NOTES ON A SOUTHERN GOTHIC

A (humorous?) tabletop roleplaying game centered around miserable people doing miserable things in miserable places.

• compiled / hacked / written by J-M Rose

Revisions:

• Point Five Edition - April, 2022
• Zero Edition - July, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD AND FOREWARNED

Summer.

The year of Our Lord, 1987.

Fireflies dot the sides of the roads in a single-stoplight town, nestled deep within a state where the American Dream never died - where the church pew is never empty and the electric chair ain't too far behind it.

A place where the sounds of cicadas and frogs echo off of rusted pickup trucks and stagnant swamp waters, where pitchers of lemonade sweat on back porches and fanatical preachers shake their fists through blurry television screens at the weary masses.

Tiffany is on the radio. Satanic Panic is in full swing. Black Monday is right around the corner.

And a god-damn movie cowboy is the President of the United States.

Welcome to the Southern Gothic.

Notes on a Southern Gothic (NoaSG) is a deep-fried tabletop role-playing sandbox / bad melodrama screenplay generator for 3+ people, with 1 of those players as God (the Game Master). NoaSG is designed to be played over multiple sessions (each called a Gothic, collectively called a Saga) that run about 1 hour per player involved.

NoaSG aims to provide an easy-to-understand framework for emulating many styles of Southern-based fiction - with optional rules covering everything from As I Lay Dying to The Walking Dead.

The rules were made to be broken. If something doesn't feel right, then throw it out the window and make up your own rule. Argue with each other. Yell. Scream. Threaten to pull the god-damn car over. I don't care if we was on our way to the Piggly-Wiggly, I'll whip your ass right here on the side of the road in front of God and everybody.

This is some dark and darkly funny stuff. The language and humor throughout will probably be fairly rough. It's not for the faint of heart or the easily offended. If the idea of humorously role-playing Flowers in the Attic by way of The Devil All the Time (with a dash of True Blood) makes you turn up your nose or shake your head in disgust, then you might want to look elsewhere for your tabletop jollies.

This is a living document and thus subject to change as additional playtesting occurs.

This text is designed to be read through as you start your first Gothic. It is laid out as a roadmap to work through as a group to create the world and relationships therein. No matter if you're aiming for Two Moon Junction or Texas Chainsaw Massacre, you should be all set.

BUT, LIKE, WHAT THE HELL IS IT?

If you've never played a tabletop roleplaying game before, think of it like this:

A tabletop RPG is like a piece of software that runs on the human brain. Participants input actions and circumstances, check them against the rules of the software, and the results play out in the theatre of the mind. Oftentimes, the interpretation of the rules is overseen by one person - the GM, or game master (God in NoaSG).

Alternatively, it's like a dramatic conversation between people (the GM and the players), with rules to govern any piece of the conversation where there is a degree of uncertainty.

In particular, NoaSG is designed as a sandbox RPG. This means that it's less concerned with telling a singular, concise tale, and more aimed at setting players loose in an ever-changing game-world and having them do as they please, with a cast of characters that ebbs and flows with the nuances of the ongoing narrative.

Players will take on the roles of deeply flawed and complicated characters, driven by lust and greed and faith to do wretched deeds to one another.

Your family dynasties will grow and crumble, your spirits will seek retribution, your friends will stab you in the back.

When times get hard, you'll pray for a break. For a change. For anything to steer the ship in your favor. Sometimes you'll be rewarded. Other times, you'll be punished.

You will grow old. You will go to prison. You will die and you will be reborn.

You will get bitten by a werewolf and sacrificed to the Devil.

You will never know what to expect.

Above everything, though...

You will be absolutely miserable.

SHIT YOU'LL NEED

Here's a list of things required to play NoaSG:

• basic rpg dice:

  d2 (a coin)

  d4

  d6 (you'll need a bunch of these)

  d8

  d10

  d12

  d20

  d100 (2 x d10, 00 = 100)

• paper and pencil

• friends (or enemies)

• a lot of free time

• a (dark) sense of humor

NOTE : Sometimes a rule will say to determine something through Whatever Means (WM). Flip a coin, highest roller, rock-paper-scissors, staring contest, whatever you want. Make it your own.

BEFORE THE WHERE - THE WHEN

Summer of 1987 is the default starting point of NoaSG.

NOTE : Most of, if not all of the rules are written with this time period in mind (but there's really nothing stopping you from setting the game in 1887, it will just be a lot of legwork on your end).

THE BIBLE BELT (AND THE PANTS THAT MATCH)

The spine of every Gothic is the rusted-out old Shithole of a town that everyone and their mama calls home.

That small, remote place where everybody knows everybody, and the slightest perceived difference makes you an outcast.

Oh, yeah, and almost everyone is a devout Protestant.

• God (or a player determined through WM) rolls 1d20 against the table below to determine the Shithole State.

THE SHITHOLE STATE TABLE

Asterisk = no death penalty in 1987

Now we must determine the problem that plagues the Shithole.

God (or a player determined through WM) rolls 1d20 against the table below to generate a Shithole Problem.

THE SHITHOLE PROBLEM TABLE

To determine the Shithole Name:

• Everyone roll 2d6 into the center of the table to form a Pool. Look at the various combinations that can be made on the table below.

  • The two names of the Shithole have to be made from the same Pool - no rerolls, four dice total used. Return 2 dice to each player afterward.

For clarity:

A pair of dice played as 2,1 could be used to secure either "Foggy" as a first name or "Creek" as a second name, but not both (they could also be played as 1,2 for even more variety). Those dice are then removed from the Pool. Repeat for the other part of the name.

Try and aim for a thematically and geographically appropriate name, if you can. If not, say fuck it, and pick the stupidest option you have available.

