A Tabletop System Designed and Illustrated by

Leo Cheung
With Writing by
Leo Cheung / Wendy Feng / Claire Lindeboom / Hieu-Hanh Nguyen
And Editing by
Mitchell Salmon
Brought to you by With the amazing support and help from
Henan Chen + Everett Frank
Justin Pavao + Jennifer Reuter,
Simon ‘Bram’ Sterrett
Special thanks to our first blind play test group
GMs: Kareem Abdol-Hamid + Yusef Abdol-Hamid
Players: Dominique Fagundez-Brindle + Brianna Miller
Victoria Miller + Chance Noll + Jordan O’Neil Wilson

Find us on Discord and Twitter

Http://invite.gg/Parselings http://Twitter.com/Parselings

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either are
the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2021 by Smunchy Games
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any man-
ner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quota-
tions in a book review. No claim to copyright is made for original U.S. Government
Works. For more information contact us at address: smunchygames@gmail.com.
ii

Foreword
When you watch a movie, or read a book, the odds are not
equal for everyone. The decks are always stacked in one
person or another’s favour.
In the past with tabletop campaigns, I have found that dice
systems seemed to swing wildly in the favour of luck and
pure statistics. The Choice System system was born to make
it feel like it’s more than just a gamble, that you have made
choices that have directly altered your character’s fate.
For players, the Choice System is designed to let you control
your odds, to bend luck in your favour. You will create a deck
tailored to your character, closely representing who they are
and their capabilities. The cards present you with some-
thing that truly represents your creation and the decisions
that they make, and give you something solid to take home
after your sessions. We hope that, even after everyone has
their separate ways, you will have a physical memento to
remind you of the fond time spent with friends.
For Game Masters, I hope that you find the concepts and
ideas held within these covers useful nuggets of inspiration.
Use this book as a guide to amaze your peers and create
memories that you won’t forget as you navigate through a
story that only you can tell.
As you experience the system for yourselves, I wish that,
whatever happens, it is unforgettable.
What you will need How to use this book:
This book relies heavily on role-playing, and crafting a story
iii
A deck of cards for each player that belongs to you. The mechanics and systems behind the
In the Choice System, each player controls a single charac- game simply serve as guidelines as you tell a story you want
ter and a deck constructed out of a set of regular playing to hear. To help you navigate this book, it has been broken
cards. The cards you choose will represent your character’s down into several chapters and appendices.
health and mind. The larger the deck the more options, and
Chapter 1 ‘Introduction’ is designed around giving you some
health, they have. The smaller the deck, the more limited
context for many things including terminology, themes, and
their actions are.
various bits about the Parselings world. It will help you digest
You will need to make some hard decisions when con- the information in the rest of the book.
structing your deck for one simple reason: Parselings are
Chapter 2 ‘Getting started’ is aimed at character creation
not gods, nor are they omnipotent. They will need others
and helping people get started on their journey. It walks you
to help do what they themselves cannot.
through the process of creating a character. Keep in mind
that some terminology used in Chapter 2 will be re-visted
A set of dice for the GM and expanded on later in the book.
Though predominantly a deck building game, you will still
Chapter 3 ‘Choice System’ talks about the basic mechanics
need a set of dice to be shared by your group for several
of this system that are universal to every character, Parseling
parts of this game. Players will not need these dice during
or otherwise. If you’re looking for information on basic
the game, they are for the benefit of the GM. While a lot of
Checks, equipment, and various statistics, look no further.
NPC actions could be replicated with cards, sometimes for
lesser challenges it is faster for the GM to operate with dice. Chapter 4 ‘Parse System’ revolves around all Parseling
mechanics including how to use the unique spell casting
A small pool of d6s (six sided dice) represent any small
system.
enemies or obstacles in the campaign.
Chapter 5 ‘GM handbook’ discusses some basic points on
A single d10 (ten sided dice), d12 (twelve sided dice),and
running this system as a Game Master. It delves deeper
d20 (twenty sided dice) help decide a Parseling’s Words and
into the concepts behind Checks, Parses, and various other
ultimately how the world sees them.
parts of this game.
Chapter 6 ‘Parseling Research notes’ is a collection of
Your imagination deeper dissections about Parsecytes and their derivatives.
We share tales among friends and strangers to make sure Essential reading for anyone wondering about the true
that we are remembered. The more ideas are spoken and nature of these beings.
shared, the more real they become in our society.
Appendix A: ‘Tricks’ is a compendium filled with all the
As a role-playing game, stories are at the heart of these Tricks you can take to personalise how your Deck plays.
systems, and the rules offer a way of translating actions
Appendix B: ‘Equipment’ is a list of example gear that you
into a format that everyone else can agree upon. We are
can use to build up an armoury for your team.
utilising our imagination to fuel the game, putting our time
and our effort to create to a story we would want to listen Appendix C: ‘Checks’ is an optional guideline for any Checks
to. For players this means you’ll need to be able to describe you may end up completing as a player.
your character and what they want to do. For the GM, you’ll
Appendix D: ‘Challenges & Conditions’ is written to provide
be weaving these characters together to create an adven-
players and GMs with inspiration on what could constitute
ture that everyone can enjoy.
a Challenge or Condition.
Appendix E: ‘Tables & Sheets’ is a compilation of all the
tables within the book for easy reference, as well as a copy
of the suggested Character sheet to use.
iv
To the World
Wiara Waer Arya, A Waymaker’s Log: “To the World”,
Whereareya.logit.com, Accessed February 20th, 0612
AP. Last edited, July 23 20xx AD
As of late we have been preoccupied with the rush
of technological progress. Relationships, and people,
have fallen by the wayside, and have been replaced
with connections and users. Isolation in cities has
become the norm. Nominal City, an overbuilt city that
rests upon some unimportant peninsular, governed
by trade and export.
Nominal City, or The Wellspring of Infection as it later
came to be known, began as a dark metropolis. The
weak and watery sunlight shone feebly through the
grey sky for only several hours of the day before the
smothering dusk fell upon the tall cluster of buildings.
We now know it as the ground zero of the Parseling
phenomenon, the very soil fertile with meaning and
words. In the germination stage of the infection, the
stench of paranoia and hushed whispers filled the
air. I suppose it was only fitting that in such a place
every thought and stray word became enriched with
such intensity of significance.
Perhaps the most distinctive thing about Nominal City
is the island of metal hovering above the dilapidated
land below. Several months ago, large areas of the
city were torn from their roots and rose into the air,
where they have been ever since. This catastrophe
created many victims and refugees, still clustered
within the city, to which the rest reacted poorly. The
memory of this event remains a stain in the collective
psyche of the people.
Underneath, in the craters and shadows, it smells like
a dense forest of tall grey buildings with faded and
peeling pastel paints. Posters are layered over each
other like rings in a tree. Forest animals are replaced
with people, their thick coats and scarves making
anonymous figures. There’s a feeling of oppression in
the concrete, the enclosing wall cutting off Nominal
City and the peninsula from the rest of the world.
Within the quarantine, the government has failed its
people and large private corporations have taken
over public interests.
It doesn’t help that there’s a new movement, spoken of
only in quiet corners. Something that might be a threat.
Parselings. Have you heard of them?
 Table of Contents v
Chapter 1: Introduction 01 Chapter 6: Parsecyte Research 120
The Afflicted 02 Parsecytes 121
Themes 04 Parselings 124
Terminology 05 Incoherents 130
Paragraphs 134
Chapter 2: Getting started 13 Lingua 136
Character Creation 14
Script 22 Appendix A: Tricks 145
Character Deck 23 Ace Tricks 146
Words and Labels 26 Push Tricks 147
Intent Tricks 148
Chapter 3: Choice System 35 Feats Tricks 150
Image 36 Conduct Tricks 152
Aptitude 38 Uncategorised Tricks 155
Card Piles 42 Parseling Tricks 156
Derived Statistics 43 Parseling Tricks
Trees 159
Quotes, Challenges & Conditions 44
Checks 46 Appendix B: Equipment 166
Scenes 48 Table b1: Weapons 166
Combat 50 Table b2: Vehicles 170
Equipment 52
Vehicles 53 Appendix C: Checks 175
Weapons 54 Basic Checks 176
Push Checks 177
Chapter 4: Parse System 63 Intent Checks 178
Parts of a Parse 64 Feats Checks 180
Parse Creation 68 Conduct Checks 182
Alternate Parse Rules 70
Parses Senses 71 Appendix D: Challenges & Conditions 184
Coherency 72 Challenges 185
Incoherency 73 Intent Conditions 186
Paragraphs 76 Feats Conditions 188
Conduct Conditions 190
Chapter 5: GM Handbook 85 Push Conditions 192
Where to Start 86
Building the World 88 Appendix e: Tables & Sheets 193
Session Zero 90
Session blueprint 92 Acknowledgements 205
Flow 94
Epilogue 95
GM Mechanics 96
Quotes, Challenges & Conditions 96
Checks 98
Success thresholds 99
Quick NPCs 100
Parses 102
Parse Levels 104
Finalizing the Parse 108
Custom Abilities 109
 vi She wasn’t really one for books, at first. Marley found
herself much more comfortable tinkering with her father’s
tools rather than studying. But now, with her old school
crushed long ago into sand and the city’s education system
Pandora’s Box
trying to pull itself together from the shambles, she finds
herself reading more. Neighbours lend their books, willing
to give back to the father-daughter pair that have helped
them, and her mother always said that it would be rude to
refuse expressions of gratitude.
Actually, her mother didn’t say that, but she herself always
accepted it from other people.
Either way; history that used to bore her is much different
now through the lens of the First Parse and the waves that it
reverberated through the world. Foundations that were set
two, three hundred years ago shattered. Fairytales send her
to sleep whether or not her father is reading them to her.
Myths, though — what sort of myths would the First Parse
leave? What sort of myths will the Parselings that now exist
create? Reading them makes her wonder these things, ques-
tions that she wouldn’t have asked before. Questions that
eventually bring her to the door of Tenor Academy, to study
under Adrian Myrrh and the field of using Parses in place of
medical procedures.
So it’s to Professor Myrrh that she asks of myths, twen-
ty-six and seething with a hunger for knowledge. “Hey Prof,”
Marley says by way of starting, “You read books about myths,
right? Or well, you know them?”
“Depends on what kind of myths, Marley,” he says, not
batting an eye at the sudden topic.
“Greek ones. Pandora’s box.”
Professor Myrrh crosses his legs, propping his chin on his
fist in thought. “Yes, I’m familiar with it. A classic case of
someone doing something they were expressly told not to do,
with the heavy repercussions of releasing various evils into
the world in this case. What about it?” Tall and lanky, he fits
every stereotype of an academic willing to drop mundane
matters with no hesitation in pursuit of an interesting topic.
He studied standard Medicine once, she heard. (Everyone did
something “normal”, once upon a time.)
Marley hesitates for a moment. She asked her father about
it once, but he didn’t have any particular opinions on it. “It’s
a box of evils, yeah? Why is hope in it? And why is it a good
thing that hope stays inside?” she asks.
Professor Myrrh blinks, taking a moment to process the
question. “There’s a lot of ways people look at it,” he begins,
“Now, mythology isn’t exactly my field of study, but I assume
you’re asking me because you want my specific thoughts,
correct?” Marley nods jerkily. “Well, keep in mind that the
original myth was written in Ancient Greek, and that modern
translations and interpretations are what refer to the last
thing in the box as ‘hope’.”
“Yeah, I get it, I get it.” She flaps her hand, impatient.
 “That being said — hope is a great motivator, for great things
and terrible things.” He briefly glances out the window. “Even in
vii
the most chaotic of times, hope is what can keep a person going.
Hope is what allowed us to rebuild.” His lips twist into a wry smile.
“Even though the study of Parselings was a completely new and

Pandora’s Box
terrifying thing, myself and my colleagues that joined the Academy
had hope that we could make sense of the phenomenon that
caused the First Parse, unlike those that made the Mono Move-
ment because they were scared instead.”
“Then why is it a good thing that hope stayed in that box?” Marley
repeats, blowing her bangs out of her eyes.
Years later, the answer echoes through her mind, even when
she doesn’t have much of a mind left. “Because false hope is more
destructive than anything,” he says, “The hope that something
unlikely will happen, and the destructive path a person might go
to fulfil it — Other times, hope is empty, like the bread you feed a
duck that fills it even though it will die of malnutrition.”
“So what’s in the box is false hope?” She asks. When Professor
Myrrh nods, she frowns. “How the hell are you supposed to tell
between false hope and the normal kind?”
“Now that,” Professor Myrrh stands up, stretching his back, “Is
nowhere near my field of study.”
Marley grins, accepting his lack of answer for what it is. Everyone
harps on all the time about finding things out for yourself, after
all—but what’s the point when you can ask people for the answers?
Or at least, that’s how she sees it, from years of her father standing
over her shoulder and chastising her for trying something out on
his workbench only to make a mess, asking why she didn’t just
ask him. But not everyone was her father, were they.
Hope in a box of evils — it’s a question that bugged her for years,
ever since she first read the myth. At least she has an answer now,
she thinks, packing up her bags to leave. She walks through a wall
of humidity that she flushes against as she leaves the building.
Headphones in, music on, Marley O’Neal trudges from the
Academy to her home, scenery a blur in the heavy tropic rain.
O’Neal Fixing Service, the signboard greets her, lights bright even
through the water. They’d gotten the busted up thing for free, then
fixed it up good as new in the workshop and with a bit of Parse
magic. It’d been a pretty good advertisement, in the early days.
Marley and her father were first figuring out how this whole
Parsing thing worked and then decided to try to market them-
selves to fix anything, not just hardware and appliances. Build-
ings, cars, the human body; if it was something that needed to be
‘fixed’, they could figure out something between the two of them.
People had been scared at first, the First Parse still fresh in their
minds back then, but Marley had been determined and brokered that
deal with the nearest car dealer for a small favour. One repaired
signboard and a contract to casually do repairs on broken cars
for the dealership, and the O’Neal Fixing Service slowly found its
place in the community.
It was hard back then, she recalls now, dumping her things in
her room before ambling over to their tiny kitchen to fix up dinner.
Before the fixing service, after the First Parse, before the Divine
Parse that changed her life.

 viii The first emotion one to has when confronted by the unknown is fear.
What other than fear, Marley wonders, fourteen and frightened, did people
feel when her home town became Nominal City? Her father’s generation
still calls it a name that she can’t pronounce, a name with centuries of
Pandora’s Box

history overturned in a single night. In that moment, the First Parse. Her
home, overturned in that moment too.
They lived there, once. Marley doesn’t remember much of those years
other than her mother’s smile, the smell of star anise and tamarind in
the air when she made her favourite curry. Her father Murphy, tinkering
about the workshop above their home. Whenever something broke down,
he’d fix it, just like new. He fixed things for other people too.
No amount of elbow grease could fix the city, though. She doesn’t remem-
ber much of that night. Just screaming, yelling… homes and families
torn asunder. The people themselves. Her father looked out the window
and then closed the curtains, holding her. “It’ll be okay,” he had said then.
“It’ll be okay,” is what he says now, kneeling at her bedside, taking her
hands in his. Ever since she’d been diagnosed with this endometriosis,
she’d heard that phrase every time they went to the hospital. Every time
they’d asked around for help from other Parselings with Words that could
maybe heal. And now — there’s four people in the room. With them, herself
and her father; maybe they’d be able to make a Divine Parse. Something
permanent, not like all the other Parses that they’d done together.
She doesn’t remember how she felt that night when the First Parse hap-
pened, her father saying that it will be okay. Is it what she’s feeling now?
Elation? Is that the right word? She read it in a book once before. Before,
when she was healthier. Before, when she wasn’t stuck in bed most of the
day. Before, when her mother was still more than just a picture on the altar.
She stares at the people surrounding her bed, vision obscured by the
black hair she can’t be bothered to push out of her eyes. Father had invited
them, welcome in his words but his eyes betraying the truth. She recog-
nizes fear, despite the confident voice he uses to describe her condition
to them. Her gaze catches the collar of one man, letters across his throat
hiding under his clothes. A Parseling, just like her and her father.
Terror isn’t the only thing the witnesses of the First Parse must have
felt, Marley thinks, clenching her bedsheets. The group of people start
conversing amongst themselves, but it can hardly be conversing, not
when they finish each other’s sentences so smoothly and pick up ideas
so quickly. It’s uncanny. Scary, almost, but —
The unknown isn’t just scary. Light can be the dawn of a new day or a
fire eating a building away. She doesn’t know what these people can do,
if they can help her at all, but she lifts her head. Shaking her hair out of
her eyes, she looks at her father and allows herself to feel something she
hadn’t since the doctors refused her all those years ago. A silent glance
of agreement passes between them as she waits for the group to finish
debating.
Ah, she realizes. This is what they must have felt back then. The
First Parse was a change. Something unknown. Something scary. Yet
something…
The group all turn to face her, having come to some sort of decision.
And as they speak, letters light up under their clothes. Marley smiles —
Hopeful.

 The result of that hope is coughing up a mouthful of
blood every month. Which — of all side effects that Marley
ix
had heard might happen from a Divine Parse, isn’t all that
bad. Well, that and her blood turning purple, but at least
she’s out of her bed now.

Pandora’s Box
For others, the result of hope is Nominal City rising out
of the ashes of what it once was before. The winding,
twisting buildings that emerged from Parses replacing
the buildings of old. Tenor Academy, a massive monu-
ment in its core. Apparently, they research Parselings,
and work together with them. Employ them, even. But
that’s in the future.
There’s no real aftermath of hope. It’s a continuous
state of being. With hope, people pulled themselves and
a functioning city together despite the loss of life and
everything they once had. It’s a small mercy to be able
to at least have her mother’s image at the family altar
— the graveyard was lost to the sea. Hope let the people
rebuild, hope is what allowed her father to go searching
for other Parselings to try and heal her. Hope is what’s
gotten them this far.
It’s this hope that things will be better — that things
can be better — that allow Marley and her father to fit
properly into the community. Parselings now, not just
repairmen. At first, there had been few who would darken
their door once word got out of what they were (though
it could be related to the mass casualties of the First
Parse) but these days, people are more willing to call on
their services. Not just to fix a cupboard or a shelf, but
other things that would normally require more specialist
attention — or medical attention.
Between her “Malaise” and her father’s “Fix”, the uncle
next door managed to recover from his pneumonia. The
family three blocks over no longer has to worry about
their daughter’s fevers. Those suffering from severe
allergies can breathe easy. Considering the slow process
it takes for the city to reform its medical infrastructure,
often they see more people praying for a Parse to save
them than those needing mundane house or furniture
repairs. And that’s fine. Great, even. Marley doesn’t really
have many ideas about this being a Parseling thing,
and neither does her father. No one does, really, except
maybe those people at Tenor Academy excited about a
completely new field of study. But the slow process of
her and her father becoming known as fixers and helpers
instead of just “Parselings” gives her that push out of the
shadowed corners of her bedroom and into the open air.
After all, she has “Malaise” wrapped around her shoul-
der, the last original scar of her condition. Who wants to
be defined by sickness and ailments? But her father’s
presence changes that. Together, they can fix things,
and people, and their illnesses. Together — they can
help people hope.

Chapter 1:
Introduction
Parselings takes place in an alternate version of our
world. Most of it will be very familiar, however, with a
very specific brand of magic. Parsecytes, organisms of
unknown origin, have infiltrated the world and caused
irreversible changes to the ecosystem and society. They
devour flesh and ideas, yearning to become something
more than just a ravenous mouth.
If that wasn’t enough trouble, the supernatural parasites
can infect creatures other than humans. Turning them
into the stuff of myths and legends, the monsters that
we dreamed up to scare the children at night, entities ill
suited to exist in the world as we know it.
As you play this game, you will slip into the shoes of a
Parseling—a human that lives with a supernatural par-
asite nestled within their body. On the surface you are
almost physically indiscernible most other humans, save
for the tattoos on your skin that reveal your perceived
nature. When these words are used in conjunction with
the words of other people, you can use Parses to sculpt
the world around you to your desires.
The trouble is, you’re not the only one with this gift and
power and although some may choose not to abuse their
powers, there are many that will....
02 The Afflicted
As far as the public is concerned, the threats known as
‘Parselings’ are nothing but a bomb waiting to go off. With
their amorphous powers and abilities, they have become
the bogeyman, an easy scapegoat for the riots and trag-
edies that fill this world. Though there are few that are
well informed, the majority have been kept in the dark.
Having little understanding of how they work, the stories
of these creatures have already spread far and wide, from
the loud proclamations on the TV to the sinister whispers
of the Internet. Hard facts are hard to find amidst the sea
of anecdotes, with people’s imaginations running wild.

Parsecyte
The Formless Hunger
Parsecytes are small ink-like creatures which lack an
identity of their own. They seek to build a place in the
world for themselves through devouring the identities of
others. They are somehow able to perceive the nature of
things, but are ignorant of their widespread reputation
as a devouring plague.
Devouring anything that moves, this entity often adopts
traits held by whatever they eat. When left unchecked,
these ravenous entities will continually search out similar
prey, until they begin to develop their own fledgling sense
of self.
These creatures have an interesting response when
attempting to consume other sapient organisms. Rather
than consuming their prey, they invade them physically.
They root themselves within the creature’s body, inte-
grating with their consciousness. This grants a tentative
symbiosis between the Parsecyte and the host, granting
them abilities beyond the sum of their individual parts.
Many hosts do not survive this process.
Parselings
Manifestations of Identity
Parses
Warped Perceptions
03
Humans who have survived the infection of a Parsecyte Parselings as individuals are single agents in a grander
are Parselings, defined by how the world perceives them. design; a word in a sentence, meaningless without context.
However, you will only understand a Parseling’s full definition Based on the perception and understanding of the Words they
when their ink blends in with others of their kind. bear, a Parse is the communication between two Parselings
about what they wish their reality to be, and the external
In almost all cases, a person must encounter an ink-like
force of their identity in the world as power.
Parsecyte parasite in order to sense and use Parses. Through
reaching a symbiotic relationship with a Parsecyte, any All Parselings need is physical contact with their kind, an
creature with a developed sense of language may become understanding of the Parse they are to attempt, and to
a Parseling. utter their Words. Sometimes the effects of a Parse are
minor, mere parlour tricks. At other times they can push
From the moment of their rebirth, Parselings feel the urge
the boundaries of the laws of reality.
to gather with others of their kind, to immerse themselves
in otherwise inaccessible worlds. In contrast, the Parsecyte No matter the Parse, it causes strain on those involved. The
demands consistency and constants in aspects of personal- cost of using a Parse is taken from the Parselings’ minds
ity and self identity. They require the Parseling to maintain and, in severe cases, their bodies. Upon being created, these
fidelity at all times to their specific Words. magics have the ability to warp the properties of anything
within sight, often resulting in unforeseen problems. If left
Survival of both body and mind requires balance, knowing
to fester, they can rot and develop into catastrophes.
when to keep true to one’s self, and when to accept new
ideas. Should a Parseling lean too far in either direction, There have been reports of minor telepathic links between
they will find themselves becoming unrecognisable parodies Parselings during their Parses.
of who they once were.

Incoherent Lingua
Stories Given Form
Ideas that just don’t die
When an animal host is infected with a Parsecyte, it creates
A Parseling that has forgone their humanity and crossed a Lingua. They are simpler in composition and ability than
the border of death becomes an Incoherent. Consumed by a Parseling, which reflects the simpler cognitive identity
the Parsecyte within, this entity is fuelled by a single Word, of animals. They are single-minded, fuelled by their drive
an idea. Every Incoherent is a unique monster, a creature to thrive and grow.
destined to lose its rationality.
The forms of Lingua are as varied as all the creatures in the
This is the final and inevitable state of the interaction animal kingdom, and more. They typically begin to deviate
between a Parseling and its Parsecyte. Eventually, the from normal animal development several days after infec-
Parsecyte will all but consume its host’s identity, burning a tion. Like Parsecytes, they feed on representations of their
singular Word straight through who they are, and altering core identity to sustain their growth. Once the Parsecyte has
them on both a physical and conceptual level. These ter- sufficiently integrated with its host, it becomes a Greater
rible creatures wear the husks of human beings and feign Lingua capable of much more.
rationality. A mere shade of what they could have been,
Fundamentally different from a Parseling, these creatures
their potential has been sucked dry and unleashed for a
have not been typically known to initiate a Parses on their
singular purpose. They might speak like a human, but are
own. However, they seem to be drawn to other Parse-
given away by their irrational behaviour.
cyte-based organisms.
For those that do retain some sort of sanity or reasoning,
they are driven by a deep and profound desire to embody
their core identity. Should they not sate the desire, their
grip on reality slowly slips, and they will descend into little
more than a beast.
There is no returning from incoherency.
04 Themes
Creativity Identity and Labels
A Parseling’s capacity to thrive depends greatly on the cre- The way we talk, the actions we take, these things are con-
ativity of how they use their abilities. A keen imagination is stantly being judged by those around us. As we walk through
required to even conceive of knowing oneself, to consider life we are given many names, many titles, and for every
the effects of one’s will upon the world, or to defy the laws one we receive we send out another in its place. This is
of physics and logic. If labels give a Parseling power, then how we build up an identity, a sense of self. These become
creativity widens the scope of that power to a veritable the words that reveal who we are to the world around us.
constellation of possibilities. After all, you can only take They can become our strength and our foundation, urging
action if you can think it first. us to succeed to greater heights, or shackles that can clip
our wings before we can ever leave the ground. If we’re not
Like everything, creativity all comes down to practice. We
careful, words can be what define us.
encourage players to be as creative as they need in order
to solve the issues at hand, while we hope GMs will help Parselings use their identity to change the world around
ignite the imagination of their players. The key to utilising them. Who they are and the things that are important to
this system is understanding your words, and all of their them become a source of power. They project who they are
possible connotations. onto their surroundings to reshape it in their own image.
In a literal sense, who they are and the things important
Personal Freedom to them become the core of their power, and their way of
shaping reality. In the right conditions, a person who is
This system is centred around community and communi- nurturing and protective may be able to create defensive
cation. Alone, Parselings are humans with a dormant power force fields or accelerate the growth of plants. An aggres-
within them. Similar to our own society, when working in sive and hot-tempered Parseling may be able to fight with
tandem with other Parselings they can exert their collective literal flaming fists, or leave burns on an adversary’s body
will on the world. Together they are capable of achieving with a simple glare.
feats that would otherwise be impossible. Thus, Parselings
are naturally drawn to each other, be it by a shared goal,
ideology, or even by the bonds they form.
Ideals and Dreams
As we wander through our lives, we are filled with ideas and
However, as more voices are added the needs of the many
notions about how things are now, who we are and what
begin to overwhelm the needs of the few. A Parseling may
we could be. If we act on these ideas, with time and effort
find their own desires drowned out by those of their com-
we could turn them into reality. Succeeding at these goals
panions, being shackled down with obligations and the needs
is not a guaranteed recipe for happiness; often it is our
of others. Parselings may experience this to one degree or
pursuit of our goals that fulfils us the most. Wishes have
another throughout their lives, and they must ask themselves,
a funny way of turning sour, they can twist and change as
“How can I satisfy everyone while staying true to myself?”
they are brought to life. It is very rare that they are exactly
what we expect them to be.
Parses are unpredictable and uncanny short cuts. As long
as you have the right words, they can become key to any
door. Like wishes, a poorly thought out Parse may cause
more problems than it solves. Like with all things in life, it
pays to look before you leap.
Terminology 05
As you read through the book for the first time, you will encounter unfamiliar terminology. These explanations will offer
some insight into what the terms mean or act as a quick refresher.

Aptitude Conditions
(See “Aptitude” on page 38)<DT> (See “Conditions” on page 45)
Your character’s skill in different parts of life. It is added to Denoted by Face Cards, they are reminders of times you
an Image when determining the Draw for a Check. have failed and their consequences.

Articulation Critical Success

(See “Articulation” on page 65) (See “Checks” on page 46)
A measure of a Parseling’s comfort and understanding with Occurs in a Check when all of the cards drawn are all of the
the abilities derived from the Parsecyte. same suit and the Success Threshold is met.

Aspects Deck
(See”Character Deck” on page 23 )
(See “Aspects” on page 64)
The deck of cards that represents the character’s mindset
A noun which can be used as part of, or as a target of,
and approach to dealing with problems. The max Deck Size
a Parse. It is usually what you are trying to change or
of is defined by the total of your character’s Image.
manipulate.

Augments Defence
(See”Derived Statistics” on page 43)
(See “Augments” on page 64)
Your ability to reduce incoming attacks. This is a flat neg-
A Word which is used as part of a Parse. These Words dictate
ative Success modifier to the attacker.
how a group of Parselings may try to change an Aspect.

Challenges Discard
(See “Discard [4]” on page 42)
(See “Challenges” on page 44)
Cards that have been used in a previous Checks. They are
Denoted by Jokers, these cards are defects of your char-
reshuffled into the Deck after a character Recomposes.
acter. Most of these are lifelong issues that your character
will struggle with.
Draw
(See “Checks” on page 46)
Checks
(See “Checks” on page 46) Typically derived from an Image and an Aptitude, it deter-
mines maximum cards you may draw in a Check and the
How you may resolve your character’s actions. There are
highest value threshold for a card.
three types of Checks, Reflexive, Simple and Extended.

Coherency Dyslexia
(See “Dyslexia” on page 64 and “Dyslexia
(See “Coherency” on page 72)
(Major/Minor)” on page 194)
A measure of how in tune a Parseling is with their humanity.
The recoil caused by a failed Parse. It messes with a
It represents how much control they retain in comparison
Parseling’s sense of self, and temporarily causes issues
to their Parsecyte.
between a Parseling and their Parsecyte.
Coherency Check Embodiment
(See “Coherency Checks” on page 72)
(See “Parse Aptitudes” on page 67)
When a Parseling undergoes certain traumas, it may result
Parses that change the Aspect within the Parseling’s own
in a loss of Coherency. This Check will give your character
body. This is linked with your Feats Image.
a chance to retain their Humanity.

Compromise Emission
(See “Parse Aptitudes” on page 67)
(See “Checks” on page 46)
Parses that manifest their Aspect in the environment where
The act of voluntarily taking Conditions for additional Suc-
nothing existed prior. This is linked with your Intent Image.
cesses during a Check.
06 Enchantment
(See “Parse Aptitudes” on page 67)
Modifier
(See “Checks” on page 46)
Parses whose Aspect affects change on subjects that already Modifiers affect the outcome of a Check. Typically, they
exist. None of these effects can directly influence the par- come in three variations.
ticipants of the Parse in question. This is linked with your
Draw Modifiers: These affect how many cards
Conduct Image.
you may reveal in a Check.
Success Modifiers: These affect the total
Equipment Success gained in a Check.
(See “Equipment” on page 52)
Stat modifiers: These directly influence your
Tools, weapons, and even vehicles that can help your char- Image, Aptitude or other Derived Statistics.
acters survive what is to come. They grant additional bonus
Successes to appropriate Checks. Paragraph
(See “Paragraphs” on page 76)
Face Cards A group of Parselings who have formed a strong connection
Jack, Queen and King cards with non-number values. They with each other through shared hardships. They typically
are used to represent Challenges and Conditions. are tied together by a Parse and a unified goal.

Game Master Parses

(See “Chapter 4: Parse System” on page 63)
The Game Master, or GM, who will be directing the flow of
the story, making sure that it runs smoothly. The special abilities derived from a Parsecyte that can shape
the world. Parselings use Aspects and Augments to direct
Grave Failure this power to conform with their intent.
(See “Checks” on page 46)
Occurs in a Check when all of the cards drawn are all of
Parse Aptitude
(See “Parse Aptitudes” on page 67)
the same incorrect suit and insufficient Successes to meet
the target threshold. This represents your character’s intrinsic understandings
and capabilities in the different types of Parses (Emission,
Health Embodiments, and Enchantments).
(See “Derived Statistics” on page 43)
How much Health Damage your character can take and
Parse Level
(See “Parse Levels” on page 66)
live to tell the tale.
The strength of the Parse utilised. It is separated into Minor,
Health Damage Moderate, Major, Grand, Miraculous, and Divine.
(See “Health Damage [2]” on page 42)
The pile of cards representing damage gained from having
Parsecyte
your total Deck and Discard reduced to below 4 cards. An ink-like parasite that seeks to forge its own identity. It
When the Health Damage pile is equal to your Health, your adopts traits of the prey it has consumed.
character will die.
Parselings
Image Humans or sapient creatures infected by a Parsecyte. Words
(See “Image” on page 36)
of their native language are visible on their skin.
The Character trait representing their capabilities as per-
ceived by them and their peers. Divided up into four cate- Point
gories; Push, Intent, Feats, and Conduct. It is added to an
A unit of measure of the strength of a trait.
Aptitude when determining the Draw for a Check.

Lingua Potential
(See “Potential” on page 37 or
(See “Lingua” on page 138)
“Potential(Resource):” on page 18)
An Animal that has been infected by a Parsecyte. As it con-
A type of Image and a renewable resource used in Checks,
tinues to develop it may become a Greater Lingua, a crea-
it allows you to break through limitations and employ your
ture that has grown or developed beyond that of a normal
skills in unexpected ways.
animal and has gained sapience, sometimes even greater
than that of a human. Should they survive long enough and
develop further, they may become a force of nature known
as a Divine Lingua, entities beyond the power of humanity.
Perseverance
(See “Perseverance” on page 37 and
07
”Perseverance [Resource]” on page 43)
Both a type of Image and a renewable resource used in
Checks. When used in a Check, it allows you to Recompose
without spending a turn.

Quotes
(See “Quotes” on page 44)
Actions that your character is well known for. In game you
may be awarded Quotes for acts recognised by your co-play-
ers. These are recorded on a card of your choice. When
the marked card is drawn in an appropriate Check, draw
an additional card and treat it as a card of the correct suit.

Recompose Suit
(See “Checks” on page 46)
There are four suits in a deck of playing cards. Each relates
Spending a turn to reshuffle the Discard into your Deck. to a different Image. Diamonds represents Push. Spades
represents Intent. Clubs represents Feats. Hearts repre-
Removed sents Conduct.
(See “Removed [5]” on page 42)
Cards Removed cannot be reshuffled into the deck unless
Suppress
(See “Quotes, Challenges & Conditions” on page 44)
advised by the GM. These cards can be retrieved at the
end of a scene. Ignore a Condition or Challenge during a Check.

Run-On Syllable
(See “Step 7: Resolution” on page 69) (See “Syllable” on page 64)
A Parse that has succeeded beyond your character’s expec- The necessary energy used when Parsing. It’s an intangible
tations. It runs rampant beyond their control. This occurs force that builds up within a Parseling over time.
when the cards in a Parse are all of the same suit, or the
Successes triples the Success Threshold. Tricks
(See “Tricks:” on page 19)
Scene The special perks which change how your character plays
(See “Scenes” on page 48)
during the game.
A scene is defined by a series of cohesive events often sep-
arated by changes of location, or when a dramatic event Words
has ended. (See “Words and Labels” on page 26)
The Words found on any Parseling’s skin. These reflect the
Script labels given to them by the world around them and the
(See “Script” on page 22)
Parseling’s own self image.
Used to progress and improve your character. It represents
small units of story and experiences that your character Wounds
gains throughout the campaign. (See “Wounds [1]” on page 42)
Cards removed by physical or mental trauma. When you gain
Speed enough Wounds they will cause Health Damage.
(See”Derived Statistics” on page 43)
How far an object can move in meters per 3 seconds. Value
The number listed on each playing card is known as the
Success value. This is used in determining Checks.
(See “Checks” on page 46)
When a card of the correct suit has been drawn during a Vent
Check, it adds Successes to a task. A Success Threshold (See “Quotes, Challenges & Conditions” on page 44)
is the minimum number of Successes needed for a task.
Remove a Condition or Challenge during a Check by opting
to fail the Check and deal with your issues.
 08
“What comes first, the Parseling or the person?” Lillian
Blodwen asks, elbows perched on a glass countertop.
The Chicken and The Egg
Her uncle doesn’t even look up from the flowers he’s
currently trimming. “The usual question is whether the
chicken or the egg came first.” He says by way of reply,
bemused. “But the person came first.”
“I mean, yeah, we’re people before the Parsecyte
bites,” Lillian says, pulling a stray nasturtium from the
side and popping it in her mouth. “But after we become
Parselings, what shapes us? The words or who we are
before?”
Now that gets her uncle to pause.
The Zinnia, a florist wedged carefully in the east
side of Nominal City — order brought to nature, flowers
trimmed and displayed just as meticulously as Sven
grooms himself every morning. He wears a white hat
when he’s not working, and even when he is working he
likes to wear suits. White ones that never get stained
no matter how dirty things get — the floral aprons help.
Despite that, Lillian will never get over his ridiculous
shirts and ties. She honestly doesn’t know how he some-
times gets away with having those Hawaiian monstros-
ities under his jacket, but he does. But her uncle is a
contradiction like that. “I’m memorable this way.” He
told her when she was seven and asked why he had a
cat pattern tie and a dog print shirt under his jacket.
They have the same freckles, the same ruddy com-
plexion not just from their bloodline but from hours of
working outside, tending gardens, travelling to source
flowers. It’s comforting, looking at her uncle’s face and
seeing herself; he’s always so assured and confident,
and on days Lillian feels like she’s muddling about not
sure what to do with her life other than be at the flower
shop, she imagines herself like him someday. Firmly
rooted — not always in full bloom, but with reliable
flowering seasons.
A cough jolts Lillian from her thoughts. “Why are you
asking this in the first place?” Sven asks, resuming his
work, but with distracted slowness.
“One of the neighbourhood kids asked me earlier on
my delivery run,” Lillian says. Any chance of continu-
ing to try and confuddle her uncle is interrupted by
the jingle of the bell above the doorway. A man walks
in, broad-shouldered and plainly dressed, lowering his
head so as to not bang it against the door frame like
he has so many times. “Oh, Alejandro!”
Alejandro nods at her, shuffling his way to the counter,
manoeuvring himself so as to not accidentally break
anything . Thankfully he has ‘Fix’ on his left bicep, so if
worst comes to worst they can figure out a Parse for
it. Again. “Mr. Blodwen,” he says once he reaches the
counter. “I, uh… the usual please.”
 09
“More apology flowers?” Lillian asks, moving over to where At the time, Lillian thought they meant that Uncle Sven
her uncle usually leaves the pre-orders. Sven sets his scis- would know how to remove the ink blooming on her back

The Chicken and The Egg

sors down once again, wiping his hands and moving to the in round splotches, each letter shaped oddly in spirals, like
cash register to ring him up. “I can take care of it, uncle.” petals around stigmas. But he didn’t, just argued with her
father long and hard over the phone before telling her that
Sven pauses and shrugs, going right back to the trims.
he’d sign her up for the nearby high school. That from that
“What did you break this time?” He asks instead.
day on, he was effectively her legal guardian. Her memories
Their customer flushes, the skin on the bridge of his nose were a confusing tangle of frustrating days locked behind
going a bit red. He scratches where ‘Brother’ is in blocky walls of forgetting, in need of a good pruning.
letters on his chin, “I- ah, my brother got in another fight…
She’s quiet enough for her uncle to notice, gaze cutting
the other people broke things. I’m going to get them fixed
from his flowers to her. But before he can ask, or god
today; thought flowers would be nice…”
forbid, look at her through the lens of his fingers; the shrill
“Well, that’s very nice of you.” Lillian says, pushing the ringtone of the store’s phone rings from the back, and he
bouquet across the counter. “Good luck!” immediately turns to pick it up.
He smiles and thanks her as he takes the flowers, edging By the time he comes back, she’s sorted out her thoughts
himself out of the shop just as carefully as he came in. enough to look him in the eye. “Another order?” she asks,
wiping her hands on her apron.
“I think for some, it’s the Parseling that comes first,” Sven
says abruptly, pointing his scissors in the direction of the “Yeah, but not of the floral kind,” he says, lips pursed.
door now clanging shut. “Or at the very least, it’s easier “Mr. Su’s mom is going fast.”
for some people to be a Parseling than most.” He sets it
Lillian pauses, remembering Mr. Su with his tired eyes
down, leaning his hands on the counter, the words wrapped
and shaky hands ordering a bouquet to visit his elderly
around his fingers stark against his skin. “We still don’t know
mother in the nursing home. He wasn’t a Parseling, though
much about Parsecytes, after all, and these days there’s
he took her and Sven’s being so pretty well, making small
kids that show up with words when they’re what—four?
talk every time he came by. “What does he want, exactly?”
Five? Old enough that people start forming ideas about
them, ideas that Parsecytes can latch onto somehow. So Sven takes a look at the shop (dead like it usually is from
they grow up as Parselings. Like Alejandro and his brother, ten to noon) and pulls off his apron, crunching his lollipop
I bet.” He sticks his hand in his shirt pocket, sighing when urgently between his teeth. “Well, he was wondering if we
it comes up empty. “Did you steal my cigarettes again?” could do something to help her out. Between your ‘clear’
and my ‘memory’, it should be enough that she’ll get a bit
“Nope,” Lillian says, fingers crossed behind her back.
of Parse-afflicted terminal lucidity.”
He doesn’t believe her for a second, but goes back to
“Oh, he asked about that before, didn’t he?” she recalls,
musing. “How old were you when your words showed up?”
taking off her own apron.
“Fourteen,” she replies, going back to her own work,
“Yeah. I told him it would only be temporary, so he didn’t
tending to the delivery they’d just received that morning.
ask any more. But now that she’s on death’s door and tem-
He takes a lollipop from the jar on the counter to stick in porary or not, it’ll be something.” He rummages in his shirt
his mouth. “Well, you had fourteen years of being a person pocket, sighing as he comes up cigarette-less again. “Hope-
before you were suddenly a Parseling. I had twenty-six. It’s fully he’ll get some closure.”
something you got used to, and you had to integrate as
Closure. The word rings in her mind like the bell of the
part of your identity during your adolescence.” His lips twist
flower shop door as Sven locks up. They head off, nearly
into a wry smile around the candy. “I already had an iden-
bumping into a disgruntled dark-haired woman. Lillian
tity that I was used to before I was suddenly a Parseling.”
offers him his umbrella as they set off. Did her uncle ever
“Oh,” is all Lillian says. It’s all she could say, looking up at get closure? Or all the others that became Parselings after
her uncle’s reflection in the window. He chews on the lolli- they were already people?
pop stick like she’s seen him bite his cigarettes when he’s

deep in thought. For a moment, she remembers herself as
she was when her first words appeared on her back. She
hadn’t really known what to make of them back then, but
her parents had — by sending her to live with her uncle in
Nominal City. She hadn’t understood very much, upset at
being removed from her friends and siblings, but they’d
insisted, saying that her uncle would know how to take
care of her.
 10 Mr. Su is in the foyer when they get to the nursing home,
looking as if he’s cried about a week’s worth of tears and
A Parsecyte hardly makes itself known other than the
ink on a Parseling’s skin, but sometimes, when one has
has a month more barely held back. “I’m so glad you could Parsed enough with the same Parseling, it reacts slightly
come,” he says, clasping Sven’s hand. “This way please.” to a familiar presence. Like the way two bodies fit together
The Chicken and The Egg
intimately in a hug. It’s not a sensation that can be truly
The nurse at the reception desk squints at them as they
described, just that doing this with her uncle is a com-
walk in, but Mr. Su must have said something beforehand
fortable, familiar feeling. Nothing big, just a part of their
because she lets them go by without even asking them to
life. The air against her skin seems to warm up for just a
wear a visitor badge. Then again, according to uncle Sven,
moment as they utter their words, intent mixing like breath
administration has been unstable since the First Parse,
and given power by the Parsecyte in them.
even if it has been twelve years.
As they uttered the words “clear memory”, their tattoos
They’re led to a room packed with people, daughters
shifted and an after-image glided from their skin and onto
and sons and cousins talking amongst themselves, some
the creased forehead of the tired and absent Mrs. Su. The
already weeping, others not quite realizing the loss that
wrinkled canvas seems to welcome the words as a glimmer
they’re about to receive. Mr. Su saying a few quiet words in
of lucidity returns to the elderly woman’s face.
Cantonese is enough to get everyone’s attention somehow
and get them out of the room. “Do they know what we’re Just as Mr. Su asks, “What do you mean by backlash?”
here to do?” Sven asks as they walk into the room. It’s over. Sven withdraws his hand from the woman’s and
steps away from the bed.
“Some,” Mr. Su says. ”Enough.”
“You don’t have to worry,” he says, “It worked.” He
Lillian and Sven exchange a skeptic glance, but seeing
squeezes Lillian’s hand, smiling, the satisfaction of success
as they haven’t heard any protest against them Parsing
passes between them unspoken.
(or at least, can’t be understood), they go to the bedside.
Mr. Su’s mother breathes weakly, eyes unseeing even as “That’s it?” Mr. Su asks.
they wander around the room. Sven puts one hand on
“What’s it?” Mother says sharply, looking at him, looking
her forehead, smoothing the creases with his thumb, and
at Lillian and Sven. “Son? Who are they?”
Lillian takes the other.
“Ma,” is all Mr. Su gets out before everyone is flooding
“It might not work,” she tells Mr. Su. “Sometimes Parses
back into the room, clamouring for their grandmother
just don’t work. We’d take any of the backlash, though, so
and mother, talking ecstatically to the person they’ve only
don’t worry about her condition getting worse.”
been able to have painful half-conversations with as her
For a stark second, alarm is visible on Mr. Su’s face at Alzheimer’s worsened and physical health failed day by
the mention of backlash, but before he can speak, Lillian day. Lillian and Sven find themselves pushed out of the
and Sven are already focused. They’ve done this Parse a room, suddenly forgotten in the wake of their wonderful
few times before, for different reasons, and it’s a familiar sharp-tongued matriarch.
thing. Lillian thinks of clarity, invoking the sharpness that
Sven clutches his hat to his head, having nearly lost
her uncle himself can imagine with sometimes. It all begins
it in the rush. “Well, that’s that.” He says, looking into the
with a simple touch.
crowded room.
“Can we get bubble tea on the way back?” Lillian asks,
patting her pocket. “I think I brought my purse.”
He thinks for a second. “I don’t see why not. Reward for
a Parse well done?”
“Yeah.”

 “Years ago, that would have never happened,” he says,
unlocking the shop door as Lillian chews on her bubble
“Look,” Sven says eventually. “Think about it this way — in
my case I was a person twenty-six years before I became
11
tea, holding onto two food boxes. They’d ended up getting a Parseling. At the time, I thought I had my life figured out.
roasted duck fried rice on the way back. Career, marriage, everything.” He falters on the second

The Chicken and The Egg

word, but only barely. “And then the First Parse happened.
“Makes sense. People were really scared, weren’t they?”
The thing is, even if it hadn’t happened and I still was a
Like my parents, she doesn’t say, dropping their things on
normal person, I’d be different from that time. In the end,
the counter and going to the back to put her apron back on.
everyone changes. You’ll be different tomorrow from who
Sven nods and pulls up a stool to sit on as he snags his you are today. Change is inevitable.” His lips twist into a
box. “Yeah. That’s why I have this.” He taps the eyepatch wry smile. “I suppose we’re lucky in that some of those
over his left eye. “But the world is changing. It moves on. changes are visible for us. Normal people have to muddle
Chickens lay eggs and new eggs hatch new chickens.” it through in other, more boring ways.”
“People just… ask for Parses, just like that.” Lillian sits She can’t help but feel like she’s fourteen again, her uncle
by the cash register, ready to jump off if any customer sitting her down to tell her properly about Parsecytes and
walks in. It’s unlikely at this hour, but it doesn’t hurt to be what she had become. Uncle Sven still manages to make
ready in any case. her feel like a child, but not in a bad way — more like she
has someone that will patiently elucidate the mysteries
He nods again, poking at the duck with his chopsticks.
of the world, like why the sky is blue or your father was
“Twelve years is a long time.” He says around a mouthful
kicking her out of the house. It’s comforting in a way. Just
of rice. “The only way time goes is forward. We can look
like Parsing. “Yeah. We just have to look for new words.”
back as much we’d like, but there’s no going against time.”
“Exactly.” He says, finally looking at her. “So in the end,
Lillian nods slowly. Once, twice, before she finally
yes I miss it. Everyone has some kind of nostalgia for the
manages to ask, “You were a Parseling for twelve years?”
past, because everything seems simple in hindsight. But I’m
“Fallout from the First Parse.” He answers much more still me. I’m still the person I was before I was a Parseling,
easily than she expected. “I worked in Nominal City before just different; because that’s what life is about. Everyone
it was Nominal City, and when everything happened, well,” changes over time.”
Sven shrugs, but Lillian can see now the careful way he
“Chicks become chickens.”
concentrates on his food, avoiding eye contact. “I woke
up to a whole new world in which there were ink parasites “And people become new versions of themselves.” Sven
that apparently made people into Parselings and I… was smiles at her, getting up from his stool to toss his empty
one of them.” box. “The best thing to do is to keep growing.”
“Do you miss it?” Lillian blurts. “Not… being a Parseling?” “Like plants?” She asks, sensing the impending pun.
He takes his time chewing his food, careful not to look He laughs, ruffling her hair as he walks past. “Exactly.
at her. “Who doesn’t miss the past?” He says eventually, And someday, you’ll blossom.”
“Whether I miss it or not, it doesn’t matter. I’m a Parseling
Lillian groans, thinking of the letters bunched on her
now.”
back. “Very funny.” She says, going back to her own food.
“Oh.” Is all she can say again. Lillian hates this feeling,
Sven chuckles. “It was hard to get used to at first,” he
that she’s missing something. Uncle Sven has always been
admits. “But where I am now? I wouldn’t change things for
perceptive even with one eye concealed — sometimes he
the world.” His voice grows fond for a moment. “After all,
knows what’s wrong with her before she does. But as much
me being a Parseling is how I ended up taking care of you.”
as she wishes she could be like him, she’s never been able
to see through people like he does. She finds herself smiling at that, those simple words
enough to dispel any other concerns she ever had. “People
Makes sense that his left eyeball is distorted by the word
aren’t half-bad about us these days anyway.” Lillian says.
‘Sight’, she thinks wryly.
“Yeah.” He nods, then winces. “I hope Mr. Su doesn’t get
it in his head to pay us back with something over the top.”
“You’re the one who told me that it’s rude to refuse peo-
ple’s gifts, uncle.”
He groans, and Lillian grins, content.

Chapter 2:
Getting started
This chapter will outline how to build a character and the subsequent
basic deck which is needed to play this game. It’s okay if you don’t under-
stand everything at first, as this section touch on many subjects which
will be further explained later on in this book.
You should have a Stat sheet, a pencil, and a deck of cards ready for
each character you wish to make.
In this chapter you will find:
• Character Creation, how to create your character and
have them ready for play.
• Details on your starting Deck and how to improve it.
• Details on how to use Script to improve your character.
14 Character Creation
In order to play this game, you need a character to explore the chaotic world ahead of you. This section will reference
many different parts of the book without explaining too many rules in great detail, so if your group is reading through
this book for the first time it may be a little confusing.
Below you will find an example of an unfilled character sheet. Each of the numbers refer to different portions of the
character creation process.

6 5 4

7
Step 1: Details Example:
Jodi has decided to play Marley O’Neal, a cynical and sickly 14 year
15
Character Name: old girl. A fan of Gothic attire, her wardrobe is filled with striped
sleeves and the colour purple. She is tall for her age, measuring at
This is what you want other players and the
163cm, but struggles to bring her weight to a healthy level. Marley
GMs to know your character as.
is a pessimist who is trying her best to keep her father out of
trouble. She doesn’t have many memories of her mother, but that
Name: didn’t matter as her father was always there making sure that she
Give yourself a name so the GMs and other was protected and loved. They were a close knit family, living in
players know how to address you when speak- a house filled with fond memories. While she is in awe of her new
ing out of character or outside the game. found abilities, she aims not to get her hopes up too much.
While Karen had considered playing another teenager, but after lis-
Age and Gender: tening to Jodi’s introduction they decided to play Marley’s father. It
This is how many years your character has seemed like a fun choice, giving the two a reason to stick together
been alive and what gender they are. These during the campaign. Dubbing Marley’s father Murphy, Karen
simple details speak volumes about who your described the man as a large bulky fellow, placing great emphasis
character is. on his log-like hairy arms. The man worked as the local mechanic
and did just well enough to keep food on the table. While he was
Principles: not the brightest of the bunch, he had built up enough experience
to fix almost everything. Over the years he had started his own
These are the cornerstones of your character’s
garage which doubled as the home for his family.
concept, ideologies which define who they
are as a free-thinking individual. If you ever Together, the two players worked the following backstory, to explain
find yourself struggling during play to know their character’s lives.
how your character should act, these will be
Prior to the campaign, Marley frequently experienced
your guideposts.
heavy and prolonged bleeding and was diagnosed by
Doctors with Endometriosis. While it was not the end of
Appearance: the world, it was enough to disrupt her normal life. The
Fill in a short description of what your char- irregular pain often left her bed ridden
acter looks like. This can be as simple as their
Unfortunately, appropriate treatment was either too expen-
height, body build, skin, and hair colour.
sive or otherwise ruled as inappropriate for a girl of her
age. Finally, her father sought out the power of Parses to
Personality: help Marley’s ailments. Together the O’Neal family became
Write a short description of how your char- Parselings to alleviate her symptoms.
acter behaves. This should cover the first
impression they give off, their drives, triggers,
likes, and dislikes.

History:
Write out a brief personal history of your char-
acter. Touch on their childhood, adolescence,
adulthood, important figures of their life, and
their current stage in life as relevant.

Goals:
Set some goals for your character to achieve.
They should be in line with your current cam-
paign. Discuss with the GM what an appropri-
ate Goal might be. When a Goal is achieved
your character gains Script and you will need
to state a new Goal for your character.
16 Step 2: Words
(See “Words and Labels” on page 26)
Ten/Twenty
Evenly divide up the Word Pool slots of your character
As a group, you must pick out Words for your characters. between the GM, your co-players, and yourself. Each other
These will form the basis of your powers and be integral in member will contribute at least 1 Aspect and 2 Augments. At
defining your potential. the end of this process you should have a total of 10 Aspects
and 20 Augments in your potential Word list.
While there are no inherently wrong answers, you will need
to justify your choices to the GM. Any Words chosen should Number the Aspects from 1-10, then roll 1d10 to
relate back to how either others see your character, or your determine your character’s first Aspect.
character describes themselves. This can be any type of
Number the Augments from 1-20 , then roll 3d20
Word that describes your character.
(roll 3 twenty sided dice) to determine your char-
The Words fall into two different categories, Aspects and acter’s first three Augments. Re-roll the dice for
Augments. These categories define how the Words can be any repeated Words.
used together in fabricating a Parse.
You may repeat this process again and then choose the set
Aspects are nouns that represent core parts of Words (1 Aspect, 3 Augments) that you prefer.
of your character, and will be used in Parsing to
define the target of the Parse. Ad Lib
Augments are any type of Word that can be used This format is recommended when completing a quick
to describe your character. They can be nouns, set up of a character. Your character will receive 1 Aspect
verbs, adjectives, or adverbs. and 2 Augments from each other player and the GM. You
may continue to fill up the Words until you have a total of
There are two methods of determining your Word pool. We
6 Aspects and 12 Augments.
recommend the use of the ‘Ten/Twenty’ method of, as it
will give you a greater variation of possible Words at char- Number the Aspects from 1-6, then roll 1d6 to
acter creation. The ‘Ad Lib’ method allows for a quicker determine your character’s first Aspect.
character generation.
Number the Augments from 1-12 , then roll 3d12
Remember, at the end of story arcs you will have the oppor- (roll 3 twelve sided dice) to determine your char-
tunity to replace Words that no longer fit your character. acter’s first three Augments. Re-roll the dice for
any repeated Words.
When using this method, at the end of each session you may
add 1 Word to each other character until you have reached
10 Aspects and 20 Augments.

Example:
The GM, Mark, has opted for the Ad lib method for determining the character’s Words. He believes that the two characters could
be a lot more fleshed out, and that this might be an easier way of handling things. Each other player will receive 1 Aspect and 2
Augments from their co-player and the GM, while the player can contribute 4 Aspects and 8 Augments to their own characters.
Jodi quickly rattles off the Aspect pool Bleed, Malaise, Husk. They reason these words to represent how Marley way she feels about
her body sometimes. Additionally the word Purple is added, because Marley rarely seems to wear any other colours or styles in
her wardrobe. Karen has selected the word Treasure, as Murphy sees Marley as the best thing in his life. While Mark, continuing
Jodi’s line of thought offers up the word Light.
In contrast, Karen struggled a little with picking Aspect pool for Murphy. As a mechanic Murphy, they reasoned that he should have
the words Fix and Machines, while his stature he could be perceived as an Ogre. Jodi offers the word Lug, as in both the action
of hauling around heavy goods and the nut used to fasten the wheels of a car. Mark suggested the words; Tool, Bear and Father.
In the end the group settled on Fix, Machines, Lug, Tool, Bear and Father for Murphy O’Neal.
As the group picked up in momentum, the words for the Augments pool were found much faster. For Marley they inserted the
Blank, Strong, Fabrication, Pitiful, Toxic, Hopeless, Fatigued, Lone, Romantic, Quiet, Angst and Volatile. Murphy was allocated;
Oily, Temper, Strong, Reliable, Loving, Gentle, Slow, Hairy, Mountainous, Sweaty, Protective and Trusting.
Numbering these words, the players rolled 1d6 and 3d12. Jodi rolled a 2 for d6, and a 1, 11, 3 on the d12 , giving Marley the Aspect
of Malaise and the Augments of Blank, Angst and Fabrication. While for Murphy, Karen rolled a 1 for the Aspect of Fix and a 10, 2,
7 for the Augments of Temper, Slow and Protective.
Step 3: Image
(See “Image” on page 36)
17
You need to decide on your character’s Image. This will
explain how your character is shown in the game when
others see them. Image is separated into 4 main groups:
Intent (Intelligence, Insight)
Feats (Force, Finesse)
Conduct (Charm, Cunning)
Push (Potential, Perseverance)
Figure out what is most important to your character and
choose a Primary and Secondary category. Your character
begins with one point in each Image Stat as the innate
ability of any living being. You do not spend points to fill in
the starting segments.
You will have 7 points to spread among your Images. They
must be distributed along a 3/2/1/1 point spread.

Distribute 3 points into the Images of

the Primary category.
Distribute 2 points into the Images of
the Secondary category.
Distribute 1 point into one of the Images
for each of the remaining 2 categories.
You may not start your character with
4 or more points in any Image.
You should have a total of 15 points overall; the 8 starting
points spread across each category and 7 assigned points.

Example :
As far as Jodi has reasoned out Marley best traits is her Karen has selected to assigned her image like so:
sharp tongue in dealing with her peers as a teenager. She
Feats > Push > Intent > Conduct
has opted to make the Conduct the Primary category, and
her Push category as her Secondary Category. Murphy is a big man, so naturally his physical build is the
most outstanding part of who he is. Karen pushed 2 points
Due to the constant disruption to Marley’s school and daily
into Force, 1 into Finesse and 2 into Perseverance, as
life, her Feats and Intent category has been treated as their
Murphy is visibly a bulky and stalwart man. Karen rounds
weakest categories. After some thought, Jodi spread her
off Murphy by placing her remaining points into Insight 2
points as follows:
and Charm 2.
18 Step 4: Aptitude
(See “Aptitude” on page 38)
Step 5: Derived Stats
(See “Derived Statistics” on page 43)
You must decide on your character’s Aptitudes. These rep-
resent their talents and skills. There are three overarching
Health:
categories of aptitude: Your Health is equal to your Perseverance + Force. This is
your character’s ability to survive severe injuries
Intent (Crafting, Medicine, Memory, Perception,
Research, Technology)
Feats (Athletics, Larceny, Melee, Ranged, Riding, Stealth)
Potential (Resource):
Conduct (Acting, Animals, Empathy, Etiquette, Record your Potential rating. This score is equal to your
Manipulation,Rumours) Potential (Image). It represents a renewable resource that
can be utilised to change the outcome of a Check.
Organise these aptitude categories by designating a primary
and secondary category. These should be the two most
important groups Aptitudes for your character.
Perseverance (Resource):
Record your Perseverance rating. This score is equal to
Your character begins with one point in each of these Apti-
your Perseverance (Image). It represents a renewable
tudes, representing innate ability. You will have 15 points
resource that can be utilised to allow you to Recompose
to spread among your Aptitudes. They must be distributed
your Deck at any time.
along a 7/5/3 point spread.

Distribute 7 points into the Aptitudes

Defence:
of the Primary category. Record your Defence rating, which is equal to (Persever-
ance + Insight + Finesse + Cunning) divided by 2, rounded
Distribute 5 points into the Aptitudes
down. This is your ability to respond to attacks or danger.
of the Second category.
Distribute 3 points into the Aptitudes Initiative:
of the remaining category.
Record your Initiative modifier, which is equal to (Potential
You may not start your character with 4 + Insight + Finesse). This determines the order in which
or more points in any Aptitude. characters act, from highest to lowest Initiative.
You should have 33 points overall: 18 innate points
spread across each category and 15 assigned points.
Speed:
Record your Speed, which is equal to (Force + Finesse). This
determines how far your character can move in a single turn.

Carry:
Record your Carry rating. This score is equal to [(Poten-
tial + Force) x 2] + Perseverance. This is your character’s
ability to carry goods.

Deck Size:
Record your Deck Size. This is equal to your total Image.
This is the total number of cards you may have in your Deck.
Step 6: Parse Traits Step 7: Finish 19
Articulation: Tricks:
(See “Articulation” on page 65) (See “Appendix A: Tricks” on page 147)
Record the character’s Articulation, which starts at 1. This Record any selected Tricks. You have 7 points to spend on
represents your character’s understanding of their abilities Tricks. Please note that some Tricks may have their own
and dictates how many Words they may have. requirements, and you must purchase all points of a Trick
to gain its benefits.
Coherency:
(See “Coherency” on page 72) Challenges:
(See “Appendix D: Challenges & Conditions” on page 186)
Record the character’s Coherency. This is a mark of your
character’s control over, and retention of, their own mind. With the GM’s approval, you may write Challenges for your
Parselings begin at a Coherency 7. character. Ideally they should be appropriate for the char-
acter’s personality or history. The Challenges will interfere
At Coherency 0, a Parseling will either die or undergo
with and hinder your character’s journey, and should not be
Incoherency. (See “Incoherency” on page 73)
taken on a mere whim.
Syllable: Write the Challenges on a single Joker and add
(See “Syllable” on page 64) it to your Deck, this does not count against your
maximum card limit.
Record your Syllable score. It is derived from the sum of
your Insight + Cunning + Articulation. This represents your If you take a Challenge, gain 2 additional points
capability to use your Parse based powers. to purchase Tricks.

Parse Aptitude: Script:

(See “Script” on page 22)
(See “Parse Aptitudes” on page 67)
With the GM’s approval, you may start with additional Script
Record your Parse Aptitudes. This represents your
to improve your character. In campaigns featuring more
skill in contributing to a Parse.
experienced characters, you may be offered additional
Emission (Intelligence + Insight): starting Script.
This relates to your character’s ability to coax ideas
Additionally, you may opt to lower your Coherency by 1 for
and concepts into existence where none were before.
an additional 5 Script to be used after character creation.
Embodiment (Finesse + Force): You may gain a maximum of 10 Script this way.
This relates to your character’s ability to manipulate
their own bodies and, typically, those of everyone par-
taking in the Parse.
Enchantment (Cunning + Charm):
This relates to your character’s ability to manipulate
external objects or targets that are not participating
in the Parse.
20 Example
Marley is not exceptional teenager, rather she While the players have been deciding on their
is still a student who has yet to find her true details, Mark has completed the math for gen-
calling in life. Taking this into consideration, erating the Derived Stats in Steps 5 & 6 for
Jodi decided to select the Intent Aptitude as each of the characters, writing it down on a
the Primary Category, spreading out points as piece of paper for the players.
evenly as possible.
With Mark’s persuasion, Jodi has reluctantly
For health reasons, Marley does not undertake a opted to take Endometriosis as Marley’s lifelong
lot of physical activity. Due to the lack of exer- Challenge, giving her a total of 9 Trick points
cise, the Feats category is her weakest area of to spend. She takes Perceptive (3), Creature
knowledge base. Jodi assigns 1 point to Larceny of Habit (4) and Lens [Malaise] (2).
and 2 to Stealth, to represent some of the hijinks
Using the word Malaise as the centre of the
a girl of her age may get up to.
Lens, Jodi discusses with Mark how this man-
As a result, the Conduct Aptitude receives 5 ifests in the game. After a bout of discussion,
points to spend. Marley has little interest in they settled on the following ability.
playing with animals or any real peers, so Jodi
When Lens is active, Marley is able
again assigns the points as evenly as possible.
to see a small purple haze on areas
of physical discomfort of individuals
in her line of sight. The thicker the
The mechanic Murphy, has a certain number
haze, the greater the ailments and
of Aptitudes that he needs for his line of work,
sickness of the individual.
Craft, Perception, Technology and Drive. Three
of these skills lie with Intent category, while Karen takes Establishment (2) and Wingman
two can be found in Feats aptitude group. Thus (2) to make Murphy a better guardian for
Karen ranks the importance of the groups of Marley. With the remaining 3 points, she takes
Aptitudes as follows: Giant (3) to further emphasize how big the man
is. This increases the mechanic’s Force to 4.
Intent > Feats > Conduct
Due to these final touches in Tricks, Murphy’s
Additionally Karen wants this father to be able
stats change slightly from what Mark had pre-
to protect his daughter, placing 2 additional
viously recorded. On the sheet the left, you’ll
points into Melee. A point is spent on Larceny.
their completed character sheets. The pair
Finally, the 3 Conduct points are placed into have completed the statsheets and ready for
Empathy, Etiquette and Manipulation, traits that their journey together.
can be found in any businessman.
21
21
22 Script
Script is acquired at the end of the session. It is a numeric representation of how your character
has grown and changed through their experiences. It can represent the hard work they put in to
improve their skills, or simply lessons they’ve learnt in their daily life. By spending Script you can
further develop your character, improving their chances of survival.

Gaining Script Using Script

The GM may award your character with Script after com- Script can be used for many different things, but mostly
pleting different criteria in each session. At the GM’s discre- it is used to accentuate who your character has become.
tion and as the story progresses they may offer additional Reflecting the changes in themselves, a character never
boons for your characters such as Articulation increases, stays the same. Their experiences become a part of who
additional Words, or even large lump sums of Script. they are. Script helps us guide how these changes mani-
fest in gameplay.
In the table below you will find some recommended criteria
that the GM may award Script for. By using Script, you can improve most stats of your charac-
ter. They can learn and gain new Words and Tricks in their
Table 2.1 Script Criteria arsenal, or they could seek self-improvement in both body
and mind. Though the changes may not feel dramatic, they
Each character that is present in the story are one step in the long road of life.
Attendance and extends the ever expanding narrative
of their life gains a line of Script. When you spend Script to go up more than one point at
a time, you need to purchase the points in between. For
example, you cannot jump from Finesse 2 to Finesse 5
Each character that has learnt something
without purchasing Finesse 3 and 4. The total Script cost
Growth new, or experienced character growth,
would be 60 Script.
gains a line of Script.
Similarly with Tricks, you will need to purchase
Each character who commits heroic feats each individual point of a Trick in order to gain
of survival and persistence with the intent its benefits. A 3 point Trick would cost a total
Heroism of saving others or granting others a few of 12 Script (2 + 4 + 6).
precious moments respite gains a line of
Script. Table 2.2 Script Expenditure
Point 1 2 3 4 5
Each character who presents a plan or a
Wisdom solution that drastically alters the fate of Image 0 10 15 20 25
the party gains a line of Script.
Aptitude 0 6 9 12 15
Once per session, if the character survives
Grave
(or voluntarily takes) a Grave Failure the
Failure Articulation 0 6 9 12 15
character gains a line of Script.

Once a session, when a character achieves Tricks 2 4 6 8 10

Critical
a Critical Success they may gain a line of
Success
Script as recognition for their actions. Coherency 6 Script (Must have GM approval)

When a character achieves their Goals to 6 Script

Achieving the satisfaction of the GM, they gain a line Aspect
(See “Aspects” on page 64)
Goals of Script. After a goal is achieved, it is a
good idea to replace it with a new target. 3 Script
Augments
(See “Aspects” on page 64)
Awarded for the most memorable moment
of the session. This can be suggested by If you spend a single point
players, but the final decision is made by Improving Deck of Script, you may add cards
Quote
the GM. When a character achieves this, up to your Deck Size.
they may gain a line of Script and a Quote.
(See “Quotes” on page 44).
Character Deck 23
Your Deck is comprised of regular playing cards that you have selected to represent your character’s mindset and their
physical condition. The contents of the Deck will grow and change throughout the game. The Deck performs the same role
as dice in most conventional tabletop role-playing games. You will need one deck of standard playing cards for each player.
When selecting the appropriate cards for your Deck, consider who your character is, how they approach life, and how they
think. What standards do they hold themselves to, and how does society expect them to act? While a character’s Image
stats define them, that is only on the surface level—only what other people can perceive. After all, even identical twins
are not the same person, no matter how they may act. You can think of your character’s Deck as their mind, their ideals,
and their way of interacting with the world. This is what will make your deck unique to you.
By default, every Parseling has a number of cards to use limited by their Deck Size. Which cards are chosen, however,
can vary wildly, and this can change as the game progresses. Each card has two things that you need to consider, the
suit and the value.

Card Values Deck Size

Numbers help us arbitrarily assign values on a easy to under- Your Deck Size equals the sum of all Image points. This the
stand scale. In this game, the value of a card dictates how maximum number of cards allowed in your Deck. Conditions
many potential successes it could provide in any one Check. and Challenges do not count toward this limit.
As covered in Chapter 3: Checks (see “Checks” on page
When your Image increases, so will your Deck Size. You may
46), a card may only take its full value if it is equal or
add a card of the corresponding suit to your Deck. If you
less than the Draw.
choose not to add a card at this point in time, you may not
However, the numbers hold additional meaning in the context add it at a later date.
of the character, and the methodology that your character
You may reduce the Deck Size further with the Reduction
undertakes when completing the task at hand.
Trick. (See “Reduction” on page 23).
Ace cards are the simple and effective courses
of actions that are ingrained into people’s minds.
Card values 2-3 represents simple tricks and
Suit
time-tested approaches to a problem. Anyone The composition of suits in a Deck can tell us a lot about a
with a bit of sense can take advantage of these. character. If we purely look at the statistics, it can tell us how
they will act in game, and what role they will lean towards
Card values 4-5 show some degree of natural
as part of a team. More often than not the distribution of
talent and/or practice. They require some under-
suits will mirror that of the character’s Image stats. As a
standing of the subject at hand. These card
general rule of thumb, each suit reflects a different way of
values are usually only available to dedicated
interacting with the world.
hobbyists or starting professionals.
• Clubs are for those who are intent on interact-
Card values of 6-7 take it one step further. These
ing in the world in a physical manner.
values represent an understanding of difficult
approaches to problems, and the experience • People who wish to spend more time planning
needed to apply them when they would be truly and understanding the world use Spades.
helpful. Even to most hobbyists, a focus on these
• Characters who love to manoeuvre, manip-
techniques is often more harmful than helpful.
ulate, and understand their peers find the
These tricks are best left to professionals.
Hearts suit more useful.
Card values of 8-9 are techniques and mindsets
• Diamonds are treated more or less as wild-
that only true masters of a craft can make any
cards, used in manipulating the Deck as well
use of. They may make even the hardest tasks
as retaining a sense of self.
look easy, but they are anything else for those
without similar ability. The different suits are covered in more detail under “Image”
on page 36.
Card value of 10 is the absolute peak of human
ability in an area, available to few, if any, people.
They are tricks and techniques that make
masters of a craft legendary, and in order to
reach the ability to use them in an area of one’s
life will incur a corresponding cost to nearly
every other aspect of one’s life.
24 Your Starting Cards Altering your Deck
Have fun imagining what kind of person you are building, Our mindset is key to determining how we see and interpret
whether they are straightforward or use tricks, simple or the world. It is not something that is set in stone, as our
extravagant; if they are focused on results or more on the convictions and ideals change by interacting with others and
act itself. Each card tells a story about who your character are influenced by our environments. For better or worse, we
is and how they will act in any given situation. grow up learning different societal norms, which also set
expectations in our behaviour.
When you have completed character creation, open up a
fresh deck of cards and separate the cards into suits (Clubs, Like changing clothes to suit the occasion, your character’s
Spades, Diamonds, and Hearts). Deck will evolve as their priorities change.
Place Face cards (Jokers, Jacks, Queens, and After suffering through a cycle of depression, and
Kings) to the side for now. These cards will rep- severe bullying, a once beautiful social butterfly
resent Challenges and Conditions. When in the may turn to the gym to work out their aggres-
deck, these cards do not count towards Deck Size. sion. This character could swap out their Hearts
in favour of Clubs to represent their loss of con-
Aces are treated as value 1 cards, unless other-
fidence and how they are channelling their rage
wise specified in specific Tricks.
into their body.
From the cards in front of you, select cards to fill your
You can make changes to the cards in your Deck through
Deck. Your Image point allocation will dictate which cards
spending Script. Some campaigns, depending on your Game
you may choose.
Master, may also offer other options to alter your Deck
Pick a Diamond card for every point in Push without the use of Script.
(Potential / Perseverance)
This set of rules does not apply to cards placed
Pick a Spade card for every point in Intent into your Deck by the GM. Challenges and Condi-
(Intelligence / Insight) tions cannot be removed this way.
Pick a Club card for every point in Feats
(Force / Finesse)
Script Use
Whenever you spend Script for any reason, you may add
Pick a for Heart card every point in Conduct
cards up to your Deck Size.
(Charm / Cunning)
If you have reached the maximum cards allowed by your
If a Challenge was taken, write it down on one of the
Deck Size, you may spend 1 Script to replace a card in your
Jokers and add it to your Deck.
Deck. The card replaced does not have to be of the same
When picking your cards for the first time, or if you haven’t value or suit.
read through the later chapters of this book, there are
several things to keep in mind: Renewing Resolve
Optional Rule
The values of each card represent a way of acting
or completing a task. The lower the value, the Story arcs can be as long or as short as the GM dictates, but
simpler the approach. ultimately should be timed with larger changes in group goals
or storyline resolutions. It can be treated akin to chapters in
We recommend to pick low value cards to begin
a book or video game, where there are large changes in the
with, as you may not be able to utilise the high
dynamics of the setting or when new larger obstacles arise.
value cards to their full potential.
At the conclusion of a story arc you have the opportunity
to replace 1 card in your Deck for every other player and
GM in your game. This represents your character affirming
the actions they’ll need to take in the future.

