TEXT: Lady Blackbird
  is on the run from an arranged marriage to Count Carlowe.
  She hired a smuggler skyship, The Owl, to take her from her 
  palace on the Imperial world of Ilysium to the far reaches of the 
  Remnants, so she could be with her once secret lover, the pirate 
  king Uriah Flint.
  however—Just before reaching the halfway point of Haven, 
  The Owl was pursued and captured by the Imperial cruiser 
  Hand of Sorrow, under charges of flying a false flag.
  even now Lady Blackbird, her bodyguard, and the crew of 
  The Owl are detained in the brig, while the commander of the 
  cruiser, Captain Hollas, runs the smuggler ship’s registry over 
  the wireless. It’s only a matter of time before they discover the 
  outstanding warrants and learn that The Owl is owned by 
  none other than the infamous outcast Cyrus Vance.
  how will lady blackbird and the others escape 
  the hand of sorrow?
  what dangers lie in their path?
  will they be able to find the secret lair of the 
  pirate king? if they do, will uriah flint accept 
  lady blackbird as his bride? by the time they get 
  there, will she want him to?
  writing, layout & art
  John Harper
  influences
  Clinton R. Nixon, James V. West, Luke 
  Crane, Vincent Baker, Jonathan Walton, Judd 
  Karlman, Jason Morningstar, Fred Hicks, Rob 
  Donoghue, Leonard Balsera, Ben Lehman, 
  Mark Causey, Brandon Amancio, Claudio 
  Cipolla, Mike Riverso, Joss Whedon, George 
  Lucas, Hayao Miyazaki, Reiko Kodama
  playtesters
  Adam Chevrier, Shannon East, Naydanka 
  Huamani, Sage LaTorra, Paul Riddle
  contact
  oneseven@gmail.com
  This document is licensed under a Creative Commons 
  Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 license.
  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/
  t a l e s  f r o m  t h e  w i l d  b l u e  y o n d e r :  c h a p t e r  i
  version 03.14.10
  
  •  The Wild Blue  •
  Shattered worlds circling a dimming star
  haven
  the remnants
  nightport
  ilysium
  olympia
  Adrift in the Blue
  The worlds of the Wild Blue float in a sky of breathable gases 
  circling a small, cold star. Scholars believe that the star is made from 
  pure Essence—the strange energy that sorcerers channel for their magic. 
  This “solar system” is much smaller than you might think—it takes about 
  six weeks to cross from one side to the other on a standard sky ship. Most 
  of the worlds of the Empire are so closely positioned that it takes only a 
  day or two to travel from one to another.
  The Lower Depths
  The heavier gases form a dense layer of fog below the “sky” of the Wild 
  Blue.  This fog is corrosive —people need to wear gas-masks to breathe 
  and most airship hulls will start to corrode after a single exposure. 
  Pirates and other criminals sometimes use the lower depths to evade 
  Imperial patrols and launch raids from hiding. Unfortunately, the depths 
  are home to sky squid and other monstrous things....
  Names
  Male: Abel, Artemis, August, Eli, Giovanni, Ivan, Jack, Jefferson, Jonas, 
  Leo, Logan, Malachi, Mario, Micah, Nahum, Noah, Orlence, Oscar, 
  Samuel, Silas, Victor, Vlad, Wester 
  Female: Alice, Ardent, Ashlyn, Caess, Clare, Elena, Eveline, Fiona, 
  Grace, Hannah, Hazel, Hester, Isabel, Krista, Jezebel, Leah, Lucile, 
  Lydia, Seraphina, Sonya, Sophie, Veronica, Violet
  Surnames: Bell, Bowen, Canter, Carson, Cross, Harwood, Hollas, 
  Hunter, Kalra, Keel, Moreau, Morgan, Porter, Pickett, Quinn, Sidhu, 
  Soto, Torrez, Vakharia, Walker, Winter, Wright
  Noble Houses: Ash, Blackbird, Firefly, Mooncloud, Nightsong, Snow, 
  Twilight, Whitethorn.
  Ilysium
  The capitol world of the Empire, home to the great noble houses. 
  Ilysium is rich and decadent, attended by servants, slaves, and the elite 
  bodyguards of the nobility.
  Olympia
  The staging world of the Imperial Sky Fleet. From here, expeditions are 
  launched into the colonial expanse and all across the Wild Blue. Olympia 
  is also home to the finest brewers and distillers in the Empire.
  Haven
  The most prominent of the Free Worlds. Here, in the sprawling city hubs, 
  the Trade Union tries to impose some order on the bickering clans and 
  factions of the Free Peoples. Slavery is outlawed here, so many ex-slaves 
  make Haven their home.
  Nightport
  Unlike other worlds, Nightport does not rotate, which means one face is 
  always in darkness. It is on this side that pirates and smugglers have built 
  a hidden port city in which to carry out their nefarious dealings. This 
  hive of scum and villainy is a dangerous place, but almost anything may 
  be bought or sold there, including secrets.
  The Remnants 
  A swirling maelstrom of spinning world-shards. The Remnants are 
  almost impossible to navigate, even for the best airship pilots. It’s said 
  that the pirate king, Uriah Flint, keeps his secret fortress somewhere 
  deep within the Remnants and only those who know the secret of 
  the true course can ever reach it.
  i
  m
  p
  e
  r
  ia
  l 
  w
  o
  r
  l
  d
  s
  f
  r
  e
  e 
  w
  o
  r
  l
  d
  s
  im
  pe
  ri
  al
   e
  xp
  an
  si
  on
  
