MARS COLONY

MARS COLONY
39 DARK
A roleplaying game for two players about
protest, responsibility, and sacrifice.

39 DARK TI M C KO PPA N G

By Tim C Koppang
y
TCK • Roleplaying
Westmont, Illinois
Copyright © 2014 by Tim C Koppang.
“The President, Congress, and the Courts have forgotten that the costs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied in any form without of bad policy are always borne by ordinary citizens, and it is our job to
the express written permission of its author. remind them that there are limits to what we will pay.”

Interior illustrations by Tazio Bettin (taziobettin.deviantart.com). — E DWA R D S N OW D E N

Playtesting by Rich Bauer, Juliusz Doboszewski, Ron Edwards, Diana

Koppang, Larry Lade, and Jan Laszczak. Readers include Diana Koppang,
Marshall Miller, Ben Thomson, and Mike Wass. Thank you.

Thank you to my Kickstarter backers; without you, this game would not have
been possible. Thank you to everyone who listened to me prattle on about
politics and Mars — again. Finally, thanks, with love, to my wife for her con-
tinuing support in all my endeavors.

Created in the United States of America (Earth Coalition Member A1001).

tck • roleplaying
http://tckroleplaying.com/

First Electronic Edition, Summer 2014.

CONTENTS Progress Scenes 51
Stage 1: Timeline 52
Introduction 8 Stage 2: Scene Framing 53
Overview 16 Stage 3: Action Level 54
Preparation 21 Stage 4: Dice 55
Stage 1: Anger Cards 23 Stage 5: Success & Failure 58
Stage 2: Factions 24 Success 58
Stage 3: Organizations 29 Failure 60
Stage 4: Character Worksheet 33 Abandonment 61
Stage 5: Lane’s Faction 35 Consequences 64
Stage 6: Lane’s Followers 35 Treason 64
Stage 7: Agendas 36 Sacrifice 65
Goals 40 Humiliation 67
Play 42 Hope 69
Scene Types 43 Disillusionment 72
Collaboration 47 Endgame 74
Endgame 49
Advice 78
For the Savior 78
For the Governor 81
Pacing 84
Sequel 89
Scene 1: Background 90
Scene 2: Rally 92
Scene 3: Galvanization 93
Influences 96
Appendix A: Prepared Materials 99
Appendix B: Blank Worksheets 106
 INTRODUCTION ests because they are themselves stockholders and CEOs. Profits and
job security provide the politicians with all the motivation they need to
8 A solar day on Mars is 39 minutes and 35 seconds longer than on remake Mars in their own vision regardless of the will of the people. 9
Earth. It sometimes takes weeks for a person’s circadian rhythms to It doesn’t have to be this way. On Mars we can be free, severed
adjust to the time differential. Can you imagine? Jet-lagged for three, from our Earthly roots. Most Colonists believe that we need Earth to
four weeks? Intolerable. But the colonists still pour in from Earth. The replenish our supplies and provide us with security. Food, water, build-
Earth Coalition promises them a playground in space, and they flock ing materials, and even comfort goods need not come from Earth.
to the spaceports, ready to build a new life for themselves on Mars We can make them all here on Mars. We need only free ourselves
before Mars is ready to accept them. Mars Colony was built under a from the fear of failure. We are strong. We can take what we need
great dome, divided into five districts, each with representatives sitting from Mars and start a new life here. It ends and begins with you, Lane
on the Colony Council. The Colony was meant to be a perfect restart Novak.
for humanity. It was the promise of life among the stars, the beginning You, Lane Novak, are a native Martian, born and raised. Once
of a new era of exploration and colonization. Even the new Earth Co- a trusted government insider, you have been tapped by the Martian
alition and local Martian government were supposed to usher in an uprising. A group calling themselves “39 Dark” is protesting for
age of harmony. But it’s all the same. The government believes that change. They are in need of a talented leader with a history of making
it can take more power for itself, that it knows best. Its halls are filled the voice of the people heard. The current system is broken, and the
with career politicians, most of whom are allied with corporate inter- everyday citizens that have joined the ranks of 39 Dark are looking to
 you for guidance and strength. You are obviously in over your head, Audio playback on Eckhardt_Poulson.video, at 11:17:43
but you have the potential to make good on the promises you have
“The first people to come to Mars were, of course, the astronauts.
10 already made. You must calm the schisms that threaten to divide the 11
Theirs was a mission of politics and science. They meant to explore
movement, guide the loyalty that is fomenting in the streets against the
the planet’s soil, atmosphere, geography, and fossils. But it was also
Colony government, and force Mars Colony to change for the better
a mission of political bravado. Mankind first stepped foot on Mars in
before apathy and entrenched interests doom it to continue down its
an era before the Earth Coalition was formed. The United States of
current path. This is no easy task. You will probably fail, as has every-
America, galvanized by an increasingly powerful China, spent down
one who has tried before. But for now, you are the hero to be. A traitor
what goodwill it had left on Earth in order to fund its manned mission
to some, but a beacon for many.
to Mars. The debt was enormous, but so was the demonstration of
power and political will.
“So you see, Mars has always been a planet shaped by politics.
How could it be any other way? Mankind is inherently a species of so-
cial organization. It cannot help but to impose a political order on the
places to which it spreads. However, we must ask ourselves: Whose
political will should be allowed to survive on Mars? Whose agenda
should the people of Mars support? Should we always be yoked to
 the policymakers of the mother world? Or will we allow ourselves the Mars was opening up. It was opening its secrets to all of mankind. The
freedom to make our own fate? ‘Allow’ ourselves? Ha! Even my own last hurdle was merely an infrastructure to support the eventual swell
12 phrasing betrays the Earth Coalition’s grip on my conscience! It is not of immigration. Unfortunately, that infrastructure was designed by bu- 13
a matter of being allowed to do anything. It is a matter of asserting our reaucrats and ad men.
basic right to self-govern. “Mars Colony, that beautiful ‘paradise’ that was packaged and
“The astronauts had their day on Mars. They were the ones to sold to Earth inhabitants, was willed into being so quickly that its
establish the first long-term colonies. These consisted of nothing more shoddy construction still threatens to implode under a pressure dif-
than soft domes supplemented, slowly, by shipments of prefabricated ferential! The name of the colony itself is a joke, as if any single colony
buildings from Earth. A number of individual colonies were established can dare to stand for all of Mars! Hundreds, if not thousands, of immi-
at various locations on Mars. Among the first colonies are names fa- grants, unprepared and untrained for life on Mars, were rushed here
miliar to us all: Hope Colony, Endurance Colony, Olympus Colony. with promises of freedom, property, and opportunity. Is it any surprise
These were the first true settlements of Mars, and remain bastions of that political unrest was an immediate consequence? Does anyone
Martian independence to this day only because the Coalition sidelined dare argue that the failure of Mars Colony was not inevitable? Even
them as antiquated. Eventually, the Earth Coalition formed, and the the Coalition’s savior, Kelly Perkins, was unable to truly eradicate the
technologies for long-term habitation on Mars were developed. It was disease festering in the foundation of the Colony. Perkins’ noticeably
no longer necessary that only highly skilled scientists, engineers, and brief tenure as consultant was, at best, a bandage used to conceal the
other explorers be the ones to live on our unforgiving, hostile planet. voice of everyday Martians straining for authentic political voice.
 “Now is the time for action. Now is the time for hope. Join us,
Martians, and find the strength to make your planet yours again!”
15
— 39 Dark founder, ECKHARDT POULSON, in a rally speech
approximately 20 minutes before his assassination in Mars
Colony District 4.
 OVERVIE W ficials, Colony citizens, Peacekeepers, criminals, rogue freedom fight-
ers, Earth visitors, etc.
16 39 Dark is designed for two players. One player (called the “Savior”) Both players may invoke elements of the setting, including, 17
takes on the role of the story’s main character, Lane Novak. Lane among other things, the Martian landscape, weather, Colony tech-
can be male or female, but for convenience I will refer to Lane as fe- nology, and political climate.
male. Lane is the new leader of a burgeoning protest movement, “39 The object of the game is to tell a meaningful story about Lane
Dark.” She is tasked with bringing about significant change on Mars, Novak’s attempt to change Mars Colony for the better and cope with
especially at the governmental level. In addition, Lane must cope with her own sense of self-worth in the face of mounting violence and
the fact that the government and people of Mars will actively resist political backlash. The story takes place as a series of scenes during
change and label her a traitor. Lane will face failure, her own feel- which Lane learns of impending or ongoing efforts by the Colony
ings of inadequacy as a leader, and the possible futility of 39 Dark’s government to further oppress its citizens. Lane will then implement a
efforts. She will also face the choice between peaceful protest at the plan to try to achieve an agenda designed by 39 Dark to alleviate the
cost of efficacy, and more violent action at the cost of lives. Her posi- oppression. The other characters in the story exist to help or hinder
tion is tenuous, daunting, and, above all, emotionally devastating. Lane. They act independently as individuals, with their own motives
The other player (called the “Governor”) is in charge of all other and goals. They may or may not value 39 Dark’s, or the Martian
characters. These may include 39 Dark members, government of- citizens’, best interests.
 When Lane’s plans work, she will help to empower the citizenry GAME SUMMARY
towards self-government. When they fail, she will have to choose be-
Preparation: The players decide who will play the Savior (the pro-
18 tween facing the consequences of her failure, including the sacrifice 19
tagonist), and who will play the Governor (everyone else). They create
of her reputation and followers, or feeding the people false hope in
the opening political situation on Mars Colony by either choosing a
the name of a better future. Too much false hope, however, will lead
set of prepared worksheets from Appendix A or the TCK Roleplaying
to disillusionment and accusations of treason. If Lane is not careful,
website, or creating their own using the steps detailed in the following
she will face arrest, exile, or even execution.
chapter.
You and your partner will take turns setting scenes. During each
scene, you will move the story forward by describing any action, con- Play: The Savior narrates an opening vignette that introduces the
flict, or dialogue that is taking place. When one scene ends, another protagonist, Lane Novak. Normal play then commences with the
will begin. Governor, and continues as the players take turns setting scenes. They
After nine attempts to achieve 39 Dark’s agendas, the game play out each scene together. During Personal Scenes, the players
ends. You will take stock of what Lane has accomplished and decide will learn about Lane Novak as a person. During Opposition Scenes,
if 39 Dark will blossom into a successful movement, bringing greater the Governor will act as antagonist to Lane. During Progress Scenes,
freedom to the people, or die out as a fringe group bent on naïve Lane will attempt to make progress towards 39 Dark’s Agendas for a
goals or even treasonous methods. You will also decide if Lane be- liberated Mars Colony.
comes a hero of the people, or exits in disgrace.
 Endgame: After nine Progress Scenes, or when there are five tokens P R E PA R AT I O N
in the Treasonous circle, the players narrate closing vignettes and the
20 game ends. To play, you will need: 21
• 9 small tokens, used to track Lane’s Hope, Loyal, and Treasonous
circles on the Character Worksheet.
• 6 six-sided dice, used to generate Change and Hope points dur-
ing Progress Scenes.
• 6 small pieces of paper, used to create Anger Cards.
• A copy of the following player-aids, included at the end of this
book and on the TCK Roleplaying website:
• Faction Map, used to track the four fictional political Fac-
tions within the 39 Dark movement.
• Organization Map, used to track the characters within the
four major organizations in Mars Colony.
• Character Worksheet, used to track Lane Novak’s progress
as the leader of 39 Dark.
• A pencil for each player.
 SUMMARY 6. Create three Followers for Lane (Savior).
7. Create the first Agenda for 39 Dark (together).
Before beginning, decide who will play the Savior and who will play
22 23
the Governor. Both players will take charge of generating the major
S TAGE 1: A NGER C A RDS
characters on Mars, as well as the initial situation into which Lane
Novak will venture. Begin by generating Anger Cards. Each player takes three index cards
If you prefer to skip over the preparation phase, you can find pre- or other small pieces of paper. On each card, the players privately
generated game material at the end of this book and on the 39 Dark write one thing that angers them about their real-life government.
website at: http://tckroleplaying.com/39dark/. If, on the other hand, When creating Anger Cards, think in terms of policies, laws, social
you prefer to start from scratch, you will need to work through the fol- norms, and conventions that you would like to see changed. Which
lowing seven stages in order. of those laws or conventions make you angry? Do you see oppres-
sion, unfairness, or mistreatment anywhere in your country? Is your
1. Create Anger Cards (together).
government complicit in, or failing to prevent unfairness? Does that
2. Choose fringe groups and create Factions (together).
make you angry? Are there any individual leaders, political parties,
3. Assign Factions to the Organization Sheet (Governor).
corporations, or media organizations that perpetuate the things that
4. Place tokens on the Character Worksheet (Savior).
make you angry? Is there anything else about your government or its
5. Assign Lane’s Faction (Savior).
policies that makes you angry? Whatever it is, write it on a card.
 After creating Anger Cards, the players each randomly turn one passingly familiar with the group’s personality and typical methods of
of their cards face-up in the middle of the table. Shuffle the four carrying out a plan.
24 remaining cards together and place them face-down in the middle 25
Example : John and Mary are playing 39 Dark. They start brain-
of the table. Use this common deck for inspiration during gameplay,
storming political movements from around the world and
turning over a new card whenever both players agree.
immediately decide that they want to include the hacker
group, Anonymous, and the protest movement, Occupy
S TAG E 2 : FAC T I O N S
Wall Street. John then admits that his knowledge of politi-
The players collaboratively choose four fringe political movements cal movements is limited, so Mary suggests the PLO and
that currently exist, or whose influence is still felt today. You are al- the Tea Party. John agrees, and preparation continues.
lowed to choose recognized political parties, but may not choose
The Governor writes the four chosen organizations in the four corner
groups thought of as mainstream by most people. Better choices
boxes of the Faction Map where they are labeled, “Fringe Group.”
would be fractured organizations, culturally oppressed but organized
Where the boxes are labeled “Agenda & Methodology,” the Governor
minority groups, militant resistance groups, protest movements,
then writes two to three phrases summarizing the actual fringe group’s
internet-based alliances, and amorphous coalitions — and always
goals and methods. If the Savior is more familiar with some of the
with a definite agenda or political point of view. You may choose
chosen groups, he should help the Governor to fill in descriptions.
any group from around the globe, but at least one player should be
These notes can be especially useful when one player is more familiar
Fringe Group Fringe Group

Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology

with a group than the other, but also define the key characteristics of
the fictional group that the players will create on Mars.

STEEL
There are four points of intersection on the Faction Map. These 27
intersections are labeled with one of four colors: Steel, Midnight,
Gold, and Scarlet. Each color is the name of one of four major
Factions within the 39 Dark movement on Mars. No single Faction
dominates 39 Dark. They all share the common goal of effecting
serious change on the Martian political landscape, and yet they all
MIDNIGHT
SCARLET
39 DARK have different ideas about how 39 Dark should go about achieving
its overarching goal.
Adjacent organizations overlap with their neighbors; however, di-
agonal organizations never intersect. Where the Governor places the
different organizations on the map will determine the personalities of
many of the characters created in the game.
Fringe Group Fringe Group
GOLD

Example : Continuing their preparation, Mary, who is playing the

Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology Governor, assigns their political movements to the vari-
 ous Factions on the Faction Map. Starting from the upper S TAGE 3: ORGANIZ ATIONS
left and proceeding clockwise, Mary fills in the Tea Party,
The Governor chooses one character from each of the four major
28 the PLO, Occupy Wall Street, and Anonymous. Therefore, 29
Organizations listed on the Organization Map. For each character,
the Steel Faction will be a combination of the Tea Party
the Governor chooses a fictional Faction from the Faction Map (i.e.,
and the PLO. The Midnight Faction will be a combination
a color) and records it underneath the character’s name on the Or-
of the PLO and Occupy Wall Street. And so on. Note
ganization Map. The character does not necessarily belong to any
that on John and Mary’s Faction Map there is no overlap
fringe group on Mars. In fact, most do not. Instead, when a personal-
between the PLO and Anonymous or the Tea Party and
ity is labeled with a Faction, that character becomes a target for the
Occupy Wall Street because those movements are situ-
Faction. The corresponding Faction members consider the character
ated diagonally from each other.
a potential ally to the movement, and therefore worth pursuing, or a
It is important to remember that none of the modern political move- threat, and therefore worth antagonizing. The players do not need to
ments exist on the fictional Mars, only their fictional counterparts that decide on the precise details about each character during prepara-
are inspired by a combination of two such movements. As the game tion, and should feel free to define the character through play as the
continues, you will develop the precise personalities of the various game unfolds.
fictional Factions. The real-life political movements serve only as a
Colony Government. The government consists of three major sub-
basis for inspiration.
organizations, each of which vie for political dominance. The Mayor’s
 Organization Map
[ Peacekeepers ] [ United Workers of Mars ]
Office is the executive branch of the Colony government. The Colony
Chief Commander Rep. Niles Brun Trustee Sophie Council is the Colony’s legislative branch, responsible for passing
Zaki Jau Thomas
local laws and ordinances. The Earth Coalition is a multi-member 31
group of Earth nations that sponsored the construction of Mars
Investigator Hajek Media Liason Faqiri Organizer Aldo Council Member Colony. These nations all claim an interest in how the Colony is run.
Prins Jiang Li
In order to provide a conduit between the Colony and the people of
Earth, and in order to administer Coalition directives, the Earth Coali-
Deputy Chief Tandy President Ushi
Smith tion sent a representative committee to Mars, which has the power to
issue “recommendations” to the local Colony government.

