Design

Introduction

They will tell you that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. That the earth was formless and empty. That God said “Let there be light,” and there was light. That over the course of seven days God created the Heavens and the earth, land and sea, the plants bearing seeds and the trees bearing fruit. That he set the sun, moon, and stars in the vault of the sky. That he filled the seas with fish and the skies with birds. That he seeded the land with wild animals and the livestock and all types of creatures. That in the end he made mankind in his image to rule over his creation.

What if I were to tell you that this isn’t precisely how it went down…

-Jericho White, Adherent of the Third Circle, Society of the Crimson Veil

What is Crucible?

The world is ending. The supernatural forces that lurk behind the veil of normalcy have slowly worn away at the fabric of reality, and the edges of existence have begun to unravel. The few who are aware of this impending doom are making one final attempt to push back against the coming apocalypse.

Centuries ago, a collection of secret societies realized that the end was slowly encroaching. Together, they formed an alliance, The Armageddon Compact, agreeing to put aside their petty squabbling and to work together to maintain the balance of existence. Since then, when the fabric of reality grows thin, these groups send delegates to perform the rituals necessary to reinforce the boundaries between our world and whatever lies Outside.

The last such ritual was supposed to be performed just last year, but something happened. Those sent to perform the rites, the Compact’s most skilled mystics, vanished without a trace, taking with them all knowledge of how to do so. Now, one year later, reality’s edges have grown increasingly frayed. Unnatural events occur with increasing frequency.

In a last desperate attempt to save all of existence, the societies of the Armageddon Compact have sent in a new team of experts to find out what happened and, more importantly, do whatever possible to stave off oblivion. You play one of these individuals, and the fate of the world rests on your shoulders. Dare you enter the crucible and change the world? None may do so and emerge unscathed.

What Are We About

Inclusion

People of all types are welcome in The Crucible Chronicle. Racism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of bigotry are strictly forbidden, both in character and out. You should always treat other players, although not necessarily their characters, with respect and courtesy. Purposefully misgendering another player or their character is strictly forbidden. Anyone exhibiting any of these behaviors will be asked to leave immediately.

An important distinction needs to be made concerning classism: some of the central themes of The Crucible Chronicle revolve around those with extreme social influence. Classism is both permitted and encouraged in character, but special care needs to be taken that such actions remain strictly in character.

People First, Larp Second

First and foremost, your health, mental and physical, is more important than any game. If at any time you need to take a break and separate yourself from the game, do so. There are several safety and calibration mechanics that you can use to aid in managing your experience and enhancing your self-care. Likewise, when portraying your character, keep in mind your enjoyment and the enjoyment of your fellow players. If you enjoy portraying your character in miserable situations, go all out, but do not feel that you have to undertake any course of action that would ruin your fun just to be true to the character. The character is what we, the people, make of it. They are beholden to the player, not the other way around.

What You See is What You Get

All props, items, and characters will appear generally as they do. There are no narrators describing scenes, nor characters that appear vastly different from the player portraying them, and no pieces of paper in place of items. A character performing a ritual will perform it with actual items that are there and in the scene. Props should always resemble their real-world counterparts as much as possible, within reason.

That being said, we ask that all participants be respectful of the physical space we are using. Even though your character might be inclined to create a large mess or inflict property damage, you should not, under any circumstances, do so.

Play to Lift, Play to Entertain

It is not possible to win in The Crucible Chronicle. While each character will indeed come with multiple goals they are attempting to achieve, as well as secrets to keep, the point of the game is not necessarily to strive for victory. Instead, you should play your character in a manner that will be most interesting. If losing dramatically would be more interesting, do not be afraid to purposefully lose. If it would create more drama for your character’s deep, dark secret to slip free, then let it slip.

Themes

Numerous themes are central to the Crucible experience. While not all characters will involve themselves in every theme, you can expect your experience to touch on at least a few of them, and you should keep them in mind when preparing to play your character.

Political Intrigue

Whenever two or more people gather, agendas are sure to collide. How you handle those conflicting agendas reveals the true essence of who you are. Do you favor deception and misdirection or a more straightforward approach, a ruthless iron fist, or a gentle velvet glove?

