. for each 5+ rolled.
If you Confront the Nobu Slaver and his guards,
4 - Dragon Attack make a Strength 6+ test. If successful, you cut down
An Elemental Dragon has rampaged through the area, the guards and relieve the Slaver of his head! Gain
devastating the region, burning buildings, and incinerating 30XP and you may draw a Loot card.
the livestock and people! It is not a pretty sight. If either test is failed, you are savagely beaten by
When you arrive in Town, 2 Random Buildings the Oni guards. Take D8 Hits that each do Damage
have been Destroyed by the Dragon and cannot be equal to your Hero Level.
visited during this Town Stay. Also, every Hero loses
1 Grit as they are horrified by the carnage left in the 9 - Burning Village
wake of the Dragon’s terror. Pillars of black smoke rise in the distance and as you
approach you discover a a small village in ruins and ablaze!
Screams call out from the fiery inferno!
5 - Living Hills Each Hero may decide to turn away or brave the
Something’s not right here, the hills surrounding the
valley you are in seem to be shifting and stirring before your burning buildings to look for survivors. If you enter
eyes! The road before you opens up to reveal a massive the buildings make a Strength 5+ test to move through
demonic maw waiting to devour you whole! the flaming debris.
If failed, you are singed by the fire and must flee
Each Hero must make an Agility 5+ test to avoid the building, coughing from the thick smoke. Take D6
the maw! If passed, gain 15 XP and you escape the Wounds, ignoring Defense. If passed gain 25 XP and
trap. If failed, you leap aside at the last moment. Any roll a D6 to see what you find in the fire.
Cart or Horse you were riding is devoured by the beast
and you lose 1 Sanity permanently at the horrific sight D6 Roll Result
of the creature!
1 Trick - A ghostly apparition has lured
you into the blaze, only to disappear as
6 - Tsunami a section of roof comes down on your
As your travels take you along the coastline, the winds head. Roll once on the Injury chart.
rage, whipping up a massive tsunami that crashes over the
land, threatening to sweep away all in its path! 2-5 Survivor - You find a survivor and pull
them from the burning buildings. Gain
Each Hero must make a Luck 4+ test to avoid D6x10 XP.
being swept away by the rushing waters. If failed, roll
a D6 for each Token in your Side Bag. On the roll 6 Hero of the Day - You find a small
of 1, 2, or 3, it is swept away in the torrent of water. child and carry them through the
flaming rubble safely. Gain D6x25XP
7 - Harried By HellBats as well as 1 Health and 1 Sanity.
As the Heroes move through the countryside, dark
swarms of HellBats follow overhead, swooping down to 10 - Bridge Destroyed
terrorize them as they go. The bridge across the raging river ahead has been
demolished, either blown up to prevent demons from
Each Hero must roll a D6 for every Dark Stone coming across, or torn apart during a skirmish! You’ll have
they are carrying (including Items with a Dark to find another way around, which will take time…time you
Stone Icon and Items with Dark Stone Upgrades on don’t have.
them). On the roll of 1, that Dark Stone shard/Item When you get to Town, the Heroes can spend no
is snatched away by a HellBat and carried off into the more than 2 days for their Town Stay before starting

