Acknowledgments

This game takes inspiration from historical whaling industries in the 1840s, particularly the
industries in the United States, Britain, and Canada. This game most obviously takes its
inspiration from Herman Melville’s Mody Dick/The Whale, but also films like Heart of the Sea
and video games like Nantucket. This game also owes a lot to John Harper’s AGON and the
PARAGON system, without which this game would not be possible. I also owe a lot to
PARAGON playtest designers such as Tim Denee (Odyssey Aquatica), Dan Brown (Rising
Tide), and Greg Soper (Star Bones). Their games helped me see how the PARAGON system was
a good fit for my game and gave me inspiration for mechanics in Hunting Leviathans. A full
historical bibliography, lists of inspirations, and suggested media will be provided at the end of
the book.

Content and Tone

This game describes and depicts the historical process of hunting whales, sometimes in grisly
detail. I do not support or morally condone the commercial hunting of whales or any cetaceans.
However, I do support the rights of diverse Indigenous groups to continue to practice traditional
subsistence whaling as they have done for centuries. If you’re not comfortable with depictions or
stories that include violence to whales, or any animals, work with your group to change the
setting and what you’re all hunting. Although the writing and design of this game assumes the
setting will be the 1840s whaling industries of the United States, Britain, and Canada, players are
welcome and encouraged to fit the game to what they feel comfortable with. A chapter on
alternative settings is provided to help groups generate ideas or hacks of this game. This game is
also very focused on acts of labour and solidarity. Whaling was hard, gruelling, isolating, and
often deadly work. This game does its best to represent the often very inclusive and cooperative
attitudes of whalers but it does not shy away from showing how whalers’ bodies and minds were
worn down, broken, and exploited in the pursuit of whale oil that illuminated and lubricated the
industrial centres of America, Britain, and Canada. Ultimately, this game is about a group of
people travelling in shared isolation for months at a time, hunting creatures larger than life, all
while operating in a system that seeks to exploit them. It’s the player characters’ job to voyage
and hunt, form bonds of cooperation and solidarity with each other (not always smoothly), and
live long enough to retire peacefully or at least long enough to see the next voyage.

1
 Paragon System Adaptations
AGON — Hunting Leviathans

Islands — Sightings

Divine Favor — Skills and Equipment

Pathos — Stress

Fate and Agony — Pain

Trial — Labour

Battle — Hunt

Epithet — Job

Boons — Scars

Great Deeds — Yarns

Glory — Salt

Sightings replace Islands from AGON. Sightings are most comparable to Islands, in that they are
both settings and events where challenges are presented and addressed by the players. Sightings
are meant to be more general than Islands and can involve almost anything encountered while
sailing the open oceans.

Skills and Equipment replaces Divine Favor from AGON. Skills and Equipment is meant to
reflect both the personal skills that the whalers have but also the condition of their equipment and
their relationship and history to it.

Style of Play
Hunting Leviathans is based on AGON and because of this it inherits the system’s simple, easy
to use, and focused style of play. Like AGON, characters are made up of only a few simple stats
making character creation quick and easy. Hunting Leviathans, much like AGON, defines foes in
a very general sense (a monster, a storm, a watchful guard, an angry boar, etc.). Also like

2
AGON, Hunting Leviathans is about location based adventures. Unlike AGON, these locations
are not Mediterranean styled islands experiencing dangerous strife. Instead, islands are more
generally defined as Sightings that happen while on a Voyage. The most common type of
Sightings found in this book are whales which always lead to a few Labours and a big climactic
Hunt. Other Sightings can include things such as storms, other vessels, and even events on the
ship such as conflict between crewmates or the observation of a holiday. These Sightings still
follow AGON’s structure of trials and battles to determine what happens to the Sighting and
your Voyage generally. Every scene revolves around a Labour or a Hunt. A Labour is any kind
of conflict which requires the players to roll dice and whose outcomes are uncertain and final. A
Hunt is like a battle but slightly more of a process that has more back and forth between players
and adversary. The design of AGON and Hunting Leviathans is meant to facilitate fast
resolutions of conflicts that move on to other thing

3
 Character Creation
A curious sight; these bashful bears, these timid warrior whalemen!
Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Name

Write your character’s Name and any pronouns. Assign a d6 to your character’s Name. Your
Name becomes stronger as you gain Salt. Your Name is what represents your character and their
identity. Like in Moby Dick, Names have a lot of weight and importance to your character and
their reputation. If you are unsure what to pick, work with your GM and other players to pick a
Name that fits your character concept and the setting.

