Firstly, it’s worth reading A Discovery of Tradecraft if you haven’t done so already. The article deals with Tradecraft in general, but it angles toward its value for plugging the gaps in Abilities.

What is a Mark?

I recommend thinking of a Mark as plot armour or steps toward finding a means to defeat an enemy or obstacle (in the example from A Discovery of Tradecraft, Gallowglass is not strictly an enemy, but while he distrusted Matthew for consorting with a witch, he wasn’t going to be any help).

It often happens in books or TV that a series has an enemy that appears and faces off against the good guys but isn’t defeated in one encounter. Imagine a series where a vampire is the enemy.

You need to:

• Rob the creature of the earth from its resting place [Magic],
• Discover the cult protecting the creature [Access], and
• Have possession of a special mirror to reveal it isn’t human [Kit].

You need to have all of these things sorted BEFORE you can fight and destroy it, and each Mark is bought by expending that type of Tradecraft.

Wrong Again

A common question is what happens if you start a mission, but make the wrong choice of Tradecraft. And how do you know what the right one is, anyway?

Well, that all becomes part of the investigation/adventure, as the Agents uncover the vulnerability, assistance, and/or means of identification to handle a threat. These don’t all come at once.

Effectively, realising that the vampire might have a vulnerability, as explained above, means that for Session Two, the group chooses Magic and then depletes the Mark to acquire the specific knowledge during the course of play.

What about session one? What happens when you don’t understand the true nature of the threat?

Well, most of the time, you have to assess the proposition and hope you choose well. But, you cannot be certain that you will choose the perfect Mark. It’s the responsibility of the Game Moderator to play the part of the “handler” for the briefing — whether that’s Mister Garland, a minion of Walsingham’s secret service, or somebody else — offering what foresight they can in explaining the mission. There’s no imperative to state you’re up against a vampire. Or, maybe the signs point to a vampire-like creature, but the truth of it is that a Zmaj Vuk lurks behind the scenes.

A Plan of Action

But, for the moment, assume that it is a vampire, Session One might just turn up a plan of action without real progress being made toward defeating the creature. If you choose Kit for Session Two, you might acquire the mirror. Access? You work out what cult is assisting the vampire, and find a way to neutralize their involvement.

In the end, it will take four adventures to resolve the story, but you might have other adventures in between. Imagine that this is like TV, and there are eight episodes, perhaps, but only four of them feature the vampire. The rest might reference it, but it doesn’t make an appearance.

That said, even if the vampire doesn’t make an appearance, you can still strike off the Marks if the events in those adventures allow. It’s a narrative flow that both the table and the GM should support. It’s meant to be a way to battle an enemy that cannot be laid low by force alone but by the clever accrual of items and knowledge defined as a mechanic within the game.

In a session, a player can use all kinds of personal resources generated at the genesis of their character. A simple thing like coming from the same town as someone, for example, can sway a decision or a reaction. If the character possesses a Swiss Dagger, they will have different options than someone with an Astrological Compendium.

Abilities are selected after you roll on the tables to determine your Occupation, Association and Focus. Those three rolls provide a list of eight possible Abilities, from which you can choose three.

Those three Abilities provide you with more depth to understanding your character, shape their presence within the setting, and provide a loosely defined skill set. It’s the skill set that’s worth considering, as both a player and a Game Moderator (GM).

Know What You’re Doing

When you have an Ability, a situation might seem to present a challenge to someone without any expertise but be simple for you.

For example, if you possess Infiltration and plan to enter a location without being noticed, both player and GM alike might argue that no challenge exists. You have the expertise to know how to act, dress and carry yourself – it’s there in your Abilities.

Without that Ability, the GM might set a Challenge to determine whether you fit in or stand out like an intruder.

Here, your selection of an Ability is rewarded by setting you apart from everyone else. Your character’s Abilities allow them to shine in situations where others will face a struggle.

Experience Makes You Grow

When you have an Ability and a situation presents a Challenge that could be open to anyone but on which you have an edge, then an Ability can offer a Step Up – or, possibly, prevent a Step Down.

If you and a colleague both search for a secret door but you have Observant, the GM will call for an Intellectual Challenge from both players, but offer you a Step Up.

Why might a GM take the opposite route of protecting you from a Step Down?

Perhaps the characters find themselves in a situation where they have to show present a display of skill and failure is more likely to show them for fools. Maybe in a grand party, the group dance calls for the precision of movement and poise – so, the GM asks for everyone to make a Physical Challenge Stepped Down, except the character with Dance who can make an unmodified roll.

Knowledge Opens Doors

A final situation might arise where possession of an Ability is essential to have a chance of achieving anything at all.

