TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  FRAGILE MINDS 
  BY ALEX FLAGG AND PATRICK KAPERA 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Crafty Games Product Number: 20205 
   
   
  Spycraft and all related marks are ® ™ © 2006 and used with permission from  
  Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. All rights reserved.  
  All characters, names, places, and text herein is copyrighted by Crafty Games, LLC. 
  Reproduction without Crafty Games’ written permission is expressly forbidden. 
   
   
   
  www.crafty-games.com 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  2 
  INTRODUCTION 
  Welcome to Fragile Minds, your source for adding mind-shattering horror to the Spycraft 2.0 RPG. 
  This product is most useful in campaigns where characters are under exceptional strain. It’s perfect for 
  gritty war dramas, dystopian science-fiction tales, and classic Lovecraftian horror stories. Beyond the 
  rules for suffering through these episodes, this volume also presents new campaign qualities, events, 
  and NPCs to help you inject a little cosmic horror into your games. 
   
  WHAT’S  DIFFERENT ABOUT FRAGILE MINDS? 
  While Fragile Minds is largely an expansion of the standard Spycraft 2.0 rules, there are a few 
  changes worth noting.  
   
  • 
  Mental Injury and Trauma: This product expands Spycraft 2.0’s innovative stress damage system 
  to incorporate rules for long-lasting mental disturbance. Characters suffering a high amount of 
  stress damage can now suffer lingering strain, mental breakdowns, classic psychotic episodes, or 
  even fall into comas as a result of severe mental trauma and encountering things that should not be. 
  • 
  Forbidden Knowledge: Forbidden Knowledge is a new Interest representing awareness of the 
  occult… and how it transforms the mind, spirit, and body. This new tool lets characters delve deep 
  into the unknown and explore the secrets of occult magic, but at a high cost: their very humanity! 
  • 
  Monsters!: Fragile Minds offers a host of popular cosmic horror archetypes inspired by classic film 
  and literature! 
   
   
  CAMPAIGN QUALITIES 
  Dark Arts (requires High Magic campaign quality, +25 XP, 1 GC Action Die): The arcane is an 
  ancient science taught by dark gods and/or otherworldly horrors that feed upon the suffering of men. 
  Each time a character makes a Profession/Spellcasting check, he suffers an amount of stress damage 
  equal to the spell’s Level (minimum 1). Despite the high magic quality being in play, it’s strongly 
  recommended that the GC tailor the spells available to the needs of the setting and the story he wishes 
  to tell. Occult spells should never be trivial and always be relevant to the plot; most of the time, they’re 
  also extremely rare.  
  Forbidden Knowledge (Seasons Only: +0 XP): The secrets of the occult lurk in the world’s 
  forgotten places, waiting to be rediscovered. The campaign uses the Forbidden Knowledge rules (see 
  page 13).  
  Fragile Minds (+25 XP, 2 GC Action Dice): A campaign with this quality features horror lurking 
  around every corner, testing the boundaries of human sanity. The campaign uses this product’s 
  expanded stress damage rules (see page 3).  
  Hard-Boiled Investigators (Seasons Only: –25 XP): In a campaign featuring this quality, characters 
  quickly become accustomed to cinematic terror. Once a character makes a successful Will save against a 
  horrifying event, he need never make another Will save against the same event; he is simply immune to 
  witnessing that event again. For more about cinematic terror, see page 9. 
  Puny Mortals (Seasons Only: +0 XP): In a campaign featuring this quality, characters find 
  themselves tragically unprepared for the vast scope of evil in the universe. Characters may not make Will 
  saves to resist horrifying events; they automatically suffer the stress damage listed to the right of the 
  slash on Table 3: Shock and Dread (see page 10). 
   
  FRAGILE MINDS AND OTHER CAMPAIGN QUALITIES 
  As an inherently cinematic game, Spycraft 2.0 isn’t often the first system to come to mind when 
  thinking about cosmic horror. However, the proper application of campaign qualities can quickly 
  transform an average Spycraft season into a soul-chillingly frightful experience. Here are some qualities 
  you might also want to consider when running a cosmic horror campaign. 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  3 
  Basic Classes: Cosmic horror stories usually feature ordinary people thrust into extraordinary 
  situations. Back to Basics, which introduces moderately powered “basic classes” to Spycraft, offers the 
  GC a great way to dial back his game’s power level, ensuring the characters linger in the realm of 
  “everyday” heroes.  
  Bleak: The stories of Poe and Lovecraft are dark indeed. Their protagonists struggle against the 
  overwhelming horror of their ultimate insignificance, like insects in the face of God. Reducing the 
  characters’ action dice pools has a doubly powerful effect, encouraging the team to rely more on skill 
  than luck and making them less likely to challenge (or instantly slay) the frightening creatures that 
  oppose them. Remember, though, that this quality leads to cautious play and makes critical success — 
  something many players love — a rare and treasured thing.  
  Gritty: Violence is horrifying when every hit can kill you. This quality hammers that point home, 
  rendering the characters brutally fragile in a hostile world. 
  High Magic: Though Fragile Minds remains perfectly functional without magic, it relies on Crafty 
  Games’ Spellbound series of PDFs to fuel occult power. Those rules are not reprinted here for simplicity, 
  though some material found in this volume, such as the mystic spark NPC quality and the rules for 
  Forbidden Knowledge (see pages 22 and 13, respectively), are designed to interlock with them. 
  Paranoid: This quality throws the players a bone by increasing their chance of surviving ambushes, 
  but it also makes investigations a little more difficult. Thus it’s recommended most strongly for survival 
  horror, gritty wartime dramas, and similar games. 
  Tense: Augmenting stress damage may seem perfectly appropriate in a cosmic horror game, but 
  great care should be taken when introducing this quality, as it can dramatically worsen the characters’ 
  plights. Threaten actions, as well as NPCs featuring the fearsome, unnerving, and from beyond qualities, 
  and overindulgence in stress-damaging effects can quickly dismantle a team with this rule in play. 
  Thriller: If you’re looking for long and sometimes nail-biting chases, or tough puzzles for your 
  players to engage in, you should strongly consider this quality. Thriller helps prevent the team from 
  steamrolling investigations and other long-term tasks, heightens the genre’s inherent drama, and forces 
  the characters to work together to succeed against devastating odds. 
   
   
  EXPANDED STRESS DAMAGE 
  When the fragile minds campaign quality is in play, stress damage functions as described on page 
  339 of the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook, with the following revisions.  
   
  • 
  A critical hit with an attack that inflicts stress damage or a critical success with a skill check that 
  inflicts stress damage forces an immediate Will save, even if a threshold is not exceeded. This save’s 
  DC is 16 (if no threshold has been exceeded) or the DC for the highest threshold exceeded +4.  
  • 
  When a character suffers an amount of stress damage in a single round equal to or more than his 
  Wisdom score, but less than twice his Wisdom score, he must make a Will save (DC equal to 1/2 the 
  total stress damage suffered during the current round, rounded down). The character suffers a –1 
  penalty with this save per point of Forbidden Knowledge he possesses (see page 13). With failure, 
  he rolls 1d20, adds his Forbidden Knowledge total and the total stress damage suffered during the 
  current round, and consults Table 1: The Table of Sproing to find his mental injury (see page 4). 
  • 
  When a character suffers an amount of stress damage in a single round equal to more than twice his 
  Wisdom score, he must make a Will save (DC equal to 1/2 the total stress damage suffered during 
  the current round, rounded down). The character suffers a –1 penalty with this save per point of 
  Forbidden Knowledge he possesses (see page 13). With failure, he rolls 1d20, adds his Forbidden 
  Knowledge total and the total stress damage suffered during the current round, and then consults 
  Table 1: The Table of Sproing to find his mental injury (see page 4). Additionally, the character 
  permanently loses 1 point from the highest of his Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma scores (his 
  choice in the event of a tie). 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  4 
  • 
  When the Forbidden Knowledge campaign quality is in effect and a character suffers a Table of 
  Sproing result of 41 or higher, the experience leaves him with unexpected and often unwanted 
  cosmic wisdom. The character gains the listed amount of Forbidden Knowledge at no cost (see page 
  13 for more about Forbidden Knowledge). This Knowledge fades as the mind reconciles and blocks 
  out memory of the character’s break with reality; when the character recovers from a condition that 
  grants Forbidden Knowledge, the Knowledge is also lost.  
  • 
  Stress damage wears off as standard, except that a character’s stress damage cannot drop below a 
  threshold until a successful Therapy check removes the corresponding condition (see the Spycraft 
  2.0 Rulebook, page 143). The only two exceptions are if the character defeats one or more cosmic 
  horrors or staves off evil (see page 11); either of these successes allows the character’s stress 
  damage to drop below a threshold without therapy. 
   
  Table 1: The Table of Sproing 
  Result 
  Mental Injury 
  Therapy Check DC 
  Healing Time* 
  Forbidden 
   
   
   
   
  Knowledge 
  Up to 15 
  Traumatized (see page 5) 
  20 
  1 scene† 
  — 
  15–17 
  Rattled (see page 5) 
  20 
  1 scene† 
  — 
  18–20 
  Frightened 
  20 
  Varies** 
  — 
   
  21–23 
  Nervous (see below) 
  20 
  1 scene† 
  — 
  24–26 
  Terrified 
  25 
  Varies** 
  — 
  27–29 
  Stupefied (dazed) 
  25 
  Varies** 
  — 
  30–32 
  Frozen (paralyzed) 
  25 
  Varies** 
  — 
  33–34 
  Severe depression (permanently fatigued) 
  30 
  1d3 missions 
  — 
  35 
  Distracted (permanently nauseated) 
  30 
  1d6 scenes 
  — 
  36 
  Obsessive-compulsive disorder (gain Compulsion Subplot)†† 
  35 
  1d6 missions 
  — 
  37 
  Split personality (gain Mistaken Identity Subplot)†† 
  35 
  1d6 missions 
  — 
  38 
  Phobia (gain Fear Subplot)†† 
  35 
  1d6 missions 
  — 
  39 
  Enraptured (fixated) 
  40 
  Varies** 
  — 
  40 
  Partial Amnesia (permanently baffled) 
  40 
  1d3 missions 
  — 
  41 
  Hysterical dumbness (permanently mute) 
  45 
  1 mission∆ 
  +1 
  42 
  Hysterical deafness (permanently deafened) 
  45 
  1 mission∆ 
  +1 
  43 
  Hysterical blindness (permanently blinded) 
  45 
  1 mission∆ 
  +1 
  44 
  Collapse (unconscious) 
  50 
  Varies** 
  +2 
  45 
  Schizophrenic hallucinations (permanently drunk and flanked) 
  50 
  1d6 scenes 
  +2 
  46 
  Violent hallucinations (permanently enraged) 
  50 
  1d4 scenes 
  +2 
  47 
  Complete mental breakdown (Wisdom score decreases to 0) 
  60 
  Special∆∆ 
  +3 
  48 
  Catatonic (Intelligence score decreases to 0) 
  60 
  Special∆∆ 
  +3 
  49 
  Coma (Charisma score decreases to 0) 
  60 
  Special∆∆ 
  +3 
  50+ 
  Scared to death (instantly dead) 
  — 
  — 
  — 
   
  * 
  The character heals 1 increment before the start of each mission and for each full month of downtime. When an increment 
  reaches 0, the mental injury heals naturally. With a successful Medicine/Therapy check at the listed DC, the mental injury’s 
  healing time decreases by 2 (minimum 1). 
  ** 
  This effect lasts until the character receives a successful Medicine/Therapy check at the listed DC or for a number of rounds 
  equal to 1/2 the stress damage suffered during the current round (rounded up). 
  † 
  This forgiving mental injury heals at the end of the current scene.  
  †† 
  This Subplot is gained in addition to the character’s current Subplots and doesn’t count toward the maximum number of 
  Subplots the character may possess. It may be completed per the standard rules but never counts toward the character’s 
  completed Subplots for the purpose of crossroads benefits or other character advancement. 
  ∆ 
  The character is assumed to receive adequate therapy after the current mission.  
  ∆∆ See the Spycraft Rulebook, page 17, for more detail. An attribute decreased by this result is regained at the standard rate of 
  1 per full day of rest, beginning at the end of the current mission. A successful therapy check will allow the damage to begin 
  healing during the current mission.  
   
  CONDITIONS 
  The following new conditions support cosmic horror and the Table of Sproing. 
   
  Nervous: At the end of each round while nervous, a character suffers 1 point of stress damage. Per 
  the GC’s discretion, if the character is physically or mentally strained (e.g. bleeding, blinded, bound, 
  buried, frightened, shaken, vulnerable, trapped with no hope of escape, surrounded by corpses, etc.), he 
  suffers 1d4 stress damage instead. This condition is eliminated with a 3-round Resolve/Morale or 
  Tactics/Rally check (DC 20). 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  5 
  Rattled: The error range of each skill check made by a rattled character increases by 2. Unless 
  otherwise specified, he remains rattled until the end of the current scene or until the source of the 
  condition has been out of his line of sight for 10 consecutive rounds. Finally, should a rattled character 
  gain this condition again, he loses this condition and instead becomes baffled. 
  Traumatized: A traumatized character suffers a –4 penalty with Will saves and Resolve checks. 
  Unless otherwise specified, he remains traumatized until the end of the current scene or until the source 
  of the condition has been out of his line of sight for 10 consecutive rounds. Finally, should a traumatized 
  character gain this condition again, he loses this condition and instead becomes frightened. 
   