A Note on inclusivity and historical accuracy: historically women were generally not present
aboard whaling ships. Usually they were there only as the wife of the captain. That being said,
there are examples of women disguising themselves as men to go whaling.1 If all players of a
group wish to be as historically accurate as possible, they are welcome to play all male
characters or to allow players to take on the roles of a captain’s wife or a woman in disguise as a
man. However, players wanting a less historical setting, or perhaps a more Hollywood or TV
inspired take on history, are encouraged to allow characters of any sex or gender.

Job

Write down your character’s job aboard a whaling ship and assign a d6 to it. Job is this game’s
version of an Epithet and gives a brief description of your character’s role and duties aboard the
ship. Your character’s experience and dedication to this job can be used to help your character in
relevant conflicts.

As a group of characters, you will all work together in the same whaling boat to hunt whales.
Some of you in the group will need to fulfil specific roles for those hunts to have a chance of
success. Some examples and descriptions of Jobs are provided below and limits are placed on the
minimum and maximum allowed per group. Pick from this list or work with your GM and other
players to make one appropriate for your group, setting, or style of play.

Captain (only one per boat, same as Boatheader during Hunts): You are the captain of the
whaling ship. Sometimes you are the owner of the whaling ship, but not always. Work with your

1
In 1849 a young woman named Anne Johnson boarded the ship Christopher Mitchell by disguising herself as
George Johnson. She spent seven months aboard the Mitchell until her secret was discovered. Once she was
discovered the captain turned the ship around and returned her back to port. Within fiction there’s also the 1922
silent film Down to the Sea in Ships which depicts this same kind of story.

4
group and GM to determine if the captain is the owner or not. If taking part in a Hunt, captains
fulfil the role of Boatheader found below. Example: Captain Ahab

First, Second, or Third Mate (only one per group, same as Boatheader during Hunts): After
the captain you are the second, third, or fourth person in charge. Mates generally led the hunts of
whaling boats and served as the Boatheader. If taking part in a Hunt, mates fulfil the role of
Boatheader found below. Examples: Starbuck, Stubb, and Flask.

Steward (only one per group): You are the captain’s personal servant. You also make sure all
the mates are kept in order. On a whaling ship the Steward’s role was similar to a quartermaster
who kept track of and managed the ship’s food and supplies during a voyage. Stewards are often
assisted by a cabin boy. Example: Dough-Boy

Boatheader (REQUIRED: only one per group. Job cannot be filled if there is already a
captain or mate. If there is a captain or mate in the group, they take the role of Boatheader
during Hunts): The boatheader is the one in charge of the boat during a hunt. The boatheader is
the one with their hand on the rudder of the boat, both literally and figuratively. It is the
boatheader that leads the chase for the whale and must make the hard decision to continue a hunt
or not. The boatheader changes places with the harpooner and moves to the front of the boat to
lance the whale and deliver the killing blow. Examples: Starbuck, Stubb, and Flask

Harpooner/Boatsteerer (REQUIRED: only one per group): The Boatsteerer, also commonly
known as the harpooner, is responsible for making the first strike against a whale and
successfully harpooning it. The harpooner needs to be incredibly strong to throw a harpoon,
sometimes a distance of up to thirty feet away. They also need to throw accurately, as often there
can be very little of the whale visible above water. Finally the harpooner must be strong because
they assist the oarsmen in rowing out to hunt the whales. After harpooning the whale and after
the whale takes the crew on a Nantucket sleigh ride, the harpooner switches places with the
boatheader to steer the boat at the helm while the boatheader lances the whale.

Oarsman (REQUIRED: minimum one and maximum four): Oarsmen helped to row and
paddle out to whales to hunt. They are also able seamen who are skilled with their hands and the
equipment of a whaling boat. Oarsmen help to pull in the whale after it is killed, wet the rope so
the friction doesn’t cause it to snap, and keep an eye on the rope so it doesn’t tangle or pull
anyone under.

Cooper

Cook

Blacksmith

Carpenter

5
Naturalist

Cabin Boy

Ancestry

Is this game’s version of Lineage. As shown in Moby Dick and many whaling logbooks, whalers
came from a diverse set of ethnicities, cultures, races, and nationalities.

