COBWEBS

by Adam Vass / World Champ Game Co.

Illustrated by Sally Cantirino
Edited by Tyler Crumrine
Graphic Design and Layout by Adam Vass
Published by Exalted Funeral

Thanks to all of our Kickstarter backers who made this project a reality.
Special thanks to the Brain Trust for advice, playtests, and encouragement.

Cobwebs is a story game of unraveling

conspiracy for 3-5 players. Using a die drop
playmat, players generate scenes centered
around a single shared investigator seeking
the truth behind a missing loved one.
The closer they get to revealing this truth,
however, the more danger their investigator
will find themselves in.

CONTENTS
THEMES & SAFETY - 2 4-5 PLAYERS - 30
SETUP - 4 CONFLICT RESOLUTION - 36
LEADS - 8 END GAME - 38
THEORIES - 10 EPILOGUE - 39
THE PLAYMAT - 11 QUICKSTARTS - 42
THE THREE ROLES: IDEA TABLES - 62
THE DARLING - 18
THE SHADOW - 22
THE MACHINE - 26
 THEMES & SAFETY
Cobwebs overtly explores feelings of loss and grief—specifically denial, sadness,
bargaining, and anger. Weighing the pursuit of truth over personal well-being
will be an ever-present theme in the game. Often, this can lead into modern
horror touchstones such as being overwhelmed by fear, Sisyphean attempts at
overcoming an overly powerful foe, or characters falling victim to hubris.

Cobwebs is meant to be eerie, though, so be sure your group is comfortable

playing a potentially frightening or unnerving game. Be up front with players
about what this game might entail and make sure everyone is on board before
proceeding.

It is also highly recommended that you implement the following safety tools into
your game to avoid crossing lines with any of your fellow players:

THE X-CARD
The X-Card is a tool created by John Stavropoulos to help edit out unwanted
content from your story.

Take a notecard and write an X on it. At any point, any player can touch the X-Card
(or say “X-Card,” or make an X with their arms, or otherwise notify the group) to
signal that they’d like to remove unwanted content from the game. This could be
topics they find triggering, tonal shifts they consider inappropriate, or anything
else that player doesn’t want included in the game.

All players should respect each other’s established boundaries and should not
barter or try to change another player’s mind. For more information, visit tinyurl.
com/x-card-rpg.

2
LINES & VEILS
The concept of “Lines and Veils” is another useful system for protecting your
group from unwanted content in your story.

Before the game begins, players are encouraged to voice anything they don’t want
included at all—these are Lines and should not be crossed. Topics established as
Lines can still exist in the world of your story, but will not be explored or discussed
at all during play. Lines are often used to avoid offensive content or content a
player finds upsetting or triggering.

Veils are things that you are comfortable including in your story but want to
control how overt they are. Metaphorically, these events or topics are hidden
behind a veil—they happen in the world of the story but you won’t be describing
them in detail. Veils are often used for censoring graphic content such as sex or
violence that may serve some purpose in your story but does not need to be
described explicitly.

For more information on Lines & Veils or other safety mechanics to use, a great
resource is goldenlassogames.com/tools.

3
 SETUP
TO PLAY COBWEBS, YOU NEED:
• The Cobwebs playmat, (either included in the game box, printed &
assembled from the PDF, or uploaded to your digital play space)
• 4d6, distinguishable in pairs (referred to in the text as your 2 Light Dice
and your 2 Dark Dice)
• 1d12
• 6 tokens to track danger
• An additional token or d12 to track time
• The 3 role reference cards (The Darling, The Shadow, and The Machine)
• A bunch of notecards
• [Optional] A dictaphone, voice notes app, or other audio recording
device

In our rules explanation, we will be referring to a standard, three-player game.

All of the information here will need to be understood for other play variants.
For additional rules allowing play up to five players, see page 30. There are also
rules variants in development for play with less than three players—stay tuned to
worldchampgame.co for their eventual release.

SETTING
Cobwebs’ default setting is the a small, American city in the mid-90’s or early-
aughts, but can easily be adapted to whatever other settings you’d like to run.
Just keep in mind that things like access to technology such as phones or the
internet—or lack thereof—will inherently establish characters’ resources and
limitations. Quickstarts included in this book each briefly dictate or imply their
own setting.

4
THE DARLING & THE MISSING
The main character in your game’s story is referred to as The Darling, a person who
has an overwhelming need to learn more about the mysterious disappearance of a
loved one called The Missing. The Darling is not an investigator in a professional
capacity but is being forced to act as one due to either a distrust of authorities or
an unwillingness/inability of existing authorities to investigate the disappearance
themselves.

Over the course of the game, The Darling role will be shared and portrayed in
turns by all players. The Missing, on the other hand, is a character whose presence
will be felt heavily over the course of the game but may not end up ever being
portrayed by one of the players. During setup, no one player has complete control
over The Darling’s or The Missing’s makeup, and the group will instead come up
with the characters together.

These characters are regular people in an extraordinary circumstance, but don’t

possess any extraordinary skills or powers. As such, there are no skill points for
performing extraordinary feats in this game. The Darling is able to accomplish
tasks and overcome obstacles within a reasonable range of average human ability.
They won’t be lifting cars or casting spells, but they could probably pick a lock or
kick an assailant if it fits the character archetype you create. You may uncover or
establish in your story that The Missing possesses some special skill or ability—it
could even be a reason they’ve gone missing—but any powers they have will not
help your Darling directly over the course of the story.

5
 THE MONOLOGUE
You’ll create these characters together by making a series of statements that build
off one another’s ideas. You’ll make these statements in rounds until you feel
confident enough to begin the game. Individual comfort levels will vary, but it’s
encouraged that you leave some blanks in your characters’ identities as well to
allow for improvisation or character development over the course of the game.

Begin with the youngest player and proceed clockwise, hitting record on your
dictaphone or voice memos app if you are using one. When it is your turn to
contribute, make a declarative statement about The Darling, The Missing, or the
world around them. Each statement should be short and succinct—only about
a sentence long—so don’t ramble on or try to take too much ownership over
any of the details in the game. Through these sentences, you’ll want to imply
at least a few locations worth visiting, people worth questioning, or items worth
investigating.

Continue making these statements until each player has contributed at least 3
facts, going longer if you feel you need more to work with before playing. When
you are comfortable with the amount of information established about both The
Darling and The Missing, stop.

Consider the following prompts to help build the foundation for your story:

• My name is _. • They’ve been spending a lot of time

• I am a professional _.
• I am worried about _.
• I haven’t heard from them since _.
• The last time I saw them, they _.
• I don’t want any _.
• All I want in the world is _.
• I’m afraid I will lose _.
around _.
• _ is someone who seems to know
more than they let on.
• I found _ in their bedroom and it
made me nervous.
• _ used to be a safe place to hang
out but we don’t go there anymore.

6
7
 LEADS (PEOPLE, LOCATIONS, AND ITEMS)
Before beginning your story, you’ll also want to create a few Leads. These are
things you can look into during your investigation, jumping off points for scenes,
or avenues of research. Leads can include people (friends, known associates,
suspicious characters, other investigators, authority figures, etc.), locations
(homes, research facilities, places last seen, natural landmarks, dark alleys,
abandoned buildings, etc.), or items (noteworthy clothing, trinkets, broken items,
lucky charms, weapons, mysterious treasures, etc.).

Each player should create three Leads of different types by writing them on
notecards. Any people should be folded in half and placed like a tent in the rings
on the left side of the die drop area (where it says Ally, Suspect, and Threat), while
any items or locations should simply be put outside the playmat in clear view.

At the start of the game, you should have at least 3 locations, at least 1 person,
and at least 1 item. Quickstarts will include prewritten Leads for you, and you can
use tables at the end of this book to randomize Leads as well.

Record your Leads in whatever format is most intuitive for your group, but the
following information will be helpful to track:

• People*: Name, occupation, relation to The Darling and/or The Missing

• Location: Name (proper, shorthand, whatever), distance, general appearance
• Items: What it is, where it is

* New people Leads may be introduced in any scene, whereas locations and items are only introduced
when The Darling’s dice say so. Developing information and establishing truths on a people Lead
works the same as locations and items, however. More on this in The Darling’s Pre-Scene section.

8
Information will likely be added, removed, or reshaped on your Lead cards over
the course of the game. When this happens, either cross out old, inaccurate
statements and write new ones or otherwise adapt the cards to suit the shifts in
your story. Some Leads will be dead ends, some will lead to crucial information,
and some will turn out in ways you never expected. No Lead is sacred, and all are
open to shift and change at any point of the game.

MOTIFS
Motifs in Cobwebs are recurring ideas, symbols, and themes that help to create
continuity in your game’s story while highlighting eerie or unsettling aspects of
your setting as well. Examples in pop culture would be the recurring stickmen in
The Blair Witch Project, the owls in Twin Peaks, or the numbers in Lost. Your group
should discuss and agree upon a single motif to use at the start of your game.
Write it boldly on a notecard and keep it on or near the playmat as a reminder to
integrate it into your scenes.

