the INITIATE
Since the dawn of history, we have been the bulwark against Darkness. We know the
Evil in the world, and we stand against it so that the mass of humanity need not fear.
We are the Flame that cleanses the Shadows.
A Monster of the Week hunter playbook.
To make your Initiate, pick a name. Then follow the
instructions below to decide your look, ratings, moves, Sect, NAME:
and gear. Finally, introduce yourself and pick history.
LOOK:
Look
Pick one from each line, and write under look on the right à
• Man, woman, masked.
Ratings
• Hardened body, tattooed body, agile body, strong body,
Whenever you roll a highlighted rating, mark experience.
thin body, angular body, hunched body.
• Archaic clothes, unfashionable clothes, ceremonial Charm: c -1 c0 c +1 c +2 c +3
clothes, mis-matched clothes. Basic moves: Manipulate Someone Highlight: c
Ratings Cool: c -1 c0 c +1 c +2 c +3
Pick one line, then mark each rating on the right à
Basic moves: Act Under Pressure, Help Out Highlight: c
c Charm-1, Cool+1, Sharp=0, Tough+1, Weird+2
Sharp: c -1 c0 c +1 c +2 c +3
c Charm=0, Cool+1, Sharp+1, Tough-1, Weird+2
Basic moves: Investigate, Read a Bad Situation Highlight: c
c Charm-1, Cool=0, Sharp-1, Tough+2, Weird+2
Tough: c -1 c0 c +1 c +2 c +3
c Charm+1, Cool-1, Sharp+1, Tough=0, Weird+2
Basic moves: Kick Some Ass, Protect Someone Highlight: c
c Charm=0, Cool=0, Sharp=0, Tough+1, Weird+2
Weird: c -1 c0 c +1 c +2 c +3
Moves Basic moves: Use Magic Highlight: c
You get all the basic moves, and four Initiate moves:
You get this one: c Helping Hand: When you successfully help another
g When you are in good standing with the Sect, at the hunter, they get +2 instead of the usual +1.
beginning of each mystery, roll +Charm. On a 10+ they c Apprentice: You have an apprentice, and your job is to
provide some useful info or help in the field. On a 7-9 you teach them the Sect's ways. They count as an ally:
get a mission associated with the mystery, and if you do it subordinate (motivation: to follow your instructions
you'll get some info or help too. On a miss, they need you to exactly).
do something bad. If you fail or refuse an order, you'll be in
trouble with the sect until you atone. c That Old Black Magic: When you use magic, you can ask
a question from the investigate a mystery move as an
Then pick three more: effect.
c Old-fashioned Carnage: When using an old-fashioned
c Sacred Oath: You may bind yourself to a single goal,
weapon, you inflict +1 harm and get +1 whenever you roll forsaking something during your quest (e.g. speech, all
protect someone. sustenance but bread and water, alcohol, lying, sex, etc). Get
c Mystic: Every time you use magic, take +1 forward. the Keeper's agreement on this – it should match the goal in
importance and difficulty. While you keep your oath and
c Fortunes: The Sect has ancient prophecies or divination work towards your goal, mark experience at the end of
techniques to predict the future. Once per mystery, you may every session and get +1 on any rolls that directly help
use them. If you look at what the future holds, roll achieve the goal. If you break the oath, take -1 ongoing until
+Weird. On a 10+ hold 3, and on a 7-9 hold 1. On a miss, you you have atoned.
get bad information and the Keeper decides how that affects
you. Spend your hold to: c Mentor: You have a mentor in the Sect: name them.
When you contact your mentor for info, roll +Sharp. On a
• have a useful, common object ready. 10+, you get an answer to your question, no problem. On a 7-
• be somewhere you are needed, just in time. 9 you choose: they're either busy and can't help, or they
answer the question but you owe a favour. On a miss, your
• get +1 forward, or give +1 forward to another question causes trouble.
hunter
• retroactively warn someone about an attack, so
that it doesn't happen.
Sect
You are part of an ancient, secret order that slays monsters. Where are they from? How old are they? Are they religious?
Why do they stay secret? How do they recruit?