Domain

Choose your character’s main Domain. It will receive a d8 in it. All other domains are given a
d6.

Brawny & Venatic: Your character’s physical strength, toughness, and endurance. It also
measures your characters determination and pursuance of the hunt and how engaged they are in
hunting.

Sea Legs: Your character’s prowess and comfort at sea. It represents their general familiarity
with nautical terms, whaling equipment, and life at sea. It also represents your character’s
general ability to move and work on-board a ship or boat, especially during turbulent conditions.

Keen Eyes & Mind: Your character’s visual and mental acuity. It represents their ability to
notice details, spot potential hazards or threats, and recognize changes in their environment. It
also represents their ability to process and understand new information, recall general or specific
knowledge, as well as being able to reason and empathize with others.

Quick & Crafty Hands: Your character’s ability to make and work with various kinds of
technology. It also represents your character’s tactile speed, finesse, and nimbleness.

Skills & Equipment: is this game’s version of Divine Favor. Characters start the game with two
marks in one Skill & Equipment, this is your character’s favoured Skill & Equipment. After, you
may then distribute three other marks in other Skills and Equipment.

Style

Describe your character’s appearance.

Bonds

Introduce your character to the other players. Tell them your Job, Name, Ancestry, pronouns, the
Skill & Equipment you favour, and their appearance. Write the names of the other player
characters in your Bond section of your character sheet. Record 2 Bonds with each other player
character. Bonds are a loose currency of favours, promises, obligations, and gratitude between
characters and are recorded on the character sheet as Bonds.

6
Leadership

Players determine the leader of the party based on their character’s job in this order: Captain,
Mate (first, second, and then third), Boatheader (often this role is filled by the Captain or a Mate
but it does not have to be,) Steward, and then Harpooner/Boatsteerer.

7
4
 Trials: Labours and Hunts
I never go as a passenger; nor, though I am something of a salt, do I ever go to sea as a
Commodore, or a Captain, or a Cook. I abandon the glory and distinction of such offices to
those who like them. For my part, I abominate all honourable respectable toils, trials, and
tribulations of every kind whatsoever.
Herman Melville, Moby Dick
Labours

For that business is an exceedingly laborious one; is not very soon completed; and requires all
hands to set about it.
Herman Melville, Moby Dick

To resolve a conflict or a non-trivial task, you engage in a Labour. A Labour has four steps: 1.
Face your opponent, 2. Speak your name, 3. Test your fortune, 4. Recite your deeds.

1. Facing Your Opponent

This can be initiated by either a player or a foe. Usually, player characters act as a team, but
sometimes they may split up, or a player character may act alone. Anything can be an opponent
during a Labour. For example, if a character needs to raise the ship’s sails in a storm their
opponent would be the storm. Anyone can call a Labour, but the GM has the responsibility to be
vigilant for it. Players declare their opposition to a foe by stating their approach and their goal.
Approach describes the method they use to handle the foe, their goal is what they hope to
achieve. The GM does the same for the opponent.

The GM determines which of the four Domains will resolve the conflict. Match the Domain to
the character’s chosen approach. If the player characters are resisting an opponent, the Domain
should reflect the opponent’s action.

The GM announces the opponent by name along with any epithets that apply. The GM grabs
dice for the name, epithet, and any bonus dice. Not every epithet will apply. Usually apply just
one but especially strong opponents may have several. Epithets for opponents are different from
the Job descriptors that player characters use. For example, a storm could maybe have the epithet
of “Raging.”

There are Advantage dice and Wrath dice. Advantage dice are given for specific fictional details
that impact a trial. The value of an Advantage die can change from 1d6 to 1d10. Both player
characters and foes can get them. If an opponent has a specific fictional edge or advantage in a
Hunt or Battle, give them an Advantage die. Wrath dice represent the strength and overwhelming
force of nature and other complex and external fictional complications such as poor morale

8
among the ship’s crew. Add a bonus die to the opponent’s pool depending on the level of Wrath.
Only the GM uses Wrath. Wrath is tracked by the GM and changes as a result of actions of the
players’ actions.