Power Corrupts

Power exists to be wielded. Once you have power, how do you use it? How does it change you? Can you resist its siren lure? Do you want to?

Knowing the Unknowable

There are things that man was not meant to know. Secrets of the universe whose knowing can unmake lesser beings. How does it affect you when you learn these things? Do you seek out forbidden knowledge, or do you try to safeguard others from its influence?

Sacrifice

Often, success comes at a steep cost. How much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals? What if you give your all and it still isn’t enough? Can you live with the consequences of what you have lost? And if you do win, can you live with the price of victory?

Inspiration

Books: Dresden Files, The Davinci Code, Angels & Demons, The Collected Works of HP Lovecraft, The Raven Cycle, The Iron Druid

Movies: Constantine, Hellboy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Mist, The Devil’s Advocate, Scanners, Dr. Strange

Television: Supernatural, Lucifer, True Blood, Buffy, The X-Files, Fringe, The Librarians, Lost Girl, Twin Peaks, Stranger Things

Games: World of Darkness, Illuminati, Call of Cthulhu, Tomb Raider, Secret World, Eternal Darkness

What Do I Do?

Scheme

Every character and faction in The Crucible Chronicle is assigned their own unique goals. Throughout the weekend, you can strive to accomplish your character’s goal, help others achieve their goals, or make up your own objectives to achieve. In order to achieve these goals, you will have to work with your fellow players and against some of their characters. Not all character aspirations are mutually achievable, and very few can be done alone.

Uncover Secrets

The world is full of mysteries, and none are more compelling than those found in the Armageddon Crucible. Just what happened to the previous ritual team? Were there any survivors? How were they going to close the rip in reality? Uncover the secrets of the past and discover the keys to saving the future. Additionally, each character will have their own secrets to keep or share as they will. There are countless mysteries to solve throughout the weekend.

Solve Puzzles

Secrets aren’t just hidden, some must be actively dislodged and pried free. Riddles, word games, logic problems, and physical puzzles abound as you plumb the depths of the Crucible. Decipher ancient secrets and decode occult rituals as you work to solve the mysteries that surround you.

Perform Rituals

All of the participants in The Crucible Chronicle have the ability to participate in various forms of ritual magic. These rituals give you the liberty and power to affect the game around you in an infinite variety of ways. Remember, ritual magic is performative. You have the freedom to design your rituals to be as elaborate and spectacular as you wish. Leverage this freedom to show off your skills and entertain your fellow players. The event itself will culminate in one final ritual designed along with your fellows to save the world, or perhaps not… the choice is yours.

Political Maneuvering

Though we all know a ritual will be performed at the culmination of the gathering, no one knows just what the nature of that ritual will be. The particulars of that ritual will be determined by the collective players. Unfortunately, not every character wants the same thing. Each faction will have certain aspects that they will want incorporated and others that they do not. Each player will have to decide what concessions they are willing to make in the forming of the collaborative ritual. To some, it may be worth it to discard their personal goals to further their factions’ aims. Others may sacrifice the wants of their parent organization on the altar of personal ambition.

Rules

Safety and Consent

The two most important factors to consider when playing Crucible are safety and consent. These two concepts should hold priority over all others during play. Safety dictates that no action should be taken that compromises the health or well-being of yourself or another player. Consent demands that no action or activity be taken with or against another player without their express permission. Please try your best to keep these two aspects of gameplay in mind at all times. In order to facilitate these concepts, we have a number of tools at your disposal.

Keeping in mind the requirement for player safety, real weaponry of any type is strictly forbidden. This includes all types of firearms, melee weapons, flamethrowers, and any other type not mentioned. This does not include latex/foam prop weapons, pocket knives, or other weapon-adjacent tools. Even allowed prop weapons may not be used against another party without their consent.

Finally, all forms of discrimination and harassment are expressly disallowed. While you may, at times, be playing a character whose moral integrity is less than perfect, it is important to consider the feelings of other players when determining how you will act. If a player has indicated that they wish you to stop a course of action through the check in mechanic, you must immediately cease to do so. You may not engage in romantic interest in another character without the express verbal consent of that character’s player. You should at no point in time touch another player without first receiving permission to do so.

