TEXT: Eyes of The People
  T 
  he eyes of the People are keen and 
  unblinking, and spot hidden dangers and 
  opportunities that others miss. Circle either 1 
  warning and 3 opportunities, 2 warnings and 2 
  opportunities, or 3 warnings and 1 opportunity:
  • 
  Be wary of unknown islands. Some float, 
  some think, some hunger… (warning)
  • 
  Be wary of the dusk-mist that billows and 
  flows at moonrise… (warning)
  • 
  Be wary of shadows-on-water moving against 
  the breeze, for some leviathans are creatures 
  not of the depths but the upper airs… 
  (warning)
  • 
  Be wary of the sea’s colour. Fear black and 
  crimson, flee opalescent… (warning)
  • 
  Be wary of paths of ghost-light. They lead to 
  the fabled Golden City… (warning)
  • 
  Be wary of the burnt-eyed mercenaries who 
  line the tall cliffs… (warning)
  • 
  Seek for jade-hued water, and find stillness, 
  plenty, and treasure (opportunity)
  • 
  Seek where the sea foams, and dive to find 
  oysters, clams, pearls… (opportunity)
  • 
  Seek the west wind, and follow it to the riches 
  of the Lost Land… (opportunity)
  • 
  When hungry sea-spirits threaten, seek 
  warmth, dawn, sunlight… (opportunity)
  • 
  Seek the friendship of the walking-whales: 
  playful, magical, wise… (opportunity)
  • 
  Seek the far east, to touch the sun and be 
  blessed with warmth… (opportunity)
  T
  he People’s voyage across the 
  Endless Sea has a destination. 
  When the People begin to near their destination, 
  by what signs will they know they have 
  arrived?
  • 
  The watchfires of their people burning amidst 
  the ghost-lights on the horizon
  • 
  The storm-serpents playing amidst the fury 
  of the stormclouds overhead
  • 
  The head of the octopus that enwraps the 
  whole world, like an island on the sea
  • 
  The Stilled Wave, a towering ridge of water so 
  tall it brushes the roof of the sky
  • 
  The forest of violet sea-kelp from which the 
  People extract their sacred dyes.
  W
  hen an encounter presents itself, the 
  person playing the Endless Sea will 
  describe the first signs of it or how it makes 
  its approach. As lead Aspect, describe how the 
  People prepare or investigate and then ask the 
  number of questions (1 or 2) that seems fair:
  • 
  Where does this encounter pose the greatest 
  threat to the People?
  • 
  How might the People best overcome this 
  encounter without harm?
  • 
  How might the People best exploit this 
  encounter to their benefit?
  • 
  What dangers does this encounter threaten 
  to the People?
  • 
  What opportunities does this encounter 
  present for the People?
  • 
  What is the People’s best escape route, way 
  through, or way past?
  • 
  What, other than the obvious, should the 
  People be on the lookout for here?
  W
  hen you lead the People through an 
  encounter, choose 1 course of action 
  from below to describe how they meet it: 
  Confront it indirectly, relying on the cunning 
  tactics of their wayfinders
  • 
  Confront it directly, relying on surprise and 
  focusing where it is weak
  • 
  Avoid it, sighting it early and taking 
  advantage of their forewarning
  • 
  Avoid it, relying on their wayfinding skill to 
  ride the waves away
  • 
  Avoid it, relying on planning and strategy to 
  avoid a direct confrontation
  • 
  Anticipate it, relying on forewarning from 
  the keen eyes of their scouts
  • 
  Anticipate it, relying on their preparations 
  and prior knowledge of such things 
  Describe what this course of action looks like 
  (but not its success or failure), drawing on the 
  information recorded on the People playbook. 
  Then, ask the player of the Endless Sea if your 
  course of action works. 
  Based on their answer, choose another course of 
  action to attempt or choose from among the other 
  Aspects to answer what is lost and what is won.