Achieving Goals
Optional Rule
On a personal level, each character should have a drive
pushing them to achieve new heights. Reaching one of
these milestones is a time for reflection, and an oppor-
tunity to re-evaluate how they are carrying themselves
through their lives.
On achieving a Goal an earning Script, you may replace 1
card in your Deck for another suit or value of your choice.
Deck Builds 25
When considering which cards to use, remember to look at the highest (or lowest) possible Draw your character can
achieve in each category. In most cases, you should avoid having values that exceed that number. But that’s not all you
have to think about when building your Deck. Individuals with very focused and specialised knowledge can make use of
more difficult methods, allowing higher value cards to be used in specific situations. Alternatively, if the person’s capa-
bilities are more spread out, picking lower value cards is preferable, though they will never be able to quite reach the
peaks of someone who is dedicated to a single area. Below are some ideas that you could consider for your characters.

Generalist build Push based build

Generalist builds represent people who have a diverse range For those characters built upon the use of Push, the lines
of interests, dabbling in many different skills. They represent between generalist and specialist builds become blurred.
a functional human being who exists in society, an individual Through the use of grit and determination you can over-
who has not neglected any parts of their life. Approaching come (or exacerbate) some of weaknesses of either trends
life at a measured pace, they experience less burnout and for a scene or two.
can keep working longer.
Typically, when choosing cards for a generalist it is rec-
Potential Builds
ommended that you select low value cards of 2, 3, and 4. The use of potential has the fairly obvious and immediate
You can expect at character generation to draw 3-4 cards benefit of increasing a single Check’s success. Your char-
on average for most checks, providing you a fair chance acter uses hidden stores of inspiration and unused ideas
to succeed on Simple Tasks (2 successes) or Moderate to break through an obstacle before them. However, this
Tasks (7 successes). removes a card from their Deck, reducing the number of
options they have in the future. This causes the second and
While they may not be able to approach Difficult Tasks (14
not-so-obvious benefit of forming a smaller pool of cards to
successes) in a single Check, they will be more suited to
draw from. By removing an unwanted/unnecessary card for
preserve their stamina for longer periods of time. They will
the scene, you could drastically bend the odds in your favour.
have more turns in high stress situations before needing to
Recompose and reshuffle their Deck. When using this in a generalist style build, Potential can
tactically shift the composition of your Deck to suit the sit-
Specialist builds uation. Or, in the case of a specialised build, it could turbo
charge the odds towards your specialty. What kind of person
Specialist builds represent an all-or-nothing mentality; a needs their brains during a bloody fist fight to the death?
person who has pushed all of their energy, time, and skill into Those extra seconds of deliberating over your course of
one or two specific areas. These individuals burn brightly actions could be the difference between life and death.
at both ends, producing short bursts of intense activity and
exhausting themselves in the process. Their focus and their Perseverance Builds
single-minded drive to perfect their art leaves the rest of
Perseverance is the willingness to endure and push past
their life underdeveloped.
your limits. During a high powered negotiation, or a fight,
When choosing cards for a specialist type build, we rec- there may not be time to rest even for a moment. Every
ommend that you select high value cards that are equal second lost is a moment your foes are gaining the upper
to or just below your highest Draw, and avoid taking low hand. Remember these decks do not improve or change
cards such as Aces, 2, and 3. As a character with no Script your chances of success, rather it utilises existing tools.
spent, you may find that you end up drawing 6-8 cards in
Though not as versatile as its sister stat of Potential, Per-
a single turn. You may find that achieving Difficult Tasks
severance allows you to reshuffle your Deck during a Check
(14 + successes) happens regularly in tasks that your char-
when you can no longer draw any cards. You may find this
acter specialises in. As a trade off, you will find that, when
occurs when making several Checks in quick succession,
using your character to their full potential, you may need
or other unpleasant circumstances. This can be particu-
to shuffle your Deck every one or two actions.
larly effective in specialised builds, as it can mitigate rapid
In comparison, many of your other skills may only be drawing Deck depletion.
2-3 cards at best, causing greater difficulty in achieving
Simple Tasks (2 successes).
26 Words and Labels
When a Parsecyte forms a connection with a sentient being, it searches out the strongest identity attached to their host.
These words seem to appear haphazardly without a pattern, often to the chagrin of the Parselings. However there is one
thing that is certain, these words are derived from the characters and others see them.
It all starts with who they are at the start of the campaign. How you present your character adds another layer to the story
of who they are, and what they meant to this world. Whether you tell it form the point of an observer, from the character’s
point of view or even from the people around them, it fleshes out who they are and who they could be. At any time the
maximum number of Words in your Word Pool is 10 Aspects and 20 Augments.

Personality Principles
What are they like to talk to? What is the drive behind their actions?
Personality encompasses who we are at this very point in Everyone has an ideal or set of core beliefs that their actions
time, and it dictates how we choose to react to our day to are centred around. These can be instilled through a person’s
day moments. In a sense, it is a mask that we show to the parental figures, or religion, or developed as they journey
world, offering it a snippet of who we are, allowing people through life. These principles form a basic guide for how they
to judge us and build their own expectations of who we can be expected to act. These rules can be helpful remind-
are. By giving us a face to identify, we develop a reason to ers to keep your character consistent within the game.
empathise with others’ troubles.
At the start of a campaign, your character only needs a Appearance
simple idea of who they are. They might be irritable, calm, How do they normally look?
sad, or happy. There are many different words that can be
Unfortunately in this world, although appearances may be
used to describe a person’s nature. Sad is different from
deceiving they do set expectations. As soon as an individ-
melancholic, which is again different from grieving. While
ual walks through the door, we pass judgment on how they
these may mean similar things, each of these descriptions
dress, talk, and even the company they share. For better or
implies unique connotations. In the end, it is up to you whose
worse, it becomes the basis of how we learn about someone;
face you’ll wear in each campaign.
about how they live their life, where their aspirations lie,
and even their worries.
Goals Spend time considering their appearance, as it will be how
Where did they come from?
others come to identify them. Simple descriptions of their
What has their journey been like?
hair, clothes, and even posture can be very useful.
Everyone has goals and ambitions, even if they choose not
to actively pursue them. They can be as simple as surviving
the day, or finishing that snack in the fridge. Or they can be
History
Where did they come from?
something more challenging, such as avenging your family,
Who/what is important to them?
or delving into the disappearance of your cat.
A person’s history is not just the cold hard facts about their
In this game, it is strongly advised that you work with the GM
life, nor a simple retelling of one sequence of events. Their
to set your character’s Goals. This can help keep the story
past should offer some insights on how they’ve matured and
relevant to your character, letting the GM and other players
grown, or explain their drive, or quirks in personality. When
know what you want to do.
explaining their life, you must consider how they responded
to the key moments in their life.
Imperfections A child could respond to the death of their
How can you get under their skin?
parents with overwhelming sorrow, or vehemently
Why are they still human?
swear that they will be avenged. A mother giving
No one is perfect. There’s always parts of them that are birth to her child could be hopeful, or bitter, that
less than stellar, could be improved, or even some that her future will be filled with another life.
others may find detestable. These details do not have to
This information frames the character for other players and
be anything grandiose as crippling mental scars or deadly
the GM. Having a couple of key moments to share with your
illnesses. They can be minor things, such as a poor temper
group is always a good start. As you talk more with the GM
or even regular bouts of procrastination, anything to help
and fellow players, their stories will become more and more
give them a more human feel.
intricate, until they take a life of its own.
Word Pool 27
After getting a grasp of the characters in the campaign, it’s time to find the right descriptions of who they are.
For this part, you may want to have a thesaurus handy. With the GM’s approval, you may even consider the use
of other languages. Here are a couple things to consider.

Word Meanings Questionnaire:

Overly specific Words, like proper nouns, should be avoided If you find yourself at a loss at how to select some Words,
as they will be difficult to use in most situations. Words with try to answer some of the questions below. You may find
multiple or easy-to-apply meanings are recommended. some Words that could be interesting.
Consider what a Word traditionally means and compare its 1. When they play a video game, what singular word
use in colloquial speech. The more ways you can imagine describes the most useful TRAIT of their avatar?
using the Word, the more versatile and adaptable it is. 2. People often compare people to OBJECTS or
ANIMALS. What are they?
For Aspects, try to find common ideas or con-
3. Pick another character on the team. What PAIR of
cepts that can be found in your day to day life,
NOUNS would you use to compare them and you?
like “cold”, “glass”, “anger”, “grey” or even animals.
4. What part of your character’s APPEARANCE do
For Augments, try to use Words that have their they take most pride in? Do others ENVY or ADORE
own inherent connotations. As an example, ire, them for this?
exasperate, irritated, annoyed, angry could be 5. They are in their SAFE place. What do they find
different variations of a Condition, but each have COMFORT in?
their own unique connotation, and may even carry 6. Look at their APTITUDES. What was the KEY to
other definitions to draw from. reaching their current level of skill?
7. Their closest FRIEND sees something special in
Word Fit them. What do they have in COMMON?
8. What is the most important THING in their posses-
Finding useful Words is easy enough, but to select ones that sion? This can usually found by their side.
have a connection to a character can be hard. The connec- 9. Their FUTURE will lead you somewhere. Where are
tion to the character can be purely on the surface level, as they destined to GO?
if coming from their peers or co-workers. The Words can be 10. A SECRET lies dormant in their past. For those
derived from simple things like their demeanour in public that know it, what LABELS do they affix to them?
or the workplace, their appearance and the way they dress, 11. People go by many NAMES to keep their identity
their hobbies, job, or even the food that they are commonly a secret. What ALIAS do they use?
seen eating. 12. Pick a song that you think this character would
LISTEN to. What MOOD does it give off?
If you delve deeper, the Words could come from the thoughts
13. In school, they had a POSSE of friends. What CLIQUE
of their close family and friends. As long as these terms can
did they fall under?
be used to identify the character, you can draw inspiration
14. Not all RELATIONSHIPS are happy ones. They’ve
from Words based on emotions, observations and even
hurt someone before. How have their victims
deep rooted opinions.
described them?
Alternatively, you could draw upon the thoughts of the char- 15. There is a FACE that they present to the world.
acter themselves. You may find that certain phrases used How does it FEEL like to them?
in the character’s history and description jump out at you 16. Think of their greatest TRIUMPH or DESPAIR. How
as perfect Words. did that affect the way they ACT?
17. They’ve got a moment of PEACE, how would they
An Evolving List SPEND that time?
18. What EMOTION that DRIVES them to succeed?
No person is static, every day they live something about them 19. How would you describe their WORK or their SPACE
changes in small ways. Your characters will be undergoing at home?
explosive changes in their life as they explore the events 20. There is a JOB that they have to do every day. Why
unfolding around them. have they been given this ROLE?
If your character outgrows some of the Words in your pool,
there’s always a chance to replace them with new ones.
At the end of a story arc or session (determined by the
GM) your group has the option of replacing 1 Aspect and 1
Augment in each character’s Word Pool.
 28 The world falls apart on a Friday.
Not literally, of course. Not a grand Divine
Parse upending an entire city. Not an Incoher-
ent fast-tracking through. No, just receiving a
Library of Babel
phone call from the Bolt Brigade that her father
had been doing a Parse with someone, that it had
failed, and he’d died from the backlash. Simple,
straightforward, no beating around the bush.
Usually, she hated the detached niceties of
telling someone that their loved one has passed,
but after she officially became a licensed para-
medic and had to do it herself on occasion, she…
grew to appreciate it for what it was.
It’s easier to fixate on the passionless manner
they had spoken to her rather than the content
of their words. Shitty PR, Marley thinks, gripping
the phone, hanging onto how they had sounded,
shitty people. Yeah, sure, Bolt Brigade was nice,
sure they were all about cleaning up the mess
that was still hanging around from the First Parse,
which is why her father had been recruited in the
first place. Sure, they were good and helpful but
that means jack shit when clearly they can’t at
least hire people decent enough to be able to tell
someone that their father is dead without being
such a callous bitch—
He can’t be dead. This has to be some kind of
joke, right? She said as much, but the person just
hung up afterwards without any by-your-leave,
and when she tried to call back, she was sent
to voicemail.
She hears it finally. Someone sobbing, breaths
coming out as wet gasps, words unintelligible
through tears.
Oh, Marley realizes, feeling salt water drip down
her nose. It’s her.
When was the last time she cried? Her mind
clutches blankly, still trying to think of some-
thing, anything. Her mother’s funeral, maybe?
No, she’d cried when she graduated from Tenor
Academy with a degree and offer to be a perma-
nent member of Professor Myrrh’s research team.
Those had been tears of joy, tasting like sweet
accomplishment.
She’d cried on her father’s shoulder.
Her father —
Her father, who is apparently dead.
 The next thing she knows, she’s pulled on her jacket
and jumping the stairs of her apartment, gravel crunching
That grim determination is what carries her through
the office, stomach grumbling dimly from only having had
29
under her shoes. The world processes for her bit by bit, the bare minimum of a meal at some point in the last 24
like an environment rendering for an old video game. The hours. Her guide looks at her, concern written in their brow,
bike rack, her bike, the street. Traffic signs, pedestrians, but Marley shakes her head at the unspoken question. In

Library of Babel
people going about their evenings in complete calm as if hindsight, it meant that when the door opened to where
the world isn’t ending. Marley tears from one street to the her father was , there was nothing to retch out.
next, and it’s only after she’s doubled over wheezing from
No one had given her the details of the Parse, but the
exertion that she realizes that she has no idea which Bolt
bits of stone and cement in her father now give a clear
Brigade office he worked with. Rain starts to soak into her
enough picture. Trying to fix something too big, too much
sweater. She reaches for her phone but her hand comes
for the Parsecyte. She’s not sure whether it’s better or worse
up empty. It takes a second for her to recall that she’d
that his body is relatively intact. At least if he’d been as
dropped her phone after the call.
mangled as those teenagers she could have afforded the
For another second, she considers heading back to get luxury of denial. But her father lies on a bed, eyes open
it, but then she spots a familiar flower shop across the as he stares still at whatever it is he was trying to do, half
street, and recognition for the rest of the street floods his body overtaken by cement. A steel cable stabs directly
her. Home is five minutes away from here, above a sign through the flesh of his abdomen in a way she knows at
with O’Neal Fixing Service on it. least three essential organs were impacted by that alone.
At least that’s the only evidence of any pain he could have
Forward. She has to continue forward. Even as the rain
suffered.
drenches her clothes with more and more water, Marley
pushes on until she unlocks the door of the store. It creaks “Dad,” Marley says, stepping closer to him. Of course he
open like it never had before, almost as if the store felt can’t reply. “Dad, it’s me,” she says, even though no one
Murphy’s absence as keenly as herself. can talk with a concrete mouth. “Dad.”
She tries not to think about it. “Ms O’Neal-” the Bolt Brigade person says, looking thor-
oughly uncomfortable.
Finding her father’s notes was easy — pinned to the
fridge by a magnet she’d made once in primary school. “Dad,” she says louder, ignoring them. “Dad?” Maybe if
Getting there was easy enough, too — they let her in when she says it enough, something will happen. He’ll react, or
she told them her name, even if there was the silence of the Parsecyte will.
doubt and concern, that underlying thread of ‘Should you
The person repeats her name, but she continues. Maybe
be here?’ as they offer her a towel for her soaked state.
Professor Myrrh and his team can do something, she thinks,
“I’m a paramedic,” she says to the people in her way, reaching for the one wrist that isn’t rock-hard, feeling for
any fury that could have led her to just push past them his pulse.
dampened by the rain and the journey. “Please, just— just
As her fingers press into his skin, there’s a twitch under-
let me see him.”
neath. Hope blitzes through her for one second as she grabs
A ripple goes through the small crowd, and then one of his upper arm, wondering if the Parse effect is fading, but
them — their face and name aren’t important, just a blur it evaporates the next as his fingers twitch repeatedly, as
to Marley’s eyes like everything else — steps forward. “This if holding someone’s hand. Again and again, despite the
way, Ms O’Neal.” absence of his pulse and the chill of his skin.
She knows it won’t be pretty. Dealing with Parse-related She can’t help but place her warm hand in his cold one,
injuries is still a new lesson in school, but even then, she’s exhaustion suddenly dropping on her like the previous
seen some herself. One man’s entire left side turned into phone call had. She sinks to the ground next to the bed,
wood, with branches coming out where his skull once was, her already-wet sweater too waterlogged for her tears to
what remained of his mouth muttering brokenly the Parse soak into it. His hand clasps around hers, the vestiges of his
he and his wife had been attempting. Others shred into final actions left in a stone-patched body and a steel cable.
confetti, teenagers who had sought to fly but ended up

worse than Icarus. Whatever it is, though, she can take it.
 30 Bolt Brigade takes care of the funeral, which is, well —
generous isn’t the right word, but at least she doesn’t have
“We might joke about not getting enough sleep or being
tired, but you’ve been out of joking territory for awhile now.
to think about it. There are other things to consider now. You look like shit.” Jasmine says, not mincing words. “And
Work. What she’s going to do with the shop. Not having to if you feel as bad as you look, you really should take more
Library of Babel
take care of the funeral is a small mercy, perhaps; the less vacation days.”
she has to see of his broken body the better, the less she
“I’m fine.” Marley says again.
has to talk about her father being dead the easier it will
be to accept it. Life continues on as ever. Jasmine’s stare is a physical weight on her shoulders,
making Marley bristle without meaning to. “You know,”
Some people offer her their condolences, others give
she says, gentler now, “I was really excited to work with
her looks of what they hope is understanding, but what
you, back then.”
she knows full well is pity. Sympathy. She’s given looks like
that before. She never knew how much she hated them “… What?” Marley looks up from her half-melted ice
until now. Even after her mother passed it wasn’t this bad. cream that had long been dripping on the sidewalk, not
expecting that in the slightest. A woman with red hair and
Bolt Brigade asked if she would like to speak at the
a bouquet of flowers walks around them, nearly careening
funeral. They wanted to know about arrangements, whether
into the bike lane.
her father had ever spoken of such things. She told them
to make it as straightforward as possible. He was a simple “Yeah. People talked about you, you know. You and your
man who liked simple things — he wouldn’t want people to dad, how you two were part of the first Parselings that really
dwell too deeply over his passing. Let those who worked started to help the community. How you both helped a lot
with him speak instead. They would manage to be more of people. So when we partnered in Basic, I was curious
eloquent than Marley could ever have been at a funeral, about what you’d be like.” Jasmine finishes the rest of
much less her father’s. her ice cream and then tosses the stick away. “But look,
Marley — right now, like this? You won’t be able to help
Strangely enough, halfway through Murphy being lowered
anyone if you collapse. And I don’t think your dad would
into the ground, she realizes that this is perhaps the last
have wanted that either.”
funeral that she’ll really need to attend.
Rum and raisin continues to drip onto the sidewalk as
And then life continues on.
Marley holds it uselessly, thinking of something to say to
She returns to her paramedic duties after a week of get Jasmine off her back but — memories of the Fixing
personal leave, receiving more glances and more pity. Service are a deluge, all the people that they had helped,
Attempts at compassion. It grates, their goodwill, but she jarringly familiar faces at his funeral. People assuring her
accepts this and simply focuses on working. Doing the it would be fine, that he was a good man and he was in
best she can, just like her father. It’s what he’d hoped for, a good place. Perhaps she’d be able to pick up his work,
after all, and she’s carried that hope for far too long to set with how they remembered the good the pair of them did.
it down now. That she’d be able to move on fully with her
But none of them got it.
life after her condition was cured, that she’d be… okay.
Not normal, but at the very least okay. She’s not going to be as good as her father. The shop
wouldn’t be the same without him. It hadn’t been the same
It’s hard for Marley to say that she’s okay in any meaning
since she left.
of the word now.
It wasn’t about her father. They don’t see it. It was her
But she’s still able to function, which is better than she
and her father. Them, working together. His instructions,
used to be, trapped in her bedroom all the time. Work, if
her hands. His fix, her Malaise. But without his ‘Fix’… There’s
anything, is a numb relief from the silence of her apart-
just Malaise. There’s just her and Malaise dripping down
ment, of the entire building that she should go through but
her spine in the same sickly reddish purple as the clotted
can’t bring herself to.
blood she hacks up every week.
Of course, though, just functioning doesn’t always fly. “You
“Marley… Marley?” Jasmine snaps her fingers. Marley
need to take care of yourself.” Jasmine says one day during
looks up, only aware now of her hand over her mouth,
a lull in their 24-hour shift, sneaking an ice cream break
waiting for a run of metallic sputum up her throat that
outside the hospital. They’ve been partnered ever since
wouldn’t come. “Hey, you should get some rest. Really. You
they were basic EMTs, and usually they both prefer com-
won’t be able to help anyone if you keep running yourself
panionable silence and action over words. “Your eyebags
ragged, much less yourself.” Her smile is disgustingly sym-
are so bad you could smuggle a pound of cocaine through
pathetic, and for a single irrational moment Marley wishes
airport security. Everyone can see how tired you are.”
she could tear it off. She doesn’t need this right now.
“I’m fine,” Marley says, perhaps with too much force. Or
Instead she just nods, a single jerky motion before she
too little, considering how Jasmine’s jaw just sets in a way
gathers her things and trudges away.
that there can only be a fight incoming. “Besides, when
haven’t I had bags?” she tries.
 She finds herself at home again, instead of her apartment.
Initially Marley hadn’t been too sure about moving out.
Her hand clamps over her mouth at the thought. Not
revulsion, or illness, but reflex as her gut churns. She
31
glimpses herself in the reflection of the window shutters.
But when she started pulling more hours at the Academy
Dark mop hair, dark button eyes, skin that never managed
and her father fell more in with the Bolt Brigade, it made
to really achieve a healthy pallor; and she imagines holding

Library of Babel
sense to get a place closer to the Academy so she didn’t
hands with someone else. Parsing with someone else.
have to bike all the way back late at night. Even after she
Feeling perhaps the soft unfamiliar joints of their limp grasp,
graduated, it made sense to stay for her paramedic job.
instead of the warm callus of her father’s grip that said
Especially considering that she didn’t need to be with her
“I got you”. Even as an emergency responder, she’d never
dad to fix things anymore. Not with her new arsenal of
Parsed with another person, not that she can remember.
knowledge, not with the other people that were dedicated
It was about solving things in a mundane manner, and if
to helping others as she did. She had grown up. Moved on.
Parses were needed to help the patient then there were
And her father had as well.
certified individuals to take care of that. Not her.
Some days she would miss him, but he was never more
It wouldn’t be the same. The realization hits just as she
than a phone call away. They were in the same city, after all.
accidentally elbows a picture frame, sending it to the ground
And now… now they’re in the same city, but he’s just a body.
with a loud smack of wood and shatter of glass. She picks
Now, the shop is full of dust, having been long shuttered it up immediately, ignoring the glass, and sets it back up
ever since that fateful night. Some tools are less dusty next to the register where it had been. Her and Dad, stand-
here and there, probably taken to help at Bolt Brigade at ing outside the doors of the shop right after the front sign
some point. It smells like old wood and polishing wax, aged had changed from indicating just a normal hardware store
and waiting to be used again by someone no longer there. to somewhere that people could go to get things fixed.
Marley could use them. The idea drifts through her mind It’s not as easy as finding another person with ‘Fix’ Marley
like her fingertips over the wood grain. Start up the fixing thinks, extracting the picture from shards of glass. “They
service again. Quit Paramedics and come back to the home wouldn’t be you, Dad.” The words slip out of her mouth,
waiting for her. It’s the least she could do for the memory of unintended, and she gets up from the chair, making the
her father languishing for her to come home all this time. executive decision that she is way too sober to deal with
this right now.
It still doesn’t feel real. It’s been weeks, but it still doesn’t
feel real. Every creak of wood makes her glance at the Normally, she’s not one for drinking. But after several
staircase, wondering if it’s her father’s weight. There’s celebratory nights after dissertations submitted and final
even food still in the refrigerator, even though it’s all old theses turned in, Marley became familiar with the burn of
and inedible by now. But she can’t shake off the feeling alcohol and the bliss of not thinking. She hadn’t really had
that at any moment, her father could greet her. Ask her reason to drink after graduating, not even at the funeral,
how her day was, just like every time she managed to visit. but right now she doesn’t want to think.
Her father echoes everywhere in the shop, and it’s what Unfortunately, cycling to the university bar leaves her
makes Marley truly loathe the idea of cleaning up anything. plenty of time to think.
“Organizing his belongings” as people suggested.
There’s a short story that she recalls with sudden
She goes through items one by one. Tools here, paint here, unwanted clarity. “The Library of Babel”, about an infinite
hardware there. Old receipts, order forms, trinkets. The tip library containing limitless volumes of random arrange-
jar. All of it waiting for him to come home, and perhaps by ments of letters with the exact same page numbers and
extension, herself as well. After all, they were the O’Neals word counts. For every one that’s gibberish, another one
of the O’Neal Fixing Service. The two of them, father and could make complete sense. Maybe one could tell the
daughter, mending whatever they could around the block, future. The possibilities are endless. But the chances of
and then the neighbourhood, and eventually the entire city. words being put together in a way that an entire book
would make sense was astronomically low, and she can’t
Marley only realizes how long she’d been holding onto
help but think of that now.
the cold glass of the tip jar by the plasticine numbness in
her fingers from gripping it. She sets it down gently, spare Even if she managed to find another person with ‘Fix’, it
change jangling around, and sits behind the counter where wouldn’t be him. Her and Murphy were a story that made
her father so often did to man the register. sense, words that aligned to something coherent in a
babbling world. But even if someone else had ‘Fix’, they
It would be easy to start up the Fixing Service again, in
wouldn’t have the other words her father had. It wouldn’t
theory. She’d just have to find another Parseling with the
be the same.
word ‘Fix’, and she’s had Malaise running down her back
for as long as she can remember. Inescapable Together,
with another person’s Fix and her Malaise —
 32 As Marley jogs down the staircase to Bar-bel and slams
herself in front of the counter, calling for a drink, knowl-
They don’t seem to notice, or even if they do, care, and
turn to the perched Parseling. “This is Marley. We studied
edge hurts her every step of the way. The Fixing Service under Professor Myrrh together for a while.” Turning back
wasn’t about her or her father. It was about the two of to Marley they gesture between the two of them. “Marley
Library of Babel
them, working as a unit. this is Xin Yi, she’s from the…”
In a Library of Babel, they made sense together. She and “Beida. Peking University,” Xin Yi says. “I’m here to study
her father could make sense of the world around them as with Professor Myrrh too, actually.”
Parselings, fixing. Making things better together. But without
“Is that so?” Marley replies. Something nags her as she
her father — without anyone, really, she can’t Parse alone.
looks at Xin Yi, but she can’t quite place it. “Researching
The first two drinks burn down her throat without her Parse-related diseases or something then?”
tasting them. She puts enough money for a third and a
“Something along those lines.” Xin Yi leans forward, bird-
fourth before she lets herself think again, this time of
like with how economical her movements are. “What did
other things. New things! New people, new faces around
you study under him for?” On her collarbone now, Marley
the bar. Even if she hasn’t gotten drunk since graduation,
can make out more Chinese. 修理.
the bar on Tenor Academy’s campus is popular enough with
Parselings that she and Jasmine had come here a number To repair.
of times to wind down after long shifts.
Small world. Too small, sometimes. “Oh, you know,” Marley
Her gaze settles on a woman perched on a couch at the waves the hand with her drink in the air, “Stuff. Sorry, I’m
edge of the dance floor. She’s long haired, long-limbed and uh… I’ve had a little… a bit.”
elegant in a way that reminds Marley of a crane. Her fine
Xin Yi smiles, slightly amused. “That’s clear enough,” she
bones strain against glossy skin, as if about to launch her
says. “Will you be okay?”
up in flight. There’s a small group around her, some of whom
are familiar faces from studying under Professor Myrrh, She doesn’t want to be here anymore. Not with someone
so Marley gravitates over with her fourth drink in hand. with repairing, fixing, making things better embossed in
their skin. “Yeah!” she says, too loud again. Too tired. Too
“And what does that one mean?” someone asks, pointing
lost. “I’m not actually drunk yet.” With that, Marley does
at the newcomer’s arm. Marley’s not so drunk that she can’t
a face-heel turn back to the bar, politeness be damned.
recognize Chinese characters, 引 stark against pale skin.

“To attract.” She says, only realizing that she’s spoken
after everyone on the couch turns to look at her. Marley Waking up with a splitting headache is no surprise. If
coughs into her drink. “That’s what it means.” anything, it’s a retribution.
The other woman blinks, and then smiles wanly, a long Marley stares at the ceiling of her old childhood bedroom,
scarf draping over her willowy arms more as an acces- papers printed with constellations still somehow sticking
sory than any attempt to keep warm. “That’s right,” she to it from when she was innocent and begged to see the
says, folding her hands in her lap, and like that Marley stars. Murphy had taken it upon himself to redo her ceiling
can make out more characters on her skin, irregular in with glow-in-the-dark paint and scrawled labels for all the
the way that Parseling tattoos tend to be. She shows a different constellations.
surprising amount of skin for one, or at least enough that
Her favourites had been the ones rooted in old Greek
even with three drinks warming Marley’s gut, she can see
myths describing how heroes or monsters were immor-
four different words on her skin. Most Parselings cover
talized in the sky.
them up, considering how revealing their words can be.
“You know Chinese?” Movement is painful, but she manages somehow. She
doesn’t remember how she managed to get back home,
Marley laughs, too loud, too awkward, too little care.
much less get into bed, but she does remember the new-
“Who doesn’t know, growing up here?” She takes another
comer. Xin Yi, a woman with 引 on her forearm and 修理
swig of her drink, welcoming the dizzy intoxication, “Well,
printed below her collarbone.
at least, before… before the First Parse, it was mandatory
learning in my primary school. Stars. Constellations. Greek myths.
That gets some attention, considering that many who Pandora’s Box.
attend Tenor Academy did so coming from places other
Marley laughs, even though her headache grows pierc-
than what Nominal City once was. “Oh, Marley!” someone
ing spines, stumbling to her rest room to wash the acrid
in the circle says, bouncing hard enough they nearly spill
coating out of her mouth. She looks at the mirror, and a
their Martini. “It’s been a hot minute!”
conversation with Professor Myrrh years ago glimmers
“Hey,” she says in lieu of trying to remember their name from the recesses of her memory.
when on her way to get as drunk as possible.
Hope in a box of evils. False hope.
 That’s what it would be, trying to start
up the Fixing Service again like this. She
33
wipes her face with a wet cloth as it sinks
in, wishing that she could somehow wipe
away her previous stupid train of thought

Library of Babel
as well. Even if she found someone else
with ‘Fix’, or a word similar, it wouldn’t
be the same as before. Trying to find
someone to replace him would just be
chasing a false hope.
None of them would truly be what the
fixing service was originally forged of,
after all. Someone that Marley could Parse
with. Someone who loved her.
Her father.
Too sober now, Marley laughs again,
headache abating enough for her to
become aware of a pain on her right
palm. “None of them could be you, dad,”
she says, thinking of the Belt of Orion and
Pleiades on her bedroom ceiling. She sees
a concrete hand that up until the end, had
wanted to help where he could. “None of
them could be you.”
It’s better to let things go. She can
figure out a different way to hold on to
the legacy they built than trying to resur-
rect what shouldn’t be brought back. She
can perform her own fixing now, helping
people as a paramedic. She doesn’t need
Parsing to do that.
She… doesn’t need him.
Marley drops the towel to press her
hands to her eyes, trying to stop her tears
but to no avail. They run down her hands
instead, the creases of her palm, drip-
ping onto the bathroom floor. The salt
stings her right hand strangely, strange
enough that in the middle of her grief
Marley checks herself to see if she’s cut.
The tiles echo her sobs turning into con-
fused hiccups and then hysterical laughter
as Marley weeps and weeps, clutching the
new word on her palm like a lifeline, red
and raw but undeniably inked. It’s a sign,
she thinks. A miracle. She doesn’t need
her father in order for her to help people.
She doesn’t need to cling onto the past.
She can let go of his hand now.
Chapter 3:
Choice System
In order to play this system, we will need to go over some basic
information around the choices made during character creation
as well as the mechanics supporting the deck building aspect of
this game.
In this chapter you will find:
• Information about the statistics that determine how your
character will function (or not) during play, and defining the
Deck and its piles.
• Quotes, Challenges, and Conditions, and how they will affect
your Deck/gameplay.
• How to complete actions/engage in combat, and traverse the
different scenes that you will encounter during your campaign.
• Equipments and you: all you need to know about gearing up
for success.
36 Image
Parselings are very similar to us; their minds are capable of determining
success and failure. Perceptions of who they are shape what they can
do, and can potentially shape their future. While playing as a Parseling,
you will find that their identities can be broken down into several differ-
ent parts—Push, Intent, Feats, and Conduct. Your Deck represents your
character’s mentality, physicality, and their approach to challenges they
encounter in their lives.
Each point in an Image represents a degree of talent or understanding in
that trait. The first point in an Image represents someone who has not put
any effort into this area of their life, while 5 points is someone of excep-
tional talent or skill, rarely seen or heard of. For every point of Image, your
character’s Deck grows by one card.
Depending on the actions you take, the GM may ask you to use one or more
of your Image stats in a Check. Different tasks may require a different
Aspect of your character.
Your character may find a prone body in the streets and a
shadowy figure lurking in the night. Any number of choices could
be made in this situation. To escape from the assailant, you could
attempt to outrun them using Force, or make a nimble escape
through a back alley using your Finesse. You could use your
Intellect to find a way to save the injured person and determine
the weapon used to attack them, or your Insight to discover how
they got those grisly wounds and the dark figure’s next move.
Otherwise, you could show a bit of empathy and employ your
Charm to set the person bleeding out in your arms at ease in
their last moments, or you could Cunningly trick the observer
in the shadows into revealing their plan. It is all a matter of how
you’d like to approach the situation at hand.

Table 3.1: Image Scale

This is an area in which someone is both unpractised
and inexperienced. They have not put any effort in this
Point 1
field throughout their life or they may simply be inept
in this area. With a little more time, this will improve.

Your average Joe, someone capable of performing in

Point 2 this Aspect, though not exceptionally talented. They are
an individual who may only use this out of necessity.

An individual who regularly exercises their skill in this

area. They may have been born with this talent, or had
Point 3
to improve this skill to survive in their daily life. They
use this aspect almost every day.

One who has dedicated great time and effort to prac-

Point 4 ticing this skill and can call upon it with only the barest
forethought. It comes to them as easy as breathing.

An individual of rare skill and talent, honed by years

of study, and rarely found in the world. They would be
Point 5 something akin to a master of their line of thought,
and likely someone difficult to keep up within this area.
They can rely on this skill without hesitation.
Push ♦
Determination
Intent
Mental
♠ 37
Push is the little voice inside us telling us we can succeed. It Intent is our driving force, and without it we are lost. We
is a seed of hope that reminds us that, as long as we persist, are constantly accumulating information: our observations
we can change the world. Without the desire to move on, the of the actions of others and changes in the environment
determination to ‘push’ forward, we would achieve nothing. around us. These little bits of information help us build a
library of ideas. They become the lessons we have ingrained
The Push Image category encompasses your Potential and
in our minds, becoming our stepping stones through life.
your Perseverance. It is also is vital in maintaining your
Coherency. The categories below also represent resources The Intent Image category encompasses your Intelligence
that can be used during regular Checks. For more details and Insight. Your total points in this category directly cor-
see “Derived Statistics” on page 43. This Image is denoted relates to a Parseling’s ability in Emission. Intent is denoted
by the Diamond suit. by the Spades suit.

Potential Intelligence
Representative of a Parseling’s tenacity, Potential allows A measure of a person’s cognitive capacity, and their ability
a character to tap into hidden reserves and display a sur- to understand and remember data. This relates to how well
prising resolve to survive. These traits are used for your they can utilise memorised information. When using Intel-
Initiative and Carry Limit. During Checks, it also repre- ligence in Checks, your character is studying facts and
sents a renewable resource that can be used to shift the pieces of the world and committing it to memory, or they
odds in your favour. may be recalling information they had learnt previously to
adapt it to the current situation.
Perseverance
Perseverance represents your character’s desire to act in
Insight
the face of adversity and break limits, the determination to The ability to think on one’s feet and to absorb information
keep moving no matter what. In game, this is used for your at a glance. It is a person’s eye for detail and their ability to
Carry Limits and Defence. It also represents a renewable respond accordingly. Insight is used in your Defence and
resource that can give your character a second wind if they Initiative, as well as being utilised frequently in Perception
run out of cards. Checks (Insight + Perception).

Conduct
Social
♥ Feats
Physical
♣
Sugar or spice, you want everything that’s nice. Conduct is Feats are our capability to physically alter the world around
how your character carries themselves, the way they dress us. Every action we take, every push and pull, has a conse-
up their desires. It is how they present in their looks, their quence and meaning. We might barrel through the world
speech and their actions. with careless abandon crushing all obstacles in our path,
or slither around problems with grace and care.
The Conduct Image category encompasses your Charm and
your Cunning. Your total points in this category directly cor- The Feats Image category encompasses your Force and
relates to a Parseling’s ability in Enchantment. This image Finesse. Your total points in this category directly corre-
is denoted by the Hearts suit. lates to your Parseling’s ability in Embodiment. Feats are
denoted by the Clubs suit.
Charm
To have Charm is to be pleasant, endearing, and approach- Force
able. A Parseling with Charm will find themselves at ease A representation of the physical strength and ability to take
among any crowd, no matter the situation. It is a magnetic the direct path in managing challenges. It represents not
aura or a suave attitude that draws people toward you. only an awareness of your physical might, but the blunt
Through Charm, you are able to fit in and express your mindset required to use it. Force is used in your Health,
intent to others. Speed, and Carry Limit.

Cunning Finesse
Cunning represents a person’s capability to twist and turn Grace and dexterity are the things you use to describe
situations in their favour through sly words, manipulation, someone blessed with Finesse, to always appear like things
and clever planning. This cleverness will help persuade come effortlessly to you. Finesse is used in determining
others that they want to fit in with you. Cunning is used in your Speed and Defence.
your Defence and Initiative.
38 Aptitude
Every person has talents for various things in their lives,
and to represent this, in the Choice System each char-
acter has their own Aptitudes. These are a measure of
their skill in any facet of their lives. Some people are
born with these talents, while others have spent hours
honing their craft. Aptitudes have been broken down into
three greater categories; Intent, Feats, and Conduct.
Typically, these categories act as guidelines to which
Image Stat can be applied to which Aptitude, however
there are always exceptions to the rules.
In this game, there are many ways of overcoming the
challenges the GM may throw at you. From daily tasks to
difficult and deadly endeavours, Aptitudes appear in the
vast majority of the Checks needed to determine your
character’s fate. As with Image, one point in an Apti-
tude represents someone who has not put any effort
into improving in that area of expertise.

Table 3.2: Aptitude Scale

An unpractised individual with a
minimum of, or no, expertise in the
Point 1 subject. Relying on their instinct,
what expertise they may show is
down to little more than guesswork.

A novice, someone who has shown

an interest in this field of work.
Point 2
They have learnt a modicum of skill
through experimentation.

An individual who, through regular

practice, has developed a knack for
Point 3 this area of work. Typically this level
of skill could make the person a pro-
fessional in this field.

Professionals who have devoted a lot

of time and effort developing these
Point 4 skills. Through long months of study
and practice they have honed their
knowledge.

A true visionary of the field, one

whose name is known and often
Point 5 revered among the circles they’re in.
Their talent is outstanding, recognis-
able by sight alone.
Intent Aptitudes 39
Aptitudes linked to the Intent category rely on a person’s mind more than their body, and can often take extended
amounts of time. Those skilled in Intent show great creativity and a wide breadth of knowledge.

Crafting Perception
Artistry, Engineers, Mechanics, Tradesmen Investigators, Police, Scouts
In our lives we find tools and trinkets that we use without From the day each of us was born, we take in the world
a thought. They’ve become such a large part of our every- around us with all the senses we have available. Feeling the
day lives that most people have become reliant on them, texture of objects, hearing the sound of another person’s
without even considering how they are made or function. voice, taking in new sights and smells with each waking
We rely on craftsmen and tradesmen; architects to draft moment; every second of our lives we observe with all we
blueprints, labourers to construct our buildings, engineers have. We use this to build an understanding of what the world
to develop and design our technology, and artists to create is like and, in turn, when something is wrong. We can notice
wonder and awe in our lives. Thanks to the hard work of when a scent, sound, or sight is out of place and alien, or
others, no one has to know every single thing. when danger is lurking.
Those who tinker and create are proficient in the Craft Apti- Perception is your skill at observing and noting specific
tude. It is the ability to design and express your ideas through details in your environment. The more informed you are
any given medium. When attempting to make, modify, or about your situation the better choices you are able to
repair, your character will need to exercise their Craft skills. make. Making a Perception Check helps you notice thing
you might not see with a casual glance, gleaning a deeper
Medic understanding of what options are available.
Doctors, Nurses, First Aid Responders
Helping others isn’t always easy, but saving lives is often its
Research
Academics, Students, Researchers
own reward. The art of healing is about managing trauma
so that your patient may live another day. However, even The Research aptitude revolves around the idea that all
with the guiding hand of a skilled doctor recovery takes time knowledge is a road paved by others. Somewhere out there,
to occur. If left alone, conditions can continue to degrade, someone has recorded their thoughts on a subject you’re
potentially resulting in life-threatening situations. Some trying to better understand, at times without you even
maladies are incapable of improving on their own without knowing entirely what it is you’re looking for. Like a light
medical help. in the dark, a skilled Researcher will understand not only
what answers to seek, but also what questions are required
Recovery doesn’t happen overnight, but having a Medic
to find them.
treat wounds and ailments does assist the body in healing
itself. Removing or tending to the cause of a problem with As an aptitude, Research focuses on the character’s ability
medication or surgery is the calling of those who use the to stay on target and sniff out information relevant to their
Medic Aptitude. Checks with this aptitude can be used to topic. This knowledge can be obtained from books, the
assess the severity of an injury, provide long term care, or Internet, and even dissection and experimentation. When
even get hands-on and treat the cause. See “Wounds” and attempting to learn new information about a subject, with
“Health Damage [2]” on page 42 sufficient resources the GM may ask you to make a Intel-
ligence + Research Check.
Memory
Historians, Lawyers, Translators, Waiters Technology
Designers, Programmers, Scientists
The process of learning is one of trial and error. By remem-
bering the past we avoid repeating the same mistakes over Technology helps us achieve things ordinarily impossible
and over again. Everything we see and learn becomes buried with just our two hands. The world around us was built upon
deep in our subconscious minds, compartmentalised until a plethora of ideas meshing together to become something
it is needed. greater. From simple tools like the hammer to the complex
inner workings of a computer, it is impossible to ignore how
Memory is for both the character and the player. Nobody’s
this has changed our world.
perfect, and sometimes you (the player) and you (the char-
acter) might want to call back on some information from The sister aptitude of Crafting, Technology revolves around
past session or even pre-campaign that you are uncertain the understanding and development of functioning machines
on. In this case, make a Memory Check to help recall this that make our daily lives easier. This aptitude delves into
information with the help of the GM or friends. the theoretical side of creation, designing and handling the
creation of concepts. This can range from designing sche-
matics and computer programming to even understanding
long forgotten relics.
40 Feats Aptitudes
Aptitudes linked to the Feats category are all about applying your physical abilities. Those skilled in these following fields
are all about using their prowess to manipulate the material world to usher in change in a physical way.

Athletics Ride
Athletes, Construction Workers, Gym Junkies Couriers, Equestrians, Racers
To run, jump, and move about; Athletics is the broad category Even if they don’t put it to the test, most adults have a
of non-combative activities that rely on physical strength, good understanding of how to drive in the modern era. It
speed, or skill. This is your aptitude of choice for chasing is assumed that most characters are aware of how to drive
someone down, climbing a tree, or lifting furniture. safely within normal conditions, but the Ride Aptitude is all
about the handling of your chosen form of transportation
When tasked with any trial that requires agility, strength,
under duress. It should not apply to simple actions such as
or prolonged exertion, your character will need to make an
driving from location to location or down the road.
Athletics Check.
In the case of riding another creature with a will of its own,
Larceny a Ride Check is necessary to keep it under control even
Criminals, Locksmiths, Police Officers for simple transportation. Since animals have their own
functioning sense of danger, the GM may ask the player
Lock picking, sleights of hand, bypassing security; these are
to make a contested Ride Check against their mount to
all just tools of the trade for the master criminal, or your
risk their lives.
neighbourhood loose-cannon cop. Some may have learnt
the skills of Larceny to survive out of desperation, while Driving
others may have developed these talents as little challenges Generally, the GM will ask you to make one of
to themselves. Either way, sometimes what you need can’t two different Checks when driving a car. Insight
be bought for the right price. + Ride can be used when attempting to drive
on instinct, like taking short-cuts or navigating
When tasked with any action that involves burglary or sab-
without a map. Another option is to use Finesse
otage, you will be employing the Larceny Aptitude. It will be
+ Ride when attempting high speed manoeuvres
up to the GM to choose which Image Stat should be used:
which lesser drivers would not dare.
Finesse or Cunning are the most common.

Melee Stealth
Criminals, Hunters, Private Investigators
Bouncers, Martial Artists, Security
When you are faced with insurmountable odds and direct
Things can get sticky at times, and the only way forward
confrontation is ill advised, you will need to be Stealthy to
is through your enemies. A Melee battle is both bloody and
move without being noticed, to fade into shadows, and blend
brutal, and is best when up close and personal. If you can
with a crowd. Be it donning a disguise or sidling just behind
see the fire in your foe’s eyes and the blood pumping through
a foe’s back, avoiding trouble requires quick reflexes and
their veins then you know you’re in the thick of it. Weapons,
even faster thinking. After all, if no plan survives first contact
fists, feet; anything goes in a fight.
with the enemy, a master of Stealth can outlast them all.
The Melee Aptitude is a measure of your character’s reflexes
On attempts to conceal oneself from leering eyes, or move
and knowledge of how to get close and dish out the pain.
without notice, the GM will ask you to make a Stealth based
(See”Turn Order” on page 50)
Check.
Ranged Disguises
Hunters, Law Enforcement, Survivalists It’s one thing to hide your face behind a book or
newspaper while sitting on a park bench, and
Sometimes the best answer to your problems is hitting it
entirely another to convince someone that you
with a big stick. Other times the problem is someone trying
are in fact who you appear to be. Preparing a
to do the same to you. This is where the Ranged Aptitude
disguise in advance is often required, and may
comes in. Often as brutal as its up close counterpart, Ranged
be a task best relegated to someone handier with
has the bonus of doing violence at such a distance that
needle and thread, or else find yourself under-
the adversary can, hopefully, not return the favour. Bows,
dressed. Wearing said disguise, on the other
guns, thrown weapon; anything is fine, as long as you don’t
hand, will call upon a person’s ability to weave
get too close.
stories around themselves, or bluster through
When attempting to fight with long distance weapons, your on pure force of personality, with the intent of
character may use the Ranged Aptitude and ranged weap- deceiving other people.
onry. (See”Turn Order” on page 50)
Conduct Aptitudes 41
Aptitudes linked to the Conduct category are about making connections. Bonding with friends, sharing your ideas,
and expressing yourself are integral to surviving in society. You don’t ever have to go it alone.

Acting Etiquette
Actors, Con artists, Journalists, Musicians Hospitality, Politicians, Salesmen
Some put on a mask to lie and deceive, others do it to Every crowd has its own unspoken rules about what is or
entertain and enthral. Acting is all about putting on the isn’t acceptable. You can’t dance on the table in a fancy res-
facade, no matter the reason. People love to act, and many taurant, and you better not be eating your hot wings with
are filled an undeniable thrill from wearing a different face a fork in a dive bar. Etiquette is about picking up on these
and becoming someone else for a little while. customs and integrating them into your own behaviour
to seamlessly blend into any given crowd. Falling into line
Utilising a wide range of skills such as improvisation, emu-
with a group’s rules is essential if you don’t want to stick
lation, and mimicry, these talents help us in our day-to-day
out like a sore thumb.
life to further our own desires. When attempting to hide
your true intentions, the GM may ask you to employ your Being friendly is an art, but it takes a real talent to slip in
Acting Aptitude. Commonly, it will be used alongside the and out of groups, dancing through social niceties and con-
Charm and Cunning Images, though at times other Images flicts. Those with Aptitude in Etiquette are at home among
may be more suitable. any crowd. This Aptitude can be used in conjunction with
your Intent, Charm, and Cunning Image.
Animals
Farmers, Pet Owners, Rangers, Vets Manipulation
Businessman, Children, Socialites
Not all creatures have the same standards for socialisa-
tion as human beings (or Parselings, for that matter). Just Your disposition can allow you to manipulate a person’s
because a person is good with people doesn’t always mean desires and ideals. It’s the art of bending a target to your
animals will like them too. will, sculpting them into the person you want them to be.
You could use a scalpel; subtle, honeyed words and little
Sometimes it’s even harder to understand what a dog or
promises, gently swaying the minds of others. Or you could
a cat is thinking than a person, though some manage by
use a hammer; demanding and uncompromising, standing
having a good intuition or extensive experience with the wild
strong and threatening others until they yield.
side. When making attempts to understand and interact with
animals, the GM may ask you to use the Animals Aptitude. When attempting to convince a person that you know what’s
best for them, Manipulation is your Aptitude of choice. How
Empathy you want to convince them is up to you. Suggested Image
Counsellors, Diplomats, Psychologists traits to use in conjunction include Perseverance, Force,
Charm, or Cunning.
Empathy is the intrinsic human ability to understand other
people’s intentions and emotions. This can be from reading
body language or recognising social cues. Being able to
Rumours
Informants, Journalists, Social Media Users
step into someone else’s shoes and understand their path
in life allows you to be sympathetic to their journey, be it Tall tales and gossip are whispered among friends over
full of joy or bitterness. drinks—rumours are a powerful thing and can shake the very
core of society. They can be the catalyst for rapid change in
When trying to understand others, you may use the Empathy
a community or they can bring a city to its knees. Remem-
Aptitude to gain some insight into how a person is feeling.
ber that at the centre of every legend is a seed of truth.
Depending on the approach, this aptitude can be utilised
in conjunction with Insight, Charm, or Cunning. Every rumour brings another insight of the world, and those
nuggets of information have value. Sometimes you’re the
listening ear, and other times you’re the one spreading the
tales from one person to the next. Those with an under-
standing of Rumour are well equipped to see the flow of
information.
If you want to find the source of a story, you can use the
Intent Image to locate the origins and the truth of the
rumour, or if you intend to start your own tale you can
implement Charm or Cunning.
42 Card Piles
Throughout play, your character’s options and mindset will be altered and tested, and it is vital to learn
how to sort out your cards to help them survive. Your cards will often be sorted into five distinct cate-
gories; Deck, Discard, Removed, Wounds, and Health Damage.

Wounds (1] Deck [3]

Scrapes, bruises, contusions, and mental blocks. Our bodies The core representation of your character, this set of cards
and minds are fairly resilient things, capable of surviving represents the actions available to them. It contains all of
myriad traumas. However, as these grow in number the their possibilities, embodying both their physical and mental
chances of walking away with lasting injuries becomes faculties. Treat the cards here as if they were the charac-
higher and higher. ter’s body and mind.
The cards set aside in Wounds represent the growing number Every decision and idea they have is derived from this deck
of setbacks the character has suffered. of cards. Whenever a Check (See “Checks” on page 46)
is made, reveal as many of the cards from the top of the
Upon taking any damage, physical or mental, cards are
Deck as necessary.
removed from your Deck and placed in the Wounds pile. If
you run out of cards in your Deck, you continue this process
with your Discard pile. Discard [4]
Cards used in a Check go here. The discard can be reshuf-
Health Damage [2] fled into the Deck through Perseverance, taking an action
to Recompose, or taking 2 Wounds
There’s always a point when your body is pushed to the limits
and something goes very wrong. Health Damage represents
something severe: broken bones, internal bleeding, or even Removed [5]
something more deeply rooted in your psyche. These things
Cards in this pile have been removed from the Deck due
will not mend within days. They affect the way you see
to the use of Potential, Tricks, or by Venting Conditions.
yourself, the things you do, and the manner in which you
These cards do not get shuffled back into the Deck.
carry yourself. No one is invincible, no matter how much
they may think they are. These cards are returned to the Deck at the end of a Scene,
or when Health Damage is taken.
When the combined total number of cards in your Deck and
Discard reaches four or less, shuffle your Discard, Removed
cards, and Wounds together into your Deck. Then place a
random card into the Health Damage pile.
If the number of cards in your Health Damage is equal to
your Health, your character will either die or undergo Inco-
herency (See “Incoherency” on page 73).

5
2 3

1 4
Derived Statistics 43
When the world has come for its pound of flesh, you better hope you have enough meat to keep it from the
important bits… or that you’re stubborn enough that even the Grim Reaper doesn’t think you are worth it (yet).
When you need to get somewhere in hurry, and a car isn’t handy, you’re going to need to rely on pure force to
make every step count, and the finesse to make quick work of minor obstacles and turns. Some things that
define a person, such as their ability to take a hit, can’t be limited by just one Image.

Health Defence
(Force + Perseverance) (Perseverance + Insight + Finesse + Cunning) / 2
Health is an ever-present worry. When your health declines, This is your ability to react, and to fend off things that would
so does your chance of surviving. This is the maximum mean you harm. It’s how your body reacts to avoid getting
number of cards you may have in your Health Damage pile. hit, it’s how you pull up your belongings to shield yourself,
If this limit is reached, your character will die. it’s how you intentionally move out of harm’s way.
Whenever you are attempting to protect yourself from phys-
Push [Resource] ical harm, be it in a fight, reacting to environmental hazards,
or driving, you will be employing this Stat.
The Push Image stats represent a renewable resource that
can be used to alter Checks. After each full meal your char-
acter may regain one point of Potential and Perseverance, Initiative
unless otherwise stated. This can be done up to 3 time a day. (Potential + Insight + Cunning) / 2
This is your reaction time, your ability to think on your feet.
Potential [Resource] Initiative determines the order in which actions in a scene
During a Check, if a card of the Push suit is will play out.
revealed, you may spend 1 point of Potential to
When asked for your Initiative, reveal a single card from
undertake the following action:
your Deck. Add your Initiative score to the value of that card.
Choose and remove a card of ANY suit that has The higher the Initiative score, the earlier your character
been revealed during the Check. Change that will react. Shuffle this card back into your Deck.
card’s suit to one of your choice. Only 1 Potential
may be used during each Check.
Speed
(Force + Finesse)
Perseverance [Resource]
Derived from you coordination (Finesse) and raw strength
Perseverance is also a vital resource for making
(Force), your Speed is the number of meters that your char-
Checks in high stress situations, allowing your
acter can move in a single turn and still be able to take a
characters to act for longer without exhausting
simple action.
themselves.
If you are using a grid, we recommend using a
When yourun out of cards during your Check you
scale of 2:1, where each square is the equivalent
may spend a point of Perseverance. This will
of 2 meters.
allow you to shuffle your Discard pile back into
your Deck and continue your Check as normal. If you wish to move further in a single turn, you
may spend a simple action to move again. This
Deck Size allows you to move a distance up to your speed,
and then move up to that distance again.
(Total of all Image Points)
This refers to the total number of non-face cards (A, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10) in your Deck. This size can be altered by the
Carry Limits
[(Potential + Force) x 2] + Perseverance
Reduction Trick. (See “Reduction” on page 157)
Everything has its weight. Your character is not a boundless
bastion of endurance and strength. Nor may they have the
means to carry everything they own. The Carry limit refers to
how much gear in kilograms that they can comfortably carry.

Overburdened
Should your character exceed their Carry limit,
they suffer a -1 Success Penalty on all Checks
per 5 kilograms of goods.
44 Quotes, Challenges & Conditions
Over the course of our lives we are subjected to many experiences that can change how we experience the world. Your
Deck will record your character’s journey in several different ways. The good memories will be carved into your way of
thinking, recorded on number cards, reminding you of past successes.
The challenging aspects of your life are represented in the Face cards (Jack, Queen, Kings, and Jokers) that may pro-
liferate in your Deck. These cards do not contribute to Deck Size. (See “Appendix D: Challenges & Conditions” on page
186’ for examples.)

Quotes Challenges
Suppress: Discard
A signature move, that special thing that you’re famous for.
These cards are desirable and unique to you. At the end of Challenges are the little things that often define your lowest
a session, the GM may award one character with a Quote. moments. These pervasive problems can be anything from
When drawn, a Quote can offer some bonuses. a physical limitation to an ongoing lifestyle complication,
or even ties to other people. The fact is that these things
Gaining a Quote can prevent you from living your life the way you want it.
Though they may prevent you from reaching your own ideal
You may suggest moments to the GM to immortalise;
of perfection, they’re part of what makes you human.
moments that do not belong to your own character, but
that helped define the session. Think about the things that Marley’s Challenge endometriosis causes her a
made the session memorable for you. lot of issues: she bleeds more than the other girls
and is wracked with irregular bouts of severe
If your character has been deemed worthy of the most
pain, the kind that stops her being able to think.
memorable quote, select a card of from your Deck and
At its worst, she finds that just needs to lie down
write a short one-liner that relates to or describes the event.
because everything is too intense.
Using a Quote In terms of gameplay, whenever the Joker is
drawn, Jodi is reminded of Marley’s pain and
In Checks which echo your Quote, you may take the following
discomfort and makes sure to play the part.
action: Reveal an additional card from your Deck and treat
More often than not, it means that Marley, as
this new card as any suit for the purpose of this Check.
a character, may not always have the patience
to do things the right way, rather opting for the
shortest method of completing the task.
Challenges are written on the Joker cards and are only
available during Character Creation. These cards cannot
be resolved or swapped out of your Deck like other cards.
While taking a Challenge at character creation can grant
you an early boost with an additional Trick or two, there will
be a single card in your Deck that is of no use to you at all.
Ideally any Challenge selected will have some sort of impact
on the way your character acts in any given situation. Try
to find a concept that could cause meaningful conversations
about your character, or cause obstacles for them to have
to struggle with for the entirety of their lives.
 45

Conditions Managing Faces

Over the course of your campaign, you will encounter prob- Whenever you have a Challenge or Condition card in your
lems that will limit your Deck ranging from minor setbacks Check, there’s two ways of dealing with your problems. In
to life shattering problems. Depending on the severity, they the heat of the moment the choice is yours to either Sup-
will be represented by different suits for their impact on press or to Vent your Conditions.
your life. A Conduct Condition may be a speech impediment
or an ugly scar, while a Feats Condition could be a limp or Suppress
a missing limb.
If you choose to ignore your problems, at the end of a Check,
During your sessions, depending on the story, you may gain each of these cards behave in different ways.
a host of issues affecting your character. Every time you
Jacks are sent to the Removed pile.
gain a Condition, write down a small description or phrase
Queens and Jokers are Discarded.
on the card as directed by the GM.
Kings are reshuffled into your Deck.
Kings Suppressing means putting your Conditions off for the
Suppress: Reshuffle moment, allowing them to fester in your Deck. Depending
on the severity of your issues, waiting to deal with them
Kings are lifelong problems, uphill struggles that seems to
might be feasible, but until you do you may not be at your
dominate your life. The kinds of things these cards repre-
peak. The GM may inflict negative effects on your characters
sent aren’t so easily managed. At times they can eclipse
your entire outlook on life. They can consume all of your Even though Jodi drew the Joker, she had enough
thoughts, taunting you at every turn. successes to make sure that Marley succeed in
crawling through the vents. For now, the young
Typically these cards can only be permanently removed
teenager will have to put up with her pain,
when the GM deems it fit. This may need significant char-
knowing that it will only become worse and worse
acter development or huge Parses. On top of this, simply
if not attended to.
having one of these cards causes issues.

Queens Vent
Suppress: Discard Alternately, you can Vent out your problems: let off steam,
scream it out, and allow your Conditions get the better of
Cruel twists of fate, Queens are trials that present persis-
you. By spending the time to acknowledge these issues,
tent problems in your character’s life. While not life shat-
you grant yourself a true reprieve and to work within your
tering, if left alone these Conditions can fester in your life,
current limitations.
rotting away paths that you could once have taken. They
are roadblocks to success that must be resolved before When Venting a face card, you automatically fail the Check.
they grow out of control. Place the offending card into your Removed pile. At the end
of a scene you must return these cards back into your Deck,
Like Kings, Queens can only be permanently removed when
as with all Removed cards.
the GM deems fit. This is usually easier to deal with than a
King, but not always. Typically they cause problems when
drawn during Checks. Scars
Scars are lingering echoes of the trials your character has
Jacks suffered. They don’t ever completely disappear, but your
Suppress: Remove
character has learnt how to work around their issues. You
The smallest of the trio, Jacks are the cuts and scrapes that might never fully recover from an addiction, but you may
life gives you, the sprains, mental tricks, and hindrances be able to stop it from controlling your life.
that could be easily solved. Normally you could ignore or
When a Condition is permanently resolved/removed perma-
work around it, but when you’re under pressure they can
nently from your Deck, you may cross it out on the card. This
cause unnecessary problems. These can be removed from
is known as a Scar, a little reminder of the past troubles in
your Deck with a day of downtime, as long as your character
your life and that you had endured and lived to tell the tale.
attempts to recover.
46 Checks Step One: Intent
It’s time to put your Image to good use. At various points in Drawing cards from your Deck is playing with chance, the
this game, your character will face difficult tasks that will situation, and your state of mind in the moment. The only
challenge them, and push them to their limits. At appropri- thing that matters is what you and your character want to
ate times, a GM may ask you to make a Check to see if your do. Describe your character’s intents, from success to self
endeavours are successful. Depending on the scene, some restraint or doubt, so that the GM can accurately assess
actions may or may not be permitted by the GM. There are the situation. The more specific you are, the better the GM
four main types of Checks. can tell your story.

Reflexive Checks Step Two: Modifiers

These can be completed in under 1 second. These Checks
The GM will declare what Image and Aptitudes are involved
usually are done in response to threats and intuition. You
in the Check. The sum of these two stats will determine the
may immediately reshuffle the cards revealed into the Deck
maximum number cards you may reveal in a Check. This is
without taking an additional turn.
known as your Draw.
Simple Checks According to the situation, the GM may offer Mod-
ifiers to help or hinder your Check. These modifi-
Actions that can be completed in 3 seconds. Like Reflex-
ers may come in the form of additional Successes
ive actions, your character only has time to make a single
or adjustments to the number of cards drawn.
Simple Check per turn.
You may also voluntarily reduce your Draw to a
Teamwork Checks minimum of 2 cards.
When attempting to assist a friend, describe to the GM how The GM will also announce the Success Threshold for the
you are helping your companion. You may spend your turn task. This will be the number to beat. For simple mundane
to draw 2 cards from your Deck. The value limit for the tasks, the recommended threshold is 2 Successes. Each
cards you reveal will be equal to your ally’s Draw. Add any number above 2 indicates an increase in difficulty for the
Successes gained to your ally’s Success pool. task. (GMs, please see “Success thresholds” on page 99.)

Extended Checks Step Three: Draw

Complicated moves that require 10 or more minutes to
Reveal cards from the top of the Deck equal to your declared
complete, these Checks may need more than one attempt
Draw. Sort out the cards by suit. Depending on the Image
to resolve. Every point in the appropriate Aptitude allows
used in the Check, you will be looking for different suits.
you may make an additional draw.
As a reminder;
For example, a character with Medic 3 can make
Spades for Intent (Intelligence, Insight)
up to three Intelligence + Medic Checks to treat
Clubs for Feats (Force, Finesse)
a single injury on another character.
Hearts for Conduct (Charm, Cunning)
Diamonds for Push (Potential, Perseverance)
Recompose
If you find that your Deck is exhausted or running low on
Perseverance
cards, you may Recompose yourself. This represents your If you do not have any cards left in your Deck but want to
character taking a few moments to breathe, regain, and draw more cards, you may spend a point of Perseverance.
face the task at hand with renewed vigour. Reshuffle your Discard into your Deck. Continue the Check
as normal.
When in a Low Intensity Scene or Downtime Scene, this
action can be completed at any time.
In a High Intensity Scene, choosing to rest and take a
Step Four: Counting
couple moments to think can be a deadly delay, but many Review the cards revealed. Only cards of the correct suit will
humans do not deal well under constant stress and exertion. contribute to your Successes. Unless otherwise specified,
Recomposing will take up your character’s Simple action Aces have a value of one.
during their turn.
When the value of a card is below or equal to
Spend your next Simple Action to reshuffle your Discard pile the Draw, it adds its full value as Successes.
into your Deck. Removed cards may not be shuffled back
When the value of a card is above the Draw, it
into your Deck through this action. You may also complete
adds only One Success.
tasks like Perception checks, changing/picking up gear,
moving, or reloading weapons.
Step Five: Changes Step Six: Calculation 47
By putting your body and mind on the line, you can succeed Depending on the outcome of your draw, your character
through sheer willpower and determination. Before the may succeed or fail at their task. The GM will resolve the
Check is finalised, you may have a chance to change the task as appropriate to your success, though the outcome
outcome of your action. may be altered by any Conditions revealed.

Potential Success:
This may only be completed once per Check when you have If the total Successes is greater than the Success Thresh-
a Diamond in your hand. Select any card. Treat this card old, your character succeeds in their task.
as if it were a suit of your choice for the remainder of this
Check. At the end of the Check, place it in the Removed pile. Critical Success:
If the Check succeeds and all cards drawn are of the same
Compromise suit, your character succeeds wildly in their task. This can
Sometimes you have to burn more than just your options, push your character towards their goals by leaps and bounds.
you have to sacrifice parts of your future as well. In High
Intensity Scenes, you may voluntarily shuffle a new Con- Grave Failure:
dition or Joker card into your Deck. You will gain additional
If 3 or more cards are revealed of the same incorrect suit, the
Successes as follows:
scene takes a turn for the worse. The Check fails, causing
Jokers: 5 Successes significant problems in the process.
Kings: 3 Successes
Queens: 2 Successes
Jacks: 1 Success
Step Seven: Reset
At the end of the Check, your turn is over. Send all cards
This can be done up to (Potential + Perseverance) times
used this turn to their correct piles.
per scene, and once per individual Check. Just remember,
your character can only ever have 4 Kings, 4 Queens, 4 Numbered, Joker, and Queen cards revealed
Jacks, and 2 Jokers at any given time. Jokers gained in are sent to the Discard pile.
this fashion are considered Challenges that your character Jacks are sent to the Removed pile.
will not be able to remove. Kings are shuffled back into your Deck.

Example
Marley needs to cause a distraction so that her dad can sneak
into the construction site. She spots a lone guard having
lunch. The girl approaches the man and quietly reaching
out for the radio dangling from his belt.
To steal the radio without being noticed Marley’s player, Jodi,
has been asked by her GM to make a Finesse + Larceny
Check with a Success Threshold of 5 (♣} being the desired
suit. With Marley’s Finesse 2 and Larceny 2, her Draw will be
4 cards. Revealing her 4 cards from the top of her Deck, she
has the cards 5 (♣), 2 (♣), 2 (♠) and 5 (♦) in front of her.
Only the 2 cards are of the correct suit. Jodi gains 2 Suc-
cesses from the 2 (♣) since its value is under the Draw
(4). However, only 1 Success from the 5 (♣), since its value
is greater than the Draw (4). The total successes at this
point in time is a grand total of 3 Successes, 2 shy of the
necessary 5. Since she has a (♦) card in her hand, she
has two options.
1. Fail the Check
2. Spend a point of Potential and remove the 2
(♠) for two additional successes.
48 Scenes
No story is set as simply just one single thing; there is always a beginning, middle, and end, or a problem and a resolution.
While not to say it is impossible to do it differently, a story that can engage our attention for hours at a time needs to
have shifts in dynamics or new information divulged as it progresses. Like running a marathon across town, you cannot
just sprint from start to end, you need to control the pace or you’ll burn out.
A group may end up experiencing several scenes in a single tabletop sitting. Some may be separated by the theme of
the encounter, the others would be by location. By mixing these moments together, we can form a coherent session.
As a rule of thumb, scenes are separated by a change of location or theme. In Parselings, we separate them into three
categories; Downtime, Low Intensity Scenes, and High intensity Scenes.

Low Intensity Downtime

These will most likely make up the bulk of your sessions. Downtime consists of the time your character spends living
Despite the large ranges of moods that a scene can carry, their normal life. These might be interesting moments in your
these are the moments of exploration and idle banter carried characters life, and may even involve other players, but by
out in safety without the fear of immediate danger. Keep and large are mundane enough to be left in the background
in mind, one wrong move or slip up can easily cause this or talked about in passing. Periods such as these generally
scene to devolve into its more dangerous cousin, the High don’t need to be role played, but they can be fleshed out
Intensity Scene. in Low Intensity Scenes if you feel it is important enough.
Exploration, banter, and investigations all fall under Low These types of scenes are when your character completes
Intensity scenes. These scenes can range from minutes to their research or side projects by themselves, when the party
hours, if not longer. You may Recompose your Deck at any sleeps or eats, or when they travel in the group. Depending
time, as it’s easy to take a couple moments to breathe when on the scale of time, the GM can allow you to do a number
your life isn’t on the line. of different things.

High Intensity Travelling

Travelling can be all about the journey, the conversations
When all the chips are down and you’re staring at your adver-
you have with friends, the food you eat, and the jokes you
saries, you know the stakes are high. You could be negoti-
share—things that you’ll laugh about for years to come. Other
ating with an informant, trying to wrangle every detail they
times it’s about the destination, resting and relaxing while
may have. A High Intensity scene is all about the tension,
travelling from point A to point B. Travelling in downtime
when each second matters.
is all about cutting time between scenes to a sentence or
Typically these scenes cover things like combat, intense two to keep the pace of the story up. Sure you could spend
negotiations, or other time-sensitive events. There are a the next half an hour making your way across the city or
couple key rules that define a High Intensity scene. the country, but it might not be the most exhilarating or
thought-provoking use of your time.
Turn order and Initiative may be required. The
order of events is highly important to how issues When there aren’t any significant or foreseeable obstacles
are resolved. from moving from place to place, it is recommended that
this is a downtime action. During this time, you may remove
No extended actions. These scenes happen in
Jack Conditions (or any other Conditions of the GM’s choos-
mere seconds, there’s simply not enough time
ing) from your Deck.
to conduct some of these actions.
Recomposing will require a Simple Action. You
may not Recompose your Deck without GM
consent. Taking a couple moments to think can
be a deadly, but inevitably people will need a
moment to recuperate.
Information
Suggested Aptitudes: Etiquette, Perception, Memory,
Recovery 49
As you traverse through the story you will find that the cuts
Research, Rumours.
and bruises and the mental fatigue will build up, leaving your
Outcome: For every 2-3 Successes, ask 1 question of the
cards and resources exhausted. By undertaking the follow-
GM. The answers provided will differ based on the Aptitude.
ing actions in your Downtime, you can slowly replenish your
Information often isn’t just out and open for the taking. character’s reserves and get them back in fighting shape.
While a surprising amount can be gleaned from the most
obscure sources, finding those sources, and knowing the art Meals
of making use of them, are skills that take an active effort. Recover: 1 point of Potential and Perseverance per meal
Limitation: Max 3 meals per day.
Chasing rumours may find you some questionable answers,
as stories can change when its passed from person to One of life’s simplest pleasures is eating. A warm meal will
person, but some information is purposefully never put to fill your stomach and rejuvenate the soul. By keeping your-
text. Rifling through literature and other sources of informa- self well fed and looked after, you can fight another day and
tion can yield some hard facts, but if you are investigating push through any adversity.
a new phenomena or something illicit these records could
be heavily audited or not there at all. If you’d rather rest Sleep
your investigations on your own gut instinct, you could be Recover: 1 Syllable
traced or miss vital clues or, worse, find yourself alone with Limitation: Max 1 per day.
the killer at the scene of the crime.
Dreams are the stories that come to us in the night, they fill
our heads with stories which blend with our own emotions.
Crafting Fears and anger seep in as our brains try to prepare for the
Suggested Aptitudes: Crafts or Technology. possible dangers we could face. There are many theories
on what dreams actually are and why we have them, but for
What is a warrior without their sword, a blacksmith without
a Parseling they mean something different. As a Parseling
their hammer or a driver without their car? Having the right
sleeps, their dreams are shaped by the Parsecyte to become
tools for the job is essential for success and to make the
a twisted reflection of who they are. The Parsecyte replen-
most of your skills. While it is sometimes easier to buy your
ishes its energy and further entwines itself with the host.
gear, some people take pride in their handiwork enjoy the
process of making things from scratch.
Natural Healing
In order to even consider making gear from scratch, you Recover: 1 card from Wounds per 2 days.
will need the base materials to work with. Discuss with the Recover: 1 card from Health Damage per 7 days, if no
GM what you may need and how you could obtain these cards are in the Wounds pile.
materials. For some you may need to embark on a quest
It’s said that time will heal all wounds, but weeks, months,
of sorts to obtain them. Then once all the ingredients are
and even years can pass before a person can reach a full
gathered, you will need to make a Finesse + Crafts or Intel-
recovery from some injuries. We adapt easily to minor set-
ligence + Crafts Check.
backs, but it doesn’t change the fact that we were hurt
The quality of the gear is dependent upon the number of suc- and sometimes that can take years to mend. This happens
cesses garnered over the set of Extended Checks. Remem- naturally as we reset and take care of ourselves, but it can
ber, the maximum number of checks you can complete is be sped up through various means.
limited by your level in Craft.
Medical treatment
Table 3.3: Crafting table Extended Check: Intelligence + Medic
Recover: 1 card from Wounds per 2 Successes, to a
Level Modifier Successes maximum equal to the Draw of the Check.
Recover: 1 card from Health Damage per 10 Successes.
Makeshift 0 14 Limitation: Max 1 Extended Check per day.
Standard 1 28 Though not always possible, careful management of the
High quality 2 56 wounded is needed to prevent infection and other compli-
cations from occurring. Despite the advances in medicine,
Supernatural 3 112 clinicians are still limited to several forms of treatment;
removing the cause of the injury, stabilising their patient,
Unnatural 4 224 or helping with the management of pain.
Mythic 5 448
50 Combat
Here comes the hard part. Conflict is on the horizon and
you’ve got to hurt someone, or they’ll do worse. At some
points in your game you may not be able to escape the
need to fight, so it’s best to learn how to defend yourself.
Combat is considered a High Intensity scene.