THE SHITHOLE NAME TABLE

THE WAY THE CROW FLIES

Repeat the Shithole Name process two more times :

• First for the larger, nicer location upstate - simply referred to as Town. Town is the place that everyone in the Shithole envies. This is where all the luck went.

  • Do not generate Problems for Town.
  • They're too good for that.

• Second for the equally depressing location near yours. This is the Rival Shithole. You played them in high-school football. Their cops always pull you over when you pass through.

  • Generate Problems for the Rival Shithole as normal.
  • Pretty much everyone from there sucks.

NOTE : Generate new locations as needed (even in another Shithole State, if the story requires - because, who doesn't love a road trip?).

THE TIES THAT BIND (AND SOMETIMES GAG)

The heart of every Gothic is a fucked-up personal dynamic. Everyone in NoaSG is related to each other in some way, whether it's by blood or shotgun wedding or sinful, tawdry lust in the sweat of the Bayou. Before characters are even created, the Bonds are laid bare.

• All players roll 2d6 into the center of the table to form a Pool. Pick a player to go first through WM. That player looks at the possible combinations of dice on the table below and assigns one of the available options to any pair of adjacent players. This will determine how that pair of players are bound.

  • The player who assigned the bond removes the 2d6 used from the Pool. That player keeps those dice as their own. Proceed clockwise until every player has two Bonds (one with the person on their left, and one with the person on their right) and 2d6 again.

Keep in mind that some Bonds (professions, etc.) can further be fleshed out depending on the town/year you are playing in.

In the case of contradicting Bond choices being your only options left, you can reroll the remaining dice until a suitable set is presented. Keep in mind that contradicting Bonds, if not logically flawed, can provide a rich darkness to the Gothic.

THE BOND TABLE

JOHN THE (SOUTHERN) BAPTIST

Sometimes we don't choose the faith. It chooses us.

Determine your character's personal relationship with religion :

• Each player rolls d666. Each 6 that you get represents falling further from Grace.

  • Keep in mind that this heavily affects other's perception of your character (if publicly revealed).

Moments of extreme shock may alter your character's stance on religion. See SHOCK AND Y'ALL chapter for more info.

THE GRACE TABLE

Note that only one character can be the Anti-Christ. In the rare instance where multiple people roll 666, determine who has to reroll through WM.

Having someone be the Anti-Christ is not required and will rarely happen naturally in the course of play. It's more of a fun bonus. See YE OLDE SUPERNATURAL RULES GRIMOIRE chapter for more information.

BLUE COLLAR, RED NECK

Each player has six main Attributes. The Scores in each define how adept you are at related tasks.

THE ATTRIBUTE TABLE

To randomly generate Attribute Scores :

• Roll 1d6 for each Attribute, in order.

• If you get a result of 5 or 6, the next Attribute is automatically a 2.

  • Continue the above steps until you have a result for each Attribute.

• Next, swap any two Attributes with each other to closer align with the character you have been fleshing out.

Alternate Point Buy method for more balanced custom characters :

• Each Attribute Score starts at 1.

• Spend 12 points amongst the Attributes as you see fit. Each point spent on an Attribute increases its Score by 1.

  • Attribute Scores may not exceed 6.

IT GETS BETTER WITH TIME

When you are playing a Saga, you may wish to occasionally increase your character's Attributes to impart a sense of progression.

The following rules only take effect from the second Gothic on :

• Once per Gothic, each player may describe an action in which the result would be an improvement of a desired character Attribute. If God agrees that the action makes sense, then the player may roll 1d6.

  • If the result is higher than the Attribute in question, the Attribute goes up by one point.
  • Attributes cannot exceed 6 points.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

Y'all know where I can find a good core mechanic 'round here?

Anytime that failure would actually be interesting, perform an Attribute Test :

• Roll 2d6 and add your relevant Attribute Score to the result.

  • To succeed, the final result must be equal to or higher than the Difficulty Rating (DR).

There are two exceptions :

• SNAKE EYES is always a Critical Failure.
• DOUBLE SIXES is always a Critical Success.

THE DIFFICULTY RATING TABLE

MISSIONARY OPPOSITION

Sometimes characters will be in disagreement about something, or engaged in a physical / mental / spiritual competition where damage or injury is not necessarily the goal (a lil' drunken mud wrastlin', anyone?).

Each participating player performs an Attribute Test with the relevant Attribute.

• Players will generally test the same Attribute, unless they can come up with a logical reason for how a different Attribute would contribute to their character's success.

  • Highest result wins (or tips the odds in that character's favor).
  • Reroll ties as necessary.

MORE SLIPPERY THAN AN INSURANCE SALESMAN

Determine your maximum Health Points (HP) with the following formula (rounded down) :

• HP = ( (Being + Brawn + 6) / 2 ) + 1

This will result in a number between 5 and 10 (this is the hardest math in the game, I promise).

When you are injured (less than max HP, but not at zero) :

• At the end of the in-game day, gain 1 HP back.

  • Gain 2 HP back if being looked after by a loved one.
  • Gain 3 HP back if recovering in a hospital.
  • You cannot exceed your maximum HP.

HE AIN'T HEAVY, HE'S YOUR UNCLE

What do I look like, a god-damn pack mule?

You can carry an amount of normal sized items equal to your max HP.

• You can carry extra items at a penalty of -1 to all Attribute Test results for every set of 2 items over capacity.

  • You cannot carry odd amounts over the limit to try and game the weight system (I've got my eye on you. You know who you are.).

    • Carrying only 1 item over capacity still results in a -1 penalty.
    • 3 items over would result in a -2 penalty, etc.

  • You cannot carry more than twice your HP or you will collapse and lose 2 HP (and drop all of your shit everywhere).

THE CHECK'S IN THE MAIL

Each character has an Economic Class (EC) that factors into gameplay. Your EC determines what items you can easily purchase and the sort of lifestyle that you can live. It governs everything from your housing situation to the clothes that you wear.

