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  1. Heya Breachers! The discussion topic for last week’s article was surprising moments in play for your players. Here’s what @stump_chunkman shared with us! Sometimes, inspiration for a session or campaign just hits you, but what to do when you’re struggling for inspiration? Say you’ve got the itch to start on your game’s next session, but you’ve just finished an storyarc and you don’t know where they should go next. Perhaps you want to add some Fatemaster Characters that are inspired by history, or want to add some new threats or locations to your games. Well, let’s talk about some of my favorite ways to generate inspiration for TTB. One of the most fascinating parts of the ‘Fauxverse is the references to real world historical facts, literature, music, and more. For example, many in our community have made the correlation between Malifaux’s Phiona Gage and the very real Phineas Gage. Why not take this same approach to your games, and interject some of the stranger parts of history or other real world inspiration into your TTB games! Looking to history, music, movies/television and other media for inspiration can give you that little extra push you need when facing Fatemaster’s Block. Did you know that the US Army had a Camel Calvary for a short time? Could you imagine what a trip through the breach might do to those animals? And what would happen if some unwary Fated encountered some creatures that used to be camels in The Badlands of Malifaux? Or maybe you want to make Fatemaster Character based on Charles Edward Boles (aka Black Bart), who leaves poetic messages at the scene of each heist for the Fated to find. Or maybe you borrow elements from your favorite spaghetti western, or Victorian drama for descriptions of places. The ‘Fauxverse is a strange place that can have some interesting parallels to the real world history. When I’m searching for inspiration, I tend to search out strange and interesting facts about history and use that as a jumping point for my own ideas. If I wanted to bring the “First Emperor of America” Norton I into my TTB game, I’d likely make him an Outcast or an Arcanist. Perhaps instead of Emperor of America, he’s declared himself Emperor of Malifaux. The ramifications of such a statement could lead to a really fun adventure for your players. Perhaps he hires the Fated for a job, and they have to deal with this eccentric man as they try to complete the assignment! History and media are filled with unique and fun elements to throw into your TTB games, and with a bit of research and planning you can interject some excellent weirdness into your homebrew games. This week, I want to know what real world inspiration you’ve drawn from for your games? Are there any weird history facts you’re itching to add to your games?
  2. Heya Breachers! As many of you saw in Waldo’s Weekly, Days Without Accident is available on drivethrurpg! I’m super excited for this book, so this week I’m going to be talking about some of the things I love about Wyrd’s newest Penny Dreadful. Now, I’m going to do my best not to spoil anything, because I really hope all of you get to play Days Without Accident or read through it as a Fatemaster. This means I’m going to talk more about design elements of the Penny Dreadful instead of focusing on the plot. This Penny Dreadful has a lot of pathways and options for Fatemasters and players to explore, which is a departure from some of the previous Penny Dreadfuls. Choices the Fated make have consequences in the following acts, and it’s apparent how much work went into presenting these into the adventure in an easy to follow way. From Faction affiliation to who lives or dies, the choices in this adventure are numerous. The options aren’t endless and a group of intrepid Fated are still likely to throw something unexpected your way, but the included options allow for a more organic feel to the flow of the story. In each Act, The Fated are presented with another piece of the rich and complex plot at the core of the Days Without Accident. What starts as a simple job of witness protection soon unveils a plot full of danger, betrayal, and the future of The Corners. Each Act has a recap section for ease of picking up where you left off, so your group won’t have to take copious amounts of notes if they don’t want to. That said, a lot of information is uncovered as each Act moves along, so taking notes might add to the fun as the Fated compile more and more evidence of the central plot and its scope. The cast of Fatemaster Characters are varied and interesting, and exploring how they influence the story was a lot of fun. As the conspiracy of Days Without Accident unfolds, the web of characters grows in a subtle manner while still maintaining connections to the previous characters. This is a nice way to experience the world in an immersive and exploratory way. These characters make The Corners a living, breathing part of Malifaux and are designed in a way that could easily continue into your own plotlines and adventures. The openness of Days Without Accident Means that there are aspects of the adventure that your players may never experience. But these aspects can show up in other adventures you create, or even woven into other Penny Dreadfuls or One Shots. Perhaps a Fatemaster Character from this book makes an appearance asking the Fated to do a short job. It would be easy to alter a fight or scenario unexplored and have the Fated return to The Corners once again! This adventure is presented as almost a toolbox for Fatemasters to customize their players’ experience while digging deep into the story. There is so much to Days Without Accident and it reminds me of my favorite Penny Dreadful, In Defense of Innocence. The sheer amount of world building and setting the stage for players to explore reminds me of Wyrd’s first Penny Dreadful, and the variety makes it a non-linear experience where choices feel like they matter. Overall, I loved Days Without Accident and can’t wait to run it with some friends! It is available digitally on DriveThruRPG for $15 USD with a physical release planned for later. This week I want to know, what do your players prefer, linear adventures of ones with off-shooting choices and options?
  3. Heya Breachers! NOTE: Sorry for the late post, I got a little overzealous with yard work and have been out of commission for a couple days. Battling Waldgeist is not for the faint of heart or weak of body! This week, I look at our newest Augment, and begin a short series called “Online Exploits” to look more into online playing platforms and how to use them for Through the Breach. First, let’s look at the newest Augment, the Spelleater! This Augment was posted for Waldo’s Weekly, and the redacted parts make it full of mystery. Take a look here! The Spelleater is a strong support to any group of Witch Hunters, or could act alone to hunt down magical miscreants. The players may find one willing to aid the Fated, or perhaps the Spelleater is chasing them for some reason. This Augment’s abilities wonderfully support its attack action, and the (0) action Siphon Power also allows Captured Sorcery to become even stronger. I’m excited about the redacted text, and what do you theorize the Augment is hiding under those black lines? Now onto our Online Exploits, which this week covers Roll20. Community member Doug Broman created a sheet for Through the Breach, and making a game is relatively simple. You’ll start a game, and make it with the TTB Sheet like so: Once in the game, you’ll add your fate decks, which can be as fancy or basic as you want, by heading to the “Collections” tab and adding the decks. The main deck will be 54 for cards, and you’ll make the twist decks based on each Fated’s Sheet. From there, operate like any other Roll20 game. See? Easy peasy! Have you tried Roll20 for your online games? What are some good stories from your virtual games?
