Au th o r

Richard Woolcock

E l d ri tch D e te cti ve s S ys te m

Tricube Tales <

During the First World War, there were many spooky tales from the Western Front—from ghostly
soldiers marching into battle to terrible monsters feasting on the living. Dismissed by the officers B a ckgro u n d

Figu Design
as fanciful delusions, these eerie accounts nevertheless found a captive audience back home.
The eccentric philanthropist Sir Arthur Eldritch became obsessed with the stories, researching them S to ry S ym b o l s

in earnest once the war had ended. In 1923, he founded the Eldritch Institute, a top-secret organization Delapouite, Lorc, Skoll
dedicated to investigating paranormal activities and protecting humanity from supernatural threats. Game-icons.net <
You are operatives working for the Eldritch Institute, recruited for a specific role based on your area I l l u s tra ti o n s

of expertise, and granted access to the organization’s extensive resources. Dean Spencer

Ch a ra cte r Cre a ti o n Re s o l vi n g Ch a l l e n ge s I n ve s ti ga ti n g M ys te ri e s

Each player creates a character as follows: If a player attempts something risky, they roll 1-3 Roll on the following tables to generate the latest
1. Choose a trait: Agile (used for reflexes, dexterity, six-sided dice and must equal or beat a difficulty mystery (see the next page for examples):
stealth, and ranged combat), brawny (covers strength, of 4-6 on at least one die. Succeed on multiple dice The detectives investigate...
vitality, athletics, and melee combat), or crafty (covers for an exceptional success (narrate an additional A A mysterious death D An occult ritual
smarts, charm, alertness, courage, and social combat). benefit). Rolling “1” on all dice is a critical failure B Ghostly sightings E A terrible curse
2 . Pick a concept: Parapsychologist, antiquarian, (introduce a complication to the scene). C A missing person F An inexplicable event
private eye, veteran, priest, ex-thief, or scholar. The GM chooses a trait and difficulty for each On, in, or near...
3 . Select a perk: Observant, deductive reasoning, challenge. Most are difficulty 5, but a particularly A A passenger train D The wilderness
persuasive, uncanny reflexes, gadget (describe it), easy or hard task might be difficulty 4 or 6. Some B A house or hotel E A hospital/care home
eidetic memory, or arcane device (describe it). challenges (e.g., combat) require multiple rolls. C A vacant building F A church/graveyard
4 . Choose a quirk: Curious, heroic, apprehensive, Players usually roll 2 dice, but roll 3 dice if the While dealing with...
surly, cynical, stubborn, or compassionate. challenge matches their trait. If a challenge falls A An aggressive foe D A tenacious reporter
5 . Grab 3 karma tokens and 3 resolve tokens. completely outside the scope of their concept (e.g., B Nosy officials E A dark revelation
6 . Make up a name, and introduce yourself to the a priest picking a lock), they lose 1 die. C Rival investigators F Unexpected danger
group (e.g., “I’m Howard Green, a crafty private eye
with an eidetic memory who is rather cynical”).
Ka rm a and Re s o l ve Ru n n i n g th e Gam e

Each player has 3 karma and 3 resolve. Spend 1
Ti m e and Pl a ce karma after rolling to reduce the difficulty by 1, if
Decide as a group when and where this tale takes you can justify how your perk helps you. Recover
place. The institute has an international presence, 1 karma if you increase the difficulty by 1 before
and it has been around since 1923. rolling, narrating how your quirk hinders you.
If you use a quirk and succeed at the challenge,
you may recover 1 resolve instead of 1 karma.
For dangerous actions (such as combat), failure
costs 1 resolve (or 2 on a critical failure). If a PC
runs out of resolve, they are eliminated from the
scene—but death is primarily a narrative conceit,
and the PC usually returns later at full resolve.
The GM should describe the opening scene, react
to the players’ decisions, and assign the traits and
difficulties for challenges. Offer players karma in
return for complications based on their quirks!
When encountering something scary, call for a
crafty challenge. If a player fails the roll, they can
choose their reaction—fight, flight, or freeze!
The players should make all the rolls, narrate
the outcome of their actions, and drive the story
forward whenever possible. They can also spend
1 karma to influence the story or discover a clue
through their perk, at the GM’s discretion.
 O b j e cti ve s D e s ti n a ti o n s Co m p l i ca ti o n s