  THE UNHINGED: EMBRACING YOUR DEMONS 
  The various mental injuries inflicted by the Table of Sproing are just a sample of the many ways a 
  character can lose his marbles with quantifiable rules. There are many other options, however, for those 
  with the inclination and skill. Rather than have a character roll on the Table of Sproing, the GC may offer 
  the player one of the following Subplots. Each uses the same rules, and none should be offered to or 
  chosen by a player who isn’t prepared for intense emotional roleplay.  
  Required Plot Details: The precise nature of your character’s insanity, chosen from the options in 
  the next section or decided jointly by you and the GC.  
  Effect: This Subplot may have rules effects as determined by the GC, but is by default roleplayed 
  from start to finish. After agreeing to a suitable insanity, the player does his best to play the part, taking 
  opportunities as he’s able to showcase his character’s condition. The process may be abrupt or gradual 
  as appropriate, but the Subplot must be active for at least three full missions before completion.  
  When a character opts to pursue an Unhinged Subplot, he commits to roleplaying a story about his 
  insanity. He can discuss this story with the GC or leave it a surprise, as he wishes, but it should not 
  interfere with the campaign or mission’s main plot. While the character possesses this Subplot, the GC 
  and other players rate his roleplaying performance and the strength of the unfolding storyline by 
  nominating him for GC-awarded action dice. The GC should encourage the other players to get into the 
  spirit of the Subplot by nominating the player whenever his roleplay enhances the game for them. In this 
  case nominations should not be honored, nor dice awarded, for roleplay that merely makes things easier 
  for the characters; the goal that everyone have fun and enjoy the plot, not gain an advantage.  
  Likewise, the Subplot should neither become the focus of any mission — unless the GC and player 
  agree to such an arrangement ahead of time — nor prevent the team from completing its mission or the 
  other players from enjoying the game. This is one of the reasons the GC and player should not choose 
  this option lightly; it’s easy for a player to think that his Subplot means that he must only roleplay in a 
  way that, intentionally or not, causes inter-party strife or obstructs the flow of the narrative. This is 
  patently not so; insanity takes many forms, most of which are subtle or oblique enough to add color 
  without whitewashing the palette. The watchwords are respect and restraint, both on the part of the 
  player.  
  The GC and player should “edit” any Unhinged Subplot, or any other Subplot for that matter, that 
  disrupts the game. Such edits can be made when the Subplot is conceived or even during the story, 
  retroactively altering its continuity to eliminate any issues. It’s the player’s responsibility as much as the 
  GC’s to ensure his Subplots are either unobtrusive or step up the excitement for everyone at the table.  
  All this isn’t to say that the player shouldn’t bring the Subplot to center stage when it’s appropriate, 
  even if it clashes with the other characters or the mission goal. Conflict is good; it generates drama and 
  enriches the experience for everyone. It can go too far, however, and the player needs to trust the GC 
  and other players to identify when this is happening (as the GC is the only person in full view of the story 
  at any time, and players should always have the right to speak up when things stop being fun).  
  Also, the player should feel free to invent new plot details and wrinkles to supplement his Subplot 
  story, though as usual, the GC can always reject any idea that doesn’t mesh with the current game. A 
  team sent on an intimate deep cover operation to ferret out a small terrorist cult, for example, might not 
  withstand a case of multiple identities, though the same might not be said if the cult were large or the 
  players were skilled enough to explain away the teammate’s bizarre actions. Likewise, the GC should 
  reject any proposal that he feels would jeopardize harmony between the players, including himself. 
  Some players, team compositions, and stories can’t handle extreme personality disorders, for instance, 
  and most psycho-sexual conditions are too much for any group to process. 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  6 
  Finally, just as the GC can choose not to include a standard Subplot in a mission, the player can 
  choose to take a mission off from his Unhinged story, though he should always strive to keep continuity 
  intact. For example, a player developing a hypnophobia story arc in which the character’s fear takes the 
  form of stimulant use followed by angry outbursts and sudden crashes might want to scale it back so it 
  doesn’t steal attention away from a major turning point mission in the current season. Or he might just 
  not be up to the intensity required by the current stage of the arc. Either way, he could simply inform the 
  GC that he’s taking a mission off and not reference the story, but the key is not contradicting it either. 
  The action shouldn’t find the character suddenly falling asleep without issue, and for that matter should 
  veer away from scenes where the character’s Subplot and its symptoms come into play. The GC can and 
  should work with the player to make this happen. 
  Completion: When the player is awarded a number of action dice for his Subplot story equal to or 
  greater than the difference between his failed Table of Sproing Will save result and the DC, and has 
  roleplayed the Subplot for a minimum of three missions, he should start to wrap it up. Depending on 
  how the storyline has developed, it may require more than the current mission to bring it to a close, and 
  some time off may be the only plausible option for the character after the close. In this case, the GC 
  should work with the player to make sure he can stay involved in the game until his character returns 
  (with another character, an NPC, or in some other capacity), or adjust the campaign to bring it up to 
  speed with the Subplot character’s recovery.  
  A completed Unhinged Subplot counts toward Crossroads Titles in the same fashion as any other 
  Subplot.  
   
  UNHINGED SUBPLOTS 
  The following options are far from comprehensive and the GC and player may wish to introduce 
  other Subplots or tweak these to fit the circumstances of the failed Will save and/or the particulars of 
  the game’s plot.  
   
  Dissociation Disorder: The character’s mind becomes disjointed, damaging or fragmenting his 
  persona. This can take three forms: dissociative amnesia, fugue, or multiple identities. Unlike amnestic 
  syndrome, which is brought on by a concussion or similar damage and often prevents the sufferer from 
  retaining memory of any kind, dissociative amnesia is psychological or emotional and only affects the 
  past. As a rule, dissociative amnesia is a defense mechanism to protect the sufferer from something 
  painful or frightening. A fugue is similar, except that it also involves the sufferer traveling away from 
  home to escape his demons. Finally, a character struggling with multiple identities finds himself at the 
  mercy of two or more personalities, each conducting itself according to its own desires, preferences, and 
  goals. Only one personality can be dominant at any time and they rarely share memories.  
  Personality Disorder: The character suffers from a chronic behavioral issue that impairs his ability 
  to successfully interact with others. The disorder is pathological and usually stems from anxiety or poor 
  impulse control. The sufferer sees no reprieve; he must find a way to live with the disorder until and 
  unless he’s cured. Worse, the disorder or its symptoms are typically obvious to others, widening the gap 
  between the sufferer and all but the most sympathetic souls. Common personality disorders include 
  antisocial tendencies (the sufferer is self-centered, reckless, and confrontational, attaching little or no 
  value to his relationships with others; he finds it easy to lie and ignore promises and obligations), 
  avoidance (the sufferer withdraws from society, terrified of rejection), compulsion (the sufferer has 
  trouble with intimacy and exhibits an unhealthy work ethic fueled by perfectionism, an irrational need 
  for control, and an overwhelming fear of making mistakes), dependency (the sufferer subordinates 
  himself to another, seeking to avoid making decisions on his own), hedonism (the sufferer seizes every 
  opportunity for pleasure, particularly of the physical bent), intermittent explosive disorder (the sufferer 
  is dangerously impulsive and aggressive, flying into rages that often end in assault or property damage), 
  kleptomania (the sufferer is compelled to steal), narcissism (the sufferer is self-absorbed, craves 
  attention, lacks empathy, and reacts poorly to criticism), obsessive-compulsive disorder (fixated on 
  repulsive thoughts of violence or self doubt, the sufferer engages in physical rituals to remain “in 
  control”), panic attacks (on the order of once a week, the sufferer enters an involuntary state where he 
  can’t breathe, his chest hurts, his heart races, his hands and feet tingle, and feelings of impending doom 
  mix with vertigo, cold flashes, and sometimes a disconnection from reality), paranoia (the sufferer has 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  7 
  delusions of jealousy or persecution and skews his world view to support and combat them), 
  pathological lying (the sufferer is compelled to deceive), passive-aggressiveness (the sufferer sabotages 
  himself with procrastination, stubbornness, and deliberate inefficiency and forgetfulness), post-
  traumatic stress disorder (the sufferer relives a traumatic event through persistent and disabling 
  thoughts, dreams, and flashbacks), pyromania (the sufferer is compelled to set fires), schizoid behavior 
  (the sufferer is emotionally cold, aloof, and indifferent, seeking and finding few friends), and theatrics 
  (the sufferer is overly dramatic and prone to tantrums, craving attention and excitement and potentially 
  threatening suicide, but rarely delivering, when they’re refused). 
  Philia: The character has an obsessive or impulsive fondness for something, such as bullets 
  (ballistomania), books (bibliomania), foul language (coprolalomania), symmetry (symmetromania), 
  funerals and cemeteries (taphophilia), or even oneself (egomania, and its aggressive, overblown cousin, 
  megalomania). Some philia are sexual — exhibitionism and voyeurism, for example, as well as sadism, 
  masochism, and fetishism (the need for a non-living object to achieve release). Philia operate very 
  similarly to addictions; the sufferer finds himself hard-pressed or simply unable to resist the urge to seek 
  out and engage his fascination. He makes decisions on this basis, avoiding situations that take him away 
  or threaten his continued indulgence. For this reason and because most people view the sufferer’s 
  extreme actions with pity or disdain, the philia is more often than not a constant source of deep personal 
  shame.  
  Phobia: The character harbors a profound, irrational yet uncontrollable fear of something. There’s a 
  phobia out there for pretty much everything: finding oneself alone or in open spaces (agoraphobia), dust 
  (amathophobia), people (anthopophobia), being touched (aphephobia), water (aquaphobia), buildings 
  (batophobia), mirrors (catoptrophobia), enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), crowds (demophobia), blood 
  (henophobia), fog (homichlophobia), sleep (hypnophobia), dead things (necrophobia), numbers 
  (numerophobia), the dark (nyctophobia), foreigners or aliens (xenophobia), and even change 
  (tropophobia). A phobia is manageable until the triggering object or situation arises, at which point it 
  overrides the sufferer’s faculties, surrendering them to panic, which reinforces the fear, which yields 
  more panic, and so on. This escalation can occur even away from the phobic trigger, prompted by the 
  sufferer’s anxiety over facing it. In these extreme cases, actually encountering the phobic trigger can 
  render the sufferer inert, paralyzed by dread, or send him into blind, mindless retreat. More often, the 
  sufferer learns to cope with his phobia, though it can still produce intense anxiety, sweaty palms, 
  increased heart rate and breathing, and similar symptoms.  
  Physical Disorder: The character suffers from one of a number of emotionally driven, physically 
  manifesting mental disorders, such as autonomic dysfunction (irregular heart rate, blood pressure, and 
  respiration, excessive sweat, clammy hands, dry mouth, dizziness, upset stomach, hot and cold spells, 
  frequent urination, flushed or pallid face, and susceptibility to the “fight or flight” response), body 
  dysmorphic disorder (perceived flaws in his appearance), an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia), 
  hypochondria (an assumed illness, usually serious), somatization disorder (many psychosomatic 
  symptoms with no believed source), conversion disorder (symptoms conjured to attract attention or 
  distract from something upsetting), or motor tension (nervous trembling, aches and pains, twitches and 
  tics, agitation and inability to relax). Though the character rarely suffers from any actual maladies, his 
  disorder can generate realistic symptoms.  
  Psychosis: The character loses touch with reality, possibly suffering wild delusions, hallucinations, 
  and/or reasoning difficulties. The most popular form of psychosis is schizophrenia, which robs the 
  sufferer of concentration, making it hard for him to form complete coherent thoughts; just as often his 
  speech devolves to random unrelated bits strung together with twisted logic or none at all. The 
  schizophrenic’s delusions often involve body or mind control, and his hallucinations are commonly 
  auditory (the oft-trumped “voices” in one’s head). He suffers from emotional and social detachment, 
  which can result in inappropriate behavior such as giggling at funerals or screaming unexpectedly at the 
  opera. Schizophrenics fall into three general categories: disorganized (with all the aforementioned 
  symptoms), catatonic (frequent loss of speech and voluntary movement, coupled with submissive 
  tendencies and occasional outbursts of explosive motor function), and paranoid (grand delusions of 
  persecution, jealousy, and pursuit, usually accompanied by matching hallucinations). Schizophrenia 
  brought on by stress triggers is referred to as “acute,” which gives rise to the “acute paranoid 
  schizophrenic” so often used in literature and film.  
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  8 
  Other psychoses include bipolar mood disorder (the sufferer oscillates between “up” and “down” 
  cycles), depression (loss of appetite, weight shifts, increased or diminished sleep, fatigue and indecision, 
  hopelessness and guilt, all inflicting common psychotic symptoms and persistent thoughts of suicide), 
  and mania (euphoria, irritability, talkativeness, frantic activity, distraction, delusional self-esteem, and 
  recklessness), as well as panzaism (failing to recognize the fantastic or supernatural, even with 
  evidence) and quixotism (seeing the fantastic and supernatural everywhere, even where it isn’t).  
  Sleep Disorder: The character’s sleep cycle, ability to fall asleep, and/or the quality of his sleep is 
  severely distressed. Insomniacs have trouble getting to sleep or benefiting from it, and can result in 
  foggy memory, listlessness, and mood disorders (especially depression). Narcoleptics suffer drowsiness, 
  random “sleep attacks,” and cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle power, generally lasting up to half an 
  hour). Other sleep disorders include night terrors and sleep walking, both of which generally occur 
  within the first three hours of sleep and rarely last longer than half an hour. The former is like an intense 
  form of nightmare that wakes the sufferer in a cold, clammy sweat, bewildered and besieged by 
  frightening visions. The latter finds the sufferer wandering in his sleep, often with his eyes open though 
  he never recalls what happens when he wakes. All sleep disorders sap the character’s energy, leaving 
  him inattentive and irritable.  
   