The GM rolls before any actions are narrated. This roll establishes the difficulty (or DC) for the
PCs and the amount of Salt the contest is worth. Roll all the dice in the GM’s pool. Keep the
single highest die and add the current Strife level. Strife Level is usually +5 (but may be
reduced to 4 or increased to 6 depending on fictional occurrences.) Announce the total as the
target DC for the contest. If there are multiple opponents, roll all of their dice together, keep the
highest, and add the Strife level. The GM never counts more than one die on a roll. The GM does
not yet describe the actions of the opponents. All the narration happens in the fourth step “Recite
your Deeds” after the GM and PCs roll and the outcome is known.

2. Speak Your Name

After the GM rolls to determine the target number, they then ask “Who will face this challenge?”
Each player indicates their participation by speaking their character’s name. Recite your
character’s Name and collect dice as you go: If your Job applies to the contest, grab that dice.
Then add your Name die and the Domain Die for the contest when you say your name and
lineage. You may also invoke the following bonuses:

- You may mark Stress to include the die from a second Domain to your dice pool.
- You may utilize Skills & Equipment. If you do, spend a point from your chosen Skill &
Equipment, after rolling your dice pool, roll 1d4 and add the result of that roll to the final
result of the dice pool. You do not include the 1d4 as part of your dice pool. Players can
use multiple marks of Skills & Equipment on one roll, but only count the highest single
d4.
- If you spend a Bond, ask that player to give you a copy of their Name die to use in
addition to your own. That player still gets to use their own Name die for that roll.
- If you have an Advantage die, add it to your roll.

3. Test Your Fortune

Once everyone has rolled their dice pools, sum the two highest results, not counting d4s.
Then add the number of any d4s to the highest dice to get your final result.

Then, compare the players’ results to the DC target number rolled by the GM.

- Equal to or greater: Your character prevails. Their action goes well and they overcome
the challenge. The prevailing character with the highest total is the best. (Roll Name die
to break a tie.)
- Less than: your character suffers. Their action goes awry or they have to endure hardship
to persevere. If all player character’s suffer, the opponent wins the contest.

9
4. Recite Your Deeds

After the rolls, the player characters take turns narrating their actions and effects on the trial,
starting with the characters who suffered, then the characters who prevailed, and finally the
character who was the best. Use your outcome to guide narration using your Job, Stress, or Skills
& Equipment as details. The GM responds with the actions of the opponent, either overcoming a
player character or being thwarted, depending on the outcome.

Rewards

A Trial or Hunt always results in Salt for characters. The character with the highest result is best,
and earns Salt equal to the DC’s target number. The other characters that prevail each earn half
that amount (rounded up.) Each character that suffers earns 1 Salt, and may take additional harm.
To break ties, each player rolls their character’s Name die until a winner is established. Skills &
Equipment may also be rewarded after a trial, if the characters have utilized that Skill &
Equipment effectively in the trial.

Support

A player character may choose to sit out of a trial in order to provide support. They pass a copy
of their Name die to the character of their choosing (who includes it in their dice pool.)
Supporting characters may also choose to take 1 Stress to contribute a Domain die and/or mark
off 1 Skill & Equipment to contribute to their chosen character’s dice pool. The supporting
character gains 1 Bond with the character they support and they earn Salt equal to half the total
Salt earned by the character they are supporting (rounded up). If your character is supported in a
trial, invite the supporting player to contribute a brief moment of action to portray their aid when
you recite your deeds. If your character is supported and prevails or is the best, mark 1 Bond
with the character who supported you.

Harm

The GM may inflict harm on the player characters as a result of an opponent’s traits or the nature
of the situation. Some opponents have harmful traits, indicated next to their Name die or an
Epithet die, so that type of harm is threatened whenever they roll those dice. The types of harm
are:

- Epic: Mark Stress to enter a contest against an Epic foe.

- Legendary: Spend Skills & Equipment to enter a contest against a Legendary foe.
- Taxing: Mark Stress if you suffer against a Taxing foe.
- Formidable: Spend a rank in Skills & Equipment if you suffer against a Formidable foe.

You may spend a Bond to ask the character associated with the Bond to block harm for you. The
player blocking harm describes how they defend you and neither of you suffer any harm. A
character may always choose to die in order to prevail in a trial, regardless of their roll.

10
Trying Again

A trial cannot be tried again unless the situation changes in significant ways (different time,
place, approach, goal, different characters, etc.)