For example, scouring an alchemists library in search of a specific occult text on an obscure subject might only be possible if you possess Occult Lore. There are hundreds of books and you have limited time to search before discovery, so Occult Lore is like a passport to even entering the Challenge. There’s no Step Up because the Ability makes it possible, not easier.

The same might apply to professional skills or sciences, like Dentistry or Anatomy. Without the Ability, the GM might be loathe to allow a Challenge at all – or, they might Call to Fail. stating that if you progress with the attempt you will inflict damage on the subject and likely achieve nothing advantage, like soaking up blood rather than staunching the flow.

Considering Abilities

So, in summary:

• Possession of an Ability might allow you to do something without a Challenge, whereas others would roll
• Having an Ability may give you the edge, and a Step Up, or make you less likely to do something catastrophic, and offset a Step Down
• Sometimes an Ability is like having an invitation to participate; without it, you don’t get to roll at all, but with it you face a Challenge without any advantage

This hand-drawn and coloured map covers the streets and alleyways from the Skinners’ Hall and Steelyard in the west, to the Tower of London and the fields beyond the wall to the east. The Adventures Window of the Soul and The Gong-scourer’s Baby unfold on these streets – both kicking off across the river in Southwark.

The PDF provides a large format map, including layers that feature the wards on one and churches and notable inns on the other. In addition, as the world of Dee continues to develop and expand, the “living map” will be updated with more layers and content that will be freely available to those who purchase it.

You voted for that award, loyal followers and those fresh in their discovery of the game, and it feels all the sweeter for the achievement. I appreciate it.

You can acquire the softcover edition or PDF of Dee Sanction: Adventures from All Rolled Up. You can also acquire the individual adventures in PDF format from DriveThruRPG.

Better yet, The Dee Sanction has received a number of solid reviews — both for the Core Rules and the Adventures — in the past few weeks, both in first impressions and unboxings, and more indepth analysis. Not only that, but a lot of games have been popping up at conventions, which always bodes well for interest in the game as more than just a shelf filler!

Thanks to everyone who created these reviews — follow the links to the source sites for full information and more great content from these gamers.

Yet Another Unprofessional Unboxing

Bud’s RPG Review

Geek Native

Signals from Delta Pavonis

Adventures

Adventures features six investigations — both in London and across the countryside of Tudor England. The adventure is available in All Rolled Up’s web store now in both print and PDF, and will see face-to-face release at Dragonmeet.

Ex Libris — Written by Paul Baldowski, Illustrated by Evlyn Moreau, Cartography by Paul Baldowski

In 1593, the Agents of Dee set out to Deptford in search of a lost remnant from the sacking of Mortlake, Dee’s home. The paper trail indicates the owner of a home in Deptford village received an annotated copy of The Book of Dead Names, and Dee wants it back.

The problem? He isn’t the only one who wants it.

Window of the Soul — Writing, Illustration and Cartography by Paul Baldowski

While there’s nothing like Southwark for an evening of entertainments in the drinking holes, brothels and bear-baiting pits, the Agents of Dee find their evening interrupted by a brawl in the street that takes a disturbing turn.

There’s more afoot than drunken revelry, it would seem, but can the Agents uncover the threat before it escalates beyond their control.

The Gong Scourer’s Baby — Written by Paul Baldowski, Cartography by Dyson Logos

The Queen has taken ill and departed London, along with Dee, on the advice of her close counsel. Before he departs, Dee requests that the Agents investigate a miracle baby, born to a Gong Scourer in Southwark. While the babe might be a hoax, the trail leads into a darker place and an unholy plot.

The Monk’s Cowl — Written by Paul Baldowski

Henry Denny, the leaseholder of Waltham manor, sends word of a monstrous threat harrowing travellers passing through Waltham Forest. John Dee sends the Agents to the market town of Waltham Abbey to investigate. As one of the favoured hunting grounds of the Queen, the Agents must resolve the matter with haste—who would dare to disappoint Her Majesty?

The Harrowing of Harlow Hall — Written by Richard August, Cartography by Paul Baldowski

“A former agent hath shewn himself to be in league with ruinous powers. Investigate and deal with him, as thou deem most fit.” Doctor Dee sends the Agents to investigate the grounds and owner of Harlow Hall.

In Fertile Soil — Written by Paul Baldowski

Charged with investigating a potential target for recruitment into the Sanction, the Agents travel to the tiny village of Soulgrave where a woman stands accused of killing a newborn through an act of witchcraft. But did she? The Agents must determine the truth of the matter even as the villagers gather kindling and sticks for the pyre…

The book includes a range of maps and hand-outs, as well as a short section on using the adventures as the basis of a campaign.

