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D RO W N E R
DROWNER
P L AY B O O K :
Sinister vessel for a leviathan’s wrath
They say a Drowner is a leviathan hunter that died at sea; dragged into the
starry depths by their own monstrous quarry. On the streets of Doskvol they
go as they please; blue-lipped and full of wonder and brutality. Who knows
what brings the Drowners back to the city? Best not to think about it.
When you play a Drowner you earn XP when you address a challenge
with violence or terror. Pursue your master’s strange desires. Deal out callous
brutality. Give rare glimpses of the human you once were. For you, mortal life
is cheap, your soul is forfeit, and the city is yours for the taking.
How did you become a Drowner? How do you express your master’s will?
How much of the old you is left? What do you think you are? What do you
think you will become?
STARTING ACTIONS DUBIOUS FRIENDS, RIVALS
●●●● WRECK ◆ Maurintz, a priest. Perhaps a

●●●● ATTUNE conduit to your master, or perhaps
able to keep your master at bay?
When you play a Drowner you start ◆ Frey, a sex worker. Perhaps a
with the Inkbound special ability, calming presence, or a lead for
and four action dots as normal. new delights?
STARTING BUILDS ◆ Bolley, an old sailor. Perhaps a

If you want some guidance when you fellow leviathan hunter who
assign your four action dots and special knows your plight, or perhaps a
ability, use one of these templates. mouthpiece for your master?
Cultist. Study +1, Attune +1, Sway +2. ◆ Kal, an alchemist. Perhaps a
Deep Speech. supplier of soothing alchemicals,
or a buyer for your ink black
Terror. Command +1, Prowl +1, blood?
Skirmish +2. Mark of the Kraken.
◆ Big Ed, a bookie. Perhaps an
Predator. Hunt +2, Prowl +1, organiser of blood sports, or a
Skirmish +1. Song of Pain. way to lose money on cards?
Watcher. Study +1, Survey +2,
Attune +1. Alien Hunger.
2
DROWNER SPECIAL ABILITIES
INKBOUND
You died once, but now you live again. You have two points of trauma.
Choose two trauma conditions that reflect the influence of the leviathan
you serve. You have 12 stress boxes instead of 9.
ALIEN HUNGER
When you make a vice roll during downtime you may recover as well. Roll
once and use the same result for indulging your vice and recovery. When
you overindulge you must switch to a different vice.
You might also need to find a new vice purveyor, which may require
further downtime activities such as long term projects.
DEEP SPEECH
You can invoke the otherworldly tongue of your master to twist lesser minds.
You can attune to compel someone nearby to obey a one word order you
give them.
If successful this effect lasts for several seconds at most, and leaves the
target with no memory of being controlled.
MANIFEST MALICE
Your very presence is an ice-cold threat. When a teammate commands or
sways someone in your presence you can assist without paying stress.
Most people consider you creepy or suspicious, but some may spurn you,
or even flee your presence. The GM judges the response of a given NPC.
MARK OF THE KRAKEN

You can push yourself to do one of the following: Make yourself monstrous—
perform a physical feat that verges on the impossible.
When you push yourself to activate this ability, you still get one of the normal
benefits of pushing yourself (+1d, +1 effect, etc.) if you’re making a roll, in
addition to the special ability.
If you make yourself monstrous you might sprout tentacles, ooze black slime,
or do something similarly disturbing. The GM judges the reactions of NPCs
who experience this. You revert to your normal form after a minute or so.
If you perform an physical feat that verges on the impossible you might hold
your breath for several minutes, tear someone limb from limb, squeeze into
a too-small space, etc.
3
D RO W N E R
NULL PRESENCE
You are immune to spirits, and they are immune to you. You are usually
unable to perceive spirits.
Spirits effectively have zero effect against you, and you against them.
P L AY B O O K :
Appropriate ritual preparations may overcome this.
PERVERSE DIMENSIONS
You can twist reality to traverse short distances with a step. Take 2 stress
when you make such a step, plus 1 stress for each extra feature: You can
step to any point you can see—you can step through a single wall or door—you
can take one person with you.
A short distance might be the length of a corridor, the height of a

balcony, or so on. If you spend additional stress, you can extend the
effect for additional benefits, which may improve your position or effect
for action rolls, depending on the circumstances, as usual.
SONG OF PAIN
You cannot be ambushed, and can sense if violence has taken place nearby
within the last day. When you are uncomfortably close to someone you
know if they have malicious intent.
DROWNER ITEMS
◆ Fine bare hands: Your hands are uniquely suited to murder. [0-load]
◆ Fine flensing knife: This large knife is meant for carving the hides of
leviathans, but it works for anyone really. [1-load]
◆ Harpoon or maul: These large leviathan hunting tools are as intimidating
and deadly. [2-load]
◆ Ruinous Markings: These arcane symbols are inscribed upon the skin.
Leviathans know the songs of existence and can teach the sounds to their
vassals. Do you know what the symbols mean? [1-load]
◆ Pitiful Trinkets: Pathetic baubles rescued from the deep. What were they?
What now haunts them? [0-load]
◆ Trance Powder: A dose of the popular drug, which induces an altered mental
state. The victim of this powder is not fully unconscious, but rather retreats into
a calm, suggestible mental state, similar to hypnotism. [0-load]
4
CREDITS
The Drowner is a fan project and not officially sanctioned
by John Harper, One Seven Design, or Evil Hat
Productions.
Writing, design, and art by Oz Browning
Original layout by John Harper.
Playbook template by Justin Ford.
Thanks to the kind folx of the Blades in the Dark Discord

for advice and inspiration, and especially to Justin Ford
for coining the word ‘inkbound’.
Blades in the Dark is property of John Harper and One

Seven Design.

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D RO W N E R

STARTING ACTIONS DUBIOUS FRIENDS, RIVALS

●●●● WRECK ◆ Maurintz, a priest. Perhaps a

STARTING BUILDS ◆ Bolley, an old sailor. Perhaps a

MARK OF THE KRAKEN

A short distance might be the length of a corridor, the height of a

Writing, design, and art by Oz Browning

Original layout by John Harper.

Playbook template by Justin Ford.

Thanks to the kind folx of the Blades in the Dark Discord

Blades in the Dark is property of John Harper and One

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