If you are found to be in violation of any of these rules, you will be removed from the event and asked to leave with no refund.

Standard Assumptions

There is a set of standard assumptions that should be taken as the baseline for play. That is to say that unless expressed otherwise, it is assumed that you will encounter these and that you consent to their inclusion. It is important to remember, however, that you as a player always have the option to opt out of any scene or encounter, even those that are part of the assumed baseline play.

There will be other players whose goals are diametrically opposed to your own and who may be working at cross purposes to you. While pre-negotiation is encouraged, it is not always possible to do so, and some players enjoy the thrill of not knowing the outcome of their schemes in advance.

In that vein, some characters will use deception to achieve their goals. It is expected that you will encounter and may even use some level of deception, manipulation, and outright lies as you play the game. It is important to note that all deceptive play should be kept strictly in character. When negotiating, planning out scenes, and collaborating on outcomes, you should strive to be 100% honest and forthright. When you do use deception in play, you should always strive to deceive characters, not players. Further guidance on how to do so will be provided in pregame workshops.

Over the course of play, it is expected that some characters will experience strong emotional reactions. This may lead to scenes of crying, shouting, threatening gestures, or actual threats. As people have different thresholds for what level of emotional intensity they feel comfortable with, it is highly encouraged to use the checking in mechanics (see below) during any scene that is particularly intense. Always keep in mind that although characters may have opposing goals, all the players are on the same team and share the goal of having a mutually entertaining experience.

Likewise, there will be an element of death present in the game. You may encounter (simulated) dead bodies in various states of decay. Characters may pass on during the course of play, and you may encounter those mourning such loss. You may have the opportunity to have your character die, either through misadventure or noble sacrifice. That being said, death is not the end in The Crucible Chronicle, and you will be provided with options to continue playing the game if your character does die.

A staple of the modern supernatural genre is that encounters with the paranormal can lead to mental instability in humans. This will be explored through the Trauma mechanics below. As such, it is highly likely that you will encounter characters that have experienced such trauma or be asked to roleplay said trauma yourself. Furthermore, when portraying trauma, we ask that you do so in a manner that is respectful of those who may not be neurotypical in their day-to-day lives. Trauma should never be played for laughs or humor.

Calibration and Negotiation

One of the goals of The Crucible Chronicle is to create engaging and entertaining experiences for all of its participants. This is most often done through scenes of intense or dramatic roleplay. In order to facilitate these scenes and to make sure everyone is comfortable and safe, there are numerous rules designed to help ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Check In

In moments of intense or emotional roleplay, it can often be difficult to tell if another player’s reactions are those of their character or the player. If you find yourself concerned that another player may be experiencing unwanted negative emotions or that you are going too far in your roleplay, it is recommended to check in.

In order to do so, you should flash the “ok” symbol by touching your thumb and index finger together at chest level with the other three fingers extended upwards. This is a prompt for your fellow player to respond with one of three signals in return. If the player is ok with the situation, they should sign a thumbs up. If they wish you to increase the intensity of the roleplay, they may flash two thumbs up. If the player is unsure how they feel, they should hold their hand flat and rotate their wrist back and forth in a wavy motion. Finally, if the player needs you to stop, they should show the thumbs down sign.

If the responding player gives any response other than the thumbs up, play should immediately cease so that you may discuss the situation out of character. They may just need a moment to cool off before resuming, or they may need to end the scene. Either way, this should be discussed between the involved parties in clear and precise language. It is important to note that one need not wait for the ok sign to present a thumbs-down response. This may be done at any time to signal that they need to break from the scene.

Shaded Eyes

There are times when you may not wish to participate in a scene. In these cases, you may place your hand over your brow as if shading yourself from the sun, look down, and leave the scene. When you do so, the scene will continue without you, and all present will treat it as if you had not been present. This technique can be used when you are in distress or for any other reason. Leaving a scene in this manner will never be used against you or your character or taken negatively in play.

