STRINGERS

Nightcrawlers, paparazzi, scribes of darkness

A dark city with dark happenings tells dark stories. The newspapers want to sell them to the gull-
ible public, and the Stringers gather the plasmo-graphs to sell them well.

When you play Stringers, you earn xp when you document a dark happening, push an agen-
da, or overcome your rivals.

What kinds of stories are you interested in documenting? How far are you willing to go to get that
story? How honest will you be?

STARTING UPGRADES CONTACTS

‹ Training: Insight ‹ Polonia, a street-dweller. Perhaps some-
‹ Stringer Spark-craft thing like this, or perhaps something else?
‹ Cyrene, a bureaucrat. Perhaps something
HUNTING GROUNDS like this, or perhaps something else?
Choose a favored story to chase: ‹ Drav, a publication manager. Perhaps
‹ Grisly: Murders, accidents, death something like this, or perhaps something
else?
‹ Celebrity: Scandal and secrets
‹ Myre, a noble. Perhaps something like this,
‹ Paranoia: “Others”, cults, crime, conspir-
or perhaps something else?
acies.
‹ Vey, a journalist. Perhaps something like
‹ Arcane: Superstition, weird happenings,
this, or perhaps something else?
sightings.

STRINGER UPGRADES
‹ Stringer rigging: You get 2 free load worth of spark-craft equipment. For example, you
could carry a plasmograph camera for 0 load.
‹ Stringer spark-craft: A series of spark-craft devices that allows you to capture images. Each
upgrade adds additional modules to the system (see the plasmography section in the supple-
ment). How does plasmography work? Who in the crew has the best “eye” for artful plasmography?
‹ Elite Rovers: All of your cohorts with the Rovers type get +1d to quality rolls for Rover
related actions.
‹ Elite Rooks: All of your cohorts with the Rooks type get +1d to quality rolls for Rook related
actions.
‹ Vehicle: Upgrading it twice (2 boxes) provides the vehicle with armor or one heavy spark-
craft augumentation.
STRINGERS CLAIMS

GONDOLA INDEPENDENT
SHORTCUTS FLEET JOURNAL
LEVERAGE
CONTACTS

TURF TURF LAIR TURF PARTNERSHIP

PLASMOGRAPH PRESS
LAB
STUDIO PAPARAZZI SOURCES
PASSES

TURF: In addition to normal turf benefits, PLASMOGRAPHY LAB: You can refine
when you gain 3 turf you gain +1d to engage- and restore ghost-jar images, and even store
ment when responding to news in a district them indefinitely.
you name. Which district is it? What kinds of
PAPARAZZI: +2 coin for stories involving
stories are happening there?
public figures.
GONDOLA CONTACTS: +1d to dice
SOURCES: +1d to gather information for
rolls involving escape from a location.
scores. Narrative clarification text.
FLEET: Your cohorts have their own vehi- PRESS PASSES: -2 heat per score. Narra-
cles. Each cohort has a common vehicle, with tive clarification text.
quality equal to your tier.
INDEPENDENT JOURNAL: (Tier roll)
STUDIO: +1d to deception operations on - Heat = coin in downtime. Narrative clarifica-
site. Narrative clarification text. tion text.

LEVERAGE: You can get the papers to bid SHORTCUTS: +1d to engagements involv-
for your best work for +3 coin. Take -1 status ing quick transport. Narrative clarification
with the papers you spurn. Narrative clarifica- text.
tion text.
PARTNERSHIP: One of the papers has
you on exclusive retainer. Gain +2 coin every
downtime, but lose -1 status if you haven’t
delivered anything. Lose this claim at 0 status.
Narrative clarification text.
STRINGERS SPECIAL ABILITIES
STALKER
Each PC may add +1 action rating to Prowl, Survey, or Consort (up to a max rating of 3).
Each PC may add +1 action rating to Prowl, Survey, or Consort (up to a max rating of 3).

LIKE PART OF THE FAMILY

Create one of your vehicles as a cohort (use the vehicle edges and flaws below). Its quality is
equal to your tier +1.
EDGES FLAWS
Nimble: The vehicle handles easily. Consider Nimble: The vehicle handles easily. Consider
this an assist for tricky maneuvers. this an assist for tricky maneuvers.
Simple: The vehicle is easy to repair. Remove Simple: The vehicle is easy to repair. Remove
all of its harm during downtime. all of its harm during downtime.
Sturdy: The vehicle keeps operating even Sturdy: The vehicle keeps operating even
when broken. when broken.