  EXAMPLE OF AN UNHINGED SUBPLOT 
  During a mission to track down a criminal mastermind in Barbados, a Pointman named Vox is 
  captured and tortured for information about the Agency. During the home stretch of the interrogation, 
  as the other characters are slicing through the mastermind’s minions, Vox suffers an astounding 14 
  points of stress damage in a single round. Her will is broken and she reveals critical intel about the home 
  office, but more importantly to her at the moment, she must make a Will save to resist the Table of 
  Sproing. She fails this check by 6, which would normally result in the characters finding her shivering in 
  her restraints, the mastermind long gone. Instead, they find Vox fleeing with the mastermind and only 
  manage to subdue her by the skin of their teeth. The mastermind reaches a nearby beach and 
  mysteriously vanishes without a trace.  
  More is learned during the debriefing, but just as many questions as answers come to light. Vox is 
  now calling herself “Shelly” and demanding to be delivered to her father, “Victor.” She claims to be 
  nine years old and believes the year to be 1818. She speaks of an island where she is a princess and her 
  father lords over the natives like a god. She warns the home office personnel that unless they return her 
  immediately, Victor’s wrath will be “swift and mighty.” 
  What’s going on? The mastermind, a cruel beast who recently renamed himself Armitage, had great 
  plans for Vox. He also has new friends, and one of them arrived during the agent’s interrogation. It 
  wasn’t the torture that broke Vox, but this newcomer, a hideous, slimy… creature with heaving gills and 
  bulging, hollow eyes. Armitage called his ally a “deep spawn,” though Vox couldn’t process that name. 
  Her mind was already reeling, racing to accept the impossible — and it only got worse for her when the 
  creature nodded approvingly, telling Armitage that she make the perfect vessel for his seed… 
  Her mind sheared in half, the woman she was retreating deep into her subconscious. Born to protect 
  her was a new personality, stitched together from elements of Vox’s favorite novel, The Modern 
  Prometheus, or Frankenstein, which she was recently reading for the umpteenth time. Her mind created 
  Shelly as a prideful, argumentative, illogical voice that could drown out her terror, but also as a 
  breadcrumb to lead her friends to the truth. The fabricated details about her father, Victor, contain 
  shreds of truth that point to Armitage’s island base, where he consorts with the deep spawn in a 
  deranged plot to invade the world of men.  
  Mechanically, all this came about as the GC revealed the deep spawn during the interrogation 
  scene, away from the other players. Vox’s player was intrigued with the twist to what otherwise 
  appeared to be a standard espionage operation and when the character failed her Will save, she decided 
  to go with an Unhinged Subplot instead of the short-lived traumatized condition. She and the GC came 
  up with the second identity concept and the GC suggested a structure that would drive the next few 
  missions. The player came up with her character’s favorite book and that filled in the blanks, 
  conveniently giving the other players a way to eliminate details and leave what’s important to the 
  ongoing Armitage/invasion plot.  
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  9 
  The GC and player arrange for the rest of the debriefing to play out with the Vox identities 
  competing and either the other players or home office NPCs determining that Vox has critical 
  information about Armitage. Over the next three (or more) missions, the team heads into the field 
  looking for the mastermind, using Vox/Shelly as their guide. The Vox player is given plenty of screen time 
  and chances to roleplay as Shelly for action dice toward her Unhinged Subplot, but the agent personality 
  can surface whenever she needs some time off or wants to participate in a scene without hindrance.  
  Eventually, everything comes together on the island, where the truth of Armitage and his new allies 
  is revealed, and Vox comes face to face with the source of her insanity. A few in-game months and 
  countless hours of therapy later, Vox can return to the field full time, a better-rounded and stronger 
  character for the experience.  
   
  THE HIGH STRESS OF ADVENTURE 
  In standard play, stress damage is applied judiciously. It’s not heroic for your characters to 
  frequently wind up quivering in their boots, so a lot of situations that might realistically inflict stress 
  damage don’t. In a campaign featuring the fragile minds quality, however, it’s reasonable for some or all 
  of these predicaments to give the characters pause. For your convenience, a summary of these options is 
  listed on Table 2: More Sources of Stress (see below). Many more are possible. The GC should decide 
  which, if any, apply in his game before the first mission. 
   
  Table 2: More Sources of Stress 
  Situation/Rules 
  Stress Damage 
  Disease* 
  1d6 (Complexity 55–70), 1d8 (Complexity 75–100), 1d10 (Complexity 101+) 
  Poison* 
  1d4 (basic), 1d6 (improved), or 1d8 (advanced) 
  Sensory Deprivation** 
  After 2 hours, the character suffers 1 stress damage per consecutive hour his senses  
   
  are deprived (i.e. 1 at Hour 3, 2 at Hour 4, 3 at Hour 5, etc.) 
  Sleep Deprivation 
  After each 24-hr. period without 4 hrs. sleep, the character suffers 1 stress damage per  
   
  consecutive day he spends without 4 hrs. sleep (i.e. 1 on Day 2, 2 on Day 3, 3 on Day 4, etc.) 
  Starvation and Thirst 
  Equal to 1/2 the lethal damage suffered (rounded down) 
  Suffocation 
  1 stress damage per consecutive successful Fortitude save (i.e. 1 at Save 2, 2 at Save 3,  
   
  3 at Save 4, etc.), and 2d6 with a failed Fortitude save 
  Underwater Combat/The Bends 
  Equal to 1/2 the lethal damage suffered (rounded down) 
  Underwater Combat/Pressure 
  Equal to 1/2 the lethal damage suffered (rounded down) 
   
  * 
  The character suffers this damage when he finds out that he’s been exposed, not when he’s actually exposed.  
  ** 
  If the character deprives his senses voluntarily, the stress damage suffered decreases to 1/2 standard (rounded down). 
  Further, the character suffers no stress damage for sensory deprivation while asleep. 
   
  SHOCK AND DREAD 
  Beyond the many sources of stress in the standard Spycraft rules (various damage, harassment, 
  brainwashing, Threaten actions, the list goes on), GCs may wish to add a few of their own. Here we 
  provide a quick list of options employed by horror movie makers — sudden frights, lurking terrors, and 
  more. They can be injected directly into your game or act as inspiration for your own fiendish plans. 
  Each time a character witnesses or experiences a horrifying event shown on Table 3: Shock and 
  Dread (see page 10), he makes a Will save against the listed DC. With success, he suffers the stress 
  damage listed to the left of the slash and need not make another Will save against the same event 
  during the current mission. With failure, he suffers the stress damage listed to the right of the slash and 
  must make another Will save using these rules the next time he encounters the same event.  
  The GC has a limited ability to spend action dice to increase this stress damage. He may only spend 
  action dice to increase a shock and dread stress damage result of 1 or more. Further, each die spent 
  increases the damage by either 1 additional point (if the original result was 1 point), or 1 additional die 
  of the listed type (for any result requiring another roll to determine damage). Finally, the GC may not 
  increase any stress damage result to more than twice the maximum listed result (i.e. more than 4 for a 
  listed result of 1d2, or beyond 24 for a listed result of 2d6); any action die expenditures or results 
  beyond this total are ignored.  
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  10 
  Special Note: Though characters can suffer stress damage merely for witnessing certain horrifying 
  creatures and reading blasphemous books, these sources of fright aren’t included on Table 3. Instead, 
  their shocking presence is handled respectively with a new NPC quality: from beyond (see page 22) and 
  rules for forbidden tomes (see page 13). 
   
  Table 3: Shock and Dread 
  Experience 
  Will Save DC 
  Stress Damage 
   
  Confinement and Disorientation 
  Lost in familiar surroundings 
  8 
  0/1 
  Trapped in familiar surroundings 
  10 
  0/1d2 
  Lost in unfamiliar surroundings 
  11 
  1/1d3 
  Trapped in unfamiliar surroundings 
  13 
  1d2/1d6 
  Trapped with no hope of escape/ 
  18 
  1d6/1d12 
   
  Dangerous Conditions* 
  Mild looming danger (e.g. EVA suit in aftermath of chemical attack,  
   
  disabling trap with Power Rating of up to 4) 
  9 
  0/1 
  Moderate looming danger (e.g. EVA suit in nuclear fallout,  
   
  disabling trap with Power Rating of 5–7) 
  12 
  1/1d3 
  Extreme looming danger (e.g. EVA suit in outer space or underwater, 
   
  disabling trap with Power Rating of 8–10) 
  15 
  1d4/1d10 
  Mild immediate danger (e.g. Puncture of EVA suit in aftermath of chemical attack, 
   
  failing to disable a trap with a Power Rating of up to 3) 
  18 
  1d6/1d12 
  Moderate immediate danger (e.g. Puncture of EVA suit in nuclear fallout, 
   
  failing to disable a trap with a Power Rating of 5–7) 
  21 
  1d8/3d6 
  Extreme immediate danger (e.g. Puncture of EVA suit in outer space or underwater, 
   
  failing to disable a trap with a Power Rating of 8–10) 
  24 
  1d10+1/5d6 
   
  Gore and Death 
  Unmolested animal corpse 
  8 
  0/1** 
  Unmolested human corpse 
  10 
  0/1d2** 
  Mutilated animal corpse 
  12 
  1/1d3** 
  Mutilated human corpse 
  13 
  1d2/1d6** 
   
  Strangeness 
  Plausible strangeness (moaning in an empty house, grass pointing into wind, 
   
  item is lost and reappears somewhere unexpected, losing up to 1 day) 
  9 
  0/1 
  Implausible strangeness (a color that’s not part of the known spectrum, 
   
  a river of blood, losing more than a day) 
  15 
  1d4/1d10 
  Spell use (up to Level 3) 
  15 
  1d4/1d10† 
  Spell use (Levels 4–6) 
  20 
  1d6/2d6† 
  Impossible strangeness (two or more moons in the sky, a talking animal, time travel) 
  21 
  1d8/3d6 
  Spell use (Levels 7–9) 
  25 
  1d10/4d6† 
  Cosmic strangeness (an alien landscape, a titanic otherworldly horror, a divine being) 
  28 
  2d6/6d6 
   
  Violence 
  Brutality (an animal killed, a helpless person tormented,  
   
  a severe car accident with one or more fatalities) 
  11 
  1/1d3 
  Minor atrocity (ally or teammate suffering a Table of Ouch result of 41+,  
   
  ally or teammate tortured, stranger murdered in cold blood) 
  14 
  1d3/1d8†† 
  Moderate atrocity (ally or teammate killed or tortured to death, occult ritual, 
   
  strangers dying slowly in gruesome ways – fire, suffocation, etc.) 
  19 
  1d6/2d6†† 
  Major atrocity (ally or teammate’s body destroyed or mutilated, cannibalism,  
   
  large-scale murder – death camp, genocidal attack) 
  23 
  1d10/4d6†† 
   
  * 
  This stress damage is applied only once per experience unless it carries over from scene to scene, in which case the damage is 
  applied at the start of each scene in which the experience persists.  
  ** 
  Should a character find more than one corpse, the save DC increases by +2 and the damage increases by an additional 
  +1/+1. 
  † 
  A character only suffers this stress damage the first time he comes in contact with each level of spell use (i.e. a character may 
  suffer stress damage from witnessing spell use a maximum of three times: once for Level 0–3 spells, once for Level 4–6 spells, 
  and once for Level 7–9 spells). 
  †† 
  If the character performs the brutality or atrocity himself, the save DC increases by +2 and the damage increases by an 
  additional +2/+2. 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  11 
  THE SILENT “P” IN VICTORY 
  It’s the nature of cosmic horror that the heroes’ minds deteriorate as their view of the universe 
  expands. Every realization that humanity’s insignificant role is that a flailing dust mote against the grand 
  design threatens to shatter their naive assumptions. Yet every so often, they gain a shred of hope, a 
  faint glimmer that perhaps mankind can make a difference. With the fragile minds quality in play, these 
  pyrrhic successes happen primarily in two ways.  
  Defeat Creatures: Vanquishing otherworldly forces bent on man’s destruction is reason for 
  celebration, at least until the next incursion. The method of defeat is unimportant, as few cosmic horrors 
  can ever be truly eliminated; most simply withdraw to slumber until their next awful awakening. Also, 
  the means to dispose of each creature is unique: some are vulnerable only to magic, others to bloody, 
  long-lost rituals; a few can actually be “killed,” dispatched to their alien homes, though more often the 
  violence required is specific, hidden, or grossly taxing.  
  Regardless of the method required to defeat a cosmic horror, pulling it off is always reaffirming. The 
  first time during any mission when the characters defeat an NPC possessing the from beyond quality, 
  each of them immediately heals an amount of stress damage equal to 1/10 the NPC’s base XP value 
  (rounded up). Unfortunately, the elation wears thin when the characters realize that the forces pushing 
  in against the edges of known reality are legion. Thus, the characters heal no stress damage when they 
  defeat the second or subsequent NPCs of the same type during the same mission.  
  Stave Off Evil: Every fleeting victory against malevolence is a gift, whether it’s halting the 
  corruption of an innocent, disbanding a bloodthirsty cult, or preventing a power-mad sorcerer from 
  summoning his incomprehensible, all-powerful, planet-shattering god to Earth. Any of these or many 
  other actions could become the focus of a mission or season of play, or an industrious GC could 
  incorporate any number of them into an apocalyptic one-shot.  
  Saving the day is worthy of some peace of mind, usually healing each character responsible of 2–20 
  stress damage. The GC determines the exact amount when he constructs the mission or season, which 
  allows him to balance the amount of stress damage he expects the characters to suffer against the 
  amount they’re likely to regain (see Balancing Stress Damage vs. Pyrrhic Victories below). For some 
  ballpark estimates based on the general scale of the victory, see Table 4: Staving Off Evil (see below). 
   
  Table 4: Staving Off Evil 
  Scale of Victory 
  Stress Damage Healed 
   
  Characters save… 
  One person 
  1 
  A family 
  2 
  A village 
  3–4 
  A town 
  5–6 
  A city 
  7 
  A state or territory 
  8 
  A continent 
  9 
  The world 
  10 
   
  …from… 
  Torture 
  1 
  Death 
  2–3 
  Temporary insanity 
  4–5 
  Permanent insanity 
  6–7 
  Worldly corruption (e.g. cult indoctrination) 
  8–9 
  Eternal corruption (e.g. soul destruction) 
  10 
   
  BALANCING STRESS DAMAGE VS. PYRRHIC VICTORIES 
  When developing a cosmic horror story, the Game Control has a lot to consider. Will his story be a 
  one-shot or a campaign? How much action will there be vs. investigation? Just as importantly, if not 
  more so, the GC must ask himself how inherently frail he wants the characters’ minds to be. Just like 
  building a combat encounter, a lot of this decision boils down to a gut judgment call, but there are three 
  basic approaches. 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  12 
  • 
  Nihilistic (works nicely with the puny mortals campaign quality): The characters are, like all of their 
  species, fatally unprepared to deal with the vast, incalculable power of the opposition. Still, their 
  sacrifice will offer others the chance to fight tomorrow. The GC should aim to include enough stress 
  damage for each character to surpass 3–4 stress thresholds during each mission or season 
  (recognizing that many characters won’t encounter every source of stress damage), and enough 
  potential healing from pyrrhic victories that each character recovers 1 threshold in the same time. 
  • 
  Desperate (perfect for standard Fragile Minds campaigns): The characters are capable but their 
  mental fortitude wavers with repeated clashes with the forces of darkness. The GC should aim to 
  include just enough stress damage for each character to surpass 2–3 thresholds during each mission 
  or season, and enough potential healing from pyrrhic victories that each character recovers 1–2 
  thresholds in the same time.  
  • 
  Hopeful (works nicely with the hard-boiled investigators campaign quality): By fortune, fate, or flair, 
  ardent characters can make out reasonably well against cosmic incursions. Sacrifices and casualties 
  are still hallmarks of the genre, but they’re also momentous events in the storyline. The GC should 
  aim to include just enough stress damage for each character to surpass 1–2 thresholds during each 
  mission or season, and enough potential healing from pyrrhic victories that each character recovers 
  the same number of thresholds in that time.  
   