Abaddon’s Puppet

Which, as it happens, is something that this third-party licenced adventure — Abaddon’s Puppet — does, too. Written by Steve Hatherley, the adventure outlines a heinous plot that can become part of a campaign and include some of the existing investigations. Steve has written about his process with running The Dee Sanction on his blog.

In February 1587, Elizabeth I had Mary Queen of Scots executed, an event that eventually led to the attempted Spanish invasion of Britain in 1588. Before that, however, King Philip of Spain plotted to have Elizabeth overthrown in favour of her Catholic cousin.

This is one of those plots.

If you have already picked up Adventures or the individual investigations available on DriveThruRPG, you will appreciate the terse guidance of this adventure. Distilled into timeline, clues, personalities and locations, it’s a concise frame for adventure.

Available on itch, now.

The Bundle includes ELEVEN investigations of cosmic horror — and 10% of your payment (after gateway fees) will be donated to Beechwood Cancer Care, which offers specialist support for those living with a life-limiting illness.

As someone who might have picked up The Dee Sanction or backed one of the Kickstarters, this is your opportunity to get pretty much everything for THE OTHER GAME at a bargain price. If you opt for the threshold price or higher to access the bonus collection you will have NINE whole adventures plus a copy of The Dee Sanction.

Writing The Cthulhu Hack for the last five years provided some essential lessons in style, content and mechanics that fed into the release of the Core Book for Dee. Investigators have the same opportunity for discovery and fatality as Agents of Dee with a skew into cosmic horror. Many of the adventures feature the same kind of shades of grey decision making, that tests the morals and the mettle of the characters.

STARTER COLLECTION (US$5.95 – retail value $25)

• The Cthulhu Hack Core Book (retail price $7.50)
• Gamemaster’s Reference ($1)
• Nocturnal Rites Quickstart + character sheet
• The Dark Brood ($5)
• Forgotten Duty ($5)
• 3 Cthulhu Hack mini-sourcebooks (total retail $7.50) — which includes From Unformed Realms ($5), Rhan-Tegoth ($1.50), Strange Materials ($1)

BONUS COLLECTION(threshold starts at $14.95 – additional retail value $52.50)

• The Dee Sanction Core Rules ($9.50)
• NINE Cthulhu Hack investigations in five books (total retail $43) — Haunter of the Dark, Mother’s Love, Three Faces of the Wendigo, Thro’ Centuries Fixed, Valkyrie Nine

That’s a total retail value of $77.50 including more than a dozen adventures plus two fast and flavoursome tabletop role-playing games.

Check out the Bundle of Holding soon—the offer ends on 21st October

In addition, you can get the first three adventures, supernatural supplement The Sight, character journal The Book of Days, and the bestiary expansion The Leaf Ire all at a similar discounted price in this limited time offer.

Coincidentally, the September Historical Settings Sale ends about the same time as the current Kickstarter for The Dee Sanction: Adventures print edition!

If you haven’t got in on the crowdfunding yet, Adventures gathers all five current adventures plus a stretch goal sixth—In Fertile Soil—into a perfect-bound format with brand new art from Evlyn Moreau. For £8 plus shipping, you get a 48-page print copy.

Or, if you time it right, at 2PM on Sunday (September 12) we will release the last ten Distinguished Agents—offering you the last hardcover Core Rules from the original Kickstarter AND the print edition of Adventures for £25 plus shipping.

So, you have about five days left to grab one, the other, or both!

As they announced on their YouTube Channel last night and a blog/podcast this morning, The Dee Sanction has joined their slate of development projects. The announcement attracted interest and excitement in the chat during the presentation. The follow-up blog post notes, “The Dee Sanction [is] one of those must-have little greats worth playing.”

With the excitement of winning the Best Role Playing Game Judges Award at UK Games Expo and the current funding of the printed Adventures, ShadowLands joining the fray in the battle against supernatural horror in Elizabethan Europe is another cherry on The Dee Sanction cake.

Simple mechanics and fast character generation combine to provide a great way to have quick pick up games or an ongoing campaign. If you seek some of that supernatural action with a table of friends, then you’ll want some adventures to get you going.

The Dee Sanction: Adventures gathers five such tales of horror and shadow, with contrasting themes and backdrops, pitting your expendable Agents against book thieves, traitors, elder magic, assassins and forces not of this earth.

The Dee Sanction: Adventures Kickstarter launches at 14:00 BST 1st September to fund a 36-page print book with maps, illustrations, and handouts.

With your support, stretch goals can add more illustrations, colour printing, additional adventures, and the possibility of more — like guidance on linking the adventures, extra adversaries, and additional adventure seeds to take you beyond the end of the current adventures.