  4. Fantabulous Friday Breachers! Apologies for the lack of an article last week, the pollen this spring has really done a number on me. Armed with better allergy medication and far too many energy drinks, I have a heckin’ large chonk of an article for y’all this week. With the Wyrd Easter Sale making the TTB Kickstarter-exclusive Hannah included for orders of 300$USD or more, I thought now is an apt time to look at converting Malifaux Cards to TTB Fatermaster Characters! Strap in, because this is going to be a long post folks. So maybe you or your players have a specific Malifaux character that they’d love to see in your campaign, but there aren’t stats for them in any of the materials. So you decide to convert them, but don’t know where to start! Well I’m going to go through the process of converting a Malifaux character for TTB, and by the end perhaps you’ll try it yourself! The first thing I did was take a look at the Stats Card for Hannah, the Freikorps’ Head Librarian. I also looked at the Freikorps Librarian and Von Schill cards and their TTB Stats in the Through the Breach 2e Corebook. From there, I compared the Malifaux Stats with TTB stats to get an idea of adjustments. I based values like AV on the values from the card, along with talents and actions based on the card’s list of abilities and actions. Some things translated well, like Armor, but others were a little more custom. Finally I considered what skills the Head Librarian of the Freikorps would have to become Von Schill’s right hand, so I emphasized her intelligence with skills focused on that. With that completed, here’s what I came up with for my first pass. Adding a Freikorps Suit was a no-brainer, but I wanted to give some of the flavor of her card, so I made Siphon Power, and gave her Sense Magic, yanked from the TTB Corebook. Now, at this point suggest having a friend look things over. I cheated, and asked @MattM to take a look at these Stats. While you may not have the Narrative Designer to subject to the torture of your homebrew, another set of eyes can help spot things you missed in your initial conversion. In my case, I may have forgotten that in Malifaux, characters are always prepared for a fight, so my original Hannah Stats made her a little too aggro. Matthew helped me take her down a notch, and to be more approachable in non-dramatic time situations. Here’s what Matthew gave for feedback. Matthew's changes reflect some things I overlooked, such as the fact that she won’t be in her suit all the time (which was obvious in hindsight!) and evening out her Stats a bit as a result. He also changed Siphon Energy, turned it into a (0) Action, added a Talent called “Head Librarian,” and another Action called Dispel Magic. Now taking the feedback, I’m going to make some very slight changes to the Second Draft. I’m adding some magical skills to give her a small aptitude for the Magia changing the A New Chapter trigger to give the choice of a Immuto or Trigger. Now that I’ve got Hannah where I want her, I’m ready to use her! For an extra fancy touch, I’ve converted the Stats to look like one of the Bestiary entries found in TTB books. My wonderful fiancé, Taylor (on the forums at @stump_chunkman) helped with it to make the entry look it’s best. Here it is! Now, that was easy, right? What Malifaux (or other IP’s) characters have you converted for TTB? Hannah Conversion - Sheet1.pdf Hannah Conversion - Sheet1.pdf Hanna TTB Card
  5. Heya Breachers! This week, I’m taking a look at the newest Penny Dreadful to release, Uncontainable! But before we do, let’s look at what @stump_chunkman had to say about converting characters from one game to another! You can read the rest here! Now, while holed up in your house, practicing good social distancing, why not pass the time playing an online TTB game about… *checks notes* destroying a new outbreak. Oh… well this is a little timely, as I’m sure if you’re like me you’re doing your part to kick this pandemic right where it hurts! Uncontainable written by our very own @MattM, is an adventure where the Fated are called in to help investigate and stop the spread of an outbreak called the “Sloughing Sickness.” This has sprung up in the Quarantine Zone after the previous pandemic has settled down some months before. The Guild is reluctant to provide their aid, so the Fated are beseeched by Angeline Wrent, a nurse working with the Disease Containment Unit (DCU). The DCU is working night and day to contain the threat, and the Fated prove instrumental in this endeavor. Matthew brings some great direction in this Penny Dreadful. The marker system draws similarities in themes from board games that allow for “area control” to determine the status of the Quarantine Zone through Doctor and Contagion Markers. The Virulent Events are a great add-on to Ongoing Challenges that show the results of the sickness spreading and gear up for the final confrontation with the source of the outbreak. This new direction in storytelling is one of the things I love most about Uncontainable, as it allows players to explore the adventure on their terms, and makes the whole journey feel more organic than a typical linear progression. Do your players want to start at Cold Street to try and gain Asura Roten’s aid? Or maybe one of the Fated have a hidden Resser lair in Strangerskeep that they want to raid for supplies to help the DCU. Both of these options, and more, are available to players through the course of this Penny Dreadful. Overall, I think Uncontainable is an amazing adventure that shows off TTB’s unique storytelling qualities. Adding neat little systems to enhance play and existing mechanics gives the game a face-lift of sorts, and I’m totally on board with Matthew’s style! Uncontainable is available now on DrivethuRPG here. I want to hear from you about what “minigames” or enhancements you have made in your homebrew games to shake up TTB for your players. What worked and what didn’t? Would you like to see more of these sorts of mechanics included in future titles?.
  6. Fortuitous Friday Breachers! This week is another topic picked from right here on the TTB forum. Back in January @Faux_St_Hooligan made a post about changing the flavor of the Medium Pursuit. Here’s what they said: @MattM popped into that thread to help, but this topic is one that shows something I love dearly about Through the Breach. This system allows, and even encourages cosmetic customization for many aspects of the game. I’m going to visit interesting ways to change up the cosmetics in a campaign to suit your needs! As Matt mentioned in that thread, changing the flavor of a Pursuit is something that can be done by changing the names of some parts and the underlying themes. Through the Breach expansions often include how pursuits would fit in other factions, such as how Boozers from Into the Bayou can be found stumbling the streets and slumped over in bars all across human settlements of Malifaux. Perhaps someone in your group wants to have a “drunken master” Fated– a few levels of the Boozer Pursuit would fit in nicely! For Advanced Pursuits, the same can be done, but a little more cosmetic tweaking may be needed. Say one of your Fated makes a deal with an unknown but powerful entity. As Fatemaster you could offer a modified version of Guild Lawyer, making the pact the Pursuit Requirement and renaming the Talents and description to be appropriate for their new benefactor! By far, items are the easiest things to change for players and Fatemasters. The character creation section of the 2e Corebook illustrated this by the example player changing a Rail Hammer into a Mining Pick. Changing the physical description and name allows for deeper story and influence in the ‘Fauxverse of TTB. If your players want something that doesn’t exist, work with them to find something close in stats and help them change the description to fit their story. Finally, while the bestiary includes many creatures, sometimes you may want something that sets itself apart from the “normal” of Malifaux. You can change the Characteristics, Rank, and rename Abilities to fit your vision. If you want something that is similar in behavior to a Guild Hunter but instead of a construct of metal it’s made from sharp ice and bitter cold, you can alter the names of the attacks and Talents to reflect the difference. Instead of Pneumatic Tracker, it becomes Heat Sense. Steel Claws may become Icy Slash, and Chain Harpoon could be renamed Chilling Blast. Now that I’ve discussed how easy customizing in TTB is, what are some customizations you or your players have done to tailor TTB to their liking?