Motifs work differently than Leads in that you won’t be learning new information
about them. They are ever-present and seemingly unchanging. You might hear a
song motif on the radio in one scene, see someone wearing a shirt with its lyrics
in another, and have it stuck in your Darling’s head in a third. Its presence ties your
narrative tone together and can help contribute to the confusion and frustration of
an investigation where lines between coincidence and conspiracy are razor thin.

You may also decide to shed or place less influence on the motif as the game
develops and this is okay. Or it may be revealed to be more than a coincidence
and in fact something that alters the nature of your characters’ reality. Motifs are
intended to be more evocative than informational, but—as with any tool in this
game—are there for you to explore in ways you resonate with or find meaningful.

9
 THEORIES
No one player will have all the answers during most of the game, you’ll simply
have hunches and assumptions about where your investigation is leading. Those
hunches will be based on each individual player’s Theory.

Each player should keep a notecard to themself with their running theory of what
happened to The Missing, adapting that theory as needed. Theories should be a
short, declarative sentence and not a grand explanation of the conspiracy.

After each scene, players will be encouraged to consider new details established
and to adapt or reform their Theories accordingly. Theories will warp as the game
goes on, becoming concise and informed through play. Regardless of the nature
of your Theory, however, you’ll use it to guide your approach to the role you play
in the following scene.

Do not share your Theories with the other players. At the start of play everyone’s
Theories will be wrong, but even your most out-there Theories may work their way
into the fiction you create. The collective Theory that emerges through play will
be a group collaboration, with each player jerking the steering wheel in various
directions until the story has ended. And because you all contributed ingredients
to the eventual truth, it will be much more satisfying to expose your influences at
the end of the game than wearing them on your sleeve.

10
THE PLAYMAT

TIME

CHARACTER
TRACKER (L)

SCENE
PROMPTS (R)

DANGER

TIME
As the game progresses, our investigator will only have a finite amount of time
to solve their mystery. Around the circular area of the playmat the numbers 1-12
appear as they would on a clock. At the start of the game, place a token on 1 to
indicate it is the first scene of the game. At each scene’s conclusion (except after
Concern for Safety scenes), the token will move to the next number clockwise,
indicating the progress your Darling has made and how close they are to their
investigation’s end. The Machine will also increase the danger of particular scenes
based on their current Time, but more on that later.

11
 CHARACTERS
The left side of the playmat is used to track the status of various non-player
characters (NPCs) in the story. You’ll meet friends, make enemies, investigate
suspects, and avoid threats over the course of the game, but it isn’t always clear
who has your best interests at heart.

When your group encounters or establishes an NPC—including any people you

generated as Leads in the beginning of the game—fold a notecard in half to make
a small tent, write the character’s name on it, and place the card on the outer ring
of one of the three character-tracking sections: Ally, Suspect, or Threat.

Characters will change positions on the playmat over the course of the game,
both in a circular fashion—switching between these three distinctions—and in
depth—moving towards or away from the danger in the center. The closer a
character gets to the center of the playmat, the more potential danger it puts our
investigator in. A character approaching the center of the playmat, however, also
gives the investigator opportunities to better determine who is helpful and who is
harmful in their pursuit of the truth.

DANGER
The closer The Darling gets to the truth, the more danger they will find themselves
in. After all, if whatever forces at play WANTED you to know what happened to
The Missing, you wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble in the first place.

Danger will heighten as your story goes on, with 6 tokens tracking how much
danger your character is in. You’ll place these tokens in the center of the playmat
where the logo is. If at any point all six tokens are in the center, danger will remove
your character from the game and your story will prematurely end. More about
when to add and when to remove Danger later as we explore the playable roles
in the game.

12
SCENES
The right side of the playmat is used as a die drop area to generate scenes.

To establish a scene, each player will roll their own dice and consult the value.
These dice and their associated meaning will depend on the player’s current role.

There are a six different regions of the die drop area, each on the right half of the
circle. The players acting as The Darling and The Shadow should always have
their dice land in this area of the circle. The location of The Machine’s roll does
not matter. Once all of the dice are rolled, each player will consult their results and
plan their private objectives, behaviors, and circumstances for the subsequent
scene.

The die drop area of the playmat includes six succinct prompts for scene
generation. These are intentionally short and left somewhat vague to encourage
your group to stretch definitions and be creative with how you interpret them. If
you’d like a little more guidance in prepping your scenes, however, here are some
light suggestions for each prompt:

1. Through the Shadows - Through the Shadows scenes often involve

hiding, sleuthing, or generally being somewhere you shouldn’t. The
Darling could stealth through an environment, witness dark, mysterious
acts from afar, or infiltrate a dangerous locale. Taking a cue from The
Shadow role, these scenes also often deal directly with one or some of
the named characters besides The Darling. This can allow the player
portraying The Shadow to more strongly steer the events of this scene
or convey information through another character’s perspective.

13
 2. Conduct Interview - While Conduct Interview scenes are fairly
direct, it’s intentionally left unanswered who is doing the questioning
and who is the subject. The Darling could interview a suspect or
subject, or a journalist, threat, or friend could interview our Darling.
These scenes could even feature an interview between two other
characters while The Darling acts as a witness or mediator. Conduct
Interview scenes tend to focus on conversations and can be used
to build tension between forces or reveal secrets that will help The
Darling’s future investigations.

3. Research - Research scenes generally feature The Darling further

researching a lead. This research could be on the internet, in a library,
poring over ancient tomes, transcribing cave paintings... anything.
They could also involve another character doing research, however—
such as a threat digging up dirt on The Darling or an ally relaying
information they found. Research scenes tend to focus on The Darling’s
journey and the impending discovery that comes at the expense of
their safety. Research scenes are often the most intuitive for a Machine
player to further information on a chosen lead as well.

4. Explore Location - Explore Location scenes are fairly self-

explanatory. As with the other scene types, while this exploring is often
conducted by The Darling, it could involve a different or opposing
character. You may use locations that are already established among
your Leads or investigate new ones. Explore Location scenes tend to
focus on environmental hazards, The Darling’s inner monologue, and
steadily ramping up the game’s eerier factors.

14
5. Memory - Memory scenes are a bit different and don’t follow all
the same rules as other scenes. These scenes happen outside of the
main chronology of the story, manifesting as flashbacks, dreams, video
recordings, or visions. You’ll still develop the game’s mystery and
advance Leads and Theories, but The Missing is often the active
character in memory scenes and not The Darling. The Darling doesn’t
even need to be present, though it should be clear to all players how
The Darling is being made privy to the information portrayed in the
memory. Memory scenes tend to focus on reframing old information,
revealing secrets, or reexamining facts or theories that have had their
accuracy brought into question.

6. Concern for Safety - Concern for Safety scenes offer a way out
from the ongoing conflict that The Darling will likely not take. Some
person or organization is worried that this investigation is bringing
unnecessary stress or harm to The Darling and wants to help them. A
family member might meet up for coffee and beg them to come home,
a voice on the phone can tell our protagonist to turn back before it’s
too late, a doctor can discourage you from continuing after treating
a wound, etc. Concern for Safety scenes can also manifest as The
Darling’s concern for the safety of another—likely a character marked
as an Ally or Suspect on the playmat. Similar emotional interventions
can be used on behalf of The Darling to dissuade someone else from
getting wrapped up in the unfolding conspiracy with them. These
scenes tend to be focused on emotional and physical vulnerability,
perseverance towards the truth, and a character’s sense of duty. When
your group acts out a Concern for Safety scene, The Darling may
choose to remove a Danger Token from the center of the playmat
at the cost of not making progress on any Leads that scene. The Time
Token does not advance when employing a Concern for Safety scene.

15
16
THE THREE ROLES
You’ll rotate between three different roles over the course of a game of Cobwebs:
The Darling (our main character, the de facto investigator), The Shadow (a player
portraying named NPCs and interacting with The Darling while advancing their
own Theory), and The Machine (a player who aggregates randomized scene
elements, describes settings and locations, and helps drive conflict, establish
clues, and reveal truths to The Darling). Everyone will play each role at least once
during the game. Each role also has their own unique responsibilities during each
scene that will change how the story is shaped over time.

Each role has equal authority in establishing new Leads, dictating facts about
them, introducing characters, and so on. Your group of players are working
together to tell the most intriguing story possible, not competing with each other.
The Darling can dictate what they find on a note in a drawer, The Shadow can
reveal secrets while being interrogated, and The Machine can invent new clues in
the set dressing of scenes. All of these are entirely valid devices and hold equal
influence over the story. If you find a particular player or role is doing more to
develop Leads than others, consider encouraging other players to take more
ownership over the story. Not everyone will be comfortable doing so, though,
and at times may simply prefer to cede influence in a scene to others. Friendly
conversation in conjunction with the aforementioned safety tools should help you
and your group find a healthy balance of control for each of your players as you
fulfill your roles’ responsibilities.