56
night (discarded). the next Adventure.
11 - Dark Dreams 16 - Smoldering Battlefield
Camping along the road, your dreams are filled with You come across a blood-soaked battlefield, littered
dark visions of the future and an impending dread. with the bodies of the dead! Though most were cut down
Each Hero must make a Spirit 6+ test. If passed by the sword, many seemed to have been ripped apart by
gain 10 XP and you may Recover 1 Grit. savage creatures.
If failed, you take D6 Sanity Damage, ignoring Each Hero can decide to pass it by without
Willpower. looking too close, or to sift through the gore to look
for anything useful. If you search the massacre, make
a Luck 5+ test. If failed, lose 1 Sanity permanently, as
12 - Cursed Spring you are scarred by the horror of the things you find.
If passed, roll a D6 to see what you find.
The mountain springs in this area have a strange air
around them, sweetly smelling but with a hint of death. As
you stop to drink, you notice that the forested path around D6 Roll Result
the spring is littered with the bones of the dead! Not a good
sign. 1-4 Gear - You find something of value.
Draw a Gear card.
Each Hero loses 1 Grit. If you do not have a Grit
to lose, instead take D3 Wounds, ignoring Defense. 5 Artifact - Perhaps this is what the
armies were fighting over! Draw a
Fortress Artifact card.
13 - Bandits!
Waylaid by Bandits on the road, the Heroes fend off 6 Survivor! - You find someone still
as many as they can! alive amongst the bodies. Packing
The Bandits surround each Hero individually. them on your saddle, you race on
There are 5 Bandits per Hero and each Hero must roll to the nearest village. If you visit the
a D6 to see how many of those Bandits they defeat. House of Healing during this Town
For every Bandit you defeat, gain 10 XP. For each of Stay, gain +1 Max Grit for your
your 5 Bandits you do not defeat, lose $25, 1 Dark heroic efforts.
Stone, or 1 Gear or Artifact of your choice.
17 - Marching Samurai
14 - Forest Ambush Traveling the roads, the Heroes come upon a massive
army of Samurai heading toward the same Town to reinforce
Traveling through a shadowy forest you get a bad
feeling…but it’s too late! Musket shots whiz past your head the outpost there.
as a mutated group of Takobake Clan foot soldiers form When the Heroes reach Town, any rolls on the
ranks and fire off their flintlock rifles! Laying in wait, they set Camp Site Hazard chart or the Town Event Chart
their trap to rob unwary travelers of Dark Stone! are +1 to the roll.
Each Hero must make an Agility 5+ or Lore 5+
test. If passed, gain 25 XP and you are able to evade
the worst of the attack, escaping the forest to meet up 18 - Shadowy Traveler
with the rest of the Party. You meet a dark stranger on the road one night while
If failed, you are grazed by a musket shot allowing the rest of the Party is asleep. With a slippery voice he
the Takobake to scavenge your belongings for Dark introduces himself as a simple traveler and makes you an
Stone. Lose D3 Dark Stone, or one item with a Dark offer that could be hard to refuse.
Stone Icon. Also, due to your bumps and bruises, you This result may NOT be Re-rolled or canceled.
lose all Grit. The Hero who rolled this result must choose:
Take the deal, gaining D6x100 XP and
15 - Temple Dog Attack D6x$100, but if they ever roll this result again,
A pack of vicious Temple Dogs have been tracking the Traveler has returned to collect his end of the
your Party for days and have found the opportunity to strike! bargain and takes your Hero off into the night
Each Hero must make a Cunning 5+ test to outwit never to be heard from again.
the stone lions or a Strength 5+ test to overpower or
them. If passed, gain 25 XP.
If failed, you are pulled from your saddle and Refuse the deal, make a Spirit 6+ or
ravaged by the creatures! Roll a D6 for every Clothing Cunning 6+ test to find a way out of it.
Item you have (not including your Personal Item). On If passed, gain 50 XP. If failed, gain D6+1
the roll of 1 or 2 it is torn apart and destroyed by the Corruption Points, ignoring Willpower, as the
savage attack. Traveler disappears into the dark night.