  7. Heya Breachers! Last week I delved into ideal One Shots to get new players introduced to the ‘Fauxverse. Here’s what @Hellomurse said about their first Penny Dreadful: Take a look at the rest of his reply here! I’ve been diving into the lore of the ‘Fauxverse, and there is so much learn and piece together from the decade of world building and story that has come from the unique minds at Wyrd. Yet, there is still a healthy amount of mystery and unknowns in the world of Malifaux, and that makes the world more intriguing. The creative team isn’t about to reveal their whole hand just yet, but let’s look at some of the interesting glimpses we’ve gotten so far through the TTB publications! The TTB Global Campaign adventures are a huge source of information, representing paradigm-shifting changes to the ‘Fauxverse. The first of these, Nythera, introduced a lot of information about various movers and shakers in Malifaux, and chronicled the release of Titania from her prison in the Badlands. Nythera shows the struggles between multiple factions, but still leaves us with some questions. How was Titania imprisoned, especially since she had the power to defeat the Tyrants’ physical forms and lock them away. What exactly is the Hungering Darkness? And my personal burning question, what happened to Otto Pletcher, mercenary and friend? A Stitch in Time takes us back to 1794, smack dab in the middle of what the TTB 2e Corebook calls “The Age of Heroes.” In this adventure we encounter the larger-than-life personalities of Jean-Philip Archambault, the Gorgon, the Clockwork Queen, and Aionus. The campaign ends with the Fated back in their proper time, but returning leaves the fates of these notorious figures unknown! It would be wonderful to learn what happened to these characters, along with Lady Zorra, Jack ‘o the Axes, and Devilish McGuinne. These precursors to the current Masters in Malifaux are ones whose fates remain unknown to us. The Obsidian Gate introduces some Kaiju level changes Earthside, but we do get a bit of information regarding the last attack upon the Obsidian Gates guardians, and the possession of Asami Tanaka. We learn a bit about the oni from both Whitaker and from their time in Zhong Kui’s demon bag. The oni are a fascinating aspect of the ‘Fauxverse that I look forward to being explored in the future! There are still a number of aspects about Malifaux that are open to speculation or theorycrafting. What parts of the ‘Fauxverse do you have theories or speculation about?
  8. Heya Breachers! I’m gearing up for some travel, so this week my topic is about a question I see often enough on this forum and the TTB Facebook group. Most recently @Harlekin asked a variation of this. Here’s his forum post: After you’re done with this week’s Fatemaster Friday, head over to the thread and give your two cents to a prospective new Fatemaster! When it comes to Through the Breach, it can be hard to decide where to start with a group of new players. Picking the right Penny Dreadful can be very difficult. You want something accessible to players who are new to the system, an adventure that introduces the ‘Fauxverse and the immense amount of character within, along with it being fun and engaging. Let’s take a look at some of our Penny Dreadfuls that are great for new players! Links to the DriveThruRPG page for each one I reference will be linked in the Penny Dreadful’s title. Penny Dreadfuls come in a variety of lengths, and the Penny Dreadful One Shots are the perfect way to introduce players to TTB over the course of one session. If you want to jump right into the action, there are several One Shots that come with pre-generated characters for your players to choose from. The pre-gens are varied, so there is a spread of character types to choose from! Recruitment Drive gives a very dangerous introduction into the terrible methods of Professor Von Schtook, of the notorious Resurrectionists. If you want to explore the Arcanists, Sixteen Tons introduces the Order of the Chimera to new players. Honor Among Thieves is a fun heist where the Fated work for the Ten Thunders. Each of these adventures come with pre-gens and are a great way to introduce new players to the multiple factions who work to control Malifaux. If you want your new players to build their own Fated, No Strings Attached is a delightfully strange journey into Zoraida’s clutches. Bad Moon Rising pits Fated against the Nephilim, showing the ferocious strength of the Neverborn. The Ferryman is the perfect One Shot to show the strange dangers that stalk Malifaux City. As Fatemaster, you may want to help your players build towards success for their first session, pointing out Pursuits that work well for the One Shot you’ve decided to run. With the ability to select a Pursuit after the Prologue, you can reassure them that their decision doesn’t have to last forever. There’s more than the One Shots I’ve mentioned here, with more on the horizon! Each of them are only 5$ USD on DriveThruRPG. Penny Dreadful One Shots are the perfect way to introduce new players to this wonderful game, and can get players excited and ready for a homebrew campaign or one of the longer Penny Dreadfuls, like In Defense of Innocence. How have you introduced TTB to new players?
  9. Fantabulous Friday Breachers! Last week we took a look at subordinate Fatemaster Characters in TTB and different ways to utilize them. Here’s what @WDeseron had to say about subordinate characters: See the rest of the comments here. This week we’re delving into the Guild of Mercantilers, with the help of Above the Law. This faction expansion is a must for any Fatemaster wanting to bring the Guild into their games with more than the base NPCs found in the 2nd Edition Core Book. Make sure your papers are in order and you’re not carrying any contraband, because we’re getting up close to one of the major powers both Earthside and in Malifaux. The Guild of Mercantilers, often shortened to the Guild, has a long and storied history. The beginnings of what would become the Guild started in the cabals who tried to undermine the Council in the years before the Black Powder Wars. With the Council out of the picture once the First Breach closed, independent cabals of mages spread their influence far and wide. Naturally, with their mutual enemy gone, these cabals turned upon one another. The height of the inter-cabal fighting was during the Black Powder Wars, and when the dust and fighting settled, only one remained, calling themselves the Guild of Mercantilers. Backed by the extremely sensitive Minerva Council, the Guild became the main purveyors of the soulstone trade, and secured their influence over many nations on Earth. Now that we’ve covered some of the Guild’s history, let’s take a look at their internal structure. The Guild prides itself on internal efficiency along with utilizing nearly indecipherable bureaucracy to bind other organizations and people in red tape. While the Magistar is the public leader of the Guild, the position is largely a figurehead controlled by the Minerva Council. The current Magistar is Jacinta Guillem i Roser Garcia, put in place after a terrible betrayal amongst their ranks that killed the previous Magistar. Under the Magistar are several offices and commissions, but the most pertinent office for Fatemasters and their players is the one solely in charge of Malifaux- the Office of the Governor-General. The Guild forces within Malifaux are currently under the thumb of the formidable and strict Franco Marlow. After Herbert Kitchener merged with a Tyrant to become the Burning Man, Marlow was brought in to clean up the bed of corruption and infighting that was the various divisions in Malifaux, and Above the Law gives a detailed breakdown of each division. The Ram’s Head Tarot allows for Fated to belong to any of the offices, and an assortment of pursuits that excel at furthering that Guild’s agenda. For the martially minded, Gunner and Marksman Pursuits give Guild aligned Fated who stick to their guns an advantage unseen by many in Malifaux. Socially motivated Fated can spread word of the Guild’s superiority as a Propagandist, or leads troops as a Commander. Bureaucrats leverage their knowledge of the hellish politics to hinder foes and aid allies. The Guild employs Magewrights for not only their Witch Hunters, but for magical enhancements and items. Advanced Pursuits such as Executioner, Guild Lawyer, and Soulstone Aficionado give additional and sometimes frightening options for qualifying Fated. Above the Law is available in print through multiple outlets and digitally through DriveThruRPG. Now that we’ve taken a closer look at the group seeking to keep order in Malifaux, what’s your favorite use of the Guild in a game, either as a Fatemaster Character or Fated?