Hunts

Ten or fifteen gallons of blood are thrown out of the heart at a stroke, with immense velocity.
John Hunter’s account of the dissection of a whale (a small sized one.) Herman Melville, Moby
Dick

By winning a Labour, the player characters overcome an obstacle to achieve an immediate goal.
But to defeat a leviathan once and for all, the characters must engage in a Hunt. A Hunt is a
series of linked trials, arranged in four phases: 1. “Don’t gally the whale,” this phase involves
the opening moves for superior positioning. The player characters must row move slowly and
quietly to approach the leviathan without alerting it. 2. “Give it to him!” and “Stern All!”
Player characters initiate the hunt by harpooning the leviathan. Each player needs to decide if
their character is trying to Seize control of the Hunt (“Give it to him!”) or Defend against the
leviathan and disaster (“Stern All!”). The winner of this phase determines the Domain and stakes
of the Final Flurry. 3. The Nantucket Sleigh Ride, characters and their boat are pulled by the
harpooned whale. The whale tries to launch characters out of the boat or dive and force them to
cut the line. Player characters are trying to hang on or properly manage their rope. 4. “Lance It!”
and The Final Flurry is the concluding trial that determines the victor of the Hunt.

1. “Don’t gally the whale”: The GM describes the situation of the Hunt and any details that
might be used to gain advantage. Player characters declare what role they are playing in the Hunt
and what they will do once it begins. Then the trial is rolled. Players may choose what Domain
they roll for this phase based on the actions they take to seize the Advantage. The winner of this
phase (GM or best character) earns a 1d10 Advantage for any roll in the Hunt. It may be given to
another player in exchange for a Bond. Characters earn Salt as normal in this trial as in all other
Hunt trials.

2. “Give it to him!” and “Stern All!”: There are two types of trials in this phase and characters
can only participate in one. First, the players must choose whether they will participate in the
contest to Defend against the disasters wrought by the whale’s flurry or join the trial to Seize
Control of the Hunt and set the Domain for the Final Flurry. The trial to Seize Control goes first.
This follows a normal trial procedure as detailed earlier under Labours. To Seize Control, one
player must roll the Domain Brawny & Venatic in addition to their Name die and their Job die (if
the Job applies to the act of harpooning whales). The winner of the Seize Control trial determines
what is at stake for the whale in the last phase and they determine the Domain to roll during the
Final Flurry. If the whale wins the Seize Control, they get to determine their own fate and the
Domain for the Final Flurry. The GM then has the leviathan make one or two disastrous

11
moves—often one against the whole boat of player characters, one against a specific player
character, or one against the surrounding water itself by creating a wake that interferes with the
character’s plans in later phases. The players who chose to Defend act. Defending is a normal
trial but the players get to decide which Domain is most appropriate to the disaster they are
opposing. For example, if a player is trying to Defend against the disaster of their character
getting knocked out of the boat, they may choose the Domain Sea Legs to stay balanced in the
boat. Each player character that prevails stops one disaster from happening. Any remaining
disasters happen.

3. The Nantucket Sleigh Ride: This phase is similar to the earlier phase “Don’t gally the
whale.” The whale is trying to flee from the player characters and in doing so the whale pulls the
whaleboat and the whalers at great speeds. The player characters risk being launched from the
boat while crashing over waves or slipping in the boat. The whale might also go to dive, pulling
the line of rope attached to the harpoon, and perhaps dragging a player character down under by
snagging them in the rope. The GM should describe the situation and experience of the
Nantucket Sleigh Ride so that the players can declare how their characters will react.

The first thing that must be decided is whether or not the players will cut the rope connecting
them to the whale. In the last phase, players know what is at stake for the Final Flurry and have a
vague idea of whether or not they will kill their prey. Some players may not want to risk the
danger of two more phases fighting this whale, especially if they have already suffered, and so
may cut the rope ending the Hunt. However, the only player that can decide to cut the rope or
pursue the hunt is the boat’s leader. Refer to the hierarchy of jobs earlier in the book to
determine who the boat’s leader is.

If the players decide to continue the Hunt, players then choose what Domain they roll for this
phase based on the actions they take. If a player character prevails, they manage to stay in the
boat and do not suffer harm or hardships. If a player suffers, they experience harm or hardship of
some kind appropriate to the situation. The winner of this trial (GM or best character) earns
another 1d10 Advantage die for any future roll in the Hunt. This Advantage die functions the
same way as the one granted in the “Don’t gally the whale” phase.