To determine your EC :

• Add together the EC Tier of each of your character's Bonds and check the result against the table below.

THE ECONOMIC CLASS TABLE

NOTE : If you have multiple players as part of the same family, you may wish for them to share one EC. Determine amongst yourselves what feels appropriate for your story (having separate ECs for each, having one for the whole family and sharing that, etc.).

A WEALTH OF BULLSHIT

Wealth is your on-hand resources - pocket cash that isn't tied up in property and assets. Wealth is used to purchase items in the game world.

• Your EC reduces the Wealth Cost of items by your EC Tier.

For example : Having an EC of 4 (Lower Middle Class) would reduce the Wealth Cost of every item by 4. If the item originally had a Wealth Cost of 4 or below, it is effectively free. If an item originally cost 7 Wealth, it would now only cost 3 Wealth (7 Wealth Cost - EC 4).

• Each Tier of EC can be bought for 10x the Tier in Wealth.

For example : EC 1 = 10 Wealth to purchase, EC 4 = 40 Wealth to purchase. You may skip over Tiers when purchasing, but you must pay the full amount it would cost to reach the desired Tier (jumping from EC 4 to EC 7 would require 50 + 60 + 70 Wealth to jump to.).

• You can trade in a Tier of EC to regain 50% of that Tier's cost in Wealth.

For example : You can reduce your EC from 4 to 3 to regain 20 Wealth (50% of 40). This is useful for when you need to buy an item outside your means, but don't have enough dough on hand. After doing this, the price of any items you were trying to buy will need to be refactored with your current EC.

FUCK YOU, PAY ME

Once per Gothic, your character receives an amount of Wealth equal to their EC Tier.

For example : A character with an EC of 5 would receive 5 Wealth per Gothic (EC of 2 would receive 2 Wealth, etc.).

• This happens at the beginning of the Gothic, before gameplay begins, and occurs on the initial Gothic as well (to give an extra bit of resources for character creation - see DOWN TO THE GENERAL STORE chapter).

By now you should have a pretty good idea of who your character is. Figure out what they would do for a job and make a note of it near you EC Tier (your job can be inferred from your character's Bonds as well as their EC Tier).

A LOAN, AT LAST

At any time during a Gothic, you can take out a loan from the bank in increments of 10 Wealth.

• For each 10 Wealth loaned to you, 1 Wealth will be deducted from your pay every Gothic. If you cannot afford to pay, you must sell off EC Tiers until you can afford the payment.

• If you completely run out of Wealth and EC Tiers and still owe money to the bank, then you must declare bankruptcy.

  • When you declare bankruptcy, you will no longer owe any money to the bank, but you will permanently suffer -1 Wealth to your pay at the start of every subsequent Gothic, no matter what your eventual EC Tier is.
  • Bankruptcy does not carry over to new characters.

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER

Anything with a finite amount of uses utilizes a Limit Die (LD).

• After you use the item, roll the LD. On a result of 1 or 2, the LD decreases to the next tier.

LIMIT DIE TIERS

• d20 > d12 > d10 > d8 > d6 > d4

A result of 1 or 2 on a d4 will result in running out of uses. Discard the item if appropriate.

DOWN TO THE GENERAL STORE

Before the initial game (and anytime at an appropriate store in-game) you may purchase as many items as you can afford / carry from the table below :

• Item prices are static no matter the year.
• Items can be sold back to appropriate stores for 50% (rounded down) of their original Wealth Cost back (you get jack shit for anything that cost 1 Wealth - sorry, not sorry).
• Alcohol cannot be purchased on Sundays. No exceptions. You got a problem, write your Congressman (but only a liberal would do that).

THE ITEM TABLE

I WAS BORN A GAMBLIN' MAN

As a way to chase some extra income, a player may purchase a lottery ticket during gameplay. There are two tiers of ticket :

• Scratcher - 1 Wealth

  • Player rolls 6d6. They receive 1 Wealth for each result of 6.

• Lotto - 2 Wealth

  • The player picks 3 numbers, each from 1-6.

    • At the end of the in-game day, God rolls 3d6.
    • If one number matches, the player gets diddly squat.
    • If two numbers match, the player receives 10 Wealth.
    • If all three match, the player receives 25 Wealth.

Tickets can only be purchased at an appropriate store, and only one of each can be purchased per in-game day. Tickets can be held onto and used at the player's discretion, though they must be at an appropriate location to be able to receive any payout.

A winning ticket that has not been paid out can be stolen and claimed by any other character.

STRANGE VIBRATIONS

You know how sometimes you just get a vibe from someone?

• Before proceeding, you should figure out your character's age. This is dependent upon your Bonds and the situation that has already begun to unfold. Make a note of your character's birthday somewhere, as well.

As an optional step, pick a vibe that best aligns with your character.

• Crazy Cat Person :

  • Once per in-game day, you may perform a series of caterwauls in order to summon d4 cats that each do 1 damage to a single target. The cats do the damage and run away. They cannot be blocked or avoided.

• Drunken Step-Parent :

  • Once per in-game day, you may consume alcohol to add 2 to the result of a Brawn Test. The alcohol must be consumed before the roll. In addition, you deal +1 damage to a target if they are in your family (this effect is always active).

• May I Speak to the Manager? :

  • Once per in-game day, you can bitch and moan about the current situation in order to reroll a single die. It cannot be a die that was rolled by God. If the new result is unfavorable, you may reroll it once more. You are now stuck with the new result, no matter how much you complain.

• Snake-Handling Holy Roller :

  • Praying DR is reduced to 14. Because your prayers are answered more easily, you have to be overly theatrical and condescending when you pray to rub it in to everyone else. You can still only pray once per in-game day.