  10. Heya Breachers! Last week I asked about unusual settings you like for TTB, and @Raines228 had this to say: You can see the rest of the comment here. Now, if you’re anything like me, an adventure is always better with minions… I mean friends! Subordinate characters in TTB are useful and take many forms. Let’s take a closer look at subordinate characters and the unique forms they can take. There are a multitude of Pursuits that gain or affect subordinate characters. Criminal, Graverobber, and Tinkerer are each Corebook Pursuits that utilize subordinate characters in different ways. From the Criminal gaining thugs that work for her, a Graverobber having the ability to raise zombies, and Tinkerers improving and using their constructs, the subordinate characters found in the 2e Corebook can do a great deal for Fated. Under Quarantine has the Pursuits of Bully, Medium, Necromancer, and Revivalist that utilize subordinate characters in interesting ways. Above the Law, as you would expect, has several Pursuits that command other people and constructs. Commander, Magewright, Propagandist, and the Witchling Handler each approach using subordinate characters in different ways; Commanders excel at directing soldiers, Magewright imbues constructs, Propagandists use their propaganda to recruit another to their cause, and Witchling Handlers use those captured by the Witch Hunters to aid them in combat. Into the Bayou have multiple options, from Big Hats to Taxidermists and Swineherders that recruit gremlins and hogs to help. Sometimes, subordinate characters are more than just bodies that do what you tell them to do. Both Under Quarantine and Into the Bayou include Grimoires and other items that happen to also be subordinate characters. Stan is a zombie that only functions for the Fated who it serves as a subordinate character. Into the Bayou has Old Stuffins, a taxidermied gator grimoire that has fickle loyalty to the Fated it serves. The Urn of the Ancestor is a piece of equipment that allows the owner to bring forth an ancestor spirit as a subordinate character. Sometimes you just want to have an extra set of hands for a goal, or an useful body for shielding. But sometimes a subordinate character can be useful in other ways. As a distraction while the Fated enter a building unseen, or bait to lure out a hidden killer if your group is morally flexible. A subordinate construct may perform labor such as digging or tearing down defenses. Subordinate gamin may serve as spies or patrols for an area. What ways has your group used subordinate characters for in games?
  11. ‘Fauxtastic Friday Breachers! This week I want to showcase our newest TTB Penny Dreadful, The Dead Tide! But first, here’s what @The13Fates had to say about planning for game sessions: See the rest of their reply here! Now, the Black Friday/Wyrd Birthday Sale saws the debut of Mary “Blacktongue” Bonnet and her frightening crew. The Dead Tide dumps the Fated aboard her cursed ship, and the need to find their way off of it, or face being press ganged into service under Captain Bonnet. The adventure begins, innocently enough, with an Auction. Hired to act as intermediaries for a wealthy recluse, the Fated bid on some interesting antiques, all of a seafaring origin. Upon receiving the won items, the Fated retire for the evening before meeting their employer. It’s during their sleep that some strange magic takes them from their beds and aboard the Harrow, Blacktongue’s cursed ship that sails perpetually in search of wealth. Once on the Harrow, the Fated must make their way through the ship, and piece together what happened aboard the ship and the fate of its crew. While they explore and investigate however, the ship seemingly fights with Blacktongue’s will; areas change, the undead crew attack, and all the while Mary Bonnet slings insults and accusations of betrayal. The Fated encounter not only the crewmen cursed to man the Harrow, but other prominent members of Blacktongue’s crew, and a more recent “addition” who remains trapped but can provide some valuable information to avoid suffering his fate. As the group fights and investigates their way to the captain’s quarters, Blacktongue’s anger at the supposed betrayal of the Fated grows. The climax finds everyone face to face with Mary Bonnet, parlaying in order to get what she’s owed. How the parlay turns out is dependent on a few factors, and determines whether or not the Fated suffer a dark curse upon returning from the Harrow. Personally, I think The Dead Tide is a phenomenal take on the ghost ship story. The pacing, mystery, and danger provided within are great for a group of Fated who want a briney adventure that takes them beyond the typical Malifaux locales. The Dead Tide is available for digital download here for only $5 USD, and is a must have for any Fatemaster that wants some high seas horror in their game. What unusual settings have you put into your TTB campaigns, or what kind of settings would you like to see for a TTB adventure?
  12. Fantastic Friday Breachers! While the Wyrd road team are at LVO, I’m treating my extreme case of FOMO by planning my next Through the Breach campaign. Before I get into that, let’s see what @Preposition_the_Noun posted about the flavors of TTB games they favor as Fatemasters. Now, the planning for a TTB campaign varies from Fatemaster to Fatemaster. Some spend a great amount of care and planning to account for most anything the players may want to do, while other Fatemasters have a vague outline formed and improvise as needed. Personally, I’m about the middle of that spectrum. Regardless, here are some tools and tricks that can work for any Fatemaster to make their campaign run smoothly and add some fun to game sessions. Online tools like Google Docs can be a great way to organize notes, stats for Fatemaster Characters, and Complications you want to create, or even collaborative documents for your players to have handy. Having a folder made that holds all your resources makes for quick and easy access for both yourself and your players! Maps can be a useful and fun addition to any games. In the past, I’ve made crudely drawn maps with MS Paint or some other drawing program. I’ll admit, my amatuer cartographer skills are something my players have suffered with in the past. But, I’ve discovered resources like https://inkarnate.com that allow for easy mapmaking without worrying about your artistic skills. Additionally, using a battle mat can be helpful to show the layout of an encounter, even if your group doesn’t use minis for combat. Some folks like to have reference pictures for Fatemaster Characters, and there are several methods to aid that goal. A browser search for what you’re looking for is simple enough, and there are some online repositories such as Pinterest that can be used. Those wanting to make “mood boards” or other collections for their games can use them to make Fatemaster Characters more “real” the campaigns. Finally, something I’ve decided to do for my next campaign is to make a handy reference for common Conditions, Skill Challenges, and Talents. This is obviously tailored to the players’ characters, but it helps keep the game moving without the need to pause and look up rules. A quick reference sheet can be easily made then shared with your players, and I bet your players will be grateful for the assistance. Now that I’ve shared some of my thoughts and practices for session planning, I want to hear yours! What does your campaign or session planning entail, and what do you add to give a little depth to your games?
  13. Flu-tastic Friday Breachers! I’m still on the mend from my brush with Plague, and it’s been a week of comfort seeking behavior for me. Favorite movies, comforting foods, my army of plush opossums guarding me… and looking back on my tabletop RPG roots. But before I chug along on the nostalgia train, let’s look at what @Shadowopal had to say about working with groups that have scheduling conflicts: Now, I don’t know about y’all, but one of my first RPG experiences was a good old fashioned dungeon crawl. Slogging through enemies and looking for loot is a part of many players’ experiences. It’s the gateway that fuels the dive into more settings and systems. Before you know it, you’re looking at strange, experimental systems, and in depth settings where you can ride a dinosaur. It’s truly a wild ride. Through the Breach released a dungeon crawl sort of adventure in Bubbling Up From Below, a harrowing journey through a sunken Guild ship that’s mysteriously resurfaced. The Fated are hired by Lizzy McKinley for a salvage mission to the GSS Piranha, with the promise that they keep whatever valuables they fine or a cut on the salvage money. This leads to a grueling journey through the Bayou filled with rain, giant mosquitos, and deadly snakes. Upon finally arriving to the GSS Piranha, it’s bobs vertically in the water, making exploration of the vessel a challenge. The bulk of the adventure is delving into the ship, dealing with the undead crew still roaming the ship, until finally reaching a strange and unnerving creature that is behind the Piranha’s sudden reappearance. While this adventure is rather linear, there are actions that the Fated may take that influence the final fight. There are also clues that can be found that give a background and explanation of what it happening, which is always satisfying for players to discover and tear into. A great thing about Bubbling Up From Below is that it’s a wonderful change of pace; Through the Breach often has conspiracies, plots, sabotage and the like behind the veneer of a “routine job.” And while that’s loads of fun, sometimes you just want to get a group together and bash your characters’ way to victory. This adventure is perfect for that, while still giving enough exposition and atmosphere to keep players interested in the story. Bubbling Up From Below is available for digital download on DriveThruRPG. Check it out here! This week, tell me: What’s your favorite kind of adventure to run Fated through? Intrigue? Puzzle-solving? A good showdown?
