Agents of the

O.D.d.
A roleplaying game
by Jason Tocci
Agents of the O.D.D. v011

Copyright 2019 Jason Tocci. Permission is granted to print, photocopy, or otherwise

reproduce for personal use.

Image credits
Cover photo "folder" CC BY 2.0 by Christian Guthier
Cover top news clipping CC BY 2.0 by Carmichael Library, via Wikimedia Commons
Cover photo "The truth is out there" CC BY 2.0 by Richard Elzey
Cover Bigfoot image from the Patterson–Gimlin film
Polaroid border from an image by David G. Steadman via Flickr
House photo "haunted (2)" CC BY 2.0 Daniel Gonzalez Fuster, via Flickr
Interior art newspapers from Archive.org, modified under fair use
Additional images from websites offering public domain stock images

Typefaces
Carimbo by Misprinted Type ("O.D.D." stamp on cover)
Artisan 12 by Volker Busse – F25 Digital Typeface Design (headings)
Trade Gothic LT Std by Adobe, originally by Jackson Burke (front matter)
Silk Remington by Jadugar Design Studio (everything else)

Thanks
Genevieve, The Gauntlet RPG community, the Into the Odd Discord, everybody who insists
on giving me money for my free games on Itch.io, and my playtesters, who will be specified
here as soon as I get their permission to include their names.

Rules and play advice based on Into the Odd, Electric Bastionland, and posts at
Bastionland.com, all by Chris McDowall. Special thanks to Chris for sharing his game with
all us hackers and tinkerers, and for hosting spaces to help nurture those hacks into games
we can share with others.

Author's Note
This game is written from the perspective of an unreliable narrator employed by an
untrustworthy organization, so I want to drop character long enough to be abundantly clear
about something. Any “conspiracy theories” referenced in this game are included as
fantastical and ridiculous elements made literal for the purpose of making fun of them, and
are not intended to imply winking support to bigots.
CONTENTS
DISCLAIMER......................................................................................................................................1

NEW AGENT ORIENTATION ..........................................................................................................1

RULES OF PLAY..............................................................................................................................3

AGENTS ................................................................................................................................................5

Character Creation ........................................................................................................6

Profiles ...................................................................................................................................7

Advancement ......................................................................................................................25

Advice for Players ......................................................................................................26

EQUIPMENT .....................................................................................................................................27

Equipment Policies......................................................................................................28

Arms & Armor ....................................................................................................................29

Tools & Supplies ...........................................................................................................30

Arcana....................................................................................................................................31

REFEREEING..................................................................................................................................33

Advice for the Referee .............................................................................................34

Creature Design .............................................................................................................35

Mission Planning ..........................................................................................................36

Frequently Asked Questions.................................................................................37

MISSIONS .........................................................................................................................................39

#0192: Operation Treefall .....................................................................................40

DISCLAIMER
This document is a RULES TEXT for a ROLE-PLAYING GAME -- a
lighthearted and wholesome diversion lacking ulterior motives
or Satanic undertones. It is NOT intended for use in simulated
training exercises by a secret organization that deploys
oddballs and freaks to investigate and/or neutralize the
paranormal. Contradictory claims should be referred to your
local law enforcement agency, or spoken aloud in a clear voice
near a "smart" electronic device with a microphone.

NEW AGENT ORIENTATION

Welcome to the O.D.D., recruit. We know you must have questions.
"Who are you people? Why did you put a bag over my head? Why
do you keep calling me 'recruit'?" Rest assured that you're in
good, firm hands. You're to embark upon the career of a lifetime.

WHAT IS THE O.D.D.? The O.D.D. is the first and last line of
defense against the paranormal and supernatural -- cryptids,
spirits, creatures of legend, extraterrestrials, and beyond.

WHY ME? We need a continual supply of brave recruits like you

to help us investigate mysterious phenomena, gather actionable
intelligence, and potentially even confront, capture, or
eliminate threats to our way of life. We chose you for the job
because our divination analysts estimate you've got higher-
than-average odds of having what it takes -- at least a 33.3%
chance of surviving your first (non-suicide) mission. If you
have exhibited preternatural tendencies yourself, you may have
been conscripted to offer you a place where you belong, and a
productive alternative to being vivisected by our scientists.

ARE YOU FROM THE GOVERNMENT? You have an important

mission, recruit -- don't get distracted by politics. Just know
that, while the existence of the O.D.D. is not common knowledge,
other law enforcement agencies recognize our authority. What's
more, "the O.D.D." happens to be the most common name for
classified law enforcement agencies worldwide, and treaties
ensure cooperation between our international counterparts. From
an outside perspective, this may make the O.D.D. look more like a
transnational conspiracy that cooperates with nation states

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only insofar as is convenient, but rest assured that everything
is aboveboard. Those suggesting otherwise have been dealt with.
In any case, when you show up on a scene and flash your O.D.D.
badge, you can expect to receive the same level of respect,
cooperation, and courtesy from local law enforcement that they
would offer to representatives of any outside authority.

THIS ISN'T SOME RACIST CONSPIRACY B.S., IS IT? No, recruit.

We traffic in secrets, but we are NOT the kind of conspiracy
theorists who claim Jewish people secretly run the world, or
that a secret "Deep State" is out to get inept political figures.
When you're in the business of averting apocalypses, you can't
be bogged down by bigoted jackasses.

WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME PLAY DUNGEONS & DRAGONS? First

of all, recruit, be advised that these rules are adapted from
INTO THE ODD and ELECTRIC BASTIONLAND, roleplaying games by
Chris McDowall that are light on rules and approachable for
newcomers. And second, this "game" offers a physically and
psychologically safe means of introducing you to the kinds of
challenges you'll meet in the field. If you want to return to HQ
alive, you'll need to show good judgment and unorthodox
problem-solving skills.

HOW WILL THIS WORK? Play requires one participant to act as

"referee" and the rest as "players." Each player makes a "player
character," or "PC" (see p. 5), distinguished from the supporting
cast and antagonists run by the referee. Ask the referee
questions about what your character perceives, and describe the
actions you take to meet your objectives. The referee can let you
know whether this requires rolling any dice, and if so, what the
results mean, but you are encouraged to familiarize yourself
with the rules as well (see p. 3).

ANYTHING ELSE I NEED? Recommended supplies for play

include writing materials and at least one set of polyhedral
(that's many-sided) dice. These range from 4-sided to 20-sided,
denoted in this text as d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20, with a pair
of d10s usable as d100 (for the tens place and ones place).
After the rules text proper, the referee can find example
training missions (p. 39). Be advised that these pages are EYES
ONLY -- players who read example scenarios will be scolded.

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RULES OF PLAY
TURNS: In dangerous situations, players take TURNS describing
what their characters do. On your turn, you can move and
perform one action (e.g., attacking, trying to trick or persuade
someone, or repairing something). When every character has
taken or opted to skip their turn, a new ROUND of turns begins.

SAVES: When your STRENGTH, DEXTERITY, or WILLPOWER might SAVE

you from danger, the referee may prompt you to roll a d20 on or
under the specified ability. Rolling 1 always succeeds, and 20
always fails. Effects that might take away items, shift
position, or alter behavior are especially likely to call for
saves. If an ongoing effect permits a save, whoever's affected
can attempt each round on their turn. If your profile, equipment,
or environment seem helpful, remind the referee; it may warrant
taking the best of 2 rolls, or not needing a save at all.

INVESTIGATION: When you want to learn something (e.g.,

whether a room is trapped, or someone is lying), ask questions
of the referee. Don't be coy -- be clear about why you ask. The
referee may prompt you to explain what your character does to
investigate, especially if you're seeking hidden information. No
save is needed, unless investigating somehow puts you in danger
(e.g., if pressed for time). If your profile, equipment, or
environment seem helpful, remind the referee; it may warrant
additional information, or finding information more quickly.

LUCK: When something is up to chance (e.g., will you be

interrupted while resting?), the referee may roll a d6. On a 1,
things are bad right now. On a 2-3, there's a sign of something
bad soon. On a 4-6, nothing bad happens now. The referee may
also use this to intermittently test how much remains of
limited-supply items (1 = all out, 2-3 = just 1 or 2 uses left).

ENCOUNTERS: If it's unclear how strangers will react to you

in a tense situation, your team's most visible member can save
WIL to avoid hostilities. If hostilities do erupt, the referee may
indicate who goes first based on positioning, or might call on
you to roll for INITIATIVE -- save DEX to take your turn before
foes, or go after foes on failure. You may also save DEX to flee.

ATTACKING: When you attack with the intent to do damage, roll

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either your weapon's attack die (by default), a d12 for
ENHANCED attacks (e.g., a superior position; a helpless foe), or
a d4 if IMPAIRED (e.g., target in cover; poor visibility). Anyone
who wants to attack the same target rolls attacks now too. The
highest die rolled determines how much damage is dealt.

DAMAGE: When someone takes damage, subtract their ARMOR score

(usually 0 or 1, never more than 3), and then reduce their HIT
POINTS (HP) by the remainder. HP represent the ability to avoid
injury though stamina, instincts, or luck, but when those run
out, damage is deducted from STR, triggering a save to avoid
CRITICAL DAMAGE.. On failure, the character is incapacitated
until an ally rouses them someplace safe to rest. Left unaided,
a critically damaged character will die within an hour.