• Touched by an Angel :

  • Brawn is permanently increased by 2 (it may exceed the cap of 6 in this one instance). Brains are permanently set to 1. Your HP is refactored after this (and may exceed the cap of 10). You are somewhere between Of Mice and Men and Forrest Gump. Physically intimidating, but easily distracted by small animals. I really don't recommend doing a voice.

• New-Age Gospel Shark :

  • Once per in-game day, you may quote a relevant Bible verse to add 2 to the result of a Boast Test. The verse must be quoted before the roll. You must actually quote a Bible verse, and you can't repeat the same verse in a Gothic.

• Good Ol' Boy / Country Gal :

  • Twice per in-game day, you may use a tobacco product to add 1 to the result of a Bounce Test. The tobacco must be in active use before the roll. If your Bounce Test is a success, you must say a bad-ass one liner or offer up your favorite Southern colloquialism.

• Degenerate Gambler :

  • As long as you can afford it, you are compelled to gamble (via scratcher or lotto) every in-game day. You can now roll 8d6 for your scratcher results, and you can pick one extra number (for a total of 4) for the lotto drawing. If you ever fail to gamble, all Attribute Test results are given a -1 penalty for the following in-game day due to depression.

• Meth'd-Out Pillbilly :

  • Strange Pharmaceuticals now have doubled effects, both positive and negative. You additionally gain +1 Brawn while under the effects. You must now roll the LD twice every time you use the Strange Pharmaceuticals. In the case that your first roll reduces the LD tier, your second roll is on the new LD.

• Older Than Methuselah :

  • Whenever the passage of time would call for a Dead from Old Age roll, you can roll 5d20 instead of the usual 1d20. As a result of your longevity, your Brawn and Being suffer a permanent -1 (reducing the caps from 6 to 5, as well) once you are over the age of 77.

• Silver-Tongued Charlatan :

  • // UNDER CONSTRUCTION : PARDON THE MESS!

BESMIRCHING A GOOD NAME

You think you can just drag this family's name through the mud and walk away scot-free? Well, you got another thing comin'.

Next, you'll need to determine your name.

• Each player rolls 4d6 to determine their names. Players can assign the results as they see fit against the tables below. If certain characters are supposed to have the same last name, adjust accordingly.

THE CHARACTER NAME TABLE A

THE CHARACTER NAME TABLE B

• If your first name ends in a hyphen, roll a d6 on the table below for a suffix.

THE NAME SUFFIX TABLE

BIG DREAMS AND PETTY SCHEMES

Lastly, think of two Goals for your character :

• One Goal related to your Bonds...
• and one Goal related to the Shithole Problem.

The Goals should be meaty and of high consequence, as they will serve as Primary Motivations for your character's misdeeds. Your Goals will very likely conflict with the Goals of others. This is natural and to be expected.

• Achieve your Goals by whatever means necessary, or die trying.

  • Adjust your Goals as necessary based on the actions of others.

• When a Goal has been accomplished, cross the Goal off your list (which I assume you have somewhere) and replace it with a new Goal related to the current cast of NPCs and the emerging narrative.

CHARACTER CREATION SUMMARY

A CIRCLE OF JERKS

• Players should skip this section.

In addition to having the players create characters, God should prepare a pool of 10-15 NPCs, generating names, Bonds, and Economic Tiers for them in a closed circle. Figure out how each NPC factors into the overall scope of the game.

• This should be prepared before the initial Gothic.

• If you really can't be bothered to do this, just use the following chart of NPCs to kickstart your Gothic.

  • Create Goals for each NPC on your own (I promise, it's not that hard). Remember that each NPC should (definitely) have a Goal related to their Bonds, and (optionally) a Goal related to the Shithole Problem.
  • Players can choose to help or hinder NPCs in their Goal pursuits. Perhaps doing so will have a ripple effect throughout the game world...

THE DEFAULT NPC TABLE

LIKE A RED-HEADED STEP-CHILD

Sometimes you like to drink. And sometimes people just don't know when to shut their fucking mouth about it. Did you really think an RPG about dysfunctional families wouldn't have combat mechanics?

NOTE : Combat in NoaSG is particularly lethal. Don't rush into a confrontation unless you're prepared to pay the price.

INITIATIVE

So, who attacks first?

• Roll a d6.

  • EVENS = Enemies attack first.
  • ODDS = Players attack first.

• Who within a group attacks first?

  • Each participating player roll a Bounce Test.
  • Order determined by highest to lowest.
  • Ties reroll until broken.
  • God decides the attacking order of the enemies.

ATTACKING / DEFENDING

Combat is straightforward :

• For a player to attack with / defend against a melee attack :

  • Perform a Brawn Test with a DR of 10.

• For a player to attack with / defend against a ranged attack :

  • Perform a Bounce Test with a DR of 10.

ATTACKING :

• On a successful attack, roll the appropriate damage dice on the table below and subtract the result from the target's HP.
• On a Critical Success, +1 damage to the enemy.
• On a Critical Failure, 1 damage to self instead.

DEFENDING :

• On a successful defense, no damage is taken.
• On a Critical Success, 1 damage to enemy instead.
• On a Critical Failure, +1 damage to self.

THE WEAPON DAMAGE TABLE

NOTE : Damage can be further customized with +/- modifiers (for example : 1d6+1, 1d2-1, etc.).

• NPCs do not roll for attack or defense against players.

• The NPC's intent to attack is declared and the targeted player performs a defense roll, and a roll for NPC attack damage when defending is unsuccessful.

• The amount of damage an NPC does depends on their weapon. The targeted player rolls for their damage taken.

• Successful player attacks do automatic damage to NPCs, as NPCs do not roll defense.

  NOTE : NPCs do not defend against other NPCs. They take turns attacking each other via a 2d6 roll with a DR of 8. A roll for damage is performed on a successful attack.