Turn Order
In all games, it’s important to determine the order in which
characters can act. This is known as the Turn Order. Being
the first to act has many benefits. You might push your foes
onto the defensive from the get go, or brace your character Step One: Attack
against harm. It often means others are reacting to the full
You are on the offence, ready to deal out the pain. If this is
range of choices you present them, and that you are acting
you, describe what you want to do to your opponent. The
with a full Deck.
GM will ask you to make the appropriate Check. If this is
Each turn taken happens in quick succession. The entire not you, jump to step two.
rotation of the turn order should only last the span of in-game
3 seconds: enough for your character to respond to threats, Melee Attack
but far too little for them to take their time and undertake Type: Simple Action
Extended Actions. Check: Force + Melee
Suit: Clubs
On your turn you may move a distance up to your Speed and
Contested by: Defence
undertake a single Simple Action. You may not take any
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses
Extended Actions during Combat. Doing so will remove you
from the turn order, as each turn is a matter of seconds, Its close quarters, and anything goes. Fists, bats, bottles,
and the precise work that is required in extended actions martial arts, you name it and you can use it. Melee attacks
cannot be completed. are all about the close combat, about beating down your
foes before they get you. Just be careful—your opponent
Determining Order will probably get a chance to strike back.
Draw a single card from your Deck and add your Initiative When making an attack at close quarters, the GM will ask
(See ”Derived Statistics” on page 43) to the value of that you to use this Check. If you are using weapons or anything
card. This becomes your Initiative score. beyond your bare fists, remember to apply the Equipment
Modifier as additional successes.
The higher your Initiative score, the earlier your character
will act. If you are near another allied character, you may
combine your Initiative with theirs to form a Group Initiative.
Ranged Attack
Type: Simple Action
If the scores are tied, the individual with the Check: Finesse + Ranged
highest base Initiative will go first. Suit: Clubs
Contested by: Defence
The GM will order the characters from highest Initiative to
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses
lowest. At this time, you may Recompose your Deck.
When attacking at range, you will be relying on this Check.
Group Initiative You may add your equipment as a success modifier. Some
(Highest Individual Initiative—(Group Size)) firearms have the Automatic trait, which can be used in
Burst and Full Auto modes. (See “Automatic” on page 54).
Communication may slow down the process for the fastest
individuals, but there is only so much you can achieve alone.
As a pack you can work in quick succession, preventing
Vehicular Attack
Type: Simple Action
your foes from disrupting your plans as well as letting you
Check: Force + Ride
protect one another.
Suit: Clubs
When co-ordinating as a team it makes sense to move as a Contested by: Defence
group. You may form a group with a friendly character within Modifiers: Equipment, Parses, Vehicle Armour
your character’s Speed. At any time on your turn, you may
A car’s mass and size can easily make for a devastating
join up with other characters to form a group.
blow. After making an attack, add your car’s Armour as
bonus successes.
 51

Step Two: Defence Step Three: Wounds

You are the one about to get hurt, the one who needs to keep The blows have been traded, and it’s time to see how you
moving if you like that pretty face of yours. When attacked, have fared. Reduce the attacker’s successes by the defend-
the GM will ask how you would like to react to the threat. er’s Defence. If the attacker’s successes are not reduced to
zero, the defender will suffer Wounds.
Defence For each remaining success in the attacker’s success pool,
Stat: (Perseverance + Insight + Finesse + Cunning) / 2
the defender sends cards from the top of their Deck into
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses
the Wounds pile.
No trick, or skill, or technique is too dirty if it keeps you alive.
If there are insufficient cards in the player’s Deck,
Your Defence will always apply unless you actively drop your
Recompose their Deck and send the top cards
guard or are under external influences.
from their Deck into the Wounds pile. Unless they
When attacked, you may apply your Defence as a Negative spend a point of Perseverance, they will lose their
Success Modifier. With the GM’s permission, wearing armour next simple action.
may add Equipment as additional penalties.
Health Damage
Dodge If the total of your Deck and Discard is less than 4, you
Type: Simple Action
will take Health Damage. Shuffle your Wounds, Discard,
Check: (Perseverance + Insight + Finesse + Cunning) / 2
Removed, and Deck together and send the top card of the
Suit: Clubs
Deck to the Health Damage pile.
Contested by: Attack(s)
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses Depending on the situation, the GM may elect to
add a Condition into your Deck that is suitable
Dodging uses your Simple Action to avoid being hurt. You
to the scene.
may not undertake another Simple Action this turn. Add your
successes to your Defence until your next turn. When your Health Damage exceeds the Health of your char-
acter, they will either die or undergo Incoherency. (See “Inco-
If you are sharing your Initiative with an ally, you may also
herency” on page 73).
use your dodge action to bolster one person’s Defence until
your next turn.

Defensive Driving
Type: Reflexive Action
Check: Finesse + Ride
Suit: Clubs
Contested by: Attack(s)
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses, Vehicle Armour
Your driver may attempt to make a Finesse + Ride Check to
defend the vehicle’s occupants. This uses the car’s speed and
body to shield the passengers from harm. After making the
Check you may add your Car’s Armour as bonus successes.
52 Equipment
Over the course of a campaign, various items will be gained and lost. Some of these items make tasks easier, while others
are required to even attempt certain tasks. (See “Appendix B: Equipment” on page 168 for a list of examples)
While it’s a poor craftsman who blames their tools, it is always important to remember that they were developed for a reason.
Without them, even simple tasks can be a major challenge. When choosing your tools, you’ll need to evaluate a few things.

Weight Equipment levels

Measured in kilograms, this is how heavy an object is. Most Equipment is abstracted in Parselings, then Manifested into
of the tools we have in our day to day life have a negligible a series of 5 categories, each providing a static bonus to all
weight—individually, they may not be a problem for us to draws that they are usable in. These bonuses are applied to
carry. However it is an entirely different question when they any draw they are used in that results in at least 1 success.
are all bundled together. This property is only needed if the
GM is enforcing the Carry statistic. Standard Equipment ( + 1)
Bonus: + 1
Consumable In many cases, this is the minimum equipment needed to
do a task, or to give a slight edge. This is a pocket knife in
Few things in this world are built to last. Electronic gear
a fight, or a crowbar for opening a door. If quality matters,
runs on electricity, and lamps need fuel. Equipment with
this is average (or slightly lower) quality gear.
this property will have a limited number of uses, before it
becomes useless. In some cases you will still have the phys-
ical object, but in other cases you’ll have nothing but fond
High Quality Equipment( + 2)
Bonus: + 2
memories of the tools that saved your life.
This is higher quality, or more numerous and varied, equip-
Concealment ment than what is necessarily required for a task. For tasks
where equipment is required, this is all of the necessary
More often than not, certain items and weapons draw tools as well as additional tools to make the task easier.
unwanted attention from anyone from passers-by to law
enforcement, and you will need to hide your gear. Some Superior Equipment ( + 3)
gear is more innocuous than others. These will have the Bonus: + 3
Concealment trait.
Equipment at this point encompasses only the most top
Should your character be carrying a weapon without the of the line equipment, and for cases where you have every
Concealment trait, the GM may ask you to make Stealth useful tool imaginable for the task. It also encompasses
Checks to avoid detection. equipment created or enchanted with major Parses. It is
the temporarily enchanted fix-it screwdriver, or a full met-
alworking workshop.

Unnatural Equipment ( + 4)
Bonus: + 4
Equipment at this point has left the mundane world behind
and embraced the true power of Parsing. Equipment in the
unnatural category is reserved for equipment created or
enchanted through a grand or better Parse. Equipment at
this point may not necessarily make sense, but few can
justifiably say it isn’t effective.

Mythic equipment ( + 5)
Bonus: + 5
By this point you are stretching things to even consider
these items as “equipment”. Typically enchanted or created
through a divine Parse or truly supernatural event, these
tools have a life and story of their own.
 53

Vehicles
Stories never stand in one place, they move from place to place. But if you are tired and burnt out from a long hazardous
day, sometimes walking is not the answer. Lucky for you, there’s plenty of ways of getting around, Trains, planes, cars,
and boats—humanity has globalized thanks to improvements in our transport. Easier, faster, and safer, vehicles are the
best way to travel in style.
Throughout your journey you may encounter vehicles that make the trip easier. Unless in duress, it is assumed that you
can act and utilise the transport as designed. Though in stressful scenarios, be it Incoherents breathing down your back
or escaping the onslaught of the law, you may need to rely upon your Ride Aptitude.
The following traits cover some of the important bits and bobs about what you need to consider about your chosen trans-
port. (See “Appendix B: Equipment” on page 168 for a list of examples)

Speed Properties
As with humans, a vehicle’s speed is measured in meters per Cars are all built for different reasons. The following are
3 seconds (the duration of a turn). This is the safe speed to properties specific to vehicles
be travelling in a single turn without encountering obstacles.
Cargo
In comparison to regular creatures, vehicles will vastly out
pace them at the cost of fine movements and turns. This vehicle was intended to carry goods and
large, bulky items. There is a wide variety of
Integrity transport vehicles in the world, intended for
animals, machinery, consumer goods, or people.
Everything and anything can be broken, nothing is immor- They are not limited to air, water, or road, and
tal. Integrity is a vehicle’s capability to withstand damage. many are reinforced and durable vehicles.
This represents how many hits a vehicle may take before
Off-road
it is unable to function at full capacity. Should this value
be doubled, the object is rendered broken and unusable. This applies to any vehicle that was designed
with the intent of travelling on and off paved or
Armour man-made roads. They have the ability to travel
into the wilderness and less travelled paths with
Armour is a vehicle’s capacity to resist hits. When attacked greater ease.
(or attacking), the vehicle automatically applies its Armour
Training Required
to any Combat Checks.
Many types of vehicles need special instructions
While driving the car, you may also apply your Armour to
to operate lawfully and safely. Most people do
protect your vehicle and your passengers. Treat the Armour
not commonly have the training or knowledge to
as a negative success penalty to attackers.
drive these vehicles. In order to operate these
vehicles, you will need to purchase the Training
Capacity Trick (See “Training” on page 157).
This is how many humans the vehicle is capable of legally
carrying. Usually this is dictated by weight limits, seating,
and safety measures installed into the vehicle. While you
could go beyond this capacity, it is not necessary incon-
spicuous or safe.
54 Weapons
At times during this game, your characters will face different adversaries. Sometimes it will be necessary to gear up to
deal with these enemies. This section will outline basic information about the different properties of weapons.

Properties Range
Every tool has been designed to suit our various needs Each weapon is designed with a specific Range in mind. Get
throughout human history—to hurt or harm, to protect or too far, or too close, and they will fail to meet their target.
hide. The following rules are specific to weapons. If your target is outside of your range you will not gain any
bonus modifiers when using the weapon.
Melee
These weapons were designed to be used at close range. It
Melee
needs nothing to function other than itself. Weapons with Give or take, this distance is within your character’s Speed.
this property are governed by the Melee Aptitude. You are actively moving to hit your target directly, or swinging
your weapon of choice against their flesh. For some ranged
Ranged weapons, you may be better off treating it as a club if your
target gets this close.
This weapon was designed to be used at a distance (usually).
While you gain the benefits of distance, you have a trade off
of needing ammo. Weapons with this property are governed
Short (1m—7m)
by the Ranged Aptitude. Not quite melee range, but pretty close to it. This range
extends out a few meters (or yards), and is no longer than
Automatic an average room.
Some conventional firearms have the option of firing more
than one bullet with each squeeze of the trigger. By holding
Medium (7m—21m)
down the trigger of a gun, they can continually fire bullets This range extends across a house or possibly 2, but not
at the target. Though more bullets are fired, it does not much further. Targets are still clearly visible to the average
improve the marksmanship of the shooter. Rather, it expends person’s naked eye at this range.
more bullets and increase the chances of the target being
hit. There are two types of automatic gun fire: Burst, and Long (21m—100m)
Full Auto.
At this range you are approaching the point where targets
Burst: appear smaller than they actually are. This range covers
several city block, though not so far as the naked eye will
When the burst setting is set on an automatic
have trouble seeing.
gun, a single squeeze of the trigger fires a pre-
determined amount of bullets.
Extreme (100m—800m)
When making a Burst attack, spend 3 ammo and
At this range it is getting difficult (or impossible) to see your
increase your Draw by 1.
target, let alone aim accurately at them without special
Full Auto: equipment or powers.
By squeezing down on the trigger, the gun’s inter-
nal mechanism keeps the bullets firing. Typically
Indirect
this continues until the trigger is released, or the This is more of a modifier to the type of range category
ammunition is consumed. than a range category itself. Ranges listed as “indirect”
mean that they can be fired (within reason) without direct
When making a Full Auto attack, spend 14 ammo
line of sight on a target. This includes things like throwing
and increase your Draw by 2.
grenades over walls or mortars.
 55
Ammo Capacity
Every weapon has a number of uses, something
fuelling their capacity to hurt. Bullets, arrows, even
good old throwing knives and axes—if it has the Ranged
property, it is bound to have ammo.
Once a gun runs out of ammo you will need to take a
breather and reload your gun. You can spend a turn
reloading the gun and, as a bonus, you may also take
the action to Recompose yourself, reshuffling your
Discard into your Deck.

Single
Bows, crossbows, and thrown weapons typically can
only be used once before preparation is necessary to
fire again. Single shot weapons, as their name indi-
cates, only allow for one shot before needing to be
reloaded.

Small
Typically reserved for smaller guns like pistols,revolv-
ers, and BB guns,
A small ammo capacity contains 7 shots, or 2 Bursts.

Medium
Guns such as assault rifles or submachine guns have
larger capacities than their smaller companions.
A medium ammo capacity contains 28 shots, or 9
Bursts, or 2 Full Autos (or combination thereof).

Large
Machine guns and the larger variations of firearms
have much larger and bulkier forms, allowing for larger
ammunition chambers.
A large ammo capacity contains 56 shots, or 18 Bursts,
or 4 Full Autos (or combination thereof).

Belt
Weapons that use belts of ammunition are easy to spot
and difficult to conceal. In exchange, these unwieldy
weapons can have a large chain of ammunition fed
into their chambers.
An Ammo Belt contains 112 shots, or 39 Bursts, or 8
Full Autos (or combination thereof).
 56 “Are you sure you’ll be fine taking care of the shop alone?”
Lillian frets, wringing her hands at the flowers she’s been
The delivery itself is easy enough to make, though she
nearly slipped over a puddle of melted ice cream on the
asked to deliver to a hospital near Tenor Academy. sidewalk at one point. However, considering the precarious
architecture of Nominal City, it’s really not the worst hazard
“I’ll be fine,” Sven clicks his tongue. “Really, I should be
to Ask and not Go Astray
she could have run into. Every day, there’s some sort of
more worried about you, heading across the city and all.”
construction going on, whether it’s new buildings going up
“Uncle,” Lillian pauses, realizing his point. “Okay.” or people trying to salvage the ruins into something usable.
He gives her a smile, turning back to the computer. He’s Maybe she could fall into mud somewhere, Lillian thinks.
been trying to learn how to code lately, something about Make enough of a mess that it would be unthinkable to go
making a website for the flower shop, and grumbles about out. But.. Sven would see through it in a heartbeat. Though
being too old for this aside (even though he’s only 38, but he might not ask why, he’d still have that unspoken air of
Lillian lets him complain) it’s been going well. “You can meet disappointment. Besides, she’s already made an agree-
up with your friend, if you’d like,” Sven says. ment to meet up at a popular spot on the Tenor Academy
campus; old friends that Lillian had thought she’d fallen
“What?”
out of contact with only to message her like the digital
“You were talking about meeting up with someone at ghost of her secondary school years.
Tenor, weren’t you?” he asks.
Bar-bel, found after a half hour of wandering around the
Lillian gathers up the flowers in her arms, not making library before finally going down a seedy set of stairs tucked
eye contact. “We were going to, but they wanted to meet away in the library foyer and into an area that was more
up during the afternoon, and I’m busy.” of a university food court than a bar. Copious amounts of
bookshelves line the walls and a variety of questionable
“Not anymore you’re not.” Sven shoos her off with one
snacks are on the chalkboard above the counter. Fried
hand. “Go and have fun with your friends, Lily, I don’t want
squid and tteokbokki is one thing, but… apple pepper
to see you back here until dinner. Or after. Take a break.”
jam sandwiches?
With those words, she’s figuratively kicked out of the
The place is narrow, almost claustrophobic because
shop and sent off, flowers in hand. Sven doesn’t hear a
of the way the furniture is set up, but there is still plenty
word of protest, she can’t help but feel like a scolded child.
enough space to lounge around on a couch or dance under
She’s done nothing wrong. Well, maybe she’s used work as
the partially intact disco ball. There’s even a DJ booth tucked
an excuse to not meet with her old friends. Just maybe.
in the back, near the bookshelves. For now though there
are no flashing lights, thudding music, or familiar faces.
Lillian checks her phone,only to realize that within the half
hour it took for her to find the entrance, all of her friends
suddenly had reasons to not show up. A paper deadline
here, a pet needing to go to the vet there, and several other
mundane happenings that sum up to:
“This was pointless,” she sighs.
 She sits down on one of the suspiciously lumpy couches
to catch the breath she just sighed. It would be easy to
“Like what” Lillian asks. “Apple pepper jam sandwiches?”
The girl giggles. “They’re not that bad… well, they’re not
57
go back but then she would have to deal with her uncle
for everyone. We have a lot of other snacks though. There’s
being disappointed. At what exactly she isn’t sure, but
a lot of ways other than alcohol to stop thinking about
considering how concerned he’s been lately at her “lack

to Ask and not Go Astray

things here. Maybe you just want a terrible sandwich, or a
of social life” his disapproval would turn into “ways to get
really greasy grilled cheese.”
out of the house”.
“It’s not a bar?” Lillian tries.
There’s something about parents and being hypocrites,
Lillian has to bite her tongue to not point out that he doesn’t “I mean well, it is, but there’s all the hours people aren’t
have any life outside of the shop either. Then again, there’s looking to drink or just want to hang out. And of course,
the whole business of how he sometimes disappears at the people who choose not to drink. More of a food court?”
night and doesn’t turn up until it’s time to open. It’s suspi-
Lillian turns towards the bookshelves with new under-
cious as hell but she’s not touching that with a ten-meter
standing, the girl follows her gaze.
stick. Especially considering his moonlight activities might
be why he has a pistol in the backroom. “Orrrrr study for finals,” she looks back to Lillian. “You
don’t go here do you?”
The lumpy couch is actually more comfortable than she
first thought, considering that it seemed like she blinked Lillian laughs like her limbic system has overtaken her
once and the number of patrons in the bar doubled. mouth, whatever that even means. “Yeah, uh, like I said—
I was going to meet some friends but they’re- not here.”
Someone else is on the couch now and is staring at
her over a bright orange drink. “Are you okay?” the girl “Rrrriiiiight.” She blinks, owlish and completely benign.
asks, waving a hand in Lillian’s face, “Or are you stoned “I’m Sylvia by the way. Honestly, I don’t go here either, but
or something?” I work in the area.”
Lillian blinks, “Stoned?” she repeats, “No, I just found out “Oh…” Lillian doesn’t know what to say to that. Maybe
all my friends ditched me last minute.” She’s not exactly her name? “I’m… just visiting.”
sure why she says that to a complete stranger, but it sure
“Okay then, ‘Just Visiting’,” Slyvia doesn’t bat an eyelash
feels good to let the words out.
even though Lillian is fumbling over her own name. “I’m
The girl nods, bangs bouncing in her face. “That’s awful,” not gonna ask why you’ve just been sitting here but at the
she says. “On purpose?” very least you should try something. It would be a shame
otherwise.”
“No, they all had… stuff. Last minute stuff.” Lillian waves
a hand around as if to indicate the very many different “I’m not having an apple pepper jam sandwich.” Lillian
reasons, and then drops it. “I don’t think it was on purpose.” blurts out.
Then again, it would serve her right for all the times that
“Don’t worry, there’s at least twenty other things on the
she dodged out of meeting up.
menu you can try.” With that Sylvia takes Lillian by the arm
“Right.” The girl sips her drink. It’s the same color as her and pulls her over to the counter.
eyeshadow, contrasting vividly against her brown skin.
A week and three other dishes at Bar-bel later with Sylvia
“I was going to meet up with a buddy too, but there was
sets it pretty much in stone.
some ‘big’ thing at his work.” She rolls her eyes and scoots
closer to Lillian, who finds herself sitting up straight. “Why (Alternate to the last two paragraphs.) It’s only about a
are you still here then? Brian said you’ve been just sitting week and three bizarre dishes later, all at the Bar-bel, that
here for an entire hour.” Lillian realises that by some miracle that Sylvia is here to
stay. Sven, if anything, had been all too happy about Lillian
“Brian?” Lillian asks, and then, “An hour?”
having a social life outside of the shop.
“Yeah,” the girl points at the bartender, who nods at
Sylvia Rodriguez, as Lillian learns over the course of
them. “So, why are you still here?”
several other meals (none of which are apple pepper jam
“Um, I just lost track of time.” sandwiches) is 23 and works for Accidens Corps. She never
says exactly what she does, but her talent for talking a
She nods. “Well, it would be a shame if you left just like
mile a minute about everything and nothing means that
that. You haven’t even had anything.”
it doesn’t really matter. It’s never really quiet with Sylvia,
“I don’t drink.” Lillian says. unlike the many years that Lillian grew used to Uncle Sven’s
thoughtful silence. Not that either are bad, but it’s… dif-
Her protests are immediately overrun with a, “You don’t
ferent. A change.
have to drink, but there’s a lot of fun things on the menu
other than alcohol.”
 58 “It’s not about looking good,” Sylvia voice giggles in her
head, laughing, “It’s about feeling good. Moving with the
The night rages on and at some point, Lillian finds herself
sitting next to Augustine, who has taken his drink and set
music, y’know?” up in a booth nearby. A laptop and documents stamped
with the Accidens Corps’ insignia, enough to suggest that
It takes two weeks for Sylvia to coax Lillian to the
no one should probably be looking at. Even with the DJ on
to Ask and not Go Astray

dance floor. Lillian rarely ends up staying late enough

full blast, he sits there typing calmly, referencing papers
that someone slides into the DJ booth and the disco ball
every now and then, never forgetting to take a sip of his
starts turning. Two left feet matter little in the face of
neon drink.
sheer enthusiasm, as it turns out. It might never have ever
mattered at allThe attention is a heady thing, like buds “So you work at Accidens Corps too?” Lilian asks, waving
opening up in the sun, fragrant and soft. Sylvia’s attention, at his set up.
specifically, but Lillian can feel others looking when they’re
Augustine doesn’t look up. “Yes, we both do. Though my
together. Drawn, perhaps, by how loud they end up talking,
department is far less hands on than Sylvia’s.”
or perhaps it’s just Sylvia, whose hair bounces with every
step and makes Lillian want to bounce along. “What does that mean?” The way that he speaks is even.
Like everything else about him, there’s no indication of
It’s… easy. It’s a different kind of easy than being with
whether or not it’s a bad thing or a good thing.
Uncle Sven. Everyday having something new to look forward
to, as opposed to the comfortable routine that she’s fallen He glances up at her, smiling again. “How much has
into for the past several years. she told you?”
Even after a month, maybe two, the freshness doesn’t Lillian tries not to shuffle in her seat like a child in front
die down even after Sylvia and her have run through the of a headmaster. From the corner of her eye she sees
gamut of the menu. From there, it’s onto new places to Sylvia at the counter, lounging in a loose oversized jacket.
meet up, new songs to hear, sometimes new people to “Well, that you both work in Accidens Corps, but nothing
meet; and yet through it all, Sylvia’s company makes Lilian really beyond that.”
feel like she’s walked into a meadow that always has some-
“Right,” Augustine nods. He pushes his laptop aside,
thing new to offer. There’s no thinking, no analysis. It’s just
folding his hands to give her the full weight of his atten-
about feeling good.
tion. “Sylvia, she’s part of our PR department. On the other
She didn’t know exactly what she was expecting when hand, I mostly stick to the back rooms and the offices, and
Sylvia introduced her to her best friend. It certainly wasn’t occasionally the laboratories.”
Augustine Rucker, who was 186 cm with intensely dark eyes
“Public relations?” Lillian echoes. “I can see that.”
and the demeanor of a Christian church pastor waiting
for you to confess your sins to him — and if you did, it Augustine just offers a placid smile. The both of them
would work, and you’d be forgiven. The fact that he had smile quite often, she realizes. Then also the fact that
a shaved head and was wearing a black button-up just he’s given her a non-answer of the sort that Uncle Sven
added to the image. would squint at. “Public relations, negotiation. We used to
work together.”
“It’s nice to meet you!” Lillian took his offered hand, trying
to meet his eyes, but she couldn’t help but look between “Negotiator?”
him and Sylvia. “Sylvia’s, ah. Well she hasn’t told me much
“If you’re really so curious about her, why don’t you just
about you, to be honest.”
ask her yourself?” The way he looks between her and Sylvia
“Don’t worry,” Augustine said, lips curling in the faintest is very amused.
show of amusement, “She has told me quite a bit about you.”
Lilian blushes, she’s not sure why exactly she’s blushing
Sylvia sputters, taking both their hands in hers. “Well, but her cheeks heat up. “Well, Sylvia’s a bit— distracting.”
what else are we supposed to talk about? Work?” Unfor- Somehow it always slips her mind to ask, and it’s never felt
tunately the lights of the bar are too dim at this time for like it was a necessary topic to bring up, not when she’s
Lillian to make out his expression, but whatever Sylvia sees busy feeling her way through this tentative new fragile
has her taking both of Lillian’s hands in hers and pulling bond they hand.
her away. “Don’t answer that, just stay here and drink your
“Sylvia’s distracting,” Augustine mouths, an almost gleeful
old man drinks.”
upturn to his eyes. “Well, I can’t say that I haven’t heard
As they hit the edge of the crowd, Lillian makes out one that one before. But this is the first time I’ve seen her
mocking toast from Augustine’s hand with a bright yellow equally distracted.”
drink and a little parasol.
… Okay, so not that much like a priest then.
 Before Lilian can ask him what he means by that, Sylvia’s
sliding into the booth next to her, sweeping the papers
“I’m happy.” The words fall out of her mouth without
any restraint. It’s such a strange thing to say. That she’s
59
aside. “You better not have been talking about your old man happy. It’s not that she’s unhappy most of the time, so to
news here, Auggie.” Which at this point, Lillian knows is say, but most of the time she’s just… Satisfied. Content.
code for shop talk. Before she knows it, Sylvia’s arm is over Not thinking about states of joy or sadness, just going

to Ask and not Go Astray

her shoulder, pushing an odd dish onto the table. Casually with calm ebb and flow of the routine in her little world.
slipping chopsticks into the florist’s hands. “They’ve added Sylvia and Augustine are a change that she looks forward
a new menu item, I thought you’d like to try.” to every day. A new norm.
Like she said, distracting. But Sylvia is an easy distrac- Sven doesn’t say anything for a long minute, taking a
tion. The nights go on, Augustine himself opens up more, long look into her face. “Well, that’s what’s important. But
but the feeling of talking to a priest never really goes away. take care of yourself.”
If anything, it grows when he asks about Lilian herself,
“Of course.” Lillian goes back to fixing displays. “Hey
reading glasses perched on his nose. He’d probably get
Uncle, what’s Accidens Corps like?”
along with Uncle Sven. She can see it now, both of them
trying to piece together more information about each other She knows of them, of course. A peace keeping force
with as little information to go on as possible. It’d probably of sorts, keeping Parselings out of trouble. For everyone’s
be like a game to them. safety. Last she heard, they’ve been screening people
on the street for words that could easily have disastrous
The thought is easily lost to the crowd as Sylvia starts
results, like ‘Violence’, ‘Weapon’, or ‘Explosive’.
pulling her back onto the dance floor.
“They’re like the police,” Uncle Sven says. “Instead of

necessarily taking orders from the government, they serve
“You’re different these days,” Sven quietly comments the people. And Parselings, apparently, but…” He trails off
one afternoon. to a mutter as he shoves candy in his mouth.
Of course he doesn’t go on about why or how. Lillian “But?” She prompts.
asks. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“They have enough clout that some of them have
“… I don’t know.” weapons. Not military, at least. However, they’re heavily
involved with Tenor Academy and they work with them for
She looks at him, unable to hide her surprise. “That’s a
Parseling research. Though at least they aren’t fanatical
new one. You know everything.”
like the Mono Movement.” His lips thin, but other than that
“I know a lot of things,” he corrects her, ‘memory’ there’s no sign of disapproval, “Just be careful, Lily.”
curling around his finger as he polishes a display vase.
“Of course,” is the customary reply, but her brain spins
“Not everything. Not what’s in people’s heads. I just know
with frustration. She’s been careful her whole life. Can’t she
that something’s different. It’s up to you whether that’s
be reckless like everyone else, for once? She’s been com-
good or bad.”
pared to flowers many times because of the ‘Blossom’ on
Lillian finds herself rubbing at her face, failing to push her ankle, and she can’t help but liken Sylvia to a butterfly.
the deep lulls of Morpheus away. She pauses, feeling the Lively, fluttering everywhere. Sure butterflies spend time
bags under her eyes that she had brushed under con- among the plants, but plants are rooted in place they can’t
cealer that morning without thought. Sylvia had mentioned stay forever. Lillian can’t shake the feeling that someday,
them too. Told her she should spend more time sleeping Sylvia will fly away.
instead of a late night out. But between her work in the

day and meeting Sylvia at night, Lillian never felt so happy
to be awake. Flowers and friends, why bother sleeping?
It’s worth it crashing into her bed buzzing with leftover
excitement from dancing, waking up early to open the
shop with Uncle Sven.
 60 “You want to join the Corps?” Augustine’s usual calm tone
isn’t enough to fully veil his surprise. Yet Another late night
With her old friends, she hadn’t tried to ask about their
lives at all, just took for granted that they’d always be
at Bar-bel, Sylvia off to take a call while Augustine goes around. They’d always palm off her curiosity by changing
through the many accoutrements of his work pulled from the subject, drifting further away. It had happened enough
a briefcase and assembled around him. “Why?” times she had been pretty sure that trying too hard could
to Ask and not Go Astray

drive people away just as easily. “-I wish I could know,”

Lillian would ask him about why he’s always working,
but she’s too busy fumbling with her tongue. “I’m not sure “Know what?” Sylvia asks, bouncing into the seat next
— well, no, not really — I mean, I’m just asking. I don’t know to her.
what I’d even do.”
Lillian immediately smiles because of proximity alone.
“I see. You don’t actually want to join the Corps.” He “Nothing, I—”
steeples his fingers together. “You just want to spend
Augustine cuts in before she can hide herself with a lie.
more time with Sylvia and I.” He pauses, then amends, “Or
“Lillian wanted to know more about our work.”
maybe just Sylvia.”
“Oh.” Sylvia’s expression drops for just a second, blink and
She feels her cheeks flame up. “No,” she lies, but it’s a
miss, but Lillian catches it. “What do you want to know?”
weak protest. “I just… it sounds — not interesting, but it’s —”
“Why don’t you want to talk about it?” Lillian blurts out,
“It’s something different.”
recalling hours of her own rambling about floristry. Her
“Different,” Lillian echoes. “Yeah, I— It would be.” head throbbed more. “I mean, it’s… kinda obvious.”
“It would be a lot different than what you currently do.” Sylvia and Augustine share a look, Sylvia stirring her
Augustine makes as if to push up his glasses, but they’re drink with her straw. “Accidens Corps is… strict. Most of
currently tucked into his breast pocket. He settles for what we do means that we have NDAs signed, so I can’t
closing his tablet device instead. “But I think rather than talk about it. Besides, I come here to relax, y’know? I don’t
wondering what you could do for the Corps, why do you want to think about it.”
want to join? Your reasons for joining will matter in the
“Right.” Lillian’s eyes suddenly seemed heavy, dull, lin-
interview, and trust me when I say that looking for some-
gering. Her mind began to drift a little, irritation swinging
thing different won’t cut it.”
into guilt. “I just—”
“Right.” Lillian looks at her hands, nails recently painted
“You were curious,” Sylvia takes a gulp of her drink.
by Sylvia two nights ago when Lillian had admitted she nor-
Something iced. Lillian can almost feel the cold from where
mally didn’t pay much attention to them. Normally they’re
she sits. Or maybe she’s just warm. “Don’t worry, I get you.”
under gardening gloves. “It was just an idea.” A reckless one.
It’s a different warmth than usual, though. “I… I just—”
Augustine softens, looking at her sympathetically. “You
wanted to know more about you, she doesn’t get to say,
don’t have a lot of friends, do you?”
eyes closing and head dropping hard against the table.
The question hits harder than one time a pot fell off a high

shelf and smashed her foot. “No,” she says, running through
the list of people that she sees regularly and how many “It’s dinnertime, Lily.” Sven’s rasp grates enough to wake
of them are not only seen because of work. The answer is her up. “You need to eat something.”
a depressing three, and one of them is her uncle. “Okay,
She’s barely cognizant enough to groan. “Where’s Sylvia
I just… I thought since you and Sylvia work in Accidens
and Auggie..?”
Corps, and you’re my friends — that I’d like to spend more
time with you.” Each word scrapes open the recollection “You’ve been asleep for an entire day,” he says. “Lily,
of people drifting away, excised from her life without her please. Do I have to bring you to the hospital?”
even being aware until the day she looked back and realized
Lillian disagrees on autopilot, feeling a pit where her
everyone was too far gone down their own paths to pull
stomach is supposed to be, and to prove that she doesn’t,
back to intersect with hers. “But I know that it’s a bad idea.
in fact, need to go to the hospital, miraculously staggers
Maybe I just wanted to hear about that part of your life.”
from her room down to the kitchen. In the haze, she stuffs
“Sylvia does hate shop talk.” the food offered by her uncle into her mouth, vaguely tasting
the roti naan slide across her palate. It wasn’t as spiced
Lillian smooths her palms down her jeans. “Right. And I
or aromatic as the food she had out with her friends, but
just… I consider you my friends, so I want to know about
it wasn’t wrong either. It was… Familiar. It was home, just
you. And your work is part of you, but I—” Don’t know how
like bed. Where slee-
to ask, she doesn’t say. She doesn’t say anything, in fact,
repulsed by how desperate it sounds. Irritation stings just “Lily?”
as sudden and sharp as her headache.

 61

to Ask and not Go Astray

When Lillian groggily wakes again the next morning, she
mistakes it for a dream at first. Sylvia and Augustine are
in her bedroom, looking awkwardly at her clutter of plant
cuttings, past ceramic attempts, and the photos she had
pinned up for inspiration. “Hey. Uh. Hi? What happened?”
“You passed out,” Augustine informs her.
“And then I used your phone to call your uncle. He picked
you up.” Sylvia says. Her hair isn’t in the usual half-ponytail,
tied in a neat working bun instead.
“Oh.” Lillian swallows, struggling for words. Sylvia hands
her water from the nightstand, which makes the words
“Looked like he was going to skin us alive and turn us into
easier. “Did… anything else happen?”
serial killer bouquets,” Augustine adds under his breath.
Sylvia strokes the back of her hand with her thumb. “Well
“He did not.” Sylvia elbows him.
a whole other day, which you missed. In which, Auggie here
has suddenly started talking about quitting his job. You Augustine raises an eyebrow. “He has an eyepatch, Sylvia,
haven’t been sleeping enough.” Her cheerful tone is belied I don’t know what about that doesn’t scream ‘serial killer’.”
by the way she leans in to check Lillian’s eyes.
“My uncle isn’t a serial killer.” Lillian butts in, off-kilter but
“Wait, what? Why?” Lillian asks, turning towards the man. comforted by the banter. “He just has a word on his eye.”
“You reminded me of something.” Augustine frowns, Sylvia ‘oh’s. “You know, I like hanging out with you,” she
taking off his glasses. “Myself, actually.” She doesn’t say says, one hand still on Lillian’s, “But if you’re running your-
anything, trying to understand how they got to this point self ragged trying to meet up as much as we do, you know
in the first place as he slowly wipes the lenses. “Routine. we could just text. Call? I know it’s not the same, but it’s
Wanting something different. I’d… gotten used to the routine only fun when you’re not pushing yourself. Quantity over
that the Corps provided.” He puts them back on, pushing quality, y’know?”
the bridge for good measure. “Too used to it, to the point
Lillian doesn’t look up at them, letting her hair fall over
that I realized that I wasn’t happy. I’d already been thinking
her face, bangs giving her a thin red curtain to hide behind.
about it for some time, and considering my options, but
“Yeah,” she says, instead of voicing her fears how previous
our conversations… contributed.”
friends had drifted away so easily. That she’s just made
“Oh.” Lillian says. It’s all she can say, especially when a new ones, and she’s been desperate this whole time to fit
shadow flickers over Sylvia’s face, but it doesn’t seem right in with them, spending as much time with them as possible.
to ask about it. Not right now. “What now?” She sets her cup down and cautiously puts her other hand
over Sylvia’s. “I was just… excited.” Distracted.
He reaches down and puts a hand on Sylvia’s shoulder.
“I’ll figure that out.” “I’m excited to spend time with you too, Lily,” Sylvia
squeezes her hand. “But… your uncle was really upset
“Yeah, yeah, take your time,” Sylvia’s mouth tightens,
when he found out.”
but she reaches up and puts her hand on his. She says,
forcing herself to smile, “As long as you can still pay your Lillian can hear slippers shuffling outside her door now.
share of the rent.” She looks up, smiling at them. “I’ll be careful, promise.”
“I’m sure I can manage that,” he chuckles. “Also, I saw your ankles,” remarks Sylvia, “Did you always
have the word ‘Lethargic’, or is that new?”
“Well, enough of that,” Sylvia waves her hand dismissively.
“You can’t keep this up, Lily. Staying out so late. Your uncle Lillian just groans loudly, and blocks out the world with
told us about how much work you already do.” her blankets.
Chapter 4:
Parse System
A Parse is meant to enact miraculous change, and is formed
when two or more Parselings touch one another and arrange
their words to represent their desired change. The phrase tem-
porarily appears upon the surface or skin of the target.
Simple shifts in reality, like unlocking a door, are easier to achieve
compared to more outrageous notions like forcing cities to float.
But both are possible. There are many moving parts to a Parse,
and you must understand each of them for your character to
survive.
In this chapter you will find:
An explanation of the mechanics of Parsing. This includes:
• Details about a Parseling’s Words, Articulation, Syllables,
Dyslexia, and all of the pieces which make up a Parse.
• Explanations of a Parseling’s Coherency and Incoherency.
• The basic ideas behind building a Paragraph, which is a
groups of Parselings bound together by a common goal.
64 Parts of a Parse
Identity is a recurring theme in Parselings. It is the bedrock that allows a human to resist the Parsecytes that have infected
them, and what ultimately decides if the host becomes a Lingua or a Parseling. A beginning character’s personality is
only a fraction of what they have the potential to become, and more often than not it will change over the course of the
campaign. New experiences and revelations will come up and will change who they are. As you go through the campaign,
some of the labels affixed to them may no longer feel quite right, but the past isn’t so easily forgotten.
To a normal human there is no discernible difference from one tattoo to the next, but a Parseling can differentiate
the two important categories of Words, Aspects and Augments, as well as the flow of Syllables.

Aspects Dyslexia
Typically nouns, these Words are often tied to key concepts When a Parse fails, the world has rejected the desires and
which form parts of a Parseling (or Lingua’s) identity. They perceptions projected upon it. The energy rebounds back
could be anything from names that they have been called those attempting the Parse, afflicting them in myriad ways:
in the past to simple roles they carry out in society. Parselings and Parsecyte struggle for control of the body,
speech becomes distorted, ideas jumbled, and the Parseling
Often, acting contrary to these Aspects can cause disso-
may begin to ooze ink and blood.
nance in the balance between host and parasite, leading
into a downwards spiral towards Incoherency. Whenever a Minor, Moderate, or Major Parse
fails, all Parselings participating gain the Con-
When used in a Parse, the Aspect represents the target
dition Dyslexia (Minor). This is treated as an
of change or creation.
Annoyance level Condition, represented by the
Jack of Diamonds.
Augments Should a Grand or Miraculous Parse fail, all
These Words are used to determine how an Aspect may be Parselings involved gain the Condition Dyslexia
altered or changed. Augments are words used to describe a (Major). This is treated as a Malady level Con-
Parseling. These can be any type of word, including nouns, dition, represented by the Queen of Diamonds.
verbs, adjectives, or adverbs. They are often derived from
Dyslexia interferes with your ability to draw upon your
an individual’s history, personality, or even simple descrip-
Parsecyte. Subsequently, drawing either of these Condi-
tions given to them by others.
tions will cause any Parse-based powers to fail.
When used in a Parse, the Augment is used as a tool to
modify the selected Aspect. It represents how the Parselings
are attempting to change their target.
Syllable
(Insight + Cunning + Articulation)
An Augment cannot be used as an Aspect, however an
Syllables represents a Parseling’s intangible energy stores
Aspect may be used as an Augment.
and what triggers the manifestation of their desires. Many
Parseling abilities will consume at least 1 Syllable.
Obtaining new Words
An important decision or act made by a Parseling which
If your Articulation (see “Articulation” on page 65) is high
the GM considers emblematic of their personality should be
enough, you may spend Script for additional Words.
rewarded by recovering 1 Syllable. Eating, drinking, sleeping
For an Aspect, you may spend 6 Script and roll 1d10. and socialising are all important for a Parseling to retain
For an Augment, you may spend 3 Script and roll 1d20. their humanity. Sharing a good meal with companions can
recentre a Parseling’s state of mind and refuel their spent
Similar to gaining Words in character creation, find the cor-
Parsing energy.
responding Word within your Word Pool to see which new
Aspect/Augment your character has gained. Players who role-play their processes of rest, self-reflec-
tion, and interpersonal interaction should be rewarded with
The GM may opt for you to roll the dice multiple times, to
Syllable points at the GM’s discretion.
gain a variety of Words, giving you the option to chose a
Word that suits the current perception of your character. In addition to this, regain 1 Syllable for every night of sleep.
Articulation 65
To speak with articulation is to have clarity and distinction. A Parseling’s Articulation represents a deepening affin-
ity and understanding of Parses and the Parsecyte they have bonded to. As they come into their power, more and
more Words may find their place on their skin.
As tempting as it is to compare Articulation to a Parseling’s strength, it is more accurately a representation of a
Parsecyte’s degree of integration with their host’s body. This bond between Parseling and Parsecyte may deepen for
many reasons: revelations about one’s self and identity, extended use of Parsing in one’s daily life, or even prolonged
exposure to strong Parses and other Parselings.

Scale of Integration
A fresh Parseling starts out at Articulation 1, representa-
tive of their state as a fledgling being who has yet to truly
understand the depths of their powers. There is always
a period of acclimation as the Parsecyte begins its slow,
inevitable integration with its host. Like a child learning to
talk, a new Parseling must mumble before they can learn
how to form words and sentences.
A Parseling will rapidly develop their Articulation as they
push the boundaries of the world they know with their new
senses. The further they come to understand their abilities,
however, the more difficult it can be to refine their bond
with the Parsecyte. It may take years, or extreme trauma,
to achieve Articulation 4, and few reach Articulation 5.

Uses of Articulation
As a Parseling’s Articulation grows, they will gain the nec-
essary maturity to develop more Words. The exact process
is not well understood and varies from individual to individ-
ual. Some speculate that it is due to the Parseling gaining
more awareness of their own identity, while others believe
it is due to the maturation of a Parsecyte. Regardless, the
number of Words an individual has represents a level of
prestige among these human variants.
For every point in Articulation a Parseling may gain access
to additional Word slots. Words gained through specific
Tricks do not take up a Word slot (see ”Parseling Tricks”
on page 158).

Table 4.2: Words Slots

Articulation Aspect Slots Augment Slots

1 1 5

2 2 7

3 2 8

4 3 9

5 3 12
66 Parse Levels
Parses can have a wide range of effects, from simple tricks to manipulating the laws of reality. Among the Parselings,
there is a loose hierarchy of how effective or powerful the effects can be. They can be broken down into six categories:
Minor, Moderate, Major, Grand, Miraculous, and Divine. As the level of the Parse increases, not only do the strength and
range magnify but the risk to the individuals involved also escalates. Parselings are innately wary of stretching the laws
of the world too far, as a part of them knows it may take too much of a toll on their bodies.

Minor Parses Grand Parses

Success Threshold: 3 Success Threshold: 21
On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 1 card to the On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 1 cards to the
Removed pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia (Minor) Health Damage pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia
(Major) for 1 hour
These are stock-standard tricks in every Parseling’s toolbox.
Typically Parses of this scale are limited to changes that A Grand Parse can condense tasks that normally would take
could be completed by hand, like moving objects, or are months of work and labour into a single moment. Attempted
simple effects changing an object’s texture, or hardening by only those confident within their skills, these Parses are
one’s skin. These effects only involve a Parseling’s immediate the domain of Parselings who have come into their own.
vicinity, within reach of their arms or legs. The temptation of power draws the Parsecyte out of its
dormancy. The range of the Grand Parse is typically line of
Moderate Parses sight or the audible vicinity of the Parseling.
Success Threshold: 7
On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 2 cards to the Miraculous Parses
Removed pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia (Minor) Success Threshold: 28
On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 2 cards to the
Any fledgling Parseling should be able to come up with a
Health Damage pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia
Moderate Parse with any stranger’s Words. Consisting of
(Major) for 1 day.
safe and easy to produce effects, many individuals often
use these Parses to supplement their existing skill set, or Parses of Miraculous status have wide reaching conse-
to circumnavigate a lack of tools. quences, potentially changing large swathes of land or
populations. Infamous in their own right, performing one
Conjuring elements, subtly weaving suggestive influences
of these Parses to carve reality to one’s own desires is tan-
into one mind, or creating a limited shield are all within the
tamount to folly, and the Parsecytes within know it.
realm of Moderate Parse.
The effects generated would take many years of effort, or
These effects can target anywhere within a radius of the
are beyond the realm of the mundane. The limits of these
Parseling’s Speed.
Parses have rarely been explored, but often have long lasting
consequences on the world. Even after years, they rarely
Major Parses have been known to fade away.
Success Threshold: 14
When attempting a Miraculous Parse, make a Coherency
On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 4 cards to the
Check. Draw cards equal to your current Articulation from
Removed pile and gains Condition Dyslexia (Minor)
the Deck. If no Diamonds are revealed, lose one Coherency.
Not to be trifled with, this level of Parse has caused many
injuries to unprepared and inexperienced Parselings.
However, in life or death situations, Major Parses can tip
Divine Parses
Success Threshold: 35
the scales in your favour. These Parses often replicate tasks
On Failure: The Aspect holder of the Parse will die, and a
which would normally require extensive tools or machinery.
total of 6 cards from among the surviving Parselings must
They can be used to build shelter, hide a person in plain
be sent to their Health Damage piles of. Each Parseling
sight, or inflict fatal wounds.
will lose an additional Coherency.
The range of the major Parse is typically the size of a small
Only a handful of these Parses have occurred with individu-
room, or a radius of up to triple the Parseling’s Speed.
als surviving to tell the tale. Cities have been torn from their
roots, second moons have been formed, and unspeakable
armies have been raised from nothing. All of these feats
could be achieved, as you reach the domain of gods.
Each Parseling involved will automatically lose 1 Coher-
ency. They must make a Articulation Check avoid losing
further coherency.
Parse Aptitudes 67
A Parse is a beautiful disaster waiting to happen, with a chaotic potential as diverse as the people that inhabit the world.
While there are innumerable ways to categorise each and every one of the results from a Parse, it is simpler to separate
them by the way they are created. Like all skills in life, the compatibility of these Parses varies from individual to individ-
ual and is determined by the way they interact with the world. There are three main approaches when weaving a Parse:
to change yourself, to change others, or to create the tools necessary for change.

Embodiment Parse Emission Parse

Type: Simple Type: Simple
Target: Internal, Self Target: External, Creation
Suit: Clubs Suit: Spades
Modifiers: Equipment, Environmental hazards Modifiers: Equipment, Environmental hazards
Common uses: Shape-shifting, Muscle enhancement, Common uses: Fabricating illusions, Creating temporary
Mental improvements, Emotion manipulation (self) tools, Creating life, Creating an aura affecting emotions
Parses that affect the Parseling casters are known as The final group of Parses are known as Emission, where
Embodiments. A thorough instinct for this Parse is neces- a Parseling attempts to create an Aspect out of their own
sary to adjust one’s body without undergoing body dysphoria. energy and ideas. It requires a brilliant mind to coax these
Comfort in these new forms cannot be achieved through constructs into existence, adjusting and adapting the laws
theory or self delusion, it must be experienced. of reality to accept its presence, though how they react after
the Parse has been spun is anyone’s guess.
These Parses affect and influence Aspects already present
within the Parseling. Shifting organs, morphing body parts, Typically the object and entities created exist for a limited
or even inducing an altered mindset—all of these things are amount of time and uses. The integrity and strength of
possible when you put your mind to it. the Parse is purely determined by the Parseling’s resolve.
Parselings that dabble heavily in Embodiments may find Should a Parseling become too embroiled in the line of
that their bodies start to shift, becoming more refined in Emission, they become too focused on what could be.
one way or another. It becomes almost a ritual, honing their The sculptor seeing the statue instead of the stone. As
body beyond what it is to be human. Should they fall into Incoherents, they may develop into whimsical beings
Incoherency, some of these Parses become permanent whose very steps ushers forth their Aspect,
parts of their identity. They continually devour their Aspect lost in their own minds and imagination,
to maintain and fuel their form. and ignorant of the world around them.

Enchantment Parse
Type: Simple
Target: External, Others
Suit: Hearts
Modifiers: Equipment, Environmental hazards
Common uses: Improvement of tools, Alterations to struc-
tures, Emotional manipulation (others)
People and objects want to stay the same. Without any
rewards, why would we change? Enchantments are about
coaxing and convincing others that the changes are good,
that their bodies should feel a certain way.
Honing tools, manipulating emotion, and physical alterations
are all apart of the basic skill set. These types of Parses
to modify objects to suit their needs. The more plausible
the effects the more pronounced the changes. It is about
changing what you have to suit your purposes.
Those who use Enchantments excessively will find them-
selves looking for their Aspect around them, expecting it
to be wherever their gaze falls. As Incoherents, they find it
almost impossible not to make the world into a reflection
of their perfect selves. They exert their will on the world
around them, transforming it to suit their liking.
68

Parse Creation
When two or more Parselings or Lingua consent to a Parse, they must start it through a physical touch. In that
instant, their intentions are conveyed into each other’s minds. After their intentions coalesce into a single form, the
compatriots will utter their Words together and pour their power out into the world.
When you first begin Parsing as players this process can take a while, as it requires discussion as a team. As the
campaign progresses, Parsing will become easier and quicker. We recommend drafting potential Parses before and
after sessions, creating a repertoire of ideas that you can use on the fly. Alternatively, GMs might limit the amount
of time they allow players to attempt to come up with a Parse.

Step 1: Contact Step 3: Definitions

Parsing is a Simple Action, taking only a matter of seconds Once your team has a vague idea of the Words used and
in game. It will take up the turn of all Parselings involved, intent for the Parse, you are ready to describe it to the GM.
and in High Intensity Scenes can only be completed by If at any time a player disagrees with the outline, return to
people sharing the same Initiative Group. Step 2, or cease your attempts at Parsing. Remember to
answer the following questions.
Each characters involved must be willingly touching at least
one other member, showing their consent to Parse.
The Effects of a Parse
Step 2: Brainstorming Explain to the GM as a group what your intended effects
are. Be specific when describing the Parse. If you leave too
Discuss with your team what you want the Parse to do. It can much room for interpretation, there may be unintended
be anything: preparation with mild improvements to your- consequences. Keep in mind that the larger the desired
self, or reactionary Parses that cause wild changes in the Parse effect, the higher the Parse Level.
environment. All you need is an idea of what you want to do.
The consenting Parselings decide on the Aspect of the
The Type of Parse
Parse. This may be one of the biggest choices you’ll make An Emission Parse will create the Aspect within
for the Parse. It will determine who will be the core of the your surroundings. Generally, it acts as a new
Parse, and what it may affect. force or entity that affects the environment.
When using this type of Parse, you will need to
Choose Augments to determine how the Aspect will change,
draw Spades.
or what qualities the Parse may have. Each individual can
only contribute one Word, unless they have the Erudite Trick An Embodiment Parse will change the Aspect
(See “Erudite” on page 158). within those involved in the Parse. It is about
changing your body or mind to suit the task at
The selected Words will form the intent of the Parse. It will
hand. When using this type of Parse, you will
be up to your team how you describe the idea, and the GM
need to draw Clubs.
to interpret what effects it has.
An Enchantment Parse will change the Aspect
within external objects or individuals. It is about
changing others to suit your needs. When using
this type of Parse, you will need to draw Hearts.

The Words Used

List out the Augments to the GM in the order desired, fol-
lowed by the target Aspect. This allows everyone to refer
to the exact phrase of the Parse, preventing undue confu-
sion. Each Parseling involved must spend a Syllable point.
At this point, you have committed to completing the Parse.
 69

Step 4: Parse Level Step 6: Counting

The GM will review your Parse and offer you several different Review the cards revealed. As with regular Checks, only
Parse levels. Some of these may fit your team’s intentions cards of the correct suit will contribute to your Successes.
perfectly, but carry a lot of risk. Others may only act as Like with regular Checks, Aces have a value of one unless
stepping stones—slow steps to achieve your goal. otherwise specified.
As a group you must commit to a Parse Level before contin- When the value of a card is below or equal to the Draw, they
uing with the Parse Check. Weigh up the risks and rewards add their full value to the Successes for the Check.
of different Parses.
When the value of a card is above the Draw, they add only
Generally, it is strongly recommended to create smaller a single point to the Successes for the Check.
Parses with controlled and minimal effects over one large
Parse which resolves all the issues at hand. The weaker
Parses are easier to achieve and less likely to cause cata-
Step 7: Resolution
strophic side effects. Once the Check is completed, the GM will resolve the effect
of the Parse.
Step 5: Parse Check On Failure: The Parse fails and the energy used
rebounds on the Parselings. Each individual Parse
All participants in the Parse must spend 1 Syllable. Depend-
Level has its own failure effects.
ing on what type of Word you are applying to the Parse, your
role in the Check will be different. Treat the total number On Grave Failure: The Parse works, but not in the
of cards revealed by all players as the Draw for the Parse. way you intended it to. The GM will decide on an
effect based on the provided Words.
Contributing Aspect: On Success: The Parse succeeds with the intent
The Parseling contributing the Aspect reveals cards equal declared by the players.
to their relevant Parsing Aptitude to the Parse. For each
On Run-On (Gaining Successes equal to triple the
additional Word used in the Parse (Augment or otherwise),
target Successes or more, or all cards revealed
they draw an additional card.
are of the same suit) : The Parse is automatically
As an example, a four Word Parse (1 Aspect and upgraded into a Miraculous or Divine Parse.
3 Augments) would allow the Parseling to draw These Parses not only succeed, but they run
3 extra cards. rampant, beyond the control of the Parselings
that conjured it.
Contributing Augments: This can cause a severe disturbance in the ten-
Every other Parseling contributing a Word as an Augment tative balance between Parsecyte and host. The
must reveal only 2 cards from their own decks. players must make a Perseverance + Articula-
tion Check. If no Push cards are drawn, they will
lose 1 Coherency.
70 Alternate Parse Rules
Have you ever got up in front in class with a project and, out of the blue, your teacher asks you a question that you weren’t
expecting? Your mind draws a blank and you start to panic while your mouth says something unexpected. Parsing can be
a big and complicated process that can be daunting for some players. Between the crisis that the GM throws your char-
acters in to, the myriad meanings a word can have, and the conversation between your teammates, it can be a daunting
and time-consuming process.
With just two freshly emerged Parselings, there are about 180 different ways their Parse Words could be arranged. That’s
a lot of combinations to think about, even if not all of them are valid for the situation at hand. Some words can mean
one thing, while others may have a multitude of different implications. The following rules are designed to make your
experience just a little easier.

No Confidence Parse Book

Optional Rule Optional Rule
This rule is recommended if you find the discussion on Get a piece of paper or just a little notebook. It’s time to do
Parsing regularly takes too long for the group’s liking. It a bit of scheming. While there might be hundreds of pos-
makes an adjustments to Step 2 and Step 3 of Parsing. sibilities of how a Parse can be used, not all combinations
are made to be equal. Some will have multiple uses, while
Only the Parseling suggesting the Parse can define it. This
others will be so specific that they will only be worth it if the
includes the Aspect, Augments, Type, Level, and intention
conditions are exactly right. It’s all about figuring out what
of the Parse. All other participants have one chance to
your priorities are, or what’s likely to pop up in your story.
consent or opt out of the Parse, removing their Word from
the Parse. If there are insufficient Words to complete the Skim through the list of Aspects on your team. There will
Parse, the expenditure of player turns are not necessary. be many different weird and wonderful combinations that
jump out at you. To make it easier, think about the simple
Improv Parsing two word combinations and consider what that Parse could
mean. After developing a healthy pool of ideas, write down
Optional Rule
the Parses you think could be useful or fun to perform.
Parsing is wild, dangerous, and unpredictable. There is no
Remember, when filling out a Parse Book there a few key
way of curtailing the strength and the will of the Parsecytes,
things you should include: the Words needed, the characters
all their hosts can do is aim it in the right direction and
involved, and the intended effect of the Parse.
hope for the best. This option replaces Step 4 of Parsing.
Your team does not determine the Parse level, this is all left
up to the outcome of your Parse Check. The strength and
Shorthand Parse
Optional Rule
magnitude of the Parse will be relative to the number of
Successes gained, limited only by the highest Articulation Having too many options can be problematic. For some
of the group (see Table 4.1). players or GMs, it can be paralysing as your mind races to try
and figure out the perfect solution. With too many options
When total Successes triples the Minimum Successes
on the table, your team may find themselves bickering over
needed for the highest applicable Parse level, the Parse
the different possibilities far longer than necessary, or never
becomes a Run-On Parse.
truly reach a satisfactory outcome. It becomes easier to
If the total Successes is a multiple of 7, the Parse fails predict what you can and can’t do. After all, it is a mark of
and the energy runs rampant in the Parselings’ bodies. The a truly creative mind to be able to work within boundaries
Parselings suffer the effects of a Parse failure at the level to exceed expectations.
for the number of Successes drawn.
On obtaining a Word, assign a single definition that the Word
has when it could be used as an Augment. When using these
Table 4.1: Improv Parse Words in a Parse, you’d simply line up the definitions relative
Minimum to the Aspect to develop your Parse.
Articulation Max Parse Level
Successes
As a Parseling’s Articulation grows, they will gain a greater
1 Moderate 7 understanding of their Words, enabling them to be more
2 Major 14 flexible with their use of the Word.
3 Grand 21 For each level in Articulation they gain, add an additional
definitions to the Parseling’s respective Words.
4 Miraculous 28
5 Divine 35
 71

Parses Senses
Throughout your journey as a Parseling, it is inevitable that you will encounter malicious and mysterious Parses. Hurtling
towards them with careless abandon is a sure-fire way to end up dead. Dealing with a Parse revolves around three main
ideas: detecting that a Parse has occurred, understanding what the Parse does, and resisting its effects. None of this is
possible without hitching a ride on your Parsecyte’s senses.

Parse Detection Parse Reading

Type: Simple Type: Extended
Check: Emission + Articulation Check: Enchantment + Articulation
Suit: Diamonds Suit: Diamonds
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Contested by: Parse Level.
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
When a powerful Parse occurs, most Parselings can feel
it tingling at the corners of their perception. Not enough The Words utilised in a Parse are as plain as day for all to
to track down the source or to understand its intent, but see. Without manipulation, the Words simply appear on the
enough to be irritated by its presence. By focusing on this surface of the Parse’s intended target as it works its magic.
feeling, some Parselings are able to determine where a However, just because the Words are visible doesn’t mean
Parse has transpired. that the Parse’s true intent is clear.
When attempting to detect a Parse, make an Emission + When attempting to understand the intent of a Parse, use
Articulation Check. your Enchantment + Articulation. For each Word in the
Parse, you require 1 Success.
Locate Parse Origin: 21 Successes
Locate Parse-Afflicted Region: 14 Successes
Detect a Parse: 7 Successes Parse Resistance
Type: Reflexive
Parses generally cannot be concealed. However, Parselings
Check: Perseverance + Embodiment + Articulation
or Lingua can make an Articulation + Coherency Check to
Suit: Diamonds
conceal their presence.
Contested by: Success Threshold of Parse
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
As a Parsecyte matures, it develops a very specific diet of a
few concepts and idea. Although it may develop a taste for
new things, it takes time and careful cultivation. Thus, often
it does not like having it or its host unwillingly changed or
mutated, and will actively attempt to resist Parses.
When attempting to resist a Parse, you can make a Perse-
verance + Embodiment + Articulation Check.
72 Coherency
Coherency is a mark of control, the retention a
Parseling has over their own mind. As their powers
grow it is expected that their grip on their rationality
will loosen and their morals will warp and change.
The Parsecyte within desires to be an embodiment
of its chosen Words and, as it invades the body and
mind, changes will occur. A person’s humanity will
be stripped away bit by bit, piece by piece. Some of
these changes will be subtle alterations to behaviour.
Others may affect their appearance, or even the way
they experience the world.

Scale of Humanity
It is difficult to conceal one’s Coherency from another
Parseling. They are instinctively able to gauge a vague
sensation from those approaching Incoherency—be it
a strange glint in their eyes, the way they speak and
act, or even the way the world moves around them.
Coherency ranges between 10 and -4, with the average
Parseling beginning at Coherency 7. Throughout a
Parseling’s life, their Parsecyte slowly pushes for dom-
inance over the host’s mind, replacing them with what
it believes to be an improved version of the original.
Should a Parseling fall below Coherency 1, they may
degenerate into an Incoherent, an individual whose
Words have been carved deeply into their bodies.
Their minds and souls have been consumed by the
Parsecyte. They are doomed to tirelessly seek out
their representations of their Concept and consume
it, hoping to fill the void left in its wake. Some do
retain their sanity, for some measure of time, but it
is inevitable that they will degenerate into unrecog-
nisable monsters.

Coherency Checks
During play your character may often find themselves
in situations that cause turmoil with the balance
between human and Parsecyte. As the struggle
occurs, sometimes the Parsecyte can eat more of
your humanity, changing you into something more
monstrous and single-minded.
When you commit an act described on Table 4.4 that
is equal to or below your current Coherency If no
Diamond cards are drawn, you will lose one point of
Coherency. The Coherency Thresholds are outlined
in Table 4.4 on the following page.
For example, a Coherency 7 Parseling performs
any of the actions from -4 to 7, like stealing a
word from a foe they have killed, —the GM will
ask for you to make a Coherency Check.
At the GM’s discretion, the character may be
afflicted with conditions as befits their Words.
Incoherency Table 4.4: Coherency Chart
73
Incoherents are a swirling mass of inconsistencies attempt-
ing to fit back in with the world. A rare few get to experience # Trigger for an Articulation Check Cards to Draw
their state of life with their sanity fully intact for a period of
time. Fewer still manage to exist safely within society while 10 Refusing to commit to Parse. 2
satisfying their appetite.
There are two ways of becoming Incoherent: when the 9 Failing a Parse. 2
Parsecyte has grown so much that it overwhelms its host,
or at a Parseling’s untimely demise. The Parsecyte, unwilling 8 Interrupting a Parse from
to die and unwilling to let its host die, pushes itself deeper 4
another group of Parselings.
within the nervous system and the brain. It consumes what
little is left in one last attempt to survive. 7 Achieving Articulation 3 or
4
In many cases the process of Incoherency fails, leaving the higher.
inky Parsecyte to die with its host, trapped in a wall of flesh
it can no longer consume. With the rare few cases where 6 Fabrication of a Parse tool. 3
it succeeds, the Parsecyte recreates what it believes to be
its host—a warped version of everything it has consumed— 5 Obtaining a Word from
3
causing the birth of an Incoherent. This is a traumatic expe- an external source.
rience for both the Parsecyte and the host, as it signifies a
true union between the two. 4 Surviving an interaction with
3
an Incoherent.
Incoherent’s Concept 3 Obtaining another person’s
In each Incoherent there is a Concept that the Parsecyte Words. This must involve a 2
has woven into the pillar of their identity. This centre is person’s death.
what fuels their existence, and what they need to consume
to survive. Driven by the base desire of the Incoherent, 2
the Parsecyte within demands you feed. They are filled by Acting in a manner directly
2
the nagging desire to eat things related to their Concept. opposite to your Aspects.
This constant drive is obvious, and every other Parseling
encountered can immediately recognise what you are, as if
something inside their very body detests the idea of becom- 1
Losing an Aspect/Augment. 2
ing a creature whose hunger often overtakes rationality.
When an Incoherent does not feed for a period of longer 0 Condition: Your character
than 24 hours they runs the risk of losing what little Coher- 0
dies.
ency they have left. Make a Coherency Check by drawing
cards equal to your Articulation. Though in some cases -1 As an Incoherent, you partake
strong willed individuals can resist the call to madness, it Articulation
in a Grand Parse.
will not last forever.
-2 You ingest something that can
Living Madness be considered an antonym to 2
your Concept.
Feeding constantly is a good way to keep from devolving into
a complete monster. As their power grows, the Incoherent
-3 You partake in a
may need more and more to sustain their rationality and Miraculous or Divine Parse.
their attachments to who they were as a Parseling. OR Articulation
As an Incoherent, your Coherency travels into the negative Your Incoherent character has
values and has its own set of rules that you need to adhere not consumed anything repre-
to. Should a character’s Incoherency be reduced to -4 or senting their Core in 24 hrs.
lower, they will become a monster controlled by the GM.
-4 Your character has died again.
0
When you have reached this
Threshold, your character will
be rendered unplayable.
74 Incoherent Form
The Incoherent becomes a twisted reflection of their host, with the Concept as its centrepiece. As their Incoherency
grows, they will require more and more to sustain their form and rational thought. Similar to a Lingua, their diet and exist-
ence will also dictate the way they mature. Thus no two Incoherents will be exactly the same. Despite this, their abilities
and personalities can be predicted to a limited extent by their favoured type of Parse before their rebirth, as well as who
they were prior to the change. Below are some loose categories that an Incoherent can fall under.

Creators//Emission types Consumers//Embodiment

It exists because I exist I can be the one and only one
When they were Parselings, they and their companions Parselings can easily shift and change their body to suit their
favoured dreaming up new ideas and constructs, creating needs. Mostly it is a matter of time before they revert back
things that did not belong in this world. Losing their grip in to their old plain selves, but once in a blue moon something
the world, they bear the mantle of Creators, their crazed sticks. It is unclear whether the Parsecyte itself likes its
Parsecytes continuing where they left off. new form or the human consciousness is unable to survive
the transformation. Regardless, a new Incoherent is born.
Incoherents of this type emit or constantly create their
Concept in some shape or form, flooding their surroundings True to their name, they are all about consumption, requiring
with their power. Often these monsters appear scattered large amounts of their Concept to maintain their strength,
and aloof, as their concentration is spread thin and they wit, and transformations. Over time their transformations
rarely involve themselves with the reality around them. become more and more pronounced, making it almost
impossible to pass for humans.

Correctors//Enhancement
Just a little more, we can make it perfect
The labels affixed to Parseling can be found everywhere, it
just takes a little bit of ingenuity to find them. With Enchant-
ment Parses, it is so easy to make those subtle (or extrava-
gant) changes to make the world just right for you. I mean,
why even bother trying to make something new when the
tools are already there, just waiting to be repurposed.
As an Incoherent, Corrector types haven’t quite gotten over
this idea. In fact they embrace it. Quite possibly the most
innocuous of the Incoherents, they can blend in better with
human populations. Their powers manifest externally into
their belongings and their surroundings. They continue
to meddle in other people’s lives—a simple change here,
a bite there—believing that if everyone was a little more
like them the world would be a better place.
Transformation Trick Tree 75
For whatever reason, your character died or has Coherency The following are the abilities that give Incoherents an edge
0. Your Parsecyte becomes a twisted reflection of its host over their Parseling counterparts. The following Tricks must
with the Concept as its centrepiece. This process is not be learnt in a sequential fashion. You may not learn a Two
always guaranteed to produce an Incoherent. Point Trick without learning its predecessor.

Step 1: Preparation Incoherency: Correlation

Points: (1) (0 Total Script)
Reshuffle Health Damage, Wound, and Removed cards into Check: Enchantment, Embodiment, Emission, or
your Deck. Both you and your GM will draw a card from your Articulation
deck. Place your card face up, and the Gm will place their Cost: 1 Syllable
card face down. Requirement(s): Coherency 0 or less
Eating is half of your existence as an Incoherent. It is what
Step 2: The Gamble keeps you afloat, what keeps you lucid and kicking. Con-
suming your objects and creatures that could represent your
Decide if your card value is higher or lower than the GM’s
Concept, you eat things like you to stay alive.
card. Announce to the GM if you think your card is higher,
lower, or equal to the face down card. After consuming/draining your Concept from the surrounding
environment, choose to make an Enchantment, Embodiment,
Step 3: Resolution Emission, or Articulation Check.
On Emission Check: Regain a 1 Syllable, 1 Per-
After the you make your decision, the GM and the will reveal
severance, and 1 Potential
the face down card. Compare the values of the two cards:
On Embodiment Check : For every 2 Successes,
On Incorrect Guess: Your character will die or
recover 1 card from your Wounds pile.
will become an uncontrollable monster.
On Enchantment Check: Apply any Successes
On Correct Guess: Your character falls into Inco-
gained to your next Check.
herency, but you remain in tenuous control of
the character. On Articulation Check: When a Diamond is
drawn with this Check, you may search your
Step 4: Incoherency Deck and send the Condition (Incoherency) to
your Removed pile.
On top of deciding the visual changes upon becoming an
Incoherent make the following alterations to your character: Incoherency: Singularity
Points: (2) (0 Total Script)
Concept of Incoherency Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Label all your Words with a number. Roll 1d(number of Words).
Requirement(s): Coherency 0 or less
The corresponding Word will become the Concept the newly
born Incoherent. This will dictate what they become. With the GM, develop an ability that should relate back to all
the Words an Incoherent may have. Even if two Incoherents
Gain Tricks share the same Concept, the ability will manifest in a fashion
unique to your character.
Your character gains the Tricks Incoherency: Singularity
and Incoherency: Correlation. These represent the base
abilities of an Incoherent, a unique ability generated from
Incoherency: Pinnacle
Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script)
their Concept, as well as the ability to consume this Word
Check: Enchantment, Embodiment, or Emission
in all of its manifestations and forms.
Cost: 1 Syllable
Requirement(s): Coherency 0 or less
Gain Condition
Simply acting with the intent to embody your Aspect has
Add the King of Diamonds (Incoherency) to your Deck. This
devastating consequences. This is your nature and the
condition can never be removed.
essence of how you should act.
Whenever this card is drawn, it represents your character
Send cards equal to your Articulation from the top of your
submitting to their Incoherency. Until something breaks the
Deck into your Discard. For each card discarded, gain one
cycle, your character forgoes all reason and rationality and
Additional Success on your next Check.
may commit acts they might normally object to.
76 Paragraphs
A Paragraph is a self-contained unit of discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. A paragraph consists
of one or more sentences. Though not required by the syntax of any language, paragraphs are usually an expected part
of formal writing, used to organise longer prose.
In terms of Parselings, a Paragraph is a group of like-minded Parsecyte-infected creatures (i.e. Parselings and/or Lingua)
coming together from a similar set of ideals. It can be carefully considered and decided upon, or forged by force in extreme
circumstances such as catastrophe or shared loss.
Parselings in larger groups are terrible forces to deal with. They are able to shape the world at a whim, albeit at the risk
of their own sanity and safety. When tied together under a single name, a single Word, these individuals become a cohe-
sive unit. Their actions and ideas become tempered with a shared intent and goal. The Parses they weave cut deeper and
faster. They can jump higher and longer, knowing that there will be someone to catch them when they fall.

Maintenance
Once a Paragraph is formed, there is little the Parselings have to do to actively maintain their bond. Additional members
to the Paragraph can be inducted once they have completed the five different criteria, (Proximity, Parsing, Goals, Meal,
and Promise).
Sustaining the Paragraph is as simple as having half its members performing a Parse together at least once a month.
These Parses must contribute towards their greater goal. This renews the promise between the team, affirming their
willingness to cooperate towards their mutual goals. Failure to do so will result in the eventual collapse of the Paragraph.

