Environments

Source

Daggerheart System Reference Document 2.0, PDF pages 159–182. Public Game Content under the Darrington Press Community Gaming License; see Daggerheart SRD for the notice and how to cite. Text is machine-extracted; tables lost their columns. When it matters, the PDF wins.

SRD p. 159

Adapting Environments

Sometimes you want to use an environment but it's at the
wrong tier for your party. Or you might want to replace
a feature or two, then present it as an entirely different
environment. Whether planning your session or even
improvising an environment mid-session, you can adjust an
existing environment's stat block to fit the needs of your
scene or improvise elements as needed. The environments
framework is there to help organize ideas, not to stifle
creativity.
When you need to quickly adjust a stat block to a different
tier, you can simply replace its existing statistics with those
listed on the Environment Statistics by Tier table, using the
column that corresponds to your party's tier.

Benchmark Statistics for Environments by Tier

Environment Statistic Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4
Damage Dice 1d6+1 to 1d8+3 2d6+3 to 2d10+2 3d8+3 to 3d10+1 4d8+3 to 4d10+10
Difficulty 11 14 17 20

Environment Stat Blocks by Tier

This section contains the following stat blocks.

Tier 1 (Level 1)

• Abandoned Grove
  (Exploration)
• Abandoned Mine
  (Traversal)
• Alchemist's Abandoned
  Workshop (Exploration)
• Ambushed (Event)
• Ambushers (Event)
• Bustling Marketplace
  (Social)
• Cliffside Ascent
  (Traversal)
• Corrupted Swamp
  (Traversal)
• Cursed Graveyard
  (Exploration)
• Grand Feast (Social)
• Hold the Line (Event)
• Local Festival (Social)
• Local Tavern (Social)
• Outpost Town (Social)
• Raging River (Traversal)
• Raiding Party (Event)

Tier 2 (Levels 2-4)

• Beach Day (Social)
• Cult Ritual (Event)
• Deadly Dungeon
  (Exploration)
• Duel (Event)
• Hallowed Temple (Social)
• Haunted City (Exploration)
• Heist (Event)
• Masquerade Ball (Social)
• Mountain Pass (Traversal)
• Ocean Voyage (Traversal)
• Vast Desert (Traversal)
• Witch's Hut (Exploration)

Tier 3 (Levels 5-7)

• Archmage's Tower
  (Exploration)
• Astral Realm (Traversal)
• Burning Heart of the
  Woods (Exploration)
• Castle Siege (Event)
• Crystal Wasteland
  (Traversal)
• Dragon's Lair (Exploration)
• Megastorm (Event)
• Pitched Battle (Event)
• Sunken Citadel
  (Exploration)
• Upscale Casino (Social)
• Volcanic Eruption (Event)

Tier 4 (Levels 8-10)

• Chaos Realm (Traversal)
• Convergence, City of
  Portals (Social)
• Divine Usurpation (Event)
• Imperial Court (Social)
• Moon Kingdom
  (Exploration)
• Necromancer's Ossuary
  (Exploration)
• Realm of the Dead
  (Traversal)
• Time Court (Event)
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Tier 1 Environments (Level 1)

Abandoned Grove

Tier  Exploration
Aformer druidic grove lying fallow and fully reclaimed by nature.
Impulses: Draw in the curious, echo the past
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Beasts (Bear, Dire Wolf, Glass Snake),
Grove Guardians (Minor Treant, Sylvan Soldier, Young Dryad)

Features

Overgrown Battlefi eld - Passive: There has been a battle here. A
PC can make an Instinct Roll to identify evidence of that fi ght.
On a success with Hope, learn all three pieces of information
below. On a success with Fear, learn two. On a failure, a PC can
mark a Stress to learn one and gain advantage on the next action
roll to investigate this environment. A PC with an appropriate
background or Experience can learn an additional detail and ask
a follow-up question about the scene and get a truthful (if not
always complete) answer.
- Traces of a battle (broken weapons and branches, gouges in
the ground) litter the ground.
- Amoss-covered tree trunk is actually the corpse of a treant.
- Still-standing trees are twisted in strange ways, as if by
powerful magic.
Why did these groups come to blows? Why is the grove unused now?
Barbed Vines - Action: Pick a point within the grove. All targets
within Very Close range of that point must succeed on an Agility
Reaction Roll or take 1d8+3 physical damage and become
Restrained by barbed vines. Restrained lasts until they're freed
with a successful Finesse or Strength roll or by dealing at least 6
damage to the vines.
How many vines are there? Where do they grab you? Do they pull you
down or lift you off the ground?
You Are Not Welcome Here - Action: A Young Dryad, two Sylvan
Soldiers, and a number of Minor Treants equal to the number of
PCs appear to confront the party for their intrusion.
What are the grove guardians concealing? What threat to the forest
could the PCs confront to appease the Dryad?
Defi ler - Action: Spend a Fear to summon a Minor Chaos
Elemental drawn to the echoes of violence and discord. They
appear within Far range of a chosen PC and immediately take the
spotlight.
What color does the grass turn as the elemental appears? How does
the chaos warp insects and small wildlife within the grove?

Abandoned Mine

Tier  Traversal
Atwisting warren of disused tunnels carved out of the bedrock by a
doomed mining outfi t.
Impulses: Poison the party with deadly gasses, rumble and
collapse, split the party, turn them around
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Darkweave Spiders (Darkweave
Crawler, Darkweave Spinner, Darkweave Swarmlings), Miner
Ghosts (Poltergeist, Will-o'-the-Wisps)

Features

Pitch Black - Passive: There is no light, natural or otherwise, in
these underground mining tunnels. Ask the PCs what they use
for light or how they otherwise fi nd their way in the dark. PCs
without a reliable source of light make action and reaction rolls
with disadvantage.
What fuel does the party's light source use/comma.tab and how long will it last?
What unwanted attention does the light attract?
Labyrinth - Passive: The party must complete a Progress
Countdown (4) to fi nd their way through the mines. Each time a
PC rolls with Hope while fi nding their way through, they discover
one of the curiosities below.
- An unmined vein of precious metals or gemstones
- Various mining tools, including a broken (but mendable) mine
cart made of adamantine
- Psychic echoes of the miners' tragic end
- The desiccated corpses of miners who lost their way in the
tunnels
- Tattered remnants of darkweave spider silk
What did miners previously extract here? Who in the party knows
how to navigate below ground? What are the PCs most afraid might
happen to them down here?
Into the Spider's Web - Action: Spend a Fear to summon a
Darkweave Queen inside her gossamer-strewn lair. She drops
from the ceiling within Close range of a PC and immediately
takes the spotlight.
How does the Darkweave Queen use her lair to her advantage? What
remnants of her past meals can the party fi nd here?
Impending Collapse - Reaction: Countdown (2). The fi rst time
the PCs roll with Fear, describe how the ground subtly vibrates
as rocks shift overhead and activate the countdown. It ticks
down when a PC rolls with Fear. When it triggers, each PC
must succeed on an Agility Reaction Roll or take 1d8+3 physical
damage and become temporarily Restrained by the rubble.
What other signs of instability does the mine off er the party? What
new dangers does the tunnel system's new confi guration expose the
party to?

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Ambushed

Tier  Event
An ambush is set to catch an unsuspecting party off -guard.
Impulses: Overwhelm, scatter, surround
Diffi culty: Special (see "Relative Strength")
Potential Adversaries: Any

Features

Relative Strength - Passive: The Diffi culty of this environment
equals that of the adversary with the highest Diffi culty.
Who cues the ambush? What makes it clear they're in charge?
Surprise! - Action: The ambushers reveal themselves to the party,
you gain 2 Fear, and the spotlight immediately shifts to one of
the ambushing adversaries.
What do the ambushers want from the party? How do their tactics in
the ambush refl ect that?

Ambushers

Tier  Event
An ambush is set by the PCs to catch unsuspecting adversaries
off -guard.
Impulses: Escape, group up, protect the most vulnerable
Diffi culty: Special (see "Relative Strength")
Potential Adversaries: Any

Features

Relative Strength - Passive: The Diffi culty of this environment
equals that of the adversary with the highest Diffi culty.
Which adversary is the least prepared? Which one is the most?
Where Did They Come From? - Reaction: When a PC starts the
ambush on unsuspecting adversaries, you lose 2 Fear and the
fi rst attack roll a PC makes has advantage.
What are the adversaries in the middle of doing when the ambush
starts? How does this impact their approach to the fi ght?

Alchemist's Abandoned

Workshop

Tier  Exploration
Alightning-powered laboratory built by a scientist searching for the
secret to immortality.
Impulses: Break down the barrier between life and death, draw
down lightning from the heavens, overclock the machinery
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Lab Leftovers (Construct, Minor Fire
Elemental, Patchwork Zombie Hulk, Swarm of Rats)

Features

Cabinet of Curiosities - Passive: The workshop's shelves,
cupboards, and tables are cluttered with macabre bric-a-brac,
including body parts in jars of formaldehyde and bloody surgical
implements. Once per scene, a PC can make an Instinct Roll to
look for something useful in the chaos.
What was the alchemist studying? What smell overwhelms you as
you shuffl e through their things?
Strange Machinery - Passive: The workshop contains numerous
pieces of bizarre technology and scientifi c instrumentation. A
PC can make a Knowledge Roll to try to fi gure out how it works.
On a success, they can get it running. On a failure, they break
something and take 1d8+4 direct magic damage as they're
shocked by electricity and doused in caustic chemicals.
What do these machines do? What do these instruments measure?
It's Alive! - Action: Consequence Countdown (6). Athunderstorm
gathers overhead, threatening to jolt the lightning rod assembly
installed atop the workshop. Activate the countdown and narrate
how the storm's power increases each time it ticks down when
a PC makes an action roll. When it triggers, lightning strikes the
rod assembly and overloads the workshop machinery, which
explodes after resurrecting one of the alchemist's abandoned
projects. Each target within Close range of the machinery must
succeed on an Agility Reaction Roll or take 1d10 magic damage.
Summon a Failed Experiment at a location within the workshop
and gain a Fear for each PC within Very Close range of it.
What was the alchemist trying to achieve with this experiment?
Where did they get the materials for it?

Bustling Marketplace

Tier  Social
The economic heart of the settlement, with local artisans, traveling
merchants, and patrons across social classes.
Impulses: Buy low, and sell high, tempt and tantalize with wares
from near and far
Diffi culty: 10
Potential Adversaries: Guards (Bladed Guard, Head Guard),
Masked Thief, Merchant

Features

Tip the Scales - Passive: PCs can gain advantage on a Presence
Roll by off ering a handful of gold as part of the interaction.
Will any coin be accepted/comma.tab or only local currency? How overt are the
PCs in off ering this bribe?
Unexpected Find - Action: Reveal to the PCs that one of the
merchants has something they want or need, such as food
from their home, a rare book, magical components, a dubious
treasure map, or a magical key.
What cost beyond gold will the merchant ask for in exchange
for this rarity?
Sticky Fingers - Action: Athief tries to steal something from a PC.
The PC must succeed on an Instinct Roll to notice the thief or
lose an item of the GM's choice as the thief escapes to a Close
distance. T o retrieve the stolen item, the PCs must complete a
Progress Countdown (6) to chase down the thief before the thief
completes a Consequence Countdown (4) and escapes to their
hideout.
What drove this person to pickpocketing? Where is the thief's hideout
and how has it avoided notice?
Crowd Closes In - Reaction: When one of the PCs splits from the
group, the crowds shift and cut them off from the party.
Where does the crowd's movement carry them? How do they feel
about being alone but surrounded?