EXPERTISE
Your images are art that moves the city. The image quality is equal to Tier+2, and you always
gain +1 coin.

GHOST EAR
Due to hard won experience or occult ritual, the crew can sense ripples in the ghost-field created
by events of strong emotion minutes before they happen. Do you ever use this for good? What
does it feel like? How specific is your sense? Is it a definite outcome, or just one of many possibili-
ties?

PATRON
When you advance your tier it costs half the coin it normally would. Who is your patron? Why
do they help you?

ON CALL
When you quickly respond to a crisis, you get +1d to the engagement roll.

SEA OF FACES
Each PC has grown used to the mob. Gain potency while in a crowd or at a crisis.
stringers opportunities

1 A string of bloody murders is occuring in Six Towers.

2 Commercial spark-craft carriages are creating countless grisly accidents.

3 A disturbing plague is sweeping through Charhollow.

4 A gang wishes to increase their clout by having someone document their exploits.

5 The lightning barrier has recently started flaring in some areas, leaving charred corpses.

6 A bureaucrat is rumored to be involved in unseemly activity.

An artist has gained a rabid following that will buy any paper bearing their face. If only
1
they knew of the occult dealings this artist had...
An academy spark-wright claims knowledge of how to manufacture an image from
2
nothing.
The Church of the Ecstasy wishes to start their own paper promoting anti-ghost sentiment,
3
and anyone working with them gets to tag along with the Spirit Wardens.
A secluded community is obsessed with the idea of “The Unseen” pulling the strings of the
4
city. Crazy or not, they want evidence and are willing to pay.
A cult of a forgotten god wishes to recruit and need images for their pamphleteering.
5
They’ve invited you to a ceremony.
The Department of Decency has created their own team of stringers to combat the
6
rampant lies of the press.

1 It is rumored that a popular noble is actually a Hollow.

There have been sightings of a masked vigilante in Charterhall claiming to bring justice to
2
the downtrodden.

3 Veterans have claimed to have seen long-dead comrades in the flesh at Barrowcleft.

4 Skovlander refugees have pooled together money to hire a crew to tell their story.

A masked figure approaches you with an offer of precise information on future crises (even
5
the best angles to document them from).
A leviathan-hunter captain wants a team of biographers to accompany them on their next
6
voyage.
SUPPLEMENT
PAYOFF
The way stringers gain coin is measured a bit differently than other crews. Whenever you finish a score, gain
coin for each of the following:
‹ It is clearly sensational, or will prompt a strong reaction. +1 coin
‹ The plasmography is strikingly composed, you took pains to get it. +1 coin
‹ The paper is first to print with the story. +2 coin
‹ The paper is the only one with the story. +4 coin
You may still gain coin like other scoundrels, but due to your closeness with the law gain +3 heat when you do
so. If someone else gets plasmographs to the paper before you, the paper will not buy yours (unless it is much
better).

FACTIONS
There are more papers than one can count, but here are some of the most notable currently operating in
Duskvol.
MEDIA
The Eternal Gazette, Tier IV: The official paper of the empire. Full of pro-empire propaganda and with coin to
spare, they are most interested in these types of stories: crime against “normal citizens”, anti-refugee, anti-spirit,
pro-”public heroes”. Willing to smear and lie while enjoying immunity from the inspectors.

The Void-Song, Tier III: Sightings, conspiracies, and dark imaginings. Unconcerned with proof, they are inter-
ested in these types of stories: paranormal, odd, conspiratorial, fearful. Fringe, but with a (dangerous) follow-
ing.