  Natasha Syri  •  Lady BLackBird
  TRAITS
  Imperial Noble
  Etiquette, Dance, Educated, History, Science, Wealth, Connections, 
  House Blackbird
  Master Sorcerer
  Spellcaster, Channeling, Stormblood, Wind, Lightning, [Fly], 
  [Blast], [Sense]
  Athletic
  Run, Fencing, Rapier, Duels, Shooting, [Pistol], [Acrobatics] 
  Charm
  Charisma, Presence, Command, Nobles, Servants, [Soldiers]
  Cunning
  Deception, Misdirection, Disguise, Codes, [Sneak], [Hide]
  Key of the Paragon
  As a noble, you’re a cut above the common man. Hit your key 
  when you demonstrate your superiority or when your noble traits 
  overcome a problem. Buyoff: Disown your noble heritage.
  Key of the Mission
  You must escape the Empire and rendezvous with your once secret 
  lover, the Pirate King Uriah Flint, whom you haven’t seen in six 
  years. Hit your key when you take action to complete the mission. 
  Buyoff: Give up on your mission.
  Key of the Impostor
  You are in disguise, passing yourself off as commoner. Hit your key 
  when you perform well enough to fool someone with your disguise. 
  Buyoff: Reveal your true identity to someone you fooled.
  Secret of Stormblood
  As long as you can speak, you can channel magical power and do 
  Sorcery. You have the Master Sorcerer trait and the Stormblood tag.
  Secret of Inner Focus
  Once per session, you can re-roll a failure when doing Sorcery.
  An Imperial noble, in disguise, escaping an arranged marriage so she can be with her lover
  Tags in [brackets] are qualities you don’t have yet. You can buy them with 
  advances. See the Rules Summary below, under Keys.
  •  rules summary  •
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  •  Naomi Bishop  •
  Former pit-fighter and bodyguard to Lady Blackbird
  TRAITS
  Pit-Fighter
  Combat Tested, Brutal, Living Weapon, Fast, Hard, [Strong], 
  [Bone-breaking], [Scary Look]
  Bodyguard
  Awareness, Threats, Defend, Disarm, Restrain, Carry, Delay, 
  [Security], [First Aid]
  Ex-Slave
  Sneak, Hide, Run, Tough, Endure, Scrounge, Nobles, [Hatred],
  [Iron Will]
  Keen
  Insightful, Aware, Coiled, Liars, Traps, [Danger], [Sense 
  Motives]
  Key of the Guardian
  You are Lady Blackbird’s loyal defender. Hit your key when you 
  make a decision influenced by Lady Blackbird or protect her from 
  harm. Buyoff: Sever your relationship with the Lady.
  Key of Vengeance
  The Empire enslaved you and made you kill for sport. You will have 
  your revenge on them and watch their cities burn. Hit your key 
  when you strike a blow against the Empire (especially by killing an 
  Imperial). Buyoff: Forgive them for what they did to you.
  Key of the Warrior
  You crave the crash and roar of battle, the tougher the better. Hit 
  your key when you do battle with worthy or superior foes.
  Buyoff: Pass up an opportunity for a good fight.
  Secret of Destruction
  You can break things with your bare hands as if you were swinging 
  a sledgehammer. It’s scary.
  Secret of the Bodyguard
  Once per session, you can re-roll a failure when protecting someone.
  Tags in [brackets] are qualities you don’t have yet. You can buy them with 
  advances. See the Rules Summary below, under Keys.
  •  rules summary  •
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  •  Cyrus Vance  •
  An ex-Imperial soldier turned smuggler and soldier-of-fortune, Captain of The Owl
  TRAITS
  Ex-Imperial Soldier
  Tactics, Command, Soldiers, Rank, Connections, Maps, Imperial 
  War Ships
  Smuggler
  Haggle, Deception, Sneak, Hide, Camouflage, Forgery, Pilot, 
  Navigation, [Repair], [Gunnery]
  Survivor
  Tough, Run, Scrounge, Endure, Creepy Stare, Intimidate, [Medic]
  Warrior
  Battle-Hardened, Shooting, Two-Gun Style, Pistol, Fencing, Sword, 
  [Brawl], [Hail of Lead]
  Key of the Commander
  You are accustomed to giving orders and having them obeyed. Hit 
  your trait when you come up with a plan and give orders to make it 
  happen. Buyoff: Acknowledge someone else as the leader.
  Key of Hidden Longing
  You are completely enthralled by Lady Blackbird, but you don’t 
  want her to know it. Hit your key when you make a decision based 
  on this secret affection or when you somehow show it indirectly. 
  Buyoff: Give up on your secret desire or make it public.
  Key of the Outcast
  You got exiled from the Empire. Hit your key when your outcast 
  status causes you trouble or is important in a scene.
  Buyoff: Regain your former standing or join a new group.
  Secret of Leadership
  Once per session, you can give someone else a chance to re-roll a failed 
  roll, by giving them orders, advice, or setting a good example.
  Secret of Warpblood
  Once per session, you can teleport yourself or someone you’re 
  touching.
  Tags in [brackets] are qualities you don’t have yet. You can buy them with 