[ News Network Corp. ] [ Colony Government ] Peacekeepers. The Peacekeepers are a paramilitary police force
organized by the Colony’s first deputy mayor, now retired, Rebeca
Coalition President
Arnold Fletcher Collins. The Peacekeepers are still ostensibly an arm of the Colony’s
Network Chief Feed Writer
Serena Panin Silje Asp executive branch, but have recently claimed greater independence

Colony Mayor Coalition Rep. under its Chief Commander, Zaki Jau. Projectile weapons of any sort
Iara Dias Ela Verma are banned on Mars in order to promote safety and the integrity of
Lead Anchor Beat Reporter the Colony domes. Anyone in possession of a projectile weapon is
Theo Meyer Sydney Fane
Council Member Council Member
Gartee Ba Tanya Koch
 severely punished, including Peacekeepers. Therefore, officers in the water, hydroponically grown food, and other basic supplies. Despite
Peacekeepers carry stun batons. The batons have become a symbol the government’s crackdown on organized labor, the UWM continues
32 of power and oppression to many citizens. to draw members. In-fighting abounds within the union, but political 33
pressure has nonetheless galvanized Martian workers.
News Network Corporation. The Network is the Colony’s only ma-
jor news source. While the Network has many employees, there are a
S TAGE 4 : CHAR AC TER WORKSHEE T
few key voices including Network Chief Serena Panin, feed writer Silje
Asp, beat reporter Sydney Fane, and lead anchor Theo Meyer. The The Savior places nine tokens in the circle labeled Loyal on the Char-
Network has long been scrutinized for regurgitating the government’s acter Worksheet. The other circles, Treasonous and Hope, begin
version of major news events, while simultaneously sensationalizing empty. Together these circles represent Lane Novak’s reputation with
reports from everyday citizens. Idealism is a rare commodity at the the general populace of Mars Colony, including the members of 39
Network. Dark. Lane begins the game with a reputation for being a loyal citizen.
In play, the Savior will move tokens among the three reputation circles
United Workers of Mars (UWM). The Union exists in spite of itself,
depending on Lane’s methods and whether she succeeds or fails in
and in spite of official opposition from the Colony government. The
achieving the goals of 39 Dark. For example, as tokens move from
government claims that unionization is illegal, and that any work stop-
Loyal to Treasonous during the game, certain citizens will begin to
page would gravely endanger Martian citizens who depend on the
suspect Lane of treason. As the Savior continues to move tokens into
continual flow of the various mined minerals, chemically generated
 Lane Novak Faction :
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Timeline

Followers : the Treasonous circle, citizens will demand that the Colony govern-
ment stop Lane.
35
S TAG E 5 : L A N EʼS FAC T I O N

L oya l The Savior chooses a Faction for Lane Novak. Lane’s Faction does not
dictate her actions, but instead represents the reputation she has for
political change. Lane may be mildly sympathetic or fanatically loyal
Hope Tre a s o n o u s
to her Faction’s point of view. The choice is left to the Savior, and may
evolve over the course of the game.
MARS COLONY
F 39 DARK F
S TAGE 6 : L ANEʼS FOLLOWERS

Agenda & Call to Action Hope Change Total The Savior creates a list of three Followers that are close to Lane No-

1 vak. The first must be a relative. The second must be a lover. The third
must be a fanatic connected to the 39 Dark movement.
2
Each Follower must be named, and assigned to one of the four
3
Factions. Each Follower should be someone for whom Lane would
4

5
 find it painful to lose. Therefore, the Savior should elaborate on a few Each category is vague, and does not by itself comprise an
details concerning Lane’s relationship with her Followers. Agenda. To complete the process, the players should discuss specific
36 problems in Mars Colony that relate to the category they have chosen. 37
S T A G E 7: A G E N D A S From there, the players must define the Agenda as a specific Call to
Action.
The players collaboratively create the first Agenda that 39 Dark will
pursue. Over the course of the game, 39 Dark may adopt a total of Example : John and Mary choose the category “rationing” for their
five such Agendas; however, the group starts with just one. Only after first Agenda. Before doing anything else, they discuss
Lane and 39 Dark have made Significant Progress towards achieving what sort of rationing is (or is not) being implemented
their first Agenda will the players create a second. Each time they are in Mars Colony. They discuss different possible types of
required to create a new Agenda, the players should begin by jointly rationing, such as food, power, and water. They also dis-
selecting one of the following categories: cuss the current political situation surrounding rationing in
the Colony: Who is involved? What are the entrenched
personal expression, information sharing, elections,
interests under the current system? Etc.
representation, transparency, privacy, travel, wages, healthcare,
education, immigration, work assignment, rationing, policing, Once the players have settled on the basic details, they need to nar-
sanitation, corporate rights, equality, technology access, worship, row and define the Agenda. Only when the Agenda has been defined
outer-dome settlements, criminal justice, housing allocation as a Call to Action are you ready to begin. Once decided, the Savior
should record the finalized Agenda on the Character Worksheet un-
der the matching heading.
39
Example : John and Mary settle on water rationing. They must then
define a specific Call to Action. They choose: “Water
rationing should be based on need, not ability to pay.”
This final sentence is the completed Agenda, and John
records it on the Character Worksheet.

