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From the Ashes, Hope Rises The Final Empire was built on the backs of the skaa — the downtrodden descendants of those who opposed the Lord Ruler’s ascension a thousand years ago . They are the faceless masses of Scadrial, tasked with plowing the barren fields, sweeping the ash-covered streets, tending the opulent nobility, and serving at the whims of their “betters.” But a few skaa cast off the chains of their destiny to be something more. They are thieves, Allomancers, firebrands, and rebels. They fight the system of oppression and brutality to give their people something they lost long ago — hope . Skaa: Tin & Ash is an essential supplement for the Mistborn Adventure Game, designed for players, Narrators, and fans of the Mistborn novels. Developed in cooperation with Brandon Sanderson, this guide expands the canon of the novels, providing new insights into skaa throughout the Final Empire. Inside you’ll find detailed information on the history and beliefs of the skaa; the lives of city, canal, and plantation skaa; the skaa criminal and political underground; and famous skaa such as the Citizen, Mare, and the Survivor of the Flames. For players of the Mistborn Adventure Game, there’s a bounty of new rules for creating and playing your own skaa Hero, including new Stunts, equipment, Networks, and locations to explore and liberate! Also included is an epic adventure, Beasts of Burden, set in the black heart of the skaa criminal underworld. An old friend has gone missing in the slums of Luthadel, and you have been hired to find him before it’s too late. As you close in on the truth, you find yourself and all you hold dear under assault from all quarters by a shadowy syndicate . What is this foe protecting, and how will you strike back? Your very survival hangs in the balance…

ISBN 978-1-940094-93-9

9 781940 094939

52495 >

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CFG7005 Price: $24.95 Printed in the USA

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ADVENTURE GAME

SKAA: TIN & ASH Player’s Guide & Mistborn World Resource

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www.crafty-games.com

Mistborn Created by Brandon Sanderson Game System Alex Flagg

Additional Material Alex Flagg Josh Vogt

Product Development Logan Bonner

Cover Illustration Tommy Arnold

Tin & Ash Writing Logan Bonner Monica Valentinelli Rob Vaux

Interior Illustration Ben McSweeney Hugo Solis

Beasts of Burden Writing Dennis Twigg

Graphic Design & Layout Michal E. Cross

Editing Amanda Valentine

Miniature Wolfhound Consultant Zelka, aka Zbean Mistborn Brand Manager Alex Flagg

Special Thanks to Amanda Valentine, our resident Tineye and hero of the people

First Printing 2015 Based on the Mistborn novels by Brandon Sanderson, copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 by Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC and used with the express permission of Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC. All text herein is copyrighted by Crafty Games. Reproduction of any part of this book without Crafty Games’ written permission is expressly forbidden, except for the purpose of reviews and when permission to photocopy is clearly stated. The Crafty Games logo and distinctive likenesses thereof are © copyright of Crafty Games. All rights reserved. The mention of or reference to any company or product in this book is not a challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. Printed in the U.S.A.

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE WORDS OF THE SURVIVOR . . 5

Black Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Eastern Street Slang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

4. Plantation Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

BOOK ONE: TIN & ASH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1. A Secret History of the Skaa . . . . . 13

Escape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Liberation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Superstition on the Plantation . . . . . . . . . . 53 Life in the Mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 The Pits of Hathsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

The Origins of the Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Breaking of the Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The First Half-Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Relations of Nobles and Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Modern Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 After the Collapse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2. The Lot of the Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Population Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Classes Among the Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Appearance and Physiology . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mindset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Skaa Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Beliefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Rights and Legality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Half-Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Skaa Allomancers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Skaa in Different Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Skaa in the Dominances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Central Dominance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Northern Dominance . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Western Dominance . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Eastern Dominance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Southern Dominance . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Outer Dominances . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Khalfi, the Hidden City . . . . . . . . . . 34

3. City Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

City Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Factory Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Street Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Manor Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Artisans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Criminals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Prostitutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Beggars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Skaa Slums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Thieving Crew Dens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Slipping Through the Cracks . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

5. Canal Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Types of Canal Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Pilots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Support Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Cleaners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Dock Workers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 WayStations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Smuggling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

6. The Skaa Underground . . . . . . . . . 63

Thieving Crews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Typical Crew Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Trafficking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Crew Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Informants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 The Underground After the Collapse . . . . 69 The Luthadel Assembly . . . . . . . . . . 70

7. Skaa Rebellions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Historical Rebellions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Miner’s Climb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 The Children’s Rebellion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Modern Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Yeden’s Rebellion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

8. Skaa Belief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Worship of the Lord Ruler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Superstition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Faith After the Collapse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Church of the Survivor . . . . . . . . . . 81 Other Faiths After the Collapse . . . 83

9. Skaa Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Building Your Skaa Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Common Skaa Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Skaa Destiny and Tragedy . . . . . . . 86 Skaa Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Skaa Advancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Gaining a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

TABLE OF CONTENTS Using Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Changing Networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Spending Advancements . . . . . . . . . 92 Black Hill Skaa (Skaa Only) . . . . . . 93 Citizens of Khalfi (Skaa Only) . . . . . 93 The Silk Charade (Skaa Only) . . . . 93 Yeden’s Rebellion (Skaa Only) . . . . 94 Luthadel Assembly (Skaa Only) . . . 94 Skaa Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Fast-Acting Poisons . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Other Common Skaa Equipment . . . 97

10. Notable Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Spook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spook (Serious Threat) . . . . . . . . . Playing Spook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spook as an Ally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spook as an Enemy . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelsier’s Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quellion (The Citizen) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Demoux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yeden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Folosst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

101 103 104 104 104 104 106 107 108 109 110 111 112

11. Black Hill Plantation . . . . . . . . . 115 Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 Important Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Points of Intrigue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

12. Two-Fist Slum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Important Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

13. Kav’s Barge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Important Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

14. Secrets of the Skaa . . . . . . . . . . 133 Skaa Allomancers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Refugees among the Skaa . . . . . . . . . . . . Education and Literacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Khalfi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fell’s Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whispers in the Mist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

133 134 135 135 136 137

BOOK TWO: BEASTS OF BURDEN . . . . . . . . . . 141 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 What’s Been Happening? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 What Happens Next? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 The Set Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 What the Heroes Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Vital Components, Clues, and Pacing . 149

1. Under the Yoke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Scene Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Setting the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Key Events and Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Vital Components, Clues, and Pacing . 153 Secrets of the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Primary Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Wrapping Up The Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

2. Wolves Amongst Sheep . . . . . . . 165 Scene Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Lieutenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Primary Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wrapping Up the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

165 165 166 172 180

3. Culling The Herd . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Scene Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Setting the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182 Vital Components, Clues, and Pacing . 182 Secrets of the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Undoing the Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Primary Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Wrapping Up the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195

4. Leader of the Pack . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Scene Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Setting the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 Vital Components, Clues, and Pacing . 198 Primary Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Awarding Advancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

5. Aftermath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

Scene Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Primary Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 What Comes Next? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Appendix: NPC Summary . . . . . . . 213

THE WORDS OF THE SURVIVOR

Warning: This story contains major spoilers for the Mistborn trilogy, and it’s best to read it after having read at least the early chapters of The Hero of Ages. “Then, the Survivor of Hathsin’s lifeless body fell to the ground. I know this, because I was there.” Trest paused, threw his arms up to the sky, and stepped off the makeshift podium to face the small assembly lingering in the dingy alleyway. The skaa preacher realized his all-too-familiar story would not be enough to convince these city-dwellers to join the Church of the Survivor. Every skaa in Luthadel had heard what happened to Kelsier minutes after he attacked the Lord Ruler. Every skaa knew, deep down inside, what the Survivor had done for them. That wasn’t the problem, though. The skaa weren’t used to heroes and never expected to be saved. Naturally, his people didn’t know what to do next. The skaa preacher lowered his hands and scrutinized the crowd in silence. Trest spotted wide-eyed urchins smeared with ash and skaa merchants huddled together in conversation. Expectant mothers and well-dressed servants who likely worked at one of the Great Houses were also present for today’s demonstration. Though there were a few dozen people gathered in the back alley, Trest sensed a strange undercurrent. It was as if the crowd wasn’t there for him; they were all waiting for something — or someone — else. A miracle, perhaps? No, Trest thought, what these traders, pilots, servants, and beggars needed was permission to believe in a god other than the Lord Ruler. “Please! Go on!” A thin girl dressed in a fraying, brown dress broke the tension; her high-pitched plea was followed by careful whispers urging him to finish

his story. Trest clasped his gnarled hands and sighed with relief. Deep down, he feared the crowd’s silence almost as much as the mist. Almost. The preacher stepped back up on his podium and continued: “Kelsier’s body did not topple to the ground easily. His hardened skin had not been pierced by arrows, nor had it been bruised by the Inquisitor he killed moments before. No...” “No!” a trio of bums shouted at him; their skinny forms were covered with raggedy layers of ash-stained clothes. “The Lord Ruler...” “The Lord Ruler crushed one side of his face and stuck a spear through his chest. But,” Trest lifted a finger and paused for dramatic effect, “the Survivor did not die that day.” The crowd gasped. Many listeners shook their heads in disbelief. Could he blame them? Centuries of abuse, murder, and slavery at the hands of a petty god had taken its toll. The skaa were easily manipulated and had been brainwashed to succumb to the Lord Ruler’s absolute power. Regardless of how cruelly the Lord Ruler had treated them, Trest understood he could not shake the skaa’s downtrodden attitude. They’d been treated worse than any animal or insect for far too long. Instead, the preacher was forced to convince the skaa there was more than one god — a fact that could inspire his people to take action. “The Survivor lives,” Trest said, pointing at the center of his chest. “In here.” “Where?” A heckler shouted, barging his way toward the front. Trest recognized the skaa instantly. Though he didn’t remember his name, the preacher knew the hunch-backed drifter had recently escaped to Luthadel from a nearby plantation. “You pretendin’ to be him?” Fresh doubt wormed its way into Trest’s mind, filling him with anxiety. Ever since the soothing stations had been destroyed, they’d all been grappling with feelings that had been suppressed for far too long. Was his sermon good enough? How many believers would he recruit today? None? Or a dozen? “Let me ask you a different question, brother.” Though he was nervous, Trest pushed his feelings aside and kept his voice calm and steady. “What kind of a man sacrifices himself for another?” “A stupid one!” the man yelled back. “Skaa are born and die every day. Kelsier did not have to waste his life to prove a point.” “You’re right!” Trest said, smiling. “The Survivor did not have to die. He chose his fate. He didn’t know how he would fall, just that he had to.” The preacher could tell his words were not spoken in vain. Many of his listeners had finally stopped fidgeting and bowed their heads slightly, as if they were hanging on Trest’s every word. “Why?” the former plantation skaa asked, confused. “Why’d he let the Lord Ruler murder him?” It was a simple query, but one that Trest had prepared for. If he answered this next question correctly, then the Church could expect more recruits by the end of the day. “Because, brother, we were already dead. The Survivor sacrificed himself so that we’d understand we are more than broken-down slaves.” “What are we?” the tired man asked, shaking his head. “We’re nobody.” Staring directly into the man’s eyes, the preacher said proudly: “We are skaa!”

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MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME

INTRODUCTION

At the height of the Final Empire, the skaa toil and suffer as slaves for little reward. Victims of the brutal social hierarchy set in place by the Lord Ruler, they’re legally inferior to the nobles and must obey their dictates. On the plantations, the skaa tend the hardy brown plants. In the mines, they dig out metal and stone in harsh and dangerous conditions. Along the canals, they pilot and crew barges carrying the bounty from the countryside and ashmounts to the cities. Within the cities themselves, they tend the noble estates and carry out all manner of tasks that make the urban centers run. All this — all the skaa accomplish — is done to line the nobility’s pockets. At least, all that most skaa accomplish. Skaa also run thieving crews, black markets, and information networks, trying to get something for themselves under the noses of the Steel Ministry and the nobles. These bold few, who defy Lord Ruler’s insistence that they obey, carve out their piece of the pie by whatever means necessary. Because their disobedience violates the laws of the Final Empire, these skaa often have to resort to violence, bribery, or intimidation to keep their activities from reaching the Obligators’ notice. There are few true “good guys” among these skaa lawbreakers — nearly everyone has some blood on his hands. Even those with the best of intentions and the brightest hope for the future of the skaa have few illusions about the true way of things in the Final Empire. Accomplishing anything significant requires ruthlessness, the cost counted by the bodies left behind. Though some skaa fight for freedom and rights for their people, just as many are villains in their own right, willing to step on their brethren in their climb to the top. Especially among the thieving crews of the skaa slums, steal-

ing from or selling out one’s fellow skaa can lead to profit and prestige. Skaa crime lords exploit and subjugate other skaa. Skaa who are on top of the heap becomes targets for equally ruthless upstarts, so they often have to become even more committed to cutthroat methods to keep their station. Though some regard this self-destruction with the scorn it deserves, many others see it as just another part of their lot; after all, it’s no different than what they’re subjected to by nobles or Obligators every day. There are also idealistic skaa who strive to improve the lives of their people. Some believe they can enact minor, reasonable changes to make things a little bit better. Others follow bolder visions, striving to undermine or topple the Final Empire to finally free the skaa from noble bondage. Ironically, the most powerful tools to affect this type of change are those skaa with noble blood — the Allomancers. Skaa Allomancers are quite rare, but they are the only ones who possess the magical might to defy the Steel Ministry and go toe-to-toe with noble Mistings and Mistborn. They are hunted ruthlessly by the agents of the Canton of Inquisition, and so must remain out of sight, working undercover or traveling at night through the mists. Creating change among the skaa population takes immense effort. Skaa are, as a rule, poorly educated and reluctant to act against their masters. This is no accident — it was part of the Lord Ruler’s plan since the dawn of the Final Empire. Using the Steel Ministry as his agents, the Lord Ruler suppresses the skaa with widespread superstitions, unfair laws, Allomantic soothing, and his most devious invention: a religion devoted to himself. With the Lord Ruler as their god, the skaa come to believe that their place is ordained — not inflicted upon them but part of a natural and holy order. True change can come to the Final Empire only if the skaa see another way. The Lord Ruler’s infallibility and immortality must be broken. Someone else must rise to become a new focus for the worship of the skaa. And this person must rise from the ranks of the skaa themselves.

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MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME

On many plantations, nobles attempted to treat skaa as though they were more akin to their betters. As you will see in the highly detailed examples ahead, skaa cannot operate without the full measure of strictures the Lord Ruler dictates. Noble masters have tried giving skaa up to two hours a day of personal recreation; alloing skaa to collect and ration their own food (tantamount to taking food from the mouths of noble babes); and even to marry acceptable partners. These attempts, though noble in spirit and perhaps more “satisfying” for the skaa, have failed to increase productivity without exception. The skaa have proven, time and again, to be too unwilling or ungrateful to return work and sweat to their nobles in kind, choosing instead to squander the goodwill proffered them and thus ensure the need for continued noble dominion. – Selection from Experiments in Skaa Husbandry, by Gerrance Hasting

TIN AND ASH

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BOOK ONE

TIN & ASH

1 A SECRET HISTORY OF THE SKAA

Laborers, servants, and farmers, the skaa are the backbone of the Final Empire. Often overlooked and taken for granted, the skaa are not just servants — they are an entire branch of humanity shaped to work for the Lord Ruler and the nobles who swear fealty to him. Despite their origins and the disdain the Lord Ruler, his Obligators, and the nobility have for them, the skaa can excel and achieve greatness. Like many things in the Final Empire, the caste system under which the skaa toil is a sham. There’s no longer any significant physiological difference between the skaa and nobles, and the skaa have proven time and again that they’re not the listless, weak wretches the Lord Ruler had intended them to be. Only by covering up a history full of rebellion can the Steel Ministry hope to keep the skaa docile and hopeless. This section is written from the perspective of the assumed time period of Mistborn games, just before the events of the first Mistborn novel. Any references to “now,” the “modern era,” or the like refer to this time period, with the exception of a section at the end of this chapter detailing what happens after the events of the first novel.

THE ORIGINS OF THE SKAA

The skaa of the present day are unaware of their history, for they are a people without time, crushed by a system that ensures “yesterday” and “tomorrow” are the only past or future that matter. Ancestry, history, lineage — those are the concerns of the nobility, not the skaa. But the truth is out there, buried in the deepest and most ancient archives of the Steel Ministry and speculated on in heretical texts hidden in the libraries of revolutionaries and free-thinkers alike.

A Secret History

In the time before the Final Empire, there was no noble caste or skaa caste; rather, both are the creation of the Lord Ruler himself. The first skaa were created from those who dared oppose the Lord Ruler during his Ascension. The skaa were designated as a servant class as punishment for their disloyalty. Those who supported his efforts became the nobles, blessed with wealth, social status, and the gift of Allomancy in acknowledgement of his favor. On this foundation, the Lord Ruler built a system of careful control over breeding, strict social separation, and inequality, enforced by his Steel Ministry, to ensure this division remained intact — a state of affairs that remains to this day, nearly 1,000 years later. Though the skaa are biologically and mentally no different than anyone else in the Final Empire, the nobility are taught that the skaa are a lesser “race,” hardier and more fertile compared to nobles but inferior in many ways. The Steel Ministry and nobility invented “inferiorities” — such as alleged lower intelligence, lack of spirit, and sloth — and made them a party line to justify the social order they built. Though these traits have little basis in fact, hundreds of years of institutional abuse and enforced ignorance amongst the skaa have shaped the skaa culturally into a more docile and easily intimidated people.

THE BREAKING OF THE SKAA

The skaa did not succumb to noble rule easily, nor did they magically give up the freedom to think independently. The skaa were more resistant to the Lord Ruler than they later became. While the Lord Ruler’s changes — and lies about skaa inferiority — had a profound effect on the skaa over time and eventually had the desired effect on their mindset, earlier generations retained the desire for their own identity and the ability to feel compassion for their fellow skaa. Anger, when combined with fear, longing, and hope, began to manifest in an unusual way that the Lord Ruler did not predict — through the arts. Though once they were under the domination of the Final Empire skaa weren’t permitted to be literate, they still preserved a sense of being and culture through song and sculpture. Almost all of these creations have been lost, but the ones that survive show pieces of the world as it once was. In contrast to the Steel Ministry, whose histories only supported the Lord Ruler and the world he

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MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME

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The Skaa Shall Be My Property: The Lord Ruler declared himself the owner of all skaa, thereby placing himself at the center of the Final Empire’s economy. Skaa lost their freedoms to move and participate in imperial culture, and the nobles their right to marry or even mingle with the skaa freely. Strangely, this decree also extended a modicum of protection to the skaa: while a nobleman’s position would allow him to abuse a skaa to whatever degree he felt was justified, death or serious injury would require financial reparations to the Lord Ruler that might give some pause. I Own the Skaa, Body and Soul: This decree declared the skaa shall revere the Lord Ruler alone, and asserts that he is their maker and master. The deification of the Lord Ruler enforced his infallibility, and by extension, the rule of the nobility whom he had “blessed.” Defiance of noble rule or the Steel Ministry was thus heresy against the Lord Ruler himself. Though the same rules apply to the nobility, they have a slight bit more leeway if they’re disobedient. The nobility are also explicitly charged with enforcing the obedience and deference of the skaa. The Skaa Shall Be as Each Other: The Lord Ruler believed an emergent skaa culture would present a threat to his new world, and so declared a pogrom against skaa self-expression and learning. The skaa were formally banned from receiving formal educations, apprenticeships in skilled trades, or performing publicly. Men and women alike were forced to wear unremarkable brown clothing, unless otherwise allowed by their noble masters. Skaa caught with literature, art, music, or other creative expression were subject to brutal, bloody punishments — often meted out in public, and involving entire families. The Skaa Shall Have No Means: The skaa lost all rights to private ownership, and nearly all access to private living spaces. Additionally, the Lord Ruler instructed nobles to provide only essential amounts of food and rest to keep their skaa alive, and no more. By putting the skaa perpetually on the edge of ruin, he ensured their desperation and dependence on the nobility.

Although the fear of death, torture, and severe beatings are the preferred tactics for controlling the skaa, the decrees of the Lord Ruler have had a greater impact in the long term. By forcing the skaa to bow to the nobles, they carefully and deliberately eradicated the individual identity of the skaa to compel their fealty to their masters — and, above all, to the Lord Ruler.

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had given them, the skaa recorded the world as it existed prior to the Ascension. The early art of the skaa — and some pieces they had found from before the world changed — is all that’s now left to show how the world once was. The Lord Ruler’s first set of decrees to break the spirit of the skaa were designed to destroy the skaa’s individual and cultural identity. Though the Steel Ministry’s practices have changed over time, the original precepts still guide the course of society, and are now perceived as tradition, justice, or simply the law of nature by most residents of the Final Empire. These initial decrees included:

A Secret History

GENERATIONS APART The passage of time and the erasure of cultural elements are huge factors in how the spirit of the skaa was broken. This can be challenging to convey in a role-playing game context, because in the days of the Final Empire the skaa as a people may seem flat and unimpressive as a whole. Yet any group of people, no matter how downtrodden, is made up of individuals with quirks and unique characteristics. One way to quickly draw out character individuality is to mix up the ages of the skaa that the players encounter. Kids, by their nature, may not be as scared and as obedient as their parents and guardians. How does a parent react when their child draws in the dirt when an overseer is nearby? What is the punishment for a child who doesn’t lower her eyes when a noble glances her way? By focusing on smaller personal details, the suppression of the entire race will be more poignant. At least some of the heroes are likely skaa, so contrast the way other skaa react to them with the way they act toward noble heroes. Nobles usually see the skaa as a uniform bloc with little differentiation, and the skaa quietly defer to the nobility if they know what’s good for them. In contrast, a skaa approaches another skaa as a unique person, and isn’t afraid to show individuality among fellows. A noble hero might find that her questions get only cursory, respectful answers or cause the skaa to cower in fear. On the other hand, a skaa questioning fellow skaa in the same way can get the straight story, along with some colorful language. These divisions are less obvious among the outlaw skaa who largely populate city slums. These skaa might avoid nobles entirely, work only with known business contacts, or viciously attack nobles they meet on their turf. Skaa in these slums might face hostility — everyone’s fighting for their own share, after all — but are more likely to be heard or have a chance of trading some information or working with street skaa.

These decrees have proven so effective and are so widely adopted that the Steel Ministry no longer indoctrinates the nobility into upholding them, and instead focuses its attentions just on the few nobles who lapse in their rigor. These rules remain in effect today, though few people outside the Steel Ministry are even aware that how many of these are actually legal requirements. Some rebellions did occur in these early days, but the skaa fought back blindly, not knowing what murky future awaited them. The Lord Ruler’s laws meant that even if the skaa could have escaped, they’d have no means of survival. For more information about skaa rebellions, including many of the major historical rebellions, turn to page 74.

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Though the Lord Ruler believed he thought of everything, there were more than a few areas he was short-sighted on — interracial mixing being one of them. Skaa and nobility have always been able to produce offspring, since the only real genetic difference between them at their inception was the capacity for Allomancy. Interbreeding between the nobility and skaa occurred almost immediately, even within the first generation after the Lord Ruler’s Ascension. In most cases, the mixing of the bloodlines was hidden. Children born of skaa women typically just lived among the skaa, with no questions asked. It wasn’t until the first “skaa” with Allomantic powers surfaced that the Obligators took notice. To the Lord Ruler, the mingling of the bloodlines might present a danger to his new order, but Allomancers coming from the skaa caste were the true threat. The Steel Ministry acted swiftly and brutally, enacting severe laws against intermingling and dictating a skaa woman must be killed if there was any risk she might bear a nobleman’s child. Lords who resisted were summarily silenced (often, permanently), and the deed was done: the children of skaa and noble were sentenced to death without remorse or exception. Half-skaa and their place in society (or lack thereof) are detailed further in Chapter 2, starting on page 27.

RELATIONS OF NOBLES AND SKAA

Over the 10 centuries of the Final Empire’s existence, the relationships between skaa and noble have evolved. What began as a caste division established along political and genetic lines has mutated to meet the changing realities of the Final Empire, such as the dilution of both the skaa and noble bloodlines; the frequent uprisings and house wars; political shifts in the Final Empire’s orthodoxy; and the rise of cities and urban skaa. Though the Lord Ruler has gone to great pains to ensure his Empire will be eternal, he has not been afraid to alter those plans to ensure its stability and the safety of the social order. In earlier centuries, skaa sometimes enjoyed much more freedom under a caste system which enforced separation of noble and skaa but not the actions of either; or less, when the skaa were formally enslaved to individual noble lords; or a greater interdependence, as when skaa worked the lands of noble houses in exchange for protection from rival lords’ armies. When any of these systems proved too prone to rebellion, intermingling of the races, or manipulation by the noble houses, the Steel Ministry changed the laws to reassert order and control.

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THE FIRST HALF-SKAA

A Secret History

The most recent shift in the skaa-noble relationship came with the establishment of the plantation system nearly 200 years ago, perhaps the most stable to date. The skaa are commanded by and the responsibility of each Dominance’s provincial lord, granting the nobility great latitude to raise armies and shift labor as they see fit. Rather than freeing the aristocracy to challenge the Lord Ruler’s reign, this freedom has actually led to harsher discipline as the lords work their skaa harder in an effort to undo rival Houses. The suffering of the skaa has given the Lord Ruler what he wants most: the plantation system has prevented a single major uprising from occurring in the five inner Dominances since its inception.

MODERN DAYS

By the modern day — the time of Mistborn: The Final Empire — the skaa are oppressed culturally, socially, and physically, but have managed to survive. Many skaa are fearful of long-lasting relationships, and concepts like “friendship” are rare. Instead they counteract their anxiety by ensuring they can make the lives of their fellow skaa better in small ways, provided they can take action without alerting an overseer or noble. This is true regardless of where the skaa live, for though their treatment might be different depending upon their physical location or which nobles “own” them, they are still fused together in the bonds of slavery, whether they want to admit it or not. Though their fates seem sealed, more than a few modern-day skaa attempt to escape from their “homes” and try to eke out a life on their own terms. This unquenchable desire for freedom has resulted in many skaa beggars, thieves, and wanderers who survive on the margins of society.

AFTER THE COLLAPSE

Warning: This section contains major spoilers for the Mistborn trilogy. This section is best read after completing the first book: The Final Empire. After the Lord Ruler’s fall, the skaa gain their freedom, but most are unprepared for the chaos that follows. The collapse of the Final Empire causes uncertainty and pain for a great many skaa, as it shakes their belief system and takes away the oppressive stability of the old ways. The skaa have to find their own way, though many fall back into the same predictable routines of their old lives, finding comfort in the familiar. Others become entrepreneurs, others leaders, and still others turn violently against noble rule as the stranglehold of the Steel Ministry loosens. Skaa remain divided geographically into groups that live in the cities, on plantations, and along canals, as described in the chapters ahead. The power structures change radically, though, and many skaa migrants stream toward the cities — especially Luthadel — from the plantations where they once lived. Some of these skaa head to the capital in the hopes of seeking a better life, but most are refugees, fleeing nobles plantation owners who have engaged in strict and violent

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practices to intimidate their skaa into compliance or hordes of koloss that grow bolder and attack isolated communities. Throughout the Empire, free skaa build small farmsteads using the skills they learned on the plantations. These independent sites aren’t easy places to live, and many skaa band together to form communes to make life easier, or, in some cases, possible at all. When it comes to family life — a new concept for skaa in many ways — the skaa largely follow the basic family structures they’ve seen nobles use. Though skaa have for a long time married (usually in secret), this is the first time they’ve been able to form autonomous families without fear of noble intervention severing the family through edict or violence. Most skaa believed the Lord Ruler to be a god that could not be killed, and the event of his death has spawned dozens of new faith movements. While a great many follow the Church of the Survivor, other skaa still hold onto beliefs in the Lord Ruler’s divinity. For more on skaa belief in the times of uncertainty, see page 79.

2 THE LOT OF THE SKAA

For centuries, the skaa have been the true backbone of the Empire. While the Lord Ruler may have created them out of spite, they serve a valuable economic purpose in the form of cheap labor. Most skaa are rewarded with only their daily allotment of food. Beaten into submission, skaa are lucky to live past 40 and are often put to death once they’ve outlived their usefulness. This section focuses on the skaa way of life before the Collapse.

POPULATION STATISTICS

Although casual murders, malnutrition, torture, and premature deaths caused by sickness or other maladies have kept the skaa population in check, the skaa still far outnumber any other racial group on Scadrial. There are approximately forty “purebred” skaa for every noble, and approximately five to six hundred skaa for every Terrisman. When taking into account people of mixed noble and skaa blood — an illegal but nonetheless significant population — the numbers shift closer to fifty skaa to every purebred noble, though some of these halfbreeds live as nobles. The population difference results partially from the slightly higher fertility rate of the skaa, combined with the incredibly low, controlled birth rate of Terrisman due to forced castration.

CLASSES AMONG THE SKAA

How skaa are treated depends mainly on where they live and what type of labor they’re required to do. A servant who washes dishes in a nobleman’s home

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will fare better than a skaa worker forced to spend every waking moment out in the fields. The roles they’re forced into are primarily what distinguish one skaa from another. In a way, the nobles have unwittingly created a caste-like structure among the skaa based on location and employment. It is rare for skaa who work on plantations to intermingle with a dockworker or a skaa butler. The only way a skaa may escape their predetermined lot is to drop out and join the underground ranks of beggars, thieves, and rebels (see page 63). Skaa who become criminals often have a much higher standard of living than other skaa, or even than the poorer nobles. If they can escape the control of the nobles who essentially own them, they can earn the freedom and resources to make their lives far more comfortable. Consequently, the criminal underworld is home to many of the Final Empire’s most ambitious and clever skaa — those smart enough to see opportunity and gutsy enough to take it. These skaa live on a knife’s edge, though. Nobles and Obligators can ruin what any skaa has built with enough effort — it just takes a bit more time to do so to those living outside the system.

APPEARANCE AND PHYSIOLOGY

Despite propaganda to the contrary, the skaa look just like nobles for the most part. They tend to be a few inches shorter than most nobles, primarily due to malnutrition in their youth, but the truth is any skaa in Kelsier’s time could pass for a member of the nobility, provided he had the means, his appearance were well cared for, and he had a proper wardrobe. The only noticeable difference is that fair hair is less common in skaa, and its presence usually indicates some amount of noble ancestry. Nobility and skaa are born with similar faculties. Physically, their brains are almost identical at birth. Yet years of abuse, poor nutrition, environmental factors, and emotional Allomancy from their noble masters take a toll on the skaa. Though they’re not born with any greater likelihood of illness than nobles, skaa endure constant abuse and have few means to get treatment for mental or physical illnesses. Consequently, trauma, depression, and paranoia are common among the skaa and often lead to suicide.

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The idea that the skaa would turn on their fellows may be hard to stomach, but such behavior is the direct result of centuries of torture and oppression. Servitude and obedience are written culturally into every facet of skaa life, starting at birth, making such “programming” incredibly difficulty to break even for those who are “free.” Fear for their lives (or those of their families), hope of reward, or deeply-ingrained sense of inferiority leads skaa to rat out their disobedient fellows to their noble masters over even trivial things, helping to prop up the very social order that oppresses them. Even skaa who live largely free of the nobles, such as those who join thieving crews, aren’t safe from betrayal and exploitation by other skaa to the Steel Ministry or noblity — though in these cases, it’s more about getting ahead or protecting a racket than it is fear. It’s important to remember that skaa aren’t a monolithic culture who share the same beliefs and attitudes — even towards each other. A skaa who has suffered might see the plight of other skaa as an equal tragedy, or might become self-serving and seek revenge. Many skaa buy into the line they’re constantly fed — that skaa are inferior and were made that way by their god — and devalue the lives of other skaa just as much as a noble would. For many unscrupulous skaa, the life of a noble is something to aspire to, including the mindset that skaa are inferior beings suited only for subjugation.

Beyond the basics, the needs of each house dictate what qualities the nobles hope to find in a skaa. Physical attributes like attractiveness, strength, and size are important to the nobility, along with obedience and humility. An agricultural house prizes endurance and strength for workers, but a vainglorious Luthadel house might want only the most handsome skaa to be part of their public face.

MINDSET

The nobility believes in their superiority and wields this assumption in complex ways to rule the skaa, backed up by the Obligators and the Lord Ruler’s doctrine. Living under that pervasive system of control, the typical skaa also believes he is inferior. The lack of their own culture and sense of history has crushed their spirit. Their compulsory obedience is passed down from father to daughter, mother to son. Skaa aren’t born with this sense of inferiority, though, and only later learn to shut their mouths and mind their masters. A common noble saying imparts the advice, “The loose tongue of a skaa invites the sharp tongue of the lash.” Though each noble may have his own way of ruling over their skaa, generally speaking any outward displays of individualism or acting outside the norm will result in punishment. The cruelty heaped upon skaa children can be extreme, though

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SKAA AGAINST SKAA

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nobles are rarely willing to kill children that could grow into useful workers. However, they have no compunction about putting down sickly or weak skaa children, and consider it deserved when a skaa child dies after a beating — that child was clearly not strong enough. Ironically, some of this abuse doesn’t just originate from the nobles; it also comes from other concerned skaa who try to help the younger generations avoid beatings at the hands of an overzealous noble who seeks to make an example out of a rebellious servant — regardless of age. Most skaa are loyal to avoid being beaten or because they’ve simply accepted their lot in life and are trying to work within their predetermined roles. Others truly have faith in the divinity of the Lord Ruler, and believe that the social position they hold is the one true order of the world. They don’t necessarily fear the nobility, but their true owner: the Lord Ruler. As such, the skaa universally loathe their masters for a variety of reasons, but are more diverse when it comes to their feelings about the Lord Ruler. The skaa are, on the surface, compliant and are fully obedient. Even those who belong to the underground have to suppress their desire for freedom in public or they’re likely be hunted down and killed. Many skaa have become set in the old ways to avoid being harmed. Others slide into apathy. These skaa — most skaa — choose to remain silent to avoid suspicion. They do not question what lurks in the mist, and are afraid. They believe everything they’re told, regardless of where the information originates from, because it’s easier to avoid questioning the truth than face it. Though this makes them vulnerable to opportunistic businessmen and thieves, many skaa live within the moment, not daring to think about the future. After all, it’s safer that way.

SKAA LEADERS

Skaa community leaders are usually designated elders on a plantation or in a House. A skaa community leader doesn’t necessarily have to be intelligent or charming to be well-respected by the community; the wisdom of old age alone demands respect. They primarily ensure that peace is kept and younger skaa stick to the rules. They don’t wield power like that of a noble, but their opinions take on a greater weight because they’ve managed to survive so long against the odds. Their amounts of autonomy and authority differ from place to place, but typically speaking the Outer Dominances offer the skaa more chances for legitimized leadership positions than those who live closer to Luthadel get. On some plantations, a skaa’s deeds get them leadership roles with the blessing of the ruling nobility. Of course, some skaa, usually younger than the established leaders, have new ideas that they believe would make them better leaders. Some of them end up running rebellions or thieving crews rather than playing into the established power structure. Elders look on these youth with great skepticism — the “new ideas” are frequently just the same old ideas that have gotten so many skaa killed in the past.

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No matter what period in history, the beliefs of the skaa have always circled around the Lord Ruler. Most think of the Lord Ruler as a living god to be feared, worshiped, and obeyed. This deification, moreso than cruelty or torture, is what has made it difficult for the skaa to successfully rebel. When they do rise up and demand to be treated better than insects, the Steel Ministry unleashes the fierce Inquisitors against them, and on rare occasions the Lord Ruler makes a purposeful appearance to ensure the skaa understand their place in his order. These appearances serve to enforce his simple orthodoxy: that both the skaa and the nobles must worship him, and the wise and wary should never deviate. But the skaa hold other beliefs beyond worship of the Lord Ruler. Superstitions are widespread, especially about the mists, the Mistborn, and all the other phenomena they aren’t allowed to have any true knowledge about. These folk stories cross from plantation to plantation on the few occasions when skaa traveling with a noble master make contact with the workers on the plantation they visit. The nobility largely ignore these rumors, though the Steel Ministry monitors them to some extent. They clamp down on any folk tales that might cause dissent, and make a game of sharing the most ludicrous stories with one another. Far more information on these subjects can be found in Chapter 8: Skaa Belief.

RIGHTS AND LEGALITY

The nobility may command them, but all skaa are the Lord Ruler’s property. Technically, the skaa are “rented” to the nobles. Skaa were initially assigned according to the estimated needs of each property. As generations passed, the population of the skaa shifted organically to fill varying positions. It is not uncommon for skaa to be traded, but a reason must be included in order for an Obligator to approve the transfer. In most cases, skaa float from house to house for specific roles that need to be filled. But, on occasion, the Steel Ministry may intervene and reassign a skaa — especially if they perceive the skaa have gotten too comfortable where they’re living. Skaa have very few personal rights. The few laws the skaa can count on have less to do with their personal safety and more to do with ensuring that the tenuous economic system remains unchanged. Skaa who haggle in the name of their noble masters can count on getting a fair price, and merchant skaa also enjoy some protection under the law. Anytime money or services are to exchange hands, these skaa may safely call on an Obligator to oversee the meeting — in

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BELIEFS

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fact, it’s expected. This also reinforces the Lord Ruler’s involvement with his “property,” and helps keep the nobility in check. The other law that is typically enforced has to do with the health of the skaa. The nobility are required to ensure that the skaa have access to sanitation services and get the bare minimum of healthcare. Though the skaa are little more than slaves, illness threatens the stability of the Final Empire if it spreads. The Steel Ministry randomly inspects the noble houses to assess whether or not skaa need to be quarantined (or more likely killed) to prevent the spread of disease. Most skaa are undocumented in any way. The nobles are expected to keep an accurate count of their skaa, but names, parentage, and other details of skaa’s lives matter little to the Steel Ministry. The exceptions are skaa entrepreneurs, such as merchants and artisans, since they blur the bright line between skaa and noble. As skaa, a merchant remains tied to a House, but their contracts to sell and distribute goods are held independently with the Steel Ministry. This status grants them new freedoms, such as the to operate a business and to hold onto large sums of money for long periods of time, but these rights are contingent upon the patronage of their House. Thus, while skaa merchant can build a business over years without any assistance from his masters, any wealth he holds is technically in escrow for the noble who legally possesses it. Consequently, the majority of skaa merchants squirrel away some of their income out of sight of both their patrons and the Canton of Finance. Though the penalty for getting caught is certain death, such skimming is overlooked as most nobles consider it easier to take a cut of a merchant’s profits rather than to spend the time or resources to constantly checking up on them.

A WOMAN’S WORTH You have room to roam when you’re considering how women are treated in Mistborn. They’re not all treated alike — and their treatment doesn’t just depend upon the race they hail from or whether or not they’re pregnant. Noble society is highly sexist, and noblewomen are often used as assets to build alliances through advantageous marriages or “heirs of last resort.” However, exceptionally talented or cutthroat women can rise to power (whether through social or clandestine means), and noble Allomancers are incredibly valued no matter their gender. While skaa society is a reflection of the noble society as a whole, the role of gender is less of a determination to a woman’s fate. Skaa women trapped in noble control rarely have any power except as leaders of house staff, but with the trust of their masters they can wield great influence. Outside the reach of the nobility, however, talent, skill, and drive — not gender — matter far more, whether a woman is working with thieving crews, plying the canals at the edge of the Empire, or leading rebellions.

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Acts of sexual violence are found throughout Mistborn and tie into the Lord Ruler’s centuries-old motivation to protect his rule. These acts have little to do with emotional attachment or even lust. They are primarily tools to reinforce the nobility’s rule. The skaa have little recourse against their noble masters’ predation. Even the skaa elders and communities on plantations socially reinforce the hopelessness of the situation, discouraging skaa from retaliating or refusing their masters. Additionally, skaa characters affected by a nearby soothing station may not have a strong reaction to being taken advantage of. In essence, the soothing stations act as a type of drug to make the skaa submissive. Torture, rape, and unwanted pregnancies are potentially powerful, mature story elements, but they make many players feel uncomfortable. As the Narrator, use caution when implementing them in your game, and recognize that you’re entering fraught territory. Unless you and your players specifically agree to engage these issues, use them only as background elements that are very slightly implied. As narrative tools, extreme forms of brutality may serve as strong motivators for the skaa rebellion, rescue operations, and personal vendettas — but the players don’t have to experience these in excruciating detail to feel fear and anxiety toward the Inquisitors, nobles, or other sadists. Most importantly, remember how awful the nobles’ tactics make life for the skaa, and don’t make light of serious issues like rape and other forms of violence.

HALF-SKAA

Despite society’s condemnation of such unions, nobles and skaa can (and often do) have children with no physiological ill effects. Societally, however, it’s a far different story. Sex and interbreeding between skaa and nobles are expressly forbidden, and those who violate the law suffer with some of the strictest punishments meted out in the Final Empire. The possibility that a noble and skaa could go even further — could fall in love — seems so far-fetched as to be unthinkable among both noble and skaa circles. Such relationships do develop, of course, but are incredibly rare. As a consequence of these taboos, most half-skaa, half-noble children arise from sexual violence by nobles against skaa — typically, those whom they regard as their property. Though intercourse with skaa is illegal, the Obligators tend to look the other way as long as a nobleman kills any skaa woman he violates. What’s worse, these crimes are often cloaked as a “rite of manhood” for many young noblemen, leaving deep scars on both sides of the social divide. Noblewomen, on the other hand, get no such leeway from the Obligators if they’ve coupled with skaa. Fortunately for the child, it’s much easier for halfbreeds born to noblewomen to go unnoticed; without certain proof that a child is

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SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN MISTBORN

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fathered by a skaa man, the Steel Ministry doesn’t act. Noblewomen who break this rule typically do so with house servants who are trusted to be around them without others’ supervision. This cultural taboo and family secrecy make it almost impossible to tell how many half-skaa children are born to noblewomen. On occasion, an infertile nobleman obsessed with leaving a legacy convinces his wife to use a skaa to provide an heir, typically killing the skaa man afterward under false pretenses. A noblewoman’s pregnancy is cause for celebration; even if there’s a slim chance a male skaa might be the father, few inside a noble family pursue their suspicions unless the mother has been extremely indiscreet — though Obligators are another story. Skaa women often become trusted midwives and nannies, taking care of noble children. There have been a few cases of these caretakers swapping skaa children for noble children, particularly when they knew that the noble child was actually half–skaa. Any child of mixed blood has a chance of being born with Allomantic abilities, and this is the main reason the Lord Ruler outlawed breeding a mixed child. Still, few children born of both noble and skaa blood actually develop such abilities. The term “half-skaa” applies to any child with noble and skaa parenting, regardless of whether they’re Allomancers, Mistborn, or neither.

SKAA ALLOMANCERS

Skaa Allomancers are the rarest subgroup of half-skaa — people who not only have not only survived the perils of noble censure before they were born, but inherited the rare mystical birthright of the nobility as well. To prevent skaa from developing Allomantic abilities and overthrowing his new order, the Lord Ruler decreed that breeding between skaa and nobles was absolutely forbidden. Yet, no amount of laws or restriction could prevent all children of nobles and skaa from being born. Often, simple emotions like empathy and pride often complicated the decision to take a life (or lives). When a noblewoman was unable to bear her husband’s child, was it so wrong to continue their line with a half-breed from one of the servants they owned and controlled? When a wife suspected her noble husband of infidelity and confronted his pregnant skaa lover, what was she supposed to do when the soon-tobe mother begged her for forgiveness? The enforcement of this rule by the Ministry is what shifted through the centuries — not the Lord Ruler’s desire to keep it. As time passed, the genetic lines between skaa and noble blurred, meaning the gift of Allomancy the Lord Ruler gave to his noble followers appeared more frequently among skaa as well. But the ins and outs of Allomancy are far more complex that even learned people in the Final Empire suspect. It is widely assumed that a skaa Allomancer indicates a transgression between one of her ancestors and a noble somewhere back in her family line. But the fact is a skaa with no noble parentage could be Misting or Mistborn — it’s just rare to the point that few think it even possible. The central difference between the manifestation of Allomantic power is how skaa and nobles discover those powers: most noble children undergo beatings and other stressful events at some point in their lives in

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an attempt to make them Snap, but no such ritual exists amongst the skaa. Skaa Allomancers typically Snap their powers through a trauma they experience during their everyday life…the only question is whether they suffer one severe enough. Many skaa who discover latent Allomantic abilities shun and refuse to learn them, either because they see Allomancy as a curse or for fear for their lives. Since many skaa know about the Mistings and Mistborn among the nobility, most remain unaware that the child of a noble and skaa could possess such powers — partially due to the fact that half-breeds aren’t even supposed to exist — making it easy for skaa Allomancers to hide in their midst. Skaa with “odd knacks” are simply thought of as blessed by the Lord Ruler, or objects of superstition to be avoided. Mistborn are almost completely unknown among skaa, but the few exceptions are often quite notable (namely, Kelsier, Zane, and Vin). No doubt some have arisen in the past, but the likelihood of them discovering the full extent of their abilities without the tests noble children endure was always unlikely. These skaa Mistborn likely ended up just living out their lives as ordinary skaa, with perhaps a few more lucky breaks, or realized they had one Allomantic ability and didn’t pursue the issue further. Still, a lucky few skaa Allomancers are discovered by folk sympathetic to their plight, and given assistance in developing their abilities. Only the most savvy skaa, often Allomancers themselves, know what to look for, and many use networks of informants who keep a lookout for signs of potential Allomantic talent. Few of those who mentor skaa Allomancers do so out of pure altruism; most are looking for potential recruits for thieving crews, rebel armies, or assassins under the thumb of organized gangs. For skaa Allomancers, being used for their supernatural abilities is just another facet of the skaa experience. As the Allomantic bloodlines have weakened and its gifts spread amongst the skaa, some bold nobles have begun to look for skaa Allomancers for their schemes. These plots range from beating skaa in the hopes of getting some to Snap, to illegal breeding projects to try and produce Mistings (as Straff Venture did, which ultimately sired Zane). Any Allomancers discovered are never reported to the Steel Ministry and instead trained in secret, where they become incredibly valuable assets to their house (if properly controlled). How these “kept” Allomancers are treated depends on a variety of factors, ranging from which metal they can burn to their lord’s plans, but all live under threat

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of death the moment they step out of line or turn against their House. The most valuable of all skaa Allomancers would naturally be Mistborn, but they also present a tremendous gamble to a noble house; when a half-breed skaa Mistborn learns the true extent of her power, it’s just as likely she’ll turn on her masters as stay in line.