Conclusion Collapse
Should the Paragraph resolve their goal, the connection A Paragraph can collapse in several different ways; a failure
between them slowly fades. Over time, the Parseling will find to revitalise the bond through regular Parsing, abandoning
themselves unable to access some of the benefits gener- the shared goal, or when half of the original members have
ated from the Paragraph. Losing the connections nurtured died. The Grand Parse that once strengthened and reinforced
through shared times and collective desire is a bitter-sweet the connection the Parselings rebounds, burning the ties
moment, but it does free one to make new connections. between the team.
On the conclusion of a Paragraph, the Word generated from When a Paragraph collapses, all members of the Para-
Paragraph: Defined and the Articulation gained through graph must make a Coherency Check. For each surviving
Paragraph: Conduit will remain for each of the surviving member of the Paragraph, the surviving Parselings must
Parselings. However the other Tricks derived from the Par- draw one card. Should they gain any Diamonds, they will
agraph will be rendered unusable. succeed the Check.
On Success, lose only 1 Coherency. Their grip
on their sense of self degrades, longing for the
people once bound to their very soul. Recovery
for the Parseling is possible, but it will be slow
and difficult.
On Failure, become Incoherent. Their incoher-
ency Word is the Aspect from the Trick Par-
agraph: Defined. Like a broken mirror, the
Parseling becomes a distorted reminder of what
the Paragraph once stood for, constantly remind-
ing them of the unfulfilled vows.
The surviving Parselings will retain the Aspect from the
Trick Paragraph: Defined. However, the remaining Tricks
will be lost and rendered unusable without the support of
the other Paragraph members.
 77

Formation
In order to form a new Paragraph, there must be between 3-10 Coherent Parselings, none of which are affiliated with
another existing Paragraph. Each of the following conditions must be met before a Paragraph can be formed. Spend
some time with your table discussing what your team wishes to achieve, and come to a consensus inside and outside the
game. Once made, the bonds tying your characters together cannot be easily undone.

Proximity Goals
The group must have spent at least seven days in each There must be a unified purpose shared by the separate
other’s presence. This can be a cumulative experience spread individuals, perhaps an ultimate goal or the same traumatic
over their lives together—time spent at meals together, com- incident—surviving the journey to a safe haven, hunting
pleting mundane tasks, fighting for their lives, or grieving down prey as a unit, or finding a unique never-before-seen
over loss. These experiences must have some meaning to Lingua. The idea is that every single member of the team
Parselings involved. has a reason to help the others achieve their goals.
Once the Paragraph is formed, it is bound by this goal. A
Parsing Paragraph with a set, tangible goal will break apart upon
The more frequently you Parse, the closer your bonds grow. completion. However the more obtuse the goal, the stronger
It can become increasingly more difficult to untangle your the bond and the less likely it is to ever break, e.g. those
thoughts from others’. Each of the members of the prospec- who wish to go on an undefined journey together or to be
tive Paragraph must have completed at least one Parse of “safe” with no further clarification.
Grand, Miraculous, or Divine strength.
This can be achieved across multiple Parses, but each of
Parse / Promise
the Parselings must have engaged in a Parse of this level A Grand Parse must be conducted to bind the Paragraph
with all others in their group. together. It is a promise that ties the fates of the individ-
uals involved together, a vow that commits the group to a
Meal singular cause so great that they would defy the world to
see it completed.
The group must share a meal that is prepared together. Like
a relationship, no meal is quite like any other, and varies When players decide on this Parse, they are willingly com-
from group to group. Each person must have a role to play mitting to a curse or contract between those involved. These
in creating the meal, be it procuring the ingredients needed, shared changes tightens the bonds between the individu-
cooking the meal, or setting the table. als, resulting in the formation of the Paragraph. Until the
terms of their wishes are resolved, the ties between the
However there is one constant that must be accounted for.
characters cannot be undone.
Part of the food must made from the body of a Grand Lingua
(or Incoherent) and consumed by each prospective member.
The ingredients can be freely given or taken by force, but
the meal must be created or completed together as a team.
78 Defining the Paragraph
There’s a simple safety in numbers, the knowledge that someone else out there thinks similarly to yourself and wants
the exact same things. In a Paragraph it really boils down to a simple fact, the more of you there are, the stronger
your drive and power will become.
For each Parseling in the Paragraph, your team may gain one Trick, to a maximum of 5 Tricks. These do not require
the expenditure of Script, merely the required number of Parselings to be in the Paragraph. The following Tricks
must be learnt in a sequential fashion. You may not learn a 2 Point Trick, without learning its predecessor.

Paragraph: Defined Paragraph: Stabilisation

Points: (1) (or 0 Total Script) Points: (3) (or 0 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: 1 Syllable
Requirement(s): Must be part of a Paragraph Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 3 Parselings.
You may not have Paragraph: Rapport.
Your Paragraph has an Aspect that defines it. Every member
of your Paragraph will have this symbol tattooed onto their When a Parse with other members of your Paragraph
skin. It may be a simple word, or even an image, but to the appears to fail, one of the Parselings within the Paragraph
team it means a singular thing. may attempt to join in the Parse to prevent its collapse. The
Parseling may attempt to add their strength into the Parse,
Each participating player and the GM will suggest a singular
stabilising the Parse. This is an incredibly painful process,
Aspect to describe the group. From this pool of Words, the
and can possibly be fatal for the Parselings.
GM will randomly select one Word to represent the Paragraph.
You may use this as if it were your own Aspect. This does Draw two cards and treat hem as if they were part of the
not count towards the total number of Words you may have. Parse involved. While you do not need to be touching your
Paragraph members to activate this Trick, you must be able
Paragraph: Conduit to perceive the Parse.
Points: (2) (or 0 Total Script)
You do not add an additional Word, or change the Parse’s
Check: Nil
intent in any way.
Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Must be part of a Paragraph On Parse Success: Take 1 Wound.
While all members of your Paragraph are alive, you may raise On Failure: You are treated as if you were the
your Articulation by 1. You may not raise your Articulation same as the Aspect holder, suffering the same
past 5 using this ability. recoil as them.
Should one of your members leave or disassociate with the
Paragraph, this Trick can no longer be used.
Paragraph: Repetition
Points: (4) (or 0 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Paragraph: Rapport Cost: 1 Additional Syllable when Parsing
Points: (3) (or 0 Total Script)
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 4 Parselings.
Check: Nil
You may not have Paragraph: Routine.
Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 3 Parselings. Your Paragraph has a cause that they believe in so strongly
You may not have Paragraph: Stabilisation. that it resonates within your very body. Multiple versions of
the selected Paragraph: Defined Word may show up on the
The Paragraphs by nature are more Coherent as a group
individual Parselings. However, it is treated as one instance
than alone. By sharing the burden alongside their wayward
of the Word for all purposes outside of this Trick.
comrades, the Paragraph can attempt to calm the raging
Parsecyte within. Whenever a Parse is attempted wherein the Word chosen for
Paragraph: Defined is used more than once, and an Ace is
When making a Coherency Check, and when members of
drawn, this Trick may be used. All Parselings involved may
your Paragraph are nearby, you may draw an additional card
choose to spend an additional Syllable to treat an Ace drawn
for each member present.
as either a 1 or a 10. This can only be done once per Parse.
On Failure: All members of the Paragraph will
need to perform the same Coherency Check.
Paragraph: Routine
Points: (4) (or 0 Total Script)
Paragraph: Translation
Points: (5) (or 0 Total Script)
79
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Spend an additional Syllable when Parsing Cost: Spend an Additional Syllable when Parsing. Each
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 4 Parselings. member will send one card to the Health Damage pile.
You may not have Paragraph: Repetition. Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 5 Parselings.
You may not have Paragraph: Paraphrase.
Parsing with your Paragraph is a regular occurrence and
more often or not you have found that some members tend Sometimes while with your friends the entire world melts
to overcompensate. Through practice and a deep under- away and nothing matters but what you want to achieve.
standing of each other, the group is able to dial back the You feel the thrill of rushing forth with wild abandon, taking
flow of their Words, refining every bit of energy to prevent everything as it comes. As a Paragraph, you can allow a Parse
it from being misused. to surge through your bodies without any limitations. Your
desires are translated into reality, though how far they go
Once per scene, lower a Parse Success Threshold by 7. As
is another question entirely.
an example, a Major Parse will only require 7 Successes to
succeed, and Moderate Parses will automatically succeed When Parsing as a group, do not decide on the Parse Level.
without a Check. Cards should be still drawn, as Challenges With this Trick the Parse cannot fail, rather the Parse Level
still may inhibit a Parse. will be determined by the number of Successes achieved.
While you may not be able to achieve your desired effect,
Paragraph: Paraphrase at least this way it cannot go wrong.
Points: (5) (or 0 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Cost: Spend an additional Syllable when Parsing
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 5 Parselings.
You may not have Paragraph: Translation.
Being part of a team is all about drawing upon the strengths
of others when your own fail you. It is about learning from
the skills of others and emulating that power as if it were
your own. As a Parseling in a Paragraph, you are able
to draw support from your companions to direct and
manipulate a Parse.
When contributing the Aspect for a Parse with only your
Paragraph, you may trigger this ability. If your Parse
Aptitude for Embodiment, Enchantment, or Emission is
less than that of your compatriots, you may draw
an additional card.
 80
*
God’s Mill Grinds Slow but Sure

Months pass by like a wheel tumbling down a shallow Sylvia becomes less distracting as Lillian gets to know
slope. There’s bumps and jolts but Lillian keeps her balance her beyond the ‘Bright’ persona she puts on for nighttime
all the while, time more evenly spent between work, family, adventures, though whenever they’re in a room together
and friends. The Zinnia picks up business, Uncle Sven smug Lillian can’t help but look in her direction. A moth to a
over the success of the online store. They end up having to lantern. (She told Sven about it once. He laughed.)
hire a part-timer, Hasheena, who ends up taking care of the
They Parse together, sometimes. It’s another thing that
website, despite Sven’s grumbling about ‘his precious baby’.
Lillian can mark down as a new experience thanks to them.
Time with Sylvia and Augustine is no longer contained Her and Sven have long run through the range of possible
in the confines of Bar-bel. Sometimes she spends time at combinations of their words. But Parsing with Sylvia and
their flat instead, movie nights and idle afternoons. Other Augustine brings new ideas, her Parsecyte slowly growing
times they visit the florist, Sylvia donning an apron to help familiar with them. Sven keeps his distance, destroying
deal with customers while Sven and Augustine trade care- lollipops so thoroughly that Lillian booked him a dentist
fully-worded observations just like how Lillian imagined. appointment, just in case.
They don’t come over too often, wary of her uncle’s dis-
The wheel hits bumps every now and then. Work some-
approving stare.
times abducting one of both of them away from prior plans.
Lillian learns more about their work in bits and pieces. Augustine falls victim of this the most, leaving Sylvia on
Stray comments here, overheard conversations and even edge, burning brighter those nights. The brunette redi-
witnessing their names and pictures in the news. All of it rects whatever ferocity about her work that hides in her
recognizable now that Lillian knows who to look for. It’s ribcage into dancing or running or exploring late night
an exciting puzzle, almost, but she only takes what they neighborhoods. At first, Lillian finds it hard to say no, to
offer, and nothing more. look away, chasing after her, but fatigue begins to creep
in once more. It is stamped out before it can fully mani-
Sylvia’s work has her poised between Accidens Corps and
fest, by an offhand comment from Augestine to Sylvia to
the other factions in the city, working with others to keep
dial it back a little.
the peace. Augustine once did the same, but he retreated
to the back rooms and laboratories of Tenor Academy And then an explosion from Sylvia, that he shouldn’t tell
to conduct research at the Corps behest. Occasionally, her what to do. But she fizzles out quickly after Lillian puts
he helps Sylvia, ‘Confession’ written down his sternum her own foot down (hardest thing ever) and apologizes. So
and the ‘Ease’ tucked behind her ear effective in getting it’s a minor bump.
people to talk.
Lillian finds herself slotting in better than she expected.
Most of this she learns from Augustine and Sylvia speak- Augustine steadies Sylvia, but sometimes there’s the fric-
ing about his resignation. The Corps are reluctant to let tion of him trying to appeal to reason when Sylvia is all
him go, but there’s only so much work they can demand emotion. Those moments are where Lillian finds herself.
he finish or write up instructions for others to continue on Where Augustine would just silently judge and Sylvia would
his projects. He’s adamant about leaving, though, rubbing go find a distraction, Lillian can get them to talk. It’s not a
at the ‘Good’ on his shoulder absentmindedly whenever position that she imagined herself in before.
the topic comes up. Sylvia’s smile usually gets strained.
One night when the humidity is broken by a spring rain
Lillian carefully does not pry, knowing that if they want shower, the three of them are huddled under an umbrella
to talk about it, they will. Her friendship with them feels after thirty awful minutes of them trying to find a restau-
like a tentative, strained thing sometimes, but they seek rant. Someone had recommended it to Augustine but he
her out as much as she does, so she tells that part of her hadn’t remembered the name or exact location. It’s the
brain to shut up. first time in two weeks that he’s been able to join them.
 “I can’t do this,” Lillian says, sandwiched between Sylvia
using social media to hide her ire and Augustine deliberately
“Right,” Lillian says, searching his expression. He’s frus-
tratingly calm as always, but she can see where there are
81
silent save for the insistent tapping of his shoe against the bags under his eyes from perhaps too long spent working
pavement. “Don’t you two live together? Why don’t you talk?” and too little time spent resting. Even when they met up

God’s Mill Grinds Slow but Sure

at Bar-bel, he’d bring his work. But not this time.
“I’m trying to find where the restaurant is,” Sylvia deflects.
“I found the place.” Sylvia says, back to staring down.
“What are you talking about, Lily?” Augustine smiles in
She lets go of Lillian enough that the umbrella can reach
a way that makes Lillian want to roll her eyes.
Augustine again, who steps under it with an almost imper-
So she does. “You two are fighting. You’re using me to ceptible sigh. “It’s like five minutes from here.”
not fight.” That sounded a lot better in her head. “But don’t
“Look, you two should talk once we’re done eating,”
you two live together? You have a lot of time to talk about
Lillian chirps with far more confidence than she feels.
it when I’m not around. So we don’t end up like this.” ‘This’
“But Auggie, you know if something’s wrong, you can just
could mean either them standing on both sides of her like
tell us. You’re like Uncle Sven — he hates telling me when
a social buffer or being out in the rain.
something’s wrong. But I can feel it. And Sylvie thinks that
“Auggie’s good at not talking when he doesn’t want to,” something’s wrong, so either you’re doing worse hiding it
Sylvia scoffs, “So why bother?” than you thought or you don’t see what she’s seeing.”
“So you don’t talk at home?” asks Lillian incredulously. Augustine pauses just under the edge of the umbrella,
shrugging his coat on tighter. “… I understand,” he replies
“We talk about other things,” Augustine deflects at the
stiffly. “But there’s no problem for me, really.”
same time that Sylvia grumbles, “He’s usually not around
enough to talk, anyway.” “Uh-huh,” Sylvia rolls her eyes. “Pull the other one.”
Lillian looks between the two of them, sorely tempted to A frustrated look crosses his face. “Why can’t you believe
push them both into the rain. Instead, she thinks about the me when I say that I’m fine?”
tension, following it back to the source like unwinding a par-
“Because I know you!” Sylvia poexclaims, yanking Lil-
ticularly bad knot. “What’s wrong? And don’t say ‘nothing’.”
lian’s elbow again. “And I know that you always have to be
Sylvia’s the one that snaps first. “Someone keeps getting the rock, you always have to be the dependable one, and
piled with stuff at work and won’t say no.” She scrolls you’re always there to assist others- you never accept help!”
aggressively through the navigation app. “Even when it’s
“I don’t need help.” An almost reflexive answer.
not his work.”
Lillian judiciously makes sure that the umbrella is angled
“Not this again,” Augustine mutters, so low that Lillian
so he’s still covered. “That’s not true, Auggie,” she says,
almost doesn’t hear it. Then in his usual baritone, “I’m just
squeezing Sylvia’s hand. “You help people all the time. You
making sure there will be no loose ends when I leave.”
helped me. You help people through the Corps. So what’s
Lillian lifts an eyebrow. “So that’s why you’re busy all the wrong with letting people help you?”
time? The Corps aren’t happy about you leaving, so — what,
He falls silent. Not the usual measured contemplation,
they’re trying to dump things on you so you can’t leave?”
but a difficult one. His lips pursed as if to say something,
“You have a talent for listening to what people really but nothing comes out.
mean when they’re talking.” Augustine’s smile is far more
Minutes pass by as the restaurant finally comes into view,
genuine this time. “Sometimes they don’t like it when they’re
and Sylvia lets go of Lillian to punch Augustine’s arm half-
attempts to obfuscate are ruined, though.”
heartedly. “Hey. You finally have a day off. Let’s talk after we
“Are you upset?” Lillian fires back. eat something more substantial than the canteen’s stuff.”
“No,” he says, like a liar. “It’s just an observation.” Augustine accepts the proverbial olive branch with a nod.
As the tension eases, Lillian finally lets go of a breath she
“More like your attempt at obsufscation.” Sylvia finally
wasn’t aware she was holding. “Well, I sure hope that this
looks up from her phone, hooking Lillan’s elbow and pulling
place is worth how long we spent trying to find it.” She says.
her (and the umbrella) closer. “Look, you clearly have a
problem with it, even if you don’t show it. I mean I have a “If it’s not, I’ll pay the bill.” Augustine says solemnly.
problem with it, and I’m not even the one dealing with it.”
“Well, you are the one racking up overtime, so you should
“Obfuscation,” he corrects, stepping under a nearby pay anyway.” Sylvia opens the door and smiles, all teeth.
awning to get away from Sylvia and the rain. “And just To that, Augustine just huffs, but the corners of his eyes
because you have a problem with it doesn’t mean that I do. aren’t creased anymore, and the skip in Sylvia’s step returns,
To me, the work that is coming my way is of a nature that
Lillian tries not to have a heart attack when Sylvia kisses
would benefit from my input. The amount of it is purely
her cheek behind Augustine’s back, whispering a thank you.
because people are aware that my time is limited.”

 82 Weeks after that, Lillian’s confronted with the fact that
all the times she had imagined her friends sleeping over,
Sven looks at her through the car windshield, bewildered
as she jogs over, Sylvia’s not managing much in the way of
it was always along the lines that they’d finally broken past protests. He opens the car enough for Lillian to get Sylvia in,
Uncle Sven’s facade and agreed to have a movie night at his side-eye intensifying with every second. “She’s coming
her place for once. Not because of a call at eight in the back with us,” Lillian states. “I’m just going to grab some
God’s Mill Grinds Slow but Sure

morning from a crying Sylvia, the news talking about the of her stuff and lock their apartment.”
death of one Augustine Rucker of Accidens Corps.
“… Go for it?” Sven says unsurely, shoving a lollipop in
The door is unlocked when Lillian gets to the apartment. his mouth with a conflicted look in his eyes.
It’s quiet, though. No music or movies or sound of anyone
They drive back in silence. There’s not much to say, not
cooking. For a moment, Lillian wonders if Sylvia is even
with Augustine’s lack of presence is a needle in Lillian and
home, if she’d gone to get food or something, but then a
Sylvia’s side. Thankfully, no one argues, Sylvia stumbling
quiet, “Who’s there?” echoes from Sylvia’s bedroom.
out of the car and up the stairs between the shop and their
She locks the door behind her and rushes to the voice. home, falling asleep almost instantly after they coax her
Sylvia is nothing like the vibrant personality Lillian first into swallowing hot soup and tea.
met, curled up under three blankets and the wastebin piled
Sylvia’s a ghost, hovering by Lillian’s side like she could
high with tissue paper. “What happened?” Lillian blurts,
drift away at any time. Going through the motions of living,
regretting the words the moment they come out of her
quiet company as Lillian goes through her usual routine.
mouth. She already knows.
Sometimes, Lillian looks over her shoulder or checks the
“… Auggie’s dead. He was poisoned?” Sylvia croaks, shiv- reflections to make sure that she’s actually there.
ering under her blanket. “All of his words were… covered.
“Thanks, Uncle,” Lillian says the next evening as he
Blacked out when I saw him.” She quakes hard enough
washes dishes and she wipes them dry. “I know… you
that if she were a reptile, she would have shed her skin.
don’t really like Sylvie and Auggie.”
“He was just going to throw out the trash.”
Sven’s eye visibly twitches, but he doesn’t say anything
Lillian bites her lip, remembering the news report, and
at first. “It’s not like I didn’t like them,” he begins, “I just
sits on the edge of Sylvia’s mattress. She doesn’t know
don’t really like Accidens Corps… and Accidens Corps
what to say, so she looks at Sylvia. Looks, seeing the pale
doesn’t like me.”
tinge to her cheeks, the empty tissue boxes, the closed
curtains. One of Augustine’s blankets on the bed, Sylvia’s That was news. Lillian looks up at his reflection in
phone thrown against the wall. the window, catching the sight of Sylvia lingering by the
doorway. “Why?”
“He was just taking out the garbage, just downstairs,”
Sylvia mumbles feverishly, words picking up face faster “They tried to recruit me. I didn’t want to be recruited.”
and faster until her syllables are almost tripping over each Sven wiggles his ring finger, focused on a particularly greasy
other. “But then he didn’t come back for like… half an hour, pan. “ Back in the early days when Parselings became a
so I called him. He didn’t pick up, so I went to check on thing, everyone was trying to grab as many of us with
him, and when I got downstairs I heard his phone ringing useful words to their side. You can do a lot of things with
and I went there and—” an aspect of Memory.”
A foreboding feeling in her gut makes Lillian cut her off. “But you ended up running the shop instead.”
“Come with me,” she says, standing up. “You need to eat
“Mostly out of spite, honestly. I’d had enough of the
something. And drink.” And not be with all of Augustine’s
company man’s life.”
things. “Uncle Sven’s waiting in the car.”
She nods. “Well… you know that they came here for me,
Sylvia pulls the blankets over herself further. “I’ll be
not for their work.”
fine,” she says, like her lips aren’t cracked and her voice
is a constant rasp. “I- Auggie usually cooks breakfast. I “I didn’t know at first,” he corrects. “Either way, it doesn’t
pack lunch.” A sob jumps out of her throat. “Auggie’s dead.” matter anymore. Your friend can stay as long as she needs .”
Lilian wraps Sylvia in the blankets and picks her up, Sylvia turns away just as quietly as she stood.
lifting her with both arms. Her friend weighs little more

than the sacks of soil at work. Sylvia wails in her ear, but
Lillian holds on tightly, moving out of the apartment and
down the stairs.
 83

God’s Mill Grinds Slow but Sure

“Thanks, Lily,” Lillian hears as she steps on to her small
bedroom balcony, Sylvia looking more awake than she has
for the past several days.
It doesn’t feel real. The same sentiment has accompanied
‘No problem’ is on the tip of her tongue, or maybe “You’re
every step that Sylvia took in the past several days. It hits
welcome”, but instead what comes out is, “Your problem.”
Lillian then, now absurd this all is. The last time she’d seen
“What?” Augustine had been perfectly normal, a night at Bar-bel.
She’d been dancing with Sylvia most of the time, getting
“I mean — it’s no problem,” Lillian closes the door behind
more used to it while he had chatted up the bartender.
her, trying to not wilt on the spot. “Um. Some people from
They’d Parsed together for a poor woman that had been
the Corps came by today. They were asking about you,
puking in the toilet. Then Sylvia and Augustine went to their
but Uncle talked to them. They said that they’ll email you
apartment and Lillian went home, all of them promising
instead.”
to try out the bowling place that had been reconstructed.
Sylvia winces. “I didn’t cancel my shifts.” They were going to go there today, to do something new.
“They said they understood. They just wanted to, uh, talk But there’s no way that was ever going to happen again.
about Auggie’s funeral.” Lillian glances down at the plush Augustine’s dead. Maybe murdered based on what Sylvia
blue carpet, mustering up the words. said, but that’s a can of worms Lillian doesn’t want to touch;
then it would be too many questions of why, how. What
“He… had a will on file.” The words come out in adagio.
happened to his words. It’s already hard enough to think
“We all have wills on file. Update them every year. Just in
about the fact that he’s gone — all the other bits make
case.” And there it is again, Sylvia’s voice wilting bit by bit,
Lillian’s brain feel like a heavy grindstone is wearing her
Lillian hurrying over to be by her side as she crumples. “…
down turn by turn.
what did they say about the funeral?”
Sylvia crying next to her is all too real, so Lillian hangs
“There’s going to be a public wake at the Corps.” As she
on tight to the other woman, letting her cling back. “It’ll be
talks, Lillian coaxes Sylvia back under the blankets. “And
okay,” Lillian says, closing her eyes to the moonlight that
then a private funeral. Closed-casket. They were wondering
stripes over her bed. She’ll say it as many times as she
if you were going to attend.”
needs to, for herself and for Sylvia.
“I don’t want to go to the wake,” is the immediate
They’re like magic words. “It’ll be okay,” Sylvia repeats.
response. Sylvia looks at Lillian, hollow, gouged. The only
things left are the tears that run down her cheeks again. “We’ll be okay.” They have to be. They will be, because
“He was my best friend, but they’re my colleagues. They’re they’re not alone. They’re one less without Augustine,
going to want to talk about his work, what he’s done with unmoored from the steady stone foundation of his pres-
the Corps. I don’t- I can’t deal with that. Not right now. It ence, but they’ll make it. One day at a time, starting with
doesn’t feel real.” the funeral tomorrow.
Chapter 5:
GM Handbook
There’s a lot of different things you’ll face as a GM, some that you’ll
expect, and others that you won’t. While every TTRPG will be a little
different, there are many concepts that carry over to other games,
or even leading a team at school or work. Within this chapter we will
discuss the broader art of being a Game Master and common topics
to consider. For the sections specific to Parselings, start from “GM
Mechanics” on page 79.

Guiding Principles
If nothing else, remember these ideas. Go with the flow
Tabletop RPGs like this one are not mechanical systems. They are not all about While you may have the perfect story to tell, the players
cranking out encounter after encounter. It is a social game, talking with your will surprise you, acting in ways that you never expected,
players, working with and around them—a game of cooperation where people throwing twists and kinks into your plan. Pulling back and
come together to tell a story. letting your players take the driver’s seat is sometimes what
you need to do. At times you may have to ditch your road
To play the role of the GM for your group of friends is an interesting task. It is a big
map in lieu of a whole side of the story that you never even
commitment and can be taxing depending on your approach. Just as there is no
considered. Let the players’ suggestions act as a guide. Your
one way to tell the story, there is no one real way to run a campaign, whether it is
plans and ideas will always be there, ready for another day.
your first time playing a tabletop RPG or your hundredth. There are many things
that you should consider before starting a campaign. Before diving head-first
into the role of a GM, ask yourself: are you going to have fun with your friends?
Don’t forget about your own fun
In the end, tabletop games differ from video games that you
Communication is Key can play by yourself. It is a social story telling game, one
where everyone gets a say in what happens. Think about
Behind the planning, preparation, and organisation comes a lot of pressure and
what made your time worth it in other games, and try to
stress. It is easy to lose sight of the reason why you have chosen to GM. If you
replicate those moments for your friends. Most importantly,
are not careful, you may slip into the “players versus the Game Master” mindset.
you are here to have fun.
You may find walls can rising up between your companions as faults begin to
accumulate on both sides. Remember to take the time to talk with your players After all you’re playing the game too.
and to communicate well.
Do what you can to reduce your load. If you are finding tensions are develop-
ing, have the members of your party understand how their own abilities work.
Let them help you with the bookkeeping. Take the time to air out any issues,
expectations, and desires together. There is nothing wrong in asking for a break
or help when you need it. More often than not, your players will be more than
willing to help out.
86 Where to Start
There’s a spark, but now what?
Crafting your campaign is more than the fun of world-building and lore. Once you have the raw material for your story
you have to put it together to form something satisfying to interact with. Think of this part like making a storyboard for
a movie. You’ll need to give a framework for your players to participate in the game, as well as capture their interest.

The Pitch
Now you’ve got my attention
The Catalyst
What started it all?
“In the city of Tokyo, old meets new. Nature meets This can be known as many things, ‘the conflict’, ‘the plot
technology, folklore meets pop culture. Caught hook’, or ‘the call to adventure’. A well-thought out catalyst
in the middle of this duality are a small band can become the heart of a pitch, as it is the reason for your
of misfits, who find themselves having to pick audience to pay attention. Use it to grab a hold of their ears
sides lest they be torn by betrayal, loyalty, and and keep them listening long enough to become invested
machinations.” in what you are selling.
“This is a story about a Paragraph realising what You can promise any number of things—fame, riches,
they’ve lost, what they’ve found, and putting these mystery, or even epic tales. All enticing reasons for the
thoughts to paper in a new home in the back players to enjoy spending their time in your world. It could
woods of Oregon. Of course, getting over loss is quite easily become the reason why the characters have
never really that easy…” all gathered together, the reason that they band together
to form a team. With the catalyst you upset the status quo,
“Set in the underground of the urban jungle of
painting a scene that can’t be ignored and encapsulates the
New York, where Parselings and the mundane
main concern of the campaign.
alike fight tooth and nail for illicit substances in
a fervour not seen since the days of Prohibition. As you get to know your players in Session 0 you can adjust
When both teams are willing to get down and dirty, the call to fall in line with your group’s expectations. Some
who are the real monsters here?” of the following ideas can be good starting points to further
your own concepts.
While the stories and ideas shown in this book heavily lean
into a world like our own, albeit filled with supernatural • The local neighbourhood cats/kids have
feats, it is not the only tale to be told. It is up to you, the recently gone missing.
GM, to decide what kind of experience you want to share.
• A mutual friend hasn’t been seen in days and
We recommend you sum up your vision for the campaign they’ve been uncharacteristically out of touch.
in a few simple sentences, something easy to explain in a One day they call you all to meet up.
few breaths. The more concise the pitch, the stronger the
• The party has come into contact with alien-
hook for your players. It should provide just enough ideas to
like substance and there’s been some unex-
get players ready to ask questions and have them excited
pected changes.
for the upcoming story.
• There’s a rumour that’s been going around.
When writing your pitch you need to cover a few basic
At the centre of the city, there’s a painted
things: the themes or motifs you wish to explore, the setting,
mural that constantly changes. They say if
and a reason for the people of that world to be invested in
you manage to write your name on the wall,
what’s happening.
your wish will come true.
We recommend that you keep your ideas simple and malle-
able. It will naturally get more complex as the plot goes on.
By covering at least the following topics you will create a
strong and lasting impression on your players during their
character creation. This encourages them to build charac-
ters suited to the campaign, which in turn will assist you.
Structure
You always need a good foundation
87
There are many different ways you can structure your game, and each have their positives and negatives that you will
need to consider. Think about how much time you can dedicate to your world, and what kind of players you’d like to foster/
grow. Many of these details will dictate how a story can be told and planned.

Drop in/Drop out Linear

Life is busy. A few of the people in the group were unsure You have your story planned out—chapters 1, 2, and 3. There
they would be able to commit to a long campaign though, are locations the players need to hit, people to meet, and the
mind you, they’d love to—they just have school or kids or a money most definitely is at the end of the rainbow. This style
job or sport or other real life responsibilities. You don’t need of storytelling can be a comfort for players who like to be
a giant epic that takes over every weekend for months. It’s directed and become uncertain when presented with infinite
great to dip your toe and hang out with friends however choices. It can also be gratifying for a GM who has created
you can. a beautiful and elaborate story to follow along one route.
Enter the drop in/drop out structure of campaign. It plays Focus on the details that your players will interact with to
like a monster-of-the-week TV show, or an anthology. Each keep the story grounded. Try not to spend all your time flesh-
session is a distinct episode that must have a well-rounded ing out the distant lords or politicians that will never see the
ending, and doesn’t lack from missing players here and light of day, but focus on the bartender or shopkeep that the
there. You could even go the next level and rotate GM each party returns to time and time again. The players will care
session, passing the torch. more about who they can interact with and grow to love.
Of course this style sacrifices the richness and complexity a However, a campaign designed to be played in this way can
long drawn out arc provides for the convenience of breaking be rigid to a fault. It leaves little space for players to explore
the story into small bite sized pieces. Sessions might not and for those special moments when the completely unex-
make much sense in context of one another, and can lead pected happens and the story takes everyone in an exciting
to inconsistencies in plot and world-building. Or you may direction. Be ready and open to these changes—you can
find players are often missing key pieces of information to keep the plot you’ve planned for a later date. Think of it as
progress any overarching plot you may be cooking up. Often being well prepared for the next session.
you’ll find yourself needing to be lenient with your rulings,
erring to the side of the players. Sandbox
You’ve created a rich and detailed world with a huge cast
Duration of characters and mapped handfuls of cool places to visit.
How long is each session expected to be? 2 hours? 4 hours? The world is their oyster, should they choose to explore it.
Whatever you plan for, double that to put aside in your day. You haven’t written a story with a defined progression, but
Mechanics, dialogue, formulating a plan, toilet/snack breaks, shenanigans are happening and the players only need to
setting up props, and debriefing will all take longer than you dive in and get stuck into it.
assume. Adjust the duration to the attention span of your
This style of campaign puts the impetus for action on the
players (or yours), and the pacing of the story.
players, and suits independent players who have well-de-
How many sessions will it take to tell the story? Is it a 4 fined characters and goals. The GM must be flexible and
session campaign, 10 sessions, or a sprawling odyssey that be polished at improvisation as the story can and will go
will go for as long as it needs to? Like a good TV series, you anywhere the players wish to traverse.
want a strong and meaningful ending that concludes the
The weakness inherent in this style is the indecisive player
important threads. Again, this will take longer than you pre-
and/or GM who struggles with spontaneous plot. The story
dicted. Make allowances for extra sessions, if that is what’s
can flounder, and pacing is lost. The key to running a sandbox
required to complete the story.
campaign well is to read your team’s playstyle and learn how
to pace out encounters to keep engagement high. Throw out
plot hooks or characters that indulge in your friend’s vices
and hand them the tools they need to sow the seeds of their
own story. From time to time, you may need to approach
the story from a more linear direction, just to stoke the fire
in your player’s hearts.
88
Building the World
Why should we care?
Creating a complete and logical universe is more than picking a genre and
the natural setting that comes packaged with it. While it can be useful to lean
on genre, there are many more things to consider so that you and the players
understand what they’re interacting with. The magic of a tabletop game is your
imagination (cue sparkling text). So let’s get to the nitty gritty.

Genre The Protagonists

When is the story set? Where in the world does the story take Without any limitations players will create all sorts of weird
place in? What kind of people will they encounter? From the and wonderful individuals. However, not all of them will
collective media and stories we consume on a daily basis, fit into the world you have in mind. Giving them as much
we have come to associate certain themes with settings information about the world as you can and the pitch of
and genres. They become headers on a blank page, helping the story will allow them to craft their babies into compel-
identify what this story is for. ling individuals.
• Epic high fantasy set in a post apocalyptic Try presenting your table with a blanketing group to identify
earth ravaged by natural disasters. with—the focus of the story, the would-be protagonists. This
will guide what kind of characters are and aren’t accept-
• A dark fairytale set in a treacherous society
able, and suggest for players identify roles within the party
of Victorian-era Steampunk London.
they could occupy.
• Science fiction set in an advanced and peace-
• A group of small-time criminals who pull cons
ful colony on the moon.
on businesses. This time they target the wrong
Simply by reading this single line, your players will begin business and uncover a dangerous cult.
jumping to conclusions from their own experiences. As
• Volunteers at a religious organisation who
you share the details of the campaign, your may end up
know each other through community service.
suggesting delightful concepts that become central to the
They notice that some of the homeless people
story and the ultimate goal of the party.
they have come to know aren’t behaving
like themselves, and strange new graffiti is
NPCs appearing.
Flesh out the immediate cast your players can interact • Colleagues working at a large pet shop find
with. Have a collection of NPCs to draw upon during play. themselves at the centre of a siege from a
Find ways to entwine the history and motivations of your Lingua swarm.
ensemble with those of your players. Your personal charac-
• A bunch of teens with attitude, who have been
ters should fill a specific role, or add depth. They are your
given their powers by a wise(?) old man. Their
tools to drive the story forward. It should go without saying
job? To defend the town they live in.
that these important NPCs deserve their own Stat sheets
and likely their own little pre-set deck of cards.
While you will have your favourite complex characters with
The Antagonists
detailed backstories and personalities, it is also prudent to Every story needs an opposition, a reason for conflict to
have a handful of simple throwaway characters you can occur. The antagonist doesn’t have to be a masked villain
draw upon in an unexpected situation. You may find the or an evil corporation, it can be a concept like the impass-
Quick NPCs (see “Quick NPCs” on page 100) useful to able mists that surround the city. All it has to be is a force
meet such needs. that resists the players as they march towards their goals.
Ask yourself: does the challenge present your table with an
For Parseling and Incoherent NPCs, build their Words around
initial objective or a clear expectation for the scale of the
the personality or role you created for them. Try to be mindful
campaign? Does it allow players to flesh out their charac-
of how this might affect the Parsing the players might be
ters’ ideals and personalities, and give them something to
capable of with your NPC in the mix. Avoiding overpowered or
have a relationship with?
bizarre Words isn’t just for players, but you as well. If you’re
struggling to come up with new Words at all for big and small Having said this, at the conception of your campaign it’s okay
NPCs, try the highly sophisticated method of picking up a not to have this all completely figured out. The antagonistic
book, flipping to a random page, and pointing to a spot on forces of the game will evolve as your table interacts with the
the page. Let fate decide, and have fun. world, gaining more and more substance with every session.
 89

Common knowledge
How far will your universe deviate from our present reality?
Perhaps you only need to make a few subtle tweaks, or
set it in the past or near future. Maybe your story is set in
a dystopia where individuals exist in cages alone without
realising it, and there’s no way to distinguish reality from
VR. Maybe it’s set on Mars where all the Parselings have
been exiled and there’s a black market for Lingua in animal
forms for pets. In the end its all in your hands.
Remember to write notes as you plan, for consistency.
Maybe make a master document to share with the players
to use while creating their characters, and to refer to.
Having it all in writing also means no one can say they
weren’t told, or make things up. That’s your job.

Society
Set the rules for societal norms. Your players and NPCs
have to exist convincingly in this world, so give them the
framework to do so. The devil is in the details.
What role do Parselings play in this world? Are they
accepted or shunned? Hidden or common knowledge?
Carefully regulated or created through accidents? Prized
or hated? And all other shades of in between.
How numerous are the infected in the world? In general,
the greater the number of Parselings living in society, the
more chaotic the state of the life will be.

Location
Work on a good description for the location the story is
set in. This includes not only what it looks like, but the
smell, sounds, and climate. Engage all of the senses. What
resources can be found and used? Consider the local pol-
itics, communities, current events, and pop culture. Who
are the relevant public figures?

Technology
Set some ground rules for what technology is available in
your world, and be clear about this with your players from
the outset to avoid deus ex machina equipment showing
up later. How do the people of this world travel about?
What do they eat? How do they communicate? Is crime a
serious consideration, and how does it operate? How do
most people in this world spend their spare time? What
sort of jobs are relevant?
90 Session Zero
Getting down to business
Conduct
Conduct is all about how we carry ourselves and how that
Joining a tabletop game can be daunting, confusing and can influence other people. Some concepts may seem like
difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Session Zero is one of the common sense to one person, but won’t be to another. Like
most important conversations you will have in any campaign. dating, spend enough time with people and you’ll start notic-
This first talk you have as a group should be about setting ing habits that can cause friction in a relationship. Touch
expectations and making sure that everyone is on the same briefly on personal etiquette, player/GM expectations, as
page regarding what your time together is about. Treat it well as how to handle the airing of concerns.
like a collaborative interview to make sure that everyone
People are raised in different environments, immersed in
is ready for the game ahead, that they will be able to work
different cultures, and have had different experiences.
together and listen to each other’s needs.
Much like leaving shoes at the door, washing hands before
Through Session Zero, you should cover the broad topics of meals, or even tidying up at the end of the night, everyone
Table Conduct, Campaign/Story Details, Rules/Mechanics, has different expectations of other people’s conduct. You
and Character Creation. As a reminder, you may not need to may already be aware of certain assumptions or unspoken
touch on all of the topics outlined below, but they are good rules in your circle, but it’s always good to establish ground
things to keep in mind. Together with your players you’ll rules. Everyone has agreed to keep each other company for
build a solid foundation for your time together, or perhaps a couple hours, and it can be disrespectful or disheartening
you’ll decide that it wasn’t meant to be. The conversation to have people carelessly disregard valuable time.
should help set out the groundwork for good communica-
tion through the entirety of the game.
Ground Rules
While you may have already created an elaborate story and
As a GM you’ll find that you’ll be juggling your team’s attention
world for your campaign, it often makes for a better experi-
throughout sessions. Distractions can only make your job
ence to allow your players to guide some of the decisions.
more difficult, so it’s important to discuss what is allowed at
Ask for their preferences. Would your group enjoy a more
the table during the game and how to keep attention levels
narrative-focused game or one that leans more strictly on
high. Unaddressed issues can easily build and fester if left
mechanics? Are there themes players are especially keen
alone too long, so nip it in the bud now.
to explore? Are there events players would like to avoid, for
example saving the world?
Food and snacks
• Will alcohol be allowed at the table?
House rules
Your game, your way
•
•
Are snacks too distracting?
Phones and Technology
• Is the use of phones permissible to help
Sometimes, to make things easier, you have to customise facilitate gameplay?
house rules for your game. Perhaps you’ve found a gap in the
mechanics that doesn’t make sense in a particular context. Disruptive topics:
Perhaps there are certain rules that will never apply in your • What are people okay with including into the
world, or are a particular headache you don’t want to deal game? What needs to be avoided?
with. Ultimately, the GM’s word is law, but it’s nice for it to • Abuse • Slavery
make sense as well. • Death • Real life events
• Racism
Things to consider:
Banning or limiting Tricks for your campaign,
Absences/Tardiness
• How much notice needs to be given if unable
usually because they don’t make sense in context
to attend a session?
of your story, or will unbalance the gameplay.
• What will the table do if unfortunate but nec-
How much control players have in introducing or essary absences are needed?
creating NPC? However they come about, once • How do you manage consistent disruptions
established, the GM should have control over to the meet up schedule?
playing the NPC. • Mutual respect
The extent you will allow revisions of decisions
when in retrospect something was not quite right
Rule lawyering
• Is the GM ’s word law? What about rule debates,
in their choice of words—player or GM.
and how long should they last? What are the
Do friends or contacts for a character need to opinions on players explaining mechanics?
be brought, or can they be provided by the GM • Will there be story changes based on cor-
rected faulty rulings?
Expectations Communication: 91
As individuals we like to project our own thoughts and desires A good tabletop game hinges completely on good communi-
on to the world around us. People join a campaign expecting cation. While there are plenty of bells and whistles to dress
and wanting different experiences. Some come to spend up a campaign, like a glorious spreadsheet or the perfect
time with friends, others to work out how to experiment in creepy music, ultimately a tabletop is created by talking.
games or even just to share their creations with the world. Consider and clarify how you will allow the conversation to
No matter how players wander into this game, they will bring flow as smoothly as possible.
in different assumptions and ideas.
Between GM and players
Player Agency: • If you play online, will you have a private chat
window for you and every individual player?
Have you ever been shown an exciting new video game by
• If you play in person, will you allow people to
a friend, only for them to spoil all of the secrets or perhaps
text you, or allow notes to be passed?
even take the controller from your hands? It usually isn’t fun
• Should there be a quiet sign or safe word
being told by the GM or another player how your own charac-
to signal to the GM to change the scene if
ter thinks and acts. As a GM you may feel you have the best
someone becomes uncomfortable?
idea of where the story ought to go. While it is good to have
• If there is a character death or transition to
an idea of the arc and structure of the story in mind, it is
Incoherency, check in with players at the end
also important to remember that players should always be
of the session how they feel about it.
free agents. Some player actions, however, make no sense
in the story’s context. It’s your job to veto or encourage the
players’ self determination judiciously
Between players
• Are they allowed to have quiet verbal con-
For new players, player agency may not be a topic they’ve
versations to the side? How much are they
ever considered. You can save a lot of heartache during
allowed to text or chat with other players
the game by having a discussion of what is a breach of this
during the game?
table’s autonomy. Consider the following questions:
• Are players required to remain completely in
• When can you suggest actions to others? character during interactions?
• Is permanent character death something that • How much consent is required to take action
should be allowed in this game? on another player’s character?
• Are players allowed to kill other characters? • How will arguments on outcomes be settled?
• What happens to a character when the player
is absent from the session? Feedback
• Will players be penalised for meta-gaming?
• It is often useful to have feedback on the
And if so, in what way?
campaign and between players, to continue
• Where are the boundaries between GM pacing
tailoring the story to provide the best game
and player actions? Does the GM simply
for your group.
describe the sensations and information
• Decide if it will occur openly or anonymously?
experienced by the players?
Publicly or privately? At the end of every
session, or only when brought up?
Character history In writing or verbally?
It is essential that you understand your player character’s
history and intentions. Be clear and firm with your team,
no story details can be obscured from you. If ideas have
not been cleared with you beforehand, you as the narra-
tor of the campaign reserve the rights to veto any sudden
changes to the status quo. They may surprise you with
their in game decisions and antics, but established history
cannot be changed without permission.
While the players must share every detail with you, this does
not mean they need to have the full backstory planned out
from start to finish. They do not need to share all of the
details with other players. Encourage them to further enrich
their characters and to bring ideas to you as they flourish.
They just may provide you with that missing ingredient for
your grand schemes.
92 Session blueprint
Drafting for the hours ahead
Narrative
When getting started with all your players present, con-
While the players might have the luxury of jumping into sider running through a brief screen-cap of where you last
the playground of your campaign and picking up the shiny left off. It doesn’t always have to be you, the GM, who does
things that interest them, you as the GM should have some this. If the class was paying attention, a volunteer should
sort of structure in place. be able to assist.
You’re the team leader here.
Its all in the details
It’s what you’ve been dreaming of since you’ve decided to
Break the session down into key scenes. Begin each scene
become a GM. All of those delicious ideas, stories, people,
with a general description that everyone gets to know by
and monsters lurking in that head of yours. You’re always
being present and having a normal level of attention to detail.
ready to tell your story your way. However, you have these
This is your chance to add a little creative flair and be as
things called players that may not react the way you expect.
immersive as possible in setting the scene. Dot your scene
Not everything will go your way, but that’s fine right? That’s
with things begging for interaction, such as a conversation
what makes GMing so interesting.
behind a closed door, a mysterious stranger eyeing them
from the bar or an unattended backpack at a bus stop.
The Framework Then allow an initial exploration, invite players to conduct
a Perception Check or take an action.
Consider the following when drafting the battle plans for
Be specific about what is apparent to all versus specific
the game ahead.
players and adjust your guidance to the team dynamic.
What is the goal of the session? How do you and Sometimes switching between allowing the party to roam
the players know the session has been completed, free or presenting a choice of actions for specific players
and what should they be able to achieve? Take can shift the feeling of a scene. Creating a sense of direc-
careful note of how many Wounds or Health tion or urgency as the players decide what to do.
Damage they have taken.
What are the players interested in pursuing, and
An Ever Changing World
how will you give it to them? What will moti- Introducing stakes to keep the party engaged. Other than
vate the players to engage deeper in your story? the obvious possible bodily harm or gain of material goods,
Assess this for your players as both a group and consider other things the characters will care about—such
as individuals. If you are still struggling for ideas, as gaining a reputation, or mechanical benefits like oppor-
perhaps look at previously incomplete story lines tunities to learn specific skills or abilities. As always, you will
or player speculation for inspiration. also need to be mindful of what greater ripple effect certain
events might have on things the players will not be aware
What are the likely outcomes of this session?
of. For example, selling an item may allow an unknown NPC
Rewards and consequences abound, depending
to commit a crime, or infecting a public figure to become a
on their choices and the luck of the cards. Let
Parseling may damage a political campaign. The universe
each session push your plot forward.
you have created should continue to move outside of what
How long do you expect the session to run? the players see and in itself is a living and growing organism.
Depending on the number of players, what could
As you develop the story try to create various broad pathways
have been a simple event can stretch out into
for your players to meander down. Offer multiple opportu-
hours. As a rule of thumb, with 3-4 characters,
nities to obtain the same information or achieve a single
any major event will need at least 1 or more hours
goal. The players should always have a route for progres-
to complete.
sion and advancement. Should you create an inescapable
When starting out, keep a folder of simple notes for yourself situation, your may players will be trapped and unable to
in shorthand and dot points you will be able to understand keep momentum in your story. Take the time to be kind,
quickly. By keeping it loose and vaguely organised, you offer hints and suggestions if they get stuck or in delibera-
should be able to glean information at a glance, as well as tion for long periods of time. It is an amazing feeling to see
be ready re-juggle your ideas at a moment’s notice. As you their eyes light up as their brains come up with a brilliant
continue a GM you’ll find other ways to store and record solution. It helps remind you that you are playing with your
information to help you run your session. table and not against them.
Useful tools and Aides 93
Everyone learns and retains information in different ways. When learning in school we try many different methods of
instilling knowledge in our heads. We read books, listen to lectures, complete practical exercises, or use simple jingles
to help us retain information. Consider using similar techniques that add new dimensions to your game.

Music, Ambiance, and Sound Effects Props and Pictures

The power of music to manipulate emotions and create a Having more than your verbal description to use for items
mood is profound. Having music like this at the tips of your will save you time and assure you everyone has the same
fingers can be a great boon for setting the scene without vague idea. If you’re playing in person, sourcing items to
having to utter a single word. The tunes themselves carry pass around the table will add valuable dimension to the
some sort of emotional weight that can help carry your story. Giving the players another element to touch or see
vision just that little bit further. We recommend to curate allows them, to come to their own conclusions about a scene.
a playlist for:
As the table shares their findings, the discussion can help
A session intro and an outro theme, carefully cement certain notions in their heads, and gives you addi-
chosen to suit your campaign. Play when players tional material to mould into your liking. It could be a little
are gathering, and then when wrapping up, to get trinket, a cardigan you’ve pulled from your mum’s wardrobe,
into the mood. The music change is also often a an elaborate puzzle box, a postcard, a handwritten letter,
priceless device to signalling to players to focus. or even a box of slime.
Different types of scenes, e.g. investigation and The internet is, of course, another rich resource for online
research, foot chase, car chases, combat, sus- players as well. It’s simple enough to find photos or artworks
pense, sadness and loss. that convey the feeling you wish to share with your players.
Theme music for certain groups or NPCs, adding
to their flavour and identity.
Maps
This can be as formal as creating your own elaborate map
Sound effects, if you’re advanced enough to be
with accurate dimensions and tokens to indicate players or
able to juggle the storytelling, mechanics, and
NPCs, or as casual as diagrammatic scribbling on paper or an
technicality of sound effects at the right time.
MS Paint file during the session. Like the props and pictures,
Maybe just a few key ones like creepy whisper-
it gives the players something tangible to interact with and
ing, an explosion, or traffic sounds.
allows a shared vision between players. Sometimes, even
With consistent and repeated use of your chosen music using a picture of a location as a point of reference can be
you can set up your players to react the way you want. immensely useful. It helps bring everyone on the same page.
Think of boss battle music in a video game, or the theme
song of your favourite TV show. Especially for the duration
of the session, try to favour instrumental music with few
or no lyrics. Your voice and rest of the players should be
the centre of attention, and clear to understand. Clips or
songs that can be looped without too much disruption are
also preferred.
94 Flow
Keep it moving
High intensity
Kicking it up a notch
Allow ample opportunity for everyone to be involved, and When tensions are high and every moment counts, your
give them time to shine. You are responsible for this. If players are in a High Intensity Scene (see page 48).
you get stuck on a rule and can’t quickly resolve it, make a You want a quick punchy pace, and to transition between
house rule on the spot and follow up on it later. Parselings the players smoothly and quickly. Let your excitement and
is less about semantics and more about the story you are energy come out. Keep your words short and sharp as the
telling and what the players are experiencing and feeling. blows keep coming down. Slow down your storytelling only
when something new enters the scene, mirroring the sen-
Jump in when players are struggling with how to proceed, or
sation the characters may feel as they take in the new
they begin to over-complicate issues. Jump in when there’s
information and feel the stakes increase. At the resolution
an imbalance of players controlling the action and talking.
of such fast paced scenes, use long drawn out descriptions
Jump in to reset the atmosphere if it’s diverged too much
to build a feeling of dread or triumph, and hype your players.
from what’s required to tell a good story. You can do this by
This will help build contrast, and help the table wind down.
describing the next event or suggesting actions, but also by
asking quiet players what their characters are thinking or In such scenes, strongly consider using turn order by
doing, providing a fresh description of the setting, using an invoking Initiative. Limit the players’ actions to only what
NPC to drive things along, or by pushing a location change. is realistically possible in the interval of time you have
Give people something to engage with, and let them sink decided—seconds or minutes. Things are also happening
their teeth into the meat of a situation. simultaneously, and it may be to your benefit to use Group
Initiative (See “Initiative” on page 43) to have clumps
Invite the talkative and proactive players to open up safe
of players and NPCs to act in turn based on their location
space for the more shy players to shine. Don’t be afraid to
relative to each other.
shuffle them along to something new if need be. Players
won’t always get to do everything in a scene, but they should Your players aren’t languidly moving across the floor, taking
at least be able to feel like they accomplished most of it. As breaks to ponder their situation and recompose their minds.
you develop a sense for your table and you take on their feed- With the Choice system you’ve already got the advantage of
back, your mastery over the flow of the game will improve. cards to help build up your tension. Sooner or later you’ll feel
the pressure in your players as they see their chances dwin-

Low intensity
Taking your time
dling. This creates moments where every decision counts.

In the heat of the moment

In this magical world of storytelling, you are god and control Keep dialogue short and sharp—sentences that can be said
time and space. Become a master of shifting between Low in a single breath while running, jumping, or otherwise fight-
Intensity scenes and Downtime. Not everything needs to ing for your life. If a player argues that they can utter out a
be happening second by second, minute by minute. These long monologue about their tragic backstory while exhert-
moments are where you can take your time to breathe, and ing themselves like this, have them try it in real life. Ask
let the story flow naturally and organically. the player to complete their monologue while doing 20 star
jumps or using a skipping rope for 10 seconds. They’ll find
Low Intensity scenes (see page 48) are the meat of the
quite quickly that they’ll be out of breath and gasping for air.
story, such as the investigation of a scene or an enlighten-
ing conversation. It’s about presenting your players with all The above is situational advice for you as the GM, the omnis-
the information they need and preparing them to face the cient being that is in control of the world. Your words and
trials ahead. If they know what they’re walking into, it can how you handle the story will create similar feelings in
help build dread, anticipation, or even excitement—all dif- your players. You will need to keep the clock ticking, and
ferent emotions you want to foster and nurture within them. your players should feel some heat, but not to the extent
of causing stress in a deconstructive fashion.
Sure, throwing them head first against a fire-breathing
monster can be fun for you, but presenting tiny little puzzle In the end, how you handle your High Intensity scene will
pieces and watching them piece it together is entertaining depend greatly on the personalities at your table. If you can
for the whole table. see your players struggling, pull your punches and plans
back a bit to manageable levels. After all, you are aiming
to challenge your players to do more, and for them to relish
their struggles.
Downtime
Glossing over the details
Epilogue
Keep it moving
95
In contrast, Downtime (see page 48) is used when you The story has ended, you’ve played your ending theme, and
want to gloss over interactions and tasks spanning days, the table begins to relax, slipping out of character. It’s time
weeks, or months; or interactions you are not entirely com- to debrief your players, advise of any Downtime your players
fortable spending a great amount of detail explaining. Things can use to recuperate between adventures, provide feed-
like travelling long distances, extensive research, or training back, divvy up the Script, and assign the Quotes (see page
in a new martial art does not need a lengthy play by play, or 96). All of this bookkeeping is important for the longevity
simply you may not have the knowledge to tell these stories of a campaign, keeping your team all on the same page.
without writing yourself into a corner.
The process of distributing Script has been designed to give
Give a general broad description and make simple Checks players a chance to reflect on their experiences and actions
stand in for prolonged activities, and let your players fill in during the session, allowing the table to evaluate their own
the blanks. This can be used both during and at the end feelings about what they achieved today and how the story
of sessions as Downtime. It can help progress your story progressed. To press on these reflections, ask each player
in a realistic fashion, as well as giving characters options how they felt about the session, and how their character
to grow and change before their next great foray into the feels at this point.
plot. This might be to rest, administer first aid, search for
If you can listen with an open mind to what your players
resources, tinker with an instrument, or learn new tricks.
are saying, you’ll gain a fountain of knowledge that you can
use to enhance the GMing. Take in their criticisms, learn
Taking breaks
When it might be time to stop
what they liked, and the concepts or storytelling techniques
that worked for the table. Mine the ideas and theories that
your players may reveal, and work the best bits into your
Tabletop role playing games tend to run over hours, and next plan. Treat every session as a learning opportunity and
inevitably attention spans will start to wane. Stress may be before long your friends will call you THE GM.
building up, bladders are getting full, unavoidable distrac-
tions begin to time up, and you are feeling a bit foggy in the Preparing for the end
head. It may be time for a 10-15 minute break.
It’s easy to begin a campaign with starry eyes and excite-
Anyone should be able to call for a break if the need arises, ment to tell your story together. It’s another skill altogether
because if one person is fatigued, others may be too. to complete a campaign with the same level of exhilaration.
However, where possible, you the GM should try to keep Unfortunately not many campaigns will ever reach a com-
an eye on things. plete ending. It is a feat to complete a story arc and say,
maybe this is a good time to stop. The story and character
Cutting the story short development will likely diverge in ways you never envisioned,
and the ending you had penned at the start of it all may not
Whether you’ve passed the allotted time for the game, or
apply. That’s okay. It was your unique experience, one that
your mind is running out of steam and your players are
no other group will ever be able to replicate.
beginning to lose concentration, enough is enough. Unlike
a break, when you choose to end a session is down to you Make a list of all the loose threads, including the overarch-
and the tricky part of being a good GM is knowing where to ing plot and the characters’ unresolved motivations, and
temporarily end the story. work out ways to settle them. You might need more than a
single session to do this, so actively work towards it. The
Think back to your favourite TV shows and where they
more personal you make the ending, the more invested
decide to stop an episode. Chances are they ended on a
the players will be.
cliffhanger, or when a major plot point had been resolved.
Learn from these, and pick points where the story can nat- It’s not just your story anymore, everyone has put something
urally be paused or put on hiatus and still leave a strong, of themselves into it. The events aren’t going to affect any
lasting impression on the players. These are perfect places following sessions, so don’t be afraid to play hard and fast.
to build anticipation for the next session, keeping your team Bittersweet character deaths? Ascension to take over a city?
excited for the tales you’ll share with them next week. Dramatic plot reveals that your main NPC is a character’s
long-lost father? It shouldn’t come out of nowhere, but this
is your last chance to lay it all out and blow their minds.
You want this to leave your group with great memories and
stories to reminisce on.
Go get ‘em.
96 GM Mechanics Script
See “Script” on page 22
With some of the broader concepts behind being a GM
covered, we can now expand upon some of the mechanics Script is not only the mechanical driving force for character
already present throughout the book, as well as introduc- advancement, but a record of each of their stories and how
ing several new mechanics to help you in your journey. As they have grown. Use it as a guide to help you plan your
with much of the game, how you use these rules will heavily sessions and where the story goes.
colour your table’s experience, and it should be tailored to
Keep in mind that in order for players to make signifi-
the taste of yourself and also your friends.
cant changes they will need between 9 and 12 Script, and
during each session your players should be regularly gaining

Quotes
See “Quotes” on page 44
between 3 and 5 Script.

Starting Script
Quotes are the stories you and your players might tell others In some games, you as the GM or your players may want to
long after a session has finished, those small moments of tell a story with Parselings who are more experienced in
laughter and joy shared among friends. These quips can the ways of the world. Additional starting Script allows for
enhance your experience in many different ways. more complex character builds to emerge at the start of
a campaign. We recommend this option mainly for groups
At the end of each session, have your players each come up
that have already demonstrated a good grasp of the system.
with a moment that they each enjoyed that another player
initiated. Then, as a group, select one to be the quote of the
session. Have the player write down a small one-liner on a
Goals and Guidance
card that will remind them of the moment. It doesn’t have It can be a frustrating being forced to abandon your own
to be clever or long, just enough to jog someone’s memory. plans, or have to force the party to engage with the story.
If you ever find that your players are often undertaking
Ideology behind the chaos actions beyond your expectations, perhaps somewhere
along the line your understanding of them has gone awry.
Completing this exercise as a group can help revitalise
them after several hours of playing. Let them spend some Goals are a vital piece of the puzzle to find out a character’s
time gathering their ideas, organising everyone’s thoughts drive is in the world, as well as their pressing concerns. This
as they reflect over the newest chapter of their stories. information can help you understand your players’ mind-
sets during play, and create helpful prompts to facilitate
Preparing them to run through their experiences of the
discussions about where the story could lead next. As you
session and help you work out where Script has been earned.
become more resourceful and crafty, you may find yourself
In addition to all of this, it can let you identify when more
integrating these goals into your plans, allowing the table to
focus needs to be shared among characters.
sow the seeds of both their triumph and failures.
Though it is a very small thing, it can help encourage players
to be creative and think about how they approach the tasks Milestones
you throw at them, bringing a group closer together and
An alternative (or faster) character progression method
knitting them into a team ready to face whatever happens
is the use of milestones. In situations where players have
next in the story, reminding them, success or failure, there
rapidly experimented or tested the limits of their powers,
are always good moments in every session.
you could offer specific benefits like improving Articula-
tion or additional Words. Or other great feats or learning
By our deeds are we known experiences you could offer lump sums of Script for your
While utilising Script will influence how a character plays players to decide how they’d like to develop their characters.
mechanically, Quotes will make them feel loved and unique.
What these milestones are will be completely up to you,
Very quickly you will find that Decks become more and more
but it may be fun to present a list of possible milestones
efficient as the campaign progresses.
for your players to watch out for. Here are some suggested
This rewards players for using their characters in a con- events to include;
sistent fashion, and allows them to build further on who the
• My First Parse: This can be the first time the
character is. So be careful of what kinds of behaviour you
players experience the magic that is Parsing.
encourage. Ask yourself the question, what kind of environ-
• Participation Award: The table has completed
ment do I want at our table?
a Parse that involves the whole party.
• IT’S ALIVE: One of the players has defied death
and become Incoherent.
Conditions
See “Conditions” on page 45
Scars
See “Scars” on page 45
97
Throughout your time running this system, you will encoun- Wounds heal, but the trauma remains scarred into our
ter moments that leave a lasting impression on both you memory—a man who favours his right leg because of an old
and your players, times of great character growth, joys, injury, a woman avoids the colour red because it reminds
and sorrows. In every sense, the players’ choices will be her of blood. A young adult might refuse to enter a library
reflected in the cards. because of a tragedy that occurred long ago, or a police
officer fights guns and drugs on the street because they
Conditions serve as painful reminders of acts of heroism
will not abide someone else’s child dying.
or stupidity, badges to remind the players that their char-
acters may not be invincible, to remind them that life can For better or worse, your experiences changes you and shape
take its toll on anyone. you into something new. Just because a character has moved
past an issue does not mean that it is gone forever. Have
When they are drawn, they are dead weights in your player’s
your players scratch out conditions as a cathartic reward
Draw. Much like problems in real life, they hold them back
for overcoming the momentous difficulties thrown into their
and limit their options. It may be tempting to flood your
path. These marks will remind them of their struggles and
players’ Decks with these cards, but give them out sparingly.
how their creations have grown because of them. They may
Before long, if you and the players aren’t careful, they can
have healed, but they are not been forgotten.
send characters into a downward spiral.
However, Conditions can be used as a motivator for both Scaring Conditions
players and characters, giving them a goal or problem they
Conditions can easily take over a person’s life, blinding
need to resolve to continue their story. Challenge them to
them to all goals, becoming almost a personal vendetta that
do better, to improve upon what is already there, and urge
consumes their every thought. One thing that they need to
not to repeat the same mistakes.
have resolved, lest they live the rest of their life in misery.
Each bit of ink that marrs the surface of the cards should
Players may invest time and effort looking for a resolution
mean something to everyone. They should be battle scars
for their problem. How Conditions may be resolved will
that have been hard earned by your player’s determination.
vary, and often will change depending on the situation.
There are many things to consider.
When a Condition is removed, the players may cross it out
on their card.
Dealing out Conditions Health issues (Feats) could need time, rest, and
Ideally, these Conditions can represent many things. They ongoing medical attention. Simple issues can be
can be Health Damage, Parses, or consequences of deals resolved by Medic Checks. However, sometimes,
gone wrong. At times, Players may request Conditions to full function may never be restored.
represent the struggle their characters suffer through. Other
Psychological problems (Intent or Conduct) could
times it may be due to injuries or setbacks.
need counselling and support from peers to over-
When a character gains a Condition, have your players write come or compensate for. It may need someone
down the Condition on the corresponding when they add it to face their fears and confront it at its source.
into their Deck. Conditions are separated into the four suits.
Parse-based symptoms will vary greatly on an
Push Cards relate to problems caused by matters individual basis. Sometimes more Parsing is
like Dyslexia or Incoherency. required to mitigate the effects, or perhaps the
characters need to adjust their mindset and body.
Intent cards relate to issues with knowledge,
planning, or the character’s mind.
Feats cards are problems related to the body,
including lasting injuries to organs and limbs.
Conduct cards affect a person’s social standing
and how they struggle to present themselves or
interact with others.
For examples of Conditions, see “Appendix D: Challenges
& Conditions” on page 186’.
98 Checks
See ”Checks” on page 46
A big part of this game is learning how to read mechanical actions and translate them into an engaging descrip-
tion for your players. In the Choice System, all of the cards drawn by the players contribute to inspiration on
how actions play out. Just because Arthur and Jane both manage to negotiate safe passage through the dan-
gerous backstreets doesn’t mean it has to play out the exact same way.

Suits Numerology
Like the numbers, the suits all have their own meaning and The numbers lend themselves to a story. Lower numbers
purpose to helping you tell a story. can represent simple tricks used to solve the problem:
hitting a lock hard enough till it breaks, or throwing money
Push/Diamond cards until people see things your way. Higher numbers could be
more advanced and difficult techniques used to overcome
These cards can indicate how much a character wants
challenges.
their action to succeed—the effort or desperation they are
showing as negotiations begin to crumble, or the exertion If a card value is too high for the Check, the
it takes just to escape their pursuers. Conversely, Condition character could be attempting something beyond
cards may indicate a faltering will, distractions preventing their expertise, like a nurse imitating a surgeon’s
them from achieving their goals, a personal vendetta, or technique without understanding all of the ram-
the tug of incoherency. ifications, teenagers copying the pick up lines
of their siblings without the swagger to back it
Intent/Spade cards up,or kids attempting to mimic parkour experts
from the Internet without the months of practice.
When drawn, weave into the description how the character’s
plans and machinations have paid off. Their preparation Every part of the Check is designed to help you as a GM
and their careful research into the mark could have let decide how the story progresses. The possibilities are endless
them know of important tells of their opponent. Or it could and up to your interpretation. Remember the characters that
simply represent the refinements they’ve made to their your players have made, and make the story about them.
gear, or even the titbits of local knowledge. The Condition
counterparts may indicate problems in thinking clearly, or
understanding the long term consequences of their actions

Feats/Club Cards
The character is using their body to their advantage—forcing
objects into place as they slap that last bit of duct tape on
their creation, or the careful and tender touches they lavish
upon the targets of their adoration. Perhaps, as their body
fails them, their Conditions kick them while they are down—
limbs heavy, lungs gasping for air. It could be a breeze, or
they could be shaking in the wind as they try to succeed.

Conduct/Hearts Card
These cards suggest that the character has used their looks
or words to ensure their success, like seducing the local
librarian as you look for books on that obscure occult ref-
erence, or throwing witty banter as you beat down on your
foes. They could garner unwanted attention, or bad karma
due to their blemished appearance or distinct look—Minor
Conditions that could eventually build up into their downfall.
One of the biggest things as a GM is determining what con-
stitutes as a success and failure. In fact it might be one
of the most variable issues you’ll encounter in this system.
There is no right or wrong way, but the following are some
guidelines on how to make your decisions.
Success thresholds 99
As a GM you will slowly learn how to gauge your players’ odds, and you will be better able to manipulate their odds of
success, lulling your players into a false sense of security right before a trap, or creating tension as they realise their luck
is running out and their Decks are wearing thing. With skill, you can control the player’s hopes and dreams as they dance
along your stage. Use the following guidelines to help tailor your team’s experience of the game.

Simple/Reflexive Checks: Extended Checks:

Tasks that take a couple moments to complete should only Extended tasks such as medical care, fabricating goods,
have a single Check—it is a simple matter of if you succeed or research takes time. They require patience, technical
or not. There is usually little or no interference from others insights, and knowing the difference between no progress
as you complete these actions. As such, the thresholds are and slow progress. When undertaking tasks that require long
fairly easy to estimate. periods, characters will need to undergo Extended Checks.
The Success Threshold for these actions will vary wildly.
Simple Tasks: Setting the Success thresholds well over 14 is recommended.
2 Successes
Characters may make as many Extended Checks as they
These are actions that people would normally never have have points in the relevant Aptitude.
issues with if they had all the time in the world to complete.
Catching a crumpled up piece of paper, making a casual
acquaintances, or knowing how to manage a small cut on
Contested Checks:
your skin. These are low risk tasks that should be an easy Players will often make Contested Checks to do things like
thing to do under pressure. trying to convince NPCs to help, or fighting them off. You
will need to create NPC stats for contested Checks.
Moderate Tasks: If these are important NPCS with Decks of their own, treat
7 Successes
them as if they were a player characters.
Tasks that require a bit of thinking or preparation under
If they are a Quick NPC the rules are a little different. Assign
no duress fall under this category. While most people could
an appropriate dice pool for the contested Check. Similar to
resolve these obstacles with enough time, it is not second
the players, the NPC will require dice from the appropriate
nature.
dice type for individual checks.
Difficult Tasks: Physical actions will use Feats Dice.
14 + Successes Social actions will use Conduct Dice.
Extended actions will use Intent Dice. Extended
These are outlandish tasks that should only be attempted
Checks for NPCs include things like traps, locks,
by skilled professionals—moving a crowd to tears with your
and disguises.
performance, crossing large chasms, or understanding
snippets of a long dead language. Tasks like these are Remember, like player characters, most NPCs standing alone
not encountered by your average Joe, and are best left to will fall quickly as they tire out against superior numbers. In
professionals. your encounters it is important to try and keep the delicate
balance between challenging and unbalanced for both forces.
This will change from group to group, as some players may
be very aggressive in their approach, and others will seek
less violent alternatives.
100 Quick NPCs
As a GM, you will often find yourself playing a whole host of characters and creatures. Some of them provide obsta-
cles and challenges to your players. While it might be wonderful in theory to have a deck of cards for each of these
individuals, it is not always the easiest thing to do.
For important characters, antagonists, and allies, we recommend fabricating their own Decks, as their fates may
drastically change the flow of the story. Like player characters, the nuances of their cards will help guide the stories
that you wish to tell. With more impromptu characters, or filler mooks, we recommend using this Quick NPC system
using six-sided dice (d6s) rather than cards. Following several simple steps, you can rapidly create pawns to oppose
your players.

Step 1: Determine Risk level Step 2: Dice Allocation

Designate the threat this creature poses to the players, and Assign the dice between the four different Images: Push,
consider how much a challenge they may present. At dif- Intent, Feats, and Conduct. As with player characters, these
ferent risk levels the creatures have access to a different represent the combined Image and aptitudes of your NPC.
number of dice to allocate among the NPC’s different stats. Order them from most to least important.
This does not only refer to their ability to kill or maim, but Each dice represents a growing talent or skill in that selected
to hinder the players in any number of different ways. A field. In some cases you may opt to place no dice in a cate-
simple increase of one dice can drastically change how gory, as it may not be relevant to the for the NPC or scenario.
difficult the encounter will be.
For Stat distribution, especially in the Feats category, keep
in mind the following statistics and concepts.
Low Risk NPCs (2 dice)
Keep in mind that the starting Deck Size is typ-
These characters are simple fabrications, ones that are
ically 15-16 cards. A NPC with 3 dice in Feats
designed to harry and harass the players, or to present minor
can very quickly cause lethal injuries to a single
tidbits of information. Alone against a team of players they
target. They should not be used lightly.
present as annoyances to at best. As a group… well, things
can turn quite ugly. Placing more than one die in a relevant category
will rapidly increase an NPC’s power in that area.
Moderate Risk NPCs (3-4 dice) When assigning dice for a mook NPC, you may
want to also consider the party’s ability to deal
Posing a real threat to the players, these characters can
with the threat.
seriously harm and hinder the players. If challenged on a
field of their expertise, they can quickly cause long lasting Even a Low Risk NPC on its own can still cause a life threat-
problems for the players. ening risk to a party if it allocates 3 dice to Feats against
a party not designed with combat in mind. This fact can
High Risk NPCs (6 + dice) be used effectively to create tension, but should not be
used lightly.
If these characters are misused they can easily lead to a
party wipe. These characters should be used sparingly, no
matter the situation. They pose a real threat to the players
Example
in whatever field they excel in. A club bouncer might prevent the party from
entering a club. They present as more of a phys-
Table 6.1: Dice Rolls ical deterrent, but can be moved for the right
price. They are a Moderate Risk NPC
Average Draw
#D6 Max Roll With this kind of character we could assign the
Roll Equivalent
dice in the following fashion: 2d6 Push, 0d6
Intent, 2d6 Feats, and 1d6 Conduct. This will
1 - 6 2-3 Cards
allow our Bouncer to present enough of a chal-
lenge in the areas of their expertise.
2 7 12 4-5 Cards

3 10- 11 18 5-6 Cards

4 14 24 6-7 Cards
Step 3: Stat Calculation Step 4: Rolling as a NPC 101
Health Dice Pool
Associated Pool: Total number of Dice
To determine the dice pool for any given action, review
Roll all of the assigned dice to assign the creature’s Health, which Images would normally be used if a player character
or use the expected average roll of dice pool. attempted a similar task.
Every success on attacking an NPC reduces the Health pool Intent (Intelligence, Insight)
by one. When their Health is reduced to 0, you may render Feats (Force, Finesse)
the creature incapable of action. Or, if you wish to extend Conduct (Charm, Cunning)
combat, remove one of their dice and restore the NPC back Push (Potential, Perseverance)
to full Health. If there are no remaining dice, the creature is
The maximum number of dice that can be rolled is equal
rendered incapable of action.
to the number of points allocated to that category. In some
Unlike players and NPCs with decks, NPCs made under the cases, you may opt to roll fewer or no dice to conserve the
dice system will tend to have little Health and go down quickly. NPC’s Stamina.
It is important to remember that, by and large, NPCs gener-
Treat the numbers rolled as Successes and apply any
ated with this system are minions. Even elite fodder need plot
modifiers as necessary.
development to earn themselves a proper deck to survive with.