  Example: “The Mystery of Armitage Island” 
  In preparing the campaign springing out of the initial showdown with the mastermind Armitage (see 
  page 8), the GC considers the season’s duration (he assumes three missions), the characters’ stats and 
  mental states (they’re a mixed bag with no previous mental injuries or debilitating conditions), and the 
  mood he wants to convey (tense, with a real chance of further “scarring” among the characters). He 
  settles on the “desperate” approach, which means that the number of stress damage thresholds 
  surpassed will slightly outnumber the number recovered.  
  The GC averages the characters’ stress damage thresholds: 12. He already knows that deep spawn 
  will be the season’s primary sanity-blasting adversaries and checking their statistics reveals that they’ll 
  be inflicting 1/1d6 stress damage when first encountered and another 1d4 with each successful melee or 
  unarmed hit. Figure a total of about 4–6 points during the first encounter and 2–4 during subsequent 
  encounters. Not nearly enough, even with him spending action dice to boost the damage.  
  The GC plans a few shocking sequences, including a couple instances of random brutality (0/1d3 
  stress damage), some implausible strangeness (1d4/1d10 stress damage), and a full-blown occult ritual 
  during the climax on Armitage Island (1d6/2d6 stress damage). That’s another dozen points or so on 
  average, bringing the grand total across the season so far to 20 points (one and a half thresholds) or so. 
  Still not quite enough. 
  The combat on the island will probably account for some of the characters’ stress. Tiki torches used 
  to set characters on fire are always good, and probably increase the damage to 28, maybe 30. That’s in 
  the right vicinity, but the GC wants to make things a little more interesting. He gives the deep spawn the 
  skilled (Intimidate VIII) quality and plans to use it frequently to target the characters with Threaten 
  actions. He can reliably inflict stress damage in the mid-30s, most of it in the season’s final scenes, 
  which given the many sources of unreliable stress damage in the system is probably plenty. 
  On to recovery. Defeating the upgraded deep spawn heals 8 points of stress damage, which 
  accounts for about half the necessary gain. The rest can come from saving the villagers from permanent 
  insanity, which yields a reward of 9–11 points. That’s 17 to 19 points and just enough to hit the right 
  balance with the stress inflicted.  
  Of course, an experienced GC could just wing it with much the same results, and a novice could do 
  the same and just see what happens. The cosmic horror genre is nothing if not chaotic, and a couple test 
  runs of the system should give anyone enough of a feel to rough out the numbers in a few minutes.  
   
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  13 
  FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE 
  Musty tomes covered in human skin, dark rituals praising dead gods, and secret incantations 
  evoking ancient magicks are all staples of cosmic horror. In Spycraft 2.0, awareness of these occult 
  secrets is called Forbidden Knowledge.  
  In a game featuring the Forbidden Knowledge campaign quality, when a character gains an Interest, 
  he may choose to gain 1 point of Forbidden Knowledge instead. For each point in Forbidden Knowledge 
  a character possesses, he gains a +1 bonus with Profession/Spellcasting checks made to cast occult 
  spells, as well as Knowledge checks regarding the occult and elements of cosmic horror (places, persons, 
  history, creatures, and other pieces of the incomprehensible and terrifying puzzle outside human 
  experience). 
  This knowledge comes at a price, however, as the infectious nature of these arcane horrors warps 
  mind, body, and spirit. For each point of Forbidden Knowledge a character gains, his Appearance 
  modifier worsens by 1. Further, for each point of Forbidden Knowledge a character gains, the GC may 
  impose one off-putting personality trait (e.g. soulless gaze, discomforting glare, uncontrollable tic) or 
  physical change (e.g. glowing eyes, scaly or slimy skin, growling or guttural voice).  
  Additionally, a character suffers a –1 penalty per point of Forbidden Knowledge with Will saves 
  made to resist Table of Sproing effects, and his points in Forbidden Knowledge are added to any Table of 
  Sproing result (see page 4). 
   
  FORBIDDEN TOMES 
  Much is made of documenting evil. The loose-leaf journals of madmen, the long-buried annals of 
  prehistoric cults, and prophetic predictions of apocalyptic fire — they’re out there in droves, 
  “revelatory” volumes circulating through museums, libraries, and even occult book shoppes. Yet while 
  many of these tomes are inspired by evil, few manage to capture it, to carry it on to the reader. Anyone 
  can scribble random observations about the unyielding terror of the universe, but without true insight 
  it’s merely disjointed rambling. It takes intimate understanding and clarity of purpose to explain it in 
  ways that unlock that part of the human mind that fears, that dares to grapple with the enormity of 
  what it’s seeing. It takes commitment, drive, and vision — all traits upon which only a fraction of the 
  world’s so-called “blasphemous books” are founded. 
  Unfortunately, conveying true evil with the proper scope and perspective also translates the horror 
  of it. The power of Forbidden Knowledge is in the ideas, not the pages, and merely “getting it” is 
  enough to risk your mind and eventually your soul. This is the great irony of combating cosmic horror — 
  that in order to find its weaknesses you must risk everything you hold dear. 
  The process of scripting and reading forbidden tomes is like a game of secret messages, with the 
  true meaning in the hints and allusions buried between the words. For this reason, it’s handled 
  mechanically as a very long-term Complex Sense Motive/Innuendo check. The DC, error range modifier, 
  and number of Challenges involved when writing a forbidden tome are the same as when reading it, 
  though the time required for each Challenge is different. All these values are determined by the tome’s 
  content, as shown on Table 5: Forbidden Tomes (see page 15). 
  Special Note: Forbidden tomes may never be acquired as Possessions or mission gear. They are 
  always plot devices, introduced by the GC to support the story.  
   
  READING A FORBIDDEN TOME 
  This process yields the tome’s spells and secrets, though in a staggered fashion. The spell or secret 
  with the highest DC is learned when the character overcomes the last Challenge, the one with the next 
  highest DC is learned when the character overcomes the second-to-last Challenge, and so on. Learning 
  spells and secrets has the following effects. 
   
  • 
  Spell: The character learns and may cast the spell up to once in each standard scene or up to twice 
  in each dramatic scene, per the spellcasting rules and limitations in play (see the Spellbound PDF 
  line or the spell rules currently in use). In a cosmic horror game, spells are often tailored specifically 
  to the plot or creature involved — an attack spell might be the only way to harm the mission’s 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  14 
  villain or his non-human henchman, for instance, or might be the only way to counter an occult 
  ritual and halt its infernal influence over a family of innocents. 
  • 
  Creature Secret: The character learns one secret about a specific named creature (e.g. a weakness, 
  one event in its history, its true name, etc.). The tome’s author or the GC determines the exact 
  nature of the secret, which the character may use against the creature. Most of the time, the secret 
  offers a bonus with one combat statistic equal to 1/30 the creature’s base XP value (rounded up). 
  The statistic affected is also determined by the author or GC and might be the character’s initiative 
  when fighting the creature, his attack bonus against the creature, one of his saves against the 
  creature’s effects, his Defense against the creature’s attacks, or even a number of bonus action dice 
  he gains at the start of a fight against the creature (which may only be used to boost actions and 
  attacks taken against the creature). The author or GC might determine a different benefit for the 
  secret, especially in games where the characters aren’t expected to fight the creature (in many 
  cosmic horror games, combat of any kind is considered at least a partial failure). The possibilities 
  here are virtually endless: the secret could lead to the creature’s lair, where a clue, item, person, or 
  something else awaits (perhaps to be rescued and used as a benefit against the creature); the secret 
  might lead to the cult worshipping the creature, whose members can be captured and interrogated 
  for information; or the secret could even point to the existence of another creature aligned against 
  the team’s current target, allowing them to pit the abominations against each other.  
  • 
  Plot Secret: The character learns one secret about the current plot. As with a creature secret, this 
  can have a mechanical or storyline benefit, as determined by the author or GC. Common cosmic 
  horror plot secrets include: the identity of a special character deeper within a conspiracy haunting 
  the team or the world; the location of a site belonging to an occult organization; the relationship 
  between two NPCs; a name or term that drives the story; an NPC or organization’s motivation; or 
  just about anything else that helps to fill in the players’ blanks or intensify the game’s storyline. In 
  some campaigns, the GC might want to develop plot secrets as shocking twists, in which case he 
  should use typical narrative devices to tell the tome’s story. This will offer the right framework to 
  convey the revelation’s importance; otherwise, it might fall flat as “just another step in the 
  mission.” 
   
  Also, the GC may determine that a tome contains one or more clues to unraveling the current 
  mystery or solving the current dilemma. Clues may be learned in any order and are revealed after the 
  character overcomes any Challenge(s), per the GC’s discretion. 
   
  Example: The GC planning the Armitage Island season and decides to include a backup plan, just in 
  case the schizophrenic agent drops out or despite her best efforts the other characters interpret 
  everything she says in precisely the wrong way. He creates a forbidden tome, Drowning in Time, 
  presumably written by Martino Trudeaux, the first human to be chosen by Fathma, this deep spawn 
  colony’s progenitor-god. This journal tells the story of the original colony’s flight from persecution at the 
  hands of the Spanish Inquisition, their search for a new home and various bloody interludes along the 
  way, and their eventual settlement on the island now lorded over by Armitage.  
  In practice, each chapter of the original colony’s travels is revealed once a Challenge is overcome. 
  The chapters leading up to Armitage Island offer insight into the nature of the enemy, their strengths 
  and weaknesses (as they existed hundreds of years ago — it’s likely that at least some details have 
  changed since then), and even produce some investigation sites the team could visit today for more 
  clues and an edge or two.  
  Why doesn’t the reader simply jump to the end, you ask? Simple. The travels and locations aren’t 
  catalogued using any modern navigational technique, but rather some complex, conversational code 
  that must be unraveled. The code takes all previous locations into consideration when describing the 
  next, forcing a methodical read to gain a semi-accurate destination.  
   
  For each spell or secret learned, a character’s Forbidden Knowledge increases by 1. Unless a clue 
  offers occult or cosmic insight, it does not also yield Forbidden Knowledge.  
  Fortunately for those who value “normal” lives, a character may always “turn back,” ridding 
  himself of a tome’s vile nastiness so he can recover. The concepts contained in forbidden tomes are alien 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  15 
  and elusive, even to those with some experience with the nature and origin of cosmic horror. Should a 
  character begin and end a mission separated from a tome, he loses access to all spells, secrets, and 
  Forbidden Knowledge gained from it. In order to regain these “benefits,” he must seek out the tome and 
  read it once more, per the standard rules in this volume.  
  Finally, because the power of spells and secrets is in truly understanding them, a character may not 
  simply translate or explain them to others; each character must go through the process of reading and 
  comprehending a tome per these rules to benefit from its contents. 
   
  WRITING A FORBIDDEN TOME 
  Scripting a tome operates just like reading a tome, with the writer working through the same 
  Challenges with the same DCs and error range modifiers, though each Challenge takes longer to 
  complete. The author may make any choices he’s allowed, such as the exact nature of secrets, at any 
  point while writing a tome, though they must be set in stone by the time he overcomes the final 
  Challenge.  
  A tome’s author also determines its non-mechanical content, medium, appearance, and other 
  details. Some authors are quite “creative,” binding their spells and secrets in various skins (human is a 
  favorite in many cosmic horror games) and unloading their diseased opinions and observations onto the 
  page as if it were the last great narrative anyone will ever write. Of course, since many of these would-
  be Shakespeares have long since gone irretrievably mad, it usually comes off as little more than 
  incoherent babbling for the duration, which contributes to why it’s so hard to wade through to the 
  important bits. 
   
  Table 5: Forbidden Tomes 
  Content 
  Writing Time* 
  Reading Time* 
  Challenges 
  DC 
  Error Range 
   
   
   
   
   
  Increase** 
  Spell 
  (1/2 Spell Level) days 
  (1/2 Spell Level) hrs 
  Spell Level + 1 
  (Spell Level + 1) × 5 
  +1/2 Spell Level 
  Creature secret 
  (XP divided by 30)  
  (XP divided by 30) 
  XP divided by 15 
  XP divided by 3 
  +(XP divided by 30) 
   
  days (rounded up) 
  hrs (rounded up) 
  (rounded up, max. 10) 
  (rounded up, min. 10) 
  Plot secret† 
  (Objective Grade) days 
  (Objective Grade) hrs 
  Objective Grade × 2 
  Objective Grade × 10 
  +(Objective Grade) 
   
  Note: When a tome contains more than 1 spell or secret, its statistics rise by the following amount per additional item: +1 day of writing 
  time, +1 hour of reading time, +1 Challenge (maximum 10), +5 DC, and +1 error range increase.  
  * 
  Per Challenge 
  ** 
  Rounded down 
  † 
  For these calculations, use the highest grade objective related to the secret (1–5). 
   
   
  EVENTS 
  Many events in the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook work well in cosmic horror campaigns. Lightning, rain, 
  and other weather can add to a scene’s atmosphere, vehicles and other gear can break down at just the 
  wrong moment, and cultists and other nasty villains can pour out of the woodwork — sometimes quite 
  literally — at a moment’s notice. Additionally, GCs might consider the following genre-specific and 
  genre-suggestive options. Of course, many of these are applicable in other Spycraft games as well. 
   
  ANXIETY 
  Lurking dread is a staple of the cosmic horror genre: the feeling that you’re being watched; the 
  sense that something is terribly wrong; and worse, the games your mind plays with you to justify it all. 
  Lovecraft said that “the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest 
  kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” As a species, we can’t ignore the pools of darkness, the 
  unidentifiable sounds and scents, and the places just off the map. It’s in our nature to explore, to 
  explain, and typically that’s one of our greatest strengths. Given the right stimulus, however, reason can 
  give way to imagination, and it’s when we start to invent things at the edge of our senses that our 
  primal imperatives take over. We start to worry about what might be hiding in that darkness, causing 
  those sounds and scents, and watching from those places off the map. Every awful thing we picture is 
  immediately discarded in case it’s actually something even worse, and the tumble from comfort and calm 
  continues... 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  16 
  Anxiety differs from shock, which is the foundation of cheap scares (see page 17), or stark-raving 
  horror, which is what happens when a character completely loses himself in the face of overwhelming 
  realization or futility, usually as the result of a mental injury (see page 4) or becoming unhinged (see 
  page 5). Anxiety isn’t as visceral as these but it’s more intimate, each character grappling with it on his 
  own terms. You can’t escape anxiety; it’s a constant reminder of our perceived frailties and draws power 
  from our insecurities. It lives within us, where it festers like a cancer. 
  Real people deal with anxiety every day, but even in our hustle-bustle modern world relatively few 
  succumb to it. The Anxiety event simulates a deep, growing disturbance in the character’s emotional 
  state that deteriorates his coping mechanisms and undermines his tenacity. Once per character per 
  scene, the GC can spend action dice to influence the character’s heightened anxiety in two ways. 
   