57
 MUTATION CHART
D36 Mutation 24 - Melty Skin
To roll a D36, roll two dice of different colors, where Your skin has become gooey and comes off easily
one of them is the ‘10’s digit and the other is the ‘1’s digit. now. Any time you take one or more Wounds from a
For Example, if you rolled 3 and 5 the result on the chart source, you take 1 extra Wound.
would be 35.
11 - Chest Portal 25 - Void Boils
A hole has opened up in your chest leading to another You are -2 Health, but +1 Max Grit.
dimension! And occasionally... stuff comes through! Anytime
an 11 or 12 is rolled to Hold Back the Darkness, you 26 - Void Infection
must roll a D6. Any time you pass through a Gate, you take 1
On 1, 2, or 3, there is an Ambush Attack! as Corruption Point, ignoring Willpower.
a Low Threat card erupts from the portal in your
chest. These Enemies are all placed adjacent to you 31 - Barbed Tail
if possible, but will select targets during their first +1 Combat.
Activation. You are also -1 Corruption Resistance.
On 4 or 5, nothing happens.
On 6, something starts itching in your portal and 32 - Prehensile Tail
you reach in only to pull out a foreign object. Draw You now have 1 extra to use per turn.
an Artifact card from the Fortress.
You are also -1 Corruption Resistance.
12 - Tentacle Fingers
Gross! No game effect. 33 - Tail with a Face
Your tail talks to you in hushed demonic whispers,
13 - Tentacle Arm curling around to speak into your ear. Any time you take
You lose the use of one each turn, but you one or more Sanity Damage from a source, you take 1
extra Sanity Damage.
are +1 Combat. Guns / Bows may still be used,
but cannot get Critical Hits. 34 - Tail with a Mouth
Your tail nips and bites at you and any others that
14 - Tentacle Leg stray too close. Any time you or another model adjacent
You are -1 Move each turn (minimum of 1). to you rolls a 1 on a ‘To Hit’ roll, that model takes 1
Wound, ignoring Defense. No XP is gained.
15 - Tentacle Tongue
Gross! No game effect. 35 - Tentacle Tail
+1 Move.
16 - Tentacle Mustache You are also -1 Corruption Resistance.
Shopkeepers are intimidated by your writhing facial
hair! All Item prices in Town cost you $10 less than 36 - Void Plague
normal (minimum $10). Any Hero adjacent to you at the end of a turn
automatically takes D3 Wounds, ignoring Defense.
21 - Glowing Skin
Your skin begins to give off an eerie green glow that 41 - Horns
lights up the corridors around you. You are now Immune You sprout horns from the top of your head. You can
to Voices in the Dark, but Enemies also Hit you on ‘To no longer use Clothing - Hat Items.
Hit’ rolls of 1.
42 - Eye Grown Over
22 - Rock Skin One of your eyes has grown over with gnarled flesh.
Your skin becomes hard and crusty, like it’s made All of your Critical Hits do 1 less Damage than normal.
of rock. You are +3 Health, but -1 Move each turn
(minimum of 1). 43 - Third Eye
You have grown a third eye that can see into the Void.
Once per turn, you may spend 2 Grit to force a Threat
23 - Slippery Skin card just drawn to be discarded and Re-drawn.
Your skin is now oily and greasy, allowing you to slide
past Enemies and slip through tight spaces. You may now
roll an extra die for Escape tests and choose which 44 - Mouth Grown Over
You can no longer speak (at least nothing beyond

58
roll to use.
mumbling). All Item prices in Town cost you +$10.
45 - Fangs 63 - Fused Fingers
You have grown large, sharp fangs that protrude from Your fingers have fused together making it impossible
your mouth. You gain a Bite Free Attack - Once per to do any fine manipulation. You may not use Gun
turn. 1 Combat, uses the D8 for Damage. Items (unless it is an Artifact card).
If this Bite attack wounds a Void Enemy, you also
take 1 Corruption Hit. 64 - Eye Stalks
All of your Critical Hits are +1 Damage.
46 - Second Head You are also -1 Corruption Resistance.
They say two heads are better than one...I’m not so
sure. You may now use 2 Clothing - Hat Items and you 65 - Void Speech
are +1 Initiative. However, any time you roll a natural You can now understand what Void creatures are
6+ for movement, you lose your Activation, as your saying as they hiss and growl. This is unnerving to the
two heads are arguing over where to go next. extreme, but can give you a leg up in a fight. At the start
of each turn, if there are any Void Enemies on your
51 - Arm Growth Map Tile, you are +1 Initiative, but you also take 1
Sanity Damage, ignoring Willpower.
Your arm has grown deformed and giant. You can
no longer use Clothing - Coat Items.
66 - Child of the Void
52 - Leg Growth You have grown the upper torso of a small humanoid
like creature out of your lower abdomen (you must name
Your leg has grown deformed and giant. You can no them). You are +1 Lore and, while in an OtherWorld,
longer use Clothing - Boots Items. +1 Initiative.
You are also -1 Corruption Resistance.
53 - Hand Growth
Your hand has grown deformed and giant. You can
no longer use Clothing - Gloves Items.

54 - Fused with Item

Your skin and muscle have grown out and extended
around one of your Items, making it part of you. Choose
one Item you are carrying that is or .
From now on, that Item may not be unequipped.