  advances. See the Rules Summary below, under Keys.
  •  rules summary  •
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  •  Kale Arkam  •
  A burglar and petty sorcerer, first mate and mechanic of The Owl
  TRAITS
  Burglar
  Quiet, Sneak, Hide, Dextrous, Locks, Perceptive, Traps, Darkness, 
  [Alarms] , [Distractions]
  Tricky
  Quick, Dirty Fighting, Tumbler, Escape, Contortionist, [Sleight of 
  Hand], [Acrobatics], [Dagger]
  Petty Magic (use one spell tag at a time)
  Light spell, Dark spell, Jump spell, Shatter Spell, [Channeling], 
  [Spellcaster]
  Mechanic
  Repair, Engines, Efficiency, Spare Parts, Sabotage, [Enhancements], 
  [Ship Weapons]
  Key of Greed
  You like the shiny things. Hit your key when you steal something 
  cool or score a big payoff. Buyoff: Swear off stealing forever.
  Key of the Mission
  You must safely deliver Lady Blackbird to the Pirate King Uriah 
  Flint, so she can marry him. Hit your key when you take action to 
  complete the mission. Buyoff: Give up the mission.
  Key of Fraternity
  You are sworn to Captain Vance in a bond of brotherhood. Hit your 
  key when your character is influenced by Vance or when you show 
  how deep your bond is. Buyoff: Sever the relationship
  Secret of Concealment
  No matter how thoroughly you’re searched, you always have a few 
  key items with you. You can produce any common, simple item at 
  a moment’s notice.
  Secret of Reflexes
  Once per session, you can re-roll a failure when doing anything 
  involving grace, dexterity, or quick reflexes.
  Tags in [brackets] are qualities you don’t have yet. You can buy them with 
  advances. See the Rules Summary below, under Keys.
  •  rules summary  •
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  •  Snargle  •
  A goblin sky-sailor and pilot of The Owl
  TRAITS
  Pilot
  Daring, Steady, Maneuvering, Evasion, Tricky flying, Navigation, 
  Maps, Atmospherics. [The Owl], [Battle], [Ramming]
  Sky Sailor
  Gunnery, Aim, Maintenance, Observation, Signals, Empire, 
  Pirates, Free Worlds, Haven, [Repair], [Connections]
  Goblin
  Warp shape, Glide, Nightvision, Agile, Quick, Tumbler, Teeth & 
  Claws, [Mimic Shape], [Reckless], [Connections]
  Sly
  Crafty, Sneaky, Distractions, Bluff, Languages, Trade Speak, 
  [Sharp], [Disguise] 
  Key of the Daredevil
  You thrive in dangerous situations. Hit your key when you do 
  something cool that is risky or reckless (especially piloting stunts). 
  Buyoff: Be very very careful.
  Key of Conscience
  You don’t like to see anyone suffer, even enemies. Hit your key when 
  you help someone who is in trouble or when you change someone’s 
  life for the better Buyoff: Ignore a request for help.
  Key of Banter
  You have a knack for snappy comments. Hit your key when Snargle 
  says something that makes the other players laugh or when you 
  explain something using your pilot techno jargon.
  Buyoff: Everyone groans at one of your comments.
  Secret of Shape Warping
  As a goblin, you can change your shape, growing shorter, taller, 
  fatter, thinner, or changing your skin color, at will.
  Secret of the Lucky Break
  Once per session, you can keep your pool dice when you succeed (so 
  go ahead and use ‘em all).
  Tags in [brackets] are qualities you don’t have yet. You can buy them with 
  advances. See the Rules Summary below, under Keys.
  •  rules summary  •
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  •  The Owl  •
  An old but reliable skyship, outfitted for smuggling
  relative size comparison
  hand of sorrow • 550m
  sky squid • 139m
  the owl • 48m
  Sky Hauler C9 Refit
  The Owl was once a Sky Hauler C9 cargo ship but has since 
  been extensively customized by Cyrus and Kale. It has a smaller 
  cargo area and four passenger berths in the reclaimed space. It 
  also has hidden smuggling compartments scattered throughout 
  the vessel.
  The Owl is an old ship, but it can hold its own with more modern 
  vessels thanks to its custom engines and supercharged steam 
  drive. Snargle has also made several unique adjustments to the 
  controls to allow the large ship to maneuver like a much smaller 
  craft.
  Unfortunately, all of these modifications put a lot of strain on the 
  old girl. Kale keeps the ship running day to day, but when it’s put 
  under a lot of stress (as it often is) things can go awry—broken 
  pipes, vented steam, leaking fluids, and worse.
  Still, The Owl is not just a skyship, it’s a home to its crew. They 
  gather around the beat-up old wooden dinner table in the galley 
  every night and thank the four winds that fortune saw fit to bless 
  them with such a fine craft.
  Statistics
  Length: 48 meters
  Crew: 2–3
  Berths: 6 (2 crew, 4 passenger)
  Cargo Capacity: 30,000 pounds (6 cargo pods)
  Powerplant:
  Tri-Valve Reciprocal Steam Drive
   