ABILITY LOSS: If a character's STR drops to 0, they die. If DEX

drops to 0, they are paralyzed. If WIL drops to 0, they are
unresponsive. In each case, the player should make a new
character right away to be introduced immediately after.

MANEUVERS: If you attempt to attack a MANEUVER instead of

trying to cause harm (e.g., tripping; disarming), the character
most at risk can attempt a save.. When in a position to make an
enhanced attack, you may forego the improved damage die to
also perform a maneuver (e.g., striking a hand to disarm).

MORALE: When characters controlled by the referee lose their

leader, half their number, or half their STR, their leader must
save WIL to keep them from fleeing or surrendering.

REST: Relax for a few uninterrupted minutes to restore all HP.

Rest a full week back at HQ to replenish all lost ability scores.

INVENTORY: You can carry any reasonable number of relatively

small items. BULKY require both hands to use, or slow you down
when worn, and if you wear or carry more than 2 at once, you are
FATIGUED, making it impossible to benefit from resting.

OVERWHELMING: When facing overwhelming opposition, the

greater side's attacks are enhanced, and the lesser side's are
impaired or ignored unless they exploit an effective strategy
(e.g., explosive attacks vs. hordes; targeting a colossal foe's
weak spot). Supernatural effects that sway thoughts or
behavior tend not to work on overwhelming foes at all.

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AGENTS

5
CHARACTER CREATION
CHOOSE A PROFILE: Roll 1d100. Take the next one down if you
roll one someone already played, or flip the tens and ones place
and check again if you roll something that sounds boring.
Alternatively, take a profile that catches your eye. (Just don't
read them all at the table everybody waits.) For only mundane
humans, use the first d20; after that, things get weirder.

ROLL ABILITIES & HIT POINTS: Sum 3d6; record on a piece of

paper next to "STR" (Strength). Repeat for "DEX" (Dexterity)
and "WIL" (Willpower). Swap to match your profile if desired.
Then roll 1d6; record that next to "HP" (hit points). Or, if you
want to go even faster and/or hate randomness, assign 13, 10,
and 7 to your abilities, and take 3 HP.

TAKE EQUIPMENT: Take all the items on the left. Also, if your
STR + DEX + WIL are under 30, take 1 item on the right; if STR+
DEX + WIL + HP are under 30, take a second item on the right.

ITEMS FOR ALL RECRUITS FOR VULNERABLE RECRUITS (see above)

* Service pistol (d6) * Ballistic vest (1 armor, bulky)

* Flashlight * Rifle or shotgun (d8, bulky)
* Satellite phone * Silver blade (d6)
* O.D.D. identification * Random arcanum (p. 31)

NAME YOURSELF: Come up with a name and/or callsign for your

character, and tell teammates what pronouns to use.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT BACKGROUND: You might discover it in

play, or you might get killed in the first 5 minutes. (Character
creation is fast for a reason.) In case it helps to know, unless
otherwise noted, you're human, and previously had a mundane,
likely irrelevant occupation (but feel free to specify it). No
matter how unusual your characters' origins, however, they're
still people, not too unlike us, and the paranormal remains
largely mysterious to them. The dead don't remember their time
on the other side; the inhuman were raised by humans, or lived
in isolation as hermits, or got "rescued" from a circus or a
confiscated experiment; even occultists only barely understand
the nature of the occult. Take nothing about the odd for
granted, and you might survive to see your next mission.

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PROFILES
01 ASSASSIN
If you're going to do a dirty job for an unsavory, secretive
organization, you might as well pick one that you're pretty
sure is saving the world. Take: SCOPED RIFLE IN BRIEFCASE,
PISTOL SUPPRESSOR, GARROTE (enhanced d12 attack bypassing
HP if undetected).

02 BURNED SPY
After your government hung you out to dry, no other agency
would take you -- but covert ops is the only life you know.
Take: DISGUISE KIT, LOCK PICKS, FORGED ID, SURVEILLANCE
EQUIPMENT (bugs, tracers, hidden cameras).

03 CAT BURGLAR
It was supposed to be the score you could retire from, but
attempting to steal from the wrong person ended up leading
to a new career direction entirely. TAKE: GLASS CUTTER,
CLIMBING GEAR (bulky), STETHOSCOPE.

04 CLERIC
The church is just temporarily loaning your services. You
think. Take: HOLY WATER (effects unconfirmed), SCRIPTURE,
CLERICAL CLOTHING. Special: You may TRUST IN FAITH by
asking the referee to roll for you in secret. The referee
will never reveal whether this affects the result.

05 CONSPIRACY THEORIST
Sometimes, you hate being right. Take: TINFOIL HAT (blocks
psychic intrusion and orbital mind control lasers,
probably), TOY SUNGLASSES (mirrors inside lenses let you
see behind you out of corner of your eye), BIG HAT, SCARF.

06 DEMOLITIONIST
You make things go boom. Take: 2x PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES (d12
area attack, breaches walls, timed and remote detonators),
1x GRENADE (d10 area attack), 1x INCENDIARY GRENADE (d6
area attack each round), FIREPROOF OUTFIT.

07 DOPPELGANGED CIVILIAN
Someone claiming to be you stole your whole life, and turned
out to be a more convincing (and rich, and powerful) you

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 than you ever were. Take: CREDIT CARD (likely marked
fraudulent after 1 use), BALLISTIC ARMOR (1 armor, bulky).
Special: Your double will be blamed for anything
flagrantly illegal you do. And someday, you may be called
upon to impersonate them right back.

08 EX-CONVICT
It's unclear why the O.D.D. wanted you remanded to its
custody, but presumably this job is better than being
behind bars. Take: LOCK PICKS, CROWBAR, GRAPPLING HOOK.

09 EX-COP
You found out there are scarier things out there than
criminals. Take: HANDCUFFS, BACKUP PIECE (d6) in an ANKLE
HOLSTER, KEVLAR VEST (1 armor). Special: You have a few
confidential informants you could potentially tap for intel.

10 EXTREMELY PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

Once a highly sought-after consultant, you are now on
permanent retainer for to the greatest mysteries of all.
Take: MASK of your choosing (e.g., gas mask, astronaut
helmet, domino mask, luchador mask, etc.), DAPPER SUIT,
POCKET WATCH for mundane hypnotherapy, CANE-SWORD (d6).

11 FORENSIC SCIENTIST
You can tell a lot from fingerprints, footprints, blood
spatter, broken glass, tire tracks, exsanguinated livestock,
crop circles, and other details many take for granted. Take:
CAMERA, FINGERPRINT KIT, UV LAMP, EVIDENCE BAGS, GLOVES,
MICROSCOPE (bulky).

12 FRINGE RESEARCHER
You're in a little over your head here. Take: NIGHT VISION
CAMERA, EMF METER, GEIGER COUNTER, DIGITAL THERMOMETER, and
a BIGFOOT CALLER (like for ducks) that feels awkward to
own since seeing a Bigfoot at work. Special: You fancied
yourself an expert in CRYPTOZOOLOGY, UFOLOGY, GHOST HUNTING,
and PARAPSYCHOLOGY so the referee might give extra clues
for these -- but that "knowledge" may not be 100% reliable.

13 GRIFTER
Your claims of magical powers might have been a little too
convincing. Take: MARKED DECK OF CARDS, TWO-HEADED COIN,
EXPENSIVE SUIT, GOLD WRISTWATCH (taken off a mark).

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14 HUNTER
You thought you'd bagged a Bigfoot, until she and her
partner gave you a choice between a small cell and a new
job. Take: SCOPED RIFLE, HUNTING KNIFE, LOYAL HOUND.

15 MEDIC
Any field medic can stitch up a bullet wound, but how many
can give CPR to a skunk-ape? Take: ANTITOXIN (3 doses),
BANDAGES WITH SPLITS & OINTMENT (3 uses), ADRENALINE (1
dose, restore d4 DEX, wake from critical damage).

16 PSYCHOLOGIST
You're trained in PsyOps, crisis negotiation, profiling,
interrogation, and more, but there are some things school
can't prepare you for. Take: BALLISTIC VEST (1 armor).

17 ROOKIE
To get this assignment, you had to be either at the top of
your class or at the top of somebody important's shit list.
Take: ASSAULT RIFLE (d8, or d6 area attack, bulky),
BALLISTIC ARMOR (1 armor, bulky). Special: If killed on
mission, your next character gets +d6 HP.

18 TECHIE
At least when you're in the field, the Bigfoot at HQ can't
bug you to fix her computer. Take: REMOTE CONTROLLED RECON
DRONE (1 STR, 8 DEX), LAPTOP with software for DECRYPTION,
INTRUSION, and FACIAL RECOGNITION.

19 TEST PILOT
You get to play with the fun toys before everybody else,
assuming you survive. Take: JETPACK (bulky, 1 in 20 chance
of explosion), GOGGLES, FIREPROOF OUTFIT, MECHANIC TOOLS
with BIG WRENCH (d6).

20 VETERAN
You may not be inclined to rush to judgment about
"monsters" after having seen what humans can do to one
another. Take: ASSAULT RIFLE (d8, or d6 area attack, bulky),
PISTOL (d6), BALLISTIC ARMOR (1 armor, bulky), COMBAT KNIFE
(d6), GRENADE (d10 area damage).

