J. Threshold Moves
Despite your best efforts to overcome the perils of the Hereafter, calamitous events may bring you to the precipice of life and death, redemption and desolation, perseverance and destruction.
In these moments you face your greatest tests. What will become of you when all seems lost? Will you see your character undone, or find yourself on a path of renewed purpose? Make these threshold moves to find out.
When you encounter a situation where death is an immediate and unavoidable outcome, you are dead. When you are brought to the brink of death with a chance of recovery or redemption, glimpse the world beyond and roll +heart or iron, whichever is lower.
On a strong hit, death rejects you and you become cursed. You are cast back into the mortal world, forever changed. Treat any future strong hit on this move as a weak hit.
On a weak hit, choose one.
- You die, but not before making a noble sacrifice. Envision your final moments. If you would make a move as part of this, take an automatic strong hit when you do.
- Death, or something else beyond our mortal understanding, desires something of you in exchange for your life. Envision what it wants (Ask the Oracle if unsure), and Swear a Chalk Vow (formidable or extreme) to complete that quest. If you fail to score a hit when you Swear a Chalk Vow, or refuse the quest, you are dead. Otherwise, you return to the mortal world and are now doomed. You may only clear the doomed debility by completing the quest.
On a miss, you are dead.
You make this move when forced to Face Death as a result of a miss on the Endure Harm move, or when you face a physical trauma so horrific that death is the only reasonable outcome. Make it dramatic and personal.
When you first make this move, you should envision how the afterlife is represented in your setting, or specifically to your character. What do you see and experience? Is it only blackness and void? Do you see fields of grass stretching before you? Does a ferryman guide you across a blood-red river? Do you hear the songs of your kin calling you home? On a strong hit, you might only catch glimpses of what lay beyond. Does your experience support your beliefs or call them into question? If in doubt, Ask the Oracle. Either way, you will return back changed, having become cursed from being denied death.
On a weak hit, you may decide what death asks of you, which leads to a new quest and the doomed debility as you return to the mortal world. Depending on what your game is like, it may be something other than death that strikes a bargain with you. Perhaps the Headcutter makes an unusual offering to you, or wanderlings from the slip offer to fetch your soul in exchange for putting theirs to rest.
On a miss, you are dead. Envision what awaits you. You may begin again with a new character, or explore your current world and storyline from a new perspective. Perhaps your kin will avenge you?
When you are brought to the brink of desolation, roll +heart or wits, whichever is lower.
On a strong hit, you resist and press on.
On a weak hit, choose one.
- Your spirit breaks, but not before you make a noble sacrifice. Envision what you do before you leave your current life. If you would make a move as part of this, take an automatic strong hit when you do.
- You see a vision of a dreaded event coming to pass. Envision that dark future (Ask the Oracle if unsure), and Swear a Chalk Vow (formidable or extreme) to prevent it. If you fail to score a hit when you Swear a Chalk Vow, or refuse the quest, you are lost. Otherwise, you return to your senses and are now tormented. You may only clear the tormented debility by completing the quest.
On a miss, you succumb to despair, horror, or the other cruelties of the Hereafter and are lost, becoming hardened, cold, and ruthless.
You make this move when forced to Face Desolation as a result of a miss on the Endure Stress move. This represents the potential breaking point for your character. Do you push on in spite of all you have seen, all you have done, or do you fall into darkness?
Choosing the option to become tormented on a weak hit creates interesting story possibilities. What is your greatest fear? Preventing that dire outcome can steer your story in a compelling new direction.
On a miss, you are broken. There is no recovery possible. You lose control of your character as they go forth into the world forever changed from their experiences. You may begin again with a new character, or explore your current world and storyline from a new perspective. Perhaps you will meet your previous character again one day.