PROTECTION (WHEN A GUN JUST AIN'T ENOUGH)

Protection reduces incoming damage by a set amount depending on its tier.

• Protection is abstract and not counted on a per piece basis.

  • The Protection Tier refers to your overall level of protection.

• After reducing incoming damage, roll 1d6 and compare against the table below.

THE PROTECTION TIER TABLE

• When Protection "breaks", it goes down one Tier. A light Tier Protection that breaks is permanently lost. Broken Protection can be repaired back to its original Tier, but never higher.
• It costs 50% (rounded down) of the original cost of the Protection to repair it. This can only be performed at an appropriate location.

TIME AND TURNS

A Turn is the amount of time it takes a player or NPC to make an attack and move about 12 feet of distance.

• During combat, time dilates and is measured in Turns. There are ten Turns per one minute of in-game time (each Turn taking roughly 6 seconds).

  • Outside of combat, the flow of time is arbitrary and dependent upon current group activity / God's discretion. More detailed rules on the passage of time can be found in the WE AIN'T GETTIN' ANY YOUNGER chapter.

WE AIN'T GETTIN' ANY YOUNGER

Time flies when you're wallowin' in misery.

Whenever a roleplaying scenario draws to a conclusion and you have a need for an arbitrary amount of time to pass, follow the rules below.

• God rolls 2d6. The sum result is how many units of time has passed. The unit of time to be used is situational. Discuss amongst the group to reach a consensus.

  • Units of Time:

    • hours
    • days
    • weeks
    • months
    • years

  • When progressing time multiple months or years, you may wish to come up with changes in characters' situations to reflect that. This is entirely dependent on the group and their goals.

• At any rate, keeping in mind the age of characters is necessary.

  • When a character is over the age of 77 and months or years pass, then that player must perform a Dead from Old Age (DOA) roll. This also applies to any character that would become older than 77 due to the time passage (for example, a 66 year old facing a 12 year time jump).

• To perform a DOA roll, roll a d20.

  • Subtract the result from your new age (the age you would be after the passage of time) to get your Death Index.
  • If your Death Index is 75 or less, you are still living.
  • If your Death Index is 76 or higher, your character is found dead from old age once roleplay resumes. See THE SWEET HEREAFTER (OR LACK THEREOF) for how to cope with that.
  • A player whose character dies from old age can roleplay their final moments before death for dramatic purposes.

LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS

// placeholder for clock system

IF AT FIRST YOU FAIL, TRIAL AGAIN

If a player is suspected to the have committed a murder by law enforcement / the general populace, they can be detained and placed on trial.

• To perform a trial, assemble a Jury Pool of 12d6. These represent the twelve Jury Members.

  • The quality of evidence against the accused determines what constitutes a Success.

    • If the evidence against the accused is inconclusive, a 4+ count as a Success.
    • If the evidence is weak, a 3+ counts as a Success.
    • If the evidence is strong, a 5+ counts as a Success.

• The accused rolls the Jury Pool, counting each Success as a Not-Guilty vote, and each Failure as a Guilty vote. Majority determines the verdict.

  • The accused can hire a lawyer in order to sway Jury Members by raising a number of the Jury Pool dice to a d8.

    • It costs 2 Wealth for each Jury member affected (from 2 - 24 Wealth). This represents how expensive/good your lawyer is.

  • In case of a Hung Jury (a tie), a retrial is scheduled for 2d6 days. The accused must stay in custody unless they post Bail.

    • Bail is 7 Wealth for each murder accused of.

• If the accused is found guilty, roll a d6.

  • On EVENS, the accused it sentenced to 10d6 years in prison, plus 5 years for each separate murder count.

    • Prison is not the end of the world. At least you'll make some new friends.

  • On ODDS, they are put on Death Row and scheduled to be executed in 2d6 months.

    • The accused can choose the method of execution for their character within reason.
    • If the Shithole State is Iowa or West Virginia, the accused gets life in prison instead (as those states did not have the death penalty in 1987).

There's still a glimmer of hope, though.

• Just before execution, a Pardon Roll can be attempted.

  • Roll a d10.

    • On a 10, the Governor calls at the last second and stops the execution. The accused is returned to prison, but not to death row. Their sentence is commuted to life in prison.
    • On a 9, a stay of execution is ordered. The execution is rescheduled for 2d6 weeks.
    • Otherwise, the show must go on. The character is executed. See THE SWEET HEREAFTER (OR THE LACK THEREOF) for more information.

SHOCK AND Y'ALL

A player can withstand a number of extreme shocks equal to their Being .

• This is called the Shock Threshold.
• Each extreme shock fills up one slot in the Shock Threshold.
• After the Shock Threshold has filled, any additional extreme shocks will call for a Shock Reaction roll, after which the Shock Threshold resets to empty.

What constitutes an extreme shock is dependent upon the character in question and the group's playstyle.

• Some examples include :

  • death of an immediate family member, friend, or lover
  • extreme financial loss
  • reveal of a major crime
  • discovery of family secrets
  • etc.

• You recover one space in the Shock Threshold per Gothic.

• Roll a d10 against the chart below when a character experiences an extreme shock beyond their threshold.

THE SHOCK REACTION TABLE

THE SWEET HEREAFTER (OR THE LACK THEREOF)

Death is not the end in NoaSG. It's merely a transition.

• When your HP hits or goes below zero, you die.

  • NOTE : There are a few other special circumstances (such as old age) that can lead to death.

A player can either choose to make a new character or become a ghost to continue their legacy (supernatural entities - zombies, vampires, the Anti-Christ, people who are already ghosts, etc. - cannot become ghosts).

• To play as a ghost, see YE OLDE SUPERNATURAL RULES GRIMOIRE chapter.

