THE REVENANT

A Masks playbook by Ennis Rook Bashe

Teenage years are supposed to be a time when your body changes. But you’re
pretty sure that “puberty and you” handout in health class never covered being
brought back from the dead.

Current Hero Name:

Real Name:

LOOK

Ambiguous, Man, Shifting, Transgressing, Woman

Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, White

Hard eyes, cold eyes, a thousand-yard stare, tired eyes, eyes with no pupil,
fathomless eyes, sunglasses indoors, an eyepatch

Dark costume, concealing costume, damaged costume, generic costume, simple

costume, retro villain’s costume from a previous generation (but ironically)

Punk clothing, vintage clothing, ripped clothing, unremarkable clothing, adaptive

clothing

A white streak in your hair, cold skin, a skeleton hand, strange tattoos, a tremor in
your hands, a laugh that sounds like you’re choking, scars, a dent in your head,
unnerving flexibility, sluggish odd-colored blood

You have one power from before your revival:

Gymnastics and parkour, olympic-level aiming skills, hacking and technology,
invisibility, disguises, martial arts

And one that you acquired after your resurrection:

Telekinesis, thought projection, neurotransmitter manipulation, retrocognition,
astral travel, regeneration, dark magic

LABELS
Danger +2
Freak +1
Savior +1
Superior -1
Mundane -1

At character creation, add +1 wherever you choose.

Backstory
When did you decide you wanted to be a superhero?
What were your superhero activities like before you died?
How did you die?
Who- or what- brought you back to life?
What about the city has changed while you’re dead?
Why do you still care about the team?

When our team first came together…

One of us was badly injured in the fight. Who was it, and how did we help?

Relationships
You and (team member) were close before your death; you know it hit them pretty
hard.
(Team member) reminds you of the idealistic person you might once have become.

Until you forgive or avenge yourself on them- your choice- the following adults
always have Influence over you, individually.
NAME: the paragon of the city you blame most for allowing your death.
NAME: the villain who killed you.
How are they connected to each other, and how did you get drawn into it?
Influence
Give Influence to one teammate. You’re still trying to remember how to feel
things.

Moves (start with two)

Leap Before You Look

When you put yourself in unnecessary danger just for the adrenaline rush, clear a
condition.

To Move Among the Living

You made a connection before you reclaimed your old life. Pick one and name
them:
A small group of homeless teenagers who took you in as one of their own.
An unethical scientist who was trying out bodysnatching, but dug you up instead.
The night manager of a local bodega, who heated up free leftovers to the teenager
sleeping on their doorstep.
The owner of a local free clinic, who found you bedraggled on the steps.
A retired old superhero, their powers lost forever, who knows what it’s like to hold
a grudge.

Fearless, Arrogant, Brash and Gifted

When you comfort or support someone with reverse psychology, or by daring them
to stand up to you, you can roll with Danger instead of Mundane.

Blood on My Name
When you pierce the mask of a hero, on a hit, you can ask an extra question. When
you pierce the mask of a villain, you can always ask “How do you feel about what
you’ve done?” for free.

Beneath the Hood

When a teammate helps you reclaim something from your former (civilian) life-
such as telling a loved one you’re still alive, spending time at a favorite place, or
engaging in an activity you used to enjoy- mark potential or add a Team to the
pool.
Every Memory a Nightmare
When you’re fighting the villain who killed you, or their minions, tell the GM what
sensory details of your death you call to mind, and roll + conditions marked.
On a miss, mark a condition or lose control of yourself or your powers in a terrible
way- the memories have overwhelmed you.
On a 7-9, take one forward. Rage has renewed your determination, but you’re still
keeping a clear head.
On a 10+, you have access to the adult move “overwhelm a vulnerable foe” for the
duration of the battle, but mark a condition once the adrenaline’s worn off. Some
things are better left in the past.

Team Moves:

When you share a moment of triumph or celebration with someone, give them
Influence over you and ask them what they think is worth living for.
When you share a weakness or vulnerability with someone, give them Influence
over you and ask them if they think you’ll ever be back to normal. If they say no,
mark potential.

Moment of Truth:
You were powerless once. Trapped in your own body as the strength fled your
limbs, as death overtook you. You were helpless once, fighting for control over an
unfamiliar body- maybe even forced to escape your own grave.
But now? You’re free and strong and afraid of nothing. Life has already thrown its
worst at you. What could possibly hurt you or make you back down?
And if it’s a little too easy to cross that line, to make your enemies experience the
same pain and terror that you once felt… if the normal muted feeling of your
undead existence has you desperate to experience something, anything… well,
that’s something for Future You to feel fucked up about.

POTENTIAL ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑
Every time you roll a miss on a move, mark potential.

Advancement
When you fill your potential track, you advance. Choose from the list below.
❑ Take another move from your playbook
❑ Take another move from your playbook
❑ Take another move from your playbook
❑ Take a move from another playbook
❑ Take a move from another playbook
❑ Someone permanently loses Influence over you; add +1 to a Label
❑ Rearrange your Labels as you choose, and add +1 to a Label
❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth

When you've taken five advances from the top list, you can take advances from the
list below.

❑ Unlock your Moment of Truth after it's been used once

❑ Change playbooks
❑ Take an adult move
❑ Take an adult move
❑ Lock a Label, and add +1 to a Label of your choice
❑ Retire from the life or become a paragon of the city