21 ALCHEMIST
Some call it pseudoscience. You call it a lost art. The O.D.D.

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 calls it good enough for live tests in the field. Take:
GREENISH ELIXIR (take damage to any ability to regain same
amount in another), SMOKE BOMBS (3 uses), EXPERIMENTAL
TRANSMUTATION CONCOCTION (1 in 6 chance of turning a metal
into a more precious metal, 5 in 6 chance of liquifying it
and releasing noxious fumes; 1 use).

22 ANTIQUARIAN
Your growing collection caught the attention of more than
just rival bidders. Take: 2 RANDOM ARCANA, MAGNIFYING GLASS.

23 AQUARIAN CASTAWAY
You come from a utopian future where humans have evolved
to be more perceptive, more ethereally beautiful, and kind
of weirdly shimmery. Sadly, chrono-amnesia (or the O.D.D.)
robbed you of all memories of your home. Take: Silver
bodysuit. Special: You see faint auras around people,
offering vague clues about personality and disposition.

24 BADGER
Your family doesn't like to talk about it. Special: When
startled, or if you relax and concentrate for a turn, you
turn into a badger(2 STR, 12 DEX, same WIL and HP). Turning
back takes another full turn of concentration.

25 BIGFOOT
Not "the" Bigfoot, of course, but one of the few who isn't too
shy to leave the woods. Special: Being big aids in hand-to-
hand (d6), among other things, a furry hide protects from
the elements (1 armor), and you're surprisingly stealthy.

26 BILOCATION PROCEDURE TEST SUBJECTS 17A & 17B

You could do without the jokes about being "beside
yourself." Take: A second set of STARTING EQUIPMENT. Special:
You have 2 bodies sharing 1 mind. You can move both bodies
independently on your turn, but only get 1 action on your
turn. If you want to attack, for instance, you must choose
which body acts. Both of you share the same abilities -- so
losing STR, DEX, or WIL from one affects the other -- but
each carries its own equipment.

27 BRAZEN HEAD
Your head is brass, your mind inscribed on a copper disc in
an unknown code. After Roger Bacon died, you languished in

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 storage until the O.D.D. found you. Take: DETACHABLE BODY (1
armor). Special: You (1 STR, 1 armor) can detach from your
body, even at a moment's notice (like just before an attack
is rolled). During downtime, you may requisition mundane
tools to add to your body as upgrades (e.g., grappling hook,
remote control mechanism, implanted weaponry), or a new
body entirely (reroll STR and DEX).

28 CAMBION
Most people are speaking figuratively when they call their
ex a "demon." Not your mom. Special: Horns capable of goring
(d6), prehensile tail, immunity to fire and toxins.

29 CHANGELING
You recently found out you were adopted. Your parents
recently found out, too. Also, that's not an "allergic
reaction" to iron. Special: You can look like anyone you've
ever seen, or like a bundle of sticks, leaves, and mud.
Attacks with iron are enhanced (d12) against you.

30 CHANNELER
Seances can be good money, but if you develop a reputation
for uncanny accuracy, the O.D.D. will make an offer you
can't refuse. Special: You can invite a spirit to possess you
if its remains are near, or you have some of its personal
items from life, or you call out its name and some personal
details. You or others present can ask it questions, and it
will answer honestly (if not always accurately). Save WIL
to eject a spirit that doesn't leave you willingly.

31 CHIROPTERAN KID
You're often mistaken for a child from a distance. Up close,
you're often mistaken for something from a tabloid.
Special: You have wickedly sharp teeth (d6 bite), bat-like
wings capable of flight in short bursts, and an unnerving
screech that helps you get around using sonar.

32 CHOSEN ONE
When you ask, "Chosen for what? By whom?", senior agents
just shrug. You do seem to be pretty good at this, though.
Take: SILVER SWORD (d8, bulky), SILVER THROWING KNIFE (d6),
WOODEN STAKE. Special: When you roll above average on an
attack (e.g., 4+ on d6, 5+ on d8, etc.), you can automatically

11
 perform an additional maneuver, like disarming or tripping
your foe unless they pass a save.

33 CHUPACABRAS
You look like a small, bipedal, hunched-over, mangy dog-
lizard with huge protruding fangs, and your moniker means
"goatsucker" in Spanish. The O.D.D. has encouraged you to
pick a new callsign. Special: When you damage STR with a
bite attack (d6), the target takes an additional d4 STR
damage on their turn until they staunch the wound.

34 CONDUIT TO THE GREAT OLD ONE

Some world-ending power is trying to use your body to get
into our reality. You're way too small for it to ever fit
through, but that doesn't stop it from trying. Special: When
you speak louder than a whisper, inky black tendrils burst
from your mouth, grasping at everything in front of you
within shouting distance. Targets must save DEX to drop to
the floor, or are grabbed, smashed, or flung (d6 damage). It
gives you a sore throat (d4 damage).

35 DEER STALKER
For once, a hunter tried to talk to you. What's more, they
offered you a job. Special: You stand upright most of the
time, but on all fours, you can dash at startling speed even
over uneven ground. Depending on your physiology, you
either move practically silently with ease, or sport some
impressive antlers (d6).

36 DOGHEAD
O.D.D. scientists call you an "exemplary cynocephalus
specimen." They seem to think that is a compliment. Special:
A keen sense of smell and hearing, and a bite (d6) that
grips like a wrestling hold.

37 ECTOPLASMIC ENTITY
You remember nothing between dying and being summoned
back, but a freak accident left you looking like the
aftermath of a sneeze, and left a medium with a cardiac
arrest. Special: You're a floating cloud of mucus that can
congeal into the shape of what you once looked like in life.
You can assume other shapes and float around very slowly,
but can't move solid objects much in that state. Critical

12
 damage splatters you all over the place, but allies can
still help you pull yourself back together.

38 EM-ET
The SETI program thought it had found a transmission; it
was greeted by an ambassador. You lost much of yourself in
the long voyage across the stars, remembering only a
fragment of the message they sent you to deliver: "Soon."
Take: An old prototype ROBOT BODY from storage. Special: As
a sentient electromagnetic wave, you can "possess"
unsecured devices with antennas (as well as O.D.D. phones
and most government surveillance systems), perceiving
through cameras and microphones, and controlling functions
governed by software.

39 ESCAPED SACRIFICE
You recall little of the place you were taken, waiting to be
fed to ... something. The important thing is that you found a
way back, and people who believed your story. Special: You
can sidestep obstacles at impossible angles, along paths
other cannot see, at the risk (1 in 6) of being noticed by
whatever things might live beyond three-dimensional space.

40 FADING SPIRIT
Considering that you died, you're doing a surprisingly good
job keeping it together. Take: CONTAINMENT SUIT. Special:
Open your suit to possess a sentient being as an action
(they can save WIL to expel you). If not in your suit or a
host, take 1 WIL damage on your turn, dissipating entirely
at 0 WIL. Upon taking critical damage, you are ejected from
a host, or your suit springs a leak, forcing you to leave it
or focus entirely on staying in it. At 0 suit STR, the suit is
destroyed. You may requisition a new suit between missions;
roll anew for its STR and DEX.

41 FEATHERWEIGHT
You don't remember anything from before the O.D.D. found
you, naked in the desert, and have no idea what the jagged
scars between your shoulder blades are from. But sometimes,
you dream of clouds. Take: ANKLE WEIGHTS. Special: Without
weights or a bulky item to hold you down, you're extremely
lightweight, moving like a high jumper on the moon.

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42 FIRESTARTER
Everybody at the office tries to stay on your good side.
Special: As an attack, use your mind to ignite something
you can see (d6). On a 5-6, the fire spreads to another
logical spot the referee chooses. Repeat as necessary.

43 FLESH-CHANGER
There may be others like you, but you have no idea how you
would recognize them -- how anyone would, really. Special:
As frequently as once a day, and at least once a month, you
shed your skin to reveal a new, unfamiliar body. Reroll STR
and DEX, restoring them if either ability was damaged.

44 FORECASTER
Agents with reliable precognition abilities tend to get safe
desk jobs. You, however, are a field agent. Special: Each
session, jot down 3 "visions" of your choosing. They might be
literal or metaphorical, but should be more specific than
"something bad happens." When something happens that more
or less matches something you wrote, announce to the other
players and referee that this was just a vision, and
describe what you do to avoid this future. If it would
normally require a save, consider it a 1; if it would
normally require an attack, consider it a 12.

45 FREED CAPTIVE OF THE UNSEELIE COURT

They took you as a child, replaced you with a changeling.
Your time there changed you. You know you walked out free,
not a fugitive, but the details of that bargain -- and your
time there -- are forgotten. Special: You have a haunted
look, pinprick pupils in cold eyes, sharp and elongated
features. When you grip something firmly, it grows cold (d6
attack); after a round, unless the target is a living thing
that saves STR to escape, the matter between your fingers
and palm grows brittle, as if drenched in liquid nitrogen.

46 FUNGAL PATHOGEN
Some fungi control ants' brains to aid their reproduction.
You have greater ambitions. Special: You cover your
(host's) body in spongy lumps. If a (not-overwhelming)
creature bites, scratches, or licks you, they must save STR.
On failure, your spores take over their brain in d6 hours,
effectively turning their body into a clone with your

14
 memories. Clones keep their hosts' STR and DEX, but your WIL
and HP, and have standing orders to report to the O.D.D. ASAP.

47 GARGOYLE
Whoever summoned or constructed you meant your appearance
to frighten evil spirits, but you're just as unnerving to
the average human. Special: Tough hide (1 armor), claws
(d6, aid climbing), grotesque expression (aids scaring).