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Corrupted Swamp

Tier  Traversal
Awretched stretch of slimy water, toxic creatures, and decay.
Impulses: Corrupt, emphasize putrescence, reveal the twisted and
unnatural, sicken
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Any Undead (Skeleton, Zombie,
Spectral Guardian), Giant Rat, Green Ooze, Tangle Bramble

Features

Swamp Sickness - Passive: At the end of a long rest, each PC
must succeed on a Strength Reaction Roll or gain a d4 Sickened
Die, starting with the 1 value facing up. If a PC fails this roll and
already has a Sickened Die, they increase the value by 1, to a
maximum value of 4. A PC with a Sickened Die gains a penalty to
their action rolls equal to its value. When a PC with a Sickened
Die would clear a HP, they can decrease the value of their
Sickened Die by 1 instead. When the die's value would fall to 0,
remove it.
Is the swamp teeming with life/comma.tab fi lled with decay/comma.tab or both? What force
blighted this swamp/comma.tab and what signs of its origins remain?
Soggy and Slogging It - Passive: When a PC moves as part of an
action, they can only move up to Very Close range. Action rolls
made to move farther than Very Close range have disadvantage.
Before rolling, a PC can mark a Stress to remove this
disadvantage.
What creatures/comma.tab living or otherwise/comma.tab lurk beneath the water's murky
surface? Where or how do the PCs fi nd relief from the stinking water?
Rotbloom - Action: Spend a Fear to dust an area within Far range
in noxious pollen. Each target in that area must succeed on a
Strength or Instinct Reaction Roll or take 1d6+3 magic damage
and become Vulnerable until the end of the scene.
How can you tell the plants that emit this pollen are carnivorous?
What nightmares or dreamscapes does the pollen's scent conjure?
Dancing Lights - Action: At the start of a rest, you can spend
a Fear to have fl oating orbs enthrall the weary and lure a PC
deeper into the swamp. Adiff erent PC can use a downtime move
to make an action roll to search for them. On a success, both
PCs return to camp and can choose downtime moves as normal.
On a failure - or if no one searches for them - the lost PC
returns hours later, covered in mud and worse, and can't choose
downtime moves until their next rest.
What does the lost PC see in the lights that draws them into the
darkness? What other glimpses of surprising beauty do the PCs
encounter here?

Cliffside Ascent

Tier  Traversal
Asteep, rocky cliff side tall enough to make traversal dangerous.
Impulses: Cast the unready down to a rocky doom, draw people in
with promise of what lies at the top
Diffi culty: 12
Potential Adversaries: Construct, Deeproot Defender, Giant
Scorpion, Glass Snake

Features

The Climb - Passive: Climbing up the cliff side uses a Progress
Countdown (12). It ticks down according to the following criteria
when the PCs make an action roll to climb:
- Critical Success: Tick down 3
- Success with Hope: Tick down 2
- Success with Fear: Tick down 1
- Failure with Hope: No advancement
- Failure with Fear: Tick up 1
When the countdown triggers, the party has made it to the top
of the cliff .
What strange formations are the stones arranged in? What ominous
warnings did previous adventurers leave?
Pitons Left Behind - Passive: Previous climbers left behind large
metal rods that climbers can use to aid their ascent. If a PC using
the pitons fails an action roll to climb, they can mark a Stress
instead of ticking the countdown up.
What do the shape and material of these pitons tell you about the
previous climbers? How far apart are they from one another?
Fall - Action: Spend a Fear to have a PC's handhold fail,
plummeting them toward the ground. If they aren't saved on the
next action, they hit the ground and tick up the countdown by 2.
The PC takes 1d12 physical damage if the countdown is between
8 and 12, 2d12 between 4 and 7, and 3d12 at 3 or lower.
How can you tell many others have fallen here before? What lives
in these walls that might try to scare adventurers into falling for
an easy meal?

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Cursed Gra Vey Ard

Tier  Exploration
Asprawling cemetery fi lled with crumbling headstones, twisted trees
possessed by the dead, and crypts overgrown with moss and ivy.
Impulses: Bury them six feet deep, choke with fog, lure with
promises of entombed treasure, unleash the restless dead
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Corrupted Spirits (Deeproot Defender,
Phantom), Living Dead (Skeleton Warrior, Zombie Pack,
Patchwork Zombie Hulk)

Features

Room for One More - Passive: If a PC marks their last HP while in
the graveyard, they become a Specter instead of making a death
move. While a Specter, a PC can communicate with the living but
can't interact with the physical world, and they must stay within
Close range of their corpse or cross through the veil of death.
This condition is cleared when the PC clears a HP.
What new information or experience does a PC gain from becoming
a specter? How can the party reunite the PC's spirit with their fl esh?
What happens if their ritual goes wrong?
Hallowed Ground - Passive: At the center of the graveyard is
a seemingly undisturbed chapel. On a successful Instinct
Roll, a PC can discover this structure is sanctifi ed against the
cemetery's denizens. While inside the chapel, the PCs have
advantage on action rolls to fi ght or drive off spirits and undead.
Who sanctifi ed this place/comma.tab and what happened to them? What holy
relics can be found here?
Misty Miasma - Action: Spend a Fear to fi ll an area within Far
range with a low-lying ectoplasmic fog that seeps up through the
soggy earth. When a PC rolls with Fear while in the miasma, they
must mark a Stress.
What horrors do the PCs see in the fog? What disorienting smell does
the miasma emit?
The Dead Arise - Action: Spend a Fear to have undead hands burst
forth from the ground beneath a PC. The target must succeed
on an Agility or Presence Reaction Roll or mark a Stress and
become temporarily Restrained as hands grasp them.
Who were these people in life? Why were they buried here? Why won't
they stay dead?
The Dead Don't Die Easy - Reaction: When an adversary would
mark their last HP, roll a d6. On a result of 5 or 6, the adversary
doesn't mark it.
Who commanded this land to reject death? How do the dead come
back diff erent here?

Grand Feast

Tier  Social
Acommunity-wide celebration featuring way too much drink, food,
and fun.
Impulses: Bring everyone together, celebrate a momentous
occasion, encourage revelrous abandon
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Apprentice Assassin, Guard, Merchant,
Petty Noble, Sellsword, Spy

Features

Loose Lips & Fast Friends - Passive: Everyone is here to have a
good time. PCs have advantage on Presence Rolls to socialize
with other revelers.
What is everyone celebrating? Where's the party? Who's footing the
bill?
The Evening's Entertainment - Action: The host of the feast kicks
off the entertainment portion of the evening. Each PC can make
an action roll to initiate a performance, competition, or other
lighthearted diversion. A PC who succeeds becomes an Honored
Guest. Until the feast ends, an Honored Guest can claim a gift
from the host, then clear the condition.
What does the host want to see or hear more than anything else?
What can they off er the PCs in return?
"There's Always That One…" - Action: Spend a Fear to Trap a PC in
conversation with the most unpleasant person at the party until
the PC succeeds on an action roll to extricate themself from this
social black hole. While Trapped, a PC can't make action rolls
except to try to clear this condition. When a Trapped PC fails an
action roll, they must mark a Stress.
What makes this dud so unpleasant? What's something the PC cares
about that the dud constantly diminishes or dismisses? What boring
or awful thing can the dud not shut up about?
Last Call - Reaction: After a long night, the partygoers start
fi ltering out. When the feast concludes, all PCs who participated
in the festivities clear all Stress and gain a Hope. Additionally,
each Honored Guest clears all HP and gains an additional Hope,
then clears the condition. Each PC who overindulged must
succeed on a Strength Reaction Roll or become Hungover until
their next rest. While Hungover, a PC gains a −1 penalty to action
rolls.
What crazy stories do the PCs share with one another as they leave
the party? Who do the PCs see unexpectedly canoodling afterward?
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Hold the Line

Tier  Event
The party must fend off multiple waves of enemies long enough for
an ally to complete an important objective.
Impulses: Crash waves of enemies upon the party's shores, never
let them breathe, target their charge
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Guards, Jagged Knives, Pirates,
Skeletons, Zombies

Features

Bodyguards - Passive: The PCs must protect an NPC (their
"Charge") long enough for the Charge to complete a task, such
as fi nishing a magical ritual or repairing a mechanical device. At
the start of the scene, activate a Task Countdown with a value
equal to the number of PCs in the scene. It ticks down when the
PCs defeat a wave of adversaries. When it triggers, the Charge
completes their task.
Who are the PCs protecting/comma.tab and what is the Charge trying to do?
Who wants to stop them? What will happen if the Charge isn't able to
complete their task?
"I Must Not Fail!" - Passive: When the fi rst wave of adversaries
appears, place a Resolve Countdown next to the Charge with
a value equal to the number of PCs in the scene. When an
adversary makes an attack against the Charge, the attack
automatically succeeds and ticks down the Resolve Countdown.
When it triggers, the Charge either fl ees, dies, or becomes
incapacitated.
Why is this task so important to the Charge? What has the power to
break their resolve?
Swarming Multitudes - Passive: All adversaries gain the
"Relentless (2)" feature: They can be spotlighted up to two times
per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.
Where does these foes' newfound power come from? Is there any way
to cut them off from it?
Waves upon Waves - Reaction: When there are no adversaries in
the scene, summon a wave of adversaries at Far range from the
Charge. Each wave comprises two Tier 1 Minions for each PC in
the scene.
Where do these adversaries come from? Who leads them from the
shadows?

Local Festiv Al

Tier  Social
Commoners and nobles alike gather from the surrounding area for a
weeklong celebration.
Impulses: Express local culture and history, forge new
relationships, reinforce community
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Festival Security (Bladed Guard, Head
Guard), Local Luminaries (Commoner, Merchant, Petty Noble),
Sundry Ne'er-Do-Wells (Jagged Knife Bandit, Lackey)

Features

Remember, Remember - Passive: This time of year marks an
important anniversary or astronomical event, such as the
founding of the town or the summer solstice. On a successful
Knowledge Roll, a PC can answer one of the questions below
(or two, if they critically succeed). On a failure, they answer one
question, but you decide which part of their answer is inaccurate
and gain a Fear.
- The festival celebrates a crop or export that is critical to the
economy here. What is it?
- Why didn't the festival happen last year?
- This festival is similar to another one held in a neighboring
region. What makes them diff erent?
What are the locals celebrating? What is the festival famous for?
How did the PCs fi rst hear about it?
Political Machinations - Passive: While everyone is gathered in
one place, the locals take the opportunity to quash feuds, drum
up new business, and navigate local politics. A PC can stick their
nose in the goings-on by making a Presence Roll. On a success,
they make a connection to a local luminary who can give them a
job, share important information, or make useful introductions.
On a failure, they must mark a Stress.
What new crisis is on everyone's lips? Why can't this community
solve the problem on its own? What reward can they off er the PCs in
exchange for their aid?
"Let the Games Begin!" - Action: One of the festival's signature
events is a sporting competition or series of games. If one
or more PCs throw their hat into the ring, introduce rival
competitors for them to face off against. T o claim victory, the
PCs must complete a Progress Countdown (5) to win events
or score points before their rivals complete a Consequence
Countdown (5).
What skills or abilities does this competition test? What does the
victor win? Why is failure not an option for the PCs or their rivals?
Legendary Local - Action: The festival culminates in the arrival of
a fi gure from local folklore who performs special duties for the
local community, such as giving treats to children, heckling the
gentry, or blessing next year's crops. If the PCs show this fi gure
the proper deference and respect, they gain an appropriate
blessing, such as a cryptic prophecy or a magical trinket, and
gain 1d4 Hope to distribute among the party. If they insult the
fi gure, they take 1d6+2 magic damage as the fi gure curses them,
and you gain a Fear.
Is this a singular entity or a mantle passed from person to person?
What distinctive form do they possess? What is the source of their
power to grant boons and banes?
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Local Ta Vern

Tier  Social
Alively tavern that serves as the social hub for its town.
Impulses: Provide opportunities for adventurers,
nurture community
Diffi culty: 10
Potential Adversaries: Guards (Bladed Guard, Head Guard),
Mercenaries (Harrier, Sellsword, Spellblade, Weaponmaster),
Merchant

Features

What's the Talk of the Town? - Passive: A PC can ask the
bartender, staff , or patrons about local events, rumors, and
potential work with a Presence Roll. On a success, they can
pick two of the below details to learn - or three if they critically
succeed. On a failure, they can pick one and mark a Stress as the
local carries on about something irrelevant.
- Afascinating rumor with a connection to a PC's background
- Apromising job for the party involving a nearby threat
or situation
- Local folklore that relates to something they've seen
- Town gossip that hints at a community problem
Who has what kind of information? What gossip do the locals start
spreading about the PCs?
Sing For Your Supper - Passive: A PC can perform one time for the
guests by making a Presence Roll. On a success, they earn 1d4
handfuls of gold (2d4 if they critically succeed). On a failure, they
mark a Stress.
What piece do you perform? What does that piece mean to you?
When's the last time you performed it for a crowd?
Mysterious Stranger - Action: Reveal a stranger concealing their
identity, lurking in a shaded booth.
What do they want? What's their impression of the PCs? What
mannerisms or accessories do they have?
Someone Comes to Town - Action: Introduce a signifi cant NPC who
wants to hire the party for something or who relates to a PC's
background.
Did they know the PCs were here? What do they want in this town?
Bar Fight! - Action: Spend a Fear to have a bar fi ght erupt in the
tavern. When a PC tries to move through the tavern while the
fi ght persists, they must succeed on an Agility or Presence Roll
or take 1d6+2 physical damage from a wild swing or thrown
object. A PC can try to activate this feature by succeeding on an
action roll that would provoke tavern patrons.
Who started the fi ght? What will it take to stop it?