4. “Lance It!” and The Final Flurry: The winner of this trial is the victor and determines the
fate of the whale and the whalers. Resolve this phase using rules similar to Phase 2. First, the
players must choose whether they will participate in the contest to “Lance It!” or Defend against
the disasters wrought by the whale’s Final Flurry. The trial to “Lance It!” goes first. This follows
a normal procedure as detailed earlier under Labours. To “Lance It!” one player must roll the
Domain Brawny & Venatic in addition to their Name die and their Job die (if the Job applies to
the act of lancing whales). The outcome is judged by considering the Seize Control trial and the
Final Flurry trial.

12
 - The players lose the “Lance It!”: The leviathan is the victor and they avoid punishment or
trouble. The player characters have fallen short. This may result in greater disasters to the
players in The Final Flurry.
- The players win the Final Flurry, but lost the Seize Control: The players are victorious,
but the whale is not brought to account as they wished—the whale escapes and remains
as a potential source of trouble later on. Players still need to defend against the regular
disasters, usually one directed at the boat and one to a specific crew member.
- The heroes win the Final Flurry and the Seize Control: The player characters win and the
whale suffers the fate the players wish. The disaster of The Final Flurry has been
lessened. Players defending only have to defend against a threat to the boat or a specific
player.

The GM then has the leviathan make one or two disastrous moves in its Final Flurry—often one
against the whole boat of player characters and one against a specific player character. The
players who chose to Defend must then act. Defending is a normal trial but the players get to
decide which Domain is most appropriate to the disaster they are opposing and how they are
narratively opposing it. For example, if a player is trying to Defend against the disaster of their
character getting knocked out of the boat, they may choose the Domain Sea Legs to stay
balanced in the boat. Each player character that prevails stops one disaster from happening. Any
remaining disasters happen.

13
8
 Voyage: Leadership, Camaraderie,
Preparation, and Sightings
Hunting Leviathans keeps most of AGON’s Respite rules intact but makes some specific
alterations to better fit the fiction of a nineteenth century whaling voyage. Unlike AGON,
Hunting Leviathans is about being on one long voyage for months or even years with no set
destination. The goal of a whaling voyage is to sail to a general area of an ocean called the
hunting grounds, hunt whales, fill the ship’s hold with oil, and return back to your home port. To
fit this dynamic, Hunting Leviathans renames the Respite phase to Voyage. The Voyage is
broken into Leadership, Camaraderie, Preparation, and Sighting. While players are Sailing at Sea
the characters can establish leadership, strengthen character Bonds, and Prepare for future
Sightings. A Sighting is generally anything dramatic or noteworthy on the long Voyage. This can
include a storm, a friendly ship, or even spotting a whale to hunt. After finishing a Sighting the
players proceed to Cast Off which is detailed later.

While sailing to hunt for leviathans, the player characters rest, recover, and prepare for the hunt.
Complete the four stages of the Voyage: 1. Leadership, 2. Camaraderie, 3. Preparation, 4.
Sighting. Voyage encompasses the time spent from the ship leaving its home port to the first
Sighting.

Hunting Leviathans Voyage Tracker

[INSERT INFOGRAPHIC/FLOWCHART]

Leadership: Players establish Leadership among their crew as soon as the Voyage begins and
before any Sightings. Players determine the leader of the party based on their character’s job in
this order: Captain, Mate (first, second, and third), Boatheader (often this role is filled by the
Captain or a Mate but it does not have to be,) Steward, and then Harpooner/Boatsteerer. The
leader has final say over how the crew approaches Sightings as well as carrying the
responsibility of giving orders to their crew to best prepare and respond to dangers and earn more
Skills & Equipment.

Camaraderie: The player characters relax and enjoy each other’s company. Taking turns, each
player character asks one question to another player character. That player then answers, then
both player characters take a Bond with each other. Then the player character who was last asked
a question takes their turn asking a question of a player character who has not yet been asked a

14
question and takes a Bond. Some example questions are listed below, but feel free to create your
own.

What’s one of your best memories of home?

What did you think of the last sighting?

What do you yearn for (or fear)?

What drives you?

What do you think of one of the other crewmates?

When Camaraderie is finished, each character removes all of their marks of Stress.

Preparation: The player character who is the leader can help direct the other players in their
preparation to assemble Skills & Equipment for the next trials.