Defence Attacking
Associated Pool: Feats (minimum of 1 Dice)
Stat: Total number of Dice
In lieu of making combat Checks, your NPC should utilise
The creature’s Defence is equal to the total number of dice
their Feats dice pool to generate their Success pool. This
that have been distributed. This should be applied as a
roll should be applied against a character’s Defence to
Success penalty against player attacks.
cause physical harm.
Initiative To provide any real physical threat against a
Associated Pool: Intent + Conduct (minimum of 1) player, we recommend a minimum of 2 dice in
the Feats pool.
Roll the Intent + Conduct Dice to determine the creature’s
base Initiative. You may either use this as their static Initi-
ative score, or roll an additional die when determining turn
Parsing
Associated Pool: n/a
order during combat. If Initiative is tied with a player, re-roll.
Sometimes your NPC may be a Parseling, and could poten-
Speed tially have Words to contribute to a given situation.
Associated Pool: Feats (minimum of 1)
If contributing an Augment to a Parse, roll a single
Roll the Feats dice to determine the creature’s Speed. d6 to determine the number of Successes added
to the Parse.
Stamina If contributing an Aspect to a Parse, roll a 2d6
Stat: Total number of dice + Push
to determine the number of Successes added
Stamina indicates the number dice that can be rolled before to the Parse.
the creature must replenish their dice by spending a turn to
Recompose themselves.
If the creature has 3 Push dice and a grand total
of 5 dice, they may use up to 8 (3 + 5) dice before
needing to Recompose.
Like the players, these NPCS are still only mortal and cannot
go on forever. To be effective with such frail NPCs, it is rec-
ommended to pace out their actions.

Modifiers
Number of Modifiers: 1 modifier per dice
Depending on the challenge (or if you wish to stabilise the
outcomes of NPC rolls) you can apply modifiers to specific When filling out the dice allocation for NPCs, place
types of tasks to each NPC for each dice you have assigned the number of dice for the varying categories
to them. When using these modifiers, add a single success within the triangles on the card.
for each die rolled.
102 Quick Encounter Generation
Planning intricate ideas to dazzle and excite your table, bringing a larger plot points into play, and rolling with the unex-
pected turns that push you into territory you weren’t prepared for. This is all part of your role as the Game Master. Coming
up with a battle plan for a session is difficult, especially under a time crunch, and sometimes the ideas just don’t flow.
There are many different ways to find inspiration, and here are a few ways to build up a session quickly or on the spot.
Including your team members in the creation of a campaign or short arc can be a fun and rewarding experience. They
are a valuable resource to make sure the backdrop is convincing and the tone engaging. Be willing to adapt and improve
upon their ideas, and add your own special ingredients. Examine and draw upon the characters’ own personal biases. This
kind of work can be done as part of Session Zero or in the lead up to a session. We encourage you to use your players’
speculation, even during play, wherever possible and watch the table light up as they realise their input matters and they
have a greater stake in the story.

Iterative Narration
Have your players each make one the Checks below in order to build a story. Treat this as the character’s recap of how
the team arrived at the start of the session.
For every 2 Successes they can make a single statement that their character believes to be true about the world. Like all
other Perception based checks, they are able to pass on statements to other players at the table. However all statements
should directly relate to the original character’s observation.
Take the time to clarify the information with further questions of your own. Use leading questions to help build up other
ideas in the player’s head. Once each character’s statements are answered, give a full recap of the scene and encounter
before the next character’s Checks are addressed.
By repeating the evolving story several times, you will keep the narrative strong in the table’s mind and give you oppor-
tunities to add extra details where needed. Remember, every point that the players do not specify is a point where you
can twist and tweak the story into something unexpected. See below for the recommended Checks.

Observation Records
Insight + Perception Intelligence + Research/Tech
The players who take this Check should be describing events These Checks are all about finding out information in the
or details that they’ve observed in the world around them. wider world. This can come from all sorts of resources—
They bring simple statements that can easily be witnessed books, television, newspapers, social media posts, and search
or observed by a bystander. The idea is not to bring specu- engines. They should be short statements that could be
lation into these statements initially, but to bring prompts considered facts or sourced opinions. Ideally these should
for the table to build up upon. not be derived from conversations with NPCS, but rather
details that can be revisited easily.
Players should provide simple facts like, “The lift in the
office was broken,” or, “The neighbourhood cat has been All these statements can be considered truth, or at least
missing for days.” what some people believe. But there’s a lot in this world that
goes unrecorded. These little tidbits of information are all
Recollection about giving you snippets of lore you can re-introduce as
Insight + Memory the session goes on to flesh out and give life to a scene.
This Check should expand upon any details presented by
the revelations from the Perception Check. This Check
Hearsay
Charm + Rumours/Etiquette
applies personal experiences that the character may have
regarding the subject, be it one of their memories from This Check may be preferred for those characters who
before the campaign or little details that can accentuate enjoy spending social currency. The material is all about
what was directly observed. things they’ve heard while grabbing a drink, or general
trends they’ve observed in crowds. They are whispered,
This helps inject a little bit more life and subjectivity to
intangible bits of information that will change when taken
objective detail. Memory can be a little unreliable, and it will
out of context or misremembered.
give you more wiggle room when deciding how you want
to interpret the ‘true’ statements of the world. A broken lift Have your players repeat the words they heard exactly, or
could be a simple malfunction, or it could have been far the general sentiments that they’ve observed in the crowds
more nefarious, like a shady repairmen deliberately sabo- and how they’re feeling. Use these statements to help set
taging the braking mechanisms. up the dispositions of your miscellaneous NPCs—how they
may react to the actions of their players.
Prompt Finder 103
Ever find words escaping you, or ideas just at the tip of your
tongue? Sometimes all you need is that little nudge in the
right direction to send your mind into dreaming up ideas.
Compared to involving the table, this technique is quicker
and simpler to pull off. This involves the use of our GM
Encounter Decks, though you could always use a random
page from your favourite book as well.

How to Use
When skimming through pages and pages of text, our eyes
tend to catch on some words more than others. Sometimes
it’s because these words stand out, other times it’s because
they’re familiar or meaningful to you. The cards in our GM
Encounter Deck are filled with words associated with the
topic of the card (which should be in a darker text than
the other words)
Separate the Encounter Deck into its different suits and
draw a card from each suit. Use the first few words that
jump out at you as the basis of your next encounter.

The Categories
Each suit represents a different topic, and the words high-
lighted are the general theme of the words on that specific
card. Use the first words that you can see as prompts to
come up with a simple and quick idea.

Goals
Cards from the Spades suit represent broad player goals
for a scene. There are categories labelled on each of the
cards as well as variations on that theme. By giving direction
to a scene, you can help anticipate how players will react
to threats or obstacles, and prepare materials as needed.

Locations
Cards from the Clubs suit represent a location where a scene
could play out. Setting is integral to building up a scene. It
will provide atmosphere as well as tropes or stereotypes to
use or subvert. This forms the scaffolding of how different
scenes can play out.

Obstacles
Cards from the Hearts suit represent problems or obsta-
cles that may prevent players from reaching their goals.
They can be used to define the overarching challenge of
the session, or to present a reasons why a character may
fail during a Check.

Parse Words
Cards from the Diamonds suit represent words that could
be used as tattoos for a Parseling. The words presented
here are broad overarching stereotypes that could apply
to the group indicated by the darkened text.
104 Parses
Parsing is the chaotic heart of this game. This power is nothing
more than a tool. Wielded improperly it could destroy the balance of
the story, but with skill and temperance it can create incomparable memories.
The determining factor is simply how you handle these reality bending events. It
will be a test of your ability to think on the fly and adapt to the challenges your
players throw at you as the wild and unpredictable is inevitable when Parsing.

Unravelling the details

Sometimes your players may stretch the meanings of the words. Other times
they will not realise what they are asking for. For a long lasting campaign, Parses
should be completed with great care. Treat them as if they were wishes on a
monkey’s paw, and have your players describe or write down exactly what they
want. Reward carefully described plans, and take advantage of grievous blunders
or oversights, especially with Miraculous and Divine level Parses.
When a Parse is proposed take a step back and breathe. Things are a bit tricky,
but remember the following and your story will flourish: There are three parts
to managing the Parsing system well.

Part 1: Narrative Consequences

The most important part is understanding the request and considering its nar-
rative consequences. This can be difficult to assess in many situations, and will
often result in complications throughout the rest of the campaign.
Ask yourself, are your players simply creating a bridge where there was none
before, and will they be the only ones to benefit from the changes they suggest?
Who else could benefit from the sudden changes in the world? If you are feeling
kind, you can share the answers to these questions with your players, gently
reminding them that perhaps not all desires are supposed to be fulfilled.

Part 2: Mechanical Consequences

As a GM it is important to keep things consistent. In the following
pages you will find a loose guide to appropriate mechanical bonuses
to grant to your players. However, as you become more accustomed
to managing a Parse you can start to use previous player attempts
and your own experience as a guide. Trust your instincts, and try
to establish consistency within your own universe.

Part 3: Considering Dyslexia

Dyslexia can manifest in many different ways, never exactly
the same but always unpleasant. The effects can range
from simply being unable to pronounce words or understand
concepts to becoming incapable of rational thought
or even having the intended Parse poison all of
your emotions.
How this presents is up to you the GM, but it
should be in line with how the Parse was intended
to have manifested. At the very least, it should
invoke physical discomfort in the Parselings
involved, or even a sense of confusion.
Deciding the Parse Aptitude 105
Learning to categorise Parses is fairly straightforward and easy to teach. More often than not your players will approach
you with an effect that could be achieved in any number of ways. So it is important to learn the differences between the
three groups and how to guide your players. Always confirm with the players exactly what they intend to change, lest it
be required for their ongoing existence. Usually most Parselings avoid attempting Grand or higher Parses, as the greater
the Parse the bigger the backlash and fallout if it goes wrong. The effects the Parse do not simply disappear, they evolve
in unexpected ways.

Emission Embodiment
Intent // Spades // Creation Feats // Clubs // Self
Emission Parses are typically about manifesting the Aspect This category of Parse is about affecting change upon
in the surrounding environment. This can be utilised in one’s self. Embodiments are Parses that Parselings have
perhaps the widest range of ways, from offense, to defence, intentionally turned inwards to manipulate what is within.
and especially in supportive fashions. Be prepared to expect As long as the changes apply only to the Parselings involved
a multitude of unpredictable effects should your players the Parse falls under this category.
become reliant upon these types of Parses.
Unless they reach at least a Miraculous Parse, these effects
These Parses are of Moderate strength or higher. Once are transient and temporary. Depending on how the players
released, the Emissions tend to have a mind of their own and describe the changes, these Parses can be less obvious than
cannot be easily controlled or manipulated by the players. other Parses. Some may be able to be hidden away from
Unleashing a poorly devised Emission is definitely a quick sight, others are impossible to hide.
way to bring malignant entities to life.
Your players may learn quickly that if an Embodiment Parse
fails with such power, there is an incredibly high chance of
irreversible disfigurement or worse. At your own discretion,
you may opt to give out Feats-based Conditions based
upon the disfigurement and unnatural forms generated
from Embodiment Parses.

Enchantment
Conduct // Hearts // Others
Enchantments let Parselings alter objects or others around
them to suit their needs. They have the mindset of improv-
ing the tools already at hand rather than generating some-
thing new. These Parses operate more on finesse than raw
strength, making small tweaks to what already exists. Typ-
ically they also have a lasting effect, making them useful
for longer.
Once the Enchantment has been cast anyone can pick up
and use the targeted object, unless otherwise specified.
While these Parses have a wide range of strengths, remem-
ber that your players may not be in direct control of these
altered objects—anyone can use them.
If a player has been afflicted by an Enchantment Parse,
it can also be represented by Conduct Conditions. By
using the Condition cards you give the players a
reminder that not everything is as it should be.
106 Parse Levels Minor Parses
Success Threshold: 3
The strength of a Parse can be measured in any number of
Effect: Any actions humans are innately capable.
ways. In the fictional universe of the game we can consider
Reach: The effects of these Parses are typically limited
the area it can effect, the amount of recoil on failure, and
to within arms reach of the caster.
how effective the Parse is at fulfilling its purpose. Meta
Duration: A few seconds or a single action.
wise, we could weigh up the mechanical benefits or judge
the effects on a scale from plausible to impossible. On Minor Parses are small parlour tricks. They are using the
the following pages is a set of guidelines to consider but potentially incredible power of Parsing to accomplish a
remember, if used in combat several players are taking task most people could readily complete on their own, or
their turns to pull these Parses off. The rewards for the to create a relatively minor effect.
risks they are taking need to be consistent.
Much like using a massive fireball to light a single candle,
controlling this much power to such a small scale is no easy
Reading this section task, and is often a last resort. This category of Parsing is
both the most minor, and the most prone to going out of
All the examples will be referencing the Parse ‘Cold + Doll’,
control in the form of a Run-On Parse resulting in Miracu-
each of them with a differing intent/situation.
lous or Divine effects. It is important that your players are
Success Threshold: The minimum number of made aware of the inherent dangers of these simple Parses.
Successes needed to achieve this level of Parse.
The effects of these Parses are always minimal and last
Effect: This is a vague guideline of what you only a few seconds. At best, they can replace an action
could expect from this level of Parse. They that would normally be done in the same amount of time.
have been compared to what we would expect However, with creativity, they can still offer advantages or
a regular human is capable of. be the final piece to a complex problem.
Reach: The effects of these Parses are typically On Failure:
limited in reach, with the Parselings at the epi- Each Parseling involved sends 1 card to the Wounds pile
centre of the Parse. This denotes the range of and gains the Condition Dyslexia (Minor) for 1 hour.
effect of a Parse. Treat these guidelines as very
flexible measurements, and adjust as needed.
Suggested Effects
Duration: A Parse has a limited lifespan and typi-
Offensive: Treat as an Attack.
cally is not a permanent fixture on the world. The
Utility: Replaces a Simple/Extended Check.
more powerful the Parse, the longer it lingers.
On Failure: The recoil placed upon a Parseling Embodiment
when they are unable to control the Parse and
Cool your emotions to help you conceal what you really are
shape it to their will.
thinking, just enough to make you all feel chill.
Treat this as if it was replacing a Cunning + Act Check to
resist an Empathy Check.

Enchantment
You lower the temperature around that attractive emp-
ty-headed boy. The best way to let him know that you’re a fan.

Emission
With a whisper, you create a brief cold breeze with the vague
visage of a small girl, just enough to convince an old man
with cataracts that his house is haunted. Perhaps with the
real monsters in the basement, he won’t stay…
 Major Parses
Success Threshold: 14
107
Effect: Moving beyond the capabilities of one or two
humans, Major Parses begin to replicate effects that
would require heavy machinery to reproduce.
Reach: Within earshot of the Parselings.
Duration: Hours or days equal to Successes garnered.
Major Parses are some of the heavy hitters for the on-the-
fly Parsing. Well within the range a group of three or more

Moderate
Success Threshold: 7
Parses Parselings, these Parses have a greater reach and strength
than Moderate or Minor Parses. This is where the strain on
the participants starts to become a serious risk should they
Effect: Typically replicating tasks that would require fail, but the powers these Parses provide can be worth it.
mundane tools to achieve, or very minor supernatural
These powers will often be relied upon by the players to get
effects.
out of tricky situations as the strength of the Parses matures
Reach: The effects of these Parses are typically limited
beyond what is typically possible of a human being, while at
to within arms reach.
the same time having high rates of success in small groups.
Duration: Actions equal to half of the Successes.
On Failure:
Moderate Parses will be the bread and butter of any cam-
Each Parseling involved sends 4 cards to the Wounds pile
paign. Simple and easy to achieve, these Parses can be
and gains Condition Dyslexia (Minor) for 2 hours.
achieved with two Parselings with little effort. You will find
players utilising moderate Parses to cover any deficiencies
they have at any given time. Suggested Effects
Moving past the equivalent of parlour tricks, these Parses Offensive: Treat as an Attack.
provide more substance. Effects will become noticeable to Utility: On target’s next Check(s) choose to alter:
careful observers, being beyond what a human being could 1. The Successes by 2, or
plausibly do unaided by technology. 2. The Draw by 1.
On Failure:
Each Parseling involved sends 2 cards to the Wounds
Embodiment
pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia (Minor) for 1 hour. Your touch is now ice cold, your nerves are numb. The fire
ahead of you doesn’t stand a chance. Negate any hazard
Suggested Effects penalties caused by fire while this Parse is in effect.

Offensive: Treat as an Attack. Enchantment

Utility: On target’s next Check alter their Successes by 1.
Time to give a little someone a frostbite. They deserve it—
they shot first, right? With this kind of Parse they’ll lose a
Embodiment finger or two at the very least.
You want a calm centre within yourself, allowing you to be
Target takes Successes as Wounds.
cool and collected. Hopefully this will keep the panic at bay
as you head into a test you aren’t ready for.
Emission
On your next three turns, gain + 1 Successes when making
You’re creating a small golem that is cool to the touch. Add
a Perseverance Check.
a couple more Words and you might be able to give it a
vague order to complete.
Enchantment
The players have created a Low Threat NPC or a very cold
You attempt to lower the temperature of a person’s body to
and very real doll for the next half an hour or so.
reduce inflammation of a sprain.
Treat the Parse as if it were a Medic Check to help manage
bruising or swellings.

Emission
A small doll made of ice now lies within your hands. It’s not
going to last long, but at least it’s got a physical shape. The
construct might even take a couple blows before it crum-
bles into nothing.
108 Grand Parses
Success Threshold: 21
Miraculous
Success Threshold: 28
Parses
Effect: Abilities which present themselves as super- Effect: Achieving what may take a single person their
natural in nature, resulting in effects that are beyond lifetime, or a community years.
the normal capability of a small community working Reach: Within eyesight.
together for months. Duration: For weeks to years equal to the number of
Reach: Within line of sight Successes gained.
Duration: Days or weeks equal to Successes.
Miraculous Parses are, in essence, the Parsecytes’ attempts
When the uneducated masses think of a Parse, they are to push a copy of their combined entity into a singular form.
typically imagining a Grand Parse: changes to the world It is the act of giving your Parse a physical presence in this
that are impossible to ignore. world, an anomaly which ignores mundane logic. These
Parses generate more or less stable changes to reality and
Often the changes manifested by Grand Parses appear out
are extremely taxing on the Parselings.
of place in the world. Like an Escher painting, these Parses
appear more and more out of tune with reality. They bear the When attempting a Miraculous Parse, make a Coherency
Words of their Parse prominently, like high beams on a car. Check. Draw cards equal to your current Articulation from
the Deck. If no Diamonds are revealed, lose one Coherency
On Failure:
Each Parseling involved sends 1 card to the Health Damage On Failure:
pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia (Major) for 1 hour. Each Parseling involved sends 2 cards to the Health Damage
pile and gains the Condition Dyslexia (Major) for 1 day.
Suggested Effects
Offensive: Treat as an Attack, may introduce Conditions.
Suggested Effects
Utility: On target’s next Check(s) choose to alter: Offensive: Treat as an Attack, may introduce Conditions.
1. The Successes by 3, or Utility: On target’s next Check(s) choose to:
2. The Draw by 2. 1. Alter the Successes by 4-5, or
2. Alter the Draw by 3, or
Embodiment 3. Create a semi-permanent effect.
The insides of your lungs have become so cold that your
breath can freeze water. It’s not particularly healthy for your
Embodiment
body, but it might just end the fight faster. Gathering water vapour and the blood of an open wound,
the target of this Parse grows a frozen mannequin arm. It
The players may be able to more or less breath ice. This
works almost like one made of flesh.
could be treated as a + 3 Melee weapon. Add a Malady Con-
dition (Chilled) (See ”Chilled” on page 191). Your character may permanently remove a Condition
(Missing Appendages) (See “Missing Limbs” on page 190)
Enchantment: as the appendage is replaced with one made of ice.
The target of this Parse is encased in ice, and not exactly
in for a nice time. Their blood runs cold and if they can’t
Enchantment
warm up they’re more than likely going to get hypothermia. The doll you have targeted is now a permanent source of
cold. No matter where you take it—from a sandy beach to
Target takes Successes as damage and gains a Malady
a burning building—it will keep itself and those around it
Condition (Chilled).
cold physically and mentally.
Emission Holding the doll will grant the benefit of increasing your
Perseverance Draw by 2.
A host of chilled spectral mannequins surge forth and wrap-
ping their arms around any unfortunate souls.
Emission
The targets will receive minor Wounds equal to Successes
A sentient doll is formed, full of rationality and ideas of its
and receive an Malady Condition (Chilled).
own. You’ve got to wonder, though, what makes this con-
struct any different from a Lingua.
Divine Parses
Success Threshold: 35
109
Effect: Whatever your heart desires.
Reach: Immeasurable.
Duration: Until all those that have witnessed or heard of
the Parse have faded from living memory.
Divine Parses are terrifying acts that extend beyond the
norms of common sense. These are game-changing Parses
that should drastically change the landscape of the story.
These are turning points from which there is no return.
These Parses should be limited to when the players are
wilfully attempting the impossible.
Should they succeed, there should be long lasting con-
sequences for the table. Always warn players of the high
possibility of character death regardless of the outcome.
On Success;
Each Parseling involved will lose 1 Coherency. You must
then make an additional Coherency Check. Draw cards
equal to your current Articulation from the Deck. If no
Diamonds are revealed, lose one Coherency

On Failure:
The Aspect holder of the Parse will die, and a total of 6
cards must be sent to the Health Damage piles among
the surviving Parselings. Each Parseling will lose an addi-
tional Coherency.

Suggested Effects
Offensive: City-wide destruction. Using this Parse on a
single target is almost a guaranteed death sentence. Risk
a life to take a life.
Utility: Whatever your heart desires, but at a cost. As the
proverbial monkey’s paw, you should answer the desires of
your players but add you own little twist. They gambled with
their lives, and so it should pay off in some way or form.

Embodiment
Forcefully render yourself and the rest of the team with
powers rivalling an Incoherent of Cold—a unified frozen
front, an avalanche personified.
Gain the Aspect of Cold and automatically succeed in becom-
ing Incoherents. Drop your Coherency to -1.

Enchantment
Bring a city to its knees by freezing all of the people and
things that could be interpreted as a “doll”. You won’t be
winning any favours, and may or may not decimate the
population, but no one can deny your power.

Emission
Create a truly sentient being, one with its own personalities
and choices with human or greater intelligence, and instil
within it a single idea or imperative. How it will carry this
out is up to its own initiative.
110

Finalizing the Parse

Even putting all the mechanical systems aside, any single Parse can be a complex and difficult thing to determine. Your
players will request actions that may contradict the logic of the world. As the GM, you will need to adjust the minor details
until you can satisfy yourself and your team.

Parse Assessment Review

Think about what the Parse is being used for. Break down Once the players heard their choices they will begin to
and analyse the players’ request before making any hasty debate and argue among themselves. Listen carefully to
responses. The Parse itself should not entirely resolve their their conversation, it may provide you insight into their
issues. Rather, it is a stepping stone bringing the group expectations and fears. Every bit of information lets you
closer to their goal. think through and review your ideas.
See what the players are asking for, and what their intentions
are. Sometimes the players may be stretching the meaning
Execution
of their Words to fit their agenda. If the Parse does not fit Regardless if the players succeed or fail the Parse, some-
their goals, do not be afraid to stop the idea. After all, things thing will happen for better or worse. After all of this con-
in life do not play out so simply. sideration, it’s time for the magic to be let loose. Take the
time to describe the effects and how they influence the
Present Options world. Describe how their Words snake their way into the
seams of the world, reworking things into their own reality.
Create a scale of effects that can be derived from the Parse.
It is important to offer the players options to go for stronger On Success: Focus on the things that go right.
or weaker Parses. Let them think and weigh up the choices. Reward their hard work with details about what
Do they go for the sure thing, risking the chance that they they accomplished. Be sure drop little hints of
will overshoot their target? Or do they look for a stronger complications, a taste of the consequences yet
effect with the potential of failing? to come.
On a Run-On: When the Parse works a little too
Significance well it is a force of nature. Let the players witness
Spend a few moments assessing the effect of the Parse as the Parse goes rampant—small ripples that
on the story and the world as a whole. The stronger the grow bigger and bigger until they are tidal waves
Parse, the greater the chance that things may not go as crashing upon the rocks. Wild and chaotic ener-
smoothly for the players as expected. More often than not gies rush forward without a care. They affect
these twists can become the start of a new plot hook or anything and everything that meets their require-
story arc down the road. ments. They pull on the Parselings involved,
feeding the Parsecyte within.
Think about the following things when looking at the Parse.
Have there been similar Parses in the past? Will allowing the On Failure: The energies accumulated recoil
intended effects alter the landscape of your campaign? How back into the Parselings. Describe the impact
will this advance the story you are building as a group? If on their bodies as the Parsecyte within them
something seems out of place or not quite right, the Parse twists their words and intentions. As their desires
may need a little twist, a little bit extra that the players are rebound on their bodies and the world around
not expecting—just enough to change the outcome ever them, they feel a horrible sensation that leaves
so slightly, but nothing that contradicts their intentions. the mind cluttered and jarred. At times, language
Rather, look for something that they lacked the foresight can seem indecipherable.
to think about.
After all is said and done, Parsing relies on your own judg-
A simple unforeseen consequence of a Parse could be ment and how you want to embellish the details. Let your
something that affects something beyond their target, imagination and the Words of your players sculpt out the
like introducing small little Challenges into their targets, or world as you wish.
perhaps they have given birth to a new monster, one with
a mind of its own.
 111

Custom Abilities
During your time as a GM it is inevitable that you will need to create specialised abilities for your players. You will be
presented with a wide range of requests. Some will be reasonable, others will be outrageous. Some of them will seem
insignificant on paper, others will be less than useful. Unlike Parses, which change from use to use, these powers will be
used time and time again. Spend time with your players and carefully assess the options you come up with. If need be,
search for a third party to mediate this process.
For the abilities generated from the Trick trees Incoherency, Expression, Projection, Parse-Afflicted, and Amplifier,
treat them as if they were Moderate or Major Parses. Each of these abilities should be related to one of your character’s
Words as the core of the ability.

Step 1: Aim Step 2: Fit

What is the purpose of this power? How will it affect your story?
This is the first question that should be asked of your player After several ideas have been developed, take a step back
when beginning the process of power creation. These abili- and consider the impact it could have for your campaign.
ties should be born from the character’s mindset and design. Will it cause misery and mayhem wherever the ability is
Talk to your player about the Word or idea placed at the used? Can the power be twisted and abused in ways that
core of this ability. See what options have they considered, would be overpowered in comparison to the other players?
and why? Does it counteract the ideas and spirit of your campaign?
With your player, come up with a small handful of ideas If any of these questions cause doubts in your mind, it is
derived from the initial intent. Look at what would be fun better to shelve the power and look at other options. Devel-
for both player and GM. Find ideas that reflect some aspect oping a well suited concept will take time, and revisions will
of the character’s identity, parts of how they function to only help provide a more satisfying outcome.
exaggerate and make a caricature of, be it their personality,
Keep narrowing down the field of options you and your player
their role in a group, or the way they act. The powers them-
would like to use until there’s only a couple left.
selves should not create some new part of the character,
but rather amplify what was already there.
Step 3: Adaptation
A sharp-tongued high school diva with the Word How will it work?
Divide could focus on a Social Divide, physically
Once you’ve brought down the possibilities to a small handful,
splitting people up and preventing Parses by
it’s now time to consider how it works mechanically. There
categorising people in some fashion or another.
are two parts to consider in this step: translating the desired
Or another idea could be Divide and Conquer. effects into measurable quantities within the system, and
Using her ability to learn the secrets and worries offsetting the benefits with adequate drawbacks.
of her foes, she could whisper malicious thoughts
On the next page are some of the suggested benefits and
in their heads, splitting the group and causing
drawbacks. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is
in-fighting.
useful to consider.
Yet another idea could be United We Stand,
Ability property [Property Cost]
Knowing that divided we fall, she musters all
of her power, becoming a radiant figure, one to Each of these effects have been given a positive or nega-
be adored and obeyed. Those that work with her tive points. When these values add up to zero and simple
find themselves reinvigorated by her energies. in world logic has been applied, you should have developed
a balanced power.
112 Essential Components
Aspect/Augment Imbuement (+1) Duration (0/+ 1/+ 5)
At the core of each ability should be one of your character’s When creating an ability it is vital to define how long its
Words, which shapes the form the ability takes. When this effects linger. This drastically changes how the ability can
option is selected, in some form or fashion your Word should be utilised. Does the ability happen in an instant, or if it
influence the nature of your ability. You may find inspiration provides a persistent benefit?
from common idioms or popular culture
At 0 Points: the Ability is a single use ability it
lasts for one whole action. Suited for Attacking,
Check (-1) healing, or actions that replicate Feats Checks.
The Check must be determined in order for the ability to
At + 1 Point: For each additional point of Duration,
be triggered. This will vary from idea to idea. Try and pull
the ability will last for an additional Action. Ideally
from the appropriate Image and Aptitudes.
this is used for buffs, persistent effects, Attacks .
Cost (-1/-3/-5) At + 5 Point: These effects will last the duration
of the scene. These abilities ideally should not
The more powerful the ability, the more demanding the skill,
be offensive skills.
and additional costs will be required to trigger the ability.
At -1 Points: When using this ability, send the Reach (0/+ 1/+ 3)
top card of your Deck to the Removed pile. Rep-
Another key feature to identify is how far the ability can
resenting physical or mental duress the ability
reach. As the ability spreads further and further from the
places on your character.
point of origin, more and more energy is required to main-
At -3 Points: When using this ability, spend a tain the ability.
Syllable. The more Syllables poured in, the more
At 0 points: The ability will require you to be
powerful the ability.
within arm’s reach of your desired target(s).
At -5 Points: When using this ability, use a point
At + 1 Point: To be a valid target for the ability,
of Potential or Perseverance. You are pulling
the target must be within range of your Speed.
from the energy deep inside yourself. You are
burning your reserves to make this power work. At + 3 Point: Those that can hear you are sus-
ceptible to your ability.
Restrictions (-1/-2/-3)
In order to use the ability, specific criteria must be met. In
Targets (0/+1/+ 4)
many stories these restrictions are often used to rationalise This allows the ability to change the number of targets the
powerful abilities, or they reflect a specialised an ability that ability can affect.
only works when the circumstances are just right.
At 0 points: The ability is designed for a single
For each restriction placed on the skill, each successive rule target or a very specific range of effect.
must be more and more specific. A good initial restriction is
At + 1 Point: For each point spent in this category,
to, in some way or fashion, link the ability to an additional
increase the number of targets affected by the
Word of the player’s choice.
ability. This can be increased up to a maximum
of 3 different people or 3 different objects.
At + 4 points: The ability is considered to be able
to affect a small crowd or room.
Optional Benefits Optional Drawbacks: 113
Damage (+1) Coherency Check (-3)
When this is added on to an ability it will be treated as an Leaning heavily into the powers of the Parsecyte, the
Attack. This can be used to replace Attack Checks. Parseling finds the ink in their body spreading and assert-
ing control.
Draw increase/decrease(+1) At the end of the scene, make a Articulation + Potential
Adjust the level of a designated Check. Once selected, this Check. If less than 3 Push cards are drawn, lose a Coherency.
cannot be changed.
At + 1 Points: Adjust selected Check by one.
Conditions (-2/-4/-6)
After using the ability, the character may suffer from an
At + 2 Points: Adjust selected Check by two.
imbalance within their body. Perhaps the Parsecyte has eaten
At + 3 Points: Adjust selected Check by three. its fill of the Word generating the ability. Perhaps the core
of the ability has become over-saturated in the Parseling’s
Healing(+ 2) body. Regardless of why, add a Condition card into the Deck.
This card will be removed after a day has passed.
When this is added on to an ability, it will be treated as a
method of recovering cards from your Wounds or Health At -2 Points: Add a Jack to the player’s Deck or
Damage. This can be used to replace regular Medic Checks. a static penalty of -1 on a Quick NPC
At -4 Points: Add a Queen Into the player’s Deck
Automatic Successes (+1) or a static penalty of -2 on a Quick NPC
Your character is in tune with this ability, granting them
At -6 Points: Add a King into the player’s Deck
automatic Successes added to the Check pertaining to
or a static penalty of -3 on a Quick NPC
this ability.

Image Boost/Decrease (+ 3/+ 6/+ 9) Exhaustion (-1/-2/-3)

When the duration of the effect ends, your character must a
The use of this ability temporarily boosts one Image of your
certain amount of time to rest. The character is exhausted
choice. Once selected, this cannot be changed. You will be
after using this ability and needs to catch their breath.
able to exceed past the 5 point cap. Any Derived Stats will
also be adjusted. At -1 Points: Your character must rest for the
remainder of the scene.
At + 3 Points: Adjust selected Image by one.
At -2 Points: Your character must rest for the
At + 6 Points: Adjust selected Image by two.
next hour. They are unable to undertake any
At + 9 Points: Adjust selected Image by three. Extended Checks or anything that requires too
much physical exertion.
Aptitude Boost/Decrease (+ 2/+ 4/+6) At -3 Points: Your character must rest for the
The use of this ability temporarily boosts one Aptitude next 12 hours. They are rendered unconscious
of your choice. Once selected, this cannot be changed. In until the end of the scene. Without GM approval
some way this must relate back to the core Word. You will during the 12 hours, they should not undertake
be able to exceed past the 5 point cap. Any Derived Stats any kind of Simple or Extended Checks.
will also be adjusted.
At + 2 Points: Adjust selected Aptitude by one.
Lifeblood (-10)
When using the ability, permanently reduce your Health by
At + 4 Points: Adjust selected Aptitude by two.
one. This cannot be recovered through Script, effectively
At + 6 Points: Adjust selected Aptitude by three. reducing the maximum possible health for your charac-
ter. This would be also be suitable for life-threatening or
Recompose (+1) extremely powerful abilities.
After triggering the ability, the target may Recompose their
Deck without spending their turn. The character is refreshed
Wounds(-2)
and rejuvenated after using a power with this property. When using this ability, send the top card of your
Deck into your Wound pile.
114 A study that the entire world, not just Professor
Myrrh, was working on was the fabled “cure”. An anti-
dote for Parselings, something that could eradicate
a Parsecyte but not the person. The first attempts
resulted in the original Incoherents — Parselings
Boats in the Current

that were taken completely over into an embodiment

of one of their words, sustaining themselves on it
wholly and entirely, consuming the idea or concept
behind it and growing stronger the more they did so.
Natural disasters in human form.
To be fair, Marley’s pretty sure that the early exper-
iments ended with the deaths of those Parselings,
which led to the whole discovery that some Parselings
could survive a near-death experience, but… altered.
At the very least, considering Tenor Academy is run
by Parselings, she knows that any studies they’re
doing won’t result in people dying.
 “I’m glad to have you back,” Professor Myrrh tells her as
he shows her the changes to the building she once studied
“Hello, Ms O’Neal.” The woman slides off her stool, holding
her hand out. Then she pauses as she gets closer.
115
in. Unlike the renovated laboratory, he himself is unchanged
“I think we’ve met before?”
since the last time she saw him save for a different pair
of spectacles and some grey tinting his hair. “Accidence “Really?” Such elegantly raised brows.

Boats in the Current

Corps recently poured a surprising amount of funding into
“Yeah,” Marley says, finally finding her voice again. “At
research for the cure, actually, so this is great timing. Well,
Bar-bel. Nice to meet you properly, Dr Jiang.”
and Mono Movement.”
“Oh yes!” She snaps her fingers in recollection. “I remem-
“Don’t they kind of, you know,” Marley jerks her thumb
ber now! Well, you should call me Xin Yi since we’re working
across her throat, “Want us gone?”
together, none of that Dr. Jiang business.”
“Well, yes, but the Academy isn’t looking a gift horse in
“Of course. I’m Marley.” For some reason everything feels
the mouth. It is a lot of money.”
tense. Fraught. A taunt from the world, that of all people to
“So does this mean I’ll actually get paid this time around?” be working with, it’s someone nothing like her father save
she jokingly adds. for one painful point of similarity.
“Well, we’re hiring you on as a researcher rather than an With introductions over, Professor Myrrh breezes out
undergraduate research assistant, so the answer is yes.” the door, suddenly remembering fifteen other things he
Professor Myrrh says, “Though I imagine that you shouldn’t needed to do. Xin Yi shows her around the laboratory, set
have to worry too much about finances.” up with cabinets of glassware, dented refrigerators, stores
of reagents, and rumbling machines Marley would eventu-
Marley recovers from her slack-jawed surprise long
ally learn the use of.
enough to answer, “Well, I’ll be cutting down my normal
hours so I can work here. And why would I say no to making “Right now I’m starting from scratch,” Xin Yi explains,
extra cash?” “Seeing what I can observe by treating the Parsecyte like
a normal disease. I’m analysing blood-work and the effects
She laughs nervously, trying not to think of how the
it has on physiological systems, other than the obvious. I’ll
plumbing at home recently broke and immediately failing.
eventually be working with live isolated Parsecyte samples,
At least she doesn’t have to worry about paying rent or
but that’s for after the recent funding gets allocated.”
anything, what with having terminated her lease a couple
months ago to move back home. “I see.” Marley says. “Where will you go from there?”
“Considering this is your first research position, it’s not “There’s a lot to go through, and I’m still at stage one.”
going to be much. But show some results and you’ll get Xin Yi blows a strand of hair from her face. “How do you
more funding. You know how things go.” He shrugs, drifting intend on approaching this, then?”
down the hall. “Now, I haven’t been directly involved with
The answer is easy enough, rehearsed several times when
anything related to reverting Parselings as of late, however,
practicing with Jasmine for the interview that got her this
we recently hired someone new to the department that
position in the first place. “As a Parseling.” Most of Marley’s
expressed interest in it, so you’ll be working mostly with
words are etched on her back, so she can’t do what many
her.” He reaches a door that Marley doesn’t recall being
others do by just displaying a word to flaunt their status,
there before she graduated.
and the word on her right hand is still a private revelation
It takes a long moment for Marley to adjust to the odd- she wants to keep to herself. “I have an aspect of Malaise.
ly-lit room, green tingeing the entire area. It takes a shorter Theoretically, maybe a Parse could be constructed with
moment for her to recognize the woman sitting on a stool at the right people… right words… to rid someone of their
the side of the room, with long black hair tied into a messy Parsecyte.” She shrugs, stuffing her hands in her pockets.
bun and wearing much more than the last time Marley had “It’s not too far from the realm of possibility, since we’re
seen her at Bar-bel. treating it like a disease, so my word should be able to
have some effect. Whether or not a Parse can affect a
“Adrian.” Xin Yi greets, looking up from her desk. She
Parsecyte itself, though…”
glances at Marley curiously. “Is this the new researcher?”
Xin Yi’s face lights up. “I considered that.” And that’s
“This is Marley O’Neal, one of my previous students,” he
that, Marley sliding into the familiarity of research and
says, ushering her in. She remains silent, wondering how
Tenor Academy with the relief of a traveller finally finding
inconveniently small the world can be at times. “Marley,
a haven to rest.
meet Dr Jiang.”

116 Her supervisor approves of her schedule change without
much to say, and Jasmine pats her on the shoulder in
Eventually Marley can’t deny that there’s an undeniable
thrill as time passes day by day. The rigors of the lab do little
hopes that Marley will finally get some rest. She still sees to dampen their enthusiasm or make each other’s company
them, but in the light of testing Parsecyte properties and tiresome. Not even the one time Marley accepted a serving
Boats in the Current
Xin Yi and moving on, there is no loss. Only excitement of Xin Yi’s homemade curry only to feel like drowning her
whenever she rides home, wishing to sleep earlier so she mouth in milk after three bites.
can wake up sooner.
(It had been the first time Marley had eaten Madras
Her days blur between slow attempts at organizing the since her mother died. She tried not to think about that.)
remains of the shopfront, bouncing ideas and recent dis-
The preliminary forms submitted, it’s just a matter of time
coveries with Xin Yi, and the occasional ambulance shift.
until they had the approval to start Parsing on samples,
Murphy’s portrait now leans next to her mother’s on the
Xin Yi having tossed away her attempt at treating the
family altar, and even though it’s been several months,
Parsecyte like a standard disease in favour of Marley’s
Marley still greets him when she comes back home. She
proposal a week in.
knows full well that he can’t respond, but every, “Dad, I’m
home,” paves the road smoother for the quiet goodbye she In the interim, they have time for poring over new hypoth-
still struggles with accepting some days. But it’s a good eses, reviewing early conclusions, and frighteningly spicy
routine. Being a paramedic was a means to an end. Though curry. A month of this is enough for Marley to cautiously play
it satisfied Marley to employ her knowledge and skills in with the thought that perhaps her and Xin Yi are friends.
the field, it felt like a distraction before… something else.
“Why are the lights green?” She asks one day, eating
Returning to the Fixing Service and reviving it, presumably.
zha jiang mian she’d had delivered while Xin Yi opens a
She never figured that out.
container of mapo tofu that smells so fiery Marley’s nose
Even now, she doesn’t think that her work at Tenor is scorches across the room.
where she’s meant to end up. There’s an uncomfortable
Xin Yi raises an elegant eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
feeling in her chest, like what she’s doing now isn’t where
She asks.
she’s going to be in the future. Other people talk about life
goals, aspirations, how their current place is a stepping “The lights.” Marley gestures upwards. “They’ve been
stone to some greater design. But Marley doesn’t have that. tinted green ever since I got here.”
She moves away from the samples she’d been looking “Oh.” Xin Yi pauses, squinting. “I read somewhere that
at, rubbing at her eyes. It’s easy to remember now, why she green light was the least damaging to the human eye.”
hadn’t taken up any research position right after graduating. She sounds off, in a way. Unsettled, perhaps. It’s a far cry
from the quick decisiveness Marley has become familiar
Lab work had been dull. She’d had thoroughly enough of
with over the month.
being stuck in one room before the Divine Parse happened.
Even now it’s dull, with the state of her and Xin Yi’s work “… that’s it?” Marley asks.
being in the “Prove you know one single fact” blockade, little
Xin Yi’s lips quirk into a small, private smile. “I could
coming in aside from Professor Myrrh or the many other
say that, or I could confess that I didn’t notice, actually.
scientists drifting by to invite them to lunch. Or dinner. Or
I’m colour-blind.”
witching hour coffee.
“Really?” Marley doesn’t look away from her noodles. “Oh.
At the very least, catching up on new tidbits in the mean-
Well, they’re green. Thought it was just a… room owner
time isn’t too boring, and Xin Yi always has some new
idiosyncrasy.” She glances up to see Xin Yi’s brow furrow,
insight or other reviews she could reference from her
peering up at the lights. “Something wrong?”
previous position at Peking University. Sometimes, she
settles for switching to Mandarin to explain a concept, and “… Well. I picked them out because I thought they were
Marley never feels so grateful for her mother’s insistence red lights.” She admits, the unsettled tone sliding into
on speaking to her grandparents in their own language, something definitely cross. “But apparently they’re… green.”
even if she now learns the technical jargon the hard way.
It’s such an unexpected reaction that Marley almost swal-
It’s become refreshing, though. Slowly but surely the lows a noodle too fast and chokes. It’s… endearing, Xin Yi’s
observations that Marley’s been able to make, especially current put-out expression—not that Marley would say that
with the isolated Parsecyte samples, make their ambitions out loud. “I can help you change them to red, if you like.”
seem like not so far off of a pipe dream after all. Seeking
Xin Yi, still examining the lights, shrugs. “I don’t mind
people to Parse with to lay the foundations for what they
either way,its just a bulb.” she says. Eventually, “Besides, I
intended was far easier than expected as well. With access
wasn’t kidding about that study, and even if I’m colour-blind
to Prof Myrrh’s network of Parseling words and the poten-
and can’t tell, you’re not.”
tial of “设计”(design) printed on the back of Xin Yi’s hand
and Marley’s “Malaise”, the dream of a designer drug was Marley huffs, but there’s not really anything she can say
possible. Like a targeted monoclonal antibody, a serum in opposition to that, even if something worries at the
that would only affect the Parsecyte. back of her mind.
 Eventually, they get the rhetorical green light to go ahead,
Professor Myrrh rapping his knuckles against a sheaf of papers.
117
“There’s definitely promise if the proposed Parse and your
research goes through,” he says, “A number of my colleagues
are interested as well. Even if it’s not completely successful —

Boats in the Current

which I doubt, Parsecytes are stubborn things — it will be a start.”
“At the very least, we’re aiming to see if we can suppress
Parsecytes.” Xin Yi says. Professor Myrrh nods approvingly,
and the rest of it is:
Holding hands with another person for the first time after
Murphy’s death. Her hands are coarser than Xin Yi’s and for a
moment Marley thinks, ‘I can’t do it.’ Can’t Parse with another
person, even if they are, tentatively, friends. Even if the one
tender point of similarity Xin Yi had to Murphy no longer hurts
as it once did. But Parsing is a personal thing for everyone —
And it’s a success, a new antibody made and then pipetted
into the same flask as a Parsecyte sample. The creature squirms
the same violet shade as Marley’s blood and seeps into the flask
from where ‘设计 Malaise’ has been traced into it. The reaction
is immediate and it thrashes against the glass, squelching like
a salted slug. Marley and Xin Yi watch it with bated breath, and
after a time the Parsecyte just settles into the bottom of the
flask like a wet noodle, unmoving. After a day though, it’s back
to normal, if wary of Marley. Perhaps Parselings would have a
different reaction than Parsecytes.
“Testing on a Parseling host might yield different effects,”
she’s saying to Professor Myrrh. He nods, mentioning that they’d
already made preparations, and that further testing would be
taken care of by others. They’d be able to watch, of course, but
the promising potential of what they’re preliminarily calling
Parsaecea is too much to ignore. Which is —
“This is a blessing,” the Parseling in the testing chamber
weeps. An elderly woman, a “terminal case” as she was cate-
gorised on paper, someone losing the battle to a death by an
irreversible illness and feeling incoherency creeping upon them.
It had taken some time for the effects to kick in, but she had
smiled through the Parsecyte’s agonising frenzy and the toll it
took on her body. Dark splotches glistening like blood but more
like Parsecyte ink, surfaced over her words and blotted them
out one by one. Excited dialogue erupted in the observation
chamber. Marley squeezed Xin Yi’s hand.
Other than the woman saying that she felt like all her inter-
nal organs were being torn apart, there’s no persistent adverse
effect. The splotchy rashes fade after twenty-four hours, pre-
sumably when the Parsecyte manages to recover. The second
test subject ends up exhibiting similar symptoms.

118 Days later, Marley walks into the laboratory to see Xin
Yi staring intently at a piece of paper. “It’s from the first
“I don’t like drinking on an empty stomach.” Marley finds
herself saying. “Dinner first?”
test subject,” she says as Marley approaches, voice soft
The way that Xin Yi stares at her for a too-long second
with tears. “She sent us a letter.”
makes Marley wish she had just shoved her foot in her
Boats in the Current

Marley grabs a box of tissues before coming over, trading mouth instead of attempting to be social. But then a smile
them for the letter. It’s a wandering, rambling thing, full breaks on her face like the rising sun. “I don’t see why not.
of reminiscence then ending with gratitude. The woman Any suggestions?”
tells them she takes solace in that what they had created
Marley releases a breath she wasn’t aware she’d been
would allow her to move on as a person, rather than an
holding. “You decide? I don’t eat out that often.” Other than
Incoherent. It reminds her, distantly, of the way that her
an Indian place near home that she orders whenever she
and Murphy would be thanked for their work. The feeling
wants comfort food, but that’s neither here nor there.
settles somewhere in her chest in the deep aching maw
“Just please keep in mind that I can’t keep up with your
of loss, filling it with a now-dead woman’s thanks.
Szechuan palate.”
It might not be what she first envisioned, but it’s a start.
“Of course,” Xin Yi demurs, and that’s that.
(Is it what she wanted?)

“So… we can suppress a Parsecyte with what we’ve
“Do you have a Crosswords profile?” Xin Yi asks, phone
created.” Xin Yi says, wiping her tears away. Marley looks
in hand. The two of them are tucked away in a corner of
up blankly from the letter, shoving it in her pocket without
Bar-bel, stomachs full of food they got from a nearby tep-
thinking. “It’s more than what others have managed.”
panyaki place while the epileptic lights of the dance floor
“Yeah,” Marley says, offering more tissues so as to have cover the whole area.
something to do with her hands. “You know, I’m surprised
Marley pauses from the chicken wings she’d been snack-
it worked at all.” She laughs bitterly. “An antibody created
ing on. “Crosswords?” she echoes.
by Parsing… I actually didn’t think it would be so effective
considering it targets the Parsecyte.” Xin Yi waves her phone, showing what looks like a social
media app. “Yes, it’s a site for Parselings,” she says, steal-
“Someone still died.” Xin Yi replies, pinching tissues with
ing one of the wings. “Parselings only. You have to upload
her long fingers and chucking them into the wastebasket.
a picture of one of your words for verification. It’s pretty
“But… as a person. Not a Parseling. Because they chose to.”
handy — people looking for others to do some minor or
“We can prevent Incoherency.” Marley lets out a breath, major Parse with can just hook up on here. Or chat.”
it all hitting her all at once. “That’s huge.” She turns to Xin
“Oh.” Marley shakes her head. “Nah, I don’t.” She’s too
Yi, and for the first time in god knows how long, she can
cosy and comfortably buzzed on cider to also say anything
feel herself smiling. “With this, terminal cases don’t have to
about how it sounds like information waiting to be abused.
worry about Incoherency. They can… they can be people.”
It’s a breakthrough, certainly a far better outcome than all “Shame.” Xin Yi says, scrolling. “There’s news of a new
the early experiments which resulted in casualties rather Paragraph in the area. 404 Flowers, they seem interesting.”
than progress. There’s something else to the disappointment in her voice,
but Marley doesn’t know what to make of it.
Xin Yi nods, hair falling out of her messy bun. Her grin
matches Marley’s. “It was fighting poison with poison… but “What are they doing, with a name like that?” Marley
it worked out.” For a moment, the world seems to stop as takes another sip of her cider, eyes wandering to the dance
she places a hand on Marley’s shoulder, and she looks so floor. There’s two girls laughing nearby, one with petals in
terrifyingly earnest in that moment that Marley finds herself her red hair and the other nearly stumbling with how hard
trembling. “You know what this means?” she’s laughing. She can glimpse words on their skin, and
in the same moment that her brain supplies her the idea
“… Well, I couldn’t have done it without you.” Marley
of inviting Xin Yi to dance, she remembers being younger,
manages. She looks at the hand on her shoulder, one that
hiding her words desperately. These days it’s not fine, but
she could trace the veins of the wrist to ‘引’. It makes
certainly easier to be a Parseling. The legacy of people like
sense why Xin Yi has it. Her fascination with her work,
her father paved the way for people to understand that
her enthusiasm — if it had been someone else, it wouldn’t
the words weren’t bad, that good might come from them.
have worked out, ‘’Design’ aspect or not.
“From the looks of it,” Xin Yi says, either not noticing
(Privately, Xin Yi herself is fascinating. It’s how Marley
or not minding Marley’s inattention. “A lot of things. They
had found working with her so easy, after all.)
take whatever odd jobs are in their purview and then do
Xin Yi’s laughter rings through the laboratory, and Marley what they can.”
feels the loss of her touch the moment she moves away.
“Thank you.” She says, “I was going to say that it means
we should celebrate! Drinks at Bar-bel?”
 “Isn’t that what everyone does?” Marley asks, suddenly
bitter. She bites her tongue when Xin Yi looks up at her
Marley finds herself curled over the toilet, coughing
wine coloured blood, gut feeling like a chew toy for her
119
with a raised eyebrow. Parsecyte. Her reflection in the mirror is back to the state
that she’s sure Jasmine would comment on again to say
“Well, yes, but four Parselings. Four sets of Aspects and
she could smuggle drugs. As she wipes her mouth clean

Boats in the Current

Augments they could shuffle around!” Xin Yi sets her phone
and washes out the taste of blood, the flowery redhead
down, perching her elbows on the table and her chin on her
she noticed from the dance floor comes in to rinse her
hands. “There’s so much potential in Parselings, honestly,
hands. Marley allows herself a moment to wonder how on
some days I don’t see the reason for finding an antidote.”
earth the blossoms have stayed in her hair this whole time
“Then why was that the subject of your research?” when the girl looks at her.
“Oh, you know,” Xin Yi waves her hand. “It’s where the “Are you okay?” she asks, her voice pitched with genuine
funding was going. But then I met you, and you had these concern. “You look terrible.”
ideas, and they worked, and now we’re here!” She raises
“I feel terrible,” the booze prompts Marley to speak too
her own glass of baiju, clinking it against Marley’s. “Farther
honestly. “I’ve been working a lot.” The days after the exper-
than either of us thought.”
iments were full of producing more samples of Parseacea,
It’s not the answer that Marley had been expecting, but testing them, and figuring how to replicate them by regular
nevertheless it doesn’t change her respect. “What would means. Her soul is tired. Or maybe that’s her Parsecyte.
you be working on, then?”
“Oh.” Flower Girl clicks her tongue sympathetically. “If
“Lingua.” Xin Yi says immediately. “They’re — what’s the you want, I could help you with that?” Something must
word — fascinating. The effects that human language can show on Marley’s face, because she hastily adds on, “As
have on creatures that don’t even share it are manifested in, I’m a Parseling. Some of my friends are here too, and
directly in Lingua. I came here initially because I heard we could help you relax. Nothing weird— just a simple
there was research being done on Divine Lingua, but it’s little perk-me-up.”
all extremely hush-hush.”
Marley is too tired to hide her side-eye, but compared
Well, that’s where the ‘引’ is from then. “Divine Lingua, to dosing herself with alcohol, a Parse wins out as not the
huh? I haven’t read anything on them.” worst option. “Okay. Yeah. Sure,” the demon of exhaustion
suddenly possesses her to say. She follows Flower Girl out
“Lingua is still a small field in Parsecyte Studies,” Xin Yi
the rest room and over to the bar where a man that looks
says. “But if anything, with the results we’ve made so far,
way too much like a priest and the girl she was dancing
the actualisation of a true cure is still a long way away,
with are chatting.
but we proved that there’s indeed potential for one, so I
don’t mind staying on the project.” She smiles in a small, “Auggie — Augustine!” Flower Girl says. “Help?”
private way that makes Marley feel like she’s intruding on her
Marley finds herself sitting on a stool, propped up against
thoughts. “What about you? Why did you join this project?”
the bar while “Augustine” and Flower Girl convene briefly
Why indeed. Marley looks at the bottom of her empty before turning to her. She closes her eyes as they Parse,
cup. “I like… helping,” she says eventually. “Fixing things. trying not to jump at the sudden fingers on her forehead,
And I thought, ‘Hey, you know what would be the biggest fix but then she feels the Parse kick in as all the fatigue melts
of them all?’ Fixing being a Parseling!” She shrugs. “Right from her body. Marley slumps against the bar like her
now I don’t see it getting much farther, though. We made spine has been replaced with a stewed carrot. “What the
a new thing that… weakens Parsecytes. But it’s a product hell Parse was that?” she slurs, less inebriated and more
of Parsing, so really how consistent can it be? It’s like a really wishing the bar was her bed right now.
mutating ouroboros eating its own tail. And the effect is only
Augustine chuckles. “Ease Comfort,” he says, voice a
temporary. We’re just boats, beating against the current.”
pleasant baritone and ‘Comfort’ scrawled down his neck.
“Temporary is better than nothing.” Xin Yi says. “And we “Hang in there, don’t fall asleep yet.” Whatever he says
have plenty of samples of Parseacea; who knows which next to Flower Girl and her friend is lost on Marley as she
one someone will be able to modify so it actually elimi- focuses on not just falling asleep in a puddle of her own
nates a Parsecyte?” drool at Bar-bel. That would be an awful impression on
Xin Yi. Shit. Xin Yi.
“That’s true.” Something’s still nagging at her, and the
bitter taste in her mouth isn’t just the alcohol. On second “I can help her, yes.” Xin Yi’s voice is suddenly right next
thought — “I’m going to the rest room.” Marley blurts, already to her, and Marley feels her slender fingers on her arm,
out of her seat and making a beeline for the doors on the helping her up. “Oh, you’re lighter than I thought.”
other side of the dance floor, paying no attention to Xin
Yi waving her off.
 120 “Hi,” Marley mumbles. “Hi?”
“Hello, Marley.” Xin Yi says, smiling. She has a pretty mouth.
“Okay, you’re going to have to tell me where you live.” Somehow,
she manoeuvres Marley’s sagging form out of the bar, up the
Boats in the Current

stairs until they’re next to the library proper.

Marley shakes her head. “Home is across the city. Just dump
me on the couch in the lab.”
Xin Yi sighs with relief under her, changing directions to the
department building. “Small world,” Xin Yi says. “You met 404
Flowers. Well, some of them.”
“Huh?”
“The paragraph I told you about?”
“Oh.” Marley tries to remember who, exactly, she had talked
to, but right now she’s lax and comfortable and thinking is work.
“They were nice.”
Xin Yi laughs. “You are far gone, aren’t you?” she says.
“No, I’m right here.”
Another laugh. “Well, we’re here.” Xin Yi pulls Marley into the
building, and like this Marley can lean on the wall instead of
entirely on Xin Yi. She doesn’t bother to turn on the lights when
she gets to the laboratory, meandering over to the couch and
crashing into it face-first. “Goodnight, Marley.”
“G’night.” Marley replies, voice indistinct from her face being
smushed into the corduroy cushions.
Morpheus takes his sweet time coming for her, and even com-
fortable it doesn’t stop her mind from drifting to darker corners,
sinking down like the darkness of the room itself, save for moon-
light spilling from one window that Xin Yi had cracked open.
It should have been her and her father. He would have enjoyed
the Crosswords app. She would have joined solely to help him
figure it out.
It should have been them. It should have been her. Helping
people, fixing them. She’s a paramedic, she’s a healer, she might
have malaise dripping down her back but her hands have ‘Miracle’
on their palm. Nevermind that for all that she wishes she could
perform miracles, there’s no one to hold hands with and make it
reality. For all that miracle gave her hope ever since it showed up
after her father died, the joy and excitement at what they could
do together with this, malaise is what defines her in the end.
Parseacea was made not by a ‘Miracle’, but by ‘Malaise’. So
how much will it really help? It’s not even made with enough
people for a Major Parse. Maybe with others it would have been
stronger, but they would have needed the right people. People
that they didn’t have.
Marley closes her eyes, fatigue crashing down on her fully
now. Her mind drifting off the shores of consciousness.
Her final thought is hope — hope that even if this cure orig-
inated from Malaise, it would be able to help people. Just like
she was able to do with it years ago with her father.

 In the morning, she’s stirred not by a phone alarm or a
janitor, but rather an urgent, “Marley— Marley—!”
The article links to pictures of a man that she recognizes
far too easily from last night, the same Augustine who had
121
Parsed to give her comfort. The cause of death isn’t imme-
For all that she remembers, Marley can’t think of any
diately obvious, nor even mentioned in the article. Instead,
point at which Professor Myrrh raised his voice. Not even
the focus is largely the dark, inky splotches over his words.

Boats in the Current

that one time the building caught fire, or when he caught
someone cheating during a test. But for some reason he’s The phone nearly slips from her nerveless fingers, but
yelling her name as he shakes her awake, which makes she’s able to at least call Professor Myrrh. He picks up
her feel like she must have messed up big time. “Professor immediately, and the first words out of her mouth are,
Myrrh?” she slurs more from sleepiness than any remnants “How did they know?”
of drunkenness.
For a moment, he’s utterly silent save for his breathing.
He steps back, paler than usual. “I just— I just got noti- “We… kept them updated. No details, of course, but the
fied,” he starts, “Yesterday, after you and Xin Yi left, appar- news that we’d found a way to prevent a dying Parseling
ently some Mono Movement characters showed up. They from becoming an Incoherent wasn’t one that we thought
wanted the product of your funding. Officially, they were to suppress.” His next breath is a shuddering sigh. “While…
told no, but…” other uses of Parseacea did come up, none of us consid-
ered that anyone would be so bold as to seize and use it.”
“But?” Marley repeats, sitting up from the couch and
looking around the room. It was gutted. Everything was Marley nods even though he can’t see her. “Right.” She
gone. The laboratory that she and Xin Yi had spent every says, her other hand white-knuckled on the edge of the
moment in since the end of the second experiment making rest room sink. “And now someone’s dead.”
new samples of Parseacea, cultivating samples, writing
“Marley—”
their research —
She hangs up. Sympathy. Platitudes. Pity. Maybe a bit
Empty.
of guilt on his end — she doesn’t need it. Not when at the
“That’s not everything,” Professor Myrrh says, voice just end of the day, someone is dead. Two people are dead,
as tremulous as Marley herself feels. “Check… check the she firmly corrects herself. The letter from the first test
news.” He swallows heavily, hand hovering out as if to subject burns a hole in her awareness. Why —
reassure her, but he ends up backing away instead. “I’ll
One of them of their own volition, perhaps, but at the
be in my office if you need me.” He doesn’t rush out the
end of the day — Why hadn’t she seen it? Before, she’d
room, but it’s close.
been able to use ‘Malaise’ with her father to help people
She fumbles for her phone, nausea creeping up from her live. Now, with Xin Yi it’s helped people die, voluntarily but
stomach in a way that she wishes she could only chalk up now against someone far from willing.
to last night’s adventures, but she didn’t drink that much,
It’s nowhere close to what she had done with her father.
or that heavily. She staggers to the rest room anyway,
When she pukes, it’s mixed with ink. Someone’s screaming.
trying not to see bare shelves and missing vials and the
hard-fought panacea for Parselings, gone. It’s her.
Opening her web browser, the first newsline for her area
hits her like an accusation.
122 Chapter 6:
Parsecyte Research
Theories concerning the nature of Parsecytes
Dr E. Starshine, 0002 AP. “Conjectures the Origins of Parsecytes”,
Accidens Corps Research Record Compilation 143:102-30, Accessed
March 13th.
Ink is a combination of supporting liquids and a pigment, most commonly
coal in black ink. As they are based upon ink, and ink is essentially support-
ive liquids with a pigment providing colour, most commonly some type of
coal, I interpreted it to be a carbon-based entity. The carbon composition
of a Parsecyte replaces the pigment of the ink.
A Parsecyte is unlike anything seen before on earth. Looking at it, you would
see a dark dust not too different from charcoal. A Parsecyte in this solid
form may move in the wind, but it is more commonly encountered in some
form of carrier fluid. It may drip as black-tinted water from the roof of a
house or cavern, or occur as ink in books. Ink is a trademark peculiarity
of this entity, as it appears it can survive especially efficiently in it. It is
theorized, this is due to the fondness of and them drawing upon the cre-
ativity and sense of self used to put the words on a page. As a Parsecyte
leaves its location, the pigment-less ink remains hardly decipherable as
a slightest shadow of colourless words.
Initially it was thought of a Parsecyte as an entity consisting of separate
cells, which in themselves are able to exist and sustain themselves. What
makes it terrifying is how it can function beyond such a primitive state,
having the possibility of operating from remote distance as a unit. Such a
congregation of cells constitutes the Parsecyte. Important to know is that
the range of which it is able to do so is limited. Much like Parselings, who
express a similar behaviour but with other Parselings and on a larger level,
a Parsecyte needs the presence of its components to survive. As such, they
cannot exist in multiple bodies but need to be within a proximity of each
other to be capable of upholding the organism.
It was theorized that through being able to be in various different mediums,
it can survive in a wider variety of conditions in-between hosts. I pon-
dered upon the expression of infection itself, and arrived at the idea that
a Parsecyte, once inside a Parseling, would create something similar to a
nervous-like system of its own. Running parallel to the nervous system, it
can intercept and receive nerve signals that both affects the Parseling’s
understanding of the world, as well as relay and incorporate the ideas
that defy them to the Parsecyte. The vessels that wrap around the host’s
spine and nerves contain fluids carrying the Parsecyte cells which,
outside of the host, would come off as mere coal dust.
A Parseling’s brain is spotted with dark clusters, so a puncture wound
reaching the bone marrow reveals a thick liquid far darker than blood.
When Parselings touch during a Parse, the thin, spidersilk-like net
of veins become prominent, branching out under the skin
from the point of contact. After a mere centimetres, the
markings fades, being most intense the closer the warmth
of the other Parseling.
Parsecytes
Research Notes:
Physiology
The pure and original Parsecyte seems to maintain itself
123
A summary of Parsecyte Characteristics. in a liquid state, and it has the appearance of black ink but
July 6th, 0001 AP with a thicker viscosity. This is the most basic form I have
Prof. Adrian Myrrh been able to isolate, that appears to remain alive.
Supernatural parasitic creatures that can infect both human
and animal hosts. First known sighting the year 2XXX. 100km
Dehydrated
north of “Nominal City”. When this ink substance has been dehydrated, it forms a
black powder, similar in property to coal dust of powdered
**Compare notes with Dr. S
charcoal. If this powder is processed through a light spec-
Macquarie this week.**
trometer, the most common element to be isolated is carbon.

Nebulous Origin The remaining chemical composition seems to consist of

several proteins not seen in other lifeforms. Those that have
been able to be isolated have most resembled those seen
The first origin of these creatures is currently unknown.
in the nervous systems of hive insects as well as corals.
Based on my literature search for precedence, there are only
two historical references that bear resemblance. Both of
these draw from mythological sources, and the fantastical
Liquid
nature is not lost on me. In this state, under our most powerful microscopes we are
able to perceive black particles interacting in constant
In some Nordic texts, there are descriptions of black insects
dynamic fashion with each other. The body of liquid which
feeding upon fruits fallen from Yggdrasil, the World Tree.
we deem to be a Parsecyte, is capable of some limited
The fruits are cursed, and seek to ripen themselves with
locomotion, enough to ooze very slowly when left without
knowledge. This bears similarity to the apple of knowledge
intervention. It is not able to penetrate non-porous sur-
offered to Eve by Satan in Judeo-Christian mythology.
faces such as glass and silicone, though leaves no residue
Another possible origin story involves the Pleiades. In most of itself in its path.
accounts, they are described as seven sisters borne of the
The Parsecyte outside of a human or animal host are only
Greek Titan Atlas and the nymph Pleione. They are trans-
able to maintain a state of animation for several minutes
formed into a flock of black doves and rain down upon the
to several hours before apparent death. I have noted highly
earth, before being immortalised by Zeus together as a con-
agitated reactions to the touch of humans, animals, written
stellation. However, I have found some suggestive records
words (both handwriting and printed text) in all languages
for the flock of doves perhaps being the origin. A particular
and even many symbols (such as crucifixes and the “emoji”
passage reads: “They wormed their way into the souls of
of previous generations). While contact with these things
men and beasts, and Parsed their truest selves into gods”.
does seem to provide it somehow with energy, it does not
A modern theory is that Parsecytes are the result of a mis- grow unless it enters a host and stabilises.
guided and failed experiment to create biological weaponry.
One of our more immediate goals should be to create a
Several organisations have been implicated by the public,
carrier substance to maintain the pure Parsecyte alive
albeit quietly. In particular, Fairbrooks Pharmaceuticals
without a host to better study it.
(FP) have several laboratories and testing sites in the north
side of “Nominal City”. Investigation into FP will require very
cautious questioning.
Complex
When the Parsecyte liquid is mixed with blood it develops
**Solomon Perhaps you might be able to reconnect
a complex structure and resembles an insectoid organism.
with some of your old contacts in FP?-AM**
There is no uniform shape they take, though I have most often
observed forms resembling butterflies, bees and beetles.
Dissections of these complex Parsecytes yield only a simple
exoskeleton and fibrous strands arranged in no discernible
order within, all saturated with the same viscous ink state.
124 Parsecyte Infection Routes
Observations
Personal Research Notes:
Staff PSA: Handling of Infected Subjects;
July 11th, 0001 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
The Parsecyte infection For all staff and personal, I have condensed the possible
July 8th, 0001 AP routes of infection to become a Parseling, below.
Dr. S Macquarie
As complex Parsecytes, they have a tendency to aggregate Direct Contact
into a swarm, and thereby last longer outside of a host. In
When a person is bitten or stung by a complex Parsecyte
this state they may survive many hours, and perhaps even
in the form of an insect, they will be infected and become
days in large groups. They are drawn to physical manifes-
a Parseling or Lingua (see later notes). The contact must
tations that convey meaning, as previously described. They
pierce the skin for this to occur successfully.
are also voracious devourers of dead organic material. When
in contact with dead insects or animals, they will consume When exposed to a swarm of complex insect Parsecytes,
and absorb it into itself by dissolving the matter. This occurs the subject often will not survive the encounter if they are
for both whole bodies and parts of bodies. stung/bitten a large number of times. There appear to be
higher survival rates to become Parselings, in those who
As a rule, they appear to prefer to consume the organism it
have a strong sense of self or a well observed identity by
most closely resembles—e.g. butterfly appearing Parsecytes
society. For example, public figures or those well-known in
prefer winged insects, and ones that look like worms will
their communities are more likely to survive compared to
prefer worms and centipedes. On further observation of
a shut-in, or a person with a psychotic mental illness. Use
these swarms of Parsecytes, I have also seen them consume
of illicit drugs at the time of transmission will also increase
the natural food of their imitated creatures. The bee-like
the likelihood of death.
Parsecytes are attracted to pollinating flowers and the
worm-like Parsecytes will consume soil. From an autopsy of subjects who did not survive, the manner
of death is very clear. Throughout the vessels of the brain
Infection Vector: there are either large thromboemboli in the major vessels, or
black haemorrhages throughout the brain. In either setting,
Both the liquid and complex forms of the Parsecyte can there are significant regions of the brain affected by stroke.
infect a host, which results in the most stable state. Infec- The autopsies are not dissimilar to those of deceased Inco-
tion is transmitted similar to a blood-borne virus. Aerosols herent Parselings. I have not yet been able to exact precise
and ingestion have not resulted in infection that we have control enough to do so, but I hypothesise that infection
observed in my lab thus far. There has however, been some with a specific number of complex Parsecytes will result in
anecdotal evidence for ingestion causing infection. It is the immediate development of a live Incoherent Parseling.
unclear if blood was involved.
**Continue studies, will require multiple subjects.
When an insect, animal or human is exposed to the Parsecyte, Likely Dependant on many factors including
it is quickly infected as a host over a matter of hours, and gender, size and constitution of the subject.**
the Parsecyte integrates with the central nervous system
I have also experimented with reconstituting the powder of
(including the brain and spinal cord) , as well as both the
a dehydrated Parsecyte, and injecting this substance into
vascular supply and lymphatic system. We assume it also
mice. The mice do bleed black, and by all appearances are
infiltrates peripheral nerves, including those related to the
infected—however their developed Words are inscribed
autonomic and sympathetic nervous systems. The Parsecyte
only very faintly into their skin. It is unclear with this route
carbon proteins appear to have a special propensity for the
of infection, the effect of powers or abilities in Parseling.
cerebrospinal fluid, the frontal lobe and hippocampus of the
brain. This information is based on PET MRI scans we have
been able to do on living Lingua and Parselings. These loca- Bodily Fluids from Infected
tions lead us to suspect the Parsecyte in some way requires
Transmission of the infection can also occur with blood-
the neurochemical reactions of emotion and/or sensation
blood contact from a Parseling or Lingua, as with other
from its host to survive. This needs further evaluation.
more conventional blood borne pathogens such as HIV
Once infected, the host may slowly over the course of months or Hepatitis C. It is unclear thus far, whether the specific
and likely years, change their physical form to develop new… Words or Parsing strength of the original host creates a
deformities. They appear to be unique in each organism. more virulent vector.
Parsecyte Management 125
Cultivation
Personal Research Notes:
Guidelines
Staff PSA: Handling of Parsecyte Material
Parsecyte Experimentation #019 July 22th, 0001 AP
July 19th, 0001 AP Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Dr. S Macquarie
While handling Parsecyte saturated samples, please adhere
Separated colonies of complex Parsecytes bodies were to the following guidelines.
separated and subjected to various stimuli to observe
their responses. Detained Parselings were recruited for • Liquid Parsecytes to be contained within
the purpose of this experiment. non-porous non-organic based materials only.
1. Colony Cultivation E.g. metal, glass or silicone containers
Not plastic or fabric
A swarm of Parsecyte beetles in a large jar and
“fed” it fish bones several times a day. Thereon • Do not come into physical contact. Especially
after, it would reject other types of organic avoid mixing of bodily fluids or ingestion.
matter. It would consume fish bones quickly,
• Do not attempt to feed with Emission-based
and other animal bones slowly. The beetles had
Parses. Wild variability in response.
taken on a very thorny appearance after several
weeks of feeding. • Do not attempt to directly alter with Enchant-
ment Parses.
2. Response to Parses
• If attempting to create a Parseling, it is rec-
They react wildly in the presence of an emis-
ommended to give small minuscule amounts
sion-based Parse by Parselings, becoming at
of a weakened Parsecyte.
the very least very agitated. Some have been
seen to attack as a swarm or even coalesce • Any Parsecyte material being disposed of
into a new form. The reaction can change with must be completely incinerated.
the same Parse by new Parselings, and is only
If you observer any breaches in infection control by yourself
reproducible with the exact same conditions.
or co-workers, report immediately to Dr. Solomon Macquarie
3, Invasive instincts for a comprehensive medical examination. Failure to do so
will result in termination.
Once a Parsecyte comes into contact with the
bloodstream or a mucous membrane of a living
creature, (e.g. a small scratch, the mouth, the
eyes or other orifice), it buries itself and invades
the core of the host.
126 Parselings In Review
Research Notes.
A Review of interviews with Parselings and eyewitness accounts.
July 2nd , 0001 AP
Prof. Adrian Myrrh
A human infected with a Parsecyte is known as a Parseling. The first anecdotal
appearances occurred during the year 2XXX (0 AP, After Parse) within “Nominal
City”. Parselings remain similar to natural humans, however are capable of unique
abilities when in contact with each other that defy the laws of conventional reality.
These phenomena are endlessly varied and have a vast range of impact. The
applications in directing these new paranatural capabilities is infinitely valua-
ble. We have designated the action of these abilities as “Parsing” or “a Parse”.
Parses appear to always be related to specific words that are marked on their
bodies at the time of infection. I will attempt to begin an early categorisation
of these characteristics.

