at

the brink abyssof

the
A ONE-SESSION PLAY-KIT
The Silverstar Knights race to claim
the lost Nebula Crown.
 at
the brink abyss
A ONE-SESSION PLAY-KIT
of
the

AUTHOR ARTISTS
Andrew Gillis Zak Goggins,
Raven Warner

TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 At the Brink of the Abyss 7 Series Abilities
3 The Situation 8 The Protagonists
4 Elements of the Setting 8 Raven, the harmony
4 The Port Commission (she/her)
4 Memorial University 9 Hawk, the Outsider
(she/her)
5 The Uprising
10 Fawn, the Enigma
5 The Stellar Empire (she/her)
6 Director’s Principles 11 Wren, the Stranger
6 Supporting Characters (they/them)
12 Single Session Procedure

An Evil Hat Productions publication in partnership with Seven Crows Games

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@EvilHatOfficial • @CommutingCrow
© 2023 Evil Hat Productions, LLC and Andrew Gillis.
Evil Hat Productions and the Evil Hat logo are trademarks owned
by Evil Hat Productions, LLC. Seven Crows Games and the Seven

1
Crows Games logo are trademarks owned by Andrew Gillis.
2

at
the brink abyss of
the
AT THE BRINK OF THE ABYSS A GIRL BY MOONLIGHT SERIES

Mecha pilots struggling against extinction

at the hands of the Leviathans.
At the Brink of the Abyss is about redemption and heroism. It has
an optimistic outlook, in which monsters have hearts—often fragile
broken hearts, in need of healing. The transcendent powers of the
protagonists are a pure and truly good thing, and they use that power
to change the world for the better. There’s still danger and struggle,
but ultimately this series aims for an uplifting and optimistic narrative.
Touchstones: Steven Universe by Rebecca Sugar, Sailor Moon by
Naoko Takeuchi

WHY PLAY THIS SERIES?

Ê You love seeing fantasy elements in a mundane setting, like
in classic magical girl stories
Ê You want a dramatic story where pure hearts can triumph
in the end
Ê You want to redeem a broken world, changing it for the better

e Abyss
At the Brink of th
 The Situation

THE SITUATION
The Silverstar Knights race to claim the lost Nebula Crown.
While excavating the foundation for a new lecture hall at Memorial
University, construction crews have uncovered mysterious ruins.
Surprisingly intact, with architecture matching no known civilization,
rumours whisper of strange technology or grotesque remains. The
authorities immediately locked down the site, and rumour is that special
government science teams are studying the ruins.
Unknown to them, the ruins are part of an ancient stellar empire, once
ruled by the tyrannical Queen Charybdis. Long ago, her rule was chal-
lenged by a rebellion, and rather than cede the throne Charybdis
shattered her own empire, cursing her court and the rebels both to
endless sleep amidst its ruins.
The city is embroiled in a rebellion of its own. A coalition of students
and workers protesting corruption and inequality have filled the streets,
and upended day-to-day life. The authorities have responded with
strict curfews and retaliatory police actions throughout the city. The
city’s fate hangs in the balance—will there be a popular revolt that
overthrows the corrupt government? Or will the authoritarians consol-
idate enough power to crush the uprising?
All the while, Queen Charybdis stirs in her sleep, and exerts her sinister
influence on the world. Strange things are happening by starlight—
monstrous transformations of places and people, otherworldly mani-
festations of cosmic power, and ghostly echoes of ancient conflict. The
authorities rush to hide any trace of these events. Are they in league
with the ancient Queen, or have they become her unwitting puppets?
But the light of the stars has brought more than just monsters and
tyrants. Awakened by the same stirrings as the Queen, the spirits of the
stellar rebels have returned to challenge her reign once more. Seeking
champions for their cause, they have empowered four unlikely students,
who now find themselves at the center of both conflicts. Carrying the
banner of the Silverstar Knights, our heroes seek to challenge the
forces that would bring the city to its knees.
How will Queen Charybdis’ influence change the course of the
uprising?
What calamity will come to pass, should Charybdis fully awaken?
What do we stand to lose in service to these spirits?