  W
  hen you are asked what is lost, choose 
  from the following list or give an 
  answer that makes sense:
  • 
  Someone, one of few master wayfinders, loses 
  their vision or is lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few master wayfinders, is 
  addled and loses their senses
  • 
  Someone, one of few master lookouts, loses 
  their vision or is lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few master strategists, is 
  addled and loses their senses
  • 
  Someone, young and promising, loses their 
  vision, their hope, or their senses
  • 
  Someone, beloved by many, loses sight of 
  hope and gives in to despair
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, loses sight of 
  hope and gives in to despair
  W
  hen you are asked what is won, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  A seafaring skill (sailing, rowing, steering, 
  fishing) is mimicked or refined
  • 
  A navigation skill (map-making, reading 
  stars, reading the sun, reading tides) is 
  mimicked or refined
  • 
  A secret is stolen, one that concerns the 
  mystic forces of the Endless Sea
  • 
  A secret is stolen, one that concerns the 
  creatures native to the Endless Sea 
  • 
  A secret is stolen, one that concerns the 
  strange tides and weather of the Endless Sea
  • 
  A secret is stolen, one that concerns the 
  wondrous islands of the Endless Sea
  • 
  A secret is stolen, one that concerns the 
  peoples who wander the Endless Sea
  
  Memory of The People
  T
  he memories of the People are ancient and 
  well-kept, and many rituals and customs are 
  kept among their number. Choose 4:
  • 
  • A ritual: salt, shell, and wine for the sea; 
  feathers and smoke for the sky
  • 
  • A ritual: strong winds caught in knotted 
  string woven from your true love’s hair
  • 
  • A ritual: pouring blood and breath into the 
  wind to brew up a savage storm
  • 
  • A ritual: crushing a lodestone and tossing 
  its dust into the breeze to still the wind
  • 
  • A ritual: a song and a shark’s tooth as 
  tokens of safety to call schools of fish
  • 
  • A ritual: runes of octopus ink and a riddle-
  game to breathe water like air
  • 
  • A ritual: stones and fire at dawn, to unmake 
  the dead into the kelp the People came from
  • 
  • A ritual: steaming kelp and sprinkled sand 
  to welcome the newborn to the People
  • 
  • A ritual: dye spilled in the water with a 
  prayer to show the way to the nearest land
  • 
  • A ritual: bone-weighted nets and sacred 
  smoke to bind/command gods or spirit 
  • 
  • A ritual: blood and flesh sacrificed to the 
  water to call gods or spirits for speech
  T
  he People’s voyage across the Endless Sea 
  has a destination. When the People reach 
  their destination, what ceremony marks the end 
  of their journey?
  • 
  A ritual of thanksgiving, sparkflowers and 
  brandy for the Sun and prayers to the gods
  • 
  A remembrance of those lost, shorn hair 
  and screams given to the wind for the dead
  • 
  A celebration of life: dance and music, tales 
  and drink, wild ecstasy and gratitude for 
  survival
  • 
  A storytelling of the journey: the tale of 
  each day and month chanted in turn so 
  none will forget
  • 
  A ceremony of welcome: for new 
  companions, for old companions, for the 
  destination they have found once more
  W
  hen an encounter presents itself, the 
  person playing the Endless Sea will 
  describe the first signs of it or how it makes 
  its approach. As lead Aspect, describe how the 
  People prepare or investigate and then ask the 
  number of questions (1 or 2) that seems fair:
  • 
  For what does this thing hunger, or by what 
  has it sated itself? 
  • 
  Which dead things, gods, or spirits attend 
  this thing?
  • 
  What would this thing make the world into if 
  it had the power?
  • 
  What storm gathers here, what stirs in its 
  sleep, and what yet waits to be born?
  • 
  What or whom does this thing dream of, or 
  have haunting its nightmares?
  • 
  What danger has this thing threatened the 
  People with in their long memory?
  • 
  What weakness, taboo, or vulnerability do 
  the People remember this thing has?