Be careful to make Agendas robust enough to engender sustained

and vigilant opposition to the 39 Dark movement. An Agenda that
is easily “solved,” or that lacks strong opponents is inappropriate for
a game of 39 Dark. This is, after all, a game about an uprising. You
must ask yourselves, “What would the citizens of Mars consider worth
fighting for?” The answer to that question should be the basis of every
new Agenda.
 GOALS the scaffolding for satisfying play. 39 Dark does not work abstractly,
apart from considerations of theme. Instead, 39 Dark, like most role-
40 The primary goal for both players in Mars Colony: 39 Dark is to tell a playing games, requires buy-in from the players — a tacit agreement 41
satisfying story that explores the themes of politics, personal freedom, to prioritize the thematic experience of story-telling over mechanical
organized resistance, and the cost of facing seemingly insurmount- manipulation. If you start with the assumption that you are going to
able odds. 39 Dark is a game about telling a story and learning what address theme first, mechanics second, then the mechanics become
it means to be in a position of leadership within an oppressed civiliza- a tool and you become the artist wielding that tool. It may sound
tion. The game is designed around that premise, and every decision pretentious, but it works.
you make, even instinctively, should move towards that goal. Getting That’s not to say that mechanics and rules are arbitrary, or that
caught up in the flow of points and tokens is fine, but when it comes you should feel free to ignore rules you don’t like. On the contrary, the
time to make decisions about how to best use those points or tokens, rules of 39 Dark are designed to place pressure on the themes of the
the questions you ask yourself need to circle back to the primary goal game, and on you, the players, so that thematic choices are more fo-
of the game. If you abstractly consider the mechanics separate from cused and more poignant. Pay attention to the rules. Use them. Work
the premise, then you are going to lose the narrative power that role- within the limits they impose, and try to overcome the obstacles they
playing has to offer. throw in your path. But don’t break or ignore them. Adherence to the
You cannot treat 39 Dark as you would a board game or a card rules makes 39 Dark a game. Collaboration towards a joint vision of
game where direct competition and mechanics alone can provide character-based themes makes it a roleplaying game.
 P L AY At the start of normal play, the Governor goes first. He chooses
the scene type and then describes who is present, where they are,
42 To begin play, the Savior narrates an opening vignette that introduces and what is happening when the scene opens. When the Governor’s 43
Lane Novak. The opening vignette is a brief scene, and the Savior scene is over, the Savior continues. The Savior chooses a scene type
should therefore establish who is present, where they are, and what is and frames the scene. When that scene is over, the Governor goes
happening. Over the course of this brief scene, the Savior establishes again. Play proceeds like this until the players have completed nine
Lane’s background, qualifications, and relationship with the govern- Progress Scenes, or until Lane Novak is arrested by the Colony gov-
ment and the 39 Dark movement. When narrating, remember that ernment for treason.
Lane was chosen by 39 Dark above all other members to lead the
movement. Be sure to establish why. SCENE TYPES Governor Scene Savior Scene
(Personal or Opposition) (Personal or Progress)
There are three types
After the opening vignette, the game follows a cycle of scenes. The
of scenes in 39 Dark.
players will take turns setting a scene, describing what happens to
Lane and the other characters in the scene, resolving any conflicts Personal Scenes (Savior or Governor). Personal Scenes focus on
that arise, and noting any progress made by 39 Dark towards its mis- Lane Novak’s private life and personal struggles. They do not directly
sion of change. implicate Colony politics or 39 Dark’s Agendas. For example, a scene
between Lane and one of her Followers would make a good Personal
 Scene so long as the scene focuses on Lane’s life outside of 39 Dark. scene plays out, Mary and John establish that the once
If the scene is primarily about 39 Dark’s business, then an Opposi- loving relationship between Lane and Ian is deteriorating
44 tion or Progress Scene would be more appropriate. Personal Scenes as Lane is consumed by her work. 45
are a chance to explore the effects of leading 39 Dark on Lane. They
Both the Governor and the Savior may select a Personal Scene.
advance the plot insofar as you learn about Lane as a human being.
Quiet interludes, moments of personal weakness, and the pursuit of Progress Scenes (Savior Only). During Progress Scenes, Lane
personal obligations would all make for successful Personal Scenes. implements a plan to advance a 39 Dark Agenda and force the gov-
ernment to alter its policies. The rules for Progress Scenes are more
Example : It is John’s turn to frame a scene as the Savior. Mary and
formal than for Personal or Opposition Scenes, but also ensure that
John have just finished a particularly brutal Opposition
the game drives forward. At most, there are nine Progress Scenes in a
Scene, and John decides that, instead of jumping imme-
game. After the ninth Progress Scene, the game ends.
diately into a Progress Scene, he would prefer to pause
Only the Savior may select a Progress Scene on his turn.
and learn about how the political events surrounding
Lane are affecting her personal life. John frames a scene Opposition Scenes (Governor Only). An Opposition Scene must
between Lane and her brother, Ian, at a work-sponsored involve Colony politics or a threat against 39 Dark, its members, or
cocktail party. The scene is a break from the grittier the general Colony population. Opposition Scenes only set the stage
scenes involving 39 Dark’s escalating protests. As the for Lane to take action. If the Savior begins to narrate what Lane is
 doing to address a threat or advance an Agenda, the Opposition is most powerful in the context of the story. There are no restrictions
Scene should end and a Progress Scene should begin. However, an save the limitations of the selected scene type and your personal
46 Opposition Scene does not necessarily have to transition into a Prog- tastes. 47
ress Scene. An Opposition Scene is the Governor’s chance to tighten
the screws of Colony government, and to antagonize Lane Novak. COLL ABOR ATION
However, the Savior is free to follow any line of action he sees fit, and
If the scene type is Personal or Opposition, the players collaborate
in any order he sees fit. Sometimes the social and political difficulties
to describe how the scene unfolds. Generally, the Savior narrates for
developed in an Opposition Scene continue to fester, prompting ac-
Lane Novak, and the Governor narrates for all other characters. Play-
tion in a later scene, or never at all. The choice is left to the Savior.
ers may narrate in the first or third person. If a conflict arises in the
Only the Governor may select an Opposition Scene on his turn.
fiction, the players should reach an agreement about how the conflict
is resolved. If a scene has served its purpose in the story, the players
When it is your turn to frame a scene, you may select any scene type
should end the scene.
available to you. The Savior does not, for example, have to select
Any time a player introduces a new character from one of the
a Progress Scene after the Governor selects an Opposition Scene.
four major Organizations, he must choose a Faction for that charac-
Likewise, the story may bounce around from one plot-line to another.
ter and record it on the Organization Map. Players should strive to
Scenes do not have to follow one another chronologically. You may
frame flashbacks or dramatically cut forward in time. Frame whatever
 introduce characters listed on the Map first, but should also feel free ENDGAME
to invent new characters when appropriate.
The players will continue to take turns framing scenes until they
48 Anger Cards serve as inspiration when needed. Either player may 49
complete nine Progress Scenes, or until there are five tokens in the
introduce a fictional element derived from one of the face-up Anger
Treasonous circle. If there are ever five tokens in the Treasonous circle,
Cards. When they both agree, the players may turn over a new Anger
Lane Novak is forever branded a traitor to Mars Colony. The Martian
Card. Older Anger Cards remain on the table throughout the game,
people capture or kill her, and the game ends prematurely. 39 Dark
and continue to provide inspiration when needed.
may survive Lane’s personal failure, but Lane will not have anything to
If the scene-type is Progress, the players will follow a more
do with its future success.
formal process described in the next chapter. The Savior will roll
Whether the game ends after nine Progress Scenes or with Lane’s
dice. Lane will be tested. 39 Dark will gather support, attention, and
capture, Lane must try to accomplish as much as she can while lead-
influence — or it will suffer setbacks and criminal accusations. 39
ing the movement. The further Lane is able to advance the Agendas
Dark’s success and failure hinge on Lane’s abilities. Martian freedom
of 39 Dark, the greater the freedom the people of Mars will enjoy now
is always at risk.
and in the future.
Finally, players should note that “scene” is meant as a broad
term. You do not need to artificially limit a scene to a single location
or a single group of characters. Instead, a scene should be a cohesive
segment of action within the story.
PROGRESS SCENES