Outpost Town

Tier  Social
Asmall town on the outskirts of a nation or region, close to a
dungeon, tombs, or other adventuring destinations.
Impulses: Drive the desperate to certain doom, profi t off of
ragged hope
Diffi culty: 12
Potential Adversaries: Jagged Knife Bandits (Hexer,
Kneebreaker, Lackey, Lieutenant, Shadow, Sniper), Masked
Thief, Merchant

Features

Rumors Abound - Passive: Gossip is the fastest-traveling currency
in the realm. A PC can inquire about major events by making a
Presence Roll. What they learn depends on the outcome of their
roll, based on the following criteria:
- Critical Success: Learn about two major events. The PC can
ask one follow-up question about one of the rumors and get a
truthful (if not always complete) answer.
- Success with Hope: Learn about two events, at least one of
which is relevant to the character's background.
- Success with Fear: Learn an alarming rumor related to the
character's background.
- Any Failure: The locals respond poorly to their inquiries. The
PC must mark a Stress to learn one relevant rumor.
What news do the PCs have that they could pass along to curious
travelers? What do the locals think about these events?
Society of the Broken Compass - Passive: An adventuring society
maintains a chapterhouse here, where heroes trade boasts
and rumors, drink to their imagined successes, and scheme to
undermine their rivals.
What boasts do the adventurers here make/comma.tab and which do you think
are true?
Rival Party - Passive: Another adventuring party is here, seeking
the same treasure or leads as the PCs.
Which PC has a connection to one of the rival party members? Do
they approach the PC fi rst or do they wait for the PC to move?
It'd Be a Shame If Something Happened to Your Store - Action:
The PCs witness as agents of a local crime boss shake down a
general goods store.
What trouble does it cause if the PCs intervene?
Wrong Place, Wrong Time - Reaction: At night, or when the party is
alone in a back alley, you can spend a Fear to introduce a group
of thieves who try to rob them. The thieves appear at Close
range of a chosen PC and include a Jagged Knife Kneebreaker,
as many Lackeys as there are PCs, and a Lieutenant. For a larger
party, add a Hexer or Sniper.
What details show the party that these people are desperate former
adventurers?
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Raiding Party

Tier  Event
Apirate ship disgorges its crew into a port town or shoreline village
to loot and plunder.
Impulses: Light it on fi re, overwhelm with speed and numbers,
take everything that isn't nailed down
Diffi culty: 11
Potential Adversaries: Ship's Crew (Pirate Captain, Pirate
Raiders, Pirate Tough)

Features

Rally the Locals - Passive: Progress Countdown (5). When the
pirates fi rst appear, activate the countdown. It ticks down
when a PC succeeds on an action roll to stem the chaos and
destruction of the pirate raid. When it triggers, the locals
become inspired by the party's actions and join the fi ght against
the pirates. Each PC gains a d6 Morale Die, which they can
spend to add to an action, reaction, or damage roll.
How do the pirates threaten or endanger the town besides attacking
its inhabitants? What defenses can the PCs take advantage of?
Parley - Passive: On a successful Knowledge Roll, a PC knows
enough pirate law to demand a parley with the Pirate Captain.
Once the parley is issued, the captain pauses the combat to
allow a PC to sue for peace or negotiate the terms of surrender
with a Presence Roll.
Why do these pirates respect this captain enough to follow them?
What do they care about more than ill/hyphen.tabgotten booty?
"Fire the Cannons!" - Action: Spend up to 3 Fear to have the
pirate ship fi re its cannons into the combat. For each Fear spent,
choose a point anywhere on the battlefi eld. Each PC within
Close range of one or more of those points must make an Agility
Reaction Roll. Targets who fail take 1d8+3 physical damage.
Targets who succeed must mark a Stress or take half damage.
What collateral damage do these cannonballs cause? Whose lives do
they wantonly endanger?
Take Captives - Reaction: When a number of pirates equal to the
number of PCs in the scene are defeated, roll a d6. On a result of
5 or 6, the pirates change tactics, capturing locals and retreating
to the ship so they can ransom the captives later. Activate a
Consequence Countdown (4). It ticks down when a PC makes
an action roll. When it triggers, the pirates sail away with their
victims.
Who do the pirates deem the best captives/comma.tab and why? What do they
want in exchange for the captives' return?

Raging River

Tier  Traversal
Aswift-moving river without a bridge crossing, deep enough to
sweep away most people.
Impulses: Bar crossing, carry away the unready, divide the land
Diffi culty: 10
Potential Adversaries: Beasts (Bear, Glass Snake), Jagged
Knife Bandits (Hexer, Kneebreaker, Lackey, Lieutenant,
Shadow, Sniper)

Features

Dangerous Crossing - Passive: Crossing the river requires the party
to complete a Progress Countdown (4). A PC who rolls a failure
with Fear is immediately targeted by the "Undertow" action
without requiring a Fear to be spent on the feature.
Have any of the PCs forded rivers like this before? Are any of them
afraid of drowning?
Undertow - Action: Spend a Fear to catch a PC in the undertow.
They must make an Agility Reaction Roll. On a failure, they take
1d6+1 physical damage and are moved a Close distance down
the river, becoming Vulnerable until they get out of the river. On
a success, they must mark a Stress.
What trinkets and baubles lie along the bottom of the riverbed? Do
predators swim these rivers?
Patient Hunter - Action: Spend a Fear to summon a Glass Snake
within Close range of a chosen PC. The Snake appears in or
near the river and immediately takes the spotlight to use their
"Spinning Serpent" action.
What treasures does the beast have in their burrow? What travelers
have already fallen victim to this predator?

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Tier 2 Environments (Levels 2-4)

Beach Da Y

Tier  Social
The party takes a break from their adventure for some rest and
relaxation in a seaside settlement.
Impulses: Conjure images of sand and surf, give them a breather,
prepare them for the confl ict ahead
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: None

Features

R&R - Passive: The party fi nds themselves in a location where the
concerns and confl icts of the outside world melt away. When the
PCs rest here, they gain an additional downtime move, the GM
doesn't gain Fear, and no long-term countdowns advance.
What's so relaxing about this place? Does it remind you of somewhere
you've been before?
"Our Story So Far…" - Passive: Once per scene when a PC
recounts a memorable moment from the campaign in
conversation with another PC, they both gain a Hope.
What sounds/comma.tab smells/comma.tab or sensations does the memory conjure in your
mind? How did that moment permanently change you - or your
opinion of your companion?
Local Trouble - Action: Spend a Fear to interrupt a PC's respite
with a minor complication, such as a gang of surly beach bums,
an overly exuberant fan, or a really bad sunburn. The PC must
gracefully resolve the situation or mark a Stress from the
resulting embarrassment or frustration.
Why does this PC draw their attention? What do the locals care about
more than these newly arrived adventurers?
Fashion Show - Reaction: When the party prepares for their
fi rst day at the beach, have each player describe how their PC
changes their attire to be more appropriate for the environment.
The GM gives the PC with the freshest look a d6 Fresh Die that
can be spent to add to any action or reaction roll.
What's the fashion in this area? Where do the PCs source their new
beach/hyphen.tabthemed articles and accessories?

Cul T Ritual

Tier  Event
A Fallen cult assembles around a sigil of the defeated gods and a
bonfi re that burns a sickly shade of green.
Impulses: Profane the land, unite the Mortal Realm with the
Circles Below
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Cult of the Fallen (Cult Adept, Cult
Fang, Cult Initiate, Secret-Keeper)

Features

Desecrated Ground - Passive: Cultists dedicated this place to
the Fallen Gods, and their foul infl uence seeps into it. Reduce
the PCs' Hope Die to a d10 while in this environment. The
desecration can be removed with a Progress Countdown (6).
How do the PCs fi rst notice that something is wrong about this place?
What fears resurface while hope is kept at bay?
Blasphemous Might - Action: Aportion of the ritual's power is
diverted into a cult member to fi ght off interlopers. Choose one
adversary to become Imbued with terrible magic until the scene
ends or they're defeated. An Imbued adversary immediately
takes the spotlight and gains one of the following benefi ts, or all
three if you spend a Fear:
- They gain advantage on all attacks.
- They deal an extra 1d10 damage on a successful attack.
- They gain the following feature:
Relentless (2) - Passive. This adversary can be spotlighted
up to two times per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to
spotlight them.
How does the enemy change in appearance? What fears do their
blows bring to the surface?
The Summoning - Reaction: Countdown (6). When the PCs enter
the scene or the cult begins the ritual to summon a demon,
activate the countdown. Designate one adversary to lead
the ritual. The countdown ticks down when a PC rolls with
Fear. When it triggers, summon a Minor Demon within Very
Close range of the ritual's leader. If the leader is defeated, the
countdown ends with no eff ect as the ritual fails.
What will the cult do with this leashed demon if they succeed? What
will they try to summon next?
Complete the Ritual - Reaction: If the ritual's leader is targeted by
an attack or spell, an ally within Very Close range of them can
mark a Stress to be targeted by that attack or spell instead.
What does it feel like to see such devotion turned to the pursuit of fear
and domination?
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Deadl Y Dungeon

Tier  Exploration
Adimly lit subterranean network of tunnels and chambers fi lled with
monsters, traps, and treasure.
Impulses: Devour the party's resources, spring the trap, tempt
them with treasure, throw monsters at them, turn them around
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Dungeon Denizens (Gobstalker, Green
Ooze, Ravenous Mockery, Rust Eater), Rival Adventurers (Giant
Brawler, Masked Thief, War Wizard)

Features

Twists and Turns - Passive: Countdown (6). When the party enters
the dungeon, activate the countdown. It ticks down when a PC
succeeds on an action roll to navigate the passages. When it
triggers, the PCs reach the deepest, darkest, best-defended part
of the dungeon.
What reward lies at the heart of the maze? Who built this labyrinth
to protect it?
Deep Pockets - Passive: Once per rest, the PCs can fi nd a cache of
treasure inside the dungeon, either on the corpses of previous
delvers or behind hidden doors. On a successful roll to navigate
the dungeon, a PC can spend up to 5 Hope to roll that number
of d6s. Each result rolled gains the party the following loot or
equipment:
1. Loose gemstones, jewelry, baubles, or coins equal to a
handful of gold
2. Acommon item or consumable
3. An uncommon item or consumable
4. Arare item or consumable
5. Alegendary item or consumable
6. Aweapon or an armor from the party's tier
What were the previous owners like? How do the PCs plan to get their
purloined items out of the dungeon?
Wandering Monster - Reaction: When the party enters a new
area of the dungeon, you can spend a Fear to summon 1d4
adversaries at or below the party's tier within Far range and roll
a d6. On a result of 1 or 2, the PCs notice warning signs and can
prepare for the encounter; the fi rst PC to make an action roll
gains advantage on it. On a result of 3 or 4, the combat occurs
as usual. On a result of 5 or 6, the adversaries get the drop on
the PCs and immediately take the spotlight, and you gain a Fear.
How did these creatures come to be here? What were they doing when
the PCs encountered them?
Booby Traps - Reaction: When a PC fails an action roll to navigate
the dungeon, activate a trap or hazard such as a spike pit,
gauntlet of swinging blades, or locked room slowly fi lling
with water. The party must succeed on a group action roll to
deactivate, disarm, or escape it. On a failure, each PC involved
in the group action roll takes 2d6+3 physical or magic damage
(GM's choice).
What kinds of traps and hazards fi ll this dungeon? What does their
construction tell you about whoever designed them? Have any of
them been triggered prior to the party's arrival?