There are specific forms of work that will best prepare each Skill & Equipment, but in general
they include practices like taking inventory, sharpening harpoons and lances, repairing or
reinforcing the whaleboats, attending to the rigging and sails of the ship or boats, and managing
ropes.

To resolve the preparation, each player character rolls in a trial with a Domain that best fits their
chosen form of preparation. For example, preparing hunting tools or weapons like harpoons and
lances would require Brawny & Venatic. Preparing the boat’s sail, rope, or oars would require a
roll of Seamanship. Repairing or reinforcing the ship, boat, or other equipment would require a
roll of Quick & Crafty Hands. The GM rolls 2d6 and keeps the highest die to establish the
difficulty (there is no Strife Level). Player characters earn Salt as usual. The best player character
also earns 1 Bond with a piece of their equipment.

If a character wins, mark 2 ranks in Skills & Equipment with the particular skill(s) or
equipment(s) of their choice.

If a player character suffers, the preparation is not done well. Who can say what will happen
when those skills and equipment are needed next? The GM marks Wrath with the appropriate
Equipment of the player character who suffered during the preparation.

Sighting: After Sailing at Sea for some time where the player characters have a chance to
establish camaraderie and prepare are they then introduced to a Sighting (or Island in AGON).
The Sighting will require the leader to assess the initial information the Sighting presents and to
best figure out an approach to the Sighting. For example, if this is a whale Sighting this
information could include how many whales there are, what species they are, what they are
doing, and what the condition of the water and weather will be like during the hunt. Further
information on how Sightings work with examples are provided later in this book.

15
14
 Cast off: Destiny of the Sighting,
Yarns, Virtues, Reflection, Inspect
Cargo
After finishing a Sighting, players must Cast Off from it. This includes establishing the Destiny
of the Sighting, character establishing Yarns about the sighting, characters marking virtues, and
Inspecting the Cargo which gives the players time to take inventory of their ship. If the ship’s
cargo is not full of oil and the crew wishes to proceed with the voyage, then they return to
Sailing at Sea. A ship and its crew only return to its home port when the Hold is full or the crew
decides to Return Home.

When the player characters leave a sighting, resolve the five phases of the Cast Off: 1. Destiny of
the Sighting, 2. Yarns, 3. Virtues, and 4. Inspect the Hold. This is the chapter that details the
rewards players and their characters receive for completing a Sighting.

Destiny of the Sighting

If the Sighting is a whale from a Hunt, this will include whether or not the whale was
successfully hunted. If it was, record the whale(s) and their type in the whaling voyage’s
logbook. If the whale got away, record what type of whale it was and make note of the general
location of the hunt, identifying features of the whale, or injuries the whale sustained in the Hunt.
Whales that get away can be used in a future Sighting and it may even be out for revenge. If the
Sighting is not a Hunt, such as another ship, an island, a port town, a storm, etc. then record it in
the logbook along with any outcomes and consequences that resulted from that Sighting.
Consequences from these Sightings can be brought up again.

Yarns

Each player records a tall tale for which their character will be remembered that resulted from
the last Sighting. The Yarn can also take the form of a trophy or trinket that the character
acquired during the Sighting.

Yarns and trophies can be used to gain an Advantage die later on if they apply to the situation.
Once it is used in this way, strike it through on the character sheet. While the yarn, trophy, or tale
still exists about the character, it cannot be used again to gain an Advantage die. If a player wants

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to call upon it again in the future, they can propose a labour to make the tale or trophy relevant
again and restore its ability to be used to gain an Advantage.

Virtues

Each Player records virtues for their character—Courage, Determination, Skill, and Teamwork—
to assess the nature of their actions during the Sighting. Virtues are used to judge the character’s
when they reach the end of their Voyage.

Courage: actions of bravery, bravado, and vigor.

Determination: actions of persistence, resolve, and will power.

Skill: actions of finesse, acuity, and diligence.

Teamwork: actions of cooperation, support, and selflessness.

Go around in turns starting with the player whose character has the highest ranking Job, ask the
other players which virtue your hero most embodied during the Sighting, and why. Each player
gives you a mark in a Virtue (so if there are three other players, you’ll get three virtue marks).
The players don’t have to agree on a single virtue—they each have a free choice of which virtue
to give.

Inspect the Cargo

After finishing a Sighting, players should Inspect the Cargo of their ship. The outcomes of the
Sighting can affect the ship’s Cargo.

