Tonight Must Go Nothing Wrong: A Dark Shadows RPG
Welcome to Collinsport!
The most prominent family of the town of Collinsport, Maine is-- and has always been-- the Collins family. They own the Collins fleet of fishing boats, they own the cannery, they own a very, very, very large amount of land sitting above the town, and a huge mansion, and for all practical purposes, their influence is so great they practically own the town itself.
But there's something strange about Collinsport.
There's something even more strange about the huge Collinsport estate.
There's something especially strange about the Collinwood mansion itself.
Some say the strangest thing is the Collins family itself.
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Before we jump into Character Creation, let's get the rules straight:
ROLLING DICE:
--In this game, you do challenging stuff by rolling six-sided dice.
--What you're good at are called Skills. They are grouped by Traits.
--To try to do something you have no Trait nor Skill for: roll 1d6. A 5 or 6 is a success.
--To try to do something you have a Trait for, but not a specific skill: roll 2d6. If ANY of your dice come up 5 or 6, it's a success.
--To try to do something you have a Trait AND a specific Skill for: roll 3d6. If ANY of your dice come up 5 or 6, it's is a success.
Rolling 2 or more dice and getting ONLY 1s is a Critical Blunder, and might cause more trouble for you than usual.
Got that?
NEXT: STRESS AND HAVENS:
Okay, now we have to talk about Stress. There are two kinds: Emotional Stress, and Physical Stress.
Each character starts with their Emotional Stress Threshold at 6 (out of 6).
Every time you fail a roll, if one of the dice was a 1, you take 1 Emotional Stress.
Every time someone or something else rolls to do something that would stress you out if they succeeded, if they succeed in their roll, and one of their dice was a 6, you take 1 Emotional Stress.
In this way, your stress can go down from 6, to 5, to 4, to 3, to 2, to 1.
If it drops below 1, you drop to being at 6 (out of 6) on your Physical Health Threshold. It's now possible for characters to succeed in PHYSICALLY harming you.
You just can't take physical damage while you have any points left in your Emotional Stress Threshold (but someone trying can stress you out emotionally!).
If someone tries to just shoot you at point-blank range while you have any points left in your Emotional Stress Threshold, they miss, or something (very possibly you) interrupts them before they can do it. Usually, though, they just don't even try, because it's always better to toy with your prey before you try to kill it.
Again, I can't stress this enough: no one can ever (successfully) do anything to PHYSICALLY harm another character physically unless their Emotional Stress Threshold is fully depleted. But once they do, watch out!
HAVENS:
Everyone has a Room, a place where they sleep at night (or can hide, if they don't need to sleep exactly). That Room is their Haven. They can always go back there and regain 4 points of Stress Threshold, and half their maximum Fate points (rounded up) by resting there for several hours.
...Which means I have to explain about Fate Points.
Every character starts with 4 Fate Points. Fate Points can be used to add a die to a roll (or two dice, if you spend 2 Fate Points, and so on).
Also, any character rolling using an Occulting or Monstering skill has to spend a Fate Point first (even if the roll fails). Otherwise, they can't roll to use that skill (until they get more Fate Points).
Certain things can make a character's Haven unsafe-- when they realize that's happened, then they have to go get a new one (until whatever threat is making it unsafe has been dealt with, at least). Sometimes that can be done by registering at The Collinsport Inn (or switching rooms, if that's where your Haven already was) and not telling anyone. Sometimes it's harder than that.
One can have more than one Haven at a time, but you only start with one. (It's a good idea to have at least one backup, if you can get one!)
Two characters can share a Haven... but even if another character gives you permission to use their Haven to rest in, that doesn't guarantee that your rest there will be as uninterrupted as it would likely be in a Haven of your own...!
(Finding a new Haven would probably use the solving puzzles skill, although I can also see the concealing something skill working, because the "something" would be you-- I can also see the premonitioning skill working-- if it worked, you'd just get a feeling that X spot would make a safe place for you to rest...)
I TOLD YOU ALL THAT IN ORDER TO TELL YOU THIS:
--When you rest for several hours in your Haven, your Stress Threshold goes up by 4 points (maximum of 6)-- IF you haven't also taken any physical damage.
--Once your Physical Stress Threshold has dropped BELOW 6 (5 or less), you need medical attention in order to raise your Stress Threshold again.
OKAY SO NOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT:
Once a character is able to try to do a physical attack on another, whether with magic, a weapon, sabotage, or strangulation, if the attack roll succeeds, the attacked player rolls 1d6. Whatever the result is, that's how much Physical Damage they take-- ALTHOUGH the attacked person can spend a Fate Point, if they have any, to re-roll that die roll.
If a person's Physical Stress Threshold ever drops below 1, they will fall to the ground. They will look dead.