Duel

Tier  Event
An adversary challenges one of the PCs to single combat as the rest
of the party aids them from the sidelines.
Impulses: Focus on one PC, goad them into overcommitting,
infl ict an embarrassing defeat, sideline the rest of the party
Diffi culty: Special (see "Relative Strength")
Potential Adversaries: Any

Features

"I Demand Satisfaction." - Passive: When an adversary challenges
a PC to one-on-one combat, the PC chooses whether to accept.
If they reject the challenge, they must mark a Stress, and you
gain a Fear. If a PC accepts an adversary's challenge, activate
a Progress Countdown (6) and a Consequence Countdown (4).
If the Progress Countdown triggers fi rst, the PC wins the Duel
and gains a favor or concession from their adversary. If the
Consequence Countdown triggers fi rst, the adversary wins the
Duel and claims a favor or concession from the PC.
Why was this PC chosen? What do they expect to win if they prove
victorious?
Relative Strength - Passive: The Diffi culty of this environment
equals that of the adversary who issued the challenge.
Who issues the challenge? What are they fi ghting for?
Rules of Engagement - Passive: During the Duel, the challenged
PC is the only one who can make action rolls. Other PCs can
only aid the challenged PC indirectly: They can Help an Ally,
initiate group action rolls or Tag Team Rolls, and use any of their
features that don't directly aff ect the challenging adversary.
Where does this confl ict take place? How does the environment
off er the rest of the party an opportunity to aid their ally without
interfering?
Dirty Tricks - Action: Spend a Fear to have the challenging
adversary or one of their allies cheat. A PC can notice their
underhanded action with a successful Instinct Reaction Roll and
respond in kind.
What's off /hyphen.tablimits in this confl ict? How does the adversary's ally bend
the rules without breaking them/comma.tab or break the rules without getting
caught? How can the PCs rebalance the scales?

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Hallowed Temple

Tier  Social
Abustling but well-kept temple that provides healing and hosts
regular services, overseen by a priest or seraph.
Impulses: Connect the Mortal Realm with the Hallows Above,
display the power of the divine, provide aid and succor to
the faithful
Diffi culty: 13
Potential Adversaries: Guards (Archer Guard, Bladed Guard,
Head Guard)

Features

A Place of Healing - Passive: A PC who takes a rest in the
Hallowed Temple automatically clears all HP.
What does the incense smell like? What kinds of songs do the
acolytes sing?
Divine Guidance - Passive: A PC who prays to a deity while in the
Hallowed Temple can make an Instinct Roll to receive answers.
If the god they beseech isn't welcome in this temple, the roll is
made with disadvantage.
- Critical Success: The PC gains clear information. Additionally,
they gain 1d4 Hope, which can be distributed between the
party if they share the vision and guidance they received.
- Success with Hope: The PC receives clear information.
- Success with Fear: The PC receives brief fl ashes of insight
and an emotional impression conveying an answer.
- Any Failure: The PC receives only vague fl ashes. They can
mark a Stress to receive one clear image without context.
What does it feel like as you are touched by this vision? What feeling
lingers after the images have passed?
Relentless Hope - Reaction: Once per scene, each PC can mark
a Stress to turn a result with Fear into a result with Hope.
What emotions or memories do you connect with when fear
presses in?
Divine Censure - Reaction: When the PCs have trespassed,
blasphemed, or off ended the clergy, you can spend a Fear to
summon a High Seraph and 1d4 Bladed Guards within Close
range of the senior priest to reinforce their will.
What symbols or icons do they bear that signal they are anointed
agents of the divinity? Who leads the group and what led them
to this calling?

Haunted City

Tier  Exploration
An abandoned city populated by the restless spirits of eras past.
Impulses: Misdirect and disorient, replay apocalypses both public
and personal
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Ghosts (Spectral Archer, Spectral
Captain, Spectral Guardian), ghostly versions of other
adversaries (see "Ghostly Form")

Features

Buried Knowledge - Passive: The city has countless mysteries
to unfold. A PC who seeks knowledge about the fallen city can
make an Instinct or Knowledge Roll to learn about this place and
discover (potentially haunted) loot.
- Critical Success: Gain valuable information and a related
useful item.
- Success with Hope: Gain valuable information.
- Success with Fear: Uncover vague or incomplete information.
- Any Failure: Mark a Stress to fi nd a lead after an exhaustive
search.
What greater secrets does the city contain? Why have so many
ghosts lingered here? What doomed adventurers have met a bad
fate here already?
Ghostly Form - Passive: Adversaries who appear here are of a
ghostly form. They have resistance to physical damage and can
mark a Stress to move up to Close range through solid objects.
What injuries to their physical form speak to their cause of death?
What unfulfi lled purpose holds them in the Mortal Plane?
Dead Ends - Action: The ghosts of an earlier era manifest scenes
from their bygone era, such as a street festival, a revolution, or
a heist. These hauntings change the layout of the city around
the PCs, blocking the way behind them, forcing a detour, or
presenting them with a challenge, such as mistaking them for
rival thieves during the heist.
What do the ghosts want from you? What do you need from them?
Apocalypse Then - Action: Spend a Fear to manifest the echo
of a past disaster that ravaged the city. Activate a Progress
Countdown (5) as the disaster replays around the PCs. T o
complete the countdown and escape the catastrophe, the PCs
must overcome threats such as rampaging fi res, stampeding
civilians, collapsing buildings, or crumbling streets, while
recalling history and fi nding clues to escape the inevitable.
Is this the disaster that led the city to be abandoned? What is known
about this disaster/comma.tab and how could that help the PCs escape?
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Masquerade Ball

Tier  Social
Ahigh society gala where masked revelers trade secrets and favors.
Impulses: Dance the night away, eat and be merry, make secret
deals, trade valuable information
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Operatives (Masked Thief, Master
Assassin, Spy), Revelers (Courtesan, Merchant Baron, Royal
Advisor)

Features

Costumes Required - Passive: Everyone at the ball is expected
to arrive in costume. PCs have advantage on Presence Rolls to
convince others they are someone - or something - they're not.
What do the PCs come dressed as? What do their costumes reveal
about their true selves?
"Care to Dance?" - Passive: While dancing, a PC can make an
Agility Roll instead of a Presence Roll to infl uence others.
What's notable or unique about the dances that are in fashion here?
Where did the PCs learn how to perform them?
Mistaken Identity - Action: Avery important person confuses a
PC with an even more important person. The target can play
into the misunderstanding with a Presence Reaction Roll. On a
success, the PC can ask the VIP to perform a favor, relay a key
piece of information, or make an introduction. On a failure, the
PC marks a Stress as their true identity is discovered, and they
are threatened with ejection from the party.
Who does the VIP mistake them for? What doors does their mistake
open? What dangers does it bring?
Cloak and Dagger - Action: Spend a Fear to have an operative try
to steal something valuable or assassinate someone important.
A PC can make an Instinct Roll to try to notice them before
they achieve their objective. On a success, the PC gains the
opportunity to intervene. On a failure with Fear, the PC is
erroneously implicated in the crime.
Who does the operative work for? Why did they send them to the
masquerade?

Heist

Tier  Event
The party must gain access to a hidden or well-protected location to
acquire the information or items secured within.
Impulses: Make the party prepare, split them up, throw up
obstacles, trap them inside, use up their resources
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Head Guard, Minotaur Wrecker, Secret-
Keeper, Spectral Guardian

Features

Prep Work - Passive: Prior to the Heist, each PC has the
opportunity to gather a key piece of information, surveil
the location, or acquire a helpful tool or resource. Give each
player the opportunity to describe one obstacle they expect
to encounter and how they set themselves up to overcome it,
then have them make an action roll. On a success, they get the
information or asset they sought. On a success with Fear, it's
less useful than they expected (for example, they discover the
location of a hidden access point but learn that breaching it will
likely be diffi cult and noisy).
How does the PC gain this advantage? Do they go it alone or ask for
help? What unforeseen complications arise during the heist itself?
Infi ltration - Passive: Establish the goal of the Heist and start
two dynamic countdowns: a Progress Countdown (12) to
represent the party's work toward their goal and a Consequence
Countdown (10) to represent the rising risk of discovery and
capture. Advance both according to the Dynamic Countdown
Advancement table as the PCs make action rolls to complete
the Heist. If the Progress Countdown triggers fi rst, spotlight
this environment to use the "Exfi ltration" feature. If the
Consequence Countdown triggers fi rst, gain 1d4 Fear, spotlight
this environment, and use the "Sound the Alarm" feature.
What is the party going after/comma.tab and where is it located? What
unexpected obstacles will they encounter? What happens if the party
gets caught?
Saw This Coming - Passive: Once per session, a PC can spend
a Hope to explain how they prepared for the current situation
and reveal a key piece of information (such as the location of a
hidden passage or the password to a restricted area) or produce
a helpful item (such as a cultist's uniform left unattended or a
common consumable hidden in their boot).
What did the PC prepare in advance? How did they know they'd need
it? What did it cost them to set up/comma.tab or whom do they owe a favor to?
Exfi ltration - Reaction: When the Progress Countdown triggers,
the party acquires the object of the Heist and must succeed on
a group action roll to escape without capture. On a failure, each
PC takes 2d12 direct physical damage and must mark a Stress.
What makes getting out even more dangerous than getting in? What
unforeseen developments stymie the party's original escape plan?
Sound the Alarm - Reaction: When the Consequence Countdown
triggers, the party is discovered and the location enters High
Alert. Summon a number of Tier 2 adversaries equal to the
number of PCs in the scene and immediately spotlight one.
While this environment is on High Alert, all adversaries gain a +1
bonus to their Diffi culty.
What makes these adversaries uniquely suited to guard this location?
What do they know about this place that gives them an edge?

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Mountain Pass

Tier  Traversal
Stony peaks that pierce the clouds, with a twisting path winding its
way up and over through many switchbacks.
Impulses: Exact a chilling toll in supplies and stamina, reveal
magical tampering, slow down travel
Diffi culty: 15
Potential Adversaries: Beasts (Bear, Giant Eagle, Glass Snake),
Chaos Skull, Minotaur Wrecker, Mortal Hunter

Features

Engraved Sigils - Passive: Large markings and engravings
have been made in the mountainside. A PC with a relevant
background or Experience identifi es them as weather magic
increasing the power of the icy winds. A PC who succeeds on a
Knowledge Roll can recall information about the sigils, potential
information about their creators, and the knowledge of how to
dispel them. If a PC critically succeeds, they recognize that the
sigils are of a style created by ridgeborne enchanters and they
gain advantage on a roll to dispel the sigils.
Who laid this enchantment? Are they nearby? Why did they want the
weather to be more daunting?
Avalanche - Action: Spend a Fear to carve the mountain with
an icy torrent, causing an avalanche. All PCs in its path must
succeed on an Agility or Strength Reaction Roll or be bowled
over and carried down the mountain. A PC using rope, pitons, or
other climbing gear gains advantage on this roll. Targets who fail
are knocked down the mountain to Far range, take 2d20 physical
damage, and must mark a Stress. Targets who succeed must
mark a Stress.
How do the PCs try to weather the avalanche? What approach do
the characters take to fi nd one another when their companions go
hurtling down the mountainside?
Raptor Nest - Reaction: When the PCs enter the raptors' hunting
grounds, two Giant Eagles appear at Very Far range of a chosen
PC, identifying the PCs as likely prey.
How long has it been since the eagles last found prey? Do they have
eggs in their nest/comma.tab or unfl edged young?
Icy Winds - Reaction: Countdown (Loop 4). When the PCs enter
the mountain pass, activate the countdown. When it triggers,
all characters traveling through the pass must succeed on a
Strength Reaction Roll or mark a Stress. A PC wearing clothes
appropriate for extreme cold gains advantage on these rolls.
What parts of the PC's bodies go numb fi rst? How do they try to keep
warm as they press forward?