17
 THE DARLING
PRE-SCENE
The player portraying The Darling rolls one Light Die onto the die drop area. If
there are less than 3 Danger Tokens in the center of the playmat, you must instead
roll two Light Dice and take the lower value. Consult the value of your die roll
and compare it to the following table to determining the focus of The Darling’s
investigation in the following scene. If your die lands in the shaded area near the
center of the scene prompts you may change its result to a value of your choosing,
but still must use the lowest value when less than 3 Danger Tokens are in play.

1-2: Establish a New Lead—Discover a new Lead that you can explore
further later on.
3-4: Develop Information on an Existing Lead—Add facts or theories to an
existing Lead card.
5-6: Establish a Truth—Confirm that a hunch you have about an established
Lead is true.

With the the result of your dice roll in mind, you may choose two Leads of different
types that interest you from those available. You won’t need to grab the cards for
those Leads, relocate them on the playmat, or otherwise manipulate the play area
until the end of the scene.

Once all the other players are ready, share your chosen Leads and the result of
your roll with everyone. The Machine will use this information to help establish the
following scene for you all act out. Your roll will guide your individual approach to
the scene, but making sure Leads are further developed each scene is a shared
responsibility among all players.

18
 THE DARLING
MID-SCENE
During the scene, your job is to dictate The Darling’s speech, thoughts, and
actions. You may choose to do so in the third person, similar to describing stage
directions, or in the first person, portraying The Darling directly, as in a monologue,
a journal entry, or a podcast host relaying information to an audience. Try to make
your portrayal artful and poetic—describing things with extra details, exposing
your feelings, making use of metaphors, and otherwise immersing all the players
in The Darling’s mind.

You share the responsibility of set-dressing with The Machine. You can describe
how The Darling feels about your findings, the sights and sounds in a location,
the smell and texture of an object you pick up, etc. Just don’t contradict things
that other players establish during the scene, instead elaborating on the ideas
presented and giving them further detail. Get into The Darling’s headspace,
seeing through their eyes and dictating what they perceive to your audience
of fellow players. Fully committing to The Darling character will help everyone
immerse themselves in the story and invest emotionally in The Darling’s well-
being—even if that well-being isn’t guaranteed.

The Darling player’s other main job is making sure your dice-generated goal is
accomplished during the scene. It is your responsibility to understand that goal
and relay to the other players when that goal has been accomplished. A nod,
knock on the table, removal of dice from the playmat, or “I got it” is enough to let
the rest of your group know that the scene should come to a close shortly. Once
you’ve signaled your goal is accomplished, The Machine can decide to let the
scene run a little longer or end it immediately.

19
 THE DARLING
POST-SCENE
Once The Machine has wrapped things up and the scene has ended, you can
cease acting in-character. Before you switch roles, though, you’ll need to add
select things you learned to the Leads on and around the playmat.

When establishing a new Lead, simply grab and title a blank index card before
adding a simple detail or two beneath it. Place it with the other ongoing Leads
around your play area.

People may be introduced and included as new Leads in any scene regardless of
what your dice roll dictates, and a rich and varied cast of friends, suspects, and
threats is encouraged. Only develop information and establish truths on these
Leads when the dice tell you to, but feel free to make new character cards for any
people mentioned or interacted with during scenes if you believe you’ll want to
interact with them later as the story evolves. When making new characters in this
way, The Darling immediately places that character’s card in its logical character
track and ring depth.

20
 THE DARLING
When you develop information on a new Lead, you can also add, rewrite, or strike
information on an existing Lead card. These can be new aspects of the Lead,
things you’d like to investigate later, aspects to beware, or any other details that
you believe are important to the investigation. Leave out details that add flavor
and don’t serve a function in the mystery. Details should be written quickly and
concisely, as they may not pan out as the story progresses.

When you establish a truth about a lead, however, you should record it in a more
complete and complex sentence on a Lead card than you would developing
information, since they’re objectively true and will help propel the story. You may
integrate previous details that were developed on the card in this truth or you
could decide that they were misleading. Once you have written down your truth
on a Lead’s card, underline or circle it to make clear to all players that it’s set in
stone. This aspect can not be crossed out or revised later in the game. Other
Darling players may research these Leads further, develop additional information,
and establish more truths, but they should not contradict any truths already
established.

Like the other player roles, you’ll also take time between scenes to alter your
working Theory. You may simply cross out or replace words or rewrite your Theory
from scratch. As the game progresses, your Theory will become more specific
and refined and grow closer to the theories of other players as you approach a
narrative consensus.

21
 THE SHADOW
PRE-SCENE
The Shadow rolls one Dark Die onto the die drop area. If there are 3 or more
Danger Tokens in the center of the playmat, roll two Dark Dice and choose
whichever result you prefer. Consult the value of your roll and use the following
table to determine how your character will act towards The Darling in the following
scene. If your die lands in the shaded area near the center of the scene prompts
you may change the value of that die.

1-2: Ally—You are perfectly friendly and amicable towards The Darling.
3-4: Suspect—You will talk with The Darling but might not be honest or
forthcoming with them.
5-6: Threat—You are aggressive and antagonistic towards The Darling.

Keep your roll in mind while you wait for your character assignment. The Machine
will use the group’s rolls to establish a scene, choosing either a new or existing
character for you to portray in the subsequent scene. The Shadow and The Darling
can both offer suggestions of characters you would like included in the scene, but
The Machine has the final say. Your roll will inform how your character should
treat The Darling in this scene, even if that treatment it is at odds with its current
character track on the playmat. Sometimes characters you think are friends will act
suspicious, suspects will act aggressively, and threats will come across as friendly.
These incongruous or unexpected behaviors make it that much harder for The
Darling to know exactly who they should trust.

While other players may look at your roll and figure things out on their own, you’re
not obligated to announce your approach or motives before the scene (unlike
The Darling, who shares their information with the group to assist with scene
establishment).

22
 THE SHADOW
MID-SCENE
During the scene, your job is to dictate the speech and actions of a single character
assigned to you by The Machine. Determined by your roll, you’ll portary how they
act around The Darling in conversation, body language, decision making, etc.
Don’t be afraid to interrupt The Darling or step on their toes narratively, either—
you will often be acting in an adversarial manner, creating and maintaining tension
during scenes.

Occasionally, you will find yourself at odds narratively with the players acting as
The Darling or The Machine. If needed, refer to the Player Conflict section under
Conflict Resolution later in this text for suggestions on how to smooth out play.

The Shadow’s role during the scene is primarily to give the player acting as The
Darling another presence to lean on or react to. The Darling is the main character
of the story, so while you will often find yourself manipulating their path towards
or away from the truth, it should absolutely not be done at the expense of the
story your group is telling or at the cost of real life relationships. Like a jobber
in wrestling, you’ll sometimes need to take a hit to make another character look
better. Remember, you’ll have your opportunity to act as The Darling in later
scenes, too, so you will not be stuck in a supporting role the entire game.

This support will often take the form of conversation. As The Shadow, you’ll want
to talk in-character as much as you are able to and comfortable with during a
scene. Conversing with The Darling is a great way to encourage a particular
behavior, create a dramatic moment, or relay helpful, threatening, or misleading
information. Initiating a conversation about a certain topic will also give you
some agency in swaying the story towards your own Theory or that of the player
currently acting as The Darling—whichever feels right in the moment.

23
 THE SHADOW
POST-SCENE
At the end of the scene, move the card of the character you portrayed to an
adjacent space on the playmat. This can be in a radial way, between Ally, Suspect,
& Threat, or a move inward, increasing the character’s proximity to and threat from
the danger in the center. Keep in mind, however, that because you’re only moving
to an adjacent space, an ally cannot immediately become a threat or vice versa.
Character cards also cannot be moved away from the center—only towards.
All characters in the story are being drawn towards the inevitable truth and the
danger associated with it. Through these movements, a casual ally can become a
closer confidant or a perimeter threat can become something truly menacing and
immediate. Similarly, when someone who is a close friend starts to act suspicious,
they may immediately become a suspect of high concern.

When a character is in the outmost ring of the circle they exist in the world of your
story. You can keep an eye on them, easily get in touch with them, or publicly
interact with them without putting yourself in danger.

Characters in the second ring are more intense and require a bit more navigating
to communicate with them. Meetings are held in the shadows, messages are
relayed in mysterious ways, and communications may come from burner phones
or unmarked envelopes.

When a character is in the third ring, their connection to The Darling is actively
putting people in danger. This could be the people involved in the conspiracy,
people in The Darling’s life, random civilians, or even themself. The exact nature
of that danger will depend heavily on the Leads you’ve established and the
Theories you are working with.