Progress Scenes move the game’s storyline forward and provide the 51
Savior with an opportunity to implement Lane Novak’s plans for 39
Dark. Progress Scenes are mechanically rich with multiple dice rolls
and decision points; however, without quality Personal and Opposi-
tion Scenes leading up to Progress Scenes, they can also be narra-
tively bland and repetitive. It is important to make all three scene types
overlap and complement each other for a full experience.
During a Progress Scene, the Savior will try to generate as many
Change Points as possible in one of the Agendas. Change Points
measure Lane’s progress as leader of 39 Dark.
If the Savior can generate 40 or more total Change Points in one
Agenda, then Lane has made Significant Progress towards ensuring
greater freedom in that area of political influence. If the Savior can
generate 80 or more Change Points in an Agenda, then Lane has
succeeded in accomplishing the specific Call to Action that defines
 the Agenda. Additional Change Points beyond 80 in a single Agenda Savior crosses off the 1, then the current Progress Scene will be the
indicate that the people have enshrined the values represented by the last full scene of the game.
52 Agenda in their consciousness. 53
S TAGE 2: SCENE FR A MING
PROGRESS SCENE OVERVIEW
The Savior frames the scene by describing who is present, where they
In order, the Savior: are, and what is happening. Next, the Savior declares which of the
Agendas on the Character Worksheet Lane will be trying to improve.
1. Checks off the next number on the Timeline;
He also describes Lane’s plan and goal. The plan is a basic outline
2. Frames the scene, and defines the plan and goal;
of how Lane will attempt to advance at least one specific area associ-
3. Declares the starting Action Level;
ated with the Agenda. The goal is what Lane hopes to achieve in the
4. Makes a series of dice rolls to generate Change Points; and
short term even as she keeps in mind the broader Call to Action as the
5. Ends the scene when he stops rolling, or rolls a failure.
overarching goal for the Agenda. If Lane is able to generate enough
Change Points in a single Progress Scene, her temporary goal may
S TAGE 1: TIMELINE
expand to include the entire Agenda itself. For this reason, goals may
The Savior crosses off the next highest number listed on the Character be large in scale. Plans may take hours, days, or even months to
Worksheet’s “Timeline,” starting with 9 and moving down to 1. If the complete.
 The goal and plan are what Lane hopes will happen, not neces- and extended or large-scale demonstrations that disrupt Colony func-
sarily what will happen. The Savior should not pre-narrate any of tions. Violent Uprising includes armed resistance, terrorism, demoli-
54 the action to come, but instead wait until after the dice are rolled to tion of iconic Colony structures, and any other action taken with the 55
describe what actually happens in the story. collateral goal of destroying significant property or harming others.
Each Action Level has its advantages and disadvantages. In gen-
S TAGE 3: AC TION LE VEL eral, lower Action Levels are less effective, but also less dangerous.
The Savior rolls less dice and generates Change Points slowly. Higher
The Savior chooses the starting Action Level for the scene, which
Action Levels allow the Savior to roll additional dice and ignore initial
determines both the number of dice rolled and the type of protest
failures; however, those higher levels also carry with them severe con-
engaged in by Lane and 39 Dark.
sequences when a plan backfires.
1. Civil Protest (2 Dice);
2. Civil Disobedience (4 Dice); or S TAGE 4 : DICE
3. Violent Uprising (6 Dice).
Depending on the Action Level selected, the Savior rolls 2, 4, or 6
Civil Protest includes actions such as marching, picketing, online cam- dice. Each roll represents an attempt by Lane and the members of
paigning, and other forms of contained demonstration. Civil Disobe- 39 Dark to implement Lane’s plan. The Savior adds up all the dice,
dience includes non-violent actions like sit-ins, general law breaking, the total of which is the number of Change Points generated by Lane,
 i.e., the amount of progress made by 39 Dark towards the relevant the scene. At Action Level 3 (Violent Uprising), the Savior may ignore
Agenda. a total of two 1s (one more than Action Level 2).
56 After rolling, the Savior chooses: Each time the Savior ignores a 1, he must move a token from 57
Loyal to Treasonous. If the Savior ignores two 1s in the same roll, he
1. Risk another roll for additional Change Points, or
must move two tokens to Treasonous. Treasonous tokens generated
2. Quit and keep the current total.
after ignoring a 1 represent the citizenry’s disapproval of 39 Dark’s
The Savior may continue to roll as many times as he likes. There is intrusive, illegal, or violent tactics. The only way to avoid moving to-
a catch, though. On any roll, including the first roll, if one or more kens to Treasonous is to make a Sacrifice (see Stage 6 below).
of the dice show a 1, then the entire plan is a potential failure. If the The Savior may escalate the Action Level in the middle of a
Savior accepts the failure, he earns no Change Points for the scene. Progress Scene to ignore a 1 that he just rolled. To do so, the Savior
Any Change Points previously rolled in the scene are lost, and the narrates how the protest escalates to a higher level. Note that if the
scene ends. Savior rolls two 1s, he must escalate to Violent Uprising to ignore
When the Action Level is elevated above Civil Protest, the Savior both 1s. If the Savior cannot ignore all 1s on the current roll, the entire
may ignore a certain number of 1s. At Action Level 2 (Civil Disobedi- series of rolls is a failure.
ence), the Savior may ignore a single 1. To do so, the Savior ignores Note that the Savior may never de-escalate the Action Level.
the 1 and adds the total on the other dice to his potential progress for After each roll, the players should narrate Lane’s progress. There
is no need to narrate long descriptions, but the Savior should estab-
 lish what Lane and 39 Dark have accomplished — and what remains has two in-game effects. First, the Savior may narrate the release of
to be done. The Governor should establish what the government and any Follower incarcerated as part of a Sacrifice in a previous Progress
58 its allies are doing to oppose 39 Dark. Remember to include details Scene. Second, the players create a new Agenda for the 39 Dark 59
appropriate to the current Action Level. movement using the same procedure detailed in Stage 7 of the Prepa-
ration chapter. The Savior records the new Agenda on the Character
S TAG E 5 : SU CC ES S & FA I LU R E Worksheet. The maximum number of Agendas for any game is five.
When an Agenda’s total reaches 80 or more, Lane has succeeded
If the Savior quits before rolling a 1 that he cannot ignore, Lane’s plan
in accomplishing her goals, and specifically the Agenda’s Call to Ac-
is a success. Any other result is a failure.
tion. Mechanically, the Savior moves one token from the Treasonous
Success circle back to Loyal, representing the people’s recognition of Lane’s
When Lane succeeds, she succeeds in advancing her chosen Agenda. dedication to the Colony. In the story, the people may congratulate
Even if the Agenda is still incomplete, it is important to remember that Lane and rally to 39 Dark. The government may make concessions
it is not a failure: 39 Dark has made progress. The Savior adds all to the movement, whether publicly or in effect. The players should
of the Change Points generated to the appropriate Agenda on the discuss and decide on all such details. However, they do not create
Character Worksheet. a new Agenda or release an incarcerated Follower unless the Savior
When an Agenda’s total reaches 40 or more points, Lane has simultaneously made Significant Progress during the scene.
made Significant Progress towards the Agenda’s overall goal. This
 The Savior narrates the conclusion of the scene and the ultimate ure. However, the Governor defines how the Colony tightens its grip
outcome of the plan. If Lane has made Significant Progress, or com- on the citizenry as a result of the failure.
60 pleted an Agenda, the Savior should include all such appropriate 61
Abandonment
details. The Governor should feel free to contribute, but the Savior
At the end of a Progress Scene, the Savior may opt to abandon the
has final say in how the scene concludes.
current Agenda (and only the current Agenda). To do so, he must
Failure narrate Lane or 39 Dark publicly acknowledging that the group will
If the Savior rolls a 1 that he cannot ignore, disaster. Lane’s plan is a no longer pursue the goal or particular Call to Action associated with
complete failure. Unless the Savior chooses to feed the people Hope the Agenda. In exchange, the Savior moves one token from Treason-
(see below), he loses all Change Points generated for the scene. ous back to Loyal.
The Savior narrates Lane’s failure and the way in which 39 Dark
Example : John has been playing Lane as the type of leader who
fell short of its objectives. The Savior must tailor his narration to the
pushes 39 Dark close to the edge of outright revolution.
appropriate Action Level. In other words, if Lane failed at the Civil
While this strategy has paid off in Change Points, it has
Protest level, the consequences for failure will be less severe than if
also cost Lane her reputation. John is worried that the
she failed at the Violent Uprising level. The Savior may also suggest
game is going to end early because he has accumulated
ways in which the Colony government and people react to Lane’s fail-
4 tokens in the Treasonous circle (one more and Lane
would be arrested by the Colony government). After a
 lackluster Progress Scene, and in an effort to alleviate
some pressure, John declares that 39 Dark will abandon
62 its Agenda relating to worker rights. Although John loses
all Change Points in the Agenda, he does get to move a
token from Treasonous back to Loyal.

After the Savior abandons an Agenda, he crosses it off the Character

Worksheet. All Change and Hope Points are lost, and the players do
not replace the abandoned Agenda with a new one. The abandoned
Agenda still counts towards the maximum of five, and the players only
create a new Agenda when the Savior makes Significant Progress on
another. For this reason, the Savior may never abandon the current
Agenda if it is the only active one on the Character Worksheet below
40 points.
 CONSEQUENCES SACRIFICE