  14. Heya Breachers! It seems I’m starting 2020 as a casualty of the Piper’s Plague. I hope to heal up soon, and that my urge to climb into the sewers subsides! Now, every Fatemaster, GM, DM or ST runs into the same problem, no matter the system. You’ve got all your notes for the session, snacks on the table and an appropriately atmospheric soundtrack, when the messages start coming in. “I can’t go out tonight.” “My dog’s sick.” “I’ve been eaten by a Grue.” Or, in the case of my household currently, a series of moans and wails the devolve into coughing fits. Getting a group together for a game session can be rough to manage, and there’s the worry that after a while, interest will fade, or the storyline recap will be half the next session as your players ask “What were we doing again?” Personally, I’ve found that if schedules are conflicting, there are a few tactics to keep player engagement and excitement high. One method I use is asking my players between sessions what their Fated is up to. Have they been studying their profession or perfecting their craft? Have they been going on drunken benders and causing mayhem? Is a romance starting to blossom, or a rivalry heating up? Not only does this method help with player excitement and interest, it provides me with additional tie-ins, complications, or benefits to use in my sessions. If things are rough and physically getting together is the problem, sometimes a virtual play space can help. Afterall, if Mitchell has a new schedule and the hour drive it takes for him to get home from the session is too much, I bet he’d be able to play from the comfort of his home, in his pajamas. Sites like Roll20 and ObsidianPortal can be helpful in bridging distance gaps, or online communication platforms like Discord or Skype. Find what works best for you and your group, and get to adventuring! That’s all I have for this week folks, the strange pipe music I keep hearing is growing louder. Do you think Hamelin takes bribes of baked goods? How do you manage the tricky business of game scheduling? What tools or methods help keeps players engaged and ready for that next session?
  15. ‘Fauxtastic Friday Breachers! With the addition of Wyrd’s newest Game Designer, Fatemasters have been treated to a brand spanking new concept to add to their games. The past two Waldo’s Weekly have included Augments in addition to showing off amazing models for the upcoming Black Friday Sale, but let’s take a more in depth look at Augments and their place in Through the Breach! While Emeline Bellerose has done a fabulous job cataloging the various creatures of Malifaux, the recent Augments show that there are more than just the beasties that the former Agent Bellerose has observed. Both the Salty Seadevil and the Silent Knight are creatures never before seen, and they can easily been dropped into a game to menace some poor Contract Town or homestead. Creatures aren’t the only form Augments will come in; the recently released Silent Knight Augment with the Silent Thorn Grimoire. Future Augments may encompass more than a creature or item, but they will always something that is not tied to a particular Penny Dreadful or campaign. Augments are designed to enhance a current campaign with additional lore, world building, and goodies for Fatemasters and players alike. Another wonderful utility of Augments are their scalability! Both of the recent Augments have the option to make the encounter more difficult, to present a challenge for more experienced Fated or, as in the poetic words of @MattM, “maybe you just want more ways to unleash horror and pain on your Fated…we don’t judge.” Ultimately, Augments are a new and refreshing approach to fleshing out both the ‘Fauxverse and your games in little snapshots of lore and mechanics. This week’s question is courtesy of Matt2.0 (nickname still in test phase): “We’re super excited about Augments and their future place in Through The Breach. It gives us a great way to introduce content, and that content could focus on anything! While Augments are new, we’re also interested to hear from the community. What would you like to see in an Augment? What are you most excited about?”
  16. Heya Breachers! This week the Grand Malifaux Tour resumes with a trip through the Badlands! Before we head deep into Nephilim territory, let’s see what @The13Fates said regarding who they’d want to see Zoraida make a puppet of: You can see other folks’ thoughts, or add your own here. The Badlands lay southwest of Malifaux City and is an expanse of hard soil and sparse vegetation. It’s pretty harsh place to live, but for many hoping to start a life in Malifaux it’s their chance at that dream. The settlers of the Badlands are most often backed by the Guild’s resettlement program, and while remote from the Guild’s seat of power in Malifaux City these people are loyal to the “official” power of Malifaux. Fated who are running from the Guild’s power might want to keep their heads down in these settlements unless they’re looking for a fight. Debtor’s Delve is a work camp that utilizes those who have defaulted on loans to the Guild to dig mundane minerals until their debt is cleared. In theory, once the debt is done these workers are sent back to Earth, but Bad Things Happen in Malifaux, so that isn’t always the case for some unlucky “convicts.” Debtor’s Delve is sparsely guarded and as Fatemaster you could have your group attempt to rescue one of these convicts, but be aware that the harsh conditions of the Badlands serves as a deterrent for most would-be fugitives. Just south of the quiet town of Edge Point is the Latigo Stronghold, home to Perdita Ortega and her family of Nephilim hunters. Perhaps your Fated desire to become part of her famed band of gunslingers, or perhaps they need to make a deal with an Ortega staying at the Stronghold. Whatever the case, Fated should be careful as the Latigo Stronghold’s policy is often “shoot first and ask questions later.” The only other town of note is Innocence, positioned far to the south of the Badlands. In Defense of Innocence is a wonderful Penny Dreadful I’ve previously discussed, and you can find that post here. Crossing a large expanse of nothing to the west leads to Nythera. The Badlands Invitational contains a lot of description of the area to the west, taking Fated on a harrowing three-day endurance tour of the wastes and its geography. Fatemasters can draw a lot from this Penny Dreadful to fuel their own adventures! Before reaching Nythera, travelers face the possibility of the Sunstroke Condition and the danger of the Badlands Fever. Both have their own perils, but those who run into the Badlands in a fit of the Fever are later found barely more than a pile of bleached bones. The ruins of Kethsora were the site of a large battle between Freikorps and Nephilim shortly before Nythera was opened, releasing the fae queen Titania. The Nythera Penny Dreadful is an action packed adventure with pre-generated characters that explores this area, along with many others, and allows players to be part of an event that changes the Fate of Malifaux. You can find this adventure, In Defense of Innocence, and the high speed One Shot The Badlands Invitational, on DriveThruRPG through the links provided. The drawing for the TTB/Horror movie mashup contest will happen next week and the winner announced in the next Fatemaster Friday. Now for our weekly question, I want to know how your group of Fated have dealt with the risks and rewards the Badlands has to offer.
