TEXT: a
  
  Jinkies!
  A Mystery Adventure Role-Playing Game
  Credits
  Writing and Game Design: Tobias Strauss
  Editing: Vivian Abraham and Ashton Duncan
  Artwork: Lilienne Chan
  Layout: Dustin DePenning
  Project Management: Stephanie Bryant
  Special Thanks to: Thomas Bloodgood, Shimon Klein, Daniel 
  Lowell, and Michael Ma for early playtesting. Additional thanks 
  to all the playtesters at Strategicon, Metatopia, BigBadCon, 
  and online, for helping test and refine the Jinkies! experience.
  
  Jinkies!
  Published by Tobias Strauss
  http://www.jinkiesrpg.com
  Jinkies! is published by Tobias Strauss and is copyright (c) 
  2019. All rights reserved. The characters and events depicted 
  herein are  fictional; any similarity to actual persons, living or 
  dead, or to any actual events is coincidental and unintentional.
  
  Table of Contents
  Chapter 1: How to Play Jinkies! 
  1
  Basic Rules 
  3
  Other Rules 
  7
  Chapter 2: Making Characters 
  17
  Character Creation 
  17
  Playbooks 
  24
   
  The Leader 
  24
   
  The Mascot 
  26
   
  The Weird One 
  28
   
  The Looker 
  30
   
  The Smart One 
  32
   
  The Talent 
  34
   
  The Tough One 
  36
  Basic Moves 
  38
  Character Creation Checklist 
  40
  Chapter 3: The Animator 
  43
  The Setting 
  43
  Suspects 
  45
  Animator Moves 
  46
  Behind the Music Moves 
  47
  Soft Moves 
  49
  Hard Moves 
  51
  Behind the Music Moves 
  52
  Animator Principles 
  53
  The Structure 
  57
  Chapter 4: Rules for Young People 
  61
  How to Play 
  64
  Making Characters 
  68
  The Leader 
  76
  
  The Mascot 
  78
  The Weird One 
  80
  The Popular One 
  82
  The Smart One 
  84
  The Talent 
  86
  Chapter 5: The Animator For Young People 
  89
  The Setting 
  89
  Animator Moves 
  91
  Important Rules for Animators 
  93
  Chapter 6: Playable Episodes 
  99
  Episode 1: The Legend of Tiki-Taki 
  99
  Episode 2: The Fool’s Gold Folly 
  108
  Episode 3: The Vaudeville Caper 
  115
  Appendix: Game Terminology 
  121
  
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  Ed Ingold
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  Figment of Your Imagination
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  Josh Fox and Becky Annison
  Josh Ohmer
  Julian A. G. Stanley
  Justin S Davis
  Justin Spath
  Kathryn Flucht
  Keith Garrett
  Kevin Lemke
  Knights of the Game Table
  Kris Puzzo
  Kyler H
  Laura “Laura47” Boylan
  Leandro Pondoc
  Lee Rosenbaum
  Lenny Steinke
  Leo Marshall
  Lisa Lindley
  Lloyd Rasmussen
  Manuel Suarez
  Mark Fenlon
  Marshall Miller
  Martin Greening
  Matt Harrop
  Matt Wetherbee
  Matthew Edwards
  Matthew Frederickson
  Matthew Searle
  Meguey & Vincent Baker
  Mendel Schmiedekamp
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  Michael Bowman
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  Shane Liebling
  Shawn P. Conlin
  Shawn Shultz
  Shervyn
  Shirou
  Stentor Danielson
  Stephen D. Sullivan
  Steve Lord
  Steven desJardins
  Steven K. Watkins
  The Emperehrer
  The Other Justin
  The Short Family
  Thezmage
  Tim Czarnecki
  Todd Zircher
  Tomer Gurantz
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  Tyson NW
  W. Scott Meeks
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  Yoshi Creelman
  
  VIII
  
  1
  How to Play 
  Jinkies!
  Welcome to Cartoon America: the world of Jinkies! 
  Cartoon America is a strange and wondrous place. 
  Through the magic of syndication, the year is always 
  somewhere between 1969 and 1977. B-list celebrities 
  roam the streets, offering moral platitudes to any 
  teenagers willing to listen. The topography of Cartoon 
  America is fluid—it is as if the very land itself morphs 
  and shifts to its most interesting location  
  for a given scenario.
  It’s a world of paradoxes. One where the mighty  
  are brought low by teenagers. Where reason and 
  rationality rule, yet the world is populated by talking 
  beasts. One where truth exists, but must be both  
  sought and created.
  Welcome to Cartoon America.
  CHAPTER 1
  
  2
  Jinkies! is a role-playing game (RPG) where the players (the 
  gang) assume the role of plucky youths investigating a 
  “supernatural” mystery. Members of the gang can include:
  •	
  The Leader. The Leader holds the gang together, leads 
  efforts to capture Bad Guys, and drives the Clue Cart.
  •	
  The Looker. The Looker is the charm of the gang, 
  obtaining Clues through smiles and wiles.
  •	
  The Smart One. The Smart One has their head down 
  most of the time, looking for Clues where others see the 
  mundane.
  •	
  The Weird One. The Weird One has a mystical connection 
  to the Mascot and is the master of both hiding and being 
  chased. The Weird One can also channel Fear into 
  powerful moves.
  •	
  The Tough One. The Tough One uses criminal 
  connections and brute force to solve mysteries.
  •	
  The Talent. The Talent uses their connection to the arts to 
  find Clues and lead the gang’s spiritual and expressive 
  journey--even if the gang doesn’t know they are on a 
  spiritual and expressive journey.
  •	
  The Mascot. The Mascot is a fantastical beast (or 
  animated object), capable of bending the laws of physics 
  for the good of justice and truth. The Mascot also likes 
  groovy snacks.
  
  3
  To play the game, you will need the following:
  •	
  4 to 7 of your friends. This is the most important thing you 
  will need!
  •	
  the Jinkies! rulebook
  •	
  two six-sided dice (2d6)
  •	
  a character sheet (you can either photocopy the character 
  sheets from this book or print them from jinkiesrpg.com.
  •	
  a pen or pencil for taking notes
  •	
  blank paper
  Basic Rules
  Jinkies! is a Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) game. If that 
  doesn’t mean anything to you, don’t worry! This section will 
  teach you everything you need to know. If you are a PbtA 
  veteran, give this section a quick once over, as some of the 
  rules for Jinkies! are unique to this setting.
  PbtA games use playbooks and two six-sided  
  dice (2d6) to adjudicate actions. A playbook is just a fancy 
  word for a character sheet. This is a piece of paper with your 
  character’s name, description, and special abilities written on 
  it. Those special abilities are called “moves.” Moves are used 
  when your character is engaging in an action that puts them 
  into conflict. For example, your character doesn’t need a move 
  to drink a soda—there’s no conflict there. But your character 
  does need a move to convince the soda jerk to give them  
  the soda for free.
  Moves are listed either on your playbook or on the Basic 
  Moves reference guide on page 38. To use a move, roll 2d6. 
  Add any relevant bonuses to your roll. Then compare your roll 
  to the description of outcomes for the move.
  
  4
  The ghost samurai lurches around the corner. “Grrarrararrr!”
  Danny decides that now is the time for his character to make  
   
  good his retreat. “Sir Pandalot leaps to his feet, shouts  
   
  ‘da da da DAAAAHHH!” and runs away.”
  The Animator checks his copy of the Basic Moves reference  
   
  guide. “Great. This is going to be a Run! move. Roll 2d6  
   
  and add your Agility.”
  Sir Pandalot has a +1 to Agility, so Danny knows he has a  
   
  decent chance of getting away. He rolls a 6.  
   
  “I got a 7 total.”
  The Animator smiles. “It looks like you got away from the ghost  
   
  samurai . . . but your friends did not.”
  Generally speaking, a 10+ is a “hit.” That means that the move 
  has worked as intended and the player typically gets to tell the 
  Animator what happens next.
  A 7-9 is a partial hit. On a partial hit, the player either  
  succeeds with some unwanted consequences, or must  
  make a hard choice.
  A 6 or lower is a miss. Players gain 1 point of Ratings for a 
  miss. A miss means that the Animator, not the player, gets to 
  decide what happens next. A miss is NOT a failure. Rather, it  
  is an opportunity to push the story forward in ways the players 
  might not have wanted or expected.
  
  5
  Hit:
  Janet is playing Sarah, the space camp dropout Smart One.  
   
  Sarah is being chased, so Janet decides to blend  
   
  in with the Nerd Camouflage move. She rolls a 9.  
   
  Sarah’s Intelligence is +2, giving her an 11. Janet  
   
  describes what happens: “Sarah stands completely  
  	
  still	as	the	spectral	whale	floats	toward	her.	With	a	 
  	
  mighty	whale	song,	the	beast	drifts	off	into	the	sky,	 
   
  not even seeing her.”
  Partial Hit:
  Stuart is playing Andy, the wholesome Leader and aspiring  
   
  singer. “Golly, gang, enough with the antics. It’s time for  
   
  some good old fashioned sleuthing. I’m going to  
   
  investigate.” He rolls 2d6 plus his Intelligence to use the  
   
  basic move Investigate. He rolls an 8. His Intelligence  
  	
  is	-1,	giving	him	a	7	total.	“You	find	a	glowing	sock,”	the	 
   
  Animator starts, “and you remember that the skeleton  
   
  ghost prince was missing a sock earlier.”
  Barry is playing Squiggy, the peacenik hippie Weird One.  
  “Like,  
   
  hey man, Old Man Winters studied nautical history in  
   
  college.  Let’s see if we can manipulate him into  
  	
  helping	us	find	the	ghost	pirate.”		“Roll	your	charisma.”		 
   
  Barry also rolls a 7.  “Tough break,” says the Animator.   
   
  “Yeah,” says Barry.  “I want him to help us and do it  
   
  well, but that means he won’t help us immediately or he  
   
  will want something in exchange.”
  
  6
  Miss:
  Thomas is playing Davy, the Looker with steely blue eyes and  
   
  feathered hair that could make an angel cry. “The  
   
  haunted jukebox is chasing after you,” the Animator  
   
  tells him. “Davy laughs,” says Thomas, “Please, I get  
   
  pursued all the time. These boots are not made for  
  	
  booking,”	he	finishes,	picking	up	his	dice.	He	is	using	 
   
  “These boots are made for looking, not booking.”  
   
  Thomas rolls and gets a 4. Davy’s +2 Charisma only  
   
  brings him up to a 6. “Uh… what happens now?”  
   
  Thomas asks, looking worried.
  The	Animator	grins.	“You	flash	your	winning	smile	at	the	 
   
  haunted jukebox. The haunted jukebox is staggered  
   
  by your unearthly grace and beauty. You decide to  
  	
  finish	the	jukebox	off	with	a	beguiling	dance,	doing	a	 
   
  little turn ‘catwalk style’ . . . and you trip.”
  “Curse these sexy cowboy boots I insisted on wearing!  
   
  They make my calves look amazing, but at  
   
  what terrible price?”
  “Indeed. The spell is broken. The haunted jukebox resumes  
   
  the chase, but now you are lying on the ground.  
   
  What do you do?”
  
  7
  Sometimes moves require making choices. If you roll a 7-9 on 
  a Bluff basic move, you must choose one of the following:
  •	
  the bluff is effective
  •	
  there are no personal repercussions for the bluff
  •	
  no one else experiences repercussions for the bluff
  •	
  the bluff is timely
  If you choose to make your bluff effective, that does not 
  necessarily mean that the bluff is not timely or that it has 
  personal repercussions. But it could. The Animator decides 
  this when you are playing.
  Other Rules
  Fear
  Jinkies! is a game without fighting or combat. While weapons 
  exist, they are only props and may not be used to harm 
  anyone. Like in cartoons, no one dies in Jinkies! The currency 
  of harm in Jinkies! is Fear.
  A player may take up to 5 points of Fear in a game session 
  (typically 2-4 hours). If a player takes all 5 points of Fear in a 
  game, that player faints from Fear. The Animator decides what 
  happens to fainted players.  This is treated as the Backfire 
  Animator move (see page 51). Fear may be removed by 
  certain moves. The Weird One has the unique power of turning 
  Fear into desired outcomes.
  John is playing Brick, the none-too-bright Tough One with  
   
  a rap sheet the size of his burly bicep. The spectral  
  
  8
   
  cloud of popcorn has chased him down a Gothic  
   
  corridor and, failing his Run! move, he has tripped.  
   
  “The spectral cloud of popcorn blows over you like  
   
  a hurricane, Brick.”
  “Oh, no! I try to punch the air while covering my face with  
   
  my other hand!”
  “Your	effort	is	ineffective.	After	what	seems	an	eternity,	the	
   
  ghost popcorn cloud is gone. You are covered in a  
   
  strange sticky residue. Take a point of Fear.”
  Ratings
  Whenever a move is missed (6 or less), your character  
  gets a point of Ratings. After all, it is a cartoon, and viewers 
  love pratfalls!
  Once you have earned 10 points of Ratings, you make take a 
  second season move from the list. Document it on your 
  playbook and reset your Ratings back to zero.
  Clues
  Jinkies! is a game about collaboratively telling a mystery/ 
  adventure story. There is always a Bad Guy to be caught and a 
  mystery to be solved. Who that Bad Guy is, and what the 
  mystery is about, remain to be explored.
  Clues are the driving force in Jinkies! Some moves allow you to 
  roll to try and have a Clue given to you. Some moves give you 
  
  9
  a Clue without having to roll. Some even allow the player to tell 
  the Animator what they found and what it means.
  It’s best not to get hung up on the Clues, though. While they 
  drive the story forward, the players do not need to find a 
  certain number of Clues to end the game. The number of 
  Clues found does not dictate the outcome of the mystery.
  Barry is playing Sguiggy, the aging hippie Weird One.  
   
  “Like, hey man, I’m gonna investigate. I think we need  
   
  a Clue, man!”
  Sir Pandalot chimes in, “da da da DAAAHHHH! That’s a panda  
   
  of an idea!”
  Barry rolls 2d6 plus Sguiggy’ Intelligence. He gets a 12.
  “Nice roll,” the Animator says. “Alright, Sguiggy, what did you  
  	
  find?	What	does	it	mean?”
  “Like,	I	found	this	wacky	wild	finger	trap	toy	man!	 
   
  And it means…”
  Chases
  The players can only poke around a crime scene for  
  so long before the Bad Guy tries to scare them away. At first 
  they will only exist in local rumor. But as the players get closer 
  to the truth, the Bad Guy will become increasingly aggressive 
  toward them.
  
