Mistborn Adventure Game

563 Pages·2011·33.92 MB·English

by  Brandon Sanderson

TM
ADVENTURE GAME
Based on the Best-Selling Novel Series by
BRANDON SANDERSON
TM
www.crafty-games.com
Mistborn Created by Brandon Sanderson
Game System Cover & Interior Illustration
Alex Flagg Ben McSweeney
Product Development Symbols & Cartography
Alex Flagg Isaac Stewart
Writing Graphic Design
Brandon Sanderson Steve Hough
Alex Flagg
Patrick Kapera Layout & Digital Conversion
John Snead Thomas Deeny
Thomas Kohler
Additional Material Michal Cross
Logan Bonner
Jeremy Keller Production
Filamena Young Erik Yaple
Editing Probability Guru
Patrick Kapera Kevin “Moose” Boerwinkle
Special Thanks
Peter Ahlstrom, Joshua Bilmes, Cheryl Corey, Michal Cross, Josh Dalcher, Marcelo Figueroa,
Sean Patrick Fannon, Justin Golenbock, Eric Lake, Jennifer Liang, Matt McElroy, Will Raboin, Paul Stevens,
Kerry Stuart, Josh Walker, Mi’chelle Walker, Miriam Weinberg, Steve Wieck, and everyone at
Dragonsteel Entertainment, Tor / Forge, 17th Shard, and DriveThruRPG
Playtesting
Brandon Sanderson and his home crew, Robert Blackburn, Chris Brinkley, Tamara Elofson-Brinkley, Jim Ghiloni,
Karl Hennon, Carl Morgan, Andrew “Fish” Popowich, Mark Secrest, Jason Tang, Bill Whitmore
Translations
Ben McSweeney, Jon Andersen, Chris Brinkley, Tamara Brinkley, Andy Craig Davis, John DeBudge,
Alan B. Eggert, David Groves, Jerry Ham, Ian Homeyard, Jørgen Sætermo
First Printing 2011
Mistborn and all related marks, characters, names, and places are ™ and © 2011 Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC.
“The Eleventh Metal” is copyright © 2011 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 ELEVENTH METAL Step 4: Define Your Strengths . . . . . .97
by Brandon Sanderson . . . . . . . . . . 7 Step 5: Fill in the Details . . . . . . . .101
4. Improving Heroes ........... 113
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 How a Hero Advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
1. The Final Empire............. 23 Earning Advancements . . . . . . . . .114
The People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 The Rate and Limits
Technology, Trade, and Commerce . . . . .27 of Advancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
The Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Spending Advancements . . . . . . . . .119
Beasts and Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 5. Game Basics................ 131
Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Beats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .135
2. The Novels.................. 33 Breathers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136
3. The Adventure Game.......... 35 When Should I Roll the Dice? . . . . . . . . . .137
If You’re New to Mistborn . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Types of Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
If You’re New to Gaming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Dice Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
What’s in this Book? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Applying Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139
What’s Next? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Applying Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140
Applying Circumstances . . . . . . . .141
BOOK ONE: THE MISTBORN Pools Above Ten Dice . . . . . . . . . .142
ADVENTURE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Pools Below Two Dice . . . . . . . . . .142
1. Getting Started............... 43 Difficulty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
If You’ve Never Played an RPG Before . . .43 Rolling the Dice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143
If You’re an Experienced Gamer . . . . . . . .44 What’s the Outcome? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
What You Need to Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Describing Outcome . . . . . . . . . . .144
Your First Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 When Not to Use Outcome . . . . . . .149
The Narrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Complications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Everyone Else . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Nudges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
Sample Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Nudging Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
2. Game Terms................. 65 Nudging Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
3. Building Heroes.............. 71 6. Contests ................... 155
What Makes a Character . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Extended Contests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156
Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Actions Between Beats . . . . . . . . . .156
Standings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Other Contest Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Contests with
Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Multiple Participants . . . . . . . . . . .157
Resiliences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Contests with
Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Three or More Sides . . . . . . . . . . . .157
Destiny and Tragedy . . . . . . . . . . . .76 Contests and Difficulty . . . . . . . . . .158
Secrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 Describing Contests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Building Your Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Describing Contests
Step 1: Start with the Crew . . . . . . .79 with Three or More Sides . . . . . . . .160
Step 2: Devise a Concept . . . . . . . . .82 Describing Extended Contests . . . .160
Step 3: Answer 10 Splitting the Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Important Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . .82 Sample Contests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
TABLE OF CONTENTS
7. Conflicts................... 167 BOOK TWO:
Conflicts in Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168 THE TREATISE METALLURGIC . .263