  • 
  The GC can spend and roll one d12 action die to prevent a character from healing stress damage for 
  a number of minutes equal to the result. Additionally, the character suffers the result in stress 
  damage, at the rate of 1 per minute until and unless he fails a Will save to resist a shaken or drained 
  condition, or Table of Sproing result, at which point all the remaining damage is applied at once (the 
  character’s discipline splinters and he gives in to his fears). In this case, the effects of the damage 
  are applied before the Will save is made. Once all this stress damage is applied, over the same 
  number of minutes or due to a sudden fright, the GC may spend and roll another d12 action die to 
  inflict another batch of prolonged stress damage with the same conditions. He may repeat this 
  process up to three times. Stress damage inflicted by this event option does not heal until the event 
  option ends (i.e. the stress damage from the GC’s third action die is applied or the GC chooses not 
  to inflict more damage); thereafter, the stress damage heals as standard. 
  • 
  The GC can spend 1 action die to decrease 1 character’s current stress damage healing rate by 1 
  interval per die spent (e.g. from 1 point per minute to 1 point per 10 minutes, from 1 point per hour 
  to 1 point per day, etc.). This may not worsen the character’s stress damage healing rate beyond 1 
  point per week. 
   
  The GC should take great care introducing any event but even greater caution is needed here. The 
  expanded stress damage rules are unforgiving and a character can easily find himself victimized by a few 
  unfortunate rolls, especially when he’s hamstrung by anxiety. Players can take this personally, which can 
  disrupt everyone’s enjoyment of the game. The GC should always strive to keep things fun, especially in 
  a cosmic horror game where the characters and their emotions are inherently raw.  
  Event Triggers: During the current mission, the character spends 10 or more minutes in disturbing 
  surroundings or situations (e.g. an abandoned house with a bloody past on a stormy night, a charnel 
  house, stalked by someone or something that’s known to be insane), is more than routinely distracted 
  (e.g. the mastermind’s captive is a relative, the character has unwillingly contributed to or is directly 
  responsible for the latest doomsday plot, an alien creature has laid its eggs in the character’s abdomen) 
  or is under significant pressure (e.g. a divorce, a congressional review, a terminal wasting disease). 
   
  BAD DECISION 
  The heroes of cosmic horror stories are real people with real flaws. They’re fallible. They’re driven by 
  real emotions, and when the chips are down they don’t always rise to the occasion. They make snap 
  decisions, they wander into places they shouldn’t go, and they ignore important clues. Players 
  notoriously neglect these aspects of their characters, refusing to accept the human element in favor of 
  purely strategic choices. Fortunately, the Spycraft Game Control has an option at his disposal to rectify 
  this situation — and simultaneously keep his game back on track.  
  Once per character per scene, the GC may spend 2 action dice to inform 1 player that his character 
  cannot perform any 1 action. Alternately, once per scene, the GC may spend 4 action dice to notify the 
  entire team that none of the characters may perform 1 action. The GC may justify this in any way he 
  wishes (or not at all), though the best explanation is in keeping with the current circumstances. For 
  example, should the GC wish to keep a character from searching a particular location, he might 
  introduce something more intriguing, such as a new clue, or he could simply tell the describe the 
  character’s mindset and let him know that something about the location unnerves him, driving him 
  away. The decision could also be caused by a moment of panic or bad judgment.  
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  17 
  Event Triggers: Character currently possesses a shaken condition, has been drained during the 
  current mission, or has made a poor or misinformed decision during the mission (per the GC’s 
  discretion). 
   
  CHEAP SCARE 
  As the old Hollywood adage goes, when you need to spice up a horror movie, go for the cheap 
  scare. Cut to something lunging for the audience, have the protagonist’s flashlight catch a split-second 
  glimpse of something in the dark, or just throw gore at the screen. It works in an RPG, too, and the same 
  words of caution apply. Be genuine to the audience — in this case, the players — and don’t let it get 
  old. Cheap scares work best when they’re supported by the story or previous encounters. That black cat 
  pouncing out of a closet makes more sense when the characters have met the critter before. The radio 
  suddenly springing to life is more plausible if Old Man Withers was working on it the last time the 
  characters saw him. Of course, interjecting the occasional surprise with no warning or explanation can 
  also work, especially if it’s being introduced as a new source of clues, but constantly unsubstantiated 
  thrills can weaken the players’ acceptance and suspension of disbelief, making them feel disconnected 
  from the world. Likewise, cheap scares of any kind can simply wear thin, aggravating rather than 
  enervating.  
  When prudent, the GC can spend and roll one to four d12 action dice to introduce a cheap scare, 
  startling each character present. For a number of minutes equal to the result, each character present 
  suffers a –3 penalty with Will saves made to resist shaken or drained conditions, as well as Table of 
  Sproing results.  
  Event Triggers: The scare in question was foreshadowed during the current mission. 
   
  DISTRACTED 
  Characters under duress tend to have trouble focusing, or focus on things they shouldn’t. At any 
  time, the GC can spend and roll up to four d12 action dice to cause a character to become distracted for 
  a number of minutes equal to the result. While distracted, a character suffers a –3 penalty with all skill 
  checks possessing the Vision, Hearing, or Concentration tags.  
  Event Triggers: Character currently possesses a shaken condition, or has been drained during the 
  current mission. 
   
  HALLUCINATION/NIGHTMARE 
  Born in the remotest corners of one’s psyche, these visions are uniquely terrifying, attacking the 
  character where he lives and breathes. They brutally splay his most personal fears across the one 
  landscape he can never leave: his own mind. The strongest characters come away from the ordeal with a 
  greater understanding of themselves, and sometimes the things they’re facing in the waking world.  
  Once per scene, the GC may spend up to 4 action dice to cause any 1 character to suffer a 
  hallucination or nightmare. It takes the form of a single character scene run alongside the rest of the 
  action (if other things are happening), or on its own (if nothing else is going on). Unless the GC and 
  player have time to spare, the scene should be short — 20 minutes of game play at most — and focus 
  on one location, item, character, problem, fear, or other element important to the character, his team, 
  and/or the current mission or season. For instance, the team might have hit a brick wall in the pursuit of 
  the mastermind Armitage (see page 8). The GC’s given the Vox/Shelly player a puzzle to solve and she’s 
  having trouble piecing it together. During a brief fit of sleep, the GC triggers a nightmare about the 
  dilemma, with the character approaching things from a different angle.  
  Some dreams, particularly hallucinations, have less obvious connections to the plot, at least at first. 
  A character trapped for hours in a pit with the fetid remains of a killer’s former victims might start to see 
  them moving around him. One in particular ambles up out of the mire, reattaches its jaw, and blithely 
  informs the character that he’s reached the end of the line. “That’s right, sonny. This is where we all 
  come to rot.” Before the character knows it, he’s slipped into a hallucinatory conversation with one of 
  the only people in the world who knows the how and why behind the killer — and perhaps how to stop 
  him for good. 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  18 
  When introducing a hallucination or nightmare, the GC should set up a series of quick scene trials, 
  one for each action die spent. These could be Dramatic Conflict Challenges or other skill checks, combat 
  adversaries, puzzles, tough roleplaying sequences, or other obstacles, and should increase in difficulty 
  from start to finish. DCs might start at 5 + (2 × the character’s Career Level) and rise by 10 during each 
  subsequent trial. Likewise, adversaries might start with a base XP cost equal to 15 + the character’s 
  Career Level and rise by the character’s Career Level during each subsequent trial. Alternately, standard 
  adversaries could be replaced with special ones, the number of adversaries could be doubled, or the 
  conditions of a Challenge could be worsened. Less quantifiable options ramp up as well: puzzles get 
  harder to solve, roleplaying sequences become more advanced, and so on. 
  A character can’t die in his dreams (at least, not unless that’s the plot of the mission), but he 
  doesn’t realize that. Indeed, it’s unlikely a character realizes he’s in a dream at all and most 
  hallucinations and nightmares should be run as if he doesn’t. While targeted by this event, a character 
  continues to suffer stress damage as if the dream situations are real, and all standard stress damage 
  effects apply. Further, as each trial is revealed the character must make a Will save (DC 10 for the first 
  trial, 15 for the second trial, 20 for the third trial, or 25 for the fourth trial). With failure, he suffers 
  additional stress damage equal to 1/2 the difference (rounded up).  
  Happily, the rewards for perseverance are great. For each trial overcome, the character gains one of 
  the following benefits until the end of the current mission, as determined by the GC before the event is 
  triggered. The GC is encouraged to offer a mix of these when a dream features two or more trials.  
   
  • 
  +2 cumulative stress damage resistance 
  • 
  +1 cumulative Will save bonus 
  • 
  +1 Forbidden Knowledge, which is not applied to Table of Sproing Will saves or result rolls  
  (see page 4) 
  • 
  Completion of 1 Forbidden Tome Challenge (see page 13) 
  • 
  1 creature secret (see page 14) 
  • 
  1 plot secret (see page 14) 
  • 
  1 spell (see page 13) 
   
  From the outside, the character mumbles and jerks about in loose synchronicity with his dreaming 
  state. The GC may describe this to observers as he wishes, and might choose to run the side scene in 
  private so outsiders aren’t entirely sure what’s happening. The dreaming character may spend 2 action 
  dice to add one component to the description, however (which can help if he needs rescue). Waking the 
  character up requires a successful Tactics/Rally check (DC 10 + (5 × the number of GC action dice 
  spent)). This DC decreases by 10 if the character wants to wake up.  
  A character awakened prematurely from a hallucination or nightmare must make another Will save 
  with a DC equal to that of the interrupted trial. With failure, he suffers additional stress damage equal to 
  1/2 the difference (rounded up) with no further benefit. (This means that the character can suffer stress 
  damage twice from the interrupted trial being revealed.) 
  Event Triggers: Character has 3 or more points of Forbidden Knowledge, currently possesses a 
  shaken condition, or has been drained during the current mission. 
   
  LOST TIME 
  In this postmodern age, speculation about the world is rarely enough. We look everywhere to feed 
  our unsettling hunger for paranoid conspiracy — even to the stars. Yet in a cosmic horror campaign, 
  aliens aren’t the only source of lost time; insanity, primordial creatures so frightful they blot out all 
  memory of them, and even the fickle nature of the universe itself can swallow a character’s hours and 
  days. Hopes, dreams, joy, all gone like tiny mortal delicacies.  
  A GC might trigger this event for any number of reasons. He might want to jump-start a new plot, 
  giving characters impetus to chase it down right from the get-go. He might want to move the action 
  forward to shake things up a bit, or just because he senses a dull stretch coming. He might even want to 
  end a troublesome scene or escape a corner into which he’s let himself be painted. Regardless, it always 
  has the same effect.  
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  19 
  At any time, the GC can spend 2 action dice to cause any 1 character to lose up to 1 week in time. 
  Alternately, he may spend 4 action dice to cause any number of characters in the same team to lose up 
  to 1 week in time. This generates an Amnesia Subplot for each character involved (see the Spycraft 2.0 
  Rulebook, page 54). The number of Challenges that must be overcome to fully recover the lost time is 
  equal to the number of days lost (minimum 3). 
  Losing time is cause for extreme stress, as shown on Table 3: Shock and Dread (see page 10). 
  Event Triggers: Character has 3 or more points of Forbidden Knowledge, currently possesses a 
  shaken condition, or has been drained during the current mission. 
   
  MOMENT OF CLARITY 
  Stress damage and mental injuries make for fantastic roleplaying opportunities, but they can get in 
  the way in the final reel, when the characters have to win the day or lose the campaign (and maybe the 
  world). When it looks like a character’s mental state is going to threaten everyone’s fun, the GC should 
  consider spending and rolling one to four d12 action dice to trigger this event, which allows 1 character 
  to ignore his stress damage and its effects, as well as the effects of any mental injuries he’s sustained, 
  for a number of rounds equal to the result (during combat) or a number of minutes equal to the result 
  (out of combat). This event does not heal the character’s stress damage or mental injuries; it merely 
  allows him to ignore their effects for a time, after which they resume as standard. Likewise, the 
  character’s stress damage and mental injuries do not heal normally while this event is active. Finally, 
  while in a moment of clarity, a character continues to suffer stress damage and make Will saves to resist 
  its effects as standard, which can result in greater mental injuries or even a complete breakdown once 
  the event ends.  
  Event Triggers: Dramatic scene; two or more of the character’s teammates are currently stunned, 
  unconscious, or dead. 
   
  PAGE ADDICTION 
  Forbidden Knowledge is insidious, taking root in dark, forgotten, and unused parts of the human 
  mind. Once seeded, it drives a need for more, futilely reaching for greater revelations and power. Never 
  is this more in evidence than when an unfortunate with a taste gets hold of a Forbidden Tome. The 
  tantalizing discoveries can be like a drug, with every hour spent pouring over the pages a feast for the 
  addiction. Those who succumb to this feral thirst for dark wisdom literally cannot pull themselves away. 
  They study every sentence for hidden secrets and elusive inferences. They cross-reference every former 
  discovery against their new findings, hoping for the blurry mystery behind the cosmos to come into 
  focus. A character who falls victim to this kind of obsession will often abandon his friends, family, and 
  teammates, neglecting to consider even basic human needs before his work is complete. Sometimes, 
  though, it’s just this brand of psychosis that the team needs to win the day. 
  Page addiction can take two forms, each with its own effects. Neither can be triggered after the 
  character gets halfway through a Forbidden Tome (i.e. overcomes the second of four Challenges, the 
  fourth of seven Challenges, etc.). 
   
  • 
  The GC can spend 1 action die to instill in the reader a compelling drive to complete his study. For 
  the current examination only, the tome’s reading time interval decreases to 1/2 standard (rounded 
  up), but he also becomes rattled for the duration of the current mission (see page 5). 
  • 
  The GC can spend 3 action dice to infect the reader with a desperate need to pry every ounce of 
  wisdom from the tome. For the current examination only, the reader cannot perform any action until 
  he masters the tome (i.e. overcomes the tome’s last Challenge + 2 additional Challenges with the 
  same DC, intervals, and error range modifier). Further, he refuses to sleep, eat, or drink until he 
  must to avoid falling unconscious or dying (either of which would prevent him from continuing his 
  work). At the end of his ordeal, the character benefits from a deeper understanding of the tome, the 
  total Forbidden Knowledge he gleans from it increasing by an additional 1/2 standard (rounded up).  
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  20 
  These events are not just harassing. The GC can use them to speed up the process of reading a tome 
  that contains secrets or spells vital to completing the current mission or season. They can also be used to 
  further entrench the team in the plot or the awful currents subtly shifting the universe in anticipation of 
  humanity’s ultimate demise.  
  Event Triggers: Character has 3 or more points of Forbidden Knowledge, currently possesses a 
  shaken condition, has been drained during the current mission, or has just completed one or more 
  Challenges when reading a forbidden tome.  
   