Any time the Savior is required to move a token from Loyal to the
64 Failure has certain consequences, some of which can be avoided or 65
Treasonous or Hope circles, he may instead Sacrifice one of Lane’s
delayed, and some of which cannot.
three Followers. In order to Sacrifice a Follower, the chosen Follower
must have appeared in at least one scene prior to the Sacrifice, and
TREASON
in some way relate to the current scene. Framing Personal Scenes can
Whenever the Savior rolls a failure, he must move one token from be an effective way for the Savior to make Lane’s Followers available
Loyal to Treasonous. The only way to avoid this loss of reputation is to for Sacrifice. Once chosen, the Savior describes how the Follower is
make a Sacrifice or to rely on Hope (see below). lost, and crosses his or her name off of the Character Worksheet.
As Lane moves more tokens into the Treasonous circle, the people A Sacrifice means different things depending on the current Ac-
of Mars Colony will begin to rally for Lane’s capture and punishment. tion Level:
If there are ever five tokens in the Treasonous circle, the government Sacrifice at the Violent Uprising level means that one of Lane’s
will immediately take Lane into custody, thus ending her stint as leader Followers is killed during the current Progress Scene. The loss is per-
of 39 Dark. Lane’s capture triggers endgame. manent; Lane does not receive a replacement Follower.
Sacrifice at the Civil Protest or Civil Disobedience levels means
that one of Lane’s Followers is jailed, exiled, or held for interroga-
 tion for the remainder of the game unless freed as a result of mak- arrested by the Peacekeepers during the protest, but be-
ing Significant Progress towards an Agenda in a future scene. Even comes a sort of martyr to the cause.
66 if a Follower is freed later in the game, Lane may not Sacrifice that 67
Keep in mind that random citizens and other members of 39 Dark
person again, and should still cross his or her name off of the Char-
may be subject to all manner of incarceration, abuse, or death as a
acter Worksheet. The character may still appear in the story, but is no
part of the normal narration of a Progress Scene. Sacrifices are dra-
longer as close to Lane as he once was. Thus at most the Savior can
matic, but the loss of 39 Dark members can and probably should be
make three Sacrifices over the course of the game.
a regular part of many Progress Scenes.
Example: John is back up to four tokens in Lane’s Treasonous
circle. He cannot afford another, but desperately wants HUMILIATION
39 Dark to succeed in winning better water rationing for
When the Savior rolls two or more 1s on a single roll, the conse-
the people. While protesting at the Civil Disobedience
quences of failure are exacerbated. Lane’s plan is not only a complete
Action Level, Lane rolls a 1. Rather than take the failure,
failure, but it is also a public Humiliation for Lane and 39 Dark. In
John chooses to ignore the 1. Because he cannot move
addition, the Savior may never use Hope to avoid Humiliation.
another token into Treasonous, he instead Sacrifices
The players narrate a Humiliation like any other failure, but must
Lane’s brother, Ian. John narrates how Ian is beaten and
also include details about how Lane is forced to take public responsi-
 bility for the failure. 39 Dark should be portrayed as amateurish and Disobedience Action Level allows John to ignore the first
incompetent. 1, and therefore avoid Humiliation.
68 Note that even if the Savior rolls multiple 1s, he may be able 69
Example : In the example above, let’s say that John had instead
to ignore some or all of them depending on the Action Level — and
rolled [1,1,6,1]. In this case, the only way to avoid Humili-
therefore avoid Humiliation. The Savior can even upgrade the Action
ation is to upgrade the Action Level from Civil Disobedi-
Level mid-scene to avoid Humiliation. However, a Humiliation still
ence to Violent Uprising. This would be advantageous if
occurs if, for example, the Savior rolls three 1s and can only ignore
John wanted to make use of Hope. John could ignore two
one of them.
out of the three 1s. Although the roll would still be a fail-
Example : The Action Level is set to Civil Disobedience, which al- ure, it would be a normal failure instead of a Humiliation.
lows John to ignore a single 1. On his first roll of four John could then accept the failure or use Hope to further
dice, John generates 12 Change Points and no 1s. Un- manipulate the result.
fortunately, on his second try, John rolls [4,1,6,1]. John
chooses not to upgrade the Action Level, which means HOPE
that the series is a failure. Because he rolled two 1s, it
As long as the Savior avoids Humiliation or Disillusionment, he may
would also be a Humiliation for Lane. However, the Civil
turn any failure into an apparent success by relying on the citizenry’s
desire for Hope. Hope represents 39 Dark’s optimism and confidence
 in its mission. Hope is a white lie told by Lane to her followers and the at the Violent Uprising Action Level, and has already ig-
citizens of Mars Colony. nored two previous 1s, he must either accept the failure
70 When the Savior chooses to use Hope, he ignores all of the nor- or rely on Hope. John chooses Hope. He keeps his 51 71
mal consequences of failure. Instead, he adds the Change Points he points, but records them under Hope instead of Change
would have kept had he not made the roll that included the 1 to the on the Character Worksheet. John then narrates how
Agenda under the column marked “Hope.” The Savior gains no Lane manages to spin a disastrous failure into an event
points from the roll that included the 1. around which the people of Mars can rally.
The Savior first moves one token from Loyal to Hope. Alternatively,
Mechanically, Hope is no different than actual Change. When the
he may avoid moving the token by making a Sacrifice (i.e., by creat-
total Change plus Hope reaches 80 points, the Agenda is still consid-
ing a martyr). The players then narrate how Lane inspires the people
ered “accomplished” (at least publicly), and the Savior still moves a
into believing that her failed plan is cause for celebration despite any
token from Treasonous back to Loyal.
setbacks.
Note that if the Savior rolls double 1s, and manages to ignore a
Example : After a particularly fortunate series of rolls, John has single 1 because of the Action Level, but not the other, Hope is still
managed to accumulate 51 Change Points in 39 Dark’s available to him. Only when he rolls multiple 1s that he cannot ignore
Agenda related to government transparency. However, is Hope unavailable to the Savior.
when John rolls again, he rolls a 1. Because he is already
 DISILLUSIONMENT rolls [3,6,1,5], which is not only a failure, but also a Disil-
lusionment because the 1 and the 3 match an offending
After the Savior uses Hope for the first time, the possibility for Disil-
72 pattern. Unless John can ignore the 1, the people of 39 73
lusionment arises. Disillusionment represents a sudden loss of faith
Dark and Mars Colony will lose faith in Lane Novak.
within Mars Colony after a failure, and a dramatic backlash against
Lane Novak. The more Hope tokens the Savior accumulates, the When Disillusionment occurs, as with any other failure, the Savior
easier it is for him to trigger Disillusionment. moves one token from Loyal to Treasonous. Lane then loses all Hope
With a single Hope token, Disillusionment occurs whenever the Points from all Agendas. In addition, Lane becomes the whipping
Savior rolls two or more 1s. With two Hope tokens, Disillusionment boy for the Colony government. The Savior moves all of his current
occurs when the Savior rolls [1,1] or [1,2]. This pattern continues all Hope tokens to the Treasonous circle. The players narrate Disillusion-
the way to six Hope tokens, when Disillusionment occurs on any of the ment as an intense failure. They should reference past failures, empty
following rolls: [1,1], [1,2], [1,3], [1,4], [1,5], or [1,6]. When rolling promises, or notable acts of violence. The government makes Lane
more than two dice, Disillusionment is even easier to trigger because into the Colony pariah for as much political advantage as possible.
it occurs when any two dice match an offending pattern. In other words, Disillusionment can cripple 39 Dark and ruin Lane’s
career.
Example : At Civil Disobedience, John is rolling four dice. He also
has three tokens in the Hope circle, which means that any
roll of [1,1], [1,2], or [1,3] will cause Disillusionment. He
 ENDGAME

74 The game ends after one of two events. First, the game ends, and
Lane Novak will be arrested or killed by the Colony government, if
there are ever five or more tokens in the Treasonous circle. Second,
the game ends normally after the players have completed the ninth
Progress Scene. After nine Progress Scenes, a new leader will rise to
power in 39 Dark. The Savior may describe why Lane is no longer
wanted or needed, or leave her fate open-ended.
The players do not narrate an extended epilogue. Instead, they
each narrate a brief closing vignette.
The Governor describes the state of the Colony at the end of
Lane’s turn as 39 Dark’s leader. The Governor should decide whether
the citizens enjoy a greater amount of freedom or an increased abil-
ity to self-govern. Are entrenched interests still the dominant force, or
has 39 Dark succeeded in effecting long-term change? Even if 39
Dark has fundamentally changed or eliminated the government, has
 anyone created a replacement, or has the Colony fallen into anarchy? other questionable tactics; however, you should not narrate the long-
The Savior narrates a similar picture, but from Lane’s point of view. term effects of such things.
76 What does 39 Dark look like after Lane steps down? Is the organi- 77
For the Savior: If Lane has made Significant Progress (40+ points)
zation stronger than ever, tearing itself apart, or on the run from an
in at least three Agendas, and she has not been arrested because of
oppressive government force? The Savior may also describe whether
treason, then the citizens will tend to view her as a hero, and perhaps
Lane steps down as a hero or traitor, both within 39 Dark and the
even a martyr. You should consider the number of tokens in Lane’s
Colony as a whole.
Loyal circle when deciding how the citizens view her. The state of the
When narrating your final vignette, you are free to improvise as
39 Dark movement is left to you to decide.
you see fit. You are only constrained by the following.