Setting Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168 1. Magic of the Final Empire..... 265
Framing the Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170 2. Allomancy ................. 267
Grouping Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .268
The Conflict Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 Allomancy Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .269
Step 1: Declare Actions Gaining & Improving Allomancy . . . . . .269
& Determine Action Dice . . . . . . . .172 Multiple Allomantic Powers . . . . . . . . . . .270
Step 2: Resolve Actions . . . . . . . . .177 Burning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270
Damage and Defeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180 Allomantic Stunts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272
Complications in Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . .188 Misting Savants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .273
Nudges in Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .189 3. Feruchemy ................. 275
Describing a Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
8. Physical Conflicts (Combat) ... 193 Feruchemy Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .276
What is Physical Damage? . . . . . . . . . . . .194 Gaining & Improving Feruchemy . . . . . .277
Circumstances in Combat . . . . . . . . . . . .195 Storing in a Metalmind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278
Range and Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196 Tapping a Metalmind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280
Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 4. Hemalurgy ................. 283
Armor and Shields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198 Hemalurgic Creations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284
Tactics in Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285
Sample Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199 Hemalurgy Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
9. Social Conflicts ............. 209 Gaining & Improving Hemalurgy . . . . . .286
What is Social Damage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211 5. The Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Circumstances in a Social Conflict . . . . .212 Metal Categories & Qualities . . . . . . . . . .291
Tactics in a Social Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 6. Tin ....................... 295
Example of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 7. Pewter .................... 299
10. Mental Conflicts............ 219 8. Iron....................... 303
What is Mental Damage? . . . . . . . . . . . . .221 9. Steel ...................... 309
Circumstances in 10. Copper ................... 315
a Mental Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 11. Bronze ................... 321
Tactics in a Mental Conflict . . . . . . . . . . .223 12. Zinc ..................... 325
Example of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227 13. Brass..................... 331
11. Changing the World......... 231 14. Aluminum ................ 337
How Standing Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231 15. Duralumin ................ 341
Resources: The Power of Privilege . . . . .232 16. Chromium ................ 345
Influence: The Power of Connections . .241 17. Nicrosil................... 349
Spirit: The Power of Fate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247 18. Gold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
12. Children of the Contract...... 253 19. Electrum.................. 357
Physiology and Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253 20. Cadmium ................. 361
The Contract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254 21. Bendalloy................. 365
Playing a Kandra Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255 22. Atium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369
Kandra Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255 23. Malatium ................. 373
Blessings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259 24. Larasium ................. 375
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BOOK THREE: Fulfilling Destiny &
ALWAYS ANOTHER SECRET . . . .379 Overcoming Tragedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .478
1. Behind the Curtain........... 381 Tying it all Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .479
Playing the Narrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .382 8. Heroes of the
Your Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .382 Mistborn Trilogy .............. 481
Your Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .384 Vin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .481
2. Narrating Stories ............ 387 Kelsier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .486
Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .388 Sazed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .489
The Mistborn Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .389 Elend Venture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .492
3. Exploring the Novels......... 393 Zane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .495
Discovering New Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .394 Marsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .498
Meeting New People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .399 Dockson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .501
Making New Tales from the Old . . . . . . .401 Breeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .503
The Importance of What If . . . . . . . . . . . .402 Ham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505
4. Creating Your Own Stories .... 405 Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .506
How to Build a Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .406 Spook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .508
Step 1: Come up with a Scene . . . . . . . . .407 OreSeur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .511