  POISON 
  This event allows for the horror movie cliché that finds the characters poisoned to support the plot. 
  The poison may be chosen from any Caliber up to the number of action dice the GC spends to trigger the 
  event, and takes effect immediately. The GC may explain how the characters were poisoned in any way 
  he likes or not at all. For a list of poisons at each Caliber, see Table 4.15: Tradecraft Picks on pages 234–
  235 of the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook: Second Printing. 
  Exposure to poison also causes stress damage, as noted in Table 2: More Sources of Stress  
  (see page 9). 
  Event Triggers: During the current scene, the character has consumed or come in contact with 
  something that could have plausibly exposed him to the poison.  
   
  REALITY SHIFT 
  A cosmic horror campaign assumes the existence of incomprehensibly powerful forces beyond the 
  world of men. Alien gods whose ways are schizophrenic at best and energies that were old when the 
  known universe was born... These powers can shape and reshape the world at will. Some changes are 
  small, the ripples extending no further than the friends and family of a lone individual; others sweep 
  across continents, spinning the whole of creation in new and unforeseen directions.  
  As the source of everything, the Game Control always has this power, but once a campaign begins 
  he’s usually barred from revisionist tinkering, if only to keep the playing field even and fair. Not so when 
  humanity is but an unfinished stanza in the symphony of creation. At any time the chaotic, beastly might 
  at the root of everything could bubble to the surface, consuming what we know and transforming it 
  into... something else. All with no one with wiser — save the players, but that’s part of the fun. 
  Once per mission, the GC can spend up to 4 action dice, changing 1 thing about the game per action 
  die spent. The changes can be of any size or significance and cause additional changes as the GC 
  determines are plausible.  
  For example, the characters might visit the sleepy seaside town of Hemming’s Reef while following 
  the schizophrenic agent Vox’s cryptic directions. A week later, after exhausting all leads in the area 
  (which were red herrings anyway — amusing, but run their course), the team decides to return, only to 
  find the village gone.  
  Questioning the locals gets the characters nowhere until they stumble on a drunken sailor in a 
  nearby bar. The NPC swills whiskey like there’s no tomorrow and talks about “terrible storms that 
  swallow towns whole.” Plying him with a couple more rounds reveals that he was in Hemming’s Reef a 
  few days earlier, on a calm, clear day. Without warning, a storm blew in off the coast, with waves of 
  crashing water “dozens of feet high.” He hid in a basement until it was over and could have sworn he 
  heard screaming and inhuman, croaking voices in the few moments between the howling blasts of wind. 
  The next morning, the town was gone, the beach scoured clean as if the place never existed. He 
  wandered away in a daze and when he came back even the basement where he’d hid was buried, 
  consumed by the slimy sand.  
  Not only does this lead to some interesting narrative, but it gives the GC reason to spring some 
  more dread on the characters. A story like this easily counts as implausible strangeness, which nets 
  1d4/1d10 stress damage!  
  Event Triggers: Character has 5 more points of Forbidden Knowledge, currently possesses the 
  shaken II or greater condition, or has been drained during the current mission. 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  21 
  SEPARATED 
  Isolation is a common theme in cosmic horror. Sometimes it’s a blessing, shielding us as a species 
  from the tragic helplessness and feeble limits of our lives. But just as isolation can save, it can abandon. 
  We draw strength from fiends and allies, and when they’re taken from us, when we have nowhere to 
  hide but within, we are at our most vulnerable. It’s then that our defenses come crashing down and true 
  horror takes hold. 
  It’s in a player’s nature to prevent this at all costs. Nearly every gaming group takes steps to keep 
  the team together, knowing that very little good can come of “splitting the party,” and even the most 
  dedicated roleplayers get nervous at the prospect of facing their demons alone. This can be a problem 
  when the GC is trying to evoke a genre that revels in humanity’s weaknesses. Thus, with great caution 
  and consideration, the GC can spend 3 action dice to force the issue, separating 1 character from the 
  others no matter what steps have been taken to keep them together. 
  The GC determines the nature of the separation within the context of the scene. During a panicked 
  escape through the woods or a chaotic battlefield, it’s as easy as having the characters lose track of 
  each other. Other situations may require more ingenuity. Distractions are helpful. Abductions work 
  nicely as well. Perception-altering drugs and poisons work well in cases where a character is in constant 
  contact with others. Even stage show tactics, like trapdoors and smoke bombs, can work under the right 
  circumstances (a séance, for example).  
  When in desperate need, a GM can always fall back on surprise combats, nature’s fury, hazards, and 
  other events to cover the separation. These options are included in this event’s action die cost but their 
  standard effects are negated for this purpose.  
  The separated character should be informed of his new location as soon as feasible, usually in 
  private (so the other players can’t use the information to their advantage). The GC is strongly 
  encouraged not to place the separated character in undue jeopardy, as this violates the players’ trust in 
  him. This event’s goal is not to sharpen the mission’s challenge but rather to enhance the horror of the 
  story and validate hallmarks of the genre with a hard, mechanical option. 
  Event Triggers: None. 
   
   
  THAT WHICH SHOULD NOT BE 
  The following NPC options and stat blocks present common and popular rogues in the cosmic horror 
  gallery, as well as a few others that might be fun to spring on the players. What you won’t find herein 
  are stats or even rules for gods as they’re... well, gods. Should the characters ever find themselves in the 
  presence of such a being, combat should not be an option. Besides, most divine beings are likely to drive 
  mortals crazy before they can even consider such a colossally bad idea (see the last entry on Table 3: 
  Shock and Dread, for details). 
   
  HANDS-FREE GEAR 
  At the cost of 1 upgrade, any 1-handed or 2-handed piece of gear may be upgraded to incorporate 
  additional harnesses, levers, triggers, or other controls that allow a character to use the item as if it 
  were readied even if his hands are otherwise full. A character may wear only a single 2-handed piece of 
  hands-free gear or up to two 1-handed pieces of hands-free gear at any time.  
  When a character uses a piece of gear modified with this upgrade without his hands, he suffers a –4 
  gear penalty with all checks made using the item. Two upgrades may be dedicated to the modification, 
  decreasing this penalty to –1.  
  An NPC with the beast NPC quality, or without functional hands, may wear and use an item with the 
  hands-free upgrade, though doing so the first time requires a successful Mechanics (Dex) check (DC 12). 
  Thereafter, the NPC may use the item normally, though the check must be made again if the NPC drops 
  and later tries to reuse the item.  
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  22 
  NPC QUALITIES 
  Beast (+0 XP): The NPC is an intelligent non-humanoid creature, often resembling or easily 
  mistaken for an animal. A beast NPC may be created with ‘animal only’ qualities but is not an animal and 
  is exempt from the standard animal rules (see the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook, page 445). It lacks hands or 
  other fine manipulators and has a result cap of 20 with all skill checks possessing the hands-on tag 
  regardless of its skill ranks. Further, the NPC cannot use hand-held gear or non-natural weapons except 
  those specifically modified for its use with the hands-free upgrade, and cannot use armor unless it’s 
  designed for a beast. A beast eats, sleeps, and breathes unless otherwise indicated. Finally, playable 
  beast Talents may only feature a quasi-human or non-human nature.  
  Blindsight (+6 XP, animals only): The NPC has extraordinarily or supernaturally acute senses that 
  replace its vision (e.g. telepathic predator, alien with multi-band sight). The NPC’s base blindsight range 
  is equal to its Wisdom score × 10 ft. The character ignores all penalties for lighting and the Vision tag, 
  and may never gain the blinded or dazzled conditions. Finally, the character ignores the effects of the 
  invisible condition. 
  From Beyond (+5 XP per grade): The NPC’s appearance, nature, or mindset is utterly alien to the 
  human psyche, straining its opponent’s mental defenses to the limit (e.g. biblical angel, monster out of 
  time and space). The first time any character encounters the NPC during each mission, he must make a 
  Will save (DC equal to 10 + the Threat Level). With success, he suffers 1 point of stress damage per 
  quality grade applied. With failure, he suffers 1d6 stress damage per quality grade applied. The GC has a 
  limited ability to spend action dice to increase this stress damage. He may only spend a number of action 
  dice up to 1/2 the quality grade (rounded up), and each die spent increases the stress damage by an 
  additional 1d6. Finally, stress damage inflicted by a creature with this quality may not be healed until 
  the creature is dispatched or leaves the character’s location for 10 minutes or more. This quality may be 
  applied up to 5 times.  
  Hideous (–1 XP per grade): The NPC is mutated, grotesquely deformed, or otherwise physically 
  repellant to “normal” people (e.g. non-humanoid alien, sideshow freak). The NPC’s Appearance modifier 
  worsens by 2 when it interacts with any character who doesn’t possess the hideous quality. This quality 
  may be applied up to 5 times. 
  Horror (+5 XP): The NPC has an alien appearance or psychology that undermines an observer’s 
  psyche. Any character with line of sight to a horror suffers a –3 morale penalty with Will saves. Further, 
  natural animals automatically flee from the NPC to the best of their ability unless they’re diseased, 
  poisoned, trained to do so, or attacked by the NPC or his teammates. 
  Being “not of this place,” horrors are also extremely resilient to injury. A horror’s bizarre internal 
  workings grant it a +4 bonus with all Fortitude saves. Further, the threat range of each attack made 
  against a horror decreases by 2 and any sneak attack damage inflicted on one decreases to 1/2 standard 
  (rounded down).  
  Playable horror Talents may not have a near-human nature. Finally, a horror eats, sleeps, and 
  breathes unless otherwise indicated. 
  Mystic Spark (+4 XP, High Magic): The NPC has a small reservoir of mystical energy that others 
  may tap and harness for occult purposes (e.g. totem animal, bloodletting cultist). When 5 or more NPCs 
  possessing this quality voluntarily contribute to the casting of a spell or other occult activity, the leader 
  of the effort gains 1 additional spell point per volunteer possessing this quality. An NPC may only 
  volunteer his mystic spark to one effort per scene.  
  Ooze (+5 XP): An ooze possesses an amorphous, boneless body that can twist, compress, and shift 
  in a fluidic fashion. Its Size is considered 1 category larger when resisting Bull Rush, Disarm, Grapple, 
  and Trip actions, and up to 2 categories smaller when attempting to squeeze into or through a confined 
  space. It may hold a number of readied items or weapons up to 3 + its Dexterity modifier (minimum 1), 
  but cannot use armor unless it is designed for an ooze. The Caliber of all equivalent armor designed for 
  an ooze increases by 1 grade. Finally, an ooze eats, sleeps, and breathes unless otherwise indicated. 
  Puppeteer (+10 XP): With a successful Coup de Grace action, the NPC can possess a host body 
  (e.g. body snatcher, astral hijacker). While in possession, the NPC controls all of the host body’s physical 
  actions. It can even perform a Coup de Grace action on the host body if it likes, in which case the 
  connection is immediately lost. The NPC benefits from the host’s Strength and Constitution scores, but 
  uses its own Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Likewise, it benefits from the host’s 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  23 
  Fortitude saving throw bonus, but uses its own bonuses for Reflex and Will saves. Should the host 
  possess one or more species feats with the “Level 1 Only” prerequisite, these feats are retained as well. 
  Vitality and wound points are those of the host, as is the stress damage threshold and Appearance 
  modifier; all other statistics, however, are those of the NPC rather than the host body.  
  Voluntarily abandoning a host body requires 1d4 full actions, after which the host becomes dazed 
  for the same number of minutes. The NPC may also be ejected if the host body is knocked unconscious or 
  suffers massive damage or a critical injury (see the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook, page 331). In this case, the 
  NPC must make a Will save (DC equal to 1/2 the damage suffered, rounded down). With failure, the NPC 
  loses the connection and becomes dazed for 1 round. The NPC may not possess the same body for the 
  duration of the current scene, though it may take another host as normal.  
  Should the NPC’s host body ever be killed, the NPC is likewise ejected and becomes dazed for 1d10 
  rounds. In the event the host body is destroyed, the NPC is immediately killed (its wound points dropping 
  to –10).  
  Winged Flight (Varies): The NPC has wings and can use them to fly. Its base speed is 40 ft. Its 
  Acceleration rating is equal to 1/2 its Strength modifier (rounded up) and its Turning rating is equal to its 
  Dexterity modifier minus 1 (minimum 0). When the NPC carries a medium load, these values decrease to 
  1/2 standard (rounded down). It cannot fly with a heavier load.  
  While the NPC is in flight, it makes Maneuver checks with the Acrobatics skill. Flying counts as 
  mildly distracting motion when the NPC makes Concentration checks (see the Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook, 
  page 147), and inflicts a –2 penalty with the NPC’s ranged attacks and Reflex saves. These penalties are 
  doubled while hovering. While aloft, the NPC cannot take Aim, Brace, or Refresh actions, may not ready 
  2-handed weapons, suffers a –1 penalty to Defense, and a –4 penalty with Stealth/Hide checks (as if its 
  Size were 1 category larger). 
  The NPC suffers 1 point of subdual damage at the end of each full minute of continuous flight and 
  may not recover from subdual damage while aloft. It may hover up to 3 consecutive rounds but suffers 
  an additional 1 point of subdual damage at the end of each round while doing so.  
  This quality has a cost of +3 XP, which increases by +1 per additional 20 ft. of Speed (to a 
  maximum Speed of 120 ft.).  
   
  COSMIC HORRORS 
  The following selection of pregenerated NPCs offers GCs a quick way to populate their cosmic horror 
  settings and campaigns. Most draw inspiration from the otherworldly antagonists of popular films and 
  books, including those of the legendary H.P. Lovecraft.   
   