Physiology
For the most part, Parselings appear the same as other natural humans. However,
as detailed above in regards to complex Parsecytes, Parselings are saturated
with the Parsecyte material that infects their bodies. For all intents and pur-
poses, it appears that normal bodily functions are unimpeded and in all respects
are unchanged.
The physiology of Parselings when Parsing is as incredible as it is mysterious.
A far as we have been able to determine, when Parsing—there is a reaction
remarkably similar to how nervous cells communicate with each other but
rather than being limited to within a single person, this neural connection exists
between the Parselings. When we place electrical leads on the Parselings, the
same as used for nerve conduction studies, there is an impulse generated from
the physical contact/touch of the Parselings that travels to the location of the
relevant tattoo. We are unsure which cells specifically carry this impulse, but I
suspect the cells infected with Parsecyte material do so.
When requested to interpret the process, Parselings report a need for con-
scious intent to effect a change in at least one person. Physical contact must
be made, and from there reports diverge. Some describe the touch as feeling
tingling, warm, electric or even burning. The receiving partner in the Parse gains
an implicit understanding of the other’s intent and must agree for the Parse to
progress. How complex conscious thought is conveyed to another with touch
only is not yet known.
**Must direct my assistant to conduct a literature search on any
parallels between Parsing and telepathy -AM**
Regardless, all Parselings have confirmed that every involved party must be con-
senting. This is often conscious, but perhaps may be subconscious in some cases.
We have also experimented with multiple Parselings performing a single Parse.
This most often involves as many words as there are Parselings, and results in
a more complicated Parsing effect. However, this may contribute to an effect
we have named “Incoherency”.
**To compile notes on Incoherents at a later time. -AM**
Identifying Parselings
Based on research done by Prof. A. Myrrh.
127
June 28th, 0001 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie

Physical identifying features of a Parseling:

• Parsecyte particles can be seen microscopically in blood samples.
• A wound severing a nerve will bleed visible ink mixed with blood.
• They will have a number of words marked on their bodies, that
look like tattoos. Detailed notes below.
• Death may result in the creation of an Incoherent.
**Not an ideal method of determining an infection.-AM **

TATTOO//Word
Upon infection with a Parsecyte, the new Parseling will materialise words on their
body that inform their new abilities. We have named these markings “tattoos”
or simply “Words”, as they are virtually indistinguishable from traditional tattoos
as well as that Parsecytes manifest as ink-like creatures. I will use these terms
interchangeably.
A Parseling may begin with anywhere between 3-4 Words upon their body in any
visible location. This includes tattoos witnessed on scalp, fingernail beds, tongue
and eyelids. As a Parseling continues to live and progress, they may accrue more
Words. We have yet to specifically distinguish how or why this occurs, though it
tends to occur in Parselings who use their abilities more freely.
The Words can usually be used to describe the Parseling they belong to, in some
way. In these early days, we have not been able to work out why or how the Words
are chosen. The Parselings are not always able to rationalise them, though many
have become defensive when questioned about their personal Words.
**Source subjects for infection, to examine to the process. Must
conduct detailed psychological analyses before and after.- SM**

Tattoo removal
When these tattooed words are scarred, the ability to Parse with that Word dis-
appears. Parselings have described the sensation as a mental block, as if they
are unable to think with this Word again, though they know it, “on the tip of my
tongue”. They also are physically incapable of speaking this Word, even when
written or presented to them.
Laser removal of tattoos results in a similar effect, though with some emotional
disturbance. Parselings become erratic and display signs of mental trauma.
This may be exhibited as emotional outbursts, social withdrawal and persis-
tent migraines.
128 Parseling Psychology
Compiled from notes of interviewed Parselings subjects 00015H-001301H.
July 21th, 0001 AP
Professor Adrian Myrrh
I have managed to interview approximately 12 Parselings on their experience of becoming infected and their subsequent
experiences as an infected individual.
Parselings have many mental struggles and burdens not shared by natural humans. In long conversations with those I
encountered who would entertain me, I will discuss some of the issues we explored together.

Unseen connections Words and their Relevance

Parselings have described an unconscious awareness when As the Words each Parseling gains are very personal and
Parsecytes or other Lingua are nearby. They are attuned in a sense integral to their core, there is a great sense of
to the general presence, and may even be able to register vulnerability in having these Words exposed—both to others
the direction. Some experience this as a pulling ‘emotion’ and themselves. Some are surprised by, or do not under-
or sensation, others as a tingling sense. This is another stand the Words that manifest. Some Words are unwanted,
example of the supernatural affinity of Parselings. Many undesired or even hated. There can be a sense of shame or
have a tendency to seek out others of the same condition, great denial of them, especially when they are perceived by
though can be attributed the same as any group (especially the Parseling as negative or represent complex emotions.
minorities) who seek safety in numbers and to share a col- For example, I met a Parseling with the Word “grieve”. He
lective understanding of what it is to be like each other. was the sole survivor of his family, who died in a house fire.
He revealed to me that he had in fact set the house fire
It is interesting to consider however, how this need for
himself, as he had been abused by his parents and older
belonging is further amplified by peers being able to under-
brother for years. They had starved and beaten him, and he
stand part of your being with a simple touch, that is the
had lived chained to a post in the basement. He had never
spark of Parsing. Does this recognition occur on some
fully processed this trauma, but to be branded with the Word
innate level that supernaturally draws Parselings together
“grieve” was a slap in the face of his violent memories and
in spite of other conflicting social barriers? What does it say
simmering anger. Another Parseling I met had the Word
about the connection Parselings can form with each other
“Poor”. They found this embarrassing to the extreme, and
in that their powers can only be realised when in contact?
would take great pains to hide this from others.
My ponderous theorising wonders if it is a human trait of
Parselings are also often seen to be summarised by their
needing to be understood and sincerely recognized that is
collection of Words. Many form a powerful impression
made manifest. Or could it be that it is the alien Parsecytes
of Parselings based on them. While often the Words do
drawn to each other and attempting to return to some
strongly reflect a Parseling, they are not wholly described
whole form they originated as? I doubt there will
by them. They are as complex as any other person (often
ever be a true answer.
more complex by virtue of their new experiences), and
have many aspects of their identity not encompassed by
their Words. Some Parselings reject the idea that they are
simply their Words, while others might embrace the idea.
A Parseling with the Word “Anger” perhaps, might use this
as a default excuse to react with rage in every situation.
Dependency
Many Parselings seek to gain more Words, as this increases
Parsing Sensations
The intimacy of Parsing is strange to me. Each Parseling
129
the versatility of their abilities. However, doing so distances must expose personal qualities about themselves or their
them from their humanity. They are often less in control of history (their Words), and then share and intermingle them
their powers, which are more likely to erupt in unintended to create new form to the world. I found it very apt when a
ways. There also can be an almost disturbing preoccupa- friend, a Parseling, said to me—
tion or reliance on using their new abilities to control the
“Parsing is like sex. It can be bad, it can be uninspiring,
world around them. Like a child who first discovers the
it can be traumatic. But usually it’s good. Sometimes it
internet, they are unable to resist the urge to rely on their
feels extremely good. ”
new-found gift.
He said this with a wry little grin on his face, while absently
How much of this is due to the Parseling condition compared
rubbing his tattoo “support” on his arm. He wouldn’t tell me
to normal power-hungry human nature? Given the means to
exactly what he was thinking of, but he certainly gave me
exert control over others and their circumstances, how much
a vivid idea of what it is to Parse, at least for him.
of this behaviour is simply revealing of their true selves? It is
interesting to consider this in the context of Incoherency. In “There’s a warm buzzing feeling at the point of contact, you
an Incoherent state, the Parseling has been fully consumed know, usually grabbing them with your hand. Somehow,
by their Parsecyte and embody a single Word that wholly what they think should happen is in your mind. I don’t
defines their actions. How much of the human remains in know how else to explain it. You’re both thinking about
this being, and where does the human consciousness end something you want to happen, and eventually you both
and the Parsecyte begin? want the same thing, and you make it so. It can feel like
ages, but then it’s there! In a snap!
Infection Experience The words… spill out of your mouth. Once they’re out it’s
All have described it as excruciating. From the site of infec- like they take on a life of their own. It’s usually pretty nice
tion they endure either burning, freezing or shooting pains then, it just feels right, comforting. For me at least, it can
spreading to the rest of their body. Some specify this sen- feel like… being wrapped in blankets, swaddled like a
sation as appearing to travel through their veins, with an baby. Which is weird because a lot of the time my Word
extremely uncomfortable tingling and numbness. I found it the is the creating support for whatever wild shenanigans
to be remarkably similar to the nerve pain experienced by we’re Parsing.
my uncle who had the misfortune to be afflicted with both
I don’t know. There’s different ways Parses can go as well.
sciatica and shingles.
Sometimes they come crashing down on you, and you feel
Some people also experienced hallucinations during the dizzy and like you need to vomit. It’s failed. Or you can lose
process—mostly auditory and visual, though some were control of the Parse, and it runs away from you, and it…
somatic. Each person who reported these strongly believe vibrates inside. Or the Words could come together just
the content was related to the Words that eventually formed right, and it’s just perfect and you’re flying in this gorgeous
on their bodies. One man who had the Word “wave”, heard bliss of the world becoming truer. Is that a word? Like it’s
the sounds of the ocean in a storm, and felt bobbing float- coming into its proper place because the world agrees
ing weightlessness. A teenage boy with the Word “needle”, with you. Like pieces of that a puzzle together easily, and
saw the horrifying images of sewing needles stabbing into you can see more of the final image.
his skin when he looked down at his body. None of these
You’re a bit closer after Parsing with another person. It’s not
hallucinations have been pleasant, and in fact some have
like a romantic or actually a sexual thing either. Though I
symptoms of PTSD regarding their infection process.
guess it could be. Your souls just shook hands or hugged
All in all, these subjective experiences lasted no longer than and made something.”
1 hour. Afterwards, they feel exhausted and may sleep for
**When attempting follow up questions
up to 48 hours. The Parselings I spoke to inform me they
with Subjects, Accidens Corps has
feel no different in themselves or their bodies to before
denied subsequent meeting. To Confirm
infection. The main difference is their affinity to other Par-
unavailability with Solomon. -AM**
secyte-afflicted beings and the Parsing itself.
**Yes. You do not have access. Additionally I do
not understand the relevance of image in memo. It
does not help educate. -SM**

**Studies suggest images help with retention

of knowledge and facts. IT helps the less
clinically minded review our memos -AM**

**Please remove. -SM**

130 Example Parseling
Parseling Case file
#00005
Case Files
Accidens Subject Files:
August 9th, 0002 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Name: Allana Milure
PARS00005, PARS10352, PARS13401 Age: 34 (Deceased)
May 9th, 0002 AP Sex: F
Dr. Solomon Macquarie Origin: Coventry, England
Affiliation:
The following notes have been compiled after field reports
Fairbrooks Pharmaceutical
from various operatives in the field, as well as eye witness
Known Words:
accounts. All information have been confirmed by multi-
Mark, Organized, Secure,
ple sources. Key information regarding these individuals
Efficient
heavily revolve around the words they have been known at
the present time.
Infection:
As many of the personnel that have encountered groups of
No clear data has been obtained regarding
infected individuals in the past, one of the most vital pieces
the infection of Allana Milure. Reports speculate that she was
is the you’ll discover is a Parseling’s tattoos. This will help
infected via her Company’s prototype serum [CTSRTCH#0012]
your squad anticipate what potential Parses could be flung
or through interaction of a cat based Lingua.
towards your team, as well as anticipating of the potential
behaviour these individuals may exhibit. They are both their However the appearance of her tattoos in public are note-
strengths and weaknesses and there are many assumptions worthy. It was considered the recorded emergence of a
we can make on these words alone. Parseling’s tattoo. One of the few videos that were not com-
pletely lost amid the sea of images uploaded during the
Parseling Protocol “First Parse” occurred.
To further the organization’s goals of containing and main-
taining some semblance of order, please use the following
Significant Activities:
case files as an example of what information. Record any Initially the secretary for the Fairbrooks CEO Johan Alghrest,
details discovered during any encounter, paying specific she assumed control of the Fairbrooks Assets during the
attention to the following topics: quarantine period the absence of said CEO. The quick think-
ing of Allana and her team has been said to delay/squash
• Any words the individual may have. Photos
some of the most dangerous incoherents that emerged
are preferred if possible.
from within the city.
• Information about their source of infection.
• Defining moments in the individual’s life. Her assistance was appreciated in procuring research mate-
• Known affiliations, age and gender. rials from within the city. In exchange for monopoly of any
humanitarian aid, she often had her faction leave weak-
Like humans, unless previously trained, in the similar fashion
ened and wounded Lingua for observation at the quaran-
to armed citizens. A potential threat to themselves and
tine border.
others around them, however typical negotiation methods
should be effective. In all scenarios, proceed with caution
as the situation may rapidly escalate beyond your control.
Notes:
Prior to becoming a Parseling, Allana was often targeted of
Avoid lethal force if necessary, as the emergence of an Inco-
Corporate Espionage. Perhaps some organizations saw her
herent is less than idea, but always be sure to note down
as an easy target. Declared Missing after the ‘Third Parse.’
the words of individuals for future reference. Even if you
Presumed dead.
are unable to utilise the information during the encounter,
future agents may rely on this as a matter of life or death. Words were noted to be located behind her left ear.
Co-operated amicably with the Accidens Corps and sought
to maintain order with in the city walls. Provided many
protocols that are still currently used by our organization.
Avoid lethal force if necessary, as the emergence of an Inco-
herent is less than idea, but always be sure to note down
the Words of individuals for future reference. Even if you
are unable to utilise the information during the encounter,
future agents may rely on this as a matter of life or death.
Parseling
Parseling Case file
#00052 131
August 9th, 0002 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Name: Rudolph. D Clancy
Age: 56
Sex: M
Origin: Kilkenny, Ireland
Affiliation: Fairbrooks Pharmaceutical , Accidens Corps
Known Words:
Limit, Strife, Strong, Crumble, Empty, Explosive Fallible,
Flawed, Psychosomatic

Infection:
Fairbrooks Subject: [ A volunteer subject during the quaran-
tine within the walls of Nominal City. Proved as an excellent
recovery agent for his employees, often bringing back his
quarry dead and missing their Words.
Prior to infection, worked at the DMV and had no real sig-
nificant role. No recorded affiliation with criminal activity
or any military training.
Parseling
Parselings Case file
#13401
August 9th, 0002 AP
Significant Activities: Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Name: Director Helen Macquarie (redacted)
Served as Allana’s top operative, Rudolph spent his time
Age: 47
within Nominal City tracking down and terminating/retriev-
Sex: F
ing errant products.
Origin: Born in Copenhagen, Denmark
Was often seen by guards stationed at the wall, bringing in Affiliation: Accidens Corps
weakened/injured Lingua. It was noted that rarely the same Known Words: Storm, Force. Law, Order, Powerful, Guiding.
men/women accompanied this Parseling.
Infection:
Notes: Infected in an experiment as a test subject of her husband,
Reports indicated that his Words appeared as “Hot Pink” Solomon Macquarie. She was repeatedly injected with small
letters on his face. quantities of reconstituted Parsecyte material. The process
of her infection was reportedly very smooth and required
Towards the end of his time with Fairbrooks, very little
close to no recovery period.
untouched skin remained. Many of his Words seemed con-
trary to his actual behaviour.
Significant Activities:
Has a particular attachment to his shotgun.
Director Helen Macquarie is the Director of the Accidens
Corp, a military body composed of Parseling members that
exclusively created to manage the quarantine.
Present at the initial quarantine of Nominal city, taking
command as during the Events of the “Second” Parse. Reports
from her team suggest that she played a vital role in sup-
pressing the escaping Incoherents.
The subject played a vital role in shaping Accidens corps
to being one of the primary forces in charge of Parselings
community.

Notes:
Director Helen Macquarie is reputed to be a force to be
reckoned with. Proficient at Glima and Judo martial arts.
**Remaining notes are Classified**
132 Incoherents
Accidens Corps Briefing:
Incoherents, Final state of a Parseling.
May 8th, 0002 AP
Prof. Adrian Myrrh Physiology
The transition of a Parseling into an Incoherent has been There have been no good dissections of Incoherents thus far
dreaded by all, so long as we have known it to occur. It rep- as it has proven too dangerous. We do understand however,
resents, to the outsider, a sudden descent into madness and that the ink Parsecyte material is more densely enmeshed
often violence. For the Parseling, it is a form of conscious in the body than in a Parseling. I note similarities to the
death, and a complete loss of control of choice and parsing. Cordyceps fungus group, which invades its host and even-
tually replaces the tissue from the inside.
The descent to Incoherency is the ultimate inevitable curse
awaiting all Parselings. It is not a question of if, but when. The physical changes of an Incoherent from the Parseling
Once it is done, there is no turning back. The symbiotic is dependent on the Concept Word. Deformities similar to
relationship is broken, and the Parsecyte assumes control those seen in Lingua, can manifest in the Incoherent. For
as a twisted and warped version of the person that was. example, an Incoherent of “fluff” might grow a thick layer of
The most commonly accepted theory of transition is that body hair, or an Incoherent of “steel” might develop a metal-
the Parsecyte completely takes over the body, and all that lic sheen to their appearance. More subtle Words such as
remains of the original mind is merged and consumed. Many “euphoria” might be displayed as permanent pupil dilation,
memories and ideals are retained in this way, however are or even secretion of a psychotropic agent from their pores.
often distorted. The Parsecyte is imitating or echoing the
The Parsecyte embodying an Incoherent is in a constant state
host they remember. It is always an imperfect recreation, and
of degradation, and weakens without specific sustenance.
it is unclear how much actual humanity lies within its core.
They must consume things that represent their Concept to
The mental faculties of an Incoherent is not so much dimin- maintain their form and even flourish. See the section on
ished, as it is fixated on a singular point of action to the ‘Powers’ to further understand the effect of this feeding. As
exclusion of all rational thought. This obsession is drawn such, an Incoherent does not strictly require normal food
from an existing Word of the Parseling. The specific Word and drink to survive. In this way, they closer mirror a pure
selected seems to be arbitrary, and there so far has been Parsecyte or Lingua.
no way to predict which will ultimately rule the Incoherent.
In theory, an Incoherent appears to be effectively immortal
so long as they can consume their Concept. They are imper-
Emergence vious to aging and sickness, unless it relates to their Word.
Though they are vulnerable to injury and may die in this way,
The process of becoming Incoherent universally requires
if they are immediately exposed to their representations of
the Parseling host to die, though the transformation may
their concept the possibility exists that they might revive.
vary from individual to individual. The following represents
the typical experience. From the observer’s perspective, the
new corpse will appear to reanimate. The Conceptual Word Behaviour
will begin to replicate itself on the body’s skin, faster and
An Incoherent’s primary drive is to devour material or expe-
faster until it is completely covered. The eyes open pitch
rience related to their Concept Word. If they are starved of
black, and they take a new breath. The blackness of the
this, what rationality they retain is progressively eroded.
eyes and skin eventually fades.
Thus they may resemble ravenous beasts, desperately driven
Not all emergences are traumatic. The subjective experi- to survive. If they are able to maintain a steady supply or
ence depends greatly on the manner of death. For example, even a glut of their Concept Word, they become increasingly
a Parseling that dies quietly of old age will likely seem to lucid, closer to the person they once were. In this state they
wake peacefully. A Parseling torn apart by animals will return are able to hold conversations and act like a human. This
screaming and bloody, as their body crudely stitches itself becomes more secure the longer the Incoherent is alive, and
back together with the wet inky glue of the Parsecyte. It is in fact we hypothesize an Incoherent may even eventually
uncertain, how many times an Parseling can undergo such regain a complex sentience beyond that of a Parseling. The
a traumatic experience. strength of their powers also appears to be directly linked
to the longevity and volume consumed.
**AM please remove superfluous images.-SM**
Warnings 133
Review of Professor Adrian’ Myrrh’s briefing on Incoherents.
May 17th, 0001 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Madness literally contagious in this new sub-species. Parselings in close or repeated contact with
Incoherents will find their conscious grip on humanity slipping. Their Parsing becomes less stable, and
they are more likely to descend into Incoherency themselves.
Alarmingly, we have seen clusters of increased Incoherent emergence after one or two have evaded
arrest for extended periods of time. This presents Incoherency as implicitly perilous.

Abilities Feeding
An Incoherent produces effects on their surroundings in two To devour the thing related to the Concept Word, initially
possible ways. The first is by consuming for their Concept the Incoherent must touch the object or person. Later this
Word, as explained above. In this manner, they will deplete extends to being within arm’s reach, and eventually the
their surroundings of material or experiences in relation to radius of effect expands. The largest area of effect we have
this Word. Take the previous examples of “fluff” and “eupho- made contact with is approximately 5 meters, in a “warm”
ria”. The “fluff” Incoherent might consume fluffy things, Incoherent. Those close by to this person found their body
such as rabbits (or their fur), or carpet, but might also gain temperature falling, and behaved coldly towards each other
nourishment from the pointless ramblings of an elderly without understanding why.
person. This would change the elderly person to speak in a
** Make note of potential application of
direct and brusque manner, that they would otherwise not.
Incoherent agents. If harness and directed
The “euphoria” Incoherent however has the potential to correctly, they could provide useful data. -SM**
be much more insidious. They will feed on the euphoria **Agreed Solomon. An Incoherent of Waste or
of others, perhaps lurking amongst drug dens, or even a Toxic could be beneficial to the environmental
birthing suite. The consumed euphoria will be effectively management. -AM**
stolen, and the emotions of those fed upon will become **Note to self. Send assistant to find Subject
comparatively apathetic and dull. As many Parseling Words 01982 for review.-SM**
deal with aspects of human nature, there is a relatively high **Sterile, Old, Senile… ?- AM**
rate of Incoherents that affect human behaviour—though
the frequency is less than predicted.
A particularly dangerous case involved a “safe” Incoherent,
Reality Manipulation
that directly caused others to take more risky actions but The other way an Incoherent might affect their surround-
also be exposed to more dangerous circumstances. This ings is possibly projecting their Concept Word on inanimate
Incoherent was eventually apprehended by the Accidens objects. This appears to be less directly controllable, and
Corp and removed from the public. often passive. The ‘fluff” Incoherent will cause his home,
the furniture and anything he touches to become fluffier.
The world around the “euphoria” Incoherent might become
more colourful, lighter in mass. These effects only become
noticeable once the Incoherent has reached a significant
level of power.
134 Incoherents Case Files
Accidens Subject Files: INK008, INK20104, INK20354
May 9th, 0002 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
The following notes have been compiled after field reports from various operatives in the field, as
well as eye witness accounts. All information have been confirmed by multiple sources, extraneous
rumours and unconfirmed information has been omitted to avoid incorrect assumptions about these
creatures. As with all Parselings, tattoos serve as the best form of identification for the subjects, as
other features can be altered through the use of Parses. All units completing reports are to conform
to these Examples.

Incoherent
Parseling Case file
#00008
August 9th, 0002 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Name: Caleb Stamos [Panic]
Age: 24
Sex: Male
Origin: Born in Nominal City, Asia
Words: Panic, Prayer, Pandemonium

Infection:
Unknown Source.
Caleb was a Parseling prior to the First Parse, one of
many citizens that were infected within Nominal City.
Reports from Allana Milure indicate that this youth suf-
fered a heart attack while on a subway, resulting in his
death. His rebirth caused widespread panic on the train,
resulting in the formation of a mob.

Significant Activities:
Was a IT tech support for a small local company.
Subsequent activities of Caleb Stamos is unknown. He has
been assumed to have been killed during the events of the
quarantine, due to the natural discomfort an Incoherent
cause to Parselings.

Notes:
Eyewitness accounts described him having two toned skin,
one half of his face appearing Anaemic and frozen, the
other half emitting a golden hue.
Skin to skin contact with subject is likely to induce
panic and loss of rationality. However under certain
conditions, his presence seems to induce a calming
and sedating effects for individuals. This may be an
effective feeding tactic for this incoherent, creating
a feeding loop.
It is unfortunate that his body was never recovered.

Management guidelines:
• Avoid skin to skin contact with subject
• Steer subject away from large crowds
 Incoherent
Parseling Case file
#02354 135
August 9th, 0002 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
Name: Tomiko Kei [Lucky]
Age: 37
Sex: M
Origin: Born in Osaka, Japan
Words: Lucky, Tip, Atmospheric, Slick

Infection:
From investigation of the Fairbrooks Files, it is noted that
[CTSRTCH#0021] was administered to Kei. However, no other
records of activity with in the Fairbrooks Corporation exists

Significant Activities:
During his time in Nominal City, he was considered the head

Incoherent
Parseling Case file
#02104 of the organization known as Folk Law’ a Gang of Parselings
who attempted numerous times to escort individuals out
of the quarantine zone. From the investigations completed
August 9th, 0002 AP by Accidens Corps, it is suspected that his faction master-
Dr. Solomon Macquarie minded the breach at Liminal Bay.
Name: Songbird [Voice]
Age: ?? Notes:
Sex: Agender
It is unknown when Kei became an Incoherent, but the most
Origin: ???
likely time frame is suspected to be during the Liminal Bay
Words: Voice (other Words have been surgically removed)
Breakout incident.
Infection: Coming into physical contact with Tomiko Kei’s skin directly
is ill advised. It is theorized that is this Incoherent’s pre-
Unknown, Incoherent was recovered from a Parseling smug-
ferred method of feeding. His victims have been noted to
gling ring in New Haven run by Mr Grey. It is to be reported
suffer bouts of paranoia and anxiety.
that the subject had been operated on multiple times. Sur-
gical removal of several patches of skin and larynx have No reliable confirmation of Kei’s death, however there are
been observed. It was uncertain if this was completed pre no this Incoherent post Nominal City. It is suspected that
or post incoherency. he was killed during the events of the Third Parse.

Significant Activities: Management guidelines:

Suspected to have been utilized previously used by Mono • Personal with any faith in fate or luck
Movement Radicals as a Parse deterrent. No other known should avoid this Incoherent.
reported activities.
• As with many Incoherents,
avoid physical contact with
Notes: target if encountered.
Songbird is incapable of speech and remembering their
own voice. This individual uses the mouths and voices of
others to talk. Verbal communication not to be relied upon
in the presence of Songbird.
Currently placed in isolation in Facility 3927 by request of
Dr Macquarie for [Project Birdcage].

Management guidelines:
• Avoid speaking in presence of Song Bird.
Written/visual confirmation of orders strongly
recommended.
• Avoid using Parseling Agents when managing
subject. Parses may be adversely affected
136 Paragraphs
Interview Review Notes; Paragraphs: Hive Mind Collective?
August 27th, 0003 AP
Professor Adrian Myrrh
The collective term for a group of Parselings has been dubbed a Paragraph, in
the same way there is a pod of dolphins and a murder of crows. Parselings have
a natural magnetism toward each other, and do best in a group. However, there
is a distinct difference than there is for other groups of species, and reflects a
cultural dynamic, like a coven of witches or a troop of soldiers does. If specific
prerequisites are met, a Paragraph is capable of more nuances and power in
their abilities than in smaller numbers.

Formation and dissolution

Example 1: “Bolt”- Early Bolts Brigade
Often there is a ritualistic cast to forming a Paragraph. The most efficient way
Source: Mercenary Group, focused on
is for a meal to be shared, a circle made by holding hands and parsing towards
survival and escape
their shared intention. Some Paragraphs may enjoy a lot of ceremony in their
formation or addition of new members. Others might share some marshmallows
around a campfire. As long as the conditions are met, any group of Parselings
may form a Paragraph.
The dissolution of a Paragraph appears to occur when the central objective is
achieved to the satisfaction of all parties. This invites chaos and conflict when
the definition of the objective is disputed by Parseling members.

Identification
Once formed and accepted, all members of a Paragraph will be known by a shared
tattoo. In contrast to the usual Word tattoos, those designated by a Paragraph
are symbols. This is a physical representation of their bond, and always appears
in the same location. The symbols vary wildly in style and composition, but are
no larger than a large coin. No different Paragraph will have the same symbol.
It is curious how this resembles the tattoos of gang affiliations.
Upon completion of the common goal, the Paragraph symbol will fade to a faint Example 2: “Multiply”—Cyrienaics
outline. Parselings may not simultaneously belong to multiple Paragraphs at Source: A group of Parselings who
once, but are perfectly able to join another once the previous group is dissolved. wished to share their affliction.

Behaviour
The perks of belonging to a Paragraph are very social, and supportive of the
collective mental health of the group. Those who were approaching Incoher-
ency regain some stability and sense of humanity, which is increased with close
contact with their flock.
The unity affords members a stronger sense of inclusion and acceptance, and
as such are more likely to successfully Parse with each other. The mental and
physical backlash from failed Parses is reduced. They are faster to recover
physical stamina and strength to Parse. There is also a loyalty among members,
and a concern for the well being of each other, akin to family bonds. This effect
seems to be due to more than repetitive parsing together. Parselings report an
automatic and unconscious urge to support each other.
Harm to one member of the Paragraph triggers intense emotions of protectiveness
and anger in the others. They deny feeling sympathetic pain, but their reactions Example 2: “Cross”—Folk Law
speak contrary to their Words. Death of a Paragraph member de-stabilises the Source: A gang that was very active
group, and bring the survivors closer to an Incoherent state. within Nominal city. Used as a gang
tag as well.
Reviewed 137
Guidelines
Guidelines for Parselings suspected to be
connected to a Paragraph. Guidelines based
on Liminal Bay Breakout. Needs revision.
August 9th, 0001 AP
Dr. Solomon Macquarie
It has been reported that groups of Parselings sharing
the same Words were been sighted among the Parselings
that breached the Quarantine at Liminal Bay. Currently
it is unknown how this new phenomena will progress,
evidence may suggest that these individuals act more
cohesively than other subject catalogue to date.
Soldiers observed that the group’s Parses were par-
ticularly more effective than previously noted and that
a single death among the crowd was… felt by the col-
lective. This is a troubling turn of events.
Events at Liminal Bay eventuated into Class 0 Scenario,
multiple Incoherents emerged simultaneously. The UN
forces were in adequately prepared, but managed to
subdue the threat.. 208 casualties were encountered.

Management:
If a hostile group of Parselings is encountered in the
field, attempt to subdue targets quickly and silently. Use
non lethal force if preferentially, as deaths may cause
further complications.
• Divide and conquer. Do not allow Parselings
to initiate contact with each other.
• Keep captured members isolated in dif-
ferent rooms, out of earshot and sight of
each other.
• Sedation is recommended, or at the very
least inhibition of the ability to speak.
• Prevent the members of a Paragraph from
meeting up with each other again.
• Do not execute a member of a paragraph,
Increased likelihood of an Incoherent
emerging.
*Image attached was a rendition of a
Parsecyte or Lingua from one of our child
subjects. I thought it would be nice to
brighten up the PSAs with some more
friendly images.. -AM*

**Please delete this AM, this is highly

irregular and unprofessional. Leave the
PR to human resources. Continued use of
unsolicited materials will be reported.-SM**
138 Lingua
Accidens Corps Briefing Notes; Lingua
August 9th, 0001 AP
Professor Adrian Myrrh
A Lingua is a unique creature formed from an animal host
infected with a Parsecyte. In addition to different species
of animals giving form to distinct types of Lingua, there
are also variations within the same groups of species. As a
rule, the general characteristics of the animals are further
exaggerated, often in strange ways.
In contrast to Parselings who have multiple Words, they
have far fewer, and gain them very slowly. It is common
for Lingua to have a single core Word, and usually no more
than three as an exception. In a limited fashion, Lingua are
capable of parsing with other Infected.

Form Origins
The shape of the Lingua will generally resemble the animal
it once was. A dog Lingua will retain most canine features
such as walking on four legs, fur, a tail etc. A bird Lingua
will have wings, feathers and be able to fly. The differences
arise from their Words, and the experience it holds as an
Infected creature. The Word for each animal is more often
but not always the same as for another in the same species.
For example there have been dog Lingua specimens that
have had the Words “love”, or “bark” or “hungry”. The “love”
dog Lingua had a fluffier coat of fur, which was notably pink
and naturally grew a darker patch in a love heart shape on
their lower backs. The “bark” dog Lingua had a thick bark-
like skin underneath, and the “hungry” dog was emaciated
with noticeably sharp teeth.

Lingua Development
Though the original core Word will initially dictate their
physicality, the diet of the Lingua will begin to influence
their development. Lingua, like Incoherents, must consume
objects, emotions or experiences related to their core iden-
tity (including cannibalizing creatures of the same species).
However, as they continue to feed, they will slowly become
more and more complex.
They will begin to exhibit qualities related to the other inter-
pretations of their food. The Lingua will also eventually
show a greater capacity for reason and understanding.
The strength and intricacy of parsing ability will steadily
increase, and new Words may emerge.
Usually the most obvious indication of this growing intelli-
gence and power, is their size typically exceeding what is
naturally expected of the emulated species. In some cases,
there have been Lingua grown to the size of a school bus or
train. It is unclear how substantial Lingua have the potential
to grow to. We have defined the evolution of Lingua into
three categories—Minor, Greater and Divine.
Lingua Categorization
Accidens Corps Briefing Notes; Lingua
139
August 9th, 0001 AP
Dr Solomon Macquarie

Minor Lingua
Initial state of infection.
• Represents the majority of the Lingua. Size
may be smaller than the original host to grow
up to 2x larger.
• Typically minimal deviations from the norm,
few mutations, closely resembles the origi-
nal animal host.
• Dominated by the need to consume and grow.
They could potentially be unstable and break
down into smaller parts to become of min-
iature versions of themselves or even
swarms of Parsecytes.
• If the fragments are too small, they
may even devolve into a swarm of
Parsecytes, complex or otherwise.

Greater Lingua
Secondary advanced stage of infection.
• Represents 5-15% of Lingua populations
in different areas. Size ranges from 2-4x
the size of the original animal host.
• Their forms very obviously deviated from the orig-
inal infected animal with many mutations, though
they remain recognizable.
• These creatures can develop abilities to rival most
Incoherents and powerful Parselings.
• Capable of intelligent thought and communication,
and may form social connections with other Lingua.
They have been known to be able to demonstrate
restraint in feeding.

Divine Lingua
Theoretical stage of infection.
• Stories have been told over the world of legends
and myths of great beasts that wandered the land.
Perhaps the Parsecyte is not a new phenomena to
this world.
• Interestingly, many creatures in stories often resem-
ble animals we are aware of, with some notable
mutations. They are however, notably gargantuan
in size, able to occupy the space of mountains or
large ships.
• If Lingua are able to reach these sizes, they are
expected to have unimaginable power, and are
closer to forces of nature. Their hunger is a con-
cerning variable. Will it grow proportional to its size?
140 A week. Marley hasn’t left her home for a week.
The news won’t shut up about the death. Augus-
tine Rucker, dead at 34. Black splotches, like ink,
covering his words. Her phone rings too much—
Longest Day // Hideous Heart

Xin Yi, Professor Myrrh, and even Jasmine’s names

popping up on the screen. She doesn’t know what
to do. Doesn’t know what to say.
For a moment, a blissful moment, Marley had
seen a destination. Parseacea itself, a start to
a journey which could redefine her ‘Malaise’ into
something positive and pure. She could have stayed
on with Tenor Academy, worked with others on
breaking down Parsecytes and the Parseling con-
dition until a true and permanent cure was made.
Maybe a version which just made a Parsecyte leave
the body. She’d have worked with Xin Yi and the
many other researchers who had expressed inter-
est in the project. Perhaps one of them would have
been able to add to the potency of the Parse, or
the effectiveness of the product itself.
She sobs, even though her tears have long since
dried out. She doesn’t remember the last time she
ate or drank, but the gnawing pit in her stomach
is nothing compared to the emptiness of the lab
that morning.
All she ever wanted was to help people. It’s what
her father had wanted for her — to grow out of the
shadow of the time she’d spent bedridden, defined
by her condition but — perhaps her fate was set
in stone the moment that particular word showed
up on her back.
This whole time, she’d been fighting it, only to
fulfil it in the worst way possible, like every single
Greek tragedy involving a prophecy.
The media and word on the street is calling what-
ever happened to Augustine and the recent spate
of ink-blotted bodies, “Voidout”, because in death
the words stay blacked out. She doesn’t remember
reading any experiment reports like that, but then
again she only knew that the first patient had died
because she sent that letter. Was the second one
dead too? Are dead Parseling bodies all that’s going
to result from her hope?
Was she chasing a false hope all along?
If all that she can do, if all that she really is
walking ‘Malaise’, then what was the point? This
whole time, what was the point?
Her back burns, right where ‘Malaise’ has rear-
ranged itself above her spine, the letters feverishly
burning into her skin — spreading, twisting, no
longer dripping into each other but fully bleeding.
The raw edges of capillaries oozing her torment.

 Marley has to know. She has to see for herself.
Her phone lays dead on the carpet as she finally unfolds
The thought settles in her mind and sinks down gently
into the depths, like a stone slipping into a pond. It ripples
141
for a brief second before there’s nothing left on the water’s
from her childhood bed, the tiny Christmas lights that made
surface, just the wish to see for herself the Parseling that
up the constellations from the ceiling flicker out one by
her work was used to kill. In the background noise of tele-

Longest Day // Hideous Heart

one as she slowly steps out of the room. She shuts off the
vision news and radio stations, they’d said that there would
lights one last time.
be a public wake to remember him and a private funeral,
Fake stars aren’t enough anymore. for friends and family.
She calmly descends the stairs, taking them one by one, Something wet and sticky trickles from her mouth, but
clear-headed for the first time in… who knows how long? she just absentmindedly wipes it away. The funeral can
This whole time, she’s been fighting to be something dif- only be so private when there’s only a few cemeteries in
ferent from her words. She held hands with others to fix Nominal City. She remembers all of them from the brief
things, to let Parses happen so as to defy what she herself moment that she had tried to plan her father’s before letting
was. But nothing short of a Divine Parse could change Bolt Brigade take care of it. Most of the old ones had been
anything, really. Just as how it took that Divine Parse for destroyed in the First Parse, and quite a few Parselings
her endometriosis to go away. But even then, that had a ask to be cremated these days so their remains couldn’t
cost. Even then, she coughed up blood and ink month after be abused. She just has to check them one by one. As long
month as she walked in the sun. It was better. as his body remained intact, it would be easy. She won’t
need anyone’s help for that.
Her father’s workshop, long unused. Clean though, from
the one week she’d felt good about herself and actually She doesn’t pay any attention to any of the people in
decided to sort through his belongings. It’s been little under the street walking by. Their voices fade into background
a year since his funeral. A year since he was last here. noise, moving out of the way for one reason or another,
But no matter. except for the ones that don’t. “I’ll be fine,” someone says,
“It’s just a cough.”
She sweeps through the room, distantly remembering
how Murphy and her had been part of the rebuilding efforts, “You’ve had that cough for three days,” their friend says.
once the fixing service had properly started up. They’d “Come on, a checkup won’t hurt.”
done so much. Together, they had been able to contribute
For some reason, Marley finds a part herself reach-
to form Nominal City as it is now. And when they weren’t
ing out into that uncomfortable sound, into the heart of
together, she continued to try to fulfil that — EMT work,
spluttering. Her fingers graze the strangers shoulder for
jobs that used her body to heal instead of any Parses. Not
a moment as they heave violently. Then, that unpleasant
because she didn’t want to Parse at the time, but because
rattle is echoing in her own lungs instead. Just as easily,
really, none of her words were suited for it. Augments:
she moves on, even as the unfamiliar face slumps to the
Blank, Angst, Fabrication, Toxic, Quiet. Aspect: Malaise. It
ground, breathing peacefully. She can still fix things, Malaise
was what it was. She didn’t begrudge it.
thinks, though as the crowds around her begin to cough.
And then her father died. Marley glances at the family
Blood continues to trickle from her mouth, but it doesn’t
altar, tucked in the nook between the workshop and the
matter. Her shirt is stained purple, just as her blood has
kitchen. She was wise enough to not try to replace him,
been ever since the Divine Parse. Drops fall to the ground
but… come to think of it, she did try. She tried very hard,
rather than running down her chin, dark blots joining the
she recalls, walking out of the building entirely. She tried
regular marks of travel and graffiti.
so hard to be what her father had hoped for her.

Perhaps, this whole time, she’d been trying to become
Murphy O’Neal, the man who fixed everything. Made
everything better.
 142 The funeral is quiet. A priest presides, sombre, talking
about religion that Lillian never really cared much for.
“Apparently there’s someone weird outside the cem-
etery-” is all she gets out before someone coughs. She
But he cares, and Augustine had cared too, judging by looks over apologetically, but it’s not that polite reminder
the amount of priests who are in attendance. “He was in for her to be quiet.
seminary when he became a Parseling.” Sylvia explains
Longest Day // Hideous Heart

Sylvia turns around as another person coughs. The

quietly. “Close to becoming a priest. But then the words
unpleasant sounds spread through the crowd like wild-
showed up, and no one knew what to do.”
fire and even Lillian starts feeling dizzy. She can’t breathe,
She doesn’t have to explain any more, not with how like her lungs are on fire, and then she’s coughing too. The
several religious establishments still haven’t made up entire funeral is hacking and wheezing and no one has the
their mind on how to treat Parselings. “So they’re his class- sense of mind to notice the unfamiliar face in their midst
mates?” Lillian asks. up until her hand is on the lid of Augustine’s casket.
“Probably. He never said much about it.” Sylvia squeezes “Hey!” someone yells, “What do you think you’re—” Any-
her hand, looking away from the priests. “… I just want this thing else they could say is spluttered out, unintelligible
to be over with.” as their lungs protest angrily.
“You aren’t going to give a speech?” Lillian struggles to look up, and what she sees makes
all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The person
Sylvia shakes her head. “He was the one that was always
has choppy black hair, her frame thin enough to look like
better with words.”
she’d blow away in a storm. The sight makes her uncom-
Lillian leans her head on Sylvia’s shoulder by way of fortable in a way she can’t understand, like a glitch in a
comfort, letting the priest’s words fade into a drone. The phone screen. A second of static in a song. She doesn’t
day is appropriately cloudy, humid like an overripe pear belong here, not at this funeral, not in… reality.
waiting to burst. She still isn’t sure that she should be here,
Sylvia grabs her hand, pulling her back to earth. “That’s
honestly. Come to think of it, she hadn’t known Augustine
an Incoherent,” she says, breathing raggedly. “What—”
that well — they talked about their plans for the next day,
they spent some time together. Maybe they had even Parsed ‘What’s an Incoherent doing here?’ goes unsaid. Lillian
together frequently enough for people to assume that they fumbles for her phone, trying to catch her breath, but to
were a Paragraph — but she didn’t know who he was in the no avail, desperately texting her uncle.
past. Didn’t know him like Sylvia did.
No one is able to raise a hand as the Incoherent undoes
Now she never would. the latches of the casket, muttering incomprehensible
nonsense under her breath. Sylvia screams with grief and
Isn’t that a reason to mourn a person? Not just for who
rage, surging forward to try and push them away, but she’s
they were in the past, but for the lost chance to know them
not able to get farther than the people groaning in the first
in the future? She saves it to ask Sven later, squeezing Syl-
row. She nearly trips, but Lillian catches her, summoning
via’s hand again. Even if some would say it’s not enough of a
up the strength to pull her up.
reason, it doesn’t matter. Little does in the face of raw grief.
The clasps are undone with three ominous clacks against
She tunes back in once the ceremony ends, the eulo-
the wood, followed by the groan of hinges as the top half of
gies beginning. Priests, talking about who he once was.
Augustine’s casket opens up. “What are you doing?!” Sylvia
Accidence Corps, talking about his work. No one can talk
yells, and this time she pushes past the others grabbing
about what he could have been. They avoid anything about
onto the Incoherent’s shoulder, yanking her back from the
how he died or why, but Lillian knows that Sylvia hasn’t
casket. Lillian runs to close it, but not before she glimpses
stopped thinking about it. Maybe that’s why she doesn’t
the black splotches that have scarred over his words like
want to be up there.
acid burns. She slams it down, nearly catching the invad-
A person Sylvia whispers is a member of Accidence er’s hand, and when she turns around to face the woman,
Corps walks up, the last scheduled, when Lillian’s phone her breath catches in her throat. Not because of a cough
vibrates. She checks it under her purse flap, noting a text this time, but because —
from Sven, who was idling in the parking lot. ‘Someone
“You!” Lillian cries out, recognition clicking like a puzzle
weird outside cemetery.’
piece. “You- You’re from that — Last week! What on earth?!”
‘Weird?’ She sneaks a text back.
The Incoherent blankly stares at the casket despite her
‘Just standing there. Been about 30min.’ words, unbothered by Sylvia’s grip on her arm. “It wasn’t
supposed to be like this,” she murmurs. Before Lillian can
‘Ok.’
ask what she means, a foreboding feeling swells from the
‘Just went in.’ pit of her stomach. The florist doubles over, tasting blood
in her mouth. Ink and bile drip from between her teeth and
“What’s that?” Sylvia asks, peering over her shoulder.
into her hand, her thoughts jumbled in terror.
 “Get away from my niece!” Uncle Sven is storming in,
clutching his hat with one hand and the other steadily
“What’s there to understand?” Lillian demands, feeling
Sylvia quake with anger next to her.
143
aiming a pistol. The outburst surprises the Incoherent just
“It was meant to be cure.” Marley says, her words grating
long enough for Sylvia to grab Lillian and drag her away.
like a crowbar dragging on stone. “A start to preventing
“Lili, what’s wrong? What’s happening?” Sylvia wheezes, Incoherents. They took it. I didn’t kill him. It’s not my fault.”

Longest Day // Hideous Heart

hands fretting over Lillian.
“The- the scarring-” Sylvia gasps. She jerks to look at
The unwelcome feeling fades, but the taste of blood Sven. “Mr. Blodwen, what—” She doesn’t have to finish the
doesn’t. Lillian opens her mouth, spitting out a disgusting sentence for him to hold his hand up to his eye, forming
coagulated mass that stains the grass. Sven hurries towards a circle with his ring finger and thumb to look at Marley
them, keeping the gun aimed, but she can see the precise through the lens of ‘Memory’. Whatever he sees makes him
moment the same coughing fit that’s overtaken everyone grimace, the Incoherent just staring, uncanny.
else seizes his lungs. “I’m fine,” she gasps, “I- I don’t know.
“What did you see?” Marley asks, stepping over the bodies.
I don’t feel any pain.”
Sven pulls them back, never moving his aim. “Even if
The Incoherent — no, Marley, the last person Augustine
you didn’t mean for this to happen, it did!” he barks. Under
had Parsed on — turns from the casket, looking around at
his breath, he mutters to Lillian and Sylvia, “She heard the
everyone. Another woman in the crowd retches blood just as
news and stayed cooped up in her house. Pretty sure that’s
Lillian had. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” she repeats
what drove her inky.”
it louder this time, but she’s drowned out by the coughing.
Lillian looks around the cemetery, but there’s no one
“Goddamnit, I’m too old for this.”” Sven grumbles, clutch-
that looks like they’re coming over to help. “What should
ing his chest, hacking. He grabs Lillian’s hand, and braces
we do?” She asks Sylvia, the three of them still backing up.
against Sylvia “Okay- Sylvia. We Parse. You lead. My ‘Gentle’,
“You were part of the Corps — they deal with these, right?”
Lili’s ‘Clear’, your ‘Breath’. Make it so we can— ” he wheezes,
his lungs rattling so hard that Lillian is afraid a rib will give Sylvia tears her gaze away from the casket, stained
out, “So we can breathe.” where Marley’s hand had been. “We- we have to get her
away from everyone else. Unless we know what her core
Sylvia takes Lillian’s hand, and for that brief second, they
word is, there’s nothing we can do.”
tune out the Incoherent and the horrible pained sounds
around them, the ink on their skin shifting ever so slightly “Can you call for backup?”
as they say their words. It goes through easily enough, the
“I left my purse.” Lillian follows Sylvia’s gaze to where
desperate wish to breathe clearly. Lillian gasps for air, never
they’d been sitting before. Where Marley stands now.
so grateful before to be able to take in a full breath. Sven
clearly shares the same sentiment, clutching his chest. Sylvia tenses up like a coiled spring, but before she can
get move, Sven stops her. “I have a gun — if anything, I’m
The Incoherent looks at them balefully, and Lillian notices
pretty sure someone will come if they hear gunshots.”
a thin line of purple dripping from her mouth.
Sylvia looks at him, aghast. “I- it might make her stronger
Parallel lines, that’s what they are. It comes in an instant,
if her word is something that can eat pain, or-”
gone the next as Lillian grabs Sven’s hand, yanking him out
of the way, as the incoherent coughs in their direction, a “I’ll grab your purse.” Lillian says before they can start
noxious breath curling right where he’d been. “You know bickering again. “Uncle, please don’t shoot unless it gets
her?” Sylvia asks, eyes darting around the area seeing bad.”
people in various states of agony.
“Right, where did he even get the gun-?”
“Last week, we- Augustine and I did a Parse on her at
“None of your business.”
Bar-bel. Remember? She looked dead on her feet.”
Lillian lets go of their hands, heading for the purse.
Recognition registers for Sylvia, and Sven nods curtly
Marley doesn’t move. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
by way of understanding. “Doesn’t explain why she’s here,”
She repeats when Lillian gets close, calm even though
he says, eyes never leaving the Incoherent.
the people closest to her are on their hands and knees
Lillian can feel Sylvia jolt next to her like static under staining the grass red.
her skin. “Did you kill him?” She demands.
“Whether you meant it to or not, Augustine’s dead!” Sylvia
“No. It wouldn’t have killed him. Someone else had to screams. Marley’s head jerks in her direction, and the next
have done it.” Marley pauses at that, her attention making second Lillian feels a crushing weight on her chest, almost
Lillian’s guts feel nauseous again. Before any of them can like the one week she came down with the flu, but her
ask what on earth she means, she continues, words picking breathing remains fine. She lunges for the purse as Marley
up in pace. “I didn’t mean for it to kill anyone. You don’t brushes past, heading straight for Sylvia and Sven.
understand — It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
144 “No,” Marley insists, the word
ripping itself from her throat with
such vehemence it sounds painful.
Longest Day // Hideous Heart
“I didn’t.”
Lillian grabs the purse strings, but a
robed hand clutches her. “Help.” One of
the priests wheezes. “He- help me.”
“It’ll be fine.” Is all the words she can
spare before she picks the purse up and
flings it desperately, only for it to nearly
hit Marley in the head rather than anywhere
close to Sylvia and Sven. Lillian nearly bites her
tongue as Marley turns back towards her. “… It’ll be
fine.” She repeats, more for herself than the person as
she scrambles away, heading in the opposite direction.
Thankfully, Marley follows, and as they move away from
the burial site, the coughing seems to abate. Whether it’s
because they’re not being affected by Marley or because
she’s just further away and can’t hear them, Lillian’s not sure.
Marley doesn’t say anything at first, just staring at the
“So — let me get this straight,” Lillian says, scrambling word. But slowly, a tremor overtakes her whole body, Marley
for a way to keep Marley’s attention on her. “You made clenching her hands into fists until her nails are digging
something and it was used to kill Augustine?” into her flesh, quaking so hard that she falls to her knees,
screaming. Not with rage, not with an anger that Lillian
“Parseacea.” Marley says, her voice a low gravelly rasp.
could have tried to dissipate, but with unending amounts
“Suppresses Parsecytes. I didn’t do this. They stole it.
of anguish, grief catching up after who knows how long.
Took everything.”
“I’m supposed to fix things. Fix things, help people — just
“I’m not saying you did.” Lillian holds her hands up in a like he did! We did. Together.”
placating gesture, but her words seem to have unblocked
Despite this being their second meeting, a corner of Lil-
a dam.
lian’s heart breaks for this woman. “Well whatever you did,
“— I can’t have done this, I can’t I can’t I can’t.” The words you —” This time, what she tastes in her mouth is definitely
run together, Marley coming closer and closer despite Lil- disgusting, Lillian lurching forward to retch large clots of
lian’s best attempt to fast-walk backwards. “—I fix things. blood onto the grass. The taste of iron coats her mouth
I make them better. I’m an O’Neal.” and she tries not to swallow any of it. In the distance she
can hear Sylvia and Sven calling her name.
Recognition clicks for Lillian again, another puzzle piece.
“You-” she throws her hand out, pointing. “You’re from the “You don’t understand.” Marley growls . She gets to her
Fixing Service!” feet, looking at where Sylvia and Sven are getting closer.
“You still have your family. You don’t know what it’s like
Marley’s eyes go wide, but any surprise is quickly sup-
to lose them all. And we Parselings are useless alone. By
pressed by whatever else is there that’s sent her inky.
myself, I’m just… Malaise.”
“That’s in the past. But I can still bring miracles — Look!”
The florist remembers now. A father and daughter pair,
Lillian looks at the open hand, and immediately regrets it.
survivors of the First Parse — O’Neal Fixing Service, five
The word ‘Miracle’ inked on Marley’s hands… is nothing like
minutes away from their shop.
a Parseling tattoo. Just plain black ink. “… that’s a tattoo,”
Lillian blurts before her common sense kicks her in time to “You’re wrong.” Lillian coughs, struggling to her feet,
not say anything to maybe piss off an Incoherent further. the taste of blood never leaving her mouth. “Even if we
can’t Parse without other people, we’re still people first,
Instead of anger, Marley blinks, confused. She looks down
and people are never truly alone! We grow up, we move
at her hand, and for the first time, it’s not revulsion that
on, we live!” Her parents pushing her away, learning that
crawls up Lillian’s throat. It’s sympathy. “… Right.” Marley’s
she’s a Parseling and all that it entailed. Making friends,
voice still grates, but there’s a clarity to it that wasn’t there
losing them — joy and grief and the pain of living. What
before. “After Dad died… I got drunk.”
makes someone alive, whether they’re Parseling or person.
“Your dad died?” Lillian tries, hoping to pull more of that “Losing someone isn’t the end of the world — It might feel
clarity to the surface. like it but we can continue to live anyway!”
 145

Longest Day // Hideous Heart

This close, Lillian realizes that they’re the same height, “She didn’t kill Augustine.”
Malaise’s dark eyes staring into hers. Then the Incoherent’s
“… I believe you.”
mouth opens, a laugh spilling out, even worse than her
speech or her screaming, a hundred magpies screeching Lillian closes her eyes, ears ringing with the sound of a
angrily. “It was the end of the world for me.” She laughs, grating, maniacal laughter. She remembers now, seeing
and laughs, and laughs, ink edging into the whites of her Marley walk past the flower shop occasionally, in front of
eyes. “Even if I tried to fight it — you can’t stop the world the hospital or even at the bar. That woman always seemed
ending. No one could fight the First Parse.” exhausted, like she’d never gotten a night’s rest, and after
her dad’s death (right, Sven went to the funeral service)
More blood fills up Lillian’s mouth, but before she can say
she wasn’t just tired, she looked so alone.
anything or spit it out, Sylvia and Sven are there, throwing
their hands out at Malaise. “Bounce Sight!” they cry. Marley had been so miserable that she became an Inco-
herent. Lillian’s heart clenches as she asks Sven, “You said
Just like that, the Incoherent steps back, disorientated
she cooped herself up for a week after seeing the news?”
with her hands instinctively going up to her head. Lillian
gets yanked back, Sven pulling her arm over his shoulder There’s an audible crunch as he bites into whatever
as they drag her away. The sickening cackle doesn’t stop, lollipop he was stress-eating. “Yeah. Why?”
not even as Lillian hears sirens at the entrance of the cem-
“… Do you know if she even ate anything? Or drink?”
etery, uniformed people making their way in. “Sylvia?” she
mumbles. “Uncle?” He pauses before delicately saying, “Not that I saw with
my Lens.”
“It’ll be fine.” Sven says. “Accidence Corps is here. They
know how to deal with Incoherents.” Lillian can’t help but put her hand in Sylvia’s, exhaustion
dropping on her like the way Marley had dropped to her
Sylvia reaches out, brushing a hair behind Lillian’s ear.
knees, realizing her ‘Miracle’ was fake. She turns her head
“She should be disorientated for a bit,” she says. “You stalled
to Sylvia’s stomach, her bloody lips already wiped clean by
her well enough that she didn’t see us coming.”
a tissue from the glove compartment. Sylvia’s hand clasps
“Get some rest.” Sven pushes her into the backseat, and around hers, the vestige of Marley O’Neals’ desperation
Lillian finds her head in Sylvia’s lap, carefully cradled as they echoing in her mind, the sad, tired grumbling of someone
drive away. Only the taste is in her mouth, not actual blood. who was too familiar with loneliness.
“She… she didn’t kill Auggie.” Lillian mumbles. “Really.
She just…. Wanted to make something to help people. But
it got stolen.”
Sylvia doesn’t say anything at first, just stroking Lillian’s
head. “We’re going to the hospital, Lili. Rest.”
146
 147

Appendix A: Tricks
Tricks are the tools of your trade. They are little things that
you’ve learnt over the years, things that have kept you one
step ahead of everyone else. Tricks are traits or habits that
your character has up their sleeves to fix the odds in their
favour. Each Trick has its own points value depending on
their usefulness, and some may have requirements before
you can purchase them for your character. Choose wisely,
as they can make or break your life as a Parseling.

Terminology in this section

Points
The number of points needed in this Trick to achieve the effects
described. You may have no more and no less than the number of
points listed. The total Script cost will also be listed.

Check
The specific Check required to perform the Trick. It may contain
an Image, an Aptitude, or a specific combination of the two. Some
Tricks may not have a specified Check attached.

Cost
The specified cost or resource required to trigger the Trick. Most
Tricks will not have a specific cost involved.

Requirements
The conditions needed for an individual to learn this Trick. Often
this will refer to another Stat on your character sheet, that the Trick
can only be obtained during character creation, or that it cannot be
purchased in tandem with another specific Trick.

Trick Trees
Some series of techniques must be learnt in a sequential fashion.
You may not learn a Two Point Trick without learning its predecessor.
Each style is treated at a singular type of Trick.
148 Ace Tricks
Ace: Double or Nothing Ace: Second thoughts
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: 1 Perseverance Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace Trick Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace Trick
Lady luck has always had a thing for you, and wherever you You’ve got moxie and grit, and that can-do attitude is going
go you like to flirt with danger. Nothing you do in the heat to get you far. You can quickly discover new ways of working
of the moment is done in moderation, you either need to better and harder. The key is to never give up.
be a hero or a zero.
When an Ace of the correct suit is revealed in a Check,
When you draw an Ace and there are no remaining cards in you may shuffle the revealed Ace into the Deck and draw
your Deck, you may use this Trick. Spend a point of Perse- a new card.
verance to reshuffle your Deck and draw a new card. If the
new card is the same suit as the Ace, this Trick succeeds. Ace: Untapped Potential
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
On Correct Guess: You can double the value of
Check: Nil
your current Successes.
Cost: Nil
On Incorrect Guess: Your Check fails, regardless Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace Trick
of the Check.
Have you ever had that feeling in your gut telling you that
something is wrong? That maybe, just maybe, you should
Ace: Handyman take a step back and make sure that everything is going
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
according to plan. Sometimes it’s the right thing to do, and
Check: Nil
you catch a mistake before it matters. Other times you’ve
Cost: Nil
wasted a few precious seconds. In the end, does it even
Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace Trick
matter?
You know a little bit about everything, and every time you
When you draw an Ace in a Check and there are cards
pick up something new it gets easier. For you, basic skills
remaining in your Deck, you may activate this Trick.
in different fields bleed into one another and can be applied
in a number of situations. Point 2: When you have drawn an Ace during a
Check, you may exchange the Ace with a card
When an Ace is revealed as part of a Simple Check, it always
of the same suit from the Wounds pile.
counts as a single Success no matter the suit.
Point 4: When you have drawn an Ace during a
Ace: High Check, you may exchange the Ace with any card
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) from the Wounds pile.
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Ace: Up your Sleeve
Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace Trick Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Bad luck is better than no luck. Aces have a value of 2 if
Cost: Nil
they are of the correct suit for a Check.
Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace
Trick. You must be wearing a piece of clothing with at
Ace: Iteration least one sleeve.
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
Check: Nil There’s literally an Ace up your sleeve. Cheater.
Cost: Nil
When an Ace is revealed, you may place the Ace aside and
Requirement(s): You may not have any other Ace Trick
add it to a subsequent Check as desired. Physically tuck
Teachers always tell us that practice makes perfect, and your Ace up your sleeve (if you aren’t wearing something
they’re right. The more you learn and repeat a task, the with sleeves, bad luck)
quicker and more efficient you become.
Your sleeve can only hold one Ace at a time.
Once per scene, Ace cards may be treated as if they have
the value of another card in your hand of the same suit
as the Ace. Send the used Ace to the Removed pile after
using this Trick.
Push Tricks 149
Adrenaline Surge Nerves of steel
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ +10 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Reflexive Perseverance Checks
Cost: (1) Potential Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil Requirement(s): Nil
When faced with pain and fear, or in life threatening sce- No matter what you do, you’ve got a mind like a steel trap
narios, adrenaline kicks in. It pushes your body to its limits, and you’re a tough dude to keep down. It’s not the first time
burning all that’s left in your body, urging you to survive. you’ve encountered something like this, you’ve survived
This burst of performance may be what you need to save worse before. Now is not the time to panic.
yourself, or someone else.
When asked to make a Perseverance Check, reveal addi-
Upon taking Health Damage, spend one Potential. For the tional cards equal to your points in Nerves of Steel.
remainder of the scene, you may reveal additional cards
equal to the number of Health Damage on any Check. Split Focus
Points: (2/4) (or 6/ +14 Total Script)
All cards revealed in this fashion will be Removed.
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Confidence Requirement(s): Nil
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Cunning + Acting / Cunning + Manipulation Not all tasks require your full attention. Every day we manage
Cost: Nil to walk and talk, eat and work. It’s a special little trick you’ve
Requirement(s): Nil picked up throughout your life. After all, sometimes you
don’t want to spend all of your brainpower on a single task.
Sometimes all you need is a little bit of confidence and to
look the part. There’s something about the way you hold For every 2 points in Split focus you may shuffle one card
yourself, a commanding aura that surrounds everything back it into your Deck, drawn at the end of each Check.
that you do. You say, “Jump,” and others ask, “How high?”
When asked to make a Cunning + Acting or a Cunning
+ Manipulation Check you may use your Perseverance
instead of your Cunning. You will be looking for Diamonds.