Ocean Voy Age

Tier  Traversal
The PCs gain passage to a far-off destination by off ering their labor
in exchange.
Impulses: Reveal what lurks beneath the waves, send them in the
wrong direction, sink the ship, use up their resources
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Deep Sea Denizens (Electric Eels,
Kraken, Shark, Siren), Pirates (Pirate Captain, Pirate Raiders)

Features

Open Water - Passive: Countdown (8). Reaching their destination
requires the party to complete the Open Water Countdown. It
ticks down when a PC succeeds on an action roll to aid the ship's
journey.
Where is the ship headed? What dangers along the route do the crew
speak about in hushed tones?
Rations Run Low - Passive: The fi rst time a PC rolls a failure with
Fear on this journey, the crew discovers that the food and fresh
water in the ship's hold have been befouled by pests and mold.
Until the party reaches its destination, a PC who makes an
action roll to advance the Open Water Countdown must succeed
on a Strength Reaction Roll or mark a Stress fi rst.
What happened to the rations? What drastic measures does the crew
take to ensure they don't all die of hunger and thirst?
"Pirates!" - Action: Spend a Fear to have a crewmember in the
crow's nest spy black sails on the horizon! Start a Consequence
Countdown (4). If it triggers before the party reaches their
destination, the pirates catch up to the ship and board it. Gain
a Fear, then summon one Pirate Captain and three Hordes of
Pirate Raiders within Close range of the party.
Does the captain recognize the ship that's giving chase? What
ungentlemanly practices are the pirates in this area famous for?
Foul Weather - Reaction: When the Open Water Countdown ticks
down to an odd number, roll a d6. On a result of 4 or higher, the
ship runs into a patch of foul weather, such as a fog bank that
makes navigation diffi cult or a squall that threatens to capsize
the ship. Each PC must succeed on a reaction roll using a
relevant trait chosen by the GM or mark 1d4 Stress.
What makes this weather diff erent from anything the PCs have
experienced before? How do they coordinate with the crew to fi nd
their way through this hazard?
Here There Be Monsters - Reaction: When the Open Water
Countdown ticks down to an even number, roll a d6. On a result
of 4 or higher, summon 1d4 Deep Sea Denizens.
What attracts these creatures to the ship? Is there any way to drive
them off without combat?

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Witch's Hut

Tier  Exploration
Arustic, windowless hut sitting atop two huge chicken legs.
Impulses: Creep them out, delay them until the witch's return,
lock them inside, move to a diff erent location, tempt them with
magical oddities
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Chicken-Foot Hut, Enchanted Defenses
(Gargoyle, Ravenous Mockery, Scarecrow), Valdenhax,
The Witch's Victims (Jack-o'-Lanterns, Redcap Biters)

Features

Bigger on the Inside - Passive: Though the hut's exterior is a rustic
single-room cottage, the interior is an ever-shifting estate of
haunting splendor replete with numerous bedrooms, libraries,
and indoor gardens, among other mysterious installations.
Is there any pattern to the way the hut rearranges itself? What is the
most surprising location the PCs could fi nd here?
Creepy Doll Collection - Passive: Countdown (5). Throughout the
hut, the PCs can see many, many porcelain or wooden dolls with
strangely lifelike eyes. When the party fi rst enters a doll's line of
sight, activate the countdown. It ticks down when a PC fails a
roll or rolls with Fear. When it triggers, the dolls come to life and
attack. Summon a number of living dolls (Redcap Biters) equal to
twice the number of PCs.
Who were these dolls before? Is there any way to free them from their
imprisonment?
Witches' Brew - Passive: The hut contains a workshop with every
tool or component a witch could need, including a large iron
cauldron set atop a smoldering fi re. A PC who wants to use the
workshop can make a Spellcast Roll to craft a magic potion or
poison from the Consumables table.
- Any Failure: The experiment blows up in their face - literally.
The PC takes 2d10+2 magic damage.
- Any Success: The PC rolls a number of d12s equal to 1 + their
tier, adds the results together, and gains the consumable that
matches that value on the Consumables table. If they critically
succeeded, they can reroll any d12s showing a result of 1.
What sorts of concoctions does the witch who owns this hut
specialize in? What would the witch do if they found the PCs using
their things?
Dislocated - Reaction: Time moves diff erently inside the Witch's
Hut. When the door to the hut is closed, roll a d6. On a result
of 4 or higher, the hut moves to a diff erent - often impossibly
far-location that's only revealed to the PCs when they open the
hut's door again.
Why does the hut move so often? Where does it wish to bring the
PCs? Is there any way to aim it at a specifi c location?

V Ast Desert

Tier  Traversal
Aparched expanse of sandy dunes, desolate salt fl ats, and
windblown rock formations.
Impulses: Dehydrate, show desolate beauty, threaten danger on
the horizon
Diffi culty: 14
Potential Adversaries: Acid Burrower, Desert Raiders (Jagged
Knife Bandits), Landshark, Sandwyrm

Features

Endless Sands - Passive: Countdown (8). T o cross the desert, the
party must complete the countdown. It ticks down whenever a
PC succeeds on an action roll to navigate the seemingly endless
expanse.
How do the PCs travel through the desert? What beyond the extreme
distance and lack of water makes this area diffi cult to cross?
Water Supply - Passive: When the party starts their journey, place
a number of tokens on this stat block equal to 1 + the number of
PCs in the scene. Remove a token at the end of each long rest
or when a PC fails an action roll to navigate the desert. When a
token would be removed but there are none left, each PC must
mark a HP and a Stress. A PC can add a token to this stat block
by using a downtime move and making a successful Knowledge
Roll to hunt for water.
What sorts of water/hyphen.tabpreserving fl ora or terrain features have the PCs
heard might be found in this desert? How do the PCs collect and carry
the water they fi nd?
Shifting Sands - Passive: The ever-shifting dunes and the whipping
wind make trailing creatures through this environment diffi cult.
Action rolls to track creatures through the desert are made with
disadvantage.
How do the dunes and landscape shift whenever the heroes rest?
What is covered or uncovered by the wind?
Thunderstorm - Action: Spend a Fear to have a torrential
downpour soak the land. Each PC must either seek shelter from
the storm or collect rainwater. Each PC who seeks shelter marks
a Stress. The PCs who collect rainwater make a group action roll.
- On a success with Hope, add 1d4 tokens to the Water Supply.
- On a success with Fear, add 1 token to the Water Supply.
- On a failure with Hope, each PC who took part in the group
action roll marks a Stress.
- On a failure with Fear, each PC who took part in the group
action roll marks a Stress, and the PC who rolled the lowest
takes 2d8+4 physical damage from the storm.
How does the storm look to the heroes as it rolls in from miles away?
Is the storm natural or unnatural? How can you tell?
Sandstorm - Action: Spend a Fear to summon a sandstorm that
disorients and harries travelers. Each PC takes 2d6+3 physical
damage. Until the sandstorm dissipates, a PC who makes an
action roll must succeed on an Agility Reaction Roll to avoid the
swirl of rocks and debris or take 2d6+3 physical damage.
What do the dwellers of this desert wear to weather the sandstorms?
How are the dwelling places the party fi nds here designed to
withstand the winds?
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Tier 3 Environments (Levels 5-7)

Archmage's Tower

Tier  Exploration
An impossibly tall spire that pierces the heavens and resonates with
immense power.
Impulses: Collect magical energy, exhaust intruders, reveal the
unknown, unleash bursts of magical power
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Alchemical Creations (Chimera, Lamia,
Manticore), Archmage

Features

Mystical Defenses - Passive: Countdown (12). T o climb the tower,
the PCs must complete the countdown. On a failure or a roll with
Fear, they trigger one of the archmage's many arcane traps and
hazards, taking 3d10 magic damage. On a failure with Fear, the
damage dealt gains a bonus equal to the PC's level.
What do the designs of the archmage's defenses tell you about their
specifi c area of expertise? What signature style or fl ourish do the
traps and hazards all share?
Archmage's Aerie - Passive: The top fl oor of the tower is a
many-chambered laboratory, library, and workshop containing
everything needed to study magic in its highest forms. A PC
with a Spellcast Trait can make a Knowledge Roll to partake in
the archmage's research. On a success, they gain a +1 bonus to
their Spellcast Rolls until their next long rest. On a failure, their
investigation goes wrong, and they take 3d8+4 magic damage.
What part of the aerie calls to you? What do the archmage's notes
reveal to you?
Amalgamated Adversaries - Reaction: Spend a Fear to summon
two adversaries within Close range of a PC. Each adversary can
use the other's features as if they were their own.
Which creatures has the archmage chosen to combine? What do they
hope to learn in doing so?

Astral Realm

Tier  Traversal
Apsychic realm of energy and emotion, where the strong in spirit
can reshape the rules of reality.
Impulses: Attack their psyches, summon their subconscious fears,
warp their perceptions
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Demon of Despair, Elemental Spark,
Pain Priest, Psychic Vampires (Head Vampire, Night Children)

Features

Out-of-Body Experience - Passive: Because the party isn't
physically in this realm, Strength, Agility, and Finesse Rolls
automatically fail. Additionally, when a character would mark
a HP, they must lose a Hope or mark a Stress instead. If a
character can't mark a Stress, they must make a death move.
How does the projection of your mental self/hyphen.tabimage diff er from your
physical appearance? Which one do you consider the "real" you?
Mental Manifestations - Passive: With a successful Knowledge
Roll, PCs can alter the psychic environment, such as by inverting
gravity or conjuring a rapidly self-assembling staircase. A PC can
use a mental manifestation once per scene to gain advantage on
a roll to navigate the Astral Realm.
Is the construct you manifest a memory from real life or a fi gment of
your own imagination? What key detail do you focus on to make it
more stable?
Matter Is Illusion - Passive: Countdown (10). Time and distance
are relative here, and simply moving through the space requires
an act of will. T o cross the Astral Realm, the party must
complete the countdown using only Knowledge, Instinct, or
Presence Rolls. On a failure with Fear, a PC takes 3d8 direct
magic damage.
Do you think or feel your way through this place? What diff erence
does it make here?
Astral Adversaries - Passive: Adversaries in the Astral Realm are
immune to physical damage, as they are psychic projections
instead of fl esh and blood.
How does an adversary's astral form diff er from their physical form?
Why are these psychic projections drawn to the PCs?

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Castle Siege

Tier  Event
An active siege with an attacking force fi ghting to gain entry to a
fortifi ed castle.
Impulses: Bleed out the will to fi ght, breach the walls, build
tension
Diffi culty: 17
Potential Adversaries: Mercenaries (Harrier, Sellsword,
Spellblade, Weaponmaster), Noble Forces (Archer Squadron,
Conscript, Elite Soldier, Knight of the Realm)

Features

Secret Entrance - Passive: A PC can fi nd or recall a secret way into
the castle with a successful Instinct or Knowledge Roll.
How do they get in without revealing the pathway to the attackers?
Are any of the defenders monitoring this path?
Siege Weapons (Environment Change) - Action: Consequence
Countdown (6). The attacking force deploys siege weapons to
try to raze the defenders' fortifi cations. Activate the countdown
when the siege begins (for a protracted siege, make this a
long-term countdown instead). When it triggers, the defenders'
fortifi cations have been breached and the attackers fl ood inside.
You gain 2 Fear, then shift to the Pitched Battle environment and
spotlight it.
What siege weapons are being deployed? Are they magical/comma.tab mundane/comma.tab
or a mixture of both? What defenses must the characters overcome to
storm the castle?
Reinforcements! - Action: Summon a Knight of the Realm, a
number of Tier 3 Minions equal to the number of PCs, and two
adversaries of your choice within Far range of a chosen PC as
reinforcements. The Knight of the Realm immediately takes the
spotlight.
Who are they targeting fi rst? What formation do they take?
Collateral Damage - Reaction: When an adversary is defeated, you
can spend a Fear to have a stray attack from a siege weapon hit
a point on the battlefi eld. All targets within Very Close range of
that point must make an Agility Reaction Roll.
- Targets who fail take 3d8+3 physical or magic damage and
must mark a Stress.
- Targets who succeed must mark a Stress.
What debris is scattered by the attack? What is broken by the strike
that can't be easily mended?