  W
  hen you lead the People through an 
  encounter, choose 1 course of action 
  from below to describe how they meet it: 
  • 
  Confront it, relying on arcane knowledge to 
  guide your actions to success
  • 
  Confront it, relying on the strength of the 
  People’s rituals to tame or avert it
  • 
  Confront it, relying on the potency and will 
  of the People’s priests or sorcerers
  • 
  Anticipate it, relying on warnings and omens 
  from their store of knowledge
  • 
  Anticipate it, relying on divinatory rituals 
  and the visions of priest or shaman
  • 
  Approach it, relying on their knowledge and 
  rituals to find advantage in danger
  • 
  Approach it, relying on the power of their 
  priests or sorcerers for safety
  Describe what this course of action looks like 
  (but not its success or failure), drawing on the 
  information recorded on the People playbook. 
  Then, ask the player of the Endless Sea if your 
  course of action works. 
  Based on their answer, choose another course of 
  action to attempt or choose from among the other 
  Aspects to answer what is lost and what is won.
  W
  hen you are asked what is lost, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  Someone, loved by many, is transformed, 
  enchanted, or ensorcelled
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, is transformed, 
  enchanted, or ensorcelled
  • 
  Someone, loved by many, is stricken with a 
  terrible curse, or lost
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, is stricken with 
  a terrible curse, or lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few who had certain 
  knowledge, is cursed, transformed, or lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few who knew certain 
  rituals, is cursed, transformed, or lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few with mystical power, is 
  cursed, transformed, or lost
  W
  hen you are asked what is won, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  A curse, sorcery, or enchantment is broken 
  or undone
  • 
  A transformation is reversed, broken, or 
  undone
  • 
  A known ritual, now mastered or complete in 
  a way it was not before
  • 
  A new ritual, unknown to the People and 
  with its purpose still unclear
  • 
  A new ritual, known before by reputation 
  and sought for many years
  • 
  One of the People wins the favour of a god, 
  spirit, ancestor, or similar being
  • 
  One of the People is changed/chosen and 
  becomes a priest or sorcerer
  
  Voice of The People
  T
  he voices of the People are rich and 
  haunting, and many tales and customs 
  forgotten elsewhere find life again on their lips. 
  Choose 4:
  The voices of the People are rich and haunting, 
  and many tales and customs forgotten elsewhere 
  find life again on their lips. Choose 4:
  • 
  A tale: how the Spark-Bringer first kindled 
  the Sun, at the Shrine of Sunreturn 
  • 
  A tale: how the People left their god-smote 
  island, aided by strangers in tall ships
  • 
  A tale: how many-hued ink fell from heaven, 
  and set to form the islands
  • 
  A tale: how the People were made, from 
  steam and sand and kelp-tangled birds
  • 
  A tale: how the jealous stars made the 
  Golden City from stolen sunlight as a trap 
  • 
  A tale: how Cormorant first stole fish down 
  from the void-sea between the stars
  • 
  A tale: how the People failed to bury their 
  first dead, and birthed the dusk-mist
  • 
  A tale: how the Lost Land was betrayed by 
  the Salt-Sage, and became forever lost
  • 
  A tale: how the giant Tarr halted the Stilled 
  Wave with a word that echoes still
  • 
  A tale: how the first Riddler swam down and 
  learned from the World-Octopus
  • 
  A tale: how thunder is the singing of storm-
  serpents and lightning their tongues
  • 
  A tale: how the People and the walking-
  whales slew a leviathan of the upper airs
  T
  he People’s voyage across the Endless Sea 
  has a destination. As the People make their 
  journey, what do they find has changed along the 
  journey?
  • 
  A new island has formed: remote, shrouded, 
  presenting unknown danger or opportunity
  • 
  The currents have shifted, growing 
  unpredictable and hard to navigate through
  • 
  Lights flicker in the water in hypnotic 
  patterns, the trails of unseen spirits or 
  creatures
  • 
  The weather has changed, growing wild and 
  fearsome: storms, wind, hail, thunder
  • 
  Rafts sail on pilgrimage, filled with burnt-
  eyed exiles from the tall cliffs
  W
  hen an encounter presents itself, the 
  person playing the Endless Sea will 
  describe the first signs of it or how it makes 
  its approach. As lead Aspect, describe how the 
  People prepare or investigate and then ask the 
  number of questions (1 or 2) that seems fair:
  • 
  What tales of warning do you know of this 
  thing, or things like it?