Negotiation

One tool to help resolve scenes is pre-negotiation. When you are heavily invested in a specific outcome of a scene, you can work with the other players to plan its outcome. This will help ensure that all parties get what they desire out of an encounter. Negotiation should cover the broad strokes of the upcoming scene – not every little detail needs to be discussed. From there, you can let events flow naturally. If you are not able to do so in advance, there are a few tools you can use to do so in the moment.

When you want to negotiate a scene with another player without disrupting the flow of play, there are two phrases you can use. Simply work the phrase “I’m pretty sure…” into your conversation, followed by the outcome you are proposing. If the other player accepts your proposal, they should respond with “We shall see..” if not, they should either respond with the phrase “I don’t think so.” to indicate complete rejection or their own “I’m pretty sure..” statement to offer a counter-proposal. At the end of negotiations, play proceeds with both parties acting on the agreed-upon terms. If you wish to engage in more complex negotiations that require going out of game, you should start by stating, “I’m pretty sure we need to have a word in private,” at which point both parties should move to a private area to quietly discuss the scenario out of character.

Note that this is an opt-in mechanic, and if a player wants the scene to proceed in a more organic manner, it is perfectly acceptable to reject negotiation entirely.

General Play

The vast majority of your play time will be interacting with your fellow players. In order to facilitate some of the more unique and fantastical abilities possessed by characters within the world of Crucible, there are a few general rules.

Primacy of the Defender

The first and, by far, the most important rule is that while your character may be influenced by the actions of others, the final determination on how every ability plays out rests on the target of that ability. Your interpretation of how an ability affects your character is up to you and may not be questioned by other players. In turn, when you use a power on another player, they get to determine how it affects them and to what degree. When you are determining how to roleplay an effect, it is highly advised that you act in a manner that would be entertaining for the other players. It would be more fun for everyone involved if your normally stoic priest fled in terror in the face of a vampire’s fear power, as opposed to silently bearing his fear internally. Keep in mind that other players only know what they see, and if you don’t present an outward reaction, then they might feel like their power did nothing. That is to say, while you are the ultimate arbiter of how your character reacts, we all have a responsibility to act in a way that enhances the fun of all players. Don’t be afraid to lose.

Assurance

One of the great aspects of roleplaying is embodying a character that has powers and abilities that we may lack in our real lives. These abilities are delivered verbally by beginning a sentence with the phrase “I can assure you…” These words let those listening know that the next thing you say has the weight of narrative power. If they are directed towards you, then you should roleplay them out appropriately. If they are spoken as part of a general statement, then you should roleplay as if those words are the truth, as within the setting, they are true. It is important to note that players can not just use these words whenever they want. You must be empowered to do so by an ability listed on your character sheet. These will always be explicit in how and when you can use these words and the power and responsibility they grant you in game.

Some examples may include: “I can assure you that you will forget the last 10 minutes entirely.” indicating that what just happened will slip from your character’s memory. Or “I can assure you my presence fills you with dread.”

It is important to remember the Primacy of Defense in these cases. The target always determines how and to what degree they are affected by these powers. In the first example, they may remember the scene only faintly, as if in a half-remembered dream, or perhaps they will enter a fugue state whenever anyone brings the events up. In the second example, perhaps they run away screaming in terror or freeze in place. Maybe the target wants to present their character as more accustomed to fear so they continue to confront the user of the power, but once the scene is over, they have a breakdown in the hall.

Trauma

Characters in Crucible will frequently be exposed to situations and entities that normal humans just weren’t meant to endure. When this happens, there is a chance that the character will suffer some form of lasting mental trauma. More often than not, you will be informed of such by the use of Assurance. When this happens, once the current scene is over, or you have a free moment to excuse yourself, head to the operations desk. On the desk will be a clearly marked Trauma Deck for you to draw from. You should draw one card and use it as inspiration for how your character is coping with the strange and unusual event they have witnessed. For the remainder of the event, you should portray your character in a manner that reflects their trauma. For example, if you were to draw a card that depicted a man fleeing from a burning house, perhaps your character has developed a fear of fire, or perhaps they get a general sense of anxiety whenever they are inside. The final determination of how your character is impacted is completely up to you and should reflect the event that caused the trauma, as well as what is depicted on the card. The deck is intended to serve as a springboard for ideas rather than a straitjacket to restrain your play. There may be other players with the ability to mitigate your trauma in ways, but in general, you should assume that it will last the remainder of the game.