  10
  During a chase, the players must try to get away.  
  You will eventually want to try and catch the Bad Guy to 
  unmask them, but you can’t plan a trap while running and 
  hiding. The chase must completely resolve for all players 
  involved before moving forward.
  Note that a game may have more than one chase. If the gang 
  splits up, a chase may only affect some of the players. A chase 
  may be escaped by either running, hiding, or using a playbook 
  move to otherwise avoid the ire of the Bad Guy.
  Captures
  Eventually, the gang will feel like they have enough Clues to 
  capture the Bad Guy. When this happens, they trigger the 
  “Get em, Gang!” move. The move is used as follows:
  •	
  The gang declares they are using “Get em, Gang!” A 
  member of the gang is chosen to make and execute the 
  plan. If the gang has a Leader, it is recommended that 
  character be the capturing player.
  •	
  The capturing player explains their plan. All members of the 
  gang must be a part of the plan.
  •	
  The capturing player rolls 2d6. This is unmodified (unless 
  the capturing player is the Leader).
  •	
  If the roll is a miss (6 or less), the plan does not work. The 
  players must describe what went wrong. The Animator 
  decides what happens next, and if the situation allows it, 
  the players may try to capture the Bad Guy again.
  •	
  If the roll is a 7-9, the plan does not fully incapacitate the 
  Bad Guy. The players must describe what went wrong. 
  
  11
  They may then make a second plan. Note: on a second 
  7-9 roll, the Bad Guy is captured.
  •	
  If the Bad Guy is captured, a player can use the “It was Old 
  Man Winters” move to end the mystery. If the Smart One is 
  in the gang, it is recommended that character be the 
  revealing player.
  •	
  The revealing player rolls 2d6 + Intelligence. On a 10+, they 
  get to explain who did it, why they did it, and where the 
  treasure is. On a 7-9, they explain these three things, but 
  only two are correct—the Animator will explain the third. On 
  a 6 or less, the player will explain all three things. It will be 
  up to the Animator to decide what, if any, of the 
  explanation is correct—and what the consequences are for 
  being wrong!
  Andy	is	the	first	to	speak.	“Phew!	That	was	some	chase,	gang.	 
   
  We need to stop that fake ghost Abraham Lincoln!”
  “Are you triggering “Get em, Gang?” the Animator asks.
  “Yes! Here’s the plan. Squiggy, Sir Pandalot, you’re  
   
  the bait. We’ll dress you as John Wilkes Booth  
   
  and General Lee.”
  Squiggy pauses. “Wait what?”
  Sir Pandalot giggles. “Doesn’t sound problematic to me.”
  “When ghost Abraham Lincoln gets close enough to his  
   
  enemies, we’ll have Davy do his sexy fan dance to  
   
  distract ghost Lincoln.”
  
  12
  Davy blows a kiss. “Ethereal presidents can’t  
   
  resist my charms.”
  Squiggy scratches his head. “Wait, but what if ghost Lincoln  
   
  doesn’t get distracted by Davy? Like, won’t Sir  
   
  Pandalot and me get eaten?”
  “Acceptable risk,” Andy replies. “Brick and I will push this  
  	
  cage	we	found	off	the	catwalk	and	trap	ghost	Lincoln.	 
   
  Sarah, you stand by to tell the police who this  
   
  charlatan really is.”
  “Is that your plan?” the Animator asks?
  The entire gang, except for Squiggy, nods in assent. Barry,  
   
  playing Squiggy, agrees that it is a good plan—but  
   
  Squiggy is afraid.  “Alright, roll the dice Andy!”
  Leveling up
  In Jinkies!, character advancement looks a little different than 
  other games. The characters in Jinkies! start out unique—one 
  of a kind. They have potent and shocking powers from the 
  moment they are conceived in their players’ minds. Because of 
  this, players start the game having access to every basic move 
  and every move in their playbook.
  Characters advance by earning Ratings—because  
  after all, Jinkes! Is about the adventure of cartoon stars. 
  
  13
  Ratings are like experience points, and are earned every time a 
  character rolls a 6 or less on a move. When a character earns 
  10 points of Ratings, they advance to the next tier of stardom. 
  There are 6 tiers:
  •	
  Tier 1: Fresh out of acting school. The character is raw and 
  untested. They only have access to their own playbook 
  and basic moves.
  •	
  Tier 2: Noticed. The character is not unknown. They are 
  well enough now to do the late night circuit. They have 
  access to one Ratings move.
  •	
  Tier 3: B-list. The character is well known, but not famous. 
  They do walk-ons and cameos for other shows on the 
  network. They have access to two ratings moves.
  •	
  Tier 4: Famous. The character is extremely well known. 
  They have performed in a few motion pictures and go to 
  awards shows. They have access to three ratings moves.
  •	
  Tier 5: Superstar. The character can’t get a frosty at a fast 
  food place without getting mobbed. They have access to 
  four ratings moves.
  •	
  Tier 6: Retired. The character has done it all and made their 
  fortune. It’s time to pass the mantle to the next generation 
  of meddling teenagers. Upon reaching tier 6, a player may 
  elect to remain at tier 5 or may retire.
  Ratings moves
  Ratings moves are very powerful, optional moves that derive 
  their power from your fame. Using a ratings move never 
  involves a die roll, can never fail, and may only be used once 
  per adventure.
  
  14
  •	
  TV’s Phylis Diller?! You’ve made famous friends! Once 
  per adventure, you may use your celebrity friendships to 
  summon a helper. When this move is taken, you MUST 
  decide who your celebrity friend will be. Your friend will 
  arrive and teach a valuable moral lesson,  
  defusing any situation.
  •	
  Flashmob! You have fans! Once per adventure, you may 
  use your hoard of ravenous fans to help you out of a bind. 
  Describe how you let them know where you are and what 
  they do. They tackle Bad Guys.
  •	
  Famous voice actor—You have a new voice actor! Once 
  per adventure, you may use the confusion over your voice 
  to hide from a Bad Guy without rolling. Treat it as a 10+ 
  success on the Run! move.
  •	
  New wardrobe—You got new clothes! Once per 
  adventure, you may use your attractive new clothes to 
  manipulate, intimidate, or interrogate a suspect without 
  rolling. Treat it as a 10+ success on a Manipulate, 
  Intimidate, or Interrogate move (your choice).
  •	
  Deus ex director—You’re directing this episode! Once per 
  adventure, you may perform a second take for a scene that 
  did not go well.
  •	
  4th wall breaking—You’ve become a self-aware cartoon! 
  Once per adventure, you may use the knowledge that you 
  are a cartoon to change what is in the scene. Tell the 
  Animator what to erase from the scene.
  •	
  “I once did this on the set of…” You have experience! 
  Once per adventure, take an additional +3 hold for 
  Intelligence checks.
  •	
  Set crew—You have a crew! Once per adventure, you 
  may ask the set crew to add something to a scene.
  
  15
  
  16
  
  17
  making 
  characters
  Character Creation
  Now that you have the basic rules under your belt, let’s talk 
  about making a character in Jinkies! Character creation is 
  designed to be quick, easy, creative, and fun. Let’s go through 
  the basic steps.
  Step One: Pick your playbook
  Jinkies! comes with 7 playbooks to choose from. Playbooks 
  determine which moves your character will have (not counting 
  the basic moves, which everyone may use). They do not 
  necessarily determine what your character looks like, sounds 
  like, acts like, or enjoys. Think of playbooks as similar to 
  professions. Every accountant can do the same specialized 
  tasks, but they are all individuals. You can download printable 
  playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com.
  There may only be one of each playbook in your gang. If one 
  of your players wants to be the Weird One, then no one else 
  may also be the Weird One. The playbooks represent unique 
  player roles. That means not only may no other player be the 
  CHAPTER 2
  
  18
  Weird One, no one else in the world of the game may be the 
  Weird One either. There might be unusual people,  
  people who share some of your traits, and even those whose 
  similarities are uncanny—but they will not be able to do the 
  special moves that only the Weird One can do. You are unique, 
  one of a kind, and special.
  Keep in mind: there are also no mandatory playbooks for 
  playing Jinkies! Your gang may choose any permutation of the 
  playbooks you see fit. That said, the game is easiest if your 
  gang has a Smart One and a Leader. If you’re new to Jinkies!, 
  it’s a good idea to have these two playbooks in your gang.
  Step Two: Pick your attribute bonuses
  In Jinkies!, there are five attributes:
  •	
  Toughness: Toughness is how strong and powerful your 
  character is. Tough characters are not bullies—physical 
  violence doesn’t belong in Cartoon America. They can be, 
  however, forceful and domineering.
  •	
  Agility: Agility is how dexterous your character is. 
  Characters with high Agility are graceful and quick. They 
  rarely get caught when being chased by Bad Guys.
  •	
  Intelligence: Intelligence is how smart your character  
  is. Characters with high Intelligence are clever and 
  resourceful. Intelligent characters are great for finding  
  Clues and solving mysteries.
  •	
  Charisma: Charisma is how likable your character is. 
  Characters with high Charisma are attractive and  
  charming, turning foes into friends with their irresistible 
  grace. Charismatic characters are also good at  
  questioning people.
  
  19
  •	
  Weirdness: Weirdness is a certain je ne sais quoi, that 
  unusual trait that throws people off their game. Characters 
  with a high Weirdness are strange and interesting. Weird 
  characters are good at navigating the more eccentric 
  elements of Cartoon America.
  Every character has a bonus for each of these traits. They are 
  used as modifiers for moves. For example, the Run! basic 
  move invokes Agility. That means that when a character uses 
  Run!, they roll 2d6 and then add their Agility attribute bonus.
  An attribute bonus of 0 is considered average. With a 0, you 
  aren’t good at that trait—but you aren’t bad either. Any bonus 
  above 0 is exceptional, and any bonus below 0 is a weakness.
  In Jinkies!, after you pick your playbook, you should allocate 
  the following attribute bonuses to your character in whatever 
  order you wish: -1, 0, +1, +1, and +2. This means you will 
  have one weakness, one attribute that you are average at, two 
  attributes that you’re good at, and one three attributes that 
  you are exceptional at. While there are no requirements on 
  how you allocate your attribute bonuses, it is recommended 
  that you read your playbook closely before deciding. Some 
  playbooks lean on one attribute heavily, and it will be easiest 
  for you if you make that attribute your +2. For example, most 
  of the Smart One’s moves almost all invoke Intelligence—it is 
  recommended you make an intelligent Smart One!
  
  20
  Step Three: Flesh out your character
  Cartoons are colorful—your character should be too! You may 
  choose any gender, background, ethnicity, or appearance in 
  Jinkies!
  There are no requirements for how you flesh out your 
  character—make them look, act, and sound however you’d 
  like. Here are some ideas for things you might think about:
  •	
  What do you look like? What is your gender? What  
  kind of outfit do you wear? Do you have a distinctive  
  trait, like wild hair or an interesting tattoo? Your version  
  of Cartoon America will feel more real if you give your 
  characters a lot of details.
  •	
  What do you sound like? The other players might forget 
  your character description, but they will never forget the 
  sound of your voice! When choosing a voice, think of 
  things like accent, pitch, and cadence. Deputy Dawg’s 
  distinctive voice combines a light Southern drawl with a 
  slow delivery. Two tips: 1) choose accents that aren’t 
  offensive, and 2) choose accents that you can realistically 
  do for a full four-hour game!
  •	
  Wealth can be a trait, but money means nothing in Cartoon 
  America. Do you see a space the spot on the playbook for 
  tracking your money? Exactly, it isn’t there! A character can 
  be defined as wealthy (Richie Rich, Veronica from the 
  Archie comics), but wealth has no real meaning in Cartoon 
  America. If material goods are needed, they are there. If it’s 
  more interesting for the gang to be broke for a scene, then 
  they don’t have any money.
  
  21
  •	
  How did the gang meet? Later, the players will create 
  bonds between their characters. If it is important for your 
  character’s concept that they have a special relationship 
  with another gang member, though, decide that with the 
  other player involved first. Remember: they need to 
  consent to your idea!
  •	
  When is everything happening? The basic rules for Jinkies! 
  assume all games are set between 1969 and 1977. This 
  isn’t a hard and fast rule, though. If you’d prefer to go back 
  a few years and resemble the Mod Squad, or move 
  forward a decade and be like Jem and the Holograms, feel 
  free. Just make sure everyone at the table is on board, 
  including the Animator!
  Step Four: Decide what kind of Clue Cart you use
  The Clue Cart is a playbook specific move that all of the 
  players must collectively decide upon. What type of sweet ride 
  does the gang ride around in?
  Stuart looks at the rest of the gang, wide eyed. “Guys, I’ve  
   
  decided what the Clue Cart should be! We all ride  
   
  around in a 1970 Chevy Van!”
  Andy rolls his eyes. “My aunt had one of those when I was a  
   
  kid and it smelled like moth balls. Just thinking about it  
   
  kinda makes me nauseous.”
  Stuart nods. “Alright, how about a VW MiniBus?”
  The room nods in assent.
  
  22
  Step Five: Make tone decisions
  Thanks to the magic of syndication and the Warner Bros. 
  Archives, Cartoon America is an impressively stable place. 
  Don’t mistake the regularity of Jellystone’s entryway for 
  uniformity, though. Different corners of Cartoon America are 
  wildly different. Things are tame and happy in the land of the 
  Saturday morning cartoon, but in other realms, morality seems 
  to be on the fritz.
  Your table (the gang and the Animator) will need to decide 
  what the tone of the game is. Are you keeping your language 
  broadcast-clean? Are you allowing foul language? What about 
  sexual content? Are there drugs in your game?
  Jinkies! comes prebuilt with two basic “tones.”  
  The default tone is clean. No drugs or drug references, no 
  sexual content (including innuendo), no drinking, and no foul 
  language. The second tone is “Behind the Music.” Behind the 
  Music provides the Animator with special moves to make the 
  game more adult. It is used when the table decides to allow 
  something that wouldn’t be allowed in a Saturday Morning 
  Cartoon in 1969.
  It is critically important that all such choices be made by the 
  whole group, and that all participants get the ability to veto a 
  permission in favor of a restriction. No one should be forced to 
  play with content they are not comfortable with. This is not the 
  sort of game anyone should ever feel uncomfortable playing.
  It is also important that violence is  never a part of Jinkies! 
  
  23
  Violence doesn’t belong in a mystery adventure cartoon and it 
  breaks both the feel and the mechanics of the game.
  Step Six: Establish bonds
  During the establishment of bonds, the group will decide how 
  each character is connected to each other character. By 
  default, Jinkies! assumes your gang is a rock band. What is 
  the name of the gang/ band? What is your hit song? How did 
  you each join? Does your gang have a rival group? If so, what 
  are they like?
  What if we don’t want to be a rock band?
  Jinkies! assumes the players are in a rock band  
  because it’s a staple of the genre. The Archies, Josie and 
  the Pussycats, Jabberjaw and the Neptunes—all had 
  bands. The default assumption is that the gang is a band 
  because in this genre, they typically are.
  You do not have to be in a band. You will need to decide 
  what type of grouping your gang is. Options include 
  classmates on a field trip, college students on Spring 
  Break, professional ghost hunters, or members of the 
  Junior Skeptics Society. If your gang decides to forgo their 
  musical career, you will need to give the Animator plenty 
  of advance notice, as the default campaign assumes your 
  gang are musicians.
  