For the Governor: If Lane accomplished at least three Agendas

(80+ points each), then the Colony and its government have been
affected in the long-term by Lane’s and 39 Dark’s actions. If Lane
failed to achieve any Agendas, then the Colony government has reas-
serted its grip on the citizenry, dooming the people to live under ever
stricter regulations. Everything in between is left to you. You may also
consider the extent to which Lane has relied on Hope, violence, and
 ADVICE mission of 39 Dark even if she questions its methods along the way.
In the end, Lane wants to change Mars for the better. As the player in
78 My attitude towards roleplaying games is that the rules are a tool charge of Lane, you need to keep her underlying attitude in mind. 79
that the players wield to tell a successful story. The rules provide a On the other hand, you need to recognize that generating
framework. The players provide the thematic content. To that end, I Change Points is not the only measure of success. Whether you feel
have some advice for both players, the Savior and the Governor, for that Lane is accomplishing something worthwhile, and whether the
making the most of 39 Dark. cost she has to pay is worth it, is the other equally important measure
of success. Earning Change Points may sometimes feel backwards
F O R T H E S AV I O R or wrong depending on the things Lane will say or do to get them.
You need to pay attention to the moral principles at stake on Mars.
Keeping the overall goal of the game in mind (i.e., to tell a meaningful
You may play Lane as a true believer, unwilling to compromise her
story about protest, responsibility, and sacrifice), it is also your job as
principles. Or you may play her as the type of person who believes
the Savior to try to accumulate 80 Change Points (240 total) in three
that the end justifies the means. More likely, you will play Lane as
separate Agendas. It is a goal not easily accomplished, but the drive
somewhere in between. That grey area is where the core of 39 Dark
to save the Colony and enact Lane Novak’s vision of a free people on
lies thematically.
Mars is what drives all of the action of the game. You cannot “phone
While there are no point totals to tell you whether Lane is aban-
it in.” You must play Lane as the type of person who believes in the
doning her morals, or losing touch with her sense of humanity, you
 can pay attention to the odds of accomplishing a particular Agenda. FOR THE GOVERNOR
When the odds are against you, Lane will have to push harder, sac-
As the Governor, your role is more varied than the Savior’s. You are
80 rifice more, employ violence, and feed the people false hope to get 81
not responsible for just one character, but rather for every character
what she wants. It is precisely when the dice are against you that
except Lane Novak. That may sound like a daunting task. In some
Lane’s job is most difficult. It is also the time for making difficult deci-
ways, it is. However, when you focus your energy around the primary
sions. Keep in mind the primary goal of the game. Decide whether
goal of the game, you can tailor your decisions so that they are man-
“success” means keeping Lane’s principles intact (even if Mars Colony
ageable as well as inspiring. You must recognize that your role will
falls further into the hands of the powers that be) or if accomplish-
change depending on the scene type, and that it is perfectly accept-
ing the goals of the 39 Dark movement are more important than the
able to change your approach as the scene type changes.
moral high ground (however you define that high ground). As long
During an Opposition Scene, for example, you will want to frame
as you are contemplating the balance between “success” in terms of
an antagonistic set of circumstances that push Lane to make uncom-
principled change and “success” in terms of practical change, you are
fortable choices. You will want to introduce allies and enemies alike
bound to generate a satisfying play experience.
so that Lane will need to navigate the difficult space between. On
the other hand, you will also want to give Lane (and the Savior) room
within the Opposition Scene to make her own decisions. All scenes
should be a type of negotiation between the players. No one voice
 should dominate the conversation. An Opposition Scene is just as tion as they see fit. The choice is up to each individual when it is his
much about your ability to push back against 39 Dark as it is about turn to frame.
82 Lane Novak’s reaction to adversity. Narrate confidently — neither During a Personal Scene, your role as the Governor shifts slightly 83
player needs to ask the other for permission to introduce someone or away from the antagonistic goading of an Opposition Scene. While
something into a scene — but then allow the Savior to contribute with you may still find ways to complicate Lane’s situation, you will be
an equal level of confidence. called upon to play a character who is close to Lane and often sym-
It is also important to remember that both players are equally pathetic to her cause. For example, if the Savior frames a Personal
responsible for directing the overall plot of the game. As Governor, Scene involving one of her Followers, a relative perhaps, then you
your contributions are on level with those of the Savior, who is free need to consider that character’s motivations and position towards
to redirect the action as he sees fit. For example, new players often Lane. If it is Lane’s brother, for example, what is his relationship to 39
think that the Savior is required to frame a related Progress Scene Dark? How does he feel about Lane leading the movement? What
after every Opposition Scene. Not so. The Savior is free to frame a are his personal goals apart from Lane and the government? Con-
Progress Scene or a Personal Scene, and those scenes can be about sider these questions, and others, and then play the brother as a fully
whatever the Savior wants. Sometimes a Progress Scene will naturally independent character. By doing so, you will allow the relationship
follow on the heels of a heated Opposition Scene, but not always. between Lane and her brother to develop naturally over the course of
Both players should feel free to take the narrative in a different direc- the game, which will in turn lead to a story that feels more satisfying
and less one-dimensional. That relationship may become antagonis-
 tic, but antagonism does not need to be your default choice during a add another 30–60 minutes unless you use a set of pre-generated
Personal Scene. record sheets.
84 During play, I encourage you to take the time to set up a scene 85
PAC I N G properly and play through it without immediately looking to the dice
for guidance. If the first thing you are doing during a Progress Scene
When people report major variations in the way they experience Mars
is rolling dice, you may be relying too much on the hard game me-
Colony and Mars Colony: 39 Dark, it usually comes down to play-time.
chanics, and not enough on your own ability as a story-teller. Yes,
As an experienced player who prefers to move quickly, I can knock
using the dice right away might make sense in certain scenes, and yes,
out a game in two to three hours. Others take upwards of six. Neither
it can speed up the game, but it will come at a cost. Your games will
is incorrect; rather, it is a matter of getting what you want from the
tend to feel more mechanical and less organic. A better way to speed
game. The key to managing time, and creating a play experience that
up play is to cut down on your efforts to be explicitly collaborative with
matches your expectations, is understanding game pace.
the other player. If you have an idea about how the action should un-
Typically, there will be 18–20 scenes in a game of 39 Dark. If
fold, narrate it! Don’t worry about offending the other player. Trust in
your scenes average five minutes, then the entire game will last for at
the game system. If something truly isn’t working for the other player,
least two hours of actual play. If you are the type of person who likes
he can tell you and then unwind the action. But this should be a rela-
to take his time and let scenes develop more slowly, then your game
tively rare occurrence. In all other situations, keep the action moving
time will increase. Also be sure to account for preparation, which can
forward without regret.
 Another way to manage game pace it to pay attention to the type By simply making yourself aware of the game pace, and modify-
and goal of each scene. It may happen that certain scenes need only ing your narration to best fit the type of action at hand, you can gain
86 a few moments of real time to accomplish what they set out to do. If a control over the feel of your story as well as the length of time it takes 87
particular Opposition Scene, for example, is all about the Peacekeep- to complete a game of 39 Dark.
ers enforcing curfew, you can choose whether to narrate that scene
as a brief montage of the police breaking up groups of people on the
street, followed by, perhaps, a few choice words delivered by Lane to
her followers. That may be enough to get the job done, and will result
in a satisfyingly snappy pace. Other times, you may want to take your
time and really develop a scene in detail. That sort of attention slows
the game pace and takes longer to play out in real time. Some scenes
warrant this sort of attention, but, depending on the type of tone you
want for your game, you should save these detailed scenes for mo-
ments that warrant more time and more development. In other words,
default to quick-paced scenes, but allow yourself the luxury of slowing
down when appropriate.
SEQUEL

The following rules are optional. They provide guidance for players of 89
the original Mars Colony to link the events of their previous game to
those of 39 Dark.

