TEXT: ~Credits~
  WRITING, Design
   AND Art Direction: 
  rOBERT j. sCHWALB
  editing: Jennifer Clarke Wilkes
  Proofreading: Kara Hamilton
  Graphic Design: Hal Mangold 
  and Kara Hamilton
  LAYOUT: kara and kEvin hamilton
  ILLUSTRATIONs: Kevin Adkins, Jack Kaiser, Kim Van 
  Deun, Bob Schwalb
  Ghosts in Machines is ©2016 Schwalb Entertainment, LLC. 
  All rights reserved.
  Shadow of the Demon Lord, Victims of the Demon Lord, Ghosts in Machines 
  Schwalb Entertainment, and their associated logos 
  are trademarks of Schwalb Entertainment, LLC.
  SCHWALB ENTERTAINMENT, LLC
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  Victims of the Demon Lord
  Clockworks stand apart from other ancestries 
  presented in Shadow of the Demon Lord in 
  that they are a people created, their bodies 
  assembled in workshops and given the 
  semblance of life by souls stolen from the 
  afterlife and bound to their mechanical forms. 
  The soul tethered to the machinery can only 
  control the body and perceive from it while its 
  inner mechanisms move. Once the cogs stop 
  turning, the components stop moving and the 
  clockwork stops, becoming an object, albeit one 
  of many intricate parts and possibly of great 
  beauty.
  Ghosts in Machines reveals the secrets of this 
  strange people by pulling them apart to show 
  how they are they made and why, how they 
  ﬁ t into the world, and what they can expect 
  as long as their souls remain trapped in their 
  bodies. Finally, this supplement provides you 
  with a variant method for creating clockwork 
  characters, oﬀ ering new options and expanded 
  details to help realize your character in play.
  
  Tragic Origins
  The oldest known clockwork is the garrison 
  commander of Vanguard, a mighty citadel perched 
  on the edge of the Desolation. At over ﬁ ve hundred 
  years old, he is believed to have been one of the ﬁ rst 
  made, though there are whispers of other, stranger 
  clockworks at large over the lands of Rûl. Whether 
  or not he was the ﬁ rst or among the ﬁ rst, the ﬁ rst 
  clockworks were built in the City of Wonders, Lij.
   Credit to or curse for creating the clockworks goes 
  to Arnos the Tinker, a member of minor standing 
  in the Engineers’ Guild of Lij but never quite fully 
  committed to that institution. A family man, Arnos 
  neglected his work to spend time with his beloved 
  wife and children and so, despite his great intellect 
  and talent, never rose high enough in the guild ranks 
  to earn his worth.
   Plagues have ravaged the Empire for centuries, 
  but in the summer of 285, the Shuddering Pox 
  visited horror on the coastal cities, stalking through 
  the streets and gathering up souls as bodies 
  succumbed to excruciating deaths. For all its 
  technological and alchemical wonders, Lij suﬀ ered 
  as much as the rest, and by the summer’s end, the 
  city had lost a quarter of its population. Among the 
  dead were Arnos’s family.
   Driven to madness by his grief, Arnos threw himself 
  into ﬁ nding a way to restore his family to life. He 
  fashioned for them temporary bodies made of brass 
  and copper, with gears and cogs and springs within to 
  give them mobility and the semblance of life, but the 
  one thing he could not do was call forth their souls. 
  So he turned to the dark arts and conjured up a foul 
  devil from Hell that, in exchange for Arnos’s soul, 
  whispered to him the terrible spell that would steal 
  souls from Father Death.
   Arnos knew himself to be damned and saw no 
  point in delay. He thus began the heinous incantation, 
  spilling blood for the chance to again be with his 
  wife and children. The spells were successful in 
  drawing forth their souls and binding them to the 
  mechanical bodies, but the return from death was too 
  soon, and the horror of being trapped in metal bodies 
  proved too much. Their minds broke, and they all 
  went insane. Arnos could not bear the horror he had 
  created and abandoned his creations, ﬂ inging himself 
  into the sea. The clockworks eventually escaped their 
  conﬁ nement and wandered the streets, wailing.
   It did not take long for these creations to gain the 
  attention of the Engineers’ Guild. Guild members 
  found them and brought them back to workshops 
  for study. Aided by powerful wizards, the engineers 
  teased out the secrets of their creation. The process 
  destroyed the clockworks and released their souls 
  to the Underworld where they belonged.
   If the dark power needed to bind souls to 
  machinery caused them any trepidation, it did not 
  stop those tinkers from reproducing Arnos’s work and 
  loosing more clockworks into the world.
  Purpose-Built
  Clockworks are superior to ordinary constructs in 
  almost every way. Autonomous, able to learn new 
  things and carry out complex tasks, they became 
  invaluable additions to the makers of Lij. With 
  ﬂ eeting memories of their old lives at best, clockworks 
  are generally content with their lot, never considering 
  what freedom might bring them or what they might 
  do if they had it.
   Engineers and dark magicians create clockworks 
  for a variety of reasons. Some are built to serve as 
  guards and soldiers, others to help further magical 
  research, and others used as laborers, though the 
  costs of their creation makes clockwork workers rare 
  outside the wealthiest houses. However, the act of 
  creating clockworks has been banned in most lands 
  outside the Nine Cities. Even so, the Empire oﬃ  cially 
  recognized clockworks as people centuries ago and 
  aﬀ orded them the same rights and privileges as 
  anyone living within its bounds.
   The reasons for creation contribute to the great 
  variety of clockworks’ forms. Those who work as 
  soldiers might be fashioned as if wearing armor or 
  have weapon appendages. Scholarly clockworks 
  might have frail bodies, being needed only for their 
  minds and memories. Furthermore, clockworks who 
  gain their freedom might trade out malfunctioning 
  body parts for new ones, gradually improving on the 
  forms their makers gave them (something reﬂ ected in 
  attribute increases and talent gains from paths).
  The Key
  Most clockworks’ makers wisely included a key, 
  although it is possible to build them without one. 
  This mechanism allows control over their creations 
  and ensures that clockworks can never turn against 
  their creators. The gradual unwinding of this key 
  causes clockworks to shut down on occasion, and it is 
  always set in some out-of-reach place to prevent them 
  from winding themselves up. Some clockworks have 
  enlisted the aid of sympathetic engineers to remove 
  their keys, but they still eventually shut down and 
  then cannot be turned back on.
  2
  
  Creating 
  Clockworks
  Creating a clockwork requires both engineering and 
  magical knowledge. An engineer can build the body, 
  and a user of magic is required to fetch the soul and 
  bind it to the machine. The price of a clockwork’s 
  body depends on its Size, as shown on the following 
  table. You can use the rules for creating equipment 
  (Demon Lord’s Companion, page 25) to craft the body 
  at a discount.
  Clockwork Bodies
  Body
  Price
  Availability
  Large (Size 2)
  500 gc
  Exotic
  Medium (Size 1)
  100 gc
  Exotic
  Small (Size 1/2)
  50 gc
  Exotic
   Once a body is prepared, the next step involves 
  casting two spells, described below. A casting of 
  the Protection spells diagram (from Exquisite Agony, 
  page 47) or entrapping pentagram (from Demon Lord’s 
  Companion, page 42) can keep the soul in place long 
  enough to bind it. 
  FETCH SOUL 
  NECROMANCY UTILITY 2
  Target An ornate bowl worth at least 1 gc ﬁ lled with fresh 
  blood that you can reach
  The blood in the target bowl evaporates as a ghostly 
  presence consumes it. After 1 minute, a manes appears 
  standing on the ground in an open space of your choice 
  within 1 yard of the target. If no such space exists, the spell 
  fails and you gain 1 Insanity. The manes can take the next 
  available turn and acts in accordance with its nature.
   
  Special You can choose to gain 1 Corruption when you cast 
  this spell to summon a lemure (Exquisite Agony, page 29) 
  instead of a manes.
   