  Brain Bug: This creature’s true name is unpronounceable by humans, but those unlucky few who 
  come in contact with it and survive refer to it with many colorful terms. Too bad most of them are 
  discarded as the diseased ramblings of madmen; otherwise someone might learn of the insidious 
  invasion that still plagues our race... 
  The brain bug is a tiny sadistic parasite regarding humans as simple vehicles for its species’ shadowy 
  agendas. Its common name comes from its vaguely insectoid appearance and its ability to slip out of 
  phase with reality and enter a target’s skull, seizing control of its speech and motor functions at night, 
  while the true owner sleeps. The initial incursion can occur anytime, even when the target is awake, 
  thanks to a powerful electric charge the brain bug can emit, momentarily stunning its prey.  
   
  Brain Bug (Standard NPC — 92 XP): Init X; Atk VIII; Def X; Resilience VIII; Damage Save: II; 
  Competence: VII; Skills: Acrobatics VII, Sneak VIII; Wealth: None; Weapons: Ranged stun gun (dmg 3d8 
  electrical, error 1–2, threat 20, ammo —, range 5 ft., SZ/Hand D/—); Gear: None; Vehicle: None; 
  Qualities: Augmented (Caliber V incorporeal gadget (ranged stun gun)), from beyond I, horror, inferior 
  attribute (Str 2), puppeteer, sluggish (10 ft. on ground), superior attribute (Dex 18), undersized 
  (Diminutive), unnerving I, winged flight (40 ft.). 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  24 
  Chainsaw Maniac: The chainsaw maniac is proof positive that some people are just evil. This 
  disturbing killer may be possessed by an alien being, supernatural force, or just be missing a few 
  marbles, but regardless, he displays extraordinary resilience to injury, unshakable psychosis, and an 
  insatiable thirst for inflicting pain — preferably with a large edged weapon.  
   
  Chainsaw Maniac (Standard NPC — 86 XP): Init VII; Atk IX; Def IV; Resilience VII; Damage Save: 
  VII; Competence: IV; Skills: Athletics V, Intimidate X, Resolve V; Wealth: II; Weapons: Heavy chainsaw 
  (dmg 2d8 lethal, error 1–3, threat 20, SZ/Hand M/2h, qualities: BLD); Gear: Horrific trinket (Gadget: 
  Caliber I attack (1d6 stress damage, range 10 ft. or 5 ft. blast, SZ/Hand —/1h, battery: 1 use), housing: 
  appropriate Common Item); Vehicle: None; Qualities: Class ability (all over the world), feat (Berserker 
  Basics, Berserker Mastery, Berserker Supremacy, Glint of Madness), treacherous, tough I, unnerving I.  
   
  Cult Member: Corrupted by dark powers, these men and women are fanatical adherents to 
  unspeakable oaths and worship beings million of years gone. Cult members stick close to their leaders to 
  provide both protection and mystical energy, and prefer strength in numbers to compensate for their 
  obvious lack of combat skill.  
   
  Cult Member (Standard NPC — 50 XP): Init IV; Atk IV; Def V; Resilience IV; Damage Save: VII; 
  Competence: III; Skills: Intimidate II, Resolve V; Wealth: None; Weapons: Survival knife (dmg 1d6+1 
  lethal, error 1, threat 19–20, SZ/Hand D/1h, qualities: AP (1), BLD); Gear: Ceremonial vestments; Vehicle: 
  None; Qualities: Feat (Knife Basics), feral, horde, minion, mystic spark, steadfast, strong-minded II.  
   
  Deep Spawn: These repulsive sea-dwellers look like a cross between fish and man, with bulging, 
  unexpressive eyes, gills, a loping semi-bipedal gait, and unsettling, guttural voices. They never stray far 
  from the sea, where sacred cairns dedicated to their ancestor-gods are located. They guard these 
  locations ferociously from explorers and hapless trespassers, which they routinely offer up to their 
  slumbering fathers beneath the waves. Though physically repugnant, deep spawn have been known to 
  commingle and interbreed with the people of isolated fishing communities, usually after plying them 
  with treasures and wealth from the sea.  
   
  Deep Spawn (Standard NPC — 67 XP): Init VI; Atk VI; Def VII; Resilience VI; Damage Save: V; 
  Competence: III; Skills: Athletics VIII, Notice VI; Wealth None; Weapons: Bite (dmg 1d8 lethal, error 1–2, 
  threat 18–20), claw (dmg 1d6 lethal, threat 20); Gear: None; Vehicle: None; Qualities: Aquatic, from 
  beyond I, fleet (Speed 50 ft. when swimming) hideous II, low-light vision, natural attack (Caliber II bite, 
  Caliber II claw), sluggish (Speed 20 ft. on foot), unnerving I. 
   
  Deep Spawn Hybrid: These offspring of humans and deep spawn are often found in small costal 
  communities, living amongst normal humans. As they approach adulthood, the hybrids start to exhibit 
  traits of their ancestry — flat gills along the neck, webbed fingers and toes, and buggy or glassy eyes, 
  which are sometimes referred to as a “sea-born look.” Hybrids are unwaveringly loyal to their non-
  human relatives, willing to do anything to protect their “blessed” kin. 
   
  Deep Spawn Hybrid (Standard NPC — 36 XP): Init III; Atk V; Def IV; Resilience VI; Damage Save: 
  IV; Competence: IV; Skills: None; Wealth III; Weapons: Fork/trident (dmg 1d8 lethal, error 1, threat 20, 
  SZ/Hand M/2h, qualities: AP (1), HOK (+1)) or harpoon (dmg 2d4 lethal, error 1–2, threat 19–20, 
  SZ/Hand M/2h, qualities: BLD, KEN (+3)); Gear: Handheld radio; Vehicle: Charter fishing boat (SZ H 
  (3×12, Draft 6ft.), Occ 1+12, A/T 0/0, MPH 20/35, Def/Save 8/+7, Cargo 1,500 lbs., Range/Fuel 6/G, 
  qualities: OPN (3/4 cover), SEN (radar 1)); Qualities: Aquatic, hideous I, minion. 
   
  Eaters of the Dead: The repulsive practice of necrocannibalism is believed long extinct, but relics of 
  humanity’s less civilized past endure. The eaters’ heinous diet has twisted them, transforming them into 
  bestial subterranean creatures scrounging the underworlds of cities and graveyards, where they feast 
  upon the bones of men. Some of these are corpses already, but others are stolen from the world of the 
  living. 
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  25 
   
  Eater of the Dead (Standard NPC — 62 XP): Init V; Atk IX; Def VII; Resilience IV; Damage Save: 
  VII; Competence: IV; Skills: Search VI, Sneak VIII; Wealth None; Weapons: Bite (dmg 1d8 lethal, error 1–
  2, threat 18–20); Gear: None; Vehicle: None; Qualities: Beast, burrow, from beyond I, hideous II, natural 
  attack (Caliber II bite), nocturnal, unnerving I.  
   
  Elder Guardian: Created a billion years ago as servants of extraterrestrial visitors known as the 
  Elders, these protoplasmic horrors were forcibly evolved from the single-celled organisms that populated 
  Earth at the time. In their natural state, elder guardians are the very stuff of nightmares — shifting 
  masses of eyes, mouths, and unidentifiable organs roiling in a revolting mass as they shuffle about their 
  tasks. They’re aggressive and cruel, but often take the form of “harmless” humans or domestic animals 
  until their baser instincts are required.  
   
  Elder Guardian (Standard NPC — 155 XP): Init I; Atk VI; Def I; Resilience VIII; Damage Save: IX; 
  Competence: I; Skills: Athletics VII; Wealth: None; Weapons: Slam (dmg 2d6+7 lethal, threat 18–20); 
  Gear: None; Vehicle: None; Qualities: Alternate identity/form, blindsight, construct, fast healing, 
  fearsome, feral, fleet (Speed 40 ft.), from beyond III, horror, hulking (Huge), inferior attribute (Dex 3, Int 
  7), natural attack (Caliber V slam), ooze, superior attribute (Str 24, Con 24), tough III, unnerving III.  
   
  Grey: These smallish extraterrestrials have smooth grey skin and awkward, childlike features, and 
  have come to define the iconic “alien image” in popular culture. Their true purpose on Earth remains a 
  mystery cloaked in deception and red tape. Conspiracy theorists believe them to be in league with the 
  government, trading “specimens” for access to alien technologies, but little can be proven thus far. 
  Their relationship with the Plutonians is also unknown, though many speculate that the two races may 
  be in league for some dark purpose beyond human comprehension.  
   
  Grey (Standard NPC — 77 XP): Init III; Atk IV; Def VIII; Resilience V; Damage Save: IV; Competence: 
  V; Skills: Blend V, Cultures VII; Wealth: II; Weapons: Probe (dmg 1d4+1 subdual, error 1–2, threat 18–
  20, SZ/Hand F/1h, qualities: BLD, FIN, INA (–2), QKY); Gear: Disruptor device (Gadget: EMP (8d6 blast, 
  error 1, threat 20, SZ/Hand —/1h, battery: 1 use), housing: silver disc); Vehicle: Flying saucer (SZ L (2×3, 
  Wing 3), Occ 1+4, A/T 10/4, MPH 1,000/2,200, Def/Save 9/+10, Cargo 75 lbs., Range/Fuel 2/U, qualities: 
  HOB (thermal H), LSP (12 man-hours), PVI (–2), UNF)) with cloaking device (Gadget: Caliber IV 
  invisibility, housing: saucer); Qualities: Class ability (terminally harmless), feat (Faceless, Traceless, 
  Zeroed), from beyond I, minion, undersized (Small).  
   
  Mutant: Mutants are the wretched, twisted spawn of some horrible incident, be it exposure to 
  radiation, genetic experimentation, or ferocious inbreeding. They are often found in underground 
  enclaves, rural settings, and other isolated areas where they can live in relative peace, free from the 
  judgment of “normals.” 
   
  Mutant (Standard NPC — 36 XP): Init II; Atk VI; Def III; Resilience IV; Damage Save: VIII; 
  Competence: II; Skills: None; Wealth: I; Weapons: Hatchet (dmg 1d6+1 lethal, error 1–2, threat 20, 
  qualities: AP (2), TRP (+2)) or Winchester Model 21 break-action shotgun with 16-gauge shot 
  ammunition (dmg 4d4+2 lethal, error 1, threat 20, ammo 1S30, recoil 13, range 25 ft., SZ/Hand S/2h, 
  qualities: DEP, IMP, RGD, TKD); Gear: None; Vehicle: Full-size pickup truck (SZ L (2×4), Occ 1+4, A/T 4/3, 
  MPH 60/90, Def/Save 9/+9, Cargo 2,500 lbs., Range/Fuel 5/G, qualities: ORD); Qualities: Fearsome, 
  hideous I, minion, uncoordinated.  
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  26 
  Plutonian: Hailing from the outermost reaches of our solar system, these bizarre crustacean-like, 
  fungoid creatures came to Earth in search of precious materials they use for experiments into the nature 
  of magic. They are a diverse but universally hideous species, sporting heads full of twitching antennae, 
  numerous limbs grafted to their bodies, membranous wings, and soft rubbery bodies and tails. As beings 
  of pure logic, they’re fascinated by human beings, particularly our capacity for intuitive decisions and 
  emotional actions. They go to great lengths to glean information about the human condition, but this 
  observational stance should never be mistaken for benevolence. The Plutonians are a cruel species that 
  would as soon disintegrate a petulant human as step on a bug.  
   
  Plutonian (Standard NPC — 113 XP): Init VI; Atk VI; Def VI; Resilience VII; Damage Save: VI; 
  Competence: VIII; Skills: Mechanics V, Medicine IV, Science X; Wealth: None; Weapons: Claws (dmg 1d6 
  lethal, threat 20), disintegrator (Gadget: PR 6 attack (dmg 6d6 acid, error 1, threat 20, range 25 ft. cone, 
  SZ/Hand —/1h), housing: small silver wand), incapacitator (Gadget: miniature gear pick (Disinject Model 
  35 dart gun (dmg 1d3 lethal, error 1, threat 20, ammo 1M12, recoil 6, range 10 ft., SZ/Hand D/1h, 
  qualities: BLK, INJ, INS)), housing: diminutive silver sphere); Gear: 3 doses of improved knockout poison; 
  Vehicle: None; Qualities: Class ability (status quo 1/session), construct, damage resistance (vacuum 8), 
  from beyond I, hideous III, horror, natural weapon (Caliber II claw), prodigy, sluggish (20 ft. on ground), 
  unnerving I, winged flight (60 ft.). 
   
  Serial Killer: The greatest horrors aren’t always found on other worlds and alien landscapes; often, 
  they reside deep in the hearts of men. Serial killers are dispassionate stalkers of the innocent, murderers 
  devoid of compassion or empathy for their fellow human beings. Many are brilliant individuals with 
  successful lives, detached in all but the most superficial ways from society at large. Unlike the maniac 
  mindlessly rampaging through his victims, the serial killer is precise and subtle, often acting with a 
  twisted purpose only he understands.  
   
  Serial Killer (Standard NPC — 92 XP): Init IV; Atk VII; Def VII; Resilience V; Damage Save: V; 
  Competence: VI; Skills: Blend V, Bluff VIII, Manipulate VI; Wealth: V; Weapons: Straight razor (dmg 
  1d4+1 lethal, error 1–2, threat 18–20, SZ/Hand F/1h, qualities: BLD, FIN, INA (–2), QKY); Gear: 3 doses 
  basic knockout poison, rope, roll of duct tape; Vehicle: Full-size sedan with luxury fittings (SZ L (2×3), 
  Occ 1+4, A/T 4/3, MPH 65/110, Def/Save 9/+8, Cargo 250 lbs., Range/Fuel 7/G); Qualities: Class ability 
  (sneak attack II), feat (Deadly Precision, Flawless Identity, No Quarter, Silver Tongue, Undermine), story-
  critical, treacherous, unnerving II.  
   
  Thousand Young: At a distance, this massive creature resembles a large tree, but a closer look 
  reveals a thick stony trunk atop three elephantine legs, a cluster of thick branchlike tentacles projecting 
  from the top of its body. It is an avatar of a powerful fertility god, a horrific abomination that guards 
  ancient fertility temples and cults engaged in shocking carnal rituals. Despite the Young’s plantlike 
  appearance, it is quick-witted and aggressive, as comfortable crushing or pummeling its prey as it is 
  stomping them underfoot. 
   