Alternatively, if a cast member witnesses a scene that they believe may have been traumatic to your character, they may silently present you with the trauma deck to draw from or show you a specific card from the deck. When this occurs, it is completely up to you to determine if you are affected by the trauma or not. You may choose to modify your character’s roleplay or completely disregard the trauma deck.

You may determine that your character has been traumatized by the events that they have witnessed. You may, at any time, elect to draw a card from the trauma deck or even come up with your own coping mechanisms for your character. Doing so is completely optional, but once the decision is made, you should treat it as any other traumatic event.

Finally, this subsystem is 100% optional, and if at any time you feel uncomfortable doing so, it is perfectly acceptable to not portray such effects on your character.

Dying

During an event, you may find that your character has died. Don’t panic! Like most other occurrences during the game, there is a large amount of influence you can exert over your own death. Firstly, due to the primacy of defense, your character will never die without your express consent. You should not be afraid to die. Death is not the end of your journey unless you want it to be. Once your character has died, you should remain in play as a corpse for an appropriate amount of time to allow other players to grieve and roleplay your loss. Once you feel the scene has moved on, you should hood your eyes and discreetly head to the operations desk and inform a staff member of your untimely demise.

At this point, staff will run a death scene with you. This scene will be customized for your character and the nature of their demise. At the conclusion of this scene, you will be presented with a number of options to choose from, most of which will result in your returning to play in one form or another.

The Dead

The dead do not always rest easy in the world of Crucible. If you encounter a ghost during the course of play, there are a few rules to remember. First, all ghosts will be wearing a dark gauzy veil and face mask. These entities should be treated as if they were semi-transparent and definitively unnatural in appearance. Should you find yourself a ghost, you will be provided with appropriate props and a new character sheet indicating the particulars of your state.

Ritual Magic

In the world of Crucible, magic is both a real and powerful force for those with the wherewithal to use it. With proper training, a skilled practitioner can enact rituals to bend and mold the basic fabric of reality to their will. In order to enact a ritual, there are a series of requirements that must be met.

First, the ritual leader must be trained in performing rituals. This will be noted on your character sheet under “Granted Skill.” Second, you need a ritual team. Typically, a ritual will have two to five participants, although more powerful rituals may require more participants. Note that anyone may participate as part of a ritual team; only the leader is required to have a ritual skill. Finally, you will need a space to perform the ritual. There will be a designated ritual space set aside for this purpose on site.

The ritual leader is responsible for designing the ritual itself, although they are free to seek assistance from others when doing so. Each style of magic has certain restrictions on what can be accomplished and how the ritual should look. Although these are loose guidelines, you should try your best to adhere to them as closely as possible. It is also possible for practitioners of multiple styles to work together to design a ritual covering aspects of both styles, although one participant will still be considered the ritual leader. Finally, all magic requires a sacrifice. The greater the effect, the greater the sacrifice that should be made. These sacrifices need not be physical. Mental, social, and metaphysical sacrifices are all equally valid.

In order to begin, you must determine what you wish to accomplish, the price of success, and what the consequences of failure will be. This should be negotiated amongst all the participants until a consensus is reached. Each person should agree on the effects of a successful ritual – what will be sacrificed to get that effect and what side effects will occur if the ritual fails. Once consensus is reached, the ritual is ready to begin. If all participants are unable to agree, the ritual leader is the final arbiter. Also, keep in mind that you are always able to bow out of a scene at any time, and you need not participate in a ritual if you do not consent to its terms. If the ritual goal, sacrifice, or consequences involve the loss of life, affect the world at large beyond the participants, or summons an entity, a character played by a member of staff must be included in the ritual team.