  24
  Playbooks
  The leader
  You drive the van. You make the plans. Rocking a sailor shirt 
  and bell bottoms, you just can’t seem to keep the rabid fans 
  from throwing themselves at you. As long as you can keep the 
  gang together, the music doesn’t stop. You’re the Leader.
  Moves:
  “Here’s the plan, gang!” When you tell the gang what 
  your gonzo plan is, roll +Charisma. On a 10+ the gang gets 
  a shared 3 hold for the rest of the scene. On a 7-9, the gang 
  gets a shared 1 hold for the rest of the scene. Holds may be 
  spent before a roll to add +1 to that roll.
  “Let’s get that Bad Guy!” You are the expert at  
  trapping, capturing, and otherwise incapacitating Bad Guys. 
  When you use the “Get ‘em, gang!” basic move, add +1  
  and roll +Agility.
  “Scooby snacks…” Is someone afraid? When you  
  use their favorite vice to encourage another character, 
  roll +Charisma. On a 10+, heal 2 points of Fear. On a 7-9, heal 
  1 point of Fear.
  
  25
  The Clue Cart. You have both the keys to the ride and the 
  learner’s permit that says you’re in charge of the wheels. When 
  you use the gang’s vehicle, roll +Agility. On a 10+, choose 
  two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  you remember everything from driver’s ed! (you are 
  competent)
  •	
  you are fast!
  •	
  you remember where you parked (the vehicle is where you 
  want it to be)
  •	
  you don’t damage the Clue Cart
  Rally the troops. What good is leading a world famous band 
  if you can’t get rabid fans to do things for you? When you 
  summon rabid fans out of nowhere for a single task roll 
  +Charisma. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  the rabid fans are eager to help
  •	
  the rabid fans are competent
  •	
  the rabid fans don’t bother you afterwards for autographs
  •	
  the rabid fans show up when you want them to
  That ascot is so hot! When you use the Interrogate basic 
  move on a suspect, you may choose to roll +Charisma. On a 
  10+ the suspect must answer two of the following questions. 
  On a 7-9, the suspect must answer one of the following 
  questions.
  •	
  who are you working for?
  •	
  why are you here?
  •	
  how can I get you to ______?
  •	
  what do you wish I would do?
  
  26
  The Mascot
  Nyuk nyuk nyuk, no respect! You’re a creature of pure magic, 
  a beast of fantastical animated powers. Yet no one really 
  seems to notice. You get asked to do the gang’s dirty work, 
  their coffee runs. But whatever. As long as the groovy snacks 
  keep coming, you’re good. You’re the mascot.
  Moves:
  Groovy snacks! Groovy snacks seem to give you 
  superpowers, but after too many you won’t feel too super!
   When you eat a groovy snack roll 2d6 unmodified. On a 
  10+, gain a +1 to the next move you attempt. On a 7-9,  
  gain a +1 to the next move you attempt, but take a -1 to one 
  of your attributes (Animator’s choice) for the rest of the 
  Episode.  On a 6 or less, take a -1 to one of your attributes 
  (Animator’s choice) for the rest of the Episode. Note that  
  these penalties can stack up!
  Shape shifter. Being made of ink means you can turn into all 
  kinds of things. When you become something new (a ball, a 
  haunted love testing machine, a bulldozer…) roll +Weirdness. 
  On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  you turn into the desired form
  •	
  you stay in your form for the intended duration
  •	
  you don’t take any Fear from the shape shift (the Animator 
  may decide that you take up to 1 point of Fear from shape 
  shifting)
  •	
  you turn back into your original form when done
  
  27
  Anthropomorphic animal. You are one of a kind in the 
  universe: a magical talking animal with a super power. You set 
  the tone of the gang, so get busy and define yourself, baby!
  •	
  Name:
  •	
  Species:
  •	
  Power:
  Talk with beasts. You’re an animal, man! You understand 
  their language! When you ask an animal a question, without 
  rolling dice, expect the following:
  •	
  Where is something I want?
  •	
  Who did it?
  •	
  Where is the Bad Guy right now?
  Animal senses. You’ve got a snout. Or big ears. Or maybe 
  hawk eyes. Whatever the case, you catch things everyone else 
  misses. Once per Episode, you may use your uncanny 
  senses to find a Clue. Describe it to the gang.
  Strength in numbers? You always seem to find  
  yourself alone with the Weird One. Every time you two  
  are alone, take +1 hold for a single roll until reunited with  
  the rest of the gang.
  
  28
  The Weird One
  Like, whatever man. The establishment can’t tell you what to 
  do. You march to your own drummer, and in your own, weird 
  way, you are the heart of the gang. The Mascot is your best 
  pal, and is always at your side. Some people talk. They say 
  something is wrong with you. But they can all shine on, man. 
  You’re the Weird One. Pass some anchovy pizza and rock out!
  Moves:
  It’s all up to you! Hail Mary time. Things look dim. When you 
  come up with a bonkers plan to save the gang roll 
  +Weirdness. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  there are no adverse side effects to your actions
  •	
  your actions have the intended effect
  •	
  your actions are timely
  •	
  your actions are impressive
  Master of fear. Every time you take a point of Fear, give 
  yourself 1 hold. When you get really frightened roll + your 
  hold from Fear (and lose all hold). On a 10+, choose one. On a 
  7-9, choose one, and the Animator also chooses one.
  •	
  you defy your fear and act bravely
  •	
  in your cowering, you find a Clue
  •	
  you may choose 2 from the Bluff basic move list
  •	
  you take an additional point of Fear because you’re scared 
  of being scared
  •	
  an NPC makes fun of your fear and you lash out
  •	
  you run to the Clue Cart to hide
  
  29
  Leftover dog treats? Who says groovy snacks are for 
  animals? You can eat them too! But be careful, too many can 
  cause indigestion… When you eat a groovy snack roll 2d6 
  unmodified. On a 10+, gain a +1 to the next move you 
  attempt. On a 7-9, gain a +1 to the next move you attempt, 
  but take a -1 to one of your attributes (Animator’s choice) for 
  the rest of the Episode.  On a 6 or less, take a -1 to one of 
  your attributes (Animator’s choice) for the rest of the Episode. 
  Note that these penalties can stack up!
  Master of disguise. In a chase, when you and the Mascot 
  both hide instead of running, roll + Weirdness. On a 10+, 
  you totally blend in and get away. On a 7-9, you blow your 
  cover, but buy time for the rest of the gang to get away. 
  Describe how you blow your cover and take a +1 to your next 
  Run! roll.
  Like attracts like. You are the embodiment of weird, man. 
  But, like, Clues are weird too, you know? Once per Act, be 
  your weirdness self to find a Clue. Describe it to the gang.
  Let me tell you ‘bout my best friend! You always seem to 
  find yourself alone with the Mascot. Every time you two 
  are alone, take +1 hold for a single roll until reunited with the 
  rest of the gang.
  
  30
  The Looker
  They say beauty is pain, but life is so easy! Bat your eyelashes 
  and pout and you’ll get your way. You might be more than just 
  a pretty face, but your looks give you the luck you need to 
  make it big. The world is your runway, better get walking! 
  You’re the Looker.
  Moves:
  “I always get what I want.” The rest of the gang is obsessed 
  with Clues. They need more than Clues to get you out of this 
  backwater. Roll +Charisma. On a 10+, you get what you want. 
  On a 7-9, pick one:
  •	
  you get what you want, but it comes at a cost
  •	
  you don’t get what you want, but there are no adverse 
  effects your attempt
  “I sit on my leverage.” When you use the Manipulate basic 
  move, you don’t need leverage. You are leverage.
  Beauty is contagious. When the gang splits up and  
  you pair up with another player, that player gets 1 hold for the 
  scene. That player may spend that hold for a +1 to any roll 
  during that scene.
  
  31
  “These boots are made for looking, not booking...” When 
  you are being chased by a Bad Guy, and you bat your 
  eyelashes at the Bad Guy instead of running, roll +Charisma. 
  On a 10+, the Bad Guy is stopped in their tracks. On a 7-9, 
  the Bad Guy has conflicting feelings and runs off.
  “… or maybe not!” You’ve been wearing uncomfortable 
  footwear your entire life. It was training for this moment. When 
  you use the Run! basic move, take a +1. Also, choose one 
  of the following:
  •	
  you impress people
  •	
  the task is so effortless that you find a Clue in the process
  “Montage Time!” Once per Episode, you may fire up the 
  band! When you trigger a montage, all characters get an 
  automatic 10+ on the Run! basic move, but must describe 
  their antics.
  
  32
  The Smart One
  Jinkies. You should have stayed in grad school. But no. You 
  joined a band. A band of goofballs. The Leader calls you “the 
  gang.” The Weird One made a puppet out of a pizza box. 
  Forget them. You’ve got mysteries to solve. You’re  
  the smart one.
  Moves:
  It isn’t interrogation, it’s networking. You may not be the 
  most charismatic member of the gang, but you’re smart 
  enough to read people. When you use the Interrogation 
  basic move, roll +Intelligence instead of Charisma.
  “It was Old Man Winters!” Once the Bad Guy is captured, 
  it’s time to show off! There is no roll for this move. You are 
  always right. Using your Clues, explain the mystery:
  •	
  who did it
  •	
  why they did it
  •	
  where the treasure is (if there is treasure)
  Portable Junior Detective Chemistry Kit. You come 
  prepared. Once per Act, you may use your equipment to 
  correct the Animator and say what a Clue really means. Be 
  sure to use lots of pseudo-scientific jargon.
  
  33
  Nerd Camouflage. It sucks being in the shadow of the 
  Looker. Except when a Bad Guy is after you, then being 
  overlooked totally rocks! When you try to hide from a Bad 
  Guy, roll +Intelligence. On a 10+, you are completely 
  unnoticed. On a 7-9, you are noticed eventually, but you gain a 
  +1 to your next Run! basic move.
  Looking really closely. You may try to salvage  
  an investigation effort by another player. When you  
  carefully examine an area that another player has already 
  investigated roll +Intelligence. On a 10+, choose three.  
  On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  you don’t lose your glasses
  •	
  you find and explain a Clue
  •	
  you aren’t caught flat footed by a Bad Guy
  •	
  you impress the people around you
  
  34
  The Talent
  Don’t the rest of the gang ever practice? Don’t they know 
  they’re in a band? Don’t they realize how much time you put 
  into making every song a masterpiece? Whatever, it’s cool. 
  They just don’t get it, man. They’re rock stars, but you’re an 
  artist. You might not be as famous as the rest of the gang, but 
  you’re more gifted than them. You’re the Talent.
  Moves:
  “Why am I always in the back?” You might be  
  the Talent, but you aren’t the frontman. Once per Episode,  
  you may become unnoticeable. If you held the Bad Guy’s 
  attention, this move diverts that attention to the Leader. If the 
  Leader is not in your group, you decide who gets the Bad 
  Guy’s attention.
  “No one gets me, man.” Art is enigmatic. When you use the 
  power of art to discover a new location, suspect, or Clue, 
  roll +Weirdness. On a 10+, you discover something! Tell the 
  Animator what it is. On a 7-9, you discover something! The 
  Animator tells you what it is.
  Jam session. You’ve got golden ears, and you can make 
  ANYONE sound good. Once per scene, when you help out 
  another character, you may give them +1 to a roll after they 
  have rolled the dice.
  
  35
  Write a song. You’re so good you can whip up a classic on 
  the fly. When you mesmerize a suspect by blowing their 
  minds with a tune, name the song, then roll +Intelligence. On a 
  10+, the suspect will follow any one command without 
  requiring anything in return. On a 7-9, the suspect will follow 
  any one command but will expect something in return.
  Shred! You’re a virtuoso at all instruments. When you blow 
  the Bad Guy’s mind with your shredding roll +Intelligence. 
  On a 10+, the Bad Guy is stunned and can’t stop staring at 
  the ease and speed of your playing. A chase stops. On a 7-9, 
  the Bad Guy is impressed but decides to chase someone else 
  (your choice).
  Inspiration. It just hits you. Once per Act, when inspiration 
  hits, you notice a Clue. Tell the Animator what the Clue is and 
  what it means.
  
  36
  The tough One
  The Looker is the heartthrob? Please. Love is rough and 
  tumble. Maybe it wrecks a car. Maybe it trashes a hotel room. 
  Maybe it just got out of juvie for both. Whatever the case, 
  you’re tough, and that’s hot. Nothing gets the heart pounding 
  like danger, and danger is your middle name.
  Moves:
  “Shake it off!” Once per Episode, you may ignore one point 
  of Fear.
  Get out and push. Every time the Clue Cart breaks down or 
  runs out of gas, the gang expects you to deal with the 
  problem. When you find the gang a new ride, roll 
  +Toughness. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  you find a Clue
  •	
  you “acquire” another vehicle to help the investigation
  •	
  you do not draw unwanted attention
  •	
  you do not harm yourself
  Friends in low places. You don’t owe anyone an explanation 
  about your connections. All they need to know is your “friend” 
  owes you a favor. Once per Episode, when you contact a 
  criminal connection, obtain a Clue.
  
  37
  Ballroom blitz. Why do they always play this wimpy “sneak” 
  music when you’re on screen? Throw caution to the wind and 
  change the station to punk! When you turn up the volume 
  roll +Toughness. On a 10+, the suspect is on the ground 
  clutching their ears. You have leverage and a +1 to your next 
  Manipulate basic move. On a 7-9, the suspect is agitated. 
  You get one hold for any roll in this Act.
  Advanced interrogation. Some suspects require  
  *ahem!* motivation before they’ll talk. When you use the 
  Interrogate basic move, describe how you scare the 
  suspect and take a +1.
  “Over or under? Why not through?” When you’re a 
  hammer, every problem looks like a nail. You’re a hammer. 
  When you bowl your way past a Bad Guy in a chase and 
  roll +Agility: on a 10+, you barrel through the Bad Guy without 
  consequence. On a 7-9, you get past the Bad Guy, but there 
  is a consequence.
  