Step 2: Devise a Plan of Action . . . . . . . .418 TenSoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .512
Step 3: Add Twists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .420 9. Rogues Gallery.............. 515
Step 4: Select Allies and Enemies . . . . . .423 Villains & Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .515
Step 5: Add Secrets (Optional) . . . . . . . . .427 What About Allies? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .516
Step 6: Choose Turning Points . . . . . . . . .428 Ordinary Folk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .517
Your Story’s Ready! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431 The Nobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .520
5. Running the Game........... 433 Warriors and Rogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .523
The Most Important Rule: Allomancers and Feruchemists . . . . . . . .527
Have Fun! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .434 The Steel Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .534
The Key to Collaboration: Koloss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .537
Say Yes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .436 Mistwraiths and Kandra . . . . . . . . . . . . . .540
Creating Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .437 Animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544
Helping Heroes Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .440 10. Creating Your Own
Taking Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .442 Characters ................... 547
6. Secrets .................... 455 Villain & Extra Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .548
Secrets as the Fuel of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . .456 Step 1: Devise a Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . .548
Dealing with Player Knowledge . . . . . . .457 Step 2: Determine Attributes &
Using Secrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457 Standings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .550
The Secrets Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .460 Step 3: Add Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .551
Secrets of the Novels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .461 Step 4: Choose Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .552
7. Destiny & Tragedy........... 465 Step 5: Select Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . .553
The Destiny & Tragedy Script . . . . . . . . . .466 Step 6: Resilience, Destiny, &
Creating a Hero’s Personal Saga . . . . . . .466 Tragedy (Villains Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .554
Beginnings, Middles, and Ends . . . . . . . .468 Step 7: Determine Threat . . . . . . . . . . . . .555
Changing Your Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .476 Example Extra: Ashen Hands Goon . . . .555
Rewarding Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .477 Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .556

THE ELEVENTH METAL
Kelsier held the small, fluttering piece of paper pinched between two fingers.
The wind whipped and tore at the paper, but he held firm. The picture was wrong.
He’d tried at least two dozen times to draw it right, to reproduce the image
that she’d always carried. The original had been destroyed, he was certain. He had
nothing to remind him of her, nothing to remember her by. So he tried, poorly, to
reconstruct the image that she had treasured.
A flower. That was what it had been called. A myth, a story. A dream.
“You need to stop doing that,” his companion growled. “I should stop you
from drawing those.”
“Try,” Kelsier said softly, folding the small piece of paper between two fin-
gers, then tucking it into his shirt pocket. He would try again later. The petals
needed to be more tear-shaped.
Kelsier gave Gemmel a calm gaze, then smiled. That smile felt forced. How
could he smile in a world without her?
Kelsier kept smiling. He’d do so until it felt natural. Until that numbness,
tied in a knot within him, started to unravel and he began to feel again. If that was
possible.
It is . Please let it be .
“Drawing those pictures makes you think of the past,” Gemmel snapped. The
aging man had a ragged gray beard, and the hair on his head was so unkempt, it
actually looked better groomed when it was being whipped around by the wind.
“It does,” Kelsier said. “I won’t forget her.”
“She betrayed you. Move on.” Gemmel didn’t wait to see if Kelsier continued
arguing. He moved away; he often stopped in the middle of arguments.
Kelsier didn’t squeeze his eyes shut as he wanted to. He didn’t scream
d efiance to the dying day as he wanted to. He shoved aside thoughts of Mare’s
betrayal. He should never have spoken his concerns to Gemmel.
He had. That was that.
Kelsier broadened his smile. It took effort.
Gemmel glanced back at him. “You look creepy when you do that.”
“That’s because you’ve never had a real smile in your life, you old heap of
ash,” Kelsier said, joining Gemmel by the short wall at the edge of the roof. They
looked down on the dreary city of Mantiz, nearly drowning in ash. The people
here in the far north of the Western Dominance weren’t as good at cleaning it up
as they were back in Luthadel.
Kelsier had assumed there would be less ash out here — only one of the ash-
mounts was nearby, this far out. It did seem that the ash fell a little less frequently.
But the fact that nobody organized to clean it up meant that it felt like there was
far more.
Kelsier curled his hand around the coping of the wall. He’d never liked this
part of the Western Dominance. The buildings out here felt... melted. No, that was
the wrong term. They felt too rounded, with no corners, and they were rarely sym-
metrical — one side of the building would be higher, or more lumpy.
Still, the ash was familiar. It covered the building here just the same as
e verywhere, giving everything a uniform cast of black and gray. A layer of it
coated streets, clung to the ridges of buildings, made heaps in alleys. Ashmount
ash was sootlike, much darker than the ash from a common fire.