THEM NEW FOLK ARE KINDA FUNNY

As a new character :

• Roll 4d6 for the bonds that your new character has. If you cannot make logical bonds with the current Pool, reroll within reason.

• Repeat character creation.

  • You can now choose to have been a resident the entire time, or to be new to town.

Are you there seeking out your secret long-lost brother? Were you transferred in to swipe a promotion from Larry down at the auto parts store? Are you the radical pastor from two parishes over coming to abscond with the local congregation?

Or have you always been here, observing from the background?

Figure out how your new character and relationships work within the existing story and group, and have fun throwing a wrench into the social politics.

ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, BILLY-JOE

Once per in game day, a player may pray to the heavens. You don't only have to pray for good shit to happen. Maybe you just really want that tramp down at the Piggly-Wiggly to slip and break her leg.

• The player must speak their Prayer aloud and make a Bible Test with a DR of 16.

  • God may veto any Prayer request for any reason and without explanation.

• If the Prayer succeeds, God rolls a d6.

  • On EVENS - the Prayer is granted in a beneficial manner.
  • On ODDS - the Prayer is granted in a monkey's paw manner.

  NOTE : Although you can Pray once per in-game day, a player can only have one Prayer successfully answered per Gothic. God gets tired, too, you know.

If while Praying, the Praying player rolls a critical failure or critical success, God's roll is skipped and the following applies.

• Critical Success - beneficial Prayer answer with extra blessed goodness.
• Critical Failure - God smites you with a Plague (see table below).

A non-critical failure results in your Prayer being in vain. Nothing happens.

Prayers of Liberals or the Anti-Christ will not be answered, but Plagues will still be smote upon them if a Prayer is attempted and anything but a Critical Success is rolled.

• Determine a Plague by having God roll a d10 against the table below. Interpret as God sees fit.

THE PLAGUE TABLE

Table credit: God

(SATANIC) PANIC AT THE HONKY TONK

It's because of them roleplayin' games that you turned to the darkness, son! I just know it!

Sometimes small towns have sinister happenings just below the surface. And sometimes it just a bunch of guys with mullets in black satin robes.

Follow the rules below to generate an in-game Cult of demon-worshipping heathens.

• If there is an Anti-Christ in the game, they perform all the rolls for Cult creation. Otherwise, God handles the rolls.

  • The Anti-Christ is the leader of the Cult if present in the game. Otherwise, a randomly generated NPC helms the Cult. They must relinquish control if the Anti-Christ ever appears.

• Roll 3d10 against the table below and assign the results in any order you see fit to generate a name.

THE CULT NAME TABLE

Non-Protestants can join the Cult... but at what price?

• Roll a d10 against the table below to see what the Cult requires for new membership.

THE CULT REQUIREMENT TABLE

The Cult starts with 7 members in addition to the Cult Leader, for a total of 8. The 8 Leader members are generated on the fly as they are needed / encountered. They may also be people that you've already met in the Gothic.

The Hierarchy of the Cult is as follows :

• 1 Leader

  • 1 Second-in-Command

    • 2 Officers

      • 4 Regular Members

All new recruits start as a Regular Member.

• Roll a d10 against the table below to see where this band of miscreants generally does their meeting.

THE CULT HANGOUT TABLE

The cult also has a bit of cash stashed away for a rainy day.

• Roll a d10 and add 10 to the result. This is how much Wealth the cult has in their possession. This can fluctuate over time.

EASY-BAKED COVEN

See A WOMAN OF ILL REPUTE chapter for more information on witches and witchcraft.

// COMING SOON: coven rules for the witchy

HARPER VALLEY DMV

The title's in the glovebox.

Vehicles provide an easy way to cover large distances (or run over your dead-beat ex-husband). Players start with a vehicle if appropriate to their character's situation.

• Run, Forrest...

  • You must have at least 2 Brains to operate a vehicle, otherwise you can only be a passenger.

• Cruising on Empty

  • If a vehicle requires gas, then each gallon added to the tank will add 1 tier to the LD for the vehicle.

    • Every time you are driving the vehicle a non trivial amount, you must roll the LD at the beginning of the journey.
    • On a 1 or a 2, you deplete a gallon of gas on the trip.
    • If the final LD hits a 1 or a 2, you run out of gas in the middle of your journey, at whatever spot is the most inconvenient for you.

• Vehicular Manslaughter

  • To attack or defend with a vehicle, perform a Bounce Test with a DR of 12.

    • While attacking or defending against a vehicle while you are on foot, the DR is raised to 14.
    • Vehicles only do damage to vehicles of the same tier or below, and to pedestrians.
    • Occupants of a vehicle do not take damage, the vehicle itself takes the damage instead.

• Crash and Burn

  • When a vehicle hits 0 HP, it is totaled / dead. Any rollover damage is applied as evenly as possible to the occupants. If there is too much or too little damage to go around, determine who gets more / spared through WM.

    • A totaled / dead vehicle can be repaired at an appropriate location for 50% of the Wealth Cost (rounded down). Unless it was an animal, in which case, it is actually dead.

• Slicker Than a Used Car Salesman

  • A non-totaled / non-dead vehicle can be sold (to other players/characters or at an appropriate in-game location) in used condition for 50% of the Wealth Cost (rounded down).

THE VEHICLE TABLE

YE OLDE SUPERNATURAL RULES GRIMOIRE

The following (semi)optional rules introduce more supernatural/horror elements to NoaSG.

THIRTEEN ALABAMA GHOSTS (AND JIMMY SWAGGART)

Everyone's got some skeletons in their closet. But what if those skeletons started rattling their bones?

NOTE : Ghosts do not receive income unless there's a reasonable explanation.

As a ghost, you gain access to several new abilities :

• L'esprit de l'escalier

  • Your HP resets to the max that it could be while you were still living, and is converted to a new stat called Spirit. This number can never increase. It can only decrease over time.