55 - Fused with Rock

Your skin has fused with chunks of rock, making
you lumbering and slow. You are -2 Move each turn
(minimum of 1), however, you also gain Armor 4+.

56 - Fused with Dark Stone

Any Dark Stone shards you currently carry have
become fused to you. These cannot be sold, used, or
lost in any way until removed at the House of Healing,
and will continue to roll for corruption at the end of
each Adventure as long as they are attached to you.
New Dark Stone found and Items with Dark
Stone Icons do not become fused, only the shards that
you currently carry when this Mutation is rolled.
If you aren’t carrying any Dark Stone shards
when this Mutation is rolled, instead, one Item you
have with a Dark Stone Icon you are carrying has
become fused to you. If that Item requires a Hand to
use, it is considered permanently equipped.

61 - Dark Stone Allergy

At the start of each of your Activations, take 1
Hit for every Dark Stone shard and Item with a Dark
Stone Icon you are carrying.

62 - Nose Fallen Off

You are in bad shape. All of your Town Location
Event Chart rolls are -1 to the roll (minimum of 2).

59
 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Activation – An individual model or group of Enemies’ opportunity Initiative – The order in which Models are Activated during a turn.
to move and attack during the turn. Just Rolled – This only includes the last roll you made (the dice that
Adventure – The time from when the Heroes are placed on were just rolled, moments ago).
the board to start a new Mission, until the Mission is failed or Keywords – One or more words associated with a card, event, or
successfully completed. An Adventure does not generally include character that generally have no built-in meaning but are referenced.
Travel or going to a Feudal Village.
Killed – When an Enemy is reduced to 0 Health. This term is also
Ambush – An Enemy Attack in which the Enemies are placed used when a Hero is actually dead, not just KO’d.
adjacent to the Heroes and gain +2 Initiative during the first turn.
KO’d – When a Hero is reduced to 0 Health or 0 Sanity.
Attack – A term used for when a group of Enemies is placed to
start a Fight. Also, a Model’s strike against another Model during a Model – Any Hero or Enemy, including counters that represent a
Fight. Hero or Enemy.
Basic Combat – A Model’s Combat value, unmodified by Items or Natural 6 – Rolling an unmodified 6 on a D6.
Ability effects. Basic Combat does include Combat bonuses earned Once per Adventure – An Item or Ability that may only be used
from Upgrades or Enemy Elite Abilities. once during each Adventure. When used the Item should be
Bounce – A Random form of movement, used for things like Bombs. flipped over or Ability marked in some way to show that it may not
be used again during this Adventure. At the end of the Adventure,
Brutal – High level Enemies faced at Party Level 5 and higher. the Item/Ability is Readied.
Cancel – Prevent the effects of something. If a card is canceled, it is Once per Fight – The same as Once per Adventure above, but the
discarded and has no further effect. Item/Ability may be used once each Fight instead.
Catch Your Breath – A form of Healing at the end of each Fight. Once per Turn – The same as Once per Adventure above, but the
Clue – Icon. Progress toward a Mission’s Objectives. Item/Ability may be used once each turn instead.
Corruption Hit – A strike to add a Corruption to a Hero. A Peril Die – Icon. A special D6 that has the sides 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, and 6.