For each disaster during a Sighting that affected a player character or crew member, decrease the
Morale of the crew. Poor morale affects the level of Wrath that applies to all Labours and Hunts.
Morale can be improved by players preventing a disaster during a Sighting that would affect a
character or crew member. This means that during a single Sighting, morale can, increase,
decrease, and break even. The morale tracker is on the Ship Sheet. At the beginning of every
Voyage the morale is set to Neutral.

Morale

- Excellent: Player characters receive a 1d10 Advantage die.

- Good: Player characters receive a 1d6 Advantage die.
- Neutral: Player character receive no Advantage or Wrath dice.
- Bad: Player characters receive a 1d6 Wrath die.
- Terrible: Player character receive a 1d10 Wrath die.

For each disaster during a Sighting that affected the whaling boat, whaling ship, or any
equipment or supplies, mark Wrath to the appropriate Equipment that was affected by the

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disaster on the ship’s sheet. This can only be undone through Preparation, Returning Home, or a
Sighting of a friendly port to resupply.

For every whale that the players successfully hunt, mark down how much of the cargo is filled
with stuff processed from the whale from the Sighting. This is intentionally abstracted and can
represent whale oil, sperm whale oil, and baleen. Generally, most whale hunts will only result in
filling one to two boxes for the ship’s cargo.

If the ship’s hold is full, or the players wish to Return Home, they can begin returning home.

Returning Home

Generally, a voyage lasts until the ship’s hold is full of whale oil. If the players wish to Return
Home due to accruing too much wrath and suffering too many disasters, they can, but their pay
out at the end of the voyage will be a lot less. The length of a Voyage at sea is determined by the
size and type of ship and how much they can hold.

- For shorter games select a Schooner for Arctic or Atlantic voyages.

- For longer games select the Bark for Atlantic and Pacific voyages.

Players can decide here whether they would like to go on another Voyage or enter Retirement,
detailed later. When players Return Home, the ship’s cargo of whale oils and baleen will be sold
and each player will receive a share of the profits. Before going on their next voyage, players can
spend their money refreshing Equipment & Skills, buy a Ship of their own, and buy Ship
improvements. Players can also change Jobs between voyages, but the value resets back to a d6.
Record what your previous job was and what dice value it was in case you decide to switch back
to it.

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 Retirement
Retirement is the end of your character’s story and possibly the story of the collective game.
Your character’s Story can also come to an end and be told should you choose to die in a contest
at sea. There are two ways characters can enter Retirement. First, when your character has
marked all their Pain boxes their life is nearing its end. Your hero may finish the current Sighting
and retire from the game, they are too worn down to participate and any further Sightings. When
the Voyage ends and Returns Home you can decide your character’s Story. The second way for a
character to Retire is by Returning Home and choosing to Retire.

Once a character has chosen to Retire or met their end at sea they must tell their Story. Create
your Story by assessing your Name, Yarns, and Virtues. Your character’s Story represents how
they will be remembered by other characters and in tall tales. During your voyages your
character was known by their Name, Job, and Ancestry but after Retirement they will be known
for their Title and Yarns.

Creating a Title

Your two highest Virtues determine your Title. Choose one Title from the below list from your
two highest Virtues.

Courage & Determination:

Courage & Skill:

Courage & Teamwork:

Determination & Skill:

Determination & Teamwork:

Teamwork & Skill:

If none of the Titles appeal to you, create your own.

Your Greatest Yarn

Find the one Yarn from you list that was the most meaningful to you. You are welcome to blend
multiple Yarns together into one. After all, a good Yarn is often larger than life and only an
approximation of the truth.

Pay Day

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If your character Retired because they returned home and sold off their Cargo for money, what
did your character use the money for to Retire? Answer one of the following questions.

- What benefit did the money grant you?

- What other work or life did your character settle into?
- What legacy did this money help you establish?

If your character did not Return Home because they met their end at sea, and therefore could not
receive payment, answer one of the following questions.

- What family, friend, or kin received the payment in your stead? What did they use it for?
- Who still waits and hopes for your return every day?
- What legacy or traits about you character are still talked about by their loved ones or
community?

Your Name

The larger the character’s Name die, the bigger and grander the character’s Retirement should
be. Consider the following guidelines:

- D6:
- D8:
- D10:
- D12:

Your Legacy

Put all these elements together to recount your character’s epilogue and finish your Story.

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