HOWEVER, any character can roll to examine your body-- this will probably be a Medicine/Sciencing roll. (If the body took Physical Damage from some sort of supernatural attack, the PC may roll to examine the body with an Occult trait or skill instead.) If they roll successfully, they get to say if the body is really dead or not. If they say it's not, then prompt medical attention can raise that person's Physical Stress Threshold back up to 1.
If they roll UNsuccessfully, the GM gets to decide if the person is really dead or not. The GM will base this on what would be the most dramatic result.
Okay, got all that?
But before we get to Traits and Skills, let's talk about Character Types:
CHARACTER CREATION:
STEP ONE: CHARACTER TYPE.
--Every character gets a Character Type. The Character Types are:
Criminal//Minion: You seem like a normal person, but you're actually a criminal: robbery, arson, hitting people in the head from behind and mugging them // OR, you seem like a normal person, but you actually work for someone else who's at least as shady as you are: you do things for them like moving and guarding coffins, grave-robbing, providing alibis...
Everyman (Everywoman/Everyperson): You actually are an ordinary person, who will soon be facing extraordinary circumstances. (Subset: Innocent: You are a normal person-- except in one way-- you are, definitely more than the average person, a virtuous, good, kind, and pure-- a person of inspiring virtue.
Ne'er-Do-Well: While not a professional criminal (not yet, anyway), you are a restless wanderer who lives by their wits-- maybe a dilettante, maybe not, but certainly a free spirit who sometimes flouts conventional morality. Definitely not an Innocent-- though you may or not pretend to be more innocent than you really are.
Mad Scientist: You're a scientist of some sort (may include medical science, or maybe not as such). But you are also capable of feats of science that other people might say is impossible. How weird your science is going to get is up to you.
Occultist: One who knows stuff about the occult, AND/OR someone who has some paranormal abilities-- not that you're a monster or anything. (Not YET, anyway.) (Subset-- you may or may not specifically choose to be a Monster Hunter-- one who's always on the lookout for powerful paranormal people/beings/creatures.)
So, first-- PICK A CHARACTER TYPE.
STEP TWO: EVERYONE GETS A SECRET.
You have a (at least one) Big Secret:
Sample secrets:
--You are actually a werewolf (also note: werewolves are NEVER in control of their transformations nor of what they do or don't do while they are transformed).
--You are a member of a sinister dark brotherhood (or sisterhood, or some sort of dark co-ed thing [there is a mysterious sinister {co-ed} cult in Dark Shadows called The Leviathans. I'll tell you more if you want to be one]).
--You are planning to kill someone in Collinsport (maybe a family member, maybe not).
--You have a shameful secret in your background-- although people think you are respectable, you used to be insane/a criminal/a murderer/other
--You are secretly a servant or thrall to some supernatural being (maybe against your will, maybe not)
--One of your parents was-- or became-- or still is-- a supernatural creature
--You believe you are, or might be, going insane.
--You actually are dangerously insane.
--You actually have tried to kill someone recently... even though you did not succeed, there is a way that someone might figure out it was you (some piece of evidence you don't currently possess, perhaps).
--Everyone thinks they know who you are, but you are actually someone else's spirit possessing the body you are inhabiting.
--You are aware of a terrible prediction of disaster, a fearful prophecy that may come true-- especially if you tell the wrong person about it.
--You are actually from another time and/or immortal. *
--You are being blackmailed (which implies ANOTHER secret, but sometimes people pay blackmail money based on a lie that they're afraid people would believe if the lie got spread around) *
--You are madly in love with someone else, but for one or more reasons, no one must find out. *
--You are the one person who could somehow destroy someone else if you aren't careful, and you are desperately trying to protect them by keeping their secret from coming out-- but it's hard *
--You were raised an orphan, but you think you might actually be a bastard member of the Collins family, and you've come here to find out if that's true. *
--Etc.
* = Many of the above secrets wouldn't fit an Innocent, but the ones marked with an asterisk would.
STEP THREE: SKILLS
Okay you've got your Character Type and you've cleared your Secret with the GM? Step Three is Skills.
These are the Traits (left) and Skills (out to the right) for each Trait:
--Thinking: detecting, solving puzzles, researching, medicine/sciencing
--Fighting: up-close combat with weapons, punching (unarmed combat), shooting
--Sneaking: escaping, concealing something, avoiding notice
--Crafting: repairing, building, appraising, sabotaging
--Carousing: drinking, cooking, charming, bargaining, making music, telling stories
--Occulting: hypnotizing, telepathic call (includes seancing), using magic items, casting (includes exorcising), premonitioning
NOTES ON THE SKILLS:
--Thinking: detecting: This is a little more elaborate than it sounds. Basically,
1. you go somewhere-- a place that's relevant to the mystery you're working on. Then you...