24
 THE SHADOW
Lastly, when a character would be moved from the third ring to the center of the
playmat, they instead disappear in the narrative and are removed from the game.
Allies or suspects can go missing, be found dead, or cut ties to The Darling out
of fear. Similarly, threats may make their presence known but never be heard from
again (at least directly). These characters are no longer able to be portrayed in
scenes, only in occasional Memories. When a character card is moved into the
center of the playmat, place a Danger Token in the center as your story draws
nearer to its conclusion.

Like the other player roles, you’ll also take time between scenes to alter your
working Theory. You may simply cross out or replace words or rewrite your Theory
from scratch. As the game progresses, your Theory will become more specific
and refined and grow closer to the theories of other players as you approach a
narrative consensus.

25
 THE MACHINE
PRE-SCENE
The player portraying The Machine rolls the game’s single d12 and compares
the dice value to the current Time on the playmat. If the result is lower than
the current Time, add a Danger Token to the center of the playmat indicating
an increase in danger. The following scene should include an escalation of The
Darling’s situation that challenges their determination to pursue the truth. This
escalation could take the form of a new adversary, threats of violence, sabotage,
being watched, blackmail, or anything else foreboding or nefarious.

Next, you will aggregate the information determined by the players’ dice rolling,
including your own. There will be 3-5 dice on the playmat, at least one of which
should have landed in the Scenes area. You may choose any of the six scene types
in which a die landed to frame the following scene. If all dice are in the same
region, you must use that scene prompt. If any dice rolled outside of the die drop
area, you are allowed to choose any of the six prompts.

If either of the The Darling or The Shadow’s dice ended up in the danger area (the
black circle in the center), roll the d12 again, adding a second Danger Token to
the center if it’s below the playmat’s current Time. While The Machine’s d12 can
be used to help select scene prompts, it does not trigger additional danger rolls
when landing in the danger area.

26
 THE MACHINE
Taking into account the scene type determined by the dice placement and The
Darling’s goal & chosen Lead, you will establish a scene. First, choose one of
the character Leads on the playmat or create a new one to be portrayed by The
Shadow, giving them some time to get into character and decide their approach.
Then explain the circumstance in which The Darling finds themself—where they
are, what the weather is like, what sounds they hear, what smells are in the air,
who else is around, etc. Describe these elements with plenty of detail, painting
a picture in the minds of your players to help immerse them in the game’s world.
If you’d like to exert additional control, you may also integrate elements of your
current working Theory into the scene. When the group agrees an adequate
amount of information is available to start roleplaying, let The Darling and The
Shadow take the lead interacting with the environment.

MID-SCENE
Over the course of the scene, The Machine’s job is to act as a director, describing
in detail the setting the characters inhabit, roleplaying any supporting characters
not already portrayed by The Shadow, and presenting challenging circumstances
to The Darling.

If The Darling has questions about their surroundings, they can either ask The
Shadow’s character in-scene or The Machine can provide those answers. Questions
like “what do I see when I open the fridge?” are opportunities for The Machine to
establish new leads or plot twists in the game’s story. It’s not ALWAYS your job to
create or expand Leads, though—all players have this power—so don’t be afraid
to ask for suggestions or defer to other players for more collaborative decision-
making if you are worried you might be taking too much control over the game’s
narrative.

27
 THE MACHINE
POST-SCENE
As the scene’s de facto director, The Machine will also draw each scene to a close
when the timing is right. Once The Darling signals they’ve accomplished their
dice-generated goal, The Machine can choose to let a conversation fizzle out,
pursue an exciting moment to its climax, or cut the scene short leaving it on a
cliffhanger. Simply say the word “scene” or “cut” to signify the scene’s immediate
end.

Move the token indicating Time to the next highest value (unless the prior scene
used the Concern for Safety prompt) then pass the d12 and The Machine’s role
reference card to the next player clockwise.

Like the other player roles, you’ll also take time between scenes to alter your
working Theory. You may simply cross out or replace words or rewrite your Theory
from scratch. As the game progresses, your Theory will become more specific
and refined and grow closer to the theories of other players as you approach a
narrative consensus.

28
29
 PLAYING WITH 4-5 PLAYERS
The stories generated over the course of a game of Cobwebs can often feel dire,
desperate, and lonely. The Darling’s discovery—and the resulting fall-out—likely
includes problems for which there isn’t an immediate remedy or help with coping.
The game is especially effective in establishing this tone when The Darling is
a single player alone among The Machine and The Shadow. There are some
modifications you can integrate into a play session, though, that will allow for a
larger play group while still maintaining the drama and mystery at the core of the
game.

PLAYING WITH MULTIPLE DARLINGS

Our protagonist doesn’t necessarily need to be alone to be unsettled. Including
multiple Darlings in your game opens doors to a myriad of new scenarios: twins
looking for a missing parent, frenemies competing to prove their worth, strangers
thrust into intimacy when a common friend disappears, etc. Each Darling has their
own mission, methods, and emotional responses, and their reactions to each
other can help insert even more drama, discoveries, and disappointments into
the game’s narrative.

The maximum number of Darlings in Cobwebs is two, even in a five-player game.

You don’t want your investigators to become the Scooby Squad—your duo should
still feel like fragile underdogs up against intimidating, unseen forces.

During setup, explain The Darlings’ dynamic in the opening monologue.

You may decide to change the format of the monologue to a conversation, a
correspondence, or simply switch between the two Darlings’ perspectives as you
add to the exposition.

30
After the monologue stage is complete, make two character cards—one for each
Darling. These don’t need to be involved—they may just say names—but you’ll
want to keep them distinct. When the game is in play and role cards are passed
around between scenes, pass The Darling cards in a similar way. You may want to
space the Darling roles out, however, so players don’t have to portray The Darling
role two scenes in a row. Use The Machine or The Shadow role assignments to
keep them staggered.

When rolling dice, The Darlings’ dice and results are shared. Each Darling rolls
one Light Die to help determine which prompt is their goal in the subsequent
scene. The generated goal will be the same for both Darlings.

When establishing scenes, decide if it makes more sense for The Darlings to
be together or split up. If they are together, portray The Darlings as normal,
conversing in-character with The Shadow and exploring Leads until your shared
goal is met. If The Darlings are split up*, each will instead act out their own scene.
Role cards are not rotated until both scenes have been completed, and each
scene should accomplish the shared goal on their own, meaning you can develop
information on two different Leads. However, when acting out two distinct scenes,
The Machine should move the Time Token forward two spaces as well.

* The Darlings cannot be split up once the Time Token reaches 10. Remaining scenes must
involve both The Darlings in a shared location.

31
 Having multiple protagonists also allows for a dramatic moment where one of
them is taken or killed—whether due to a culmination of Danger or narrative
prompting. Darling removal can only occur once there are at least 5 Danger
Tokens in the center of the playmat.

When removing a Darling, all players must agree to doing so. After a consensus
is reached, it is the narrative responsibility of the player portraying the departing
Darling in the current scene to narrate what happens. Some character deaths or
disappearance may occur off-screen (implied but not detailed), while others may
be the scene’s focus. Your priority should be to respect play and stay true to the
story your group is telling. Players who would have portrayed the removed Darling
in any following scenes should instead act as an additional Shadow (detailed in
the next section). This Shadow can decide to bring back the removed Darling for
a dramatic reveal later in the game or leave them gone. Or your players could use
the removed Darling as the next Missing for another play session later on.

32
PLAYING WITH MULTIPLE SHADOWS
Having multiple Shadows per session is another way to involve more players in a
game of Cobwebs while maintaining the tone of the game. Additional Shadows
can help make sketchy situations even more hazardous for The Darling, adding
“outnumbered” to the growing list of reasons to reconsider their investigation.

Unlike Darlings, there is no maximum count for the number of additional Shadows
you can include in a game. A five-player game could have three Shadows, one
Darling, and one Machine or it could feature two Darlings and two Shadows
alongside a single Machine in an attempt to distribute player responsibilities more
evenly.

When playing with multiple Shadows, write “Shadow” on a notecard and pass
it around the group as if it were an additional role reference card. The Shadow’s
rules reminders will only be written on the reference card, so make sure you
are familiar enough with them before trying this style of play. As with multiple
Darlings, distribute the multiple Shadow cards among your play group with other
roles between so that so no player portrays the same role two scenes in a row.

When generating scenes, each Shadow should roll their own dice to determine
their attitude. Only the player with the proper Shadow rule reference card needs
to roll their dice in the scene prompt area, while other Shadows can simply roll
right in front of them and keep the result of their roll private. You’ll need to supply
additional Dark Dice if playing this way or use a digital randomizer if you don’t
have any handy.

33
 Each Shadow will portray a different character during a scene. Multiple Shadows
work best in scenarios where The Darling would interact with more than one
suspect, so include reoccurring charters and create new ones as needed to
accommodate. The Darling may ask a character to come with them, a person
could grow suspicious and follow The Darling between scenes, or secret society
members could keep emerging from the woodwork as you try to incorporate
more characters in scenes than you would in a typical three-player game.