• Flashlight and a Projector

  • You can manifest as an apparition / communicate to other characters by performing a Being Test with a DR of 12.

• Penny Pusher

  • You can interact with physical objects by performing a Brawn Test with a DR of 12.

• Secret Passage

  • You can pass through solid matter.

• Sticks and Stones

  • You cannot directly attack any other characters (but accidents as the result of your meddling are fair game). Conversely, you cannot be harmed by any physical actions.

• The High Cost of (Not) Living

  • At the end of every in-game day, roll 2d6. On a Critical Failure, your Spirit decreases by 1. When it hits 0, you vanish forever into the ether.

THE LAST TEMPTATION OF THE ANTI-CHRIST

Special rules for being the spawn of Satan :

• A Horse With No Name

  • Once per in game day, the Anti-Christ may attempt to acquire a Horseman's Blessing by sacrificing a human NPC and rolling 1d6.

    • If the result is equal to the Anti-Christ's Bible score, the Anti-Christ gets a Horseman's Blessing by rolling 1d4 on the table below.

THE HORSEMAN'S BLESSING TABLE

• The Anti-Christ can only acquire one Horseman's Blessing per Gothic. It can only be used one time, at the Anti-Christ's discretion.

  • The Anti-Christ must physically touch the target character (in-game) to inflict the effect.

A HANKERIN' FOR BLOOD

Special rules for being a sultry Southern vampire :

If a character becomes a vampire for some reason, then a few new abilities are added to their repertoire.

• Older Than Dirt

  • Vampires do not age or get sick. Max HP is set to 20 and cannot change. Regular healing methods no longer have any effect.

• Straight Through the Heart

  • Can only be killed with a pointed object through the heart (or sunlight). Damage stops at 1 HP otherwise.

• Legendary Sunburn

  • Every action in direct sunlight requires a Being Test with a DR of 12.

    • On a Success, nothing happens.
    • On a Failure, the vampire takes 1 damage (the vampire can die from this).
    • On a Critical Failure, the damage is doubled.

• Unquenchable Hankerin'

  • Vampires have a new stat called Hankerin'.

    • Hankerin' functions like HP in reverse, with a max of 10. This max never changes.
    • Fresh vampires start with 8/10 Hankerin'.
    • Whenever your Hankerin' is higher than 1 and a human-like action is attempted, roll a d10. You must roll higher than your current Hankerin', otherwise you'll act like an obvious vampire.
    • Every sunrise, roll a d10. If the result is higher than your current Hankerin', regain 4 HP. Regardless of the result, your Hankerin' increases by 1 point.

• Vampire's Kiss

  • On a successful melee attack against a human or animal, a vampire can instead choose to bite and drink from the target, inflicting 1 damage to the target and reducing Hankerin' by 1 (to a minimum of 0).

    • If a vampire drinks from a human and does not kill them, that person will also become a vampire the following night at sundown.

• Let the Wrong One In

  • Can only enter a building that they've been invited into. What constitutes an invite is up for debate. If a vampire enters a building uninvited, Legendary Sunburn damage rules apply.

• Biblically Averse

  • Repelled by crucifixes and Bible passages. If a vampire enters a church (regardless of invitation), Legendary Sunburn damage rules apply.

• Now, You See Me...

  • No longer casts a reflection or appears in cameras/photographs/videos.

A HANKERIN' FOR BRAINS

Special rules for being a stinky Southern zombie :

NOTE : Zombies do not receive income.

If a character becomes a zombie for some reason, then the following changes now apply :

• What's Dead May Never, You Know...

  • Zombies have no HP. They can only die if you Aim for the Head.

• If I Only Had a Brain

  • All zombie Attributes (except Brawn and Being) are permanently set to 0.

    • Any non-zombie like action requires a Brains Test with a DR of 12.

• Not Exactly Track and Field

  • Zombies move incredibly slow. They can only move half as far as a normal human during combat.

    • Since zombies are so slow, the DR to attack/defend against them is lowered to 8.

• Bite Me, Asshole

  • Zombies cannot use weapons. Instead, each melee attack they successfully pull off inflicts only 1 damage to the target.

    • On a successful attack, roll 2d6.

    • On any doubles, you bite the target instead and infect them. They will become a zombie at the next sunrise by default unless action is taken (amputation, execution, etc.).

    • Roll a d6 to determine the bite location:

      • 1 = lower leg
      • 2 = upper leg
      • 3 = lower arm
      • 4 = upper arm
      • 5 = torso
      • 6 = neck (fatal, returns as a zombie in d10 minutes)

• Aim for the Head

  • Zombies only die when their head is destroyed.

    • To do this, land any successful attack against a zombie and then roll 2d6.

    • On any doubles, you killed the zombie, for good.

      • Otherwise, the zombie absorbs all the damage.

A WOMAN OF ILL REPUTE

Special rules for being a soggy Southern witch :

NOTE : Only women can be witches in NoaSG.

• If a character becomes a witch for some reason, then the following changes now apply:

• A Sense of Time and Space

  • You can see / communicate / interact freely with ghosts, no extra rolls required on the ghost's behalf. This may be interpreted as insanity by onlookers.

• Voodoo for Dummies

  • If you have the authentic Ancient Manuscript, a ritual of Possession can be performed between a ghost and any human-shaped object (including actual humans, living or dead).

    • You must make up the ritual / spell and perform it with enthusiasm.

    • The ghost now possesses the human-shaped object (the Host), filling it with / replacing the life inside. The ghost effectively becomes alive, and their Spirit reverts to their original HP.

      • If the Host is an inanimate object, they do not age.
      • If the Host dies, all original ghost rules reapply.