  17. Fantastic Friday Breachers! The Malifaux Grand Tour continues this week as we chug along and the air grows colder around us. While you grab a blanket and a hot mug of cocoa, let’s see what @WDeseron said about the Northern Hills. Ten Peaks in the farthest North anyone has mapped of Malifaux. What lies beyond the actual 12 mountains is a mystery to nearly everyone. While a harsh and frigid area, Ten Peaks isn’t without inhabitants of its own. Let’s bundle up, and make our way through the most remote area of Malifaux and those that live there. The climate of Ten Peaks is harsh and unforgiving; snowfall is nearly constant, and very little vegetation exists outside of what’s found at the base of the mountains. This inhospitable region is not one that many choose to live, and as Fatemaster your group of Fated may balk at taking to the mountains in search of something or someone. Thankfully, there are enough intriguing elements to entice your players to make the perilous journey. A rare but frightening danger of Ten Peaks is the "Horde". The "Horde" are groups of nearly feral people who ransack settlements for supplies before disappearing into the heavy snow of Ten Peaks. They are ruthless and focused in their goal of pillaging supplies from settlements near the base of Ten Peaks. The Fated could help a town prepare and try to fend off these terrible raiders. If preparing for an invasion of raiders is not your group’s speed, perhaps they are asked to deliver an item to a member of the Windblown, a nomadic community known for their hunting prowess and strictly carnivore diet. While the population of the Ten Peaks is sparse, there are some settlements of note. Nearly all of the Cult of December reside somewhere in Ten Peaks. Rumors of cannibalism and sacrifices to the thing known as December are widespread. The Temple of December is a stronghold that houses only part of the large cult, and where many of their strange rites take place. The fearsome Wendigo are connected closely to this cult, and prefer the cold climate of the mountains. An eerie place known as The Grove may tempt the Fated who find it with its forest of ice trees and strangely alluring fruit. The secrets of The Grove are for you as Fatemaster to decide. If you want to take your group of Fated on a chilly adventure, Ten Peaks is a wonderful mix of danger, mystery, and exploration to set an adventure in. In depth information can be found in Into the Steam, available on DriveThruRPG. Now that you’re sufficiently frostbitten from this leg of the Tour, why not warm yourself up by considering this week’s question: What do you think the truth of the fabled Soulstone Geode is? Victor Ramos desires it, and Rasputina is weary of it. In your campaign, what would you have it be?
  18. Heya Breachers! The Grand Malifaux Tour continues this week and we’re venturing out beyond the walls of Malifaux City into the frontier town and wilderness Malifaux has to offer. Before the train departs the station, let’s see what @Strype McClaine had to say about Malifaux superstitions: We’re headed to the Northern Hills this week. This area is the lifeline of Malifaux City’s prosperity; the Northern Hills are full of soulstone and valuable ores that the Guild relies on for export Earthside. The Miner & Steamfitters Union exerts great control in the Northern Hills, using threats of strikes to force the Guild to provide reasonable prices in the frontier shops and other improvements to the quality of life for M&SU members. But as we’ll see, there are other powers to reckon with in the Northern Hills for Fatemasters to incorporate into their games. The largest settlement in the Northern Hills is Ridley, a thriving town that is firmly under M&SU control. Ridley Station is the primary link from Malifaux City to the rest of the Northern Hills, and majority of the soulstone shipments pass through the town on their way to exportation. Fatemasters can use Ridley as a main area of activity for their homemade campaign, or they can use our Penny Dreadfuls Northern Aggression and Northern Sedition to drop players into a hotbed of investigation, danger, and the fate of Ridley itself. To the southeast of Ridley is Hollow Point, a solitary mountain turned into a massive pumping station to keep the mines from flooding. Engineered by Dr. Victor Ramos’ genius, Hollow Point Pumping Station doesn’t just prevent flooding. The excess water is used to irrigate the farms of Hollow Point, which helps to feed much of the Northern Hills. Fatemasters may want to have their Fated stumble upon plots to attack the pumping station, or maybe the Fated all live in the settlement built on the mountain and get their start taking jobs for the Union. While the Union hold massive sway in the Northern Hills, not all of the area is under their control. Ampersand is located in a particularly inhospitable area of the region, which suits its construct residents just fine. The town is a safe haven for sentient constructs, and Fatemasters may want to have Fated help a newly sentient construct escape to Ampersand. Additionally, A Stitch in Time takes the Fated to Ampersand and an interesting encounter with one of the residents. The town of Promise is the Ten Thunders’ sole outpost in the area, where many of their smuggling operations pass through on the way to a closely guarded hidden Breach that is under Ten Thunders control. Fatemaster should keep in mind that the hidden Breach is probably one of the best kept secrets in Malifaux, but that doesn’t mean that their Fated can’t be caught up in a struggle over control for this remote Breach in the mountains. The Northern Hills have many named locations for Fatemasters to utilize, but remember that there are numerous small Guild Contract Towns that the Fated can find themselves traveling to. Whether you want to use one of the named areas or have the creative freedom Contract Towns offer, the Northern Hills is a great place for your Fated to Explore. Northern Aggression, Northern Sedition, and A Stitch in Time are all available on Drivethru RPG. This week, I want to know: What kind of problem would you make in the Northern Hills for your group of Fated to deal with?
  19. Felicitous Friday Breachers! Today I’m taking a break from the Malifaux Grand Tour to discuss one of my personal favorites in Wyrd’s catalogue of Penny Dreadfuls and One Shots. Before I get into the bits and bobs of it, let’s see what @Kaiser Senpai said about last week’s question! You can read the rest of their reply and others here! Now, this week we’re jumping into a surreal adventure that puts the Fated in a rather strange position, No Strings Attached. This Penny Dreadful is one of my favorites because it’s light-hearted and fun while still remaining true to the nature of Malifaux. Autumn always causes me to feel nostalgic and as this is one of the first TTB adventures I read, it always comes to mind when I reflect on what I love about TTB. In No Strings Attached the Fated are hired to escort a lovesick young man on his way to try and bargain with the Swamp Witch Zoraida. Now, if your Fated aren’t exactly the type to help a fella fulfill his heart’s desire, that’s fine! As Fatemaster you can easily tailor this adventure to have any hook that works for your group. The important part is getting them into the Bayou. Remember, follow the frogs! After being ambushed and knocked out by silurids, the Fated wake up to find themselves in small, doll representations of themselves. Seeing their limp bodies outside of Zoraida’s hut, the Fated need to find a way to return to their bodies before Zoraida puts them into that night’s dinner stew! Thankfully a puppet version of Lady Justice is able to help, as long as the Fated are willing to aid her in defeating her rival— puppet Seamus and his army of puppet undead— in a decisive battle. This adventure provides a lot of interesting and fun aspects to gameplay. The players get to convert their Fated’s sheet into a puppet parody, and the guidelines for conversion are very clear. Puppet “appropriate” weapons are included in the back of the adventure, allowing the puppet Fated to arm themselves for conflicts against the other puppets. These weapons are unique and really add to the theme of the adventure. No Strings Attached allows players to encounter a colorful cast of characters from the ‘Fauxverse, some terrifying and some endearingly mischievous in their goals. This microcosm of Malifaux within Zoraida’s hut has opportunities for players to have a more lighthearted, but still dangerous, experience for their characters. DrivethruRPG has No Strings Attached for only $5 USD, and if your group wants puppet miniatures for their stuffed substitutes, Puppet Wars Unstitched is available on the Wyrd Webstore and through local game stores! This week, tell me which ‘Fauxverse character you would like to see as one of Zoraida’s puppets?