48 GHOULIFICATION CANDIDATE
If eating human remains can turn you into a mindless
ghoul, what about eating live undead? With your help, O.D.D.
scientists aim to find out. Special: Huge teeth chomp bone
easily (d8). When biting undead, regain lost ability points,
in each ability, equal to the amount of damage you deal.

49 GREYISH HYBRID
People laughed at your mother for claiming to be abducted
by aliens. Then you came along. Special: You have large,
dark eyes, a small mouth, a wiry frame, and a mind capable
of two-way telepathic communication with someone close
enough to speak to. (You can be shut out with a WIL save.)

50 HALF-GIANT
O.D.D. scientists debate whether you might be descended from
ogres, jotnar, or nephilim, but are glad they can rule out
cyclopses (probably). Take: HAND CANNON (d8), FITTED
CLOTHING. Special: You make Bigfoot look small. Your size
may enhance attacks (d12) against smaller foes, and/or
impair their their attacks (d4) against you, but it's very
hard to use equipment not custom made for you.

51 HARBINGER OF THE END OF DAYS

You didn't ask to be an antichrist, but it's not clear
whether it's a job you can opt out of. Special: Demons,
unseelie fae, and otherworldly malevolences of similar ilk
recognize you and claim to be able to see the hidden crown
over your head. They tend to either resent or defer to you.

52 HEAD IN A JAR
The procedure stole more than your memories. Special: You
(1 STR) are a disembodied head suspended in green fluid in
a hermetically sealed jar. The O.D.D. has provided you with a
body, but you can be easily unplugged and affixed to any

15
 headless body with an intact spinal column and central
nervous system. If an attack would reduce you to 0 STR, as
long as the die shows less than 6, only the body is killed.

53 HIRCINE HERMIT
You've been called "the Maryland Goatman," "the Lake Worth
Monster," even "Baphomet." Only you can say whether you're
any of those, or "just have one of those faces." Special:
Goat head and goat legs (d6 head butt or kick, target saves
STR or is knocked back), prehensile tongue and upper lip,
and a (metaphorically) iron stomach.

54 HOST TO HALF A LEGION

Sometimes the markings are mistaken for prison tattoos. It's
usually not worth explaining that they are, in fact, the
prison. Special: The whispered voices of dozens of demons
are always with you. You can draw on their power sometimes,
taking d4 WIL damage to perform preternatural physical
feats, such as scrambling up the side of a building,
catching a sword in hand, or automatically passing a save
-- but if you fall to 0 WIL, the inmates take over for good.

55 "HYENA"
The myth of the crocotta and leucrocotta is largely
inspired by hyenas' unsettling laugh, their tendency to dig
up human remains for food, and their powerful jaws. Also,
the fact that some "hyenas" aren't really hyenas at all.
Special: You can mimic any voice, grapple a target of your
strong bite attack (d8) until they save STR, and pass
yourself off as a dog around people who don't know better.

56 INTELLIGENT COCKROACH FROM THE FUTURE

You come from a timeline that your new coworkers hope will
never come to be. You can't even remember it thanks to some
unintelligible time-travel B.S. Special: You stand at the
size of a human, have an extra pair of arms and a hard
exoskeleton (1 armor), can scuttle on most surfaces, and
aren't particularly bothered by radiation. (The wings are
basically just for show, though.)

57 INVISIBILITY SERUM TEST SUBJECT #551

The damn formula finally worked. (As well as could be
expected, anyway.) Take: ROLL OF BANDAGES, SUNGLASSES,

16
 GLOVES, HAT, TEARAWAY JUMPSUIT. Special: You are a perfectly
normal human being, aside from being almost entirely
undetectable in the visible spectrum (when naked, anyway).
The one part of you unaffected by the serum was your
eyeballs, which must absorb light to allow you to see. (And
of course you tried closing your eyes to attempt to
disappear entirely. Your eyelids are invisible, so no dice.)

58 JERSEY GATOR
Time will tell whether this job beats living in the sewers.
Special: Armored hide (1 armor), strong bite (d6), death
roll (if you held onto a bitten target and they failed to
save STR to escape, deal d12 enhanced STR damage as an
action, bypassing HP).

59 JINX
O.D.D. scientists theorize that curse-bearers can be
weaponized. They'll try to make sure you survive data-
gathering. Take: BALLISTIC VEST (1 armor, bulky), RIOT
SHIELD (+1 armor, bulky). Special: You always take the
worst of 2 saves, and attacks against you are always
enhanced (d12) -- and the same applies to anyone else in
arm's reach of you.

60 THE KILLER
Maybe it was self defense, but the punishment stands.
Special: You bear the Mark of Cain, the first killer, having
slain the last one to bear it. All who look upon you know
intuitively that you are a murderer; all who would do you
harm know that they would be punished sevenfold for
slaying you, and so potentially lethal blows against you
are impaired (d4).

61 LAB RAT
You are the most promising result of an experiment to
mutate lab rats into small, deformed-looking humanoids.
Special: Squeeze through any hole large enough to fit your
child-sized head, gnaw through things about as well as a
dull knife, and sense and move comfortably in darkness.

62 LAST WARRIOR OF THE HOLY ORDER OF ST. REGULUS

You had a choice: carry on your ancient mission alone, or
join forces. Take: TWIN SWORDS (d6, roll twice and take best

17
 result), CROSSBOW (d6), CHAINMAIL (1 armor, bulky).
Special: Between missions, you can retrieve medieval
armaments from your Order's armory. You may only share
with those who join the Order, swearing its sacred oath.

63 LIVING BATTERY
The thing they installed to replace your heart keeps you
alive, and then some. Special: Touch electronics to siphon
electricity or discharge it, overloading the system. You can
also briefly stun someone you touch unless they save STR.

64 LOVELAND FROG
Most folks might be scared of a four-foot-tall, bipedal frog
-- but not in Ohio. They made a musical about you! There's
talk of a private screening for the O.D.D., maybe with you
doing a Q&A with the audience. Special: Amphibious, long
and adhesive tongue, tremendous leaping capability.

65 MARTIAN
You were cloned back on Earth from DNA samples recovered
by the Curiosity rover. It's only fair you get first dibs on
the gear they found up there. Take: RADIUM PISTOL (d6,
ignore armor). Special: You have green skin and an extra
pair of limbs that can be used equally effectively as arms
or legs, increasing running speed in the latter case.

66 MESMERIST
It was years before you realized why you always lost at
staring contests. Take: MIRROR SHADES. Special: When you
lock gazes with someone and remain still, they can't act
until they save WIL on their turn or something forces them
to break eye contact. This works pretty consistently on
living humans, but you can't say how it works with others.

67 METAMORPHIC BEAST (IN PARTIAL REMISSION)

O.D.D. doctors and psychologists are helping you gain
control of it, but it's not clear that a "cure" is
forthcoming. Special: When you will it, or when you take
critical damage, you transform -- 18 STR, 18 DEX, same WIL,
replenish HP, d8 attack with claws and teeth. (Track
damage in this form as if on another character entirely.)
While transformed, save WIL to attempt anything besides
savage violence on your turn; on failure, choose to either

18
 attack the nearest target, or flee to someplace secluded,
change back, and fall unconscious.

68 MINDREADER
Reading people's thoughts would be much easier if brains
had neater handwriting. Special: Experience others'
thoughts as slurred babbling and unbidden imagery. Save
WIL in crowds to focus on one mind without getting confused.
A wary target can save WIL to shut you out.

69 MOTH-PERSON
They call you "Mothman," which sounds like a superhero, but
it's hard to feel like one with the way they react to you up
close. Special: Wings on back offer flight in short bursts;
glowing red eyes provide night vision, are scary as hell.

70 OCCULTIST
If you want employer-provided health insurance and can't
stand working in retail, this is pretty much the only job
you're really qualified for. Take: 1 random RITUAL ITEM
(roll d6 on p. 31), TAROT CARDS, PERSONAL LIBRARY (at HQ).

71 ORGAN RECIPIENT
They can't (or won't) say who the donor was, but you're
pretty sure it wasn't human. Special: Your chin is always
wet with caustic, slightly phosphorescent saliva. It doesn't
hurt you, but you can spit it as an attack (d6) or to
slowly dissolve all but the strongest materials.

72 PHOTONIC BEING
The first time they turned on the Large Hadron Collider, you
stepped out -- a seemingly adult humanoid, only minutes
old. An O.D.D. team arrived within the hour. Special: You glow
with a bright white light, capable of suddenly increasing
in intensity (all looking at you save DEX or are blinded),
or focusing more narrowly (roll any die for a laser
attack/laser cutter, but you also take the damage rolled).

73 POLTERGEIST
Unfinished business tethers you to this world. The O.D.D.
offered to help you figure out what it is -- or keep it
unfinished so you can stick around, if you prefer. Special:
You look normal enough, until someone notices you hover an
inch off the floor, and pass right through mundane objects

19
 (save for iron and salt). The only way you can reliably
interact with the physical world is by psychically
throwing stuff without much control (d6 area attack).

74 PRIMORDIAL SLIME MOLD

Some microscopic organisms have been known to return to
life after over tens of thousands of years in permafrost.
Perhaps it was inevitable that one of them would develop
enough organelles to gather into a person-like shape and
wave hello to some very shocked scientists. Special: You're
a vaguely humanoid blob of red goo with a brain floating
around inside (plus whatever else you want to carry but
don't feel like keeping in pockets). You can stick to and
slowly moving along solid surfaces, stretch and reabsorb
lost parts of you more easily than if you had bones,
envelop anything up to the size of a person (they can save
DEX to avoid or wipe you off), and selectively send feeding
organelles to things you envelop (d6 attack).