Determination
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil
Not all people are made equal, some have a fire in their heart
that refuses to go out no matter the adversity.
During any Check, you may treat your consumable Potential
Points as if they were Perseverance Points when attempt-
ing to reshuffle your Deck.
150 Intent Tricks
Establishment Focus
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ +10 Total Script) Points: (2-4) (or 6/ + 6/ + 8 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): GM approval Requirement(s): Nil
You own or have easy access to an establishment. It’s some- When you get into the rhythm, everything becomes easier
thing that you can use as you please, with all of the asso- to accomplish. All distractions fade away into the corners
ciated equipment. It could be as something as simple as of your mind, letting you be the best version of yourself.
a small office you have the keys to, or even something as
You may employ this Trick when you Recompose your Deck.
grand as a library.
For every two points in Focus, your character may select
The higher the point value of this Trick the more useful one card from their Deck and Discard it.
the location. Check with the GM for appropriate points for
different types of locations. You will need to justify having Jury-Rigger
this Trick at character creation. If the establishment is Points: (1/3) (or 2/12 Total Script)
destroyed or damaged, the GM may allow you to redistrib- Check: Insight + Crafts
ute these Trick points. Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Crafts 2
When using this location, it gives a maximum of a + 2
Success Modifier for tasks related to the building. Some may call it a talent, but you have a knack for repairing
or reusing broken things. If you are lucky, sometimes you
Point 1: It’s a small flat, an apartment, or even a
don’t even need to spend the parts to fix it up.
small room that you can call your own. There’s
not much here, but hey, at least it’s yours. Point 1: When making a Insight + Crafts Check to
repair or recycle a broken tool, reveal an addi-
Point 2: You’ve spent some time building a house
tional card.
or bought out a large apartment. The place is big
enough to have a couple friends over, and you’re Point 3: When using a tool that you’ve repaired
proud enough to show it off. In your spare time yourself, you double its base Equipment Modi-
you’ve actually managed to outfit this place to fier bonus for the scene. At the end of the scene,
help with some of your hobbies. irreversibly destroy the item.
Point 3: A small business is a difficult thing to
manage, and a heck of an achievement. With a
Holistic Treatment
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
bit of haggling and planning, you’ve outfitted this
Check: Intelligence + Medic
place to perfectly suit your needs. It’s all geared
Cost: Nil
up ready to go.
Requirement(s): Medic 2
Point 4: Business has been booming, and you’ve
Medical treatment starts when the patient enters the door
opened up at several locations across town. You
with a problem. How you talk to the patient, meet their
have multiple places that you own, each main-
expectations, and educate them about the procedure will
tained by your workers. Too bad you still have
drastically change the outcome. As easy as it is to simply
to pay them.
hand them written instructions and provide them with med-
Point 5: It’s taken a lot of hard work, but your ication, it is better to talk them through the process and
establishment has grown into an organisation or make sure that understand how to look after themselves
empire. While you may not deal with the day to after they walk out of the room.
day management of the company, you still are
When treating a patient in downtime with an Extended
the face of the group. Everyone knows you, for
Intelligence + Medic Check, you may employ this Trick. Your
better or for worse.
patient will reveal cards equal to their Empathy. Any Hearts
they reveal will provide you with an additional Success. This
is done on each Check you complete.
 151

Perceptive Preparation
Points: (3/4) (or 12/ +8 Total Script) Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Check: Perception Check: Intelligence + Memory
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil Requirement(s): Memory 2
Some people are just naturally more aware of their sur- You’ve spent time clearing your mind, thinking only of the
roundings than others. They are able to make out details tasks ahead—an hour pouring over the plans, running through
in difficult situations, or perceive more detail in a single your feats in your mind. It takes time, preparing, but it is
moment than their peers. well worth it.
Point 3: Your character is naturally able to glean Spend an hour before the scene focusing and planning on
at least some information in the worst of situa- one specific task that would involve your Intelligence. When
tions. Your character can always ask a minimum completing this premeditated action, for the next Check
of 1 question during a Perception Check to you may reveal additional cards equal to your Intelligence.
observe a situation, regardless of the result.
Point 4: Your character has developed skills
Skim Reading
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
and talents to take in details faster and more
Check: Intelligence + Research
accurately than others. Whenever you make a
Cost: Nil
Perception Check to observe a situation, you
Requirement(s): Research 2
may ask an additional question regardless of
the Successes drawn. You read at an incredible pace. Textbooks are defeated in a
blink of an eye. It always helped you cram for tests.
Perfect Recall Spend an hour of game time and make an Intelligence +
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Research Check. You gain a basic understanding of what-
Check: Intelligence + Memory
ever you have been reading, however the knowledge is not
Cost: Nil
committed to memory.
Requirement(s): Memory 2
On 2 Successes or more, for the next scene
Your mind is a steel trap, not a single detail escapes you.
you gain an additional Success for any Check
Any details given previously to you by the GM can be recalled
involving the topic you researched.
without a Check. However, this does not mean that you
automatically notice everything. If your character did not
pay specific attention to the topic at hand, make an Intelli-
Tech Savvy
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
gence + Memory Check. Treat your Memory Aptitude as if
Check: Intelligence + Tech
it were one point higher. On a successful Check, the GM will
Cost: Nil
inform you of what information your character has retained.
Requirement(s): Tech 2
Prediction Technology is built upon the back of old discoveries, it isn’t
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script) simply developed out of thin air. As long as it is made by
Check: Defence human hands, there will be some common trends that we
Cost: Nil will recognise.
Requirement(s): Nil
When trying to learn about or use a new piece of technology,
Sometimes all it takes to avoid getting hurt is being in the you may use this Trick. Make a Intelligence + Tech Check.
right place at the right time. Finding those spots all the time? For every 2 points in Memory, add an additional Success.
That’s something learnt through experience.
When making a Dodge Check, for every Spade revealed
during the Check add an additional Success.
152 Feats Tricks
Attentive Feline Grace
Points: (1/4) (or 2/ + 18 Total Script) Points: (1-5) (or 2/ +4/ +6/ +8/ +10 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Finesse + Athletics
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Finesse 3 Requirement(s): Athletics 3
You have always been very aware of your surroundings, There’s something about the way you move, be it the bounce
and even the slightest changes seem to catch your atten- in your step or the way you angle your body, but you always
tion. Whether you have keen eyes, sharp hearing, or even land on your feet.
an uncanny sense, you are able to notice trouble before it
For every point in Feline Grace you may add an additional
happens. You will gain different bonuses depending on the
Success to any Finesse + Athletics Check to manage landing
points in Attentive.
from great heights.
Points 1: You gain a bonus to Initiative equal to
your points in Attentive. Fleet of Foot
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ + 10 Total Script)
Points 4: Instead of gaining a flat Initiative bonus,
Check: Nil
you may reveal an additional card when deter-
Cost: Nil
mining Initiative.
Requirement(s): Force 2
Close and personal You’ve got a need for speed. Perhaps it’s a matter of tech-
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) nique, moving with your legs the right way. Maybe its part of
Check: Melee your genes, or in your shoes. That’s what you tell everyone.
Cost: Nil But the fact is, no one is as fast as you.
Requirement(s): Melee 3
Each point in Fleet of Foot increases your Speed by one.
You like to get up close in a fight. There’s something innately
personal and exciting about getting in someone’s face. Giant
When you’re both in arm’s reach, everything else is just a Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
hindrance, something extra that slows you down. There’s Check: Force
something special about seeing your prey panic as they Cost: Nil
realise that they’ve been cornered. Requirement(s): Character creation only
When making a Melee Check against someone with a ranged Maybe it’s a family trait, maybe you’re an oddball. For what-
weapon, ignore one point of their Defence. ever the reason, you’re built bigger than your average Joe. It’s
hard to find clothes that fit you, but you never have trouble
Double Jointed reaching the top shelf.
Points: (1/3) (or 2/ + 10 Total Script)
Characters with this Trick may treat their Force as if it was
Check: Finesse + Athletics
one level higher. This will affect other Derived Statistics
Cost: Nil
based on the Force Stat.
Requirement(s): Character creation only
You may not exceed Force 5 with this Trick.
Your bones are easily unhinged, or you’re skinny and thin, or
you are just that flexible. As long as no one tries to stop you,
mundane ropes and chains can’t keep you bound.
Habitual Driver
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
When attempting a Finesse + Athletics Check to escape Check: Finesse + Ride
bonds or squeeze through small spaces you may apply the Cost: Nil
following modifiers. Requirement(s): Ride 2 and a vehicle that you own
Point 1: You may gain 1 additional Success. Have you ever had a car to call your own? It could be that
old hand-me-down from your older siblings, the family car,
Point 3: If uncontested or unobserved when
or one that you worked to save up for. You start driving it
making the Finesse + Athletics Check, you may
around, and everything becomes second nature to you.
automatically succeed.
When you jump into someone else’s car, it just feels wrong.
When using your own vehicle, you may double the Equip-
ment Modifier. If you are using an unfamiliar vehicle, draw
1 card less on driving Checks.
 153
Martial Arts Sticky Fingers
Points: (2/4) (or 6/ +14 Total Script) Points: (4) (or 20 Total Script)
Check: Force + Melee Check: Finesse + Larceny
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Melee 2 Requirement(s): Larceny 4
Be it for competition or for relaxation, you’ve trained in Your hands have a mind of their own, they seem to pick
ways to fight. Your body remembers how to position itself up odds and ends without you even knowing. Its great for
to maximise its potential. a budding pickpocket, but just make sure you don’t get
caught in the act.
You may apply this Trick when making unarmed Force +
Melee Checks. For every two points in this Trick, gain an If your target is occupied or distracted, you may make
additional Success. an unopposed Finesse + Larceny Check with a Success
Threshold of 5 to take any item on their person that they
Natural Talent are not actively using.
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
Check: Nil Steady Aim
Cost: Nil Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Requirement(s): Select one Aptitude of point 3 or higher Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Somehow you’ve always known how to do this. It’s like your
Requirement(s): Ranged 2
body was made for this. You were born to do it.
If you’re shooting in a panic the bullets will go wide and you
Select an appropriate Feats Aptitude for this Trick. After
might as well just throw your gun. Steady your hand and
completing a Check using the selected Aptitude where an
remember to take the time to breathe. One shot, one kill.
Ace of Clubs is revealed, you may choose to return 2 of the
cards drawn into the Deck instead of the Discard pile after After Recomposing your Deck, you may reveal an additional
Successes have been calculated. card while making a Finesse + Ranged Check on your next
turn. The bonus will last only one turn.
Riffle You must not be in close combat when using this Trick.
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Vitality
Points: (2/4) (or 6/ + 14 Total Script)
Requirement(s): Larceny 2
Check: Nil
There’s this nervous energy about you when you’ve got a Cost: Nil
little too much time to think. It shows when you’re sitting Requirement(s): Nil
there waiting for things to happen—you twiddle your thumbs,
Some people might say you’ve got the devil’s stomach, or
run scenarios over and over in your head. Second guessing
that you never seem to get sick, but through diet, exercise,
yourself has its perks, sometimes.
good genetics, or perhaps even good luck you’ve developed
During a Check in a Low Intensity Scene, if you have revealed a strong constitution.
2 cards of the same value, you may activate this Trick.
Your body is tougher than most people’s. For every 2 points
Shuffle one of the cards into your Deck and replace it with
in Vitality, increase your Health by one.
a new card from the top of your Deck.
This must be completed before any Successes are calcu- Wall Flower
lated. This Trick can be used once per Check. Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Check: Stealth
Robust Body Cost: Nil
Points: (2/4) (or 6/ + 14 Total Script) Requirement(s): Nil
Check: Nil
People find it hard to notice you. It might be the way you
Cost: Nil
walk, or something about your stature, but you fail to leave
Requirement(s): Force 3
a lasting impression on people.
Your skin is tougher, your frame is heavier, your body can
On Stealth Checks where you to hide or blend into a crowd,
take a beating. For whatever reason, you’re one tough body
you may reveal 2 additional cards. You may not use this
to put down.
Trick if you are, for some reason, the centre of attention.
For every two points in Robust Body, you may increase
your Defence by one.
154 Conduct Tricks
Alias Connections
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ +10 Total Script) Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ +10 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): GM approval Requirement(s): GM approval
Your name and face change all the time. You become harder You know a guy that owes you a solid, have a best friend,
to describe and to remember. This can help you evade prying or a colleague whose wife is indebted to you. Through your
eyes and would-be stalkers. life you’ve made a connection with someone, and you can
call upon them for favours.
For each point in Alias you may have a different name that
you go by, an identity that you can use with its own identi- You’ll need to purchase this Trick once per contact you
fication. Every life that you lead will have its own circle of wish to be bonded with. Just remember, the connection
friends and connections. It doesn’t matter as much if you goes both ways; sometimes they’ll need things from you.
have to burn some bridges, you always have another. The higher the point value, the more loyal the connection.
Point 1: The connection is a good relationship.
Alluring aura You’ve done them favours in the past, and
Points: (4) (or 20 Total Script)
they’ve always been keen to repay the deed. It
Check: Teamwork
is a good working relationship. You may not be
Cost: Nil
the closest pair out there, but they’ll be there
Requirement(s): Charm 3
if you need a hand.
Managing a hostile situation is all about using the right
Point 2: Your chosen individual and yourself
words and body language, and having the confidence to
are good friends. They help you out, and they
know that everything is going to be okay. Your demeanour
expect to be helped in return. It takes time and
is calming and lets your team relax and focus on their jobs.
effort to cultivate a friendship like this, but it’s
When attempting to help calm someone or de-escalate a worth it in the end.
situation with the help of your team, you may use this Trick.
Point 3: You and your connection share a deep
Select one teammate. For the next Teamwork Check they
rapport. The two of you go out of your way to
participate in, double their Successes.
make each other’s lives easier. It’s a comfortable
relationship. Often they’ll help you at no cost, as
Animal Lover long as the circumstances are right.
Points: (4) (or 20 Total Script)
Check: Intelligence/Insight + Animal Point 4: You and your friend may as well be
Cost: Nil family. When you ask for help, they’ll be there,
Requirement(s): Charm 3 no questions asked. They’ll be there for you
through thick and thin.
Animal lovers are everywhere. They spend hours with
animals, thinking about them, reading about them, watch- Point 5: You and your friend… well there’s no
ing videos about them. Over time, they’ve learnt many tricks words that explain what they are to you. There’s
on how to deal with our furry or scaly companions. an unbreakable connection between you two. No
matter the cost, they will always help you out.
When making an Intelligence/Insight + Animal Check to
determine the intentions of an animal or analyse its behav-
iour, you may use this Trick. For every Heart revealed, gain
Creatures of Habit
Points: (4) (or 20 Total Script)
an Additional Success.
Check: Etiquette
Cost: Nil
Cold Reading Requirement(s): Your character must have a Challenge
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Check: Empathy We draw comfort from familiarity. It is safe and reassuring
Cost: Nil in times of stress. Our habits, like drinking coffee, using
Requirement(s): Empathy 3 our phones, and even brushing our teeth, are simply ideas
that have been so ingrained into our heads that we simply
Once per scene you may use this Trick on another player.
struggle to adapt to a change of routine.
At any time of your choosing, reveal one card at the top of
another player’s Deck. After the target has seen the card, After revealing your Challenge in a Check, you may choose
they may return it to the top or the bottom of their Deck. to reveal and discard cards from your Deck up to your points
in the Etiquette Aptitude.
 155

Cross Examination Gossip

Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Cunning + Manipulation or Force + Manipulation. Check: Charm + Rumours
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Your character must have a friend Requirement(s): Rumours 2
The good cop, bad cop routine has to exist for a reason, People can’t seem to help but talk around you. Perhaps its
right? As much as we may be alike, no two people think your magnetic personality, or the way you present yourself.
exactly the same way. It’s always helpful to have a friend to You’ve learnt how to direct the flow of gossip to your needs,
double check your facts, especially during an interrogation. whether it’s finding out a bit more about your friends or
spreading new rumours to cover your tracks.
When making an Extended Check to interrogate your target,
and you have a buddy helping you out, both of you may gain When making a Charm + Rumours Check, your conniving
one additional Success on each Check made. nature kicks in. Add half of your Cunning, rounded down
for a minimum of one, to your Successes.
Fame
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ +4/ +6/ +8/ +10 Total Script)
Check: Charm
Infamy
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ +4/ +6/ +8/ +10 Total Script)
Cost: Nil
Check: Nil
Requirement(s): Does not have Infamy Trick
Cost: Nil
You’re well known in different circles. Your face is plastered Requirement(s): Does not have the Fame Trick
in public spaces. They love you in some way or form. It’s
Fame’s less-liked cousin, your face is plastered in the public
difficult to hide, but why would you want to?
consciousness and unfortunately the populace fear you in
For each point in Fame, reveal an additional card when some way or form. Hopefully, its not all bluster.
making a Charm Check. However, for each point in Fame,
For each point in Infamy, gain additional Successes on your
gain a -1 penalty to hide in crowds.
Cunning Checks in social situations. However, for each point
in Infamy, gain a -1 penalty when making Charm Checks.
First Impression
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Check: Charm
Inspiring
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Cost: Nil
Check: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil
Cost: Nil
You never get a chance to make two of these. First impres- Requirement(s): Nil
sions are important to set up the perceived relationship
As people, we often find ourselves working harder and
between two individuals.
striving to do more when we see other people’s successes.
When encountering someone new for the first time, reveal You have this commanding grace in you that helps boosts
a single card. If it is Hearts, for the remainder of the scene morale for you and you allies.
you may reveal an additional card when making a Charm
Whenever you achieve a Critical Success, any number of
Check with your target.
people of your choice within eyesight gain an additional
Success on their next Check within the same scene.
156 Conduct Tricks
Many Faced Silver tongue
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
Check: Charm + Acting Check: Cunning
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Acting 2 or Etiquette 2 Requirement(s): Nil
All your life you’ve been learning how to jump into different You know how to twist your words in just the right way—
roles to meet people’s expectations. You’ve learnt to blend enough of the truth to keep them believable, but just enough
into the perfect person for any situation, and slipping on the lies to keep people moving the way you want.
mask of someone else has become natural to you.
When attempting to lie or to manipulate the truth on a
When making an Acting + Charm Check, you may add half Cunning Check, you may add an additional Success for
of your Etiquette,rounded down to a minimum of one, as each Heart revealed.
Additional Successes.
Striking Looks
Oddball Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script) Check: Defence
Check: Manipulation or Empathy Cost: Nil
Cost: Nil Requirement(s): Nil
Requirement(s): Character creation only
There’s a look in your eye, that smile, those curves, that
Your brain is wired a little differently from most people. defect that makes you harder to hit. For one reason or
When holding conversations, ideas aren’t communicated as another, people find it difficult to cause you discomfort.
effectively, and people have written you off as an oddball Sometimes that is all there is between life and death.
or abnormal for one reason or another. This may not mean
When making a Dodge Check, for every Heart revealed add
that you are any less intelligent than your peers, but some
an additional Success.
concepts just feel alien to you.
When resisting a Cunning or Insight Check, you may gain Trustworthy
an additional Success. However, when making a Manipu- Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
lation or Empathy Check on another target, you will suffer Check: Etiquette
-1 Success. Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Does not have the Infamy Trick
Public Speaker When people meet you for the first time, you win them
Points: (3/5) (or 12/ +18 Total Script)
over. It might be your smile, it might be that look in your
Check: Nil
eyes. There’s something about you that sets them at ease.
Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil When making an Etiquette Check for the first time on a
target, you may reveal an additional card.
You have the voice that everyone listens to, the one people
turn to when looking for guidance, for hope, the voice that
has to manage all announcements. For some reason, your
Wingman
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
voice encourages people and sets their mind at ease.
Check: Nil
At the start of a scene, if you have spent the time to rile up Cost: Nil
and guide others, you may grant them bonuses towards a Requirement(s): You must have a friend or companion
goal of your choice. These bonuses only apply for a single
You’ve known them for a while, and you’re great at helping
Check for every listener that pursues the stated goal.
them out just enough that no one notices. It is natural to
Point 3: Grant an additional card to your allies, you, a kind compliment here, a gentle shove there. You’re
as your words of encouragement bolsters their the best friend that anyone could ask for.
confidence and helps push them further.
Select a friend or companion. When they are engaging in a
Point 5: Instead of drawing 2 cards to assist your Conduct Check, you may reveal 2 cards from either their
allies in a Teamwork Check, you may instead own Deck or yours. Treat any Hearts revealed as if they had
choose to make a single Charm + Manipulation/ been revealed by your friend. You can offer your assistance
Etiquette Check to assist. in any scenario.
Uncategorised Tricks 157
Forward Thinking Reduction
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script) Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ +10 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil Requirement(s): Nil
A visionary, a mad genius—you’re ahead of your time, always Sometimes having too many options isn’t a good thing.
planning three steps ahead of the mob. People always ask Sometimes a smaller pool of possibilities can help you get
you how you always seem to know exactly what you need the job done quicker.
to do to succeed—it’s a trade secret.
For each level in Reduction, permanently reduce your Deck
Play with your Deck upside down so that your next card Size by one. After taking this Trick, you may permanently
is always visible. remove cards until your Deck is at the correct size.

Jack of all Trades Specialisation

Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil Requirement(s): Two points in the specified Aptitude
Life is a curve-ball, and sometimes doing a little bit of You’ve spent your time honing your technique or knowledge
everything can get you somewhere. Other times, well, it’s in a specific field, and you’ve become something of an expert
more trouble than it’s worth. in this narrow spectrum of information.
When a Jack is revealed during a Check, treat it as if it Select one Aptitude and a specific field of knowledge within
had the value of 1. Any effects of the Condition still apply. that Aptitude—for example, Crafting could have a special-
isation of woodwork, or Acting could have a specialisation
Language of subterfuge. When a making a Check in the selected field,
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ + 10 Total Script) you may treat the Skill as if it were one level higher.
Check: Nil
This may be purchased multiple times. However, You may
Cost: Nil
only use one specialisation per Check.
Requirement(s): GM approval
Beyond the native language of your campaign, your character Training
has spent time learning additional languages. You’re fluent, Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
and you can read—more than enough to get by. Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
For each point of Language you have, you may understand
Requirement(s): One point in the specified Aptitude
an additional language.
Some vehicles and gear are not as simple as riding a bike.
Quick Draw It requires study and instruction to even attempt to use
Points: (1-5) (or 2/ + 4/ + 6/ + 8/ + 10 Total Script) this specialised equipment such as aircrafts, helicopters,
Check: Nil boats, and various scientific tools.
Cost: Nil
When taking this Trick you may select one piece of equip-
Requirement(s): Nil
ment and become trained in its use. Ignore any penalties
For each point in Quick Draw you may designate one of your to use the tool in a High Intensity Scene.
belongings as a target for quick-draw. You may reflexively
pull out the specified gear without spending an Action.
158 Parseling Tricks
Chroma Stained Erudite
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (3/4) (or 12/ +8 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: 1 Syllable per extra Word
Requirement(s): Nil Requirement(s): Articulation 2/5, respectively
The ink that runs through your veins isn’t black like all the Understanding one’s self is the most important thing a
other Parselings. Research indicates the presence of impu- Parseling can achieve. By working in tandem with their
rities within your blood. It’s an irregularity, to say the least, Parsecyte and their partners, some individuals are able to
and your capabilities seem to be a little bit different from tap into more than one Word at a time.
your peers’.
Point 3: You gain the ability to choose an addi-
Parselings afflicted with Chroma Stained have altered Parse tional Augment when Parsing.
Aptitudes. Increase one Parse Aptitude of your choice by
Point 4: The same as at point 3, however you
one point, and decrease a different Parse Aptitude of your
may add a total of two additional Augments
choice by one.
when Parsing.
Equilibrium You will still need at least two Parselings to trigger the Parse
Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script) when using this Trick.
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Fortress of the Mind
Requirement(s): Character creation only Points: (3) (or 12 Total Script)
Check: Nil
While Parsing, your Parsecyte seems to play well with others.
Cost: Nil
It becomes a pliable bridge, able to distribute the burden
Requirement(s): Perseverance 3
of tasks between participants.
You’ve always been good at staying true to yourself, resisting
You may use this Trick when Parsing and contributing the
the whims of your peers and friends. This trait has helped
Aspect of a Parse. You may redistribute the number of
you deal with the constant tugging of the Parsecyte at the
cards revealed by the other Parselings. For example, one
corners of your mind.
member may draw an additional card and, in response,
another member draw one card less. The total number of When asked to make a Coherency Check to retain your
cards drawn by the group does not change and each Parseling Coherency, reveal one additional card.
must draw at least 1 card.
 159
Foci Interpretations
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (2/4) (or 6/ +14 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Nil Requirement(s): Nil
You’re somewhat of an aberration, an oddity. For some reason Researchers and scholars alike have always said the Words
or another, your Parsecyte has inked the same Word onto granted to a Parseling come from the depths of those individ-
your skin twice. As you Parse with these Words, instead of uals—that the Words brought to the surface by the Parsecyte
the singular Word being filled with light both copies of the are simply those that resonate strongest within the creature.
Word illuminate. Scholars and researchers are puzzled by With meditation or heightened emotions, one could tap into
this, and have yet to come up with a valid explanation of the hidden possibilities within.
this phenomenon.
At the start of the scene you may use this Trick to gain Tem-
Select one Word for this Trick to apply to. When using the porary Words to use. These words will temporarily appears
specified Word to Parse, Ace cards may be treated as if on your body and will fade after one use.
they have the value of another card that you have drawn.
Point 2: You may use a random Word from your
This Trick must be re-purchased for each individual Word potential Augments. Roll 1d20.
and it will take up an additional Word slot.
Point 4:You may use a random Word from your
potential Aspects . Roll 1d10.
Illegible
Points: (1/2) (or 2/ + 4 Total Script)
Check: Insight + Perception
Lens
Points: (1/2) (or 2/ +4 Total Script)
Cost: Nil
Check: Insight + Perception
Requirement(s): GM approval
Cost: 1 Syllable
The words on your skin are not as clear or legible as most of Requirement(s): GM approval
your kind, they look rather mundane and different. They may
“An honest man sees the world honestly.” This phrase holds a
appear as badly drawn illustrations, a doctor’s scrawl, or have
double meaning for a Parseling. By focusing on their Words,
unfortunately taken to a faded pigment that seems to blend
they can view the world through that lens. This lens will
with your skin. While this may not earn the love and trust of
highlight their Word in the world around them. A FLAWED
your peers, it does help you blend in to mundane society.
Parseling will see the cracks and problems of things around
Point 1: When others attempt to read your Words them. A MEASURED Parseling may see the physics of the
they need to make a Insight + Perception Check world, the velocity of things in motion, their dimensions.
with a Success Threshold of 7. Reduce the
Dedicate one of your Words to this Trick. This cannot be
number of Successes equal to points in Illegible.
changed at a later date. Lens grants your character a unique
Point 2: Select a Word. When any attempts to way of seeing the world. How it manifests is dependent on
determine the nature of your Parse are made the term chosen. Typically it will revolve around how the
using the selected word, reduce the number of chosen Word interacts with the world. Discuss with the GM
cards (or dice) drawn by 2. on how this manifests as a vision.
To trigger this Trick, spend one Syllable and make an Insight
+ Perception Check. The minimum Success Threshold is 2.
Point 1: Lens only applies for a single Check.
Point 2: Lens lasts for the entire scene.
For example, a Parseling who dedicates the Word Liar to
this Trick may be able to pick out liars just by looking over
the crowd. Or a Parseling with the Word Measured, may
be able to see the measurements of everything in their
surroundings without any additional aids.
160

Parseling Tricks
Legacy
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script) Plagiarism
Check: Articulation + Potential Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Cost: 1 Syllable Check: Articulation + Potential
Requirement(s): Character creation only Cost: 1 Syllable
Cannot be taken with Plagiarism Requirement(s): Character creation only
Cannot be taken with Legacy
You are one of the lucky few that encountered a Parsecyte
in the wild and survived. You’ve developed a special bond You were one of the droves of people that signed up under
with the thing inside you. It’s less of another creature and various factions to become a Parseling willingly. The process
more of an extension of yourself. When you have a mean- was easy: a simple injection of a weakened Parsecyte des-
ingful encounter with another Parseling, your Parsecyte perate for a host and one night of agony. However the serum
may imprint on one of their Words. was created during dark days. Organisations suffered high
mortality rates and complications. With limited numbers
When successfully forming a deep connection (positive or
of Parselings at their disposal, they engineered a way of
negative) with another Parseling, you may choose to trigger
recovering useful Words from lost Parselings.
this Trick to copy one of their Words. You must have a free
Aspect or Augment slot. Upon fatally wounding or participating in killing another
Parseling, you may trigger this ability and steal one of their
Spend 1 Syllable and make an Articulation + Potential
Words. You may only receive a Word if you have a free Aspect
Check, with a Success Threshold of three.
or Augment slot.
On Failure: You do not gain a new Word.
Spend 1 Syllable and make an Articulation + Potential
On Success: You may gain a Word from the Check, with a Success Threshold of three.
Parseling appropriate to the scene.
On Failure: You do not gain a new Word.
Misinterpretation On Success: You may gain a Word from the
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Parseling appropriate to the scene.
Check: Nil
Cost: 1 Syllable Osmosis
Requirement(s): Must be applied to a single Word Points: (3) (or 18 Total Script)
Check: Articulation
Sometimes, through the haze of the day, phrases can be
Cost: Nil
misheard or misspoken, drastically changing their meaning.
Requirement(s): Nil
While in most cases the error can be cleared up by clarifica-
tion or simply repeating the words, for a Parseling it isn’t so The Words on your body are an extension of your self—how
simple. If the wires get crossed in a Parseling’s head for too you see yourself, and how the world sees you. By reaffirming
long, word associations can develop and change, developing these ideas, or simply by devouring written words, you may
new meanings to that individual. replenish your energy stores.
This Trick applies to a single Aspect or Augment of your Once per scene you may ingest something physically that
choice. For the specified Word, you may adopt the definition reminds you of your Words and make an Articulation Check.
of a single homonym OR a definition of a word that differs For every 3 Successes, restore One Syllable.
from the original by only a single letter. You may purchase
There are many things humans should not normally ingest.
this Trick multiple times, with each purchase adding an
If you are still a Parseling, your GM may rule that you take
additional meaning. For example, the Word MEAT could gain
Wounds for eating dangerous substances.
additional meanings of ME(E)T or (H)EAT.
When these Misinterpreted Words are used in a Parse, you
must draw one less card.
 161

Trick Trees
Trick Trees are sets of perks that must be learnt in a sequen-
tial fashion and are treated as a singular type of Trick. Many
of these present as powerful abilities that can emerge as a
Parseling comes to terms with their abilities. Each points
in these must be purchased sequentially.

Amplifier
Trick Tree
Often our identities are closely linked to who we are and
what we do. This means that sometimes the tools of our
trade become synonymous with people’s perceptions of us.
The Parsecyte within recognises this extension of its host,
and can channel its energies through the object.

Extension
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Articulation 2
You character has a particular hand-held weapon or tool that
has served them well in the past. Soaked in the Parseling’s
blood and sweat, it has become an extension of their self.
As long as the tool is within reach and easily accessible,
you gain one additional Potential and one Perseverance
resource points to spend. These Points refresh at the end Artefact
of day. Points: (4) (or 8 Total Script)
Check: Articulation + Enchantment Check (Hearts)
A Parseling may only have one tool/weapon associated with
Cost: 1 Syllable
this Trick.
Requirement(s): Articulation 4, GM approval
Does not have Exalted or Projection Tricks
Imbue
Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script) Names hold great power over things, they change our per-
Check: Nil spective on things, give us preconceived ideas regarding
Cost: 1 Syllable, and Remove the top card from your Deck the nature of someone or something. A rose by any other
Requirement(s): Articulation 3 name would not smell so sweet. Parselings have found that
the simple act naming an object can drastically change its
Further alterations can be made to an individual’s tools/
capabilities.
belongings. By outfitting it with channels and a storage
compartment, one reinvigorate the Lingua remains, if only Give an appropriate name to the tool that you have selected.
temporarily, through the induction of one’s own blood. You may treat the name of your equipment as an Aspect
and it may be used as if it were a part of your Parseling.
Spend one Syllable and Remove the top card from your
This counts towards your Word Limit.
Deck. The following bonus will last turns equal to the card’s
value. The tool gains an additional success modifier equal In addition to this, develop an ability with the GM that is
to half the value of the selected card rounded down. The appropriate to the object’s namesake. It must be triggered
tool may only a maximum of a + 3 Successes. by spending a Syllable.
162 Expression
Trick Tree
Many people spend their lives trying to become a single concept. They eat, breathe, and live for their ideals. They do not
simply see the focus in the world around them, but they become the focus itself. Sometimes when an Embodiment Parse
dissipates, little fragments are left behind. With enough practice, Parselings find they can tap into the vestiges of past
Parses for some unique Tricks here and there.
You must dedicate one of your Words to this Trick-Tree. This cannot be changed at a later date.

Surface Exalted
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (4) (or 8 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Embodiment + Articulation (Clubs)
Cost: 1 Syllable Cost: 1 Syllable and Remove the top card from your Deck
Requirement(s): Articulation 2 Requirement(s): Articulation 4, GM approval
Does not have Projection or Artefact Tricks
Some call it intuition, others call it sorcery. Your Word seems
to guide your hands at all times, as if simmering just below Parselings dedicated to a singular Aspect have been known
the surface of your skin. to wreath themselves in their Trick. Donning a new name,
they become the personification of their Aspect, a singu-
When undertaking a task related to your chosen Word, you
lar law of nature, a dangerous thing to be reckoned with.
may trigger this Trick. Look and reveal the top card of your
Deck. You may choose to discard the revealed card or place Spend 1 Syllable and remove the top card of your Deck.
it back on top of the Deck. Make an Articulation + Embodiment Check with a Success
Threshold of two.
Review On Failure: You feel tired and fatigued, and
Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script)
your Word becomes unavailable for use for the
Check: Embodiment Aptitude
remainder of the day.
Cost: 1 Syllable
Requirement(s): Articulation 3 On Success: Your Aspect wells up within you,
marking your limbs with the one letter of each
When you dedicate your life to a career, you naturally build
their Words to create a new label. Changes well
up experience in that task. The same can be said when you
up within your body, altering the physical limits
want to see something in the world, it will find you. Through
of your being. A Parseling may boost their Image
the constant use of a Word, it becomes an old friend ready
for an extended period.
to lend its hand when times are tough.
For each Aspect your Parseling has access to you
When contributing the dedicated Word to an Embodiment
may increase an Image Stat by one. This boost
Parse, you may draw an additional card for every 2 points
will last up to 3 Simple Checks. If any Derived
in this Trick Tree.
Statistics with a tracker attached are modified,
these boxes will be consumed last. If a box of
Health is filled in this fashion, the character will
die when this Trick fades.
In addition to this, you may develop an appropriate ability
that is agreed upon with the GM. The ability should suit the
nature of your designated Aspect and the newly generated
Word. This ability cannot persist beyond the current scene.
Messenger
Trick Tree
163
Parselings create and destroy Parses like we eat and breathe. To them, it is just a way of life, the way they believe the
world should be. Those that have a talent for conjuring ideas into reality often find themselves recycling the same idea
over and over again, wishing to make their own dreams a reality. As if in response to their desires, their powers manifest
into a new form unto themselves.

Whispers Projection
Points: (2) (or 6 Total Script) Points: (4) (or 8 Total Script)
Check: Emission Aptitude Check: Emission + Articulation (Spades)
Cost: 1 Syllable Cost:1 Syllable and Remove the top card from your Deck
Requirement(s): Articulation 2 Requirement(s): Articulation 4 GM approval
Does not have Exalted or Artefact Tricks
Parses are messages, little notes to reality letting the world
know that the rules are different now. Like secret messages A true Parseling can use their Words in many different
hidden away from prying eyes, they aren’t always found ways beyond simple Parses. They can manifest their Words,
immediately. shrouding them in light, granting them abilities or a tool
thought only true in the world of make-believe.
When supplying the Aspect of a Parse, you may opt to delay
the effects of a Parse until specific conditions are met. Spend 1 Syllable and Remove the top card of your Deck.
Make an Articulation + Emission Check with a Success
Syntax Threshold of 2 .
Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script)
On Failure: You feel tired and fatigued, become
Check: Emission + Articulation (Spades)
unable to Parse remainder of the day. Your
Cost: 1 Syllable
tattoos will appear visibly faded.
Requirement(s): Articulation 3
On Success: All your Words form a mantle around
Parsing is said to be the mutual agreement between individ-
you, shielding you from harm. This becomes a
uals, a shared concept. Any conversation can be interjected
protective shroud which grants you capabilities
into and interrupted with new ideas. You are a Parseling
beyond that of any natural being.
capable of doing just that.
When attacked, you may increase Defence by the
In a High Intensity Scene, you may delay your turn in prepa-
total number of Words you currently have. This
ration to interrupt another person’s Parse. This Parse will
can be used up to three times per activation.
then act as if you were involved in the original Parse. If it
fails, you will share the recoil from the Parse. In addition to this, you may develop an appropriate ability
that is agreed upon by the GM. The ability should suit the
Make a Emission + Articulation Check. You must meet
nature of your Words as well as the form of the object.
the same minimum threshold of the Parse Level of the
This will not persist beyond the current scene.
target Parse.
On Success: You may subvert the Parse by inter-
jecting your own Word, Its intentions are warped
ever so slightly with your Word.
On Failure: You take the recoil based on the Parse
level from the Parse you attempted to change,
regardless of the opposition’s Successes.
164 Parse-Afflicted
Trick Tree
Divine Parses are powerful forces that bend
reality in such a way that they can never be
undone. For better or worse, your character
has been marred by such a Parse and lived
to tell the tale. It has transformed their body
into something that is more than human, and
quite visibly so. It could have been years ago,
it could have been yesterday, but the Words of
the Parse are clearly etched into your memory,
impossible to forget.

Misprint
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): GM approval
There is this scar on your body: a visible defect or a remnant
of the Parse you have survived. It has resulted in various
physical changes in your body—changes in skin colour,
warped body parts, or even extra limbs. If you weren’t a
Parseling already, you sure are one now.
With the GM, determine the Parse that changed you, and
how it may have affected your character. At this level, apart
from the social ramifications of looking less than human,
these changes do not affect your body’s physical function.

Paraphrase Derivative
Points: (2) (or 4 Total Script) Points: (4) (or 8 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): Articulation 2 Requirement(s): GM approval
Over time you’ve learnt that this curse you’ve received… At some point in time you stopped thinking of the Divine
well, there are benefits, small little tricks that your new Parse that transformed your life as something alien or a
physiology has granted you. They are small, but you can curse. It’s a part of you, for better or worse.
feel echoes of the Parse within you.
Once per day, you may use the Aspect or an Augment of
Once per day, you may use one of the Augments in the the Parse as if it were your own Word.
Parse as if it were your own Word.
Echo
Source Points: (5) (or 10 Total Script)
Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script) Check: Nil
Check: Nil Cost: Nil
Cost: Nil Requirement(s): Articulation 5, GM approval
Requirement(s): Articulation 3
With your distinct appearance, you have become the source
It took a lot of practice and experimentation, but you’ve of many myths, and many whisper your names in forgotten
learnt how to effectively manipulate your curse to give you corners of society. You can feel an echo of the divine Parse
an edge over your peers. The changes of your body have that transformed you.
been assimilated into every move you make. It’s like breath-
Develop a Minor Parse based off the original Parse that
ing now, and you can’t imagine life without it.
transformed you. Once per scene you may activate this
Select one of the following stats to increase by 1; Parse as a reflexive action by spending a Syllable.
Speed, Initiative, Defence, or Health
Pidgin
Trick Tree
165
Not quite human, yet not quite beasts, Lingua are difficult to understand at the best of times. They can be wild and unruly,
or cunning and wily, but in the end they are defined by the Words that appear on their forms. Sometimes, when the stars
align, a Lingua can find themselves mirrored within a Parseling, human, or even another Lingua; a reason to co-exist with
this other soul. Over a period of weeks, months, or even years, the two entities form an inexplicable bond between them,
tying their existences together. From there on in their fates are entwined, if one dies, the other shall be forever changed.

Conjugation Complimentary
Points: (1) (or 2 Total Script) Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Nil
Requirement(s): GM approval Requirement(s): Articulation 2, Coherency 5 or lower
It’s a strange feeling being bound to another creature—to As the Lingua feeds and grows with their partner, it has
feel that your life is in the hands of someone else, but also developed more of its own personality and mannerisms, and
that someone will always have your back. You have become so it is capable of engaging with other individuals without
bound to a Lingua. It seems so small and frail, so easily external encouragement.
crushed by the weight of the world it doesn’t understand.
The Lingua is now capable of being fully separated from
Having spent most of its energy to tether itself to you, the
your character. For every two points in the Pidgin Trick
creature is currently small and easily concealable in a pocket
Tree, you may assign another dice to your bonded Lingua.
or even a backpack.
At Point 2, it should have a total of 4 Dice,
Reduce your Health and Syllable by one. Select one Apti-
tude. While in contact with the Lingua, treat the skill as if At Point 4, it should have 5 dice.
it was one level higher.
You may share senses with your companion, and there is an
Synonymous
Points: (4) (or 8 Total Script)
intrinsic and shared need to protect each other. Without the
Check: Nil
purchase of other Tricks of this line, the Lingua is unable
Cost: Nil
to leave your side. It is capable of concealing itself as a
Requirement(s): Coherency 4 or lower
tattoo on your skin.
Like a duo of dancers that have known each other intimately
Reciprocal for years, your two minds can now act as one. Your breath
Points: (2) (or 4 Total Script) is their breath, their wish is your wish, losing them would be
Check: Nil like losing a part of your soul. Even without focus, the two
Cost: Nil bodies can act in complete tandem without a word shared
Requirement(s): Articulation 2, Coherency 6 or lower between them.
Your better half has grown in size and strength. It is more Once per scene, your Lingua can assist you in a single
confident as its personality begins to merge with your own. action. Instead of drawing cards, you may use the Lingua’s
The bond between you grows stronger, and you sometimes Dice to complete an action.
find that the borders of your are personality blurring.
In addition, the Lingua can be used as a conduit
Using the Quick NPC rules (see “Quick NPCs” on page 100), for other Parselings to Parse with your charac-
you may generate a 3 Dice NPC. It can undertake simple ter. If used in this fashion, for each Word you
actions separate to your character, but cannot move further have contributed, roll 1d6. You do not draw
than your Speed away from your character. When direct- any additional cards.
ing the Lingua’s actions, your character may not take any
Simple Checks, as your full focus is on coaxing the creature
to comply to your desires.
Any injuries sustained by the Lingua can be restored by
having your Parseling take an equal number of Wounds.
If the Lingua is killed, lose a Coherency. An irreplaceable
part of you has died.
166 Incoherency
Trick Tree // See ”Incoherency” on page 73
Paragraph
Trick Tree // See “Paragraphs” on page 76

Incoherency: Correlation Paragraph: Defined

Points: (1) (0 Total Script) Points: (1) (or 0 Total Script)
Check: Enchantment, Embodiment, Emission, or Check: Nil
Articulation Cost: Nil
Cost: 1 Syllable Requirement(s): Must be part of a Paragraph
Requirement(s): Coherency 0 or less
Your Paragraph has an Aspect that defines it. Every member
Eating is half of your existence as an Incoherent. It is what of your Paragraph will have this symbol tattooed onto their
keeps you afloat, what keeps you lucid and kicking. Con- skin. It may be a simple word, or even an image, but to the
suming objects and creatures that could represent your team it means a singular thing.
Concept, you eat things like you to stay alive.
Each participating player and the GM will suggest a singular
After consuming/draining your Concept from the surrounding Aspect to describe the group. From this pool of Words, the
environment, choose to make an Enchantment, Embodiment, GM will randomly select one Word to represent the Paragraph.
Emission or Articulation Check. You may use this as if it were your own Aspect. This does
not count towards the total number of Words you may have.
On Emission Check: Regain a 1 Syllable, 1 Per-
severance, and 1 Potential
Paragraph: Conduit
On Embodiment Check: For every 2 successes Points: (2) (or 0 Total Script)
recover 1 card from your Wounds pile. Check: Nil
Cost: Nil
On Enchantment Check: Apply any Successes
Requirement(s): Must be part of a Paragraph
gained to your next Check.
While all members of your Paragraph are alive, you may raise
On Articulation Check: When a Diamond is
your Articulation by 1. You may not raise your Articulation
drawn with this Check you may search your
past 5 using this ability.
Deck and send the Condition (Incoherency) to
your Removed pile. Should one of your members leave or disassociate with the
Paragraph, this Trick can no longer be used.
Incoherency: Singularity
Points: (2) (0 Total Script) Paragraph: Stabilisation
Check: Nil Points: (3) (or 0 Total Script)
Cost: Nil Check: Nil
Requirement(s): Coherency 0 or less Cost: 1 Syllable
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 3 Parselings.
With the GM, develop an ability that should relate back to all
You may not have Paragraph: Rapport.
the Words an Incoherent may have. Even if two Incoherents
share the same Concept, the ability will manifest in a unique When a Parse with other members of your Paragraph appears
fashion to your character. to fail, one of the Parseling within the Paragraphs may
attempt to join in the Parse to prevent its collapse. This is
Incoherency: Pinnacle an incredibly painful process, and can possibly be fatal for
Points: (3) (or 6 Total Script) the Parselings.
Check: Enchantment, Embodiment, or Emission
Draw two cards and treat them as if they were part of the
Cost: 1 Syllable
Parse. While you do not need to be touching your Para-
Requirement(s): Coherency 0 or less
graph members to activate this Trick, you must be able to
Simply acting with the intent to embody your Aspect has perceive the Parse.
devastating consequences. This is your nature and the
You do not add an additional Word or change the Parse’s
essence of how you should act.
intent in any way.
Send cards equal to your Articulation from the top of your
On Parse Success: Take 1 Wound.
Deck into your Discard. For each card discarded, gain one
Additional Success on your next Check. On Failure: You are treated as if you were the
same as the Aspect holder, suffering the same
recoil as them.
 167
Paragraph: Rapport Paragraph: Paraphrase
Points: (3) (or 0 Total Script) Points: (5) (or 0 Total Script)
Check: Nil Check: Nil
Cost: Nil Cost: Spend an additional Syllable when Parsing
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 3 Parselings. Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 5 Parselings.
You may not have Paragraph: Stabilisation. You may not have Paragraph: Translation.
The Paragraphs by nature are more coherent as a group Being part of a team is all about drawing upon the strengths
than alone. By sharing the burden alongside their wayward of others when your own fails you. It is about learning from
comrades, the Paragraph can attempt to calm the raging the skills of others and emulating that very power as if
Parsecyte within. it were your own. As a Parseling in a Paragraph, you are
able to draw support from your companions to direct and
When making a Coherency Check and members of your
manipulate a Parse.
Paragraph are nearby, you may draw an additional card for
each member present. You may trigger this ability when contributing the Aspect
for a Parse with only your Paragraph. If your Parse Aptitude
On Failure: All members of the Paragraph will
for Embodiment, Enchantment, or Emission is less than
need same Coherency Check.
that of your compatriots, you may draw an additional card.
Paragraph: Repetition Paragraph: Translation
Points: (4) (or 0 Total Script)
Points: (5) (or 0 Total Script)
Check: Nil
Check: Nil
Cost: 1 Additional Syllable when Parsing
Cost: Spend an additional Syllable when Parsing. Each
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 4 Parselings.
member will send one card to the Health Damage pile.
You may not have Paragraph: Routine.
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 5 Parselings.
Your Paragraph has a cause that they believe in so strongly You may not have Paragraph: Paraphrase.
that it resonates within your very bodies. Multiple versions of
Sometimes while with your friends, the entire world melts
the selected Paragraph: Defined Word may show up on the
away and nothing matters but what you want to achieve—the
individual Parselings. However, it is treated as one instance
thrill of rushing forth with wild abandon, taking everything
of the Word for all purposes outside this Trick.
as it comes. As a Paragraph, you can allow a Parse to surge
Whenever a Parse is attempted where the Word chosen for through your body without any limitations. Your desires are
Paragraph: Defined is used more than once, and an Ace is translated into reality, though how far they go is another
drawn, this Trick may be used. All Parselings involved may question entirely.
choose to spend an additional Syllable to treat an Ace drawn
When Parsing as a group, do not decide on the Parse Level.
as either a 1 or a 10. This can only be done once per Parse.
With this Trick, the Parse cannot fail, rather the
Parse Level will be determined by the number of
Paragraph: Routine Successes achieved. While you may not be able to
Points: (4) (or 0 Total Script)
achieve your desired effect, at least this way it
Check: Nil
cannot go wrong.
Cost: Spend an additional Syllable when Parsing
Requirement(s): Paragraph size of at least 4 Parselings.
You may not have Paragraph: Repetition.
Parsing with your Paragraph is a regular occurrence, and you
have found that, more often than not, some members tend
to overcompensate. Through practice and a deep under-
standing of each other, the group is able to dial back the
flow of their Words, refining every bit of energy to prevent
it being misused.
Once per scene, lower a Parse Success Threshold by 7. As
an example, a Major Parse will only require 7 Successes to
succeed, and Moderate Parses will automatically succeed
without a Check. Cards should be still drawn, as Challenges
still may inhibit a Parse.
168 Appendix B: Equipment
In this section you will find information that can be helpful in defining
and categorizing different kind of equipment you may find in the modern
world. It will be up to the GM to decide on any alterations to the suggested
properties for different kind of gear. The terminology used in here can be
found in “Equipment” on page 52.

Table b1: Weapons

Range Reach Ammo N/A Properties Melee
Melee

Anything sharp or heavy a character can get their hands on and wield in hand-to-hand combat. Some
melee weapons are improvised and can only be used for so long before breaking. Others are forged or
factory designed to be durable and deadly. Melee weapons encompass anything from a random piece of
furniture to a military standard combat knife.

Range Reach—Short Ammo Single Properties Melee, Ranged

Random objects or refined tools for chucking at foes to give them a headache or pierce their heart. Not as
Throwing

deadly or far reaching as other projectile weapons, throwing weapons have the advantage of being easily
improvised, reusable, and often easy to conceal depending on size. Throwing weapons come in a variety of
shapes and sizes, but most often are only effective at short ranges. They can be crafted in the wild, and are
very quiet except for the possible cries of those hit by them.
Many thrown weapons, such as hand axes and spears, can easily double as melee weapons. Their efficacy
depends on their structure and sturdiness. For example: throwing weapons such as javelins are often designed
with break-off tips, and chakrams have no handles to avoid cutting the wielder as well as the target.

Range Variable Ammo Small Properties Melee, Ranged

A broad category including thrown, planted, and launched weapons usually used to create concussive and
incendiary blasts on detonation. Explosives are used to demolish structures, kill targets behind cover,
destroy armoured vehicles unaffected by small arms fire, or just to obliterate an enemy to kingdom come.
The best explosives are military grade and assembled in a controlled environment, but an aspiring chemist
and demolitionist can create improvised explosives from a multitude of substances and items.
Grenades are small scale explosives designed to be lobbed by infantry as situational anti-personnel
or anti-vehicle weapons. The most common is the fragmentation grenade, which explodes with con-
cussive force and sends shredding bits of metal shrapnel to mangle organic targets. More specialized
grenades such as flashbangs or smoke grenades serve to debilitate or obscure rather than kill for a
Explosives

tactical edge. Grenades can only reliably be thrown at short ranges, but can be fired at mid-to-long
ranges if loaded into a grenade launcher.
Planted explosives are larger scale bombs intended to demolish rooms, storeys, or entire buildings
depending on their size and placement. They often kill all people in the blast zone indiscriminately due
to the sheer concussive force or from collateral shrapnel. They are usually strategically placed before-
hand and left to be detonated by a remote trigger or by a trap such as a tripwire so that the user is
far away from the blast when it goes off. Refined explosives such as dynamite and C4 tend to be more
powerful, however improvised explosives such as semtex made in a bathtub can do the job just as well
if not as cleanly.
Launchers such as rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) and fire-and-forget missile systems usually
occupy an anti-vehicular role in battlefields, usually against tanks and helicopters. They can kill
human targets just as well, but the use of such expensive explosives on a few personnel is considered
overkill. Launchers are effective at mid-to-long ranges if they do not have a guiding system such as a
targeting computer, and effective up to extreme ranges if they do.
Using any large scale explosives at close or point blank ranges will be deleterious to your health.
 169
Range Short—Medium Ammo Small Properties Ranged, Indirect

Ancient standbys for humanity, bows and crossbows are not as lethal or complexly versatile as modern fire-
arms. Nevertheless they see use in sporting or desperate times where something rugged and reliable that
can be made by hand is the difference between life and death. Although guns can be hushed with suppressor
attachments and subsonic ammunition, they still make quite a pop which can even be heard a few hundred
yards away. For silence and accuracy, bows and crossbows form an alternative for those skilled enough to hit
Bows

lightly armoured and vital spots on their targets to prevent them shouting out. Although they are technically
obsolete, bows may be modified with modern accessories and gadgets such as magnified sights and laser
pointers for better performance.
Bows perform well at medium-to-long ranges, and may be fired in rapid succession as long as the archer has
arrows in their quiver. Each bow is usually individually suited in length and draw weight (how much strength
the bow takes to draw back) to the height and build of its owner. Handmade bows can be made from mate-
rials available in the wild such as wood, horn, and composites of the two. In comparison, modern compound
sporting bows are usually made of metal, plastic, and fibreglass as well as featuring strings made of cables
and pulleys to be able to output more force for less strength required to pull it.

Range Short—Medium Ammo Small Properties Ranged

The bow’s medieval counterpart, crossbows function similarly but use mechanical methods such as a hand
Crossbows

crank to load a bolt for later firing. Crossbows are simpler to use than bows because their mechanized pulling
method allows the user to keep the shot stored for longer aiming without suffering the fatigue of holding back
the drawn string. As they usually must be loaded one shot at a time, they are often slower than bows. They
function best at close to medium ranges. Arrows and bolts may be modified for different purposes, such as
attaching an oily rag and lighting it on fire for incendiary ammunition, or fitting a perforated bulb to the shaft
to cause the projectile to emit a demoralizing whistle as it flies. Ammo modifications disrupt the aerodynam-
ics of the arrow or bolt however and so the shot will not go as far.

Range Short Ammo Small Properties Ranged, Concealed

A firearm which is held and fired by one hand and reloaded by the remaining free hand. Handguns make
Pistols

reliable side arms to use when your main weapon is out of ammo or unwieldy in a tight space. They can be
easily concealed in containers and in one’s clothing. Accurate shots at medium ranges are possible, espe-
cially with the rare addition of a mounted scope sight.
Handguns come in a variety of sizes, calibres, and firing actions. They can be low profile options such as
a compact 9 millimetre pocket pistol for self defence, or even up to a long-barreled heavy pistol that fires
12.7 millimetre or “.50 calibre” rounds meant to have stopping power similar to a rifle.

Range Short Ammo Small Properties Ranged

Guns which are primarily designed to fire “shot,” that is; shell ammunition that is packed with small balls
which spread out and create multiple entry wounds on impact. Shotguns are intended for medium to close
ranges due to their ammo types not being very effective over long distances. Shotguns can also fire other
forms of ammunition. Slugs are singular heavy projectiles that take advantage of the shotgun barrel’s large
diameter (or “bore”) to make a single massive hole in the target, making for more accurate shots which are
Shotgun

effective at longer ranges than shot. Flechette rounds are similar to shot, but pack metal darts in the shells
instead of balls. This results in ammunition that has a very precise spread and high penetration, as the
darts can work through covering surfaces such as wood or sheet metal, and even fully penetrate the body
of a living target. Flechettes can also fragment on impact, riddling a target with metal bits and large inter-
nal wounds. Rubber shot and slugs are also used for non-lethal riot control.
The size of ammunition that a shotgun fires is usually measured in “gauge” rather than calibre. The smaller
the gauge number, the larger the bore of the gun’s barrel and the larger the projectiles fired. Larger projec-
tiles do more damage and have higher stopping power. Smaller projectiles will weigh less and have lower
recoil and better handling for follow up shots. Typical gauge measurements are 10, 12, 16, 20, and 28.
170 Range Medium—Long Ammo Moderate Properties Ranged

This category covers a broad grouping of two-handed long-guns that come in a variety of shapes and
sizes, but tend to share certain features such as multiple selective fire modes and detachable magazines.
They are collectively called “service” rifles since their primary purpose is to be used by governmental
armed forces in military conflicts. Modern service rifles tend to be versatile and highly customizable due to
the addition of standard accessory mounting systems like picatinny rails for affixing new sights or attach-
Service Rifle ments such as laser sights or mounted grenade launchers.
Assault rifles are a variety of service rifle that perform particularly well in mid to long range engage-
ments, firing mid-size calibres such as 5.56x45 millimetre rounds. They fire in either accurate semi-au-
tomatic single shots, multi round bursts, or in rapid fully-automatic sprays. They are the most prolific
class of small arms weapons used by infantry in armed conflicts due to their versatility and power.
Battle rifles are a longer and heavier variety of service rifle which often fire slightly larger calibre bullets
such as 7.62x51millimeter, using full-powered cartridges. They can often fire in the same selective fire
modes as an assault rifle, but their heavier ammunition and firing sequence lend them to be better used
in accurate semi-automatic fire at longer ranges.
Service rifles can also be equipped with longer barrels and telescoping sights to function similarly to
sniper rifles, but suited to less extreme ranges and with a larger magazine and rate of fire for engaging
multiple targets in succession. These accurized rifles are usually termed Designated Marksman Rifles.
As there are many service rifle models in circulation, and within those models many sub-variations, there
can be a great deal of overlap between the definitions of battle rifles and assault rifles.

Range Medium—Long Ammo Moderate Properties Ranged

Any two-handed long-gun capable of accuracy and precision at extreme ranges. They most often feature
a bolt-action or semi-automatic firing mode and large calibre ammunition such as 7.62x51mm or even
Sniper Rifle

up to 12.7mm, and are equipped with a high magnification telescopic sight. They often come with limited
capacity magazines, and older models may even be single-shot. The magnification, accuracy, and power
of sniper rifles allow their users to fulfil surveillance and long range anti-personnel roles. They may also be
anti-material weapons, capable of penetrating heavy cover such as concrete or piercing the engine of an
armoured vehicle.
The unmatched distance performance of the sniper rifle comes from its specialized nature, and it will be
outperformed in mid-to-close range engagements by faster firing, higher capacity firearms. One might be
more wieldy in point-blank circumstances if used as a big stick.

Range Extreme Ammo Small Properties Ranged, Indirect

Artillery

Massive ranged weapons which fire volleys of large and often explosive munitions at extreme ranges and high
trajectories. Capable of killing dozens of condensed infantry in a single shot and levelling buildings, artillery
occupies a class above the small arms used by infantry. Highly immobile due to their size, artillery must often
be pushed, towed, or mounted to vehicles in order to be transported. To designate targets as well as aim, fire,
and reload the weapon, a piece of artillery requires a crew of dedicated operators to function.
 Range Short—Medium Ammo Moderate Properties Ranged, Automatic 171
Submachine Gun Often abbreviated as SMGs or PDWs (Personal Defence Weapons), these are compact, fully-automatic fire-
arms which can rapidly dispense smaller calibre rounds such as the 9 millimetre. Their lower recoil and
small frame makes them control more easily than most assault rifles, especially when hip-fired in close
quarters. They may be aimed and fired accurately at midranges, but are outperformed by long guns in this
regard. They may be fired one-handed but are more difficult to handle this way, and will always need two
hands to reload.
Best used against unarmoured targets, SMGs are most frequently used in the modern day as riot control
or S.W.A.T. weapons. A hail of SMG fire can incapacitate a close range target with minimal aiming and will
usually not fully penetrate through the body of the victim so as to cause unintended collateral damage.
SMGs can be loaded with specialized non-lethal ammunition which are intended to subdue a target, such
as rubber bullets.

Range Medium—Long Ammo Large Properties Ranged

Fully-automatic, two-handed firearms designed to deliver rapid and sustained fire in order to suppress or
eliminate multiple targets. Machine guns are loaded with high capacity magazines or ammunition belts to
minimize reloading, with bullets coming in as many calibres as service rifles but tending towards larger
measurements. Machine guns fulfil a supportive combat role since they usually secure a rear position as a
vantage point to secure the advance or flanks of standard infantry. In skilled hands, a machine gun’s high
killing potential can dominate rather than simply control a battlefield. They are split into two classes: light
machine guns (LMGs), and heavy machine guns (HMGs).
Machine Gun

LMGs are the more compact and mobile option for machine guns, and can be effectively fired in multi-
ple postures without having to be deployed on a stand. LMGs are still most accurate and effective when
deployed at a stationary vantage point which has firing angles on midrange opponents. To compensate
for recoil, LMGs often come with handling accessories such as foregrips, bipods, and grip-pods. LMGs
can be hip-fired to deliver automatic fire at closer range targets, but are difficult to control.
HMGs are a heavier, less portable option which are intended to only be used in stationary deployment
using a stand such as a tripod or a flip bipod to be used while prone or mounted on cover. They often
pack several hundred rounds of ammunition in hefty box magazines or belts which are cumbersome to
store and transport. Because of their weight and ammo requirements, HMGs are often operated by ded-
icated crews to ensure the gunner can employ unceasing suppressing fire over large swaths of a bat-
tlefield. HMG calibres are often high enough to make them capable of an anti-vehicular roll as they can
penetrate engines and tires to incapacitate the vehicle, as well as killing the crew inside. They cannot be
effectively hip-fired and must be stabilized in some way, such as by lying prone or mounting it on cover.
172 Table b2: Vehicles
Integrity 7 Armour 0 Capacity 1—2 Speed Speed x2 Properties

Bicycle
A pedal driven, sometimes motor assisted, two wheeled vehicle on a metal frame. They can achieve a few
kilometres per hour on average, and higher dependent on the leg strength and endurance of the rider. Bicy-
cles generally have one seat except for the infamous tandem bicycle.

Integrity 14 Armour 3 Capacity 1—2 Speed 30—80 Properties

Motorcycle

A fully motorized bicycle that can achieve very high speeds and is extremely manoeuvrable when operated
by a skilled driver. Motorcycles are often used by couriers and thrillseekers to get places quickly and even
weave through traffic. Most motorcycles are only suited to street or road driving, but some are specialized for
offroading. Crashing on a bike, however, can throw the rider off and be fatal at high speeds. Wear a helmet!

28
Integrity Armour 5 Capacity 5 Speed 30—80 Properties
+
Passenger Car

One of the most ubiquitous forms of modern transport, passenger cars are capable of taking people over
hundreds of miles of highway in a day. Passenger cars are designed to hold 2-8 people and usually have 4
tires, and are most suited to driving on paved roads. They often come with adequate trunk space for luggage
and other items. They can be fuelled by gasoline, ethanol, electricity, solar power.
Cars require routine maintenance: air filled tires, oil changes, brake fluid, etc. In an uncivilized setted a car
might carry you far and provide some shelter, but it may eventually break down for any number of reasons
or fail to traverse rough terrain and become stuck. It helps to have a mechanic and tools around if your main
transportation is a scavenged clunker of a car.

Integrity 14 + Armour 2 Capacity 2 Speed 30—90 Properties

Sports Car

Car models designed and modified specifically to emphasize speed or handling in order to make driving more
exciting and dynamic. The designation of “sports car” encompasses many cars which can handle very differ-
ently, but what they have in common is their intended use for recreational or glamorous uses. Seating tends
to be either 2 or 4, depending on if the car is a roadster or a passenger model. As a general rule of thumb
sports cars are designed for paved road driving similar to passenger cars, but outperform them in regards to
acceleration and handling.

42
Integrity Armour 6 Capacity 5 Speed 25/60 Properties Off road
+
SUV

An automobile that combines design elements from passenger cars and offroad vehicles. With large chassis
situated high off the ground, spacious interiors, and four wheel drive, SUVs are a comfortable and versatile
choice of transportation for overland travel. SUVs however are often fuel inefficient and so require frequent
stops. Hardy and suited to driving on a multitude of terrains which usually cause problems for standard pas-
senger vehicles, SUVs are best served during more rugged journeys of not extended road trips.
 173
28
Integrity Armour 5 Capacity 8 Speed 20—50 Properties Cargo
+

A general classification of automobiles used for transporting items or people for small scale commercial or
civilian use. Usually larger than passenger cars, and sometimes comparable to a small bus, vans come in a
variety of designs. They are best suited to paved roads.
Vans

People movers are vans specifically suited to transporting individuals and feature spacious interiors with
plenty of seating. Minivans are used mostly by families, carrying 6-8 people. Shuttle vans are longer and often
carry a dozen people or more.
Full-size vans are longer, boxier vehicles featuring a large rear space that can be customized to hold many
things: passenger seating, freight, and even equipment such as the kind used for surveillance or news
broadcasting. Putting your mattress in the back and living out of it may not be classy, but it’s mobile.
Step vans are another type of box van designed specifically to allow the driver to get in and out quickly as
they make stops and access the back. They are mostly utilized by mail and courier services.

49
Integrity Armour 5 Capacity 30 Speed 20—40 Properties
+
Bus

Large vehicles for transporting many passengers either between communities or to different points in one
large community. Buses are usually long and rectangular, and may be multi-decked or have an articulated
design wherein two rigid sections are connected in the middle by a pivoting joint. Standard buses seat as
many as 60 people, while extra large models of bus can carry 200 or more. Buses are best suited to highways
and city streets, and are cumbersome to manoeuvre unless the driver is a professional bus driver.

42
Integrity Armour 6 Capacity 2-5 Speed 25-60 Properties Off Road
Pickup Truck

Utility vehicles with an open cargo space enclosed by low walls and a tailgate. Originally intended for work
use, most are now built to serve as passenger vehicles with comfortable cabs. Pickups are well suited to
offroading and rugged terrain and can carry a decent amount of cargo, but not as much as a commercial van.
Depending on the cab size a pickup can seat 2-5 people. If extra passengers load into the truck bed a pickup
can carry about a dozen people, if unsafely.

49 Cargo
Integrity Armour 6 Capacity 3 Speed 20—40 Properties
+
Semi-Truck

A large commercial freight vehicle consisting of a tractor cab and one or more semi-trailers. Semis are made
for long haul drives on highways, intended to cover hundreds of miles in a day of driving with occasional pit-
stops for fuel. Because of their size they require commercial training to drive reliably, especially when fully
laden. 2-3 passengers fit in the cab. Piling dozens of people in the trailer unit is possible, but it is also fairly
unsafe and unsanitary.

56
Heavy Machinery

Integrity Armour 6 Capacity 1 Speed 5/5 Properties Training required

+

Industrial purpose vehicles such as tractors, forklifts, steamrollers, bulldozers, mobile cranes, and even
wrecking balls. They are slow moving with ponderous handling, and are not intended for long-distance travel.
They’ll get you across town, but not as fast as a standard car. Their real strength is in their on-site utility in
case you urgently need to… stack palettes. Or bust through a wall. Ideally, do not operate such vehicles while
drunk or pregnant.
174 Integrity
35
+
Armour 6 Capacity 5 Speed 30—80 Properties

Any number of car models used as standard issue vehicles for law enforcement. They are usually passenger
cars or SUVs modified with separated back seats for detainment of arrested individuals, sirens and lights to
alert bystanders to move aside, and high visibility paint jobs to distinguish them from civilian cars and act
as a visual deterrent to crime in the area. A patrol car may have spare handguns, a shotgun, or very rarely
an assault rifle in the trunk as backup weapons. This depends on the standard issue to patrols in their police
Police Car
jurisdiction as well as the country of origin.
Response, Pursuit, and Traffic cars are designations of police cars all capable of high speeds and handling to
be able to speed to an emergency or catch up to a fleeing vehicle. Response cars often respond to incidents
involving armed suspects and are more likely to store more powerful weapons such as shotguns or assault
rifles. Traffic cars are often fitted with reinforced bumpers for forcing other vehicles off the road and mit-
igating some of the damage of a collision, and will carry equipment such as road flares, traffic cones, and
speed radar guns.
Larger vehicles such as police vans or armoured S.W.A.T. trucks are also used by law enforcement. They are
for moving groups of officers or specialized personnel safely from dispatch to and from response areas, as
well as transporting groups of arrested suspects to detainment facilities. The exterior of an armoured swat
vehicle can withstand most low-to-mid calibre gunfire.

Integrity X Armour X Capacity X Speed X Properties Training required

Vehicles designed to function in combat zones and that are therefore heavily armed and armoured. This is
a broad category of vehicles that generally require a group of characters with training as military vehicle
crewmen to make the best use of. Armoured Fighting Vehicles are capable of relatively high speeds over most
terrains due to powerful engines and rugged tires or tracks, often slowed down by their armour and cargo.
Tanks are large armoured fighting vehicles mounted on tracks propelled by a powerful engine, and
equipped with turret mounted heavy armaments. This full complement of power and mastery of terrain
makes tanks a dominant force on many battlefields. Their armour makes them generally immune to small
arms fire, with the exception of anti-material rifles made specifically to penetrate heavy armour. Disa-
bling or destroying tanks requires high yield explosive weaponry such as AT mines or RPGs. Tank armour
Armoured Fighting Vehicle

is usually weakest at the rear and the undercarriage, making those the closest things to weak spots. Some
tanks have reactive armour, protection that somehow mitigates the impact of hostile explosives, such as by
launching outer plating at a missile before it impacts the main vehicle so most of the force is discharged
into the plate. Most tanks fire large calibre penetrating rounds or explosive anti-vehicle rounds from their
primary gun, often assisted by a mounted machine gun for combating infantry. Some are specialized for
anti-air purposes and are equipped with seeker missiles and machine gun batteries that spray a consistent
hail of bullets at a target. Tanks require a crew of about 3 or 4 to be used at their full potential.
Armoured Personnel Carriers, or APCs, are more lightly armoured vehicles that are specifically meant for
busing infantry and other personnel to and from the front lines. Their armour is mostly immune to small
arms fire but is not of a sufficient grade to survive anti-vehicle weapons or high yield explosives. APCs
usually have one or more mounted anti-infantry weapons for passengers or crew to use when clearing a
disembarking zone, but they are not meant to provide extended frontline fire support. They require crews
of about 3 and seat about 12 or more passengers.
Infantry Fighting Vehicles, or IFVs, are like more heavily armed and armoured APCs. They are meant to
deploy into the middle of a combat zone and allow infantry to deploy from it with the added protection of
direct fire support supplied by the IFV’s multiple mounted weapons. IFVs can combat both infantry and
other armoured fighting vehicles, but are not quite as well armoured as tanks. They require crews of about
3 and seat about 12 or more passengers.
Military trucks, and more specifically MRAPs (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected), are armoured light vehi-
cles which transport small squads into combat or control points and provide fire support from mounted
weaponry such as .50 calibre machine guns or automatic grenade launchers. They are similar to average
trucks but have tires suited to rugged terrain and can take much more of a beating from the elements and
small arms fire. They seat about 5 individuals, including a gunner.
Personal Plane
Integrity 28 Armour 6 Capacity 5 Speed 80—200 Properties Training required 175
Small civilian aircraft capable of a variety of speeds and flight distances. They require civilian pilot training
to fly effectively. Such planes can survive ambitious manoeuvres like those attempted by combat or stunt
pilots, but require both an agile model and a capable pilot. They can seat anywhere from just a pilot and
copilot to a dozen or so passengers depending on the model.
Civilian aircraft generally need airstrips to land, although some amphibious planes can land on bodies of
water. An emergency landing in flat terrain such as a field is not ideal but will not disable the plane from
flying again if done skilfully. It is difficult, but not impossible, to take off from unpaved terrain given appro-
priate space to take off. Any plane will likely require a functioning airstrip in order to refuel, however.

42
Integrity Armour 8 Capacity 2 Speed 240—490 Properties Training required
+

Military aircraft dedicated to combating other aircraft, often serving as counters or escorts to bombers or as
aerial scouts. Modern jets are capable of moving at relatively unmatched speeds through the lower atmos-
phere, and so often require sophisticated computer-assisted ordnance systems such as Surface to Air Mis-
siles (or S.A.M.s) to be brought down. Fighters are usually built for a singular pilot, or a pilot and co-pilot duo.
Fighter

To fly a military jet effectively, let alone get it off the ground without crashing, requires formal training as a
combat pilot. The intense g-forces exerted on the pilot during manoeuvres will cause unprepared individu-
als to go unconscious in the cockpit, one of many potentially fatal things that can go wrong when operating
a high-flying death machine. Fortunately fighters are equipped with ejection systems and parachutes in the
event of an imminent crash.
While fighter jets are capable of covering vast distances in a short span of time, they have a limited fuel
capacity and require extensive support infrastructure to return to and be maintained at such as air bases
and aircraft carriers. Fighters are typically equipped with large calibre machine guns and anti-air missiles
specialized in disabling enemy aircraft.

49
Integrity Armour 10 + Capacity x Speed 200—400 Properties Training required
+

Larger aircraft than their fighter counterparts, bomber planes are military craft used to engage ground
or naval targets with air-to-surface weapons such as high explosive missiles or dropped bombs. Bombers
Bomber

require formal combat pilot training to operate effectively similar to fighter jets. Older bombers may have
larger crews consisting of a pilot, copilot, and even gunners who operate anti-air weapons to defend the
plane against fighters. More recent bomber jets tend to have just a pilot and copilot crew who operate com-
puter assisted weapon systems to deliver their explosive payloads.
Bombers are more varied in speed than fighters depending on the age of their model, but bomber jets can
reach speeds comparable to fighters. Bombers require support infrastructure in the form of air bases and
aircraft carriers to be kept effective.

Integrity 21 + Armour 6+ Capacity 6+ Speed 60—120 Properties Training required

Aircraft which use rapidly spinning rotor blades to rise and change direction. Helicopters can stop and hover
in mid-air, as well as rise and fall laterally without horizontal movement, allowing for more precise manoeu-
vres and landings than planes. They require pilot training to fly, and armed military helicopters require even
Helicopter

more specialized training as a combat pilot. Helicopters can be extremely agile and comparable in speed to
some propeller planes, but do not achieve heights equivalent to airplanes. Their lower to the ground flight
actually allows choppers to use elevated terrain such as mountains to avoid visual detection, with the added
risk of a crash if the pilot should err. Helicopters seat more people depending on their size, from just the
pilot and copilot to carrying an additional 30 passengers in the case of a military transport helicopter.
Helicopters can land on many flat surfaces, although a clear helipad is best. Landing on surfaces slanted
more than 5° is difficult for most helicopters. If the surface is too rough to land on but safe enough for pas-
sengers to disembark onto, the helicopter can simply hover low to the ground before departing for a better
landing zone. Helicopters require routine maintenance/refuelling at supplied locations such as airbases.
176 Integrity 14 + Armour 0 Capacity 2 Speed Speed x2 Properties

Boat
Traditional style boats usually made of wood or lightweight metals such as aluminium and are propelled by
oars or paddles. They are best suited to lakes, rivers, and brief trips offshore. They are not very fast but can
travel water currents for extra speed. Going against the current requires strong rowers. Such boats vary from
1 person crafts, 4 person crafts, or even boats long and large enough to fit a dozen people.

Integrity 14 + Armour 3 Capacity 5 Speed 20—50 Properties Training required

Motor Boat

Various watercraft that are propelled primarily by a rear motor which are either steered by hand turning the
motor itself to manipulate the propeller, or by a steering wheel situated further forward on the deck. Motor
boats often have backup paddles for use in case of engine failure or lack of fuel. Motor boats achieve higher
speeds than their person or wind powered counterparts, but often do not have the fuel efficiency and capac-
ity to go on extended voyages unless a suitable amount of spare fuel is stored on deck or in a cargo hold.
Small motor boats are most often open topped, but some are built with cabins and can even be spacious and
multi-tiered in the case of luxury pleasurecraft.

Integrity 20 Armour Capacity X Speed 7—15 Properties Training required

Sailboat

Small or medium watercraft that rely on sails and wind power, often with a backup propulsion of oars or a
motor if the winds are becalmed. Speed varies based on the size of the craft and its sail, the calmness of the
water, and wind velocity. Sailboats are often open topped, but may have a small cabin and a modest cargo
space under the deck depending on the size of the hull. Sailboats can traverse lakes, wide rivers, and even
seas and oceans. They are vulnerable to capsizing due to large waves in stormy weather, however.

56
Integrity Armour 6 Capacity X Speed 20—40 Properties Training required
+

Very large watercraft meant to traverse oceans, seas, and deep waterways such as shipping canals. Ships
facilitate naval exploration, mass travel, and commercial shipping. They need a trained crew in order to func-
Ship

tion as the propulsion and crew habitat rely on many roles and moving parts. A ship can get by with a “skele-
ton crew,” or the minimum number of personnel needed to run it.
Depending on the technological era of the ship, they vary in size, make, and propulsion. Premodern ships
are usually wooden and use sails, while modern ships tend to be made of metal hulls and use engines large
enough to have a dedicated room. The minimum dimensions of a ship to distinguish it from a boat are not
exact. A couple rules of thumb are that, 1. ships are explicitly designed for lengthy sea voyages, and 2. you can
store a boat on a ship but not a ship on a boat.
 177

Appendix C: Checks
In this section you will find a list of suggested Checks for different
actions. This is by no means comprehensive, but a loose guide you
may choose to follow. This section is sorted according to the broad
categories based upon the Aptitudes they rely on.

Terminology in this section:

Type
There are three main types of Checks. Reflexive, Simple, and Extended.
Reflexive Actions can be completed under a second. These
Checks are done in response to threats and other actions.
Simple Actions can be completed in 3 seconds. Like Reflexive
Actions, your character only has time to make a single Simple
Check per turn.
Extended Actions require 10 or more minutes to complete. These
Checks may need more than one attempt to resolve. For every
point in the appropriate Aptitude you may make an additional
draw. For example, a character with Medic 3 can make up to 3
Intelligence + Medic Checks to manage a single wound.

Check
The specific Check required to perform the task. It may contain an Image,
an Aptitude, or a specific combination of the two. In some situations, the
GM may ask for a different combination. Treat these as a vague guideline
to what could be an appropriate Check.

Suit
The desired suit needed to complete the specified Check. This is always
determined by the Image.

Contested by
The opposing Check used to resist or counter your action. Depending on
the situation, the GM may ask you to make one of these Reflexive Checks.
178 Basic Checks
Draw Tool / Reload
Type: Simple
Check: Nil
Suit: Nil
Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Nil
Spend the turn retrieving a specified tool from your bag or
reloading your firearm. This action may be completed in
conjunction with Recompose.

Drop Object / Move

Type: Reflexive
Check: Nil
Suit: Nil
Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Nil
You may drop or pick up an object, or move to a location,
within range of your Speed. If you wish to move further in
a single turn, you may spend a Simple Action to move up
to your Speed in distance again.

Initiative
Type: Reflexive
Check: Nil
Suit: Nil
Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Nil
Draw 1 card and add the number value to your Initiative.
This is your Initiative score for the High Intensity Scene.
Reshuffle the revealed card back into your Deck. Shuffle
your Discard into your Deck unless otherwise advised.

Recompose
Type: Simple
Check: Nil
Suit: Nil
Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Nil
Take a deep breath, calm yourself. It takes only a couple
moments to regain your bearings and clear your mind
Reshuffle your Discard into your Deck. This action may be
completed in conjunction with Draw Tool / Reload.