  Sacriﬁ ce You can expend a casting of this spell to cast the 
  harvest soul spell from the Necromancy tradition.
  BIND SOUL TO MACHINE 
  TECHNOMANCY UTILITY 6
  Requirements You must have 1 Corruption or more
  Target One clockwork body and one manes or lemure, 
  both within short range
  Duration Permanent
  Upon expending the casting of this spell, you must concentrate 
  for 1 hour, during which time both targets must remain within 
  range. At the end of this time, the target manes or lemure 
  dissolves into a cloud of white or black smoke, respectively, 
  that streams into the target clockwork body, where it remains. 
  At the end of the round, the target becomes a clockwork with 
  no memory of its time as a spirit. The clockwork remains in a 
  dormant state until someone turns its key.
  Strange Awakenings
  Confusion, horror, and despair aﬄ  ict a newly 
  awakened clockwork as it realizes its mind is trapped 
  inside a mechanical body. The experience is even 
  more unsettling since the soul within that body knows 
  it doesn’t belong and that something has been done to 
  anchor it there. The trauma is sometimes too much, 
  causing some clockworks to go insane, but most 
  manage to come to terms with their new existence and 
  deeply bury their misgivings.
   Few clockworks awaken with the memories of 
  their former lives intact. Their past is remembered in 
  fragmentary, unconnected events, nothing more than 
  images and sensations. Some, though, remember how 
  to do certain things, with knowledge of professions 
  from a life lived before. As well, clockworks might 
  experience extreme bouts of déjà vu, usually resulting 
  from visiting places or meeting people they knew 
  before they were returned.
  Animated Objects
  Clockworks are objects animated by magic, not 
  creatures of ﬂ esh and blood. They have nothing 
  to fear from poison or sickness and do not usually 
  feel discomfort from cold or heat, though they can 
  be frozen and burned as any other creature can. 
  Clockworks do not breathe, so they can walk across 
  awakened clockwork as it realizes its mind is trapped 
  awakened clockwork as it realizes its mind is trapped 
  inside a mechanical body. The experience is even 
  inside a mechanical body. The experience is even 
  3
  
  the bottom of the ocean and freely explore areas with 
  inhospitable atmospheres. Their ability to survive in a 
  wide range of environments ensures they can always 
  ﬁ nd work as miners, bottom trawlers, or healers 
  tending to the sick and dying.
   While being an object has many advantages, 
  clockworks suﬀ er plenty of drawbacks. Their sense 
  of touch is quite limited, and they cannot feel subtle 
  diﬀ erences in materials, though they recognize pain 
  and extreme temperatures. They also have no sense 
  of smell, and thus cannot be tipped oﬀ  to a foul 
  creature’s presence by its stench. These dulled senses 
  might result in the imposition of 1 or more banes on 
  Perception challenge rolls, at the GM’s discretion.
  Clockwork Upgrades
  A mechanical body has one big advantage: it 
  lets clockworks improve themselves. Aside from 
  improvements reﬂ ected in the talents gained from 
  paths, clockworks can also incorporate upgrades 
  into their bodies, replacing limbs, sensory organs, 
  and other components to help them better survive 
  in a dark and violent world.
   The following upgrades might be available at 
  the GM’s discretion. Prices include installation 
  if purchased. If found or harvested from an 
  incapacitated clockwork, upgrades can be installed 
  for half the listed price. Another creature with a 
  suitable profession (scholar or engineering, for 
  example) can use a tool kit to install upgrades with 
  about 1 hour of work (unless otherwise speciﬁ ed) and 
  a success on an Intellect challenge roll made with 
  1 bane. On a failure, the creature cannot install the 
  component; a failure with a 0 or less indicates the 
  component is ruined.
   Prices are for Size 1/2 and 1 clockworks. Larger 
  clockworks must pay double the listed price.
  Clockwork Upgrade Components
  Upgrade Component
  Price
  Availability
  Ablative carapace
  2 gc
  Rare
  Accelerator
  3 gc
  Exotic
  Blade appendage
  2 gc
  Exotic
  Darksight lenses
  5 gc
  Exotic
  Fire suppressor
  15 ss
  Rare
  Force ampliﬁ er
  10 gc
  Exotic
  Gyroscopic stabilizer
  10 gc
  Exotic
  Hidden compartment
  5 ss
  Rare
  Knowledge shard
  5 gc
  Exotic
  Lightning lamp attachment
  1 gc
  Rare
  Projectile appendage
  10 gc
  Exotic
  Shadowsight lenses
  1 gc
  Rare
  Sound dampener
  1 gc
  Rare
  Superior sense module
  5 gc
  Exotic
   Ablative Carapace: Essentially a second skin, the 
  ablative carapace ﬁ ts over the clockwork’s body to 
  provide additional protection. It takes 1d6 + 1 hours 
  to properly install this component, after which the 
  clockwork takes half damage from weapons. Once 
  a clockwork outﬁ tted with this upgrade has become 
  injured, the carapace falls away, ruined.
   Accelerator: This component attaches to the 
  clockwork’s inner workings, allowing quicker 
  movement in short bursts. Whenever a clockwork 
  with this upgrade moves, it can use a triggered 
  action to double its Speed during that move. The 
  accelerator can be used safely three times between 
  each completed rest. For each use beyond this limit, 
  the clockwork must roll a d6 at the end of the round 
  in which the accelerator was used. On an odd 
  number, the clockwork becomes an object.
   Blade Appendage: Installing this length of 
  sharpened steel requires the removal of a limb, 
  usually an arm. Once it is installed, the clockwork 
  can attack with the blade appendage as a weapon 
  with the ﬁ nesse property that deals 1d6 + 1 damage.
   Darksight Lenses: This pair of black lenses ﬁ t 
  over a clockwork’s visual organs and grant the 
  Darksight trait when installed.
   Fire Suppressor: A tank with attached hoses and 
  nozzles that jut from various points on the body 
  when properly installed, the ﬁ re suppressor protects 
  the clockwork from ﬂ ames. Whenever the clockwork 
  takes damage from ﬁ re, it can use a triggered action 
  to activate the device, reducing the damage to 0 and 
  covering everything within 1d3 yards of the clockwork 
  with foam that extinguishes all ﬂ ames in the area. 
  The device has three uses and can be replenished
  for 5 ss per use.
   Force Ampliﬁ er: This set of clamps and pistons 
  ﬁ ts over a clockwork’s limbs and ampliﬁ es the 
  creature’s lifting and carrying capabilities. The 
  diﬃ  culty of the installation imposes 1 bane on 
  the required challenge roll. A clockwork with this 
  upgrade makes Strength challenge rolls with 1 boon 
  and gains a +1 bonus to damage rolls made using 
  melee weapons.
   Gyroscopic Stabilizer: This device is a ﬂ at disk 
  with a spindle on the top and bottom that sits on 
  top of a sensor installed inside the clockwork’s head. 
  The diﬃ  culty of the installation imposes 1 bane on 
  the required challenge roll. The equipped clockwork 
  makes Agility challenge rolls with 1 boon and gains 
  a +1 bonus to Defense.
   Hidden Compartment: A small metal box designed 
  to ﬁ t inside the clockwork’s body, this upgrade comes 
  with a cover that conceals the door accessing the 
  interior. The compartment has a capacity equivalent 
  to a Size 1/4 creature, allowing the storage of several 
  handheld items, such as potion bottles or up to 50 
  Superior sense module
  Superior sense module
  4
  
  coins, a single small item such as a scroll, and so 
  on. Opening and closing the compartment door 
  is a minor activity.
   Knowledge Shard: This thin, notched length 
  of metal ﬁ ts into a clockwork’s head. There are 
  several kinds of knowledge shards, each one 
  granting access to a speciﬁ c profession or the 
  ability to read and write a language. A clockwork 
  can have up to three knowledge shards installed 
  at a time.
   Lightning Lamp Attachment: This small 
  electric lantern can be attached anywhere on 
  the clockwork’s body. When activated, it shines 
  light into a cone, 20 yards long, originating from 
  a point in the clockwork’s space. The lantern 
  can be turned on or oﬀ  as a minor activity and 
  provides light for a total of 4 hours before it runs 
  out of power. The device automatically recharges 
  each time the clockwork completes a rest. 
   Projectile Appendage: Installing this upgrade 
  requires the removal of a limb, usually an arm. 
  The replacement looks like a mechanical arm 
  but ends in a gun barrel instead of a hand. It 
  functions as a pistol (Shadow, page 103) and 
  comes loaded with 5 bullets. The equipped 
  clockwork can use an action to reload the arm 
  with up to 5 bullets. 
   Shadowsight Lenses: A pair of gray lenses that 
  ﬁ t over the clockwork’s visual organs, they grant 
  the Shadowsight trait when installed.
   Sound Dampener: Insulation that’s packed 
  inside the clockwork’s body, a sound dampener 
  reduces the noise from the clockwork’s inner 
  mechanisms. A clockwork with this upgrade 
  makes challenge rolls to sneak with 1 boon.
   Superior Sense Module: This complex 
  tangle of wires connected to a ﬂ exible 
  rubber membrane must be installed inside 
  the clockwork’s head. The diﬃ  culty of the 
  installation imposes 1 bane on the required 
  challenge roll. The module, once installed, 
  grants a +2 bonus to Perception.
  Corruption and 
  Marks of Darkness
  Since clockworks have souls, they are at risk 
  of accumulating Corruption for performing 
  wicked deeds. Some marks of darkness in 
  Shadow of the Demon Lord work well for 
  clockworks, but not all do, so whenever a 
  clockwork would gain a mark of darkness, 
  you can use the following table instead.
  5
  