  ❖
  (2) Twin-Coil Induction Thrusters
   
  ❖
  Cruise Speed: 160 knots
  Flank Speed: 310 knots under boost
  Weapons: Top-mounted external gun turret
  Wireless: Midrange Multi-Band with Signal Mask
  Sensors:
  Short-Range Sonar
   
  ❖
  Atmosphere/Pressure Analyzer
   
  ❖
  Hull: Treated to resist corrosion in the lower depths for up to 4 
  hours.
  need supplies
  need fuel
  slowed
  busted & leaking
  crippled
  [GM: You can inflict conditions on The Owl as events warrant. It begins 
  play with the Need Fuel condition marked.]
  
  Listen & Ask Questions, Don’t Plan
  When you’re the GM, don’t try to plan what will happen. Instead, ask 
  questions—lots and lots and make them pointed toward the things 
  you’re interested in. Like, Cyrus gives Naomi an order within earshot 
  of Lady Blackbird, but the Lady’s player doesn’t register it right away. 
  Naomi goes to follow the order. So I ask Lady Blackbird’s player, “How 
  do you react when the Captain orders your bodyguard around? Is that 
  okay with you?” And then, when it’s totally not okay, “What do you say to 
  him? What do you say to Naomi?” and a few more like that and everyone 
  is yelling at each other and rolling dice to impose their will.
  Also ask questions like:
  “Does anything break when you do this crazy maneuver?” 
  “The fire probably spreads out of control doesn’t it?”
  “That sounds like a bold plan. What’s the first step?”
  “Do the two of you end up somewhere quiet together? Does something 
  happen between you?”
  “Do you know anything about the Crimson Sky rebels? What are they 
  like? Is it normal for them to be this far into the Empire?”
  Keep that going at a steady pace and the game flies along pretty well.
  Part of the job of the GM is listening to what the players say, catching it, 
  turning it around and looking at it, and seeing if there’s anything else to 
  be done with it.
  The GM’s jobs: listen and reincorporate, play the NPCs with gusto, 
  create interesting obstacles, and impose conditions as events 
  warrant (especially when rolls fail).
  •  Running the Game  •
  Tips, tricks, and advice for the GM
  Say Yes, Look For the Obstacles
  By default, characters can accomplish anything covered by their traits. 
  They’re competent and effective people, in other words. It’s no fun to 
  ask for a roll when there’s no cool obstacle in the way. Just say yes to the 
  action, listen, and ask questions as usual. But also, be on the look out for 
  the opportunity to create obstacles as the action develops. Because you’re 
  asking leading questions and listening closely, they’ll be all over the place, 
  so it won’t be too hard to spot them.
  Obstacles can be people (pirates, goblins, imperials, citizens, nobles), 
  weather, monsters (sky squid, flying eels), situations (fires, falling, being 
  shot at, chases, escapes) or anything else you can imagine.
  If a character tries something not covered by their traits, that’s an 
  obstacle right there: lack of experience and training. Lots of fun things 
  can go wrong when you don’t know what you’re doing! Also, players will 
  sometimes try things they’re bad at so they can fail and add dice to their 
  pool. It’s a fine move for them and it gives you the chance to create more 
  trouble, so everyone wins.
  Conditions
  A condition constrains what the player should say about their character. 
  It’s a cue to tell the GM and players to pay attention to that thing and 