SKAA IN DIFFERENT REGIONS

Since the skaa exist to provide the Final Empire’s labor, they are typically found in three types of locales: cities, plantations, and along the canals. A skaa’s work varies depending upon which noble owns them; depending on their house and location, they might work as miners, house servants, artisans, merchants, and plantation, dock, or factory workers. Gifted skaa do not go unnoticed, and nobles often give them cushier jobs doing skilled labor or even putting them to work as merchants or messengers working in the name of the house. Distinct subcultures have developed in each of the main places where skaa can be found. They are: •

•

•

Plantation Skaa: Each plantation is controlled and managed by a single noble house, which relies almost entirely on skaa labor to function. Crops in the Final Empire are brown, sickly, and require near constant maintenance, so the vast majority of plantation skaa work the fields, though a few work in the house serving the nobles who oversee the operation. Some plantations also include mines, where skaa toil in the darkness underground to collect vitally important metal ore for their masters. No matter their specific roles, plantation skaa are afforded few opportunities and have little to no independence. For more about plantation skaa, please refer to Chapter 4. Canal Skaa: The Final Empire’s trade relies primarily on canals which crisscross throughout the various dominances. Canal skaa live in shanties dotted along the docks and banks, and can often be found pulling or piloting boats and barges under the direction of nobles. While canal skaa have specific duties to fulfill, as long as their section of the canal is working properly, they’re allowed some autonomy. To read more about the canal skaa, skip to Chapter 5. City Skaa: The Final Empire’s cities are its engine of culture, industrial production, and business, and city skaa are the wheels that turn the engine. Though the typical city skaa performs menial labor, like cleaning ash from the streets or toiling in a noble manor, they have the most freedom and least security amongst the skaa. While most were not born in the city, having been freed or escaped a noble’s rule, their freedom means survival is even less assured than if they lived on a plantation. City skaa have more employment options and work in the streets as artisans, merchants, thieves, beggars, and more — provided they have what it takes to survive. Learn more about city skaa in Chapter 3.

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Though there are three subcultures of skaa, the peasant class may be broken up into several types, depending upon which dominance they live in. Each region in Scadrial has its own unique flavor, and the skaa who call a particular dominance home are often marked by their location.

CENTRAL DOMINANCE

The varied terrain, noble houses, and towering spires of Luthadel combine to make the Central Dominance one of the more interesting (and dangerous) places for skaa to live and work. Here, anything could happen. In addition to the city skaa, plantation skaa work on large plots of land owned by wealthy, prominent noble houses. Here, the canal skaa are primarily tied to a house and are only allowed to travel between waypoints to extract or deliver cargo. A devoutly religious skaa who leaves one of the other dominances is likely to travel here, believing the close proximity to the Lord Ruler will bring good luck.

NORTHERN DOMINANCE

The Northern Dominance is primarily agriculture-based and its brown landscape is filled with large swaths of land tended carefully by plantation skaa. A few miners, most of whom are owned by House Venture, dig deep for metals and other goods in caves beneath clusters of rocks. The life of a miner is very similar to that of the plantation skaa. They often keep the same hours and are rewarded similarly — which is to say, very long hours for the bare necessities needed for survival. The city of Urteau also lies in the Northern Dominance. This is the second largest urban center in the Empire and the ancestral home of House Venture, the most powerful noble house in the Final Empire. The Steel Ministry has a major presence here, though their power is tempered by the massive influence Straff Venture holds in the city. Because Urteau is an economic hub, many canal skaa may be seen traveling up and down the canals to ensure goods are exported.

WESTERN DOMINANCE

This dominance claims to have built a cultural center — Tremredare — within its rocky borders. The city is a tourist attraction for nobles who seek a reprieve from the headaches of their rule and is surrounded by plantations of a mediocre yield. Because of the high volume of nobility who travel here, skaa are more tempered and a higher number of soothing stations can be found throughout the city. Unlike other skaa, most who live in Tremredare wear the uniforms of servants, chefs, and other workers befitting their specific station. In many ways, Tremredare is a fantasy for nobles and skaa alike, for the Steel Ministry’s heavy-handed approach is muted here and murders are typically done behind the scenes. While they still occur, blood rarely runs through the streets. In its stead is a heavily sanitized atmosphere with an emerging class of skaa artisans who are little more than “pets.” These talented skaa are independently owned or sponsored by a specific

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SKAA IN THE DOMINANCES

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house and generate works of art according to the refined tastes of the nobles. Not every form of expression is allowed; word-based art forms (poetry, storytelling, and song) are expressly forbidden.

EASTERN DOMINANCE

The landscape in this dominance is wild and untamed. Despite the harsh climate and treacherous hills, a few plantations eke out a meager living to remain self-sufficient. Unlike other plantation skaa, those from the east are worked down to the bone. Life expectancy is shorter and the nobles here often keep a few female skaa in a near-constant state of pregnancy to “replace” their dwindling numbers. The nobles on these rustic plantations are very different from those in other dominances, primarily because they have no real power to speak of and are constantly running low on resources. They turn their frustration upon the skaa they rule, pushing them to the breaking point to reach nigh-impossible goals of production. When (and if) the crops yield enough food, the nobles then take a much softer approach and reward their skaa with the comforts of a normal life.

SOUTHERN DOMINANCE

Bordered by the sea and a pair of tall ashmounts, the unique geography of the Southern Dominance yields two highly sought-after exports: Allomantic metals and seafood. Plantations close to the ashmounts sprawl organically around the mines that provide their livelihood. The expansive plantations that stretch along the coastline specialize in fishing. Skaa here are often ordered to fill a quota for the day. If, by the end of the day, they turn over a certain number of fish and other sea creatures, they are allowed to make an additional catch and keep the fish for themselves. Because of the dominance’s relative plenty, nobility and coastal skaa are less disparate in social standing, health, and longevity than in other dominances. The canal skaa, who work on the many docks zigzagging across the south bringing fresh fish and precious metals back to Luthadel at a frenetic pace, are also healthier than those who live elsewhere. The only exception to this trend are the skaa who work the mines. Though the nobles feed them well, it’s only to keep them working long hours in unsafe conditions, far from the light of the sun.

OUTER DOMINANCES

Far away from the imperial core lie the Outer Dominances. Life on the fringe is different without the ever-present touch of the Lord Ruler or his Ministry, but not necessarily in a good way. Here, Obligators are replaced with koloss hordes, and savvy politicians with rogue bandits. In some ways, it’s more dangerous to live in any of the Outer Dominances, primarily because predictability is a luxury and chaos is to be expected.

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FARMOST DOMINANCE

Skaa in this isolated territory have rights unheard of elsewhere in the realm. Here, frontier skaa may participate in the bounty of a house and can own land or be granted a noble title. Newly-ordained skaa nobles are loyal to their previous masters and protect their former way of life. Often, these higher-ranking skaa are whispered about and held up as examples of the fruits to be reaped by obedience.

SOUTHERN ISLANDS

Turbulent, stormy seas aren’t the only reason why nobles fear sailing through the islands. Skaa pirates harry seabound merchants and fishermen ply their trade in the region, plundering ther ships for spices, food, and metals. Some more creative corsairs have modified their ships to resemble a monsters or mistwraiths, providing ripe fodder for stories that strike terror into the hearts of peasant and noble alike. Many of these raiding ships have been altered to sail in the midst with enclosed compartments smeared with sealant, a plant byproduct akin to tree sap, to prevent the mist from entering the decks below.

REMOTE DOMINANCE

There is a place in the world considered worse than the Pits of Hathsin. Here, the region is so wild and unruly nobles can barely maintain their dilapidated estates, much less protect their skaa charges. Between the mistwraiths, koloss, and untamed creatures, most skaa are lucky to survive their first year. Skaa sent here fetch a low value and range from refugees to self-proclaimed liberators.

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Though skaa generally have more freedom here, bucking the system still risks punishment from nobles, assault by roving bands of renegade skaa, or attacks by koloss. What they most fear, however, is getting caught outside of shelter in the thick mists at night, where they may fall victim to mistwraiths. The Outer Dominances fill another role: that of depository for outcast skaa. Some know a secret, but their masters can’t bring himself to have the skaa killed. Others are skaa mothers of illegitimate noble children, sent here with their halfbreed offspring in tow. Still others are refugees or Allomancers, shunned or set adrift after the destruction of their plantations or old lives, looking for a new start. Whatever the reason, frontier skaa share a common desire to survive and often band together in small communities to survive. These communities are less cutthroat than those of the big cities, in large part because the Outer Dominances have fewer resources, are more sparsely populated, and receive less support and protection from their masters. The nobility of the Outer Dominances more akin to petty, barbaric warlords defending their turf than scheming, well-manicured lords and ladies who vie for the Lord Ruler’s favor. However, the political weakness of the nobility here is counteracted by the exceptional cruelty of local Obligators and larger number of Steel Inquisitors than in the Inner Dominances. Skaa live mainly in four Outer Dominances, including:

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CRESCENT DOMINANCE

Few call the easternmost edge of the Empire “home.” A barren wasteland, the sands in this dominance are primarily occupied by scores of nomadic skaa tribes. The few outsiders who come are often fugitive skaa feeling persecution or noble masters in the interior, and bandits whose brutal predation rivals that of the koloss that wonder through from time to time.

KHALFI, THE HIDDEN CITY

Khalfi is one of the most unusual places in the Final Empire, for it is one of the few communities that has developed naturally and outside the Lord Ruler’s reach and rules. Much smaller than its grandiose name suggests, “The Hidden City” is a village of freeborn and runaway skaa located on the eastern edge of the Remote Dominance. The community is run by a fierce skaa leader known as “Fell,” who’s rumored to have Allomantic abilities. Not much is known about this scarred, enigmatic figure other than the fact his judgment is fair, and that he does not hesitate to slice the throat of a thief or noble he catches inside the city. Khalfi has plentiful natural resources which attract skaa from all over the dominance. Outside the dominances, its reputation has become even greater; rumors that a prosperous free city, laden with fresh food and water can be heard as far away as the Farmost Dominance. But with the relatively abundant food and water that sustains the village, Khalfi is in a precarious spot. There’s no way to import materials in sufficient quantities without attracting attention to the village, and even a single year of drought could upend the community’s precious food and water. The shadow that looms largest over Khalfi, however, is the fear of discovery. How does it remain hidden, despite its growing reputation? No one seems to know how the village evades the notice of the Steel Ministry, and, despite the furious. rumors among the small population, they’re not about to ask. They know only that they must keep this secret at all costs, and that Fell says doing so will guarantee their continued freedom. Getting to Khalfi is what prevents the city’s population from exploding; the route is treacherous and many traps are laid along the way. Once travelers reach the Hidden City, most stay — provided they can stomach frontier life. There are few forms of entertainment and plenty of work to do; whether hunting, cleaning the catch, maintaining the walls, or tailoring clothes, life here is busy but rewarding. To learn how to gain the Citizens of Khalfi as a Network, see page 93.

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3 CITY SKAA

The enduring image of skaa in the Final Empire is that of the country rube, toiling endlessly in the fields, living a life one step better than livestock. While these are stereotypes are grossly inaccurate for plantation skaa, they bear no resemblance to the lives of skaa who live in great cities like Luthadel, Fadrex City, and Urteau. While a city skaa’s lot is not necessarily better than those on the plantation, it is certainly different. The mills and factories of Luthadel are full of skaa workers, engaged in mindless repetitive tasks for hours on end and often worked until they are ready to collapse. Streets and civic projects depend upon skaa labor for menial maintenance tasks overseen by noble houses. The manors of the houses themselves are staffed by skaa who cook, clean, and tend to the immediate needs of their masters. Most country skaa work on plantations, where they have just one noble family to deal with, but the cities contain numerous noble families, and with them comes endless (and often deadly) political jockeying. The skaa often find themselves in the middle of such power plays, trapped between the house that “owns” them and a rival house sees them as just another resource to attacked or destroyed in order to hurt their rivals. No one would dream of touching a rural nobleman’s skaa, but in the cities any number of nobles can kidnap or kill a rival house’s for any possible reason. In many ways, the life of a city skaa is a far more precarious existence. Abuse from both inside and outside the houses runs rampant, to the point where some skaa are killed by nobles in a fit of pique with no consequence. Rampant poverty and blighted slums have given rise to a thriving criminal underworld, where skaa are just as likely to be the target as the nobles who oppress them. Pollution from ash, overpopulation, hunger, and disease only adds to the urban skaa’s plight.

City Skaa

Only two routes of escape exist for most skaa. The first is to better one’s station by apprenticing as an artisan or merchant. Demand for luxury goods such as furniture, carriages, and even works of art is quite high in the cities, and a talented skaa may be able to parlay that skill into a somewhat more comfortable position for him and his family. The other option is much more dangerous, but carries potential for greater rewards: joining a thieving crew. Thieving crews and underworld criminals give disgruntled skaa a chance to get their hands on the wealth and comforts the nobility and Steel Ministry deny them. Theives’ lifespans are often notoriously short, but most would prefer a quick and violent demise to the death by inches that their “legitimate” brethren suffer. This section covers the lot of city skaa: their lives, their jobs, and the ways that a precious few buck the system.

CITY LIFE

Like their country brethren, skaa in the city live beholden to their noble masters. Almost all skaa are born under the auspices of a noble house, and that house controls every aspect of their life, from the cradle to the grave. Most skaa begin work very young, laboring in whatever hideous sweatshops their masters chose for them until their deaths. Skaa children are set to work performing menial tasks like sewing or cleaning small pieces of factory equipment too small for adults to reach. From there, they “graduate” to more intensive labors: working mills, ceramics factories, street details, or in similar harsh locations until they are no longer deemed useful. Skaa on noble estates have it somewhat easier, but only just. The array of cooks, gardeners, maids, and other servants must rise at dawn, working their fingers to the bone keeping their lords fed and their homes clean. Most city skaa work from sunup to sundown with only a few brief breaks in between. Many canneries and workshops maintain late shifts where more skaa continue to labor well into the night, increasing productivity at the expense of the workers’ health. Skaa who work late hours typically sleep inside these businesses to avoid going out into the mists at the end of their shift. Though skaa do not, by in large, own any property or money, most noble houses use a system where workers earn tokens they can exchange for food, clothing, and necessities at company stores or communal kitchens. Skaa who do not work receive no token, and thus do not eat that day. Possessing forged or stolen tokens is grounds for execution. The token system keeps the skaa living hand to mouth, breaking their backs in hard labor or waiting on the noble houses hand and foot every day simply to survive. A few skaa earn actual pay for their work, especially skilled laborers whose work is coveted by the nobility. Artisans, soldiers on active duty, and merchants all get paid in coin so they have an incentive to do better work. City skaa can roughly be broken down into the following categories:

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FACTORY WORKERS

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The vast bulk of city skaa are factory workers: the skaa who toil in mills, warehouses, foundries, and stables in order to keep goods and products flowing throughout the Empire. Cities are the hub where raw goods brought in via road or canal are manufactured into more sophisticated wares, grain and livestock are made into food, and warehouses store the means to feed and arm the Lord Ruler’s armies. Producing all these goods requires a tremendous amount of manual labor— industrial machinery is limited — which means thousands upon thousands of skaa labor within the blackened stone walls of city factories. Nobles own every factory, warehouse, and industrial complex, and the skaa who work there. Each owner decides how many hours their skaa have to work, how much “pay” they receive, and what their working conditions are like. There are no set labor laws or protections in place, so some factory skaa have it better than others, with extra food, shorter hours, and a more humane working environment. This disparity serves as the basis of the skaa economy, as “lucky” factory workers can secretly exchange their extra resources to less fortunate skaa to procure favors or rare goods (for more on that, see “Black Markets,” page 46). The life of a factory skaa is largely bleak and filled with drudgery. Each skaa usually has one specialized task to perform, typically something mind numbing and physically exhausting. As they grow older, skaa children are often set to work at the same tasks as their parents, creating strange family “traditions” that often lead to de facto surnames like “Stamper” or “Canner.” There is some room for “advancement” within the factories. Senior skaa often act as foremen or managers, accepting less physically arduous tasks in exchange for overseeing their fellows and ensuring the factory’s quotas get met. In rare cases, they act as respected representatives for their fellows, who can lobby their noble masters for better working conditions and protect the skaa from the worst abuses. But more often they’re viewed as simpering toadies who have sold out their kind. Such skaa are often targets for the seething anger that occasionally bubbles to the surface of the skaa community. One can’t attack a noble, but a fellow skaa? Accidents happen all the time, and no one would raise an eyebrow if a hated foreman fell victim to a hazard in the factory floor. Beside, there’s always a replacement standing by…

SKAA HEROES IN THE CITY

City Skaa

When building a skaa Hero from a city, you’ll most likely be creating a member of a thieving crew, since they have the most autonomy and skills. Still, your Hero likely has friends, allies, and contacts among the other groups of skaa workers within the city. These might be people she knew before she became a thief, grateful skaa she helped out in the course of a heist, or contacts inside noble houses who sell her information. Consider different areas of the city and the skaa your Hero might know there. Is she a legend among certain skaa? Did she mess up big-time in front of others and gain a bad reputation? Who has benefited from her previous exploits, and who might have suffered? Alternatively, you might want to make a Hero without a great deal of experience. She might have just escaped from a noble house, gotten pulled into a criminal plot against her will, or be too young to have learned many skills yet. In these cases, consider the different jobs for skaa when determining her backgrounds and traits. How might one of these jobs shaped her? Would it have made her tougher? Did it require a keen intellect? Does your Hero have an ear to the ground from being around people? Is she more of a heavy lifter looking to other people to call the shots? These considerations may add a whole new dimension to your character’s concept and make her that much richer and more interesting to play.

STREET WORKERS

Street workers perform the numerous necessary duties required to keep a city functioning. They repair walls, sweep walkways, maintain the canal system, perform dangerous work in the sewers, and handle any of the countless other tasks dictated by the city’s controllers. Like their factory worker brethren, they serve at the behest of a specific noble family, who determines which task each skaa performs. Exactly which tasks these skaa perform depend upon which maintenance contracts the family holds with the city, and how much funding is offered from the city’s budget (gained through the taxation of the aristocracy and controlled by the governing council). The skaa, of course, receive none of those funds. Instead, they perform their assigned duties under the watchful eye of the city’s guards: maintaining the roadways, public buildings, and similar locales in the name of the Lord Ruler. Their work is often marginally easier than that of a factory skaa, with the added benefit of working outdoors and stopping work once the sun goes down. On the other hand, because they have the capacity for more mischief, they are monitored much more closely, and face far more severe punishments for their transgressions. This access to the public gives many street workers possess precious knowledge that few others will ever have. Sewer workers discover long-forgotten passages leading under the city’s walls. Canal workers spot hidden openings just

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above the water lines. Masons know the weak points in city walls or blind spots where guards cannot see. The smartest street workers can parlay these details into added benefits, often acting as silent partners for smugglers and other criminals who could not operate without such secret byways.

MANOR WORKERS

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Manor workers are employed in the homes and estates of the nobility, and fulfill most of the duties one would expect at such a locale. A noble family’s cooks, cleaning servants, gardeners… almost all come from the ranks of skaa. Most nobles prefer to use Terris stewards for the most important positions, such as teachers or personal attendants, but every now and then one may find a skaa holding a position of true influence within a noble household, such as majordomos, accountants, groundskeepers, head chefs, and so on. These “trustworthy” skaa often granted control over a number of skaa underlings and charged with directing the affairs of their fellows. Like factory foremen, they can either parlay this into better circumstances for all skaa beneath them… or survive the barely contained resentment other skaa hold toward such privileged positions. Depending on the family, “noble” skaa often demonstrate a certain pride in their household. Many of them would willingly die for the aristocrats who exploit them so readily… and often do when house politicking spills out into open conflict. Others accept their lot as best they can, submitting to abuse and quietly thanking the Lord Ruler that they’re not stuck in the factories or streets. Despite the close proximity of manor skaa to their masters, horrific abuses sometimes occur. House Damdrel ritually cuts out the tongues of their skaa so they would never presume to speak out of turn. House Sesper keeps theirs chained in a filthy stable when they’re not working. Most nobles, however, want their “house skaa” to be presentable, and take steps to ensure their physical (if not emotional) placidity. While it’s never pleasant, but in a hopeless world, the lot of manor workers is more than many can hope for. Manor workers appear far more often in large cities like Luthadel, whose grand estates have ample room to house their servants on-site. These estates often resemble self-contained communities on their own, containing scores of skaa with their own assigned social positions. Many of them spend their entire lives within

City Skaa

the manor walls, since the skaa are forbidden from leaving except at the behest of their master. Within these mini-fiefdoms, skaa workers jockey for their lords’ favor, hoping to earn better food, better housing, and lighter workloads in exchange for their loyalty. Estates in smaller cities tend to look much different, since the lords have less wealth and their estates offer fewer comforts. It’s more common for manor workers to live in the slums rather than on the estate, making their way to work each morning and returning just before sunset. Manor workers in these communities tend to be much more insular and united than those of the big city, since their numbers are smaller and conflicts within their ranks draw more attention. Accordingly, manor workers in smaller cities display fewer differences from other skaa: they’re typically cleaner and better dressed, but rarely put on airs the way their big-city counterparts do.

ARTISANS

The arts are the purview of the nobility, but craftsmanship is often considered too base for their refined sensibilities. Consequently, the nobility rely on a tiny handful of skaa to perform those duties: creating exquisite furniture, clothing, glassware, carriages, and the like. This small but vital class is the crux of some of the greatest tensions between skaa and noble. Artisan skaa for the most part occupy a social and legal grey area. Legally, an artisan skaa cannot own property, and his or her noble master claims any profits made from their works — but many artisans effectively own their workshops without noble oversight. Consequently, many artisans operate their workshops as elaborate fronts, with elaborate cover stories of working for an obscure noble to avoid trouble with the law. They disappear in the rare times Obligators come by for inspections, or — thanks to their impressive income — offer up large enough bribes that the Obligators find everything in order. This arrangement allows artisan skaa to enjoy wealth and privileges undreamed of by their fellows: a private living space, room to hone their craft, and even a few luxury items of their own. In some cases, they even get the ability to develop their own creative voice. Naturally, such privileges come with a price. Many nobles resent artisan skaa for their “presumptiveness” and shackle them with restrictive demands on the quality and type of materials used in their contracted goods. Other skaa, for their part, often resent artisans who clearly cooperate with their oppressors. Artisans walk a careful tightrope of appeasing the nobility while keeping good relations with their fellow skaa — often by sharing food and other bounties afforded by their privileged with their community. An artisan’s status also affords them the freedom to (quietly) assist those who resist the Final Empire. Their workshops provide the means for them to transport both goods, or to smuggle contraband or fugitives into and out of cities. Their increased freedom allows them to move about the city more openly, carrying with them messages or black market goods to places normal skaa can’t go. And in a few cases, they can use their craftsmanship to help their fellow skaa, either by donating inferior creations or using the profits to alleviate the misery around them.

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CRIMINALS

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No life presents greater risks — or promises of reward — for a skaa than that of a criminal. But one is not simply born a criminal; it is a life that often begins when a skaa flees his or her masters. Technically, the very act of shirking traditional skaa duties is a criminal act, for in doing so the skaa defies the Lord ruler’s edicts in pursuit of their own “selfish” desires. Clever skaa runaways use elaborate schemes, such as obtaining false identity papers or paying someone to “stand in” for them at their normally assigned posts, while ohers simply sneak away, since few nobles notice when one skaa disappears. Once out on their own, without the patronage or “protection” of a noble house, the escaped skaa must find new ways of surviving. Theft, robbery, and violence soon follow, and from there “crime” transforms from a necessity to a lifestyle. Most skaa criminals specialize in robbery or burglary, though a few of the more daring ones dabble in smuggled goods, blackmail, prostitution, and even low-level racketeering in areas where the law is more lax. Unfortunately for most, the criminal lifestyle is often short, and most are quickly caught and executed early in their careers. However, a cunning few manage to survive and thrive outside the bounds of the Lord Ruler’s society, often by banding together into thieving crews. These crews use their numbers and shared expertise to stay alive when others can’t. They typically hide out within the shadows of skaa slums, taking over abandoned dwellings and blending with the throngs of city-born skaa that pack the streets. Life on a thieving crew is a constant game of cat and mouse between the crew, the Steel Ministry and noble houses, where the likely outcome is a swift and bloody death. Obligators and house guards are on perpetual watch for crew activity, and Obligators act swiftly and fiercely to bring them down. Successful skaa criminals are very good at picking up stakes on a moment’s notice. Though most skaa criminals do what they do for purely self-serving reasons — better to live a short, exciting life than one under the boot of their overlords — such rebellious acts are also essentially political. By writing their own fate, criminals deny the nobility a “sovereign right,” and thus become dissidents by default. More than a few skaa criminals view their profession as the only form of defiance available to their kind, and use their operations to disrupt the rule of the nobility (in addition to lining their pockets). The line between practical survivor and political revolutionary grows very blurry at times, and many criminals honestly couldn’t tell you which side they fall on.

PROSTITUTES

City Skaa

Sex work is also a means of survival for some skaa. A few do so of their own choice, finding it one of the few ways to earn a living without committing violence; others are unable to perform the rigorous labor required of the factories, and must feed themselves without the tokens of their masters. Independent prostitution doesn’t pay well, and most can’t afford to be picky about their clients if they want to be able to feed and clothe themselves. Some prostitutes might band together, but typically the competition is too high, particularly when factoring in the popular — and disgusting — whorehouses run by ruthless whoremasters. The vast majority of prostitutes are women who work in whorehouses, most of whom are abductees sold into the trade. This system is cruel, exploiting the most helpless women — sometimes, even fallen noblewomen (though even here, noblewomen are kept separate from their skaa “inferiors”). Many whoremasters are nobles of low station (especially in cities outside Luthadel), but others are enterprising and cruel skaa with deep ties to the criminal underworld. See page 66 for more information on trafficking among skaa criminals. Prostitution is not precisely legal in the Final Empire, but whoremasters usually get a pass from the Obligators provided they follow the normal laws against skaa and nobles reproducing. This means prostitutes can service wealthier skaa with no legal complications, but nobles present a trickier problem. Whoremasters often charge their patrons for the service of murdering the skaa woman after the act, keeping the nobility of the customer a secret from the prostitute herself. Often the whoremasters simply pocket the extra fee and relocate the woman to another whorehouse or trade her to another whoremaster. Alternatively, a whoremaster might kill off his skaa prostitutes from time to time to keep the Inquisitors from coming down on him. A prostitute working on her own doesn’t get this same amount of leeway from the Obligators. If she doesn’t keep her work and identity secret, she’s often flirting with death.

BEGGARS

Some nobles — either out of a sense of mercy or because they simply can’t be bothered — don’t kill a skaa who is no longer able to work. Instead, they cast him out, trusting the harsh world to finish him off. But skaa are tougher and more resourceful than many nobles give them credit for. Those without means often turn to begging, exposing their frailties and suffering on the street in the hopes of mercy from passersby. Begging may be ignoble, but it can be enough to survive… and in truth, it’s often no worse than the lot of skaa in any other position. Nobles and officials often leave beggars alone provided they don’t make a nuisance of themselves, making them effectively invisible to those in power. This makes beggars useful assets to thieves and other criminals, who employ them as inconspicuous lookouts and go-betweens to avoid drawing attention to their activities. Large criminal crews often have at least a few beggars on their payrolls, and the more ruthless organizations deliberately maim or injure their own members to help them blend in with beggars on the street.

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SKAA SLUMS

Unless they work directly on noble estates, city skaa must dwell in one of the numerous districts specifically set aside for them. These crowded slums set new standards for squalor, overcrowding, and hopelessness. Noble landlords have carte blanche to cram as many occupants into their buildings as they choose, and since skaa are forbidden from owning property, the residents have no legal alternatives. Communal houses dominate the slums, most barely serviceable tenements rising up to eight or nine stories and each packed with skaa living in appalling conditions. Each room contains dozens of residents, who share common cooking and cleaning areas — and even sleep in hard bunk beds with three or four of their fellows. A few of the oldest skaa may have a private bed or even a private room if they command enough respect. Artisans, too, gain some modicum of privacy by using their workshops as living and sleeping quarters when possible. What little space might be left is often carved out as safehouses for thieving crews who use the crowds and squalor to provide cover for their illicit activities. Naturally, tensions often reach the breaking point in such conditions. Theft and violence take place nightly on every block of a given skaa slum, often with no more motivation that someone looking at the perpetrator the wrong way. The nobles rarely raise an eyebrow at such incidents, save when it interferes with work in the factories. There are always more skaa, after all, and one expects little from such animals.

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Beggars themselves often compete with each other for prime street space, and gangs of beggars sometimes clash over control of given neighborhoods or thoroughfares. These battles can become deadly — it’s amazing how loss of a limb can hone one’s survival instinct — and the authorities rarely intervene since no one cares about one less vagrant on the streets. Beggars tend to survive either by allying with a larger group or exploiting the pity of others. Either way, life on the streets remains a precarious existence, but even at the very bottom of the Final Empire, everyone knows death needs no excuse to claim another soul.

THIEVING CREW DENS City Skaa

Skaa thieving crews are made up of bold or desperate skaa (and a typical crew has some of both) who look for ways to survive by taking from the nobles, Obligators, and sometimes other skaa (for more information on thieving crews, see “the Skaa Underground” on page 63). Most thieving crews are based in the skaa slums, where they can hid in plain sight, secured with a combination of anonymity, intimidation, and gall. A thieving crew den needs several things in order to function. The first is a guarantee of privacy which allows them to operate without drawing attention. Consequently, most dens are built in basements, attics, or entire buildings that other skaa can’t or won’t enter (such as those believe to be haunted or scenes of great or gruesome tragedy). Windowless spaces with stout doors are particularly coveted. Secondly, a good thieving den also requires an easy method of escape. When the Obligators arrive — and it’s usually only a matter of time before they do — the crews must bolt quickly and with as little noise as possible. Access to a nearby roof, a sewer entrance, or an inconspicuous opening in the wall can work — so long as only the crewmembers know about it. Hidden caches to hid weapons, equipment, and loot are also highly prized in thieving dens. Smart thieving crews can make their own hidey-holes, arranging open spaces underneath flooring, hidden cabinets in walls and ceilings, and similar places which will be easily overlooked. In this pursuit access to a sympathetic artisan can work wonders, for they can add secret panels and storage spaces in otherwise innocuous pieces of furniture. Finally, a thieving den needs to have room to house all of its members in comparative comfort, ideally for an indeterminate length of time. If a crew needs to lie low for a while, the den will need to have on hand supplies of food, ample water, and enough distractions to keep from going stir crazy. Many thieving dens are placed near (or in) shabby taverns, food storage facilities, and even slaughterhouses for just these reasons. But most importantly, a thieving den needs to be innocuous. It can’t stand out in any way, and ideally should have a mundane activity attached to it (much as Clubs’ workshop, which acted as a safe house for Kelsier’s crew). The fewer eyes on a thieving den, the better, and as every good crew knows, the minute they do draw attention, the time has come to move.

SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS

City skaa have one potent weapon in their efforts to make life more bearable: anonymity. Few nobles bother to keep track of every shuffling worker who passes in and out of their gates, and fewer still can differentiate between one skaa and the next. That allows canny or well-off skaa to essentially fall through the cracks, freeing them to make what living for themselves that they can. Over the course of a thousand years, a surprisingly large number of skaa have pulled this trick off.

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CITY ADVENTURES

Some skaa plan such escapes for years, searching tirelessly for word of safe haven or building relationships that might help them slip free. In other cases, a skaa finds himself on the run quite suddenly, usually with either noble guards or a disgruntled fellow skaa in pursuit. If a fugitive skaa is smart or lucky, they simply disappear without a trace, reemerging elsewhere in the city without anyone on their trail hoping to drag them back to their former lives. Most escaped skaa come from the plantations, but nearly all end up in the Final Empire’s largest cities, since cities provide the anonymity that most rural estates lack. Such skaa drift into the slums, looking for what shelter they can, and

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City Skaa

In many ways, the city is the archetypal location for a Mistborn adventure. With the dense population and the numerous schemes constantly underway, cities offer new opportunities and danger around every corner. In the city, with the massive criminal, political, and economic players, there’s plenty of jobs for an enterprising Crew to get into, but it’s also more difficult to create positive change. For urban Crews, pulling off a job against a urban noble house requires far more effort, preparation, and luck, and creates much more intense heat from the Steel Ministry — but most think the reward is well worth the risk. No discussion of urban Mistborn adventures is complete without addressing Luthadel. It is the heart and soul of the Final Empire, ruled by the schemes and whims of the cosmopolitan Great Houses, policed by the most powerful members of the Steel Ministry, and populated by diverse skaa trying to get by in the long shadow of the Lord Ruler’s palace of Kredik Shaw. It’s a city of spectacle, but this spectacle contrasts sharply with the desperation and destitution of most skaa who live there. The skaa fill the streets, pack into communal housing, and beg for scraps from their noble masters. One look at the true face of Luthadel makes it easy to see why skaa join thieving crews. Moving your adventures to new cities can make for even more exciting adventures. The dry canals of Urteau or the rock formations around Fadrex City give them a distinct aesthetic from the packed cobblestone streets of Luthadel. Look for similar ways to differentiate these new cities from the capital; since Luthadel is the most defined city from the books, other cities need iconic and interesting features of their own to stand out in players’ minds. Also, consider how location and distance from Luthadel changes the life of the city and its inhabitants. For instance, in cities of the Eastern Dominance, the patter of Eastern street slang echoes among the skaa in the streets, while in the Southern Dominance, the skaa learn boating and fishing skills and are better nourished thanks to the plenty of the land. Start by cribbing notes from the descriptions of the dominances beginning on page 29 of the Mistborn Adventure Game, and use them to make these new locales all your group’s own!

City Skaa

positions at the factories or millhouses who don’t ask proper bona fides from a noble house. Most do anything to show that they “belong” in the city, making them easy marks for the less-scrupulous amongst their urban brethren. Even once they’re established, fugitive skaa must remain constantly vigilant against identification by the Steel Ministry (and, in the most infamous cases, the Steel Inquisitors themselves). The Ministry takes a…dim view of skaa who shirk their duties, and makes an example of them whenever they are caught. To reduce their chances of being found out, escapees form pacts with fellow skaa who shelter them, offering vital services (such as protection from local goons, their skills as a craftsperson, or scrounging for needed supplies) in exchange for their hosts’ tolerance and silence. Others join thieving crews or other underworld organizations, which are willing to offer save haven so long as the escapee has useful skills to offer. These arrangements are by necessity long term, since Obligators never stop searching, and almost no skaa can afford to bribe their way to look the other way. Skaa who slip through the cracks are cautious almost to the point of paranoia, lest they be identified and returned to their former lives (or more likely killed). Many of them develop elaborate backstories to explain their freedom, such as working as a messenger for their house or being freed by a liberal lord. Others simply become adept at fading into the background through disguise or misdirection. Most free skaa become adept at moving from one spot to another, never staying put long enough to be caught. This makes fugitive skaa excellent candidates for recruitment by thieving crews, who value both their skills and desperation to avoid capture (which is leveraged against the fugitive as needed).

BLACK MARKETS

Generally speaking, nobles only give skaa the bar minimum they need to survive: a few scraps of clothing, food tokens for hard bread and greasy stew, harsh soaps for washing and simple utensils for eating. But even skaa aspire to have more in their lives, and to get these “luxury items,” they turn to the black market. Every city in the Empire has a thriving black market, where skaa seek a few small comforts at the risk of arrest or death. Since skaa rarely have more than a clip or two to their name, most black markets also accept food tokens and barter. Barter comes in two forms: an offer

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EASTERN STREET SLANG

Skaa living in different parts of the Final Empire often develop regional cultures, dialects, and lifestyles that distinguish them from their peers. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the street slang practiced by the gangs in the eastern cities. These criminal crews needed a way of communicating that no outsiders could understand, and so developed a “street slang” based on their local dialect to perplex Eastern nobles and authorities. Their creation has succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, and is spoken in cities throughout the Final Empire. Speaking street slang invariably marks one as a skaa — nobles would never stoop to using it — but allows skaa to speak with each other without fear of being overheard, even in the confines of a noble estate or a Ministry prison.

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City Skaa

to provide a specific service (such as informing on activities in a factory) or trade of one’s meager possessions (such as giving up bunk space in a tenement house). Services are exchanged far more often than goods, a fact that the criminal underworld leverages to turn many customers of the black markets into informants, mules, and cut-outs in their enterprises. The most popular contraband in the black market are perishable goods, since they are easily concealed, and can be quickly consumed and disposed of. Fruits and baked sweets are especially coveted, particularly by those who have spent a lifetime eating crusty bread and flavorless mush every day. Alcohol, perfume, and hallucinogenic fungus are popular, though far more dangerous to possess, since their effects are harder to hide. Durable goods, on the other hand, present a problem. Fine clothes, furniture, and books stand out in skaa slums, drawing unwanted jealousy and attention, so owners of such goods tend to keep them well hidden and share them only with trusted friends and colleagues. Clever skaa learn to disguise their treasures with chipped paint, grime and filth, rendering them indistinguishable from permitted items. The most dangerous and expensive contraband is that which directly threatens the Final Empire: weapons; large sums of money; purified Allomantic metals; and forbidden books. Possession of any of these items is ogrounds for execution in most districts, since only skaa who are actively plotting rebellion, illegally practicing Allomancy, seeking to escape, or a planning for an assassination of a noble or rival could have need for such items. The demand for black market goods has led to the development of elaborate smuggling networks, overseen by underworld crews. These crews pressure servants in noble estates, bribe bakers and vintners, and hire street urchins to beg, borrow, and steal items that can be fixed up and resold on the black market. Smuggling and theft are a dangerous business, but the rewards can be great for those willing to risk it to bring themselves a little comfort. Many Obligators are keenly aware of this underground economy, but most are willing to look the other way if doing so eases tensions in the skaa community and prevents more serious social unrest.

City Skaa

Eastern street slang conveys only the most important nuggets of information, contorting the syntax and grammar of the common tongue to confuse listeners. For example, “–ing” is added to every verb and the subject is often eliminated entirely; thus, “Wasing the wanting of knowing” means “I want to know,” while “John wasing the needing of the watching” means “John needs to see.” Sentences in street slang don’t follow a strict structure. The important words can appear in any order, and are then peppered with enough prepositions to link them together into something resembling a sentence. “Of the wine the cup with the filling,” “Wasing the filling of the cup with the wine,” and “In the cup with the wine wasing the filling” could all mean “I filled my cup with wine.” To convey negatives, the speaker uses the words “not” or “notting” rather than words that convey a lack or absence. For instance, “in the cupboard with the notting of the being” is a way to say “missing from the cupboard.” Rather than embellishing a phrase with descriptive adjectives, slang speakers incorporate nonsense words — verbal red herrings to make those who don’t know Eastern street slang interpret the meaning incorrectly. Likewise, nicknames and euphemisms often take the place of more direct references to people, places, or times. Interpreting this slang requires the listener to mentally cutting through the verbal chaff to find the kernel of information within. While boggling for most who hear it, street slang remains an intriguing and strangely beautiful invention. The poetry of this dialect comes not from clarity and evocative language, but from syncopation and the beauty of a convoluted and perplexing turn of phrase.

EXAMPLES OF EASTERN STREET SLANG Wasing the where of needing!

I need help!

Wasing the run of there.

I was running to that place.

Wasing the finding the place of the thing.

I found the place.

Breaking the coding that in the writing.

We’re breaking the code.

Notting as the now.

Not anymore.

Looking in the nobled styling, in the street styling speeching.

Disguised as a noble, but talking like a skaa.

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4 PLANTATION SKAA

Most plantation skaa, also known as rural skaa, are little more than slaves who spend most of their time toiling endlessly in ash-strewn and brown fields outside the cities. Despite their hunched bodies, they are the backbone of the Empire, for it is the literal fruits of their labor that feed its citizenry, noble and skaa alike. Plantation skaa massively outnumber their noble masters — sometimes, as much as 50 to one — but as a group they suffer worse treatment and are less likely to rebel than their urban cousins. Many rural nobles take advantage of infrequent visits by Obligators to mistreat their skaa with impunity. Most plantation skaa live in constant fear that they’ll be sold, traded, beaten, or killed for even minor transgressions like wiping a tear from a child’s face or scratching one’s back without the overseer’s leave. Even when word of great cruelty reaches the Obligators, nothing is done unless the nobles operating the plantation fail to deliver enough food. In the end, results are everything, and the plight of the skaa matters less than the ledgers to those with authority. Beyond fear and abuse, a lack of education also keeps skaa on the plantation from living fuller lives. Though skaa don’t receive formal education, the skaa of the cities develop amount of street smarts, learn the basics of a trade through their work, and are exposed to many more different people and situations than those on the plantation. Plantation skaa are insulated almost entirely from the outside world, so superstition runs rampant and worship of the Lord Ruler is almost uncontested. The typical day on a plantation is monotonous and grueling. Most skaa begin their days at daybreak, toiling in the withered fields and hardened earth. It is thankless, backbreaking work trying to coax the stunted brown plants from the

Plantation Skaa

ground, and each harvest yields less and less. Low yields do not change the masters’ quotas, however, so each year of dwindling returns also comes with longer hours and greater brutality from the overseers. The few that work in the house are charged with keeping the estate and its residents clean, fed, and happy. While this may seem a plum assignment compared to working the fields, the traditional lifestyle of a noble house simply isn’t sustainable given the resources of the plantation, and it is up to the house skaa to maintain the illusion of wealth and plenty no matter what. When the façade fails, as it inevitably does, the blame (and often the lash) often falls on the servants. These factors contribute to a general malaise amongst plantation skaa, who have good reason not to hope for their future. To escape means a skaa must out into the barren wilderness alone, unequipped and ignorant of the ways of the world. Nobles pursue fugitives and often catch them easily, for they have no easy hiding places or networks of friends to shelter them as they might in a populated city. Those who are caught are typically beaten within an inch of their lives, if not killed, as an example to others. In their world, a skaa can’t look out and see other skaa who own their own businesses, learn crafts, ply trades, or have a little family of their own; all they see is the plantation. The harsh life of the plantation means most skaa living there focus on basic survival. Simple things like being able to read, wearing clean clothes, getting a full night’s sleep — these are luxuries that only the nobility or city skaa can afford. Still, that doesn’t prevent plantation skaa from banding together and helping each other when they can. On most plantations, the skaa have a de facto community leader. Usually one of the older skaa, this leader sees to disputes and personal matters among the skaa, but doesn’t attempt to deal with the nobility in most cases (for more about skaa leaders, see page 24).

ESCAPE

Despite the lack of fences or guards, escape from a plantation can be a lot more difficult than it seems. Overseers keep careful watch on the skaa in the field to make sure none try to sneak away, and hovels are typically locked at night to prevent skaa from wandering off in the night. When a skaa does run, she must decide which she’d rather risk: travel by day risks capture by the overseers; travel by night, the dangers of the mist. Once the skaa escapes the attentions of his or her masters, they then

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THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PLANTATION The brutal treatment of plantation skaa by nobles, while inexcusable, is in part a trickle-down effect of rural houses’ struggle to meet the expectations placed upon them by society and the Final Empire. The nobles, fearing that their measly estates will never compare to the Great Houses, hide their state of affairs from prying eyes as much as possible. Some nobles resort to hoarding crops, and keep their servants in a state of near-starvation, just to stay ahead of their debts. Others trade and sell their skaa to city nobles in exchange for desperatelyneeded raw materials. Depending upon the noble, some may “sell” an evening with an attractive skaa as a way of pleasing those from the city. Nobles have tremendous freedom in how they run their plantations and how they treat their skaa, and so treatment can vary widely from estate to estate. One noble may think it’s his holy right to own and punish the skaa as he sees fit, adding in daily prayers to the Lord Ruler or even sacrificing a skaa to the Lord Ruler at certain points in the year as a holy act (despite the fact that the Steel Ministry has said no such thing). Another may run his plantation more like a business and treat his skaa as an important asset, who will lose productivity if he’s too harsh with them. Still others take a far more liberal approach, offering incentives or even money much like city skaa, in the hopes of generating greater output. For an example of a specific plantation and its operations, refer to the Black Hill Plantation on page 115.

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must face the dangers of the wild. The barren landscape is baked by the intense rays of the sun, especially in the Outer Dominances, and traveling the ash-covered landscape is akin to slogging through loose snowpack. The ashfall also chokes out plants and springs with soot and mud, making food and water hard to come by. Bandits, wild animals, and mistwraiths also wander the wastes, and a half-starved skaa straggler makes ideal prey. Even assuming the fugitive skaa isn’t tracked down and manages to survive the wilds before reaching civilization, his or her journey is not over. For instance, many escaped skaa have to leave friends or family members behind, who may either be used as bait to lure the fugitive to the plantation or tormented for information on where the fugitive has run off. The newly-free skaa also must quickly integrate into the new community without drawing suspicion, since there’s always a chance that the skaa’s former controllers will hunt him down. Those few skaa that do escape, however, give hope to those left behind, and discover valuable resources as safe havens or sympathetic villages which may be of use to free their friends and families. Getting this information back to other skaa who can use it poses a challenge: written missives are rarely an option since literacy is so low, and returning in person presents the risk of capture and, very

SKAA HEROES FROM THE PLANTATION

Plantation Skaa

As hard as it can be for a skaa to escape a plantation — both physically and mentally — those who do possess iron will. A Hero from the plantations has seen the worst of what nobles are capable of, and the scars of his time there remain deep. Most likely, the Hero’s Tragedy happened on the plantation. Think about the specifics of the plantation and how they might feed into his or her tragedy. Which house owned the plantation? Who was in charge? Was it focused on farming or did it have a mine? What kind of work did your Hero do? What weakness in the plantation’s setup allowed your Hero to escape — or was getting out a gruesome and bloody ordeal? Is he still pursued by his owners? A plantation skaa likely starts out somewhat naïve compared to his fellows, lacking the typical skills possessed by traditional recruits to a Crew. When thinking on your Traits, consider how long ago your Hero escaped the plantation, and use that to determine how developed his skill set is. The Hero’s age could vary greatly, too, since nobles work skaa from the day they can work the fields to the day they die. Your rural Hero might also have some misconceptions about how the world works outside the plantations, especially when it comes to the Lord Ruler and the Obligators, religious faith or folk superstitions. For example, does he still believe in the godhood of Lord Ruler, or expect the Lord Ruler to punish him using divine powers? Is he still afraid of the mists and mistwraiths? Think on some of the experiences that first upset his worldview — they could lead to all kind of good stories in play. A plantation skaa’s experiences shape him from a very young age, no doubt influence his outlook on the nobility. How do those early experiences affect your Hero? Does he still harbor resentment against his former master, or the nobility as a whole? Does he seek revenge wrongs committed to him? How does the Hero see urban nobles as less cruel, or simply cruel in a different way? Thinking on these deeper questions will make your plantation Hero an even more interesting and unusual character at the game table.

likely, death at the hands of the master. Those willing to risk returning do so only once, to save those closest to them. The few who do repeatedly return to help skaa escape usually form alliances with rebels or with canal skaa so they have a way to fight back against the masters or transport refugees once they have escaped.