Once the ceremony has been designed and the participants gathered, it is time to perform the ritual. In the ritual room, you will find props and paraphernalia provided to help set the scene, although if there are any specific items you think you will want to use in your rituals, you are encouraged to bring them yourself. Among these props will be a small cloth sack (the ritual bag) and two bowls filled with marbles (the fate marbles). Each participant should take two of these marbles, one black and one white, for use during the ritual.

The casting begins when the ritual leader uses an Assurance to state the ritual’s agreed-upon goal, the required sacrifice, and the consequence of failure. Next, the participants should act out the ritual as previously designed. During the ritual, the leader should pass around the ritual bag, and each participant secretly puts one fate marble in the bag. If the player or character wants the ritual to have a greater chance of failure, they should put in a black marble. If they wish it to succeed, a white one should be placed in the bag. At the completion of the ritual, the leader will reach into the bag and pull out a single marble. If a white marble is drawn, the ritual is successfully performed. The desired effect is achieved, and the sacrifice is lost. If a black marble is drawn, the ritual has failed. The sacrifice is still lost, but instead of the desired goal being achieved, the agreed-upon consequence occurs. Some characters may have skills or abilities that alter this process. Additionally some characters may have the ability to put marbles of other colors into the bag. If such a marble is drawn consult the appropriate page in the Tome of Secrets for the effects.

Note that the definite result of a ritual is not negotiated in advance, only the possible outcomes. Players should not discuss what color marble they will be placing in the bag, and there is always a chance of success or failure. If you as a player do not consent to all of the potential outcomes of a ritual, you should bow out before the final casting begins.

There will be workshops covering this topic in more detail before the game.

The Tome of Secrets

Throughout the weekend, there will be many items and props designed for interaction. You will be able to differentiate these items from the background scenery by the presence of brightly colored and numbered stickers placed in unobtrusive locations on the item. If you wish to study or interact with these items, you should consult the Tome of Secrets. This will be a book located in the ritual room and will contain an index of all the interactable items, with options on ways you can interact with them. These are designed to be self-contained and can be explored at your leisure. If the index for an item contains a course of action that had not previously occurred to you, you are free to take that as inspiration to do such. You may want to keep in mind, however, that actions have consequences, and delving too deeply into forbidden lore is never a sure thing.

Characters

Pregame

Character Sheet

Characters in The Crucible Chronicle are custom-crafted to integrate seamlessly into the story, designed to get you right into the action. Every character has several traits that help them stand out. In addition, each character will belong to a faction that will grant a skill to all members.

Each Faction will have an overall goal for characters to work towards, and each character will have a personal goal. This will be a short-term objective that you can pursue over the course of the weekend. Aiding others in the accomplishment of their goals is a great way to earn favors and win others to your cause.

Each write-up will have a character history that details their past and how they found themselves entering the Armageddon Crucible. You will have secret knowledge known only to your character. These secrets will be integral to the story of the weekend. They may be a key component to another character’s goals, or they may detail a fact about the setting that no one else knows. It will be up to you to decide what to do with this secret. You can guard it carefully, using its knowledge to advance your goals, or you may share it freely once the game begins, heedless of the consequences that may occur. It is important to note that your secret should not be shared outside of the game. Many of these secrets are integral to both your and other character’s gameplay. Learning one too early could rob someone of the joy of discovering it from you in play.

Finally, each character will come with built-in connections, establishing several pre-existing ties with other characters. Some will be allies, some rivals, and others direct antagonists whose goals might be opposed to yours.

All of this is provided for you as a springboard and a starting point. Opportunities will be provided both before the game and during the workshops to form more connections with other players. If there is any aspect of your character that makes you uncomfortable or that you feel would negatively impact your game, you are encouraged to reach out to staff for adjustments.

Surveys

In order to determine which character best suits each player, a character selection survey will be sent out in July 2025. This survey will have a series of questions to determine what type of character you wish to play, including themes and playstyles you wish to both explore and avoid.. Once we have received all of the surveys, the team will review them together and provide you with a list of the top 5 characters we think would fit your playstyle. At this point, each character will have a list of their name, organization, and a 1-2 sentence summary of their history. You will be given one week to rank these characters in order of your preference and send them back in. Finally, the team will review everyone’s choices and assign final characters.