  Clockwork Marks of Darkness
  d20
  Mark of Darkness
  1
  Your mechanical body leaks foul black oil.
  2
  Your voice lowers, sounding raspy and broken.
  3
  When you become injured, a screaming visage 
  appears in your faceplate, stretching the material as 
  if forcing itself free, and then retracts.
  4
  Strange glowing sigils appear all over your body, as 
  if drawn in ﬂ ames.
  5
  Whenever you touch a holy symbol, you must get a 
  success on a Will challenge roll or turn into an object 
  at the end of the round.
  6
  Cracks appear in the metal covering your torso and 
  limbs, and faint red light shines from them.
  7
  Two metal horns sprout from your forehead.
  8
  Roaches infest your inner mechanisms, though they 
  never interfere with your body’s operation.
  9
  Any creature that touches you while you are an 
  object must get a success on a Will challenge roll or 
  gain 1 Corruption. A creature can gain Corruption in 
  this way only once.
  10
  When you take damage, blood wells out of your 
  joints.
  11
  You reek of burning oil.
  12
  Whorls appear in the metal covering your torso and 
  limbs, sometimes twisting into screaming faces.
  13
  You cast a strange, monstrous shadow whose form 
  and movements never match your own.
  14
  Whenever you laugh, sounds of children crying 
  emanate from within your body.
  15
  Animals are always hostile to you and attack when 
  you come within 6 yards of them.
  16
  Your key transforms into a ﬂ eshy appendage. It 
  could resemble a hand, a ﬁ nger, a foot, or something 
  else.
  17
  The metal plates covering your limbs turn to bone.
  18
  A silver pentagram appears in the center of your 
  forehead.
  19
  While you are an object, smoke pours from your 
  body, spreading out into a 5-yard radius and 
  partially obscuring the area.
  20
  Eternal ﬁ re burns inside your chest. Sometimes, in 
  the ﬂ ickering ﬂ ames, other people can see visions of 
  Hell.
  Clockwork Relations
  Despite the imperial decree naming clockworks as 
  people, not everyone sees them as such. Clockworks 
  face a mixture of wonder and fear wherever they go.
   Humans: Clockworks treat humans as they 
  are treated, befriending or shunning them as the 
  circumstances warrant. Many clockworks become 
  melancholy after prolonged encounters with 
  humans, as if some part of them remembered what 
  it was like to be a living person of ﬂ esh and blood. 
  Others might become eﬀ usive, asking constantly 
  for details about feelings and sensations lost to 
  them in their present forms.
   Changelings: Clockworks have nothing to fear 
  from changelings. These elusive and furtive people 
  cannot adopt clockwork forms and seem put oﬀ  by 
  their iron and steel components. For these reasons, 
  clockworks do not often encounter changelings, 
  When they do, they rarely realize the person with 
  whom they communicate is something other than 
  what he or she appears to be. However, since both 
  are created peoples, clockworks who come to know 
  changelings ﬁ nd in them kindred spirits.
   Clockworks: Not exactly a common people, 
  clockworks might go their whole lives without 
  encountering another of their kind, though they 
  are bound to hear about them during their travels. 
  Clockworks have no special aﬃ  nity for each other 
  and treat each other as they do anyone else, though 
  many experience mild feelings of distress when they 
  see their own lives reﬂ ected in the body of another.
   Dwarfs: Since clockworks can be made from the 
  souls of dwarfs, they see these people in largely 
  the same way as they do humans: strange and a bit 
  unsettling. But with dwarfs’ interest in metalwork 
  and engineering, clockworks often get more 
  attention from them than they might want.
   Fauns: Clockworks have few occasions to encounter 
  fauns, who tend to stick to the wilderness. When they 
  do, they treat fauns as they do anyone else, hardly 
  noticing the signs of their faerie heritage. Clockworks 
  might even take comfort knowing that there are 
  others who don’t quite ﬁ t into the world.
   Goblins: Generally speaking, clockworks avoid 
  these ﬁ lthy faeries. Despite their inability to tolerate 
  iron, goblins are mischievous and curious. More 
  than one clockwork has been dismantled by 
  glove-wearing goblins armed with screwdrivers 
  and hammers.
   Halﬂ ings: Clockworks have no special aﬃ  nity 
  or dislike for halﬂ ings, regarding them as they do 
  humans. However, those keeping the company of 
  halﬂ ings ﬁ nd their luck improves, and their keys 
  keep turning.
   Orcs: Although orcs are big and brutish, 
  menacing and with a strong tendency toward 
  violence, clockworks have a natural aﬃ  nity for 
  them as a people born from magic, created to serve. 
  Many clockworks support the recent uprising, and 
  some have even traveled to Caecras to lend support 
  to rebellious orcs.
   Elementals: Clockworks have few occasions to 
  meet or interact with salamanders, though they 
  might meet gnomes who have sought refuge in 
  the cities. Since many gnomes have a keen interest 
  in engineering, clockworks might ﬁ nd themselves 
  the subjects of attention that borders on the 
  uncomfortable.
   Faeries: The metals used to fashion clockworks’ 
  bodies keep most faeries at bay, so clockworks rarely, 
  if ever, encounter them. Thus they have little to no 
  opinion about faeries.
  from changelings. These elusive and furtive people 
  from changelings. These elusive and furtive people 
  cannot adopt clockwork forms and seem put oﬀ  by 
  cannot adopt clockwork forms and seem put oﬀ  by 
  6
  