  20. Heya Breachers! This week our Malifaux Grand Tour takes us into the Bayou, a sordid and dangerous place. Before we start though, let’s see what @War Disciple has to say about the true nature of the Soulstone Geode: Now, get on your waders, because we’re about to be hip deep in the murky, gator filled waters of the Bayou! The last bastion of civilization before the depths of the Bayou is a lackadaisical town called Edge Point. It’s surprisingly peaceful town that boasts a low crime rate and Edge Point Station, where trains head out to settlements in the Badlands with much needed supplies. A Fatemaster may use this location as a starting point for the Fated who need passage to one of the Contract Towns, or perhaps they have been hired to protect the cargo against any attacks. While the town itself is calm, your Fated may not want to stick around- the smell that blows in from the Bayou to the East isn’t one many are accustomed to and the threats of disease carrying swamp insects may leave Fated unwilling to spend too much time in Edge Point. The Bayou itself is largely controlled by various Gremlin clans who feud amongst themselves and come together for Bayou Bashes when the mood strikes. There are no strict borders for family territories, which means humans who delve into the Bayou can find themselves in hot water with multiple Gremlin clans who claim an area as “their land.” Perhaps your Fated can fast talk two families into a feud in order to make their get-away? The Bayou is home to some ancient structures that are filled with a variety of magic and danger. When the Red Cage was brought down by the Tyrant Plague in 1902, it fundamentally changed Malifaux. More than being the root cause of The Event, it left a massive crater in the edge of the Bayou that is estimated to be over 300 feet deep. Strange abominations, made of dead flesh and metal, climb out of the deep hole. Somewhat recently odd creatures called Grootslangs have emerged and have begun carving out a niche for themselves in the Bayou. Perhaps the Fated want to enter the depths of the Red Cage in search of knowledge or hidden power. As Fatemaster you can give them a mighty big challenge with potentially huge rewards. Kytheria is a place of power for the Grave Spirit, built by ancient denizens of Malifaux with the misplaced idea of harnessing the power of the Grave Spirit. Though the site was destroyed in 1901, the call of the Grave Spirit is still heard by some Resurrectionists who brave the Bayou’s dangers in search of power. Most notable of those who travelled is the killer Seamus, drawn the Kytheria’s power through the urging of the Grave Spirit. Fated who hear the Grave Spirit may feel called to Kytheria as they progress along their Pursuit. Or perhaps the Fated are hired to find a missing person who is following the directions whispered in dreams that lead to the deathly ruins. These places, along with the Sunken City and maybe a chance encounter with Zoraida, add to the mystery and danger of the Bayou. There is so much to explore in the swamps of Malifaux, and loads of danger and rewards for Fated brave enough to travel Into the Bayou. Aside from the expansion book linked, more adventures in the Bayou can be found in Bubbling Up from Below, The Hand that Feeds, The Bayou Games, and in Wyrd Chronicles Issue #23 with the adventure “Dawn in the Bayou.” This week, I want to know: what is the most frightening part of the Bayou to you, and why?
  21. Heya Breachers! I've written up a swell piece on what I love about In Defense of Innocence, but when I checked my calendar I just couldn't post it. It's just asking for a gift from Waldo to post anything like that on Friday the 13th, and I'm not one to tempt Fate (even if it's just Waldo claiming to be Fate's will.) So instead, I'm going with something a little more appropriate. Friday the 13th is upon us, and October is just around the corner. Even though the temperature here isn't feeling very autumnal, the spookiest time of year looms ahead. And well, we love us some spooky here at Wyrd! Personally, I feel that Through the Breach is a wonderful way to get in the Halloween mood, but I'm also a sucker for a good horror movie. So I thought, why not combine the two! From now until Halloween, hit me with your best horror movie translated for Through the Breach! It doesn't need to be a full one-shot or scenario write-up. Think more the plot hook or overview. Here's one I'd love to run as an example: A small frontier town's children have been disappearing, and it's whispered among the frightened children that something slinks through the town taking the form of their greatest fears. Submit your horror movie re-imagining in this thread through October 31st, and a lucky winner will receive a spooky prize! I can't wait to see your submissions!
  22. Happy Friday Breachers! With Autumn upon us here in the US, it’s a great time to start getting into the Halloween spirit. @Vorzakk 2.0 seems to be of a similar mind based on their response to last week’s question, as they said: You can see the other responses here. This week I’m going to explore ways to utilize our spookiest expansion, Under Quarantine, to up the creep factor with your campaign. As I mentioned in the Malifaux Grand Tour post, there is a great deal of unique and engaging areas within the Quarantine Zone, and likewise, Under Quarantine has a great deal of content to enhance your campaign! The locations within Under Quarantine aren’t limited to the Malifaux City. Subterranean caverns, tunnels, and even a railway in progress are locations introduced in the expansion, making it more than simply a deeper look at the Quarantine Zone. Rather than running your Fated through all the locations mentioned, it’s more manageable and meaningful to pick a location in particular that enhances your story, letting the Fated explore a little at a time. If you want your group to feel menaced and on edge, you could orchestrate their need to enter the crime-ridden Passage. If you want a feeling of isolation or claustrophobia, try the Necropolis or the Northern Caverns. Under Quarantine covers a great variety of mundane and magical Conditions and their workings. This gives Fatemasters a diverse set of unfortunate things to unleash upon their players! The Conditions included in location descriptions are a valuable resource for Fatemasters, even if they aren’t using those particular locations. For example, the Tuberculosis, Red Eye, and Claustrophobia Conditions can be used outside of the locations they are mentioned in. A lot of personal story can come from Fated trying to overcome a bought of Infection or Brilliance addiction. Create a more nuanced and interesting Fatemaster Character or tempt an unwitting Fated to the path of a Resurrectionist with the practicals of raising the dead. There is additional Magia available for magically inclined Fated or Fatemaster Characters, showing that Resurrectionists utilize more than just the “typical” methods of their craft. The bestiary includes the terrifying Killjoy and the disturbing spell that summons him, written from the perspective of Emeline Bellerose, former Elite Division agent turned rogue (and undead). Under Quarantine has many methods for Fatemasters to enhance the horror of Malifaux, and if you don’t have this book, I cannot recommend it enough! You can find this book digitally on Drive-Thru RPG here. Additionally, A Night in Rottenburg and Recruitment Drive are self contained adventures, featuring locations of the Quarantine Zone and some notable Resurrectionists! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the Through the Breach focused contest thread. Flex your creativity and have fun with your entry; there are already some great ones so check them out! Finally, this week’s question is: “Which Resurrectionist do you think is the creepiest, and why?”