It will occasionally make more sense to limit the number of additional characters in
a scene, though. In those cases, additional Shadow players can forgo portraying a
character and instead Spin Webs. When Spinning Webs, a player adds additional
details to other Shadow characters that are in the current scene. These should be
limited to mostly physical reactions—like making someone’s eye twitch, adding
nervous goosebumps, or seeing someone’s breath in a cold room. You don’t want
to interfere with another player’s portrayal of a particular character, especially if
that character’s dice-generated motivations aren’t known to you. You’ll also want
to make sure you only add details to other Shadow characters, not characters
controlled by The Machine. These details can be for flavor (“Garret bites his lip
as if holding something back”) or they can help complicate plot moments (“You
notice Mary’s nose is starting to bleed without her realizing it”).

Having multiple Shadows in a game means characters will move around more
frequently on the left side of the playmat as well—often towards the center
and out of the story. Don’t get too attached to any of them, instead using their
removals to make the story even weirder and more unsettling. You can always
create new characters to fill the voids they leave behind or use their character’s
disappearance as a prompt for a future session of the game.

34
35
 CONFLICT RESOLUTION
There are two types of conflict your group might run into over the course of
the game that are resolved in very similar ways: Character Conflict and Player
Conflict.

In a Character Conflict, the The Darling character is trying to accomplish

something unlikely or outside of the realm of normal human skill. This could
include lifting something heavy, jumping from something tall, making a quick
getaway, reasoning with an antagonist, treating a serious wound, or a number of
other difficult actions.

When The Darling wants to do something difficult or unlikely, they should roll both
a Light Die and a Dark Die at the same time. If the Light Die shows a higher result,
they accomplish their goal. If the Dark Die is higher, they do not accomplish their
goal and their situation becomes worse—similar to when Danger is introduced to
scenes by The Machine. In the event both dice show the same result, The Darling
both accomplishes their goal and is subject to heightened danger.

36
In Player Conflict, players disagree over what should happen in a scene. With
each player operating with their own Theories and goals, occasionally speed
bumps in storytelling can happen. This is especially likely to happen when The
Darling gets to Establish Truth in a scene which might contradict a conclusion
another player was trying to reach. Some examples of Player Conflict include
deciding what items might be found in a drawer, why certain characters would
be in certain locations, what a motif means or where it comes from, what role
The Missing played in the uncovered conspiracies, etc. Player Conflicts should
only be resolved between two players—if there are moments in your game when
everyone is arguing, you might need to take a break or could even be playing with
the wrong group. Remember, your goal is not to have The Darling win as much as
it is to tell an immersive, memorable story with your friends.

When a disagreement between players occurs, both players should voice what
they’d like to happen. Each player will then roll one of their dice used during
scene generation—a d6 for The Darling or Shadow and a d12 for The Machine.*
As with Character Conflict, the highest result wins. Ties are to be decided by
players not involved in the disagreement.

* This system intentionally gives an advantage to the player acting as The Machine.
The Machine fulfills many responsibilities that would usually be handled by a traditional
gamemaster and has similar authority if not quite absolute.

37
 END GAME
There are two ways a game of Cobwebs can come to a conclusion: Time’s Up and
Danger Abounds.

In Time’s Up, when the Time tracker would go past 12, your investigation ends.
Keep the current Time in mind as you play to help escalate situations accordingly—
don’t try to pack high action and intrigue into the first couple scenes and don’t
tiptoe around the truth in the final few scenes. The 12 on the Time track is a
boiling point that you are always approaching.

When the game ends in this way, use the final scene to reveal multiple truths.
Disregard the value of The Darling’s roll this round and instead work together
as a group to resolve a handful of the lingering questions of your investigation.
You don’t need to answer everything or create a ham-fisted solution to a difficult
problem, but you should feel content that the biggest ongoing mysteries around
The Missing and the major Leads you’ve established will have satisfying answers.

In Danger Abounds, if you accumulate six Danger Tokens in the center of the
playmat, The Darling will have their investigation forcibly cut short. When the sixth
Danger Token is added, know that you will have one more scene to narrate your
story’s ending. When The Machine places Danger Tokens at the beginning of a
scene, that will be the final scene. When The Shadow places Danger Tokens at the
end of a scene, you’ll still change roles and play one more.

When there is too much Danger, a threat will remove The Darling from the
investigation. The circumstances of this removal can be as overt or as vague
as you’d like, and could involve their capture, untimely demise, or mysteriously
disappearance. Don’t be afraid to let antagonists revel in The Darling’s defeat
during the final scene either. This scene can also be a figurative question mark, with
The Darling investigating as usual when it suddenly stops, a story left incomplete.
Stories ended this way lend themselves well to sequels where The Darling in one
game becomes The Missing in another.

38
EPILOGUE
The Epilogue is a brief moment after the ending of the game similar to the
opening Monologue. The matter in which your game ends will affect the tone of
your Epilogue, but mechanically it works the same.

Remember how The Darling was before the investigation began, what they knew
and needed to know, and what they hoped to find. Reflect on how that person
was changed, for better or worse, by learning what they did over the course of
the game. If you made an audio recording at the start of the game, listen back to
it now.

Like the Monologue, the Epilogue is told with each player contributing short
statements in first person.

• If your game ended via Time’s Up, act out the epilogue in the
voice of The Darling.

• If your game ended via Danger Abounds, The Darling is no

longer able to record an epilogue, and your group should decide
who is voicing the Epilogue instead. It will likely be a character
you’ve already met during your story, but could be someone new,
years from the event of the story looking back. Consult the Leads
on the playmat if necessary. This could be a threat savoring their
victory, a suspect talking through their astonishment, or an ally
lamenting the loss of their friend. If you’d like, you can also use
an Epilogue told in this fashion as setup for a sequel game where
The Darling you played one game becomes The Missing in the
next.

39
 Begin with the youngest player and proceed clockwise. Hit record on your
dictaphone or voice memos app if you are using one. When it is your turn to
contribute, make a declarative statement about the fallout of your investigation.
Each sentence should be short and succinct—your game has ended and this is
simply a nice narrative bow to put on top.

Talk about how the investigation did or did not answer particular questions, what
information is left unknown, how the characters lives were changed, and what
they might choose to do next. Depending on what your investigation revealed,
this could also a good time to state what happened to The Missing and any
repercussions for the people involved in their disappearance.

Continue making statements until each player has contributed at least 3 facts,
going longer if you feel you need more closure. When you are comfortable with
the amount of information established, stop. Your investigation has ended.

40
41
 CONTINUITY
BY BANANA CHAN

I work in a dying industry. No one buys videotapes anymore. Why would you when almost
everything can be streamed on the internet? But I can’t leave this place. Not yet anyway.
I’ve worked here at (Supernova/Videodrome/We Rent) Videos since I was a teenager. We
sometimes get rarer tapes—ones that haven’t been digitized yet. That’s how I came across
(Abellona/The Silent Film/The Whisper Tape).

My coworker, ___________ was working with me during a late shift. We usually get more
people coming in at night. The “Returns” slot slid open and a package with a sticker of (an
occult sigil/an iris flower/a bird) came through. We thought it must have been a mistake at
first, or some drunk asshole thinking it would be funny to leave their garbage with us. When
we unwrapped the brown paper packaging, we revealed the tape. We had only heard
rumors about it in web forums—the last movie you’ll ever watch, a film that transports you
into an alternate universe, it’s so strange that it will make you question your own existence.

Of course, our curiosity got the better of us. We popped the tape into the VCR and hit play.
I don’t remember what I saw. It was a flash of white static and then… nothing. I must have
fallen asleep. I woke up next to the television screen with the tape ejected. ___________
was gone. It was pretty late already, so I assumed they headed home.

The next day, ___________ didn’t come to work. I tried calling, but no one picked up. They
had left behind their (wallet/lucky coin/apartment keys), which made me feel uneasy. My
initial thought was they must have gotten drunk at the bar. But when I told the boss, they
said they don’t know who I’m talking about.

It’s been three days. I’ve been experiencing... continuity errors. I’m losing things. I’m losing
time. The only thing I can do is find out what the sticker on the packaging means and where
the tape came from. I need to know, before everything disappears around me.

42
People: my boss, a regular customer, a weird guy in a suit lurking at the store

Locations: the dive bar across the street, the obscure film fans web forum, a
strange obelisk standing in the middle of town that I don’t remember being
there before

Items: the strange tape, their items left behind, a matchbook with the symbol

Motifs: cigarette burns, the sticker with the symbol, people’s faces looking
“smeared” in real life and on film

43
 IT'S SNOWING IN MAY
BY CECIL HOWE

It’s snowing in May. The (house/school/clinic) is on fire—I’m sitting on the sidewalk and I’m
crying. My (mom/dad/best friend) is yelling at me asking where you are. I don’t know. The
snow is falling so slowly I can’t help but stare at each flake while the scene plays out.