Post Game

Once the game concludes, there are some optional steps you can take to help wrap up and/or continue your character’s story. Within a week or two of the conclusion of the event, after everyone has returned home and recovered, a post-game survey will be sent out to each player. This survey is completely optional, although we would appreciate it if each player would make an effort to complete it.

In the survey, there will be numerous questions about your experience. This will give us a feel for how the game went and what can be done to improve future events. Nestled within that survey will be questions regarding the future of your character. Depending on the outcome of the event, there may be future events run within the same continuity. This may afford you the opportunity to play the same character again. If so, we need to know any major events that happened to your character: if they survived, died, died, and returned to life, or any combination of the three. We also need to know if you want to retire your character or would like to return to their shoes. These questions and more will help us craft the best experience for our future players, be it you or someone else.

Setting - The Armageddon Compact

The world of Crucible is a familiar one. The planet is Earth, the year is our current year, you are in the southeast United States attending a meeting of friends and associates, and the fate of the world is in your hands.

Under this veneer of normalcy lies something far more complex and surreal. In the shadows lurk monsters that prey on the masses of humanity. Angels deliver messages to prophets from on high, while devils bargain for the souls of the unwary. Ancient magic underlies the fabric of existence and can be called upon by those skilled and foolish enough to do so.

Secret societies steer the fate of nations from behind the scenes while lining their own pockets. Governments do their best to shield their populace from the truth of the world. Opportunity lurks for those daring enough to reach for it, and even death is not the end for those with enough determination.

Society of the Crimson Veil

An ancient cult of blood mages, the Society of the Crimson Veil takes it as their sacred duty to protect reality from mankind’s excesses. Throughout history, they have made a point to hunt down occult secrets and punish those who abuse such power. As the primary architects behind the Armageddon Compact, they see themselves as the true power behind the conspiracy. The other factions within the Compact find their penchant for secrecy and fanaticism to be more than a bit problematic.

Conclave of the New Dawn

Some are meant to lead, and some are suited only to be led. It is the Conclave of the New Dawn’s duty to wield their money and influence to shape the course of mankind’s history. Bankers, nobility, CEOs, and others with outsized influence, the Conclave sees themselves as the natural leaders of the Compact. The rest of the factions are just grateful that New Dawn opened their bank accounts to help fund their endeavors.

Priory of the Scion

Charged with a holy mission to prepare humanity for the end of days, the Priory of the Scion wields its influence to teach and shepherd mankind. Drawing from the ranks of both the clergy and the military, the Priory believes that one can never be too prepared. They strive to ensure their communities are fortified both spiritually and physically for the rough times ahead. Seeing themselves as the spiritual leaders of the Armageddon Compact, the Priory offers both guidance and their Thaumaturgical skills to their fellows.

Sisterhood of Eporita

Supposedly founded by the wives of Roman senators, the Sisterhood of Eporita exists to fight for those who can not fight for themselves, to dismantle unjust power structures, and to empower the powerless. Wielding old magic gleaned from ancient pagan secrets, the Sisterhood brings a raw and primal presence to the Compact. Eschewing any claim to leadership, the Sisters act as a counterbalance to the more abusive impulses of their fellow conspirators.

The Department of Extranormal Affairs

There are things that go bump in the night. Things no normal person should have to know about. The Department of Extranormal Affairs, a branch of the United States government, has the mandate to protect American citizens from the depredations and even knowledge of the supernatural. Equipped with the latest in cutting-edge technology, these agents draw from the ranks of former FBI, CIA, and military personnel. Using their governmental authority, these brave civil servants help lead the Armageddon Compact into the future.

Independents

Not everyone belongs to a faction. Some have stumbled upon the Armageddon Compact entirely by accident. Others seek to uncover the truth behind the mysteries of the world, and their efforts have led them here. Yet others seek to foil the plans of the Compact. Perhaps they have a grudge against a member or are simply nihilists who wish to see the world burn. One thing is for certain: you never know what to expect when these wild cards are present.