Burning Heart of the Woods

Tier  Exploration
Thick indigo ash fi lls the air around a towering moss-covered tree
that burns eternally with fl ames a sickly shade of blue.
Impulses: Beat out an uncanny rhythm for all to follow, corrupt
the woods
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Beasts (Bear, Glass Snake), Elementals
(Elemental Spark), Verdant Defenders (Dryad, Oak Treant, Stag
Knight)

Features

Chaos Magic Locus - Passive: When a PC makes a Spellcast Roll,
they must roll two Fear Dice and take the higher result.
What does it feel like to work magic in this chaos/hyphen.tabtouched place?
What do you fear will happen if you lose control of the spell?
The Indigo Flame - Passive: PCs who approach the central tree
can make a Knowledge Roll to try to identify the magic that
consumed this environment.
- On a success: They learn three of the below details. On a
success with Fear, they learn two.
- On a failure: They can mark a Stress to learn one and
gain advantage on the next action roll to investigate
this environment.
- Details: This is a result of Fallen magic. The corruption is
spread through the ashen moss. It can be cleansed only by a
ritual of nature magic with a Progress Countdown (8).
What Fallen cult corrupted these woods? What have they already
done with the cursed wood and sap from this tree?
Grasping Vines - Action: Animate vines bristling with thorns whip
out from the underbrush to ensnare the PCs. Atarget must
succeed on an Agility Reaction Roll or become Restrained and
Vulnerable until they break free, clearing both conditions, with a
successful Finesse or Strength Roll or by dealing 10 damage to
the vines. When the target makes a roll to escape, they take
1d8+4 physical damage and lose a Hope.
What painful memories do the vines bring to the surface as they
pierce fl esh?
Charcoal Constructs - Action: Warped animals wreathed in indigo
fl ame trample through a point of your choice. All targets within
Close range of that point must make an Agility Reaction Roll.
Targets who fail take 3d12+3 physical damage. Targets who
succeed take half damage instead.
Are these real animals consumed by the fl ame or merely constructs of
the corrupting magic?
Choking Ash - Reaction: Countdown (Loop ). When the PCs enter
the Burning Heart of the Woods, activate the countdown. When
it triggers, all characters must make a Strength or Instinct
Reaction Roll. Targets who fail take 4d6+5 direct physical
damage. Targets who succeed take half damage. Protective
masks or clothes give advantage on the reaction roll.
What hallucinations does the ash induce? What incongruous taste
does it possess?
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Crystal Wasteland

Tier  Traversal
Aharsh and alien landscape that shines with towers of glittering
crystal.
Impulses: Cut them to their core, fracture their psyches, show
their true refl ection
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Adult Flickerfl y, Constructs, Elemental
Spark, Vault Guardians, Whisper Wraiths

Features

Harmonic Resonance - Passive: The crystals here reverberate
with magical energy. A PC can use a downtime move to try to
Attune to the environment with a successful Spellcast Roll. While
Attuned, the PC has advantage on Spellcast Rolls inside the
Crystal Wasteland. The condition is cleared when the PC leaves
the Crystal Wasteland.
How does attunement to this place alter your sensory experience of
it? What sound or song from your childhood does this place conjure?
Gravitational Anomalies - Action: Strange, localized phenomena
dot the landscape, warping distance and direction. Spend a
Fear to alter the gravity at a chosen point. Each target within
Close range of that point must make a Knowledge Reaction Roll
to calculate their new trajectories. Targets who fail take 3d8+4
physical damage as they are thrown up and away. Targets who
succeed must mark a Stress or take half damage.
What does it feel like as your body and mind fi ght to reestablish
equilibrium? Is there any way to use this to your advantage?
Arcane Refl ection - Action: Spend a Fear to have any number of
PCs glimpse a refl ection in the crystal of who they once were
or might become. Each target must make an Instinct Reaction
Roll. Targets who succeed see a vision of their better self and can
replace one Experience. Targets who fail see a vision of their dark
past - or an even darker future - and must mark a Stress. You
gain a Fear for each target who failed.
Who do the PCs see on the other side of the crystal? How does it make
them feel?
Razor-Sharp Terrain - Reaction: When a PC fails a roll to navigate
the wasteland, they must make a Finesse Reaction Roll. On a
failure, they cut themselves on the sharp edges of the terrain.
Shards of magic crystal become embedded in their wound and
slowly grow, Crystallizing them. Activate a Crystal Countdown
(1) for that PC. Until they remove the condition with a successful
Knowledge Roll, a Crystallizing PC ticks up their Crystal
Countdown at the start of each rest and gains a penalty to
their Evasion equal to its value. The countdown ends when the
condition is cleared.
What does the crystal look like as it grows? What does it feel like?
Psychic Shuffl e - Reaction: When the PCs take a long rest, you
can spend a Fear to swap their psyches. Collect all the players'
character sheets, then shuffl e and randomly redistribute them.
Each character sheet comes with that PC's Domain cards and
player aids. A PC can regain their psyche with a successful
Knowledge Roll, at which point they trade sheets with the player
who has their original character sheet.
How does it feel being in someone else's skin? If you could choose to
stay like them in one way/comma.tab what would it be?

Dragon's Lair

Tier  Exploration
Acollection of gold, jewels, and artifacts in the heart of an active
volcano.
Impulses: Lure into the levels below, make escape impossible,
tempt with treasure, wake the dragon
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: The Dragon's Minions (Drake, Wyvern),
Young Fire Dragon

Features

The Dragon Wakes - Passive: Consequence Countdown (8). The
dragon that amassed this treasure lies sleeping somewhere on,
under, or near the hoard. When the PCs enter the lair, activate
the countdown. When it triggers, the dragon awakens and each
PC must succeed on a Presence Reaction Roll or mark a Stress.
You gain a Fear for each Stress marked this way.
Where does this dragon slumber? What does it dream about?
Treasure Hoard - Passive: At the heart of the lair sits a mountain
of treasure. If the party wishes to locate the treasure, they must
complete a Progress Countdown (12). When it triggers, the
party can tick down the Consequence Countdown to search
through the treasure mound by rolling a number of d12s equal to
1 + their tier on the Item or Consumable table (their choice).
How did the party learn of this collection? What do they hope to fi nd
here?
Volcanic Activity - Action: Spend a Fear to trigger a volcanic
eruption. Each character must make an Agility Reaction Roll.
Targets who fail are burned by gouts of lava and fl ame as the
earth breaks around them and take 3d8+5 physical damage.
Targets who succeed take half damage.
What paths of egress are blocked by the volcano's shifting
confi guration? How do the PCs protect themselves from the stifl ing
heat?
Watchdogs - Reaction: When a PC fails a roll to navigate the
lair, you can spend a Fear to summon 1d6 Drakes and up to
two Wyverns, who appear within Close range of a PC and are
immediately spotlighted.
Why do these creatures serve the slumbering dragon? What signs
does the party fi nd that foreshadow their presence?

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Pitched Battle

Tier  Event
Amassive combat between two large groups of armed combatants.
Impulses: Seize people, land, and wealth, spill blood for greed
and glory
Diffi culty: 17
Potential Adversaries: Mercenaries (Sellsword, Harrier,
Spellblade, Weaponmaster), Noble Forces (Archer Squadron,
Conscript, Elite Soldier, Knight of the Realm)

Features

Adrift on a Sea of Steel - Passive: Traversing a battlefi eld during an
active combat is extremely dangerous. A PC must succeed on
an Agility Roll to move at all, and can only go up to Close range
on a success. If an adversary is within Melee range of them, they
must mark a Stress to make an Agility Roll to move.
Do the combatants mistake you for the enemy or consider you
interlopers? Can you tell the diff erence between friend and foe in
the fray?
Raze and Pillage - Action: The attacking force raises the stakes by
lighting a fi re, stealing a valuable asset, kidnapping an important
person, or killing the populace.
What is valuable here? Who is most vulnerable?
War Magic - Action: Spend a Fear as a mage from one side uses
large-scale destructive magic. Pick a point on the battlefi eld
within Very Far range of the mage. All targets within Close range
of that point must make an Agility Reaction Roll. Targets who fail
take 3d12+8 magic damage and must mark a Stress.
What form does the attack take - fi reball/comma.tab raining acid/comma.tab a storm of
blades? What tactical objective is this attack meant to accomplish/comma.tab
and what comes next?
Reinforcements! - Action: Summon a Knight of the Realm, a
number of Tier 3 Minions equal to the number of PCs, and two
adversaries of your choice within Far range of a chosen PC
as reinforcements. The Knight of the Realm immediately
takes the spotlight.
Who are they targeting fi rst? What formation do they take?

Megastorm

Tier  Event
An extreme weather event suddenly manifests, forcing the party to
balance their own survival against the safety of others.
Impulses: Blow hurricane winds, choke with mudslides, crumble
structures, fl ood, throw debris, light up the sky
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Greater Water Elemental, Storm Titan

Features

Stormfront - Passive: Countdown (8). When the storm arrives,
activate the countdown. It ticks down when a PC rolls with
Hope. When it triggers, the storm disperses or moves on to a
diff erent area.
Where is the safest place to weather the storm? What are the people
here willing to risk their lives for?
Hazardous Conditions - Passive: The Megastorm's extreme wind,
fog, and cloud cover make navigating the entire area diffi cult.
PCs can't move as part of an action roll without succeeding on
an Agility Reaction Roll.
Who else lost in the gyre? How can you lead them out?
Bomb Cyclone - Action: Spend a Fear to summon an extreme
weather event, such as a thunderstorm or tornado, at a point of
your choice. Each target within Close range of that point must
succeed on a reaction roll using a trait you choose to avoid being
pummeled by hail, thrown into the air, blasted by lightning, or
a similar eff ect. Targets who fail take 2d10+2 damage of a type
you choose.
Is this the worst weather any of the PCs have experienced? What in
the immediate area can the PCs use to protect themselves?
Stormheart - Action: Spend a Fear to reveal the living battery
of the Megastorm. Summon a Storm Giant or Greater Water
Elemental within Far range of a PC, then immediately spotlight
them. Until this adversary is defeated, the "Stormfront"
countdown doesn't tick down. When this adversary is defeated,
the Megastorm ends.
Did this creature conjure the storm for their own purposes/comma.tab or do they
serve an even greater entity? Why did they designate this place for
destruction?
Panic in the Streets - Action: The Megastorm is sowing fear and
chaos among the locals. Describe how the storm puts an NPC in
danger. If the PC who next takes the spotlight doesn't use their
action to rescue the endangered NPC, you gain a Fear.
Who's taking advantage of the situation? Who's supposed to be in
charge here/comma.tab and what happened to them?