  38
  Basic Moves
  Bluff. Trying to hide a Clue from the Bad Guy? Why not try a 
  shell game? When you try to trick a suspect, roll +Charisma. 
  On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  the bluff is effective
  •	
  there are no personal repercussions for the bluff
  •	
  no one else experiences repercussions for the bluff
  •	
  the bluff is timely
  Interrogate. You have a suspect right where you want ‘em. 
  When you ask a suspect some hard questions roll 
  +Toughness. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one.
  •	
  is the suspect telling the truth?
  •	
  how could I get the suspect to ______?
  •	
  what does the suspect want?
  •	
  how could I get the suspect to do what I want?
  Intimidate. You intimidate someone into doing something 
  they wouldn’t normally do, or giving you something. When you 
  intimidate a suspect by
  •	
  being pushy roll +Toughness
  •	
  using sleight of hand roll +Agility
  •	
  spouting pseudoscience roll +Intelligence
  •	
  being so hot you’re out of their league roll +Charisma
  •	
  doing something bizarre roll +Weirdness
  On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one:
  •	
  they don’t resent you
  •	
  they run away
  •	
  they give you what you want
  •	
  they don’t try to trick you
  
  39
  Investigate. This mystery isn’t going to solve itself! When  
  you search for Clues roll +Intelligence. On a 10+, you find  
  a Clue. Tell the Animator what it means. On a 7-9, you find  
  a Clue. The Animator tells you what it means. On a 6-, the 
  Animator chooses one:
  •	
  you find a Clue, but you misunderstand it
  •	
  you don’t find a Clue
  Get ‘em, gang! You have enough Clues to nail this Bad Guy. 
  Capturing a Bad Guy requires two things: a successfully 
  executed plan and someone to explain the mystery. Have a 
  player make a plan. Then, when you are ready to capture the 
  Bad Guy, roll 2d6 unmodified to execute it. On a 10+, you 
  ably trap the Bad Guy. A player must use “It was Old Man 
  Winters!” to end the mystery. On a 7-9, this move hinders the 
  Bad Guy, but they are still mobile.. The players must escape a 
  chase and try again. If you have previously hindered the Bad 
  Guy with a use of this move, you capture them.
  Run! Bad Guys are scary! Why stick around and see if the Bad 
  Guy wants to share your pizza? When you run away from 
  the Bad Guy roll +Agility. On a 10+, you out-run your pursuer. 
  On a 7-9, you out-run your friends.
  Smelling salts. These may be used by any member of the 
  gang once per Episode. Smelling salts revive a character 
  that has passed out from Fear and remove 2 Fear points.
  
  40
  Manipulate. Sometimes you need people outside the gang to 
  do things for you. Manipulation requires Leverage. When you 
  try to get a suspect to do something they wouldn’t 
  normally do roll +Charisma. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, 
  choose one:
  •	
  they act immediately
  •	
  they don’t need something in exchange
  •	
  they do it well
  •	
  they are happy with the bargain
  If there is no Smart One in the game, add this to the list 
  of Basic Moves:
  “It was Old Man Winters!” Once you capture the Bad Guy, 
  it’s time to try to solve the mystery! Roll +Intelligence. On a 
  10+, you correctly figure out all three below. On a 7-9, you’re 
  mistaken about one of them (the Animator chooses):
  •	
  who did it
  •	
  why they did it
  •	
  where the treasure is (if there is treasure)
  Character Creation Checklist
  1: Pick your playbook. Everyone in the gang has a role to 
  play in solving the mystery. Only one player may use a 
  playbook at a time. You may use all of the moves in your 
  playbook.
  
  41
  2: Pick your attribute bonuses. Place -1, +0, +1, +1, +2 on 
  the five attributes of your choice.
  3: Flesh out your character. Choose your character’s name, 
  gender, and appearance, and any other personal identifiers.
  4: Make playbook-specific decisions. Some playbooks 
  require you to make decisions that affect your group. Discuss 
  playbook-specific decisions with the other players before the 
  game. Any player may veto a decision.
  5: Decide your game’s tone. Jinkies! Can be played “clean,” 
  just like a Hannah-Barbara cartoon, or you can play the special 
  “Behind the Music” version, which includes adult themes. The 
  group should discuss which tone they want for their game. A 
  unanimous vote is required to choose “Behind the Music.” In 
  no version of the game is actual violence permitted—only 
  cartoon hijinks.
  6: Establish bonds. As a group, you should decide the 
  following:
  •	
  What is the name of your gang?
  •	
  When does your game take place?
  •	
  How do you know each other?
  •	
  What is your band’s hit song?
  •	
  Who is your band’s rival? Describe them.
  The Animator should help with this decision process. If the 
  players or the Animator would like to ask additional group 
  bond questions, they may.
  
  42
  
  43
  The 
  Animator
  Tell the players to listen to some records for a bit. Maybe they 
  can hang out in the Clue Cart? We have stuff to talk about—
  private stuff.
  …
  Are they gone?
  Good.  Animators wear many hats: creator, destroyer,  
  friend, villain, storyteller, storyhearer. It all takes place on  
  the drawing table.
  The Setting
  You can’t animate a cartoon if you don’t have a backdrop to 
  put under your cells. Likewise, you can’t tell an adventure in 
  Jinkies! without a setting.
  Your settings should be spooky. That goes without saying, 
  right? No one will believe a wolfman is on the prowl at a 
  Sunday brunch. Spooky requires a delicate touch, though. 
  CHAPTER 3
  
  44
  Sure, it’s scary to be in a mortuary, but it’s scarier to be 
  somewhere usually bright and fun with a twist. An unlit carnival 
  at night. A summer resort in the dead of winter. A candy shop 
  hiding twisting, dank tunnels.
  Ideally, your settings should be familiar to your players. That 
  doesn’t mean you have to use specific, real-world locations. 
  Retail stores, churches, theaters, and museums are all 
  commonplace to most Western players. Ziggurats and 
  pyramids, probably not. Remember, cartoons parody the 
  world as we experience it, so keep a foot in the world your 
  players know.
  The best settings for Jinkies! are large enough to have distinct 
  locations, but small enough to avoid overwhelming players. 
  Towns make excellent  settings, as do amusement parks, 
  retreats, and campuses. When building your setting, 
  remember to create at least one large, notable site on your 
  map that is perfect for a thrilling conclusion. Also, leave a lot of 
  blank space on your map for your players to imagine more 
  locations. One of the best “Legend of Tiki Taki” adventures that 
  I have run ended in the tunnels that run under the lake—
  tunnels the players invented!
  Remember: if you design the setting of the adventure well, 
  people won’t realize that it’s just a loop of watercolors.
  
  45
  Suspects
  All excellent Jinkies! adventures have a cast of strange and 
  diverse suspects. The players will give you their rivals, but 
  these should be reserved for red herrings—if a rival is the Bad 
  Guy, they cannot come back in the next game!
  When making suspects, look to the setting for direction. If 
  you’re in a port town, make sea captains, fishmongers, tackle 
  shop owners, and similar characters. If you’re at a carnival, 
  there should be ride operators and barkers. Think about the 
  time period when creating the Bad Guy, too. You probably 
  shouldn’t have a web startup mogul in your 1970’s Cartoon 
  America setting, but a roller disco owner is perfect.
  Use the celebrities of the time. Don Knotts and  
  Phyllis Diller regularly visited the cartoon gangs we know  
  from television, but your guest stars don’t need to be that 
  straightforward. Maybe the KISS army visits or  President 
  Carter swings by to proclaim the virtues of peanut farming! 
  Just remember that celebrities make terrible suspects. If you 
  bring in a celebrity, try to have them serve as the voice of 
  morality and as helper agents.
  Make your suspects lightly villainous. A reasonable  
  suspect is someone who seems like they might have done it.  
  If your suspect is too villainous, you risk making them obvious 
  choices for the Bad Guy. If they’re not suspicious enough, the 
  gang will write them off out of hand. Give each suspect a 
  
  46
  lightly villainous trait to hit that sweet spot. Maybe the suspect 
  has a secret and is bad at hiding it. Maybe they are  
  cowardly or  greedy.
  Try to avoid the stereotypes and prejudices of the setting and 
  time. Your characters might exist in 1972, but your players live 
  in the present. In contemporary society, racial slurs or sexist 
  quips are unacceptable. These tropes don’t make villainous 
  suspects; they make hackneyed caricatures. As the prime 
  storyteller at the table, it’s your job to keep such tired tropes 
  out so your players can create far more interesting tales.
  Animator Moves
  In Powered by the Apocalypse games, the player  
  characters should drive the story. This intention is called “play 
  to find out.” Sometimes, however, players lose that narrative 
  control. If a player rolled a miss (6 or less) on a move, the 
  players seem stuck, or they seem unmotivated and need a 
  gentle “nudge” forward, the Animator should make a move to 
  push the story forward.
  Animator moves are generally broken up into two  
  categories: soft moves and hard moves. Soft moves cause 
  things to happen, but they either are not harmful or are not 
  immediate. Typically soft moves are used to drive the story 
  forward without dice rolls. For example, offering a Clue pushes 
  the story forward, but it does not cause the gang harm. “Did 
  you hear that sound?” is a soft move; while it does have an 
  immediate effect and can lead to harm, it does not  
  cause harm immediately.
  
  47
  Hard moves typically cause immediate harm that is difficult or 
  impossible to mitigate. Inflict Fear and Take something 
  away are both hard moves, which immediately damage the 
  gang. Reserve hard moves for player dice rolls of 6 or less 
  only. Missed dice rolls do not require a hard move—you can 
  still use a soft move—but they are the only time hard moves 
  are permissible.
  When using Animator moves, it is best to create a cascade  
  of consequences. Start with soft moves and progressively 
  move toward hard moves. It’s best to tie your pacing to that of 
  the story. In the first Act, only use soft moves. By Act 4, only 
  use hard moves. Doing so gives the game a sense of tempo 
  that matches the old action mystery cartoons—slowly ratchet 
  up the tension.
  Behind The Music Moves
  Jinkies!, at its heart, is a game about how we  
  remember the cartoons from our childhoods. It’s vital to 
  remember that different people remember their childhood 
  cartoons differently. One player might have read sexual  
  tension into their cartoons. Another might have read the  
  Weird One as a stoner, and another might remember their 
  cartoons as completely innocent.
  Note: The pacing of Jinkies! Is controlled through the 
  Animator moves. Animator moves generally speed things 
  up. Hard moves ratchet up the tension and amplify the 
  pace very quickly, so use them judiciously!
  
  48
  By default, Jinkies! plays clean; in standard play there  
  is no drug use or sex in the game. For those tables that 
  remember their cartoons differently, Jinkies! offers optional 
  Animator moves called “Behind the Music.” These moves 
  allow the Animator to set a more adult tone to the game if  
  the players wish.
  Behind the Music mode should only be engaged if everyone at 
  the table consents. Players and the Animator should use X 
  cards or other safety systems in case a Behind the Music 
  game goes too far. If anyone at the table, Animator included, is 
  uncomfortable with anything occurring at the table or in-game, 
  end the action immediately, rewind, and pick a different action. 
  There are many great games for pushing boundaries and 
  stretching as players, but Jinkies! is not one of them.
  The Animator sets the tone for the game, so if you’re using 
  Behind the Music mode, set it up fast by using a Behind the 
  Music move in the first 15 minutes of play.
  Finally, please note that there are no rules for physical 
  altercations for a reason. Jinkies! is a game about laughs, 
  nostalgia, and adventure. It is not a game about combat. 
  Players can use cartoony antics, like oversized novelty mallets 
  and traps that drop bowling balls, but, like in all cartoons, the 
  consequences of violence do not exist in the world of Jinkies! 
  Avoid realistic violence; it suffocates the game. As one 
  playtester put it: “no one wants to hit Velma.”
  
  49
  Soft Moves
  “Did you hear that sound?” Sometimes the imminent threat 
  of the Bad Guy doesn’t feel menacing enough. To change that, 
  have the Bad Guy manifest off-screen. Maybe the gang 
  hears the Bad Guy in another room, or they see the mess the 
  Bad Guy left behind after ransacking the bank.
  The PA suddenly turns on and starts playing “You Are My  
   
  Sunshine.” The record sounds old and warped, and  
   
  the speed of the turntable is eerily slow.
  Set up shenanigans. Are the players having a hard time 
  devising a harebrained scheme? Help them out—describe 
  the objects in the area that could enable cartoonish hijinks.
  When you enter the warehouse, you are surprised at what  
  	
  you	find.	It	must	have	been	a	barrel	factory.	Aged	oak	 
   
  barrels line the walls and corridors. Some have lids,  
   
  and some do not. Most are empty.
  Offer an opportunity. Things aren’t moving. It happens. 
  Drop a Clue in the players’ laps to help get them back on 
  track. If the players are stumped, tell them what it means. If 
  you think the players need a little shove, have one of them tell 
  you what it means.
  As you deliberate the meaning of the glow-in-the-dark paint  
   
  from the abandoned tunnel, Squiggy trips. What  
   
  did you trip over? What does it mean?
  
  50
  Split up the gang. The players’ playbooks give them 
  mechanical benefits for splitting up, but sometimes they stay 
  together anyhow. To heighten the tension, split them up. The 
  environment is a great way to split the gang up. Do not use 
  split up the gang to capture a character. Player characters 
  should never be kidnapped or imprisoned because it isn’t fun 
  for that player.
  The characters are all together, investigating the same  
   
  area. Sarah, as you explore the south side of  
  	
  the	theater,	you	find	a	dumbwaiter.	You	peer	inside,	 
   
  looking for Clues. Suddenly, you feel a ghostly hand  
   
  on your back! The hand shoves you inside, and you  
  	
  plummet	toward	a	lower	floor.
  Did you see that ghost! To heighten tension or drive the 
  story forward, have the characters encounter the Bad Guy 
  tangibly and visibly.
  You bed down in the haunted manor. Suddenly, though,  
   
  the ghost butler appears, slicing the air with his  
   
  meat cleaver!
  Trigger an Act Break. Jinkies! adventures occur in  Acts.  
  Use an Act Break if:
  •	
  the characters meet the conditions for an Act Break  
  in the adventure
  •	
  the fiction has reached a natural breaking point
  •	
  the narrative has stalled, and you want to move to  
  the next Act
  
  51
  Hard Moves
  Take something away. With this move, you can take away a 
  piece of equipment, a vital Clue, or something else. Have the 
  characters lose something they will need to get back. 
  Never take things that are a part of a character’s playbook.  
  The Clue Cart may be damaged or otherwise rendered 
  inoperable, but it may not be taken away.
  As you run from the dinosaur ghost, you drop the incriminating  
   
  receipt you found earlier. You no longer have proof that  
   
  Mr. Jenkins is the Bad Guy. You’ll have to capture him!
  Their move backfires! If a move roll results in a 6 or less, be 
  creative in describing how it fails. This backfire should not be 
  punitive. Instead, it should heighten the tension and create 
  new narrative possibilities.
  You rolled a 4? The ghost dinosaur seemingly walks right into  
   
  your trap. Unfortunately, the bowling ball proves to be a  
   
  bit too heavy for the tracks you made, and instead of  
   
  conking him on the head, it falls behind you. The ghost  
   
  is infuriated and now knows where you are all hiding.  
   