LIBERATION

Liberating skaa from the plantation skaa is not as easy as it sounds. Despite their brutal oppression and mistreatment, fear — of the noble master, of capture by the overseer, of the mists, of the Lord Ruler’s divine wrath, of the unknown

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SUPERSTITION ON THE PLANTATION

The majority of plantation skaa don’t have a basic education and cut off from their world by design. Nobles deem it impractical for their field workers to read books, and know that knowledge and critical thought present a danger to their rule. Consequently, plantation skaa learn about their world orally through storytelling and rumors. The overseers discourage gossip and chatter during the workday, so most news is shared in whispers by day or meetings late at night. As knowledge has been handed down through the centuries, stories have become legends, and facts have been contorted into beliefs, making plantation skaa far more superstitious than their city-dwelling counterparts. Fear of the mists is the oldest and most common superstition among skaa on the plantations. Field workers scramble from the fields at dusk back indoors and remain there for the rest of the night, for fear of being eaten by mistwraiths or be consumed by the mists themselves. While there are indeed a few kernels of truth to these beliefs, this superstition has proven to be one of the most fortuitous controls the Lord Ruler has to prevent skaa from escaping. The unreasoning fear of the mist proves a greater barrier to escaping skaa than any fence or gate: most fugitives flatly refuse to use the cover of the mists to run at night, and those who wish to flee by day often do so only if they are certain they can find shelter before nightfall. Even when plantation skaa do flee, noble hunters can take advantage of the darkness to shorten the fugitives’ lead and catch them as they are hunkered down for the night. Closely related to fear of the mists is fear of mistwraiths, which inspire tremendous dread in plantation skaa, most of whom have never come close to seeing one of the creatures. Many of these beliefs blend stories of the kandra with those

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future ahead of them — is a shackle that binds the average plantation skaa tightly to the world they know. This fear is understandable: they live a life almost completely sheltered from the outside world, where the only things they know are what they’ve been told by those in power. They are told the world outside is dangerous, a place of monsters, bandits and things lurking just beyond the borders of the plantation that are far worse than the beatings they receive or the stale bread and thin gruel they eat. Given that, one can understand why many plantation skaa might rather take their chances on the estate than venture outside its confines. This fear is the long-term result of denying the skaa communication, education, and contact with the outside world — a mental prison locking them in a place that has no fences or bars. The nobles have carefully manipulated them into believing a life of slavery is better than taking a risk. Given that, would-be liberators should not be surprised the notion of freedom might be taken with a grain of salt by a plantation skaa. Freeing plantation skaa requires more than strong-arming nobles or infiltrating houses — it requires liberators to educate and negotiate with a people who might fear freedom more than the system that oppresses them. Often, the best (or only) way to liberate these skaa is necessity — by undoing the plantation itself, and calling upon the plantation skaa’s well-honed survival instinct to do the rest.

PLANTATION ADVENTURES

Plantation Skaa

Life on a plantation is dismal and depressing almost as a rule, but there are only so many ways to describe torture, malnutrition, and sickly brown plants. Though one plantation’s skaa live in the same general conditions as their fellows on other plantations, look for ways to twist their situation to make it unique. A good place to start is with the plantation’s location and the interests of the noble house that controls them. A plantation in the Western Dominance might be more rugged and have to find innovative ways to keep crops going. A noble house devoted to craftsmanship might grow trees for furniture and trade for their food. An ambitious but small house might try to teach their skaa more etiquette to make the house seem more genteel. Once you’ve established these basics of the plantation, it’s vitally important to determine how the skaa exist within their bounds, both rationally and emotionally. In the above examples, skaa on the western plantation might be trained in advanced forms of plant husbandry and so are less disposable because of their knowledge. For the house of craftspeople, the skaa might take a bit of pride in the beautiful works they help create, or could have easier lives since they’re tending trees rather than constantly toiling for shorter-lived crops. In the upwardly mobile house, some skaa might go along with the noble plan to develop their etiquette, while others resent those who “take on airs” like the hated nobles. Every plantation is its own small community, with its own social strata, so invent interesting skaa extras for your group to interact with at different levels of prestige. The Heroes might engage with simple workers with big dreams, elderly skaa leaders, and children just learning the rules that will govern their lives — and each could have a different emotional impact on the Heroes and their story. Since a plantation operates at a scale so much smaller than a city, any job the Crew pulls off could endanger or otherwise affect all the skaa they meet. Think about how these risks affect the different levels of a plantation’s community to drive home the impact the Crew’s schemes could have on their new friends. If any skaa Heroes within the group came up on a plantation, make sure to get details about their origins and try to create parallels to their histories. For instance, if a plantation-born Hero had a particularly hated noble adversary or especially close skaa friend, place a similar villain or extra in the adventure. Because skaa sometimes get traded between nobles, the Hero might even encounter that old friend again, or possibly that friend’s child or other relative.

of mistwraiths into vague myths about creatures that steal the bodies of those who enter the mists and return to their victims’ homes to cause harm. Some plantation skaa believe all Obligators have supernatural powers, particularly the ability to detect lies or see into the souls of others. These beliefs likely originate from stories of the Steel Inquisitors, belief in the divine mandate

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LIFE IN THE MINES

Some rural estates, particularly those in mountainous areas, use their plantation skaa for another purpose: mining. These skaa spend their days searching for veins of pure metals — particularly those useful in Allomancy — fresh water, and other useful resources. Like field skaa, the typical miner often works eighteen-hour days chipping away at the rock with simple tools and the barest glimmer of light. The mines are dark, dank, hot, and dangerous places to work, and a skaa miner’s life expectancy is incredibly short. Natural perils such as flood, mine collapse, and bad air claim the lives of thousands of miners each year, and most develop miner’s cough, light sensitivity, or even claustrophobia after just a few weeks of backbreaking work. On estates with a mine, disobedient skaa get sent to work as miners instead of being executed — effectively, sentencing them to a long, slow, exhausting death rather than a quick and bloody one. The costs of running a mine are very high, both in terms of coin and lives, so many small houses cannot afford to operate them on their own. Most mines are owned in part or completely by Great Houses, which are always in search of sources of pure Allomantic metals and can af-

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Plantation Skaa

handed down to the Ministry by the Lord Ruler, and the fact that plantation skaa have virtually no contact with members of the Steel Ministry. Even in those instances when a nobleman leaves the plantation to join the Steel Ministry and returns home, the skaa are often uncertain how or what new abilities that familiar face wields as an Obligator. Beyond the general beliefs spread throughout the Final Empire, the skaa of each plantation also have their own superstitions, typically influenced by their locale, the estate they live on, and their shared experiences and history. For instance, the skaa of a plantation whose lord is a Rioter might believe that all lords possess the ability to cause irrational fear or obedience with a single word. Other rumors might claim that members of a rival noble family hunt their skaa for sport, or that anyone leaving the plantation without an escort will fall off the edge of the world. Clever nobles selectively encourage beneficial superstitions — or deliberately plant the seeds of new ones — as yet another way of keeping their skaa distracted, afraid, and in line.

Plantation Skaa

ford the financial risk in the pursuit of profits. For a small estate, an alliance with a Great House gives them a presence in Luthadel or another large city, as well as shipping and distribution networks — but such access often comes at the eventual price of their entire operation. The investment in a mine means the pressure on miners to produce results is very high. Yields of mines are expected to be proportionally higher than in the fields, especially considering discovery of a vein of pure tin, copper, or iron can turn the fortunes of an estate around almost instantly. Typically, an overseer is responsible for the skaa’s productivity, who is in turn visited infrequently by a noble representative or member of the Steel Ministry. The overseer is given carte blanche to “motivate” the skaa in whatever manner he sees fit, though he does so under the watch of armed guards who have sworn fealty to the mine’s owner — ultimately, the overseer, like the skaa he supervises, can easily be replaced.

THE PITS OF HATHSIN

Operated by House Venture, the atium-producing Pits of Hathsin are the wealthiest and most dangerous mines in the Final Empire. All the workers at the Pits are skaa criminals sent there as punishment by the Steel Ministry, and come from a variety of houses, plantations, and walks of life. Escape from the Pits is considered impossible, and the conditions kill most prisoners within a few months. Each day, Venture overseers force the prisoners into the Pits, where the skaa crawl through claustrophobic caves and reach into narrow crevices in search for atium beads. The jagged crystals in these crevices slice the miners’ arms, leaving ragged scars. Searching for the beads is often fruitless work, as they are quite rare, but any prisoner who fails to find a bead in the course of a week is executed for her failure. Many skaa don’t survive that first week, falling instead due to accidents or exhaustion in the mines. The Pits are located close to Luthadel, though their exact location remains a closely guarded secret. Allomancy can cause the atium crystals to shatter, and House Venture rightly fears that if a rival house discovered the location of the Pits they might send Lurchers to damage or destroy the mines in order to inflict catastrophic financial damage. This is why only skaa are sent to the Pits, and those who go are carefully screened for signs of Allomantic potential — often in the form of a severe beating — prior to their sentencing. The only skaa to have escaped the Pits — Kelsier himself — did so because he Snapped in the mines, and used his newfound Allomantic abilities to escape. The monstrous reputation of the Pits has made it the stuff of terror and legend amongst the skaa, creating some truly fantastical superstitions. Some believe great beasts guard the Pits; others think the Steel Inquisitors spring forth from the Pits rather than being born; and a few regard the Pits like a hell where faithless skaa are sent to pay penance for betraying the Lord Ruler. But like all beliefs, they are tied together with a thread of truth: the Pits are a place to be feared, and are the worst place a skaa can end up.

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5 CANAL SKAA

The canals that criss-cross the Final Empire are crucial routes for travel and commerce in all its forms. The crews of these boats and barges are called canal skaa, who are tasked with taking tourists, messengers, medicine, precious cargo, and messages to every corner of the Final Empire. The typical canal skaa is par sailor and part cattle, sometimes piloting a boat from the rudder and other times pulling it by rope or rein from the shoreline. Canal skaa also maintain the docks, landings, and boats of the nobility, they are kept clean and ready for visiting lords and ladies. Skaa on the canals are granted by necessity more levels of autonomy and authority than their urban and country brethren, for their work by necessity requires them to travel quickly and beyond the direct reach of their masters. Most nobles simply can’t be bothered to understand every nuance that affects shipment speed, and are willing to give up a bit of control so long as timetables are met and shipments arrive safely. Those canal skaa who prove to be reliable may be even placed in charge of barges and crews of their own. These skaa pilots take their stewardship very seriously, and they often have emotional ties to the craft they navigate through the waterways. The canal trade is hectic, and many of the most industrious people in the Final Empire work the canals. A delayed boat can mean the difference between life and death for a noble or an entire plantation, making timetables and proper supply of ships to avoid unplanned stops vital for success. The price of autonomy thus comes with a commensurate increase in accountability, and the penalty for canal skaa who fail their noble masters is high. Punishment for late delivery or loss of cargo ranges from a severe beating to banishment to the mines to torturous

Canal Skaa

execution. However, even these punishments do absolve the nobles from blame, and the Canton of Resource exact their price from a ship’s owner as if the noble themselves caused a delay or the loss of a shipment. The canals are owned by the Lord Ruler, whose soldiers defend them from banditry and noble skirmishes, but the system is vast enough that not all stretches are equally protected. Any trouble on the canals that does happen typically takes place far from transportation hubs, and the troublemakers take great pains to leave no witnesses or evidence in order to foil Obligators’ investigations — up to and including killing the crew and sinking the vessel. Trade barges laden with goods are favorite targets of skaa thieving crews and rebel soldiers, and attacks on them often find skaa fighting skaa in defense of the noble regime. For skaa on both sides, these fights are about survival: for the canal skaa, to survive their masters’ fury at the loss of cargo; for the thieves, to survive the inevitable manhunt should the barge’s crew turn them in. Covertly, many canal skaa use their freedom to traffic in another commmodity — passing news and information around the Empire. Pilots are always on a lookout for valuable facts, such the location of a rebellious uprising or where the Steel Ministry will strike next, which can command a handsome price

CANAL ADVENTURES Unlike so many of their fellow skaa, the only thing a canal skaa can count on is that her life is never the same from one day to the next. Broken (or sabotaged) ships, forbidden trysts, stolen cargo, dead bodies, slow-moving dock workers, kidnapping, mistwraiths, sadistic nobles — each day brings with it new problems or excitement. This aspect of canal life provides fertile ground for adventure lasting an evening or an longer story arc. Consider how you want to incorporate the canals into your game. Having the Crew travel on a barge is a good way to show the full life of canal skaa, and take them from one adventure to another fairly simply. This can allow for a series of unconnected, smaller heists and adventures if you want to present a whirlwind tour of the Final Empire, showcasing many different types of people and events. They can spend the long trips between stations conversing with the canal skaa, planning their next heist, or just taking a Breather. Alternatively, the Crew could pull a heist targeting a cargo-laden barge or important waystation. Drive home the impact of the collateral damage of such a heist. The crew of the barge are mostly skaa, and sure to face punishment. Yet an especially valuable shipment (especially if it contains atium or other valuable metals) will likely be escorted by a noble and a few guards who make good villains. Waystations present a promising target for different reasons. They’re the key to controlling travel and trade, and taking over a waystation can give a Crew a great way to spread and collect information.

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to the right buyer. Canal skaa who move cargo through busy or restive areas tend to be very diligent in their official duties, in order to avoid being shifted over to a less interesting (and lucrative) route. While most of these information brokers reveal secrets only to the highest bidder, some have more noble aspirations and pass on what they find only to skaa resistance cells or other causes.

TYPES OF CANAL SKAA PILOTS

Timeliness is everything to the canal skaa ordered to navigate a boat for his noble lord. Corner any pilot, and you’ll likely learn a great deal of statistics, including how long it takes to travel from the Southernmost Dominance to Luthadel, the average number of trips in a month, what boats are the fastest, and which pre-scheduled routes are best for certain types of cargo. In many ways, a skaa effectively owns the craft he pilots, setting his own shipping schedule based on his expertise. Especially skilled ship pilots might contract work for multiple houses, commanding an additional fee for their speed or discretion. Legally, this fee goes back to the skaa’s noble master, though many canal pilots skim a bit off the top. Most nobles don’t ask too many questions about a good pilot’s comings and goings, as long as the pilot ensures the barges arrive at their destinations on time and with all cargo accounted for.

SUPPORT CREW

Support crew for the bulk of each ship’s skaa, tending to jobs ranging from cooking to scouting and maintenance to pulling the vessel itself. Unlike pilots, who are usually adult men, support crew can be any age or gender so long as they are willing to work hard and follow orders. A barge typically carries as few support crew as necessary to make more room for cargo, but some pilots give rides to plantation escapees or criminals on the run in exchange for a little extra help. Members of the support crew tend to bond, and may develop romantic relationships since they spend so much time together.

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Canal Skaa

Many types of skaa live and work in the canals, including:

SKAA HEROES ON THE CANALS

Canal Skaa

You can use the jobs described here to determine some of the details for a skaa Hero from the canals. If your Hero worked as a cleaner or dockworker, he might have attitudes similar to those of plantation skaa, but more worldly since he’s been exposed to so many more people and cultures. What were some of the most memorable visitors to his waystation or stretch of the canal? Did he meet any especially notable travelers, like high-ranking Obligators, Steel Inquisitors, or famous Allomancers? Dockworkers and cleaners also work in smaller groups often, causing them to bond strongly with one another. Who was your Hero close to? What happened to them and where are they now? Was your Hero an outcast among those skaa? If so, why? For a skaa Hero who worked on the barges as a pilot or support crew, think on which ports of call he visited most frequently. Did his route lead through Luthadel or other major hubs? Did he carry valuable goods or cheaper ones? What kinds? Which house did he have to call master? For all canal skaa, consider how a bit of distance from the constant oppression by the nobles might have affected him. Did the freedom of the canals drive him to join a Crew where he could truly make his own way? Did something go wrong, forcing him to desert his old job? Piloting a barge can be an asset when working with a Crew, so the Hero might even still take on jobs on the canal. At the very least, he can call in favors to get transportation. Who are his contacts when he does so? The unpredictable nature of life on the canals can contribute to your Hero’s tragedy and history. A simple run-in with a rebel, thief, noble, or trader could have drastically changed the Hero’s life. What happened to her out there on the canals? Has she ever had to pit her life against a fellow skaa to defend a cargo or protect a passenger? If so, how did that turn out and what is the fallout? Life on the canals may be relatively free, but freedom always has its price…

CLEANERS

Cleaners are landbound skaa who live on banks, and are responsible for dredging the warterways and cleaning the waystations and docks that line the canal system. Those assigned to a waystation supervise cargo shipments, and often have enough literary skills to write up shipping manifests and receipts. Other cleaners roam from camp to camp, traveling miles in either direction to clean, assist with maintenance, and help barge crews in need of extra hands. The distance these skaa travel depends upon which noble owns them, as they are often are tied to a plantation near the canal route.

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DOCK WORKERS

At ports and waystations, dock workers do the heavy lifting. Over extremely long work days, they load and unload cargo with few breaks. They rarely leave their stations, but might be reassigned if a pilot or crewmember has died or fallen ill. Typically a noble assigns such tasks, but in an emergency a pilot might be able to snatch a dock worker from a waystation to complete an important shipment.

Waystations are small camps or tiny warehouses set up at key locations, such as the intersections of canals, important bridges, sources of fresh water, or

CHILDREN OF THE CANALS The relative freedoms enjoyed by canal skaa have many fringe benefits, the foremost of which is the ability to have families of their own. The strong bonds formed amongst canal skaa communities and the sporadic (if intense) work provides fertile ground for romance and courtship, so an unusually high percentage of the canal skaa population is children. Most canal skaa children are the progeny of skaa, often from different houses who meet and mingle on the canals. The law specifies a skaa child belongs to the house of the mother, but in practice many are hidden from their houses entirely and raised as free skaa for as long as possible. However, the freedoms of canal skaa — and in turn, the safety of their children — are predicated upon their effectiveness delivering cargo. Boats are rarely safe homes for toddlers, so waystations often act as de facto homes for children whose parents are traveling or working long shifts on the canals. Some more isolated stations might have dozens of kids at a time, with the older children acting as caretakers for the younger. Over time, these waystation families could grow into communities of essentially independent skaa. Such an occurrence is dangerous, as an observant noble or Obligator might recognize the potential threat of this nascent community or may realize the value these young skaa might offer to the noble who could lay claim to them. Consider the sorts of stories these communities could provide. For canal skaa Heroes, do they have family waiting for them at a waystation, or did they grow up there themselves? What if urban or plantation Heroes happen upon a waystation run entirely by children, like something out of The Lord of the Flies? Setting the Crew up to defend a waystation filled with kids they initially intended to pick up from (or rob) could make a dramatic and compelling scene in and of itself!

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Canal Skaa

WAYSTATIONS

Canal Skaa

shelter for travelers. Skaa live, work, and sleep here under little to no supervision from richer, more powerful nobles, beyond the occasional visit by a guard or traveling overseer. Though clean and well kept, these storage facilities/dwellings are often situated in remote places that are very unattractive to the nobility since a voyage there puts them at great personal risk. The skaa who staff waystations don’t mind this distance from their masters and their protection, however, as whatever minor discomforts they may suffer are outweighed by the virtual autonomy they enjoy in return. This autonomy, isolation, and ready-made spaces to store goods have made waystations key features in the skaa black market, and favorite havens for smugglers and other ne’er-do-wells who ply their trade on the canals.

SMUGGLING

Smuggling thrives along the canals. Most smuggling is ordered by nobles themselves, who ship goods like wines, cloth, and weapons hidden amongst legitimate goods in order to avoid taxes imposed by the Canton of Resource. When an Obligator discovers contraband, a noble owner often lays the blame on the skaa themselves, though these ruses rarely work — either because the Obligator knows the skaa don’t have the money to operate at such scale, or because they think the skaa too stupid or cowardly to take the risk. Though canal skaa pack the barges as densely as possible to make each shipment count (unless the recipient is paying extra for a rush), they also find ways to include clandestine cargo of their own. These smuggled goods include illicit items for friends and family, black market items smuggled for criminal gangs, and messages and caches moved at the behest of rebels. Barge pilots take the many stops for contraband when making shipping estimates for their noble masters, ensuring the system remains intact and undetected. Most drop points are run by a collection of skaa who act like independent contractors, sharing in the risk and reward in equal measure and going their own way when needed. To facilitate business and share the blame should anything happen, each of these contractors typically use the same name. This way, a skaa supervisor can be in multiple places at once, no questions asked, and an informant can only rat out one person, rather than take down the entire operation. Nobles aware of skaa smuggling rarely reveal this to the Obligators, preferring to ask for tribute or services in exchange for leaving the waystations unmentioned. After all, it’s better for everyone to keep shipments running on time and skim off the top than to let the Obligators bring everything to a halt.

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6 THE SKAA UNDERGROUND

Outside the gaze of the Steel Ministry and beyond the reach of the nobility, skaa secretly struggle to thwart the Lord Ruler’s orthodoxy. Some, like thieving crews, organize and band together, while others act independently to disobey their “betters” in their own way.

THIEVING CREWS

Thieving crew is a band of skaa criminals who cooperate on various types of criminal activity. While theft (particularly of noble houses and shipments) is the favored enterprise of most crews, they take on any number of illicit jobs to make ends meet. Crews depend on a constant stream of income and a variety of targets for their schemes, so they are most common in Luthadel and other large cities where such work is plentiful. But being a thief is a dangerous profession in the Final Empire, and crews also live in constant fear of discovery, capture, and execution. The nobility and Steel Ministry ruthlessly prosecute any captured thieves, sending them to prison, labor camps, or even the dreaded Pits of Hathsin (see page 56). Murder and betrayal, both from inside and outside their ranks, are a constant threat — most crews barely last a year. Those that do are hardened, savvy veterans whose skill and teamwork are essential to their success and survival. Hierarchy in most crews is largely meritocratic, based on a thief’s reputation, time in the underground, and record of success (or failure) on the job. However, particularly ruthless thieves rise to the top of their crews by ruling with intimidation, fear, and outright violence. Being a crew leader is not a particularly enviable

The Skaa Underground

position, as one must constantly deal with backstabbing, informing to the authorities, ego clashes, and other competitive squabbles which constantly threaten to tear even good crews apart. Women rarely join thieving crews; in some, they’re treated just as poorly as they would be on a plantation or in a noble house. Sure, there are plenty of more enlightened and egalitarian crews, of course, but there are no guarantees in the criminal underground. Whatever the risks, a thieving crew may offer a greater opportunity for a woman to take hold of her own fate and rise above the station dictated to her. While she must vigilantly protect herself against her fellow crewmembers as much as against outside threats, a female thief can also rest assured she won’t be raped and killed by noble masters with the blessing of the Lord Ruler’s laws. Clever women band together for mutual protection, often by joining a larger crew with women on their roster, or in some rare cases joining an all-female crew. While Kelsier’s crew is the foremost example of a crew from the Mistborn novels, most crews have no Allomancers and operate more like Camon’s crew. Though the underground is the perfect place for a skaa Allomancer to hide their abilities from the Steel Ministry, they still require special training and purified metals, and often demand a large fee for their services. Still, recruiting even a single Misting is a major coup for most crews; crews with more than one Misting are quite rare, and those with a skaa Mistborn are virtually unheard of. More likely than not, any crew that boasts about its many Allomancers is simply trying to spread its legend and strike fear in rival groups.

TYPICAL CREW JOBS

The various work thieving crews take on demands a variety of skill sets and specialists. Though thieving crews sometimes collaborate with one another on a big job, they’re usually looking for ways to make their own fortunes rather than partners with whom to split their ill–gotten gains. Here are six of the common jobs and their potential rewards, along with useful Traits for Heroes filling those roles:

SMUGGLING

Some canal skaa moonlight as members of a thieving crew. Weapons, Allomantic metals, drugs, and illegal books are favorite types of contraband. Smuggling over the waterways can be extremely profitable, provided the pilot can dodge a surprise inspection. Typically, smugglers take payments as a percent-

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age of the profits or goods they smuggle, setting the rate based on the distance, difficulty of the route, and punishments they will suffer if caught. Useful Traits: Head for Logistics; Lookout; Well-Connected; Veteran Smuggler; Excellent Liar.

FORGERY

BURGLARY

Robbing a Great House or plantation is a high-risk job with immediate rewards. Thieving crews typically steal food and coin, though crews that are more sophisticated also take larger and more valuable items to sell on the black market. Burglary requires physical aptitude, social manipulation, and mental deftness, so crewmembers tend to have diverse set of skills to ensure all their bases are covered. Useful Traits: Brute Strength; Keen Eyed; Cat Burglar; Deft Hands; Locksmith.

HARASSMENT/BLACKMAIL

The nobility often wage war against each other in the shadows by distracting their opponents with petty problems or personality conflicts. They often do so by using “cut-outs” or mercenaries to cause trouble for their enemies while they position themselves to curry more of the Steel Ministry’s favor. A thieving crew hired for one of these jobs might be tasked with riling up a rival house’s skaa or to spread rumors about the house through the underground. This dangerous work demands thieves well versed in subtlety, social manipulation, and cunning; after all, if the crew is caught or killed, the noble doesn’t have to pay them! For this reason, most crews demands to be paid small amounts over a longer period of time, often in food — a price most noble clients pay from the mouths of their own skaa. Useful Traits: Rumormonger; Cunning Plans; Backbiter; Underhanded; Dirty Secrets.

MURDER/KIDNAPPING

Thieving crews are no strangers to violence; rival gangs, nobles, nosy servant skaa, house guards, and the occasional Allomancer have all died at the hands of crews in the past. While necessary violence is part of most thieving crews’ modus operandi, there are times when a crew is explicitly hired to murder or kid-

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The Final Empire runs on contracts, which provides plenty of opportunities for a crew who is good at faking signatures or who work with a not-so-loyal Obligator or cunning noble. There are many aspects to forgery and all of them require a great deal of finesse and social manipulation, from swapping names of skaa to petitions for the Lord Ruler and everything in between. Forgery can be a very time-consuming job, but quite lucrative considering that most clients of forged documents are merchant skaa or nobles. Useful Traits: Well-Connected; Social Graces; Steady Hand; Deal-Maker; Bait and Switch.

nap someone of importance. Assassination and kidnapping are, by far, the most dangerous type of jobs a thieving crew can take on, and skaa who do so for hire should expect to be paid extremely well. Useful Traits: Bloodthirsty; Callous; Iron Will; Good with a Blade.

CLEANUP

The Skaa Underground

The underhanded doings of both skaa and nobles tend to make a mess, and often there are bodies or other evidence which must be removed before the Ministry pokes around. When these events happen on private estates, a noble might have their skaa clean up, but for more extraordinary situations they may turn to the underground for assistance. Cleanup jobs are risky and tend to involve disposing of corpses, removing signs of violent struggle or death, and otherwise erasing signs of foul play. Very often, some cagey nobles attempt to entrap crews by pretending to hire them, then calling the authorities shifting the blame onto the “renegade skaa” instead. For this reason, the price for hiding a body is extremely high, and many crews err on the side of paranoia by establishing multiple plans in place in case of a double-cross. Useful Traits: Detail-Oriented; Paranoid; Smuggler; Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.

TRAFFICKING

Considering the popularity of the skaa black market and reliable network of smugglers working on the canals, many crews also make money by trafficking in contraband and illicit assets. Prostitution, Allomantic experimentation, and illegal skaa trading are just three of the most common forms of trafficking, and all result in far worse conditions for women, potential Allomancers, and escaped skaa. While few skaa rarely engage in trafficking with the intent of harming their fellows, there’s good money to be had in these operations, and that — not the morality of their actions — determines where most thieving crews put their efforts. •

•

Prostitution: The most attractive skaa are often kidnapped and sold as highpriced commodities for the sex trade. Many female skaa commit suicide or scar themselves to avoid such a life, though disfiguration doesn’t stop the thieving crews from snatching skaa to sell them to a local whoremaster for coin. Some thieving crews are so callous as to sell their own to whoremasters if the boss doesn’t think those crewmembers are pulling their weight. Allomantic Trade: The nobility need a steady supply of metals to keep their Mistings and Mistborn functioning. Crews bold enough to rob a metallurgist or otherwise get their hands on sufficiently pure metal can always find a buyer amongst the houses — typically by unloading the metal at a massive discount from market price. The discovery of atium (especially more than one or two beads) is enough to set a skaa up for life — provided his crewmates don’t kill him to keep the fortune all for themselves. The Steel Ministry takes trafficking of Allomantic metals (particularly atium)

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•

CREW NAMES

Most crews take a collective name, either chosen based on the locations where they operate or named after the leader (especially if the leader operates under a pseudonym). Some look for a fierce or punchy name that others will remember. You can generate a shortlist of crew names using this Crew Name Generator, putting together one adjective and one noun. Roll one die for the row and one for the column to determine each word, or simply pick the ones you like best.

CREW NAME ADJECTIVES Result

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

Alley

Cloudy

Ghostly

Obsidian

Sharp

Steel

2

Alloyed

Cold

Gold

Metal

Shiny

Strong

3

Angry

Copper

Hot

Misty

Silent

Tin

4

Atium

Dead

Invisible

Pewter

Silver

Twin

5

Bronze

Drowned

Iron

Quick

Spiked

Unkillable

6

Burning

Electric

Lucky

Red

Spirit

Zinc

CREW NAME NOUNS Result

1

2

3

4

5

6

1

Ash

Clubs

Embers

Hands

Roots

Stones

2

Boxings

Coal

Eyes

Haze

Ruin

Sun

3

Cinders

Daggers

Flame

Leaves

Shields

Swords

4

Clips

Dawn

Fog

Pouches

Slag

Trees

5

Cloaks

Dew

Gloves

Rats

Soot

Wall

6

Clouds

Dust

Ground

Relics

Staves

Wraiths

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extremely seriously, so it’s not uncommon for a desperate skaa to sell his crewmates out to save his own skin or for a high enough price. Illegal Skaa Trading: Many thieving crews have little empathy for their fellow skaa, and the most callous of all engage in skaa trafficking. Their victims are often runaway or destitute skaa, lured from whatever safety they enjoy, bound, gagged, and lead away to be sold to whoremasters, rural nobles, or organized criminals. The age and gender don’t matter — babies, children, pregnant mothers, and wizened elders have all moved through the markets at some time or another. With so much coin to be made, the traffickers know better than to ask questions. Skaa traders have a particular interest in finding skaa Mistings, since they provide a potent edge against enemies and competing crews. Skaa Mistings are so rare that most skaa traders choose to put the Allomancer on their payroll rather than sell them; it’s far safer to make a Pewterarm, Coinshot, or Soother an ally than to try and force her to do something she doesn’t want to do.

INFORMANTS The Skaa Underground

Thieving crews, ambitious nobles, and even Steel Ministry functionaries rely on skaa informants to trade information. Every major city has a few prominent information brokers; Luthadel contains dozens. Buying and selling information is not a respectable — or legal — profession, but that doesn’t stop nobles and Obligators from using their services…only from making their association public. Informants largely remain independent and anonymous, which helps them to better broker deals and trade against all sides. Some rely on disguises to keep their anonymity, and others deliver their information only through couriers and go-betweens so they never interact directly with clients. Most informants operate out of skaa slums or travel from place to place to prevent a disgruntled client from hunting them down. However, some noble houses keep particularly reliable informants on retainer, providing them with food, shelter, and a modest salary so long as they provide the house with information on their rivals and protect the house’s secrets.

THE SILK CHARADE Most thieving crews attempt to spread their legend among thieves while avoiding notice by the authorities. The ambitious crew called the Silk Charade operates in a more flamboyant fashion. They want the authorities and the nobles to hear about them, so they leave a calling card at each crime scene: a silk ribbon with a jester’s mask painted on one end. Though they haven’t been around long and the number of major scores they have completed remains relatively low, their stature is disproportionately greater thanks to the publicity they’ve earned from such brazenness. Fin, the leader of the crew, came up with the calling card idea when her buyer for a hoisted shipment of silk fell through; she decided to use the extra material to add a little individual flair to her jobs. Thieves flock to the Silk Charade, and Fin uses those throngs to take on many small jobs in order make her organization seem bigger than it actually is. Expansion is her main goal, and she is always on the lookout for new and talented recruits. The Silk Charade primarily operates out of Luthadel, though Fin likes to unnerve the authorities and nobles in other regions by sending ribbons with traveling crewmembers. However, she absolutely refuses to let her crew plant ribbons at the scenes of other crews’ crimes; she neither wants to damage her reputation, nor cause friction with other crews. The same, however, cannot be said for other crews, who have attempted to forge silk ribbons to deflect attention from their own activities. Fin does not take such duplicity gracefully, and offers a handsome reward to anyone with information leading her to these underhanded rivals. To gain the Silk Charade as a Network, see page 94.

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THE UNDERGROUND AFTER THE COLLAPSE

Warning: This section contains major spoilers for the Mistborn trilogy. This section is best read upon completion of the Mistborn: The Final Empire. With the Lord Ruler’s restrictions thrown off, skaa culture expands and the skaa underground comes out into the light. Just like Kelsier’s crew transformed from rebels to saviors, many of those who had long lived outside the laws and rules of the Lord Ruler find themselves the de facto (and perhaps unwilling) leaders in their spheres. Younger and more passionate skaa, tired of the old ways, look to these rebels and outsiders as icons of how to shrug off the chains of skaa bondage. The “community” that barely existed prior to the Collapse fractures as skaa tentatively explore the boundaries of what they can and can’t do in society. Immediately following the Collapse, many strong personalities emerge, like Fatren, who manipulates the existing political system by mimicking other opportunists riding the waves of change. Other skaa express their pent-up rage through public speaking and, like The Citizen, attract an audience by spewing anti-noble rhetoric on behalf of the Church of the Survivor.

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Informants use two main tactics to obtain secrets: eavesdropping and buying information. Just spending time near noble houses and gathering places or pretending to do small jobs in Steel Ministry buildings lets an information overhear a great many things. Networked informants often invest a significant portion of their income in buying secrets from other people, and trade their information in exchange for different, jucier secrets they can resell. Such work demands informants to be up at any time of day or night — to get paid, they don’t have the luxury of fearing the mists. The informant profits most from corruption, and, fortunately from them, corruption is everywhere in the Final Empire. The dirty dealings of the nobility are an open secret, so rumors are of limited worth; however, dirty laundry or specific plans of a noble house can be quite valuable to the right buyer. Ordinary skaa are often the best source of this information, but their voices are rarely heard so most will sell what they know to an informant for a small piece of the reward. The Steel Ministry’s corruption on the other hand is much harder to suss out, thanks to the cloak of secrecy and broad authority enjoyed by Obligators. For information in the Ministry, informants must extract secrets from frustrated nobles, the rare loose-tongued Terris steward, or even infiltrate the Ministry itself. While often mercenary as a necessity, not every informant works only for the highest bidder or is simply in it for the money. Some informants work exclusively with skaa, while more rebellious informants might twist the information they sell to noble clients to attempt to create conflicts or affect specific types of change. Though a very small number of informants have any amount of idealism, they do exist and their influence on events can be drastically larger than their numbers might imply.

The skaa also navigate these troubled times by organizing around core economic and spiritual principles — often those which were once forbidden before the Lord Ruler’s fall. They create merchant guilds that may one day challenge the nobility’s absolute rule. When they organize under the banner of The Survivor, the skaa secure their own identity and fight back under the guise of faith.

The Skaa Underground

THE LUTHADEL ASSEMBLY

After the Collapse, in the absence of the Lord Ruler, the Dominances suddenly find themselves struggling through the most basic of quandaries: Who’s in charge? After being established as king of Luthadel, Elend Venture forms the Assembly, a parliamentary council intended to oversee all economic, agricultural, military, and political functions of the Central Dominance, to answer these questions. Built on the academic principles and idealism of Elend himself, the Assembly is established to keep the power of any current king (including himself) in check and to provide fair representation of and a voice for the city’s people — including the skaa. To this end, the Assembly is comprised of twenty-four men: eight nobles, eight tradesmen, and eight skaa (though some commoners, at times, struggle to distinguish the fine line between the tradesmen and skaa laborers). The Assemblymen meet to discuss, debate, and vote on any major matter concerning Luthadel and the Central Dominance. The new Assembly Hall is located in the former Steel Ministry Canton of Finance headquarters. It has a simple lectern used by speakers and benches for any members of the public who wish to watch the proceedings. Guards are always in attendance for the members’ protection. Any item or proposal brought before the Assembly must achieve a majority vote to pass, with each member holding a single vote. A constitutional clause also allows the Assembly to oust the current king by majority vote —the wisdom of which is questioned by many. If no king is present, an Assembly chancellor assumes statutory responsibility to call on speakers in turn, allot time for speeches, and act as a tie-breaking vote. Should any assemblyperson be deemed unfit to continue in their role for any reason, they can be removed from the Assembly by a unanimous vote. The skaa Assembly members possess, proportionately, more social influence than the nobles themselves. Skaa members come from all manner of positions,

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including the canal operators (and brothers) Jasten and Thurts, plantation laborers, artisans, and factory workers. Others, such as Haws, are devoted adherents to the Church of the Survivor, and see their position as a spiritual duty. However, no members of the assembly are professional politicians, and they all must continue to sweat for their livings. After the Assembly’s formation, many smaller cities create their own similar governing councils, attempting to give the newly liberated skaa an equal say in local production and proceedings. However, other cities, like Urteau, have fallen under a skaa-led dictatorship that relies on fear and intimidation to keep the populace in line. To gain the Luthadel Assembly as a Network, see page 94.

7 SKAA REBELLIONS

No skaa is born believing they are a slave. The subservience that many attribute to the skaa is beaten and ground into them from childhood under the watchful eyes of Obligators, the merciless whips of their taskmasters, and the numbing pulses of Soothers. Yet for all these efforts, skaa may retain a kernel of resistance deep within their hearts and minds, a refusal to wholly accept their fate or an identity as a “lesser” person. However, it takes drastic circumstances to push skaa to truly act on their discontent — and the Steel Ministry is forever alert for such dissidence, ready to squash restive skaa as soon as they’re sniffed out. Most rebellious skaa tend to come in one of two forms: desperate, or dead. While there have been violent clashes between the skaa and nobility over the centuries, they are rare, and usually begin on rural estates. A rebellion can begin in any number of ways, where as a spontaneous riot in reaction to an unjust incident, to an insurgency organized by local rebel groups, to a desperate attempt by starving skaa to escape the whips of their masters. Most plantations maintain enough guards and overseers to put down uprisings before they expand beyond their boundaries, but from time to time an entire plantation falls — and when they do, the Steel Ministry takes notice.

HISTORICAL REBELLIONS

In the early days of the Final Empire, the Lord Ruler didn’t fully account for the frequency or ferocity of skaa uprisings. The conquest that built his empire had been a long and violent struggle, and in its aftermath, the nobility, obligators — and to a smaller extent the Lord Ruler himself — fell into complacency. When

Skaa Rebellions

the third generation of skaa born under a united Final Empire began to defy their masters openly, the Lord Ruler’s belief that a coordinated rebellion existed was confirmed. However, instead of preventing the impending rebellion, he allowed it and instead gave the nobles free rein to deal with the insolent skaa as they saw fit. The Steel Ministry left the noble houses to police their own affairs, stepping in only when an uprising threatened to destabilize a larger region — an extremely rare occurrence. Many lives — both noble and skaa — were lost in the crackdown that followed, but many obligators saw the bloodshed as just deserts, for it was the nobles’ own permissiveness that allowed the revolts in the first place. Over the centuries, the skaa have rebelled more often then they realize or remember today. With no written records, skaa history is passed down from generation to generation through ever-changing stories and cloudy recollections, losing many details over the generations. Not that there is much to remember about those rebellions; few have been even remotely successful, and all have been brutally put down. Regardless, the nobles and Steel Ministry and have made a point of suppressing any history of skaa uprisings, except for use as examples of the futility of skaa resistance. Though isolated rebellions on plantations happen regularly, and more organized, large-scale resistance movements spring up every decade or so, there are a few notable rebellions which affected minor changes within the Empire. That’s not to say these revolts actually made the lives of the skaa better, but they did lead to new forms of social engineering by the Steel Ministry and Lord Ruler.

MINER’S CLIMB

Though House Venture is the most powerful family in the Empire, there are still those skaa who dare defy them — and one act of defiance in their mines changed the way mining is conducted throughout Scadrial. Once, skaa miners were treated better than field skaa, incentivized and rewarded for discovering new veins of ore with food and relative comfort. But as more houses entered the mining business, competition increased, driving down metal prices and, in turn, the profits of all nobility involved in mining. Some houses tried further incentivizing the skaa to work harder, but at the Ventureowned facility at Miner’s Climb, they took a different approach: forcing the skaa to spend longer and longer hours in the mines, cutting corners on safety, and lowering the workers’ compensation for their labors. The skaa tolerated the abuses and deteriorating conditions at Miner’s Climb, moving the facility to profitability and success. But even skaa can only take so much, and eventually the miners banded together, attacking and overwhelming their overseers at the mine site to escape. Though none of the overseers were killed during the escape, these renegade skaa were hunted down ruthlessly by the Steel Ministry, and eventually butchered by koloss as an example to others with similar ideas. After the events of Miner’s Climb, the Ministry enacted a new law to increase competition and undermine unity between miners: all skaa miners are forced to work for their daily allotment of food. Today, mining rebellions are rare, and

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when they do happen, they’re more likely to be committed by one brave individual than a group. The other miners usually regard the rebel as a fool, but gladly accept the loss of one more person competing against them for food.

THE CHILDREN’S REBELLION

MODERN RESISTANCE

The most common type of rebellion in the modern day is subversion made by an individual or small group, rather than outright revolt or a bold attempt at creating large-scale change. These subversives are typically part of the larger skaa underground, plying their trade in thieving crews, black markets, smugglers, or blackmail operations (see page 63). After all, stealing from a noble

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Two centuries ago, hundreds of skaa children ages 12 and above were found walking together on the edge of the Outer Dominances. They were headed straight for Luthadel, picking up stray escapees and other kids as they went. Bonded together in misery, the children had planned to talk to the Lord Ruler and beg for his forgiveness. They thought that they had done something wrong to warrant their mistreatment at the hands of the nobles and wanted to make amends. Despite the fact it was illegal for skaa to travel alone and in groups , many nobles didn’t go out of their way to stop these children, fearing acting against the children would earn them a reputation as callous, or perhaps out of some moral objection against harming those so young. But when the group were discovered by Obligators, they were rounded up and taken exactly where they wanted to go — to the Lord Ruler’s palace. No one saw the children emerge from Kredik Shaw once they went in. Most nobles insist the children were legally and righteously executed, but some Obligators insist the Lord Ruler accepted the children as a sacrifice or somehow transformed them into Steel Inquisitors. Following their disappearance, the Lord Ruler declared all nobles must capture or kill dissidents, regardless of age or gender, under punishment of death, as a hedge against future “moral weakness.”

Skaa Rebellions

house teetering the edge of financial ruin, providing arms to gangs in a restive slum, or spreading news of hope or unrest can undermine the social order while also lining one’s pockets. Tolk, for instance, is a barge captain and the head the Ashen Veins, a major canal-based skaa smuggling network known as the Ashen Veins; his secret cargo can include anything from simple messages between rebellion cells to forbidden weapons and equipment, luxury goods, black market exchanges, and even other skaa. Some bolder skaa act more directly, seeking bring out the hidden potential of the skaa and harness it as a force for social reform. These idealists might try to educate large swaths of the skaa population, or to empowering them by demanding additional rights or resources. One such pioneering individual is Folosst, the leader of the small Skaa Emancipation Movement. Despite lowly origins, Folosst has styled himself as a legal expert and taken to improving the lot of the skaa by legally accorded means. He’s dug up a slew of archaic skaa laws from Steel Ministry archives that haven’t been enforced in centuries, and tries to return them to public process. Most nobles he’s petitioned for support have discarded his ideas as too idealistic, but a few noble houses from the Farmost Dominance have given small amounts of backing or promises of protection. Folosst has also taken to educating skaa on how they can exploit loopholes and claim legal protection against various abuses or overreaches by their masters. Those who oppose Folosst’s efforts are hesitant to eliminate him directly since his petitions are technically backed up by the Lord Ruler’s own decrees, and don’t want to risk turning the Steel Ministry’s wrath back on themselves. When reform efforts fail — as they always have — the next step is revolution. Violence is the most extreme method of skaa resistance, as it brings swift and

SUBTLE ACTS OF REBELLION There are many types of rebellion, and the skaa have tried every one of them at one time or another. Though large-scale revolt is rare, skaa routinely perform small acts to subtly strike back at their masters. Misplaced goods, ill-fitting clothes, and swapped contracts are all passive-aggressive ways of bucking the master’s yoke. Sometimes skaa collude, with several of them working in unison to undermine noble plans, though organized conspiracies are much more likely to be found out. A campaign could reflect either type of skaa rebellion. Weigh the benefits of one character’s subtle acts versus a large-scale plot or outright revolt. What are the skaa in question are more likely to do in their specific situation? Subtle acts can convey the state of the skaa in that particular location and clue the players into the dissatisfaction with the skaa, without risking lives. Rebellion, on the other hand, are bigger and more violent conflicts which affect the pace of the story and can act as catalysts for bigger, more powerful scenes.

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YEDEN’S REBELLION

Warning: This section contains major spoilers for the Mistborn trilogy. This section is best read upon completion of the first book: The Final Empire. When Kelsier contacted Yeden’s rebels, he knew they were destined to fail without his help. The Lord Ruler was prepared for such a rebellion, which was headed along a predictable and easily thwarted path. Kelsier’s involvement put a point on an ages-old problem; to take on the Lord Ruler, the rebellion needed to be more sophisticated and better use the resources at hand. Prior to Kelsier, the skaa participating in the rebellions had no true leadership other than to recognize a “man in charge.” Battle tactics and other forms of warfare were foreign to these groups; they knew they wanted to rebel, but didn’t know how. Kelsier’s experience in thieving crews made him uniquely suited to teach the rebels the tactics they so desperately needed to learn — not just how to fight, but when to fight, when to ambush, and when to cut their losses and run. Combat training turned Yeden’s rebellion into a force worthy of the Lord Ruler’s attention, but it could not solve problems at the top. Despite a successful attack on the Holstep garrison, Yeden was rash and failed to account for the nearby Valtroux city, leading to the obliteration of the vast majority of the rebellion’s forces, including Yeden himself. After the Collapse, the skaa rebellions shifted to fit what was happening around them. Instead of weapons, skaa wielded sharp words. Instead of bursting into action when the nobility least expected it, the skaa spoke at the right moments or protested when it would be most effective. The rebellion found legitimacy upon the memory of the Survivor and under the weight of Elend Venture’s noble name. To learn how to gain Yeden’s Rebellion as a Network, see page 94.