2. ...roll to use your detecting skill. Then...
3. ...you go somewhere else-- possibly where your Haven room is. Wherever you go next...
4. ...you talk to someone else about the place where you rolled (possibly someone friendly who was there with you, possibly someone to whom you describe what happened in the first place). Then...
5. ...if you succeeded in your roll, then you found a useful clue. The GM will either tell you what that useful clue was, or the GM may ask YOU to MAKE UP a useful clue.
6. IF YOU FAILED the roll, then either you found nothing useful-- OR the GM will tell you a clue that is NOT useful, or will ask you to make one up.
So, successful detecting isn't just looking for clues-- it can FORCE the universe to GIVE you a clue.
The clue you get could be a clue you find lying around, or it could be that there's someone at the place where you roll, and you talk to them, and they slip up and say something useful. If that's the case, you can't jump on it right away-- you have to go elsewhere and discuss it in order to "get" the clue.
--Fighting: up-close combat with weapons, punching (unarmed combat), shooting
These are exactly what they sound like. I will add that shoving someone over a cliff (or trying to pick them up and toss them off a cliff) is Punching because that's Unarmed Combat. Trying to grab a gun out of someone's hand before they fire is also Punching (because Unarmed Combat).
--Sneaking: escaping:
It's not just good for running away, but also if someone ties you up or locks you in a room (which happens a lot). Sometimes, when it seems like there's just no other way out, a good Escaping roll will lead to a sympathetic ghost appearing and showing you a secret passage out.
--Sneaking: concealing something:
This is good for hiding something (or someone) (but not yourself, that would be Avoiding Notice) somewhere where no one is likely to find it.
--Sneaking: avoiding notice:
avoiding notice is excellent for Eavesdropping. It can be used to try to Eavesdrop on someone, which basically works about like Detecting (see Detecting, above), but faster. Also good for Following someone somewhere without being noticed.
--Crafting: repairing:
If the character with this skill is an Occultist or Mad Scientist, Repairing can be used to repair some things that you might think would be impossible to repair.
--Crafting: building:
If the character with this skill is an Occultist or Mad Scientist, Building can be used to create some things that you might think would be impossible to create.
--Crafting: appraising:
This isn't just for determining if something is valuable-- You can FORCE the universe to MAKE something be what you want it to. You can realize that an old painting has an older painting hidden underneath. You can realize that a mirror is magical. You can vaguely guess what a weird scientific device could be used for (or exactly what it's for, if you are also a Mad Scientist).
--Crafting: sabotaging:
This is great for if you want to try to kill someone by tampering with their brakes or stretching a wire across their staircase or anything else that might look like an accident (at first) if it worked.
--Carousing: drinking:
This works a lot like Detecting and Eavesdropping. You can FORCE a PC who has a drink with you to let some useful piece of information slip-- or maybe just to trust you a little more than they did before?
--Carousing: cooking:
This works a lot like drinking. You can FORCE a PC who eats a meal you prepared to let some useful piece of information slip-- or maybe just to trust you a little more than they did before?
--Carousing: charming:
This is extremely useful. This is the main thing you roll to persuade others. The main thing to know is that the name can be a little misleading-- a better name for it might be "Impressing" instead of charming, because it can be used for intimidating, bluffing, whatever. But it can also be used to try to get others to underestimate you, so I'm sticking with calling it Charming instead of Impressing.
--Carousing: bargaining
This is for buying stuff and haggling, sure, but more than that-- you can use it to cleverly FORCE someone to agree to something they will have trouble talking their way out of not doing. Of course, you'll have to agree to something, too, on your end...
--Carousing: making music, telling stories
Like Cooking, but different. Telling Stories can also be used to lie/bluff instead of Charming.
--Occulting: telepathic call (includes seancing)
Lets you give others a feeling of what you want ("come find me" is easiest), and maybe a sense of where you are, too.
--Occulting: casting (includes exorcising):
Can be used for all sorts of stuff. Monsters and other not-human-beings can often use it for impressive stuff at the drop of a hat. Non-monsters usually have to do a little magic ritual first.
--Occulting: premonitioning:
You can try to FORCE the universe to give you a feeling-- often a warning of danger, but not always. "I know no one could have survived that fire, but... I'm convinced she's still alive out there somewhere anyway, I just FEEL it!"
OKAY SO ANYWAY: Everyone starts with 2 Traits, and 3 skills in those traits.
Then you can also have:
Criminal//Minion: 1 free Sneaking skill
Everyman: 1 free non-combat-non-occult skill
Innocent: 1 free skill from this list: hiding, repairing, cooking, charming, making music
Romani: 1 free skill of any kind
Libertine: 1 free skill of any kind
Mad Scientist: 1 free Thinking skill
Occultist: 1 free Occulting skill
Monster Hunter: 1 free Occulting skill OR one free combat skill
When I say "1 free skill" I mean that if you pick a skill after a Trait you don't have, you get that trait for free too (the ONLY time that applies)!