Speak
Type: Reflexive
Check: Nil
Suit: Nil
Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Nil
You may talk in character to communicate with others
present in the scene. Be sure to remember that each turn
has a duration of approximately 3 seconds.
Push Checks 179
Coherency Check Parse Resistance
Type: Reflexive Type: Reflexive
Check: See “Table 4.4: Coherency Chart” on page 73 Check: Perseverance + Embodiment + Articulation
Suit: Diamonds Suit: Diamonds
Contested by: Nil Contested by: Success Threshold of Parse
Modifiers: Nil Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
During play your character may often find themselves in As a Parsecyte matures it develops a very specific diet of
situations that cause turmoil with the balance between a few concepts and ideas. Although it may develop a taste
human and Parsecyte. As the struggle occurs, sometimes for new things, it takes time and careful cultivation. Thus,
the Parsecyte can eat more of your humanity, changing often it does not unwanted changes.
you into something more monstrous and single-minded.
When attempting to resist a Parse, you can make a Perse-
If no Diamond cards are revealed during a Check, lose one verance + Embodiment + Articulation Check. You must
point of Coherency. meet the minimum number of Successes that created that
level of Parse.
Parse Detection
Type: Simple Panic
Check: Emission + Articulation Type: Reflexive
Suit: Diamonds Check: Potential + Perseverance
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Suit: Nil
Contested by: Nil
When a powerful Parse occurs, most Parselings can feel
Modifiers: Nil
it tingling at the corners of their perception—not enough
to track down the source or to understand its intent, but Sometimes for role playing reasons, the GM (or yourself) may
enough to be irritated by its presence. By focusing on this decide that your character has suffered enough trauma
feeling, some Parselings are able to determine where a (emotionally and physically) that they may lose some sense
Parse has transpired. of rationality.
When attempting to detect a Parse, make an Emission + If no Diamond cards are revealed during a Check, you may
Articulation Check. not undergo any Simple Checks until the next turn.
Locate Parse Origin: 21 Successes
Locate Parse Afflicted region: 14 Successes
Resist Ailments or Fatigue
Type: Reflexive
Detect a Parse: 7 Successes
Check: Perseverance + Force
Parses generally cannot be concealed. However, Parselings Suit: Diamonds
or Lingua can make an Articulation + Coherency Check to Contested by: Nil
conceal their presence. Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Your body has basic capabilities, allowing it to fend for
Parse Reading itself until you can get medical treatment. It never hurts to
Type: Extended
actively take steps to ensure your own well-being. This can
Check: Enchantment + Articulation
be anything from throwing up, to removing toxic material in
Suit: Diamonds
your body, to keeping yourself awake.
Contested by: Parse Level
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses The GM may ask you to make a this Check when afflicted
by a illness, poison, or fatigue.
The Words utilised in a Parse are as plain as day for all to
see. Without manipulation the Words simply appear on the
surface of its intended target as they works their magic.
Resist Coercion
Type: Reflexive
However, just because the Words are visible does not mean
Check: Perseverance + Manipulation
that the Parse’s true intent is clear.
Suit: Diamonds
When attempting to understand the intent of a Parse, use Contested by: Cunning + Manipulation, or Charm + Manip-
your Enchantment + Articulation. For each Word in the ulation, or Force + Manipulation
Parse, you require 1 Success. Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Be it through intimidation or sly words, there will be others
that attempt to force their will upon you. When you want to
stand firm against the machinations of others, it may be
wise to use this Check.
180 Intent Checks
Computer Work Forgery
Type: Extended Type: Extended
Check: Intelligence + Technology Check: Intelligence + Etiquette
Suit: Spades Suit: Spades
Contested by: Nil Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
When trying to figure out unfamiliar programs or comput- When making a forgeries, its all about filling in the little
ers—things that you’ve never seen before—if they’re made details your mark is actually paying attention to. Dates,
by humans, there’s likely something you’ll recognise. Button shorthand, language, and appearance—a lot of things can
mash your way to success. be faked, but it still has to make sense.
Attempts to use and alter computers or programming can Depending on the level of security and the establishment
take hours to complete. The Success Threshold to be des- you are trying to fool, the GM will assign you an appropriate
ignated by the GM with a minimum of 7 Successes. Success Threshold. To create a forgery that will stand up
even under scrutiny, you will need at least 14 Successes.
Crafting
Type: Extended Jury-Rigging
Check: Intelligence + Crafts, or Finesse + Crafts Type: Extended
Suit: Spades/Clubs Check: Insight + Crafts
Contested by: Nil Suit: Spades
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses,
What is a warrior without their sword, a blacksmith without
their hammer, or a driver without their car? Having the right Squeezing that last few uses out of a broken phone, break-
tools for the job is essential for success and to make the ing the boundaries of designed goods—jury rigging involves
best of your skills. While sometimes it is easier to buy your making quick makeshift repairs or alterations with only the
gear, some people take pride in their handiwork and enjoy tools and materials at hand. These fixes aren’t permanent,
the process of making things from scratch. but they’ll do for now.
In order to even consider making gear from scratch you When making on-the-spot fixes or changes to your equip-
will need the base materials to work with. Discuss with the ment or machinery, use this Check. Any adaptations or
GM what you may need, and how you could possibly obtain modifications made will only last for the scene.
these materials. For some, you may need to embark on a
The Success Threshold is determined by the nature of the
quest to obtain them. Once all the ingredients are gathered,
craftsmanship. The more outlandish or difficult the task,
you will need to make a Finesse + Crafts or Intelligence
the higher the Success Threshold.
+ Crafts Check.
The quality of the gear is dependent upon the number of Suc- Identifying Equipment
cesses garnered over the set of Extended Checks. Remem- Type: Extended
ber, the maximum number of Checks you can complete is Check: Insight + Technology
limited by your level in Craft. Suit: Diamonds, Hearts, Spades
Contested by: Nil
Table C.1: Crafting table Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Everything man-made is designed with a purpose, from the
Level Modifier Success Threshold
colours we chose to how certain features are arranged for
function. By studying and understanding these trends, we
Makeshift 0 14 can make inferences about how an unfamiliar tool may work.
Standard 1 28 When attempting to make heads or tails of an unknown
object, it may be wise to employ this Check. Depending on
High quality 2 56 how new (or old) and foreign the tool is, the difficulty of the
Success Threshold will change.
Supernatural 3 112 Each Check can range from 10 minutes to hours spent
divining the secrets of unknown technology. For every
Unnatural 4 224 3 Successes above the determined Success Threshold,
the player may ask the GM one question about the item.
Mythic 5 448
 181
Investigation Perception
Type: Extended Type: Reflexive
Check: Intelligence + Perception Check: Insight + Perception
Suit: Spades Suit: Spades
Contested by: Nil Contested by: Cunning + Stealth
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Modifiers: Equipment, Environmental hazards, Parses
When giving a situation a casual glance, or a quick survey of Your character takes a look around at their surroundings. It
a scene, it is inevitable that you will miss out some, if not all will give them a vague idea of their surroundings and what
of the important clues. Only through meticulous searching may be of relevant to your character.
can you find the real secrets.
On Failure: Your character is not completely
When looking at a scene, your character searches for the oblivious to all details around them. They may
fine details, combing through the scene and piecing together be preoccupied with their own thoughts or plans,
the details. Each Check can range from 10 minutes to hours but they still retain some form of awareness of
examining the scene. For every 3 Successes above the the world around them.
determined Success Threshold the player may ask the
This failure rather means that they may not have
GM one question.
a chance to question or take notice of any par-
ticular details of that may benefit them.
Medical treatment
Type: Extended On Success: Your character be aware of their
Check: Intelligence + Medic general surroundings as well as additional infor-
Suit: Spades mation that the GM sees fit. For every 2 Suc-
Contested by: Nil cesses over the threshold, you may ask an addi-
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses tional question of the GM pertaining the scene.
They will answer with information that you could
Despite the advances in medicine, clinicians are still limited
possible determine at a glance. For further
to broad categories of treatment; removing the cause of
detailed information use an Investigation Check.
the injury, stabilising their patient, or helping with the man-
agement of pain.
Researcher
Another individual can help assist your recovery with an Type: Extended
Intelligence + Medic Check. You can be treated at most Check: Intelligence + Research
once each day. Suit: Spades
Contested by: Nil
Per 2 successes: Return 1 card from the
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Wounds pile to your Deck, to a maximum of
the practitioner’s aptitude in Medic. Whether it be online, through experimentation, or in a library,
you need something to facilitate your study—it cannot be
Per 10 successes: Return 1 card from the Health
done without a subject.
Damage pile to your Deck.
Each Check made represents 1 hour of research, and you
Memory Recall may repeat the Check for every point of Research your
Type: Simple character has. After that, further study becomes fruitless.
Check: Intelligence + Memory
With simple searches, the recommended Success Threshold
Suit: Spades
is 7. The GM will provide you a details about the information
Contested by: Nil
that you seek. For every 2-3 successes above the threshold,
Modifiers: Distractions, Age of Memory, Parses
the player may ask the GM one question.
Sometimes, as players, our memories fail us, or perhaps
some details of your character’s history has not been fleshed
out. When making this Check, it is for the player just as
much as it is for the character.
The Success Threshold is determined by the nature of the
memory you are seeking. Older or very specific recollections
will naturally have a higher Success Threshold. For every 2
Successes over the threshold, you may ask an additional
question of the GM pertaining to a memory.
182
Feats Checks
Bypass Security Dodge
Type: Extended Type: Simple Action
Check: Finesse + Larceny Check: (Perseverance + Insight + Finesse + Cunning)/2
Suit: Clubs Suit: Clubs
Contested by: Nil Contested by: Defence
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses, Security Complexity Modifiers: Equipment, Parses
Breaking locks, safes, and latches all take a little bit of time. Dodging will take up your Simple Action to purposefully avoid
This Check represents your character taking the necessary being wounded. You may not undertake another Simple
care to bypass security without alerting others of their Action this turn. Much like utilising your Defence, only Feats
transgressions. cards are counted unless otherwise specified.
Each Check takes place over 10-15 minutes. The Success Dodging will take up your Simple Action to purposefully
Threshold to be designated by GM with a recommended avoid being hurt. You may not undertake another Simple
minimum threshold of 10 Successes. Action this turn. Add your Successes to your Defence until
your next turn.
Brute Force If you are sharing your Initiative with an ally, you may also
Type: Simple
use your Dodge to bolster one person’s Defence until your
Check: Force + Athletics
next turn.
Suit: Clubs
Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses
Fine Motor Skills
Type: Simple
There’s a simple elegance to raw power, to showing off your Check: Finesse + Athletics
muscles to the betterment of others. From opening that jar Suit: Clubs
of pickles to lifting heavy suitcases while travelling, there Contested by: Nil
are innumerable ways that we can show off our prowess Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
and the effort we place into our physical bodies.
Tumbling, jumping, catching: there are innumerable actions
Any athletic actions that rely on strength, muscle, and build that require good co-ordination and a certain level of fitness.
require a Brute Force Check. The recommended minimum While you might not need these when working behind the
threshold is 4 Successes. More strenuous activities may computer or manning a store, they can certainly be inspir-
require a higher threshold. ing to watch.
Any athletic actions that rely on nimbleness and deft move-
Defensive Driving ments will require this Check. This has a minimum recom-
Type: Reflexive Action
mended Success Threshold of 4.
Check: Finesse + Ride
Suit: Clubs
Contested by: Defence
Hiding
Type: Simple
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses, Vehicle Armour
Check: Cunning + Stealth
When people teach you to drive they talk about road safety—, Suit: Spades
putting on a seatbelt, and how to park your car—all the things Contested by: Insight + Perception
that you can expect in your daily drive to work. Defensive Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
driving is a step above that. It is about driving in hazard-
Fight or flight is the natural response to conflict. To those
ous conditions, managing fatigue, and responding to unex-
that favour flight, running is a good option. The trouble is,
pected situations. It’s all about keeping you and your dear
sometimes you aren’t fast enough and you need to find a new
passengers alive.
strategy. Sometimes hiding will buy you the chance you need
A driver may attempt to make a Finesse + Ride Check to to escape, to find a secluded spot to avoid being noticed.
defend the vehicle’s occupants. This uses the car’s speed and
When looking for a place to hide, it’s a matter of finding a
body to shield the passengers from harm. After making the
place where your pursuer won’t think to look for you.
Ride Check, add your car’s Armour as additional Successes.
This Check is contested with your foe’s Insight + Percep-
tion. Should the Check result in a tie, the individual hiding
will remain unseen.
 183

Intimidation
Type: Simple
Check: Force + Manipulation
Suit: Clubs
Contested by: Perseverance + Manipulation
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Surprisingly, you don’t always have time to be polite and
treat others right. Maybe you’re out of time and you’re seeing
red, but others are just getting in the way. With the right
threats, people can be convinced to see things your way.
When attempting to intimidate an individual, you may use
this Check. Can be done as a show of strength or as a veiled
threat. Intimidation is usually contested by a Perseverance
+ Manipulation Check.
Ranged Attack
Type: Simple Action
Melee Attack Check: Finesse + Ranged
Type: Simple Action
Suit: Clubs
Check: Force + Melee
Contested by: Defence
Suit: Clubs
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses
Contested by: Defence
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses When attacking at range, you will be relying on this Check.
After making the Check, remember to add your Equipment
It’s close quarters and anything goes: fists, bats, bottles,
Modifier into you total successes.
martial arts, you name it and you can use it. Melee attacks
are all about the close combat, about beating down your Some firearms have the Automatic trait, which can be used
foes before they get you. Just be careful, your opponent in both Burst and Full Auto modes. This grants further Suc-
will probably get a chance to strike back. cesses based on ammo consumed.
When making an attack at close quarters, the GM will ask
you to use this Check. If you are using weapons or anything
Shadowing
Type: Extended
beyond your bare fists, remember to always apply the Equip-
Check: Insight + Stealth
ment Modifier as additional Successes.
Suit: Hearts
Contested by: Insight + Perception
Pickpocketing, Sleights of Hand Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Type: Simple
Check: Finesse + Larceny When you follow someone without them knowing, chances
Suit: Clubs are you are up to no good. You’d rather them remain unaware
Contested by: Insight + Perception of your presence. You’re staying close enough to keep an
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses eye on them, but far enough to avoid their suspicion. It is
all about anticipating how they will move, and keeping out
The art of misdirection, hiding things, and pilfering pockets.
of sight—or at least out of their mind.
You only need to distract them for a moment, keep them
looking away from your real intentions. When your character attempts to follow a person without
being noticed, they should employ this Check. Your target
All Checks made in this fashion are contested with a Reflex-
has the option of making a Insight + Perception Check to
ive Insight + Perception Check.
oppose your Check.
184 Conduct Checks
Acting/Preforming Blending In
Type: Simple Type: Simple
Check: Charm + Acting Check: Charm + Etiquette
Suit: Hearts Suit: Hearts
Contested by: Insight + Empathy, or Cunning + Empathy Contested by: Nil
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
A performance is like slipping on a suit, masquerading as Monkey see, monkey do. Most people feel the need to blend
something you are not. It can be used to entertain and in, to be a part of something greater. They do anything to
beguile, or it can be used to win over the hearts of others. fit in: laugh at jokes they don’t find funny, dress to keep up
How it is used is up to you. It could relate to singing, playing with the latest fashions, imitate others to just not feel left
music, or even telling a story. out. In the end, becoming a part of the crowd is simply a
survival strategy and a way of making new friends.
When using this Check, it can be contested or understood
with a Insight + Empathy or a Cunning + Empathy Check. When attempting to blend into the crowd, make impressions,
In the case of a tie, the individual conducting the initial or find friends among strangers, you may use this Check.
Acting Check will be treated as if they had garnered more It can also serve as a method of gaining information about
Successes. different social groups; the way they act, dress, and their
general opinion on different topics.
Animal Handling
Type: Simple Beguilement or Seduction
Check: Charm + Animal Type: Extended
Suit: Diamonds, Hearts, Spades Check: Charm + Manipulation
Contested by: Perseverance + Cunning Suit: Diamonds Hearts Spades
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses Contested by: Perseverance + Manipulation
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Animals are intelligent creatures, and as such can be rea-
soned with to a degree. Its all about earning their trust and People want to feel loved, to feel wanted and needed. You
lulling them into a sense of security. can give them that. All it takes is a simple smile, or a touch
at the right moment, feeding them all the promises they
You may use this Check when attempting to calm down
want to hear. They’ll come to trust you and in turn listen to
aggressive or unsettled animals. It will be contested by their
your own desires.
Perseverance + Cunning Check.
When attempting to win over another person’s trust (or
Black market Acquisitions lust) you may use this Check. Your target may contest your
Type: Extended intentions with a Cunning + Manipulation or Perseverance
Check: Cunning + Rumours + Manipulation Check.
Suit: Hearts
Contested by: Cunning + Stealth. Comfort
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses, Political Climate Type: Reflexive
Check: Charm + Empathy
Laws and regulations exist to keep the general population
Suit: Hearts
safe, to prevent means of violence or self harm. However,
Contested by: Cunning + Acting
just because it is illegal doesn’t mean it is impossible. Ask
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
around enough and you’ll find someone who knows a guy
who has a cousin who can sell you what you need for the Though we may not always do so, we have the ability to share
right price. our grief and lessen the pain of others. We find comfort in
each other’s touch, words, and presence as we share our
This Check is used when looking for illicit goods. A successful
burden with those that do care. It is simply easier to know
Check may yield a location, seller, or a source to satisfy your
that other people understand, and that you are not alone
needs. This represents hours of research and reaching out
in this world.
through your contacts. Depending on what you are search-
ing for, the GM will set an appropriate Success Threshold. When attempting to de-escalate a situation or to console
another person, you may make this Check. The GM may
contest your Check with a Perseverance Check.
 185

Detect Lies or Emotions

Type: Reflexive
Check: Cunning + Empathy
Suit: Hearts
Contested by: Cunning + Acting
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
Persuasion
Type: Simple
There’s always a tell when someone lies to you—the aversion Check: Cunning + Manipulation
of your eyes, that nervous laugh, a smile that’s just a little Suit: Hearts
too forced. All you need to do is watch for those signs and Contested by: Cunning + Manipulation, or Perseverance
you’ll find out what they’re hiding, eventually. + Manipulation
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
When you wish to read someone’s emotions, you may ask
to make this Check. Your opponent may contest with a Persuasion is the art of manipulating others into accept-
Cunning + Acting Check. On a tie, you will be unable to ing your way of seeing things. Ideally, every conflict can be
determine their feelings. sorted out with diplomacy, converting others to your line of
thought through words and actions. There are many ways of
When you suspect someone of lying, remember to ask the
handling people, through providing sound irrefutable argu-
GM to make this Check. If your opponent’s Cunning + Manip-
ments, coming to a compromise, or even fast talking and
ulation Check is lower, you will be able to tell gain some
throwing ideas out until you find one that sticks. Everyone
insight into their true intentions.
wants something, you just need to find out how to use that
to your advantage.
Lying or Hiding emotions
Type: Simple When attempting to convince someone of your point of view
Check: Cunning + Acting you can employ this Check. Your target may contest your
Suit: Hearts intentions with a Cunning + Manipulation or Perseverance
Contested by: Cunning + Empathy + Manipulation Check.
Modifiers: Distractions, Equipment, Parses
To some, lying is as easy or as important as breathing, but
Rumourmongering
Type: Extended
there are many different reasons why we choose to deceive
Check: Cunning + Rumours
people. We lie to protect others, we lie to safeguard our own
Suit: Hearts
interests, we sometimes lie for our own entertainment. In the
Contested by: Cunning + Rumours
end, we conceal the truth because we feel in the moment
Modifiers: Equipment, Parses, Social Standing
it is the right thing to do.
Rumours can be used in the control and manipulation of
When attempting to conceal information or the truth, you
information. It takes time to reach the right ears or find the
may use this Check. Others will be contest this Check with
right mouths, but it can be far more potent than staring at
a Cunning + Empathy Check of their own. In the case of a
a book for hours on end.
tie, the individual conducting the initial Acting Check will
be treated as if they had garnered more Successes over all. For every 2 Successes in this Check, you may ask the GM
1 question about the general beliefs of a specific social
Depending on the situation, the GM may ask you to use
group in your vicinity.
other Aptitudes to have your character develop plausible
lies. As an example, when attempting to hide digital data For every 3 Successes in this Check, you may spread one
from prying eyes, you may need the help of Technology or piece of information among a specific social group. The
Larceny instead of Acting. easier it is to believe, the further it will spread.
186

Appendix D:
Challenges &
Conditions
In this section you will find a list of suggested
Challenges and Conditions. There are many different
possibilities for these Cards, but this should serve
as a launching point for your ideas. See “Quotes,
Challenges & Conditions” on page 44 for full rules.

Terminology in this
section:
Severity:
The intensity of a Conditions. There are three
main types: Kings (Curses), Queens (Maladies),
and Jacks (Annoyances)
Cause:
The suggested cause or reason for the Condition.
These is not all-encapsulating, rather a guide
for realistic reasons for the character to suffer
these maladies.
Resolution:
The possible ways of Scaring the Condition. These
are the only some of the ways to fix the issues
your characters face, players must work with their
GMs to decide when to remove these problems.
Challenges Physical Ailments
Examples: Pervasive Allergies, Crippled, Deaf, Illnesses,
187
Some of these can be used interchangeably with Condi-
Missing limbs/organs, Mute, Physical Deformities,
tions, however these are permanent fixtures within your
character. Barring an act of god, Challenges cannot simply Physical ailments are issues with your body—health concerns
removed as they have become so ingrained that they are a that deviate from the average person. People notice these,
part of the character’s identity. While their interpretations your character feels it in their everyday life, and there’s little
and workarounds for them may change over time, they will you can do to escape the problems they bring you. As much
always be there as a reminder. Even in the rare times when as others try to avoid this, they often become key features
a problem can be resolved, Challenges tend to bubble back that people recognise your character by. In some cases,
to the surface in a new form. In the end, nobody is perfect… medical treatments or artificial aids may offer some relief,
but they will never be quite the same.
Personality Quirks When a Challenge relating to a physical issue is drawn, it
Examples: Explosively Irritable, Forgetfulness, Phobias, should influence in some way how a character carries out
Socially inappropriate. an action. From an individual with allergies spontaneously
breaking out into a sneezing fit to a deaf person missing
Personality quirks are a dime a dozen, with many names
key instructions. These issues are not so easily managed,
and not-so-pleasant connotations. A lot of them are learnt
and may require a change in the way you think.
through observation of others, some can arguably be a part
of one’s nature. These habits are so ingrained that it under- Venting these types of Challenges may require acknowl-
lies every aspect of your life. Whatever the cause, it’s part edging that the defects are present and making an active
of who your character is and it causes problems for them effort to circumnavigate their disabilities.
on a day to day basis.
Whenever a behavioural Challenge is drawn, it will influ- Social Issues
ence the way your character carries themselves. It could Examples: Bullied, Debts, Loyalty, Illiteracy, Infamy, Pariah
be a compulsion that they must satisfy right away, i.e. the
Your history and your connections to people become threads
kleptomaniac that must steal that shiny bauble that caught
tying your past together. As the ties weave together into the
their eye, or a nagging feeling that lurks at the back of their
tapestry of your life, it will be altered and changed by the
mind. Facing your phobia may cause you to flee or act more
whims of others. As they scramble to complete their own
irrational than you would have otherwise. It distracts them
stories, they will pull back and forth, causing your life to fray
from the task at hand, preventing them from being one
and tear. These bonds may at times be so tight as to choke
hundred percent effective.
you, but they tether you to your humanity
Until this urge is Vented or fulfilled, the Challenge contin-
Not every Challenge is intrinsic to the character from birth.
ually cycles through their head. Actions can be taken to
Some were the result of how they were raised, and the
manage these problem, but they are temporary measures.
choices they made along the way. Mistakes happen, and
sometimes people are forced into a corner by others in such
Mental Illnesses a way that there really is no easy way out. When a social
Examples: Addiction, Amnesia, Insomnia, Schizophrenia, Challenge is drawn the effects can be subtle, at least at the
Stress Disorders. outset. The cost of a lingering debt might be that you didn’t
have enough to buy enough supplies for a trip, or even just
Mental illnesses are a complex topic at the best of times.
a very inopportune mental reminder of the weight it bears
They vary from case to case—some people adjust well to the
upon your life.
challenges it inflicts them, others succumb and fall deeper
and deeper into the pit, burying themselves under the pres- Venting these types of Challenges may require facing a
sure. Every experience is different and it takes time, or in problem head on, and dealing with the consequences. They
some cases medication, to learn how to cope. always say to stand up to your bullies, but its never quite
so easy, is it?
When a Challenge with a mental illness is drawn, your
character will need to take time to manage their symp-
toms. For stress disorders it may be as simple as dis- Parse Afflicted
tancing themselves from their triggers, or for schizo- Examples: Abnormal and uncanny skin conditions, Curses,
phrenia it may be taking medication or having a friend Extra appendages or organs.
anchor you to this reality.
Parsing can have wide and far reaching consequences,
Should one keep Suppressing this problem, it can grow into permanent mutations, mental disorders or even life
a unstoppable beast which may manifest in unforeseen and threatening curses. Always consult the GM for any of
troubling ways. these types of Challenges.
188 Intent Conditions
Addiction Hallucinations (Major)
Suit: Spades Suit: Spades
Severity: Curse (King) Severity: Curse (King)
Causes: Drugs, Gambling, Others Causes: Drugs, Alcohol, Parses, Phobias
Resolution: Interventions, Lifestyle Changes Resolution: Coping techniques, Parses
An addiction is the physical and/or psychological need to Hallucinations are the experience of hearing, seeing, feeling,
scratch an itch, to use whatever it is that you can’t get or smelling things that are not there. The scary thing is that
enough of. When you don’t get your fix, you become agitated; there’s often no easy way to distinguish them from reality.
you feel as if something isn’t right. Often you can engage
When this Condition is drawn, the GM has the option of
in dangerous and risky behaviour to get what you want.
describing fantastical (or subtle) information in the next
When this Condition is in your Deck, and in the presence Perception Check. The longer you Suppress this issue, the
of your character’s addiction, the GM may ask you to make greater the deviation in what your character sees, hears,
a Perseverance + Push Check to resist your addiction. A and feels.
failure may mean your character capitulates into indulging
To resolve this Condition, your character will need to learn
in their poison.
how to live with hallucinations, seek medical guidance, or
To resolve this Condition is no easy task. It takes time and receive support from family and friends. Alternatively, you
dedication. At the start of each session, make a Push Check. may opt to resolve this through Parsing.
If you manage to score at least 1 Success three sessions in
a row, you may remove Condition (Addiction). PTSD
Suit: Spades
Amnesia Severity: Curse (King)
Suit: Spades Causes: Traumatic events (Injury, Failure, Loss)
Severity: Curse (King) Resolution: Distractions
Causes: Alcohol, Drugs, Parses, Significant Brain damage,
PTSD can develop after a traumatic event that triggers a
Resolution: Regaining your Memory
strong fight or flight response, or in reaction to a perceived
Your character has lost portions of their memory, which may threat. It can be caused by other people, natural disasters,
be permanent or temporary. They have trouble remembering or accidents. As a result, the person may experience intense
things. In some cases that may mean that you are unable to fear, sleeping difficulties, flashbacks, and aversion to things
recall the past, in others it may mean that you are unable that remind you of the initial source of the trauma.
to retain new information.
When this Condition is drawn and it is not Vented, draw 2
As a rule of thumb, while this card is in your Deck you are cards less in the next two Checks.
unable to recall the past. Drawing this Condition in a Memory
To resolve this Condition, your character needs to come to
Check will cause it to automatically fail.
terms with the source of the PTSD. This can happen through
In the less common variant where you are unable to learn the support of family and friends, or even facing the source
new things, the problems are a little more severe. Depending of the conflict. It often fades with time, but always has the
on the GM, it may mean that you are unable to raise specific possibility of resurfacing.
Aptitudes with Script, as memories fail to take hold in your
character’s mind.
Resolving this Condition is largely dependent on the initial
cause. Sometimes it will require extended rest and psychi-
atric treatment. Sometimes you will have to seek out your
memories on a story-defining quest. When all else fails,
there is always the option of trying to get together a suitable
Parse, though it will have to be a big one for a permanent fix.
 189
Phobia Unrealistic Expectations
Suit: Spades Suit: Spades
Severity: Malady (Queen) Severity: Malady (Queen)
Causes: Distractions Causes: Distractions
Resolution: Distractions Resolution: Distractions
Phobias are described as irrational or exaggerated fears Unrealistic expectations can be of our own design or instilled
about situations, activities, items, or different animals. Some by others. Regardless of the source, they can become a set
common ones include snakes, spiders, or heights. Though of guidelines of what the character defines as “good enough”,
people may be aware of their phobias, their response when no matter how high the bar may be. When a character has
presented with the source of their fears is uncontrollable. this Condition in any part of their life, their goals are higher
than the average person. Sure when they succeed everything
When this Condition is drawn, you may complete your action
is okay, but failure is a different question entirely.
but must make active choices to avoid or flee from the
source of your discomfort, or panic while the source of When this Condition is drawn the Success Threshold of
fear roams free. the Check you are attempting is considered to be 2 points
higher. If you fail this Check, send two of the cards used in
To resolve this Condition, psychological support is needed
the Check into the Removed pile.
to develop methods of coping with this fear.
To resolve this Condition, the source of these expectations
must be removed or corrected. This may include the char-
acter eventually having to swallow their pride, or learning
to stand up against their parents’ wishes.

Confusion/Misinformed
Suit: Spades
Severity: Annoyance (Jack)
Causes: Distractions
Resolution: End of a Scene
In the heat of the moment it is easy to lose track of what is
happening. Words stop making sense, noises and lights grow
more intense. It may be that your brain may have simply
swapped one word for another and changed the meaning
of everything. Your character will be disorientated and feel
out of place. They may act without considering all of the
information at hand.
When this is drawn, send it to the Removed pile.
To resolve this Condition, your character must make active
attempt to resolve the source of their confusion.

Exhaustion/Sleep Deprivation
Suit: Spades
Severity: Annoyance (Jack),
Causes: Distractions
Resolution: Distractions
When you haven’t had enough restful sleep, being overworked
or experiencing continually disturbed sleep, you may have
Sleep Deprivation. Your focus begins to wane, and its only
a matter of time before you crash on the job.
When this is drawn, send it to the Removed pile.
To resolve this Condition, your character must make an
active attempt to have a full night’s rest.
190

Feats Conditions
Blinded
Suit: Clubs
Severity: Curse (King)
Causes: Health Damage, Attacks directed towards the Eyes
Mute
Suit: Clubs
Resolution: Medical Treatment
Severity: Curse (King)
Sight is a very important sense to have, without it there Causes: Damage to Vocal Cords, Parses
are many things that become incredibly difficult. Perhaps Resolution: Medical Treatment
your character has had their eyes physically damaged (or
No voice, no Parse. Being able to speak is intensely valu-
removed), or perhaps it is just a Parse that is obscuring
able for communication between people, and critical for
everything. One way or another, their vision no longer func-
Parselings. It serves as the core of a Parseling’s ability to
tion the way it’s supposed to.
Parse. Without the ability to convey the Words to the world,
When this Condition is in your Deck, you are unable to nothing will change or bend; it will continue on.
see. Any tasks that would normally involve vision may not
When this Condition is in your Deck you are unable speak
be possible at all. Some actions may be achieved with a -1
and, by extension, unable to Parse.
Draw penalty.
To resolve this Condition, seek medical attention or some
To resolve this Condition, seek medical assistance or, in
effect that will allow you to speak again. If the damage
the case of a Parse-based blindness, dispel the Parse. If
is physical, and repairable, you must recover the Health
the damage is physical, and repairable, you must recover
Damage associated with this Condition.
the Health Damage that caused it.

Diseased Missing Limbs

Suit: Clubs
Suit: Clubs
Severity: Curse (King)
Severity: Curse (King)
Causes: Amputation
Causes: Varied
Resolution: Prosthetics
Resolution: Medical Treatment
A lost limb is no laughing matter, and people aren’t always
Diseased refers to a wide range of illnesses one can develop
around to lend you a hand. You can make do and learn to
or contract. From pneumonia to leprosy to malaria—these
live without, but you’ll be at a disadvantage when compet-
conditions require time and medical treatment to heal.
ing with others.
Depending on the type of Disease, the effects may vary. A
When this Condition is in your Deck, reduce your Feats by
suggestion is that when this Condition present in your Deck
1. Your Finesse checks may also incur a -1 Draw penalty,
you are unable to spend Potential to alter the outcome of
depending on the task at hand.
any Checks. Particularly deadly and fast acting diseases
may resulting in a random card being sent to the Wounds To resolve this Condition, your character will need to find
pile every time Condition (Diseased)is drawn. an artificial replacement for their missing limb.
 Fracture
191
Suit: Clubs
Severity: Malady (Queen)
Causes: Physical Trauma
Resolution: Medical Treatment
You’ve taken quite the hit, a tumble, or a fall and you heard
a loud crack. Now it won’t stop hurting, and putting pressure
on it is even worse.
Each time this Condition is drawn treat one other Feats card
drawn as if it had a value of zero. When the Health Damage
that has caused this Condition has mended you may remove
this Condition. In the meantime it is recommended that you
Stabilise the broken bone with a splint and avoid putting
pressure on the region.
Allergic Reaction Poisoning
Suit: Clubs
Suit: Clubs
Severity: Malady (Queen)
Severity: Malady (Queen)
Causes: Allergies
Causes: Food, Drugs, Toxins, Venomous Bites
Resolution: Medication, Removal of Allergens
Resolution: Medical Treatment
Allergies are a hyper-exaggerated immune response that
Like diseases, there is a wide range of possible causes for
bodies sometimes develop to some of the most harmless
poisoning and an even wider range of possible outcomes.
substances in their environment. At the slightest touch to
Common symptoms include difficulty breathing, vomiting,
an allergen you could break out in a rash, struggle to breath,
drowsiness, and/or an altered mental state. These might
or struggle to see. Should the response be severe enough,
begin suddenly, or occur insidiously over time. Consider
it may even threaten your life.
creative ways of insidiously poisoning a character other
When this Condition is drawn for the third time in a scene, than ingestion—the forgetful grandmother who leaves her
send a random card to the Health Damage pile. Every sub- car running in the small garage, a scorned wife who replaces
sequent Check will also require a random card to be sent her husband’s eyedrops with diluted cleaning chemicals.
to the Wounds pile until medical treatment is completed.
The effects of poison can vary by the poison in question, but
To resolve this Condition your character will need remove damage is a common result. When this Condition is drawn,
their allergen from their immediate environment or take send one card to your Wounds pile. Like an illness, this Con-
medication to suppress the elevated immune response dition will continue even outside of stressful situations, and
should be dealt with immediately.
Chilled To resolve this Condition, you will need to search for medi-
Suit: Clubs
cation, or perform a Parse, to counteract the poison running
Severity: Malady (Queen)
through your body.
Causes: Severe Cold
Resolution: Raise Body Temperature
Concussion
Your body has braved extreme temperatures and it just isn’t Suit: Clubs
managing to keep warm. You’ve spent a night on the streets Severity: Annoyance (Jack)
in winter, or fallen into an icy lake while fishing. Your inter- Causes: Head Trauma
nal organs, nervous system, and muscles are struggling to Resolution: Medical Treatment and Rest
function properly. After long enough the character might
Concussions are one of the most common type of head
even start feeling like they are burning up. If left untreated
injury we can encounter. Caused by a blow to the head, the
it can result in organ failure and death.
brain becomes bruised and swollen resulting in bruising,
When this Condition drawn twice without any attempts and damaged nerves and blood vessels. Individuals may
at Venting the card, permanently remove one card experience blurred vision, nausea, dizziness, confusion,
from your Deck as the cold takes an irreversible toll on difficulty concentrating, and/or ringing in the ears. If the
the character’s body. symptoms persist for over 15 minutes there’s the risk that
a serious injury could have been sustained.
To resolve this Condition your character needs to warm up.
Solutions can range from finding a heat source to finding When this Condition is drawn, send it to the Removed pile.
ways to preserve what body temperature remains. To resolve this Condition, spend time to rest, and receiving
medical help is required.
192 Conduct Conditions
Debts (Major) Stolen Identity
Suit: Hearts Suit: Spades
Severity: King (Queen) Severity: Malady (Queen)
Causes: Needing Money Causes: People, Fame, Data theft
Resolution: Paying off the Debt Resolution: Finding the Culprit
There are a number of common reasons why you could be Someone has stolen your identity and they’ve been less
in debt; hospital bills, house mortgages, or even bailing out than scrupulous with it, leaving a trail of disaster in their
friends. Then there are other reasons like gambling, cons, wake. They’ve broken laws, crossed the wrong kind people,
and fuelling addictions. Either way, your character has bor- and unfortunately you’re left with dealing with their karma.
rowed an impossible amount of money from others, and their
When this Condition is in your Deck, other NPCs may
debts have grown to the point of being a major problem.
mistake you for the impostor, leaving you to right any
When this Condition is in your Deck, the GM has the option grievances they have.
of replacing one of your character’s Goals with a “request”
To resolve this Condition your character must find a solu-
from the people you owe. Consider these requests as “forceful
tion to deal with their doppelgänger.
suggestions”… or they may just try and take out your knees.
To resolve this Condition your character needs to pay off Unwanted Attention
the debts that they owe or find a way to balance the scales Suit: Hearts
with their creditors. Severity: Malady (Queen)
Causes: Breaking the Law, Causing Unrest, Crossing Pow-
Severe Disfigurement erful People
Suit: Hearts Resolution: Time for Attention to Die Down
Severity: Curse (King)
So you’ve been caught in an awkward situation, be it from
Causes: Accidents, Fights, Parses
being shamed for eating food that wasn’t yours to offending
Resolution: Surgery, Disguises, Parses
the wrong person, or even breaking the laws. Your face is
Scars and deformities tend to draw unwanted attention. out there and people are noticing you, possibly for the first
Everyone’s eyes are drawn to the imperfections with a morbid time in your life, but not in a good way.
sense of curiosity. Judgments begin to form in their mind
When this Condition is drawn, any Acting, Manipulation, or
as they wonder what happened.
Rumour Checks will have their Success Threshold increased
When this Condition is in your Deck, any Conduct checks by 2. To resolve this Condition your character needs to lie
have a -1 Draw penalty. low, or clear their name.
To resolve this Condition, your character will need to find
a way to mask the disfigurement or, preferably, a way to
Wavering Fealty/Faith
Suit: Hearts
fix it permanently.
Severity: Malady (Queen)
Causes: People, Organisations, Religion
Unrequited Love Resolution: Personal Resolution
Suit: Hearts
Severity: Curse (King) Loyalty can be earned through favours, impressive displays,
Causes: Infatuations, Lust, Love or debts that can never be repaid. For better or worse, your
Resolution: Emotional Maturity character has a strong sense of devotion and/or honour and
has found themselves swearing their service to another.
Love is all-consuming—the first thing you think of when you
Now they’ve requested help, which has puts your charac-
wake up and the last thing you wish for before you sleep.
ter in a tight spot.
You simply can’t get it out of your mind.
When this Condition is drawn, your character’s conscience
When this Condition is in your Deck your attention wanes
tugs at them, forcing them to act in their benefactor’s inter-
and any Extended Checks have their Draw reduced by 1.
ests. To resolve this Condition, your character must find
To resolve this Condition your character must find some the strength to admit that enough is enough and abandon
sort of closure for their feelings. their loyalties.
 193
Bad odour
Suit: Hearts
Severity: Annoyance (Jack),
Causes: Poor Hygiene, Body odour, “Accidents”
Resolution: Hygiene
Bad odour is a natural part of life; it is derived from many
different factors such as gender, age, diet, medication,
health, hygiene, and unhappy accidents. The problem is
that sometimes it isn’t a nice smell—sometimes it can cause
preconceived judgment about a person as a whole.
When this Condition is drawn, send it to the Removed pile.
To resolve this Condition, your character needs to engage in
personal hygiene or find a way to mask the smell… perhaps
some good deodorant.

Startled
Suit: Hearts
Severity: Annoyance (Jack)
Causes: Unexpected Surprises or News
Resolution: Time to Process Shock
The rug has been pulled from underneath you feet as
someone comes bearing bad news. It could be that a pet
has died, or that someone has betrayed your trust. Regard-
less, it has shaken your character to their core. Their mind
is covered by a haze, as their words come slower as their
mind’s gears try to start up again.
When this Condition is drawn, send it to the Removed pile.
To resolve this Condition, your character needs to spend
some time to process the facts that have come to light,
typically in a Low Intensity scene or Downtime.

Starstruck/Infatuation
Suit: Hearts
Severity: Annoyance (Jack)
Causes: Admiration
Resolution: variable
The love of your life has graced your presence, be it that
gorgeous person you’ve had a crush on since you were nine
years old, or the latest gizmos and gadgets. It’s just distract-
ing enough to take your mind off the job, and it might be
just enough to get you killed.
When this Condition is drawn, send it to the Removed pile.
To resolve this Condition, your character must confront the
source of their Infatuation.
194 Push Conditions
Conditions of the Push category relate back to Parselings, and should be reserved for anything relating back to Parses.

Incoherency Parse Afflicted

Suit: Diamonds Suit: Diamonds
Severity: Curse (King) Severity: Annoyance (Jack), Malady (Queen)
Causes: Death, Dropping to Coherency 0 Causes: Distractions
Resolution: None Resolution: Other Parses, or Time Passing
Your character has died and been consumed by their When targeted by a malignant Parse, the GM may designate
Parsecyte. They have been brought back as a twisted reflec- you this Condition. Write the Parse down on a Card. This
tion of themselves with only one Word on their mind. serves as a reminder to what effects your character may
be suffering.
When this card is drawn, it represents the degradation of
sanity and the player must indulge in their more monstrous You may want to write small, as over the course of the cam-
side. To Vent this card, use Incoherency: Correlation to paign your character may suffer a multitude of Parses. (It
keep the Incoherency at bay. may even be worth writing on the back of your card if the
GM allows it.)
Dyslexia (Major/Minor) Minor, Moderate, Major Parses typically are
Suit: Diamonds denoted by Annoyance level Conditions lasting
Severity: Malady (Queen) / Annoyance (Jack) little longer than your average scene or, at most,
Causes: Failed Miraculous or Grand Parses several days. These effects will fade with little
Resolution: Time Passing or no help.
When a Parse fails, the world has rejected the desires and Grand and Miraculous Parses, however, are a
perception projected upon it. The energy rebounds back to different story. These Parses are denoted by
its source, afflicting them in myriad ways. Parselings and Malady level Conditions and can easily linger
Parsecyte struggle for control of the body, speech becomes through an entire campaign if not corrected
distorted, ideas jumbled, and the Parseling may begin to promptly. The effects of these Parses can last
ooze ink and blood from their body. for weeks, if not years or decades with sufficient
power and lack of correction
Dyslexia interferes with your ability to draw upon your
Parsecyte. Revealing the Condition Dyslexia (Major) or (Minor) Conditions granted by Divine Parses are always
during any attempts to Parse or use a Parse-based power Curse level Conditions, if they are even surviv-
will cause the Check to fail, and in a bad way. Something able. They will persist indefinitely barring some
will happen related to the intended Parse, however it is means of equal or greater power freeing the indi-
debatable how pleasant the experience is. vidual from this torment. To target someone with
this degree malicious intent requires all those
involved to risk their own lives. While you may
not even know what you had done, they were
willing to give up everything to make sure you
know their anger. Consider it a lasting reminder
that someone out there always has you on the
forefront of their mind, and feel special. Or not.
 195

Appendix e: Tables
In the following section you will find all of the assorted
tables that have been listed in the book condensed over
several pages. This is for your ease of access.
196 Table 2.1 Script Criteria Table 3.1: Image Scale
Each character that is present in the This is an area in which someone is both
Attendance story and extends the ever expanding unpractised and inexperienced. They have
narrative of their life gains one Script. Point
not put any effort in this field throughout
1
Each character that has learnt some- their life or they may simply be inept in
Growth thing new, or experienced character this area.
growth, gains one Script.
Your average Joe, someone capable of
Each character who commits heroic
Point performing in this area, though not excep-
feats of survival and persistence with
2 tionally talented. They are an individual
Heroism the intent of saving others or granting
who may only use this out of necessity.
others a few precious moments respite
gains one Script.
An individual who regularly exercises their
Each character who presents a plan or a skill in this area. They may have been born
Wisdom solution that drastically alters the fate of Point
with this talent, or had to improve this skill
the party gains one Script. 3
to survive in their daily life. They use this
Once per session, if the character Aspect almost every day.
Grave Failure achieves (or voluntarily opts for) a Grave
Failure, the character gains one Script.. One who has dedicated great time and
Point effort to practicing this skill and can call
Once a session, when a character 4 upon it with only the barest forethought. It
Critical achieves a Critical Success they may comes to them as easy as breathing.
Success gain a line of Script as recognition for
their outstanding actions.
An individual of rare skill and talent, honed
When a character achieves their Goals by years of study, and rarely found in the
to the satisfaction of the GM, they gain Point world. They would be something akin to
Achieving
a line of Script. After a goal is achieved, 5 a master and likely someone difficult to
Goals
it is a good idea to replace it with a new keep up within this area. They can rely on
relevant target. this skill without hesitation.
Awarded for the most memorable
moment of the session. This can be sug-

Quote
gested by players, but the final decision
is made by the GM.
Table 3.2: Aptitude Scale
When a character achieves this, they An unpractised individual with a
may gain a line of Script and a Quote. minimum of, or no, expertise in the
(See “Quotes” on page 44). Point 1 subject. Relying on their instinct, what
expertise they may show is down to little
Table 2.2 Script Expenditure more than guesswork.
Point 1 2 3 4 5 A novice, someone who has an interest
Point 2 in this field of work. They have learnt
Image 0 10 15 20 25 some skill through experimentation.
Aptitude 0 6 9 12 15 An individual who, through regular prac-
tice, has developed a knack for this area
Articulation 0 6 9 12 15 Point 3
of work. Typically this level of skill could
make the person a professional.
Tricks 2 4 6 8 10
Professionals who have devoted time
Coherency 6 Script (Must have GM approval) and effort developing these skills.
Aspect 6 Script (See “Aspects” on page 64) Point 4
Through long months of study and prac-
tice they have honed their knowledge.
Augments 3 Script (See “Aspects” on page 64)
If you spend a single point A true visionary of the field, one whose
Improving Deck of Script, you may add cards name is known and often revered among
Point 5
up to your Deck Size. the circles they’re in. Their talent is out-
standing, recognisable by sight alone.
Table 3.3: Crafting table Table 4.4: Coherency Chart 197
Level Modifier Successes
# Trigger for an Articulation Check Cards to Draw
Makeshift 0 14
Standard 1 28 10 Refusing to commit to Parse. 2
High quality 2 56
9 Failing a Parse. 2
Supernatural 3 112
8 Interrupting a Parse from
Unnatural 4 224 4
another group of Parselings.
Mythic 5 448
7 Achieving Articulation 3 or
4
higher.
Table 4.1: Improv Parse 6 Fabrication of a Parse tool. 3
Minimum
Articulation Max Parse Level
Successes
5 Obtaining a Word from
1 Moderate 7 3
an external source.
2 Major 14
4 Surviving an interaction with
3 Grand 21 3
an Incoherent.
4 Miraculous 28
Divine 35 3 Obtaining another person’s
5
Words. This must involve a 2
person’s death.
Table 4.2: Words Slots
2
Acting in a manner directly
Articulation Aspect Slots Augment Slots 2
opposite to your Aspects.

1 1 5
1
2 7 Losing an Aspect/Augment. 2
2
3 2 8
0 Condition: Your character
0
4 3 9 dies.

5 3 12 -1 As an Incoherent, you partake Articulation

in a Grand Parse.

Table 6.1: Dice Rolls -2 You ingest something that can

be considered an antonym to 2
Average Draw your Aspects.
#D6 Max Roll
Roll Equivalent
-3 You partake in a
Miraculous or Divine Parse.
1 - 6 2-3 Cards Articulation
OR
Your Incoherent character has
2 7 12 4-5 Cards not consumed anything repre-
senting their Concept in 24 hrs.
3 10- 11 18 5-6 Cards
-4 Your character has died again.
4 14 24 6-7 Cards 0
When you have reached this
Threshold, your character will
be rendered unplayable.
198 Checks
Page 46
Combat:
Page 50
Declare your character’s intent to the GM Potential + Insight + Finesse
Step 1:
and describe the steps they would take to Reveal the top card from your Deck and
Intent achieve their goals. Initiative add its value to your Initiative. Reshuffle
the revealed card, your Discard pile, and
The GM will offer what combination of Image Deck together.
Step 2: and Aptitude as appropriate.
Modifiers are applied accordingly. Highest Initiative - Group size
Modifiers
Success Threshold will be advised.
Group Every friendly player within your charac-
Initiative ter’s Speed can be considered part of a
Reveal cards up to the selected Image + group. The group’s new Initiative is:
Aptitude. This is your Draw.
(Perseverance + Insight + Finesse + Cunning) / 2
Spades for Intent (Intelligence, Insight) Defence Your ability to avoid getting hurt.
Clubs for Feats (Force, Finesse)
Step 3: Hearts for Conduct (Charm, Cunning)
Spend your turn to Dodge and reduce
Draw Diamonds for Push (Potential,
incoming damage.
Perseverance)
If insufficient cards are in the Deck, spend Make a Defence Check (Clubs). You may
Perseverance to reshuffle the Discard pile Dodge apply the Successes to anyone’s Defence,
into your Deck. as long as they are sharing your Group
Initiative.
Look for cards of the correct suit. Add Suc-
cesses as appropriate.
Spend your turn (a few seconds) to reshuf-
Step 4: Card value <= Draw, add full value Card Recom- fle your Discard pile back
Counting value > Draw, add 1 Success pose into your Deck.
If enough Successes gained, ignore the fol-
lowing step. Force + Finesse
Speed How far your character can move in a turn.
Potential: If you have a Diamond card Measured in meters/3s
revealed, spend 1 Potential and Remove one
of the cards drawn. For this turn, treat the When successfully attacked, send
Removed card as if it had the correct suit. cards from the top of your Deck into the
Compromise: Take a Condition as additional Wounds pile.
Step 5: If there are insufficient cards to do
Successes. The GM will develop one as the
Changes situation requires. so, reshuffle your Discard pile into the
Deck and resume sending cards into the
Jokers: 5 Successes Wounds pile. Spend a point of Perse-
Kings: 3 Successes Damage verance or automatically lose your next
Queens: 2 Successes Calculation turn.
Jacks: 1 Success
If there are less than 4 cards remain-
GM resolves Check, If enough Successes are ing in your Deck and Discard, take a
garnered, the Check succeeds. Health Damage. Reshuffle your Wound,
Step 6: Removed, and Discard piles into your
Critical Success: 3x Success Threshold, or
Calcula- all cards are the same correct suit. Deck. Send the top card into the Health
tions Critical failure: 3 + cards drawn, all incor-
Damage pile.
rect suits.
If the number of cards in your Character’s
Death Health Damage pile exceeds their Health,
At the end of the Check, assign all cards they die.
revealed to their correct piles.
Step 7:
Numbered, Joker, and Queen cards revealed
Reset are sent to the Discard pile.
Jacks are sent to the Removed pile.
Kings are shuffled back into your Deck.
Parses
Page 68
Parse Levels
Page 66
199
You touch another Parseling and request to Level Description
Step 1:
Parse. You must have at least one partner.
Contact Time slows to a crawl. You could do this with your own hands, if
you cared to try it.
Decide on what you want the Parse to do Minor
and discuss how you would achieve such (3) Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 1 card
an effect. From the Parselings involved. to the Removed pile and gains the Condition
Select the Aspect. This is what will be Dyslexia (Minor)
Step 2: changed or altered in the Parse.
Brainstorm Select Augment(s). This is how the You’d normally need tools or a bit of help
Aspect will be changed. to do something like this.
Moderate
Unless otherwise indicated, one Word is On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends
(7) 2 cards to the Removed pile and gains the
needed from each person involved.
Condition Dyslexia (Minor)
GM will define the type of Parse and how its
affects can be achieved. You’d maybe need heavy machinery or a
Emissions (Spades): To attempt to couple days of work to complete an effect
create the Aspect out of nothing. like this.
Major
Step 3: Embodiment (Clubs): To attempt to alter
(14)
the Aspect within yourself. On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 4
Definitions
cards to the Removed pile and gains Con-
Enchantment(Hearts): To attempt to dition Dyslexia (Minor)
alter the Aspect in something external.
Each Parseling involved must spend a Syl-
This task would have taken you months or a
lable before proceeding to the next step.
series of specialised tools to do.
Grand
Step 4: GM will advise on varying Parse Levels (21) On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 1
Parse required to achieve different grades of cards to the Health Damage pile and gains
Level effects. Select one before moving on. the Condition Dyslexia (Major) for 1 hour

You could never have achieved this on your

The Parseling contributing the Aspect to the
own, or even in a small group. This would
Parse reveals cards equal to relevant Parsing
have taken a year or more to achieve. You
Step 5: Aptitude + number of Augments used. Miraculous will need to make a Coherency Check.
Check The Parseling(s) contributing the Augment to (28)
On Failure: Each Parseling involved sends 2
the Parse reveals 2 cards for each Word they
cards to the Health Damage pile and gains
added to the Parse.
the Condition Dyslexia (Major) for 1 day.
Treat the total number of cards revealed
You’ve pretty much stepped into the realm of
between all players as the Draw.
gods. You’ve bent the world’s laws in unfore-
Step 6: Look for cards of the correct suit. Add Suc- seen ways. Lose 1 Coherency on attempting
Counting cesses as appropriate. this kind of Parse.
Card value <= Draw, add full value Card Divine
value > Draw, add 1 Success (35) On Failure: The Aspect holder of the Parse
will die, and a total of 6 cards must be sent
Failure: Each individual Parse Level has its to the Health Damage piles among the sur-
own failure effects. viving Parselings. Each Parseling will lose an
additional Coherency.
Grave Failure: The Parse works, but not in
Step 7: the way you intended it to.
Resolution Success: The Parse succeeds
Run-On (Triple the target Successes or all
cards revealed are of the same suit): The
Parse is now a Miraculous or Divine Parse.
200 Lillian wakes up with a gasp, heart beating heavy in her
chest. It takes a moment for her to realize that she’s at
“I’m fine now,” she assures him, though fine is solely in
the physical sense. Her mind whirls with the memories of
home, rather than the hospital. Sylvia’s curled up next to yesterday, the funeral, the conversation, the desperation.
her like she has been most days, and it just feels so normal “Are you?”
Epilogue: Lillian
that Lillian can’t help but wonder if it was just a bad dream.
He laughs, though it’s a touch bitter. “Honestly? My lungs
A nightmare, and Augustine’s funeral is actually today; she
haven’t felt better in years.”
was just so tied up in knots about it that her brain gave
her that to chew on. “An Incoherent of Malaise…” Lillian looks into her mug.
“… What about Auggie’s burial?”
A gentle rap at the door breaks her reverie. “Come in?”
her tongue is clumsy around the words like there’s a moth- “It was taken care of,” Sylvia mumbles, propping herself
ball in her mouth. up with one arm and using the other to rub the sleep from
her eyes. “It’s morning?”
“Morning, Lily,” Sven says, balancing a tray with one hand
as he opens the door. “How are you feeling?” Lillian wordlessly passes a mug over, taking comfort in
the way Sylvia leans into her. Sven’s gaze skips over them,
She wants to say, “Terrible,” at first, remembering the
observant ever since Sylvia started sleeping over. “I’m going
coughs and the blood. But then she pauses, hand going
to make breakfast,” he says so Lillian knows that he’s not
up to her throat. “I… feel fine,” she says in disbelief. “Com-
judging, though he takes the tray and his mug and leaves
pletely fine.” It had to have been a nightmare.
the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Sven sets the tray down on her nightstand, handing
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay?” Sylvia asks once
her a mug of tea. She takes it, sipping it cautiously. “Does
the door clicks shut. “Your uncle—”
Sylvia like tea?” he asks, gesturing at the other mug on
the tray. “Nevermind. Last night the news said that the “It’s fine.” Lillian rushes to say. “He would have said some-
Corps managed to take care of the Incoherent,” he says. thing if it wasn’t okay.”
“Oh.” So it wasn’t a dream. Lillian swallows her tea, ignor- Sylvia smiles, but it’s forced. “If you say so.”
ing the way it scalds down her throat. “She called herself
“I do,” Lillian says far more firmly than she feels. “He’s
Malaise.”
always careful like that. And since… since Augustine died,
“Yeah.” He massages his forehead, lack of sleep evident he’s being more careful.” She looks down at her hands,
in the bags under his eyes. “The bad news is — new Inco- the heat of the tea warming her entire body. “Especially
herent. The good news is that everyone recovered after because you’re here.”
she was taken away. Though… I was getting worried about
“Oh.” Sylvia relaxes next to her, sitting up more so she
how long you were asleep. Sylvia too.”
can lean against Lillian properly. “Okay.”
 Lillian loses track of how long they stay in her bed, sipping
tea and talking about nothing. Sylvia’s grief hangs in the air
Lillian swallows, but before she can figure out what to
say there’s a gentle rap on wood and they jerk around to see
201
like condensation on the windowpane, but Lillian doesn’t Sven standing awkwardly at the door. “Breakfast is ready,”
mind it. She misses Augustine too, but not with the same he coughs. “I called but you two didn’t hear me, it seems.”
intensity. It’s enough that she understands. If anything,
“Oh.” Lillian’s can feel herself blushing, but she doesn’t

Epilogue: Lillian
she’s glad that she can be a shoulder for Sylvia to cry on.
let go of Sylvia’s hands. “Um. Sorry.”
Eventually, Sylvia reaches over to plunk the mug down
“We’ll be right down, Uncle Sven.” Sylvia chirps, not releas-
on the nightstand, fisting the blankets. “Augustine was
ing her grip either.
murdered,” she says. “And we have a lead now. Malaise
— whoever she was before she became an Incoherent.” Sven’s startles at that, putting up one finger as if to argue,
but instead ends up massaging his forehead. “Not another
“Marley O’Neal.”
one,” he mumbles, utterly blindsided. “No.”
“What?” Sylvia looks up sharply.
“Is there a problem, Uncle?” Lillian asks.
“That was her name. Her and her dad ran a repair shop
He opens his mouth, eyes darting between the both
about five minutes away.”
of them. Closes his mouth. Opens his mouth again. This
“Oh.” Sylvia takes in a shaky breath, words spilling out process repeats several times in the longest display of
of her mouth like a broken faucet. “Okay. That’s a start. being utterly flabbergasted Lillian has ever seen from him
She called whatever covered his words ‘Parseacea’ right? until he just backs out of the room. “For what it’s worth,
I bet Tenor will know something. Maybe she—” I’ll help too. Can’t let Lily get in trouble,” is all they hear.
“Breakfast is getting cold!”
Lillian sets down her own mug to take Sylvia’s hands
in hers. “Slow down,” she says. “We’ll get there, Sylvie, I As his footsteps recede into the kitchen, Lillian and Sylvia
promise. We’ll find out what happened. Breathe.” glance at each other, bursting into giggles at the same
time. “We should go,” Lillian gasps in between laughter.
Sylvia hiccups, tears soaking into Lillian’s shirt as they
hold each other, Lillian running her knuckles down Sylvia’s Sylvia giggles even harder, leaning into Lillian’s chest.
spine like she remembers Sven doing when she was like “His expression!”
this. It all comes out, Sylvia talking between sobs and gasps.
Lillian can’t help but snort, remembering how cross-eyes
How Augustine had been working on something big, how he’d
he’d gotten in that moment. But she gets out of bed, gently
stopped seeing his work as good. How meeting Lillian made
tugging Sylvia with her. “You heard him though, Sylvie. Both
him remember other dreams he’d had, once. “I think when
of us will help you. We’ll find out who did this, I promise.”
he left the Corps, whoever killed him — they saw it as the
perfect chance since he didn’t have protection anymore,” Smiling now, Sylvia nods. “I know.” She reaches up to tuck
Sylvia sniffles. “He was going to — to see if he could work a strand of hair behind Lillian’s ear. Lillian’s breath catches
directly with the community. Like a youth leader.” in her throat as Sylvia pauses on her tiptoes, leaning close
to her face. Close enough to kiss.
It’s too easy to envision. Augustine eschewing the Corps
to help one of the community outreach programs instead. “Is something on my face?” Lillian chokes out after at
He was always a good listener, and had good advice. least twenty seconds of feeling like her heart is going to
jump out of her chest.
“We’ll find out what happened.” Lillian gently squeezes
Sylvia. “I promise. You won’t be alone in this.” Sylvia blinks. “… You have a word in your hair. Was that
there before?”
“It’ll be dangerous,” Sylvia looks up from Lillian’s shirt,
and even without her makeup and snot and tears running “What?” Lillian glances over at the mirror, Sylvia holding
down her face, Lillian aches with how much she wants to her hair in place and ‘Oath’ peeks from above her ear,
kiss her. “These people, whoever they are — they have right where Sylvia had tucked her hair. “… No. It’s new.
something that targets Parselings.” Definitely new.”
“I know.” Lillian says, her voice echoing in her mind like “Oh.” Sylvia peers at it some more before she leans back
singing in an old Gothic church, an unbreakable bell. “But down. “Well, I guess your Parsecyte is agreeing with your
you — mean so much to me, Sylvie. So I’ll be there with you promises too.” She grins brightly, rocking back on her heels
every step of the way no matter what. I won’t lose another before she surges upwards, kissing Lillian on the cheek,
person I care about. I promise.” close to her new word. “Thank you, Lily.”
The word hangs heavy in the air between them, Sylvia “Yeah — I — Of course — ” Lillian is left slack-jawed just
blinking her tears away. “Thank you,” she says. “Thank as Sven had been not five minutes ago. Sylvia laughs,
you, Lily.” giddy and glad, knowing that she’s not alone, and pulls her
through the open door.
“I love you.”
202 “There’s been a sighting.” Adrian tells her, his eyes not
drifting, struggling to stay focused. Little things have
The lethargic researcher rubs her forehead as she sinks
down into one of the couches of the break room, looking
changed about him, more grey hairs, but none of that at the body of the report. A hospital in SuZhou, reporting
really matters, not here, not now. “She’s getting stronger, that someone had come in looking to be hired as an EMT,
Epilogue: Xin Yi
Xin Yi. Much stronger.” with papers listing qualifications and work history. As the
newcomer waited within the waiting room, people seemed
Xin Yi looks at the report in his hands for a long moment
to find their own symptoms taking a turn for the worse. It
before pushing it away. “I’ll look at it later.” She says, the lie
had been bearable until the jobseeker, later confirmed to
slipping from her lips just as easily as Marley had slipped
be Malaise, came into physical contact with a patient with
out of their lives. Adrian nods, leaving it on her table before
severe facial edema. The abscess drained almost immedi-
walking away.
ately and many other patients rapidly developed swellings
She stares at her work screen uselessly for several throughout their body. Thankfully law enforcement came
minutes before sighing and swiping the folder. “I’m going in time to deal with her, though Malaise had simply ended
on break.” She calls to the team, various voices murmur up being driven away rather than being taken anyone
their assent. On the way to the break room, Xin Yi flips managing to take her into custody.
through the report — not the first, and likely not the last
Any guilt that Xin Yi feels is buried like her past, bones
for a long time.
hidden away and out of sight, along with her mother’s
Case #28789, Malaise. Formerly Marley O’Neal of Nominal nagging emails and her grandparents’ concerned calls
City. The picture of her in the file is from when she had asking when she’s coming home.
been taken in by Accidence Corps, before she had escaped,
The report continues with an updated list of effects
her word branded right over her spine.
Malaise has demonstrated to have spread, with gastroin-
It left Xin Yi at a loss, hearing the news at the time. That testinal bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy at the top. At
week had been spent working with Tenor to get the samples the very least, the casualties and injuries list is never very
back; Accidence Corps was nearly on the verge of another long, if present at all. As long as Malaise leaves an area,
quiet turf war with the Mono Movement. Luckily, someone her sickly aura quickly dissipates, allowing her victims an
had managed to locate and stealthily retrieve the team’s instantaneous recovery. Even more fascinatingly, symptoms
research. Now with the Mono Movement having withdrawn of any preexisting disease or condition might be alleviated
their previous funding, there’s an uneasy tension in the lab simultaneously. Completely erased, if Malaise manages to
now. New intensive security checks, extra cameras and get her hands on them.
all manner of thorough anti-theft lab protocols. In some
Progress at the cost of pain. It’s a morbid, sobering
ways, it’s as hush-hush and exciting as what she’d imagined
thought whenever Xin Yi recalls the chest tightness and
the fabled Divine Lingua project was like. In other ways,
breathlessness she had fought in order to open Malaise’s
she wishes that there had been another reason for the
cell. She hasn’t gotten as much as a sneeze from her dust
strengthened security. To top it all off,there was an outcry
allergy ever since.
about a new Incoherent being discovered.
“‘Dr. Jiang?” someone says. Xin Yi looks over to the water
Xin Yi had visited the address listed as Marley’s res-
cooler where some of her team have gathered without her
idence after that. Found Marley’s phone, battery dead.
noticing. “Uh, we’re going out for drinks tonight? And were
When it was powered up, the screen lit up with hundreds
wondering if you’d like to join.”
of notifications, not a single message read, not a single
voicemail listened to. “Sorry, I have plans,” she replies. Even if said plans are
tending to her cats and eating ice cream.
In some ways, Marley becoming Malaise was a merci-
ful… end to the whole situation. Without her, the work They nod, drifting off. Sometimes, Xin Yi considers taking
on Parseacea had been stalled for a long while. At least them up on the offer, but even though it’s been years it’s
until they could find someone with a similar word. Marley still hard to look at Bar-bel. A reminder. Echoes of who
wouldn’t have to deal with the inter-organization politics Malaise once was are everywhere, even though Xin Yi had
of Tenor, Accidence, Mono, and even Bolt fighting over the long replaced the green lights with normal ones and the lab
research. Not to mention the discussion of making Malaise was filled with the chatter of completely different voices
the first Incoherent test subject of the ‘miracle drug’. Xin Yi every day. They’re still working on making new samples,
had stepped in then, but now there was a full team working but she’s been putting that off until they can refine this
on the subject. The lab was filled with hours and hours of current batch as best as they can.
arguing about the ethics and possible usage of it. Marley
would have hated it.
Malaise had broken out shortly after. Some fingers
pointed at Xin Yi , but she had an airtight alibi and appar-
ently no motive. After all, why would someone researching
a way to stop Incoherents want to release one?
 Xin Yi wasn’t this sentimental before. The transfer to
the Academy had been a calculated decision to move on
203
from her past and to a place that she could live the way
she wanted without worrying about her family catching up
to her. She was finally who she wanted to be, and anything

Epilogue: Xin Yi
that could hold her back swept out the front door. It was
progress. Her paying more attention to the retrieval of the
samples instead of Marley, too — for the sake of progress.
When everything happened, they asked her if she’d sus-
pected anything about Marley’s descent. Plainly, the answer
had been, “No.” Beyond work, Xin Yi hadn’t been too inter-
ested in Marley O’Neal. But hindsight is twenty-twenty, and
now she looks back where she didn’t before, wondering if
things were different if she’d tried to be more of a friend
outside the workplace. But now they’d never know.
The report on the latest Malaise sighting ends up in a
drawer with the rest of the ones she’s received.
After that, Dr. Jiang resumes work. Parseacea, so far, has
only been able to prevent the emergence of Incoherents
in a small number of cases. However, her current goals
are to see if it can be developed to revert someone who
has already become one. Perhaps… perhaps that will be
enough penance for being too focused on the future to
realize the person present that needed her more.

 204 In a village in Mongolia, a stranger wanders in during She ignores the screaming, walking through the town
the night. No one notices, at first, sleeping quietly in their step by step, breathing the unease deep into her lungs.
beds. Even when they wake up, they don’t notice, mothers Their pain is a sign of progress, just as hers was. She finds
Epilogue: Malaise
too worried for their wailing children, sons trying to help herself opening her mouth, mimicking her memory of
their elderly, ailing parents whose afflictions of age burden laughter as no sound comes out, but sickness drips from
them. The fever that swept through town earlier that week her lips, falling on dirt. It goes white, like someone had
overheats them all to the point of a boiling, roiling panic, poured bleach on it, and then a rich brown. Fertile. Fertile
which gets compounded with new symptoms manifesting and healthy enough that a seed that had been long forgot-
from nowhere. ten by a squirrel sprouts up, budding its leaves to the sun.
Some call three in the morning “the witching hour”, on Perhaps that woman would appreciate it, Malaise
account of it being when the devil apparently has most thinks, recalling a memory from a lifetime ago. The one
power. But it’s not a witch that worsens the people, just with ‘Blossom’. The thought flickers away like a bird, and
Malaise, drawn by the inexplicable hunger she has now. her mind becomes blank again of anything but the urge
No food or water can help it. But the suffering and agony to devour their sickness. Malaise walks on, a plague. A
and discomfort caused by diseases makes this village a scourge. A new beginning.
wonderful banquet.
From hospitals to rehab centres, anywhere which malaise
is present sings to her. The hunger is solely to help them.
To make them better. That was clear when she first broke
out of a place she was held long, long ago. Lately, that wish
has faded along with her cognition. Malaise isn’t female.
Maybe she was, once. But her past has been eroded by
time, just like her wish.
Whoever she was before does not matter. Nothing
matters, not even those that try to stop her. After all, who
can stop Malaise? They’ll just fall, just like Prince Prospero.
Acknowledgements 205
Created/Illustrated by
Leo Cheung aka BlueTwoDays
Extra Special mentions
Publisher Flail Forward Podcast
Sean Fallon head of Smunchy Games. Rob Randolph, Creator of Ashes of the Magi
Kavoir, the Probability Witch
Writing
Leo Cheung (A name so nice, I listed it twice) Early Play test groups:
Wendy Feng (I’d be lost without her) Avarice (Blind Trials 1)
Claire Lindeboom the Wisecraking Writer Kareem Abdol Hamid
Hieu-Hanh Nguyen, Short Stories in Hearse Yusef Abdol- Hamid
Mitchell Salmon, for their editing Dominique Fagundez- Brindle the Milkman
Brianna Miller the Bubble Gremlin
Help in other areas; Victoria Miller
My Parents, for their love and Support. Chance Noll the Purple one
Starshine. aka Dr. E Starshine Jordan O’Neil Wilson
Harrison Burr the Video Consultant god
LlamaDoodle the Musical Meister The Forgotten (The Podcast)
Ta’Neal Chandler Voiced Alice Ian Lawrence
Nick Chang `Voiced Shiloh Kristian Chen
Azukayle Voiced the Narrator Danielle De Lisle
PrayForMercy & MutedMirth for Discord Support Victor Escamilla
Akira Leong as Short Story Proof Reader Nathan Webb

Breakout Crew:
ALPHA Group Clarence “AzungKalye” Nacional
The Brain Tank (Ground Zero) James Bayley the Pedantic one
Henan Chen the Willing Test Subject Jefferson “Excabluir” Duan, (not a typo)
Everett Frank the Game Design Gremlin Mandy “Fish” Bo, Anyway Here’s Wonderwall
Justin Pavao the Rule Cruncher Quentin “Hiro” Harris
Jennifer Reuter the Art Confidant Yuki “Chuudles” Okamura-Wong
Simon ‘Bram’ Sterrett the Chaos Jester
Auros Aggregation:
Kirrw
Viktor Love the Herald of Chaos
Anne Rogers The Angst Enthusiast
Pann Sess the Shibiest Sheep

Chalice
Zenturion the Scrub Donnague
Apwap
Kai Wanless The easily distra-
Zoe Keidong

No Man’s Land
Corvin the Trash Gremlin
HauntedScythe the Loop Hole Dexdevil
Sune Kragelund the Cynical Pragmatist
Benjamin “Asapheon” Stöhr the Trick Guy
206 A
Aptitudes 05, 38
Conditions 45, 97, 186–190
Addiction 186
I
Image 06, 17, 36–37
Conduct Allergic Reaction 189 Conduct
Acting 41 Amnesia 186 Charm 37
Animals 41 Bad odour 191 Cunning 37
Index

Empathy 41 Blinded 188 Feats

Etiquette 41 Chilled 189 Finesse 37
Manipulation 41 Concussion 189 Force 37
Rumours 41 Confusion/Misinformed 187 Intent
Feats Debts (Major) 190 Insight 37
Athletics 40 Diseased 188 Intelligence 37
Larceny 40 Disfigurement 190 Push
Melee 40 Dyslexia 192 Perseverance 07
Ranged 40 Exhaustion/ Sleep Deprivation Potential 06, 37
Ride 40 187 Incoherency 73–75, 195–197
Stealth 40 Fracture 189 Transformation 75
Intent Aptitudes Hallucinations (major) 186 Trick Tree. See Trick Tree:
Crafting 39 Incoherency 192 Incoherency
Medic 39 Kings 45 Incoherents 03, 73, 130–131, 195
Memory 39 Missing Limbs 188 Core 05, 73, 195
Perception 39 Mute 188 Initiative 43, 50. See Combat: Turn
Research 39 Parse Afflicted 192 Order
Technology 39 Phobia 187
Articulation 05, 70
Aspects 05, 64
Poisoning 189
PTSD 186
L
Lingua 03, 06, 136–137
Augments 05, 64 Queens 45
Starstruck/Infatuation 191
C Startled 191 O
Stolen Identity 190 Overburdened. See Carry
Carry 43
Unrealistic Expectations 187
Overburdened 43
Challenges 05, 19, 44, 184–191
Unrequited Love 190
Unwanted Attention 190
P
Character Creation 14–21 Paragraph 06, 76–79, 134–135
Wavering Fealty/Faith 190
Checks 05, 46–47, 175–182 Collapse 76
Crafting 49
Compromise 05, 47 Conclusion 76
Custom Abilities 109–111
Critical Success 05, 47 Formation 77
Dodge 180 Maintenance 76
Draw 05, 46 D Parse 03, 06
Extended 46 Deck 05, 42 Alternative Parse Rules
Grave Failure 06, 47 Deck Size 43 Improv Parsing 70
Initiative 176 Defence 05, 43 No Confidence 70
Modifiers 06, 46 Derived Stats 43 Parse Book 70
Potential 06 Discard 05, 42 Shorthand Parse 70
Reading a Check 98 Dyslexia 64, 102, 192 Dyslexia 05, 64, 102
Recompose 07 Parse Aptitude 06, 19, 67
Reflexive 46
Simple 46
E Embodiment 06, 67
Emission 06, 67
Equipment 06, 52
Success 47 Enchantment 06, 67
Equipment Levels 52
Success Thresholds 46, 99 Parse Creation 68–69
Weight 52
Teamwork 46 Parse Levels 06, 66, 104–108
Coherency 05, 72–73 Divine 66, 107
Coherency Chart 73, 195 G Grand 66, 105
Coherency Checks 05, 72 Goals 15, 22, 194 Major 66, 105
Combat 50–51 Minor 66, 104
Attacking 50
Defence 51
H Miraculous 66, 106
Moderate 66, 104
Health 42–43, 51
Dodge 51 Run-On 07
Health Damage 06, 42, 51
Turn Order 50
Wounds 07, 42, 51
 Parse Senses
Parse Detection 71
Connections 152
Creatures of Habit 152
Trick Tree 159–165
Amplifier
207
Parse Reading 71 Cross Examination 152 Extension 159
Parse Resistance 71 Determination 147 Imbue 159
Run-On 69 Double Jointed 150 Named Artefact 159

Index
Parsecytes 02, 06, 121–122 Equilibrium 156 Expression
Parselings 03, 06, 124–127 Erudite 156 Exalted 160
Perseverance (Resource) 18, 43 Establishment 148 Review 160
Potential (Resource) 18, 43 Fame 152 Surface 160
Feline’s Grace 150 Incoherency
Q First Impression 152
Fleet of Foot 150
Correlation 75, 164
Pinnacle 75, 164
Quick NPCs 100–101
Focus 148 Singularity 75, 164
Quotes 07, 44, 96
Fortress of the Mind 156 Messenger
Forward Thinking 155 Projection 161
R Fouci 156 Syntax 161
Recompose 07, 46, 176 Giant 150 Whispers 161
Recovery 49 Gossip 152 Paragraph
Removed 07, 42 Habitual Driver 150 Conduit 164
Holistic Treatment 148 Defined 164
S Illegible 156
Infamy 152
Paraphrase 78, 165
Rapport 78, 165
Scars 45, 97
Inspiring 155 Repetition 78, 165
Scenes 07, 48
Interpretations 156 Routine 78, 165
Downtime 48–49, 94
Jack of All Trades 155 Stabilization 164
Travelling 48
Jury-Rigger 148 Translation 78, 165
High Intensity 48, 94
Language 155 Parse-Afflicted
Low Intensity 48, 94
Legacy 158 Derivative 162
Script 07, 19, 22, 96
Lens 156 Misprint 162
Gaining Script 22
Many Faced 154 Paraphrase 162
Goals 15, 22, 194
Martial Arts 151 Source 162
Milestones 96
Natural Talent 151 Pidgin
Script Expenditure 22
Nerves of Steel 147 Complimentary 163
Session Zero 90
Oddball 154 Conjugation 163
Speed 07, 43, 53
Osmosis 158 Reciprocal 163
Success 07, 99
Perceptive 149 Synonymous 163
Suit 07
Perfect Recall 149
Suppress 45
Syllable 07, 19, 64
Plagiarism 158
Prediction 149
V
Value 07
Preparation 149
T Public Speaker 154
Vehicles 53
Armour 52
Terminology 05 Puns 158
Integrity 52
Tricks 19, 145–158 Quick Draw 155
Properties 52
Ace: Double or Nothing 146 Reduction 155
Speed 52
Ace: Handyman 146 Riffle 151
Vent 07, 45
Ace: High 146 Robust Body 151
Ace: Repetition 146 Silver Tongue 154
Ace: Second Thoughts 146 Skim Reading 149 W
Ace: Untapped Potential 146 Specialization 155 Weapons 54
Ace: Up your Sleeve 146 Split Focus 147 Ammo Capacity 54
Adrenaline Surge 147 Steady Aim 151 Properties 54
Alias 152 Sticky Fingers 151 Range 54
Alluring Aura 152 Striking Looks 154 Words 07, 16, 26
Animal Lover 152 Tech Savvy 149 Ad Lib 16
Attentive 150 Training 155 Ten/Twenty 16
Chromastained 156 Trustworthy 154 Word Pool 16, 27
Close and Personal 150 Vitality 151 Wounds. See Combat: Turn Order
Cold Reading 152 Wall Flower 151
Confidence 147 Wingman 154