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4

ELEMENTS OF THE SETTING

THE PORT COMMISSION
A totalitarian regime, formed from when the port authority and the
police allied to take over the city in a ‘bloodless’ coup about a decade
ago. They have spent the intervening years consolidating their hold
on every aspect of life in the city by bolstering the Metro City Police,
and forming a ‘Special Investigative Group’ under direct control of the
ruling duo-pols. The SIG carries out the most cruel and questionable
wishes of the authorities, and manages any incidents they need to
keep quiet. The Port Commission keeps close tabs on the city using a
network of informants and undercover agents, which they have been
using to subvert and disrupt organizers and protestors.

MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY
A long-standing institution of the city, with renowned researchers in
astronomy and philosophy. Students are drawn primarily from the
social elite of the city, with a few seats reserved for top performing
graduates from the city’s public schools. The campus is a collection
of avant garde buildings, framed on two sides by large formal parks.

tting
Elements of the Se
 tting
Elements of the Se

THE UPRISING
A protest movement, largely composed of port workers and young
people. They demand the ouster of the duo-pols, and the reformation
of the city’s government. There is no one leader, or centralized struc-
ture, instead the uprising is organized in small working groups, which
loosely coordinate their actions. While this is in part a principled choice,
in line with their anti-authoritarian values, it also ensures the uprising
is not subverted by the police, and cannot be easily tracked or surveiled.

THE STELLAR EMPIRE

An ancient magical empire that spanned the stars, ruled by an immortal
queen: Charybdis. Our world was the site of the Silverstar rebellion,
led by Princess Lumina, which nearly deposed the queen. Ruins from
the empire remain, sites of fortifications, battles long past, peaceful
homes, and waygates to other worlds, all condemned to magical
slumber by the vengeful queen. The empire is awakening now, and
Queen Charybdis will secure her throne, building her empire anew. Our
world, and its people, will be subsumed into her power, and made to
serve forevermore.

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6

DIRECTOR’S PRINCIPLES
Give monsters human hearts
When including monsters in your fiction, they should be driven by
emotion that the protagonists can recognize. If they have human hearts,
then monsters have hope of being reconciled, redeemed, or perhaps
made human once more. Use these monsters to show the nature of
the Abyss, and to stand as a warning of the cost of failure for the
protagonists.

Make adversaries, not villains

Give adversity human faces, with motives that justify their antagonistic
position. Think about what emotions or circumstances drove the antag-
onists to this action. Look for opportunities to show the protagonists
the true nature of their adversaries. Show how, if circumstances were
different, the antagonists might have been allies or friends. Use these
adversaries to tempt the protagonists with twisted reflections of their
own goals.

Let the mundane world give voice to the Abyss

The Abyss is just as much part of the day to day mundane struggles
of the protagonists, as it is responsible for the supernatural perils that
they contend with. Use mundane supporting characters to embody this.
Their actions and words are humble, insidious reflections of the loftier
and more obvious magical threat. Magical and mundane troubles are
rooted in the same themes, and carry the same gravity for the world
and the protagonists.

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Ê Caspian Hulme: Famous astronomer—brooding, pliant, eloquent
Ê Crux: Union organizer—elusive, firebrand, lonely
Ê Leo: Classmate—cheerful, worried, nosy
Ê Canis: Informant—frightened, prickly, observant
Ê Raven’s Mother: SIG administrator—exacting, sharp, protective

es
Director’s Principl
 Series Abilities

SERIES ABILITIES
For this play-kit, the protagonists’ series abilities are as follows:
Pure hearts: Gain +1d when you roll moon or make a connection.
Hope is strength: Each protagonist marks a transcendent action dot
in forgive, empathize, and flow.
Mark this action dot only in the third or fourth position. If this
provides your only dot in a given action, it does not count towards
your attribute rating for resistance rolls.

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8

RAVEN, THE HARMONY (she/her)

romantic, gentle, sombre
Raven is a soft spoken, passionate music student, used to solitude and
reflection. She is the lone scion of an important family in the city’s elite,
and is under immense pressure to live up to her family name. She has
been empowered by the spirits of Princess Lumina and Silver Knight
Lyre, the lovers who began the stellar rebellion. These spirits know
most of all what is at stake, and are pushing Raven to arm herself
against Charybdis.
What music are you forced to study and play?
What do you play in secret?
How do you feel about Lumina and Lyre?
Two conflicting promises: I will help find love.
I will keep ’s secrets.