  Thousand Young (Standard NPC — 135 XP): Init VI; Atk IV; Def III; Resilience VIII; Damage Save: 
  VI; Competence: IV; Skills: Blend V, Notice VI; Wealth: None; Weapons: Squeeze (dmg 1d10+9 subdual, 
  threat 19–20), tentacle slap (dmg 1d6+8 subdual, threat 20), trample (dmg 2d6+8 lethal, error 1, threat 
  19–20, qualities: TKD); Gear: None; Vehicle: None; Qualities: Aquatic, beast, blindsight, camouflaged 
  (forest, swamp), damage reduction IV, fearsome, feat (Two-Hit Combo), from beyond II, horror, hulking 
  (Huge), inferior attribute (Cha 2), natural attack (Caliber III squeeze, Caliber I tentacle, Caliber IV 
  trample), superior attribute (Str 26), tough II, unnerving II. 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  27 
  Tribe of the Red Maw: Standing four to five feet tall, these squat primitives have lived in remote 
  jungles for thousands of years, practicing a brutal religion away from the prying eyes of modern man. 
  Recent military conflicts have brought the Tribe to light, however, and reports are spreading of 
  gruesome ritualistic manhunts, cannibalism, mortification, and human sacrifice to bestial deities. 
  According to anthropologists unfortunate enough to encounter these ruthless hunters (or stupid enough 
  to seek them out), the Tribe may be the last remnants of an extinct genus of humankind, preserved by 
  extraordinary chance or some otherworldly force… 
   
  Tribe of the Red Maw (Standard NPC — 75 XP): Init VI; Atk VIII; Def VI; Resilience VII; Damage 
  Save: IV; Competence: IV; Skills: Athletics III, Survival VII, Tactics IV; Wealth: I; Weapons: Machete (dmg 
  1d8+1 lethal, error 1, threat 19–20, SZ/Hand T/1h, qualities: AP (3))), blowgun (dmg 1d2 lethal, error 1, 
  threat 19–20, ammo 12S2, range 25 ft. × 3, SZ/Hand S/2h, qualities: INJ (per ammo)); Gear: 3 doses of 
  improved lethal poison, 3 doses of improved paralytic poison; Vehicle: None; Qualities: Fearless I, feat 
  (All-Out Attack, Ambush Basics, Poison Basics, Tracking Basics), minion, synchronized, unnerving I. 
   
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  28 
   
  Table 6: Compiled Stress Damage 
  Source 
  Will Save DC 
  Stress Damage* 
  Page Reference 
   
  Actions 
  Stand Off 
  Opposed Resolve (Wis) 
  1d6 + winner’s Wisdom modifier (min. 1) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 360 
  Threaten 
  Opposed Resolve (Wis) 
  1d4+1 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 361 
   
  Conditions 
  Bleeding 
  — 
  1d8 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 332 
  Nervous 
  — 
  1 or 1d4 per round (GC’s discretion) 
  Fragile Minds, page 4 
   
  Confinement and Disorientation** 
  Lost in familiar surroundings 
  8 
  0/1 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Trapped in familiar surroundings 
  10 
  0/1d2 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Lost in unfamiliar surroundings 
  11 
  1/1d3 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Trapped in unfamiliar surroundings 13 
  1d2/1d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Trapped with no hope of escape/ 
  18 
  1d6/1d12 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
   
  Contagions 
  Disease 
  — 
  Per disease Complexity 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
  Poison 
  — 
  Per poison grade 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
   
  Dangerous Conditions** 
  Mild looming danger  
  9 
  0/1 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Moderate looming danger  
  12 
  1/1d3 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Extreme looming danger  
  15 
  1d4/1d10 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Mild immediate danger  
  18 
  1d6/1d12 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Moderate immediate danger  
  21 
  1d8/3d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Extreme immediate danger  
  24 
  1d10+1/5d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
   
  Distress 
  Falling 
  — 
  2 stress damage per die of lethal damage 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 336 
  Sensory deprivation 
  — 
  1 per consecutive hour past second hour 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
  Sleep deprivation 
  — 
  1 per consecutive day past first day 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
  Starvation and thirst 
  — 
  1/2 lethal damage suffered (rounded down) 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
  Suffocation 
  — 
  1 per consecutive successful Fort save 
   
   
   
  and 2d6 with failed Fort save 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
  Underwater/The Bend 
  — 
  1/2 lethal damage suffered (rounded down) 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
  Underwater/Pressure 
  — 
  1/2 lethal damage suffered (rounded down) 
  Fragile Minds, page 9 
   
  Dramatic Conflicts 
  Stress Advantage 
  — 
  1d4 + 1d4 per additional Advantage 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 367 
   
  Events 
  Anxiety 
  — 
  1d12 per action die (1 per minute) 
   
   
   
  or all at once with failed Will save 
  Fragile Minds, page 15 
  Hallucination/Nightmare 
  Per trial 
  1/2 difference between Will save  
   
   
   
  result and DC (rounded up) 
  Fragile Minds, page 17 
  Nature’s Fury/Earthquake 
  Ref save (DC varies) 
  Varies per intensity 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 401 
  Nature’s Fury/Landslide 
  Ref save (DC varies) 
  Varies per intensity 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 401 
  Nature’s Fury/Lightning 
  — 
  Varies per intensity 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 401 
  Nature’s Fury/Volcanic eruption 
  — 
  Varies per intensity 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 402 
   
  Gore and Death** 
  Unmolested animal corpse 
  8 (one corpse),  
  0/1 (one corpse), 
   
   
  10 (multiple corpses) 
  1/2 (multiple corpses) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Unmolested human corpse 
  10 (one corpse), 
  0/1d2 (one corpse), 
   
   
  12 (multiple corpses) 
  1/1d2+1 (multiple corpses) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Mutilated animal corpse 
  12 (one corpse), 
  1/1d3 (one corpse), 
   
   
  14 (multiple corpses) 
  2/1d3+1 (multiple corpses) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Mutilated human corpse 
  13 (one corpse), 
  1d2/1d6 (one corpse), 
   
   
  15 (multiple corpses) 
  1d2+1/1d6+1 (multiple corpses) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  29 
  Injury 
  Acid damage 
  — 
  1/2 attack’s damage (rounded down) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 334 
  Attribute damage from contagion 
  — 
  1 per attribute point lost 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 335 
  Blinded from flash damage 
  — 
  1d4 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 338 
  Collision damage 
  — 
  1/4 attack’s damage (rounded down) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 334 
  Electrical damage 
  — 
  1/4 attack’s damage (rounded down) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 337 
  Explosive damage 
  — 
  1d4 + 1/4 attack’s damage (rounded down) Spycraft Rulebook, page 334 
  Fire damage 
  — 
  Equal to attack’s damage 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 313 
  Flamethrower attack 
  — 
  Equal to attack’s damage 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 313 
  Laser damage 
  — 
  1/4 attack’s damage (rounded down) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 338 
  Rock salt ammunition 
  — 
  1d10 (within 10 ft.) or 1d6 (otherwise) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 321 
  Sneak attack damage 
  — 
  1 per successful attack 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 339 
  Stunned from bang damage 
  — 
  1d4 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 321 
  Vacuum damage 
  — 
  1/2 attack’s damage (rounded down) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 340 
  Wound points drop below 0 
  — 
  Equal to negative wound points 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 17 
   
  NPC Qualities 
  Dread 
  — 
  1 per quality grade per failed attack 
  Origin of the Species: 
   
   
   
   
  Light of Olympus, page 14 
  Fearsome 
  10 + Threat Level 
  1d4+1 (success) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 447 
  From beyond** 
  10 + Threat Level 
  1 per quality grade/1d6 per quality grade 
  Fragile Minds, page 22 
  Horrific 
  10 + Threat Level 
  2d4+2 (success) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 448 
  Unnerving 
  — 
  1d4 per grade per unarmed or melee hit 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 451 
   
  Strangeness** 
  Plausible strangeness  
  9 
  0/1 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Implausible strangeness  
  15 
  1d4/1d10 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Spell use (up to Level 3) 
  15 
  1d4/1d10 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Spell use (Levels 4–6) 
  20 
  1d6/2d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Impossible strangeness  
  21 
  1d8/3d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Spell use (Levels 7–9) 
  25 
  1d10/4d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Cosmic strangeness  
  28 
  2d6/6d6 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
   
  Skill Use 
  Complex Task pressure 
  Resolve (Con) 
   
   
   
  vs. Challenge DC 
  1d6 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 100 
  Acrobatics/Skydiving 
  — 
  1 per 1,000 ft. fallen (with success) 
   
   
   
  or 1 per 100 ft. fallen (with failure) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 109 
  Manipulate/Harassment 
  vs. Resolve/Resist 
  1d6 + key attribute modifier (min. 1) 
   
   
  Manipulate 
  or 2d6 + key attribute modifier 
   
   
   
  with critical success  
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 138 
  Medicine/Therapy 
  — 
  1d6 (error) or 2d6 (critical failure) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 143 
  Resolve/Morale 
  — 
  Varies per failure and action dice spent 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 148 
  Resolve/R&R 
  — 
  1d4 (error) or 2d4 (critical failure) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 143 
  Triumph 
  — 
  1d10 (special character) 
   
   
   
  or 2d10 (special character) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 331 
   
  Subplots 
  Debt  
  — 
  2d4 at end of each scene 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 55 
   
  Violence** 
  Brutality  
  11 (performed by others), 
  1/1d3 (performed by others),  
   
   
  13 (performed by character) 
  3/1d3+2 (performed by character) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Minor atrocity  
  14 (performed by others), 
  1d3/1d8 (performed by others),  
   
   
  16 (performed by character) 
  1d3+2/1d8+2 (performed by character) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Moderate atrocity  
  19 (performed by others), 
  1d6/2d6 (performed by others),  
   
   
  21 (performed by character) 
  1d6+2/2d6+2 (performed by character) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
  Major atrocity  
  23 (performed by others), 
  1d10/4d6 (performed by others),  
   
   
  25 (performed by character) 
  1d10+2/4d6+2 (performed by character) 
  Fragile Minds, page 10 
   
  * When two values are listed on either side of a slash, the amount to the left is suffered if the character fails his Will save and the 
  amount on the right is suffered if the character succeeds.  
  ** The GC has a limited ability to spend action dice to increase this stress damage (see the rules in question for details). 
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  30 
   
  Table 7: Compiled Stress Recovery 
  Source 
  Will Save DC 
  Stress Damage Healed 
  Page Reference 
   
  Cosmic Horror Victories 
  Defeating a creature 
  — 
  1/10 creature’s XP value (rounded up) 
  Fragile Minds, page 11 
  Staving off evil 
  — 
  Varies per victory 
  Fragile Minds, page 11 
   
  Events 
  Moment of clarity 
  — 
  Ignore stress damage effects for a number of  
   
   
   
  rounds equal to action die result (in combat) 
   
   
   
  or minutes equal to action die result (otherwise) 
  Fragile Minds, page 19 
   
  Interests 
  Indulging an Interest (1+ hrs.) 
  — 
  Twice normal healing rate 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 53 
   
  Natural Healing* 
  Shaken I condition 
  — 
  1 point per minute 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 339 
  Shaken II condition 
  — 
  1 point per 10 minutes 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 339 
  Shaken III condition 
  — 
  1 point per hour 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 339 
  Shaken IV condition 
  — 
  1 point per day 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 339 
  Drained condition 
  — 
  1 point per week 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 339 
   
  Skill Use 
  Medicine/Therapy 
  — 
  1d6 + Wisdom modifier (min. 1) 
   
   
   
  or 2d6 + Wisdom modifier (critical success) Spycraft Rulebook, page 143 
  Resolve/R&R 
  — 
  1d4 (success) or 2d4 (critical success) 
  Spycraft Rulebook, page 149 
   
  * Natural healing may not occur while a Table of Sproing result is in effect (see Fragile Minds, page 4).  
   
  
  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  31 
  OPEN GAMING LICENSE  
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Open Game License v1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. System Rules Document Copyright 2000, Wizards of 
  the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Spycraft 
  2.0 Rulebook, Copyright 2005, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Alexander Flagg, Scott Gearin, and Patrick Kapera. Spycraft 
  Espionage Handbook Copyright 2002, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Patrick Kapera and Kevin Wilson. Spycraft 1960s Decade 
  Book Copyright 2003, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Robert J. Defendi, B.D. Flory, Scott Gearin, Clayton A. Oliver. Spycraft Agency 
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  Olsan, Patrick Parrish. Spycraft Mastermind Guide Copyright 2004, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Steve Crow, Alexander Flagg, 
  B.D. Flory, Clayton A. Oliver. Spycraft U.S. Militaries Guide Copyright 2004, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Dave McAlister, Clayton 
  A. Oliver, Patrick Kapera. Spycraft World Militaries Guide Copyright 2004, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Dave McAlister, Clayton 
  A. Oliver, Patrick Kapera. Spycraft Modern Arms Guide Copyright 2002, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Chad Brunner, Tim 
  D’Allaird, Rob Dake, Michael Fish, Scott Gearin, Owen Hershey, Patrick Kapera, Michael Petrovich, Jim Wardrip, Stephen Wilcoxon. Spycraft 
  Faceman/Snoop Class Guide Copyright 2003, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Alexander Flagg, Clayton A. Oliver. Spycraft 
  Fixer/Pointman Class Guide Copyright 2003, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Scott Gearin. Spycraft Soldier/Wheelman Class Guide 
  Copyright 2003, Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc.; Authors Chad Brunner, Shawn Carman, B.D. Flory, Scott Gearin, Patrick Kapera. Modern 
  System Reference Document Copyright 2002-2004, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, Charles Ryan, 
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  Fragile Minds 
   
   
  32 
  OPEN GAME CONTENT 
  This release of Fragile Minds is done under version 1.0a of the Open Game License and the draft version of the d20 System Trademark 
  License, d20 System Trademark Logo Guide and System Reference Document by permission of Wizards of the Coast. Subsequent releases of 
  this document will incorporate final versions of the license, guide and document.  
  Crafty Games’ intention is to open up as much of Fragile Minds as possible to be used as Open Game Content (OGC), while 
  maintaining Product Identity (PI) to all aspects of the Spycraft intellectual property. Publishers who wish to use the OGC materials from this 
  product are encouraged to contact pat@crafty-games.com if they have any questions or concerns about reproducing material from Fragile 
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  accordance with the terms of the OGL as fully set forth in the opposite column.  
  DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY: The following items are hereby designated as Product Identity in accordance with section 1(e) 
  of the Open Game License, version 1.0a: Any and all Spycraft logos and identifying marks and trade dress, including all Spycraft product 
  and product line names including but not limited to The Spycraft 2.0 Rulebook, Bag Full of Guns, Class Confidential, Flags, Origin of the 
  Species, Light of Olympus, Practice Makes Perfect, Fragile Minds, Spellbound, Ten Thousand Bullets, the Toolkit series, World on Fire, The 
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