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lethal judgment down on the heads of all those involved. Most bands of violent skaa rebels are quickly caught, but some are organized and canny enough to survive Steel Ministry assaults and remain thorns in the Lord Ruler’s side for a time. One of the thorns is headed up by Plin, who leads the Sundering, a radical band of fighters devoted to causing as much chaos as possible. Sunderers believe the end of all days is upon the world, and the only solace is in total annihilation. Their goal is to hasten the inevitable collapse of the Empire’s infrastructure and let everyone burn in the wreckage. If they happen to free a few skaa along the way, fine, but freedom is just a brief respite from the inevitable. Brutal massacres, factory and plantation fires, and wanton destruction are their primary tactics. Sunderers claim that any skaa killed in these clashes have gone on to find their true peace.

8 SKAA BELIEF

The Lord Ruler’s policies are designed to keep the skaa in a state of profound ignorance in order to reinforce his control over the Final Empire. Much of this ignorance relies upon a denial of education and encouragement of religious doctrine, false rumor, and superstition. Some of these beliefs originate within the Steel Ministry to enforce the social controls that hold the Empire together, but just as many are passed down through the skaa themselves. While most skaa communities have their own beliefs and superstitions, there are commonly-held beliefs throughout skaa culture…particularly those that help maintain social order and the status quo.

WORSHIP OF THE LORD RULER

The core religious tenet in the Final Empire declares that the Lord Ruler is god — that he created mankind as they are, and is their greatest protector and judge. The skaa are confronted with the evidence of the Lord Ruler’s divinity everywhere, from the soaring heights of Kredik Shaw to the unbreakable power of the nobility to the lowly station they suffer for their ancestors’ defiance. Worship of the Lord Ruler involves very little organized practice, at least for the skaa. Most skaa know very little of official doctrine or dogma. They know that the Lord Ruler saved the world from the Deepness, and that he is a god on earth, but that’s about it. All other information about the faith comes from their masters, or rumor and inference passed down by other skaa. Since the perceived doctrines of the church vary from plantation to plantation or noble house to noble house, many nobles freely manipulate the finer details of

Skaa Belief

religion to compel their skaa into greater productivity and obedience. Some teach that while the world is dangerous and cruel, the Lord Ruler created it as such to punish the disobedient and unfaithful — who, naturally, are the skaa. Others preach of a watchful and wrathful Lord Ruler, who will strike down those who threaten his “perfect world” without mercy. These “interpretations” are all acceptable…so long as they do not contradict the Lord Ruler’s divinity or the word of the Obligators. Regardless of the details, few skaa question the these religious doctrines, and some are far more reverent than others. While some (quite naturally) question their fate and lament their treatment as beasts of burden, there just as many who look on their plight as punishment for the disobedience of their forefathers. These skaa count themselves lucky that they don’t suffer even worse than they already do, and many of them believe the pain and misery inflicted upon other skaa is righteous punishment for unspoken faithlessness. But most skaa simply don’t go out of their way to question what they have been trained to think or believe. Despair is an emotion many skaa know and understand; hope, desire, love — these are the kinds of feelings that none dare to explore outside the safety of religion or superstition.

SUPERSTITION

Uneducated skaa hold a staggering number of superstitions, particularly on the plantations (see page 50). Though superstition aren’t direct religious doctrine, they serve as a method of control just the same. The Lord Ruler and his Obligators see no reason to set the skaa straight, since skaa who live in fear are also easier to manipulate. For instance, skaa who fear the mists remain indoors at night, which in turn reduces the likelihood they will attempt to of escape or revolt, as well as ensuring they are well-rested for the toil of the next working day. Though the Steel Ministry and the nobility planted the seeds that gave rise to many skaa superstitions, most have their roots in mundane events which have been blown out of proportion through retellings and the passage of time. The most pervasive superstitions surround the mists, which skaa believe harbor horrific form-stealing mistwraiths and ghosts or can even consume them body and soul (some more specific examples of these folk superstitions can be found on page 53). Anything rare or exotic witnessed by a skaa could become the subject of superstition, ranging from a sighting of a lone koloss to sight of a Mistborn using the full extent of their abilities. Rural skaa, with their strong tradition of oral history and insular communities, are particularly prone to these beliefs, though they tend to end at the borders of their masters’ estate. In the cities, on the other hand, skaa are more likely to interact with those from other houses, leading to less-frequent but more widely held superstitions capturing the local imagination. The strange irony of skaa superstition is that these myths are, if one digs deep enough, based on fact. Many skaa’s (incorrect) idea of what a mistwraith derives from the truth of what a kandra is, and the animalistic wandering mistwraiths are

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indeed cousins to the kandra. Likewise, it is indeed true the mists have an intelligible agenda, though that purpose is far removed from the sinister motives the skaa attribute to it.

FAITH AFTER THE COLLAPSE

Warning: This section contains major spoilers for the Mistborn trilogy. This section is best read upon completion after the first book: The Final Empire. With the Lord Ruler’s death, the primary belief on Scadrial lost its object of devotion. Kelsier’s schemes set him up as a sort of replacement, albeit one without the oppressive authority of the Lord Ruler, and many skaa transferred their reverence to him, in the form of the Survivor.

CHURCH OF THE SURVIVOR

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Prior to the death of the Lord Ruler, Kelsier struggled mightily to introduce doubt among the skaa faithful. While questioning the divinity of the Lord Ruler aloud courted death at the hands of the Steel Ministry, they couldn’t control what happened in the minds of the skaa. Centuries of abuse and flimsy religious excuses for it provided fertile ground for the seeds of distrust; what Kelsier planted there grew into the Church of the Survivor. The Church of the Survivor developed naturally out of the events leading up to the fall of the Lord Ruler. Kelsier’s death and the religion that sprang up after it stemmed from multiple political and cultural forces — only some of which he had planned for. As OreSeur went out in Kelsier’s guise,rumors spread about the Survivor’s resurrection, and his legend grew. Eventually, priests of the Survivor organized around a basic dogma, wearing simple smocks and scarring their arms in the manner of the Survivor to display their faith. These priests, like many skaa after the Collapse, came to their faith as a vocation rather than ordination by an authority, and took the word out to skaa throughout the New Empire.

Skaa Belief

The Church of the Survivor has no true creed, since the “faith” was always a tool for instigating a rebellion rather than establishing an organized religious movement. The faithful seek any guidance they can find, either from the few things Kelsier is known to have said or from his followers, particularly Vin, the Heir to the Survivor. The most strident followers of the religion continue to debate and from a consensus about what the church’s true doctrines should be, but most skaa pay respects through simple folk worship in the way they venerated the Lord Ruler. As time passes, Kelsier’s legend grows out of proportion, and more mysteries are added to instill awe and wonder. In some retellings, Kelsier took down ten Inquisitors rather than one. In others, it was Kelsier who took down the Lord Ruler instead of Vin. And some believe Vin is Kelsier’s daughter. For now, each priest of the Survivor follows his or her own interpretations of Kelsier and his teachings, and each “parish” is similarly unique. While many have adapted defunct Steel Ministry buildings, others have taken over abandoned houses of the nobility or have constructed shrines near the Pits of Hathsin. This holistic approach may seem chaotic, but it also allows the skaa to explore their cultural identity in a way that fits the regional attitudes and beliefs they have long held. Some sects that emerged in the early days of the Church express more developed and specific sets of beliefs, as described below.

PACT OF SILENT HANDS

Followers of this sect share a deep longing to improve the treatment of skaa everywhere. These self-ordained “disciples” believe they must continue the Survivor’s work in silence without recognition or reward. A pragmatic group, the Pact aspires to protect skaa freedom and further damage the power of the Steel Ministry, and they execute their plans ruthlessly and with a minimum of showmanship.

DAUGHTERS OF HATHSIN

The Daughters of Hathsin is a sect of female believers who regard Kelsier as their divine husband and liberator. They share stories of their mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers to strengthen their resolve and heal from centuries of abuse. Members of this group are marked by painted patterns designed to look like arm scars or mistcloak tassels, and take a vow of abstinence. They believe they no longer have to succumb to the whims of the nobility or allow themselves to be taken advantage of. They view Vin, the Heir of the Survivor, as a role model and holy figure.

THE ORDER OF THE SCAR

Those who belong to the Order of the Scar believe in skaa superiority and have taken the precepts of the Church of the Survivor to extreme lengths. Assassins and kidnappers, the Order of the Scar captures, tortures, and inflicts the same harm on the nobility that was done to the skaa. While not all skaa approve of their actions, they stay out of the way, for “sympathizers” are often at risk of similar retribution.

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OTHER FAITHS AFTER THE COLLAPSE

The Collapse allowed a variety of other faiths to flourish and evolve now that the laws no longer restrict or punish such religions. Numerous interpretations of the old faith stemming from pre-existing variances of beliefs led to a variety of sects still rooted in worship of the Lord Ruler. In fact, not every skaa believed that Kelsier did the right thing, because the overthrow of the Lord Ruler also undermined the stability and predictability of life prior to the Collapse.

THE LORD RULER’S FAITHFUL

KING OF THE MISTWRAITHS

These skaa feared the Lord Ruler, and believe that after his death he emerged as King of the Mistwraiths and is locked in an eternal battle with Kelsier, the Lord of the Mists. They believe the newly crowned “King” is waiting to re-enslave the skaa and turn them all into mistwraiths. This belief is more of an urban legend than a religion, and manifests some unusual practices such as offering foodstuffs and sacrifices to the mists.

THE PUNISHED

Some skaa blame themselves for the Lord Ruler’s death and seek atonement for their sins. These skaa believe the deteriorating stability in Luthadel and beyond is a sign the skaa have helped bring about the end of the world by forgetting their place and cooperating with Kelsier. These devout believers seek to sacrifice themselves through a series of rigorous tests and self-inflicted torture to save the skaa people from the oncoming wrath of the fallen god — and thereby liberate the entire world.

CIRCLE OF THE TOUCHED

Many of the Final Empire’s citizens cling to the fading memory of the Lord Ruler’s glory and stubbornly refuse to let go of their faith in him. Instead of casting their lot with any new religion or regime, these skaa worship anyone and anything that had a connection to the Lord Ruler. Members of the circle participate in “remembrances” — meetings that reveal holy facts about the Lord Ruler’s life. Some savvy criminals have taken advantage of this zeal, fabricating “relics” like his eating utensils or a single strand of his hair, for sale at a ridiculous price.

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Many skaa do not believe the Lord Ruler is dead, and still regard him as the one and only god of Scadrial. They find unlikely allies among the obligators, including Aradan Yomen, the ruler of Fadrex City. The skaa who believe this continue to tie the fate of their people to the Lord Ruler’s life and ideals. All too often, these skaa work in full cooperation with the Steel Ministry, nobles, or anyone else claiming the “old ways” were better.

9 SKAA HEROES

A skaa’s lot is not an easy one. Centuries of despair have left their mark and rare is the skaa who dares to fight for a better life. But those who fight also serve as badly needed beacons of hope among their fellows: proof that resisting the nobles and the Lord Ruler is not futile and that hope can survive, even in the bleakest of circumstances. This section provides you new insights as you create, play, and advance your skaa Hero, including new rules for Stunts, equipment, and networks uniquely suited to the skaa.

BUILDING YOUR SKAA HERO

When building your skaa Hero, there are many special considerations to take into account, ranging from their distinct behaviors and cultural norms to their names and life events. This section offers tools and guidance to help you make your Hero fit the flavor and backgrounds of the skaa people as closely as possible.

COMMON SKAA TRAITS

The following Traits are some of the more common professional and personal features of skaa characters, broken down by the categories used for Creating Heroes (see the Mistborn Adventure Game, starting on page 84). While not comprehensive, these should put you on the path to creating more interesting and unique skaa, either as a player or a Narrator.

COMMON SKAA TRAITS Professions Beggar

Canal Pilot

Cleaning Person

Coachman

Con Artist

Courier

Factory Worker

Farmer

Gangster

Informant

Laborer

Merchant

Overseer

Rebel

Servant

Shepherd

Smuggler

Spy

Survivor

Thief

Tinkerer

Black marketeer

Can hide anything

Canal traveler

Dodges trouble

Easily overlooked

Expert craftsman

Specialties

Eye for detail

Flatterer

Good with tools

Guerilla fighter

Hard to read

Hidden strength

Skaa Heroes

House contacts

Inside man

Knows thieving crews

Master of the streets

Plays dumb

Quiet as a mouse

Sense for danger

Trusted servant

Voice of experience

Always dirty

Blunt speaker

Brawny

Calm and collected

Disheveled

Flexible

Features

Good listener

Hardy

Heavily scarred

Jittery

Practical dress

Resembles a noble

Scrawny

Speaks in street slang

Sturdy build

Superstitious

Team player

Tireless

Unbroken will

Unmemorable

Unreadable face

Personality Cautious

Crafty

Cunning

Dedicated

Deferent

Determined

Docile

Duplicitous

Haunted

Humble

Meek

Naive

Obedient

Orderly

Pliable

Rebel with a cause

Resentful

Respectful

Suspicious

Vengeful

SKAA DESTINY AND TRAGEDY

Skaa with ambition beyond the tasks their masters assign them still usually remain modest, if only for their own survival. Only a few skaa openly strive toward lofty goals, since they’ve been so deviously trained to remain submissive.

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EXAMPLE SKAA DESTINIES Establish a place free of noble rule Rumors persist in the skaa community of some town or province where the nobles hold no sway: where every person is free to choose their own fate rather than toil thanklessly at the hands of cruel masters. Maybe this skaa can find it. Better yet, maybe she can help other skaa get to it as well. Your character may or may not believe such a place truly exists, but she believes one could with the right leadership. She dreams of founding such an independent place, and of drawing skaa to live there in peace. Fulfilling this Destiny involves chasing a lot of ghosts and phantoms, such as rumors of ideal locations to build the free city that may have no basis in fact. It may also entail surreptitiously gaining information from a noble house or getting a map out of the Steel Ministry. Even more importantly, a successful skaa must cover her tracks well, lest minions of the Lord Ruler track the skaa to the city’s location. In a campaign with such a plotline, much of the difficulty lies in finding a secluded, defensible location. Next comes recruiting skaa to live there — and making sure that life is sustainable, with enough food, medicine, and shelter for everyone. Other challenges involve forming a government, avoiding detection, and fighting off any enemies who do find the settlement.

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Since skaa rarely realize that they could do great things or overcome their station — most never get the chance to do either — destiny is practically a foreign concept to them. Tragedy, on the other hand, is a part of daily life for skaa. Those who survive see their friends and family tortured, killed, and taken away. They know pain, and in some part come to accept it. In contrast to the Terris, who have diminished in number and had their entire way of life wiped away by the Lord Ruler’s edicts, the skaa have little identity as a people. Their shared tragedy as virtual slaves is the only thread that links them to one another. For many skaa, destiny is rooted in and fundamentally bound to tragedy. Exceptional brutality, painful loss, or relentless trauma can all spur a skaa to throw off the shackles of submission and strive toward a great destiny, as Kelsier did following the loss of Mare and his imprisonment in the Pits of Hathsin. Of course, the Survivor also benefitted from being a powerful Mistborn, and few skaa are as fortunate to have Allomantic abilities, a close network of allies, or massive funds collected from criminal enterprises. Those skaa with great destinies find those destinies thrust upon them, and must muster all they have to overcome the obstacles society puts before them and reach for greatness. The kinds of Destinies and Tragedies skaa characters have may depend on whether they live in urban or rural areas. In the cities, opportunities abound and ambition is rewarded. On the plantation and along the canals, there’s less to work with; goals tend to be simpler and usually involve escaping or surviving the noble owners’ control. Some of the sample Destinies and Tragedies below might be better suited to a city or rural skaa.

Skaa Heroes

Bring down a Great House The Lord Ruler established the skaa as the lowest social caste, but it’s the nobles who abuse and subjugate the skaa on a daily basis, particularly those of the Great Houses who control the largest proportion of skaa. Many skaa dream of revenge against nobles or finding freedom from their yoke — your character is committed to taking action to realize that dream. Toppling a Great House takes more than just stealing resources or carrying out a few assassinations; each is an establishment that has stood the test of time, and your character must be cunning and thorough to take one apart. Other noble houses also factor into any plan to damage a Great House — either their rivals, or their allies — so the Crew might need to undertake jobs that involve building alliances or gaining leverage against nobles before taking on a Great House. Money makes the houses run, and any mission to stop the flow into a Great House must involve more than petty theft. Breaking supply lines, freeing skaa workers, and causing delays by inviting scrutiny from the Steel Ministry can all damage a Great House’s finances. A key moment of a campaign that involves this Destiny comes when the Crew decides to finally strike, to try to put down the House once and for all. Establish an elite thieving crew Any skaa criminal can claim to run a thieving crew, but raising one to a position of power takes street smarts and ruthlessness. Your Hero doesn’t see a bright, beautiful future for the skaa as a people, but certainly believes she can make one for herself with wealth and prestige. Though ascending the ranks of the skaa thieving crews will almost certainly lead to betrayal and violence, being a crew boss doesn’t mean your character is a total bastard. She knows dhe can’t get far without loyalty to her comrades and duty to the Crew she runs. This Destiny works best in a gritty campaign where the Heroes aren’t expected to be good guys all the time. For the Narrator, there are few easier ways to kick off an adventure than to present a juicy opportunity to an eager thieving crew. Since becoming the top crew in a big city is no mean feat, the Hero who has this Destiny can expect that some jobs might be ruses or traps, or that other crews will come into conflict with his own as he leads them to the top of the heap. Discover the secret of the mists Skaa spread rumors about the dangers of the mists — of the mistwraiths and the soul-stealing power of the mist itself. Your character, driven by curiosity, hopes to find the truth behind this phenomenon. He might have witnessed some-

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thing that goes against the common tales the skaa tell of the mist, or he might have overheard a wanderer, noble, or Obligator implying that the mists aren’t as dangerous as the skaa believe. A campaign that involves this Destiny likely includes people who venture into the mists, particularly Mistborn, and those with a connection to mistwraiths, namely kandra. Depending on the skaa, finding out what these two groups have to say might explain enough, whereas others might want to seek out deeper truths. Discovering the true properties and origins of the mists requires uncovering secrets the Lord Ruler wanted buried — many of the ones revealed throughout The Well of Ascension.

EXAMPLE SKAA TRAGEDIES I am alone in a dangerous world As rough as life can be for skaa, they have a tendency to close ranks when one of their own is threatened. Skaa who work together form very tight bonds, and skaa who share quarters in slums can band together for protection when criminal crews come calling. You don’t have that. Whether you arrived in the city illegally from outside, lost your support network in a purge, or just like forging your own path, you have no real comrades within the skaa community. They have no reasons to risk themselves on your behalf and may even be willing to turn you in for something you didn’t do just to keep one of their own safe. You need to watch your back — or really trust your crew — if you want to stay alive for long. I know a secret that could kill me On a plantation, everyone knows everyone else’s business, making keeping a secret very hard. That’s not the case in the cities, however: the mists hide a great deal and even in the midst of huge crowds, things happen that nobody sees. But no matter where you live, you know something so incendiary that, were it to get out, would threaten your life. Perhaps it was a nobleman murdering his son, an Obligator disposing of a forbidden book, or a witnessing grudge within a crew set-

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Skaa Heroes

Lead a skaa revolt Revolt is unthinkable in the Final Empire, but that doesn’t mean that daring skaa won’t attempt it. In the Outer Dominances especially, the grip of the Steel Ministry is weaker, and particularly wily skaa can overthrow their noble masters without alerting the Lord Ruler’s forces. Such a revolt takes planning and preparation, not to mention a plan for what to do once the hated overlords are in the ground. But if a revolt succeeds, the rewards would be incalculable. Starting a revolt also means stoking the fires of rebellion in one’s fellow skaa (quietly, in order to avoid suspicion) and collecting weapons (quietly, though some can be disguised as farming tools). When it occurs, the rebellious skaa need to keep word from getting out, usually by killing everyone who can talk. Assuming it succeeds, the skaa must then determine whether they will keep their liberated status to themselves or encourage other plantations to follow their example.

tled permanently, you were there when it all went down. Now, you live in deep-set fear that your secret will be found out. As a skaa, you have nowhere to run if the authorities come for you. I came from another plantation Skaa belong to their plantations the same way that farm animals do, and leaving is definitely not an option. Sometimes, a particularly clever skaa can break that rule: slipping away when no one notices and covering their tracks enough to stay hidden. That usually means integrating with another plantation… which is actually easier than it sounds. Overseers and nobles rarely know all their skaa, and a little dirt and grime can make even the most notable face blend in. Still, it’s a tough road to walk. At any moment, someone could realize that you’re out of place, and without the support of your fellow skaa, you’re apt to find yourself alone and friendless very quickly.

Skaa Heroes

My mother was killed by my father Nobles may bed their skaa at leisure, and most kill their skaa partners once they’ve taken what they wanted (as is the law). Your mother was one such victim; luckily for you, she managed spirit you away before. Your friends or caretakers told you the tale as you grew older, and now you are left to wonder. Is this nobleman your father or not? Are you an Allomancer or not? Ultimately, the question is academic: if your father or the Steel Ministry learn who your mother is, they’re going to kill you… if you don’t take a little bit of revenge yourself.

SKAA NAMES

Skaa have given names that are somewhat similar in length and structure to noble names, though they are less grandiose and lack the history or prestige that comes with a noble name. Skaa are more often called by shortened “street names” they pick up from friends or colleagues, typically once they start working while still children. Skaa street names are usually simple and short, either an abbreviated form of the skaa’s given name or a nickname based on obvious traits or events from the skaa’s life. Skaa names aren’t differentiated by gender, and they vary little by region or birthplace. City skaa do tend to have a little more flourish to their names, though this is likely that because more skaa live in closer proximity in the cities, the need for distinction is greater. Ciry skaa are also more likely to use names with a bit of poetry to them: names taken from heroes of long-ago stories, for example, or just names with a lyrical sound to them. Families are rare amongst the skaa, so few have last names, and none are bold enough to take the names of their noble owners. Skaa surnames function solely to distinguish one skaa from the other, so a skaa with a rare or unique name likely won’t have a surname at all. The following is a list of both rural and urban skaa names, for use with your Heroes, Extras, or Villains. It is by no means comprehensive, but can provide inspiration or a quick name when you’re put on the spot. The names on these lists

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can be used for skaa of any gender. Additional names appear on page 105 of the Mistborn Adventure Game.

RURAL SKAA NAMES Bal

Broon

Broxtenn (Brox)

Dor

Drex

Durgg

Faxia (Fax)

Fecklenn (Fek)

Fetcher

Gikk

Getern

Gustra (Gus)

Hashh

Jelkin (Jel)

Kitt

Kort

Kuskul (Kus)

Mill

Ness

Pakter (Pak)

Rin

Rott

Sek

Serene (Ser)

Suka

Thresh

Tret

Walker

URBAN SKAA NAMES Ash

Averss

Bowthimm (Bo)

Dawnmann (Dawn)

Duskmann (Dusk)

Dynarst

Forre

Grenteen (Gren)

Horss

Joxxan (Jox)

Kernn

Kistaris (Star)

Lemm

Plessadon (Pless)

Quinlee (Quin)

Retinile (Ret)

Shadd

Sharps

Slips

Tressix (Six)

Wraiths

Yost

SKAA ADVANCEMENTS

This section covers new Advancements available only to skaa Heroes, which reflect the unique skills they’ve learned as part of living at the bottom of the Final Empire’s food chain.

NETWORKS

This supplement uses the rules for Networks — influential organizations which Heroes can tap for support and information during their exploits. A Hero doesn’t necessarily have to join or otherwise contribute to a Network in order to access it (though it may help); having a Network simply represents the Hero’s clearest and most valuable relationship to one of these organizations at the moment. Thus, it isn’t unusual for a Hero to change his Network over the course of his career, or for members of the same Crew to have different Networks from one another. These rules originally appeared in Terris: Wrought of Copper, but are repeated here in full for convenience.

GAINING A NETWORK

A Hero may gain a Network they qualify for by spending Advancements, just as they would gain a new Trait or Power, which represents the expenditure of time and goodwill necessary to forge their connections. Because Networks often

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have conflicting goals and rules, a Hero may only have a single Network at a time. However, as always, the Narrator must approve all Networks you choose as appropriate for the circumstances of the story. Example: Peter’s character, the thieving-crew leader Beck, has struck up an agreement with the Silk Charade to carry out a few small jobs under their banner to make up for some... ahem... shortfalls in income. Their latest caper got the attention of the nobles and started Obligators chattering about the Silk Charade. Therefore, Peter decides to spend some Advancements to gain “The Silk Charade” Network. Brandon approves, and Peter adds his successful partnership to Beck’s character sheet.

USING NETWORKS

Skaa Heroes

Unlike other Advancements, however, a Hero can only take advantage of a Network (gain its Benefits and use its Network Trait) while he or she remains in good standing with its leadership (following the Network’s Rules); Networks rarely stick their neck out for those who don’t respect their methods and dictums. If a Hero breaks a Network’s Rules, as defined in its description, he loses its Network Benefits and Network Trait until the next Long Breather (at which time he smooths things over with his contacts). Example: As noted under the Silk Charade, one of the Network’s Rules is “Don’t allow a failed mission to be linked back to the Silk Charade” and its Benefits include a bonus die when buying equipment. Peter can continue to buy gear as though he were wealthier unless he screws up a job but still leaves the group’s calling card behind.

CHANGING NETWORKS

As a Hero’s priorities change, so do his or her relationships. To represent this, a Hero can change his Network by spending 2 Advancements. While doing so takes time, there are no lasting penalties or lingering animosity for changing one’s Network, and a Hero can choose to regain a previous Network at a later time by spending a further 2 Advancements.

SPENDING ADVANCEMENTS

Skaa Heroes can choose any of the following Advancements, following the rules for Spending Advancements as described on page 121 of the Mistborn Adventure Game.

SKAA ADVANCEMENTS Improvement

Cost

Description

Change your Network

2

Switch your loyalties from one Network to another.

Develop a Network

4

Gain the benefits of a single Network

Gain a new Skaa Stunt

4

(Skaa only) Add a Skaa Stunt to your Hero

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2 ADVANCEMENTS

Change your Network: Your Hero abandons his old Network and declares his loyalty to a new organization. Erase your existing Network and replace it with the one you now qualify for (see Networks, page 91).

4 ADVANCEMENTS

Develop a Network: Your Hero fosters a relationship with a powerful organization, exchanging his loyalty to take advantage of that Network’s training and contacts. Add your new Network to the Powers section of your character sheet; as long as you follow the Network’s dictums, you gain its benefit (see Networks, page 91). You may only have one Network at a time, though you may change it by spending 2 Advancements, as noted above. Networks available to Skaa characters include:

BLACK HILL SKAA (SKAA ONLY)

CITIZENS OF KHALFI (SKAA ONLY)

Your Hero knows of Khalfi, the Hidden City in the Remote Dominance (see page 34). This village belongs to skaa alone, and must be kept safe from those who would destroy it. Rules: Do not divulge the existence or location of Khalfi to non-skaa; shepherd escaped skaa to the Hidden City if they are trustworthy; use any means necessary to keep non-skaa and traitorous skaa away from Khalfi. Network Trait: Rugged Frontiersman Benefits: Your Wits as considered 1 higher when you declare your action in a Conflict.

THE SILK CHARADE (SKAA ONLY)

The brazen thieving crew known as the Silk Charade (see page 68) makes sure their presence is

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Despite the nobles legally in charge of them, the skaa of the Black Hill plantation (see page 115) really hold the reins. They aren’t too friendly to outsiders, but if you can prove yourself to them they can provide a safehouse — a much nicer one than most skaa plantations. Rules: Spread the lie that the Veyton family still holds full control in Black Hill; protect the Veyton heirs as long as they remain compliant; fend off any bandits sent to attack Black Hill; shepherd escaped skaa to Black Hill if they’re able to work. Network Trait: Friend of Black Hill Benefits: Once per session, you may choose a skaa Extra or noble Extra of a house allied with House Veyton and make a Charm 3 Challenge roll; with success, the Extra agrees to assist you in your current task. The Extra assists you until the task is complete or the next Breather (whichever comes first).

well known. You’ve made a contact within this crew, and are either a full member of the crew or trade favors with them. Rules: Always leave a calling card when you commit a crime, so the legend of the Silk Charade grows; don’t allow a failed mission to be linked back to the Silk Charade; don’t take credit for others’ crimes. Network Trait: Member of the Silk Charade Benefits: You gain two bonus dice to all Resources rolls to buy equipment (see the Mistborn Adventure Game, page 236).

YEDEN’S REBELLION (SKAA ONLY)

Skaa Heroes

An entire army of armed skaa, Yeden’s rebellion (see page 77) wants to topple the Final Empire and free the skaa. Though they aren’t perfectly organized or run, they have greater numbers than most such rebellions and even manage to scrape together enough money for a few supplies. Headquartered near the Pits of Hathsin, the rebels undergo training by experienced skaa thieves as they bide their time before attacking. Rules: Keep the rebellion’s location secret; secure additional provisions and supplies for the rebels; contribute to the training of skaa troops. Network Trait: Skaa Resistance Fighter Benefits: When you spend a Nudge to deal extra damage against a member of the Steel Ministry, increase the damage by 2 instead of 1. You may only use this ability with one Nudge per attack.

LUTHADEL ASSEMBLY (SKAA ONLY)

This Network is available only in a game set after the Collapse. Your character formed a close connection to the Luthadel Assembly (see page 70), either by being an Assemblyman personally or working with one. Members of the Assembly sometimes grant a measure of legal authority to people who work on their behalf, which grants their representatives privileges and standing, particularly among officers of the law. Rules: Abide by the laws passed by the Assembly; make sure disputes get settled legally by the Assembly rather than by vigilantism; do not conceal your connection to the Assembly. Network Trait: Licensed by the Assembly Benefits: You can show your Luthadel Assembly license when dealing with soldiers or officials to automatically prevent them from bothering you unless you’ve clearly committed a crime or are obviously about to commit one. Gain a Skaa Stunt (Skaa Heroes only): Your Hero embraces or typifies some of the strongest aspects of his or her people. Each time you choose this improvement, choose one Skaa Stunt from the following and add it to the Powers section of your Hero’s sheet. You may only gain each Stunt once, unless otherwise specified: •

By Hook or by Crook (Skaa Only): You’ll brave great risks to defeat your opponents. When attacking or defending during a Conflict, be-

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•

•

•

•

• •

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•

fore rolling you can describe a dirty trick you’re using to add an additional die to that roll. However, the final Result of any rolls to defend against this attack (if you’re attacking) or the Result of your opponent’s attack (if you’re defending) is increased by 1 (to a maximum of 5). Example: Sev is battling a House Venture guard — a fight where he is desperately outclassed. When the guard takes a swing at him, Sev declares he will use a dirty trick to throw a handful of ash in the guard’s face. Sev takes the last 3 dice remaining in his pool to defend and adds one more die for a total of 4 dice. Sev and the guard both roll their pools, and each of them rolls two 4s, giving both a Result of 4 with no Nudges — a tie! However, the Narrator points out the guard’s Result increases to 5 due to Sev’s dirty trick, making it a hit! Sev curses his luck as the guard’s sword bites into his arm... Canal Savvy (Canal Skaa Only): Living and working on canal routes, you’ve grown accustomed to navigating the waterways and dealing with others who do so. You gain 2 additional dice on Resources and Influence rolls when traveling on the canals or dealing with the logistics of canal travel or trade. Eastern Street Slang (Skaa Only): Wasing the learning of speaking the words wasing the East place of streets. You can communicate in Eastern street to make it more difficult for those not fluent to understand; another character who does not know Eastern street slang only understands you with a Wits 3 roll. You may take this Stunt a second time, which reduces the Difficulty for anyone you designate to understand you by 1 (representing “off-screen” language training of friends, other types of covert messaging, etc.). Face in the Crowd (Skaa Only): You have a way of vanishing into the ranks of your fellow skaa, making it extremely difficult to pinpoint or track you among skaa. Any roll for an attempt to locate you in a crowd of skaa or follow you within a skaa community fails unless the hunter spends a Nudge. Folk Medicine (Plantation Skaa Only): Living on the plantation, you learned which herbs have medicinal properties, and can use them to treat the ailments of others. During a Short Breather, choose another character; that character either recovers all lost Health during that Breather if he or she sits the Breather out, or recovers half if he or she does not. During a Long Breather, choose either yourself or another character; that character may from a serious or grave Burden even if he or she does not spend the entire Breather resting in bed (see “Recovery” on page 189 of the Mistborn Adventure Game). Friends in Low Places (City Skaa Only): Your name and reputation is known throughout the thieving crews and gangs of the city. You gain 2 additional dice on all Charm and Influence rolls when dealing with members of the skaa underworld. Make the Best of It (Skaa Only): As a skaa, you’ve spent your whole life learning to make due with what little you have. Your dice pool never shrinks due to adverse conditions (see the Mistborn Adventure Game, page 143). See No Evil (Skaa Only): Superstitions you learned at a young age protect you from frightening things through your sheer stubbornness or hatred of magic. You gain one bonus die when defending against a supernatural at-

• •

• •

Skaa Heroes

•

tack. The source must be clearly supernatural; for instance, if you’re being manipulated by emotional Allomancy, you gain this bonus only if it’s obvious to you the attacker is burning Zinc or Brass. Skaa’s Toughness (Skaa Only): Your Health permanently increases by 2, and you may recover Health during a Short Breather without sitting the Breather out (see “Recovery” on page 189 of the Mistborn Adventure Game). Take a Licking (Plantation Skaa Only): A lifetime of floggings and abuse have made you nearly immune to pain. Whenever you suffer a physical Burden, its grade is reduced by one (e.g., from Mortal to Grave, Grave to Serious, or Serious to no Burden). Underhanded (Skaa Only): You ruthlessly exploit your foes’ injuries to your advantage. You gain one “free” Nudge to all rolls opposing or attacking a character with a physical Burden. Urban Racer (City Skaa Only): You know the winding streets and towering buildings of the city, and can scramble over walls and fences with ease. When you are in an urban environment, you gain 1 additional die to all rolls to navigate within the city. Additionally, during a Conflict, you may take two steps during each Beat without giving up your dice (see the Mistborn Adventure Game, page 198). Note that you can’t give up your dice to take three steps, however! Well-traveled (Canal Skaa Only): You’ve seen more of the world than most noblemen, and you have comrades in ports and waystations all over. Once per session, you may spend 4 hours checking the locale for contacts, then make a Difficulty 3 Influence roll. With a success, you find one skaa Extra of average threat or lower who can help you with a non-combat task. The Extra assists you until the task is complete or the next Breather (whichever comes first).

SKAA EQUIPMENT

Skaa are well-accustomed to getting by with what little they have, and have come up with inventive uses for even the most rudimentary items. Thieving crews also have specialized gear to use in their heists. The types of items skaa are likely to have vary depending on the location and occupation of the skaa. Those on the canals are more likely to have quant and fishing poles, and those in the cities might more frequently have need of forged paperwork. This section covers the various types of common and exotic equipment skaa might have, above and beyond those items listed in the Mistborn Adventure Game.

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FAST-ACTING POISONS

OTHER COMMON SKAA EQUIPMENT

Skaa have precious little in this world, but what they do have, they hold very close to their hearts — and carefully concealed from the nobles. Sometimes, their simple trinkets can come in extremely handy. Any Hero can acquire any of the gear on the following tables as Props or by spending Resources, but these are things most commonly found among skaa.

SKAA WEAPONS Item

Props

Difficulty

Damage

Min/Max Range

1

1

+1

Touch / Striking

+1

Striking / Striking

Melee Weapons Farm implement

Used by villagers only in defense (and desperation) Quant pole

1

1

Wooden pole with a metal prong on one end, used to push barges down the canals Sheathkives

1

1

+1

Thin knives which are easily concealed in sleeves or other clothing

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Touch / Touch

Skaa Heroes

Poisons are a common weapon amongst the nobility, often found in the hands of assassins and spiteful noblemen looking for a bit of underhanded payback. Skaa thieving crews, however, sometimes employ special poisons to quickly incapacitate targets they don’t intend to kill. These poisons were first discovered by plantation skaa, who formulated these compounds for hunting, as they would subdue wild game without ruining the meat. Eventually, some skaa employed these poisons against their masters or overseers to facilitate their escape from the farms to the city, where they unwitting delivered it to the criminal underworld. Acquiring fast-acting poisons can be difficult, since they’re highly illegal, few people know how to make them, and many of the herbs must be smuggled in from rural areas. However, the trouble of making these poisons is worth the effort, for they are extremely versatile and can be slipped into food or beverages, applied to darts, or wiped on the edge of a knife. Whatever the method of delivery, a target exposed to the poison immediately suffer a temporary serious Burden, as listed under its description (e.g., a character exposed to Grey Fester immediately suffers the “Hallucinating” serious Burden). A character may only suffer from the effects of one poison-related Burden at a time. If the target is exposed to a poison via an attack which would also inflict a Burden, the attacker must choose which Burden he or she wishes the target to suffer (either that from the attack or the poison, but not both). Once exposed, the victim suffers this Burden until the next Short Breather, at which time he or she automatically recovers (in addition to any other healing or activities which he or she may be engaged in).

SKAA WEAPONS (CONTINUED) Item

Props

Difficulty

Damage

1

1

+0

Min/Max Range

Ranged Weapons Darts (3)

Close / Close

Fletched darts typically used to deliver poisons

SKAA ARMOR Item Concealed armor

Props

Difficulty

2

2

Description Simple padded armor concealed under layers of furs to look like peasant’s clothing; absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks; contains no metal

OTHER SKAA EQUIPMENT

Skaa Heroes

Item

Props

Difficulty

Description

Animals, Mounts, & Vehicles Livestock herd

2

2

Herd of 10 sheep, goats or cattle suitable for labor, farming, or eating

Pack animal

1

1

Rugged donkey, mule, or goat suited to moving supplies

Signal animal

1

3

Trained animal such as a bird used to carry messages to one location

1

4

Hallucinogen made from mushrooms on

Fast-Acting Poisons Gray Fester (1 dose)

canal banks; Burden (Hallucinating)

Lesser Birchbane (1 dose)

1

4

A minor form of a potentially deadly poison, causes tremors rather than killing; Burden (The Shakes)

Lesser Gurwraith (1 dose)

1

4

Can only be delivered by a cut or injection, not by ingestion; Burden (Spasms)

Lesser Tompher (1 dose)

1

4

Uncommon poison derived from fern spores; Burden (Dulled Reflexes)

Shuteye Spirits (1 dose)

1

4

Soporific made from a blend of distilled leaves; Burden (Drowsy)

Unfell

1

4

Made from powdered chalk found in deposits at the base of Torinost; Burden (Raging Fever)

Veltrane (1 dose)

1

4

Partial paralytic derived from a weed found in the Eastern Dominance; Burden: (Coughing Fits)

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OTHER SKAA EQUIPMENT (CONTINUED) Item

Props

Difficulty

Description

Abacus

1

2

Simple calculation device favored by merchants and tradesmen

Cloak

1

1

Simple poncho or hood used to protect oneself from the elements and detection

Codebook

1

3

A book of ciphers, used to encode and decode messages

Concealed safe

1

4

Book, box, jug, or other object with a hidden compartment for concealing valuables and money; Wits 3 roll required to find.

Farmer’s tools

1

1

Simple wooden and iron tools for chiseling the hard earth

Fishing gear

1

1

Pole, tackle, and nets used for fishing in lakes and rivers

Forged noble papers

1

3

Identification papers to appear as a noble (along with a proper disguise)

Forged Obligator papers

1

4

Identification papers to appear as an Obligator (along with disguise and tattoos)

Hunter’s traps

1

2

Snares and other traps useful for catching small game

Lockpicks

1

2

Useful for picking locks

Medicinal herbs

1

2

Simple poultices and other folk cures, use for treating injury

Pipeweed

1

2

Pouch of dried aromatic leaves + pipe; smoked when relaxing or socializing

Salts

1

3

Sea salt used to help preserve food, helping it last longer

Survivorist Tract

2

3

Holy “book” of the Survivorist faith, often heavily-illustrated for the illiterate

Tools

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10 NOTABLE SKAA

This chapter contains a brief description of the most notable skaa in the Final Empire, including several prominent ones discussed in the Mistborn novels. The following sections include information that’s revealed and plot developments that occur over the course of those novels, so beware of spoilers if you have not yet read those novels.

SPOOK

Time Frame: Midway through The Hero of Ages

Once, Spook was nobody: a child his own parents tried to kill to save their own skins; a street-talking urchin no one could understand; a useless Misting in a crew filled with real heroes; a coward who left his uncle to face a siege alone; and a love-struck kid Vin never noticed. He sought a purpose, and started constantly flaring Tin to push his limits, to help his friends... and somewhere in the middle of it all he found himself changed. He could see the finest details, he could feel changes in texture and temperature through cloth, and soon he became overwhelmed by smells and sounds and tastes... Now Spook wears a blindfold to keep out the light, and a heavy coat to guard against the slightest chill. He moves only at night to avoid the searing rays of the sun. He needs Tin like other people need food or water, and if it helps him learn something new or valuable to Vin and her crew, all the better. Spook’s ability with Tin isn’t the only extraordinary thing about him. When he was stabbed and left in a burning house to die, he heard the voice of Kelsier

Skaa Heroes

and saved himself by burning Pewter — a power he shouldn’t have, and one he has no idea how he acquired. Nonetheless, it’s given him a much-needed boost of confidence, along with the sense of purpose he’s always needed. Finally, maybe, he can be somebody.

SPOOK (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4 [7], Charm 4, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 4, Spirit 6 Resiliences: Health 8 [11], Reputation 8, Willpower 11 Traits: Spy; Master of Disguise; Cane Fighter; Survivor of the Flames; Seduced by My Newfound Power

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

Pewter 3 (boosts health and Physique, as shown in brackets) • Prodigious Strength 1: While burning Pewter, Spook adds an additional die with Physique rolls involving physical strength, including lifting and moving objects, and wielding heavy weapons. • Unconscious Burning: Spook automatically burns Pewter when unconscious, though only if also injured (i.e. he doesn’t automatically burn Pewter when sleeping). Each Pewter charge burned in this fashion lasts for three hours, and the only benefits it conveys are increased Health, accelerated healing, and avoiding Pewter drag. It has no effect on Physique rolls or dice pools. This special Pewter burn stops immediately when Spook regains consciousness.

POWERS (HEMALURGY)

1 Steel spike (grants Pewter Allomancy 3)

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Tin 8 (enhances the five senses) • Tin Savant: Spook gains two “free” Nudges with Tin rolls, but also loses 1 die with Wits rolls relying on the senses whenever he isn’t burning Tin. • Blindsight (Trait): Spook’s senses are so acute that he can feel vibrations through the floor, use sound as a sort of “sonar,” and sense the movement of air on his skin. This lets him move and act normally even in complete darkness, when blindfolded, and any other time he’s left sightless. He still cannot take actions that require sight, however, like reading or distinguishing color. He also gains the “Blindsight” Trait. • Focused Sense (Hearing, Sight): While burning Tin, Spook adds one additional die with rolls relying on hearing and/or sight. • Piercing Sight (Trait): While burning Tin, Spook can see twice as far through mists, and may also see clearly through thin objects like sheer curtains, dirtied windows, or murky water. He also gains the “Piercing Sight” Trait. • Slow-Burning Tin 2: Spook’s Tin burn rate is 4 hours per charge.

EQUIPMENT

2 dueling canes (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); 3 Misting vials (3 charges of Tin each); 2 Misting vials (3 charges of Pewter each); Disguise (any one person)

PLAYING SPOOK

Ever since you first joined the crew, when you were still called Lestibournes and spoke in slang, you’ve been the least useful of them. The others have always had all the power and experience. What could you offer? Maybe now, with these new gifts, you can finally prove worthwhile. Kelsier was a great man and an inspiration. He even gave you your nickname! It’s so very strange that he speaks to you now. Could the Church of the Survivor be right? Does your one-time friend now watch over his followers? Kelsier wants you to take revenge on Quellion, the Citizen, but you’ve fallen for his sister Beldre, and she wants you to save him. How do you make a choice like this? Your greatest regret is leaving Luthadel before the koloss attack. You feel like a coward. How could you leave Clubs to die? He saved you when you were a child... How could you be so weak?

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SPOOK AS AN ALLY

Spook genuinely, desperately wants to do good, and readily joins up with any crew if he thinks he can be useful. His heightened senses and his ability to burn Pewter make him a strong addition to any team. The drawbacks of his condition are many, though — he’s most effective at night, when the light won’t overwhelm him, and he’s constantly in need of tin.

SPOOK AS AN ENEMY

When Spook obeys “Kelsier,” he often acts for less than altruistic causes. Some of the things he hears in his head match his memory of the man, but others... Spook doesn’t want to kill, but Kelsier’s voice never lets up and it may eventually be too much for Spook to ignore.

KELSIER’S CREW

Time Frame: These descriptions continue the original descriptions from the Mistborn Adventure Game, updating them for events that occurred up to the end of The Hero of Ages. Kelsier gathered talented individuals from all corners of the Empire, provided they shared his goal of overthrowing the Final Empire. While most of he recruited were skaa, Kelsier’s crew also contained a smattering of noblemen such as the Soother Breeze (even though Breeze passed himself off as halfskaa). The members of Kelsier’s crew are described in detail in the Mistborn Adventure Game, but a brief refresher of each one follows. In addition to these

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“core” members, Kelsier knew and worked alongside Mare, Yeden, and Demoux, who are described in detail later in this chapter. •

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•

Kelsier: The half-skaa Mistborn hell-bent on bringing down the Lord Ruler, Kelsier was a practiced and bold thief. With the support of his loyal crew, his master plan laid the groundwork for the only successful skaa rebellion. He was famous among the skaa, with his scarred forearms marking him as the “Survivor of Hathsin,” the only person to escape the hellish pits where Atium was mined. Kelsier died in combat against the Lord Ruler, but appeared to live on thanks to the kandra OreSeur. Kelsier’s legend does live on, even in the distant future. Cladent, aka “Clubs:” Clubs was a skaa craftsman, army veteran, and Smoker Misting. Clubs also owned his own workshop, which acted as a front for the crew’s operations and employed several other Smokers as apprentices. Clubs considered himself a pragmatist (many would call it “cranky”), and often voiced uncomfortable facts that the rest of the crew would rather not acknowledge. Clubs was killed by koloss during the Siege of Luthadel. Dockson, aka “Dox:” Dox was Kelsier’s closest confidante and chief lieutenant. Though he possessed no Allomantic ability, he was a genius at logistics and administration — two skills that kept the crew running, and proved critical in the wake of the Lord Ruler’s fall. Dox’s kind demeanor served as a counterpoint to Keslier’s occasional ruthlessness, but this mirth vanishes following the death of his friend. Like Clubs, Dox perished during the Siege of Luthadel. Hammond, aka “Ham:” Ham was a Pewterarm, with a soldier’s mentality and a quiet stoicism that belied a deep and thoughtful personality. Unlike many Pewterarms, he was pragmatic and cautious, preferring to use his pewter judiciously lest he find himself without it someday. After the fall of the Lord Ruler, he served as Elend Venture’s Captain of the Guard, though true to his characteristic humility, he refused to wear a uniform. Lord Edgard Ladrian, aka “Breeze:” A well-spoken and charismatic Soother, Breeze hid his noble birth to pretend he was just one of the skaa. His council in politics and relationships proved invaluable to many of his crewmates. He and the noble Allrianne Cett began a relationship that lasted through Harmony’s Ascension. Marsh, aka “Ironeyes:” Kelsier’s brother Marsh believed more strongly in the rebellion, but found himself in an ancillary part of the crew. When assigned to infiltrate the Steel Ministry, Marsh was recruited by the Steel Inquisitors and turned into one of their monstrous kind. The Hemalurgic metal spikes inside of him made him exceptionally powerful, and he assisted Vin at a crucial moment to help her defeat the Lord Ruler. After the god’s fall, Marsh fell under the sway of Ruin, which eventually took control of him to carry out a dark agenda. During a showdown to Vin, Marsh managed to gain just enough control to pull Vin’s earring from ear, allowing the mists to flow into her and achieve her destiny.