Described here are examples of objectives for the Described here are example destinations for the Described here are example complications for the
mystery generator (first table): mystery generator (second table): mystery generator (third table):

1. D ead Man Wa l ki n g 1. G h o s t Tra i n 1. Un wa n te d Atte n ti o n

A man was found dead, but the cause of his death This old decommissioned train was left to rust in The dark forces behind the mystery have turned
has baffled the authorities—even more strangely, a derelict station. But several witnesses recently their sights on the detectives.
he was alive a few days ago, yet his corpse shows claim to have seen it speeding down the tracks.
several weeks’ worth of decomposition. 2. Pe rs o n s o f I n te re s t

2. B ri m ga te H o te l
A couple of police officers keep a close eye on the
2. Ph a n to m S ta l ke r
People stopped visiting this hotel after a series of characters, suspecting they’re up to no good. The
A group of students claims that a ghostly figure is tragic deaths, and it eventually closed. It recently two officers always seem to turn up at the most
relentlessly hunting them. It might sound like a reopened—and already, two guests have died. inopportune moments.
local urban legend, but the kids seem serious.
3. B l a cktre e Man or 3. G l o ry Houn ds

3. Va n i s h e d on Va ca ti o n
The owners of this abandoned house died from a A small group of amateur sleuths is looking into
A young couple vanished while away on vacation. mysterious illness. There were rumors the family the mystery as well. Worse still, they fully intend
All that is known is the last place they visited. practiced cannibalism, but no proof was found. to report their findings to the world!

4. B lood S a cri fi ce 4. Ca b i n in th e Wo o d s 4. S to ry of a L i fe ti m e

The detectives investigate a ritualistic killing. The
victim’s corpse has been mutilated, and there are
arcane symbols carved into its flesh.
5. D a rk D e s ti n y
Backpackers sometimes stay in this old cabin, but A freelance journalist has been investigating the
there have been several disappearances and a few Eldritch Institute, believing it could be the story
deaths in the area over the last few years. to make her career. She’s following the detectives
discretely, hoping to find dirt for her exposé.
5. An ge l o f D e a th

A wealthy playboy has gone missing days before Many patients have died recently in this hospital, 5. J u s t D e s s e rts

his 31st Birthday. According to the family legend, even those who initially seemed to be recovering. One or more of the victims committed a heinous
their bloodline is cursed—every male transforms Rumors abound of an “Angel of Death” who visits crime in the past. Perhaps the supernatural forces
into a horrible monster when he turns 31. the sick, offering release from their pain. are seeking revenge?

6. Re ve n a n ts 6. Ve rd a n t H i l l 6. Po we r Va cu u m

Several people have seemingly returned from the There are countless spooky stories about Verdant The entity behind the mystery is keeping an even
dead. Their families were initially overjoyed, but Hill cemetery, particularly the strange green mist greater danger in check—destroying them could
something is distinctly off about the returnees. that sometimes gathers around the headstones. unleash something terrible upon the world.

Ad d i n g a Twi s t to th e S to ry

For further inspiration, roll two dice on the table below and use the symbol as an improvisational prompt (you don’t need to interpret it literally). For example,
A A might indicate a flying creature, an aerial attack, or an airplane journey, while rolling A E could mean light, heat, literal or figurative illumination, a guide,
or a candle or open flame, and F E might represent a trap, a tripwire, or triggering an alarm.
AA AB AC AD AE AF BA BB BC BD BE BF CA CB CC CD CE CF DA DB DC DD DE DF EA EB EC ED EE EF FA FB FC FD FE FF