The Rational Star, Tier II: Funded by an idealistic noble, committed to truthful stories delivered objectively.
Not widely read.
The Skovland Echo, Tier 1: A fiery paper of violent revolutionaries. If it tears down the empire, the bluecoats,
or the Church of Ecstasy, they will print it. Dangerous people with dangerous enemies.
STRINGERS
Panopticals, Tier IV: Organized, omni-present, well connected, and well-equipped stringers in the pocket of
The Eternal Gazette. Bluecoats look the other way.
Smiling Jacks, Tier III: This crew has taken the novel approach of selling purely manufactured and doctored
images, and papers seem to be buying. How are they doing this?
The Crows, Tier II: The gang hasn’t given up crime. They just happen to have plasmographers in places where
crimes happen that they might have been involved in.
Calabrasi Media, Tier I: A violent and ruthless crew of stringers looking to make a name for themselves.
GM ADVICE
While stringers may mostly be travelling from place to place taking photos, make no mistake; they are scoun-
drels. There are a whole host of obstacles that stringers may need to surmount with scoundrel methods:
‹ Getting to news scenes before rival crews, the bluecoats, or before the scene resolves itself. Do they need to
endanger themselves and others to get there quickly?
‹ Dealing with rival stringers. The papers pay more the rarer the plasmographs, and some of these crews are
pretty well equipped. What lengths are the players willing to go to be on top?
‹ Taking the best plasmographs may see the scoundrels sneaking where they shouldn’t, causing violence, or
outright committing forgery and fraud.
‹ They may need to be present in an actively dangerous or incriminating situation.
‹ The crew will be running into the factions creating the havoc and the bluecoats responding to it. Neither
are friendly to them.
‹ There is a special branch of The Investigators dedicated to “truth” and “decency” in art and media. They
care very much about what the crew is up to.

SCORES
‹ Stringers can still engage in any kind of score to get their stories (or for any other scoundrel purpose).
‹ One type of scenario that will frequently make an appearance is a “crisis”. This could be an active crime
scene, an accident, a fiasco, a sighting, pretty much anything newsworthy. The players find out about them
through their contacts or (eventually) more advanced methods. You may present them as opportunities. Don’t
punish players for not choosing to follow them or following the “wrong” one.
‹ If the obstacle is how quickly the crew can respond to an active crisis, consider a Transport engagement roll.
Make clocks representing the player distance, the distance of other crews, etc.

CAMPAIGNS
The factions involved with stringers, especially the media, can have a huge outcome on the course of events and
public opinion in Duskvol. As the players tell some stories and not others, play up clocks involving different
agendas, events, etc. Does the refugee situation get better or worse? Does the city become gripped by pro-ghost
sentiment?
‹ Consider the papers the players are selling the story to. How do they spin the story? What is their agenda?
Who else stands to benefit from their angle?
‹ Perhaps the crew is surprised by the story they provided plasmographs for? How do they seek revenge on
the paper?
‹ Who is angered by the events the players have a hand in causing?
PLASMOGRAPHY AND STRINGER SPARK-CRAFT
Plasmographic cameras are a new and sensational spark-craft technology. Enterprising crews have already
appropriated cameras of their own (by legitimate means or otherwise), and yours is ready to take out on a trial
run.
You start with the following:
Camera (2 load): A hand-held shutter attached to a lead sensor plate, connected to a back-mounted battery
and ghost-jar receptacle. Volatile if damaged. Images taken with the camera have decent lighting otherwise in-
visible to the naked eye, due to the ghost-field sensitivity. This also means the images can pick up unintentional
interference.
Ghost-jar (1 load): The image taken with the camera is forcefully imbued into the spirit in the ghost jar. Make
sure you use pure and docile spirits, or the images may become distorted. Each ghost-jar can only hold 1 image.
After the picture is taken, it must be extracted within a few hours as the spirit starts to dissipate.

The following may be obtained via upgrades. Higher tier newspapers may have some of this equipment on hand.
Ink-Sew (heavy): After inserting a specially prepared ghost jar, this device can interpret and print the image
suffused into the spirit in black and white void-ink. It is unknown if the spirit is consumed or trapped within
the ink on the page. Fast and reliable
Ghost-light (1 load): Attached to the front of a camera, this creates a ghost-field “flash” that further improves
clarity and cuts out ghost field interference. +1 coin for any sold images that used this attachment. Loud, visi-
ble, and obvious.
Peeper (heavy): The Peeper is a massive camera, mounted and connected to a heavy power source. Through
some arcane process the peeper can see through walls, people, clothing, and more at great distance before cap-
turing its image. Completely illegal.
Eternal Weave (heavy): An heavily augmented version of the ink-sew, utilizing expensive dyes and paints to
capture the color image in high fidelity. Slow and detailed. The images sometimes move.
Little Birds (heavy): Utilizes ghost-field sensitive antennae to listen for extreme emotions (those happen to ex-
ist around the stories you want). It narrates the thoughts behind the emotion as they are happening. A directing
compass adorns the front to direct towards the emotions. Completely illegal.