  • 
  What tales of opportunity do you know of 
  this thing, or things like it?
  • 
  What tales of joy or sorrow do you know of 
  this thing, or things like it?
  • 
  What patterns or natural laws govern this 
  thing’s actions?
  • 
  How well known is this phenomenon: 
  recorded, rumoured, whispered, unknown?
  • 
  To whom does the spirit of this thing call, 
  and to whom does it whisper?
  • 
  • What manner of being or process made this 
  thing, or is it its own
  W
  hen you lead the People through an 
  encounter, choose 1 course of action 
  from below to describe how they meet it: 
  • 
  Approach it, relying on their beautiful songs 
  and poetry to make a connection
  • 
  Approach it, relying on truthfulness and 
  heartfelt whispers to touch its heart 
  • 
  Approach it, relying on their courtly manners 
  and knowledge of etiquette 
  • 
  Approach it, relying on their fine trade goods 
  and merchant’s cunning
  • 
  Approach it, relying on veiled speech and 
  riddles learned from ancestor-spirits
  • 
  Confront it, relying on ancient customs and 
  riddles to bind it to their will
  • 
  Avoid it, relying on proper offerings of 
  valuables and goods to appease it
  Describe what this course of action looks like 
  (but not its success or failure), drawing on the 
  information recorded on the People playbook. 
  Then, ask the player of the Endless Sea if your 
  course of action works. 
  Based on their answer, choose another course of 
  action to attempt or choose from among the other 
  Aspects to answer what is lost and what is won.
  W
  hen you are asked what is lost, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  Someone, loved by many, grows heartsick 
  with terrible despair or longing
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, grows heartsick 
  with terrible despair of longing
  • 
  Someone, loved by many, grows hateful and 
  filled with battle-hunger
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, grows hateful 
  and filled with battle-hunger
  • 
  Someone, one of few master traders, grows 
  hateful or heartsick, or is lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few master riddlers, grows 
  hateful or heartsick, or is lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few envoys, grows hateful or 
  heartsick, or is lost
  W
  hen you are asked what is won, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  A new tale, that tells of something known 
  and familiar to the People
  • 
  A new tale, that tells of something unknown 
  to the People 
  • 
  A tale the People already know, in more 
  detail or more depth
  • 
  A tale the People already know, correcting 
  falsehoods that had crept in over the 
  generations
  • 
  A tale the People already know, one that tells 
  the truth behind the lie they had known
  • 
  A new etiquette or custom, known and 
  respected across the Endless Sea
  • 
  Warmth returns to one of the People: 
  kindness, love, mercy, or faith
  
  Heart of The People
  T
  he hearts of the People are deep and wild 
  as the ocean, and many values and virtues 
  guide them in their voyaging. Circle either 1 
  virtue and 3 values, 2 virtues and 2 values, or 3 
  virtues and 1 value:
  • 
  Bravery, daring, courage even in the face of 
  great fear (virtue)
  • 
  Curiosity, wonder, fascination with the 
  mysteries of the world (virtue)
  • 
  Loyalty, steadfastness, unbreakable bonds of 
  fellowship (virtue)
  • 
  Caution, preparedness, planning for danger 
  to protect the People (virtue)
  • 
  Joyfulness, merriment, a zest for life and its 
  passions (virtue)
  • 
  Independence, individuality, a fierce love of 
  freedom (virtue)
  • 
  A deep respect for the sanctity of life, and the 
  weight of its loss (value)
  • 
  A deep respect for hospitality and the ancient 
  ways of the wayfarer (value)
  • 
  A deep respect for the terrible beauty and 
  teeming life of the Endless Sea (value)
  • 
  A deep respect for the ineffable: spirits, 
  ancestors, gods (value)
  • 
  A deep respect for kindness, compassion, a 
  heart open to others (value)
  • 
  A deep respect for the products of long 
  labour: skill, knowledge, craft (value)
  The People’s voyage across the Endless Sea has 
  a destination. As the People begin their journey, 
  what is it that they know awaits them at their 
  journey’s end?