Two weeks later you’re still missing. They found your (car/truck/van) under the bridge but
the keys were in the ignition and the radio was on; the hiss of white noise at full volume
leaking from the open door. It’s still snowing.

Two years later I moved out of town while they all forgot your name. A journalist from the
paper back home leaves a mystery (on my answering machine/in my inbox/in my mailbox).
Tells me they have a theory and ask if I could make the (hour/afternoon’s/two day’s) drive
to talk to them. Says he thinks there was something foul at play and he has some questions.
I don’t return the message.

Ten years later and I’ve forgotten. It’s May again and it’s snowing again and the sun is going
down. I got another (voicemail/email/letter) and it was from you, asking me to come home
so I do. The drive into town is quiet, and I don’t see anyone but an orange glow in the
snow up ahead.

Ten minutes ago I knew this couldn’t be real, I know this fire can’t happen twice and I know
you can’t be here but there you are (standing/lying/crying) in front of me. The snow is
even slower this time, I can’t concentrate on you just the blanket of white falling around us.
You’re yelling now, (saying someone’s name/describing someone I should know/saying my
name). Asking for help.

Right now no one is around; no sirens and no yelling. Nothing but the snow and the fire.
You’re gone but I see your (two sets of prints/tire tracks/blood) in the snow. I will follow; I
will bang on every door in town until I find out what happened. I will find you.

44
People: a journalist, the mayor, a parent, friend who knows, friend who wants to
help, gossips

Locations: isolated town, newspaper editor’s office, a diner, the mayor’s office

Items: a knife, news clippings, an audio recording of a suspect, a mirror

Motifs: unseasonable snow, remembering old details, white noise, protecting a

killer, blood in the snow

45
 VITAL RECORDS
BY SUZANNE SCHENEWERK

My (sibling/sister/brother), ________, has been missing for (two weeks/five weeks/three

months) now. I’m trying to find them, because—okay, let me back up. Growing up, it was
just the two of us. Our mom died when we were little, and our dad was never around, so
our (grandfather/aunt/cousin) raised us. It wasn’t an easy childhood. Our guardian… Well,
we moved around a lot. It was lonely, and we were different as night and day, but the two
of us stuck together. We had to. And we made it through.

We got older. Our guardian died, too. I started working—I’m a (mechanic/gardener/

bartender) now, which pays the bills. They went to college, then got a steady gig in an
office. We moved to different towns, but we still talked a lot.

A while back, they said they were going to do one of those DNA testing kits from the
internet. They were always interested in figuring out where we came from, because growing
up, we just… didn’t talk about it. If we have any extended family left, I never heard of them.
I never really thought it was important, but they wanted to know. The last time we talked,
they said they’d got the kit, spit in the tube, sent it back in. “Here goes nothing,” they said.

The next time I tried to call them, they didn’t answer. Or the time after that. I called their
work, but ________ hadn’t shown up for a few days. Went to their apartment. It was all
clean and normal, except for (the mail piled up inside the door/their pet fish all dead and
floating/a half-eaten takeout container molding on the table), like they just stepped out
and forgot to come back. I filed a missing persons report, but so far, there are no leads.

Except last night I got a call. Unlisted number. There was a (scratchy/deep/whispering)
voice on the other end. They said somebody found something in ________’s test sample,
something that shouldn’t have been there. That I should keep my head down, “just in
case.” I asked who the hell they were, and they just said they were (a friend/nobody/an
interested party), and if I noticed anything strange happening, I should be ready to run,
too. Then they hung up.

46
I don’t know what’s going on anymore. I think I saw someone parked outside my
house last night. I think I have to find out what happened to ________. Maybe
they’re still out there. Or maybe it’s going to happen to me, too.

People: company spokesperson, missing persons detective, government agent,

retired Air Force colonel, conspiracy theory radio show host

Locations: DNA testing lab, abandoned Air Force base, police station, vital
records office, graveyard

Items: test tube, birth certificate, abandoned car, gate code, hand gun

Motifs: lights in the sky, helixes, eagles, helicopters, the letters A C G and T

47
 MURDER IN DEVILLE MANOR
BY NATHAN D. PAOLETTA

Thank you all for coming. I am Bertie J. Baskerville, Mme. Deville’s lawyer and executor
of her estate. In accordance with the wishes of Dame Marjorie Deville upon the occasion
of her departure from this mortal coil, I will now read her Last Will And Testament.

“Welcome, my dear family. Most of you have done your best to avoid entering Deville
Manor in recent years (except, of course, for my dear sister _____), so I am (comforted/
disgusted/unsurprised) that the prospect of inheriting my vast fortune has finally drawn
you back to our ancestral home. Rest assured that my wealth will pass on. However, it’s not
as simple as showing up to dance on my grave with sad expressions on your faces.

While you’ve been enjoying my (brandy/wine cellar/music collection) , the doors of the
Manor have been locked and the gates to the property have been closed. Mr. Baskerville
has disconnected the phone line, and there is no cellular service out here. You, my dear
family, are now in one of your least favorite situations: stuck with each other.

By now, I know that my son is making a ruckus while my grandchild has already confirmed
that what was just read is true. My dearest niece _____, of course, is patiently waiting to
hear what (dear/batty/generous) old Auntie has cooked up this time.”

I am now instructed to wait until everyone has satisfied themselves that the house is, in
fact, locked. Everyone is now back? Good. The testament continues:

“I’ve been murdered. And the murderer is in this room. If I were there, perhaps I would be
surprised by the (aplomb/shock/disbelief) with which you receive this news. I know that
my daughter _____ has already started assigning blame. But you are all here because,
while I know that my death was at the hands of a relative, I don’t know which one. Mr.
Baskerville is here to discover the truth. He will interview everyone, assemble the facts
with what I’ve told him about you already, and decide who did this foul deed. Whoever
murdered me is, of course, out of the Deville affairs. The rest of you will receive shares in

48
my estate proportional to your cooperativeness with the investigation. Mr. Baskerville is
empowered to make all such determinations as part of my will. And don’t think you can
profit from sowing chaos—if my executor is unable to perform his duties due to untimely
death or disappearance, the Deville estate and all of my assets go to (charity/the state/an
anonymous Swiss bank account).”

It ends, “being of sound mind and body, signed etc. etc.” You are welcome to inspect
the will and supporting documents if you wish, but I assure you that everything is, legally
speaking, airtight. It seems that Mme. Deville had (a premonition/a suspicion/early
warning) of her murder, but of course there can be no prosecution where there is no crime.
The crime having been committed, let the prosecution begin.

People: a sister, a
son, a daughter, a
niece, a grandchild

Locations: the library,

a bedroom, the wine
cellar, the taxidermy
room, an old gazebo,
a tree fort, a corn
maze

Items: Mme. Deville’s

scrap-book, a crystal
ball, a riding crop,
grandfather’s knife, a
100-year-old bottle of port wine

Motifs: a sound that isn’t there, musty smell of secrets, thunder and lightning

49
 BLACK CLOUDS
BY ADAM VASS

(Astral Blood/Haunted Oath/Eternal Spell) is the heaviest fuckin metal band on the planet.
I’ve been a huge fan ever since my (roommate/girlfriend/older brother) _________ showed
me their first album.

They’re an even bigger fan than me—has all the records on vinyl, got the logo tattooed on
their chest, everything. So of course we were fucking pumped when the band announced a
show (in the next town over/at the bar we used to sneak into/at the annual metal festival
in the desert) and got tickets right away.

The show was nuts, tons of people in the pit and at the bar, they must’ve sold too many
tickets but let everyone in anyway. I figured _________ was working their way towards the
front, we got separated in the first song. An hour of blast beats and bad beers later, I was
stumbling out the door alone—figured I’d catch up with ________ at home but their bed
was empty.

I didn’t notice ‘til morning the (bloody footprints/broken window/album still spinning
on the turntable), that was the first moment I realized something is up. (3 days/A week/
Almost a month) later, still nothing. I know this sounds dumb but... I think the music has
something to do with it.

The band’s (manager/old guitar player/rival) supposedly works at the vegan cafe downtown,
they might know what goes on backstage. I could revisit the venue too if they let me in.
And… I can’t believe I’m saying this… maybe somebody at the local church can offer
some advice. Yes, I’m now desperate enough to step foot in a church if it means bringing
_________ home. Pray for me, haha.

50
People: local priest, our mom, the owner of the record store

Locations: the record store, the performance site, the church we used to go to

Items: the band’s latest LP, a bloody footprint, their patch-covered leather jacket

Motifs: black metal lyrics, a sigil, desert lizards

51
 ANOTHER FRIDAY IN THE HOOD
BY AUSTIN KNIGHT

Last night, things got weird on the block. There was a (block party/cookout) and things
were pretty lit, not gonna lie, but everyone was having a good time. Anyway, we started
hearing screams, someone turned the music off and then… I don’t know the air got weird.