  use it as material for the developing fiction. Gaming is just us saying stuff 
  to each other, right? So you’re like, “What do I say now?” and you look 
  down and go, “Oh, I’m angry. I’ll go be angry at someone then. ‘Snargle! 
  Why aren’t we at Nightport yet, you shiftless layabout?!’” For the GM, 
  the conditions can create opportunities or give permissions. “You’re 
  Injured, right? The Void Spiders can smell blood. They swarm right 
  at you, ignoring the others.” Sometimes a condition will become 
  an Obstacle in its own right, calling for a roll to deal with it.
  •  obstacles & difficulties  •
  Escape the Brig
  The cells in the Hand of Sorrow brig are walled 
  in steel with heavy iron locks on the doors.
  Obstacles: Pick the lock: 3. Trick a marine 
  guard: 3. (Bishop only —Smash the door 
  open: Automatic. Smash the door open 
  quietly: 5) Sneak through the ship: 4. Fight 
  crew: 3. Fight marines: 4. Fight a lot of 
  marines: 5 (or higher).
  Escalation: Alarm goes off. More marines 
  appear. The Owl is jettisoned to stop your 
  escape. Someone gets separated from the 
  group (Lost and/or Trapped).
  Bounty Hunter Ambush
  Unless they keep a low profile, the actions of The 
  Owl will eventually draw attention from bounty 
  hunters looking to cash in on the warrants for 
  Vance or the reward for Lady Blackbird.
  Obstacles: Fight back when ambushed: 5. 
  Flee: 3. Try to bargain with them: 4. Pull a 
  dirty trick to turn the tables: 3.
  Escalation: Someone is grabbed and held 
  at gunpoint (Trapped).
  Sky Squid Attack
  While passing through the lower depths, your 
  engines attract a hungry sky squid. Its tentacles 
  close around The Owl....
  Obstacles: Escape from tentacles: 5. 
  Attack Squid: 3. Maneuver in squid ink: 4. 
  Avoid harm from squid attacks (crushing, 
  smashing, biting, thunderous song): 3.
  Escalation: Squid calls other squid 
  with its song. Squid blood attracts other 
  monster(s). Pulled further into the depths 
  (Lost). Crash into rocks/debris/hidden 
  world (Busted & Leaking or Crippled).
  Fight a Sorcerer
  Uriah Flint is a flameblood and a master 
  sorcerer. Not that anyone would need to fight 
  him, though. I mean, why would that happen?
  Obstacles: Dodge blasts of magical fire: 3. 
  Attack Flint through his magical defenses: 5. 
  Endure the heat and smoke as the fight 
  wears on: 3.
  Escalation: The fires spread out of control. 
  You drop your weapons when they get too 
  hot to hold.
  Skyship Battle
  You always want to be above your enemy in a 
  skyship battle—unless your vessel is equipped to 
  go into the Lower Depths....
  Obstacles: Maneuver for a clear shot: 3. 
  Maneuver against a smaller, faster ship: 4. 
  Maneuver to boarding action: 4. Fire on enemy 
  ship: 3. Fire on a smaller, faster ship: 4. Avoid 
  enemy fire: 3. Avoid a lot of enemy fire: 4-5.
  Escalation: The Owl is hit and loses control 
  (Busted & Leaking, Slowed). More enemy 
  ships appear. You’re driven into a storm by 
  enemy action. The fight attracts a sky squid.
  Parlay with Scoundrels
  To find the secret path to the lair of the Pirate 
  King in the remnants, you’ll have to deal with a 
  whole host of unsavory characters.
  Obstacles: Find an underworld den: 3. 
  Show you’re not someone to mess with: 3. 
  Arrange a fair deal: 4. Arrange a deal that goes 
  in your favor: 5. Spot their devious lies: 4.
  Escalation: The scoundrels decide to 
  simply take what they want from you. You’re 
  sold out. You were followed to the meet!
  