  • Their homeland: lost generations ago, but now 
  ready and awaiting their return
  • The yearly festival, where they will meet with 
  their kinfolk from the other Peoples
  • Their promised land: a place to settle and live in 
  safety as was promised long ago
  • The fishing-grounds, where they will live in 
  luxury and resupply while the fish last
  • The Shrine of Sunreturn, where they will pray for 
  winter’s end and spring’s rebirth
  W 
  hen an encounter presents itself, the 
  person playing the Endless Sea will 
  describe the first signs of it or how it makes 
  its approach. As lead Aspect, describe how the 
  People prepare or investigate and then ask the 
  number of questions (1 or 2) that seems fair:
  • 
  What virtues do the People have that will 
  help them meet this encounter?
  • 
  What values do the People have that will 
  guide them through this encounter?
  • 
  What values or virtues do the People have 
  that might endanger them here?
  • 
  Who loves this thing, who fears this thing, 
  and who hungers for it?
  • 
  How does it make the People feel: cold with 
  rage, hot with fear, greedy, excited?
  • 
  Does this thing conceal a secret heart, or is 
  cold and unfeeling?
  • 
  What virtues might this thing possess that 
  the People could learn from?
  W
  hen you lead the people through an 
  encounter, choose 1 course of action from 
  the following list to describe how they meet it: 
  • 
  Confront it head on, relying on the courage 
  of their wild and untamed hearts
  • 
  Confront it head on, relying on their trust in 
  each other and the world’s goodness
  • 
  Confront it head on, relying on the 
  fearlessness of their cold cruel hearts
  • 
  Approach it, opening their hearts and 
  offering kindness and friendship
  • 
  Approach it, opening their hearts and 
  offering compassion and assistance
  • 
  Approach it, hardening their hearts and 
  offering only bitter cruelty
  • 
  Approach it, hardening their hearts and 
  offering false smiles and cold betrayal
  Describe what this course of action looks like 
  (but not its success or failure), drawing on the 
  information recorded on the overall playbook for 
  the People. 
  Then, ask the lead Threat if your course of action 
  works. 
  Based on their answer, choose another course of 
  action to attempt or choose from among the other 
  Aspects to answer what is lost and what is won.
  W
  hen you are asked what is lost, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  Someone, beloved by many, is killed or 
  maimed
  • 
  Someone, beloved by many, is captured or 
  lost
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, is killed or 
  maimed
  • 
  Someone, respected by many, is captured or 
  lost
  • 
  Someone, paragon of a virtue or keeper of a 
  value, is killed, captured, or lost
  • 
  An important virtue is lost: twisted, shown as 
  worthless, or abandoned 
  • 
  An important value is lost: twisted, shown as 
  worthless, or abandoned
  W
  hen you are asked what is won, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that makes the 
  People stronger
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that makes the 
  People safer
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that makes the 
  People kinder
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that makes the 
  People wiser
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that connects the 
  People closer to one another
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that connects the 
  People to the Endless Sea
  • 
  A new virtue or value, one that connects the 
  People to their destination
  
  Hands of The People
  T
  he hands of the People are strong and 
  clever, and many skills and crafts are 
  represented among their number. Choose 4:
  • 
  Free-diving, swimming, and undersea 
  foraging 
  • 
  Carpentry, shipbuilding, and green 
  woodworking
  • 
  Spear-fishing, net-fishing, and harpooning
  • 
  Cold-smithing: beating cold copper into 
  shape
  • 
  Weaving, dye-making, and rope-spinning
  • 
  Rowing, trimming sail, and climbing rigging
  • 
  Wayfinding: navigating by stars, sun, and tide
  • 
  Tracking, foraging on hand, hunting with 
  spea and bow
  • 
  Writing, map-making, composing tales and 
  chants
  • 
  Carving, engraving, and sculpting in bone 
  and ivory
  • 
  Shooting, skirmishing, fighting boat-to-boat
  • 
  Cooking, smoking and curing, fermenting, 
  brining
  T
  he People’s voyage across the Endless Sea 
  has a destination. When the People finally 
  sight their destination, what last challenge must 
  they overcome to reach it?
