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Edits in red.

THE STRANGER [work in progress-- formerly the Shadow]

by Matt Gnof

with thanks to dave ring and Christopher Stone-Bush

Name

Choose a name:

Ariadne, Carver, Christian, Devon, Grace, Hyde, Lindsay, Tsui, Ward

a dignified name; a first, middle, and last name; the name of your host body, first victim, or summoner

Look

Circle one in each list:

affable, nondescript, gorgeous, off-putting

gray eyes, piercing eyes, lightless eyes, eyes like mirrors

Guise

Circle one:

new kid in school, best friends since childhood, girl/boy next door, born of privilege

True Nature

Circle one:

serial killer, advance scout for the invasion, lifelike android, devil you know, ancient wizard, giant praying mantis

Sex Move

When you’re alone and intimate with someone, it counts as gazing into the abyss for them. You make the roll using your dark score and you ask the questions, but you both learn the answers.

Darkest Self

You only look human-- scratch the surface and you’re nothing like them. If any of those poor sheep knew what you really were, they would hate and fear you, and rightfully so. For a short time you’re free to indulge your dark appetites and revel in your superiority over the herd. Silence or destroy anyone who could reveal your secrets, so that you continue to pass unseen among the masses. You escape your Darkest Self when it puts you in serious danger of being exposed, or when you kill someone.

Stats

Add 1 to one of these:

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 1

Stranger Moves

You get this one, then choose two more:

True Nature

You have a true nature, one that you’ve kept a closely guarded secret until now. You can pass as normal most of the time, but while you are your Darkest Self, your true nature is revealed, and everyone sees you for the monstrous evil you really are (or at least believe yourself to be). While you are your Darkest Self, you can attack using the trappings of your true nature. When you lash out physically, roll with dark and add 1 to the harm dealt if you catch them by surprise or if they don't know your true nature. When someone first discovers your true nature, give them a String.

People Who Know My True Nature:

Conspiracy of Silence

You, or someone you know, has the power, resources, influence, or all three to keep your secrets from coming out. When you hurt someone, emotionally or physically, you can roll with cold. On a 10 up, your victim remains silent, no one suspects you, and there’s no physical evidence. On a 7-9, choose one. On a miss, give them a String.

Abuse of Power

When you turn someone on or manipulate an NPC, roll with cold if you have more Strings on them than they have on you.

Darkest Mirror

You know others better than they know themselves. When someone else gazes into the abyss, roll with dark if you have Strings on them. On a hit, you share their visions, and you gain any effects they do (Conditions, Strings, forward, etc.). On a 10 up, they have no clue what's up.

The One That Got Away

Scars fade, but pain lingers. When you shut someone down, on a 10 up, if you’ve ever hurt them in the past and they haven’t already taken harm, they take 1 harm.

Sever

While talking with someone, you can spend a String on them to remove a String they have on someone else, including you.

Predatory

When you lash out physically against someone who doesn’t know your true nature, you may spend Strings on them 1-to-1 to choose from the following options: they don’t know it’s you, and/or they don’t realize your true nature; they don’t see you and they don’t know where you are after the attack; they carry -2 forward to run away.

No Witnesses

When you’re alone with an NPC who trusts you, you can spend three Strings on them to kill them, just like that.

Devouring

When you kill someone, for each String you still have on them, either erase 1 harm or remove a Condition they gave you. If you have time, you can get rid of the body, no trace of which will ever be found unless you allow it (even if you’re dead, you make the call).

Advancement

Choose another Stranger move.

Choose another Stranger move.

Choose a move from another Skin.

Choose a move from another Skin.

You have Unwitting Pawns.

Add 1 to Hot (max 3).

Add 1 to Cold (max 3).

Add 1 to Volatile (max 3).

Add 1 to Dark (max 3).

Your Backstory

Someone already knows your true nature. Give them three Strings.

Remove a String someone has on you. The events of that String still happened, but they’re not sure it was you, or they think it was someone else.

Nothing gets past you. Gain a String on everyone. For each PC who has no Strings on you, gain another String on them. Going forward, gain a String on every character as they are introduced, even NPCs that you’ve never met before, and new PCs as they are created.

Playing The Stranger

Powerful, manipulative, corrupt, mysterious. The Stranger is all about death, secrets, control, and betrayal. You’ll probably start with more Strings on others than any other Skin. That alone makes you dangerous.

The Stranger isn't about what you are, but what you are not. The Stranger is the dark horse, the puppet master. They're the one your parents warned you about, a close friend who secretly hates you, someone you trust who's always lusted after you-- the predator, the outsider, the stranger on the playground. If they aren’t the corrupt authorities themselves, they’re in league with them. Like the Chosen, the Stranger can shift the tone of the game. They take refuge in obscurity, working behind the scenes and breaking the rules of the game. The Stranger is the big bad villain to the Chosen’s hero.

The Stranger is unusual in that much of their power should be demonstrated ‘offscreen’. You have authority, or at least knowledge of the real world that the other characters lack-- whether that’s through money, magic, connections, or even just reserves of strength and competence you normally keep hidden. Your moves are only a small part of what you’re really capable of. Work with the MC to explain how you know the things you know, see the things you shouldn’t, and do those terrible things that most people will never, ever hear about.

The Stranger takes away other people’s power and uses it against them.

When you deal harm with The One That Got Away, physically you don’t lay a finger on them; this is emotional pain, remembered hurt, old wounds.