“Which one?” Kelsier asked, rotating his gaze among the four massive keeps
that broke the city skyline. Mantiz was a large city for this dominance, though
— of course — it was nothing like Luthadel. There weren’t any other cities like
Luthadel. Still, this one was respectable.
“Keep Shezler,” Gemmel said, pointing toward a tall, slender building near
the center of the city.
Kelsier nodded. “Shezler. I can get in the door easily. I’ll need a costume —
fine clothing, some jewelry. We need to find a place I can fence a bead of atium
— and a tailor who can keep his mouth shut.”
Gemmel snorted.
“I’ve got a Luthadel accent,” Kelsier said. “From what I heard on the street
earlier, Lord Shezler is absolutely infatuated with the Luthadel nobility. He’ll
fawn over someone who presents himself right; he wants connections to society
closer to the capital. I—”
“You aren’t thinking like an Allomancer,” Gemmel cut him off, his voice
gruff.
“I’ll use emotional Allomancy,” Kelsier said. “Turn him to my—”
Gemmel suddenly roared, spinning on Kelsier, moving too quickly. The
r agged man snagged Kelsier by the front of his shirt and shoved him to the
ground, looming over him, rattling the roof tiles. “You’re Mistborn, not some
street Soother working for clips! You want to be taken again? Snatched up by his
minions, sent back to where you belong? Do you?”
8 MISTBORN ADVENTURE GAME
Kelsier glared back at Gemmel as the mists began to grow in the air around
them. Sometimes Gemmel seemed more beast than man. He began muttering to
himself, speaking as if to a friend Kelsier couldn’t see or hear.
Gemmel leaned closer, still muttering, his breath pungent and sharp, his eyes
wide and frenzied. This man wasn’t completely sane. No. That was a gross under-
statement. This man had only a fringe of sanity left to him, and even that fringe
was beginning to fray.
But he was the only Mistborn who Kelsier knew, and damn it, Kelsier was
going to learn from the man. It was either that or start taking lessons from some
nobleman.
“Now you listen,” Gemmel said, almost pleading. “Listen for once. I’m here
to teach you how to fight. Not how to talk. You already do that. We didn’t come
here so you could saunter in playing nobleman, like you did in the old days. I
won’t let you talk through this, I won’t. You’re Mistborn. You fight.”
“I will use whatever tool I have to.”
“You’ll fight! Do you want to be weak again, let them take you again?”
Kelsier was silent.
“You want vengeance on them? Don’t you?”
“Yes,” Kelsier growled. Something massive and dark shifted within him, a
beast awakened by Gemmel’s prodding. It cut through even the numbness.
“You want to kill, don’t you? For what they did to you and yours? For taking
her from you? Well, boy?”
“Yes!” Kelsier barked, flaring his metals, shoving Gemmel back.
Memories. A dark hole lined by crystals sharp as razors. Her sobs as she died.
His sobs as they broke him. Crumpled him. Ripped him apart.
His screams as he remade himself.
“Yes,” he said, coming up onto his feet, pewter burning within him. He forced
himself to smile. “Yes, I’ll have vengeance, Gemmel. But I’ll have it my way.”
“And what way is that?”
Kelsier faltered.
It was an unfamiliar experience for him. He’d always had a plan, before.
Plans upon plans. Now, without her, without anything... The spark was snuffed
out, the spark that had always driven him to reach beyond what others thought
possible. It had led him from plan to plan, heist to heist, riches to riches.
It was gone now, replaced by that knot of numbness. The only thing he could
feel these days was rage, and that rage couldn’t guide him.
He didn’t know what to do. He hated that. He’d always known what to do.
But now...
Gemmel snorted. “When I’m done with you, you’ll be able to kill a hundred
men with a single coin. You’ll be able to Pull a man’s own sword from his fingers
and strike him down with it. You’ll be able to crush men within their armor, and
you’ll be able to cut the air like the mists themselves. You will be a god. Waste
your time with emotional Allomancy when I’m finished. For now, you kill.”
The bearded man loped back to the wall and glared at the keep. Kelsier
slowl y reined in his anger, rubbing his chest where he’d been forced to the ground.
THE ELEVENTH METAL 9