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Sazed: A Terris steward, Feruchemist, and member of the Keepers, Sazed provided sage guidance to Vin and the rest of the crew, along with information on all sorts of ancient religions that the Lord Ruler stamped out. Following the Lord Ruler, he traveled to educate the newly-freed skaa and investigate mysteries alongside his lost love, Tindwyl (see Terris: Wrought of Copper, page 89 for her stats) Lestibournes, aka “Spook.” Spook was Clubs’ nephew, who raised the young man after his parents abandoned him because of his Allomantic abilities. Spook’s skill as a spy and Tineye made him an excellent lookout, though his shy and soft-spoken demeanor led the rest of Kelsier’s crew to treat him as a junior member at best. During an uprising in the city of Urteau, Spook deduced the way Ruin had controlled Vin following the death of the Lord Ruler (see page 101 for more on Spook during The Hero of Ages). Vin. The heroine of the Mistborn novels, Vin was a former street urchin and thief who also happened to be a full-bore Mistborn. Kelsier helped her master her abilities and his mission to overthrow the Lord Ruler. Kelsier believed (incorrectly) that Vin was the Hero of Ages, and in that capacity she worked to continue his work after Kelsier’s death. She eventually discovered the Well of Ascension, freed — and then defeated — the god Ruin, saved her hustband Elend’s life, and saved the world though it ultimately cost her life.

QUELLION (THE CITIZEN)

Time Frame: Midway through The Hero of Ages.

In the wake of the Lord Ruler’s death, cities became unmoored from the power structure they’d relied on for centuries. In Urteau, the second-largest city of Scadrial, a single person stepped in to fill this power vacuum: Quellion. A dynamic man with military bearing, Quellion rapidly won the allegiance of the city’s enormous skaa population by acting as a herald of the Church of the Survivor and casting a vision of a united nation — one ruled by the skaa themselves. Now he’s called the Citizen, and is readily identified by his outfit of red-dyed skaa trousers and work shirts. To further secure his power, Quellion did the unthinkable; declaring the nighttime mists a manifestation of the Survivor, he marched into them and urged others to do the same. He claimed the faithful and pure would be spared, while those with evil in their hearts would be purged. Eventually, he enacted a law requiring everyone to enter the mists to prove their loyalty, pointing to any resulting deaths as proof that wickedness still existed in the midst of Urteau. Quellion leads a relentless crusade to rid Urteau of both nobles and Allomancers (whose power is derived from noble blood), systematically hunting them down and burning them alive in grisly public executions. At his decree, all traces of nobility are systemically purged from the city, including tearing up ornamental gardens, whitewashing murals, and shattering stained-glass windows. He’s also

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begun cataloguing the population, tracing bloodlines back five generations to detect noble heritage and denying a place in his new government to anyone found with noble bloodlines. Behind his ruthless campaign, the Citizen hides several major secrets. First, he actually comes from a noble bloodline himself, which granted him immunity to the mists. Second, his sister, Beldre, is an Allomancer (a Coinshot), and he’s taken to blackmailing other Allomancers to work for him as guards and assassins. The most damning of all, however, is that Quellion has a bronze Hemalurgic spike embedded in his arm, enabling him to see what he believes are visions of Kelsier. These are actually projections from Ruin meant to plunge the city into chaos, and inspire the Citizen to perform horrendous acts in the Survivor’s name.

QUELLION (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 4, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 8, Willpower 9 Traits: The Citizen; Ruler of Urteau; Under Ruin’s Influence; Despises All Things Noble; Allomancer Hunter; Defies His Own Laws 1 Bronze spike (grants Bronze Allomancy 4)

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

Bronze 4 (senses nearby Allomancy)

EQUIPMENT

Torch (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking, contains no metal), Reddyed skaa clothing

DEMOUX

Time Frame: After The Hero of Ages.

Demoux was one of the true believers in the skaa rebellion, confident that Kelsier could lead them to success. He was small and not particularly skilled in war, but possessed a keen tactical mind. During Kelsier’s initial rebellion, he stood up to fight another follower who was convinced the rebellion would fail. Kelsier surreptitiously used Allomancy to help Demoux defeat the man, cementing Kelsier’s reputation among his followers. Demoux remained behind in the caves, as Kelsier wished, rather than marching out with Yeden’s forces. He thus survived their massacre, and went on to fight against the Lord Ruler’s forces on the night the tyrant was finally slain. After the fall of the Lord Ruler, Demoux became a general in Elend’s army, helping to maintain law and order as the Empire collapsed. He became one of

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POWERS (HEMALURGY)

the early priests of the Church of the Survivor, believing Kelsier to be a god. He eventually ventured into the mists and was struck down, only to Snap and be reborn as a Seer. He survived the final battle in The Hero of Ages and lived to see the reshaped world.

DEMOUX (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 6, Reputation 6, Willpower 10 Traits: Devoted to Kelsier; Captain in Kelsier’s Army; Defender of the Rebellion’s Honor; No Good in a Fair Fight; Keen Strategist Equipment: Sword (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Small wooden shield (adds 1 die to defense rolls against physical attack)

MARE

Time Frame: Prior to The Final Empire.

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Mare was Kelsier’s wife and fellow thief who worked with him in a criminal crew. She and Kelsier were caught during a heist in Kredick Shaw and sentenced to labor in the Pits of Hathsin. She sacrificed her own life to save Kelsier’s, which led to Kelsier Snapping and adopting his mission of overthrowing the Lord Ruler. For a time, Kelsier suspected Mare had betrayed his crew to the Lord Ruler. He eventually learned otherwise — Mare was a Tineye, and the Lord Ruler had detected her burning by piercing the crew’s coppercloud. Mare always expressed a hopefulness and optimism for the future that Kelsier didn’t share. She expressed a fascination with ancient culture and artifacts at an early age, an obsession that led her into a life of thievery. She collected as many artifacts as she could, as well as books detailing the history and culture of the world before the Final Empire. The fact that such objects survived was proof to her that the Lord Ruler was not all-powerful. She even adopted the Larsta religion, and was convinced that she would one day be able to practice it openly. Kelsier fell in love with her hope and optimism, even though they argued constantly about the nature of the world. Her death devastated him, and he embarked upon his rebellion as much from a desire to see her optimism justified as a need for revenge.

MARE (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 5, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 2, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 4, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Skaa Thief; Loves Kelsier; Secret Tineye; Boundless Optimist; Fascinated with Ancient History

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POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Tin 5 (hides nearby Allomancy) Sense Memory (Sight): Mare has near-perfect memory of things she’s seen, allowing her to automatically succeed on rolls to identify familiar sights, distinguish forged signatures from real ones you’ve seen before, and so forth.

EQUIPMENT

Obsidian daggers (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking; Thrown Range: Striking/Close; contains no metal); Misting vial (3 charges of Tin); Ancient books and artifacts

YEDEN

Yeden was the leader of a long-time skaa rebellion, a loose organization of outlaws dedicated to overthrowing the Lord Ruler. He possessed middling leadership qualities, but his extreme insecurities eventually doomed him and almost destroyed Kelsier’s rebellion. He ran away from Luthadel at an early age, learning to survive in the wilderness and surreptitiously slipping onto plantations for food and supplies. He earned the aid of various skaa leaders and his continued survival outside of the nobles’ authority convinced others to join him. They moved cautiously, sticking to the wilderness but occasionally making trips into the cities to bring in more recruits. Yeden guided them well, but often despaired that he couldn’t do more. He and his followers wanted to believe that they could overthrow the Lord Ruler, but they couldn’t figure out how. He became familiar with Kelsier and had many dealings with him and his crew over time. Eventually, he grudgingly admitted they had the skills to make the rebellion a success, and that Kelsier’s unbelievable escape from the pits of Hathsin could make him a figurehead for skaa to follow. He approached Kelsier to help him overthrow the Lord Ruler, a plan that hinged upon the theft of Atium and a few other tricks the Survivor had up his sleeve. Yeden was initially uncertain of his partner’s ideas, but grew bolder once the early stages of the plan succeeded. Unfortunately, he overcompensated for his previous lack of confidence by jumping the gun on the plan. He led his troops to open battle for the first time, winning a great victory but ignoring a large garrison that easily interposed itself between Yeden’s forces and their hiding place. He and his forces were wiped

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Time Frame: The end of The Final Empire.

out, forcing Kelsier to scramble to keep their plan alive. History labeled Yeden as a blunderer and a fool, replaced by the men and women who followed him. In the process, his vital role in the overthrow of the Lord Ruler has been lost. To learn how to gain Yeden’s Rebellion as a Network, see page 94.

YEDEN (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 3, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 4, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 7, Willpower 7 Traits: Rebel Leader; Insecure; Wilderness Survivor; Lost without a Plan; Canny Recruiter Equipment: Sword (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking); Spear (Damage +2; Melee Range: Striking/Striking; Thrown Range: Close/Medium); Dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking/ Close); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Small metal shield (adds 1 die to defense rolls against physical attack)

FOLOSST Skaa Heroes

Time Frame: Concurrent with The Final Empire.

As an advocate for the skaa, Folosst battles against the power of the nobility and Steel Ministry, citing obscure laws in the interest of securing a better, freer life for his people. Folosst hails from the Farmost Dominance, where he served on an estate as a bookkeeper and general steward for his master’s House. Uncommonly cunning and with a zest for legal affairs, Folosst devoted his efforts to increasing the House’s wealth through countless shrewd deals while protecting the escrow funds he managed. When Folosst’s master reached old age without any heirs and with no business arrangements describing who the estate should go to in the event of his death, Folosst exploited an obscure law to claim the estate as his own. The legality of this exchange was dubious, and Folosst had likely been in charge of arranging any documents of inheritance, but it hasn’t yet been challenged successfully. Folosst used his newfound position to indulge in his passion for legal history, delving into musty Steel Ministry archives to learn all he could about ancient courts proceedings and structures. Along the way, though, Folosst uncovered numerous laws and edicts concerning the treatment and autonomy of the skaa — many of which were unknown or ignored for centuries. These supplemented modern laws, such as the creation of the skaa birth contract and service amendments, the minimum healthcare stand-

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FOLOSST (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 2, Charm 4, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 4, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 5, Reputation 6, Willpower 5 Traits: Noble Skaa; Lawyer; Pioneer of Emancipation; Secret Educator of the Skaa; Backed by Steel Ministry Laws Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking, contains no metal); Steel Ministry legal writ; Archive of books; Pen and blank book; Formal clothing

TREST

Time Frame: Concurrent with The Well of Ascension.

Called “The Witness of the Survivor,” Trest was a minor player in Yeden’s rebellion who witnessed Kelsier’s death at the hands of the Lord Ruler, and later saw what appeared to be him, risen from the dead. Following this encounter, Trest became the loudest voice proclaiming the Survivor’s gospel among the skaa. He learned all he could about the Survivor from other people in the rebellion, and was instrumental in founding the Church of the Survivor. As word spread about

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ards to be provided by their masters, access to sanitation services, and even the ability to call on Obligator oversight to confirm the exchange of finances or goods. Resurrecting the antiquated-yet-valid laws, Folosst founded the Skaa Emancipation Movement and began campaigning throughout the Dominances for greater skaa freedoms. His arguments are often founded on the idea that if nobles would just invest more in their skaa, educating and liberating them, they’d received ten or a hundredfold more in return on productivity and profitability. Uplifting the skaa from their maltreated state would be like refining a tool, allowing one to wield it all the more effectively. So far most nobles don’t take his efforts seriously. Those who do lack significant influence, but have funded a small retinue of guards to protect the traveling emancipator. With his outspoken nature and withering intellect, Folosst has already made a handful of enemies. However, he has protected himself so far by going through all the proper channels and being able to produce any number of legal documents denoting the authority of the Steel Ministry on his behalf. Still, if even one Great House finds rebellion among its skaa, Folosst could end up with a price on his head in short order. Alongside his appeals to the noble Houses, Folosst has begun secretly educating skaa wherever he travels. He believes all skaa could be bettered if they were more aware of their inherent rights and abilities to act within the law (and thus avoid unjust punishments). A dapper man with silvering hair and hawkish features, Folosst wears outfits of black and grey with white trim, cut in severe lines, and carries a stone-capped cane he uses to gesticulate when talking.

the Survivor and his sacrifice, the people turned away from worshiping the Lord Ruler, and turned to Trest to lead them in matters of faith. Unlike so many of those who had been closer to Kelsier than he, Trest didn’t waiver in regarding Kelsier as a god. Nor was he afraid of putting words in the mouth of the Survivor. He reasoned that as long as he kept to the principles that Kelsier clearly lived (what was clear to Trest, anyway) he didn’t need complete historical accuracy. Inspiring the skaa and leading them to worship the proper god were his only priorities. Trest invented numerous rites and tenets of the faith, and made the use of the spear as the Survivor’s symbol widespread. Believing that the gospel was best preached in person, he wandered the land, dispensing the word of the Survivor to any groups of skaa he found. The holy man saw to the establishment of several centers of worship, but never settled in one place himself. Most of these “churches” were primarily community centers where skaa could gather and pool their resources, but Trest made it clear who had given his life for their freedom.

TREST (AVERAGE THREAT)

Skaa Heroes

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 5, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 6, Reputation 9, Willpower 9 Traits: Witness of the Survivor; Church Founder; Wandering Preacher; Believes Kelsier Is a God; Faithful to the Death Equipment: Spear (Damage +2; Melee Range: Striking/Striking; Thrown Range: Close/Medium); Skaa clothing; Book filled with memories and “teachings” of Kelsier

PLIN

Time Frame: Concurrent with The Final Empire.

The leader of an unpredictable band of skaa resistance fighters, the warrior Plin is destructive but effective. But her life before resistance was one of creation, not destruction. Plin first came to the attention of her masters as a child working on a noble plantation, when she was found idly crafted intricate sculptures out of ash. The family invested a small amount in formal training, where Plin manifested exceptional skills as both a sculptor and painter, eventually rising to become a preeminent artisan. Over the years, she raised the house’s esteem by producing man fine sculptures, paintings, and jewelry made by herself and a team less-talented artisans. Pin was given liberties and luxuries most skaa never dream of, but never forgot her roots, and often snuck forbidden goods and “inferior” craft pieces to her plantation’s workers to give them more hope and brightness in their lives. Eventually, taskmasters uncovered the contraband, which the lord mistook for goods stolen from the estate. The accused skaa refused to implicate Plin as the source, and she watched helplessly as they were butchered for their supposed crimes.

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PLIN (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6, Charm 2, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 4, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 5, Reputation 2, Willpower 4 Traits: Rebel Leader; Obsessed with Chaos; Ex-Artisan; All Shall Fall; Slightly Insane Equipment: Mallet (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking; contains no metal); Chisel (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking); Steel plate (absorbs 3 damage from physical attack); Small metal shield (adds 1 die to defense rolls against physical attack)

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When the lord next came and demanded to know when her most recent sculpture would be ready for market, Plin crushed his skull with a mallet. She smashed the rest of her work to scrap, then fled for her life. Since then, Plin has gathered many runaway and rebellious skaa and fashioned them into a roving fighting band. She’s also tapped into other resistance groups and criminal networks to add their skills to her cause. Calling her band “The Sundering,” Plin spreads the belief that the ultimate fate of all life is death and true freedom is only found in oblivion. Beauty is only an illusion to blind the weak-minded (and weakness cannot be tolerated). Most of her followers are extremists looking for any excuse to unleash violence against the Empire and its minions — they’re responsible for several factories being burnt to the ground, vanished Obligators, caravan ambushes, massacres, and other wanton acts of destruction. Many believe Plin is deranged, but she exhibits an icy intelligence and an eye for brutal tactics. She possesses a harsh beauty and strong arm, and is never without her chisel and mallet, which are stained with gore. Despite her bloodthirsty reputation, her band is astonishingly effective in their assaults and she has proven instrumental in freeing many skaa while undermining Steel Ministry efforts up and down the canals. If ever a person or whole estate needs eliminating, Plin and her Sunderers might well be the most straightforward solution.

11 BLACK HILL PLANTATION

In the shadow of a colossal ashmount squats the Black Hill Plantation, a once-prosperous farming estate now fallen on hard times. The Veyton family settled there in hopes of using the ashmount to fertilize their fields. For a time, it allowed them to secure a modest fortune farming grain and vegetables. Rising debts and competitors closer to significant trading ports put a dent in their prospects, and the family now sits at a nadir after centuries of slow decline. The plantation is intended to serve as a quick adventure supplement for Narrators in need of an aside — or even the basis for a brief campaign depending on how the Heroes wish to play it. Black Hill contains several points of significant tension, which could explode at any moment, complicating things for Heroes in the vicinity or providing the Heroes an opportunity to advance their own agenda. We have deliberately left the location of the plantation unnamed, so that the Narrator can place it wherever it fits best into the campaign. To learn how to gain Black Hill plantation as a Network, see page 93.

SETTING

The plantation itself is nothing remarkable: a collection of buildings surrounded by modest fields, fed by the continual rain of ash from the nearby mount. It contains approximately 300 skaa, along with what remains of the Veyton family (numbering about a dozen individuals). The mansion at the center of the plantation is depleted and run down. One wing has collapsed completely and now serves as a de facto barn for horses and livestock. The rest of the mansion has been stained black by the ash, with sagging balconies and a few moss-covered

Black Hill Plantation

fountains speaking to better days long past. The family’s quarters are modest, with each Veyton living in a small room of their own on the second floor. Two common rooms contain a fireplace, a collection of books, and a jury-rigged office for handling the plantation’s meager accounts. A kitchen and pantry sit off the main wing; the family usually takes their meals in front of the fireplace in one of the common rooms. The mansion is drafty, and many of its luxury items were pawned long ago to fend off the debtors. The remainder has the stink of despair. Inhabitants remain there because they literally have nowhere else to go. The skaa quarters, on the other hand, seem surprisingly well tended for the homes of slaves. They consist of four large, long houses, constructed of crude wood and stained just as black as the nobles’ mansion. Upon closer inspection, however, they appear sturdier and better maintained, with signs of recent repair and solid roofs for fending off the constant rain of ash. Inside each long house, every skaa gets his or her own bed in the common room, as well as an individual set of utensils for eating. Meals are served from a central fire pit, tended by several older skaa women, and the sounds of singing sometimes emerge from the buildings after the workday is done. Though they still live in conditions inferior to the nobles’ amenities, the skaa of Black Hill have it much better than skaa on other plantations. The reason for this situation is rooted in the slow decline of the Veytons’ fortunes. Their hated rivals, the Coreese family, periodically sent spies to the Veytons’ skaa, promising good food and better treatment if they would flee to the Coreese plantation a few miles away. After a number of defections, which the Veytons were powerless to prevent, the skaa leadership struck a bargain. They would take care of Coreese spies and ensure that the defections stopped, but only if the Veytons agreed to give the skaa privileges of their own. Over the last forty years, these benefits have increased until the skaa practically run the farm and pay only lip service to the Veytons’ authority. This has proven a difficult pill for the noble family to swallow, but they have little choice. Crushing their skaa would invite the Coreese to strike them down once and for all, so they tolerate the indignities of liberated skaa as a lesser evil in the hope that their fortunes will eventually change. As the skaa press for more rights — and invite escaped skaa into their ranks regularly — the Coreese smell blood in the water. Bandits in Coreese employ routinely harass Veyton wagons traveling from the plantation to the nearby canals, stealing the supplies for themselves and beating or killing anyone on the wagon — skaa and noble alike. The Black Hill plantation has responded by hiring mercenaries to guard their shipments, since the plantation is not properly trained armed to defend themselves. It’s an ongoing game of cat-and-mouse, with the Coreese still unwilling to strike the finishing blow and the Veytons just a few hijacked shipments away from total collapse. Other, more recent developments also threaten Black Hill. The Veyton family matriarch, Tellsa, has recently returned to the plantation after many years spent securing a series of badly needed contracts in the east. She’s appalled by the condition of the plantation and has made serious efforts to wrest control back from the skaa, unaware of just how serious the problem has become. Her efforts have

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frayed the already damaged relations between the nobles and their servants, and if both sides aren’t careful, they may face open rebellion before the Coreese get their chance to strike. Yet despite all that, the plantation continues to lurch along. The skaa go out to the fields every morning, the vegetables get planted and harvested, the piles of ash get cleared away, and the bills somehow get paid. Black Hill plantation may have a long way to go to reach peace or solvency, but could get there provided it can survive the dangers both within and without.

IMPORTANT FIGURES

The following represent the major Villains and Extras at the Black Hill plantation. Narrators should feel free to swap any of them out with Villains and Extras of their own, or even Heroes if the player is willing and the scenario fits his or her character concept.

TELLSA VEYTON

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The leader of the Veyton clan has spent much of her life away from the plantation: visiting various cities and playing the aristocracy’s complicated games in hopes of reversing her family’s declining fortunes. In this, she’s been quite successful. Over the course of the last twenty years, she’s secured vital contracts that have kept the plantation operating. She’s also become accustomed to a better standard of living than the plantation offered her, and if she had her way, she’d never come back to it. Sadly, fate had something else in mind for her. When

Black Hill Plantation

her father was killed in a bandit attack, the family leadership fell to her, compelling her to return to the plantation and take control of its assets. What she found when she arrived appalled her. The skaa acted as de facto controllers of the plantation, while her younger siblings and their spawn stood seemingly helpless before them. She has since attempted to win back her family’s power, targeting the skaa leader, Sasmede, as the source of her anxieties. The longer she goes on, however, the more she realizes that Sasmede is the only one who can prevent the plantation’s total collapse. Now Tellsa has begun the political dance once again, this time hoping to secure power from the wily skaa the same way she secured contracts from the nobles. The skaa is smarter than she thinks, however, and she has begun to realize just how sharp a negotiator he’s become. She still hopes to wrest control of her plantation away from him, but it’s an uphill battle, and unless she gets some serious help from somewhere, she might never be able to achieve it.

TELLSA VEYTON (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 4, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 5, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 4, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Ambitious; Coreese Family Rival; Experienced Negotiator; For the Glory of My House; Reluctant Lord Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking; contains no metal); Formal clothing

SASMEDE

Sasmede is the leader of Black Hill’s skaa, and effectively the leader of the plantation as a whole. He was secretly educated by the plantation’s old patriarch, Mirus Veyton, who needed someone practical to help him run his business. Sasmede started out organizing the other skaa into work parties, then moved up to secretly balancing the books; before anyone knew it, he and his coterie knew every aspect of the plantation’s business, leaving Mirus’s flat-footed siblings powerless to act without his help. Like Tellsa, he’s been one of the few forces preventing the plantation from collapsing like a house of cards. He somehow found the money to hire mercenaries to protect the plantation’s shipments, and he’s been instrumental in ferreting out spies in the ranks of the skaa. And on top of all this, he’s also the one who ensures fertilization, tending, and harvesting happen on schedule. Without him, the plantation would grind to a halt and the house’s enemies would move in for the kill. In exchange for his timely assistance, he demands ever-increasing rights for the skaa beneath him. Thanks to his efforts, the skaa now work in shifts instead

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of going all-out, sick or injured skaa have a chance to recover before going back to work, and the workers even have a few small comforts to make their lives more bearable. The Veyton men can’t touch skaa women, and the elderly are given duties befitting their status instead of being executed or worked to death. The Veytons seethe beneath such indignities, but they can do nothing about it — which is exactly what Sasmede intended all along. Tellsa’s arrival constitutes quite a challenge, but he’s confident he can keep her in line. After all, he and his followers have nothing left to lose, and would rather die than go back to the way things were. Sasmede maintains a tight coterie of ten followers who act as his underlings and bodyguards. Most of them are hardheaded and have no qualms about fulfilling his orders to the letter. The remainder of the skaa treat him with reverence and respect, and most would happily die if he told them it was necessary. Tellsa has made some mild efforts to break his hold over the Veytons, but it’s been slow going. Considering the things Sasmede has brought them, it’s not hard to see why. Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 5, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 4, Spirit 6 Resiliences: Health 4, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Cunning; Educated Skaa; Former Farmer; Revered Leader; SelfServing; Won’t Back Down Equipment: Farm implement (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Striking); Padded Armor (Absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Banned book

BRETTNADE

Brettnade is a Terrisman, the only one in Black Hill, who acted as a faithful steward for Mirus before the old man passed away. He’s quite old himself, and senility has begun to creep in around the edges. But he’s absolutely dedicated to the preservation of the plantation, and could be the one person who can get Sasmede and Tellsa to work together for the good of all. It was his idea to bring Sasmede into the family business. He knew that none of the Veytons could run the plantation successfully, and that the cunning skaa was smarter than the lot of them put together. He also urged Mirus to will leadership of the plantation to Tellsa, rather than one of the other Veyton family members (who would have brought the whole thing down within the year). He hoped that the two would form a coequal partnership to bring Black Hill back to prosperity. Even more, he thought perhaps that they could serve as an example of skaa-noble cooperation and perhaps help ease the burden of oppressed skaa everywhere. His hopes proved somewhat foolish. Tellsa and Sasmede don’t trust each other and constantly jockey for control. If one of them stumbles, the other will pounce without mercy — likely to the doom of all. Brettnade has done his best to ease tension between them, and to point out common causes for them to tackle

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SASMEDE (SERIOUS THREAT)

together. But the older he gets, the less he is able to keep everything clear; his death could be the match that finally sets this powder keg alight. Brettnade uses the statistics for a Terrisman steward (see page 533 of the Mistborn Adventure Game).

RIA

Black Hill Plantation

Ria is one of Black Hill’s numerous dark secrets, a skaa Pewterarm who Snapped at an early age and now secretly hones her power to a fine point. She arrived from another plantation with her mother as a very young girl, on the run from her noble father, who tried to have them both killed before the Obligators learned of her existence. Sasmede took care of the foolish father — the noble vanished en route to the plantation and bandits were blamed — then protected Ria from any inquiries that might reveal her true nature. She works in the fields like her brethren, and while a few comment on her hardiness, no one suspects its true nature. Her mother has since died from a wasting sickness she contracted on the road, and Ria now looks to Sasmede for guidance. He has given her metal to burn and provided what instruction he can on its use. She’s grateful for the help and has demonstrated her loyalty by quietly protecting the plantation’s shipments against bandit attack. On the other hand, she also sees how ultimately self-serving Sasmede is, and her loyalty has its limits. If she ever feels that he is using her solely for his own ends, she may flee the plantation, or even turn her power against him. Ria uses the statistics for a Pewterarm (see page 540 of the Mistborn Adventure Game).

POINTS OF INTRIGUE

Tensions run high in Black Hill, and not just because the skaa seem to have the upper hand. The area contains a number of ongoing situations that could explode into violence at any time. It’s up to the Narrator (or the Heroes) to determine which of these could set the powder keg off… and either restore the plantation’s fortunes or bring it down once and for all.

THE BANDITS

The Coreese attacks on the plantation’s caravans mark the biggest external threat against Black Hill. Every shipment to the distant canals now travels with armed escorts — both Black Hill skaa and mercenaries — with Ria the Pewterarm moving in secret alongside them. Most of the time, they’re able to fend off any trouble, but the Coreese are getting bolder and more brazen in their efforts to drive their rivals to ruin. Tellsa has begun searching for allies to turn against the Coreese, hoping to stop the attacks at their source. Until she does so, however, the plantation is perhaps two to three serious attacks away from ruin.

THE MATRIARCH

Ironically, Tellsa and Sasmede possess the right tools to truly resurrect the Black Hill. The matriarch has political contacts and diplomatic savvy enough to

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ensure a market for their farm goods, while Sasmede has the practical know-how to handle day-to-day affairs on the farm. Unfortunately, each is convinced that only they can keep the plantation intact, and each views the other as an obstacle to their mission. Their dance is a delicate one, since they recognize the necessary traits in their rival. But class resentment and personal distaste simmer beneath the surface, threatening to boil over whenever tensions run high. They each hold half the key to salvation, and might destroy the other half in their short-sighted efforts to gain it all.

THE MISTING

The skaa have another secret — one they haven’t revealed even to the nobles sharing their estate. One of their own, Ria, is a Pewterarm, stronger and tougher than her tiny frame lets on. Sasmede considers Ria his ace in the hole, a weapon he intends to unleash upon his enemies. Unfortunately for him, Ria has her own ideas and may demand some significant favors before she helps him. She almost died the night her father came for her; now, she fears very little. If Black Hill ever boils over, you can bet that she’ll find some way to turn it to her advantage. A few weeks ago, an Obligator arrived at Black Hill on a routine inspection. His appearance was utterly unexpected and caused a quiet panic among the residents there. It was enough to get Sasmede and Tellsa to unite in common cause. Unfortunately, they made the worst decision they could: abducting the Obligator and tying him up in the mansion’s basement. His report would have destroyed them — news of skaa “running wild” and a family unable to master its own affairs, which likely would have cost everyone on the plantation their lives. But fear of further investigations kept them from killing him, and now they haven’t the slightest idea what to do. Tellsa maintains some hope of convincing him to go easy on them, while Sasmede advocates killing him in some manner that defers suspicion. Until they can resolve it, the Obligator sits tied up in the basement, growing increasingly angry at his captivity and quietly planning a devastating reprisal if he ever breaks free.

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THE OBLIGATOR

12 TWO-FIST SLUM

The city of Austrex contains one of the more unique — and dangerous — skaa slums in the Empire. It runs parallel to a series of warehouses near the city’s border, and once served as a huge canal route directly to the civic center. The canal was drained when the Lord Ruler commanded that the canals be rebuilt in a more secure location closer to the city center. Many barracks were slated for demolition in order to bring the new canal through, so nobles turned their skaa out of their housing to find their own shelter and food. However, the nobles still needed the skaa to remain in Austrex and continue working in the factories and mills. This led to an unorthodox arrangement and gave birth to Two-Fist Slum. The crux of the noble plan was a financial arrangement that let them provision a paltry share of their revenue from trade to go directly to feeding the skaa workers. The skaa could be fed, then sent home…but the deal included no provision for housing the workers. With no prospects of shelter, the skaa took refuge in familiar terrain: the old canal. A ramshackle series of shacks and buildings sprung up, some on the canal’s bottom and others dug into the deep walls like caves. Only the lowest of the low settled here, those tasked with menial labor in Austrex’s noisy mills. Crime followed soon enough, and today, “Two-Fist” is a watchword for getting killed needlessly because you wandered into the wrong place. Two thieving crews hold dominance over the slum. They bribe officials to look the other way, seizing whatever they can from Two-Fist’s despairing population. Those under their protection enjoy lives of comparative comfort (for skaa anyway). The rest exist in a state of perpetual terror, living at the mercy of either of the two crews as well as the nobility who ostensibly hold sway over them all.

Two-Fist Slum

To make matters worse, the two gangs are perpetually at each other’s throats. The first group, the Mist Riders, enjoy a reputation as supernatural killers, moving only at night and perpetuating rumors that they can command the mistwraiths themselves. The second crew, the Boxings, focuses on more practical criminal enterprises: running protection rackets and staging the occasional quiet robbery at the behest of noble houses who pay them to make trouble with their rivals. Both gangs hate each other’s guts, and neither is willing to leave the slum to their enemies. Clashes are infrequent but brutal, leaving bodies strewn across the canal floor and further feeding their sinister reputation. The nobility generally leaves them be — perfectly content to let the skaa kill each other off — but the gangs’ battles have begun attracting the wrong sort of attention. Every now and again, some nobleman proposes a brutally efficient solution to the TwoFist problem: re-flooding the canal and killing all who live there. So far, that’s proven too radical for the city’s rulers, who need the population to continue running their factories. Should the burgeoning gang war ever spill out beyond its borders or threaten the city’s prosperity, the Boxings and the Mist Riders may share a common fate: drowned like rats in a rain barrel.

IMPORTANT FIGURES

The following represent the major Villains and Extras in the Two-Fist slum. Narrators should feel free to swap any of them out with Villains and Extras of their own, or even Heroes if the player is willing and the scenario fits his or her character concept.

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BAZ’EN WRAITHKILLER

BAZ’EN WRAITHKILLER (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4 [8], Charm 4, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 5, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 7 [11], Reputation 9, Willpower 9 Traits: Criminal Leader; Secret Identity; Brutal Killer; Supernatural Reputation; Arrogant

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

All Metals 4 (including Pewter, which boosts Physique and Health as shown in brackets)

POWERS (SKAA)

Face in the Crowd (Stunt): If Baz’en is unmasked, any roll for an attempt to locate her in a crowd of skaa or follow her within a skaa community fails unless the hunter spends a Nudge.

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A self-named Mistborn with a legendary reputation among the denizens of Two-Fist, Baz’en rose through the ranks of the Mist Riders through surreptitious use of her Allomantic abilities. Before anyone recognized her as a threat, she had seized control of all its operations and soon turned it into one of the most efficient crews in the Final Empire. She uses fear as a potent weapon, commanding her followers to wear white masks and attack only in the darkness of the mists. They carry out their robberies in the dead of night and always leave at least one body in their wake… increasing their reputation and making it easier to strike at the next terrified target. All of this was Baz’en’s doing, helping her crew cement its power and making her surprisingly wealthy in the process. Rumor holds that she never shows her face, appearing to her followers only if she’s wearing a mask. This, too, is a cunning ploy, allowing her to move unseen amid her crew’s ranks and distract attention when necessary. She periodically appears as a junior lieutenant named Althess — efficient yet unremarkable in many ways. Through the ruse, she builds her reputation as a supernatural entity, while spotting potential troublemakers and quietly removing them before they become a threat. It’s proven remarkably effective so far, though her increasing arrogance may prove her undoing. The people of the slums suspect that Baz’en was a noble, and retreated to the slums after dishonoring her house. They point to stories of Indrissa Erikell, a known Mistborn who was involved in a scandal that rippled through the Great Houses and then disappeared from the public eye. Months later, Baz’en Wraithkiller first became active. The accounts, all based on different gossip, differ in regard to the scandal itself. Many suggest she was consorting with a skaa.

EQUIPMENT

Obsidian dagger (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch/Striking; Thrown Range: Striking/Close; contains no metal); Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); 3 Mistborn vials (1 charge each of Brass, Bronze, Copper, Iron, Pewter, Steel, Tin, and Zinc); Mistcloak; Disguise

THE PURSE

Two-Fist Slum

The man known only as The Purse stands as the leader of the Boxings, and Baz’en’s primary rival for control over Two-Fist Slum. He made his money as a merchant, thought to be a noble before word of his skaa mother leaked out among the houses of power. Fleeing for his life, he made his way to Austrex with most of his fortune intact, coming to rebuild a criminal empire beneath the noses of his so-called “betters.” The Purse specializes in financial crimes — racketeering, protection rackets, and blackmail — with a few flat-out robberies just to keep things interesting. Unlike Baz’en, he lacks any Allomantic powers, and maintains only a few Mistings on his payroll. (They attract attention that he doesn’t like.) He counters her prowess with sheer financial might: bribed officials, well-paid spies, and an army of thugs paid to stand their ground against Misting attacks. That’s proved enough to keep the corpulent old merchant knee-deep in the slum’s power plays, allowing him to make up in cunning what he lacks in reputation.

THE PURSE (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 5, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 7, Influence 5, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 11, Reputation 10, Willpower 9 Traits: Mercantile Mastermind; Network of Spies; Obligators in His Pocket; Out of Shape Equipment: Dueling cane (+2 Damage; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Concealed armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks; contains no metal); Bottle of wine; Formal clothing; Signal animal

MARSIK AND ABELLNA

Marsik is one of Baz’en’s chief lieutenants, trusted with many of her secrets and orchestrating a number of her attacks. Abellna is The Purse’s niece, raised in a position of comparative privilege before her uncle’s disgrace became hers as well. She acts as The Purse’s “accountant,” identifying the weaknesses of key officials and finding ways to bribe or leverage them into the Boxings’ service.

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Both do quite well for their organization… and both have fallen madly in love with the other. Abellna identified Marsik as a potential mole in the Mist Riders, thanks to his comparative moral scruples (i.e., an unwillingness to shed blood unless it was absolutely necessary). She approached him about turning sides, and while he initially turned her down he noticed a potential in her that he felt could be used for the benefit of all. Their romance is passionate and heartfelt. It is also a closely kept secret, lest their respective crews learn of it and have them executed as traitors. Together, they hope to end the ongoing bloodshed, either by convincing their leaders to see reason or quietly taking the reins of power themselves. They are also plotting a quiet escape in case that doesn’t work. They’d rather be together and on the run than apart because of what they feel is a pointless power struggle. To that end, they may reach out to out-of-town crews, either to forge a reliable escape route, or to orchestrate their own (hopefully permanent) rise to power. Marsik uses the statistics for a thief (see page 534 of the Mistborn Adventure Game), and Abellna uses the statistics for a con man (see page 533 of the Mistborn Adventure Game).

Two-Fist Slum

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13 KAV’S BARGE

Kav’s barge is a medium-sized boat manned by a crew of six canal skaa. Led by Kav, the skipper, the ship makes frequent trips between Urteau, which is controlled by House Venture, and the capital city of Luthadel. Though primarily tasked with hauling cargo for House Venture, the barge also carries travelers for a high price. House Venture allegedly supervises the skaa on Kav’s barge closely, but as is the case with other canal skaa, there are simply too many skaa and too few nobles to oversee them. Scrutinizing a profitable crew like this is a low priority for Lord Venture, who, as the most powerful man in the Empire next to the Lord Ruler, has far more important and profitable matters to attend to. Kav’s barge is large enough to fit twenty to thirty people comfortably, less the six members of the crew. Nobles are given cloth-backed seats, while skaa sit on wooden benches or are stashed below the decks along with the cargo. In addition to seating and storage space, the barge also has a few heavy chests and padlocks used for valuables or, in rare cases, skaa prisoners. The crew has managed to eke out a living by supplementing their operations for House Venture. Kav has turned the crew’s affiliation with the most powerful House into an asset and often incurs paid favors; many of the other Houses believe that helping Kav is a subtle way of currying favor with Lord Venture. They’re entirely wrong in this belief, of course, but Kav does little to dissuade them from such delusions. As a result, the crew often carries messages back and forth, along with gifts and other boons to help the nobles position themselves appropriately. Thanks to their profitable side venture, Kav’s barge can support multiple people on one person’s pay instead of each of them just merely scraping by. To spend

time with their families, the crew docks at common waystations along the route. The members of the crew sometimes trade places with similar-looking relatives, so they effectively trade off canal work and caring for their children without raising hackles with the Venture overseers.

IMPORTANT FIGURES Kav’s Barge

The following represent the major Villains and Extras at Kav’s barge. Narrators should feel free to swap any of them out with Villains and Extras of their own, or even Heroes if the player is willing and the scenario fits his or her character concept.

KAV

Kav is the barge’s skipper, an amicable, short fellow. Polite and well mannered, Kav knows when to keep his mouth shut and when to talk. His demeanor has earned him the right to pilot his boat somewhat autonomously. Lord Venture allows him to conduct business with other houses to attain goods like spices, foodstuffs, and fibers. The exchange of weapons, contracts involving affairs of state, and other more sensitive matters remain beyond Kav’s reach. Kav doesn’t mind that some of the crew don’t like each other much, but won’t hesitate to pay Lily a little extra to find out what his shipmates are up to.

KAV (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 5, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 9, Reputation 8, Willpower 7 Traits: Natural Leader; Likeable; Discreet Businessman

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POWERS (SKAA)

Canal Skaa: Kav gains 2 additional dice on Resources and Influence rolls when traveling on the canals or dealing with the logistics of canal travel or trade.

EQUIPMENT

Quant Pole (Damage +1; Melee Range: Striking / Striking); Barge

EPSA

Epsa is the most literate crewmate and has been given permission to deal with Obligators when necessary. A Tineye, this short, black-haired skaa also excels at forgery. Though she could pull off more elaborate cons, the documents she fakes help the crew become a little more profitable. Of all the crew, Epsa is also the most valuable, for her new contracts are the primary reason why Kav’s barge has been such a lucrative endeavor. Naturally, Epsa is aware of her prowess and the reason why everyone’s so nice to her. A bit of a romantic, Epsa falls in love easily and dreams of one day becoming a noble’s wife.

EPSA (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 3, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 7, Willpower 8 Traits: Forger; Sociable; Lovesick

•

Tin 5 (enhances the five senses) Focused Sense (Sight): While burning Tin, Epsa adds one additional die with rolls relying on sight.

EQUIPMENT

Sheathknives (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch); Forged noble papers

WOLF

Wolf is the crew’s enforcer and is a brute of a man. Wolf takes his job extraordinarily seriously and barely tolerates his other shipmates for fear he’ll reveal his strong ties to the skaa rebellion. Only Kav knows Wolf’s true feelings, and helps him divert his earnings to Yeden’s skaa rebellion. Kav is in charge of all communication with the rebellion, and has forbidden Wolf from contacting them. Wolf’s not a subtle or cautious man, and could very well attract unwanted attention to the barge if left to his own devices. However, even Kav’s prohibition won’t keep this determined skaa from trying. Like Crow, he hates the nobility and sometimes has a hard time tolerating them. While he’s protective of Lily, he wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of her if the situation called for it.

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Kav’s Barge

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

WOLF (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6, Charm 2, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 11, Reputation 5, Willpower 8 Traits: Burglar; Member of the Resistance; Serious; Disliked

POWERS (SKAA)

Skaa’s Toughness: Wolf’s Health is increased by 2, and he may recover Health during a Short Breather without sitting the Breather out.

EQUIPMENT

Spear (Damage +2; Melee Range: Striking / Striking); Padded armor (Absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks)

LILY

Lily, the incurable gossip, is a teenage girl who remains below deck spying on the nobility and listening in on their conversations. Her small frame and excellent memory allows her to remember details and pick up on social cues that no one else does. Lily then sells these tidbits at a discount to Kav who in turn shares them at different opportunities. The runt on the ship, Lily is protected by the crew as part of her payment and is rarely seen. Not much else is known about Lily, other than the fact that she always disembarks at the same waystation once a week. Lily uses the statistics for an informant (see page 534 of the Mistborn Adventure Game).

Kav’s Barge

CROW

Crow, the lookout and sometimes pilot, is the quietest member of the group and a recent transfer from a plantation. Long, thin, and heavily scarred, Crow has taken Wolf’s lead and diverts a portion of his earnings to the skaa rebellion. Though he does believe the Lord Ruler is a god, he feels that the Lord Ruler has abandoned the skaa. He has not forgiven his previous master for murdering his wife, and wants to take out his anger on any members of the nobility. Crow uses the statistics for a canal skaa (see page 529 of the Mistborn Adventure Game).

FELSI

Felsi rounds out the crew, acting as part-lookout, part-strategist who brings with him a bevy of contacts from the underground. A former member of the Twin Sun thieving crew, Felsi grew uncomfortable with his leader’s killing spree and wound up turning him into the Ministry. As a reward, he was whipped and handed over to House Venture. None of the other crewmates know that Felsi is now a Ministry informant who may turn on them one day. Felsi uses the statistics for a thief (see page 534 of the Mistborn Adventure Game).

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14 SECRETS OF THE SKAA

It’s often said that a mute skaa lives longer than one who’s not, simply because saying the wrong thing could get a skaa killed. But most skaa are not mute; rather, they prefer to listen and observe, saving their words for private conversations among their fellow skaa. Skaa quickly come to understand the commerce of secrets that touches every corner of the Final Empire. Since they’re so frequently ignored, they’re also in the perfect position to learn things their masters would rather have remain hidden from other nobles. Though there is considerable danger involved, gossip and rumors are the lifeblood of the skaa, particularly in the cities. Part entertainment, part news, the exchange of rumors is a favorite pastime, and city skaa often trade juicy tidbits whenever possible. Some, however, pay a severe price for their loose tongues; neither nobles nor the Steel Ministry take kindly to having secrets spilled, and has no qualms about punishing skaa wholesale for indiscretion. When information can determine if one skaa survives and another perishes, it’s assumed that most skaa will turn on one another to protect themselves and their loved ones from such retribution. The skaa know how narrow a tightrope they walk, and how risky any act of rebellion truly is. Out of necessity, they’ve turned to secrets as methods of rebellion beyond physical combat and thievery. Here are some of the ways the skaa work to thwart the Lord Ruler and the nobility.

SKAA ALLOMANCERS

The possibility of skaa Allomancers is no secret within the Final Empire. Indeed, the practice of killing skaa women after a nobleman sleeps with her, and

Secrets of the Skaa

the very raison d’être for the Canton of Inquisition, is to keep the power of the Misting or Mistborn out of the hands of the skaa (see page 28). What most folk don’t know is that, despite these draconian measures, skaa Allomancers actually exist. Experts estimate about one in 10,000 half-skaa children born become Mistings; if the ratio of 1 in 100 Allomancers being Mistborn holds true, then half-skaa Mistborn are literally one in a million, though very few skaa Mistborn beyond Kelsier and Vin stand out in history. This incredible rarity means very few people — even those who work with skaa every day — ever come into contact with a skaa Allomancer, and even when they do, the subtlety of most Metallic Arts means they are rarely detected. While the anonymity of skaa Allomancers often serves to protect them, it also makes them the subjects of fear, prejudice, and exploitation. Most skaa communities have little to no understanding of Allomancy at all, so children exhibiting Misting powers are seen as witches or mistwraiths by their superstitious neighbors, to be driven out or killed. Though Mistings and Mistborn are incredibly valuable to noble houses, a skaa Allomancer approaching a noble sire is tantamount to suicide for the Allomancer and a death sentence for the sire. Even in the skaa criminal underworld, where Mistings are treasured as pointmen, muscle, or lookouts, they are ruthlessly used and sacrificed when doing so would save a crew leader’s life or line his pockets. To be a skaa Allomancer is to know true loneliness, stuck with powers you barely understand and caught in a world where no one seems to understand or care to help you, where you most likely end will either be in a jail cell or at the end of a Hemalurgic spike. For the fortunate few, however, there is hope. In recent centuries, as cities have grown and the numbers of skaa Allomancers has grown, an informal fraternity of skaa Mistings has formed to help train and protect those who have recently Snapped. Young Allomancers are paired with one or more experienced Mistings (preferably with the same abilities) much like an apprenticeship. These mentors teach their charges about the depth and limitations of their powers, where they can get safe metals to burn, and how to avoid the ever-watchful eyes of the Steel Ministry. The only thing the fraternity asks in return is that, when the day comes, the apprentice mentor another young Allomancer in the way of the Metallic Arts, so that their gifts may never be snuffed out. As a result of this pact, the quality of Allomancy used by the skaa has improved by leaps and bounds, with many halfskaa using their abilities as well as any formally-trained noble Misting.