  •  new keys & secrets  •
  •  new traits & tags  •
  The Key of the Traveler
  You love exploring new places and meeting new people. Hit your 
  key when you share an interesting detail about a person, place, or 
  thing or when you go somewhere exciting and new.
  Buyoff: Pass up the opportunity to see something new.
  The Key of the Broker
  You like to make deals and trade favors. Hit your key when you 
  bargain, make a new contact, or exchange a favor. Buyoff: Cut 
  yourself off from your network of contacts.
  The Key of the Tinkerer
  You just can’t leave it alone. Hit your key when you modify, improve, 
  repair, or patch some tech. Buyoff: Pass up the opportunity to 
  mess around with technology.
  The Key of the Pirate
  You pillage, raid, and terrorize the Wild Blue. Hit your key when you 
  impress someone with your piratical nature or do something to add to 
  your reputation. Buyoff: Turn over a new leaf and go straight.
  The Key of the Vow
  You have a vow of personal behavior that you have sworn not to 
  break. Hit your key when your vow significantly impacts your 
  decisions. Buyoff: Break your vow.
  The Secret of the True Course
  You know how to navigate the Remnants. Requires: You need to 
  learn the navigation codes from someone who has the secret.
  The Secret of the Explorer
  You’ve been all over the Blue, seen a lot of strange things. Once 
  per session, you can re-roll a failure when you’re dealing with local 
  customs or strange places. Requires: You’ve traveled from one 
  side of the Blue to the other.
  The Secret of the Sky Song
  You know how to call sky squid and can attempt to communicate with 
  them when they appear. Requires: You’ve trained with a master of 
  the Sky Song or have been dream-linked to a sky squid.
  The Secret of the Shootist
  You’re deadly with a firearm (or two). Once per session, you can 
  re-roll a failure when you’re shooting. Requires: You’ve been in a 
  lot of gunfights or are learning from someone who has.
  The Secret of Experience
  Once per session, you can use tags from more than one trait when 
  you make a roll. Requires: Experience in a wide variety of 
  dangerous situations.
  Reputation
  Trustworthy, Reliable, Fearless, Reckless, Ruthless, Underhanded, 
  Dangerous, Deadly, Cruel, Unpredictable, Heroic, Honorable, 
  Compassionate
  Crew
  Gunnery, Aim, Maintenance, Damage Control, Observation, 
  Signals, The Owl, Cargo, Supplies, First Aid, Boarding Action
  Sky Pirate
  Vicious, Hack & Slash, Cutlass, Knife, Shooting, Boomstick, 
  Gunner, Boarding Action, Crew, Loot, Capture, Drink, Hardy, 
  Treacherous, Intimidating, Contacts, Underworld
  Explorer
  Curious, Aware, Nimble, Hardy, Ancient Lore, Languages, Ruins, 
  Monsters, Myths, Maps
  Investigator
  Search, Deduction, Perceptive, Seduce, Interrogate, Bribe, Coerce, 
  Contacts, Sneak, Deception, Insight, Logic, Fisticuffs, Pistol
  Miner
  Tunnels, Labor, Strong, Pickaxe, Dim Light, Hold Breath, Ores, 
  Resist Cold, Endure
  Ghostblood
  Fly, Possess, Insubstantial, Control Technology, Electrical, 
  Dominate, Terrify, Sneak, Overload
  Stoneblood
  Harden, Make Heavy, Meld Into Stone, Petrify, Immovable, 
  Mauler, Move Through Stone, Shape Rock, Tough
  Voidblood
  Invisibility, Vacuum, Make Weightless, Pass Through, Erase 
  Mind, Counterspell, Disintegrate
  Dreamblood
  Sedate, Manipulate Dream, Enter Dream, Hallucination, Blind 
  Fighting, Read Mind
  Bloodhunter
  Gather Information, Interrogate, Intimidate, Incognito, Recognize 
  Blood, Reflexes, Authority, Firefights
  Bold
  Brave, Daring, Heroic, Rescue, Falling, Fire, Reckless, Explosions, 
  Escapes, Outnumbered, Underdog
  Note: when you buy a new trait, you don’t start with any tags. you need to buy them with advances.
  