• A Familiar Feeling

  • All Witches have a Familiar companion. This creature is bound to the Witch, and the two can communicate freely with each other.
  • // UNDER CONSTRUCTION

// COMING SOON: more rules for witches and witchcraft

AN ALL-AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LOUISIANA

Special rules for being a sweaty Southern werewolf :

• If a character becomes a werewolf for some reason, then the following changes now apply:

• Bad Moon Surprisin'

  • Whenever it's nighttime and you are exposed to direct moonlight, perform a Being Test with a DR of 14.

    • On a Failure, you turn into a werewolf.

• Werewolf Form

  • When you are in werewolf form, gain +3 Brawn, +3 Being, and a flat +6 to your HP.

    • You cannot use any weapons, but your claws do large melee damage.
    • You are always compelled to attack the nearest living target, unless your HP is below 50% (rounded down), in which case you may flee for safety.
    • You revert to human form when the sun rises (or upon death), regardless of direct contact.

• Leave Me Alone!

  • You can see / communicate / interact freely with ghosts of people that you have killed, no extra rolls required on the ghost's behalf. This persists in both human and werewolf form. This may be interpreted as insanity by onlookers.

• Werewolf's Chomp

  • On a successful melee attack against a human, you can choose to bite them instead for large melee damage +1.

    • If you bite a human target, they will turn into a werewolf the next night (unless they die first, of course).
    • Their initial transformation can not be avoided, even by staying indoors. They will transform, no matter what.

• Second Place at the County Fair

  • Silver weapons do double damage to you on a successful hit.

• The Song of My People

  • Canines are friendly toward you by default, and will not attack unless provoked.

ODE TO A SEVENTIES SOUTHERN SLASHER

Special rules for making a psychotic Southern serial killer :

• Players should potentially avoid this section.

Sometimes you just need to drop in an NPC murderer to fuck shit up. If your game's story calls for it, check out the rules below to create a Killer:

NOTE : These rules are best suited for a Texas Chainsaw / X style Gothic.

• Roll 3d10 against the table below and determine the order of results to generate an Identity, Signature Clothing, and Weapon of Choice (Weapon of Choice and Damage are bound together).
• Generate a name for the Killer through the usual method if necessary and/or wanted.

THE KILLER TABLE

• What The Hell Are They Feeding You?

  • The Killer has 11 + 1d10 HP. This number is kept from the players.

• No Health Insurance

  • The Killer cannot heal through any normal means.

• Shitty Sequel Setup

  • At 0 HP, the Killer dies... or do they? (Spoiler: They probably don't.)

    • The Killer should at least be out of commission until the storyline makes it appropriate for them to reappear.

SIMPLY THE BESTIARY

Here's a list of common encounters in this neck of the woods.

• Enraged Squirrel With Bulging Eyes :

HP = 2 DMG = d2 -1 (tiny claws) PROT = none

SPECIAL = (FUR MY FALLEN COMRADE) When a squirrel dies, roll a d6. On evens, nothing happens. On odds, 2 more squirrels appear in its place.

"Look at that nutty lil' bastard go!"

• Mangy Dog With Three Legs :

HP = 3 DMG = d2 (nipping teeth) PROT = none

"Don't touch that dog, son. It looks kinda sickly."

• Banjo Boy With a Massive Noggin :

HP = 5 DMG = d2 +1 (banjo bash) PROT = none

"We heard his tortured song long before we saw his twisted face."

• Train Hoppin' Hobo With Whiskey Breath :

HP = 6 DMG = d4 -1 (bottle smash) PROT = none

"I don't know where he's been, but I sure as hell know where he's goin'."

• Persistent Door to Door Bible Salesman :

HP = 7 DMG = d4 (bible slap) PROT = light (starchy suit)

"I'm about to go Old Testament on his ass."

• P. I. That Can't Mind His Own God-Damn Business :

HP = 8 DMG = d4 +1 (blackjack) PROT = medium (trenchcoat)

"I done told that son of a bitch, we ain't heard from Shirlene in two damn years!"

• Cantankerous Old Donkey Eating an Apple :

HP = 6 DMG = d6 (donkey kick) PROT = none

"Wanna see somethin' funny? Go try and snatch that apple from ol' Rufus."

• Rogue Sheriff's Deputy With an Itchy Trigger-Finger :

HP = 8 DMG = d8 (service pistol) PROT = medium (ruffled uniform)

"I always knew you was on the take, you rotten old bastard!"

• Genteel Vampire With a Long, Flowing Mane :

HP = 20 DMG = d10 (vampiric strength) PROT = heavy (out-of-style wardrobe)

SPECIAL = (All Vampire Rules Except for 'Unquenchable Hankerin'' Apply) See A HANKERIN' FOR BLOOD chapter.

"Humans pretending to be hillbillies pretending to be vampires. How avant-garde."

• Grizzled Zombie Prospector :

HP = ? DMG = 1 (rotten fists) PROT = none

SPECIAL = (All Zombie Rules Except for 'If I Only Had a Brain' Apply) See A HANKERIN' FOR BRAINS chapter.

"You reckon he's been in that mineshaft this whole damn time?"

• Death :

HP = 99 DMG = d20 (ancient scythe) PROT = heavy (hardened bones)

SPECIAL = (Touch of Death) If Death touches a character, that character must play a chess match against Death. If the character loses, they die. If Death loses, the character lives - but their HP is permanently decreased by 1 from the shock of it all.

"Of course the skeleton chooses white."

SHEET HAPPENS

Here's an example of a blank, no frills character sheet. Use this as a guide to design your own.

MISCELLANEOUS TABLES AND CHAIRS

All of the random tables you could ever want.

HOW'S THE WEATHER?

• Roll a d6 against the chart below when the weather for the day is in question.

THE END?

Thanks for reading / playing.

There may be more to come. We'll see.

Hope you had... fun?

J-M