REFUGEES AMONG THE SKAA

Kandra, Terrismen, and nobles hide among the skaa when they want to be ignored, hope to spy, or are forced to hide. It’s a little-known fact that even some

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members of the nobility tire of the Lord Ruler’s edicts and the preordained confines of the noble life. Some of these false skaa are even escaped prisoners of the Empire given safe harbor by the skaa — particularly by thieving crews — in the hopes of fighting back against the oppressive system. The most common skaa pretenders are young nobles of low rank, who either despair at a life at the bottom of the hierarchy or feel sympathy for their skaa. They turn away from the prestige they had to embrace the greater opportunities skaa can pursue without the constant scrutiny that Obligators bring to nobles and their dealings. Luckily for nobles, they often have the funds to pay skaa thieves to “kidnap” or help them escape their lives. This is only a viable option for nobles with a decent record of dealing with skaa — those who have been cruel or murderous in the past have a harder time escaping with skaa help unless they offer a truly staggering amount of money. Terrismen have a much harder time blending in among the skaa, since their stature, elongated limbs, and darker skin make them stand out from the crowd. It’s nearly impossible for a Terrisman to find safe harbor on a plantation, where homogeneity reigns; even in the city they face tremendous risks, since nobles and Obligators take a much greater interest in an escaped steward than in any skaa. Thieving crews are the only ones who truly have the skills to make a Terrisman disappear, which they’ll do for a price. Some Terris who turn to thieving crews still find themselves ratted out to the Obligators or exploited by the very crews they turned to.

EDUCATION AND LITERACY

KHALFI

A bastion of skaa control hidden from the forces of the Final Empire, Khalfi is one place where skaa can live a peaceful life free from the yoke of the nobles. (The city of Khalfi is described in brief on page 34, and the Citizens of Khalfi can be chosen as a Network as described on page 93.) The town remains small, with

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Education is one of the more common ways skaa can rebel against the oppressive regime of the Final Empire. On the surface, it might not seem that big of a deal for a skaa to learn how to read, but with literacy comes free thought — a dangerous business in Scadrial. A noble who openly trains skaa to read is often destined to fail, for typically this initiative must be proposed and approved to the Ministry via an Obligator; this is typically only permitted when there’s no suitable Terris steward or younger noble to take on the task, and then only for one or two specific people. A skaa who knows how to read, however, becomes more useful to the house, and can turn this to his advantage. He might clandestinely review and alter files, swap his name and history, “upgrade” to merchant status, or otherwise improve his station greatly. Such actions tempt fate, however, so most literate skaa put their skills to use in secret or carry out such plans over a long series of small steps. They work as spies, message carriers, and rumormongers, penning letters, inserting false information into books, and designing secret codes.

Secrets of the Skaa

only a few low buildings made of wood and scavenged stones. The remote location keeps outsiders from finding the town, and natural terrain masks it from view even from those who come near. The townsfolk built a series of palisades camouflaged to fit into the environment. Though these wouldn’t protect against a largescale attack or siege, they could give the people time to evacuate and flee. Skaa in Khalfi can form and build families in a way they couldn’t before, and a few have become craftspeople, cooks, or entertainers rather than working the fields. “Fell,” the enigmatic skaa leader, runs Khalfi. Ruthless and pragmatic, Fell has little tolerance for criminality or sloppiness. Any skaa who steals, kills, or commits the greatest offense — allowing a noble or Obligator to find Khalfi — pays with his life. Fell maintains that the security of the Hidden City requires strict obedience to his rules. Fortunately for the residence, Fell usually acts fairly, levies the same price for identical crimes, and doesn’t consider himself above the law. Still, some skaa grumble that they don’t have true freedom, and that a life under the nobles at least brought some security. Fell doesn’t clamp down on this kind of talk. He sternly disagrees, to be sure, but doesn’t bring his security forces to bear on dissenters. On a few occasions, Obligators and nobles have made their way to Khalfi. Fortunately, they’ve never arrived in large enough numbers to overthrow the town or managed to communicate the town’s presence and location to higher authorities. In most cases, those interlopers ended up fertilizing the soil to grow Khalfi’s next crops. However, Fell has been forced to strike a deal in a few cases, meaning Khalfi isn’t completely a secret to the outside world. Fell can count the number of Obligators and nobles aware of the secret on one hand, but even those few pose a great danger. Those who did make deals with Fell found the city when seeking a safe haven for their skaa lovers or children. Khalfi has little to bargain with, but Fell could offer refuge. The nobles who brought these skaa to Khalfi have direct orders to never return, but it’s only a matter of time before one will. Fell has resolved to show no mercy the second time around, but fears the nobles will arrive with numerous troops or Allomancers as backup.

FELL’S STORY

Fell is the object of constant speculation by the citizens of Khalfi: the massive scars across his face and neck, his rumored Allomantic powers, and his curt manner all contribute to his air of mystery. Contrary to popular belief, Fell wasn’t among the original few settlers of the Hidden City. He was born to the noble Arendre Urbain, master of a plantation in the Southern Dominance and part of a bloodline strong with Allomantic potential. Arendre, through huge bribes and clever manipulation, enacted the ruse that Fell — then called Emerset Urbain — was a nephew who’d come to live at his plantation. Arendre hoped Emerset would be an Allomancer, but when the boy Snapped, his father felt only disappointment. The child was a Soother — the same as Arendre’s older child Darleth. Arendre set Emerset to menial work. Emerset grew to resent his father, and longed for a way out. When tasked with capturing some unimportant, menial skaa who had escaped, he overheard his quarry talking about

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the Hidden City they were traveling to find. He followed them instead of capturing them right away, to the consternation of his House Urbain escorts. When he saw the city from afar, he realized this could be a life free of his father. He ordered his escorts to kill the escaped skaa of his house, while he snuck away toward the city. As his escorts pursued, he claimed they were after him, and got the city’s guards to fight alongside him. They had seen the Urbain retainers kill the other skaa, and believed Emerset’s story. The guards landed some vicious blows before they died, leaving the scars he still bears. The town numbered fewer than a dozen, and Emerset — changing his name to Fell on the spot — was welcomed with open arms. He was a dutiful citizen for a time, but began to Soothe the founders and any rivals to improve his station. Even today, Fell repeatedly Soothes a few old citizens so they don’t reveal any part of his history. Fell is wracked with guilt about the decisions he made when he was still a callow youth, but now he’s just waiting for the elders to die rather than dealing with the fallout of his duplicity.

WHISPERS IN THE MIST

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The skaa may sit at the bottom rung of the social ladder, but they are present in every level of society. Plantation skaa work a nobleman’s fields and shepherd his herds, but they also wash his clothes and set his table. City skaa pack the slums and sweep the streets of Luthadel, but they also bolster the Lord Ruler’s armies and power the industry that advances its economy. Skaa are both invisible and omnipresent, privy to stories, misdeeds, rumors, and cover-ups that folk with the right connections would find quite valuable… and no group finds these more valuable than the Whispers in the Mist. The Whispers in the Mist (more commonly referred to simply as “the Whispers”) are a network of skaa information brokers who gather up stories from their fellows and pass it along to the right parties… for a modest fee, of course. All Whispers buy and sell these stories anonymously — to the point of using disguises even when meeting each other — using canal skaa as their mules to move it to all corners of the Empire. Most of their work is to pass news and messages between isolated skaa plantations and the cities, but they’ve also transported orders to commanders of the skaa rebellion, sold stolen floor plans of great keeps to thieving crews, sewed disinformation about Luthadel gangs, and even used blackmail to pressure nosy Obligators to leave them alone. Where Whispers differ from Terris Keepers the most is their ideology… more specifically, that they have none. While many could accuse the Whispers’ actions of being traitorous or criminal, they do not side with rebels or aspire to become gangsters. They merely provide a service to any skaa who can meet their fee, and if that service helps or harms the plight of the skaa, so be it. The one rule the Whispers follow is that they will only work with skaa — noblemen and agents of the Steel Ministry have from time to time tried to penetrate the Whispers’ network, but each time the Whispers have demonstrated an uncanny ability to ferret out spies in their midst.

The easiest way to get in touch with a Whisper is to simply have a juicy story or secret, perhaps one that no one else should know about. Nearly any type of information may catch a Whisper’s attention, but the more sensational or dangerous the better. A Hero might find a note tucked in their pocket or slipped under their mug at a bar, offering a meet that night, “when the mists cloak the whole world” — part of the Whispers’ mystique, and a test of the subject’s courage. At the designated place and time, the Whisper offers a great many different things for a seller’s story — boxings, barter, or even a secret pertinent to the seller or their loved ones — and ask for an immediate answer. Regardless of what the seller chooses, the Whisper soon vanishes into the night, and the seller will likely never hear from the network again.

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BOOK TWO

BEASTS OF BURDEN

INTRODUCTION

Beasts of Burden is a personal adventure that challenges the Crew on its own turf. A small-time underworld ally of the Crew has fallen suddenly and inexplicably ill. The Crew’s seemingly innocuous investigation into the source of this illness draws them inexorably toward a criminal enterprise whose unrestrained brutality is only overshadowed by their ability to extort and blackmail. This clandestine organization responds to the Crew’s investigations with swift and radical retaliation aimed not at the Crew, but at everything the Crew holds dear. The Crew must protect their own vulnerabilities and formulate a counterattack against a skaa gang whose strength lies in its organization, cunning, and ruthlessness rather than Allomancy or legitimate political power. Will the Crew uncover the secrets behind the Narrow Men before their own operations are destroyed by this rival Crew? Warning to Players: The remainder of this chapter provides a detailed and spoiler-laden overview of the adventure. If you plan to play Beasts of Burden, we recommend you stop reading right here!

BEASTS OF BURDEN AT YOUR TABLE

Beasts of Burden is designed for between two and five gaming sessions depending your Crew’s play style. Objective-oriented Crews that care less for ancillary plot matters and personal development can move at a brisk pace, while the material provided in the adventure can easily last longer if the Crew opts for indepth exploration of secondary characters or the adventure’s effects on the Crew’s friends and families.

Introduction

SELECTING THE RIGHT SKAA This adventure begins with a sick skaa, but your adventure doesn’t have to use the very same skaa. A favorite NPC already known to the Crew will provide a stronger hook than a new character like Smelter. Smelter’s key characteristics are his likeability and vulnerability. A rural skaa could be forced into the situation after his cart crashes into a business that serves as one of the Narrow Men’s fronts. A skaa employed by a noble house may find himself in dire need of cash after breaking his master’s favored heirloom. A merchant skaa could be facing ruin after a fire or a break-in. It’s less important why the skaa needs money, and more important that the character provides a strong motivation to the Crew — and puts a skaa face to the suffering the Narrow Men inflict.

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?

A homeless alcoholic, lookout, and all-around good guy named Smelter has been stricken ill for reasons that no one has been able to determine. Smelter was in fact used as a drug mule by the criminal gang the Narrow Men. One of the gang’s lieutenants, the Howler, used Smelter’s debt at the local tap room, The Narrows, to extort him into smuggling drugs inside his body. The leader of the Narrow Men, Vengen Straight, performed an operation to sew a pouch of a potent drug called black tack inside Smelter, though she remained in disguise the whole time. The Narrow Men want to keep their operation secret, but they lost track of Smelter after he had too much to drink. The Narrow Men have worked very hard to hide their operation, and see Smelter as a dangerous loose end.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

After they’re approached by a reliable contact, the Crew investigates and discovers that Smelter has had drug-filled vials implanted in him to smuggle, but the pouch has ruptured and poisoned him. As the Crew makes their inquiries into how these events happened, they draw the ire of Vengen Straight, the secretive leader of the Narrow Men. Shortly after they determine why Smelter is sick, they find that their own holdings and allies are under a coordinated and skillful attack. The Narrow Men have one of the most well developed information gathering systems in the city, thanks to the work of Slade, a seemingly respectable accountant who’s actually a lieutenant in the gang. Within hours of the Crew uncovering the Narrow Men’s connection to drug muling, each member of the Crew finds something they treasure under direct coordinated assault by the Narrow Men. For a time, the Crew is forced to be reactive and fend off these attacks (whether physical assaults or more subtle) rather than proactively pursuing the Narrow Men.

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Once the Crew stabilizes from the unexpected fierceness of the Narrow Men, they must use the tidbits they learned to uncover the Narrow Men’s organization and attack them at their vulnerable points. This to-and-fro between the Crew and the Narrow Men becomes a dangerous game of subtlety, manipulation, and leverage. The Narrow Men’s top lieutenants are essentially their own Crew, just as clever and uninhibited by the law as the players’ Crew is. The main difference between them is approach: the Narrow Men engage in the lowest forms of criminal enterprise for pure profit while the Crew has more complex motivations and morals. The Crew’s counterattack can take many forms. Much like the Crew’s vulnerabilities stem from its members’ own motivations and weaknesses, the Narrow Men have the same problem. Not only are their lieutenants vulnerable, but they have countless more business dealings to disrupt. The Narrow Men’s leader, Vengen Straight, keeps her identity hidden. Pierz, the lead muscle of the Narrow Men, is an inconsiderate lout whose pride can undo him. The Howler is a Soother who keeps the drug mules in check. He fancies himself a skilled romantic and is anything but. Jean operates an extensive series of money laundering fronts that keeps the Narrow Men rich and eliminates the evidence of their criminal spoils, and is also in charge of producing the drug “black tack.” Slade has a respectable façade that keeps the Narrow Men well informed and the Obligators busy, but he has a secret that even he is unaware of. Finally, the Narrow Men’s base of operations is run by the enigmatic Mila Straight and functions as neutral ground for all the various powerbrokers of the city’s underworld. Once the Crew’s counterattack damages the Narrow Men’s enterprises, they can move to shut down the drug muling operation once and for all. This inevitably brings them into direct conflict with Vengen Straight. Calculating and clever, she rose to power without a drop of Allomantic ability, and she doesn’t surrender easily. She’s too smart to engage in a conflict she has no hope of winning, but also too stubborn to let the Crew’s transgressions against the Narrow Men go unanswered. The final confrontation can come in many forms, but make no mistake: the city isn’t big enough for both the Crew and the Narrow Men!

Introduction

THE SET UP

The adventure takes place in Luthadel, though it could take place in any large city in the Final Empire with minor tweaking. The Crew is contacted by Tevigger, an informant with deep connections. A mysterious illness has befallen a pillar of the thieving community: the friendly drunkard and lookout, Smelter. Practically everyone in the Crew knows, or knows of, Smelter, and would be sad to see him die of illness. His undiagnosed condition causes concern in many circles: some are worried of plague, while others fear spoiled alcohol or a concerted attack against the underworld community. Early in the day, Tevigger knocks at the door of the Crew’s hideout. If the Crew’s had previous dealings with Tevigger (such as in the “Justice, Like Ash” adventure from Terris: Wrought of Copper) Tevigger greets them and commends them for work well done during their previous enterprises. If the Crew has never met Tevigger before, read the following: As you prepare to leave to start your day, a tall skaa wearing a stovepipe hat and a rumpled suit introduces himself. “Pleased to see you, friends. Name’s Tevigger, and if you’ll just share a drink with me, we can discuss a mutually beneficial business arrangement.”

Tevigger produces a fine vintage of wine and pours a glass for any of the Crew who accepts the offer. He seats himself without any hesitation, crossing his lanky legs with grace and poise. Read the following to the players: “I respect a Crew that I have difficulty finding. It means they value privacy and discretion. Privacy, discretion, and good pay are the foundation upon which my business is built. These very same traits are what my employers look for when hiring freelancers — and my employers would very much like to be your employers for a time. “My proposal, you might be glad to know, intersects the needs of my employers with your personal interests quite nicely. A humanitarian crisis brews, my friends! The skaa, already under the yoke of the Final Empire, are being stricken by sources unknown. No doubt you know Smelter, the underworld’s favorite lookout and most-accomplished reveler. Well, our dear friend Smelter is very sick, and the reasons for this are of grave concern to my employers. Smelter’s illness is tied to something bigger, and something they would very much like to see ended. We wouldn’t want the herd to fall prey to the very same problem facing Smelter now, would we? “Your task is simple. Find out what’s wrong with Smelter and then put a stop to whatever, or whoever, is causing the problem. Helping Smelter isn’t enough; we want whoever created this mess put out to pasture, permanently. Now, now,

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“OUR FRIENDS”

Tevigger stays tight-lipped about the Crew’s new employer. The identity of the employer depends on the Crew’s cause, method, target, or composition, and Tevigger doesn’t reveal this information until the end of the adventure. The Narrator can come up with an ideal employer for the Crew. Here are a few suggestions based on common Crew attributes or connections: …If the Crew’s Method is “Theft” or their Cause is “Wealth”: Crisis leads to opportunity. Fed up and with nothing to lose, the Crew’s actions are being orchestrated by someone inside the Narrow Men: Mila Straight. Mila loathes her sister Vengen, and is willing to risk everything to exact her revenge and take control of the Narrow Men. She thinks the new muling business, while extraordinarily profitable, is bound to draw the scrutiny of the Obligators. By hiring the Crew to disrupt the business, Mila wants to use the chaos to destroy her sister and take control. She’s not even averse to cutting the Crew in on some of the money, if they have the stomach. In this scenario, Mila doesn’t know the details of what the Crew has planned, so she’s likely to get tangled up in the Hero’s scheme at some point. However, she’s quick to run for cover from the Crew’s activities, and if the Crew goes after Mila too hard they might get another visit from Tevigger to subtly discourage their current course. ...If the Crew has aided the Steel Ministry in the past: The Canton of Resource has become aware, through the reports of a number of its sources, that a local criminal organization has the gall to blackmail a number of low- to mid-ranking Obligators. The canton was concerned about what secrets might be leveraged against it and, fearing a loss of prestige to other rival cantons

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don’t look so upset, I am not suggesting you kill anyone, but you do need to stop this problem. Your Crew has a reputation for handling things, so I leave the how to your discretion. We have a results-oriented employer, you know! They would handle it themselves, but they don’t want to be tied to anything that goes on. Hence, the need for a reliable cadre of loyal freelancers to aid on this generous mission of humanitarian aid.” Tevigger reaches into his jacket and produces a small pouch that he tosses to the nearest Crewmember. Inside is a silvery sphere of metal and a small menu from a local taproom with a few notes scrawled on it. “Our employers understand this may become complicated. They offer you this donation as a down payment toward their civic-minded goal. A bead of atium certainly goes a long way toward helping the downtrodden, eh? Take this job, and it’s yours to do with as you like; finish the job, and there are more waiting for you. Take a close look at the menu as well; it has a few tips to get you started.” Tevigger finishes his pitch and arches his eyebrow expectantly, awaiting any questions the Crew may have.

Introduction

in the Steel Ministry, settled on a new plan and a patsy. Obligator Anton (see page 190 for more information on Anton) was diligent in self-reporting that he had been blackmailed. The Canton of Resource thus learned the Narrow Men were responsible. By using Anton’s relationship with Slade to gain information on the gang, they discovered the Narrow Men’s weaknesses and have decided to attack the gang using a third party — the Crew — so that any failure doesn’t point back to the canton. Anton was instructed to find a proper Crew, and he chose Tevigger to deliver his message. If the plan fails or leads to the revelation of the Ministry’s secrets, Anton will take the blame as penance for his indiscretions; should it succeed, however, Anton stands to clear his name and reputation within the Ministry. Note: Though the Canton of Resource is used here, Anton could work for any canton the Crew previously had dealings with. Likewise, Anton could be replaced with another Obligator, such as Obligator Kensen from “Justice, Like Ash,” found in Terris: Wrought of Copper. ...If the Crew is mostly skaa and has strong ties to local skaa merchants: The Jewelers Guild ostensibly makes fine baubles suited for the grandest noble all the way down to the lowliest skaa, but a part of their business has begun to suffer greatly. The Narrow Men sell stolen jewelry at a sizable discount, most of it scammed off of the shopkeepers they harass. A consortium of jewelers pooled their resources to hire the Crew to disrupt their unscrupulous competitor. The spokesperson for the organization is Rin, a local jeweler who has a personal grudge against the Narrow Men and is willing to go all-out to see them fall (see page 188 for more information on Rin).

THE NOTE

As is his common method of delivering a job, Tevigger leaves behind a small leather pouch containing vital clues to get the Crew started on the job. In the pouch next to the bead of atium is a tightly wound piece of parchment. If the players read it, they find a set of notes scrawled in shorthand: What we know: • • • • •

Before resurfacing with unknown illness, S. last seen at a taproom called The Narrows. S. had been missing for over 1 week. S. had called in all favors and begged all people he knew for cash prior to disappearance. Best and most discrete physician in skaa districts can be found at Welder’s Apothecary. S’s time is short. We suspect foul play or business interests not suitable for Luthadel. Make sure this never happens again.

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The Heroes know a few pieces of information beyond what was enclosed in the note and their conversation with Tevigger: • • •

The Narrows is “neutral ground” for the various thieving crews and well-todo skaa of Luthadel. The Narrows often provides a safety guarantee when parties in disagreement meet at the location. Smelter is a confirmed and unrepentant alcoholic, but also a steady hand at blending in and listening for good gossip. He’s affable and too small a player to know anything important enough to be the subject of such a big job. Welder’s Apothecary has the expertise and personal knowledge to assist you with any health problems.

VITAL COMPONENTS, CLUES, AND PACING

Beasts of Burden is an urban adventure that takes place in one geographic location, typically the city of Luthadel. Therefore, the pacing of the adventure is heavily dependent on reaching certain story benchmarks at the end of each scene to shift the focus of the adventure. The set up and first scene play out as one might expect, with a focus on information gathering and exploring the setting. Beasts of Burden is unusual in how it inverts the standard adventure model: rather than purely pursuing a foe, the Crew ends up having to devote resources to protect their own assets and loved ones from assault. Because of this, it’s important to have a deep understanding of each character’s motivations and vulnerabilities. The strength of the adventure is directly tied to how threatening the Narrow Men appear when they retaliate in the second scene. Although the third and fourth scenes focus on investigating and moving against the Narrow Men’s interests, it’s important to carry the danger of the second scene forward throughout the rest of the adventure. The adventure suggests ways to menace the Crew and emphasize the gravity of the danger of the situation, but if the sense of danger begins to wane it’s up to you to stir the pot again. All that being said, allow time for the Heroes to explore the effects of the actions taken against them or their loved ones rather than constantly bombarding them with misery and forcing them to play defense. A large part of the adventure is a mystery. It’s obvious by the end of Scene 1 that the Narrow Men are responsible for Smelter’s sickness and drug muling. The mystery lies in uncovering how the Narrow Men created such a sophisticated operation and discovering the identity of their leader. Vengen Straight’s exceptional intelligence and ruthlessness makes her a deadly threat to the Crew, and she does so as a normal human. The adventure is meant to demonstrate that flashy magic isn’t a prerequisite for power among the skaa. However, once Vengen’s protections crumble, the drawbacks of her viciousness without Allomancy to back it up shouldn’t be ignored.

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WHAT THE HEROES KNOW

1 UNDER THE YOKE

SCENE OVERVIEW

Having accepted a contract from Tevigger, the Crew must locate and investigate Smelter, the stricken skaa. Tevigger and their employer provided a few pertinent leads: • • •

Smelter was last seen at a local watering hole, The Narrows. He was seemingly in dire of need of money. He’s been missing for a week.

The Crew doesn’t know who, or what, is behind this mess or why a lone skaa’s illness would matter to such powerful people within the city. The Crew can head to The Narrows and investigate any interesting gossip there or check out the local apothecary in search of Smelter. These investigations quickly uncover that the local lookout and drunkard Smelter was hard up for cash after inadvertently starting a brawl at The Narrows. He hasn’t been seen in public for a week because at some point during his efforts to repay his debt he was suddenly and mysteriously stricken ill. Once the Crew finds Smelter, their own investigations should reveal that he was used to transport drugs, but the pouch holding the drugs ruptured and poisoned him.

Under the Yoke

This scene is discovery- and setting-based. The Crew should begin to understand the strangeness of the situation, and get a hint of the depths of their antagonists’ moral decay as a clear picture of them preying on Smelter emerges. Don’t let poor rolls or early hesitancy impede progress in the adventure. Should the Crew be too tentative or miss some obvious points, you can always have someone approach them with information once word of their inquiries spreads through the skaa slums. By the end of the chapter, the Heroes should have… • •

Deduced the cause of Smelter’s illness. Begun to investigate why or how he was poisoned.

SETTING THE SCENE

Once the Crew begins their investigations, they may notice the city slums aren’t abuzz with the level of activity they would typically notice. As they move about town, intersperse the following observations: • • • •

• •

There are far fewer beggars out than usual. A few bedraggled skaa are wearing flashy, high-end bits of fashion and wooden jewelry, which juxtaposes sharply with their crude rumpled clothing. Signs are posted on street corners offering “discreet and fast” payments to adventurous skaa with a desire to “see the world.” Oddly enough, no means of contacting anyone about this opportunity is given. As the Crew passes Slade Accountancy, they witness an Obligator having an animated conversation with a tall, stoop-shouldered man at the door of the office. A successful Wits 3 roll lets them hear snippets of conversation indicating that the Obligator is upset with Slade’s “representation of him.” The block around The Narrows is heavily patrolled by toughs doing their best to look innocuous. A few different groups of disreputable characters can be overheard mentioning the “Narrow Men” with both fear and admiration.

You should emphasize the mix of fear and hope among the poorest of the city. Some skaa are missing, some suddenly reappeared with a dash of wealth, and everyone is on edge because no one’s talking. Rumors swirl about a champion of the downtrodden while others insist that there’s a new monster in the mist, stealing people away. If the Crew engages in any obviously suspicious behavior within a block or two of The Narrows, a group of toughs (see the Narrow Men Toughs entry on page 171) shows up to disperse them. If the Crew refuses to leave, the bodyguards fight them.

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KEY EVENTS AND LOCATIONS • • •

The Narrows, a local taproom known as a meeting place for underworld types. Welder’s Apothecary shop, a fairly reputable shop that offers discreet medical services to all comers who can pay. The Narrows Apartments, located a few blocks’ walk from the bar itself, are owned by the Narrow Men and home to many of the staff. With no other place to go, Smelter lies sick in the bed of kind-hearted Narrows cook, Griller. The Crew typically ends up here only after a conversation with Griller or the Welders.

VITAL COMPONENTS, CLUES, AND PACING

Smelter’s ultimate location can be hinted at by investigating at The Narrows. No one can recall seeing him leave. If they ask Griller, he brings them to see him. Doc Welder and his sister Ellie will tell the Crew that Griller came in looking for medications for his friend Smelter who was unexpectedly and seriously sick. If the investigation is slowing down, Griller may even come to the Crew himself out of desperation as he realizes Smelter isn’t improving. Once it’s discovered Smelter is sick, it makes sense that his illness would initially seem unremarkable. He’s frequently drunk, and if he’s out of money, the poor man experiences alcohol withdrawal. However, it doesn’t take an expert to see his current issues are beyond the scope of his regular problems. A cursory examination strongly indicates where his problems are. This is the information the Crew needs to find out in order to move on to the next scene: 1. Smelter shows signs of overdose from a strong drug. 2. Smelter is barely able to form coherent sentences, but he does blurt out, “Get it out of me!” Once the Crew has uncovered these important facts and made a few public inquiries into them, increase their sense of paranoia by noting some locals are giving them hard stares. None of these parties will fight or offer anything particular useful if confronted, but try to give the impression that their investigations are drawing notice. Suggest that the Crew may want to retire for evening, and move on to the next scene.

SECRETS OF THE SCENE

Through the course of their investigations, Crewmembers who pry a little more deeply might find out the following secrets, which can be useful leverage later on in the adventure.

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Under the Yoke

There are three different locations that have information on Smelter and his recent activity:

•

Under the Yoke

• •

Smelter is being used to transport illicit drugs (Minor Secret): Based on his incision and the drugs stashed in it, the Crew should conclude that this is part of a larger effort to smuggle the illegal substance past the obligators. Griller is connected to the Narrow Men (Minor Secret): Griller once worked with Pierz as a street enforcer. He has quite the criminal past and the entanglements that go along with it. The Narrows is owned by the Narrow Men and operates as a front for their base of operations (Minor Secret): Pierz’s affiliation with the Narrow Men, Griller’s past, and a host of other elements could clue the Crew in to the fact that The Narrows is strongly tied to a local criminal enterprise.

PRIMARY EVENTS INVESTIGATING THE SICK SKAA

No one in the city has reason to care about one particular skaa suffering through an unknown illness. Even so, people are taking note of the rising fortunes of the slums as well as he disappearances of the poorest skaa. Many are pleased to see the street less congested with impoverished skaa, while others are contemptuous of many of the poor’s gaudy displays of wealth amidst the relative squalor of their existence. Tevigger’s note lays out the best leads the Heroes have to uncover this mystery. The locations can be encountered in any order, but The Narrows is the most obvious starting place and it’s unlikely that the Heroes would end up in the Narrows Apartments before any other investigation occurs. Don’t forget, you can draw on some of the vignettes from “Setting the Scene” on page 152 as the Crew travels between locations to hint at the larger forces at play and to foreshadow the power and reach of the Narrow Men.

LOCATION: THE NARROWS

The Narrows is on the edge of the slums near the part of town where less prosperous merchants ply their wares. As its name implies, it’s a long thin building with an entrance that borders a busy thoroughfare. The exterior is a bit run down; the ash seems to have formed a permanently dusty coat that’s remained undisturbed except for the rain. Inside, a narrow corridor for foot traffic is hemmed in by small, square tables. At night, these tables are crammed with people enjoying the spoils of dishonest day’s work. During the day a slightly more respectable crowd gathers for meals amidst a few patrons that decided not to wait for the mists to begin their drinking. At the far end, The Narrows broadens and a bar with an assortment of alcohol and harried bartenders can be seen. Serving women bustle in and out of a door grabbing plates of food while the occasionally booming voice of a cook can be heard over the din. Off to the side, there’s a door that remains closed. Painted above it in bright red letters is the word PRIVATE. Behind the bar, the brother and sister tandem of Rhea and Ronald serve drinks with a smile and a bit of banter, as they loudly compete with each other for the biggest tips. Two servers make their way around the tables. Bee is a middle-aged

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Under the Yoke woman, trim but haggard, who loves chatting about her children. Malia is a pretty blond girl who the bouncers aggressively protect from customers who get too fresh. If the Crew sits at a table, a serving woman assists them. They could also approach a bartender or other patron. Convincing anyone to answer questions about Smelter requires a simple Charm or Influence 2 roll. Patrons don’t have much information, but they do mention they haven’t seen Smelter in a while. However, the bartenders and serving women all have a bit more information. Q: Has any regular patron been gone for a while? A: “Smelter, that old drunk, has been gone for quite a while. Nice guy, but a sad case. It’s odd to have him gone for a week.” Q: What was Smelter up to before he disappeared? A: “The poor guy spilled his drink on one of Pierz’s boys. They didn’t like that one bit. They sent him over the bar and broke a few bottles of the good stuff. Griller had to come out from the back and yell out that Smelter had had enough. That was a couple of weeks back. The Narrows had to cut him off. Strict orders from Mila. He was socked with the bill for all of the damages. Poor guy was trying to call in every favor he had to make it right. Mila probably went through the Narrow Men to collect, and they don’t take kindly to late payment. Then Smelter disappeared a week ago, saying he may have found a way out. Come to think of it, I don’t think I saw him leave that night.”

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Q: Who is Griller? A: “Griller is the assistant manager and our cook. He works in the back. He has a soft spot for the regulars. Mila just cares about money and she was livid about the damage.” Q: Have you heard anything about Smelter since? A: “I heard he was sick. If he was sick he probably would have stopped in at Doc Welder’s.” Q: Do you know the Welders or their apothecary shop? A: “They aren’t customers here often, but they’re good folks. They run a shop with cures and treatments for folks that can afford them. They’re fair, decent, and respectable, which is pretty uncommon around here.” Q: Who’s Pierz? A: “Some big shot with a gang of thugs. He does some minor protection stuff and provides security for The Narrows.” Q: Who owns/runs this place? A: “Mila, mainly.” Q: Who’s Mila? A: “Mila runs this place. She owns it with some partners of hers. She calls the shots when she cares to, but she spends half her time moping around her ash heap of a private office. You’ll recognize her from the scarves she wears and the sour look on her face.” Q: Who are the Narrow Men? A: “Local bruisers and loan sharks. The type to steer clear of, if you’re smart.” If the Crew tries to knock on the door marked PRIVATE, there’s no answer. It’s locked and the staff informs them the office is off limits. If the Crew lingers around the door, or tries to enter by force, at least one Hazekiller (see page 536 of the Mistborn Adventure Game) accompanied by one Narrow Men tough (see page 171) per member of the Crew make it clear that they’ll violently stop them from entering. The appearance of a Hazekiller in such an establishment should be a clue there’s a lot more money behind the Narrows than it would appear. If a brawl ensues, the goons shy away from using lethal weapons or deadly force; they don’t want to kill anyone at the establishment, lest it draw unwanted attention.

TALKING WITH GRILLER

If the Crew asks to speak with Griller, the staff fetches him. It seems that Griller is a bit of a local celebrity and knows many folks in the area on both sides of the law. Griller happily engages in small talk, but if the Crew begins to ask about Smelter he becomes tense. He asks them if they’d like to come to his

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Q: When did you last see Smelter? A: “He was last at The Narrows a week ago.” Q: What was he up to before he disappeared? A: “He was saddled with a big debt for a bar fight that wasn’t his fault. The owners were very insistent that he pay them, and soon. He said he found a special job that could get him out of trouble. He hasn’t shown his face, but there’s a rumor he was sick. If he was sick, he would’ve probably gone to the local apothecary, Doc Welder.” Q: What’s the deal with Mila? A: “Mila’s my boss. Sometimes we get along, sometimes we don’t.” He’s clearly unwilling to discuss this any further. With a successful Charm 3 roll, a Hero can tell that he wants to say more, but he seems frightened and uncertain. Q: Who owns this place? A: “Mila and some people she knows. The less you know, the better, trust me.” Q: Who is Pierz? A: “How’d you hear about Pierz? He’s got a few rackets he runs, including security and protection for this place. He’s mean and so are his men. I wouldn’t ask around too much about him unless you want to run into him or his boys’ fists.” Q: Who are the Narrow Men? A: “They’re bad news. I know firsthand. They have their hands in everything around here. My advice, stay out of their way.” Griller excuses himself if the Crew becomes repetitive with their questioning or if an excessive length of time passes. He is, after all, working at the moment. Before he leaves he says, “Talk to Doc Welder. Maybe he can help out. I think we all want to make sure Smelter recovers and keep him from getting sick again.”

THE CAST GRILLER

A beefy, wide man, Griller has an easy manner and surprising charm, considering his slovenly clothes accessorized with a greasy apron and bowler cap. He laughs often and, even alongside the Crew’s most imposing members, doesn’t

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kitchen. In the kitchen, there are a few boxes of obvious foodstuffs, along with a few out-of-place parcels. If the Crew succeeds on a Wits 3 roll, they notice a few boxes marked “NM” (for Narrow Men). Smelter’s actually sick in bed in Griller’s apartment, but Griller’s not willing to tell the Crew that without learning more about them. He sends them to Doc Welder’s, trusting the man’s tact and judgment of character to decide whether the Crew is truly interested in helping Smelter.

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seem intimidated by being outnumbered or potentially outmuscled. Griller’s been at The Narrows since it opened and is the public face of the taproom. Anyplace can serve alcohol, but Griller has a knack for making whatever meat and produce he manages to rustle up into something delicious and affordable. Griller simply wants to cook and run a taphouse. The Narrow Men’s criminal enterprises are making that increasingly risky. Griller started out as Pierz’s second-in-command, but eventually pulled out of active strong arming in favor of looking after headquarters. Griller’s attitude has softened with time, and no longer has much in common with Pierz or the other members of the Narrow Men. Though he’s still a member of the group, he keeps his involvement to a minimum. He’s a Pewterarm, though that fact is mostly forgotten by and now entirely unadvertised to the locals. Griller lives above The Narrows. He knows the look of a seasoned Crew when he sees one — he only has to decide whether or not they can help him. Griller believes that if he can displace Mila as the owner of The Narrows, he can remain profitable without the danger and disruption of old criminal ties.

GRILLER (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6 [12], Charm 4, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 2, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8 [14], Reputation 7, Willpower 7 Traits: Cook; Reformed Criminal; Old Fighting Tricks

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

Pewter 5 (boosts Physique and Health, as shown in brackets) • Unconscious Burning: The character automatically burns Pewter when unconscious, though only if also injured (i.e., he doesn’t automatically burn Pewter when sleeping). Each Pewter charge burned in this fashion lasts for three hours, and the only benefits it conveys are increased Health, accelerated healing, and avoiding Pewter drag. It has no effect on Physique rolls or dice pools. This special Pewter burn stops immediately when he regains consciousness.

LOCATION: WELDER’S APOTHECARY

Doc Welder and his sister Ellie run a tidy shop. Doc doesn’t claim to be a physician, but in this part of town, he may as well be. For many, the extravagance of Doc’s expertise, herbs, and poultices are an unaffordable luxury. Even so, Doc has a good reputation among local crews for assisting without asking questions and occasionally doing a good deed for free. His shop is few blocks from The Narrows, near some other local merchants, and some distance away from upper class

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establishments such as law and doctor offices. Have the Crew make a Wits 4 roll when entering the shop; if they succeed, they notice a long letter in flowing hand addressed to Ellie Welder and signed by “The Howler.” Doc Welder is a fastidious, bespectacled young man with immaculately combed black hair. He’s of average height with a slight build. He stands behind the counter, looking up from a book when the Crew enters. Bustling around the shop is his younger sister, Ellie. Auburn-haired and energetic, she wears glasses just like her brother, and there’s a clear family resemblance in their green eyes. The shop is small. Glass jars holding unguents, herbs, creams, and other oddities line the walls and pack the shelves. It’s clear that the Welders keep close company with one another; questioning to either of them without the other proves difficult. When asked about a client that came in, the Welders are at first hesitant to speak. Doc Welder states that a person’s health is their own concern and it isn’t anyone else’s business to pry into. Should the Crew find their efforts to dig deeper into the scene frustrated, have them make a Wits 2 roll; with success, they realize that the Welders don’t like snoops, but will talk to someone seeking help for a sick individual. If the Crew explains that their looking for a patient who is extraordinarily sick and needs further help, the Welders open up a little more. Both Doc and Ellie are capable of answering questions as they both saw the same things, but Ellie leaves the talking to her brother unless addressed directly. In the course of questioning, Doc Welder likely asks the Crew why they care about Smelter; if so, the Crew ought to have a non-threatening justification for their investigation (i.e. concern for a missing friend, working at the request of mutual friends, etc.). The Welders warm up to the Heroes once they realize they’re interested in investigating and improving Smelter’s health. Q: Did Smelter come to your shop? A: “Smelter came here about a week ago. He said he had a job and that he couldn’t have any alcohol. He needed some small things to help him with the headaches and other symptoms that came with him being unable to drink.” Q: Did he say what the job was? A: “He sounded a bit squeamish about that. He made it sound like it was a bit unusual. It definitely made him uncomfortable, but the pay was very, very good. I don’t pry unless it could impact what remedy we give him. We haven’t seen him since, though Griller came by and picked up a few things for him.” Q: What did Griller want? A: “Griller said Smelter was sick. He wanted to know if I’d given him anything. I told him there was nothing unusual or potent. I’d given Smelter the same remedies a number of times when he tried to stop drinking. Griller seemed worried. He described Smelter’s symptoms. He said Smelter was feverish and sweat-

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THE WELDERS

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ing, vomiting and jaundiced. It sounded quite strange, but it’s hard to really know what’s wrong with him without seeing him a bit myself. I gave him some items to help those symptoms, but I’m afraid Smelter may be very sick. None of what I gave Griller will cure him. “Smelter is likely staying with Griller above The Narrows. Griller was worried that someone might be out to get him or Smelter, but I don’t think your group is out to hurt those folks. “Come to think of it, I’ve had quite a few cases of people coming in with jaundice lately. Very strange.” Q: What causes jaundice? A: “Any number of things can cause jaundice — it’s much too broad a symptom to narrow it down. Usually related to the liver. Could be from the drinking, but I haven’t seen it this bad since black tack was popular.” Q: What’s black tack? A: “Oh, it was a drug. Made from the leaves of this jet-black plant found out on the edge of the Burnlands. It was popular about four years back, until the obligators cracked down on the trade. It’s hard to make because it has to be boiled down and baked into slabs, so it was mighty easy for the Ministry to find out who was making it in large quantities and stomp ‘em out. Before that, it was all over these slums, and people who took too much got jaundice pretty bad.” Q: How do you know Griller? A: “Griller is a longtime friend. He has certain connections as well. As much we want to stay out of criminal affairs, in this part of town criminal enterprises control more than the Steel Ministry does. Some, like yourselves, are of a respectable nature, while others are not so much. Take for instance this goon who’s taken an interest in Ellie; a sad man that thinks himself quite dashing, who calls himself ‘the Howler.’ As if anyone would want their sister seeing someone called ‘the Howler!’ So far he’s behaved well enough, but we’re worried what happens if Ellie keeps giving him answers he doesn’t want to hear.”

LOVE POTION Neither Doc nor Ellie are prudes or disinterested in romance — in fact, they’re both seeing a special someone, but just happen to think the Howler is a creep. If any of the Crew seems like a good match for one of the Welders, Doc or Ellie might make their interest known to that Hero or pass word along through a different member of the Crew. If this is a plotline the player wants to pursue, it also gives the Narrow Men leverage over the Crew later in the adventure, so don’t be afraid to explore this option.

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THE CAST

The Welders aren’t much good in a fight, but are knowledgeable and respected.

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 2 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 7, Willpower 6 Traits: Herbal Expert; Looking for Love; Overprotective Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking, contains no metal); Medical supplies; Medical book

ELLIE WELDER (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 4, Spirit 2 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 8, Willpower 5 Traits: Kind Soul; Looking for Love; Loyal Sister Equipment: Formal clothing

LOCATION: NARROWS APARTMENT

Doc Welder is right — Smelter is hiding out at Griller’s flat, just a few blocks away. If, somehow, the Crew ascertains Smelter’s location without going through the Welders, Griller is extremely hesitant to cooperate initially. It may require a Charm 4 roll to convince Griller to willingly let the Crew into his apartment to see Smelter. If they’ve come from Doc Welders, Griller quickly comes clean and explains he had to be cautious about giving away Smelter’s hideout. He was concerned that he could be endangered by keeping Smelter at his apartment. Griller’s apartment is small, but tastefully appointed, located in the middle of the slums a few blocks from the Narrows. He has a host of well-made modest furniture including a small desk with about a half-dozen books. Anyone that looks at the desk more closely can make a Wits 3 roll to notice a vial of pewter tucked away on the bookshelf amongst the dusty volumes. After admitting the Crew, he also answers any questions the Heroes may not have asked him the first time around. Smelter is resting in Griller’s bed. He is in a sorry state, with noticeably yellowed skin, and is moaning softly and pitifully. Griller lets everyone in and closes the door swiftly. “Sorry to be vague. I was worried if someone overheard me saying I had him, they might kill me, but I couldn’t just let him die on the street like a dog. Smelter still isn’t getting better. If you’re here, that means Doc Welder thinks you can help. I don’t know much about his healing…maybe you should take a look at him?”

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DOC WELDER (MILD THREAT)

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An examination of Smelter reveals that he’s feverish, sweating, unconscious, and jaundiced. Have the Crew make a Wits roll and reveal the following based on the result. Any examination reveals that Doc Welder could probably fix Smelter up without a problem. Wits Result

Information Gained

1

Smelter has a small incision on his abdomen.

2

The incision was expertly sewn shut.

3

There’s an unusual bulge under the incision.

4

A foreign object was sewn into Smelter.

5

A steady hand could undo the stiches and remove the materials.

Regardless of what their roll is, Smelter moans, “Get it out of me.” A physical examination reveals a fresh incision on Smelter’s side, and a foreign object inside; it’s clear that’s the likely source of his sickness. The Crew can remove the foreign object if they wish (see the Smelter’s Surgery sidebar for more). Smelter is feverish, but will answer questions if asked. Q: What happened to you? A: “I let them use me to smuggle tack. I thought I was going to swallow it and… you know, it’d make its way out eventually. They had other ideas…wanted to try out something new on me. Ever since then, I’ve been so sick.” Q: Who did this to you? A: “The Narrow Men. The Howler approached me, kept me calm while a woman in a mask did this” (he gestures to his incision) “to me. She smiled when I cried out. Give me a drink — get it out of me!”

Smelter

Q: Why didn’t you tell anyone what was wrong with you? A: “Me getting sick, hiding from them — it’s a death sentence. I didn’t want to put that on Griller, too. He’s been good to me. Even if you fix me up, fact is I’m still a loose end. Nothing can change that now.” “I was hoping I could keep it together until they told me where I needed to go and I could make things right, but I kept getting sicker. If we pull out the tack, then I’ve failed to deliver them to the right place. They’ll track me down. Even I take them their drugs back, they’ll most likely kill me. You all are my only hope.”