  Clockwork 
  Characters
  Everything you need to make a clockwork character 
  can be found in Shadow of the Demon Lord. The 
  variant method presented here helps you create 
  an even more detailed character and to create 
  clockworks of even greater variation.
   If you create a clockwork using the variant rules, 
  you must roll on each of the Body Shape and 
  Appearance tables following that section to 
  complete your character.
  Creating a Clockwork (Variant)
  All the following establishes your character’s base 
  statistics. Rolls on the development tables can change 
  these scores. As well, you might gain additional 
  languages and professions.
  Random Attribute Scores Strength 7 + 1d3, Agility 6 + 1d3, 
  Intellect 7 + 1d3, Will 7 + 1d3
  Fixed Attribute Scores Strength 9, Agility 8, Intellect 9, Will 9
  Perception equals your Intellect score
  Defense 13
  Health equals your Strength score
  Healing Rate equals one-quarter your Health
  Size 1, Speed 8, Power 0
  0 Damage, 0 Insanity, 0 Corruption
  Languages and Professions You speak the Common Tongue.
  Immune damage from disease and poison; asleep, 
  diseased, fatigued, poisoned
  Key You have a key somewhere on your body that you 
  cannot reach.The key determines whether you are a 
  creature or an object. If the key is turning, you count as 
  a creature and use your normal statistics. If the key isn’t 
  turning, you count as an object and use the statistics 
  in the following description in place of your normal 
  statistics (your Health becomes the object starting 
  number). Your key stops turning when you become 
  incapacitated or at the end of any round in which you 
  got a 0 or less on an attack roll or challenge roll. Any 
  damage taken in excess of your Health applies to your 
  Health in your object form; if you take damage equal to 
  the Health of your object form, you are destroyed.
  OBJECT FORM 
  Size as your creature form
  Perception —
  Defense 5; Health 15
  Strength 0 (+0), Agility 0 (+0), Intellect —, Will —
  Speed 0
  Immune attack rolls against Intellect, Will, or Perception; 
  attacks that allow challenge rolls to resist using Intellect, 
  Will, or Perception
  Suppressed Afﬂ ictions Any afﬂ ictions you had when you 
  become an object are suppressed and have no effect 
  for as long as you remain an object. However, rounds 
  spent in object form count toward the duration of those 
  afﬂ ictions.
  Object You cannot use actions or triggered actions, and 
  you cannot move. You are completely insensate.
  Failing Magic If you became an object from becoming 
  incapacitated, the magic binding your soul to your body 
  begins to fail. At the end of each round, roll a d6.
  6: You arrest the failing magic, and you are no longer 
  incapacitated, but you remain an object until 
  another creature uses an action to restore power 
  to you.
  2–5: Magical failure. If you get this result three times, 
  your soul escapes your body, and you remain an 
  object permanently.
  1: Explosion! You explode in a 1d6-yard radius from 
  a point in your space. You are destroyed, and 
  everything in the area takes 2d6 damage. A creature 
  that gets a success on an Agility challenge roll takes 
  half the damage.
  Wind the Clock While you are an object, any creature that 
  can reach you can use an action to twist your key. If you 
  are not incapacitated, your mechanisms start working 
  again, and you become a creature at the end of the 
  round. If you are incapacitated, roll a d6. On a 3 or lower, 
  you remain incapacitated. On a 4 or higher, you heal 
  1 damage and become a creature at the end of the round.
  Repair Damage A creature can use a tool kit and an action 
  to start repairing you. If the creature spends a total of 
  4 hours working on you, it can make an Intellect 
  challenge roll with 1 bane. On a success, your object 
  form heals 1d6 + 1 damage.
  Level 4 Expert Clockwork
  Characteristics Health +5
  You learn one spell or gain Grind the Gears.
  Grind the Gears You can increase the number of actions 
  you can use on your turn by one. When you ﬁ nish your 
  turn, roll a d6. If you roll an odd number, you become 
  an object at the end of the round.
  Grind the Gears
  Grind the Gears
   You can increase the number of actions 
   You can increase the number of actions 
  you can use on your turn by one. When you ﬁ nish your 
  you can use on your turn by one. When you ﬁ nish your 
  turn, roll a d6. If you roll an odd number, you become 
  turn, roll a d6. If you roll an odd number, you become 
  an object at the end of the round.
  an object at the end of the round.
  7
  
  Body Shape
  The result of your roll on the Body Shape table 
  modiﬁ es your statistics.
  Body Shape
  d6
  Body Shape
  1
  You are small and winged, about 3 feet tall and 50 
  pounds. Increase your Agility by 2. Reduce your 
  starting Health to 5 and your Size to 1/2. You can 
  move by ﬂ ying, but you must land at the end of your 
  movement or fall.
  2
  You are small and spider-like with functional hands, 
  about 2 feet tall, 4 feet in diameter, and weighing 50 
  pounds. Increase your Agility by 2, and reduce your 
  Size to 1/2. You ignore the effects of difﬁ cult terrain 
  when climbing.
  3
  You are small and have a humanoid shape, about 
  4 feet tall and 75 pounds. Increase your Agility or 
  Intellect by 2, and reduce your Size to 1/2.
  4
  You have a humanoid shape, about 6 feet tall and 
  300 pounds. Increase one attribute by 2.
  5
  You have a quadruped shape, about 4 feet long, 3 
  feet high at the shoulder, and weigh 200 pounds. 
  Your forelegs end in functional hands. Increase any 
  two different attributes by 1 and your Speed by 4.
  6
  You are large and humanoid shaped, about 12 feet 
  tall and 1,000 pounds. Increase your Strength by 2 
  and your Size to 2, and reduce your Speed by 2 and 
  your Intellect and Will by 1 each.
  Appearance
  All clockworks have mechanical bodies, but their 
  condition and craftsmanship vary. The results of 
  your rolls on the Life Experience table (page 10) 
  might further adjust your form.
  Appearance
  3d6
  Appearance
  3
  Extensive damage to your original body 
  necessitated using replacement parts from 
  whatever you could ﬁ nd. You look like a walking 
  pile of junk.
  4–5
  You have a crude, ill-formed body that 
  occasionally throws sparks or makes strange 
  clunking noises. Everything is where it’s supposed 
  to be, but your inner mechanisms are exposed 
  and show signs of damage.
  6–8
  You have a basic, mechanical body made from 
  crude metals. Most of your inner workings are 
  exposed, and you have a blank faceplate.
  9–12
  Your body is made from lightweight metals, and a 
  thin exoskeleton protects your inner mechanisms. 
  Your faceplate has human facial features, though 
  only your mechanical eyes move.
  13–15
  Your body is made from ﬁ ne, strong, and lightweight 
  metals. A painted exoskeleton covers your inner 
  workings, and it’s intact and in good shape. A 
  rubber-and-plastic plate gives you an almost human 
  face capable of expressing a range of emotions.
  16–17
  Your body is made from strong and exotic 
  materials to guard your inner workings. Your 
  faceplate has hundreds of moving parts that let 
  you convey a full range of emotions.
  18
  You have a metal skeleton covered in synthetic 
  skin, which lets you pass for human. The skin self-
  repairs wounds, healing at the same rate as that 
  of a human.
  Clockwork 
  Development Tables
  You can use the tables presented here to create a 
  character with a detailed background. If you use these 
  tables, do not roll for random starting professions 
  or starting wealth as normal; you will use the results 
  from the tables here instead. You must roll on each 
  table and take that result.
  Origins
  Your story begins here. The following tables describe 
  the circumstances of your creation.
  Maker
  Someone created you. The following table broadly 
  describes your maker’s nature.
  Maker’s Nature
  d6
  Maker’s Nature
  1
  Cruel and diabolical
  2
  Inquisitive and scholarly
  3
  Kind, caring, and well-intentioned
  4
  Cold and apathetic
  5
  Crazed and erratic
  6
  Scheming and self-serving
  Purpose
  Your maker must have had some talent for 
  engineering and magic. The expense and the potent 
  magic required to bind a soul to your body suggest 
  you were created for a purpose. The following table 
  describes why you were created.
  Purpose
  d6
  Purpose
  1
  You were made to ﬁ ght as a soldier. Add soldier 
  to your list of professions.
  2
  You were made to house the spirit of a loved one 
  your maker lost. Add a random profession to your 
  list of professions.
  3
  You were made to conduct research and preserve 
  lore. Add a random area of scholarship to your list 
  of professions.
  4
  You were made to serve your maker. Add laborer 
  or servant to your list of professions.
  5
  You were made to kill your maker’s enemies. Add 
  murderer to your list of professions.
  6
  You were made for an unknown reason. Add a 
  random profession to your list. Also, you were 
  liberated immediately after your creation, so skip 
  rolling on the First Experiences table.
  8
  
  Soul
  As part of your creation, your maker had to steal 
  a soul from the Underworld or somewhere else. 
  This table describes the state of the soul bound 
  to your body.
  Soul
  3d6
  Soul
  3
  Your soul was ripped from Hell before it could 
  be cleansed. You have complete memory of your 
  previous life. Add one random profession to your 
  list and start the game with 1d6 + 1 Corruption. 
  Add 3 to your Maturity roll.
  4–5
  Your soul was partly cleansed, but you recall 
  committing terrible acts. Start the game with 
  1 Insanity and 1 Corruption. Add 1 to your 
  Maturity roll.
  6–8
  Your soul was mostly cleansed, but you have 
  clear memories of one or two people with no 
  idea how they relate to you.
  9–12
  Your soul was cleansed, and you have no 
  memories of your previous life. Subtract 3 from 
  your Maturity roll.
  13–15
  Your soul was mostly cleansed, but you sometimes 
  have ﬂ eeting memories of your previous life.
  16–17
  Your soul retained memories from your previous 
  life. Add one random profession to your list. Add 
  1 to your Maturity roll.
  18
  You have total memory of your previous life. Add 
  two random professions to your list, but the trauma 
  of your awakening means you start the game with 
  Insanity equal to half your Will. Add 3 to your 
  Maturity roll.
  Maturity
  Your maturity describes your mental age and how 
  you see the world. With youth comes innocence, 
  usually, while advanced age typically brings 
  experience and wisdom.
  Maturity
  3d6
  Maturity
  3 or less
  Child
  4–5
  Adolescent 
  6–8
  Young adult
  9–12
  Adult
  13–15
  Middle-aged
  16–17
  Old
  18 or more
  Ancient
  Age
  Age represents how long you have lived as a 
  clockwork. The result of this roll determines how 
  many important life experiences you have had, if 
  any, possibly aﬀ ecting your rolls on the Life 
  Experience table later on.
  Age
  3d6
  Age
  3
  You are very old and have lived for 5d20 + 50 
  years. Roll ﬁ ve times on the Life Experience table.
  4–5
  You show signs of wear and tear, having lived 
  4d6 + 20 years. Roll three times on the Life 
  Experience table.
  6–8
  You have lived 2d6 + 3 years. Roll once on the 
  Life Experience table.
  9–12
  You are relatively new, having lived 1d6 + 2 years. 
  Do not roll on the Life Experience table.
  14–15
  You have lived 3d6 + 6 years. Roll twice on the 
  Life Experience table.
  16–17
  You have lived 4d6 + 50 years. Roll four times 
  on the Life Experience table 
  18
  You are ancient and have forgotten how long 
  you have been “alive.” Roll o six times on the 
  Life Experience table.
  9
  