OKAY, SO NOW YOU'VE picked a character type, picked a secret, picked Traits and Skills...
That's about it!
MONEY AND BUYING STUFF:
Money: You start with MONEY at level 1.
--Buying normal things: meals at restaurants, buying groceries, buying an umbrella, taking a taxi-- you can just do, and don't worry about it.
--If you want to buy a car, or a rare and expensive antique, or an antique shop for that matter, will mean that you have to roll 1d6.
--If your roll result is the same as your Money level, you manage to afford it.
--If your roll is higher than your money level, you buy it, but your Money level goes down.
When your money level is at 0, you'll have to get more money before you make any more big purchases. (If you're not the law-abiding type, you could always rob someone-- or maybe blackmail someone? Know any good secrets?)
Note: You cannot buy-- say, just for example, a mansion-- if its owners aren't willing to sell!
XP POINTS AND LEVELING UP:
You get 1 XP when you:
--Thwart a scheme
--Gain someone's trust by trusting them first
--Save someone
--Learn a huge secret
Leveling up:
Players can spend 6 XP while in their Haven to permanently get +1 max Emotional Stress Threshold OR +1 max Fate points OR a new Trait, OR a Skill from a Trait area they already have.
Pre-generated PCs:
Roger Collins: Pompous Wit (Everyman)
--Fighting: shooting
--Carousing: drinking, bargaining
MOTIVATION: Wants to grow closer to his son, also to drink lots of brandy and protect the family
--SECRET: sent an innocent man to prison for five years
Liz Stoddard-Collins: Recovering-Neurotic Matriarch (Everywoman)
--Carousing: bargaining
--Occulting: telepathic call (includes seancing), premonitioning
MOTIVATION: wants to protect the family (also wants to not be buried alive)
--SECRET: might have accidentally killed her husband who might be buried in the basement
Carolyn Stoddard: Poor Little Party Girl (Everywoman)
--Thinking: detecting, solving puzzles
--Carousing: charming
MOTIVATION: wants to protect/annoy her family, maybe also to find true love
--SECRET: planning to kill Jason McGuire and/or Willie Loomis
David Collins: Dangerous Child Too Smart For His Own Good (Everychild)
--Sneaking: concealing something, avoiding notice
--Carousing: telling stories
MOTIVATION: wants to have fun (revenge against his father for sending his mother away counts as fun)
--SECRET: Planning to kill his father//Already tried to kill his father (also tried to lock up his governess)
Amy Jennings: Not A Werewolf (Everychild)
--Carousing: charming, telling stories
--Occulting: premonitioning
MOTIVATION: wants to have fun, survive, help her brother Chris
--SECRET: She doesn't actually understand her secret, but it's that her brother is a werewolf and she can see pentagrams on the faces of people the werewolf is likely to kill next (also she's afraid of the moon)
Chris Jennings: Grumpy Werewolf (Occultist)
--Thinking: detecting
--Sneaking: escaping, concealing something
MOTIVATION: to be free of the werewolf curse
--SECRET: Is a werewolf
Willie Loomis: Reluctant Minion (Minion)
--Crafting: repairing
--Carousing: cooking, bargaining
MOTIVATION: to get jewels-- later, to help the Collins family
--SECRET: Released Barnabas Collins and is now his thrall
Dr. Julia Hoffman: Hypnotic Psychologist Blood Specialist (Mad Scientist)
--Thinking: detecting, medicine/sciencing
--Occulting: hypnotizing
MOTIVATION: to help Barnabas Collins
--SECRET: Is in love with Barnabas Collins, vampire
Professor T. (for Timothy) Eliot Stokes (Occultist)
--Thinking: solving puzzles, researching
--Occulting: casting (includes exorcising)
MOTIVATION: To better understand the occult, so as to fight the forces of darkness, which usually means helping the Collins family
--SECRET: The supernatural exists, and you people are already in more trouble you're prepared to hear about
Victoria Winters (Innocent)
--Carousing: charming, bargaining
--Occulting: premonitioning
MOTIVATION: To uncover secrets that might shed light on her parentage, and also to help the Collins family (except maybe Roger)
--SECRET: Thinks Liz Stoddard might be her mother maybe
Maggie Evans (Everywoman)
--Sneaking: escaping, avoiding notice
--Carousing: charming
MOTIVATION: To earn a living, and also to help the Collins family, especially David.
--SECRET: David's friend Sarah is a ghost-- who seems to know who kidnapped her that time
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:37, Tue 14 Mar 2023.