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If any of the Heroes has the inclination or ability to conduct the surgery themselves, they can try to remove the pouch of black tack from his incision on their own. Doc and Ellie Welder will also help if contacted, which Griller suggests if the Crew doesn’t know how to safely help Smelter or neglects to help him. Calling on Doc ensures Smelter survives the procedure. If the Crew chooses to remove the foreign object without Doc’s assistance, a Hero must attempt a doing so requires a Wits 4 roll. With success, Smelter falls unconscious for several days and needs more medicine and care to recuperate; with failure, Smelter suffers 1 damage per Complication (and dying if he suffers 3 or more damage) . In either result, the Heroes remove a small pouch filled with flat strips of the dark brown, sticky drug wrapped in sheepskin. The pouch was sealed with wax, but has ruptured, likely releasing several doses’ worth of drugs into Smelter’s body. The drug, black tack, is moderately valuable, and the pouch still contains two dozen doses. If smoked in a pipe as intended, it causes the smoker to lose 3 Willpower and take the Serious Burden “High on Black Tack.” Unlike a normal Burden, this Burden is lost even if the Hero takes actions during the next Short Breather.

SMELTER (INSIGNIFICANT THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 2, Charm 4, Wits 2 Standings: Resources 2, Influence 2, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 4 (currently 3), Reputation 6, Willpower 5 Traits: Drunk; Friendly; Lookout Equipment: None Note: At the start of this scene, Smelter has the Grave “Direly Ill” Burden, due to his sickness.

WRAPPING UP THE SCENE

Once the Crew has noticed the incision and figured out that Smelter’s been poisoned, they should have enough information to realize that Smelter has overdosed on black tack (the drug and its effects can be identified by talking to Doc Welder or with a successful Wits or Influence 2 roll). Ultimately, the Crew should see that Smelter is the victim of an operation aimed at illicitly moving drugs, but if the Crew doesn’t make that connection until a later scene, that’s OK. Though the Crew may immediately want to start who’s responsible (if they caught Smelter’s mention of “the Narrow Men”), suggest that the Heroes havebeen on the job for many hours and should take a Short Breather to rest for the night.

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SMELTER’S SURGERY

WHAT DO YOU LOVE?

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As you wrap up the first scene, do your best to confirm important personal details about the Crew. As detailed in Scene 2, the next part of the adventure is more malleable than the first scene. The better idea you have about what the Crew values, the more impactful you can make Scene 2.

AWARDING ADVANCEMENTS

This scene is full of investigations and setting development. Advancements should come from discovering information and driving the plot forward. • • • • •

Discovering the Howler’s infatuation with Ellie Welder: 1 Advancement Making contact with Griller: 1 Advancement Uncovering Smelter’s connection to the Welders: 1 Advancement Realizing without being told that Smelter was used to mule drugs: 1 Advancement Removing the drugs from Smelter (by themselves or with Doc’s help): 1 Advancement.

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2 WOLVES AMONGST SHEEP

SCENE OVERVIEW

Armed with the knowledge that Smelter’s illness was caused by his drug muling, the Crew now knows to focus their efforts on a criminal conspiracy. They may even have an idea about who’s responsible (“the Narrow Men mentioned by Smelter). In this scene, the Narrow Men remove all doubt as to their existence and culpability in Smelter’s state, moving to take him outand strike directly at the Crew where they’re most vulnerable. Consequently, this scene is structure as a list of suggested actions the Narrow Men can take to blackmail, intimidate, and thwart the Crew. How it playd out will largely depend on the composition of the Crew, their affiliations, and background of individual Heroes. The scene is intended to put the Heroes on their back foot, and may even be frustrating for the players as they suffer a rival crew’s wrath. However, each action the Narrow Men take against the Crew also allows for an opportunity to contain the damage and learn about their mysterious foes. Choose actions that will strike at each Hero’s vulnerability, while leaving plenty of clues for how to fight back amidst the chaos that follows.

SETTING THE SCENE

Assuming the Heroes take a Short Breather following Scene 1 to rest and recuperate, give each Hero to discuss what they want to do the next day. The Narrow Men will take direct action against each member of the Crew starting that night (during the Breather) or the following day.

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The “Primary Events” section (page 172) suggests some actions the Narrow Men might take based on backgrounds, traits, and motivations common amongst the typical Crew; feel free to modify or make up your own if you want to make this assault even more personal. The Narrow Men’s actions should tie in with your own Crew’s particular idiosyncrasies. If Crewmembers share certain loyalties or goals, it’s perfectly fine to have the Narrow Men take one action that impacts two characters. The Narrow Men’s leadership has five lieutenants, with Vengen Straight as their leader. Descriptions of the lieutenants appear before the possible primary events to give context for who’s acting against the Crew. Keep in mind the personalities and talents of these influential individuals as you engineer the Narrow Men’s attack on the Crew’s interests. At this point in the adventure, although Vengen Straight has demanded action against the Crew, she won’t personally take action against them. The Narrow Men identified the Crew and its ties quickly, but they still have no idea why the Crew cares about its drug muling operation — thieving crews that operate with a semblance of heroism and scruples tend to be rare. Consequently, Vengen Straight assumes the Crew is either interested in taking over the operation or taking out the Narrow Men, and so acts swiftly to “discourage” them from further investigation and disruption. The Narrow Men are adept at larceny and intimidation, but aren’t certain they could kill the entire Crew, so have chosen to scare them off rather than take the Heroes head on. Besides, murders draw Obligators and reprisals — and no one want that kind of hassle. During this scene, you may also want to include the following descriptive tidbits about the city: • • • •

A disproportionately high number of local businesses seem to be closed for the day. Beggars are pleading less aggressively for help than usual. Even in the nicer parts of town, there are fewer Obligators and officials to be seen. Armed thugs are conspicuously patrolling the area around The Narrows.

THE LIEUTENANTS

The five Narrow Men lieutenants who do Vengen’s bidding each have their own specialties. However, their foibles and weaknesses can prove useful to Heroes who find out how to exploit them. The lieutenants are Pierz, Slade, the Howler, Jean, and Mila Straight — Vengen’s sister.

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PIERZ

PIERZ (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 7, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 4, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 11, Reputation 7, Willpower 9 Traits: Respect My Strength; Bodyguard; Savage; Don’t Cross the Boss Equipment: Obsidian dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close, contains no metal); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Flask of whiskey

SLADE

Slade’s criminal ties are known only within the upper echelons of Luthadel’s underworld. Ostensibly an accountant with a number of crooked clients, Slade is the mortar that holds the Narrow Men together and allows them to tower over their rivals. Slade reviews all criminal activity within the Narrow Men and looks over every scrap of paper they come across. He’s professional to the point of absurdity, keeping his cool even in the most despicable circumstances. Slade is taller than average, with gangly limbs that makes him look cramped at his desk and awkward walking the streets. Slade’s punctuality and dapper dress is a bit of a joke, and many chuckle about his copper-plated pocket watch, but few

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Pierz is a brutal and outrageous man. He made a name for himself as an underground fighter before assembling his own gang of toughs. He exercises restraint only when he fears running afoul of his boss. Pierz and his thugs’ vicious reputation protects the Narrow Men from rivals and ensures Vengen has carte blanche to operate in the Narrows. Short by skaa standards, Pierz is barrelchested and shaves his head. He has a pierced nose and a quick temper; he’s often described as looking like a bull. Although he lacks Allomatic powers, Pierz and his most trusted toughs work together with the precision of Hazekillers. To Pierz avoid unwanted attention, Pierz doesn’t often carry a weapon, but if he knows violence is coming he uses the Narrow Men’s resources to outfit himself however he desires. Pierz has an inferiority complex about his physical prowess and suffers from great pride. He knows that no matter how well he fights he’s no match for a Pewterarm and that infuriates him. His men are aware of this sensitive subject and avoid any unfavorable comparisons. Moreover, the shops and businesses he shakes down have no love of him. They fear him, but proper persuasion or leverage could get them to provide information on the operation.

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do so near him. He has an incredible memory, and when paired with the Narrow Men’s unseemly connections and his ability to pass in respectable circles, Slade has developed more blackmail material than anyone in the city realizes. Despite his mastery of secrets, Slade has one of his own — one so well-kept, he himself does not know the truth. Slade is actually is part Terris, born to a rare union of a Terriswoman and an obligator who served at the breeding compounds in Tathingdwen. Slade’s incredible memory is not simply the result of a keen intellect; in truth, he is a Copper Ferring, capable of using storing and drawing forth memories in copper objects (specifically, his pocketwatch given to him by his mother before her death). Thanks to the Lord Ruler’s prohibition on Terris and non-Terris relationships, Ferrings like Slade are completely unknown in the Final Empire (and won’t be common the Alloy of Law novels and game supplement), and the use of his powers are completely subconscious. Should the Heroes steal any of Slade’s incidental metalminds, he will quickly find himself befuddled and unable to rely on the knowledge he relies on so heavily. In the very unlikely circumstance the Heroes discover the truth of Slade’s “skills,” they could even rat him out to the Steel Ministry, which would make him an immediate high priority target for the Steel Inquisitors. Such a bold move would force the fixer to flee or risk immediate capture, removing a valuable cog in the Narrow Men’s criminal machine.

SLADE (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 5, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 5, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 9, Reputation 10, Willpower 9 Traits: What’s Yours Is Mine; Crooked Accountant; “Eidetic Memory”; It’s Just Business

POWERS (FERUCHEMY)

Copper 5 (stores memories; note he is unaware of his abilities)

Slade

EQUIPMENT

Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Copper-plated pocket watch; Copper ring; Notebook and pen

THE HOWLER

In an organization that largely eschews Allomancy, the Howler is an exception. An expert Soother, the Howler personally ensures the Narrow Men’s smuggling operations run smoothly by sedating unruly abductees and persuading reluctant mules. The Howler is responsible for doling out shipments and has contacts all across the Final Empire to obtain and sell illicit drugs.

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THE HOWLER (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 9, Willpower 8 Traits: Terrible Laughter; Smuggler; Lecherous; Callous

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

•

Brass 7 (Soothes the emotions of others) Push Emotions: The Howler subtly Soothes nearly everyone around when burning Brass. At these times he gains one die with Charm rolls. This bonus isn’t gained with any roll that also gains dice due to Soothed emotions (i.e., the Howler may not stack this benefit with the basic use of Brass). Enduring Emotions: Emotions the Howler Soothes linger for up to an hour after he stops focusing on the victim.

EQUIPMENT

Dueling Cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); 3 Misting vials (3 charges of Brass each); Bowler hat

JEAN

The Howler

Jean is a master of the mundane; she legitimately knows baking, butchery, cobbling, and a host of other practical skills. She dresses well for her supposed station and keeps her greying brown hair in a bun. She’s a corpulent woman, a harsh taskmaster, and overly proud of the fronts she runs for the Narrow Men. Jean takes great pains to make sure they can withstand scrutiny by experts in the field and works even harder to cook the books with devious aplomb that can withstand scrutiny from the best of the Lord Ruler’s bean counters.

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Howler earned his nickname from his hyena-like laughter that, all too often, comes at the expense of his hapless and befuddled victims. Average size and middle aged, the Howler is balding, a fact he conceals beneath his ever-present bowler hat. His lips quiver as if he’s constantly restraining himself from bursting into terrible laughter, making sharing a room with him for too long a distinctly unsettling experience. The Howler fancies himself a romantic and is easily distracted by a pretty face, offering a tip of his hat to any woman that crosses his path. He considers it unsporting to Soothe a lady to get a date, but is shocked to find that he isn’t as charming as he imagines himself to be. He currently fancies Ellie Welder, a local apothecary, and spends a surprising amount of energy trying to “honestly” woo her.

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Jean also is in charge of another type of cooking: the production of the drug black tack, which is made in the back room of the Narrow Men’s bakery. She spends most of her time crushing the leaves of the grimy black plants — weeds, really — from which the drug is derived, boiling them into a mush, and pouring it into thin slabs. After cutting the blocks into tiny strips that make up individual doses, she drops off the shipment with the Howler. Although Jean is good at maintaining the various fronts that cover the gang’s true business, she’s inattentive to her own cash flow. Jean spends extravagantly to fete her favorite henchmen with lavish underworld parties. Her gluttony and hedonism come at a steep price, endangering her ability to bring in the Jean hefty sums Vengen expects — and since the front businesses are blissfully unaware of their criminal connections, Jean won’t be able to dip into the till to make up the difference. If the money from Jean’s enterprises were to dry up, the loss of the Narrow Men’s most consistent bankroll leaves them susceptible to rivals — and Jean would take the blame.

JEAN (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 3, Charm: 5, Wits: 6 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 11, Willpower 10 Traits: Taskmistress; Spendthrift; Skilled Manager; Money Laundering; Hedonist Equipment: Craftsman’s garb; Craftsman’s tools (cooking); Horse & carriage

MILA STRAIGHT

The Narrows tavern began as one of Jean’s simple money laundering operations until Vengen Straight introduced a new lieutenant to the Narrow Men’s fold — her twin sister, Mila. Under Mila’s leadership, The Narrows became a clearinghouse for all sorts of underworld activity. Part sanctuary, part inn, the Narrow Men use their considerable sway to keep one building and the block surrounding it neutral ground for the tumultuous underworld elements of the city. Between Pierz’s protection crew and a rotating host of Mistings for hire, The Narrows is a dangerous place to cause trouble in the city — and Mila works hard to make sure it stays that way.

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Mila Straight

MILA STRAIGHT (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5, Charm 3, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 5, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 11, Reputation 8, Willpower 10 Traits: Fixer; Diligent; Jealous of Vengen; Former Dancer; Don’t Ask About My Scarf Equipment: Obsidian dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close, contains no metal); Elegant evening gown

NARROW MEN GOONS

The Narrow Men’s operations demand men to snatch potential “contracted” smugglers and heavies to collect extortion money and bust heads as needed. Both of these types of Extras work for Narrow Men lieutenants, depending on the specific task.

NARROW MEN KIDNAPPER (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 5, Charm: 3, Wits: 5 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Wary; Prey on the Weak; Protect the Product Equipment: Dueling Cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Shackles

NARROW MEN TOUGH (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 6, Charm: 3, Wits: 2 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 9, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Just Following Orders; Don’t Mess with the Narrow Men Equipment: Club (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal)

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Alongside the Narrow Men’s more experienced lieutenants, Mila brokers meetings and negotiations between powerful underworld elements. Mila is lithe, lean with a pleasant face that has been transformed to something intimidating by her permanent scowl. She dresses well at The Narrows, but regardless of the season wears a kerchief or scarf around her neck. Her voice is raspy as if she smoked from the minute she first drew breath. Although she works hard in her new position, she resents having to give up her life as a legitimate dancer and performance artist. Mila was beaten and nearly killed when a rival crimelord mistook her for her secretive sister. Her injuries made it impossible to continue dancing, and a cut to her neck scarred her and damaged her voice. If she realizes her sister is vulnerable, she’ll risk a great deal to take over the Narrow Men for herself, including helping her sister’s foes. The Narrows business model isn’t without risk. If a meeting between rival parties ended in mayhem or violence, the Narrow Men could find themselves with new powerful enemies.

PRIMARY EVENTS Wolves Amongst Sheep

Review the following events the Narrow Men might use in their attempts to intimidate the Crew into backing down. Choose the most appropriate scenarios for your Crew, then play out the Narrow Men Action. The Crew Opportunities section shows how the Crew might be able to mitigate the harm they face or gain an advantage against the Narrow Men later on through that scenario. You can create your own primary events if these don’t fit your group well, but remember to include potential opportunities for the Crew in whatever scenario you create so the events don’t dead-end for the players. ...If a Hero has family or loved ones: Narrow Men Action: No stranger to the dirty business of human trafficking, the Howler uses a hand picked group of handlers to “escort” drug mules from dangerous location to dangerous location. Typically, the kidnappers among the Howler’s men act as physical minders and lookouts. The Howler uses his Soothing to make marks more pliable, as well. In this situation, Howler and his team kidnap someone important to the Crew when the Hero is (ideally) unable to interfere to use as a hostage. Crew Opportunities: If there’s no narrative opportunity to kidnap the loved one without the Crewmember present, the Narrow Men at least wait until the Hero is asleep. With a successful Wits 3 roll, the Hero wakes up in the middle of the kidnapping; with failure (or if they were not present), he wakes up or return to find his loved one gone, and can only look for clues (see page 179). A Hero who interrupts the kidnapping see his loved one shuffling after the Howler and another man (a Narrow Men Kidnapper, described on page 171) while two more Narrow Men Kidnappers watch out for the Hero. The kidnappers flee with the Hero’s loved one as fast as possible, while the other two kidnappers attack the Hero. The Hero may be able to defeat them quickly and catch up to the kidnappers, but if he does not defeat the attackers within 2 rounds, the kidnappers escape; the only recourse is to look for clues. Any kidnappers who are caught or incapacitated may be interrogated (see page 179). ...If a Hero holds a respectable position in society: Narrow Men Action: Crews thrive on information, and one of the best ways to gather information is by hobnobbing with the Final Empire’s nobility. However, those valuable inroads into high society can leave a character vulnerable if exposed. Slade is a specialist in information and blackmail. When the Hero awakens, she finds a simple note addressed to her detailing the illegal activities she’s engaged in on her last few jobs. Attached to that note is a list of names of people they rely on to function in the upper echelon of the Lord Ruler’s society, along with a demand that the Crew forget Smelter, forget anything they might think they know, and mind their own business. Crew Opportunities: Asking around about who might have delivered the note reveals some vague details of a tall, dapper man seen near the threatened

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...If a Hero owns or takes part in a legitimate business: Narrow Men Action: Jean is a master of laundering money and operating fronts. Her skill at running “clean” businesses also means she’s in the good graces of a few Obligators. Jean can uses her contacts in the Steel Ministry to put a Hero’s legitimate businesses in peril. The next time the Hero goes to his business, he discovers his shop boarded up and a notice of back taxes owed tacked to the door. Any items of value have been confiscated, and the contact information of Obligator Anton (see page 190) is included in the notice. Crew Opportunities: If the Hero lives or sleeps in his place of business, he hears a small group of low-ranking Obligators entering the building, and may confront them with words or violence. The novices are merely here to serve papers and have no guards tagging along, and so immediately flee at the first sign of. If any novices manage to escape a violent confrontation with the Hero, they flee back to the local Canton. The Hero’s charges are ramped up from tax evasion to the much more serious charge of sedition, and an squad of House Guards (see page 215) equal in number to the Heroes return an hour later to take him (and anyone else see with him at the time of the confrontation) into custody. If the Hero questions the novices, either casually or under the threat of force, they can learn some useful information as listed on page 179.

STEEL MINISTRY NOVICE (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 4, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 8, Willpower 7 Traits: Apprentice Obligator; By the Book; Zealous Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Pen and blank book ...If a Hero comes from a noble family: Narrow Men Action: Crews often prey on the arrogance of the nobility, but noble Heroes are vulnerable to the same tactics the Crew uses against the Houses themselves. Jean specializes in

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Hero’s home; a successful Influence or Charm 5 roll reveals this figure has been seen in the Narrows slums. While there’s no definitive proof of who or what made the threat against the Hero, the Crew can go on the offensive or muddy the waters by spreading their own rumors to deflect attention from their misdeeds. If the Hero doesn’t act on or care about the damage the information causes, she loses 5 Reputation, but can also start working her sources to find out who’s spreading the blackmail around (see “Learning More about the Narrow Men” on page 179).

Wolves Amongst Sheep

making the sinister appear innocuous, and uses her connections to either replace skaa servants within the Hero’s household with skaa loyal to the Narrow Men or buy off once-loyal retainers as spies. Once inside, Jean’s skaa will undermine, sabotage, and otherwise thwart the Hero’s family from within using blackmail and anonymous tips to rival families. Crew Opportunities: Jean’s skaa spies try to subtly turn the noble Hero’s family against her by planting false evidence suggesting betrayal. The Hero might have trouble getting assistance from her noble kin, or discover their normal venues of assistance from the family or their allies dried up. There’s no grand announcement of this action, but if the Crew appears at any of the House’s holdings they can make a Wits 3 roll; with success, they notice the overly inquisitive staff and a few new faces around. The skaa influenced by the Narrow Men aren’t particularly loyal or resistant to questioning. For an idea about what they may know, see “Learning More about the Narrow Men” on page 179. ...If a Hero values their Terris heritage: Narrow Men Action: The Terris are an oppressed and vulnerable group, and the Narrow Men are both unscrupulous and perfectly willing to exploit this to their advantage. If a Hero is a Keeper, a member of the Synod, or even someone that aids the Terris (perhaps having played “Justice, Like Ash” from Terris: Wrought of Copper), the Narrow Men use this to their advantage. The Howler goes out of his way to “recruit” a number of vulnerable Terris in the city for his drug muling ring — including a few Terris NPCs friendly to the Crew. If friendly NPCs are too stable to reasonably be exploited this way, have their family or friends fall under the Howler’s sway instead. Once the Howler has coerced these NPCs, an urchin knocks on the Hero’s door and recites a list of Terris names and their addresses to her. The urchin then says, “One more Terris will be hired each day until you learn to mind your own business.” The urchin is purely a patsy and has had no direct contact with the Howler, but answers any questions truthfully. See the interrogations section on page 179 for an idea of what the urchin might know. Crew Opportunities: If there’s a reason that the Hero would observe the Howler “persuading” a hapless Terrisman, she encounters the Howler and four of his traffickers (see Narrow Men Kidnappers on page 171) working the Terrisman over. They chose their marks well; the promise of quick payment for easy work, and a healthy dose of Soothing, makes persuasion simple. The Hero can attack the Howler’s men or engage in a Social Conflict against the Howler to persuade the Terrisman to turn down the Howler. If thwarted or if things get physical, the Howler flees, clearly nursing a grudge. However, the Howler continues to recruit Terris to put pressure on the Crew until he is dealt with. ...If a Hero is a skaa Allomancer: Narrow Men Action: Skaa Mistings and Mistborn are by definition the product of an illegal act, not to mention enemies of the state. Pierz and his cronies are

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COINSHOT (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Keen Eyes; Accurate; Pushy

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Steel 5 (Pushes metal objects) Multiple Targets: The character has finer control of his or her Steelpushing, and may simultaneously Push up to 5 individual metal objects, or attack up to 5 different targets. When attacking multiple targets, the character makes a single Steel roll which each target must defend against individually. Nudges are ignored (they may not be gained) when using Steel to attack multiple targets.

EQUIPMENT

Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); Misting vial (3 charges of Steel) ...If one of the Crew has a treasured possession: Narrow Men Action: The Narrows bar isn’t only the Narrow Men’s namesake, but also their most unique enterprise. With its impressive amount of protection, The Narrows is one of the most dangerous places in the city for anyone to cause trouble. In this scenario, Mila Straight arranges for her minions to steal something precious to one of the Heroes, hiding the item in The Narrows until such time as the Crew backs off. Crew Opportunities: The theft does not go very smoothly; the Hero awakes to the sounds of someone very obviously attempting to break or sneak into their residence. On investigation, they find four Narrow Men Toughs (see page 171) doing a rather poor job of breaking in. The toughs attack the Hero immediately,

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cocky enough to threaten a skaa Allomancer in order to protect the Narrow Men’s interests. Rather than open confrontation, they prefer marking the door of a Misting’s abode with the Allomantic symbol of their metal, or nailing a few strands of a mistcloak to the residence of a Mistborn, in the hopes a skaa informant or passing Steel Ministry agent finishes the job for them. Crew Opportunities: Pierz will conduct his little scheme in the middle of the night, allowing a sleeping Hero a chance to awake with a successful Wits 3 roll. If they succeed, they catch Pierz and four Narrow Men Toughs (see page 171) red-handed, allowing them to confront the gang directly. If the fight goes against them, Pierz will flee while a pair of waiting Coinshots covers his escape. The Crew may interrogate any Coinshots or Toughs they defeat (see page 179). Assuming the Hero does not awake and confront Pierz, he can also ask around the neighborhood. Witnesses are happy to give them a physical description of Pierz, but are visibly nervous being near a publicly exposed Allomancer.

Wolves Amongst Sheep

but refuse to finish off or capture the Crew, even if they are winning. Their attack is simply a distraction for the real objective: stealing one of the Hero’s most prized possessions (such as a fully charged set of metalminds, a personal treasure, etc.) The Heroes will only notice the cat burglar slipping in and out with a successful Wits 5 roll. Any captured minions can be pumped for information about their bosses (see page 179). Assuming the burglar gets away with the treasured item, the Toughs will immediately break off their invasion and flee back to The Narrows with their prize. Shortly after the “attack,” the Hero in question will discover her prized possession missing, with a note indicating it will be destroyed or sold unless she “does what’s good for her.” There is no indication of who has the item, or why.

THIEF (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Infl uence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 6, Willpower 8 Traits: Stealthy; Nimble Fingers; Keen Ears; Bold; Greedy Equipment: Dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close); Lockpicks; Rope and grapple ...If the Crew includes a kandra Hero: Narrow Men Action: The existence of kandra is completely unknown to most denizens of the Final Empire — body-snatching shapechangers are simply myths, used to scare children and bumpkins who don’t know any better. But through his connections, Slade not only knows they exist and serve under Contract to nobles, but that they walk amongst the members of the Crew. Slade arranges a meeting with a kandra Hero at The Narrows where reveals the details of their Contract. He knows that kandra are forbidden to kill, so he acts brazenly in the meeting, provided the Hero shows up alone. His hope is to use the Hero’s Contract to somehow drive a wedge between the Hero and the Crew — most likely by pointing to evidence the Hero is violating their Contract by working with the Crew, or pointing out an instance where the kandra has violated the Contract in the past. Slade threatens to take this information to the Steel Ministry unless the kandra Hero acts as he demands. Crew Opportunities: While violence is an option for the Crew, The Narrows is heavily protected at all times by the Narrow Men. A successful Wits 2 roll makes it clear attacking the tavern is a stupid plan. If the Heroes attack anyway, then two Hazekillers, a Coinshot, and four Narrow Men Toughs (see page 171) are ready to fight them. More likely, words will be the important weapon in this showdown. Slade and the Kandra could engage in a Social Conflict, either in place of a fight or after one side backs down from battle. If the Hero loses, choose a social Burden appropriate to the Contract and Slade’s line of reasoning (such as “Deeply Ashamed,” “Branded a Murderer,” or “Fearful for My Life”). If the Hero defeats Slade, he can also ask him a question that he answers truthfully while his confidence is

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shaken (above and beyond any Reputation loss or Burdens inflicted). After the confrontation, the Hero is escorted out of The Narrows and told to remember what they learned. Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Keen Eyes; Accurate; Pushy

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Steel 5 (Pushes metal objects) Multiple Targets: The character has finer control of his or her Steelpushing, and may simultaneously Push up to 5 individual metal objects, or attack up to 5 different targets. When attacking multiple targets, the character makes a single Steel roll which each target must defend against individually. Nudges are ignored (they may not be gained) when using Steel to attack multiple targets.

EQUIPMENT

Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); Misting vial (3 charges of Steel)

HAZEKILLER (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 10, Reputation 6, Willpower 8 Traits: Hunter of Allomancers; Gang Fighting; Defensive Techniques; Quick Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Bow and fl int arrows (Damage +2; Range: Close / Long; contains no metal); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Large wooden shield (adds 2 dice to defense rolls against physical attack; contains no metal) ...If a player is absent for this part of the adventure: Narrow Men Action: If a player isn’t present, you can always use them to help drive the plot. Pierz and his toughs are more than happy to rough up a member of the Crew to

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COINSHOT (AVERAGE THREAT)

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WELL, THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY It’s entirely possible your Crew will do something unpredictable, brilliant, or suicidal outside the scope of what’s described in these scenarios. That’s ok — do your best to roll with it and what fits your group. Familiarize yourself with the Narrow Men lieutenants and their resources and consider the big picture. Don’t be afraid to give the Crew a win or two in this early part of the adventure if they earn it. This scene shouldn’t be a round of “take that,” but instead a demonstration of how dangerous the Narrow Men are. If something seems unfair or overly harsh to you or the players, feel free to skip or modify it to something more appropriate for your table.

send a message. The rest of the Crew discovers the absent player’s Hero unconscious and unable to assist in the adventure. If you use this option, the Hero in question returns without penalty when the player resumes playing his character (the Hero’s incapacitation only serving the plot, not as a penalty for the player). Crew Opportunities: If you’d like some action, some or all of the Crew could arrive toward the end of the Narrow Men’s attack on the Hero in question. Use a single Pewterarm and one Narrow Men Tough(see page 171) per Hero present. Pierz laughs and leaves his men to clean up the mess. Any Narrow Men defeated can be questioned as well (see page 179).

PEWTERARM (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5 [10], Charm 3, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8 [13], Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Pugilist; Intimidating; Bull in a China Shop

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Pewter 5 (boosts Physique and Health, as shown in brackets) Unconscious Burning: The character automatically burns Pewter when unconscious, though only if also injured (i.e. he or she doesn’t automatically burn Pewter when sleeping). Each Pewter charge burned in this fashion lasts for three hours, and the only benefits it conveys are increased Health, accelerated healing, and avoiding Pewter drag. It has no effect on Physique rolls or dice pools. This special Pewter burn stops immediately when he or she regains consciousness.

EQUIPMENT

Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Misting vial (3 charges of Pewter)

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LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE NARROW MEN

• • • •

General information: The Narrow Men were responsible for the actions against the Crew. The name and physical description of the lieutenant who was in charge of the operation. The Narrow Men use The Narrows as their headquarters. The Crew “did something” yesterday to draw attention to themselves.

•

If Pierz was in charge of the operation: Pierz has gotten in trouble wasting the Narrow Men’s resources in pointless fights. Pierz hates being called short and really hates being shown up by Pewterarms.

• •

If Slade was in charge of the operation: Slade has an actual office where he does accounting and bookkeeping. Slade compulsively handles and checks his pocket watch.

• •

If Jean was in charge of the operation: Jean works in a number of shops in the city in various odd jobs. Jean is an unrepentant party animal.

• •

If Mila Straight was in charge of the operation: Mila runs The Narrows. Mila used to be legitimate, but recently entered the underworld.

• • •

If the Howler was in charge of the operation: The Howler believes himself to be a ladies’ man. The Howler is sensitive about being mocked for his hyena-like laugh. The Howler is a Soother.

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There are ample opportunities to question low-ranking Narrow Men operatives, skaa witnesses, and others party to the actions against the Crew. What follow are suggested facts that the Crew can uncover from speaking to those involved with the preceding events. The nature of this information will vary greatly, depending on who is questioned, but what can be learned remains unchanged. Players can acquire information in different ways. In some instances, a Social Conflict against a beaten foe may be appropriate (remember to give such a foe an appropriate Burden if they were physically defeated in a Conflict). In other cases, friendly questions and answers with witnesses may make more sense (perhaps using Charm or Influence rolls with a Difficulty based on the witness’s reluctance to talk, which provide a number of pieces of information equal to the Outcome of the roll). As with prior parts of this scene, these are simply guidelines to help you navigate the likely aftermath of the Narrow Men’s assault on the Crew’s interests. Framing the information depends greatly on the circumstances by which the Crew encounters it.

Wolves Amongst Sheep

A NARROW ESCAPE Much of the adventure assumes that the Narrow Men’s lieutenants will be the major antagonists going forward. If the Crew is luckier or smarter than anticipated and defeats a lieutenant during this scene, you have two options: First, you can allow them to capture, interrogate, and/or use the lieutenant as leverage against the Narrow Men going forward. While this gives the Crew a valuable edge (and may undo certain parts of Vengen’s empire), this does NOT uncover the secrets that were meant to be uncovered in the next scene (the lieutenants are very loyal and tight-lipped). Second, the Narrow Men could send reinforcements to free or recover the lieutenant. The Narrow Men are much more likely to use force in this scenario, and will even sacrifice their lesser members to ensure the lieutenant’s escape. Even if the lieutenant escapes, be sure to give that Villain a Burden as a result of having lost to the Heroes.

WRAPPING UP THE SCENE

By the end of the scene, the Narrow Men should seem to have the upper hand on the Heroes. The Crew is probably used to acting proactively against their marks, and being on the receiving end of a capable group should be unnerving. Wrap the scene after each Crewmember has suffered some sort of retaliation from the Narrow Men. and the Crew has had ample opportunity to investigate in the aftermath.

AWARDING ADVANCEMENTS

This scene is full of actions against the Crew. Advancements should come from withstanding or thwarting the Narrow Men’s assault and gleaning information about their adversaries. • • • •

For each action by the Narrow Men that was thwarted: 1 Advancement If any Narrow Men gang members were interrogated: 1 Advancement Discovering key personal information about a Narrow Men lieutenant: 1 Advancement If any Narrow Men lieutenant was captured, killed, or otherwise eliminated from the Adventure: 1 Advancement.

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3 CULLING THE HERD

SCENE OVERVIEW

Having uncovered a drug smuggling ring using human mules, the Crew was assaulted at their most vulnerable points by the gang responsible for the operation, the Narrow Men. After weathering the Narrow Men’s assault, the Crew now has the daunting task of undoing that damage and striking back against the Narrow Men. Part of this scene depends heavily on the results of the last scene and suggests what the Crew can do in light of the Narrow Men’s actions. The rest of the scene details information, actions, and ideas for the Crew to turn the tables on the Narrow Men’s lieutenants.

SETTING THE SCENE

This scene should begin after the entire Crew has endured and initially reacted to the attack on them by what appears to be parties unknown. The Crew can try to limit the repercussions of those actions, but to propel the adventure forward, the Crew has to discover and strike back against Narrow Men. You can narrate a quick review of a fallout, a summation of the leads the Crew has, and a reminder about the job that they were hired to do.

Culling the Herd

Begin the scene with the Crew collecting themselves at a safe location (possibly a safe house if the Narrow Men compromised their normal headquarters). Give them a chance to talk out what’s happened and formulate a plan, reminding them what information they’ve already found out about the Narrow Men when necessary. If the Heroes failed to uncover much about the Narrow Men in the previous scene, cook up a few visits or messages from allies about what’s just happened to make them aware of the fallout. Depending on the situation, these might be shows of support, warnings, or notifications that their previous relationships have been severed.

VITAL COMPONENTS, CLUES, AND PACING

This scene is the Crew’s opportunity to turn the tables on the Narrow Men. By the end of the scene, the Crew should have accomplished the following objectives against the Narrow Men: • • •

Overcome some of the fallout resulting from the Narrow Men’s offensive. Undermined at least two, if not more, of the Narrow Men’s operations (see page 186). Learned of the existence (and ideally, the name) of the Narrow Men’s leader, Vengen Straight.

SECRETS OF THE SCENE

Acting effectively against the Narrow Men lieutenants requires uncovering their secret operations, but there are also things the lieutenants keep secret from Vengen and each other. Exploiting these Secrets can prove extremely valuable in taking the fight back to the rival Crew: •

• •

•

Pierz is skimming off the top (minor Secret): Pierz routinely takes extra money, goods, and other items from the shops he “protects,” but he doesn’t report these to Vengen or his comrades. If his peers or bosses discovered he was effectively cheating them out of a share of that money, he could be kicked out of the Narrow Men or killed. Slade is a Feruchemist (major Secret): Slade’s apparent eidetic memory is a direct result of him subconsciously using copperminds to store vast amounts of blackmail information. Jean is nearly broke thanks to her lavish spending habits (minor Secret): Despite being the financier of the Narrow Men, Jean has shown remarkable inattentiveness to her own finances. On the verge of being unable to pay her share to Vengen and desperate enough to begin thinking about loans or stealing from her fronts, she and her operation are now vulnerable. Mila Straight and Vengen Straight are identical twins (major Secret): Mila Straight’s life and career were ruined when a rival gangster mistook her for the Narrow Men’s shadowy leader. When it became obvious Mila wasn’t

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(at that time) part of any criminal enterprise, the closest threat of an outsider uncovering Vengen Straight’s existence ended. Vengen Straight is the real leader of the Narrow Men (major Secret): The Crew should have an inkling that the lieutenants they’re tangling with aren’t the true power behind the Narrow Men. If the Crew pursues this angle they may uncover the truth.

What follows are a number of suggested consequences the Crew might suffer as a result of the Narrow Men’s offensives in the previous scene, but don’t be afraid to use your own solutions if they more accurately reflects what occurred to the Crew. Some repercussions from these situations could be the focus of a later adventure (such as an “outed” skaa Allomancer becoming hunted by the Steel Ministry, while others, such as kidnappings and thefts, may be compelling enough to drive the Heroes into action immediately. Consider combining bits of information about the Narrow Men’s vulnerabilities in the situations where the Crew takes the fight back to the gang as a reward. Failure to react to the actions by the Narrow Men only makes things worse; when a Hero doesn’t retaliate or try to resolve the crisis they face, you should apply an in-game consequence.

RECOVERY

In this situation, the Hero tries to find or retrieve something taken by the Narrow Men, making it ideal if a loved one was kidnapped or an item was stolen in the previous scene. Regardless of what was taken from the Hero, the Narrow Men have hidden it at The Narrows under lock and key. Stolen goods are likely held in Mila Straight’s personal offices while hostages would be stowed in a windowless apartment upstairs. Casing the joint reveals The Narrows’ typical complement of Narrow Men guards and Allomancer mercenaries: two Hazekillers, a Coinshot, and four Narrow Men Toughs, who make regular rounds of the area surrounding the tavern.

CAN’T TOUCH THIS If the Crew managed to avoid the brunt of the Narrow Men’s assault in the previous scene, or if some actions against the Crew were thwarted, then the outcomes of that scene may not have a lasting effect against each Hero. These suggestions aren’t meant to be punitive; they’re meant to reflect the outcome of attacks against the Crew in the prior scene.

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UNDOING THE DAMAGE

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They switch shifts every 6 hours, with any mercenaries being replaced by others with the same Allomantic abilities. Sneaking in and stealing back what was taken is probably the best and safest course of action for the Crew. Brute force is also an option, but be sure to emphasize it’s a dangerous one — especially for a kidnap victim. Refer to the Mila Straight section on page 170 for more information on her and The Narrows. If Left Unchecked: The items or loved ones the Crewmember(s) care about can be used as leverage and blackmail against the Crewmember, perhaps causing Reputation or Willpower damage or inflicting a Burden such as “Wracked with Guilt” or “I’ve Failed my Family”. If unsolved, this may play a significant role in the final scene.

COINSHOT (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Keen Eyes; Accurate; Pushy

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Steel 5 (Pushes metal objects) Multiple Targets: The character has finer control of his or her Steelpushing, and may simultaneously Push up to 5 individual metal objects, or attack up to 5 different targets. When attacking multiple targets, the character makes a single Steel roll which each target must defend against individually. Nudges are ignored (they may not be gained) when using Steel to attack multiple targets.

EQUIPMENT

Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); Misting vial (3 charges of Steel)

HAZEKILLER (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 10, Reputation 6, Willpower 8 Traits: Hunter of Allomancers; Gang Fighting; Defensive Techniques; Quick Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Bow and fl int arrows (Damage +2; Range: Close / Long; contains no metal); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Large wooden shield (adds 2 dice to defense rolls against physical attack; contains no metal)

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NARROW MEN TOUGH (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 6, Charm: 3, Wits: 2 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 9, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Just Following Orders; Don’t Mess with the Narrow Men Equipment: Club (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal) In this scenario, the Heroes must face down rumors — true or not — about their reputation, background, or past. A Hero who was outed as an illegal Allomancer, or a Crew trying to recover from having their family or business undermined will both likely work on rumor control. The Crew is likely be no stranger to manipulating opinions and bribery; both are excellent ways to quash rumors, sway public sentiment, or deter low-level government responses. When put under sufficient pressure, novices in the Steel Ministry might also be willing to “lose paperwork” or slow down the process of reporting illegal Allomancy to save their own skins. Crew members can also use their social circles or informants to quash negative opinions, typically by making appropriate use of their Standings. Searching for the source of these rumors points back to a single man — Slade, who is the architect of the assault on the Crew’s reputation. His unusual appearance and aggressive intimidation has called attention to his actions, and he is often out on the street for surreptitious meet ups. Any Hero observing Slade in action notices he’s always holding, checking, and fiddling with his copper pocket watch. If Left Unchecked: The Crewmember suffering from the effects of rumors loses 2 dice on all Standings rolls until he or she directly addresses the problems caused in the previous scene.

INFORMANT (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Infl uence 3, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 6, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Eavesdropper; Stool Pigeon; Paranoid Equipment: Disguise (any one common skaa or noble)

STEEL MINISTRY NOVICE (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 4, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 8, Willpower 7 Traits: Apprentice Obligator; By the Book; Zealous Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Pen and blank book

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RUMOR CONTROL

IDENTITY CRISIS

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Some of the Narrow Men’s actions may throw connections in their lives into disarray, forcing the Hero to deal with a crisis of faith, discover the truth behind their Contract, alter the basis of their membership in the Crew, or reassess the trustworthiness of allies. The Hero’s attempts to resolve this crisis might be opposed by the Narrow Men, or it may be lead to internal conflict among the Crew. Although recovering from the impact of this has a mechanical element, encourage the Hero to address these fears and concerns through roleplaying with NPCs or other Heroes. Also, be sure to consider any Tragedies or Destinies within the Crew that tie in to this matter. If Left Unchecked: The Crewmember suffers an appropriate minor Social Burden until resolved.

PRIMARY EVENTS

In addition to reacting to the Narrow Men’s attacks, the Crew still has a job to do. The Crew was hired to stop whatever made Smelter sick, and the culprit is now obvious: the Narrow Men’s drug muling operation. The following information outlines each lieutenant’s personality, criminal enterprise, and a weakness the Crew can exploit. The lieutenants of the Narrow Men are notorious in the criminal underworld. Discovering who they are isn’t difficult, but uncovering the details of their operation should require some effort. Consider how any reasonable or clever approach the Heroes take might uncover vulnerabilities within the Narrow Men. Also, keep in mind any advantages the Crew may have gained through their actions in the last scene. Action against the Narrow Men can take many forms. The Crew might focus on investigating a lieutenant’s biographical information, habits, or social acquaintances to undermine each member of the Narrow Men’s leadership group. Or they might investigate the Narrow Men’s criminal enterprises and attack their criminal machinations directly. These sorts of confrontations will likely bring them with only one lieutenant at a time, as each has their own operation to manage.

A CREW OF OSTRICHES If the Crew has been frightened or intimidated to the point that they fear pursuing the Narrow Men, gently guide them back around to the inevitability of confrontation. The Narrow Men may not want to murder the Crew, but they’ll keep harassing them until the Crew leaves the city. If the players remain squeamish, try having the Crew stumble upon an easily disrupted attack on them to emphasize the point that the Narrow Men won’t ever stop coming after them, or find a valuable clue that reveals a potential chink in the gang’s armor.

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LEAVING THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW

Ultimately, while the Crew needs information and wants revenge, they were hired to dismantle the drug muling operation. Doing so requires the complete defeat of the Narrow Men and uncovering the Narrow Men’s leader, Vengen Straight. It won’t be easy, as her gang is too tightly bound to her to turn easily, and only the Narrow Men’s lieutenants know her identity. A perceptive Crew might be able to detect her hand at work once they start investigating the Narrow Men more diligently. If you need Vengen’s statistics during this scene, they can be found on page 204. Vengen Straight is a careful, but angry, woman. If the Crew escalates matters, she acts quickly to protect her identity while planning her countermove as she realizes the Heroes represent a singular, unique threat to her fiefdom. Vengen’s actions follow two distinct directions. First, if her identity is publicly revealed, she begins to arrange information and “witnesses” accusing her twin sister, Mila, as the mastermind of the operation, while she activates her contingency plan to move the drug muling ring to be smuggled to another location in the Final Empire. However, Vengen didn’t rise to the top of the underworld by being a coward. With her money, power, and favors, she activates her second insurance policy: the services of an experienced, mercenary Mistborn. The following entries describe the unlawful and lawful enterprises the lieutenants control, as well as suggestions for making tweaks to nudge the Crew along if they get lost in the scene. You can find a refresher on the Narrow Men’s personalities and traits on pages 167–170.

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Each lieutenant and their operation remains vulnerable to a group as skilled as the Crew. Ultimately, it’s your job to decide when and how the Narrow Men begin to crack. If the players are having fun getting their revenge, there’s no need to cut the scene short unless the beats begin to drag. Once the Narrow Men’s operation suffers sufficient setbacks (two or three at least) and the Crew has learned of Vengen’s existence, jump to page 197 to wrap up this scene and advance to the climactic scene. Keep in mind, the more Narrow Men operations are disrupted, the easier the final scene becomes for the Heroes!

PIERZ’ OPERATION

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Pierz runs a “protection” ring for businesses and shops. His thugs guarantee his clients’ safety from corrupt Obligators, other gangs, and street urchins. When “clients” miss a payment, Pierz is quick to make an example of them — usually with his fists. Pierz’s protection racket not only lines his pockets, it helps the Narrow Men maintain their dreaded reputation. Although the Narrow Men do provide a semblance of safety, the abuse skaa shopkeepers suffer from Pierz makes them resent the Narrow Men. The protection business relies on the perception that local merchants’ payments to the Narrow Men keep them safe — or at least that Pierz presents a larger danger to them than anyone else if they fail to pay. The Crew could damage and destroy those under the Narrow Men’s “protection” either to draw out Pierz or to purely undermine his business. Of course, this could have fallout as (relatively) innocent shopkeepers suffer due to the Crew’s actions. Liability: Pierz has been taking advantage of discounts and “loans” from a number of businesses without properly reporting that money to Vengen. If he was discovered, she would likely see that as stealing out of her own pocket and decide to fine, hurt, or even kill Pierz. Locations: Pierz doesn’t keep one base of operations. He usually gathers up his toughs near The Narrows, then goes from business to business to shake down the owners. Any encounters are likely to go down while Pierz is in the midst of shaking down a shopkeeper (perhaps Rin the jeweler, below), out in the street, or in the confines of a back alley. Potential Ally: As part of a protection deal, Rin the jeweler has offered to “sell” Pierz a beautiful ring for an exceptionally low price. When Pierz decided not to pay for it, Rin began looking for a way to recover his loss from — and get a bit of revenge on — the bellicose brute. Rin has a list of the Narrow Men’s “clients,” knows the routes the protection teams take, and will offer the Crew information in exchange for a chance to get back at Pierz. Nudging the Crew: If the Crew encounter Pierz, but do not put together the idea that discrediting him will undermine his racket, plant a seed using a little indiscretion on the part of Pierz and his cronies. Perhaps the Heroes might overhear them discussing “saving a little more myself” and “what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her” within earshot, or witness them pocketing a few boxings from each pickup before depositing the rest in their delivery bag. If all else fails, a Wits or Spirit 3 roll could give them the intuition or lucky break to see the theft in action.