  What do you do?
  Trigger a Chase. This move is only for Acts Two through 
  Four. Have the Bad Guy chase the gang. Have fun with it! 
  The Bad Guy should be a reasonably constant menace once 
  they have appeared.
  
  52
  Inflict Fear. Fear is how players take harm in Jinkies! The 
  amount of Fear inflicted should be minimal in Act One and 
  should ramp up as the game reaches its climax.
  The spectral samurai shouts as he brings his samurai sword  
   
  down on your head. Being phantasmal, it does not hurt  
  	
  you,	but	you	are	terrified	anyway.	Take	1	Fear.
  Trigger a red herring. The red herring is an early 
  “demasking” event where the Animator can absolve the 
  implicated suspect from the crime.
  You	pull	the	gunny	sack	off	the	Bad	Guy’s	head	and	are	 
   
  surprised to see Mr. Waters, the shop keeper. However,  
   
  he couldn’t have committed the crime, because he was  
   
  running his shop when you arrived!
  Behind The Music Moves
  Offer an opportunity for naughty fun. This Animator move 
  lets the players know that they can do something a bit more 
  adult than the cartoons let on.
  The storage shack has an oddly shaped water pipe and a fern  
   
  in it. Wait, that isn’t how a fern smells—but you know  
   
  that pungent scent! What do you do?
  Cuss inappropriately. This move is almost essential at all 
  stages of a “Behind the Music” game. People using polite 
  language certainly aren’t going to get into real mischief.   
  
  53
  And let’s be real: who doesn’t giggle when the unmasked bad 
  guy says “I would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you 
  f*cking kids?”
  Mr. Waters seems angry. “Sonuvab-, I come down here to  
  	
  find	you	kids	and	offer	you	pizza	for	all	of	your	help.	And	 
   
  how do you repay me? Dropping bowling balls on my  
   
  head and tying me up! What the h*ll?”
  Display naughty fun. Have the suspects engage in a naughty 
  activity. This move is  essential to establish tone early on in a 
  “Behind the Music” game. The players will have their 
  characters misbehave if the suspects are misbehaving.
  You hear a spooky moaning from inside the projection booth.  
  	
  You	sneak	around	it,	undetected,and	find	Millie	and	 
  	
  Helga	en	flagrante	on	the	projector!	What	do	you	do?
  Animator Principles
  The Animator principles drive the tone and flavor of a  
  PbtA game. They are a body of loose rules that the Animator 
  follows that will make your game feel right. In Jinkies!, most of 
  these principles should seem familiar, but a few are new. If you 
  are a seasoned veteran PbtA game master, feel free to skip 
  ahead to “Think comically,” “Embrace the rational,”  
  and “The Structure.”
  Draw maps, leave blanks. Leave space in your adventures 
  for your players to add locations, objects, and suspects. Maps 
  
  54
  are powerful creative tools, but your players will enjoy them 
  more if they get to decide where the malt shop is.  At the start 
  of an adventure, show the players a blank map and have them 
  pick where to draw key locations.
  Address the characters, not the players. Jinkies! is a 
  role-playing game. As such, your players should assume the 
  roles of their characters. Address the characters, not the 
  players, as you facilitate the game.  Your players can create 
  character name cards for the game. These can be made by 
  folding a notecard in half, making it into a tent, and then writing 
  on the side exposed to the table. Not only will it help you use 
  character names, but it will help the players use character 
  names with each other. Your players can also put their 
  playbooks and their character’s pronouns on the notecards.
  Make a move that follows. No one likes feeling like the 
  Animator is cheating. This feeling happens when the Animator 
  move does not follow the fiction. For example, let’s say Barry’s 
  Weird One was running from the Bad Guy and rolled a 4. My 
  Animator move should deal with running and the Bad Guy.
  Never name Animator moves. The Animator move list exists 
  for the Animator, not the players. Naming your moves pulls 
  players out of the game and is jarring. Instead, tell the players 
  the result of your move.
  Bad	Example:	“I	use	‘inflict	Fear.’	The	Bad	Guy	does	1	point	of	 
   
  Fear to you.”
  
  55
  Good Example: “You run, but you don’t fun fast enough.  
   
  You can hear the Bad Guy catching up to you, and your  
   
  heart pounds. When you feel his breath on the back of  
   
  your neck, you trip and shudder in terror. Take 1 Fear.”
  Name every suspect. Good suspects have verisimilitude. 
  Give them names and personalities. It helps to have some 
  names handy. Baby name books, GM tool cards, or the 
  Internet can give you names in a pinch. Some baby name 
  books will even tell you what baby names were popular at a 
  given point in history if you want that extra dash of realism!
  Play to find out what happens. Jinkies!, like other PbtA 
  games, is “play to find out.” That means the Animator is NOT 
  telling the players a story. Instead, they are facilitating a 
  conversation. Your players should have a lot of narrative 
  control over their Jinkies! game, and in fact, they are the ones 
  who ultimately decide who the real culprit is. Ask questions, 
  use the answers you get, and let the story reveal itself to you 
  as well as to the players. Remember: if you think you know 
  how the story will end, you’re wrong!
  Be a fan of the players. Jinkies! is not like many other RPGs. 
  The Animator is not the enemy of the players. Instead, the 
  Animator is telling a story jointly with the players. Instead of 
  being at odds with the players, try to think of Jinkies! like a 
  cartoon. No one roots against the heroes of a cartoon. Cheer 
  for your players when they succeed and mourn with them 
  when they suffer setbacks.
  
  56
  Think comically. Most PbtA games are larger than life. The 
  game master in these games is told to think dangerously, 
  resulting in heart-pounding, lethal gameplay. Jinkies! also plays 
  well with danger, but only if it’s funny. Jinkies! is about cartoon 
  antics—if your players aren’t laughing, you probably want to 
  check in with them and find out where you lost them.
  Players can trigger moves. The fiction drives most PbtA 
  games—the fiction leads to moves, which impact the fiction. 
  Jinkies! is a little bit different. In Jinkies!, players break fiction to 
  use a move—most of which draw from their mysterious 
  cartoon powers—which then impact the fiction.
  Clues don’t really matter. Don’t tell the players! If the players 
  have read their playbooks well, they should be creating most 
  of the Clues on their own, and they will draw the final 
  conclusion on their own. Clues drive the story forward while 
  allowing the players and the Animator to shape the story. Don’t 
  worry about the Clues making sense or how many Clues the 
  players have obtained. Instead, focus on creating a fun and 
  goofy adventure.
  Think off-screen. Sometimes the players fail on their  
  rolls, but it doesn’t make sense to ratchet up the drama  
  on-screen. Maybe the Bad Guy is in the scene and has  
  done a lot of Fear damage already, and more drama doesn’t 
  make sense. Instead of applying a missed roll to the present 
  scene, you may apply it to the next scene. If possible, try to  
  tie the upcoming trial to the miss in the current scene.
  
  57
  Embrace the rational. Deep within the DNA of Jinkies!  
  lies cold, hard rationality. Sure, the protagonists are cartoons 
  with strange mystical powers. The mysteries, though, always 
  extol the virtues of reason and skepticism. NEVER create a 
  Jinkies! game with real ghosts. NEVER have actual monsters. 
  ALWAYS have the Bad Guy be a regular person in a mask, 
  committing a crime.
  The Structure
  Structure drives all of our stories, and Jinkies! is no exception. 
  Jinkies! is a flexible game—the players even decide who the 
  Bad Guy is!—but the one element of the game that is not 
  flexible is the structure. Understanding the structure of a good 
  Jinkies! adventure is pivotal to running the game. In this 
  section, we will discuss how to structure  an adventure.
  Act 1
  This Act sets up the adventure. Introduce the players to the 
  setting and the NPCs. Give the players the adventure map and 
  ask them to label locations on it. You should also introduce 
  them to the adventure—what devilish apparition are people 
  seeing? What crimes have been committed? 
  Don’t use hard moves in Act One. When the players reach the 
  conditions set for this Act (time, mood at the table, 
  investigating a certain number of NPCs, etc.), the Animator 
  should trigger the Act Break. Typically this is an indirect 
  encounter with the Bad Guy. For example, in “The Legend of 
  Tiki Taki,” the record over the PA is the Act Break.
  
  58
  Act 2
  In this Act, the player characters explore the setting a bit. They 
  start looking for Clues. Wherever they go, be sure to reward 
  them with plenty of Clues. If possible, the Animator should 
  make a red herring seem like the Bad Guy. This Act also ends 
  with an encounter with the Bad Guy, but this time it can be 
  direct. This encounter with the Bad Guy can inflict Fear on the 
  characters. The Bad Guy must make their escape here so the 
  adventure does not end prematurely!
  Act 3
  In Act Three, the characters pursue a suspect. When they 
  capture that suspect, make the suspect a red herring. The red 
  herring’s successful defense is the Act Break. For fun and 
  flavor, a celebrity cameo can be used here to deliver a moral 
  lesson. If time is a concern, you can skip Act Three and move 
  straight to Act Four.
  Act 4
  The characters typically split up in Act Four on their own. If 
  they do not, split them up. Act Four is the chase montage and 
  the players will have more fun separately. Have the Bad Guy 
  chase the characters through an interesting location. Inflict 
  Fear if the dice warrant it. The Act Break occurs when the 
  gang escapes the Bad Guy and regroups.
  Act 5
  Act 5 is where the characters capture the Bad Guy and end 
  the adventure. Remember, whoever the characters accuse 
  here was the Bad Guy, even if you had someone else in mind. 
  
  59
  Make a player (the Smart One, if that playbook is in use) 
  explain the mystery: who did it, why, and, if there is treasure, 
  where it is. It is also fun to have them tie their Clues into this 
  explanation.
  Epilogue
  Give each player a few minutes at the end of the game to say 
  what happens next and tie up their loose ends. Campaign 
  games should limit the scope of the epilogue to the immediate 
  future, as you will determine the more distant future in future 
  games. Don’t omit the epilogue, however; each adventure of 
  Jinkies! is designed to be a self-contained story, and loose 
  ends will hurt that feeling.
  What if things go off the rails? Sometimes the structure 
  doesn’t work. Maybe your players are bucking hard against it, 
  or you forgot an Act. If this happens, roll with it. No one reads 
  your Animator notes but you. If everyone has a good time, the 
  game is a success, and no one needs to know they were 
  supposed to go the other way at the fork.
  
  60
  
  61
  Rules for 
  Young People
  Imagine it is a Friday after school. You studied 
  hard, but now it is time to relax. You plop  
  down on the couch and grab the remote. The 
  cartoon channel takes you away to a magical 
  world where everything is funny and exciting. 
  You don’t have to take tests in cartoon world. 
  You don’t have chores there either.
  Jinkies! is a game where you get to pretend 
  that you and your friends are actually inside  
  the cartoon. You are a group of young people 
  traveling around and trying to catch ghosts.  
  In this cartoon, there are no real ghosts—just 
  Bad Guys who are pretending to be ghosts to 
  scare people. Maybe they want to scare 
  CHAPTER 4
  
  62
  people away from a bank so they can rob it, or 
  maybe they want to spook people away from 
  their phony money scheme. You and your 
  friends will need to find out!
  Jinkies! is a game where you tell a story as a 
  group. Each player says what their character 
  says and does. The Animator says what the 
  Bad Guys and other characters say and do.
  In Jinkies!, the characters are in a rock band 
  together. In the world of Jinkies!, some Bad 
  Guys dress like ghosts to scare people so they 
  won’t get caught being bad. Your gang loves 
  solving mysteries and will gladly save a town—
  for the small fee of some ice cream!
  There are seven types of people you can be. 
  These are called the “playbooks.” One player is 
  going to be the Animator. Each other player 
  needs to pick one playbook.
  
  63
  •	 The Leader. The Leader is in charge and 
  drives the Clue Cart for their friends. Their 
  plans are as good as the Weird One’s plans.
  •	 The Popular One. The Popular One is 
  charming. They get invited to all of the 
  parties and can use their Popularity to get 
  people to give them what they want.
  •	 The Smart One. The Smart One is the 
  brains of the group. They are always looking 
  for Clues and finding important things other 
  people have missed.
  •	 The Weird One. The Weird One is best 
  friends with the Mascot. They’re very good 
  at hiding from Bad Guys, and they make 
  good plans.
  •	 The Tough One. The Tough One never gets 
  into fights at school. Everyone is too scared! 
  They can push right past Bad Guys and can 
  scare suspects into telling the group 
  information.
  •	 The Talent. The Talent is the songwriter of 
  the band. They use their musical ability to 
  amaze people and get information.
  
  64
  •	 The Mascot. The Mascot is an animal that 
  can talk and has a super power. Everyone 
  likes the Mascot.
  To play the game, you will need the following:
  •	 four to seven friends. You can’t play Jinkies! 
  alone!
  •	 this rulebook
  •	 at least two coins with heads (pennies, 
  nickels, quarters)
  •	 printed copies of the playbooks (you can 
  photocopy the playbook from this book or 
  ask your parents to go online and print it 
  from jinkiesrpg.com)
  •	 pencils
  •	 blank paper
  How to Play
  Jinkies! plays just like telling a story with your 
  friends. Each of you can take turns and say 
  what your characters are doing in the story. For 
  
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  most things, if you say something happened, it 
  did. There are two exceptions to this.
  1. If you say something happened involving 
  another player’s character, you need to get 
  their permission. If they say no, then it did 
  not happen. If they say yes, then it did.
  2. If you say something happened that affects 
  a character played by the Animator—those 
  characters are called suspects—then you 
  need to use a move from your playbook.
  Moves. Moves are easy to use. They are all 
  listed on your playbook. Read the name of the 
  move you want to use in your playbook that 
  you want to use and flip either 1 or 2 coins.
  • If the move on your playbook has a minus 
  sign (–), you flip two coins and need to get 
  heads on both to succeed.
  • If the move on your playbook has a plus 
  sign (+), you flip two coins and need to get 
  heads on just one to succeed. 
  
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  • Otherwise, just flip one coin. If you get 
  heads, you did it! If you get tails, better luck 
  next time.
  Bonus. Some moves give you a bonus. If you 
  have a bonus, take a blank piece of paper and 
  mark your bonus on it for everyone to see. You 
  can use it to help you with any move:
  • If it is a (–) move, you now just need to flip a 
  single coin and get heads.
  • If it is a one coin move, you now flip two 
  coins and just need one heads.
  • If it is a (+) move, you do not need to flip a 
  coin—you automatically succeed.
  Choices. Sometimes moves require hard 
  choices. For example, if you succeed at Ask, 
  you get to pick 2 from the list:
  • They like you.
  • They run away.
  • They give you what you want.
  • They don’t try to trick you.
  