Before anyone could really do anything a bunch of cops showed up, so I bolted. Ain’t
nothing good ever happen when they show up around here. Once I got back to my
grandma’s place, I crashed and figured I would find out what was up sometime the next
day. Except when I woke up it was still nighttime, actually it was the exact time I fell asleep.

I thought maybe I partied too hard, but when I went to ask my (brother/sister/neighbor/
partner) they were… off. Had this weird look in the eyes, like they were drowning but not
underwater if that makes sense, would not respond to me at all.

I went to get help and saw a bunch of cops on the block. Like an army of them. So I ran,
I don’t know where I am gonna go, maybe back to spot; back to the where things were
poppin off last night… today… now? Anyways, if you get ahold of this be careful, and
check on my grandma for me.

52
People: Grandma, Neighborhood Watch captain, cousin, best friend

Locations: neighborhood park, block party location, family member’s home,

house police roped off, high school playground, graffti tag wall

Items: missing person’s ID, police caution tape, pair of 1985 Jordans, family
member’s wristwatch

Motifs: ACAB, sirens (sounds and/or lights), the same song on the radio, pigs

53
 THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES
BY LINDA H. CODEGA

The Second World War has ended and we struggle to return to normalcy. Granted, not so
long has passed, just a decade or so, but the lies and conspiracies surrounding both the
military and the scientific minds that work for them run rampant. There is a cold war boiling
in between the Soviet Union and the United States, and all that we fought for might soon
be taken from us, or worse, be forgotten.

My (spouse/sibling/best friend/neighbor), ___________, has finally returned from (the war/

an extended sabbatical/boot camp/work orientation), but... something about them is
strange. They (don’t remember the pet/act strangely when they think they’re alone/cause
the baby to cry uncontrollably). I thought it was nothing, until (I heard them speaking in
an unrecognizable language/I saw them writing in cipher/they met with strange men in
public) and then they (lied about it/avoided talking about it/told me I was mistaken).

I don’t believe that my (spouse/sibling/best friend/neighbor) is who I thought they were...

or even who they were a few months ago. I think they’ve been changed, possibly replaced.
I asked my friend, __________, a (reporter/recruiter/policeman) what they thought, and
they said I was just being paranoid. I just can’t shake this feeling that there’s something
wrong. I’ve been (keeping a diary of their movements/listening on the other line when
they take calls/following them) and something is off. When I confronted them they got
uncharacteristically (angry/silent/condescending). I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m
afraid to keep asking questions. I’m afraid they’ll take me next and change me like they
changed ___________.

This setting is intended for the conspiracy-laden era of the 50s. Lean into UFOs and stay away from
modern technology. Touchstones include The Manchurian Candidate, MK-Ultra, Homintern, The
Philadelphia Project, The Wrong Man, McCarthyism, UFOs, The Lavender Scare.

54
People: a psychiatrist, a stalker just out of sight, a (current/former) lover, the
mailman, an evasive receptionist, a government suit, a sympathetic family member

Locations: the local cafe, a dark alley in the wrong part of town, a seedy hotel, the
bus station, the library, an invisible monument, a beacon, the military base nearby

Items: a bugged lamp, a strange device, a book of codes, unusual mail, magazines
from foreign cities, a phone that only rings at 3:18 AM, a copy of the Mattachine
Review, an empty folder

Motifs: the feeling of being watched, sleepless nights, aimless wandering,

intrusive thoughts, mind control

55
 READ ONLY MEMORIES
BY JAMILA R. NEDJADI

Dear Beloved,

This would be much easier with a video-casette call, but I know you like old-fashioned beta-
mail more. It’s 1982, you need to keep up!

Things are great here in (New-Topia04/Cyan Haven/Skye Town), I still can’t believe I landed
this core (assistant/programmer/machine-artist) job in the AI and Robotics program. We’re
working on cutting edge stuff here, the 90s will be an era of wonder!

But honestly, I reached out because something has been worrying me. Or rather,
someone. You know that my (co-worker/boss/sibling/lover) ___________ and I are working
on something top-secret. I shouldn’t have told you about it, but I’m so proud of what
we’ve accomplished. We’ve made so much progress for the (Memory Transplant/Soul
Realignment/Machine Immortality) Project.

But things got strange real fast. (Time was looping/Reality was rewriting itself/Dimensional
rifts opened up). At first it was exciting, exhilarating even! But then, ___________ showed
up at the lab one day and they were just different. It was the way they (remembered
past events differently/were convinced I was someone else/kept hearing or seeing what
I couldn’t). They were wearing the same face, but underneath it they were someone else.

Look, I know this is going to be difficult to believe, but I’m convinced they’ve been replaced.
By someone or something. Whoever is smiling at me with that face, it’s a stranger. I know
this is true. I’m receiving casette-calls from (my future self/myself written out of reality/a
robot that looks just like me). They’re helping me, I know I’m getting close to the truth.

And we get to the real reason I’m writing to you. In case I’m not me anymore, if they
replace me, please just stay away. Don’t come looking for me, don’t ask for me. Forget
about me. Don’t answer my messages, don’t pick up my calls. I don’t know if it’s too late. I
may have already been replaced. I don’t know if I’m still me. I love you.

56
I have to tell you x345///////KKKK...RECOVERING.DATA.FILE/////7890.ipp.qrt2.765 before it’s too
late you need to know 00000099999KKKK … REORGANIZING . CORRUPTED. DATA . FILE/ ////890 don’t
forget me /// / / 323 . 44 /// / OPERATION . COMPLETE . THANK . YOU . CITIZEN . PROGRAM . START321
GREETINGS CITIZEN
THANK YOU FOR USING WORLD CORP BETA-MAIL TO CONNECT TO WHO YOU LOVE AROUND THE GLOBE-
SPHERE. WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS SERVICE WILL SOON TERMINATE, DUE TO FALSIFIED MESSAGES
SUCH AS THIS ONE. THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN VIEWED (12 times) AND WILL NOW BE DELETED. AS RECOMPENSE
YOU HAVE BEEN CREDITED A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO OUR BRAND NEW VIDEO-CASETTE SERVICES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.

People: Dolly the world’s first sentient robot, a disgraced scientist, a ghost
trapped in the machine walls

Locations: an abandoned lab, the sector stolen by disenfranchised, a luxury suite

Items: a walkman with whispering cassette, a skeleton key, a dangerous prototype

Motifs: unnerving smiles, blood acting strangely, overplayed commercial

57
 HOW TO LOSE YOUR FACE
BY FIONA GEIST

The (reality series/horror film/arthouse interpretation/podcast) documenting my possession

was a cultural phenomenon. I watched it from the (hospital/convent/psych hospital/new
house) as my life was laid bare and dissected around water coolers. There were blogs. For
all the impact, I cannot recall any moment—like (watching another person/a distorted
mirror’s reflection/answering a forgotten question/isolation/vindication). Rewatching it,
analyzing it, taking notes, pushing pins in a board, there has to be some way to make sense
of all this… I’ve been saying it for years. Sometimes I get (reckless/numb/newsworthy on a
slow day) and paranoia starts anew. I’ve said it so many times I’ve lost count.

My (dead sibling/friend the series harmed/biggest skeptic/ex-partner) sent a letter,

unannounced, unexpected, life altering. Slitting the envelope open triggered a feverish
flashback of the beating of wings and vertigo awakening and realizing days were wrong,
everyone was cautiously gentle with the look of pity for feral animals you may have to
put down. Followed by the severe disorientation provoked when something that foggily
connects to a missing memory—(a house burning by moonlight/psychological research/a
shunned place/a declassified file). Included is a motel room key from a city I’ve never been
within 100 miles of—they say I’ll remember its importance, calling it “our special place.”

The radio moves from recognizable music to static to the scratch and pop of dead air
keeping me company as I travel in the fog. Somehow it doesn’t occur I could call it off, shut
the door on those memories and walk away from the (decaying luxury resort/unremarkable
hotel/unnervingly kitsch motel/fog shrouded cabin) I’m approaching. My voice echoes
questions back to me before isolation smothers them. I feel watched by many eyes as
enormous pressure builds in my head followed by a void, awakening to (a victrola playing
an unfamiliar song/a TV broadcasting a flickering glyph/a radio broadcasting nonsense/
cigarettes’ reek and a manilla folder/a disquieting painting). The room’s door is open, I
think I hear laughter… or is it screams?

58
People: a reclusive philanthropist, a snake-oil preacher, your biggest fan, a
debunked academic, a reclusive outsider, a cheap psychic

Locations: a flickering red room, an abandoned sanitarium, a grey diner in the

fog, a copse of dark pines, a sterile hospital records office, a library’s forbidden
stacks

Items: a grainy 8MM film, a glossy red leather book, a vacant grave, heavily
redacted documents, a wax cylinder recording, candid recorded interviews, a
hospital bracelet

Motifs: creeping paranoia, false identities, losing sense of self, missing/altered

memories, pattern recognition, dreams within dreams, missing people

59
 TRUOC RORRIM EHT
BY ALEX GUERRERO

My Dear One,

You will come after me. I know you will. But the Mirror Court is easy to enter, and so,
so difficult to leave. I’ve told you stories about the Court since you were a child, and you
will need them, and all your cleverness, to bring me back home. I am so sorry. I could not

Memorize this note—do not take it with you. Bring (a gift of fruit/a cold-iron horseshoe/
an omamori amulet/your sword) and nothing else. Take the key from the urn on the
mantelpiece and unlock the door to your old room. The mirror I told you never to touch
is there. Touch it.