RIN THE JEWELER (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 5, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 5, Spirit 2 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 10, Willpower 6 Traits: Patient; Observant Equipment: Craftsmen’s tools (jeweler)

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SLADE’S OPERATION

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Slade combines his professional position as an accountant and his clout in the Narrow Men to maintain one of the most powerful information networks in the city’s underworld. Slade uses the reach of the Narrow Men’s broad operations as a way to gather information and an avenue to exploit it. Many have tried to destroy Slade, including the Lord Ruler’s Obligators, but he’s never left a scrap of evidence behind that could incriminate his part in any blackmail schemes. His uncannily perfect memory has been his greatest tool to that effect. Liability: Unbeknownst even to Slade, he is part Terrisman and an untrained Copper Ferring (a Feruchemist capable of using only Copper to store and withdraw memories). Slade unknowingly and subconsciously uses his copper-plated pocket watch and a number of simple copper knickknacks to store the copious information he uses to fuel the Narrow Men’s secret enterprise. A Terrisman, Keeper, or Feruchemist (or anyone who has extensive experience with them) observing Slade for any amount of time will pick up on these little details with a successful Wits 3 roll; however, they will only recognize him as a potential Feruchemist, not a Ferring (which are completely unknown as of yet). If the Crew notices these signs, they can steal this pocketwatch or other items to cripple and befuddle Slade and his operations. Without his trusted memory, the accountant quickly starts to slip up; payments are not collected on time, targets are not contacted, and those who are being extorted find he is unable to recall their misdeeds with much detail at all. This will also cause Vengen to call his competence in question, and whether Slade has been dabbling with the black tack she’s busy selling. Slade’s Feruchemical talents would make also him a high priority target for Inquisitors; if the Heroes are feeling particularly bold, they might drop a dime to the Steel Ministry and let them take care of the rest. Slade’s sources inside the Steel Ministry will likely warn him of such a threat, and will likely flee to evade capture, removing a valuable cog in the Narrow Men’s criminal machine. This course might have rafications that echo far outside the adventure alone: the Canton of Inquisition is unaware of the possibility of Ferrings, much less that they may walk the streets of Luthadeal. Delivering Slade to the hands of the Inquisitors might reveal uncomfortable truths and lead to even more uncomfortable reactions such as a crackdown on the Terris population, strengthening of the the Terris breeding program, or the arrest and dissection of anyone who even looks Terris. Location: The small accountancy business Slade runs operates just on the edge of the slums. Most of his clients are skaa merchants and a few particularly poor rural noble houses in need of a representative in the city. Slade spends most of his days here, working until dusk. Thanks to his “perfect memory,” Slade doesn’t bother to keep

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physical records of his blackmail operations; however, if the Crew breaks into his shop, they find a summons from the Steel Ministry referencing an “Obligator Anton” from the Canton of Resource. Potential Ally: Slade attempted to blackmail a mid-ranking Obligator in the Canton of Resource, Anton. Obligator Anton fathered a bastard child with a lowranking noble — a fact which Slade leverages all too often. The Obligator can’t act directly against the criminal, but he would gladly share on any information that will free him from Slade’s predations (or at least make life difficult for his tormentor). They can contact Anton by staking out the Canton of Resource or Slade’s office (where they’ll spot him leaving from their latest meeting). Should the Crew’s actions lead to Slade’s arrest, they can also follow up with Anton. Anton reveals during the conversation that under torture and Allomantic persuasion, Slade had no knowledge of the information used to blackmail his targets. Anton adds that the only thing he’s seen like it are certain Terris — Terris who quickly disappear into the clutches of the Steel Inquisitors — and that after his interrogation, Slade agreed to provide information to the Steel Ministry in exchange for escaping further prosecution. Anton claims that he secured this deal in exchange for Slade keeping his indiscretions secret. In truth, Anton paid his penance for his indiscretions to the Steel Ministry long ago, and he and the other obligators have been working Slade as an information source all along. Though Slade hasn’t turned in any information about the Narrow Men themselves, he has revealed the illegal activities of some of their

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OBLIGATOR ANTON (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 4, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 8, Willpower 8 Traits: By the Book; Hard to Intimidate; Respected; Cagey; Illegitimate Father Equipment: Pen and blank book; Formal clothing

THE HOWLER’S OPERATION

The Howler unashamedly uses his Allomancy to keep the Narrow Men’s most profitable operation running smoothly, personally handling “difficult shipments” by heavily Soothing unruly abductees and reluctant mules. Although he has help, the Howler’s Allomancy is the only thing that keeps problematic individuals stable enough for them to be profitable. Removing him from the equation will grind the Narrow Men’s smuggling ring to an immediate halt. Liability: The Howler fancies himself a “romantic” and is easily distracted by a pretty face. His latest infatuation is Ellie Welder, who runs an apothecary with her brother. The Howler drove off Ellie’s other suitors with a combination of violence and Allomancy. Ellie is aware of the Howler’s attention but has the wealth and the motivation to get him out of her life — by any means necessary. Locations: The Welders regularly have to suffer unwelcome visits from the Howler at Welder’s Apothecary (fortunately he doesn’t know their home address yet). They can find him by staking out the apothecary, from which they can follow him to one of several meeting-places where he gets updates from prospective drug mules. These skaa rarely know much about the Howler or his operation; only that he offers good deals of money and promises in exchange for a “brief service.” Potential Allies: The Howler has offered to take Ellie out for a drink numerous times, and the Welders have the knowledge to make a very powerful draught of sedative. If the Crew can win their trust (and if they helped Smelter, that goes a long way toward it), Ellie and Doc Welder are willing allies against the Howler (see page 159). Many of the skaa that fall victim to the Howler leave behind bewildered families. Those families are desperate for help locating their loved ones and eagerly cooperate with anyone showing an interest in their abduction. The Howler’s ag-

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other contacts. Spreading word that Slade was a rat could could ruin The Narrows’ reputation as a safe meeting ground for thieving crews and damage the gang’s reputation as trustworthy allies. Nudging the Crew: If the Crew has not yet heard Vengen’s name by the time they meet with Obligator Anton, consider making this small change: Anton knows that Mila is not the head of the Narrow Men, as rumored — but rather, that she has a twin sister who pulls the strings. This is something Slade let slip in a moment of braggadocio and Anton let slide. Anton might choose to turn the Crew against the Narrow Men as unwitting cats-paws to rid the slums of black tack and a troublesome criminal without so much as lifting a finger…

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gressive — and some would say blatant — use of his Brass to get what he wants has also left behind a string of aggrieved rivals who would be all too happy to see him get his just desserts. Nudging the Crew: If the Heroes did not encounter the Welders (or didn’t get on with them well), one of the Howler’s recruited mules, Lyn, approaches them while staking him out. Lyn has proven immune to his Soothing (in reality, she’s an untrained Smoker), but has spent the last few weeks playing along as if she’s under his sway and is feigning attraction to him so she get close enough to poison him and make her escape. She holds the same sedative the Welders can offer, as well as an easy “in” to administering it, if the Crew can provide her the cover and skills to arrange a private meeting with the Howler.

JEAN’S OPERATION

Jean’s role in the Narrow Men may seem small to outsiders, but her ability to give criminal enterprise the veneer of respectability is key to the Narrow Men’s enduring success. Taking down one of the many legitimate front businesses she runs, or the black tack cooking operation she runs out of the bakery, would seriously harm that success. Liability: Jean’s penchant for partying is partially her way of trying to stand equally with a group of hardened thugs; however, it is an expensive habit that keeps both her and her businesses on a perpetual financial cliff. If the Crew disrupted her cash flow, or dramatically increased her personal expenses, Jean would find herself with a severe debt problem and becoming a liability to the Narrow Men. Losing their fronts would also undermine the Narrow Men’s ability to keep their operations a secret — particularly the bakery, where Jean cooks the black tack. Location: Most of Jean’s days are occupied with travels from shop to shop, where she appears to perform relatively mundane tasks and work with the staff. Though she’s ostensibly there to manage the day to day business of each front, she’s really there to keep an eye on the employees and make sure they don’t discover the criminal enterprise in which they’re unwittingly engaged. In the evenings when she’s not cooking black tack, Jean throws one to three parties in a typical week, usually in the homes of well-off skaa or poor nobles, who she’s paid off. When she’s particularly strapped for cash, she uses the back rooms of the Narrow Men’s front businesses — a fact Vengen would be none too happy to discover. Potential Ally: A number of store managers have recently become aware their businesses are possibly affiliated with organized crime. One of these is Fil the Butcher, who has built a loyal client base over the course of years, only to have that upended when Narrow Men thugs beat a shopper near to death right in front of the store. Fil is more interested in selling meat than being a tool of the Narrow Men, and he and those like him would prefer break away from the Narrow Men if they can do so safely. This is where the Crew comes in; if they can offer Fil (or other managers) a way of getting rid of Jean without exposing him to her wrath, he’ll gladly help. Fil offers anything he knows to this end,

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FIL THE BUTCHER (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 3, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Good with a Cleaver; Polite; Determined Equipment: Cleaver (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Striking)

MILA’S OPERATION

Mila Straight controls every aspect of The Narrows — She manages the staff, the menu, the liquor, the guards, and the meetings between various criminal parties. That control, and the establishment’s rise to prominence, has earned Mila great respect and sway in the gang that extends wall beyond her blood relationship to Vengen. Despite her success, Mila is not satisfied with her position as a subordinate. Of all the Narrow Men’s lieutenants, Mila is the only one that would dare entertain turning against Vengen. Mila desperately wants to take the Narrow Men from her sister, just the way Vengen took Mila’s career and life from her during the assassination attempt that left her scarred and unable to perform, so many years ago. Liability: The Narrows business is not without risk. Since Mila personally guarantees other criminals the The Narrows is neutral ground, a sit down that ends in violence would cause the Narrow Men to lose credibility (if not making them new enemies). The Crew could easily sabotage a meeting at the Narrows by spreading rumors of two parties planning a meeting there, or by simply kicking in the door and attacking whoever’s there. Damaging the Narrows’ profitable brokerage business will put the tavern on the ropes, and what’s bad for The Narrows is bad for Mila. Another liability the Heroes can exploit is Mila’s ambition. She harbors a deep-seated resentment towards her sister (which might even be the reason they got into the adventure in the first place — see page 147), and stirring up trouble between the Straights can drive the wedge even deeper into their relationship. If the Crew are aware of any of Vengen’s vulnerabilities, passing these on to Mila may spur her to act.

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including information on Jean’s financial troubles and the locations where she parties at night. Nudging the Crew: Should the Crew not have discovered the location or scope of the black tack, use Jean’s partying as a pathway to discovering the cooking operation. When the players discover Jean, she’s hosting a party at the same bakery where she produces the black tack. The noise of the revelry may give an opportunity to the Crew to use stealth to evade or sabotage either Jean or the cookhouse, rather than following a scheme to attack Jean financially. If the players do not know how or when to location Jean, you could also change Fil the Butcher to “Fil the Baker” and make the pathway to catching her red-handed even more clear.

WAIT, I’LL TALK!

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Only the Narrow Men’s lieutenants know Vengen Straight is their leader. If they’re defeated or exposed by the Crew, they can offer to rat out Vengen to the Crew in exchange for mercy, freedom, or their life. If the Crew hasn’t pursued or uncovered this angle, a defeated lieutenant can dangle “important information” to the Crew either to inform them of Vengen or at least give the Crew the hint of her existence.

Location: Mila almost never leaves The Narrows. She sends gofers to fetch anything she needs, and favors running “the family business” to having any social life. Potential Ally: The Narrows’ chef, Griller, used to be in charge of the entire bar before Vengen moved in. Griller lives in a small apartment near The Narrows, and is secretly hiding Smelter there (see page 161). With a bit of coaxing, he admits he would love to resume ownership and control of the establishment and make it respectable. Even though Griller is a Pewterarm, he doesn’t want to resort to violence to oust Mila Straight, and he asks the same of the Crew. His insider knowledge could offer key intelligence for disrupting the safe haven’s operation. Nudging the Crew: Should Mila be the person to hired the Crew (see page 147), she might come clean to them in The Narrows where she’s protected by bodyguards and the discretion of patrons. She might simply offer suggestions on how to “sabotage” The Narrows as part of striking back at her sister, or could even give them information on her sister Vengen directly, which will probably move them directly on to the next scene. Assuming that Mila is not the one that hired the Crew, Griller could be a much more knowledgeable member of the Narrow Men than described. He knows not only about Mila and Vengen’s relationship — he knows about the Narrow Men’s entire operation, and can provide useful tips on how to attack its pillars. He’s even willing to drop Vengen’s name, though he’s nervous to do anything that clearly exposes him to her wrath in case they fail.

WRAPPING UP THE SCENE

This scene’s conclusion isn’t based on resolving the trouble the Narrow Men caused for the Crew, but applying enough pressure to the Narrow Men to force the gang’s leader, Vengen Straight, out into the open. The Narrow Men’s five lieutenants and their respective operations are each an important part of the gang’s operation. Consider moving on to the next scene when two to three of these ventures have been seriously undermined or threatened.

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AWARDING ADVANCEMENTS

This scene is the Crew’s chance to get some sweet revenge against the Narrow Men. The gang is too well organized and resilient to topple all at once, and too entrenched in their business to stop drug muling, so advancements are awarded based on the success of the Crew’s attacks against the Narrow Men. •

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•

For each Narrow Men major operations successfully disrupted (drug muling, The Narrows, blackmail, protection, money laundering): 1 Advancement For each lieutenant neutralized (defeated, captured, forced to flee, or turned against the Narrow Men): 1 Advancement

4 LEADER OF THE PACK

SCENE OVERVIEW

In this scene, the Crew makes its final confrontation with the Narrow Men and thier secretive leader, Vengen Straight. By this point, the Crew should have undermined a number of the Narrow Men’s criminal activities. The lieutenants responsible for running those operations are likely disgraced or destroyed. After a number of scenes highly dependent on the Crew’s background and own impulses, the adventure has toward its inevitable crescendo — confronting Vengen directly. Now it’s time to see who, or what, emerges from this clash of two of the city’s most competent Crews.

SETTING THE SCENE

The scene starts after the Crew has dismantled at least two parts of the Narrow Men’s criminal enterprise and learned Vengen Straight’s identity, giving them the tools they need to stop the smugglers once and for all. The action begins once the Crew reconvenes to plan their next move and then continues on into a confrontation with Vengen Straight at the seat of her power. If the Heroes have not asked for a Breather at this point, offer them one so they don’t go into the final conflict too weak. Even if the clash between the Crew and the Narrow Men has not resulted in any open conflict or destruction of property, the anxiety of the skaa who live near The Narrows is palpable. Shops shut down early, people stay off the streets, and tension hangs heavy in the air. Everyone in close proximity to the Narrow Men

seem to know that something bad is coming. If someone (like the Heroes) were able to get to the Narrow Men and/or damage them, than it stands to reason those actors could be even worse than Vengen’s gang — and no one wants to get caught in the crossfire.

VITAL COMPONENTS, CLUES, AND PACING Leader of the Pack

As with Scene 3, this scene could vary significantly depending on what happened in the previous scenes, so expect to adapt the particulars to both the Crew’s theme and how successful the Narrow Men have been in Scene 2. The scene is engineered to produce a number of clashes with Vengen Straight and the Narrow Men. The Crew’s efforts up until now will pay off by making those conflicts easier in ways that correspond with what they’ve accomplished. Ratchet up the sense of danger and tension commensurately with the successes the Crew earned against the Narrow Men in the previous scene. After all, the more likely it seems to the Narrow Men that the Crew is going to undo them, the harder they will fight back! The final confrontation with Vengen is the make-or-break moment of the conflict; either the Crew will win or the Narrow Men will, and all gloves will be off. The Crew should feel the full gravity of the situation as they head into the final conflict. Slowly build up the suspense as they encounter more and more of Vengen’s forces, hedging them in and stacking the odds against them. The final encounter with Vengen also gives Mila Straight a chance to play her hand. She resents her sister, but is no fool. She’ll side with the Crew against her sibling if her odds of making it through unscathed are good, but she flees if the Crew seem bloodthirsty, and backs up her sister against the Crew if she doesn’t think they stand a chance of taking out Vengen.

PRIMARY EVENTS

As always, Vengen Straight has a plan. Having seen the Crew in action, she is playing defense, trying to keep them off-balanced or injured until she can recover for a counterattack. She may be down, but she’s most certainly not out.

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Once the Crew has met the requisite goals to move the adventure toward its finale, Vengen responds with an ultimatum to the assembled Crew, likely provided at their newest hideout or meeting spot. The strength and ferocity of the messengers depends on the Narrow Men’s resources remaining by this point in the adventure. Vengen sends one Narrow Men Tough (see page 171) per member of the Crew to deliver the message, who gain additional benefits depending on how many of the lieutenants are still in action: • •

• •

Vengen’s envoys arrive at nightfall. Read the text below.

Night has fallen, and lights in the windows of the nearby buildings are going dark as the mists fill the streets. Then a knock sounds at the door. A group of armed hoodlums in dark clothing stand outside, wielding a variety of nasty weapons in plain view. One of them yells out to you, “Come with us, or you’re going to regret it!” Her tone offers no doubt that violence is the only other option.

The toughs (and the Coinshot, Pewterarm, and/or Obligator Anton, if along with them) make no attempts to hide their numbers or intent. Be sure to point out that whatever additional resources are applied against the Crew are likely coming from the functioning parts of the Narrow Men’s criminal operations (e.g. brandnew dueling canes in the toughs’ hands, or a crazed look in their eye that is clearly the work of Soothing). In the very likely event that a battle ensues, it’s a no-holds-barred street fight. However, give the Crew an opportunity to interrogate one of the defeated thugs after the fight (even if you have to allow one to survive despite the best efforts of bloodthirsty Heroes!). While the thugs are well-paid by Vengen, they value their

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•

If Pierz is still loyal and trusted and his criminal operation is intact, one Pewterarm (see page 217) accompanies the toughs. If the Howler is still loyal and trusted and his criminal operation is intact, each tough gains the “Utterly Fearless” Trait. If Jean is still loyal and trusted and her criminal operation is intact, the Narrow Men Toughs are also armed with a dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking, contains no metal) and leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks). If Mila is still loyal and trusted and her criminal operation is intact, then a Coinshot (see page 213) accompanies the toughs. If Slade is still loyal and trusted and his criminal operation is intact, then Anton the Obligator (see page 191) arrives with the toughs to “watch out for illegal activities.” Anton avoids all violence or direct involvement, but his presence is a clear threat to skaa Allomancers, Keepers, and any wanted criminals in the Crew. If the Crew has made prior contact with Anton — or they capture him in this sequence — they might be able to turn him into a potential ally against the Narrow Men (see “Slade’s Operation” on page 189 for more).

lives even more, and will easily give up information that the Narrow Men’s command structure is currently meeting at The Narrows: Q: What are the Narrow Men up to? A: “The bosses are meeting at The Narrows. Secret stuff, but they’re making a plan to deal with you in case we don’t work out. You should have just come with us.”

Leader of the Pack

If the Crew agrees to go without a fight (or are beaten by them in a fight), the Narrow Men bind the and haul them off to The Narrows. The toughs don’t bother to gag the Heroes, though they are tightly bound (breaking or slipping out of the ropes requires a successful Physique 3 roll). Any attempts to escape are immediately apparent, and the toughs will beat a restive Hero savagely to ensure the Crew’s compliance. Regardless of the resolution, the Crew should proceed from the confrontation with Vengen’s “emissaries” to The Narrows, where the gang’s leadership awaits.

LOCATION: THE NARROWS

While the Crew is distracted with the squad of goons, Vengen has called a meeting of her remaining lieutenants (at least, those who are able to attend and remain in her good graces), plus Mila. Vengen has determined the Crew has become a large enough problem that they need to be shut down before they ruin her entire operation. Vengen’s ostensible plan is to offer the Crew a large sum of money in exchange for backing off; if they refuse, she’s going to invest that money into an enormous bounty on all their heads. The lieutenants agree with her plan, but unbeknownst to them Vengen already has a contingency plan in place: a fullfledged Mistborn, hanging surreptitiously around the bar. The truth is Vengen would never forgive the Crew, even if they accepted a payout, but after the events of the previous days, she can no Vengen longer implicitly trust her lieutenants to keep her plans a seStraight cret. She hopes that the illusion of a peaceful resolution will make the Heroes let their guard down before her Mistborn assassin strikes. When the Crew arrives at The Narrows, they find Vengen, Mila, and the remaining lieutenants at an unusually empty bar, sharing a bottle of wine. Griller greets the Crew at the door and asks any of them if they want a drink (being careful to disguise his affiliation with them, should the Heroes have recruited them to their cause). If any of the Crew care to visually inspect The Narrows, have them make a Wits 4 roll; with success, they notice the door to Mila’s office is cracked, perhaps far enough for someone inside to look out.

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As the Heroes enter the bar, read the following aloud:

The Narrow Men are completely aware of the Crew’s presence and wave them in as they open the door. As they enter, if the Narrow Men are holding any hostages or stolen goods, Vengen shows the Heroes they are in the gang’s possession and (mostly) unarmed. A hostage could be tied up held by a Narrow Men Tough (see page 171) with a knife pressed against their back, while valuable items could be sitting on the table with Vengen while she passes a lit candle over them. After the display is made, let the players know that any violence is likely cause for a hostage to be killed or an item destroyed. Once the Heroes have approached, read the text below to the players. As you approach, the dark-haired stranger speaks. “Welcome. I’m certain you’ve deduced it, but to confirm your suspicions, I am Vengen Straight, leader of the Narrow Men. In a few days, you all have managed to make yourselves a very large nuisance. I appreciate the talent that takes, I really do. It’s a shame that we couldn’t have worked together. Alas, the ash fell differently and we are enemies…at least, for now.” “I’ve invited you here to reach an accord. Despite your efforts, the Narrow Men are still strong, and it is wise for all of us not to escalate this feud further. Whatever you hope to gain from this conflict, whatever you’ve been promised, and whatever money there is in it for you, I can offer you more to walk away.” “I don’t expect us to be friends, but by this gift, perhaps we could at least become allies. What appeals to you? Coin? A cut of the black tack trade? What do you say? This is a one-time offer.”

The Crew has an opportunity to confer before they respond. They are likely poised for a final confrontation with Vengen Straight and her remaining lieutenants, so the offer of an alliance may throw them off. Their motivations for declining the offer are pretty clear: they accepted a job (and payment) from Tevigger; the Narrow Men have attacked them and their loved ones; black tack stands

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The Narrows is unusually quiet and empty — only a handful of people are present, all of them sitting together at the bar sharing a bottle of wine. You immediately recognize many of the faces in the group as the Narrow Men’s leadership, but one face you do not recognize: a slim woman with high cheekbones, who you might call pretty if not for the palpable menace she radiates. Her coalblack hair is pulled back in a utilitarian bun and she wears the well-made, but humble, garb of a tradesman. She has a thin nasty looking dagger at her hip. She smiles, but her grey eyes are cold. When you see Mila Straight sitting beside her, you know immediately the two women must be related.

A TIGHT SQUEEZE

Leader of the Pack

What if your Crew decides they want to work with Vengen Straight? If you have an ongoing game, it could make for an interesting dynamic to have her paying the Crew, but growing increasingly angry at their continued existence. However, if you want to cleanly end this adventure without Vengen’s lingering and inevitable betrayal, you can have Mila instigate a brawl or argument as detailed later in this scene. Mila will try to escape the fight, but Vengen knows nothing of her sister’s desire to betray her. If a Hero attacks Mila, Vengen defends her.

poised to ravage the skaa community if they do nothing; and the people they’ve been working with, including Smelter and any allies they made along the way, will be in danger if they enter into an agreement with Vengen. The adventure assumes the Crew declines this offer; if not, see “A Tight Squeeze” sidebar for ideas on how things might play out. Assuming the Heroes turn Vengen down, things can go down in a number of ways, based on the Crew’s approach. The most likely are either a social confrontation, or a physical one, as follows:

TURNING THE NARROW MEN AGAINST VENGEN

If the Crew’s objective is to end the drug muling ring and protect Smelter (along with anyone else caught up in the Narrow Men’s plots), force of arms may not be the best route to take. The most obvious way to take down Vengen without risking the lives of the Crew or any hostages is to call the strength of Vengen’s leadership of the Narrow Men into question, and let the gang work it out itself. Doing so is a Social Conflict with Vengen and all the lieutenants present other than Mila. The wild card in this situation is Mila Straight. She abstains from the duel of wits and tongues, observing quietly. Whether the Crew knows it or not, Mila is looking for an opportunity to betray her sister and take control of the Narrow Men. She bears no particular grudge against the Crew (unless they did something to earn her enmity), and will ally with whomever appears to have the upper hand in the conflict. If the Crew appears strong, Mila may act to undermine Vengen and complete her fall; she’d even be willing to accept control of a greatly diminished Narrow Men if doing so would undo her sister. If Mila sees the Crew taking he upper hand, she leaps into the fray to attack her sister. If this happens, read the following. Mila stands up from the table and faces down her sister. She grips her scarf tightly in one hand, and her fidgeting fingers betray her nervousness. She begins to speak, in her rasping voice, “Sister, I warned you that smuggling that trash was

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dangerous. This would have never happened if you hadn’t gotten too greedy. I turned The Narrows into a profitable business — swiftly, and with minimal risk — and you’ve put that all in danger. I know the Narrow Men’s limits. It’s time you step down and let another Straight lead this gang.”

FIGHTING THE NARROW MEN

If the Crew decides to fight without an argument or if they fail to defeat Vengen in a Social Conflict, Vengen, the Mistborn, and her undefeated loyal lieutenants face off against the Crew in physical combat. In this Conflict, Vengen and her

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If Vengen is defeated in this Social Conflict, the remaining lieutenants abandon her and won’t support her. Any lieutenants defeated in Social Conflict, even if Vengen wasn’t beaten, won’t participate in any future combats against the Crew, nor will they call in any reinforcements. Vengen does not take this defeat and subsequent betrayal by her “loyal” henchmen gracefully; she screams in frustration and demands the Crew be killed. From her office, a man in mask and dark clothing — the Mistborn mercenary — literally flies into the confines of The Narrows, knives flashing, to attack the most dangerous-looking Hero present. Vengen joins the Mistborn and tries to kill the Crew, but the lieutenants hang back — they may no longer have faith in Vengen, but are not willing to fight her either.

allies try to outright kill the Crew. Make sure the stakes are clear to the players — this is a winner-takes-all battle. Vengen may lack any special abilities, but by this point her carefully insulated world has collapsed, so she’ll attack regardless of the odds. In addition to Vengen and the Mistborn, each lieutenant brings the following asset to bear in this Physical Conflict: • •

Leader of the Pack

• •

If Pierz is still loyal and hasn’t been defeated, then a Pewterarm (see page 217) emerges alongside the Mistborn to confront the Crew. If the Howler is still loyal and hasn’t been defeated, then one Bodyguard emerges alongside the Mistborn to confront the Crew. If Jean is still loyal and hasn’t been defeated, then one Bodyguard emerges alongside the Mistborn to confront the Crew. If Slade is still loyal and hasn’t been defeated, then one Bodyguard emerges alongside the Mistborn to confront the Crew.

Mila Straight, for reasons enumerated previously, isn’t truly loyal to her sister and stays out of the combat. She may act the part, but avoids exposing her true agenda until it becomes obvious she can do so without risking her life. If the Mistborn and most of the lieutenants are defeated, she may join the fray alongside the Heroes — ideally hoping to strike the killing blow against Vengen. However if the fight is going against the Heroes or they are merciless during the combat, she’ll flee rather than let herself be captured by the Crew.

VENGEN STRAIGHT (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 6, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 10, Reputation 12, Willpower 10 Traits: Secret Leader; Criminal Mastermind; No Conscience; Always Has a Backup Plan; Angry Equipment: Fine sword (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking); Two obsidian daggers (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close, contains no metal); Reinforced laborer’s garb (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks)

BODYGUARD (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Infl uence 3, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Protect the Client; Follow the Client’s Orders; Thick-Headed Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking); Dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks)

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ALLIES UNBIDDEN

MISTBORN (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5 [9], Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 8 [12], Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Knife Fighter; Nimble as a Cat; Fearsome Reputation; Overconfident; Mercenary

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

All Metals 4 (including Pewter, which boosts Physique and Health as shown in brackets)

EQUIPMENT

Obsidian dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close; contains no metal); Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); 3 Mistborn vials (1 charge each of Brass, Bronze, Copper, Iron, Pewter, Steel, Tin, and Zinc)

AWARDING ADVANCEMENTS

While the scene plays out largely based on the Crew’s actions earlier in the story, the best way to earn Advancements is to destroy Vengen Straight so she can never hurt the Crew again. • • • •

Finding a way to spare the surviving Narrow Men (such as giving Mila control of the Narrow Men): 1 Advancement Making sure the drug muling operation ends: 1 Advancement Setting up the Crew to profit from the fall of the Narrow Men: 1 Advancement Toppling Vengen Straight’s leadership of the Narrow Men: 1 Advancement

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If the scene resolves in a fight, be sure reward the Heroes for acting friendly and heroically through the NPC reactions. This might include Griller or Smelter cinematically interceding to hold off a Guard that tries to join the fray, a timely intervention by the Welders, or Obligator Anton showing up to end the fight and arrest Vengen on the charges he’s built up dealing with Slade. Whatever you choose, find a balance between helping the players win and solving the situation for them — if they’ve worked hard to get here, they can at least catch a few breaks here and there.

5 AFTERMATH

SCENE OVERVIEW

With Vengen likely defeated, and perhaps dead, and her lieutenants are broken, scattered, or wary, the Crew faces tough decisions about what to do with the remaining Narrow Men. Though the lieutenants have provided strong (and sometimes wicked) competition to the Heroes, none likely them any long-lasting ill will — these sorts of things are simply part of the business, and they are more interested in their survival than getting revenge.

PRIMARY EVENTS PARLEYING WITH THE NARROW MEN

Following the showdown, Mila offers to “take care” of everything at The Narrows — including her sister. She promises if the Crew leaves things to her, they can count on the “new Narrow Men” as allies; this offer is sincere, since she’s perfectly aware that she owes the Crew for her new position, and is smart enough she won’t stand toe-to-toe with them anytime soon. The other lieutenants are less enthusiastic, but they’re willing to follow Mila’s lead. If the Heroes take Mila up on her offer, they can put as many conditions on the deal as they want, so long as they don’t call for her or the lieutenants to relinquish their control of the gang. Requesting an end to the practice of drug smuggling and black tack production should be fairly easy, since Mila has always thought the practice ill-advised; asking for the end of profitable ventures like extortion and protection rackets will likely be met with more resistance. Ideally, the Heroes should not

get everything they want, but they should feel assured they’ve been able to complete their employers’ wishes and protected themselves from future aggression. If the Narrow Men continue onward in some form, the new Narrow Men wrest control of all the businesses affiliated with the gang and continue on in a stable (albeit less aggressive) form. The Narrows and the slums surrounding it continue to function largely as they have before, less the kidnappings and availability of black tack on the street. Sympathetic characters like Smelter, Griller, and the Welders are likely freed from the obligations and threats posed by their former oppressors, for which they are quite thankful.

DESTROYING THE NARROW MEN

Aftermath

Alternatively, if the Crew still feels aggrieved or vengeful, they might choose to carry their defeat of Vengen on to the destruction of the rest of the Narrow Men’s organization. In light of this, Mila and all the remaining lieutenants make a break for it, and in the chaos the gang and its enterprises disintegrate. Those abused and threatened by the Narrow Men are indeed grateful to the Crew, but such actions also have lasting ramifications. The truth is the Narrow Men didn’t exist in a vacuum simply to challenge the Heroes; they were part of the mortar that held the local underworld together. The sudden destruction of skilled leadership, an end of black tack in the slums, and elimination of protection rackets has many potential repercussions to the community near The Narrows: •

•

•

•

Jonesing: Without the Narrow Men smuggling their drugs, skaa addicts desperate for a fix start to become dangerous, sticking up lone individuals and breaking into businesses in search of a rumored cache of black tack (Jean’s old cooking operation). Staying Alive: The businesses that were once under the thumb of the Narrow Men are free, but also without protection. Will other, even worse gangs move in to intimidate them? Can these businesses even remain solvent as legitimate businesses, without the support of a successful money laundering operation? The Narrows: Mila Straight may not be a friend, but she’s not an enemy either, and The Narrows offers a safe haven for dangerous meetings going forward. If Mila fled or was killed, The Narrows may lose its treasured status as neutral ground. Without such a space, does the city’s underworld turn more violent? Or could the Crew somehow step into this void? Who’s the Boss?: Without Vengen or Mila to wrangle the strong personalities of the Narrow Men’s lieutenants, the erstwhile colleagues may turn on one another or start up their own gangs that are even more savage or dangerous than the Narrow Men. What sort of effect might this have on the Crew or the city in the long run? Will any of them come back, stronger than ever and looking for revenge?

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The destruction of the Narrow Men means that sympathetic characters like Smelter, Griller, and the Welders are freed from the obligations and threats posed by Vengen and her minions, but problems likely arise in their place. Without the very public interest of the Howler in Ellie, the Welders soon find themselves squeezed by rival crews who suspect the apothecaries of hiding the Narrow Men’s lost drug cache. Fil the Butcher and his fellow merchants have only partial success in staying out from under the thumb of criminal gangs, with many falling prey to the heavies who Pierz staved off. Griller takes up management of The Narrows, forced to use his Pewter on occasion to deal with the distasteful clientele that still frequents the establishment. Smelter remains thankful for his liberation and the Crew’s help, but is soon back at the bottle and on the street.

MEET YOUR EMPLOYER

Following the confrontation with Vengen and settling things with the Narrow Men, the Crew makes it back to their hideout. A few minutes after their arrival, they hear a knock on their door. Outside, they’re greeted by Tevigger and a representative from his employer. Read the following aloud to the players:

Follow up this description with one of the following codas, as appropriate to the employer you chose during the Introduction (see page 147). …If Mila hired the Crew (and did not flee or die)… Read the following to the players: Mila Straight emerges from the shadows. The scarf she normally wears is noticeably absent, revealing a wicked scar across her neck. She smirks with a hint of apology. “You could never know who was watching The Narrows. You understand I could never be caught hiring you to take down my own gang — were I to be caught, Vengen and the rest would have surely buried me in a shallow grave. To

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Aftermath

When you finally return to your hideout for some much deserved rest, you see a familiar lanky-framed man waiting for you — the fixer Tevigger, along with a guest whos features you have trouble making out in the shadows. Tevigger doffs his hat to all of you and says, “Greetings, my friends! It seems that you’ve done as asked, and the source of poor Smelter’s illness has been stopped. Sorry to be vague about the whole thing, but in case the assignment did not go as planned, our employer didn’t want the Narrow Men to have an obvious reason to suspect them. Surely, you understand the need for caution and discretion in these situations. Now that the assignment has been a success, our employer wants to clear things up with you, so we all know where we stand.”

pull this off, it was necessary to maintain the fiction that I had nothing to do with you until the very end, when your success was certain. I appreciate your service, and you can rest assured the Narrow Men’s days of drug muling are over. There is something very distasteful about mutilating fellow skaa.” Her hand moves compulsively to run over the scar on her neck. “At any rate, here is your payment — a lord’s ransom, to be sure, but it was worth it to stop Vengen. You may find the idea of taking out one’s own blood distasteful, but keep in mind what she was and what she was willing to do. You will never know what I could have been before she broke me.”

…If Rin the Jeweler hired the Crew… Read the following to the players:

Aftermath

Rin the Jeweler steps out from behind Tevigger. He smiles and wrings his hands nervously. “I know what you’re thinking: if I had the money, why didn’t I just hire you deal with Jean and the Narrow Men outright, instead of using all this guile? Truth is, it was more complicated than that. Us merchants, we simply could not abide by the Narrow Men’s methods, but we had no way out. They were stealing our products and undercutting us on the black market, hurting our businesses. They took food from the mouths of our families, endangered everything we’d built. They’d robbed our customers — I would see a piece one day and find out the next the buyer had been shaken down. I only come to you as a representative of our cabal of concerned businessmen, and in the defense of our clients. You did a good thing for my business, and this city. Take your well-deserved payment.”

…If Obligator Anton hired the Crew… Read the following to the players: Obligator Anton steps forward. He nods to the Crew, a mix of admiration and disdain playing across his face. “The Lord Ruler bless you for your services to the Final Empire. It is true Narrow Men were engaged illegal trafficking of drugs, and their removal was necessary for the stability and safety of His people. But even more egregiously, these…gangsters dared believe could coerce and manipulate agents of the Steel Ministry. Such arrogance was sorely misguided and could not stand. I long ago confessed my sins to my superiors; Slade never had any real leverage on me.” “Although you had no way of knowing your cause was righteous, the Lord Ruler works in mysterious ways. In thanks for your service, seek me if you need a

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favor, but know this: should you engage in unforgiveable acts of sedition or heresy, no good service will save you from the Lord Ruler’s justice. In the meantime, take this as a token for your good service, and perhaps, as a down payment on continued good work for the Lord Ruler.”

WHAT COMES NEXT?

At this point, the Heroes can take control of the story once again, and start their next scheme (see the Mistborn Adventure Game, page 419), hopefully with a few new hooks for adventure under their belt. A few possible next steps following the events of Beasts of Burden include: •

•

•

•

If Slade survived the adventure, the Crew may realize he has Feruchemical ability. The Crew may realize how important an unregistered Feruchemist could be to the Terris people on the Synod and may wish to find a way to get him safely into the hands of those that can teach and train him. If the Crew befriended Griller, they may come to hear about his formerly ferocious reputation. With the Narrow Men destroyed or weakened, some enemies may emerge to settle the score with Griller. Griller just wants to stay legitimate, but without help, he may find himself with no choice but to resume his criminal ways to protect himself. Unbeknownst to the Crew, the Narrow Men shut down many of their rivals’ illegal drug trade. The underworld will be clamoring for a new source of drugs, leading to a potential war amongst various faction. The Crew could investigate a way to safely navigate or end this conflict. If the Crew became attached to the Welders, a lieutenant of one of their underlings could seek revenge on the Welders, either purely for their connection to the Crew, or because they discovered the assistance the Welders provided Smelter, Griller, and the Crew.

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Aftermath

Tevigger doffs his cap one last time and hands over a small pouch to the Crew. Tevigger and his employer leave and allow the Crew to examine their pay. Inside the bag the Crew finds four more beads of atium. The atium is worth a small fortune — assuming the Crew hasn’t burned any during the adventure, they have five beads total. Unlike other loot, these beads don’t “vanish” after the next Long Breather as normal, and the Heroes can keep these beads until they use them or sell them. Any Hero may sell a bead to increase his Resources by 1 die, or may trade it for any number of items with a total Difficulty of 5 or less (e.g., five items with a Difficulty of 1; an item with a Difficulty of 2 and another with a Difficulty of 3; etc.); both these benefits last until the next Long Breather as normal.

APPENDIX: NPC SUMMARY

COINSHOT (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Keen Eyes; Accurate; Pushy

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Steel 5 (Pushes metal objects) Multiple Targets: The character has finer control of his or her Steelpushing, and may simultaneously Push up to 5 individual metal objects, or attack up to 5 different targets. When attacking multiple targets, the character makes a single Steel roll which each target must defend against individually. Nudges are ignored (they may not be gained) when using Steel to attack multiple targets.

EQUIPMENT

Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); Misting vial (3 charges of Steel)

DOC WELDER (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 2 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 7, Willpower 6 Traits: Herbal Expert; Looking for Love; Overprotective Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking, contains no metal); Medical supplies; Medical book

ELLIE WELDER (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 4, Spirit 2 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 8, Willpower 5 Traits: Kind Soul; Looking for Love; Loyal Sister Equipment: Formal clothing

FIL THE BUTCHER (AVERAGE THREAT)

NPC Summary

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 3, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Good with a Cleaver; Polite; Determined Equipment: Cleaver (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Striking)

GRILLER (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6 [12], Charm 4, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 2, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8 [14], Reputation 7, Willpower 7 Traits: Cook; Reformed Criminal; Old Fighting Tricks

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

Pewter 5 (boosts Physique and Health, as shown in brackets) • Unconscious Burning: The character automatically burns Pewter when unconscious, though only if also injured (i.e., he doesn’t automatically burn Pewter when sleeping). Each Pewter charge burned in this fashion lasts for three hours, and the only benefits it conveys are increased Health, accelerated healing, and avoiding Pewter drag. It has no effect on Physique rolls or dice pools. This special Pewter burn stops immediately when he regains consciousness.

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MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME

HAZEKILLER (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 6, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 10, Reputation 6, Willpower 8 Traits: Hunter of Allomancers; Gang Fighting; Defensive Techniques; Quick Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Bow and fl int arrows (Damage +2; Range: Close / Long; contains no metal); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Large wooden shield (adds 2 dice to defense rolls against physical attack; contains no metal)

HOUSE GUARD (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Infl uence 3, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Protect the House; Follow My Lord’s Orders; Thick-Headed Equipment: Spear (Damage +2; Melee Range: Striking / Striking; Thrown Range: Close / Medium); Dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close); Steel mail (absorbs 2 damage from physical attacks) Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 9, Willpower 8 Traits: Terrible Laughter; Smuggler; Lecherous; Callous

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

•

Brass 7 (Soothes the emotions of others) Push Emotions: The Howler subtly Soothes nearly everyone around when burning Brass. At these times he gains one die with Charm rolls. This bonus isn’t gained with any roll that also gains dice due to Soothed emotions (i.e., the Howler may not stack this benefit with the basic use of Brass). Enduring Emotions: Emotions the Howler Soothes linger for up to an hour after he stops focusing on the victim.

EQUIPMENT

Dueling Cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); 3 Misting vials (3 charges of Brass each); Bowler hat

INFORMANT (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Infl uence 3, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 6, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Eavesdropper; Stool Pigeon; Paranoid Equipment: Disguise (any one common skaa or noble)

TIN & ASH

215

NPC Summary

THE HOWLER (SERIOUS THREAT)

JEAN (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 3, Charm: 5, Wits: 6 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 11, Willpower 10 Traits: Taskmistress; Spendthrift; Skilled Manager; Money Laundering; Hedonist Equipment: Craftsman’s garb; Craftsman’s tools (cooking); Horse & carriage

MILA STRAIGHT (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5, Charm 3, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 5, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 11, Reputation 8, Willpower 10 Traits: Fixer; Diligent; Jealous of Vengen; Former Dancer; Don’t Ask About My Scarf Equipment: Obsidian dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close, contains no metal); Elegant evening gown

MISTBORN (SERIOUS THREAT)

NPC Summary

Attributes: Physique 5 [9], Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 8 [12], Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Knife Fighter; Nimble as a Cat; Fearsome Reputation; Overconfident; Mercenary

POWERS (ALLOMANCY)

All Metals 4 (including Pewter, which boosts Physique and Health as shown in brackets)

EQUIPMENT

Obsidian dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close; contains no metal); Sack of copper clips (Damage +1; Thrown Range: Striking / Medium); 3 Mistborn vials (1 charge each of Brass, Bronze, Copper, Iron, Pewter, Steel, Tin, and Zinc)

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MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME

NARROW MEN KIDNAPPER (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 5, Charm: 3, Wits: 5 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 6, Willpower 9 Traits: Wary; Prey on the Weak; Protect the Product Equipment: Dueling Cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Shackles

NARROW MEN TOUGH (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique: 6, Charm: 3, Wits: 2 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 9, Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Just Following Orders; Don’t Mess with the Narrow Men Equipment: Club (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal)

OBLIGATOR ANTON (AVERAGE THREAT)

PEWTERARM (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 5 [10], Charm 3, Wits 3 Standings: Resources 3, Influence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8 [13], Reputation 6, Willpower 7 Traits: Pugilist; Intimidating; Bull in a China Shop

POWERS (ALLOMANCY) •

Pewter 5 (boosts Physique and Health, as shown in brackets) Unconscious Burning: The character automatically burns Pewter when unconscious, though only if also injured (i.e. he or she doesn’t automatically burn Pewter when sleeping). Each Pewter charge burned in this fashion lasts for three hours, and the only benefits it conveys are increased Health, accelerated healing, and avoiding Pewter drag. It has no effect on Physique rolls or dice pools. This special Pewter burn stops immediately when he or she regains consciousness.

EQUIPMENT

Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Misting vial (3 charges of Pewter)

TIN & ASH

217

NPC Summary

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 4, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 8, Willpower 8 Traits: By the Book; Hard to Intimidate; Respected; Cagey; Illegitimate Father Equipment: Pen and blank book; Formal clothing

PIERZ (SERIOUS THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 7, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 4, Spirit 5 Resiliences: Health 11, Reputation 7, Willpower 9 Traits: Respect My Strength; Bodyguard; Savage; Don’t Cross the Boss Equipment: Obsidian dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close, contains no metal); Leather armor (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks); Flask of whiskey

RIN THE JEWELER (MILD THREAT) Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 5, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 5, Influence 5, Spirit 2 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 10, Willpower 6 Traits: Patient; Observant Equipment: Craftsmen’s tools (jeweler)

SLADE (AVERAGE THREAT)

NPC Summary

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 5, Wits 5 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 5, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 9, Reputation 10, Willpower 9 Traits: What’s Yours Is Mine; Crooked Accountant; “Eidetic Memory”; It’s Just Business

POWERS (FERUCHEMY)

Copper 5 (stores memories; note he is unaware of his abilities)

EQUIPMENT

Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Copper-plated pocket watch; Copper ring; Notebook and pen

SMELTER (INSIGNIFICANT THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 2, Charm 4, Wits 2 Standings: Resources 2, Influence 2, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 4 (currently 3), Reputation 6, Willpower 5 Traits: Drunk; Friendly; Lookout Equipment: None Note: At the start of this scene, Smelter has the Grave “Direly Ill” Burden, due to his sickness.

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MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME

STEEL MINISTRY NOVICE (MILD THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 3, Charm 4, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Influence 4, Spirit 3 Resiliences: Health 7, Reputation 8, Willpower 7 Traits: Apprentice Obligator; By the Book; Zealous Equipment: Dueling cane (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking; contains no metal); Pen and blank book

THIEF (AVERAGE THREAT)

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 3, Wits 4 Standings: Resources 4, Infl uence 3, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 8, Reputation 6, Willpower 8 Traits: Stealthy; Nimble Fingers; Keen Ears; Bold; Greedy Equipment: Dagger (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch / Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close); Lockpicks; Rope and grapple

VENGEN STRAIGHT (SERIOUS THREAT)

TIN & ASH

219

NPC Summary

Attributes: Physique 4, Charm 6, Wits 6 Standings: Resources 6, Influence 6, Spirit 4 Resiliences: Health 10, Reputation 12, Willpower 10 Traits: Secret Leader; Criminal Mastermind; No Conscience; Always Has a Backup Plan; Angry Equipment: Fine sword (Damage +2; Melee Range: Touch / Striking); Two obsidian daggers (Damage +1; Melee Range: Touch/Touch; Thrown Range: Striking / Close, contains no metal); Reinforced laborer’s garb (absorbs 1 damage from physical attacks)

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SANDERSON

returns to the world of Mistborn with the sequel to Shadows of Self

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FROM #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Brandon

Sanderson COM E S T H E M I S T B O R N T R I L O G Y B O X E D S E T

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