  Maker Relationship
  The relationship you had with your creator can help 
  you understand how your character sees the world 
  and the people in it. The following table describes 
  how you felt about your maker.
  Maker Relationship
  d6
  Relationship
  1
  You despised your maker. Your animosity might 
  arise from being doomed to this cursed existence, 
  ﬂ aws you perceived in that person, or how you 
  were treated.
  2
  You disliked your maker, perhaps from poor 
  treatment or blame for what you became. Still, 
  you’re alive, and you owe your maker that much.
  3
  You neither liked nor disliked your maker. 
  You have no attachment to that person.
  4
  You had no relationship with your maker because 
  you have no idea who made you or for what 
  reason. It’s a mystery you might one day unravel.
  5
  You hold great affection for your maker, seeing 
  that person as a parent.
  6
  You saw your maker as a benevolent god and feel 
  gratitude for your new life.
  Background Tables
  The background tables help you construct a story of 
  what has happened to you since being created. Start 
  by rolling on the First Experiences table, which tells 
  you both what your early life was like and how you 
  gained your independence. Then roll on the Life 
  Experience table as directed by the result of your roll 
  on the Age table above. The Life Experience table 
  might in turn direct you to roll on another table to 
  discover what happened to you.
  First Experiences
  d20
  First Experience
  1–2
  Your maker treated you so poorly that you ran 
  away to survive. You fear your maker will one 
  day ﬁ nd you.
  3–4
  You survived your maker’s death, whether at your 
  hands, or by plague, ﬁ re, monsters, or something 
  else. You were forced to make your own way in 
  the world.
  5–6
  You were stolen from your maker and forced to 
  live as a slave for some number of years. You 
  managed to escape, or someone rescued you, as 
  you decide. Add slave to your list of professions.
  7–8
  Goblins captured you and plundered your 
  body for scraps. You replaced your missing 
  components with bits of wood, old weapons, 
  and rubbish.
  9–10
  You served your maker until you were set free.
  11–12
  When your maker died suddenly, you ﬂ ed in a 
  panic, believing you were somehow responsible.
  13–14
  One day your key stopped turning. Someone 
  eventually found you and twisted your key, 
  revealing that many, many years had passed, 
  and your maker was long dead.
  15–16
  You were one of six identical clockworks. 
  Each of your fellows earned their freedom by 
  accomplishing some great work. You were the last 
  to gain your independence, and you hope to ﬁ nd 
  your “siblings” one day.
  17–18
  After serving for a time, your maker set you free, 
  believing you had some greater destiny.
  19–20
  You have no recollection of your time with your 
  maker. You have recently discovered a cryptic 
  message somewhere in your body, though you 
  have yet to decipher its meaning.
  Life Experience*
  3d6
  Experience
  3
  Trapped as an Object! Your key stopped turning. 
  If this was your last Life Experience roll, one of the 
  characters in your group found you and twisted 
  your key. Otherwise, roll a d6. On a 1, skip any 
  remaining Life Experience rolls (one of the other 
  characters in your group ﬁ nds you and twists your 
  key). On a 2–5, you lose your next Life Experience 
  roll if any and, if this was your last, a character 
  ﬁ nds and twists your key. On a 6, some good soul 
  turned your key, and you can roll for all remaining 
  life experiences.
  4–5
  Roll on the Major Setback table.
  6–8
  Roll on the Minor Setback table.
  9–12
  Toil! You found work related to your profession. 
  You gain nothing from this experience except for 
  the satisfaction of a job well done.
  13–15
  Roll on the Minor Windfall table.
  16–17
  Roll on the Major Windfall table.
  18
  Roll on the Strange Event table.
  *Roll on this table only if directed by the Age table.
  10
  
  Major Setback
  d20
  Major Setback
  1
  You murdered someone because you could. 
  Gain 1d6 Corruption.
  2
  You were forced to do things for someone you 
  served that you now regret. Gain 1 Corruption.
  3
  You settled in a community only to lose it to war, 
  disease, or some natural disaster. You picked up 
  and moved on. Subtract 1 from your Starting 
  Lifestyle roll.
  4
  A demon possessed you! Gain 1 Corruption. If you 
  have Demon Lord’s Companion, you begin the 
  game with the Possessed story complication. 
  Otherwise, the demon left your body, whether 
  willingly or by force.
  5
  You have no head for money and lost all of 
  your earnings. Subtract 3 from your Starting 
  Lifestyle roll.
  6
  You suddenly recalled a painful memory from a 
  past life, giving you a hint of who you once were. 
  Gain 1d6 Insanity. If you go mad as a result, reduce 
  your Insanity total by an amount equal to 1d6 + your 
  Will modiﬁ er. If you have Demon Lord’s Companion, 
  you can begin the game with the Mad story 
  complication.
  7
  You were captured and held as a prisoner for 
  2d6 years. Add this time to your age. During your 
  captivity, your body suffered some signiﬁ cant 
  damage from neglect. If you have Demon Lord’s 
  Companion, you can begin the game with the 
  Maimed story complication.
  8
  You lost everything to a natural disaster or war. 
  Subtract 3 from your Starting Lifestyle roll.
  9
  The magic binding your soul to your body has 
  begun to fail. Whenever you assume your object 
  form from being incapacitated, you roll an additional 
  d6 at the end of each round to decide your fate. 
  You must use the lowest number. The effect of 
  this setback is cumulative.
  10
  You ran afoul of a powerful faerie who leveled a 
  curse at you. The curse has made life much harder. 
  Subtract 1 from your Starting Lifestyle roll. If you 
  have Demon Lord’s Companion, you can add the 
  Cursed story complication.
  11
  You were nearly destroyed, and much of your 
  mechanism was rendered useless. You cut away 
  the extra component, leaving your Size reduced 
  by one step (to a minimum of 1/2).
  12
  Villains captured you and attached you to a 
  standard or the prow of their ship, displayed to their 
  enemies. When the ﬁ ends were slaughtered, you 
  were freed but came away battered. Reduce your 
  Appearance result by one step (to a minimum of 3).
  13
  You settled in a community for a time, but the 
  fearful people eventually drove you out. Add exile, 
  hermit, or refugee to your list of professions.
  14
  You once encountered a horrifying creature. 
  Gain 1 Insanity.
  15
  You were captured by slavers and sold to a new 
  owner. Add slave to your list of professions. Roll 
  a d6. On an even number, your owner freed you. 
  On an odd number, you escaped.
  16
  Flashes of your old life as a mortal planted the 
  seeds of madness in your consciousness. Start 
  the game with 1d6 + 1 Insanity; if you have Demon 
  Lord’s Companion, you can add the Mad story 
  complication. Alternatively, if you are using Unhinge 
  the Mind, you can begin with a long-term madness.
  17
  You caused the death of someone close to you, 
  whether by accident or on purpose.
  18
  An overzealous devotee of the New God roused a 
  mob against you, calling you an abomination. You 
  ﬂ ed from your home and can never return. Subtract 
  1 from your Starting Lifestyle roll.
  19
  You desecrated a holy site by intent or accident. 
  Choose a religion to which the site was holy. You 
  always feel uncomfortable around places and 
  symbols associated with that faith.
  20
  You made a dangerous enemy, one who actively 
  seeks your harm. Work with the GM to create a 
  suitable nemesis.
  Minor Setback
  d20
  Minor Setback
  1
  A monster attacked you and your group. Since 
  you weren’t edible, the monster ignored you and 
  devoured everyone else while you watched.
  2
  You found refuge living in the sewers under a 
  large city, where you encountered many vile 
  substances. You ﬁ nd living creatures disgusting.
  3
  You suffered some minor damage to your body, 
  and you’re covered in scratches, dents, and dings.
  4
  You suffered ﬁ nancial trouble. Subtract 1 from 
  your Starting Lifestyle roll.
  5
  You watched a close friend die of old age.
  6
  People in your community dislike you for 
  your differences and are automatically unfriendly 
  to you.
  7
  You witnessed a murder and did nothing to 
  stop it.
  8
  You were traveling with companions when your 
  key wound down. They left you to fend for 
  yourself. Luckily, someone happened along to 
  wind you up.
  9
  Someone tried to kill you. Though you survived, 
  you fear that person will try again.
  10
  You lost something valuable. Subtract 1 from your 
  Starting Lifestyle roll.
  11
  You became addicted to dream grease, a strange 
  substance that, when applied to your inner 
  mechanisms, causes intense feelings of pleasure. 
  The grease costs 1 ss per dose. If you go more 
  than a week without applying the substance, you 
  become impaired until you do.
  12
  You stole something from those who needed it, 
  harmed an innocent, or did some other terrible 
  thing. Gain 1 Corruption.
  13
  You lost an old friend. Roll a d6. It was your fault 
  on an odd number and their fault on an even one.
  14
  You learned a dangerous secret. Work with the 
  GM to come up with what exactly that was.
  15
  You were stuck in your object form for 1d6 years. 
  Add this time to your age.
  16
  Your actions or inaction brought harm to 
  someone close to you.
  17
  You grew weary of all the stares and questions, 
  so you picked up and made your way elsewhere.
  18
  Birds nested inside your body. You tried to 
  care for them, but they all died and you mourn 
  their loss.
  19
  You were robbed! Subtract 1 from your Starting 
  Lifestyle roll.
  20
  Unable to ﬁ nd a place in the world, you became 
  bitter and cynical about your existence.
  17
  17
  11
  