  Imperial Noble
  Etiquette, Dance, Educated, History, Science, Wealth, Connections
   
  ➻
   House Blackbird
   
  ➻
  Master Sorcerer
  Spellcaster, Channeling, Stormblood, Wind, Lightning
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Athletic
  Run, Fencing, Rapier, Duels, Shooting
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Charm
  Charisma, Presence, Command, Nobles, Servants
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Cunning
  Deception, Misdirection, Disguise, Codes
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  •  rules summary  •
  Lady Blackbird
  Player:
  Key of the Paragon
  Key of the Mission
  Key of the Impostor
  Key of
  Secret of Stormblood
  Secret of
  Key of
  Secret of Inner Focus
  Secret of
  unspent 
  advances
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  Pit-Fighter
  Combat Tested, Brutal, Living Weapon, Fast, Hard
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Bodyguard
  Awareness, Threats, Defend, Disarm, Restrain, Carry, Delay
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Ex-Slave
  Sneak, Hide, Run, Tough, Endure, Scrounge, Nobles
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Keen
  Insightful, Aware, Coiled, Liars, Traps
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  •  rules summary  •
  Naomi Bishop
  Player:
  Key of the Guardian
  Key of Vengeance
  Key of the Warrior
  Key of
  Secret of Destruction
  Secret of
  Key of
  Secret of the Bodyguard
  Secret of
  unspent 
  advances
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  Ex-Imperial Soldier
  Tactics, Command, Soldiers, Rank, Connections, Imperial War Ships
   
  ➻
  Maps
   
  ➻
  Smuggler
  Haggle, Deception, Sneak, Hide, Camouflage, Forgery, Pilot, Navigation
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Survivor
  Tough, Run, Scrounge, Endure, Creepy Stare, Intimidate
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Warrior
  Battle-Hardened, Shooting, Two-Gun Style, Pistol, Fencing, Sword
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  •  rules summary  •
  Cyrus Vance
  Player:
  Key of the Commander
  Key of Hidden Longing
  Key of the Outcast
  Key of
  Secret of Leadership
  Secret of
  Key of
  Secret of Warpblood
  Secret of
  unspent 
  advances
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  Burglar
  Quiet, Sneak, Hide, Dextrous, Locks, Perceptive, Traps, Darkness
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Tricky
  Quick, Dirty Fighting, Tumbler, Escape, Contortionist
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Petty Magic (only one spell tag at a time)
  Light spell, Dark spell, Jump spell, Shatter Spell
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Mechanic
  Repair, Engines, Efficiency, Spare Parts, Sabotage
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  •  rules summary  •
  Kale Arkam
  Player:
  Key of Greed
  Key of the Mission
  Key of the Fraternity
  Key of
  Secret of Concealment
  Secret of
  Key of
  Secret of Reflexes
  Secret of
  unspent 
  advances
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  Pilot
  Daring, Steady, Maneuvering, Evasion, Tricky flying, Navigation, Maps
   