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Sunken Citadel

Tier  Exploration
The sunken ruins of a long-lost civilization fi lled with ancient
technology and dark magic.
Impulses: Draw them deep, drown them, reveal ancient wonders
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Cursed Merfolk, Deep Dweller,
Plesiosaurus

Features

Underwater Environment - Passive: This environment is
underwater (see the "Moving and Fighting Underwater" rules
on page 168 of the core rulebook). In addition to those rules, a
creature who breathes air tracks their supply with an Air Supply
Countdown. Its starting value is equal to 3 + their tier, and it
ticks down when they take an action. If a PC fails an action
roll or rolls with Fear, you can use a GM move to tick down
their countdown an additional time. If the roll is a failure with
Fear, you can tick it down twice instead. Once their countdown
triggers, a PC must mark a Stress whenever they take an action
underwater until they resurface.
Have you ever known anyone who drowned? What do you think about
to keep calm and stretch your air supply?
Air Pockets - Passive: A PC can reset their their Air Supply
Countdown to its starting value by locating a pocket of air with a
successful Knowledge or Instinct Roll.
What signs or structures do you look for? What does it feel like to
know this might be the last breath you take?
Lost Technology - Passive: The ruins are carved with strange
magical runes and littered with lost technology. A PC can make
a Knowledge Roll to learn useful information about this lost
civilization from any runes or devices they come across.
Who once called this place home? How did their technology work?
Why were they ultimately destroyed and cast down into the depths?
Deepwater Denizens - Action: Spend a Fear to summon up to two
Deep Dwellers and 1d6 Cursed Merfolk who try to bind the PCs
to their will. These adversaries appear at Close range of a PC,
then one immediately takes the spotlight.
Why do these creatures stay here among the ruins? Are they unwilling
or unable to resurrect this once/hyphen.tabprosperous civilization?

Upscale Casino

Tier  Social
Aglittering gambling hall where well-heeled merchants and nobles
come to fritter away their fortunes.
Impulses: Dangle the jackpot just out of reach, dazzle them with
spectacle, prey on their vices
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Automated Security (Vault Guardians),
Gamblers (Courtesan, Merchant Baron, Petty Noble, Spy)

Features

Glitz & Glamor - Passive: The overwhelming spectacle of this place
can entrance even the most jaded patron. While here, all PCs
have disadvantage on reaction rolls caused by a staff member or
regular patron of the casino.
What's so wondrous about the casino's trappings? Are they truly
magical in nature or merely mundane wonders taken to an impossible
extreme?
Fortune Favors the Bold - Passive: Once per long rest, a PC can
gamble any amount of gold by stating how much they want to
wager and rolling their Hope Die. On a result of 7 or higher, the
PC wins an equal amount, doubling their money. On a result of 6
or lower, they lose it all.
What game does the PC choose to play? What house rules does this
casino have? Is there anything besides gold the PCs are willing to risk?
The House Always Wins - Reaction: When an adversary fails a roll,
you can spend a Fear to make it a success instead.
Is this place blessed with impossible fortune/comma.tab or does something curse
anyone who steps through its doors?
Automated Security - Reaction: When a PC attempts to cheat at
a game in the casino and fails, they must mark a Stress as they
activate the casino's mechanical security detail. Gain a Fear
and summon one Vault Guardian Gaoler and Turret for each PC,
plus a Vault Guardian Sentinel. All adversaries appear within Far
range of the PCs, and the Vault Guardian Sentinel immediately
takes the spotlight.
Who built these machines? Why are they preferable to living beings?
The Devil's Playground - Reaction: If the PCs defeat the casino's
automated security or try to leave with stolen winnings, you
can spend an amount of Fear equal to the number of PCs to
summon the casino's true owner, a Demon of Avarice, within
Close range of a PC. The Demon is immediately spotlighted and
bars the party's exit at all costs.
How did the demon mask their infl uence until now? How does the
casino itself change to reveal its true nature?

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Tier 4 Environments

(LEVELS 8-10)

Chaos Realm

Tier  Traversal
An otherworldly space where the laws of reality are unstable and
dangerous.
Impulses: Annihilate certainty, consume power, defy logic
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Outer Realms Monstrosities
(Abomination, Corruptor, Thrall)

Features

Impossible Architecture - Passive: Up is down, down is right, right
is starward. Gravity and directionality themselves are in fl ux, and
any attempt to move through this realm is an odyssey unto itself,
requiring a Progress Countdown (8). On a failure, a PC must
mark a Stress in addition to the roll's other consequences.
What does it feel like to move in a space so alien to the Mortal Realm?
What landmark or point do you fi xate on to maintain your balance?
What bizarre landmarks do you traverse on your journey?
Everything You Are This Place Will Take from You - Action:
Countdown (Loop d). Activate the countdown. When it
triggers, all PCs must succeed on a Presence Reaction Roll or
their highest trait is temporarily reduced by 1d4 unless they
mark a number of Stress equal to its value. Any lost trait points
are regained if the PC critically succeeds or escapes the
Chaos Realm.
How does this place try to steal from you that which makes you
legendary? What does it feel like to have this power taken from you?
Unmaking - Action: Spend a Fear to force a PC to make a Strength
Reaction Roll. On a failure, they take 4d10 direct magic damage.
On a success, they must mark a Stress.
What glimpse of other worlds do you catch while this place tries to
unmake you? What core facet of your personality does the unmaking
try to erase?
Outer Realms Predators - Action: Spend a Fear to summon an
Outer Realms Abomination, an Outer Realms Corruptor, and 2d6
Outer Realms Thralls, who appear at Close range of a chosen
PC in defi ance of logic and causality. Immediately spotlight one
of these adversaries, and you can spend an additional Fear to
automatically succeed on that adversary's standard attack.
What half/hyphen.tabconsumed remnants of the shattered world do these
monstrosities cast aside in pursuit of living fl esh? What jagged
refl ections of former personhood do you catch between moments
of unquestioning malice?
Disorienting Reality - Reaction: On a result with Fear, you can ask
the PC to describe which of their fears the Chaos Realm evokes
as a vision of reality unmakes and reconstitutes itself to the PC.
The PC loses a Hope. If it is their last Hope, you gain a Fear.
What moment do they see? If it's a memory/comma.tab how is it warped by this
place? How hard will it be to hold on to the real memory?

Volcanic Eruption

Tier  Event
An explosion of heat and molten rock that leaves behind only charred
desolation.
Impulses: Create panic all around, cut off the exits, isolate, make
them scramble for safety, split the party
Diffi culty: 16
Potential Adversaries: Elemental Spark, Lava Elemental
(Greater Earth Elemental), Volcanic Dragon

Features

Unstable Ground - Passive: The ground here is uneven, prone to
collapse, and constantly shifting. PCs who fail an Agility Roll to
move must mark a HP and are temporarily Restrained.
What strange shapes and colors do the PCs see in the cooled lava?
How do the people who live nearby keep their footing on the slick/comma.tab
shiny surface?
Violent Eruption - Action: Spend a Fear to have the ground erupt
at a point of your choice, spewing lava into the air and spreading
it along the ground. All targets within Very Close range of that
point lose a Hope and take 3d8+3 physical damage. The area
within Very Close range of the eruption point becomes lava until
the end of the scene. Acreature who moves into or through the
lava takes 3d8+3 physical damage. Until the end of the scene,
you can spend a Fear to expand the lava area by one step (such
as Very Close to Close or Close to Far).
What makes the lava seem alive? How can the PCs predict its
behavior?
Vent Toxic Gas - Action: Spend a Fear to open a fi ssure that
belches out toxic gas at a point of your choice, creating a cloud
that blankets everything within Far range. While inside the cloud,
a PC must track their air supply with an Air Supply Countdown.
Its starting value is equal to 3 + their tier, and it ticks down
when they take an action. If a PC fails an action roll or rolls with
Fear, you can use a GM move to tick down their countdown an
additional time. If the roll is a failure with Fear, you can tick it
down twice instead. Once the countdown ends, a PC must mark
a Stress whenever they take an action within the gas until they
escape the cloud.
What signs do you see to indicate the presence of toxic gas? What
taste lingers in the mouths of the PCs who inhale the gas?
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Convergence, The

City of Portals

Tier  Social
Asprawling metropolis at the nexus of creation, where infl uential
fi gures from across the realms gather.
Impulses: Confront them with alien customs, dazzle them with
infi nite variety, tempt them with the impossible
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Power Players (Arch-Necromancer,
Demon Lord Berzug, Fire Titan Warlord, High Seraph, Monarch,
Oracle of Doom, Vampire Lord), Travelers and Residents (Any)

Features

Impossibilities Abound - Passive: Convergence is a nexus of gods,
monsters, aliens, and all manner of dimension-hoppers. Because
mortal life is generally beneath these beings' concern, PCs have
disadvantage on action rolls to infl uence them unless they have
leverage against them or know what the NPC cares about.
What manner of being currently holds sway in the city? What strange
customs do they practice? Which PC is most confused or off ended by
them/comma.tab and which PC adopts these customs as their own?
Into the Multiverse - Passive: The city of Convergence has a portal
or door to every realm of existence.
Where (or when) does the party want to go? Where is that portal
located/comma.tab and who controls that area?
Infi nite Inventory - Passive: This city has the solution to any
problem, if you can fi nd it. A PC seeking a particular item with
wondrous properties can make an Instinct or Presence Roll to
fi nd it in the city's pandimensional marketplace.
- Critical Success: The PC fi nds the perfect item, and the
merchant who has it only wants something the PC considers
inconsequential in exchange.
- Success with Hope: The PC fi nds the perfect item and can
exchange something of equal value for it.
- Success with Fear: The PC fi nds the perfect item, but the
merchant who has it will only exchange it for something the
party can't give them... yet.
- Any Failure: The PC must mark a Stress as they go on a wild
goose chase but come up empty-handed. The PC can mark
an additional Stress to change this result into a success with
Fear.
Who has the item the party needs? What do they want in return?
Don't Make Waves - Passive: Countdown (6). Because anything
is possible in Convergence, the city maintains a labyrinthine
bureaucracy that issues and enforces ordinances regarding
all exchanges and interactions between the realms. When the
party arrives in Convergence, activate the countdown. It ticks
down when a PC does something that upsets the city's delicate
political equilibrium. When it triggers, the PCs become Wanted
until they clear their names with the authorities. When a Wanted
PC rolls with Fear, you can summon 1d4 Temporal Enforcers
who appear within Very Close range, immediately take the
spotlight, and try to apprehend the party.
What has the party done (or what do they plan to do) that draws the
attention and ire of the city offi cials? How can they fi x the problem
they caused?
An Off er You Can't Refuse - Action: Convergence is home to a
tenuous network of rival factions. Spend a Fear to have one
of them present the party with an easy solution to a diffi cult
problem in exchange for their allegiance. If the party refuses,
each PC must mark a Stress, and they can't turn to that faction
for help in the future.
Which faction off ers the party their support? Who do they want the
party to act against?

Divine Usurpation

Tier  Event
Amassive ritual designed to breach the gates of the Hallows Above
and unseat the New Gods themselves.
Impulses: Collect power, overawe, silence dissent
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Arch-Necromancer, Fallen Shock
Troops, Mortal Hunter, Oracle of Doom, Perfected Zombie

Features

Final Preparations - Passive: When the environment fi rst takes
the spotlight, designate one adversary as the Usurper seeking to
overthrow the gods. Activate a Long-Term Countdown (8) as the
Usurper assembles what they need to conduct the ritual. When
it triggers, spotlight this environment to use the "Beginning of
the End" feature. While this environment remains in play, you
can hold up to 15 Fear.
What does the Usurper still require: The heart of a High Seraph? The
lodestone of an ancient waygate? The loyalty of two archenemies? The
heartbroken tears of a pure soul?
Divine Blessing - Passive: When a PC critically succeeds, they can
spend 2 Hope to refresh an ability normally limited by uses (such
as once per rest, once per session).
What god favors you as you fi ght against this usurpation? How does
your renewed power refl ect their infl uence?
Defi lers Abound - Action: Spend 2 Fear to summon 1d4+2 Fallen
Shock Troops that appear within Close range of the Usurper to
assist their divine siege. Immediately spotlight the Shock Troops
to use a "Group Attack" action.
Which High Fallen do these troops serve? Which god's fl esh do they
wish to feast upon?
Godslayer - Action: If the Divine Siege Countdown (see "Beginning
of the End") has triggered, you can spend 3 Fear to describe the
Usurper slaying one of the gods of the Hallows Above, feasting
upon their power and growing stronger. The Usurper clears 2
HP. Increase their Diffi culty, damage, attack modifi er, or give
them a new feature from the slain god.
Which god meets their end? What are their last words? How does the
Usurper's new stolen power manifest?
Beginning of the End - Reaction: When the "Final Preparations"
long-term countdown triggers, the Usurper begins hammering
on the gates of the Hallows themselves. Activate a Divine Siege
Countdown (10). Spotlight the Usurper to describe the Usurper's
assault and tick down this countdown by 1. If the Usurper
takes Major or greater damage, tick up the countdown by 1.
When it triggers, the Usurper shatters the barrier between the
Mortal Realm and the Hallows Above to slay the gods and take
their place. You gain a Fear for each unmarked HP the Usurper
has. You can immediately use the "Godslayer" feature without
spending Fear to make an additional GM move.
How does the Mortal Realm writhe as the natural order is violated?
What mortals witness this blasphemy from afar?
Ritual Nexus - Reaction: On any failure with Fear against the
Usurper, the PC must mark 1d4 Stress from the backlash of
magical power.
What visions of failures past torment you as your eff orts fall short?
How are these memories twisted by the Usurper?
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Moon Kingdom