  Major Windfall
  d20
  Major Windfall
  1
  You did a great service for the dwarfs and gain 
  the friendship of a dwarf who will help you and 
  accompany you on your adventures. You control 
  this character, though he or she does not count 
  as a member of your group.
  2
  You realize you worked magic in a previous life. 
  You discover one tradition of the GM’s choice.
  3
  You made an important connection. Work with 
  the GM to determine the identity of the person 
  and the kind of aid the connection can give 
  you: inﬂ uence, information, or security (see 
  Connections in Shadow, page 207)
  4
  You enjoyed great success in your business. 
  Add 3 to your Starting Lifestyle roll.
  5
  You uncovered an enchanted object of the 
  GM’s choice.
  6
  You have a small house in town or a farm in the 
  wilderness. Work with the GM to determine the 
  location of your property and assets that come 
  with it.
  7
  Superior upgrade! You gain 2 gc, which you 
  must spend on component upgrades. Any 
  remainder is lost.
  8
  You gain a deed to lands in a place of the GM’s 
  choosing.
  9
  You found a book of spells containing 1d3 + 1 
  rank 0 incantations of the GM’s choice.
  10
  You found a case containing 1d3 + 1 potions of 
  the GM’s choice.
  11
  You remember more of your previous life. 
  Add one language to the list of languages you 
  can speak, or add a profession of your choice 
  to your list.
  12
  You make a friend of a powerful individual, 
  such as a noble, high priest, or wizard. The GM 
  determines the identity of this friend and the 
  beneﬁ ts such a friendship entails.
  13
  You found a chest ﬁ lled with coin! Add 3 to your 
  Starting Lifestyle roll.
  14
  An engineer you helped made a companion for 
  you (as a small construct). The creature obeys 
  your commands and accompanies you on your 
  adventures, serving you until death. Work out the 
  details of the construct’s appearance with the GM.
  15
  You became quite famous after creating a 
  piece of art or composing a song. Add the 
  artist profession (your choice of medium) to 
  your list. You might also be recognized in 
  places where your art would be appreciated, 
  at the GM’s discretion.
  16
  You gain a weapon of your choice.
  17
  You befriended an artiﬁ cer in your community 
  who will repair your object form for free once 
  each month.
  18
  You saved the life of an innocent child. Reduce 
  your Corruption by 1 (minimum 0). If you have 0 
  Corruption, you start the game with Fortune.
  19
  An engineer friend made improvements to your 
  body. One time when you would roll to determine 
  your fate when in object form, you can treat the 
  result of the roll as a 6.
  20
  You received a warning about the future from 
  a spirit, god, or something else. You can escape 
  death once.
  Minor Windfall
  d20
  Minor Windfall
  1
  You fell in love. You have hidden your feelings, 
  knowing it could never work, but your love 
  interest is friendly to you. Work with your GM to 
  create this character.
  2
  You started a business related to your profession. 
  Add 1 to your Starting Lifestyle roll or add a 
  random profession to your list if you do not yet 
  have one.
  3
  You studied under a learned individual. Either add 
  a language to the list of languages you can read 
  and write or gain a new area of scholarship of 
  your choice.
  4
  You traveled extensively. Add one language to 
  the list of languages you can speak.
  5
  You worked for and befriended an experienced 
  magician. Start the game with a rank 0 incantation 
  of the GM’s choice.
  6
  You received an education or furthered your 
  learning. Either add a language to the list of 
  languages you can read and write or gain a 
  random area of scholarship.
  7
  You came into some money. Add 1 to your 
  Starting Lifestyle roll.
  8
  Upgrade! You gain 1 gc, which you must spend on 
  component upgrades. Any remainder is lost.
  9
  You took up a new ﬁ eld of work. Add one random 
  common profession to your list.
  10
  You gain one additional interesting thing 
  (Shadow, page 26).
  11
  You made the acquaintance of someone 
  important. Choose inﬂ uence, information, or 
  security. This character can provide the beneﬁ t to 
  you once (see Connections in Shadow, page 207). 
  Work with the GM to deﬁ ne this character.
  12
  You performed a great service for your 
  community and are considered a hero. You make 
  attack rolls with 1 boon in social situations against 
  members of your community.
  13
  You found a healing potion.
  14
  You managed to escape what should have been 
  certain death. Start the game with Fortune.
  15
  You have a weapon or an implement of the 
  GM’s choice.
  16
  You have a small shield.
  17
  You made a lifelong friend (as commoner) who 
  will accompany you on your adventures and help 
  you. You control this character, though he or she 
  does not count as a member of your group.
  18
  A memory from your previous life returns. Add a 
  random profession to your list.
  19
  You played an important part in the defense of 
  your community. You gain 1 ss as a reward, and 
  add one random martial profession to your list.
  20
  You saved someone’s life, and this person is 
  forever after in your debt. This character is 
  friendly to you and will always help you. Work 
  with your GM to determine the identity of this 
  character and the circumstances of your help.
  12
  