  23. Phenomenal Friday Breachers! Thanks for being part of the Malifaux City leg of my Grand Malifaux Tour! At a pace on par with the Iron Ram, we flew past a lot of locations at a brisk pace. Look out for more in depth explorations in the future! But, while the tour is preparing for the wilds of Malifaux, let’s take a look at a wonderful aspect of character progression in TTB, Talents! But first, here’s what @The13Fates had to say about making Malifaux City a character of its own in a campaign: See the rest of their comment here! Talents in TTB allow for a great deal of customization for a Fated both in Character Creation and during progression. These unique abilities can allow your players to refine and guide their Fated towards certain progression goals, offer customization for Fatemaster Characters, and are a wonderful resource to give any character more personality. I’m going to delve into some of the reasons why Talents are one of the handiest parts of the TTB mechanics. General Talents aren’t just for reinforcing a character’s existing strengths; in fact, some of my favorite Talents are the ones attached to negative Aspect Values! Anyone who has made a TTB character knows that Fate can be the cruelest mistress when it comes to the Body and Mind cards of the Destiny Spread. Thankfully, those amazing General Talents are there to ease the pain of flipping a Black Joker for Body and ruining all of your hopes and dreams for that Freikorps-wannabe you planned. These Talents, like Sure-Footed or Plain-Spoken, represent a Fated’s awareness of their shortcomings and developing a work-around. The best thing about these is they don’t go away if the character improves the Aspect and no longer meets the prerequisite. For even more character customization, the Pursuit Talents are often presented in pairs for players to choose from. These allow a character to further determine how they follow the Pursuit; a Fated on the Criminal Pursuit may want to focus more on who they know and not being on the front lines fighting, or they may decide to be a hardened and unrelenting opportunist when it comes to combat. As Pursuits are chosen at the beginning of the session after the Prologue, a character can build up quite an assortment of Talents over time, making it a wholly unique character with abilities that represent their journey thus far! While many other RPG systems have granted abilities during character creation and progression, the Talents of Through the Breach offer some of the most unique and rewarding options for both players and Fatemasters. Next week I’ll be giving an overview of the wonderful inaugural Penny Dreadful, In Defense of Innocence. In the meantime, be sure to consider this week’s mail-call question. What is a moment when a Talent was used in a memorable or creative way by one of your players that completely wow’d you?
  24. Fantastic Friday Breachers! Last week our Grand Malifaux Tour took us into the Quarantine Zone. I asked to see what your folk appreciate about the Quarantine Zone, and here’s what @WyrdGM had to say about our favorite “no man’s land” within Malifaux City: See the rest of their comment, and others', here! This week I’m wrapping up the tour’s exploration of Malifaux City with a look at the New Construction Zones and the Slums! Let’s start with the New Construction Zones! The (NCZ) are areas to the north and south of Downtown and The Industrial Zone where industrious settlers have rebuilt areas that were in ruins or to create entirely new areas. Both of these areas are visually unlike the rest of the buildings in Malifaux City, and are extremely busy in their own ways. The Northern NCZ is technically part of the city, but exists on the outside of the northern wall. It is rarely paid attention to by Guild patrols, instead relying upon a local militia and mercenary groups for protection. The Northern NCZ gives the atmosphere of a Frontier Town in close proximity to the organization of Malifaux’s Downtown and Industrial Zone. The Southern NCZ, also called Dockside by locals, stretches from just south of the Industrial Zone, out onto docks upon the Fortune River. While Northern NCZ is more like Tombstone than San Francisco, Dockside is a patchwork district of multiple businesses crammed as close together as possible.I’ve always imagined the atmosphere of Dockside as busy, smelling of fish, with dock workers yelling to each other as boats dock from the river to offload their cargo. The Slums, much like the Quarantine Zone, are collectively made up of the Easterly Slums, Central Slums, the Little Kingdom, Riverfront Slums, Howling Slums, The Burns, Southern Slums, and Southgate Slums. These districts are home to most of Malifaux’s citizens, and are relatively safe. Sure, some of them are a little rougher than others- The Southern Slums are very isolated from the Guild’s control, and the Riverfront Slums is home to the infamous “Redchapel Killer,” Seamus. Other districts of The Slums are largely self-governing, such as The Burns and especially the Little Kingdom. Largely populated by transplants from the Three Kingdoms, the Little Kingdom is the seat of power for the Ten Thunders’ numerous operations. Now that we’ve completed the city portion of the Malifaux Grand Tour, the Tour is pausing for a couple of weeks before we head into the rest of Malifaux. So, stretch your legs within Southgate for a bit while we take a look at a few other topics. For mail call this week, describe how you plan to make Malifaux City a living, breathing character within your campaign!
  25. Fabulous Friday Breachers! This week we continue our tour of Malifaux, specifically within Malifaux City. There was a prevailing theme to most of the answers for last week’s mail call, so let’s take a look at @The13Fates' answer for an idea on our next stop on the Malifaux Grand Tour! See the rest of the comment, and everyone else's here! The Quarantine Zone was established years before the Piper’s Plague, but the disease left in the wake of the Tyrant Plague’s awakening has imparted a lasting fear of any sickness and some good folk flee to the zone rather than take a bullet from the Guild. As a result, Resurrectionists, miscreants, and normally law abiding yet sick individuals and their families try to eke out a life within the makeshift neighborhoods of the Quarantine Zone. Each district can add a great deal of character to your campaign. Starting in the North most region of the zone, we have Powderburg, an open, dusty expanse of the city that was, until recently, home to Leopold Von Schill’s Freikorps. Powderburg is great for any adventure where you want to drive home how the ever changing political landscape of Malifaux impacts the day-to-day lives of its residents. With the Freikorps gone, surely some other powers want to stake a claim on Powderburg. Will your Fated Help them or hinder them? Moving on, our next stop is Strangerskeep, which is arguable the most haunted district with its looming spires and decrepit mansions. Quiet, haunting, and likely very lonely, Strangerskeep is a great place for Fatemasters to send their Fated on a hunt for some treasure rumored to be in one of the manors of the district. Rumor has it the area’s been getting eerily cold as of late, I wonder why that is? The Barrows is the safest district in the Quarantine Zone, and the residents are ruled over by Alexander Barrows and his wife Daphne. The Barrows is filled with architecture that are associated with all the Resurrectionist stereotypes and these stereotypes exist for good reason, as a large number of established and budding necromancers make this district their home. Use The Barrows in your campaign to show the haughty and refined side of the Quarantine Zone, or as a way for Resurrectionst Fated to mingle among their own kind! Just make sure you’re polite to the gentleman and lady of the district! Scapetown is an opportunist’s paradise, and as a result, it’s one of the most active districts in the Quarantine Zone! Perhaps this lively community is where your Fated make their homes or visit friends. Directly opposite from Scapetown is the deserted and putrid Gremlin’s Warf, where the Guild’s attempts at destroying the disease-ridden insect population has made the waters within the district toxic. Entrance into the Southern part of the zone is easy, so this dangerous area can be an in for Fated who don’t have any other means of entry. There is a great deal more to the Quarantine Zone than I’ve covered here but our Malifaux Grand Tour has a strict timetable to keep! For more exploration, Under Quarantine is a great resource for more information, and if you want a pre-made adventure within the zone, A Night in Rottenburg is a wonderful way to get your Fated in the middle of the dangers the Cold Street district has to offer. This Week's Mail call question is "What is your favorite aspect of the Quarantine Zone and why?"
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