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  If you pick “they give you what you want” and 
  “they don’t try to trick you,” the Animator could 
  decide that the character you are asking 
  doesn’t like you anymore. Think hard and 
  make good choices!
  Assumptions.
  1. In Jinkies!, everything takes place right now. 
  In the world of Jinkies!, there are no cell 
  phones, tablets, or laptops. Your characters 
  cannot use Google to find the answers to 
  mysteries. They will need to explore, look 
  around, and ask questions to solve the 
  mystery.
  2. You don’t always have to agree with the 
  other players, but you’re all on the same 
  side. The characters are friends and do not 
  fight.
  3. Characters can’t decide to run away from 
  the mystery. That isn’t fun for everyone.
  That’s everything you need to know to play!
  
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  Making Characters
  Now that you know the rules, you need to 
  make a character. It’s fast and easy!
  Pick your playbook. Jinkies! comes with 
  seven playbooks. You can choose any of  
  them! Playbooks have all of your moves in 
  them. You cannot use moves in someone 
  else’s playbook, so pick carefully! Playbooks 
  do not say what your character will look like, 
  sound like, act like, or enjoy doing; they only 
  determine your moves. Playbooks also tell  
  you if you are good at a move (+) or bad  
  at a move (–).
  Playbooks are special. There can only be 
  one of each playbook in a game: one Weird 
  One, one Tough One, one Popular One, etc. 
  You are one of a kind in Jinkies! There are no 
  playbooks that you need to use. The players in 
  your game may choose any playbooks that 
  another has not already selected.
  
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  Name and draw your character. Cartoons 
  are colorful—your character should be too! 
  Your character can be any gender, race, or 
  magical creature you can imagine and may  
  use any name or appearance you would like. 
  There’s a place for your character in Cartoon 
  America, and everyone can solve mysteries!
  On a piece of paper, draw a portrait of  
  your character and write their name down.  
  Do your best job on this! You will put it in  
  front of you during the game, so the other 
  players remember who your character is  
  and what they look like.
  You can also decide what you sound like. 
  Jinkies! is a make-believe game, so the voice 
  you pick is very important! If you choose a 
  goofy voice, make sure you can keep doing it 
  for the whole game! When you are doing 
  voices, be kind to the other players. Some 
  voices, like stutters or accents, can embarrass 
  people who do not like the sound of their own 
  
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  voice. If someone asks you to do a different 
  voice, just change it and do not fight with them 
  about it. If you don’t want to do a special 
  voice, that’s okay too!
  Playbook choices. The Leader and  
  the Mascot playbooks ask you to make 
  choices. The player who picks a playbook  
  gets to make the choices in their playbook,  
  but they should talk with the other players  
  first to make sure those choices are okay  
  with everyone at the table.
  Be a good friend to the other players. It is 
  important that you are a good friend to the 
  other players. Being a good friend means  
  not using bad words or making jokes in the 
  game that might upset the other players.  
  Your Jinkies! game should never have any  
  of the following:
  •	 weapons
  •	 hitting, punching, kicking, karate chopping, 
  or any other kind of fighting
  
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  •	 drugs and jokes about drugs
  •	 private parts or jokes about private parts
  •	 rude or insulting comments
  If someone says something that upsets you, 
  you can either say something to them, you can 
  tell an adult, or you can use the X card. The X 
  card is a piece of paper with a big X drawn on 
  it in the middle of the table. To use it, you just 
  point at it. Everyone HAS to stop talking about 
  whatever upset you right away. They may not 
  talk about it again.
  Remember, Jinkies! is just a game. It is 
  important you are kind to the other players so 
  that they will want to be your friends and play 
  with you again.
  Friendships. After picking playbooks, naming 
  your character, and drawing a picture, your 
  group needs to choose how your characters all 
  joined the band. As a group, you also need to 
  pick more things about your group. What is the 
  
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  name of the band? What is your hit song? 
  What is the name of the band your group 
  hates? What kind of music do they make?
  Fear. There is no fighting in Jinkies! No one 
  dies in the game, but they can get scared. 
  When that happens, they receive a point of 
  Fear. A character may take up to 5 points of 
  Fear in a game session (typically 2 to 4 hours). 
  If a character takes all 5 points of Fear in a 
  game, that character faints from Fear. If your 
  character faints, the Animator will figure out 
  what happens when your character wakes up. 
  Characters can remove Fear with soda.
  Clues. Jinkies! is about figuring out who the 
  Bad Guy is, what they did, and why they did it. 
  You can figure it out by finding Clues. Many of 
  your moves will help you find Clues. 
  Sometimes you will see Clues lying around. 
  Still other times, you will get Clues by talking 
  with people. Sometimes the Animator tells you 
  what your Clue is. Other times, you get to say 
  
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  what the Clue is and what it means! The 
  characters will need at least 15 Clues to  
  catch the Bad Guy. They may find more  
  Clues if they want to, though.
  Chases. If you are looking too hard, the Bad 
  Guy will notice and try to scare you away. The 
  closer you get to figuring out who the Bad Guy 
  is, the meaner the Bad Guy will be. Sometimes 
  the Bad Guy will chase the characters!
  When the Bad Guy chases you, you must try 
  to get away. The Bad Guy will not stop chasing 
  until they either catch you or you escape! 
  Everyone the Bad Guy chased must escape 
  for the chase to end. Sometimes there will be 
  more than one chase. If the characters did not 
  stay together, the Bad Guy might chase only 
  one group. Only the characters in that group 
  must escape to end the chase.
  
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  Captures. To capture the Bad Guy,  
  the group needs:
  1. at least 15 Clues,
  2. everyone has to be together, and
  3. no one can be in the middle of a chase
  When the group is ready to catch the  
  Bad Guy, they need to use the following steps. 
  First, the players need to agree on a plan for 
  how to catch the Bad Guy. Everyone in the 
  group needs to be involved. One player must 
  flip a coin. If it comes up heads, you have 
  succeeded, and you’ve caught the Bad Guy!  
  If it comes up tails, the Bad Guy got away. You 
  are all in a chase now and must  
  escape to try again.
  After you catch the Bad Guy, the police will 
  show up. Pick three players in your game.  
  One says who the Bad Guy really is. Another 
  says why the Bad Guy did it. The last player 
  says where the treasure is hidden. These 
  answers will always be right. The group has 
  solved the mystery!
  
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  The leader
  You drive the van. You make the plan. Your 
  friends all like you, and they even listen to you. 
  You’re the Leader.
  The Clue Cart. You are the driver of the 
  gang’s vehicle. You can use it anytime you 
  want, even inside.
  “Here’s the plan, gang!” (+). Tell the gang 
  what your plan is. If you succeed, the gang 
  gets a shared bonus for the rest of the scene.
  Look. (–) This mystery isn’t going to solve 
  itself. Time to search for Clues! If you succeed, 
  you find a Clue. The Animator tells you what  
  it means.
  Soda. Soda may be used by any member of 
  the gang once per Episode. Soda wakes a 
  character that has passed out from Fear and 
  cures 2 Fear points. You do not need to  
  flip for soda.
  
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  Run! Bad Guys are scary! Why stick around 
  and see if the Bad Guy wants to share your 
  pizza? Run! If you succeed, you outrun the 
  Bad Guy.
  Ask. (+) You ask someone to do something or 
  give you something. If you succeed, choose 
  two from the list:
  •	 they like you
  •	 they run away
  •	 they give you what you want
  •	 they don’t try to trick you
  
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  The Mascot
  You are a magical creature! You might be an 
  animal or something else that isn’t supposed 
  to talk, but you do. You love eating groovy 
  snacks with your best friend, the Weird One, 
  and it’s always fun being around you. You’re 
  the Mascot.
  Magical creature. You’re one of a kind! You 
  are a magical talking animal with a superpower 
  and the heart of the band. You get to decide 
  what you are:
  •	 Type of Creature
  •	 Superpower
  Animal senses. Your animal instincts help you 
  see and hear things everyone else misses. 
  Once per Episode, you may use your senses 
  to find a Clue. Tell the group about it.
  
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  Look. (–) This mystery isn’t going  
  to solve itself. Time to search for Clues! 
  Success: You find a Clue. The Animator  
  tells you what it means.
  Soda. Soda may be used by any  
  member of the gang once per Episode. Soda 
  wakes a character that has passed out from 
  Fear and cures 2 Fear points. You do not need 
  to flip for soda.
  Run! (+) Bad Guys are scary! Why stick 
  around and see if the Bad Guy wants to  
  share your pizza? Run! Success: You outrun 
  the Bad Guy.
  Ask. You ask someone to do something or 
  give you something. Success: Choose 2 from 
  this list:
  •	 they like you
  •	 they run away
  •	 they give you what you want
  •	 they don’t try to trick you
  
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  The Weird One
  You love being weird, man! You hang  
  out with your best friend, the Mascot, and like 
  to eat pizza with ALL the toppings. You’re the 
  Weird One.
  Hide and go seek. In a chase, describe how 
  you and your Mascot friend hide instead of 
  running. Success: You blend in and get away.
  It’s all up to you! (+) Things look bad, time for 
  a wacky plan to save the group. Success: 
  Choose 2 from the list.
  •	 Things won’t go badly later because of your 
  plan.
  •	 The plan did what you wanted.
  •	 The plan happened just when you needed 
  it.People watching thought your plan was 
  cool!
  
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  Look. This mystery isn’t going to solve itself. 
  Time to search for Clues! Success: You find a 
  Clue. The Animator tells you what it means.
  Soda. Soda may be used by any member of 
  the gang once per Episode. Soda wakes a 
  character that has passed out from Fear and 
  cures 2 Fear points. You do not need to  
  flip for soda.
  Run (+) Bad Guys are scary! Why stick around 
  and see if the Bad Guy wants to share your 
  pizza? Run! Success: You outrun the Bad Guy.
  Ask (-) You ask someone to do something you 
  would like, or to give you something. Success: 
  Choose 2 from the list:
  •	 They like you.
  •	 They run away.
  •	 They give you what you want.
  •	 They don’t try to trick you.
  
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  The Popular One
  The gang gets invited to parties because 
  they’re your friends. You’re so popular! When 
  you make puppy dog eyes at people, they do 
  whatever you want. You always get what you 
  want. You’re the Popular One.
  “I’m too charming to run.”(+) If a Bad Guy is 
  chasing you, you may choose to chat and try 
  to make the bad you your friend instead of 
  running. Success: The Bad Guy stops chasing 
  the gang for now.
  “I always get what I want.”(+) When you’re 
  as charming and popular as you are, you tell 
  people what you want, and you get it. 
  Success: You get what you want.
  Look (-) This mystery isn’t going to solve itself. 
  Time to search for Clues! Success: You find a 
  Clue. The Animator tells you what it means.
  
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  Soda Soda may be used by any member of 
  the gang once per episode. Soda wakes a 
  character that has passed out from Fear and 
  cures 2 Fear points. You do not need  
  to flip for soda.
  Run (-) Bad Guys are scary! Why stick around 
  and see if the Bad Guy wants to share your 
  pizza? Run! Success: You outrun the Bad Guy.
  Ask (+) You ask someone to do something or 
  give you something. Success: Choose 2 from 
  the list:
  •	 They like you.
  •	 They run away.
  •	 They give you what you want.
  •	 They don’t try to trick you.
  
  84
  The Smart One
  You always sit in the front of the classroom. 
  You’re the one who raises your hand for every 
  question in school. Your last report card? 
  Straight As, of course. School is too easy for 
  you. Now you solve mysteries. You’re the 
  Smart One.
  Portable Junior Detective Chemistry Kit © 
  You come prepared. Once per Act, you may 
  use your chemistry kit to change a Clue from 
  the Animator and say what the  
  Clue really means.
  “I’m shy!”(+) The Popular One gets seen all 
  the time. You do not. This is useful when you 
  are hiding from a Bad Guy! Success: You 
  blend in and get away.
  Look (+) This mystery isn’t going to  
  solve itself. Time to search for Clues!  
  Success: You find a Clue. The Animator  
  tells you what it means.
  
  85
  Soda. Soda may be used by any member of 
  the gang once per Episode. Soda wakes a 
  character that has passed out from Fear and 
  cures 2 Fear points. You do not need to  
  flip for soda.
  Run (-) Bad Guys are scary! Why stick around 
  and see if the Bad Guy wants to share your 
  pizza? Run! Success: You outrun the Bad Guy.
  Ask (-) You ask someone to do something or 
  give you something. Success: Choose 2 from 
  the list:
  •	 They like you.
  •	 They run away.
  •	 They give you what you want.
  •	 They don’t try to trick you.
  
  86
  The Talent
  You’ve been taking music lessons since you 
  were 3. You practice every day, and you were 
  first chair in the orchestra at school. Now, 
  you’re in a rock band that solves mysteries. 
  You’re going to need to write their songs for 
  them. You’re the Talent.
  Write a song(+) You’re so talented that you 
  can make a hit song up on the spot. If you do, 
  it could stun one suspect because it sounds 
  so good. Name the song. Success: The 
  suspect will do one thing you tell them and 
  won’t need anything from you.
  Shred! (+) You’re the best! Shred on your 
  instrument to blow a Bad Guy’s mind. 
  Success: The Bad Guy can’t stop listening to 
  how cool you sound. A chase stops.
  Look (+) This mystery isn’t going to solve 
  itself. Time to search for Clues! Success:  
  
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  You find a Clue. The Animator tells you  
  what it means.
  Soda Soda may be used by any member of 
  the gang once per Episode. Soda wakes a 
  character that has passed out from Fear and 
  cures 2 Fear points. You do not need to  
  flip for soda.
  Run (-) Bad Guys are scary! Why stick around 
  and see if the Bad Guy wants to share your 
  pizza? Run! Success: You outrun the Bad Guy.
  Ask You ask someone to do something you 
  would like, or to give you something. Success: 
  Choose 2 from the list:
  •	 They like you.
  •	 They run away.
  •	 They give you what you want.
  •	 They don’t try to trick you.
  
  88
  
  89
  The Animator 
  For Young 
  People
  The Setting
  Running a game of Jinkies! for your friends is 
  easy. You only need a few things.
  A place. Adventures need someplace to 
  happen. You get to pick where that is. Be sure 
  to choose spooky place, but one that your 
  friends all know. Schools, candy shops, and 
  arcades are good places for a game of Jinkies. 
  Far off lands and adult places (like work offices) 
  are not good places because your friends will 
  not be able to imagine them easily.
  CHAPTER 5
  
  90
  Suspects. Your place will need people in it, 
  and you are the person to make them up. You 
  want to have a lot of different people in your 
  game: big people and little people, familiar 
  people and strangers, friendly people and 
  scary people.
  Just like in a mystery cartoon, almost everyone 
  can be the Bad Guy. That is why we call the 
  people you make up “suspects.” If you use 
  famous people in your game, they can’t be the 
  Bad Guy. It is fun and funny to get to talk to 
  these people, though, so please have some 
  famous people around!
  You are responsible for doing the voices for all 
  of the suspects. Voices can be a lot of fun and 
  can be funny for your friends, too, but you 
  have to be careful. Sometimes when we do 
  voices, those voices can be mean. If you like 
  playing games with your friends, avoid doing 
  voices that will upset people. Never use bad 
  words or name-calling. Nothing ruins a game 
  faster than being rude!
  