  Strange Event
  d20
  Strange Event
  1
  The soul was ripped from your clockwork body 
  and replaced with another. Remove all Corruption, 
  Insanity, and one profession from your list. Add 
  one random profession and roll a d6. You gain 
  an odd number rolled as Corruption and an even 
  number rolled as Insanity.
  2
  You spotted a tear form in reality, a breach to the 
  Void. The entire experience left you shaken and 
  with 1d3 Insanity.
  3
  Your inner mechanisms have started to break 
  down. Whenever the total of any roll made by a 
  member of your group is 0 or less, you assume 
  your object form at the end of the round.
  4
  You and another clockwork were picked up by 
  scavengers and then later sold to farmers. Add 
  farmer to your list of professions.
  5
  A priest told you that your soul was released from 
  the Underworld to serve the gods in the world. 
  You became a fanatical believer in a religion of 
  your choice. Add a random religious profession 
  to your list, and the ﬁ rst time you make a fate roll 
  you can roll twice and use the highest result.
  6
  Strange parasites infest your body and have 
  resisted every effort you have made to remove 
  them. They do not interfere with your capabilities, 
  but you drop tiny beetles, worms, maggots, or 
  spiders whenever you stay in one place for 
  too long.
  7
  While traveling at sea, the boat sank, and you 
  were the sole survivor. It took you two years to 
  walk across the bottom to reach shore.
  8
  Your soul attracted the attention of a spirit 
  trapped in the world. It sometimes troubles you. 
  If you have Demon Lord’s Companion, you can 
  add the Haunted story complication.
  9
  You were dismantled and put back together. 
  Somehow your soul lingered in the world, but 
  your body doesn’t work right anymore. Reduce 
  your Speed by 2.
  10
  You built a lasting monument in your community. 
  You make all decisions about the ediﬁ ce.
  11
  A malfunction in your design means you cannot 
  rest unless you assume your object form. You can 
  use an action to assume this form, though you still 
  need someone to crank your key.
  12
  You assumed object form while attempting to 
  save someone’s life. When you returned to your 
  creature form, you had been moved and you 
  have no idea what happened to the person you 
  tried to help.
  13
  A deranged user of dark magic grafted a human 
  face onto your head. Roll a d6. On an odd number, 
  you have no control over its movements. On an 
  even number, you control it as if it were your 
  own face.
  14
  Your soul was stolen from one of the greater 
  devils of Hell, and this dreadful being wants its 
  property back. You have escaped a few devils 
  sent to destroy you but fear your time might 
  be running out. Gain 1d6 Corruption.
  15
  A mad engineer found and captured you. After 
  extensive work, the engineer completely rebuilt 
  your body. Reroll on the Appearance and Body 
  Shape tables.
  16
  A mad engineer got hold of you and installed an 
  apparatus that gave you the ability to smell.
  17
  An ancient dragon captured you and kept 
  you as treasure. After a few years, you managed 
  to escape.
  18
  The Cult of the New God recruited you into their 
  service and, believing you would be of great 
  beneﬁ t to their cause, covered you in silver 
  plating. Your body is worth 10 gc.
  19
  Your soul is poorly tethered to your body. 
  Whenever you assume your object form, your 
  soul returns to the Underworld. When you return 
  to creature form, roll a d6. On a 1, you lose a 
  profession of your choice. On a 2–5, there is no 
  effect. On a 6, you gain 1 Insanity.
  20
  You found work on the locomotive moving across 
  the Northern Reach or elsewhere in the Empire. 
  Engineers improved your body’s design with 
  steam technology. When a creature spends 1 
  minute to ﬁ ll your reservoir with hot water and 
  burning coals, you gain a +2 bonus to Speed that 
  lasts for 1d3 hours.
  Profession Tables
  Use the following tables instead of those in Shadow of 
  the Demon Lord to randomly determine your starting 
  professions as directed by the previous tables. Each 
  profession also adds an item to your list of starting 
  equipment.
  Random Professions
  d6
  Profession Table
  1
  Scholar: Areas of Scholarship
  2
  Common Professions
  3
  Criminal Professions
  4
  Martial Professions
  5
  Religious Professions
  6
  Wilderness Professions
  Scholar: Areas of Scholarship*
  d20
  Area of Scholarship
  1–2
  Architecture and engineering
  3–4
  Etiquette, heraldry, law, and politics
  5–6
  Astronomy and navigation
  7–8
  Imperial history and geography
  9–10
  Pre-imperial history and geography
  11–12
  Literature, philosophy, poetry, theology, 
  and the arts
  13–14
  Medicine and surgery
  15–16
  Natural sciences
  17–18
  Military sciences
  19–20
  Magical theory
  *Add 1 book covering topics related to your area of 
  scholarship to your starting equipment.
  13
  
  Common Professions
  d20
  Profession
  1
  Apothecary or healer. You start with a healer’s kit.
  2
  Artisan such as baker, bookbinder, brewer, 
  carpenter, chandler, cobbler, gemcutter, jeweler, 
  leatherworker, mason, potter, printer, scribe, or 
  tailor. You start with a tool kit.
  3
  Artist such as painter or sculptor. If you’re literate, 
  you can choose writer or poet. You start with a 
  tool kit or writing kit.
  4
  Bartender or shopkeeper. You start with 1d6 cp.
  5
  Beggar or urchin. You start with a begging bowl 
  or cap.
  6
  Boatman or ferryman. You start with a rowboat.
  7
  Conscript. You start with a uniform.
  8
  Cook, groom, scullion, or servant. You start with 
  an extra set of clothing.
  9
  Courtesan, prostitute, or camp follower. You start 
  with a cosmetics kit.
  10
  Drover or herder. You start with a staff.
  11
  Entertainer such as actor, athlete, comedian, 
  dancer, orator, puppeteer, singer, or storyteller. 
  You start with a costume, dress, or ﬁ ne clothing 
  as appropriate for your profession.
  12
  Farmer. You start with a hoe, shovel, or rake.
  13
  Fisher or whaler. You start with a ﬁ shing pole 
  and tackle box, or a harpoon.
  14
  Gambler. You start with a pair of dice or deck 
  of cards.
  15
  Laborer such as porter, grave digger, or 
  stevedore. You start with a backpack, shovel, 
  coil of rope, or something else chosen by the 
  GM that’s appropriate to your profession.
  16
  Merchant. You start the game with raw goods 
  such as textiles, grains, or something else, worth 
  1d6 ss.
  17
  Miner or prospector. You start with a pick.
  18
  Musician using percussion, stringed, or wind 
  instruments. You start with a musical instrument.
  19
  Pilot, sailor, or teamster. You start with 1d6 cp.
  20
  Trade such as dyer, tanner, or butcher. You start 
  with 2d6 bits.
  Criminal Professions
  d20
  Profession
  1–2
  Agitator, rebel, saboteur, or terrorist. You start 
  with 1d6 pamphlets related to the cause for which 
  you ﬁ ght.
  3–4
  Bandit, pirate, or raider. You start with a bottle of 
  rotgut and a wanted poster showing your face.
  5–6
  Burglar or grave robber. You start with a set 
  of lock picks.
  7–8
  Charlatan, conﬁ dence artist, informant, or spy. 
  You start with a disguise kit.
  9–10
  Fence or smuggler. You start with 1d6 cp.
  11–12
  Forger. You start with a tool kit.
  13–14
  Mugger or thug. You start with 1d6 bits.
  15–16
  Murderer. You start with a garrote.
  17–18
  Pickpocket. You start with a stolen purse 
  containing 1d6 cp.
  19–20
  Poacher or rustler. You start with a coil of rope.
  Martial Professions
  d20
  Profession
  1–2
  Constable or detective. You start with a lantern 
  and ﬂ ask of oil.
  3–4
  Conscript or militia. You start with a spear and 
  uniform.
  5–6
  Guard or henchman. You start with a club and 
  uniform.
  7–8
  Jailer or torturer. You start with a pair of manacles 
  or torturer’s tools.
  9–10
  Marine. You start with a sword.
  11–12
  Mercenary. You start with a sword and a contract 
  for your last job.
  13–14
  Ofﬁ cer. You start with a fancy uniform and 
  a sword.
  15–16
  Patroller. You start with a lantern and ﬂ ask of oil.
  17–18
  Soldier. You start with a uniform, small shield, 
  and sword.
  19–20
  Squire. You start with a short sword and suit 
  of soft leather armor.
  Religious Professions*
  d6
  Profession
  1
  Anchorite, ﬂ agellant, or fanatic
  2
  Evangelist or street preacher
  3
  Acolyte, devotee, or initiate
  4
  Militant, such as a crusader. You start with a mace.
  5
  Minister of a small temple
  6
  Minister of a large temple
  *Your profession is usually associated with your religion. 
  As well, you start with a symbol of your faith.
  Wilderness Professions
  d20
  Profession
  1–2
  Animal trainer. You start with a small animal that’s 
  friendly to you.
  3–4
  Apothecary or healer. You start with a healer’s kit.
  5–6
  Drover or herder. You start with a staff.
  7–8
  Guide or pioneer. You start with a map of 
  the region.
  9–10
  Hermit. You start with a week of rations and 
  a waterskin.
  11–12
  Hunter or gatherer. You start with a bow and 
  12 arrows.
  13–14
  Nomad. You start with a horse.
  15–16
  Spelunker. You start with a lantern, pick, and 
  2 ﬂ asks of oil.
  17–18
  Tracker. You start with a spear.
  19–20
  Woodcutter. You start with an axe.
  19–20
  19–20
  14
  