You need to pick the Sect's traditions (these will be used by the Keeper to determine the Sect's methods and actions):
Good Traditions (pick two) Bad Traditions (pick two)
c Knowledgable c Magical lore c Dubious motives c Paranoid and secretive
c Ancient lore c Fighting arts c Tradition-bound c Closed hierarchy
c Chapters everywhere c Secular power c Short-sighted c Factionalised
c Flexible tactics c Modernised c Tyrannical leaders c Strict laws
c Open hierarchy c Integrated in society c Poor c Mystical oaths
c Nifty gadgets c Rich c Total obedience c Obsolete gear
c Magical items
Gear
If the Sect has fighting arts or obsolete gear, then pick two old-fashioned weapons. If the Sect has modernised or nifty
gadgets, pick two modern weapons. Otherwise pick one old-fashioned weapon and one modern weapon.
You also get old-fashioned armour (1-armour heavy).
Modern Weapons Old-fashioned Weapons
c .38 revolver (2-harm close reload loud) c sword (2-harm hand messy) c axe (2-harm hand messy)
c 9mm (2-harm close loud) c fighting sticks (1-harm hand quick) c spear (2-harm hand/close)
c sniper rifle (3-harm far) c big sword (3-harm hand messy heavy) c mace (2-harm hand messy)
c magnum (3-harm close reload loud) c big axe (3-harm hand messy slow heavy) c crossbow (2-harm close slow)
c shotgun (3-harm close messy) c silver knife (1-harm hand silver)
Introductions
When you get here, wait for everyone to catch up so you can do your introductions together.
Go around the group. On your turn, introduce your Initiate by name and look, and tell the group what they know about you.
History
Go around the group again. When it's your turn, pick one for each of the other hunters:
Hunter History Notes
They are a lay member of your Sect.
You fought together when the tide of monsters seemed unstoppable. Ask them how it went.
Friends, but they only know your cover identity, not about the Sect.
Close relative, or partner/spouse. Decide between you exactly what.
Fellow ancient weapons/martial arts club members.
They're described in the prophecies, but the role they will play isn't stated.
Is an ex-member of the sect, but still friends. Ask why they left or got thrown out.
You met researching mystical weirdness, and you've been spooky buddies ever since.
Luck
You can mark off a Luck box to either change a roll you just made to a 12, as if you had rolled that; or change a wound you
have just taken to count as just 0-harm. If your Luck boxes all get filled, you've run out of good luck.
Okay c c c c c c c Doomed
Harm
When you suffer harm, mark of the number of boxes equal to harm suffered. More than four harm is especially dangerous.
Okay c c c|c c c c Dying Unstable: c (Unstable injuries will worsen as time passes)
Leveling Up
Experience: c c c c c
Whenever you roll a highlighted rating, or a move tells you to, mark an experience box.
When you have filled all five experience boxes, you level up. Erase the marks and pick an improvement from the list below.
Improvements
c Get +1 Weird, max +3 c Take another Initiate move
c Get +1 Tough, max +2 c Gain command of your chapter of the Sect
c Get +1 Cool, max +2 c Gain a Sect team under your command
c Get +1 Sharp, max +2 c Take a move from another playbook
c Take another Initiate move c Take a move from another playbook
After you have leveled up five times, you qualify for advanced improvements in addition to these. They are listed below.
Advanced Improvements
c Get +1 to any rating, max +3. c Mark another two of the basic moves as advanced.
c Change this hunter to a new type. c Retire this hunter to safety.
c Make up a second hunter to play as well as this one. c Erase one used luck mark from your playbook.
c Mark two of the basic moves as advanced. c Become the leader, or effective leader, of the whole Sect.
Gaining command of your chapter of the Sect
You get promoted to be head of your local chapter. This gives you access to all local facilities as well as being in charge.
It doesn't mean you can constantly bring people along to help you on your mysteries – you need to take a team under your
command for that.
You can still call on resources from the Sect on a case by case basis, using your usual start of the mystery move, but you can
ask for bigger things now. Of course, your new superiors also expect more from you.
Gaining a Sect team under your command
You gain a friendly team of people to help you out. You might already know them, or they might be new to the game. A team
is made up of several people (usually 2-6).
Pick one of the following types for the team as a whole. The individuals may differ, but the team overall will act in
accordance with the the motivation you pick. The team types:
• Ally: subordinate (motivation: to follow your exact instructions)
• Ally: lieutenant (motivation: to execute the spirit of your instructions)
• Ally: friend (motivation: to provide emotional support)
• Ally: bodyguard (motivation: to intercept danger)
• Ally: confidante (motivation: to give you advice and perspective)
• Ally: backup (motivation: to stand with you)
If the team members don't have names yet, pick them now. Decide what their background is too, how they look, and any
special skills they bring.
My Sect Notes (moves, holds, team, etc)
This is a hunter playbook for Monster of the Week. Find out more at http://genericgames.co.nz