Corruption Hit on a Hero adds 1 Corruption Point. Prevented with Ready – Flipping over a used Item card or unmarking an Ability
Willpower. that is Limited Use, making it ready for use again.
Corruption Point – A measurement of how corrupted a Hero is. Recover – For a resource like Grit, this means to gain one of that
Corruption Resistance – The number of Corruption Points a Hero resource, up to the maximum you can carry of it. For a Hero, this
can have before trading them in for a roll on the Mutation Chart. means to stand back up after being KO’d, usually resulting in some
Cover / Cover Save – An extra roll to prevent Hits against a model, amount of healing and rolling on the Injury/Madness Chart.
before Defense is applied. Note a successful roll on a Cover save Revive – A special Token that allows a Hero to Recover and fully
stops the entire Hit, including all Damage and other effects. Heal when KO’d, without needing to roll for Injury/Madness.
Critical Hit – A Natural roll of 6+ on a Hero’s attack dice. Ignores Sanity – A model’s capacity to take mental damage, before being
the Enemy’s Defense. KO’d.
Defense (Enemy) – The amount of Damage an Enemy will prevent Scavenge – A Hero searching a Map Tile for anything of value.
on each Hit they take. Side Bag – Every Hero has a Side Bag card that is used to hold
Defense (Hero) – A saving roll to prevent taking Damage to the their Side Bag Tokens like Bandages or Bombs.
Hero’s Health. Single-Handed – An Item that requires one of a Hero’s two hands.
Double-Handed – An Item that requires both of a Hero’s hands. Skills – A Hero’s stats used to interact with tests and Encounters.
Enemy Group – All of the Enemy models on the board that are the Source – One specific thing that is causing an effect. This could
exact same specific Enemy Type (Tengu, Oni, Devoured Dead, etc). be an Event Chart roll, a single Enemy, an Encounter card, etc.
Escape – A Hero’s attempt to move away from an Enemy model. Something that prevents all Damage from a single Source will
Exhaust – Flipping over or rotating a card (or marking an ability) prevent one instance of taking that Damage.
that is Limited Use (such as ‘Once Per Turn’) to show that it has Target – The focus of a model’s attacks.
been used. Threat – A card drawn to show what Types of Enemies are
Fight – The time from when Enemies are placed on the board until attacking and how many there are of each.
the last Enemy is removed from the board. Threat Level – Low, Med, or High, the Threat Deck that the Heroes
Free Attack – An extra form of attack that is in addition to a normal draw from based on the number of Heroes in the Party. One Threat
attack. Limit one Free Attack per turn. Level higher than High is Epic.
Grit – A resource that all Heroes have, used mainly for Re-rolling To Hit – The number needed for each of a Model’s attack dice to
dice and activating some more powerful Abilities. successfully strike their target.
Health – A model’s capacity to take physical damage, before being Turn – One game round, from the Hold Back the Darkness phase to
killed or KO’d. the End of the Turn phase.
Hit – A single strike against a Model’s Health. A Hit on a Hero Upgrade – A bonus for a Hero when they Level Up or a bonus to
generally does 1 Damage unless noted otherwise. A Hit from a an Item that can be attached into its Upgrade Slots.
Hero’s attack generally does D6 Damage unless noted otherwise. Weight – Icon. A Hero may carry Items up to their Strength+5 in
Prevented with Defense. Weight. This is also known as their ‘Carrying Capacity’.
Horror Hit – A single strike against a Hero’s Sanity. A Horror Hit