75 PSEUDO-GORGON
O.D.D. scientists are still working on identifying how your
condition works. In the meantime, avoid mirrors. Take:
MIRROR SHADES. Special: Anyone who makes eye contact with
you takes d10 DEX damage, bypassing HP. Anyone reduced to 0
DEX this way is petrified.

76 REPLICANT
Whoever tried to replace you with a body double botched the
memory transfer procedure, overwriting its programming
entirely with your mind. It's not clear why they wanted to
replace you, but they probably want their "property" back.
Special: Override subterfuge parameters to take d4 STR or
DEX damage and perform an act of preternatural strength or
speed, respectively, such as throwing a motorcycle, crossing
a room instantly, or passing a save automatically.

77 REPTILIAN
Your ancestors were abandoned here after their invasion
was aborted, but this is the only world you've ever known.
Special: Shapeshift between your human and reptilian
forms at will. (Taking ability damage always forces you to
show your true face for at least a moment.) Your true form
has venomous bite (d6, save STR vs. paralysis).

20
78 ROBOT PROTOTYPE
You're programmed to be happy to help. Special: Your metal
body is tough (armor 2), but your programming does not
allow you to harm a human, allow a human to come to harm
(even through inaction), or disobey a human's direct order,
except where a rule would contradict an earlier-stated rule.
You have a fourth directive, but can't seem to remember it.

79 SAINT
The O.D.D.'s definition of "saint" is oddly secular, based on
combinations of specific supernatural properties. They
showed no particular reverence when conscripting you.
Special: You can transfer your STR points to someone you
touch to restore theirs. Also, mundane animals are so well-
disposed to you that they may follow your commands.

80 SEER
Some people have a "second sight," "third eye," or "sixth
sense." You stopped counting around 12. Special: You can see
invisible beings, curses, radio, infrared, UV, energies you
have yet to identify, the hidden side of Zener cards, and,
when you close your eyes, a doctor staring at you in a
florescent-lit room. You have x-ray vision and wonder
whether looking at people increases their risk of cancer.
Focusing on a spectrum under pressure requires a WIL save.

81 SELKIE
It actually came as something of a surprise to learn that
other kids didn't start the school year by peeling off their
skin. Take: SEALSKIN. Special: Don your sealskin to turn
back into a seal (10 STR, 10 DEX, track damage separately
in this form). Even in human form, you have remarkably
acute visual and tactile senses.

82 SENSITIVE
Con artists who can "cold read" people would probably think
your actual psychic power kind of sucks in comparison.
Take: GLOVES. Special: The first time your skin touches an
object bearing strong emotional impressions (whatever the
referee decides that means), you freeze in place for a round
while experiencing flashes of its past.

83 SKUNK-APE
Yes, you are large, hirsute, and odiferous, but it's hard not

21
 to resent that nickname. Special: Use your scent gland at
will (or when startled) to force all nearby to retch
uncontrollably until they escape or save STR. Save STR when
you next rest to check whether you can spray again today.

84 SLEEPWALKER
Mystics consider it a gift. Those who can't control it as
well consider it a sleep disorder. Special: While you are
unconscious, your luminous, intangible spirit floats outside
your body. Spirits and energy can still deal you WIL damage.

85 SORCERER
The O.D.D. might be able to get you out of your faustian
bargain. Eventually. Special: You can perform the rituals
for 3 of the first 6 ARCANA (p. 31) as if you possessed
those items, but performing them requires a payment in
blood (d4 STR damage) -- yours, or someone else's.

86 SPOONBENDER
Sometimes psychic powers can be a real headache. Special:
As an action, you can clumsily move small objects with your
mind or knock over a person who fails to save STR. Suffer
nosebleed (d4 damage) to blast an area or exert more
precise control over a single target.

87 SQUAREFOOT
It's amazing that a large, pig-headed creature in square
shoes, known for throwing rocks, could go unrecruited for so
long. Special: Your nose is sharper than most people's eyes,
you're a crack shot with heavy rocks (d8 attack), and your
size (comparable to a Bigfoot) can be an advantage.

88 STAGE-1 HEMATOPHAGE
O.D.D. scientists and lots of vitamin D may yet keep the
transformation at bay. Special: Regain 1 STR for each round
spent drinking directly from an open wound, but you must
drink blood daily or else can't rest to regain HP.

89 SQUAMOUS SAILOR
The O.D.D. intervened before an ancient curse could overtake
your secluded coastal town. Well, fully overtake. Take:
HARPOON (d6), ROPE, KNIFE (d6). Special: Amphibious, with
bulbous eyes that see in darkness, and gray scales all over.

22
90 TEAMMATE FROM A PARALLEL WORLD
Well, this is awkward. Special: Pick another player's
character -- you are that person, but from another world
where humans are cryptids, extinct, or hunted. If non-human,
you were quite normal on your world; you get that
character's special features, but swap out their items for
the items of a random human profile (roll d20 on PROFILES,
p. 7). If human, you get a STOLEN CROSSBOW (d6), MUD-
CAMOUFLAGED OUTFIT, and much keener senses, but you share
none of their career background.

91 TEMPORAL DESYNCHRONIZATION PHENOMENON

Some nerd at HQ keeps trying to get you to take the
callsign "Billy Pilgrim." Special: You jitter back and forth
in time, appearing to flicker in and out of existence
periodically, getting brief glimpses of alternate futures.
Take d4 WIL damage to call for a reroll of any die and pick
the result you prefer. At 0 WIL, you are lost in time.

92 THAT AGENT WITH THE MASK WE DON'T TALK ABOUT

No one will explain why you have to cover your face since
"the incident." Take: A METAL MASK covering your head, with
a slit at the mouth and a lock at the collar; requires 2
KEYS at once to open, each entrusted to a different
teammate. Special: Unmasking protocols -- and effects
thereof -- are up to the referee.

93 TRICKSTER'S DESCENDANT
Few believe your claims of ancestry, but they don't doubt
you do. Special: No matter what you say, while someone can
see or hear you, they believe you're honest. They might
believe you wrong or crazy, but not a liar.

94 UNDERDWELLER
It's a lot less lonely up here, but your species evolved to
be down there. Take: DARK SUNGLASSES. Special: Dark vision,
acute hearing, and silent movement make you practically
invisible in shadow, but you need eye protection in light.

95 UR-HOMUNCULUS
Creating tiny homunculi of bodily fluids is a complex (and
gross) process, but Paracelsus's instructions merely
reverse-engineered the work of an even greater alchemist.
Special: Your homunculus gland lets you regurgitate a tiny

23
 humanoid (1 STR, 12 DEX, 1 WIL) that follows simple
commands. Swallow it to reabsorb it and see flashes of its
memories. It takes you a day to grow another if it's killed.

96 WATER HORSE
You get a bad rap thanks to a few troublemakers with a
habit of drowning humans. Special: You transform between
your human body and horse body at will, and are amphibious
in both. You kick (d6) better as a horse, though.

97 WEALTHY THRILL-SEEKER
When you learned of the supernatural, you needed a taste.
The O.D.D. offers that in exchange for being the sole
beneficiary of your fortune in case of untimely death.
Take: WAD OF CASH, NIGHT VISION GOGGLES, BALLISTIC ARMOR (1
armor, bulky), MACHETE (d6), EXPERIMENTAL PLASMA RIFLE
(d10, bulky, backfires for d12 damage on a 1), 3 GRENADES
(d10, area). Special: You can afford whatever mundane gear
you want, but need approval for each item you take into the
field. Coincidentally, the referee can make a luck roll
anytime to check for catastrophic equipment failure.

98 WELL-PRESERVED CORPSE
Urban legends say a diet high in preservatives slows
decomposition. The truth is more complicated. Special: Your
desiccated, papery flesh seems able to withstand any
punishment. Only fire can take your last STR point, but all
fire damage is enhanced (d12) against you.

99 WIRED CHIMPANZEE
A talking chimp with glowing filaments protruding from
their skull is hardly subtle on missions, but you certainly
have talents to contribute to the team. Special: An expert
climber, long reach and sharp teeth for close-quarters
combat (d6), and surprising skill in signals intelligence
(you sometimes pick up radio on those skull-things).

00 WITCHBORN
You might not have formally trained in witchcraft, but
everyone in your family line can give a mean side-eye.
Special: Stare at someone uninterrupted to give them the
evil eye. After 1 round, they feel itchy. After 2, they feel
oddly unsettled. After 3, a catastrophe will befall them for
d20 STR damage -- maybe not immediately, but soon.

24
ADVANCEMENT
O.D.D. agents typically have a couple weeks of downtime between
missions. During that time, you may do the following:

REST & REHABILITATION: Regain all lost ability points.

REFLECTION: Roll a number of d6's equal to the number of

missions you've been on, and add them up (or add up the 3
highest dice, if you've been on more than 3 missions). If the
result is higher than your current maximum HP (or if you're
just feeling daring), use the total as your new maximum HP.

TRAINING: Roll a d20 for each of your ability scores, in any

order, until you roll over a score or you've rolled all 3 scores,
whichever comes first. If you do roll over a score, raise that
ability by 1.