If you have played a game of Mars Colony before beginning your

game of 39 Dark, then you may decide to use that previous game as a
prequel. Referring back to the player-aids created during your game
of Mars Colony can be useful; however, there is no need to have any
detailed notes from the previous game. In fact, it may be preferable if
you don’t, because the version of events that took place during Mars
Colony is about to be called into question. The events of the previous
game may not match the way in which the members of 39 Dark, and
Lane Novak in particular, experienced them. You should consider
Mars Colony to be a story told from the government’s perspective,
and 39 Dark to be a story told from the movement’s perspective.
 Where the objective truth lies is unclear. Memory and the narrators mention of whatever plan Kelly Perkins was implementing to try to al-
are unreliable. leviate the problem, noting any effects, if any, that Kelly Perkins’ plan
90 To transform 39 Dark into a sequel to your Mars Colony game, has on Lane Novak, the general populace, and 39 Dark. 91
you will overlap the first three Progress Scenes of your 39 Dark game For this scene, and any that follow, the Savior need not use the
with the last three scenes of your Mars Colony game. Please note events of the previous game directly. He may instead use the previous
that the following rules assume that your Mars Colony game lasted scene as inspiration for new, parallel events involving 39 Dark. For
a full nine Progress Scenes. If Kelly Perkins was removed early, you example, if Kelly Perkins was implementing a plan to crack down on
will need to adjust the rules accordingly so that the last three Progress an illegal drug trade, 39 Dark need not be directly involved in Kelly’s
Scenes of Mars Colony, whenever they occurred, overlap with the first plan or the drug trade. On the other hand, the events that took place
three of 39 Dark. No other changes should be necessary. during the drug trade scene may have had repercussions that rippled
through the Colony. Perhaps, for example, Kelly Perkins’ enforcement
SC E N E 1: BAC KG ROU N D efforts shut down local markets and limited the sale of goods to those
coming exclusively from Earth. How would 39 Dark react, and how
Using his best memory of what happened in Scene 7 of Mars Colony,
would those events affect the group’s opinion of the government? Of
the Savior sets Progress Scene 1 of 39 Dark in the midst of events
course if they prefer, the players may opt for a more direct overlap
taking place in the previous game. The players discuss the major
between the events of one game and the next.
problem plaguing the Colony at the time. The Savior makes specific
 Once introduced, the events from the previous Mars Colony as a rally against Kelly Perkins and/or the Colony government. Even
game become part of the setting of the new 39 Dark game. If the if you believe that Scene 8 of your Mars Colony game was a positive
92 player-aids from the previous Mars Colony game are available, the scene that saw real progress for the Colony, the Savior should re-cast 93
players are free to use things like the old political parties to inform the events in another, less forgiving light. Once the scene is set, play
their narration, especially for characters that appear on the player proceeds as normal.
aids for 39 Dark. Keep in mind that, to the members of 39 Dark,
political parties are more alike than different: they all represent “the S C E N E 3 : G A LVA N I Z AT I O N
government.” Nevertheless, the political parties may help you to more
During the third Progress Scene of 39 Dark, make use of the events
fully flesh out certain personalities, alliances, and conflicts in the cur-
of Progress Scene 9 of Mars Colony. After another discussion about
rent game.
what the players believe happened in their previous game, the Savior
sets the Progress Scene. At this point, the Savior should use the events
S C E N E 2 : R A L LY
that took place during Mars Colony as a way to illustrate the grow-
During the second Progress Scene of 39 Dark, the players should re- ing undercurrent of support for 39 Dark among the Martian citizenry.
address the events that took place during Progress Scene 8 of Mars Even if Kelly was viewed as a hero by most, a significant portion of the
Colony. Again, the players discuss what they believe took place in the population should be portrayed as anti-government. Remember that
previous game. The Savior then frames the current Progress Scene the events of 39 Dark are being told from the group’s own perspec-
 tive. The support of the population is a galvanizing effect that should
convince many within the movement of their own self-righteousness.
94
In the scenes to come, you should address Kelly’s departure
from the Mars Colony government. It is unnecessary to fully develop
Kelly’s future; however, you are free to narrate Kelly as a continuing
background presence, or even as a full-fledged character in your 39
Dark game.
 INFLUENCES after experimenting with alternative techniques. What I discovered was
that “re-skinning” a game to fit a different theme is nearly impossible.
96 I usually design games “theme first.” In other words, I like to start with If game mechanics reinforce theme, then those mechanics must be 97
an issue and then design a game up around that issue in a way that custom-tailored. Fans of the original game will find many similarities,
helps me to explore the topic and what I think about its thematic impli- but underneath, 39 Dark is built to focus on something different.
cations. When I designed the original Mars Colony, I was dealing with Thematically, I knew there was more to the story of political unrest
personal feelings of anxiety and failure. I was also deeply unhappy represented in Mars Colony. I wanted to flip the perspective around
about the state of politics in the United States. The game evolved from and tell the story of everyday citizens affected by their government’s
that core of personal angst. unilateral plans. Yet I also wanted to keep the story personal by
For 39 Dark, my process was slightly different. I was designing centering it around one character. For me, a roleplaying game is
a sequel, and so I already had limitations of setting and mechanics. powerful because it is about individuals with individual problems,
That’s not to say I wasn’t ready to throw out certain assumptions, or responsibilities, and emotions. Lane Novak, I hope, is interesting not
even abandon the game altogether if my ideas did not gel. But truth because she is the leader of a resistance movement, but because she
be told, I was very optimistic about my ability to adapt the existing is struggling on a personal level to come to grips with the world and
Mars Colony mechanics to 39 Dark. That assumption proved naïve. In political upheaval around her. When I play 39 Dark, I can bring my
the end, I cut, redesigned, or, at a minimum, reexamined every aspect own feelings of unease to the character. These feelings are based
of the original Mars Colony rules. A lot remains the same, but only on my politics, but also on my desire for personal accomplishment.
 While playing, I ask myself: When I am trapped in a situation that feels P R E PA R E D M AT E R I A L S
too daunting to change, how can I find the will to make that change
98 happen regardless? Whether I’m talking about political change or If you are having trouble thinking of fringe political movements to use 99
personal change on the level of, for example, a major career change, in your game, or simply want to jump directly into play, you can make
the impact on a personal level is similar. The thematic resonance is use of the following pre-generated worksheets. Feel free to use them
based on personal experience. My hope is that you can find similar as is or modify them to suit your needs according to the rules con-
personal connections when you play 39 Dark. tained in the chapter on Preparation. Look for additional prepared
Many current events and creative influences helped me to shape materials on the TCK Roleplaying website.
39 Dark; however, the following list contains a few notables: The descriptions accompanying the political groups are brief and
• The events, news coverage, methods, and outcomes of the written from my perspective as an American. You should by no means
Occupy Wall Street protests. think of them as limiting or complete. I hope this material encourages
• The developing political situations in Egypt, Libya, and Ukraine. you to research additional groups on your own.
• The revelations and subsequent media coverage of Chelsea
Manning and Edward Snowden.
• Continuum TV series, created by Simon Barry.
• The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin.
• Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson.
Fringe Group Fringe Group Fringe Group Fringe Group
Occupy Wall Street WikiLeaks Tea Party Anonymous
Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology
Grassroots movement that inspired Led by Julian Assange, it is a web- Conservative U.S. political group Decentralized “hacktivist” group
similar protests around the based organization that dedicated to small government that opposes censorship

STEEL

STEEL
world against economic publishes classified info and “zero compromise” and big business. Uses
disparity. leaked by anonymous political tactics. DDoS attacks on corp.
sources. and gov’t servers.

MIDNIGHT MIDNIGHT
SCARLET
39 DARK SCARLET
39 DARK

Fringe Group Fringe Group Fringe Group Fringe Group

GOLD

GOLD
Pussy Riot Ukraine Revolution Greenpeace Hamas
Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology
Russian feminist punk rock protest Responsible for the violent Environmental activist group that Pro-Palestinian liberation. Won a
group that stages unauthorized ousting of Ukraine’s former employs direct protests as well as majority of Palestinian Parliament
public performances. president. Seeking to sever ties governmental lobbying to advance seats in 2006, but known for its
with Russia, and fighting against its agendas. militant actions against Israel.
Russian-backed soldiers.
 Organization Map O r g a n iz a t io n M a p
[ Peacekeepers ] [ United Workers of Mars ] [ Peacekeepers ] [ United Workers of Mars ]

Chief Commander Rep. Niles Brun Trustee Sophie Chief Commander Rep. Niles Brun Trustee Sophie
Zaki Jau Thomas Zaki Jau Thomas
SCARLET

Investigator Hajek Media Liason Faqiri Organizer Aldo Council Member Investigator Hajek Media Liason Faqiri Organizer Aldo Council Member
Prins Jiang Li Prins Jiang Li
STEEL MIDNIGHT

Deputy Chief Tandy President Ushi Deputy Chief Tandy President Ushi
Smith Smith
MIDNIGHT

[ News Network Corp. ] [ Colony Government ] [ News Network Corp. ] [ Colony Government ]

Coalition President Coalition President

Arnold Fletcher Arnold Fletcher
Network Chief Feed Writer Network Chief Feed Writer
Serena Panin Silje Asp Serena Panin Silje Asp
SCARLET Colony Mayor Coalition Rep. Colony Mayor Coalition Rep.
Iara Dias Ela Verma Iara Dias Ela Verma
GOLD STEEL
Lead Anchor Beat Reporter Lead Anchor Beat Reporter
Theo Meyer Sydney Fane Theo Meyer Sydney Fane
Council Member Council Member Council Member Council Member
MIDNIGHT
Gartee Ba Tanya Koch Gartee Ba Tanya Koch
 Lane Novak Faction : GOLD Lane Novak Faction : STEEL
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Timeline 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Timeline
Aunt and pro-government media darling, STACEY (Midnight); Girlfriend Brother and hacker, IAN (Midnight); Husband, PETER (Scarlet); Childhood
Followers : and advisor, ANA (Gold); Former 39 Dark member, KUMI (Scarlet) Followers : friend and 39 Dark member, KATE (Gold)

L oya l L oya l

Hope Tre a s o n o u s Hope Trea s o n o u s

MARS COLONY MARS COLONY

F 39 DARK F F 39 DARK F

Agenda & Call to Action Hope Change Total Agenda & Call to Action Hope Change Total
Recognition of Independent Nation of
1
Outer-Dome Settlements
1 Legalize Unionization
2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5
Fringe Group Fringe Group
O r g a n iz a t io n M a p
Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology [ Peacekeepers ] [ United Workers of Mars ]

Chief Commander Rep. Niles Brun Trustee Sophie

STEEL
Zaki Jau Thomas

Investigator Hajek Media Liason Faqiri Organizer Aldo Council Member

Prins Jiang Li

Deputy Chief Tandy President Ushi

MIDNIGHT Smith
SCARLET
39 DARK

[ News Network Corp. ] [ Colony Government ]

Coalition President
Arnold Fletcher
Network Chief Feed Writer
Serena Panin Silje Asp
Fringe Group Fringe Group
GOLD

Colony Mayor Coalition Rep.

Iara Dias Ela Verma
Agenda & Methodology Agenda & Methodology Lead Anchor Beat Reporter
Theo Meyer Sydney Fane
Council Member Council Member
Gartee Ba Tanya Koch
 Lane Novak Faction :
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Timeline

Followers :

L oya l

Hope Tre a s o n o u s

MARS COLONY
F 39 DARK F

Agenda & Call to Action Hope Change Total