The Court’s corridors are full of wonder and danger. Trust the (foolish Elf-Knight/flower-
crowned child/seventh sister). You know already, my Dear One, to eat nothing, to accept
no gift without recompense, but knowing now and resisting then are vastly different.

Look at your hand that touched the mirror. See how it is (creeping with mercury/a second
left hand/moving unbidden)? Make peace with this: it will only intensify. You will know
Those Unlike Us, the true Denizens of the Court, by their faces, which are (masks/screens/
veils/reflections). Treat them with the utmost politeness.

Instructions For Survival In The Mirror Court:

• When addressing a Denizen, you must always (meet/avoid) their “eyes”
• Free any trapped thing you find—but be ready to (bear its weight/appease its hunger/
end its suffering)
• Do not look overlong into the “sky”
• Do not touch the (piles of rotting fruit/twisted horseshoes/burnt amulets/broken swords)
• When you meet Yourself, DO NOT speak first. Allow them to speak; repeat what they say
as quickly and precisely as you can
• You MUST (REMEMBER/FORGET) your name

60
When you meet the Silent Queen, you will see me at the foot of Her Throne,
(chained by moonlight/bound by oaths/serving Her of my own free will). I am
sorry now for what I will say to you then. Look into your reflection in Her mirror-
eyes and see that you are (not there/not yourself/not human).
You will only get one chance. You will know it when you see it.

But those eyes, my Dear One... they are so (beautiful/beautiful/beautiful).

People: a lost angel, Grandmother Hunger, a childhood pet, the brave princess

Locations: the art gallery, The Dreamprison, The Everstairs, your bedroom?

Items: sharpened shard, weird phonograph, cursed necklace, perfectly-safe mask

Motifs: reflection, translation, forgetting, recursion, impostor syndrome, fractals,

body horror, recursion

61
 APPENDIX: TABLES
Use these when you get stumped, want to randomize, or otherwise are seeking
inspiration for your story.

FIRST NAMES
Joselyn Denisha Lisa Ethan Valentin Shay
Laurice Francine Andrea Jasper Salvatore Cherie
Riva Iraida Lynna Dante Bruno Britt
Gayle Doug Edgar Laurence Ebony Fernande
Krystin Philip Emanuel Armando Amanda Kassie
Dani Marietta Tuan Leland Phuong Lara
Fonda Eleanor Allen Charley Britany Rusty
Bailey Dinah Mitch Jamaal Julie Sidney
Charis Virginia Curt Bill Patrica Sylvester

LAST NAMES
Miles Patrick Baird Gomez Santana
Brandt Combs Gill Li Forbes
Marquez Wagner Barnett Austin Hahn
Davenport York Dean, Mullen Cross
McCullough Carson Turner Duffy Mccarthy
Castaneda Shelton Finley Grimes Livingston
Holland Conrad Hester Terry Mills
Horne Holmes Gross Allison Waller
Hays Braun Burns Wells Sheppard
Acosta Aguirre Haney Crawford Bennett
Sellers Nicholson Mathews Dillon Caldwell
Dunn Murphy Chaney Avila Morrison

62
MISSING RELATIONSHIPS
lovers dom/sub
siblings driver/passenger
cousins drug dealer/customer
childhood friends artist/benefactor
coworkers professional rivals
student/teacher sexual partners
mentor/mentee political associates
parent/child exes
spouse study buddies
crush spiritual connection
roommates criminal partners
parolee/officer performer/manager

OCCUPATIONS
preschool teacher automotive mechanic real estate agent
fitness trainer historian computer technician
painter professional athlete software developer
social worker environmental scientist security guard
construction worker chef housekeeper
customer service librarian paramedic
physician musician event planner
artist educator janitor
school counselor pharmacist electrical engineer
hairdresser coach physical therapist
telemarketer writer actor
secretary bus driver mason

63
 PHOBIAS
Arachnophobia (fear of spiders)
Hoplophobia (fear of firearms)
Phonophobia (fear of loud sounds)
Aviatophobia (fear of flying)
Gerontophobia (fear of growing old)
Coulrophobia (fear of clowns)
Traumatophobia (fear of injury)
Androphobia (fear of men)
Thalassophobia (fear of the sea)
Equinophobia (fear of horses)
Tetraphobia (fear of the number 4)
Cynophobia (fear of dogs)
Nyctophobia (fear of darkness)
Uranophobia (fear of Heaven)
Stygiophobia (fear of Hell)
Hypnophobia (fear of sleep)
Agoraphobia (fear of open/public
spaces)
Mysophobia (fear of germs/dirt)
Pediophobia (fear of dolls)
Ornithophobia (fear of birds)
Somniphobia (fear of sleep)
Amychophobia (fear of being
scratched)
Necrophobia (fear of death)
Selenophobia (fear of the moon)

THEORIES
dimensional slip faked death magick gone wrong
covert medical testing alien abduction cannibals
brain swapping brainwashing runaway
vampire calf transhumanist evolution Manchurian candidate
apocalypse cult government test subject animal-human hybrid
human sacrifice chemtrails doppleganger
human trafficking secret operative mistaken identity

SUSPICIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
high school sports team military recruiters tech startup
university administration megachurch medical
all police goth teens researchers
government black ops homeowners association dubious charity
secretive religious sect after-school club roleplaying group

64
LOCATIONS
childhood bedroom mall parking lot convenience store
neighbor’s house survivalist bunker quiet airbnb
dusty basement university library stationary camper
storage locker city rooftop area 51
highway rest stop art museum the trunk of your car
bus depot mall food court fancy coffee shop
back of ambulance lost & found candle-lit restaurant
college dorm hotel conference room government test site
fire escape new high rise unmarked building
dump 24 hour diner past the barbed
peep show private airport hangar wire fence
concert hall dive bar cargo hold
artist’s green room interrogation room your parent’s grave
historic cemetery payphone booth down the creek
ITEMS
broken glasses radio sewing kit
friendship bracelet greeting card lucky charm
rubber duck film camera photo album
knife dirty shovel band t-shirt
lone slipper video game console takeout container
USB drive candy wrapper jewelry
popped balloon backpack personal music
newspaper clippings ironic mug player

MOTIFS
static a song in your head receipts
missing time a recurring number bugs
out-of-place animal toys & dolls deja vu
recurring symbols a tattoo masks

65
 APPENDIX: FURTHER RESEARCH
If you enjoy the stories that Cobwebs tells, here is a far-from-complete list of
recommended reading, listening, and viewing.

MOVIES/TV PODCASTS
Under The Silver Lake Limetown
Deadwax Alice Isn’t Dead
Cigarette Burns Video Palace
The Blair Witch Project The Left Right Game
Gravity Falls Tanis
Shutter Island Rabbits
Looper Passenger List
Memento The Angel Of Vine
Fringe Blackwood
Wayward Pines The Polybius Conspiracy

COMICS BANDS
Mind MGMT by Matt Kindt YOB
Black Monday Murders by Emma Ruth Rundle
Jonathan Hickman Chelsea Wolfe
Plutona by Jeff Lemire The Mars Volta
Southern Cross by Becky Gost
Cloonan Bell Witch
The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker Ritual Howls
Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron King Woman
by Daniel Clowes Cult Leader
My Favorite Thing is Monsters True Widow
by Emil Ferris Zola Jesus

66
MACHINE AUTOMATICA
The suit and rank of your revealed card determine what you learn in the
following scene. These are meant to be vague and subjective, malleable to suit
your desired story. Interpret them as liberally as you’d like and allow your Theory
to be adapted to the facts and events revealed.

• Diamonds are friendly: a person you know well

[ is shown to be important. (an ally offers new

information, a relative offers protection, a new person
offers their help, etc.)

• Clubs are mysterious: things are not as they seem.

] (something thought to not exist is shown to be real,

physics or time act strangely, your fundamental
understanding is brought into question, etc.)

• Hearts are confusing: a thing you thought you knew

{
is proven wrong. (an ally acts in unexpected ways,
a Lead turns out to be a red herring, a suspect is
revealed to be innocent, etc.)

• Spades are dangerous: the integrity of the

}
investigation or the safety of The Darling are
compromised. (a clue is tainted, a person in pursuit, a
hazardous environment, etc.)

REDACTED

WWW.WORLDCHAMP.IO
WORLDCHAMPGAMECO.ITCH.IO

67
 This page intentionally left blank.

68
69