PROFILE UPDATE: If you feel your profile description should

be updated, discuss it with the referee. For instance, if your
Squamous Sailor has proven to be more of a Squamous Sniper,
changing your profile to reflect this might affect saves and
investigation results differently (as described on p. 3).

REQUISITIONS: If you retrieve and turn in any arcana, alien

technology, or machinery on par with anything that might be
referred to as a "doomsday device," you will be entrusted with 1
requisition form (p. 28) for each item turned in. (You may
alternatively opt to not turn in items deemed safe to be taken
back out for field testing, should you decide you want to be the
one to field test those items.)

If your last mission went exceedingly well (i.e., achieved a

significant objective AND didn't require a cleanup crew to
destroy evidence, "disappear" anyone, or wipe memories), this too
will award a requisition form.

Rarer, more in-demand, and more flagrantly dangerous items may

require more than a single requisition to be submitted, so you
may wish to consider holding onto requisition forms to "save up"
if you so choose.

25
ADVICE FOR PLAYERS
STOP, THINK, AND ROLL (OR DON'T): In this game, there are no
"ability checks" -- you only roll the dice when you're in
trouble. Rolling a save means you're trying to avoid something
bad, and rolling an attack means giving up your chance to
avoid getting attacked yourself. Ask the referee questions
about what you perceive, what you can use, and use that
information to think up creative approaches and out-of-the-box
solutions. Your character doesn't have "Wisdom" or "Intelligence"
scores -- those are on you.

FIGHT SMART, IF AT ALL: Combat in this game is deliberately

designed to be easy to resolve quickly, without many rolls,
detailed math, or frequent stretches of time where nothing
interesting happens due to poor luck on rolls. The morale and
critical damage rules mean that fights need not drag on until
one side is utterly destroyed. Moreover, while the O.D.D. does not
shy away from lethal solutions when needed, it encourages
agents to prioritize live captures and offering opportunities
for willing recruitment. If you must fight, stack the odds in
your favor Consider how to use ambushes, cover, positioning, and
superior numbers to enhance your attacks and impair theirs.

HELP THE REFEREE HELP YOU: When you want information,

ask the referee, and note why you are asking. Simply asking,
"What's in the room?" can be useful, but let the referee know if
what you really mean is, "I'd like to look for a good place to
plant a bug." The game will go more smoothly if you remember
that the referee is neither your opponent nor a mind reader.

BUY INTO THE PREMISE: The game will not be fun (nor
adequate for training new recruits) unless all players are
interested in investigating the paranormal. Discuss with one
another, however, if you would like to play outside the confines
of O.D.D. bureaucracy; playing as rogue agents being hunted
like dogs can also be an educational training exercise.

RESPECT PEOPLE'S BOUNDARIES: If anybody at the table

says they're uncomfortable with something in the game, be
supportive in skipping over that part or redoing a bit of a
scene. This isn't a real mission, and you aren't their therapist.
Being a good teammate means building shared trust.

26
EQUIPMENT

27
EQUIPMENT POLICIES
As a matter of safety, secrecy, security, and supply, O.D.D. agents
must receive permission from their quartermaster to bring non-
standard-issue items into the field. The referee can help keep
track of policies for you, but you may find it useful to
familiarize yourself with some of the basics.

REQUISITIONS: Agents can submit requisition forms between

missions to request access to rare and specialized equipment.
Due to short supply, specifically requesting a particular type
of arcanum or a mundane item marked with an asterisk (*)
counts as 2 requisitions. If you'll take whatever's handy in a
given category -- e.g., not necessarily an assault rifle, but any
weapon, or not necessarily a divination ritual, but any
arcanum -- your requisition will go twice as far, netting you 2
mundane items or 1 random arcanum.

SEIZURES: Mundane items seized from hostiles in the course of

a mission -- especially illicit drugs and firearms -- must be
turned into the O.D.D. for review. You get first dibs if it's
allowed back in the field, though.

FIELD TESTS: Arcana recovered in the field are typically

entrusted to the agent who recovered them for further field
testing. (This does not require a requisition.) An agent who
demonstrates that an arcanum can be safely shared with
another agent, however, may opt to turn it in to gain 1
requisition form usable for other items.

ODDS 'N' ENDS: For the sake of convenience, assume every team
of agents has several lightweight, common items easily at hand
that any self-respecting team of paranormal investigators
would always take into the field. Such items include chalk,
salt, iron nails, bottled water, lighters, and so on.

PROVISIONS: The O.D.D. may also give agents any items expected
to be necessary for a mission, even items not listed here, like
scuba gear for diving, parachutes for an air drop, or stakes for
a vampire hunt. At the referee's discretion, or on a poor luck
roll, or in case of a suicide mission, the O.D.D. may be completely
wrong about what the agents are heading in to face, rendering
such items useless.

28
ARMS & ARMOR
WEAPONS (d20)

1. Pistol. d6. Concealable, fires underwater.

2. Rifle. d8; bulky. Longer range than pistol.
3. Shotgun. d8; bulky. Easier to use up close than rifle.
4. Submachine gun.* d6, or d4 area attack.
5. Assault rifle.* d8, or d6 area attack; bulky.
6. Sniper rifle.* d8 (d12 enhanced when unseen); bulky.
7. Machine gun.* d10, or d8 area attack; stationary while
firing; bulky.
8. Dagger, machete, or collapsible baton. d6.
9. Sword, battle axe, or maul. d8; bulky.
10. Silver blade.* d6 for knives, d8 and bulky for swords.
11. Flamethrower. d6 area attack, repeats each round; bulky.
12. Flashbang. Stuns all in area who fail to save DEX.
13. Grenade. d10 area attack.
14. Incendiary grenade. d6 area attack, repeats each round.
15. Missile. d12 area attack; launcher is bulky.
16. Plastic explosive. d12 area attack; use to breach walls.
17. Smoke grenade. Impairs attacks through smoke.
18. Tear gas. Painfully impairs all actions for those affected.
19. Stunner. Target saves DEX or is stunned for a round.
20. Trank gun. d4 attack; target takes worst of 2 critical
damage saves. Must reload after every shot.

SPECIALIZED MUNITIONS (d6)

1. Armor-piercing rounds. Ignore armor.

2. Hollow-point rounds. d10 attack vs. 0-armor targets.
3. Incendiary rounds. Ignite for +d6 damage.
4. Rock salt shotgun shells. Can affect intangible spirits.
5. Rubber bullets. Impairs your attack (d4).
6. Silver bullets.* Possibly necessary vs. certain targets.

ARMOR & PROTECTIVE WEAR (d4)

1. Ballistic armor. 1 armor; bulky.

2. Gas mask. ignore airborne toxins
3. Hazmat suit.* Ignore hazardous materials; bulky.
4. Riot shield. +1 armor; bulky.

29
TOOLS & SUPPLIES
The following is non-exhaustive list of (mostly) everyday
items that agents commonly requisition. If an agent wants only
part of a bulky kit of items -- e.g., not an entire set of
climbing gear, just a single rope -- they can opt to take only
that part into the field. Agents may also requisition items not
specifically listed here, at the referee's discretion.

MISCELLANEA (d20)

1. Adrenaline. Restores d4 DEX, wakes from critical damage.

2. Bandages, splints & ointment. Staunches bleeding,
prevents infection, cancels impairment from injuries, where
applicable; 1 use.
3. Binoculars. View distant targets.
4. B&E tools. Blowtorch, glass cutter, stethoscope, etc. Bulky.
5. Climbing gear. Ropes, hooks, harnesses, etc.; bulky.
6. Cover ID.* Forged credentials, passports, etc.
7. Fiber optic camera. Sees under doors, around corners.
8. Flare gun. d4 attack. Includes 3 flares of different colors.
9. Jetpack. Experimental, bulky, 1 in 20 chance of explosion.
10. Lantern. Battery-powered, adjustable brightness.
11. Laptop. Set up with satellite internet connection.
12. Locksmith tools. Lock picks, screwdrivers, etc.
13. Night vision goggles. Everything looks green.
14. Poison. d20 STR damage when ingested or injected.
15. Rations. Food and water for 1 day.
16. Recon drone.* Mini-helicopter with a camera; 1 STR.
17. Scientific instruments. An item or bulky kit of items
that would be situationally useful for a particular kind
of analysis in the field (e.g., microscope, barometer,
satellite GPS, EMF meter, geiger counter, etc.).
18. Simple tools. One item you imagine you might find in a
sizable toolbox (hammer, screwdriver, tape measure,
hacksaw, crowbar, etc.), or an entire bulky toolbox.
19. Tent. Fits 4 comfortably.
20. Tranquilizer. Inject to force STR save vs. passing out.

30
ARCANA
Arcana are items with properties not currently understood by
O.D.D. scientists. Arcana "work" automatically, without need for a
save, unless used in an especially dangerous or unexpected way.
A consumable arcanum your character started with can be
replenished between missions at HQ.

REQUISITIONS: Arcana can be requisitioned like other

equipment as a downtime activity between missions (see p. 28).
Requesting a random arcanum (d20), or more specifically, a
random ritual item (d6), counts as 2 requisitions; requesting a
specific arcanum counts as 3 requisitions.