  Starting Equipment
  Your character starts the game with equipment 
  from your starting lifestyle and your professions. To 
  determine your starting lifestyle, roll 3d6, adding or 
  subtracting any numbers as directed by your Life 
  Experience rolls. Find the total on the Starting 
  Lifestyle table (Lifestyles are described in Shadow, 
  page 100), which then grants starting equipment as 
  shown on the tables that follow. In addition to the 
  equipment granted by your lifestyle, you start the 
  game with one interesting thing (Shadow, page 26).
  Starting Lifestyle
  3d6
  Lifestyle
  3 or less
  Destitute 
  4–5
  Poor
  6–12
  Getting By
  13–15
  Comfortable
  16–17
  Wealthy 
  18 or more
  Rich
  Clothing
  Lifestyle
  Clothing
  Destitute
  —
  Poor
  A ratty, worn cloak
  Getting By
  A cloak
  Comfortable
  A ﬁ ne cloak
  Wealthy
  A set of ﬁ ne clothing with cloak
  Rich
  A set of noble’s clothing and cloak
  Weapons
  Lifestyle
  Weapons
  Destitute
  A club or a sling with 20 stones
  Poor
  A staff, club, or sling with 20 stones
  Getting By
  A dagger and one of the following: a staff, 
  club, or sling with 20 stones
  Comfortable
  A dagger and two of the following: a staff, 
  club, or sling with 20 stones
  Wealthy
  A sword or similar weapon
  Rich
  A sword or similar weapon, plus another 
  weapon of your choice
  Personal Gear
  Lifestyle
  Gear
  Destitute
  —
  Poor
  A sack, tinderbox, and candle
  Getting By
  A backpack, coil of rope, tinderbox, and 2 
  torches
  Comfortable
  A backpack, coil of rope, tinderbox, and 4 
  torches
  Wealthy
  A backpack, coil of rope, tinderbox, 
  lantern, and 2 ﬂ asks of oil
  Rich
  — 
  Special Gear
  Lifestyle
  Special Gear
  Destitute
  —
  Poor
  —
  Getting By
  —
  Comfortable
  A healing potion plus one of the following: 
  a scroll containing an incantation of one 
  rank 0 spell, a small shield, a healer’s kit, a 
  tool kit, or a writing kit
  Wealthy
  A healing potion plus one of the following: 
  a scroll containing an incantation of one 
  rank 0 spell, a small shield, a healer’s kit, 
  a tool kit, or a writing kit. You also have a 
  retainer (as commoner).
  Rich
  A healing potion, a personal servant (as 
  commoner), a guard (as mercenary), and 
  three horses with bits, bridles, and saddles.
  Wealth
  Lifestyle
  Wealth
  Destitute
  —
  Poor
  1d6 bits
  Getting By
  2d6 bits
  Comfortable
  1d6 cp
  Wealthy
  1d6 ss
  Rich
  2d6 ss
  Personality
  The Personality table provides you with roleplaying 
  cues to help realize your character in play and judge 
  how your character might behave in a variety of 
  situations.
  Personality
  3d6
  Personality
  3
  You are bland and humorless, as cold as 
  your body.
  4–5
  You have a hard time focusing on one task, 
  being easily distracted.
  6–8
  You prefer to be alone in your misery and 
  avoid the company of others.
  9–12
  The most interesting thing about you is your 
  unusual nature. You are inoffensive to others.
  13–15
  You work hard to overcome the limitations of 
  your body and tend to be friendly and outgoing.
  16–17
  You enjoy being at the center of attention 
  and thrive in the company of others.
  18
  You have a strong presence that attracts 
  others or repulses them. People either love 
  you or hate you.
          Desire
  d6
  Desire
  1
  Service
  2
  Power
  3
  Meaning
  4
  Safety
  5
  Glory
  6
  Immortality
  Fear
  d6
  Fear
  1
  Dormancy
  2
  Death
  3
  Isolation
  4
  Derision
  5
  Exploitation
  6
  Meaninglessness
  Rich
  Rich
  15
  
  Relationships
  3d6
  Relationships
  3
  You hate living things and take pleasure in pulling 
  them apart to see how they work.
  4–5
  You have a difﬁ cult time maintaining relationships 
  as you ﬁ nd others wanting.
  6–8
  People ﬁ nd it hard to know the real you, and thus 
  you have few friends.
  9–12
  You are slow to make friends, but you are loyal 
  to the ones you have.
  13–15
  Your friends and companions give you purpose 
  and meaning. You would sacriﬁ ce much on their 
  behalf.
  16–17
  You try to ﬁ nd the best in other people, and you 
  take others at their word. Some people regard 
  your optimism as gullibility.
  18
  You value your connections to others above all 
  else. You would gladly sacriﬁ ce yourself for the 
  sake of another.
  Obligations
  3d6
  Obligations
  3
  You have never kept an oath or followed through 
  on a promise. You break the law and your word 
  whenever it suits you.
  4–5
  You resent the law and the obligations placed 
  on you. You might follow through with what you 
  say or you might do something else if it would 
  produce a better outcome for you.
  6–8
  You ﬁ nd laws stiﬂ ing, but you also realize that 
  if you would belong to a community you must 
  at least attempt to adhere to them. Still, you 
  break laws and your word when you can get 
  away with it.
  9–12
  You try to keep your word and follow the laws of 
  the land you inhabit. If you break your word, you 
  try to make amends.
  13–15
  Your word is important, and you live up to your 
  obligations. You also consider the law a vital 
  part of any community and avoid breaking the 
  rules. If you break your word, you go to great 
  lengths to make amends.
  16–17
  Your oath is your bond. You follow through 
  on your promises whenever possible and make 
  right any failure to do so. You also obey the laws 
  of the land and would turn in people who break 
  the rules.
  18
  Your oath is your life. You follow through on any 
  promise you make, even if doing so would cause 
  you great harm. You also uphold every law, even 
  ones you ﬁ nd despicable.
  Morality
  3d6
  Morality
  3
  Not really alive, you feel you are free to do what 
  you want and morality has nothing to do with you. 
  You are evil, through and through.
  4–5
  You look after your interests ﬁ rst and never spare 
  a thought for the consequences of your actions.
  6–8
  You believe the end always justiﬁ es the means. 
  You do what you must to attain your desires.
  9–12
  You are a person with virtues and ﬂ aws. You 
  try to do the right thing, but you’re not always 
  successful.
  13–15
  You see it as your obligation to do good in the 
  world and thus strive to be a better person.
  16–17
  You act with compassion, humility, and charity. 
  You work hard to make the world a better place 
  and improve the lives of people around you.
  18
  You have never had an evil thought. You are a 
  paragon of virtue.
  Religious Beliefs
  3d6
  Religion
  3
  You belong to a heretical sect, worship the Devil, 
  or belong to a cult of the Demon Lord.
  4–5
  You belong to a minor religion dedicated to 
  a small god.
  6–8
  You have odd religious beliefs, worshiping 
  a being of your own invention.
  9–12
  You have no religious beliefs.
  13–15
  You belong to the cult of the New God.
  16–17
  You follow the teachings of the Old Faith.
  18
  You hold to the tenets of witchcraft.
  Piety
  3d6
  Piety
  3
  Your stated religious beliefs are only a pretense. 
  You instead believe in something else. Roll on the 
  Religious Beliefs table to determine what you 
  really believe and then roll on this table again to 
  see how strongly you believe it. If you get this 
  result again, you gain 1 Insanity and have no real 
  religious beliefs.
  4–5
  If you have religious beliefs, you sometimes 
  consider them when making decisions.
  6–8
  If you have religious beliefs, you are a believer 
  in name only. You harbor strong doubts about 
  your faith.
  9–12
  If you have religious beliefs, you are extremely 
  skeptical about them.
  13–15
  If you have religious beliefs, they do not affect 
  much of what you do.
  16–17
  If you have religious beliefs, they always play a 
  part in your decisions.
  18
  If you have religious beliefs, you are a fanatic 
  about them, to the point people with differing 
  religious views ﬁ nd you boorish. You might even 
  persecute people who do not believe as you do. 
  Gain 1 Insanity.
  16
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadow of the Demon Lord/Victims of the Demon Lord/SotDL - Victims of the Demon Lord - Ghosts in Machines.pdf