Actions:
Empathize, Confess,
and Forgive.
Special Ability:
Perfect Pitch.
Transcendent Ability:
Beacon.

The Protagonists
 The Protagonists

HAWK, THE OUTSIDER (she/her)

stern, direct, passionate
Hawk used to be part of the Metro City Police informant network,
reporting on the activities of her fellow students, but she had a change
of heart. Now Hawk is trying to uncover the secret agenda of those
she used to serve, certain that there is some sinister truth at the heart
of things. The spirit of Silver Knight Oryxian, former personal guard to
queen Charbdys, has lent Hawk her power. Oryxian and Hawk both
carry the burden of old loyalties, and will have to prove themselves
to their new friends.
Who do you know you can trust?
Where have you been looking for answers?
What old grudge is Oryxian still carrying?
A promise to your rival:
No matter the contest, I will outshine .

Actions:
Defy, Express, and
Perceive.
Special Ability:
Old Loyalties.
Transcendent Ability:
This One’s Mine!

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10

FAWN, THE ENIGMA (she/her)

shy, elegant, impulsive
Fawn grew up by the port, in a poor neighbourhood. She is a street
artist, who decorates the dilapidated buildings and forgotten corners
of the city. Fawn is attending the university on an art scholarship, but
still harbours resentment for the institutions that granted it. She joined
the uprising in solidarity with her family and friends striking at the port.
Fawn is secretly host to the spirit of the infamous bandit Midnight Quill,
who was an uneasy ally of the stellar rebellion. Quill has their own
agenda, and while Fawn is using the bandit’s power to help her friends,
she knows she cannot fully trust this capricious spirit.
What kind of art does Fawn make?
Which of your friends is most precious to you?
What do you suspect Midnight Quill is really up to?
A secretive promise: Though they do not know it,
I will watch over .

Actions:
Express, Conceal, and Flow.
Special Ability:
Working From the Shadows.
Transcendent Ability:
Watch This!

The Protagonists
 The Protagonists

WREN, THE STRANGER (they/them)

flighty, glib, inquisitive
Wren has always had the best grades in school, success came so easily
to them. With the revelations that the rebel spirits have shown them,
they now see a real mystery to be unravelled. Wren is all too eager to
see more of the stellar empire, even if it means risking danger, or stirring
ancient beings from their slumber. The spirit of Imperial Archivist Carina
has offered her knowledge to Wren, but always advocates caution. The
two of them are studying history as it happens, and their conclusions
are desperately needed.
What secret are you keeping on behalf of one of your friends?
What would you do if you had the Nebula Crown?
Are there things that Wren is better off not knowing?
A misguided promise: The truth can only hurt , I’ll keep them
in the dark.

Actions:
Perceive, Analyze, and
Conceal.
Special Ability:
Know It All.
Transcendent Ability:
Ex Machina.

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SINGLE SESSION PROCEDURE

1 Choose one of the playsets.
2 Take turns reading the introduction and character descriptions
aloud. Once everyone is familiar with the situation and characters,
the protagonists each choose the character they want to play.
3 Each protagonist will have specific questions to answer depending
on which character they are playing. Read these aloud and answer
them.
4 When Hawk’s player answers their questions, instruct them to
advance the investigation track by 3. When Wren’s player answers
their questions, instruct them to advance the investigation track
by 4.
5 Once all the protagonists have answered their questions, read the
questions at the end of the playset introduction, to get everyone
thinking about the stakes of the situation.
6 Each protagonist gets one advance to spend for their character,
which can be used to acquire a new ability, or add one point to
an action rating of their choice.
7 The group also gets one advance to spend on a special ability or
transcended ability from the series.
8 Protagonists write promises. Each character has one promise
pre-written, which only requires that the player fill in a character
name. Their other promise is written based on the open prompt.
9 Play obligation as normal.
10 Each protagonist then gets 1 downtime action, instead of the
usual 2, plus any bonus downtime actions they receive by way
of special abilities, or series abilities.
11 Mission is tier II: reclaim an object of power. Play the mission.