1. Bronze liver. Inscribed with extremely detailed diagrams

to assist in accurate haruspicy. Ask any question, and
spend 1d6 x 10 minutes studying entrails to get an accurate
(if not necessarily exhaustive) answer from the referee.
Additional questions require more animal entrails.
2. Cracked cauldron. Place a corpse with an intact brain
inside to call a spirit to clumsily animate it. It may or may
not summon the corpse's original spirit, but it might access
the body's memories. The disoriented being cannot speak, but
will follow simple, direct orders. Corpses are notoriously
fragile, but immune to critical damage and fear.
3. Diary of St. Francis Borgia. Contains a ritual of
exorcism that forces a possessing being or unearthly spirit
to attempt a WIL save every round while the incantation is
spoken, else be expelled from its host or from this realm.
4. Page from The Lesser Key of Solomon (Unredacted).
Instructions to summon a specific demon, noting areas of
expertise (with costs or requirements left to referee's
discretion). They may be willing to bargain for a boon,
typically for a deceptively "trivial" price.
5. Scrying bowl. Fill the bowl with water, plus an image of,
or something belonging to, the one you wish to observe.
After several minutes, witness faint and blurry images of
showing the what the subject is doing, as if nearby.
6. True 5th Pentacle of Mars. Diagram and ritual
instructions for drawing a circle capable of constraining
spirits and demons who find themselves within it, whether
by summoning or blundering into it.

31
7. A bunch of protective amulets. Protect against the evil
eye and blocks harm until an attack against you rolls 4+.
Must be re-enchanted back at HQ to regain protective aura.
8. Bottled miasma. Shatter -- or simply remove stopper and
swing -- to unleash an oily, black cloud. It blocks
projectiles, slows movement, and saps d4 STR each round if
breathed in. Can be refilled back at HQ.
9. Finger bone of St. Joseph Copertino. Hold in hand over
the heart to levitate, weightless, subject to inertia.
10. Ghost milk. Sip to become partially intangible for several
minutes, able to slowly pass through solid objects. Attacks
still hurt, but not as badly -- counts for +1 armor.
11. Gleipnir fragment. A long yet thin and feather-light
length of rope, believed to be unbreakable.
12. Hand of glory. The severed hand of a hanged man, made
into a candlestick from his own fat. Paralyzes anyone
within range of its smoke or light (aside from the bearer).
13. Hunter's talisman. Enhances (d12) attacks vs. beasts.
14. Iron arm. Affixes easily to flesh, acting like an extra or
replacement arm. Fist can be shot as a ranged weapon (d6)
or grappling hook, connected by a retractable chain.
15. Jackalope foot. Protects from dehydration and hunger, and
renders the bearer extremely stealthy in wilderness.
16. "Lucky" obol. Once per mission, you may flip a coin instead
of rolling a die. Heads represents the maximum on the die
you would have rolled; tails represents the minimum.
17. Pocket demon larva. A wriggling, finger-sized millipede in
a matchbox. Swallow to gain power to scale walls and resist
any toxin. Save WIL every few minutes or retch it up.
18. Shabby coat. Whoever wears this tends to elude casual
attention by humans -- not invisible, just beneath notice. If
going somewhere you don't belong, you might be stopped, but
not recognized as yourself, or an agent, or a Bigfoot, etc.
19. Silver branch. Opens a passage between distant points in
space, albeit requiring a detour through the (or at least
an) underworld. The more precise and distant the specified
exit point is, the longer the detour must be.
20. Triskaidekafocals. Spectacles that show a hazy double-
image of people gazed at through them. If a person is
possessed, a shapeshifter, disguised by glamour, or
otherwise concealing an unnatural nature, the double-image
gives a clue as to who they really are.

32
REFEREEING

33
ADVICE FOR THE REFEREE
BE GENEROUS WITH INFORMATION: When players ask
questions, give honest (even if not always complete) answers.
Verify their intent as you fill in gaps, and solicit details when
needed. Be forthcoming with information they don't even ask for,
provided the characters have time to be cautious and
observant; the game gets tedious if players must say "I check
for traps" at every door. Assume they're looking for traps,
carefully pulling out desk drawers, checking whether the
deceased was holding anything, but confirm what action they
want to take in the face of a meaningful dilemma. Like: "Are you
shining your flashlights so you can see better, or trying to
stay hidden?" Or: "It looks like there might be something in the
victim's pocket, but you would be disturbing a crime scene. Do
you care?" Make their answer matter.

DON'T CALL FOR SAVES WITHOUT RISKS: There are no "ability

checks" in this game. If a PC attempts an action they could
safely do, they do it. If it's impossible, they don't do it. If it's
possible but risky, they do it, and the player attempts a save to
see if the risk befalls them. It can be helpful to note aloud
what, specifically, the save is meant to avoid before rolling.

LET THE PLAYERS PLAY: Replace downed PCs with new ones
fast. Backup is always just behind, and there may be survivors
from the forward team. Don't hijack PCs' thoughts or feelings;
limit descriptions to sensory information ("you see ... you
hear") and involuntary physical reactions (coughing, vomiting,
bleeding). Minimize players' time spent doing nothing. (Maybe
being possessed by a ghost is a chance to get clues?)

TREAT THE ODD AS UNKNOWABLE: No matter how strange the

PCs themselves may be, and no matter how much research O.D.D.
scientists conduct, the paranormal should feel mysterious and
unpredictable. Draw on classical myth and urban legend, but
subvert expectations sometimes too. Maybe some vampires DO cast
reflections. Perhaps faeries only fear iron in certain forms.
Facing the odd should never feel like an exact science.

THE PLAYERS MATTER MORE THAN THE GAME: Encourage

players to make boundaries known before play. Lead the table in
respecting them. "Fast-forward" and "rewind" as necessary.

34
CREATURE DESIGN
When creating creatures that agents might encounter on
missions, make sure to define the following:

ABILITIES start at 10 by default. Raise by 5 (or so) for

something the creature should be especially good at; deduct 5
(or so) for something it should be bad at. Don't get bogged down
in details; it's fine for everything you introduce to be have
abilities only at 5, 10, and/or 15.

HIT POINTS should reflect the creature's overall threat level.

For quickly derived values, give minor threats d6 (or 4) HP,
moderate threats 2d6 (or 7) HP, and serious threats 3d6 (or 12)
HP. Only especially huge creatures should exceed 18 HP.

DRIVES help the referee to imagine how a creature would

behave. These may or may not be apparent to agents.

ATTACK is d4 if the creature has no means of self defense, d6

for natural defenses and small arms, or greater as appropriate.

SPECIAL abilities are not necessarily possessed by every

creature, but are an excellent way of showing the strangeness
and diversity of the creatures faced in the field. Especially
dangerous creatures might have an automatic maneuver or
effect upon inflicting critical damage.

WEAKNESSES tend to offer opportunities to deal enhanced

(d12) damage against a creature, impair (d4) a creature's
attacks, affect its behavior somehow, or -- in very rare cases --
offer the only means to neutralize the creature at all. The O.D.D.
maintains a catalog of such information for known organisms,
but agents are encouraged not to take much for granted.

OVERWHELMING creatures are those that are especially huge,

or composed of many smaller enemies in a swarm or horde. Recall
that smaller-scale attacks against them are impaired, and their
attacks are enhanced against smaller-scale targets. You may
wish to specify weaknesses for them, but you do not need to;
it's up to the players to think creatively and figure out ways
to even the odds.

EXAMPLE CREATURES can be found in MISSIONS (p. 39).

35
MISSION PLANNING
BEGINNING: When planning a mission scenario to present to
players, it is important to know how it will start. Start later in
the chronology described here if you have only 1-2 hours, or
earlier if you have time for players to plan their approach.

* Downtime: Most play sessions are presumed to focus on

missions, whereas downtime can potentially be handled
through some "off-camera" bookkeeping and conversations
between players and referee. If, however, you want your
game to emphasize the bonds between recruits, how they feel
about their new job, and well-guarded the HQ is in case they
ever consider going rogue, you may wish to start at HQ
during downtime, or even orientation.
* Briefing: At HQ or en route, agents will learn their
expected mission objectives. You can start here to give them
some opportunities for Q&A, flash back to it later, or just
briefly summarize key points if in a hurry.
* En route: Starting in transit may make sense if stealth or
other strategy may be necessary on approach, or if the
scenario involves a vehicle wreck and unplanned travel.
* On site: This is a safe and reliable "default" intro point.
* In medias res: If pressed for time, you can't beat jumping
right into a firefight, chase, or other "cold open."

MIDDLE: This will be the bulk of the session. It can be useful

to prepare a few impressions, characters, and locations that the
agents are likely to encounter, but allow players to guide how
they progress rather than planning a "story" yourself.
Periodically remind players of their objectives, and/or invite
them to suggest new objectives based on what they have learned.

END: After players have achieved all objectives (or identified

which they choose not to achieve), move toward conclusion.

* Cliffhanger: May be necessary due to timing; certainly

works better if you can schedule the same group soon.
* Climax: Tie together any emergent narrative threads.
Consider calling it immediately after a good quip.
* Downtime: You may roleplay downtime or move on to
bookkeeping. After roleplaying, you might ask players what
they did or did not find fun to help inform next session.

36
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DOES "O.D.D." STAND FOR? When someone asks this
question of a senior agent, roll a d12.