  • 
  A rough and feral sea, whipped into fury by 
  high winds and driving rain
  • 
  A jagged and treacherous reef, a maze of 
  razor-edges and tricky currents
  • 
  A thick and impenetrable bank of fog, 
  defying the wind to remain utterly still
  • 
  A floating stronghold of mercenaries: greedy, 
  well-armed, and merciless
  • 
  A terrible beast of the abyssal depths: 
  ancient, cunning, and hungry
  W
  hen an encounter presents itself, the 
  person playing the Endless Sea will 
  describe the first signs of it or how it makes 
  its approach. As lead Aspect, describe how the 
  People prepare or investigate and then ask the 
  number of questions (1 or 2) that seems fair:
  • 
  What do the People already own that will 
  help them meet this encounter?
  • 
  What do the People have time to craft that 
  will help them meet this encounter?
  • 
  What skills do the People possess that might 
  help them through this encounter?
  • 
  What formed this: natural processes, mortal 
  craft, unnatural forces, etc.?
  • 
  What properties might this thing possess that 
  could threaten the People?
  • 
  What skills might this thing possess that 
  could threaten the People?
  • 
  What properties might this thing possess that 
  could be valuable to the People?
  W
  hen you lead the people through an 
  encounter, choose 1 course of action from 
  the following list to describe how they meet it: 
  • 
  Pull together, working in smooth harmony to 
  the rhythm of the work-chant
  • 
  Confront it head-on, relying on the strength 
  of their sun-bronzed limbs 
  • 
  Outmanoeuvre it, relying on reflexes learned 
  threading savage reefs
  • 
  Outrun it, relying on the swiftness that sees 
  them safely flee before the hurricane
  • 
  Outlast it, relying on hard-won endurance 
  from hours of rowing against wind and tide
  • 
  Anticipate it, relying on the foresight and 
  preparations of the scavengers
  • 
  Solve it, relying on the innovation and 
  expertise of their artisans and craftspeople
  Describe what this course of action looks like 
  (but not its success or failure), drawing on the 
  information recorded on the overall playbook for 
  the People. 
  Then, ask the lead Threat if your course of action 
  works. 
  Based on their answer, choose another course of 
  action to attempt or choose from among the other 
  Aspects to answer what is lost and what is won.
  W
  hen you are asked what is lost, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  Someone, one of few who had an important 
  skill, dies or is lost
  • 
  Someone, one of few who had mastered an 
  important craft, dies or is lost
  • 
  Someone, a craftsperson of rare skill, suffers 
  scarring injury to their hands
  • 
  Someone, one of the strongest or swiftest 
  among the People, is crippled
  • 
  A useful resource (bronze, parchment, salt, 
  leather, etc.) is damaged or destroyed
  • 
  A valuable resource (parchment, gold, cloth, 
  wine, etc.) is damaged or destroyed
  • 
  A necessary resource (water, wood, saltfish, 
  kelp, sailcloth, etc.) is destroyed
  W
  hen you are asked what is won, choose 
  from the following list or give an answer 
  that makes sense:
  • 
  A useful resource (bronze, parchment, salt, 
  leather, etc.) in some abundance
  • 
  A valuable resource (parchment, gold, cloth, 
  wine, etc.) in some abundance
  • 
  A necessary resource (water, wood, 
  saltfish, edible kelp, sailcloth, etc.) in some 
  abundance
  • 
  A luxury resource (fresh fruit, dye, silver, 
  glass, silk, etc.) in some abundance
  • 
  An oddity from distant lands, wrought from 
  glass and steel and twisted wire
  • 
  A treasure of rare value (made from precious 
  metals, intricately patterned, finely-crafted, 
  the work of many skilled hands, etc.)
  • 
  A helpful tool or tools, crafted by a master 
  (weapons, hunting gear, sailing gear, other 
  equipment, etc)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Across the Endless Sea (PbtA)/Across the Endless Sea - Aspect Playbooks.pdf