  ➻
   Atmospherics
   
  ➻
  Sky Sailor
  Gunnery, Aim, Maintenance, Observation, Signals, Empire, Pirates
   
  ➻
  Free Worlds, Haven
   
  ➻
  Goblin
  Warp shape, Glide, Nightvision, Agile, Quick, Tumbler, Teeth & Claws
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  Sly
  Crafty, Sneaky, Distractions, Bluff, Languages, Trade Speak
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  •  rules summary  •
  Snargle
  Player:
  Key of the Daredevil
  Key of Conscience
  Key of Banter
  Key of
  Secret of Shape Warping
  Secret of
  Key of
  Secret of the Lucky Break
  Secret of
  unspent 
  advances
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
  trait:
   
  ➻
    
  ➻
  trait:
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  trait:
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  trait:
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  trait:
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  trait:
   
  ➻
   
  ➻
  •  rules summary  •
  name:
  Player:
  Key of 
  Key of
  Key of
  Key of
  Secret of
  Secret of
  Key of
  Secret of
  Secret of
  unspent 
  advances
  Rolling the Dice
  When you try to overcome an obstacle, you roll dice. Start with one die. 
  Add a die if you have a trait that can help you. If that trait has any tags 
  that apply, add another die for each tag. Finally, add any number of dice 
  from your personal pool of dice (your pool starts with 7 dice).
  Roll all the dice you’ve gathered. Each die that shows 4 or higher is a hit. 
  You need hits equal to the difficulty level (usually 3) to pass the obstacle.
  levels:  2 easy—3 difficult—4 challenging—5 extreme
  If you pass, discard all the dice you rolled (including any pool dice you 
  used). Don’t worry, you can get your pool dice back.
  If you don’t pass, you don’t yet achieve your goal. But, you get to keep 
  the pool dice you rolled and add another die to your pool. The GM will 
  escalate the situation in some way and you might be able to try again.
  Conditions
  When events warrant or especially when you fail a roll, the GM may 
  impose a condition on your character: Injured, Dead, Tired, Angry, 
  Lost, Hunted, or Trapped. When you take a condition, mark its box 
  and say how it comes about. [Note: The “dead” condition just means 
  “presumed dead” unless you say otherwise.]
  Helping
  If your character is in a position to help another character, you can give them 
  a die from your pool. Say what your character does to help. If the roll 
  fails, you get your pool die back.  If it succeeds, your die is lost.
  Keys
  When you hit a Key, you can do one of two things:
  Take an 
   
  ❖
  experience point (XP)
  Add a die to your pool (up to a max of 10)
   
  ❖
  If you go into danger because of your key, you get 2 XP or 2 pool dice 
  (or 1 XP and 1 pool die). When you have accumulated 5 XP, you earn an 
  advance. You can spend an advance on one of the following:
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Trait (based on something you learned during play or 
  on some past experience that has come to light)
  Add a 
   
  ❖
  tag to an existing trait
  Add a new 
   
  ❖
  Key (you can never have the same key twice)
  Learn a 
   
  ❖
  Secret (if you have the means to)
  You can hold on to advances if you want, and spend them at any time, 
  even in the middle of a battle!
  Each key also has a buyoff. If the buyoff condition occurs, you have the 
  option of removing the Key and earning two advances.
  Refresh
  You can refresh your pool back to 7 dice by having a refreshment scene 
  with another character. You may also remove a condition or regain the 
  use of a Secret, depending on the details of the scene. A refreshment 
  scene is a good time to ask questions (in character) so the other player 
  can show off aspects of his or her PC—“Why did you choose this 
  life?”—“What do you think of the Lady?”—“Why did you take this 
  job?” etc. Refreshment scenes can be flashbacks, too.
  injured
  tired
  angry
  lost
  hunted
  dead
  trapped
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Lady Blackbird [multi]/lady blackbird.pdf