  91
  Animator Moves
  When the players use a move from their 
  character’s playbook, they can succeed or fail. 
  If they succeed, they do what the move says 
  to do on a success. If they fail, then you have 
  to use an animator move on the character  
  who failed.
  Animator moves are the actions of the Bad 
  Guy. The characters should not start out being 
  chased by a Bad Guy. That happens later.  
  You must always use one of the moves that 
  goes with where you are in the story, and  
  you must always use a move when a player 
  fails their move.
  Move List:
  Before they have seen the Bad Guy  
  (pick one):
  Did you hear that sound?– The character 
  hears the Bad Guy nearby!
  Offer a hint. – The character does not 
  
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  succeed at what they were doing, but they  
  do find a Clue. You tell the player what it is and 
  what it means.
  After seeing the Bad Guy:
  Did you see that?—The character sees the 
  Bad Guy nearby! They take a point of Fear. 
  Bad Guys are scary!
  Backfire!—The character  messed up. Their 
  move did something they did not want it to! 
  You get to say what happened.
  After they have at least 10 Clues:
  Chase—the Bad Guy starts chasing the 
  characters!
  Fear! (only after a chase starts)— 
  The Bad Guy caught the character! Tell the 
  players how it happened. Then they take 1 
  point of Fear. If the character receives  5  
  points of Fear total, they will pass out, and 
  another character will need to save them!
  
  93
  Important Rules for Animators
  There are a few important rules for being a 
  good Animator besides using your moves. 
  Make sure you follow these rules as closely  
  as possible!
  Let the players put things on maps. Just 
  because you are the Animator doesn’t mean 
  you get to make everything up. Jinkies! is a 
  game where everyone gets to pretend. When 
  you make a map, let the players see it and 
  decide where things will go on it.
  Use character names. When they are playing 
  Jinkies!, your friends are pretending to be their 
  characters. You can help them by calling them 
  by the names of their characters  
  during the game.
  Use suspect names. Everyone in the whole 
  world has a name. Everyone in your world 
  should have a name too. Give each suspect a 
  
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  name and a trait that makes them interesting. 
  Are they dressed weirdly? Are they really tall? 
  Suspects with details are more fun.
  Find out how the story ends. In Jinkies!,  
  no one knows how the story will end until it 
  ends. You get to tell the players about the 
  place and the suspects, but they get to tell  
  you what they do and who they end up 
  catching. Don’t be upset if the story ends 
  differently than you planned!
  You are on the side of the players. Jinkies! 
  is a game where everyone is on the same 
  team. Your job is to pick the place and do the 
  voices for the suspects. Your job is not to beat 
  the players! You should always make choices 
  that make a more interesting game for your 
  friends,not choices that you hope  
  will defeat them.
  Don’t worry if the Clues don’t make sense. 
  Sometimes the players get to make their own 
  Clues. When they do, those Clues won’t 
  
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  always make sense. That’s okay. After the 
  players get 15 Clues, they will have enough  
  to put together a good mystery.
  There is no magic in Jinkies! Mystery 
  cartoons never have real magic, real ghosts, or 
  real monsters. Your Bad Guy always needs to 
  be a normal person in disguise.
  Timing. Different Animator moves happen at 
  different times of the game. Here is how a 
  Jinkies! story typically goes so you know what 
  the timing is.
  Before seeing the Bad Guy:
  The characters should not see the Bad Guy for 
  a while (about an hour). During this time, they 
  will be talking with people, looking for Clues, 
  and checking different places out. The players 
  will start to figure out what happened and what 
  the Bad Guy is like. The characters should not 
  take any Fear points during this part of the 
  game. This part ends the first time a character 
  sees the Bad Guy. As the Animator, you decide 
  
  96
  when to show the characters the Bad Guy.
  After seeing the Bad Guy:
  The characters will still be looking for Clues, 
  but this part of the game should be scary. The 
  Bad Guy could be out there anywhere, waiting 
  to get them! Make sure you make this part of 
  the game spooky. The characters can see or 
  hear the Bad Guy some more, but the Bad 
  Guy should not chase the characters right 
  away. This part of the game should take about 
  30 minutes.
  After the characters have 10 Clues:
  When the characters have 10 Clues, the Bad 
  Guy starts to know the characters are on the 
  trail! When a character fails a move, the Bad 
  Guy will find the characters and begin to chase 
  them! They will need to use their Run! moves.
  Capture:
  After the characters get away from the Bad 
  Guy, they can try to capture the Bad Guy. To 
  capture the Bad Guy, they will need:
  
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  1. At least 15 Clues,
  2. Everyone has to be together, and
  3. No one can be in the middle of a chase.
  If the characters need more Clues or 
  need to get together, they can do this after 
  being chased.
  Wish your characters good luck, and 
  remember, they always solve the mystery!
  Epilogue:
  “Epilogue” is a big word for the end of a story. 
  The characters have just solved the mystery 
  and trapped the Bad Guy. The police have 
  taken the Bad Guy to jail. What happens next?
  Give each player no more than 5 minutes to 
  say what their character does after the 
  mystery. A player may choose any ending for 
  their character that they would like. They may 
  not make up an ending for another character.
  
  98
  
  99
  Playable 
  Episodes
  CHAPTER 6
  Episode 1: The legend of tiki-Taki
  Overview. The Legend of Tiki-Taki is intended to be  
  the first adventure the characters embark upon in Jinkies!  
  The setting is a quiet mountain town in the Pacific Northwest 
  (think Twin Peaks) that is about to host a regional battle of the 
  bands—and Dick Clark will be there! Let’s hope they can solve 
  the mystery of Tiki-Taki before Old Man Withers shuts  
  down the show.
  NPCs (all NPCs are Suspects!)
  People:
  •	
  Old Man Withers—runs the high school where the battle is 
  supposed to happen.
  •	
  Gus the Janitor—creepy (menacing glare, bad hair), really  
  likes rats.
  •	
  Paddy O’Hoolihan—nice old guy who owns the malt shop
  •	
  Don Knotts and Phyllis Diller—run the campground where 
  the gang sleeps in the Clue cart.
  
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  Bands:
  The Feel Goods—They sing love songs and bore people. 
  Unlikely suspects…?
  •	
  Chantelle—Chantelle sings. She is slight of frame and 
  seems delicate.
  •	
  The Admiral—The Admiral plays the keyboard, wears a 
  sailor outfit, aviator shades, and a captain’s hat.
  •	
  Stan—A band manager. Ironically, never seen in the 
  presence of the Admiral, and looks like the Admiral but in a 
  tacky 70s suit.
  The Candy Stripers—They drive around and do bubble gum 
  rock. They’re all siblings—when do they go to school?
  •	
  Davie—Leader doppelganger, has a girlfriend in every town 
  he visits.
  •	
  Stevie—Guitarist, second eldest, very mellow, Weird One 
  doppelganger.
  •	
  Lulu—Bass (of course), the cute one of the band.
  •	
  Michael—Drums. Quiet and nerdy, but so smart!
  •	
  Buck, the dad—Insanely perky, can’t wait to drive to  
  the next town. Has a glass unicorn collection and  
  makes dad jokes.
  A third band shows up right after the gang—the gang’s rival 
  band. Have each PC describe a member of the rival band.
  Bond Ideas:
  •	
  Name of the band?
  •	
  Hit song?
  •	
  Type and name of the vehicle?
  
  101
  •	
  Describe the rivals.
  •	
  Character introductions: Name? Instrument? Age? Role?
  Act 1: Introduction. The characters are driving to town and 
  listening to the radio. The DJ will mention the Battle of the 
  Bands tonight. As a grand prize, the winning band will get 
  played on Casey Casem’s Power Hour syndicated radio show.
  Draw Maps, Leave Blanks:
  Have the players identify the following on the Lake  
  Winnemuck map:
  •	
  The campground
  •	
  The Bradley House
  •	
  The malt shop
  •	
  The high school
  If the players want to put more locations on the map, don’t 
  stop them! 
  
  102
  The characters arrive in the late morning at the school’s 
  parking lot. People mill about. The first two bands are there for 
  sound check.
  Old Man Withers, the principal, is in charge of the Battle  
  of the Bands and set up. Gus and Paddy, members of the 
  community, are helping out. They are unloading equipment 
  and will offer to help the gang. Withers talks to the gang first 
  and says the Battle of the Bands might not happen  
  because of the ghost.
  While this happens, the rival band arrives. Be sure to  
  use the details provided by the players when describing them. 
  Allow the characters a few minutes to verbally spar with the 
  rival band.
  The characters may now investigate. There are several 
  suspects to question. They will offer the following information:
  Gus:
  •	
  There is a local, Winnemuck artifact named Tiki Taki. Gus 
  believes there is a soul trapped inside.
  •	
  Legends say that Tiki Taki grants its wielder a wish, but 
  curses whoever takes it.
  •	
  Tiki Taki fell into the custody of the Bradley family, who 
  have given it to the town for safekeeping.
  •	
  Until someone stole it, Tiki Taki was kept at the high school 
  in the trophy case.
  •	
  There is a ghost tormenting town.
  •	
  Gus believes the ghost is the curse of Tiki Taki.
  •	
  No one takes the curse seriously except Gus.
  
  103
  Paddy:
  •	
  The Bradley Bunch are out of town this week.
  •	
  Stories of a ghost haunting town began when someone 
  stole Tiki Taki.
  •	
  Paddy does not believe in ghosts.
  Withers:
  •	
  The ghost strikes at night.
  •	
  The ghost prefers to go to the school or the lake.
  •	
  The ghost has not hurt anyone yet.
  The other bands:
  •	
  The other bands might be guilty, but they won’t know 
  much because they are not local.
  Note that some of this information might be rumor or pure 
  falsehood. The players might take the story in a different 
  direction, which is fine! These notes are just suggestions.
  If the players seem especially suspicious of a suspect, make a 
  note of it. This suspect might be your red herring.
  Act Break:
  After the characters have investigated the parking lot and 
  suspects sufficiently, use the following Act Break:
  “Suddenly, everyone in the parking lot cringes at a sickening  
   
  sound. ‘You are my Sunshine’ warbles over the PA  
  	
  system	from	the	school.	The	building’s	lights	flicker	 
  	
  on	and	off.
  
  104
  “Old Man Withers turns pale and drops his clipboard. ‘ 
   
  I’m sorry, everyone, but it’s just too risky to put you  
   
  all in danger with that ghost on the loose. Until we  
   
  resolve this ghost situation, the Battle of the  
   
  Bands is canceled!”
  Act 2: Investigation
  The characters will begin investigating in earnest. Common 
  investigation threads include:
  •	
  Tiki Taki
  •	
  The ghost
  •	
  The Bradley Bunch
  The characters can investigate anywhere. If they get stuck, 
  good places to push them include:
  •	
  The school
  •	
  The lake
  •	
  The Bradley house
  •	
  The lakeside
  When the characters decide on a destination and visit it, they 
  should encounter the red herring. Do not let them know this is 
  the red herring! Have your red herring act suspicious.
  The characters should uncover many Clues in Act 2.  
  The ghost should not appear until the Act Break; do not  
  initiate a chase yet.
  
  105
  Act Break:
  This Act Break should happen after a satisfying investigation, 
  but before the characters finish with a location (maybe 30-40 
  minutes).This Act Break works best when the characters are 
  together.
  The ghost appears. There is smoke, flame, and a visible and 
  incorporeal ghost which can “touch” a character (Fear 
  damage at the Animator’s discretion). It is an illusion, and the 
  characters cannot capture it. When the characters try to either 
  capture the ghost or the scene reaches a natural conclusion, it 
  escapes by walking through a wall.
  Act 3: The Red Herring
  The characters have enough information to pursue a suspect. 
  This suspect should be the red herring identified in Act One, 
  but they might decide to pursue someone else. Whoever they 
  suspect will become the red herring.
  Allow the characters to capture or corner their suspect. They 
  should not need to roll the dice for this. When they unmask the 
  suspect, the suspect will tell them why they could not have 
  done it. The easiest way to do this is with an alibi—the suspect 
  was somewhere else at the time.
  Act Break:
  The Act Breaks when the red herring proves their innocence. A 
  celebrity cameo, speaking about trust and friendship, can cap 
  this Act off well. Celebrities from the time include (but are not 
  limited to):
  
  106
  •	
  Don Knotts
  •	
  Phyllis Diller
  •	
  Davy Jones
  •	
  Gene Simmons
  •	
  David Bowie
  •	
  Former President Gerald Ford
  •	
  Current President Jimmy Carter
  Act 4: The chase
  The characters will continue their investigation and participate 
  in a chase in this Act. Typically, they will change locations, but 
  not always. Before the chase begins, describe lots of comic 
  hiding places (halls with doorways, barrels, old fortune-telling 
  machines, etc.). You should split the gang into two groups for 
  the chase.
  After setting up the chase, have the Bad Guy appear  
  and start chasing!
  Act Break:
  The Act Breaks when the chases have all ended and the gang 
  are all in one location, safe enough to make a plan.
  Act 5: The Capture
  Now that the players are safe and regrouped, they can make a 
  plan to capture the Bad Guy. Follow the rules for captures in 
  chapter 1.
  The Bad Guy upon demasking: “I would have gotten away 
  with it too if it weren’t for you meddling kids!”
  
  107
  The arrest:
  The arresting officer scoffs, “What did they steal? A tacky 
  decoration? Yeah, that’s not a magical idol. Been talking to 
  Gus or something? The marching band went to Hawaii two 
  years ago and brought it back. They keep it in the trophy case. 
  So… here’s a citation for petty larceny?” The cop mutters and 
  leaves. “I have teenagers to threaten. Ain’t got time for tiki 
  statues!”
  Just then!
  There is a cameo appearance by Casey Casem! “I don’t know 
  what the heck you kids are on about, but I know that stealing 
  isn’t cool, man! These guys are out of the battle, or my vegan 
  butt is walking!”
  Epilogue:
  The players should roleplay the gang’s Battle of the Bands 
  performance. Ask each player about their character’s 
  performance. If the Talent is in the game, that player should 
  name and describe the song their character plays.
  The characters always win the battle of the bands.
  After the show, the gang gets a phone call from Dick Clark! 
  “You kids are a hit! Come to Philadelphia and be on American 
  Bandstand—it will only take a season to get here!”
  