60
Willpower – A saving roll to prevent taking Damage to the Hero’s
on a Hero does 1 Sanity Damage unless noted otherwise. Prevented Sanity. Also used to prevent Corruption.
with Willpower.
 FAQ AND CLARIFICATIONS
Q) Because the Map Tiles are double-sided, what do Q) Does an Enemy that is displaced, by a larger Enemy
you do if a Map card is drawn in an Other World, but the moving through it, need to choose a new target if it is still
Fortress side of that same tile is already in play? adjacent to its original target after being displaced?
A) Most players will want to remove older Map Tiles A) No. The displaced Enemy will only select a new
as they explore to make room for the new areas discovered target if it is no longer adjacent to its original target.
as you go (unless you have a really giant table). That being
the case, this won’t come up that often. When it does, simply Q) If a new group of Enemies appears with Ambush
discard the Map card and draw a new one to replace it. during a Fight, and there are already Enemies of that Type
on the board, do the existing Enemies of that Type get the +2
Q) Do the Heroes get to draw a Loot for a Threat card Initiative, or only the new Enemies?
that has you draw additional Threat cards but doesn’t actually A) All Enemies of that Type get the bonus +2 Initiative.
add Enemies itself?
A) No. For Threat cards that say something like, “Draw Q) What happens if you have a group of normal Enemies
2 Low Threats”, the Heroes get Loot for each of the two Low (such as Acidic Tentacles) in an OtherWorld, and then a new
Threats, but not for the card that just has you draw the Low group of Enemies enters play that are an OtherWorld variation
Threats. on the same Enemy Type (such as Parasitic Tentacles)?
A) Unless you have models to specifically represent
Q) What happens if no Map Tile can be placed at a both Types of Enemies, all of these Enemies will immediately
Door because any tile would overlap an existing part of the become the OtherWorld specific version of the Enemy
map? Type (so in the example, the existing Acidic Tentacles would
A) In this case, that exit is not a valid Door location immediately become Parasitic Tentacles).
when rolling for where the Doors are placed in that room.
Q) Do Critical Hits, Explosives (like Bombs), and other
Q) If you need to draw a card from a deck, and there are things that ignore Defense also ignore the Armor ability?
none left, what do you do? A) No. Armor is only ignored if explicitly called out.
A) Re-shuffle the discard pile back into the deck. If
there is no discard pile, cancel that card draw. There are two Q) Is there a minimum Max Grit?
exceptions to this. If an Artifact needs to be drawn and there A) Yes. A Hero’s Max Grit is minimum 1.
are none available, draw a Gear card instead. If a Growing
Dread needs to be drawn, draw a Darkness card instead. Q) What happens if a model that cannot move through
Barriers ever finds itself enclosed behind Barriers?
Q) What happens if you look through a Gate while all A) Any model in an area enclosed by Barriers is allowed
of the World Cards are still in play? to move through Barriers until they are no longer enclosed.
A) This should be very rare as World Cards are returned
to the Deck as soon as there are no Heroes in that World. If Q) Does the Darkness card Overpowered add to the
it does occur, the Gate will always lead back to the World you damage caused by Acid Blobs with their Digestive Juices?
started the Adventure in (usually the Fortress). A) Yes. Digestive Juices is used instead of a normal
Attack using Combat, but it is still an Attack.
Q) If you are called on more than once to place
additional Enemies when you don’t have any more models Q) Can Items or abilities that are ‘Once Per Turn’ be used
for them available, do they get an Elite ability for each time? during Travel or Town? What about ‘Once Per Adventure’?
A) The Enemies gain an Elite ability when you would A) No. There are no ‘Turns’ during Travel and Town
have to place more of them on the board but have no available Stay, only ‘Days in Town’. The only Limited Use elements
models to do so. This is limited to once per turn, no matter that may be used during Travel and Town Stay are those that
how many instances of that Enemy you are called on to place are listed as ‘Once Per Travel’ or ‘Once Per Day in Town’, etc.
but cannot.
Q) Hero Skills max out at 6. What happens if I get a
Q) Is it ok to remove previous parts of the Map as you Random Upgrade or choose a skill tree ability that would add
explore new areas (not all tables are giant)? to a Skill value that is already at 6?
A) Yes. As long as you don’t think you will be going A) In these cases, the player may choose a different one
back to that area, it should be fine. This can also leave more of their Skills that is not yet at 6 to apply the bonus to instead.
room for the map to twist and turn and not be blocked by
previous Map Tiles (imagine that it is winding down deeper Q) Some areas of Town are restricted by a Hero’s
as you go). If there are game features left behind on Map Tiles Keywords (Samurai Only, etc). How does this work with the
(such as Corpse Tokens), it is recommended that the Map Items that can be purchased in these restricted areas? Can they
Tiles not be removed until the Heroes are at least 2 full Map be traded away to Heroes that don’t meet the restrictions after
Tiles away or so (just in case). purchase?
A) No. All Items and events in a Town Location that is
Q) Does Spirit Armor prevent Corruption Points? Restricted like this are assumed to have that same Restriction
A) No, only Sanity Damage. on the Item itself as well.

61
 Shadow Clan
Shadows of Brimstone™ is Ninjas
an expansive game world,
and this Core Set is just Enemy
the beginning! This gallery of
miniatures shows off some of
the new Heroes and Enemies
coming soon in expansions for
the game!

Fallen
Sorcerer
Onmorake Carrion Magik Enemy
Phoenix
XL-Sized Beast Enemy

Geisha
Hero

Komuso Summoner
Magik Enemy

Skin Crawler Kitsune

Belly of the Beast Enemy Hero

Soldier
Hero

Chochinobake
Possessed Lantern Fortress Door
Demon Enemy from Gateways into Madness