1. Otherworldly Detection Directive

2. Operation: Doomsday Deterrence
3. Organization for Disquieting Discoveries
4. Occultism and Demonology Division
5. Ordo Dei et Diaboli
6. Outer Domain Detachment
7. Outfit for Dream Duty
8. Official Divination Directorate
9. OMEGA DURANGO Designation
10. Omen Disquisition Department
11. Oversight of Dark Developments
12. Office of Domestic Defense, Irregular Threat Investigation,
and Extranormal Studies
13. Operation Dumbo Drop™

ARE WE THE "MEN IN BLACK"? When someone asks this around

senior agents, the senior agents suddenly appear extremely
anxious and paranoid -- e.g., "Were you approached by men in
black? Where did you hear about them? Who told you to ask
that?" When it becomes apparent that the characters have no
idea what everybody is so anxious about, the senior agents grow
visibly relieved, and reassure that there are no "men in black."

ARE WE THE BADDIES? Many O.D.D. agents are cryptids,

psychics, and (ostensibly) mythical beings, conscripted to
investigate -- and sometimes, hunt -- targets that may seem not
unlike themselves. The secretive nature of the agency may lead
some to wonder whether this is in the service of an oppressive
status quo. It must be expected, then, that a certain percentage
of agents will go "rogue" under such conditions. Nevertheless,
the O.D.D. would remind you, a new recruit, of a few facts.

1. If you run, some other group of agents will be sent to find

you. They're just doing their job.
2. It's hard to get a whole week of downtime while on the run,
and rogue agents can't use theirs to requisition supplies.
3. The O.D.D. is the world's ONLY line of defense against the
unknown. Who else will protect this world?

37
WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR JURISDICTION? If you are below
clearance level Omega, be advised that any mission site that
appears to take place off the planet Earth or outside objective
reality is part of an elaborate training exercise in a simulated
environment. Treat the situation as “real” in order to achieve a
satisfactory evaluation and continuance of your training. Be
further advised that your digital avatar may be altered in
keeping with the morphology of local species. If you are of at
least clearance level Omega, be advised that foreign
contaminants will not be permitted through any Hawking-Thorne
gateway. And if you just meant, "what countries can we operate
in," rest assured that field agents need not worry themselves
with the political intricacies that allow them to travel across
the world, to wherever they are most needed. (But if you start
the game with a gun, your HQ is probably in America.)

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT CAN AGENTS EXPECT IN THE FIELD?

Agents may use their O.D.D.-issued satellite phones to call HQ for
backup, cleanup teams, or to pass along urgent intel. O.D.D.
command frowns upon using calls to HQ as a substitute for
googling the answers to simple questions, however. If they have
questions for their superiors during a mission, agents should
assume their briefing communicated all the information that
their superiors saw fit to share, and anything that was not
shared is either unknown or none of their concern.

WHAT KIND OF ADVANCEMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

Beyond the occasional pat on the head and requisition form,
agents with a distinguished career of service may be assigned
new agent trainees to lead on missions (which make a handy
back-up character if your senior agent doesn't make it home one
day). Those who mentor a trainee into a mid-level role can
angle to be promoted to a desk job at HQ, or may even be allowed
to retire and live out their remaining days in safety and/or
quiet dread. The most dedicated agents, however, are entrusted
with great latitude in choosing ambitious assignments, such as
toppling the replicant conspiracy, sealing off all rifts
accessible to the Great Old Ones, assassinating a historical
figure who had it coming, or curing their own lycanthropy,
vampirism, antichrist prophecy, etc.

YOU KNOW WE CAN JUST COPY/PASTE THE BLACKED-OUT

TEXT IN A PDF, RIGHT? Yes.

38
MISSIONS

39
#0192: OPERATION TREEFALL
BRIEFING: A team of agents went to investigate a spike in
cryptid sightings in a particular North American forest. Their
helicopter crashed in the woods, seemingly coming under fire
from below. Your team will approach on foot to avoid detection.

* PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: Determine what took down the helicopter.

Recover, capture, or eliminate.
* SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: Locate the downed helicopter, help any
surviving agents to safety, and retrieve any equipment on
their person.
* TERTIARY OBJECTIVE: Discover information about local
cryptids, and a possible explanation for the increased
activity. All teammates will receive a guaranteed
requisition for delivering any live cryptids to HQ. The
group has been provided with zip ties, rope, sacks, and a
tranquilizer gun (d4 attack, target takes worst of 2
critical damage saves).

ENCOUNTERS: As agents move through the woods, periodically a

d6 to check for what they encounter. On a 1, the encounter
catches the agents by surprise; on a 2-3, it happens
immediately, but the agents have time to react; and on 4+, the
agents see signs of a likely encounter soon. In encounters with
cryptids, the creatures seem dizzy and disoriented, with pink
foam around the mouth, requiring players to save WIL upon
approach if they want to avoid immediate violence. On the first
encounter, roll a d4; on the second, a d6; on the third and
subsequent, a d8.

1. HIKERS: A pair of hikers, Alex and Lee, are hiding, terrified

by what they've seen. They will hurry up to the agents if the
agents appear to be human authority figures (from a distance,
at least). NEW OBJECTIVE: Lead the hikers to safety, and make
sure they stay on site and talk to no one until an O.D.D. cleanup
crew can arrive and attend to them.

2. HIDEBEHIND: 16 STR, 16 DEX, 10 WIL, 6 HP, d8 biting attack. A

furry, bipedal beast, taller than most humans. Agents may hear
sounds of cracking twigs from behind, but no one visible as
long as there is something to hide behind. If any agent falls at
least a few steps behind the group, the beast grabs them, pins

40
their arms, covers their mouth, and drags them back to its den
nearby to tear them apart and feed. Escape grip with STR save.

3. GUMBEROO: 16 STR, 5 DEX, 12 WIL, 15 HP, 3 armor, d6 bite

attack. Larger than a bear, shaped like a football, with a
thick, black, shiny hide. Very resistant to physical harm, but
any fire attack immediately ignites it, causing it to explode d4
rounds later for d10 area damage.

4. AGROPELTER: 8 STR, 18 DEX, 11 WIL, 3 HP, d8 thrown branch

attack. Child-sized primate with muscular arms and a body like
a gaunt bear. Hides in trees and chucks wood at anyone entering
its territory; even more aggressive and deadly due to diseased
condition, as evidenced by the pilot. Capturing or eliminating
this threat to travelers satisfies the primary objective.

5. SQUONK: 8 STR, 8 DEX, 6 WIL. Looks like a warty, pockmarked

bag of loose skin wrapped around a mangy animal. Shows signs
of pink foam at the mouth, but is less aggressive than other
affected creatures in the woods, only feebly growling and
pawing at anyone who approaches. If trapped, its sobbing
intensifies. If not handled somehow, it will dissolve in its own
tears within d4 rounds. Worth an extra requisition if captured.

6. HELICOPTER: If you need replacement agents for any killed

in play, they could be survivors from the crash, just awoken
after bailing out and being separated from their team. There
are no survivors at the crash site, however. Close examinated by
an agent with an appropriate profile will reveal that the pilot
was not killed by the crash, but by a wooden branch through
the heart, penetrating at significantly greater velocity than
could have been possible from just falling onto trees. Searching
the area turns up any perished agents' service weapons, plus a
random piece of equipment for each, including 1 random arcanum.
Gathering this information and equipment satisfies the
secondary objective.

8. TREEFALL GAP: This area contains a large hole in the

ground, recently opened by a fallen tree, and leading into a
long cave. A strong smell of maple syrup emanates from within.
Following it to the source leads to a large, dark cavern. The
space is dominated by the gigantic, decaying remains of an
elderly man with a beard, dressed in flannel, jeans, and boots,

41
with a massive axe at his side. Also, a giant blue ox is feasting
on his entrails.

Giant blue ox: 17 STR, 5 DEX, 12 WIL, 10 HP, 1 armor, impervious

to cold, overwhelming, d8 area stomp/kick/trample/goring
attacks. Its muzzle is wet with blood and flecked with pink
foam. If its meal is interrupted, it attacks on sight. (And
getting close enough to retrieve samples or investigate the
cavern definitely interrupts its meal.) Attempts to take bites
of the remains to heal itself (+d4 STR) if harmed.

Closer examination of the man's remains reveals he must have

once stood as tall as at least 3 normal men in life. His remains
show signs of having been nibbled upon by local fauna, and
smell disturbingly sweet. Most agents (and players) will know
consciously not to eat giant corpses giving neurodegenerative
diseases to cryptids, but just in case: For each bite taken from
the body, regain d4 STR and save WIL or else lose your character
to the delirious, violent disease affecting the cryptids. If
subdued and brought back to HQ alive, affected agents should
recover after a few weeks' treatment.

Searching the cavern yields no obvious clues of how the man

came to rest here, or how long he had even been interred here;
answers to these and other questions are left to the referee's
discretion, or for O.D.D. analysts to puzzle over on their own. In
any case, it is apparent that this is the source of the cryptids'
condition, and discovering this (and sharing the location with
HQ for follow-up research) satisfies the tertiary objective.

VARIANTS:

* Switch the order of the objectives to emphasize what you

think would be most fun, or add objectives of your own.
* If you are playing with agents of a more sensitive
disposition, you may wish to replace the giant corpse with
a live giant, and offer some other explanation for the
strange affliction, such as an alien pathogen from a
recently unearthed meteorite. If you choose to do so, the
giant has 18 STR, 5 DEX, 15 WIL, 12 HP, d10 area axe attack,
OVERWHELMING. He may be more capable of fighting off
infection than animals, however, and might even be
convinced to be restrained and accompany agents willingly.

42
43