  108
  Episode 2: The Fool’s Gold Folly
  Overview:
  The Fool’s Gold Folly is the second adventure of the season. 
  The setting is the real-life county seat of Gallatin County—
  Bozeman, Montana. Gallatin County is home to ranchers, 
  farmers, a university, beautiful landscapes, and amazing 
  history, both human and natural.
  You will want to direct the characters toward two historic sites: 
  Tinsley House and the Museum of the Rockies. The Tinsley 
  House is an 1890s farmhouse-turned-museum, and the 
  Museum of the Rockies has exhibits like the skeletal remains 
  of dinosaurs excavated in the Rocky Mountains.
  In a setting ripe for ghostly farmers and ghoulish dinosaurs, 
  can the gang solve the crime? Here’s hoping!
  NPCS:
  People:
  •	
  Susie Jones—college professor, community  
  activist, TOUGH.
  •	
  Bill Winters—The museum curator. Short, pudgy,  
  balding guy.
  •	
  Captain O’Toole—chief of police. Wants the dinosaur ghost 
  gone so he can keep the peace.
  •	
  Tim Conway—a Hollywood comedian who is in town from 
  his vacation ranch for supplies. 
  
  109
  •	
  Jack Tinsley—The lone heir to the Tinsley legacy.  
  Jack Tinsley seems uninterested in marrying or having 
  children, making him the end of the family line. Tall,  
  slender, dignified.
  The Cootwells—The rivals of the Tinsleys, they both settled 
  Bozeman at the same time. There’s:
  •	
  Jeb Cootwell—patriarch of the family,
  •	
  Martha Cootwell—matriarch of the family,
  •	
  Beaufort Cootwell—oldest of the children,
  •	
  Maven, Luke, Jeb Jr., Marty, Mary, and Gus—the other 
  children (don’t have them on camera, it’s too many people).
  Bands:
  The rivals will visit during this Episode.
  All NPCs are suspects.
  Act 1: Introduction
  The gang performed on Casey Casem’s Power Hour, and they 
  were a hit. Their hit song gets radio play now, and they have 
  been invited by Dick Clark to perform on American Bandstand. 
  They’re now on the way to Philadelphia to be filmed, stopping 
  along the way to perform (and try the local malts!).
  The gang’s first scheduled stop is in Bozeman, MT,  
  where they are going to perform on the steps of the Museum 
  of the Rockies.
  
  110
  Susie is in charge of setting up for the show. A stage has been 
  set up in front of the museum. All of the suspects are in the 
  area, helping set up for the performance. The rival band will 
  arrive shortly after the gang. Allow the characters time to 
  exchange barbs with their rivals.
  Draw Maps, Leave Blanks:
  Have the players identify the following on the  
  Bozeman map:
  •	
  The gas station
  •	
  The Museum of the Rockies/ Tinsley House
  •	
  The malt shop
  •	
  The police station
  •	
  The Cootwell ranch
  If the players want to put more locations on the map, don’t 
  stop them!
  
  111
  The characters may now investigate. The suspects can share 
  the following information:
  •	
  The main attraction of the museum is dinosaur skeletons.
  •	
  The museum covers some local history. If the players ask 
  Susie, she expresses distaste for some of the outdated 
  displays, like “how doth a lady churn butter for her beau?”
  •	
  Old Pa’ Tinsley found a vein of gold, but it  
  has gone missing.
  •	
  The Cootwells think the Tinsleys are hiding the gold.
  •	
  Jack donated his family’s original homestead—the Tinsley 
  house—to the museum.
  •	
  Jack is the last Tinsley.
  •	
  A dinosaur ghost has been spotted.
  Note that some of this information might be rumor or pure 
  falsehood. The characters might take the story in a different 
  direction, which is fine! These notes are just suggestions.
  If the players seem especially suspicious of a suspect, make a 
  note of it. This suspect might be your red herring.
  Act Break:
  After the characters have invested the front of the museum 
  and suspects sufficiently, use the following Act Break:
  A roaring is heard coming from the museum, and the banner  
  	
  over	the	door	flutters	to	the	ground.
  Bill Winters: “I’m sorry, everyone, but until we solve the  
   
  mystery of that ghost dinosaur, we just can’t risk the  
   
  concert. The show is canceled!”
  
  112
  Act 2: Investigation
  The characters should begin their investigation. They might 
  investigate the following:
  •	
  The dinosaurs
  •	
  Tinsley’s gold
  The investigation can go anywhere in town. Suggested 
  locations include:
  •	
  The Museum
  •	
  The Tinsley House
  •	
  The Cootwell Ranch
  Wherever the characters go, they will encounter the red 
  herring. Do not tell them that this is the red herring. Make sure 
  the red herring acts suspiciously.
  Act Break:
  Allow the characters sufficient time to investigate, but don’t 
  allow them to finish at a location. This Act should take 30-40 
  minutes. Ideally, the characters should be together, but that is 
  not mandatory.
  “The ghost appears just out of reach. It’s a T. Rex, but it seems  
   
  smaller than what you’ve seen in textbooks and  
   
  museums—perhaps it is far away. The dinosaur glows  
   
  green and is enshrouded in billowing smoke. It throws  
   
  its head back and unleashes a terrifying roar, before  
   
  fading into nothing.”
  
  113
  Act 3: The Red Herring
  The characters should have enough information to pursue a 
  suspect. This suspect will be the red herring, even if you had 
  identified a different red herring earlier. The red herring will have 
  an alibi to prove their innocence.
  Act Break:
  “Suddenly, TV’s Tim Conway walks in. [The red herring] waves  
   
  at him. ‘Mr. Conway, do you have any advice for us?”
  “Advice? Sure, I have advice. Don’t start your own variety  
   
  show, kids. Seriously, just don’t. The real money is in  
   
  guest bits. Now excuse me, I need to get back. I’m  
   
  doing a Mr. Clean commercial in my McHale’s  
   
  Navy uniform.”
  Act 4: The chase
  The characters will continue their investigation in this Act. 
  Typically, they will change locations, but not always. This Act is 
  where the chase takes place. Before the chase begins, 
  describe lots of comic hiding places (halls with doorways, 
  barrels, old fortune-telling machines, etc.). You should split the 
  gang into two groups for the chase.
  After setting up the chase, have the Bad Guy appear and start 
  chasing!
  Act Break:
  The Act Breaks when the chases have all ended, and the gang 
  are all in one location, safe enough to make a plan.
  
  114
  Act 5: The Capture
  Now that the characters are safe and regrouped, they can 
  make a plan to capture the Bad Guy. Follow the rules for 
  captures in chapter 1.
  The Bad Guy upon demasking: “I would have gotten away 
  with it too if it weren’t for you meddling kids!”
  Epilogue:
  The players should roleplay the gang’s Museum of the  
  Rockies performance. Ask each player about their character’s 
  performance. If the Talent is in the game, that player should 
  name and describe the song their character plays.
  
  115
  Episode 3: The Vaudeville Caper
  Overview:
  The Vaudeville Caper is a tribute to “The Backstage Rage” 
  from Scooby-Doo: Where Are You? The gang’s travels have 
  taken them to Lincoln, Nebraska, where they are going to 
  perform at Memorial Stadium at the University of Nebraska-
  Lincoln. The city of Lincoln is an oasis of urban living amid 
  rolling fields, complete with a historic district. The Stuart 
  Theater still stands, a beautiful 19th-century opera house that 
  is now in disrepair.
  Rumors have it that a phantom haunts the theater. Can the 
  gang defeat the “phantom of the theater?” Or have they met 
  their match?
  NPCS:
  People:
  •	
  Hubert Whitely—The proprietor of the local Stuart Theater, 
  Hubert, is disappointed that the show will not take place in 
  his theater. He figures it is because the Phantom has been 
  haunting his theater.
  •	
  Dr. Janine Stone—Dr. Stone is a brilliant scientist  
  at the university with a Ph.D. in biology and theoretical 
  ecology. She is Working on a project to increase crop 
  yields 100 fold.
  •	
  Officer Buckley—Buckley is an old lawman and a skeptic. 
  He wants the nonsense about theater Phantoms buttoned-
  up—but he’s more concerned with cow tipping teenagers.
  
  116
  The Stuart Theater Troupe World Famous Vaudeville Show:
  •	
  Madame Mussorgsky—Mussorgsky is a famed puppet 
  mistress. Possibly the same person as Madam Nabokov 
  and Helga. She is reclusive.
  •	
  Madam Nabokov—Nabokov is the astounding fortune-
  teller of the show. Possibly the same person as Helga and 
  Madame Mussorgsky. She is reclusive.
  •	
  Helga—Helga is the amazing bearded woman. Possibly the 
  same person as Madame Mussorgsky and Madam 
  Nabokov. She is reclusive.
  •	
  Willem Francis—”That’s ‘Willem,’ not ‘William,’ sir.” Lead 
  violinist of the orchestra. Willem is talented but doesn’t 
  have the money to move to a bigger town.
  •	
  Millie (and her Dancin’ Donkey)—Millie is saccharine. She 
  trained her donkey to tap dance.
  Bands:
  •	
  The rivals will visit during this Episode.
  All NPCs are suspects.
  Act 1: Introduction
  The gang arrives in Lincoln on their circuitous trip  
  to Philadelphia to perform on American Bandstand.  
  They’ve booked a gig at Memorial Stadium. As they  
  unload the Clue Cart, they may meet Hubert, Dr.  
  Whatley, and officer Buckley, who are handling  
  logistics. These people will discuss the phantom.
  
  117
  Act Break:
  After the characters have had sufficient time to ask their 
  suspects questions, trigger the Act Break.
  Draw Maps, Leave Blanks:
  Have the players identify the following on the theater map:
  •	
  The subterranean of the theater
  •	
  The catwalks
  •	
  Backstage
  •	
  The practice rooms
  If the players want to put more locations on the map, don’t 
  stop them!
  
  118
  “[Pick a character] trips. They look behind and see a violin case  
   
  on the ground. The trip knocked the case open ever so  
   
  slightly, revealing what looks like small slips of green  
   
  paper. Upon opening the case, you realize the violin  
   
  case is packed with twenty-dollar bills.”
  Act 2: Exposition
  The money is counterfeit. Even a failed check reveals this; 
  Jimmy Carter isn’t on the $20. If the PCs don’t check the 
  money, Officer Buckley investigates and tells them it is a 
  forgery. The case has a brass label: “Property of the Stuart 
  Theater Troupe: World Famous Vaudeville Variety Show.”
  The characters are expected to go to the theater. If they do not 
  move in that direction, nudge the players toward the theater. 
  Players can solve any mystery in Jinkies! regardless of the path 
  they choose, but this one plays much better if the characters 
  go to the theater.
  The characters may enter the theater only if they purchase a 
  ticket to see the show. It starts with an orchestral prelude. 
  There is a puppeteer who puts on a grotesque show. There is 
  an operatic song, a trapeze act, a magic show, a comedy bit, 
  another orchestral piece, and at the end, Millie’s Dancin’ 
  Donkey.
  Act Break:
  During the donkey show, the lights flicker, and the  
  phantom appears. He hangs from a sconce! Being a  
  sconce, it rips out of the wall, and he falls. Then the  
  Phantom escapes backstage.
  
  119
  Act 3: The Investigation
  The characters will continue their investigation in this Act. 
  Typically, they will change locations, but not always. Let the 
  characters lead the exploration. There are offices, practice 
  rooms, catwalks, tunnels, and plenty of props for hiding in/ 
  behind later. After they have searched for a bit, they can locate 
  a pile of violin cases and a printing press.
  Act Break:
  The Phantom appears and starts to chase them.
  Act 4: The chase
  This Act is where the chase takes place. Before the chase 
  begins, describe lots of comic hiding places (halls with 
  doorways, barrels, old fortune-telling machines, etc.). You 
  should split the gang into two groups for the chase.
  After setting up the chase, have the Bad Guy appear and start 
  chasing!
  Act Break:
  The Act Breaks when the chases have all ended, and the gang 
  are all in one location safe enough to make a plan.
  Act 5: The Capture
  Now that the characters are safe and regrouped, they can 
  make a plan to capture the Bad Guy. Follow the rules for 
  captures in chapter 1.
  Bad Guy upon demasking: “I would have gotten away with it 
  too if it weren’t for you meddling kids!
  
  120
  Epilogue:
  The players should roleplay the gang’s performance. Ask each 
  player about their character’s performance. If the Talent is in 
  the game, that player should name and describe the hit song 
  their character wrote.
  
  121
  Game 
  TErminoLogy
  appendix
  Act – Each Episode is made of Acts. An Act is multiple 
  scenes that tell the story of the gang solving a mystery. An 
  Act ends with an Act Break.
  Act Break – An Act Break is a  major event that marks the 
  end of an Act (like a paranormal appearance—think of the 
  fade to black before a commercial).
  Agility: This measures how nimble, fast, and quick thinking a 
  player character is.
  Bad Guy – This is the antagonist of the game. The Bad Guy 
  is typically someone in a rubber mask pretending to be a 
  paranormal being for material gain.
  Charisma: This measures how attractive, charming, and 
  smooth a player character is.
  Clue – Anything that can be used by the Smart One to figure 
  out the mystery at the end of the Episode. Specifically, a Clue 
  should help determine who the Bad Guy is, why they did it, 
  and where the treasure (if there is any) is hidden.
  Clue Cart – Even animated gangs need a conveyance. The 
  Clue Cart is driven by the Leader and can be called on by 
  them at any time.
  
  122
  Episode – A self-contained game is called an Episode. A 
  string of Episodes is a Season.
  Fear – Dealing with Bad Guys is scary. Fear is the measure 
  of how scared you are. If you hit maximum Fear, you faint and 
  can only be revived by smelling salts.
  Intelligence: This measures how clever, intuitive, and smart a 
  player character is.
  Leverage – Leverage is something a suspect wants.  
  It is required to manipulate a suspect (unless you are  
  the Looker).
  Mascot – This is the Mascot of the gang, the center of every 
  Episode. This critter is funny, insightful, and talented. It can be 
  anything: a dog, a shark, even a puppy.
  Mystery – The whodunit the gang is trying to solve.
  Scene – The smallest unit of an Episode, a scene is  
  a small-ish segment taking place in a single place. A scene 
  ends when the gang moves or when the focus shifts to a 
  different location.
  Suspect – Anyone in the game that is not in the gang. Note 
  that one of the suspects will end up being the Bad Guy.
  The gang – These are the player characters. Their job  
  is to practice and perform rock shows, and to solve mysteries, 
  of course!
  The Animator – The Animator facilitates the game. Duties 
  include deciding consequences for rolls of 6 or less, 
  maintaining the structure of the Episode, and playing the Bad 
  Guy and suspects.
  Toughness: This measures how strong, intimidating, and 
  hearty a player character is.
  Weirdness: This measures how off-beat, unusual, and distinct 
  a player character is.
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
  Download the playbooks at jinkiesrpg.com or drivethrurpg.com
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Kid Friendly/7. RPGs/Ages 13-15 (Competent readers, competent writers, Able to do all basic math, can handle darker themes)/PbtA/Jinkies! [2019].pdf