Tier  Exploration
The mysterious, luminous, and isolated ruins of a long-lost lunar
kingdom that echoes with forgotten magic and ancient technology.
Impulses: Blur the line between dream and reality, let
consciousness ebb and fl ow like the tide, whisper echoes of
ancient opulence
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Local Fauna (Cryptimoths, Yufos),
Moon Queen's Spirit (Arch-Necromancer), Reawakened Relics
(Constructs, Vault Guardians)

Features

Dreamlike Atmosphere - Passive: Everything in the Moon Kingdom
feels dreamlike and fl oaty. Aleap carries you far, and the sound
is muted. The air is full of an iridescent crystalline dust that
shifts in response to thoughts or emotions and might record
memories of the past or visions of the future. Once per scene, a
PC can make an Instinct Roll to read the psychic impressions left
by past events.
What ethereal scents or sensations do the PCs experience? How does
the atmosphere aff ect the interactions between them?
Silent Ruins - Passive: The towering silver and blue architecture
of the capital is undamaged but overgrown with bioluminescent
fl ora that pulses in time with the lunar tides. A PC who
succceeds on a Finesse Roll can harvest a moon plant without
killing it. A PC who eats one or more living moon plants gains a
+1 bonus to Spellcast Rolls until their next long rest.
What earth fl ora do these moon plants look like? What do they taste
like/comma.tab and how do they aff ect the eater physically?
Lunar Astrologium - Passive: Atop the highest tower in the capital
city sits a crystal dream machine that can replay history. A PC
who succeeds on a Knowledge Roll can repair the machine. Once
the machine is repaired, a PC who succeeds on a Presence Roll
can operate it to learn the history of the Moon Kingdom's rise
and fall.
- Critical Success: The PC receives clear information about key
events and fi gures in the Moon Kingdom's history and gains
1d4 Hope, which they can distribute among PCs they share
their visions with.
- Success with Hope: The PC receives clear information about
key events and fi gures in the Moon Kingdom's history.
- Any roll with Fear: The PC receives brief fl ashes and
sensations related to the kingdom's cataclysmic end. If the
roll was a failure, the PC takes 4d10+5 magic damage as the
visions assault their psyche.
What does this machinery look like/comma.tab and how does it work? What do
the PCs learn about the Moon Kingdom's history?
The Moon Queen's Tomb - Reaction: The Moon Kingdom's fi nal
ruler has been preserved in a selenite coffi n deep within the
citadel. On a roll with Fear to investigate her chamber, her
baleful shade awakens and attacks the party. Summon the
Moon Queen's Spirit (Arch-Necromancer) next to her coffi n and
immediately spotlight her.
Who buried her here/comma.tab and why? Can she be resurrected/comma.tab or is
destroying her spirit the only path forward?

Imperial Court

Tier  Social
The majestic domain of a powerful empire, lavishly appointed with
stolen treasures.
Impulses: Justify and perpetuate imperial rule, seduce rivals with
promises of power and comfort
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Bladed Guard, Courtesan, Knight of the
Realm, Monarch, Spy

Features

All Roads Lead Here - Passive: While in the Imperial Court, a
PC has disadvantage on Presence Rolls made to take actions
that don't fi t the imperial way of life or support the empire's
dominance.
How does the way language is used make even discussing alternative
ways of living diffi cult? What obvious benefi ts for loyalty create
friction when you try to discuss alternatives?
Rival Vassals - Passive: The PCs can fi nd imperial subjects,
vassals, and supplicants in the court, each vying for favor,
seeking proximity to power, exchanging favors for loyalty, and
elevating their status above others'. Some might be desperate
to undermine their rivals, while others might even be open to
discussions that verge on sedition.
How do they benefi t from vassalage/comma.tab and what has it cost them?
What exploitation drives them to consider opposing the unstoppable?
The Gravity of Empire - Action: Spend a Fear to present a PC with
a golden opportunity or off er to satisfy a major goal in exchange
for obeying or supporting the empire. The target must make a
Presence Reaction Roll. On a failure, they must mark all their
Stress or accept the off er. If they have already marked all their
Stress, they must accept the off er or exile themselves from the
empire. On a success, they must mark 1d4 Stress as they're
taxed by temptation.
What do the PCs want so desperately they might consider throwing
in with this ruthless power? How did imperial agents learn the PC's
greatest desires?
Imperial Decree - Action: Spend a Fear to tick down a long-term
countdown related to the empire's agenda by 1d4. If this
triggers the countdown, a proclamation related to the agenda
is announced at court as the plan is executed.
What display of power or transfer of wealth was needed to expedite
this plan? Whose lives were disrupted or upended to make this
happen?
Eyes Everywhere - Reaction: On a result with Fear, you can spend
a Fear to have someone loyal to the empire overhear seditious
talk within the court. A PC must succeed on an Instinct Reaction
Roll to notice that the group has been overheard so they can try
to intercept the witness before the PCs are exposed.
How has the empire compromised this witness? Why is their fi rst
impulse to protect the empire/comma.tab even if doesn't treat them well?
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Necromancer's Ossuary

Tier  Exploration
Adusty crypt with a library, twisting corridors, and abundant
sarcophagi, spattered with the blood of ill-fated invaders.
Impulses: Confound intruders, delve into secrets best left buried,
manifest unlife, unleash a tide of undead
Diffi culty: 19
Potential Adversaries: Arch-Necromancer's Host (Perfected
Zombie, Zombie Legion)

Features

No Place for the Living - Passive: Afeature or action that clears HP
requires spending a Hope to use. If it already costs Hope, a PC
must spend an additional Hope.
What does it feel like to try to heal in a place so antithetical to life?
Centuries of Knowledge - Passive: A PC can investigate the library
and laboratory and make a Knowledge Roll to learn information
related to arcana, local history, and the Necromancer's plans.
What are the names of the tomes? What project is the necromancer
working on and what does it communicate about their plans?
Skeletal Burst - Action: All targets within Close range of a point
you choose in this environment must succeed on an Agility
Reaction Roll or take 4d8+8 physical damage from skeletal
shrapnel as part of the ossuary detonates around them.
What ancient skeletal architecture is destroyed? What bones stick in
your armor?
Aura of Death - Action: Once per scene, roll a d4. Each undead
within Far range of the Necromancer can clear HP and Stress
equal to the result rolled. The undead can choose how that
number is divided between HP and Stress.
How does their renewed vigor manifest? Do they look more lifelike or/comma.tab
paradoxically/comma.tab are they more decayed but vigorous?
They Just Keep Coming! - Action: Spend a Fear to summon 1d6
Rotted Zombies, two Perfected Zombies, or a Zombie Legion,
who appear at Close range of a chosen PC.
Who were these people before they became the necromancer's pawns?
What vestiges of those lives remain for the heroes to see?

Realm of the Dead

Tier  Traversal
Aseemingly infi nite expanse of still water without color or laughter.
Impulses: Drown in despair, leech life, tempt into endless slumber
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Any (see "Death-Touched Denizens")

Features

Sea of Gloom - Passive: This realm is a boundless silver ocean
blanketed in a gray gloom with no visible stars or horizon. The
subtle current pulls inexorably at the PCs' legs, but it's too gentle
to disturb the fl at, mirrored surface of the water. Action rolls to
navigate this realm have disadvantage.
What dangers lie below the surface? How does one fi nd the edge of a
world without end/comma.tab and what lies beyond it?
The Burden of Wakefulness - Passive: It's impossible to sleep here.
When the party rests, each PC can choose only one downtime
move.
What thoughts keep the PCs awake here? How can they support one
another without succumbing to hopelessness themselves?
Death-Touched Denizens - Passive: All mortal creatures eventually
pass through this place on their journey to the other side, but
those who linger or wander become warped and mutated by the
gloom. Any adversaries the party encounters here are Faded.
Describe how their time here has warped them into something
worse than dead. When a PC takes damage from a Faded
adversary's attack, they must also mark a Stress. If a PC is
defeated here, they become a Faded adversary controlled by the
GM instead of making a death move.
Why do these creatures refuse to move on? Is there any pattern to the
forms the gloom fades them into?
The Chill of Death - Action: Spend a Fear to force a PC to make a
Presence Reaction Roll as the Sea of Gloom leeches the warmth
from their blood and bones. On a failure, they take 4d10 direct
magic damage. On a success, they must mark a Stress.
What does it feel like to have the will to live forcibly drained from
you? How do you focus through the despair?
Abandon All Hope - Reaction: When a PC spends Hope in the
Realm of the Dead, they must roll a d6. On an odd result, they
must spend an additional Hope or lose the benefi t of the Hope
they already spent.
What regrets gnaw at the edge of your consciousness while you're
here? What memories still tether you to the Mortal Realm?

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Time Court

Tier  Event
One or more PCs are forcibly plucked from the timeline and put on
trial for crimes against continuity.
Impulses: Find the truth, mete out justice, nullify their powers
Diffi culty: 20
Potential Adversaries: Judge (Monarch), Jury (Hallowed Choir),
Executioners (Temporal Enforcers)

Features

Out of Time - Passive: The trial takes place in a pocket dimension
that exists beyond the infl uence of the other realms. While here,
PCs can't use their features and abilities. Each player must put
their Domain cards in their vault.
What besides the courtroom resides in this pocket dimension? What
powers maintain the universal barrier protecting this place?
Trial by Jury - Passive: At the end of the proceedings, a jury votes
whether to acquit or convict the party. When the court is called
to order, have the prosecution present its case against the PCs
and start a Countdown (9). It ticks down when a PC makes an
action roll. When it triggers, the PCs and GM roll their Judgment
Dice. If the party's total result meets or exceeds the GM's, the
jury acquits them.
Which PCs are put on trial? What are they accused of? What
potential penalties would a guilty verdict bring?
Counsel for the Defense - Passive: A PC can make an action
roll to argue for their innocence (such as a Knowledge Roll
to interpret the letter of the law, a Presence Roll to play on
the jury's emotions, or an Instinct Roll to point out holes in
the prosecution's case). On a success, the party gains a d6
Judgment Die. On a critical success, they gain two. On a failure,
the prosecution rebuts the PC's argument, and you gain a d6
Judgment Die.
What is the weakest part of the prosecution's case? What is the
strongest part of the party's defense?
Counsel for the Prosecution - Action: The prosecution introduces
a damning piece of evidence (such as an eyewitness testimony,
test results, or a physical exhibit taken from the scene of the
crime), and you gain a d6 Judgment Die. A PC can mark a Stress
to attempt a rebuttal of the evidence with a Knowledge, Instinct,
or Presence Reaction Roll. On a success, the party gains the
Judgment Die instead of you. On a failure, you gain an additional
d6 Judgment Die.
Who leads the prosecution/comma.tab and what is their relationship to the Time
Council? What magic or technology does this court rely on to present
and record evidence?
"Order in the Court!" - Reaction: When the PCs attempt to escape
or end the trial through force, summon a number of Temporal
Enforcers equal to the number of PCs in the scene within Close
range and immediately spotlight one.
Is this court's authority worthy of respect? What besides the might
of the Time Council and its enforcers justifi es their control over the
timeline?

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